The next few days passed without anything extraordinary happening.
Arix trained.
Every morning, Veyr made him repeat the same movements.
Step.
Turn.
Shift.
Stop.
Again.
Sometimes Arix used the wooden stick.
Sometimes he fought without it.
Sometimes Veyr simply made him move through the clearing while pointing out every mistake.
It was repetitive.
Almost painfully so.
But Arix was improving.
His balance no longer collapsed whenever he changed direction.
His feet stopped crossing as often.
He had begun noticing small movements before an attack.
He even started recognizing when Veyr was deliberately leaving an opening for him.
Of course, recognizing it and successfully taking it were two completely different things.
Arix had discovered that part quickly.
One morning, after another round of practice, Veyr finally lowered the wooden stick in his hand.
“Enough.” Arix stopped.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“That was short.” “It wasn’t.” “It felt short.” Veyr ignored him.
“Come with me.” Arix followed.
They left the clearing and entered the forest.
The trees grew thicker as they moved.
Arix looked around.
“Where are we going?” “You’ll see.” “That answer is becoming annoying.” “You’ll survive.” Arix glanced at him.
“That’s not reassuring.” Veyr continued walking.
Eventually, they reached a small open area surrounded by trees.
Veyr stopped.
Arix looked around.
There was nothing there.
“What are we doing?” “Your first real test.” Arix’s expression immediately changed.
“A fight?” “Yes.” “With you?” “No.” Arix looked around.
“Then who?” Something rustled behind the trees.
Arix turned.
A creature stepped into the clearing.
It was small compared to many of the monsters Arix had seen before.
Four legs.
A lean body.
Sharp claws.
A mouth filled with short teeth.
Its eyes remained fixed on Arix.
Arix studied it carefully.
It wasn’t something he had fought before.
But it wasn’t overwhelmingly powerful either.
He could tell that much.
Arix looked at Veyr.
“What rank?” “Forget ranks.” Arix frowned.
“Then how am I supposed to know how strong it is?” “Observe it.” Arix looked back at the creature.
Veyr stepped away.
“You’re alone.” Arix tightened his grip around the wooden weapon.
“Are you going to stop it if something goes wrong?” “If something goes wrong?” Veyr looked at him.
“You’ll know.” Arix stared at him.
That answer wasn’t particularly helpful.
But he understood the message.
This was his fight.
Arix lowered his stance.
The creature growled.
Neither moved.
Arix remembered Veyr’s first lesson.
Don’t rush.
He watched its legs.
Its shoulders.
Its head.
Its breathing.
The creature’s weight shifted.
Arix immediately moved sideways.
The creature lunged.
Arix stepped out of its path.
Its claws passed through empty air.
Arix didn’t attack.
He kept his distance.
The creature turned.
It charged again.
Arix moved.
Again.
And again.
He began noticing a pattern.
Every time it prepared to leap, its rear legs tightened first.
Every time it changed direction, its head moved slightly before its body.
Every time it attacked from the left, its right leg planted harder.
Arix’s eyes sharpened.
I can read it.
The creature attacked again.
Arix dodged.
This time, he stepped closer.
The creature turned too slowly.
Arix swung.
The wooden weapon struck its side.
The creature stumbled.
Arix immediately moved backward.
He didn’t chase.
The creature growled.
Arix smiled.
“Got you.” The creature charged.
Arix dodged.
Another strike.
This time, the creature blocked with its foreleg.
Arix stepped back.
The creature lunged again.
Arix moved.
He was beginning to understand the rhythm.
Watch.
Wait.
Move.
Strike.
Move again.
It was working.
Arix felt something he hadn’t felt during his earlier training.
Confidence.
He was actually doing it.
He wasn’t simply surviving.
He was controlling the fight.
The creature attacked.
Arix dodged.
He saw another opening.
Its side was exposed.
Arix’s eyes narrowed.
Now.
He rushed forward.
The creature’s body suddenly stopped.
Arix’s eyes widened.
The opening disappeared.
The creature twisted.
Arix realized the mistake immediately.
Bait.
He tried to stop himself.
Too late.
His weight was already forward.
The creature struck.
Arix was thrown onto the ground.
He rolled away just before the second attack.
His shoulder hit the dirt.
Pain shot through his arm.
Arix pushed himself up.
The creature was already coming again.
He jumped sideways.
The claws missed him.
Arix breathed heavily.
He looked toward Veyr.
Veyr hadn’t moved.
Arix looked back at the creature.
His grip tightened.
I rushed.
That was the mistake.
He had seen an opening and stopped thinking.
He had forgotten everything Veyr had taught him.
The creature charged again.
Arix waited.
It attacked.
He dodged.
This time, he didn’t counter.
The creature turned.
Arix waited.
It attacked again.
He moved.
The creature growled.
Arix could feel his heartbeat speeding up.
He wanted to attack.
But he waited.
The creature suddenly lunged.
Arix stepped backward.
Its claws missed.
Arix swung.
The wooden weapon struck its shoulder.
The creature staggered.
Arix immediately backed away.
Better.
He was learning.
The creature circled him.
Arix circled with it.
Neither attacked.
The forest seemed unusually quiet.
Arix watched.
The creature’s breathing had become heavier.
Its movements were slightly slower.
It’s getting tired.
Arix waited.
The creature attacked.
Arix dodged.
He could have struck.
But he didn’t.
The creature attacked again.
Arix moved.
Again.
He waited.
The creature’s movements became more desperate.
Then— Arix saw it.
