///Over 2 millennia ago///
Aife was sitting idly on the steps leading up to the stone fortress. It was getting dark, and her sister had not yet returned. The young girl was getting worried that something might have happened to her, and there was no way Aife would know otherwise, being unable to pass the barrier like Scathach did and travel up to the fortress above. She had been waiting for her all morning and for several hours since, and even as day gave way to night, Aife still saw no sign of her.
(Step... step... step...)
Aife was alerted to the sound of footsteps approaching. Quickly grabbing her spear, she ran in front of the barrier and saw Scathach walking down.
"Sister..." Aife calls out, feeling relieved to see her. Yet something quickly became obvious to her that Scathach looked... distracted. She had her head cast down and barely acknowledged Aife as she passed through the veil and joined her. Aife puts a hand on her sister's shoulder and asks worriedly:
"What happened? Scathach, did you meet The Shadow?"
Scathach still looked like she was lost in thought, and it took her a moment to answer her, eventually looking at Aife with her crimson-red eyes.
"I have, Aife..."
"And?"
"He..." Scathach hesitates, internally still processing her fateful encounter with him. Aife looks on in sheer confusion as her mind reeled as to what The Shadow had done to her sister. Scathach takes a deep breath before finishing.
"He showed me things... Incredible things..."
Her answer made Aife even more worried. What had The Shadow done to her?
"Scathach... you're not making any sense," Aife tells her. "Did you ask him to help you? Will he make you better?"
"I... I'm sorry Aife," she said sadly, feeling bad for troubling her sister like this. Aife could tell her sister just was not ready to give her the details of what happened in that fortress. "But this isn't the best time. I promise I'll explain more back at the village. Let's not stay here."
---
So here they were... After trekking back to the village and rejoining their hosts, Fimir and her son Kihli, Scathach shared in chilling detail of her fateful encounter with the man called "The Shadow." They all sat outside around the fire eating some of Fimir's stew. The young girl opted to continue wearing her cloak which covered her head with a hood, still wary of the other villagers' hostility to her after yesterday. Scathach had just finished telling Aife what The Shadow had revealed to her.
"You're immortal?" Aife asked in awe.
"Yes," Scathach affirms. "He even stabbed me in the stomach to prove it."
"He did?" Fimir was appalled. "Cruel bastard! Doing that to a child..."
"Did it hurt?" Kihli asks reluctantly. Since the sisters' return, he had been gradually becoming less shy around them. Scathach indulges him, rubbing her stomach remembering the excruciating pain vividly.
"It did... very much," she then looks between Aife and Fimir, a smile slowly forming on her face. "And that's not all he showed me..."
They all looked on as Scathach extended her bare arm out of her cloak. She concentrates as her arm lights-up with violet-glowing patterns travelling down to her hand. Aife's jaw drops while Fimir lets out quietly:
"What in Lugh's name?!"
Scathach grunts as she strains to maintain the flow of mana along her arm. Aife stares agape and in amazement of what she was seeing from her sister.
"This... is... incredible..."
It didn't last, as Scathach eventually released her breath and relaxed, making her circuits disappear from her arm. Everyone was stunned as Scathach told them between deep breaths.
"That's all I can manage..."
"How in Gods' names did you do that?" Fimir asks her.
"He said that I was a mage," Scathach explained. "Someone who can use magic."
"Magic?" Kihli asked in wonder.
"Yes," she nodded. "What I just did was just letting enough mana flow through my circuits, and this is nothing compared to what he could do."
"And what about that wraith thing you did yesterday?" Aife asked, eager to learn more. "Can you do it?"
"I... haven't figured that out yet," Scathach revealed, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment. "That thing with my arm was all he showed me. I can't perform anything specific quite yet."
"Shame about that, lass," Fimir remarked. "Would've loved to see more of what the Shadow could've given you. You gave this new widow a real show..."
"About that..." Scathach starts hesitantly. "I may have... asked him to teach me more."
"You did?" Aife asked in disbelief. "But wait... what happened to you wanting him to fix you?"
Scathach briefly froze, remembering why she even went to see The Shadow in the first place.
"That WAS my plan," she admits. "But after he showed me what this really was, I just don't see this as a curse anymore. In fact, it could help us..."
"Help us?" Aife repeats, not understanding what her sister meant. Yet, the more she thought about it, she eventually came to a revelation. "Wait... You're not thinking of-"
Scathach nods slowly as Aife shared the same thoughts that she has.
"I am," she confirms Aife's suspicions as she continued. "Whatever The Shadow can do, I can do also. If I learn everything I can from him, I can grow powerful enough to take back our village from those barbarians."
Everyone stared at Scathach dumbfounded. Aife, for one, was absolutely shocked.
"Y-you-," she stammers. "You can't be serious!"
Her reaction was not at all what Scathach expected, and she was even further dismayed when Kihli starting laughing under his breath. Fimir even remarked:
"I thought you had guts going up that mountain lass, but now I think you're just plain mental..."
Scathach was taken back at that and tried to argue.
"But-!"
"Fimir is right," Aife interrupted her, her tone matching the seriousness evident on her face. "Scathach, I would like nothing but to get back at those bastards myself, but let's be honest here. What you're suggesting is completely insane! What in Lugh's name are you going to do against armies of those invaders by yourself?! You won't fare much better with me there either! We're hopelessly outmatched!"
"No, just listen Aife..." Scathach knew of the absurdity behind her words, but she tried giving her sister and hosts some context; the time that The Shadow showed her the full extent of his power was burnt permanently in her mind. "I've seen his power and skills first-hand. I'm sure this man is capable of routing an entire army. Given time and guidance, I can do the same thing! I can wield the same power that he has! The barbarians won't stand a chance..."
