The next week worked like clockwork for Will. He woke up to a bucket of water while the stars were out. Since he slept outside under a tree, Michael was able to call it his 'daily bath' before training. After waking up, he would change into a plain white tunic and pants, closely resembling what Maya wore on her travels with him.
After changing, he and Michael sparred using the sparring swords Michael provided. After two hours, breakfast was served, but there was a catch. The breakfasts Michael made could only be considered hearty. Eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy, sausage, pancakes, fruits, and orange juice. The catch was Will could only join the table if he scored a point against Michael while sparring. In the past month, Will had been sitting on the floor at Michael's feet, only given a few biscuits and water to wash it down with. He could not get up from his spot on the floor until Michael ate both his and his nephew's portion of the food.
Within a week, Will had earned many welts from his uncle's weapon, yet all his opponent got was extra breakfast. Though it seemed cruel, the punishment motivated Will to put everything in his attacks, fighting for the right to sit at the table with Michael. He had spent any extra time he could get working on his sword form and doing the exercises Jonathan had him do before he made it to Crystallia.
Will spent most of the time analyzing his uncle's fighting style, learning a form from his opponent in order to find any weaknesses within his uncle's defenses. Each day Will sparred with him, he inched forward at least a step. Having only lasted less than a minute versus Michael the first day, he was able to continuously attack for a six minute period now. Of course the end result always left Will on his backside.
Will's defenses grew every day as well as his aura. Now when Michael attacked, Will's aura would detect it and he was able to deflect the advances. The time period of the assault was not for a lack of trying. Will's aura was only able to detect the attacks for that period of time. If he tried any longer, he would no longer be able to use his flames on the assault. He had to conserve what he had until he felt the time was right to use it.
Michael was able to use his barrage of strikes on Will for a period of six minutes before exhausting his opponent, though each time Will exhausted his aura, he was in turn exercising both his physical muscles and his aura at the same time. He could feel it come back even stronger each time his aura was restored.
After breakfast, Will would go out to the tree and meditate for one hour to review what he learned through his sparring as well as allow his aura to recover. Every time he recovered, his strength always went up a not so noticeable amount for one day, though over time it added up considering he was able to fend off his uncle for as long as he could.
After meditation, Michael attached weights to Will's feet and had him do laps around the cottage for a two hour period. At first Will was only able to do two laps due to the extra weight, more time than not he needed motivation from his uncle. Within the month, Will was not able to make it past the two laps for some reason, though his speed was almost a match for Michael's during his sparring matches. He had no doubt that his uncle had been switching weights on him after each day so he wouldn't notice the change. It was the only explanation Will could think of, he was an ex quarterback, he shouldn't be having as much trouble as he was.
After the laps around the cottage, Will took his place by his uncle's feet for his lunch biscuits while his uncle had roast chicken or beef. After the measly lunch, Will went to the tree for yet another hour of meditating. At first, Will had thought the meditating was a waste of time, but the more he did it, the more strength he had for the next fight against Michael.
In the evening, Will spent two hours balancing on a huge thin rock in the middle of the field. The first day, he thought 'this should be easy right?' he had no idea how wrong he was. There was only enough room on the stone for one foot. If he slipped and fell, it was a good seven foot drop and his uncle was at the bottom to 'motivate' him to get back up the rock. It took many motivations for him to trust his aura and balances to keep him in the rock the whole two hours.
After his balance training Will found himself sparring yet another one hour with Michael before dinner, one more chance to earn a real meal. If he couldn't score a point, not only did he have to sit at his uncles feet for his biscuits, but he had to take two buckets full of rocks to a lake two miles away, put the rocks in a well taught pile formation before filling the barrels of water and walking back. It was two buckets of water for a reason, the first one was for his morning 'bath,' and the second for his drinking water for the next day.
Will's training always ended the moment the last rays of light left the sky. For twenty days it was wash, rinse and repeat. In its repetitive nature, Will was always motivated to improve so he no longer earned a spot at his uncle's feet. He had to improve enough to take Michael on if he ever wanted a chance against the wraiths.
Will sensed it coming within three seconds before it happened. Rolling out of the way just in time, he felt the impact on the ground where just seconds ago he was located. The water only seemed to have fed the grass this time. Still not fully awake, Will sat up from the grass and opened his eyes. He stared at Michael for a second, trying to figure out what had happened. He looked at the bucket in his uncle's hand, Will's eyes went wide.
