“Hahahaha! Haven’t you got anything, human? Really?”
James growled, preparing his body to strike at the smug Urashan. This man was meant to be teaching him, not abusing him. The young space warrior ran at Morcees, and once again, he was floored. James tried to catch his breath, seeing Zach falling to the ground beside him. This was going to be a long day!
***
Unbeknownst to James and the others, Crystanaphy had left the training courtyard, only for her niece, Crystaline to replace her. Today, Crystaline was wearing her usual black costume. Only this time, its collar was plain, black, ordinary. Not subtly golden like yesterday.
As the princess met her father, her eyes failed to join the meeting. Both father and daughter stood together, silent for a while as they observed the training taking place in front of them. Eventually, Cryston was the one to break through the silence.
“Is it done?”
Crystaline’s face was straight, as emotionless as she could make it.
“Yes, father. He has agreed to your terms.”
The king sighed, the oxygen slicing through his throat like daggers.
“Very good, very good,” he whispered. “It’s a shame I can’t give any words of praise to those humans.”
“They’re useless,” Crystaline agreed. “Crystos is the only one training well out of the lot of them. Then again, Morcees and Borcees are just a pair of useless idiots.”
The king smiled, chuckling lightly.
“I can’t disagree with you there. I have to keep on asking myself why I allowed those two to join this mission. You, on the other hand. You’re my most valuable asset. You could go out there, show all those males how it is done?”
Crystaline grinned, her eyes fully meeting her smile.
“Watch and learn, father, watch and learn!” Crystaline walked over to the three training pairs, swinging her unactivated sworsha around as if it were merely a toy in her hand. The king watched on, beaming as proudly as any father could possibly manage.
“What do you call this?” Crystaline shouted, halting the training completely. “I have never seen such an incompetent bunch of idiots training in all my life.” Crystaline looked towards Crystos, “apart from my brother of course. He is the only one training well out of the lot of you.”
“Crystaline! How nice of you to join us!”
James couldn’t help but notice a strong hint of sarcasm in Morcees’ voice. Crystos had definitely seemed a bit wary of these two idiots. Perhaps Crystaline did too.
“Well, Morcees, what choice do I have? You’re not exactly doing a good job of things, are you? Your partner is learning nothing.”
James felt his heart flinching. Was Crystaline going to take over from Morcees? Somehow, fighting a woman, it just wouldn’t be right. Plus there was last night to think of. This could be, what was the word? Awkward?
“You,” Crystaline said, pointing to James, reeling her forefinger towards her. “Step forward!”
“Me?” James answered, trying to play dumb.
“Yes, you. Who do you think I mean? Don’t be such an imbecile!” Crystaline replicated James’ sworsha, locking it safely, and holding it carelessly to her side. “Now firstly, I want you to hold your sworsha how you think you should hold it just before you’d make a strike.”
James raised his arm slightly, holding his sworsha mediocrely to his side.
Crystaline scoffed.
“Really, Morcees? You didn’t even teach him how to hold his weapon. I bet Borcees was just the same, useless as always.”
James watched Morcees and Borcees, both shaking their heads, clearly angry and frustrated by Crystaline’s words. Neither of them argued back though.
“You hold it like this,” Crystaline instructed, holding her sworsha firmly with both hands, raised level with her shoulders. “When you make your initial strike, you need it to be powerful. You need it to make an impact. Two hands are twice as powerful as one. You only use one hand once the battle has commenced, when you need a little more skill and agility.”
James nodded, placing both his hands around his sworsha, raising it just like the princess’.
“Better,” she said. “Now I want you to run at me, strike at me with all the power you’ve got.”
James stood there, mouth wide open, not too sure what to say in response to the princess’ instructions. Hitting a woman, it was just wrong, wasn’t it?!
“You want me to hit you?” He asked.
Crystaline’s mouth formed into a smile, a smile large enough to make her golden eyes squint a little as she chuckled, amused by James’ caution.
