Are help and influence the same? Probably not. Fowler influenced me most, but Kael helped me, too. I guess that's the conclusion I see when I look back on it.
Metal clashed. Sharp dings kept Milo stumbling back. The pressure Kael exerted alone was enough to pin Milo to the ground.
Shit, how did we get to this?
"Is this all you can do?" Kael asked.
The shortsword felt heavy in his grip. Grabbing it with two hands felt just as awkward as holding it with one. Milo didn't have time to adjust. He held it with both hands to stop the forceful attacks.
"I'm starting to think you weren't even on the battlefield. Where did you run and hide? Maybe I can come with you to abandon my post, my allies. To abandon those I love."
As deeply as the words tried to cut, Milo was too focused on his life to give them much thought. Kael's movements warped the metal. Milo couldn't keep up, but was somehow blocking each strike.
"Attack me."
Milo's back was almost against the wall.
"Attack me!"
Kael brought his sword to his right side and cut diagonally. Milo's body reacted and dodged, again copying Jackson's movements. He cut through the air as his sword barreled toward Kael's ribs. The man's fist came down on the blade and knocked it from Milo's hands.
*Chk*
The blade dug into the sand, and Kael held his sword to Milo's throat. Sweat from Milo's chin dripped onto the steel.
In one swift motion, Kael sheathed the sword.
"I see..." he mumbled.
Kael turned and walked toward the stairwell leading to his office.
"Good. Keep doing your physical training."
Cloth hit the ground as Milo fell to his butt. Dirt became trapped in the tightly woven fabric. Milo's hands clutched around the sandy loam as the grain spilled through his fingers.
As he raised his hand, he looked down to watch the fine dirt fall to the ground.
Stronger. I need to get stronger.
Milo sighed before returning to his feet. He grabbed the bottom of his pants and rolled them to his knees. The shirt he wore was tossed aside, and the only upper-body coverage he had was his bandages. He left his shortsword leaning against the wall
His left hand rubbed across his shoulder. After a minute of prodding, he dug his finger deep into the gash.
It... feels fine.
Bandages tore from his body as he threw them on top of his shirt. He walked over to the corner and began his lap around the partifold.
Only an hour had passed, but Milo completed his first round of exercise. More soldiers began to fill the arena and warm up. The sun slowly made its way above the walls.
I don't feel as tired as before.
He looked at his hands and squeezed them—a small smile formed on his face.
"Maybe I should up the training?"
Milo's body stiffened.
Crap.
"You seem to grow at an unnatural rate."
"Ah, no, sir. I just— it's just your training is so good."
Kael rolled his eyes. He walked over to the boy and examined his muscles. A familiar sheet of paper rested on a hard board, a quill in his other hand.
He squeezed Milo's arms and legs.
"Interesting..." he mumbled.
Kael's eyebrow shot up as he noticed the large scar on Milo's shoulder. It ran from the top of his shoulder to below the middle of his right collarbone.
"That's... new?"
Milo's face looked puzzled. One of the top fighters and vice-captain of one of the nation's partifolds was confused by a scar?
"Y— Uh, yes, sir."
"When?"
"...Sorry. What, sir?"
"When did this happen?"
"Yesterday. During the fight..."
Milo's fingers ran across the raised tissue. Sounds of steel rang in his ears as his eyes fell to the ground.
"..treat it?"
Suddenly, a hand shook Milo's shoulder. The boy's eyes snapped back to the vice-captain.
"Milo. How did you treat it?"
"Um, some kid, Damian, rubbed some green stuff on it, sir," Milo answered.
"He was dressed in white, with a pin or stitching bearing Lady Vespus. I couldn't make it out well. I'm sorry."
"Green..." Kael's fist rose to his chin.
"That's a possibility."
"W— What is, sir?"
"No, that's not right."
Kael's eyes drifted back to the young boy.
"Milo?"
Quickly, Milo threw his arms to his side and stood tall.
"Yes, sir?"
"Did anything strange happen in the past couple of days? Something that affected you, I mean."
Milo's body relaxed as he thought back to everything that occurred in the past couple of days. The aura of blue flashed through his mind.
"For example," Kael continued, "were there any sharp pains? Pains unbearable? Pains that far surpassed anything physical?"
