The Tales of the Wanderer Volume One: A Book of Underrealm (The Underrealm Volumes 4) by Garrett Robinson (elon musk reading list TXT) 📕

“I would enjoy more time to work with them and at least one fighter who had seen action before,” said Mag. “But since I do not think those are things you can provide, I will not request them of you.”

Tou nodded. “Fair enough. Sad to say, we are all somewhat green here. I myself have never seen combat on the field. The two of you may be the most experienced fighters in the whole force.” He pointed at the two men in the ring behind Mag. “Who are these?”

Mag pointed to the younger combatant. He was a strong man, wearing a sleeveless shirt that left his bronzed arms glistening. His black hair was cropped close and dripping with sweat. As I watched, he swiped the sweat away, never taking his eyes from his foe.

“That is Dibu,” said Mag. “His opponent is Jie. They are among the better specimens in my squadron. I have tried to pair each fighter up with someone close to them in skill so that all of them get the most benefit from each training session.”

Dibu lunged, swinging a horizontal strike. Jie got his shield up, but Dibu managed to catch the edge of it. Jie’s shield arm flew wide. As he stumbled back, Dibu pressed forwards. His blade circled around and up towards Jie’s face.

I tensed, but Dibu controlled the swipe. It stopped just short of Jie’s eye. Jie recoiled, and his foot came down in a puddle of slushy snow. While he was off balance, Dibu kicked his gut. Jie fell, his sword and shield clattering from his hands. Dibu stepped up and pointed his blade at the larger man’s face.

“Good!” called Mag. “Reset, and do it again. Jie, you must study your battlefield always. Know where your footing is safe, and where it is precarious. Mud can win a fight faster than skill.”

“Yesser,” said Jie.

He reached out a hand, and Dibu helped pull him to his feet. But when Dibu looked over to see the three of us there watching him, including Tou, he suddenly seemed embarrassed. His bronzed face flushed, and he quickly turned away.

Tou cleared his throat. “That one does not like performing,” he said, stroking his goatee. “Yet he focused well enough during the fight. Who else do you count among your best?”

Mag arched an eyebrow and motioned for Tou and me to follow her. “I have one of particular note. Her name is Li. She has never fought in a real battle before, but her mother was a soldier in King Jun’s army, and she taught Li many forms. Between that and the girl’s natural talent, Li certainly has the greatest skill of anyone in my squadron. I expect to rely on her to help me teach the rest of them.”

I could see at once that Mag spoke true. Li was paired up with another woman, and both of them were light of build but wiry. Yet Li was far more quick and nimble on her feet than her opponent, darting back and forth like a serpent. First her blade was above, then below, and then sweeping in from the side. It was all her opponent could do to keep the sword away from her padded armor, and she could not do so forever.

With the speed of liquid thunder, Li spun around her foe’s clumsy strike. The flat of her blade crashed into the small of the other woman’s back. She fell facedown in the dirt. Immediately Li straightened, heaved a deep breath, and sheathed her sword.

“A good strike,” called Tou. Both women snapped around to look at him. “But you relented the moment you had an advantage. You cannot do the same thing in a real fight.”

Li’s eyes widened, and she bowed. “Of course, ser. It is just … well, I already felled her.”

“And an enemy felled can rise once more if you do not finish them,” said Mag. “Again. And this time, do not pull back until the fight is over.” She waved at the two of them to begin and then turned to confer with Tou and me.

“She moves like you, Mag,” I told her.

Mag looked somewhat miffed. “She is quick enough on her feet, I suppose.”

“Well, everything seems to be in order,” said Tou. “Better than in order, in fact. I still do not entirely understand why the captain made this wager with you, but I find myself hoping you will win.”

“As do we, ser,” I said. “Do you have any advice for us? Any tips that might secure a victory?”

Tou shrugged. “I have no hidden information, if that is what you mean. The terms are rather clear, and the captain seems confident you shall not beat him. I can do little more than encourage you to do your best, and hope.”

I sighed. “Well, if that is the best we can do, then we shall do it. Thank you, Lieutenant.”

Tou nodded and left us. I looked to Mag.

“What do you think? Do we have a chance?”

Mag looked at Li, who was again trading blows with her opponent in the ring.

“A chance? Mayhap. Ask me again in a few more days.”

But of course, Mag and I were not the only ones joining together with allies.

To the north of us, close to the Feldemarian border, Rogan had encamped with many of his soldiers. As I have mentioned, they were the ones raiding into Feldemar. They crossed the border in Dorsean uniforms, attacking farms and the caravans of lesser merchant families. In this way, they had been fomenting discord between the two kingdoms and drawing King Jun’s attention to the area. This distracted Jun from the coup that Wojin had been planning under his very nose.

Now that open war had broken out in the kingdom, however, Rogan’s strategy would change radically. And it was while he was concocting these plans that Kaita found him at last.

Rogan stepped out