CROWNS I: Of Desolate Hope | ✔

15. Teaching Elias

"Elias!" screamed Kellar, waving his free hand around madly, "How many times? Tell me, how many times?"

Elias had always liked Kellar but he was not acting as kind as usual today. Maybe it's the heat, this pretend armour is quite heavy. The young Sword Master had very short black hair, dark stubble and skin slightly darker than Elias'. To think, this guy is younger than Dek. Elias had never seen someone so gifted with a sword and definitely not better at it than Dek until he had met Kellar a while ago. How long has it been?

"Stop daydreaming and get up," barked Kellar, reverting back into his stance. "Forget the sword stuff. These are scimitars. What am I demonstrating?"

Oh crap...

Elias pushed himself up off the sandy South Courtyard ground but didn't say anything.

"I need an answer now!" yelled Kellar, his face swelling.

Elias scanned his surroundings looking for any possible clues. Behind one of the blue bushes, he spotted Eliza watching. I better get this right!

"Well, it happens to be," started Elias, stuttering a lot as he racked his brain for an answer, "Mode Three?"

"Yes..." encouraged Kellar.

A finger was raised above the bush. I don't need your help. You shouldn't be making rude gestures in any case.

"It's Mode Three, First System, Form...Two?" asked Elias, with great uncertainty. "Half-moon?"

"Maybe you are actually learning," replied Kellar, moderately impressed. "Now take the same stance as me."

Elias bent his knees and stood side-on with his feet shoulder-width apart. He placed a little more weight on his back foot than his right. Finally, he placed his empty right hand by his hip and his clenched left hand by his right cheek.

Kellar stared at him for a few moments. "It will do," he said, finally. "Remember, no stabbing or poking. Try to...what's the word? Ah, slash."

"Easy," replied Elias, overflowing with confidence.

"We must change that then." said Kellar, changing his stance, "Helmet on, please."

This isn't good, thought Elias, realising his fate as he put the full-face helmet on.

"Go!"

Elias charged at Kellar who stood unmoving with his Western sword hanging lazily by his side. What?  thought Elias in bewilderment as he swung at nothing. Kellar was twisting and turning, dodging everything Elias could throw at him. Then he felt it.

"Ouch," said Kellar, mocking him.

Elias didn't even see him spin behind and strike him with the flat side of his sword.

"Right," said Elias, matter-of-factly as he threw his scimitar down, "I've had enough. That's it." 

Kellar strolled up to him and smacked him across his cheek. "Foolish boy," he said, tutting, "Eliza, I know you're somewhere out here! Come out, girl!"

Uh-oh.

Ever since they had arrived at the Cazar, Eliza had been fascinated with the wide range of weapons in the vault and armoury. This had unfortunately brought back her habit of stealing. Does he know?

"Although the others may not have noticed it," he began, "a couple of weeks ago I noticed that a certain pair of swords were missing temporarily." 

He knows.

Kellar turned toward the bush she was hiding in. "There is no way that Elias took it, for he is... too unskilled to use a sword, he'd have no use for it. They couldn't even be sold. No one here will go near them."