Pain?
"This morning," Milo responded, "That's the only thing painful that was unnatural."
"What did your mind feel? Did it feel like anyone, or anything, was trying to take over your mind?"
"Take over my mind?"
Kael nodded impatiently.
"No. No, sir, I don't think so. All I saw were images of black steel."
"Black steel..."
Kael went nonverbal for a while, closing his eyes to think. Eventually, Milo started doing pushups to pass the time.
"I'm lost."
Milo stopped his motions and turned his head up. He pushed himself back to his feet.
"Black steel... No, I can't think of any creature with that bond."
Kael shook his head in disappointment.
"Bond?"
The man turned back to the boy.
"You don't know about bonds?"
Milo shook his head.
"No, sir. I never went to school if that's what you're asking."
"Still. It should be fairy tales you hear as a kid."
"Well, there were a couple of stories, but nothing with 'bonds' I don't think."
Kael waited patiently before responding.
"...Sir."
The man sighed.
"I'll give you a quick rundown, but I'm no expert on magic."
Even the word 'magic' made Milo listen in more intently.
"Every living thing has a soul. Sometimes, when living things die, their souls connect to the person who killed them. Really, any living being nearest to their corpse, as long as it respects them."
"W— What do they do, sir?"
"Depends on the bond. Each bond is unique to its species, but also offers a wide array of powers."
"Can... can humans become bonds?"
"Yes."
Kael was quick to answer. His expression showed more than knowledge or hearsay.
Milo thought for a second before his face lit up in realization.
"Like blue light?"
"Sometimes, but any light that's visible would classify it in the 'Seen Bonds' rank."
"What if it were a large white ball with blue flame-looking energy around it?"
Kael's shoulders shrugged with his hands.
"How big?"
Milo cupped his hands and touched the tips of his spread fingers. Both hands pressed together formed a circle as he spread them as wide as he could.
Kael laughed.
"What? Did you kill a dragon?"
Milo's face turned red. He spoke softly.
"..blin..."
Kael stopped himself from laughing.
"A, uh, a what?"
"A goblin...sir."
Milo's voice trailed off as he spoke.
Kael couldn't help himself. His head bucked back as he laughed. He pressed the paper to his stomach and even wiped a tear from his eye.
"Goblin? A goblin bond?"
He laughed as he continued, "The only thing they offer is enhanced regeneration with a little bit of a strength boost, so that makes sense."
A large breath of air puffed from Kael's mouth as he calmed himself.
"I don't know what you thought you saw, but goblins are 'Unseen Bonds.' No light comes from their souls."
"Oh..."
Milo's head dropped. His foot twisted in the dirt, making crunching sounds. His twists became harder and harder.
"Bonds are extremely rare in general. Even I don't have one."
Milo looked back up, and his foot stopped.
Rare?
His expression lifted as Kael scanned through his papers.
"Well, that changes how I'll approach this."
Pages flipped and rustled as he moved between sheets. Mumbles started pouring from his lips.
Eventually, Kael walked over to the wall and set his stuff down. He unstrapped his sword and motioned for Milo to put his on.
Without putting his shirt on, Milo wrapped the leather scabbard straps around his chest. They crossed over one another and formed a black 'x' on his chest.
Kael rolled his sleeves up and started dragging his foot through the sand. He circled Milo and lifted his foot back up when he had reached his starting point. A large outline surrounded the two.
Rings.
Milo raised his guard and stepped toward the center. Kael didn't.
"Good. Don't move."
Kael walked over and stood beside Milo. He slightly pushed the boy's hands around and shifted his legs.
It's like what Elias did.
"No matter what, don't break this stance. Burn the position into your mind."
Kael started the duel slowly, walking Milo through each punch and the proper motions. He talked about jabs, dodging, crosses, hooks, and everything he knew about footwork.
Milo's head began to spin.
So much information.
It was almost as if Kael had read his thoughts.
"You'll need all of this soon enough."
Milo flinched. His eyes cast downward.
"...War?"
"Nothing that serious."
"..."
"Still, I'm surprised Elias hasn't told you."
Elias?
"I heard he's been with Brick, sir."
"Hm, makes sense."
Kael raised his guard as he prepared to attack.
"You'll be fighting someone tomorrow."