"Did you not eat today? Swing your swords harder unless you want to die fighting."
"Why did you stop? Did I say you could stop swinging?"
A series of shouts rang in a large training ground as a man instructed around three hundred people. He had black hair and brown eyes; his face was handsome, but what was most eye-catching about him was the sword drawn on the left arm of his armour.
Symbol of a Knight.
It was none other than Curtis who Damon ordered to train recruits. He looked at the people gathered; although he was hard on them, he could not help but nod his head at the hard work every one of them had shown.
Over two weeks, the number of people that joined had been three hundred, it was not that there were not more, but the estate could not handle the expenditure of an army larger than this.
To call it an army was already a stretch. However, the support that people had shown was shocking. As soon as they heard that Baron needed an army, anyone who could fight decided to apply. After screening through so many people, Curtis had decided to recruit these three hundred people, while the rest were given a basic sword art technique to practice when they were back since recruitment would begin once again. Them already knowing how to use a sword would be helpful to lay a foundation for them.
At first, the three Knights and Dias were against the idea of giving sword art to the general population. It was not that it was expensive; instead, it was due to them fearing people gaining too much strength that they might start ignoring the orders of Damon.
Damon, however, had different plans in mind.
The day people came to join and were handed the basic sword art, he called them all over and spoke to them personally.
"I was told that giving sword arts to the general public would be a wrong decision since many of you might start ignoring the authority of me, the Baron of this territory," he spoke while he looked at the more than two thousand people that had gathered.
The Knights and Dias were stunned after seeing Damon address them so directly on the issue.
The people gathered were shocked, but they knew why the Baron would say this since nobles would never give power to commoners in fear of a revolt. There had been cases where commoners had gained too much strength that they had started revolting against the nobles of their territory. Though the rebellion was calmed down, it nonetheless impacted nobles and the general public.
After that, there was never a noble who left any strength in the hands of the general public. But the person in front of them, their Lord, had decided to do it even knowing what the possible drawbacks were. The book in their hand might be a basic sword art, but to those who never even held a sword, it was a treasure.
Within the crowd was a young man of the same age as Damon. He held the book and stared at Damon as if he did not believe what he saw.
It was none other than Levi.
"I have a few things to say about it," said Damon with a slight smile on his face, "why would I give you that sword art? First reason-I trust you all."
His words surprised the crowd, and they clenched their fists as if swearing to themselves that they would not break that trust. Damon, who could see them all, nodded his head as he had gained the desired reaction, but this was not the end.
"But in case something like a revolt does happen," his eyes turned cold, and everyone could feel a chill down their spine.
"Philip, Barnard, Curtis and Dias," he called four names, soon four people stood behind him. They knew what they were called for; they understood the assignment.
The four released a pressure that was not easy for a commoner to withstand, at least for someone like them who had never been in a fight or a war. The crowd gulped a mouthful of saliva as they faced four monsters standing behind Damon.
"When the revolt happened in Lyton territory sixty years ago, there was not a single Knight or a Mage in their ranks," he said while his eyes moved along the crowd, it stopped somewhere for a few seconds but kept going soon after.
"Three Knights and a Mage, the second reason I do not fear a revolt. I hope you won't break the trust."
He walked away after he had said what he wanted to.
The three Knights and Dias walked behind Damon, and there was a slight smile on their faces, specially Dias. He was the one who opposed the idea of giving power to commoners the most, yet he could not help but admire the way Damon had handled it. He used the carrot named 'trust' and a stick called 'Knights and Mage' to lead the people, to show them that he had trust in them, but he was not afraid if they broke it.
"Dias, there is a blue-haired boy within the crowd; I want to meet him."
"I will go get him right away," he said before giving a slight bow and leaving.
"You three should focus on the training of those we recruited, make sure they are trained properly. We will go to the Serendia Forest once they are trained to a certain point."
He gave them a few more tasks before he walked towards his office. He had seen someone interesting within the crowd, and he wanted to meet that person. He sat on his chair and closed his eyes; he had nothing else to do at the moment.
*KNOCK* *KNOCK*
"Come in."
The door opened, and two people walked in. First was Dias, and following him was a boy with light blue hair.
"I have brought him," said Dias while pointing at the boy.
"Leave us alone," said Damon and Dias agreed, but he gave a death glare to the boy before walking out of the room.
Damon shook his head and pointed at the seat in front of him.
"Take a seat; it would have been a long journey," he smiled as he said that, and the boy had his eyes wide open, but he soon calmed down and did as Damon told.
"My name is Damon Acheron, and yours?"
