“Yes, though I was not the most driven student at the time,” Gwaynn admitted and took up his place across from his new teacher.
“Well, let us see…” Kostek began, but stopped as Gwaynn attacked. It was a basic attack move that the Tar countered easily, but Gwaynn was nonplussed and smoothly moved into another attack, this one only a bit more sophisticated. Kostek turned it away also. Gwaynn kept coming however, and Kostek decided to let him. Effortlessly he blocked every move, never attacking himself, wanting instead to see just how far the boy could go. To his credit, Gwaynn never seemed to become impatient or frustrated, he just continued to attack relentlessly, even copying a move he had witnessed while watching Vio spar. This move did surprise Kostek, though he still blocked it with relative ease. Kostek waited until Gwaynn began repeating attacks before going on the offensive. Kostek quickly scored a number of hits but Gwaynn still showed no sign of becoming frustrated. The boy took the hits silently, but on the following attack Gwaynn copied the Tar’s moves with surprising skill. Kostek blocked the attack and used another even more intricate counter move that left Gwaynn sprawled on the ground. Without a word, Gwaynn jumped to his feet and once again took up the attack, and used a fair likeness of Kostek’s most recent counter attack. Only a slightly raised eyebrow showed the Tar’s surprise. The boy learned amazingly fast, and as far as Kostek could tell favored neither hand, which was impressive; most amateurs tended to favor one hand over another, however slightly.
Kostek repeated the counter attack, and was gratified that the boy managed to block it this time using nearly the same counter moves he had employed when Gwaynn had tried the move back on him.
“Excellent!” Kostek said, holding up his hands to pause the action. “For not being a driven student, Master Sath appears to have taught you at least the…” Gwaynn dove in to attack once more, this time using the counter he just learn with at least two variations, one of them quite subtle, and Kostek was sure that it would have worked on a student, but Kostek was a Tar, and blocked it and countered with another move both hard and fast. Gwaynn caught the right kata, but the left caught him in the back of the head and he pitched forward, but at the last minute he tucked into a roll, and was on his feet in an instant.
‘Youth’, Kostek thought with admiration, then had to move quickly to blunt another attack, this time an almost perfect imitation of the one he had just performed. Kostek was astounded! Then, on a whim decided to really see what the boy could learn. First he drove Gwaynn back with a flurry of moves, and then Kostek retreated to the far side of the practice area. But before Gwaynn could mount another attack, he launched one of his own, a master attack, using not only katas, he also incorporated several kicks which clearly surprised the boy, who took a hard heel to the chin. The kick launched Gwaynn into the air and he slid on his back half way to the kitchen. He got to his feet a little slower this time and Kostek smiled to himself, though outwardly he was careful to remain stoic. Through many years of teaching on the Temple Islands he’d observed early on that it was very hard to teach anything to an angry pupil, and smiles in combat, even mock combat, rarely induced anything but anger.
Gwaynn stood for a moment shaking his head, clearly stunned, then he took a deep breath and to Kostek’s utter amazement came at him with a flurry, kicks included almost exactly as they were used a moment before. The kicks were crude however, and did not connect with the master, but while Kostek was ducking from a kick, a well-aimed kata struck him in the shins. Kostek danced back, not injured, but well aware that the boy had scored a hit on him, and a planned hit at that.
“Very good,” Kostek said, astonished. Gwaynn should not have been able to score upon him…few students below third year ever scored a hit on a Tar, and it was very rare even for third year students.
They continued to practice for nearly an hour, Gwaynn attacking, Kostek blocking and counter attacking. Over and over Gwaynn mimicked the attacks and defensive moves Kostek demonstrated. The boy had remarkable body control, although it was his mental discipline and calm that utterly impressed the Tar. Kostek dropped the boy nearly a dozen times and did not take another hit himself, but there were a few more close calls which told him the first was no fluke. With time and hard work he now believed Gwaynn may be able to score against him regularly. Finally he called a halt to the session, Gwaynn was sweating profusely and his arms hung at his sides, betraying what the work out had cost him, and even Kostek, who was very fit, was beginning to feel the effects of fatigue.
“We must get your stamina up,” Kostek commented and Gwaynn nodded, having no trouble admitting he was exhausted. “You will run with us in the morning,” the Tar added and watched as Gwaynn broke into a grin.
“You may not be grinning tomorrow, and this will not interfere with your other duties,” Kostek explained.
Gwaynn nodded, using the cotton towel the older man handed him to wipe the sweat from his forehead. Kostek watched him closely as the boy cooled down, and noticed that he showed no outward signs of satisfaction.
“Despite your earlier misgivings, you seem to be an excellent student,” Kostek said.
“Master Sath would not have agreed with you a few months ago. I…” Gwaynn began trying to explain his past apathy for fighting, something that caused his former teacher, and his father many hours of frustration. “I feel different now, almost possessed,” he continued, thinking only of Gwynn. It was a new thought for him and he found it intriguing. “Plus, I’m a bit more driven,” he finished and then with a bow excused himself, thinking perhaps a splash in the sea might be welcome after all.
ǂ
Leek woke Gwaynn nearly an hour before sunrise the next morning and after a few moments of confusion, his head cleared and he remembered why he was being awaken so early. He came instantly alert and dressed as fast as he ever had in his life, then made his way out into the cool, early morning air. The stars were bright, but there was just a hint in the eastern sky of the coming sunrise. Master Kostek was waiting near the center fire pit with his eight students. Krys and Vio greeted Gwaynn quietly, but the rest of the students just eyed him curiously.
Kostek clapped Gwaynn softly on the shoulder. “We run to the point and back every morning, ten miles in all. Do your best. I’ll be waiting when you finish,” he said matter-of-factly. Gwaynn thought he could at least keep up with some of the younger students, but as they set out he quickly realized they were setting a pace that he could not hope to match for even two miles, let alone ten. Gwaynn initially fell in behind Vio, but discovered that she was the one who actually led the pack and he was forced to fall back. He watched her up ahead, running apparently effortlessly, but he soon fell so far behind that the sight of her was blocked out by the students running behind her. Soon the entire group was so far up ahead Gwaynn stopped trying to keep up and fell into a slower rhythm all his own. He ran along, very aware of his heart thumping steadily in his chest, somehow keeping time with the waves pounding onto the nearby shore. Being so close to the ocean, he thought of Karl and all the big man had done for him, all he had sacrificed. As long as Tar Kostek was willing to train him, Gwaynn knew that Karl’s sacrifice would be at least worth something. He ran on, thinking about their time in the ocean and how afraid he was of dying, and how Karl continued to give him strength until at last he had not an ounce left for himself. Gwaynn would train, and train hard, not only for the memory of Karl, but also for his mother and sister, his lost home, but mostly because he never wanted to feel helpless and weak again, as he had hanging from the scaffold back in Solarii. Better to fight and die than to feel that way again, he thought, better yet, to fight and live, which was what Gwaynn planned to do. He blinked out of his thoughts as he caught sight of a lone runner coming his way. He knew instantly it was Vio. He unconsciously picked up his pace a little, though his legs felt like lead. He was sure he would never be able to run all the way back to the quarter without stopping and walking at least part of the way.