A Duel

Following the vice lieutenant’s speech, the commandant calls forth the bear squad commander Weil. He had requested to make an announcement a few days prior, but due to waiting on Andric’s arrival it was pushed back a few days. As he comes up to the podium, standing before all the trainees; he calls for both Orthon and Joshua. Awkwardly looking around Joshua obliges.

Weil begins to explain. “A few days ago, as I was running my rounds, I stumbled onto an interesting conversation between these two cadets. Everyone gazes towards the two of them. The commandant himself especially focuses onto Joshua.

“Orthon had challenged Joshua for his seat in Wolf Squad and Joshua being new here tried to avoid the situation, so I had to step in and rectify the situation. Simply put, I informed young Joshua of the founding principles of our fine training camp." Everyone remains quite listening intently. "Not only is competition welcomed, but even more so its encouraged to foster growth between the cadets and as such I decided to set the date for the duel to today. Andric's return was a surprise to me, so I had to hold off on the announcement, but I’m sure everyone is looking forward to see the results between two of our most promising cadets.” “What does hell he is talking about… Is he just trying to hype everyone up?” Joshua shakes his head in annoyance.

“Everyone is welcome to come spectate the duel, it will be held in 0500 hours in front of the large blackwood tree behind our medical facilities. As such Joshua, Orthon; report directly to your squad leaders and spend the next few hours preparing. I for once am looking forward to this match. As for everyone else you are now dismissed.” Weil motions with his hands as he finishes.

Draxis commentates on the announcement. “He really decided to embellish what actually happened didn’t he. Maybe he should be a spokesman for a living instead of an instructor.”

“Yeah, I mean it could be worse. And probably not with his drinking problem that would be a terrible idea.” Joshua shrugs his shoulders as he starts pacing around.

Draxis, catching on to everyone making their exits; encourages him to go start training as soon as possible. “You should get going, who knows what Layrn has in store for you. Might as well take advantage of all the help you can get.” Joshua sighs having forgotten about this entire charade a few days ago.

As he makes his way to their drill hall, he runs into Susanna briskly walking with her bags in hand towards the trail. “What are you doing Susanna?” Joshua questions as she lets him know that she’ll be heading out to continue practicing her archery skills while he trains before his duel with Orthon.

“Good luck then.” Joshua waves.

“You too, Joshua. Don’t lose, I don’t want to be stuck with three airheads. Also when I get back, there's something i wanted to talk to you about if you don't mind?"

“Didn’t plan on it. And don't worry about it, that's fine.” Joshua smirks flipping his hair.

With that the two-part ways as Joshua races over to the drill hall only to be greeted by a sword being swung in his face. Immediately on guard he jumps back and pulls out the two daggers on his side blocking her next strike. "Hell of a greeting captain.” Joshua’s eyes burn red with passion.

“You bet. I have very high expectations of you after all. Walk over to the storage closet and pull out some of the training swords, its time I start teaching all of you whelps swordplay!”

“Very well.” Joshua nods as he heads over grabbing some training swords out.

“You see I wanted to start with the basics first instead of immediately jumping into sparring because in my opinion, one must a have strong foundation if they wish to survive in this harsh world. Of course, It seems like you already knew that.” Joshua smiles at the obviously true assumption as he steps before his captain.

“Stamina works wonders.” Joshua cheekily replies.

“Honestly, I applaud your efforts as it makes my job a whole lot easier.” Layrn stretches her legs and arms out before guiding Joshua over to the dueling section of their drill hall. The floor beneath was reinforced with stone so as to handle a beating. " Beyond that, the twins have decent potential as well but they just squander it by goofing off and not taking things seriously. Susanna on the other hand... When I look at her, I see a younger version of myself. She needs help, but its not the kind you'd find here.”

“I understand that, this place was built for people like my brothers. Also I'm surprised it sounds like you actually care about your pupils, how unblack-wood like of you” Joshua taunts as his mercenary instincts kick in.

“I won’t lie and say I disagree with you brat; The other captains seem have their own priorities and treats training their recruits as more of an afterthought.” She cracks her neck and puts on her war face. “Now then, that’s enough talking real warriors speak with their blades.” Layrn’s tone shifts as her sclera turn gray.

“En Garde.” Joshua cries out, lifting his training sword up and outward; his hand tightening around its hilt.” For the next couple hours Joshua practices and trains with Layrn in swordplay as his body quickly remembers the years of combat he went through. And just like that it was finally time for his duel. He bids farewell to Layrn and makes his way over to the giant blackwood tree where the twins sat waiting. “You better not lose. I’m betting on you.” Vilhelm supportingly calls out.

