The sun wasn't even up yet, however there I was, standing in the training grounds. The air was cold and damp. The rain from yesterday was still clinging to the air. I could barely keep my eyes open; waking up this early wasn't exactly a habit of mine.
Didn't Arya say to be here by 5? She's not even here yet. She's 5 minutes late.
"Rain," I heard a voice behind me.
I turned around and looked up. She was standing on top of the training grounds. With a light jump, she started falling down. Right before she landed, she used wind magic to soften her fall. It was so graceful, I didn't even hear her feet hit the ground.
She landed right in front of me and smirked, "So, are you ready to get put through the ringer?"
I frowned, "I don't like the way you're smirking, or the way you said that, however, I'm going to fight you in the finals. I better be ready."
She didn't respond, just smiled. Then she lunged at me, in the middle of her lunge, she drew a wooden stick.
I couldn't react in time and she swung her sword in a downward arc and hit me in the head.
I held my head where she hit me. "Ow," I said through gritted teeth, "that hurt."
"Once we're done training," she said, then her voice lowered to a whisper, "And Sophie tells you what she needs too," her voice then shot back to its normal volume, "you'll be able to stand toe-to-toe with not only the Blade Dance, but me as well." She looked mad when she called Maxwell Blade Dance.
I didn't think it was a good time to pry, so I ignored it for now. "Let's continue then."
"I'll use this stick; if you can break it, then we'll call it a day." She infused magic into the stick, which gave it more durability.
She then lunged at me again. She swung the stick down again. I sidestepped and drew my sword. I swung my sword horizontally towards her ribcage. But she pulled the stick up in time to block my attack. The stick didn't even budge.
She took a hop back, then started running around me. She was moving so fast, she was kicking up dust around me. I couldn't see her through the thick dust. I expected her to do a surprise attack from behind me, like anyone would do, but she came from in front of me. I wasn't expecting it, so it took me a second to realize what was happening. That single second was all she needed. She swung her stick horizontally and my legs. She hit my legs so hard they got swept out from under me. I hit the ground so hard it knocked the wind out of me.
"Ugh, damn," I said laying on the ground, sprawled out.
Arya plopped down beside me, her brown hair flapping up, and she sat down. Her slender build didn't do her strength justice. Not only was she strong, though her magic control was insanely good. I could tell just from the way she used wind magic to soften her fall, and the way she infused mana into the stick.
"You thought I'd come from behind you, that's smart. Any normal person would have, but since I know you somewhat, I know how you think." She said softly. I looked over to her, and she was looking at the red, orange, and yellow sky from the sunrise.
"That's not fair," I said simply.
"Life isn't fair, although I suppose you already know that, Rain." She had a soft smile. "Get up, you still haven't broken the stick." I didn't want to linger on that so I appreciated that she changed the subject.
"Right." I got up and so did Arya.
We had been going at it for hours upon hours, and I still hadn't been able to break the stick. I felt myself getting stronger though, I could feel it, not only strength in the physical sense but also in the mental sense. I could feel myself wanting to accept myself. I just needed an extra push. I didn't know what that extra push was, though.
I was lying on the ground. Arya walked over to me and stood above me. She looked down at me with a warm smile.
"I'm starting to understand you, Rain. That makes me happy." She said warmly.
"Who are you, my mom?" I asked, jokingly.
She started chuckling. I also laughed.
It would've been nice to have a mother, I never saw my mom or my dad. I didn't even know their names. I didn't even know what they looked like. They were gone before I could remember anything.
"We'll continue this after classes." She said, "Before you can use magic, you need to accept yourself. Magic's power is based on how well you know yourself. So before we fight in the finals, I hope Sophie tells you what she needs to." She smiled warmly.
I stared at her, confused, but before I could ask her what she meant, she was gone. I didn't know what Sophie had to tell me but I had a little bit of an idea what Arya meant when she said that magic grows in power based on how well you know yourself. I had no idea what that had to do with Sophie, though.
I got up and started walking to class.
When I got to class, Sophie wasn't there, and what Arya said still lingered in my mind. I wanted to talk to Sophie, but I wondered why, if it was so important, why she was waiting so long. Maybe she thought it wasn't the right time. I wouldn't pressure her until I had to fight Arya.
Classes passed by slowly, which I was thankful for, with the thought of Arya's brutal training looming over me all day. Eventually, classes did end, and I dreaded the hell would start again soon.
I got to the training ground, and Arya was sitting cross-legged directly in the middle of the training ground. She had her eyes closed as if she were meditating, trying to find inner peace. I guess that's what she meant when she said Magic's power increases the more you know about yourself, and accept yourself.
I took a single step forward into the training arena, and she opened her eyes. Did she sense me? Is the entire training arena in her field of vision when it comes to detecting people.
"Good," she smiled, "You're here. Let's start, shall we?"
I nodded.
"We only have 3 months until the tournament starts. That should be just enough time."
I drew my sword not knowing any other way to respond.
Arya smirked and said, "You're starting to understand, you're a fast learner."
I took 3 steps into the training ground, but before I could take a fourth, Arya had already started rushing at me. It only took her a second before she reached me. When she did she drew the stick and swung it downward yet again.
There's no way she's doing the same thing three times in a row. I turned my body and caught her arm. I used her momentum and threw her away, giving me time to draw my sword. But she used wind magic to catch herself and land on her feet.
"Good, you're getting better." She said smiling but then her smiles turned into a twisted smile. "But it's not good enough." She said while charging me.
I drew my sword but I couldn't get it up in time to block her attack. She swung her stick down and it hit my shoulder. The weight of the stick knocked me down.
We kept the training up everyday for the next three months. I didn't even get close to breaking the stick for the first two months. Until a week before the tournament started. I had finally cracked the stick. It didn't break but it cracked.
A day before the tournament, the stick finally broke.
Arya looked at me with a smile, "Good job," her smile faded, "I didn't actually think you'd break it, I kept adding mana into the stick everyday."
"Rude." I simply said, then I smiled, "But I actually broke it." I said proudly.
"Are you starting to understand yourself more?" She asked.
"Yeah but it feels like there is a giant mountain in my way, like I need something to push me over it."
Arya didn't answer, a knowing smile graced her mouth.
It has to do with what said about Sophie, I know it, but what could she say to help me over. Arya and Sophie went back to the Victoria house, Sophie must've gone back to get closure but what does that have to do with me.
Arya finally spoke up which snapped me out of my thoughts.
"I'll see you in the finals once Sophie talks to you." She smiled but it faded quickly, she spoke again, "I won't lose to you."
She walked off. I smiled and started training some more.