Traveling through the corrupted lands was something Elias wished he didn’t have to get used to. The coven had provided a nice break from travel but provided its challenges while he trained Alice in sword forms. Now that they had left the coven behind, Alice had only herself to rely on to practice Sword Breath. She had learned the fundamentals and knew what its power was capable of. Elias just hoped that it would be enough and that she would be ready when they reached the Sword Temple.

In the evenings they practiced together. It was the only time they could do so. In the mornings they packed up and left their campsites to ride all day. Alice alternated meditating and working on her Sword Breath with practicing the sword forms she knew. She still hadn’t learned Flowing Sun Pierce. Her sword moved unevenly as she practiced it. In frustration, she focused on the other three moves.

The days passed and they crossed through the remnants of old villages and outposts. The stone walls and dirt paths were barely visible anymore. Trees had overgrown the area, and nothing was left behind. They rode through the paths that were easiest to ride along and only stopped when it got too dark.

As they moved westward, the land began to change. The trees, once wild and towering, were now sporadic, giving way to stretches of barren earth and rock. The sky, too, seemed different here; it was a canvas of deep reds and purples as the sun began to descend, casting an otherworldly glow on their path.

One day, near the twilight of their travel, they came upon the emptied lake. It lay before them like a giant's footprint, the bed cracked and dry, littering with the skeletons of fish and the remnants of what once might have been docks and boats. The wind here spoke with a different tone, hollow and eerie as it whipped across the expanse. Further up the crater was a marking of a former river now a ditch extending into the distance.

Alice dismounted and walked to the edge of the crater. The ground crumbled under her touch. She thought of the waters that once filled this vast bowl, now vanished. It was a stark reminder of the corruption that had befallen these lands.

“This used to be Lake Raymond,” Elias said, joining her side. “It was a great place to visit in the spring, and now...” His voice trailed off.

“If this is Lake Raymond then we are getting closer. Though we may need to adjust our heading now that we know that we have gone a bit off course,” said Thompson.

“It couldn’t be avoided. The dense swamp kept us going to the south. At least now there is a clearer path and with so little foliage we will be able to see creatures that try and hunt us. Let’s find a more open spot and then set up camp,” said Elias.

Gazing upon the remnants of Lake Raymond, Alice pondered the shifts that had reshaped their world. “Once, these waters were a bustling vacation spot and popular fishing location, in the heart of the kingdom. Now, it's a barren wasteland, a stark reminder of how quickly power and prosperity can crumble.”

They set camp at the edge of the crater, the empty lake a silent companion to their small fire. Alice took her usual position opposite Elias, the flickering flames casting dancing shadows on her determined face.

“Show me Flowing Sun Pierce again,” she asked, her voice betraying no sign of the fatigue she felt.

Elias nodded, standing up. He moved with a precision that belied his size, his sword cutting through the air, capturing the last rays of sunlight in a mock arc of brilliance. Alice watched intently, memorizing his every move. He spun his blade and struck outward in the ‘pierce’ final part of the move. When he was done he stepped to the side.

This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

“Why don’t you give it a try? You are getting close.”

Alice stood up and moved into position. She imagined in her mind each part of the moves. Each part flowed from one to the next. The moves were all accompanied by the words Elias had spoken when he first started teaching her the move.

"The Flowing Sun Pierce is a move that requires both grace and precision. It begins with a stance wide and rooted, like the stance of the Rising Mountain Strike, but your center of gravity must shift quickly, as fluid as the Eclipsing Void Strike. You must imagine your sword as an extension of the sun's rays—direct, unyielding, and piercing through darkness."

Alice’s stance was wide as she centered herself. Her breath remained steady throughout the process. Each piece split in two with a swing, then she threw it into the cart. Alice's sword rose, an echo of Elias' seamless motions, but her arms felt tense, her grip too tight. She tried to relax, to find the natural rhythm that swordsmanship demanded, the same rhythm that beat silently in the core of the Sword Breath technique.

The initiation of the move—a swift arc meant to mimic the sun’s ascent—was the part she faltered on. Her sword should have described a perfect half-circle in the air, embodying the seamless transition of dawn to daytime. But her arc stumbled, a sketch rather than a painting, her blade jerking awkwardly at the apex.

Exhaling, she pushed through, her sword thrusting forward in a ray of mock sunlight, but the lack of fluidity in the arc made the pierce feel forced and unnatural.

She finished the move, her blade stabbing into the non-existent heart of an enemy, and she allowed her posture to relax. Disappointment knitted her brow as she turned to face Elias, seeking that blend of criticism and encouragement he always offered.

Elias stepped forward, his eyes showing a spark of approval despite the imperfection. "The pierce is strong, Alice. Now, let's refine the arc. Remember, the sun doesn't jerk across the sky—it flows in a steady, powerful curve. Your blade is the same."

Alice nodded, trying to absorb his words, to let them become part of her muscle memory. "May I try it with you? Perhaps if I match your pace, I can learn the curve."

"Of course," Elias agreed, stepping beside her. "Follow my lead, let your movements reflect mine as a mirror on water. Steady, calm, inevitable."

They stood side by side, their swords low. Elias began the motion, his blade arcing smoothly through the dimming light. Alice followed, trying to let her body mimic his. Her eyes were not on her sword, but on Elias', her blade chasing his like a shadow bound to light.

As their swords rose in harmony, Alice felt a shift, a loosening in her shoulders, an ease in her grip. This time, as she drew the arc, there was a semblance of that fluidity she'd seen in Elias' demonstration.

"There!" Elias exclaimed as their swords completed the arc in unison. "That’s the sun’s path you’re drawing with your blade. It is closer to the movement you are looking for. Now it all needs to be put together more seamlessly."

Encouraged, Alice tried to hold onto the feeling, the visual of their swords moving as one. As they practiced into the evening, the move began to settle into her bones, the arc smoothing out, the pierce following naturally.

When they finally paused, the sky had darkened to a deep violet, and the first stars peeked through the veil of dusk. Alice's arms ached, but it was a good pain, a sign of progress and of muscles learning their craft.

Elias smiled at her, the firelight flickering in his eyes. "You've got the heart of a swordsman, Alice. And heart is something you can't teach. The arc will come, just give it time. It is okay to hit a roadblock in training. There doesn’t have to be a complete stop in improvement and training. You have time to improve and master it."

Alice returned the smile, feeling the frustration that had coiled tight within her and began to unwind. "I will master it," she said, her voice a mix of weariness and determination. "I have to."

Elias nodded, the fire casting long shadows over his face. "You will. We'll train again tomorrow night. For now, rest and let your body remember the lessons of the blade."

Alice sheathed her sword joining Elias walking back to their campsite. Waiting for them Thompson was cooking up some food. The horses were tied up to some of the few trees in the area. Their bedding lay next to the empty lake. It was a strange site for Elias. He remembered when he had last been in the area. It was the middle of the war back then. Dawncoast hadn’t yet fallen, and he was still under Sir Callum’s tutelage. Looking over to Alice, he was happy to see more progress being made. They would reach the Sword Temple soon.