Page 39 of Shadow's Chosen

She watched him rekindle the fire one last time and set the bag aside to search around. The flame's light made him nothing more than a shadow in the darkness.

Elise closed her lids fully. She thought of her sister then of her team, hoping they would be alive, and she would make it in time to save them. She thought of home, of the ocean. She thought of Nezka swimming in it beside her.

Or maybe that was just a dream.

Thirteen

Two days passed before Elise was able to walk properly without limping. Her wounds were already scabbing over, some even peeling, the effects of the salve working quicker than they both anticipated. Elise was proud to say she also managed to rest for the majority of it, only walking around briefly to stretch her legs or relieve herself. By the third day, however, her patience had all but faded. Feeling infinitely better, she waved off Nezka's remarks about overexerting herself and went to walk the grounds. In truth, she had a feeling he was relieved to have her up and about. The last couple days had been nothing but sitting around and talking; more than she'd probably talked to anyone in a long time. He had asked about her homeworld, and she asked about his. She learned more about his homeworld and the other planets in its system; about the city he lived in and his travels. He didn't get into much detail about certain things, maybe because they were too personal, but she found she didn't mind telling him more than he likely needed to know. It was strange how comfortable she felt talking with him. Maybe because he was never overly critical. Elise guessed that, being a part of such a huge galactic empire inhabited by so many other people and cultures, one needed to have a very open mind.

The things he spoke of from his world, the advancements in tech and social structure, fascinated her. She never admitted it out loud, but she found herself wishing she could see it for herself. She hoped that once her people were returned safely home, they could start to communicate with those of his territory. He hadn't seemed especially enthusiastic about this idea, but he didn't reject it either.

So, as the third day was spent just walking the grounds, gauging her ability to climb stairs and run across rooms, Elise was confident by the fourth day she could start her training.

Of course, Nezka had other ideas.

"Before I teach you anything, you have to show me you can truly exert all your energy without any issue," he said as they stood by the edge of the stairs. "Take laps around each level."

Elise gave him an exasperated look but decided not to argue. She did as ordered, and when she returned, she was in a full sweat, knowing she probably stunk something awful, but Nezka didn't seem to care.

"That was a warm-up," he said. "Follow me."

They went down to the very bottom, and from there, he had her trying different sets of exercises to gauge her strength, stamina, and dexterity. When he was finally satisfied, he took her to a long inner courtyard situated to one side of the building. Most of the ground was cleared away, leaving only soft black sandy dirt. What the area had been used for, she couldn't guess, but it worked for their benefit.

The rest of the day was spent reforming her fighting stance, learning to move in a manner that was quick and effortless, maximizing her energy for swift blows. Nezka tapped at her hips, arms, and legs to correct her, explaining each technique.

"Don't think, react," he said. "When I move, you should always move in some other way. Don't stand and wait for me to come at you or to attack and have me dodge you. Read my body—every little movement can be used to determine where I will step, how I will strike, notice the tension in my legs and arms. If you concentrate, you can predict what I plan to do. It is the same for others."

Elise watched him closely, circling around him with her fists raised. It was difficult, but after some time, she could see the slightest tension building in his muscles before he struck, giving her a good read on how to block and dodge. She kept herself ready for every move he made, reacting accordingly.

Despite her efforts, she ended up on the ground more than once. She didn't let it faze her and was always up and ready to go once more. His strikes were so powerful, so quick, even when he slowed for her benefit, but Elise was determined to learn and stay humble. After all, he wasn't human. He fought like a fierce predator.

"When you strike, release your energy right before the blow. A quick but powerful strike in the right place or even right angle can damage an enemy significantly." He showed her the most vulnerable spots, some she didn't even know or think of. And the ones she did know, he showed her how to strike in a different way for a more effective hit. "Use the sharp angle of your knuckles or the connectors in your bent fingers." He showed her, taking her hand and molding her fist so that her fingers were bent outward, almost like a paw. "Jab them in the neck." He took her hand and placed it to his throat. "Or between their cheekbone." He lifted her hand to his face. "Or eyes." He aimed her hand accordingly then let it drop. "Uppercuts are especially effective also. Aim up into the center of their jaw."

The remainder of the day was spent in the courtyard until the natural light was lost to them and only the artificial remained. Elise went to bed that night sore and aching but deeply satisfied.

"We will make tomorrow our last training day here," Nezka said. "I think it's time we planned to move on."

Elise couldn't agree more. Even if she was happy to be back to her healthier self, she was anxious to leave.

***

Early the next day, they started practicing once again in the courtyard. Elise practiced her sets, and Nezka watched and corrected when needed. They lightly sparred, and Elise was pleased to find she could better determine his moves, even if they were slowed down. She blocked and spun, always making sure her feet were moving, her back and knees bent slightly. Nezka moved with her, circling. After watching him, Elise thought she could read him well enough. As he swung an arm toward her, she dodged then kicked out her leg toward his chest. He slid back, and Elise took the chance, lunging at him. He blocked her blows, but she didn't let up. When he went to strike at her again, Elise ducked then swung her leg out once more, this time catching him in the lower stomach. Nezka backed away, pupils widening, mouth stretching into an odd smile. Elise dropped her guard and grinned.

"Looks like I'm catching up," she said, breathless.

Nezka dropped his stance and turned from her. "You're learning, and that's good. Let's take a rest."

"Oh, I'm not that tired yet. Let's just go one more," Elise said, walking toward him. She frowned when she saw him bend forward then drop casually to one knee. "Are you all right?" she asked.

He laughed quietly as he wrapped an arm around himself. He side-eyed her, and she thought for a moment he actually looked pained. His face seemed to darken as if flushed. "It seems I've let my guard down a little too much."

She glanced downward and saw him clutching his stomach just above his...

"Oh." Apparently, she'd hit a little lower than she thought. "Sorry!" She stepped closer as if to help him, and he put out a hand to halt her.

"I'll be fine, assuming nothing has shriveled up inside me." He let out a low hiss, and Elise covered her mouth, trying to stifle her laugh.

"Sorry." She choked down a giggle then forced herself to look serious. "Sorry, that wasn't funny."

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