This chapter is almost 10,000 words. Holy fuckign shit, my fingers are dead.

Anyway, in this chapter we have POV shifts! Now, this kind of hopping will be rare, as usually I'll be switching views on a chapter by chapter basis.

Hope you enjoy it! :)

Training Daze

Nyras had filled them in quickly over what had transpired while they were out, a succinct explanation that amounted to basically 'nothing of interest'. Except for the part where splinter drakes (the things that had attacked them) were uncommon in this forest and weren't supposed to be here. Which seemed to be a lot of creatures these days. Apparently the pair they'd encountered had been the reason Cahira and Ylvaria had been staying in this part of the world, and why they'd been exactly where they'd needed them to be when it mattered.

Speaking of the pair, they also got to find out a little more about them over breakfast. Ylvaria was a cleric, as she'd already told them, but they got to learn the specifics of how it worked. Like how clerics could only receive their magical powers from the gods they were faithful to, which in Ylvaria's case was the elven deity of the sun, Arhelio. Yu was still wrapping his head around the fact that there were apparently many gods and goddesses in this world, all of them quite real (although with varying degrees of power), if what their counterparts said was true. But still, he couldn't be too shocked. He'd already seen evidence of these divine beings influence, after all, with Ylvaria and the temple of Elohira. He had to wonder at what others existed out there. That aside, they also found out what Cahira's brand of professionalism was; she was a monk. Chie had been over the moon at the news, and proceeded to rub it in Yosuke's face.

On a more disappointing note, the group had found nothing that could explain the phenomenon that had happened at Sedgeridge. There was nothing in any books, and scholars and experts in the realm of magic weren't very helpful either. The closest Nyras had come to an explanation was, occasionally and very rarely, pockets of magic would develop that could potentially sunder the veil between planes, amongst other things. But nothing explained why it was happening so frequently, or what could possibly have happened to being Yu and his friends here. It was frustrating, but Yu refused to let it beat him down. There had to be an explanation somewhere, all they had to do was find it.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, however, Nyras' magic message had been successfully sent out, although with most of the champion's members already present, there was only two they needed to wait on.

Two who apparently could arrive at any time with the help of a teleportation spell, news which left Yu with an anxious knot of nerves in his stomach. At anytime . . . his counterpart could arrive and he'd get to know just how the others had felt. At any conceivable time. Judging from the way Yosuke remained keyed up as they made their way to the training grounds, he wasn't the only one to feel that way. Still, he tried to tamp down on his anxiousness in order to focus on the task at hand. It never ended well to have a scattered mind when in a fight, training or no.

Mud squelched under his boots, the rain having petered out to little more than an on-and-off sprinkle that dewed on Yu's eyelashes and hair. The air smelled strongly of ozone, the trees were still heavy with raindrops, and his breath continuously puffed out in small, pale clouds that quickly disappeared. The sky remained dark with rainclouds, but they were thinning out as the sun, now at its highest point, burned them away. All that same, it was still really cold, even with the layers he was wearing beneath his re-donned armor.

Apparently, this was considered adequate training weather.

The training grounds were just outside the town's walls beyond the barracks. Several open, rain laden fields were before them, surrounded by forest and each one with a designated regiment. There were hay barrels on one, with a line of archers methodically firing into them with rigid discipline. Others had rows of men (and women) mock fighting with swords and shields, two guard captains overseeing the trainees so nothing ran afoul. And in the distance, he could see others throwing pikes and spears, set a bit apart from the rest so they didn't accidently spear a person. They were set apart with their own field, the grass scant after years of being trampled on and replaced by a ring of muddy dirt the size of half a football field. Several straw dummies had been set out along the border on one side, but other than that, it was featureless.

"So, what do we do?" Chie asked, eyes shining despite the cold weather. Breakfast had really livened her spirits, and she would fidget with barely suppressed energy as they marched out to the field. Not too mention her newfound admiration of her counterpart, who she hadn't stopped asking questions about where she trained, what sort of order did she follow, was she adopted by the temple master and brought up to defend one nondescript piece of treasure after another . . . it was all very expected, honestly. Cahira took it in stride, though she did seem a little puzzled by the girl's sudden fascination. Ylvaria, on the other hand, found it very 'cute'.

"First, we can start by assessing your base abilities," Nyras said as she took up a spot on the outside where she could observe everything.

"You've already shown some skill with your weapons," Rhysana added, somehow not shivering despite the diaphanous material of her shirt, "We're just going to see how good you actually are, and build it up from there."

"Okay, so like a test!" Chie said, hopping from foot to foot in order to warm up, "Awesome! Let's get started."

"Hold on!" Cahira interrupted, looking on amusedly, "At least give us some time to explain what we'll be doing."

Chie stopped, looking instantly mollified but nodding, "Oh. Y-yeah, course, my bad. I just . . . got a little carried away."

"No, energy is good! If your heart isn't in it, you won't learn anything!" Cahira encouraged.

Chie smiled and nodded strongly, "Got it!"

"So, what are we doin'?" Kanji asked, the hammer shifting awkwardly in his hands. He still hadn't quite acclimated to the weapon, and would constantly frown and spin it around in his hands as if he were trying to find a more comfortable way to hold it.

"Sparring sessions, of course. Most of us we'll groups into pairs and see how you do!" Rhysana explained heartily.

Chie's eyes lit up at this, "Ooh, awesome! Who will we pair up with?"

"Well, you are pairing up with me," Cahira informed her, leaning on her staff and smiling as Chie's eyes lit up, "And I think you can figure out where the rest of you will be going based on that."

It wasn't hard to figure out what she meant, especially when Korval slapped a hand against Kanji's back and grinned, "Right, let's see how good you can really swing that thing."

Yosuke grimaced, "Did you have to say it like that?"

Kanji glowered at him, but Korval just rolled his eyes before pulling the dark-haired youth away, mostly unbothered by the innuendo. Huh . . .