A real opening.
Not the previous one.
This time, the creature’s stance had genuinely broken.
Arix stepped forward.
He struck.
The wooden weapon hit its side.
The creature stumbled.
Arix followed.
One more strike.
The creature twisted unexpectedly.
Arix’s foot landed on a loose stone.
His balance broke.
The creature knocked the weapon from his hand.
Arix fell.
The creature stood over him.
Arix froze.
Veyr’s voice came from behind.
“Enough.” The creature stopped.
Veyr stepped forward.
With a single movement, he drove the creature back.
It retreated into the trees.
Silence returned.
Arix remained on the ground.
His chest rose and fell rapidly.
He looked at the wooden weapon lying several feet away.
Then at Veyr.
Veyr looked down at him.
“You lost.” Arix didn’t answer.
Veyr waited.
“You saw the opening.” “I know.” “You attacked.” “I know.” “You lost your balance.” Arix clenched his jaw.
“I know.” Veyr nodded.
“Then tell me why.” Arix looked at the ground.
He thought about it.
“I rushed.” “Why?” “I thought I had it.” “And?” Arix was silent.
Veyr continued.
“You were so focused on finding an opening that you stopped looking at everything else.” Arix’s eyes narrowed.
“The stone.” “Yes.” “I didn’t see it.” “Exactly.” Arix slowly stood.
He picked up the wooden weapon.
Veyr turned away.
“That’s enough for today.” Arix looked at him.
“No.” Veyr stopped.
“Again.” Veyr turned around.
“You lost.” “I know.” “You’re tired.” “I know.” “You made the same mistake twice.” Arix’s expression hardened.
“I won’t make it three times.” Veyr studied him.
“That’s not how mistakes work.” Arix looked at him.
“Then how do they work?” “You don’t decide when you’ll make one.” Arix said nothing.
“You can learn from it.
You can prepare.
But there is always another mistake waiting.” Arix tightened his grip.
“Then I’ll make a different one.” Veyr stared at him.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Veyr looked toward the trees.
“Again.” The creature returned.
Arix raised his weapon.
This time, he didn’t feel confident.
He felt focused.
The creature attacked.
Arix dodged.
He waited.
Another attack.
He moved.
The creature changed direction.
Arix adjusted.
The fight began again.
But this time, Arix noticed something different.
He wasn’t thinking about winning.
He was thinking about everything.
His feet.
The ground.
The creature.
The trees.
His distance.
His weapon.
His breathing.
Everything.
The creature lunged.
Arix moved.
He glanced down.
A loose stone sat near his foot.
He immediately stepped away from it.
The creature’s attack missed.
Arix smiled slightly.
I saw it.
The creature turned.
Arix attacked.
It blocked.
He stepped back.
The creature attacked again.
Arix dodged.
He didn’t chase.
The creature circled.
Arix followed.
It lunged.
He moved.
Strike.
Retreat.
Wait.
Again.
The fight continued.
Arix still got hit.
His shoulder was already sore.
His breathing became heavier.
His legs began to tire.
But he wasn’t repeating the same mistake.
Eventually, the creature began slowing down again.
Arix noticed.
He didn’t attack.
He waited.
The creature became impatient.
It lunged.
Arix moved.
The creature turned.
Arix waited.
It attacked again.
Arix stepped aside.
The creature’s front leg landed awkwardly.
Arix saw the opening.
He didn’t rush.
He waited another second.
The creature tried to recover.
Arix stepped forward.
One strike.
The creature staggered.
Arix moved around it.
Another strike.
The creature fell back.
Arix stopped.
He didn’t continue attacking.
He waited.
The creature tried to stand.
Arix raised the wooden weapon.
Veyr’s voice came from behind.
“Enough.” Arix lowered it.
He stood there breathing heavily.
The creature retreated into the forest.
Arix watched it disappear.
He looked down at the ground.
Then at his weapon.
Then at Veyr.
“I won.” Veyr nodded.
“You did.” Arix waited for praise.
None came.
Instead, Veyr said: “You were still slow.” Arix’s expression dropped.
“And your footwork needs work.” Arix frowned.
“You could’ve said that before.” “You wouldn’t have listened.” Arix thought about it.
He couldn’t argue.
Veyr turned and began walking.
Arix followed.
After a few steps, Arix spoke.
“I still hate losing.” Veyr glanced at him.
“Good.” Arix looked confused.
“Good?” “If you enjoy losing, you’ll stop trying to improve.” Arix thought about that.
“I don’t enjoy losing.” “I know.” Arix looked down at his hands.
“But I don’t hate failing.” Veyr stopped.
Arix continued.
“Failure tells me what I did wrong.” He looked back toward the forest.
“The first time, I didn’t see the trap.” He looked at the ground.
“The second time, I didn’t see the stone.” Arix’s expression hardened.
“Next time, I’ll see both.” Veyr watched him quietly.
Then he turned around and continued walking.
“That’s the idea.” Arix followed.
His body was exhausted.
His shoulder hurt.
His clothes were covered in dirt.
He had lost his first fight.
Then nearly repeated the same mistakes.
But he had learned.
And somehow, that mattered more to him than winning.
Because Arix had begun to understand something.
Strength wasn’t the absence of failure.
It was what came after it.
He looked ahead at Veyr.
“Veyr.” “What?” “When’s the next fight?” Veyr didn’t turn around.
“Tomorrow.” Arix smiled.
“Good.” The forest swallowed the two figures as they walked deeper into the trees.
And Arix’s training continued.