That’s right—I woke up to the sight of Eira fighting someone I’d never seen before. Apparently, they showed up while I was asleep. Honestly, I was too groggy and confused to make sense of it all, so I decided to head out and see what was going on. Stepping outside, I realized I’d been sleeping in Zander’s stayhouse.
Clack!
"HEY, EIRA! YOU CAN DO IT!" Zander’s voice boomed like an overenthusiastic cheerleader.
Clack!
"Oh, please just shut up," Eira muttered, her tone sharp. Her opponent couldn’t hold back a laugh.
If someone cheered for me like that, I’d probably throw in the towel out of sheer embarrassment. Nah, just kidding.
Beside him, Teacher stood quietly, observing the match with a calm intensity. As I walked over to join them, I couldn’t help but glance at Eira and her opponent sparring with their wooden swords.
“Oh, you good?” Zander asked, his usual over-the-top enthusiasm plastered across his face.
Teacher shot me a quick glance as I scratched the back of my head. “What happened?” I asked, genuinely baffled.
I didn’t have the slightest clue what had just gone down. My first thought was that I’d drowned, but I had no memory of struggling underwater. I couldn’t piece it together.
To my surprise, Teacher spoke. “You drowned,” he said matter-of-factly. “You were under for a straight 30 minutes. You might want to thank Zander here—he’s the one who pulled you out.”
Damn. I actually drowned?
How did that even happen? I was fine earlier, wasn’t I? Then everything went black. Was it from a lack of air?
I glanced at Zander, who was grinning as if saving my life was just a casual Tuesday for him. I held out a fist for a bump. He stared at it, clearly confused, so I had to teach him how to fist bump. After that little lesson, I said, “Thanks, man. Really.”
“No problem,” Zander said, chuckling. “But, uh, maybe next time, don’t try to nap underwater.”
“That’s some solid advice,” I replied with a smirk. “I’ll keep it in mind.”
Clack!
The sound of wooden swords colliding snapped our attention back to Eira and her sparring partner. They were locked in an intense duel, both moving with incredible speed and precision. I didn’t recognize the guy, but it was clear he was skilled—probably far more skilled than me.
Eira lunged forward, her wooden sword slicing through the air in a blur. Her opponent sidestepped at the last moment, bringing his own sword up to block her follow-up strike.
Crack!
The guy was impressive, no doubt. He moved with a natural fluidity, his strikes quick and calculated. Eira though wasn’t not backing down. She pressed him relentlessly, her attacks fast, aggressive, and unyielding.
What surprised me is what happened next. As the guy raised his sword to counter a particularly fierce strike, Eira shifted her stance and thrust her free hand forward. Ice shot from her palm, forming a jagged spike aimed straight at him.
“What the—?” I muttered, wide-eyed. So, Eira was an External Flow practitioner—she could manipulate magic in tandem with her physical combat. That's....just amazing.
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The guy stumbled back, narrowly dodging the ice. For a moment, it looked like Eira had the upper hand. But then, something unexpected happened.
The small bear whom I've seen eating apple earlier darted out from behind him. It wasn’t an ordinary bear—it was like his bond or a creature like Nix, a magical companion about the size of a large dog. The creature growled and leaped toward Eira, swiping at her with surprising speed and agility. She jumped back, forced to divert her attention to fend off the bear.
“Smart,” I thought, watching as the guy took advantage of the distraction. He rushed in, his wooden sword arcing toward Eira in a powerful strike. But Eira wasn’t so easily caught off guard. She spun, dodging the blow and slamming her palm into the ground. Ice erupted beneath her feet, spreading outward in a circle and forcing both her opponent and the bear to retreat.
The guy adjusted quickly, his bond retreating to his side. The bear growled, its small frame radiating a fierce energy. Together, they moved as a unit, their teamwork was phenomenal. The guy slashed at the ice with his sword, while the bear darted around, looking for an opening.
Eira gritted her teeth, summoning another wave of ice that spiraled up her sword. She swung it in a wide arc, sending shards flying toward her opponent. The guy ducked and rolled, using his sword to deflect the shards while his bond leaped over him, charging at Eira once again.
It was a dazzling display—magic, skill, and teamwork clashing in perfect harmony. For a moment, I couldn’t tell who had the upper hand. Eira was a force of nature, her ice magic blending seamlessly with her swordplay. But the guy, with his relentless strikes and the support of his bond, made her fight for every inch.
Eira’s eyes narrowed. She raised her hand, summoning a massive spike of ice from the ground aimed directly at the guy. He smirked, raising his sword high as the bear leaped onto his shoulder. Together, they dashed forward, the bear swiping at the ice while he swung his sword in a downward strike.
