I plopped down onto the floor in exhaustion next to my brother Ren. It felt like we've been training in Atlantis for an eternity, all we ever seem to do is eat, train, and get very little sleep. We are all exhausted. I've learned how to hone my skills with my sword better, honestly though, the little dragon creeps me out...it just stares at you. Ren has learned to use his book better and Connor pretty much just learned how to smash things more efficiently than his usual methods.
Connor came and sat down next to us, huffing in exhaustion. He had just finished a sparring match with Soji. He looked up at him through a scruff of hair that had fallen over his eyes and said "We've been training for eight weeks every day nonstop. Can we have a break?"
Soji stood by Telemnar and replied "yes, right after you complete these last few tests. Tara and Connor, I want you to go against one another. Show me what you have learned."
Connor groaned and got back to his feet, yanking me up with him. We both stood at either side of the training area facing one another. I drew my blade and he held up his war hammer. Soji, Ren and Telemnar went to one side of the yard, a safe distance away from us and Soji yelled, "begin!"
I was already starting to run in a circle around Connor, anticipating him throwing the hammer. He had raised his hand back, getting ready to throw the hammer as I circled him. He had left himself open with his arm raised so I took the chance to dart behind him and took him out by the knees. As soon as he had fallen to his knees I leaned over, placing my blade against his neck "Lethal strike." I called and stepped back, twirling my blade around with a teasing smirk.
Connor stood up again and faced me, returning my playful smirk with a look of determination, "that's okay, you are a girl after all. I have to take it easy on you."
I raised a brow and thought to myself in annoyance, 'you little son of a...you're going to pay for that sexist remark..'
Angrily, I raised by blade in an overhand strike. Connor stood there, unmoving as I brought my hand down, admittedly I got a bit worried when he didn't move but the anger overruled my common sense. Just before the blade could touch the top of Connor's head the blade whispered at me in Japanese again and the dragon's eyes burned with an intense, red fire. That was when I realized a second too late what Connor had done. The bugger had remembered how my sword works and got me worked up. A sharp, painful jolt shot up my arm, briefly paralysing my hand. The blade fell out of my hand and Connor nonchalantly walked up to me with that annoying, huge grin of his. Looking down at me, he very gently touched my forehead with his hammer, "fatal strike."
I took a few deep breaths and stepped forward, moving the hand holding the hammer away from me as I bent down and grabbed my sword. As I did that Connor redirected all my weight to throw me off balance, making me tumble. I easily turned it into a roll and without skipping a beat I was on my feet again. I whirled around just in time to parry a blow from Connor's hammer, the force of the swing forced me to take a few steps back. We both jumped away from one another then ran forward to exchange blows again. This went on for a few moments before Connor suddenly threw his hammer, missing me completely. I saw where this was going and quickly ducked, just before the hammer could hit me. Connor caught the hammer, leaving himself open again. As I straightened up I hit him under the jaw with the heel of my hand. He immediately fell backwards, hitting the ground hard with a grunt. I quickly stepped forward and rested tip of my blade between his legs and his head shot up, eyes wide as he emitted a squeak. I grinned down at him, "fatal strike." Ren and Telemnar both burst out laughing.
Soji gave a nod, "Excellent! Both of you. You are a lot better than you were when you first got here. Connor, you actually used your head for once and Tara, you learned to control your temper. Tara, since you won this match you'll face your brother, then you are all done for the day. Tomorrow we will begin the next step of your training."
Connor gave a dumbfounded look, "how many steps are there?"
Soji gave a serene grin, "as many as required for your training."
Connor sighed in exasperation, "ugh, never gives me a straight answer..."
I went back to my place on the other side of the yard and Ren stood in Connor's place, book in hand. Before Soji allowed us to begin Ren had quickly scribbled something into his book before putting it in a satchel that Soji had given him a few weeks before. He then started to shuffle while making strange sounds, earning a weird look from me. Soji raised a hand and brought it down "begin!"
We began to move towards one another, I had my sword raised while Ren shuffled around while making weird cooing sounds. Connor suddenly piped up, "did you just learn Bruce Lee??" Ren looked over at him quick and gave a wink before turning his attention back to me.
