Goldspell: Rare Earth Book One

Goldspell: Rare Earth Book One- Chapter 10

Chapter 10- Full-Power Sparring: First Lesson in Avarrinnia

With the week Opren and the others were allowed behind them, Opren, Ruubi, Sapphire, Rufius, and Emerald- and Barbosa, for the entertainment- met with Selios in the sparring grounds. The first task was to chat with each other to become a little better acquainted. Selios ended this session of conversation ten minutes into the lesson. Opren made a mental note to beat Rufius badly after a joke about Emerald and Rufius having to hold back against him on Rhakmant'e. Opren didn't need to hold back at first like the rest of them might in order to measure each other, but he also planned to reach their level very quickly. 

"Alright! Now that everyone knows each other, we can begin the combat acquaintance between each of you and then I can work with Opren on Runic to further his understanding of the language. Sound worth it or should I just fail you all now?" Selios smiled at his joke. Opren could hear the "sound of smirk" in his voice, just like his son. Opren now understood Rufius didn't only get his challenging nature and humor from his other teacher, but it must also run in the family. 

"Whether you fail me or not, I plan to beat you someday to prove my worth so you might as well try teaching me, right?" Opren replied, a subtle smile on his lips as well. He realized he overstepped his boundary of responding confidently to the challenge and moved into cocky near disrespect unintentionally. Although, his worry of the following response from Selios was soon overlooked as the elven warrior spoke. 

"Glad to see Opren volunteered! I think I'll make you fight Sapphire first and then my son. If you actually manage to beat them, I will beat you so you can learn to lose with the outcome being definite. Following my win, we can expect to see Emerald defeat you which should be humiliating when you realize how much better your Liileiy is than you. I think that should satisfy and eliminate your apparent overconfident attitude," Selios said with a sniff and smile. Opren didn't like the idea of fighting this obviously experienced combat specialist, but found Selios' form of discipline possibly rewarding and, at the least, lesson-filled versus unlikable and irritating. 

Opren and Sapphire stepped into the nearest ring upon Selios' command and stood at the ready. 

"I don't want you to go easy on me, Opren. You have no obligation to keep me unharmed like you do with my sister, thus I plan to provoke you and defeat you with my full strength if need be, and I'm prepared for you to respond likewise. If you do not, I may actually kill you so keep your guard up and stay ready for spells, they're my combat specialty," Sapphire said with a grin. She had a look in her eyes that, despite their glistening beauty in the morning sunlight, gave Opren a shrinking feeling. He shook these thoughts of intimidation from his head and kept his eyes on his opponent, waiting. 

"I don't plan on losing to my first opponent of the day. We may have just become friends, and I may be your sister's Laleiy, but in here you are my enemy this time. Make a move," Opren said confidently. 

"Silly boy, you shouldn't even let me attempt a move," Sapphire replied with a slight giggle. 

Opren suddenly felt himself shoot up a few feet in the air and spin and flip. He stopped just short of hitting his face on the ground and hung suspended in this flipped position. He couldn't manage to land or turn himself upright no matter how hard he tried. He glanced back at Sapphire- she was charging him with two drawn beautiful slightly curved daggers. Opren was glad the shimmering blue gems in her blades made them even easier to track than regular blades, but dismissed this for the more important problem of being unable to dodge her strikes if he were to be stabbed or slashed in just a few seconds. Opren thought quickly and decided to copy himself as he did with Rufius a few times before.