“Where is the ring that lets you use the sword?” Reyansh asks me.

That catches me a little off guard, I pause, staring at him.

Giving me the time I needed to recover and think, I raise the back of my hand to show him that I am wearing it. I had been keeping it with me. I didn’t want to lose it, even though I don’t seem to need it anymore.

“May I examine it?” He asks.

As I’m taking it off my finger, Lilly has turned, looking off to the side. “A Commander, Goblins, nothing more.”

“Yes, been waiting.” Taking the ring from me. “Jenn, stand here. Do not draw your bow.” He points to a spot on the ground beside him. “Doug, next to her, leave the sword… never mind.” Taking his eyes off the ring and looking up. “This is training. You need to develop resistances or learn to resist.” Speaking more to myself than Jenn. “In the common tongue, these are called Commanders, Goblins will usually be in the area with them. They are a borderline foe for men in that, for any awakened, they are not a concern. For unawakened, they can be troublesome. Weak to physical attack, they do have low-level spell ability. Will keep their distance, and usually flee encounters when outclassed or outnumbered.”

I see the Commander doing the hand thing, not too distant from us. Some Goblins around him, but no formations.

“Knowing that he will most likely try to cast Sleep, I want you to focus on him and resist.” I notice that Reyansh and Lilly have their backs to the Commander, while Jenn and I are facing him. “Granddaughter, Elves have natural resistances that can be developed and strengthened. But you are half-elven. As you grow, you need to find what you have inherited, what you have not, what can be developed and strengthened, what you must train.” Smiling. “And don’t worry, as you progress it can all change and you can ask your mother about it.”

Watching the Commander, listening to Rayansh talk, I am aware just enough to feel my eyes getting heavy. The next thing I know is Lilly supporting me, as I look up. “He’s still there, keep trying.” She says. We do this a third time and as I’m coming out of it again, I see Lilly turn to face the Commander while she’s supporting me. Whatever she does, he stops casting. I Look over to Jenn with her grandfather, she looks to be doing better than I am.

“Enough for now,” Rayansh says. ‘When Ends Meet.’ And again there is a distortion before us as he helps and leads Jenn through. Lilly continues her support as we follow.

Experiencing the same wrenching as my insides feel twisted. I do not notice the ring of steel or the sounds of battle until ‘BOOOMMmmm’ a massive explosion of fire rocks my ears, bringing me out of myself and aware of the surroundings.

“Seems I have already found whom I seek.” Rayansh says to us as much as to himself.

“Albrecht!” Rayansh commands. A mature-looking male elf is standing at his side, more youthful elves surrounding us. I notice that Daylor is one of them and they are all geared up in what I would guess is the male complement to Lilly’s and Jenn’s traditional elven gear. “Let them survey the field, report, and give recommendations. Assess the astuteness of their observations, question and give feedback. Engage at your discretion.”

“Steal My Work Will Ya!” I faintly hear off in the distance. ‘KaBooommm’ I can feel the rumblings a little in my chest and through the soles of my feet. Seems to be in the same direction as where the firebomb went off.

“Lilly!” Rayansh commands. She is there at his side, attentive and I can see the concern on her face. “Blend. Teach. There may come a time.” He turns and I see him blur, heading directly onto the battlefield.

“Come!” Lilly commands, snapping me out of staring at the battlefield. She grabs me by the shoulder, pushing and guiding me in the direction to run.

We run. Lilly pushing when I hesitate or look back. Jenn is following close behind. Lilly turns and stops me. I do not know if we are now at any higher of ground, we certainly are at a place that the battlefield is more observable.

Lilly starts casting, Jenn repeating the motion and assisting. Where it was once an opening between trees, now it is a small treeline with wild brush and hedges all around.

“We may speak softly,” Lilly tells me. “This grove will protect us and dampen the sounds we make while allowing us to see and hear.”

“Daughter, assess what you see.”

“Grampa!” Jenn says with a little shout.

Looking out over the battlefield, I might as well be watching a football game from a block away. I see people. Yes, I see people. Can’t see what they’re doing. I do see that Tower Shield. Must be Lightbringer. I realize that this is the Raid party we’re looking at. Wish I had some binoculars or something.

“I can see them moving around. Not much else.” I tell the two of them.

“You are not here for training,” Lilly tells me.

“For teaching,” I reply. She narrows her eyes at me.

“Are we safe mother?” Jenn asks trying to diffuse the tension between us. Lilly gives a slight nod.

“Will we be safe if we move closer?” Jenns asks her mother.

“Depends if that Wizard is still throwing around Fireballs.” Lilly replies. My ears perking up with interest to that. ‘Fireballs are a real thing?’ Mentally adding it to my bucket list.

