He had been taken from everything he knew, had runes suddenly stripped from him and been thrown into what essentially seemed to be a prison camp. Kalen surpassed paranoia when it really did seem like everything was out to get him. As far as why he was being so honest it was simple; removed from everything he had ever known Kalen had no choice but to be entirely upfront about at least this.

At the moment he adds one more pump of the bellows to give more oxygen to the burning coals. He glanced once at Seifer then away again.

"I've been training with a sword since I was a child. I don't know if you would count that as 'any good'."

And being a perfectionist, Kalen has not only been training but he has also made himself the best. He is not quite the best at hand to hand combat but he is no slouch either.

"I would prefer to have steel but if that is not possible right now I suppose I will have to make do with wooden practice swords."