Friendly spar

Kaleb felt a surge of anger. His blood ran cold, and he clenched his fists as his heart pounded in his chest; he stepped in front of Rayna, his body tensed.

"You're not touching her!" he declared.

The guards laughed, their expressions darkening as they closed in.

"Those are big words for someone like you," the lead guard said, stepping closer, their faces nearly touching. "You're nothing but a pathetic and worthless slave trying to act tough."

As the guards advanced, Kaleb moved instinctively to protect Rayna, but before he could act, William strode in, his presence commanding. 

"What's going on here?" he demanded.

The lead guard straightened, feigning innocence. "Just having a little chat with this slave commander."

William's gaze shifted between the guards and Kaleb, feeling the hostility between them, almost too casually, he smirked.

"I see. Well, If you're so eager for a fight, how about you settle this properly with a friendly 'spar' in the training grounds tomorrow morning?"

Kaleb, his anger barely restrained, shot a glare at William. "Fine. Tomorrow, then."

William's smirk widened, satisfied with the tension he'd stoked. "Let us see if the pits were a good training ground for slaves." 

Kaleb grabbed Rayna's arm and led her away, his jaw clenched tight as they exited the field. 

Rayna glanced up at him, concern etched across her face, but she said nothing, sensing his rage.

As they disappeared from view, William leaned in close to the lead guard, "What is your name and rank?" he asked.

"It's Derrek commander William, and I'm a mid-rank intermediate fortifier"

"Alright, Derrek, I have a job for you," with his voice low and laced with malice. "No matter what happens tomorrow," he whispered, "Make sure that slave doesn't leave the training grounds alive."

The guard nodded, a wicked grin spreading across his face as William's order settled in.

As they entered the shed, Kaleb closed the door behind them, turning to Rayna "Why didn't you tell me they'd been bothering you?" he asked, with concern in his eyes.

 "I just didn't want to cause you any more trouble." Rayna sighed, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Rayna, I asked how long!"

"It's been about two weeks,"

"And you didn't think it was important that I knew something like this was happening?"

"I can handle myself, Kaleb and it's not like you can be everywhere at once."

"The least you could have done was tell me," he said frowning as the guilt gnawed at him. "I should've been there."

Rayna lightly grabbed his arm. "You're already doing more than I could ask of you. You can't protect all of us, at least not all the time."

Kaleb frowned, concern flickering in his eyes. "Has this happened to Atara and Eliora?"

"Don't worry, it's just me" she said, reassuring him, her voice soft and comforting as she squeezed his arm, trying to comfort him. "I can handle this much, you don't have to worry."

Still uneasy, he let out a heavy sigh. "I should've known... I should've been there."

"You can't be everywhere," she said softly, pulling him into her embrace. "You're doing more than enough."

His arms tightened around her, and his voice dropped to a determined whisper. "I promise, you won't have to endure this for long. I'll make sure of it."

Rayna looked up at him, her eyes softening at his words. "I believe you," she murmured, "Just make sure that when we're free, you're right there beside us"

"I wouldn't have it any other way" 

Just then, the door creaked open as Atara and Eliora walked in. 

Atara groaned as she stretched her arms and yawned loudly. "Ugh, work is a nightmare! I swear, if Laura doesn't stop breathing down my neck, I'm going to lose it."

As they stepped further into the room, Atara froze, narrowing in on Kaleb and Rayna, whose hands were still entwined. 

Rayna immediately pulled away, her cheeks burning a deep red as she glanced away, clearly flustered. "W-Welcome back!" she blurted, her voice high-pitched.

Atara raised an eyebrow, and a sly grin crept across her face, "Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

Rayna's blush deepened, and she fumbled for an excuse. "N-N-Nothing!" she exclaimed, her hands flailing slightly. "We were just… just talking!"

"So you weren't just trying to seduce him then?"

"No…. I was just…" her words stumbled over themselves as her face burned an even deeper shade of crimson.

She shifted nervously, staring hard at the floor as if it might offer an escape. 

Caught in the middle, Kaleb scratched the back of his head, feeling awkward, while Rayna looked at the floor, her face burning with embarrassment.

Atara stepped closer, leaning in with a teasing grin. "Sure, sure…I'm not buying it, but I'll let it slide. For now."

Rayna's face flushed even more as she mumbled something incoherent, and Atara giggled, clearly enjoying her embarrassment. 

