by Daniel Fife
"I had no idea Bondeds were so powerful."
"That is why, as a first-year squire with a normal blade, you stand almost no chance against Rigil," Sabrina snapped.
"What's his Bonded's power?"
"I do not know."
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Chapter 22 - Preparations before Battle
anny and Sabrina walked Rogen to the top of the stairs that led down to the beach, the blond-haired boy promising to collect his dueling armor and meet them at Sir Syndil's classroom. Walking with Sabrina, Danny felt little stress about the upcoming duel, after all, this was how he'd pictured the day would progress in the first place. But there was a distance between them that Danny didn't want to acknowledge, an awkwardness that made him uncomfortable. They walked in silence until Sabrina finally broke the uneasiness.
"How could you be so stupid?" she asked, stopping their progress.
Danny stopped and turned to face her. "I was tricked," he pleaded. "I had no idea what I was doing or what would happen."
"That's just it, you had no business coming to the Dragon Army barracks."
"You told me to find you," argued Danny. "I wanted to see you."
"You are right. This is all my fault," Sabrina admitted, dropping her gaze.
"I didn't say that," consoled Danny, taking a step forward, standing within arm's reach. Danny wanted desperately to reach out to her, yet something kept him from doing just that.
Sabrina's brown eyes flashed up at him. "You did not have to say it. The facts speak for themselves. Come, you will need all the time you can get to prepare." With that, Sabrina bolted forward, her step quickened.
"Wait," said Danny, reaching out for her, slipping his right hand around her slender left wrist. She turned to scowl back at him as her eyes traveled down to where he held her. Despite the anger in her eyes, Danny maintained his grip.
"Why do you act so serious all the time? It's as if you're a completely different person when you're on this island."
"You would do well to release me," hissed Sabrina.
"I'm sorry," said Danny, doing as told, taking a step backward, placing his hands in the air to proclaim his innocence.
"My father is one of the greatest Knights of the Light ever to walk this Earth," Sabrina said, after a measured silence. "As his daughter, I am expected to act and progress in a certain way, and I have little time for the flights of emotion gifted to me by my Human side. I simply cannot be distracted, not now."
"Is that all I am to you, a mere distraction?"
Sabrina's voice grew soft. "The Light is fading, Danny. We are losing more Knights of the Light than we are gaining. The Dark grows more powerful daily, while the Light weakens."
"That isn't what I asked you."
"We don't have time for this, Danny. You must prepare."
"You make it sound like this will be a duel to the death."
"Fatalities have been known to occur, severe injuries are even more commonplace. If you are not fully prepared, you could face serious injury or worse."
"Great this day just gets better and better."
"Come, Sir Syndil and Rogen await us," urged Sabrina, reaching out, taking Danny's hand in her own. Pulling ever so gently, she compelled him forward.
Forced into moving, Danny set an equal pace as she dropped his hand. "You have not answered my question," said Danny after a moment of walking silently.
"And it shall remain unanswered until after this year of training is complete."
"…But why?" Danny asked, coming to a stop.
"Keep walking," commanded Sabrina, reaching out, grabbing the loose cloth of Danny's robes at the shoulder, guiding him forward. "Any answer I give you now will be a distraction," she continued, once they were back on course.
"I'm already distracted, I'm not even a week into training and I've already challenged a senior squire to a duel." Danny's heart fluttered as Sabrina gave him a slight smile. It vanished just as quickly as it had appeared.
"All the more reason for you to keep whatever focus remains," said Sabrina, turning down an alley.
Danny conceded, he knew that Sabrina was as stubborn as she was beautiful. Once she decided on a course of action, she would see it through to the end and Danny knew there was nothing he could do or say to sway her.
"We are here," she said, stopping before the familiar double doors of Sir Syndil's white brick building. "…Just in time, too," as the first chime of the ninth bell toned loud and clear. The other eight followed as Danny and Sabrina passed through the doorway and entered the dueling classroom.
