Author: me
Type-Moon (Nasuverse)
Chapter 18. Once again
"When someone has a goal that he really wants to achieve no matter what, it becomes much harder for him to predict at what point that conviction will begin to waver." - 333
*****
A gust of cold wind blew over the marshy green meadow. Sora and Scathach stood opposite each other. The Witch of Dun Scaith stood as straight as a spear driven into the ground. Her dignified and majestic aura created the image of an invincible monarch. The breeze rippled her purple hair, spreading a light floral scent around her. But the cold, ruby eyes ruined the romanticism of this picture. From beneath her thin eyebrows, she stared at her apprentice.
Today the square of the battle ground was marked out in the swampy terrain - twenty paces per side were counted and spears were dug in at the corners. Each time a new terrain was chosen for the training battles - cliffs, forests, swamps, narrow crevices, and even a river - because a true warrior must be equally prepared to fight wherever the battle takes him. The teacher and the student would fight here knee-deep in water, and while the waves knocked down the tired body and the water did not allow to move the legs, one could get wet not only from the cold water, but also from sweat by the stream, and even from his own blood.
But mostly they fought in the woods, fighting on its soft, slippery ground, where their feet fell through rotten branches and wet earth and moss - so they exercised most often where it was hard to move, and Sora scraped earth from his mouth, nose and ears afterward. After the sun sets behind the hills, this Witch turns into a fury, who, with a bloodthirsty gleam in her eyes, carries a spear after Sora.
Each of their battles was a test for Sora. If he was thinking about something, the spear would cleave his shoulder. If he took too long a step, his teacher's foot would fly into his solar plexus. Wrongly held the spear - in the next moment it lies meters away from him, and his stomach is throughly wounded.
However, he survived, yes, but staying alive from now on would be much harder. He stood, writhing in pain, blood streaming down his face. Scathach had told him not to use the rebuilding of this world, so each battle was like bringing him back to Terraria. Wounded, tired, he had to be picked up piece by piece.
After scanning my body with [Structural Analysis], it was clear that the situation was as bad as ever. Multiple wounds all over my body. My torso was covered in bruises from Scathach's blows - all my ribs and back were stained blue and purple. His left shoulder was a mess, tattered and bleeding from his teacher's spear. Sora felt great pain, but he could move his arm, and that was the most important thing. He would need his arm if he wanted to continue fighting.
- Your instincts are incredible, but what good are they if your body can't keep up. - With a twist of her spear, she admonished her apprentice.
- It's just that the master is too strong. - His voice was hoarse because of his parched throat.
- No, you fight like an animal. - She pointed her spear at Sora. - Instinct is an unconscious engine, but with the involvement of the will it becomes a machine that unmistakably leads the fight.
- Master knows I'm trying, but you're cornering me too quickly. - Because of his shortness of breath, he paused constantly, and the cold air cut his throat.
- What's the other way around? - Scathach replied with a sneer and snapped out of her seat.
Holy Creator, how he hated the spear. How he hated the Witch of Dun Scaith, his chief tormentor, at such moments! How disgusting all these magics [Reinforcement] and Runes, how disgusting the battlefield, how unbearable Synergy, keeping him from passing out. And the most hateful thing is that no matter how hard he tries, he can't get a teacher. His years of experience fighting in Terraria had taught him to fight like a berserker, to spit on pain and fatigue, see a target - kill, can't kill - try again. But with the Queen of the Land of Shadows this did not work. His mad instincts knew where she would strike, but his body, just didn't have time.
The next moment, her spear was flying into Sora's head. The first chopping swing came down on Sora's outstretched spear, legs pressed into the ground. He deflected the next, his body still keeping up with the teacher's pace, so the blow only missed his shoulder and numbed his bruised arm. But he didn't see the third one at all, and though his brain was alarmed, his body refused to move, or rather, simply didn't have time. When the teacher's shin hit his side, all the air went out of his lungs with a whistle.
His body reacted mechanically, driving the spear into the ground, he stopped himself from flying off the pad.
- You're trying to react to my movements, which is pointless and stupid. - Her calm voice cleared Sora's mind. - Observe and anticipate, it is the only way to defeat an enemy stronger than you.
- Even you, Master? - Sora muttered.
- Of course not. - Her lips curved in a sneer of superiority.
This time Sora was the first to attack. To his credit, he bravely leaped toward his opponent, but Scathach caught the swing of his spear, the weapon rattling. Sora's hands were the first to feel weak, but he didn't get confused and spun the spear around and struck with the blunt side. The witch only took a step to the side and the spear whistled past. And then, like a serpent, her spear lunged at him.
