— Aster —

Picking up each weapon and testing them on the dummies. I attempted many different tactics that I had just learned. This was the first time I got to use weapons. Having not been allowed for the last year, I had no idea what to choose. Jumping behind the dummy. Slashing with the sword at the place where the ankles would be. Grabbing the arm of the dummy, I used the wait to pull myself behind the dummy and stab it in the back. It was the first time I found I was able to move like this without falling all over myself. I felt like a different person. Until I tripped over my own foot, ruining any confidence I had. I stood up pretending nothing happened and continued testing. I slowed down carefully not to fall again. I didn't but all the smooth movements were now jittery and I fumbled all over myself.

Despite all that I found I still loved the dagger, but what really surprised me was when I was using the ring weapons ‘chakrams’. When I first grabbed them it felt awkward holding them. My throw was accurate, hitting the dummy and taking the dummies arm off. “The spin must cause the edge to be heavy letting it cut deeper.” The ring ricocheted after hitting the dummy. The ring bounced hitting the roof then back toward me taking a small slice out of my arm. The ring hit the floor with the momentum now gone it just rolled on the floor.

Jane laughed and the girl stopped to see what had happened. “Don't forget to catch it by the center.”

“And lose a hand?”

“Only if you try to grab the outer part.”

“How is this even a practical Weapon?” the girl asked

“You might be surprised it can do a lot of damage.”

Thinking on the practicality of the weapon I added. “And it can be useful for other things.”

Jane conceded the point “That too.” Then pointed to the weapons on the table. “Back to work.”

The girl stayed quiet during this exchange and kept trying the weapons. Not long after testing all the weapons we were sweating profusely and collapsed to the ground. The healing crystal in the room helped us with the stamina otherwise we would not have been able to last as long as we did.

Jane tossed us two water bottles “Take a break then on to training.”

I thought that’s what we were already doing. The fire in my throat cooled as I drank. Soon I was feeling normal.

Jane holding up four fingers “Both of you choose four weapons you like best.”

We trudged over to the table. The first weapon I took was a dagger so did the girl. I then chose the short sword, throwing knives, and chakrams. I had a feeling about the chakrams and wanted to see more of them.

The girl on the other hand grabbed the bow, the gun. After a few moments of trying to decide she settled on the brass knuckles “Okay now each of you chooses one from your four and get ready.” We both grabbed the daggers and headed towards the dummy.

“Nope.” Jane stopped us and pointed towards the ring on the floor. “Time for you two to spar.”

Both of us looked at each other with weapons “But we might kill each other.”

“Yes, but don't worry it's very hard to kill someone in this room, still going to hurt though. If you think you can go half measure I'll make sure you won't ever do that again are we clear?” She said it in such a way that sent shivers down our spine.

““Clear!””

“All right now each of you takes a side and when I say begin. Start.” She stood to the side of the ring like a referee.

The girl held the knife like a small sword ready to stab while I crouched low holding the knife back across his forearm. Not sure if there was an advantage but it felt right.

Jane seemed satisfied “Begin!”

Unlike you might expect, neither of us made a move; instead, we waited. Looking for our chance to strike. The tension could be cut with a knife. My heart was beating rapidly and the adrenaline had begun to run through my body. I had to force myself to stay calm as I was excited but was also afraid to get hit. But this just made me more cautious, sharpening my senses. With my enhanced vision, I could see every little move she made, to adjust her stance, adjust the knife, even her pulse. I could see she was just as excited as me at this fight. I knew it would come down to a single moment, but she wasn't moving she just watched. A thought passed through my mind after neither of us had moved.‘Had I made a mistake? Should I strike first? That thought seemed to be what she was waiting for as she sprung towards me. I moved just as fast striking towards her lunging arm connecting with her shoulder. But I had not come away unscathed. I had underestimated her speed and she already stabbed me in the side while I had only struck her shoulder as she retreated.

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“Lucky shot.” She seemed to be egging me on to make a mistake. Something we both learned was banter is to make someone sloppy.

“Is that what you call skill?” I knew I was pretending to be cocky. I had gotten a lucky shot in. The stab burned in my side letting blood flow free. After the fight began everything was a blur. Neither of us was given any leeway. Using fancy footwork we tried to flank each other and it turned into a deadly dance of jabs, stabs, punches. We were both riddled with cuts, slices, and bruises. Neither was thrown off balance by the other until we both misjudged our footing and tangled our feet together. This would have been one of those awkward situations if the girl had not also thrust her knife in my stomach and me thrusting my knife into her lung. I felt my stomach slowly filling with blood.

