The moon illuminated the star spotted sky above as I gripped my blade and charged at my opponent with full force. He easily blocked my attack and I stared into his deep blue eyes as we locked blades.
He jumped backwards and ran at me with his blade glowing a deep purple that was almost black. I decided that I wouldn't be able to block it or counterattack so I swiftly sidestepped his blade, but he was quicker than I had anticipated and he ran his blade across my shoulder. I cried out in pain and crumpled to the floor. He brought his sword to my chest and it scraped against my armor.
Then he pulled away his blade and leaned over me worriedly.
"Are you alright, Olivia?"
"No." I groaned in annoyance. I couldn't believe I lost again.
He looked down at my bleeding shoulder.
"Sorry about that."
A faint light glowed around his hand as he gingerly touched the cut on my shoulder. I winced for a moment but then the pain evaporated and the gash disappeared.
"There."
He stretched out his hand to me and I took it and stood up.
"Thanks, Xander."
I started to slump over the the stairs, exhausted and ready to crash.
"Olivia." Xander bursted suddenly.
"Whaat?" I asked in impatience.
"Listen, Olivia, you need to get serious about this training."
Oh come on, did he have to do this right now? I was too exhausted to think about this at the moment.
"This isn't something you can just blow off, Olivia. You need to train so that you will be able to fight in the war."
The war. It seemed so foreign and distant. Inside these walls, I was safe from the war raging outside my window.
Really, I had no need to fight. If I had my memories, the memories of my childhood outside this fortress, then maybe. Maybe I would have some resolve to fight, some reason to take the lives of others, some need to fight in the war.
But I didn't, I had no memories of my life outside the Northern Fortress, of my mother or anything like that. No memories of the horrible things the Hoshidans have done. Which is why I don't want to fight. I can't just automatically hate an entire kingdom just because someone told me to. Which was why I wasn't ever serious about training, because I didn't want to fight people. I didn't want to hurt anyone.
"Olivia, are you even listening to me?!" Xander snapped.
"Yeah okay whatever." and I rushed down the stairs and away from my brother as fast as I could.
I dragged myself down the hallway to my bedroom. The doors opened as soon as I got to them and behind them stood my maid, Flora.
"Welcome back, milady." She greeted me cheerily.
"Thanks." I said and walked past her.
My room was lavishly decorated with smooth stone walls and velvet carpeting. I collapsed onto my large, soft bed.
"How did it go?" She asked curiously.
"Uuugh." I moaned.
"I take it didn't go so well."
"I just can't believe I lost again." I wined. "I've been training forever but I just can't beat him! He always lectures me about staying on top of my training and whatever. It's so annoying!"
Flora said nothing but busied herself with dusting the shelves and tables. Tirely, I rolled over onto my back. Suddenly, Xander's words rang through my head.
"You need to get serious about this, it isn't something you can just blow off."
Well, whatever. Like I care. And with that, I drifted into sleep.