Tecovis came rushing into the dusty courtyard of the training grounds from the east door, his newly donned lamellar clanking as he ran.

“LOWGUARD TECOVIS!”

Tecovis winced, skid to a stop, pivoted, and stood at attention. The large, heavily armored Commander Riff Phurin walked powerfully towards him, his chipped tooth on display through his snarl.

“Lowguard Tecovis, why are you late to training!?”

“Sir, there was an incident in the town square, I had to file a report, sir!”

“And why did you have to file the report, soldier!?”

“Sir, I was the only one to respond during the incident, as I stated in my report, sir!”

“And why was it that you were the only one to respond to this incident, soldier!?”

“Sir, because the guards at the fountain station were nowhere to be seen, as I stated in my report, sir!”

At this, the commander broke his blazing gaze off of Tecovis and glared at the north of the courtyard.

“CORPORAL HEIK!”

After three seconds, a guardsman came rushing out of the door and stood before the commander.

“Yes sir?”

“Corporal Heik, Lowguard Tecovis has just filed an incident report. I want it in my hands yesterday!”

“Yes sir!”

The corporal ran off to get the report as the commander turned back to Tecovis.

“As for you Lowguard Tecovis, for your tardiness I want you to run laps around this building AT FULL SPEED AND IN FULL UNIFORM until I finish reading your report!”

“Sir, yes sir!”

“If I, or anyone I send, catches you slacking you will be responsible for cleaning the outhouses every day for the remainder of the month!"

“Sir, yes sir!”

“Stop gawking and MOVE SOLDIER!”

“Sir, yes sir!”

Tecovis turned around and bolted out the north door, through the main foyer. As he passed the front desk, he shouted “Be quick Heik, my legs are counting on you!”

For over an hour Tecovis ran without stopping, legs pulsing from the constant sprint, shoulders aching from the bag he was unable to drop, lungs burning from lack of air, and never once slowing from top speed. Even with all the previous endurance training, it was all he could do to not collapse when the order to stop finally came. Corporal Heik came outside, waving Tecovis down, and tossed him a fresh skin of water. “Walk some laps to cool down and meet Commander Lions at the dummies.” 

“Commander Lions...? I thought... Riff was... in charge of... twelfth today?”

“Commander Phurin is going to investigate the missing town square guards himself.”

“I don't have enough... energy to feel... bad for them right now...”

“Don't worry, I'll feel bad for them on your behalf.”

“Gee, thanks... Hooo...”

Tecovis took five more laps to ease out of his harsh exercises. On the final stretch of the final lap, he passed by a furious-looking Commander Phurin and ten fully armored guards wielding spears, no doubt making their way down to the fountain.

He then made his way through the training yard and to the dummies where Commander Lions, a broad shouldered, regal man, stood watching recruits practicing their sword forms. His dark blond hair was center parted, his wavy locks mostly covering his graying sideburns, and his bronze plated boots were spattered with drying mud from the obstacle course.

Commander Lions’ piercing blue eyes made contact with Tecovis as he heard him arrive. 

“Afternoon recruit. I heard about your little escapade.”

“I imagine you did sir, along with everyone else in the building.”

Commander Lions chuckled.

“Phurin does have the lungs for it, so it wouldn't surprise me if they did. Get stretched recruit, I know that run wasn't easy. Brave squad ha been reviewing forms with Pan for his final combat exam tomorrow.”

“Yes sir.”

Tecovis dropped his bag against one of the walls and began his pre-workout stretches. Ten minutes of stretching later, Tecovis made his way to where his three squadmates, Rox Foncree, Silnor "Slide" Cavitan, and Pan Tindale were training.

The massive, muscular form of Rox was standing in front of the teenage frame of Pan while Slide watched on the side. Rox was saying, "-to keep your guard up on the retreat, otherwise your gonna get hit. We can train you to endure a lot, but it's better to avoid the hit from someone my size than to be forced to power through pain, especially with how much weight affects impact."

