“Combatants, Begin!”
Benjamin hefted his wide-bladed longsword in his left hand, and dagger in his right. He settled into a familiar stance with his sword at mid-guard and his dagger withdrawn to his waist with its point up. He heard Yilaaran snort at his pose, but he ignored her. Viola began bouncing on the balls of her feet, flicking the sword a couple of times before suddenly lunging toward Benjamin with considerable speed. Benjamin was forced to give ground, parrying several thrusts from Viola before returning a diagonal cut that severed naught but air. Viola spent the next minute dancing in and out of range in a series of thrusts and reposts. Her weapon was extremely fast compared to Benjamin’s more medieval broadsword, and Viola quickly homed in on its stabbing potential, slipping past Benjamin's guard with a resounding CLANG. Her blade bent impressively at the force of her stab into Ben’s breastplate but sprang back as he recovered.
“POINT!” Yilaaran shouted, “Your armor is to protect you during sparring! It will not always be there to save you. AGAIN!”
Viola, emboldened by her success, attacked with renewed aggression. But this time Benjamin began using both of his weapons to defend. An errant thrust saw Viola’s sword bound tightly between the blade and cross guard of Benjamin's dagger, and his sword fell heavily on the iron pauldron protecting her right shoulder. The blow drove Viola to her knees and Benjamin heard Valtrya gasp as she felt the impact of his blade on her sister.
“POINT! Beware the parrying dagger. It is small in stature, but its decisive use can turn a disadvantage into a victory. AGAIN!”
Benjamin took a step back out of measure. Viola stabbed the tip of her blade into the dirt, using it to heave herself to her feet. She took a moment to roll her shoulder before shifting her stance. Her heavily armor’d left arm and buckler swung around in front of her body, her sword laid atop it, and she crouched low, circling Benjamin. Benjamin reversed the grip of his dagger and raised his sword over his head in an extremely high guard. He waited for half a heartbeat and attacked. He attacked her less armored sword side, forcing her to parry a heavy blow from his sword. Viola’s body was the strongest it had been in over a century, but Benjamin had her in both reach and power.
Their blades bound, and Benjamin took a step forward as Viola gave ground. His left-hand fist, still clenching the reversed dagger, connected with the side of Viola’s helmet, pinwheeling her away from the sword contact. Benjamin advanced but no call of point was made this time. Vilora shook her head, staggering slightly from the blow. Benjamin cursed himself for not using the point of the dagger to score. The blunt force punch instead of a decisive stab was most likely the reason for Yilaaran’s silence. He reached her in two steps, launching in a single-handed thrust with his sword only to be deflected by Viola’s armor’d forearm. The surprise threw his balance, and Benjamin’s sword flew out of position as a vicious triplicate of stabs slammed into his throat before a final semi-wild looping slash rang his helmet. Benjamin stumbled and fell as the flurry of blows finished taking the rest of his balance.
“POINT! Keep your wits about you. A wounded opponent is most dangerous when underestimated. Raise your hand if you are fit to continue.” Yilaaran waited for a few seconds. Viola raised her offhand, signaling her readiness. And Benjamin stood slowly, raising his dagger in the same. “Good, AGAIN!”
This time each combatant circled the other. Gone were the preconceived impressions. Benjamin stayed warry of Viola’s speed, and Viola had tasted Benjamin’s power. In the end, it was Viola who struck first, prancing in with a flurry of lunging stabs. Benjamin parried using both his sword and dagger, once again catching her blade in his dagger's bind. This time, when Benjamin swung for the kill, Viola danced to the side, and Benjamin’s helmet rang again as Vilora threw a haymaker with her armor’d arm. The buckler connected firmly with the side of Benjamin’s helmet, and he spun away slightly dazed. He lost his sword in the impact, but his dagger ripped Viola’s sword from her hands as he spun. Vilora ripped the dagger from her belt and charged the recovering Benjamin with a cry. Benjamin saw her just in time and caught her dagger with his.
