Vlad gripped the sword with both hands and drew it back over his shoulder, the hilt settling beside his ear.

In a sudden jolt, he rushed at Victor. When the distance between them was less than two feet, he slammed his front foot down and swung the sword from his shoulder in a straight diagonal slash. The blade cut through the air at an incredible speed, leaving a faint silver trail in its wake.

Victor swung his own sword in a mirror move from below. The two blades crashed with a loud bam, the impact erupting sparkles from the contact as Vlad’s blade cut through the wooden scabbard and struck Victor’s naked sword underneath. Splinters of wood flew in all directions.

Victor’s strength proved superior. Vlad’s sword was pushed back. He could feel the shock rippling through his hands towards his forearms, a tingling numbness spreading up to his elbows.

Yet he did not back down. His sword moved with the same force, no hesitation in his eyes nor in his attack. His gaze remained locked on Victor, fierce and unwavering.

Another bright spark erupted from the collision as his blade was blocked with relative ease. The flash lit up his face for a fraction of a second.

He continued attacking, his sword swinging with a speed that the spectating students found difficult to follow. Blow after blow rained down like a storm.

What they could see was the wave of bright sparks and the loud noise of metal clashing erupting from the stage. Each collision sent tiny embers drifting through the air.

With each strike, Victor moved a step forward while Vlad was pushed back. The edge of the platform grew closer with every retreating step.

"It’s my turn to attack now," Victor said as he pushed Vlad’s blade upward, his arms rising along with it, leaving Vlad completely open from the front.

He swung his scabbard in a horizontal arc at Vlad’s abdomen.

The scabbard swung through empty air as Vlad bent backward, his body forming a semicircle, one hand placed firmly on the ground. His spine curved like a drawn bow.

He launched his foot into the air, striking Victor’s hand holding the scabbard as his body turned vertically inverted. The impact was clean and precise.

He balanced himself on one hand and swung the blade with the other at Victor’s leg.

Victor jumped upward, letting the blade pass beneath him. His boots left the floor, body suspended for a heartbeat. However, as the blade reached below him, Vlad twisted his hand, changing its trajectory upward. His legs came down behind him as he pushed himself up, his sword rising terrifyingly between Victor’s legs.

Victor’s eyes widened, shock palpable on his face. He slammed his knees together, pinning the blade between them before it could reach any higher. The steel scraped against his trousers.

Vlad did not miss the chance. He had already risen to his feet while Victor was descending back to the floor from his jump.

He launched a punch at Victor’s knee with his free hand, his other hand still holding the blade. Just as the punch was about to connect, Victor moved one knee forward and shifted both inward.

The sudden move immediately jolted the sword sideways, along with Vlad’s whole body. His stance wavered.

In the same instant, Victor brought his sword down at Vlad’s head.

Tang!

Vlad pulled his sword free from between Victor’s knees at the last moment and blocked the strike, his blade digging into Victor’s own. The impact jarred his shoulders.

He clenched the hilt with both hands, veins bulging across his forearms as he dragged his blade against Victor’s with a sudden jolt. Steel screamed against steel.

A line of sparks erupted, and the broken scabbard went flying into the air, Victor’s sword completely naked.

"Impressive," the words instinctively left Victor’s mouth as Vlad used this moment’s opportunity to retreat a few steps back. His chest heaved, sweat dripping from his chin.

The scabbard hit the floor beside him with a clatter.

Thunk!

---

Thunk!

"Why the long face, Vlad?" Edren asked as he struck a log with the axe, breaking it into two. The wood split with a satisfying crack.

Thwak!

It was late in the evening, the sun painting the earth with a golden hue. Long shadows stretched across the grass like dark fingers. Edren was breaking large logs of wood into smaller pieces using an axe. Little Vlad was sitting beside him on a log, his eyes seeming almost on the verge of tears. His small shoulders were hunched forward.

"His sword broke," Chloe revealed, sitting on Edren’s shoulder, trying to style the loose strands of his hair using rubber bands. Her tiny fingers worked diligently.

"That’s no reason to be saddened about," Edren said, positioning another log before him. The axe rested against his thigh.

"You bought it for two silver taels," Vlad murmured, his eyes lowered. He stared at the dirt between his feet. "It’s the third sword I broke this month."

Edren sat beside Vlad and said, "Tell me one thing, both of you." The log creaked under his weight.

He grabbed the axe, slightly turned its angle sideways, and asked, "What will happen if I swing the axe with full force at this angle?"

"Break," Chloe answered, tying his hair with a rubber band at one side of his head before turning her focus to the strands on the other side. She pulled gently.

"As Chloe said, its edge won’t hit the target, which will cause the edge to break," Vlad said.

"Exactly. The same goes with every weapon. If the angle of the blade and the direction you swing it are not aligned, it will break the weapon."

Vlad’s eyes widened as he realized something. A spark of understanding flickered across his face.

Edren looked at him with a faint smile as he continued, "The blade of a sword is very thin. It’s normal to be unable to align the angle with the direction of force."

"I understand, Dad." Vlad jumped to his feet, energy returning to his small frame. "Chloe, let’s stop sparring for a few days. We must learn how to swing the sword first."

"But I didn’t break my katana," Chloe replied, tying Edren’s hair on the other side. She secured the rubber band with a satisfied nod.

"You should also do it, Chloe baby," Edren said, raising his hand to pat Chloe’s head. His palm was rough but gentle. "Your katana didn’t break because you didn’t put much strength into your attacks. Its edge has also chipped."

"But it’s tiring, Dad," Chloe said, wrapping her arms around Edren’s forehead in a hug. She pressed her cheek against his hair.

"Oh my baby. In that case you don’t nee—"

"Dad, stop spoiling her," Vlad snapped. He turned to Chloe and declared, "If you won’t do it, I won’t take you to the academy with me."

"Dad," Chloe turned to Edren as if pleading him.

"Vlad, don’t be so harsh on her. She is just a baby." Edren’s eyes sparkled with amusement.

"I’m just a baby," Chloe copied, looking at Vlad with pleading eyes.

Vlad released a sigh. "I will buy chocolates for you when I go to the city."

"Let’s train," Chloe immediately moved down from Edren’s shoulder. Her feet hit the ground with determination.

As they were about to leave, Edren said, "Vlad, you have extraordinary strength. No normal sword can survive your strikes if you swing them with enough force, even if your angle is correct. At the end of the day, swords are just weapons."

A smirk formed on his face as he continued, "If you know that your sword is at its end, you might as well put all of your strength into it. The result might surprise you."

"Alright, Dad," Vlad said before running inside the barn with Chloe. Their footsteps faded into the golden evening.

---

Vlad took a deep breath, sweat trickling down his temple as he looked at the sword in his hand. Its edge was chipped in various places from the relentless strikes. The steel reflected his tired eyes.

He tightened his grip on the sword, his knuckles turning white, blood surging into his arms as he bolted forward in a blur, his speed matching Chloe’s when she had attacked Victor. The air rushed past his face.

As he reached closer, he swung the sword in a horizontal motion, the blade whistling through the air at blinding speed.

Victor instantly moved his blade sideways to block the attack coming for his side.

As the two blades clashed, a bright spark erupted, and a wave of air repelled through the hall, blowing the hair of students backward. Several of them shielded their eyes.

A skidding line of boots was marked on the floor following Victor, who was standing at the edge of the platform, the sword in his hand slightly trembling from the aftershock. His knuckles were white around the hilt.

High in the air, a broken blade was spinning frantically, catching the light in glittering fragments, while at the centre of the platform, Vlad stood, breathing heavily, in his hand holding the hilt with no blade.