The Test And Goodbyes
I'm now 18 years old with 3 years of hard training. I'm now finally ready to go against Dane. If I win, I can finally leave to avenge my family. If I lose, I have to spend another year training here.
I've got this. Everything I've done was to get to this point. I won't fail here
Just like that fight 3 years ago, we stand facing each other in our stance. I take a breath as I stand my ground.
She stares at me while saying, "Let us begin."
We start to walk in a circle as we face each other.
Wait for an opening. Don't attack right away.
After a few minutes, Dane jumps forward swinging from the left.
I jumped back.
Just as the punch passes, I swing from the right.
Dane jumps up and swings her leg down.
I jump forward right under her, making her miss.
We circle again.
"Seems you've learned a lot in these 3 years."
"Well I got a good teacher to help."
We both smile and jump forward towards each other. We start swinging and dodging. Repeating the same motion Swing, dodge, jab, and evade, all in quick succession.
We both jumped back.
"Good," Dane says smiling. She picks up a staff, "But now lets change it up a bit."
She swings for my head. I rolled out of the way and grab a staff. We parry and attack back and forth not letting the other get the upper hand.
"There is no rule that says we have to stay in the arena," Dane says.
She runs into the forest and jumps from tree to tree. I follow in pursuit. I catch up to her and swing in mid-air. She blocks it and jumps back towards me from a tree. I duck, narrowly avoiding her fist.
"This is getting nowhere," I thought.
I jump to her and throw my staff. Just as she blocks, I grab her staff. We fall straight to the ground, cushioned by the snow with me on top of her.
I rip the staff away from her and raise my fist as I catch my breath, "I win."
She looks at me smiling, "Indeed you have."
We both stand up, shake hands, and head back.
I get my things ready and stand outside with Dane. We both look up at the sky as I'm holding my backpack.
"What are you going to do now?" says Dane.
Still looking at the sky I said, "I guess I go find the one who killed my family"
From the corner of my eye, she turns towards me saying, "Please don't kill him."
"I won't promise anything," I hug her. "You're the closest thing I've got to a mother. Am I ever going to see you again?"
"Most likely not," she says, patting my hair.
We let go.
Just before I'm about to leave Dane says, "Wait!" Dane reaches into her pocket and takes out short staff.
I accept it and examine confused, "Thank you?"
"It may look short but if you wish it," she places her hand on it. It immediately extends. "It will become a normal staff and..." she grabs the staff and throws it into the woods. She extends out her hand. The staff flies back into hand. "...it will go back to the owner."
"Woah!" I said. "How is that possible!"
She examines the staff, "This is an artifact. Artifacts are infused with magic beforehand so they don't require the use of our magic."
"That's amazing! Can they be made?"
She shakes her head, "Artifacts can't be made anymore. They were created a long long time before. But don't worry. There is quite an abundance of them in the world. Some powerful, others relatively weak."
She places the staff into my hands, "I now pronounce you the owner of this staff."
I stare at the staff with amazement. I hug the staff tightly, "Thank you, Dane."
She nods and steps back, "Good luck Foster."
We both wave goodbye.
I walk towards the edge of the forest and look back one last time and smile.
"I'm going to miss this place."
I shrink my staff and attach it to my hip, I run into the forest and to the base of the mountain. I look up at the mountain and start running up.
I can't believe that I had trouble climbing up this mountain 4 years ago
I reach the peak and stay there. I admire the view for a bit. With a deep breath, I go to the edge of the cliff and jump. I fall down with the air in my face until I see a slope where I can run down.
My face grows tense, "Look out murder. I'm coming for you."