Aife, who had been listening to her sister, was still unconvinced that Scathach's idea was a wise one. Yet seeing the look on her sister's face as she insisted on it made Aife aware of the impact that the Shadow must have had on her earlier. Aife takes a deep breath and exhales before calmly reasoning with her:
"Say you can... what makes you think he will even take time to teach you? I mean, he just ditched us here after that thing attacked us. He seemed best left alone..."
After hearing her sister, Scathach stared into the flames of the campfire as she thought about how best to answer her. She recalled how after she asked for The Shadow to guide her, she was met with initial reluctance.
///Flashback///
"Teach me," Scathach asked, practically begging after The Shadow's display of power. "Teach me... EVERYTHING..."
The Shadow was slightly surprised by her reaction. Scathach could see him stand up slightly and put a hand on his hip as the weight of her words sunk in.
"Well, I was NOT expecting that..." he murmurs to himself before leaning down to glare at her in question. The Shadow's tone turns serious as their red-eyes stay fixated on each other. "After everything I just showed you, including how insignificant you are compared to me... just where do you get off asking me THAT?"
Stunned at his response, Scathach quickly bowed her head down in respect. She knew that she had no right asking him this, but in the moment, she was too far gone to care...
"I want to learn... your power is incredible! God-like! I want to do what you can! Please teach me!"
She kept her head down, and could practically feel The Shadow looking down at her in disgust. What he said next cemented that feeling...
"You don't know what you're saying," he said accusingly in a low voice. Scathach looks up at him in a pleading expression as he crosses his arms again. "Besides, you don't strike me as someone worth my time, and you've been nothing but a disrespectful little brat. Why should I do as you wish?"
Scathach went down on her hands and knees before The Shadow and bowed her head once again. She was determined to do everything in her power to earn his favor.
"I was wrong to doubt you! You've humbled me, shown me a door to something great when I thought I was cursed! Teach me, and I will do anything you say! I promise to be the best student I can, and I'll devote myself to your tutelage!"
The Shadow was silent as Scathach continued pleadling with him, desperation becoming more evident in her voice. She was afraid of further rejection.
"Please..." her voice was shaking, and Scathach was on the verge of tears. "I've lost so much that I've cared about... I don't want to lose anymore..."
She dared not look up to him, but can hear his footsteps as The Shadow came closer. He had not said a word, and Scathach wondered if her words resonated with him in any way. It stays quiet between them for what felt like an eternity.
"And what if I refuse?" his hushed words nearly make her heart stop. "I can throw you out the front doors right now and never let you back in."
This was a scare tactic; she was absolutely sure of it. Scathach choked back her tears and said with all her resolve:
"Then I'll just stay outside until you agree... I don't care if I starve in the day, or if I freeze during the night... I'll wait as long as it takes to get you to say yes. You won't get rid of me easy..."
She stayed bowing as she was met with silence. Seconds flew by, and Scathach's mind was in turmoil; fearing failure as The Shadow had not responded to her. Whether he was surveying her or mocking her, the young girl did not know. Scathach stayed planted where she was, refusing to give up on the realm of possibility through her new state of being that she woke up with hardly one day ago. This man showed her a whole new world; a boundary she so desperately wanted- no... NEEDED to cross.
There was no alternative for her. Scathach had to move forward with this, no matter what. She knelt there, hoping beyond hope that her words had reached The Shadow, because if not-
Scathach nearly gasped as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She slowly looked up to gaze at the ancient man's weathered face; still skeptical, but with an acceptance that Scathach had not seen from him until now. Her eyes never left his as The Shadow spoke to her in a surprisingly soft tone; still skeptic, but not so gruff as he usually was.
"If you're really serious then, return after dawn tomorrow. We'll see what you're made of... and if you're even worth my time..."
///Flashback end///
She knew in that moment that she had succeeded. The Shadow was given her a chance however small it may be. Scathach was determined to not make him regret doing so, and even more to prove herself whatever trial that The Shadow will use to test her resolve.
Scathach looks back Aife with firm conviction. If she was to ever try and to take their village back, then she could not let this fleeting opportunity be squandered by any doubt or weakness.
"I'm positive that he will," she at last answers her sister. "I'm going back to the fortress at daybreak to convince him of my worth. Then we'll see about honing my new... abilities. I can do this, Aife..."
Aife narrows her eyes at her sister. Scathach wondered if Aife was actually willing to believe her. To her, Aife seemed conflicted, Scathach could not blame her for being skeptical. This was an unknown and potentially dangerous realm that she was about to dive head-first into.
There could be no going back...
"Scathach," Aife eventually said, almost sighing at the gravity of all that her sister shared with her. An almost assuring smile slowly forms on her face. "I sometimes wonder why I even try arguing with you. If you really believe there is a chance that we can get our lives back from the barbarians, then I can't tell you otherwise. I just trust that you know what you're doing by getting yourself tied-up with The Shadow."
Scathach gives her a curt smile of determination, now having Aife's support behind her. While she could still tell that Aife was understandably apprehensive towards all regarding The Shadow, Scathach was glad that her sister respected her decision to go down the path of a mage. Her newfound optimism was short-lived as Aife then added in a serious tone:
"You better be right about this."
Now forewarned, Scathach expression turns more somber as she locks eyes with her sister. She stares back into the fire before replying to Aife.
"I sure hope so..."
The rest of supper continued on without any more words exchanged. Everyone eventually turned in for the night as Scathach offered to stay awake longer and cleanup after them. After, she merely continued to sit by the slowly waning campfire, consuming what little tinder was left to embers. As she watched the flames die, Scathach took a long glance up to the mountainous backdrop of the village. Her enhanced vision allowed her to see the fortress above, looming on the peak with torches and braziers lit up, making it stand out in the night and blacked-out cliffs. She nearly lost track of time as she stared up at the stronghold where a whole new world was opened-up to her not a half-day ago.
