Book 2 Chapter 54

It wasn’t until the end of the week that Willow was able to properly confront Mister Matias about his lack of clear direction in the personal training where their lessons took place. Weights of various sizes were strewn about the room, and racks of weapons lined the walls. Windows let in sparse light since directly opposite of them lay the city wall the building was nestled against.

When the boy finally voiced his grievances, the old guardsman just laughed it off.

“Why did you think I had you doing those movements if they weren’t supposed to be used in combat? What kind of martial instruction did you think you were getting?”

Willow felt his face flush in embarrassment. Though it did reinforce what his mentor always told him.

If he wasn’t sure of something he really should ask.

He had just been a tad more intimidated by the older man so Willow hadn’t wanted to question what he had him doing as much. Even if he knew that the man was supposed to teach him, and shouldn’t have minded any questions.

Matias noticed his embarrassment, and while the amusement hadn’t left his face, he did seem to take pity on the boy.

“Perhaps I should have been more clear. The forms I’ve taught you are meant to engrave the required movements for your fighting style into your body. The more you do them the less strain you’ll be under when you have to use them in actual combat. As well as making it so that you don’t have to think as hard on making the required movements to defeat your opponent.”

Willow managed to calm himself down. Embarrassment would get him nowhere.

“Why didn’t you at least give me a shield to practice the forms with? Would’ve made it much clearer what they were for.”

The amusement finally left his face, but he didn’t seem angry or anything.

“That was a bit of a test. I was curious how long it would take you to realize the shield was meant to go into your main hand. From Lope’s report it sounds like it wasn’t long after you started actually using the forms in the sparring match, so I suppose congratulations are in order. I personally feel that we’ve both learned something here. I’ll need to be a bit more direct with some of my teachings, and you should ask more questions.”

He sighed wearily. “Honestly, I do wish I had more time on my hands so I could teach you properly. I still don’t feel like I’ve gotten a proper sense of you or your capabilities, and that teacher of yours is being oddly tight lipped about certain things. Frankly from my perspective it feels like you’ve been taught backwards, you’re doing core training yet lack so many of the fundamentals, it’s utterly baffling.”

Matias shook his head. “But I digress. Do you have any other questions on the forms I’ve taught you? Now would be the time to voice them.”

Willow scratched at his cheek, considering what he’d noticed in the days since he’d learned what the forms were for.

“What am I supposed to be doing with my off hand? Some of the forms have me doing odd hand movements, but I can’t figure out why.”

Mister Matias shrugged. “Honestly that’s up to you to figure out. Those hand movements are a common memetic for qi techniques. I won’t know what other spirits or techniques you’ll get down the line, but when you inevitably do, try to practice using them while making those hand gestures. It really helps your mind to associate that particular gesture with a technique. It’s also why the forms have you making those movements as hidden as you can. Don’t want to give your opponent an idea of what you’re trying to do after all.”

Willow could see the sense in that. Though now he was worried about having enough gestures for the number of techniques he’d be learning. As always, his many spirits of differing elements were a blessing for versatility, but he could already feel a headache forming in trying to integrate all that he knew into actual combat.

Meh, that was future Willow’s problem to deal with. For now he’d do the best he could with what he could show to Mister Matias. Though he was also curious why none of his previous teachers had brought up the idea of these ‘memetics’.

Something he voiced to his current instructor.

Matias twisted his thin moustache with his fingers as he answered. “It’s mostly something us frontline types try to use, but even then it’s only for our more complicated techniques. For reinforcement or cladding it’s typically unnecessary, and some of the more meatheaded fighters I’ve met forgo it entirely. Still, I’ve found it to be a handy tool in my arsenal and felt it prudent to incorporate them into the style I’ve taught you.”

Willow supposed that his father simply didn’t have any techniques complicated enough for such a memory aid to be required. He also didn’t like the implication that his father was a meathead, but supposed Mister Matias couldn’t possibly know he had indirectly insulted a family member of the boy he was teaching.

“Now then, I hope I’ve sated your curiosity for now?” At Willow’s hesitant nod he continued. “Good, now we can get on to our actual lesson for the day.”

Matias rested his hand on the pommel of the tool spirit blade on his hip. Something that Willow noted he seemed to do a lot. Not for the first time he wished that his senses weren’t currently bound so he could get a better feel for the people around him.

Maintaining the binding was easy enough for him to do on a technical level, but he should have realized it would leave him feeling like he’d lost the use of a limb if he kept it up for long periods. Next time Miss Mu went out of the city on a mission he was going to ask if he could tag along so he could let loose for a bit.

Willow was brought out of his thoughts by fingers snapping in front of his face.

“Did you get any of that? From my perspective you zoned out on me the moment I began to speak.”

Willow internally cringed, he’d gotten a lot better about getting lost in his own thoughts with Madame Park, but it still happened on occasion. It was the first time it’d happened with his current teacher, but he didn’t want to make a habit of it.

Willow apologized profusely to Mister Matias. He didn’t want the man to think he was unserious about the training or that he didn’t appreciate the time he was spending on him. Despite not seeing what exactly he did all day, he knew from what he and others said that he was quite busy the majority of the time.

Matias hummed to himself while observing him with a piercing stare. “Perhaps a more practical lesson would do you some good today, if your mind isn’t as suited to theory at the moment.”

He gestured to one of the nearby weapon racks which held a variety of shields.

“Try to find what shield fits your style the best.”

The rest of the day consisted of Willow trying out various oversized shields and sparring with his current teacher to see what felt the best to him.

All the while he was wondering if he was being punished for losing focus when he did.