Tillett’s expression was serious, “The rules are very simple, beat me within a week or I will inform the healer you used magic.”

With eyes wide “WAIT! how can you say that? I can’t be your student if you tell my mother?!”

“Neo if you can’t beat me in a week you are not worthy of being my student.”

I immediately grew quiet, Tillett was testing me to see how serious I am. My mother’s opinion was not important to him...I was well aware of that. The reason why he mentioned my mother at all was because it terrifies me, he only said that for motivation. Tillett wants me to fight him without holding back and he just views this simple threat as a means to get me there.

With this in mind I say calmly “May I know the rules before I agree to fighting you?”

With a slight smile “You must either defeat me or disarm me. You may use whatever you possess in order to achieve this. I will not use Nala while we battle.”

Hmm...Nala? That must be his familiars name. I only though familiars could help magically not physically. But looking back at the massive lion next to him I can guess that ripping someone apart would not be very difficult.

Shaking away the picture of Nala mauling someone “Okay Tillett I only have one question, if I hit you in a critical spot with my weapon does that count as a defeat?”

“Yes, you can either strike a critical spot or get me flat on my back and I will count either of those. Not that you’ll be able to accomplish any of these that simply.” He answered while chuckling to himself.

“Okay then we will start today and by the time next Monday comes I will have either defeated you or lost.”

“Shall we begin then?” while getting into his stance.

“Yes”

The first thing I noticed before the fight began was Tillett’s stance, he seemed comfortable. With his right foot forward and his hips following the position of his legs. His hands however where held in the middle of his torso.

While the stick or “sword” was placed firmly in his left hand. Tillett only needed one hand to hold his weapon, I however needed to use both.

Tillett had not moved, he was waiting on me to start. So, without any more hesitation I jumped forward thinking I could block his sword while simultaneously hitting his ankles causing him to lose his balance and fall.

I learned very quickly that battles with an official knight never go as planned.

As soon as I lunged forward, instead of keeping his ground like I was expecting Tillett to do, he instead dodged my feeble attack and used the momentum from my lung forward to his full advantage.

He swiftly got behind me and in an instance, he struck right in the middle of my back. The force of his swing caused me to lose all the air in my lungs. I laid there gasping for air while Tillett towered above me.

was this man trying to kill me?!

While that thought crossed my mind he simply said “Again.”

We continued like that till the end of the day, by the time he finally told me to head home we had 10 battles and the only thing to show for it was 10 nasty bruises.

As I was about to head home Tillett said “Tomorrow we will train all day, so be ready.”

I simply nodded my head, to tired to do anything more than that.

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After arriving home my mother had immediately wanted to know why I was covered in bruises.

I knew of course that I couldn’t tell her that I was training, all because I hadn’t learned my lesson and used magic again. so, I made up a little fib.

I told her that I had been trying to cut down a tree when part of its branch broke off and struck me.

I mean I wasn’t entirely lying, just instead of the branch falling off it just so happened to be Tillett who was actually striking me.

Well I suppose I wasn’t cutting a tree either...

Alright! it was a lie. But it’s not like I can tell her? Plus, shouldn’t a son and mother have some secrets?!

After telling her my story, mother sat me down, so she could heal me. God was I lucky she was a healer, there was no way I could fight all day tomorrow covered in bruises.

She hummed a sweet chant while a warming white light radiated from her hands. The only thing that ruined this peaceful moment was that my Zillah had been hysterically laughing the whole time after I said I had been hit by a branch!

If I wasn’t completely exhausted I would have killed her…

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As I lay there in bed going over my defeats. I tried to recall everything Tillett did, how every movement he made was with precision with no wasted energy. As I was recalling my losses I remembered what Tillett had initially told me when we first started.

“You must either defeat me or disarm me. You may use whatever you possess in order to achieve this. I will not use Nala while we battle.”

Wait...he did say whatever I possess? Doesn’t that include magic?!

How did I not notice that initially! W-ai-t...did Tillett purposely include his familiars name in order to distract me?

This knight thinks I’m a fool?! Here I am basically risking my life if my mother finds out, and this guy is trying to trick me? He’s acting like I didn’t have a disadvantage to start with!! May I remind you you’re only a freakin’ knight!

Well Tillett I wonder how long you expected to have me fooled? Well don’t you worry because playing the fool is something I will fully take advantage of.

Just you wait and see.