Swords!

✦ Aether's Humbling Sword Lesson ✦

(A long day of awkward swings, unexpected skill, and new respect)

✦ Aether's self-discovery (or crisis?)

It was one of those gentle mornings at the academy where the breeze felt unusually kind — ruffling through banners that hung proudly between the old stone pillars, sending scattered flower petals dancing across the courtyard. Somewhere not far off, laughter of students drifted by. Aether Ryens, meanwhile, was wandering aimlessly, his hands shoved in his pockets, deep in a troubled train of thought.

"Everyone should remember… I've said it countless times — I've been practicing the sword. Practicing, mind you. But today… I came face to face with a humiliating truth."

He let out a sigh that could have powered a windmill.

"I'm not a beginner. I'm worse than a beginner. I'm a complete wreck when it comes to swords."

Aether had decided that morning to stroll past the academy's renowned sword training class. Just a peek, he told himself. Just to see how the 'real' swordsmen trained. Maybe pick up a few pointers. Maybe reassure himself he wasn't that bad.

It did not go as planned.

Standing just outside the wide open courtyard where the class trained, Aether watched in mild horror as students weaved elegant arcs of steel through the air, precise footwork carrying them forward and back in flowing drills. Their wooden practice swords struck with a crisp, echoing snap each time they clashed. Sparks seemed to almost leap off the wood from sheer force.

"Ah… so that's what it's supposed to look like," Aether thought, a bead of sweat trickling down his temple.

"Meanwhile I'm over there flailing around like a drunken goose."

The realization hit harder than he expected. His chest sank, and he was already beginning to shuffle away.

✦ Caught by the instructor

But luck — or maybe his eternal misfortune — decided otherwise. Just as he turned, a clear, commanding voice rang out across the training ground.

"Oi! You there. With the hopelessly guilty expression."

Aether froze. Slowly, like a creaky puppet, he turned back to see a woman standing at the edge of the training area. She wore the traditional dark training garb of the academy's martial instructors, a slim wooden practice blade resting on her shoulder. Her dark hair was tied back into a high ponytail that swayed slightly in the breeze. Her eyes — a sharp, knowing blue — locked onto his.

"Rune. That's Rune-teach, the sword instructor here… Oh hell."

A few dozen students stopped their drills to glance over, whispering to each other.

"Is that Aether Ryens? The one who beat Lucas in the tournament?"

"Yeah, that's him. What's he doing here — he doesn't even specialize in swords, right?"

"I'd love to get close to him though… maybe today's my chance."

Aether winced as the murmurs washed over him. Rune tilted her head with a faint smirk.

"So, Aether Ryens, what brings the academy's little genius engineer to my training ground? Interested in learning the blade… or are you perhaps here to flirt with my students?"

Aether's jaw dropped.

"E-ehh!? N-no! I… erm…"

His mouth fumbled over excuses like slippery stones. Rune burst into a laugh, loud and rich, clapping him on the shoulder hard enough to almost send him staggering.

"Haha! I'm joking. But since you're here, why don't you join us for a bit? Don't just stand around gawking like a lost duck."

✦ Press-ganged into practice

And just like that, Aether found himself standing awkwardly on the training field, a line of curious students whispering behind him. Rune paced in front of him, tapping her wooden sword against her palm.

"So then, Aether — do you know the basics at least?"

Aether scratched the back of his neck, chuckling sheepishly.

"Ahaha… yeah, well… I've been training a bit on my own but… to be honest, it didn't really work out."

Rune raised an eyebrow.

"Didn't work out?"

She planted her hands on her hips. "Only one way to see where you're at. Let's have a friendly duel. Just a light spar. Don't worry, I promise not to break you."

From around them came another wave of excited whispers.

"They're going to duel? Aether against Rune-sensei?"

"Isn't this overkill? Rune is one of the academy's top instructors."

"Bet he gets wiped in three seconds."

Aether exhaled shakily.

"Why do I get myself into these situations?!"

Still, his pride wouldn't let him back down. He stepped forward, grabbing one of the wooden practice swords from the rack nearby.

