Alex stands with the wooden sword in the ready position. He flows through the ritual motions of the basic sword forms. He’s been told that the ritual does not truly reflect how you use the sword in actual combat. It’s primarily to train his muscles and his prana in the expected movements that are required when wielding a sword. The rituals also build upon his physical conditioning, and even though he has improved greatly, he still has far to go. The rituals hurt, as did all of his previous training, he’s using muscles in unaccustomed ways and taking them to their limit.

“That’s enough.” Mistress Lyrei calls. “Master Ardreth, his rituals are acceptable, but they still need work. Next, I would like to see him spar with one of your guards, but not you.”

“As you wish, Mistress Lyrei.” He replies and signals one of the guards. The guard approaches and he hands him the bag containing the wooden training swords, which he unfastens, and then extracts a sword. Alex notices that the guard is a good head shorter than him but much bulkier.

The guard raises the sword unhurriedly taking a basic stance and Alex mirrors him. The guard abruptly lunges and the fight begins. The attack is relentless and Alex’s sword flickers around him, parrying, thrusting, deflecting, slicing, and blocking every strike. Alex never leaves his basic stance, keeping his weight evenly distributed, ready to move in any direction, as the sword dances in his hands. The guard abruptly changes tactics and rushes Alex, their swords clash and slap off each other with a loud clack, then he swiftly withdraws and resets for the next attack.

The guard barely waits before he rushes forward and flies into a whirling series of attacks expecting to break down Alex's defense, by forcing him to respond to each assault, which will inevitably leave him open for the finishing strike. However, the opening does not appear as Alex swiftly blocks and parries for several minutes, his sword never wavering. When the attacks begin to slowdown Alex’s face is a combination of red flushed skin and white lips. He sucks in a large breath to feed his burning lungs and then he moves, this time with a difference, as he senses his prana flood his arm.

Alex brute forces his way through the guard's attacks, ignoring a glancing blow to his arm and slashes at the guard’s legs. The guard moves to parry the strike when Alex changes the direction of his attack and thrusts at the guard's head. The guard tilts to avoid the blow, but Alex rushes forward and twists his wrist to strike with the pommel, catching the guard on the side of his helmet and causing him to stagger back.

“Halt.” Master Ardreth calls before turning. “An unconventional strike, however, still effective. I hope that was satisfactory, Mistress Lyrei?”

“It was, Master Ardreth. I must compliment you on the improvement in his performance over the last two tendays. Now we need to ensure that he can make use of defensive runes, which he has yet to exhibit any ability in being able to do. Boy, move over there and watch the girl demonstrate how to use runes.” Mistress Lyrei says, indicating a place next to the platform before calling to Candy who was kneeling behind her. “Girl, in front now, and begin the demonstration.”

Candy stands and bows, even though Mistress Lyrei cannot see her, and moves to stand in front of the platform. Alex notices that she is wearing some form of arm guards or Vambraces as well as her tunic. Two of the guards begin to arrange small targets mounted on stands to each side of her. They check that they are placed three paces from Candy and then they retreat a few steps, with one standing on each side.

“Girl, you are wearing two sleeves, the right one is Force and the left is Shield. You will start with Force and you’re to knock each of the targets over. You may begin.”

Candy closes her eyes and concentrates for a handful of seconds before Alex notices a red glow begin on her right arm. A few seconds later the glow gets brighter and Candy suddenly opens her eyes and looks directly at one of the targets. She raises her right hand in a stop motion towards the target, and then there is a crash as it falls over. The glow dims, but after a few seconds, it again begins to brighten. Candy replicates her previous actions bashing over another target, and she repeats this four more times, knocking the rest over. When the last target falls she relaxes her arm and the glow disappears. She is visibly sweating and breathing deeply as if she’s been exercising.

“Girl, your performance with Push, is adequate. Your initial preparation and subsequent recharge times are hardly acceptable and need to be improved. Now meditate to recover your prana and we will see how you handle the Shield sleeve.” Candy nods and promptly assumes a lotus position and begins meditating. “Boy, you are now to attempt to charge a prana core.”

Master Ardreth approaches Alex and hands him a pair of gloves, which he puts on, and he then hands over a small blue crystal the size of a little fingernail. Alex notices that the gloves have some form of script woven into them with a red thread running across both palms.

“Take the core and place it between your hands as you press your palms together. Then you push your prana down to both your hands at a constant rate and this will charge the prana core. The core you have will be able to be charged with one hundred units of prana. You should be able to complete the charge in less than an hour if you do it right.”

