Under the bright noon sunshine, Lassim ascended the steep mountain path leading to the headmaster’s secluded abode.
Upon reaching the top, he found his master, Caelum Ferrum, seated in his usual meditative pose, the serene atmosphere of the summit contrasting sharply with the turmoil in Lassim’s heart.
"Master Ferrum, I apologize for my tardiness," Lassim began, his voice tinged with the fatigue and emotional strain from the ordeal. "Yesterday’s mission... it took a dangerous turn. My friend, Lustria, was severely injured by a creature we didn’t anticipate."
Master Ferrum opened his eyes, fixing Lassim with a gaze that seemed to pierce through the veils of distance and time. "I am aware, Lassim," he responded, his voice calm yet carrying an undercurrent of stern concern. "I observed the events unfold.
Your dedication to helping your friends with rapidly gaining academy points is commendable, but it led you to underestimate the dangers of accepting a higher level mission with overconfidence. You learned a harsh lesson that your actions, while good intentioned, can have grave consequences for those you care about."
Lassim was taken aback, both by the revelation of his master’s ability for distant observation and by the subtle admonishment. "You saw it happen? But that was over 50 kilometers away..."
Master Ferrum nodded, a faint smile breaking through his stoic expression. "Distance is but a minor obstacle at my level of cultivation. My spiritual sense can extend far beyond the confines of this city, nearly to the edges of the entire Veridian continent. It is my duty to be ever watching in the event of a Dragal attack. You too will someday have this ability and responsibility.
However, let us focus on the matter at hand."
Feeling somewhat chastened but relieved that his master was not angry, Lassim seized the opportunity to address his growing concern. "Master, the incident made me realize I lack the means to adequately protect those close to me. I need to learn a defensive art, something that can prevent such situations in the future."
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The Headmaster considered Lassim’s request, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "While I possess knowledge of many metal-based defensive techniques, it is much too different from before where we were converting two-handed axe techniques into halberd techniques. I believe there is a more suitable path for you.
Given your unique elemental affinity, I believe we should seek expertise that aligns more closely with your water and lightning powers."
Lassim’s interest piqued, and he watched as Master Ferrum sent out a pulse of energy, a call that traversed the academy grounds.
Within minutes, a response came in the form of a striking figure approaching the training area.
A tall, muscular woman with battle scars all over her arms, legs and face that spoke of countless confrontations strode into view. Her presence was sturdy, her eyes sharp and assessing as she greeted the Headmaster with a half-bow. "Headmaster, you called?"
"Indeed, Valeria," Master Ferrum replied, gesturing towards Lassim. "This is my disciple, Lassim. He has a unique elemental composition and requires guidance in defensive techniques that complement his water and lightning elements. I believe you might be able to help him."
Valeria, the battle-hardened woman with the stunning body of an Amazon, turned her keen gaze on Lassim, her eyes flickering with a spark of interest. "Water and lightning, you say? So he’s the dual elemental kiddo I’ve heard rumors about. He’s a cutie, but a bit scrawny. This will be tough, but I might have just the thing to help mold his defensive prowess if he’s committed enough.
Do you mind if I teach him the [Aegis]? I’ve yet to have a worthy disciple myself and I’d love to leave my mark on such a precious student." She asked with a wink towards Lassim.
"If he passes your judgement, you can teach him whatever you’d like. I’m sure he’ll appreciate it once he understands." The headmaster continued, "Lassim, for the next few days, completely follow Valeria’s instructions.
She’s the only defensive based Elder in the academy, but no one else in the continent can say to have personally gone blow-to-blow and held back a Dragal first hand for over three hours while the citizens got to safety. No one is more qualified to teach you defensive techniques than her. Report back here once you’ve finished her training."
"Thank you master, and Valeria." Lassim bowed towards them both and followed Valeria to the nearby training courtyard.
Arriving, Lassim stood, taking in Valeria’s formidable appearance and the confident assurance in her voice. The prospect of learning from another master of such evident strength and experience filled him with joy.
Here, before him, stood a new mentor, promising not only to expand his abilities but also to equip him with the means to better protect those he cared about.
The area was encircled by tall, ancient trees, their canopies weaving a natural dome above, filtering the sunlight into shimmering patterns on the ground.
