“Shit,” Daniel said, using his weapon to block another attack from Oros. The two had constantly been sparring since the call to war was made official and the preparations were being made. This had brought even more tension to Daniel’s already strained relationship with Avria. The woman was now competing for time with Oros against Daniel, and he felt her gaze every time she came to visit.
“Keep your guard up,” Oros said, thrusting his weapon toward Daniel’s abdomen. With lightning speed, Daniel brought his sword down with the force of a hammer. Oros was a bit stunned when his incisor was deflected to the sand below but quickly pulled back and stood in a more defensive posture.
“You are just full of surprises,” Oros said with a grin. “I didn’t know you could move that fast. It takes much practice to enhance your speed using the Dunamis and use it correctly. I underestimated you.”
Daniel tightened his grip on his weapon but relaxed a bit. Maybe I should lighten up. I am here to learn, after all, he thought.
“So,” he said uncomfortably, “how is everything going with the new girlfriend?” He grunted as he blocked another attack from Oros.
Oros chuckled at the term. “Avria is fine, though I am not sure she would like you calling her my ‘girlfriend’. That does not mean anything here.”
“Well then, why wouldn’t she approve? I mean, if it doesn’t mean anything,” Daniel replied. “Where I’m from, it basically means the girl you’re with at the time.”
“At the time?” Oros asked, curiously, throwing a flurry of blows that Daniel again surprisingly blocked. “You don’t court your females before they become your mates?”
Daniel lunged forward with his sword, sweeping for Oros’ leg. He felt a sharp pain on his shoulder and at the base of his neck before his weapon hit the dirt and he tumbled to the sand. Oros had moved in an instant, so fast that even with his seemingly heightened senses, Daniel could barely react in time. He closed his eyes, enduring the throbbing pain as best he could, and cursing for letting himself get defeated so soundly.
That is going to be sore tomorrow, for sure.
Climbing to his knees, Daniel let out a deep breath. “Of course, we still court girls. Just, you know, sometimes two people meet who are just looking for a little fun, and… ah, never mind.”
Oros chuckled again, his laugh genuine. “Well, that type of behavior isn’t foreign to us. I am a Kryo, after all.”
Daniel laughed and held out his hand, which Oros took and proceeded to help him to his feet. “Yeah, well. You’re a Kryo with one hell of a swing. What the hell do they feed you in this world?”
Oros stared blankly at Daniel, confusion plain on his face. “Daniel… you know exactly what they—”
“I know,” Daniel said, interrupting him. “It’s just an expression, never mind.”
“Daniel,” Oros said, his voice changing to a more serious tone, “I wanted to speak with you about the term you mentioned before, about the friends who might have come with you to this world.”
Daniel brushed dust from his cloak and looked at him, intrigued. “Yeah, Henry and Angelo. They were near me when we got sent here, we really don’t know how many of us there are here, but,” he shrugged, “it’s really the only thing I want to do, but we haven’t been in a position to do much.”
“I’m looking into something that might be… substantial.” Oros continued. “It’s nothing serious now, but I have heard some very credible rumors. I am close to something, so just be aware that I have not forgotten our agreement. Once we have something more, we will explore it together.”
~
The two went to the baths to clean up and prepare for the tasks of the day. Daniel’s schedule had become much more complex since all the business with Rexun, but his main focus was preparation for combat; he needed to learn more. That being said, the less glorious tasks were often given priority. Oros was a great teacher in the ways of battle but often had to be reminded of certain appointments he was on the verge of missing. So the tempo of the day would be very extreme, going to a meeting with a Lord of Vul De Rah, then relaxing as though nothing were to follow. Then realizing that he was about to miss another engagement and going through hell to make it on time and preserve the good name of his father. Though it was frustrating, Daniel was used to it from the military, something he “fondly” remembered as ‘hurry up and wait’. On this particular day, Oros had not forgotten his appointment, mainly because it was with a very strong-willed woman he was looking to make his mate.
After they cleaned up, the two made their way to the Regios estate and into the gardens, where Avria and Katrina usually trained in a practice field that was in the center.