There was just something about that fortress and its powerful occupant that called out to her... beckoned her in... Scathach could not describe the feeling she got as she continued surveying it. All she knew was that her new life was slowly becoming intertwined with this forest, and the powers that are coursing through it... and through her...
Some could call it destiny... Others would call it fate...
---
Scathach woke up bright and early the following morning. She got dressed in her cloak and slung her red spear over her shoulder. She exits Fimir's hut, noticing some people out and about in the village already, and it was not long until some stole distasteful glances at Scathach as she walked by. No doubt that most of the villagers were still afraid of her after she changed to shadow right in front of everybody two days ago and injured a drunkard. She still was not used to all the negative attention, and she hoped one day once she gained a grasp of her powers that she will show everyone that she was not to be feared.
While trying to avoid the glares of all the adult villagers, Scathach took a moment to survey the settlement. Most of the huts look like they have been built and thrown-together in a hurry. There were no obvious water sources and no space to grow any crops, and Scathach doubted if the soil here was even suited to that at all. She remembered what Fimir had said about this village, and how everyone here were survivors of raids carried out by the unknown invaders, and felt pity despite their poor reception of her.
-These people must have taken as much scraps as they could carry to build this place... those barbarians really left them all with essentially nothing...-
And from the looks of the famished and impoverished people here, it was clear to Scathach that they were struggling to even survive, trying to make do with whatever they found here. It would not be long at all until resources became too scarce to sustain everybody, and with the surrounding forest being infested with hordes of monsters and undead, there was nowhere else for these people to go. Scathach was not sure how long everyone will last-
(THUD)
Scathach was distracted by the state of the village that she failed to notice a rock flying and hitting her on the side of her head. She gasped and collapsed on one knee, and felt blood trickling down from her temple where she was struck. She puts a hand over it as it starts to heal and turns to the sound of young boys yelling at her.
"Witch!"
The group of four boys began throwing more rocks at her. They all hurt on contact, prompting Scathach to try and shield herself from the volley. None of the villagers bothered to intervene as she quickly pulled her hood over her head and got up to run away.
"Run off you hag!"
Those words stung worse than any of the rocks hitting her. Scathach ran clear of the village, her head cast down as she pressed on towards the fortress. Once she was clear, she backed herself against a tree and began to cry. It hurt her deeply to be harassed like that, even more so that no one stood up for her and just allowed all of that to happen. She wanted to curse those boys for doing this to her, yet Scathach knew that her disposition with all the villagers was poor already. Until she got a handle on her powers, she unfortunately had to take the abuse for the time being.
That would prove difficult in the coming days...
---
Scathach climbed the stairs up to The Shadow's fortress. Passing under the archway, she kept climbing as the stairs got narrower as she neared the top to the front gates. The events from the village earlier still lingered in her head and ate away at her conscience. Scathach did not dwell on it for long however, as with each step she took, she could feel something happening beneath her feet. She couldn't explain what it was, but she somehow became more aware of it as she went on. It made her gradually slow her pace until she stopped, now having a gut feeling that something was wrong.
This feeling... it's like when The Shadow showed me his power... wait... magecraft?
(RUMBLE)
Scathach gasped when the entire staircase shook, and to her shock, the steps ahead of her broke off from the cliff in sections and floated in mid-air. She was nearly thrown off her balance when the section of she stood on broke off as well and floated far out in open air. Scathach fell on one knee to stop herself from falling over. She looked at the path ahead of her which had turned into a precarious gauntlet.
-What in Lugh's name?!-
She did not much time to think about the sheer absurdity of the challenge ahead of her. Scathach was stuck on a floating piece of stairs with no way to turn back. Carefully standing back up, she sees the broken path before her and saw the terrace of the fortress not far ahead. She had no choice but to push forward.
But it was a long way down into the mist below if she were to miss a single jump...
Working up her nerve, Scathach reels back and leaps to a floating island in front. She lands and gasps when her foot almost slips off. Breathing heavily, she regains her footing and sets her sights on another platform. Scathach jumps up and grabs the ledge, straining to pull herself up. She then swings her leg up and pulls the rest of her body on to the broken piece of stairs.
"(Pant)... Okay... (Pant)… making progress..."
Looking ahead, Scathach sees a few smaller islands, moving in sequence. If she was going to pass here, Scathach knew that she had to do this in one-shot. She waited for her moment to go just as the platforms aligned. Seizing her chance, Scathach leaps from island to island, only barely pausing to keep her balance. She jumps and grabs the last, larger island above her and pulls herself up to the top. Heart racing, Scathach takes a moment to breathe as she looks ahead and sees the terrace of the fortress in-front of her...
Just a giant leap across the chasm...
Scathach hesitated when she realized just how long it was. Being an immortal did nothing to take away from the fact that a fall from this height would be fatal and gruesome to an average person, and Scathach did not want to find out the hard way if she would indeed survive the fall should she miss. She shivered just thinking about it...
Her destination seemed so close, and yet so far. Scathach did not know if she could even make this jump, but the doors to the fortress were right there before her. If she turned back now, how could she ever hope to earn The Shadow's favor?
How badly does she want his power?
Scathach gathers all the courage she had and takes a couple steps back, ready to make the long jump across.
-I can do this... I can DO this...-
When she at last decided to go, Scathach did not hesitate. She sprinted forward and jumped with all her might.
…!
Time slowed as Scathach sailed through open space. For a moment, she was weightless... and then gravity kicked in... It looked like she would fall before she reached the ledge, but she threw her arms up as she closed in. Scathach's hand opened wide as she grabbed a jutting rock of the cliff-face and grabbed it.
"-Argh!"
Her arm strained as she hung from the cliff just below the ledge. She threw her other arm up to grab with her other hand. With great effort, Scathach pulled herself up until she could look over the ledge and see the massive doors of the fortress beyond the terrace.
