Mur led the way, clearing the path through the stone courtyard as he guided Jake through the Scout compound and out the front entrance. As they stepped through, the guards began to whisper to one another. Jake remained just off to his left, following the towering demon with his chin up and mouth shut. He trusted Mur's judgment and while Jake felt uneasy about putting his growth in the hands of a stranger, he had little to fear. If they were being recommended by Mur, the demon who looked like he could take on an army of Maedra alone, then they must have been good at their craft. Mur was an experienced and salted warrior. Anyone he thought highly of was likely of high caliber.
However, that didn't mean Jake was already head-over-heels for this other individual. Jake would judge the teacher with his own eyes and if they failed to meet his expectation, then Jake had plenty of other ways to learn. Mainly, in the tunnels themselves. With no teacher to guide him, Jake would need to develop his own style and mold his craft through effort alone. Much like with his magic, Jake would need to spend countless hours battling the Maedra and perfecting the movement of his blade. He already was on the way to doing so and his current style was quite efficient. Even so, Jake felt it lacking. There was something missing to his combat ability that Jake couldn't quite put a finger on. He knew he could be stronger and more lethal against the Maedra, but he was failing to understand what that would be. The idea of asking Mur was to hopefully find that answer, quickly.
The Maedra wouldn't wait for him to become stronger. They certainly weren't generous in that way. No, they would do everything to stop him. If they were smart and truly intelligent, the Maedra would eventually mobilize in greater, more diverse numbers to try and counter Jake. They would learn ways to make his life more difficult and the Maedra would eventually try to overpower him. Something he had a feeling might be the case if he were to take things into his own hands. It was all too convenient for Jake to come across those evolved Maedra in the same tunnel he had been plowing through, so he had a feeling the Maedra might already be planning to catch or kill him.
Mur guided Jake across the intersection of the Three Compounds and his powerful legs thumped against the rock as he strode up to the Warrior's. The two guards at the opposing archway looked at one another as Mur approached. Neither budged as the demon stepped between them, the Oryks stiffening beneath their helmets. Jake followed behind Mur, ignoring the side-long glances from the two Oryks. If they weren't going to say anything then neither would he. Jake kept to Mur's hip as they passed through unimpeded and glanced around to take in the fresh view.
Much like the Scout courtyard, the Warrior courtyard was full of individuals sparring, training, and practicing their craft. There were fewer buildings in view compared to the Scouts. Aside from the single cafeteria, the main Association building, and what looked to be a recovery building, the Warrior compound was vacant of unnecessary structures. Scattered throughout the courtyard, there were several sets of practice dummies and a few weapon racks with practice weapons hung within them. A smithy was set up in the corner and three blacksmiths were working hard, along with their assistants, to perform maintenance on an array of gear that was given to them. Instructors were scattered amongst the crowd, their voices booming as they taught their trainees how to fight and how to keep themselves from dying.
Mur led Jake into the Warrior Association building, which gained quite a bit of attention from those within. A number of clerks perked up in their seats, their eyes following the massive red body as he crossed the floor. Warriors who were old enough to know of Mur also stiffened, their eyes similarly trailing him. Jake felt a bit uncomfortable beneath the gazes but, as before, he kept his tongue in place. The demon led Jake to the far back and the two climbed a long, wide set of stairs. He hooked a right, crossed the open space once more, and the two disappeared into a short hallway which then hooked left. The hall Jake found himself in now was wide, lined with dozens of doors, and there was a massive set of doors at the far side. Mur walked down the hallway and shoved those doors apart.
Behind them was another training area, one that was in much better condition. The walls were washed white, the floors smooth and reinforced. There were ten arenas, each squared off and encircled with wooden fencing. Warriors dueled within the arenas, with several others standing around the rings, shouting and cheering, or watching quietly as a lone instructor aided the fighters. The equipment available along the walls was more finely polished with a more diverse array of swords, shields, and spears. Along the back wall, a large smithy was in place with a giant furnace in the center of it. Four blacksmiths stood at anvils, aided by a dozen assistants while two clerks spoke to the Warriors directly. However, the smithy didn't seem to be for maintenance, as the Warriors sitting off to the sides of the room were doing that themselves. It was likely for custom ordering of items.
