Clanghh!

"You're late-"

A sublime cold voice.

He was smiling-

Yet-

"I'm sorry. Miss Erveine was lecturing me a bit longer than usual…" Flint chuckled.

He didn't have his armor on.

Just typical clothes.

No swords.

But-

One shield.

A bit larger than the ones he used to carry around.

A heavy tower shield. Wooden but reinforced with steel.

The man meanwhile-

Had shining white armor on, a thin golden-yellow holy sword, and a similar shield but very, very white and definitely not made from wood.

"Tonight, I shall teach you how to sense adversity and thus automatically react without a thought."

A calm breeze; the three moons shined brilliantly, making the grass glisten.

When Flint had first visited the knight hall-

He'd met one particular man.

The town Paladin 7; the town holy knight.

Paladins were heredity titles handed down through generations.

However, not to blood relatives but to only the worthy.

There were thirty paladins in the world, and their number suggested how strong they were; one being the strongest, thirty being the weakest.

Even the weakest of paladins were considered one of the best defenders of the human race.

Therefore-

The man before Flint-

The beautiful Paladin-

Was indeed-

One of the strongest men on the continent.

And he was willing to teach Flint-

Why?

Flint didn't know.

Flint didn't ask either.

Actually, at first, he even ended up declining the offer but- but he in the end, he decided it was best if he learned how to defend properly.

Flint knew nothing was free-

But-

Right now-

Even if he had to pay with his soul-

He didn't care.

He just wanted to be strong-

And that's why-

"I'm ready-" he said, taking a stance.

Both hands on the shield- foot ready to jump around-

A stance, different from the ones he used elsewhere.

Not a rune knight stance, nor a chaos knight stance.

A holy knight stance.

"Good-" He said, smiling. "Close your eyes. And don't ever open them; the best way to sense adversity is to let your body sense it on its own; don't overthink, clear your mind."

"Yes… master."

He did-

"Try to feel where the adversity is coming from- try to feel-" Nick! A cut on Flint's cheek- "Where the animosity is coming from." Another cut- "Don't think, don't guess… but feel-"

Clang!

Flint's shield connected with the man's sword- only for one instance-

But he was already gone-

Soundless.

He kept on circling Flint.

He kept on swiftly charging in.

Some Flint blocked-

Others- he couldn't even see coming.

Technically, he couldn't see anything though….

"Passable, I guess…" A mild sigh. "But how about if I erase my feelings?" It wasn't a question. "After all, there are enemies out there- who can even fool the devil."

The man jumped up-

One with the wind-

And swiftly, soundlessly descended-

He felt bad for the boy-

He was about to mortally wound him.

However-

This was necessary.

That day-

He was in the crowd.

He saw him-

And he knew how brave the boy was-

And as he witnessed that-

His whole body shook-

To think someone so young could be so capable-

Have so much talent.

But-

The paladin knew-

'Not good enough…'

Either the boy would grow to overcome this, or fall here…

And thus-

Aiming for the boy's shoulder-

Three-

Two-

One-

CLANGGGH!

Yet-

The attack was blocked-

The boy glowed in a pale white.

Aura-

Of the rune knight mixing with the aura of holy knights.

The movement was fluid- almost as though the shield had moved on its own.

Yes-

Sense-

As the paladin liked to call it.

'That's more like it-' Finally showing his teeth. "Good job." He landed next to him. "I planned to send you back right away but it would seem you're far more capable than I anticipated. Hmm… how about you attack me now?"

"With the shield?"

"Yes. Who knows if you'll have your weapons ready when you must face a foe." A shrug. "And you can open your eyes now."

Which Flint did.

And though he still had his blue aura- it grew a bit darker.

His chaos knight aura was slowly mixing in.

Eyes sharpening- breath quickening. "Then don't mind if I do!"

Launching forward-

Clanghh!!!