Words could not express the sheer feeling of joy and accomplishment Scathach felt right now.
-Yes! I've made it-!-
(CRUMBLE)
Scathach gasped and screamed in terror as the ledge gave way and she found herself falling backwards. Her spear slipped off her shoulders as she plummeted. She frantically grabbed it as she fell, orienting herself and holding her weapon horizontally as she fell into a narrow slot in the cliff. The spear was wedged between, gradually slowing her down with an agonizing scraping noise until its wielder came to a dead stop. Dangling from her spear, Scathach held on for dear-life as it flexed under her weight, her arms aching in protest. Hyperventilating and her heart hammering in her chest, she looked for a nearby ledge to plant her feet on, and swung on her spear to reach it. Now hugging against the cliff, Scathach wrenched her spear free and tied it back over her shoulder, taking a moment to collect herself before attempting to climb back up.
-Celebrated a bit too early...-
Grabbing ledge after ledge, Scathach climbed back up the cliff, willing her near-exhausted body onward with each height gained. She persevered as she neared the top, not bothering to look down back at the chasm where she almost fell. At last, she crested over the peak, on to the polished stone of the terrace. Putting all her effort into one last pull, Scathach heaved herself on to flat ground, practically rolling on to back and spreading her limbs before passing out in exhaustion.
-Terra firma...-
---
Scathach stirred and slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry as she could slowly make out her surroundings. She was staring up at the stone ceiling of a dimly lit room that slowly came into focus. Scathach became aware that she was lying on her back against a fur mat, and someone was applying a cold, wet cloth to her forehead. She shot up in alert, only for said someone to quickly calm her down.
"Easy," a familiar gruff voice instructed her. Scathach looks to her left and sees The Shadow dipping the cloth in a bucket of water. She looked around at the room they were in and realized that they were in the fortress.
"What happened?" She asked, gradually calming down.
"I found on you at the front door," he told her. "I gotta say, I didn't think you'd make it. Heck... I was expecting you to turn back and not even try."
"Huh?" Scathach looks at him, and suddenly remembered the stairs breaking apart. The Shadow just gave her a smug smile, affirming her suspicions.
"You bastard!" Scathach said accusingly. He merely chuckled at her outburst, further stoking her anger. "Why did you do that to me?!"
"I told you that I wanted to see what you were made of didn't I?" The Shadow stated, as unapologetic as ever. "Don't act all surprised."
"Was that some kind of sick joke?! You made me climb up a mountain!"
"Yes I did..." he affirmed. "And you know what? You weren't kidding..."
"About what?" Scathach asked, still fuming from the revelation that he broke the stairs to the fortress on purpose. She doubted anything he said now would make her feel any better.
That was until...
"That I won't get rid of you easy. You're quite the tenacious brat you know... Consider me impressed..."
Scathach stares at him, some of her anger fading as he said those words with such sincerity. He was actually impressed with her. Still, Scathach had some lingering bitterness towards him as she just had to ask:
"But did you really have to break the way up here?" Her eyes narrowed at him. "What was the point?"
"The point... was I got to see how committed you are. If the thought of falling into what most consider certain death didn't scare you, then I believe you when you said you were dedicated. Now I know you weren't just saying that."
Scathach was feeling elated when the door suddenly opened and revealed one of those creepy, cloaked characters that Scathach met yesterday. It was carrying a tray of food, along with a change of clothes. It set them down beside her before turning to The Shadow.
"Thanks..."
The cloaked figure bowed and exited the room, leaving the two of them alone. Scathach stared at the direction it went as it closed the door behind it.
"That's a Revenant, in-case you were wondering," The Shadow said as if reading her mind. "There's nothing to fear from them."
Scathach turns to him and asks with hesitancy:
"Are they... dead?"
"Yes... but their bodies are re-animated, retaining the skills and memories they had while living, yet are just shells of who they used to be..."
Scathach's head tilts down, wondering how exactly they came to be, and how much of this place she has yet to understand. The Shadow snapped her out of her thoughts.
"Don't dwell on them too much. Here," he pushes the tray a little closer to her. "Eat up and put this on. Meet me at the main chamber afterwards."
Scathach watched as The Shadow got on to his feet and left the room. She quickly glanced at the garments that the Revenant brought and asked him before he made it through the door:
"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"
"Well, you don't want be training in those, do you?"
Scathach perks up when she heard the word: training, and her face lit up when she realized that he was going to teach her everything he knows. She tries hard to stamp down her excitement as she answers.
"No... of course not!"
"Good. This is more practical anyway, and it should fit you. Don't take too long..."
With that, The Shadow left her alone, and Scathach sifted through the change of clothes that the Revenant brought her. Among the pile were two stockings, arm-length gloves, and a sleeve-less body suit, all a dark purple/black color. To her perplexity, it did not feel or look like any conventional clothes she had seen, and it seemed... minimalistic. The material was a finely woven silk that felt unbelievably smooth in her fingers. The central part of the outfit weighed as light as a feather as Scathach held it up in-front of her. It was almost see-through, save more thicker sections for what she hoped would cover her more... sensitive areas. It was a unique design, yet Scathach had to question just how such a light outfit was practical at all.
"This must be some kind of a joke to him..."
---
Scathach went through a pair of doors that led her into a familiar room; the one where she had met The Shadow previously, and she found him waiting near a rack full of weapons. With her spear in hand, Scathach walks to the center of the chamber, walking uncomfortably given the unique nature of her attire.
This outfit was difficult for her to get used to. It was more revealing and form-fitting than anything she ever wore, and with how thin and airy it was, the outfit felt like it was hardly even there on her petit body. The Shadow came up to her and crossed his arms as he inspected her. Scathach blushed in embarrassment as she thought of running him through with her spear if he looked at her with even a hint of vulgarity.