Tecovis dropped his bag next to Slide, who looked at him with a sarcastic smirk as Tecovis rubbed his legs down.

"Late?"

"Shut up."

"Oh come on, no need to be sour about it oh glorious, brave leader, everyone slips up once in a while."

"Yeah, you'd know a lot about slipping wouldn't you?"

Tecovis snorted as Slide rolled his eyes and scoffed. He had a similar build to Tecovis, an athletic frame, broad shoulders, though not necessarily stocky. After a moment passed between them, Tecovis raised an eyebrow. 

"Shouldn't you be the one he's practicing with?" Tecovis asked.

"Rox thought it'd be good to square him against a big opponent, help him focus his strengths as a scrawny kid."

"You only have four winters on him, kid."

"Doesn't mean he's not tiny."

Slide wasn't wrong. Pan had a very lean frame due to his youth, being only 18. He'd been a messenger boy before enlisting early in the year so he had speed and fitness down, outpacing most in the obstacle course races, however raw power was still lacking. They watched him dance around Rox to sneak around his guard, but he countered and swatted away the training blade before it could reach anything

Slide jeered, "Good try, but not good enough."

Pan looked like he was about to retort but was promptly tripped by Rox.

"Eyes on your opponent," Tecovis said. "You can't let anything distract you in the field. Not allies. Not enemies."

From the ground Pan sat up and said, "I can't help that he's being irritating Teco!"

Slide snickered as Rox easily picked him up from the dirt. Tecovis crossed his arms and sighed.

"Level headedness is one of the most important factors of battle, you can never let emotion factor into it or you risk hurting someone close."

"Or getting blindsided," chimed in Rox.

Pan grimaced as he considered their words. Rox patted his shoulder with a meaty hand, then asked Tecovis, "You want a turn bossman?"

"Not today Rox, I've had about all I can manage."

"Have you now?" A taunting voice came from behind Tecovis. He turned around to see the sneering face of the leader of Dauntless squad, Dionis Mench, walking towards him. He was a large framed man, not unlike Rox, however while Rox towered over most men, Dionis was below the average height of the guards. Tecovis knew from experience, however, that what he lacked in tallness, he made up for in both power and simplicity.

Slide scowled and said, "What do you want, Dense? We're busy."

Dionis, smug as ever, put his hands in his hips and looked over Tecovis's team. Slide didn't need to ask, they all knew why he was there. It was the only reason he ever came to them.

"Who says I want anything? Maybe I wanted to see how your recruit is holding up."

"Oh please, you care about as much as a rock cares for the sunlight."

"Doubt all you want Slide, it won't change anything." His eyes rested on Tecovis. "How was your run, Brave leader?"

Here we go.

Tecovis sighed. "I'm not in the mood Dense. Go bother some other-"

"You don't even know what I'm about to say and already you're getting fiesty."

Slide got into Dense's face and said, "He's not interested, take the hint and leave."

Dense pushed Slide who immediately grabbed him by the curiass and started to throw a punch.

"Slide!"

He stopped mid swing. "Sorry bossman," he said, glowering. 

Dense continued to smirk as Slide let him go and returned to his position. Commander Lions watched them at a distance.

"Good to see your lap dogs still listen."

"What part of leave do you not get? One of these days you're gonna get yourself hurt ignoring us."

"Are you threatening me, Teacup?"

There it is.

Tecovis pinched the bridge of his nose.

"No Dense, I'm not."

"Really? Because that sounded like a threat to me. I'm thinking we should take it to the dueling rings."

"I already said no."

Dense got louder. "No? What's the matter Teacup, you're not afraid are you? If you've got a problem, then fight me. Let's settle it."

"C'mon Dense, you do this every week, can't we just skip it this one time?"

"So you are a coward!" His voice projected across the field. Commander Lions rolled his eyes and approached as he continued, "You're a coward and a weakling, too afraid that he's not strong enough to face off against me yourself!"

"I'm sure Slide would be more than happy to put you in your place again."

