After about an hour of watching best of three matches between the classes I come to the conclusion that most of the people here have never participated in actual combat.

“Well this is supposed to be a training facility,” Shiva yawms as I stretch my legs out on the grass in front of me.

“I was still expecting… more I suppose,” I tell her as I press up against the tree behind me.

“So what do you think?” A familiar voice asks me, and I look over and Marion is sitting down next to me.

“Honestly?” I ask and she nods, “If you sent three quarters of them into the field they would likely wind up dead. Also you can tell them to hide it but some of those Wingless are quite experienced.”

“That’s part of the reason why groups generally have a more experienced member leading them in the field,” She smiles. She then frowns and continues, “Sadly some of them will end up passing on anyway, and others will leave. This time of year is when we have the largest amount of people here to learn. And we don’t have enough Wingless to match well with the knights so we ask for volunteers among the higher ranks.”

“If that’s the case then why did you pair Melodiana and me in a group?” I find myself yawning.

“Because that girl beat quite a few high ranking Knights during her evaluation and you are something else as well, I haven’t seen you fight but I look forward to it. So I decided it wouldn’t be an issue to put you two together,” she says.

“I see, is there anything else?”

“I thought I would just check on you since you are sitting over here in the sun instead of in the shade.”

“It feels nice,” I yawn again.

“You are a strange one,” she laughs at me, “Most of the people here a sweating in the shade, and you are over here like it’s a Blinthrin day.”

“It’s likely to be one of the last few nice days before Soltheim sets in, so I intend to enjoy it.”

“I see,” she nods, “So you don’t like Soltheim then?”

“I love the snow; I could do without the cold.”

She laughs again, “So have you been getting along with those other girls?”

“They haven’t tried to stone me yet, so I suppose you could call it getting along,” I sarcastically complain.

“Still a bit sore over them teasing you I see,” Shiva whispers to me.

“I’m glad,” Marion puts a smile on her face as she stands up, “Oh you are up for the last match in the third ring, so I would recommend doing whatever you need to.”

“That’s something that you should mention first,” I call to her back as she walks away and she just waves her hand at me.

“And I’m the strange one,” I sighas I stand up and stretch.

“I’ve only been trying to get that across to you for a few years now little princess,” Shiva laughs.

I head over towards the third ring and as I approach Captain Bargas waves me over from behind a table full of sparring weapons. As I approach the table I get a good look at Captain Bargas. He has strong features and there are no traces of fat on his face likely from years of training. Brown eyes watch everything around them carefully taking in everything and evaluating one before moving on to the next. He also has a slight scar down his left cheek that I didn’t notice before.

“As I am sure you have gathered,” He addresses Stephanie, who was already standing at the table, and me, “The match will have three rounds, with the gear of one round being selected randomly, and the others being selected by the two of you one per, understand?” I nod and out of the corner of my eye I see Stephanie nod as well.

“Good," He nods, "The winner of the match will be determined by the judges of the ring by result of a blow that would incapacitate, or kill your opponent in normal combat. Excluding blows above the shoulder, especially since neither of you have a gorget."

“If a winner cannot be determined in this fashion there is a point system that will be referred to.” He then adds on, “Do try to not injure each other to badly as well. There is a chance that you may work together in the future and bad blood will interfere with your duties.”

“Not if I have anything to say on that matter,” I grumble.

“I understand sir,” Stephanie says with a quick salute, “How is it determined who will pick the first round?”

Captain Bargas picks up a coin from the table and points to me and says with a slight smirk, “Queens,” before pointing to Stephanie and says “Kings.” He quickly flips the coin up into the air and with the dull clink of metal on wood it hits the table and bounces before facing Kings.

“Swords,” Stephanie says happily as she picks up a wooden long sword off of the table with her right hand and tests its weight, before she walks off towards the ring as the last round of the current match comes to an end. I scan the table for a moment before I sigh.

“Is there a problem?” Captain Bargas asks.

“There are not any swords here that are similar to the type I use,” I sigh again.

“What type would that be?” he asks eyebrow raised, “Perhaps another table has one or something similar.”

“An Estoc.”

“Ah a Tuck. Unfortunately we do not keep any here in storage as the majority of students that wish to learn to fight in that manner are only interested in learning the Rapier,” He says slightly apologetically, “Would a rapier or a sabre be more fitting as a substitute?”

“I suppose a rapier would be closer, but a sabre would be best for the match,” I say as I reach down and grasp the worn handle of the slightly curved blade in my hand.

“It’s too light,” I mumble, as I head over to the side of the ring, “and it feels wrong in my hand.”

“That’s what you get for training with what has come to be considered an exotic weapon,” Shiva says and then adds on sympathetically, “At least you shouldn’t have too many issues, even if it isn’t with you gear. And on a positive note you are able to define the next round.”

“I suppose,” I shake my head as I look out over the ring as a few people are running brushes over the dirt to smooth it out. “This is more like fighting with those old short swords Master liked as well,” I decide to be positive about it as the people in the stands are starting to get excited for the start of a new match.

