Chapter 6 - Training Begins
"So you're going to stay here for a while?" I was asked by the leader of the village who had read my mind earlier.
"Yeah, I think so. it's probably the best chance I have of getting back home."
"You shouldn't worry so much, you'll make it back someday. Your heart is pure and your thoughts are as clear as they could be for a boy of your age. You'll be fine, no doubt."
I didn't believe this at all, but I wasn't going to debate what the lady was saying to me. It wouldn't have done any good, so I just smiled shyly at her. She nodded, as if she acknowledged every point that I was thinking. Jessie walked up to my side.
"You're going to start your training right now Rylian. We have two hours before we eat, so you'll be able to get in over four days of training beforehand."
I looked her in the face.
"How exactly am I going to receive four days of training in the space of two hours?"
"Well, you experienced Jaria's power earlier, when she read your mind. She has the ability to slow down the flow of time within people, and send them to a different plain, somewhere that training can be adjusted to the needs of the warrior. You'll be surprised what four days of sparring with me will do for you."
I looked to the old woman. Her name was Jaria then. I hadn't been told before. I looked back towards Jessie.
"You'll be coming with me?"
"Of course. I'll keep you on your toes, no worries. Are you ready Jaria?"
Jaria nodded to give her approval, and she gestured for both of us to walk towards her. Her hands were in the air, and I could sense some type of energy emanating from her body, something strange that I had never felt before. Jessie placed her hand upon Jaria's shoulder, and I was told to do the same, expect on the other shoulder. As soon as I placed my hand upon the body of this woman, I felt a shudder which sent an unearthly chill right through my body. Jaria looked up at me, and I spotted a look in her eyes, not one of happiness, but one of immense fear, and it looked as if it was directed upon me. Before I could ask any questions, my body left where I was standing, and I was sent to yet another place, somewhere that I would suffer for the next four days of my life.
**************************************
I woke up to find that Jessie was sitting hunched beside me. I got to my feet, and there was no reaction from her, and I started to worry that something was wrong. I didn't say anything, but made movements in her direction to try and get some sort of response. Eventually she turned around, and I was surprised to see that she was sweating, and that her face had turned to scarlet red. She looked very bemused.
"Rylian. are you sure that you've never had anything to do with Kefka's people? I mean anything at all?"
I was very surprised to hear her ask that.
"Not a thing, but I told you that already. why do you ask?"
"No, it's ok. don't worry about it, we have to get to work."
She got to her feet and I decided to ask her something else that was bothering me.
"Jessie?"
"Hmm?"
"Did you see the look on Jaria's face when I touched her? It was like she was afraid or something. Did you notice that?"
"No, I didn't notice a thing. it was probably just the exchange, it takes quite a lot of power to perform this task."
I look around the landscape, which was completely barren. There was no civilisation in sight at all. The sky sat dark in the air, and the cold ran ragged around my body. I shivered as I felt the cold all around me. Jessie walked away, and stopped about ten meters in front of me. She was ready to get started, so I pulled out my dagger and positioned myself. She prepared herself to take out her weapon, but then her body loosened, and she shook herself.
"The first lesson that will be taught is estimation. We are going to simply fight. You will use the dagger, and I will use my own hands and the rest of my body."
I was surprised, but I knew that this girl wasn't anything to be trifled with. After all, Karon had easily overpowered me earlier, and Jessie was most likely stronger than her. However, I'd be ready this time. She wasn't going to get the better of me. I clutched the dagger as tightly as I could in my hand, and prepared myself.
"Are you ready Rylian?" she said. And with that, she started to sprint towards me at great speed. She was running as fast as I had seen anyone move before, and the dust covered the ground behind her as she gained momentum. I raised my dagger, and pulled it around my body, waiting for the opportunity to strike. My senses now were filled with the adrenaline of the experience, and I never in my wildest dreams expected what was about to happen. My hand flew forward in a stabbing motion, and I thought that I had beaten my assailant when.
"What the.?! She. vanished.!"
I was completely dumbfounded. She was gone, no sign of her anywhere, and I was struck with terror. My body went from being sturdy and ready for battle, to a complete emotional wreck. I looked around me frantically, to see if there was anyone there, anyone at all. Where the hell had Jessie gone to?! How could she have disappeared? That was impossible. No-one could disappear, could they?
"Show yourself! Where the hell are you?!"
I heard the faintest patter of feet against the ground behind me, and I turned around as swiftly as I could have done. I spotted a faint light for a split second, but it disappeared, and I was alone again. Suddenly I felt a presence behind me, where I had just been facing.
"I'm right here, what's the panic Rylian?"
