When Alina and Aleksander returned to the little palace, he left her in the care of Marie. Her first lesson in combat training was in a few minutes and she was nervous. She had never fought in her entire life and compared to everyone else here, she was going to be rubbish.
"Don't worry too much, Botkin is an excellent teacher, a little strange but really good" Marie reassured but Alina still had the nerves deep in the pit of her stomach. She wished she could just run back to her beautiful suite and sink back into that bed of hers. She didn't want to show up a fool in front of the other Grisha, especially being the fabled sun summoner. But perhaps they already knew she wasn't a fighter, considering she knew nothing about her powers.
They passed over the courtyard and turned the corner of the little palace, venturing to the back where there was a training circle filled with Grisha of all colours. In the centre of the field was a large man with a shaved head, dressed in a black tunic and boots. He was shouting orders at the Grisha as they fought each other in pairs. Alina gulped as Marie brought into the circle and they stayed off to the side.
"That's Botkin, he teaches all Grisha combat, we are forbidden to use our powers here though as this is for combat training only" Marie said, and Alina nodded. Alina watched as the pair of Grisha in their blue kefta's fought each other, throwing punches and elbows, blocking the blows from the opponent and swinging left and right. It reminded Alina of Mal and the fights he used to get into. He won more fights than he did lose, and he always use to brag about how he slaughtered the guy.
Alina watched as a girl in the centre of the training circle easily beat her opponent and gave a smug look about it. She was very pretty and wore a blue kefta with silver stitching.
"She's good" Alina said, and Marie scoffed.
"That's Zoya, she thinks she so good at everything" Marie snarled, and Alina was surprised. She hadn't expected a fellow Grisha to hate on one another but obviously there must be some sort of hostility between them. Just then, a girl came running over to Marie and Alina, smiling at the two.
"Oh Alina, this is Nadia, Nadia this is Alina Starkov" Marie introduced.
"Oh Saints, it's actually true, you're the sun summoner" she gushed, and Alina nodded. She was going to have to get used to people finding out she was the sun summoner.
"I am… and you are a…" Alina still didn't know all the types of Grisha depending on their coloured stitching and she didn't want to get it wrong.
"A squaller, you here for training?" she said, and Alina nodded. She remembered Aleksander saying a squaller was someone who could control air and wind.
"The Tsar said this is Alina's first combat training, do they not teach that in England?" Marie asked.
"Well, they do but girls don't really learn it, mostly men shipping off to war, but it's nothing like this" Alina gestured to the fighting Grisha.
"Well, you're going to have loads of fun, Botkin can't wait to teach you" and just then, Botkin came over.
"Ahh Miss Starkov, it's a pleasure to meet you finally, Botkin" he held his hand out and Alina took it gently, a firm shake passing over.
"Moi Tsar instructed me to begin your training, he was insistent you learn all forms, have you ever fought before or had any training?" he asked, and Alina hesitated for a moment.
She was brought back to the time where Mal was showing her how to punch someone correctly. After he showed her, Alina demonstrated by sending a right hook to him and putting a small bruise on his face.
"I know a little bit" she said and Botkin brought her over to the centre of the training field. The other Grisha stared at her, and Alina felt intimidated, wanting to crawl up in a tiny ball and escape the eyes glued to her. She noticed that Zoya was staring at her intently, a scowl on her face and she was wearing the same kefta as Nadia… A squaller.
"What are you all staring at, less staring more fighting" Botkin grumbled to the group and the Grisha returned to their one-on-one combat.
"Now I show you how to fight" he said. Botkin had gone through everything Alina needed to know about fighting. He showed her the correct way to punch someone, what position to hold her hands in, where to punch them to do the most damage. He showed her how to defend herself if she was ever taken a hold off, how to get out of the grip of an enemy. He showed her how to kick someone properly without looking like an idiot. By the middle of the training session, Alina had learned basic combat skills and couldn't wait to put them to the test.
"Now we get you an opponent to fight" he said as he looked around the circle to find Alina a partner.
"What about her" Alina suggested to Zoya who was standing alone. The grisha around stopped and looked between Zoya and Alina. Zoya gave a smirk as she strolled over to Alina and Botkin.
"I have been training her since she was nine, she is very skilled" Botkin warned, and Alina regretted her decision. But she was intrigued to know why Zoya kept staring at her during training.
"You must be the sun summoner… Zoya" she introduced herself with a snarky tone. No wonder Marie spoke badly about her, with the attitude she has.
"Alina" Alina said back and Zoya smirked.
