12—Dream Over
Ignoring the request of the knight he took a moment to collect himself before drawing his sword.
The knight didn't wait for the sword to escape the scabbard going for the attack upon hearing the snake like hiss of metal.
"An enemy wouldn't wait for you to draw your sword."
Merel caught unprepared was cut down where he stood.
Once Merel revived the knight said...
"You must be ready to draw your sword at anytime and as fast as possible."
Hearing this Merel pulled out his sword fast enough the second time around.
Readying his sword he blocked the knight's sword only to receive a kick into his stomach forcing the breath from his lungs, breaking ribs and sending him skidding across the ground.
"Don't expect your enemy to play fair and neither should you for that matter. Now come, you're not dead yet so you can still fight."
Recovering from the armoured boot to the torso, Merel made his way back toward the knight on shaky legs, every breath sending waves of pain.
...
An unknown amount of time later...
...
In the blank white space that existed only in the mind of a young man there was the constant sound of metal striking on metal along with the many armoured footfalls resounding out.
A few dozen armoured knights approached, surrounding a young boy from all sides, as they made to attack they were swiftly turned to smoke, a single was all it took.
With every thrust, slash counterattack a knight would fall until the young man eventually stood alone.
"You've done well now I will be your opponent."
Echoed out a voice from an armoured figure that had seemingly arrived from nowhere.
Merel turned towards the voice and ran to strike the figure down sword at the ready.
The knight intercepted the blow responding with a horizontal slash to decapitate Merel's head.
Merel crouched low and used this as an opportunity to strike, moving forward he made to thrust upwards into a gap in the knights armour.
The knight simply shifted his body slightly causing Merel's blade to slide off his armour.
Merel leaped back to create some distance but the knight simply moved forwards closing the gap instantly.
The knight was about to kill Merel when a familiar voice sounded out.
[The tome believes Merel understands the meaning of his rune, at the point you may successfully inscribe it. Would Merel like to wake up?]
Merel shocked hearing the voice he hadn't heard in god knows how long began to think over the tomes words before saying...
"After I defeat him wake me up."
[As you wish.]
He returned his gaze to the knight who had almost killed him before readying his sword.
...
Some time later
...
The knight thrusted his blade into Merel stomach piercing him all the way up to the hilt.
Merel gasped at the blow and held his breath enduring the pain and holding one hand on the sword the other on the knight's hilt he pushed the point of his blade into the visor of the knight finally killing him.
Watching the knight's body begin to fade into smoke Merel began to laugh hysterically ignoring the pain in his massive wound.
He had finally killed him after all the pain he endured he learned how to resist it resulting in his victory.
If the knight's body hadn't disappeared he surely would have done some unsavoury activities in his spite.
Finally calming down after spitting a mouthful of his blood in the general direction of the faded knight, he felt darkness consume him shrouding his consciousness dragging him out from the white space.
Opening his eyes merel saw a wooden roof he was back in the wood cabin.
He tried moving but forgot he had wrapped the cloth around himself gettinh himself out of the cloth wrap he grabbed the tome still lying next to him.
Opening the extraordinary book he saw words begin to form.
[Merel may now safely inscribe the rune into an enchantment.]
Before doing so he asked...
"What was the point of all that. Couldn't I have just inscribed it normally?"
[That is true but you forget that this method eliminates the risk of death for the only disadvantage of being in a vulnerable state temporarily. You could had tried inscribing it and having not swung a sword in your life you would struggle in the meaning resulting in failure.]
Merel finally understanding called out the pen and put it to paper before writing the rune 'Master swordsman'.
The meaning was easy enough to summon from his mind there was little resistance as he drew it, the preparation was worth it.
Finishing it merel then saw more words appear.
[Draw a line from the page to whatever you wish to enchant with the inscriptor. The enchantment has been stored by the tome you may use it again by simply tracing a line as mentioned.]
Merel smirked at the idea of having an army of swordmasters.
Tracing a line from the page to himself he saw a white light pulse along the string like line towards him before the line disappeared.
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A/N: Here's the chapter of the day.
840 words without Author's note.
Comment or review if you like my work. 👌