"Come, Naoto," Nyras said, tilting her head in the direction of the dummies, "I wish to see how well you adapt to the recoil. You remember how to load, correct?"

"Yes, I do," Naoto replied, trailing after the older woman with lips pursed in a way that said 'she wasn't stupid', "I've practiced drawing the string and aligning the bolts."

Her counterpart nodded, "Good."

Yukiko snapped her fan open, frowning, "I wonder if this will actually help me . . ."

"It can in a pinch, believe me," Ylvaria said, coming up to her side as she removed something from within the folds of her cloak. In her hand she clutched a war fan, although this one was a little different structurally; it had a handle, for one, with a smooth ruby attached to the end, and the actual fan part resembled a golden disc made of fletched metal feathers with razor sharp points, all pointing the same way, "It's true, I use this more as a foci for my magic, but that doesn't mean it can't come in handy in a physical fight."

Yukiko looked a little heartened by that, "I'll take your word for it."

"What about us?" Yosuke asked, "I mean, we're kinda the odd ones out here."

"Don't worry, we've already thought of that," to Yu's surprise, Rhysana beckoned to him with a thin finger, "You're coming with me and Rise."

"What?" he inquired, puzzled.

"Really?" Rise asked, face brightening. Before, she'd been looking uncomfortable, no doubt feeling the most out of their element.

"We don't have to be using the same sword styles to spar," Rhysana said. With a smile, she lifted her hand and plucked one of the small charms from the band of her bracelet, and to Yu's amazement, watched as it expanded and elongated into a long, sharp, and very real rapier. The blade had a graceful curve to its body, the polished steel flickering with an array of prismatic color that neither glowed nor disappeared, the color seemingly beaten into the metal but rippling like it were alive. The hilt was covered by a gaurd of golden filigree, and it fit perfectly in the palm of the bard's hand as she caught it midair. Standing straight, she whipped it in front of her face and placed her free arm behind her back, winking, "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you!~"

. . . Well, he can't say he was surprised. But, at least he now had a sparring partner.

"And, uh, what about me?" Yosuke asked, looking at her hopefully.

Rhysana flashed him a smile, "Mm, sorry sweetie, but I can only take so many. You're with Tirin."

"What?!"

"You're using daggers. It only makes sense to train with someone who uses them too and can straighten out your form and tell you where to improve," Rhysana explained, "And I'd be rubbish, because daggers are not my forte."

The rogue slipped up behind the pouting boy with the silence of a ghost, bracing his elbow against Yosuke's shoulder and pinching his cheek, "Looks like you're stuck with me and the cub. Lucky you.~"

Yosuke pushed him away, looking startled, flustered, and annoyed in the same breadth, "Would you quit it with that!"

Tirin just laughed. Behind him, Teddie sighed, "I'm disappointed too, Yosuke."

Leaving the two to their torment, Yu followed Rhysana to a patch sequestered from the rest, with enough space to really let loose if they so desired. With a smile, Rhysana faced them, "So, who wants to go first?"

Rise fidgeted, "Um, we're not actually using real swords, are we?"

"Of course we are!" Rhysana replied, "Wooden ones are well and all, but it's better to practice with our real weapons so we can really get a feel for them. Also, a little danger will keep you on your toes. However, we do have a safety precaution to apply . . ."

She pulled a small vial from her pocket, the dark flask making it impossible to discern what lay within, "This is a powder created from the roots of the aegis tree. Most people apply it to their armor for added protection, but practicing soldiers apply it to their weapons as safety precautions."

"Safety precautions?" Yu echoed, tiling his head curiously.

"Its better to show you," she said, gesturing to his sword. Realizing what she was after, he quickly drew his word and held it out to her, waiting to see what she would do.

With a smile, Rhysana twisted off the cap and carefully tapped a small amount of shimmering black powder over the fuller of the sword. Yu's eyebrows went up as he watched the powder then melt across the blade like liquid smoke, until it solidified into a semi-solid and transparent shield that wrapped around the edges like a sheath.

"Go on, give it a tap," Rhysana encouraged as she went to apply the same powder to Rise's sword.

Yu did as she suggested, and to his surprise, felt his fingers bounce against something that felt strangely akin to rubber. Carefully, he ran his fingers over the blade's edge and found that it were smoothly blunt instead of razor sharp. It was still very solid, however, and he had no doubt it would hurt if he got hit with it.

"So, this will make sure no one could get seriously hurt?" Rise asked, looking for reassurance.

"No one will be accidently hacking someone's limbs off, I can promise you that. It will still hurt if you got hit by it though," Rhysana replied, tapping the last of the powder on her own sword, "But that's the point! Nothing sharpens a person's senses like the possibility of pain."

Yu gave a soft sigh of relief, "That's good."

Rise did look a little reassured by that, but she still held her rapier out awkwardly in front of her. Rhysana noticed, coming up to the girl and tapping a finger against the crook of her elbow, "Try not to hold it out like that. You need to keep your arm bent so you can react faster to attacks. Also, angle your body sideways, like this . . ."

She stood next to the girl and demonstrated what she meant, feet spaced apart and body turned sideways. Rise analyzed it for a moment, then set out to copying her, falling into the stance almost perfectly. Her posture was still a little rigid though, knees straight and looking like she wasn't quite sure what to do with her left arm.

"Try bending your knees a little," he put in helpfully, "It helps when you need to move quickly."

Rhysana sent an approving smile his way before nodding to Rise, "A good point. Also, keep your other arm low. It won't do to have it sticking out where people can hit it."

Rise followed their instructions to a T, and Rhysana nodded approvingly, "Very good."

Yu watched as Rhysana then led Rise through a round of basic parries and thrusts, talking her through them patiently until she got them right. Yu appreciated the woman's slow pace, and he was content to wait for his turn. Out of all of them, Rise had the least amount of combat experience, and he was grateful for Rhysana taking that into consideration.

