Arakim's Legacy(#Wattys2015)

Chapter 10

"Again, Adani.'' ordered Arakim, watching Adani bent over double, hands on knees, gasping for breath, her sword on the ground between her slightly wide stance, where she dropped it.

"Nay, nay, I refuse to die in this dark forest.'' gasped Adani, looking up at the huge man in front of her, breathing still even.

"It is not my fault you are not human.'' She accused him, to see him raise an eyebrow, quizzically. "We've been at this for hours already.''

"You need more practise on your swordplay, Adani.'' Not relenting.

"Why?'' rolling her eyes, 'I can always use magic.'' Standing up after picking up her sword. "Just for a little bit, then I'm going to eat and sleep for days.'' Laughing at his disapproving look.

Looking around the small arena that he'd transformed into a sparring arena and back at his partner, Arakim knew that magic would be a great help but would not be enough for what they were facing. Arakim had told Adani all about the monster, his quirks for which she in turn told him all about Morag. He still found it hard to believe sometimes that it really existed and they were people like him there.

"Alright,'' nodding, 'but we'll resume this evening.''

"Nay,'' Adani shook her white blond hair, secured in a braid down her back. "You can resume in the evening but I have other plans.''

"What plans?'' asked Arakim suspicious and resigned. He knew that Adani had been disappearing for hours and he had no idea where. And all efforts to find out had been fruitless.

"Aye, plans.'' Smiling secretively and mischievously.

Putting up her sword, ready for the next bout, Arakim knew she wasn't going to say more and launched his attack. Adani was a decent fighter, strong, fast and very agile. She was intelligent to use her speed and agility to make up for the differences in their sizes, but Arakim wasn't accorded the best swordsman in his kingdom because of his position in the kingdom but for his skill and matched Adani for speed and agility with ease, and could easily have disarmed her anytime with his superior swordplay but that wasn't the point of this exercise.

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Recovering from her bout of retching, Mena got to her feet slowly to find that not all of them were similarly affected. Talor, Edum and Izumi were fine. Talor and Edum were standing sentries, while Izumi was sitting on a boulder sharpening an already sharp knife, paying little attention to the retching sounds.

Wiping her hand across her mouth, Mena walked to Edum. "How are you not affected?'' who shrugged but didn't answer. Turning to Talor, she raised an eyebrow.

"I have a healthy and superior constitution.'' Mena scoffed at his response and turned away, hoping to find water to rinse her mouth. She could still taste her last meal in her mouth and it tasted nothing like it did when going down.

Tyr, why didn't you warn us about travelling this way. And when she got no response. Tyr? Tyr? Nothing.

"Can anyone hear Tyr?'' she asked them. The rest had joined them. "Nay.'' Shaking their heads after checking.

"We're alone.'' mused Gnar. "Must be this place. It feels enchanted.'' Hazel eyes lit up in child-like wonder, shivering, to which Myra grunted, still put out about the retching.

"Aye, it would. Aren't you too young to be here.'' Scornfully, combing her claw-like fingers through her titian hair. "Is there a river or stream around here? I need to wash my mouth.'' Disgust all over her face.

Mena hated the fact that the feline heifer echoed her thoughts but waited for an answer. Izumi pointed to her left, west ward. They all walked off in that direction after covering their vomits, without questioning how she knew.