Swordsmanship is exceedingly important for me and for my line of work, as every mission I take seems to get me and the party in to some sort of trouble that we need to fight our way out of. Granted, that is part of the job–we sign up for it with every quest letter we take, some of them say it outright: “You will be fighting on this job, no doubt about it. The job is to fight.”
While others may have chosen a different form of combat, I chose to take up the sword.
It was a matter of convenience at first, as my claymore was inherited from my father, and thus it was what I had at the time. I learned better how to use it, and the rapier, from a martial sword course at my academy. But more than that, I discovered that learning to use the claymore helped me to feel closer to my father, whom I barely knew before he went to fight and die in the Zahndir war. My training helped to quench the emptiness left by his death. With every practice stroke I took, it was as if I could more closely mimic father’s movements, his pain, his will, and his drive and desire to fight. He saw something noble in the battles he fought, I am sure, and felt the cause was worth dying for. That is what I learned through swordplay–to fight and strive for something worth dying for.
Father was also an accomplished magic-user, although I never really understood how to implement spells in battle until later witnessing what Li could do. I mean, I can understand in theory how magic can be of great help on the battlefield, but not moreso or more directly than a sword strike. If the goal is to defeat the enemy, why make things complicated? Li’s level of talent, though, is exceptional, and there’s no way I could reach that even after years of dedicated study.
I guess I just always saw magic as more of a tool instead of a weapon. That’s how my mother saw it, I think, as a way to heat water, clean up, and chop vegetables. She could never cast any spell herself, and instead just wanted myself and Stefani to take on those tasks. More than that, I’m sure she missed father’s magical talent and it’s way of supporting her. It must have reminded her of him every time I’d help out magically, much like how using the sword reminded me of him.
It’s difficult for me to shake these narrow-use ideas of the past–but even so, I have made my choice for now. I’m a far better swordsman than I am a mage, and that’s alright. I can still finish my missions.
Although I must admit, Myra’s method of channeling elemental magic through her blade is, to me, a very awesome combat ability. That’s a spell I wouldn’t mind learning how to use.