"There you are," greeted Rogen. He stood just inside, holding a large black bag that jingled as he moved.
"Right on time," said Sir Syndil with a sweeping smile, standing to Rogen's right. "Come, we have little time to waste," he added, ushering Danny into the room. "Dump that here, Squire Rogen," he said, pointing to a spot on the floor next to Danny.
Rogen emptied the contents onto the floor. Danny watched curiously as a full-faced helm, breastplate, chainmail hauberk and leggings, pauldrens, gorget, gauntlets, a girth, and greaves tumbled free from the bag, banging and clanging against the marble floor. Individually, they formed a large, shining pile, together they created a full suit of plate mail.
"What's all that?" Danny asked.
"Your dueling armor," said Sir Syndil with a widening grin. "Normally, you would have to wait until your second year to receive a suit of dueling armor and be taught how to put it on. However, due to the circumstances and Squire Rogen's kindness, you are about to acquire it right away and learn how to don it quickly."
Reaching down, Danny picked up the breastplate, finding that it was lighter than he expected. "It's so light," verbalizing his thoughts.
"It is made from enchanted material," explained Sir Syndil. "It is designed to weigh a little less than your common clothing. Were it made of regular metal, it would weigh nearly ten times its current heft."
"Amazing," said Danny, continuing to judge the weight in his hand.
"Indeed," said Sir Syndil, his ever-present smile fixed upon his face. "Now, hold still while Squire Rogen and I fit you. You will need to relinquish your weapon."
Danny looked down at his longsword, and un-strapped the buckle.
"I will hold it for you." Sabrina took a quick step forward and offered her hands, palms up.
With the breastplate in one hand and his sword in the other, Danny held the blade out to her. "Thanks," he said as she took the sword in both hands.
Sabrina nodded and retreated, moving back to her original position.
"Does it go on like this?" Danny asked, fitting the breast plate over his chest.
"No," said Sir Syndil, reaching out and procuring the breastplate. "The suit must be layered. Your robes will serve as under-padding to protect your skin from the metal. The first piece you must don is the chain mail." After placing the breastplate back upon the pile, the Elf retrieved a shirt woven of small metal rings that jingled as he held it up before him. "Put this on," instructed Sir Syndil.
Danny followed the Elf's instruction. The chain fabric was cool to the touch. He slipped it over his head easily, as if it was a regular shirt made from common cloth.
"Now, the pants," said Sir Syndil, holding up a pair of trousers made from the same stitch of steel.
Pulling the chain pants over his robes, up his legs, Danny buckled the thick black belt around his waist. "I can barely feel the weight," he said, twisting and hopping, causing the armor to chink and chime.
"Hold still, Squire," commanded Sir Syndil. With a quick nod to Squire Rogen, both squire and knight went to work, buckling, strapping and attaching piece after piece of the plate armor.
Beginning with the breastplate, they fitted the forged metal to Danny's chest and added the gorget to protect the neck. Then, working up the arms, they buckled the vembraces around his wrists, slipped the gauntlets over his hands, and attached the pauldrens over his shoulders and biceps. Tending to the legs and groin
area, they equipped greaves and girth, protecting the shins, knee, upper thigh and pelvis. Lastly, they slipped the full-faced helm over Danny's head. Padded within, the helm weighed little more than a baseball cap.
"Done," Sir Syndil said, both taking a step back to admire their work. "How does it feel?"
"Good," said Danny, testing his mobility by rotating his arms at the shoulders, finding only a slight hindrance to the movement.
"Even though the armor is not fitted to your body, it is perhaps the best match possible, given the time restraint," said Sir Syndil, stroking the point of his chin.
"It's so light," Danny said, hopping up and down.
"Such are the wonders of enchanted steel, Squire," replied Sir Syndil. "However, that is only one of its properties. In addition to protection, dueling armor is designed to simulate the wounds one might suffer in an actual battle."
"I don't understand."
