After three days of intense training in the forest, Safira had absorbed Colin's lessons like a sponge eager for knowledge.
Her movements became more fluid, and the confidence that had once been wavering now shone in her eyes.
The sun was shining on the fourth day, and Safira, now more experienced, found herself once again facing a young boar.
The daggers flickered in her hands and her gaze was firm and focused.
This time, the girl applied the lessons she had learned with precision. Every step was calculated, every movement studied. The boar, more confident, advanced towards her. Safira, however, didn't back down. Instead, she swerved nimbly, finding the perfect opening.
Whoosh!
With one fluid movement, she threw one of her daggers, hitting the boar with impressive precision. The wounded animal tried to retaliate, but the girl, quick as a shadow, dodged and delivered the final blow, tearing the creature's neck.
The boar fell, and Safira, taking a deep breath, felt a mixture of triumph and satisfaction.
She looked up at Colin crouched on a tree branch, and he gave her a thumbs-up, and she smiled back.
It wasn't over yet.
Then a full-grown wild boar emerged from the shadows of the forest. The girl was feeling more confident, even though this was a more arduous test.
The adult boar, with its sharp tusks and cunning gaze, charged aggressively. She, however, showing improved skill, anticipated every move.
The movements were a synchronized dance between predator and prey.
Colin, watching the scene unfold, couldn't help but smile with pride.
Safira, with an audacious move, disarmed the boar and deftly ended the confrontation by hitting the animal's jugular.
Squelch!
The silence in the forest was broken only by the girl's heavy breathing.
[…]
Over the next few days, Colin continued to train her as best he could, expanding her horizons beyond hunting.
"Here, Safira." He thrust a penknife into her hands. "Do you know what this is?"
"Is it a small knife?" She ventured, analyzing the object.
"More or less. It's a penknife, a very useful weapon. You can use it to cut things, defend yourself against animals or dangerous people."
"Wow… do you know how to use it?" she asked in amazement.
"It was my favorite weapon for a long time, when I was your age. Daggers are good, swords are even better, but a pocket knife is even better. It's small, you can hide it in your pocket, and it cost me a few gold coins. It's not a very popular weapon here. Now pay attention. To use a pocket knife, you have to know how to open and close it. See, here's a button you press to release the blade."
She pressed it and the knife opened.
"Wow… a knife that hides the blade… that's the first time I've seen one…"
"It's like using a dagger, but your movements are shorter. You'll have no problem using it. You can keep it, it's yours."
She widened her bright eyes. "Are you serious?"
Colin nodded. "You deserve it. Now I want to teach you something else, fighting moves."
The girl was even more surprised. "You know how to fight without using swords?"
"Yeah… I had a teacher for a few months, it wasn't much, but I think I picked up a few moves. I'm not one for training, but I still remember one move or another."
The more Colin talked about himself, the more Safira was impressed. Getting to know more about him, even superficially, was always impressive.
He knew how to hunt, use pocket knives, and now he said he knew fighting moves. What else did he have to show?
"Now, pay attention. This fighting style I'm going to teach you has a name, it's called Muay Thai. To fight Muay Thai, you have to know how to position yourself, how to move, and how to attack and defend. Normally, we would do this with gloves, but since we don't have any, we'll have to make do." Colin handed her a pair of bandages. "Wrap this around your fist."
"Yeah!" she exclaimed excitedly.
The girl put the bandages on and followed Colin into a more open space.
"Okay, Safira. The first step is posture. You have to stand with your legs apart and your arms raised. Like this." He demonstrated, getting into a fighting stance.
"Got it… It's like I'm ready to hit or kick!" She compared, innocently.
"Yeah, sort of. Except you're not going to hit or kick without thinking, you're going to use technique and strategy."
"Right, I'll try!" she said confidently. She stood with her legs apart and her arms raised, imitating her new master. "Like this, sir?"
"That's right, just be careful not to get too tense."
"Okay!"
"Well done! Now, the second step is movement. You have to move forwards, backwards, sideways and diagonally, using small steps and keeping your posture. Like this." He demonstrated, moving in all directions.
"That looks difficult…" she commented, impressed by the movements.
"It's a movement that requires balance and agility. But it's also very important, because you can move closer to, or further away from, your opponent. So you have to be quick and adapt to the rhythm of the fight." He taught, patiently.
"Got it!" She moved forwards, backwards, sideways and diagonally, copying Colin. "Like that, Mr. Colin?"
"That's it! You're doing very well. Just be careful not to lose your balance, understand?"
"Yes!"
"Now, the third step is the attack. You have to hit with your hands, elbows, knees and legs, using strength and precision. Like this." He indicated, hitting a sandbag, which he had hung from a tree.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
She swallowed, watching those movements.
"Mr. Colin is very strong… I don't think I can imitate him like that…"
"Sir, I don't know if-"
"That's a very powerful attack, if you hit. But it's also more risky, because you can miss, or get hurt. So you have to be precise, and protect yourself with the other arm."
"I think I understand…" She tapped her hands, elbows, knees and legs, following her master. "Like this?" she asked nervously.
"Tsk… my master said in the past that I had talent, but Safira makes it look easy… are all her kind like that?"
"That's right! Just be careful not to hurt yourself."
Colin looked like a father teaching a daughter, even if they had no blood ties.
