“She is here?” asked Elias. He stepped forward with interest.

“Arrived just yesterday. It is partly why I was in such a hurry to call for you,” said Marcus. “Things are starting to move very quickly and I’m sure that she is eager to meet you.”

Elias felt his motions bubbling up inside his chest. He started to adjust his breathing and enter his meditative technique.

“Lead the way,” he said with a steady voice.

As they approached the room where the hero resided, Elias couldn't help but wonder about the young woman who was about to become his pupil. He knew nothing and could only imagine based on the stories of old heroes and the prophecy that had been written before his birth. More importantly, was she ready for this journey ahead of them? Was he?

Marcus pushed open the ornate wooden door, revealing a brightly lit chamber. In the center of the room, a figure knelt in quiet meditation. Her long raven-black hair cascaded down her back, complemented by her simple yet elegant attire. Her presence exuded an aura of calm and determination.

The hero opened her eyes, her gaze locking onto Elias with a mix of curiosity and intensity. Her striking blue eyes seemed to pierce his soul, searching for the strength and wisdom she would need on her journey.

"Hero," Marcus spoke with reverence, "Allow me to introduce Elias, the one who will guide you in the ways of the sword and accompany you to the lost temple." The hero nodded. “Then I will leave you two to it.”

The hero rose gracefully to her feet, her presence commanding the room. "Elias," she said, “It is nice to finally meet my teacher. You can call me Alice.”

Marcus closed the doors behind him leaving the two alone in the room.

“It seems you know quite a bit about me, while I hardly know anything about you.”

“Marcus and I had a little time to chat last night about you and plans.”

“What are your thoughts on those plans?” Marcus inquired, settling onto a couch.

“I want to complete this as soon as possible. It's my destiny, a responsibility I've accepted. I have accepted my role as the hero in my journey to get to where I am now. The plans are fine for now. I see no reason to change them now. We will likely have to adjust things as we go but that is to be expected in the hero’s great journey.”

“I tend to agree with you on the plan. I just hope things don't deviate too much from what we've outlined. It would be nice to get things done quickly. Now tell me. Who are you, Alice?”

Alice paused for a moment before starting. “I am an orphan as the prophecy has told of. I have traveled far to get here and I’m sure I will travel more before I can return to my home. Swordplay has come to me naturally and the rest will follow. I’m ready to take the next steps in my journey. Six months ago, I knew nothing of the prophecy or my role in it. Now I come before you to become who I was meant to be.”

Elias nodded, absorbing Alice's words.

“Your journey will not be an easy one, Alice," he began, choosing his words carefully. "But it's clear that you possess the inner strength needed to face the trials ahead. The path of a hero is fraught with challenges, but it's also a path of self-discovery and growth."

Alice inclined her head, her piercing blue eyes never leaving his face. "I understand that Elias. I'm ready to learn, to face those challenges head-on, and to fulfill my destiny. Teach me the ways of the sword, so I can become the hero I'm meant to be."

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Elias smiled with a warm and encouraging expression. "I will do my best to guide you on this journey, Alice. But remember, becoming a skilled swordswoman is not just about physical prowess; it's also about discipline, strategy, and understanding the world around you. We'll start with the basics and build from there."

Alice nodded; her gaze unwavering. "I'm ready for whatever you have to teach me."

“You say that swordplay has come naturally. Let’s see how true that is.”

Alice followed Elias to an open courtyard training area, a place he knew quite well. At this time of day, a few people were out practicing. The place was shaded a little bit but still had some snow in the corners. Elias took off his coat and grabbed a padded vest. Alice did the same. They took up some practice swords and entered a training box.

Alice twirled her sword for a show before entering her fighting stance. He just focused on his breathing and watched how she used the sword. His job was to evaluate her and to see where she was starting. He would push her to her limits in this test. They separated a few feet from each other and started.

With a swift and calculated swing aimed at Elias's shoulder, she lunged forward. Her attack was a blur of motion, but he was ready and instinctively knew what to expect. He was already in position for her oncoming blade.

Elias effortlessly parried her strike with a spin of his sword, the blade meeting Alice's weapon with a resonating clash. His expression remained stoic, betraying nothing. He observed and analyzed, his movements precise and measured, like a seasoned teacher guiding a promising student.

Then he attacked bringing his sword down in a solid forceful motion. She blocked with her blade horizontally. The blade held in the air for a moment before the two swords separated.

He attacked again with a downward diagonal strike. The blades sparked upon contact. He pushed forward again forcing Alice to backpedal. She gritted her teeth as she deftly blocked his strikes. Elias left her an opening and she struck out.

He jumped back as she thrust her sword forward. Alice's thrust was swift and aimed directly at Elias's chest, but he smoothly sidestepped her attack, moving like a dancer in perfect harmony with his blade. It was a graceful display of evasion.

Elias pushed her with a series of rapid attacks, each strike meticulously calculated to test her reflexes and defensive skills. Alice, determined to prove herself, met each challenge with unwavering focus and resilience.

Their movements were a testament to their contrasting styles. Alice fought with fiery determination, her attacks fierce and passionate, while Elias remained the embodiment of calm precision.

He left an opening once more and she thrust her sword forward. His blade reacted before hers was halfway to him. The feint caught her off guard and as she went for the attack her blade went off course. The continued momentum sent her blade out of her hands and into the dirt. It clattered to the ground as Elias put his blade to her chest.

“Well done for a first bout. Truly. Marcus was right that you show promise. There are of course things that you could work on but at least we aren’t starting near the bottom.”

Alice breathed heavily and sweat had formed on her brow. With a resigned sigh, she extended her hand towards him. "You win," she admitted, a slight smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "But I'm not giving up that easily. Next time, I'll be better prepared. Why don’t we go again?”

“I like to hear that. We can go one more time. I’ll try and highlight a few of the things that you forgot to do. That is if you didn’t already realize it.”

“One thing comes to mind, but it might just be that I haven’t fought many strong swordsmen.”

“Fighting a new person should not affect how you fight. The fundamentals of sword fighting are the same regardless. There are often times when you face a greater, stronger force. How you can deal with it will show your strength as a swordswoman.”

“Ah. You two are where I expected. Already out training. Perfect,” said Marcus. “I’m glad that you two could get along. I’ve started to gather some things so that you can head out tomorrow. A horse for our lady. Protection for fighting corruption. It is the least I can do. I also have a basic itinerary for you.”

Elias grabbed the paper out of his hands. “A stop at the capital. I presume that the King would like to bless our journey?”

Marcus nodded. “You will already be traveling that way and the King would like to do his thing. He has already met Alice but not you. He hopes that you can use his power to increase the odds of success. Whether or not it works is debatable.”

“Then we are on to the Sword Temple or meeting with the witches?”

“They are also an important part of the prophecy, and it is unclear which should be visited first. I hope that Alice can choose for you. The roads are about the same length in opposite directions away from the capital. It is up to you.”

“We will decide on the road,” said Elias firmly. He stuffed the rest of the itinerary into his pocket. “Thank you again, Marcus. Now if you will excuse me I would like to rest a bit before tomorrow. I traveled all day yesterday to get here.”