A Matter of Balance

Salem was resting on the floor of the training room, panting heavily as drops of sweat ran down her face.

"We're making some good progress with your strength and speed." Blake said standing before her. She didn't look even half as tired as Salem was. "But your stamina still needs some work."

"I shall take your word for it."

Blake muffled a chuckle, helping the princess stand up. "Come, let's do some stretches."

Putting their weapons aside they started the exercises, and continued talking as they did.

"Tell me, Salem, why do you think we started your training talking about balance?"

"Because balance allows better control of my body." She replied confidently. That was one of the parts that Veve had hammered into her skull so long ago. "It allows me to effectively strike, counter-strike, and defend against an enemy. Without good balance, I would be useless in a fight."

"A very academic answer, but there's more to it than that." With the tip of her foot, Blake tapped the side of Salem's leg. "Balance represents the connection of your body with the earth underneath your feet. It's from this connection that you draw strength for your hits."

"I heard some philosophers talking about that." Salem replied absentmindedly as she stretched an arm behind her back. "About how earth, fire, and water represent different aspects of the battle."

"It's not a philosophy. Or at least, not just that. If you're going to deliver a kick, which leg is more important? The one that hits the target or the one that supports your body?"

Salem's eyes widened in realization at that. "Oh."

"The same applies to sword fighting." To demonstrate, Blake raised her sword and mimicked a vertical slash. "You transfer strength from your legs, through your arms, to the tip of your sword."

"And if I lack proper balance I will be unable to draw that strength."

"Or it will be easier for your enemy to take it away from you." With a fast sweep, Blake kicked the back of Salem's knee, sending her to the ground.

The princess groaned as she picked herself from the ground "Was that necessary?"

"Of course!" Her mentor replied with a smirk. "Always remember that your legs are the most important part of your body for fighting."

"I thought that was the head?"

A smirk spread over Blake's face. "Let's make them the second most important part, then. Mobility and flexibility are vital. Stillness is death in combat. You must never stay still and as long as you keep moving you can keep fighting and you can win."

Memories of Blake's battles came to Salem's mind. Seeing her fight was like seeing water: it was fluid, almost shapeless, and if you were to strike at where she was standing you soon discovered that she was no longer there. It was truly like trying to fight a shadow. "But I also need strength to pierce the enemy's defenses and deliver the strike."

"Strength can be replaced with the correct weapon applied at the right moment. No armor is perfect and even the best defenses have a crack. If you find that crack and attack there, you won't need much strength to down your opponent."

Like a knife rammed between the plates of the armor or used during the dark. Veve would never approve of such ignoble tactics, but Salem saw the wisdom behind Blake's words. "But I need speed to evade the enemy's attacks, and intelligence to discover his weaknesses."

"Correct. That's why you must be constantly on the move, never letting the enemy catch you and always attacking from different angles and using different strategies. If you already tried an attack and it failed, don't try using it again because the enemy will be expecting it, instead of that you must do something new and unexpected."

"I must keep them unbalanced."

"Always guessing, and never seeing all of your tricks." Blake completed the idea. "That way, once you have seen all of theirs, you can strike where they are weak with something they don't expect and defeat them."

"That sounds massively complicated."

"It is. It's not something you can easily learn, not when your life is not being threatened."

"And what if I cannot find the weakness of my enemy?"

"Then you simply aren't looking hard enough. No being is perfect and no enemy is invincible. Some will be stronger than you, and those you have to outsmart. Some will be more intelligent than you, and those you have to outfight. But remember that the same applies to you. You will never be invincible and don't ever commit the mistake of believing you are."

"I will take your lesson to heart."

"Make sure you do." Blake paused, a haunted expression invading her face. "That lesson is one of the most painful to learn, and one that you will rarely survive." Pain shone through her friend's words. Something she wasn't sure if she should ask about. "And one last thing, be careful with your eyes."

"My eyes?"

"Yes." With an index, Blake pointed at Salem's forehead. "You tend to dart your eye towards where you're going to strike or where you're going to move to. Don't do that. Don't ever let your enemies know what you're planning to do."

Salem replied with a sharp nod. "I'll make sure they never do."