As the herald announced the winner the crowd busted in cheers. In the audience's stage, there are 3 men who clearly give off a noble aura are talking among themselves.
- So sir Edward Green, why didn't you join the sword fight tournament ?
- I know my place sir Philippe Gaudin. I've just acquired my tittle last month so I am nowhere good enough to fight in this tournament.
- You are too humble sir Edward, but I want to see your strength in the jousting tournament. As I, Vittorio Cosenza won't accept any excuse. You better get ready.
- I know that you want to test my strength but we still have till tomorrow so why don't you join me in the banquet tonight, sir Vittorio?
- I have to refused, sir Edward, I can't handle wine and it will be an insult if I am drunk in tomorrow match.
- It's a pity then.
- I will join in his place then.
- Well, as always sir Philippe never miss any banquet.
- Of course, I love drinking and I also don't want to let the ladies feel lonely.
- A true gentleman you are, sir Philippe.
- Now if you excuse me kind sirs, I need to get back to prepare attending the banquet.
- Me too. Good luck in the tournament tomorrow, gentlemen.
As Vittorio get back to his tent, he called his servant and hand him a small note.
- Take this and bring it to Edward.
The servant received the note and go with haste. Vittorio still deep in his thought with a menacing grin on his face as he know that his plan will success, the only problem now is how costly it will be.
"That fool taken Philippe too lightly. Unlike what he show us, Philippe isn't stupid, he's already got the wind that we are preparing something in the dark. That idiot Edward, once I am done with this I will have to find a way to dispose him, keep such stupid fool next to me may harm me in the future. It's the best if he and Philippe can finish each others off".
***
In another tent a man with his best smile are preparing his clothes in front of the mirror, he has a handsome face and great mustache that can make ladies' heart want to jump. He clearly look like someone who enjoy party if it's not because a faint voice come from his mouth.
- Another stupid banquet, if it's not because my family no longer have to power like in the past I will never have to play a fool like this.
- Master, it is better to pretend to be a fool than be a fool
- You are right, and how is the stranger that I accepted ? how is his squire's training?
- He is doing good, master.
- Good, I am done preparing. Wish me luck in playing a fool, Sebastian.
- Lady luck smile upon you, master.
With that said the man run out of his tent and jumped on the horse. He quickly rode to the castle to attend the banquet.
******************
- Hurry up kid, or we won't make it before the night come.
Hearing the words come from the old man he can only grit his teeth while press forward. His energy bar is almost always red since he left the city. Every time it recover a point he spend that on moving forward. The cost of energy to move in this armor is much more than normal. Normally you can run 100m with 1 energy point but in this armor each 5 steps cost 1 energy. The rate is insane but due to the training he continuously receive the stats bonus from which raise both his stamina,strength and agility.
| Stat gained |
|---|
| Stamina +1 |
| Stat gained |
|---|
| Strength +1 |
| Stat gained |
|---|
| Stamina +1 |
| Stat gained |
|---|
| Agility +1 |
| Stat gained |
|---|
| Strength +1 |
| Stat gained |
|---|
| Stamina +1 |
Every time a pop-up message appeared, he was delighted by the progress he was making. As the stats rise he can move faster and the cost of energy for moving start to go down as well as the rate of energy recover go up but it still cost a lot so his energy bar can't even recover.
By the end of the day two men finally get to their destination. It's a small stream that inside the forest next to the city.
- Okay tonight I will prepare the food but from tomorrow on you will have to do it yourself. Watch me now so you can see how to catch fish like this. Remember that this is also your training. You are not allowed to use anythings else to catch fish.
As the old man speak he grab a spear and walk into the stream then hold the spear like people hold a javelin instead of normal hold. The he start watching the water, just 5 second the stab the spear into the water then raise it up with a fish on the spear tip. He throw the fish over the stone that he prepared beforehand then return back tho the stream. After 30 secs they already have 6 fishes and the old man nod like he satisfy with the number.
