“I must admit, tis daunting to be facing an Awoken of the Expert level,” Helbram said. He walked into the middle of the forest clearing, the same one that they had been training in for the past few days.

Leon followed him, his sword still kept in its sheath, “I do not intend to face you as an Awoken,” he clarified, “to do so would be quite unfair of me.”

The Black Cloak walked a few feet away from Helbram before turning to face him again, “I will face you on your terms, without my abilities.”

Helbram suppressed the sigh at his throat. Even without the boons of an Awoken Helbram there was an air about Leon that told the warrior the Black Cloak was not someone to be trifled with.

“I appreciate that,” Helbram said as he smiled behind his visor, “I apologize in advance if my skills are not up to expectation.”

“My expectation is that you will fail,” Leon said in a blunt tone. There was no malice or bitterness to his tone. The Black Cloak spoke with a certainty that Helbram was all too familiar with.

One that he’d often agreed with, in the past.

Helbram looked to the side of the clearing. His party stood there along with the girl and Ren, serving as the audience to this duel. The girl was there as well, standing close to Jahora, who, while holding a concern in her eyes for Helbram’s situation, was more focused on keeping an eye on the girl for fear of her disappearing. He wasn’t surprised by her attitude, but he was concerned with it all the same.

Leaf and Elly, while aware of the girl’s presence and also checking on her occasionally, were more focused on the upcoming bout. Ren joined them in their interest, though without the deepening scowl that Leaf possessed. Elly’s expression was more neutral than the mens’, but there was a slight furrow to her brow that Helbram knew to read as concern.

The warrior looked down at his weapons, the sword and shield that were his usual mainstays, and back to Leon. The Black Cloak did not show himself to be in possession of anything other than the sword on his hip, and upon confirming that Helbram took off his shield.

“Leaf,” Helbram called out while holding the shield out, “do you mind taking this for me?”

The archer nodded and ran out to meet him.

Leon raised an eyebrow.

“It would be unfair of me to face you with an advantage,” Helbram said, “I would rather face you on even terms.”

Leon smirked, “Admirable. Foolhardy, but respectable nonetheless.”

Helbram snorted, “Do not take me the wrong way. Were this an actual fight I would throw dirt in your eyes without question.”

Leon laughed, “You’d be a fool not to do such a thing,” he drew his sword, revealing its single edged blade and wider profile. The body of the blade was a dull gray, but its edge sheened with a sharp silver in contrast. Its handle was wrapped in black leather and the crossguard was of a thicker make. The sword’s pommel was ridged, much like the head of a mace, and from the way that it sat so easily in Leon’s hand Helbram could tell that it was finely balanced. The Black Cloak held his sword with the edge facing towards him, an effort to keep his blows non lethal.

Helbram drew his sword in response, making note of Leon’s widened eyes as they looked upon the pattern across his white blade.

“Scaled Steel…” the Black Cloak said, “That is quite the sword.”

Helbram smiled, “Indeed it is. Almost worth the armor I had to sacrifice to get it,” he saw the confusion in Leon’s eyes, “but we can share tales about such things later. First to four, correct?”

The Black Cloak nodded, “Yes, and if I win you and your companions will refrain from involving yourself in our investigation.”

“I understand, might I request a favor of my own on the off chance I find myself victorious?”

Leon raised an eyebrow, “What is it?”

Helbram smirked, “We shall save it for the end of the duel. Perhaps your curiosity will deign a moment of mercy.”

Leon snorted, “Perhaps indeed.”

Helbram unstrapped the helmet attached to his waist and slipped it on. As he did so Leon pulled the hood of his cloak over his head. As the Black Cloak did, a fog enveloped his face, shifting in form until settling into the shape of a helmet’s visor. He couldn't see the rest of the armor piece, but Helbram had no doubt that the rest of the helmet was present under the hood as well.

Helbram turned to his companions and raised his sword, “Jahora, the enchantment please.”

The Mage snapped her eyes to him as if she was woken from a stupor. Shaking her head, she held a hand out and let loose a soft pulse of silver Aether. Helbram’s sword resonated with the energy, emitting a soft hue of silver from the blade.

Helbram noted Leon’s interest as he saw the Black Cloak staring at the blade.

“Just something to keep things safe,” Helbram explained, “I don’t expect to pierce your armor but it is better to be cautious.”