"Are you so far above us that you send your lackeys to do what you can't!?"

The commander stopped next to the group and looked at them. It was routine to him at this point.

"No Dense, I'm not dealing with you today."

"Tecovis Shavar, with the commander as my witness I challenge you to a proving duel!"

"Maker's breath do you ever quit?"

It was a rhetorical question. Tecovis knew as well as everyone present that the guardsmen of Thruf were all trained to be tenacious, and Dense had internalized that to a fault. The commander looked at Tecovis and said, "A challenge has been issued. Do you accept?"

"No sir, I don't." He turned around back to Pan and started to direct him and Rox to training positions. 

The commander nodded and said to Dense, "Dionis Mench, He has denied your challenge. Go bother someone else."

After a moment of quietly fuming Dense grumbled, "Your mother and father should be ashamed of you."

Smoke...

Tecovis stopped in place. The scar on his left side began to itch. Every muscle in his body tensed. Rox's saw his change in demeanor and he tried to say, "Teco, no, it's-"

"You know what commander? I rescind my denial. I will fight him."

"It's not worth it bossman, don't-"

"Rox, I know what I'm doing."

He turned back around to face Dense, who stood with victorious grin on his face.

"What kind of example are you setting for Pan by letting him get under your skin?"

"He can spit on me and my honor all he likes, but he crossed the line."

Rox shook his head, "I know he did, but-"

"No buts. I'm fighting him and that's final."

He looked at the Commander, his expression neutral. "Sword and shield. Full armor."

The commander nodded and said to Dense, "Dionis Mench, your challenge has been accepted under the conditions that you fight in a complete suit of lamellar, and with blade and board as the weapons of choice. Do you accept his conditions?"

"Yes sir."

"Then meet at the dueling rings. Lowguard Rox, go gather the weapons. Lowguard Silnor, get Corporal Kitt, she'll officiate."

"What about me?" Pan asked.

"You can follow Tecovis and help him prepare."

Pan nodded. The group disbanded and attended to their orders as Tecovis and Dense made their way to the dueling rings. At the rings, Tecovis sat on a stool and massaged his legs while Pan inspected his armor. Slide was the next to arrive with Corporal Kitt in tow. The corporal had a ruddy complexion and pointed chin. Just as everyone else in the building, she also wore a full suit of lamellar, but she had forgone the helmet like most who weren't actively on patrol or training. The bits of gambeson that could still be seen had the symbols of her rank sewn into it and two trophy-tassles hung around the side of her belt as marks for her service. She went straight to the commander as she arrived and began to discuss the upcoming duel. Rox arrived last, carrying two swords, two shields, and two padded bronze helmets. He handed Tecovis his set first then handed Dense his.

"Maker's breath I hate him. Why does he always do this to you bossman?"

"Why do you think Slide?"

Slide didn't answer. When he didn't, Tecovis looked at Pan and asked again, "What about you, why do you think he challenges me so often?"

"I don't know, sir."

"Think about it a bit. You need to be able to assess threats, so use this as practice."

"Well..."

Pan looked at Dense for a bit.

"... He doesn't like you very much."

"Why not?"

"Maybe because you're mountainborn? You and commander Lions are both foreigners to Thruf, and the commander has talked a lot about how hard it was for him to get his platoon to trust him when he first joined however many years ago it was."

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do, I've been training with you since I got here."

"Do you think I'll win?"

Pan looked surprised at the question. "Of course, you're the best in the twelfth."

Slide didn't look so convinced. They'd worked together every day since he finished training, and he knew what it looked like when Tecovis was at his limit. Slide didn't voice his opinion however.

The corporal walked to the edge of the ring and shouted, "Alright, listen up. This proving duel will be best three out of five, excluding draws. To win the round, you must strike your opponent with the blade, or force your opponent out of the ring. The guardsmen of Thruf do not submit, you will fight until either I call it, or the victory conditions of the round are met, at which point you will reset to the starting positions and wait for me to begin the next round. Do you understand the rules?"