"The Revenants did a good job," The Shadow remarked rather calmly. "Now you look like you're ready to get your hands dirty..."
"Shut up," Scathach huffed, turning away. She adjusted the hem of her outfit where her thigh was exposed, noting how the main part of her attire was hugging her in all the... questionable places, save for the skirt hanging over her backside. "I look absurd..."
"Relax," The Shadow dismissed her uncomfortable tone. "The outfit is light and frees-up your movement. It's the best kind of attire for combat training."
"Shouldn't I be wearing armor or something?"
Scathach's skepticism was cut short as she was met with a staff not 2 inches away from her face as a response.
"Not getting hit IS your armor..." Her teacher stated bluntly, eventually lowering his training weapon. "Besides, when you heal fast, armor just weighs you down."
Scathach stared as his words sunk in. She supposed when he puts it like that, it does make sense for armor to be pointless when you're immortal. She watched as The Shadow then took a stance a few feet away.
"Now, let's see how good you are with that thing..." he says as he gestures to her makeshift spear. "Are you ready?"
Scathach spent half-the day learning pole-fighting techniques from The Shadow, including the stances and footwork involved, and how to transition from one move-set to the next. With him acting as an analog for an opponent, she was able to go through all the motions at a reasonable pace and finding the entire process fascinating. Despite being familiar with her weapon for the past several days in the forest, Scathach became aware that there was more nuance to actually using it for fighting than hunting with it than she thought. Anyone can pick up a spear and use it, but actually mastering it as a fighting style was almost an art. A dance of nature's two absolutes: life and death.
After a while of instruction, The Shadow decided later to finish their lesson with a spar, just when Scathach felt she was getting the hang of proper spear-usage. She was going into this spar feeling pretty good about herself, until she realized that The Shadow was NOT giving her free strikes this time. Round after round, he would get the better of her and land a hit that she could not anticipate or react to fast enough. She found herself struggling to hold-off his attacks and counter back with some of her own; all the while keeping herself aware of her form and footing.
This might as well be an actual fight.
A few blocked strikes later, The Shadow surprised Scathach with a quick parry and poke to her stomach. She staggers back and rubs her aching abdomen. The Shadow waits impatiently for her to recover.
"Again."
Scathach was out of breath for the whole hour that they have been going at this so far. Despite never winning a round yet, she was not about to give up.
"(Pant) Alright..."
They both take their stances, and this time Scathach starts offensively. They trade hits and blocks against each other's weapons until she steps forward to thrust her spear into the Shadow's leg, only for him to quickly sidestep and whack Scathach on her shoulder blade. She groans in pain and falls on one knee.
"You overstepped and left your back exposed," The Shadow scolded. "Try again."
Scathach winces as she tries to stand up.
"How long are we doing this for?"
"Until you land a hit. You know how to hunt, but you don't know how to fight..."
That jab irritated her, and Scathach was getting frustrated at not having gone anywhere with him since their sparring began. She begrudgingly took her stance again and attacked. Another myriad of trading blows later, and Scathach got blind-sighted by a strike to her side. The force of the hit caused her to fall over. She hears The Shadow's voice hanging over her.
"Try again."
Scathach looks up at his impassive face with growing anger, panting in exhaustion.
"Tch! You're too fast! I can't hit you!"
"You definitely won't with that attitude," he shot back. "Push down your frustration and focus. Try again!"
She seethed as she got back on her feet. It seemed like no matter what she did, this man just stood like a wall, denying her any advantage and countering her with more force and finesse than she could ever throw at him. Scathach was mad at him for impeding her, as well as at her herself for not improving enough to score a hit against him.
-This is hopeless! I'll be here all night at this rate. Just what the hell is he trying to do?-
After taking their stances, this time The Shadow starts on the attack. Scathach steps backwards trying to block every blow, but after several moves in, her will to keep fighting against an impossible foe was starting to wane. Her counters get gradually slower until he trips her with his staff, making Scathach fall and land on her back with a thud.
"You sacrificed your footing. Big mistake. Is this all you have?"
Scathach grunts as she pushes herself up. She has just about enough of his taunting and pointless attempts to make her fight. Deciding to end this quickly, she grabbed her spear and charged at him with a yell, throwing caution to the wind. She swings her spear at him in blind anger, but the Shadow was not startled at all. He dropped his staff and sidestepped Scathach's furious jab, grabbing the shaft of her spear and pulling it out her hands. He then strikes her across the face with a free backhand, knocking her down to the floor. She laid there motionless as the Shadow casually tosses Scathach's spear to the ground.
"So undisciplined..." he sighs in annoyance before ordering: "Get up."
Scathach did not respond. The Shadow steps closer to her still form and nudges her leg with his foot. When she didn't react, The Shadow frustratingly realized that she was out cold.
"Damn..."
---
The Shadow helped Scathach sit back up after she had eventually regained consciousness. She sat there clutching her throbbing cheek where he had hit her; whatever mark he had made has long faded by now.
"How are you feeling?" The Shadow asks casually. Scathach for one was both discouraged at her lack of prowess and angry at him for leaving her in this state. All that tension was evident in her voice.
"Awful..."
"Suck it up, child," he said while patting her on the shoulder. "Did I ever say that your training will be easy? If you want what I have, things are only going to get worse from here."
Scathach dusts herself off while still feeling a palpable amount of spite towards her mentor. It was clear that his brand of "teaching" was not what she had in mind.
"How can I if I'm already sparring with you after barely a day of training? You know I can't do anything to you!"
"I wasn't expecting you to beat me," he tells her, unfazed by her tirade. "This is motivation for you to practice and improve. You learn nothing if you never experience defeat. If you want my power so badly then you have to put the work in."