Ren and I began to exchange blows, he moved lightning fast. I could barely keep up with him, every time he went to land a blow I just barely got out of the way or parried it. I slowly began to lose my patience, Ren was basically just dancing in circles around me, toying with me. I knew he was just trying to wear me down, that doesn't make it any less infuriating though. I continued to try to land a few hits on Ren with my sword but failed miserably each time. On my next strike he stepped forward, grabbing my sword hand and stepping on my foot. I looked up at him, knowing exactly what was going to happen next. He pushed me off balance and I fell to the floor. He knelt on my sword arm and placed both hands on my throat and called, "fatal strike."
Ren stood up and helped me back to my feet. We were about to go again when Connor asked, "did that statue just look at me?"
Soji and Telemnar looked at him, "what did you say?"
All the statues suddenly looked up and stepped off their pedestals just as there was loud boom followed by a roar. The ground shook, sending us off balance. I stumbled a bit and Ren steadied me, everything went completely quiet and we all got in defensive fighting stances and looked around, listening. There was an explosion of rock when the domed roof suddenly collapsed and water began to rush in, along with something else. It was huge. The ground shook again when it hit the ground. I nearly dropped my sword when I got a good look at the creature. It had a wingspan of sixty meters and stood at least six stories tall with spiked, leathery wings. The body was grey and scaly with spikes large enough to impale a car protruding from its head and running down its back and tail. Its claws had huge talons and the creature had massive, muscular legs. It held itself in an extremely confident and proud manner, its head held high, chest puffed out. It stretched out its wings to their full span, briefly showing them off before folding them back. It looked down at us with malevolent yellow eyes. Connor leaned over to me and Ren and whispered, "is that a dragon..?"
We both looked at him and slowly nodded. The dragon reared its head back with a roar and looked down at Soji, "Míngzhì De Lóng, Wise Dragon. I thought I had destroyed you three thousand years ago." It had its wings outstretched when it addressed Soji, almost in a territorial manner.
Soji bowed, remaining completely calm in the insanely huge creature's presence. "So it would seem, but yet here I stand." He spread his arms mockingly.
Connor looked at him, "Soji! No scary the scary dragon!"
The dragon looked down at us with scorn, "I knew you'd be hanging around with these vermin, you always have favoured the inferior humans. I will destroy you today like I did all the others who have opposed me. The humans are ours to rule, we will take back our realm."
Soji replied, "Xydron, the human race is young and has yet to reach their full potential, which will be greater than dragons."
The dragon gave an angry roar, it was louder than a jet engine. I couldn't help but flinch. Soji looked back at us, "I advise you all to run, there is no way you can take on this creature, Telemnar will get you to safety."
We didn't hesitate and ran through a door and into a hallway, following after Telemnar. We ran down numerous hallways and around enormous, moving statues until finally we came across a doorway that led outside again. Telemnar turned to us, "I'm going to get you back home through a portal. Mermaids will swim with us to the portal. When we get there think of where you want to go with water and the portal will take you there. I suggest you all agree upon a common place."
I turned to Connor and Ren, "what is a lake that's near by our area?"
Ren thought for a moment then said, "Brookevale."
We all nodded in agreement and turned back to Telemnar, "alright then, let's go before the dome gets flooded."
Telemnar uttered a word in a language that sounded very ancient. In a few moments a few mermaids had appeared. I recognized one as the mermaid we saw when we had first arrived here. Each mermaid took us by the arm and swam towards a portal. I cleared my head, making sure that the only thought I had was of Brookevale Lake. Just as we were about to go through the portal the mermaid from our first day here grabbed Connor and kissed him then pushed him through the portal. Ren and I followed.
I was immediately hit with a dizzy sensation and suddenly there was water all around me. I began to swim up. When I got to the surface of the lake I saw Connor rubbing furiously at his mouth, "bloody hell, she tasted like fish!"
I couldn't help but laugh. Ren soon emerged too. "Okay, guess we better start walking home."