The clangs of metal resounding through the edges of the marshes; the group of chosen twenty were moved to a patch of protruding land. Ten were doing push-ups while others mucked through the waters in circles around the patch, in the center Sabrina was sparring with all her might against Lancelot unable to make the commander lose any ground. No matter what moves she used, switching stances, two handed, reverse gripping, throwing mud, nothing worked. She was exhausting herself more than the exercises on soft dirt and water ever did. The final of the sun's rays touched them both.
As night fell, Sabrina thought she could use magic with less fear of it blowing back on her. The winds were stronger with the emergence of the moon, it would be take less from her, the unpredictable magic would try to take less from her. The young girl grinned at the golden eyed woman, she hopped back raising her blade to create distance between them. Sabrina was focusing, she could feel a breeze around her body, her clothes flapped wildly as if perpetually getting hit with gusts of wind. Suddenly she charged forward, the wind pushing her, guiding and pushing her speed. She swung at the commanders torso with all her might, intending to catch her plated ribs she could feel the power that the night gave her.
Clang. This was strange, Lancelot didn't move from her spot instead she held her black iron sword in wait for the Sabrina's strike, there's no way she intended of blocking it? She should deflect, possibly dodge, not take the full force. The gap between them was closed in less than a second, but to Sabrina's eyes everything seemed to slow down as she kept true to her swing. The commander must underestimate her, holding the sword with only one hand. Idiotic, for all her skill she still had no magic.
The blades connected, but Lancelot's sword did not budge, not even an inch. Sabrina however could felt as if she had struck a steel wall, her hands ached from the reverberations of her attack. She dropped her sword, unable to hold the shaking weapon. Lancelot slowly moved the tip of her blade to Sabrina's throat, and she let out a soft chuckle.
"That was quite a move, Lady Crespy." She said looking around to the other men who had slacked off on their exercises "Who said you all could stop?" She spoke sternly.
"Not enough of a move, even with magic I was unable to move you." She said looking down at the commander's feet, her feet were still planted firmly in the same mud prints she made since the first challenger Issac.
Sabrina's body ached, each breath she pulled in was painful and yet the woman before her didn't even appear to sweat. The water began to glow as the night grew darker, revealing fishes beneath it's surface. Illuminating their training ground, the field where they were getting pushed mercilessly by this woman.
"Magic is definitely an advantage, I simply have more strength than you have magic." Lancelot said with a soft smile.
"It's impossible." Sabrina growled, frustrated by the defeat.
"Simply because you haven't seen it before, dragons seem impossible yet we all believe they existed." The commander said pointing over at Issac. "Your turn again.
"Yes commander." He said with a gasp, standing and heading her way readying his shield and sword.
"You may go to the exercises." She said waving off Sabrina. "From now on I'll be on the attack, I expect you all to defend as if your lives depended on it." She said with a devilish grin.
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Sabrina groaned as she laid flat on the ground besides her bed, arms spread wide. Her body was aching, every muscle in her body pulsing because of how she pushed them or how the commander bruised them. Lancelot was relentless in her attacks, the fact that she rose in ranks so quickly was no longer surprising. If she was equally skilled commanding, there little chance of them losing as long as they obey her orders. That was the sort of energy she gave, a bit of inspiration.
"How you feeling Sabrina?" Issac said from his bed, staring at the same ceiling as her.
"Awful, defeated and afraid of tomorrow." She cringed at the thought that another six hour long session awaited her. She rose from the floor, dropping onto her bed releasing a groan into the pillow before facing Issac. She looked at his green eyes, examined his shaggy brown hair and rugged face. Giving him a soft smile, before returning the question.
"I feel worse than you, to be overwhelmed by a woman is a hard blow to a man's will" He joked, gazing at her.
"You didn't complain when I use to do that" She raised a brow.
"You're a talent with the sword, better than I for sure. So is she, but to blow me back. It was like fighting a dravian, or even worse a troll." He sighed, Sabrina only giggled.
"Well she's far from a troll." She teased.
"Aye, a beauty she is, probably the best looker here." He said with a soft tint on his cheeks.
"Oh?" She raised her voice and head.
Issac flinched looking over to Sabrina.
"Well, I'll be sure to keep that in mind." She said bitterly before turning around to face away from him.
Issac sat up "That's not what I meant!" He said nervously
"It wasn't now? Then what did you mean?" She said spitefully without looking back.
"Just that, uh, she's very pretty" He said trying to laugh
"The prettiest here." She said giving him a fake laugh
"Not to say you aren't pretty" He said chewing on the inside of his cheek.
"But lesser than the commander." She sighed.
"Would you two shut the fuck up" Vergil said from a few beds down "Where do you two find the energy?"
"Honestly, seems like the commander went easy on them." Added Jason, simply assisting his brother.
"You two can be quiet too." Another male and female added, their seconds in command. Sabrina still hasn't learned their names.
"Is that any way to speak to me Risha?" Vergil snapped.
"When you're being an oaf, yes!" She said throwing her pillow at him "I'm trying to sleep!" She snapped.
He caught the pillow, letting out a sigh before tossing it back. Laying back down, with that the hut fell silent.
Issac looked at Sabrina one last time before laying back down, they all slept.