Nelson Mandela
Education may be a powerful weapon and many a man has said that your mind is your best weapon, after all, knowledge is power. But sometimes a weapon is just a weapon the important point was whether you knew how to wield it. A point Lady Acacia was determined to teach us.
Another day another demonstration and I was sweating. Thrust, step, block, retreat. Any tool held right can be a weapon but Lady Acacia had me demonstrating what I had learnt once more. She believed in baselines and consistent assessments to measure progress. Each time it was a little bit harder and in the case of my mathematics assessments a lot harder. This morning though we were looking at my progress with the knife before we looked at the weapons that she had brought.
To gain the skill without a kill it had to be as authentic as possible. Hence her mini armoury of mini-weapons is sized for children. They were swiftly becoming less oversized for me as I continued to be allowed to use the elixir. I was growing rapidly in size if not yet in age. At nearly 3 years in this world (I would have been nearly 4 in my old world) I now stood at just over 3 feet in height and just under a meter. I had hopefully caught up to the size I would have been having if I had not grown so slowly due to my long-lived trait.
I could run, I could swim, I could climb, I could sail. The list went on and on. And due to my grandfather’s dubious efforts at training me, I was also fairly proficient with a knife. Now though Lady Acacia was having me branch out just a little. Well, it was a lot. Alphabetically laid out in front of us were the axe, bludgeon, club, dagger, estoc, flail, glaive, halberd, knife, pike, mace, morning star, quarterstaff, rapier, sword, spear and War Hammer. They were all laid out in front of us in pairs to help facilitate us learning the weapon she chose to teach us together.
“Before we start with the tools strictly made for combat. I find it best, to begin with, the ones that have more than one use. It gives you so many different opportunities to continue to level them up. Any tool can be a weapon if you hold it right but only a few weapons can be tools too.” She started her lecture on weapons and their uses.
“As much as it pains me to say it your Grandfather was not completely incorrect in this.” She nodded to Arawn who sat as always just out of most people’s earshot but within sight of us. To be honest he was within his earshot too and probably the reason for her pointed barb of a compliment.
“A knife can be used for combat but it can be used for so much more from cooking to gutting fish. Every use continues to help you level your skill with it and familiarize yourself with it until it feels natural in your hand, a part of your body.” She pointed out the different ways in which we could continue to level the skills even when not sparring or in combat. I suddenly had the image of us laden down with all of her weapons in the hopes that carrying them around with us would help to familiarize us with them.
“Seeing as you have made such fantastic progress with your knife skill I am hoping that the same will be true for these.” She gestured once more at the display in front of us.
“We will be starting with the axe. Both a tool and a weapon. Something that you can use every day from now on. Carry with you at all times and has a multitude of uses outside of combat. We will work this morning till you have the skill then continue to practice with it every day until you are familiar enough with it that it feels like an extension of your body. Once we have arrived at that point we will be ready to begin your training in the most basic of axe forms.” She outlined the training she had planned for us.
“Step one, logs.” She revealed a pile that she had placed out here earlier but had hidden with a covering. “You will be splitting logs until you have gained the skill. Note that I have chosen smaller ones to start with. Aleera you will split the log into four before passing the remains to your brother to split into smaller kindling.” Differentiation at its finest one task feeding into the next. At nearly twice my height and over double my weight. It did not matter that my stats were higher than hers or that I had the traits and perks. Her vessel was bigger ergo her stats could be applied better. But I was quickly catching up as the Elixir’s continued to allow my body accelerated growth.
“Better get started then,” Aleera said before swinging her axe.
Waiting as I was for Aleera to have some success before I could start I asked, “Is this usual training for ladies?”
“Not in the least but I believe in the equality of the sexes young Kai so this far from the capital with nobody to judge me or critique me for my training methods nothing is preventing her from being able to do everything that you can. Besides, it will allow us to develop manicure skills at a faster rate while caring for her hands afterwards. It is not just about building up calluses if you can leverage one skill use into another that is simply basic math and good skill training.” She replied.
“So I get the manicure skills and pedicure skills too then?” I asked.
“Don’t be a silly young man. Women must keep some secrets to remain a little mysterious, even if it is only how to keep their hands immaculately soft, clean and enchanting. It is hardly a skill for you to learn unless you plan on working in a bordello.”
“What’s a bordello?” I asked already suspecting I knew the answer to that question. A little put out by her double standards.
“A place where those who do not listen to their teachers and learn the wrong skills end up. Look you have some firewood to split.” she ended the conversation and directed me to the next task.
. . .
After a month’s training, I was now level 1 or higher in all of the weapons she had once laid out in front of us. While we did not end up carrying all the weapons around with us, wherever we went. We did end up carrying any we might need to use which meant that most days we walked with knife, axe, spear and staff. I looked like a regular LARPER. Running around the island with my weapons. The only difference was that even those these were child-sized they were real enough weapons.
