Location: Lady Luck (near an island)
Sara leaned against the railing on the top deck, staring out into the island that Alicia temporarily disappeared to. Today was a special day, for today was the day that Sara's new form of training began. Even if she didn't visibly show up, she was a little bit apprehensive and nervous, despite no reason for being so. The training, she reasoned, could not be that bad, it would probably involve meditation or some other spiritual activity. She may not believe in the benefits of such an activity, but she was going to give it her best try, if for nothing out respect for Alicia. She saw Alicia, in the jolly-boat, row back towards the ship alone, the necessary preparations probably complete. Sara made her way down and climbed aboard the boat, facing opposite of Alicia. She remembered why Alicia picked this island in particular, something about its proximity to Yula Fei combined with its remoteness meant that this was an ideal training ground.
"All set?" Sara asked, taking a seat and facing Alicia.
The swordswoman had spent the better part of the morning exploring the island, looking for locations that would enable her to carry out her lessons. Alicia wasn't entirely convinced Sara was ready for this, nor capable of owning the patience required for what she needed to teach her over the next few weeks, although she decided to give the gladiator the benefit of the doubt. She'd made it clear the importance of what she was going to learn along with her own expectations from Sara. To Alicia this was a very serious parting of life changing knowledge that in the wrong hands can bring nothing but death and destruction to the world. But in the right hands, the world could only benefit from such knowledge passed on to others.
"I believe so" Alicia replied as she handed Sara one of the oars. "I hope you're ready, this will take some time and you'll be presented with rather.... unusual tasks, some of which will test you in more ways than just one" she said as she took her own seat.
"Oh you know me." Sara took the oar and settled herself down. Despite herself, she couldn't help but grin a little. "You know I love a challenge." Alongside Alicia, she dug deep into the water and they made swift progress. When they landed, Sara hopped out of the boat and dragged it onto the shore, that way the tide wouldn't take it out back to sea. "Well, lead the way!"
Alicia merely nodded at Sara's response before they set off towards the island, silently contemplating the tasks she'd set and wondering how successful they would be. Sara was the oldest person she'd taught and certainly different than the people she'd trained form her home land in the past, nevermind that only a very small handful had ever progressed to the stage of learning the power. The swordsman stepped off the boat and as Sara mentioned leading the way she gave a small smile, "We're already here" she replied before motioning to the part of the beach where the waves crept upon the stones and sand. "I want you to select a pebble, any pebble you like however... take your time. Once you've chosen, we'll proceed".
That was fast, Sara had to admit. The request caught her by surprise. "Huh?" Sara stared quizzically at Alicia, confused. "Why?" Looking around, she surrounded by different rocks of various sizes, shapes, and materials, nothing stood out to her. Ultimately, they were just rocks and she didn't see the point.
Alicia stood patiently with her hands behind her back, the breeze gently kicking against the silvery strands of her hair tied neatly by the black bow. "Don't question the why, just do as I ask and pick a pebble. Take some time, consider the shape and size, the color and texture... it'll become clear in due time".
"Alright, if you say so." Sara still didn't quite understand, nor did she particularly like the do-as-I-say tone, but she reasoned that all would be illuminated eventually. Taking her time, she walked around the beach, scrutinizing random rocks, occasionally picking one up, weighing it, and then dropping it on the ground before moving on to the next one. After five minutes, she settled on a flat round piece of tan solid smooth sandstone, perfect for skimming the ocean with. It felt comfortable in her hands and, if needed, could be used as a crude if effective missile. "Alright." She repeated herself, delivering the stone for Alicia's inspection. "How's this?"
The Fein swordwoman looked at the stone but didn't touch it, giving a small nod to acknowledge it. "I suppose it's fine, though it's not my opinion which matters, it is yours" she said before turning, "Follow me, it's quite a walk from here and... bring your new friend" she said as she lead Sara away from the beach, further inland down a grassy path which lead up a gradual incline. "Over the next month that pebble will go everywhere with you, I expect you to get up early every morning to clean it and have it with you at all times. This is very important".
Alicia never broke her stride as she walked, seeming to take in the island's natural beauty as she looked around at the various colorful flora that blended together. "I understand this is an unusual thing to ask but all of it will become clear in the end and I assure you it is not without purpose". The incline eventually took them into a stairwell of stone cut into the rock that required them to ascend carefully, of course Alicia took her time and suggested Sara do the same since falling would probably mean a few broken bones. Once at the top they would be presented with a clearing.
"This place will do I think, it's beautiful no?" she asked as she headed further into the clearing, the edges of which stood old trees with winding branches. Beautiful flowers filtered between the trees and at the center of the clearing appeared to be three jagged boulders of unusual shape. If Sara turned to face back from where they had came, she would be greeted with a view of the ocean with the silhouette of the Lady Luck gently swaying in the bay.
Sara stopped, looking down at her new burden in her hand. "Are… Are you serious?" She asked, but her blood curdled when she realized that Alicia was. And being asked to get up early? Sara was positive that she was awake and exercising at least half an hour before Alicia got out of bed. With a heavy sigh, she slid the stone into her pocket and followed Alicia. She took her time climbing up the stairs, much like Alicia did.
Once they got up to the top, Sara had to admit, the island was certainly picturesque, definitely worthy of a painting of some kind. "Yeah, it's nice." She said, staring out into the island with the ocean at her back. "But I'm guessing you didn't bring me up here for the view, as beautiful as it is."
"You're quite right, I didn't" Alicia replied as she continued to walk, heading for the three jagged boulders before turning towards Sara. She waved the gladiator to come closer before stepping beside her and motioning to the boulder, "What can you tell me about this boulder. there's no wrong answer here. I'm just curious".
Sara stared at it flatly, her patience starting to wear thin. She came here expecting training, not to pick up and stare at pebbles. "It's a rock Alicia, a really big rock. I can't give you its life story. It's a rock now, it will probably be a rock in ten years, and in a few more years, it will be a slightly smaller rock."
Alicia exhaled a short breath, perhaps she expected too much too early from Sara but never the less she gave a nod. "Alright" she motioned with her hand to the area beside the rock, "You see the rock is casting a shadow, if you look close enough you'll notice with subtlety that the shadow is moving due to the timely location of the sun" Alicia motioned to the sky for a moment before then looking to Sara, "You and I both are casting shadows, in fact every single object living and not is casting shadow in the wake of the sun" Alicia paused for a moment to let Sara think a little on that before continuing. "What we learn from this... relationship, is that both shadow and therefore the dark cannot exist without the light, and likewise light can not be light without dark" Alicia cocked her head to the side.
"Balance Sara, everything in this world demands it. There is always a push and pull, a give and take or even an up and down. But, what relevance does this hold to us as users of power?" Alicia smiled, "To use the power we must accept these laws and abide by them, which is to say in our case, we must accept both the light and the dark when using the power of destruction, which means we have to understand the nature of them as individuals"
Sara stared, stunned. That was the message she was supposed to find? She stared at the boulder, wondering how on Earth anyone was able to come to that conclusion based off of what was in front of them. "So you're telling me." She said slowly, her voice filled with just the slightest tinge of sarcasm. "That the absence and counterpart of light is dark. Yeah, I would have never gotten that on my own, thank you so much Alicia."