Alex places the core between his hands as instructed and contemplates that it feels like he’s praying. He pictures his prana flowing out of his core and down his arms and waits for the flow to begin. After ten minutes he begins to fidget when he feels nothing happening.

“Well, that was as expected. You have still not mastered controlling your prana flow. I will leave you to continue and try to achieve what is evidently an impossible task for you.”

Alex’s annoyance flares and he imagines squashing the core between his hands. He pushes his hands together as hard as he can, and the gloves begin to glow red and then continue to intensify. After a second the glow begins to change color to purple, and then suddenly there is a burst of light and the glow stops. He slumps back sweating profusely and then wipes his brow with the back of his hand whilst still wearing the glove. He gazes down at the core still in his other hand and surprisingly it is faintly glowing blue, he looks up to Mistress Lyrei.

“A most unusual way to charge a core. I would not recommend you continue pursuing this method as it has serious limitations. When you have recovered you will attempt to complete the charging of the core. Now girl let’s see how you do with the Shield sleeve.”

Candy opens her eyes for a second time and concentrates as she starts to control her prana. Her left arm guard begins to glow and she raises her hand. Alex notices that there is some form of script on the outside of the arm guard, similar to what he had seen on the gloves. After he watches he realizes that he saw a similar script on both the chair and the Push arm guard as well.

“Invoke the shield girl.” Lady Lyrei calls out. Then she turns to the two guards on either side of Candy. “When the girl has formed the shield you may begin.”

Candy clenches her fist and a translucent green disc appears in front of her arm. The first guard pulls a small ball from a bag at his feet and tosses it at Candy who turns the shield to block it. A second later the second guard does the same and Candy again blocks. This continues with the force of the toss increasing after each ball is strikes the shield until the tenth ball passes through and hits Candy on the shoulder.

“Enough. You are better with the use of the Shield sleeve than with Push. You still need to regulate the use of your prana more efficiently to ensure that you only use what is necessary to block. Now, boy, I want you to take the Push sleeve and repeat what the girl did.”

Alex stands and moves towards Candy as the guards reset the targets. He removes the gloves as he walks and then he stretches his hand out to take the arm guard from her. He whispers, “Any advice?”

“Not really.” She says as she secures the guard to his arm and takes the gloves and core from him.

“Now boy, begin.”

Alex closes his eyes and feels the prana as it flows around his body, he lets it continue to flow rather than collecting it in his core. His goal is to have it drift into the arm guard as if it were any other part of his body. He wants to harmonize with the arm guard and make it his. He needs the prana to accept it as an intrinsic part of his being as he tries to bind it to him. He starts to feel the prana gather in his arm and he tries to increase the rate it condenses, but instead, it starts to dissipate.

In frustration, he pushes prana from his core into his arm and there is a flash as the arm guard brilliantly glows. He holds out his hand and aims at the middle target on his left, and then there is an oomph as all three targets fly back clattering to the ground. Alex breathes deeply and gazes at the targets, he frowns when he notices that a guard is climbing to his feet.

“Again, an unusual manner in which to use your prana. You were intended to push each target over in turn, not to push all three and the guard over at the same time. You will need to spend more time trying to control the flow of your prana or we will never make any progress.”

Alex settles back wearily and contemplates what he can do in the short-term, but nothing springs to mind. All he can do is persist and in the meantime he will just have to live with the lack of flow control. He decides to continue to work on his control, but also try to be more efficient with the burst of prana.

A guard in glossy armor highlighted in blue and yellow, wearing both a sword and a pistol, approaches the platform Mistress Lyrei is reclining on. Master Ardreth moves to block the new guard's approach and gives a small bow. “What can we do for you, Master…?”

“Sir Folliun wishes to see Mistress Lyrei, at once,” the guard announces. “He’s in the formal gardens and awaits her presence.”

Master Ardreth stands motionless in front of the guard. Mistress Lyrei turns to gaze over at the pair and purses her lips before speaking. “Tell Sir Folliun that I will be only too glad to attend him. I will meet him in the formal gardens presently.”

“I’m deeply sorry Mistress Lyrei, but I have been instructed to escort you directly to him.” The guard in glossy armor replies.

“You have me at a disadvantage as you have yet to introduce yourself.”

“I apologize for my bad manners, but I was told to make haste in ensuring you promptly attend.”

