At dawn the next day, Selene sat on the ground under the treehouse watching the sky change colors as the sun rose. She waited for Cyan to arrive and as more time passed, Selene's anxiety grew. She had no idea what was in store for her that day. Nothing more than what the woman had already told her.

Aiden hadn't been much help either. She attempted to rouse him earlier in the morning but had only received a grumble as he turned his back to her. She guessed he wanted to sleep in after so many days of traveling.

Cyan appeared from behind the trees, silent as a cat. Her hair was tied back with a strip of leather, she wore loose clothes that seemed fitted for sleeping rather than training, and carried a small pack over her shoulder. She smiled and waved at Selene, her teeth flashing.

"So you're awake. I was hoping I'd get to dump a pail of ice cold water on you. Shame," she said. Selene tried to laugh, but she had no doubt that the elf wasn't joking.

"Alright, follow me. We can't train inside the village or else we might hurt someone. I'll take you to where I used to go when I trained here, though I doubt anyone has been there in a long while." She looked to be reminiscing, thinking back on a time of fun. Selene didn't think training would be fun much less something to reminisce about. Yet she said nothing.

Despite the early morning hour, a quiet bustle inhabited the village. People going to fetch water from the nearby stream, others praying outside their homes to willow leaves and pine branches, and even some sharpening their weapons getting ready to go out on hunts. They passed all of them and received the same greeting: a touch to the lips and then the brow.

Selene asked Cyan what the gesture meant and she replied, "It's a sign of luck. When people leave the village it's usually to hunt or to earn a new form, so they give the sign to those they hope have good fortune and safety in their excursions. Sometimes though, it is a sign of passing. When someone goes out to face beasts and learn their form, they must touch the beast in their most vulnerable area, the heart. That's why you see most villagers have small forms such as rodents or birds. Few people have dared to face dangerous creatures such as bears or wolves, only the elite warriors. It is required for them to have a battle form, a rite of passage to join their ranks. Young warriors are known to go out on excursions with large groups to acquire their forms. Helping each other face the beasts."

"Wouldn't they want to do it alone? To prove themselves?" Selene asked.

"Sometimes, but this culture has only survived because of unity. Their ability to work with others is extraordinary and superior to even those of the Sand Warriors in the east."

The Sand Warriors exist, she thought, So the rumors about Saavni were true.

They passed through the thorn gate and entered the woods. She felt exposed and vulnerable out of the village, especially with the warrior beside her.

"That is something you must also learn," Cyan said without looking at Selene.

"What?"

"Teamwork. To trust others. Aiden has told me everything about what happened on your journey together, including your behaviors and events."

The look on Selene's face made her add, "I asked him to. I must know who exactly I am to be training. I now have the basics of who you are, and through our training, I will learn exactly who you are."

"That is extremely unnerving," Selene responded.

"That is the way of mentor and student," Cyan said, "You will grow to learn more about me as well."

For some reason, that thought unsettled Selene.

They walked through the woods for a short while. The trees were thicker here than back around the village, yet didn't look as sinister as those from when she traveled alone. Just ancient.

A clearing came into view, larger than the others she had seen and slept in. The ground sloped down into a sand pile and no grasses or brush grew. Cyan dropped her pack at the edge of the clearing and flipped open the top. Pulling out three candles, she said, "Aiden has said to me you can tame Moonfire. We're going to test if this is true."

She ordered Selene to sit at the center of the clearing and set a candle at three different directions from her. They formed a triangle with her at its center. Cyan crouched down next to Selene and said, "First, I just want you to try and light one candle. Show me what you can do."

Selene had no idea how to draw on the power voluntarily. No matter how hard she reached down into herself, there was no response.

"There's nothing there," Selene said.

Cyan smiled, "Yes there is. I can see it. You just don't know how to draw it out."

Selene was confused. It must have shown on her face because Cyan said, "You are the power. Your lifeforce is the magic. Feel the blood rushing in your ears and your heart pumping in your chest, your lungs expanding and your eyes flickering. It's all there."

She pressed her hand against Selene's chest, harder enough for her to feel her own heartbeat.

"That is the power. Without that, there is nothing in this world," then she stepped back, "Try again."

Selene looked at her then at the candle. Closing her eyes, she attempted to reach for that power.

No matter how long she kept her eyes closed or how many deep breaths she took, she felt nothing. The candle was still unlit and she remained sitting at the clearing center, covered in sweat and sand. Something like relief settled over her, maybe she didn't have this power. Maybe it had all been a lie or a dream.

