Winter. Gildin Dale. Farque.
The recruits of the first group are sitting upon the floor in the town hall of Gildin Dale.
Cross legged, with their eyes closed. As they face their instructor for this morning.
The teenage recruits who at the start of winter, questioned why they did this before every lesson. After they've already warm up.
Have become accustomed to sitting here meditating before the lesson starts.
If it helps them be anywhere near as good as their instructor. They're not going to complain about it.
With them this morning are the two newest recruits. The mage Sarill and Alisian the water elemental spouter.
After a week here in Gildin Dale, this is the first time they'll be doing this morning's lesson. Which no doubt will come as a bit of a surprise to them.
Shur Kee the monk as he kneels facing the teenage recruits of the first group. And the two additional recruits who have joined them for this morning's lesson.
Isn't at all surprised when he sees the young mage go into a meditative state far more easily than the rest of the teenage army recruits.
The short, statured monk has been around mages for much of his time here in the Southlands.
In particular Mira Reinholt, and Kreece Van Der Linden.
And though mages are the most powerful and destructive of all the human spellcasters.
They like all practitioners of magic, have to be mentally calm and accurate to cast.
Well, with the exception of ork shamans. Who are more mentally unstable and deranged than your average ork
Nor is he surprised that the young water elemental spouter Alisian is able to meditate with ease.
As all the water elementals he has previously met, have all been calm individuals who have a lot of patience.
After a little bit longer, Shur Kee the monk quietly says "We shall begin".
One by one, the teenage recruits open their eyes as they complete their meditation exercise.
Then this morning's unarmed combat lesson gets underway in earnest.
The square shaped straw mats are pulled out, to form a much larger square in the middle of the town hall floor.
Which can easily accommodate the recruits and their instructor this morning.
The physical adept has the ten members of the first group pair off. And has them each do a number of techniques they've learnt this winter as he along with sir Morcin has taught them unarmed combat.
The acolyte in the philosophical order of Bru Li has Sarill and Alisian stand with him. To observe the others as they begin the various techniques.
Watching them, Shur Kee who is the living conduit of the Jade Warrior, Bru Li.
Isn't surprised after more than half the winter. At who is the most effective at unarmed fighting amongst the teenagers of the first group of recruits.
Even though before they were all chosen as recruits. They learnt to fight without weapons as children in the learning centers of the various towns and villages they come from.
Dammis and Jinsa are the two most efficient at unarmed combat. Followed closely by Maselle, Lamis and Hamblin.
The five others in the group are on an equal footing. Though Garmon, the largest of the teenagers in this particular group of recruits based here in Gildin Dale this winter.
Does still tend to use his strength and size too much to help him with his various techniques.
While Markell, who has the most difficulty going into a meditative state. Looks more like a street fighter to the eye of the physical adept, than a proficient practitioner of unarmed combat.
Turning to the two newest recruits here in Gildin Dale, Shur Kee the monk quietly says to them "Do you know why you are doing unarmed combat, considering who, and what you two are?".
It's the young mage Sarill who answers with "Because we might not be able to always rely upon our skills and abilities".
Next to the small spellcaster, the gangly looking water spouter Alisian nods in agreement.
"This is correct" says the short, statured monk who usually wears an odd conical shaped hat, which at the moment is over on one of the benches up against one of the walls here in the town hall.
"You might not have a weapon at hand too" continues the acolyte in the order of Bru Li, who though has been here in the Southlands since he was twenty, and he's now in his mid thirties. He still has the accent of his homeland, and speaks the common language in a slow and laconic way.
Where he says each word fully, never using the shorten version of a word.
"So this is why you must continue to learn the various techniques of what you call unarmed combat" adds the physical adept, who looks at the two newest arrivals then tells them "Even with your unique skills and natural abilities you may come across someone who you may not think is dangerous, who can still easily defeat you".
Though both the young mage and the gangly looking water elemental share a sceptical look. They nod in agreement with their instructor this morning.
Shur Kee represses the slight grin that's about to appear on his face. And instead he claps his hands a couple of times. Which is the signal to halt the training.
