Beyond the Glow

Chapter 42

The next two weeks passed by in a blur, filled with training for nearly the entire day, perfecting strategies, and working in secret with Baldur. I'd improved, I can see it in Kendi's eyes when we fight, more often than not, I can get in a fair amount of blows as well now, even if I'm not fast enough to dodge her blades. My magic heals the bruises as fast as they come now, a trick Baldur taught me.

"But isn't it cheating if they can't heal themselves?" I'd asked him, feeling slightly in the wrong about healing myself while my attacker, whoever it may be, is forced to fight on.

"All's fair on the battlefield, if the enemy had the advantage, they would use it." Baldur said quietly. "You need to use every strength you have to save those that the King and Queen have imprisoned, and you can't do that if you're bleeding out on the battlefield." Baldur shook his head, end of discussion.

Kendi leaps forwards, catching me in my moment of thought, I lunge back, her training daggers blade nearly landing a rough blow on my chest. The blades we spar with are filed down to a dull point, enough so we don't accidentally spear each other with a single unlucky blow, even if they still leave a nasty bruise, depending on how hard you're hit.

The fight continues on, only finishing when Kendi finally knocks me to the ground, daggers trained on my throat. "I win." She says quietly, lending me a hand and helping me up. We stand for a few seconds, catching our breath.

The arena around us is empty, everyone else still at lunch. I run my hand through my hair, feeling the damper areas around my face with a grimace.

"Can we finish early today?" I ask, leaning on my staff. I half think she'll deny me. I haven't had the chance to look in the stables for Wiccet all month, due to Kendi and Baldur's unending training. As soon as I rise, and until I'm ready to pass out, they drill me, train me, stopping only for short meals and breaks that never seem to last long enough.

On top of that, I've hardly gotten time to see Len either, the biggest amount of contact we've really had is seeing him walkout of the training room before I go in for training of my own. I suspect Baldur is giving his his own special training not unlike mine, but he won't go into it.

Kendi lifts her head, panting. "Sure, I guess. I have to go and check with Fira and Baldur about battle plans. You get some rest, we've been working hard."

I nod, already jogging towards the exit of the room, my staff gripped in a tight fist. I have absollutely no desire to be sucked into going to that. Fira's been giving me the evil eye all month, despite me arguing her case to move so soon. "Bye Kendi!"

The halls are beginning to fill up, the soldiers exiting the lunch room and heading off to prepare for the looming battle. It wasn't hard to find one who could direct me towards the surface, where the horses are kept. They don't like being underground, and I can understand that. It's only been a few weeks, but the dirt walls and roots falling from the ceiling are much less appetizing than the sky, however safe they may be to keep us hidden.

The ground slopes gently underneath me, and soon enough I can see the daylight at the end of the tunnel. I pick up my pace, coming out of the passage and pushing open a door into the fresh air beyond. There's a well worn dirt path, and I follow it deeper into the forest.

I lean my head back, enjoying the sun on my face, and the fresh air in my lungs. I'm spending too much time down there, it's starting to feel like being trapped in Cynthia's basement all over again. After a few minutes walking, I can hear the horses whinnies, as well as a deeper, more anxious neigh than the others.

I come into a large clearing, a roughly built wooden stable in the middle, with cleared fields out back where I can see horses grazing.

In the center of the small clearing is a group of men, all trying to contain the animal in the middle. It beaks free with an angry scream-like sound, and charges away. A black horse.