Alnea held the knife to her finger. Vaela's heart raced at the sight of it. She stepped closer until she could feel Alnea's blood pounding through her body. What kind of Power did she have? What did it mean to truly See?
Alnea pressed the point of the knife into her finger and blood welled up from it, calling out to Vaela. She reached for it and Alnea pulled back her finger. “Are you ready?”
It didn’t matter. The Power in the blood pulled at Vaela, a need growling deep within her. She had to feel that Power. She had to See.
Vaela swallowed and nodded. Alnea extended her hand out and Vaela met her finger with her own. The blood seeped through the ridges of her finger and sent chills cascading up her arm. Alnea used her other hand to squeeze, forcing another two drops out. She stepped back and Vaela brought her finger to her mouth. The blood tasted bitter, coppery as always. A surge of Power flooded her senses, overwhelming the taste.
So different than the others. Hermit’s blood was like the undertow of a river–a darkness threatening to pull her under at any moment. Jace's blood was like many hands–tugging at her, trying to drag her to the ground. Alnea's Power was something new, animalistic. It filled Vaela with the fear of prey pinned down by a predator’s gaze. Overwhelmed her with the feeling of being seen, exposed.
It slipped away into her body, like an animal disappearing into the forest. Out of sight, but still there. Prowling through her body. A wild animal that dared her to try to tame it.
Alnea called out to Surah and Timura and waved them over. They each carried their weapons with them. Surah, with his shield and the bladeless Hoops sword he trained with. Timura held her metal staff and Vaela’s shield.
Vaela tilted her head at Alnea, fiddling with her stick. “I'm not fighting you?”
Alnea smiled and gestured to Surah and Timura. “If you'd like to learn to See, child, revel in your companions. In combat, you will See them for who they truly are.”
Timura handed Vaela’s shield to her. “Partner sparring?”
Alnea held up a finger, a dot of blood trickling down. “We shall perform a new drill. Timura, child of Shadow, stand over there.” She gestured several paces to the left. “Surah, child of Fire, you stand over there.” She pointed to the right. Surah arched an eyebrow at being called ‘child’ and Vaela bit back a grin.
Alnea took Vaela by the arm and guided her between the other two. “You are to spar against them–”
“At the same time?” Vaela drew back, defiance rearing up within her. That didn’t sound like a drill to learn, just a fast way to get her ass kicked.
Alnea placed a firm hand on her shoulder. “One at a time, child. You will alternate between them.”
“Oh.” Well, that would still be hard, but better than at the same time. Vaela pulled her shield onto her arm. She’d be fighting constantly, while Surah and Timura rested between bouts. Still, she was here to learn. Alnea’s blood pounded within her and she shivered. There was something about it–more intimidating than Hermit’s or Jace’s.
She faced Surah and raised her stick. Alnea held up a hand before they approached. “While you fight, you will tell each other what you see.”
Surah raised his shield into position and leveled the sword at Vaela. “Okay, anything in particular? Rocks, trees in the background, how her hair looks like a mess this morning.”
Vaela groaned and fought the urge to smooth her hair down. “No, child of Fire, like what we see see.” Surah huffed and she wagged her stick at him. “You know, like our virtues and stuff.”
His eyebrows shot up and he shook his head. “Virtues? This’ll be much harder than normal.”
Alnea chuckled and patted Vaela’s shoulder. She stepped off to the side. “Begin when you're ready… Champion.”
Vaela’s pulse sped up, like it always did before sparring. They did their best not to hurt each other, but at the end of the day, she was swinging a wooden stick at Surah and he, a metal one at her. She eyed the tip of his Hoops sword. Blade or not, that thing hurt. She edged forward and probed at him with a testing motion.
He swatted her stick down and circled to the right. “I see that your hair is a mess, your tunic is a bit dirty, and honestly, you don’t smell great, either.”
She glared at him and delivered another two rapid strikes. They bounced off his sword and shield and he backed away. She crept towards him, maintaining the distance between them. “Yeah? Well, I see that you’re full of crap and sometimes, when you eat, your mouth makes a really annoying sound.”
Surah’s nostrils flared and he raised his shield up. “That's how it’s going to be?” He strode forward and swiped at her side. She blocked with her shield, impact jolting into her arm with a clash, and she circled away.
Alnea clapped her hands. “Switch.”
Vaela pivoted and faced Timura, just a few steps to the side. Timura lowered her staff into position, intensity pinching her face. It was all fun and games to mess with Surah, but Timura always took training seriously. Timura lashed out with her staff and unleashed several strikes. Vaela fended them off and did her best to step out of the direct path of her attack. Surah was never one for charging, but Timura–she was bold. More than that. Aggressive. She'd been that way since joining them. Probably some part of the training that she received beforehand.
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Vaela countered, forcing Timura to jump back. Vaela hefted her shield in a small salute. “I see that you're eager. Uh, I see that you're warmed up.” Was this right? Hard to think with someone attacking you.
Timura twirled her staff and skirted away from Vaela's shield-side. “I see that you're confused. That you're conflicted.”
Pain twinged through Vaela's chest and she tightened her grip on her stick. She stepped forward and swung twice, harder than she’d intended. Her stick bounced off of Timura’s staff and Timura fell back a step. Vaela prowled closer and pointed her stick at Timura. “I see that you're backing away.”
Timura's eyes flashed and she ground her feet. She rebuffed another strike and countered. Vaela lowered her stick to intercept it and Timura withdrew her staff–a feint! Her staff whipped under Vaela's sword and cracked into her side. Vaela cringed with a gasp as pain stabbed through her ribs. She swiped in a wide arc and forced Timura back. Timura sank into her stance, staff raised at the ready. “I see that you’re hurt. I see that you're in pain.”
