19 Training

Eric finally wandered in as the bell went off. Walking over he took a seat next to Clay.

"So you made it." John said with a chuckle.

"Oh fuck off." Eric replied punching him in the shoulder.

The doors opened to reveal a middle age man walking in. "My name is Gladius Dominum but you shall call me sir. Today is the first day of your weapons selection and training, for those who don't have a weapon step forwards." The man shouted.

Clay got off the bench and walked up to the front with several other students. They stopped in front of a rack that contained every weapon imaginable in the 13th century from bows as tall as Clay to a dagger thin as a sheet of paper. Remembering the daggers he had stored away Clay wondered if he should just continue using them.

'They lack range though and I have to be fast. Hmm I mean I got a shield in there so a short sword might work, maybe a bastard sword?' He thought remembering the types of blades he studied at his grandparents house. The old man was an avid collector and loved to explain each type of blade he had.

Walking up and down the rack he finally settled on a blade, it was a 3 feet long dual edge bastard sword that could be wielded with both one or two hands. The blade was a light sliver in colour leading down to a leather wrapped wooden hilt, a decorative symbol was carved onto the bottom of a cherry blossom, the weight of the sword fit nicely in his hand and was well balanced.

'Nice sword cadet. It's made of shine rock, one of the best materials for fighting as it's quite durable and flexible." Gladius said over Clays shoulder. "Personally I would use a shield with but it's all really up to preference, say cadet what do you prefer?"

"Umm I have mostly practiced with these but I also have this sir." He said withdrawing the daggers and shield from his inventory.

"And why may I ask you aren't using them?"

"Lack of range and a dagger plus shield feels wonky sir."

"Cadet go stand at that line. Cadet Asen stand next to him, on the count of 3 your gonna run to the other side of the gym. No abilities got it?" A nod of agreement came from both of them as they bent into to starting position.

"3...2...1... Go!"

Clay took off with a sudden burst of speed causing the world to blur and reached the other side of the 100 meter length in under a few seconds. Looking back he saw John barely passed half way.

"See your plenty fast. But if you want the sword to practice with, that's fine just gonna mean extra work."

Clay put everything back in his inventory including the blade. "Damn your fast." John said jogging up to wear Clay stood.

"Alright class we're gonna begin. Today is just hand to hand combat and sparring. First off is basic combinations but as we go it's gonna get faster until your able to dismantle your opponents with or without a weapon. The simplest way to remember is numbering each strike, for example a jab is one, a cross is two, left-hook is three and right-hook is four." He said throwing a series of punches in the air.

"Now we're gonna partner up and practice a few simple ones to start. I will call out a number and you will strike your partner with it, don't worry about injuries we have a few light mages with basic healing spells in this class. Now go." He finished with a shout.

Tapping John on the shoulder he raised his eyebrow in silent question.

"Sure."

The large room was filled as the 200 or so people spread out.

"Ready? Ok well begin by throwing it and inspecting your form. 1!" Clay threw his left arm forwards in a clumsy imitation of the display.

"Cadet Clay shoulder and hand up or they are just gonna strike you in your wide open face. Cadet bern rotate your wrist and move your foot to the left, cadet hawthorn shoulder down and loosen up a bit your too tense." Gladius droned on for the next few minutes correcting everyone's mistakes.

"Ok now throw your cross." Clays rear arm shot out like a snake. "Good cadet that's correct. Cadets Jane and eoeke don't throw a looping blow it's just straight out and in. Good, you all seem to get that one, now..." He went on to explain the fundamental mechanics behind the blow and how the power was generated from the shoulders and rotation of the hips. The next 40 minutes were spent going over each and every punch learning the proper way to strike as to not break a bone.

"Ok seems like you've got the basics down, now we will fight." Motioning the class to form a circle around him. "Cadets Clay and Asen you fight first. Remember." He looked at them with a savage grin. "It goes till some loses consciousness." Walking to the centre of the circle the instructor dropped his hand signifying the start.

Circling for a few second neither made a move trying to find an opening in their opponents stance. 'This is just boxing isn't it?' He thought to himself, the momentary lapse of judgement cost Clay dearly as a fist slammed into his gut with the force of a sledgehammer causing him to bend over in a fit of coughing. "Ouch." He coughed out, not giving him time to recover John punched Clay straight in the jaw causing him to topple over. Shaking away a headache that started to form. Standing up his darted to John side and drove a hook straight into his ribs before uppercutting him a few feet in the air. "Arrrgh my jaw." He cried holding his now, what looked to Clay to be broken, jaw. "Im argh!" He screamed trying to speak. Lunging up he caught Clay straight on the nose turning it to a fountain of blood and ruined cartilage, stumbling for a few seconds Clays vision went blurry and slowly darkened until it disappeared.

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(3 hours later.)

"Uhhh what happened? And where am I?" Clay groaned finding himself awake in a solid white room covered in soft linens.

"Infirmary. After I caught you on the nose you kinda just collapsed in a pool of your own blood. They say you burst a few blood vessels but should be fine now." Said John sitting in a chair that appeared to made of woven wood holding a text book in his hands.

"You waited?"

"Kinda felt bad, after all I did hit you pretty damn hard. Now come on it's almost time for supper then free time. And also." He said with a smug grin. "We're 1-0 me."