Orders were given, and things were organized. As imposing as Nojus is, he is better when tasked to lead men into battle than idle work, without Jorr in camp I came to spend more time with Enon, whose level-headed attitude towards problems, overall calmed and educated self felt somewhat more welcoming.

With me back into the spot of leader my men had direct orders to focus manpower on the construction of the first house, meant to keep Scarlett's agents, things seemed to get more difficult back at the Luath kingdom, now at war with both the Orcs and the humans of the Tsardom, Morgana let me know the Betrayer wanted me to host the first spies soon.

Also, I meant to face Andrei, not needing Lina's confirmation to understand with my memories alone that he meant to kill me in my weakened state. But he left. Taking with him a crossbow and lots of food. My men never went after him, believing that the wolfs would get him, the wolfs stalking the camp in the dark, courtesy of Dubby.

Dubby had attacked twice while I slept but didn't get to kill anybody, much less cause real harm to the palisades. Now having a band of wild beasts following his command. I made sure to keep enough guards around to see any attack come. But the howling seemed to have ceased after the last assault, so perhaps, Dubby has left, no doubt to return one day.

And the times I could sit down and empty my mind, I thought about him. I want to talk with him. As brief as our time together had been, I sensed a duty to him. For he put his trust in me and I failed. The more I thought about it the more I realized just how much of a bastard I was. Thinking so little of him that I didn't consider the possibility he could have survived, not even entertain the idea that Fogosh would have left him alone.

In a way, just like Fogosh, I forgot about him.

Turns out the fire Dubby's devil spilled onto the camp when he escaped did reach our storage tent, burning a quarter of our resources before the fires could be put dealt with. This meant food would be scarce in the following two weeks unless we found a way to replace what had been lost. I ordered the Huani to practice with the horses, as well as a pair of hobgoblins too since we lost two Huani in Dubby's raid. We would have to raid again, and soon.

Morale was fickle, and I saw my men shifting between hearty laughter and enthusiastic labor, to deadly silence and idle hands. Yet, my mere presence seemed to lift them up. I have turned into some type of symbol among them and won a level of respect that I never thought possible. And seeing this I knew that I could not fail again.

Thinking over my fight against Dubby I knew that his form was many times superior to mine. I could barely keep up, let alone strike him, were not for the involvement of my men, I would have died one on one before he rammed over with his beast. I must train, and for that, there is only one person in this camp that could do so. And they cannot refuse.

Four days after waking up I finally find myself with enough strength to swing my blade almost as well as before. Likely to be the Starblood in my veins, but it took less time than expected. And with it in hand, I enter Dandrie's tent as the morning sun barely rises on the horizon. She sits cross-legged in full armor except for her helmet, in front of what looks like a tree growing out of the ground, almost reaching the top of her tent.

Before I can open my mouth or even take a step further, I jump back, her magical spear striking the ground hard. The entire camp gets alert, and Lina immediately rushes to my side with her spear in hand.

"Never set foot in my tent, tainted one," She says with a hateful scowl as she steps out of her tent. I raise my hand letting everyone know things are fine...even if I'm unsure of it "Speak, or be gone"

"I came to demand you honor your involvement in the agreement for your stay. We are to train today"

"I won't learn your foul tongue. Speak Akani or not at all" She says never once taking her eyes away from me, and receiving orders from her, I return the scowl.

"You are part of the deal, you will teach me your ways of combat as we agreed, "I say taking out my sword and lowering Lina's spear so that she no longer threatens Dandrie, although I highly doubt a fight between them would end with her victory "You managed to force D-Nomkur to retreat, I want you to teach me what you know"

Dandrie takes a deep breath, likely to calm herself down. And looking somewhere behind me, I glance back and see the siblings watching us from afar, Indri particularly excited pushes her brother towards us.

"To the ring" She commands and with a heavy step quickly walks away "Bring whatever weapon you are best with"

"Lina," I say unbuckling my belt and handing it to her with the sword in its scabbard, she sticks her spear on the ground and grabs it "I will be borrowing this" I then walk to the ring grabbing her spear in my hands, a little large for my size, but not enough to consider it bothersome.

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Soon, anyone that is not on the watchtowers approaches to watch us, as I clear the ring of all the sparring goblins Lina was just beginning to train and step in. Dandrie already there standing perfectly straight watches every single step, and lightly raises an eyebrow.

"Spear? Poor choice" She then summons her magical spear, and faces me, adopting no stand at all "Attack me"

I take a deep breath, breathing out slowly as I move the spear in my hands, spinning it around it an almost nostalgic sentiment taking me over, it had been so long since I held a spear to do battle...the very first weapon I tried to master, the one that kept me alive in the woods. After a few seconds, I take an aggressive stance and point the head of my weapon at her.