Sara, thankfully, did keep her mouth shut for the second part of the explanation, listening with focus, even if she failed to see how the balance of light and dark reflected within a person. Morality is relative, after all, one person's good was another person's deviance or even evil. But at least Alicia was starting to provide some form of explanation instead of treating Sara like a simpleton, incapable of tying her own boots up.
Alicia couldn't help but think that if she had been this smart with her teachers she'd have a sore head by now. Nevertheless the patience of the swordwoman remained firm. "No, what I'm saying is that without one the other couldn't exist. Understanding the relationship of both is vital in using the power, for it will require you to regulate both entities within yourself when using it. Failing to do so risks instability... instability risks an unstable result in how you project your power and manifest it" Alicia sighed a little, this would be harder than she thought, mostly because it seemed Sarah would struggle to comprehend these details.
"Take a seat" Alicia took one of her own as she crossed her legs, waiting for Sara to do the same. "Close your eyes for a moment and concentrate on a something you enjoy, a memory perhaps or an experience which brings you peace" Alicia waited.
Sara obeyed, but still not understanding, sitting opposite of Alicia. Likewise, she crossed her legs and closed her eyes. What peaceful memory did she have? She thought back to when she exercises, remembering that occasionally she slips into a state of pure calm, finishing her current routine and moving onto the next one and the one after that without even realizing it. Maybe that's what Alicia was talking about. Having nothing else to go on, Sara took a deep breath, held it for three seconds, and exhaled through her nose, focusing entirely on that sensation. Her body quickly became motionless and utterly still, waiting for Alicia's next instructions.
Alicia watched and waited as Sara followed her instructions and proceeded with what she asked of her. The swordsoman didn't say anything for a few minutes, merely letting Sara experience the memory combined with the ambience of the world around her. The sounds of the birds, the hush of the gently swaying trees and the feel of the warmth of the sun on her tanned skin. All of these senses needed to be felt and enhanced by the positivity emanating from the emotion within the memory.
"Good" Alicia eventually spoke softly. "Now, while maintaining that mind state, start to pay attention to the sounds around you, the feel of the light air upon your skin carried in the breeze and the shush of the waves hitting the shoreline. Focus on each sound, really concentrate on how it applies to you, your place in this world and your connection to these natural forces" Alicia would once again fall silent to allow Sara to try and connect herself to the world around her.
The feeling should feel uplifting, as if a warmth would spread from her chest and push through her veins, softening the tense knots of her muscles as her mind would be carried into a calmful peace. Of course, assuming Sara succeeded.
Sara sat there quietly, her other senses magnified as her vision was cut-off from the world. She heard the birds call, seagulls; she wagered, the gentle rustling of leaves still on trees as the wind carried warm salty air from the sea. She felt her core loosen up, as if letting go of a breath that she did not know she was holding. A peaceful serenity was cast over the scene as Sara held her calm state, making a mental note to do this more often.
When the next set of instructions came, whilst maintaining her calm state, she directed her focus to the waves and the winds in turn, and their neverending forces. But, for a single heartbeat, she understood. This realization caused her to gasp in fright that broke the spell over the pair. Sara paused, blinking, and resumed control over her breathing. With the connection between herself and the world made manifest, Sara couldn't help but feel very very small.
Alicia was of course observing Sara closely and as she could see her gradually coming to understand the world around her, she gave a small smile. "We are all connected, everything from the smallest plant to the greatest forces of nature itself. Through understanding the world and our place within it, we learn to appreciate life and it's importance. Everything has a role to play and every action has a consequence, for a push there's a pull, for an up there is a down, a give and a take and well, you see the point" Alicia tried to outline the world of balance around her and how every action she made would have a consequence, whether she desired it or not.
"Accept these truths into yourself Sara, for it is through understanding this world that we learn how to move it and where power is granted to the enlightened" The feeling would be quite overwhelming, like locked doors in her head opening at once to let through a flood of understanding. It would feel like the world itself was calling to her, beckoning her to an embrace like an old friend returning after a long absence away. The world in all it's magnificent beauty was laid before the Gladiator, walls of iron falling away to reveal a light warmth felt against the soul as the connections were made for the first time.
Sara pushed the few notes of anxiety away and tried to listen to Alicia's speech, but the knuckles on her hand became white with tension as she listened. For a fraction of a second, she had felt it, the sensation of being connected to everything and knowing her place within the world. However even if Alicia didn't intend to imply it, Sara had no intention of ever being a slave again. Whether the bondage was to mankind or to destiny itself was irrelevant, she would not let anything or anyone be her master.
"I… I accept." She began, eyes still closed, finally speaking up for the first time. "I accept this truth… This feeling of everything impacting each other. But my place… Our place in the world… I refuse to be controlled by anything, neither fate nor destiny will dictate my actions." Deep down as the walls blocking her from the rest of the world tumbled, the blinding light of the outside world burst through. But the fire within herself burned brighter, bright enough for even Alicia to feel. Sara opened her eyes with a start and, taking deep breaths, looked towards Alicia, her eyes filled with determination. She slowly stood up, looking around as if seeing the world for the very first time again. Sara turned to look down at Alicia, smiling softly with gratitude. "I think I'm ready for the next step."
Alicia could feel it, the awakening of the soul within Sara as the world embraced her and she in turn accepted it. "The world does not plan for us Sara, it merely responds to our actions" was her response. Such things as destiny and fate were notions Alicia herself didn't believe in, much like the rest of her culture. It was genuinely believed that thier lives were as a result of choice and not the will of gods and deities.
The swordswoman watched as Sara looked upon the world, her new home with greater understanding after opening her eyes. The colors would seem richer and more beautiful and even the sounds were more pleasing to the ear. Alicia looked up at Sara and smiled warmly, "Yes, I believe you are" she said before slowly standing to join her, exhaling a deep breath. The day really was quite lovely, a good day for such experiences.
"Come, let's continue" she said, motioning with her hand and a friendly smile for Sara to walk with her as she lead her away from the open area, towards a break in the trees, another cut path Alicia had forged with her blade. "As we make our way, tell me how you feel... what're you thinking?" Alicia asked curiously.
It was hard to describe how her perception of the world was affected by this, but if Sara had to describe it, she would say that everything seemed cleaner, as if a subtle fog was removed from the world. She followed Alicia, curious as to what the next test would be, when she was asked what she was thinking.
Sara could only sigh and look away, deep in thought. "I don't quite know." She answered truthfully. "I feel… well, better would be the best word to describe it."
Alicia nodded without looking towards Sara as she responded, after all the answer to her question was not for Alicia to challenge, it was just her genuine curiosity. The swordswoman lead Sara down a path which eventually opened up at the mouth of a cave entrance, a violent strong wind blowing at them from within at such an intense volume that should Sara attempt to get close to the entrance she would be physically pushed back, the wind strength increasing the closer you'd try to fight your way closer. "Ah, we're here" she said with a smile.
