Unending Battle: Sanim Htirit

The group made good time for the next week. No raiders and no mishaps. In the third day, Demigod asked Kouken to cut a long stave and two smaller ones. The long stave was about six feet long, and the two small about four.

Demigod and Kouken had settled their differences on the second night and now were on mediocre terms. Demigod found out that Kouken’s harsh tone had been from a mixture of loss of voice and sleep deprivation.

Demigod summoned Katara- who was now healing qiuet well- and Rine for there first self-defence lesson.

He presented them with the smaller staves and took for himself the longer.

“Attack me.” He said. Katara raised an eyebrow and brandished her stave in a high chopping motion. Demigod slapped he shins and twisted to face Rine. The stave was taller than she was, so she had to use it like a spear. She trust it out at Demigod’s torso. Demigod dodged  and spun and deftly nocked Katara, who had been sneaking up on him, on the head.

Rine attacked agian, swiping the staff to trip Demigod. Demigod jumped, landed on the staff, and caught Katara’s staff in his hand, as she tried to strike his abdomen.
“Good try, but you offensive technique stinks. Now I attack you.” He said. Katars had just enough time to back up as Demigod swiped at her torso.
He launched three blows on Katara and on the third swiped the staff from her hand. He then turned to Rine. He met her stave in the air and twisted it out of her hand.
“And so does you defensive.” He said. A slight grimace crossed his face. “First, you need to work on you grip. Katara, take to stave on both hands, and place them about two inches from the end of the stave’s length. Rine, both hands, about your chest’s length apart.” H showed them basic parries and cuts. He then called over Arryd and Kayla, who had just gotten back from hunting with two giant wolpertingers. Arryd and Demigod sparred, showing Katara and Rine the basic cuts and parried. The he sparred with Kayla, showing them how a real sword fight went.

Demigod and Kayla ducked, jumped, cut, parried, slid, chopped, ducked, thrust, and punched with there swordhilts until they were both dripping with sweat.

Demigod decided that it had been a good fight and Kayla had done well, but she was done for. It was time to end it.

Demigod launched into a viscous attack. He unleashed a fire that was pent up inside him. Kayla’s armed and feet where flying. He pushed hard against her stave, leaning into it.

Suddenly, when she wasn’t expecting it, Demigod took off his weight and unleashed his foot. It caught her right ankle and pulled her off balance she went down and realised her stave. Demigod caught it as it went from her hand.

“Nice job, I have only faced one woman as skilled with the sword as you.” He said, helping her up.

“Thank you. I will be sure to try and find this woman.” She said. Demigod’s face became shadowed. But for only a moment, and he was back to himself. Rine could tell that the other woman had been Jae.

Demigod and Arryd skinned the wolpertingers. The set one roasting over a crackling fire, and the other they cured with salt for the road.

Over the next couple days, Demigod and the girls practiced sword-fighting and all ways ended with Demigod sparring with Arryd or Kayla.

One day, Kouken decided that Demigod couldn’t battle anyone that didn’t have a sword or spear, and challenged him to a duel. Demigod would use Fandril and Kouken would use his axe. The duel time was set for midnight, and they would both have protective coverings on there weapons as not to injure each other seriously.

Demigod went to bed early, so as to have enough energy for the duel. Kouken did so as well.

At midnight, Arryd woke Demigod. Kayla woke Kouken. Demigod went for a brisk run to loosen his muscles.

The pair placed the protective coverings over there weapons. Arryd and Kayla would referee the duel.

Arryd asked Demigod and Kouken to shake hands. They did likewise. Demigod periced Kouken’s dark eyes with his vibrant green ones and Kouken just about crushed Demigod’s hand. Demigod’s eyes did not show the pain, and Kouken took the weird stare without flinching.

Kayla nocked an arrow. She was going to fire an arrow between them. As soon as it passed left the nocked, they would begin the battle.

The arrow left the nock. Kouken backed up, to avoid the arrow, and Demigod, taking advantage of Kouken’s lost ground, dove under the arrow’s line of flight and blasted Fandril’s hilt into Kouken’s shins.

