Ancient Banahgarian Chronicles

YEARS TWENTY TO TWENTY-FOUR

YEAR 20

Kell laboured all this year, starting when the snow had melted enough to allow travel around the country. He visited three places which he declared would now be fortresses of the Claihed, housing the warriors and being a space to train. These were; Ostrbrost, Sudvirke and a valley near Norgan's steading of Vekwic. Kell ordered the building of new halls and defences, and they were made strong and unassailable and spaces were included inside for training, eating and resting. And when they were built many thanes did move there, and made it their abode.

The elders would train the younger, passing down the skills of Greatsword combat and how to find and use Life-Breath; the Way that Narin had discovered and taught to his brothers. And so Kell travelled often between the three forts, overseeing their building and the training of the warriors.

At times he shut himself away, and began to write. He wrote of the Way of the Greatsword, so that others to come later could read the words and understand the skills. First he set out twelve guards; ways of holding the weapon in readiness for attack or defence. Then he set out the Rules for swinging the Greatsword in battle, so that all that read them would understand the elegance and effectiveness of this mighty weapon.

And through all his labours he seemed forlorn and downcast, and many wondered at it.

In the Morr, a young masterless warrior came to Jannii's great hall standing on the Aelferun scarp and begged entry. He stood before Jannii, an old sword on his back and clad in worn and threadbare cloth. And he said to Jannii:

"My name is Odar Ketillson. My father wishes to for me to be a warrior but I have not yet achieved mastery. I have studied long but have not found the Way. Will you teach me?"

Jannii answered:

"Your father is correct, you will never be able to become a master of the sword."

The man replied:

"I will work hard, for as long as it takes. If I put my whole self into my lessons, how long will it take?"

Jannii shrugged:

"The rest of your life."

The man was amazed, and cried:

"I can't wait that long! I will do whatever it takes, please help me. I will become your servant so I may learn the Way. How long will it take if I do?"

"As my servant? Maybe ten years."

"Ten years is too long, my father may die by then and I will never show him that I am a master. If I practice from dawn to dusk every day, how long will it take?"

Jannii smiled:

"Oh, it might take thirty years."

"How can that be? My life? Ten years? Thirty? I will undergo anything to master the Way of the sword, trust me."

"In that case you must be my servant for seventy years. You are in too much of a hurry to learn anything quickly."

The man finally understood that his impatience was the problem and bowed his head. He agreed to remain with Jannii as a servant for as long as it took.

YEAR 21

In spring of this year Kell left Ostrebrost. His Greatsword Liosskurdthur was across his back, and he carried the Riversword at his hip. He carried little else, just a small pack across his back. None asked where he went, and he said no word.

By summer he had not been seen returning to Ostrbrost, and neither to the fortresses at Vekwic or Sudvirke. Some say they saw him in the Dall, walking west alone.

And through autumn and winter, he had not returned.

YEAR 22

Spring came and Kell still had not returned. Narin led the Claihed although his hair was now grey. All the brothers dwelled for times at one of the three fortresses and they taught all they knew and in turn the thanes there taught the younger warriors.

Late in spring the Stobyvar attacked the north in great numbers. Thord led the Claihed to several battles there. They stopped the advance and then harried the dwarves back to the reaches of the northern mountains. The skill of the Claihed swordsmen was becoming great and the Stobyvar were dismayed by the staunch resistance they now faced.

Kell had not returned by winter when the snows came.

YEAR 23

Odar Ketillson had been serving Jannii for some time. Jannii had ruled that despite the young warrior's ambition to become a master swordsman he would receive no teaching. He was not allowed to watch the other students train, touch a sword or even speak of swords. He was frustrated but nevertheless devoted himself to serving his master, cooking, cleaning and working around the hall.

One day, Odar was outside the hall chopping wood and feeling sorry for himself about the way fate had led him to this. Silently, Jannii crept up behind him and struck him a terrible blow with a wooden practice sword. By the time Odar had picked himself up and dusted the snow off, Jannii had vanished again without a word.

The next day, Odar was inside the hall cooking when Jannii appeared from the shadows and attacked him again. This continued from then on, Jannii attacking his servant suddenly and without warning at any time, night or day. Odar had to learn to defend himself and to be constantly alert for the sudden attacks.

It was in the autumn of the fourth year after Jannii had accepted Odar as a servant. Odar was outside the hall raking leaves. Jannii approached him silently from behind and prepared to swing the wooden sword at his servant. Before he could begin the swing though, Odar turned, sensing his master's presence, the rake spinning in his hands. With a great shout of 'Hah!' he thrust the end of the rake at Jannii, so fast that the master could not react. It struck him a blow in his chest which sent him staggering backwards. Regaining his balance, Jannii looked his servant in the eye and bowed low. He spoke:

"Through patience and humility you have achieved the mastery you sought. There is nothing more I can teach you."

YEAR 24

Kell did not return this spring.

Jannii and Odar Ketillson travelled to Ostrebrost, and Jannii presented his former student and now graduate apprentice to his older brothers. Narin himself tested Odar's skill with a blade and his manner, and was duly impressed. He had achieved a level of mastery and inner awareness that few could match, even among the eleven surviving brothers.

The brothers who were in Ostrebrost held a small witan at that time. Narin spoke openly of what was in his mind. He was feeling old, and was starting to tire. He was still a mighty warrior but the strength of will to lead was fading. He also felt that the time was coming where the people of Banahgar could not continue to rely on the brothers in all things. Thus he stated that he would retire from the Claihed leadership, and he nominated Odar Ketillson to succeed him. All were in favour, and they gave him the title of Grandmaster, the first man to hold this position, and they sent a message to Norgan to forge Odar his own Greatsword.

Throughout that year and the next the brothers nominated successors to become masters of the Claihed, leading in battle and teaching in times of peace. They remained at the fringes, as a parent who watches a child taking their first steps but knows that the fall will be a lesson that must be learned.