Shards of Silver

SEVEN

"Today I'm going to start teaching you all how-to sword fight." Some of the students started muttering among themselves. Roderol had to clear his throat loudly to get them to shut up. "We're starting with wooden staffs first. Wouldn't want your mentors to come to yell at me because you accidentally killed each other."

"I think it would be fun," one of the guys in the back row of standard formation whispered. Isren rolled her eyes as she caught the statement and flicked her ear in annoyance. Senior guards handed each of them a long wooden staff. In Isren's hand, they looked longer than a real sword should be.

"We'll start with basic techniques and how to hold a sword. I hope you lot are better than last year's class. The dumb fools took a week to finally hold a sword correctly." Roderol sighed and took a wooden staff too and stepped forward.

"You ready for this?" Leon asked from beside her. He grinned at her.

"When did you slip by here?" She whispered.

"I'm sneaky, aren't I?" He said playfully.

"Sure, sure," she teased back but resumed back to an expressionless face as Roderol demonstrated how to hold the staff like a sword. It wasn't hard, at least not to her, but she felt awkward and she didn't like it.

"Think of your staff as part of your arm. You must move it without thinking too much. Move it swiftly and fast but with accuracy. When you get your real swords, you don't want to miss your opponent and make a bloody mess."

"I bet he just doesn't want to clean it up," Leon whispered.

Isren observed Roderol as he continued demonstrating. "I don't think anyone wants to clean up blood from this dirt ground."

"Pick a partner and begin training." Roderol slashed the staff through the air. "This is where your self-defense and attacks come into play. If you are good in regular combat, you'll be fine when it comes to swords."

Will I though? I'm still weak in combat training, Isren muttered to herself.

"Partners?" Leon asked, tapping her on the shoulder with his staff.

"Sure," she replied, smiling.

They walked towards the middle of the arena where they would have more room and be spread out from the rest of the other trainees. They each took a stance and held their staff in front of them with one hand.

"I won't go easy on you just because you're a girl," Leon smirked.

"I don't want you to go easy on me. I'll cut you with a real sword if you do," Isren replied, a smirk rising to her own lips.

"What are you fools waiting for? In battle, no one is going to tell you to start. If you hesitate, you're dead!" Roderol yelled.

Isren launched forward, staff held out as she aimed for Leon's stomach. He saw her and came up quickly to block it before trying to make his own attack on her. She didn't let him though; she leaped away before he brought the staff down on her head.

"Sword-fighting is a dance. Find the beat and stick to it!" Roderol's yells echoed through the arena.

Isren parried and stepped forward with a quick hit to Leon's arm. He grunted and knocked her staff away. She barely raised it back in front of her in time to block his hit. He put his strength into his staff, causing Isren to grunt as she struggled to match him.

"Giving up?" Leon asked, grinning as he panted for air. Isren glared at him and sidestepped before turning away and hitting him on the back. He groaned in pain.

"Are you?" She asked as he stumbled. He gave a short laugh and launched at her.

A dance. Find the rhythm.