Style Quest: I Fear Loss of Control

“Is this a family thing to make me fight without a shirt on,” Varick asked as he approached the demon spawn ninja in a field outside Drakethorpe. Izebel stood imposing, wearing dark sweats with her chest wrapped in bandages as her metal magitech tail rested behind her.

 

    “I was trained naked, so be happy I just took your shirt away,” the ninja grandmaster laughed as she handed Varick two wooden swords. “Holster them both on your right side. We’ll work on proper form without them before actually needing them.”

 

    “Don’t you thing we could skip that step as I am already a proficient knife fighter,” Varick inquires as he grips the wooden swords like a dagger. Izebel’s only response was to hit the mahogany quickly Clydesdale’s hands, making him drop the training swords before knocking him off his feet with a leg sweep.

 

    “You either train as I tell you or you and the ground are going to be best friends,” the red-skinned demon spawn laughed, assuming a training pose.

 

Varick relented and sheathed the wooden swords before copying Izebel’s pose. Beginner forms and katas occupied most of the morning. The equine tailor was a little shaky at first as this was a whole new fighting style for him, but over time, he got it. After Varick got that down, they began to train with one sword style. Unfortunately, the blonde horse kept freezing up when Izebel instructed him to strike at her.

 

“What are you afraid of? You aren’t going to hit me,” Izebel demanded in frustration before composing herself. “Sit with me and tell me whats going on.”

 

“He might be afraid his teacher is teaching him improper techniques that rely on trickery to work correctly,” a voice called behind the pair. They turned to see a grey wolf in an old blue guard uniform with a saber sheathed on each side and a burned face. “Switch one of your swords to the other side. Cross drawing is a time waster.”

 

“This isn’t an open training session Brianna,” Izebel hissed at the wolf. “Varick, I’m sure you’ve heard the stories of the hermit of Drakethorpe. Well, here she is in person. It’s too early for our yearly rematch.” Varick looked star-struck for a moment. His teacher had saved his life twice, and now here was the infamous swordswoman of the wild.

 

“I was out for a stroll and thought I’d peek in to see how poorly you were training the poor child but there is fear in his eyes when he goes to strike. Congrats on not completely failing as a teacher,” Brianna remarks as she sits on the grass. Varick and Izebel sit with her on the ground.

 

“So tell us what scares you so much,” Izebel instructs calmly. “We know it’s not me, but if it’s toast face, we can make her leave.” The demon-spawn and the wolf shoot each other dirty looks as a laugh appears, then quickly disappear from Varick.

 

“I’m afraid that if I hit you, he won’t let me stop,” the tailor answered as calmly as he could. Varick explained in detail the fate that had befallen him on Requinest, the entire story of how the blonde Clydesdale had died for moments only to be forced to absorb the necrotic battery made by the mad lich, only known as The Necromancer. “Every time the Archdruid does a check, she says the pool of necromantic energy is dissipating, but I can still hear him clawing at my mind. I’m afraid he’ll get control and I’ll turn into a monster like him.”

 

“Well, good news, kid, I destroyed his phylactery and killed the idiot’s body,” Brianna smirked with a snap as she stood. “Since I was wearing that cursed mask, I watched his soul get eviscerated. You’re just hearing echoes trapped in the magic.”

 

Without warning, Brianna drew a saber and struck at Varick. In reaction, the tailor grabbed a wooden sword and deflected the attack. He rolled to his feet and clashed with the burnt-faced wolf. Brianna was taking it slow but gradually speeding up when Izebel joined in, forcing Varick to draw his other wooden sword. Two different fighting styles coming at Varick were confusing and caused him to take more than one hit. At that moment, he wasn’t scared. He was focused, trying to stay on his feet. Forced on the defensive, all the mahogany horse could do was look for an opening. After what seemed like an eternity, the chance presented itself. Ducking under a saber slice from Brianna, Varick landed a killing blow on Izebel before turning to strike the wolf on the back.

 

“You still afraid of losing yourself, Fan Boy,” the demon spawn ninja laughed as she asked the question.

 

“Only if I think about it, but in that moment there, I wasn’t thinking I was just fighting,” Varick replied as he sheathed the training swords. “Can both of you train me from now on? I think it would be beneficial to learn both of your styles.”

 

“I guess but stop with the cross drawing,” Brianna sighed as she put her weapons away.

 

“There’s nothing wrong with cross drawing,” Izebel growled, ready to fight the wolf. Varick let the two fight for a bit before another sparring session started.