It wasn't clear what was causing the seemingly supernatural wind current but the force of it was unlike anything someone would expect to be coming out from within a cave. The mouth of the cave itself could almost be described as the maw of an angry dragon, angular teeth across the top lining the caves jaw. Alicia walked over to a nearby rock and sat upon it, she'd look to Sara before motioning towards the cave. "After you!" she said with optimism in her tone, "We must cross this cave to the other side to continue our journey".
Sara looked at the cave and felt the unnatural wind blow through. Ordinarily, she would have hypothesised that it was air being pushed out of underground caves by the incoming tide, but she suspected otherwise. This wind far stronger than it should be. She stared into the cave, a fair distance away, as her hand gently rested on her chin, apparently very deep in thought. After a few minutes, she must have came up with an idea because she lowered her hand and dipped it into her pocket, pulling out the stone that she picked up from the beach. She held it, feeling the weight and the shape before gently tossing it into the wind-swept cave, curious to see if the wind had any effect on a non-living object.
Alicia watched with genuine curiosity as Sara picked up the stone, causing the swordswoman to lean forwards a little as she took it and threw it towards the cave entrance. The stone would sail through without seeming to be remotely hindered by the wind current, hitting the floor and rolling a little before coming to a stop. Alicia opened her mouth to comment before stopping herself, merely watching to see what Sara would do next.
Sara resumed her previous stance, gazing into the cave. "Hmm…" She hummed idly, for whatever reason, this wind did not seem to affect non-living objects. This was a key fact that she could use, but how? Coming to another idea, she slammed her fist into her palm and exclaimed. "I got it! I'll be right back." Without another word, she turned around and disappeared, heading back for the hill they stood on. She arrived five minutes later, carrying one of the smaller boulders, holding the weight in a tight hug. "Okay." She panted with the effort, but grinning at Alicia. "I'm ready now."
Without another word, she stepped towards the cave and against the wind, confident that the added weight would be enough to fight the wind's power.
Alicia raised her eyebrows as Sara walked away and for a moment she wondered if Sara had given up, although her brow quickly furrowed at her own obvious mistake in thinking Sara was capable of giving up so easily. She watched Sara return with one of the rocks and grinned, understanding her intention almost immediately. Alicia gave a single nod, "Very well then" she said before jumping up from her seat and moving towards the Gladiator. "After you Sara".
Alicia would walk beside Sara as they approached the cave entrance, two things becoming immediately clear, the first being that Alicia seemed to be unaffected by the wind as she stood with her hands neatly behind her back. The second was that the boulder was working, allowing Sara to progress towards the cave entrance, "Don't forget your stone" Alicia reminded, before walking ahead to make her way to the other side.
Meanwhile the wind would howl in Sara's ears the deeper inside she pushed, whipping at her hair and threatening to launch her out of the cave like a cannonball if she slipped up or allowed the wind to hit her directly. Alicia would be waiting patiently on the other side.
It was hardgoing, but Sara pulled through step-by-step, her entire body fighting against the wind. When Alicia walked ahead, she shot her a deep look of annoyance when she saw how effortless Alicia made it look. Nevertheless upon this sight, she pushed even harder. When she was reminded of her responsibilities, Sara stopped dead in her tracks, looking down in utter despair. Even over the winds, Alicia could hear Sara moan. "Ohhh, fuuuuuuck me."
This was not a very pretty picture, Sara with shaking knees holding a boulder that she couldn't let go to bend down to get a stone that she couldn't pick up. She knew the instant she let go of the boulder, she'd be forced out of the tunnel, but she could not complete the challenge without it. Unfortunately, much to her eternal regret, this stone had become a matter of pride and she would not progress without it, if only out of some sense of misplaced ego. After all, she put herself in this situation and she'd get herself out of it.
Inch by inch, she slowly lowered the boulder, placing it against the ground and leaning against it for shelter. Taking in deep lungfuls of cavern air, she reached out with her arm, fighting against the wind, to grab ahold of the rock before tightly clasping it to her chest out of fear of dropping it again. With one bold swift movement, she stood up against wind and out of her shelter. The raw force overwhelmed her and threatened her grasp on the earth, but she stood firm. Trying to stand alone took most of her energy, let alone move through it but she tried nonetheless. Step by delicate step, inch by grueling inch, she slowly made progress but it was clear to see that her natural stamina, while impressive, wasn't nearly enough to make it all the way. This was a fact that Sara herself knew but she did not let it stop her.
Somehow, step by step, she persevered. Finding that same calm that she had before, Sara shut her eyes and just kept moving, gasping for air every step of the way. But, just as she was just about to use the very last iota of her strength, she found the will to keep moving and push past through the wind, practically running the last few steps before collapsing at the mouth of the exit, her chest heaving and her skin red with exertion. The stone, her goal, was clasped firmly in her hand. From Alicia's perspective, for those last few steps, it was as though Sara's soul flickered, ever so briefly, like a lit match flaring up and dying to the wind.
"There." She gasped, in between breaths. "How's… that for your… challenge, huh?"
Alicia blinked at Sara, tilting her head to the side, "Challenge, what challenge?" she asked, leaning against what seemed to be an old wooden fence that'd been erected here long ago, a guard against the sheer drop on the other side that lead into an expanse of tree tops. Falling would be certain death so it made questions for why Alicia so easily leaned against it without fear of it giving way.
Alicia walked over, standing over Sara as she looked down at her. "Tell me, what do you think happened just now?" she asked curiously.
Sara rolled up on her back, taking deep and controlled breaths, but still clearly exhausted. "Don't… give me 'what challenge'. That was… one of the hardest things I ever done" She rested her head back down and breathed, looking back up at Alicia. "I don't know." She sighed. "Maybe a force that only things with a soul can feel?"
Alicia raised a hand to her mouth and gave a small laugh into it before she bent her legs and offered her hand to pull Sara into a seated position. "As good a guess as any, but no not quite" she replied, adjusting her position so that she knelt on one knee as she explained. "The wind was quite real and quite powerful, powerful enough to move even you and your boulder... yet, it didn't affect me... would you like to know my secret?" she asked, retaining her smile.
"I believed that I could overcome it and so I did" she suspected Sara might feel like lunging at her with that statement so she decided to stand before continuing to explain. "Users of the power have the ability to overcome situations of adversity, but strength doesn't always come from our physical talents and honed skills. Faith and belief in yourself above all else is one of the strongest methods of self empowerment" Alicia said before she motioned with her hand back towards the cave.
"You believed the boulder would work, so it did. The power within you combined with your belief gave you what you needed to overcome the obstacle. But, it was difficult no? the wind still pushed and fought against you... that is merely because you withheld doubt, sure within yourself that failure was a possible outcome. You must believe in yourself Sara, don't try, don't attempt... simply do and trust yourself that you
can overcome it" Alicia smiled before offering her hand again to help Sara up fully.
"Of course not everything can be fought with will alone, but there is value in this lesson none the less. With every move you make, be confident and unwavering... never doubt yourself".
