Fox Of Greed (Greedy Fox Book 1)

~~ TWENTY THREE~~

Hello everyone! I'm back! The final uni exams for the semester are clearing up and there's a forecast of clear skies and updates! Now, I know I said I'd edit before updating but it's taking too long and I'm getting bored - so here's an update. Should probably mention that at this current time in the book, the gang have finished up in the Necropolis and are headed to Vaizel. Should have mentioned that earlier *claps*ANYWAY read onwards!

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"Yah!" I roared. Slashed and stabbed, only to dance away seconds later with sword raised in defence. A wooden sword crashed down on my blade with considerable force, driving me to a knee. I threw it off with another roar, twisting quickly and sending a few quick parries the wooden dummy's way.

Grand Holy Knight Hendrickson watched over me. His face, when I snuck glances at it in between slashes, betrayed no emotion nor even twitched in response to anything I did.

I delivered a powerful backhand, cleanly slicing through the wooden stalk. The dummy balanced precariously before toppling over in the dust.

Panting with exertion, I stood still for several minutes, gathering myself. While I was happy to follow Hendrickson's orders, what I didn't understand was his need for me to bash the living daylights out of a dummy.

"Done," I called out, sheathing my weapon. I proceeded to fan myself with a hand, cursing the man for making me slave out in the sun for so long.

"Excellent. Now it's time to move on with the second phase of training."

"But I'm absolutely buggered."

"So?" He raised an eyebrow at me. "In a battle, you'll most likely be tired when it comes to using your magic."

I bit back my retort and swallowed my pride. It wouldn't do well to be on the wrong side of a Grand Holy Knight. Instead, I retied my hair and adjusted my gauntlets.

There was a smirk on his lips when he said, "follow me," and it took all my willpower not to punch him. While everyone thought I was Hendrickson's pet and obeyed his every command, little did they know that this relationship we had was entirely one sided.

I did not tolerate the man. At all. There was something about him that just grated on my every nerve.

Yet I still did as he commanded. He brought me to another section of the training grounds, three walls enclosing me in. On one wall was painted a large target, the bullseye brilliant red.

"You won't need your sword for this training session," Hendrickson's explained, holding out his hand for my sword.

I was hesitant to relinquish it. The weapon was an extension of my body; everything I've done to reach this moment in my life, I've done it with my sword. Especially my magic – it helped to amplify my fire and static abilities.

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of it. Today's training is all about using your magic as a final resort," he added soothingly but the twitch in his eyebrow told me he was getting impatient.

I unbuckled the scabbard and slapped the hilt into his hand. Our eyes locked so I sent him a glare.

"Your abilities are a bit different to most recruits and Holy Knights. Not only do you use your own mana but you have the ability to absorb or take mana from your environment such as the trees and plants."

I stiffened. No one knew I could do that. The only people who did know were dead now. Hendrickson's cunning and prowess still continued to frighten me. This man always seemed to know everything about me and I had the sickening feeling that it was a power he held over me with great joy.