“Oh please! I know what you’re thinking, what you’re assuming. I can handle whatever you have got, trust me.”
James was still unsure, this still felt wrong.
“I’m not sure if I want to.”
“Because I’m a woman? You think women are incapable of taking a hit? Of fighting?”
“No, not if you were fighting another woman. As a man, it just feels wrong to strike at you.”
“James,” Crystos’ voice sounded, taking James aback a little, “just do as she says. The more you protest the more you’ll wind her up. She can handle whatever you have got. Just do it.”
James found his eyes wondering over to his captain, perhaps looking for some form of advice on the situation from this unlikely source. Phil gave no meaningful look or words which would indicate what he thought that James should do. James glanced back over to Crystaline, unsurprised by Phil’s lack of helpfulness. Something inside the young space warrior made his arms tense up as he raised his sworsha into the air, ready to strike at the princess stood opposite him. Without even realising it himself, he was running at Crystaline, his sworsha raised to hers. James felt the force of the two sworshas colliding. He heard the thunderous electrical crackles, and then he felt himself flying through the air again, hitting the grass with quite a thud.
“Is that the best you’ve got?” He heard Crystaline taunting at him, coaxing him to get back up and fight. Maybe he had been holding back a little? Maybe Crystos was right, maybe Crystaline was stronger than he’d thought? Able to take a hit? Well, a collision to her sworsha at least. As long as his weapon made no contact with Crystaline herself, this could work. James got up, taking a deep breath inwards, bracing himself for his next move. This time, this time he would make sure that he did not hold back. This time, he would show Crystaline and everyone watching exactly what he was capable of...yeah...yeah! James grinned, feeling the adrenaline pouring into his body thanks to his newfound confidence. This was going to be his moment.
James held onto his sworsha tightly, running hard at Crystaline, until the two sworshas crashed together with another thunderous crackle. For a short while, the two of them sparred. James was pulling out moves he never knew he had. Crystaline seemed to be enjoying the spar, egging James on as they went, until suddenly, out of nowhere, James was dealt a painful blow to his legs. Once again, he was sent flying into the air, and back down onto the grass. He was about to quickly get back up onto his feet, only this time, he was beaten to it and was pulled up onto his knees by Crystaline who was grappling him from behind, her sworsha turned on its side, raised as if to cut off his head.
“You really think you’re anywhere near good enough to beat me?” She hissed.
James could feel his body trembling as Crystaline’s grip tightened around him. Her breaths were heavy, and her grasping hand was shaking, he could feel it. To his horror, James realised that Crystaline’s sworsha was blue now, and there was...there was a blade in amongst all that electricity. What was she doing? For a single short moment James’ heart stopped beating. He felt terrified of what the princess was about to do. Then there was the king, stood in front of him, shaking his head disapprovingly at the woman grappling him. To his own relief, James felt Crystaline loosen her grip on him, though her hands were still trembling, and her breathing was heavy still.
“You’re too slow, Joyce. If you don
’t sort yourself out, you’ll leave yourself opened to be killed out there.”
James sighed a big sigh of relief as Crystaline’s sworsha collapsed before his eyes. The princess let go of him, and stood on her feet. James felt too numb to move, and he could see that Crystaline was unable to quite calm her heavy breathing. She looked over to her brother, trying to calm herself,
“They are useless, brother. Spend time with each of them. Morcees and Borcees couldn’t train a single soul even if their lives depended on it.”
Looking shocked by the recent turn of events, Crystos was unable to respond to his sister.
Realising that she had no further purpose in today’s training, the princess headed for the courtyard’s exit.
James felt bodies suddenly rushing all around him. He felt Phil’s and Zach’s hands helping him back up onto his feet. He heard Lottie’s exasperated voice mutter the word: “Bitch!” as she watched Crystaline exit the courtyard.
“Are you okay, James?” He heard his captain asking.
