We ate quickly as we were all eager to get this spar started. Ulfric because it would give him a better gauge of me. Galmar because he was just battle hungry and me because Galmar was second only to Ulfric in the game and as a result was likely strong enough to actually give me a decent workout. Jorleif and Wuunferth, the mage, were just interested in seeing a fight. I earned a bit of odd looks when I actually finished off the table of food. Clearly Ulfric was just trying to flex a little but I'll never turn down a feast and I don't waste food.-
Thankfully I had a strong stomach thanks to maximizing my growth and digested fast to make sure I had plenty of energy at all times. Once the meal was done we all got up and headed for the training yard. It was a wide open area behind the palace of kings with different spots meant for different things. The ground was heavily stained from centuries of guards, soldiers and warriors training there. At the moment there was a few dozen lightly armored folk training there with wooden weapons. -
"Make room, Galmar's sparring with someone." Ulfric ordered and the people all looked at each other surprised.
They cleared out of the melee zone and Galmar approached the wooden rack. He casually reached out and grabbed a wooden great axe that he swung a few times to adjust to the lighter than his actual weapons weight. I walked up to the same rack and grabbed a longsword with two edges. Casually I pinched along it's center line and then with a crisp "CRACK!" snapped off the top edge. I then ran a flaming finger along the new spine to harden it.
"I use a single edged sword typically." I explained when everyone stared at me weirdly.
"I understand. I'll get that training blade replaced later." Ulfric said waving off the destruction calmly.
"Anything else boy? I want you at your best." Galmar said impatiently.
"No, this is it. Let's begin." I said calmly as I leaned forward and launched myself at him.
The air around my wooden sword screamed as I stabbed it's tip at him. He adjusted his grip on the wooden greataxe's handle and twisted his body slightly causing my weapons edge to grind against it between his hands. -
He pushed and my balance was broken as he skillfully repositioned his hands and swung at me with the axe head. I didn't bother stumbling in an attempt to regain my posture but further pushed into the unbalance to drop into a roll that ended with me on my feet and his weapon striking dirt. He repositioned again and I easily figured out his style, he was a fucking tree. By that I mean he rooted himself in place to use the maximum amount of force in every action. At his skill level there was none of the usual delay between mobile and rooted for him, he switched between them as casually as breathing.-
This was no pampered elite soldier given the best training and gear but lacking real experience. No this was someone who earned every bit of skill with blood, sweat and scars. I launched myself at him again and this time feinted another stab only to switch into a punch last second. He raised his weapon in front of him and ate the punch with his weapons handle. Or he would have if my fist didn't snap the handle and keep going only to stop an inch from his chest.-
"That's no good. I can't even warm up if the weapon is so fragile." I said a little annoyed at this.
"If I knew you hit like a giant I wouldn't have tried to block." Galmar said as he tossed the now useless halves of the wooden weapon to the sides.
To my surprise he just reached behind him and took off the heavy steel axe there.
"The real thing feels better anyway." he said taking his stance again.
I just grinned and came at him again. I didn't try over powering him anymore and focused on drowning him in a flurry of slashes and jabs. His years of experience were not so easy to beat however as he not only didn't stay on the defensive but moved to offense as well. His swings might not have had as much raw power as my own but he still had plenty. Enough that even my ridiculously high strength felt a decent strain blocking them head on. Our spar quickly devolved into a frenzy of movement as we clashed across the zone. Galmar a heavy sturdy force like a boulder while I was fluid and forceful like a powerful river.-
He was breathing quite hard and beginning to falter as sweat poured off him while my breathing was only slightly heavy and a thin dabbing of sweat beaded my skin. It was obvious that at this rate I'd win through sheer endurance and so I called it to an end here.
"Not bad for an old soldier. Actually gave me a decent workout." I said tossing away my battered and basically trashed wooden sword.
"How about that Galmar? Had fun getting your backside kicked by a lad barely grown?" Ulfric teased his friend with a light hearted chuckle.
"If we had even ten soldiers like him during the war we'd have chased those knife eared thalmor all the way back to Summerset!" Galmar said with a loud booming laugh.
"He didn't use any magic at all." Wuunferth said with a stern expression.
"What's that got to do anything with this?" Galmar asked confused.
"It means he was holding back." Ulfric said with narrowed eyes on me.
"Yes and no. Yes that isn't my strongest state but no I didn't hold back, at least not in terms of pure martial combat at least. That was all of my skill and physical power. Frankly he's the first person who's managed to keep up with me at all." I said honestly.
"Keep up? I'm practically spent and you are barely fucking sweating!" Galmar said with a tired curse.
"I'm literally built stronger than everyone else and you STILL brought me to this point. Believe me that's something really damned impressive." I said seriously.
He grumbled but didn't contradict me anymore after that.
"So I noticed the extra soldiers in the city. Is there a reason for that I should be concerned about?" I asked Ulfric as we headed back inside.
"The legion has been making suspicious movements. I believe they might know about our plan and want to get a preemptive strike in to stop us." he said gravely.
"It was bound to happen. No information remains secret forever, especially not something like our plans. I assume Torygg has been making his own preparations?" I asked seriously.
"Aye, he's young but you were right. Once the way was clear he got things moving in Solitude and negotiations with Hammerfell are underway. The Forsworn have been making nuisances of themselves however, ambushing diplomats and caravans, the usual interference." he said honestly.