The last day in Byrock

As Kane got out of bed, his eyes caught a view of falling snow. Seeing this, he froze in place for a moment, aware that this was a sign that his time for training with the steel sword had drastically decreased, if not ended. Unsure of what would happen, he quickly dressed in his hated coat and left the room, slamming the door behind him, waking up the rest of the guys.

He ran down the stairs to the training ground, immediately after feeling the freezing winter wind, looking for tutor Lorenz.

Seeing him lay out his equipment, he ran up to the tutor. As soon as the tutor heard footsteps approaching and saw Kane running towards him, he immediately shouted nervously.

"Kane! You were supposed to clean up the training ground after supper yesterday! What did I tell you!?"

"Oohh.... I'm sorry, I forgot."

Kane knew that this was not the right time, after failing to fulfill his punishment yesterday, it was still the boy's curiosity that took over.

"Emm... Then will the tutor tell me about Ren?"

"No, you should have not forgotten about the punishment."

"Heee?"

He did not hide his disappointment that he had lost another chance to learn about an unknown power.

"Then I have an important question."

"I won't tell you anything about Ren, that's your new punishment."

"I not about that."

"Then what is it?"

"When does the Lower Knight leave? The first snow has fallen, and I'd rather have time to get used to my new sword."

"That's right, your sword, come with me, I'll give it to you."

Kane began to follow Lorenz, still asking.

"So, what about this leaving?"

"We were planning to leave in a week, but looking at the weather and knowing that it will take us several days to reach the first designated point, we will have to leave first thing tomorrow morning."

Hearing these words, Kane did not hide his disappointment and anxiety, unsure if he was ready.

"It's here."

Said tutor Lorenz, opening the creaky door from the dusty and cobwebbed armory.

"Take whichever one you like, basically every one of these swords is the same, you might as well just take the first one you see."

"It's a bit dark in here."

Replied to the tutor, looking around the walls, seeing spiders crawling all over them.

"Don't complain and get your sword, I don't have all day."

Kane began strolling through the armory, bending down every moment to avoid the cobwebs hanging from the ceiling.

He looked around right and left, examining dozens of seemingly identical swords.

"There's no way to count on an exceptional sword, I'll have to find some new or little-used ones, from what I can see, some are chipped from training."

He thought, seeing the differences in the condition of the equipment he was looking at.

Seeing one sword that looked new, the boy grabbed the hilt, and removing it from its stand, it immediately fell to the ground, slamming into the wooden floor.

"Isn't there something ... hmm... lighter?"

"Lighter? These are medium, if not small swords made for your size anyway. By the way, I said take it and don't complain, everyone gets the same thing."

He sighed disappointedly, grabbing the sword and trying to keep it in the air without waving it from side to side.

"You'll get used to it."

Tutor Lorenz smiled in the boy's direction, seeing how awkwardly he carried it in his hands.

"You forgot the scabbard for the sword."

"Oh, yes."

He ran back up, grabbing the first better leather scabbard and attaching it at his belt.

"Now for training, you have one day to get used to it."

"Yes sir!"

Kane ran out to the training ground with his new steel sword at his belt, further emphasizing his short stature and young age by seeing the ratio of his body to the length of the sword.

"I guess it's best to just gradually re-do all the stances, with an emphasis on the first and fourth, I figure, these will get me best used to the weight of the sword."

The boy wondered how to spend the day most effectively, all the while keeping his right hand on the newly received sword.

At first, the steel sword seemed too heavy and unbalanced for the boy, but over time he began to notice that the problem was with him, not the equipment.

By now, all recruits accustomed to lightweight wooden swords that can be swing like sticks or even held by two fingers have collided with the reality of a real sword.

Instead of brandishing a piece of wood and practicing or fighting with ease and at will. Kane already had to use a lot of strength when holding the sword with both hands and focus on each strike or cut.

"With the sword, I can handle it, it's just that whenever I use it, I have to use my strength and body to the fullest and think through every attack or move. Although I prefer not to waste time so today I think I'll skip lunch too..."

The boy continued his training, feeling more and more confident with the sword in his hand, thanks to getting used to the fact that he has to use his full strength and use it with caution.

Starting from the first stance, with which he spent the most time, to the fifth, with each swing of the sword he recalled each day he spent in Byrock. From the first time he walked into the dining hall and met tutor Lorenz, to his first conversations with Daren, to his first training sessions, during which he still fainted and was unable to survive them, even though today it's a formality for him. The hard and satisfying sparring with Landis and Jin, all the thoughts that have been accumulating in his head over the past months.

Arguing with his roommates, isolating himself from the world and other people while perfecting his body and mind, moving from his first stance to the next and the next, until becoming a Lower Knight.

With each strike, more and more memories from the entire year flowed into his head.

"I wonder how Corinna is doing..."

Only the familiar sound of bells signaling supper pulled the boy from his training. He tucked the sword carefully and slowly into its scabbard, still unsure of hitting the sword inside, and headed for his last supper in Byrock. Crossing the threshold of the dining hall, Kane stopped one last time at the very entrance, looking at the crowds of recruits laughing and chatting with their friends while eating.

"It's lively here as usual."

He thought, feeling slightly nostalgic even though he still hadn't left the place, and sat down one last time with his roommates.

"Hi."

He greeted with everyone sitting down, though each of them was drawn to the sword at the boy's belt.

"Did you get the steel one already?"

"Yes, I'm already getting fairly used to it,"

"And how do you feel as a Lower Knight?"

Laughed Daren teasing the boy.

Kane's face went down, and looking at everyone, he said.

"I'm leaving tomorrow."

Suddenly, everyone went quiet, not knowing what to say.

"Tomorrow already?"

Auren began to panic slightly.

"Yes, the first snow has already fallen, and it will take us several days to get there. We leave first thing tomorrow morning..."

All four boys spent several minutes in silence, trying to croak out any words against the backdrop of cheerful and chattering recruits.

" Be careful."

Finally, Collin broke the awkward silence, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"Yes, I'll be careful..."

A childish smile broke out lightly but clearly on Kane's face, for the first time in years.