The Guardians of Celesk

Chapter 15 : Running the Gauntlet

She nodded and walked backward a few paces, effectively letting Lucern back to the front.

"That's right, but for now you are just a bunch of weak and pathetic civilians, just like I was.... I'm going to divide you into groups: This line at the front: Archery, This line in the centre - blades, and the rest... hand to hand combat."

Lucern hoped to demoralise them somewhat, but his plans obviously failed, for they all looked far too excited for his liking.

In the cabin in the mountains, a new kind of training was being implemented. Artreide concentrated on his new student "That's it, up! Keep going! Up! Up!"

Bohina was also encouraging " Up! That's it!" all the while laughing hysterically.

Their new student, Chenari, was desperately trying to stand up on her haunches, before keeling over and sitting down on her backside on the soft grass. She was smiling at her parents attempts to teach, flashing them red raw gums with the odd tooth threatening to pop out among the drool.

They continued to cheer her on.

"How old is she again?"

"A season perhaps?'

"It's a little early for standing."

"It's a little early for teeth too."

"I know we're biased but she's obviously gifted."

Chenari continued to try and stand, before easing herself back down and rolling on the grass.

"Haha! That's it!" They decided to continue coaching their little Chenari for several reasons: with the most important one being that she would wear herself out and get a solid nap in. Artreide longed for a nap himself before he saw the garden overloaded with weeds. Bohina continued to coach her Cha Cha before they all surrendered to hunger and exhaustion.

Jara nocked another arrow to her bowstring. Her fingers eagerly slotting it into place, before allowing her guiding eye to look along the arrow tip to the target itself. It was a straw man lilting lazily along the edge of the field. She took a deep breath and at the crucial moment, she let go of the taut string and as it gave off the obligatory 'fump' sound she watched the arrow speedily hit the top centre of the straw face. A few strands flaked off and hit the grass. She was met by some eager applause. "That was just for show, I should have been aiming for the throat. When you fire at a sentry, you want to silence them as quick as possible ,and the throat is one of the best spots. Of course, the head will also do."

Some of her witnesses looked horrified at the thought. She scanned the faces for anyone averting their eyes. "Now, this is all well ahead of you. At this point I'll just be happy if your fired in the right direction."

She pulled another arrow out. "Now grab out your arrow, nock it to the bow like I just did and try to repeat the same action."

At least they were all lined up and facing the right way. At her three count, they aimed and fired. She was praying for a natural among them, just one who was already close to the target. As she watched them all fire off their arrows, 'mixed results' was a clearly understated term.

The first trainee slapped the bowstring on her arm and yelped in pain. The second in line, let the string snap back but the arrow fell to the ground. Most let the arrow fly for about 5 steps in distance while the absolute best of them floated just under the target. She sighed once again and sent the worst two to fire crossbows instead, watching Lucern rub his hands together as he both welcomed them and shouted at them to stand to attention.

Their days of being mediocre archers were not even at a middle.

In spite of her teething pain, Chenari looked up and with great purpose focused on the doll Artreide was holding in his hand. "Come on. That's it!" She had successfully clambered a few steps, but this was the real test. She put one foot forward, and another, stumbling across the wooden floor like she had too much mead, swaying and keeling over. She couldn't help but laugh. "Keep going" both Bohina and Artreide said in unison.

She got up again and gingerly took a few more steps. She stumbled and swayed again but this time she corrected herself. Cha-cha was almost dancing on her heels as she let the forward momentum take her. "Keep going!" Artreide said with even more enthusiasm. In the last few steps, she continued to plod in a wayward push, before falling into his arms and grabbing the doll; her glorious trophy that she stuck in her mouth.

"Excellent! Another milestone. What's next?"

"Bathroom training." Bohina said.

"No way. Not even soon." Artreide said before looking at Bohina's face.

"Well when we get to it, it's all on you my darling."

"Don't even joke about that. You will be wrist deep in it just like me."

"Now you're neck deep in it!" hollered Lucern as he noted some warriors in training with swords.

He was interrupted by Heraken, the new leader of the Golden Blade.

"Haven't you got a crossbow to teach."

"Not much to it really. I've decided to make them do laps in the field instead."

Well , please let me berate them and undermine their confidence in peace."

"Of course, they're all yours."

As he addressed them, he unsheathed his sword. Its shimmer caught their attention as they stared at it. Though the name golden blade was more of a misnomer. It has gold in its hilt and as a centre piece, but the rest of the sword was built from Celeskian steel.

"You should hold this blade with reverence...to a point. The reality is that without someone skilled to wield it, it becomes merely an inanimate object...Give me a piece of tin with a sharp edge and I could end you."

Lucien looked back and chuckled. The man was right, he didn't need any help instilling some fear in them. His words could cut better than Lucern's at this point. He let the man conduct his initial lesson.

"The point is that it's only as good as the person wielding it. Which is why you're all holding the weapon worthy of your skill."

They all looked down at their own weapons: All holding wooden swords as blunt as the days were long. He continued to remain sombre in his delivery, yet they were all completely engaged.

"It was the weapon I first trained with, and so shall it be with you all. When I'm confident you can wield them with some level of skill, then we can upgrade your equipment. But for now, you need to practice. Now place them back in your wooden sheaths..."

An overeager student interrupted him. "I thought we were going to practise."

Heraken reflexively whacked him with the flat back of the sword, right across his backside. "Ow!" he replied.

"Can we please avoid interruptions? Now as I was saying, sheathe your swords."

As he said this, he quickly sheathed his own sword, before they copied in suit.

"Check your stance, footing and in one sharp movement unsheathe your sword and have it at the ready. Look your enemy in the eye the whole time as you do this in one fast, smooth movement."

They all tried to replicate his movements but many could not help but look at their sheathe and sword.

He unsheathed his sword and pointed it at the first student.

"If this was for real, you'd be dead by now. Never take your eyes off your enemy and always be ready. This is the first lesson."

They watched him repeat this in one quick action, the whole time his eyes never left theirs.

"Now... do it again! And this time, don't look at the sword. Remember slow is smooth, and smooth is fast."

They had no idea if this paradox was true until they started sparring, but that could be an eternity. Once again, Heraken wished for a natural, but this seemed unlikely. He wasn't a Guardian but he still believed in the Erto-en, which was telling him the true way.

The river never flowed straight, and it had many bends, but it always guided the way.