Deadly Decadence

New Beginning

I was anxious since I woke up, and now as I, Alisa, and Lance are on our way to train at Uncle Vadim's shop and training ground, I'm even more anxious. It got me wondering how I can still walk straight when it feels like my lower limbs are made of jelly. My head feels fuzzy, and I feel like I'm going to collapse any minute by now.

When I started this training, I've been looking forward to this day, to fight with a weapon. But now that it is happening, I don't know, maybe it's because I was thinking of using these skills on the undead and not on someone living, I mean, the undead is still called a living being, but you know what I mean. I don't want to fight someone fully human.

When we entered the shop, Uncle Vadim was talking to a group of business-looking guys. It was kind of strange because Uncle Vadim's usual cheerful attitude towards his customers is gone. Or it's just that these guys are not friendly? Uncle Vadim has this stoic expression on his face as if he's uninterested with this set of customers.

We decided to stand in wait by the doorway. A little while later, finally, the customers left. They even bumped into Lance and didn't even apologize for it! Now, I know why Uncle Vadim didn't look so happy about entertaining them. He smiled at us as we greet and approach him on the counter.

"Who were they?" I asked.

"Just a bunch of customers." He shrugged.

"You don't look happy about them, though." Alisa stated.

"It's nothing. Okay? Let's head to the training grounds." Uncle replied.

I remembered what Alisa told me about Uncle's story. Could those guys be investigating his wife's death? I look at my trainer, worried.

Uncle noticed this and patted my head.

"Hey, don't you guys worry. Those customers are just ‘well-mannered’. That's it."  He assured us.

"I'm sure you brought Kronos with you?" Uncle turned to me and asked.

"Y-yes. Of course." I said as I take Kronos out of my bag.

"Hand them to me. We'll sharpen them."

"Okay. Here." I nervously gave Kronos to Uncle.

He chuckled and said,

"Go to the training ground and get warmed up. I'll call you when your weapon is ready."

I gulp and headed to the training ground per Uncle's order.

I jogged around the training ground. Then I started training with a fighting dummy. I also tried to experiment with some techniques that could help me defend myself against my trainer. I paused for a while and drank some water. I looked at Lance and Alisa training at the shooting range. I suddenly felt all the anxiety come back to me again.

'What if I hurt Uncle Vadim? What if I hurt myself? What if it turns out that I can't handle close-combat with a weapon? If I can't, how will I fight off those zombies?'

I stood up and trained with the fighting dummy again to distract myself.

'I can't let this anxiousness take over me. I need to stay focused. I can do this.'

I kept repeating these words in my head as I fight off the dummy. I abruptly stopped when I heard Uncle Vadim's voice calling out to me. I turned around to look at where he stands. I ran to him, and he handed me Kronos. They looked shinier and sharper than they were before. I followed Uncle to wear some leather armor. After fastening my armor, he tapped me on the shoulder.

"Trust yourself. You'll do well."

I look at him. I must have swallowed my tongue or tied them, I don't know. I just nodded at him and nervously smiled.

"What weapon are you using, Uncle?"

I asked as I notice that he's empty-handed.

He just smiled at me and said,

"Remember, 'to not hesitate is to be victorious.'"

I nod again, even though Uncle dodged my question. I can't seem to force a word out of my mouth. It feels so dry that I can't be able to open it. I gently slapped my cheeks as I repeat the words, 'You can do this, Albie!' again and again in my head.

Uncle and I positioned ourselves in the fighting arena, which is still a part of the backyard. Yes, that’s how wide this backyard is. I heard Alisa and Lance's footsteps as they come closer to the arena to watch us. I stand in a fighting stance as I prepare for the first hit.

We walked around in circles. Both of us must be expecting that the other is going to initiate the first attack. Since I don't want to make this last longer, and I feel like my legs are going to give up anytime sooner if I just keep on walking around, I ran to him and launched an attack, aiming to kick him on the neck, but of course, he quickly blocked that with his arms. He locked his arms around my ankles, and I know he's going to either turn me around or upside down, so I braced myself to make sure I'll still land on my feet. He noticed that I was preparing for this attack, so instead, he aimed to hit my abdomen. I winced in pain, but I focused my eyes on him and observed. I noticed that because of his recent attack, he loosened his grip on my ankles, so I yanked it away from his arms and ducked in instinct. When I successfully got my ankles back and ducked, I noticed an opening on his legs. I swept my foot in between it, attempting to lose his balance.

