I spent a solid two hours practicing the spear with Althidon. He had me spar against one of his pupils, and for a few minutes I even tried to defend myself from two at the same time. The long reach of the spear was the only way I managed to fend them off. Had I been using a sword or any other weapon, I would have been done in a matter of seconds. Althidon himself ran me through a number of drills, including practicing defending from his attacks.
"You're showing real promise with the spear," Althidon said, wiping sweat from his forehead. "I wish my other students learned as quickly as you. Granted, they're learning swords, not spears, but still."
"I practice at night sometimes as well," I said. "Usually just with fists or a knife. It's helping me build my reflex speed."
"How do you practice?" he asked, his voice skeptical.
