Shattered Sanity

(A few minutes later, House Argent Training Grounds)

After convincing Riven that understanding his fighting abilities was necessary before developing any strategy against Gary Ironveil, Circuit followed him through the rear entrance of the First-Year dormitories and towards House Argent’s private training grounds.

Fortunately, most students were still occupied with the ongoing trade window and settling into their dormitories, leaving several training fields almost completely empty as Riven and Circuit selected one near the back.

"All right."

Circuit said, as he stopped several meters away.

"Show me everything you’ve got, Young Lord."

He requested, as Riven raised an eyebrow.

"And what does everything mean?"

Riven asked as Circuit nodded before replying—

"Your preferred weapon, martial techniques, defensive abilities, Storm spells and anything else you would realistically consider using against Gary.

Of course if there’s some hidden techniques that you would not want to show me, then you can keep it a secret.

But everything else, please do."

Circuit explained, as Riven almost let out a self depreciative chuckle.

"Very well."

He said, as his hand moved towards his waist, where sky-cleaver remained attached beside his belt.

Circuit immediately became interested.

Riven removed the weapon head before pouring a small amount of Aether into it.

Click!

The weapon rapidly expanded.

Several interconnected sections extended outward before locking firmly into place, transforming the harmless-looking object into a full-sized halberd that was taller than Riven himself.

Circuit’s eyes brightened.

’Interesting.’

A halberd.

It was a rather unusual choice for primary weapon amongst nobles, but a skilled Halberd user could easily defeat sword and spear users convincingly.

’It seems like my information regarding the young master being a sword user was wrong....’

Circuit thought, as he watched Riven adjust his grip.

WHOOSH!

Riven swung hard, as Circuit blinked in surprise watching Riven lose his balance.

WOBBLE

Riven recovered awkwardly before swinging from the opposite direction.

WHOOSH!

His feet moved half a step too late.

The halberd wobbled slightly.

Riven frowned before thrusting forward.

The weapon’s point stopped several feet ahead of him.

Silence followed.

Circuit waited.

Riven lowered the halberd.

"That’s about it."

Circuit continued waiting.

Several seconds passed.

"About what?"

"My fighting ability."

Riven replied, as Circuit stared at him in sheer disbelief.

’The young lord must be joking.’

Circuit concluded immediately, as he assumed that this was his way to test Circuit’s loyalty.

Or perhaps a reasonable precaution, just in case Circuit was not actually allied with him but rather with the enemy, as Circuit smiled faintly in response.

"My Lord, while I appreciate your sense of humor, I cannot formulate a strategy unless you show me how you actually fight."

Circuit insisted, as Riven’s eyebrows furrowed.

"I just did."

Riven replied again, as Circuit’s smile slowly disappeared.

"No, you swung your halberd three times."

"Yes."

"Poorly."

"I’ve only recently started using it."

Circuit stared at him again.

’No.’

Surely not.

"My Lord..."

Circuit began carefully.

"I have heard the story regarding the Night Panther."

Riven nodded.

"What about it?"

"You killed one."

"Yes."

"With a wooden sword."

"Correct."

Circuit gestured towards him incredulously.

"Then surely you possess considerably more fighting ability than whatever I just witnessed."

"Oh."

Riven finally understood.

"Yes, technically I did kill the Night Panther, but I was using a sword back then."

Circuit waited for the remainder of the explanation.

It never came.

"And?"

"And I’m no longer a sword user."

Riven replied.

Circuit’s left eye twitched.

"My Lord, fighting experience does not disappear because you change weapons."

"No, but the technique I used against the Night Panther doesn’t work with a halberd."

"What technique?"

"A sword thrust that eventually transitions into an Aether explosion."

Circuit stared blankly.

"A sword thrust?"

"Yes."

"That’s it?"

"More or less."

Circuit slowly rubbed his forehead.

Perhaps he had approached this incorrectly.

"Fine."

He muttered.

"Forget weapons for a moment. What martial arts did House Dawnriver teach you?"

"None."

Circuit’s hand stopped.

"None?"

"None."

"Surely your family possesses some secret martial discipline."

"Probably."

Circuit’s expression brightened.

"Excellent. Which one did they teach you?"

"They didn’t."

