I left the guild finding an area where I could easily jump from roof to roof and started heading to the first inner wall. When I reached the gate there, I showed the quest page and was let through without any hassle.
Asking the guard where this specific noble was, he pointed toward the castle saying in a thick accented voice “he in tha castle, wouldn wanna be in yer shoe, heard he a handful.”
Though I could not place his accent I could swear it seemed the same as the ones I heard from the Angralian slums. It seems the social divide caused those without better education in this city to adopt an accent.
His remark was also strange, ‘seems this duke’s son is haughty.’ I noted to myself as I started heading to the second inner wall that surrounded the castle. Noticing carriages taking some nobles to and from it. When I reached the gate, I was halted by the guards, after showing them my guild card and the request I was told to wait, and a servant from the keep came to take me to the young noble practicing in the training grounds opposite the garden. The young adult stood with nothing but a pair of loose pants, panting with exertion as he trained wielding his sword with precision. His hair was a deep shade of blue, almost midnight blue, a strange trait of the duke’s family it would seem, considering the girl who sat watching her brother in a noble light dress and with the same shade of hair.
They both had blueish green eyes and an array of laugh lines, his body was well toned and a bit tanned showing his dedication to his training.
The maid bowed to him and spoke. “A B rank adventurer has taken up your quest sir.” Her tone cautious but respectful. “Ah finally a new challenger, and a quite well built one it seems.” He replied a small bit of sarcasm dripping through his words. A small giggle showed his little sisters’ amusement. “Well, where’s your sword.” he said seeming a bit confused.
I stepped forward “I am Lucian of Hearthsmeth, if I may ask, shall we be holding it here.” I said. The noble smiled “I’m Thomas son of duke Arthur second inline of the throne, and yes, it seems the more convenient place to hold it.” He said holding his hand out.
I shook it, then stood back and pulled my katana from my extra space, having decided, that it would be easier to not hide it. A look of astonishment crossed the faces of those in the area. “Wow isn’t that a high-level spell, where did you learn it.” the little sister erupted. “I learnt it from an old man who said he was a traveller I lied hoping they would believe it. They seemed to buy it.
“That is a strange sword?” Thomas said questioningly. “Yes, it’s my sword style, hope you don’t mind if I use my own techniques.” I said moving to a spot where I would be comfortable to start the duel. I removed my own shirt tying my pant tighter to keep it steady and got into a ready stance. “Not at all, it’s been a while since I have fought someone with enough confidence to face me with his own sword art.”
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He went to a place opposite me ready for any attack “Markus announce the start when you feel like it.” he said nodding to his butler standing on the side.
The tension built as we stood waiting, the sword he wielded was a well maintained, ornate duel bladed sword two feet from hilt to tip, he seemed to wield it easily when I had noticed him earlier.
His style seemed to be focused on fast even strokes and slashes. Taking steady breaths, building chi, and making sure to not miss anything using my magic sight. The moment that the butler clapped his hands. Thomas was flying towards me seeming to want to strike from the right but his eyes flicked to my left shoulder, I saw the feint, he would need to twirl the blade to hit there, instead of stepping back I waited as he performed his feint. As he twirled, I moved to the right, stepped in as I lifted my sword in the air above my head moved it to my left.
I turned having his strike barely missing me as I twisted and then slashed downward diagonally making a gash in his back. He stumbled forward surprised by my action, and took a knee.
Breathing a bit heavy he gritted his teeth and stood back up. And bowed, “I concede.” He said pain evident on his face, along with embarrassment, but the biggest emotion visible was awe. After a healer used magic to heal and reknit the muscles he looked at me and said “what was that technique?”
I sat and said, “it is a sword art of my own make.” Feeling a bit proud at my win. “It truly is quite something, every movement from the twist of your hips to the movement of your arms was so in sync and unexpected, I wish I could learn it myself; this is the first time someone has not only kept up with my speed, but also seen through my feint and countered it so easily.” He said elated.
Ah, I see why everyone was looking at me weird when I took the quest, it seems as though allot of people have failed in the past. I thought to myself.
Thomas’s little sister also had a face of awe but it was drastically tempered by concern for her brother as she stood next to him making sure he was not hurt any more.
He stood up and showed his hand again I took it and he helped me up saying, “you truly are skilled, let’s go get that sword from Hrothgarm, I wanna see his face.” After saying so he led me and his sister to a place behind the keep where copious amount of smoke was issuing from a chimney and the sound of metal striking hot metal was heard in quick periodicity. There stood a dwarf holding a bar of hot steel in between a pair of tongs as it was getting hammered by a large magic power hammer going up and down.
Coming from hearthsmeth I was already accustomed to seeing these machines that so resembles industrial steam power hammers.
After a bit more clanging the dwarf took the now slightly less hot metal and placed it back in the hot coal forge. Removing his ear protection as he noticed us coming. “Well, what a surprise.” he said in a deep rumbling voice, like pebbles rolling over each other.
