A few weeks passed by with me just focusing on absorbing light and dark elements. My mana core grew a small light patch, but it was hardly anything worth mentioning. I switched to scythe training. I whipped my scythe slashing a few trees creating deep dents in their enormous trunks.
'Indigo, you're fighting with your scythe, treat it as an extra limb, not a weapon,'
"But it is a weapon!" I yelled, sweat streaming down my forehead.
'That mindset will destroy you, that scythe is part of your soul, it feeds on emotion, let it become a part of you,' Al said in a frustrated voice.
"Even if you say that I don't understand," I grunted, swiping my scythe again. Alphar was sitting watching from afar, munching on wild berries.
'Stop standing still while you attack! Move! Use your agility to your advantage, mow down your enemies and don't stop moving!' Al grew more frustrated as time ticked by.
"Al, my opponents are literally trees, they can't move"
'..... That's no excuse that lax mindset will catch you off-guard if they counterattack,' Al said proudly.
"Um...but Al they don't have legs,"
'NO EXCUSES!!'
I grunted again jumping to the air slashing the branches beneath me pushing off from one of them as they fell and slashing my scythe down onto another unsuspecting tree. I landed on the ground manoeuvring with the huge scythe on my shoulder slicing another tree.
I sighed once more before walking back to the waterfall, giving up on training for now. Al ran to me with a smile plastered on his face glimpsing at his powerful muscles that tensed at each of his strides and thinking back to his quick concise movements from before when we exchanged moves I thought of an idea.
"Alphar,"
"Yes?" He tilted his head
"Do you want to be my sparring partner?" thus began my training with Alphar. I swung my scythe to his waist, feeling as the glinting blade cut the still air. He jumped, evading the deadly slash. He dashed to me and even though my eyes were on him the entire time as soon as I blinked he vanished. An ominous sensation washed over me from behind. I turned, seeing his face in front of mine. I jumped back just in time and a split second after I did a powerful punch smashed into the ground, rumbling the earth beneath us. He pulled his fist out of the ground, a deep crevice remaining. I gulped, sweat pouring down, disappearing in my brows.
Without giving me time to think, he dashed again, this time into the covers of the trees. His gentle persona was nowhere to be seen, replaced with an oppressive force that oozed strength. I stayed put, turning around, analyzing each minuscule change in the environment, my ears listening to each rustle of the leaves and chirping of birds. To my left! I twirled my scythe, making a full three-sixty around me. Alphar appeared, dropping to the ground to avoid my slash. I stabbed the sharp end of my scythe to the ground, aiming square in his eye; he did a flip, leaving my scythe lodged in the ground. Before I could pull it out he disappeared reappearing right before my eyes, I kicked my leg out meeting his. Our legs fought for dominance but they stayed put not moving an inch as we both had an equal amount of power in our kick.
Using the handle of my scythe as leverage, I jumped, sending my leg to his head with enough force to send it flying. He grabbed it, swing me around, my breath hitched in my throat as I felt vomit surge up my throat from the dizzying move. I swallowed it down, refusing to vomit now after a few more swings; he chucked me to a couple of meters away. I grunted as my back hit the tree, a sliver of blood running down the side of my mouth. I spat out the blood and scampered to my feet, the world spinning.
I shook my head trying to clear my head and kicked off the tree towards Alphar who assumed he had won, using my height advantage I brought my scythe down upon him, he jumped back but already expecting his move I slid my hand down the handle of the scythe and swung it between my legs meeting Alphar who thought he already evaded the attack.
He bent his body in half, missing the scythe's blade by a hair's breadth. I recalled my scythe to my finger and landed on the ground before calling it out again, tearing it through the air, causing a whistling sound to echo. I aimed for his legs this time; He jumped and landing square on the handle of my scythe, running up it towards me.
"Are you crazy!?" I let go of the scythe meeting his kick again with my own, I threw a punch to his stomach which he caught with his open palm a loud smack reverberating through the forest. He wrapped my fist in his large palm and yanked me forward and with one leg already in the air I lost my balance, staggering forward. He gripped my forearm is his other hand twisting my arm behind my back. He pushed me to the floor, pressing all his body-weight onto me. I twisted beneath him, trying to throw him off, but his grip remained strong as he lowered even more bodyweight onto my back. He put his other hand on my neck.
"Indigo, just like that you would be dead," Alphar whispered beside my ear, his flaming breath hitting my ear. I could feel my ear heating in embarrassment. He climbed off me and helped me up. I dusted my dress off and picked up my scythe. Some would call us crazy for fighting armed, well at least I was, but I never said I was sane.
"Thanks for the spar, Alphar," A bright smile sprouted on his face, his oppressive force diminishing to nothingness.
"No problem. I think you could use some work on your movement, you stay still too much and wait for your opponent to strike before making your move, it would do you some good to be more on the offensive. You being on defence too much is deadly because your weapon is meant more for long-range, so that gives your opponent to get close; that's deadly. Your attacks are also more predictable than they should be which makes it easy to dodge, just because it's a scythe doesn't mean you only have to slash, you seem unfamiliar with how to wield your scythe," I sighed at his long heartfelt speech. Both he and Al had the same inputs, so that meant something. It was just Alphar's explanation was a tad more understandable.
'I told you, treat your scythe as an extra limb and put your emotions behind it, that's the scythe's drive,' To further aggravate my mood Al put in his opinion on the fight.
"Ha.. I'll try," I sighed
"Don't beat yourself up about it, these sorts of things take time," Alphar pat my shoulder. "How about another round?" I nodded.
"Oh Alphar, I plan to go into the forest and get some hunting done," I told him my plans
"Sure, want me to tag along?" he asked
"No, I want to go alone, it's self-training" he nodded we distanced ourselves and started another bout.
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The next day I packed a bag with some food and headed out after Alphar nagged me, trying to make sure I had everything I needed. I walked to the thick array of trees leading to deeper into the forest. I tightened my grip around the bag slung over my shoulder and walked into the gloomy trees.