He doubted that gracious level of patience would be there for him, however, especially considering what he saw going on the sidelines.

Oh boy . . .

Yosuke liked to consider himself decently competent with a pair of knives, especially after the adventure through the tv world. Sure, he was no Altair, but he was still good, and that was enough for his pride.

But the daggers in his hand weren't his favorite pair of kunai, the weight all wrong and the leather of hilt rubbing awkwardly against his sweaty palms. But they were still knives and he would just have to make do, because like hell was he going to admit to being uncomfortable to the smug little ass standing in front of him.

Tirin had drawn both his daggers, the green tint invisible beneath the glowing aura of the shield. Rocking back on his heels and watching them with mirthful eyes, he teased, "Come on, are we going to spar or are you just going to watch me all day? Not that I mind. True beauty is a rarity to find after all."

Eugh . . .

"Shut up, I'm thinking," Yosuke snapped, hands clenching around his daggers.

"Yeah, Yosuke's too smart to fall for your bearguiling tricks!" Teddie added from his spot next to Yosuke, and while he wanted to be pleased with the praise, he knew it had more to do with the weird heckling game the two had been playing practically since they'd met. Even if there was a small grain of truth in the statement . . . Yosuke was trying very hard to ignore his looks.

N-not because he was attractive or whatever, but because he . . . well, he looked like Teddie. And different person or not, it was still hard to raise a weapon against someone who looked so much like his harmless friend.

But Tirin isn't harmless, he reminded himself. Far from it. We learned that in the Underdark.

He swallowed and tried not to think very hard about the fact that the person across from them was very much a killer. All their counterparts were. His own, too, most likely . . . but even that, oddly enough, didn't strike nearly as uncomfortable a chord as Tirin did. There was just something so unsettling about that intrinsic difference between the annoying but good-natured bear who lived in his closet verses the energetic yet brutally realistic man before him. Like it shouldn't be there, but it was anyway. If he was being honest, it was probably because he knew Ted wouldn't even be able to hurt a fly with hateful intent. Tirin was . . . a different and troubling story.

Enough about that! he chided himself sternly, breaking off that line of thought, Focus, man!

Tirin had wanted both of them to spar with him at the same time, which usually would be a good thing; strength in numbers and all that. But Yosuke had also seen Tirin in action, and knew he was leagues above their skill level, and that wasn't including his magic powers. Which Yosuke tried not to be envious of. Running foolishly into a fight on ego alone was a sure fire way to get hurt, a lesson he'd learned the hard way in the tv world. So, instead he bided his time to think of a strategy. He gauged the distance between himself and the man, noting his seemingly relaxed posture as he waited for them to make a move. It was posturing, but Tirin had leverage to do it.

It was good that the weird powder Tirin had used made sure their daggers wouldn't actually do any serious damage, otherwise this would be a lot more frightening.

A v-attack might work best here. Come in at both sides so he had no choice but to defend one. Hopefully.

"Hey, Ted, go for his left," he whispered under his breath. Teddie tensed, ready to spring into action when he gave the word.

Tirin grinned.

"Go," he hissed, and the two shot forward.

They closed the distance quickly, but Tirin had already guessed their course of action beforehand, because suddenly he was running to meet him instead. Yosuke dug his heels into the muck, daggers coming up just in time to block Tirin's attack. The aura of magic over their weapons blunted the ring of steel on steel, but it was still loud enough to fire up his senses. He jumped back as Tirin swung again, parrying one dagger and moving out of range of the other.

But Tirin didn't move after him. Instead, he twisted sharply to his left, dodging as Teddie came up from behind him. The bear stumbled a bit as his attack met air, and that lapse gave Tirin enough time to step behind him and roughly kick him forward.

Teddie almost crashed into him as a result, but Yosuke was able to get out of the way in time. Stepping in front of him till he could get his bearings, Yosuke braced himself as Tirin came at them again.

It was hard keeping up with the flurry of attacks Tirin sent his way, and even then, Yosuke could tell he was holding back. Hell, he could have vanished into thin air at a moment's notice only to slip up behind him and take him out before he was none the wiser. Even when Teddie rejoined the fight, it wasn't doing much. Probably because Ted was holding back to, not because of any overwhelming skill, but because he didn't want to accidently hurt someone, even with the safeguard in place.

He didn't know how long they traded mock blows, Tirin not giving an inch despite the two-on-one circumstances. But he couldn't complain, at least not yet. Had the gloaming been going his hardest, he could have taken them out ages ago.

He watched as Tirin hopped out of range of one of Teddie's swipes, waiting for his own chance to move in, when suddenly he knelt down and swept his leg out, catching Teddie in the shins. Legs knocked out form under him, the blonde went down with cry, landing in the mud with a squelch.

Before Yosuke could counter react, Tirin had shot up and at him, daggers thrust out.

Pain shot through Yosuke's ribs as both daggers hit home, the points not piercing armor and skin, but still hitting hard enough to leave a bruise. He stumbled back, nearly losing his grip on his daggers but catching himself at the last minute. He braced himself for another charge, only to blink when he found the space before him empty.

Behind you, he's behind you! his instincts screamed the warning too late, as he felt cold metal press itself to his throat, blade ghosting over his jugular vein in what would have been a fatal slice. Blunted or not, Yosuke still seized up in anticipation.

Until a cheery voice yelled right in his ear, "I win!"

The dagger went away, and he breathed again, only to wince as pain flared up in his chest. No bones were broken, he was sure, but it still smarted something fierce. Tirin walked passed him, and he tried not to feel too embarrassed as the gloaming gave him a victorious smirk, "Not bad for a first try, and your pretty fast. If you knew how to be subtle, you'd make a pretty decent rogue!"

"How the hell are you more subtle than me?!" Yosuke demanded indignantly, rubbing a hand against his aching chest.