Crack! The ice shattered under their combined assault.
I couldn’t help but let out a low whistle. “Damn,” I muttered. “This guy’s no joke.”
"Yeah... really," Zander muttered, clearly just as amazed as I was. I glanced over at Teacher, who responded with a playful smirk, obviously amused by our reactions.
The fight raged on, neither Eira nor her opponent willing to back down. The intensity of their clash only grew, and I could feel excitement bubbling in my chest. It was exhilarating to watch—but my curiosity was starting to pile up.
Could I use Artisan’s Insight to spot Eira’s opponent’s weaknesses?
Would it even work in this situation? Probably not... but there’s only one way to find out.
I decided to give it a shot. What harm could it do?
But then—
[Failed]
[Artisan’s Insight doesn’t work unless you’re the one fighting the opponent you’re trying to scan.]
Well, that figured. Still, I learned something useful. Not what I’d hoped, but knowledge was knowledge.
Before the fight could continue, Teacher stepped forward and clapped his hands, stopping the sparring match. Zander and I exchanged surprised glances—we hadn’t expected him to intervene like that.
“That’s fine, you two,” Teacher said, his tone calm but firm. He smiled as he addressed them.
It was a great fight, no doubt about it. But I noticed Eira didn’t look too happy about it ending prematurely. Her expression was tight, her frustration clear—she hadn’t finished what she started. Still, she bowed respectfully alongside her opponent, both of them displaying proper sportsmanship.
image [https://static.vecteezy.com/system/resources/thumbnails/027/187/944/small/gold-and-luxury-under-line-png.png]
After the spar, we all sat down for dinner together. I ended up next to Zander, with Eira on his other side, and Arthur—our new sparring guest—sitting across from me. His small bear companion, Mo, was happily devouring most of the meat on the table.
Arthur, as I’d learned earlier in introduction of names, was only 19. Teacher explained he was the son of an old friend and had come here to learn how to control his Myogen, the Essence Flow he’d been struggling with. Apparently, his father had sent him here with some urgency, which piqued my curiosity.
Teacher Janga leaned forward, addressing Arthur with his usual calm demeanor. “Your father must trust you a great deal to send you here for training, especially with tensions rising in your kingdom.”
Arthur paused mid-bite, setting his fork down. “Yes Master Janga,” he said, his tone carrying a mix of frustration and determination. “He gave me a clear order: I’m not to return until I’ve mastered my Myogen. He says it’s the only way I’ll survive once war breaks out.”
“War?” Zander chimed in, his tone betraying the same surprise I felt. I shot him a look, but he didn’t notice.
Arthur nodded grimly. “It hasn’t started yet, but the kingdom’s already on edge. My father’s stuck in the capital, trying to hold things together.”
Eira frowned, her gaze sharpening. “And who’s the enemy?”
Arthur hesitated, his jaw tightening. “That’s the thing,” he said slowly. “We don’t know for sure. Not yet. But there’s someone pulling the strings, orchestrating the chaos to destabilize the empire.”
The table fell silent for a moment, the weight of his words sinking in. I glanced at Teacher, whose expression remained unreadable. He always had a knack for staying calm under pressure, but even he seemed to be processing the gravity of what Arthur had just said.
“About your Myogen,” Teacher began, his tone calm but firm. “It’s not proper training you lack—it’s real experience using it.”
Arthur raised an eyebrow. “You figured that out just from watching me spar?”
Teacher nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. “Exactly. What you need is to fight in real situations where you rely on your Myogen.”
Before Arthur could respond, Mo chimed in, his mouth still full of the last scrap of meat on the table. “Teach, I’ve been telling him the same thing! But he never listens.”
Arthur smirked, leaning back in his chair. “Alright, that’s on me. It’s not that I don’t trust you, Mo—just not when it comes to your… random advice. But when it comes to fighting? Yeah, you’ve got my trust.”
Mo huffed dramatically, pretending to be offended but clearly amused.
Teacher’s gaze sharpened, and he leaned forward slightly. “How about you spar with Zander and Zachary tomorrow?”
Wait, what?
“Spar with this guy?” I blurted out internally, a wave of unease washing over me. My brain immediately started conjuring worst-case scenarios. No way.... Fear.
Not again. I almost disagree because of fear.
“This is… really exciting, Teacher,” I said aloud, forcing a grin and trying to sound eager. It was either that or admit I was terrified. Unfortunately, my face betrayed me. My overly serious expression must have made the attempt look ridiculous, because the whole table burst into laughter.
Even Arthur cracked a smile, shaking his head. “Well, at least you’re honest… sort of.”
Great.