Chapter 17- Weapon Mastery

I wake up groggily, seeing the sun hasn't even peaked the horizon yet.

I start checking to see any damage my body still has.

I'm still sore all over, but I look to see my legs have been healed, standing up I glance at the mirror and see my face has healed as well.

I look at the floor where I was laying and see a large spot of dried blood.

Thinking about what happened last night, I could assume that it was highly likely I just had a run in with the Queens Shadow my father mentioned before.

If that was the Queens Shadow, how could they have not recognized me?

I decided to not dwell on it too much, as the only way I was going to get answers was by asking them, which I wasn't too keen on doing.

We're done with our business in the city, and I couldn't wait to leave.

Heading downstairs, I notice Garbhan already at a table eating breakfast and go to join him.

I've yet to see Garbhan fight, and from looking at his status, I would be inclined to think he's not a match for the Queens Shadow.

Nevertheless, he has shown that he's the cunning type of guy and was anything but stupid. Meaning he had to have known what happened last night.

"You're limping, I don't recall you doing so yesterday. I heard some noises in your room last night, so I can just assume that you must have stubbed your toe or something."

From that sentence he's trying to feign ignorance, but it's too obvious he knows.

Which means he was too weak against the Queens Shadow to help me.

It also revealed Garbhans' true character, the type when both your backs are on the wall against an unbeatable enemy, he'll find a way to step on your shoulders to escape.

Sitting down I grab a piece of bread, thankful that Garbhan unintentionally revealed a flaw before I found out the hard way.

Well, a situation that would result in death.

Asa makes her way over to the table. " Hope you enjoyed your stay, come back and visit us."

I swallow down the bread I have in my mouth before answering. " Well if my next visit is anything like this one, I most certainly will. It was nice meeting you Asa."

"It has been a pleasure meeting you as well Mister Eric." Having said that she skips off to work.

Smiling I notice, Garbhan looking at me with an eyebrow raised. "Beast-Kin? I see your one of those guys."

He had no idea how bad the obsession of cat girls was in my old life and finally seeing a cat girl made me realize they were right.

"What's wrong with trying to make friends?"

He snorts with laughter, " Yea making friends, that's what you were doing there. On another note, let me know when you get a decent level on your weapon mastery, I can fight you so you'll get some actual combat."

Excluding last night's beat down, I don't think I've ever fought in either life. Getting some actual fighting in was really needed.

"If you're done eating, we should leave so we can get back as soon as possible."

We get the horse and carriage back from the city stables and leave the city.

I don't bother looking back as I realized, I didn't much enjoy my time at Willowlane.

Sure, there were a few good moments, but I spent a majority of the time being on edge, couldn't do anything fun as it could risk me getting caught or killed.

After another 3 long days of traveling, we made it back to the cottage early in the morning, so we decided to take the day to rest.

After the incident at the lake, my new favorite resting place is under the apple tree.

With nothing to do, I just decide to sleep all day like I used to do as a kid.

Waking up the next day, fully healed and refreshed, I go through my routine like I have in the past but before working out I pull out my daggers and practice swinging with me.

I have no idea what I'm doing, but after trying and failing, I realized having the daggers strapped where they are is really impractical so change it to have them both at each side.

I follow my routine for 3 days until each of my new skills and spells level up once. Wanting weapons mastery to level more I ask Garbhan for that spar.

He then gives me some leather armor that's too big for me, and hands me two short training sticks in place of my daggers as he has just the long training stick.

He motions for me to attack, which I don't, I activate all 3 of my blessings on myself, then run at him.

While getting close he doesn't even budge to put up a guard, his stick remains at his right side. I use my right stick to swipe at his chest, which he then takes a step back, making me miss and counters with his stick, swinging down at my head.

With my right arm still in the momentum of swinging, I raise my left stick to block, which connects with his.

But his stick is stronger and keeps going, both our sticks hitting me on the head, causing me to fall in pain. While on the ground, he offers me advice.

"Good try but remember that the daggers are smaller weapons and to block you'll need both.

I do suggest however that you don't block with daggers and instead deflect attacks in a way to set yourself up for a good counter.

On your feet and we'll go again."

Standing, I decide to take a different approach and go for his legs and catch him in the air.

My blessings still active, I charge at him once again.

Coming to him, I bend swiping at his legs with my left stick, watching his stick carefully.

He lifts his leg, making the swing fall short and he swipes down at my head again.

Following his advice, I use my right stick to deflect his swing to my left side, missing me.

However, a fist appears before my face, punching me to the ground once again.

Before I can get up, he aims the stick at my neck, indicating that he has lethal.

"Good deflect, however, you made the mistake of thinking that I was only using this stick as a weapon and was only watching for it.

Your opponents will use anything to win, as you should as well, so expect anything. You're doing good, once again."

After 45 minutes, I had to cancel my blessings because I was out of mana but proceeded to train for the remaining 15 minutes.

Without my speed boost, I was more obvious with my attacks, so I was easily countered.

Garbhan took over cooking for the night, as I took a bath, trying to heal my bruises since I still hadn't recovered a bit of mana yet.

I desperately needed either a mana regenerating skill or perk in the future.

Currently it took me half a day to recover enough mana to keep one curse going for a minute, which was horrendous.

Tomorrow I was going to focus on getting a skill at mana regeneration, but I have no idea on how to go about doing that.

Well that's Tomorrow Eric's problem, not mine.