The recruits on the mats step back, and bow to one another like they did when they began.
Then they make their way off the mats when their instructor says "We shall have a quick demonstration".
The living conduit of the Jade Warrior Bru Li gestures for Sarill the mage to join him out on the mats.
The two of them walk out into the middle of the half inch think weaved straw mats, that are covered with a thin, straw coloured canvas.
There they face one another, just a few feet apart, and the short, statured monk says to the young spellcaster "Attempt to knock me down mage Sarill before i do the same to you".
The physical adept, whose homeland, the kingdom of Wah Lee, is all the way on the otherside of the continent, on the far east coast, continues with "You may cast a spell to do so if you like".
The small teenage girl lifts a questioning eyebrow, and the short, statured monk nods for her to do so.
Then Shur Kee bows to the powerful spellcaster who hails from The Winter Palace, one of the three citadels in the lands of Farque.
And the thirteen year old mage bows in return. As she comes up, she goes to cast a spell.
Too late, the acolyte in the order of Bru Li is moving quickly, and with barely laying a hand upon the recruit, he pushes her over onto her back.
Sarill lies there, unable to complete her casting as her concentration is gone.
She accepts the offered hand from the instructor, who helps her to her feet.
The short, statured monk who is barefoot like all of the teenage recruits.
Bows at the waist to the young mage, and she does likewise. Before she makes her way off the mats when Shur Kee gestures for her to do so. Then he invites the water spouter Alisian out onto the mats.
The monk, who is a honorary member of lord Farque's personal council, says to the tall, gangly youth from the coast of the lands Farque "Spouter Alisian, attempt to knock me down before i do it to you" followed by "You may use whatever of your natural abilities you deem fit".
"Yes sir" says Alisian the water elemental spouter with a nod of his head.
The teenager from the coast of the lands Farque saw how quickly the short statured monk moved when he pushed over Sarill.
So after he and the acolyte in the order of Bru Li bow to one another.
The spouter changes to his human shaped water form, where he can move quicker than the fastest human.
He gets behind the physical adept who moves forward. The young spouter changes back to human form, and goes to grab the instructor to push him over.
When all of a sudden as he grabs the honorary council member, he finds himself going forward over the right shoulder of the much shorter man.
After he hits the mats, Alisian lies there on his back, blinking as he looks up at the ceiling of the town hall.
Wondering how the short, statured monk flipped him forward over his shoulder with such relative ease.
The water elemental spouter takes the offered hand from the physical adept, who helps him to his feet.
Alisian then makes his way off the mats to stand next to the mage Sarill, who wryly smiles at him.
As they've both been taught a valuable lesson by the short, statured monk as to not take anything for granted. No matter how powerful you are at magic. Or the tremendous advantages you have because you're not a human.
"As you can see, i am not very big" says Shur Kee the monk, who continues with "Barely taller than the smallest of you" followed by "But size and strength matters not if one masters the skills to take on an opponent without the use of weapons".
The physical adept looks at each of the recruits as he adds "No matter if you are only sparring against someone, or if you are facing someone in battle" he continues on with "If they are armed and armoured or if they are not".
Shur Kee follows that with "It matters not, because anyone if they have been taught well, can defeat anyone" he briefly pauses then says "This is the way of life, whether in nature, or amongst people. Remember anything could happen".
The short, statured monk bows to the recruits, then makes his way off the mats.
Once he's standing off the mats, the acolyte in the order of Bru Li says to the teenage recruits "You may resume sparring".
"Yes councillor" reply the young army recruits in unison, who speak in common when they're being instructed by Shur Kee the monk, who doesn't know any of the other languages that they speak.
The unarmed combat lesson continues throughout the morning, here in the town hall of Gildin Dale.
With the recent arrivals here in town, the mage Sarill and Alisian the water elemental learning how to throw someone. As well get thrown too.
How to kick in various ways. And how to block kicks, or allow oneself to get kicked to one's advantage. So that they can grab a hold of the leg kicking them.
