The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'-Chapter 492 - Willing Attention As Heavy As Any Blade… As Bright As Any Cast Steel
The veritable stadium that had been ’temporarily’ formed for the duel with Corde had been reinforced over time and kept around as a permanent structure that the residents were rather inordinately proud of. Part tourist attraction, part useful venue, the Youth Guild of Qatrand’s growing city was slated to use it if their numbers ever became high enough. Already, the field was marked with practice posts and weapon racks that she had commissioned from local carpenters.
And today, fifteen of the militia members and dozens of other bored volunteers moved through heavy bladed defensive stances under an afternoon sun. Black hair tied back, a swordswoman walked among them with her own training blade resting across her shoulders. Observing their attempts to mimic the footwork and weight distribution she had tried to show off on the central dais. The practice sword in her hands was newer than the ones her ’students’ wielded - cast from the same method, by the same person, but finished just yesterday.
Her old one couldn’t really handle her going all out, she learned while trying to impress a visiting little Onya. Suddenly taking a stance and repeating the correct motion in front of one young man, her low voice gave him guidance while his attention burned her skin. It was her Cynosure Physique at work, compelling allies to pay close attention, to absorb what she demonstrated with unusual levels of inspiration.
"You’re leaning too far forward. If your opponent commits, you’ll be off-balance before you can even attempt to parry."
Pigeon-blues tracked the improved movement of all those who had been close enough to be affected. She’d been cautious about using it at first, once she gained the control to do so intentionally. The effect felt invasive somehow, like she was imposing on their autonomy in the same way the Taunt effect did. But after close to two years of leading this territory, she’d come to understand that people wanted to learn and wanted guidance... even at the cost of feeling a few minutes of ’fervor’ to pay attention to her like she was the most excellent instructor.
"No. Like this."
Qat demonstrated the next stance in this kata a dozen yards away inside a different group, and felt fourteen other pairs of eyes lock onto her form. The weight of their collective focus was intense in a way a bit different from Voidlings... but she’d learned to work through it. It was much better to do so in peacetime than in the middle of the invasion, like she’d done with the Enchanter level effect of her Physique.
"See how my center stays back? I can still choose to move forward and strike when there is an opening, but I’m not removing the defensive angles that can be woven from this position. You stay alive by not giving your opponent easy openings."
Some adjusted faster at the instruction than others - her ability was not some absolute replacement for their own skill and potentials. But all of them were trying and all of them showed improvement every time she held one of these sessions. Almost like each swing of the style that mixed Yecine foundations and personal preference that had been refined against Corde hez Iralev’s teaching... copied under view of her was worth a hundred swings without Qatrand’s effective presence.
Which led to a number of the mortals that were not yet Continental Army volunteers to discuss enlistment, perhaps a bit overconfidently. And that was a problem she would have to address sooner or later, when the fort assignments and construction of one for her own territory began.
Movement at the yard’s edge caught her attention and the former Yecine’s tendrils of spirit lanced out before turning and watching Leysah approach. The cultivator had been absent for weeks - off handling business Qat had deliberately not asked too many questions about. She grabbed for one of the blades in the weapon rack, examined it for a bit with a few experimental swings, and then joined in the training with only a nod.
Each of them on site were created by a blacksmith that had relocated to the territory a month prior. Convinced by Nysoi after a bit of negotiation, but ultimately drawn by the plans and techniques that the Warden Patrician’s wife had sent back along with so much else in that book so long ago, the cultivator had actually signed an exclusive work deal with the territory itself. Something that the Yecine weren’t very happy with when news spread that the first thing he did was cast blades in a style near their own at a rapid pace!
’Training weapons for the militia, but also parts for our infrastructure that didn’t spread out in such rumors.’
Reinforcement brackets for the new-style - which was really an old style - grain hopper for distribution periods after the mill was complete. Components for the well hand-pump mechanisms that were intended to be distributed at cost to the homesteaders and farmers alike. As well as all kinds of metalwork for the construction teams working on the roadway south.
’Thanks to El’s knowledge, he can oversee the work of others with his knowhow for more rapid growth on our part. I’ll have to make sure the people know who to thank. I wonder if she can handle gaining yet another moniker?’
In exchange for the methods with metal, he got nearly free access to supplies. A private workshop space and housing for himself and the many helpers sworn to secrecy. All for prioritizing the needs of the territory and agreeing not to entertain contracts from other locales without approval. Which Qat would willingly give if there was expected downtime... for a reasonable but certain cut of the profit.
Exclusive did mean exclusive - and the Valmenf woman was a bit surprised that such tight margin terms were the idea of the very leader who *frowned* every time there was talk of raising taxes in the coming years. Not that either values were currently ’harsh’, but compared to the very lenient rate that was meant to attract newcomers instead of building short term increases to the treasury... the deal with the blacksmith was much closer to usury.
"Warden?"
"Sorry, I was distracted. Where have you been?"
Qat asked the question quietly during a water break, when the others were occupied with their own discussions. Thankfully, they had learned not to keep staring once she held back her Cynosure. The first few times had been uncomfortable in a different way than the burning skin feeling.
"Helping Sevra and that Cloak user investigate something."
The curved blade wielder holding onto a very straight and blunt blade meant... the former body double. Qat had spent some brief time with him, mostly for interrogation, but ultimately let Lirades handle his whole affair. He was too obsessed with her wife for the liking of one ’fortress’. And it didn’t seem like he would get better by being *pressed* to stay next to the person he had been made to imitate.
The fact that others in the Yecine had cared nothing about him personally through that period was not only a haunting childhood memory. It had actively followed him into his adult life. And the young man knew that Teovar was at fault for it all.
"Any progress?"
"Some. Sevra’s tracking skills combined with his ability to move unseen has proven effective. They’ve confirmed a few possible locations, gathered potential names. Nothing concrete enough to move on yet. But it’s building. They’ll have something to report sooner or later."
Leysah’s tone suggested she wasn’t entirely comfortable with the methods being used, but recognized their necessity. Qat understood that feeling intimately. Especially when a certain exiled elder of the Wing & Talon Enclave had approached her with hands rubbing together, lots of flattery while speaking about potentially moving, and eventual uncomfortable questions. About if she was as amenable to black market connections as her El was.
"Keep me informed. When they need any support-"
"You’ll be the first to know. Don’t worry, I’m on this for you. Just teach your people."
The break ended when her adjutant Hoolov saw the red-sand hourglass reach a certain point. He blew on the small horn to gather the group back to formation. As she continued to get used to her teaching ability and the feeling of responsibility and duty that came with it, she thought of her mint-drop. Likely working on distraction after distraction.
Grand projects that would last, despite being composed of whims. Despite being composed of love and obsession. It was all a part of their future that the blonde felt was worth protecting. Of course, her hair was more honest and everyone in the territory knew when she suddenly was thinking of her wife. But only Leysah would actually get her attention and tap on her own head to inform her of that. Raising her practice blade, clearing her throat, and rapidly re-pigmenting the strands...
"Leysah will now demonstrate what happens when you over-commit to an attack. Watch closely."
Saluting with a grin, the first person who was not El or not family that had been let into her inner circle settled into a ready stance with her live blade. The clash wasn’t going to be very useful for those watching. None of them would be able to replicate the interactions of Kinetic against Gravity. Or even mimic the exact speed of the movements.
"Gladly, Warden Patrician."
But all of them would talk about it excitedly later anyway!