"Alright… this one will do, I guess."

✦ An odd stance

The two of them squared off, a respectful distance between them. Rune dropped into a textbook stance — sword aligned with her center, feet shifting lightly across the dirt. Aether, meanwhile, took up his own… unorthodox position.

Rune tilted her head slightly.

"…He's only using one hand? Not even two? That's going to make it hard to deliver force properly. Or is he just underestimating me?"

✦ Clash of styles

"Begin!"

And with that simple word, they lunged at each other.

Aether's feet were a blur. He dashed in faster than most students watching could track, wooden blade flashing out. Rune parried almost lazily — yet felt the surprising sting in her arm from the impact.

"What…? He's fast. Surprisingly fast."

They exchanged three more quick blows, the wood cracking sharply each time. Rune adjusted, probing him with feints. Aether's counters were steady, if awkward. His attacks weren't coming from the expected arcs — his sword sliced in from strange angles, and he kept shifting his body oddly, using his off-hand almost like a second lure.

"I see… he's generating all his speed by driving power from his legs instead of traditional shoulder rotation. It's clever. Unrefined — but clever."

Rune's eyes narrowed, a spark of genuine intrigue igniting.

"But… he's rooted. It's like he only knows how to dance in a circle around himself. No basic footwork progression at all."

Aether lunged again, this time switching his sword — mid-strike — from his left to his right hand in a seamless flourish.

The crowd gasped. Even Rune's eyes widened.

"Did he just… switch hands mid-attack? Ambidextrous?! That's incredibly rare. This boy…"

But her grin only grew.

"Time to end it before he surprises me too much."

She feinted low then twisted up, knocking Aether's sword clear from his grip. It clattered across the dirt. Before Aether could recover, Rune's wooden blade rested gently against his shoulder.

✦ After the dust settles

"And that's match." Rune withdrew her sword, smirking.

Aether stood there blinking for a second, then burst into breathless laughter.

"Hahaha! Yeah, I figured that's how this would go. Honestly, didn't expect to win — you're on a whole different level, Rune-teach."

He bent over, hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. Rune reached out and knocked her knuckles lightly against his head.

"Oww! Hey!"

"You thought you could beat me that easily, little prodigy? Think again."

Aether just grinned sheepishly. The watching students started clapping — not mocking applause, but genuine. Some of them were clearly impressed he had lasted even that long against Rune.

✦ The unexpected compliment

Rune sat down on the edge of the training platform, patting the spot next to her. Still panting, Aether plopped down, stretching his legs out.

"So, Aether…" Rune began, her tone more curious than playful now. "Who taught you that bizarre sword style of yours?"

Aether tilted his head, blinking.

"Oh, that? Nobody."

Rune's eyebrow twitched.

"Nobody?"

"Yeah. I just sorta… figured it out by myself. Trial and error. Mostly error."

Rune just stared at him, her lips parting slightly.

"…You mean you made up that entire technique on your own? The odd footwork, the hand switching, the leg-driven velocity?"

Aether scratched his cheek.

"I mean, yeah. Like I said, it's not very good."

Rune laughed — not mocking this time, but truly delighted.

"Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable. It's a complete mess by academy standards, but it's also uniquely yours. You've created something entirely original without even realizing it."

She stood, offering her hand. Aether took it and let her pull him up.

"Keep experimenting," Rune said, giving him a rare serious look. "But also learn the fundamentals. If you blend real form with that weird instinct of yours, you might become something scary one day."

✦ Aether wanders off… still confused

As he wandered away from the training field, Aether kicked a stray pebble along the path, grinning to himself.

"Guess I'm not completely hopeless with a sword after all… though I still feel like an idiot."

He paused, stretching out his arm and experimentally switching an imaginary sword from one hand to the other.

"Huh… well. At least Rune-teach didn't throw me out. That's progress, right?"

Far behind him, Rune watched from the edge of the courtyard, hands on her hips, a thoughtful smile on her face.

"Self-taught, ambidextrous, unpredictable… who are you really, Aether Ryens?"