Eboni knew that the others wanted to know how she was faring after the evening before. She was thankful though that they had not pried and that Bren nor Arianna had not said anything.
She had slept through dinner and all the night so upon waking with the first sun, Eboni was energised and determined to make something of the day, her heart heavy with grief, but filled with determination.
Figuring out what to do didn't take long at all. Over breakfast she suggested they train with each other- using both their powers and their hand to hand combat skills.
Eboni knew that the Dark Ones would be upon them soon, so any extra knowledge she could amass about fighting and war would be useful.
The group- with the addition of Darien, were now sat on the soft grass outside of the tower, relishing in the warmth and sun shine that was hitting them as the second sun rise from beneath the waves.
High priest Jon led the first lesson on the day, much to the disappointment of Orlan and Darien who were both expecting to learn of new weapons and techniques, not mind games, to aid them in their fight
"Self-control over one's body will improve one's control over your weapon. For those with elements it will open the mind, allowing better and safer control over your power. For those without, it will allow you to control your heart rate and sense your body in a way in which reaction times and forward thinking become easier." High priest Jon explained. He joined them on the ground, crossing his legs and resting the palms of his hands on his knees.
After Eboni and Bren followed his lead on how they were to be positioned the rest followed
"Close your eyes and breathe deeply and exhale. Do this until you feel yourself relaxing, and your heart rate steady, mind empty." He instructed.
With a life time of practice, Eboni's mind immediately filled with the image of her element flowing through her body. The comforting white ribbons hypnotising her into a lull.
"Bren, my son. What is your new-found ability? What do you feel, see?" High priest Jon asked after long moment in which only the sound of the Rolezal army sitting in the camp could be heard.
"I feel numb. I see black fog, it flows through my power pathway- but I can turn it white. I can counteract the Darkness." Bren replied. Relief evident in his voice.
"Good. Practice Bren and you shall gain good control over your ability. What of Eboni- what do you see? Feel?"
"I feel warm, white ribbons are dancing and flowing through my power pathway." She said, sighing contently, keeping her eyes closed.
"And what of you, Iasa?"
"Red hot, liquid fire. It is flowing rapidly through the pathway in a continuous circuit." Iasa replied.
Eboni smiled as she remembered the happiness Iasa had felt when she had first seen her power inside her mind.
"The more control you have over your mind, the more control you have over yourself and your power. Well done, Iasa. Bren has told me of how diligently you have practiced with him." High Priest Jon said.
She has? Eboni wondered her connection with her power pathways faltering as she reminded herself that Bren and Iasa had spent a lot of time together without her. No doubt Bren had been helping her meditate.
"Atu, what can you sense?" High Priest Jon asked.
"I can't see anything- but i can feel it rushing through my body. Is that normal? Atu replied, his voice on edge as though nervous about possibly failing in his task.
"Nothing is normal about power pathways. Each of us have individual powers and personalities. What we see, or don't see. Feel or don't feel is completely subjective to the individual.
"That is a comfort to know, thank you." Atu replied. The tone of his voice now back to its normal strong and authoritative tone.
"Kas, what do you see- feel?" High Priest Jon asked as he continued asking around the group.
Kas stayed quiet for a long moment before giving his reply.
"Bright Green Swirls, rushing through the pathways. I feel strong, powerful."
"Be wary, warrior. Feeling strong and powerful with your power is only temporary. If you use it too quickly your energy levels will fall. Now you know where to find it you can cultivate it. Learn to know your limits."
"Wise words, High Priest Jon. And duly noted." Kas replied.
"Raus-" High Priest Jon began, cut off by an enthusiastic and overzealous reply.
"It's so blue! And green and a bit of brown, it's all so bright! The power is flowing so fast I can't figure out where it even begins!" Raus said, his reply tumbling out in a jumble of words.
Eboni smiled wryly at Raus's energy and excitement while the others chuckled.
"Find the source of the element and control will come easier to you." High Priest Jon replied.
"Yes Sir! I mean, High Priest... Umm... Jon, Sir!" Raus said, even with her eyes closed Eboni could tell he was grinning from ear to ear.
"And now to the non- element wielders, but not any less powerful. Orlan, what do you see, feel?"
"I see flashes of white light, it feels strong but intermittent." He replied.
"Meditate and I believe you will find the white light may stay with you longer. This is not a sign of weakness, you are accessing power pathways you never knew you had. The same goes for you Darien. What do you feel, see?"
"This is ridiculous, I don't feel it see anything." Darien huffed, annoyed.
"Relax, Darien. There will come no harm from at least trying." High Priest Jon reasoned.
They lapsed into another long silence, waiting with anticipation to see whether Darien would rise to the occasion.
"I see yellow, lightning like in formation. It feels- I don't know. Almost like static, coursing through me." Darien replied nervously.
"You are strong and have skills to become great Darien. Continue to meditate, to understand who you truly are, and that journey will be less fraught.
"Thank you-" Darien began to reply before the crunching footfalls and booming voice of King Gregor filled the air. Eboni opened her eyes as he stalked moodily over to them.
"When you said over breakfast you would be taking the first lesson of the day, I didn't expect to have you take my people- and daughter! - only to have them lounging in the grass all morning!" The King bellowed, both Orlan and Darien scrambling to their feet.
"Just because you mind is not open enough to accepting other truths, does not make those truths any less true." High Priest Jon replied, standing to face the King before chuckling to himself as he walked away.
Eboni covered her own blossoming smile as she realised the King was stood, his brows knitted together in confusion as he tried to make sense of what was just said.
"Lunch, I think. Anyone else hungry?" Iasa asked, sending a cool glare to her still confused father before heading back to the tower.
