6

If I could replicate the rune I might be able to teleport within the city. I didn't need to look around to know I had stepped into a large courtyard. I could feel Sekka's eyes dart around to spot all the exits quickly before they returned to the front door of a large mansion grown strait out of the ground like a mini forest. The separate trees were linked together using large branches that grew into the trunks of the other trees. The only sign of these paths through the large branches were the various windows.

Even the fence around the courtyard was grown, and not built. It shaded a large portion of the courtyard as well as hid the many guards that walked through the tops of the trees. I could tell that it was easier for them to see out then it was for others to see them. The branches that blocked us from seeing them didn't stop them from seeing us. There was something odd about the leaves that caught my attention.

They had more of a shine to them then I expected from normal leaves, and there was dormant mana running through each, and every tree. Some of the trees even felt like they had cores of their own. The two front corners in particular caught my attention. They almost felt as if they were looking at me. I knew they couldn't see the real me so it didn't matter that they were looking.

"What's your name?" The lord of the house walked down his front steps with confidence.

His presence washing across the courtyard in a blanket. He was showing off. I was tempted to do the same. I refrained from doing so only because I wanted to preserve my cover. This elf had longer ears then any of the others I'd met so far.

His ears stuck out of his long well groomed hair about two inches. The rest of the elves I'd met so far just had pointed ears. Not long ears like this. This was the first high elf I'd met. His mana was far more potent then any of the elves I'd met so far.

Prompting the impulse to flex again. I ignored that impulse again.

"Sekanine Nock," Sekka answered calmly.

"That translates to bird in flight in old elvish," the lord stepped into the courtyard, "Your father must have been an interesting man."

"My father earned his title with money," Sekka waved off his interest, "Paying everything we had to establish our family name. Leaving our family poor, and penniless until the day he died. I wanted to do more with my life."

"Is that why you trained a slave to fight?" he raised a brow at Sekka.

"No," Sekka smirked, "I found a slave that could copy the way anyone fights, and thought it would be cheaper to keep him as a guard then it would be to hire one."

"He can imitate any fighting style he sees?" this seemed to peak the lords interest, "Perhaps we could see a demonstration."

"You won't damage my property?" Sekka glanced at me as he dismounted his bird.

"Of course not," the lord shook his head, "Such a rare, and loyal slave shouldn't be damaged."

He waved forward a knight that was clearly stronger then the rest. If I had to guess I'd probably say that the elf approaching me now was probably a high knight. He gave off a powerful presence. The lord had a powerful magical presence. This elf had a powerful physical presence.

Neither one of them were the most powerful elves I was going to meet. I knew that instinctively. If this was the most powerful the elven race had to offer then they never would have taken over so many planets. The lord motioned for the courtyard to be cleared. I felt him gather the elemental mana before tapping his foot gently on the ground.

A large circular section of the stone courtyard raised up to make a ring of sorts for us to fight in. I didn't move until I was told. The platform was only raised about a foot so it didn't take much effort on my part to walk over, and step onto the platform. The knight that the lord had waved forward joined me a few seconds later.

"I should use a blunt blade," he smirked at my dull almost lifeless expression, "Just in case."

He held out his hand as if he were waiting for someone to toss him a blade.

"Don't draw your blade until he manages to wound you Nix," Sekka frowned.

He didn't like being looked down on. I didn't like being looked down on either. A slow crazy smile spread across my face as I brought my eyes up for the first time since I got here.

"Yes master," I replied with a little more satisfaction then I should have as I let go of the hilt of my blade.

The knight caught the dull blade by the handle, and looked at me with a bit of irritation. He clearly didn't think I was enough to match him. He had no idea what he was getting himself into. If he was as strong as I thought he was then this was going to be fun. I reminded myself not to use magic even if I got excited.

The lord nodded giving us permission to fight. The knight rushed forward, and swung his sword at the spot I used to be in. I grabbed his armor, and slammed his back into the ground as if he weighted nothing. He rolled out of the path of the punch that followed. Swinging his blade out in a way that defended him as he got back on his feet.

It worked. That round outward swing forced me to skitter back out of the range of his blade. I was having a bit of fun. I jumped over his blade, and slammed my foot down where he had been standing a moment before. I saw the genuine concern in his face when he saw the damage I did to the stone.