Page 38 of Ecliptic

Even though we were eye to eye, she still somehow managed to look down her sharp nose at me. “Each phase contains a series of movements designed to aid in battle. These exercises will teach you which muscles to strengthen and how to use them properly. Mastering them can be lifesaving.”

“Got it.”

“No, you don’t. But let's begin. The first phase is crescent,”she explained, easing into a deep lunge. “The crescent moon teaches us fluidity and smooth transitions when in combat. The second is the waning moon.” Her movements gradually changed as she described each phase. “The waning moon teaches us physical conditioning, the working of our muscles both large and small, providing endurance and strength. The third is the waxing moon, which teaches concentration, focus, and breathwork. Fourth is the full moon, adding power to your movements to strengthen forceful kicks, strikes, and attacks,” she said as she ended her demonstration with a spinning back kick.

“What is the fifth?” I asked eagerly, admiring the strength and grace in her movements. It was like a dance.

“The new moon,” Dyani answered, her body stilled yet became pliant, as if ready for anything. “It represents a blank slate. What lies beyond your sight and senses. You must learn these movements so well that you forget them. Become them. Breathe them. When you are fighting for your life, it must be a natural part of what you are, not something that is reenacted like a play or repeated like a prophecy. It is real life. You must understand this. Your life—and my life—depend on it.”

The warrior’s words were delivered with such gravity and passion that they infused my spine with steel. “I understand,” I said, my gaze never faltering from hers.

“Then are you ready to begin?” she asked, her tone that of a master.

“Let’s do it.”

Dyani taught me The Five Phases of the Moon, each movement so intricate and nuanced, it would take me forever to memorize them. We ran through each phase several times, then started again, the cycle repeating.

Dyani was as patient as she could be, willing to answer my every question. Was the foot turned inward or outward here?Was the fist open or closed there? Each time, she answered patiently.

Though the moves were slow, they were agonizing, and I was dripping with sweat by the end of her coaching. Even with my new elven body.

Exhausted and trying to catch my breath, I sat by Dyani, who had barely broken a sweat. I drank the last drops of the precious water from my flask. Though I was grateful for Dyani and her willingness to train me, I couldn’t tell whether her motives were altruistic or if she was trying to atone for her brother’s sins. Regardless, I had another gripe with her. “Rowen told me you wanted him out of the village while I was gone. Threatened him to a duel.”

She scoffed with a shake of her head. “Maybe if I would have been the clear winner, I would have pursued it. But, Keira, he was frightening to battle, and I couldn’t beat him. I’ve never seen anything like it. He’s the closest I’ve come to a true opponent. I knew he was starting to get bad again when he got that look in his eye.”

“What look?”

“He used to walk around with an emptiness in his eyes, a hollowness that was painful to witness. Even though he walked around like a soulless shell, he would always help anyone in need without hesitation. He was always the first to volunteer for the least desirable tasks, like cleaning the weapons and dishes, chopping and collecting firewood, dome and path repairs, and plowing the fields. But then he met you, and it was like watching a dormant fire suddenly reignite.”

The twin flame within me pulsed with pride.

“Then my brother took you, and it was the worst I’d ever seen him. Before he met you, he was empty, but this time, he was filled with rage—a rage I recognized in myself. When we sparred, Rowen was savage and vicious, but so was I. And Irelished it. I can’t even tell you how many times we almost killed each other.”

I shot her a feral look.

“Sorry. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.”

“You think?”

Dyani chuckled, and a smile spread across her stern face. Her features had never softened for me, and the surprising transformation was unexpected.

“I am glad you’re back, though I do miss sparring with your soul flame,” she said, resting her elbows on her knees.

“So everybody knows he’s my soul flame?”

“Please. The way he couldn’t take his eyes off you that first day I trained you. He watched me like a hawk, making sure I didn’t hurt you.” She huffed, flipping her ponytail off her shoulder. “As if I would. Little did he know that I was the one who would have to watch out for you. But really, attempting to make you look like a real warrior will be my new challenge.”

I narrowed my eyes, but I was in no position to be picky.

She drank the last few sips from her waterskin, savoring every drop.

Water was no longer flowing steadily towards the village. The black, glass-like forests had spread, drying up the land and air, turning all to a stagnant death.

From the time I’d been gone, the villagers had been put on water rations, using no more than was absolutely necessary. The smallest canteens of water were stretched to their absolute limits. Even the crops were beginning to fail, and I saw the strain on Nepta’s face; it was growing more difficult for her to hide. “Too bad your panic attacks can’t make it rain again. Only thunderclouds, huh?”

“Does everyone know everything about me?” I asked, throwing my hands up.

“Pretty much.” She shrugged. “No one blames you, you know. There is simply no moisture in the air to pull from.”

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