I swung around again, in a complete rage now, but Jessie again disappeared from sight, landing to my right hand side now. I swung and swung with all the speed and strength that I could pull together, but she was able to read my attacks with ease. It was as if I was fighting with my own shadow. If I swung left, she landed to the right. If I swung up, she went down. I couldn't fool her in any way. Finally she landed behind, and as I twisted around she didn't disappear, but dodged below the force of the blade which I wielded in my hand. She grabbed my arm with her left hand, and with full force punched me square in the stomach. I felt as if I had been hit by a bus, the force was so severe. Then, as I fell to my knees Jessie twisted right around and I felt her foot connect with my face. The distance I flew I simply can't remember, but it must have been around fifty meters at the very least. I almost passed out with the pain, but I just wasn't going to give up. I had to do this. Other people had gone through worse without a doubt. At least I thought so.
"Come on Rylian, get up. We don't have all day."
I gritted my teeth and got to my feet. I was in pain, but I had enough energy to hold myself up.
".How the. fuck. did you do that.?" My body was starting to really feel the pain now, and it was getting me angry.
"Do what exactly? What did you see me do Rylian?"
I wasn't amused. It seemed like a very stupid question.
"You disappeared." I replied with some difficulty.
"You think? I have news for you Rylian, I didn't disappear at all."
I almost laughed at such a thing. She had disappeared before my very eyes, I saw her do it!
"Of. course you did. I saw you do. it."
"You want to know something? That was pure speed. It was no trick. I simply moved around you so fast that your eyes weren't able to follow the movement. What do you think of that? Huh?"
I wasn't going to believe such a thing in a hurry. No-one was that fast. How could anyone be capable of moving at such a speed? If what she said was true then she was able to move faster than the speed of light. How could that be possible?
"I.think you're full of it." I said to her, grimacing under the pain as I stood on my feet. I decided to make the first move this time, and mustering all my strength I started to run towards Jessie herself. I spotted her grin, and my anger increased. I felt my speed increasing as I got closer to her, and something clicked for a split second. It was all it lasted, but that fraction of time was enough. I had no idea at the time, but I found myself right behind Jessie. What the hell had happened? No idea existed in my head, but it hardly took me anytime to shake off the confusion. I thrust the blade towards her back, and pushed it right through her body. The scream I heard was the first pain I had caused anyone, and I fell backwards onto the ground in shock. Jessie stood for a minute, and then lurched around to face me. The look that I saw was similar to that of Jaria's before Jessie and I came to this place. One of pure terror.
"So you're going to stay here for a while?" I was asked by the leader of the village who had read my mind earlier.
"Yeah, I think so. it's probably the best chance I have of getting back home."
"You shouldn't worry so much, you'll make it back someday. Your heart is pure and your thoughts are as clear as they could be for a boy of your age. You'll be fine, no doubt."
I didn't believe this at all, but I wasn't going to debate what the lady was saying to me. It wouldn't have done any good, so I just smiled shyly at her. She nodded, as if she acknowledged every point that I was thinking. Jessie walked up to my side.
"You're going to start your training right now Rylian. We have two hours before we eat, so you'll be able to get in over four days of training beforehand."
I looked her in the face.
"How exactly am I going to receive four days of training in the space of two hours?"
"Well, you experienced Jaria's power earlier, when she read your mind. She has the ability to slow down the flow of time within people, and send them to a different plain, somewhere that training can be adjusted to the needs of the warrior. You'll be surprised what four days of sparring with me will do for you."
I looked to the old woman. Her name was Jaria then. I hadn't been told before. I looked back towards Jessie.
"You'll be coming with me?"
"Of course. I'll keep you on your toes, no worries. Are you ready Jaria?"
Jaria nodded to give her approval, and she gestured for both of us to walk towards her. Her hands were in the air, and I could sense some type of energy emanating from her body, something strange that I had never felt before. Jessie placed her hand upon Jaria's shoulder, and I was told to do the same, expect on the other shoulder. As soon as I placed my hand upon the body of this woman, I felt a shudder which sent an unearthly chill right through my body. Jaria looked up at me, and I spotted a look in her eyes, not one of happiness, but one of immense fear, and it looked as if it was directed upon me. Before I could ask any questions, my body left where I was standing, and I was sent to yet another place, somewhere that I would suffer for the next four days of my life.
**************************************
I woke up to find that Jessie was sitting hunched beside me. I got to my feet, and there was no reaction from her, and I started to worry that something was wrong. I didn't say anything, but made movements in her direction to try and get some sort of response. Eventually she turned around, and I was surprised to see that she was sweating, and that her face had turned to scarlet red. She looked very bemused.
"Rylian. are you sure that you've never had anything to do with Kefka's people? I mean anything at all?"
I was very surprised to hear her ask that.
"Not a thing, but I told you that already. why do you ask?"