"Alright, Lassim, before we begin, I need to assess your current defensive capabilities," Valeria stated, her tone serious yet encouraging. "Show me how you would defend against an opponent stronger than you."
Lassim, feeling slightly nervous under her scrutinizing gaze, nodded and centered himself, recalling the defensive maneuvers he had learned so far, which admittedly was only his footwork technique that he’d practiced since he was 5 years old while trying to catch that wily water fox in the woods outside his home in Swallowtail Mountain City.
With a deep breath, he demonstrated a basic parrying technique using his halberd, followed by a dodge roll and his quick steps to dodge incoming attacked and maintains a safe attacking distance that he had practiced during his earlier training.
Valeria watched intently, her eyes missing nothing. After a moment, she held up a hand, signaling him to stop. "Not bad for a start, but your movements are too predictable, and you rely too much on evasion. In a real battle, especially against stronger opponents, you won’t always have the luxury of space or time to dodge."
She stepped forward, closing the distance between them with a few swift strides. "Now, we will first need to build up a foundation before we learn any actual defensive arts. Let me show you the essence. It’s not just about physical movements; it’s about understanding the flow of battle, anticipating your enemy’s moves, and maintaining a sturdy barrier against all incoming attacks.
There’s more than just dodging and parrying. You can absorb the attacks by predicting the movements and turning them into glancing blows that reduce their power, but also allow you to counterattack once they’ve fully committed. You don’t have a shield, but your halberd’s pole handle can act as one for you while we practice. It’s much harder but you have to work with what you’ve got kiddo."
Valeria then summoned her elemental weapon, a terrifying chill spread out from her body and quickly chilled and froze the surrounding grass, a pair of tower shields, one in each hand. The shields were square at the top and each as wide as her body. Their length was practically just the size of her upper body but suddenly they shot downward and covered her entire height, clearly adjustable in battle.
They had a slight concave structure to protect the insides, while the bottoms of the shields came down to a razor sharp point.
Valeria then demonstrated a series of defensive stances and movements that were fluid yet unyieldingly sturdy. Each position seamlessly transitioned into the next, creating a protective dance that left little room for offensive penetration. Her movements were accentuated by subtle surges of elemental energy, creating brief shields of water that transitioned into barriers of ice.
"Your element, lightning, can be excellent for attacking, but you don’t tap into the true defensive power of your water element at all," she explained while showing a stance that summoned a moving and shape-twisting wall of water, followed by transforming it into a solid thick sheet of ice.
"Water can absorb and redirect force, while ice can further block attacks or obstruct your enemies’ vision, disrupting their attacks."
Lassim watched, fascinated by the way Valeria integrated her knowledge of combat with elemental manipulation. It was a holistic approach that transformed defense into an active part of the fight rather than a passive reaction that he was using before to further enhance the damage of his lightning attacks.
"Now, let’s try something practical. I’ll attack you with controlled strikes. I want you to try and block or deflect them using what you’ve just observed. Don’t worry; I’ll hold back enough not to hurt you, but you’ll feel it if you make a mistake," she said, a challenging glint in her eyes.
The training session began, with Valeria launching a series of measured yet powerful strikes towards Lassim. He struggled initially, his attempts at using his elemental powers for defense being clumsy and inefficient. But as the session wore on, guided by Valeria’s patient yet firm instructions, he started to get a feel for the rhythm and flow of the basics to defensive techniques.
Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his muscles ached with the exertion, but Lassim felt a growing sense of understanding. With each successful block and counter, he felt his confidence grow, his ability to harness his elemental power of over water improving.
As the sun began to dip below the horizon, painting the sky with hues of orange and purple, Valeria finally called a halt to their training. "That’s enough for today. You’re picking it up faster than I expected, kiddo. We’ll continue tomorrow."
Exhausted but exhilarated, Lassim thanked her, feeling a newfound respect for the art of defense. It was truly vital and important if he wished to protect those he cared about.
Defensive techniques were more than just a set of movements; it was an evolving strategy based on your opponents, and a way of merging your elemental essence with the physical realm to create an unbreakable defense that none could pass. He was satisfied.
He slowly made his way back down to the mountain with his sore muscles to his cultivation cave after several hours of training.