As they arrived, they beheld a fearsome battle between the two women. Katrina grunted and yelled as she swung her weapon, very athletically and skillfully, Daniel observed. Avria was defending and swinging counter-attacks as she saw openings. Openings that Katrina quickly closed before actually being struck.
Wow, Daniel thought. He knew she was growing more powerful every day, but he had never really seen her in action. I need to train harder, a lot harder.
Oros said nothing as they approached, only took a seat on one of the many stone benches that surrounded the practice area.
Neither Avria nor Katrina lost their focus. It seemed to Daniel that they weren’t even aware of his or Oros’ presence.
Katrina leaped forward, bringing her weapon down with immense force. As the two swords made contact, several pillars of earth shot from the sand and curved directly toward Avria. The ward stomped her foot into the sand, and a high-pitched screech erupted as massive pulses of electricity slithered from the ground and shattered the pillars of stone into a fine powder that flew harmlessly past her. She stepped forward, knocking Katrina back and away from her with a strong push. With a swing of her own, electricity whined and shot from her weapon, slamming into the discombobulated girl. Katrina fell to the sand, skidding several feet back, but still managed to use her momentum to get back on her feet. She stood, smoke curling from her skin, and brought her weapon up, assuming a defensive stance.
“Spirits, you humans are resilient things,” Oros said, clapping his hands together. “Very impressive display Avria, I can see why you are so proud of her.”
Avria did not look at Oros or acknowledge his comments. She just placed her sword at her side and waited for Katrina to do the same, then bowed to her. After Katrina bowed, she mirrored it and then turned to Oros.
Interesting, Daniel thought, admiring the sheer level of respect the master and pupil had shown for each other.
“It is good to finally see you at House Regios after so many years, Oros. My father will be thrilled that you are here.” Avria gave a surprisingly feminine smile as Oros took her hand and kissed it.
“It has been far too long indeed,” Oros said. “I am glad I made it in time to see the tail end of your lesson.” Oros looked at Katrina. “And I must say that your progress is very impressive. Never have we seen any Dae excel as quickly as you humans. It would seem you have some innate capacity for the Dunamis.”
Katrina bowed her head to him, placing her left hand over her heart.
She has completely gone native, Daniel thought. He knew that she had been attempting to cope with the loss and sudden reappearance of Robert, but looking at her now, she had adopted the culture of the Dae faster than he thought possible.
Avria looked at Daniel, her face now more serious. “Why do you allow him to wear the red again?” she asked Oros, looking at Daniel’s crimson cloak that he had been awarded after their battles in the South.
Daniel bit his tongue, holding a snide comment back. Oros must have picked up on this, as he spoke quickly.
“Avria, you know why. Daniel has proved himself in battle against the enemy and has earned the right to wear the crimson of a Dae officer, so I would say he is above the average squire,” Oros said, putting his hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “He is also a very skilled warrior. Your brother and I have taught him much over the months.”
“Really,” Avria said, crossing her arms. “I have always been curious to see what you are made of, Daniel. Katrina has told me a bit about your warrior caste in the human world. She says they wouldn’t be worth much here.”
Shit, Daniel thought. He sighed at the blatant taunt. Who the hell does she think I am? He knew she was trying to bait him, most likely into a fight between Katrina and himself. He knew what she was doing but still found his pride prodding him to retaliate.
Daniel looked her in the eye but still said nothing.
“Well?” she asked. “How would you like to test yourself against my student?”
“No, Avria,” Oros said, smiling. “I don’t think that is necessary.”
“Why not? There isn’t any harm in a simple test of skill. Katrina would love to do it.” Avria looked at her student.
Katrina hesitated for a moment, looking at Daniel, then at Oros, and back at Avria. “I…” she stuttered, “…I would be honored, my Lady. If Daniel is willing.”
Oros sighed, glancing over at Daniel. “What do you think?”
Daniel exhaled deeply and shook his head. “I know what you’re trying to do, Avria.”
“Lady Avria, to you,’ she said.
“Whatever,” Daniel continued. “I am not going to fight my friend for your amusement. So, the answer is no.”
Avria’s face turned to anger at the barbed comments. “Such indignant and disrespectful words.” She looked at Oros. “So, this is how you allow your student to speak? All I did was ask for a friendly sparring match between two pupils. Not to fight to the death. You take yourself far too seriously, human.”
