Jon was pleased to not have to march through the deep snow and to have a room inside of the nobles tower, though it took almost weeks for the smell of blood and gore to air out of the tower. The Winter was just starting and in the meantime, while it was too cold to raid or travel, the Northmen would rebuild the city and prepare to hold it from attacks from kings coming to "claim" the city for themselves.
Jon spent most of the next few weeks practicing his technique to enhance and grow the energy limit for his body and soul. This would improve every aspect of his magic and help to strengthen the fibers of his muscles and tendons. After tiring of burning his body and soul and raising his energy levels gradually, he focused on techniques with his axe and footwork. Jon was improving with the axe, his moves flowing into one another. He was deadly accurate, even when sparring with other Northmen, Jon was superior.
Jon went to Jarl Svygard to spar one morning and as he walked to the sparring ring, Jon only saw his father there. Jon looked around and then asked, "Father, what are you doing here? Are you going to watch me spar with Jarl Svygard?" Raska shook his head and tossed his son a longsword.
Jon hopped over the fence and got into sparring stance. His father did not say a word to him and began charging at him fiercely. Jon stepped to the side quickly, rotating his sword at his side and struck at his father's hands. Raska pulled back as a hesitation move to strike the moment Jon's strike went by, however when he went to take a step and swing at Jon, his son was already in long point stance, his sword threatening Raska's neck.
Forcing his father back, Jon alternated between flourishing his sword at his side or overhead and striking at an unexpected angle, with stabbing thrusts and flourishes that ended in threatening stances. His father was only able to defend himself, as Jon was showing
his father his improved footwork and fluidity.
Raska was not upset by this, he felt a sense of pride as he knew his son was becoming very strong. He finally realized his son's progress was all his own hard work, but he said he was the champion of Woden. He was slowly beginning to believe him, which made him feel bad about himself as for a while, he doubted his son.
Very soon, Raska was forced back to the fence and Jon quickly pressed his advantage, using a master stroke as his father swung his sword to attack him. Raska swung his sword over his head at Jon. Jon's stance was well grounded and strong, stepping into the strike, Jon's sword, which was pointed at the ground at his side. rose quickly, blocking the strike.
"Yield"
"I yield. Good fight Jon, you got me, I was giving it my all, focusing my energy and everything." The point of Jon's sword was touching his father's neck so slightly, it tickled. Jon's control of a blade was so fluid and quick, it was like an extension of his body.
"Axes." Raska told Jon and his son went to grab two axes, bringing one to his father.
"Begin."
Jon angled the axe in front of him, holding his other hand up in a defensive position. As his father began moving forward towards him, Jon readied himself for his attack. Raska swung his axe low from his side rising upwards, Jon hit the handle of his axe with his own wooden handle, twisted the axe and pulled, binding both axes in place. Jon quickly used his offhand and used his forearm to strike the wrist of his father, breaking his grip on the weapon. Jon then grabbed both axes and asked his father to yield. His technique and execution were flawless.
Jon's father did not say anything, but stood there shocked at what happened as this was what he was going to do, his son was just faster.
"My son, you have truly surpassed my skills.. I truly believe no man here is your match. You have become so strong so quickly. I am so proud of you. The Jarl asked me to come here today to test you, and you passed my son. You are going to be the strongest man alive. You must not stop practicing and growing. If master Gu were here to see you now he would be proud as well. Do us both well and make something of yourself. Advance the status of our household and carry on our lineage." Jon was embraced by his father so hard he thought he might pop his ribs.
As soon as Raska let him go, he quickly turned and walked off towards the Jarl's tent.
Jon practiced his energy raising technique and could now fill his mental body with energy completely and hold it for an hour. Jon needed to make his mental, spirit body larger now. This was more difficult than it sounds as he had to meditate on this for a long time to make progress. Jon literally had to raise his mental capacity to be able to make it into a spiritual and eventually physical change. The process was difficult and time consuming, taking months to actually make his energy capacity larger. Jon only meditated and would only come out of his tent to eat and use the bathroom. Jon eventually was called to the battle mage to practice his spells and see his progress.
Jon used his lightning spell up into the air to gauge its power over distance. Jon used a normal spell, charged spell and then a full power spell. The normal spell was powerful, as his new normal was now enough to fry someone, where the charged spell could probably destroy the rampart and tower from a few months back. His full power spell was powerful enough to probably sunder rock from the earth, violently blow apart and obliterate manmade stonework from a distance of over 100 yards.
"Listen closely and I will teach you hit to channel your energy through a weapon."
Jon's ears immediately perked up and his head snapped to his teacher, immediately giving his full attention to him, hoping to gain any little drops of wisdom on this that he could glean.