“Turning back would mean certain death.” She pulled at her thin shirt, fanning it to get some air circulation over her torso. “We’re close, I know it.”
Ryris looked back over the wagon, the horizon rippling in the scorching midday heat. She was right—she always was. They had travelled too far into the desert to go back. Canyons loomed ahead of them, and he hoped against hope that some water lay within. The wind whipped up, blowing sand into his face.
They plodded on for another two hours, Ass of the East’s speed waning with every step. Ryris knew she would die soon if she didn’t get water—they all would. The last hill had been steep to descend, but they were rewarded with solid ground at the base. Giant sand dunes were replaced by towering red canyon walls, natural stone arches carved out by eons of wind erosion. The desert began to give way to arid scrubland—sure sign water was near. Subtle hints of moisture on the air currents tickled their nostrils and they both looked to each other with excitement. Moving on, they entered an outcropping, the rock walls on either side soaring into the sky, mercifully blocking out the unrelenting sun. The wind blew with ferocity around them, echoing a haunting “scream” through the surrounding area. If the nomads Phia spoke of were truly superstitious, there was a good reason to believe this was the culprit.
Ass of the East whinnied, shaking flies from her mane with a flick of her head. Emerging from the shady corridor, the companions found themselves presented with the most beautiful sight they had ever seen.
A clear blue pond shimmered at the end of the path, partly shaded by the high canyon walls. Scrubby trees encircled its shores, brown birds fluttering from one perch to the next as they shrieked their social calls. Ryris jumped from the wagon, causing Kaia to lunge for the reins to hastily steer in his absence. “It’s magical!”
She called after him with a curt, forceful tone, causing him to skid to a halt mere inches from the water’s edge. “Don’t you dare!”
Ryris turned and balked. “Why not? It’s practically calling for us!”
“Get back here!” Her voice was commanding as she dismounted the cart. She scanned the tops of the canyons, keeping a keen eye on their surroundings.
Ryris looked around and shrugged his shoulders. “There’s no one here. We’ve got the place completely to ourselves.”
“Until we know if we’re truly alone, we need to be on our guard—even though you’ve most likely blown any element of surprise we may have had on our side.” She scowled at him, her face turning red. He hadn’t seen her this mad since she tackled him the first time.
Ryris felt like an ass. Here she was, a warrior with years of strategic and tactical training, and she was forced to babysit an incompetent alchemist who had acted a fool on more than one occasion. He returned from the edge of the pool, his head hanging low. Kaia pointed to the cart. “Stay over there, let me do the reconnoiter.”
He did as he was told, and took his position beside the wagon. She removed her sword from storage and attached it to her belt. Kaia slowly circled the oasis, peeking into alcoves and peering up into the tallest reaches to make sure they were safe. She stopped once, hand at her side, ready to draw her weapon. Seconds later, a group of pygmy deer scrambled from a small cave in the outcropping wall and out into the surrounding desert. When she was finished with her reconnaissance, she returned to Ryris and stowed her weapon once more.
“Let’s make camp.”
“It’s safe?”
“I wouldn’t suggest we stay if it wasn’t.” She grabbed a supply backpack and the shabby tent they had purchased and walked toward the water, untying Ass of the East to lead her to a refreshing drink.
“I’d love to jump in first…” Ryris raised a hopeful eyebrow at his companion and motioned with his head in the direction of the pool.
“Not until we hydrate, pitch the tent, and get some training in.”
“Training?” Ryris didn’t try and hide the whine in his voice.
Kaia grabbed the waterskins from their supplies and shoved one in his hand. She knelt at the side of the pool and dipped it in, bubbles popping to the surface as the canteen filled. “We’re safe for the moment, but you’re nowhere ready for battle should it arise. You need practice, and I can’t think of a better time than now.”
“But I’m hot, tired, and sore!” Ryris lifted his own waterskin from the refreshing water and drank deeply. He hoped she’d be sympathetic.
“So am I, but the enemy doesn’t care. Whether you’re full of energy or nearly dropping from exhaustion, when the time comes to defend yourself, you need to be ready.”
