Darkness had claimed the sky above them as Sera left her friend’s tent with her. The last remnants of twilight were barely a sliver against the distant mountain ridges to the west as the dim light retreated, making way for the night. Most of the men had since returned from their bathing and some had begun preparing a stew to go along with the rations of bread which two of the town’s women handed out.
Sera was back in her dress, the gift Chilse had given her was draped across one arm as the two of them waited in line for food when she heard the lilting of Akane’s voice calling for her attention. The dark-haired woman sat with Cabrin some distance away, waving her arm wildly for Sera to join them and after receiving a bowl of steaming stew and a portion of bread, she did just that with Chilse in tow. John, who had been talking with a few of the town’s men that had volunteered, broke off to join the two women on their way where the rangers were seated. The five of them ate together, talking of their adventures and laughing at jokes as the fire crackled.
The refreshing river they had enjoyed earlier that day, the warm food, and the good company; all that after the long march of the day had given them a contagious sense of light-heartedness despite the impending hardships they would face when they reached Volknest. Sera didn’t envy what these people had in store for them and wondered if it was the right thing to do, splitting off for the safety of Bastion while people she cared for marched off to face an army of Chimera.
“So Sera, I hear you’ve been hiding a secret.” John said, shaking her off from her thoughts.
“It’s nothing.” Sera replied, blushing.
“Yeah, it’s nothing.” The man laughed, “Nothing seen in a thousand years, that is! C’mon show us a little.”
“Powers like that shouldn’t be used so frivolously.” Cabrin said quietly as he tore a piece of bread.
“Man, you really are a stick in the mud aren’t you, kid.” John sighed. “Lighten up a bit, will ya?”
Cabrin gave the man a pained look. “I’m pretty sure we’re the same age.”
“How old are you, Cabrin?” Sera asked. It never occurred to her to think about something as common as her friend’s age.
“He’s thirty four.” Cabrin winced when Akane answered for him. “Same age as me. We’ve been together since birth.”
“Ancestors.” John was visibly shocked. “You’re actually older than me by six years!”
“I never realized how old you looked till now, Johnny Boy.” Chilse laughed. “John’s only two years older than me. Gods, I’ll look ancient by the time I reach your age.”
“Don’t worry.” Akane said, reassuringly. “You look very beautiful.”
“If not a bit brazen.” Cabrin added, with a touch of disdain.
Chilse didn’t mind the comment as the three women laughed, sharing a knowing look. Though their opinions differed regarding the matter of her choice of dress, or lack thereof, they understood this woman and respected her for it.
“Behold! My nakedness is my armor!” Chilse stood and declared in a mocking tone. She growled comically as she flexed her arms to more laughter. Even Cabrin snorted, shaking his head and wearing a weary grin.
“Oh don’t worry.” He said, giving in to the shared laughter. “I never mistook that scrap of hide you wear for being your ‘armor’.”
“Yeah it’s nothing like what you wear, I know.” Chilse sat back down, gesturing to the hakama that the two rangers wore. “I mean, it’s good for mobility. Not too restrictive to move in, but I don’t like the idea of having so much extra material to grab onto.”
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“It's what our people wear so…” Cabrin shrugged as his words trailed off as he finished up the last of his stew.
“Why did you leave Asu?” Chilse asked after a moment.
Akane looked down in silence as Cabrin stretched his arms over his head and stood.
“It’s late, we should get some rest. We still have a long way to go tomorrow.” He said. “Especially you, Sera. In the morning, you begin training before we set out.”
He left them with Akane rushing up to join him as they made their way over to their tent.
Chilse wondered aloud as the two rangers disappeared into the night. “What do you think that was all about?”
“Got some pretty mean ghosts in his past, I guess.” John commented.
The two of them cast a questioning look to Sera, but all she was thinking about was what the morning would have in store for her. Between everything that happened just a day ago coupled with the long journey they had made so far, her body still ached, but Cabrin was right. Sera would have to get stronger to face the challenges that lay ahead of her and there was no time to wait. If she was going to have to fight, she would first have to know how.
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Hours before they set off for Bastion, Sera emerged from her tent to find her friends awaiting her.
“Oh.” Chilse said with an amused grin as she looked over. “Sera Bennet, you are too adorable.”
Sera blushed at the comment. She was wearing the dark gray padded leather leotard that Chilse had given her, but kept the white dress she had worn tucked underneath. Its frilly skirt hung out from the holes where her legs went, the bunched up cloth draped over her hips down as far as her knees. Sera awkwardly pulled at the hem behind her, embarrassed as she could still feel the morning breeze across the backs of her thighs, but at least she felt more…covered.
Sera and Akane followed as Cabrin led them to a quiet spot he had found on the outskirts of the camp, shaded by tall trees and surrounded by the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze. Sera looked over her shoulder to see Chilse and John following behind her. They wanted to see what their friend could do.
Cabrin asked Sera to present her blade and she did so. Chilse laughed in awe and John, who had yet to witness Sera’s abilities, audibly expressed his own astonishment as her blade materialized out of thin air.
They began with basic stances and footwork, Cabrin demonstrating each movement with practiced grace before allowing Sera to mimic his actions. Her determination shone through as she concentrated on perfecting her stance, the lines of her body shifting into place under Cabrin's watchful eye.
Once Sera had a grasp of the basics, Cabrin had found for himself a tree limb to use, as they moved on to simple attack and defense drills. The length and curve of the stick closely matched that of his katana.
“It’s no bokken,” He said with a smile, testing its sturdiness against a tree. “But it’ll do.”
Sera's movements were hesitant at first, her swings slow and telegraphed, but with each repetition, her confidence grew. Cabrin provided gentle guidance, correcting her posture and offering words of encouragement along with those from the small crowd who had gathered to watch. As they continued to spar, Sera felt the surge of adrenaline course through her veins as he pushed her. Along with her teacher, she was surprised to find that her movements were becoming more fluid, her strikes more precise.
In a bold moment, Sera lunged at Cabrin with a strike, her sword cutting through the air with a fierce determination. But her attack fell just short of her target, the tip of her blade passing a full foot from Cabrin's makeshift bokken. However, to their astonishment, Cabrin's stick was cleaved in two, as if an invisible force had extended the reach of Sera's blade. A shared audible gasp sounded from everyone as Sera and Cabrin both stood. Their shocked faces looked from the stump left in Cabrin’s hands to the remainder of the wooden limb as it layed on the ground. There was the sweet scent of burning in the air as thin traces of smoke rose from both pieces’ severed ends. Sera's heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she tried to comprehend what had just happened.
Cabrin dropped the stick and sat heavily on a nearby rock, struggling to maintain his stoic composure, leaving Sera fearing that she had done something wrong.
Her worries were put to rest when she saw him give up on containing himself. Giving in to his astonishment, he began to laugh heartily as her friends gathered around her shouting their own amazement at her newly discovered feat.