Beyond The Realms

Chapter 16

The Jahar  I'm soon informed are trees that spew needles.

" I can fight a tree " I declare feeling cocky .

" It is not just any tree " The Prince says as he leads me to the area where the trees are.

They look like knobbed brown  disfigured limbs arising from the ground .Not great on the  appearance level  but they don't look too dangerous either .
" Once they sense  presence of any living form they  will begin releasing their needles at a dizzying speed" He informs
"  Each needle is full of venom "

" I can handle it " I say looking up at the trees.

Fifteen minutes later I'm eating my words.

This is horribly difficult !
And how can these dreadful projectiles that are as  long  as the length of my entire palm be called ' needles'

As I keep striking away at the so called ' needles' releasing from the trees that are surrounding me on all the four sides I realize just how difficult it is to fight these rapidly flying projectiles with a sword.

I can't even effort to blink as my body is constantly moving in a circle trying not to become a pin cushion of the deadly needles.

The Prince had gone away saying he would be back to get me by dusk.

" Even Ayelet's assassins won't come any where near these trees " he had told me before departing.

I can understand why.

To fight these trees one has to be in tune with all of  their senses . I have figured it out the hard way.

Sight for obvious reasons ,
Hearing because the tree releases a small but  district woody sound before releasing the needle  and smell because not always the sense of eye sight is reliable the needles have a characteristic  smell which if you concentrate enough  gives away its direction of arrival before it even  comes closer.

I cannot allow these poisoned needles close enough to my skin

Quick on my feet and ever whirling in a circular motion I try my best to strike away the blasted needles .

I don't know for how long  I'm at it.
Striking , douching , deflecting all the techniques merging into one as my body continues the fight to not get scratched by the numerous venomous needles speeding towards me.

Seconds  change into minutes , minutes into hour and  hour blends into the next one.

I sense precipitation clinging to my body and my arms getting tired from holding the sword and fighting off the dangerous projectiles just like my legs and feet are aching from the constant motions. But I fight and fight deflecting the needles  until two of them manage to fly past my defense .

They have darted so close I can't strike them away with my sword realising that they would pierce the sensitive skin on my neck any second now I grimace instinctively  squeezing my eyes shut.

Suddenly the air around me goes still . Sensing the change I open my eyes and sure enough all the needles are suspended in the air around me. " Had your fight , Princess?  " I hear a familiar deep  voice from the top  of the trees.

Swiftly and lithe with the grace of a giant predatory feline Prince Ruslan jumps to the ground.

All the needles fall down against the forest floor with sharp audible thuds .

" Hope you have both  enjoyed and learnt a great deal from  your challenge "

" Learnt , yes . Enjoyed no " I gasp  barely able to speak from the physical exhaustion.

" How long had I been fighting ?"

" Long enough that it is dusk now " He says and I suddenly feel my heart soar in my chest.
That means I have completed my challenge.

" That means you came just now to check on me ?" I question him.

" I was in time to stop those needles from getting embedded into  your neck "

" Those were the only ones that got so close to me " I reply sulking as I realize how close I was to loosing my challenge became of those needles .

But did I actually loose it ? It was already dusk by then. So did I not loose my challenge after all ?
Rather than letting these questions torment me I decide to ask my mentor himself " Did I loose the challenge ?"  holding my breath eagerly and dreading his reply at the same time.

" I don't think so " He says and instantly a maniac sized grin covers my face. 

" However you do realize now that you have to focus on your ability to use air , don't you ?" The Prince questions and I nod feeling  blissfully happy .

" We will began with your training tomorrow"

Soon enough the sky turns dark and the Prince decides it is time to stop for the night.

Though it isn't particularly cold tonight there is a bite in the air announcing the arrival of winter.

We cannot not light fire in case it might give away the location to our many pursuers .

The Prince as usual sits against a tree his trusted sword by his side and looking into the woods scanning for any potential threat while I lie down and curl into a ball to preserve body heat.

Sleep comes pretty quickly and I'm almost lost to  it when I feel a warm fabric covering my body .

Not daring to open my eyes I discreetly inhale  and realize that it is the Prince's scent.

He has covered my body with his cape   when he thought I had fallen asleep.

Eyes closed and contently pulling the cape closer  I smile softly to myself.

I know the cape won't be with me in the morning.

It will be like the Prince had never covered me with it to protect me from the cold just as he hadn't told me about his presence among the Jahar trees ever since he had pretended to leave me amidst those deadly trees.

If I hadn't by sheer  luck  caught a flash of his silver hair I wouldn't have known that he had been there all along.....

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Amelia is going to lean air manipulation next !!

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