Ryris faked a cough. “But…I’m sick…”
“Quit being a baby.” She pointed to the wagon. “Grab the other bags and get the fire going.”
“Fire? It’s a thousand degrees out here!” Ryris balked with exaggeration as he hoisted a pack onto his shoulders.
“…and the oasis has a fly swarm…” Kaia pointed to an undulating black cloud hovering over the far side of the pond. “If we don’t start a fire, they’ll be eating us alive before sundown.”
Looking at the mass of hungry insects in the near-distance, Ryris instantly agreed with the idea of a smoky fire. He got to work collecting dried wood and reeds to use as kindling. Striking a flint on his dagger, he quickly became discouraged as the sparks refused to ignite the fuel. He blew out an irritated breath and stomped his foot. Ryris tried and tried again, failing miserably as the fire starter wouldn’t cooperate.
“…just use your damn magic.” Kaia’s exasperated voice floated from behind him as she pitched the tent.
He almost yelled to her that she’d lost her mind, but then remembered there wasn’t a living soul for miles—probably. Even so, Ryris took a quick look around on his own before bringing flames to his fingertips. He tossed the fire from his palm onto the dry kindling and the campfire immediately blazed strong. Ryris added a few larger logs and stood back to marvel at his accomplishment. He had to admit, it felt slightly liberating to use his powers without fear of being murdered for it. At least—not at the moment.
Kaia came up behind him and slapped him on the back, knocking him forward slightly. “Nice fire, Bren. Now grab your sword and let’s get to it.”
Ryris pouted, hoping that she had forgotten about her previous orders. He really didn’t feel like practicing with a weapon. The cool, shimmering water of the oasis called to him, taunting him with the slight ripples on the surface. They had been traveling so long, and all he wanted was a bath. He knew he probably stunk something awful.
“Let’s go!” Kaia drew her sword from its scabbard, the crystal glimmering in the fading sunlight. “You need to at least learn the basics if you want any chance at survival.”
The alchemist sighed and resigned himself to his fate. The enticing water of the oasis would have to wait. He removed his shortsword from the wagon, his own crystalline choice from Kaia’s chamber, and approached her at the oasis’ edge. She stood at the ready, sword held out in front of her. As soon as he took a tentative stance, she abruptly charged at him. Ryris only had seconds to react, and brought his weapon up just in time to block her volley.
“Dammit, Kaia! Watch it!” Ryris swung his weapon wildly, barely missing his sparring opponent’s arm. “How about a little warning next time?”
She swung again, forcing him to defend himself. Her blade crashed down on his, knocking him to the ground. He tried to scuttle away, but Kaia was on him like lightning, pointing the tip of her sword at his face. “You’re dead!”
Ryris sat, red-faced and panting. He glared at her. “If you think this will help me learn, you’re wrong!”
“I disagree.” She retracted her blade and extended her hand to help him up. “You need to expect the unexpected.”
“Well, almost killing me doesn’t seem to be the best way to go about it.” He went to sheathe his sword, a mixture of embarrassment and anger sweeping over him. She stopped him with a forceful slap to the calf with the broad side of her weapon. He
sighed and rolled his eyes when he realized she wanted to go at it again.
“I wouldn’t have killed you…”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
Kaia readied her sword in front of her. Ryris instinctively flinched. “We’ll start simpler, if it’ll make you feel better.” He nodded, sweat pouring down his face. He reluctantly brought his sword up. Kaia shook her head and clicked her tongue in a scolding manner. She sighed as she sheathed her weapon and moved behind him. She placed her hands on his hips. Ryris’ cheeks flushed. “Your posture is all wrong. Straighten up, but relax your back. If you’re stiff-muscled, your movements won’t be fluid.”
Ryris swallowed hard as she ran her hand up his spine, forcing him to straighten his posture. Her fingers ended up on his shoulders, where she squeezed firmly. His entire body began to tingle. “Relax…the sword isn’t that heavy.”
“I’m not tensing because of the damn sword,” he thought.
Kaia laid both her palms on his shoulders and pressed down. “The trick is to have control of your weapon without white-knuckling it. If you tense your upper body, you’re more liable to grip your sword incorrectly. Let your arms do the work, not your hands.”