"Levi," the boy replied, but he asked his won question, "how did you know?"
"Blue hair is not commonly seen in the Aetas Kingdom, though it is prevalent in Kingdoms like Griffindor, Stardust or," he looked Levi straight in the eyes, "the fallen Caresta Kingdom."
"Now why would someone from the corner Kingdoms come to the very end of Aetas Kingdom. It was very easy to guess; I was about thirty percent sure, but your question and expression just made it a hundred percent."
"That...," giving a wary smile, Levi shook his head.
"Why did you come to my territory?"
Levi looked at the boy in front of him, they were the same age, but he felt pressured just looking at the boy. He calmed his nerves and replied, not wanting to be disrespectful.
"When I entered the border, I heard the news of you and your actions when you became the Baron. I decided to serve you as my Lord and be a Knight," he gave the most honest reply he could while hiding the fact he wanted revenge.
Damon could quickly tell that he had hidden something, but he did not ask.
"Why do you think you can be my Knight?" asked Damon.
It was not easy to awaken since very few had the chance.
Levi clenched his fist and, with a cold yet determined face, gave his reply, "I believe I can awaken, and I will work hard if I am given a chance."
"Let's go," said Damon before walking towards the door.
"Where?" asked Levi with confusion written on his face.
Damon did not say anything and walked out of the room, Levi who had no other option, ran towards him.
Soon they reached the training grounds where Damon practiced his sword. He went to a corner and took out two wooden swords, holding one and passing the other to Levi.
"Let's fight," said Damon before throwing the sword towards Levi.
Levi quickly grabbed the sword and looked at it before turning towards Damon, already in a stance. Levi focused his mind and took the same stance as Damon.
They ran towards each other and swung their swords. Levi, who had never learned about using a sword, surprisingly kept up with Damon. With each swing Damon made, Levi would either block and dodge it, then follow up with his attack. Damon, too swung his sword, parrying what he could and dodging what he could not.
*THUCK* *THUCK*
The clashing sounds rang in the training grounds as the wooden sword met.
"You have never learned the sword, have you?" asked Damon in the middle of the fight.
"No, but I had to fight to survive till I reached Acheron Barony. It has taught me a lot," replied Levi.
Damon nodded in understanding. Levi's sword had no form; however, it always came towards his weak spots, intent to defeat him, whereas Damon's sword was honest. This was where actual combat experience showed its benefits, a warrior who never fought for his life versus someone who had to fight with his life on line. The only advantage Damon had was slightly more strength after his intense training.
They both exchanged over a hundred moves and still kept going. They were soon drenched in their sweat, yet their spirits were not tired; they swung their swords with the intensions of defeating their opponent.
Levi at first had the thought to lose to gain favour, but then he decided not to. He had known Damon for just a few minutes now, but he could tell what kind of a person he was, Moreover seeing the spirit of Damon, something within Levi also woke up, and they both fought to the best of their capabilities.
As their fight became intense, Damon decided to end it with one strike since he was running low on stamina.
Damon swung his sword upwards, and Levi, instead of dodging or parrying, stepped in, closing the distance between him and Damon before he bent down and thrust his sword towards Damon's neck.
"You lost," said Levi while breathing heavily.
They both collapsed where they stood and lay on the ground panting heavily.
"That was very quick; whatever you did there, I had no time to respond," said Damon while taking heavy breaths.
"Tsk, says the guy who hits like a boulder, my hands are shaking after clashing with your sword," said Levi before he realized he had been too formal. He hurriedly stood up and was about to apologize when Damon stopped him.
"Don't be a wuss; let's fight each other every day," he stood up and faced Levi before raising the wooden sword. Levi, who realized what was about to happen, became stunned before immediately kneeling on the ground.
"I, Damon Acheron, ask Levi to be my first Sword and Vessel," said Damon surprising Levi even more.
He thought he would be appointed as Damon's Knight, but he never imagined Damon would ask him to be his vessel.
A vessel was different than a Knight; the authority, the power, and especially the bond a vessel had with their Lord was something a Knight could never have.
Levi had the right to reject.
He wanted to be a Knight because a Knight could decide not to follow its Lord and wanted to gain strength before leaving to fight for his revenge.
'But...'
In his fight with Damon, he had experienced something different, something unique, and he had unknowingly formed a bond with him. He did not know what awaited him, but he looked up and said in a determined voice.
"It is my honour to be your Sword and Vessel," with that said, Damon handed Levi the wooden sword he had used during their fight.
And thus, in a small training ground and with a wooden sword, began the tale of 'Acheron and his Seven Swords.'