Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Pathways And Pain

        “Move your feet.”

        Areya's guidance was spoken nearly as fast as Callum's sword came at him. Blake brought up his sword just in time to block it. The wind continued to howl around them while they trained. Blake was doing his best to fend off Callum's sword but soon he felt a sharp pain as Callum's sword rapped him on his right shoulder for the third time this session. Wincing from the pain he sword faltered from his hand and fell to the sand ground. Blake was happy they were using practice swords. As it stood if they had been real he doubted there would have been much left of him even after the first night of training.

        At dusk or by firelight both Areya and Callum instructed Blake in swordsmanship, as that was his only weapon for the time being. For the past three nights he had gone to sleep with new sets of bruises and beat muscles.

        Blake held up his hand as Callum came toward him to help.

        “Perhaps we should end for tonight.” Callum said sounding concerned.

        “No.” Blake said, kneeling to pick up his sword.

        Out of the corner of his eye he could see Areya nod to Callum, who looked uneasy about continuing. They had been journeying for three days and Blake had learned quickly that the toll on his body during the day of walking mile and mile was nothing compared to what came at the end of the day.

        It began with Areya and Callum showing him different maneuvers of using the sword, both offensive and defensive. At first Blake had been excited to learn. Then had come the pain. After the second night his excitement wasn't quite the same. No matter how fast he brought up his sword to parry or block, Callum would steadily grow closer and closer until finally the sting of the wooden would ring again in his mind. The hardest part of all of this was that he knew that Callum was holding back.

        He bent his knees and placed his right foot behind him. Holding his sword at an angle in front of him he nodded to Callum letting him know he was ready. Callum flashed a grin then his sword came swing up at him in a low attack. Blake crossed his sword down to stop it then tried to fling it away and swung his sword back at Callum as hard as he could. Vibrations rang down his sword and up his arm. They continued that way exchanging blow for blow. New beads of sweat dripped down Blake's body, his hands became more slippery and he felt the anxiety of what he knew was coming. He didn't want it to come again.

        The pain. He was tired of it. He moves started to become more desperate and he threw a wild uncontrolled swing. Callum bent back and side stepped, dodging the blow. The force of his swing caused him to throw himself of balance and a moment later came the smack of the wood to his exposed arm. He shook his head trying to free it of the pain and squared himself facing Callum, his breathing heavy and his hair plastered on his forehead from sweat.

        “That's enough for tonight.” Areya said, walking in between Callum and Blake.

        Blake held his ground for a moment, then exhaustion forced it's way into his mind and his arms feel to his sides. He nodded to Callum, who returned the motion, while Blake awaited for what was to come. Areya surely would say something about him loosing control. He knew it had been a mistake and yet he could not stop himself. He was tired and frustrated of getting no where. They were both so far above him, as well as were those who were after them. How could he begin to hope that he would be able to defend himself if he could not do it well in training?

        Areya stood completely relaxed. Different from the passed two night were she stood looking critically at him and pointed flaws in his form, his attacks, and just about every other aspect of his weaknesses.

        “You are growing. That was much better than you have done before.” She said finally.

        Blake fought back the urge to laugh, and raised his eyebrow in curiosity.

        “How was that better? I completely lost control.” He replied.

        Areya nodded, “That is true but you gave it your all. While your energy may have not been focused and directed in the correct way, you fought on despite the pain. As for being out of control... the fact that you brought it up yourself shows you know it was wrong. And I trust that in knowing that, you will strive to do better from now on.”

        From now on, Blake thought. More nights of pain.

        “Do you think we could forgo the training tomorrow night?” He asked.

        “Blake, this is important.” Areya said just as she had explained a dozen times before.

        “Right...I know.” He said quietly turning away from her and stretching out his sore and bruised muscles, not wanting to see the look on her face.

        He knew that she felt this was important. They had no way of knowing how many where after them, or when of if they would be spotted. Blake knew that this was important. But he didn't see why it had to be every night. He sat by his pack near the fire with a pot hanging over the fire with a pleasant aroma drifting from it. Callum sat fiddling with his invention. Spinning the sections to create different tones and patterns.

        “Trying to figure out how your device works?” Blake asked, a teasing smile on his face.

        “As a matter of fact, I am” Callum said, chuckling.

        “But you made it.” Blake said, surprised by the confession.

        “Of course. However...that doesn't mean I know if changing the wind is in fact it's only function.

        “Do you really think that you will be able to change other things as well?”

        “It's a theory. Not proven yet. Then again... I wasn't sure it would actually control wind either.” He said grinning up at Blake.

        “Couldn't that prove to be dangerous...” Blake began to ask.

        “You'd be better to let him alone with the matter Blake.” Areya broke in smiling, and joining the circle around the fire, “What is dangerous to normal people doesn't apply to an inventor from the Wind Elm.”

        “I will take that as a compliment.” Nodding nobly to Areya.

        “Just so long as you kill us all with a random strike of lightning I think we will be safe from anything too dangerous.” Areya said.

        “I believe we will be safe from that Areya. Tomorrow, I'm sad to say, we will be leaving the Wind Elm and making our decent down to the Wood Elm.