Chapter 20: Half-elven Rogue

Ardent parries another clumsy slash before ramming his blade through the mans torso and ending the fight.

A few people then clapped before he helped the man up and advised him on fighting.

He then sat down and looks toward the training ring.

And it brought back memories of when he was in his teens. Learning to fire a musket and sparring against other squires.

His thoughts were then interrupted by a voice.

"Hello there ironhead."

He then turns to where the voice came from and saw Sofia, the redheaded thief, who is fiddling with a throwing knife.

"Hello to you too. Thief," uttering the last word with venom.

She then smirks.

"Awww. Did I hurt the poor knight's feelings and honor," mocked in false sympathy.

"Maybe I should teach you a lesson for thievery," and donned his helmet.

Sofia then chuckles with a smile.

"Do you really think you can strike me tin man?"

Both then went to the ring and Ardent raised his shield and a replica sword forms into his hand.

Sofia ties her hair into a low ponytail, revealing her pointed ears, and a stiletto dagger forms in her hand.

"So, what are the rules?"

"None!" Ardent replies, a part of him wanting to test her strength and how far she is willing to use dirty tricks.

Both circled each other for a few second, Ardent knowing that he has a reach advantage as she wielded a dagger.

"Are you going to attack tin man?" she questions.

Ardent shifts into a defensive stance, shield and right foot forward, and sword behind for counterstrike.

"Ladies first."

She briefly smiled. And charges with right hand behind her back.

Ardent readied to pulls his right side back, guessing she will strike at his shoulder, when she pulls out a throwing knife, another replica, behind her and throws it.

Ardent quickly raise his shield and the knife bounced off. And distracting long enough for Sofia to flank his left.

Ardent quickly turns, having heard the footsteps direction, and raised his shield.

A clang echoed as the stilleto glanced off the surface. And with a roar Ardent dives in and throws her off balanced by knocking aside her arm. Only for her to twist her body and counter with a snap kick to his side.

The blow struck Ardent's side. Sending a wave of pain that staggered him, taking his willpower to not fall down, before Sofia followed up with another lunge below his ribs.

But Ardent shifts his body. Causing the point to strike the plate, rather than the gap, and glanced off. And gives Ardent an opening.

He then elbow locked her arm and slams her head against his shield. Knocking her back. And lunged for a low stab.

But with a click she kicked his sword, locking the blade with the plated gap in her boot, and pushed it into the dirt and counters.

Another clang then echoed as Ardent deflect with his shield. And, with his shield as a pivot, pushed her off balance and stood up. As Sofia quickly rolls away and kip up and they charged again.

And a clang rang as she parried his fleche and riposte, only to bounce off his shield. As a stalemate ensures.

Seconds then drags to minutes, their frustration growing as they parried, block, or dodge each attack and riposte, until they pulled back to rest.

Ardent pants heavily, legs trembling as his weightless armor slowly began to become a burden, yet Sofia wasn't exhausted, smirking as he tires, and abandon his personal rule of not using his magic.

Ardent raised his shield when Sofia charged again, aiming for his eyes, when she swings her stilleto down, a feint, and plunges the dagger through the gap at his chest.

But Ardent grits his teeth, letting out a hiss, having trained from young to ignore such injuries till the job is done. And burned all his emotions in a torrent of fire till only a void of focus, and his objective, are left. The igliondi, a technique used by Orcs in battle.

There he taps into his innate water magic. Causing wisp of vapors to surround his blade before getting coated in frost and swung at her exposed arm.

Sofia then shrieked as it struck, simulating the magic causing the stricken area to turn black and burst from frostbite, and stumble back and clutched her arm.

Ardent then charge to stab at her unprotected neck.

But Sofia dove to the side before it struck and throws the sand on the ground at him.

Ardent raised his shield where she the kip up and pull out her stilleto, causing Ardent to yell in pain, and swing it to his eyes.

But Ardent swung his shield and trapped the blade as it pierced his shield, barely a second late as the point was an inch away from it's target, and drags it down, disarming her, and, with the last of his strength, slash at her neck. And with that he won the fight.

He then fell to his hands and knees as the lingering pain surges through, letting out a grunt, before it fades and removed his helmet, his head and hair covered in sweat, then stands up and holds out a hand to Sofia, where she refused and glared at him, before he leaves to the bath.

Yet as he rests in the bath a thought lingered on Sofia's fighting style.

The way she fought wasn't like the one used by most of the militia. But those of the few elites he sparred. All, from what they said, trained by Solomon.

"It seems their leader has more experience than I thought," he mused.