Not New

I attempt a few times of each strike type before focusing on the downstrike again. Just to double check things.

Jessica works next to me. "You look good for someone new to swords."

I shrug. "Many of these strikes are used for other things. Have you seen what we need to do in some ceremonies? With a scepter?" I grunt. "The sword is lighter and moves nicer."

Jessica laughs over that. "Think it's there to improve your weapons chances? All of them is a lot."

"I will just pick a new one to train. Either a week or passing out of trainee zones." I think I'll give swords two weeks before looking at the bow. They're different, but both are needed. I'll want to copy with shield and spear, too. I'll have a friend to train with. "Ryan is flight capable. Isn't that a weapon mark?"

"Yeah, but I'd also suggest he focus on getting bow, spear, and sword handled. I'll aim for multiple too. Shield sounds good. I'll be able to stand before the idiot cursed mage next to me."

"Why insult me?" I huff.

"You need to work your magic. How'd will you manage anything?"

I bite my cheek. "Mana is too high for me naturally. So the flow and pathways for my mana are partially cursed to not allow proper movement. I'll fail every class there."

"Until?"

"I don't know." I couldn't even say if I'm strong enough now to handle my full power. Odin has only given a few pieces of data to work with, but never too much information. I always needed more, but can guess some of what the more is. He's probably protecting me. No. I know he's protecting me. "The scepter swings are part of the ritual because it's a spell. I don't in tune to it. I've seen a few of them where my father has."

"You literally can't use such spells."

"I cannot."

"And that's why I need to learn shields."

I laugh again. Protect the idiot cursed mage. "Thanks."

"I'm a Warton. Of course I'm learning shields." She stops her practice to review mine. "Show me all eight strikes again, please. Take it slow. I'll explain if you're off."

Being trained by someone my age is weird. But I know she's more practiced than I am. By her teaching though, I'd suggest I'm better than she was expecting.

"When did you first pick up a sword."

I was about to say a few weeks ago not that I did anything sparring wise with it. I was training for the test. I had to stop, though. "I was six."

Jessica stares at me. "Why did you have a sword back then?"

"I thought it was a scepter." I duck my head. "I was copying my father through a ritual. Badly."

Jessica stares at me for a long moment. "You need better guards."

"They were focused on the ritual. I didn't leave me zone. I think it may have been closer to a dagger than a sword. I can't recall. But... Same concept, right?"

Jessica steps back. Her stare is something else. "I hope your guards got in trouble for that. Sharp blades are dangerous."

"I didn't have the chance until more recently. But I was only practicing the holds. For the test." I pause. "Wait. I can show you the ritual movements." I make sure she's distant enough before settling myself. It's just a series of movements. That would matter if my mana could be moved along them. With the control of mana flow taught here, it would've been enough. But for me, I need to wait for fully grasp magic. I'm just learning. Teaching is more than just getting results.

"What is that ritual for?" Jessica asks as I move back to starting position.

"It's a shield for the capital." I slide my sword away. It worked much easier with a sword, but the scepter is required for it just like my mana is. "The weapon used needs a imbue-ment, so even if I used mana for the ritual I wouldn't get the right results."

"Would shield you, though. And probably those close to you." Jessica weighs the actions. "So... I was wrong before. You don't need three hundred strikes. You'll probably pass the base line movements tomorrow. I can't say if you'll slice the paper. That's different."

"Yeah. I'll try. That's all I can suggest." I pull out my sword again to practice striking the air.

"When it comes to handling things like this, confidence is your biggest asset. If you question yourself, you will fail. If you're cocky, you'll fail."

That I know well. If I questioned during my escapes, I was caught. If I was cocky, I was caught. I needed to be calm and confident. Then use my knowledge and abilities well. "Thanks. I think I'm more confident now. I did suggest I'd manage within the week."

"No pressure. Seriously. Don't act like just because your family name is that important you need to succeed at everything the first time." Jessica focuses on her strikes again.

"Who said that to you?"

"My brother." Jessica smirks. "Doesn't sound like me?"

"You were cocky in the past huh?"

Jessica glowers at me. "I'm getting your first spar chance."

"Deal." We'll be close enough to handle something. She'll probably win, but I would hope that. I trained everything. She focused on knight path. She should be better than me. Not that I would say I should be truly bad. "Let's practice until you want to break for dinner."

"Sure. I don't mind that." Jessica is probably over the hundred strikes each. I'm not quite there. But I'm not truly aiming for a hundred strikes each. I'm focused on what I need to do to manage things. Focusing on my sword strikes is better than focusing on the various other things going on around here.

No one ever told me anything, though. I'm used to seeking the information on my own.