Nyx
[Monday, Dreyrune 15, 4310]
—Ajei Family Training Hall—
This is not working. Why does my body keep having Bambi moments? It's like I can't control my own arms and legs!
I just can't seem to get used to my enhanced senses and body. After leveling up and reaching an 80% soul-to-body sync ratio, I'd actually exceeded Grey's physical capabilities. Now I have to figure out how to actually use this body effectively.
Looking at the man standing patiently across from me in a ready position, I wasn't sure how I wanted to attack him. I feel like I'm in a Street Fighter game, and I don't have a clue which combo to spam on my glitchy controller.
I rolled my shoulders once, then again, loosening my muscles, hoping I wouldn't trip over my own feet. Again.
Elias watched me silently. After a full minute of me planning my strategy, Elias shifted from his ready position to standing with his arms crossed.
"You're overthinking. Again." His amused tone irritated me deeply, but I breathed through it. At this point, I was used to his teaching method of irritating me until I moved the way he wanted.
What annoyed me most was how well it worked. Lux and Keir ignored my complaints, saying that when they sparred with me, I was continuously improving at an exceptional rate. So obviously, Elias was earning his trainer salary well.
I completely ignored their not-so-subtle inquiries about if Elias or I have made any moves towards getting together. I taught myself a new tempest inscription casting that day. I chased them with a lightning whip until they fought back and tickled me into submission. We were currently in a ceasefire as long as they didn't bring up my love life.
A small stone came whizzing towards my face. I instinctively dodged to the side. Elias's raised eyebrows reminded me he had called me out for taking too long to strategize my next move.
"I'm not overthinking. I'm thinking just enough," I shot back.
He tilted his head, unimpressed. "You are thinking too much. In a real confrontation, you will have to move on instinct. Which we have been training into you. If a situation escalates to the point you have to fight, your opponents will not give you time to figure out how you want to fight them."
He paused to playfully tap his chin. "Though should you find someone giving you that time, then it's a trap, and you have a completely different problem."
His logic was, of course, sound. Every session with him taught me more than just how to fight. He also gave me insight into what I should expect in the field. When I asked, he confirmed he had never been a Sentinel, but in his previous division, he'd operated in a similar capacity. "Come on, Nyx. Let's do this. Time to test what you have learned."
I exhaled sharply through my nose. Focus. Don't overdo it, but don't hold back too much either. I got this. "Nyx." I blinked. I hadn't seen him move, but somehow the distance between us felt smaller.
"Move. Now. Or I'm going to move."
"Hold your horses. I need to get my mind right." I scowled, shaking out my arms and hands. "I have my doubts about the rightness of your mind, so it might be best for you to just make a move." His smirk grew to the point it tugged his mouth almost into a full smile.
I ignored his jab, then shifted my stance, grounded my weight through my feet the way Azrail had drilled into me. Hands up. Core tight. Eyes locked.
Elias didn't mirror me. He just stood there, arms crossed. "I'm ready if you are," he said lightly. That was all the invitation I needed.
I moved fast.
Too fast.
I closed the distance in a blink, fist snapping forward toward his ribs. Before my punch could land, he caught my wrist like I'd handed it to him. "Control your speed and timing. You slowed down to the point I could see your punch coming with plenty of time to counter it."
He twisted my wrist. I pivoted, trying to redirect my momentum, but my balance lagged half a beat behind my strength.
My foot slipped just enough for me to end up flat on my back. I landed hard enough for the air to be knocked out of my lungs. I sucked in a breath, rolled immediately to my side before he could pin me. He didn't follow me down. Instead, he retreated.
"Again." He was already in a ready fighting position.
I pushed myself back onto my feet. Learn and reset. Don't rush. I moved slower with intention this time.
Left feint.
Right strike.
Knee to gut.
Sweep.
Uppercut.
He blocked everything I threw at him effortlessly. "You're still overthinking. Get out of your own way." I ignored his words and focused on landing a hit.
Reset. I got the stamina to keep going. Let's try plan C.
Mid-kick.
Right feint.
Left strike.
Right strike.
"You're hesitating. This fast then slow thing you are doing isn't flowing. Just move, Nyx."
Before I could register his movement, he was stepping in fast. By the time I registered, he wasn't at a distance; his hand caught my shoulder, turned my body, and suddenly I was off-center again.
I tried to compensate. I attempted to throw a knee up toward his side, but then he shifted just enough that it grazed instead of landing.
"You have to do better than this if you ever want to actually land a hit on anyone decently competent, let alone me." He whispered to me before he swept my leg, and I hit the ground. Again.
Frustration flared hot in my chest. I did not stay on the ground. I pushed myself up so hard and fast that I practically flew back into a fighting stance. "Again." I said as I began this round.