Purposefully putting an unnecessary amount of strength into the motion of clearing his path, Mur slammed the right door loudly against the stone wall. The boom of the impact echoed into the open space, drawing attention from all within the room. The sparring paused for a few moments and those who were less interested in their current entertainment turned to see who had caused the disturbance. The majority of the Warriors were confused or annoyed, and those individuals quickly returned to what they were doing. Others who knew the new guest glanced around the room or looked to their compatriots for confirmation. One man in particular, who was sitting atop a mess of crates beside the smithy, quickly adjusted his posture and rolled over onto his right side, concealing his face. Jake caught the odd motion almost immediately, as did Mur.
Mur made his way through the room, ignoring the lingering eyes and the faint whispers, and he approached the hooded man on the crates. Those in his path made way.
"Darius," Mur said aloud.
"Got the wrong guy," the man huffed.
"You're the only idiot in here with a hood," Mur huffed and kicked out the bottom two crates the man was laying atop. The stack teetered and then crumbled to the floor, the man falling with them. He flailed and slammed onto the floor with a pained groan.
"The fuck, Mur?!" Darius grunted roughly as he glared up at Mur. His hood had partially fallen from his face from the fall. When he sat up, it fell away entirely. This exposed his golden eyes, dirtied blonde hair, and a pair of pointy ears. Jake blinked a few times, recognizing the particular traits of the man, of the Elf, and looked up at Mur. Mur didn't say anything at first and only chuckled. The red-skinned demon folded all four of his arms over his barrel of a chest and set his feet comfortably beneath him as if digging in for a long talk.
"I've brought you a student. Someone like you. Someone who doesn't quite belong." Mur spat. At the words, Darius glanced over at Jake. The elf narrowed his eyes, sizing the boy up before releasing a scoff. He stood up and brushed off his clothes. Then, he straightened up and cracked his neck and back.
"You kick me on my ass and then tell me I've gotta teach some witless stray? You're funny, Mur." Darius turned away from the pair as he instead began working to restack the crates and clean the mess. Mur, though, was persistent. He raised his chin and his voice.
"He's a Blessed One. Like your cousin turned out to be." Mur's words carried weight. Jake's ears perked up.
Darius stopped, his hands freezing mid-extension. Then, he leaned forward and braced himself against the crates. His ears seemed to droop just a bit.
"You'll say anything to get a rise out of me these days, won't you?" The elf's voice was much softer than before, more detached. Mur didn't say anything at first and watched quietly as Darius collected himself. The elf still didn't turn as he organized the crates into a U-Shape so that he could lay his head down between them, blocking off the view of the room as he lay down.
"Since when have you known me to be a liar?" Mur grabbed the crate blocking his view of the Elf's face and pulled it away. Then, he looked at Jake. "Show him, boy."
Jake did not, in fact, do that. There was no reason to. Jake didn't quite understand the relationship between Mur and the elf, but one thing was for certain; Darius wasn't a great individual to be around or associate with. The way he had looked at Jake was enough to tell the boy that the elf already thought of him as less than dirt. Why would he waste time being taught by such a person? He'd rather deal with the Maedra.
"Why should I? Who is this guy?" If Mur wanted Jake to play along, then Mur would need to provide more than a few words to garner Jake's attention. For starters, Darius wasn't an elven name. Second, why was there an elf down in the Ravine? Jake could understand humans, Hulgrok, and the two demons, but an elf?
"This is Darius, an elven Treasure Hunter who found himself stuck in a bit of debt with yours truly. Now he hides out here unless I call on him. Which isn't often, but he does his best." Mur let out a loud, bellowing laugh, which seemed to piss the elf off. Darius sneered and sat up, his golden eyes glaring up at the demon.
"I've long paid off my debts to you, Mur! I'm only here out of kindness. Watching these Oryks flounder around the tunnels is pathetic!" Darius growled, his eyes glowering as he stared at Mur. The demon looked down at Darius, his expression softening for a moment before he turned to look at Jake.
