Soul of a Dragon

23

Jungkook decided to do something about being so helpless. Magic was something he could normally have done, but with it all blocked away in his true form, he was left with the option of using a weapon of some sort.

He approached Taehyung with his idea.

"I want to learn how to use a weapon." Jungkook said suddenly some time after midday, heeling Borahae up next to Cheonma.

Taehyung blinked, and glanced over at him.

"I hate being so helpless, and having to watch while you guys fight to protect me." He said in emphasis. "Could you not teach me to handle something so that I can be of some use to you?"

The stoic soldier didn't answer him for a moment.

"I could teach you the use of my throwing knives, and perhaps a sword, but we have no spare blade for you." Taehyung said in all practicality,

"Namjoon does..." Jungkook answered quietly, nodding his head back towards Namjoon's horse.

...

That evening, the eve of the fourth day of traveling on the trader's road, with some light still in the sky, found Taehyung teaching a somewhat fumbling Jungkook how to hold his throwing knives.

Only an inch or so longer than the full length of his hand, fingers and all, there was a certain place the knives needed to be grasped. The breadth of the blade was twice that of the hilt, and the keel of the cross guard was what allowed the blade to embed itself the right way.

Despite their design, they still needed to be released right to allow the blades to spin, and that included holding the blade two to three inches from the razor sharp point. After Jungkook finally had the hold right, Taehyung pointed out a tree, and demonstrated first.

Pulling the small knife back, he snapped his wrist forward, releasing the knife to sink several inches into the thick bark of the tree. Moving to fetch the blade, he then came back, and instructed Jungkook to do the same thing.

The knife left the younger's hand, and flew forward, a good two feet from where he'd initially aimed. Fetching the knife, Jungkook again threw it, and got marginally closer to the tree trunk.

"When you release, you twitch your arm to the side." Taehyung said when he'd returned from hunting up the small blade. "Try to keep your arm straight, and move mostly your wrist. The spin comes from the snap of the wrist at the end, not your arm."

With a nod, Jungkook tried again, and managed to actually hit the tree he aimed for, though the knife simply slammed up sideways against the trunk, instead of blade first.

Leaving Jungkook to practice, the occasional loud sound of the blade hitting against solid wood echoing through the camp, Taehyung went to work on the second part of the younger's request.

The others, meanwhile, were sitting around the small blaze, dinner done some time ago. A small smile crossed Jimin's face as a faint sound of joy told them Jungkook had landed a blade home in the tree.

...

It was some time later, after the sun had fully set, that Taehyung returned to see how Jungkook was faring. It was difficult to see in the now darker night time light, but the tree he had used as a target looked to be pretty beat up. Nicks, dents, and a fair amount of slits covered the rough surface for about three feet up and down.

Jungkook nearly bounced when he saw Taehyung. He looked so...happy. It was amazing that so little a thing could bring him joy.

"Taehyung! I got it! Watch me!" And with that, he poised to throw the small knife again, for the umpteenth time. Taehyung did indeed watch, but his eyes were on Jungkook's actions, not his target. The younger seemed to have gotten a fair idea of how to hold and throw the knives. It was only his release and aim that needed work, as the flying knife hit up against the side of the tree, instead of embedding in the wood.

A scowl came to Jungkook's face, and he fetched the knife from where it had fallen.

"I can do it...but it only happens off and on." He said, bringing his arm back to throw it again. With a flick of his wrist, the knife went flying, and thunked blade first deep into the wood. A bright smile crossed his face, and he turned to Taehyung.

"See?" He said, grinning.

Taehyung nodded, and had to give a slight smile at Jungkook's antics.

"I got you a sword." He said after a minute. Jungkook turned to look at him from where he'd gone back to practicing, surprise all over his face.

"Really? How? I thought Namjoon hated me." He said.

"No, he doesn't, in fact, he's going to teach you."

...

The next day dawned early. They would be going off the marked and beaten trail into the wilderness of the Northern Reaches now.

At the front, Taehyung conversed with Hoseok. The elf would be their guide because of his natural ability to tell at all times where the sun and stars stood. He would be able to keep them on a straight North-North West heading.

Breaking from the trail only a short time after starting the day's ride, the pace slowed considerably as they had to pick their way through the slopes which had steadily grown more rough as the journey progressed.

The first night off the trail was a tired one for all, but Namjoon promised to teach Jungkook to use a sword, so he approached Jungkook, who was caring for Borahae.

"We are going to start your training tonight. After you are done caring for your horse, please come to me."

Jungkook nodded.

Namjoon smiled at the boy as he patted his shoulder before walking off to care for his own horse.

It didn't take Jungkook long to finish, and he soon met Namjoon some distance from the others, the both of them excused from the regular night time activities for the sake of what they were aiming for.

Namjoon held both of his swords, but as Jungkook approached, they were both leaned with respect against a nearby tree, and replaced by two thick branches that were of the appropriate length.

"Since we do not have the proper training foils, this will be the first blade in your hand." Namjoon said, handing Jungkook one of the surprisingly heavy branches.

The following rather long amount of time had Namjoon showing him several different blocks, high and low, to each side, sweeping blocks, hilt blocks, and combinations thereof, both single handed, and double handed. He had to do each one, and show Namjoon that he could do it to his satisfaction before they moved on. Before it was half over, Jungkook's arms were already aching, for Namjoon insisted he do the techniques with both hands, and as the lesson neared its end, his arms were about ready to fall off.

Jungkook voiced not a single complaint though, such was his determination. He also had some knack for it, because he caught on quick, and moved fluidly enough for the actions to not be awkward.

"Enough...that's good for today..." Namjoon finally said, long after the sun had set below the horizon. With a grateful sigh, Jungkook nodded without words. "We are going to do this every night after we stop for rest." The older said, turning to pick up the two swords that had not even been touched yet. "I expect the same amount of effort from you that I saw tonight, every night."

"Yes sir..." Jungkook said.

Namjoon turned to the boy again, "I don't hate you Jungkook. I can understand why you'd think I would, but I don't. You didn't kill my sister, Zexus did."

Jungkook smiled at him, despite the weariness that was evident in his face, his eyes, the way he stood. "Thank you."

"Go get some sleep my friend..." Namjoon said softly, dimples smile in place. With a nod, Jungkook obeyed. Making it to the bed roll someone had thoughtfully put out, he collapsed onto it, asleep as soon as he was laid out.