Both Dense and Tecovis agreed.

"Good. Dionis, Tecovis, to your starting positions."

Tecovis stood up and his thighs immediately began to vibrate under his armor. He winced and massaged it some more before stepping into position.

“Battle stances.”

Dense and Tecovis drew their swords with their right hands and raised their shields. They spread their legs to shoulder width, placed their right feet behind them, and both bent their knees to load their legs for quick movement. The late summer sun beat down into the courtyard and Tecovis could feel the sweat under his padded gambeson. Dense adjusted his grip on his sword. Tecovis was trying to stay still, the soreness in his legs upset his stability more than he wanted to portray. 

"You're mine, Teacup."

"Not a chance fatso."

Dense glowered.

"Best three of five! Round one, begin!"

Dense ran straight towards him with his shield raised.

Too easy.

Tecovis sidestepped and tripped him, causing him to tumble out of the ring.

"Point Tecovis!"

Tecovis grinned and said, "Predictable as always."

Dense stood up, his face red with either rage or embarrassment, Tecovis couldn't tell.

From the sidelines he heard Slide howling with laughter, and when he looked he saw Pan and Rox also struggling to contain theirs.

"Positions!"

He gave them a wave and sauntered back to his spot in the ring. His left leg began to vibrate as it had earlier.

"Battle stances!"

They readied themselves. 

"Round two, One to Zero, Tecovis! Begin!

Dense was the first to move. He began slowly walking toward Tecovis at a slight angle to Tecovis's shield side.

What are you playing at, Tecovis thought to himself.

Tecovis maintained his line with Dense by adjusting his stance to stay facing him, otherwise staying put in his starting position. 

After seeing Tecovis shift, Dense's lips tightened. Whatever he was planning was clearly thwarted.

I need to get him to open up. Maybe a feint? Won't help yet, no. I need him to feel pressure so he'll back off. I'll have an easier time cracking him if he fears my strike. 

Tecovis lunged forward, placing his shield in between where he thought a counter would come from before swinging quickly towards Dense's head.

Dense raised his shield to block the strike and the blade collided with a crack, his arm caved slightly from the blow and he backed off out of range. Tecovis pursued, using the momentum from the sword bouncing off the shield to start a diagonal overhead strike from the other side. Dense saw it coming and pulled his torso back to dodge the blow.

Bronze flashed above.

On instinct, Tecovis thrust his sword in that direction. He felt blades sliding across each other and adjusted his grip to catch his opponent's in his crossguard. Carrying the momentum and shifting his weight, he deflected the blow towards his shield side causing Dense to falter.

Clank!

“Point Tecovis!”

Dense stumbled and fell on his back, stunned from the impact of a pommel against his skull.

Tecovis grinned, pleased with himself. He then moved his sword to his off hand and adjusted his shield straps as he spoke to his downed opponent. "Give up yet?"

He overheard Pan whisper behind him, “Maker, I hope I don't have to face off against anyone like him in the field.”

Rox replied to him, “That's why we keep training. The criminals out there need to say that about us.”

Dense spat in the dirt and growled.

Corporal Kitt yelled, “Positions!”

Tecovis and Dense returned to their spots in the ring. When he stepped back into place, he felt the muscles in his thigh begin to vibrate again. Discomforted by this, he used his free hand to apply pressure and massage the muscles, though it was difficult to do through the armor and gambeson. Once it stopped spasming, he swapped his sword back to his main hand and nodded to Corporal Kitt. 

“Battle stances!”

Pan and Tecovis took to their stances. Filled with grit, they locked eyes with their opponents.

“Two to zero, Tecovis. Round three. Begin!”

Tecovis wasted no time and charged at Dense, shield raised.

Dense was taken aback by the different start and dodged to his left. He swung towards Tecovis's open side, though he was even more surprised to find that Tecovis had thrust his own blade forward to catch it, his crossguard striking the weak of his opponent's blade and pushing it away with ease.

