"Never thought I'd say it, but this is worse than training with Greg. At least it was a one on one situation, and I could focus on only him. With this two on two fighting, we have to focus on ourselves and the opponent we're attacking, as well as the other person's attacks and defenses and their combatant's respectively. This sucks." I complained, contemplating on all the times I suffered a devastating attack from over-reaching and opening myself to an attack from Taylor's aunt.
"Told you that you were underestimating how horrible this'd be. I know I bragged about never receiving a visible injury while training with them, but that was only because they took that into consideration." she replied with a hint of resignation, brushing over a scrape on her knee. After each joint session, they would segregate us: The Duke with his daughter, and Taylor's aunt with me. The post-training ritual invariably involved lectures from Taylor's aunt, detailing my missteps and imparting strategies to preempt similar errors. I assumed the Duke did the same with Taylor.
Throughout these collaborative drills, my weapon choice proved both advantageous and perilous. Opting, once again, for a staff in lieu of the double-edged sword for safety reasons—a gift from my mentor—I wielded it as a substitute for paired swords. Its elongated reach facilitated simultaneous offense and defense for Taylor and myself. Yet, the margin for error was unforgiving. A mistimed swing aimed at the Duke to create distance often meant neglecting the lower end's trajectory, inadvertently endangering Taylor by either parrying her wooden sword or worse, striking her hand, leaving her vulnerable to counterattacks.
After the initial warning, rectifying this ingrained habit proved more challenging than anticipated. My reliance on the staff, an extension of my fighting style akin to a natural appendage in one-on-one combat, now felt burdensome under the demands of paired combat. The staff that once felt like a seamless extension of myself, and by extension the double-edged sword, now required extensive refinement to navigate the complexities of dual engagement.
Yet, not all challenges stemmed solely from my own adjustments. Taylor, despite her skill, occasionally disrupted our coordination. Her aggressive lunges with the blade sometimes caused her shoulder to inadvertently jostle me, disrupting my balance at crucial moments. Moreover, her aunt's deliberate provocations occasionally unsettled Taylor's footing, thereby impacting our synchronized movements. Initially relying on Taylor's cues to synchronize our actions and reactions to alleviate the strain of our enforced partnership, I found myself occasionally thrown off by these external variables. Fortunately, Taylor learned quickly from her aunt's teasing, maintaining composure in subsequent sessions.
Despite these setbacks in weapon proficiency during joint exercises, there was a perceptible improvement in my adaptability. Though I harbored thoughts that the training regimen could afford us a bit more leniency, I remained grateful for their guidance and support.
"Ashoc, Taylor, to my office," the Duke's voice cut through the training room with quiet authority, a palpable resolve surrounding him. I glanced at Taylor, searching her expression for any clue as to the reason behind the summons to the Duke's office. Her bewildered look mirrored my own confusion, leaving us both wondering about the impending meeting.
Shrugging, we followed the Duke through the expansive and dimly lit corridors of his manor. The faces in the paintings lining the walls remained obscured in the shadows, adding an unsettling weight to the already somber atmosphere. With each quiet step he took, our nerves heightened, uncertain of the purpose behind this silent summons.
Arriving at his office door, the Duke gestured for us to enter, holding it open until we passed through. Once inside, he motioned for us to take seats opposite him and closed the door behind us, sealing us in with a heavy click.
Seated behind his imposing desk, the Duke remained silent, his hands cradling his face in contemplation. Sensing the need to break the stifling silence, I ventured cautiously, "Duke?"
He raised a hand in response, a signal to withhold further inquiries. Minutes stretched uncomfortably, the weight of the Duke's unspoken thoughts pressing upon us like an oppressive cloak.
After a couple minutes of that dreadful silence, he spoke quiet as a mouse yet his words still remained clear. "There's a request for a monster subjugation in the area. My sister and I could quell it with little risk, but we want you two to do it. You can only grow so much from fighting to improve while knowing your life isn't in immediate danger." His voice hadn't gotten any louder, though there was an evident emotion in his voice. Strangely enough, I was torn between whether it was anger or grief that plagued him, as opposing as the two are.
"We also need to ensure that the training we've imparted on you remains steadfast, even in the face of adversity. Are you both willing to undertake this mission? There's no shame in declining," the Duke concluded, a faint bulge in the glove on his right hand betraying the intensity of his concern.
"I'm in. Wouldn't be my first time. I'll go even if Taylor here decides otherwise," I affirmed without hesitation, eager for the chance to engage in actual combat after what felt like an eternity of training.
Taylor remained reserved but eventually spoke up, her voice tinged with a hint of jest, "Count me in too. Can't have Ashoc talking my ear off if I bail out now." Her attempt at humor masked a subtle tremor in her voice, a telltale sign that this might indeed be her inaugural encounter with such peril.
The Duke nodded approvingly and instructed us to rest up, as the expedition was slated to commence the following day.
Lying in bed later that night, my mind drifted back to the monsters my mentor had tasked me with slaying on my journey here. One creature stood out vividly—a crimson-scaled lizard wielding a spear, its cunning intellect plotting feints and parries, its sheer strength threatening to overwhelm me worsened by my weights, and its agility keeping me constantly alert. At the time, it had been the perfect adversary, pushing me to my limits. Now, though my mastery of qi had plateaued, my combat skills and techniques had notably advanced. The lizard would serve as a mere warm-up now. Surely, the creature awaiting us on this mission would surpass its challenge. Duke Ainsworth wouldn't consider it a worthy test otherwise, right? It had to be stronger, more formidable—a true trial for us both.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
I can't believe I'm thinking this, but I hope it's powerful enough to make me fear for my life.
