The great campaign

The Woods

First they went outside of the city, then they went into the Blueforest, then they kept walking on the path for hours. At some point Davil got out a torch for Vesimir, but it seemed that he himself didn't need one. Not even twisting his head to look around. Like he knew what was on the path before the were there. The boy had been on his feet for the whole day: first at his job, then getting food, then he needed to pay rent. It had been a exhausting day and his legs were about to give in to the burning feeling of pain at any moment.

So he stumbled and bumbled on the forest path, almost falling a few times. Somethimes he took a break, Davil didn't, he kept walking and never looked back. The sight of Davils back disappearing into the darkness of the night, leaving Vesimir alone in the forest, terrified the boy. So Everytime Vesimir stopped, he would be sprinting to catch up moments later. He didn't complain though, as far as he could see he was finally walking it. The road to become a knight and he was happy about it.

Finally, just when Vesimir was was about to give in, Davil stopped. Somewhere random in the forest, surrounded by trees, bushes, and sounds of buglike creatures unseen. Vesimir fell to the soft grass, painting for life, legs pulsating, hand with torch in the air. "This is were we will be camping for the following days," Davil started, "here, I'm sure we won't be interupted." Vesimir who was still panting, laid on his back staring at the stary sky, said with a shaky breath, "alright mister." Davil looked around as if he could see in the pitch black distance, scanning the area for dangers. When he was done he sat down in a cross-legged position. He said, "Stand, get some dry wood. When your done I will be waiting for you."

Slowly but surely the boy got on his feet again, and was on his way. When he got the wood, Davil made a campfire with the torch. It was surounded by stones, each of them had a squiggly symbol on it. Both of the men were on each side of the fire. Vesimir slapped himself on the cheeck softly. "That's right," He said, "Monday I have to work again. That means we'll only have two days of training." He looked disappointed when he said that. Davil, who was squating over the fire looking into it, as if gazing into something deeper, said unhinged, "today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, that's three days. " He put his hands around the fire like he wanted to catch warmt, his fist were closed.

"Monday and Thursday, those days you need to take of then." Vesimir knitted his eyes. "But then I won't get paid as much as I useally do." It took a while for Davil to respond, he looked to focused to do so; he was whispering words to himself in a language unknown. Vesimir leaned in to see what Davil was doing, the orange red flame twinkling in his eyes. The cloaked man opened his hands, from them fell herbs that sprinkled into the fire.

Then, the symbols on the rocks started to glow one after the other like a ticking clock. Vesimir who was watching this happen with his mouth agape, couldn't help but let out a amazed "woowwww" The campfire then slowly died down died down into a small orange light, before exploding into a purple flame. "Come forth creature!" Davil yelled, his open palms had glowing symbols on them, "Come serve your master!" The fire flamed and swirled like a tornado. Davil stood up as the flame raised into a small pillar, Vesimir stepped back from it when he saw the fire getting wild. He was panicked, but intrigued, so he watched silently as leaves, branches, and he himself, were rapidly being drawn into the purple tornado.

Then, when the fire was at it's peak a creature jumped from the center of the flame into the sky, onto a branch of a tree. It was a catlike creature with red fur, big ears, and yellow paws, and most notably purple eyes, that reflected in the dark what little light there was. It meowed, then jumped from branch to branch away from the two.

The purple flame then turned normal again, and the glowing symbols on the rock didn't glow anymore.

"What I am about to teach you Vesimir," Davil started, "is more valuable than a two days worth of coin." Vesimir's ears twitched when he heard that, a small grin also appeared on his face. Both of them stood side by side looking in the direction of were the cat whent. Davil went back on the floor, then lied on his side, out his cloak over him for warmth. "That was all that needed to happen today, sleep, you will need it."

Vesimir his heart was pumping with excitement, his fatigue was gone, cause everytime he tried to close his eyes, they automatically opened again. It would take sometime before he finally could sleep. Even when he did sleep, his dreams would make him move restlessly.

