Guardians of the Sword (on-hold)

Chapter 12: Let the Training Begin!

“Ugh!”

Rei fell on the ground with a loud thud. Yume ran to him to help him up.

“Don’t!” Zedina shouted. “Let him stand up on his own.”

There were tears in his eyes but the determination burning in them was even more overpowering. He got a scratch on his left cheek and it was bleeding but he didn’t pay any attention to it. He struggled to stand up; his knees were shaking. He pushed and swayed a little when he got up.

“Again!” Zedina ordered.

Garr raised his wooden sword and swung it at Rei. The young prince raised his own wooden sword and focused all his strength on his defense.

Thwack! Thwack! The sound of clashing wooden weapons filled the clearing where they were training. The prince fell on the ground again, forward but harder this time too.

“Good, Rei! You lasted longer this time. Now, stand!” Zedina continued to instruct from the sides.

Rei struggled again. He scraped his knees from that fall.

“Zedina, he looks tired already,” Yume said, pleading.

“If he cannot withstand a duel as simple as this, then he will not be able to last long fighting the likes of Everett.”

Yume looked at the prince again. Worry for the young boy was all over her face.

At that point, Rei was not the only one who was practicing. Majica was also being taught by Alteacia how to use a bow while Anyo was sparring with Cloud.

“Raise your sword, Rei! Swing to the right! Duck!” Zedina continued to give instructions as Garr continued to attack the prince.

Rei fell a few more times that morning. He was bruised, dirty and wounded when the sun was high in the sky. His left arm was a little swollen too when he failed to block one of Garr’s attacks.

“Can you manage?” Yume asked the prince while she was preparing their meal. She was even more worried about the swelling on his arm. Rei nodded and winced. He got another bruised on his nape.

“I think we should call it a day for the physical training,” Garr announced when he saw the bruise on the prince’s forehead.

“You’re going to have battle scars, Rei,” Cloud said, thumping Rei’s back a little too hard for the boy.

“Cloud, be careful with him! You’re adding to his injuries.” Altaecia hit Cloud in the head with a wooden bowl.

“No fighting,” Zedina simply said as she looked at Rei’s face. She was proud of the young prince. Towards the middle of training, he has stopped crying. The determination to learn was burning in his eyes.

“After the meal, you will need to sleep,” Yume told Rei. “If that’s fine with Lady Zedina, of course.”

The spell caster just smiled and nodded her head. “He deserves it.”

“My back still hurts from that blow I got from Cloud,” Anyo said.

Cloud smirked. “That was one of my finest attacks.”

“Show-off…” Alteacia murmured but loud enough for Cloud to hear. He sighed and focused on eating instead.

“Why do I have to learn to fight?” Rei asked finally. It has been bothering him why he had to train.

They all exchanged looks. Sarfie and Aika were curious. The two were seated with the rest of them for the meal, but their feet were tied against the legs of the table.