Dueling

"Your firsts job todays is to picks your poison" 

Itch then swiftly motioned to behind him where a rack of weapons now stood. 

Weapons of all sorts were arrayed on the rack ranging from small daggers to long halberds. 

Shields also sat among the weapons. 

We quickly got a single file line and were eagerly ready to finally get our hands on a real weapon. Only me and Thassius had thus far even managed to touch a weapon if you count the dagger used at the tribunal. 

Looking at the large array of weapons I felt spoilt for choice. I immediately ruled out the smaller weapons. I was big and to use my size effectively I would need a weapon to reflect this. 

Several weapons pulled my gaze including several grizzled-looking maces and axes that looked almost as if they had been pryed of a dead body just prior to being put on this rack.

However, one weapon drew my attention more than others. A curved blade seemingly made from steel it shone a dull yet vibrant grey. Picking it up I rapped my knuckles against the blade. Gently sliding it across my fingers feeling the sharpness slice gently through my skin. Droplets of blood slid down my fingers where they had brushed the blade. 

Gripping the blade I gave it a swing. It sliced through the air like butter the weight pulling it down through the strike. It felt amazing, it felt powerful. This was perfect. 

Grabbing the blade sheath I gently pushed it back into the leather holder. Gripping it tightly with the right hand I picked out a few other weapons as well. Two knives took my fancy. One is a longer yet still relatively short dagger-like blade while the other is a knife which appeared more functional for other chores like cutting string or throats. 

Picking my three weapons I walked away and strapped them to my body. My blade hung the left of my waist with the dagger hanging from the opposite side. I had sheathed my knife to my chest for easier access. 

Moving away I observed as Thassius walked up next. After careful consideration, he marched up to a gigantic spike boulder atop a stick and carefully lifted it. A fitting weapon for such a large rat. 

He seemed content with just the one and almost skipped over to wait beside me. 

"Its a fitting weapon" I Say in passing

"Its beutifuls, I loves it" He not once looked at me during the small conversation and instead his eyes remained transfixed on the weapon. 

A weird creature he is, but I've grown fond of him. While we once walked in as rivals the pain and group punishment Itch had enforced has replaced these bonds with a level of companionship. Sufferers can always lament with other sufferers. 

More rats took the stage and picked their weapons with Sniffer picking up a long halberd matching his tall stature and Splinter Akimbo wielding two axes. 

It took a while but eventually, all the rats were back lined up now weapons in hand. 

"A forces to be reckoned with" 

Itch joked, but there was some truth to it. We were all fit and tall adults now. Armed to the teeth with weapons we made for an intimidating-looking force. Obviously, we would fall apart instantly with no actually fight training but looks wise we were definitely almost there. 

"Now I want you to pair up and duel, Not to the deaths. Any deaths will be punished harshleeeyy"

He rolled his tongue over the word harshly and his fingered his new whip. 

Looking around I saw only thassius would be a fair pick for duelling. Plus I had been itching to fight him from the moment we locked eyes on the night of the culling. 

He seemed to have the same opinion as we approached one another. 

"Duel me" 

He said in a plain and quite direct manner eliciting a chuckle from me. 

We found a secluded area of the training ground and stood around 10 paces from one another. 

I fingered the hilt of my blade gently flicking it in and out of its sheath. 

Itch's bell rang as a sign to begin the duels. 

With as much speed as I could muster, I unsheathed my new blade. 

Thassius was already gripping his might mace and was prowling towards me. 

I pointed the tip at him before making mocking gestures daring him to charge closer. 

For a good few seconds, we circled each other like predators observing our prey before making the final lunge. 

Thassius was the first to move. Swinging his mighty weapon in a lateral ark threatening to shatter every bone in my body. So much for not killing.

I jumped the weapon and closed in brandishing my own weapon. 

I reached Thassius just in time for him to be off-guard still trying to control his oversized weapon. I cleaved downwards with the intent to live his head off. However, he tilted at the last second causing my blade to reflect off his thick hide hidden beneath his black fur. 

Having now recovered Thassius lunged at me attempting to use his weapon as a spear to push me back. It was working. The large spiked ball at the end made quite the deadly apparatus and not something I wanted poking into me. 

My empty hand scratched at my right waste before gripping onto the hilt of the dagger that I had placed there. Unsheathing it I now duel wielded the two. Searching for a gap in Thassius' defences I took my chance sliding between his thrusts and slicing down onto his arm. He attempted to rebound however I pulled out of my attack at the last second causing Thassius to stagger backwards. 

Closing the gap between us I dropped my secondary blade and slid my hands down onto the blade of my long curved blade. Gripping it so my hands did not touch the blade.

I brought the blunt end down hard on thassius head with all the might my slightly odd grip could afford me. He looked dazed for a second before falling to his knees. Another opportunity presented itself as I readied another blow. 

Slamming again into thassius head he keeled over now unconscious. 

While not a pretty victory it was a victory nonetheless. 

It stood over my fallen adversary with a tinge of regret. I had grown to like Thassius, he was simple yet still fierce. I wondered if I had gone too far with the second hit. 

An immense applause rang out from behind me as Itch patted my back. It seemed our fight was the last to finish and the most ferocious by a mile. 

Over the remaining hours of the day, Thassius recovered quickly and joined back in. It seemed he held no real hard feelings as he congratulated me on the win. 

Itch went rat by rat explaining what he had thought we did wrong and what we could improve on. For all his flaws he was damn good at observing. To watch all 50 or so duels and be able to comment on each performance was a skill hard to come by. 

He told me that I was too reluctant and unskilled and that I could have easily ended the fight immediately if that first attack had been better angled. He was right I could have taken Thassius's head clean off if I had used any technique. 

None of us knew the proper technique so Itch performed the basic attacks for us. However, he encouraged a self-taught philosophy. 'the strongest of warriors build their own style' He repeated on mass for every young rat that would listen. I grew tired of his witterings and found a secluded corner to practice. 

I took a liking to the duel-wielding. The smaller blade felt good in my weaker hand and allowed for quicker flurries of attacks. However, it was easy to then fall back to just one blade when more strength and accuracy were required. 

Hours quickly turned to days and days turned to weeks. 

Our daily chores were replaced with daily duels and combat practice. We were taught the practice of war. 

Myself and Thassius would take leadership positions. We were taught to lead and to issue commands to the other rats. Single duels were turned into group battles with leaders taking control of small battalions. 

The smarter and smaller among us became medics and strategists.

Itch ensured major injuries were kept to a minimum and fighting stayed a game. 

As much as I had grown to despise him over the month he was a good teacher for this sort of stuff.

We entered as children however we would leave as soldiers.