I instinctively attacked faster and stronger. I no longer held back. I let my body move in the rhythm of its choosing.
My fist cut through the air with enough force to crack bone. He barely dodged in time. I didn't let up after the first strike.
Right strike.
Pivot.
Low sweep.
He blocked, then redirected my attacks like everything was completely within his control. No matter what move I made, he did not falter.
This feels like I'm throwing myself at something immovable. I wiped the sweat from my brow and eyes. I tugged a sweatband from my storage ring, slipped it on, then shifted my angles and rhythm.
I tried to outpace him, but he kept proving only one of us was being worn down. It wasn't him. "Do you need to take a break?" he asked, holding up a hand for me to pause.
I quickly checked my condition, then shook my head, no.
Elias looked at me deeply before shrugging. When he made a come-on gesture, I felt my irritation surge again, and I lunged. This time, he didn't block. Instead, he stepped inside my guard. When his hand came up—sharp, controlled pain exploded along my ribs.
I sucked in a breath, slowly dropping to one knee. I gritted my teeth as the ache spread outward. It took a moment to realize he wasn't following through. He was at a distance again, watching me keenly. "Do you need healing?" he asked quietly and with what I would almost swear was guilt.
Why would he be feeling guilty? Was he feeling guilty for actually hitting me with real force? I shook the ridiculous thought away.
"Did you pull that?" I asked, my voice tight. "Of course. My tier is significantly higher than yours. From now on, I will hit with enough force that you will have to put more effort into these lessons. Now, do you require a moment to heal, or are you ready for our next round?"
I stood up straight as I could while casting the healing spell Lux had taught me—"Ilya'reen" (heal). Now restored to a fighting-ready state, instead of resuming my fighting stance, I mirrored his posture. I glared up at him. He met my glare calmly.
His arms behind his back relaxed, but I knew he wasn't so relaxed that he wasn't aware of my every movement and breath.
The silent stillness between us was broken when Elias spoke up. His blank expression had softened, which made me reflexively relax too, but I stayed wary that he might pull some kind of trick.
"You're trying to control your strength like a switch that can be adjusted when you actually need to relax and remember the katas you have been training in. If you keep pushing without actually listening to your body, your body will keep acting outside your control."
I heard his advice, but I still couldn't connect it logically.
"Listen to your body. It will move as it should, when it should. You are a natural. You just have to trust in your own innate ability. Now move." Elias was once more expressionless and spar-ready.
I sensed it in his aura of intent. Instead of planning, I followed his lead. I met his intent with my own. This time, I didn't rush. I did as he said and moved as my body wished to move—not with force, but with intent.
My hand snapped forward, and he blocked. I didn't fight it; instead, I let it redirect me. Turning with the redirect, my other hand came up, but he caught that too.
That's fine. Just keep moving. One step at a time. I'm finding my rhythm. I'll make him move to my rhythm, not his. I didn't resist him.
Instead, I shifted and used the point of contact to drop my weight. With a pivot, my shoulder drove into his center, making him stumble. It was only by a fraction, but I finally made him move like I wanted.
I didn't contain my grin when his eyes sharpened. In that same moment, I pressed my momentum.
Strike to the face.
Redirect his block.
Shift away from his strike.
Flow with him instead of against him. I stopped trying to win against this infuriating man. I stopped trying to come up with the perfect strategy. I simply let myself follow the rhythm of our spar.
With this shift in perspective, instinct and intention finally wove together into something that could elevate my inexperience into something capable of evolving my fighting style further.
It's all coming together. All my training is coming together instead of just being random pieces of knowledge. My next strike landed. I hadn't expected it to, so the impact was light, but still, I finally connected.
Elias stilled for a moment, making the room follow. I immediately flowed away from him. I sensed the shift before it came.
With a mildly excited smile, for the first time in a spar with me, Elias moved with serious intent.
He bowed his head, then assumed his true fighting stance. He went on the attack, putting me on the defense.
His strikes came faster and sharper. I literally could not afford to think about my next move. I only had time to endure his testing to the best of my ability.
I blocked one move only to miss the next one. I paid for that slip in my guard. Pain snapped across my shoulder as his hand struck, but I focused on twisting with it to barely counter his next move.
He wasn't backing off anymore. This man has turned this spar from easy mode to normal mode in a blink. The rhythm I barely created was being overwritten by him. So this is what an elite in our paramilitary can do. I'm impressed, but I won't tell him in case he really begins to think I like him like that or something.
We continued moving and flowing together in this spar that also felt like a dance. I gave into my instincts even more. Little by little, I moved faster, getting in a few close, precise hits.
My hits were growing in strength. Elias met me at each increment. He was holding back less and less as I went harder, faster, stronger. As I pushed, he pulled. I felt it—the edge of an epiphany.