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************Incomplete, hope ill finish it soon, this part at least.***********

Standing against a wall, arms crossed and with his mistrustful look, Araphel lied in the mercenary guild in Sharn that took him some work to get in. Because of the blue chunk and the wolf woman went picnic to the Eldeen Reaches he had plenty of time until they get back, so why not to watch a bit of the so called good mercenary buddies around here practicing their skills in battle. He was thinking of this while watching a half-orc and a dwarf training, one with a double axe, the other with a dwarven urgrosh. The dwarf wins with a quick entry in the orc´s opened flank. Pretty bad fight from Araphel´s point of view, the half-orc was opening to attacks very easily, he saw it coming a little bit after the match begun; Bolt could have gone to talk to the half-orc about that, but a fight where you stay on your feet is a good fight, like his father used to say, so there…

He looks the next pair who are going to fight, a human paladin with a long sword and a shield, no need for Araphel to see which deity he serves. He turned to see a half-elf in light armor, using a short spear and a long cloak which was slipping over one shoulder. And the fight begins, the paladin is no fool and don’t charges, he moves slowly toward the half-elf who was just ready to move in a moment or another. Then the half-elf makes a fast, small move with his arm, the paladin saw an opportunity so he strikes for the arm but he finds for his surprise just the cloak of the half-elf there, who strikes now from behind the human. The dancing of the half-elf reminded Araphel an old memory his father shared with their sons a long, long time ago. It was about a foe he faced, using an unusual technique using a short sword but a cloak as well to fight. The guy used his cloak sometimes as cover, other as a shield even, but the most important thing in his style was his moving, it was hard to know where he was. You could even think you were fighting more than one because of the different angles he attacked with the short sword. His father told him he didn’t defeat him, not alone at least, the valenarian guard finally got him cornered, the guy preferred to kill himself than to be caught. But why does that come from? Oh yes, I remembered my father before, but… why I come to love that story? Yeah… To bother my brother with it, he couldn’t stand the fact that someone could defeat the valenarian techniques used and perfected in so many years, and most of all – that his father didn’t defeated him- thought. The fight ends with the half-elf as the winner, who helps the paladin stand up, how sweet of him. A very interesting fight, he learned a lot from that, and from many others he has been watching all day. Araphel was so concentrated he didn’t mind the female dwarf that sat beside him on the ground. She probably thinks I haven’t noticed her, he thought.

“Hello there, biscuit” – said the dwarf in a feminine but strong voice.
“Hello there, pumpkin”- Araphel answered because of her red hair.

The dwarf smiled with the elf’s answer. “You’ve been here for quite long time, what are you up to?”
“I’m learning how to face someone of them, if I have to.”
“You don’t learn that with just looking!” – said the dwarf laughing.

Araphel turned to see the dwarf, she was laughing like they were old friends, not that he minds that. Somehow it seems she is getting exactly the correct way of what he was saying, like if she could pierce his aura to know what he really meant.
“What is it, really? Are you looking for a change of style?” – asked the dwarf.

A change of style, never thought about that until now. He has been using the style of Valenar, with some variants of course, but Valenar still. Why not? Why not to try something new?

“What if I am?” – asked smiling to the dwarf.
“If that’s the case, why don’t you practice with me honey?” – The dwarf stood up, she was not very tall that way neither for Araphel’s eyes. But his eyes do noticed the pair of hand axes she carries on her back.

“Come on then, I promise I’ll be nice with you.”- She said closing her right eye.
“Oh yes, please!” – The elf said in his sarcastic tone.

He was laying his backpack to get ready for the match, when Pell, his rat familiar pops out of it.

“You sure of what you’re doing? If you think I’m going to get the cleric right on time…” – the rat said.
“Oh, you’re concerned, I’m so touched. What is it? Think I can’t make it?”
“Not that much, if you fight like you do. But why change something it has help you well so far?”
“In case I have to face it someday.”
“Oh…I…don’t…quite understand it yet, but I supposed you mean about…”

“Aw, so cute!” - The dwarf appeared behind the elf. – “He has your eyes!”
“Yes” – The elf added – “I think he has your face.”
“Good luck, boss.” – And with that, the rat gets inside the backpack.

Araphel knew that trying something that he heard from his father and something he just saw it’s going to be hard. But he knows he has the ability and the grace to do it. Following the Path of Light so many years you come to discover some things, if you bring something to the Light, keep training, meditating, and illumine the Path with it.