Curse of the Oak

Chapter Eighteen

Torches of flames were lit all around, lighting the path to victory. The circle of discipline held still as Des watched her mentor. Sweat coaxed her entire body, dripping down her brow and funneling into the corner of her eye. Although, Des didn't let it bother her. She didn't let the irritation take away the focus of the exercise. The tension in her muscles increased has she saw her opponent. The one she needed to prove she was ready.

She watched as Shade smirked at her, mocking her confidence to show her faults. But Des didn't fidget, her body and soul staying fixated on every step he took. Des remembered the old brute ranting on about how a person can predict an enemy's movements based of evidence seen before the attack. Every step and breath a person takes is the path that will lead them to victory.

Or for Des, the disappointing features of unsuccessful trials.

For the past two weeks, Des had been waking up before dawn even touched the land to train with Shade. Her training consisted of running endless races with no end. Her feet had tracked more miles than she has traveled in life before her destiny was revealed. Most of the days ended with her collapsing on the side of the road, or in a random field with Shade carrying her back.

Nevertheless, her training didn't just comprise of just running, it also involved meditation. The technique of learning how an individual can become one with nature. Shade droned on about how nature is a force on its own, letting beings thrive off its wonderous opportunities. No matter how hard Des wanted to deny his claims, she shut her mouth, trying to connect with life around her.

And when she would fail with that, her favorite and most extensive training would come to play.

Self Defense.

Des was hesitant at first, scared of even holding the wooden stick Shade had given to her. The stick feeling so foreign in her hand. However her fear slowly disappeared when he whacked her on the back of the head, leaving her an enormous goose egg and a bruised ego. Not to mention Shade did this in front of other hunters who merely laughed at her. Including the one hunter that she cared about the most. The one who shook his head and walked away, disappointed again.

The silence between Des and her father had continued to be muzzled. Each would go on about their lives just as they had before. Des wanted so many times to cave and give up the hushed feud. But her pride and self-worth stopped her.

Still, the sparring and training with Shade had proved to show her skill she didn't even knew she possessed. Shade seemed pleased with her progress, reminding her to not let it go to her head. The stick that once felt so foreign in her hand became something of a comfort. Something she grew used to wielding.

But even after his ranting about that, she lodged three daggers into the target. Shade only shrugged, seeing it as a lucky shot. Her knock with the wooden sword also improved overnight it seemed. One day she failed countless time striking the wooden dummy before her, leaving her body bruised from its countless attacks and hits. Then the next thing she knew, her body learned to dodge the opponents attack, giving her the chance to strike her sword to every spot Shade instructed.

The world around her was beginning to accept her, including the countless hunters who watched from the shadows. Des also saw the changes in her body. No longer did were her limbs bony and useless. The evolved into powerful muscles that were disciplined to strike where she was instructed. Her core was more powerful. More poetic. Although from the side, Des noticed the concern hidden in her Nan's eyes. The look that should have been satisfied and proud was masked with concern and apprehension. Des even heard Lucy and Josie discussing her quick progress as abnormal. However, Des shoved those concerns deep inside the bottle, along with her other hidden feelings.