Chương 51: Chapter 50 - A Duet of Dulled Blades

Elias woke up without any strange dreams, and in surprising comfort given the warm bedding and darkened interior of the tent. He would not have expected such simple comforts to have such an effect on him, but the change was nice. What was not so nice, was a deep ravening pit of hunger in his stomach. A loud groaning rumble reverberated through the tent, and Eli laughed as the sound startled Tia awake as she sat up from her nest with slow sleepy blinks.

As the bond grew deeper, Tia was better able to sense Eli's mood in turn and she arched her back in a feline stretch while stretching her technicolor wings to full extension, Ready for breakfast brother-eli? Eli smiled, sure, just a minute.

Cleaned, dressed, packed and ready for the day, Eli strode through the tent flap out into a bustling camp, having slept later than usual after yesterday's training. Tia rode his shoulder as they got in line for breakfast having missed the chance to help with prep. As the line quickly wound to the front, Tia gave a soft but excited chirp and squeezed gently with the tail wrapped around Eli's bicep. Brother! You missed it! Knife-man-foodmaker just looked at the brown-fruitbringer's tail! Yessss!

You should tell the brown one so she can issue a mating challenge, foodmaker's food might be even more tasty after mating! Tia! Two-legs do not talk with others about that, they will be happier if they figure it out on their own. Also it's Cooper and Sasha. I know you heard their names before. Tia looked at Eli in confusion, What title is better than foodmaker? What if there are more foodmakers? Technically Cooper, Sasha, Astrid, and Franklin all make the meals together.

Please, they are foodhelpers at best, if you wish brother-eli. She drew her head and wings into the air in a regal pose. I am the great wise dragon queen Tiamat, and I will simplify my words for your tiny brain. Your wisdom is profound as always lady Tia, I am always in awe of your grace. I will request extra fruit in honor of your benevolence. Yessssss! Eli laughed at the happy hiss as she wriggled in delight.

When Sasha handed Eli his breakfast he did not bring up Cooper checking her out, and while Tia disapproved she was mollified by the return of triple portions for her and Eli. Cooper turned down the offer to help break down the kitchen, suggesting that he find Mira first." Trust me lad, your time is far better spent learning from Lady Blackhall than lugging boxes with my squad.

Squeeze every bit you can from her while you can, if you keep working hard like you did yesterday, you and the little beastie will be unholy terrors in no time." Eli shrugged, " Helping friends is never a waste of time in my book, but suit yourself. And thanks for working with Tia, it was a huge help." Cooper waved them off, " Lady Tia is a delight, it's no trouble at all. Me and Sasha are happy to have company any time.

It is a shame we can't talk to her like you can, though Sasha is a wizard at working things out with just a nod for yes and a shake for no." Elias thanked the man and after sweeping his gaze across the small meadow spanning the dirt path between the treeline and the riverbanks that the patrol was occupying. Eli spotted Mira watching over Astra as she was speaking with the refugees, Astra gave him a smile and a wave as he joined Mira.

Mira murmured to Eli, " 17 refugees and none were from Springdale, although 3 of the five groups were ambushed after leaving the village. 4 of 6 if you include our patrol." Tia hissed quietly as Eli soothed her anger with some scratches, sounds like there is a shifty bird hiding among the two-legs flight. Mira nodded, " The same suspicions my Lady and I harbor as well, a problem for this evening though, and in the meantime you two have some more work to do."

Mira outlined her plan for the days to come in broad strokes. After using yesterday to gauge their base attributes she intended to shift to a more balanced schedule, physical training in the morning to work on base attribute increases for both of them, with an extra helping of pain for Eli to compensate for his increases from his race bonuses and the free points they will be trickling in over the next few weeks.

Mira will accompany Eli for his portion to begin his education on the Realm of Caelwyn and the Empire while Tia worked with Cooper and Sasha to train her body. The afternoons would be a mix of skill acquisition and training for Eli that would change as needed, and lessons on humanoid culture from Mira as she was the only other person who could understand her.

Astra joined them mid explanation and was dismayed that Mira would not be joining her and that she would not be able to sneak in some Tia time, but Mira was firm." My Lady this expedition is meant to be an exercise in leadership, I would be failing in my duties if I distracted you from yours." Astra did perk up when Mira mentioned Eli would need a sparring partner occasionally, her visible excitement only slightly tempered as Mira emphasized that he would need to focus on skill acquisition and consolidation.

