The great campaign

A visitor

Vesimir got stomped in the chest, then flew in the bushes, he almost fell unconscious, but after a few gasps of air he managed to stay awake. "You attacked too soon," Davil teached, "and I had to make sure to punished you for it. Always make sure your timing is right!" "Y-yes mister." Vesimir responded as his head popped out of the bush and he got back into his guard. "I will not forget that in the next round!" And so, moments later they were in another battle.

Two days had passed since Vesimir learned the basics of attacking, and from that moment on he and Davil spent most of their day sparring. Their bouts didn't last long, a minute at most, but for Vesimir those were the most intense minutes of his life.

It would start of fairly quit, with both swordsmen standing on guard opposite to eatchothers. Then the pace would instantly ramp up when one of them decided to advance and attack. What would follow were a dozen and one strikes to eatchothers to push the opponent back and gain the upper hand. Since both of them mostly fought in the Fire of the sun defending wasn't really in their vocabularies. So once the opponent couldn't attack anymore or was hit with because of an opening in their guard, the fight was pretty much over.

Vesimir lost all off the fights, but everytime he lost he came back with more fire. He was determined, didn't let any wound stop him. So even though his body was full with scratches, it was like they never excited when he fought. All that energy didn't pass davil; he noticed how the boys attack strings got tighter and more coördinated.

It was because he was still a complete beginner and kid that Vesimir didn't stand a chance. But if the kid was allowed to grow and ripen, he could be a great swordmaster by the time he was thirty five. Now though, Davil could do only one thing; hit Vesimir with his wooden sword a when he saw a mistake in his form, and watch him crumble. That was the only way to learn at the moment.

"You are getting better everyday Vesimir," Davil said, "most kids take weeks to do what you can." Vesimir was on the floor, his whole body aching, his breath shaky. Still he got on his feet, "thank you mister," he took in a deep breath, "let's start another round!" Davil wasn't surprised at the fire in the soul of this kid. He shook his head, then said, "Even a man that lost his hearing and eyesight can tell that you are done kid."

"No I'm not, i can go forever... at least one more battle then I'm done."

"If we go one more round I will probably murder you by accident kid. Plus, I have to go to your mother and take care of her, so you go take a rest when I'm gone."

"Oh then if that's the case then it's alright... Can I come with you?"

"No kid, I know that you miss your mom, and you will see her soon-"

"But why not now?" Vesimir interupted, his face was that of a kid who saw his mom everyday of his life, then suddenly didn't. The change was normal for the first two days, but on the third and further, Vesimir started to feel anxious about it. Davil explained, "Me and the spirits are doing rituals on her, looking if we can heal her. We can't let anyone in the room who doesn't really understand what is happening."

Vesimir's face turned to one of understanding. "Can you at least tell her how strong i got." "For sure kid, now take a nap, and when you wake up, practice with your crossbow. I will come back later today with food.

When Davil left, Vesimir fell on his back and looked up to the blue sky. The sun had not peaked yet, so it did not blind him. Yeah he still missed his mom, he held on though, cause he was going to see her the day after tomorrow. Also, if the knight was trying to save his mother from her illness, why would he want to stop him. He even got his hopes up, maybe Davil the knight would cure her.

Sounds of rustling of grass, and the crushing of dead leaves got closer to him. It got his attention, so he propped up on his elbows and looked around. It couldn't have been Davil, he never makes a noise when he moves around. He got on his feet and looked around some more, twirling in cirkels to see something. Then he stopped, when he saw a woman in a white dress look back at him, the same dress that his mother wore very often back in the day. The woman also looked exactly like his mother did. "It can't be..." Vesimir wispered to himself as he questioned the situation.

Then he saw Davil a distance behind the woman, with a smile on his face. The woman stepped forward with her mouth agape, as if she wanted to say something. Then said, after a moment of silence, "Vesimir Davil has healed me, now we can go ba-" Vesimir already ran to her with amazing speed, hugged her tightly, and closed his eyes while he buried his face in her belly. Mary lightly put her hand on Vesimir's head then said, "now you can tell me about everything you've been doing here Vesimir." Her sweet voice faded the more she spoke, then Vesimir opened his eyes.

