The Ice Crystal (Published)

Chapter 13

I dodge a blow. The sword blade went near my face. If I'm not careful, I could die before I could really learn anything! I'm glad that Myriani let us stay until I'm ready to leave, but the least she could do is get separate beds for me and Thoron. I've been making him sleep on the hard floor and feel bad for it. We've already been here a week and I'm just now beginning my training. When I woke up the day after we arrived, I was just worn out from everything. Thoron decided that it was best for me to take a long deserved break from things. I didn't want to, but it took a week for Myriani to find me a teacher. Finally, Eliose volunteered to teach me. He's fast and strong. I can hardly dodge his attacks let alone strike back at him. I thought elves were fast, but he's on a whole different level. I only have enough time to dodge one attack before he gets me in a killing strike. I need to learn how to move just as fast as he.

Beads of sweat roll down my face at mid-day. It's only mid-day and I'm already worn out. I don't care what I have to go through, I will power my way through this and change the world. Nothing will get in my way! We lock swords again, the golden sword glistening in the patchy sunlight. He knocks my sword hand aside and has another killing blow ready before I could react.

"We should rest." Eliose sheathes his sword, "I sense you are hungry and thirsty."

"That sense is right." I say out of breath, "But I won't quit! You gotta learn not to sheathe your sword!"

The blow is blocked. I was close to him, yet he still pulled out his sword in the blink of an eye. I never saw it. He knees me in the gut and slams me to the ground.

"You're hungry and thirsty!" Eliose yells, "Don't deny it! You need energy."

"Fine you win." I say rubbing the blood of my mouth, "Let's go get something to eat and drink."

The calmness in the forest is restored and the birds go back to singing. The leaves rustle in the faint autumn breeze. The leaves are beginning to change already. We've only been here a week and the season's are already changing so quickly. I never noticed it. I wonder what it's like in the winter. Is it just as cold and beautiful here as it was in the city? Maybe we can stay here for some time and we can see the beauty the forest holds. Eliose quickly ascends the tree leaving me having to climb up the ladder again. I wonder if he'll come back seeing that I'm too tired to climb. I hope he does! What he said was true: I'm hungry and thirsty. The mid-day heat is beating down on the forest floor.

After waiting for what seemed like hours, I decided that Eliose isn't coming back anytime soon and started my climb up the giant tree. It didn't take as long as the last time, but I am still being passed up by the children which infuriated me. I hate being shown up and I hate being shown up by children more! This made me try harder. I reach the top and pull myself over and when I open my eyes, Eliose is standing above me with a couple of apples and a thing of water. I greedily accept them gulping down the apples and the water.

"I'm ready again!" I say resting on the railing, "Let's keep training!"

I jump over the railing letting the wind blast my face on the way down. I land smoothly on the ground. Eliose lands beside me with his sword in hand. Our swords slam into each other. While looking up at him, I see Myriani watching from above. She must want to see what I can do. I smile. I'll show her what I can do! I jump back from Eliose and charge at him. He nimble dodges to the side. Perfect just as I planned. I run up the tree and back flip off of it coming down with my sword. Eliose didn't have anytime to dodge. I knock his sword aside and point my blade at him.

"Well done." He smiles, "I wasn't expecting that from a human."

"I didn't expect to ever beat an elf," I sheathe my sword, "but here I am."