A Gentleman’s Guide to Hunting Fantastic Beasts: 17

A Gentleman’s Guide to Hunting Fantastic Beasts: 17

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Commissioned by Sivantic

Wordcount: 2500

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Gale and Erucic arrived together at the training grounds as the “morning” shift was called into action by the previous, while I finished my preparations for the day. Time was kept in the village through the use of crude hourglasses and handheld bells and runners appointed at the end of each shift. One shift of work, one shift of rest, and one shift of recuperation all measured against the average biological clock kept by the peoples of the village.

But, that was beside the point, and what mattered now was our town’s guest.

After spending a night with the amenities offered by our budding and protected village, the wandering knight was refreshed. His face was cleaner, his beard trimmed neatly, and his wrinkles less deepened by his tiredness. He wore a light tunic and pants meant for riding, as well as shoes made to that end. His entire attire bordered on being an assembly of patches given the lack of supplies he and his soldiers had at their disposal. Though they spent what they had to maintain their arms and armor, they did only what they could for themselves.

I just met the man, but I couldn’t help but see him highly.

Still, as I had expected, he was surprised by me as I appeared to him without my desert robes for the first time.

“Hair as white as snow… yet with the skin of those of the Great Desert and their eyes as well.” Erucic spoke and Gale sent a questioning look his way. He seemed surprised by the girl’s curiosity at his words. “I thought that you saw him as a savior and worthy of being followed. Not as someone who is truly blessed with the right to lead.”

Gale was about to speak, but I spoke ahead of her.

“I have nonesuch right and neither does anyone else. The right to rule is earned through actions of merit, honor, and justice.” I spoke of the Great Desert’s way and Erucic listened with great care, as he continued to approach me. Without my robes and mask, I wore silks dyed white and formed into loose pants tied with a sash, as well as a black vest and leather boots. Such clothes would normally expose much of the skin, but I wrapped much of myself in silk bandages and threads, so that I could make use of them as I saw fit. “Are you here to see Gale’s training, Knight of the Bull Order? Or, do you have questions for me?”

Erucic took my words with a nod and accepted them with ease, as I knew he would. He had displayed familiarity with the desert’s ways yesterday, so he would know of the As’Kari’s ways. I had many thoughts on the matter of monarchy, especially absolute ones, but it was better to not voice them. The audience was incorrect. If I was speaking with a leader, a scholar, or any other individual who led people, then I could convey my thoughts properly to their understanding, but not these people. They were raised all their lives believing their social hierarchy and their place within it, so it would be difficult for them to accept.

It was easier to simply tell them what needed to be done, guide them, and abdicate after all is finished.

If it will ever be finished, with this endless dusk we now live in.

“Neither, I’m afraid. I’m here to ask for the right to train this young woman. And, by that, I mean prove myself the more capable teacher. Her form and power are both beyond her age, and with skilled tutelage, she can become a shining light in this age of darkness.” Erucic spoke clearly and without holding back. He held no weapons and his words carried no threat, as he called the challenge out to me. It was in the fashion of the Great Desert, as I expected of him now, but I still had to wonder how he knew so much. Warriors fought one another unarmed over petty grudges and othersuch things and he expected me to do the same here. “Do you accept?”

“Erucic, as I have left my tribe, I am considered a Warrior of the As’Kari no longer. I am only what I am, as I have left my tribe… and Gale has the right to choose who teaches her. I would not force her to learn from you because you have defeated me.” I answered him with the same respect he offered me. I spoke candidly and offered my objections without any anger. The Great Desert’s warrior customs were something I always disliked. They were meant to reward the strong and step upon the weak, proving the might made right, and led to dangerous precedent and cruel, petty tyrants as leaders. Only a long history and culture against such practices and leaders have allowed the Great Desert’s tribes to survive, although many died because of the tradition before such practices were developed. “If Gale wishes to see us fight against one another, and choose a more worthy teacher, however… I have no objections.”

I turned to my erstwhile student, whom I had been teaching earnestly all this time, and waited for her answer. The young woman’s brow furrowed for a moment, but it took only a scant moment for her to answer.

“Do it. I want to grow stronger. A better teacher will always be better.” Gale spoke and in her gaze there burned the familiar hatred I saw when we first met. The construction of the village, its safety, and the relief felt by its people hid it sometimes, and perhaps even made it burn a bit less brightly, but in the end she was still driven towards the destruction of those who deemed her people should die and crippled them before the eternal night came.

Erucic raised a brow at those words, as well as the fierceness that came from Gale, but discarded it after a moment and refocused on me.

“Well then… to Desert custom, then?”

“Yes. The first to submit. I give you the right to go first, despite being a challenger.”

The older, larger knight laughed at that, which could be considered calling him weak… but a moment later he charged at me.

His speed was unquestionably quick. Even amongst the Desert Tribes, he would’ve been called swift, as the ten paces between the two of us vanished in an instant. However, even amongst the Desert Tribes, I was vaunted for my skills in tackling predators that killed scores of Warriors in defense of the tribe. Those predators were typically stronger, faster, and natural armed and armored, as well as possessing one means or another of securing their prey.

Erucic was a capable warrior, but he wasn’t as strong as Kan’Is and he did not have access to the powerful enhancements and Kan’Is would have on hand if he wished to face me, and so the older Knight’s charge was to no avail.

I ducked beneath his grasping arms, took hold of his waist, lifted him bodily with ease, and threw him onto the ground behind me with a twisting of my body.