‘Twang, Twang.’ I watch, stunned, as Lilly fired off two shots faster than I had any reaction time to move. Each arrow passing close enough to my face that I could feel each passing. Hearing two different “Yip”, “Yip”, behind me, I turn to the sound of a snarling dog.

"No." I hear Lilly say.

"But..." As Jenn is cut off.

"You may take care of the others." Lilly directs. I can see Lilly and Jenn out of the corner of my eye. I’m not taking my eyes off this wolf that has stopped his approach and continues to snarl at me.

"Are you going to take care of him, or am I?" Lilly questions her daughter. I can see more wolves approaching as they break through some of the clearing.

"Do not be wasteful daughter. You will train and he will assist. You will also assess if it is safe for us to move closer."

Feeling something touch my arm, I look to see that Lilly handing me a smooth thick branch, slightly thicker than what you would use for a shovel handle, about as long as my arm.

"Mother!" Jenn chastises as she is cut off again. Pulled back by her mother as she was trying to hand me Truth.

“You will stand behind and to either side,” Lilly commands her daughter. “Your role in this position is either to support the melee fighter with ranged attacks or to deal as much damage to the enemy while he prevents and protects you from melee combat.”

“No!” Lilly stepping in front of her daughter as she is again trying to hand me Truth.

“Mother!?”

“You cannot train if he kills it in one strike!” I cannot see what they are doing as I am focused on this wolf, two-handed grip holding this stick, guarding myself.

I hear a little whimper or maybe a sigh out of Jenn.

“It’s not like it’s a Warg or anything Jenn!” Lilly rebukes. “He fought Goblins? Or is there something you’re not telling me?”

“Doug?” Lilly asks in a commanding way. “Don’t let it near your throat! Protect yourself! As soon as I back away, it will come for you. See how he stares at you? He has marked you as his prey and will feast on you. Kill it! Protect my daughter!”

The other wolves are gathering, not yet close enough.

“Daughter. Protect Doug.”

I can almost feel Lilly pulling back and the snarling in front of me has gotten louder. One, two steps the wolf takes, then it is all ravenous teeth as the wolf lunges at me. ‘Twang’ I hear the bow shot, the wolf in my face, his front paws raking my arms as he is trying to climb over them to bite my face.

I should have swung. I hesitated. Now I am locked with this wolf in my face. My arms are already bloody. One hand holds this branch across and between us. My other has a fist full of fur on its chest and neck, holding his jaws off me as it continues to snap and try to climb over me. ‘Twang’ another bow shot.

I cannot swing or strike with either hand without giving it the same opportunity. My mind races as I don’t know what to do, yet I must do something. Now it's jumping while trying to climb over my arms, he succeeds in that he throws me off balance, losing my forward momentum.

‘Twang’ Holding him and keeping him at bay, he twists me as he is going over my left shoulder. My feet trip up and we fall together, landing on our sides. Without realizing it, I now have the advantage. Holding on while twisting myself up a bit. The wolf is not able to leverage itself while on its side. ‘Twang’.

Clawing with its paws and raking with its hind legs, I still have the advantage and a fist full of fur on its neck while holding it down. ‘Twang’. Branch in hand, I start driving and striking with my forearm and elbow. ‘Twang’.

Now seeking to escape, this wolf gives me enough of an opening that I can pull back and start beating it in the face with this branch. ‘thump’, ‘thump.’

‘thump’, ‘thump’, I hit it with all my strength as it slowly stops moving. ‘thump’, ‘Thump’.

“AHHhhh…!” I cry out as I just smashed my hand that was holding this Mutt, with this damn Branch. “Ahhhh…! F***!” I scream! Standing now, holding my own hand, screaming in pain. ‘Twang’.

Tears in my eyes. The feeling of thousands of needles piercing my hand and arm. I focus on my hand as I start screaming at it. ‘HEAL!’ I COMMAND YOU! BE! ‘HEALED’! ‘Twang’.

Oh, God! My hand Hurts So Much! Looking down at this wolf. “You Piece of Shit!” Picking up the Branch. ‘Thump!’ I smash the dead wolf in the head again.

“aaahoooooooh!”

‘Twang’. I look up to the sound of a bow shot and snarling wolves. A wolf has bypassed me and is getting ready to lunge at Jenn. Rearing back and still filled with rage, I swing down to smash this wolf's head in. ‘Thump!’ Plenty of Intent there! I miss its head, hitting it more in its back. It’s not dead, but it’s not getting up either.

I look up to see Jenn looking past me. Turning, I see about a half dozen wolves lying about with more coming. “F*** That!” I say, turning back to Jenn and walking up to her.

Jenn has Stag in hand. Her other hand reached out towards some heavy brush that she is standing next to. Visibly I see a branch straighten and grow into her hand. She plucks it, draws, ‘Twang’.

