"With you? What about Nestor?"

"That one's got plenty to handle without looking after you. Honestly, it's a waste of time for both of you."

The grin had disappeared, Ekard's standard expression taking its place with a vengeance. Liris scanned the training area and found a distinct lack of her previous sparring partner. Had that been a waste after all? Well, it wasn't like Nestor taught her much in the first place. It was more of a light beating than anything productive. Or she had just failed to learn anything due to her incompetence. That was much more likely.

"Have I got something on my face?"

Pallor and embarrassment fought for dominance, neither being completely successful. Liris broke her stare and inspected the smooth dirt instead of looking directly through Ekard.

"Sorry. I was thinking about- sorry."

The embarrassed shade of red won with ease. Liris cringed, waiting for the yelling to commence. Or worse, more laps on the obstacle course. She risked a glance up...Ekard hadn't so much as blinked. Maybe she could get ahead of the attack before it could land.

"What would you like me to do?"

"Pay attention for one. That might already be asking too much."

"I'll do my best...sir."

"None of that here. You're meant to train, not learn the best ways to bow and scrape. Now then, any other questions you need to get out of the way before we start?"

The flood of unknowns and countless wonderings surged within her, crying to be let loose. Liris held them back as best she could, but one still broke through.

"Why me?"

As the cold eyes of Ekard bored into her, she hastened to ask in full.

"What I mean to say is...why am I the one being trained? I'm not strong or talented and my ability doesn't-"

"Stop! You must not speak of such things out here. Spies are always weaseling their way in, scrounging for any scraps they can find."

"Spies? For me? They must truly be desperate if information on a random girl is worth their time."

"A random...you're a Unique. That's always a threat to the other cities. Whether you believe it to be so does not change the facts. Far better to have an advantage going into your matches where you might win by surprise. All will be revealed with time, but we don't wish to hamstring ourselves for no good reason."

No, it couldn't be. They expected her to- impossible. Her heart turned to ice, shook, and subsequently had a crack splitting its surface. After everything, all the suffering, secrets, isolation, and manipulation, she would have to fight for them? War had been such a distant thing before, some threat far in the future that might not come about. This was real. Another crack on that fragile core of her being.

"I can not fight. Our side will lose and I'll..."

"Die? Ha! I'm here to make sure you don't. Who knows, maybe you won't be selected, maybe you will. Either way, you'll be ready."

Why did that sound so sinister? The unspoken 'or else' dragged her heart even lower. Surely they wouldn't select her though, right? What use was disappearing, moving a step forward, and then promptly passing out upon appearing again? Nestor would be picked before her...his ability was perfect for combat. There must be others with equally well-suited abilities who would be selected long before she would. Even worse, they now had a reason to track her down if she eventually managed to escape. Every minute of training would be further incentive to not lose her aid, however slight it would be. Ekard snapped his fingers under Liris' nose.

"Looks like focus needs to be added to the list. But for now, we'll start with footwork. Run over and grab two staffs."

Rigidly, Liris scanned the area. Oh, there they were. Near where she had exited the Spire, a row of wooden staffs were leaning against the stone wall in a perfectly even row. Her feet led the way as she walked over to them. This was insane...her? Fighting?

"I said run!"

Like a shove, the words launched her forward. The ground was solid as each impact reverberated through her frame. Surprisingly, running didn't hurt as it had the last time a similar command was given. What a relief...if she was able to feel such an emotion after those crushing revelations. Liris shook her head and focused on the present. She had enough to deal with right now. The future could be agonized over later...in her bed while she tried to sleep. Picking the two nearest staffs, she ran back.

Running with two large poles was far more complicated than expected. Each one tipped forward at random, threatening to drive itself into the ground and cause her to quickly follow. Sliding them across her shoulders, she looped her arms overtop. It must have looked ridiculous, but at least she could sprint.

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Stopping in front of Ekard with a slight skid, Liris offered him one. He grabbed it with a nod and took a step back. Breathing deeply, she mirrored his grip with the other pole and waited.

"As I said, we will begin with footwork. Many people will say strategy is a better place to start. Or fitness, speed, technique, any number of other areas. They are all wrong. Every action you take in a fight requires movement. Stand as I stand."

Ekard placed one foot half a step forward, bending his knee so that it was even with his toes. He turned the back foot at a slight angle to the side and centered himself between them. Diagonally across his chest and held with both hands, the staff rested as almost an afterthought.

"This is your most basic stance which you should always return to. It allows you to quickly adjust your position while still giving enough support to deflect a blow."

Rotating her own staff, Liris moved to mirror him. With one foot so far forward, just standing still felt unnatural. Was her knee bent enough? It looked like it was matching but it felt so strange. Maybe the back foot should be turned more? After several micro-adjustments, she glanced up and held her breath.