“Are you going to remedy your impolite behavior?” Mistress Lyrei responds courteously.

“And are you too ashamed to show your face?” Master Ardreth growls.

The guard in glossy armor turns his helmet transparent and a handsome face with a swarthy tone becomes visible. “I apologize again, I am Master Jokalyn, squire to Sir Folliun.”

Mistress Lyrei inclines her head and frowns. “Master Jokalyn, I have duties to complete before I meet with Sir Folliun. Surely there is nothing so pressing that my presence is required this instant?”

“For a second time, I must request, that you accompany us straightaway to attend Sir Folliun.” Master Jokalyn states and he places his hand on the hilt of his sword. Behind him, three more guards move into view also bearing weapons. Master Ardreth rests his hand on the baton strapped to his armor and Alex notices that the other guards around the platform have also turned to face the new guards.

“Master Ardreth please attend me.” Mistress Lyrei says while clenching her jaw. Master Ardreth turns his back to Master Jokalyn and steps to the side of Mistress Lyrei, holding out his hand in assistance. Mistress Lyrei takes his hand and whispers, “Get one of your guards to find out when Sir Folliun arrived and why he is here.”

“You could refuse to attend him. You have duties that were given to you by Baroness Yegella, he won’t risk annoying her.” Master Ardreth murmurs.

“I will not be the first to cause offense and give Sir Folliun any justification to make an issue; also I may find out what he is after. Now, do as I ask.” Mistress Lyrei whispers back. She then stands with his assistance and announces. “Master Ardreth, can you please arrange to have the training continue, with the charging of cores, whilst you and I attend Sire Folliun.”

The Master Jokalyn takes a step forward. “I was instructed to only bring you, Mistress Lyrei.”

Master Ardreth replies scornfully. “I was selected by Baroness Yegella to make certain that Mistress Lyrei is well cared for. I aim to ensure that there is nothing that causes Mistress Lyrei any distress or obstructs her from completing the duty assigned to her. I will be accompanying you to greet Sir Folliun and advise him of the Baroness’ orders.”

Master Jokalyn inclines his head. “As you demand such I will have to insist that no other accompany us.”

“Come Master Ardreth, we don’t want to keep Sir Folliun waiting, do we?” Mistress Lyrei declares.

Master Ardeth removes a small bag from his belt and calls the short guard over then hands it to him. In a low voice says. “Find out about Sir Folliun. Also, ensure the merchandise continues to master their lessons and charge prana cores whilst we are away.” He then moves towards Master Jokalyn and inclines his head towards the exit. “After you.”

Master Jokalyn leads the group out of the garden with Master Ardreth walking beside Mistress Lyrei as the remaining three guards surround them. The short guard watches the group leave and then walks towards Alex and Candy. He opens the bag and extracts a second pairs of gloves and tosses them to Alex who puts them on. The guard then cautiously gives him a small core before nodding and then walking out of the garden.

Candy turns to Alex and speaks softly. “While I attempt to train you in controlling your prana flow we can talk, just use English and keep it short. Okay?”

“Okay. How are you?”

“Fine. I’m still trying to adjust to spending all my time at the beck and call of Mistress Lyrei. I take it you are still being kept on your own in the cells?”

“Yes, I am. I can hear others on occasion, but I have yet to see anyone other than you. Have you found anything out?”

“I‘ve had to collect meals from the kitchens so I discovered where they keep the food and drink. I haven’t found any maps, but I have learned that there is a city nearby, although I haven’t yet found anyone who has been there.”

“That’s great. Have you managed to acquire anything?”

“I have managed to retain a couple of spoons and some large pieces of smashed crockery. Lyrei threw a tray at another slave and I had to clean it up so I’ve managed to hide them. Alright, let’s not push our luck, let me start to charge this core whilst you look busy.”

“Okay.”

Candy settled into the lotus position and pressed the core between her gloved hands. After a minute the gloves began to glow red and the glow remains steady for the next forty minutes.

Alex assumes the praying position pushing his hands together whilst holding the core. The gloves glow red and after a second there is a flash of light. He collapses back sweating and he looks at the faintly glowing core in his hand. After twenty minutes Alex tries again with the same result except that the core now glows brightly. One of the guards approaches and indicates that Alex is to give him the core whilst proffering a larger replacement that does not glow.

Candy stops her meditation and nods to Alex. “I see you’ve still not got your flow controlled. Try to think of a tap that you can use to increase or decrease the flow of prana to your hands. Now keep trying.”