"He doesn't look like much, but he is a better fighter than his appearance shows. And while his attitude is quite sour, he means well." Mur kicked at the crates again, pushing one into Darius. "Quit the act and get up," Mur rumbled, unfurling his arms as if threatening to assist the elf if he didn't comply. Darius eyed him harshly for a moment and then glanced down at Jake. He stared at the boy, contemplated, and then released a long sigh. He stood up just so he could reposition himself to sit down on a crate.
"Alright, fine." The tone of the elf changed completely- he sounded sincerer now than before. Darius sighed again and adjusted his posture, leaning forward a bit towards Jake. "I'll at least hear you out but I want to see the mark first."
"No," Jake answered readily. Darius shrugged and Mur rolled his eyes.
"Then we're done here. Sorry, Mur!" Darius raised his hands as he shrugged and then stood up. Mur placed a hand on his shoulder and shoved the elf back down onto the crate. Then, he glared at Jake.
"You want to fight the Maedra, yes?" Mur spat. Jake stiffened as the harsh tone of the demon hit his eardrums. All he could do was nod. "Then do as you're told."
Without another word, Jake dropped his pack and began working to unclasp his cloak. Darius raised an eyebrow and exchanged a glance with Mur, but watched on as Jake shed his shirt. His once sun-kissed skin was now paler. A faded caramel color. The contrast of lightening skin to black markings was stark, and the elf jerked upright to his feet. He stomped forward and grabbed Jake's shoulder, forcing the boy to turn so he could look more closely at the mark on his shoulder, and then at his chest.
"Two?! Why are there two?" Darius said aloud. Jake slapped away his hand and stepped away, collecting mana in his right hand to protect himself if necessary.
"What's with this guy, Mur?" Jake spat, his eyes narrowing as he prepared to hit the elf with a wind spell if he needed.
"Calm yourself, Darius. The boy isn't someone you can rag doll." Mur grabbed his friend and gently pulled the elf a safe distance from Jake. The boy relaxed a bit but kept his mana at the ready just in case. Then, Mur continued to speak.
"He came from the surface a little over a month ago. He was a pupil of mine up until last week when he joined Pharos Squad. He has a high aptitude for the dagger, and he knows quite a bit of magic," Mur explained.
"Yea, I could tell the magic part. He reeks of mana but I've never heard of someone with two Marks. Darius crossed his arms and stared down at Jake. Though he was looking at Jake, he seemed to be talking more to Mur. That was rude.
"I'm standing right here, you know," Jake narrowed his eyes as he spoke. Darius scoffed.
"And? Who are you?" He retorted. Jake felt his mana spike in his hand.
"Jake Furrow," Jake answered readily, only to earn another rough exhale as a response. Darius was unenthused with the answer.
"I didn't ask for your name, runt. Who are you?" Darius shrugged and let out a brief laugh. "You're nobody. You have no right to even look at me, but here you are. If it weren't for Mur I wouldn't even give you a second of my attention."
"I'll cut off your pretty little ears, Elf," Jake sneered. Mur sighed and held a hand in between them.
"That's enough, you two. You sound like children," Mur said aloud to quell the tension. Jake glared at the Elf as he considered lobbing a spell in his face. Darius seemed to consider something similar, as his fingers stiffened slightly. When Darius blinked, Jake eased the tension in his hand and began to clothe himself.
"I'm not teaching him, Mur," Darius spat and sat down on the crate again. Mur crossed his arms and another chuckle rumbled from his throat.
"Consider it a part of your debt repayment. Do this task, and I'll consider our arrangement null." Mur announced. Jake threw him a glance as well as one toward Darius. Darius's expression soured.
"I think I'll pass."
The answer wasn't what Mur was looking for and the demon's jaw tensed. He curled his hands into fists and turned away, his legs carrying him toward the closest arena.
"If you doubt me, then spar with him," Mur said, stepping up to the edge of an arena that was in use. Two Oryks were dueling quite viciously with one another while their compatriots watched along the other side of the arena. Darius laughed.
