15 Reasonable Byakuya

"So how do the small people fight? I mean you probably fought against them many times. What are they doing?"

Isn´t that the biggest problem? I mean our tribes have the blessings of those supposed gods, right? And there should be only four of them and all of them - except maybe Aer - supposedly support us. So how do these small people manage to fight against that? After all, they were confident enough to wage a war seemingly pointless war for quite a few decades and still didn´t give up until they now managed to destroy a village. Their tactics must have been astonishing.

But Elder Irvin simply snorted.

"If you want to call that fighting."

He tiredly shakes his head.

"They are cowards."

His growling voice full of contempt is sending shivers down my spine.

"They hide behind strange houses. They bring large things into battle and hide behind them and throw stones and small hurting things from a distance. Some of them are even catching fire - not that that is much of a problem for us as long as we engage them in fights they were easily hunted."

He picked up the last batch of herbs and began grinding it carefully.

"That just shows how weak the villages have become! But not us! We are still standing strong just like our fathers."

His voice boomed inside the hut full of pride and confidence. His eyes seemingly shining with fire and his piercing gaze directed at me.

"Well, perhaps with minor exceptions."

He grumbled and resumed his work. Grinding and grinding as my time to ask questions was ticking away and yet did I receive the answers I wanted? Everything he just said is basically just an armored army with perhaps some forts being built near the mountains, right? But which weapons do they use? And why are there no signs of cavalry?

"Elder, do you perhaps have some of those weapons the small people use?"

What did our teacher always say: Ask and you will be given? No that´s a bible quote but he said something similar. Ask or else you stay dumb? Something like that. Doesn´t translate well into this new language...

He threw a disgusted look at me.

"Of course, you would be interested in those small shiny sticks."

He heaved a heavy sigh.

"Well they do hurt a lot, but nothing we cannot take! Our fists are always superior!"

I really am getting the feeling of wanting to bang my head against a wall. Okay, so I am not someone experienced in tactics or anything like that. My experience in strategy is about chess, Age of Empire II, and a little bit of StarCraft in which I never was good at it. But isn´t the first question you want to ask about the weaponry of an enemy? Or the unit composition?

Wait let´s think about that later for now, do I have another question for Irvin?

"That´s it. I´m finished and I am sure you have other things to do, too"

Damn it! Of course, I have other things to do like training or hunting in the forest. Maybe if I have the time I should try making a bow? I saw a few youtube tutorials on how to make your own bow, but I am pretty sure that would be only wasting time. Let´s postpone that for now.

With a small sigh and a feeling of not getting to know what I wanted I left gis home. That info about the small people isn´t actually that important for now. I am only five and it will take another ten years until I might be allowed on the battlefield. There is still a lot of time and who knows? Maybe the small people will have retreated or been defeated when I am fifteen. Let´s stay optimistic... even though I'm bad at that.

Stepping out of Elder Irvin's hut I made my way back to my mother´s house. Today was a practice match day. The opponent would be my monster of a mother. Sure she would hold back quite a bit, but she is just like everyone just a mass of muscle and I believe she is far smarter than the other villagers. At least her tactical fighting is more than just punching the guys into oblivion. She uses her feet, too! And sometimes even dodges instead of just taking everything as everybody else does. There is a reason why my mother is one of the most powerful warriors this village has.

Weaving and running through the small paths and avoiding all those big guys. Why are they never looking down just a bit? Seriously that would make navigating through the paths that much easier!

A hand grabbed me by the neck and lifted me up like a cat.

"There you are, Arn! Just where have you been? I was looking all over for you."

I was being held face to face with the one person I am late meeting with.

"Mother?"

"That´s right! Are you well-rested? Seriously just where did you pick that up from?"

Her voice sounded a little amused and her eyes looked distant and nostalgic as if she was remembering a precious memory.

Mother is probably having a flashback to her precious childhood memories?

"Enough of that!"

She shook her head as if to shoo away her memories and looked at me with a grin I could tell wasn´t spelling anything good for me.

"Since you are so well-rested, let´s get to your training immediately."

As she was talking she walked towards our little training area. Her speed just by casual walking seemed greater than my running speed. Somehow I feel very annoyed about that. But let´s try to pacify her just a bit... but perhaps it is not good to mention Elder Irvin she might think I got wounded.

"Mother, I had a very good reason as to why I am late."

Yeah, let´s try the reasonable approach. That will work out even though most villagers aren´t reasonable my mother surely is... right Byakuya abrigded?