The day, Mah’tes, found the three once again around the table in the visitor’s suite finishing up breakfast.Peter and Ennalyssa put down their books with the young teearting to get up to leave. “Enna, could you take your dishes to the kit and put them in the sink?” Peter asked.Ennalyssa frowned and opened her mouth to protest. Peter just tilted his head down a little and looked at her and she pouted a sigh, gatherihings and taking them into the kit. “Thank you.” Peter called after her.Traya, sipping her keffe, blushed, “And thank you. sidering the tantrum she threw st night at dinner when I asked her to do the same.” She whispered.Peter rubbed at his temples, “I fot I don’t wear gsses anymore.” “That expins the head tilting.” Traya giggled, “You’re looking over the tops of gsses that do anymore.” “Yup.” He sighed, popping the ‘p’. “You ready for today’s training?” She asked.Now it eter’s turn to sigh, “Not terribly." He looked to his ‘aide’ with a grumpy expression before tinuing in a quiet tone, “I’m not getting training, Traya. Yesterday, and the day before, all my ‘training’ was was having an oppo wail on me for hours on end. Which they did with relish and vigor, holy. One even goaded me because he couldn’t believe I, as a Champion, have no fighting skill. While the oerday was yelling at me about him not letting me ‘get away’ with… whatever I had said or done.” “But… you haven’t done anything…” “I wonder if that is the problem?” Peter mused aloud.Traya tilted her head to the side, “What do you mean?” “Well, I haven’t really done anything, Traya.” Peter expined, “Though I haven’t had much time to do anything in, I’ve only beewo days and… a half, maybe? Two and a half days.” He frowned, “All I’ve done was get a sed helping at breakfast, which upset one of the guards… but he washer of the two I sparred with… so far, anyway. So…” He shrugged, rubbing his face with both his hands before standing up and grabbing his pte and mug, going to the kit. “Anamea came by st night while you and Ennalyssa were taking your baths. She asked how everyone was doing and if there was anything she could help us get if we need.” Traya followed with her own breakfast things, switg subjects to try and distract Peter from what was b him. “I wouldn’t mind some more bread… the stuff from Miss Sharra’s bakery was delicious.” Peter mused, “But I ’t think of anything we need.” He sighed, “I don’t want to abuse her, or Shepherd Vaunn’s, kindness.” “I don’t think a couple loaves of bread is abusing their kindness, Peytr.” Traya smiled as she set about washing the dishes used for breakfast, “Maybe more fry-cakes?” “Mrrhh~” Peter sighed happily, then shook his head to banish the thought, “No. No, just the bread. But only if it won’t cause problems.”Traya nodded, “Only if it won’t cause problems. Okay.”

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  That day’s training, for Peter at least, had him fag three oppos, all of them armed with the bluraining swords that seemed standard issue.Swords that, regardless of edge, still amouo this of metal. Goodie~, seems we’ll be testing my body’s tolerance for pain… and my mind’s tolerance for bull-hockey...

  The three he faced today were, to his unsurprise, human — the city, and the try of Freiholm in general, were humaric as he recalled Na’at telling him before starting this journey; one had a deep tan to their skin, and a short-cropped mohawk, with a shaved scalp otherwise, that ended in a tail that swayed between their shoulders. He met Peter’s gre with an angry squint of his own amber-yellow eyes as he rotated his wrist, twirling his sword in anticipation. Sed of the three he would be fag that day was a woman with bright green eyes and a crop of curly bck hair that flounced with her every movement. She held her sword in both hands, her dirty cheeks looked red. Lastly was another woman, instead of a sword she held two daggers in reverse grip, she had a tightly bound ponytail of blond hair with dark gray eyes.All of them were fit, muscled by the looks of their bare arms through their sleeveless tops, but also thin. The sort of this when hungry.

  “So, what did Ser Havengard tell you I said or did?” Peter asked snarkily, uo help it sneaking out.It was fairly obvious, after two days, that the Swordbearer was hand-pig Peter’s oppos and telling them something why else would each of them e at him angry about something that he very pinly did not do if they asked around, or tried to corroborate with their fellow guards? “Why?” Asked the blonde, “Want to bask in your disrespect?” “Your depravity won’t go unpunished!” The sole male of the trio unched himself at Peter, who barely had time to dodge the attack… by getting whacked by the bck-haired woman.She spat, literally, at him, snarling, “You think you say those things about the Goddess in her own temple and not be punished?!”

  “Excuse me?” Peter wiped the spit away as he ducked uhe two daggers, only to fall onto his back as his feet were kicked out from under him by the male guard hooking his ankle and tripping him, “Ack!” “Don’t lie to us!” He snarled, raising his sword and delivering a blow to Peter’s ribcage. Augh, always my freakin’ ribs!!He coughed, air rushing out of his lungs as the blonde kicked his side. “You think you’re better than us because you're from another world?” The man asked again, joining in on the kig, getting the toe of his boot deep into Peter’s side uhe st of his floating ribs. “Augh…” “You think you’re so high and mighty because you were randomly chosen?” He asked again, “You’re nothing special, Champion, and we’re going to prove it!” “P-Put me in my pce, I’m guessing?” Peter coughed edly, gasping before biting back a groan as the toe of another boot found its way into his side. “Exactly.” The bck-haired at righteously.Peter grunted as one of the blunt swords cracked him against his arm as he tried to block his face from being hit, “G-Go ahead. Make Havengard happy.” He spat back — in for a penny, in for a pound… or whatever the age was called in Freiholm, he had no idea — “He might allow you a sed bowl of that stew you get for dinner.”

