Duck? What kind of parent names their son Duck? I thought as I stood in the challenge ring. I looked at the tall, well-built boy before me, my first opponent, and tried my best to take him seriously. He extended his hand.
“I’m Duck; I don’t believe we’ve met yet.”
I kept my mirth in check and met his hand with my own.
“Duck, I'm Steven. Well met.”
We shook and awaited further instruction. I took the opportunity to analyze my opponent. He too had a sword and shield, but he was far more bulky, not to mention having at least two inches on me. Duck was right-handed, and he held his sword comfortably. However, the shield in his left hand wasn’t held with nearly as much confidence, and he was still fidgeting with the straps. His muscles were well-toned, like someone accustomed to manual labor. I shuddered at the thought of taking several hits from him. I’d have to be quick and either disarm him or somehow take advantage of his lack of shield craft. I imagined different maneuvers I would try to get past his extended reach, but before I could settle on any one play, Sophia interrupted me.
“All right, trainees, take your places 20 feet from your opponent. On my mark, you will begin your first duel. Let me remind you that after this tournament, these will be your comrades, so fight with the future in mind.”
We were scattered in pairs across an open plain just outside of the forest. The ground was flat and covered in short grass with patches of exposed dirt littered throughout. We had been led to flagged-off circles, and now stood still in silent anticipation.
“ Three... Two…”
I took a deep breath, readying myself to charge.
“One!”
I launched forward, sprinting straight at Duck. I met his gaze with cool determination. He braced himself, planting his feet and readying his shield. Visualizing the next move, I lifted the sword above my head as if to strike in a simple, overhead blow. Duck responded quickly, lifting his shield over his head as I approached.
I grinned.
Just as the shield cut off his eyesight, I rolled to the right and slammed the edge of my shield into the back of his left knee. He cried out in surprise, his knee buckling. I stepped behind the boy and held my sword to his throat.
“Surrender!” I demanded. Duck gasped as he eyed the blade held to his throat.
“I... I surrender,” he coughed.
I withdrew the sword and returned it to the sheath on my hip without a single drop of blood marring its surface. Stepping around Duck, I held out my hand.
“Thank you for the fight,” I said, and meant it. If I managed to win all of my bouts, these were going to be my soldiers. I would need them to fear me, but more than that, I would need them to trust me.
Duck looked up at me, a mix of fear and shock still present on his face. Then, with a shake of his head, he stuck out his hand, allowing me to help him to his feet.
“Thank you, Steven. You read my weakness with the shield. I won’t be so easily bested next time.”
Overall, I was disappointed with my first match, though not because of my own performance. Each of these students had competed in various trials to prove they deserved their spot at the school. Frankly, I’d been expecting more of a challenge. But there were still four rounds to go…
Be careful what you wish for, I told myself.
I walked over to Sophia and informed her of the results of the duel. She nodded curtly and made a quick note in the journal she carried.
“Your next opponent will be Jack; after all of the current duels are over, there will be a short rest window, then I will announce the start of the next combat phase. You are welcome to go and scout out the other matches until then. Oh, and congratulations on your first victory.”
I thanked her and began scanning for Jack among the combatants. I saw him across the field, matched up with Lucy, one of the girls I hadn’t gotten to know yet. He wielded the bulkier two-handed sword and was obviously in control of the fight. Lucy was scrambling to block or evade his crushing swings, but it looked like each one only forced her further back. To my amazement, right after a particularly gnarly blow, Lucy launched forward with her sword aimed straight at Jack’s chest. I watched as Jack’s eyes registered the quick counterattack—a potentially fatal blow—and saw something that both excited and chilled me to the core. Jack’s eyes shone with glee. With otherworldly deftness, he sidestepped the lunging sword and slammed the pommel of his blade into the side of Lucy’s head. She crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
Before I even knew what I was doing, I was walking up to Jack. “That was amazing,” I said as I drew near. “Unless I'm mistaken, you enjoyed that surprise attack at the end.” Jack turned to me, though now that the fight was over, his smile hid behind his eyes.
“I was worried that the match would end before it even began, but I was pleasantly surprised by Lucy’s tenacity. She was willing to risk the kill if it meant advancing. I respect that. I take it you are my next match?”
“I am. And don’t worry. I can offer you an even more entertaining challenge.”
“I certainly hope so,” Jack said, that same smile igniting behind his eyes.
We shook hands, then Jack went to fetch Master Jin to ask for instructions regarding his unconscious sparring partner.
I sat there for a minute, considering what kind of strategy to use in the fight with Jack. Typically facing someone with a longer weapon meant taking advantage of speed and maneuverability as compared to one’s opponent, but if Lucy’s defeat had anything to teach me, it was that speed wouldn’t win the fight. I considered the different tactics that applied to the situation, calling up the various details that were meticulously listed in one of my favorite books. One page detailed the hyper-aggressive approach in such situations, driving the attack in a frontal approach and looking to inflict as much damage as quickly as possible. Another option would be taking a defensive posture to wear down the opponents’ endurance, focusing on blocking and making precise counterattacks. That method would prove much more challenging against Jack, considering how forcefully he had been hammering on Lucy mere minutes ago.
