"And with that, we are done!" Kayla exclaimed while rolling up the sheet and dropping the stick on the ground.
In just over an hour, Kayla had explained everything she thought I needed to know. I learnt that Elarion was in the heart of the continent, with its capital city being Valerion. Valthorne, whose capital was Valtharis, bordered Elarion to the west. To the east of Elarion and separated by a vast ancient forest was the elven kingdom Astrael, with its capital Astralyth. To the south of both Elarion and Astrael was the dwarven kingdom Khazdrum, and at its center was Grimhold.
She told me that Khazdrum's mountain range was enormous, rivalling even the ancient forests of Astrael! Next, she explained that in the very south of the continent was a grand marshland, the lizardmen Kingdom Zar'Khesh, with its capital Xal'Thuun. Finally, she touched on that much of the eastern side of the continent consisted of the Howling Wilds, territory controlled by the six major beastmen tribes. She explained that in total only around 40% of the continent was actually claimed by a kingdom, but even within those claimed regions there were mysterious and unexplored lands.
In the end, throughout the continent there were still unclaimed wilds: large plains, lakes, forests, mountains, and highlands. The Ashen Expanse, a ruthless volcanic region; harsh terrain that is made even more difficult to traverse as the ground is covered with at least three feet of ash; and the Frostreach in the far north of the continent, an arctic wasteland with snowcapped mountains that pierce the sky.
In the far west was the Shattered Sands, an endless desert with raging sandstorms throughout. According to Kayla, at the center of the Shattered Sands was a ruined temple with untold secrets hidden within. In the far southeast, connected to the lizardman kingdom, was the Verdent Sepulchre. A lush, dense emerald jungle that climbs atop high mountains. Filled with beautiful fauna and massive, raging waterfalls, it is magnificent at first glance, but in reality it is ancient and dangerous, full of ruins and mysteries.
All in all, that was the basic rundown of the great continent Aurelion. As I watched her stick hit the ground, it felt as if my knowledge had expanded greatly. My head ached for a while as I engraved what I had learnt into my mind, ensuring that I would not forget today's lesson. This world is massive... And I haven't even broken the surface of what there is to know about it.
Sighing, I stood from the stump and bowed slightly. "Thank you, Kayla. This was far more exciting than learning basic household tasks." I told her while giving her a slight smile.
"No worries! This was more fun than doing boring paperwork!" She laughed. "Well, same time next week ok? Lady Liora will probably be free as well."
Nodding, I made my way for the door. But before I entered, Kayla called out to me. "Talk to Roderic about an academy!" she shouted.
Looking back, I gave her a thumbs up before entering the medical center, where I picked up my bag, before heading out onto the street. It was still very early, but more people were out and walking. Thinking about learning how to use a sword made my legs move slightly faster, bringing my pace to a fast speed walk. As I walked, my eyes wandered from person to person as they passed; when they were close enough, I quickly activated my World's Knowledge skill.
Human, Lvl 1: a young boy who looked a few years younger than what my body's age looks like.
Human, Lvl 3: a middle-aged man with brown hair. He carried a bucket of fruits, which made my stomache rumble.
Human, Lvl 2: A young woman who seemed to be a few years older than my body. On her back, she carried a bucket of sheets and clothes.
...
...
Human, lvl 5: The highest-levelled person I saw the entire walk. He was young, maybe in his late twenties, but he wore leather armour, and on his back was a bow and arrow; he must have been a hunter.
During the entire walk, I did not spot a single person above level five, but in earnest, in the past month I have not met anyone whose level I have not been able to read, except for the commander and Lady Liora. In my previous lesson, other than learning how to cook more types of food, Lady Liora explained that the majority of people don't actually choose to level up, but instead find professions that they enjoy, or that their skills can be useful for. Most people focus more on skill development than levelling, especially since levelling requires killing monsters, which the majority of people find too dangerous and not worth it.
I understand why they don't do it, but that is not a path that I want to take. I want to strengthen my skills and my level so that I can be the strongest and be able to protect people who aren't willing to get stronger.
Sighing, I pushed open the door of the commander's house, and as I stepped in, a slight warmth entered my body, and a sweet aroma flooded my nose. Walking down the hallway and into the kitchen, my eyes almost watered as the sight in front of me made my heart palpitate. On the table was a massive, dark, fluffy piece of food. Near the counter was the commander who had just tossed something into the bin we used for garbage.
"Welcome back, kiddo." He said, cutting into the fluffy treat with a knife. "A small gift for you being here for one month." Placing the treat onto a plate and handed it over to me.
My mouth almost watered as I took the plate from him, pulling out a chair at the table and sitting down. "What is it?" I asked.
He smiled. "It's Obsidian Cream Cake." He smiled, putting a piece of the cake onto a plate for himself. "My personal favourite." He laughed.
Smiling, I dug in, piercing the fluffy exterior with a fork. Placing the cake in my mouth, it warmed my tongue for a moment before melting away. A deep chocolate taste filled my mouth, which lingered until the next bite. Smiling, I devoured the entire slice, leaving not even a single crumb. Of everything I had experienced in Lumere, food had to be one of the best things. It did not compare to the pleasure I got when I devoured blood, but it still made my body feel warm and full.
Raising the plate, I asked. "Can I have another?"
The commander, finishing the last bite of his slice, smiled before responding. "Maybe after, but don't forget, today you learn how to wield a sword."
My eyes widened as he said it. Nodding quickly, I stood up, grabbing his plate and mine, dashing and putting them in the sink. "When can we start?" I asked.