Kouken grimaced and chopped down with his axe. Demigod Dodged out of the way. Kouken followed him with a slash at Demigod’s torso. Demigod dodged agian. He did not raise his sword to combat.

Kouken feinted a left chop and turned it into a thrust with his axe head. Demigod lept back.

“Come on, Demigod. You just going to be a little squirrel and jump around this entire duel?” asked Kouken scornfully.

“Excellent question. I prefer to keep foes in the dark.” Replied Demigod, leaping aside to avoid a down-cut.  

“I know you kind, Demigod. You will search for a point of weakness, then attack.” Kouken bantered.

“That may be so, but its not my only way.” Kouken retreated and was about to release remark, when Demigod went for it.

He didn’t go in the normal way though. He slammed Fandril into her scabbard and launched himself at Kouken. Kouken raised an eyebrow.

Demigod stuck his pointer and middle fingers out and jammed them into a nerve cluster at the base of Kouken’s neck.

Kouken’s body locked up and grimace appeared on his face as the pain set in. Demigod pulled the axe from Kouken’s hand.

“I win.” He said.

“Interesting. You went tired him out, then went for a weak point he didn’t know he had.” said Kayla in awe.

“Exactly.” said Demigod, “Rine, I think this may be a good fighting technique for you. Its not that I don’t doubt your ability, but its the reach of your arm I’m worried about.” He said to her.

Rine wanted a lesson immediately, but Demigod decided against it.

They reached Sanim Htirit in 16 days. The entire trip, Demigod and Rine worked on nerve clusters and Demigod and Katara worked on swordfighting.

As they entered the realm of the Kaed people, were Sanim Htirit was located.

The great wall city rose head and shoulders above everything that the naked eye could see. The great fortress and palace of the kings of Sanim Htirit rose in turn above anything else in the city.

As they crossed the plan, Kayla asked Demigod what there plan was.

“I have a friend that runs an inn called the Blunt Blade on the east wall of Sanim Htirit. We will take lodging there, and I will consult the Oracle of Lenendil.” he said. Kayla nodded.

“I’ve been to the Blunt Blade. Malyn is very nice. Its a wonder that she runs that place without any external help.” said Kayla.

“Why is that?” asked Katara.

“Because she is younger than you.” said Demigod.

“And she runs the place all by herself?” asked Rine.

“Yes.” answered Kayla. Rine shrugged.

As they entered the city, Rine’s senses were bombarded with smells, sight, and sound. the crisp meaty scent of sizzling meat followed by the crackling noise it issued. Birds called for scraps on the house roofs.The sound of clanking armor and pounding feet as a guard patrol passed.

“Wow.” she breathed in awe. Demigod smiled.

“You’ve probably never been to a city before, have you.” Rine shook her head.

“Come on.” said Demigod. Kouken paved a wide path for them to follow. Demigod directed him to the Blunt Blade, were he rang a bell for service.

A short girl with short cropped hair like Demigod’s came to the front desk. She wore breaches and a tunic like boy would and had a mass of freckles across her nose.

“Hi, Demigod. And Kayla too!” She said. She hopped over the half-wall that separated her from the group and grasped Demigod in a viscous hug.

“Greetings, Malyn.” said Demigod sound rather uncomfortable.

“Oh, yeah. I forgot that you not the touchy-feely kind of person.” She said a smile cracking across her face. “And that you don;t like to touch the opposite sex unless your married to them. Hi Kayla!” Malyn gave Kayla the same treatment as she had Demigod. Kayla returned the embrace though.

“Who are your friends?” asked Malyn.

“Meet Arryd, elf warrior and Rine, Furry.” said Demigod. Arryd nodded and Rine said:

“Hello.”

“Hi! I’ve never met a Furry before.” she said.

“I’ve never met a human girl like you before.” said Rine.

“Can we have two back rooms?” asked Demigod.

“Sure! You can have my room.” said Malyn enthusiastically.

“There is no need for that.” said Demigod. He handed her five gold coins.

“Friends don’t need to pay.” she said.

“Well, I prefer to pay, seeing as how you make friends with just about everyone, you wouldn’t have anything to pay for.” He closed her fingers around the coins. Malyn shrugged and tucked them in her pocket.