The Atlantean Chronicles: Call of the Sea

Chapter Eleven

"Better.  Now, widen your stance a little more, you'll have more stability especially when being charged at," Kaftor was saying, his burly arms crossed over his broad chest.

Arielle and Diana stood on the beach, facing the massive old Atlantean. The sun was high and bright in the sky. The day was blisteringly hot, but Diana tried to enjoy it, winter would be upon them in just a couple of months and she knew it would begin to get cold soon.

She blew a stray strand of hair out of her face as she lifted her arms in front of her face and widened her stance as Kaftor had instructed. Sweat was already glistening on her chest and forehead and all they had done was go over basic defensive maneuvers. Arielle watched Kaftor, eager to learn, but sorely lacking in the aggression department. Arielle was one of the kindest, most down-to-earth people Diana knew. Despite who she had surrounded herself with in high school, Arielle had never acted as if she were above anyone else. Diana couldn't picture her sister clad in armor wielding a trident charging at an army. Though she found it hard to picture herself in that situation either.

Diana had been so lost in her thoughts, she had forgotten that she was in the middle of combat training. She gasped as she looked up and saw that Jacin had been running at her and was almost on top of her. Having no time to react, Diana lifted her arms in front of her face and braced her legs for impact.

Jacin leapt up gracefully, spinning and kicking out at her forearms. Diana staggered from the impact and would have fallen flat on her back had Jacin's strong arm not reached out and caught her first.

She looked up at him, their eyes meeting for a moment. Diana quickly frowned as he helped her up. "A little warning would be nice," she growled as he began to walk back across the beach.

"You think Meison's men are gonna give you a head's up?" he called over his shoulder.

Diana bristled in annoyance, but she knew he was right. That revelation only made her more irritated. Get your head in the game Diana, she scolded herself. She resumed her fighter's stance and tilted her head down slightly, peering over her fists at Jacin.

Kaftor appeared beside her. "Good, that's much better, now, when he charges, watch his feet, you'll be able to tell if he's going to jump up and kick again or try to aim low. If he repeats the move he did last time, you'll have time to duck under him and come up from behind- a sidekick would be your best bet for now, don't hold back, he's tough and can handle a hard hit," he told her.

Diana didn't take her eyes off of Jacin as Kaftor spoke. "And if he aims low?" she asked.

Kaftor chuckled. "I can't tell you everything right away. I want to see what your instincts tell you. Improvise," he said. "Now that you're paying attention," he added.

Diana's eyes widened in embarrassment but she didn't move from her stance. Jacin raised an eyebrow and she gave a small nod, signaling to him that she was ready.

Diana tensed every muscle in her body as Jacin came running at her again. She watched his feet as Kaftor had told her. As Jacin approached, he planted his feet firmly in the sand parallel to one another. He was going to swing at her with his arms she realized, warming in delight as she realized she had figured out his next move.

Diana realized too late that she had reveled a little too long and gasped as Jacin swung an arm at her. Instinctively her arms shot out, catching his forearm. He blinked, surprised at her reflexes. Now what? She wondered.

Without hesitating she reached up, kneeing him in the gut. Jacin grunted and doubled over. Still holding his arm, Diana rushed behind him and twisted his arm up at an awkward angle behind his back.