Night fell fast and the sounds of beasts echoed through the woods, however, they would not approach due to Sir Clegane's aura as well as my own.
Setting up camp in a clearing a days march from the capital and the border of the Otol territory held by Lord Getta Otol, the mercenary come noble as well as the home of the crowns inquisitors in Dra.
"Come with me." Sir Clegane approached me taking the reins of my horse after seeing how I was tying it to a tree and then doing it properly.
"What is it?" I asked as we walked out of the camp to a more secluded area in the woods.
He said nothing drawing his sword with an almost visible cloud of killing intent slamming into my body causing me to freeze, the intense qi in his eyes producing a blinding light forcing me to look away from him.
"Do not look away!" He shouted the sound of air splitting closely hidden within his voice.
Out of instinct I rolled dodging the blade by a hair's breadth, literally, a clump of my hair falling to the ground.
"Do not let your guard down!" His voice came against and this time he struck twice in the same moment, rolling back I found felt a brutal pain on the side of my face like it was being burned and frozen at the same time.
"Qi is your life force, and it will bend at your will, the stronger you become the easier it is to be fooled by qi illusions, remember that even in a hail of blades, if it began as a single blade, it will end as a single blade, you must learn to see through illusions or next time you will die." He walked forward slowly the lights in his eyes dimming to an eventual abyss.
Standing up I finally got the opportunity to draw my sabers taking some distance and getting into position.
"Your new hair cut suits you better, you might end up breaking many a young ladies hearts like that, you should thank me." His voice lingered in my mind as he vanished into the darkness.
Where would he strike? Where is he?
I can't rely on my eyes nor my qi senses, I have to use my other senses or I will really be killed.
He's moving close, his killing intent is ablaze.
"There!" I dropped to a knee swinging at the place with the densest killing intent aiming for his legs.
"Wrong." I heard a voice behind me and a blade lightly tap my shoulder, "Weapons that are heavy in killing intent from much use are so even out of the wielder's hand making for a great distraction with those who believe in one sense too much."
"Heh, what begins as one blade ends as one blade, but I have two," I smirked tapping his leg with my other saber.
"And who said I was standing behind you?" Once more his voice appeared but this time to my left, "Who said I was fighting you at all after the first strike?"
Again this time to my right but I can see him around me!
How?!
"Your battle instincts are strong, but when faced against unfamiliar circumstances you fall behind, you saw that I could cast illusions of blades and then disappeared from your sight, throughout all of this you have only seen me now yet you thought my voice told of my location?" He walked forward from the darkness with a big grin on his face.
"Then, the blade that was on my shoulder before was another illusion? But how could you if you never swung? The sound of air splitting should sound no matter how quietly your blade moves." I replied standing up and slowly getting into position again.
"You fool, take a deep breath and clear your mind, what do you see around you? What do you feel?" He smiled disappearing from his spot like a ghost.
What do I feel?
I feel killing intent all around me, like a scr..ee...n.
Damn it.
I was completely fooled.
"You attacked at first with a strong and fast strike to put me on the defensive and buy you enough time to spread your killing intent around to cloud my senses, then you mixed your qi in with the killing intent allowing you to manipulate the entire situation, I lost the moment I failed to follow your first movement." I sheathed my sabers sitting down cross-legged.
"Oftentimes in battles between battle masters, a single mistake will decide a battle, just as on the battlefield one misdirection or order can kill the entire army." He showed himself above me on a tree branch eating an apple, "It was very fun teaching you, I haven't taught since I left the capital."
Sadistic, but he gets results.
"Allow me another try." I responded standing up and drawing my blades.
"Right then, however, if you are unable to land a strike on me this time then you have to hold your sabers for the rest of this expedition in Otol, even in your sleep they cannot leave your hands." He said landing like a feather onto the ground, completely noiselessly.
"If I can land a hit on you, then you have to help me in the battles to come." I replied with a big smile on my face.