"Why do you reject it?" Cyan asked from beside her. Selene hadn't noticed that the woman had moved so close, and it startled her.

"I'm not," Selene said.

Cyan eyed her, all humor gone from her face, "Get up."

Something like fear beat in Selene's heart as she rose from the sand and faced the woman. Cyan turned to her pack and pulled out two swords. Selene's stomach dropped. She was too concentrated on keeping her legs still that she didn't even wonder how she could pull something so large out of a pack so small. The elf threw one of the swords at Selene's feet, making her jump back.

"Pick it up," she ordered.

"What are you doing," Selene asked, unable to hide the fear in her voice.

"Pick it up," she ordered.

Selene reached down and lifted the sword. It was much heavier than she expected and had to wield it with two hands. Cyan held hers with one and whirled it around a few times before holding it out before her, the point facing Selene, the base of the blade resting on her opposite wrist.

"You wanted to learn to fight. I will teach you. I will not go easy on you nor will I accept that you reject who you are. Your past experiences with your magic have resulted from near-death experiences. So, I will put you in one."

"You can't be serious!" The look in her eyes proved she was. Those green irises had turned venomous and stared straight at Selene. She found herself cowering before the warrior and couldn't help but wonder how many people she had slain.

"Prepare yourself. If you don't you will die."

Then she disappeared. Before Selene even realized she was gone, she reappeared behind her and lunged for her back. Just in time, Selene sprang to her side, the sword whizzing past.

She intends to kill me! thought Selene.

As Cyan's sword flew past, she shifted and swung it to the side, straight towards Selene's neck. All of a sudden, she disappeared again. Selene stumbled backward, landing on her back and staring into the treetops with shock.

"Get up!" Shouted a voice above her. Cyan jumped from the tree branches and fell, her blade pointed downwards.

"Fight!"

Selene rolled out of the way just as the blade plunged into the sand, missing her head by a millimeter and grazing her ear. Without skipping a beat, Cyan used her momentum to lash out and land a kick to Selene's chin.

She saw stars. Her head whipped back and for a moment, she thought the warrior had clean kicked it off her shoulders. The world came back into focus when Selene stopped rolling away from Cyan. She now laid at the edge of the clearing, struggling to catch her breath. She no longer held the sword that had been given to her. She didn't even know where it was.

Cyan walked towards her, sand kicking into Selene's eyes as she struggled to rise. Before she could even catch her breath, Cyan dug her heel into her stomach. Pain lanced its way through her abdomen, and before she could even curl up Cyan hit her with the pommel of her sword.

I'm going to die here.

Cyan grabbed Selene by the collar of her shirt and hoisted her up to pin her against the tree. Holding up her sword, she prepared to plunge it into Selene's head. The elf would probably run the sword right through to the other side of the tree.

Selene had misjudged the Fae's strength. The demon that slaughtered her village was nothing compared to this monster, it paled in comparison.

Selene's vision was clouded, and at first, she thought it was because she had hit her head too hard. Then she realized she was bleeding from her brow and the blood was running into her eyes. Still, through the blood, she could see the fury in the killer's eyes.

There was no way Selene could stop the blade from coming for her. She was completely helpless. The last member of her home village would finally perish. The king will never be brought to justice.

No.

Cyan thrust her sword forward. Before she made it an inch, Selene exploded. The clearing was shrouded in blue. Not white. Flames licked at Selene's body, coating her hair and her fingers. It didn't burn though not this time.

In fact, it was beautiful.

Cyan was blown backward by the blast of her flames and landed on her feet, crouched in front of Selene, her sword planted in the sand. The elf rose and dropped the sword; it landed with a dull thud.

She held out her arms and suddenly they were shrouded in darkness. Black flames. The mark on her brow and nose seemed to emit their own black flame, but it glowed as well. She had never seen anything such as it before.

"There is a reason Aiden brought you to me, Selene. We do not hide what we are, for we are the ones that are destined to protect the weak. To do that you must accept this magic, love yourself and all your mistakes. For your strength comes from your will to live and your will to protect those you love. Never forget that."

Both their flames disappeared in a gust of wind, not natural wind, but Cyan's wind. Then the elf smiled and held out her hand. "Are you ready to learn to fight?"

Selene stared at the hand, so similar to Aiden holding out his to offer her help. This was the beginning of something few experienced and looking at the warrior that had almost killed her filled her with something like comfort. Because she was not alone anymore.

She took her hand.