Capítulo 24: Master Of Arms
As I watched Aleksi swing the halberd, following it with a thrust, I couldn't help but brandish a smile.
"Good, you have the basics down!" I shouted, "Now come here!"
Hearing me, he immediately stopped his swing dead in its tracks and walked towards me with the halberd pointed to the sky.
"Tell me, how did it feel?"
"It was surprisingly easy," the boy flashed a smile, "It's like I've been wielding it for years!" He spoke in a loud voice.
"That is good, very good." I nodded to myself, "I shall be quizzing you now."
"On what subject?" He asked, tilting his head to the side.
"Halberd against other weapons, after all, no weapon is the same on the battlefield." I rubbed my hand against the pole hammer.
"Well, I guess you speak true," Aleksi spoke with acknowledgment.
"Halberd on sword, what will you do?"
"Since I have reach," the boy thought heavily on the subject, "I would keep a distance that would allow me to send in a quick thrust with the spear end."
"Then what? What if he moves away?" I stared at him with a serious expression.
"I would try to catch him off guard, have him try to close in the distance." He then placed his hand on his chin, "Then I would quickly move in for a thrust."
"Good, you express points that are useful for the start of a duel." I patted his shoulder, "Now allow me to teach you what should be done next."
"If the opponent remains in the same position, move forward and stab them." I showed him with my pole hammer, moving forward with a quick step and a fast thrust, "Once that is done, move in with a feint forward step and poke; they will most likely move back and stop." I feigned a step forward with a poke.
The boy stared at me, taking in the information with a nod at each piece of advice I gave him, "Now they will be recovering from the feint, close the distance and thrust again." Demonstrating the movement was hard without another man to act as the subject; however, I was able to get it done.
"Now they may try to block this and close the distance, or sidestep the attack and close if they're fast enough." I continued to go on, "So this is what I will suggest: loop your point and thrust once again. If that doesn't work, be prepared to get into a brawl."
"What you want to do with most spears and axes is to immobilize the head, use your axe head and pull them closer." I breathed in some more air, "Then send a punch out as they near you; once on the ground, send a strike to the chest or a quick stab to the neck."
"Now for the sword and shield, although it doesn't seem that common here." I stared at the boy who stared back, "You must always be ready for the unexpected. Do you understand?"
The boy returned a silly salute, "Yes, Sir!"
"Good, now allow me to show you how to deal with bastard shield users." I spoke with a grin hidden in my helmet, "What you want to do is make the shield user blind themselves."
I sent a strike to where the head would be before pulling back the point and aiming for the legs or balls, "What you must do is strike the head, up goes the shield to block, blinding the shield user. Pull back the point and stab the legs or balls."
"What about chivalry or something like that." Aleksi was shocked that I said to aim for the balls.
"Bah, chivalry is only in the Englishman fairy tale books. There is no such thing as chivalry; you must do what you must to win." I released a small chuckle, "Even if it means to take another man's manhood."
The lad hearing this nodded his head as he must have believed it to be reasonable, "Now allow me to continue my teachings; you must always follow an attack and never do it for style but to end a duel fast."
"As I've seen many men lose their lives as they wanted to be flashy, only to be struck down by a sword to the back of the neck as they went for a spinning strike." I held my head low, remembering the people I saw die to such stupid tactics, 'spinning in a battle, how stupid can you be.'
"Now, as you stab their leg, foot, or whatever, as long as you bring them down, hook the shield with the axe head and pull it away." I continued to explain, "Now, a thrust straight to the face once they start to resist pulling the shield back."
"This should end the fight with a dead soldier on the ground with two holes minimum." I went back to Aleksi and sat next to him.
"Another thing, if they just rush at you, try and shove to throw them to the ground. Or you can grapple with them standing like the Greeks." I shrugged my shoulders, not minding the technique used as long as the same result occurred. 'A dead man on the ground.' A grin crept on my face.
"Can you remember what I taught you?" I stared at Aleksi.
"Yes, Sir!" Aleksi nodded his head rapidly.
"Then what are you waiting for!" I shouted back, "Go use the moves until you remember it like the back of your hand."
Aleksi quickly stood up, entering the stance. He started practicing what I taught him. Taking off my helmet, I grabbed an apple that hung on a tree nearby.
Peeling the apple with the spike on my pole hammer, I took bites from the apple as Alek showed great results, remembering practically all I taught. 'He truly is a marvelous student; maybe I shall have him as my squire.'
Although I wouldn't know how his father would react, as fathers would like their traditions to be passed onto the heirs.
What am I even thinking, I'm already to be a part of his Saints. We will just need to find others willing to join our lord and follow the faith of Christianity. I proudly nodded myself to the thought
Aleksi had started to pick up speed, with each thrust dust would be picked up. Although, as of right now, he is still far behind the speed of many warriors.
————————- 2 Hours Later: ————————-
The sky was soon turning into an orange crimson, meaning the sun was now setting.
