[Delphine pov]
"Delphine." Her voice was almost dead. The tone of which seemed even more impassive, a voice taken by morose thought. For a moment, within the confines of my mind, I took that appearance of hers.
The green robe that flowed like a river down her figure, short cut hair that seemed to be dyed an earthy green. Only to be cut halfway through.
"Yes?" I questioned.
"You have been summoned, follow me."
Within those dead eyes of hers was a sort of missive. It told me of the urgency within her mind. I would not be able to change.
I looked at the clothes I wore, the ruffles and almost invisible blood stains. If this was what I had to wear then it was of better quality than my nightwear.
However I would have preferred to wear new clothes, ones that hadn't been tainted by the sinful blood of that girl.
I followed. The back of the girl stood strong against the morning wind. And when we finally reached the training center. I was greeted by another.
Instinctually my head lowered in a respectful bow. It would be stupid and arrogant of me to not do so. No matter the status of my previous life, there just wasn't a use of that pride. Sooner or later it would kill me.
Pride cometh before the fall.
Better to discard such emotions before it incurred the fall of my own soul.
"Delphine greets elder brother." I spoke, my tone even and subservient. As much as it grated on me to do so.
"Good… good," He said. And when my head raised from that bow, I watched as he stroked some non-existent beard. Before he turned his gaze towards mine.
"Grab a weapon. I will give you three seconds."
My eyes widened at the intent he showed. Not even my gift had activated. So I was not even warned of such actions.
"One."
I did not panic. Merely dashed towards the rack of weapons. And before I could think, grabbed the first that appealed to my sense of balance.
"Two."
I unsheathed the sword. Threw the sheathe to the side and took a stance.
"Three."
A breath echoed from my mouth as my gaze set hard against this senior brother of mine.
My vision switched to one of absolute focus. Before he disappeared from view.
A cut to the right, feinted from a powerful stab
My body shifted, tense were my muscles that within the moment rose the sword into a defensive pose.
Clang
Our swords impacted the other, but I was thrown to the ground. My strength was nowhere near his. And as such I was thrown to the ground.
A direct stab to the stomach
Though it was disgraceful I rolled over, tucked the sword straight and parallel to my body. It cut me slightly but it was the best I could do given the resources I had.
And in the moment when his sword was stuck within the ground and him pulling it out. I struck.
My legs kicked the ground and pulled me towards him, a stab filled with pure emptiness. A use of the same technique I had seen during the night.
The rose arts, where one would use their sword like a whip, a frenzy of stabs and cuts. Shallow, but that was what the art depicted.
I found several flaws within, ones that my body and mind instinctually corrected but even then I was not able to make up for the gap in power.
As even with the skill and foresight afforded to me by my gift and experience. I was knocked to the ground. A sword at my throat.
"Good." He said once more, "Good, you will do. Go to the library and grab an art. For the next two days you will train in that technique and on the third depart in this group. The details of which will be given on the day of."
…
I closed my eyes. My hand reached for the incandescent light of that moon within the sky. It had been… I could not even count the hours that had passed.
As within that defeat had come an urgent need.
I sat with my legs under my thighs, my hands upon those same limbs and my breath… it took in the energy that seemed to flow further and further within the atmosphere.
For a vortex had been made. A technique created of my own power and knowledge. It was different from the standard procedure. Instead of reinforcing the body wholesale. With every strand of energy placed within every strand of my body.
That was truly inefficient and within it was a fatal flaw.
Of which could only be seen at the higher levels. Where the body was shed, and the soul manifested. But that was a long way from now, so why? Why worry about a body that would be useful for the time being.
"Because" I spoke, almost absentmindedly. As my eyes took in the heavenly glow of the moon. The flavored Qi that came about from the reflected energy.
"Because the first stage is inherently flawed."
A mutter. One that I could not help.
"And so I ask… what would…?"
Words that had rung through my head amongst the creation of my own personal technique.
And as I took in that cold air once more. So crisp that it burned the inside of my mouth.
I began the first process.
As was usual, for higher level techniques at least, the Qi was stretched and thinned into a strand that was so dense it could be manifested just as so.
But where I differed was that I did not curl it within the muscles and fibers of my body.
I manipulated it into an orb. One that connected from one end to the other. Sweat poured down my forehead. Seemingly endless as the pain started.
"And so.. It… begins…" I muttered.
I knew that if I messed this up… well then there would be no next time. But I trust in my will. Of that indomitable tolerance.