Chapter 6.3

“I feel like I already know what this is going to be.”

As Syr gained a stilted look, Soren and Sellen merely shot her knowing smirks.

Just as soon as the two rose, the crowd began shifting around. Tables and chairs were dragged to the sides as the already dense crowd tightened up, forming into a rough ring, leaving a clear space in the center of the main floor for Soren and Sellen to stride out into.

[About time we get to this!]

[This time it’s those two huh? This’ll be a hell of a show!]

[The Sword Saint and the Spear Maiden, hell yeah!]

[Put on a good showing for the newcomers eh? Do us High Ranks proud!]

“… they’re going to fight,” Syr shook her head as an amused smile came about her expression.

“That’s just Amber Sky tradition,” Manas approached from within the tangle of excitement, watching as Soren and Sellen limbered up, the latter also pulling her loose hair into a tight tail. “The High Ranks get picked at random to put on a demonstration every time we throw a welcoming party, show the new blood what it takes to get where they are.”

“Won’t Soren be at a disadvantage though?” Syr said, looking between the two as they were handed blunted weapons. Soren a far simpler longsword than his Hyperion, and Sellen a just as simple spear. Both took the time to test the balance of the weapons. “A spear has far more reach than a sword, and someone skilled with it will be hard to close the gap with.”

“True enough, but you don’t get the title of a Saint without being aware of your own weaknesses either. So watch them. You only got a taste of what Soren can do fighting that Drake, and this won’t even be a full showing.”

“I’d imagine.”

“Alright, let’s remind ourselves of the rules here!” Sharzok took the stage again, quickly eyeing a clearly all too eager to play Zenver. “For you newbies or those needin’ a reminder! Another ol’ tradition of our Hall is having our proud High Rankers show you newcomers what’s what! We’re Mercenaries, meaning for us, how you do in a fight is just as important as what goes on in your head! Our jobs are dangerous, life threatenin’! But you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t know that! Hahahaha! So, time for our two rising stars to show you what we mean! Soren, Sellen! Keep it clean, yeah?”

“I’m not the one who needs to be asked to hold back,” Soren chuckled as he twirled his sword around, the motions of his wrists and fingers smooth and easy as he spun the weapon around himself before taking it back into a proper hold.

“Ah relax, not like I’m gonna blow out a wall or something,” Sellen snickered as she spun her spear around as well, taking it into a wider, two-handed stance as Soren shifted into his own. “On your mark Boss!”

“Zenver, sound ‘em off!” Commanded the Guild Master, the bard all too happy to comply as he counted down, setting the mood and pace with a smooth, jazzier tune than his previous piece.

Neither combatant chose to wait, both shooting forward at the same instant. The air rang as spear met blade, the crowd cheering as the exchange began, the air filling with the melodic sound of the clashing weapons, almost falling into a rhythm matching Zenver’s song as Soren and Sellen exchanged the motions of their weapons.

Sellen moved almost like a whirlwind, her spear spinning and dancing through the air as her stances followed through in sets of repositioning steps, smooth pirouettes to follow into a heavy thrust, or quickly grasping her tool at higher marks to maneuver its blade faster to match Soren’s own range when he got in too close.

Not a single one of her motions wasted a movement, each strike aimed with all the know-how of someone who’d grown used to her opponent, matching step-for-step almost like a dance. And even the blunt end of her spear saw use, being used as a sweeping tool to try and trip Soren up, his nimble footwork being the deciding factor there.

Soren’s display was no less a show of his skill with his weapon of choice. To those who knew of the Continuation Style he was learned in, they knew it was also defined by one word: Flow. Every movement of the feet, every swing, every dodge, every parry flowed from one to the other.

Each swing of the sword used its own momentum to move into the next, Soren’s motions moving naturally and smoothly from one stance to the next. Every time the blade was knocked aside by Sellen’s own parries, Soren would simply carry that motion into yet another slash of the blade or use the motions of his own dodges to carry through into counters.

And Syr could only be amazed that such a display of martial skill, that such a dance-like flurry was the two holding back for the sake of both the demonstration and the limitations of the weapons handed to them.

And it carried on that way for minutes on minutes, the crowd cheering just as much as they were transfixed on the display from the two.

Attempts to trip with the spear were met with the haft being stamped on.

Quick thrusts of the sword were dodged through and countered with a swift swing of the spear that slammed the haft into Soren’s side.

Sellen turning her spear into a whirl of slashes was matched by a similar motion from Soren, the air starting to whip around from the speed of the clashing flurries before the two moved into heavy finishing motions.

Sellen stabbed, Soren cut. The sound of a collision sounded, the two fighters sliding past one another as their motions followed through. And after a quiet pause, both stood straight, giving sighs as their weapons, covered in cracks and gouges despite their blunted blades, showed even more cracks before portions of the blades broken off.

“Well, I think that does it, Boss!” Soren called, raising his broken sword high. “Ain’t gonna be able to fight with broken weapons!”

“Looks like we’re done!” Sellen laughed as she eyed the busted spearhead.

And Sharzok let out a low rumble as the two Freelancers kept holding up the broken swords.

“They wouldn’t bloody break if ya’ two weren’t so damned used to those fancy magitech weapons of yours!” Bellowed the orc. Soren and Sellen only looked to the side as the Orc shook his head. “But, I ain’t one to argue a good showing! Maybe next time we oughta take this to the roof so you can actually let loose a bit!”

[That was them holding back?!]

[I’ve heard some High Rankers can be pretty nuts but…]

[And these two aren’t even the best in the Guild…]

[Talk about a gap to close…]

“And if you’re too chicken to try and close that gap, you won’t make it as a Freelancer!” Soren shouted, pointing his broken blade off to the chattering. “Push yourself to the limits of your ability, and when you hit that point, break past it and go further!

“Don’t have to tell me twice!” Syr called out, earning an amused look from Soren as he spun the broken blade. “Just you watch us, High Rankers! We’ll be catching up to you in no time!”

“Hehe… that’s the spirit I like to see!” Soren let out a laugh, then holding up a v-sign. “We’ll be seeing you there! So, let’s hear it again! May your fortunes be plenty, and your luck brilliant!”

“May your fortunes be plenty, and your luck brilliant!”