"My Lord, it is time we head back to your cabin!" I shouted out to the now sweating Aleksi.
"How did I do, Ludwin?" The boy asked with a sweaty smile.
"You did good; you may be able to join a tourney if you keep at this pace. Sure, you may not win. But you would beat quite a few men." I spoke the honest truth; the boy was truly advancing rapidly, and he may be able to win a tourney by 20.
'Ah, tourneys, they bring back some old memories, the atmosphere, the clash of steel on steel. Men screaming in pain, nothing could top that.' I thought to myself, looking at the sky before focusing on the path to Aleksi's home.
"I will head off and go to find an inn, have a good sleep, my lord." I spoke with a proud smile.
"You too, Ludwin." He returned my smile before leaving me and entered his home.
Looking at the path, I walked to the town, admiring the scenery as I strolled through.
——————— Ludwin's First Tourney: ———————
As I walked through the gates into the tourney grounds, the crowds were lively, my blood pumping and boiling in excitement.
Staring at my soon-to-be opponent, I was not prepared to see the man I would face. He was an eight-foot giant barely fitting through the gates, holding onto a mace.
"You got to be kidding me." I muttered to myself in shock.
Preparing my pole hammer, I heard my father, the local lord, commence the duel. I decided not to charge in, unlike the giant who was rushing straight at me, making me sweat profusely.
Staring around the arena, I looked for anything I could use as cover. Nothing, is god forsaking me as I whored away last night.
The man finally reached me, sending an easy-to-read strike in my direction. Seeing this I stepped back and sent a quick thrust to his chest, to which it had landed on his bare chest that was exposed to the elements around him. A true Norse Barbarian.
This caused the man to scream in pain; he sent out another strike, this time it landed and struck me on the right side of my stomach, sending me tumbling away. Standing up in a coughing fit, I couldn't believe how careless I was.
My father instantly stood up at this and was biting his nails, 'I was not going to fail my family, a line of warriors.' I thought to myself.
"Come at me, you tall bastard!" I jeered at him.
He rushes at me still in a fit of rage due to my strike, 'Yeah, come closer, big fella!'
Once he came into range, I sent a large swing at his knee, instantly breaking them, making the man fall to the ground.
Sending another thrust at his neck to which I rotated and pulled out, the man's throat opened up and gushed out.
The giant tried to breathe but he couldn't. He was choking and in agony, dying a slow and painful death. Oh, I wished I could do it again, the feeling of taking a man taller than you down. His cry was easily heard over the large cheering crowds.
A sharp pain suddenly struck me; it was the right side of my body, that damned strike, holding onto it, I collapsed against the walls of the arena, a wide but pained smile on my face.
I had finally done it; I won a battle at the young age of 21 and a half; I had made my family proud.
———————— Back to the present: ————————
As I walked through the dark streets of the town looking for the inn, I couldn't help but enjoy the night sky, that was beautiful and had illuminated the streets.
"Hey there, big fella..." A woman spoke to me from behind, "Do you want a good time? Why don't you come with me? I'm here for a cheap two silver coins after all."
Hearing the woman, I couldn't help but be disgusted, "I am married to my lord, The Almighty," I spat out the words, "I would not pay to fuck a whore like you!"
My face was disgruntled and expressed my heavy disgust towards her, "Awww, you don't have to be so harsh. We all need to remove our pent-up frustrations somehow." She touched my armor, specifically the location where Christ is placed.
This built up my anger further, "Leave now." I held onto my pole hammer tighter, "If you do not wish to be found in an alley with a missing head and smashed ribs." I spoke with heavy disdain towards the woman.
"Alright, alright, you just had to tell me to leave." the woman spoke, frightened at my threat towards her before walking off into one of the many alleys.
Continuing my walk, I had finally come across the tavern. Entering it, I saw that it was pretty empty with only one barmaid, "Can I get one room?"
The woman hearing this simply nodded, "Sure, just follow me," waving her hand for me to follow.
Walking up the stairs, she pointed down the left corridor, "Furthest room on the right, and here are the keys." It will be two silvers for one night, breakfast not included."
I took out my pouch and handed her two silver coins. "Here you go, and thanks for the key." grabbing the key I walked off to my room.
Approaching my room, I heard men fucking their whores. 'What a despicable place to sleep in.'
Entering my room, I locked the door behind me and placed the key on the bedside.
Taking off my armor, I couldn't help but be happy with the reduction of the weight, I felt as light as a feather right now.
Laying down in the bed, I stared at the ceiling procrastinating before eventually falling asleep. The sounds of debauchery filled the halls and night sky.
————————
Authors Notes:
How did you guys find this chapter, I also need help with the looks for Ludwin. Its what you imagine him to look like and ill pick the best one
Anyways if you guys have any ideas for how Aleksi armour should look please tell me.
I may take it into account
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