Jumping to his feet, Will looked at the spot in which he had just been lying seconds before, a look of startled relief flooded his features. It had been the first time he was able to dodge the water in his sleep. His aura had become a reflex even while his guard was down. 'Now no one will ever be able to sneak up on me while I sleep,' he thought bitterly as he remembered the last time he was caught sleeping, Maya was the one to pay for it.
Will was so tired of being woken up the same way, he could swear his uncle had a refrigerator hiding somewhere in that cottage, it felt much colder than should be possible in the warm forest climate they were in.
"Good job in dodging that water, it seems as though you are starting to instinctually sense things even in your sleep." Michael said while clapping his hands.
Without giving Will time to wake up, he threw a practice sword at him. Without thinking, the shirtless Will caught the sword without looking, instead he sensed it with his aura. It felt as if he had a three hundred and sixty degree sense when it came to his new power.
As soon as the sword touched Will's hand, he was instantly alert to his uncle charging for him. Within a second, Michael's first attack was parried by his nephew's blade without even making eye contact. Will turned to meet his uncle's eyes as their blades connected.
Michael wasted no time in unleashing his frenzied barrage of blows, each one only meeting his opponents blade as his aura took over his defenses. Each frenzied blow took a fraction of a second to deliver, though to Will it all seemed in slow motion. Through his weight training and balance, Will was able to move as fluid as the water he collected at the lake.
Going back and forth, Will allowed none of the advances to meet their mark. While parrying the blows, Will searched for a sign of an opening. Every few seconds his uncle switched hands, trying to throw Will off guard.
Will had to watch everything around him not only with his eyes, but his aura as well. As long as the barrier held, his aura would help him parry each hit. But he wasn't looking for just defense today, Will was looking to finally land a blow.
If Will lost any ground, he would end up backed up against the tree, which would limit his movements. The only option he had was to push forward. He kept a clear head, analyzing his opponents movements. Within the month that he had sparred with his uncle, he noticed that he had a predictable move trying to push forward. He played this to his advantage.
If Will was going to succeed in his plan, he could not be predictable. Sacrificing himself for a few blows, he advanced forward. Taking a strike to his sword arm and his chest, Will could only feel just a little of the impact. He used his aura to dull the pain without losing stride. With no time to spare, he transferred a little of his aura to his feet, making two compressed balls of flames underneath each one. When they exploded, he was launched up, back flipping to the tree, he launched himself off landing behind his master, tapping him on the neck.
Drenched in sweat, the two of them stood there, Will's sword on Michael's neck. "One." he said to his superior with no humor in his voice.
With a smile on his face, Michael dropped his blade. He knew when to accept defeat. "Good job William, that's how to apply your flame in true combat." he said as he turned to meet Will's smile. "Your flame is not an outside force, you should find ways to apply it to your combat style."
Nodding to his uncle, Will dropped his blade. "Time to eat?" he said in a giddy voice, finally he was able to sit with his uncle for a meal, he could already taste the bacon! It had taken so long for him to finally take a seat at the table, he started dreaming of the meals.
"Almost, but first I wish to show you something." Michael said, understanding his nephew's haste.
Michael put his hand in his pocket and withdrew something. In his open palm, there was a cross pendant in his hand. "Do you recognize this? He asked with a hopeful expression.
Looking at the pendant, Will went inside the cottage for a moment, coming back out with his own pendant on its chain. "Jonathan gave me this before I left, it's just a symbol of luck isn't it?"
"No William, that is your birth right." he said as he looked at the pendant. "That is the Ragnos lineage blade."
Will had to laugh at the statement. "This?" he said as he tried to breathe. "Am I supposed to stab someone with the long pointy end and hope for the best?" Michael smirked at his nephew only for a moment before looking at his own pendant.
As Will's laughter died down, he was wondering if he insulted his uncle seeing as he went dead silent. While watching him, he saw Michael shut his hand around his own pendant, orange flame protruding from it. Within seconds, the Orange flame grew in size until he was holding a full sized sword. The same sword Will saw Michael hold his own using against the wraiths. Looking at the pommel, there was a large orange jewel at the end of it. "This is a lineage blade," he said with a chuckle at his nephew's slack jawed expression. "Though it's nothing compared to the one in your hand."