Such a tactic wouldn’t have worked against the strongest warriors of the As’Kari, but I wasn’t in the Great Desert surrounded by peerless warriors who would look upon this endless night as a chance to gain more renown. I was in a formerly peaceful kingdom, which had to cannibalize its outermost lands, so that they could use what protectors they had to hope to weather the storm ahead.

Erucic knew this, but challenged me anyway, so I greeted him with my true strength without the slightest hint of remorse.

“Hah! All the skill and strength of a Desert Warrior, but also with the blessing of divine blood!?” Erucic rose from the ground undaunted by the impact he made on packed dirt. Such a blow would’ve knocked the wind out of a regular man from my previous world, perhaps dislocated something, fractured a rib, or even snapped something important within an elderly man. But this wasn’t my previous world. Erucic rose only dirtied by the blow, without even a broken nose, and his heaving breathing and focused, combat-hungry gaze told me why he led the Order of the Bull. I felt like I was standing before a hulking beast that intended to run me down. “How could I call myself a knight, if I did not wish to compete against a being such as you!”

He approached one again, but this time it was not a mad charge. Instead, he raised his hands up, leaned ever-so-slightly forward, tensed his core, and squared his shoulders. I vaguely recalled boxing in my previous life as he approached with all due caution, but with the ability to attack, unfortunately for him… he made a mistake and only realized it once he was within striking range.

Despite the “power” I gave off, my true physical size was less than most expected.

Even the most experienced warriors of the As’Kari made this mistake.

I was shorter and smaller than him, making it far more difficult for him to prod at my defenses or throw a powerful blow without allowing me into his guard, since I was also faster. Needless to say, I would be at a disadvantage with his physical advantages without all this world’s gifts, but with them I was the deadlier fighter in melee.

Still, although he realized this and I made it clear I knew it as well, he struck.

His first blow was with his right and I ducked beneath it, so that I could throw a blow with back behind it into his shoulder. However, I saw his core twisting and his momentum seize, and his calves twitch. His muscled leg surged upward in a strong kick that I nearly grazed my chin, and sent dust upon me, while my instincts screamed at me to move as something was nearing my back. He hadn’t withdrawn his arm, but instead opened his palm and sought to take hold of me after forcing me to dodge and clouding my vision.

He knew that fighting was a ghastly business where all that truly mattered was that you were victorious, especially when you faced stronger opponents.

Gale would learn much from him… but not as much as she would from me.

Because I knew another irrevocable truth in battle: with enough power and strength tricks became meaningless.

I resisted my instinct to dodge and allowed myself to be grasped, and for a moment I felt my opponent’s excitement in his arm as he seized me and brought me close to presumably crush me with his superior strength.

But he was incorrect in his assumption that he was superior to me in such a thing and I took hold of his wrist and stopped him completely from pulling me closer.

The dust cleared and I felt him straining to pull his arm back, while I raised myself up to stand fully once more. He planted himself on the ground and tugged at me with all his might, relinquishing his grip on me to muster all his strength, but in the end I held onto his wrist and he could not release himself.

To his credit, Erucic did not forget his other arm and brought it against me. With a sharp exhalation, and his full might, he aimed a blow directly at the front of my face. It would dislodge many teeth, break my nose, and perhaps even knock me out, if I were a normal human being still. It was for naught, not only because it would’ve been an ineffectual blow, but because I also had an arm to spare and caught his next attack as well.

With both his arms restrained, his back now bent because of his greater height and my shorter stature, I made two, swift kicks to his shins. His boots skid backward, kicking up dirt, as his knees bent and collided with the ground.

Erucic was on his knees, his wrists captured by my hands, while I stood before him untouched.

A flash of fear filled his eyes for a moment, as his senses returned to him and he stopped acting on instinct, until he recalled that this was only a duel.

I took that moment and seized it.

“If you wish to continue fighting, I am willing to continue and allow you to showcase more of your skills.” I vaguely recalled when I was being taught as a physician. Theory and practice were so different to the point of being alien, and even more so when I began working on my own as there was a lack of physicians near the front. I went from classes, to learning under a teacher, and finally alone with only my skills to rely upon. How long has it been since Erucic was taught? How long has he practiced by himself, comparing himself only to defeated foes, and not someone stronger than him? He had room to grow… but was he willing to accept that he was no perfect? “Knight what is your wish?”

Erucic was silent as I held him for a moment, until he spoke again.

“I submit, this is my loss, but I would like to train against you more, Warrior of the Desert.” Erucic spoke with clarity in his eyes, so even though there was distaste in his voice and it took him long to say the words. I let him go and without hesitation he stood, took several paces back, and once more raised his hands to ready himself for battle. I stood unmoved from my position and he noticed with a grimace. “One step. At the very least, I will make you take a single step today, warrior.”

That was well within his ability. His skills and experience were genuine and he was willing to learn, therefore he could set his mind towards achieving whatever he wished without qualm. I set aside my concerns for him thinking too highly of himself and gave the man a nod, before turning to Gale… who I found watching the fight with complete focus. This was very much the same as her attending a conference, I supposed, and turned back to my foe.

“Very well, I accept. I will continue to defend against you, until you do that, then I will attack.” I stayed where I was and calmed the excitement in my heart. This body of mine was thrilled by battle, especially against honorable foes, and I controlled it with great care. Violence was something to be defended against or avoided. Not sought out for the sake of honor or to gain what others have. This was training others to survive in the eternal night. Nothing more, but nothing less. “Come at me, Knight.”

With that said, the man gave a nod, before letting loose a roar and charging.

Once again, I met him in combat while containing the savage thrill within.

I knew my place in this world.

It was not as a warrior, but as a physician.

I will help these people as much as I am able.