After the warm-up demonstration, and the lesson on sword stance, basic strikes, and blocks, the class came to an end.
Sebastian took Aiden and they returned to the residence. On the way back, Aiden asked if he could keep the wooden sword as a memento of his first training session.
Although he was tired, and the training included nothing but the most basic fundamentals, he enjoyed it. And he got to keep his first wooden sword as a souvenir.
Once they arrived home, Sebastian commanded, "We're going to the back courtyard to train."
Aiden was surprised. "But we just got back."
Sebastian shook his head. "You think that was training? Sure, it's basic instruction, and you'll learn the fundamentals there and spar with people your size. But the real reason I'm sending you is so you can socialize and practice with your peers."
"And so Cedric can't oppose it anymore," he added quietly to himself.
"Training with me is what really matters. I'll be able to help you more by focusing solely on you. That way, I can catch the small mistakes the instructor won't notice in a class with a dozen students."
"Don't complain—get to the courtyard."
Aiden didn't say a word and followed his grandfather. When they arrived at the courtyard, they sat on a bench for a moment to let Aiden recover from his earlier session.
Walter came over with pitchers of water and poured Aiden a drink.
As they sat quietly, basking in the gentle sunlight and enjoying the light breeze drifting through the air, Aiden felt peace in simply sitting still for the first time.
Like most kids, he was usually full of energy—running around non-stop. But now, he found joy in the simple act of lying still.
Unfortunately, after a while, Sebastian told him to get up, grab the sword, and take his stance.
"Push your right foot forward a little. Put your left hand behind your back. Spread your feet slightly—they can't be in a straight line or you'll fall over sideways. The sword is balanced, so it should feel light for you."
"Now I'm going to attack with a simple strike—slowly—and you're going to parry it with a single motion of your sword. Keep your stance."
Sebastian slowly swung diagonally from his right to Aiden's left, aiming downward from Aiden's perspective.
Aiden did his best to maintain his stance and use his sword to deflect the strike.
"Not bad," Sebastian said with a smile. "Here's a tip—when you parry, aim for the tip of my sword, but don't use your own tip."
Sebastian then demonstrated by striking the tip of Aiden's sword using the middle of his own blade. Even with a slow, effortless swing, Aiden's sword was pushed away.
"The reason that happens is because the center of gravity is closer to the hilt. The closer you strike to the tip, the harder it is for your opponent to control their weapon—even if they're just as strong."
"I'm telling you this because it's important. You need to train yourself to do it that way every time until it becomes second nature."
Aiden kept nodding in understanding.
They repeated that exercise a few more times, and then moved on to footwork.
Sebastian continued, "Now we'll do the same thing, but this time, when I attack, you'll step back slightly. Your footwork is crucial—choosing which foot to move first matters, or you'll trip."
After practicing the movement several times, Sebastian shouted happily, "Maybe you don't have a brain, but at least you'll know how to fight!"
Aiden was clearly exhausted—it showed. He was drenched in sweat, but also incredibly happy, not entirely sure why.
Walter approached with a white towel and fresh water, which Aiden drank almost too fast, nearly choking.
At that moment, Evander arrived, smiling warmly, but with a slight hint of concern in his voice as he looked at Aiden. "You're not overworking him, are you? I get the basics are important, but training at his age wears you out—and it's getting dark."
"Eeehh, you're exaggerating," Sebastian replied. "I wore him out a little, sure. But he's got to make up for two years of training. At least he's picking it up fast."
Evander chuckled. "Just because he's a kid and people say kids have endless stamina and can run in circles all day—that's a myth, you know?"
Sebastian glanced at him. "Want me to smack you? Or maybe give you some training too?"
Evander raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright, I'll shut up. I'm just saying—he's not used to this kind of training yet. Don't wear him out too much. And let me take him for a few sessions sometime."
"It's still too early for training with Vita. First, he needs to learn how to fight and defend himself using just his weapon," Sebastian said, cutting him off.
"What do you take me for? I know that. I just want to give him a few lessons from my own experience," Evander replied.
He looked at Aiden and added, "But I think he's had enough training for now."
Sebastian gave a slight, menacing smile. "This is just his first day. He's got another one tomorrow."