Kyros (discontinued)

Chapter Fifteen

Talia

THE ACHE IN my chest persisted heavier than the weights Alaricus had made me lift. Even when I had been in an immense amount of pain during training, my thoughts refused to leave Kyros. The fact that I couldn't stop thinking about him even after what he had said angered me to no end. Why couldn't get that behemoth of a man get out of my damn head?

Suddenly, the large weight was ripped away from me, its culprit being Alaricus. The swift action pulled me out of my train of thoughts. A frustrated Alaricus stood by me, his eyebrows creased together and lips leaning downwards portraying his displeased frown.

I tilted my head and took a step back in uncertainty, "Am I doing something wrong?"

Alaricus shook his head, "Your thoughts. I want them to be focused on training and only training."

I blushed as he scolded me. I wasn't usually one to be called out or yelled at often. It was slightly embarrassing that Kyros was filling my thoughts almost every second of the day. I straightened my posture, standing up a little straighter and nodded apologetically.

He began putting the weights away and placing them back in there places, wrapping them up, just in case anyone else wanted to use them. "I think you're ready for a one-on-one combat."

I vaguely felt my heart rate accelerate, the thought of fighting was off-putting to a small-degree. I had been training for this, yet I didn't know if I was quite ready yet. Alaricus was, after all, a fairly proficient fighter.

I bit my lip, my nerves racking up, as Alaricus bent his knees and motioned for me to replicate his fighting stance. I bent my knees, and clenched my fists, nodding as if to say I was ready.

Alaricus' movements were slow and steady. Like the calm before the storm. I knew he would be taking it easy on me.

I swerved the first punch, aiming for his ears; a warlocks biggest weakness. But he saw it coming. Alaricus gripped my elbow tightly, twisting it away from his ears. Yet he remained unnerved. I grimaced as his excruciating hold shot up painful through my body.

I fell to the ground and groaned in pain, using the injured elbow to hoist myself up. I glared at Alaricus, "How are you so good at this?"

Alaricus chuckled, "You only need a little bit of practice. Your form was really good."

I offered him a weak smile, but it was wiped off when he began putting away the fighting mats. Wasn't it too early for that?

"What are you doing?"

"That's it." Alaricus declared, twisting his body around and away from me.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead and sighed, "For today?"

Alaricus turned his body around to face me, slightly creasing his eyebrows in scepticism. "I thought you knew...?"

"I did... but I didn't expect it to be so soon." I frowned.

"Who is gonna train me now?"

He shrugged, "Your training with me is over." Alaricus stated. 

After I bid my goodbyes to Alaricus, I made my way back to Kyros' house. I needed clarification; some sort of reassurance from someone who would tell me how I was gonna train in the North. Being left out of the loop had certainly begun to get old.