"Right..." Scathach spat under her breath. She was about to look away when her attention was pulled back by the Shadow suddenly grabbing her arm.
"Listen lass..." The Shadow's voice drops low and serious. Scathach was forced to stare into his eyes as she winces under his grip. "I'm nobody's babysitter. I don't coddle, and I don't give handouts. You asked for this, and part of it is putting up with me whether you like it or not. So whenever you feel like quitting, just remember that I expect an apology."
Scathach's anger dissipated as she was quivering under his strict gaze.
"For what?"
"Wasting my time," he tells her. "I'm far from the best teacher, but I'm the only one you've got. You don't like what I'm giving, you ungrateful brat? Then you can leave... and not ever bother me again. Are we clear?"
Stunned, Scathach eventually manages to nod.
"Good," The Shadow finished. He released his hold and Scathach saw his face fall. She hears him let out a sigh as if he was disappointed with himself, and Scathach starts feeling ashamed of the disrespect she gave him earlier. Silence hung between them until...
"I tell you what..." he eventually said, looking back up at her with a less serious expression. "I haven't had anyone to talk to for a while, and my social skills aren't exactly the greatest."
"You've got that right..." she remarked, trying to lighten the mood. The Shadow merely narrowed his eyes in response and said:
"If you don't like me, then that's alright with me," the side of his mouth then curled upwards. "In fact, you can use that as motivation to train."
"How?" Scathach asks in confusion.
"You must find me infuriating, and you no doubt want to put me in my place like you tried to earlier..."
Scathach manages a smile.
"Hard to argue with that... Where did you learn to be such a bastard?"
The Shadow was slightly taken back, but did not stay that way as he said with a devious smile:
"By the time I finish telling you THAT, you might start growing some white-hair-"
He didn't react when Scathach slapped him on the arm before he could finish. The girl looks at him with a surprised and angry expression.
"Don't do that!"
"Oh what's wrong?" He teased. "You're afraid of appearing like an old-?"
"Stop it!" She slaps him again even harder. She looks away so her mentor can't see the ever-growing embarrassment on her face. "I can't get that image out of my head now."
"Don't like it, huh lass?" He asks as he casually rubs the spot where she hit him. To Scathach's surprise, he did not seem at all mad at her. "If you want me to stop, you'll have to make me. That is... you're not feeling up for it..."
"Of course I am!" Scathach quickly insisted, glaring at her teacher.
"Then I take that you're not going to let me get away with-?"
"Gods no!"
"That's what I thought..." The Shadow's smug expression then softens. "NOW how are you feeling?"
Scathach's glaring face morphs to one of surprise. She realized that all of the Shadow's teasing had made her forget all about their rough training session earlier and the frustration she was feeling. As much as hated to admit to him...
"Better..." She eventually said, now feeling more invigorated. "Let's go again..."
She reaches for her spear, but he stops her.
"Not tonight. I have to go hunting..."
Scathach looks on in surprise as the Shadow got up on his feet and helped her up.
"Huh? What about-?"
"You don't need me to get you toughen-up. I can only guide you, but actually growing from my teachings is all on you. You have to want it badly enough and push yourself to improve. Practice on your own time, and tomorrow we'll try something else. Right now, I have other matters."
Now feeling some of her excitement drain, Scathach reluctantly grabbed her spear and tied it on her back. After their little talk, she was feeling a little disappointed that they could not continue sparring. She started walking out of the room when a curious thought crossed her mind.
"Shadow..." she turns and asks him as he puts his staff away, retrieving his signature red swords. "What's so special about this forest?"
"Everything that spawns here wants to kill, and I make sure that nothing ever leaves," he emphasized by scrapping his blades against one another. He then glances over his shoulder at Scathach. "If you want to know more, you'll have to impress me..."
With that, Scathach took her leave and left The Shadow by himself. Her thoughts lingered on him and their first training session together as she walked through the empty stone halls of the fortress. Going into this, she thought of the all-powerful Shadow as a ruthless man, and quite insufferable at times as well. He would throw challenges her without warning and push her even when she felt that she could not continue. Scathach was under the impression that the man was an absolute scoundrel through-and-through. He had no social graces, had very little patience, and was almost unreasonably demanding. She thought there could not be anything more to this man.
Yet their conversation just moments ago was making her re-examine her assessment of him.
Despite The Shadow being so strict, Scathach saw a part of him that she did not think he had. There was a moment when despite his harsh treatment of her, he lifted her spirits to the point where she would not be too hard on herself or be discouraged from continuing. It was a very human quality from someone too powerful to be considered such.
-Perhaps there is more to him than he lets on.-
It certainly was food for thought. Who was he before? Did he have people he cared about? What makes him act the way he does? Scathach decided that if she wanted to know about her teacher and his abilities, she will have to put up with his antics in the coming days.
-It better be worth it, because Lugh knows he is going to test my patience...-
---
Scathach made her way back to the village as the sun was setting. She made her way down the steps, which (thankfully) were repaired like nothing happened, and settled back in with Aife and Fimir. Upon her return, they were quick to ask about her about her first day training with The Shadow, as well as the unusual garments that Scathach came back wearing. As she was discussing it with them around the fire, Scathach could not help but feel that so far that things with The Shadow did not go exactly how she had hoped. She turned in to bed later that night, only to be quite restless; her thoughts and trepidations preventing her from succumbing to sleep.
In all honesty, Scathach really did not know what to expect. Apart from a surprise traversal challenge and a basic fighting practice, she walked away dissatisfied and was left wanting more. Perhaps it was just that The Shadow had been hard on her during their spar that left her feeling this way. Scathach's pride was bruised, but she mentally assured herself that these "lessons" with him will get better over time.
