knight quest: spar

A few years had passed since Saiph and ■■■■■ enrolled as trainee knights. While they pursued different knight paths, they always spent their time together as much as possible, supporting each other’s work. Over time, their diligence paid off, and they were acknowledged as one of the best trainees in their hometown. Now that they had completed their basic knight training, it was time for them to choose a specialization and hone their skills even further. ■■■■■ ‘s quick reflexes and strong determination made him well-suited to the path of a Fighter, while Saiph chose the path of Mender to complement him on high-risk missions.

Saiph’s magical skills had also matured over time, and he was no longer apprehensive about sparring with others using his spells. While he wasn’t as physically strong as the average Royal Knight, his hard work in learning magical principles and practicing incantations paid off, allowing him to fight on equal footing with them using magic. Of course, magic was of no use against Corruption Beasts, but it could still be employed to defend Lunerest from outside threats and drive away other dangerous fauna. Plus… it was undeniable that Saiph quite enjoyed outwitting his opponents using tactics instead of brute force.

The prowess of the Fighter and Mage duo was well-known in town, and other xyns would sometimes gather to watch them when they sparred. Today was no exception - veteran and rookie knights alike were hanging out in the knight barracks, and a few of them naturally gravitated towards the training grounds once they heard the sounds of a duel underway.

Years of dedicated physical training had turned ■■■■■ from a lanky malnourished Moxyn into an imposing knight clad in light leather armour. He held a large steel claymore in his mouth, firmly grasping the handle with a bite strong enough to crush wood and bone. The way he leapt around the clearing without using his wings was mesmerizing to watch – while flying was a xyn’s first instinct to cover ground, it was harder to maneuver while airborne, and the levitating magic used also lessened the impact of one’s landing. By jumping and relying on his muscle strength instead, ■■■■■ could put great force behind his movements and change directions in the blink of an eye.

Such agility was necessary to evade the barrage of magical missiles that his training partner rained down on the arena – Saiph stood at the far end of the clearing, holding a staff in one paw and channeling spells with the other. Multicoloured bolts of astral energy struck the ground at random, creating an ever-shifting obstacle course for ■■■■■ to maneuver through. Occasionally, he would set off larger flares of elemental energy, forcing his partner to react and dash away with barely a second to spare. In fact, neither of them could land a hit on the other; they were evenly matched in skill and speed, giving the audience the impression of watching an acrobatic display rather than a clash of weapons.

Eventually, Saiph was beginning to tire out, and the speed of his spells slowed perceptibly. This gave ■■■■■ the opening he needed. Leaping high above the ground, he brought down his sword with the full force of a mighty blow. The crowd gasped, fearing for Saiph’s safety, but the mage confidently faced the attack head-on. Raising his staff, he conjured a magical shield just in time, and a loud metallic CLANG rang throughout the arena as ■■■■■’s claymore clashed against the barrier. Sparks flew from their point of contact as each tried to overpower the other – to no avail, it seemed.

After a good ten seconds, ■■■■■ relented and backed off. Saiph did the same, lowering his staff and dispelling his shield. The bout was over, and both Moxyns bowed to the audience while trying to catch their breath. The gathered knights broke into a round of applause, clearly appreciative of their skilful display. 

As the audience began to disperse, the two knights made their way out of the arena and headed towards the canteen. They did not speak to each other, merely matching their partner’s pace and taking turns to drink from the kitchen fountain. When other xyns greeted them, they would respond in kind, but kept their silence otherwise. It seemed they were both more exhausted than they appeared to be.

Only when they were safely in the privacy of their dorm rooms did ■■■■■ finally speak.

“Did you actually go all out today? I had a feeling you were still holding back.”

Saiph returned his staff to its carved stand above his bed. “You noticed?”

“Mhm.” ■■■■■ dropped his claymore onto the table and began to polish its edge with a whetstone. “I’ve seen bigger fireballs, that’s for sure.”

“... you know I don’t actually want to hit you too hard.” It took the better part of a year for Saiph to get over his fear of harming others and start sparring with other trainees. “I just want you to be safe.”

“Then I’ll just have to be fast enough to dodge all your spells.” The blue-maned Moxyn snorted. His words were sharp, but they carried a definite warmth.

His companion couldn’t help but smile at that. “Yeah, I guess.” 

Saiph fell silent soon after, watching ■■■■■ tend to his sword. The heavy metal claymore gleamed with an unearthly light in the fading afternoon glow. The weight of his weapon was one of the ways ■■■■■ compensated for not being a Vexyn. When swung with great force, it could smash through walls with ease, perhaps a testament to the determination of its wielder. The fact that ■■■■■ chose to carry it in his jaws instead of his paws was surprising at first glance, but it made sense once one took into account his fighting style – he needed all four feet free to maneuver around the battlefield. He had been using this technique since the start of their journey as knights, but Saiph sometimes still wondered if his teeth were being worn down excessively fast.

“D’you want dinner? I heard there’s starfruit pie tonight.”

That got ■■■■■ to turn around almost immediately.

“Of course.”

That part of him never changed.