The man ignored him, "And you-" He knelt down to Teddie's level (who was kneeling in the mud) and sharply flicked his forehead, earning him a loud 'ouch' as he said, "Stop hesitating! If this was a real fight, you'd be dead."

"I know, it's just-" Teddie pursed his lips together, looking at the floor, "I've never had to fight a person before . . ."

"Well, one day you will. And it's a kill or be killed world, so you can't hesitate like that!" Tirin responded bluntly, "You want to be ready for that, don't you? So get up and try again!"

"Whoa, hold on a second!" Yosuke protested, frowning, "We're doing this to improve our skills, not kill people!"

Tirin threw him an exasperated glance, "Mm, that's nice and all, but that's not what's going to save your life when it counts. It's not nice, I know, but it's the truth. Don't you want to protect you're friends? Don't you want to protect Yu?"

Yosuke glared at him, but it soon diminished into a sullen frown. As much as he wanted to be angry, he knew that Tirin was just being honest with them, as terrible as it was. And he did want to protect his friends! He did want to Yu! But he still wanted to cling to his optimism, because damn it, he didn't want this world to change him that much! They'd gotten this far without taking lives, however deserved, and he wasn't going to start now!

Even as he thought that, he could hear a darker voice whisper in the back of his mind, How long do you think that optimism will last, huh? This place ain't gonna bend over backwards to make it easy for you, and you know it. Hell, for all you know, the other you might have said shit like that too. And deep down, you gotta wonder . . . did Tirin used to be a sweet kid like Teddie, before this world beat it out of him? You know that's what it could be. You know that's what could happen to you, to Ted, to all of you. Because that's what it calls for. That's reality.

He didn't try to ignore it, for he knew better than to quash the voice that made him uncomfortable. But he still didn't give it much in the way of succor, either.

After a few moments of watching them sit in silence, Tirin sighed, "Let's just get back on track," with a punch more cheer, he added, "Hands on training is the best training, after all! Now come on, up, up! Or do I have to bring Cahira over here?"

Yosuke winced, "No, no, don't do that! We're up, we're ready!"

Teddie stood up too, but didn't jump in with his usual enthusiasm. Understanding why, he gave the bear a brief but encouraging nudge to his shoulder to snap him out of it, like he used to after a particularly hard and draining fight in the tv world. Teddie glanced at him, and though it didn't break through the soberness completely, it still won him a small smile.

"Hey, let's get to it! Keep me standing around, I may just freeze my toes off!" Tirin called out to them.

"Yeah, what a shame that would be," Yosuke mumbled, but he dropped into another stance and cleared his mind regardless.

Focus.

"So, have you ever used a quarterstaff?"

Chie rubbed the back of her head at the question, "No, not really. I usually let my feet do the talking for me. You know?" with a touch of nervousness, she continued, "T-that's not a problem, right?"

Cahira waved a hand at her, "Nope, not at all! We'll just test your hand-to-hand first then. I'm eager to see just how sharp your reflexes really are!"

Chie had to swallow down her excited anticipation, but even as she set the staff she'd been given down, it felt like her whole body was jittering on a caffeine overdose! Ever since she'd found out Cahira as a monk (a monk!), Chie had been practically smitten. Sure, she'd hoped, but she didn't actually think her wish would come true! A real life kung-fu master (even if the word 'kung-fu' was kinda met with blank stares . . .), the image of herself she'd dreamed up as a young girl.

True, Cahira wasn't exactly spouting wisdom every five minutes and like the guru sages in her movies, but hey, Chie could admit she wouldn't exactly make the wisest monk either! All the same, her desire to learn more about her counterpart ate at her like a plague. Even now, her imagination kept firing into overdrive as she thought of every detail of her movies and books she'd learned by heart and tried applying them to Cahira. How many of the tropes and stereotypes would stack up to the fantasy before her? She had to find out!

But first, sparring! With a genuine monk! God, if that didn't just make her want to wiggle with excitement!

She might have actually been wiggling with excitement, because not a moment later did Cahira laugh, "Okay, okay, calm down. Channel that energy into your fights, and you'll have nothing to worry about!"

Chie nodded, forcing herself to still.

Remember your own training, dummy! she thought to herself. With a deep breath to steady her nerves, she slid back into a readied crouch, hands up and body angled sideways.

Cahira smiled, then spaced her feet apart, arms remaining at her sides save for the slight bend of her elbows, palms turned to the ground. She did not move after that, and their own personal space in the field fell silent, as if filled with anticipation of it's own.

Okay, she'd since this scenario in her films before. The master always played it simple, like they weren't a threat, but that obviously was never the case. As soon as Chie moved to attack, Cahira would counter it with a move of her own. So, how could she counter it? What could she use to her advantage here to make up for the gap in skill?

She didn't get to ponder it more, because suddenly Cahira was running for her.

Wha-?!

She brought both her arms together to form a shield over her stomach right as the kick came, but even then, she felt the blow reverberate through her skeleton! It knocked her back into the ground, but Chie was able to use the momentum to roll back onto her feet. Mud slicked the left side of her armor and she felt it stick at the base of her neck, but she only barely registered it before Cahira was coming at her again.

She backpedaled, narrowly dodging the jabs that came at her. But she was thrown of balance for only a moment. Digging her left heel into the mud, Chie pushed back and lashed out with her other leg, nearly landing a solid hit. The tip of her foot clipped Cahira in the side, but it didn't seem like it did any damage. Not deterred in the slightest, Chie followed that attack with a strong sidekick, aiming for the woman's chest. Her foot landed, but Cahira had blocked it, and before Chie could pull back her fingers clamped around the sole of her boot with the strength of iron shackles. With a quick twist of her arm, Chie suddenly found herself on her stomach, gasping and trying to spit mud out of her mouth.

Eugh, that tastes awful!