With their blades occupied, he twisted around and smashed his shield against his opponent. 

Dense had earned his name however, blocking the shield bash with his own, he slid his blade down Tecovis's sword into the strong and maneuvered under the crossed blades into the open ring.

Blast it! He got away!

Dense and Tecovis regained their respective balances.

“This isn't a dance you two, quit showing off.”

Dense raised his shield between the two of them, Tecovis took a slightly more relaxed stance, then began to step around the edge of the ring towards Dense's shield side.

Dense's feet shifted in place.

Tecovis continued to walk around the ring, inching closer to Dense. He lifted his sword in preparation for his attack.

Dense began to shift again and Tecovis launched another lunge toward him and the tip of the sword embedded itself in the wood of his shield.

Dense felt the blade stick and he twisted his shield to try and disarm Tecovis, who loosened his grip and let the handle spin. When the shield reached the end of his twisting arc, Tecovis retightened his grip and yanked the sword out of the shield. 

Dense quickly readied his defense as Tecovis spun the sword in his hand to a more comfortable position. His leg finally stopped vibrating again.

Tecovis flinched at Dense. His guard came up.

Who's scared now you- Tecovis's thoughts were cutoff as Dense whirled his blade towards his head. He stepped back and saw the tip of the blade skim just past the bridge of his helm's nose guard. He tried retaliate only for the rim of his opponent's shield to knock his blade off line again.

Maintaining momentum, Dense went low and knocked Tecovis's legs out from under him.

Tecovis tucked his shield close to distribute the impact he was about to take and simultaneously swung at Dense.

“Point Dionis!"

Through a raspy breath, Tecovis said, “...ow…” as he saw Dense had evaded his attack his opponent's blade was in his abdomen.

Tecovis rolled onto his back to catch his breath, the lamellar crunching lightly as dirt was crushed in the spaces between the plates. Dense looked like he was ready to gloat, but before he could, Commander Lions said “Are you done dawdling down there?”

“Yes Sir.”

Corporal kitt yelled, “Positions!”

Both combatants returned to their spots.

"Battle stances!"

Tecovis took his stance, though didn't crouch as low as normal.

"Two to one, Tecovis. Begin!"

Both combatants immediately ran to the center of the ring and attacked with a flurry of blows.

Tecovis and Dense ended up in the bind, both trying to maneuver their blade into the other but neither succeeding. Dense broke the bind with a shield shove, pushing Tecovis back two paces.

Dense quickly closed the gap

A heavy impact on Tecovis's raised shield caused him to mistep and a searing cramp rippled through his leg. As he faltered, Dense took advantage and struck at his chest, sending Tecovis to the floor.

"Point Dionis!"

Tecovis layed in the dust of the ring gripping his leg, immobilized by pain.

When he didn't get back up, Rox shouted, "Teco!" and his team rushed to his side. It took all his will to not swear as the spasm pulsed through his thigh.

Dense mocked the grounded recruit. "Aww, what's the matter baby Teacup. Does he need to suckle his mommy?"

Coco...

Tecovis lurched towards him, his teeth gnashed, though Rox's firm palm to his chest kept him grounded.

"What's going on here?" The voice of commander Lions approaching sent all of Brave squad to attention, minus Tecovis who was nursing his thigh as the muscle only now began to release.

Tecovis breathed heavily as Pan explained his perspective of the situation. Corporal Kitt stood by, brow furrowed.

Dense threw his hands wide and asked, "Does this mean I win?"

"No," said the Commander, "Not if he can still stand on his own. So recruit, can you pick yourself up?"

"Of course he can't. He's a weak willed coward, can't even handle an itty bitty charlie horse."

Tecovis growled. He sat up and began to slowly move to his knees and carefully stood back to his full hight.

The Commander grinned.

"Good."

He motioned to the rest of Brave squad and they left the ring, Rox patted Tecovis's shoulder as he did so. The Commander stepped close to him and whispered, "Show him what you can endure," before nodding to the Corporal and walking back to where he had been previously watching.