But how much time did she have before those invaders burn down and desecrate every village on the Isle? When will she be able to take the fight to them? With the skill gap so massive, she wondered if she will ever reach The Shadow's level. The thought of ascending that ladder with him teaching her seemed grueling. Then she remembered his words:
{"Growing from my teachings is all on YOU... You have to want it badly enough to put the work in... Impress me..."}
If she was going to get better, then she will have to push herself to do so. Only she herself knows what she wants... and only she can work to get it...
Scathach will have to step-up to meet her teacher's demands.
-I can't wait around then. There is work to do...-
Sitting up, Scathach grabs her spear and quietly makes her way out of the hut, careful not to wake her sister, Fimir, or Kihli. She heads outside to a clear, flat area just a stone-toss away and looks around before doing anything else. It was the dead of night; insects were chirping, the village was empty as everybody was sleeping, and the only light came from the moon and countless stars in the night-sky. Satisfied with the privacy, Scathach then goes into a stance and practices fighting moves with her spear. She pays attention to every aspect of her style, remembering The Shadow's words on keeping footing, streamlining her form with each attack, and never losing her balance. Scathach thrusts, twirls, jabs, and swings at the open air around her. She scrutinizes herself and puts effort in to refining her sloppy form, and going faster and smoother with each move transition into the next, giving all her attacks the singular purpose of bettering herself.
Days ago, Scathach was a weak and scared little girl. Her and Aife's time surviving in that forest has given her the drive to be more than she is and never go back. She felt each attack and spin of her spear take her further from the helpless person she was, and closer towards her goal. Her self-training continues throughout the night, barely takes breaks between before stubbornly continuing. Slowly but surely, Scathach will forge herself anew, and that goal was not going to wait for her to come get it.
At the same time back in the hut, Aife stirs in her sleep, overhearing the sounds of Scathach training with her spear. Aife opens her eyes and peers through the door to outside, seeing her sister swiping at the space around her. She watches Scathach from afar, noting the look of sheer determination on her face as she attacks the empty air with poise and purpose. Watching her, Aife cannot help but admire just how much her sister had grown since their time in the forest and seeing her drive to become powerful enough to take back the home they had both lost. Aife was slowly feeling the fire that was burning in her sister's soul right now, and desired to know if one day she will train alongside Scathach and grow as strong as she is.
Part of her even wondered if she could attain the same power as her sister...
---
Morning began to break as Scathach makes her way back to the fortress, cloaked and with her spear slung over her back with Revenant-made outfit underneath. She managed to get a couple hours rest before retiring after her practice last night, and she trekked through the village and back to The Shadow, determined to let today be worse than the last. The crowd of villagers warily parted for her as she walks through, still distrusting of her, but Scathach could hardly care at the moment. Part of her wondered what she will be learning this time as the familiar mountain came into view-
(THUD)
Scathach felt a rock hit the side of her head, but unlike yesterday, she did not fall down. Instead, she hardly recoiled and cast her head down in annoyance, knowing what was coming next.
"Witch! Take your curses elsewhere!"
"Away with your filth you demon!"
She did not even bother to turn to the same group of boys as one of them through another rock at her, hitting Scathach in the shoulder. The words stung even more than ever as she bitterly tried to ignore them and press on. She was not going to give those boys the satisfaction of seeing her hurt or angry.
Her face was passive, but inside she was seething. She could only take this harassment for so long until she has had enough...
---
Scathach later arrives back at the fortress, entering and finding The Shadow nowhere to be found. She retraces her steps to back to the room where they've sparred together, only to find that room to be empty too; no sign of her teacher nor any Revenants. She then tries looking for him elsewhere in the fortress; the seemingly endless hallways and chambers quickly making her lose her bearings and getting lost in the process.
-I always forget how big this place is... why would anyone need such a big home all to themselves?-
Scathach wanders on through the dimly lit corridors, eventually hearing a commotion up ahead in one of the rooms. She quickens her pace and turns into the chamber where the noise was coming from. Before her was The Shadow and some of his Revenants moving a bunch of objects around inside of what appeared to some kind of archive. There were shelves upon shelves stacked with rolls of written parchment, a table with vials of strangely colored liquids and assorted gemstones, thick-stone candelabras lit aflame and illuminating the stone walls lined with odd symbols; like the ones Scathach saw outside the day she first met her mentor. Yet the real eye-catcher was the ominous ritual circle being etched into the floor by The Shadow himself. When he was finished, he finally acknowledged the visibly confused Scathach who merely stood in the doorway.
"Leave your stick," The Shadow said bluntly. "You won't need it."
Scathach complies and sets her spear against the wall. Her mentor motions her to step into the circle as the Revenants calmly leave the room. Scathach then stands in front of the Shadow, wondering what he has planned this time.
-Hopefully no more climbing...-
"Sit."
Scathach follows his order as the both sit down in the circle across from each other. Her nervousness grows as the room turns silent with only the crackling flare of the torches, and the sound of The Shadow's heartbeat reaching Scathach's ears through her enhanced hearing.
"I want you to become more familiar with your new self before we return you to physical training," He begins, scrutinizing Scathach's childish form before adding: "Which let's be honest could use a bit more honing."
Scathach huffs as he continued.
"But for now, let's explore something else. Namely what exactly the Netherlyst did to you..."
"Go on," Scathach says cautiously.
"How are you with your circuits?"
"I'm trying to get mana flowing through them like you said. I can keep it for a bit longer each time..."
"Let's see."
On that, Scathach holds out her arms in front of her and focused hard, making her magic circuits glow and flicker feebly. She strains and tries holding for as long as she can until the pain became too much and she stops. The lines on her arm fade as Scathach doubles over out-of-breath.
"Not quite enough," The Shadow remarks. "Here..."
He grabs Scathach's arms and rubs them as if to relieve lingering pain. While Scathach appreciated the gesture, she was feeling a little disappointed in herself.