Ryris allowed her to manipulate him into a proper fighting stance. He fought the urge to move away when she pushed her knee between his legs to give him a more stable footing. Once again, he could feel heat taking over his face, and butterflies fluttered in his stomach. He hoped she couldn’t sense his nervousness.
“If you stand wide-footed, it’s harder for your opponent to knock you on your ass. Once you’re down, you lose the advantage…so make sure it never happens.” She backed up to take note of his positioning. “Much better.”
Ryris stood there, feeling very awkward. The weight of the sword was starting to make his arms dip. He definitely wasn’t used to this kind of physical activity. And being hormonally flushed wasn’t helping his situation. Kaia unsheathed her weapon and stood beside him, mirroring his posture.
“Now, take four steps forward—watch me. Make sure you keep the sword pommel in line with your navel.” She moved, Ryris following her. “Not bad. Let’s try again, eight steps this time.”
They practiced the walking drill over and over again, Kaia adding more steps each time. As he moved, Ryris became more comfortable with the weight of the sword. By the end of the exercise, they had walked around the entire oasis, and she had added simple sword positions into the mix.
“Posture’s better. Time to get swinging.” She stood in front of him, weapon raised defensively. “Attack me.”
“Are you sure?” All of Ryris’ confidence seeped out in an instant. Walking around was one thing, but actually using his weapon was a totally different animal. He wasn’t sure he was ready.
“It’s not like I’d let you hurt me.” She beckoned him with a crooked finger and a cocked eyebrow. “Let’s see what you got.”
Ryris took a deep breath and swung. The sword’s weight changed his center of mass and he stumbled awkwardly. He never even made contact with Kaia’s weapon. He expected her to laugh, but she never did. Instead, she grabbed him by the arm, readjusted his stance, and told him to give it another try. Ryris moved again, this time ready for the change in his balance from the sword. His movements were more fluid as he clashed his sword against Kaia’s. He actually felt proud of himself. Again and again, he attacked, his blows becoming stronger with each passing minute. His confidence rose. Before long, he was sweating and his muscles felt as if they were on fire. Adrenaline coursed through his veins and he welcomed the new sensation of success. Kaia cheered him on as she defended herself with ease, encouraging him to strike harder and with more precision. Even though he still had strong reservations about actually using a weapon in battle—against real enemies—he was inspired by his budding skills. Perhaps he was stronger than he had originally thought.
Kaia finally held up a hand to stop him. “And you thought you couldn’t do it…”
Ryris smiled his thanks for the compliment as he panted, stooping over as the euphoric rush of extreme physical activity waned. He wiped his brow with his arm before resting his sword against his leg. His shoulders slumped when he heard Kaia’s next words.
“You’re not off the hook yet.” She raised her weapon with a determined look on her face.
“Kaia, I’m beat and starving. Haven’t we trained enough for one day?”
“No.” She charged at him again, just like their first encounter. Now armed with a new set of skills and some extra confidence, Ryris jumped back and properly defended himself, parrying her blow with a swipe of his sword.
He surprised himself, the counterattack coming more naturally that he had expected it to. The alchemist-turned-warrior kept up his defense, even getting a few jabs in at his opponent’s expense. But, Kaia’s attacks were precise, and Ryris soon grew tired. She was relentless, darting around him while swinging her sword. Kaia challenged him to tap into his reserves and channel all his strength to keep her at bay. Ryris knew she wasn’t going easy on him. They sparred for several minutes, Kaia showing no signs of tiring. Ryris, on the other hand, began to lose steam. His grip faltered on his sword, and his legs felt like jelly. Ryris let his mind go off-track for just a moment—and that’s all it took. A stinging pain erupted from his forearm, and he looked down to see blood seeping through a newly-cut gash in his shirt.
“You hit me!” Ryris dropped his sword to the ground and cradled his injured arm.
Kaia dashed to his side, ready to inspect his wound. He tried to pull away, but she held on tight and forced him to allow her to look. “You lost focus. Be thankful it was me and not a real foe.” She rolled up his sleeve and scrutinized his arm. “You’ll be fine, it’s not deep.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one oozing blood.” He began to feel lightheaded at the sight of the crimson liquid.