The next day Vesimir got up early again. He wanted to turn around and tell his mother about the awsome dream he had, but then realized that most of it was not. He then turned to the opposite side of the camp to see the knight. He was not there. Vesimir got up, not even noticing the dirt, leaves on the right side of his body, and went to the campfire. It had already died down. Still he studied it; he lifted one of the rocks on the and looked at the symbol, it was drawn with coal, and every rock had a different kind of squiggly. One was a more kind of s, the other more of a o, with a twirl inside of it.

"They won't glow... Anymore." Davil said, he was a distance behind Vesimir. Vesimir had no idea how long he was watching, or how he arrived without making a sound, cause there were more than enough dead leaves on the ground to make a chrunchy sound, yet no crackle was heard. Davil had two wooden swords palmed in one hand. But at that moment a sword was the last thing Vesimir could think about.

"That... What happened yesterday," Vesimir asked, "was that hemlock?" "Yes it was." Davil thought he was done talking, he even casually walked to Vesimir and handed him a wooden sword. Then he saw the boy's eyes waiting with anticipation, focused on what the knight would say next.

"With fire," he continued, "symbols, and the right words, you can open a portal to the spirit world. That what you saw yesterday." "The spirit world... Can you teach me how to do that!" Vesimir was already on his knees begging to the knight.

"No I can't."

"Pleaseeeee, I need to know how."

"To perform hemlock you need a developed Hemi Core, and it only develops during puberty." Vesimir his eyebrows were knitted, his mouth slightly agape, it was the first time he heard that word. Hemi Core. He wanted it, and at that second too. "Okay, tell me," Vesimir said, "when does puberty happen?" Davil grinned, "You will have to wait a few years for that kid."

And so Vesimir his attention got draw by the wooden sword in his hand. It was a rapier; a thin sword that could be used for fast combat and was made for precise hits, the end of the sword was dull, the guard of it was a beige colour, same as the blade itself. Vesimir swung it wildly, loving the swooshing sound it made, feeling like a hero while he did that.

While the kid was swinging Davil asked, "how does it feel? I fine tuned it to your weight and height." Vesimir stopped with one final s***h in the air. "It feels amazing."

Vesimir glanced at Davil with a sly expression for one second, and the other he was rushing the knight. Three times he tried to hit the man, but Davil dodged them all like a leaf in the wind. Vesimir his fourth s***h ended in a sword clash with the man. Davil didn't even bother to stand in a battle stance, choosing to stand straight, both his feet were firmly planted on the ground, side by side.

He pushed the boy back with his sword, Vesimir stumbled. "I knew I wouldn't be able to hit you." Vesimir said. "Mom told me all kinds of stories about the strength and bravery of knights like you."

"Oh did she,"

"Yes she did, so if a man like you loses to a kid like me... It would be quite embarrassing. That doesn't mean I won't try!"

Out of seemingly nowhere Vesimir pulled out a rock and threw it straight at Davil, then began rushing at the man again. He saw Davil easily hit away the rock with his sword, but that wasn't the point of Vesimir his plan cause at that same moment he was close enough to attack, Davil was wide open for a s***h to the stomach.

So Vesimir took a wide swing, expecting to embarrass the knight, but instead got my kicked in his belly, launched into the air, and crashed on the ground. He lied there with his hands on his stomach, crumbled like a piece of paper. "That's unfair,' Vesimir said painfully. "You kicked me in a sword fight." "You threw a rock at me in a sword fight. I thought because of that you already knew kid, the first lesson I was going to teach you. Everything goes in a fight, as long as you win."

When Vesimir stood up, he could barely able to hold up his blade. But the boy was grinding his teeth, his eyes were squinting angerly at Davil. Vesimir was determined still, and that didn't slip by Davil. So the man finally got in his battle stance; one foot in the front, one at the back for balance, he squated a bit, and his pointed his rapier at Vesimir.

