by Aaron Hicks
Before Heathyr could verbally disabuse the two male adults of their belief about marriage Uktesh asked, “Thulmann helped take care of the house?”
Laurilli nodded and said, “He liked it. He used to say it was the only honest work he got to do.”
Uktesh said, “I don’t want to do honest work, I’ll hire a maid.”
Heathyr said, “You four! I guess I’m on the losing side of this argument.” Everyone else nodded in agreement.
Laurilli asked Uktesh, “What do you have on your training schedule today?”
Uktesh replied, “Practicing the Shadow Step and trying to learn the Shadow Walk.”
Laurilli shook her head, “I can’t believe you already learned the Shadow Step! Do you know how many of my trainers don’t know how to do it yet?”
Uktesh thought about the five people that Ryth the grand master of water had forced to train Laurilli and said, “All of them?”
Laurilli paused and said, “Yeah, and they’ve been training for years! Two of them have been training for decades!”
Uktesh changed the subject and asked, “Heathyr, what do you do all day while we’re training? It has to be something active, because you haven’t blown up like a balloon with all this food.”
Heathyr said, “I’ve been working on my own style of fighting. I’ll never be as strong as you boys, and I don’t have the dedication to learn everything new like Laurilli, so I’ve just been practicing my sword techniques. And I walk. I walk for nearly two hours every day. It takes me a little more than an hour to walk up to the top of the mountain, and a little less than an hour to walk down. I also swim, dance, and ward off would-be suitors.”
Laurill didn’t let the subject change last and told Uktesh, “You better not learn the Shadow Walk. If you did several dragons would rage.”
Uktesh smiled and asked, “What if I learned it in secret? If I learn it, I’ll make sure not to let on that I have. If I can.”
Esolc asked Repus, “What about you my friend? What majorly cool thing have you learned recently?”
Repus said, “I’m glad you asked. I’ve learned nothing new lately.”
Esolc gasped, “What do you mean? Aren’t you being trained by a grand master of the Beletarian fighting style? How could you learn nothing?”
Repus said, “Well he’s been too busy playing hero, learning hand to hand combat, or kissing his fiancée to train me.”
Esolc said, “That doesn’t seem right. Does it Uktesh?”
Uktesh tried to glare at them, but knew they were right and that he shouldn’t neglect their training so much. “Sorry guys. Okay, so seriously, how many times out of ten can you fight in balanced; how long can you travel in Bull Rushes Down; and how many times can you activate Rushing before you start to falter?”
Repus said, “We fight in balanced every time now and it’s only rarely that we do it wrong. We both can Rush for an hour or more, but I’m nearly exhausted by the end of that. Esolc could go longer. We don’t falter anymore Rushing back a forth.”
Uktesh was impressed. “Okay then from now on, Laurilli, you’ll train half the length of time with the dragons and the other half with Repus and Esolc. I think today I’ll start my training with the dragons an hour later. I’m going to show you three imperfect attacks for you to try. Remember you have to go from Balanced to Imperfect, and don’t try a second imperfect.”
Esolc and Repus grinned happily at each other.
As they ate Uktesh noticed that there were more people speaking a strange language that he had never heard before. It reminded him of Basam. “Do you think that Basam ran into trouble? What if it cost more to get his family then we expected? Should we go see what’s going on?”
Esolc said, “I think he’s fine. It’s probably harder than he expected to travel with nine kids. I don’t think we should go just yet.”
Repus added, “If he still hasn’t shown up after our six months are up, we’ll go and see if he needs our help.”
Heathyr remarked, “I don’t know if we should wait that long. He was supposed to be here more than a month ago.”
Uktesh said, “It may be callous, but I don’t know if I’ll ever return here, and I want to use most of my time training. So I’m in agreement with Repus.”
Laurilli nodded and said, “I think that Basam is either dead already from being attacked and killed somewhere on the roads, or he’s fine and will get to us when he can. As it is, we risk passing each other midway if we go searching for him now.”
Esolc just nodded sadly in agreement.