"I'll kill him. He wouldn't last," Darius spat, raising his chin as he stared down at Jake. The look in his eyes told Jake that the elf viewed him as the equivalent of worms. Jake began to truly feel the urge to lop off those pointed ears.
"I wouldn't be so sure," Mur answered as he placed his hands on the wooden stakes lining the outer ring of the arena. He watched quietly, waiting for a brief pause in the combat before he called out to the Warriors.
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"Excuse me, gentlemen!" Mur's voice bellowed into the air. The Warriors both looked over at the massive demon staring at them. Even from a distance, Mur was a towering mass of meat and muscle. Not someone so easily ignored. "May we borrow your arena? My friend and a pupil would like to have a quick match!"
"Uh, sure?" One of the Warriors said, glancing over to his dancing partner as he answered. The other Warrior shrugged and lowered his blade, signaling that he too didn't mind. Mur grinned and clapped twice out of thanks.
"Great! Thank you," Mur turned to Jake and Darius and then slapped a meaty hand down onto a wooden stake used to outline the edge of the circle. "It is decided, then! Prove your worth, boy! And you, Darius- are you a coward or an elven warrior?"
"Mur, I'm not going to waste my time fighting a human child. He likely still changes his sheets in the morning," Darius groaned a leaned into his stack of crates. He flopped back onto them, letting his legs dangle over the edge of one as he relaxed. Jake, quite annoyed with the Elf's words, laughed.
"Seems the pride of the Elves is lacking. Fitting. I never expected much out of you either," Jake turned away and took a few steps. "Sorry, Mur. I'll be better off figuring it out on my own. Pointy Ears is as good to me as those training dummies."
"Elven pride, you say? You, humans, run around the planet enslaving others to do your dirty work. What right do you have to speak of my 'elven pride'? You're nothing but a mutt," Darius belted. Jake looked over his shoulder and grinned.
"Don't worry, I'd be scared of a mutt too if I were sad enough to be in debt to a demon." Jake tried to get a rise out of the Elf, and he could see it was working. If only a little. Though, Mur's eyebrows perked up when he heard his own race get dragged into the conversation.
Darius stared at Jake for quite a long time, his golden eyes stabbing into the boy's face. Then, he turned his head and looked at Mur. The demon gave the elf a slight shrug of his shoulders, electing to remain out of their quarrel. After some time, Darius let out another long sigh. He sat up and slid off the crate he sat on. He adjusted his belt, tightened a leather strap, and then started to walk towards the arena. His fingers ran through his stained blonde hair, collecting the long strands as he twirled it into a neat ponytail. He pulled a bloodied ribbon from his hip pouch and tied his hair behind his head, out of the way. If Jake didn't know any better, he might've thought the elven man to be a woman.
"No rules. You're free to use your magic, mutt. The only rule is not to kill your opponent. Understand?" Darius released the clasp on his cloak and then collected it into his hand. In doing so, he exposed his elaborate black elvish armor underneath. It was all boiled leather with mixes of plating over key vitals, thin straps holding the pieces together, and Jake could even see a mithril chain link undershirt beneath the elf's top. Two black and gold daggers dangled off his waist, along with two even smaller knives attached to his lower back. He even had what looked to be a clip on his back right shoulder to where he could attach a quiver for arrows. However, such an object was nowhere in sight. Arrows were useless against the Maedra, so Jake wasn't surprised.
"Will you be using magic?" Jake asked. Darius strode by him, tossing his cloak onto the floor beside where Mur stood, and drew his blades from their scabbards. The blades weren't gray, but silver and blue. Fine elven work.
"No. I can smell magic but I can't use it. I wouldn't need it anyway." Darius easily hopped onto one of the wooden stakes and then down into the small arena. Even his movements were smooth and elegant- no wasted effort. Jake followed behind, but he took the gated entrance into the arena rather than make a fool of himself by trying to hurdle the wooden fence.
