The morning sun rose higher, casting long shadows across the training courtyard.
Ethan and Max stood shoulder to shoulder, wooden swords in hand, sweat already trickling down their brows despite the chill in the air.
Aldric stood a few steps away, his presence as imposing as ever. He held a wooden sword of his own, spinning it idly in one hand like it weighed nothing.
"Before we start," Aldric began, his voice calm but firm, "let me make one thing clear. A sword isn't just a weapon — it's an extension of yourself. Your stance, your grip, your focus — these things will decide whether you live or die in battle."
"Heard that in one too many anime before," Max muttered under his breath.
Aldric planted his feet, spreading them shoulder-width apart and holding his sword with both hands. "Watch closely. This is how you stand."
Ethan and Max mimicked his posture as best as they could.
Aldric stepped forward to adjust Ethan's stance, nudging his foot slightly back. "You'll want balance," he explained. "Too far forward, and you'll topple over. Too far back, and you'll have no strength in your swing."
He moved to Max, gripping his wrist and repositioning his hands on the hilt of the wooden sword.
"Hold it like this. Firm, but not stiff. Your wrists need to move fluidly, or you'll lose control of the blade."
Max winced under Aldric's scrutiny but nodded. "Got it, boss."
Aldric raised an eyebrow. "Good. Now, attack me."
Both Ethan and Max blinked in unison. "At the same time?" Ethan asked, uncertain.
"Yes," Aldric said, stepping back into position.
His wooden sword rested lightly at his side, almost as if he didn't intend to use it. "Come at me with everything you've got. Show me what you've learned."
Max grinned and glanced at Ethan. "Ready to get your butt kicked?"
Ethan sighed, gripping his sword tighter. "Let's just try not to embarrass ourselves too much."
With a deep breath, the two of them charged forward.
Max reached Aldric first, swinging his sword in a wide arc.
Aldric sidestepped smoothly, the blade whistling harmlessly past him. Ethan followed with a quick thrust aimed at Aldric's midsection, but Aldric parried it effortlessly, redirecting the strike with a flick of his own wooden sword.
"Too slow," Aldric said, his tone as calm as if he were commenting on the weather. "And too predictable."
They pressed on, refusing to let up.
Max swung again, this time angling his attack toward Aldric's shoulder. Ethan circled around, aiming low at his legs.
Aldric deflected both strikes in one fluid motion, his sword blurring as it moved.
"You're focusing too much on the attack," he said. "Your stance is sloppy. If I wanted to, I could've taken you both down just now."
Max growled in frustration. "Oh, come on! You're not even trying!"
"Correct," Aldric said with a smirk. "Because if I were, you'd already be on the ground. Now focus."
They tried again and again, attacking in tandem, but Aldric countered every move with ease.
His wooden sword seemed to move of its own accord, always in the right place at the right time.
"Use your skills," Aldric suggested, his tone almost teasing. "Surely those will help."
Ethan hesitated but nodded. "Mind's Eye!" he shouted, activating his skill.
A strange clarity washed over him as the world seemed to slow down, every detail sharpening. He lunged forward, his sword aimed directly at Aldric's chest.
Max followed suit, shouting, "Slash!" His sword glowed faintly as he brought it down with all his strength.
Aldric's response was as swift as it was humiliating.
He sidestepped Ethan's thrust, using the flat of his blade to push him off balance.
Max's glowing strike was intercepted mid-swing, Aldric's wooden sword catching it at an angle that sent the weapon flying from Max's hands.
Max stumbled back, staring at his empty hands in disbelief. "What the — how did you — "
Ethan didn't fare much better. Before he could recover from his missed attack, Aldric swept his legs out from under him with a quick motion of his sword.
He landed flat on his back, the air knocked out of him.
Aldric stood over them, his sword resting casually on his shoulder. "Skills are tools," he said, his voice firm but not unkind. "They won't make up for poor fundamentals. If your stance, timing, or awareness is off, no skill in the world will save you."
Ethan groaned, rubbing his back as he sat up. "You could've gone a little easier on us, you know."
Aldric chuckled. "If I went easy on you, you wouldn't learn anything. Pain is a better teacher than praise."
Max picked himself up, muttering under his breath. "Yeah, well, I'd like a little less education next time."
Aldric barked a short laugh. "Then get better. Now, again. This time, focus on your form. Forget trying to hit me — just control your movements."
They spent the next hour attacking and failing, over and over. Aldric was relentless, knocking their swords away with almost insulting ease.
He corrected every mistake they made, from the angle of their strikes to the way they held their weapons.
"Your feet are too close together, Ethan," he said at one point. "You'll trip over yourself if you're not careful. Widen your stance."
"Max, stop swinging like you're chopping wood. A sword isn't an axe. It's a precision weapon. Use it accordingly."
By the time Aldric finally called for a break, Ethan and Max were drenched in sweat, their arms aching from the repeated strikes. They collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily.
"You're improving," Aldric said, standing over them with his arms crossed.
Max snorted. "Doesn't feel like it."
"You are," Aldric insisted. "You're not ready for real combat yet, but at least you're not complete disasters anymore. That's progress."
Ethan managed a weak smile. "Thanks, I guess."
Aldric gave a rare, genuine smile. "You'll thank me when you're still alive after your first battle. Now rest up. Tomorrow, we'll start sparring for real. For now, I'll leave it all to your new trainer – She'll be teaching you magic,"
Magic?!
Ethan as well as Max widened their eyes in surprise.