“Ah I do remember how the Estoc was the elegant weapon to fight with,” Shiva reminisces, “Fluidity, and grace, a sign of nobility to be brought up and trained with one.”

As the brushers finish a woman wearing simple light clothes waves us in to the center and a small group of people gather more closely to the ring, “I assume they are the judges.”

Across from me Stephanie flashes a viscous smile, and the woman in the center raises and arm and the crowd falls silent. For a moment all that can be heard are cheers from the rings to either side of us. The woman the quickly drops her arm and says, “Begin.”

I quickly pull my sword up in front of me and step backwards to observe Stephanie. Slightly slower she readies her blade, and she begins to slide forward, so I move to the left and she mirrors my movement.

“She has the reach currently,” I mutter as we continue to circle each other, the crowd is quite but the tension in the air could almost be cut with a knife.

“She also understands how to move,” Shiva whispers to not distract me.

We continue to turn for a half circle, before she slides in the opposite direction to bring us closer and she quickly lashes out, and the crowd cheers. I step in to receive her blow and I catch it on the edge of my blade. As our swords hit vibrations flow up my arm, before she can recover I quickly disengage and swing at her open side. Before I can strike her she blocks with the bottom of her sword and a click of her tongue.

We disengage and the crowd quiets back down.

“She might be more of an issue than I expected,” Shiva sounds surprised.

I sigh as we resume circling and I step forward and lightly swing towards her hip. As expected she moves to block and I let my blade bounce off of hers and I quickly twist to strike at her other side but she swings her sword in a small arc to bounce mine away. She moves back and rolls her shoulder as she positions herself behind her sword.

As I step back she quickly lunges forward and strikes downward with her sword. I move to block and when the two pieces of wood collide there is a loud crack through the air and strong vibrations run through the handle and up my arm. I twist away, but as I move she quickly attacks with another overhead strike that I manage to block. She bounces her sword off of mine and goes to strike again but as she lifts her arms I quickly swing at her exposed side but she jumps backwards and the tip of my blade barely scrapes along her leather armor.

As my blade swings wide she quickly steps back in and swings at my side and with another crack of wood I catch her blade with mine, but I block at an awkward angle and even worse vibrations run up my arm. She pivots on her heel and swings at my other side.

She then presses on and I am forced to block blow after blow as I give ground and as she swings at my shoulder I attempt to bounce her blade away from me instead of taking the full hit but our swords collide and freeze in the air between us. In the pause while our swords are still locked I stomp at her foot and she backs away and I do the same.

“Her blows are heavy,” I click my tongue as I flex my hand to fight the numbness that is creeping up my arm, and then I add with irritation “And if that was my Estoc she wouldn’t have been able to get away.”

“The crowd is enjoying the show quite a bit,” Shiva says as more cheers and calls ring out from the stands around us. I continue to watch Stephanie closely, and she is glaring at me quite intently as well, “So how are you going to handle this situation?”

“Ride it out I suppose, and wait for her to make a mistake,” I ponder and prepare to kick up some dirt as a distraction.

Something moves differently in the crowd to my left, and I glance at it, preparing to dodge, but I notice that it is just Aya sitting down. In that moment Stephanie quickly moves forward and attacks with another overhead strike and I move to block it. As our swords collide in the air again there is another crack, but a far less healthy sounding one.

Just underneath her long sword the wood of the Sabre gives way and splinters and breaks in half as her sword continues to fall towards my shoulder. As I watch her face it changes from one of victory to one of concern.

“Damn,” I swear as I drop to the ground in attempt to avoid taking the blow. As I fall her sword glances off of my shoulder and I gasp in pain.

“This match is concluded,” the woman from the start of the match calls out. “With a score of one to a half blue side is declared the victor,” she says pointing to Stephanie.

I push myself up and dust off as I roll my shoulder bringing a stinging sensation to it, “I do not believe anything broke, the chain did a decent job,” Shiva says, “It will likely bruise though, though she did pull back there just at the end.”

“I saw,” I sigh as I head back over towards the table where Captain Bargas is waiting, “Though I don’t understand it. She picks a fight, but is concerned about hitting me to the point of lessening the blow.”

“Perhaps it was just reflex to avoid hurting a sparring partner, she is obviously well trained.”

“Perhaps,” I say as I get near the table Captain Bargas looks up to me and I toss the splintered remains of the Sabre onto the table.

“Go over to that tent and have the Nightingales give you a look over,” He points to a small tent near the first ring.

“It is fine,” I say to wave him off while I look at the table, “When does the next round start?”

“After you go get checked on,” He sternly responds, “No matches will begin if there is a chance that one of the contestants is injured to avoid serious complications.”

I sigh and catch myself rubbing my brow as I turn and head towards the tent. Out of the corner of my eye I see a small group of people surrounding Stephanie, presumably to congratulate her, but she looks a cross between irritated and concerned, while biting on her lower lip. “I don’t understand her,” I mumble.

“Well you have never been a very personable individual,” Shiva comments.