Sara squinted at Alicia suspiciously when she declared that she simply wasn't trying hard enough but kept quiet to let her have her say. After squinting at her some more, Sara relented, sighing and taking Alicia's hand, pulling herself back up. Her hand reached down to her belt , where she wisely remembered to bring a water canteen with her. Removing the top, she took a few greedy gulps before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand and stowing the canteen away. "Well, what now?"
Alicia looked further up the path, a steady incline that ran up beside a stone wall of the mountain, the other side the fence with the long drop to the bottom. "We continue of course" she said before she began to walk at a leisurely pace up the path, allowing herself to think over Sara's small spark of the soul, a clear sign that it was awakening within her. The path eventually lead them under waterfalls that crashed over them into the drop below and Alicia stopped a few times to marvel at the beauty of it before continuing.
Eventually they would find themselves following the path running beside a river that lead to one of the waterfalls they had passed earlier, following it till they ended up a smaller clearing than before which sat adjacent to the river, several trees with shedding pink leaves creating a snowfall of color over the small meadow. "Beautiful, this spot should do just fine I think" Alicia said as she lead Sara over to the grass verge beside the river, under one of the larger cherry blossom trees before taking a seat under it, motioning for Sara to do the same.
"This next... experience is going to be a little more intense than the previous ones, but I assure you that you'll be quite safe" she'd wait for Sara to take her seat before continuing. "I'm going to directly attempt to make a connection to your soul, but to do this I'm required to place my hands on you, of course I'm asking your permission on that first before we proceed" Alicia's tone was quite serious. In her culture placing hands on another wasn't something done unless you were close friends or family and even then it was done within social etiquettes.
Sara had to admit, as she followed Alicia up, it was quite a pretty tree. Nothing she had ever seen before in Tilea. "Yes." She admitted, admiring the cherry blossoms. "It's gorgeous." She took her seat opposite of Alicia and tilted her head at the next task. Going into her soul? Sara felt like she should say no, but her curiosity demanded otherwise. When asked for permission to touch, Sara couldn't help but laugh. "Sure, as long as you're not trying to cop a feel." Grinning at Alicia, she turned her back towards her and awaited the next step.
Alicia rolled her eyes, "Well at least you're smiling and not complaining, which is more than I could hope for..." she responded before having Sara sit and face her. She'd instruct Sara to close her eyes and center herself like she had done when connecting with the world, of course Alicia would wait patiently for Sara to proceed with this step before readying herself for the next steps.
The swordwoman would gently place her thumb on Sara's forehead and two fingers against her chest over her heart before closing her own eyes, focusing her energies before her soul would ignite and burn brightly with intense power, the strength of which Sara would be able to feel now that she was open to such things within the world. Sara would soon find her mind falling away, as if the ground beneath her had simply been removed from existence.
She wouldn't be able to move, yet... she could no more feel her body, almost as if she'd fallen into a dream. Light would burst into her vision suddenly, the world coming to life around her once more, revealing Alicia sitting in front of her in the same position under the tree by the river. Nothing had changed, except that Alicia was no longer touching her. "Oh good, we're here" Alicia said as she looked around.
Sara couldn't help but feel that Alicia didn't exactly have high expectations for her, but Sara felt that her performance so far spoke for itself. At Alicia's request, she closed her eyes and found her calm, finding that it got easier to center herself the more she did it. Once she was ready, she silently nodded. As Sara felt Alicia's gentle touch, it was as if the world melted away and, when the sensation passed, she opened her eyes to find herself… in the exact same spot she was in. If it weren't for her experience with dreamworlds during the Undersea incident, she would think that she was still in the same place.
"So…" She said, looking around. "Where exactly is here, are we in my head or yours?"
Alicia would already appear to be awake when Sara opened her eyes, as if the swordswoman had been waiting for some time for the Gladiator to join her in this new realm of existence. "Neither" was the short and simple answer she gave, maintaining her soft smile. "If you were to enter my mind, your consciousness would have been spiritually pulled apart leaving your physical body to remain a drooling husk without conscious thought, this is a bridge world between our minds…. an island of armistice where our minds won't compete for domination over the other" she continued, climbing to her feet. "Now!" she began, "There's a few reasons I brought you here, first and foremost was to confront something".
In the next moment that Sara blinked she would find herself standing upon an island of jagged rocks in the middle of the ocean, huge powerful waves crashing against them threatening to pull her into the dark blue void to be swallowed whole. It would all feel very real, from the spray of cold seawater upon her skin to the howl of the wind in her ears. A second blink and Alicia would be standing before her, standing neatly seemingly unphased by the water around them. "You need to pay attention here Sara for this next part is very important" Alicia's expression was one matching her tone. "If you fall into the ocean I may not be able to bring you back, for it represents something beyond my control… bare that in mind" the swordsman stepped to the side revealing a bridge leading off from the jagged rocks, through crashing waves into the unknown, a cloud of wet mist blocking vision to the other side.
"I understand that the ocean is somewhat of an obstacle for you?" the question didn't require and answer. "I will meet you on the other side". With that Alicia turned and made her way across the bridge. A wave would slam against her and in the next moment she was gone, as if it had wiped her off the bridge… or perhaps had prevented Sara from seeing her long enough to lose her to the mist that blanketed the midway point.
Sara sat down on her knees, hands on her lap, as she listened intently to Alicia. Ever since the Undersea incident, she has been dying to get more information about the dreamscape. If she was ever going back to that wretched nightmare, she was coming armed with knowledge. When Alicia mentioned the reason they were brought here to begin with, the hairs on the back of Sara's neck stood on end. Confrontation? That could only mean one thing. With a blink, she was whisked away, her worst fears confirmed when they arrived. She looked around and let out a heavy sigh. 'Yup.' She thought idly to herself. 'They were doing this now'.
Sara listened to her explanation, a flat expression on her face. With how dramatic Alicia was sounding, Sara couldn't help but suspect that she was deliberately overacting the seriousness of the danger, as if to heighten the sense of fear. Once more, as if to confirm her suspicions, Alicia dramatically disappeared.
"Oh, real funny Alicia!" Sara yelled loudly, her voice filled with sarcasm. "You really got me there! Wow, good job!" Since it wasn't Sara that made this place, she reasoned that Alicia was responsible. Furthermore, if she was the architect of this world, that meant she had to have some sort of power over it. Chances are, she pictured annoyed, Alicia was watching from a distance away, with a telescope and a cool drink in hand, far away from the storm and watching Sara suffer at her own leisure. With another heavy sigh, she turned her focus away from hypotheticals and to the task at hand. She just had to walk through, nothing more. But, she thought grimly, there had to be a catch.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained, she thought to herself, as she took her first few steps onto the bridge and into the unknown.
The waves continued to break against the rocks, rearing up above Sara in looming angry shapes often made in the real world by the ocean. As Sara spoke there would be no answer other than the howling wind and the endless stretch of disturbed ocean. As she approached the bridge it'd creak and strain to her footsteps, as if at any moment it might break and have her plummet into the cold void swirling beneath her. The mist would close in soon after, enveloping her as she ventured deeper, consuming her till she was surrounded by nothing other than a white. The wind still continued to howl through it and every so often a wave would lunge at her from a few feet away, splashing against her.
