Eastar spread his legs and frowned at his opponent. If he said to attack him, there was no point in holding back.
The captain's posture was serious and firm. The star not found any opening, then decided to test the opponent.
He stepped forward and swung his sword up and down diagonally. The captain parried the blow and a thunder-like noise echoed through the courtyard in the clash of the two swords, Jorg didn't even stumble, remained steady as a rock, and the star was stunned.
— Can you keep up with my speed too?
— Ah yes, all the energy released makes our neurons work faster, so our perception and responsiveness soar.
Eastar did not quite understand what that meant, he looked at his father and, from the commander's expression, realized that he was not alone. The captain sirion noticed this and smiled.
— To sum it up, it's something like this: Although I can't contain your father, I think I can stop you.
That simplified things for the young stellar, who gave a small smile at the mistake the captain was making by considering him slower than his father.
— Now let's get real. I'm going with all I got, boy, so get ready.
The star nodded, held his sword in front of his face with both hands, and waited.
Jorg stepped forward at a speed that surprised his opponent for a moment. Give a lunge toward the boy's chest who, narrowly, could turn to the left. The young stellar counterattacked, using the spin to deliver a horizontal blow to his opponent's neck, but the adversary easily parried the stroke.
Eastar continued to strike and was stopped by Jorg's sword. He advanced from side to side, but the captain's defense seemed impenetrable. The swords clashed with the two of them very close, and the star saw the opportunity to feint at his opponent and attack him in the back.
The moment he passed, the sirion held his braided hair. The boy felt the tug and saw everything pass quickly around him. A crash echoed through the practice area as Eastar's head poked a hole in the ground, making him dizzy for a brief moment.
The stellar rolled on the ground, moaning in pain and cursing as he held his head in his hands.
— I think you just figured out why I shaved my head now, don't you?
— Shit, yes...
As the pain began to ease, he staggered to his feet. He held the braid in one hand, a serious expression on his face.
— And you know, that sounds like a great idea, thinking now. — He looked around. — Is there a sharp-edged sword there? — said to one of the bystanders at the fence near the swords.
The soldier 's got a sword, ran a finger over the edge to test, and threw it at Eastar, who caught the weapon in the air.
The young stellar held his own hair and, in an act that left Aros open-mouthed, used the sword to pull the braid out and throw it aside.
— And to think that your mother's dream would come true someday. — The commander raised his eyebrows as he watched his son.
— She would do it by force one day or another. I just saved the job.
His hair now fell close to his shoulders and made him look very much like his father, though he didn't have a beard on his face.
Jorg laughed at the enthusiastic boy in front of him.
— Good to see you get serious when needed, boy. — He knocked lightly the sword on the ground. — Very well! Show me what you can do.
"Oh, I'll show you." Eastar thought as he smiled at the adversary and advanced . The two exchanged blows and the captain began to exert more pressure making his opponent retreat.
— What's up, boy? Are you tired?
— Oh no, quite the contrary, captain .... I'm just getting started.
From the fence, Aros grinned and crossed his arms. He knew the expression on his son's face very well, he knew this moment of the dance, and though he repeated so much that the brat should keep it sober, he loved to see that moment of climax as the footsteps became more faster and faster in search of an intense ending.
Eastar raised his sword as if to vertical blow from above, when the captain has positioned itself to soften the blow, he changed direction and take the sword horizontally to the top of opponent's head.
It almost left Jorg unconscious on the floor, but he swung the sword at the last minute, stopping the blow two inches from his forehead.
For a brief moment the boy saw the Battle Dance. It was there, the timing, the footsteps, but as fast as it had come, it vanished from his mind. It was all so fast that he managed to act before Jorg regained control of the fight. He began to advance, his strokes getting more accurate and faster, suddenly his speed was already equal to his father's and kept increasing.
Your opponent's eyes widened realizing the mistake he had made in underestimating the speed of the young stellar. He tried a feint to the right and a thrust aimed at opening a space between the two, but it was too late, the time he turned the sword to stock Eastar, the boy bent down and passed the sword in the captain's legs, which fell back in the floor. The young stellar put the sword to the sirion's throat, staring at him, panting and wide-eyed, and smiled.
— Now we're even, capitain. You know, I may not be as strong as my dad, but I'm faster. I'm sorry for not warning you before. — He reached for Jorg, who accepted it and stood up.
Everyone in the enclosure stared at the scene in disbelief until a laugh burst from Aros's mouth and was followed by Jorg's. The two men laughed and the soldiers, startling, began to clap, raise their fists and shout Eastar's name. He turned to them and bowed with a little smile on his face, so everyone was laughing when the captain touched his shoulder.
— You did well, you took advantage of my mistake, and you knew how to make the most of it... you reasoned well, boy, I'm impressed. Of course, now that I know about your amazing speed it won't be that easy to repeat the feat, but you were awesome! I see that the archers did not exaggerate your talent. — He smiled at Eastar and continued:
— I think we can train some more today. We will do shifts. — He began to scan the soldiers at the fence. — Let me see it... Greg, Sean and Jaime, come here, please.
— Me, sir? — ask the young Sean, who was seeking the swords.
— Of course not, kid. You, Sean. — He pointed to the soldier who had give Eastar the sword used to cut the hair.
The three soldiers gathered near the captain.
— You will train with us this afternoon, as I could not keep my reserve so long and you can learn to control yours better. — We could set up doubles, but I doubt Garret would agree to hand over any of his precious dust weapons to " this bunch of brute soldiers ."
The three soldiers began to laugh at the blacksmith's imitation.
— They also commonly know store energy? — asked the young star.
— Yes, it's our only swordsmen who can have a good handle on it. In addition they have the lieutenant of the lancers, Edwin, and five of his soldiers, there are also Relles and, supposedly, Remus, which some like to call ...
— The Wild Twins! — said Greg with his tall, thick voice scaring the new recruit.
— Thanks, Greg. — Jorg took a hand to his face and then continued: — In any case, none of those are here now, but you must train with a few during this week.
Eastar wave his head and turn to the three soldiers.
— Very well, who wants to start?
The rest of the afternoon continued with many disputes. Jorg didn't lose again.