I apologize for the scatterness of the last few releases - I've taken a few days off and - well, I had a lot on my mind I needed to get rid of...
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My combat training turned out to be quite different from what I had in mind. I was expecting to learn some cool moves finally, how to land a punch right, or a kick, for that matter. Instead, Deckard was teaching me how to dance. Or, as he called it, the basics of footwork.
What a bummer, huh?
But little did I know how hard it was going to be.
To keep my mind on holding my body correctly and taking steps in the right way simultaneously required considerable concentration and coordination. Sure, for the most part, it was I and I alone who made it more difficult for myself. I really was a dolt when it came to classical dance.
And since I was aware of that I put a serious effort into it in an attempt to move on to some more exciting techniques as soon as possible.
The depressing thing about it all was that I didn't seem to be making much progress. Well, I did. A few skills leveled up. It just didn't show in my movements. I was still a klutz.
[Perfect Equilibrium] reaches lvl 20
[Perfect Equilibrium] reaches lvl 21
...
[Dancer's Stride] reaches lvl 5
[Dancer's Stride] reaches lvl 6
...
[Spatial Domain] reaches lvl 22
And, of course, as my body digested lunch, the corresponding skills grew with that.
[Behemoth] reaches lvl 5
...
[None to Squander] reaches lvl 3
[None to Squander] reaches lvl 4
Yeah, and more dancing.
[Dancer's Stride] reaches lvl 7
Nice to see my skills grow. If only they were the skills I was counting on in combat. However, for them to level up, I would need to actually learn to fight. Or fight for real.
Frankly, I couldn't shake the feeling that fighting horned rabbits would give me more than the steps Deckard was teaching me. An annoying feeling I couldn't get rid of. Well, what could I say? My instincts were craving some real action.
I knew better, though.
If the flower didn't have proper roots to lean on, it never bloomed either. Worse, it was prone to disease and pests, and if it grew outside, lousy weather could destroy it.
I needed proper roots, like the moss in my hair, and that was what Deckard was teaching me.
Yet, even though I was aware of the importance of dance steps, it was the prowling through the grass in search of my prey after the lesson ended that got my blood pumping. There was only one hitch.
Exciting as it was, it weighed on my mind. Killing rabbits gave me no pleasure, yet I found the hunt thrilling. Striking a fatal blow made me feel disgusted with myself, but at the same time, successfully hunting down prey filled my chest with satisfaction.
Pride, too.
And it was this pride that made me want to show Deckard my best, no playing with my prey or practicing my skills, just a smooth hunt, a clean kill. One blow to the back of the horned rabbit's neck, that's it. That was my plan. Too bold? Nah, I managed to do so yesterday and without the help of my beast presence. It shouldn't be that hard to do again, right?
YOU ARE READING
Lament of the Slave
FantasyThe world is not always as beautiful and forgiving as one would imagine, and Korra Grey, a young florist, who is abducted by a creature of the children's books, finds herself in another world quickly learning that life can be even crueler than she t...