"Oh? You're resilient for someone who just got their ass handed to them." Sir Clegane said drawing his sword, "I will answer your resolve."
The instant his blade left his sheath it felt like a massive grizzly bear had descended upon the area covering it with the smell of it's latest kill causing my mind to dizzy for just an instant of a second.
But that was all it took.
He disappeared like a shadow from in front of me leaving only a shell of his image in his place that quickly faded away.
Here goes nothing.
I need to get out of this area full of killing intent first.
I ran straight forward at full speed causing dust and dirt to flew everywhere behind me.
Weaving through the tree's I could hear nothing coming towards me, not even the sounds of leaves rustling in the light forest winds.
Stabbing one saber into a tree I used it as a lever helping me swing around the tree getting a look up at the canopy as well as behind me while my other saber acted as a guard.
"There!" I involuntarily shouted as my eyes met with his up in the canopy.
Throwing my guard saber straight up at him I pulled the other saber from the tree swinging hard at the approaching presence.
"Too bad." He said lightly, "You were so close--"
I smirked looking up immediately he rolled away as the saber I threw up before landed nicely where he was standing and straight into my palm, the other saber already approaching his neck at top speed.
"I take back what I said about your adaptability, it is indeed just as great as your other qualities, however, you've still underestimated me too much, though in recognition of your talent I will call this a draw." His voice appeared along with the feeling of a blade right behind me.
A chill rose from the very core of my being as I swung backward getting nothing but air only to find that the true Clegane now stood a real blade as the base of my spine.
"Again, that's twice you have fallen for the same trick." Sir Clegane said evenly, "Though at least this time you wouldn't go down without causing an injury."
Right at his stomach, my saber held on my off-hand pointed directly at him.
A draw.
Expending all of my efforts, all I could get was a draw and just barely too, if not for the fact that this was a teaching exercise I'd have likely died right off the bat when I charged getting impaled or my head cut off in my mad dash.
It was a gamble but, it paid off.
"So, that means that you will help me in the battles to come?" I smiled smugly turning around.
"It also means that you will never again get to let go of those sabers for the rest of this expedition." He replied with just the tiniest hint of cruelty in his voice, "The moment one of those sabers leaves your hands, our deal here is null and void."
"Perfect," I replied gripping the sabers tightly.
"Now, you need to rest." He smirked, "Do remember not to let those sabers go, I will know if you do."
"Easy," I smirked back.
Crap.
What have I gambled my way into?
Why does it feel like I just got played?
"You never wanted to win from the start, did you?" I suddenly called out feeling slightly angry inside but with no response but the rustling of wind I was forced to let go of my anger along with it.
Several messengers left tonight sending letters to the various lords of the territories we would be going to letting them know of our purpose and of our wish for their help if possible.
In three days we will arrive at the merchant city of Otol, the place with the most trade in all of Dra, the wealthiest city and most well maintained due to the influence of the Republics' merchant guild.
These three days passed quickly, we marched in the evening we rested training the things I'd learned I would impart down to the soldiers, then at night I would learn from Sir Clegane who after the first night never came into true sight again, only right before we began the training and right after we were done did I ever get to see him.
As we approached the city of Otol we were stopped by Lord Otol and a band of his retainers each with extremely well-maintained armor and strong looking war horses.
"Lord Otol, it is a pleasure to see you again after such a long time," I said lightly riding forward to the great displeasure of his entourage.
"Do not act so intimately with a lord of higher status, scum." One of them said coldly.
"And who are you?" I glanced over, sizing up the young man before me.
"Behold, he is Duke Sercan's second-born son, Lionel Sercan!" A man who looked like a herald responded for him.
"I did not ask you, I asked him." I stared directly at Lionel releasing a small amount of my qi to scare him away.
"You dare to show hostility towards the son of a duke?!" The Herald roared drawing his sword.
Maybe he isn't a herald?
He is leaking qi all over the place like an amateur.
The first lessons I learned from Sir Clegane were to never let your qi simply gush out without purpose.
