It took them a while to backtrack to the stair, as Irwin had forgotten a few bits of it, but eventually, they reached the square. It was quiet now, but the torches were still burning. The area was deserted, the building quiet and still.
Irwin stared at it, then turned to Daubutim. "You just want to go inside?" he whispered.
Daubutim nodded, and Irwin internally groaned.
They snuck one after the other along the buildings until they reached the first of the torches. Irwin noticed something odd about how it burned, but he couldn't figure out what was wrong. Then Daubutim prodded him, and he continued to the building.
The windows had shutters, but most were ripped off or swung wide open. Irwin took a deep breath and looked through the nearest window.
There were a dozen or so Galub sleeping on the ground. Empty flagons and tankards lay strewn around them, as well as, what he hoped, were puddles of drink. Dull metal kegs lay against the side beside wooden boxes. Irwin saw some of the orange things the Galubs had been eating stick out.
They continued to the entrance, then stopped. Daubutim put his head closer to his and whispered, "I'll stay here and get ready. Grab a box, then get out." He stuck out his hand to Irwin's sword.
Irwin swallowed, nodded, and reluctantly handed over his sword. Then he looked at the closest box. He almost wanted to say he couldn't lift it, then held back. He'd managed to lift Greldo, and this wouldn't be that hard… hopefully.
He snuck forward, dodging around a puddle, and past one Galub that was snoring loudly. He took a look, but its back was turned to him, and he reached for the box. The top was ripped off, but a part remained with some etched writing. Though he couldn't read it, he knew instantly it wasn't the same as what he'd seen before. Instead of flowing lines, the characters and symbols were blocky and angular.
The things inside were a sort of root or carrot that he'd never seen before. Dull and wrinkled, he wondered if they were edible to them or only the Galub. Keeping an eye on the nearest Galub, he lifted the box, making sure nothing lay on it that could fall off. It was heavy, but not so much that he couldn't lift it, and with it in his hands, he turned around to head back and froze.
A Galub at the other side was stretching, letting out a groan as he blinked around blearily. In the entrance, Daubutim was beckoning him, and Irwin snuck forward, praying the Galub wouldn't see him. He got halfway when there was a surprised shout.
"Carded! How?"
Irwin stopped caring about silence and rushed forward. Daubutim stepped out of the way while more moans came from behind him.
"Run," Daubutim hissed as he grabbed the crate, lifting it easily.
They sprinted from the building as confused shouts and angry howls came from behind. When he reached the narrow passage between the buildings, Irwin took a look back to see a dozen Galubs carefully move out of the building, looking around.
They seem afraid, he thought, then he turned and ran after Daubutim.
Ten minutes later, the shouting from behind faded, and they returned to their hideout. Irwin closed the door, summoned his flame, and looked at Daubutim. The burly boy put the crate on the table with a relieved sigh, then looked up and grinned.
"That was incredible," Irwin said, matching the grin. It had been terrifying, dangerous, and perhaps even a bit stupid, but… now they had food. As soon as he thought about it, his stomach growled, and he walked to the crate.
The carrot thing was heavier than he had thought, and he sniffed it. It didn't smell moldy, maybe a bit dusty. After a moment, he wiped it on his sleeve.
"Have you ever seen these things?" he asked.
"No," Daubutim said, taking one and frowning.
"Ambraz, do you know what these are?" Irwin asked.
"Dunno, but they look like some sort of vegetable," the Anvil said after taking a look.
"Let me try first," Daubutim said as he looked at the carrot. "I've had my cards longer, so if it's not good, I'll live. Also, my father taught me how to taste for poison."
He what? Irwin thought, just as the other took a tiny bite from the carrot.
"That's hard," Daubutim grunted as he began chewing. Slowly his eyes widened, and he took another bite. "This is good," he said.
Irwin couldn't hold back anymore and took a careful nibble. The structure was brittle but hard, and as he chewed, it reminded him of some roots his mother gave him sometimes. A robust and sweet flavor flowed into his mouth, causing it to water. Swallowing it, he felt his stomach rumble for more, and without holding back, he devoured the carrot. When he finished, he felt satiated, a warm glow coming from his stomach. He was also confused.
"I feel like I've had a full meal," he said with a frown, looking up to see Daubutim stare at his second carrot, half-finished.
"Yes… these remind me of the card-grown foods my father served during the summer solstice," he said, putting the partially-eaten carrot back.
Irwin shrugged. He'd never heard of card-grown foods, but if it was like all card-made things, it meant it was better than normal. He shuffled through the box, quickly counting the carrots before whistling softly.
"There are almost a hundred carrots," he said.
"Good. If they work like all card-grown foods, we will need at most two per day," Daubutim said.
"So we can stay for twenty days or a bit more," Irwin nodded as he sat down, keeping his hand and flame away from the bench.
"We should check again tomorrow to see if we can steal more," Daubutim said before moving towards the kitchen area and removing more of the debris, carrying it upstairs. Irwin looked for a few moments, then got up and began helping. They continued until all of the broken furniture, wood, and other debris was thrown in the corner of the other floor. They left a few pieces of wood, which Irwin lit on fire and then put into the wall sockets.
