Chapter 7

TIRED.

DRAINED.

My entire muscles quivered from the hard work-out as I held my practice weapons—two long thin swords—firmly before me, taking deep heaving breaths.

“Again,” Oniko commanded.

 I bit back a groan of frustration, staring evilly at the devil, Iditan, who had been my only spar partner ever since I arrived on these mountains. Anytime she was not around for training Oniko took the time to make me practice magic, making me wonder why he didn’t allow me to spar against Ramatu and Chike. I look my body over again, surprised at how quickly the cuts that marred it a moment ago have healed. Even my cloth which was torn had reverted back to its former form.

Iditan stood leisurely before me, using one of the two long knives which was her own choice of weapons to pick her nails while I thought of my options. The spars were more of her beating me than me learning how to fight. Many times she would taunt me till I got angry and lost myself to anger and attack her, and she would strike hard and fast against me, drawing thin lines of blood all over my body.

I shifted a gaze at Chike and Ramatu also sparring some meters away, each of their moves flowing into one another and beautiful, unlike my clumsy moves.

 “Toke,” Oniko growled softly. “As a witchlord fighting would come easier to you, the great mothers have blessed each one of you with the skill from birth. You just have to keep pushing yourself till you ignite your fighting spirit.”

If this was already easy then what does hard look like? I hope I never find that out. I sighed and gathered my strength to attack. Although I still don’t sense the elusive feeling Oniko spoke about, I am not about to give up and let Iditan have the last laugh. I lunged at her, hoping to catch her off guard, but Iditan moved smoothly, sidestepping my graceless attempt to attack. We quickly get into the rhythm, with Iditan directing the tone of the fight and mostly parrying every of my attacks.

A thought runs through my mind and I decided to try it out. I pretended to trip and stagger as I fought Iditan, flailing wide. A smile blossomed on her face as she moved to the side so I would fall to the floor. I followed her as she moved, fast, striking towards her left, and then her right as she tried to evade my attacks.

Gotcha! My sword drew against Iditan’s right arm and her gasp of pain made me smile. I looked up into her eyes in triumph and the smile on my face erases at the wicked scowl and ire I witnessed within those dark pupils.

“Cheap trick.” Iditan looked down her hand as the cut healed fast, sealing up. She straightened her stance, taking the spar seriously for the first time. “You’ve had your chances, now it is my turn to attack.”

The look on Iditan’s face dropped a seed of fear in my heart. Was she planning to kill me or something? I turned to Oniko beseechingly, hoping he will put a halt to the spar. Oniko just looked on without any emotion.

Iditan stalked forward like a feline towards its prey, and I found myself moving backwards. She suddenly leaped at me, moving faster than I expected, to appear before me in an instant. Her right hand came down towards my head with the knife within it gleaming sharply.

I moved quickly to the side, trying to copy her evasion tactics, but Iditan followed me closely, drawing the knife against my shoulder as we parted. I had barely let out a grunt of pain before she was back, pressing her attack in a fast flurry of strikes towards my head and neck. Her right and left hand flowing one into the other in a continuous strike.

She was really planning to kill me!

Iditan’s right leg suddenly appeared on my stomach in a roundhouse kick, drawing a gasp of pain from my lips as the force of her hit threw me off my feet to land in an ungainly sprawl. I breathe hard through my mouth, groaning as spikes of pain racked through me.

“This is not the time to sleep little princess. Or have you probably gotten so daft you think that’s your fluffy mattress?” Iditan mocked.

I closed my eyes in embarrassment as Oniko chuckled by the side.

“And now she is really sleeping,” Iditan added.

“Toke,” Oniko called.

“Oh let her sleep.”

I will kill that devil! I growled and opened my eyes, slowly pulling myself up from the floor. I reached for my sparring swords which had fallen off to the side and ran fast towards Iditan. She moved to the side as I arrived before her and kicked me on my buttocks, pushing me to fall face down. I stood up again, rushing her, only to repeat the process. This happened three more times before I stopped my blind rush, standing before Iditan and forcing myself to be calm.

“What? Scared of attacking now?” Iditan taunted.

I wisely kept quiet.

“Fine, I’ll attack.” Iditan shrugged and ran forward.

I held the hilt of the swords so tight my palms began to hurt, determined to hold my ground this time no matter what Iditan brought. Even if she killed me I would not take one step away from where I stood.

As Iditan arrived before me, the calm I felt was no longer forced, a feeling of tranquility and self assurance descended upon me. Iditan suddenly seemed sluggish as my right hand came up, blocking her sharp thrust. I moved into her next attack, catching her by surprise as I gave her a backhand slap.

Iditan reeled, holding unto her face. Darkness creeped upon her obsidian face, and she bared her teeth in ager, looking even more feral. She came back at me with a vengeance. Her speed increased but I hold my own, barely matching her up, speed for speed, strike for strike.

Fatigue forgotten, pain forgotten, I fought back like a wild beast, snarling in defiance. I finally lose my initial momentum and began to move backwards as Iditan pressed me harder. I tried to draw more strength to hold my own against her, but there is nothing left.

Iditan cut my left wrist making me drop the sword in the hand. She then thrust towards my chest.

Blinded by pain and rage, I brought up my right hand, angling the remaining lone sword in my hand to meet her attack. Suddenly Iditan was in the air, flying away from me. She morphed into an eagle in the air, soaring high for a moment before coming down and morphing back into her human form.

“You Cheat!” Iditan screamed, coming fast at me. The air whipped wildly around her, raising dust and leaves.

“That’s enough,” Oniko declared.

“She used Magic.”

Who, me? And then I felt it raging within me, my magic. I looked up at Oniko resolutely, waiting for him to condemn and chastise me for breaking the rule and using magic during the spar—even if a mistake—and felt the eyes of Chike and Ramatu who had stopped their spar to watch Iditan and I.

“Thank you Iditan, as you can see we have succeeded,” Oniko declared.