"I'm not opposed to fighting her" she said and stepped back, putting a distance between her and Alina. Botkin shrugged and stepped back.
"Alright" he said, and Alina looked at Zoya. She took a deep breath before holding up her fists exactly as Botkin had showed her. Zoya did the same, but she still had that smug look on her face as if she knew she was going to win.
Alina stepped forward, her eyes hard and Zoya did the same. Alina made the first move, swinging her hand to the right and missing Zoya as she ducked from the blow. Zoya gave a hard knock to Alina and sent her down on the ground. Alina fell in a huff and Zoya smirked. Alina scrambled from the floor, throwing her hands up again.
"Again" she demanded and Zoya looked over at her and scoffed.
"Alright, but don't get all upset when I knock you on your ass again" she said, and Alina held her gaze tightly. Alina swung again and missed but when Zoya threw her own punch, Alina ducked and missed it. she threw her leg out to kick Zoya in the side, but she grabbed her ankle and threw Alina on the floor again. The Grisha watched and gave looks of sympathy. Zoya gave a short laugh and bent over to Alina.
"Not so tough are you orphan" she snarked and turned around.
"Obviously you need more training" Zoya grinned to herself and turned to look over her shoulder, but her head was whipped to the side as Alina smacked her fist in the side of her face. Alina stumbled on her feet from the blow she had just given, and her knuckles stung from the impact. What Zoya had said just made her mad and Alina had pulled herself up from the floor, storming to Zoya. How dare she mention she was an orphan and Alina hoped the other Grisha hadn't heard her. she didn't know what these people knew about her but the thought of them knowing their saviour the sun summoner was an orphan didn't sit right with Alina, fearing they'd think low of her.
Alina huffed angrily and suddenly she waved her hands in the air, spinning around and throwing a gush of wind towards Alina. Alina's eyes snapped wide as she was thrown across the training circle and into a stack of hay. Her body hit the ground like a rag doll and her elbow scraped on the ground, pain stinging under her kefta. Marie and Nadia came running over, kneeling beside her.
"Alina are you alright?" Marie said, and Alina groaned as she sat up. Her body was in pain and her head was pounding from the sudden movement through the air. Alina hadn't seen a squaller in action yet but now she knew what they could do. It amazed Alina to think they could move people through mid-air like that. But right now, she wasn't amazed with Zoya.
"I think so" Alina hissed as her elbow was hurting as she moved it and she held it gently. As she looked up, she heard harsh whispers as Botkin scolded Zoya.
"Stupid girl, you never use your powers here" he said furiously and Zoya huffed in frustration, giving a hard glare to Alina before storming off.
"Don't worry about her, she just hates that someone could be better at her at anything" Nadia said, and Alina smiled.
"Thanks, I don't know why though, I've only been here a day, it's not like I'm going to show her up on the first day… or maybe I did" Alina realised with her hard blow that she gave Zoya and the three of them laughed softly. Botkin came over to check Alina was okay and as she stood; her whole body ached. Botkin dismissed the group. Alina wouldn't be able to learn anymore today, and he sent her away. Marie and Nadia walked with her to her chambers where they sat and asked her all about England.
Alina was happy to talk and answer their questions. They were so interested and intrigued by what she had to say, and Alina finally felt like she was settling in. Marie and Nadia were the kindest people, and she could easily sit with them all day and talk. This was her home and that meant these people were her family, just as Aleksander said.
…
"What are these?" Fedyor asked as he pulled on the red kefta Baghra had given him.
"This is a kefta" she said and Genya had also put one on. Fedyor's had black stitching along the sleeves and the collar of it and Genya's had grey. They were lined with fur, and they buttoned them up the front.
"Like your sister, you two also are Grisha. You my boy are a Heartrender, you have the power to crush anyone's internal organs and the ability to spot when someone is lying. And you are a healer. You can heal any injury inflicted on a person and you have the ability to tailor a person's appearance and change their body" Baghra explained. Fedyor and Genya were stunned by this new information, and they inspected their kefta's.
"What about me?" Baghra handed Mal and brown kefta with no stitching on it.
"You are different. Unlike your brother and sister, you do not possess the skills of a Grisha" she said and Mal groaned. He was slightly annoyed he was the odd one out with also Alina being Grisha.
"Great, so I'm just the guy from who's tagging along" Mal huffed but Baghra whacked him with her cane on his arm to which Mal hissed.
"Let me finish… you have the ability of tracking. This power is far more important than theirs put together" she pointed at Fedyor and Genya with her cane and Mal furrowed his brows.
