The day began the same as any other for Cylus, one hour of meditation before sunrise. The days ended in the same fashion, one hour of meditation after sunset. Cylus did this religiously because his old master taught him that a clouded mind makes rash decisions whereas a cleared mind makes sound decisions. 

After his morning mediation Cylus stood from his small garden he tended to and walked along the dirt path to his humble abode. He left his shoes at the door, so he didn’t bring dirt into his home, he gathered his cloak, sword, and his sandals. Having fit himself he started out his door to collect his students to begin the day. 

Astoria was a very small town on the edge of Lake Aidra, there he had lived for a decade teaching swordsmanship to those he found to have the right reasons to learn. Astoria had one road that ran through the middle of town, along it were all of the shops. He turned off the road and found himself at another small house, most homes in Astoria were small, knocking at the door. It opened with a boy in his teen years standing in the doorway. 

“Good morning Lee.” Cylus addressed the boy. 

“Master!” He bowed realizing who the man at his door was. 

“Are you ready to begin the day?” he saw that the boy wasn’t, “Go get what you need and be at my house soon.” the boy bowed again and dashed back inside.

Cylus continued walking and found himself at another home. Before his hand touched the door to knock it was open with another boy dressed in the black clothing of a student with two broad swords on his hip, one on either side. He bowed, “Master, I am ready to begin our day.” he addressed the sword master before him.

“And so you are.” Cylus said turning around to continue his walk. The boy followed him. After three more homes Cylus was back in front of his home with five students ready to learn. All of whom wore the same black cloth shirt and pants along with wooden sandals. “now leave your weapons here, you wont need them today.” Cylus instructed his students. They did so.

“Come now.” Cylus lead them to the gates. The gatekeeper opened the gate for them. Cylus’ students followed him in an orderly fashion out of the town to a grove nearby. In the grove there were posts set up forming a very large circle. Neatly stacked outside of the circle were carved wooden swords. Inside of the circle was trees and tall grass and a small pond. 

“Today is a sparing day.” Cylus explained to his students, this was met with excited faces. “Who will be first? Lee, Alfred?” The two stepped forward, Lee took a single wooden sword and Alfred took two broad swords. “Enter the ring.” They did so, “Lee go to the north end and Alfred take the south.” They did so.

“Begin!” Cylus shouted with no instructions. The boys charged from across the field to each other. their master had taught them basic defensive positions and simple swipes and how to lunge. Both of the students were not skilled and it was over quickly. Lee had lunged, Alfred sidestepped and knocked Lee’s sword from his hand with one blade ending the sparing match. 

“Lee, Alfred come here.” The sword master instructed the students. They both stood in front of him in front of of the other students at the circle’s entrance “Lee, hand me your sword.” Lee did so. “Can anyone tell me what a sword is?”

One of the students stood and said “A sword is a weapon used in battle.”

“No.” Cylus said simply. “Does anyone else think they know what a sword is?” none answered. “A sword is an extension of yourself, never think of a sword as a weapon or a tool.” he turned to Alfred. “Attack me.” he told him. 

Alfred was standing a few yards from his master, he charged the old man. Cylus sidestepped and thrusted his foot out tripping the student. “Again!” the student regained his footing and charged again, the same result. Cylus was still grasping the wooden sword. “Once more!” the student charged Cylus with both swords held high, Cylus lifted his wooden blade and met the boy’s swords, he spun one of the boy’s swords knocking it from his grasp and stepping away from the other. Cylus then used his foot to trip him and held his sword to him signifying that he had won. “If you can end a battle with out bloodshed all the better. A swordsman must learn restraint.”

Cylus gave Lee his sword again. “Alfred give me your swords.” The student did so. “You seem to like the idea of two swords?”

“Yes master.” he replied.

“And why is that?”

“I think two swords are better than just one.” 

“An honest answer. But do you know how to use them? No.” Cylus saw the student’s face answer the question. “When you use these, do you think of them as two separate blades? Don’t, when you dual wield you are using one sword, they move together and accomplish the same goal.” He demonstrated the the motions swinging the swords in symmetrical fashion. “Never think of a sword as one item, it needs at least one other to make it whole.” 

He finished the lesson after all of the students had spared, they went back to the village and Cylus went to his garden to meditate after the sun had set.