The Beginning After The End novel Chapter 211

Chapter 211

Chapter 211: Awaiting the Horde II

“Your movements are too stiff,” I reprimanded as I thrusted the pommel of my practice sword into my opponent’s wrist. “You need to loosen your shoulders and wrists until the last moments of your swing. If you can’t do that, the sword you’re using is too big for you.”

The sharpened longsword clattered on the ground as the young soldier shook his armored hand with a grimace. “Thank you for the advice.”

“Next!” I called out to the few dozen soldiers standing in line a few yards in front of me.

A burly woman clad fully in plate armor, holding a buckler in one hand and a shortsword in the other, walked up and dipped her head before getting into a stance.

A dense layer of mana enveloped her body while tendrils of wind swirled around her blade.

“Same rules apply,” I said, raising my thin sabre-like sword at the woman. “Attack me with the intent to kill.”

Any sort of hesitation had been wiped clean on the armor-clad brunette’s face after watching her predecessors fail in even touching a hair on the fur-lined mantle that I hadn’t bothered to remove.

With a determined nod, she dashed forth with a tremendous amount of speed for someone weighed down by a full set of armor. She attacked with a simple horizontal swing, the reach of her blade extended by the wind magic imbued within the weapon.

Rather than dodging, I parried, deflecting her sword upwards which opened up her defense enough for me to fit an open palm into her chest.

The woman was quick enough to raise her buckler in time to block my strike, but she still ended up stumbling back a few steps.

I let out a sigh. “If you’re already hesitating, this match is over.”

“I’m not sure what you mean, General. I was able to block your counter successfully!” the woman responded, her brows scrunched together.

“It doesn’t matter. Even if you had landed that initial slash on me, it would’ve barely made a scratch on an augmenter or a mana beast.”

Anticipating her question, I went on. “ Why? Because your weight was already on your back leg before you even swung.

“Again.”

She approached me once more, this time with careful steps. With a sudden stamp of her feet, she advanced with a lunge, extending her blade’s reach once again.

I dodged with a simple sway of my head but by that time, the armor-clad soldier had already reeled back her sword. The stab I had expected was a feint in order to bash me with her buckler.

Letting the full force of her buckler hit my arm and lift me off my feet, I tried to see what she’d do but rather than continue her assault, she stepped back and raised her guard.

“Why did you stop?” I asked, dusting off my mantle. “You had me in the air where I’d be more vulnerable. You have your armor and buckler to make up for small mistakes.”

The soldier stood quiet for a moment before speaking confidently. “I was wary that you were preparing for a counterattack.”

“If I wanted to counterattack, I would’ve done so before you hit me with your shield, not after,” I retorted. “Your equipment and your fighting style are total opposites of each other. Your footwork, attacks, movements and feints all point to a speed-type augmenter, but your armor, shield and even sword says otherwise. I’m not sure if you’re doing this to confuse your enemies or confuse yourself, but pick a side, because you’re going to get tired real fast out in battle if you try to fight the way you are with all that on you. Next!”

Quite a few soldiers that had been relieved of their posts to take a break had lined up to spar against me. A small crowd of merchants and people not currently preparing for the beast horde had gathered as well, excitedly wondering if any of them would land a hit on me despite all of the limitations I put on myself.

So far, I had barely exchanged two or three moves before stopping my blade just short of a fatal blow and giving a few unadulterated pieces of advice to the soldiers about to face the horde of corrupted beasts.

Just as a new soldier stepped up into the stone ring I had conjured, Sylvie’s voice chimed in my head. ‘I thought you said you were going to try and get some rest before setting out?’

I looked back to see her descending the stairs with Gavik and Callum on either side of her. I couldn’t fall asleep so I figured I’d warm up my body and train a few soldiers while I’m at it. How was your trip up to the top of the Wall? Is Ellie doing okay?

My bond cracked a grin as she walked up to me before speaking aloud. “Ellie is adjusting pretty well. When I went to see how she was doing, she was busy practicing shooting from the edge with a few other soldiers. One looked around her age too.”

I looked up at the towering wall, surveying the bustling activity within it as everyone prepared for the plan I had suggested. “That’s good.”

Gavik spoke up, approaching the ring I was in. “Captain Albanth and his troops are following through and tearing down most of the support beams holding up the underground passages. Captain Jesmiya is reallocating her troops around the ends of the Wall but...”

The burly iron-clad adventurer shifted his gaze for a moment. “Is it really necessary for you and Lady Sylvie to go by yourselves?”

I raised a brow. “No offense to you or Callum, but are you confident in fighting alongside us without me having to worry about actually killing you?”

Gavik looked back at the curly-haired conjurer behind him before turning to face me. Both he and Callum steeled their gaze and nodded. “Yes.”

“You know, Commander Virion sent you out here to assist me in the Wall’s defense but I doubt he meant it in this way. Just stay here,” I dismissed, waving the two of them off.

I could hear Gavik grit his teeth even from where I was standing, but the two of them turned and left, weaving in between the mages and shovel-holding workers all filing towards the underground passages.

“We could’ve used their help,” Sylvie said after the two adventurers had gone off. “And they seemed really determined to go with us.”

I motioned for the soldier on the other edge of the ring to come and held up my blunted sword.