I turned the problem over and over in my mind, then nodded to myself. These battles weren’t just about winning. I needed to know who I would be working with in the future—needed to know what their capabilities were. I didn’t have enough information to settle on a method of attack anyway. I had to play defensive and see just how skilled Jack was. And, coincidentally, that was the far more exciting option. I felt a familiar fire as adrenaline rushed through my veins.
Time to find out what you're made of.
In such moments, I especially appreciated my gift; even though it seemed relatively inconsequential from the outside, the extra time that I could spend planning before fights and in the heat of battle was by far my most significant advantage. An extra second, even half a second of response time as a sword approaches your neck, is an eternity in battle.
Soon, the clanging of swords quieted, and only labored breathing could be heard in the clearing. Sophia’s voice rang out.
“Five minutes until your next battle; you have until then to find your opponent and secure a ring.” Several people grumbled and even vocalized their protests about the back-to-back fighting. I, for one, was already growing cold and was eager for the next match to begin.
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Sophia seemed to agree with me and shouted more forcefully. “If you have a problem with the quick turnaround, I suggest you deal with your opponent swiftly.”
Jack returned with Master Jin in tow, and I watched with curiosity as the healer mumbled something under his breath, placing his hand on Lucy’s forehead. I could feel some warmth coming from Jin—a soothing feeling—and wondered if his gift was also impacting me. Moments later, Lucy’s eyes opened gently, and she sat up looking no worse for wear than she had before the battles began. Seeing that she was all right, Jack and I made our way to an open space and took our places twenty feet apart. I could feel the anticipation in the air as the remaining 16 cadets prepared to face off. Despite myself, I felt a smile come to my lips.
This is what I’ve been waiting for.
“Three, two one… Begin!”
Jack started toward me rather quickly, considering the bulky weapon he was holding. He had a mad look on his face as he swung with a force that seemed to make the air shudder. I raised my shield to meet his blow, grunting at the force of the swing as I intercepted the blade close to the hilt and thrust my shield upward, looking to throw my opponent off balance. Our collision produced a loud metallic clang, and Jack’s sword recoiled just enough to make him backpedal a step. I pressed the attack, thrusting my short sword forward with an efficient jab. Jack sidestepped easily, bringing his blade around for a horizontal slash. I knew that blocking his swing head-on would be too difficult, so I jumped back just outside his reach. Panting, I took a moment to steady myself and prepare for the next engagement, watching sweat drip down Jack’s face. Despite the exertion, he looked like he could go for as long as it took to win. The plan to hold out as long as possible wasn’t going to work.
I need to find a way to finish this… fast.
As Jack approached, he took his time, keeping his sword close to the ground. I braced myself, expecting a diagonal slash across my chest. Seeing my raised shield, he instead tucked his shoulder and charged forward, crashing through my defenses and slamming me into the ground. Dazed, I struggled to catch my bearings, but just as Jack moved to pin me, the world shifted into slow motion. With quick and precise movements, I snuck two jabs into his solar plexus, and as he reeled, I threw my elbow into his jaw. Jack sprung backward with a gasp, holding his face. Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, I snatched my sword from the ground and slashed at his ankles before he could muster any defense. I felt a wave of force ripple up my arm as my sword sunk into his left ankle first and then his right. But something was off. There was no scream, no yelp—not even a flinch. I glanced down at my blade. There was no sign of blood. I heard a low, throaty chuckle, and looked up to see Jack looming over me with the same mad look in his eyes.
“Not bad, Steven. I didn’t expect to rely on my gift, but here we are.”
He grinned and promptly slammed his not-so-injured foot into my head. I tasted copper as I bit the dirt.
The next kick connected with my ribs, leaving a deep bruise and causing me to cry out. My vision swam and sharp pain flared through my body like heat over desert sands. I knew that if I didn’t move quickly, I would lose. With a burst of effort, I rolled to the side and scrambled back to my feet. Jack took the opportunity to reclaim his sword, and I cast around for mine. To my dismay, Jack was standing between me and my sword.
He stood tall and ready, making sure to stay in between me and my weapon as I searched for an opening. I could hardly believe my eyes as he grinned madly at me. I smirked. This crazy guy is enjoying this. My ribs ached as held back a chuckle. Apparently Jack’s madness was infectious. But I shoved all that back inside and locked it in tight. Maybe letting go of control in battle and giving himself over to his emotions was effective for Jack, but I needed to be focused to win. Bloodlust wasn’t going to do me any favors. I shut out everything around me, stilled myself, and set my mind on the fight.
Without warning, Jack swung at me, expecting me to block with my shield. Instead, I jumped out of the way, the whistle of his blade causing my hair to stand on end. Jack had misjudged his attack. The momentum of the blade, judged for maximum impact on a shield, carried it too far to the side for an immediate counter, and I quickly closed the gap, grabbing Jack’s arm with one hand and the hilt of his sword with the other. I jerked his body toward me, slamming my knee into his gut. He doubled over, but I wasn't finished. I let go of his arm and slammed my elbow directly up into his chin. Jack coughed, blood splattering across my shirt. While he was momentarily distracted by the pain, I wrenched the sword from his grasp and slashed across his side. This time, the blade struck home.
