Morning the next day. I went downstairs, and the whole family was already sitting there eating breakfast. I joined them, while Tina passed me a plate with some food. After a while of chatting, Aron stood up, and said "Nex, I want to fight you". I was a bit surprised, and asked "Why?". He replied "Prove your strength to me". I smiled, then replied "I don't have to prove anything Aron. Whether you see me as weak or not, I'm not really concerned". He asked "If the blood of Wintersteeds runs through your body, you would never decline my challenge".
I asked "Do you think I lied? That I'm not, who I say I am? That is why you don't want to accept me, as part of your family?". He replied "I have my reasons". I thought about it, and said "I don't understand your reasons, but I will grant you that experience. You want to see my strength? Follow me". I stood up, and left the house.
Besides Aron, everyone else got up too, and followed after me. We arrived at the training area shortly. Aran and some youngsters were already practicing. I called out to Aran, and asked "Hi Aran, can you make some space? I want to trash my cousin around a bit". Aran laughed, and replied "Sure". Everyone left the area, and stood at the fringes. I said to Aron "Take out your weapon". He took out a long sword, and positioned himself in Attacking Stance. He then said "Take your weapon out". I shook my head, and said "If I take my weapon out, you will die. Come, attack me. You have three chances, then you will lose".
Aron didn't lose his calmness, and approached slowly. I didn't move at all, and simply stood there. He then used some sort of foot technique, and rushed at me. When he arrived, he released a Sword Form which I haven't seen yet, and attacked. He slashed horizontally, but it was a fake. He changed his blade direction, to slash upwards in mid swing. I extended my right hand, and caught the sword. "Clang", a metallic sound reverberated throughout the area.
Aron couldn't believe it. He tried backing away, but he couldn't. I was holding the sword very tightly. He decided to abandon his sword, and backed away. I threw the sword lightly at him, and said "Two more tries". Aron was still shocked. He woke up from it, when the sword hit the ground. He quickly picked it up, and rushed at me again. The results were the same. Although I didn't catch his sword this time, I simply deflected it.
After the 3rd attack, I said "Now let me show you, a bit of my strength". Aron was totally stunned at this stage, but still assumed the Defensive Stance. It didn't matter what Aron did. Anyone below Inner Limits wasn't my opponent. Ten dagger appeared in mid-air, and danced around me, as if floating. I said "This is something I developed myself", and released the Stringed Hidden Weapons skill to the max. The daggers flew through the air making screeching sounds due to the astonishing speed. People would be hard pressed, to follow my daggers. This was the effect, with my skill not fully completed yet.
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Aron stood no chance against such an attack. I obviously didn't aim at his body, but all around him. He stood there frozen, unable to move. I suddenly stopped my attack, and all the daggers disappeared. His clothes were all damaged, but his body was intact. I said "You have no clue, what I have been through my life. While you sat on your ass in this village, I travelled through the Great Forest, and lived in the North for 5 years. Although you may be only 4 years younger than me, you are like a lost kid to me. Does this prove I'm Wintersteed? I don't believe it does, but my roots are here, whether you like it or not".
I said farewell to the rest, and left. 'I never liked being tested... Aron is too stubborn, and has a very narrow view. Finch is much more reasonable than Aron. I don't get it, why wouldn't Finch teach his successor properly?' I thought. I couldn't be always around, protecting these people. Even if I improved the overall strength of the village, what would that mean to a whole city? My mood was a bit spoiled, because I was tired of my own cousins thinking, I was some sort of bad guy. A poser, or a stranger. 'I will just rest for a day or two, away from the people. Maybe I've changed. After all, I've been travelling around by myself. Only Shelly or Frosty were around. Now, even Frosty is not around' I thought.
I went to my field, and decided to stay in the shack. 'I need to make some sort of chair, or something' I thought. After a while of hacking, chiselling and sanding, I had a large chair, on which I could recline and rest. I sat in my new chair, and closed my eyes. 'I'll just relax here, a bit of peace and quiet' I thought. This didn't last, because after a while, I heard someone approaching me. I knew who it was, thanks to my senses. I asked "What is it Finch?".
He replied "You could even guess that... I'm here to talk". I opened my eyes, and asked "About?". He said "You are also immature Nex. It's true that your experience is rich, and you've been through a lot. But you are also blind. You became a loner, which is understandable, but have you tried understanding them?". A lot of things ran through my mind at this point. After a while, I sighed and said "You might be right". Finch nodded, and continued "How would you feel? A stranger simply appears in your life, and proclaims to be your family. I know you are Nex, and I never doubted that. But kids are different. Norty is easy going and bright, so accepting you was not a problem for him. He is also young. Haily and Aron are already grown up, they see the world a bit differently".
I could understand him. I wasn't very welcoming to them either. 'I've lost touch a long time ago. I didn't try to make them accept me, I simply didn't care' I thought. I sighed again, and said "I know…". I then heard other people coming over. It was Haily and Aron. Finch smiled, and didn't say anything else. Haily went forward and said "I'm… sorry". She then hung her head down, and didn't speak anymore. Aron also apologised, and said "I shouldn't doubt my own family. Father believes you, so why shouldn't we as well?".
I stood up, and walked up to them. I wasn't sure how to proceed, so I grabbed both of them, and hugged them. I said "It seems we were all at fault. I'm sorry too, it must've been difficult for you guys as well". I then released them, and said "Wait a bit guys, I will make some chairs for you too". They became surprised, and Haily asked "You can make furniture?". I smiled, and replied "I've learned a lot. I can also smith, make clothes and grow plants. All that you see around, was grown by me".
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As I chopped some logs, and started making chairs, Aron asked "You grew all of that by yourself? When did you get the time to water it?". I smiled, and said "I designed a water delivery system, which does that for me. I don't have to water the field, I just need to tend to it once in a while. Although in the past, I used to do that manually". Aron, Haily and even Finch were stunned. The water delivery system, was something I came up with. It shouldn't be that popular, or exist at all. 'Maybe the big cities, or the Imperial City has something like this. The villages though, wouldn't know about such things probably' I thought. I quickly made some basic chairs, and said "Take a seat. I will make a fire, and roast some meat".
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