Fighting Chance ( Combat Style 2)

by Hrodulf of Onford

Someone once asked me how to survive a fight. A tough fight, or a skirmish, or a full-scale battle. To that, I have a couple of suggestions. I fought much in my life, and hope my words will come to help someone when they need it the most.

First of all, fearlessness is a fool's boast, to my mind. The only men with no fear in them are the dead, or the soon to be dead, maybe. Fear teaches you caution, and respect for your enemy, and to avoid sharp edges used in anger. All good things in their place, believe me. Fear can bring you out alive, and that's the very best anyone can hope for from any fight. Every man who's worth a damn feels fear. It's the use you make out of it that matters.

I hear you asking: "Be scared, Hrodulf? Really? That's your advice?"

My advice would be to find a good woman and steer well clear of the whole bloody business of fighting, and it's a shame no one told me that twenty years ago. But if you have to fight, then there's three rules to it. Learn them, and learn them well. Or don't, and die a painful death. Matters not to me. You bought my book already.

First, always do your best to look the coward, the weakling, the fool. Silence is a warrior's best armor, the saying goes. Hard looks and hard words have won few battles, and lost many.

Second, never take any enemy lightly, however much the dullard he seems. Treat every man like he's twice as clever, twice as strong, and twice as fast as you are, and you'll only be pleasantly surprised. Respect costs you nothing, and nothing gets a man killed quicker than confidence.

Third, watch your opponent as close as you can, and listen to opinions if you're given them, but once you've got your plan in mind, you fix on it and let nothing sway you. Time comes to act, you strike with no backward glances. Delay is the parent of disaster, my father used to tell me, and believe me, I've seen some disasters.

There's no replacement for seeing it, and doing it, but master all of that, and you're halfway to beating anyone, I reckon.

"Halfway?" I hear you saying. And what's the other half?

Luck.