Chapter 25: (Re Uploaded)

Today was a special day as Vincent and Norbert returned to Palatury Town. it has been a week since the banquet and James has sent Vincent out to train once more. the duo entered the forest once more.

the first few hours were uneventful, Vincent encountered some wolfs, Jackals, and a few of the the local monsters he had already encountered last time. Vincent's skills with the sword have improved since last time and now he even knew a spell, Water Hook. While he did practice both magic and swordsmanship, he did focus a lot more on the latter. this was because his magic was not yet strong enough to be used alone to defeat a enemy, while his swordsmanship was.

One of Vincent's more intriguing encounters was that with a rare monster know as a Wallipada Goat. while they generally looked a lot like the common goat found in farms they had one major distinct difference, it was their hind legs were very long like those of a grass hopper. When threatened they would usually either jump at their attackers in a attempt to head bash them or they would jump away like a fleeing frog. Vincent heard rumors that their hind feet were actually somehow magically enhanced allowing them the jump further than a creature like them should. Vincent did not attack the goat but rather observed it from a safe distance. In what seemed like a flash the Goat jumped aside and disappeared from sight and before Vincent could understand what happened he saw a pack of wolfs lurking near the goats previous position. After the goat began to escape the wolfs stopped stayed put and did not give chase. The wolves seemed to have deemed it a lost cause or at least to much effort to be worth their time and effort. While it may be good news for the goat it was not for Vincent as now he had the undivided attention of three wolves. These wolves weren't weak and sickly but were clearly big, strong, and well fed. Their eyes locked onto the two humans as if they found perfect prey. Vincent was clearly weaker than the armed adult guard behind him and thus looked like a better target.

In a instant the wolves began to dash towards Vincent, already trying to encircle him. One wolf tried to flank him from the left while another did from the right and the smallest of the three charged strait at him from the center. Vincent Lifted his sword and charged towards the smallest wolf to try and break the encirclement before it truly began. The wolf was surprisingly dexterous as it leapt to the side avoiding Vincent's sword. Vincent didn't stop running and charged past the wolf leaving all three behind him. He dashed towards a massive tree to have something behind his back where he turned around and stopped, this was to protect himself from getting ambushed from behind. In a matter of mere moments the wolves had already cached up with the boy but, Vincent cared not as he slashed at the nearest wolf. this wolf tried leaping aside to but Vincent expected this move and managed to successfully slash at the wolf with a sweep of his blade. The wolf howled in pain as its allies growled in anger. the smaller wolf tired to bite Vincent's leg but was kicked away by instead. while the other tried to chomp Vincent's arms, Vincent dodged to the side in the nick of time as he slashed the second wolf and decapitating it in one blow. now out of the three wolves one was headless another bleeding and only one unhurt it seemed that despite their rage and hatred towards Vincent the wolves also feared him as the growled and backed away. they eventually disappeared among the the shadows of the wood.

Norbert walked up to Vincent saying. "Well done"

Vincent: "It still feels wrong to take a life, even if its a hostile wolf."

Norbert: "At least it was but a beast. I assure you that fighting humans is harder. Not just mentally but also because they tend to be skilled opponents."

Vincent: "In the theater... When i watched all kinds of plays, i would see the kingdoms hero's slay horrid beasts and fight the champions of our enemies i never saw them struggling with this. Am i unfit to fight outside of training?"

Norbert: "No that is not the case, most of the hero's in the plays struggled with it, most in our line of work did."

Vincent: "Did? as in that they do not anymore?"

Norbert: "Most do... Eventually. Some never had this problem and some never solve it. In theater it doesn't make much for a good show and it makes our hero's look less epic in their adventures thus it is often removed from the script."

Vincent: "So how do i solve it?"

Norbert: "There is no one solution, however if i may advise you. than i recommend continuing to fight with the aid of time and experience i believe it to help."

Vincent: "Time..."

As the sun began to sett the two were already on a carriage back to the capital.