Chapter Eleven: Honing the Frail Blade
The next morning, pale sunlight crept through the bedroom curtains to find Tula standing at the head of the bed. "It is time to wake up, Master... Breakfast is ready."
Edward awoke, and after a warm bath that restored some of his energy, he headed to the dining room. The table was laden with things he hadn't seen since his father's death; freshly baked bread, various cheeses, and vibrant fruits glistening under the light.
As Edward ate with an appetite he hadn't felt in a long time, he asked expectantly: "What will I learn today, Tula?" Tula looked at him with a serious gaze that pierced through him and said: "You must balance the powers of your mind, body, and soul. Your mental state is developing, but this frail body of yours will not survive a real battle. Today... the physical training begins."
Edward stepped out into the mansion's front courtyard, where the green grass was coated in dew. He found Tula holding two wooden swords. Edward cried out in excitement: "Are you going to teach me swordsmanship?" It was amazing to him; the Fergusons had been merchants for generations, always relying for protection on the Blackwood family, whose men were known as the fiercest knights in the Empire.
Tula gave a cold smile: "Not so fast, Master. A sword is not just a piece of wood or metal; it is an extension of your body. And since your body cannot currently carry itself, we shall begin with building the foundation."
Tula tossed the swords aside and began dictating his harsh orders. Edward started by running around the vast mansion walls until his lungs felt like they were on fire. Tula did not allow him to rest; he commanded him to perform hundreds of "push-ups" and "squats," then the "plank" exercise while Tula placed a small weight on his back.
"Stand straight, Master! Weakness is the only sin a demon does not forgive!" Tula's voice echoed like a whip whenever Edward's legs faltered. Edward was also forced to perform balance exercises; Tula ordered him to stand on one leg atop a broken tree trunk for hours under the midday sun, watching the movement of birds to learn reaction speed.
By noon, Edward was lying on the grass, breathing heavily, his body trembling from exhaustion, but his eyes burned with a new challenge. He looked at Tula and said in a broken voice: "Are... are we done?" Tula replied, picking up a wooden sword: "Only now... can we begin to learn how to hold a blade.