Soon Hallbera disappeared into the house, leaving Amelia lingering outside, wondering what her careworn mother was up to now. She shifted her weight from one leg to the other. The longsword felt heavier by the moment. Curious, she lifted it upright,

'I wonder...'

She tried to swing it, lightly at first, and then, her strokes got faster by the moment, until finally, she could imagine herself... filleting a boar,

'It would seem,'

She sighed heavily,

'That 'Butchery' is influencing the skill, 'Blade Mastery' a bit too much.'

She had no other combat-related skill, and the revelation that her only weapon was more suited for... lesser needs, was disheartening.

Minutes passed like hours, and the wind howled in the distance, its voice echoing across the hilly region of Windfell, a tribute to its name.

Finally, the door creaked open, and out came Hallbera, dressed not in the garbs of a ranger but once more as an ordinary woman... a particularly tall and lean woman with what appeared to be noble blood in her veins. She carried a bundle in her hands, long objects wrapped in cloth and secured with ropes,

Under the dim light of the moon, Amelia saw her mother's face, and she shivered for it betrayed no hint of emotion,

"Come, Amelia,"

She spoke softly, but her voice had an unusual hardness to it.

Amelia nodded, trailing after her mother as she made her way to the clearing lit by the campfire.

After entering the clearing, Hallbera placed the bundle on top of a stack of firewood that Amelia had chopped earlier that day. She then removed two short staves of polished wood from the bundle,

"Here,"

She said softly, offering one to her daughter.

Amelia blinked in surprise, her eyes landing on the wooden staff in her mother's hand to the one being offered to her. Some effort must have gone into their making for they were smooth to the touch and she was much mistaken if they hadn't been slowly chipped into those shapes from a greater log.

She tentatively reached out and grasped it, somehow, it fitted perfectly in her hands,

"What's this, Ma?"

She asked, her voice unconsciously low as she took in the frowning face of her mother,

"... her grip's got problem... troublesome... will take time... maybe... or somehow..."

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Hallbera muttered something under her breath, twirling the second short staff in her off-sword hand for they were but little longer than an Armsword,

"You wanted to help out right?"

She asked and Amelia began to doubt something,

"...yes?"

She answered hesitantly. Hallbera smiled and for a moment, Amelia saw the glint of malevolent amusement in her eyes,

'Doesn't look all that good for me,'

She thought sadly, pushing the longsword back in its scabbard and leaning it against the wooden block she had been sitting on.

"To do that you must be able to defend yourself,"

Declared Hallbera as she raised the staff in one hand, pointing its tip at Amelia,

"These may not be deadly, but they hurt all the same."

Amelia's eyes widened slightly as she processed those words, her mother was going to train her! She had half a mind to ask for it herself, but with how busy she usually was and how tired she seemed these days, Amelia had not the heart to disturb her mother's scarce hours of comfort.

"I get it, Ma,"

She said in what she hoped was a steady voice, her grip on the staff tightened, and she felt its unfamiliar weight and balance in her hands,

"I'll do my best to learn."

Hallbera smiled, her eyes narrowing slightly,

"Good,"

She said, gesturing at Amelia's hands with the stick,

"Let us see how you fare at parrying first,"

And so, under the pale light of the moon, Hallbera stepped forward, her movements fluid and yet slow as though she couldn't be bothered. With a weary flick of her wrist, she swung the staff at Amelia, aiming for her shoulders.

Instinctively, Amelia raised her staff to parry the blow, the woods staff neared. With one swift movement of her feet, Hallbera planted the staff on the back of Amelia's sword hand, disarming her instantly,

TWACK!

"OUCH!"

She cried out in pain, feeling the force of the stick nearly split her flesh.

While the 'Gamer's Body' and 'Gamer's Mind' prevented her from taking any real injury, it still hurt enough to make tears pool in the corners of her eyes.

[DAMAGE ALERT!]

{-2 HP}

Hallbera's face remained expressionless, her eyes fixed on her daughter with an indifference that sent a shiver down Amelia's spine,

"You let your guard down,"

Hallbera stated flatly, her voice was cold and devoid of any sympathy,

"Or should I say, you hesitated? You must remain focused at all times if you wish to learn anything."

Amelia nodded, the pain had died down in a matter of moments but that gaze lingered on her,

"I-I apologize, Ma,"

She stammered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment,

"I'll try harder next time!"

Hallbera's expression didn't soften at her apology something akin to disappointment flickered in her eyes before being masked by a cloak of emotionlessness.

"Then pick up your weapon again, we will continue our training until I say otherwise."

Amelia nodded, picking up the staff off the ground and taking a two-handed stance,

"I'm read..."

Before she could finish, Hallbera darted toward her, and Amelia was forced to keep her mouth shut as the tremor of a heavy blow shook her hand and she nearly let go of the staff again... nearly,

"Good,"

Hallbera complimented her, but that didn't make the next strike any softer, nor did the next blow hurt any less.

The night wore on, its silence broken by the regular 'THWAKS' and 'BANGS' as Hallbera's short staff struck heavily and sometimes, it stuck true and the pain was unbearable,

"Does it hurt, lass?"

Asked Hallbera as she swiped the staff upwards, foiling Amelia's blow before striking the young girl's hand again,

"OW!"

Hallbera smiled for the first time since she began her lessons,

"Good... pain is the best teacher,"

And the next blow struck across Amelia's stomach.

She doubled over and gritted her teeth, her eyes went bleary as the world all about her felt like a heavy blanket over her shoulder.

{CRITICAL HIT ALERT!}

{-40HP}

{HP: 101/420}

There were many other bells, but that was the last Amelia saw before her world disappeared into darkness.