Bane Three - Training

Bane Three - Training

Bane Three - Training

I nodded, then took a small step forward and shifted Felixs shoulders. Like this, I said. You dont want to hunch forward when you punch, even if it gives you a bit more range. Itll throw your centre of gravity forwards, and then someone can sweep you off your feet or just grab your wrist and tug you towards them.

Oh, Felix said. She stepped on the spot, then lowered her hips a little while her arm returned to her side. She breathed out, then punched forwards. In that same moment, a burst of air shot out past her fist and blew across the courtyard.

It wasnt exactly a powerful blow, but I dont think Felix was putting her all into it. That was much better form, I said.

Felix learns fast, Esme agreed.

The three of us had, after a couple of days back at the castle, found a spot to practice in. It was one of the larger balconies, a few floors above the ground level. It overlooked the ocean-side of the castle, with some of the active volcanoes to the west. It made for a nice backdrop to our training sessions.

She does learn fast, I agreed.

Of the three of us, Felix was probably the one that took to the more martial part of cultivation the easiest. Esme was... a very good friend, and not someone I wanted to insult by implying that she had two left feet and the coordination of a drunk butterfly. But she was very good with spellwork and could unleash huge spells with barely any focus at all.

I was somewhere between my friends. Not as good as Felix with the physical stuff--though I still had more experience and knew more counters and moves than her. And I wasnt quite as strong as Esme with spellwork--though I had a few more tricks up my sleeve still, and Esme wasnt very good at any magic that wasnt surprise-based.

Can you do it again? I asked.

Felix nodded, reset, then ran through the simple motions of a quick straight punch. Felix was somehow really elegant when she was moving. Maybe it was the natural attunement to Joy magic that helped, or maybe it was something else entirely.

Well done! I said.

Felix laughed as she bounced back to a more normal stance. Thanks! This is a lot more fun than reading.

Hmph, Esme and I hmphed at the same time.

Felixs speed with learning how to fight was inversely proportional to her speed with learning how to read.

Whats the next trick? Felix asked. She jumped on the spot a few times to unlimber herself some more and threw a few punches against the empty air.

I dont think any of us really have the basics down, Esme said. She gestured to the side of the balcony, where a stack of books was left next to a backpack that Esme had taken to lugging around. A few of those were books about various martial arts from the library.

Most elements had an art attributed to them, one that some old sage sorts said better encapsulated the emotions and sort of thoughts one had to have to be able to use the magic associated with that martial art.

Joy magic was open and quick, so the martial art tied to it was filled with big gestures, little hops and twirls, like someone doing a happy dance, but more gracefully.

Surprise magic was sudden and fast and hit hard, so the martial art around that was the same, filled with single blows that were meant to use the artists entire strength in one hit.

I found that it worked on paper, but only for some emotions, and even then I thought that a lot of the weirder rituals and such tied to the martial arts were all superstitious nonsense.

Moms own Dark magic had a few very old martial arts tied to it. They were weird though. There werent a lot of punches and kicks, but instead a whole heap of moves that were made to help you get untangled or grapple someone. The only attacks were aimed at an opponent that was already subdued, like hitting the eyes, ears, throat and groin of someone that was grappled.

Girls, Mom said, and that put an end to the discussion--for right then. This is Strongel, a monster I made this morning, specifically to give you real experience against a foe.

Uh, I said. That sounds like it might hurt.

Thats one of the greatest ways to learn. To face adversity and challenge. You find that you need to improve, or you will fail, and failure is never an option.

Mom, youre worrying me.

Mom smiled, big and proud. Good. Enjoy your training, girls, and do bathe before dinner. I dont enjoy eating while smelling others. Understood, Valeria?

I felt my cheeks warming. Mom, that was once.

Yes, one time you didnt bathe for a week.

Mom!

Mom sniffed. I will see you all soon. Good luck. she stepped back and disappeared, sinking into the same shadow that the monster had come from.

That was a neat trick, I said.

Strongel roared, and I was distracted about my musing on Mom and all the magic she was hiding from me as the monster surged forwards and swung its fist at me.

I jumped away, but I wasnt going to be fast enough!

Then Felix grabbed my arm and rolled back, pulling me out of the path of the monsters fist. We landed on the ground with twin oofs before both of us started climbing back to our feet.

Esme screamed, and the day got even brighter as she unleashed a huge burst of electrical fury into Strongels side.

The monsters hair poofed up, but it didnt seem to do much more than that.

Oh boy, I said. Okay, okay, we can do this.

Strongel turned towards me and grinned.

Probably.

Your mom must really want us to get stronger fast, Felix says.

I guess so, I said.

I had the impression that maybe Mom took my declarations of wanting to become stronger a bit more seriously than I did. Which, I figured, was really going to suck if Mom kept trying to help.

***