In the next several weeks since feeling the Swordsman's Euphoria, I had progressed greatly in my training. I had finished the first movement and learned two more. My father told me that there were 7 movements in all, and at the pace I was learning, I should have them all learned by my birthday. After my practice, I was to meet him in the forge for a review.
"Ah, lad, you are done with your practice all ready?"
"Yes papa, I've done each movement one hundred times."
"Just based on your time, you have already showed improvement. I told you that we were going to do a review today, but I wan't honest with you. I wanted to talk to you about something."
"What is it papa?"
"I told you that you had to be high born to become knight, but there is one other way. I didn't mention it, because I didn't truly know if you would show the dedication it would take in order for you to meet this chance."
"I'm dedicated papa, I will be a knight."
"I can see that now. During the King's birthday celebration on the odd number years, there is a tournament of sorts. It is only for children over the age of 10, which you will be this year. Just in time for the King's birthday I might add. It is by the King's decree that any child can enter this tournament for the chance to receive admission to the royal academy of knighthood. This being the King's 35th birthday, the tournament will be open."
"Can I enter the tournament papa?" I was excited. I would be 10 only two weeks before the King's birthday celebration.
"Seeing how you have trained faithfully, and have followed every lesson I have taught you to this point, I don't see why you can't enter. I still have a few more things to teach you, and we only have two months for you to learn it. Will you stay as dedicated as you have, and will you train even harder if I ask you?"
"Yes papa, I will do whatever it takes." I was beside myself, I couldn't believe what my father was telling me. I was going to compete in a tournament to become a knight. Wait, what would I have to do in this tournament? "Papa, how do receive admission to the academy?"
"I was wondering when you were going to ask that question. The child that wins the tournament is the only one that can enter the academy. There are three challenges that you must face. The first is an agility course. You receive a points total based on what place you finish. The second is a knowledge of weapons. The child that can name each weapon and what it's purpose is rewarded with a single point. The final test, is a melee. The five children with the highest points total will fight for the reward. Only 1 child can remain standing. All weapons are blunted, but it is still a very brutal competition. There have been no deaths, but there have been several children that spent quite a few weeks with the healers after tournaments in the past."
I thought I was ready for an agility course. I ran from the forest to the forge everyday with two trees dragging behind me, and a heavy practice sword on my back. With my knowledge of the movements, I was ready for a melee, but I knew nothing about weapons and what they did other than what they looked like they could do.
"I can tell by the look on your face, you are going through what you can do, and what you can't do. Don't fool yourself boy, you still have a lot to learn in a very short time. The children you will be facing in the tournament will undoubtably be high born. Even thought the tournament is open to everyone, it is not practical for commoners to train as you have much less like those of the high born. They have been in training since the day they could walk, and they have been studying weapons for almost as long. If you think you know enough to win the melee, you would be mistaken."
"But papa, I know how to reach Swordsman's Euphoria. That should help me win."
"Swordsman's Euphoria will help you, but it won't help you win. You need knowledge and practice that only comes from working hard over a long period of time. You have come a long way, but they have all come that long way, probably years ago. Don't let your knowledge of the Swordsman's Euphoria make you arrogant. That is when it will leave you. There is one other thing I want to tell you about the tournament. It is best to enter the academy at 10 years of age, but there is no limit on when you can enter the academy, but there is a limit on how many times you can enter the tournament. If you want to take your time and learn more, you can wait until the next tournament to enter. You will have more knowledge and more skill. You will be better prepared to win. If you enter this year, that is it. There are no other entries after that."
I took a moment and thought about what my father had just said. It took me months to learn the first move of he first movement. In a few weeks though, I had learned the entirety of the first movement as well as the second and third movements. There is no telling what I could learn in two more months. I would learn what I needed to learn, and I would win that tournament. I was done thinking.
"I will enter this year, when do I start learning about weapons?"
"I was afraid that you were going to say that." My father's head dropped as he said this. "Starting tomorrow, I will begin teaching you about the different weapons and their purposes. For the remainder of today, I want you to be a child."
Before he could finish what he was going to say, I chimed in with his very next line. "Spend your childhood being a child. I know papa."
"Ha, ok boy. Run along and play. After today, you probably won't have any time to do that again."
As I turned away, I noticed that my father dropped his head again, and was shaking it slowly from side to side. I should have paid better attention to that look.
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