Swords of Cinder

Chapter 6: Strange Monsters

Chapter 6: Strange Monsters

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Months passed, and I fell into the same uneventful routine of training. I would wake up at the crack of dawn with my group to run through the forest. Then, drenched in sweat and dirt, we would eat breakfast which was usually a bland selection of porridge. After, we gathered in our designated section of the arena to practice hand to hand combat with conditioning exercises sprinkled in. Then we would break for lunch, and after, we would work with our weapon of choice. Some specialized in long range tactics like archery or explosives, but I had chosen a more general route with a sword. By the time the sun was beginning to set, I would resume my position hanging from the tree branch above the pool. Every evening I would return, drenched in the cold water.

Now in the dead of winter, I had become immune to the cold, and my cracked skin had healed to form a callused shell of armor around my body. As the days droned on, I saw Llyr less and less, and I was beginning to embrace my constant state of loneliness. There was no use crying because it didn't solve anything; it only solidified the reality of the situation I was in. The future seemed vague, and I honestly didn't care. I was numb. Numb to the cold, my sadness, and the pain.

I gripped the rapier in my hand. The cool metal felt light, and when I struck, the sword flitted through the air gracefully. It was fragile and quick, but a single stroke could be just as destructive as any of its counterparts.

Gaël stood in front of me, a heavy broadsword in his hands. The weapon glittered in the dim sunlight, and as he swung it towards me, it sliced through the air with a menacing shriek. I dodged, and I brought the rapier upward to parry his strike. Quickly, I twisted the edge of my sword to spin his weapon awkwardly in his hands, forcing him to release it.

The blade fell to the ground with a loud thump. I made sure to keep my distance, but I drew my sword forward and held it to the neck of my mentor. Gaël met my eyes and nodded. I stepped back and bowed, before sheathing my weapon.

"Excellent execution of the drill, Elysia," Gaël applauded. "Careful not to go against the momentum of my sword too much, or your blade could snap against the force," he added, pensively. I nodded at his instruction. I had become significantly better over the past couple of months with my sword of choice, but I still had a lot that I needed to improve on.

"Go spar a couple of more rounds with Orion before dinner," Gaël instructed, and I nodded, running over to the white haired boy who was currently practicing with Eli, one of the younger boys in our group.

They were in the middle of a round, so I decided to watch them before interrupting. Orion was fitted with his flamberge sword, which was quite unique and very deadly. Eli had a more simple weapon, and he was struggling. The wave-like cut of the white-haired boy's weapon amde it difficult for Eli to strike because whenever the swords clashed, the flamberge would imitate shock waves that traveled down Eli's sword to his body.

Sweat coated their bodies as the contintued their battle. Eli's dark curly hair bounced as he narrowly ducked a swipe from Orion. A moment later, their swords clashed once again. The dark haired boy flinched as my friend's weapon made contact with his. Eli's arms shook with pain, and he had no choice but to follow through with the momentum of Orion's sword. The broadsword raked the sand, and he dragged it across the ground as Eli struggled to return it to a guarded position in front of him.

However, Orion was faster. Before, the dark haired boy could lift the weapon, the flamberge had already clipped the blade from his hands. The match was over. Orion won. My friend began sheathing his sword, but once the blade was securely fastened, Eli kicked sand into the air, momentarily blinding his opponent.