“Okay, the fight with daggers is over.” Jane ran over separating us, shoving us on our backs. “You both stabbed each other?” We couldn’t even try to answer as blood filled our organs. Jane pulled the knives out. We screamed as she pushed us closer to the crystal.

Surprisingly the wounds healed quickly next to the crystal. I felt like throwing up “Go throw up the bile and blood. Then come back for your next sparring match.” I ran to the washroom and threw up the blood that was on my stomach.

“That was not pleasant.” Washing the blood around my face.

“No, it was not.” The girl agreed.

The next match was an interesting fight; it was brass knuckles versus my sword. This time I struck first and swung down. She punched the edge of the blade diverting the trajectory causing me to smash the ground. I don’t even know how she did that. The girl followed up with a shot to the ribs breaking a few, then shattering my jaw with a haymaker. The fight lasted all of ten seconds with me crumpled on the ground broken.

“Wow!” Jane exclaimed at the site “I see you've trained pretty hard with the knuckles before.”

“Not really, I've just used them in fights before.” That was all she seemed like she was going to add.

Jane seemed a little impatient “What weapons are you two going to use next?”

Seriously I haven’t fully healed yet “I need a minute to heal the broken bones.”

“Fine!” Jane pouted

“Not sure... Gun?” The girl wasn’t as reluctant.

“Ugh” I groaned as I walked over to the table still feeling bruised. I knew the bullets wouldn't do too much damage but it was going to hurt like hell. I decided to go with the throwing knives. I had an idea but had no idea if it will work.

“Take your positions,” Jane instructed. I had one of the knives in my hands ready to throw as the girl took aim “Begin!”

*Bang Bang Bang* Three shots could be heard from the gun and then a scream from the girl as the gun fell to the floor. I had thrown three knives at once right before the gun was fired. One knife through the cheek, one through her wrist cutting the tendon making her unable to hold the gun, the last in her eye she was writhing in pain, and Jane ran over and quickly ripped out. “You threw it in my eye!” grabbed her eye, ripping out the knife.

Her bullets had also hit their Mark. I was on my knees. All three shots had pierced my heart causing my heart to stop. Jane and the girl noticed I wasn't moving. She was still covering her eye with her good hand when she asked “Did I kill him?” still no response from me.

Jane was looking me over. “Give it a second.”

I gasped as my heart began to beat again. I was grabbing my chest barely able to breathe. My chest felt like a thousand pounds was sitting on top of it. Even though the sensation quickly fell away. I could not forget the feeling of being shot through the heart.

“That was dangerous for you both. Time for the last round!” Jane grabbed our weapons and handed them over to us. We readied ourselves. I spun one of the chakrams on my finger. The girl drew her bow.

“Now begin.” The girl's arrow flew, as I rolled out of the way. The arrow struck the stone ground. The girl was already ready with another arrow. She let it fly. I was able to quickly sidestep the arrow aimed at my chest by turning to the side; the arrow skimming my chest. I threw my first ring. She tried to bat it away with the bow but Miss judged the timing and took the ring to the side slicing deep into her side creating an opening. Not wasting the opportunity I began to throw the rest of my rings. The next shot seemed to miss hitting the wall. The third struck her arm cutting deep. The fourth missed when she noticed I was out of chakrams.

“My turn.” She went to pull an arrow as she did the string snapped slicing her face. The second shot had hit the string but wasn't quite a direct hit on it so did not cut the string fully. It ended in a tie.

“Okay sparring is done.” Jane looked toward the girl. “You officially win the sparring rounds. You both did very well. You tied in three out of the four fights. The second you lost overwhelmingly so she beat you in one round.”

“What about the gun round when I shot him in the heart?” The girl was indignant at not getting her win.

“That is a little iffy, since he may have survived and recovered before you're able to get your sight back or even hold the gun again. So as you might have killed him, he definitely disabled you for a while, so it's a tie.” Even though I thought this was bullshit, I was frozen for a few seconds and she could have easily have taken me out.

The girl was pissed. “Bullshit!”

“Eh…now go to bed tomorrow will be a real fight.” Jane seemed to run from the room.

We went to our rooms and felt weary from the day and passed out almost instantly.