After what seemed like ten minutes, nothing had changed and the bridge seemed to stretch on for an eternity. Within time it was hard to tell when minutes fell away into hours, or if perhaps she had been there longer. Time didn't work as it should and just when a fear would perhaps begin to creep in, the outline of something in the distance would make itself known to Sara. It'd be something familiar, something in the back of her mind which would trigger a memory that'd been drowning in the realm of the forgotten. Yet she would know it immediately as the outline of her parents, their features just out of her visual reach, albeit their gestures beckoned her to seek them out, calling out to her.
Sara pushed her fears to the back of her mind. They were only illusions, she said to them, I do not fear ghosts. This world was a construct, she wasn't going to die. Yet her fears remained. As she took her steps, and her view of the world was obscured, she kept reminding herself, over and over, even saying the words like a mantra.
"This world is not real." She whispered to herself. "This world is not real."
Sara looked up towards her destination and froze. Her eyes widened and an ache, an ache that she had all but forgotten about, rise up in her heart. She stood there, still frozen, her mouth open in disbelief. It couldn't be them, but it felt like them. After what seemed like forever, the knuckles on her hand turning white with tension, did her eyes narrow, and her sorrow turn to anger. Step by step, she pulled herself closer and closer to them, her teeth gritted with anger. Alicia had crossed a line bringing her family into this, and there would be hell to pay.
The outlines remained at the same distance no matter how fast Sara moved and how determined she would be in her attempt to cross the bridge. The wind would continue to howl and the waves continued to wash along the tightly twisted rope that barely strung the wood together. If Alicia was truly the architect of this world, it was becoming quickly obvious that she would not be allowed to proceed until she confronted the memory. In truth Alicia was awaiting Sara on the other side as she said, albeit she could still hear Sara just in case the Gladiator truly required her for any reason. She didn't particularly want to intervene during this particular trial but nevertheless it was important that she remain in constant communication with Sara, even if she didn't know it.
Sara doggedly kept going, pushing all other thoughts and memories aside, and letting only her anger push her forth. "Alicia!" Sara roared into the storm, not knowing if she heard her and not caring. "When I get my heads on you, I'll turn this dream into your nightmare!" Sara kept walking, but she could not maintain this pace forever, she had already pushed herself to her mental limits during her last trial. And, eventually, Sara faltered and fell to her knees, her arms supported by the rails. "You bitch." She spat out a curse to the storm before hanging her head and taking in lungfuls of air. Dimly, in her moment of rest, she felt a long forgotten memory rise up within her but was too tired to stop it.
It was the last memory she ever had of her parents. After months of cramped and nauseating travel by sea, she was chained up alongside her parents and taken to the market to be sold. She remembered how potential buyers would prod and poke her, peering inside her mouth to check for cavities, treating her like they would a horse. She was scared, remembering that she hid behind her mother who, despite her own fear, comforted her daughter the best she could. Sara felt her touch, her hands running through her hair, she could almost even feel it now. They were made to stand in the hot sun all day until, eventually, someone bought her parents and left Sara behind. That was the last time she had ever seen them.
She kneeled there on the bridge, taking in deep ragged breaths, the intensity of the memory caught her off guard. Sara blinked, wiping away the water from her eyes, she wasn't sure if it was tears or ocean spray. She had not thought about her parents in years. For the time being, she just kneeled there, dimly thinking about old memories.
Once Sara had relived the memory, confronted and accepted it, the mist would slowly bleed away into the ocean, now calm and flat as if the howling wind hadn't been present before. The bridge lead onto a clearing where Alicia could be seen sitting on a wood bench surrounded by colorful flora, sunlight cascading onto the small oasis as butterflies filtered between the array of color and tranquility. Alicia noticed Sara and beckoned her over, "Ah! you're finally here" she called over with a smile. She noticed Sara looked to have been quite affected by the trial, noted mostly due to her kneeling position near the end of the bridge. "Come! tell me about what you experienced" she said with an eager curiosity as she set herself forwards on the bench, a couple of the colorful butterflies taking rest on her clothing.
Sara's eyes eventually opened, to find a scene quite opposite to the one just a few moments ago, but that was to be expected. Her eyes, blinking with the light, narrowed to see Alicia. She stood up, a slight shake in her legs, and quickly made her way to the meadow. She stood up, staring down at Alicia, her arms folded, her knuckles white with tension again. "You know." She said sternly, her eyes flickering with some hidden fire. "That was an exceptionally cruel thing to do."
The smile slowly faded from Alicia as she saw the Gladiator storm over with a fierce look in her eye, feeling the flickering burn of something she was all to familiar with. It was no secret that Sara was far stronger than Alicia and in the moment that Sara stood over her she was reminded by her own memory of what it felt like to be punched by her. Nevertheless she was curious to what Sara was so worked up about, "... Are you really that annoyed about some waves and some mist?" she asked with a raised eyebrow, some of the butterflies taking flight from her as others now started to rest on Sara's crossed arms.
A moment of pause before Alicia exhaled a sigh of realization, "Oh you mean what you saw within the mist. Sara, I genuinely have no idea what happened after I left you, of course I knew something would happen even if I wasn't sure what" she paused before adding, "Whatever it is you saw was probably something meaningful or something which held a lot of power in your life, something your soul wanted you to see... to remember" Alicia gave a small smile, "Besides for me to recreate a memory surely I'd have needed to be present within it, to be able to draw it upon the canvas of this world in such detail, no?" the question was once again rhetorical. "In any case, your soul presented you with something you've likely been running away from... I won't ask you what it was unless you so desire to discuss it... but I would ask, how do you feel? take some time, think about it for a moment".
Sara stared at her for a few moments, attempting to ascertain if she was telling the truth or not. After a few moments more, Sara sighed and unclenched her fists, taking a seat next to Alicia. Leaning forward, she crossed her hands together and looked straight ahead, brooding. She seemed tired, not merely exhausted.
"I remembered my parents." She spoke up. "Before we were… separated. But that's all in the past." Sara turned to look at Alicia, a melancholic expression on her face, "Why is it coming back now? It's been buried for fifteen years. Truth be told, it's been so long that… I can't even remember their faces. I was only seven years old when I last saw them. Can you imagine? Forgetting even the touch of your mother?" She sighed deeply, and looked down at the ground. "When I was younger, I was worried that, if I ever did see her again, I would not see her as my mother but she will appear before me as a complete stranger. Now?" She trailed off, sighing again before realizing how much of herself she shared. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, she turned away from Alicia, and said.
"I no longer wish to be here, can we leave?"
Alicia hadn't said a word as Sara spoke, merely listening and giving her full attention as she faced towards the Gladiator with one leg crossed under her, the other planted on the ground with her hands neatly in her lap. She smiled softly and with reassurance when Sara had just about finished speaking before giving a single nod. "Of course Sara, it's been a long day" she said before standing and walking around to face her. Like before she pressed her thumb against her forehead and two fingers over her heart before closing her eyes. There would be a momentary feeling of confusion as both of them returned to their physical bodies once more. The entire ordeal had only taken the real world time of five minutes, of course time worked differently within the supernatural.
