Ascending Light

Preparation

Crysen had no idea where to start with training Skye for battle. Crysen had already begun training with his second weapon by the time he was thirteen, the bow and arrow. Skye, unlike Crysen, didn't have a guardian for a father and wasn't expected to know a large variety of weapons. Crysen had already trained and mastered a sword because his father insisted he use one but Crysen had always despised the weapon. The bow and arrow had never suited him all that well either and he wasn't that much of a marksman so Emery soon started him learning the staff. Then he graduated from there to his primary weapons, the bladed staff and the double bladed staff.

Skye had never graduated from the sword and hadn't quite mastered it yet, he told Crysen. Since Crysen had no way of helping him train with weapons, he decided to change the subject. "So how much hand-to-hand do you know."

Skye shifted uncomfortably. "None. My mother wouldn't let me train for it because she said I didn't need to know it. She wanted me to be a scholar so I speant nearly every waking moment shut up in the library with tutors."

Crysen wanted to hurt Skye's mother very badly in that moment but took a deep breath to calm himself. "Well then we'll start from the beginning. It'll help you in the long run whenever you get back to training with weapons."

He began by showing Skye the different stances and finding one that was comfortable. There were also different styles of fighting but Crysen only knew a couple of different ones well enough to teach. Before his first time at Zacesi's castle, Crysen wasn't good at any type of fighting, even with all of his training. He hadn't wanted to retain the information so he never did. It had driven his father absolutely crazy but there hadn't been anything Emery could do about it.

Skye was actually a quick learner and not afraid to fall and get hurt. He didn't have a lot of core strength but he was willing to try the bendy and stretchy exercise routines that Crysen showed him. They were the same ones his dad used to have him do every day to get his strength up. He didn't need them as much anymore but he still did them because he liked them.

They took things one day at a time and hoped they'd get taken back to where Shimmer and the kids were. When a week passed, they began to think perhaps they weren't going to be moved. They were also beginning to suspect that the room was spelled so that their powers wouldn't return. But they could train and that was what they did. For hours every day they sparred while also working on footing and practicing balance.

Zacesi came to visit them about halfway through their second week in the room. Crysen stared up at him groggily as Skye turned over and went back to sleep. Why was Zacesi here while they were asleep? Did they have their days turned around? Zaceis smiled. "Are the two of you enjoying your little honeymoon?"

Crysen resisted the urge to punch him again and shrugged. "Sure, Zacesi we're great," he said sarcastically.

Zacesi chuckled. "I see you're still angry but I think you'll eventually thank me." He looked at Skye and then back at Crysen.

"Not likely, but we'll survive either way." He looked around at the room at the covered crystal light not far away.

"Well I thought I would check on you and see how you were. It's odd not seeing you around the banquet hall at night. I think I'll have the two of you continue your assignments once your little vacation is over." He started to turn back but then thought of something. "Oh and I've announced your happy little marriage for you, I hope you don't mind."

For a moment Crysen forgot to breathe. Zacesi had told everyone about the bonding and now their entire plan for the future was ruined. He took a breath and looked away, choosing to remain nonchalant. "It was your decision anyways. I can't fathom why you'd think we cared."