Heavy….
Seth felt so heavy, but he needed to get up on his feet.
"On your feet!" He heard Valar, His teacher and the master of arms of Castle Mytirk.
Seth spat his blood on the fiery red sand, gritted his teeth, and pulled himself to his feet.
'Again' He thought.
'Again'
"Change weapons." Master Valar said.
Seth didn't need to be told twice. He dropped the wooden pole and picked up the wooden round shield and dull training sword from the weapons rack.
He slowly walked back to the fiery training ground. Within its hallowed halls, a series of regal pillars line the space, and a rectangular opening graces the roof, inviting the sun's rays to cascade upon the fiery red sand below, where student and master had trained countless times.
His emerald eyes focused on his master and the dull longsword he wielded, scorching sand burned through his sandals. Until he finally stopped a meter from Valar.
"Begin" and the dance of steel began.
Seth attacked hard and desperately, his skill was average at best and he wasn't a graceful fighter.
But what he lacks in grace he made up in tenacity. Like a prideful badger who knew nothing of fear, he pressed on. Aiming for Valar's Head, neck and wrists.
Valar was a master knight. A veteran at the age of 34 he easily parried each one of Seth's strikes.
Soon beads of sweat dropped from Seth's face onto the floor, his breathing was getting rougher.
Valar switched from defense to attack.
He brought the longsword down with tremendous force, but Seth parried. Valar swung again, he was leagues faster than Seth, Seth could only parry each strike while getting pushed back, sometimes using his sword to block those attacks.
Valar swung from his left with both hands and Seth tried to block the strike, but the blow was strong enough that he slid back.
He groaned from the pain his arms were in.
But Valar wouldn't give him a breath to spare. He raised the longsword overhead and brought it down with all the strength in his arms.
Seth knowing it was too late to dodge, retreat or evade, calmy brought his dull sword and deflected the blow. The strain on his right arm was tremendous, but he pressed on. Using his momentum he moved closer to Valar and spun using the rotational force to strike Valar's ribs with his shield.
About one-third of the wooden shield shattered on impact. Using one of his legs to stop his spin, he prepared to land a final attack with his sword, But suddenly he felt a strong blow to his legs and his feet gave way.
Next thing he knew, he was slowly falling towards the floor with the pommel of his teacher's longsword coming down on him.
Bang
Seth hit the sand floor hard and brutally. Fiery sand also didn't help in soothing the situation. The pommel of Valar's sword felt like a brick wall slamming against Seth's helmet.
For a while, he just laid there pained and tired with bruises on his body and blood in his mouth.
"Ugh," he groaned from the pain.
Valar stared down at his student, his chest rising mildly fast and tiny beads of sweat on his head.
"Good you have improved a lot, but you need not forget your opponent has legs. So be mindful of their legs and your footwork." He said.
"Yes, master," Seth replied with a shaky breath.
Valar sat on the red sand, a little bit tired from teaching his student.
For a while, the master and student remained in that position. Seth with his short raven black hair, emerald green eyes, and vibrant light skin lay in the fiery red sand, with his padded armour and two-thirds of the remains of his shield strapped to his arm. And Valar, a Master Knight sitting on the red sand, with a hot breeze and light copper skin, dust blowing through his curly reddish brown hair and deep black eyes that shone with his experience.
"All right, training is over. Next time I'll teach you how to take on multiple opponents and fight prolongedly against a series of opponents. Also, your archery needs work too." Valar said as he got up and made his way out of the training hall.
Seth could only nod in acknowledgement while lying on the ground.
He closed his eyes tired from the training, but he felt a strange shadow fall over him. Thinking it was his teacher about to give him a surprise lesson, He swung his legs where he thought Valar's legs would be. He swung his legs and the figure came down, too easily. But not before he realized it wasn't his teacher but Meer, his sister.
He could only catch her and cushion her from the fall.
"Ow! And I thought I was about to surprise you." Meer said in a playful tone.
"Oh Meer! I didn't mean to hurt you." Seth blurted.
He held her very close in his arms, her body was soft and delicate, and she smelt like a fiery rose, her hair was red, long, radiant, and silky.
She had almond-shaped eyes, a straight nose, and a radiant smile. She has a graceful and elegant presence that enhances her unspoken wisdom.
Combined with her light orange skin she is a beauty that always stopped Seth's heart. And having her this close to him made his face flush red.
He gently let go of her and they both got on their feet.
Meer looked at him teasingly while Seth tried his best not to appear flushed.
"That was a heartfelt hug, my dear knight." She teased.
"Not a knight yet, just a squire." Seth quickly replied.
Meer giggled a bit. Meer who was mostly quiet in public and to strangers is very friendly to those she considered close. The very girl who saved him as a baby and gave him the life he had.
She was born with the blood of fire in her veins despite her father not having it, but the fact that she doesn't have a body resistant to the flames is a secret only members of the household know.
Because of that, she had burned herself a few times, though only mildly.
In places like the left side of her face and on her forearm.
But to Seth, she was still beautiful.
So when she went out she wore a veil or a porcelain mask, and in social events she used makeup and rarely interacted with anyone.
After a while, Meer stopped laughing and looked at Seth with a serious expression.
"Seth, a festival is being held at the Capital, Agyes. In Honor of The end of the War of Angels, we house Gideon have been invited to attend this festival."