“You think I don’t have scars?” Her expression was stern.
“You’re not even going to apologize?” Ryris’ feelings were bruised, and he wasn’t going to let her make him feel bad for her. She could at least pretend to be a little sorry.
“What for? Soldiers spar—and soldiers hurt each other while sparring.”
“I’m not a soldier…” Ryris’ voice was hushed as he pulled his arm away and walked toward the wagon. He found his alchemist’s satchel and dug for a vial of ointment. Kaia approached and stopped him, forcibly turning him to face her.
“I know you‘re not a soldier.” Her voice was uncharacteristically quiet. “I’m sorry, alright?”
He turned away, unconvinced, and dabbed a piece of cloth on his weeping arm laceration. The fabric immediately became stained red.
She leaned around him and looked him in the eyes. “I’m sorry.”
He had never heard Kaia be remorseful like that. Her eyes were sincere, her apologetic smile warm, and he couldn’t remember a time where she had looked more radiant. She gripped his arm firmly, but with a gentle touch, soft fingers against his wounded flesh. He found that his mouth had gone dry, and he didn’t know if he could reply. Her touch—and her apology—had left him speechless.
“I, uhhh…” He swallowed hard. “…thank you. I…didn’t mean to bite your head off.” He unconsciously moved his hand to cover her own—and he was surprised when she didn’t pull away. They stared at each other for a long moment, not speaking. Ryris’ chest bubbled with a feeling he hadn’t felt in a long time, and before he knew it, they were moving closer together. He knew he should stop, that it wasn’t right to do this, but his brain wouldn’t listen. Just as their lips were about to connect, Kaia pulled away.
“If you want to go swimming, now’s the time. It’ll wash the cut before I clean and bandage it.” It was obvious she was trying to change the subject—or perhaps felt uncomfortable.
Ryris snapped himself from his lusty haze. He stood there, dumbfounded. Had he really been that close to kissing her? Had she almost let him? He didn’t know what to do
—what to say. So, he did what he always did in awkward situations—he stumbled over his words.
“Kaia…I…didn’t mean to…” He nervously tapped his foot in the sand and tried to make some sort of eye contact so he didn’t seem like a total dolt. He scratched the back of his neck.
“What I meant to say is…”
She stared at him blankly. Did she really not realize what had just almost happened? Didn’t she care? A wave of unexpected melancholy momentarily swept over him. It’s not like they were an item—but would he be upset if she were to reject him? Ryris had to tell himself to snap out of it, to push those thoughts from his mind. They were on an important mission. They had monumental tasks at hand. They had no time—for whatever had just transpired.
What had almost transpired?
Ever since he laid eyes on her, there had been that feeling of attraction. First physical—her beauty was nothing like he had ever seen in his life. Then, as he got to know her, he found himself attracted to her wit, her intelligence, and her bravery. She inhabited his dreams, only to be there again in the flesh every day. Ryris now realized he had spent a great deal of time trying to talk himself out of developing feelings for her. And yet, here they were—his hormones raging as he realized he was falling hard. What was he going to do? He didn’t want to ruin a good thing; their friendship meant so much to him. But, after all, he was a man—and he hadn’t felt this way about a woman in a long, long time. Was he really ready to take this step? What if she rejected him? This was happening so fast, and he didn’t know how to react.
“You worry too much, Bren.” She slapped his cheek playfully, once again snapping him from his rambling thoughts. “Now either get in the water or start dinner.”
Her eyes twinkled in the dimming sunset light and he instantly knew he at least hadn’t caused any damage to their relationship. He figured at some point, there would probably be a discussion about—something—but for now, he felt at ease. Kaia always did that to him.
Ryris gazed longingly at the water. It did look refreshing. But, his arm also smarted something fierce and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to anger it by dunking it in water. Taking a moment to weigh his options, he finally decided—and ran toward the pond like a giddy child, his romantic worries no longer at the forefront of his mind. He jumped in, fully clothed, and swam underneath the surface. When he finally emerged, he saw Kaia at the water’s edge, arms crossed over her body, laughing at his spontaneity.
The Alchemist: Dawn of Destiny Page 25
