“One… Two… Three… Helen! You call that a swing? You’re not chopping wood now!” The stout teacher barked, his bushy grey eyebrows narrowing into a sharp V as he scowled.
“It’s… Hérion… Sir…” he panted between the frantic swinging of his sword, the light metal whistling through the air as he struck his imaginary foe again and again. The Dwarf grunted, as he always did when Hérion corrected him, and turned to look down the line of warriors, all copying the pattern he’d demonstrated only moments ago. Hérion grumbled to himself. He was easily the better of his class, but the old codger continued to criticise everything he did as if he was a bumbling fool.
One solid month he’d been here, and had instantly taken to sword play like he’d been doing it all his life. But since he lacked the experience, he’d been stuck in the bottom class with the children and the clumsy idiots who were more likely to cut themselves than an opponent. At least he was placed in the top tier for Archery; Hérion had spent most his youth on the ranges back home.
“Alright, alright stop, for the love of Moradin…” he looked back and forth amongst the assembled students and sighed theatrically. “Some of you are waving that blade around like it’s shit-on-a-stick. I wanna see smooth strokes.” He began to demonstrate once again the sequence of fluid movements that seemed odd coming from the wizened Dwarf but it was plain to see the long steel was as much his arm as flesh and bone.
Hérion’s mind wandered, as it often did when his lessons grew repetitive. Slowly, he gazed around the enclosed court-yard and up to the towers of the central building of the Guild. In a land of dangerously wild beasts and untamed magic, an academy such as this was almost imperative. Many hopefuls came here to try their hand at learning a few skills or spending hours upon hours poring over ancient tomes in its extensive library.
Brushing some loose strands past his long ears, Hérion tried to adjust the heavy leather that adorned his lithe, athletic body. This was one thing he’d have to get used to. Armour was pretty new to him and its weight pulled him off balance. He was used to skulking through trees, each footfall only a whisper to mark his presence. Those skills were little use right now though... With a heavy sigh, Hérion prayed the rest of the day to pass quickly…
“It’s… Hérion… Sir…” he panted between the frantic swinging of his sword, the light metal whistling through the air as he struck his imaginary foe again and again. The Dwarf grunted, as he always did when Hérion corrected him, and turned to look down the line of warriors, all copying the pattern he’d demonstrated only moments ago. Hérion grumbled to himself. He was easily the better of his class, but the old codger continued to criticise everything he did as if he was a bumbling fool.
One solid month he’d been here, and had instantly taken to sword play like he’d been doing it all his life. But since he lacked the experience, he’d been stuck in the bottom class with the children and the clumsy idiots who were more likely to cut themselves than an opponent. At least he was placed in the top tier for Archery; Hérion had spent most his youth on the ranges back home.
“Alright, alright stop, for the love of Moradin…” he looked back and forth amongst the assembled students and sighed theatrically. “Some of you are waving that blade around like it’s shit-on-a-stick. I wanna see smooth strokes.” He began to demonstrate once again the sequence of fluid movements that seemed odd coming from the wizened Dwarf but it was plain to see the long steel was as much his arm as flesh and bone.
Hérion’s mind wandered, as it often did when his lessons grew repetitive. Slowly, he gazed around the enclosed court-yard and up to the towers of the central building of the Guild. In a land of dangerously wild beasts and untamed magic, an academy such as this was almost imperative. Many hopefuls came here to try their hand at learning a few skills or spending hours upon hours poring over ancient tomes in its extensive library.
Brushing some loose strands past his long ears, Hérion tried to adjust the heavy leather that adorned his lithe, athletic body. This was one thing he’d have to get used to. Armour was pretty new to him and its weight pulled him off balance. He was used to skulking through trees, each footfall only a whisper to mark his presence. Those skills were little use right now though... With a heavy sigh, Hérion prayed the rest of the day to pass quickly…