Hero's Journey

Chapter 41

They skipped all soppy goodbyes when they left Deon's village.

That had been two weeks ago.

Since their departure the trio; Kagon, Delia, and Kip, had ventured out of Lanthos and back into Pik, fighting off the beasts sent to terrorize villages as they traveled. It had been a harsh living for them all, but it had its rewards. Especially for Kip.

Kagon parries Kip's blow with his wooden practice blade and Kip immediately goes in for another strike with his own wooden blade.

Kagon smiles.  The boy has made progress since I started teaching him.  He's a quick learner with an aggressive and hostile style of fighting. It must be because of the experience he's had before.  He's gone through much and I can tell by the way he fights now it must have been a fight for his life.

Kagon matches the boy blow for blow, taking it easy on him to allow him to adjust to being in a fight.

"Remember what I told you when you first picked up a sword, Kip."  Kagon comments.  "The sword isn't a bludgeon to just be wielded  wildly in hopes of hitting your opponent. Your sword is an extension of your arm. Use it like it is part of you."

Kip nods, biting his lip as sweat drips from his brow. 

Kagon swings his wooden sword in an arc, Kip smashes his own blade against Kagon's with all his force in a block.

Aggressive, very aggressive.

"If only you were a bit more built in the muscles and not so lanky."  Kagon sighs.  "Your fighting style is made for a beefy man three times your size."

Kip stabs with his sword in an upwards slice.  If Kagon hadn't of blocked and if Kip's sword was real, the strike would have completely disemboweled him.

"I guess you make it work, though." Kagon says, dodging another forceful hit.

After awhile, Kagon stops being so easy on Kip. As the level of difficulty increases, Kip falters until at last Kagon points his blade to the boy's neck, victorious.

"Much better." The hero offers his protege a sparkling smile.

Kip nods. "Thank you."

Kagon chuckles and throws his arm around the lad's shoulder. "No need to be so serious. Maybe next time I'll even let you fight alongside me when we fight another beast!"

"I could fight too, you know." Delia says as she finishes heating bread with a spread of meat preservatives over the fire. An unappealing dinner, but still food that can fill their bellies just as efficiently as steak.

Kagon sighs. "I've told you many a time that you don't need to fight, lass. Not with me around."

"You weren't around in Lanthos when you were knocked out by the pygmies." Delia challenges. "You weren't around when I-I killed that Shadowlander, you weren't around when we were separated and I had to fend for myself. Oh, and you weren't around when the ice beast rendered me useless as an ice cube, either."

Kagon mouth becomes a hard angry line. "I failed those times, yes. But I always came out on top." Kagon looks at Kip. "Even Kip agrees."

Kip stays silent, staring at the grass.

"Kip is younger than me by nearly six months and you teach him to fight!"