The Rift

Chapter 5

              Mattias overwhelmed Marie. The young woman let out a startled grunt as she fell to the ground. The dark-skinned man sheathed his mock sword. "Dead." Marie rose to her feet and faced him. Mattias ran towards her once more. She eyed him and jumped to the side as he approached but the man side-stepped, and her gut was met with his fist. "Dead. Again."

Marie brushed herself off. "That's the tenth time in a row. What am I doing wrong?"

"You're thinking too much. You have to feel a battle." Mattias waved to another soldier who passed them in the castle courtyard. The trees rustled lazily in the summer breeze and the sun was shining eagerly down on them. "You must not have had combat lessons in your world."

Marie shook her head in response before walking to a nearby stone bench to retrieve some water. "No. I took some martial arts, but very briefly. And I did some mock sparring as a kid."

She jumped when her eyes landed on Olaf, who was sitting on the bench and wiggling his snow feet. He giggled. "The children love to mock spar with me. Sometimes they even want to use my stones as weapons, but Anna won't let them."

Mattias paused before grabbing his own water from Olaf's wooden hand. "And for good reason."

Marie splashed some water on her face. "I hope the rock trolls have some answers about all this. I'm already confused enough as it is."

"I'm sure the council meeting didn't help, either," the General said. Marie nodded. Last night, members of the Arendellian council met along with Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Mattias. Marie and Elsa had shared their stories about the rift and their battle in the town square. She picked up a wooden sword and twirled it in her right hand. Not much was resolved. Elsa was put in charge of ridding the kingdom from the darkness' threat and Anna was to oversee preparations. Marie felt helpless. She did not have any magic to fight it, so how could she help? Her hand raised slightly, and she glanced down at it. When it had overtaken her, she could still feel everything. The darkness was desperate and angry, but it was not evil. It seemed frightened and threatened, but Elsa had quelled it. All of this was discussed in the meeting.

"Can I try something?" Marie asked the officer. He grabbed his own wooden sword and stretched his shoulders as he nodded. She swung the light wooden blade before her while transferring it to her left hand. "Let me spare with you."

Mattias chuckled before readying his weapon. "Don't complain if you get hurt. Her Majesty ordered you to learn how to fight."

A small smile spread across Marie's face. "Yes, Sir." Feel, don't think. She exhaled and emptied her mind. A pulse of energy shot throughout her body, and she charged forward with a single leap. Her blade tapped against Mattias's before she switched hands and battered his counterguard three times. Her foot landed on the dirt below her and she leapt to the side while the wooden blade switched to a backwards swing, the tip aiming for Mattias's hand on the hilt. He retaliated with a strong swing underneath Marie, who caught his blade with her own before twirling the wood pieces together and forcing them up. His blade flew into the air before clanking on the ground. Marie stood with her back to Mattias. When she heard him stir, her left arm shot out behind her, the blade coming within an inch of his throat.

"Wh-whoa!" The man fell to the ground, his arms raised.

Marie looked behind her and let out a scream. Her entire arm was engulfed in what appeared to be small currents of dark waves. Her wooden blade was engulfed in it, but the very center was glowing with a strong light. She dropped her blade and bolted behind Olaf. "Wh-what is that thing?!"