Weapons master

Daniel sat on the sidelines of the training area, his fists clenched tightly as he watched his mentor step into the ring. He knew how skilled Master Richards was, but to see him stepping into the ring with no armor against an opponent with a fully sharpened blade. He knew that Richards could win, but... These odds were not ones that he should merely be playing around with.

Richards on the other hand was smiling and relaxed. In his right hand he was holding loosely onto a long halberd that he would need both hands to swing in battle. He watched as his sparring partner, dressed in full armor, took practice swings with his sword. The opponent looked tense, worried about getting hit, despite his thick armor, which had clearly seen him through many battles. Richards' reputation preceded him, he saw, which only served to make his smile grow brighter.

As the trainers stepped out of the ring, Richards lifted the halberd and brought it down lightly into his other hand, pointing its blade at his opponent's head, who lifted his sword defensively. They tiptoed in circles around each other, watching each other. But Richards' opponent didn't have the patience for this, and charged forward. Richards couldn't help but smile as he stepped around the boy and slapped him in the back of the head using the flat of his blade. The boy stumbled, but turned quickly to face Richards once more.

Daniel's fists were clenched as he watched. Richards was toying with his opponent, but Daniel knew from experience what doing that in a fight could do to a person. He knew of the rage and desperation that could fill a person's mind, and even more than that, he knew just how dangerous that could make them in a fight. Someone fueled by that kind of energy was likely to make poor decisions - ones they wouldn't normally make. And those were the most dangerous kinds of decisions, because you couldn't anticipate them.

He watched as Richards' opponent did exactly that. He began to move faster, diving in at Richards' as the master danced around him, swinging wildly and with rage. It wouldn't be long before...

There was the distinct sound of metal slicing through wood before the blade at the end of Richards halberd fell to the floor. Even his opponent seemed surprised at what had happened. But as it occurred to him what he had done, the boy grew determined and leaped forward once more.

But Richards was still ready. His grip on the shaft of wood changed, and he knocked the side of the boy's sword to the side, opening his guard to be struck in the side of the head. Richards had switched to a bo staff style of fighting.

While his opponent looked stunned, Daniel was still worried. Richards wasn't a master for nothing. But that still didn't change the fight he was fighting a real sword with no armor.