Usurper (Completed)

14

Kaid gripped the thin handle of the saber, feeling the roughness of its guard brush against his knuckles. It was far too small for his hand but Barnett insisted this was the best saber he could find that would be comfortable around his hand. It was not. Kaid knew a Guardian would have his own blade designed and custom-made, similar to how Payne's was a custom broadsword. But, he'd have to use this shitty thin blade to get to that point. It was Kiev's specialty: a quick, thin blade meant for quick slashes and pokes, whereas Kaid preferred something with a bit more weight to it.

He couldn't complain about a situation he got himself into.

The door to his small room to get ready opened, Kaid hoping it was the one person he needed to talk to right now. But instead of a woman with red hair and calm demeanor, Cadize walked in, a bit of a smirk on his lips, the action raising his glasses slightly.

"By that frown on your face, I'm not who you expected," Cadize teased, walking over, "the Empress was not allowed to speak with you beforehand. She must not show any favoritism...not like she already hasn't."

"No," Kaid lied, extending his arm out for him, "I guess I'm just nervous is all."

"I would be concerned if you weren't," Cadize spoke, taking his arm to press his thumb in the divot at the end of his bicep, "the first step in overcoming nerves is acknowledging it. Now, you must take deep breaths. Envision what you want to happen, and then make it happen. Only we can be in control of our destinies, Kaid."

"You make it sound so simple," Kaid exhaled, taking a long and deep breath soon after.

"I've had my fair share of disappointments in life, Kaid. But they've made me into the man I am today, under the profession I'm in, and working for an Empress I believe in. When you want something bad enough, you take it. If it slips from your grasp, you find another opportunity. Tell me something good about yourself, compliment yourself," he demanded, still monitoring his heart rate which was slowly lowering.

Kaid sighed, not seeing the point of this but he took a moment to think, "I guess...I wouldn't give up, not for the people I care about. I'd do anything for them."

"Do you care about yourself the same way?" Cadize asked, perhaps knowing the internal struggle Kaid possessed. While he was confident in his abilities, there wasn't a lot of confidence in himself in a strange world like this. How could he love who he is when he doesn't know who he would become?

Cadize noticed he stumped him, removing his thumb to glance up at him, "You are valuable to us all, Kaid. If this is something you really want, I know you can achieve it. Use every resource you have out there to your advantage. Time is on your side, my friend."

"You really think I can do it?" Kaid asked, wanting the truth and not some bullshit answer.

"I wouldn't have bet five hundred gold on you if I didn't," Cadize spoke, before realizing that probably wasn't a good thing to say, "don't tell the Empress bets were made. And don't...don't let that stress you out. I did the math and you have a good chance at winning. My calculations are never wrong."

Those words didn't help as much as he would've liked. Kaid knew sitting in this room wasn't going to help him any longer. He had to remember there were moments in his life that had felt impossible, Trials that in the moment felt utterly unbearable. Yet he survived them. Upon looking back at them they weren't as insufferable as they were in the moment. Time had a funny way of fraying the moments that worried Kaid so much about. This fight would be one of those things, regardless of the results.

Kaid followed Cadize out of the room and into the arena. It was not large by any means, just a section of the Guard courtyard that allowed room to fight. Arrangements were made to make it more spacious, but it was nothing more than a flat field of tight, packed in dirt and fences lining a perimeter. The sky was dark despite being mid-morning, a distant roar of thunder echoing from the sea. This fight would have to end within the hour, unless everyone wanted to be soaking wet.