Scrubbing away for hours on the kitchen countertop, mopping its floors, and polishing the myriad of glasses within—Vir was no stranger to chores, but Maiya? Less so. Her baleful stares had made these ordinary tasks downright torturous.
Vir glanced at his best friend. He could feel the anger oozing off of her like ashen flame. He regretted everything.
Ever since he’d taken Riyan’s Ash’va a week ago, his life had become a living hell. Both his and Maiya’s chores had tripled. He was positive that such intense manual labor was bad for his wound, but Riyan’s healing magic kept him frustratingly on the mend… In fact, he’d made a complete recovery. This only worsened his situation, since he could no longer use his condition as an excuse.
Thanks to his actions, they now had to sign out on a roster every time they wanted to leave the abode. They wrote down where they were going, how long they’d be gone, and all outings longer than one hour required Riyan’s explicit permission. This was all in addition to the aforementioned tripling of their housework, which was by far the worst part.
Maiya still hadn’t forgiven him. If he could rewind time, he’d have told them where he was going… but he’d still have gone. His discovery about the relationship between Prana Vision, as he’d named it, and blood flow had absolutely been worth it. Now, he sought every opportunity to exert himself. If there was a single silver lining about all of this, it was that the increased blood flow from his hard labor had helped him hone Prana Vision.
The previously faint colors now dominated his vision. So much so that he had to develop ways of ignoring them, slowly getting used to this new normal whenever his heart beat quickly.
He’d made some discoveries. After comparing Maiya’s prana signature with Riyan’s, he was now almost sure that Maiya had a Greater affinity for Ice magic and a Lesser affinity for wind.
As for Riyan, Vir had concluded that he possessed the ‘Earth’ Affinity. It was a color that shouldn’t exist at all, but he saw it everywhere. It was the affinity that dominated the ground, and was found in rocks of all sorts, and to a lesser extent in trees.
Vir himself was the biggest mystery. The tiny trickle of prana inside him was all inky black, and even after a week of using his ability, not a single thing in nature seemed to share his affinity. And he wasn’t even sure if it was an affinity. It looked different to Prana Vision , in a way he neither understood nor could explain. Like it was denser, somehow. More profound. More… ancient.
As he’d expected, neither Riyan nor Maiya had heard of black-colored orbs, forcing him to conclude that they simply didn’t exist. Or maybe the Altani knew and hoarded it as a trade secret, but Vir felt that unlikely.
Maiya stretched her back after an hour of mopping the packed clay floor, heaving an overly exaggerated sigh. “I swear, it’s just like you to do something like this. Whenever something gets into your head, it’s like the rest of the world doesn’t even exist anymore.”
Vir smirked; she was more on point than she realized. After all, he could see an entirely new world now. He almost pitied her for not being able to experience sight in the same way he could .
“Not funny, Vir.”
“Sorry, Maiya.”
Riyan walked into the kitchen, an evil grin on his face. “If nothing else, you’ll gain some muscle from this. Your scrawny bodies could use a bit of meat on those bones.”
Easy for you to say, Vir thought. Riyan never had to worry about putting food on the table. The famine wasn’t easy for anyone. Getting a solid two meals a day had been a challenge for Vir and Rudvik. And the lumberjack needed more food than Vir did, which often left him with a half empty belly. Vir suspected that he’d be far more muscular if he’d simply had more to eat growing up.
“The time has come to assess your combat potential, boy,” he said, sweeping his gaze across both Vir and Maiya. “Follow me.”
The broad-shouldered man turned and strode out, not bothering to wait.
Vir hastily put away his cleaning rag while Maiya stowed her mop, both scrambling to wipe their hands clean before darting after their instructor. Neel joined up with them, smelling a spicy event about to happen. The bandy possessed a deceptively keen nose for this kind of thing.
As they walked, Vir realized where their instructor was leading them.
The locked door.
Aside from Riyan’s bedroom, there was only one room in the earthen abode that had remained barred to them.
We’re finally going to see what’s inside! He thought, his heart beating faster in his chest.
The large reinforced wooden doors hinted that the room beyond was not a small one.
When Riyan pushed open the doors, Vir was proven correct… but he’d never imagined just how massive the space was.
Vir stepped into the enormous dome and looked up. Its roof soared to at least five stories in height. Skylights and mirror arrays embedded in the ceiling provided a bit of light, but most of the illumination came from the warm glow of Magic Lamps set into alcoves at regular intervals, spiraling all the way up. Deep, golden sand filled the entire floor of the circular space.
“What is this place?” Maiya asked in wonderment as Neel bounded through the sand, tail wagging in glee.
Riyan gestured to the racks that ringed the circular space. “I originally built this as a place of training and meditation. On these racks, you will find nearly every weapon in the Known World.”
He wasn’t joking. Vir perused the myriad of steel and wooden weapons that lined the walls. Several of which he couldn’t even recognize.
From polearms like the one the knight had wielded, to talwars and shamshirs, arming swords, greatswords, maces, and even spiked flails; all of them looked worn and abused, and none were of high quality. But then again, training weapons didn’t need to be. A separate rack contained wooden versions of most of the steel weapons.