"A weakling like you dares to go against me?" Lionel Sercan said coldly as he drew his blade all of the rest of the knights around him doing the same, all of them leaking qi.
These are all amateurs.
I used to be like that back when I fought with Matel, that was why it burned out so fast.
"All of you should come to me at once then," I replied jumping down from my horse, even now my sabers stayed in my hands saving me the trouble of having to draw them.
It's rather handy.
"The arrogance!" The herald like man shouted charging forward on horseback with the intent to kill.
The area around me immediately froze as my eyes lit up suddenly catching the man off guard and forcing him to look away for just a brief moment.
"It's over." I said lightly swinging my sabers, one decapitated the horse and the other killed the herald.
Scarlet Qi is a type of qi that is precise and who's power lies in its explosive strength which can be released at the drop of hat.
"You wasted too many movements." Sir Clegane commented lazily from the woods catching everyone's attention, "If it were a real master you would have received two wounds, one by the falling horse and the other by the master himself cutting just beside your neck and crippling your arm."
"Yes, Master." I replied bowing slightly.
"Don't call me that in public, having it known you are my disciple is embarrassing." He replied leaning back on the tree branch with a cold look, "So? Go and fix your movements or do I have to do it?"
Indeed, he is exactly this kind of spartan teacher, with a heart made of nothing but frost and fury he has respect only for the strong and talented, anyone and everyone else is nothing but fodder in his eyes or something that needs to be trained and corrected.
"You! You maniac I remember you!" Lionel Sercan suddenly shouted as the blood drained from his face, "Your that Sir Clegane that was banished here to the very outskirts of the empire for wiping out a battalion of the Wild Wind Knight order in the capital after one bumped into you, you cold-blooded psychopath!"
"'Sir Clegane Gendoba of the blood mist.'"Lord Otol sighed looking over at me with pity in his eyes, "The one who has killed almost every disciple he has ever had, if not for the third prince who managed to survive his training and spoke for him, he would be dead."
He did what?
So, he really is crazy.
No respect for those who are not strong or talented.
He is the very epitome of Carrien's values.
"Stop it your making me blush." He said in a deadpan voice flicking some dirt from his nail causing the sound of metal hitting wood to respond where the dirt hit.
"You cannot harm me! My father will--"
"Whoever said I was going to harm you? That boy over there is the one your harassing, I won't get involved even if you kill him." He replied evaporating into the forest.
I'm sure he's still somewhere around here, he isn't the type to leave things unfinished.
He told me to fix my movements or he would.
....I had better fix my movements.
"So, come." I took my stance swaying slightly from side to side.
Not a hint of killing intent could be felt from my blades, nor could the stirring of qi be felt in the air.
Such is the nature of Scarlet qi, only felt the instant before death, all those who encounter it are fated to die under it.
"Arrogant...!" Lionel Sercan ground his teeth sending his men forward.
Waving my hand the troops behind me spaced themselves out into the treeline.
"Foolish," I replied coldly.
Once the knights got within range of my blades I activated my Scarlet Qi once more, but this time it was only a second before the sabers reached the horse's neck and the knight's body.
"Too slow." Sir Clegane's voice drifted coldly from beside Lionel Sercan atop my horse.
"When did you?!" Lionel Sercan shouted taking distance from him.
"Way too slow." He glanced at Lionel Sercan with an eye of disgust before turning his attention back to me.
Exploding my qi only a second away from them is too slow?
Then, I'll activate it half a second away from them!
The entire group of knights charged forward as one now leaving me no area to dodge and attack from.
A frontal clash with warhorses?
Yeah right.
Clumped charging formation.
Warhorses.
Fear.
"Stop for me," I muttered mixing my killing intent with my qi, the light in my eyes turning scarlet scaring the war horses into a complete halt due to the beastly aura.
The tight formation with which they charged to cut off my retreat became counter-productive as the horses fell not only on their masters but on one another.
Immediately I charged forward killing three knights before they could get up leaving five.
