The TwiceBorn

To Sing A Song of Bravery

'Inside my heart there's an empty room. It's waiting for lightning. It's waiting for you."--Jewel

"Alora...prepare."

The air burned in her chest. She'd landed hard, and beneath the delicate script scarring, her side ached and throbbed. Abigor had slashed at her face, so close she'd felt the wind of it. She'd stepped back and brought her blade up to block the counter swing and had tripped instead.

He stood over her, and casually twirled his blade in a lazy circle. The tiny smile on his lips only infuriated her as she slowly got to her feet. She resisted the urge to lean a bit in an attempt to shelter her newly healed side. But it didn't matter. He knew her weaknesses. He also knew she didn't stand a chance against him.

The sword he'd given her to practice with was nothing but cheap iron and her arms burned from trying to wield it but it simply wasn't in her to quit. She watched him as he gazed at her benignly.

"It might be different if I had a better sword." She stated as she watched him.

"Perhaps. Shame you left yours out on the grasslands." He replied easily.

'If it were still there, the goblins wouldn't have left it behind." Alora said as she tried not to pant and show how winded she was. She could feel the eyes of the night hags as they watched.

"Of course it was still there," Abigor threw back his head and laughed. "The sword can protect itself, no one could have taken it."

"Then that means you have it. And if you have it...why am I trying to spar you with this piece of shit?" She demanded. A strand of hair escaped the circlet and fell into her eyes. Aggravated, she brushed it impatiently back as she glared at him.

"It's not the blade, Alora, it's the one who wie..."

With the last bit of her strength,she rushed him and thrust the heavy blade forward. It was her last move, she knew it even before she'd committed to it. She was so weak she felt physically sick but she refused to turn her back and limp away,defeated.

Surprise flashed across his face and Alora felt a cheated triumph because she knew she was the only one to see it. But it didn't last long. The weight of the blade took her  forward more than she'd expected and she overbalanced. In a blinding display of speed,Abigor dropped on his back below the thrust and brought one booted foot up.

In an instant, she knew exactly what was going to happen. But she didn't know just how much it was going to hurt. The boot connected squarely with her side and she was kicked so hard her vision swam and yellowed before she landed on her back in the dirt.

It hurt. It hurt worse than the making of the wound and she felt tears dampen her cheeks but she cried silently. . She closed her eyes as Abigor loomed over her, the smile on his face wide and insulting.

"You're getting better,Alora. Faster." He conceded. "But still not fast enough."