Cirque Du Amour

Ch 35

  "Right now?" I question.

  "Yes, the sooner the better. However I suggest we go somewhere more spacious."

  All four of us leave the confines of the abandoned hospital. We walked for a while before coming to a large field. There were no houses around as far as we could see. All the walking was starting to get to my legs and back. Night was in full swing and I was yawning every few minutes.

  "This should work." Arra stops in a semi clear spot within a small wooded area.

  "I'm so tired...." I whine a bit, "I need to sit down."

  Arra flits behind me and pokes me in the back with one of her sharp nails as I'm about to sit. It doesn't seem like she broke skin, but the sudden sting makes me yelp and jump forward slightly.

  "No sitting for you. You can rest when we're done." She walks around me and faces me, "you might be tired now, but the vampaneze won't wait till you're well rested to strike. You're already at a severe disadvantage as it is, so you need to be prepared for anything."

   "How can I be prepared when I can barely keep my eyes open?" I sigh.

  "After a few days working with me, you'll be prepared for a fight even in the deepest sleep." She says "now let's start with the basics."

She walks over until she's about an arm length away. She seems to study my eyes for a moment before I get knocked to my side. I fall with a heavy breath. My face starts to hurt as I sit up slightly. I looked at her confused, did she move quicker than my eyes could see or was I just not paying attention?

  "Get up." She orders, "this time, dodge my attack. I moved quickly, but you should have seen that one coming."

  I get back up to my feet. I try to prepare for the next move.

   "Maybe start with something a bit smaller?" I look over to see Larten and Vancha at the treeline where they're watching.

  "Larten," Arra says "I know what I'm doing. I can't go easy on her just because she's human."

  I face her again. The pain is still fresh on my face. I shake my head.

  "She's right," I agree "she can't go easy on me. In fact it's because I'm human that it's important she doesn't."

  "Exactly." I fell with another strike from her, this time to the other side, "now Angelica, get up and try again."

  For the next few hours she continues to swing at me. I attempt to dodge each one with varying degrees of failure. Occasionally she gives me pointers. She tells me what to look for in my opponent. It's only about another thirty minutes before the sun is set to come out that she stops.

  "Let's start heading back." Arra says.

  We make our way back, with Arra having me try to keep pace with her by running. I'm severely out of breath, bruised and tired by the time we make it back to the abandoned hospital.