Paradise

Chapter Three

"At least you weren't injured too much," a large man said, handing me a cup of warm tea. This must be the god Aeregele mentioned he shared this house with.

"I'm surprised I'm not," I said, looking up at him. He sat back down, his hands placed on his lap. I was awed at his long, pure white hair and how it glowed against his dark umber skin and his long, pale horns that curled back like a daem's. Parts of his hair was wrapped around his horns, lighting up the small cracks that seemed to have appeared from age.

"Your recovery was remarkable, although I'm sure you'll get used to his attack patterns," he explained, using his claws to comb some of his hair out of his face. "It was hard for me at first but the more I tried the more I learned. Your recovery, not just how fast you were able to stand back up but instead how much you were able to heal yourself... you were born with divine blood. Obviously. Aeregele wouldn't have chosen a runt like you just because he felt like it. He sees potential in you, and so do I." I kept my eyes on his throughout his speech, becoming nearly entranced in them as they were just as white and beautiful as his hair.

I sighed lightly and took a sip from my tea, being careful with how hot it was. I wouldn't want to make a fool of myself in front of someone like this man. I stared at my image being reflected in the dark tea. I never drank tea too often as Kris isn't really a fan of it, especially it's smell.

"Your father would be proud of you."

I looked back up at the man to see him gone. I heard a door click and figured that he just left to his room. I sighed again, setting my tea on the coffee table in front of me and lie back into the couch, closing my eyes.

~•~

I growled, narrowly dodging another sudden attack from Aeregele. When we began he had said nothing. He just stood quietly.

I should start paying more attention to him.

He stepped back again, having already retreated his sword. He continued to watch me, judge me. So I continued to watch him in return. He shifted again. My chest began to tighten as I thought out his process so far. He has no specific technique, every move is planned out differently. He attacks at different times and in different ways and since yesterday nothing's the same. I'm aware it's him trying to teach me that not every opponent will be the same. I remember these moves and their timing, I'm just unable to get a hold on what movement will depict what attack and when. The only approach I can see clearly is when he teleports.

"You are in deep thought," Aeregele said, "do not think too deeply, else you'll regret never using such a time to observe. Not everything has a logical path, does it?"

I narrowed my eyes, watching him more. He creeped forward slightly and I saw a slight shift in his coat. Time seemed to move slow, slower than I'd like. I blinked and suddenly a pain in my chest erupted. I fell back and onto my side, breathing through my clenched teeth as I held the wound with my hand, trying to apply pressure to it as it oozed dark, warm blood. I looked back up to see him staring down at me.

"Almost," he said boredly, "take advantage of timing."

He jumped back with a huff and waited for me to stand. It took me a minute before I could try to move as my legs had become weak and my breathing increased. What was wrong with me? Why was it so hard to breath?

"A bad reaction?" Aeregele cocked his head. "You truly do have divine blood." He swung his sword under his coat, the pale yellow fabric lifting in the air from the draft of wind he made. "But do not worry. A wound as harmless as that will only last a minute. Then you will heal. You may feel weak, but that is just the metal's coating."