“You are going to need them,” chuckled Lyra as she drew her wooden practice sword from her belt and leaped off the steps to land in the dew covered grass. “Let’s see what Master Caulder can teach you to protect against this . . . ”

Lyra swung her foot and knocked Antello’s feet out from under him. Turning quickly, she thrust a rising slash of her wooden sword towards Syman and the dark-haired boy had to leap out of the way.

“You are a wicked girl,” laughed Syman as he raised his wooden sword and moved into a defensive stance.

“And a cheater,” laughed Antello as he jumped to his feet and charged Lyra.

“There is no such thing as cheating when you are fighting for your life,” instructed Lyra as she ducked Antello’s thrust and tumbled to the ground to avoid the expected swing from Syman. “Master Caulder may be a Master Swordsman, but fighting for your life is not a tournament. Every action to defeat your foe is legal in order to avoid being killed.”

“She’s right,” agreed Syman as he ran to cross swords with Lyra, who had just regained a standing position. “Master Caulder should broaden our lessons to include situations we may face in real life.”

Antello smiled as he circled Lyra to trap her between Syman and himself. “I guess he figures we will learn those lessons soon enough,” he stated. “What he has taught us already makes us among the best swordsmen in Omunga.”

“Not by a long shot,” scowled Syman as he and Lyra continued to exchange blows. “He is an excellent teacher, but we have a lot to learn before we go fighting bandits or enter the Imperial Service. If we went off right now, we would be dead before nightfall.”

“Not a chance,” laughed Antello as he tried to trip Lyra in repayment for her opening gambit. “It would be our opponents on the ground, not us.”