*Two days later*
"Hyaah"
"Good again!"
"Hyaaah"
"Again! Keep your hands tight on the handle."
"Hyaah!"
Alex was sparring with Jacob on a training field. Alex had been teaching him the basics of swordsmanship for two days now, and Jacob was getting better with each day. He rarely lost his footing and didn't drop the sword all that often anymore.
Jacob's attacks were being deflected with every swing, but he was getting his attack pattern down.
"Good, Jacob, you're getting better with each day." Alex said after calling a timeout in the fight.
"Thanks Alex!" Jacob was all smiles after being complimented.
He was putting more and more effort into the duels.
"Now, Jacob, today was our last day of training." Alex said.
"Really?" Jacob asked with a sad expression.
"Yeah, we have to move on soon. But just keep practicing the basics, and who knows, maybe you'll get into one of the academies when you're older." Alex said.
"Do you have to leave?" Jacob asked.
"Yeah, I have family I haven't seen in a very long time. I miss them, and luckily soon we'll meet again, but first I have to get to the capital.
"Will we see each other again?" Jacob asked.
"I don't know; maybe if I'm ever near this town again. It may be awhile, though." Alex said.
Jacob's expression was still down, so Alex decided to try and get him to think positively.
"Well, Jacob, if you keep practicing, who knows, maybe one day we'll run into each other again." Alex said.
"I know it's just that I never had anyone teach me how to use a sword, and these lessons have been great. I don't want that to change." Jacob said.
Alex smiled and said "Well, it's good to know you enjoyed my lessons, but just keep practicing, even if your mother says no. Also, I do have a gift for you."
"A gift?" Jacob asked.
"Yeah, here." Alex gave Jacob a small red box.
Jacob opened it, and it revealed a recently made steel dagger.
"Is this real?" Jacob asked.
"Yes, real steel made by the blacksmith; now Jacob, this isn't a toy. It's purely for self-defense and should be a reliable partner in case things get risky. Don't show this to anyone, understood?" Alex asked Jacob.
"Yes, I understand. I'll only use it for self-defense." Jacob said.
"No, use it only for life-or-death situations, not if you're getting into a fight." Alex said.
"I promise!"
Jacob was happy, but the two were interrupted by Adelia yelling at Alex.
"Alex! We found a job to take; let's take care of this before we leave tomorrow!"
"I'll be right there!" Alex responded.
"Is that your girlfriend?" Jacob asked, staring at Adelia.
"No, she isn't." Alex said smiling.
"She's very pretty." Jacob said.
"That she is." Alex turned to Jacob and said "No, go back home; the last thing we need is your mother coming and trying to tear my head off."
"Will I see you tomorrow?" Jacob asked.
"If you wake up early enough, we'll be leaving at around eight in the morning, so if you catch me by then, maybe." Alex said.
Alex waved goodbye to Jacob as he met up with Adelia and headed to the woods.
Jacob waved back and thought to himself "Thank you, Alex!"
As Alex and the others walked into the woods, Alex asked "So what's the job?"
"An ogre has been sighted nearby; luckily it's a younger one, so it's only a B-class job." Adelia said.
"How should we take it on?" Claire asked.
"How about since it's smaller, Claire and Adelia, you guys freeze its legs so it can't move, Alex, you cut off the arms so it can't attack, and after that, it should be a simple kill, right?" Kyssee suggested.
"Maybe, depends on the openings it gives us." Alex said.
"So Alex, how did it go training that kid again?" Adelia asked.
"Good, he's getting the hang of the basics, but now he has to teach himself from now on. At least I gave him a foundation to build on." Alex said.
It was then that they heard a loud roar.
"I think that's our monster." Kyssee said.
The group followed the roar and found an ogre sitting down, tired; next to it was a dead hobgoblin, along with several other goblins dead next to it, including a goblin wearing a wooden crown on its head. The king goblin of this group.
"Well, seems the ogre here took care of a goblin problem before it got bad." Adelia said.
"Well now, let's take care of the ogre problem." Alex said.
The ogre was resting until, before he knew it, his entire body was covered in ice. He roared in anger, and when he spotted two girls walking up to him, he used all of his strength to try and break free of the ice but couldn't do it.
He managed to break his right arm out of the ice, but it was quickly cut off by a slash of lightning.
He roared once again, but this time instead of anger, it was pain.
The ogre had never taken this much damage before—scratches and scars, sure—but this time he felt helpless, stuck to a true without means to escape. It was then that he felt something on the back of his head, but he couldn't reach it since his only other arm was stuck in ice.
It was then that his vision went dark, and all he could do was roar in horror. Kyssee had used her daggers to take out its eyes.
Its sight was now gone, and the ogre had given up trying to fight.
"So who wants the kill?" Claire asked.
"I'll take it this time." Adelia said.
Adelia drew her sword and stabbed the ogre directly in the heart, forming an icicle out of the wound in its chest.
The ogre now laid silent as its soul left its body.
"Well, Kyssee, your strategy worked, even with a little improvising." Alex said.
Kyssee smiled while looking at Alex; after all, she loved being praised by him.
"We should hold back and claim our bounty." Adelia said.
"Yeah, let's get a move on." Alex responded.
After walking a short distance, they noticed something in the direction of the village.
"Is that...fire?"
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