Benjamin crouched low, driving the wild thrust over his head. He hooked his right arm through Viola’s legs and heaved, using her momentum to throw her cleanly over his head and to her back on the other side of him. He was on top of her in a flash, and the blunted point of his dagger dug into the gap in her armor at the armpit. Viola Yelped in pain and Benjamin instantly withdrew.
“POINT! Well done!” Yilaaran shouted. “Now, Both of you see the Medic’s before the next match.”
Benjamin gingerly helped Vilora to her feet, and she pulled her helmet off. Her hair was a matted mess, and there was a deep stain of purple blood running down the side of her cheek from a cut on her brow. “Shit… are you ok?” Benjamin’s heart dropped, remembering that armor was not perfect. Viola bobbed her head heavily, “Shh. I’m fine. I’ve had worse. That punch was… wow… I didn’t know you were that strong.” She leaned on him as he helped her to the medics. He tugged his helmet off, “I’ve always tried to be gentle with you two. Am I bleeding? You gave me a good whack as well.” Viola looked him over. “I don’t think so, but your temple is turning strange colors.”
Benjamin left Viola with the medics, walking over to Vilora as she took her head in his, “What’s up Doc?”
Vilora’s wings began to glow as she held him about the temples, and every ache or pain from the recent bout quickly faded away, “She did more damage to you than I thought she would. How is she doing?” Benjamin grumbled, “It’s not her I’m worried about.” The red-haired human looked over to see Valtrya staring at the dueling area. “Viola’s always been the rock of the two of them. Val…. Val’s more fragile. I’m not sure how I’m to get her to fight properly without doing more harm.”
Vilora nodded, “I believe she may be more prepared than you give her credit. I’ve seen only a few paired souls, but one always seems to appear more timid than the other. I also know that She will draw on the strength of her sister. Have faith, Benjamin. You’ve done well with them, and now you must trust them to show you.” Vilora stopped glowing, and settled to the ground, “There, good as new. Now, off with you.”
Benjamin nodded his thanks and headed back towards Valtrya. She was going over her spear and shield but paused when she saw Benjamin stop next to her. “Hey gorgeous” he whispered, smiling as she blushed, “Are you still, ok?” Val looked at him for a long moment before leaning up to his ear, “I need.. do this… I am fine.” She whispered, and Benjamin sighed heavily. “OK, I’ll wait for you in the ring.” Benjamin stepped back out into the ring. Valtrya followed him after a moment and took her position opposite him.
“Same rules as before! Combatants, BEGIN!” Yilaaran shouted. Valtrya didn’t hesitate and lunged toward Benjamin who swung his broadsword down from his high guard. Valtrya saw the strike, and pivoted on her right foot, deflecting the strike with her round shield. Benjamin stumbled as she deflected the heavy strike. She continued her spin, striking out with the opposite end of her spear from the blade while keeping her shield between his sword and her. The butt-end of the spear caught an off-balance Benjamin about the back of the neck, and Valtrya followed through. She used her left leg, planting it in his way. She used his own momentum as she threw him, and Benjamin slammed face first into the ground and slid two feet in the loose dirt. Benjamin spun to his back just in time to see Valtrya standing over his body, thrusting down at him with her spear. He rolled out of the way just in time, only to be forced to scramble away from a second strike.
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Benjamin scrambled to his feet, catching yet another thrust with the flat of his dagger, but Valtrya ripped the dagger from his hands with her recovery before clobbering him about the head with the leading edge of her shield then stabbing him firmly in the breastplate with her returning spear tip. The pair of blows drove Benjamin to the ground again, and he stabbed the point of his sword into the ground to brace himself.
“POINT!” Yilaaran called out. “Pay attention to your strikes, your enemy has a say in where your weapon ends up. AGAIN!”