Now, when he looked at the sky, the sun was slightly past it's peak. He'd been sleeping for a few hours. The boy hit himself on the head, and a *tock* noise echoed. "Stupid head," he complained, "why do you make me have dreams like that." Then he noticed, that the sound he had in his dream -Sounds of rustling of grass, and the crushing of dead leaves- weren't contained to only his dreams. They were still there, they were still coming closer. Again Vesimir got on his feet, looked around, then stopped when he saw not a woman, but a man. It was Cobain walking straight at him, with his calm gaze laser focused on Vesimir. The boy didn't know what to do. On one hand he was afraid of the strider, and he wanted to hide from him. On the other hand, he admired the man. So Vesimir didn't move a bit, like a deer Infront of headlights. Cobain was right Infront of him moments later.

"Would you look at that," Cobain started. "Your that boy I saw at Brody's house aren't you?" Vesimir looked at the man not knowing what to say, then spacing out thinking about the many things that could follow. From "You killed those guards!" To "thank you for protecting me last week." Were all he things he wanted to get out. Cobain put his finger infront of the face of the boy, then snapped three times. "Hellooo, I know you can talk kid I saw that last time."

Vesimir came back from out of his head. "H-hi mister, what are you doing here?"

"Wel, you left in such a hurry last time, I barely got to know you. So I looked for you and now we can talk."

"Really!?" Vesimir said with a surprised look on his face. "No of course not!" Cobain said annoyed as of he just got a stupid question. "Honestly I should be asking what you are doing here. You're what, ten at most, what are you doing this far from the city?"

Vesimir was scratching his head, not knowing what to say. The whole reason Davil brought him here was to train on peace. Someone else interfering in the middle of it was a problem. Asking what was happening was to much for the eight year old. He also didn't trust Cobain, so telling him was not on the table.

Cobain slapped his face, and with a grumpy face grabbed Vesimir by his arm. "Come on, let's go back to Dalsain. Were going to your house" "No i can't!" Vesimir said while trying to pull back his arm. "Why not!" Cobain turned his head to the kid with a slightly annoyed face. Vesimir stayed quit for a moment before Cobain started pulling again. "Wait, my master will be back shortly!" Vesimir said, he pointed to all the equipment that lied scattered around the camp. "He brought me here to teach me how to be a knight. He left to do something but soon he'll be back." Cobain looked around at the camp and saw a whole bunch of stuff that a kid couldn't make by themselves. From a extinguished campfire with a kettle above it, a bladder that was used to store water, to targets that were drawn on trees. The kid wasn't lying. "So he left you here all alone. What an irresponsible person." Vesimir got offended on Davil's part, he said sternly, "Master isn't irresponsible, he just knows I can handle it here" Cobain scoffed at the words that were spoken.

"Please kid don't make laugh, last I saw you, i had to protect you from some fattas who's in love with your mom." "T-that was 4 days ago, I'm a changed man know." Cobain looked down at Vesimir like the kid he was, then saw a fiery determination in the kids black eyes. It almost made Vesimir seem supernatural. Cobain chuckled, then let go of the arm the boy was pulling on. He then looked at the camp and located a practice sword. He picked it up then stood on his guard.

Vesimir -who fell- stood up, looked up at Cobain, then knew what he had to do. Prove to Cobain he could handle the forest. He picked up his wooden sword and also got on his guard. Vesimir looked Cobain up and down.

When they were fighting Davil cycled from all three sword styles so Vesimir could get familiar with all of them. So he instantly recognized that Cobain wasn't standing in the Fire of the Sun, but in the Seizing Bird. Which was a mix of both offense and defense. Vesimir knew that the seizing bird was the most liberating way to style as they mostly used their suroundings to fight. Basically, they did whatever it took to win a fight, somethimes not even using their sword to fight if that gave them a advantage.

Cobain was the first to rush an attack, running to the kid, taking a detour to the campfire, kicking the coal towards him. Now with a black dustcload surrounding him, with some having come in his eyes, Vesimir lost his balance. It happened so fast that he started to panick. So with one hand rubbing his eyes, he used his sword hand to s***h the air radomly. He didn't hit anything. All he did hear was Cobain's voice echoing the sentence: "Come on kid, if this is all you can do, I'm taking you back to the city."

That's something Vesimir couldn't have happen. Then, in a way to solve his blinded vision he remembered the bladder he and his master took from a pig just a day before. It should be full of water. Vesimir used his imagination to picture the camp, then located the bladder in his mind. He slowly started to shuffle his way to it, keeping his sword Infront him as his only protection. "I don't know where you are going." Cobain's voice echoed. Then Vesimir leg got whipped with a the wooden sword. It was a solid strike to his bicep that made the kid jump, and fall down. He shouted, then stood on again.

