The scenery through the southern part of Neuhderland wasn’t all that different to that of the lands Dyo had been travelling through before. Maybe it could be called a little greener and flatter, but still the rolling hills were there and the scattered fields around villages in the far distance. It was certainly a lot easier to appreciate it on horseback however and without a heavy pack on his shoulders.

Steering the horse was another matter and he was oh so glad it seemed to be happy following along with its kin rather than needing constant reining in.

Hreysti however…

He looked over to his friend, who was sat upright in his saddle, yet his red eyes had drifted to somewhere outside of this realm. Not on the road, not on his surroundings, and not on him riding by his side.

Dyo cleared his throat, “Hesti?”

Their eyes suddenly refocused as Hreysti whipped around, “Hesti? Where did that come from!?”

“I- I just thought I should have a nickname for you and I thought it sounded… Well…”

Hreysti’s eyebrow raised.

“Like it fit your softer side…” Dyonaigus finished.

Herysti’s reaction was instant as his bone white face blushed red in the way Dyo had come to know oh so well. An undeniable piece of evidence of a “softer side” to the vampire.

“I-“ He spluttered, nearly choking on his own spit as his blush grew deeper and deeper, “I guess I have one…”

A broad smile spread across Dyo’s face, “It’s cute Hesti!”

In a few seconds both of them processed what had just been uttered and had frozen still in their saddles, Dyo’s face growing a blush that reflected Hreysti’s perfectly. The two just staring into each other’s colourful eyes that only seemed to make it worse.

Dyo opened his mouth to speak.

As Hreysti answered before him, “I- I’m glad you think so.” He muttered, his eyes immediately flicking away from Dyo’s as his blush still raged a blood red on his face.

They both stayed like that for a second, caught in the moment, before Dyo began to smile again. “So, is it alright to call you Hesti?”

Hesti slowly nodded.

“I’ll call you that then.”

Hesti’s turned with his blush somewhat subsided, “It’s been a while since I’ve had any give me a nickname like that.”

“It’s been long overdue!”

“But you didn’t just start talking because of the nickname.”

“What?”

Hreysti’s slight smile had faded, “You were going to ask how I was because of my face, weren’t you? You’re worried.”

Dyo swallowed, “Yes.”

The vampire turned back to the road, “I was still thinking about your fight with the Inquisitor, alright!? I know we’ve been over it when we were riding out, but I still just can’t get it out of my head…”

“The idea that I could have died or been captured?”

“They’re both the same with that murderer, you know that.”

“You know that I could have killed him on the spot too.”

“But you didn’t. You decided to duel him without any real training right after running through a gauntlet of guards that could had slipped a spear through your side before you ever noticed!”

Hreysti took a deep, shaky breath in as his shoulders slumped.

“Just-“

“I Know,” Dyo cut in, “But I needed to do it so you could get the horses and we could all escape. You know that too. It was that or fighting our way out.”

Hesti looked up, meeting Dyo’s eyes, “You need to train, starting tonight. You let the Inquisitor stun you. If you didn’t have any magic, or didn’t make your illusion fast enough, he would have had you and you- You would be gone...”

He wanted to reach out to his shoulder, but he couldn’t quite reach, nor steer with one hand his skills, “I’ll do it, I’ve needed to do it for a while, but, please, don’t beat me up too badly.”

A haughty huff came from Hesti as his smile returned, “I’ll try not to.”

Dyo let his smile come back with the tension blown away with the gentle breeze.

“I wish I could feel it like you could.” Herysti sighed.

“I could- I could try to create the feeling for you.”

His eyes widened, “You could..?”

The demigod nodded, a brief flash of crazed eyes and laughter filling his mind before he threw it aside. He was past that; he could do better.

He let the wild flow of magic flow to him, bending it and manipulating it to his will as he thought of that single sensation. The soft rush of air that felt like it caressed his cheeks, the slight ruffle of his hair, the small serenity it brought. Then he let it carefully and gently reach out in a breeze like that of the wind to Hesti.

At first he thought he’d done nothing. Then he saw their lips fall down, confusion filling their face as Dyo’s mind and heart started to race-

Till he saw the small glisten of a tear rolling down Hesti’s face as their smile returned. Two weak words drifting back on the wind.

“Thank you.”

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Shani grinned, “You’re finally ready for some intensive training? May I take the honour?”

In the crackling firelight Dyo couldn’t help but think she looked a little like a wolf, emerging from the night pitch-black night that surrounded them in alliance with the forest.