Circuit’s expression darkened again.

"Then who trained you?"

"A wandering Ascendant."

Circuit blinked.

That sounded correct based on the information he had about Riven Dawnriver, however, he thought they were exaggerated rumors at best.

’A wandering Ascendant...’

Perhaps Riven’s strange foundation came from some unconventional master whose techniques ignored traditional combat principles.

"What martial discipline did this Ascendant teach you?"

"None."

Circuit stared at him.

"Then what did he teach you?"

"How to thrust a sword."

Circuit closed his eyes.

’Minerva give me strength.’

"All right."

He muttered.

"Perhaps you’re simply more specialized towards Aether abilities."

"Perhaps."

Circuit immediately seized upon the possibility.

"Defensive techniques?"

"No."

"A reinforcement spell?"

"No."

"Some secret Dawnriver defensive art capable of protecting your body?"

"No."

Circuit’s face darkened with every answer.

"Movement technique?"

"No."

"A Storm-enhanced footwork technique?"

"No."

"Some method of rapidly closing distance?"

"No."

Circuit inhaled slowly.

"Offensive spells?"

Riven thought about it.

"No."

Circuit stared at him.

"You’re a Perfect Storm affinity."

"Yes."

"And you don’t know a single offensive Storm spell?"

"Correct."

"Lightning?"

"No."

"Thunder?"

"No."

"Storm blades?"

"No."

"Some enormous bolt from the heavens capable of obliterating whoever stands opposite you?"

Riven shook his head.

"No."

Circuit’s shoulders slowly slumped.

The impressive image he had constructed of Riven Dawnriver throughout the past several hours was collapsing piece by piece.

Second overall selection.

Perfect Storm affinity.

Ducal heir.

Absurd secret physical evaluation report.

Night Panther killer.

All of those things sounded incredible until one actually placed a halberd inside Riven’s hands and asked him to demonstrate what he could do with them.

"Surely..."

Circuit began, increasingly desperate.

"You possess something."

Riven considered the question seriously.

"I am physically strong."

"I know."

"Very strong."

"I KNOW."

Circuit snapped before immediately remembering who he was speaking towards.

"My apologies, My Lord."

Riven appeared completely unbothered.

Circuit rubbed both hands against his face.

This was disastrous.

Gary Ironveil had received formal combat instruction.

Circuit had personally watched him fight before, and while Gary was certainly far from perfect, he possessed an actual foundation.

Flame.

Light.

Weapon training.

Combat experience.

Techniques he could deliberately execute rather than inventing them halfway through a fight.

Meanwhile, Circuit’s brilliant new ally apparently possessed the combat sophistication of an exceptionally powerful lumberjack.

"How exactly were you planning to defeat Gary?"

Circuit finally asked as Riven shrugged and lifted his Halberd.

"Hit him with the halberd’s pointy end?"

He asked, as Circuit stared at him blankly.

"And if he blocks?"

"Hit him harder."

Circuit’s mouth slowly opened.

No words emerged.

Riven seemed almost confused by his reaction.

"You asked what I know."

He said.

"I’m telling you."

Circuit turned away and stared towards the distant walls of House Argent.

’What have I gotten myself into?’

He had wanted someone powerful.

Technically, he had found exactly that.

The problem was that nobody had apparently bothered teaching that powerful person what to do with all that power.

Circuit slowly turned back.

"All right."

He said, as something inside his expression changed.

Riven raised an eyebrow.

"Gary currently possesses better technique, more formal combat training, more developed Aether applications and significantly more experience with his preferred fighting style."

"That sounds unfortunate."

"It is extremely unfortunate."

Circuit replied.

"But you’re stronger physically, your Storm affinity is superior, and from everything I’ve seen so far, you have a reach advantage over him because of your weapon."

Riven nodded.

"So?"

Circuit stared at the halberd within Riven’s hands.

Then towards Riven’s feet.

Then his shoulders.

Then the distance between them.

Slowly, the despair disappeared from his expression.

"So we have two days....."

Circuit muttered.

"Two days for what?"

Riven asked.

Circuit looked directly into his eyes.

"To turn whatever the hell that was..."

He pointed towards the halberd.

"...into something capable of beating Gary Ironveil."

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