Training & Understanding part 2

I open my eyes to see Laicard staring at me, he nods and said,

"Not bad at least you only took 5 mins to get up, now AGAIN"

This staring session lasted for 4 hours and I gained no possible advantage on him, it was simply a beat down.

"The sword is a weapon that is used while generating power from the shoulder while the shield uses the whole bodies weight and stable feet to control. Rest and replenish we shall procced with the spear when the sun in midway to set."

My mother Alcmene comes to the courtyard greeting Laicard, he just nods and leaves then she looks at me

"Come in and replenish, you have shown that you have what it takes to become a warrior in the future, continue like this and honor yourself in duty to this land."

My mother is a curios case from my memories I could see the love she has for me but the way she shows her love these days scars me a bit very obligation focused and I don't know what to make of it. After the meal she tends to my wounds very carefully. I am in my room meditating trying to get the feeling of the void, only to find out that the connection is completely gone like it was never there in the first place.

'Was it there only to allow me to get here or what? Did my full body come here with me or did I black out like last time?'

'That is for another time, I need to strength if I want to survive in Sparta.'

Time went by as I meditated as there is nothing else I could do instead of tiring myself out before my afternoon spar. In the courtyard again with Laicard, same as always nods and moves to the weapon rack

"Begin"

No shields this time open spear combat. With one hand 1¼ of the way up the spear and the other and the midway point, I hold the spear with the tip pointing slightly downward. We draw closer as I look for an opening to get into my range, I step towards my left while piercing towards his head, he shifts his head a bit as he continues to circles me his spear still upright in one hand.

Suddenly he steps back confusing me when I see the lower part of his spear coming for my chin, I raise my chin narrowly dodging the strike only to be meet by kick to my ribs which I try to block with my spear, but I don't have enough power to hold off a kick from a full-grown man with a spear in hand still reducing the impact of the strike.

Ignoring the pain on my ribs and hands I step in and go to strike his mid-section, he steps back while deflecting the blow to the side, I use that to gain momentum to go for a spin attack to which kicks my back forcing me to stagger and lose my target.

"NEVER give your opponent your back, less you be killed without knowing what happened. The spear is longer than a sword therefore has more range, but its strongest form of attack is the piercing strike with little movement it can be avoided so you need to control your opponent's movements so that even if they know a strike is coming blocking or dodging it becomes more of a challenge for them"

The spar continued with me giving all I can only to get bruises from punches, kicks, and the side of his spear. After he said we are done for the day I fall to the floor exhausted, I see my old man looking at me with a face that says he is holding back his laughter seriously.

"Atredies, you seem to favor one side in both movement and weapon handling, fix that or you will lose your ability to fight if you are ever get injured."

"Yes!!" I shouted

"Laicard my friend, how is my boy coming along has he shown it yet?" said my dad as he laughed and walked in.

"Hmm … not yet he is still too weak and cannot control himself properly"

"Hahah … I expected as much, boy it seems that you need to pushed harder, although you just started you need to catch up as my only son."

"Laicard let us drink and welcome the night in honor of our king. Boy go and tend to your wounds yourself, you bother your mother too much," said the old man as he hands a jug to Laicard.

"Mmm … very well, to the king," said Laicard as he raises the jug to drink.

I leave them alone and go into the house to see my mother looking at me, she beckons me to my room as she wants to tend to my wounds.

"No mother, let me do it myself today," to which she simply nods and stands aside to watch men do it.

After I was done with treatment, she left the room. I rested for about 2 hours and went back to the courtyard to see it empty; I pick my sword from the rack start swinging from top to bottom.

I tighten my core, make a wide stance engage my back muscles as I swing my sword, each swing with full power trying to control the hilt to stop just above my waist.

I continue swinging until my arms are numb while still trying to control each swing until I lose my grip.

I rested again for about an hour then I pick up my shield with 2 hand and start doing rushing attacks, with varied patterns of 5-step rush then a 3-step rush sometimes different number of steps thinking of boxers who use a single step to cover distance and attack.

With my core fully braced I crouch down a little feel the force generated from my toes pressing hard against the ground and the shooting forward the trying to stop myself from taking extra steps or sliding against the ground using my heels.

I continue this till my legs start to feel weak and it becomes difficult for me to stand then I stop and rest for another hour.

Then I pick my spear, I like the height of the spear it makes me feel as if anyone standing in front of me at that time cannot reach me making the lesser than I am.

I take the horse stance with my left leg slightly in front shifting my heels to generate force that is transferred to my waist then my back and then I strike with what seems like a serpent going in for a kill.

*shoof*