Harry Potter: The Ring Maker

Chapter 399: Spar

Nick woke up nice and early the next day as he usually does and stretched before waving his wand to have his bed made again. "Anything strange happen while I was asleep?" he asked Lucas with a yawn. "Not a peep boss , nice and calm just like you said it'd be." Lucas said without looking up from his metallurgy book. "Hmm" Nick hummed in response before finding a seat of his own to continue reading his book. At exactly eleven a scantily clad woman brought in a platter of fruit and sweet porridge for brunch.-

She remained in the room curiously examining Nick as he ate everything that was brought but he ignored her. Once the now empty platter was removed again he went back to reading since the information was quite detailed and enriching. Around three hours later he closed the book and took out a wooden shortsword to practice using it as Celebrimbor had been instructing him from the mindscape. Elven swordsmanship was less about brute force and more about flow and smooth transitions between strikes. This required correct footwork and control over ones body that made it almost resemble dancing in a way.-

"I did not know you too studied the blade , not to boast but I was quite the warrior before I became a vampire." Jesseph said with a genuine smile after walking in on Nick practicing. Nick paused after completing his movement and pulled out another wooden sword from the realm and held it out. "Care to shake off that rust?" he offered with a grin. Jessephs smile widened in a predatory manner "I think I will , thank you." he said taking the wooden sword. "I admit that I usually wielded a khopesh so the European blade shape feels odd in my hand." he said giving the blade a few test swings.-

Nick pulled out his wand and tapped it on the wooden blade causing it to morph into a strange curved blade with a hook like tip. Jesseph gave the blade a few more swings and grinned widely "Yes this is the feeling , how nostalgic!" he said happily. Nick tapped his wand against the floor and the floor and furniture started to shift away from them to give them room to spar freely. "Your prowess with transfiguration is quite impressive. I dare say that few adult wizards could match it!" Jesseph complemented honestly.-

Nick just chuckled "Shall we start?" he asked while taking a sideways stance with his blade raised at an angle from his right side. "Yes , lets." Jesseph said with a grin before dashing forward. Nick was slightly caught off guard as the entire tone and vibe that Jesseph gave off in this moment was far different than it was normally. He recovered quickly however and narrowed his focus on Jesseph while zoning out any outside distractions. The royal coiled his body to the side as he thrust his blade forwards at Nicks chest fluidly.-

One needed to remember that Jesseph was a vampire and as such moved faster and with more power than any human swordsman would. Nick could keep up however thanks to both his races innate attributes as well as the effects of the ritual of reflex. Khopesh blades had a rather nasty trick to them were meeting a thrust from them with an overhead or side strike risked having the blade yanked away from you. Nick as a smith knew this and immediately rotated his body to the side while bringing his own blade down at Jesseph as the tip of the khopesh glided past him harmlessly.-

Jessephs eyes narrowed as he shifted his weight from behind the thrust to try and recover with a sideways slash. Nick merely redirected his own slash to intercept the other blade while carefully hopping up just before contact was made. "CRACK!" the wood clashed and like Nick expected Jesseph had used abnormal power behind the strike. Using his position midair and the force of the strike Nick let Jessephs blow carry him backwards as he readjusted his stance for immediate retaliation after he landed. The moment his foot touched the ground all the momentum was twisted through his foot up his thigh abs and shoulders before reaching his arm.-

Nicks swords whistled as it cut through the air nin the vicious yet smooth transition from clash to attack. Clearly this caught Jesseph off guard and the strike landed on the upper portion of his right bicep. Both parties immediately disengaged and retreated from the other side in tacit understanding. Should Nick have been wielding a real blade Jesseph would have lost his arm at best and been killed outright at worse. Jesseph sighed while rubbing the spot he was struck "It seems I truly have grown rusty if I failed to recognize the nature of your blade like this." he said with disappointment.