After lunch Jerry went back outside to practice some more. This time he focused on his magic. He had learned to control his time dilation and had been using it more regularly now. That was how he was able to learn to read and write so fast. He slowed down time around him and used it to cram large amount of studying in what appeared as short periods of time. He also used it as he did now to speed his movements up to travel at incredible speeds. But as he learned early on he needed to learn to control his movements in this mode. He was running along and tripped over a tree root and broke his arm crashing into a tree.
From that point on he always had his armor out when he practiced moving fast. He was learning to incorporate his fighting style into his fast movements, but he would find himself running past or over shooting his target he set up in the yard. Kane and Gala would do it also, but it came very natural to them. Their animal instincts gave them a level of control over their bodies he was hard pressed to match. But after weeks of trying he was getting better. Jerry stopped running and stood still in the middle of the yard, looking toward the road that ran past the house. As soon as he caught his breath he called out in a loud voice, " You guys can come out now. I know your hiding in the woods behind the forge and behind me, also behind the barn.
He heard startled gasp then the men slowly came out of the woods. Their commander was using hand gestures to direct them where to stand as they slowly surrounded him. There were twelve men surrounding him and Jerry was not worried in the least. He called out to the commander, "You guys have got to know what has been happening to the men that were hired before you. All the men that have died on this greedy knight's fool errand. Now I'm going to give you one chance to leave peacefully, then I will attack. I know you have seen what I am capable of, you have watched me and my family all morning. If you don't accept my gesture of good faith I will not hesitate to end you to protect the ones I love." Jerry stood to his full height of seven feet tall and slowly allowed his swords form in his hands.
The commander eyed him with the practiced eye of an experienced warrior. As soon as Jerry's sword finished forming the commander smirked and stepped forward. "If you can beat me in a one to one fight me and my men will leave. If you lose we will attack and you can not interfere." Now it was Jerry's turn to smirk, "You come at me and my family with overwhelming odds and have the gall to ask for a fair fight? Do you realize how ridiculous you sound? I will fight you one to one but know this win or lose I will do any and everything in my power to protect my family." The commander looked at Jerry trying to get a sense of who he really was, but in the end he just shrugged his shoulder and said, "Ok fine by me I still just want to pit my skills against a behemoth such as yourself." With that the commander drew his swords, two short scimitars with a flame etched into the blades. The pommels have a hand guard that completely encompasses the hands. Jerry could see that the commander was a veteran sword fighter. His build was broad with muscles rippling down his arms and legs. The commander stood six feet tall his armor was of leather with steel plates woven in keeping it light and flexible. His hair was to his neck, dark brown with hints of gray and white starting to peak thru. His gruff face was and looked like he hadn't shaved in a week or two. He had a prominent scar that started over his right eye and went straight down to the corner of his mouth. His eyes which were a steely gray color were the only indication of how excited he was about this fight.
As he stepped forward into a fighting stance you could hear his armor creaking from his muscles bulging and straining the leather. He shifted his body with his left arm and leg forward, both swords held parallel in front of him. His right foot shifted back offering the smallest target possible to Jerry. They stared at each other for only a second before Jerry shot forth at a blinding speed. He charged in leading with his right while trailing Backbone behind him in his left hand. As he closed in on the commander he swung Backbone forward with all his might. The commander still surprised that someone as big as he is could move that fast just barely got his blades crossed in front of him to block Jerry's attack. If he was surprised with his speed he was even more surprised by the force of the attack, barely able to keep his grip on his swords from the impact. Instead of trying to resist that much force he allowed it to push him backwards rolling with the momentum and just barely missing Jerry's follow thru with his right. Jerry was surprised he wasn't there and the lack of resistance threw him momentarily off balance.
The commander realized in that instant that even though Jerry was skilled, strong, and incredibly fast, he was also inexperienced in battle. In the millisecond it took the commander to analyze this he formed a plan of attack and sprung from the crouch he rolled into toward Jerry's right side that was now unguarded. Jerry seeing what was about to happen but unable to stop it felt the pull of Dismay and instead of fighting it he allowed the sword to move his arm where it needed to be. His body continued to rotate with the momentum of his missed swing while the sword in his right hand swung down and rotating his wrist he continued the rotation upward till Dismay was laying across his back just in time to block the commanders sword. Jerry continued his rotation swinging across his body with Backbone causing the commander to have to roll his body in the air to avoid being decapitated. Jerry returned to his fighting stance while the commander used just his legs to flip himself back to his feet, landing in a low fighting stance with his swords crossed in front of him. The commander was confused as to why his attack didn't strike. Everything about Jerry showed he was inexperienced, but his moves were in contrast to his skill level. Jerry started to slowly circle to his left and the commander stood and followed suit. Jerry knew he was nowhere near the commanders skill level, but he also knew he could overwhelm him if he sped himself up. The only question was did he practice it enough to use it on someone as skilled as the commander. There was only one way to find out.
He let his sword flow back into his armor, he was more accurate with his strikes when it was just his hands and legs he attacked with. Jerry sped himself up and took off at a dash. As soon as the commander saw Jerry release his swords he tensed up so when Jerry just vanished from in front of him he ducked in instinct, but it wasn't fast enough. The first blow was a glancing punch off of the top of his head. That was enough to stagger him forward, the next hit which was a kick to his stomach, lifted him off the ground where he stayed for the next minute and a half. Jerry ran back and forth landing punches and kicks to the incapacitated commander. To his men looking on all they say was a blur that would streak by the commander leaving his body hovering contorted for a brief moment in a new position.
The mercenaries saw a true demon before their eyes and ran knowing their commander was already dead. By the time Jerry stopped the commander had fallen to the ground twitching and spasming. Most of his bones had been broken from the force of Jerry's blows, and his face was an indistinguishable mass of bruises and lumps. Looking down on him Jerry felt pity on him. He placed his hands on him and fed him some of his energy, just enough to get him past the worse of his injuries and allow his body to heal itself the rest of the way. Jerry picked the commander up and brought him inside the house. Tu'Xanz and Mel'Imba followed him upstairs to his room.
"I understand why you saved him, but do you think it is safe?" Xanz asked him
"I really don't know but something wouldn't let me kill him. I meant what I said about protecting everyone but after he loss and he was basically defenseless.... I don't know.... I just couldn't kill a defenseless man. I can only hope I don't end up regretting this decision." Jerry said staring down at the unconscious commander.