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Lkewise, the use of stick as part of the Filipino weaponry has long been practiced in the country. A stick appears to be too small but somehow deadly depending on how a fighter uses it.

" So where's your stick?" Albrecht was asking her.

She ran to her place, took the bagakay sticks and tossed the other one to her elder brother.

" Not bad. So let's start." Albrecht beckoned that they'll be starting.

He allowed her to grasp on her right hand the stick in whole and instructed her to carefully watch the head gesture and shoulder movements of the opponent. Cautiously, the stick had to blow, blocking the direction of the opponent and lash it to initially hit the scrawny and frail areas. Most importantly, when the opponent's stick falls it's a sign of a shameful defeat. Then Albrecht ensure that Magee followed the instructions.

"Questions?"

" For now - I'm ready." She seem sheltered with amazement and excitement.

" Ahh!" You hit me always, I'm just a newbie, huh!"

" So what is in a newbie? this is a proper training, c'mon. Look at Narciso and Amado, they're sparring too."

" Policy here is no wasting of time, no idle breaks, let's get moving. Quick!"

" He said Baldur is very strict, but I guess he is the one who humbly owns the label!" Magee pouted and nitpicked in thoughts.

" He's really good in handling sword or stick, she's incredibly a good fighter, not bad, I just need to feed her more and gain more weight. Huh! its almost 1100 hrs now. Argh! Why, why, its so painful! Wow, you just blew my wrist so badly, if it gets swollen you would miss your dinner share, take note!" Albrecht jokily said while pinched her ear.

" Ay! haha! I wouldn't stop, I'd like to play more." She insisted.

" Play? you're really still young. You even almost have killed me. I'll prepare for lunch now."

" Magee, I'll take that place in lieu of your brother, Narciso, ingkod una ngawon." ( Narciso, you may sit down for a while there)." Amado volunteered.

" Sure Amado. Here's your stick."

He smiled and they both bowed the suddenly he hit her waist."

" Ouch! It hurts." Magee looked at him with a gritty plan.

After a minute of regular dustancing and blowing of sticks she attacked Amado by turning twice going towards him, put her stick in her armpit, stamped his feet and technically elbowed him while the middle part of the stick on her armpit prodded and jostled on his face that pinned him down. Its a perfect timing when George arrived and rescued Amado with a b.l.o.o.d.y sentido.

" Magee! why..." Albrecht ran and helped Narciso and George as they carry him on his place. Then Albrecht returned to Magee who was hiding in her s.p.a.ce.

" Shh...calm down! he'll be fine there. George applied some herbs to help him get back to his senses. You lit'le rascal, haha." And he arranged her hair and pinched her ear again.

" Just stay here, I'll just bring you your food and getting the prize of being the grand slam winner of this morning's duel, for that, you'll get enough share and Dad must be very proud of you." He smiled and left her still worried for Amado.

A little while, she has heard George seemed busy in his place relaxing a little and proceeded to her door and smirked.

" Hey, hmm, I'm speechless."

" Why..." She bowed down her head and a little sneaky.

" You're good in fencing as well as in escrima. But careful you might end up killing your comrades around." He sighed.

" I thought he'll avoid that attack. It surprised me when he did nothing when I already got closer on him. There's I guess some encantation here that prevent him from moving."

" Argh! haha! That's the result of the storytelling of Lolo Sibal. But hey, no kidding, Amado's not in good shape now. He b.u.mped on the stick too close on her head."

" Oh...sorry. I'll go to him. She was teary eyed."

" No, let him rest. How are you? Are you tired?"

" No. I'm not tired. I was just worried of Amado."

" Hmm...then let's fight at 1400 hrs. Let's continue the escrima." He smiled.

She smiled and drew closer to him by the door, barefooted.

" Really?"

" Baldur showed me to see one of the safest caves of Kabang that its exit would lead you inside that paradise. Its beautiful. He stayed there and would wait for us with Albrecht, their old house was still inside. So, bring your sticks and let's have our duel there tomorrow again, after this afternoon."

"Wow! is the place creepy?"

" Haha! no! it looks like a paradise, flowers inside were very rare ones, I'm telling you." He smiled at her.

"Okay everyone, lunch is served." Albrecht announced in the kitchen so George proceeded to the kitchen.

Elias and Bruno just arrived from digging in the tunnel. Narciso just took some food and went back to Amado who's still on bed. After knowing that everyone had their share so Albrecht brought some food to Magee.

" Hey! here....you've got the best share today. Here's one bowl of your favorite boiled sayote leaves, a sauce is there too, dried fish, just drink plenty of water afterwards, hmm, and ginataang sh.e.l.ls with kangkong leaves. Here's your plate of rice, okay, you may start digging on your food now." He smiled and while looking at her he was reminded on how quick her body moves in both fencing and escrima duels. While he thought about all these things, George told him that they'll talk outside. Then Magee was left alone and really finished her food.

" Wow. Its nice to have a brother that feeds you something like this. He's really a great cook, should I say. Where did he learn all these Filipino recipes? I thank G.o.d for the food, for my brother and hope I'll gain a little weight within this month. I need to qualify on their standards and can join the combat like them."

Outright lunchtime she prepared herself again for the training through the offer of George. Finally, when all the soldiers left on their respective a.s.signments, George and Magee started the duel, Albrecht was on his motionless waive at them and oblivious to what he would cheer on when prior to the duel George informed him that he will knock her down so to disappoint her. Albrecht felt strange, he pitied how his sister dreamed if becoming a combatant and now just because she's a woman, she'd be deprived and the 1Lt will even dismay her to retreat. He silently bowed his head and just waited for the outcomes.

But she's witty.

" What are you doing?"

" Since Amado was injured and you think of maybe giving me a punishment or teach me a real lesson, let's have a deal."

George gazed toward Albrecht and sheepishly smiled.

" Hmm...and what's the deal all about?"

" She's making me crazy!" George funnily thought.

" Albrecht will be our arbitrator. The duel will remain as it is but let's change some rules, like, since I am to s.h.i.+rt and small and you're 6'0" in height, chances are, you will just grasp and dump me like a popcorn. Thus, if you're caught touching or directly hold your tiny opponent, you're automatic declared as - loser. The winner will only merit the las.h.i.+ng and hitting of body parts with the use of these sticks. Deal?"

" Ahh...why change of rules? Okay. Deal!" George has nothing to do anymore but subscribe to the newly set rules.

Without them knowing, Albrecht snickered and smiled secretly.

" She's clever, Sir 1Lt, you've got your new headache, haha." Albrecht thought.

So the duel formally started.

" If I will attack his left body parts he 'll be protecting his right body parts to attack my left side. Geez! he's crazily tall and his shoulders looked like a giant. I'm pretty sure he's thinking I look like a kitten here. Well, its time. I'll gonna get his right wrist once and for all." Magee thought.

She turned her body once and unexpectedly lashed his right wrist that made him kneel but he quickly stood up and hit her left knee but she ran into him and hit his left wrist. It was too close and because the rule says no touching where he should have grabbed her on that spot.

The arbitrator decided for a short break and they got back again. Noticeably, in the second attempt, George just maintain his s.h.i.+elding strategy and never spare for an attack against Magee and he kept s.h.i.+elding from his stick. The duel lasted for almost two hours and as if Albrecht knew where the fight is going so he finally declared the result.

" I hereby announced that its a tie! both got an outstanding escrima performance. Congratulations!" Albrecht smiled.

Magee silently left and proceeded to her place while Albrecht and George left smiling and making some hand salute.