"What are you doing?" Vesimir asked. "Showing you how a real swordsman fights." Davil replied. "Attack me again." Vesimir didn't hesitate. Once more he furiously swung wide at the at the knight, keeping that up with a relentless flury of attacks. Davil parried all of the slashes and with a attack as fast as a bullet stabbed Vesimir in the chest. The boy then froze, felt a blunt pain in his chest, dropped his sword, then fell to his knees.

"You have spunk," Davil began, "and you did surprise me with your sudden attack at first kid. But you cannot swing a blade so wildly expecting to actually hit someone." The man strolled to Vesimir who was still on his knees, and put his sword back in his hands. "I thought," Vesimir said, while gripping the handle of his sword. "that i had a chance if I could catch you of guard!" The boy quickly took a upward stab at the head of Davil, but the man swiftly weaved past it, and hit Vesimir his arm with his own rapier. A whipping sound echoed the forest.

The boy fell to the ground once more, eyes closed from the pain, he said with a heavy voice, "My body hurts all over."

"I'm sure it does," Davil sighed. "You sure are persistent boy. It was surprising the first time but it didn't work, what made you think that it would work the second time?"

Vesimir laughed, probably because of the pain. "I don't know, but it pisses me of that both times failed." "Why, because you failed to embarrass me."

"No, it's that instead of that, that I got embarrassed." It's then when Vesimir opened his eyes and tried to look in the ones of Davil -though his eyes were blocked by the hat- then the boy said, "How, how can I beat you in a fight."

"It seems you are finally willing to listen."

Later Vesimir was standing with his left foot at the back, the right foot at the front, squating slightly, his right hand had the sword in it and it was pointed forward. Davil was standing beside him, correcting the faults in Vesimir's stance.

Vesimir asked, "What am I doing mister?" "Well, before your going to learn how to run, you need to learn how walk. " Davil then stood opposite to Vesimir in the same position. "Before any battle even starts," Davil teached, "this is the position you should be standing in, your 'guard'. When your in guard your every move can be executed perfectly."

"It doesn't feel like that, i feel clunky, can't I just stand like I normally do?" "You can try, but you'll never win a duel from me or become a knight." Vesimir grunted but then continued in his guard stance.

"Yes kid, stand broad, stand solid." Davil said. "Now copy what I do, exactly as I do."

Davil stepped forward with his front heel first then his back leg. Vesimir did the same. Then, Davil then stepped back in the reverse fashion, Vesimir again did the same. The both of them continued stepping forward, backwards, to the left and right for a few minutes before Davil stopped, stood straight, then said, "congratulations, you know how to walk. Your better than I thought you would be."

"What! I thought that you were teaching me how to attack or something."

Davil chuckled, "No, that wil be done after you've eaten some food."

"I'm not even hungry right now." Vesimir said, but that was clearly a lie, as his stomach grumbled moments later.

Soon, Davil came out with a crossbow and several arrows that he had put in a quiver that lied to his side. Doe-eyed, Vesimir asked if they weren't just going to eat bread. Davil didn't answer, only telling the kid to follow him. Shortly after they would be away from the camp, and from what Vesimir understood, on the hunt.

"Your mom told me all about it," Davil started, "the eating habits you've subdued yourself to for the past months. I've seen it too, in the corner of your small room."

"What wrong? Shouldn't I be eating my bread?"

Davil then pulled out his crossbow, pulled back the string, put a arrow in it and pointed it to somewhere in the distance, he was focused on whatever it was.

"No, but your mom has told me that that is all you've been eating for a long time now, together with that paste. Do you want to be a strong man Vesimir, a knight!"

"Of-ofcourse, I want the be the biggest, the strongest, and bravest knight, to protect and care for the people I love!"

