Training

The words of the renowned knight, Donos, hooked the attention of both Aeneas and Tiriara. They stopped hitting the blackwood tree and turned to him who stared at them with a charming smile.

"What do you say?" Donos asked.

Tiriara turned to Aeneas who reciprocated her gaze. The two stared at each other, waiting for one of them to say something.

"Okay!" Tiriara said.

"Aeneas?" asked Donos.

Aeneas answered with a nod.

Donos instructed Tiriara and Aeneas to fight together. The knight took one of the wooden swords at the table. His real blade rests at his left hip. Then, he walked towards the two and told them to assume their stance.

They followed Donos's order. Their feet and arm placements were the same as how they were in their duel. On the other hand, Donos stood still. He held his wooden sword as if he was carrying a basket of fruits.

"You two can start now."

Tiriara broke her stance, she raised her hand, "Are we allowed to use magic?" she asked.

Donos complimented her for the question which made Tiriara a bit elated.

Since Aeneas couldn't use magic, Donos said that it would be better to train their swordsmanship and physical fighting prowess. Furthermore, he explained that magic for Zeal-bearers was already a given and his element is different from Tiriara so he couldn't help her well.

"Couldn't you copy her magic through your ability?" Aeneas asked.

"You're right. But, it would be weaker than hers and in that case, there's no point." 

Confused, Tiriara's eyebrows furrowed, "You can copy magic?" she asked with a loud voice.

Donos explained that the ability of his Zeal allows him to copy other people's or creature's magic or ability for a short period after touching them. The power of the copied magic or ability is lesser than the original.

Amazed, Tiriara's eyes and mouth were wide open.

"How come you didn't know that? Maybe you should start attending school again," Aeneas said.

Tiriara glared at him. She argued that she had just forgotten about it. 

"Did you also forget that other bearers of the Venerable Twin's Zeal can change their appearance instead of copying magic?" Aeneas said in a mocking tone.

"Woah, is that true?"

Aeneas grew tired of trying to mock the girl. He told her to get ready so they could start their training against his uncle Donos.

"Are you both ready?" Donos asked.

Both Aeneas and Tiriara nodded in response. 

Donos placed his left hand on his back. He told the two that he would only use his right hand wielding the wooden sword and his feet.

"You can both start now."

Aeneas was about to charge at Donos when Tiriara stopped and shouted, "Wait!"

The boy turned to her, "What is it this time?"

"Am I allowed to use my Zeal?" she asked Donos.

Donos agreed to let Tiriara use the ability of her Zeal but excluded her fire magic.

With a big smile, "Okay!" Tiriara said.

Aeneas stared at Tiriara unimpressed, "Ask Uncle everything you want to know now," he said.

Tiriara responded with a weak thrust of her wooden sword towards the boy's shoulder, "I'm done, stupid," she said. It was an attack that Aeneas dodged with ease. Tiriara became frustrated and continued thrusting her wooden sword towards him till Aeneas gave up and let her land a hit. 

After a big sigh, "Now, focus," Aeneas said. He whispered to Tiriara his plan of attacking Donos on both sides.

"Okay, I'll go like this," Tiriara said. Her words were paired with her arms swinging in the direction she wanted to attack.

Aeneas slapped his forehead. He gave up trying to create a battle plan and told the girl to do whatever she wanted.

"Come on you two, when will you begin?"

Tiriara dashed, her eyes gleaming with excitement. Aeneas followed after her. His strategy is to watch Tiriara's moves, try to cover holes in her defense, and also find a great window to attack. Donos's advice helped him decide to proceed with such a tactic.

Donos remained standing. His face was with a smile when he noticed what Aeneas planned to do.

Still meters away, Tiriara leaped. A surprising decision that made Donos a bit dumbfounded, and Aeneas confused as a baby who saw his father without a beard for the first time.

"What are you doing?" Aeneas said from behind.

Tiriara stretched her right arm that wielded the wooden sword. Her entire body lay flat in the air, then curved a bit downward as she aimed to hit the knight. She wanted to do a powerful thrust move against Donos. Using minimal movement, moving his right foot behind him and standing sideways, the renowned knight avoided Tiriara's flashy attempt at an attack.

