Want To Know How To Duel?
1321 Words
After breakfast and a super short morning meeting, the conscripts went to the training ground where this time they went to the swordsmen arena.
A table was set aside where heaps of wooden swords were lain on it, ready to be picked and utilised with deadly intent. Michelle, Nolan and Oscar were standing at the forefront as teachers this time and were paired off with 3 Shadow members, all the 6 of them armed with the wooden swords.
The 6 of them were equipped with full studded leather armour, which was actually meant for archers. They each took turns to explain their pieces of armour and its uses and care and everyone took every single morsel of information diligently.
There was quite a number of leather armours but the best our boys and girls of Gracehaven preferred was the studded leather armour. Not only does it look great with the shiny brass studs on them, but it also comes in a multitude of pieces.
There was a half-faced protective helm, a chest piece with adjustable straps on the sides, a pauldron set, gauntlet set with open fingered gloves, a kilt just reaching above the knees and a pair of shin guards.
The total weight of the whole studded leather protective armour was about 45 pounds with the kilt, shinpad and pauldrons. However, for the demonstration and also for safety reasons, the 6 of them donned full armour as they would be going all out and to draw first blood...
After explaining the fundamentals of holding and properly wield a short sword to its maximum effect, its time for a showdown.
"COME GET SOME...!!!"
Michelle, Nolan and Oscar screamed their warcry as they rushed forward, gripping their wooden one-handed swords while facing the cool-tempered Shadow members.
*SWOOSH* *THUNK* *SLAP* *s***h*
A flurry of forceful and unrestrained movements made by the wooden swords was met with blocks parried and even counter-attacks made by the Shadow members.
There was no holding back and each of the swordsman division wanted to take down their assailants even though it was considered as a friendly spar...!
The crowd watching egged the 6 swordsmen on and the demonstration was seen to be a full-fledged battle as it unfolded before their eyes.
Michele was literally jumping in the air and trying to s***h down her opponent that was trying to block her incoming attack while with a twirl on the heel made the Shadow member spun away ever so slightly and Michelle missed her target by a mile!
A sidekick was aimed behind her knees and a shove made Michelle lost her balance and fell to the ground. A stab from the Shadow member upon Michelle's throat indicated that the game was over for Michelle.
It was now 2 versus 3 and the Shadow member that had 'slain' Michelle picked up the fallen sword and now wields two one-handed swords in his hands...!
Everyone gasped at the fight scene as Michelle scampered away and muttered audibly to the crowd, "Not Fair... Hmph...!"
The Shadow member twirled the two one-handed wooden swords in his hands as he looked at both Nolan and Oscar and timed his next wave of attacks. Nolan and Oscar could only gulp their saliva as the twin-bladed Shadow member closed in on Nolan first.
Nolan was at a disadvantage!
Nolan only managed to perform a horizontal forehand s***h but his unprotected sides were ruthlessly slashed by the twin sword wielder. Though it was a wooden sword and not a lethal one, Nolan continued his fight even though he was considered as 'injured'.
A hard strike down made by Nolan was blocked by the twin wooden swords and the movement of the blade was manipulated in such a way that Nolan was unable to regain his momentum and fell his sword to the side. A back roundhouse kick made by the Shadow member toppled Nolan and once again the twin wooden sword rushed down and stabbed at both Nolan's chest and abdomen.
The dropped sword was flicked over to one of the Shadow members and now 2 shadow members were now wielding 2 swords instead of one.
Oscar was now at wit's end and at a super lopsided disadvantage. Oscar was now flailing his wooden sword around without any intent to injure anyone and kept advancing while the three Shadow members just sidestepped him.
All the slashes, strikes, stabs and kicks missed their target — can't say he missed shall we? Why not we say that all the Shadow members all managed to avoid getting hit at all. Now it sure sounds better. Hope the swordsman at Gillman's won't be taking out on me for poorly mentioning the fight scenes. Haha...!
"Hoi... Not fair you know...! You... All of you... Cheated me... How can this... Be a fair fight? Wuwuwu... I'm really flat out... Right now you know... I give up... You all win..."
Actually, the weight of the armour weighs Oscar down as he overexerted himself while chasing after his 'assailants'. After the demonstrations, everyone was waiting to take up their wooden swords and starts fighting but was stopped by the Shadow members.
"These swords even though it was made from wood, would really send someone to the infirmary if not handled properly. Come... As your teacher, each one of you takes a sword each and form two lines."
The crowd took up a wooden sword and faced each other once they had made two rows on the battlefield.
"Swordsmanship is not like fencing. We do not put one hand in the waist as we fight with the sword. Now everyone follows our actions slowly. There's no need to put in speed or force. Just move your swords in the momentum. Like this... This is called an overhead strike."
The Shadow member that was faced with one another raised the sword above their heads and brought down slowly and it was met in a parry in mid-air. Again the process was repeated and it was a tad faster this time and the sound of the wood clashing resounded in the training area.
"Alright... Keep at the low speed and repeat after me — Strike and block, strike and block" the Shadow member barked his command and everyone does the same, perfectly swinging the sword down from the top of their heads and met with a block in the centre.
After the repetitions continued for about 50 times, everyone took a break while the Shadow member explained the fundamentals of it.
"The movement you all had made was actually useless. Do not use it in terms of war. Your opponent could s***h you open the moment you raise your sword above your heads. The exercise you had performed was to exercise your arms."
"You need to hold your sword in front of you with an open stance. A sword has 8 eyes which means it has 8 movements starting from the centre. Here, let me show you. Miss. Michelle, could you please?"
The Shadow member offered Michelle to be his assistant as they all went through the basics of sword handling and they all understood by the meaning of a sword having 8 eyes.
"A short sword is different from a long sword as one is a single-handed weapon while the other is a two-handed weapon. A single-handed weapon enables one to wield a shield, another short sword or a T baton. A T baton could be used to parry or block as it would also be used as a countermeasure tool."
Everyone was curious about the T baton as it was not mentioned as part of the equipment. After pondering for some time, a gleam sparkled over Old Mann's eyes as he discovered that it would feasible to have such kind of T baton that could be used as a countermeasure tool for a swordsman.
Author's Note:
https://discord.gg/SFnmXZu to find out more about the T baton
- Writer
