Allyria had no idea how they arrived here. After taking dinner, she asked Denize if she could help her with her magic. It was Kaius' personal request to the Fuluminer but Allyria also wanted to have more control over it without hurting other people.
Playing with fire is a dangerous game and she wouldn't want anyone to be caught with it.
"Are we sure we're in the right place?" Allyria asked when they got into the secluded part of the forest. There were stacks and stacks of barrels; some had holes while the others were as pristine as white carpet. This must be her substitute for paper targets due to the lack of resources. Beyond the drums, scraps of wood and damaged doors covered the expanse making a u-shaped training ground that if someone would come, they won't suspect anything odd at all, just something a random person built for whatever was its purpose.
"Yes. I discovered this a few weeks after I reached the camp. I wanted to train myself especially after… after what happened," a bittersweet smile escaped from her lips. The sadness was evident but she immediately looked away that Allyria would have dismissed it if she hadn't observed her knuckles closing tightly.
Denize was a brave woman. She lost her parents when she was ten and since then, she had to fend for herself to carry on. Allyria didn't want to give Dragunov some credit but as much as she hated to admit it, he saved her and it was only right that she trusted him. She is a survivor. "You've come so far. I… I don't know what the appropriate thing to say is but I'm proud of you," the princess said, acknowledging her courage.
"Thank you," she replied, gratefulness spread across her face.
Allyria and Denize occupied themselves. Since they wouldn't need any weapon, all they had to do was simply arrange the target barrels. Denize placed the three objects in front with increasing distance while Allyria grabbed a long piece of wood to serve as her marking line.
"Magic is just like archery. First, you pick a bow that fits you. Of course, given that you already have your magic, you wouldn't need that so let's proceed to the second step: your proper shooting form," Denize instructed like an Elder. If she wasn't the same age as hers, Allyria would have mistaken her for a specialist. "There are two factors to consider that almost all archers would agree on and those are form and accuracy. Proper form is crucial in any type of archery. Being that it's far easier to learn a good habit than it is to replace a bad one, it's important to concentrate on having good form from the beginning."
Allyria nodded as she focused on the introduction. There were a lot of things mentioned, mostly about relating magic to common weapons of the period. The princess appreciated her for explaining it in layman's terms considering she didn't know where Allyria came from.
"I'm sorry. Was it too fast for you or…"
"It's fine," Allyria chuckled, "Continue. I'm doing fine over here."
"Wait… Uh… I forgot to ask, do you know how to use a bow and arrow? The terms I said might be too difficult for you so you wouldn't…"
"No, it's perfectly fine. You don't have to worry about me. I'm a fast learner," Allyria let out a muffled laugh. It was supposed to be a joke but there was also some truth in that. Aside from indoor classes which she isn't very good, survival skills are things that she's considered as easy as pie. All the Aleshkovsky siblings are experts at it: Vysela with her archery, Markolin with jousting and horse-back riding, Nikolai with his remarkable swordsmanship and her with little bits of this and that.
"You sure?"
Allyria nodded.
"Okay, let's proceed. Like archery, you need to have a shot sequence. A shot sequence is just another way of saying 'everything you do when you shoot each arrow'. So for example: Standing up straight, nocking your arrow, drawing your bow back, aiming and finally releasing the arrow – is the shot sequence," Denize said while positioning herself in an arching stance.
"For an Ikigai, it depends on the person. We usually don't have a rule to follow. It happens spontaneously. As for me, I observed my magic appears when I am in fear of something," she continued. "What about you? Is there a certain emotion that triggers the fire?"
Allyria only had one answer in mind. "Wrath and fury, they happen when I feel those particular things."
"Okay, let's try to channel that emotion first, see if it arrives and then we'll work on controlling it. Would that be okay for you?"
"Uh…. Okay. Here comes nothing." As much as Allyria didn't want to recall her past experiences, it was the only way for her magic to take shape. Maybe when she becomes better at it, she wouldn't need to direct it on her emotions anymore.
Gradually, she tugged that harrowing side of her. "Wake up… wake up," she whispered over and over; hoping her words would do anything to make it appear. Reminiscing the past was just as painful as kindling the fire but this was the first step and in order to do it better, she has to live through that same horrible life again.
Not that there was never a happy moment, everything she's ever felt just always boiled down to her suffocation, to her being in chains. It was like she's free to do anything but not. She was a bird that wanted to soar high but her shackled feet prevented her to do so.
And just like that, she felt something spark inside of her.
It took over a portion of her brain, as if dealing with it is energy expenditure enough, without the effort of new thoughts. It stole the part of her that she most wanted to share with others, her light and laughter, her generous heart. It is the sort of pain that burns, as if some invisible flame where held against her skin. The emotions of grief are that way, right? Death, abandonment, betrayal, they all led here.
Allyria closed her hands into fist, shutting her eyes, calling the light in the dark. She was able to make it, watch it and even smell it. It was almost there, closing in and when she tried to reach for it, it disappeared.
She paused a moment, groaning inwardly. "I can't. It won't," Allyria said, looking at Denize who was studying her.
"Try it again. I know you can do it. It just needs a little more push. It was already there, I could feel it."
Allyria puffed out a breath. All she wanted was to feel it in between her fingers yet no matter how hard she tries, it slips every time. She couldn't surrender now.
For the second time, she called for it. This time, patiently. She didn't force thinking whether it'd arrive or not. Like a loving mother, she beckoned her fire children.
"Come… Don't be afraid," she said to herself. "Vestments of damned ruby, door of lordly blood, come forth and ignite, grow great and flicker. Sturdy breaths of magma, thawing queen of steel and iron, unite, nimble, dance on my tender hands. In the name of three, give fire control to me."
A wave of pain suddenly washed over her; it was exquisite, and debilitating even for most experienced of fighters. For it was the worst burning sensation she had ever felt, even worse than her first attempt. Adrenaline had masked the jagged injury for at least a little while, but now it was biting.
For a second she felt too weak to continue. Eventually, the pain settled into something numb, more stable. The unrelenting agony was gone and in the spread of her palms, a mixture of gold and crimson fire rose from her hand.
Denize stepped back at the first sight of it. Allyria could see the fear in her eyes, the reflection of the monster embodying something Denize always hated. The flame has no culture, no pity, no mind, yet it consumes whatever it pleases. Their only criterion is if it can take it and reduce it to ash or something molten and foul, then it will.
Allyria grabbed a leaf from the ground and dropped it on her hand. The flames burned hot, short and violent, with no care what it will leave behind. There was a sense of satisfaction in that. Allyria couldn't help but grin. Lovely. It was so lovely she could watch it swirling in her hand all day.
"I did it…" she construed and attempted to walk towards her when Denize raised her hands to stop her. The girl hesitated for a second, taking her time to process everything.
"This is harder than I imagined it to be," Denize laughed weakly and turned the corners of her lips for a smile, "But it's… It's okay. We'll work on it together. Let's start?"
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Written and edited by ephemery.
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.
Allyria will hunt you down to the ends of Arde Terra and cast you out together with the Undying in the Islands of the Cursed. You've been warned.
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