"I'd say that's enough for today, we'll return to the ship and pick up again tomorrow for the next trials" she said as she stood up, offering her hand to Sara. "But, you did very well and I think we made some really good progress" she said confidently. Alicia would discuss other stories and details completely separate to the training on their way back, feeling it was best to take a break from the training till tomorrow. That being said Alicia had to ask her one important question, "You still have your stone... right?" she asked with a raised eyebrow as she prepared the boat.
Sara ignored her hand and stood up on her own. She only paid half-attention to Alicia on their journey back, very deeply lost in thought to herself. A lot had happened within a single day and she needed time to process it all. As they pushed the jolly boat back out to sea, Sara heard Alicia's question and stared at her, processing her request. Her hand, dipping into her pocket, pulled out a smooth piece of sandstone, picked up from when she threw it into the cave.
"Yeah." She said, putting it back in her pocket. "I still got it." It showed just how much the day had affected her when she didn't have a snappy retort ready.
A single month passed by and each day Alicia would bring Sara to the island to undergo very strange conditioning. From asking her to balance upon boulders with her stone down to asking her to prepare trivial things such as cooking fires while explaining to Alicia what she was doing step by step. Sometimes the swordswoman would explain to Sara why, sometimes not but it seemed Alicia was very serious in everything she asked of the Gladiator. To the Feian's credit she never once became impatient with Sara and anytime that she would stumble or fail in her attempts she would patiently wait and work with her till she was able to complete the task asked of her.
The pair found themselves on the same beach that they started on the day before. Sara looked alert, eager to get started. In her hand, she grasped a woven wicker basket. "Lunch." She explained, raising it up for Alicia to see. "I asked Jack to pack some for us, that way we don't have to go back to the ship when we're hungry."
Upon arriving at the beach once again Alicia turned towards Sara, giving a gentle smile as always as she patiently listened to her explain about lunch. "Good idea Sara, that would save us time" she replied before motioning for her the Gladiator to follow her, like she had done in the many days before, taking her time as she walked to enjoy the scenery despite having walked the same path over and over. "Today we're going to do something a little different than before" she said as she lead her down a different direction towards a singular large tree in a clearing, a popular tree in her home land that shed petals of pink whenever the wind brushed against it. The Cherry Blossom tree as it was known was a beautiful piece of nature and one which brought the swordswoman fond memories of home and her family.
"You've come a long way thus far and I think it's time we go over some of what you've learned into a different application" Alicia stopped under the tree and turned towards Sara. "Remember how when we started, I asked you to close your eyes and connect to the world around you, to see and feel it as I do... in much more clarity?" she wanted to remind Sara of that moment. "We're going to apply the same method here, except you're going to connect to the world around you again in order to precisely measure your movements in tune with the world.... let me explain" Alicia smiled. "It is true that every action has an equal and opposite reaction, but when we endeavor to move with the world instead of against it, sometimes those actions and reactions can be redefined in how they will apply to us".
Alicia motioned to the tree, "By connecting to the world and understanding it, it is possible of us to break constraints of the physical world. Let me demonstrate, I will have this tree shed it's petals upon me... I will not move away but not a single one will touch me" Alicia drew her sword and with a flick, a weak wave of air dashed against the branches causing the petals to fall. Alicia closed her eyes and began to move, her sword moving with measure and grace as it pushed away any petal that looked to be on a trajectory to touch her, without the blade physically making contact with the petal itself. By the time the air had settled, not a single one had touched her. "I want you to try to do the same. Take your time, don't rush it... just focus your mind, feel it in your every bone down to the center of your heart".
Sara, in the meantime, had incorporated Alicia's training into her daily routine. Alongside pull-ups, sit-ups, and pushups, now Sara spent two hours each day meditating, taking in everything the ship and the sea had to offer. A month had passed, and Sara already felt like she was making improvements. Everything seemed a little bit brighter, and she noticed how her already-sharp reflexes had improved, by 'feeling' her surroundings she was able to predict what might happen next and act accordingly. From Alicia's eye, deep within Sara's spirit, she could feel a spark, trying to catch aflame but failing.
When Sara was asked to do this, she tilted her head but knew better to ask the question 'why'. She was used to these bizarre challenges by now and took to them with wearied relish, taking a certain amount of pride through beating them all. Sara stood under the tree, nodding to show her readiness. Once the trial began Sara looked up, watching how they fell and anticipating where they were going. She drew her gladius, at a disadvantage she noted compared to Alicia's longer katana, and delicately pushed the air that pushed the leaf away. About two seconds later, already two petals touched her shoulder but to Sara's credit, she was able to finish with only five more making contact, seven if you counted that she had to physically push away with her weapon.
She sighed, looking down and breathing in for a second, before looking up at Alicia determined. "Again."
Alicia watched carefully as Sara went about the task, lashing another stroke of air against the branches after Sara had given her the sign she was ready. The swordswoman had a perception to match her speed and skill, and so it wasn't hard for her to note and count the petals that touched the Gladiator before the air had cleared. "If this is too hard for you we ca-" she was cut off by Sara who asked to go again, causing Alicia to politely nod with a small smile before she once again lashed air against the branches. Alicia had intentionally picked her words to bait Sara, feeling upon the spark and trying to devise ways and methods to bring it forward, to pull away the veil and expose her soul to the power she trained for.
Sara's eye twitched at the bait, but said nothing. As of late, after their adventure in the Underworld, her mood could only be described as strained as the memories of that frightful adventure have been haunting her dreams and disrupting her sleep. Nevertheless, she maintained control over these feelings, not lashing out at her friends that didn't deserve it. She stood ready, and this time only six came into contact with her body and she didn't have to resort to touching any of them with her blade.
She took a longer moment to compose herself before saying.
"Again."
Alicia was of course pleased by the improvement but outwardly she would sigh, before taking the saya of her katana, poking Sara in the head. "Stop using this" she said before poking her in the chest over where her heart was, "And start using this" she said before stepping back and lashing air against the branches again. "Focus".
Of all the things she was going to take from Alicia, having the shame and indecency of being poked was too far. Like a cobra lashing out, her hand sprung out and wound tightly around the saya, holding it still against her chest. There was a pause as Sara stood there, the two warriors staring each other down. When Sara spoke, her voice was calm and measured, but was betrayed by her frustration and anger in every word. "You are trying to help me, I understand that. But the next time you poke me, it better be with your cold steel. Because I will not abide by being poked. You being my teacher does not give you the right nor permission to poke me like you would poke me with a stick like some dog in a cage." She paused, letting her message sink in, before adding.
"Are we clear?"