Meanwhile, Eliora remained quiet as usual, her eyes observing everything silently but with a faint hint of amusement in her expression.

Atara nudged Kaleb. "Better be careful, or someone's going to get jealous," she added with a wink.

Kaleb sighed, but couldn't help but smile. Despite everything, the banter made the moment feel a little lighter.

Eliora, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up with a hint of curiosity.

"What's going on anyway? You two seem awfully tense."

Kaleb exchanged a glance with Rayna before he sighed and recounted the events.

Eliora's brow furrowed in concern. "A fight? With the guards? I don't think that's a good idea."

"It wasn't like we had a choice," Rayna interjected, her voice laced with worry.

Atara crossed her arms, her expression softening. "I'm glad you stood up for her, Kaleb, but you need to be careful. If you're not careful, they'll try to make an example of you."

Kaleb nodded, the gravity of the situation settling over him again. "Yeah, I know. The people here don't like me, but it's more so for the commander. After that first day, I got the feeling he'd try to kill me any chance he got"

Eliora's eyes widened. "You have to be careful."

"Don't worry," Kaleb replied, determination creeping back into his voice. "I'll be fine."

The next day, the sun hung high in the sky as a crowd of guards and servants gathered in anticipation as news of their friendly 'spar' spread like wildfire through the estate.

The air was thick with tension, and Kaleb could feel the weight of countless eyes focused on him. 

He stood at the edge of a large stone platform, his heart pounding in his chest.

Rayna, Atara, and Eliora huddled together behind him, their faces filled with concern.

"Remember, Kaleb," Rayna whispered, her voice shaking slightly. "You've got this."

Atara nodded, her usual teasing absent. "You'd better not let that idiot get the better of you."

Eliora, silent as always, gave him a small, reassuring nod. It was all the encouragement Kaleb needed.

He turned toward the arena, where Derrek, the guard stood grinning, his sword gleaming menacingly under the sun. 

William stepped forward, his voice booming over the crowd. "Let the fight begin!"

Kaleb wasted no time, dashing forward, attacking just as he had practiced, his twin shortswords a blur of motion as he exchanged blows with Derrek. 

The sound of their weapons clashing echoed through the crowd. 

But to his shock, Derrek easily parried each strike, barely moving from his spot. The small crowd cheered Derrek on and his grin grew wider.

"Damn it," Kaleb muttered under his breath. 

Derrek suddenly charged, his movements faster and even more aggressive than before. 

Their swords clashed violently, the sound of metal ringing in the air. Each strike felt heavier than the last, and Derrek's speed became unnerving. 

Kaleb gritted his teeth, blocking a blow that sent vibrations through his body.

'Something is wrong' he thought as he quickly pulled back and circled Derrek, trying to catch his breath and assess the situation. 

Derrek's stance shifted, his eyes gleaming with confidence as he launched forward, this time with a burst of speed that Kaleb struggled to match.

Kaleb's heart raced as he narrowly avoided a lethal strike. 'How is he getting even faster?' he thought, frustration bubbling up inside him. 

It didn't make sense. Derrek might be a trained fighter but his strength and speed shouldn't have been this overwhelming.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, Kaleb noticed it, a faint, almost imperceptible layer of energy surrounding Derrek's body. 

It was a subtle but unmistakable thin layer of mana surrounding his body.

Mana... Kaleb cursed silently. That's how he's doing it. He's using mana to enhance his movement!

Kaleb's frustration deepened. He hadn't mastered controlling mana yet, and now, here he was, facing someone who could wield it effortlessly. It was like fighting an opponent in a different league entirely.

Kaleb dodged frantically as Derrek pressed his advantage, each movement narrowly keeping him alive. 

But even as he evaded, Derrek's strikes still grazed him, cutting into his flesh, and with every step back, he felt himself getting cornered. His body screamed in pain as he was forced to retreat.

Kaleb's chest tightened as Derrek's attacks grew more vicious, each strike aimed at a vital point and with deadly precision. 

"What the hell is this?!" Kaleb protested, blocking another vicious blow. "This isn't a fight—this is an execution!"

Derrek didn't respond, his face twisted with ruthless determination as he continued his relentless assault.

Kaleb felt the intent behind each attack; Derrek wasn't trying to win a fight; he was going to kill him.