"You see, you have the ability to track any animal. Compared to anyone else, you can find them quicker which is exactly what we need in order to defeat the Darkling" Baghra explained.
"No offence but how is tracking better than ripping someone's heart out" Fedyor said smugly but received a hit to the head from that dreaded cane.
"Oww" he rubbed his head and Genya laughed.
"Because of Morozova's stag, a magical stag with the power of amplification. The stag can increase a Grisha's power. The Darkling has been searching for it for a long time and if he finds it, he will use its antlers on Alina. the stag's power belongs to whoever slays it and when the Darkling does that, he'll have the power to control her light, thus using the shadow fold as a weapon" Baghra couldn't have said it clearer and if she had to explain it again, she was going to lose it.
"So, you're saying I can track it" Mal said and Baghra nodded. Mal knew now that his power of tracking would be what saved Alina. it was up to him to find the stag and save her from becoming the Darkling's slave.
"Precisely, our goal is to find the stag before he does and when we do, Alina can take its power to use against the shadow fold and bring it down" Baghra said.
"So, what about our powers, how we do use them" Genya said.
"I will train you; we don't have much time, so we need to get started now".
Baghra was a harsh teacher, but it meant that Genya and Fedyor were learning quickly. Baghra first showed Fedyor his power. She showed him the positions of his hands and how to do certain things like gripping a person's heart or holding onto someone's lungs to restrict their airway. And then she told Mal to stand in front of Fedyor.
"Now, grab his heart" Mal looked with panic but before he could protest, Fedyor held his hands up, one hand gripping a wrist as he gripped onto it. He twisted his hands and Mal groaned, feeling like his hear was literally being yanked out of his chest. Mal was frozen in place and blood started to pour from his nose like a waterfall. Fedyor felt bad but Baghra insisted as he needed to practice. His power did not work on animals. Mal gasped for air and slowly fell to the ground, his body starting to shake.
"Stop your killing him" Genya said and Fedyor let go. Mal was released and he gasped for breath, scratching at the snow as he panted.
"Mal I'm sorry, I didn't- "Mal held his hand up, shaking his head.
"It's fine… we're doing this for Alina" he gasped and Fedyor nodded.
"Very good boy and now your turn" Baghra turned to Genya.
Genya's power was the ability to heal. Compared to Fedyor, it was much simpler. Baghra took out a shiny knife from inside her coat and took a hold of Fedyor's arm, slashing the skin. Blood poured out the cut and dripped onto the snow staining it red. He hissed and went to cover the wound, but Baghra slapped his hand away.
"Leave" she ordered and nodded to Genya. Genya passed her hand over the cut, and it instantly healed back together, the skin sewing itself as if it had never been cut and there was no scar. Thanks to her tailoring skills as well, the cuts and wounds she'd heal would not scar.
"Perfect, you two are ready, as for you I cannot help you. Your power of tracking will reveal when you search for the stag" Baghra said to Mal.
"Here, each of you take one of these, apart from yours powers, you will need these as well" Baghra handed each one of them a shiny blade with a black handle. They tucked them safely into the insides of their keftas.
"Your kefta's are bulletproof, they are fabrikator made so they should protect you on your journey. Watch out for the Darkling's men, he'll have them searching for the stag as well. remember don't be afraid to use your powers, they will keep you safe. I suggest you head to town and find supplies as searching for the stag will be long and hard" Baghra's words of wisdom were encouraging for the group.
"What do we do when we find it?" Genya asked.
"It is important you do not kill it; you must wait for Alina to kill it otherwise you won't be able to defeat the shadow fold. In the meantime, keep the stag hidden and until you can get to Alina. I warn you know, the Darkling's Grisha are very powerful and will not hesitate to kill you. His Heartrender Ivan is the most powerful one and the inferni Pavel as well. Do you know how to fight?" she asked and Genya and Fedyor turned to Mal.
"I do" he nodded.
"Good, don't forget about you knifes and if you can obtain any other weaponry I would. You'll have to teach these two how to fight properly".
"When do we leave?" Fedyor asked.
"Tomorrow, you can stay here for the night to gain your strength, in the morning you leave" Baghra would have sent them off now, but they needed their energy encase they ran into enemies along the way. In the hut, Baghra cooked up some dead rabbit and served with some potatoes. The group ate around the fire and Baghra answered any questions they had before tomorrow. The three would be off on their own and needed all the information they could get. After dinner, Baghra had made three small beds for them and the group rested for the night, ready for the journey tomorrow.
Hey so I hope you like it, what do you think will happen next, please leave a review and let me know what you think