As he climbed back down from bringing the last bit up, Irwin stopped. Daubutim stood in the center of the kitchen with a sword loosely in his hand and a calm, sharp look in his eyes.
"Alright. We begin now.".
Irwin slowly walked forward, picking up the sword from the table. The calm of Daubutim made him somewhat weary of what was to come, and he looked at the other's thick lower arms in trepidation. Still, even then, the idea of learning to wield a sword and becoming stronger filled him with anticipation. Perhaps when he got back, he could show Bronwyn what he had learned! He could almost see his brother's impressed look already.
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If I get back, he thought, trying to temper himself.
"So… what do we do?" he asked.
"You are too weak for sparring, so I will teach you three moves which you will start practicing," Daubutim stated, and this time his entire demeanor changed. Seeing the calm and collected way he stood and his sharp eyes, he reminded Irwin of the rangers back in Malorin.
"Copy how I stand," Daubutim said as he widened his stance and raised his sword.
Irwin nodded, trying to do just that.
"No, like this," Daubutim said as he stepped forward and used his foot to reposition Irwin's feet. "Sword higher, hand low and relaxed, tip of the sword forward and up."
Irwin tried to copy what Daubutim said, and it took him over ten minutes to even get the position right. Then Daubutim made him stop, walk a few paces, and jump into the same position. He continued practicing this, slowly wondering when he would learn to swing. After a while, Daubutim made him do it with the other hand, ignoring Irwin's remarks that he was right-handed.
How long it lasted, he didn't know, but when Daubutim finally called it quits, Irwin's arms were shaking from holding up the sword, and his legs were cramping from the odd position.
"I thought you were going to teach me how to fight with a sword?" he whispered as he slumped on the couch, taking a swallow of water.
"Yes. To learn how to run, one must walk. To walk, one must stand. To stand, one must first get up," Daubutim chanted, almost singing. Then he nodded. "You did alright, given that you have only had your cards for a short while. When did you get your first? Half a year ago?"
Irwin frowned and shook his head. "No, a short while before we met."
Daubutim stared at him quietly, then shrugged. "Perhaps it's because you have gotten two cards shortly in a row. I don't know. I've had my card since I was eight."
Irwin looked at him as he thought about something he'd been curious about before. "Why do you only have one card? Don't noble sons usually get three quickly?"
Daubutim looked at the ground, his jaw suddenly clenched and a distant look in his eyes. The silence continued for a while, and Irwin was getting more uncomfortable by the second. Finally, he shrugged.
"Sorry for asking," he whispered.
Daubutim shuddered, and he looked up in surprise. "No, it is alright. It is…" he sighed sadly, his shoulders drooping down. "My father thinks I'm a disappointment. I am not… smart like him or my brothers."
"But your memory is really impressive," Irwin said quickly, feeling bad for Daubutim.
"Not as good as that of my brothers," Daubutim said. "We were tested at eight, and our scores decided what and how many cards we could pick. My father bent his own rules to give me this… otherwise I'd have gotten a cooking utensil card."
Irwin didn't know what to say and quietly observed the other boy, who was drifting off in thoughts again. Back in Malorin, Daubutim would have been at the top of his class, only bested by Clarish and possibly Lark. The idea that someone could be disappointed in someone like that. What would Daubutim's father think of him then? His memory was far worse, and though he guessed he was smarter, Daubutim was far stronger.
He didn't know how long he sat there, but at some point, Daubutim got up.
"Alright, let's continue."
"What? More?" Irwin asked, feeling his arms and legs still protesting.
"Yes. We can't start ambushing the Galub until you can defend yourself. Until now, we got lucky, but if we encounter four or more, you will have to fight two."
Irwin paled at the prospect.
"Alright," he said.
I hope we get to the swinging part soon, he thought as he walked forward.
--
"Good. The swing was alright, but keep your balance as you strike," Daubutim said, prodding Irwin with his club, causing him to sway. "Again."
Irwin nodded, eyes focused on an imaginary enemy as he swung the rusty sword forward. He focused on his stance, tightening his abdominal muscles while relaxing his shoulders. Daubutim prodded him again, but this time he remained where he stood.
"Alright. That was better," Daubutim said. "We will rest now."
Irwin sighed in relief but lowered his sword in a controlled way like Daubutim had shown him. Putting it on the table, he rubbed his calloused hands together, feeling the slight tension in his body. Still, compared to a week ago, he was feeling much better. He rubbed his lower arms and couldn't help but grin. Between the odd carrots, constant practice, and two cards, his body was growing stronger rapidly, and he loved it. It would still take months before his growth would catch up and slow down, and he was already starting to notice the difference. His pants, which had been baggy so incredibly baggy, were starting to wrap closer around his legs if he stood and practiced, while his jacket was now no longer loose.
Can't believe it's going this fast, Irwin thought as he stretched. If this continued, he might actually outgrow his clothes soon.