Vaela's heart pounded, her breathing labored. Her ribs stung and her hands burned from squeezing the stick and shield so tightly. “I see–”
Clapping behind her. “Switch.”
Vaela grunted in frustration and rounded to face Surah. He wasted no time closing the distance and delivered a few strikes. She managed to block them with her shield, ceding ground as he rained blows down. His sword slipped under her shield and slapped off of her right thigh. She cried out as pain exploded from the muscle. Her knee reflexively buckled and she caught herself with a stumbling step.
Surah peered over her from behind his shield. “I see that you're tired. I see that you can’t keep this up.”
Anger reared up Vaela's chest. Of course, she was tired. Of course, she was hurt and confused and conflicted. She had left them, run away to the Church. Why had she left her?
Vaela leapt forward and hammered Surah’s shield with blows, driving him back until he stumbled. She rushed forward and slammed her shield into his. He fell backwards and she stood over him. “I see that you’ve fallen and that you're tired and hurt.” Her shoulders heaved as she labored to steady her breathing.
Surah rolled to his feet, his sword whipping into ready position. “I'm not hurt.” He lowered his sword a fraction, cocking an eyebrow at her. “But thanks for the concern.”
A blip of guilt strummed through Vaela and she winced. “Sorry.” What had she been thinking? “I'm just–”
“Switch.”
Vaela stomped a foot, but the sound of Timura rushing towards her forced her to swallow her complaint. She spun in time to catch Timura’s strike on her shield. Timura's foot smashed into her shield and Vaela reeled backwards. Before she regained her balance, Timura swept her legs out from under her and Vaela crashed to the ground. Vaela shoved to her feet, glaring at Timura. “I see that you’re not giving me any time to get ready.”
Timura's eyes were hooded, her face sharpened into the intense expression she always had when fighting. She gave Vaela a half-shrug, but didn't make any attempt to attack Vaela for a moment.
Alnea stepped in between them, her hands clasped behind her back as she frowned at Vaela. “You see only with your eyes. Try to look deeper.”
Vaela clashed her stick off her shield with a clang. “I’m trying, but it's hard when they're attacking me constantly.”
Alnea surveyed her for a long moment. Vaela squirmed under her stern glare, but didn't break eye contact. What? It wasn't like she wasn't trying. What else was she supposed to See with other than her eyes?
Alnea’s blood, untouched, roiled within her. She shoved it aside. No time for that right now, it was hard enough fighting them with her full attention.
Alnea turned and raised a hand overhead. “Hermit. Jace. Come to me.”
Vaela suppressed a cringe at the woman's domineering tone. She'd never been one to bow to discipline, but it was hard not to snap to attention when Alnea called. Jace jogged over, the sword strapped to his belt waggling with his agile steps. A rapier–thin, almost like a needle, but deadly. He never used it on them, though he had demonstrated some techniques with it.
Behind him, Herman sauntered over. His staff was in hand, ever-present like Vaela's stick. “You rang, mistress?”
Snarky as ever. Vaela shook her head. If she ever doubted Hermit’s Power, the fact that he dared to sass Alnea said it all. Any other person would wither under her glare into a boneless pile at her feet.
Alnea gestured to Vaela, Timura, and Surah. “A demonstration is in order.” Hermit and Jace joined Alnea by her side and she spread her hands out to both of them. “A group fight.”
Vaela took an involuntary step back. Surely, she had to be joking. Hermit, Jace, and Alnea against them? Any one of them could probably beat her, Surah, and Timura put together. She rolled her stick between her fingers, palm wet with sweat. Surah and Timura didn't look any more enthusiastic about the idea.
Surah raised his sword tentatively. “Might I suggest a small alteration in teams? Now if I were over on that side...”
Traitor. Vaela shot him a withering glance. Not that she blamed him.
Alnea shook her head, a small smile on her lips. “Perhaps it is best for you to learn to See in the darkness.”
Fresh dread filtered through Vaela, tightening in her stomach. Whatever that meant, it didn't sound good. Within her, Alnea's blood stirred–wild and powerful. She reached for it and it rebuffed her.
Alnea glanced at Hermit and an understanding passed between them. She stepped back into a fighting stance, weight well-balanced, her hands raised. She oriented her body towards Vaela. “You have my blood. And you have Hermit’s at your side.” She nodded towards Vaela's belt, where a vial with just a few drops of Hermit’s blood–as much as she could handle at this time–rested. “Now defend yourself.”
Jace pulled his sword from the hilt and the sunlight glinted off the long blade. He took a few steps to the side and lowered it at Surah. Surah shied back and raised his shield higher. Jace smiled, not unkindly, and dipped the sword. “I won’t cut you.”
Hermit scooted over in front of Timura. He turned and grinned at Vaela. “Lights out, kid.” He slammed the butt of his staff into the ground and Shadow roiled out. It flooded from him like rushing water. He thrust his staff overhead and the Shadow leapt up all around them in a dome that covered the area around them almost ten paces in each direction. The Shadow crept upwards, arcing towards a common point above them. The light of the sun faded away as the Shadow wove together. Only a single pocket of sky peeked out at them and it shrunk rapidly. Vaela's heart pounded as she glanced back down. Hermit’s smirk disappeared into the darkness and she focused on Alnea, directly in front of her. Alnea's eyes, burning with intensity, bored into her own. The Shadow completed the dome, shutting out all light, and they were plunged into total darkness.