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“Daniel,” Katrina said, bringing her weapon up in a fighting stance. “Come on, it might be fun.”
Oros stepped away from the two, giving them space to fight. Avria gave a look of praise to her student and proceeded to do the same.
Daniel cursed to himself, then reluctantly unpinned the clasp for his cloak and folded it in his arms. Two Doulos servants came from behind and took it from him, giving him a small breastplate made of bone and a training sword. As he took the time to put on the bone plate, he heard the sound of many feet approaching. He turned, and much to his dismay, saw a group of Dae nobles entering the little training area. At the head was Boros, brother of Oros and Kryo of Vul De Rah. Beside him were Illya, his younger sister, and Nasha, a revered and now celebrated warrior due to her successful negotiations with High King Phobos, which resulted in a clear turn in the situation with the Rexunii. Trailing behind were Delmos, several Dae he didn’t recognize, and Telmos Regios, the Lord of House Regios.
The whole damn party is here, he thought, cinching the straps down angrily.
“Boros,” his brother Oros said, embracing him. “I can’t imagine what brings you here.”
Boros smiled. “You wouldn’t be a scholar if you did.”
“How did you all get here so quickly?” Avria asked, amusement on her face. “It has only been several minutes since Daniel finally agreed to this little match.”
“Oh, I was in the area meeting with your father and several nobles when a servant came in and made sure to tell everyone that the two Spirit-Sent were about to engage in a sparring match. We just couldn’t resist.”
Delmos approached the two with his arms outstretched. “Sister! It is so very wonderful to see you.” He embraced her, but she did not seem to return it, just cringed as he squeezed. “Was it your idea to pit these two against each other? It’s damn devious; I didn’t know you were into this kind of sport.”
“Delmos,” Avria said, seemingly at a loss for words, “just go over there with father.” She pointed toward the cluster of nobles. Delmos held his hands up defensively and began to walk toward them.
“Spirits, he knows just how to annoy me in public,” Avria said to Boros, then noticed Nasha approaching Daniel, And she raised an eyebrow.
Daniel shook his head as Katrina chatted with Illya. There had been a distinct change in behavior toward him, since the party a month ago, from the Dae Krya. No longer did she try to speak with him or vie for his affection; that ship had sailed. This was for good reason, and Daniel understood. She had been humiliated by him after he essentially told her he wasn’t interested. He was, of course; her beauty was beyond anything he had seen on earth. Most of the Dae women he had met were at least well above the average earth woman. Even Avria had a primal allure to her.
As his mind wandered, he watched out of the corner of his eye as Nasha walked to stand next to him.
“Well, look how far you’ve come,” Nasha said, her hands on her hips. “Last I saw you, you were just a scared little creature. Now you are getting ready to do battle.” Her mouth curled into a wry smile. “There is something about you humans, though; I can’t quite put my finger on it. So… exotic.”
Daniel looked at her with his most convincing ‘get the hell away from me’ look, but only got a loud laugh from her in response.
“Relax, human, I am not trying to offend you. Just trying to get a laugh or two, but you don’t seem to be in the mood. Mind if I give you a bit of advice?”
Daniel said nothing but shrugged his shoulders as he continued to tighten his armor straps.
“If she fights anything like Avria, she is going to focus on Dunamis control. She may be a horrible little creature, but Avria is a very powerful fighter. She will have taught her pupil how to use her blade and Dunamis together. Also, Boros loves to use stone pillars. I’m sure you remember the bout we had. Be careful of that as well.”
Daniel looked at her, surprised. “Thanks.”
She smiled and turned to walk back to the group of nobles that were gathering.
“Dan!” Katrina called from a dozen feet away. “Are you ready?”
Daniel looked up at her just in time to see Illya leave. Her eyes met his, and an eager smile took him by surprise.
“Everything you’ve got, Katrina,” Avria yelled from the sideline. “Just remember what I taught you.”