Leon looked to his own sword, “What are its effects?”

“You’ll experience a shock where the blow lands,” Helbram explained, “but the blade itself has been dulled so it will not cut.”

“I see…” Leon held his weapon out. After a pause, the darkened blade took on a hue of gold light, wrapping around the blade in an ethereal sheath. The Black Cloak adjusted his grip to where the blade was now facing Helbram, “It is not quite the same, but this should be somewhat similar to what you described.”

Helbram smiled from behind his visor, “I appreciate the concern.”

“Tis no trouble,” Leon said, “Ready?”

Helbram nodded, “Ready”

 

---

 

Leaf observed the two fighters from the side. Leon held his sword out and pointed towards his opponent, free hand hovering near his forearm. Helbram shifted his blade to a high guard with the blade angled towards the ground, his free hand braced against his wrist. Neither of the men drew closer to one another and instead they paced in a circle as they waited for each other to make the first move.

The archer’s experience with swordsmen did not go far beyond Helbram himself, but he was aware that his companion possessed more skill than most. They’re adventures and numerous spars together told him so. Yet, it was due to that knowledge that Leaf could tell Leon possessed a measure of skill himself. How the two men carried themselves was near identical, and it was due to this that Leaf could not tell who would win this bout. The air coiled with tension between the both of them, yet they appeared as calm as they could be.

As the two men continued to take each other’s measure, Leaf turned towards Jahora, who still held the girl close to her, eyes filled with an uncertainty as she looked at her companion. The girl, in contrast, looked upon the duelists with a sense of wonder and curiosity, leaning in to see what the two men would do. Elly noticed this, and the scholar scribbled something in her notebook as she did. Leaf did not know what she was writing down, but he knew the scholar would bring it up herself at the most opportune time.

He spared a glance to Ren, who looked upon the clearing with a keen interest. He rubbed his chin as he observed the two men, but remained silent.

The better part of a minute passed as Helbram and Leon studied one another, keeping their stances as they fought a battle of patience to see who would move first. Helbram lost, much to Leaf’s surprise, and the warrior charged at Leon, maintaining his guard. When he was in enough distance, he thrust his blade forwards, aiming for the Black Cloak’s head. Leon brought his sword up to intercept the blow, catching Helbram’s sword in a bind. He pushed the bind inwards and he stepped out, catching Helbram’s sword with his crossguard and manipulating their locked swords down. Before the motion could be completed, however, Helbram flicked his sword away from the bind and brought his blade around, aiming for Leon’s shoulder.

The Black Cloak pulled his torso back, dodging the attack as he pulled his sword closer to him. As soon as the arc of Helbram’s swing was complete Leon lunged with a swipe of his sword towards Helbram’s torso. The warrior caught the Black Cloak’s blade with his crossguard as he countered the attack with a thrust, stepping to the side to add leverage to the attack. Leon tilted his head to the side to avoid the thrust, but as he did Helbram brought his free hand up to the locked swords and shoved Leon’s to the side. With the Black Cloak’s arm overextended, Helbram flicked his blade around and struck him in the rib, triggering a flash of silver light.

The two men broke from each other when the blow landed. Leon hissed and tapped the spot at which he was struck. Leaf snorted, he was all too familiar with the enchantment’s sting.

Point to Helbram.

The two men saluted one another with their swords before slipping into guards. Helbram took a lower guard this time while Leon kept his in the middle position. They spared no time in crossing steel this time, and both lunged at one another.

The light from their blades flashed as they struck one another, but Leon pressed the offensive and pressed onward with a series of slashes. Helbram met the Black Cloak’s attacks with his own, the steel of their blades ringing as they clashed and slid along one another as both tried to establish some sort of leverage over the other.  As they flowed from strike to strike, Helbram made for any attack from the outside, aiming at Leon’s head with a slash. The Black Cloak flicked his blade back and caught the blow just at his shoulder. Before Helbram could pull back Leon grasped the warrior’s arm with his free hand and pulled back, breaking Helbram’s stance. In that window, Leon slid his sword against Helbram’s as he flicked it back, catching the warrior with a blow to his head and triggering a flash of gold light.

Helbram staggered back and clutched his head as he groaned in pain. He shook his head and tapped his helmet before returning to position, returning Leon’s salute as he did so.

Point to Leon.

