The Phoenix Stone

Chapter Nine

"Nice shot, Izel!" I yelled across the clearing to where she was practicing her archery. I turned back to Kael. "Is she also Magicborn? She seems to only practice archery."

"No, and she's only practicing archery because her fighting partner is currently unconscious."

My face fell.

"Oh cheer up. I don't blame you for that anymore. I was just stressed and I let it bubble up out of me. I'll try not to let it happen again." Kael gestured for me to follow him. I followed him towards where Izel was practicing. Along the way he picked up two straight sticks about wrist width and tossed one to me. "This will be your sword."

We stood a metre apart and faced each other. Silently Kael walked towards me, his sword raised to the offensive.

"Wait! Aren't you going to teach me...anything?!" I asked as he came closer and closer.

"Experience is the best teacher, now raise your sword."

As soon as I raised my sword he ran at me. Panicking, I turned and began to run but he clipped my ankles and suddenly I was on the floor with him standing over me. He held out his hand to help me back up but I didn't accept it. I didn't need help getting up.

Now that I was angry and I knew not to run I had to figure out how to use my 'sword' to defend myself. My Phoenixmark was tingling from anger and I knew it was glowing.

Kael stopped and lowered his stick. "Do not use your magic on me. This is an exercise in physical ability, not magical."

I rolled my eyes but took a few deep breaths. Slowly the Phoenixmark stopped tingling. "Okay, I'm ready."

Once again he ran at me. This time I stood my ground, stick raised and ready to fight. Just as he got to me, he brought his stick down, intending to do an overhead slice but I had sensed what he was going to do. I lifted my stick up and blocked his slice. After that it was a full on sword fight; I could sense what he was going to do because my magic told me what his next moves were, and he was a fully trained soldier and gifted in fighting.

Eventually he managed to pin me but he was panting heavily and had beads of sweat running down his face. "Whew. That was hard work." He wiped his brow with a handkerchief that he produced from his pocket. "You're a natural. No surprises there."

I was also panting, my sides heaving, and I was short of breath. I hadn't done that much exercise in a very very long time.

Izel had stopped practicing to watch our duel and now she was teasing Kael. "You're not as good as you used to be, old man!" she said, poking him in the arm.

"Still better than you!" he said with a grin, poking her back.

"Maybe, but I'm better at archery. Always have been, always will be." Izel lifted her bow and shot an arrow past Kael's head. It hit a tree behind him. She quickly sent another arrow after it. It narrowly missed piercing the first arrow. "Dang it! So close!"

"May I try?" I asked shyly.

"Why? So that you can beat me? I know that you're Phoenixborn. How could I not know, it's so obvious. I know you're really good at everything so there's really no point." She handed me the bow and an arrow with a scowl on her face. "Go ahead. Beat me."

I had never touched a bow in my life but somehow I already knew exactly how to hold it. It somehow just felt right in my hands. I lifted the bow and fitted an arrow to the string. The Phoenixmark started to tingle again but I ignored it. I pulled back the string and took a deep breath, steadying my nerves.