Chapter 14: Fourteen

Karina’s POV

The training grounds were empty when I got there. I've made a habit of coming an hour early so I have enough time to stretch and get into the right frame of mind for the day.

I took a spot on the ground and closed my eyes, listening to the sound of the wind. After losing every time, I realized that fighting wasn't just a physical activity but also a mental one. My mind needed to calm down, and I had to trust my mind to move my body correctly.

After meditating for half an hour, I spent the remaining half stretching, allowing the tension in my joints to ease out.

Then I stepped forward and began going through all the drills we've been learning.

At first, I was slow. But soon my pace increased as my movements became more controlled, and I repeated the drills one after the other. I could feel my arm still protesting every time I moved, but I ignored it.

I continued the drills, adjusting my footing and correcting my posture when needed. I lost track of time. And I was only reminded of it when the others started arriving.

“Didn’t think you’d be this serious.”

I paused and turned slightly to see Drake walking toward me, his arms crossed, a faint smirk on his face.

“I’m not,” I said, rolling my shoulder once before resetting my stance. “Just bored.” I lied.

He let out a quiet laugh. “Right,” he said, closing his eye and scanning my posture.

“You’re leaning too much on your right side. If someone hits you there, you’re done.”

“I know,” I replied, rolling my eyes.

“Then fix it.”

“I am,” I replied stiffly.

He studied me for a second longer, then nodded toward the open space. “Spar with me.”

I looked around nervously. I was a bit hesitant.

“Relax, I'm just trying to help you; your arm still looks like it’s complaining,” he said, reaching for my arm.

“That’s because it is,” I replied, moving back.

“Then don’t get hit." He said.

I smiled at that, then we took positions a few feet apart. The rest of the warriors continued their routines, though I could tell some of them were watching now.

Drake moved first, and I stepped back, dodging. I quickly adjusted, keeping my weight more centred this time. His next move came quicker. I dodged it at first, but he followed with a low sweep.

I saw it late.

My balance shifted too far, and I landed flat on my butt

“Too slow,” he said, offering me his hand to get up.

“I know,” I said, taking his hand as we both took our stance.

This time, I knew to watch his shoulders, not his hands, so when he moved, I reacted earlier. And was able to block just attacks.

"You're creating too much space." He said as he closed the distance immediately, tapping my side hard enough to count as a hit.

“You create space, you also create openings,” he said.

"Again,” I said, determined to get it right.

We went on like that. I was getting frustrated; Drake seemed impossible to beat, but at atleast I was standing my ground this time.

Slowly, I got into the groove of things, and it was just instinct trying to catch up with thought.

Suddenly Drake closed in again, faster this time.

I moved without thinking struck. It was a reckless move, but it worked.

For a split second, I moved further into his guard instead of retreating from it. My uninjured arm came up, pushing against his shoulder, throwing off his balance just enough for him to end up on the fall.

Drake looked surprised, but stepped back, a small grin forming. “That was new,” he said.

“I didn’t plan it,” I said, smiling.

“Good. Planning gets you killed if you’re too slow. You need to move without overthinking things.”

I turned around, noticing a few of the others nearby had stopped what they were doing completely now.

I straightened slightly, catching my breath; my arm was throbbing harder than before.

“i hope you're not getting cocky. Again?” he asked.

I laughed and took my stance again.

Suddenly, the chatter around us died; a quiet change hung in the air.

I looked at Drake and noticed his attention had been diverted, too. I turned following the direction of his eyes.

Kole stood at the edge of the training grounds, responding to the quiet greetings of a couple of warriors.

He was dressed the same as always, his eyes turned to me, but he looked away quickly,

It annoyed me, and I turned back to Drake.

“Again,” I said.

He raised a brow, glancing once in Kole’s direction before focusing on me again. “You sure?” he asked.

“Yes,” I replied.

I knew now that kole was watching, Drake wasn't going to take it easily from me.

Everyone here wanted to impress him and prove they were capable of more.

But I decided to take the risk anyway.

Drake moved quickly and landed his first hit on my shoulder, sending a sharp pain through my body. I gritted my teeth quietly and moved back, taking my stance again.

Drake moved quickly again, but I was ready this time, not quick enough but not too late either. I didn’t retreat as much this time either. Once I saw a chance to take a hit, I took it and retreated quickly.

Yet Drake was a hard opponent to beat, especially now that he had something to prove.

He took a step to the left, acting like he was going to take a strike from there. I didn't fall for it, though.

When he moved to the right instead, I was ready and countered his movement. I blocked him and struck back.

He staggered back and landed on the ground, as the warriors watching gasped in shock.

I froze and looked at Drake. He was still on the ground, looking disappointed in himself, but he still gave me a nod.

“Better, I'm impressed, you...” he stopped talking and got up immediately.

“Stop,” a voice spoke from behind me.

I felt my blood turn cold, and turned. I recognised that voice, it was Kole's voice.

Drake stepped back without argument. He looked scared for me.

I turned to Kole; his gaze settled on me fully this time.

He stepped forward once, then stopped a few feet away.

“Take your stance,” he said.

I blinked, confused. “What?” I asked, even though I knew what he meant.

He didn’t repeat himself.

But I understood.

I shifted my stance again, facing Drake.

My pulse picked up, not just from fear, but from the sudden awareness that this wasn’t just training anymore, and the last time this happened, I landed in the clinic with a wound on my arm. i wasn't sure what to expect this time.

I took a deep breath, cleared my mind and took my stance. Kole was very skilled, and I knew the chances of even landing a single strike on him were going to be hard, nearly impossible even.

Yet I was determined to try. kole moved quickly, at a very different pace from Drake and the rest of the warriors, so it took a couple of mistakes that sent me falling on my feet to adjust completely.

I moved more easily this time, and soon I was almost keeping up with his pace. I wasn't fast enough to avoid everything, but enough to stay in it.

So when the opening came, I took it and moved quickly; it was almost luck, just like the same chance I had with Drake, so I knew exactly what to do to send him flying.

Kole fell back as the crowd gasped in shock. I had done something no one here had ever done: I had landed a strike on Kole, one strong enough to make him fall.

We both froze.

Kole stepped forward again, his attention still on me. He was close, and his expression didn’t give much away.

But there was something there. He looked at me with approval this time, not indifference. It was an assessment.

“You’re starting to think like a fighter, that's good,” he said.

I nodded calmly like his praise didn't matter to me, and straightened slightly, ignoring the way my arm throbbed.

He looked taken aback by my reaction for a second, like he had expected me to fall at his feet just because he offered me a few words of praise.

He looked at me like he was going to say something else, but changed his mind and turned his attention elsewhere as the moment had already passed.

I knew why he looked away; it wasn't just because of my behaviour. I felt it too, but I knew to ignore it this time.

I turned and walked towards the rest of the warriors. I took a seat beside Drake.

Drake smiled at me as I took my seat. “Well, that’s probably the closest thing to a compliment you’re getting. And you've successfully made yourself a walking legend here,” he said. Giving me a pat on my shoulder.

I smiled but didn’t respond.

For some reason, my focus moved naturally to where Kole had already moved on, speaking to one of the trainers like nothing had happened. Well, nothing had happened really.

"I'm tired." I said cracking my knuckles.

"Well, it's time for lunch break, so we can go to the dining hall." He suggested.

I nodded, and we both got up to leave.

As we walked away, I stared at kole for one last time, our eyes locked at that moment. Telling me all I needed to know.

He felt what I felt, and that was enough for me right now.