After some time we reached the west gate of the City and were now heading to the plains between the city and the forest that was at the foot of the mountain range. If you continued to head further west you would eventually reach the Mountain Range and even further west past the mountains was the Arket kingdom which was not a part of the Three Kingdoms Alliance due to it being isolated and only being able to be reached by going through the trail where the two mountains divide or by going around the range. Walking for about 30 minutes away from the main gate we stop.

“Alright let's get started”

He walks up to me, removes the sword from his scabbard and hands it to me something which he had done hundreds of times in the past. 

The first time was around 5 years ago, winter had finally ended so I was officially 7 years old. That day dad decided to take me out of the city just like today. Although confused I followed him and it wasn't until we reached the field to a spot next to a tree stump that he stopped that I decided to ask. 

“What are we doing here?”

“Starting today I am going to train you”

“Why?”

“Because one day you are going to be alone and when that day comes I want to at the very least to leave you with the ability to take care of yourself”

He bends down picking up a branch that is of similar length to the sword. 

“Now follow along”

He takes a stance and begins to swing in fluid motions. I take a moment to analyze him then without saying a word I begin to mimic his movement the best that I can. 

Despite it being 5 years since that first day of training the routine had not changed at all.

The first thing which we did was work on techniques performing various stances and swings. Because he was missing one of his arms the training was limited to one handed techniques. Which was definitely a negative, but it also gave him the idea to teach me with both arms in the instance that I happen to lose one. Something which he later enforced outside of training and over the years I had become able to use both arms and hands to the same level.

Initially this training was something which I struggled with due to the sword's weight but with time I was able to lift it and swing by utilizing my own strength and not just letting it fall. Saying this I still was not at the level of those cadets who I would see train on occasion.

After that he would utilize a piece of cloth to blind me, instructing me to stand still as he would swing the branch in my direction. Forcing me to listen and feel the vibrations in order to avoid his attacks.

Whoosh

Whoosh

Whoosh

Thwack

“Ouch”

“Focus”

In the past I was not able to understand how he was still able to know what was around him but he later informed me that it was due to Corporeal Amelioration. It was based around the idea that our bodies are innately weak and essentially useless but with enough time and effort you can improve it. Corporeal Amelioration was training where they focused on improving one part of their body to its extreme to the point where people could make their skin as tough as metal, be able to see unimaginable distances, and run at incredible speeds. It allowed those without a magical affinity to close the gap of strength to those magic users. At least that was the initial intention, dad told me that magic users could also utilize Corporeal Amelioration to improve their body so in reality there were only a few who solely relied on it that could stand against a competent magic user.  

It was the reason why he was able to find things in his surroundings and hit me with such precision. Even though his body was now incomparable to when he was in his prime he could still perceive static objects around him despite having no eyesight.
The next training was simple where I would be made to strike the tree stump with the sword as hard as I could until sunset. The feedback from this would not only train the palm of my hands developing calluses but also help me understand  the proper location of holding the sword and the placement of my hands to receive the least amount of reverberation.

After the sun had gone down I would be trained in my endurance by running in the dark for around 2 hours until exhaustion. By doing this I not only improved my endurance but also my ability to see in the dark.

But today was different once nightfall had begun and I was getting ready to run. He stopped me.

“What’s going on?”

Seeing my confusion for our stopping he begins to clarify.

“I have a confession to make. Today will be the final day of training and the day where I will be testing you. What I want you to do is go into the forest and come back with something that you have killed with your own strength. I will be sitting here waiting at this stump so take a reasonable amount of time and make sure to properly estimate your strength before rushing to the biggest or first thing you see.”

Despite his clarifications my mind was filled with more questions. Why is he doing this? Why is today the final day? He wants me to do what? 

But I knew that even if I asked he would most likely not answer and so I was left with no other choice but to tell him that I understood and make my way into the forest in darkness with nothing but the rags on my body and the sword which was now in its scabbard tied to my waist.