Author's Preface
The next day, Ryan walked through the doors to the training grounds. In the middle of the grounds, Harken stood with his hands on his hips.
"Took you long enough. I called for you before the sun even graced us with its presence."
"Yeah, that's the problem. Who even wakes someone up at that ungodly time? Seriously."
"My sister has finished the drawing. She should be here any moment."
Ryan walked over and stood next to Harken. "Well, then that's the best reason possible to wake me up early."
Harken smacked the back of his head. "She is still my sister."
Ryan chuckled. "You can't deny fate, my friend."
"No, but I can kill it." Harken slammed his spear into the ground.
"Okay, damn, chill."
Harken laughed as Isla walked into the training grounds, unraveled a scroll, and placed rocks down on the edges. She took a step back. "I did the best I could. It's no wonder no one could ever master it. It is more attuned to the way a dancer moves on a stage than a swordsman moving through enemies."
She placed her hands on her hips as Ryan walked next to her and glanced at the drawings. "Wow, you're very talented. Is there anything you can't do?"
Isla blushed as Harken shook his head and sighed. "Since I am not much of a dancer, I will leave you two to it. Just keep your filthy paw off my sister."
Ryan turned his head and smiled under his mask. "I swear it."
Harken walked out as Isla walked over to the weapon rack and grabbed two swords. "I am going to demonstrate this. Swords really aren't my style. I use a whip with blades attached to it. But watch my feet and the way each strike leads into the next."
Ryan watched as Isla began to dance around the arena, both swords slicing through the air. Her footwork was immaculate. Each step gracefully led to the next, then the next, ending with Isla leaping into the air and spinning as both blades cut through the air like a beautiful tornado. She landed in front of Ryan.
"So?"
"So, I think, umm... you're even more amazing than I first gave you credit for."
Isla chuckled, and her gaze met a pair of eyes peeking through the training ground doors. She threw a sword as it zipped past Ryan's head and stuck into the doors just inches from the pair of eyes. The training ground doors slammed shut immediately.
Harken stood on the other side, breathing hard. "Shit, she caught me."
Ryan started to turn toward the doors when Isla grabbed him. "Don't concern yourself with that. Now, without swords, try and mimic with just your feet what you just saw."
Isla watched as Ryan began to attempt to mimic her movements. Ryan moved, sliding his right foot back, then brought it around in a smooth circular motion. He brought his left foot forward, and as he did, his left foot clipped his right foot and he stumbled forward.
"Again, from the top."
Ryan reset. Same motion. Right foot back, circle around to the front, left foot in front of his right. He tripped again.
Isla started laughing. "Wow, umm, you're so uncoordinated." She walked up behind him and placed her hands on Ryan's hips.
"Oh, thank God for this mask." Ryan thought to himself.
"You're too concerned with your legs and feet." She kicked the back of Ryan's knees. "And you're so stiff. Loosen your legs and concentrate on your hips. The power for each strike comes from the rotations." She twisted Ryan's hips left and right. "Your hips aren't separate from your legs, old man."
Ryan's head spun as he took off his mask. "I'm not that fucking old."
Isla blushed again and smiled. "So you aren't, but you dance like you are." She stepped back. "Now do it again and relax."
Isla watched as Ryan continued to stumble through the steps all the way into mid-afternoon. By the time Ryan was fed up, Isla was sitting on the ground, leaned back against the wall. Ryan stood in the middle of the training grounds. He looked back at the marks left in the ground from the movements he had been doing for hours. "Maybe I just give up and find some other sword style to utilize. This is pissing me off."
Isla stood. "Bullshit you are. I spent almost two days nonstop drawing this out, trying to get it right. I didn't do that for you to just quit."
She walked up to Ryan, grabbed his hand, and put her other hand on his hip. Ryan blushed this time.
"Now isn't the time for this." He smiled.
Isla shook her head. "Oh, well, you won't even have a shot if you can't even get this down."
"So you're saying there's a chance?"
Isla shrugged her shoulders and smiled. Before another word was said, she let go of Ryan's hand, grabbed the sword at her hip, and flung it toward the training ground doors. Ryan turned just in time for the doors to slam shut right before the sword lodged itself in them.
"My brother still treats me like I'm some adolescent. So annoying." She grabbed Ryan's hand again. "Now, follow me. I will guide you slowly through the steps. Keep your knees bent, your hips loose."
The two spent the next few hours, until the sun was about to set, going through the moves. Little by little, Ryan began to feel how each movement flowed into the next as Isla led him through the steps.
Isla stopped. "You've suddenly gotten much better. I'd say you're more than halfway through the steps now."
"I have a great teacher." Ryan took a step back and sat down against the wall behind him. He opened his water gourd and took a drink.
Isla suddenly took out a long black whip. Red blades ran down each side of it. She began to twirl it around her, each blade coming within inches of her own body. She flipped backward and cracked the whip. It wrapped around a training dummy's neck, and she jerked as the head popped off. She began dancing around the arena, cracking her whip between each movement.
Ryan stared in awe until a hand landed on his shoulder. Harken sighed and took a seat next to him. "I never wanted her to become a warrior. She danced since we were kids. Our parents died in a dungeon a decade ago. That day was the day I lost my innocent sister, and she decided to become a warrior. Now look at her."
"Yeah, look at her. I don't think she needs your protection anymore, though. I'd be afraid to fight her."
Harken smiled. "She is all I have left for a family. She's stubborn, strong-willed, and innocent." Harken looked at Ryan. "She doesn't need to be involved in the chaos of this world."
Ryan frowned. "I understand that more than you know. At what point do her own wishes come into play?"
"If I can help it, after peace comes to these lands. Only then."
"So never."
Harken slapped Ryan on the back. "Now you're getting it."
Harken stood, hopped over the wall, and walked back through the training ground doors. Isla walked up to Ryan, out of breath.
"What did my brother want?"
"Nothing, just asking about my progress and keeping me up to date with the Beastkin movements."
Isla wiped her forehead. "Okay, well, I'm starving. Care to join me for dinner and a drink?"
Ryan looked back at the training ground doors that Harken had just slammed shut. He looked back at Isla.
"I would love to."
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