Davil shot his arrow, and it blasted fast and sturdy. It landed in some bushes, about 80 yards away, Vesimir could hear a poor creature squirm. Both of them quickly stepped to it, and Davil started scrambling the bushes. "Then you shouldn't just be eating bread with paste," he said while he pulled out a rabbit that he held by the ears, "you should also be eating meat. And lot's of it too."

Back at the camp Davil showed Vesimir in detail how to clean the creature, and cook it with the ingredients he could find in the forest: some tomatoes, appels, herbs, and some more fruit to sweeten the food. Then put it in in the pan, he would be frequently stir in it. While they were waiting waiting for the food to finish Vesimir investigated the crossbow that lied on the floor. Davil asked, "Do you know how to fire one?"

"No, I have never even seen a crossbow, I thought these were stupid firearms until now." Vesimir looked at Davil for approval when he picked up the weapon, and when Davil nodded he fully studied all the compartment of the weapon.

"People underastimate this weapon, preferring guns over this one." Davil said. "They forget how deadly it can be in the right hands. Pull back the string till you hear a clicking noise." Vesimir did that and then Davil handed him a arrow, "why don't you slide that in." Vesimir did that too. He knew it was going to happen, he was going to fire this weapon, just like those men did to eatch other like the day before. A part of him felt afraid to have the same power like them in his hands, another felt empowered, cause now the playing field felt even. He sees many people with guns in his neighborhood, and every night at least 10 shots could be heard. Those sounds never scared him, he was born in it, what did were the painful cries of the men who got shot right after. It was haunting, at least his mom was there to hug him tightly.

But now he didn't feel like the haunted, but haunting. It was a new experience. "Do you see that tree over there?" Davil pointed to a tree that was about 40 yards away, "try to shoot it." Vesimir focused in on it, then pulled the trigger. A *tock* noise could be heard moments later as the arrow buried into the tree. Vesimir gasped when he heard that, then got tapped on the shoulder by Davil. "Good shot kid."

He then pointed to another tree, this one was closer, but also had a target icon on it.

"You know what to do." Davil also handed him three arrows, then went back to the cooking pot. With every shot Vesimir gasped, and showed a frightened expression, he missed all three shots, and only one hit the tree. He sighed then went to pick up the arrows. Davil asked, "Are you afraid of shooting? Your breathing is unsteady, you shiver at every shot too."

Vesimir paused his movements for a while, then said, "Everyone who I've seen using a gun did it for a bad reason. I don't want to use a gun or something like that, I only want to use a sword like a knight does, cause that is not evil."

"Didn't you know? knights also use guns."

"Huh!? That's a lie."

"No it isn't, didn't I use one minutes ago. I've also seen honorable men use it it with my own to eyes. And they never used their weapon to harm others, only used it to safe more people than you could imagine."

"I don't get it, then why are so many good people dying because them?"

"Bad people die of swords too right? It isn't the weapon that's evil or good, it's the person that utilizes it." Davil stirred the pot with food "as long as you Vesimir don't plan to be evil Vesimir, it will not matter what weapon you use. Now steady your breathing and aim."

Vesimir shoots again, his first 2 arrows mis the target but hit the tree. The third shots hits the absolute edge of the target.

When the food was done, they ate, then went back right back to sword practice

Davil explained, "There are three forms in the art of the sword. The first one, the crawling Sizzle, is the slowest of all forms, were patience is key, and every move is planned. The second one, the seizing bird, is a mix of offence and defense, and is the most commonly used."

"Well, which one did you use?" Vesimir interupted. "That's the one I want to learn." "The one that more violent, faster, and bolder than all the others." Davil replied. "The one that will suit you the most from what I've seen. The fire of the sun."

Vesimir his exprecion showed that of amazement. "With a title like that, it must be awsome."

"It is, but this way discards almost all defense, if a opening is seen within your attack a fatal wound can be strikin on your body, so pay good attention kid."

For the rest of the afternoon Davil teached Vesimir the basics of attack: how to lunge into a stab, how to feint a attack, when to attack and how to read his opponents.