ONCE A WARRIOR | dreamsmp

𝐢𝐢 - 𝐬𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐬

chapter ii , swords and shields

       "HEY, Y/N! TRAIN ME."

       I was standing in an isolated section of the Dream SMP with little to no trees in sight.  The grasses soaked up the minimal breeze and a few strands of hay blown from a farm a few miles up north.

       I turn my head to see Tommy staring down at me.

       I stared back.

       He persisted.

       I continued.

       Tommy squinted his eyes.

       I raised my eyebrow.

       Tommy broke the silence.  "Will you train me, Y/N?  The ol' great and powerful?  I want to be your disciple.  Teach me pleaseee."

       "What do you want trained ?" I ask. Tommy moved his hand into a Thinker pose.  He then shrugged.  I didn't know what to make of that.  "Do you know which tool?"

       "A sword." he chirped. 

       I nodded.

       I walked over to my chest, shaded underneath a tree.  There should be some wooden swords inside—you should never use real swords when sparring.

       My hand gripped a wooden handle.  I pulled it out from the bunch.  Twirling it around slowly, I inspected it for any major cracks.  It was sturdy, still useable for a good while.  I turned to Tommy.  In no time the sword was flying.  "Catch."

       He caught it with ease. "I want to attack properly, to work on my attacking skills and do the cool woosh woosh sword motions you flex on us when you fight.  You get what I'm saying, right?"

       "Right..." I kind of get what he was saying, yet I don't. Offense or party tricks?  No worries, I'll figure it out as I go.

       Tommy gripped the handle of the wooden sword with his right hand, then switched to the right, then eventually just grabbed it with both hands—then figured out there wasn't enough room for both hands to be placed on the handle.  His face scrunched up.

       "It's a one-handed sword," I stated.

       "Pffft, I knew that—" he settled on his left hand. "I was just testing out which hand I felt more comfortable with."

       "Are you accustomed to your left hand?"

       "I am," he replied. "I'm ambidextrous."

       "Good. Left-handers often have an advantage on the battlefield due to most swordsmen used to facing their fellow right-handers." I smiled, proceeding to switch to my right hand. "We'll start with your footwork, try not to cross your feet. It can unbalance you and is highly dangerous."

       "Seems easy enough," Tommy responds.  "I did this before, how hard can it be?"

       I walked to a spot a few feet from where I previously stood. Tommy did the same. There was enough space in the middle to start us off.