The funniest thing about them though was that each one was sheathed. I had never seen an axe or spear sheath but she had one for each weapon and insisted that we never carry them without them being on at all times outside of lessons. Some former idiot of a pupil had managed to take his ear off with his own axe strapped to his back and Lady Acacia was not going to have it happen under her watch.
. . .
Thrust, step, block, repeat.
“Well done Kai wonderful work.”
We were working together on our skills. Now that I was a little taller it made it a lot easier for us to train together now that I was no longer bouncing around her ankles but more up to her waist. Rapier was my favourite weapon of them all as it had a lot more reach than my knife but was still light enough that I didn’t notice the weight too early on in our training.
“Are we going to consolidate them yet?” I asked excitedly. Referring to the possibility of consolidating our weapons skills. Into a higher tier of skill.
“No Kai. No consolidation. I have the basic forms for you to practice and your grandfather can certainly help you with their real-world only application. But weapons are not my forte. I am awaiting a little more expert advice on the matter. Normally a noble house would have their own arms master or guardsmen to help their scions train. Indeed, most fathers would certainly be interested in training their children and overseeing their weapons training. However, your father is a sailor and not a warrior. Your Grandfather seems incredibly capable, but not all combat situations can be solved with a knife no matter how much he wishes that to be the case.” It seemed that she had become equally aware of his rather simplistic and direct responses to problems. “Besides if you are to enter noble society you will need to wield the weapons that they do.”
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She paused for thought.
“Still, I see no reason why he cannot take you out hunting to practice with your weapons if he is willing.” She turned to see if Arawn was paying attention and as always he was. He had stood up and was approaching.
“Grab your weapons and I’ll take you two across the lake.” He abruptly spoke as soon as he was within earshot of Aleera, nodded at Lady Acacia and turned. He left quickly, leaving us to rush to grab our things and chase after him. He did not head towards the eastern side of the island but quickly walked to the west.
“Are we not going to Wester first?” Aleera asked.
“No far more game on the Western side of the island.” He answered as we arrived at his boat. “Right all aboard, that want’s aboard.”
We jumped in excited but nervous to be using our weapons for the first time in something other than practice, training or play. I had caught a multitude of fish and sea creatures but they generally died after being brought out of the ocean. The occasional one needed braining but for the most part, father did that. This would be the first time using a weapon to kill something. It felt a little weird, to be honest. Modern sensibilities are so far removed from the source of our meat. Many a man or woman is vegan by choice. Something that would not be understood here on Wester. Though for the most part, we were Pescatarian by circumstance more than choice.
Grandfather caught some of our nerves as we sailed across to the side of the island we had never really explored except to quickly make our way up to the cliffs for the skydiving lessons that seemed so long ago now. “Look the odds of you catching or killing anything with either your knife or your axe are nil. So we will be attempting to use your spear. But even then the chances of you hitting anything with that either are pretty slim so there is no point to winding yourselves up over something that might be nothing.”
The more I thought about it the more I realized that we were probably unlikely to get anything on our first trip hunting. When we had taken a walk with our cousins they had used bows and traps to bring back the rabbits that we had eaten.
“Look I will find a spot for you to sit downwind of any animals. Circle around and attempt to drive them past you. Aleera you have the height and strength to make a proper cast but Kai's best bet is to hold onto your spear brace it or duck behind a tree. There is no shame in being sensible. I will dry to flush smaller game towards you but if anything larger arrives I expect both of you to drop your spears and climb a tree. I will be right behind them and take care of anything unexpected.” He outlined the plan for the hunt.
Once we had landed he tied us up and had us head downwind setting us up on the edge of a clearing where we would have good sight lines to see what he had managed to flush and the option of whether to face it or step aside. Once we were set up, he walked into the woods before disappearing.
“So what now we wait?” asked Aleera.
“I guess so.” Nervous to be out in the unexplored forest.
“Wonder what he will flush out.” She thought out loud.
“I’m hoping it . . .” We froze as we felt something dangerous reveal its presence pressing down on our very souls. The quiet forest exploded with movement as birds and beasts took flight from whatever had revealed itself. Its presence disappeared seconds later. But the animals kept running.
“Should we run?” Asked Aleera as birds flew by overhead.
“Let’s wait for now. If something too dangerous appears we climb a tree. Hopefully, that was him.” I answered keeping my eyes fixed on the other side of the clearing.
“Him . . . you mean Grandfather?” she turned shocked.
“Well, he did say he would flush them towards us he never mentioned how!” my voice raised I gestured at the animals that had arrived at the clearing and were fleeing across it.
Mice, voles, mole, rabbits, hares, badger, fox and deer all came running across the clearing. Downwind of us, they charged across it unaware of our presence.
“Ready?”