"That stupid…"

Tiriara rolled and did a perfect land. Again, the girl charged at Donos without hesitation. The Zeal on her chest started to glow, and her golden eyes glimmered. At that moment, Aeneas also went for an attack when he saw her.

Their first combined attack unfolded in the form of Aeneas's initial plan, with both of them attacking Donos in opposite directions.

When they got close, Aeneas noticed from Tiriara's posture that she attempted to do a downward diagonal slash towards Aeneas's right. In response, he decided to do a horizontal slash. He thought to make the attack a bit lower so that he could hit Donos even if he ducked.

Aeneas felt that they'd managed to trap Donos and one of them would be able to reach him.

"Slow," Donos said. He went for a kick towards Tiriara with his right leg. His rapid attack startled the girl who decided to stop her slash to defend herself by making a cross with her arms. Donos put enough strength into his kick to send the girl flying a distance away from him. 

Nevertheless, Aeneas continued with his attack. Donos jumped to evade. The boy shifted his sword and tried to go for an upward diagonal slash. But before he could, Donos hit his wooden sword with enough strength to take it off of his grip and was sent flying. Then to make it fair, he also kicked Aeneas who blocked the same way as Tiriara.

"Uncle that's unfair! Your leg is long," Tiriara complained.

Donos said that it was part of their training. He said that there would be times when their opponent would have a greater advantage in strength, reach, or any other physical superiority. 

"A knight should be able to adapt and win even at a disadvantage."

Tiriara booed him, "We're still kids, and that's cheating," she said.

Donos laughed, "Is that so?" He agreed to only use his wooden sword against them, but Aeneas disagreed.

"Please fight like you just did, uncle," he said.

Tiriara groaned. She said that they would never be able to hit him if he still fights like he did.

"Then go ask sir Konon to baby train you," Aeneas said.

The girl's Zeal glowed brighter, "No, let's continue," she said as she stood up.

Aeneas also stood up and lifted his sword. When he saw Tiriara charge at Donos again, he followed. They were attacking in different directions like earlier. Tiriara was determined. She leaped, this time more steps closer to Donos than before. She pointed her sword at Donos and appeared to lay flat on the air again. It wasn't a surprise that the renowned knight evaded it like the first time. 

But, Donos noticed that Tiriara's gaze wasn't directed at him. Rather, she aims to attack Aeneas for his remarks.

"This stupid…" the boy muttered, dodging Tiriara's sword with great strength behind it. After another successful roll and a perfect land, Tiriara dashed towards Aeneas. 

"What are you doing!? Did the madness infect you?" Aeneas said. His body inches away from Tiriara's attacks.

"Yes, I'm mad. You rude bastard. Calling me a baby," Tiriara replied.

"Bastard?"

Pissed, Aeneas started looking for an opening to do a counterattack. He knows that he will lose in terms of strength, so, he parried to redirect Tiriara's powerful swings.

Donos watched them. His shoulders twitched as their bickering made him chuckle in intervals.

"Come on you two, stop the lover's quarrel and let's continue our training," Donos said with a loud voice.

Tiriara stopped, her face was a bit red, "W—who would want to be a lover of this rude bastard," she said.

"That's too much for a joke, uncle. Who would like this stupid gronkey?" 

Tiriara went for a punch which Aeneas evaded, "Who are you calling a gronkey… you blonkey," she said.

Aeneas snickered, "That's not even a real thing, stupid," he said.

Again, the girl tried for another punch, but it missed, "It's real now, it's you. And stop dodging!"

They began swinging their swords to each other again while spouting insults as they did.

After a while, "Look at that strength, you sure you're not a baby gronkey?" Aeneas teased.

Tiriara released a short chuckle. She stopped and forced herself not to laugh, before attacking, "I'm going to catch the first-ever blonkey!" she shouted.

Hearing her mockery, Aeneas almost bursts with laughter but also holds it in. They continued teasing each other while swinging their wooden swords. And as they continued, their smiles and chuckles grew more apparent.

Donos let out a loud laughter, "Ah, youth," he muttered.