As Heidi charged forward, Sterling expertly side-stepped her blow, parrying her attack and spun around to slap the flat part of his blade against the back of the Knight's neck as she ran by him.When Heidi turned around rubbing the spot where the Drow had struck her, the Dark Elf said, "You telegraphed your move by waiting too long for your anger to build. Don't rely on your anger to win a fight! Rely on your skill, your speed, and your strength! These are the only three things that you can truly count on in a fight!"
The Dark Elf immediately charged towards the Knight and began to attack her, driving her back under a series of blows. While he did so, the Swordsman spoke, "Your skill is your ability to use a sword to kill your opponent! Your goal is to eliminate your enemy as efficiently and expeditiously as possible! This is not a tournament! You do not get points for scoring on your opponent! The only thing you get when you defeat your opponent is an opportunity to live to see another day!"
As the Knight did her best to defend herself against her teacher, the Drow continued, "Your speed is your ability to move quickly and efficiently against your opponent as well as your ability to avoid a blow, dodge an attack, or raise your defense. Of the three, speed is the most important--because it cannot be taught! You either have it or you don't!"
Finally, Sterling breached her defenses and disarmed the Knight saying, "Your strength is not what you think! It is not how much force you put behind a blade! It is where you apply the force that you have along the edge of the blade! Understand, that even a child can do a great deal of damage with a dagger, as long as he knows where to apply the most force!"
Walking over to where her sword laying on the ground, the Swordsman retrieved it and handed it to the Knight saying, "In time you will learn, know, and understand these things! Skill, speed, and strength will be the mantra by which you live! Because when the time comes, and you're all alone in the night, facing whatever evil awaits you! What I teach you, this mantra and your sword will be all you've got to keep you from ending up as some monster's dinner or as another knotch in the belt of some swordsman or anti-palladin!"
"Now let's try some common swings, thrusts, and parries. Nothing fancy," cautioned the Drow, "Just a few things to keep you from ending up in an early grave! Begin!"
A Point To Ponder
