Page 36 of Ava's Love of the Dragons
Was that a trick question?
"Before you start fighting, you must understand one thing: Every weapon is just an extension of yourself. Don't choose the sharpest one, but the one that feels like a part of you. Because in the decisive moment, it's you who fights, not your sword."
She thought he didn't want her to choose a weapon after all, when he nodded towards the edge of the arena. "There are someto choose from over there. Pick one and test if any of them suit you."
Ava followed his gaze into the shadows. Beneath the stands stood a large metal cabinet. It was open, though Ava could have sworn that this hadn't been the case a minute ago. The man who was always sweeping behind the stands walked past it with his broom. Perhaps he was some kind of caretaker and had unlocked it.
"Okay." She jogged to the cabinet, although she would have preferred to have crept over so as to delay the fight. But she had wanted this training, and now she would get it. Besides, Master Clark would surely stay nearby, so Magg wouldn't dare to seriously injure her.
Or would she?
On a shelf there were piles of knives, daggers, short and long swords, axes, bow and arrows, crossbows, and clubs. At a loss, she let her gaze wander over the items. None of them appealed to her, but she had to choose something to face Magg. Besides, she wanted to learn how to fight, and that included using weapons.
Hesitantly, she reached for a club. She wouldn't seriously hurt anyone with it but would be able to fend off Magg's blows and keep the fighting machine at bay. At least in her imagination. When she returned, Master Clark was gone, but Magg had two daggers in her hands and a diabolical grin on her lips.
"How nice that I get the chance to teach you a lesson so quickly." She leaned forward, bent her knees, and began circling Ava.
Ava didn't take her eyes off her. "What do you have against me anyway?"
"Do you want to gossip or fight?"
She would have preferred gossip, but that wouldn't get her anywhere. And when she faced Elora, she wouldn't show anymercy either. Maybe Magg was exactly the sparring partner she needed.
"Then start!"
Magg danced two steps to the side and lunged forward. She struck the dagger against Ava's shoulder. Surprised, Ava jumped back and rotated her shoulder. Luckily she was wearing the leather vest, otherwise she would have suffered her first cut before sunrise.
As if on cue, the first rays of sunlight shot over the surrounding mountains and bathed the plain in warm, reddish light. The rays blinded Ava, she raised her hand to shield her eyes, and Magg landed her next hit. This time she struck her forearm—and there her body was only covered by the thin tunic. The blade cut through the fabric and grazed her skin.
"Damn it!" She looked at the cut, which wasn't particularly deep but burned like hell. Before she could be attacked again, she gritted her teeth and focused her attention on Magg. She wanted this, so she would give it her best—even if that probably wasn't enough in the face of this Amazon.
Determined, she leaped forward and swung the club, but Magg ducked and landed another hit on Ava's thigh. Fortunately, the pants were reinforced. The leather saved her. Lightning-fast, she darted back and swung the club again, but again, her opponent was quicker. She circled Ava like a predator and jabbed the dagger against her shoulder blade from behind.
Ava cried out, but the burning pain didn't come. When she turned around, she saw that Magg had only struck with the handle. Apparently, she did have a heart—at least a small one.
They fought until sweat dripped from Ava's forehead and she could barely lift the club anymore. Magg had landed so many hits that Ava had lost count. Her body would probably be black and blue tonight. She herself, on the other hand, had launched a few mediocre attacks but hadn't hit Magg once.
By now, the other students had also come to the arena, doing their rounds or fighting each other. Ava only noticed them when she looked up because the sky darkened and then large shadows flew in to then settle with a tremor in the middle of the training ground.
She jumped aside to avoid being knocked out by a mountain dragon's wing, and Magg took advantage of this to strike again, this time right against her chest. The air was knocked out of her and she fell to her knees, causing her sparring partner to snort dismissively.
As soon as she caught her breath, she glared angrily at Magg. "Couldn't you wait a moment?"
"Are you going to ask Elora that, too, when dragons fly in?"
Ava stood up, holding her hand to her chest, which hurt as if a bulldozer had run over it. "How do you know I'll be fighting Elora?"
"You're the prophesied guardian." She said it angrily, as if Ava had taken something from her.
She was getting fed up with this!
"What do you have against me?"
Magg snorted dismissively, as if it were obvious.
Before Ava could pin her down for an answer, the master called for them. He stood in the shadow of the stands and had been watching the fight. He waved Magg over first, giving Ava a chance to calm down. She waited a few steps away and took deep breaths to get her anger under control.
The training was important, but heavens, what she wouldn't have given for a different training partner...