And charge, I will not hold back.

Swing after swing, with the occasional thrust, I can hear the wind cut with every move of my spear. Together we are like a single organism, bound together by what was the most primal and savage chapter of my life in this cruel world. But try as I may, I don't even force her to defend.

My attacks miss her, even with her size, and no matter how close I am to cut her, she dodges with an unnatural speed. Like if I was trying to kill a gust of wind or the falling rain.

"No form, erratic, predictable" She comments nonchalantly before taking a step too close and hitting me on the stomach with the but of her spear, sending me flying to the edge of the ring and slamming my back against the wooden fence surrounding it, "I thought of you as a better warrior, now I see you are exactly what you look like. A mindless beast" She spins her spear a few times while calmly walking around as I stand up "Shame, to have been bested by you, or even doubt my prowess"

Feeling anger swell within me, I can sense the horns appear on my forehead and the tail grow on my back as I find myself charging at her once more. This rage, this energy, and this strength...like bloodlust, but instead of a boost of adrenaline, this feels like genuine strength traveling from my heart into every fiber of my muscles...is this the power of the Starblood?

This time my strikes are more true, and she uses her spear to deflect and stop my attacks. Yet, it is I who is pushed back, even now, she twists me around and hits me with the blunt end of her spear several times, letting me know that if this was a true fight, I would have been long dead.

"Lower than a beast! Lower than anything that slitters and crawls, you are pathetic!" She shouts right before ducking, tackling, and punching me straight on my jaw.

I raise a meter or two off the ground, not even reaching the ground before she kicks me mid-air and sends me crashing onto the wooden fence, this time breaking it apart as I roll on the ground, positive that something must have broken now. I hear Indri's cheering for her friend, while Enon tries to shut her up.

"You fight as if you were immortal, I saw it when you fought Indri, and when you fought the other goblin. Pure savagery won't amount to anything in the face of a true warrior, a master of their craft" She says finally adopting a stance "You are no different from a rabid dog" As loud as thunder, and quick as lightning, she thrusts forward with her spear.

I react fast and charge to meet her head-on, thrusting as well knowing I can get to her first...but neither of us harms the other, instead, she stands on the shaft of my spear, on her tip-toes as if she weighed nothing. So shocked am I by this image, her entire body simply standing there without adding even a bit of weight, it shouldn't be possible.

Yet, there she is. And awestruck, I receive a hard quick on the head that shatters one of my horns and I can swear did more to my skull.

"You wanted me to train you. But we are so far apart, it would be a waste of time" Dandrie says as her spear vanishes from sight.

Am I going to let her go? Accept defeat just like that? No. I can still fight, I can still go on. And I won't let myself be embarrassed in front of my men...so I close my eyes, and the world stops.

In my trance, I travel back, to Dubby. And I analyze every movement, every step. Quickly realizing that it's everything I taught him, he must have repeated the practice so diligently that it became a muscle memory for him. Still, I can feel the movements have hardened inside my head, then I go to the training session I just had...the way she stands, how she moves...

I got it.

Wasting no time, and not wishing for the adrenaline to wear off I grab the spear and charge for the third time. She turns around and summons her spear. But this time, it is different. I can see her eyes widen for a fraction of a second as I force her to defend herself. The anger within me is weaker thanks to seeing Dubby so vividly, there is greater control over my movements.

Still animalistic, yet, organized. I swing, and thrust and force her to take a step back. She notices this, and once again anger returns to her face, and goes on the offensive.

Yes, a true fight. No longer one-sided.

We strike and dodge, I can feel the blood dripping from the wound on my head, but I feel no pain. I'm focused, and the new information helps me stay on my feet for longer...but there is no way I could win. Eventually, I step wrong, or she simply moves better, and I receive a hard slam on the stomach that drops me to the ground, pushing all air out of my lungs.

I glance up and stare satisfied now how Dandrie takes a finger to her forehead and wipes a single drop of sweat. Furious at the fact she actually had to work for this victory. Our eyes meet once more. Her emerald eyes burned.

"You memorized my dodges...very well. I will stop here now, lest I take your life" She vanishes the spear and turns around, walking away "Next time, seek me when I'm not in my tent, or suffer the consequences" With that final threat she walks away.

Lina rushes to my side and helps me to my feet. Enon tells his sister to stop cheering Dandrie and push him to my tent. Surely to treat my newly acquired wounds. As I'm dragged away I ponder on her words and know they are true. I must not relly on the savagery of battle...there is an art in it, and if I'm to rise to even greater heights, I need to do more than swing fast.