After the guests had the opportunity to refresh themselves in their room we assembled in the courtyard. They dropped out in an un-orderly fashion, staring at the courtyard with fascination. I studied their clothes with interest; they no longer wore the typical knight uniform they had worn in front of the king. Instead they had slew-less shirts in leather, covered to the neck mounted with some kind of curly fur. They wore long boots in hardened leather. Tight fitting trousers where half hidden by a strange half skirt. Open in front; tied to their stomachs, in a variety of green, the hem had the same weird curly fur. Their forearms were covered by some darks fabric tied by some leather straps.

In my opinion they didn't look very much like knights anymore, even their swords looked weird. Their leader was standing at the back, eyes distant. He was thin, slender; he didn't seem to have much muscle at all.

Somehow he noticed me; he turned to look at me and gave me a smile. I shuddered. Every time he looked at me it felt like he saw right through my soul. Not a good feeling. Why? Well, do you want anyone to see through your soul? I didn't think so.

"So this is where you train is it?" Inian said brightly. "Where are the horsies?"

"The what?!" Strom asked curiously. A brown-haired man answered with a sigh:

"He means the horses. Don't mind him too much, he is just an idiot."

"That wasn't very kind of you, Cesla!" Wyn said curtly.

"Kindness is your department, not mine." Cesla answered with mocking smile.

"Enough, both of you!" Sylvance said sharply. "Remember you are both a bearer of the Stones. Act like it!"

The two men looked at each other for a moment and then turned to us. In chorus they said:

"Please forgive us for our unseemly behavior!"

…

"What was that all about?" Leaf asked Inian who smiled brightly.

"It's a virtue to be courteous and well-behaved, especially around strangers." Inian answered. "It's often like this. Cesla is bearer of the Stone Wisdom in Strength while Wyn is bearer of the Stone of Wisdom in Kindness. They clash a lot."

Leaf smiled politely with a confused flicker in his eyes. He had clearly not understood Inians explanation.

"Let's start the demonstration, shall we?" a soft voice drifted. It was another light-haired man. In all honesty; his hair looked liked it was made from straw.

"Demonstration?" Judgement said sharply. Surprisingly it was Sylvance that answered.

"We're going to share the same facilities for a while. We thought it was for the best to show some of our quirks before a misunderstanding happens."

I was definitely interested.

"Our far away brothers speak truthfully. The benevolence of the God of Light most speaks through their lips. Indeed it's wise to rest under the blessed Light of understanding and to avoid the sadness of confusion. It indeed has to be the God of Lights will to have such illustrate." I said with a sparkling smile.

The Knights of Khadaz looked at me oddly. Exchanging looks. Then Elisila stepped forward. It seemed he was finally going to speak but he just slightly touched their arm, two at a time, nodding. Somehow they seemed to understand. Inian and Wyn stepped forward.

"I think you noticed our swords look different than yours", Inian said. "That's because we mostly fight from horseback." Wyn drew his blade. The blade itself was thin but was wide lengthwise instead. It was the thinnest closest to the hilt to widen an inch further down and then sharply thin out at the point.

"It's called a saber." He said. "The best way to use is when riding but it's possible to use on the ground to."

The two of them walked to a safe distance. Inian also drew his blade. With their blades horizontally in front of them they studied each other silently. Judgement leaned forward with interest. Roland, who was standing a bit apart, griped and released his hilt. The two men hadn't moved yet. Other knights nearby ceased their practice to look at the two men, keeping clear.

Suddenly Inian rushed forward, his saber in a wide swing. Wyn danced to the side catching the blade on his own curved blade, forcing Inian to overstep. Wyn released the blade and thrust his own forward. This time Inian danced to the side, keeping his blade pointed at Wyn.

It was about now that I lost understanding for the duel taking place before me. I turned to Judement expectantly; he glanced at me and began a commentary on the swordplay before me.

"They're using a fighting style that's takes the best advantage of the properties of their blades. Rather than big blows it's more like feints and quick movements. If someone unused to their fighting style tried to fight any of them they would be overwhelmed easily. I would say they are sword masters in their own country. They not fighting seriously right now, they're just showing of using flashy moves."

"Then how do you know they are any good?" I asked curious.

"Their movements are fluid and precise, in an instant their flashy moves could turn in to deadly ones." Judgement answered.

"Excuse me?" the straw man said. "Could we borrow some horses from the stable? We didn't bring our own mounts over the ocean you see."

I nodded and ordered a nearby Holy Knight to show them the way. The flashy fight before me ended when Wyn's sword clattered away on the cobblestones. Both of them breathed easily, it seemed Judgements assessment of Wyn and Inian was correct.

Soon after the straw man came back with some horses in a tow. He and a brown haired man mounted two of the horses easily. Their postures were unbelievable good and when they set the horses in motion they seemed to become one with the horses' movements. Sylvance and Cesla also mounted a horse each, using the same fluid and easy motions. The two pairs each drew their sabers and charged at each other. The pairs moved in synchronization, without speaking the pairs broke off, joined, split, rounded the other pair, joined, and attacked. Each time they came close the clashes from their blades echoed through the courtyard.

Again Judgement made a commentary for me. "They use the movements of the horses rather than swinging the blades themselves. Using different angles to aim at vital points or just nicking their enemy. It would be foolish to challenge them in a fight on horseback, even for other Knight. They almost fight like warriors but on horseback."

"Would you fight them?" I asked in a whisper.

"I would definitely like sparring with them but I wouldn't fight them if I could avoid it." He answered. I nodded. If Judgement couldn't fight them they were powerful indeed; but maybe not all of them. I glanced at Elisila; he was standing alone, watching the riders with delight. Obviously not getting involved.

"Isn't your leader going to join them?" Storm asked Inian and Wyn. Inian started laughing loudly, causing the others of the Twelve Holy Knights to turn in their direction. Several other Knights also turned.

"The Temple of Virtues would never forgive us if we let anything happen to him!" Inian exclaimed.

"Elisilas strength lies in other areas than fighting", Wyn explained. "Or rather he uses other methods."

"So he is mute or something right?" Blaze said. "With him being silent and all."

"You mentioned the Wisdom in Silence earlier," Metal said pointedly. Inian laughed again and Wyn shock his head.

"The bearer of the Stone of Wisdom in Silence is Deyla, he is the blond one riding alongside the bearer of the Stone of Wisdom in Loyalty, Cheasna." he said.

"Elisila isn't mute", Inian said. "He is the bearer of the Stone of Wisdom in Life."

They looked at our confused faces. Wyn cleared his throat. "Wisdom in Life is the most powerful of the Stones. The way of using that power is through speech, so speaking when not needed could actually cause the people around him harm. Therefore, he doesn't."

We all turned to look at the tall, slim young man. A gentle breeze flew through his hair, making it flutter. He still watched the riders with delight. Noticing our eyes he turned and smiled gently at us.