Arc I: Dog days (I)

After a few days of giving the boy some pointers and teaching the boy the right forms of swordsmanship, Abhorash turns towards the mountains and remembers that he had a retreat safehouse there, he turns to the boy who was now going home and then decided that if the boy wanted to be a hero then the first Blood knight himself would train him in the ways of old Lahmia and Nehekhara. Sighing once more Abhorash closed the doors of his shack ready for the new day to come.

The Arc family was reluctant to see their boy go, it was obvious for Abhorash, as he remembers himself when he was conscripted to the Lahmian army before its fall, he lookst at the father who gave Jaune a wrapped sheet, it was a family heirloom of theirs the father told his son to keep it, "its yours..." Jaune's father said as he embrace his son for a last time before turning to the first Blood Knight "I suppose I will trust you with my son's care, Mr. Kolesh" he said as Abhorash nodded.

"I will look after him as if he is my own son" he assures the man who smiles as he gestured to Jaune that they will have to move, as they walk away from Ansel, Jaune looks back towards his home but was stopped by Abhorash, "don't look back boy, it will only make it hard for you to take the path you choose if you look back" he said as they began their trek to the mountains where the boy's training would begin.

The walk to the mountains was strenuous but uneventful, there were no Grimm in sight just the occasional wildlife and the sight of greenery that reminded Abhorash of the forests of Loren or Athel Loren in the tongues of the Asrai, Abhorash never did learned of the faiths of his companions after the End times only that they have already taken their rightful place on the heavens and that new gods should create a new world and he was left here in Remnant to look for someone worthy to carry on their mantle. They arrived on the cave that Abhorash once settled for a while, there they set up their camp, propping up the old wooden stands that he had built and refurnishing old beds that despite old age haven't yet showed signs of wearing out.

"Boy, gather some firewood" Abhorash orders as Jaune went out of the cave to gather the needed firewood, he began to busy himself in setting up the whole area of a cave as a training ground for his apprentice. He tested the boy's sword then found that its sheath can be a shield, and after he made a few practice swings with the sword he was able to determine the weight of the sword and new what to make the boy feel its weight, after creating their practice blades using lead and wood that he had gathered himself, the Blood Knight then drew a circle that would be the training ring for Jaune.

The sun was setting when the boy came back with the needed firewood, he was tired that Abhorash learned and so looking at the weighted practice blades that he had prepared he knew what to do, "boy, catch and defend yourself!" he orders as Jaune Arc flimsily catches the sword then sloppily blocks his attack.

"What the-?!" the boy yelps in surprise dropping the firewood that he carries, as he began to feel the weight of the practice sword as his mentor didn't relent from his attacks forcing Jaune to drop on the ground on his back, "I just came back!" he shouts to Abhorash who quickly assumes back to a normal position.

"Your enemies will not show you mercy boy, nor will they expect you to be ready so stand up and to arms!" Abhorash calls as Jaune quickly stands up to block the Blood Knight's flurry of strikes, the day ended with Jaune having a lot of sore muscles and broken pride, with a sigh Abhorash decided to let the boy rest for the night, "sleep boy tomorrow will be a long day" he said as he went to his side of the bed while Jaune looks at him.

"Don't call me that, I have a name you know, its Jaune" he grunts as Abhorash turns to him, looking at him as if he had just made a joke.

"Then tomorrow you prove yourself worthy of the name, but for now sleep boy" he said as he then began to pretend to sleep, the luxury of dreams already lost to him ever since he had been cursed by unlife.

Jaune was once again subjected to a series of physical exercise, he run down from the mountain then back up again, and then of course when he went back to their simple cave retreat he was met with a practice spar with his mentor, Kolesh Basa, then after a series of humiliating beat downs he was then sent to rest with bruises to both his body and also to his pride, however it seems his mentor would often give him a few snippets of wisdom, as he went tumbling on the ground then of course Jaune never understood them, the only thing he knows is that his mentor would help him become a hero and a huntsman.

"This ring is your world, everything exists here as I say so, nothing exists outside except what I allow on it" Kolesh said as he and Jaune went about to their usual routine of a spar. Jaune blocked a blow then tried to push him out of the ring but was forced down when his mentor swiped him to his feet, "you are improving, good! Now get up and protect yourself!" this was the whole pattern they had for the whole week and Jaune was once again left to rest to his bed.

After a few weeks of grueling physical training Jaune was surprised to see a candle on the center of the ring, "sit" Kolesh orders as Jaune did so, "while it is important to train your sword skills, there is one thing what most warriors would often forget" looking at Jaune who sat with him, "do you know what that is, boy?" he asked as he just shrugged.

"I don't know" Kolesh sighs at the answer as he hit his arm with a stick.

"Focus, boy, focus, you can be the most powerful warrior on the battlefield but without focus and awareness to your surroundings then how can you tell where the next blow is or who is your friend or foe" he said as he gestures at the candle "look at the candle don't remove your gaze to the candle" he said as he stands and turns away.

Jaune's eyes then focused on the dancing flames of the candle, he yelps when his mentor struck him on the neck with stick delivering a stinging pain "ow!" he howls as he jumps from his position, Kolesh sighs as he pinches the bridge of his nose as Jaune glares at him, "what the heck is that for?" Jaune said as he massaged his neck.

"When I told you to focus that doesn't mean you have to be distracted into anything!" his mentor snaps as he then sighs and then motions for Jaune to continue the whole exercise, "again, I want you to look on the candle boy, your enemy will not warn you of any attack and so you have to be prepared always for any possibility" he tells Jaune as he reluctantly seats in front of the candle looking once more at the dancing flames of the light in the cave.

Author's note: so second arc, well like I said I wanted to make Abhorash kind of like the mentor figure to Jaune, while yes he can be harsh, but he also cares, so yeah this will be a two part chapter arc and also about the hate Jaune is getting, I don't get it, Jaune is the normalizer in a universe that is so full of amazing things while yes he can be a bit annoying since he is a generic run in the mill 'kid who wants to prove something' cliche but still, he is unique because he is normal in a world where everyone is super powered, I will never understand the illogical hate he is getting other than the fact that he is just Jaune.

Anyway also I wont be able to write for most of the semester since its a busy day but anyhow, thanks for the comments!

Criticism and praises are appreciated!

Miko 56