To their credit, they reformed immediately creating a five-pointed star formation around me.
The qi in my body moved on its own reinforcing my joints.
Rather than reinforcing the muscle, by reinforcing the joints and the immediate tissue around it one becomes more flexible and is able to move with more ease than a simple increase in strength would.
It's about the quality of the fighter, not the quantity of the qi.
Something these knights seemed to have failed at learning.
"It's over." Sir Clegane said in a dry voice, "Young Sercan, might I suggest you get some better-trained knights next time."
Lionel Sercan turned on Sir Clegane viciously demanding, "How is it over? Your disciple is surrounded by my knights in the Five-Pointed Star formation of the Sercan house, if anything, it is over for him!"
"That would normally be the case wouldn't it." Sir Clegane smirked pointing at the knights, "What do you see, young Sercan?"
"My name is Lionel Sercan, and you will address me as such, as for what I see? Nothing but a cornered rat." Lionel Sercan replied angrily finally looking over at me.
By now his knights had all died.
"H-how?!" He yelled drawing his blade, "How could you break out of my family's famous five-pointed formation without even a scratch?!"
Is this guy an idiot?
I scratched my chin thinking on how to say it, after all, he is still Duke Sercan's son, and even if that Duke is not superior to me, he is still a strong force in the north.
"They ran out of qi and so were unable to make use of their formation." A group of men and women wearing the same uniform as Sir Clegane albeit much more orderly arrived on horseback the lead rider being the one who spoke.
"How could they run out of qi? They are high-class knights! Each of them is a Neophyte!" Lionel Sercan shouted riding forward, "Die for me!"
"That's enough, young master Lionel, if you go any further I will not be able to save you." Lord Otol approached snatching the reigns from Lionel's hands just before he could enter my saber range.
"You dare to take my horse's reigns from me?" Lionel Sercan said in a low angered voice, "Protect me? Do you think I would lose to someone like that?"
"Then...." Lord Otol let go of the reigns and Lionel backed away getting speed on his horse not noticing the pleading look Getta was sending me.
Glancing over at Sir Clegane he didn't say anything or move, so it should be fine.
"A death by my blade is still too honorable for a filthy countryside commoner like you!" Lionel shouted swinging hard with his sword.
He had been watching my battles with his knights this entire time and so guarded his body with his off-hand only taking it off the reigns at the immediate moment of impact.
He isn't all for show, but still, just because I used a certain strategy once doesn't mean I'll do it again...
"....If anything I'll change my strategy after letting you see it to put you in a false sense of comfort." I muttered remembering what Sir Clegane did to me the first night switching his strategies so much that I couldn't read him even if I wanted to causing my mind to capitulate before my body could.
He caged my mind before turning the key.
Then I broke through the cage because instead of reading him, I decided to just enact my strategies.
Why do I always have to react?
You react.
Stabbing my saber into the chest of the horse I used the force coming from the handle to spin onto the ground dodging the sword by a large gap.
Neighhh!!!
The horse slammed into the ground writhing in pain with Lionel just beside it having barely been capable of jumping off his horse in time.
"It's time to die." I walked forward slowly, "Is there anything you want to say? Maybe I'll spare your life if you can give me something good, like why your family is pooling their resources at the border."
"You wouldn't kill me! Your too smart for that, you have a city to take care of, and if I die this whole countryside grain of dirt will burn!" Lionel Sercan shouted arrogantly, "I won't tell you anything."
Once I reached him I grinned swinging my saber down I split his sword hands thumb in two causing a blood-curdling scream to ring through the area.
"Since its clear that Duke Sercan wants to cause us harm, and you will not give me any information, why would I leave you his uncooperative son alive?" I raised my other saber instilling it with deathly still killing intent like a light but neverending wave towards him.
His face paled but he did not speak.
"How unfortunate," I muttered bringing my saber down.
"Wait!" Lionel shouted at the last second getting a hair cut instead of a new perspective on life, "I'll talk, I'll talk but you have to promise to let me live!"