"No, it's ok. don't worry about it, we have to get to work."
She got to her feet and I decided to ask her something else that was bothering me.
"Jessie?"
"Hmm?"
"Did you see the look on Jaria's face when I touched her? It was like she was afraid or something. Did you notice that?"
"No, I didn't notice a thing. it was probably just the exchange, it takes quite a lot of power to perform this task."
I look around the landscape, which was completely barren. There was no civilisation in sight at all. The sky sat dark in the air, and the cold ran ragged around my body. I shivered as I felt the cold all around me. Jessie walked away, and stopped about ten meters in front of me. She was ready to get started, so I pulled out my dagger and positioned myself. She prepared herself to take out her weapon, but then her body loosened, and she shook herself.
"The first lesson that will be taught is estimation. We are going to simply fight. You will use the dagger, and I will use my own hands and the rest of my body."
I was surprised, but I knew that this girl wasn't anything to be trifled with. After all, Karon had easily overpowered me earlier, and Jessie was most likely stronger than her. However, I'd be ready this time. She wasn't going to get the better of me. I clutched the dagger as tightly as I could in my hand, and prepared myself.
"Are you ready Rylian?" she said. And with that, she started to sprint towards me at great speed. She was running as fast as I had seen anyone move before, and the dust covered the ground behind her as she gained momentum. I raised my dagger, and pulled it around my body, waiting for the opportunity to strike. My senses now were filled with the adrenaline of the experience, and I never in my wildest dreams expected what was about to happen. My hand flew forward in a stabbing motion, and I thought that I had beaten my assailant when.
"What the.?! She. vanished.!"
I was completely dumbfounded. She was gone, no sign of her anywhere, and I was struck with terror. My body went from being sturdy and ready for battle, to a complete emotional wreck. I looked around me frantically, to see if there was anyone there, anyone at all. Where the hell had Jessie gone to?! How could she have disappeared? That was impossible. No-one could disappear, could they?
"Show yourself! Where the hell are you?!"
I heard the faintest patter of feet against the ground behind me, and I turned around as swiftly as I could have done. I spotted a faint light for a split second, but it disappeared, and I was alone again. Suddenly I felt a presence behind me, where I had just been facing.
"I'm right here, what's the panic Rylian?"
I swung around again, in a complete rage now, but Jessie again disappeared from sight, landing to my right hand side now. I swung and swung with all the speed and strength that I could pull together, but she was able to read my attacks with ease. It was as if I was fighting with my own shadow. If I swung left, she landed to the right. If I swung up, she went down. I couldn't fool her in any way. Finally she landed behind, and as I twisted around she didn't disappear, but dodged below the force of the blade which I wielded in my hand. She grabbed my arm with her left hand, and with full force punched me square in the stomach. I felt as if I had been hit by a bus, the force was so severe. Then, as I fell to my knees Jessie twisted right around and I felt her foot connect with my face. The distance I flew I simply can't remember, but it must have been around fifty meters at the very least. I almost passed out with the pain, but I just wasn't going to give up. I had to do this. Other people had gone through worse without a doubt. At least I thought so.
"Come on Rylian, get up. We don't have all day."
I gritted my teeth and got to my feet. I was in pain, but I had enough energy to hold myself up.
".How the. fuck. did you do that.?" My body was starting to really feel the pain now, and it was getting me angry.
"Do what exactly? What did you see me do Rylian?"
I wasn't amused. It seemed like a very stupid question.
"You disappeared." I replied with some difficulty.
"You think? I have news for you Rylian, I didn't disappear at all."
I almost laughed at such a thing. She had disappeared before my very eyes, I saw her do it!
"Of. course you did. I saw you do. it."
"You want to know something? That was pure speed. It was no trick. I simply moved around you so fast that your eyes weren't able to follow the movement. What do you think of that? Huh?"
I wasn't going to believe such a thing in a hurry. No-one was that fast. How could anyone be capable of moving at such a speed? If what she said was true then she was able to move faster than the speed of light. How could that be possible?
"I.think you're full of it." I said to her, grimacing under the pain as I stood on my feet. I decided to make the first move this time, and mustering all my strength I started to run towards Jessie herself. I spotted her grin, and my anger increased. I felt my speed increasing as I got closer to her, and something clicked for a split second. It was all it lasted, but that fraction of time was enough. I had no idea at the time, but I found myself right behind Jessie. What the hell had happened? No idea existed in my head, but it hardly took me anytime to shake off the confusion. I thrust the blade towards her back, and pushed it right through her body. The scream I heard was the first pain I had caused anyone, and I fell backwards onto the ground in shock. Jessie stood for a minute, and then lurched around to face me. The look that I saw was similar to that of Jaria's before Jessie and I came to this place. One of pure terror.