"We need to find more water bags," he said as he took a deep drink. They still had a few full ones, but they were draining fast.
"Because you drink so much," Daubutim said as he glanced at Irwin taking another drink.
"What? No I don't."
"You do. You drink twice as much as me, which is odd," Daubutim said. "But you're right. I think it's also time to start exploring again. You should be able to at least use that sword well enough so as not to hurt yourself now."
"What?" Irwin spluttered. "I can swing it pretty good after all that-"
Daubutim just stared at him. "Tomorrow, we will start sparring, and you can show me."
Irwin deflated instantly. "Right," he said. Still, he couldn't hold back a grin. Though Daubutim was a harsh teacher, he was also a good one, and under his full tutelage, Irwin knew he'd learned far more than he could have back home.
They both gathered their backpacks and swords before turning off the makeshift torches. They had gathered more wood from nearby buildings over the last week, finding that many more had been forced open.
Sneaking into the gloomy city, Daubutim close behind, Irwin wound through the narrow passages and streets toward the central square. They had gone out a few times, once for the wood, the others to keep an eye on the Galubs, and his knowledge of this part of the city had improved greatly.
A soft chatter echoed up to him from ahead, and he stopped. There was one alleyway left till they reached the square, but this didn't sound like it came from there. It was closer. He stepped back and looked at Daubutim.
"There are voices ahead," he whispered.
"I can hear them."
Right, he can still hear, Irwin thought.
The footsteps were closing in rapidly, and he looked around. There were a few doors nearby, one of which he knew was unbarred. He quickly moved towards it, pulling Daubutim with him. Inside, he kept the door slightly ajar, listening.
"I think there's three," he whispered.
Daubutim nodded. "Look around. Can we fight here?" he asked.
"Mostly empty," Irwin said after a quick reply. "Why-"
"Get a piece of wood," Daubutim whispered as he stood behind the door. "Stand at the other side, and throw it when they are close. When they come in, wait till I close the door, then summon your flame. We will kill them."
Irwin hurried to a nearby log, suppressing his growing worry. As he felt the sword in his hand, his worry grew. He'd only been practicing for a few days! What if he fumbled? The previous times might have been a fluke.
"Calm your breathing," Daubutim hissed authoritatively.
Irwin took a deep, shaky breath, then blew it out as he stepped next to the door. Daubutim was looking at a spot next to him, a frown on his face.
"Ready," Irwin whispered, wondering if he was right. Then he heard the footsteps close in.
Heart hammering in his throat, he waited till the footsteps were almost at the door. He was sure there were two or three now, and with a deep sigh, he threw the wood at the other side of the room. It hit the wall with a loud thud, then clattered down against a chair, clicking twice.
"Who there!"
Irwin held his breath as the footsteps rushed to the door. It was shoved open, and he watched three Galubs sprint inside. They showed no concept of looking first or being careful, and as Daubutim slammed the door shut, he summoned his flame.
"Ahk!" one of the Galubs shouted as he closed his eyes while the others covered their faces with their hands.
"Kill the left," Daubutim hissed as he lunged forward. "High slash, neck slash," he ordered.
Irwin moved before he could think, his body doing what he'd practiced four days straight, slashing at the left Galub and slashing it across its face before pulling the sword back and slashing it across the neck. It got a single gurgle in, then it slumped on its knees and thudded down.
Irwin stared at the Galub, then at his sword, then back.
"One more," Daubutim snapped, drawing him out of his startled shock.
He looked up to see one of the two was down, the other backing up. Daubutim stood before the stairs and looked at Irwin.
"Fight and kill it," the burly boy said, his eyes gleaming and his voice cold.
"Wait! No kill-" the Galub began, but Irwin was already moving. What had Daubutim said? Always aim for the unprotected side, and when they parry, pull back and stab.
He swung at the Galub's left side, and it swung its sword up and around with a screech. The clang against his hand was far stronger than he had anticipated, and with a painful sting, his sword spun from his grip. Eyes wide in fear, he stepped forward and jutted his flame into the Galub's chest. It let out a strangled gasp, eyes wide, but before the scream could come, a hand covered its mouth, and a sword point jutted out from its stomach. Green blood spattered across Irwin as he stared at the scene.
"If you lose your weapon, you're dead," Daubutim snapped. "Tomorrow, we will practice again how to hold it!"
Irwin could only nod as he saw the burly boy put down the Galub.
"Alright. Gather their water bags, then help me carry them up," Daubutim said as his eyes turned back to normal. "We will wait and see if more walk past so we can try again."
"Again?" Irwin whispered. Then he blinked and nodded. "Right. Again."
Five groups and twelve Galubs later, he dragged his bruised and battered body back into their own little house.
"Rest," Daubutim muttered. "Tomorrow, we will practice again."
Irwin just nodded, lit a few torches, then stumbled up the stairs. Though he hadn't been this tired in a long time, he slowly felt a grin grow on his face. He was growing stronger, and not just from his cards!