Craning his neck up at the roof, it dawned on him just how deep underground they actually were. He could hardly believe this room had existed the entire time.
“If you pass my test, this is where you will spend most of your days ahead. Training. Improving. Growing. ”
A mask of determination covered Vir’s face. He couldn’t afford to fail here. What a chance this was! His golden opportunity to gain the strength he’d so badly sought. No matter what, he had to succeed.
Maiya regarded Riyan with suspicion. “Who are you, really? No average person has anything like this. You’re Sawai, aren’t you? An aristocrat?”
“One must always practice their craft,” Riyan said, ignoring her last question, “or the blade dulls. Like many structures, we built this one with the help of magic, and that is all you need to know. Now, we shall test the boy’s potential.”
Vir didn’t care who Riyan was or what he wanted from him, so long as the man could train him. After witnessing Riyan’s combat skills, and after seeing this room, there was no longer any doubt in his mind.
“What do you want me to do?”
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“Remove your shoes,” Riyan commanded, doing the same himself. “First, unarmed combat. You will duel against me. Fight for your life, boy, because I shall show you no mercy.”
The massive warrior strode to the center of the dome and adopted a low, wide stance. Bending his knees, he held his arms forward, like a great tiger ready to lunge onto its prey.
Vir faced off against him, ten paces away, a shrew in comparison. His bare feet sunk into the deep sand and scraped against his soles. He needed twice the energy into every step just to walk straight.
“Begin,” the Ghost of Godshollow ordered.
Vir lunged with every ounce of strength he could muster. The fight for his future had begun.
Maiya and Neel sat watching the two combatants from the perimeter of the dome. From the moment they faced off, Maiya knew how this would turn out.
On one side was a battle hardened warrior who lived and breathed combat. Who wielded superhuman Talents, and who’d no doubt trained endlessly for years on end.
On the other side… was Vir. Poor, scrawny little Vir. Barely a man. No martial arts training whatsoever. And who could barely run thirty paces without keeling over.
Hang in there, Vir, Maiya thought, idly stroking Neel’s back. The bandy whimpered in delight, oblivious to the stakes of the duel taking place.
Maiya began regretting how she’d treated Vir this past week. He’d deserved her ire, but even so…
Vir lunged at the big man. Maybe he was trying to take Riyan by surprise? Vir certainly moved faster than Riyan did, which surprised her.
Maiya saw a faint glimmer of hope for her friend. He’s exploiting his advantages!
Not that he had many of those, but being smaller and more agile meant he could move around faster than Riyan… And she’d witnessed his agility time and time again. It was at a level where most adults couldn’t even hope to match him… until he grew tired, that was.
At least, that was what should have happened. But then Riyan up and disappeared. When Maiya caught sight of him again, he’d already delivered a devastating punch to Vir’s stomach, sending him tumbling across the sand.
That’s so unfair… He could at least refrain from using his Talents! She thought. Not like he needs those to win, anyway.
Vir retched upon the sand, trying desperately to regain his breath.
“He’s suffocating!” Maiya shrieked, ready to rush over to defend her friend. But a gesture of Riyan’s hand stopped her in her tracks.
He said nothing. The man merely watched as Vir vomited, retched, and gasped.
Maiya saw her friend look up at Riyan with hate—no, not hate. Determination . Slowly, agonizingly, he picked himself back up and stabilized his breathing.
He’s smiling at him!? She could hardly believe Vir’s tenacity.
“Is that all you got—!?”
“Too slow.”
Riyan Leaped to Vir, delivering a catastrophic hook to his ribs. Maiya heard something crack, and Vir went tumbling once again.
“Agh!” Vir screamed, eating mouthfuls of sand.
And yet, he’d scarcely come to a stop in a sprawling heap before he picked himself up again.
Riyan once again charged in… Except this time, the man received a fistful of sand in his eyes. Vir used the distraction to lunge to the side, narrowly dodging his attack.
Yess!!! Maiya cheered. Using sand’s a stroke of brilliance!
Vir continued to bob, weave, duck, and roll around Riyan, narrowly avoiding his attacks, throwing sand whenever it seemed like he was in danger.
Riyan’s movements weren’t as fast, but even to Maiya’s untrained eyes, they showed an elegance she couldn’t quite place. Like flowing water, he was graceful, whereas Vir was erratic.
How?
Her friend had reached the limits of his stamina long ago. His ribs were cracked. He must have been in extreme pain. How’s he able to move like that? He looked so bright to her eyes, shining like the brightest star.
Vir wasn’t a prodigy. But ever since they were little, he’d been the hardest worker in the entire village. Riyan didn’t know about his diligent acrobatic practice, or the hours he spent perfecting the art of pebble throwing. Vir learned quickly, and he worked hard. How could she possibly compete with someone like that?
And yet, despite his efforts, he still couldn’t hold a candle to Riyan.
Vir finally slowed, unable to maintain his exertion. Riyan took the opportunity to kick him halfway across the dome. Vir tumbled and tumbled… and this time, he didn’t get back up.
