An Adventurers Apprentice

The training grounds were sparse with equipment, various qualities of targets, weights, and wooden weapons were arranged around a large practice area. It was fenced in with a guard at the entrance, and a few participants going through combat and exercise drills in tandem. Robina's presence brought on a few stares, her vibrant red hair always got her a lot of attention back at school. Kennedy spoke with the guard at the gate, after having asked Robina to wait for him a few paces back. He turned to her, signalling her to come over and then walked past the guard.

She followed, the guard gave her a suspicious look as she passed by them. The silent judgment was familiar to her, so she just shrugged it off. As they approached the training area, Kennedy walked towards the practice weapon. He selected two wooden swords and tossed one to her, catching Robina by surprise. “H-hey!” she complained as she fumbled the catch, “Give me some warning!”

Kennedy chuckled and walked to an open area, “I want you to show me what you can do with that, take a couple swings so I can see your form.” Waving his hand at her, as if to tell her to hurry along.

‘Great… a sword? Yesterday was my first time swinging one… ugh’ She didn’t know a better stance, so she took on the only one she really knew… Robina held the weapon in both hands like a baseball bat, and took several big swings. “That good enough? Or what?” Her form was fine, great even, for a batter.

Kennedy looked at her with wide eyes, mouth nearly agape at the way she handled the sword. “Well… you’ve got a strong swing. But that’s not a club, lass. Your footing isn’t right for this weapon, and your swings are a bit too strong if you’re gonna have followup.” He took on a proper stance, “try more like this!” He demonstrated a swift slashing combo, with graceful technique. Guiding the blade through the air as if it was an extension of his own body.

Robina rolled her eyes, “yeah sure, lemme do exactly that…” She dropped down into the stance, and began swinging her sword. “W-What the?!” she couldn’t believe it, somehow she’d been able to copy his movements to a ‘t’ surprising both of them in the process.

“H-how? Were you just pull’n my leg?” Kennedy couldn’t hide the shock in his voice, “well try this then” he showed her another combo, but this time it was more complicated as if he was challenging her to fail.

Robina deftly copied his techniques again, this time drawing a small crowd. “I… I guess I’m a fast learner?” Robina chortled.

Kennedy pointed his sword at her, “Well, why don’t you try against me?” his eyes were serious. ‘She’s a strange one… How was she able to copy my movements so quickly?’

“Whoa, whoa! Don’t you think that’s like too soon? You want me to just swing at you?” Shaking her head, she looked at him with surprise. But his gaze didn’t waver, he simply nodded. “Oh, so you really are serious then?” She readied herself, and then charged forward.

Her weapon connected with Kennedy’s, and in one swift motion she found herself flat on her back facing up at his outstretched hand. The spectacle drew a bit of laughter from the small crowd before they disbursed. “Oh, sorry about that lass. You alright, Robina?”

She grimaced at him with a pained and annoyed look, and picked herself up off the ground. ‘I don’t know how I was able to copy his moves but after seeing them I just felt that I could… that hurt though.’ she grumbled to herself, “I blame you Chronoa!”

Withdrawing his hand, Kennedy pulled a hand to his chin “...Do you know what your Psyki abilities are, lass?”

His question made Robina raise an eyebrow and shrug at him, “Psyki abilities? What are you talking about?” she crossed her arms, expectantly waiting for an answer.

“Well, you’ve a lot to learn then.” he cleared his throat, “Ahem. Psyki is the fundamental source of energy that gives living things movement, and some of those living things are able to wield that energy as unique powers. Psyki can also be used to enhance your body, and mind. I’m surprised you didn’t know that… Poor lass, you’ve been kept in the dark.”

“Yeah… my parents weren’t around much. So, how am I supposed to use these ‘abilities’?” she stared at him with a deadpan look.

“They respond to your will, or a need. You don’t want to over do it, it’ll make you tired if you burn too much of your reserves. I reckon you already used them but didn’t realize it.” Kennedy pulled out his real sword, “For you to have taken down that Eloko, you would’ve had to use at least this much.” His blade began to glow with a red aura, “Eloko can’t be cut by a regular attack, Robina. You have to use Psyki to reinforce your weapon to harm them, so you must have done this.”

“That light!” Robina was astounded by the supernatural display, and then she remembered. ‘There was a light when I struck down that monster, was it like this?!’ She looked at her own weapon, and concentrated. ‘Responds to my will?...’ Closing her eyes she thought back to that moment when she swung the sword at the Eloko. In her mind she could picture its sickly green skin, and the smell of moldy earth and rot. All of her hairs stood on end as a cold chill crawled down her spine as she felt a pulsating energy work its way to her hands. Sweat beaded on her brow, and she yelled! “STAY…ALIVE!” The wooden weapon began to glow in her hands, but it quickly burst into splinters startling Robina in the process. “Eek!”

Kennedy looked surprised briefly before breaking into laughter, much to the chagrin of Robina. “Ha ha!” He slapped his knee, “I’m sorry! That gets me every time! As you can see, wooden weapons can't handle Psyki!”

Robina threw the remains of the handle to the ground in frustration, “You should have told me, JERK!!” she wasn’t amused by his little surprise.

He apologized again before continuing to show her attack and defense techniques, which she replicated with near mastery. Kennedy abruptly stopped when it was nearly noon, “Let’s hold here then. You’ve learned enough to protect yourself, I reckon. We’ve got a bit of work needs doing.” He stowed away the training equipment, and the serious look returned to his face. “Listen, taking down a stray is impressive… however, if they have the numbers they’re as great a threat as any.” He looked Robina sternly in the eyes, “Do you have the resolve?”

Robina gripped the sword at her side, ‘This is my life now isn’t it…’ memories of her past escape attempts flooded her mind. The freedom she so desperately wanted was violently thrust upon her, with no means of recourse besides what she could manage with her own hands. Her face filled with determination, “Bet!”