The expression of the swordswoman didn't change as Sara grabbed her Saya and spoke, merely tilting her head before quickly shunting the tip of the Saya forwards to loosen her grip and push her back a little before pulling the sword away. The move was laced with strength that wasn't from Alicia's physical ability, otherwise she dare say Sara could have held the blade there without her being able to do much about it. However she'd done it to make a point, "When you're able to challenge me, I'll take your threat seriously Sara" she replied softly. "When I learned, failure was met with similar consequence. You asked for my help, I'm standing here... I will not subject to anything that I haven't myself" Alicia took a small breath, "Now, try again... and stop overthinking it. Connect... feel it". Alicia would once again cause the petals to fall.
"You misunderstand me." Sara glared down at Alicia with mutinous eyes. How dare she try to physically fight back, all she wanted to do was just talk. "That wasn't a threat. That was a request. I am asking you to not treat me as if I was a child. I certainly do not need someone to punish me for my failings to advance. I am an adult, barely younger than you, and I stand here asking that you treat me as one."
Alicia was actually quite surprised by how Sara was acting, and while she approved of how she was handling her temper it was at a detriment to what she was trying to do. The swordswoman wanted to make her angry, to feel upon emotion to bridge her into the connection... she had to press her more, as much as she held displeasure within herself for doing it. "Adult? you have been floundering at these tasks like a child for the past month and you want to exclaim that you're to be treated as an adult?" Alicia sighed. "Perhaps this was too much for you... I should have known not to expect results from a Tilean... " Alicia was watching Sara critically, partly in case the Gladiator went for her and partly to try and feel upon something more than just a spark. She wondered how far Sara could be pushed, and if it would succeed.
"Alicia…" Sara seethed, taking a step back and pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Stop it. How retarded do you think I am? I know you've been trying to bait me for the past month, I thought you'd know by now, I'm not an idiot." Sara looked up at Alicia with critical frustrated eyes. "So why don't you do the one thing you haven't been doing this whole time and just
fucking tell me why.
The swordswoman raised a hand and burst out laughing, "You know, the power can do some wondrous things but making you a good actor is not one of them..." she said at first before shaking her head a little. "Calm down Sara... I understand you're frustrated but getting all... how do you say... bent out of shape, isn't going to do us any favors" she took a few steps and sat herself down at the base of the tree. "I'm trying to induce a strong emotion from you in order to establish a connection between your soul and the power that resides within" she explained. "I have felt the spark within you, I know it's there... but it's like a flame that can not kindle.. something is missing" Alicia shrugged, "We have delved beyond the physical realm, trained physically and introduced you to concepts that probably seem silly to you. Yet you're stronger, faster and more precise than you ever were before... we're so close...". Alicia exhaled a breath and paused before adding, "And for what it's worth, I'm proud of how far you've come. If that's patronizing to you then take it as you will, but I am nevertheless".
Sara had to suppress the urge to punch Alicia in the face when she started to laugh, and asking her to calm down from it all. Although, some small part of her was pleased to hear that Alicia was proud of her, she did not say it. She closed her eyes and breathed in harshly through her nose before exhaling through her mouth. "And is there a reason you
couldn't just say that to begin with?"
"Many reasons" Alicia replied. "You might become distracted, focus on it... become complacent from your task and duties" Alicia listed off a few reasons with ease. "It was simply not important for you to know... also in case my poor acting skills worked in inducing an emotion from you" she shrugged. The swordwoman plucked a pink petal from the air, feeling the texture of it between her fingers. "Though perhaps now is the time for you to be honest with me, Sara" Alicia perked a brow as she looked up at Sara expediently.
Sara stared dumbfounded at Alicia.
She had to be honest with her? She?! Sara couldn't help but let out a laugh. "I have to be honest with you?
I do? When have I ever lied? And for that matter, when you have you ever been honest with me? And since when do you
ever get to decide what is important for me to know or not know?
The swordwoman rolled her eyes before she stood up to face Sara head on while the Gladiator spoke. "I decide what's important for you to know within this training, if you don't like it then feel free to quit" Alicia was rather short with her response, "I'm not calling you a liar but you haven't been straight with me, so why don't you tell me why you really want to learn how to use the power of destruction" Alicia looked Sara dead in the eyes as she spoke.
She wanted to know? Sara laughed at her question. "Isn't it obvious?" She said, matching Alicia's stare. "To kick your ass on level ground, to knock you off your pedestal, to drag you down with the rest of us mortals." She took a step closer, using the full advantage of her superior height. "I saw it the moment I saw you for the first time, the way you moved, the way you talked, and the way you keep your distance from everyone." She took another step forward, until they were practically face to face. Sara was quiet now, her voice barely raising above a whisper. "And you act as if you are untouchable. As if nothing can harm you in the world, as if you're somehow above all mortal fears or troubles. And I just can't stand that on a personal level. So that, my dear Alicia, is why I want to learn to the Power of Destruction."
Alicia didn't move an inch as Sara stepped up to her, meeting her gaze every step with her hands on her hips and a smile on her face. When the Gladiator was done Alicia's smile turned into an amused smirk, "You think you know me but you don't." she replied. She'd already known from the start what Sara really wanted, but the Swordswoman saw something deeper than the Gladiators ego, even if Sara herself believed her own words and truly felt that way. Alicia wasn't buying it though, not for a minute.
Alicia then found herself laying on the ground, staring up at the sky figuring out what just happened. Sara, seeing Alicia not taking her seriously with that smirk and then being told that she did not know her own thoughts, had struck hard. She looked down at Alicia and saw the bruise blossom on her ivory-like cheek. "You are by far." Sara breathed deep through her nose as her eyes narrowed down. "The most arrogant person I have ever met. You smirk at my answer to the question that you asked, you believe that I am unworthy of being told of what I'm doing and instead have decided to bait me, you think that I am a child unable to concentrate on her task with any form of distraction, and to top it all off; you said that I haven't been forward with you, when I have been nothing but honest since the day I honored our bargain."
Her head jolted with the hit and it'd come so fast and so hard that she didn't really know what'd happened at first before she felt the soreness on her cheek set in, her vision slowly returning as she blinked. She slowly got herself up, taking a hand to her cheek and wincing a bit as Sara spoke. "... I have had it with you" her words were the same usual softness that they were before. "Everything I have done and worked with you to achieve has been to benefit you" she stood to face Sara again. "Do you think I'm a fool!" her tone began to climb, "Do you think I didn't know the reason you wanted me to teach you!" her brow furrowed and her eyes narrowed. "I asked you the question because I wanted to hear it from your mouth!" Alicia's eye began to slowly burn into a dark black aura, the environment becoming colder as the grass below her began to wilt and die. "I have been so darn patient with you, putting up with your sarcastic comments, helping you when you fail and standing by you each and every darn day for the last month till you get it right... and you have the audacity to treat me like that!" the pink petals that fell close to Alicia disintegrated as if they burned away like embers from a stoked fire, a sudden wind starting to swirl around their proximity. "Ask me why I would do that Sara! why the hell would I do that when I know you want to hurt me" she was almost shaking as she shouted.