Benjamin stood slowly, shaking off the blow before settling into a low guard with his dagger reversed. This time, Valtrya’s thrust was parried, and Benjamin slid the shaft of her spear down until it was against the hilt of his sword. He stepped forward, and Val swung her shield at him from his right. Benjamin was forced to jump back, and Val recovered her spear. Benjamin redoubled his attack with a thrust that forced Valtrya to block with her shield, and Benjamin took a second step kicking the shield firmly just as she was beginning to repost with her spear. Valtrya went flying, smacking the back of her head on the ground when she landed, and Benjamin rushed her. He swatted away the spear but took the edge of her shield in the stomach just below the breastplate. Valtrya rolled over on top of him as he fell, straddling Benjamin as she drew her dagger and stabbed at him from above. Benjamin caught her by the wrist and threw her off to the side before standing. He had fallen next to his sword, he scooped it up and rushed her. Valtrya was forced to abandon the retrieval of her spear and was now fighting with just a dagger and shield.
The two exchanged several blows, Benjamin struggling to get through Valtrya’s combination of defense and agility. She would cartwheel out of the way one moment, then body slam him with her shield the next. Ben was forced to be careful with his sword because of her ability to knock it off course and throw his balance. Valtrya was unable to get back to her spear, and could not get into her own measure because of Benjamin’s longer weapon. Benjamin closed on her again and she drove another shield lunge at him, but this time Benjamin did something new. She gasped in surprise when he hooked the lip of her shield with his dagger, and used the leverage to drive her to the ground. She cried out when his knee found the small of her back, driving her firmly into the dirt before tapping the tip of his sword against her Coif.
“Point! Beware becoming predictable against a stronger enemy. If he takes you to the ground, it can be the end of you.” Yilaaran shouted.
Benjamin got off of a thrashing Val, pulling her helmet off just before she started to panic, “Hey, Shhh, it’s over. You did great.” He picked her up to her feet, “Just breathe, It’s ok.” Val looked up at him in abject terror for a moment before she took several deep breaths. “I am… will be.. well.” She whispered. The two of them walked together to the medical staff. Within moments, both of them were back to their full capacities. Lunch was served under the same pavilion where the now absent Healers had stayed, and Benjamin was once again rudely reminded of just how little the Farie used in the way of seasoning. “So, you three.” Yilaaran began in a conversational tone, “First of all, well done for only three months of weapons training. You have a long way to go, but it is a start.” The titanic four-armed woman who Benjamin still struggled to call an “Elf” took a bite of her food. “Now comes the second half of today's training. I want each of you to go through what you learned. It could be anything, and no detail is too small. And leave nothing out.”
Benjamin thought for a moment, but it was Viola who spoke first. “I liked my blade design, but I think I went a little to far. It was too light in the bind, and I felt like Benjamin had more authority in his strikes than would be from just strength alone.” She paused, taking a drink of the light ale that seemed to be a constant replacement for water, “I like my buckler arm, but I think it’s overkill. It slowed me down a little too much and I felt lopsided with the weight.” Yilaaran nodded in approval, “And the fighting itself?”. Viola thought for a moment, “You pointed out most of what I would speak to, but I would add that it was strange to fight someone who bears their main weapon in their left hand.” Vilora stated, “I will need more experience in that area.”
“Very Good,” Yilaaran turned to Benjamin, “And you? You’ve surprised me with your decision to learn the sword in your left hand. How did it work out for you?” Benjamin swallowed his food, taking a drink, “I need a lighter sword.” He mused waving his left hand in moch strikes, “I did not have trouble wielding it, but that design feels… slow. I have some better ideas on what I want to build into a sword, but it won’t look like that.” He pointed to where the sword was leaned up on a stand with the other weapons. He turned to Viola, “I underestimated her speed with the blade. I still need to be able to recognize what a weapon might be capable of from its appearance.” Ben then turned to Val, “I completely underestimated her shield and agility. Fighting left-handed leaves me open to attacks from her off-hand. I’m still not entirely sure how I would beat someone my size, with her weapons, if I only had a sword and dagger.”
