Chapter 19: Sparring
“For the last time, I'm fine,” Ark said, trying his best to be nice to the baroness constantly barging into his room every ten minutes for the last hour and asking if he was okay. Thanks to her consistent interference, Ark wasn't able to utilize his ki or talk with Ireliex in any meaningful conversation without being interrupted.
In short.
The baroness was annoying him.
And not just her, but the twin girls she had rotating in to ask if he was hungry or needed anything.
“Are you sure? Are you positive? Six! Seven! Fluff his pillows! Vernel! Bring more tea!” Fey ordered before slapping her palm on Ark's forehead to check his temperature. “And more wet napkins!”
“Fey! Fey I'm fine!” Ark yelled, swiping her hand from his head.
“Are you sure? Are you absolutely sure? I can send for the apothecary again!”
“No. Just let me rest,” Ark sighed, unable to get angry at the woman with tears in her eyes.
“O-okay. But Six and Seven will watch over you-”
“I don't need-”
“No! Everytime I leave you alone something happens! I will not have you dying before I do young man!” Fey yelled, rising to her feet. “I'm putting my foot down Loyd! As your guardian it is my job to keep you safe!”
“I….” Ark sighed, “Okay, fine.”
“Good!” Fey yelled before coughing. “I love you!”
Ark paused, frozen in place as he attempted to figure out a response to the woman's angry declaration.
“I… I love you too…” Ark mumbled before having a kiss planted on his cheek and the Baroness leaving Ark alone with the twins named Six and Seven.
Are you blushing? Ireliex asked telepathically, the phoenix roosting in her nest.
Shut up.
Ark laid back down, closing his eyes as the two girls stood silently across the room.
He circulated his ki, doing his best to ignore the two as he finally had time to inspect his body.
Ireliex, what the hell happened? Ark asked as he felt strong, too strong, his eyes opening to his system screen before him.
Level 0]
[EXP: 44/100]
-[HP: 102/125]
[Phoenix Points: 0]
[Stats]
-[STR: 16]
-[DEX: 12]
-[VIT: 15]
-[WILL: 20]
-[SENS: 12]
[Spell Book](Open)
[Skill List]-
[Skill: Wu-Style Ki Reinforcement(Utilize Wu-Style Ki to strengthen the body and reduce sound profile when moving(+5 Str +10 Dex +2 Vitality.{10kp]. Cannot stack with other ki reinforcements]
All of his stats had nearly tripled, his body infused with the potent poisons that strengthened his base.
Although Ark had anticipated an improvement, it wasn't to this extent and there was just one problem, Ark didn't remember channeling his ki.
After you passed out I took over the circulation of your ki.
You took over my body?! Ark scowled, unsure of how to feel about the phoenix taking over.
Using your body as a refiner? What you did was extremely dangerous. Had I not taken control you would have liquefied. Fortunately I was able to mimic your ki style sufficient enough to not only preserve our lives but also reinforce our base.
I had to. Ark countered, I had to tear down our foundation to rebuild, I just… didn't expect the level of feedback.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Yes, and your oversight nearly killed us before our journey began. Had I not had Welkin come in to help circulate your ki, we would have died.
Ark frowned, his jaw clenching as he realized the materials. Wait? Welkin knows?!
He is aware of your little experiment, but not the how or what you were doing exactly. I set ablaze the entire shed and made sure none of the materials within survived.
Ark breathed a sigh of relief before looking down at his body that was still scrawny, but albeit a little less than usual.
And the apothecary?
They were not skilled enough to understand the metabolic changes to your body. To them, it's just backlash from ki refinement.
“Good…” Ark muttered before his eyes turned to Six and Seven, the pair facing the nearby wall and still, almost akin to statues placed the wrong way, “Are you two going to stand there the entire time?”
“Lady Fey bade us to stand by your side, milord,” One of the girls said.
Ark sighed, “The baroness said to watch over me, not stand in the corner facing the wall.”
The two girls shared a look, both in mute silence before turning to face Ark.
“Forgive us Master Loyd, we were only giving space,” The redhead on the left said.
“Don't call me Master, milord or sir is fine. I don't own you two,” Ark said with the pair adopting a sudden look of distress.
“Forgive my imputienns m-ilord, but Lady Fey has told us that our ownership has been transferred to you pending certain conditions,” The girl on the left said again, the left-most sister more chatty than the other who kept her eyes downcast.
“Tch, then I relinquish my ownership! Congrats, you're both free.”
“Lady Fey thought you would say that, as a stipulation of our ownership, we are required to serve you for no less than five years.”