“Ready.”
Hidden in the bushes we edged forward, placed our spears in the ground and aimed them at where the animals were running toward us.
Once out in the clearing, the animals noticed one another and separated in fear of their normal predators as much as the shock that they had received earlier. None of them turned around and headed back to where Grandfather had possibly revealed himself. But this did spread them out as they approached.
I pointed at the deer heading our way. Could we get that? It looked like it was headed our way but it was moving quickly.
We hurriedly shifted across to block its path as soon as it plunged into the wood on our side of the clearing.
Three . . .
Two . .
One . . .
We did not thrust so much as brace the spears and angle them into its chest. We had separated to allow it to run between us and the two spears braced as they were and driven deep into the deer’s chest held it up and impaled between us.
We stood there shocked that it had succeeded only roused to thought by the . . .
Ding! Spear (Lv3)
“It worked,” Aleera whispered as the mortally wounded deer swiftly passed away.
The animals seeing a new threat diverted around us leaving us standing with the trophy of our first hunt.
“It worked,” I answered a little louder glad of the company of my sister.
“Well done.” We jumped as Grandfather announced himself behind us.
Stupid! I was so stupid why had I not had my HUD activated? It would have helped with the hunt and helped to stop us from being startled by my Grandfather’s return. I swore he could tell when I was using it though as I had never caught him moving at impossible speeds on it which he had to have done to surprise from behind.
“I didn’t think you’d catch anything," He grumped. "Let’s get that dressed and get back home. Your mother will be happy we are having venison tonight." he nodded to us before pulling out his knife to get to work. "Far better than fish." he muttered to himself.
Still as little shocked we watched him confidently set to work before we all headed home the boat a little heavier.
. . .
Later that night, Lady Acacia was having a conversation . . . with a rock. The gemstone with the glyph of calston carved into it glowed as she filled it with all her mana to make the connection.
“Are you up for a journey? I have a student for you.” she dangled a possibility our in front of the listener.
“You know I’m not interested in taking on another disappointment.” a gravelly voice replied.
“I promise you, you won’t be disappointed.” she laughed.
“Are they young enough though? Too old and there are too many bad habits to iron out.” he sounded vaguely interested.
“More than young enough. I haven't taught them too many bad habits yet." she avoided naming or giving too many details on the student she was discussing.
“I’m not a daycare service, I can’t work with an infant, how tall?” he asked not yet convinced.
“How tall do you need him to be?” she inquired.
“He’s an elf?” the voice asked surprised.
“No.” short and too the point.
“He’s not?” he now sounded a little confused.
“No.” was all he got in return.
“I’m not going to be party to another foolish attempt at using that elixir on humans again.” the gravely voice grew vexed recalling past events.
“That won’t be an issue he has my trait.” she divulged enough to seal the deal.
“Long-lived? Well, then he needs to be at least 4 feet tall.” he answered partially convinced.
“Yes, He can certainly be that tall by the time you arrive. But just to give you that extra incentive it is not the only trait he has. He also has yours!” she smiled now that had him hooked.
“Super senses? He’s a half-elf half beastkin? Can’t say I have worked with one of them before but that is a fine foundation to build upon.” He rumbled close to an agreement.
“Nope, pure human or so I have been told and so they believe to be true.” she raised her hands in defence despite his inability to see them being raised.
“Well, they don’t know their own parentage then. But are there no physical signs?” He asked perplexed.
“None on the parents or the child that I can see. Still, if you do decide to visit I believe you will be pleasantly surprised by his abilities.” she grinned imagining his surprise when he arrived.
“They sound intriguing but the two traits will only take them so far if they don’t have talent or enthusiasm for what I’m teaching. You sure you haven’t given him any bad habits yet? You know I hate undoing your efforts.” He tried to moderate her expectations and split the responsibility.
“Of course not! I know when to defer to someone else’s speciality. I have been teaching the most basic lessons just enough to unlock the skills no more. Will you come?” she asked a final time.
“And if I’m disappointed?” he asked.
“I will compensate you. But if you're not, and you won't be, I expect a sincere thank you and a favour to be called upon at a later date.” she bargained.
“Very well, I’ll come. Where am I coming to?” It seemed the voice had decided.
“A quaint little town called Wester.” she added.
“You will have to be a little bit more specific, where in the Compass Kingdoms is Wester?” he asked puzzled.
“Not so much on earth as where in the sea. We are on the western edge of the Ponentian Archipelago.” she explained
“That is not a short journey. Are you sure he has my trait?” It seemed this was the main reason he was considering this.
“Positive. That and more.” she affirmed
“More? Very well I’ll come but you’re paying for my passage there. And paying for a way back again if I’m disappointed, Acacia.” he ended the call the glyph growing dark.
“You won’t be, old friend.” she whispered to the silence she found herself sitting in.