Thalora

Chapter Fourteen: Into The Shadows

The clashing sound of swords echoed through the training yard, where rows of cadets sparred under the unrelenting sun. Alyssa wiped the sweat from her brow, gripping her training sword tightly as she moved through the exercises, her muscles aching from the relentless pace of the drills. Kai and Lucas were deep into a friendly yet intense sparring session against each other. Alyssa stopped to admire them from a distance, carefully analyzing their moves. Kai was stronger, but Lucas had more precision.

A loud, mocking voice broke Alyssa's focus.

"Well, well, if it isn't Ms. Medal-For-Saving-The-Academy," sneered Darek, one of Jaylah's friends—a towering, muscle-bound cadet with a smirk that made Alyssa's stomach twist. He stepped forward, twirling his practice sword in a showy display. "How about a real fight, Tan? Or are you too afraid to break a nail?"

Alyssa narrowed her eyes. "At least now you know you're supposed to fight the other cadets, not eat them," she said, her eyes dropping to his belly.

Darek laughed, but his face was red with anger. He glanced over his shoulder at a small group of cadets, including Jaylah, who watched with thinly veiled amusement.

"Teach her a lesson, Darek," Jaylah chuckled. "Make her wanna go crying back to her little colony."

"This won't take long," he boasted. "I'll go easy on you, Tan. Wouldn't want to bruise that delicate ego of yours."

Alyssa grit her teeth, planting her feet and raising her sword in a defensive stance. "Bring it on, Darek."

The circle of cadets widened, creating a makeshift arena as they watched with eager eyes, whispering bets and laughing among themselves. Aware of the commotion, Kai and Lucas made their way to Alyssa's side.

"Alyssa, don't," Kai said with a worried expression. "He's not worth it."

"Besides, he's way too strong," Lucas added. "I meant fat. Fat and strong."

But it was too late. Before Alyssa could respond to her friends, Darek lunged forward, his strikes swift and decisive. Alyssa dodged, her movements nimble but not as fluid as his; his sword flashed through the air, each blow coming closer than the last.

She parried his attacks, struggling to keep her balance as Darek's strength forced her back. His smirk widened with each step she took, and he started to taunt her with each strike.

"Face it, Tan," he sneered, bringing his blade down with a mighty swing that rattled her grip. "You don't belong here."

Alyssa's jaw tightened, and frustration bubbled within her. Her focus wavered as she realized she was being pushed back, and her strikes grew weaker against his unrelenting strength.

"Need some help, little warrior?" Darek mocked.

The cadets around them laughed, the sound grating in Alyssa's ears. Her hands shook slightly as she struggled to hold her ground, her body straining under the weight of Darek's attacks. She took a quick look around her - Kai and Lucas watched with a mix of angst and anticipation. Maybe Lucas was right; Darek was too strong for her. She was running out of time to make a move.

But then it hit her like a violent strike of lightning. An idea.

Troy.

She took a shaky breath, glancing down at the teleportation key strapped to her wrist. It was a risky move, but Darek's relentless taunts and the humiliation gnawing at her pushed her over the edge.

It was now or never.

With a quick movement, she pressed the button.

The world around her blurred, her vision swirling as a surge of energy overtook her. The laughter, the clang of swords, and Darek's sneering face all faded into darkness. Her stomach lurched, and in an instant, she was somewhere else, the intense brightness of the training yard replaced by the dim, cool shadows of Troy's cavern.