Chapter 13 - Training (2)

The powerful strike touched the left cheek of the Savior softly. His eyes were closed out of fear, and his eyelids trembled. 

The square shield only covered up to his neck, leaving his face exposed. His shoulders were raised to protect himself and were burning out of fatigue. His right hand was closed in a fist and covered the right side of his face. 

His wooden sword lay on the ground.

Slowly, Roi opened his eyes. 

Mansin was lowering his guard, giving him space. Lish was looking at his legs and shaking his head.

He was leaning all his weight on his left foot when he tried to avoid the strike, but he was too slow. It was burning out of fatigue, as well as his left hand. Suddenly, His leg failed him, and he fell on his butt and back.

The harsh sound of the shield drew some glances.

<> Lish walked calmly towards the Savior. <> He asked calmly, towering over him with a gentle smile. 

Roi had his mind blank. Everything happened too fast.

<> Roi remained down, giving his body a moment to rest. <> 

Actually, he didn't have the time to think at all.

<> Lish extended his hand to him. <> 

He helped Roi to his feet effortlessly. His grip was inescapable, and it even hurt Roi's hand.

 "Hide and protect myself?" Roi thought. 

He moved his eyes towards Derlom, who was hiding himself under the shield from dozens of strikes. Some hit the wooden armour, others his thighs, and some fell on his shield. Roi could only see his back, so he didn't know if he too was closing his eyes. 

In that moment, the Bastard blocked the fight simulation. 

<> Lish stepped away from them once again.

<> He pointed next to his feet. 

<> The Savior spoke like a fool. He didn't notice it. His hand was so much lighter without a sword.

As soon as he got to the ground, to take it. <> 

The fear returned. 

Roi raised his eyes and saw Mansin dash towards him. A shot of adrenaline flowed through his body. 

He grabbed the sword and got up in a second. His legs screamed. But his shoulder and arm screamed more to lift the shield to parry the slow strike. 

It wasn't powerful, and yet Roi lost his balance. He was forced to take a few steps back. Another slow blow on the shield, and the Savior was beyond salvation. His body was too far back, two steps and he fell onto his back again.

His muscles burned much more than before. 

<> Lish asked. His wooden sword was pointed at the ground, and he was resting his head on his fingers crossed on the hilt.

He continued almost immediately. <> 

He let fall his wooden sword.

<> Lish paused for a moment. He was looking at Mansin, who was walking away from Roi.

<> He said firmly. And so he did. 

<>

***

The training was exhausting. His muscles slowly became weaker and slower. His mind was at its limit. There was a lot to remember and to take into consideration. 

At least, he wasn't the only one who was making mistakes. Even Mansin was corrected many times, especially about the attacks, as he left much of his upper body exposed.

The first few times, Roi still fell due to his poor balance, both in attack and in defense. Then, he managed to learn how not to fall, but now his defense and how he did it were a problem. 

***

<> Lish was watching the fight with eagle eyes.

<> He managed to say between laboured breaths. 

<> He said, shaking his fists slightly.

***

The only sound Roi could hear was his own laboured breath and the sound of wood striking other wood. 

He was in his second round of attacks only. Lish teached his to use his whole body to strike, from his calves to the rotation of his upper body. The sword will use all of that force. 

It was really useful; his arm only needed to grab the sword tightly and nothing else. Yet, Roi was so uncomfortable using it, in fact, he really hated it. He felt that the sword was like a useless weight.

He couldn't explain with words that feeling. Roi simply didn't like it. 

"I want to try it." Something inside him was telling him to throw a punch. With the sword, even with the rotation of the torso and all the stuff that Lish told him, he was just too slow. 

The Savior brought back the blade, preparing for another blow. Mansin, as usual, lowered his shield. 

Roi pushed through the pain of his muscles and raised his shield to cover his arm, and swung the blade to strike. The movement was slow, and he was sure that Mansin would have raised his shield at the last moment. 

Halfway through the movement, Roi dropped the sword. It flew forward. His punch flew so fast that he almost fell forward.

Mansin widened his deep-set eyes. 

The Savior's punch didn't meet the soft skin of his partner, but rather the hard wood, which was raised with a lightning-fast movement. 

Roi's hand couldn't withstand the blow and bent downwards. A sharp pain shot through Roi's entire arm. 

A pain scream filled the air, drenched in sweat. Roi fell on his knees, keeping his painful wrist. Mansin lowered his shield enough to uncover his brown eyes.

Everyone stopped their training to look at him. 

The sudden silence was replaced by a small round of applause coming from beside him.

<> Lish exclaimed with a large smile on his face. <> 

Lish looked around. 

<> He let the sword fall again and walked towards Roi. 

Lish helped Roi to get on his feet, and both of them went towards the ruined temple wall, followed by Mansin.

Some roots that passed through the cracks of the wall's stones stuck out before penetrating the ground.

Roi sat on one of them. Every inch of his body was burning and sore, especially his wrist. Gordàlish's little soul was radiating warmth from the centre of his chest. 

<> Lish was standing in front of him. 

Roi smiled at that compliment. 

<> Roi replied, meeting his brown eyes, it seemed as if inside them floated small rivers of gold. 

<> Lish spoke as if he hadn't heard him. His voice lost its kindness from before. <>

Both of them stared at each other for a moment. 

<> Lish turned around and went to take his wooden sword.

Roi's eyes followed him, but his mind was elsewhere. It was back in the forest, watching the fish get stabbed to death. Then, he was back at the steps of the temple, looking at the walls. 

<> Roi spoke suddenly. 

Lish took the sword and swung it a little to clean it up. Then, he turned to Roi with a confused face. 

<> Roi repeated.

<>

With that, he turned around and walked towards Jest.