Waking up to the sun's morning ray's, a light knock comes from my door. "Master Ezekiel, It is Julius. Your escort to the Knight's morning training, has arrived."
I rub my eyes, a small movement on my left side catches my attention. "Good morning, Alice." I greet her, sitting up and stretching my arm's out. Lightly nudging her awake as I get out of bed, last night's events playing through my mind. After drinking her fill of my spiritual energy, she had crawled into my bed. Where she promptly fell asleep. I had fallen asleep beside her, which brought us here.
Sitting up she rubs her eyes, her face turning red as her stomach rumbles lightly. "mmm, Good-morning." She scooches closer, I sigh and turn my back to her.
Getting up after she drank for a bit I make my way to the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face. After putting on some light trousers and a shirt, I make my way downstairs. Alice following behind me, now wearing a gentle blue dress. Her hair tied back with a small bow that matches the shade of her dress. Black leather boots that go up to her knees clump along the mansions floor. "You know you don't need to come with, I'm sure it'll be boring just watching us train." I turn to her once we reach the front door.
Alice puts on a pouting expression, "Well you're the only person here I know." She lightly taps her toe on the ground, her hands hidden behind her back. Leaning forwards she looks up at me with a smile, "You saved me and your my only acquaintance, so I'd like to come watch."
I let out a resigned sigh, "Alright, but don't complain to me if you find it boring to watch or dreary."
"Yes!" Alice exclaims exaggeratedly bouncing up and down she opens the front door. Having been looking over her shoulder at me, she runs face first into a knight. A light ding noise echoes through the air, as Alice promptly falls on her but, "Ouchie!"
I step forwards, helping her to her feet. "You need to watch where you're going, I'm sorry about that." Looking up I see a slim girl, with shoulder length silver hair. Standing up, my hand on Alice's shoulder I introduce us. "I'm Ezekiel Kaburagi, and this is my ward The Vampire Alice," I bow my head lightly. "Thank you for coming to show us to the training grounds."
"The pleasure is mine," the lady knight drops to one knee, planting a fist on the ground and the other over her heart. "My father sent me to be your guide. He impressed upon me the request to hide your identity kept as much of a secret as possible. As such we will be calling you Zeke, as an alias. You will be taking part in a beginners training camp, as the higher ranked knights were present when your summoning occured."
"Please, You don't have to courtesie me," I reach a hand out to help her up. "Thank you for going through the trouble, Zeke is a nickname I used in my home world. Thank you for your assistance."
"My name is Zandria, I am Royal Knight Raphael's daughter." she takes my hand rising to her feet, "We should be on our way, the training will start in an hour. Will your ward be accompanying us?"
"Ah, Yes she doesn't seem to be taking no for an answer. " I chuckle as I glance at Alice, who is now clinging to my arm.
"I won't stay here, I will accompany Master!" She exclaims, gripping my clothes tightly.
Letting out a short sigh, I pat Alice on the head. "As you can see, I'd sneak away but I'm certain she'd tear through the capital looking for me. We should head out if its starting soon." I start walking down the stairs, Alice's small hand in my own.
The clamor of people speaking lingering in the air as we approach the clearing, stepping from the woods through a small trail. I look out at the 20 something men and women, all dressed in the same light leather uniform as me.
Zandria nod's, in a casual tone she instructs me, "Welcome to the knights training camp, go ahead and join the others so we can begin, Zeke."
"Understood, Ma'am," I lower my head to her, turning to Alice I kneel down placing a hand on her shoulder, "Make sure you stay near Knight Zandria." I say in a low voice, standing I stride up to the rest of the new recruits.
Hearing a few whispers ripple through the group around me, I take a place towards the edge of the throng of people. I wait as I stand among them, watching Zandria walk to the center of us. A shadow looms over my shoulder, turning I look up at the person.
A tall well build man stands looking down at me, his blonde hair cropped short on the sides. The top of it flowing off to the right of his face. "You're in my spot," he rumbles in a deep voice.
I give a slight smile, "I believe this is the first meeting of this group, correct?" I glance around, a few people nodding their head. A few others grimacing, their eyes showing pity.
"I don't care, that's my spot your standing in." He steps closer, glowering down at me.
My eye twitches as I look upwards at him, Zandrias' voice interrupting us. "Go stand at the end of the line already. You think you're a badass because your larger than the rest of these recruits?"
"Tsk," the large guy turns, "This isn't over, he mutters under his breath." I watch him walk to the end of the row, my jaw clenched in anger.
Zandria claps her hands together, the armor on her arms causing a large clang. "Now that everyone's fallen in line, we'll start with some basic exercise. How many of you have swung a practice sword?"