"I don't like being underestimated," Jake rumbled. He pulled his own dagger free and twirled it in his hand, using the motion to snap the hilt into his palm and get a firm grip on it. He dispelled the mana in his hands and gathered it within his body. Then, he coiled his tails around his body, ensuring his mana would remain calm and stable. He wouldn't be using magic in this bout. The point of meeting this individual in the first place was to become a better dagger user. Utilizing magic to that end would be counter-intuitive.
"You think highly of yourself just because you can kill living corpses? If you think the Maedra are difficult, then you might as well stay in the tunnels for your entire life." Darius checked his blades and then settled his eyes on Jake. His feet widened slightly and his body twisted just a bit. Then, he leveled his right hand in front of him and dangled his left slightly behind his hips. His knees bent and his lips parted just enough so he could take in a slow breath.
"There are much scarier things than Maedra out there, boy..."
Jake felt the intensity of the elf's glare on him all of a sudden. It made the hairs on his neck straighten. He took his own battle stance and eased his breathing. Darius was likely skilled with his blades. As an elf, he was likely quick, agile, and light on his feet. He would attack relentlessly and use both daggers to overpower Jake's single blade, so the boy would need to make sure to keep on his toes and pressure him whenever possible. If he played only defensively, Darius would eventually outmaneuver him.
"Begin!"
Before Jake could fully put together his plan of attack, Mur called for the start of the match. Darius lunged forward without hesitation and Jake did the same. Leaning on instinct, he surged forward to meet the Elf. Darius rotated his body, as expected, and brought his right arm down on a swift arc to collect Jake's blade. Jake quickly parried the strike and prepared to catch the other- but the blade didn't come. Instead, Jake felt a dull pressure on his right side. His rib cage collapsed, and he wheezed as he was violently thrust to his left. Darius kicked him.
The boy coughed and clenched his blade as he rolled over twice and then hopped to his feet. His side throbbed, and he found it hard to catch his breath. Pain raced through his body. He quickly used healing magic to ease the tingling sensation. Darius stood across from him, staring as the boy stabilized.
"Slow. That was painful for me to watch," Darius spat. He twirled his daggers and began to walk toward Jake. "You've fought the Maedra. They're much slower but I didn't expect you to be as pitiful as them. Even with two Marks, you're barely fast enough to keep up with them, aren't you?"
"You know quite a bit about the Marks for someone without one." Jake steadied his breathing and leveled his blade. He canted it slightly, preparing in advance to catch a swing from the Elf. He adjusted his footing to allow for a quicker reaction.
"Quite the assumption," Darius's golden eyes narrowed before he lunged forward again. This time, he swung upwards with his left blade. Jake stepped backward and twisted, and then swung to catch the right blade. His arm bent in front of him and his muscles flexed, his blade twitching just in front of his face as the Elf pushed down on him. Jake twisted his hand and pushed Darius back, filling the gap with a cut of his own followed by a pair of quick jabs. The second was slapped away, exposing Jake's entire right side. As Darius stepped forward to strike, Jake rolled with his parried arm and twisted out of the way.
As he came around, Jake pulled in his arm and stepped back, preparing already for the next attack. However, Darius was on him and Jake's face was violently impacted by a set of four knuckles. Jake's head recoiled backward and then jerked forward as his stomach was caved in by a flying knee. The ground flew into his face after the back of his head was struck by an elbow. Jake felt his consciousness blink as his face smashed against the stone.
Jake's face burned and blood flooded into his nose, blocking the airway as he gasped. He planted his hands on the floor and attempted to stand, but a firm boot stomped onto his back. Jake was pinned in place and his arms strained as he tried to push himself to his feet.
"Unbelievable. This is your student, Mur?" Darius taunted, pushing down on Jake's back to keep him firmly in place. The boy turned his head and glared up at the Elf. He gripped his blade and tried to swing, but Darius would have none of it. He twirled his sword and then stabbed it through Jake's forearm, pinning it to the stone. Pain and heat raced through the wound as blood gushed from the wound.
Jake's mouth split open and a hollow gasp exited his throat as his vision blurred. He tried to breathe, tried to steady himself, but for some reason, he felt his mana flow destabilize. He tried to gather it to heal the wound and stop the bleeding, but each time he did so, Darius's blade shimmered. The elf chuckled.