"Lunch sounds great." Eboni replied, snaking her arm around Bren's before they all walked back to the tower together.
Lunch was a quiet affair. With the King concluding that what High Priest Jon had said was in fact a serious insult and attack on his person, he remained silent and brooding with everyone following suit.
"I shall take the afternoon lesson?" Darien asked after being nudged by the King.
"Certainly," High Priest Jon replied. "I am eager to see what you can teach me. The rest of the Sisters and Brothers will also be joining us- I hope you find this agreeable?"
"The more the merrier." Darien replied.
With the King satisfied that the rest of the training was going to involve weaponry he returned to his tent in the camp.
Eboni watched as Iasa went from being sad and contemplative to happy and talkative as her father left her presence. She wasn't the only one to notice this shift in behaviour- Kas let out a dissatisfied sigh and Bren scowled at the retreating monarch.
"Come, we shall first determine which weapons everyone is suited to best." Darien said, walking over to the creates by the wall and pulling their lids off to reveal a pile of metal and wood, each item deadly in design and nature.
As Eboni had already come to possess her weapon of choice she stepped to the side, tying the belt of small daggers around her waist.
Those with elements were sent to the far end of the island away from the inhabited area to practice with Orlan. Those who were wielding weapons as their only attack and defence stayed by the tower with Darien.
Bren however chose to return to his room to carry on meditating. Learning to wield his power was the most important way to use his time.
"Spin it faster Raus!" Orlan shouted to a drenched Raus who was stood on the shore concentrating hard and keeping a handful of sharp throwing stars spinning inside a formidable looking water tornado.
The bright silver of the metal blurring into one as the speed of the tornado increased.
"Brilliant! So as long as you make sure to keep them up inside the tornado your element will become much deadlier." Orlan said as the tornado died down.
Eboni sent Raus a thumbs up as he joined the rest of the group, who had sat themselves in land to avoid the attempts in which the tornado had strayed a little too close for comfort.
Iasa had gone first that afternoon, sending fire bolts rushing forward from her palms, lighting many of Kas's newly grown trees, turning them to ash. Orlan had instructions from the King not to allow the Princess to learn how to wield a weapon. Upon hearing this news, Iasa unleashed a fire ball that- had they been close to the tower- would have engulfed it entirely.
Atu wielded a weapon unlike any Eboni had ever laid eyes on before, it was a long stick, as tall as him but thin and circular.
Twirling it around his hands, arms, even his neck and torso it became evident that Aru had mastered its use. Combining it with his element made for a strong gust of wind in a centralised direction. It would easily bring down a ship, if not many.
Kas had chosen his bow and arrow, though at first Orlan had been adamant that combined with his element he could make a better choice, he was quickly eating his words as they watched Kas leap from vine to vine, firing his arrows from all angles and vantages. When his quiver became empty he simply grew more perfectly formed arrows- Plucking them from trees and vines before shooting them with expert precision.
Eboni's practice hadn't gone so well at first. Though her aim with the bolts of energy were almost near perfect every time, once she included the small flat daggers they began to fall from the sky mid-flight.
"It's a different weight now, once you work out how much more force to put behind them your aim will improve and the energy surrounding them will make them faster than anything we have seen. The Dark Ones won't know what's hit them. " Kas had said, reassuring her.
True to his words, once she had worked out how much harder she needed to project them the aim improved, to a point where she was hitting the targets nearly every time, a small crackle of energy bursting from her hand as they flashed before her eyes into the target one after the other.
Slumped, tired and hungry in the hall of the tower the group laughed and exchanged stories of the two groups training. With the suns beginning to set Eboni knew that they were one day closer to facing their enemy.
Looking out to the ocean her heart faltered. No. Not now. They weren't ready. It was too soon. Please not now.
Atu noticed her terrified gaze and jumped up from the table running towards the window.
"It's them?" Eboni asked pensively, her face ashen.
Atu turned back to her, a grin spreading across his face.
Not the Dark Ones then. Eboni sighed in relief, a sudden wave of exhaustion coming over her.
"Brother?" Kas asked, looking between the two of them and the outline of the vessels on the horizon.
"Reinforcements!" Atu said laughing, slapping his brother on the back. "Come, we must greet our Warriors."
He ran from the tower towards the shore, a thoroughly perplexed Kas scrambling after him.
"I shall go and warn the King that the new arrivals are friends." Darien said.
"They are still a good wait away. I will greet them in the morning, i do not think i can spend another moment with my eyes open." Bren said, stifling a yawn.
"I agree, are you staying up to greet them?" Eboni asked Kimi, Orlan and Iasa.
"Yes, I will tell them you have both gone to bed and look forward to greeting their warriors in the morning." Kimi replied.
Eboni sending her a grateful smile before heading up the stairs after Bren.
Shouts of joy and jubilation woke Eboni from her sleep. The soldiers camp was still very much awake and she could hear them walking past the tower towards the shore.
The Sher Wood warriors must finally be nearing the shore. Deciding that sleep would not come easily to her so soon from waking, Eboni slipped from her bed and up the stairs to the top of the tower.
With the cold wind playing with her hair, Eboni watched sleepily as in the dead of night the Sher Wood warriors dismounted their handmade wooden vessels. Soldiers from Rolezal and a handful of Brothers and Sisters waited with Kas and Atu to greet them from their journey.
Watching the three cultures come together for the first time in peace, Eboni knew that the sight would be something she would remember for the rest of her life.
Deciding it was time to return to her bed, Eboni retreated down the stairs and back into her bed. The question of how the warriors had known where and when to come playing on her mind. Deciding to ask Atu in the morning she fell once more into sleep.