Shroud of Shadows

Enveloping

I met two old comrades in the sparring arena. Oscar and Kieran were the only warriors sparring that night, and I crossed a gloomy threshold of empty battle cages to meet them. The two Knights had apparently traded blows for a considerable amount of time with the quarterstaves they used for practice weapons.

"Oscar and Kieran!" I made my presence known over the punishing din of the sparring. The two fought in an open shallow pit which could be filled with a variety of terrain to keep their alertness sharp. The two fought in loose sand, trading blows with their iron studded hardwood staves. To my trained eye, I could see that Oscar was the one who would come out on top in this fight. Kieran was well rounded with a strong arm needed for the massive axe he would wield, but when it came to speed Oscar was a man with few peers. Thankfully, they were here to practice their forms and not to incur Mist's wrath by needlessly harming each other.

"Hold." Oscar's calm voice and outstretched hand ceased Kieran's strike. Both of these warriors had their faces mildly beaded with sweat and were short of breath. Both of them saluted me with their weapons to their chests and a bow of the head. "Commander Geoffrey, I am glad to see you return to us."

"A thousand hussazs to your recovery! There is no way those metal beasts could have killed you whilst I stood!" The fanaticism in Kieran's voice was, like Bastian's theatrics, a welcomed relief by my own surprise. Thankfully he was not as loud as he normally was, otherwise the whole castle could hear him, even over the ringing anvils.

"Agreed. It does my soul well to see that you are once more among us." Oscar nodded, his dark jade hair bobbed with his head.

"Well, I had hoped to bless this reunion with a little honest combat." My reply was met with a wolfish grin from Kieran, who tossed me a staff and stood aside so that I could enter the arena.

"Then let us see what benedictions you might offer, great Commander." Already my two opponents had begun to measure my combat efficacy. The looked eager to see how keen my fighting edge was after my humbled bout against the Flayed Ones.

So was I.

Bastian would be annoyed if I scratched the paint on my armor so quickly, but it was always my firmest belief that every suit of armor needed some training scars before it went into battle proper.

If I used my spear or dao here in the sparring area, it would heap shame upon both them and myself. The quarterstaff was a suitable replacement and training with it could be translated over into other aspects of fighting. "We should wear our helmets, only the proud and soon to be dead go without it in battle." I said as I strapped my helmet to my head and slammed down the visor guard in the shape of an eagle's beak. Oscar and Kieran dis the same, though because of thier position did not have a face plate as mine. Soon they would, given the many accolades they have both received in the past few years.

They fell to a combat ready stance, each of their eyes poised to tear me apart limb from limb. I adopted a defensive pose and gave a beckoning gesture with my head. They did not hesitate as they came for me, it would appear that their petty rivalry would not hinder them when they fought together.

The sound of the hardwood crashing against each other rang through the empty arena. Maple against oak, brass studs struck steel rivets. Kieran came down with a brutal chop, the manner of axemanship evident in his fighting style, and I managed a hasty block in response. In doing so, however, I opened myself for a jab by Oscar, and he slammed the tip into the breastplate on my solar plexus and sent me tumbling to the ground. I coughed for air and got back on my feet. Oscar and Kieran were ready for me, so I ordered them to attack again.

We traded a flurry of blows this time, and slowly I was beginning to feel like my old self again as I moved through the traditional martial forms and disciplines. Strike, bash, counter, jab. Strike, parry, feint distract. All of it was returning to my body and I was soon holding my own, even though I was caught off guard by Kieran bashing the side of my head with his staff. My head felt a ringing sound like no other as I collapsed into the sand. Oscar was about to shame me by offering a hand up, but I stood again. Enough toying around. "Do it again."