Then he got hit on his swordhand, making him drop his practice sword, and hug his hand. Moments later Vesimir bent down to grab his sword, but got hit his same hand. The pain doubling and making him squeal. "Forget the sword." He thought, "I just need to see again. Wait..." he heard the sound of crunching grass around him, stopping and going again. It was Cobain, he was circling the boy. When the crunching sound was silent for an only longue time, Vesimir knew what he could expect, he got hit on the shoulder. It hurt. Vesimir didn't give a reaction though. He was to focused on Cobain's movements. Cobain's voice resurfaced, "This isn't the first time I had to discipline a kid kid. So give up, your mom is probably worried sick about you. At least she will be when she... and all the people of Dalsain know why I'm here."

Again Vesimir heard the crunching going around him. When he heard it stop behind him, he knew just had to pick the right moment to act. So he waited. The presence of Cobain was thickening by the moment. Vesimir visualized the image of Cobain looming over him, raising his sword, then, Vesimir jumped out of the way towards the bladder. He heard a swooshing sound behind him, then a sound of anoynce, followed by the feeling that Cobain was chasing him. Cobain wasn't sprinting though, more of a calm stride.

Vesimir ran on all fours like a rabid dog chasing his only food source, hoping to distance himself as much as he could from the strider. Suddenly he tripped over something solid making him fling further forward. Cobain? It couldn't be. He was still doing his calm stride. So it must've been a branch. It didn't matter, Vesimir was close enough to find the bladder.

Like a man looking for glasses, he felt ground till he found it. Quickly he opened it and loosened all the water on his face. It felt refreshing to reach his goals. The cold water even seemed to dull his pains, like it was magic. First Vesimir's vision was blurry, but the more he blinked the clearer the scene became to him. There he saw the sleek haired man come towards him.

He didn't have his sword though, so he thought quickly and used the branch he just tripped over. "So this is what you where planning all along." Cobain said while picking up his pace. "And I'm not even done yet." Vesimir responded. For him, the battle was just beginning.

He did the only thing he knew how to do as a Fire of the Sun user does. Attack. Immediately he was on Cobain applying as much pressure as he could. Slashing from all directions constantly. Cobain was blocking all of what the boy had. With the constant attacks though, he was stuck on the defensive.

As a way to create some freedom in his moves the man jumped backwards. The second he saw this, Vesimir threw his sword at Cobain to keep the pressure. Cobain hit it away with his hand, but, Vesimir instantly ran to his actual practice sword, and was back on Cobain. He slashed three times in a triangle form, ended his combination attack with a lunge to the man's chest. Cobain parried the three slashes, the lunge, skimmed his chest when he tried to weave past it. This surprised the man so much that he stumbled backwards, and almost fell on his ass.

Seeing the loss of ballance made Vesimir strike at Cobain one last time to finish the fight. A vertical downward blow aimed at the man's head. Vesimir hit nothing, the momentum made the kid take a few steps forward. He looked at the spot where Cobain was supposed to be, saw nothing but his footprints. Did he just discapear in thin air. It couldn't be. Not even Davil pulled something like that on him, at least not in a duel. "You did did done good." Cobain's voice said in Vesimir's ears. His voice breathier than usual. Before the kid could snap back to the man, everything went black.

He awoke not more than a hour later. The sun was lower than before so it must've been around two o'clock. The boy felt as if he just came out of a very lucid dream. Two dreams in a row? It did happen to him before. Very soon though that was proven wrong when he tried to stand up. Various aches were radiating through his body. The one on his neck was feeling the most fresh. When he decided to sit instead of stand he noticed Cobain sitting a few paces from him. He was looking directly at the kid.

"Please don't take me back to Dalsain" Vesimir said submissively, as if asking a parent not to throw them out of the house. "Boy," Cobain answered, "you did just fine, i respect the fact that your being trained here." "Huh, then why are you still here?" Cobain didn't sit cross legged, no he sat on a dead tree that seemingly came from nowhere. He sat wide as well, with both his legs spread to the max. He was also knibbeling on a Crusty Stick -a type of snack that if you bit on stayed crustly like a stick- Cobain bit of the stick, chewed till dry, spit out the piece.

