Sparring and more training.

A room was pretty cheap for the night, only 200 credits..

The bed isnt that great, not as good as my spot in Tokyo but not horrendous or offensive either.

Tomorrow I think I will train with Getorix a bit.

Time to catch some Zs, they will no longer run from me..

My weary eyes close and my body soon begins shutting down.

Darkness covers me and my mind drifts off.

--

--

"Child."

A voice calls me from the darkness, I look around and see nothing.

"Pain"

"Misery?"

"Why?"

The soothing motherly voice continues calling me, seemingly coming from all sides of the abyss.

It feels so warm here, like I could never leave..

What is happening?

"Who's there?"

My voice echos off into the nothingness

"Child.. I will reach you soon."

The voice answers back, sorrowful that she cannot reach me..

It sounds like..

They sound like..

"M-mom?"

My mother, from my past life.. Everything about this voice is the same, the tone, the vibe..

Why.. Am I tormented like this..

"Yes child, we will be returned soon.. Once I can help you."

Mom..

Tears breach my eyes, but I'm not letting them go.

A man does not cry..

2 purple spectral, ghost like limbs embrace me. They are cold..

"Soon my child.."

The ghostly arms grip me tightly.

"This is a dream."

"Yes a dream.."

She replies.

"Dreams are not always illusions my child."

The hands leave me and the purple aura of a woman waves to me and slowly floats away..

That wasnt my mom.. So why did it feel so similar?

What does any of this mean?

She said soon.. So soon I will understand I guess.

---

[A sleepy time later]

*Yawn*

My eyes blot open and I instinctively wipe the crust from them.

That was a weird dream, my subconscious is really fucked up huh, good thing none of my dreams are real..

Why does my brain yearn for a mother figure? Kind of weird me not gonna lie, stop doing that!

..

I am not developing a mommy fetish am I?

please lord dont tell me..I dont want to become a vile cretin like that!

My type, will not be altered!

Even as I age, like fine wine, my type will remain sacred to me.

...

And so far no women have met my strict criteria, a man must hold himself to standards!

And mine just so happen to be very normal and uhh..

Very umm.

Uh.

Nevermind.

I need to stop..

We have some more training to do!

I open the door to my room and enter the relay from in elevator.

Well its more of a teleport but y'know what I mean.

The main plaza materializes before me, there are private training stalls similar to ones found in Tenno dojos that you can rent for about 1500 creds a full day.

It is a walk though, like everything in this fucking world.

[20 minutes later]

A receptionist in a suit of skintight grey armor fiddles with a lato pistol that he has absolutely tricked out.

*tap*

"Oh. Didnt see you."

He opens up a cabinet and pulls out a glowing translucent blue card.

"Room 4 is all yours."

I hand him the credits and he stashes them into a case with a million locks on it.

Even in the future people dont trust banks.

I walk past multiple rooms in a white marble hallway and arrive at one marked with a comically large 4, the door slides open when I show the card to the sensor.

An empty room with a large raised stone box shaped arena in the middle, along the walls are random weapons that have been blunted.

A voulge sits in the dusty corner of obscure weapons no one uses, I walk across the room and grab it.

A more civilized weapon, for a shitty time in space.

I need some experience with it since it will be my main weapon for now, it is similar to an axe but has better reach and can be used for thrusting and hooking.

Getorix.

"Come out."

The horseman appears before more.

"I need you to dismount so we can train."

"Yes Mlord."

He hops off his horse swiftly and gives it a tap and it begins trotting away.

"What weapons do you prefer?"

"Axe and shield, shield and spear. I am experienced with both combinations but I love javelins, but this is a melee spar I assume."

"Axe and shield sounds great, and please dont throw javelins at me I might piss myself."

"Yes mlord."

He pulls a spiked cavalry axe from his belt and drops the spear off his back, he pulls his targe down from his shoulder.

"When will battle commence."

"When I say go."

I have to be careful with how I hit him because the only armor he has is fucking pants.

Hopefully he gets a bit of armor when he tiers up.

"Let's go."

I raise my voulge and point it at Getorix.

He holds his shield forward and protects his legs, hes definitely not stupid, he prods at me with the targe and holds me back.

I sweep my voulge forward and fish for his legs.

He is aware of this tactic though because he dances around like a little maniac.

I poke forward and then bring my voulge up and knock the shaft into his arm, his shield jolts out of his hand and he swipes his axe at me in retaliation, but inhuman speed and all that so I dodge it.

My foot kicks into his gut and he collapses to his knees and pukes

"Gyeh."

He continues puking, I pulled that kick so I didnt think it would fucking annihilate him

"You ok?"

"Yes yes just give m- BLEGH"

Vomit covers a small patch of the arena.

"Lemme get someone a bit better."

Zhi crumbles out of the ground along with Craig.

"Spar with these 2 okay, I will watch and give pointers to all of you."

Getorix stands up and breathes heavily but arms himself.

"Your wish is my command."

Zhi pulls out his 2 handed sword and gets into a stance, his feet facing outwards and his hips and legs lowered and bent, similar to a horse stance. Used for explosive strikes and balance.

Getorix charges much to Zhis dismay, the Terracotta soldier gets shield bashed and is forced into a defensive posture, holding his sword vertically to block all the swipes.

Zhi takes his left hand off the sword and sends a palm strike at Getorix, it land on his shoulder and pushes him back.

He thrusts his sword and Getorix parries the strike with his shield and using the momentum of the shield he smashes against Zhis face, the Terracotta cracks and he falls.

"Alrighty then, CRAIGO STANDO GOO!!"

Craig charges with his big ass sword and begins slamming random attacks towards Getorix.

Craig manages to hit past his guard and land a small slash on his chest. Getorix kicks Craig in the head and plunges his axe into the vermins shoulder, he then dissipates into mist.

Getorix huffs with sweat dripping down every orifice of his body.

[Companion Getorix has obtained sufficient exp to upgrade to [Tier 1.5] ]

Let's go!

[Only one choice is available for upgrade]

[Veteran Horse Raider]

[Veteran Horse Raider: A more experienced and seasoned warrior with better armor and higher quality weapons with a larger shield and more javelins that are sharper and more accurate]

Yeah do that one..

[Loading..]

[Congrats!]

[..]

[...]

[Completed!]

Getorix' body is enveloped suddenly in a chainmail hauberk and a small goggled helm appears on his head, the axe he was using is now longer and has a better quality steel look, his small targe is now much larger and the javelins on his horse saddle are longer and have tri tipped heads instead of just barbed points.

"Looking a lot better."

"Thank you lord."

He bows and pops his knuckles.

"Again."

Zhi pops back up from the ground here his crumbled remains lie, my head is getting a little dizzy from all these summoning spells.

"Only a couple more rounds, I could pass out from summoning them too much."

They clash a couple more times but his exp gain has plateaued pretty hard and bullying Zhi and Craig isnt doing anything for him.

Hours go by and it gets pretty boring to watch..

Return..

A silver card appears in my hand and I plop it in my inventory..

Well what now?

I could use a drink.

..

And a nap..

And a million bucks but hey..

A nap would be fine.

[AN]

Stones.. Stones. Stones all over the shop..

Chapterly song suggestion: Sermon of Swords - Powerwolf.