Tecovis limped over to his side of the ring, and as he did so he spotted all three of his squadmates looking at him with concern. He gave them a thumbs up and shook his leg before turning around to face his fuming opponent. 

"Positions!"

Dense grit his teeth a bit, returned to his place and readied himself. 

"Two to two! Begin!

Dense rushed towards Tecovis yet again, wearing an aggressive snarl on his face and goes for a strike.

Tecovis slips under it, wincing as he moves.

I've been through worse than this.

I will endure.

I must endure.

Finally after almost a solid minute, swords struck armor.

"Draw!"

Both Tecovis and Dense recoiled from the other's blows.

"You little- AAGH!" Dense slashed at the air wildly as he shouted.

"Hey! None of that Dionis, you're a grown man! To your positions!"

Tecovis and Dense went to their spots and readied themselves.

This is for you Momma.

"Two and two! Begin!

Dense and Tecovis circled the ring. Neither willing to advance into the other's reach for the opening seconds.

Once they made it to the other's starting position, Tecovis took a breath and the world slowed. He lunged. 

Dense sidestepped and swung for the head.

Tecovis struck the sword with his shield's rim.

Flash from below.

Tecovis deflects.

Dense strikes his weak.

Tecovis backs away to avoid losing in the bind.

Dense evades a counterstrike.

Tecovis spies the edge of the ring.

Slash.

Press him back.

Duck right.

Fient.

Clash.

Tecovis attempts to trip Dense, but he's too slow.

Dense and Tecovis matched each other, parry for parry, shield bash for shield bash, swing for swing, neither gaining an advantage over the other. Tecovis's legs screamed at him begging him to stop and take a break, but he ignored them.

Bronze rings as they enter the bind, crossguard to crossguard.

Dense wrenches Tecovis's blade from him and it gets thrown to the other side of the ring near the edge.

Uh oh.

Dodge left. 

Block overhead strike.

Tecovis is operating on instinct, allowing himself to weave and flow around Dense's flurry of attacks like the smoke of a candle.

Dense thrusts his blade.

He catches Dense's sword in his shield, and twists.

Dense fails to keep ahold of his blade. 

The added weight throws Tecovis off balance, Dense attempts to take advantage but is pushed away.

Tecovis grabs Dense's sword with his padded glove, rips it from his shield and swings it hilt first towards Dense's torso. 

Dense evades, the pommel whistling as it nearly clips a single plate.

Tecovis flings the sword around and catches it by the hilt.

Downward strike

Dense dives past the blow and rolls, grabbing Tecovis's blade.

He attempts to stand.

Side kick.

"Victory Tecovis!"

Dense clutched his stomach, his teeth bared as he stumbled backwards out of the ring. Tecovis felt a sharp stabbing pain in his left thigh as he attempted to regain his balance. He quickly grabbed it and grunted.

"Recruit?"

"I'm fine Corporal. It's mild."

Corporal Kitt nodded.

From behind him, Dense crowed, "Hey! He cheated, that kick shouldn't count as a point!"

"It didn't Recruit Dionis, you stepping out of the ring did. Watch your step, next time it might be a rooftop. Failure to completely assess the situation and rushing to attack will let your enemy take advantage of you."

Dense seemed like he was about to boil over into a fit, but before he reached the point of screaming, he simply released his breath in a long drawn out sigh. He muttered, "Yes Corporal."

Tecovis took his sword back and walked back to his stool.

Dense walked over to him, still fuming. He asked gruffly, "How?"

"How what?"

"How the pit are you so much better than me?"

Tecovis glared at him for a moment before answering. "Lieutenant Zebulon mentored me in swordsmanship for almost two years before I signed to join the guard."

"What!? How did you get him to-"

"Dense, I live with him!"

He stood still, mouth agape while he processed what he'd heard.

"I... I didn't know that."

"There's a lot you don't know about me, and I don't care to share. Now are we done here?"

Dense looked between him and his squadmates before finally walking away.