She didn't wait for the Gladiator to respond, "Because I believe in you being so much greater than that, I'm the one who thinks you are capable of so much more if you would stop getting in your own way for once in your ignorant life!" the color from the world was draining around them, as if it was being sucked away the more angry the swordwoman became. Her eye was burning stronger and stronger the more she shouted at her before something went wrong and Alicia stumbled, falling forwards onto her knees, holding her head with one hand as the other broke her fall. Color returned and the dark effects on the environment began to fade away. Alicia was likely suffering from a concussion, starting to feel rather unwell and dizzy,
Sara stood back, arm shielding her face from the onslaught before her. She saw the effects of the power on the surrounding wildlife, it's very existence anathema to nature itself. She realized that there was a significant chance that she might die and that there was nothing that she could do about it. What surprised her though was when Alicia collapsed, she guessed that she hit her a lot harder than she had intended to. Sara rushed to Alicia, holding her up and preventing her from collapsing in her arms. Very gently, as Sara had recognized saw the effects of a concussion probably more times than even Zillia had, she put her down to rest on an unsullied meadow, leaving behind the dead ground. She had a feeling that the grass would never grow back in that spot.
As time passed, Sara had left to Alicia to rest as she sat down and brooded on a nearby boulder. She heard her stir and turned around to face her, her own face unreadable. A moment grew between them until Sara sighed and simply said.
"Thank you."
Alicia awoke with the daggers of evil itself stabbing into her brain, like what she would imagine a seriously bad hangover would feel like after a long night of drinking. She seemed confused at first as she looked around before her memory began to catch up which only caused more of a headache as she groaned and held a hand to her head. She blinked her eyes to adjust to the light a few times before she noticed Sara who seemed much unlike she had been before she'd collapsed. Alicia sat herself up just as the Gladiator thanked her, Alicia didn't respond at first as she looked over towards a patch of dead grass. "For what..." she replied.
Sara screwed open a pouch filled with water, took a sip, and passed it to Alicia. "You were…" She tried to figure out the best way to phrase her next statement. "Partially right back there. Yes, it was true that you are training your own potential assassin, and yes it was true that, outside of the times when you were painfully trying to bait me, you spent a whole month being supportive by my side every step of the way. And I'm touched, Alicia, I truly am. That you think that I can be greater than I am, that I can be more capable, I aim to match those expectations. During all this, I realized that I never did say thank you. So, y'know, thanks." She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly before turning back to Alicia, serious. "But I still stand by what I said. I appreciate your training and expertise, but I am still my own woman, I have my own path and a code of ethics that's different from yours, and that's okay. All I want is for you to be more open with me, to take me more seriously, and to trust in me."
The swordswoman continued to listen quietly, staring at the dead grass burned by her anger as Sara spoke. Eventually she would look towards Sara after she'd finished talking, letting out a small sigh. "All I asked is that you use what I teach you for the right reasons, that was my only condition. Sara I'm not asking you to change who you are but you must understand it from my perspective" she didn't yet try to get up, her head was still feeling dizzy and at times she had to close her eyes to stop the spinning sensation. "I only know one path, my path... the one I have been following since I can remember, learned from family and the culture of where I come from. But you asked me to help you Sara and that requires you to follow my path for this part of our journey, so that I can teach you in the same way I myself was taught" Alicia hoped Sara would understand what she was getting at. "If I knew how to teach you another way that would appeal to you more I would gladly do so, but you have to appreciate I can't be anything more or less than who I already am". Alicia took a moment before adding, "I will be straight with you from here on as you request, you can also ask me anything and I will gladly tell you providing I know the answer. But trust... let me ask you, would you trust someone aspiring to be your assassin?" she asked.
Sara laid the water-bag next to Alicia and sat back down, sighing. "I see. You know, a wise man, a wiser person than both of us, once said that 'a teacher must never impose this student to fit his favorite pattern; a good teacher functions as a pointer, exposing his student's vulnerability and causing him to explore both internally and finally integrating himself with his being.' I think he would agree with you though, he also said that 'Martial art should not be passed indiscriminately'."
The quote may have come from a Tilean, but it sounded Yula Feian to Alicia. Sara sighed again, rubbing the back of her head. "Maybe this should be a learning experience for the both of us." She mused. "I was always taught that the master should learn just as much from the student, as the student does the master."
When Alicia said that she would be honest with her, Sara nodded appreciatively but then tilted her head, utterly confused, when the issue of trust came up. "...Yes? By know, you should know I'm interested in challenges, stabbing you in the back or betraying you would be downright cheating. No, Alicia, our fight will take place on even ground and when we are both ready, victory by any other means would be cowardly and dishonorable." Her eyes flicked toward the waterskin by Alicia's side. "You should drink, that was a pretty nasty hit you took."
Alicia didn't say much to the quote Sara spoke of, it sounded to her like a lot of what she used to hear and read back home to be honest. She was quiet for a moment as she listened to what Sara was saying before she eventually replied, "Though true it might be that I have taught others, I am far from finished learning Sara. I'm in my mid twenties, I fully plan to one day retire from the world and teach with all the wisdom I've collected throughout my younger years and carry it into my later years. But for now, all I can offer you is the methods and teachings I was subjected to, with my experience and understanding as it is now" she said before looking at the waterskin.
She really didn't want to drink from it, mostly because the blow to the head made her feel like anything that would go in might come back out again. Nevertheless she would remove the cap and take a few small sips before placing it down. "As for your idea to fight me. You misunderstand me I think. I have no intentions of fighting you again" she said as she placed the waterskin back down. "I'm not interested in proving which one of us is better, nor am I interested in a bout which could potentially kill you. As I've tried to make you understand over the last weeks of your training, life is important, beautiful and sacred. You may see things differently and that is ok, but I'm sorry… I will not fight you without cause or reason. Whether you agree with it or not, my respect for your life falls beyond that" Alicia took her sword and placed the tip in the ground, using it to pull herself up to her feet.
"Come on, let's head back to the ship for today. It's been quite a mess of emotions and I think both of us could use a break from each other. Tomorrow we're going to come back and you'll try this again, and then I want to get into sparing" in the whole time leading to now they hadn't crossed blades or even wooden ones, having subjected Sara to many tests or having her shadow her own movements standing next to her through disciplined sets. She hoped the sparing might elevate Sara's spirits a little. "And I will tell Zillia this was down to a training accident, that way you wont get reprimanded for it".
Sara stood by silently. She didn't help Alicia help up, not wanting to shame her. But she did stand by her side, in case Alicia needed to lean on her for support or if she collapsed.
"You should drink more." Sara said seriously, leaning down to pick up the waterskin and passed it to Alicia. "I've seen a lot of concussions in my lifetime and nothing helps more than water, even if it will make you feel sick." Sara stared down at Alicia authoritatively, until she had drank enough to satisfy her standards. She didn't say anything else, although a ghost of a smile appeared on her face on the prospect of regular sparring sessions, it would definitely beat having to mimic Alicia's movements like a shadow.
Once they got back on the ship, Sara helped Alicia onboard and diverted her straight to Zillia. "Sorry!" Sara grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. "I got a little bit overzealous during our training and bonked Alicia on the head."
