Realm of Monsters - Chapter 686: Nalindra Veres

Chapter 686: Nalindra Veres

  The sun was beginning to set by the time the burning port town disappeared over the horizon. Only the pillars of smoke in the distance remained to tell the story of the ruin Stryg, Tauri, and Freya had wrought upon the orcs. The group sailed up the river with little to no conversation. The air was somber, thoughts of the battle still weighing heavily on the group.

  Callum and the rest of his party had acquired the small riverboat during the chaos of the battle at the harbor. Such boats were used mainly to ferry light loads of cargo to the scattered villages along the countless rivers of the Silent Marshes. Without such cargo, the boat comfortably accommodated all ten travelers. 

  Each of them kept on their enchanted cloaks, in hopes of evading Lunae’s sight. Whether they worked or not, they didn’t know. Either way, their best bet was to keep moving.

  Gale had opted to keep the first watch for any sign of trouble, while Nora steered the boat, and Beatrix served as their guide. Kithina conjured wind to push their single sail forward. The yellow spells were small but steady and took little mana from her. At this rate, Kithina could keep up her magic for hours, well into the night.

  Tauri and Freya had thankfully escaped from town relatively unscathed. Whatever small wounds they had, Callum had patched them up on the boat. Freya sat next to Kegrog, holding Oginum in her hands and studying the intricate sigils etched into the golden hammer. 

  Stryg and Belle, though drenched in bloody water had arrived entirely unscathed, much to the surprise of many others, save Tauri and Freya, who had seen what Stryg had done in the tavern.

  Though Gale searched the river’s shore and tall grass for any sign of movement, she kept an eye on her lord. Tauri held Stryg’s head in her lap as he slept, if it could even be called sleep. He held that damned book of memories in his arms, no doubt his mind immersed in some memory of his ancestors that no one but he could see.

