The Unknown Alchemist

Chapter 22 - Training

Avery ran through the streets of Corinth, trying to suck in as much air possible. Her breath made white clouds around her and on the colder mornings froze to her eyelashes. Despite the chill her brow glinted with sweat and her short hair was pulled back into a queue behind a band of cloth that kept her ears warm. She had witnessed winter gradually descend upon the city through her daily walks that had become daily runs.

Shortly after the Fire Festival Arctos had arrived at Ember Place and announced that he would personally oversee Avery's self-defence training. She was ready each morning and worked through the fitness exercises steadily.

Arctos would often join Avery for the run, changing the route to include more hills or obstacles while the heart was pumping. Sometimes it was endurance training over a long distance, other times he had her running up and down the stairs to the mountain apartments.

That day they were finishing their run with a sprint up the hill to the Spark. They raced past the main gate and around the corner to the guard's entrance and training ring. Arctos easily sprinted past the human but skidded to a stop on the icy street when he came upon a supply wagon jammed across the tunnel. He tried to push past the workers to get through to the ring.

Avery arrived a few steps behind and quickly diverted course. She deftly jumped from crate to crate, the boxes able to support her light weight, and then threw her feet out and slid under the bottom of the wagon, grinning at Arctos on her way by. She rolled to her feet and sprinted into the training ring, skidding to a stop at the sight of faunids and sapiens practicing hand-to-hand combat.

"What's going on?" Avery asked as Arctos caught up.

"New recruits. With all the activity heating up in the territory, Hayden has been poaching some of my best city guards as officers with the forces. I'm running another intake to fill out the ranks."

He watched the sapiens spar with a critical eye, apparently unimpressed with their skills. The guards were working on basic disarmament and self-defence, repeatedly blocking attacks and incapacitating their partners.

"I thought it might a good time for you to learn some fighting skills, Half Pint," Arctos added as he wove across the training arena to a clear space.

Avery's eyes lit up and she followed the captain of the guard. "Will we learn faunid combat techniques or something that humans can actually do? Ooh, I've never understood how the Cretean swing kick actually works. I would always just fall on my face."

Arctos stopped mid-stride and gave her a funny look.

She blushed and bit her lip. "I read about it..." she mumbled.

The Ursid shook his head and grumbled, "Books. Learning how to fight from a book. What's next?" He set his canteen of water down by the wall and stepped up close to Avery.

"The first thing you need to know is how to get some distance between you and your attacker. See how that male there uses his elbow to jab the other in the stomach?"

Arctos reached around Avery's torso but she gasped and pushed away, bringing her arms up to her chest.

"It's fine, you won't hurt me," he reassured.

He moved to grab her again but Avery stepped back, panting her anxiety grew.

"It's perfectly safe. I'll show you what to do."

She swallowed and looked at the other males sparring then back at Arctos, her brows pinched. He was half-Ursid, tall, barrel-chested, built like a warrior. His closely trimmed brown hair and beard were so different from the male at the Cabin, but her skin prickled at his nearness. His maleness.