As the gray-haired Knight moved to the center of the circle of onlookers, Arran watched him closely .
From the man's movements alone, it was clear that he was powerful — alarmingly so . After studying Muna's foundation, Arran could recognize the signs of insights, and he saw them even in the Knight's steps .
The gray-haired man's entire body was like a weapon, expertly wielded . Not the slightest excess of movement could be seen in his actions, as if he fully controlled every single muscle in his body .
Arran could not help but sigh at the casual display of power . For all the progress he'd made over the past months, such a level of perfection was still far out of his reach .
That wasn't a problem that could be solved by training, either . Rather, it would require learning the Darians' secrets and studying their most treasured methods .
But Arran had his own advantages, as well .
Broad though the Knight's insights might be, they lacked the depth of Arran's true insight into binding and severing . And while the Knight had a Living Shadow dagger, his primary weapon was a starmetal sword .
Still, Arran doubted that would be enough to defeat this opponent . But then, he didn't need to win . What he needed was to demonstrate his strength .
"All of you," the Knight said, his eyes on the onlookers, "please step back . We need space to fight . "
Though he spoke in a friendly tone, the Lady's guests hurried in obliging him, fearful of causing the Knight any offense . And as the circle of people around them expanded, the Knight turned to Arran .
"I trust you don't need time to recover from your battle against my son . " Though the man's voice betrayed no emotion, there was a flicker of amusement in his eyes .
If Arran didn't know any better, he almost would have thought the Knight was glad for the beating his son had received at Arran's hands .
But then, perhaps he was . Few flaws were as dangerous for a fighter as overconfidence, and the memory of the humiliating loss might one day save the young Ranger's life .
"I'm ready," Arran replied, his attention turning to the fight ahead . Right now, his only concern was to avoid a humiliating loss of his own .
The Knight nodded . "Then let's begin . "
Without any further words, the man moved forward, sword raised in front of his body as he approached Arran . And although he moved with confidence, he showed caution as well — the vigilance of an experienced fighter who wouldn't underestimate any opponent .
Arran readied himself for the attack that would come, his muscles tensing in anticipation of the first clash .
When only a few paces between them remained, the Knight suddenly dashed forward in a fluid rush of motion, his sword lashing out at Arran with the speed of a hungry viper .
It was a masterful attack . The Knight's strikes were fast enough that they blended together in a blur of movement, and for each real blow that he struck, there were half a dozen subtle feints .
Arran struggled to withstand the assault . For several moments, it was all he could do to parry and block his opponent's attacks, without even the slightest chance to retaliate .
Yet although he struggled beneath the onslaught, with the Knight forcing him to retreat several paces, he did not break .
Somehow, his defense held . And under the pressure, he felt his understanding increase .
As he parried and deflected the Knight's cuts and thrusts, he grew more familiar with the insights he'd spent the last half-year studying .
For the first time, he could put all he'd learned into practice . Moreover, in the Knight's swordplay he recognized more advanced versions of his own insights, and the confrontation saw him improve rapidly .
Seconds turned into minutes as Arran fought the Knight, and as the two clashed, his mind was focused entirely on the battle .
If the pressure of battle was like a forge, then the Knight's strikes were like a blacksmith's hammer, shaping the insights Arran had studied for months . And as the insights took shape, his defense grew more confident .
Slowly, Arran's retreat came to a halt, the Knight's attacks no longer enough to push him back .
For some time, he merely weathered the blows, learning from his opponent as the attacks continued undiminished . It was an invaluable lesson, and if his mind hadn't been fully focused on the battle, he would have rejoiced at the progress he was making .
But as it was, all he could do was fight . And as his confidence steadily grew, he began to return the Knight's attacks .
At first, his strikes were few and far between, with his opponent easily blocking those rare few attacks he made . Yet steadily, the battle grew more even .
Although Arran's opponent still held the upper hand, it was no longer the one-sided onslaught it had been at the start . Both sides now exerted themselves when they clashed, their weapons whistling through the air as they attacked each other .
And as they fought, the onlookers watched in silence, their eyes wide with awe at the fight they were witnessing . Seeing a Knight do battle was a rare thing, and seeing one challenged in earnest rarer still .
Meanwhile, Arran fought with the hunger of a beggar who saw treasure on the horizon, greedily taking in all the knowledge he could as his weapon clashed with his opponent's sword .
Months of study had provided him with a foundation, but so far, his knowledge had remained abstract . Yet now, with an opponent strong enough to drive him to his limit, that knowledge was finally solidifying into skill .