“I surrender! I surrender!” Jack called out.
I froze my next swing mid-air, directly above his head.
“Well fought,” I said, sticking out my hand. To Jack’s credit, he managed a slight smile as he accepted defeat. We both wore his blood on our arms, but only I wore his blood on my sword.
“Why don’t we get you over to the Healer before the next match?” I asked Jack. With the quick turnaround, I’ll be up again soon.”
Sure enough, we appeared to be one of the last teams to finish. After walking Jack over to master Jin, I made my way to Sophia and let her know the results of the battle. She congratulated me and marked something down in her journal again. Then she informed me that my next fight would be against a boy named Matt. I remembered him as one of the guys helping cut down logs the day before, so I scanned the group until we made eye contact. It seemed he already knew I was his partner. He was already heading my way. We met each other halfway and chatted as we approached the nearest open area. I learned that he had lost his first fight to Brad, but then he had managed to win out over Duck, my first opponent. I studied him; he was also fighting with a sword and shield, and his size mirrored my own. I wasn’t too excited. However, I doubted someone would give a showing quite like Jack, especially knowing he had already lost a fight.
A little over 5 minutes later, the fight began and then, unfortunately, ended quickly afterward. I had had fun with Jack, deciding to push aggressively very early on. As I’d assumed, Matt didn’t put up much of a fight. When I rushed him out of the gate, he managed to get his shield in front of me, but I jumped over the shield and thrust my sword straight into his shoulder, causing pretty severe damage. Matt quickly surrendered and ran off to find Master Jin.
Sighing, I wandered over to Sophia once again, reporting the results of the match. This time she looked up at me, perhaps taking a little more interest than before.
“Another win?” she asked.
Now it was my turn to nod. She glared at me, and I quickly realized my mistake.
“Uh, yes, ma’am!” I replied. Sophia gave a pointed nod and informed me that my next fight would be against Brad in 10 to 15 minutes.
If I was being honest with myself, I didn't mind a bit of a break. I’d already been fairly winded after the fight with Jack, and defeating Matt had taken just as much effort, if not more. I made my way over to where Brad was still fighting his third opponent and sat down on the dirt. Knowing I had time, I closed my eyes and began to meditate. As soon as I had discovered my gift, I began meditating to train myself. I slipped into my familiar meditation stance and methodically sifted through my memories, reliving each moment of the fights—particularly the one with Jack. I knew one thing. If I wanted to have any hope of becoming a champion, I would have to learn from my mistakes. Though it was a constant battle, I knew it was better to acknowledge mistakes and grow than to pretend they didn't exist and move on. With a critical eye, I watched my battle with Jack and noticed several flaws in my approach, most glaringly getting caught up in my own head and choosing a defensive posture that put me at a disadvantage. That being said, I had responded well to the heavy hits and appreciated the practice with a shield. However, I had to admit that I’s gotten lucky when Jack had assumed that he would have an advantage grappling; while there were micro-adjustments that I could make in that regard, I had spent more time practicing grappling back home than I ever had with the sword. My gift had made me a quick learner. It wasn’t exactly knightly combat, but all the practice rolling around in the dirt with other boys and my father had given me my chance to defeat Jack. I reminded myself of another quote. “Those who cannot thrive in the mud/mire will never rise above it.” Moving on, I watched my blade dig into Jack’s ankles and then bounce off. I replayed the moment in my head again and again and again.
From what I could see, there was either a limit to how many hits he could take, or the shielding was limited to his lower body. There could be other factors, but the latter seemed most likely. Knowing that I only had so much time, I moved on to strategizing for the next match. From what I had heard, Brad had won his first two fights and, judging by what I was seeing, was about to win his third. The day before, Brad had been part of a hunting party, so my guess was that he was fast and had good perception. Taking that into account along with his choice of weapons, I decided that I would use a more balanced approach. I would let him make the first move, looking for an opportunity to turn the tide in a critical moment.
I ran through several simulations in my mind, thinking through the different tactics that the book from my childhood would have recommended. Then a hand on my shoulder shook me from my meditation; opening my eyes, I saw that it was Brad. He grinned and held out his hand.
“Hey man, I heard you’ve had some good fights. Did you win your last one as well?”
I nodded. “So far the fights have been pretty easy, except for Jack, who gave me a good challenge. How about you? I heard that your first two fights went well.”
He shrugged. “Three wins. The last one proved to be the hardest, but I managed.”
Still shaking his hand, I looked him in the eyes, “Brad, can we agree that regardless of how the fight goes, we’re still going to have each other's back?” I knew it was a little sappy, but I felt Brad would be a good friend and didn't want to risk blowing it so soon. He looked at me grimly, “I guess we’ll see….” He choked out before bursting into laughter. “Dude, you should see your face! Did you think I was serious? Come on, man, lighten up. Of course, we will still be cool after the fight.” I can't believe I fell for that… I grimaced, “Nice man, real nice.”
Our instructor’s shout interrupted our bantering, and we both got to our feet, making our way to our positions. Sophia started her familiar countdown, and I closed my eyes one final time.