With only a frown, Ekard began circling her. He tapped at her calves with his staff, then her ankles. Just as her precarious balance threatened to give out, he pushed harder. Like cutting the strings on a puppet, she collapsed, slamming into the dirt. On the way down, her staff bounced off her knee. The resulting smack against her jaw rang in her ears as she lay in a heap.

Amazing, she couldn't even stand right. They expected her to fight? Some competition she would be...maybe the enemy combatants would themselves collapse in fits of laughter. Worse, this was the most basic part of fighting. It was literally just standing in place! How weak could someone be?

Like a blade of grass after being trampled, Liris lifted herself back into position.

"Your weight was much too far forward. It must be centered. Don't lock your rear leg, bend that one as well."

Liris ignored the loose dirt working itself down the inside of her shoe and focused on every muscle in her body. It felt just as strange the second time. Again, Ekard began prodding. Each poke was hard enough to leave bruises, but stopped short of cruelty. The rounded end searched for any weakness to exploit. It found many.

This time, her front foot was the culprit. Ekard pushed it out and let her fall. Doing a half split, Liris made sure to toss away the staff as she dropped. Another blow to that side of her face was bound to break something. A rapid smack across her hands made her instantly regret such a foolish decision.

"Never drop your weapon."

This again. Apparently her brain was so thick she needed more injuries to remember this lesson. So dumb. All it would have taken is extending her arms so the staff would be at a safe distance. Though her leg protested the slight overextension, Liris leaned for the staff before another strike could arive. Her fingers, still stinging, closed on its smooth surface and brought a warm sense of safety. The idea of her ever fighting other trained experts really was laughable. The notion aided the fear in its journey of return. She could picture it, even now. A blade running through her chest. A dagger lodged in her back. Invisible attackers slicing her from all sides. Arrows through her legs. Is that all that awaited her after this misery?

With the staff as a support, she leaned against it and collected her feet beneath her.

"Make sure you remember. A weaponless fighter might as well impale themselves and save the enemy some time. Also, your weight was too far back...balance. It's all about balance."

Liris grit her teeth and resumed the position. Knee forward, but not too far...unlock the other leg. Feel the weight between them and don't let the staff drag on the ground. Was she overthinking the whole situation? Sending her to fight seemed crazy, even for the council. Maybe as a last resort? How bad must a situation be if she was the only one to be sent? She could picture it now. Far away in another city with walls of...red stone? Facing down three opponents with vicious eyes.

A light rap on her head sent the scene swirling away to nothing.

"Focus!"

Right, footwork. How boring this was...and how painful. The sun seemed to agree as it cast its rays down. Far too warm. Or was that just her skin from the welts? Ekard sure didn't appear to mind. He minded the heat even less. Like a wolf he paced around, always searching for that weak point. His hunt was always successful. No matter what she tried, it was never enough. Gentle taps, firm nudges, it was all the same. Over and over she embraced the dirt.

'Come on, the pain doesn't matter. Get up and focus!'

That worked a couple times, but you could only motivate yourself so much before the effectiveness faded. Again, another bump. This time her shoulder was the victim. A swift meeting with her old friend, the ground. Spitting dust from her mouth she could hear Ekard's resolute scolding.

"Too narrow of a stance. Might work for a head-on impact but someone on your flanks can tip you over with a finger. As I just demonstrated."

She was terrible. What would happen when actual attacks were added? Just another clear illustration of exactly how much a failure she was. Would there be a team? People relying on her to watch their backs as they engaged with other combatants? Her fate was clear, but did she deserve to be the reason others fell too? Deserve...what a notion. Those pillars in the Brume had made it abundantly clear her life was out of her control. Had it ever been otherwise?

Pushing off with her knee, she regained her feet.

Faster this time, a jab slid her foot to the side.

"You're becoming lax as you tire. Do better."

The solidness of the packed earth was seeping through her bones. She could feel the ache all the way from sole to neck. How long would this continue? How long were the fights? They must be regulated to some extent. Or...did they always fight to the death? She shuddered.

Liris rose again.

More strikes at her exhausted joints. A combination this time. One pushed her knee just enough to the side for the other to sweep both legs out from under her. Liris lay on the ground, staring at the grass...so far away.

She stood.

Like always, another blow rained down...but no...nothing. Ekard stood before her, head tilted. Liris tensed at every blink in expectation. There was a look in his eye, some question? All that mattered was standing.

"Enough for today. Exhaustion is stopping any further progress."

He turned and walked off, flowing like a river. Each step was placed with perfection.