"The name's Maelis", he spoke out, arms folded as he stared at Riven.
"Now, pick it up.", he gestured lazily with finger pointing at the blade.
Nodding slowly, Riven focused back to the blade close to his lap.
Riven's fingers hovered over the wooden blade for a minute. It's surface was worn from use, the cloth wrapping around his skin as he closed his grip.
Lifting it up, it felt heavy. Much heavier than he'd initially thought, "What's this made of?!", he exclaimed, slightly straining to hold it up right as the weight demanded his focus. It felt like he was lifting a dense metal bar.
Glancing up at Maelis, who observed him silently with half-lidded eyes. For a second Maelis just watched, noticing how Riven struggled to hold the sword.
Sigh
Maelis let out:
"It's just a standard wooden blade", he proclaimed slowly, neither judgemental or pitying. "It's just that for someone so weak, even wood can feel like iron."
Riven clenched the sword tighter, his arms trembling under its unfamiliar weight. 'Even wood can feel like iron....', he thought, understanding Maelis' words as the truth.
'What is this supposed to teach me? That i'm weak? That I can't even lift a sword properly?'
Thoughts bombarded his head as he looked up, meeting Maelis' gaze. Moving over to the wall, he had leaned back, arms folded just smiling at Riven.
"Come forward", he motioned, flicking his finger towards him. "Try to land a hit on me....I won't move"
"Just like that?", Riven questioned, realising that with the wall behind him, there's no way for him not to.
"Just like that~", Maelis echoed, voice as neutral as ever, even with the smile.
Huff
Taking a deep breath, Riven shifted forward, feeling the floorboard creak under his steps. He raised the sword overhead - trying to muster all of his strength ; awkwardly however, with his shoulders tense, he swung down towards Maelis' shoulder.
SWOO-
The air lightly cut as he crashed down, however, the blade made a stop.
Feeling the resistance, he raised his head, staring at Maelis' hand gripping the wooden blade with ease, two fingers holding it from advancing.
"I was expecting worse.", he loosely spoke, his hazel eyes shifting.
'This!-'
Feeling the shame, Riven pulled the sword back, regaining a solid stance, he unceremoniously swung the blade again. This time horizontally aimed at the chest of Maelis.
This time was worse. Without even needing to hold it, he tapped the blade before it made impact, pushing it upward whilst Riven was still holding it; causing him to stumble backwards.
CREAK
Before Riven could think, Maelis spoke: "Your swings are loud", eyes narrowing. "Loud with desperation, Loud with fear, and loud with intent."
'Huh', Riven thought, scrunching his face with confusion, beads of sweat starting to drip down his face.
"I didn't make noise or anything...unless your talking about the air?", he huffed out, chest rising up and down.
Maelis, chuckled softly. "Not with your voice. With everything. Your grip, your breath, your stare - they spoke your move before your body followed.
"What?", he asked still confused. Seeing this, Maelis picked up his own wooden blade leaning beside him. His grip seemed relaxed, fingers loose around the handle.
"Watch carefully Silent", he proclaimed.
Shifting his foot forward. There was no preparation, no tension building in his muscles, no glare or battle cry. Riven had thought he hadn't moved at all....that was until a sharp gust of wind gazed his cheek, and a thin cut appeared on the floor beneath him.
SHAK
Riven blinked, eyes wide. 'What.... what was that...?'
Lowering his sword, Maelis tapped it gently on his shoulder, speaking with a faint smile -
"A strike without intent. A strike without aura. Without existence". Pacing slowly whilst Riven watched with bated breath."
"Tell me, how do you block something that isn't there....this is Null Edge."
Riven's mouth felt dry. He gripped his sword tighter, knuckles whitening as he stared at the line carved into the floor. 'I didn't...even see him move'.
Fiddling with the sword on his shoulder, "That's the look I wanted", Maelis stated, amused at Riven's bewilderment.
"How...how did you do that?", he finally asked aloud, "How did I not see anything...was it that quick?", he exclaimed, scratching his tousled brown hair.
"It isn't about being faster or stronger", he stated, before tapping his temple on emphasis, "It's about emptiness. It's about leaving nothing for your opponent to sense - no fear, anger or blood-lust. The world reacts to things that only exist within it, so what happens when there's nothing to react to?"
Thump thump
Riven's heart pounded softly. 'Nothing to react to?'. he thought.
Walking back in-front of him, "Try again", Maelis stated, "But this time...don't try to hit me."
"What does that even mean?", Riven retorted in a whisper.
Maelis chuckled, "If you swing to hit, you've lost already. Swing without a desire, without a thought, without self. The sword simply moves."
Furrowing his brows, 'That's...impossible', he thought. But he took his stance once more.
Huff
'Maybe I just have to clear my mind'
Pivoting his thoughts to the feeling of the wood beneath. exhaling, he let the blade fall forward.
The swing was clumsy. The blade trembled halfway down due to the strain on his muscles. His wrists faltered, and in retaliation, Maelis didn't even bother blocking or parrying. He simply stepped aside, letting it strike the air where stood prior.
"Ah-", Riven was about to grumble in frustration, but he was cut short.
"Better", Maelis said, surprising him in the process.
"Better?", Riven questioned, huffing at question, "I missed entirely".
"Exactly", Maelis exclaimed with a smile.
The response had stunned Riven. And the few seconds of silence had not helped. Staring at that smile and hearing that response in head, Riven was sure
'He's messing with me', he thought, comedically staring at him.
But cutting his thoughts. "You didn't swing with the intent to cut me. You merely swung. That's the first step. Ease your thoughts, emptiness is not achieved in a day Silent."
Lowering the sword, Riven felt the strain burning through his forearms. Sweat glided down his head onto the wooden floor, as he began controlling breathing slower.
'The first step huh', he thought, before a small smile rose.
Walking over to the wall, Maelis rested the sword back against it, before stretching his arms. "That's enough for now. You look like you'll collapse if we do anything more", pointing to Riven's poor physical condition.
Riven slumped to the ground after hearing that, arms limp by his side.
'What is this body?! Did this guy not workout?', he thought, thinking of the old Riven.
Walking around the room whilst Riven stared at the ceiling, Maelis dusted his hands and turned towards a small counter tucked in the corner. "Tea time.", he proclaimed, prompting Riven to slowly sit up and look at him.
Maelis, noticing his look, paused and glancing over his shoulder, "What you think sworsdsmen live on grit and stale bread? Tea is essential for the soul."
Conserving his energy, Riven didn't offer a response.
Pointing towards the shelf lined with clay cups and the kettle resting atop a stove in the back, "You're up. Make us some", Maelis instructed.
"Me?", Riven asked, staring at Maelis.
"Mm.", grinning, "Consider it training. Control, timing, Precision....all in one pour. Besides, since you so asked me to help you, that trumps all".
Twisting his body, he stood up and dragged his feet to the kettle, "Great, first I get told im powerless, the next; i cant swing a stick more than 5 times, and now I'm a tea apprentice", Riven muttered lowly, chuckling.
"Heard that.", Maelis responded quickly, as he seemed to be reading something.
Whilst looking for the tea leaves Riven glanced at him. With his sharp jawline, smooth skin and lazy confidence. Coupled with his long violet hair tied up, he didn't look old. Mid-30s to early 40's at best, though his eyes carried wisdom above his age.
"Got something to say?", Maelis still reading his book. The book titled, 'As Within, So Without'.
"Actually...yeah I do.", Riven responded, garnering some attention.
Turning on the kettle prior to asking it, he looked at Maelis, who in turn looked at him.
"How did you know I was a so called, Silent straight away?".
In turn, Maelis smirked.