"Vesimir right? Do you know what I am, what ma job is?" "You are a Strider." "Then do yu know what a strider does?" Before Vesimir could get a word out, he stayed quiet. He just thought that a strider was something like a super cop, that is above even the landlords. Now he actually gave it thought he realized that he didn't know what they actually were. He shook his head lightly. "Wel, less just say I take care of monsters." Cobain said. "The ones thattare dangerous to folk like you." Suddenly a question popped came up in Vesimir.

"Does that mean that there's a monster in the area?" "Yeah, thas exactly what I mean. This ain't no small fry either. The whole organization has been chasing this bloodlover for close to 50 years now." "50 years!" Vesimir yelled out, afraid of the type of monster that they must be chasing. Cobain looked up to the sky as if in deep thought. He said coldly, "Oh yes 50 years, to the Great Conscience it has been 50 years and even we Striders haven't been able to take that foul creature down. That bloedzuiger."

"Must be a big creature! With sharp fangs, many teeth, must have killed a lott of people." Then Cobain looked straight at the kid, rubbed his forehead, then slicked back his hair. "Thats the thing, it isn't, it's worse." "How could it be worse than that?" Vesimir asked nervously. "Simple, it pretends to be one of us, good folks." Cobain responded. Vesimir's face turned to one of confusion. "Why." He asked himself. Cobain continued. "Do you know what the people hate most of all? Fake things. We hate to be deceived cus it betrays our trust. For example, the landlord. Brody. Did you know his pot of coins is mostly fake." "No way!" Vesimir gasped. "Yes way. It's tru. When he collects money he fills that thing with as much copper as he can, then he paints them silver and gold. All that for what you ask. To flaunt it to the poor. Thas one thing I hate about him. He's all smoke and mirrors. It's not that he poor or anything. The man is just not as rich as he pretends to be. How can I trust someone like that... Same goes for that creature we're hunting. Pretends to be one of us, eats with us, laughs with us, but at the end

Atthaday it's stilla monster. Someday it will be weak. Thas tha day it wil not be able to to hold its animal instincts. Thas when tha people's lives wil be in danger."

Cobain put his hand on the dead tree then said with a cursing voice, "Oh to the great Conscience do I hate fake things!" Vesimir sat there, he had no idea that so many things were happening at once. He looked back to the city, thought about his mother, hoped she was safe, then remembered she would be. Davil could protect her more then he could. How much though. Against a creature so mysterious. He turned back to to Cobain, "Shouldn't you be in the city, protecting the people." The man didn't seem as agitated as before; he sat relaxed again, his expression carefree. "I should be shouldn't I, but I don't know, my instincts guided me here. It's something fishy about this place. I mean look around there's hemlock residue all ov-"

Cobain pulled out his gun, pointed it behind him, then he instantly slid on the ground to be next to Vesimir, and turned to were he was pointing. Vesimir jumped from the sudden movements, he didn't know what was going. The man Cobain was aiming at had long black hair in a ponytail, blue eyes, a charming smile to boot. It was Davil, without his hat.

"Who are you and were did you come from!?" Cobain demanded an answer. Davil held his hand out in a defensive position, "ho there, I'm the man who is training Vesimir. So please put the gun down ." "Is that true?" Cobain asked the kid. Vesimir nodded, with a worried look on his face, afraid at to what could go down next. Cobain looked back at Davil then holstered his gun. "Thas good, been wanting to speak to ya." "Oh, please tell my why." The Strider came closer to the knight, till he was but arms length away from him. "Listen, I'm not a hundred percent sure yet, but there's a good chance a bloedzuiger is in the area." "Oh really, that's a very bad thing." "Yes it is, you aswell as me have heard the stories." "Yes yes, terrible creatures." "I know, so mister, imma need ya, not to leave this child alone in the forest anymore. Ya could come back to a horrible sight."

"Thanks you, I was not aware of something so dangerous being among us." The strider showed a charming smile. "Now ya are." He clapped his hand loudly, then said, "I'm going now, so you to can get back to your training now." He said his goodbye's then left in the direction of the city. When Davil was sure the man left. He put his hat back on. Eyes discapearing behind the brim of his hat once more. "Did you practice your crossbow?" he asked. Vesimir looked guilty, "I wasn't able to, the strider distracted me." "wel, let's get to it then."