The weekends when you're able to slip away unnoticed are one of the only things that have kept you sane over the last few months.
You watch the squads patrol beneath you as your mind drifts back to one lesson in particular, not long after the occupation began….
You avoided the training dojo until the soldiers came, but it's never too late to learn how to defend oneself.
Bly's dojo proves to be considerably farther away from the main living area than you expected. By the time you arrive, you're already out of breath. You pant heavily as you open the door leading into what looks like an old school that remains largely in good repair.
Bly waves you into a huge rectangular gym, a wry grin on her face as you stare about, astonished at what she's done with the place. Far from the dingy dungeon you expected the elders to have granted an outcast like Bly, the gymnasium is brightly lit, its walls covered with new foam padding in a startling bright blue while the hardwood floor shines with polish.
"Not quite what you expected, eh?" Bly asks with a wink. "We found the padding boards down in the cellar, and Jolon's got his students keeping the place clean and polished. Says it keeps them focused and on task. I say he's just looking to get someone else to clean the floors, but what do I know? I'm not a 'Master of Shadows.'" She says this with an over-the-top flair, telling you all you need to know about how she truly regards the art of stealth.
"So," she says, hands on her hips. "You've had plenty of time to think on the way over here. Any preference for your training?"
I want Bly to train me in the Way of the Claw, honing my fighting skills to a razor's edge.
Subtlety and shadow are more to my liking. I train with Jolon in the Way of the Shadow.
Why limit myself? Divide my time between both instructors. I may never achieve full mastery without commitment, but I'll certainly be more versatile.
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