She pushed herself up to her knees, feeling a bit embarrassed about how easily she'd been tossed around. But then, she was dealing with a bona-fide monk here, what could she expect?

"Not bad," Cahira commented, kneeling next to her, "But next time, don't wait so long to attack. An enemy isn't going to wait for you, you have seize the moment and follow your instincts! Plan as you fight, but don't leave yourself so open."

Chie lowered her head, face flushing red at the lecture. She was right, that had been pretty stupid to expect her to sit and wait while Chie hashed it all out in her head, "Yeah, you're right . . . that was pretty dumb."

"Learn this lesson now," Cahira pressed, "Because in a real fight, you won't have that luxury. It's moments like those that often decides who lives and who dies in a fight."

At this, Chie gave an involuntary wince, which Cahira noticed immediately, "What's wrong?"

"It doesn't . . . have to go that far, does it?" Chie asked hesitantly, "I mean winning, yeah, of course, but beyond that . . ."

Cahira studied her silently, long enough to make Chie shimmy uncomfortably from both the weight of her stare and the chill of the mud as it began to seep into her bones. Then, "It is not the act of killing that makes one wicked. It is the intent. Strike only those who would drag us into chaos, but never without surety of principle, and never with malice in your heart," Cahira's lips turned up into a wistful smile, "That's one of the first creeds I was taught when I was just beginning. I don't like taking lives. None of us do. But I know that in some cases, its better than the alternatives. And in those times, I remember what my master taught me."

Chie looked away, the anxious knot in her stomach not lessening, "I don't know. I-I mean, I get why you do it. But . . . when I think of actually doing something like that myself, it . . . it just doesn't feel right, you know?"

Cahira's smile grew a little more at that, "I know. And I'm glad you feel that way, because it means you won't forget the value of life, no matter who it is. But hopefully, that'll be a last resort," she rose to her feet, an exuberant shine replacing the melancholy from before, "On a more positive note, you've got some powerful legs on you! I actually felt that last hit."

Chie dared be hopeful, "R-really?"

"Oh yeah! A bit of practice on how to concentrate your chi, and you'll be making dents in armor in no time!"

That bit got Chie's attention, "Concentrate my chi?"

"Life energy. It's in everything, monks just know how to use it for offensive purposes," Cahira explained.

The whole chi thing reminded her of tai chi, which in turn reminded her of Jet Li, and that made Chie feel a little better. Yes, it would always be on her mind, but she wanted to remain hopeful that it wouldn't have to come to that. Quietly, she committed Cahira's words to memory, like many of her favored quotes from movies. Quotes that could act as a good motivator when she was feeling down or scared. Even now, as she mulled them over, she felt her heart lift just a little more.

She blinked at the hand Cahira extended to her, then smiled as she accepted it, allowing herself to be pulled back to her feet.

"Ready for round two?" Cahira asked her.

Chie grin split her face as she answered, "Always!"

Yukiko snapped her hand forward, releasing her fan at just the right moment so it would spin gracefully through the air, serrated edge biting into the rucksack of the straw-filled dummy. It cut clean, leaving a thin gash in the cloth as it sailed back to her.

She caught it easily, a skill that came with many months of practice, and she smiled in satisfaction to know it hadn't diminished. True, the magic Ylvaria had used to make it so the fan's edges wouldn't cut would help if she flubbed it, but it was nice to not have to rely on it.

She'd been doing a bit too much of that lately . . .

"Good," Ylvaria said approvingly, "You clearly already know what your doing, so no need to go through the basics. But tell me, have you ever gone up against someone up close?"

"Well, sometimes, but I usually had my perso-" Yukiko bit back the words before they could be spoken. Honestly, she wondered if it would make a difference if they told their counterparts about their personas, but years of secrecy was a hard habit to break.

"Personal bodyguard!" she saved, hoping Ylvaria bought it, "Chie would usually keep, uh, them off me. She's very good at it."

Ylvaria lifted a delicate eyebrow, "I believe she is. But was she really your bodyguard?"

It was asked in earnest, but Yukiko still fidgeted, pinching the tip of one the fan blades between her fingers, "Well, sort of. She usually just did it on her own. Really, she's just being a good friend that way."

"Anyway . . ." Ylvaria continued, and Yukiko wondered if she should feel worried at the sly smile that appeared on her fair face, "You and me have another secret mission to see too."

Yukiko's interest immediately rose, eyes widening slightly at the possibility of trouble, "Secret mission? What kind of secret mission?"

"A special little test," Ylvaria idly spun her own fan around before asking Yukiko a peculiar question, "Tell me, have you ever wanted to use magic?"

"Well, when I was little, I always wanted to be a witch! Flying around on broomsticks and turning people into toads sounded like fun! Thinking about it, it would be pretty useful now, actually . . ." Yukiko trialed off when the real weight behind Ylvaria's words sunk in, and she gasped instead, "Wait, are you saying you're going to teach me?!"

Ylvaria giggled, the sound reminiscent of bells. Yukiko wondered if that was just an elf thing, because she'd never met a human who laughed like that.

"Slow down there, initiate! Nyras and I just want to see if it's possible," Ylvaria clapped both hands around the hilt of her fan, smiling, "You and your friends say that there is no magic where you're from, so we might just be grasping at straws here. But, that doesn't mean we can't try."

Well, there was magic . . . just not the kind Ylvaria was thinking of. And even then, none of them could use it without their personas. But maybe . . . could the rules change here?

A childish surge of excitement made her bounce on her toes, "You really think it's possible? We could use it here?"

Ylvaria watched her in amusement, "That's what we're going to find out. Now, we aren't going to be casting actual spells, because even the most basic ones takes weeks of practice to master. So no toads-"

Yukiko deflated, "Oh . . ."

"But that doesn't mean we can't scope you out to see if you have potential," Ylvaria continued.

Interest returned, "How do we do that?"