He stood up and headed for the back door. "Right now."
Heading into the backyard, Roderic picked up one wooden sword and tossed it at me. Catching it, I examined the size, length and weight of the blade. I wanted to start with a real sword right away! Sighing, I walked up to him; he was now holding a wooden sword of his own.
"First, we start with the basics. Show me the stance you would use right now."
Listening to him, I held the sword's hilt with both my hands and pointed it forward. As I did, I got nudged by his sword in the back of the knee. "Wrong," he said.
I winced slightly at the touch while he continued speaking, "Balance and movement are fundamentals of swordsmanship. Sword fighting starts with the feet," He said. "Keep your feet apart. Lead foot forward, rear foot slightly turned. Bend your knees and keep your weight between them."
I did as he said, changing my form to match his. He gave me a few whacks, but after a few attempts, he kept speaking. "Now swing."
Swinging down, my arms and body leaned forward. I felt the wooden sword break through the air. As it reached the bottom, I took a few steps forward as the momentum of my strike carried me.
He scolded me again. "Your strike is powerful, but that was terrible. In a real battle, you'd be dead." He said, getting into position and delivering a powerful strike, but controlling his movement from the spot where he stood. I felt the wind pass by me and my hair blow slightly. "Strength doesn't matter if you're falling over every time you swing. Keep your weight between your feet. Knees loose. Don't lean into the blade."
Watching the demonstration, I got into position.
"Now move with control," He said.
I took a step forward, then was stopped right away.
"Too far, you stretched your stance. If I were to attack you right now, you'd have to pull yourself back up before you could react. In other words, you've created an opening for your opponent." He said while tapping my ankle with the wooden sword. "Small steps, your feet carry your sword, the sword doesn't carry you."
He moved the sword from my foot, grabbing my shoulder slightly while moving my hands to be more comfortable on the blade. "Try again," he said, pulling away.
Taking my stance, I thought about everything he said. I bent my knees, spread my feet, and focused on my balance. With all my power, I swung down, taking a small step forward and ensuring that I did not overextend. After the strike, I looked down at my body; my legs shook slightly, and my arms hurt, but I was not pulled forward by the blade this time!
"Better," the commander stated. "But stop trying to murder the air. I told you to control the sword, not overpower it. Remember that it is a weapon; if used correctly, it can cause harm even without the use of too much strength."
He took his stance, aiming his blade forward once again. With a quick and precise movement, he swung, a gust of powerful air blowing against me. "I barely put any strength into that," he said. "That came from controlling the blade, speed, balance, and precision. Not blindly throwing everything I have into a swing."
Watching him, I positioned myself once again, focusing on control over power. With a swing, I felt the air crack once again, but this time my arms did not feel pain.
"Now do that a hundred times. You can only stop once you do one hundred perfect swings, and don't worry, I'll be counting," he told me.
"O-one hundred?" I questioned, slightly trembling while looking at my already shaky legs.
"Yes, one hundred, and I want to hear the crack of the air each time," he responded with a smile.
Sighing, I got in position and took another swing.
"One," he counted.
I brought the sword back up and swung again, but this time I tumbled forward.
"Focus, Luna," he told me, "Think of the sword as an extension of yourself."
Breathing in, I closed my eyes, listening to the forest as the wind blew through the trees. I listened for the stirring of animals and the vibrations that they made. The chirping birds' songs filled my ears. Breathing out, I opened my eyes and got into my stance once again.
"Why did you close your eyes?" He asked.
"To concentrate," I replied.
"Concentrate with your eyes open; in battle, you can't afford to lose sight of what's in front of you," he informed me.
Rolling my eyes, I struck forward.
"One," he said again, smiling slightly.
With every swing, my legs felt like they were going to fall off; it wasn't pain, it was the discomfort of having to control my movements. The pressure not to mess up also strained my mind as the commander counted higher and higher.
"Eighteen," he said.
I swung again; the sword didn't move properly as it went down, my knees buckling slightly. The familiar sound of the air cracking did not echo through my ear this time. My eyes widened as I looked at the commander. Beads of sweat were dripping down my face.
"Explain, what was wrong with that last swing?" He asked me.
"My stance broke down, my legs didn't generate any force..." I said.
"Correct, swinging a sword is more than just arms; it's your entire body, your feet, your hips, your arms, shoulders, core, and even your mind," he explained, nudging each part of my body with his sword until finally poking me on the forehead. "Now keep going."
I breathed, keeping my eyes open and focusing on my entire body. I swung once again. The air snapped as the wooden sword broke through it.
"One," he said, starting the count over.
Sweat dripped from my pores, darkening the ground below me; each breath I made was ragged. The sun travelled in the sky, reaching its peak, and then falling more and more into the west. My hands were wrecked. Any damage from gripping the sword healed almost as quickly as it appeared, but Demonic Regeneration did nothing to ease the exhaustion weighing down my arms. As the sun disappeared behind the trees, the commander's voice rang out.
"Ninety-nine," he said.
Tears sat at the edge of my vision as I prepared myself for the final swing, focusing on everything that he taught me. I struck down. My body moved how it should have; the world went silent for a moment before a loud "Crack" echoed through the backyard.
"One hundred," he said quietly, a small smile appearing on his face. "Good job, kiddo."
Smiling, I fell to my knees, coughing violently for a few seconds. The sword still in my hands, my fingers creaked as I opened my hands, the sword escaping my grasp and falling to the ground.
"Let's go finish that cake," the commander said, patting me on the head before going back inside.
Letting out a final deep breath, I smiled. Forcing myself to my feet, I followed him.