  The trio paused as Peter’s words sank in, but the blonde gripped at her daggers as anger fshed across her face, “Don’t you mock what we’re allowed to eat when you get a damn ba in your fancy VIP suite!” She growled and dropped herself, jabbing both daggers into Peter’s stomach.

  “H-Havengard…” Peter coughed, curling up into a ball, “H-Haven… He’s lying…” He grunted as another kick, “ngh… t-to you…” “So you say…” The man growled.

  “Who… has more to gain… by lying.”Peter could not remember anything after that as his world went bck, ears ringing.

  ====================

  “—ay from him!”The sharp, frantic cry of a young girl woke Peter with a start. His body ached but he did not care. “—nna…” He groaned, sitting up and not giving a single damn if his head swam or he felt like he was going to wretch.

  Before him, seen through bleary eyes, was Ennalyssa’s back; in her hands was a training sword, reizable if only because the metal was glinting in what was left of the sun. It hurt his eyes, but he found himself ung. She was fag off against Peter’s three oppos, putting herself between them and him.They stood, fbbergasted, unsure of how to proceed with it all; they had been ordered to give Peter a good troung but nothing was said about dealing with The Divine Chosen One if she decided to get in the way. And, while he was unsure, he thought he saw Havengard watg the development, at a distance of course, with some sort of sadistic glee before Peter had sat up and slowly stood up behind the girl, at which poiurned away and busied himself with yelling at some uards.It was fairly obvious that he did not want to deal with whatever ‘strike three’ or its aftermath would be.

  Ennalyssa noticed that the trio she had been fag were no longer focused on her and, taking a ce, gnced over her shoulder, “Peytr!” She excimed in relief before quickly bringing her sword up and fog orio, “A healer is ing, don’t worry… you’ll be okay.” She rambled, near frantibsp; Peter wondered if that was for his be or her own.To calm her, he put a hand on her shoulder, “I am okay, thanks to you.” He whispered, squeezing her shoulder, “You’re very brave, standing up to three trained guards like you have… with what little ‘training’ you’ve gotten over your time here.” His w made the trio wince — his suspis, then, were likely corre that, like him, her training had been mit gud’ than any sort of actual instru.That made his heart pound in his ears and he felt a fire stir in his chest.

  “Who gave you that?” Peter asked, his voice low and sharp. Looking down he had noticed a rather rge and nasty swollen eye. “He did.” She wasted no time in namitacker, “He meant to kick you and I did my best to cover your body with mine… he got me in the face.” “Go sit down, Enna.” Peter’s tone was firm, though his wentle.Swallowing nervously she nodded, pressing the hilt of her practice sword into his hand as she scoot behind him ao sit down on some nearby boxes, sitting stiffly like she was in trouble and was awaiting punishment.

  “She… she got in the way.” The man stammered as Peter’s gaze went from the sword in his hand to the trio before him with the three raising their own practice ons, “If she minded her own—” “Quiet.” Peter anded, his gaze never wavering, “I don’t want to hear your excuses, especially when I’ve seen her get the same sort of ‘training’ that you three were giving me.” “She… has to get harsh training…” the bloarted. “Because of the DaiMaou.” Peter snarled, “I’ve heard that excuse too.” He gripped the blunted bde of the practice sword and brought it down against his raised knee — not in a sharp, snapping blow but rather a slow and deliberate motion that started a nice gentle bend ial.Ohat was started he let his leg drop and tio bend the sword as he addressed the three. “All I’ve seen, however, are trained adults beating on and bullying a child.” “Look, otherworlder, you have no idea what…” “Exactly!” Peter snapped, making the three and Ennalyssa jump as the sharp retort, “I have no idea what’s really going on, and no one is telling me.” He tio bend the sword bde, slowly, firmly, and it was close to a y-degree angle now, “No one is listening to me when I say I ’t fight. I don’t know how to fight.” He snarled, “How I do my job and protect her properly?” “No one asked you to.” The bck-haired dy spoke, “We know the history. Otherworlders like you are just … more trouble than they’re worth. We have no idea why Shepherd d’Zaier let Shepherd Vaunn waste valuable resources bringing your ilk here.” “…” Peter gave pause then, with a deep annoyed sigh, pressed the sword bde into a ‘u’ shape before dropping it to the ground, away from the four of them. “You ruined your only ce to have even close to a fair fight.” The blonde chided, bringing her daggers up, a prrip this time. “Right now?” Peter asked, g his fists at his side, “I don’t care.” He inhaled and shouted at the three, “Bring it on!”