Both the young spellcaster, and the water elemental learn that there's an awful lot of ways you can grab someone's leg if they kick you.
Not to mention the numerous techniques of taking hold of someone's arm if you get a punch directed at you.
But mainly this morning they learn various types of ways of throwing someone.
By over the shoulder, or over the hip, and even over the legs. They even learn to do basic jumping throws.
When you jump in towards someone as they come at you. And you turn in midair when you grab them, and throw them away in another direction. Usually back the way they came from.
A lot of their attempts aren't exactly pretty, or even correct. But councillor Kee makes them do numerous attempts as he tells them that it will take them months, if not years to perfect some of the techniques that he's teaching them.
Techniques that any opponent they come across in battle, will never suspect of happening to them.
Even the basics he's teaching them, which is far more advanced than the unarmed combat training they've had previously.
May help to keep them alive in battle when they're unable to use their magic, in the case of the mage Sarill. Or in the case of Alisian the water elemental, when he's unable to use his natural abilities.
As the short, statured monk who is originally from the far eastern coast of the continent, where his homeland, the kingdom of Wah Lee is located.
Tells them throughout the morning's training. Every little thing they learn in all their facets of training. Will help to keep them alive in battle.
By the end of the morning, when the lesson in the town hall is complete. And the mats are pulled up, and stored away. And the benches are put out again.
The spellcaster from The Winter Palace and the water elemental from the coast find themselves totally spent.
More so than doing one of the trail runs through the forest in this area of northwestern Farque.
And even more than doing one of the courses out on the grounds just to the west of Gildin Dale.
They see that the first group are just as exhausted. And as they all leave the town hall. The other recruits inform them that spending a morning training with short, statured monk who is an honorary member of their lord's personal council. Is often the most physically demanding training they do during the week.
"It's all that throwing" says Hamblin the recruit as they head back to the houses on the northeast side of town, where the recruits live.
"Well, i should say, getting thrown, and having to get back up again" adds the tall, lean thirteen year old, who is the unofficial leader of the first group of recruits.
Maselle the recruit nods her head in agreement, then looking at the mage and the water elemental spouter, tells them "Don't worry, we all got planted on our butts by the councillor in our first lesson with him".
The dark haired teenage girl continues with "He's not exactly what one would think of a holy man, or a monk".
"That's for sure" quietly says Sarill the mage, the tall, gangly water elemental Alisian nods in agreement with her.
"We've not even seen a fraction of what he can actually do" says Garmon the recruit, the biggest of the teens in the first group, who then adds "My father says you wouldn't believe what the councillor can actually do".
"Your father?" asks Alisian the water elemental spouter.
"He's a sergeant at arms in the heavy foot troop in our lord's second army" says Garmon, who in all likelihood, looks like he'll follow his father, and become a heavy foot trooper.
"He fought alongside the councilor in the war last year, for those robber barons who went to war against the northern lords up in the kingdom of Nastell" adds the large fourteen year old recruit.
Both Sarill and Alisian nod in understanding. As they, like everyone else in the lands of Farque. Know of that war that the second army were in.
As that was first time in four and a half centuries that one of their lord"s armies was hired out to fight in a war in the Southlands.
"He said councillor Kee defeated spellcasters of all types, and whole companies couldn't stand against him" says Garmon who follows that with "He even brought down an enemy airship".
With a sceptical look directed at him by both Sarill and Alisian, Garmon shrugs, then tells them "It's true" followed by "He has some kind of power he can use when he wants, and nothing can stand against it".
Hamblin nods then says "I agree" he continues with "Even the general and the knight are cautious around the councillor" he then adds "And those two will attack anyone".
Both the young mage and the water elemental nod, as they can personally attest to that.
As both general Dorc da Orc and the knight sir Percavellé Lé Dic have attacked them with abandon during training.
Not caring what Sarill and Alisian respectively could do to either of them.
And if those two are cautious around Shur Kee the monk. Then there must be something of the truth, about the rumours concerning the honorary member of lord Farque's personal council . . . . . .
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