Zadi's Actual Secondary Spec [Training]

Unfortunately, it was time for Zadi to retrain his secondary specialization. He couldn't stop blaming himself for Syma's death, though it is technically his fault, it was that arrow shooting b-word that caused Syma's death with her surprising strength at the last few seconds of the match. It was rather ridiculous, but it couldn't be helped. Zadi entered and was willing to die, which he ended up doing, so technically Zadi got exactly was he asked for. A lesson learned plus a little experience. It was rather tough to learn that lesson, but it was a good lesson to learn all the same. Zadi may enter again, but with more experience and definetly with answers to questions due to the lesson his @$$ got handed. Anyway, Zadi went over to the coliseum and sat down in the audience and decided that it was time to learn about dealing with dexterity specialists.

"Hmmm, seems as though a match is going on. Looks like I can get perfect experience it dealing with long ranged fighters."

Zadi watched on in silence while the crowd around him cheered their hearts out. There were bets being made after all and it seems that the bets were more in favor of the non-dexterity user. It was strange, too, for the other competitor was wielding a close combat weapon. Zadi could only make out the shape of something seemingly used for close combat. It had a ball at the end but it could just be a heat-distorted image of a thick-ended sword. All the same, it was a close combat weapon, that was pretty obvious compared to the bow-and-arrow wielder.

"Alright, so why are you being bet against rather than for, bow-user?"

The match started after the horn was blown! The intensity was high as the close combat user stood in place and waited for something to happen while the long ranged fighter notched an arrow and fired off all in a split second. The close ranged fighter was about 25 meters away and had no trouble in dodging the arrow. However, what surprised Zadi was that he didn't get close to the long ranged fighter. He instead braced himself for another attack and only when the long ranged fighter notched an arrow and prepared to fire did the close ranged fighter run directly for the long ranged fighter.

"What are you doing? Do you WANT to get hit? I need to shut up and see if this is a valid tactic or not..."

And it seemed to end up being a valid tactic. The close ranged fighter got closer and closer while hitting the notched arrow out of the air after it was fired only 10 meters from the close ranged fighter. He just seemed to know exactly what to do against flying projectiles. It seemed rather simple, but he didn't stop moving for a second meaning he didn't even flinch a dodge.; He just swatted the arrow out of the air and slashed down on the long ranged fighter with ease. It was quick and to the point. He won the match almost instantly and Zadi could hear the crowd go wild! They wanted the long ranged fighter pay for his ultimate mistake of not moving backwards by having him killed by the close ranged fighter. They seemed to be doing a "thumbs-down" thing and Zadi could tell that it obviously meant "finish him off" without having to say a thing. Rather cruel to do to someone who probably needed the money! However, Zadi couldn't interfere with what the crowd wanted and waited for the close ranged fighter to decide what to do to his opponent, helpless on the ground.

"What kind of lesson will you teach me today, melee fighter? Will you show me the ways of a moral fighter or just confirm my previous thoughts about this coliseum's fighters?"

The fighter who won did nothing but faint a killing blow by stabbing his weapon inches away from the head of the loser. It showed skill and confidence while not having to actually kill to gain some other person's cruel respect. The winner just walked out of the coliseum while waving his arms in the air for the audience while the loser was patched up and stretchered out of the arena for further treatment if any was necessary. Zadi was impressed with both the battle and moral skills of the close ranged fighter and decided to to learn a thing or two about swordsmanship.

"Good job man, you've inspired me to become physically greater than I am now. Sorry Syma, but you will be proud of me. I guarantee it. I'll be with you in the future again, but not right now, sorry. Well, time for me to get some equipment and learn the art of swordsmanship."

Zadi headed down to the market and started to browse a few items here and there. It was rather nice to look at something other than wands all the time. However, Zadi had to admit that selling wands was not the greatest of businesses. There weren't all that many magicians in Reim after all. Melee and ranged weapons are all the hype here with pets and beasts being a close second. Anyway, Zadi looked around for something both artful yet sturdy and ended up coming across a foreign vendor that was selling items from across the globe.

"Hello there, I'm would like to take a look at your lightest yet sturdiest sword. Also, is that something that's possible? Hahaha!"

"Why yes! But why wouldn't you want one his thee grander swords here? These here are towers of power yet still very beautiful! You are here to collect, are you not?"

"What makes you say that!?"

"You are rather scrawny. I would imagine that you are more of a collector than a user. Am I mistaken?"

"Yes you are! I want a light sword because I am scrawny and obviously a sturdy sword at that. Now, show me the best you've got."

"Then here, take a look at this sword. It comes from Magnostadt. However, I've been told that it does not have any magical enchantments. Not even the lightness combined with sturdiness is a magical trait of this sword, though that is debatable. To be honest, it is probably the best sword I have! It will take quite a penny for me to part with it. Do you have money?"

"Magnostadt, uh? Strange place to get a sword. I gotta test it out before I buy it to make sure you aren't swindling me. Come on now, please let me touch it and test some of the basic traits of a sword according to this scripture I bought over there."

"Ha! That scripture is outdated and quite frankly shi- You know what, I'll just test it for you!"