Daniel brought his sword up to signal he was ready to begin. Katrina bowed slightly and dashed toward him, leaving a trail of sand behind her. With a whirl, she slashed downward, meeting Daniel’s blade. The bone material cracked like wooden sticks and echoed through the small training area. There were cheers from the growing crowd as the two finally began their fight.
Katrina attacked with deadly accuracy against Daniel, but he held his ground, refusing to give even an inch to her. She was using a style Daniel was familiar with, arcs and long swings, easily recognizable as the gale form. She would be using her Dunamis to attack him from the sides.
I guess Nasha was right, he thought.
~
Avria looked on with immense pride in her pupil but equal frustration at the stubborn skill of her opponent. She thought, with fair certainty, that this battle would be over quickly; It needed to be. She had seen the destructive power of Daniel’s Dunamis in the Glade, and though she had confidence in Katrina’s ability, she was human after all. She was not sure how it would play out if they compared raw strength. She knew it would be determined by skill.
“She is amazing,” Boros said out loud. His eyes fixed on the human girl. “You have done very well, Avria.”
“Oh please,” Delmos said, standing beside him. “Dan is just playing with her. She doesn’t stand a damned chance!”
“Shut up, both of you,” Avria said, not taking her eyes from the fight.
Katrina took a broad swing to the side, launching pillars of stone from the sand, a common attack used by Dae-Voh.
“Damn,” Avria said to herself as Daniel easily avoided them.
“Come on, Dan, you’re holding back,” Katrina said, clearly frustrated. “Stop being such a bitch and fight back. You know you can’t tire me out; we’ll be here all damn day.”
Daniel laughed, but didn’t reply.
“That bastard,” Avria said, causing Boros and Delmos to look at her. She knew he wasn’t taking this seriously, but for him to insult her? “Katrina! He is playing with you! Hold nothing back!” Avria shouted.
Avria’s fury seethed at the arrogance of this human. Katrina could destroy him if she wished; she knew the power of the girl was incredible in comparison to the average Dae.
Several massive boulders broke from the ground and levitated around Katrina. The smooth sand that made the floor of the arena was pouring off the sides, and Daniel’s smile faded slightly.
Many of the spectators cheered and began to clap. Telmos and Oros took a moment to use precautions of their own to prevent any of the gawking nobles from being injured by accident. These were humans, after all, and might lack the proper control.
Katrina pushed her hand forward, and the boulders flew through the air at Daniel. The man dodged by ducking under the onslaught. With a spin of her hand, the boulders separated and began to come at him one at a time. Daniel deflected one as it nearly hit him and tried to roll forward to avoid another. As he did, he found his footing disappear as the sand opened into a large hole that he fell into unexpectedly.
“Excellent!” Avria shouted, hearing Daniel, yell as he fell.
Katrina slid her foot across the ground, causing the opening to close around him, trapping Daniel underground.
Again, there were cheers and laughs from the crowd.
“What!?” Delmos yelled. “Seriously, Dan? Who doesn’t look where they’re rolling when they… come on! You’re embarrassing me! Get out of that damn hole!”
Katrina raised her hand again, positioning the boulders above where Daniel was buried.
The sand seemed to bubble and glow underneath them, only to explode out, spraying sand everywhere. Katrina clenched her fist, and the boulders slammed down where Daniel was. There was a loud crunch, and for a moment, Avria raised her hand, afraid that she had seriously wounded or killed him. But before she could say a word, an immense blast of fire shot from the sand. Katrina had moments before she arched her blade, and a sturdy half-sphere of stone covered her. The fire flared a bloody crimson color and quickly melted the wall.
The onlookers gasped at the lethality of the attack. And Avria took several steps forward, prepared to intervene.
Katrina stepped back, letting her damaged wall sink back into the sand. As it did, Avria saw Daniel standing, his eyes narrowed, and his smile gone.
What is that accursed red flame? How does this human possess it? Avria thought. The fire was not normal. It could not be mitigated like the normal flame of the Dunamis. This was wild and dangerous.
Daniel moved forward now, and a tinge of fear prodded Avria’s mind. He looked different, focused. She had seen this look before, but only in those who have seen many battles. She wondered then how much this human had seen.