The tempo of the duel increased substantially then, with Leaf unable to even register the guards that they took as the two men fell into the steady rhythm of combat. Even if they fought without the abilities of Awoken, their blades flashed with enough speed that Leaf’s eyes could barely follow each attack. What was obvious, however, was that Leon was steadily taking over the pace of the duel. The Black Cloak’s attacks were aggressive, but focused, a combination that put Helbram on the defensive as he deflected blow after blow. Leaf clenched his jaw at the sight. Despite his friend’s inability to utilize Ether or Aether, he’d seen Helbram face many a foe that could and emerge victorious. In a duel that relied on technique, it was both hard and strange to see the warrior start to falter.

The two men’s clash ended as Helbram was late with his guard, allowing Leon to land a blow on his shoulder.

Point to Leon.

Leaf closed his eyes and sighed. He tried to ignore the quickened rate of his heartbeat, but failed.

He looked to his other companions, noting that both Elly and Jahora’s brows were furrowed, concern clear on their faces. The girl, however, appeared to be entranced by the duel, the fear that she displayed just earlier that day feeling nothing more than a distant memory.

Ren continued to observe, his eyes impassive.

“You are quite skilled,” Helbram admitted as he walked back to his position, “I must admit it has been quite some time since I have had a duel like this.”

“Likewise,” Leon said, “On both counts, I did not expect you to have such technique.”

“Enough to change your mind?” Helbram said in a hopeful tone.

Leon shook his head, “I am afraid not, our condition still stands.”

Helbram clicked his teeth, “I suppose that would be too easy.”

Leaf could not detect a hint of worry in his companion’s voice. If anything, there was almost a joyful tone to the warrior’s words, one that stilled the tightness in Leaf’s chest.

If his friend was not worried, then he wouldn’t be either.

Helbram shifted back to a low guard again and kept his free hand near his chest as Leon slipped back to his guard from the beginning of the duel. Leon pressed the attack as usual, but this time Helbram met him with the same pace, the clash far more chaotic as they exchanged blows, shifting from position to position to either manipulate a bind or shift out of the way of an attack. Offense and defense blended with one another, each shift of a guard either a feint to create an opening or made as part of a strike to keep each other at bay. To compare it to a dance would do a disservice to the battle, as there was an aspect of controlled chaos to the clash that Leaf could not help but admire. 

The fourth bout ended as Leon caught Helbram’s sword in a bind at the base of the blade. He pushed the locked swords outwards and grabbed Helbram’s sword hand with his free one. With a quick pull, he disarmed Helbram and delivered a quick blow across his chest. Helbram jolted as Leon’s sword flashed with golden light, but the warrior just rolled his shoulders and tapped where the blow landed.

Point to Leon.

The Black Cloak flipped Helbram’s sword and caught it by the blade. He held it out to the warrior, hilt first.

Helbram took his weapon back and gave Leon a firm nod. Still, his posture was completely calm.

The two men returned to their positions only for them to lunge at each other soon after. Leon thrusted outwards from a center guard, stepping to the side as he delivered the blow. Helbram brought his sword up from a low guard, and as the warrior moved Leaf could tell that his motions were noticeably tighter. He flicked Leon’s sword to the side with surprising force and followed the parry with a slash at Leon’s torso. As Helbram did so, he stepped forward, extending his reach as Leon attempted to shift back, allowing him to land the blow with a flash of silver light.

The Black Cloak looked at Helbram, expression unreadable beneath his helmet.

Point to Helbram.

The following bout was longer, but this time Helbram pressed the offensive. While the warrior’s previous movements showed no signs of wasted motion or slowness, there was a crispness to his strikes and guards now that looked and felt quicker than before. Leon’s guard was now broken more often as well, as Leaf now started to notice the true difference to Helbram’s movements. He was leaning into each strike more, applying the full force of his body behind each blow. Leon, having gotten used to the previous tempo, would have a hard time adjusting to the quicker movements alone, but the added power behind each attack created more openings in Black Cloak’s guard, culminating in the warrior knocking Leon’s sword to the side. Before Helbram could follow through, however, Leon stopped the blow by grabbing his arm and swung his blade at the warrior’s head. Helbram mimicked his opponent and caught Leon’s sword hand with his free hand. As he did, he flicked his sword around, catching Leon on the side of his head.