“Yeah...yeah, I’m fine,” James lied.
The king stood over the bundled humans, speaking in a sickeningly calm voice.
“Now now, what is all this fuss about? You didn’t really think that my daughter meant any harm, do you?”
“She nearly took his head off!” Phil shouted angrily.
“She would have never carried out such an aggressive attack. Crystaline was merely helping young James. The way he was fighting, he was useless. He had to be shown that there are dangers out there. He had to be shown that he must take this training more seriously.
Furthermore, Morcees, Borcees, you are dismissed from today’s training. You’ve both been useless. Crystos, it is up to you to spend time with each of the three young men. Now back to it. None of you have long. You all set off tomorrow.”
Chapter 7
Crystaline sank her aching thighs into the soft warm plushiness of her mother’s old bed. The foamy bed was of a great comfort to her tired limbs. Despite the pain, the memories, and that horrid heavy feeling in her heart, Crystaline loved her mother’s old room, even though it brought her such a ferocious tidal wave of emotions.
The princess sank her fingers even further into the soft, silky red bedsheets as she scanned the room all around her. The walls were covered in pictures, drawings of creatures, of people. The artist - her mother, the most wonderful, the most talented artist Crystaline had ever known. As her golden irises reflected on the regally embellishing furniture of the room, the princess’ nose tasted the sweet scent of her mother’s fragrance. Even though her mother had passed on years ago, this room still managed to smell just like her. It was one of the reasons why Crystaline came here so much. It was like her mother was here, in this room with her. Crystie was invisible, but maybe she was present? In her own little way? Crystaline sighed, her breath was shaky. The Urashan princess couldn’t prevent this feeling of hopelessness from creeping into her brain. Get real! Crystaline reminded herself. Her mother wasn’t technically here, not really. The same couldn’t be said for all those pictures, all those portraits of her mother.
Crystaline slid around the circumference of the humungous bed until she reached her mother’s old bedside cabinet. Nothing in this room had been tampered with, or permanently moved since her mother’s passing. Everything was kept in here just the way it was before...before that awful day. Even that picture was still here, continuing to take the proudest spot in the room. Crystaline gently lifted the hand-sized frame from the golden bedside furnishing. It was a drawing she had drawn herself, one of her mother, and her mother’s beautiful flawless face. Crystaline smiled wryly. The quality of her drawing hadn’t been to the highest of standards, she had only been a nine year old artist at the time. Despite this, the young princess had still managed to capture her mother’s beauty, having paid extra attention to her stunning eyes and her long straight hair. Whenever Crystaline looked in the mirror, her reflection was enough to remind her of her mother.
The princess’ face hardened as she listened to the footsteps pattering in the corridor. Eventually, the noise came to a stop, just outside her mother’s door. Only one other person would come here, Crystos.
The prince opened up the door, and stood at the entrance, eyeing Crystaline apprehensively.
“We set off tomorrow. The humans are as ready as they’ll ever be.” Crystos waited for his sister to respond to him, to at least turn around and look at him. Crystaline did neither, forcing Crystos further into the room. He almost winced with every step he made, feeling the reminders, the pain. Crystos only ever entered this room when he absolutely had to - usually to find Crystaline. There she was, sat there, with that picture in her hand. The one which always seemed to capture her.
“Would you at least turn around and look at me?” Crystos begged, ever so softly.
At last, Crystos had broken through the thick heavy membrane which surrounded his sister. Crystaline carefully returned the picture to its home, turning around to face Crystos at last.
“What?” she said, her mind just beginning to return to normality.
“I said that the humans are ready. I did as you asked. I spent time with each of them. To be honest though, none of them are great with the sworsha, but Cryston is adamant that we retrieve the stone as quickly as possible.”
“And do you agree with our father? Or will you just find another way to disagree with him?”
Crystos’ eyes sharpened, detecting the venom in Crystaline’s tone.
