John had a cook who had travelled with him. He ordered him to skin out the boar and store the meat safely for the next day. For Alan's 10th birth day.
That night, Alan prepared a simple but delicious meal for everyone. At the end there was nothing left. Many of the guards were seen licking their plates.
The next day Alan got up and went to the river, took a bath and got the water to prepare the meal. To his surprise, a fire was lit and one of the guard from John's group was already preparing ingredients to prepare the meal.
He went inside the hut and asked his grandmother about it. John who was sitting nearby told Alan to just relax for the day. It was his 10th birth day afterall....
" Grandma, uncle John when are we going to leave?" John looked at Helen. She smiled and said. "In 3 days my dear boy. Be prepared and collect all your belongings by that time. Once we leave We might never come back. Especially I might never see this place again. Helen looked depressed."
Alan knew how his grandmother was feeling. He was also attached to this one and only place he had been living in.
John wanted to know more about Alan. Rather than asking Helen, he wanted to measure Alan's talent or the lack of it himself.
John had already given a heads up to Helen about him testing Alan. She was more than happy to oblige to his request.
John got up and walked toward the water container. While getting up, he dropped a small book onto the ground from his pocket. Alan who was sitting next to him noticed it.
"Uncle John you had dropped your book." Alan picked it up and glance over the letter on the cover and handed it back to John.
"Thank you Alan."John noded with a smiled. Then he asked, "So do you like to read?"
Alan noded enthusiastically. From there, they began discussing about the books Alan had read. John was surprised to know that Alan not only read books about various topics and skills but he had understood them throughly and even can discuss various topics like a scholars and even can get the upper hand.
He then shifted their topic towards combat arts, weapons and fighting skills.
Alan looked a bit sad here. John noticed it and aske Alan. "What's bothering you Alan. Is there something you need my help with?"
Alan shook his head saying, "It's like this uncle John.... I know the basics of hand to hand combat. In the category of close combat weapons, I know the basics of fighting with knife, single and dual short axe wielding style. How to attack and defend using a staff. I have practically trained with these 3 weapons. But I only know the theoretically knowledge about short sword, long sword, broad sword, dual sword fighting style, war hammer and other weapons."
John simply stare at Alan, loss for words. He wanted to further test Alan's combat skills. So he took Alan a bit away from the others and brought him near a tree. The trunk was more than 3 feet in width.
"Alan punch the trunk of this tree as hard as you can for me please. Here take this and wear it on to your hands. It won't hurt your hand even if you punch a stone wearing this." John handed him a thick gloves.
Alan took it and watched it curiously and then he handed it back to John with a smile. "There is no need for this Uncle John. It won't hurt me."
Before John could protest, Alan turned around, took a few steps and punched the tree trunk.
CRACK !!!
A lound sound echoed in the surrounding area and then the tree fell down shaking the ground slightly.
John looked at the fallen tree and then at Alan. "Did you use your full strength? " John asked Alan.
Alan looked thoughtful for a few seconds and replied, " I think I had used around 1/4th of my strength ".
John scratch his head then took back Alan to the hut. Helen saw them coming and smiled knowingly. John shook his head in defeat.
"Helen he is beyond my expectations. I never thought I would meet someone who have both the brains and the brawn like this kid. His talent is simply monstrous.!!
Helen patted his back and said, " don't worry John, you will get used to it like me in a few days. Besides, you haven't seen him using his medical skills".
What.....!!!?
John lost the count about how many times he was surprised since he met Alan the previous day.
"Yes, he is almost as good as me in medicinal field. He will definitely surpass me in a few years if he continues learning medicine." Helen declared proudly to John.
John took a deep breath. Sat down on the mat in the lotus position and started meditation to bring back his state of mind to normal condition.