  Despite the countless protests from Gale, Stryg had refused to stop using the book. Tauri had given up on trying to stop him and opted to make sure he was comfortable. But his headaches were only growing worse the last few weeks and Gale worried that the book was responsible. If things grew worse, Gale believed she would have no choice but to destroy it for the sake of protecting her ward.

~~~

  The small child raised her wooden sword in a scream of defiance and charged at her mother. In a single, fluid motion, Stryga blocked the downward strike with the back of her own mock sword and tripped the girl’s feet.

  “Aaah!” Nalindra floundered and fell in the dirt, face-first. 

  “Again,” Stryga said, her tone calm, though not uncaring.

  Nalindra rolled on the ground and grumbled under her breath. “I think you broke my nose.”

  “Let me see,” Stryga leaned her hands on her knees.

  Nalindra brushed her white hair aside, tilted her head up, and showed her button nose to her mother for closer examination. There was a little blood, but nothing more.

  “You’re fine. Again.” Stryga stepped back and took a defensive stance. 

  “Fine.” Nalindra scrunched her nose and sniffed.

  “You were too eager on the last strike that you left yourself exposed. This time, approach me with the Dust Stance.”

  “But the Dust Stance is useless for combat,” she complained.

  Stryga cocked an eyebrow. “Who told you that?”

  “No one had to. You only ever use it when leaping off trees. It helps you soften your landing. That’s it.”

  “You could tell I was using the Dust Stance?”

  “Yeah,” Nalindra nodded as if it was normal.

  “How?”

  “I could sense the life-force around your legs and feet. It felt the same as when you taught me the Dust Stance. Was I wrong?”

  “…No, not in this.” Stryga couldn’t help but smile. Her daughter was only ten years old but she was already capable of sensing the life-force of others at a distance; a skill that even masters struggled with. Her little girl was more gifted in the life-arts than her. She reminded Stryga of her little brother, Gian.

  “However, you are wrong about the use of the Dust Stance. It is the most versatile among the five fundamental stances of the Gale Style. If you had been on a hunt with me, you’d see my use of it plenty.”

  “Then why don’t you take me on a hunt?” Nalindra pleaded with puppy eyes.

  In this, her daughter also reminded her of Gian. “When you’re older and you’ve mastered the fundamentals. Perhaps by then you’ll have even awakened your magic.”

  “But that’ll take foreeeever,” she complained.

  “With that attitude, it will. Now, the Dust Stance, do it.”

  “Fine.” Nalindra relaxed her shoulders, spread her feet, and bent her knees slightly.

  “Your feet are off. A little more like this.” Stryga mirrored the stance.

  Nalindra followed.

  “While the Dust Stance allows us to fall from great heights with little to no damage, its main purpose is to help us move more efficiently. Keeping your feet light will make it harder for your opponent to read your next attack and allow you to react to theirs more efficiently. Like this—!” Stryga dashed forward and made a sweeping strike.

  Nalindra raised her sword in time to block and follow up with her own riposte, but she overextended herself. Stryga leaned back, dodging the tip of her sword, then stepped forward, past the girl’s attack, and smacked Nalindra on the stomach with the flat of her blade.

  With a gasp, Nalindra crumpled to the ground, and sucked in a painful breath. “No… fair,” she wheezed.

  “You are too eager to attack. The Gale Style is about fluidity. You must be able to adapt to your opponent, not extend yourself so far that you cannot react.”

  “It’s not fair. You’re so much bigger than me. Your reach is too far. It’s cheating.”

  “Will you tell that to a troll when you encounter one? Complaining about how tall he is?” Stryga crossed her arms, or at least tried to, the act was somewhat ruined with only an arm and a half.

  “How are my lovely girls doing?” Sevryn walked into the dirt clearing behind their house, arms wide open.

  “Dad!” Nalindra dropped her sword and tackled her father in a hug.

  Sevryn laughed and picked her up, even though she was almost as tall as him. “Enjoying your sword training?”

  “No. Mom is cheating.” 

  “Is she now?” Sevryn chuckled. 

  “I thought you had a meeting this morning?” Stryga walked over and kissed him on the lips.

  “I slipped out a little early,” he admitted with a grin.

  “The leader of our village, shirking his duties? How scandalous,” Stryga smirked.

  “Says our huntmaster. You were supposed to be at the meeting, too.”

  “One of us being there is enough. If there was something truly important, I’m sure one of the hunters would have come and gotten me.”

  “Sword training is more important, ey?” Sevryn caught sight of the dried blood on her little girl’s nose and frowned, “Stryga, we talked about this. You’re going too hard on her.”

  “The swordmasters back home would have said I was taking it too easy on her. Besides, you can heal any minor injury she gets,” Stryga replied.

  “This isn’t Hollow Shade. And she is your daughter, not your student,” Sevryn said.

  “Even more reason not to coddle her,” Stryga said.

  As her parents spoke, Nalindra slipped out of her father’s embrace, and quietly snuck up on her mother. 

  “Aaah!” Nalindra attacked. 

  Stryga spun around with ease, dodging the blow, and smacked Nalindra on the forehead lightly. “If you’re trying to sneak up on someone, it’s best not to announce yourself.”

  “It’s not fair!” Nalindra tossed her sword on the ground. “My arms are too short!”

  “That is not why you fail, child,” Stryga clicked her tongue.

  “Don’t worry. You’re still growing, Nali. You’ll match your mother’s reach in time,” Sevryn reassured her.

  “Will I?” Nalindra asked anxiously. “Dad, you’re not very tall.”

  Stryga furrowed her brow. Her daughter was right; she probably wouldn’t be as tall as any vampire or drow. The Veres and Gales were both on the taller side of their people. Having a short reach was never an advantage when it came to swordplay; rather, it was a disadvantage to overcome, one that Stryga was confident her daughter could do.

  “See, even Mom thinks so.”

  “I didn’t say that,” Stryga replied.

  “Can’t I just learn to be a healer like you, Dad?” Nalindra asked.

  “Your magic hasn’t awakened. We do not know if you’ll inherit my white mana, or the colors of your mom. Best to hold off any magical training until then,” Sevryn said.

  “Yes, and until then, we will sharpen your swordplay,” Stryga said.

  “But I hate it!” Nalindra whined.

  “Now, now, the Gale Style is legendary among the Ebon Realm,” Sevryn admonished. “Nobles and warriors alike from all over the ten realms have come to petition for even a chance to learn under a Gale swordmaster. Even legendary weapon masters from the Bronze Mountains have acknowledged the prowess of the Gale’s sword style. It is an honor to learn under a master like your mother.”

  Stryga puffed up her chest slightly at the praise and smiled at her daughter. Nalindra looked at her with the wide eyes of youth, before turning to her dad, “Why can’t I just use a spear like the other hunters?”

  A sharp pain pierced Stryga’s heart but she did her best not to show it.

  “Because they do not practice the Gale Style,” Sevryn said.

  “But Mom taught them, too, right?”

  “I taught them Veres military tactics and spearplay. It’s effective, but it cannot compare to the Gale Style,” Stryga explained.

  “Why didn’t you teach the other hunters the Gale Style then? Wouldn’t it help save more lives while hunting?” Nalindra asked.

  Stryga shook her head. “The Gale Style is a sword art. Goblins aren’t very— effective when it comes to swordplay.”

  “Because we have short arms,” Nalindra frowned.

  “You are only half goblin. You will grow bigger, trust me. Besides, traditionally, the Gale Style is only taught to the scions of House Gale and Veres,” Stryga flicked her daughter’s nose, “Like you.”

  “Then just teach me with a spear. I bet I can hit you with a spear any day.” Nalindra rubbed her nose.

  “The spear is not suited for the Gale Style, only the sword,” Stryga said.

  “Why?” Nalindra asked.

  “Because trying to adapt life-art techniques from one weapon to another is incredibly difficult. Even a master like myself would be unable to do so.”

  “But why?”

  “Come on, kiddo. You heard your mom,” Sevryn patted Nalindra’s shoulders. “If your mom can’t do it, then no one can.”

  “I can. I’ll do it,” Nalindra puffed her cheeks.

  Stryga cracked a smile. “I like the enthusiasm. But if you are to adapt the Gale Style for the spear, you will first have to master the sword.”

  Nalindra gave her a defiant smile. “I’ll be the greatest swordmaster you’ve ever met.”

  Stryga thought of Gian; even as a child, he had bested his teachers. “You’ll have to work very hard then. But I admire your enthusiasm and stubbornness. Now show me the Dust Stance.”

  Nalindra picked up her wooden sword. “This time, I won’t miss!”