Point to Helbram.

The two men were silent as they went back to positions, then tension thicker between them than it was at the start of the duel. Neither appeared to be nervous in Leaf’s eyes, but there was little that he could tell from their body language alone.

They started to circle each other again, both having taken a more cautious guard and pace as they stalked around the circle. Leaf could only imagine what could be going through either fighter’s heads at that moment, but the quick beat in his heart told him that the end of the duel was only a breath away.

They lunged forward at the same time, their clash brief before they broke away from one another. The two did not stay apart for long, engaging in another series of blows that neither one of them could land. Leon attempted to break away from this exchange, but Helbram pressed forward, maintaining the bind that he’d locked Leon’s sword into and manipulating it to the side. Leon grasped his sword with both hands and pushed the bind back towards the center, but as he did Helbram grabbed the Black Cloak’s hands and added his own force to the push, overcorrecting their swords’ positions and throwing Leon off balance. Before he could recover, Helbram reached down and wrapped his arm around Leon’s leg before throwing himself back. Both fell to the ground as Leon’s leg was ripped from under him, but Helbram recovered to his feet faster. He kicked the Black Cloak’s sword from his hand as he turned around and pressed his sword to Leon’s neck.

Point to Helbram.

Leaf let go of the breath that he did not know he was holding when Helbram let his sword drop. The warrior held a hand out to Leon, who took hold as Helbram pulled him back to his feet. He pulled his hood back, his helmet disappearing as he did so, as Helbram sheathed his sword and removed his own helmet. Both had the sheen of sweat on their brows and their chests heaved with each breath, but there was a satisfaction to both of their expressions, blended with a hint of admiration.

“That was a fine duel,” Leon said, “Consider me properly humbled.”

“I should be the one to say such things,” Helbram said with a laugh, “Had it been to five wins I am sure you would prove yourself to be the victor. Are all Black Cloaks this proficient with a blade?”

“As proficient as we need to be to do our duty,” Leon said.

“Don’t buy the humility,” Ren said as he walked up to the men, “If we speak of pure skill Leon here is one of our finer swordsmen. To best him in a duel is quite the feat indeed.”

Leon snorted and shook his head, “Indeed, and per our agreement I shall not ask you to refrain yourself from the investigation any longer.”

Helbram grinned, “Excellent, my companions and I will assist to the best of our abilities.”

Leon smiled, “Of that, I have no doubt, but you did say you had a request for me should you prove to be the victor.”

Helbram nodded, “Indeed I do. Tis a simple request,” he tapped his sword, “another bout, but with an extra condition.’

Leon raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

Helbram met the Black Cloak’s eyes.

“Hold nothing back, face me with the abilities of an Expert Awoken.”

---

Author's Note: Alrighty, I did manage to get a chapter out this week but I can’t say that I’m back to normal capacity at the moment. My brain is fried from spinning a lot of plates so I can’t guarantee a release by next weekend, but I’ll be doing my best to get something out of quality.

I initially tried to incorporate both fights into this chapter, but when I was going through it the fight scenes themselves started to lose the detail I usually go for, and that didn't quite sit right with me. Splitting them up let me dial down on the aspects of each fight that I wanted, which is why we get a much more down to earth fight scene here. The next one will attempt to carry this feel over with the addition of the fantastical elements that you're all familiar with, as I find trying to blend realistic technique with magic really makes things feel unique especially when I have such technique focused characters like Helbram here.

Also, this is probably the most skilled opponent that Helbram has fought in the story so far,  aside from Vol'kesh in the first arc but I described that more akin to fighting a force of nature rather than a equally skilled opponent. Over the last three arcs there hasn't been anyone that has pressed Helbram technique wise, and I wanted to use Leon in this way to remedy that by showcasing another fighter who is just as or almost as skilled as our Hedge Knight is, but also show that Helbram still has plenty of tricks up his sleeve. That I really like trying to incorporate historical sword techniques into these fights so this was a bit of a nerdy showcase for me. I don't know if it was all entirely accurate but I wanted the feel to be different than the usual hack and slash sword fight.

But I'm going on a tangent, let me know how this felt! Especially let me know if there is too much detail or the pace of this story feels like its suffering in service to the fight scenes. As much as I like writing them the overall package of the story comes first. Till next time everyone, have a wonderful day!