Astra laughed it off, " Please Mira, if you saw Eli's performance when he had zero skills to help you wouldn't be worried either." She struck a dramatic pose, "Never fear Eli!"" As both your guide and your senior pupil will show you the power of a [Crimson Flame Mageknight]!" Eli gave her a dubious look, " It's not your skill I question but my own. I'm all for a challenge, but maybe I should start with something a little more basic?"

Astra gave him a sly grin while leaning in to speak quietly so her voice wouldn't carry." Basic? Please, I have seen how you move when it is time to sing the song of blood and fire. You would devour my men faster than one of the beasts from the Reach, maybe Mr. Cooper or Mr. Mason would give you a challenge, but no I have your measure." She leaned back up before turning and sauntering off to break camp, " You bring the beast Eli, and I'll bring the pain."

Mira watched Astra depart with a proud smile as Tia cackled in delight, Yessss brother! Taste the flames!

The cool wind blowing through the sun-dappled canopy was refreshing, bringing the sounds of rushing water and wicking some of the sweat that ran down Eli's skin as he finished the last exercise of Mira's morning routine.

Eli slapped the side of the leading wagon as he finished the final sprint after almost an hour of racing back and forth between the two wagons pivoting in response to Mira's barked instructions weaving an ever more complicated pattern between the six vehicles bracketing him on either side of the broad forest path. Eli pulled up his notifications with a grin. This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Ding [Congratulations! [Stalwart] has reached Lv 5] He was loving the new skill that Mira helped him pick up this morning to replace his crafting skill, who knew something like this existed? Ding [Congratulations! You have unlocked the general skill [Studious Pupil]] Ding [Would you like to discard a previous skill and learn [Studious Pupil]?] Ding [You have lost the skill [Basic Weapon Crafting - Primitive: Lv 4]] Ding [Congratulations! You have learned the general skill [Studious Pupil] Lv 1] Ding [Studious Pupil: Lv 1 - A motivated pupil is a productive one. You have shown a great desire to learn more about the world around you and expand your skills. This skill will passively enhance your ability to process and incorporate new information. Increased knowledge retention and skill growth per level.] Apparently this skill provides a 1% increase to skill acquisition and leveling speed per level, I already gained 4 levels in it and another in stalwart already when it took me an entire day's work for two yesterday! Apparently the skill, like many others, had a few evolutions he could work on farther down the line to enhance the effect further and the current version would help to speed up his skill training as he built towards his goal.

Mira was able to trigger the skill by lecturing him on a wide spectrum of different topics during his morning training helping to set the foundation for his knowledge of the world. She speculated that he was either very motivated or had a particular affinity for learning, as the skill would usually take a lot more effort to trigger.

This afternoon would be dedicated to leveling his [Tracking] and [Dismantling] which Mira assured him if he was able to get the skills to the max level and pick up the [First Aid] skill he would be able to merge the three together with [Observant] and [Stealth] into a composite skill that would be the first step on the way to evolving to the kind of class he was looking for. Eli plopped down next to Cooper's wagon as Tia chattered away from the driver's bench filling him in on her morning.

She had opinions on the banter between Sasha and Cooper and Eli smiled as she told her how much she shipped the pair like scaly fangirl and was secretly plotting how she could set them up. Ostensibly this was to improve the food quality for the whole camp, Eli was pretty sure she was just thinking with her own stomach, but one of the upsides of being able to feel her emotions was that Eli knew it was because she genuinely thought it would be the best for all involved.

A little cajoling got her to put the plans on hold, at least until the Tiamat spent more time around other people and could get a better understanding of humanoid relationship dynamics. How would you feel if someone tried to convince you to pick a mate you might not be interested in? Easy! I would ask sister-astra to burn them to a crisp and then I would feed their carcass to the birds!" What are you two chatting about?" Astra approached with a smile as Tia chirped away at Eli.

Eli smirked before waving at Tia, " Oh just plotting how to make you an accessory to murder. Tia was telling me how if someone annoyed her she would just ask you to burn them alive and she would handle disposing of the body via evil birds." Astra cackled, " Excellent intuition Lady Tia! You bring any trouble makers my way and I will show them the errors of their ways!" Eli smiled as they mimed the various deaths of imaginary devil-doers, and gave them a moment before asking what brought Astra over.

She tossed him a wooden staff with a blunted axe blade on one side of the head, a blunt spear point in the middle, and a thick knob on the other, Eli gave the training poleaxe a twirl before arching a brow at Astra. Astra pulled a second from behind her back with a flourish." Mira asked me to level your polearm skill a bit before you left on your hunt this afternoon, ready to spar for a bit?" Eli nodded before following, " Sure, sounds like fun. Can you walk me through the basics?

I've really only worked with staves and spears."

