Fantasy Cursed Island

[Fangs9090]

Asta turned to keep up with her. Having not felt a serious hit, he continued his all attack, no defense strategy.


Erina looked down and stroked the heads in turn. "Now, now, it's alright. Shuffle's a friend, she won't hurt you."

Shuffle stopped a pool down as she noticed the snake(s) around Erina's waist. She instinctively hissed back, but a look from Erina quickly made her stop.

 

[Darkling0096]

"You have offense," joanne called, "But if you do not practice defense you will die in battle."


The hydra kept its fangs bared, all but one head eyeing Shuffle, with the other looking at Erina.

 

[Fangs9090]

Asta blinked. "Defense? Hm... Usually I can just take most hits and continue."


Erina smiled at the hydra. "It's alright. She won't hurt you. And you shouldn't try to hurt her either." She looked to Shuffle. "You can come closer, just do it slowly so you don't scare them."

Shuffle gave a nod and approached more calmly.

 

[Darkling0096]

"In swordplay, 'taking a hit' could mean losing your life against a competent fighter," Joanne shook her head, "Have you noticed how when you attack I block, deflect, parry, and dodge? You must learn the same."


If the hydra could make the facial expression, it would have been frowning and eyeing Shuffle with narrowed eyes. It hissed at Shuffle again when she came within striking range.

 

[Fangs9090]

"I see..." Asta glanced down at his feet before looking at Joanne again. "Let us focus on that then. I have little experience avoiding attacks."


Shuffle stopped when the snake hissed again. Erina held a hand out to her. "Here. Give me your hand and look away." Shuffle nodded and put her hand in Erina's before turning her head to look the other way. Erina lightly pulled Shuffle closer so the hydra could investigate the golem's hand.

 

[Darkling0096]

Joanne nodded, "Then show me how you would deflect my attacks," she brought her sword at Asta in a downward slash.


The hydra recoiled at first as the hand was brought near, then gave a few dry bites, no fangs, figuring it could scare the beast away. When that didn't work, it actually flicked its tongues out to taste Shuffle's scent, and decided Shuffle wasn't as immediate a threat as it had thought.

 

[Fangs9090]

Asta's first impulse was to attack the attack, so he swung his sword at Joanne's, the same as he would for any attack.


Shuffle blinked and tilted her head as she felt the nibbles. Erina smiled at the progress. "Alright, now slowly look over..."

Shuffle nodded before turning to look.

 

[Darkling0096]

"Incorrect," Joanne parried the attack to the side. "The goal of a block is to prevent the attack from connecting. Your sword is larger and slower than mine, attempting to counter my attack with one of your own would only result in you being cut and your sword embedded in whatever had been behind me." She took a step back, "Try again." She made another attack from the same angle.


The hydra wasn't as wary of Shuffle now, but it definitely didn't like her. She smelled and tasted very strange and dangerous.

 

[Fangs9090]

Asta let out a grunt at his failed attempt. Swinging didn't work, so he tried holding his sword still across the anticipated path of Joanne's attack.


Shuffle gave a smile as Erina let go of her hand. "Hello."

 

[Darkling0096]

"Good first step," Joanne noted, applying pressure, "But there is more than just where you put your sword. Apply footwork, or you will fall."


The snake, not really having ears and not being communicated through the chain, only sense vibrations in the air and recoiled, looking around for another predator.

 

[Fangs9090]

Asta felt the shift in his balance as Joanne pushed against him, so he brought one foot back to steady himself.


There wasn't anyone else around besides Fia, standing a little ways off. Shuffle glanced around as well before spotting the harpy. She perked up before hurrying over to her.

 

[Darkling0096]

"Good," Joanne nodded, relieving the pressure. "Swordsmanship is just as much about what you do with your legs as it is about how you use your arms. It is how Jerry and Emil are able to fell larger foes despite using inferier weapons for the purpose."


The hydra now just looked confused. glancing back at Erina then at Shuffle as she moved away.

 

[Fangs9090]

Asta nodded. "Right. Even I'll have to put some technique into this, it seems."



Erina smiled at the hydra. "This another friend." She headed to where Shuffle and Fia were.

 

[Darkling0096]

"Indeed," Joanne smiled, "It is not as simple as slashing claws and biting, is it?"


The hydra looked back at Shuffle and Fia, and then climbed up Erina's chest to her shoulders to get a better view of the situation.

 

[Fangs9090]

Asta shook his head. "Certainly not. I have a greater respect for you who have to learn this and then make it look natural."



Fia smiled as Erina approached, holding a wing out to the hydra.

 

[Darkling0096]

Joanne chuckled, "It is certainly not natural, but over time one becomes used to using a weapon." She turned hers over in her hands, "Eventually, you are able to stop thinking of it as a tool and more as an extension of yourself, and that is when it becomes natural."


The hydra cocked its heads, squeaking at the two.

 

[Fangs9090]

Asta gave a nod. "That's the goal of my training and practice then. To be able to use this as easily as my own claws."



Fia giggled as she folded her wing back. "It's cute."

Erina nodded in agreement. "They hatched just this morning."

Shuffle decided to try holding her hand out to the snake. She really wanted to be friends.

 

[Darkling0096]

Joanne nodded, "That will take years, but at the very least I can prepare you for most swordsmen. Masters are not common."


Snakes ran mostly on body language, and grabby hands were not positive body language. The serpent retreated behind Erina's head and hissed at Shuffle.

 

[Fangs9090]

"Right. Then let's continue." Asta held his sword at the ready and took his stance.



Shuffle pulled her hand back. Erina reached over to stroke one of the hydra's heads. "It's alright. She just takes some getting used to."

 

[Darkling0096]

Joanne smiled and they resumed training.


The hydra nuzzled into Erina's hand, but didn't come down from its perch about her shoulders. The snake wasn't too keen on getting close to grabby hands that weren't the hands of the one it imprinted on.

 

[Fangs9090]

Erina smiled at the hydra before looking at Shuffle again. "It'll take some time, but I'm sure you'll get along eventually." And she wasn't just saying that because she could command them to.

Shuffle nodded. "Alright."

"Well, I think my dress should be dry now, so I'm going to head back to camp. You two have fun." Erina waved to them and headed back towards where she left her dress.

 

[Darkling0096]

Around the time Erina got back to her dress, she could see Jerry, without Poli, guiding a blindfolded Adran back up the slope towards the camp.

 

[Fangs9090]

Erina raised an eyebrow as she paused. That was certainly questionable, but she decided she should get dried and dressed before confronting them about it. She had to move the hydra off of herself, giving them a branch to slither onto instead, before drying off and getting dressed once more.

 

[Darkling0096]

Once Erina was dressed again, the hydra tried to get down to her by slithering off of the tree branch. Unfortunately, the snake misjudged its own body length, and instead fell onto Erina's carapace instead.

 

[Fangs9090]

Erina jumped a little as the hydra dropped onto her. She glanced back and, after making sure they were alright, giggled before heading back to camp.