Chapter 7:

7. Determination

Heart Dream - How I Got To Chase My Dreams and Myself In Another World!


The next few days were increasingly tiring and continuously hurtful. Mazanlold woke Richard up early every day and gave him chores, from preparing breakfast, to collecting firewood. And after a hearty lunch, they spent the afternoon training intensely. The training focused on survival, at each day Mazanlold used different training weapons to train Richard on how to deal with different situations and foes. The loop was constant, Mazanlold threw different attacks at Richard who had to defend. When Richard defended, Mazanlold kept on. And when Richard was struck and knocked down, Mazanlold would give instructions and point out mistakes and tips.

The days Richard and Mazanlold trained, Isabella and Caoilainn did their own thing, making preparations for the journey. Supplies, plans, strategies, and keeping their practice up to date. One day, they focused on shopping. Caoilainn wore a way too elaborate long blue dress for shopping with an open back. They had lots of fun buying and discussing their tastes, but Caoilainn couldn't help but notice that Isabella looked stressed and tired throughout the day. Near sunset, the streets were empty as they were returning to the inn silently. 

Caoilainn decided it was time to talk:
- "Isa, I have to ask something."
- "You are being too serious, Caoilainn" - Caoilainn smiled to hide her seriousness
- "Nothing too serious. I just wanna know Isa, how are you agreeing so easily to this crazy plan of mine?" - Isabella was startled:
- "What do you mean? Well, you made clear that Richard is from another world and a scholar. We have dreamed of making this journey for years, to attain Anima Mundi. Why wouldn't we take this opportunity?" - Isabella avoided looking directly at Caoilainn.
- "That is perfectly logical" - Caoilainn looked out of the corner of her eye - "But you are not like that. You don't jump into risks and you know very well that Richard might not fit into Jacques's poem. Moreover, you know how Mazanlold might not get along with him." - she stopped walking and stared inside Isabella's eyes - "so now tell me, as my best friend, what is the truth? Why did you accept all this?" - Isabella again avoided Caoilainn's gaze, sighed and closed her fists. She waited, trying to tire Caoilainn, but her friend did not move.
- "I may as well tell you the truth" - Isabella sighed again - "the truth that I am trying to avoid these last few days" - she paused and looked at Caoilainn - "The truth is I'm anxious. It's been a long time since we started our search and there has been little to no progress in the last year or so. We do train and practice, but it seems we never stride closer to our dreams. " - she started looking down - "I am tired of being treated as a nobody by my family, while I tirelessly serve this kingdom" - she clenched her fists - "and I wouldn't be able to stand if you and Mazanlold failed due to me not having the guts of taking the risks with Richard" - Caoilainn noticed a single tear running down Isabella's right cheek. Caoilainn took time before grabbing Isabella's arms and hugging her. Their heartbeat aligned as Caoilainn released her and said:
- "Isa, thank you for your courage." - she let a shining smile - "Thank you for taking this all so seriously" - she lowered her head slightly - "sometimes I think I don't deserve a friend like you."
- "Please don't say that" - Isabella replied.
- "You are too good for me." - she raised her head - "all I can do is honor your decision. I will do my best every day to reach Anima Mundi, not for my sake only, but for our sake, for Mazanlold, for Richard and specially for you." - at this moment Isabella hugged Caoilainn back and embraced her as long as the tears went by. Isabella did not know, but Caoilainn felt every single tear on her back, but she never said a thing.

As the days flew by, Richard learned blazingly fast as was always the case in his life. The mix of his curiosity, resilience and wish to continue the journey fueled him as his reflexes, sturdiness and effectiveness increased, much to the dismay of Mazanlold. In the last two days Mazanlold also gave him a training spear so that he could learn to defend with it and to execute simple attacks. He was also a fast learner with the spear.

On their seventh day of training, Mazanlold decided they should spar, as a kind of graduation from his crash course. Isabella and Caoilainn went to watch. Both fighters wielded training spears. They took their stances and Mazanlold said:
- "Are you ready to try to fly, fledgling?"
- "As ready as you are" - Mazanlold let out his typical smile when fighting:
- "EN GARDE!" - Mazanlold jumped straight at Richard trying to hit him on the left side. Richard was already used to it and easily defended. Mazanlold then unleashed a flurry of horizontal attacks from both sides, however Richard defended them all. He tried to attack, but Mazanlold jumped putting distance between them. He said:
- "Not bad, let's accelerate" - Mazanlold got closer and tried to poke Richard repeatedly. He had to avoid some attacks and deflect others, it was hard to simply defend straight hits. This time Richard skipped back and started panting. Mazanlold seemed to have fun - "tired already?"
- "Take a look!" - now, Richard advanced and tried to poke Mazanlold. For the girls watching, the difference in ability was clear, the precision of Mazanlold's techniques in attacking and defending and the way he saved his energy were in another league compared to Richard. Despite that, Richard's evolution was nothing less than impressive. Mazanlold distanced himself as he felt Richard getting slower and said:
- "Let's finish this" - now Mazanlold leaped and unleashed a tremendous flurry of attacks, alternating hits and pokes, from different directions. Richard struggled to defend, deflect and avoid and was starting to drag. Mazanlold got nearer and nearer to strike him. So, Richard changed, he waited for a poke, avoided to the side with everything he got and poked back, trying to get Mazanlold still in the end of his attacking movement.
- "CLANG" - Mazanlold had deflected the attack with the back of his spear and Richard had opened his defenses. Mazanlold hit him in the side making Richard lose his breath. He blinked and felt Mazanlold's spear touch his chest, ending the fight.

The girls clapped their hands as Mazanlold returned to his stance, released his spear and stood out his hand to Richard. He also released his spear and took his teacher's hand. Mazanlold said:
- "I am positively surprised and pleased. You have been a good fledgling, Richard. You were determined and evolved faster than anyone I have ever seen. You sure can defend yourself and even kill some small fry out there. With a few more weeks you could handle a sword or an axe. You are ready for our journey, no doubt" - the girls clapped their hands again and Richard showed a relieved smile:
- "That's really fantastic. So, I won't need to train anymore" - Mazanlold's eyes widened as he replied:
- "What?" - Richard continued:
- "Yeah no need for more, you said I am ready, I have enough. - the girls were startled.
- "Enough for what? To have the bare minimum? The low average?"
- "Yes, this has always been enough in my life" - Mazanlold clenched his fists and leaped at Richard, who tried to defend himself. He blocked a punch, but couldn't block the fist aiming at his stomach. Richard knelt at the impact, loosing all his breath and his glasses fell. The girls jumped in their direction, but Isabella held Caoilainn with her arm. Mazanlold spit on the grass and said:
- "So, two final lessons from your master: one, when you fight to death, your enemy does not evaluate if you are average, he destroys you if he can. Second," - his eyes were wide and intense - "and remember this, you gutless chicken. Betray one of us, even with a small thing and I cut you down where you stand." - Mazanlold turned towards his house.

As Richard gasped for breath and took his glasses back, Isabella approached and knelt beside him. She said:
- "Mazanlold may be rough, but he is correct, you can never be too good in a journey as dangerous and as uncertain as ours. If you wish to continue, think and reflect, because it will be necessary to get better everyday. It is hard, tiring and we might fail" - she looked straight in his eyes - "but those are the price and risks of fulfilling one's dream."

Solerite
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