  It was the bck-haired dy that charged him first, from his right.Peter stepped back, letting her sword zip by where his side would have been. She still gripped her on with both hands as she fought; Peter grabbed her wrists regardless, pushing down on them as he put a foot out, tripping her as he had been tripped earlier. His other hand going to the back of her sleeveless top and gripping, lifting her, and using her momentum to aid his maneuver. The e was a clumsy, but effective, flip that left her on her back, groaning.

  He stepped over her almost dismissively casually as the blonde rushed him — She sshed with one dagger aer just leao one side. Another ssh aer just leaned back to avoid that attempted strike.As he stood straight he brought his right hand up, ft, into her sor plexus makiagger back.He pushed her aside, watg her fall to her knees out of his peripheral vision. Likely ba their feet soon, too — He was fih that.He gred at the man as he brought up his sword, “I am tired of being lied about and lied to.” Peter decred coldly. “What… What are you…”Peter shook his head, “You aren’t lying to me, but you’ve beeo as well.” “Shut up!” The man hollered as he brought his blunt practice bde down.

  I should have kept the sword…This eter’s thought as he brought his arm up with the io block — however, there was an audible clid a humming drone, like some sort of device cyg up in power and his eyes were hurting again from a light in them. It was no sunbeam gng off a metal bde, not this time; it was a golden-purple light that inated from Peter’s hand.

  Blog the practice sword, sizzling in its tact with the metal, was a bde of light that had a bright golden core and a sharp purple halo around it. He held nothing, but his ched fist acted like he was gripping a hilt, with the energy bde ending in a gentle round ‘tip’, h millimeters above his hand and, almost humorously, there was a ball of purple energy with a golden core h millimeters away from his pinkie finger, like it ommel. “What?!” The man gasped, “H-Havengard said you didn’t know magibsp; “I k.” Peter snarled, pushing his energy bde against the practice sword, leveraging the guard bad making him stumble to keep his feet, “Havengard told you… something… to rile you up… told you to put me in my pce.” He inhaled, “Didn’t he?”

  The man stood silent, the two women slowly getting to their feet oher side of Peter, they too were quiet.

  “Mhph.” eter’s reply, the energy bde making a crag thrum as he moved it around, “Well. You kicked my ass well enough… You think you still make him happy now that your target isn’t unarmed anymore?” “We… were told you couldn’t fight. You said you couldn’t fight.” The bck-haired woman coughed. “I ’t.” Peter admitted, sweeping the bde around, enjoying the sound it made, “I don’t know how. Never learned bae.” He paused, bringing the sword up near his face, staring at the three over the glowing bde, “But if you think that my inability to fight will stop me from standing up to prote eleven-year-old girl… you have made a grave mistake.”

  The three tighteheir grips on their ons, exging gnces, and, with a growl, the man charged Peter.

  KHZRKMetal and energy met, sparking like a bcksmith’s fe and, ihe metal of the practice bde began to glorolonged tact with the light bde of Peter’s heat it up.Retreating the male guard shed out again.

  TSCH-ZRK-KHRRRHHEach attempted strike of the practice sword was met with a block from Peter — the st of which was then followed by a solid kick to the other man’s ribs that sent him staggering sideways.

  Peter leapt back as, from the er of his sight, he saw the blonde e in with her dual daggers, striking with them simultaneously in an overhand blow as if they were the fangs of some saber-toothed beast. She got one of his shoe soles to her backside.

  “ARGH!” came the battle cry of the bck-haired guard as she came in with a low-starting upper thrust.He blocked with his energy bde, sparks flying as their ons made tabsp; TSCHRRRRRRKKHHHHPeter was able to guide his oppo’s bde to his left a his left hand uhe practice sword’s cross guard so he ched his fingers around both her hands, holding her arms at their full extension and making her ter of bance wonky. He then quickly delivered a kick to her stomach.

  There was a thud as a heavy-soled boot nted in his back by the blonde, sendier off-bance for long enough that the other man could tackle him to the ground (with Peter losing tration on his energy bde), sitting oer’s chest and beginning to rain down heavy hammer-like punches about his head and shoulders.Peter was, eventually, able to catch the man’s hands in his own, though he could already feel his eyes swelling and the warm trickle of blood down his cheek from his nose. Squeezing down on his oppo’s hands he growled and bucked uhe man, pushing himself off the ground and into a roll that reversed their positions with Peter now straddling his chest.

  Raising his fist and, for all the world, looking like he was about to shove the man’s nose i he smmed his fist into the grouo the guard’s head and pushed himself up to his feet.This, uandably, fused the three as Peter moved away from the trio, keeping his eyes on them.

  “Well. e on.” Peter spat the blood from his mouth, pressing one nostril closed with his thumb and blowing a clot from the other, “We aren’t done are we?” He asked, “You still have to put me in pce, yeah?” “Alright…” There was a thrumming crackle aer was holding his bde again, “Let’s dance.”

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