Chapter 114: A Day Before

Aturs, Year of Severus, 15, I.R., the 47th day of Fall, Arenfall

----------------------------------------------------------------

"Too slow!" Adaloun spat as he dodged another huge swing from Urfaal. The human had been toying with him the entire time, dodging his powerful attacks on the whim and countering his with some hard slashes on the stomach.

Urfaal had been training intensely with him for the good remaining days of their stay in the camp before the descent to the hole. During these times, the human had been training him in sword fighting and strategic combat.

His trainings usually started after breakfast and would end mostly when the sun sets into the horizon, but this day was different. Tomorrow was the day they go for the descent and Adaloun told him before they started, that the training will only be until Noon.

The beastman only had half a day before his training would end and he wasn't able to land one solid attack to his mentor. Adaloun was too agile for him to hit. In fact, his agility could rival that of his father's. He took another slash to the gut sending him down to the ground.

"You weren't paying attention!" Adaloun shouted. "Focus or you will die down there!" He sheathed his wooden blade to the side and gestured him to stand up. "Again."

Urfaal immediately rushed is Adaloun and threw his blade towards him. The human easily dodged the incoming blade, stepping to the side with a smile. As Adaloun got distracted with it, Urfaal immediately dashed to where he stepped and opened up with a kick. The human was thrown away five footlings away from him.

The kick surprised his human mentor but was able to block it with his arm. "Nice try!" Adaloun commented. "But what is a warrior without his blade—"

Urfaal didn't Adaloun finished and began attacking him with a barrage of kicks and punches. The human dodged the hits easily. His mentor dodge into the opposite direction, but the beastman followed him with every step. He finally saw frustration in Adaloun's eyes.

Adaloun tried faking his movement to try and create an opening for the beastman, but he was failing miserably at it. With the beastman in complete synch with his movement, finally the mentor has broke a sweat on his forehead.

The beastman notice the single bead on his mentor's forehead and began to feel confident about his moves. He caught Adaloun's arm and tried disarm the wooden blade from him, but his mentor smiled. Urfaal realized too late that he made a very crucial mistake—he went too far without thinking.

Adaloun threw his blade to his free hand, switching his weapon hand and used the pummel of his sword to grab the Urfaal's neck, dragging him to the ground.

The poor beastman saw his mentor's dace for a moment, next thing he saw was darkness. The ground tasted bitter with the cushion of fallen leaves, rotting and drying. It tasted horribly and he spat as much as he can to get all out from his palate.

"Well, you've done good!" Adaloun smiled as he reached out his hand. "But you need to think about your openings. Remember this, not all openings are worthy of a risk. Just like what I did, I bluffed you."

Urfaal took his hand and stood up, "Well…the…thing is…plaahh...plaaah!" The bitter taste of rotting leaves still haunted the poor beastman's tongue. "Plaaah…plaah…I almost got you…plaaah..."

Adaloun shook his head. "You know what's the difference between almost winning from almost losing?" He asked.

The beastman furrowed his eyebrows and scratched his head, "What do you mean…plaahhh…by that?"

"The question was just as it was." His mentor answered back and sighed. "Anyways, just keep that question in mind. It will come in handy."

The beastman still looked baffled but didn't dare to ask again. He saw Adaloun's eyes riddled with sadness. Tomorrow was their descent and he felt from Adaloun's gestures how worried he was with them.

He patted his mentor's shoulder. "Thank you for pushing me to do this." Urfaal smiled. "I always wanted to be stronger. So, I can protect you—all of you."

"I don't want to think about the worse while were there, but I saw the reality of that hole…" He sighed. "I saw how those monsters killed an entire camp of knights. I just—"

"Have faith, Adaloun." The beastman's voice almost crumbled from the realization that they might die tomorrow from the monsters that lurked beneath the earth. But he strengthened himself, and not allow his doubts and fears take over him like what it did before.

"All of us will live!" He stated boldly. "We shall see the sun once more and gain the freedom we all paid with our sweat and blood." He thumped his chest.

Adaloun smiled at him and nodded. "Yes, we still have other adventures to take. The hole will not be the end of it." He unsheathed his wooden sword and picked up the one that the beastman threw.

"Want to go for another?" Adaloun asked.

Urfaal smiled. He wanted to go another round for the last time, but he caught a familiar scent approaching them. "I want to, but it looks like, you are needed somewhere else." He pointed at the elevated ground.

Adaloun turned his attention to where the beastman pointed. A few moments later and Tristam came bobbing out of the thick greenery and was waving at them.

Both of them approached Tristam and greeted him with a slight bow.

"Fair greetings, Ser Tristam!" Adaloun greeted.

"Fair greetings, Ser Adaloun, Ser beastman!" The knight courteously bowed back.

The beastman never got used to be called as a Ser. He never imagined to be called one, let alone being called for real. The title didn't mean too much for him and it sounded too formal. The term connotated a human official, but his not even human. To him it was an empty title that held more annoyance to him than reverence.

He bowed to the knight and made his greetings. The knight smiled at him.

"Ser Adaloun, Ser beastman, Lord Prestonheim needs your presence now. There's someone he wanted you to meet." Tristam said.

Adaloun nodded to the knight and directed his attention to Urfaal, "It looks like we have to do that last round some other time." He smiled and confirmed with Tristam that he's coming.

It was a long and hot walk back to the main camp. The sun stood higher than it was earlier and its making the beastman thirsty. He took the water bladder he placed on the side of his hip and drank its contents. The water was perfectly cool, preserved by the fact he placed it in a cool shaded place earlier.

His thirst was immediately quenched by the revitalizing coolness of the water. They reached the camp after a few thrown in conversations. Ser Tristam guided them to Lord Prestonheim's tent where they were greeted by the scene of seven unknown men, the prince and his ward, and the old Commanders who were currently caught up discussing things on the long table.

Their presence didn't go unignored. Lord Prestonheim immediately gestured them to come and join them.

"Ah! Adaloun, beastman," The Commander greeted. "Let me introduce you to the members of the Auxillarum!" He added.

The seven men were all eyes on them. The beastman had never seen such unique appearance before. They were human, but the way the dressed and were different. While the Principalians wore doublet and tight-fitted clothing the strange men had colorful checkered cloth wrapped around them.

The dark-skinned visitors were taller than most of the men in the room. The one in the middle was as tall he was. He had a small gold ring in one nostril and his body was covered with oddly tatoos of toothed-like patterns dancing on a shimmering yellow ink. He stood out from the rest of them, but everyone was uniquely charming as they were.

His eyes shimmered in flaming gold under a prominent brow, he had a defined jaw that gave him a stern look. He had broad shoulders and his chiseled body looked as if one of the gods truly took time to shape hi as he is.

The beastman couldn't help but stare at him. He was mesmerized with the strange yet oddly beautiful people. Adaloun bowed and greeted them like he usually does at everyone, but the beastman remained standing on his position, awestruck by the strangers' allure.

Suddenly the beastman felt a sharp elbow hitting his side rib. The pain rushed over him that he had to bend down to soothe it.

"It's inappropriate to stare." Adaloun whispered to him, "Sorry if I have to hit you. You're making them uncomfortable." He added.

"You could've just said it—" he spat.

"You didn't even hear me when I warned you earlier." The beastman felt Adaloun's eyeroll over his comment.

"It's okay, my friend!" The visitor's strong yet soothing voice boomed inside the tent.

He looked up and the man in the middle was approaching them. "We are already used to that." He smiled. "Well met, my friends. They call Corvinus, child of the Orkamuu people. May the sun bless you!" Corvinus reached out for his hand and offered it to the both of them.

The beastman still couldn't help but stare at him.