Heathyr sighed, “I don’t like it. I was looking forward to all the kids running around. I don’t like it, but I also don’t have a better plan. Since the war started the roads have been full of bandits, brigands, highwaymen, and all sorts of other nefarious people.”
Uktesh said, “I was going to ask you about that, but it slipped my mind. Laurilli and I either have terrible luck, or those that tried to rob us did, but we were attacked basically every time we left Manori.”
Repus said, “I was there for the first time bad luck struck would-be thieves. At the time I didn’t believe that a boy could have done all the things you’d claimed you’d done. Even after your Heroes-for-Hire business started gaining a reputation for doing what others couldn’t it seemed like an exaggeration at best, an outright lie at worse. Especially because you travelled so little, it didn’t seem possible that that many problems could be solved by kids. And in some cases adults had tried and failed to solve the problems.”
“I digress. The bandit situation was what you were asking about. There have always been bandits, but once the war started and they started their mandatory recruitment policy, people fled their homes for the hills to eke out whatever life they could, rather than be forced to fight the Beletarians.”
Uktesh asked, “But how did you guys avoid the recruiters? How did most of the people at the tournament avoid them?”
Esolc said, “You have to join the army, unless you pay the required tax to avoid recruitment. We all had most of the money and Tylor gave the rest to those that needed it.”
Laurilli asked, “How much was the tax?”
Repus said, “At the time we thought it was a lot, but it was only fifty gold pieces. Now, that’s literally two months per person here, but it won’t put a dent in our money.”
Uktesh noticed that both of his cups were empty and offered to get drinks for everyone. Again there were too many to bring back himself, so Laurilli helped him. When he sat down again Repus continued, “That’s why the tournament was so easy this year. Aside from you, Charis, and Riu there weren’t that many truly spectacular fighters. If there were I wouldn’t have ever won the pole-fighting division and Larut wouldn’t have won the axe division.”
Uktesh said, “It was easier than normal?”
Esolc said, “Yeah, but that’s good for next year! If we get better fighters the bank will probably assume that you won because of the lack of skilled fighters, and not remember that you did incredible things to win some of your fights. If that happens we may get some truly good odds again, before it’s obvious that you won due to skill, and not just a fluke.”
Uktesh said, “If I do the tournament next year.”
Laurilli asked, “Why wouldn’t you?”
Uktesh shrugged and said, “I don’t know. Been there, done that.”
Repus scoffed and said, “You may have won the Sinai tournament, but you didn’t win every category, and you were too injured to even try to become the Titlist.”
Uktesh felt himself interested against his will, “What’s a Titlist?”
Repus said, “That’s the person who is the best of all five lands.”
Uktesh asked, “Isn’t it always a Beletarian?”
Esolc laughed and said, “Well I guess we all think our champion would be the best, but no. You guys win your fair share, but for the last eight years in a row it’s been a different land. Last year someone from Sinai won and became the Titlist.”
Uktesh envisioned himself becoming the Titlis and heard Repus groan, “Great, now that he’s used to, ‘glimpsing heaven,’ he’s going to daydream about being the next Titlist.”
Heathyr said, “You better not be glimpsing heaven, or we’ll have to change the sleeping arrangements!”
Uktesh could feel his face heat, and saw that Laurilli’s was turning red too. Uktesh couldn’t stop his grin from growing and for the first time in a long time, he couldn’t think of a good lie to explain away both of their blushes. As the silence stretched Laurilli face turned red up to the roots of her blond hair. Awkward as the situation had become, Uktesh still couldn’t think of what to say. “Island girls!” He blurted. “I’ve not gotten used to Laurilli! It’s just I haven’t thought about it all that much because I’ve become desensitized to it!”
Repus said, “That’s doubtlessly true, and we should all leave it at that before poor Laurilli turns into a tomato.”
Heathyr looked from Uktesh and Laurilli with more than a little distrust. Uktesh stood and said, “We should get to training! Don’t want to laze the day away!”
Laurilli stood up and nodded then they Rushed out of the eating area after they’d put their dishes in the dirty dish bin.