Dyo nodded, “I’ll take it but,” he turned to a certain sly noble, “aren’t you the one with the most skill fighting with a sword?”

Ercole shrugged, leaning back as best as he could on a stool, “I think it’ll do some good if you learn how to fight against someone with reach early. Anyway, after you take her little lesson, I’ll give you mine if you still want it.”

She nodded, “I’ll get my armour on then, Agrippa!”

The pale, blond-haired woman tending to the campfire jumped, Agrippa’s new large brown eyes searching around in a wild panic before settling on Shani. “Why me!?”

“You also need to learn, so why not have you learn how armour works now too?”

“I need to learn how to fight too!” They scoffed, “How is putting armour meant to help with it!?”

Shani cocked her head, “Don’t you use a bow?”

“Yes!”

Dyo cleared his throat, “Nobody else knows how to use a bow here.”

It was time for Ercole to scoff, “I know how to use a hunting bow, all nobles with any marshal prowess do. Though, it is true that my true skill is with the far more knightly sword.”

Agrippa’s ears perked up, “So you could teach me!?” they asked.

“Not now, I want to watch our beautiful demigod friend exercise here first.”

They groaned, lifting themselves up and grabbing Shani’s waterproof bundle from her horse. “Fine.”

Shani allowed herself a huff of amusement at the pouty response before turning back to her new student. “Stand then and get your sword with its sheath.”

He nodded, grabbing his sword and standing up with her, hefting it in his hand and measuring its weight as Shani hauled on her armour.

“Hreysti?”

“What is it Dyo?”

Dyo swallowed, “How am I meant to hit her when she has,” he glanced over Shani whose hands were wrapping cloth around the point of her spear, “That reach!?”

Hreysti swallowed, “Not much.”

“Lovebirds!”

The shout startled the two as they both whipped around to see her finally ready with a large grin across her face.

“You’re both too easy. Now, demigod, I want to see what you can do against me.”

Dyo’s eyes widened, “Aren’t you going to start by teaching me some techniques, then duel me!?”

She laughed, “Not until I can see where you are already. Remember those guards?”

He nodded, placing himself into a low guard, before then rising into a mid-one, his sword across his chest.

She tied her chainmail veil across her face before hefting her spear and bronze shield. “Good. Now when you’re ready, come at me.”

Come at you how!?

Her entire body was poised for the fight, her shield covering her body and projected well in front of her, legs firmly planted against the ground and spear pointed outwards. She might as well be a fortress.

But he had to move some time soon.

He stepped to the right before dashing forth, ready to sidestep before the spear- Spear-!

“Dead.”

All she’d done was thrust slightly to her left and now it was prodding firmly in his side. If it wasn’t blunted, it most certainly would have gone straight through him. All while he had barely had any time to try and parry.

“Don’t rush me,” she chided, her voice completely level, “Now go back ten paces and don’t run at me like an idiot. I’ll give you two more attempts.”

It was doomed to fail, but he needed to try. At least he’d managed to gauge her speed.

He took a deep breath, moving back into his middle guard, before slowly stepping forward. This time he needed to be slower, to try and be more defensive like he was with the inquisitor.

Watching the spear, he took a few more slow steps forward. His arm was tense and ready to strike as he mentally prepared for the sudden strike.

There it was.

He flicked his sword as he saw it lung forth, trying to knock it from her hands, only for it to retreat as her entire body pulled back, and for it to strike again as he was recovering from his swing.

“Dead, but good try. A newbie or levy would fall for it, and you would have them. But anyone with my experience will see that coming.”

“That’s not encouraging…”

She snorted, “Well how about I show what might happen if you do get past the point?”

“Is this going to end in bruises?”

“Most certainly.”

He sighed, “Alright, what do I do?”

“Just swipe my spear again and press the attack, go!”

He nodded, quickly slashing her spear to the side with a crack before rushing the final few steps forward as he brought his sword upwards.

As her shield slammed into his side and sent him stumbling, pain coursing through his body Shani dropped her shield and grappled him. Her spear whipped around, dragging him back into her reach. The quick wrestle and struggle barely even lasted a second before her spear shaft was around his throat.

“And if I had a dagger, you’d be-”

“Dead?”

“Exactly. Just because you can get past the point of the spear does not mean you’re safe from danger.”

“So how am I meant to not die here?”

“That is what we need to teach you. Amongst other things, like how to use that gods damned sword.”