Eli settled into a ready low guard stance, spearpoint to the ground butt in his armpit, across from Astra as she settled into a high guard, the pair eyeing each other with steely expressions over the ten foot distance between them in the clearing next to the parked wagons. Tia was watching from Cooper's shoulder as a small crowd gathered to watch, and of course Tia had convinced Sasha to feed her some inkfruit while they watched.

Eli was paying attention to Astra's sky blue eyes waiting for an indication that she would move, but was watching her calm stance from his peripheral vision. His heart began to pick up speed as the tension between their gazes mounted, ratcheting up a notch as Astra began with flicking out a testing blow, bringing her axeblade down for a slash across his thighs. Eli easily deflected the blow, as well as the second as she used the momentum to whirl the knob back around for a hammer blow to his left shoulder.

Her expression eased for a moment as she began circling, Eli matching her step for step in the opposite direction. Eli sent out his own probing strike, a spearing thrust to the left thigh spun into an axe blow to the right shoulder on the first parry, before using the axe blade to lock her haft on the second parry and spin the momentum into a thrust to the left shoulder. A smile spread across Astra's face as Eli scored the first blood, and their circling picked up pace.

Eli ignored the murmuring of the crowd, a smile touched his lips and his heartbeat picked up a murmur of drums stirring in his chest. Astra struck again, faster and more forceful this time, she whirled through a series of seven attacks and six parries to catch Eli with an axeblade to the right thigh on the final blow.

As they separated again Eli's heart began to race, the drums bursting to life as adrenaline roared in his veins, a feral grin spreading on Astra's face to match his own, and Eli burst forward whirling his weapon into a series of ferocious strikes. Astra returned his ferocity with a savage strength of her own, the supernatural strength of their blows finally providing enough momentum for her to break into her signature style, spinning with the blows and parries whirling through with the speed of a striking viper.

She danced and wove through the storm of blows as if moving to the steps of a song only she could hear, but as the drums rose in his heart Eli began to follow the her moves, not following the flow but as a foil that the crackling rain of beats rang out against in the clearing, but no less in sync. Thump. Eli thrust towards her right eye as Astra cracked the knob of her weapon against it just enough to miss. Thump.

Astra pirouetted with the momentum of the parry swinging the butt of her weapon up into a throat strike. Thump. Eli whirled his weapon in a spin striking the butt of her staff knocking it off course to miss above the crown of his head and used the momentum to reverse the spin and bring the spearpoint down into a cross slash that would open her from shoulder to hip if not countered. Thump.

Astra whips out a kick to Eli's hip knocking his slash of course before continuing into a flip over his weapon as it whistles underneath bringing up her spearpoint into a thrusting heartstrike as she regains her feet. Thump. Eli whips his staff around, knocking the thrust clear as he turns with the momentum of the kick to gain some distance of his own while planting his feet and coiling into a crouch. Thump. The drums roar in Eli's ears and the thrill of a true challenge sends power coursing through his veins.

The warbeat fills him singing a siren song of battle and glory, a wild grin stretches across his face as his eyes are dancing alight with the joy of dancing across the razor's edge. Thump. A pair of sky blues eyes dancing with their own inner fire meet his, hovering above a wild grin filled with a familiar exhilaration, and Eli can hear a faint echo in his heart, a wild chant on the edge of hearing, singing a song of warmth and running free, of dancing in the sun underneath an open sky. Thump.

Eli's heart soars as he launches forward with a spiraling strike, she launches forward in a twirling counterspin, and the axeblades lock, binding both shafts as they flex and groan under the strain. Thump. A pair of sharp cracks echo in the clearing followed by a whistling sound and both shafts snap and the enormous tension the pair had subjected them too caused the poleaxe heads to recoil disappearing into the brush in different directions with a whistle.

The unexpected result brought reality crashing back down on Eli as both him and Astra came to a halt in the middle of the clearing, breath heaving as Eli looked down on the splintered remains of the haft in his hand in confusion, and Astra looking down at hers in disappointment. The clearing eerily silent as the pair smiled at each other with slowing breaths, listening to the patter of splinters gently raining down, only for the silence to be broken at the sounds of two pairs of hands clapping in applause.

Eli looked up to find a silent audience of several squads of soldiers watching with stunned expressions ranging from astonished to wary. The sound of a tiny roar of victory finally helping Eli find the source of the clapping as he spotted Tia crowing on the shoulder of Cooper as he and Sashe wore a bemused but not surprised expression, as Evelynn and Anjelica, Tia's cheer squad, completely failed to read the room clapping and cheering like they were at minstrel show.