The next day:

“About time you got here. While I’m not grading you on your timing, it would be nice if you arrived on the dot.” Nicholas stated.

“You live with us… you could have woken me up…” Alex said.

“I shouldn’t have to. You wanted this training you should have an alarm.” Nicholas said with a sigh.

“Alright… Where are we starting?” Alex asked.

“First of all, choose your weapon.” Nicholas said, motioning to the wall. Alex turned to see a wide variety of weapons such as short swords, to large maces and axes.

“Hm…” Alex mumbled as he looked over each weapon. He tilted his head to see Nicholas holding a rapier.

Alex pulled a scimitar off the wall.

Nicholas chuckled and got into a defensive stance.

Torrent leaned back against a wall a sighed as he watched the two.

Alex slightly shifted position and stared at Nicholas.

“Good, now come at me.” Nicholas said, standing in his stance, his body sideways and the rapier pointed towards Alex.

Alex hesitated for a moment before he took a few steps towards Nicholas.

Once Alex was close enough he started mimicking Alex’s movement, moving back as Alex moved forward and vice versa.

Alex carefully watched Nicholas.

Nicholas jerked forward, startling Alex as he swiped the scimitar away slightly. Nicholas brought his foot up and kicked Alex dead center in the chest and sent him backwards to the floor.

Alex grunted as he hit the floor and he quickly attempted to scramble up to his feet.

“You’re dead. Try again.” Nicholas said, Alex noticing the rapier up to his neck. Nicholas backed up and returned to his stance.

“This is supposed to be teaching?” Alex questioned.

“My eyes and arms teach, you are just not seeing.” Nicholas said sternly. “Now try again.”

“You’re expecting me to learn without knowing WHAT I’m doing wrong?” Alex said.

“That’s entirely counter productive for some people. But… I wouldn't put Nicholas with that group.” Torrent said. “But. Alex cannot learn that way. Teaching people based off of what YOU know doesn’t work. Teaching has to be fluid and ever changing. Like water.”

“Alright have it your way. Your stance is all wrong, you need to be prepared for anything. You were caught off guard by my attempt to make you flinch. Your feet must be in a way so that you can move out of the way of any strike. Do not duck or back away from a swing and guess what he will do next. The first swing leaves your opponent open. Flow with his strike, if he swings left, you move left. Got it?” Nicholas said.

“I think so.” Alex said.

“Now, try again.” Nicholas said.

Alex got into a stance similar to Nicholas’ and kept his eyes trained for the slightest movement.

“Move with your opponent, never let him get too close.” Nicholas said, walking towards Alex.

Alex carefully stepped back keeping an even distance between him and Nicholas.

“Good. Keep your weapon as far from your body as you can, and as close to your opponent as possible. ‘dodging’ should only involved backing up and contracting your arm.” Nicholas said.

Alex listened and took into action what Nicholas said.

“So Torrent, do you believe in a god?” Nicholas asked as him and Alex slowly circled each other.

“The simple answer is yes.” Torrent said.

“There is only one god, and his name is Death. And there is only one thing we say to Death.” Nicholas said, stopping dead in his tracks and staring at Alex.

Alex mimicked Nicholas and waited.

“What is that?” Torrent questioned.

“Not today.” Nicholas said, swinging his sword and clashing it with Alex’s, having it swatted away. Alex lunged forward and slashed directly after countering, grazing Nicholas’ arm slightly. Nicholas backed away and returned to his stance with a smile.

Alex smiled slightly his eyes shifting right back up to watch Nicholas.

Nicholas took his rapier and put it in his left hand, his entire stance changing as he did so.

Alex bit his lip for a moment. His stance remaining unchanged.

Nicholas moved close enough to put his weapon side by side with Alex’s. “My weapon is slightly longer. That extra inch could make all the difference.” He said.

“Are you calling me small?” Alex questioned.

Nicholas tilted his hand and smashed the end of the hilt against Alex’s fingers, causing him to drop the scimitar. He lunged forward and stabbed the rapier through Alex’s shoulder.

Alex’s entire body stiffened up and a little blood began to leak from the stab wound.

“Holy… What the fuck do you think you’re doing!?!” Torrent shouted.

“If your mouth is moving faster than your brain then you should already be dead. So pick up your weapon.” Nicholas demanded, stepping back.

