Chương 33: Chapter 1.33: Pointers, Politics and Patriarchs

Twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine… Favius breathed heavily as he held his body in a perfect plane during the push-ups.

"Keep your back straight," Brutus harshly interjected, and an exhausted smile played over his face. At least it's my sisters and not me getting corrected this time. He looked up slightly, observing the cultivator doing one-armed push-ups supported by two fingers in front of him. As they finished the set, the man began talking.

"Dueling. The first thing to know about it is that it used to be how senators killed each other." Favius frowned while they transitioned from push-ups to sit-ups. Brutus looked all three siblings in the eyes.

"Before the dictator banned the use of metal in duels, sending a martial cultivator like me at your political opponents and covering it up as a duel was the preferred way of getting rid of a political opponent."

"Really?" Caliga gasped between sit-ups.

"That sounds complicated." Brutus laughed.

"If someone influential kept themselves too well covered, sending bladed shadows in the dark proved the solution for that problem." Favius's gut tightened while he tried to maintain perfect form.

"But still," he gasped out, "how can dueling be fair? With cultivators like you?" Brutus laughed.

"Almost everyone of importance is a cultivator, Favius." He looked over at Caliga.

"Except those stained souls who are unable to cultivate."

"Mother," Caliga spat out, and yelped when the spittle fell back onto her. Urania turned her head and giggled between her breaths. Brutus glared at them.

"If there is strength for laughing, there is strength for more exercises. So we are doing this set again." All three of them groaned, and Favius enjoyed the suffering in silence for a while, but inevitably Brutus continued.

"If a mage, shifter, or martial is engaged in a challenge, the lesser party may call upon a champion." Brutus marched back and forth in front of them like a drill instructor.

"And of course, dueling across cultivation tiers means that the winner is obligated to pay the tax on duels."

"So," Favius gasped out as they switched to jumping jacks, "all I need to do to wring some money out of my enemies is challenge those who have a higher cultivation than I have." Brutus laughed.

"That's the spirit, boy!" But Favius shook his head. This is interesting and all, but holy hell, I'd like to think about it. Another jumping jack broke his train of thought. But Brutus always tells me this while training, where I can't think. He ground his teeth as he pushed through the set despite the burning exhaustion in his legs. Brutus clapped his hands as they finished, and Favius led his sisters to the weapon stands, where they picked out wooden swords and shields.

Caliga picked up hers with enthusiasm and flourished her blade before pointing it at Favius. He returned the grin and playfully batted the tip of her practice sword away. Urania groaned on the side.

"I still don't get why I have to train sword fighting. I'll never be…" She looked between them.

"I know I'm going to be a cultivator, but I'm not going to be a Martial like you two." Favius snorted.

"You think I'm going to be a Martial?" Caliga poked at the younger sister.

"Well, you're obviously getting trained so you know not to cross your elder siblings, because they will always defeat you with the blade." She struck a heroic pose, and Favius chuckled before noticing Brutus staring at him from the side. Then the man shook his head as if to clear it. While they went through the forms and Brutus kept poking them to adjust their stances, he continued.

"Duels are fought in gymnasium dress, like you are wearing at the moment." He gestured at the loincloths and chest wraps they all wore.

"There are four kinds of duels." He raised one finger.

"If I ever catch any of you fighting the first kind, I will make sure that you regret that decision when we meet next." Favius frowned, yet Brutus continued before any coherent thoughts could form.

"The duel to satisfaction." Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators! Brutus clapped his hands.

"It is for young nobles who get cocky, issue a challenge, and then realize they're actually about to get punched in the face." Caliga chuckled, and even Favius smiled. I think this was a thing back on Earth, though I've never seen it in fiction, but if Brutus is correct—"At any time during the duel to satisfaction, either party might declare they are satisfied, therefore ending the duel." Favius could feel the Magnicultor glaring at each of them in turn.

"It is a boring affair that is disrespectful to the glory of martial combat. Is that understood?"

"Yes," all three of them called out.

"So what duels are we supposed to fight?" Caliga called out. Brutus smiled.

"Either to first blood or to surrender."

"I personally would always recommend going to surrender."

"Favius, why do I recommend that?" He didn't even have to think.

"An opponent might get lucky with first blood, but with our superior training and endurance, it should always be possible to outlast them till surrender."

"Very good. It seems like my effort to cultivate an insight of endurance in you isn't going entirely to waste."

"So what's the last kind of duel?" Urania said while resetting her stance.

"The duel to the death." They all looked at each other.

"But didn't the dictator prohibit duels to the death?" Caliga ventured. Brutus made a vague gesture with his hand.