Using the Rune [Teiwaz] and [Strengthening] on his body, Sora had increased his physical parameters enough to withstand the blow. It was a shame that the wounds from the previous rounds of the battle were showing. Suffering the pain of slashed skin on his chest, he stepped aside, dodging the spear, and followed it up with a broad sweep that struck Scathach. The witch, changing her grip on the spear, spun it upward, knocking the weapon out of Sora's hands... Her spear stopped a centimeter from his throat.
- Your Runes are stronger, your body stronger, and your mind sharper. You are becoming a true warrior, I am pleased. - approving of his efforts, her voice became soft and gentle.
While constantly fighting Scathach, Sora used his [Eye of Knowledge] to analyze the Runes she used, so his mastery of them increased many times over. Though the Witch rarely used the Runes in their battles, when she did, she drew the Ancient Runes, which were far more powerful than those Sora knew. In addition, her use of the Runes, was striking in its originality and effectiveness. The process of drawing the Scatas itself was already incredibly fast, but by concentrating the power of the Runes, their power became much greater.
Instead of using the Rune [Inguz], simply the Rune of Amplification on the whole body or a weapon, Scathach amplified a single aspect, such as the sharpness of a spear or the strength of the skin. In addition to requiring far less energy, the effect itself was far more powerful.
The unexpected result of studying the Ancient Runes was a deeper understanding of the Magical Formula and a better control of Magical Energy. It was quite possible that Scathach was encouraging her apprentice in this way, for when fighting her, Sora felt no personal progress, for he was constantly losing to her. This way he could feel himself getting stronger.
- Thank you. - Sora muttered. The white, blood-soaked hair was muddy and clinging to his face.
- I can hear the resentment in your tone. - With a raised eyebrow, Scathach said.
- I just wanted to study Magic. - Sora said, hoping the Witch would teach him Magic after all.
- Even inglorious victories are legendary. But glorious defeats are only defeats. - Scathach answered calmly, without emotion, as if it were the most common Truth of this world.
- You don't need a power you can't use. - said Sora, remembering what Scathach had said.
- Exactly. - Scathach shifted her serious gaze to Sora. - A warrior has one duty: to win. Nothing else matters.
Sora glanced at Scathach, and she looked back at him calmly and evenly. She's always so calm and level, like a field under fresh snow.
◊◊◊
Sora leaned back, enjoying the hot water washing over his body. The sensation of fatigue and tension dissolving in the warmth sent him to heaven. In the Inner World, not far from his cabin, he created a hot spring and then erected a bathhouse in its place.
Feeling his muscles turn to "jelly" and his consciousness dissolve in the milky steam, Sora treasured the time, for tomorrow, instead of such a pleasant bath, Scathach would give him a bloody one.
- I think you're thinking something rude about me. - The sweet voice came from above, as if from heaven. But recognizing its owner, Sora opened his blue eyes abruptly.
Above him stood this Witch... completely naked. And only bloody steam covered the most interesting places.
- I'm not interested in boys. - Noticing his studying gaze, her tongue was as sharp as her spear.
- I'm not interested in old witches. - visibly embarrassed, he said something he would never have said out loud in his right mind.
But instead of spartan beatings, he heard her enchanting laughter, and then he saw her legs sink into the water. Those devilish thighs, when not covered by clothes, became a hundred times more attractive and tempting. Next, her taut tummy plunged into the water, making me want to fondle it strangely. The last to sink into the hot spring was her lush breasts, the upper half of which remained just above the water, as if luring her prey in this way.
- Your gaze tells a different story. - She teased him, definitely teased him.
Tilting her head, her purple hair cascaded behind her back, and a couple of strands rested on her chest. Her snow-white, thin neck was revealed to him and it beckoned. Even such a simple movement was incredibly seductive.
- The Master did it on purpose. - Sora gritted irritably through gritted teeth.
She glanced at him, before leaning back and taking a deep breath.
- This queen has no use for weak men, cowardly warriors, or crude barbarians. - She spoke with her eyes closed.
- If... suppose in the future... I were to become a worthy warrior in your eyes, would my master look at me differently? - He was uncomfortable talking about such things. His life as a "hermit" in Terraria, followed by his childhood in the naya made him inexperienced in such things. Especially with a woman like Scatah.
- If my apprentice deserves a reward, of course. - Her answer gave Sora unprecedented motivation.
Her misty eyes stared at the boy. Turning her gaze to the sky, she wondered, when was the last time she had washed her body with water? If it had been a bath of blood, Witch of Dun Scaith would have given an exact date.
Thinking of her new apprentice made the emotions rage in her heart. Even Setanta-that wild hound-could not make her heart beat so often. And Scathach herself didn't understand why that was so. Perhaps she was aroused by Sora's boundless potential? Or did she find him to be a kindred spirit? The Queen of the Land of Shadows could not answer. Or rather, she can, but she won't admit it.
But she knows one thing-the boy's story will be incredible, and she wants to see it for herself.