"It won't work, boy. Not against me." He gave the blade a subtle twist, and Jake screamed in agony. A shove from the Elf's boot pushed out the air in Jake's lungs, leaving him breathless as he began to claw at the floor. He clenched his teeth and widened his eyes. He gagged on the blood leaking from his nose into his throat, and then spit out the glob of it onto the floor in front of him to clear his mouth. In a brief moment of strength and effort, Jake tried to reach over with his other hand, but Darius reacted quicker. He extracted the blade from one arm and then stabbed it down into the other. Jake wailed in agony, and the Elf wiggled his sword to accentuate the pain.
"Admit defeat, boy. It's all you're good for." Darius spat, twisting the sword in Jake's arm. The boy grit his teeth, blood leaking from his nose and staining the front set as he stared towards his cut arms and the Elf's dagger stuck in him. Not wanting to quit, he reached for his dagger again. "Persistent, aren't you?" Darius retracted his blade once more and thrust it down towards Jake's right arm again.
But, in that brief moment, Jake grunted and rotated his palms upwards. He forced mana into them and then fired off two Fire Cones up at the Elf. Darius's eyes widened and he stepped aside, his boot lifting off Jake's back as he avoided the spells. Jake grabbed his dagger and rolled away. He quickly staggered to his feet and jumped backward, gaining distance as he healed the wounds in his arms. With only quick magic, he wouldn't be able to do a perfect job, but he could at least close the wounds and stop the bleeding. They still hurt. A lot.
"Quick thinking, but do you think that'll be enough?" Darius raised his chin as he looked down the length of his nose. Almost as if he were pitying Jake. Jake didn't let it bother him and focused on recovery. He tested the grip in his hand and while it wasn't entirely there, it would do. He then gathered mana into his left hand and pulled one of his tails into his body. While he wanted to play fair and stick to his dagger, he was a mage. A Battle Mage. Not using magic was stupid.
"It doesn't need to be," Jake answered. He conjured up another fire cone and quickly fired it at the Elf. Darius smirked and nonchalantly sliced through the center of the fire cone.
What he had expected to happen was for the cone to simply dissipate. Instead, it exploded.
"Wha-!" The cone split and the rune in its core flared brightly in his face. The air blew apart with a violent boom and the Elf was forced to take a step away. Jake lunged through the smoke and swung his blade quickly to take advantage of the Elf's backstep. Darius reacted quickly, parrying Jake's blade as he set his feet and dug in his heels.
Except, the ground beneath him wasn't hard anymore. It softened so his heels sank beneath the surface. His eyes widened and he looked down to see the stone harden around the backs of his feet. When he looked up, Jake's left hand was extended just a few inches from his face. A ball of wind smacked him in the center of his nose and his head snapped, just as Jake's had. Jake tried to return the favor of a gut punch, but Darius's recovery was far quicker. His head was already back up and he elbowed Jake's hand out of the way. He then swung downwards with his right blade. Jake quickly moved out of its path.
Darius yanked his feet out of the ground and shook the dirt and debris off his shoes. But when he stepped, the ground vanished beneath his foot as Jake made it cave. Darius caught himself before falling and moved his feet. When he centered himself, he scowled.
"Rock, fire, and wind. And no incantations." he muttered. "If I recall, one of your Markings is from the Dragonkin. Why am I not surprised?" He lowered his daggers slightly as if showing that he wanted a moment to speak. Jake didn't trust the gesture and kept his own dagger at the ready, along with his mana.
"You can also use healing magic, as I see your wounds are almost entirely gone. I'll admit, you're interesting." Darius paused and looked over to Mur. "Why did you bring him to me? Are you not the best Scout teacher over there?" Taking his eyes off Jake was quite disrespectful, but Jake held back from attacking. He was also interested in Mur's answer.
"You are better suited for him than I. Both because of your use of those pitiful pricks for swords, and his magic." Mur chuckled. "You elves have quite the affinity for those divine arts. If I were to help him further, it would only stunt his growth later on."
