Soul Chains

Chapter 27: Don't Hesitate

Once in the courtyard, I notice Eden wielding silver chakrams that are bejeweled with emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and diamonds, the energy she's using a shade of blue as she waves her arms around skillfully and in elegant loops and shapes of runes. A blue wall of energy in a crescent shape forms over her in front of her like a shield and deflects each of Nathan's hits.

Reine leads me a safe distance away from them before she summons a katana and walks a few feet ahead of me before turning around and standing across from me.

"Okay," Reine nods, "weapons ready."

I summon my katana and nod, bracing my feet in the proper starting position as I wait for Reine's next decision.

A white glowing rune circle forms beneath Reine's feet and she propels forwards, aiming directly for me. I raise my katana and hold it diagonally, countering against Reine's blade as it clashes against mine and sends me sliding several feet backwards. Reine and I continue fighting and she slashes her katana sideways as it lights on fire, flames flying off of it with her strike and a tiger made of flames coming out of the fire and leaping at me. I slash through the tiger with my katana and it disperses into the air as Reine summons a coliseum of glass around us as she strikes her katana into the ground. My eyes widen in surprise and I glance around the coliseum in amazement. Reine runs passed me and leaps up in the air, turning as she does so and her feet connect with a glass pillar. Reine pushes off of the pillar and flies towards me with her katana. I sidestep and turn my torso so that she barely grazes passed me, her blade several inches from my face as she slashes through a pillar of glass instead, sending shards of glass flying all across the glass floor as she lands.

Reine glances over her shoulder and raises her empty hand, the shards of glass raising in the air with her motions, and she shoots them towards me in a lethally sharp rain. My eyes widen as I realize the area of glass is too wide and large to escape or go under, so I simply raise my katana and close my eyes, praying for the best. I open my eyes whenever I don't feel any pain and I notice the glass shards shattering against a white energy shield that formed in front of me and I raise my eyebrows in surprise. Reine stands up and brushes herself off, nodding in approval before she slashes her katana diagonally in the air once and the entire coliseum disappears in a white flash, almost like smoke.

"Not bad," Reine says as she sheathes her katana, "but you hesitated. Hesitation leads to death. Remember that."

"Yeah," I breathe out as my katana disappears into thin air and I sigh in relief at not being cut to shreds.

"Not all training is physical though," Reine starts, "training also includes centering yourself and your spirit. You should also know Iegashyia lore and many useful survival skills. We can go inside and I'll make us some drinks while I go over some lore with you."

"Alright," I nod, "lead the way."

I follow Reine back inside and we carefully pass by Nathan and Eden, who are still training. As we're going inside, we pass Ciana and Dimitri.

"We're going sparring like old times," Ciana grins and Reine chuckles.

"Have fun you two," Reine smiles, "and Ciana, try not to beat him up too hard."

"Hey!" Dimitri scowls and crosses his arms, "what's that supposed to mean?"

Reine laughs and I smile at the upbeat mood, following her as she continues to explore the palace. Eventually, we find the palace's kitchen down the right hallway from the entrance area. The royal kitchen actually looks the same as about any other kitchen, just a bit bigger and fancier. The countertops are made of tan stone with white cabinets and the overhead cabinets are made of white wood as well. There's a stainless steel fridge, a microwave, an oven that matches the fridge, two stainless steel sinks, a blender, drawers full of silver utensils, and a coffee machine.