Alex gripped his shoulder tightly as he slipped onto his knees.

“Not everyone can take a sword through the shoulder!” Torrent said as he started to rush to Alex’s side.

Alex grabbed the scimitar with his left hand and pushed himself onto his feet.

“Good good… your right arm is wounded, so you adapt. Now adapt.” Nicholas stated, beginning to walk towards Alex.

Alex stepped back in time with Nicholas.

“Yes, never lose your stance.” Nicholas said, swiping repeatedly at Alex and having each successfully parried. “Always stay focused on your opponents arm, watch it’s movement. Use it’s momentum to your advantage and have it decide your next spot to strike.”

Alex forcefully tensed up his arm to feign a swing.

Nicholas immediately stepped back and away from Alex.

Alex swung his sword across as he anticipated Nicholas’ reaction.

Nicholas quickly turned his sword to block and stumbled back to the floor from the strike, rolling and hopping back to his feet.

Alex used the momentary lapse after Nicholas was on his feet to strike again.

Nicholas roughly swatted the sword away and stepped forward, lifting his leg up and kicking Alex hard in the knee.

Alex grunted and swung his sword low using his own downward momentum in an attempt to hit Nicholas’ leg.

Nicholas turned effortlessly and avoided the strike, circling around and forcing Alex to lie down by pressing his foot to Alex’s back.

Alex stopped struggling as it hit him that it was useless to.

“You’re getting better.” Nicholas chuckled, pressing the tip of the rapier to the back of Alex’s wounded shoulder. “Did you know it takes less than a pound of pressure to pierce the skin?” He asked, adding pressure slowly.

“Nnng…” Alex grunted, gritting his teeth together.

“With that in mind, your swings are too rough. Let the momentum of your swings be all the strength you need. This isn’t a bastard sword or a brute force weapon, it is meant for slashing quick and letting the edge do the work. The harder you swing, the faster you tire yourself out.” Nicholas said, pushing the tip past the skin.

Alex continued to grit his teeth and remained silent.

“That’s enough.” Torrent stated.

“I’m not the one lying down like he’s about to take it up the ass, although he sure has a history of that.” Nicholas joked.

Alex stopped moving altogether.

“Now pick up your weapon.” Nicholas said, pulling the rapier out and backing up.

Alex remained silent as he continued to lay on the ground.

“I said stand up.” Nicholas commanded.

Alex didn’t respond.

“You can give up, but your opponent might not.” Nicholas stated, kicking Alex in the side.

Alex grabbed Nicholas’ foot and violently twisted it.

Nicholas let out a muffled and held back scream as he fell to the floor and his rapier clattered away from him.

Alex let go and pushed himself away from Nicholas.

Alex slowly stood up and grabbed the rapier.

“Son of a… bitch…” Nicholas grunted, staring down at his broken ankle.

Alex glared down at Nicholas, a look of pure and unadulterated rage on his face.

“Go on… kill me. Finish it.” Nicholas ordered.

Alex threw the rapier down, “I’M DONE TAKING ORDERS!” He screamed as he violently slammed his foot down on Nicholas’ neck.

Nicholas let out a gasp that was cut off by Alex’s foot, choking as he gripped it.

Alex ripped his foot back and stormed off still fully pissed off.

“GET BACK HERE YOU COWARD!” Nicholas screamed.

Alex stopped, “At least that makes me better than you.” He said.

“You’re weak… no wonder you ran away…” Nicholas growled.

“Yeah. I was weak for running knowing that it’d lead to my death.” Alex said, still facing away from him. “I was weak for all the times I fought back and got violently beaten for. And I’m weak for not killing you.”

Nicholas laughed as he tried to climb to his feet, only to fall back to a knee. “Maybe I should take Scootaloo out and show her a good time.” He said.

Alex silently turned around to face Nicholas.

“Yeah… that’s it. And when we’re done we’ll go to your ho-” Nicholas was cut off as the rapier was put through his heart.

Nicholas’ entire body stopped moving immediately and a moment later he went limp.

Alex took a step back and finally came down from his overbearing anger. It was quickly replaced with pure shock and horror as he realized what he had just done.

“What…” Torrent mumbled as he nervously glanced between Nicholas’ body and Alex.

“I… I didn’t… I’m…” Alex stammered.