Stranger

"What's is going on here?" A man who looked his early twenties asked, his hand still on Sian's. He had pitch black hair which contrasted with his deep ocean blue eyes making them stand out most amongst his facial features. His tan skin collaborated with the golden rays of the already rising sun to give him a slight glow. "This lady here doesn't have enough money for her groceries" the stall owner said sternly.

"How much are the groceries?" He asked. His voice was calm and he spoke like one who didn't have a problem with wealth.

"A gold piece and twelve silver" The stall owner said. His obvious disgusted expression melting into a happy and greedy smile as the stranger handed him two gold coins and spared him the change.

With her grocery problem already solved, Sian made to leave but the stranger held firm to her wrist. His grip was firm and gentle at the same time. And his face shine with a cynical smile.

"Wouldn't you at least tell me your name as a token of your appreciation?"He asked not releasing his grip. He knew men like him, they were the type that randomly help strangers so they could take back their own pound of flesh for saving them later. He disgusted her even with his Charming looks. "I didn't asked for your help." Sian replied flatly. She wanted to be done with him and be on her way but he was persistent.

"You looked like you needed it" He replied not wavering at all at her tone of response. He seemed hell bent on receiving his answers and she didn't have any time to waste on people of his kind.

"Sian" she said before forcing her wrist out of his grip. A small grin appeared on his face as he took a slight bow at her

"It was nice meeting you...Sian."

He was weird she thought as she neared the cottage but she couldn't ignore his beauty and manners. She was in deep thoughts she didn't realize she was smiling until she met a pair of prying eyes.

"What could possibly be making Sian smile this early in the morning?" He asked. It was obvious he was still waking from sleep with the look in his eyes. He held a jar of water which she guessed, was meant for washing sleep off his eyes.

"Nothing" she replied sharply to avoid further questions. She knew him very well. He would torment her until she gave him. So she decided to rather avoid the conversation or not pay attention to anything he said or did.

He was in his fifties yet he looked thirty. His body was moderately built. His biceps and triceps were perfect and the scars on his body added to his manliness. He laughed at her childishness before emptying the jar of water on his face.

She was a like a daughter to him. After saving her from a very bad decision she made as a child, he had looked after her since and taught her all she knew. She was different from every other girl he met and not because she possessed the power of an elemental. Something about her was just strange and he hadn't figured it out for the past ten years he had spent with her. She was mostly secretive and didn't share much with him. He didn't blame her, after all she had been through it's a miracle she could still talk. This wasn't time for sentimentality he said to himself before picking up his katana.

"it's time for training"

🚬🚬

She dropped the groceries down on the kitchen table and made for her room to get ready. 'What was that earlier?' she asked herself. For some reason she had no idea of, thoughts of the stranger made her smile and she didn't even know his name. His name, she had forgotten to ask but he knew hers. Clouds of regret began to form in her mind but she shoke them off. She didn't care about the stranger and would probably forget him after today and hopefully never see him again.

She had barely recovered from her thoughts when she heard her Father's voice" Time for training!". She bent low to search under her bed. This was where she kept her bo staff. It was made of electrum. An alloy of gold and silver. She reached for her weapon and drew it out of the darkness letting it dazzle as soon as the sunlight hit it. "Someone is looking determined today"Aaron said as soon as she stepped out into the open plain. They stayed away from civilization to prevent unnecessary attention. They were both different from normal citizens that resided in Atresh and their kind were always on the run.

She gave him a determined look before posing in readiness for her imminent battle. He had been her teacher for the past years and she was already nearing him in skills and talent in use of the bo staff. He knew better than to underestimate her capabilities. She made the first move and swung hard at him but he dodged with a simple glide to the side. She wasn't going to give him any chances to recuperate from her attacks as she released series of more co ordinated attacks at him.

His reflexes were honed to nearly perfection as he easily dodged her attacks and blocked few. She lurched forward at him clearly showing signs of fatigue from her unyielding attacks. He was clearly mocking her by not attacking back at her or at least countering her attacks and it made her look weak, and weak was not what she had bargained for since her past years of training.

She launched forward at him with increased speed and momentum which took him by surprise since he had already taken her to be tired. He reacted quickly by blocking the impending staff from reaching his shoulder, but she was quick with her feet as she reached down for a low double kick at his leg. With skillful series of manoeuvre he was able to cut free from her oppression and summersaulted backwards.

She has gotten better he said to himself. It was high time he took her seriously. This was exactly what she wanted, for Aaron to take her seriously and take her on without holding back. Even though she knew she was no match for him she wanted to know how far she had gotten with her training and she would never know if he didn't fight her as she did him. She launched forward at him once again, her electrum staff skillfully resting along her elbow and sideways across her back which was perfect for a swift and heavy release on her enemy.

He watched her carefully trying to figure out her next move. She was coming at him with speed and force which was a good strategy but was also a lethal move against one who is faster than you are. With her current speed, missing an attack would leave her open to her opponent and with faster reaction speed, he would cut her down easily. He waited till she was close enough to attack, he would dodge her attack at the last second before ending this quickly. She could see through all his thoughts with only a quick glance at his calculative expressions.

She had studied thoroughly throughout their past training sessions and she knew exactly how his facial expressions changed whenever he was against an attack difficult to block or counter. The only option was to dodge. She made a swift clockwise turn as she swung the staff at him but he dodged just as she expected. He turned swiftly, his blade held up high. This match was over. She loved the look on his face as he starred in surprise. The impact of the staff on the floor after the dodged attack had bounced it right up into he air and she was coming down at him with a bicycle kick mid air. Swiftly Crossing his arms in an 'X', he successfully blocked her kick which made him stagger backwards a bit.

A quick twitch of the head saved his eyes from an incoming attack. She wasn't holding back, and he wouldn't go easy on him if he continued to underestimate her. "You've improved" he complimented as he moved some scattered hair off his face. It was high time he got serious. This time he will attack and he wouldn't hold back. He smiled at her jus before he dashed towards her. She could barely react to his movements and soon she was sent flying across the field by a kick to the torso. She bounced up quickly still recovering from his first attack but he was already too close.

His katana was in the air coming down at her. There was no time to dodge, her only option was to block. She raised her bo staff to block just before the blade finished it's downward motion but she impact made it almost impossible to keep in her grip. She caught a glimpse of an approaching foot just in time for her to dodge and regain her balance. He had a grin on his face which clearly told her he wasn't going to hold back.

He rushed at her once again, his full intent on disarming her but she wouldn't budge. She knew wat he was up to, with the force of impacts of his blade attacks she could easily make out he wanted to disarm her but she wouldn't give him what he wanted. Struggling to keep her weapon in her possession and keeping up with his attacks were torture. She wasn't fast enough to match him and if she didn't block with her staff then her only option was to dodge andshe didn't not have the reaction speed to match with his combat speed.

She was already worn out from blocking his unending series of attacks but he didn't seem a bit fatigued. She blocked a swing from him but ignored his legs. She was only focused on his weapon and had forgotten that his blade wasn't only the lethal thing he possessed as he delivered another powerful kick to her lower abdomen which sent her flying across the field and crashing into a pile of barrels.