“Your technique would make a warrior weep. Your stamina is worse than a child’s,” t he Ghost of Godshollow said, stroking his beard.
“But you move well. You instinctively understand your strengths and your weaknesses, and you exploit them.” Riyan held up a finger, “Most importantly, you show the soul of a warrior. When the warrior loses, he grows. When he is beaten to the brink of death, he stares the Reaper in the eyes and says ‘ No’. The warrior is relentless. The warrior does not give up. Ever. Until he is dead .”
Vir huffed and heaved, spreadeagle on the sand. Maiya wasn’t sure whether he’d heard the man’s oddly poetic speech.
“Now pick a weapon. Let us see how you fare in armed combat.”
Maiya could no longer keep quiet. “Vir’s never held anything other than a knife his whole life! You can’t possibly ask him to fight you like that. Just look at the state he’s in! He’s proven his worth, hasn’t he? Leave him be!”
Maiya fully expected her plea to go ignored.
“Life is never so kind, girl. The moment you believe you’ve succeeded, when you think you’ve finally grown strong, life will be there to slap you in the face. Those who have tasted success know that the path is long and full of suffering. The boy must struggle. He must endure the pain. He must fail. Only then will his growth have meaning. Only then will he have the strength to survive.”
Maiya wondered what kind of Ash-forsaken life Riyan must have led to have such a sad outlook. She didn’t wait, and hurried out to the grotto to procure a bucket of water and cloth. Vir wouldn’t stand a chance in the upcoming fight, and though she couldn’t heal him with magic, she could at least ease his suffering.
She returned just in time to see Vir rise like a corpse rising from its grave, clawing himself to his feet. Without uttering a single word, he shambled over to the line of weapons arranged against the wall, only half alive.
Maiya waited with bated breath. She had to admit, as much as she wanted him to stop, she was a little curious what weapon he’d choose. It had to be a knife or a dagger, since that was what Vir was most familiar with. She only hoped he didn’t pick a Talwar; she’d seen the way he’d eyed the seric sword Knight Captain Vastav had carried. But he had no training in swordplay. The duel would be a disaster.
Vir stood in front of a smallish weapon, eying it for several seconds, and Maiya breathed a sigh of relief when he picked it up. She didn’t know what it was, but at least it suited Vir’s size.
“A katar,” Riyan remarked. “A punch dagger. An interesting choice. Katars offer less maneuverability than a traditional dagger, but their thrusting and slashing force is unparalleled, making them effective against even lighter armor. They are also quite easy to conceal. Not a terrible choice, given your compact frame. I’ve not fought a katar wielder in ages. I hope you will give me a good show, boy.”
Riyan cracked his neck as he walked over to the weapons rack and picked up a wooden talwar. Vir’s blade was made of real steel, so Maiya felt relieved that he wasn’t going to use a steel-bladed weapon himself.
Giant faced off against mouse, and this time, Riyan was the first to move. He began with a diagonal upward slash that barely missed Vir’s face. Her friend had wrenched his body back at the last possible moment.
Forced to take a step back, Vir ducked low, anticipating Riyan’s next attack.
His forethought once again saved him, as Riyan’s next strike sailed high.
Vir took the opening, leveraging his position to lunge in, slashing his katar at Riyan’s torso. But Vir’s attack hit nothing but air.
The Ghost of Godshollow had jumped… Except he jumped far higher than any human ever could. Vir looked around, confused about where he’d gone.
“Look up!” Maiya shrieked. Vir saw the falling man and dodged just in the nick of time, rolling away to safety.
“Impressive,” Riyan said as his Talwar sank into the sand.
Both Vir and Maiya paled. If that had hit him…
Riyan fired off a flurry of attacks at Vir, who desperately tried to parry, but soon realized that was hopeless. He took hit after hit, but was at least able to take the hits on his arms and legs, shielding his vitals.
“Most impressive.”
“Raaaaah!” Vir roared, finally deciding to go on the offensive. He attacked Riyan with everything he had, launching haphazard slices and thrusts at his opponent.
Even a layman like Maiya could tell that his form was gods-awful. But she could also tell that in the course of their short duel, Vir had already begun to improve. His movements grew slightly more fluid, his attacks a bit more coherent. She could hardly believe the pace of his development.
Apparently Riyan felt similarly as he blocked Vir’s attacks.
“Good. Good! Show me more! Show me your potential, boy!”
Tragically, that was when Vir’s luck ran out. He took Riyan’s talwar to the shoulder, sending him reeling in pain. Riyan’s barrage continued, battering and bruising Vir until her dear friend finally dropped his katar and fell to his knees. His eyes rolled up, and he slumped to the ground, unconscious.
Maiya was at his side in seconds with the bucket of water and cloth she’d retrieved earlier.
Neel followed, standing his ground in front of Riyan, growling fiercely.
Maiya wetted the cloth and dabbed it against his bruises, gently washing away the kernels of sand that lay embedded within his torn skin. But there was only so much she could do without magic.
She stared at Riyan with pure undisguised hatred. “Heal him. Now!”
The man smirked. “Fear not. Your friend has earned the right to stay. Though I am quite certain he will come to regret it.”