11 Staff Arts

AGAIN!"

Standing in a clearing near our cave my father had me swinging around a heavy six foot branch fitted into a staff.

That man, was an instructor from hell. I only started trainning staff arts a week ago, and here I am swinging around a staff more than a foot taller than me. Not only that, but the strength and flexibility exercises father would have me do were torturous!

'I can't say that the training showed no results, though.'

I got much better at controlling my movements. My attacks were no longer awkward and weak. They became disciplined, each strike had purpose and power. We trained everyday, hours before the sun rose. Practicing stances, strikes, and developing my stamina.

Training with such intensity is difficult, but after two month holed up with nothing to do but skin beasts and read books, this is refreshing.

"Repeat the strike again, and don't slack on your stance. Technique builds power!"

I struck the staff in a downward motion, and then a sweeping one, but I failed to build power using my hips. 'Luckily' father was quick to admonish.

I spent much of the hours before sunrise practicing strikes before meditating for an hour or two, trying to get closer to my weapon. What I discovered this month is meditating not only helps controlling my emotions, sense Aeter and regenerate it, but also helps heal me faster.

I haven't skipped a meditation session once. The technique father taught me was a hundred fold more effective than the half-assed one I used to practice. It has had a tremendous hand in helping me govern my emotions. I haven't had any outbreaks happen unconsciously since I started.

After I am done with my 'morning routine' I look for that bear and stalk him to figure out his weak spots and attack patterns. I have been doing this for approximately two weeks on end.

From what I gathered, a spot under his right arm is wounded from a previous battle. All his attacks with the right arm were slow and weaker than any attack from his left.

I stalked him today for two hours, as I watched him hunt and eat a boar. I waited till he was bloated and tired.

I readied my staff, and fixed the hatchet on my side in anticipation.

Today was the day I finally struck.

Within the unnaturally quiet jungle where only the savage sounds of tearing flesh resounded, the bear gorged on his prey. The beast's furry muzzle dripped with blood as he feasted contentedly, unaware of the approaching danger.

Inching forward slowly, I placed my hands on the ground and sent a thread of Aeter to the spot under his left leg, causing it to cave in. The bear growled as it lost balance and tried using its hands to stabilize itself.

That was exactly what I was waiting for.

'NOW!'

The moment his right hand was about to touch the ground, I augmented myself and the staff and sprinted forward. The staff creaked and splintered as the strength of magic was too much for it to handle, but it will do for now.

Exiting the shrubs I was hiding in, I skidded to a stop a small distance away from the bear and Thrust my staff with all my power targeting his right underarm.

With a roar, the bear reeled back in anger, allowing me to take out my hatchet and drive it toward his weak spot again.

Hot blood spurted all over my face causing me to flinch and take a step back. A mistake due to inexperience, which led to the bear attacking my side using his other hand.

With quick reflexes, I let go of the hatchet and angled the staff and parrying the claws inwards, causing the bear's backside to be open. I knew that his hide was resistant to magic to some extent, and that I couldn't damage him magically.

Thus, I straddled his back and placed my staff around his neck. I clenched my arms around it and tried chocking the bear with my augmented strength.

The bear twisted and turned in anger trying to throw me off, but he was unsuccessful.

As a last resort it stood up on two feet, and then started falling down backwards, trying to crush me with its weight.

Instead of panicking, a grin appeared in my face.

'Yeah that's it. Fall to your death you dumb bastard.'

Trying what I've practiced before, I sent Aeter into the ground, turning it into a deep ditch without physically touching it and hopped off his back just when he was close enough.

Shocked at my actions, the bear tried to stop his fall, but a firm thrust to his belly tilted him backwards into the ditch. The staff finally broke in half, a piece of it falling with the bear.

With a loud thud, the bear fell into the trap. He tried clawing his way out, but it was no use. I instantly controlled a chunk of earth to close the entrance to the surface.

For two minutes, loud roars came from underground. Sounds of clawing and heavy impacts echoed in the jungle, but the bear was unsuccessful in escaping.

Three minutes later, everything was quiet, but I didn't open up yet. I waited five more and then scouted the area for any other predators before controlled the chunk of earth to meld back into the surrounding environment.

What I uncovered was not the once ferocious and strong bear, but a breathless carcass.

The bear's hollow eyes and lifeless body gave me a strange sense of accomplishment. I touched my side and pushed on the mended skin tracing the jagged scar tissue. A dull pain stung my side, but the joy of having bested the beast was far more overwhelming.

"AHAHAHAHH. Finally! After a week of stalking I got you at last!" A beastly smile found its way on my face.

I raised the earth platform the bear was on till it reached the surface and began harvesting its body.

I skinned its hide and cut pieces of its meat wrapping it on large leaves and storing them in my ring. I took off the fingers and toes, intending to keep its claws to make arrow heads.

The job was done, and I was ready to head to the cave. With a final look at my opponent, I set off.

###

"Good Job Eli that was a fantastic battle. Your strategy was innovative, and you adapted well to your enemie's unexpected actions. However you still lack strength, do not let this victory get to your head boy."

Back in the cave, my father congratulated me on my victory.

I nodded intently at my father's words, these rare moments of wise advice were always meaningful.

We ate a celebratory dinner as I recounted the battle to my father who laughed boisterously and yelled "That's my son!" Proudly every now and then.

The feast went on for a while before my father's jolly mood died down and he held my shoulder firmly.

"Elias, come with me. I have something to show you."

Upon his notion, we exited our shelter and walked for a long time. It must have been two hours of constant walking before we reached a large cave.

Vines dangled before the entrance as the breeze swayed them back and forth softly.

My father hunched his back and brushed the vines away with his hand as he motioned for me to follow him inside.

The cave gave me a wierd sense of danger. Using a staff would hold me back inside this cave, so I opted to take out the bow and fixed the hatchet on the side of the belt. I held my bow in a drawn position and looked around vigilantly.

The more we dived in the less we could see in the absence of sunlight. Father stretched out his hand and an orb of lightning lit up the way. Contrary to such a violent magic affinity, the orb was completely tame, like a puppy. My father smirked upon seeing my astonished expression.

After a few more minutes of walking inside the cave, we came across three bear cubs huddled together, with the biggest one in the front bearing its fangs and growling at us in hostility. The cubs were young, barely reaching up to my knees.

My father solemnly looked at them and pat their heads, not even flinching when their sharp canines bit into his hand.

"Listen closely Elias, Every life you take whether it is that of a beast, man or any other, has value and meaning. Do not let yourself become a heartless killer in pursuit of strength. And, while you should not take life meaninglessly, you should also not hesitate to reap it, when necessary."

Glancing at my confused face, father sighed and then put a hand on my head reassuringly.

"Eli, I know this must be confusing. I do not expect you to understand it right this moment, but I do expect you to keep it in mind and ponder upon it."

My father turned away to leave right after, but I wasn't done here yet. I slowly placed pieces of dried meat I had on me for the cubs. I nodded at them and caught up to my father whilst sounds of meat being torn and devoured echoed in the cave.