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That's a bold question, my friend... It is a fair one however. Where should I begin...
During my teenage years before I joined the army, I would spend time training with my best friend Lomir. He too was an aspiring soldier and we would spar for hours almost every day. During the winter season, his skills ridicilously improved and he was using a very unusual yet effective style. "What's your secret?" I remember asking him. He told me about the "Order of the Black Sword", a fencing guild with a training camp in the mountains. Lomir didn't say anything about it earlier because he wanted to test the techniques on me. Eager to learn from the guild's instructors, I convinced Lomir to take me to the mountains.
Upon reaching the mountains, we were met by members of the guild. We had to be blindfolded before taken to the actual training grounds. One could not join without recommendation and you would have to past a basic test of swordplay knowledge. So after paying an unusual fee consisting of gold and one livestock animal, I brought them a pig I purchased in the city, I was inducted into the guild and my training finally began.
During my first day, we had to swear an oath never to teach what we learn to anyone else. The basic lessons focused on single sword versus single sword fencing. This was appealing to me for my father's teachings emphasized more on sword and shield. The style felt like basic fencing at first but as the months past, I was learning new techniques I have never seen before. Every month, I would also continue to pay my fee of gold and livestock. Lomir and I were proud of our advancement and even practiced outside of camp.
One night, a special select of us were summoned to the instructor chambers. They told us that we were the most promising students and we qualified for advance lessons. Not only that, we were to receive rendered swords with magical auras courtesy of the guildmaster, a man whom we realized we've never met nor his name revealed to us. "But there is one catch, should you want all this." said one of the head instructors. "Each of you must capture, by force if neccesary, a beautiful girl for the guildmaster." Lomir and I looked at each other, his face was of confusion and mine of concern. "You see the guildmaster has a certain thirst, quenched only by the blood of maidens." All of the students present including myself mouthed, "A vampire?" to each other. The head instructor smiled saying, "Of course, he is an old one as well. Now you know how these techniques were acquired. He has more to share, all he requires is your loyalty willingness to feed him. We know you can accomlish your task. You have thirty days to bring your captive here." Before anyone of us could say a word, we were dismissed from the chamber.
Outside, the group of students including Lomir were gathered together in a circle. To my surprise, they were already sharing plans on how to kidnap women for the guildmaster! I kept to myself until we were blindfolded and escorted out of the camp. Once outside, I pulled Lomir aside from the others and scolded him. He tried convincing me that it was worth it and he will go through with the process. I reminded him over and over during our argument that this is wrong and he's doing it all for a vampire. I gave him an ultimatum, it was either the guild or our friendship. He made his choice and our friendship was broken...
I went back to Soldrien with no intentions of returning to the camp. However after a few weeks during a slow night in the tavern, I was visited by the guild's messenger. He revealed himself in the wine cellar just as I went down there to take a barrel. "No one in the history of the order has ever turned down the advance lessons." He said in a quiet yet threatening voice. Lomir must have told him I left. "There's a first time for everything..." I retorted. The messenger was unhappy with my response and reached into his cloak. I saw his hand around the hilt of a weapon so I went for my sword as well. Before we even drew our weapons, my father comes down the wine cellar with a few of his friends. By fortune, he was here to stop by and introduce me to his fellow veteran soldiers. Before my father could notice, the messenger and I sheathed our weapons. My father greeted me and asked if there was any problem, noticing the strange man. "No. As a matter of fact, he's leaving now." I said. The messenger glared at me then smiled to the other men and left. I never heard from the Order of the Black Sword again. I regret the day ever meeting them. I should have known better...
Interesting... I have more questions for you...
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