"Allow me to demonstrate," said Sir Syndil, turning toward Sabrina. "I require Squire Firoth's blade, please," extending his right hand. Sabrina passed the longsword over and took a single step in retreat. "Thank you," said the Elf, turning back to Danny, freeing the naked blade with a soft ring of steel. Holding the tip level to Danny's chest, Sir Syndil continued, "You see, Squire, the dueling armor will react to any enchanted metal that touches the surface."
Before Danny could question the statement, Sir Syndil tapped the tip of the blade on the base of the breastplate, causing the entire suit, from helmet to greaves, to stiffen like stone. Paralyzed within, Danny struggled to move, finding his body completely restrained. His confined movements, combined with his inability to control his balance, found him falling backward, thudding onto his back.
"What did you do to me," grumbled Danny through gritted teeth.
"As I said, Squire Firoth, the armor responds to any enchanted steel that touches the surface."
"Why can't I move?"
"Because you were struck in the chest, Squire," said the Elf with a smile. "In a real battle, a blow to the chest would cripple or kill most. Thus, a strike to the chest plate causes the armor to simulate death. Were we competing in a duel right now, you would have lost."
"That's great and all, but could you please get me out of this," said Danny, still struggling to move.
"But of course," said the Elf, retrieving a small glowing stone from his pocket. About the size of a marble, the pebble radiated a soft blue light. Leaning down, he touched it to the brow of Danny's helm.
Danny breathed a long sigh of relief as the armor returned to its normal state of mobility.
"Up you go," said Sir Syndil, slipping the glowing stone back into his pocket, offering his hand.
Danny reached up and allowed the Elf to pull him back to his feet. "What's that in your hand?"
"A release stone, it is given to professors, as well as ranking officers in the eight armies, for training purposes."
"Why didn't you tell me what would happen instead of freezing me like that?" Danny asked as his voice relayed annoyance.
"As we have already discussed, you cannot truly understand something unless you experience it for yourself, Squire Firoth," said Sir Syndil, ignoring Danny's aggravation. "The chest is only one of the targets that represent a kill," continued the Elf without skipping a beat. With a flick of the wrist, he angled the sword upward, leveling it at Danny's head and said, "The head." Then, lowering the point of the blade just below the breastplate, he added, "And the groin. All three of these areas represent a killing strike, contact with any one of them will cause the armor to become immobile, as you have already experienced. So if you hit your opponent in any one of these three locations, you will have won the duel."
"Sounds simple enough," said Danny, his mood lightning. "But what if I get hit in the arms or the legs?"
"I am glad you asked," his smile widening ever-so-slightly. Brushing the blade downward, he nicked the tip against the middle part of the greaves that protected Danny's right kneecap.
Danny's lower right leg, from the spot struck, down to his toes, became instantly stiff, causing him to stumble to the side as he fought for balance.
Then, with a quick twist of the wrist, Sir Syndil angled the sword upward, striking Danny's left arm at the elbow.
Again, the armor responded, Danny's left arm, from elbow to hand, went rigid. Unable to use the frozen appendage for balance, Danny thrashed wildly as he toppled over, landing on the marble floor once again. Using his right arm and left leg, he struggled to his feet.
"If struck in the arms or legs, the armor will immobilize you from the location hit, down your extremity."
"That's quite awkward," Danny relayed, bobbing from side to side in an attempt to remain standing.
"One would surmise that, in a real battle, losing an arm at the elbow and a leg at the knee would prove quite awkward."
The point wasn't lost on Danny as he tried to maintain his balance.
"As I said previously, the armor is designed to mimic possible wounds in a real battle."
"And Squire Rigil's armor will work the same?"
"Yes, strike him in the head, chest or groin and you win. Strike him in the arms or the legs and you turn the duel to your advantage. However, there is still the factor of Squire Rigil's Bonded," said Sir Syndil, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the release stone. Taking a single step forward, he touched it to the pauldren protecting Danny's left shoulder.
Instantly, Danny regained the use of his right leg and left arm.
