Len POV
"Again."
Wiping the sweat from his brow, Len stood up and faced his opponent, sword just barely lifted off the ground due to his exhaustion.
Looking up, Len's golden eyes met bright green ones encouraging him to keep fighting despite the harsh discouragement of their trainer standing at the edge of the arena.
Len raised his sword towards his opponent. I need to get strong to protect her. To see her again. With his motivation in mind, Len rushed at his opponent.
The changing of metal could be heard as Len viciously attacked him with a new energy.
Thrust.
Parry.
Upward slice.
Duck.
Feint left.
Stab to the right.
Blue eyes widened. Looking down both boys saw the golden haired boy's sword sticking into his opponent's abdomen.
"Good job, Len." The trainer complimented him as he approached them. Whistling to the medics, he separated them leaving the practice sword sticking into the stomach of the blue eyed boy.
Horrified at the sigh of his friend with his own sword sticking out, Len stammered out an apology, "Riku… I-I'm sorry."
Smack!
Len fell to the ground, face throbbing in pain. Glancing up, he saw his trainer, Jugo, glaring at him with anger written all over his face.
"Do not apologize. You were stronger. You won. If he had threatened your queen, you would have succeeded your purpose in life. Those who oppose your queen deserve no mercy and no sympathy."
"Hai, Jugo-sensei." Len conceded, dull golden eyes downcast.
"Good. Now go clean yourself up. As the queen's personal guard you must always look presentable."
Len left the room missing the sympathetic glance his blue-eyed friend gave him. Riku knew his fate. He just hoped Len would be strong enough to bear it.