"How do you do it so easily?"
"Patience. Magic circuits are not much different from muscles," The Shadow tells her. "The only way to make them stronger is to keep stimulating them. Channeling mana should be effortless to a mage."
He made it sound like he was accusing her of not practicing enough, and that stung at Scathach's pride as she looks away in shame. The Shadows sees her reaction and adds:
"Don't feel too down," he says, backpedaling ever so slightly from his gruff tone. This prompts Scathach to look back at him. "You're only getting your feet wet for now. After you get acquainted with everything you are as One with the Void is when real training begins..."
The Shadow rubs more forcefully, making the fatigue in her arms fade. Feeling more comfortable, Scathach breaks the prolonged silence.
"What exactly is mana anyway?"
"Mana is a fundamental force that has existed since the beginning of ALL things. It is quite literally the breath of the world itself given form in nature."
Hearing all of this made Scathach intrigued as he continued.
"Because of that, it is the means of which events in nature; subtle or otherwise, is dictated. Every storm, every flood, wind, quake, and every other worldly interaction is made possible by it; Hence why it is used as the basis of all magic among those who can tap into it."
"And these are mages?" Scathach adds rhetorically.
"Wizards, Witches, Druids, Warlocks, whatever you want to call them... but yes. Mage or Magus is the "catch-all" term. There..." The Shadow finished rubbing, and all the fatigue in Scathach's arm was gone. "Keep doing that as often as you can. Now stand up..."
Scathach follows his instruction and stands up with him, wondering what they were going to explore next.
"So what now?" she eagerly asks. In response, The Shadow takes a casual step to his left near a candelabra with a grin as his circuits light up.
"This..."
The moment his foot enters the shadow cast by the candelabra, his whole body turns to black mist before Scathach's eyes. Her face morphs into one of surprise and amazement as The Shadow's wraith-form starts dashing to various areas of the room in the blink of an eye. He then appears back in front of her, appearing back to normal.
"How did you do that?" Scathach asks him.
"Stand in a big enough shadow, and focus," he told her while guiding her near the candelabra. "Do you remember how you did it in the village when that drunkard grabbed you? What were you feeling?"
Scathach takes a cautious step towards the casted shadow, recollecting the first time she went into wraith-form.
"I remember feeling trapped, and I wanted so desperately to get away..."
"Then feel that," The Shadow instructs. Scathach's feet were now firmly planted in cast darkness, momentarily pausing to let what she was about to do sink in. Taking a deep-breath, she lets her circuits come to life with the feeling of wanting to escape. Before she knew it, she felt the cast shadow literally crawl up her legs and spread quickly to the rest of her body. Her vision immediately changed just like before as her form turned to black mist. Scathach gasps and notices her voice become echoed.
And unlike before, she was not at all frightened.
-This is happening... I'm really doing it! It's amazing!-
Before she got carried away, The Shadow suddenly spoke up.
"Now, try and keep up..."
The shadowy form of Scathach looks back at him in confusion.
"Huh?"
That was when The Shadow went into wraith-form again and dashed right past her, practically flying towards the door. Scathach stares in amazement as his form crawls under the door in an instant.
-I suppose that I have to catch him...-
Scathach willed her legs forward, moving and gliding so quickly that she would swear that she was flying instead of running. Getting under the door was seemingly effortless as her mist body just conformed into any shape she needed, and she appeared on the other side absolutely amazed at herself.
This felt like a dream... something that was impossible to her days ago...
She sees the black, ghostly form of the Shadow out of the corner of her eye dash away, and she immediately goes after him. They dart through the hallways of the fortress, at one point passing Revenants who barely even acknowledged them as they glided past at great speed. They made it to the large Atrium with an elevated ceiling, and through her new vision, Scathach sees her mentor gliding up a wall.
-He can go up walls?!-
With hardly any time to think about how, Scathach mimics the same move and follows the Shadow up the same wall. Her mist-body just seemed to effortlessly carry her up the polished stone, and it didn't take long for Scathach to feel secure in the fact that she would not crash or fall off.
At least until the Shadow then flew off the wall and across the room to a balcony.
-AND he can fly?!-
Scathach barely had time to process as she paused at the top of the wall and briefly surveyed the gap to where the Shadow disappeared. If she was to follow, she was going to have to clear it, or otherwise fall.
However, with what she was experiencing right now, it was no reason to stop...
"Here goes nothing...!"
Gathering the courage, Scathach leaps off and to her shock and awe just glided over the gap as if she was weightless. The feeling of flying was exhilarating as she miraculously reached the ledge and continued gliding through the hallway, too excited to notice a glowing rune on the floor...
That she happened to fly right over...
…!
In a flash of light, Scathach gasped and felt gravity kick-in as she found herself crashing and rolling against the floor; her mist-body receding and returning to normal. She eventually slides to a stop, groaning from the pain of hitting the stone floor. The Shadow then materialized in front of her.
"You weren't paying attention," he said while standing over her with arms crossed. "Easy to get carried away while enjoying yourself, isn't it?"
Scathach was rubbing the back of her head as she sat up. She was irritated at her teacher for stopping her just as she was getting used to her wraith-form, yet her foremost thought was how he managed to do so.
"What in Gods' names was that?" she asks, looking up at the Shadow.
"A Negation rune. Spells in language that could be projected or planted as traps like that one. Different characters have different effects. Once we open up your circuits more, I'll let you dabble in those."
The Shadow did not bother to help her up as he turned to slowly walk away.
"Come. We need to toughen you up..."
Scathach sighed as she struggled to get back on her feet. If it was not clear to her by now, her mentor was not going to coddle her for the remainder of her training.
-He's definitely not going to make this easy for me...-
---
TBC (A/N: Screw word limits!)