Once Connected

Chapter 8- Once Exhausted

I shriek as I am thrown into the air and grabbed by the foot. My leg is used against me and I am slammed to the ground, my breath flying away. I just stare upward, my lungs screaming for the need of air. Pierce looms over me, casting a shadow on me with his shining silver sword glistening in the afternoon sun. He flashes a victory smirk and instantly air burns down my throat, filling my lungs. I gasp and pant as I roll back onto my stomach. I go into a coughing fit.

"Syrina, you have been here all day. Go back to your room. Ryder already did." Jayden yawns, showing his boredom as he leaned against one of the few trees in the field.

"I. Am. Not. Ryder. I. Won't. Give up..." I pant, slowly crawling. "That and he already..... passed...."

"True." Pierce says, as I crawl away from him. I wobbly stand up and weakly go into fighting position. My fists were in front of my chest as my legs were across from each other in a diagonal. My whole body ached and yearned for rest.

Pierce holds my eyes, still unmoved from his position with his expression stern, "Syrina, go take a shower and sleep."

"N-no." I challenge, though my body was screaming yes.

Jayden looks at Pierce. "Pierce lets finish this. We have been training the two numbskulls since 5 am. It's freaking 6 pm. I'm starved!"

Without breaking eye contact Pierce replies, "Fine. Syrina, this will hurt."

Pierce's hand tightens around the hilt of the sword and I freeze. I didn't have my shield.

Freak....

Then, he charges. The silver sword flashes as it reaches over his head, blinding me for a moment. That moment was all he needed. As my eyes readjusted, a foot was already slamming into my stomach sending me flying toward the tree.

"Ah!" I breathe out, a stabbing pain shooting through my back. I grit my teeth, holding back the tears as the pain blossomed throughout my body. I fall onto the hard dirt floor, still paralyzed from pain.

"We are done for this week Syrina." Pierce says stern, turning his back on me. I catch how his tone changes as he says my name. He doesn't want to be stern or rough, but he had to be.

Jayden sighs annoyed, "Freaking finally. Now come on, let's go hit the dinning house. I'm sure at least 90% of everyone is already there and eating. The line is going to be huge!"

The two trainers walk away, leaving me on the dirty floor.

"Oh stop complaining. You finally get to train someone." Pierce is numbly heard as I zone everything out. I stay frozen on the floor, still panting.

My consciousness leaves me. The forest comes alive around me. The birds tweet, the crickets chirp, the other critters chatter, while I was numb. I couldn't beat him, I couldn't win. If I couldn't, I was out. It was the end of week 1. All the days I worked myself to numbness. For 5 am to 5 pm I trained and trained; fighting head on over and over. Half way through I start switching strategies, which also failed. My thoughts run through this week over and over as the darkness comes closer and closer.

I finally sit up, my whole body aching and screaming with pain. I lean against the tree and look up at the thundery sky. Apparently I was so deep in my thoughts I didn't notice that there wasn't a sun anymore and the clouds became dark and thundery.

The birds slowly disappear and the croaking of the midnight frogs replaces them. A pitter of rain interrupts my thoughts and I look up once again. It was now pitch black. I blink a few times. I was out here for a couple hours now.

"Syrina!" A voice calls from the distance. I keep numbly staring at my feet. "Syrina!" The voice says, coming closer.

"Syrina!" The voice yells, only a couple of feet from me. I look up and a warm light glows in front of me. There was Ryder, completely soaked in rain with a ball of burning and endless fire flickering in his hand. The rain was not affecting the fire, but he was shivering and miserable.