A few people raise their hands myself included, thinking back to my Study abroad in Japan, to kendo training. Zandria looks over the group, her eyes lingering on me for a brief moment. "Alright, Everyone come up and grab a wooden practice sword, those of you who have practice, form a line to my right. Those who haven't form a line to my left leave a metre of distance between yourselves." She point to both of her side's, watching as we all move and grab our wooden swords.
Lining up on her right as instructed, I stand with the sword in one hand at my side. "Take your individual stances." Zandria commands, a rustle of activity as everyone holds their swords out. Some using one hand others both.
I stand with the wooden sword pointed outwards at a slight angle, cutting my vision in two. My right hand above my right, a small space between.
Zandria slowly walks down the row, commenting on everyone's stand. pausing in front of me, she faces me. her gaze trailing up and down. "Your stance is solid. Although holding the sword down a little further would leave your line of sight unobstructed, and solidify your ability to defend your lower body."
I respond by lowering my arms down slightly, pointing the tip of the sword outwards. Zandria nod's shortly reaching the other side she turns on us. "Alright close the distance to a sparing range. The ones who've practice, I want to defend against those who haven't."
Stepping forwards I find myself looking at a man with a similar build to my own. "Alright, Begin!" Zandrias' voice calls out.
The man across from me slashe's down towards my leg's. Dropping my left shoulder, I meet his training blade with my own. A clattering noise filling the area, he step back then presses forwards with a thrust. stepping forwards with my right foot, I lightly twist my hips slapping the tip of his sword. I hold my swords tip close to his throat, "My name's Zeke, and yours?"
He gasps' and flinch's, "How'd you do that?" He relaxes as he sees the point hovering a ways in front of himself. "My name is Albert," he responds, pressing forwards with series of slashes. Starting with an upwards slash.
I press my blade downwards on his first strike, his second a slash at my left, which I meet with equal force. He pulls back from the blow pressing it into a thrust. I slide to my left, baring downwards on his sword. He finds himself off balance stumbling forwards, my wooden sword appears catching just under his chin lightly. "You put yourself too off balance with thrusting, these swords are more made for slashing attacks'. You'd need a lighter blade or more strength to use them for thrusting blow's. I think back, turning to Zandria, I call out to her.
Walking over, she nod's, "Did you have a question?" She looks at the two of us, having already been paying attention to our interactions.
Gesturing across from me, "Albert seem to be more skilled with thrusting weapons. Are there any practice weapons that we could trade out for?"
Zandria nibbles on her cheek thinking, "I could get a spear, or a rapier. Zeke is correct, I've been watching you and your thrusting with that sword is good. Although it is the wrong weapon to use as such. What do you say Albert?"
"If possible, I would like that. I've practiced with a spear and rapier that my father had at home." he bows his head lightly, "Thank you for your thoughtfulness."
Zandria waves her hand, turning she wave one of the other knights over. With him he brings a rapier, and a spear. Albert grabs the spear from the knight, with a smile. "Let's get back to work," he says turning to me, patting my shoulder with his hand as he takes a stance slightly further away.
I nod, changing my stance to a single handed style. My blade pointed towards the ground at my side. "Let's see how you do this time," I meet the intensity in his eyes with my own. Spinning the sword around my hand. I grip onto it, turning my body to the left, my sword in front of myself.
The sun having risen most of the way into the sky, I sit on the grass next to Albert. Servants from the castle flow out. Carrying wooden baskets with sandwiches' and small barrels of water. The outdoor table's slowly filling with the food items, we all swarm around it. Taking our food back to our spot, me and Albert sit eating. Footsteps rustle the grass behind us, Alice and Zandria sit beside us, "I hope you don't mind me joining?"
"Feel free to," I respond between bites. "By the way how long until the mage's training starts?"
"That'll be where your headed after you finish eating. I believe Lito will be showing you how to form a mana core, as well as circuit's," Zandria say's casually, Albert stares over at me.
"You're studying magic as well," he tone incredulous, "Are you aiming to be a magic swordsman?"
"Yes, that is the goal. I've got a lot of work ahead of me, but I've got my own reasons." I shrug as I drink the water. "This is fresh spring water?" I ask glancing over at Zandria, wiping sweat from my brow.
"Yes, we have a spring in the woods behind the castle that is used for fresh drinking water." Zandria nod's sipping from her own cup.
Nodding lightly, I look into the clear water of the cup. A slight commotion in the distance draws my attention. A person slowly walking through the clearing with a white robe with golden embroidery, their face hidden among the hood of their cloak.
Stopping in front of us, the figure's features impossible to perceive beneath the hood. "I've come to escort you to the mage's training Zeke."
Recognizing Saint Rani's voice, I stand up nodding to Zandria, "Thank you for taking time from your morning to show me the way here, Zandria," I turn to follow Saint Rani through the throng of people.