Unlike weeks ago, he was kind, patient, and attentive to the girl, who came to respect and admire him.
He didn't treat her like a child, but like an apprentice who had potential and a desire to learn, and he encouraged her, praising her successes and correcting her mistakes.
"Well done, Safira. Now, the fourth step is defense. You have to block, dodge or counterattack, using reflex and intelligence. Like this." He demonstrated, defending himself against an imaginary attack.
"It's a very effective defense," he continued. "If you do it right. But it's also very difficult, because you have to react quickly and anticipate your opponent's movement. So you have to be attentive and adapt to the situation." He taught, patiently. "I'll start with slow movements, then you defend them as I taught you."
"Got it!" Safira said, determined. She blocked, dodged or counterattacked, copying Colin. "Am I doing the right thing?" she asked anxiously.
"Just be careful not to expose yourself too much."
That practice went on for another half hour.
"Right! You've learned the four basic steps: posture, movement, attack, and defense. Now, let's practice a bit more, until you get really good at it." Colin proposed excitedly. "You don't have to worry about getting good soon, we've got time."
"Right!"
The kitchen of the inn where they were staying was in full swing. Pots were bubbling and they were wearing aprons.
Safira was standing on the bench and Colin had a knife in his hand, listening to what the girl would say.
"Mr. Colin, the first step is to choose the ingredients. You have to choose foods that you like and that go well together." She showed him, picking up a piece of meat, some potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, some spices, and some wine.
"I see. It's like I'm making a salad." He joked.
"Yes… More or less. Except you won't mix everything, you'll chop it, season it and bake it."
"Right." He picked up the ingredients and put them on the table. "Like this?" he asked, letting her guide him.
"That's right, just be careful not to pick up any spoiled things."
"You got it."
"Okay, now the second step is to prepare the ingredients. We have to cut the meat into pieces, the potatoes into slices, the carrots into sticks, the onions into half-moons, and the garlic into slices. Like this." She showed him, cutting up the ingredients with a knife.
Colin stared at her, amazed at how good she had become at it in such a short space of time.
"You're really good at it."
She replied with a smile.
"Miss Elara taught me well, hihi! This is a step that requires skill and care, because we're going to make the ingredients the right size and tastier. So you have to be quick and protect yourself with your other hand." He taught, patiently.
Colin was really enjoying himself, seeing the girl acting as a teacher made everything less stressful.
He picked up a knife and cut up the ingredients, copying his tutor.
"That's it, Mr. Colin! Just be careful not to cut yourself, okay?" he joked.
Quickly, Colin finished chopping the ingredients.
"Now, the third step is seasoning. We'll put salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves on the meat, then we'll drizzle it with a little wine. Like this," she said, seasoning the meat with a spoon.
The apprentice watched patiently.
"Hum!" His mouth was watering. "That sounds great."
"Miss Elara knew how to make a delicious seasoning. It's a very good seasoning, but it's also very delicate, because you can make mistakes with the amount or the time. So we have to be precise and keep an eye on the flavor," she explained cautiously, as if she were an experienced cook.
The false elf picked up a spoon and began to season the meat, following his teacher. "And now?"
"Now, the fourth step is to roast the ingredients. We put the meat on one baking sheet, and the potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic on another. Then you have to put it in the oven and leave it for an hour." She showed.
Proudly, the girl raised her index finger for a further explanation.
"This will make the ingredients cooked and crispy. So we have to be patient and watch the time."
"Got it." Colin took the baking sheets and placed the ingredients on them, copying the girl. Then he put them in the oven and adjusted the time, turning it into an hourglass. "Now we just have to wait, right?"
"Yes! Now, let's wait a bit, until it's ready."
"You're the boss, boss."
They waited, until the sand in the hourglass ran out. They took the baking trays out of the oven and served themselves.
It was delicious.
Colin took it as a joke, but it was different for Safira. That kind of closeness was important to the girl, a way of thanking Colin for still looking after her.
Even if she did all that, she felt it still wasn't enough.
Amid laughter and comments, the two remained at the table, as if they were father and daughter experiencing a unique moment.
[…]
One of the cultists looked out of the window at the village below. The lights shone brightly, the place seemed to be pulsing with life.
"Not long now," said the other cultist. "In two days, the ritual will be complete. And we will be reborn."
"I can't wait."
A gust of wind hit them, rattling their cloaks, ripping the hood off one of them, revealing his face. It was a dark-skinned Elf with piercing red eyes, white hair and pointed ears.
"And after that," asked his companion, leaning his elbows on the window, "where will we go?"
"Ultan. We'll open portals around the capital. With more aberrations from the abyss being freed, it's only a matter of time before the apostles are released."
The Elf friend's hood also flew up, showing his calm and serene expression. He was a human with dark, messy hair, an untrimmed beard and a sleepy look in his eyes.
"Letting the apostles go… isn't that too risky?"
The Elf gave him a quizzical look. "Don't worry, we'll manage. For now, relax, in two days you'll have to work."
The human stretched. "I haven't used my dagger for almost thirty suns now. With so many mercenaries down there, I don't think we'll be short of a good fight, will we?"
"I don't care about that. My goal is to free the creature and ensure the destruction of the village."
Scratching the back of his head, the human sighed. "You're always so dull… well, I'll be going."