The Elder Lands

Chapter 11

The dirt and gravel crunched under Lucan as he moved his weight from one foot to the other. His bronze sword was sheathed on his hip and his father was standing in front of him. Thomas, everpresent, was standing far to the side, awaiting any needed request.

As was often the case, they were in the training yard made from the space between the keep and the palisade that surrounded it. The noon sun was glaring down at them, looking for skin to burn. It was a bad day to practice, but there was no contradicting his father.

Sir Golan Zesh nodded, gesturing for Lucan to approach, and as he did, his father put a hand on his shoulder. Without much ceremony, he bestowed the skill upon him. A sudden jolt went through his shoulder then an announcement flitted into his vision.

You have been gifted with Wraith Strike.

Race: Human

Level: 1

Vital Orbs: 1

Mind and Body

Physique: Copper II 0/3

Spirit: Basic 0/1

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Skills (0) 0/100

(Passive) Swordsmanship lv20: Apprentice

(Hybrid) 7-Point Star Dance lv1: Novice (0/1)

(Active) Wraith Strike lv2: Novice (0/1)

Lucan eyed the manifestation of his Blessing, noting the new skill and its level. “It’s level two…”

His father looked thoughtful for a moment then nodded. “It’s dependent on my proficiency with the skill. A Grandmaster could’ve taken you to the peak of Apprentice with the bestowal alone.”

Lucan nodded. “This means I can use it twice a day, right?”

“Yes,” his father said. “But you won’t be using it yet. You watch and learn first.”

His father walked towards one of the dummies near the palisade, drawing his Goldsteel sword. First, he went to a dummy made from straw. “I won’t be using much strength.” He swung his weapon one-handed and Lucan knew he wasn’t putting much weight behind it.

The sword cut into the body of the dummy, stopping halfway. “If my Physique was still Basic, that would be the extent of my strength.” He gestured toward the dummy. “Come, try it. Give it your all, but don’t use the skill yet.”

Lucan hurried forward towards the dummy. He’d done his share of training on them in the past, but he hadn’t tested them since he’d improved his Physique. The dummy was made of tightly packed straw that was deceptively durable. It often took several full-strength strikes in a row to hack it apart. His father was overestimating those with a Basic Physique. It made him wonder how light of a touch his father had been giving him when they’d sparred the other day. He must have been caressing his sword back then.

Lucan drew his sword and gripped it with two hands as his father stepped back from their straw victim. Lucan pulled the sword back and swung with all his weight at a different spot. The sword cut two-thirds of the way through the dummy before it slowed down, the resistance stopping it. Lucan felt he could try to saw his way through the rest of it, but that wasn’t the purpose of this showing. He pulled his sword free and waited for further instructions.

His father walked towards another dummy, this one made from wood. He swung his sword with the same weakness as he did before, one-handed and with no effort behind it.

The sword only went a finger’s width into the wood before stopping in its tracks. Sir Golan gestured with his head towards the wooden dummy, signaling Lucan to do the same.

Lucan stepped up to the dummy as his father stepped back. He swung his bronze sword with all his strength, its blade digging into the wood and going half again as deep as his father’s strike. Huh. It was a bit more than he’d expected if he were to be honest. It was often said that someone at the peak of Iron Physique was twice as strong and durable as someone with a Basic one. Copper had always felt like it would be lacking.

Like anyone who was destined to serve in combat, his eyes were set on Iron and Steel after it. One of the things that made his father so admirable to warriors of his age was that he’d gone even further than that, earning a Bronze Physique. Though Lucan didn’t know if that was the norm among knights.

His father stepped forward again, gesturing for him to move back. He then pulled his sword back for a proper slash. “Watch closely,” he said before his sword started glowing softly. The glow was a weak, ethereal silver that soon covered the blade entirely and hid it from sight. It wasn’t too bright, but it was noticeable if you were looking in the general direction it was in. His father swung his sword at the dummy’s wooden neck, and it went through without the least bit of resistance, continuing on its cleaving motion as if no obstruction had challenged it. The blade’s glow disappeared at the same time the head of the dummy unceremoniously hit the ground.

“At my stage, Wraith Strike means this wood might as well not be in my sword’s way. It also means that I can cut through steel given enough strength and proper technique. At your stage of the skill, however, you can treat your sword as if it’s twice as sharp, though there’s more to it than that.” He tapped the headless dummy with the flat of his sword. “Now try it again with the skill. Be cautious, though. The skill’s effect is quite potent even when the blade is still. That's the first thing at which it differs from an ordinary sharpness skill.”

Lucan nodded seriously as he stepped up to the dummy again. He pulled his sword back, careful not to let the blade touch his body. Then he activated the skill. His blade began to glow softly and with less intensity than his father’s had, but he felt as if a well of power was held in his tightly wound hands. He savored the feeling and eyed the blade appreciatively…then the glow disappeared.

Lucan gaped for a moment, looking at the blade as if he could will it into resummoning its glow, but he stopped himself before he could stupidly reactivate the skill, depleting his attempts for the day.

A rare chuckle came from his father who was standing behind him and Lucan flushed in shame. He glanced back and saw his father disciplining the smile that had overtaken his face. Lucan also saw Thomas farther back with his own bit of mirth and his face heated up even more. “I…”

“The skill’s duration is strictly limited,” his father said. “It increases slightly with each stage, but one must still be swift with its use if they don’t want it wasted.”

“Sorry,” Lucan said.

“Nothing to be sorry about,” his father said. “It’s a common mistake among first-time users. Try it again, but this time be sure to deliver a strike, will you?” He gave him an amused nod that worked to further his embarrassment.

Lucan prepared his sword again, setting himself into a proper stance, then he activated the skill. Once his sword began to glow, he swung immediately. His blade sank into the wood with greater ease than the first time. It went in as far as a hand’s width into the wood before the glow disappeared, and it didn’t feel as if the skill added strength or even sharpness to his slash. It was more as if the wood’s resistance to his strike had lessened significantly. If the skill weakened whatever it was cutting through, then Lucan could see how it would eventually be able to cut through steel.

“Good,” his father’s voice came from behind. “Let’s do it one more time. You still have a Vital Orb, yes?”

“Yes, father, but–”

“Use it to increase the skill’s level,” his father said. “You can attempt it one more time. I’ll show you how to perfect your technique when using it.”

Lucan sighed nervously. He hadn’t expected to introduce his new skill by contradicting his father. He took a breath and said, “Father, I need to show you something.”