"Well, it depends on the profession, as well as the type of magic," Ylvaria reached around to her belt and pulled up the disk she'd seen dangling against her side, holding it up so Yukiko could see it in full. A half-disk of bronze rested in the elf's hands, a ring of golden metal in the shape of a rising sun emblazoned on the surface. The curved sheets of metal resembling the sun's rays didn't go beyond the ends of the disk itself, each point girding to the edges and no more. The black strap was attached the corner, so when Ylvaria held it up, it dangled sideways. Strange enough, it looked something else was supposed to attack to flat side of the disk, like a missing piece . . .

"For example, I'm a cleric, so my magic comes from a divine source. And I doubt you and your friends are faithful to a deity of this world."

Yukiko shook her head, "No, we're not. Even back home, I don't think any of us are exceptionally religious . . ."

"That's fine. Divine magic isn't what we're testing you for," Ylvaria proceeded to tie her emblem back to her belt before pulling out a thin strip of paper the color of aged papyrus from her satchel, "Now, hold this."

With a quirk of a slender eyebrow, Yukiko gently plucked the strip from Ylvaria's hand. It felt sandpaper-y, all rough and grating against the skin, and Yukiko wondered what sort of paper this was.

"Shouldn't we have the others try it with us?" Yukiko asked, glancing at the training area. Most everyone was engaged in practice, so none of them were looking their way. As she watched, she caught sight of Chie across the way, and she had to smile at the energy her friend was exuding as she sparred with Cahira. Despite the mud smeared across her face, she could still see the sparkle in her eyes as she exchanged a graceful flurry of kicks with her counterpart, as alive and energetic as she always was. She looked back when Ylvaria cleared her throat, and Yukiko wasn't sure if she should ask what that almost devious glint in her eyes was about.

"We're here just to see if it's even possible," Ylvaria explained to her, "If we're actually successful, then we'll bring it up with the rest. Alright?"

Yukiko nodded in understanding, "That makes sense. Okay, I'm ready to start!"

"Now, hold it between both hands," Ylvaria instructed her, nodding when she did as asked, "Now, do you see that little rune at the center?"

Yukiko looked, and indeed saw a small symbol done in black ink; two downward facing crescent lines, one over the other, a line running vertically through them, a small dot at the very bottom. She wondered if it meant something.

"Now, I want you to focus on it," Ylvaria said, "Concentrate, and don't let anything else distract you."

The girl nodded, looking only at the rune and letting the sounds around her drain away. She'd done this before lots of times in the tv world; summoning her persona had always taken concentration and willpower, and in fights, she couldn't let anything distract her as she healed her teammates or incinerated an enemy. She wondered if it was like that here. Albeit, her persona felt easier to manage and control . . . after all, it was a part of her.

She closed her eyes, digging a little deeper for that spring of power that existed in her soul. Frustratingly, Sumeo-Okami was still out of her reach, a flicker rather than a bonfire. But she was still there . . .

Heat shot through her fingertips, and her eyes flew open just in time to see the paper suddenly go up in flames. With a startled gasp, she flung it away, watching as it burned away into embers as it fell to the ground. Her fingers felt hot, and a little raw to the touch, but she hardly noticed as she gaped at the ashes now cooling in the mud.

O-oh my gosh, how did I do that?!

She looked to her counterpart for answers, only to find her shocked expression being mirrored by the elf, eyebrows up and mouth hanging slightly ajar. Voice soft with unconcealed surprise, she murmured, "That was . . . unusual."

That didn't bode well, "Unusual? How is it unusual, what did I do?"

"Well, normally, the rune would just glow if it sensed your potential. It doesn't usually . . . blow up like that," Ylvaria looked at her, a probing look in her eyes, "Are you certain there's no magic in your world?"

Yukiko opened her mouth, then closed it again, honestly not sure how to answer. Because that couldn't have been her persona she'd used just then . . . not the real one anyway.

Right?

"Hm . . ." Ylvaria pressed her lips together, no doubt suspicious of her silence. But she let it slide, "We'll talk more about it later. For now, tell me what you felt."

"Um, well . . ." what had she felt? Confused, definitely. But when it happened . . . "I felt hot? But it didn't hurt or anything. It was kinda of nice, actually . . . mm, that doesn't make a lot of sense, does it?"

"It's clear enough," Ylvaria said, and a small, but pleased smile came to her face, "Whatever you did, that slip of paper still told us all we needed to know. You have potential."

Yukiko's eyes widened, shock mingling with elation and bewilderment and making her feel lightheaded. Strangely enough, it made her giggle. A giggle that turned into a chuckle, and then a laugh, because despite the weirdness and the uncertainty and the impossibility, she could use magic!

She could use magic!

And if she could polish it into something worthwhile, she wouldn't have to rely on others for her protection. She could heal her friends and not have to watch helplessly on the sidelines again.

She couldn't wait to tell Chie!

Another strident clang rang over the field as Kanji's hammer crashed into the shield Korval had brought with him, flat head leaving a small dent in the metal. Korval grunted but held his ground, arm not even shuddering under the impact despite the sweat on his brow.

"Come on, you call that a swing!" the half-orc taunted, slamming a fist against the shield, "My ma could do better than that!"

Kanji grit his teeth, anger coiling in his stomach. He was doing it on purpose, he knew, but it was still irritating. Especially since his hits seemed to be doing nothing to the man, even though they'd been at it non-stop for . . . ah, he didn't know! For a while! His arms were starting to burn, the muscles aching with every break between his attacks. He was used to it, so it wasn't a particularly annoying sensation. Not like Korval's taunts, which kept getting under his skin despite his best efforts to ignore it. Korval said this exercise was to improve his stamina and give him a feel for two-handed weapons, but right now it just felt like the older man was heckling him for no reason. They were getting along great before, but it seemed his 'poor' performance had really turned that on its ear and soured Korval's disposition, and that made him upset. And Korval's unending derision was just making it worse.