Darius turned his eyes back to Jake and he stared at the boy long and hard. The daggers in his hands began to tick slowly up and down as the gears of his brain ticked. He was thinking, hard. His golden eyes narrowed and softened, his eyelids opening and closing. Even his lips pressed together and wiggled. Then, even his muscles went slack. Darius twirled his blades and then shoved them into their scabbards.
Jake raised an eyebrow and relaxed, slowly coming out of his stance as he stood up.
"What's your deal?" He said.
"Why are you fighting the Maedra?" Darius asked bluntly.
"That's a stupid question," Jake threw back.
"Answer it," Darius snapped. Jake squinted, and then looked at Mur. Mur nodded.
"To protect Ewana," Jake said blankly. As if noticing the flat tone, Darius spat at the ground in front of him.
"Give me your actual answer, mutt," he snapped. Jake pressed his own lips together for a moment, mulling over what to do.
"They killed my friend, and I want to return the favor."
"You can't kill them all," Darius said. Though, unexpectedly, his tone was serious.
"I can try," Jake retorted.
"You'll die," Darius slung back.
"I'll kill as many as I can before that, then," Jake huffed.
"Sounds stupid. Is your life really that meaningless to you?" Darius tilted his head slightly, his expression twisting oddly for a moment as his eyes and lips both moved.
"I'll do whatever it takes to repay the debt. They killed my friend, almost killed me, and they're a threat to these people. If dying means giving them a chance, then I'll pay that price." Jake felt a slight tingle of heat rush to his face as he recalled the moment Chul had pushed him into the water. He briefly glanced down at his right hand, at the scar.
"How old are you?" Darius asked.
"Fifteen," Jake answered without missing a beat.
"Fifteen, and you're that certain of giving up your life, for a cause and for people you just barely discovered a month ago?" Darius planted his hands on his hips.
"Yes," Jake answered with sincerity, and Darius met his eyes with a steady, unflinching stare.
Darius paused again, this time for even longer.
"Fine, I'll teach him. But on one condition." Darius turned his eyes originally to Mur, but then he looked at Jake again. "No magic. At all. Understand?"
"What?" Jake didn't understand. He was a mage. Why would he not use magic?
"You require a free hand to use magic, do you not?" Darius asked, stepping forward and closing the distance.
"Not particularly. It's just easier and faster."
"Then you need to learn to use magic entirely without your hands." Darius pulled a knife from his lower back. Jake's eyes widened and he immediately took a battle stance. He flinched as Darius lazily tossed the knife to his feet.
"Pick it up," Darius said aloud. Jake eyed him warily and glanced down at the knife. With his dagger still raised, he slowly reached down and grabbed the knife.
"You're quick. You react fairly well, but you're stiff and you rely on your magic too much. It's why you suck when you don't use it. So, we're going to teach you the opposite." Darius grabbed his waist and stared down at Jake with a sadistic-looking grin on his face.
"You aren't allowed to use your magic when I'm training you. Agree to that, and I'll fix you proper."
Jake relaxed and stood up, easing out of his stance. He looked down at the elven Knife and stared at the reflection of himself in its cool, bluish-silver metal. When he looked over towards Mur, the demon was grinning. He pushed off the railing and began to walk away, leaving Jake to make the decision on his own.
Indeed, Darius turned out to be someone worth speaking to, worth learning from. His blade work was excellent and his speed was expected of an Elf. However, he was also quite vicious and even thorough his movements were elegant and sharp- he didn't hold back. His violence in combat was different from the demeanor that Jake expected of a more... royal type of race. If Jake wanted to better himself, then learning from Darius would likely lead to that end. But to give up on his magic?
Jake clenched his teeth and then stared down at the knife. He felt its weight, felt the perfect balance of it within his grasp. No, he wouldn't need to give up on magic. He would simply need to adapt. Darius had asked him if he could only cast with his hands- that was not the case. And that also was his answer. This was the way forward. He had to trust that.
Jake gripped the knife and then looked up to meet Darius's waiting eyes.
"I accept your terms."