Repus and Esolc soon Rushed after them and Repus shouted, “We’ll meet you at the beach!” Slowly they pulled ahead of the two shorter runners. Uktesh and Laurilli arrived at the training beach half a minute behind the two adults.
Uktesh announced, “Today lets train on sparring. Laurilli you fight Esolc for ten minutes, and I’ll fight Repus.” As difficult as it was, Uktesh stayed in balanced forms throughout the entire sparring session. He let Repus attack and only counter-attacked if Repus failed to use a balanced attack, if Repus could use a balanced block in time, then the spar would continue. If Uktesh hit Repus, Uktesh would explain a better way to avoid his own attack to Repus.
After they finished the ten minutes, switched partners. After they finished the next round too Uktesh showed Esolc and Repus three imperfect attacks that used the sword. While he thought that it was months, if not years, too early for the two of them to actually use an imperfect attack he also had to admit that they had a firm grasp of the balanced form. He watched the three of them as they moved from a balanced attacked to a failed imperfect attack. As he watched, he Shadow Stepped from side to side as quickly as he could. He continued to call out suggestions to all three as he noticed mistakes they were making. “Repus, that needs to be a straight horizontal attack! Esolc, you need to widen your stance about half the width of your foot for that! Laurilli, that was good, but you need to twist with your hips more.
Laurilli stopped and turned to Uktesh, while she said, “Show me again how to do-” she cut off midsentence. “How are you doing that?”
Esolc and Repus stopped to look at Uktesh and both their jaws dropped. Uktesh stopped and said, “What?”
Repus said, “There were two of you!”
Uktesh said, “Really? When I do this?” He Shadow Stepped back and forth again.
All three nodded vigorously. Laurilli said, “Keep doing that.” She walked in front of Uktesh and stuck her hand out. It was nearly instantly hit to her right. She pulled her hand against her body as if she’d been stung. “Okay, that was stupid.”
Uktesh stopped and asked, “Are you okay?”
She said, “I’m fine. It was just not what I was expecting.”
Uktesh frowned, “What does this look like?” He took two shadow steps to his right before he took two to his left and repeated.
Repus said, “Wow! That looks like three of you, but they’re all more blurry than when it was just two of you.”
Uktesh stopped, and caught his breath, “Well, it’s fast but I don’t know if it can be sustained for any great length of time. If I need to run away I can do so quickly, though, so that’s a perk.”
Esolc said, “If you need to run away the rest of us are in big-time trouble.”
Uktesh said, “I wonder if I can Shadow Step in the water?” Uktesh moved into the water until it was at knee height, and when he tried Shadow Stepping he fell face first into the water. He stood up spitting out sand and said, “Nope.”
Laurilli said, “I finally understand what your classmates felt when they saw you fail. Such a rare event, and to see you do it so spectacularly, calls for ridicule.”
The merriment in her blue eyes was contagious, so he smiled and said, “Okay, do your worst.”
She smiled, then frowned, and said, “I can’t think of anything to say!”
She looked to Repus and Esolc who both shook their heads, and Repus said, “I was totally unprepared for this!”
Laurilli sighed and said, “What a waste of a good opportunity!”
Uktesh smiled, walked out of the water, and said, “Well, I don’t plan on doing that again. So, next time hopefully won’t be for a while.”
Uktesh showed them the imperfect attacks and again watched as they practiced. He decided to try using Shadow Step as a replacement for a balanced attack. He Shadow Stepped, then attacked in Spinning Elbow and felt no backlash! He swallowed, I hope that this doesn’t hurt me, and tried going from Shadow Step to a perfect attack. He Stepped, then used Palm Strike, and felt no backlash again! Then he had an idea for a perfect form like Bull Rushes Down and Hawk Soars. He Stepped then moved into what he was going to call Uktesh’s Bolt, if it worked, and for a moment he Bolted down the beach! He looked back to where he had been standing and found that he was at least a hundred paces down the beach!
He again Stepped, then Bolted, and tried to continue Bolting for as long as he could, but found he could only sustain it for a few seconds before he had stop due to backlash he could feel building. If I keep practicing this I’ll probably be able to increase the length of time I can Bolt. Uktesh turned around and Stepped, then Bolted back to the three who were still practicing but failing to achieve an imperfect attack.