"Fundamentally, yes. Killing someone during a duel is punishable by death if the officiator deems that the killing was intended. However, there are circumstances where such a duel might occur." Caliga chuckled and poked her sword into Favius's shoulder.

"So what would Favius have to do to fight someone to the death?" Brutus glared at her, then at Favius. Slowly, all three siblings stopped their forms as the air grew heavy. Favius swallowed.

"Demanding a duel to the death is a privilege of those sentenced to execution who are seen as honorable enough to let the gods judge their fate a final time." Brutus' eyes met Favius's, and he shivered. Yes, I should probably avoid that. He nodded. Soon Brutus gestured them into the arena to fight mock duels. In the ring beside them, Urania sighed as Caliga readied herself for the training fight. Favius gave her an encouraging smile, but suddenly he needed to focus on his own fight.

Brutus moved in quickly, and Favius barely managed to take three steps back, avoiding the man's blurring fists. And then he was in the air as Brutus kicked his legs out from under him. He hit the ground. Favius rolled on his side and scrambled back, trying to get to his feet. But Brutus kicked sand, and while Favius managed to close his eyes, the grains burned against his skin like shotgun pellets. As he opened his eyes, he saw the man sprinting toward him and rolled aside. What is going on?

He isn't usually this aggressive. The air was knocked out of his lungs by a kick, and he rolled with it across the sandy floor, shaking the grit from his skin.

"Brutus, what is—" The man stopped and glared at him.

"Tell me, boy, are you going to be faithful to your ancestors?" Favius's eyes narrowed. What is he going on about? He desperately dodged the next few attacks, but less than five seconds later another kick struck him, and he found himself scrambling again.

"What do you mean?" he cried out. In the periphery, Caliga and Urania had stopped fighting and were watching.

"What do I mean? You seem to be eager to agree with Marcus's demands." Brutus punched him in the chest, and Favius had several blessed seconds to gasp for air.

"His demands?" His thoughts raced. Why is he suddenly so mad? Everything was— Brutus spat the next words at him with a chilling coldness.

"You agreed to denounce the dictator in public. Don't you recall what your father told you before his death? Do his last words mean nothing to you?" Favius gestured broadly at the gymnasium.

"I had to agree to get—" A quick strike cut him off, and he barely dodged it. Brutus stepped back, staring at him across the ring. Favius noted the man was shivering. Caliga held Urania by the arm, and the girls argued quietly. Brutus and Favius looked at each other.

"Always remember, the dictator was a great man. He saved the Republic from corruption and greed. He reshaped our culture to be more honorable and true to the virtues any man ought to strive for." Favius ground his teeth. I like Brutus, but this devotion to a strongman dictator who overthrew a republic—"I'm not going to discuss politics with you, Brutus." Brutus sneered.

"Yes, you are, boy."

"You know very well that I couldn't—" Brutus made a cutting gesture.

"I do not care. You are going to have to denounce his name. But I want to make sure that deep down in your heart, you always know the truth."

"And what truth is that?" Favius sneered. This dictator's fucking cult of personality. Talking about that man with Brutus—it's like talking to a Nazi after Germany's defeat in the World War. Brutus blurred forward again and dismantled Favius's desperate defense within a few quick strikes. Favius tried to punch back, but the man's body felt as if it were carved from steel. Soon his face was pressed into the dirt, a knee on his back, his arms constrained. He struggled, growling into the sand.

Brutus leaned close, his breath hot against Favius's ear.

"I surrender," Favius hissed. But Brutus leaned closer, his beard brushing his skin.

"Always remember what your father fought for. The methods of the dictator were cold, but necessary. Do not dishonor who we are despite everything we must do to survive." Suddenly, Brutus let go. Favius pressed his eyes shut and let out a long breath into the dust. Another fucking battle I cannot win. Not now. He pushed himself up, then saw Brutus standing over him with an outstretched hand.

"No duel is ever just a contest of martial prowess, do you understand?" For a moment, Favius clenched his teeth. He looked over at his siblings. Could just walk off. Tell him this crossed a line. But he showed me a weakness others might exploit. And I fell for it. Got angry at him trying to push my buttons. Favius shook his head, swallowed, and grasped Brutus's forearm.

"Thank you." Brutus pulled him up. There were tears in the man's eyes as he stepped forward and hugged him with a smile.

"Never forget what you fight for, Favius. Never forget your family." Brutus leaned down and whispered into his ear.

"In this world, or in the other." A cold shiver ran over Favius's spine. He let out a stuttering breath.

"Yes," he said quietly, before repeating it louder.

"I will remember what's important, Brutus."