- Did you see that? If you did then you know what you have to do tomorrow, right? I may have to get back to city so each day you have to catch as much as you can, put them on the bag over there so I can bring em back to the city to sell, okay? And remember that you have to do this with full armor and equipment.
He nod to show that he understand while looking at the flesh fishes that now lying on the stone. The old man walk over them and start to screw them on some small tree branch after remove the inside. After that he plug the branch that have the fish on it close to the camp fire but not enough to make the branch burn.
He start to do the same thing as well and once the fish change it's color into a little yellow instead of white the old man pick up one of the fish and give it to him. The smell is so good that his saliva drop from his mouth just by smell it.
- Try it now. It's cooked.
Hearing the man pulled him back to reality as he use one hand to wipe his saliva the others hand pick up the fish and bring to his mouth.
| New skill gain | |
|---|---|
| Cooking | Beginner lv 1 |
The fish is not bad. It's not as great as he think but since he feel so hungry he consume the fish in merely few minutes. After that he eat 2 more fish then lying down to rest. That night, the old man tell him a story of history, a story full of legends, gods, heroes, demons and angels, a story of the history of this world.
The next day he try to get some fishes but once he step into water he found out the it is even harder for him to move now. The energy consume rate is now 1 step 1 energy and 3 energy each time he attack the fish. The water flow very fast and the ground underwater is slippery which make him trip a few times and due to the weight of the armor he almost drown one time. Not mention that the fish is fast under water somehow it seem that he can't even hit one of them. The work that look so easy when the old man did now become an impossible mission for him. That night he end up with 2 fish and he have to eat both so he have none left to sell. He still hungry as it's a whole day hunting fish so 2 fish is no where enough for his stomach.
The training from hell have just started.
As the second day of training go he start to get the hang of how fish move and he remember that the light change it's trajectory under water so he able to get enough fish to fill his stomach this time. But he still have none left to sell.
The old man get back to the camp that night so half the fish which should go to his stomach now in the old man's one. He have to sleep with hunger again.
The third day in training is much better for him. He able to move better as his stats go up more and more during the last two days training. He able to catch 40 fishes that day and for the first time in 3 days he can eat till he is full. At night the old man check the bag and nod satisfy with the number of fishes that will be sell in city.
The next morning The old man called him over and tell him.
- Listen, Eumenes. You know that the equipment and our fighting style here is a style require a lot of man in formation right?
- Yes, it is. our prefer formation is a line formation 8 men deep.
- But do you really like to fight in such formation? Don't say you don't want to I know how much you stranger like to be able to freely move in battle.
- I know but we don't have anything else in Minos, right ?
- Yes, in Minos we don't but I am not a native here. I was in an expedition force when I was young as a special unit.
We are belong to a unit fought in multi style and also any of us able to become Lokhagos or Tagmatarches which can command 100 or 300 troops. We act as a multi - role units and reserved command officers to replace those die in battle.
Our unit is no longer exist but there are troops that fight in similar style in Athens and Macedon now. Their name are Thorakitai. They armed similar to a Hoplite but use a shield called Thureos instead. They also bring along javelin in combat. It make us more effective to flaking but also make us harder to train and our equipment cost higher than normal.
But the flexibility allow us to fight anywhere in the battlefield and we can even turn the tide of battle if we appear in the right place.
If you want I can train you in Thorakitai style but you will have to travel to big city such as Athens or Macedon to join an army that have those units because most small city states don't have money and power to field such troops. The closest city have Thorakitai unit are Halicarnassus they start to field 2 Thorakitai unit since 3 years ago.
Or if you can reach Tagmatarches rank you will be able to request the city state to bruild a unit of Thorakitai. Given that city state is rich enough to pay for the soldiers and the leader agree to do so.
So what will you do kid? Do you agree? It's actually quite easy since the only problem is change into another shield and train you in javelin throwing.
After thinking for a while the young man nod and speak.
- I will follow your instruction then, master.
- Good then I will train you in that style start in this afternoon but you won't use this style in the next expedition, understood?
- Yes, master.
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