He watched them and continued to give suggestions for the rest of the hour he’d promised to train them. Then he and Laurilli headed up the path toward where the dragons trained. Laurilli asked, “What was that thing you did near the end of practice?”
Uktesh said, “Well, I had a thought that maybe I could use Shadow Step as a substitute for a balanced or imperfect form. When it worked it gave me an idea for a perfect form of Rushing or Soaring that I’m calling Uktesh’s Bolt, and it worked!”
Laurilli said, “You can’t name it Uktesh’s Bolt! What if someone else already invented it and you just don’t know it? What if they didn’t name it after themselves and you seem conceited for doing so.”
Uktesh frowned as they left the main path and headed down toward a cliff edge. “What would you suggest I name it?”
Laurilli didn’t pause when she said, “Laurilli’s Bolt.”
Uktesh laughed and said, “No seriously.”
Laurilli’s heated glare warned Uktesh that he was on unstable ground, “You mean you wouldn’t name it after the woman you love? That instead of me, you would name it after yourself?”
Uktesh thought about it and said, “I guess I just thought I’d name it after me, because I was the inventor, but you’re right about what if someone else invented it. I think I should name it Lightning Bolt, because it’s extremely fast.”
Laurilli smiled and said, “Good. Enough of that nonsense about Uktesh’s Bolt, but I think instead of Lightning Bolt you should name it something faster than a Hawk Soaring, but slower than a lightning bolt. When you figure out the god form you’re going to be annoyed with yourself if you have to name the god form of running something slower than the perfect form.”
Uktesh said, “I assume you have an idea or a name in mind?”
Laurilli’s smile dimpled her cheeks and she said, “Saber rabbit’s Charge.”
Uktesh liked her thought process and nodded his agreement, “But the god form will be Uktesh’s Bolt, cause no one’s activated the god form yet and anything I invent will be new.
I could call all my moves Uktesh’s Slash, Uktesh’s stab, Uktesh’s Whirlwind of Death, or Uktesh’s Spinning Slashing Lightning Storm of Spitting in the Face of the Enemy Dodge!”
Laurilli laughed, “Dodge! All that for a dodge?”
Uktesh nodded sagely, “It’d be an epic dodge.”
Laurilli frowned and him, although he knew it was just so that she wouldn’t burst into laughter again, “A slashing dodge?”
Uktesh glance around, leaned in conspiratorially and said, “They’d never expect it,” as if, “they” were listening.
Laurilli laughed again and said, “You could, but if you do you have to name one of them Laurilli’s Beauty, and it has to be a slap to the face.”
Uktesh almost, but didn’t, say, “Because looking at you hurts?” Instead he said, “Because beautiful people need to be respected too?”
Laurilli nodded and said, “And if you don’t, beware of Laurilli’s Beautiful Slap to the Face!” She giggled at her own humor, and burst into a full laugh.
Uktesh didn’t know what she found funny, but he couldn’t help laughing with her. “Can you imagine the palm print of a god form slap!” She had to stop walking as she doubled over with laughter, and Uktesh pictured it, but didn’t find it nearly as funny.
He thought that a perfect Palm Strike to the face would kill. A god form slap would probably twist the recipient’s head completely backward.
Laurilli finally stopped laughing enough to continue walking. She was still giggling when her foot slipped on loose rocks. Uktesh caught her and said, “We’re near the cliff edge. You need to either wait or control yourself.”
Laurilli took a deep breath and said, “I’m better now.” Uktesh could see the laughter in her eyes bubbling below the surface, but didn’t say anything.
Uktesh stopped and said, “Wait, I have a question. It’s serious too, so prepare yourself.”
She raised her eyebrows. It was clear to Uktesh that she expected a joke, and she said, “I’m prepared.”
Uktesh sat down on a rock, unsure how to start, and said, “Today we passed a funeral party, and you and Heathyr had tears in your eyes. Did you know him?”