He did not know how long the battle lasted . More than an hour, certainly, perhaps even several hours . But enraptured by his newfound skills, time passed Arran by unnoticed .
Then, at last, Lady Raina's voice sounded .
"That will be enough . Finish it . "
Before Arran could react, the Knight's movements suddenly hastened . A dozen rapid strikes, and suddenly there was an opening in Arran's defense .
And through that opening, a fist came hurtling toward his face .
The Knight's blow struck Arran squarely in the nose, hitting with such force that it sent him sprawling to the ground, his ears ringing from the impact .
For several seconds, he remained lying on his back, staring at the stars above as he felt blood pour from his freshly broken nose .
When he got up again, a wry smile crossed his face .
He'd known the Knight had been holding back, but he hadn't realized the difference between them was quite as large as this . Not after his foundation solidified, at least .
As he stood up, Arran saw that the gray-haired Knight had already turned to Lady Raina . The blow to his head had caused him to miss the first few words of what they said, but he blinked in surprise when he heard what followed .
"He's strong," the Knight said . "Barely a step away from matching a Knight . If the other is equally strong, I'd struggle to match them . "
Lady Raina nodded thoughtfully . "If they're a match for you, one of Kadun's Knights wouldn't stand a chance . " She turned to Kaleesh, and continued, "It appears you were telling the truth, after all . So you're not just a braggart, hiding behind Rannoc's skirts . "
A relieved smile on his face, the captain replied, "Though we've had dealings with Rannoc, we are not his subjects . We are traveling to the Desolation by our own choice, not on his orders . "
The Lady frowned . "We'll need to discuss your relationship with Rannoc," she said . "But that can wait until we finish the banquet . " She glanced at her husband, then added, "This diversion lasted rather longer than I expected it to . "
She turned around without any further words and began to head back to the hall, where a feast still stood waiting for them — a cold feast that would be cold, by now .
The other guests moved to follow her, and Arran did the same . Yet he'd barely set a single step when a piece of cloth was pressed against his face . And an instant later, he felt a sharp sting of pain as a stranger's hand set his broken nose .
When he looked to his side, he saw Lady Raina's daughter standing next to him, a look of disapproval on her face .
"Keep that there until the bleeding stops," she ordered . "You're bleeding all over my brother's shirt . "
Arran frowned in confusion, but he did as she said, pressing the piece of cloth against his bloodied nose . "Your brother's shirt?" he asked, his voice muffled behind the cloth .
"And one of the few that make him look halfway decent, too," she said with a nod . She glanced at the blood-covered shirt, then sighed . "But I suppose it's already ruined . Come with me, and we'll get you changed . "
Although her words only added to Arran's confusion, he followed her meekly through the keep's hallways . When the bleeding from his nose had stopped, he said, "I thought the servant thing was only an act . "
"It was," she replied . "But I could hardly let you sit with the others, looking all bloodied . My father really hit you good . "
"That he did," Arran replied . A thoughtful look crossed his face, and he said, "I should thank him . "
The girl gave him a puzzled look . "For breaking your nose?"
Arran shook his head . "For the fight . It was… instructive . "
By now, he understood all too well that the Knight had held back in their battle, purposely allowing Arran to learn as they fought . It was an invaluable gift, worth the broken nose he'd received many times over .
"I've never seen anyone last that long against him," the girl said . "Except mother, of course . So what's your name?"
"Arran," Arran said . "And yours?"
"Dalia," the girl replied . "Now come along . Let's find you a clean shirt . "
A few minutes later, Arran had washed the blood from his face, and he was wearing a fresh new shirt — a black one, this time . And as they headed back to the dining hall, he turned to Dalia .
"I hope I haven't made an enemy of your brother . "
"Kalin?" She laughed, then shook her head . "Once he gets past the frustration of losing, he'll be begging you to spar with him . " She let out a small sigh, then said in a voice that carried a hint of exasperation, "What he lacks in sense, he makes up for in effort . "
Arran chuckled . "I've always found that effort is at least as valuable as sense — perhaps even more so . "
Dalia gave him a disapproving look . "I hope you're not as much of a fool as he is . "
This question, Arran wisely left unanswered .
They returned to the dining hall some minutes later, finding the other guests already sitting at their tables . And this time, Arran found that his place was at the very front of the hall — next to Kaleesh, who still looked slightly nervous .
"That went better than I'd hoped," the captain said in a low voice .
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