"I know humans are weak, but I didn't think you'd be this puny!"

With a growl, Kanji went at him again, throwing all his weight into the swing. Another clang rang over the field, but again, Korval didn't budge.

The half-orc gave a contemptuous snort, "If this is your best, you aren't goin' to protect anyone."

Kanji glared at him. Korval could kick his ass, no question, but at that particular moment in time, he didn't care, "You know what, ya need to shut up!"

"You gonna make me? I'm just pointin' out the facts!" Korval yelled back, "You talk a big game about keepin' your friends safe, but talkin' ain't gonna cut it in a real fight! And that's what's gonna get 'em killed!"

"Hey, you don't know shit about me!" he snapped back, "I'd put down my life for those guys!"

"Then quit talkin' and start showin' me something that isn't pathetic!"

With a yell, Kanji went at him again, swinging hard but still failing to even push the bigger man back. Korval grunted, "Just what I thought. Startin' to think I'm wastin' my time."

"Hey, I'm not done yet!" Kanji called out to him, seething internally.

"Oh yeah? Cause that's not what your actions say," he replied, "How do ya think you're gonna protect anyone like this huh? How do ya think you're gonna protect Naoto?"

That hit Kanji much harder than it should have, "H-hey, leave her outta this-"

"One fuck up, that's all it would take," Korval went on, ignoring Kanji's steadily rising anger, "You don't take out an enemy quick enough or stand your ground like you should, and she goes down, it's on you. Because you weren't there to keep her safe. Because you were too weak to stop it!"

"Be quiet!"

"She'll be dead, and it'll be your fault!"

"I said SHUT UP!" The hammer went down faster than Kanji himself even registered, and he kept swinging, one clang after the other with every relentless pound. He was just angry now, angry enough that his vision was tinting red, because how dare this stupid asshole wearing his face say he wasn't good enough to protect her! How dare he say he'd let her down!

He swung again, the hammer catching against the rim of the shield and actually ripping it clean away from Korval's arm, but by the time he realized that had happened, he was already in the motion of his next swing.

Crunch!

The hammer connected with the side of Korval's jaw, and Kanji backpedaled in horror, jaw gaping and muscles freezing still. His fingers went slack, hammer falling into the mud with a heavy squelch, and for a few horrendously long seconds, all he could hear was own pounding heart. Then, he started stuttering in panic, "O-oh shit, dude, I-I didn't mean to do that, I swear-!"

But then, Korval threw his head back and laughed, "HAHAHA, that's more like it!"

Kanji's plaintive ramblings stumbled to a bewildered halt, "U-uh, I-I . . . huh?"

Korval grinned, wiping the blood dribbling out of the corner of his mouth with the pad of his thumb, "You felt that anger right? How strong it made you? It didn't matter who I was to you then, you just wanted to shut me up no matter how impossible it might be."

". . ." he didn't say anything, because his mind was still reeling from the shock of accidently clocking someone in the face with a hammer, a someone who was now laughing it off like it was a love tap. Just who the fuck was his counterpart, anyway . . . ?

A pair of fingers snapped together in front of his face, and he blinked back into reality, "What?"

"You gettin' what I'm sayin'?" Korval asked again, "Hey kid, ya in there?"

"U-uh, yeah . . ." Kanji shuffled awkwardly on his feet, his anger dissipating like the white puffs of air from his lungs dispersing in the breeze, "I did feel it. That 'anger'. And yeah, I did wanna shut you up. But I didn't think I'd actually hit ya . . ."

Korval rapped a hand against his arm, "Nah, nothin' I can't handle. You got some good power in those swings."

Kanji pursed his lips, huffing somewhat accusingly, "None of that 'I'm so puny' stuff anymore?"

"I needed to get ya riled up," Korval explained, pushing a finger against Kanji's chest, "Cause that anger you felt, that can make you strong. And when you turn it on your enemies, that makes you a terror. I needed to get you to bring it out where you could actually use it."

"So . . . you were baitin' me?"

"Basically. And now that ya know it, all you have to do is learn how to bring it out when you need it and how to direct it in combat," Korval said, picking up the badly dented shield. Heh, he'd . . . done a lot of damage in that last attack. Korval really had just been trying to lure out a side that could actually do something. A part that wouldn't leave him so helpless.

But still . . .

"Ya kinda deserved that hit, though," Kanji said.

Korval laughed.

Thunk!

Another bolt struck the dummy square in the chest, in perfect symmetry with the other dummies lining the edge of the field. Not quite killing blows, but enough to stop someone in their tracks. With a satisfied sigh, Naoto braced her foot in the stirrup and gripped the string in both hands, pulling until it clicked home. Now that it was safely cocked, she loaded another bolt into the weapon and lifted it back into her hands. The recoil had not been as ad as she expected, and it was well enough made that its accuracy was fairly stable. The most perturbing part was the slowness of reloading a single bolt, a process that took at least fifteen seconds to complete whereas with her gun she wouldn't have to bother until she got six shots off. That, and it also started to hurt after a while.

"Very good," she heard Nyras say behind her, watching with a cool and level stare, "Now aim for their heads."

Ah . . . of course.

In the past, she'd gone to many a shooting gallery, as was par for the course of her police training. Each rink had always carried a poster with a vaguely humanoid print upon the paper. The purpose for such was obvious; as servants of the law, there may come a time where one would have to put down a threat to society through lethal force rather than subjugation. It was a reminder of their oath as well as preparation for a very real possibility. When she accepted her badge, she had been under no illusions that such could be the outcome of a case she took. Any case at all. She was under no illusions now.

But she found her finger faltering over the trigger.

She knew it was foolish. This world was not like her own. In this world, criminals could not be caroled into a corner and leeched of their supplies and willpower until they surrendered. She could not find an alternative to every situation that would not call for violence. She could not spare lives and leave them to authorities all the time. She could not be merciful.

As much as she wanted to be . . .