Katrina brought her weapon to bear, and Daniel dashed forward with a sudden burst of speed. The precipitous movement took her by surprise, and before she could react, Daniel had swept her legs out from under her with the flat of his sword. Katrina fell hard to the sand but slammed her fist into the ground as her body hit. This time, sharp spikes flared from the ground, and he jumped to avoid them. As he came down, fire burst from his body, blowing the sharp pieces of earth to dust. On her feet now, Katrina attacked, stabbing her training weapon toward his legs. Her bone sword met his in another fierce collision, and the two began swinging at each other, trading slashes and blows. Katrina’s weapon seemed to get closer and closer to finding its mark after every attack, but still, Daniel was able to deflect and counter with surprising strength.
Finally, she spun with a hard swing, using only her left hand. The strike was powerful, but it slid off Daniel’s blade. As she continued to spin, her right hand came down hard, holding a large stone club. This crashed into Daniel’s defenses, and his sword fell to the ground.
The crowd gasped, and Avria felt her triumph, but as soon as his weapon fell to the ground, Daniel’s fist struck Katrina in the face. Sparks flew from the Dunamis infused attack, and she stumbled. Daniel leaned forward, pushing her further off balance, and followed up his attack with a strike from his elbow. She flew to the ground, hitting it hard and dropping her own weapon.
There was stunned silence from all the onlookers. They watched, as Katrina stirred after several taut seconds and sat up slowly, shaking her head; she was clearly dazed.
Anger flared in Avria once she saw her cheek beginning to swell.
Daniel walked up to her, his weapon again in hand, and held his blade to her throat.
“Hah!” Delmos yelled, raising his hands in the air. “I knew you had it in you!”
Nasha let out a cheer and clapped as well.
Katrina looked up in absolute shock, the side of her face swelling. “You... fucking… you punched me in the face,” she said, still in disbelief.
“I thought we were fighting as equals here,” he said, pulling his sword back and replacing it with an outstretched hand.
She hesitated, clearly angry, but took it anyway.
~
Avria smeared healing cream on Katrina’s face.
“What does this do again, my Lady? It smells like... well, it smells like shit,” Katrina said, sitting in her master’s personal quarters. It was actually the first time she had ever been there.
“This is called Murudi paste. It will draw your Dunamis out in this area and heal your wound quickly.”
Katrina nodded but said nothing. It had been nearly a half-hour since the fight with Daniel, and still, she could not bear to look at her master. She knew it was only a sparring match, but Avria made it seem like something much more. It was a matter of pride before her father and the nobles, but still, she lost.
“Katrina,” Avria said, her voice soft and caring. “Do not let this stifle your progress and success. There are always people who will defeat you in the arena. It is better to fight them, learn from them, and receive their bruises, so you don’t lose your head in a real fight. I should have known better than to let you fight Daniel.”
“I could have beaten him,” Katrina said, pain in her voice.
Avria sighed, and she put her hand on Katrina’s shoulder. “Oros tried to tell me, in his cryptic and subtle way.”
“Tell you what?” Katrina asked.
“That Daniel was a seasoned warrior, even before his training with Oros. No wonder he let him wear the crimson cloak. It was a sign of mutual respect. I saw it in his eyes, once he changed, once he saw you as an actual threat.” Avria continued to apply the paste. “You were better at the blade though, the savage had to resort to using his fists.”
“Just like when he beat Delmos,” Katrina said slowly.
“Yes,” Avria said angrily. “He is exceptionally skilled without a weapon. I will be sure to keep that in mind.”
“But that fire,” Katrina continued. “I don’t know much about the Dunamis, but from what you told us in the Glade when he first discovered it, it isn’t normal. Why?”
Avria finished applying the paste and dipped her hands into a large bowl of water to rinse. “No one really knows for sure, but it is said that one’s soul is the filter in which the Dunamis flows. There are many instances where corruption of a Dae’s soul will affect the type of Dunamis that a person is able to use… but the crimson flame. Like I said before, it has only been referenced in stories of demons, before even the war of the ascended. And after seeing what it did, only a weak blast of it, I believe those stories.”
“Do you think that I have something similar?” Katrina asked. “That maybe it’s a human thing?
Avria said. “Well, I suppose it’s possible. Only time will tell.”