Just as I had hoped, the old man's 'physical training' started and all I needed to do was swing some sticks of varying shapes and sizes. It seems like these were all carved to look like varying forms of weapons, some I think I remember but can't put any name towards.
And yet I swung each one in my hands with a sense of familiarity.
I was getting so into it that I almost forgot the old man was there till he questioned. "Did you train under a weapon master?"
I shrug before reminding him. "I don't know, remember? These movements just, come naturally to me."
He shook his head in frustration before pointing out the curved wooden weapon currently in my hands. "But all your movements aren't something people make naturally. Every swing you've made with each varying weapon I've given you is so unnaturally perfect, it's a movement you can only make when you've mastered your craft. Despite the lagging footwork and forced swings, I see the amount of training made to implant every movement into your body. I wouldn't be surprised if you could continue a fight even after your mind falters."
I was confused by how worked up he was getting over my swings, unable to understand everything he was talking about due to all this being nothing more than natural movements in my eyes.
Seeing that I don't understand what he's saying, he lets out a heavy breath before cracking a smile, "Though I can't see you cutting a charging Hell Ox in two in your sleep, I could see you taking your mind off the fight while your body avoids attacks made against you."
He puts a hand on his chin. "Whoever the original owner of that body was, you're lucky it was him. Because of this, you may be able to control both bodies simultaneously by the end of the week."
"So you're saying I'm able to fight subconsciously as this guy?" I asked.
With the old man's confirmation, a question came to mind.
'If I don't need total control over this body, does this not make it my original?'
But that thought is put to rest with the poke of the old man's walking stick putting me back to sleep.
After a minute or two, I wake back up in my bed as my female counterpart. It takes me a little bit to follow after the old man as I readjust to the major height difference once more.
The old man brings me back to the living room before picking something up from the shelf. He takes a moment to look at it before he turns to me. "Now then, this spell book used to be my wife's, so take care when holding it. I need you to study up on the basics on the first 20 pages before we move on to casting."
I groan as my now awake female counterpart as I receive the book. "Do I need the basics? You already taught me how to cast a spell yesterday."
He grimaced at my remark before hitting me on the head with the stick before leading me outside. "That spell is something even a fly can cast without the threat of backlash. Nothing more than a spark to start a fire. Without the basics, using any magic higher than that could turn your body inside out, start a fire in your heart, or turn your kidney to stone. Now study up because the nearest priest is 100km that way!"
He points beyond the two mountains that he previously pointed out as being part of hobgoblin lands and I feel a shiver down my spine at the thought of trying to get through there with an organ turned to stone.
With a newfound motivation, I open the book to the first page.
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Three Knights were setting up camp on the southern edge of the valley. Two have recently returned from beyond the trees; one wearing black, light armor and the other wearing light green cloth. Both report to the Knight in red first.
"There aren't many monsters for another mile." says the Black Knight.
"There also aren't any adventurers nearby Hektr." adds the Green Knight.
The knight in red, Hektr, listens intently to the reconnaissance report. "Understood. And Emeri, call me captain. I was given the role of leader on this mission."
The Green Knight, Emeri, shrugs off her captain's orders as she heads into the campsite. Night would fall soon and because of that, they chose to set up camp outside the forest where there is a water source over trying their luck in the hobgoblin's territory.
Humans are at a disadvantage under the cover of night and against Hobgoblins, who have decent eyesight in the dark, it's better to stay away till morning. Especially against the ones that tamed wolves, turning them into bloodhounds.
Though the Keeper of Night may have the advantage against them, there is still the possibility a monster picked up the artifact, it being a weapon capable of crippling a trained warrior like him. And that's just not worth the loss. But due to this face, there are unlikely to be Adventurers moving to get to the artifact themselves without risking their own lives so there isn't a need to rush.
Just next to the camp, the only other female Keeper of the group is lost in thought while doing maintenance on her blue armor under a tree's shade.
"How's your first mission this far from the capital Serci?"
The Knight of Blue, Serci, squeaked at the green-clothed Knight's sudden appearance on the tree trunk above her appearing to be checking her bowstring. "N-no problems Emeri. Though I kind of want to return as soon as possible."
The Green Knight, Emeri stops checking her own gear. "Do you have a gut feeling?"
Serci doesn't know how to respond. "Maybe... It doesn't feel like that meteorite dropped a normal Artifact. Maybe it was a wardrobe of items, or maybe we'd end up arriving too late to find anything there. If it's a drunk god that happened to fall down, he could've made it back shortly after, even faster if it was one caught up in a prank made by the God of Mischief."
Emeri shrugs her shoulders. "If that's true, then it's all the more reason to get there before anyone else. Even if it was just a god who fell, maybe you could get a blessing. And if a dresser fell, all the more reason to get there before anyone else. A dresser Artifact full of Artifacts would be worth more than the life of the Queen and Princess ten times over."
Serci glares at Emeri's words but doesn't refute the claim. Even though there are artifacts a plenty, there are some alone worth the lives of entire kingdoms out there. And there are plenty of people who would risk the destruction of their home to get one.
She stares at the emblem she was polishing before pushing aside that gut feeling to focus on the mission. "Right."
After a moment, Serci asks, "Also can you please not do that again? I hate it when Szilion (Se-zili-on) comes from the ceiling and you're no exception."
Emeri gives a laughter-filled apology. "Alright alright, though on the subject of annoyances, where's Lejer? I hate his guts but not having him in my sight puts me on edge."
Before Serci can respond, someone else does. "So you do care?"
Emeri swings her bow at the branch on her right only to hit the tree, a large mark left from the impact. The last Knight of this group, in a more traveler-like outfit mixed with yellow armor pieces attached, is hanging off the branch below the point the bow struck.
Emeri's eye twitched at his smirk, "You put me on edge because you keep eying my Artifacts."
"It's hard not to stare. Three Artifacts all above rare gifted by three separate gods is a little much for one fragile lady to carry on her own. Mind giving me o...?"
Her swinging the bow downwards cut him off as the branch snapped only for Lejer to land on his feet smoothly. "Hint taken flower girl. It was only a question from a friend."
But Emeri screamed, "Take that 'friend' crap and shove it you Hyena!"
Lejer just walks off, waving her off. Serci gives an exasperated sigh from the banter between allies. She checks on that feeling but it hasn't gone away as she glances at the valley they'll be heading through in the morning.
"By the way dinner is..."
Emeri swings her bow at another branch and passes through Lejer's illusion. "...done."
It gives a lingering chuckle as the illusion fades. Emeri tries to calm down despite shaking with anger before jumping down only for the tree to snap in two after receiving impact from the bow.
"Fucking clown." Was the last thing Serci heard as she watched Emeri leave.
Serci is overcome with a sense of fatigue through Lejer's continued provocations toward Emeri before following shortly behind shortly after.