Training

After the fierce battle, Rodan looked at Shade who is standing in the middle of the fight. He again used up a lot of mana in casting a spell, he looked exhausted and worn out. Rodan looked around and saw the outcome of the fight, the place is devastating, trees are burning, there are huge holes on the ground and cracks beside the cave.

"Are you alright Shade?"

Shade looked at Rodan for a second before falling to the ground, Rodan runs towards Shade to check on him.

"Shade, don't move your body you're too exhausted right now."

Rodan grabbed Shade and he plans to carry him on his back when suddenly Shade pushed Rodan away with his arm.

"Stop it, you are making me look weak."

Shade and Rodan looked at Hab who is currently lying on the ground, his body is full of bruises and blood is flowing everywhere.

"Hey Rodan, help me go to him."

Rodan was surprised when Shade asked

"W-why? … Shade I don't think you should be moving right now."

"Just hurry up I need to ask him a question."

Rodan then assisted Shade while he is walking towards Hab. Shade notices the blood flowing from Rodan's left shoulder and he saw there is a deep cut in it.

"Are you sure your shoulder is okay?"

"Piece of cake, I can't even feel it."

When the two reach Hab's position there is blood everywhere on the floor. Hab is holding his stomach.

"What you guys want? Can't you see I give up you win?"

*Thud*

Hab was surprised when Shade lay down beside him

"I am also exhausted don't worry we won't kill you. I just need to ask you a favor."

Hab looked at Shade seriously confused beside him

"Why would I do you a favor?"

Shade looked at Hab and replied

"Because you owe me your life."

**

At the back of Old Man Ed's house, there is a huge field where they will be training. Arunna and Kaleena are geared with the armor and weapons Ed lends them, Arunna and Kaleena are wearing both leather armor and leggings. Arunna is holding a wooden sword in her right hand while Kaleena is holding a wooden staff.

Ed smiled at the two young ladies because he can see the eagerness of the two to learn.

"Okay, before we start this, I want to know first your knowledge with a simple question. What are the types of abilities people can wield?"

Arunna raised her hand immediately

"There is the aura, it is an ability that can help the person control the force around them and increase their strength and agility at the same time, they can also coat their body and weapons in aura to make it more durable."

Ed looked at Arunna with satisfaction on what she just said

Kaleena then raised her hand also

"There is also mana, it is used by people to cast strong spells such as fireball, ice bolt, and other types of spells."

Ed also looked at Kaleena with satisfaction, but he is waiting for the two young ladies to answer the uncommon abilities.

"Is that all you know ladies?"

Arunna and Kaleena looked at each other in confusion, they know that there are only these two things that make people special. Ed looked at them and laughed.

"HAHAHA! It is okay ladies; I will explain the other ones. There are indeed people who can wield aura and mana, but there are also people who can transform into a terrifying beast they are called shifters."

Arunna and Kaleena were surprised that they do not know anything about people who can transform themselves into beasts.

"Don't be too surprised now, one of the examples I will tell you is Averitt. People who witnessed Averitt fight are trembling in fear after. He transforms into a terrifying beast when fighting.

"I-I have a question." Arunna raised her hand "How does he do that?"

"The only explanation I can give is that you must first seal a contract with a spirit beast to borrow the power from it. Spirit beasts are monsters that live in a different realm from us, they can't be seen by people's naked eyes, but they can be seen through eyes coated in aura."

"Well I think that's enough about knowledge, I think now is the time for strength and skills." Ed is looking at Arunna and Kaleena back and forth before giving his final instructions.

"The training will be you two versus me."

Arunna and Kaleena nodded their head with their eyes burning in motivation and eagerness on defeating Ed

"Then… shall we start?"

Arunna immediately jumps on to attack Ed with her wooden sword-swinging back and forth, but Ed is consistently dodging every attack. Ed jumps out to create some distance between him and Arunna when suddenly Kaleena runs towards his left side cast a spell.

"Shadow Bind"

A circle of shadow appeared from the ground where Ed is standing, and shadow hands came out from the circle and grab his feet. Ed cannot lift both feet, Arunna suddenly appeared right in front of Ed and attacked him with the wooden sword but this time Ed used his wooden stick to block it.

"Oh… I am impressed you already know how to coat aura on your sword."

Arunna then makes a quick spin to attack the opposite side of Ed, but Ed still manages to block it. The shadow bind disappeared and Kaleena is already looking exhausted with just a single spell.

Ed jumps out toward to attack Kaleena with his wooden stick, Kaleena tried to block it with her wooden staff but the attack was too strong, and it blew her away. Kaleena's staff began to crack, Arunna went to her immediately to check if she was okay.

"Are you alright Kaleena?" Arunna asked here sister and Kaleena just looked at her and nodded.

"Just because you are young ladies, it doesn't mean the I will go easy on you. Remember… this is training for you to survive out there." Ed looked at the two ladies with a serious face then tension in the air around the field becomes stronger.

"Kaleena let's try to do this again, this time we will attack synchronously." Arunna looked at Kaleena with a smile, Kaleena stood up and jumps back to create a distance for her to have time in casting a spell.

"Let's go Arunna!" Kaleena shouted from the back, Arunna jumps forward again towards Ed with the same move before, Ed smiled at her

"You are a too greedy young lady." Ed jumps back while looking and smiling at Arunna, but to his surprise, there is a black barrier behind him.

'What?! When did she cast this?'

Arunna swings her sword at Ed's right side, Ed blocks it but this time it pushed him away in a small distance.

'Oh… they are improving faster than I thought. They have good chemistry, but it is not enough to defeat me'

Ed jumps out and strikes the ground with his stick and a huge shockwave suddenly appeared from Arunna's left side. It was too late for her to notice and dodge the shockwave was already beside her, she took a big hit and it blasted her away.

Ed did not stop there he immediately jumps towards Kaleena's right side and hit her with the stick, Kaleena did not have the time to block and took a big hit.

Both two young ladies are on the ground full of bruises and exhausted. Ed smiled at the two and said

"Is this all you got? I would be disappointed as your teacher then."

The two young ladies with all their strength tried to get up. Arunna is holding her sword against the ground and Kaleena is holding her staff. It looks like they are gathering their strength to fight again.

Both Arunna and Kaleena stood up and shouted

"We will never yield!"