“I don’t agree with any of this. I don’t see why we can’t just help the humans. Why endanger them needlessly? Cryston is Cryston. Selfish, only looking out for himself.”
“He’s looking out for all of us!” Crystaline snapped straight back at her brother.
Crystos’ eyes smouldered with rage, bitterness.
“So he’s not up to something is he?”
Crystaline stood to face her brother, her red lips smirking, her eyes fierce.
“What makes you say that?”
“I know what he’s like, what he is capable of. You know him as well as I do, Crystaline, yet you refuse to see.”
Crystaline chuckled, whilst her eyes grew lighter.
“We’re just retrieving the stone, Crystos.” Crystaline’s expression darkened once more. “And besides, it’s what she’d have wanted, am I wrong?”
Crystos’ heart gave an uncomfortable flutter. It was rare that anyone spoke of his mother. Just thinking of the woman he missed made his words delicate, and as gentle as he could make them.
“She’d want the stone, yes. She wouldn’t want us risking our lives for it though, would she? And she wouldn’t want the humans to do the same either.”
Crystaline’s face filled with despair, and her own tone softened completely.
“We don’t have a choice, Crystos. Neither do they.”
“I know,” Crystos whispered, his eyes warming to his sister. “I just had to check that there wasn’t anything else going on, that’s all. You nearly took the boy’s head off. I don’t see you lose control like that very often.”
“I was in control,” Crystaline proclaimed. “He needed it. They all needed it.”
“Yes,” Crystos agreed, walking back to the doorway, “they did get marginally better after your little stunt, I must say. Until tomorrow, sister. Be ready.”
***
As the day drew to a close, James found himself winding down in the palace restaurant with his team. Phil had chosen one of the quietest tables that he could find. Finding a private area to eat and drink had certainly been no easy task tonight. Tonight the restaurant was packed, busier than yesterday, with its loud music blaring across the room in quite an intrusive fashion. Lottie in particular looked the most uncomfortable tonight, gingerly munching though her food, and tentatively sipping on her apocoli. James didn’t mind the noise or the chaos. His mind was elsewhere, working overtime to process the day’s dramatic events.
Crystaline. What was her b
eef? Had the princess been trying to help as the king had explained? Or had the pretty young woman had some other ulterior motive? Did Crystaline know that she had been spotted last night? Locked in an embrace with a man over twice her age? What Crystaline chose to do with her personal life was none of James’ business, he knew that. She would know that surely?!
James took another sip of his drink, deciding that he wasn’t going to dwell over all of this anymore. He needed to get back to the others. As his ears took in the conversation around him, James was a little mortified to hear Crystaline being discussed. He had been trying to cleanse his mind from her after all.
“Even if we’re useless when it comes to using these sworshas,” Phil had begun, “at least the other four will know how to fight.”
“Yeah,” Lottie sarcastically agreed, “I’m sure that psycho bitch Crystaline will be waving that sworsha around without a single care in the world, killing every poor animal in sight.”
“That I can’t disagree on.” Phil took a bitter sip of his drink.
James opened up his mouth, ready to join the conversation, to say something to defend the princess. His mouth closed right up before he even got the chance to speak. Crystaline had entered the restaurant, surrounded by an entourage of important looking individuals.
“Oh great! Speak of the devil. Literally!” James heard Lottie remark, watching as Crystaline impassively conversed with her people. The woman didn’t look happy, she just looked blank, uncaring, not wanting to be here in this room. James’ heart skipped a beat, responding to Crystaline’s eyes flitting over to his. The moment was thankfully brief. Crystaline returned her attentions to her people, and James’ shy eyes dropped down to his drink. He only had another couple of sips to go. Feeling suddenly frustrated, James took his drink, gulping down the rest of it. When he slammed the glass back down onto the table, James was shocked to see Crystaline standing before him, waiting for a chance to speak above the loud pumping music.
Diversion To Urasha (Space Era Book 1) Page 8
