Durability test
Hello all you Minds true believers. Animeman73 here again, with another edition of Inessa Burnell's #BA Swordtember challenge.
I know that 13 is an unlucky number, but I’m not that superstitious. The day 13 word/subject is: Old. How will I play with this word?
It's time for another trip into the world of Garvin Willoway and Karal Marlock. Get ready because silliness is about to ensue in this vignette. Enjoy.
Karal Marlock, Garvin Willoway and Leona Karlan stared at their opponent. He was an arrogant young man with curly blonde hair. He wore the usual well-to-do silks and a long flowing black cape.
“Now Marlock, you and your peasant Master will return my bride to me!” He commanded in an aristocratic tone.
Leona rolled her eyes. “Tarvish, what part of I’m not interested do you not understand?” she growled.
“With the kind of money my father’s Merchant business makes, and my political power, I’ll make you interested.” The snobbish young man retorted in an arrogant tone.
Garvin handed Karal a sword. “Here lad, use this.”
Karal looked over the sword and his face furrowed. “Master, I mean no disrespect, but isn’t this that old sword you keep on the wall behind the store counter?”
A big predatory grin flashed on the older brown-haired man’s face. “Indeed, it is, and it’s all you’ll need.”
“Hey, I’m still talking here!” Tarvish called in annoyance.
The three turned towards the arrogant noble who pulled a sword from a sheath on his belt. He started twirling it around in figure 8 patterns. What is this guy doing, Karal wondered as his face furrowed?
The young blacksmith got into a fighting stance as he lifted up the sword into a defensive position. The young noble merchant made roaring sounds as he continued his display of "acumen".
For his part Karal looked baffled. Leona rolled her eyes. Garvin Willoway was doing a terrible job stifling his snickers.
As Tarvish finished, he looked like he’d worn himself out, due to his heavy breathing. Is this guy mad or is he doing all this rubbish on purpose? The blacksmith apprentice thought.
“Are you okay?” Karal ventured in concern.
The Merchant got into a fighting stance. “So, you’re in awe of my swordsmanship! Well, you should be as you’re about to pay for defying me!”
The 19-year-old female guard groaned and covered her face with her hands. “Tarvish, you are such an idiot!”
The merchant noble took a swing at Karal. The young man put out the sword in a defensive stance as Master Willoway had taught him.
The world around Karal erupted with the sound of swords colliding, and a blade shattering. “Your weapon's shattered under my mighty blow!” Tarvish proclaimed and laughed, his eyes closed.
Karal for his part maintained his stance. I’m fighting an imbecile, the 18-year-old brown-haired male realized.
Leona for her part looked like she was about ready to strangle Tarvish. But Master Willoway stared on in wry amusement.
The Merchant’s laughter stopped as he opened his eyes. First, he noticed all the people in River Mouth Way who were staring at what was going on. And they shared the look of bafflement Karal’s face held.
It was obvious what was going on didn’t happen every day in this trading town.
Then Tarvish’s face paled when he saw…it was his sword that had shattered. “Can we talk about this in a civil way now?” Karal asked.
The young merchant’s eyes almost popped out of his head in fear. He stared at first his shattered blade, then the old sword Karal held, which didn’t show any sign of damage.
Whimpering, the Merchant leapt into a nearby tree. From there he clambered to the roof of the row of houses.
“What is he doing now?” Karal heard Leona groan.
The noble scrambled across the rooftops as he dashed off. “Come on youngsters. There’s only one way in or out of this town.” Master Willoway explained.
Karal and Leona said nothing but followed the blacksmith. Their journey took them up to the Northern Entrance on Sycamore Street. “Master why are we going this way?” Karal asked.
“Because lad the way that noble brat is going is a diversionary tactic designed to throw us off.”
Leona looked on the blacksmith in surprise. “Master Blacksmith, how do you know these things?”
Karal added. “I would ask the same.”
The older blacksmith flashed a knowing smile. “Spent time in the military and did a bit of adventuring in my youth youngsters. I’ve seen and learned a thing or two which has helped my trade.”
"Nobody said that peasant blacksmith Willoway’s metalwork would be so strong! It’s best I retreat and come up with another plan.” They heard the voice of Tarvish call.
Both Karal and Leona groaned at the amateurish giveaway the young man had given. Master Willoway let out a snort of laughter.
They watched as the familiar figure danced across the roofs of houses. Then he clambered down the buildings. He landed right in front of them, his head turning this way and that.
“Good, lost them.” He stated in smug satisfaction.
He turned… And walked right into a couple of hard rights from Karal and Garvin.
The nobleman went down stunned. But he shook himself back to his senses. His face bruised, he looked up as the three glared down on him.
“Found you.” Garvin and Karal chimed.
The nobleman’s face lit up with terror. “No,” he shrieked. “Impossible!”
“Now are you going to leave the lass alone?" Garvin asked, as he and Karal continued to glare crossbow bolts at the brat of a man.
“Or are my master and I going to have to get rough?” Karal asked as he flashed a faux cheerful smile.
Tarvish got to his feet and dusted himself off, doing his best to look dignified.
A quick look at Leona showed she’d covered her face with one hand, her grimace still evident. Karal looked back on the annoying brat who was glaring at them with a haughty expression.
Then the man’s demeanor changed. He shivered in terror his face lighting up with fear. “Okay, okay! I yield, I yield!” The noble Merchant’s son blubbered.
"But please don’t kill me!" He sobbed his commoner accent becoming clear.
“Wait, what happened to your aristocratic tone?” Karal asked.
“Sorry, I do that to sound more sophisticated.” The brat explained.