I see Lilly in the distance, watching. I make sure she sees as I pull Truth from Jenn's sheath. Turning, I take about four steps and stop. Dropping the Branch and switching Truth into my right hand, the wolves are already coming to me.

It doesn’t take long before two wolves are close enough to lunge at me. There are about a half dozen left, ‘Twang’, five left, as more have come into the clearing.

I watch and sidestep so that one of the wolves is between myself and the other. The closer one’s tactic is the same as the others before. It snarls, then one, two steps, and lunges. I sidestep again, not wanting to be in the same position as before, swinging to smash its skull in from the side while it is still in the air.

Truth is light, flexible, and incredibly fast compared to the Branch. I smash the back of the wolf’s head with ease. Truth is also a rapier. While I have left an open gash in the wolf’s head, Truth does not smash. Truth is a finesse weapon and I knew it as soon as the blade was flexing around that damned dog’s head instead of crushing its skull as I wanted it to.

Snarling and turning to lunge at me again, one, two steps. I know that I’m supposed to poke and stab with this sword, but not processing how to do that at the moment. I try to keep the point of the sword pointing at the wolf as it lunges at me, the light shining off the sword is distracting.

‘Twang, Twang’. Four left.

Anticlimactic, the lunging wolf impales itself, snarling all the way up to the hilt. Then his weight and the strength of my wrist faltering, the sword tips down as the wolf slides right off.

‘Twang’ two left.

“aaahoooooooh!” the wolf closer to the edge of the clearing howls again.

Cautiously, keeping Truth pointed at the nearest wolf, I make my way back to the Branch and pick it up. I feel much more comfortable smashing things with a bat than trying to poke with this rapier.

The wolves turn and run. ‘Twang’ the closer one takes an arrow in the rump and continues a three-legged exit.

I watch to make sure there is nothing more before turning back to Jenn.

Lilly is already there. “Assess.” She states to her daughter. Her voice is firm, but she is shaken, eyes swollen, wiped away tears still forming in her eyes.

Setting Stag across her back so that her hands are free. Jenn’s mouth moves a bit before composing herself. “We cannot move closer.”

“Correct.” Lilly states. She turns and walks back to the edge of our sanctuary, staring off at the battlefield. A bow like Stag hanging around her neck and back.

Handing Truth back to Jenn, it is emitting light. She turns the sword and grasps it by its hilt. Holding it out to examine the sword in her hand better, its light intensifies as she does. Looking up at me she says, “It's never done this before.” Looking back at the battlefield, “It’s like Grampa’s sword…”

“What?..!” Lilly is back, staring down at Truth glowing in Jenn’s hands. Looking up at me with a fire in her eyes “Catalyst!” She exclaims.

“I didn’t do that!” Dropping the Branch and holding my hands up in a surrendering motion.

“You never do!” Lilly counters.

“Doug!” Jenn exclaims, Sheathing Truth and quick-stepping next to me. Her hands are already wrapped in a soft green glow as she is ‘Lay on Hands’ on my forearms. Blood is all over my arms and chest. Jenn, her hands and fingers spread out, but thumbs and index fingers touching to form a triangle. She is frantically moving her hands together as one, ‘Lay on Hands’, touching on different parts of my body, looking for injury. Déjà vu, I remember seeing this before.

“Is that what I taught you?!” Lilly snaps.

Jenn changes up what she is doing to me. Her hands, still a soft green glow, but now separate. ‘Cure light’. A hand to each side of one of my shoulders, then pulling down around my bicep, over my elbow, forearm, then hand. Like she is petting my arm from the top, down. She repeats the motion a few times, then switches to the other arm. Still frantically looking for injury while her mother continues to scowl at her from behind.

“Divine Trees!” Jenn exclaims, still looking. “It's not your blood? I was…”

“What! Are You Not Telling Me Daughter?!!!” Her mother is starting to become enraged.

Looking back over her shoulder, Jenn is stunned for a moment. Her hands, at the moment, are on my chest. Eyes locked on her mother, I can feel Jenn bring her hands together. ‘Lay on Hand’ She doesn’t say a word and I can’t see her hands. I watch her mother’s expression change from rage to repudiation as the soft green glow changes to white.

“NO!” Her mother commands with her accusing finger in Jenn’s face. “NO! NO! NO!” Hands to the sides of her own head in frustration, before looking back at her daughter. “What Have You Done???” Death Stare at her Daughter…Before turning away.

Taking a step, then turning back to face her daughter. Accusing finger almost having a life of its own. “Don’t You EVER Show That To Your Grandfather!”

“Grandpa? which?” Jenn half mumbles. I think, starting to cry.

“Either!” Lilly getting control of her emotions. “Any of them!” Quick stepping to embrace her daughter in a bear hug. I can hear a sob coming from Jenn.