I couldn't believe the surge of anticipation mingled with trepidation coursing through me as the Duke roused me from sleep earlier and more brightly than usual. With a brisk efficiency that spoke of urgency, he informed me I had five minutes to gather what I deemed necessary before meeting at the carriage.
My hurried packing amounted to little more than essentials, a testament to both my readiness and unease. Following the bustling activity within the manor, I eventually located the carriage waiting outside. Standing beside it were Taylor, her aunt, and finally, her father—the Duke himself.
He beckoned me closer and delivered a brief but pointed lecture before our departure. "The carriage will be discreetly covered to conceal its occupants, though its origin from here will be evident. Once you reach the vicinity of the monster, the driver will halt and await your return upon successful completion. If you fail to return within a day, my sister and I will mount a search. Any questions?" His gaze lingered on Taylor, gauging her reaction as her expression shifted through a gamut of emotions. Despite the unspoken tumult in her mind, she remained silent, as did I.
"Very well. Board the carriage," the Duke instructed, his tone decisive. Taylor turned and entered the carriage, and as I followed suit, a firm grip restrained me from fully stepping inside. It was the Duke, his grip firm yet tempered with an unusual softness in his eyes.
"Ashoc, I know that...Greg...must have prepared you for situations like this. If it comes to it, I need you to take charge and ensure her safety above all else. Don't take unnecessary risks that could jeopardize either of your lives, but just in case, my sister should be not too far away," he urged earnestly.
His words resonated deeply, the weight of his trust and concern palpable in the air. I nodded solemnly, acknowledging his directive with a newfound sense of responsibility.
"I'll do my best to ensure her safety." I replied, with a level voice and confident gaze, wanting to lessen his worries even if only slightly. I felt his grip on my arm relax, before letting go completely and I entered the carriage before Taylor could get too suspicious.
Almost as soon as I took my seat, the carriage started moving. The sudden motion almost made me hit my head against the back of the seat but I managed to catch myself in time. "Damn driver." I grumbled, annoyed by his lack of warning.
"Will we really be alright, Ashoc? I mean, sure, we're strong and all, but are we really good enough to take down a monster that even someone as skilled as my father was hired to handle? I only agreed because you seemed so confident, but now I'm having doubts," Taylor confessed, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
I considered her concerns carefully, trying to find the right words to reassure her. "Do you trust the Duke?" I asked quietly, facing forward rather than turning to meet her gaze.
"Yeah, but..." she started hesitantly.
"And he trusts us to handle this and come back safely," I interjected, injecting conviction into my voice. "He's trained us for this moment, Taylor. He believes in our abilities, and I choose to believe in him."
Reflecting on the earnest concern in the Duke's eyes when he entrusted me with Taylor's safety, I silently hoped she hadn't overheard that moment of vulnerability.
"That's... a fair point," Taylor conceded, her tone gaining a hint of her usual confidence. "If my father believes in me, then maybe I shouldn't doubt myself."
Her regained self-assurance was a relief, confirming she hadn't caught the Duke's moment of doubt. I nodded subtly, grateful that my attempt to bolster her confidence had found its mark.
The rest of the ride was rather unremarkable. Taylor and I spent the dull time sharing past stories, me telling her about things master and I would do, and her retelling stories of her and the Duke. It felt rather peaceful and easy to forget why we'd come here in the first place.
A sudden chill swept through me, causing an involuntary tensing of my muscles. Instinctively, I tried to pinpoint the source of unease. Before I could voice my apprehension or delve further into investigating the feeling, the carriage jerked to a halt, interrupting my thoughts.
"We're here," came the muffled voice of the driver through the barrier of wood separating us. Stepping out onto the forest floor, I was greeted by another inexplicable shiver, the cause of which remained elusive. The dense foliage enveloped us, occasionally disturbed by the movement of wild animals. Taking a deep breath, I was suddenly assaulted by a putrid stench that invaded my senses—an unmistakable odor of death. The last time I encountered such a foul smell was during the tragic aftermath at the elven village.
Taylor emerged from the carriage beside me, her initial awe at the natural surroundings momentarily overshadowed by the grim reality of our mission.
Glancing back at the driver for the first time, I made direct eye contact and was immediately overcome by a wave of nausea. It wasn't a reaction to magic or fatigue; something about him stirred an instinctive repulsion within me. It was as if my mind and eyes perceived conflicting details about him, yet both were incontrovertibly true. He had a single piercing brown eye, the other concealed beneath an eyepatch. His face was framed by a thick beard that extended from his nose downward, and his muscular build lent an air of silent strength.
Taylor turned towards him to offer her thanks, and I observed her closely, scrutinizing every movement or lack thereof, searching for any hint of her reaction to the unsettling presence of the driver.
"Thank you for the help! We'll be back soon!" She spoke with a bright smile, but had no other reaction. He smiled and nodded in return, but said nothing. Do I have delayed motion sickness or something?
We made eye contact once more and he gave me the same smile that he'd given Taylor but the nausea worsened. What the hell?
"C'mon Ashoc! Let's get this over with so we can come back." She confidently said, though I noticed a slight crack in her voice.
"Right." I trailed off, shooting one last look at the driver over my shoulder.