The vendor started to bend the sword all which ways to show that it can withstand being thrusted against a shield of any surface for that matter. The sword was then used to cut through some infamously tough fruits that were also famous for their delicious tastes. The sword did great against all sorts of test and even though it was curved, it thrusted into objects well which remained Zadi of something about shields.

"See? What did I tell ya? Great sword, um? Now, pay or leave."

Zadi just gave up and paid for the sword, sheathe and everything. It was a very decorative looking sword, but it has been proven to be both light and sturdy. Zadi then looked around for a shield. Yes, a shield. The thrusting test of the sword brought light to the fact that Zadi didn't know what to do against something such as that and so he asked the same vendor for a shield and the vendor showed him a "light yet sturdy" shield. Obviously the shield needed to be sturdy, but the lightness, much like the sword, was largely due to Zadi physical strength being lower than the average man.

"Wow, seems more decorative than practical. It also has scratches. Why are you showing me this?"

"Because it is the a shield of a Knight King..."

"So what does that do for a used shie-"

"...500 years ago. It has been in use ever since. It is probably the greatest shield in history and I would like nothing more than for you to have it. I just have this feeling that you will do great things for this beauty."

"We only just met. What makes me seem more special than anyone else? My clothes? My looks? My sudden interest in weapons and the like?"

"I have no idea, hahaha! I could just be swindling you. You didn't think of that now did you? Ha!"

"Hey! Are you actually trying to swindle me! Wait, then you wouldn't have said anything...but then again...you could also be using double reverse psychology!"

"How about this, I'll just give you the shield for free if you promise to never give up on the shield. Come back to me if you need it to be fixed, but I doubt it will ever need fixing, hahaha! So now, go on, take this and scoot! I've got other things to tend to!"

Zadi was given a very beautiful shield for free! It was a rather surprising thing to happen to Zadi after having just been bombshelled by a friend trying to dethrone another friend who will most like try to kill the attacking friend and then vice-versa. This was a gift from the happiness that is also just an underlying evil within this world that Zadi must deal with now. He was given a gift, but now Zadi was expecting something terrible to happen that would make his happiness turn into a whimsical game for the evil that was about to take place. This is a very messed up world after all and Zadi will try to fix it using his power!

"Alright, now I've got a sword and shield. I gotta do some practice now to get used to using stuff like this. Should I enter the coliseum? NO! That is a BAD and TERRIBLE idea! I would end up using only magic to get me out of awful situations. Not to mention I only got close to winning due to Syma. Sort of. All the same, I can't be 'practicing' in a coliseum match. I need to find some other place to train for something like this. Ah! I just need to go back in the outskirts and just swing away at some wood! Hopeful that won't dull anything."

Zadi eventually made it a little ways away from Remano with some cheap wooden dummies in toll. He place the dummies and started to get a feel for how he should be holding his shield and sword. His eventually got used to a stance that involved his shield in the front and his sword's blade next to the rim of the shield. Simple enough, but now it was time for the practical use of such a stance. It felt common to Zadi so he tried to mix up the motions a little from what felt "normal" to something that felt "magical". He thrusted with the shield in as much of a tow as possible and then swung upwards with the sword in an attempt to hit an imaginary opposing weapon upwards for another slash which was then made downwards on a dummy. The footwork required such such movements was easy to get used to while also being a great workout. Zadi felt his magician's strength fade away as it was replaced by the strength of a fighter! He changed his motions up over and over again, but ended up getting a rather nice routine going that felt just right for someone like Zadi. If Zadi, for some off reason, could use magic, he now had the footwork and possible skills, imaginary at least, to defend himself with a blade and handheld blockade!

"Man, I'm loving this sword and shield stuff! I need to find more things to cut! Flesh! Wait, that's going too far. This is more for defense than offense. I've got magic for offense. What about supplementary? I can't do defense nor supplementary very well with magic, but I bet I could pull not only a little offense off with my sword and shield combo, but also a defensive-supplementary technique or two. Defense for sure, offense maybe, supplementary is very iffy, but at least I have my magic to rely on in case something goes horribly wrong, hahaha! So yeah, I think I got this swordsmanship and shieldsmanship thing down. But I better keep training just in case. Don't want to get hurt any more than I already have. Well, maybe fire and explosions are my true weakness, but whatever! I'll figure it out with some practice."

However, Zadi ended up training his body physically rather than just training his muscle memory. He decided that he needed to be stronger, faster, more agile, and all the other things that he's seen from other coliseum fighters. Well, mainly from that last fighter that was battling against the long ranged competitor. All the same, Zadi didn't feel physical enough with his movements so he started to do some exercises like tying rocks to the end of a stick and swinging it in all sorts of directions that slightly mimicked his preferred style.

Other things he did to increase his physical strength and endurance included weighing down his legs with rocks, lifting and dropping slightly larger rocks, thrusting with rocks on a stick, and even just holding a rock like a shield in an attempt to increase his standing strength because he knew that he'd come across fights that would last a longer than a swing or two. It was about a week later that Zadi's body started to react through all the physical training. His muscles were tighter, his lifting endurance was greater, and even Zadi's confidence spiked. Well, specifically his confidence in his looks. He felt he could charm any woman while being shirtless now, unlike when he was a rather scrawny magician. Sure he was lean, but he wasn't built like he is now.

2000+/2000 Words - Secondary spec wiped and trained from Dominance to Strength