23rd day of Spring 498 A.V.
Seyp’s eyes moved around as several sounds from the jungles surrounding the city caught his attention. Animals and creatures of countless difference gained his attention over the everyday chattering of the Myrians who walked to and from their homes to do their various day to day activities. It was the sound of the creatures outside that caught his attention more, however, as his mind began to contemplate what weapons could be made from their bones. The possibilities seemed endless as he listened to their calls, trying to glean what stories they had behind them. “Seyp?” a woman’s voice called out to him, breaking his concentration.
Seyp looked to his right, spotting his mother, Fel of the Bone Shaman Clan. “Yes, mother?” Seyp responded, smiling to his mother.
“What distracts you?” Fel asked as they walked beside each other, moving through Taloba.
“The calls of the jungle,” Seyp said, looking towards the direction of Taloba’s city gates, “and the story of their creatures.”
Fel smiled, knowing exactly what Seyp was talking about as she gazed over towards Cian, Seyp’s father. They were a family of Malediction users, and though Fel would have preferred a daughter, discovering Seyp’s talent for the practice caused a satisfaction all the same. Cian let his hand drop to Seyp’s shoulder, snapping his attention back to the present. “Focus on the calls later, Seyp, we’ve practice to do today.” Cian said before a subtle pat was given to his son’s back.
“Indeed, if you’re to collect the parts from these creatures, you must learn to wield weapons.” Fel added, looking forward in the direction they walked. “Hiring others to do so becomes expensive. As well, you’ll have to spend some time in Myri’s army before you can devote your full attentions to the practice as well. Another important reason for our training today.”
“Yes Mother, Father.” Seyp replied as he brought his full attention back, looking around as they stepped into the Training Yards. It had been heavily occupied, as it usually had. Even more so, as the Goddess-Queen, Myri, was present today, teaching and training herself as she sparred with several Myrians at once.
Seyp paused, looking on with awe as Myri’s arms wielded two wooden practice swords, swinging them faster than Seyp’s eyes could even begin to follow. Motions deflected strikes coming in to attack her while simultaneously striking back. It was as if she were an army unto herself. “Fel, Cian,” a voice called out, drawing Seyp’s attention away from Myri. “So, his real training begins today?”
Approaching Seyp and his parents was T’Wala and her daughter, Mukali. T’Wala had a smile upon her face in greeting of her oldest friend, while Mukali simply looked down upon Seyp with a disrespectful glance. “Yes indeed,” Fel replied to T’Wala, the pair of them extending their hands and gripping each other’s wrists in a firm shake, “he’ll have to join Myri’s army when he comes of age, and we want him to be prepared.”
“Ah, so the little man comes to pretend like he knows how to fight?” Mukali said in a haughty tone.
Mukali‘s eyes suddenly went wide as she felt T‘Wala‘s hand slap her along the back of the head hard, causing her to take a step forward. “You do not disrespect the child of one of my oldest friends, one who is practically a sister by blood in my eyes, even if he is a male.” T‘Wala said to her daughter sternly before returning a smile to Fel. “Wise, as always. He has at least eight years before he’ll take his trial, and have to serve. The training he can gain in that time should make him more than ready.”
“Well, we can only hope. He is a male, after all.” Fel said as they both laughed for a moment before Fel looked to her mate. “Cian, take Seyp with you and start him off. I wish to catch up a little, perhaps have a spar with T’Wala.”
Cian nodded with a smile, slipping his hand to Seyp’s back as they began to move along. “Of course.” Cian said.
T’Wala kept her gaze focused on Fel, a smile spreading across her lips when she heard Fel mention a spar. “Mukali, back to your bow training. I’ll be along shortly as this shouldn’t take long.” T’Wala said, boastfully.
Seyp looked back, only to see his mother and T’Wala suddenly pulling out their weapons and suddenly start their spar. Casual conversation never lasted long within the Training Yards. Point of fact: It would sometimes become a punishable offense as the Training Yards weren’t for conversation. It was for preparation of inevitable battle that all Myrians would face more than once in their lives. “Seyp,” Cian suddenly said as Seyp’s attention was moved back to his father.
As he turned his head to look at his father, Seyp suddenly saw a shimmer of reflected light dancing in his vision, the sound of metal clinking against metal lightly chimed in his ears. A large metal wait pulled down several links of chain before it reached it’s full length and bounced back up slightly, coming to a dangle before Seyp’s eyes. “This will be the first weapon you’ll learn Seyp,” Cian explained, holding the weapon in front of Seyp, “the preferred weapon of your mother and I when we hunt for Malediction parts. It’s called the Weighted Chain.”