Yilaaran hummed lightly, “and your Majik?” Benjamin looked down at his food and his mod darkened, “I can’t rely on my Majik in combat. It still takes too much concentration…. And… I don’t want someone I care about to die because I couldn’t control it.” He admitted after a moment. “I don’t feel ready to use Majik against anyone in practice, not yet anyway.” Yilaaran thumped him on the shoulder, “Combat is Chaos, which is when Majik is most dangerous to its user and his allies. These are good lessons. Eat, I’m sure Varris awaits you.” The Elf gave Valtrya an appraising gaze, but did not ask her to speak.
The three ate quickly before donning their coats. Benjamin waited until they were out of Yilaarans earshot before speaking, “Are you two ok, really I mean.” Viola just patted him on the hand, “We are ok.” She reassured. “Val did not like being pinned down, but we trust you. You and Yilaaran are correct. We need to face the scars from our old life. You are wonderful, my Benjamin, but you are only one man. We must be able to protect ourselves if you are not there.” Benjamin groaned a resigned noise, “I don’t like how right you are, but you are.” He pulled both of them into a tight embrace. The three walked in silence through the winter wonderland until the smell of coal and hot metal heralded the end of their stroll.
Viola spun in front of Benjamin just before they reached the door, “Now, Now. No peeking. We aren’t finished yet.” She teased, “We will see you this evening.” The two of them disappeared through the door, and Benjamin could only chuckle as he stepped through the much larger entrance to the second forge room. In moments, the forge was lit and the lighting ablaze. Benjamin pulled Viola’s sword from its hiding place, and looked at its encompassing basket hilt. He had been watching more than just Viola’s blade today, and her style was quickly bringing modifications to his design. His eyes began to glow along with the scars on his right arm, and he began take a form firmly into his mind. The Hilt of Viola’s present began to glow and shift under his imagination. Benjamin smiled as the full basket became a sweeping three-quarters design that left plenty of room for Viola’s wrist-heavy style. That done, he pulled the thermal energy out of the sword and dumped it into a large ingot of Damascus that he had left over. The Ingot began to bend and form to his will, taking a roughly round shape before refining itself further, ‘This will do nicely.’
Benjamin formed the glowing metal in his bare hands, taking the shape pattern welded buckler to match Viola’s sword. He modified the design from the basic roundel that she fought him earlier with. It still retained the central fist-sized cup, but it now protruded from the center of a shallow bowl designed to catch blade tips and control them. Benjamin opted to keep the handle inside the central bulb metal. He added a moderate knurling texture that would work well with a glove or provide purchase to any wrap that Vi might decide to use. He tempered the metal carefully, and fully cooled it before placing the matching pieces back in the cabinet.
In truth, he was stalling. His hand-to-hand combat skills were progressing at a decent pace, but He still had the problem of blending blade and firearm into one usable system. Benjamin was aware that He could most likely use Majik in place of a firearm. His recent revelations, on just how much he could be capable of, firmly placed the more supernatural elements of combat in the “last resort” category. He pulled the recovered material from his musket and dropped it into a crucible. He then added several more pieces of steel that were of far greater quality than anything capable of being made by this reality's current stage of technology. Benjamin leaned against the work counter and watched the metal heat. He let his mind drift through the gift Sol had given him. The first time he had searched his expanded memory, it was not pleasant; but It was slowly becoming easier. He was never someone into pre-firearms history, but There were points in history where the sword and gun coexisted.
Benjamin pulled out the crucible and set it on the stone counter. His mind affixed itself upon a rough idea of an officer's saber from the mid-19th century. He willed the molten metal out of the crucible and cooled it enough to be no longer liquid, but still soft. He reached out, picking up his hammer and tongs. He had his direction, an idea fixed in his mind. His ears began to ring with the heavy falls of his hammer. His arm’s scars returned to their normal appearance and the glow in his eyes faded. He began forging and folding the metal by hand, hammer, tong, and anvil. Benjamin began to slowly feel the sweat bead on his forehead, and the familiar tension on his muscles as he began to work.
Sometimes, It just felt good to beat on metal the old-fashioned way.