A hand appeared on her shoulder, steadying and sure, "Don't see them as 'people'. I know the temptation is strong, but in a fight, it will only limit you. Remember, the ones you will face will not be ones worth sparing. They will be cold, cruel, and merciless. They would be willing to sacrifice even innocent children if it furthered their goals. They would have no qualms with cutting you or the ones you care about down. Instead, see them for what they are; monsters. And see yourself as the weapon that drives them back from those who cannot defend themselves. Distance and depersonalize."

Naoto sucked in a breath, focusing her gaze back on the dummy before her. It was nothing but a cloth sack stuffed with hay. But in her mind's eye, she saw a drow, dragging an innocent girl down into the darkness, to a life of slavery and suffering. She saw a demon, with slavering jaws and wicked eyes, descending upon a harmless hamlet that could not defend itself, to sow destruction and reap their souls. She saw it's master, a human loathsome enough to summon it into this world to do harm for no other reason than he could.

Distance and depersonalize . . .

She squeezed the trigger.

Thunk!

. . . a perfect hit.

The hand on her shoulder vanished, Nyras stepping back to her place, eyes cool and level as she observed, "Very good. Again."

"Excellent!" Rhysana cheered as Rise parried her blow successfully, "Now, I want you to practice that set until I get back to you, okay! I expect an excellent performance when I return!"

Rise looked at her, puzzled, "Where are you going?"

"To duel Yu, of course!"

Yu stood up a little straighter at the sound of his name. Ah . . . now was his time. With a graceful curve of her hand, she beckoned Yu out to give Rise some space, leaving them to their own little spot at the tail end of the field.

"Good luck, Senpai!" Rise called after him, but remaining behind to dutifully practice her techniques.

Rhysana was smiling at him as she dropped into a stance, lightly hopping up and down without actually leaving the ground as she teased, "I hope you're ready, darling! I'm not going easy on you!"

Yu brought his sword to his side, fingers clenching tight around the hilt, "I wouldn't want you too."

They stayed still, staring at one another as silence fell between them.

Then Rhysana bolted forward, rapier lashing for his exposed side. His guard was up immediately, going through the motions he had learned in the tv world, the rapier landing solidly against the flat of his blade.

He quickly learned that Rhysana was much stronger than she looked, and he almost lost his balance as she pushed into him with a startling amount of force. He corrected it quickly, bracing his left foot back and pushing her away from him. But she was agile, slashing to his right, then his left, then back again, putting up a relentless pace that kept him on his toes as he blocked and dodged her strikes.

Damn, she is good, he thought as he blocked another blow, blades locking together as they pressed for dominance. He saw the coy upturn of her lips just over their grating swords, the porcelain skin of her face scattered with fractals of color from her prismatic blade. She did not look even the least bit threatened.

They pulled back at the same time, a space that lasted for a only a heartbeat before they went back at it. He feinted at her left, and when she went to block, he swung instead for her wrist, hoping to knock the sword from her hand. But she was quick, spinning the blade out of reach and slashing down his arm as he tried to maneuver away. He felt the tip bruise painfully, skin throbbing beneath his armor, but it didn't cut. The shield made sure of that.

It was strange, but he actually found himself almost having fun. It was such a break compared to the fights they'd been in thus far, and the fact that they were actually doing something about their predicament felt accomplishing. That, and it was genuinely nice to spar with someone without the threat of death looming over him. She was a good sword player too.

He ducked as Rhysana went for his head, rushing forward and swiping at her legs. She jumped over it, and he had just enough time to roll to the left and avoid her downward strike. He could feel the chill of the mud against his cheek, but he ignored it.

"Getting tired?" she asked teasingly.

He smiled confrontationally, feeling energy spark through his nerves and wire him up, "Not at all."

She came at him again, flicking her blade rapidly in front of her and making it hard to block them all. He stepped back where he could, avoiding her slashes, looking for an opportunity to counter.

He got one when she lunged at him, aiming for his chest, and he parried it with a practiced swipe. Following through, he spun his sword around and struck at her shoulder.

But she stepped to the side just in time, the blade so close he could see the cloth of her shirt ripple with it's passing. That was the last thing he saw before Rhysana arced her sword up and clipped him hard in the chin with the tip of her sword.

The attack stunned him, and he didn't break out of it in time before she had hooked her foot around his ankle and yanked him off his feet.

He went down, landing on his back with a thud that left him winded. His sword fell beside him, sinking a little into the mud as it waited for it's owner to collect it. He felt muck caking to the back of his head, spiking his hair in ways he didn't want to think about, especially not with a sword pressed against his adam's apple. Rhysana stood over him, smiling victoriously as she braced a cocky hand to her hip. Enviously, he saw that she had somehow managed to escape the mud.

Wincing a bit at the pain in his chin, he asked, "How do you do that?"

Rhysana tilted her head to one side, "Do what?"

"Escape the mud?"

She laughed, pulling her sword back and helping him to his feet, "Well, it's a bit of woman's intuition, a bit of impeccable grace, and another bit of 'my little secret'!"

"So no tips on how to avoid this," he replied, gesturing to all of himself with a smile.

She grinned, leaning in almost conspiratorially as she spoke, "Well, it's a little known secret in this land that you can be rid of the maladies of the earth with a little soap and water. I know, it's a miracle."

"Ah, of course! On my honor, I shall only use this knowledge for good," he said, placing a hand of his heart in mock salute.

Rhysana curtsied, "Happy to be of assistance," she then straightened, tapping him on the shoulder with the tip of her sword, "Now back up! It's time for round two!"

Yu nodded, recollecting his sword with a smile. In the course of action and reaction, it helped him forget his troubles for a short time, anxiety and fear left in the mud as he traded another exchange of blows with Rhysana.

He didn't notice the shadow in the trees. A shadow that was watching him intently with an amused smile on it's face.

My fingers are deeeeead.