Chapter 108: Friends [3]
I've spent so much time fighting without armor that it feels strange to suddenly have protection.
Maybe I got too comfortable with taking hits. Something that I shouldn't be doing in the first place... Otherwise I'd end up dead one day.
~You absolutely did.
Guess it is a good thing I've been changing over the last year.
~You repeatedly suffer injuries that could be prevented.
Not all of them. I can't anticipate every single attack.
~I definitely understand that. Just saying you could have had proper gear from the start Kain.
I ignore it.
It's right but I don't really want to think much about that right now.
Laz wipes some sweat from his forehead.
"You're definitely keeping it."
"I never said I wasn't."
"You looked like you were thinking about it."
"I was thinking about something else."
"Always are."
I put my sword away and Niko walks back towards the side of the training area.
"Come here."
"What now?"
"The fun part."
"There shouldn't be a fun part."
"There absolutely is."
Laz immediately follows.
I stay where I am.
Niko turns around.
"You coming?"
"What are you doing?"
"Testing the impact resistance."
"No."
"You don't even know how."
"You said impact resistance."
"Yes."
"Which means you're going to hit me."
"Technically."
Laz starts laughing.
"Technically?"
Niko reaches behind a wooden barrier.
He pulls out what looks like some kind of padded staff.
I stare at it.
"That's it?"
Niko looks offended.
"What were you expecting?" He questions with a curious tone.
"I don't know. Something that explodes."
"See? You don't trust me."
"Because you keep talking about explosions."
He hands the padded staff to Laz.
"Hit him."
Laz looks at the staff, then me.
A smile slowly appears on his face.
"No."
My answer comes immediately.
"This is necessary," Niko says.
"Why does Laz need to do it?"
"Because he'll enjoy it."
"That's exactly why he shouldn't."
Laz adjusts his grip.
"Come on, Kain."
"No."
"Scared?"
"Stop trying that."
"But it keeps working."
I stare at him as he raises the staff.
Niko gestures towards my side.
"Hit the armor. Not his head."
"Thanks for specifying."
"You're welcome."
I sigh.
"Fine."
I position myself.
"Don't hit too hard."
Laz smiles.
"Of course."
That smile doesn't make me feel confident.
He swings.
WHAM!
The padded staff slams into my side and I stumble half a step.
"What the hell?"
Laz immediately starts laughing as Niko walks closer.
"How did that feel?"
"Like he hit me."
"Pain?"
"Some, but it wasn't terrible."
"Sharp or dull?"
"Dull."
"Good."
"Good?"
"The armor spread the impact."
He taps the section Laz hit.
"If that was a claw or blunt strike, you'd still feel it, but it should reduce the damage."
I rub my side.
"Could've tested that with less force."
Laz shakes his head.
"That wasn't hard."
I look at him.
"Do it again."
Niko raises a hand.
"Wait."
He checks one of the straps, then steps back.
"Alright."
Laz swings again.
WHAM!
This time I don't move as much.
The hit still hurts, but he's right.
The impact spreads across the piece instead of concentrating in one place.
"Better," I say.
Niko smiles.
"See?"
"Still don't trust you."
"Unbelievable."
Laz hands the staff back to him.
"My turn."
Niko looks confused.
"Your turn for what?"
"Put the armor on."
"No."
I start laughing.
Laz points at him.
"Scared?"
"That's different."
"How?"
"It isn't fitted for me."
"Sounds like an excuse."
Niko stares at him.
I can't help but laugh more.
This is probably the most relaxed I've felt in a while.
No dragons, visions, or orders being shouted.
Just the three of us being idiots in a training area.
It's nice.
Maybe too nice.
I don't know why that thought enters my head.
I hate whenever I start thinking that way.
Something good happens and part of me immediately expects something to ruin it.
I look around the fort.
People are training while some are talking.
Someone nearby drops a wooden sword and gets yelled at.
There isn't always something waiting around the corner.
I look towards Laz and Niko again.
They're still arguing about whether Niko should wear the armor.
"I made it!" Niko says.
"Then you should trust it," Laz responds.
"I do trust it."
"Prove it."
"That's not how this works."
"Sounds like you're scared."
Niko looks towards me.
"Kain, help me."
"No."
"What?"
"I'm staying out of it."
"You started this."
"How?"
"I don't know, but I'm blaming you."
Laz laughs.
"You really are becoming one of us."
I raise an eyebrow.
"One of what?"
"Normal people."
I stare at him.
Niko starts laughing now.
"That's definitely debatable."
"Both of you can shut up."
That only makes them laugh more.
I shake my head.
Maybe this is what I was missing before.
Not strength, not answers, and not some new skill... Just people I can be around without needing a reason.
People I can fight beside and then laugh with afterward.
Friends.
The word doesn't feel as strange this time.
A bell suddenly rings from somewhere deeper inside the fort.
DONG!
DONG!
DONG!
The laughter around us stops.
I look towards the central path.
That isn't an attack signal.
I've heard that one enough to know the difference.
But it does mean someone important has arrived.
People around the training area start looking in the same direction.
Niko lowers the padded staff.
"Looks like we've got company."
"Expected?" Laz asks.
Niko shakes his head.
"Not that I know of."
I look towards the path again.
Several guards are already moving towards the entrance.
For some reason, the relaxed feeling starts slipping away.
I rest my hand against the hilt of my sword.
Laz notices.
"You really can't help yourself, can you?"
"What?"
"Expecting trouble."
I keep watching the entrance.
"Maybe."
He moves beside me.
"Well, if it is trouble, at least you've got armor now."
Niko smiles.
"And friends."
I look towards both of them.
But I don't argue this time.
"Yeah."
Then I turn back towards the entrance.
"Let's see who it is."