Ark closed his, laying back down with a sigh as Ireliex made a sound that was almost akin to a chuckle.
“Fine, you two want to serve me, I'm hungry, get me some food, a mop, and a… ” Ark paused, “New blankets and sheets.”
“As you will sir,” The two said in unison before hastily leaving the room.
Ark waited till the door was closed before throwing his legs free from the confines of his sheets and rising from his bed.
After stretching, Ark opened his window.
“Where are you going?” Ireliex said, materializing on Ark's shoulder.
“Out, two weeks infirmed on a bed? I need to stretch my legs and cycle my ki.”
Ark inhaled, taking in the brisk morning air and allowing the early scent of dew to coat his lungs.
He opened his eyes, spotting Sain and Kent who were talking to a serf, the perfect duo to test his strength.
“Perfect,” Ark said before leaping from the second story of his home.
***
“Again!”
Out of breath and flustered, the red-haired slave girl named Six took a moment to catch her breath as she stood outside the gathered crowd of field hands.
“Again!”
Six’s eyes widened, she knew she hadn't misheard, it was Loyd's voice! Except, instead of the voice of the timid, kind boy she knew, it was firm, gruff, and authoritative. But finally, after three minutes of panicking and roughly fifteen minutes of frantic searching, she had found him.
“Again!”
Utilizing a series of “Excuse mes” and “Pardons” Six moved her way through the crowd until she broke the tension of the pack of bodies and stood at the forefront of the crowd.
“Again!” Loyd barked, pointing his wooden staff at the soldier known as Sain who hit the dirt.
The guard growled, picking up his wooden blade and charging at the young master who back stepped and pivoted, putting himself behind Sain and striking him in the back.
“Again!”
“AAAARHH!” Sain roared, swiping wildly at Loyd who avoided the attacks and deftly retreated to the edge of the pit.
Sain began to give chase but quickly lost steam, the young green-haired guard out of breath and panting heavily.
“Kent, get in here and help Sain,” The young master barked with the red-haired guard named Kent stepping forward cautiously.
Who is he? Six wondered.
Unlike Sain who was gungho and eager to attack, Kent kept his distance, circling around Loyd until he was beside Sain and helped him up.
“Are you okay?” Kent asked.
“Yeah, you ready?” Sain replied, a fire in his eyes not yet extinguished.
A two versus one. A fight that from the outside looking in was unfair, but from the look of the noble, Sain and Kent would need more bodies.
Seven finally joined her, the twins starring at the boy who was so different than the one they knew.
The young master smirked, his gaze bearing a glare that was almost predatory-scary even to Six.
“We'll pincer, you ready?” Kent said.
“Yeah!” Sain barked before rushing left as Kent rushed right.
Loyd eyed the pair, eyes wide, hyper focused. Instead of standing still and holding his ground, he suddenly ran to his right, charging Sain who went wide-eyed.
Sain swung, his attack aimed at Loyd's head who leaned back, avoiding the attack and striking the man in the kidney before stabbing backwards with his weapon that hit Kent squarely.
Kent stumbled back, attempting to gain his footing only to freeze as the young master’s staff hovered an inch from his face.
“You're dead,” The young Lord said, causing Kent to drop his wooden weapon. “Do you know where you both went wrong?”
“We don't have ki?” Sain groaned.
“I wasn't using ki,” Loyd said, his eyes turning to Six whose jaw was agape. “I'm using a staff, a weapon meant to keep my attackers at range. While it was commendable that you tried to close the distance, the problem is you're too rash, leaving yourself open. And Kent, you're too cautious. Had you both kept in range of each other and came at me at once, you'd have overwhelmed my defenses. Instead you separated from Sain who was already tired and put distance between yourselves, allowing me to eliminate him before you could help.”
“An apt assessment young Lord,” Welkin said, the crowd parting ways for the withered knight to make his appearance. “If you're done coaching my men, would you care to spar with me?”
“With you Sir Welkin?” Loyd said, “I don't believe my skill can match up to your talent haha!”
A fake laugh, Six knew it well, the same placating laugh so common to nobles.
“Please sir, you would wound my honor not to,” Welkin said, the limping elder standing up straight with his eyes narrowing. “I know these old bones may not be up to your standard, but I will guarantee your want for battle will not be unquenched.”
Loyd sighed, “Fine, I will accept your spar Sir Welkin.”
Although he seemed apprehensive, Six could see something she knew all too well from her owner’s sister.
The eyes of a predator.
.
