Chapter 30

Arc jumps in with joy "Oh yes! Excellent! Excellent!"

Steven then finishes the conversation "Then that settles it. Thank you for coming and listening. We will talk more tomorrow, do check the library for the Hive's information on your own time." Eska and Denise both nod before excusing themselves. They both walk out of the room. Three days later Steven, Arc, Kael, Eska, Denise and Ross are at the training grounds. They are all surrounded by many of the guild members. Steven clears his throat and begins speaking "Thank you for coming, Eska and Denise here will be joining us during the Hive Expedition. As such we've placed you four in a temporary team. Today we would like you to spar so I may be able to judge your abilities and assign you proper hunts. Of course, as a healer Denise won't be participating if she does not desire it, but we always encourage it." Denise nods nervously and Eska gives her an encouraging smile.

Steven gestures to Kael and Ross "These two here are both Strider rankers. I am proud of their skill myself. Which is why I believe they are perfect to assist you both in becoming a better hunter." He turns towards Eska and Denise "For this examination I would like for you to use real weaponry you would use in the field. The tools you feel most comfortable with. We will stop you if it is necessary. That's why Ren is also here. Aside from the fact that he likes to watch training sessions."

Denise is quick to speak up "I'll use a wooden sword, sir. I would like to participate but I am not well versed in hand to hand combat. The only thing I've done so far is healing and support from the back."

Steven smiles "You hear that? That's what I call a good hunter! The fearlessness and willingness to push forward to better yourselves!" Steven exclaims happily. "Do as you deem best for yourself. I'm sure those you fight with will adjust as necessary." He then looks back at both Ross and Kael.

Kael is wearing leather armor underneath partial metal on his chest, greaves and gauntlets. No helmet on his bald head but he does have a brown mustache. Ross is wearing a white button up shirt with brown pants. A leather vest on his chest and leather vambraces. His hair is blonde, tied in a low and short ponytail.

As Steven looks at them, they stiffen and nod in understanding.

Steven then continues "Kael and Eska, you are up first."

Eska and Kael walk to the middle of the combat area. Kael holds a longsword on his left hand and a kite shield on his right. All Eska is holding is the handle to a weapon.

Kael swings his sword a few times "I'm not holding back this time Eska, you better be ready." he tells her with a smile. Eska smiles back "I won't either Kael." She stretches her arms and shoulders.

Kael chuckles before getting into position and realizing Eska is holding something in her hand, but not a weapon. "Where is your weapon?" He asks. Eska opens her hand to show him the handle "My weapon." She answers him. Kael is a bit confused, he looks back at Steven who simply shrugs at him then Kael looks back at Eska. "I intend to go all out." He tells her with a worried tone. Eska grins at him before responding "Then do it" She says confidently.

Kael stretches his shoulders while staring at Eska with disbelief in his eyes. He then looks at his shield for a brief moment before charging at her, raising his sword in front of him for an overhead strike. Blood draws from her handle, forming into a curved blade. As soon as Kael sees this he stops on his tracks, and jumps back.

Steven smiles at the sight, then turns towards Eska "Interesting choice Eska, let me see more" He says with a satisfied expression. Kael stares at her weapon, what seems to be scimitar. "Well then" he tells her as he takes a step forward. His shield is raised in front of him and his sword above it. "I didn't expect THAT." he says with a bit of disbelief.

"Well, you'll never believe what happens next." She smiles, giving him a grin before she bolts towards him, swinging her blade downward from above her head. He raises his shield to match Eska's trajectory. The blade makes contact with his shield. He is able to withstand it with no issue. He sees the tip of her blade for a split second above his shield. A slight transparency covers the blade with a purple glow floating around the surface of it.

The blade draws away from the shield, and Kael sees beyond his shield to notice Eska already in stance to launch another attack with her left hand.

"Not just the first Eska, your arm and your shoulder also need it" Seech tells her in a flash her fist lands on the center of the kite shield. Kael's arm is pushed back along with the shield. Unable to stop it, he makes attempts to jump back but he is not fast enough. Kael's arm and shield make contact with his body and is pushed back. Though he stays on his feet as he is pushed back a few feet.

He takes a step forward, trying to regain his balance but he falls to his knees. He lets go of his shield, landing face up letting him see the massive bent on the other side. His sword is on the floor in front of him. The move had taken him by surprise and he let go of his sword instinctively to give the shield more support.

Eska gets on her knees and punches the floor with her right hand in frustration. She then holds her elbow in pain, shaking a bit from the pain. 

"Hmm, that's odd. I could have sworn you had everything covered." Seech tells her. "That's a very good first try though, perhaps you missed something small, when it comes to combat like that you need to take into account every bone, muscle and tendon as well as their structure."

Eska looks around at the quietness around the combat area. Steven is standing with a shocked face, Arc's eyes show some surprise. Denise is already by her side, applying some of her healing light. Eska flinches a bit when she sees her.

"I-I'm sorry" She tells Denise with a pained expression. Denise smiles at her "It's alr-" She is interrupted as she notices Steven appearing next to them. He squats down, staring at Eska. He looks down at her arm, examining it.

"JUST your elbow?" he exclaims as he looks at Kael's shield damage, then back at her. "Your hand should be completely shattered with the amount of force you just used." He looks at the bend on the shield once more before telling her "You really are full of surprises. Arc has a good eye." Eska simply looks down, frustrated at her arm. He notices this "Whatever you are trying to do, I see it as a success. That shield is a masterwork crafted to reflect about ten percent of the impact given to it."

Eska looks up at him in shock. The voice inside her shouts "Wha-hahat? So you DID get it right!" Seech exclaims, proud of Eska's achievement. "We just didn't take such an intricate skill to be embedded into a weapon. That's almost like a prosthesis back from my time." Seech then quiets down.

Steven looks at Eska's expression. "You seem surprised, masterworks are rare so I only give them to those who I believe will make the most use of it." He pauses as he stands and walks towards Kael. "I've never seen this shield damaged though, you really are something else. I'm glad you are on our side." He finishes as he takes the shield with him "We'll get this repaired before you go out on a hunt." He then makes his way towards Arc.

Denise helps her up as Ross is already helping Kael up. Eska then tells Denise "Thanks, it's nice to have you here to support us." She apologizes. Denise shakes her head and gives her a warm smile "It's fine. It's what we do" Eska looks up towards Steven, "I want to go again!" She shouts at him. Steven is talking to Arc but he stops to look back at her with a surprised look on his face, "Get your arm healed up, and you'll fight Ross next!" He shouts back.

After a few minutes, Eska walks back into the combat area holding her weapon handle in her left hand, her right arm still limping to her side. Ross then walks towards her as well, bringing out a wooden staff with a red stone embedded on top of it.

Ross takes a look at her broken arm and then at Steven "With all due respect sir, are you sure you want me to fight her when her arm was just broken? Feels like this would need a bit more time."

Steven thinks for a second before turning to Eska and asking her "Eska, What do you think?"

Eska turns towards Steven and shrugs "I feel fine." She says confidently before looking at Ross. She grips her handle with her hand before getting into her stance once. She draws a red blade, same as before.

Ross lifts his staff and lets it fall to the ground, lightly tapping the ground. A small circle of fire forms around him.

Seech says with slight worry "That stone seems to be an enhancer. Be on guard at all times. Your arm is already burnt from the wendigo incident." Eska looks down at her arm. She sees the space between her gloves and her jacket, revealing her charred skin. The wound doesn't hurt anymore. But the voice warns her all the same.