Wilhelm follows up for his brother. “Yeah, we’ve been enjoying spending time with you. It would be a shame to lose you this soon.Well and I guess Susanna too.” Joshua smiles towards his brothers, their antics slowly but surely becoming comforting.

“Don’t worry, I don’t plan on losing today.” Joshua comments as he waves his hand to them. Soon after, he steps onto the field and awaits his challenge. A few minutes later under a black plume of smoke a magic circle quickly dissipating underneath them. Gytha appears with Orthon by her side covered in bruises and sweat. His tunic and gear battered and covered in scrapes.

“Don’t fail me, do you understand Orthon?” She commands; her eyes filled with both passion and malice. Orthon nods his head as Gytha disappears as soon as she arrives in a gray mist, a faint black mana circle fades within the air as Orthon steps onto the battlefield.

“Hey Joshua, make sure you go all out okay. Please don’t hold back! I'll show you what I'm made of, I've been training for weeks.” Orthon immediately changes stances as his eyes fill with determination.

“Likewise, Orthon. Give me your best shot.” Joshua takes a few steps back and gets into a defensive stance Layrn taught him. “If Layrn is correct then he is much better at managing his aura, whereas my stamina is a lot higher. but that's to be expected, Gytha just beats on her cadets; that’s no way to train one’s body.”

“On the count of three you may begin; may the better cadet win. One, two, three.” Weil calls out from a small podium near the three as he lowers his arm signaling the start of the fight.

Almost instantaneously after Weil lowers his arm Orthon throws himself at Joshua pushing him back, swinging his blade towards Joshua's legs aiming for a critical blow, Joshua however jumps over the strike immediately countering with an overhead slash, Orthon blocks it with slight difficulty. As the fight starts to heat up Andric and the Commandant start watching from a far, The commandant takes extra interest in the fight, seeing their potential. Strike, parry, counterstrike, block, then strike again; over and over the two continue. The sound of clashing metal fills the ears of the onlookers.

The duel between the two prodigies is fierce. It pushes Orthon to activate his 1st aura node fairly quickly, a dim blue light enveloping his body and blade. After this he starts pushing back hard, and with Joshua still not properly being able to activate his aura, he realizes that he'll to take a risk as he starts to speak to Draxis.

“Hey Draxis, you think you can help me out here, Orthon’s wearing through my stamina pretty fast.” Honestly If we weren’t using dull blades, I think I may have already lost.” As he is asking this, he gets thrown back nearly losing his grip on his sword as he struggles to catch himself and maintain proper form. His legs nearly buckling against Orthon's strikes.

“Stay focused on the fight.” Vilhelm calls out as he stands up leaning closer towards the arena.

“Well, I mean I could assume partial control over your body if you'd like.” Draxis replies nonchalantly.

“You mean you could have done that at any time now? Joshua looks flabbergasted while parrying another strike.

“Not exactly, right now the most I can do is tap into your aura stream and regulate it for you, if we had another few weeks I'm sure I could possess your body; Would you like me to start circulating your aura while you continue fighting instead?”

“If it will give me the edge I need, sure. I’m running out of steam here.” Joshua lets out a heaved breath.

Orthon starts getting frustrated that Joshua hasn’t given up and cries out with fervor, “Why won’t you go down? How much stamina do you actually have Joshua.” The cadets watching from a short distance away look on in awe as the twins on the other side continue to cheer on their little brother. Jumping out of the way of another strike Joshua responds in kind,” Orthon, I can’t afford to lose here. I refuse to live like that again.” Orthon shakes with confusion his not understanding his words as Joshua ignores the sharp pain swelling in his chest and keeps pushing forward.

Draxis immediately begins circulating the aura spread throughout Joshua’s body guiding it to where his 1st aura core should manifest; his scarlet red aura pulsates to life. “NOW” Draxis yells out.

Following his ‘masters’ direct commands, Joshua parries Orthon’s side strike, following up with a ferocious strike of his own; a flash of red energy dancing across his blade. Orthon barely able to block, start breathing raggedly himself; his body clearly reaching its limit. As the two boys stare down at one another they both begin to speak, both exhaustion and resolve in their voices. “Let’s finish this, shall we Joshua.” Orthon’s 2nd aura node surges to life as the veins on his head bulge outward.

“I was thinking the same thing Orthon.” Joshua replies through heavy breaths his body flickering with a red glow. As if in a choreographed dance the two’s swords bounce off once another in a flurry; the clanging of steel leaving the other cadets speechless alongside earning a smile from the Commandant.

“You’ve got this Joshua, finish him.” The Vilhelm cries out.