"I'm aware that Squire Rigil has mastered the first Awakening," he said, flexing his left hand.
"I assume that you have Squire Drake to thank for that," sheathing Danny's sword and offering the blade, hilt first.
Glad to have the sword back in his hands, Danny strapped it around his waist. "What I don't know is what power Squire Rigil's Bonded holds."
"The name of his Bonded is Whiril. It is a most effective weapon, it can create and control the wind," explained Sir Syndil, stroking the point of his chin.
"The wind?" probed Danny, hoping for more information. Even Rogen and Sabrina perked up when they heard that; if they wished to progress within the ranks of Dragon Army, Rigil was one of the four lieutenants they would have to best in a duel.
"Yes, not only can the wielder of Whiril create strong air currents, they can also control them. It is this very power that has helped Squire Rigil assume the rank of lieutenant. You see, wind is nearly invisible to the eye."
"How do you fight such a thing?" Rogen asked.
Sir Syndil turned to address Rogen's question. "Unless you can see the wind for yourself, one would be at a significant disadvantage."
"Has a first-year squire ever defeated a senior squire who could wield the powers of an awakened Bonded?" Danny asked.
Turning back toward Danny, Sir Syndil produced a grin. "No, should you defeat Squire Rigil, you will be the first."
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Chapter 23 - A Duel of Squires
elmet in hand, Danny gasped as he entered the side chamber of the Great Dome with Sabrina at his side, a large crowd of multicolored robes awaited within.
"Word gets around fast," observed Rogen, coming to stand behind him, placing a reassuring hand upon Danny's back.
Danny welcomed the gesture as the gathered squires, including a few Knights of the Light, began whispering among themselves. However, he felt much better when he spotted Chris, Alonso, Matt, Anthony, Briza and Doug emerge from the crowd, making their way toward him.
"Are you crazy, man?" Chris asked, coming to stand before Danny. "They say the one you're gonna duel is a third-year squire and a lieutenant, at that."
"Fourth-year squire, if you count the current year," corrected Matt, holding up four fingers for emphasis.
"It wasn't by choice," said Danny, glaring at Matt. "He tricked me."
"What're you going to do?" Doug asked.
"Attempt to win," said Danny, with a confidence he didn't feel.
"You wil
l be fighting at a significant disadvantage," said Briza. "The odds of you landing a single blow are quite low. It is actually more likely that you will be physically injured or possibly killed."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence."
"I merely speak the truth, Squire Firoth," said Briza frankly.
"Sorry, she's had very little interaction with Humans," Doug explained. "Elves prefer to be straight-forward, they don't account for feelings."
"I meant no offense," offered Briza.
"Your friend speaks the truth," said Sir Syndil. "It takes a bit of practice to tiptoe around the truth with Humans, they do not always want to hear it. Speaking of which, I believe we should get to it," added the Elf, as the first of seven chimes announced the beginning of the hour. Without another word, he breezed past Danny and silenced the crowd with two outstretched arms.
Danny felt two strong arms turn him in Sabrina's direction. With quick and practiced hands, Sabrina double-checked the straps of his armor. Once finished, she stood straight up, met Danny's gaze and smiled.
"You will do fine," she said, but she lacked confidence, her tone betrayed her.
"I would've thought descendants of the Dragonic would more likely speak like an Elf," said Danny, returning the smile.
"Quite the opposite," said Sabrina. "Dragonics are more prone to talk in riddles, they often conceal their true intentions, as well as their feelings."
"Good to know," said Danny, as the final chime of seven lingered in the air.
"It is time!" yelled Sir Syndil from somewhere within the crowd. "I would ask that both combatants please make their way to me."
Shouldering a deep breath, Danny faked a smile in Sabrina's direction and turned toward the awaiting crowd.
"Good luck, man," said Chris.
"Pwn him," encouraged Matt.
"You can do it," said Doug, giving Briza a look, trying, with his eyes, to persuade her to keep her thoughts to herself.