But boy, was that a wrong move. My eyes widened as he remained there, still as a stone, unfazed by my attack. I looked at him and saw him smirk at me. I immediately rolled out of his way. I knew he was going to launch another attack on me. I stood up, a fair enough distance from him, preparing for another attack. I saw something sparkle from his hands. And I knew that was a dagger, judging by how the light was reflected on the blade's surface. It was like mine, although I have two, and he has only one. I took Kronos out of their sheath as I brace for Uncle's attack. I parried his attack with Kronos and swerved out of his blade's direction. I prepared for another attack again.

'You can do this, Albie!'

I said to myself as I launch myself towards Uncle. I ran towards him, daggers prepared. He also ran towards me. I smiled when we were about to collide. I steer out of his way by turning around. His back is very vulnerable right now. I took this opportunity, and roundhouse kicked him in the back. However, he also knew this was going to happen and ducked and turned around to face me. I immediately took my feet out of his way. He ran towards me, his dagger at my neck. When he was near, I shifted in the other direction, but he knew I would do this. He caught me by his arms and brought me to the ground. I let out a groan as I fell to the ground. He is now hovering over me. I gave him a determined look in the eyes as I give him a hook on the side. This made him weak, and I pushed him aside. I stood up once again, attempting to run a good distance away from him.

"The goal is to use your weapon, Albie!"

He shouted as he dragged me by the ankles, making me trip. I kicked him in the face and pushed myself away from him. That must've hurt. I got out of his grip successfully, but when I looked back at him Uncle's face remained untouched.

'How the heck did that happen? Am I that weak?'

I stood away from him, stance prepared. He stood up and looked straight at me and attacked. I parried his attacks with my daggers. We continued to exchange attacks on each other, the sound of metal against metal is the only sound I can hear. It makes it feel like Lance and Alisa are not even there, watching us.  I was able to clip his dagger with mine. I kicked him on the chest as I keep his dagger clipped between my daggers. I threw his dagger on the ground as I look at him get up from my attack. He ran to me, I prepare to meet his attack. When we collided, we fell to the ground. Surprisingly, I just saw myself pinning him to the ground, dagger at his neck.

"Do it."

He said as he smiles at me. Horrified, I shake my head. Uncle frowned at me, and he yanked the dagger out of my hand and stabbed me on the shoulders. I closed my eyes, expecting to feel a sharp pain from my shoulders.

"I told you to trust me."

I opened my eyes and looked at my trainer. And I looked at my shoulder, there's no bleeding or whatsoever.

"What?!"

I exclaimed in surprise. Uncle slowly pulls out the knife, and I realized it was just a retractable knife. But it looks so identical to Kronos. Or could it be that Kronos is a retractable knife after all this time?

"Do you seriously think I'll harm you?"

Uncle asked me.

I got up and said,

"No. Umm... maybe?"

He sighed and looked at me,

"I told you to trust me, and to not hesitate."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"But anyway, good work! You were able to pin me down. Had you not hesitated, you would have successfully made your goal."

He tapped me on the shoulders.

"What will happen then?"

"We'll fight again tomorrow."

I nod.

"Are those the knives you gave me back then too?"

I asked.

"What? No. I made a double for this fight. Your Kronos are safe inside the shop."

"I'm sorry."

I said again, disappointed with myself.

"It's okay. You did well. But please, when you are in danger. Don't ever hesitate."

"Even if I'll kill someone?"

"If someone is attacking to kill you, it wouldn't even bother thinking if you'll end up dying or not."

He gave me an assuring pat on the head as he went into his house to change.

"That was amazing, Albie!" Lance exclaimed as he came to me.

"Yeah! It felt like I was watching one of those action movies on the television!"

Alisa giggled as she also came to me and hugged me.

"But I did not give the final hit. I did not use my weapons really well." I sigh.

"That's actually remarkable, Albie. You were not fully depending on your weapons. You were waiting for the right time to use them."

I just look at Alisa.

"Yeah. Flailing around aimlessly just because you have a weapon is going to be reckless, Albie."

Lance also remarked.

"Thank you, guys. You're the best." We smiled as we hugged each other.