“Finish him off Orthon, his body can’t hold out much longer.” A young green haired girl named Elet calls out to her squad mate.

With the swings of their blades, they clash once, twice, and finally on the third clash; pulling out all the stamina and aura he can muster Joshua’s blade starts to crack in his hand, as he launches the blade from Orthon’s hand and aims his own towards his throat.

“I win Orthon, you’re a very capable swordsman. If we had fought any longer, I'm sure I would have lost.” Joshua drops to a knee before Orthon, clutching his chest. The searing pain from earlier still setting in.

“Draxis, what the hell is this pain I’m feeling?” Joshua questions mentally as he struggles to catch his breath.

Draxis replies calmly. “It’s one of two things kid, either that surge of aura has pushed your body beyond its limits and you’re feeling the side effects, or your comment about not living like that again triggered ‘causality’. Closing his eyes, Joshua takes another deep breath as the pain subsides.

Finally regaining enough energy to speak himself, Orthon attempts to stand up. “Joshua, that was a hell of a match.” Joshua reaches his hand out to his fellow cadet as Orthon takes it, the two boys lifting each other back to their feet.” Orthon slightly freezes up after the realization he lost finally kicks in. Stuttering slightly, he takes a deep breath before continuing “Like I said earlier, Gytha is a ‘witch’, and I’m not sure when I’ll be allowed to see you again, but keep training I refuse to just lie down and accept this defeat. I will have a rematch, so let’s see this through to the end.”

“With pleasure,” Joshua grabs Orthon’s hand pulling him into a brotherly hug. After this Orthon makes his way with his squad back to Gytha’s drill hall, that same young girl from earlier wrapping her arms around him. Following the match and Orthon’s departure his siblings are ecstatic. Running up to greet their brother Vilhelm screams aloud. “You actually did it Joshua! I was worried at the end there. Also, what the hell was that red flash at the end? Was that your aura?”

Wilhelm on the other hand, shakes his head because of his twin’s antics, quickly elbowing Vil in the side as he starts to speak himself. “Please ignore Vilhelm Joshua, we totally believed in you this whole time. And yes Vil, I'm pretty sure that was his aura... Just like fathers.” The three boys start laughing together at this whole ordeal. With that hectic duel out of the picture the three siblings make their way back to their lodgings, so Joshua can take a well-deserved nap. Laying down on his poor excuse of a bed he closes his eyes. “Wake me up in a few hours okay. I promised to meet Susanna tonight when she gets back from training.”

“Am I just a glorified alarm clock to you?” Joshua declines to answer as Draxis begins fake crying to him.

“Fine, you’re more than an alarm; does that make you feel better? You're such a diva master.” Joshua lets out a chuckle.

“Enjoy your nap kid.” Draxis replies while thinking to himself. “He’s getting too comfortable; at some point I’ll have further exercise my authority.

“Thanks.” Joshua replies as he drifts off to sleep.

A few hours later, making good on his promise Draxis awakens young Joshua. “It’s time to get up, you’re supposed to go meet that girl at the gate before sunset.” Joshua stirs awake and sits up, rubbing his eyes with his left hand. “Thanks, I guess.”

Immediately throwing his legs over the side of his bed, throws his boots on while yawning. A short while later he makes his way down the stairs, being careful to not make too much racket. “Any idea what she wanted to talk about Draxis?”

“No idea, I figure that it’s something about that duel earlier. Or maybe it’s a confession.” Joshua stops in his tracks abruptly catching an odd glance from a passing by cadet.

“A what?” Joshua questions aloud raising an eyebrow.

“Never mind kid, if you know you know.” The dragon mentally shakes his head.

Around fifteen minutes later he arrives at the planned meeting spot. However, there’s not a soul in sight. Lifting his right hand to his temple he takes a look around. “This is where she said to meet her right?” Draxis replies casually “Pretty sure, Kid.” At first ten minutes pass, then twenty, eventually forty-five minutes pass as Joshua starts to get unsettled. As he starts pacing back and forth, he ends up walking over to where his duel took place as he starts rambling aloud. “Something is wrong here. It’s already been forty-five minutes since sundown and the gates have been already sealed.”

Picking up the blade he held earlier in the day that rested on the ground he clenches his fist around its hilt. He briskly walks up to one of the exterior walls and begins gauging how far he’ll have to climb. “So, about five or six feet; Yeah, I can do that.”

“You going to look for her?” Draxis questions.

“Yeah, something is wrong. I can feel it.” Joshua replies his voice tinged with a hint of worry.

“Sure, that’s a good idea?”

“Probably not seeing what time it is, but else what are squad mates for.” Joshua take a deep breath readying his feet and hands as he prepares to climb.