《The Immortal》34: Duel

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There a two tables in the living/dining room at the clan house, but the larger one is already at full occupancy so Mynie, the twins and I sit down at the smaller table.

"Old Toben, how did you get that scar?" I wanna thank whoever did it so I can tell the difference between you, I think to myself.

"Ah, it was myself. When we were young I was mad that our dad kept confusing us, so I carved it there so he could tell the difference, but that's not the funny part."

When did you ever mention it was a funny story?

"The funny part is, as I was finding Caper to show him the fresh wound, he was about to cut himself in the same way!" He says and the twins start laughing.

"Sometimes I wonder if we were just the same person split in two" Caper wonders out loud.

"We even liked the same girl once!" "I remember, you actually suggested she marry both of us, you absolute madman!"

Such banter and laughter continues accompanied by drink for a while, and some brief moments where I fend Mynie's hand off my thigh, until a yell interrupts the whole place.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?" It was Atna. Something appears to have ruffled her feathers.

"It is what it is, don't embarass yourself and see for youself sometime." Bern says.

Atna moves her head in one swift, violent motion and locks her eyes on me. What, did it have something to with me? She points and declares "YOU, ME, DUEL, NOW" She must be very angry for her not to form complete sentences.

"Quiet down, girl, you are-" Larn starts, but Bosir interrupts him. "Isn't it fine. Let's take them out back" Don't I get a say in this? Oh well, I haven't been sparring with anyone since I got here, so might as well take the oppurtunity.

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I fetch my wooden sword and shield and we all head out back. Here is a small courtyard, though it only dirt. I have used it to swing my sword after requests are completed a few times already. The only thing not dirt is a small, flimsy fence that designated this courtyard from that of surrounding houses.

"Drop the chainmail, Yos" I get ordered by Bosir and I do as he says.

We are standing face to face now, both in only leather armor and armed with wooden weapons. She has a fierce scowl on her face. It feels bad, like it is the first time I am facing someone with actual malice towards me.

"No aiming at the face, you can still poke an eye out, now Start" Bosir says. I immediately take up a simple posture and she does the same. I have to be careful of her superior reach, I think as I inch closer.

Suddenly! A strike towards my unguarded legs. I think of it as the striking, long-limbed bug that lived in the "meadow" dungeon and move to parry and close the distance, as I had done countless times before, but I am surprised. The wooden spear clearly pierces my wooden shield, and only by a panicked jerk motion, do I avoid it striking me. What the hell was that? My shield did little to nothing.

"Atna!" I hear someone scream, but she charges me, striking at my stomach area this time. Thinking quickly, I channel two bestowals into my legs to enchance them and dash slightly to the side. I get cleanly within range and the look of surprise on her face is somewhat pleasing to see. With my charge, I strike full might at her stomach, albeit without bestowal. To my surprise, she goes cleanly flying backwards, into and breaking the sad excuse for a fence behind her.

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"Ah" I let slip. It is the first time I have ever landed a clean hit in a spar. Jorgen really was too hard on me. I heard her scream as Bosir shouted "Winner, Yos!". She struck the fence hard, so I am about to run up to see if she is fine, but back out as the giant silvester Kamas is doing the same. "Are you all right?" He asks her, extending his hand. She simply grunts, smacks his hand aside and stands up. Then she gives me an incredibly mean look and dashes inside.

"Did I do something wrong?" I ask, trying to clarify why I was hated.

"Don't mind" Bosir says and shows a bitter smile. "She had just convinced herself she was as strong as an apprentice could be, but now she get beat by another, her junior no less. I think it is only her pride that has been seriously wounded, which is good for her in the long run."

"And possibly her insides, which isn't. That looked like a pretty nasty blow, make sure she sees the priest tomorrow, boss" Bern adds.

"Don't you think it's the one who got her riled up in the first place that should take her"

"Nah, I was going to stop her, you are the one who allowed it"

"Nevermind that, let's go back to drinking." Caper says

"That's right, the night is still young" Toben adds.

As for me, I rejected it. I feel a little better about actually winning a spar for once, but also bad for pissing her off... And maybe slightly disappointed for it being so short, it felt slightly unfilfilling. So, I swing my sword in the courtyard for a while, thinking over the events. An hours or so later I turn in for the night.

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