The Queen of Shadows

Chapter 25: The Seraphim/Landslide (Part 2)

Over 2000 years ago:

"One... Two... Three... Sweep, slash, thrust..."

Scathach demonstrated her spear movements for her two students. Aife and Kihli had gotten into rhythm, copying Scathach's movements with practice spears. They have done countless reps and their muscles were cramping.

"Again..." Scathach instructed, ceasing her demonstration and allowing her students to continue without visual aid. She walked up beside Aife as she kept repeating movements, and Scathach scrutinizes her technique.

"Mind your stance..." she stoically told Aife, poking the blunt end of her spear against her sister's legs, nudging her into correct position. Scathach then did the same to Aife's drooping elbow, getting noticeably lower with each rep. "Raise your arm, and don't lower..."

"I'm trying..." Aife said, taking breaths between reps, giving away her growing fatigue. Scathach watches until her sister gradually makes another mistake, and she taps Aife's leg again much to her annoyance.

"Step into your thrust, you're not stepping far enough..."

"I know, sister...!" Aife spat in frustration, only to be met with an unamused response from her sister.

"That's "teacher" to you, Aife... Stab and pierce. Thrust and impale."

Aife grunted under her breath. Not only was Scathach's training wearing away at her physically, but her sister being authoritative with her was not something Aife was used to. She bitterly complied and corrected herself as Aife continued the exercise.

"Right..."

Scathach returned to the front and allowed both Aife and Kihli to continue for another minute, until she instructed them to change technique.

"Thrust... return..." Scathach demonstrates for them with her spear before then finishing with a sweeping uppercut. "And flourish..."

Aife and Kihli did their best to replicate Scathach's moves despite the grueling toll that her training was taking on them. Inevitably, Kihli ended up dropping his spear trying to perform the last part of the rep.

"Sorry!" the boy said quickly, only for Scathach to say to him:

"Pick it up and try again, Kihli..."

Aife watched as Kihli complied and picked up his spear to continue, all without complaint.

"Yes, teacher..." he said as despite being out of breath, Kihli resumed his training. Aife looked back at Scathach and could not help but notice a slight smirk on her face after Kihli's reply. The training continued until Scathach signals them to stop.

"That's enough. Next, we're going for a run, around the lake..."

Aife had to resist the urge to groan. This is not exactly what she signed on for when Scathach offered to train her. Aife was eager to learn new spells and spear techniques so one day she could fight alongside her sister to exact revenge on the Heralds. But so far... there was not as much of what Aife thought was the stuff worth learning, but instead near endless training and conditioning. Aife could not help but feel slightly dissatisfied with Scathach's "lessons" so far.

Even more so at the thought of her own sister exercising authority over her...

At least she had the entity in her crystal...

_____

Seven years later:

"(Sigh) Why am I here...?" Scathach asked herself as she stood before the front gates of Castle Dunscaith, high on the mountain over the village; the first time she had done so in over seven years despite vowing never to return. She soon sarcastically reminded herself, "Oh, that's right..."