2-05: Combat Training II

With Tisha's immediate advancement towards Eleanora, the princess barely managed to dodge, and by dodge, as in she fell on her ass, but quickly got back up to defend herself from another attack from Tisha. Tisha was relentless, each strike was quick and hard, and she was clearly holding back, as seem by the sounds from the training swords, sounding like they were nearing the breaking point.

"I'm surprised she lasted this long. Hopefully we'll be as good... hopefully." Veronica said, trailing into a muttering.

Eleanora finally found an opening and attacked immediately, only to find out that it was a trap. As she thrusted her weapon, Tisha hit her weapon, finally causing the weapon to give and break in two.

"You did well, Princess. Did you get proper training?" Tisha congratulated, holding her weapon to Eleanora's throat, then letting it drop.

"Ha... ha... Yes... phew... when I was a kid..." Eleanora replied between breaths.

"Aviris, you're next! Get up here!"

She nodded and went to get her practice weapons, a pair of shortswords. Aviris the quickly traded places with Eleanora, who went to sit on a nearby bench to catch her breath.

"You can do it, Avi!" Veronica and Cassidy yelled in unison.

As Aviris was starting to get into a fighting stance, Tisha immediately went on the offensive.

"W-Wait! I wasn't ready!" Aviris exclaimed, quickly backing up, trying to block what she could.

"And your opponents won't care!" Tisha responded, anger coursing through her words, not directed at Aviris, but perhaps towards herself.

With each clack of their weapons clashing, Aviris was losing steam. She had to figure out a way to gain some distance and go on the offensive herself.

She quickly ducked and dodged to the side, rotating as she did to face toward Tisha, and then used one of her abilities. This ability seemed to allow her to create a pale, translucent illusion of herself, which quickly circled around Tisha and tried to strike her.

Tisha was rather smart, taking a large step to the side, and blocking, keeping the illusion and the real Aviris at bay. However, the odd thing is that the real Aviris disappeared and the illusion gained opaqueness and color. However, Aviris was already too winded against Tisha, who pushed her down.

"I yield." She spurted out, trying to catch her breath.

"That ability is handy. However, it was easy to spot how it works. Try to keep the fake moving offensively though. Only the untrained would fall for a still target."

"Right... understood. Ver, I think you're next!" Aviris stated, making her way out and laying down in the nearby shade.

Veronica's turn. She already onrw that she wouldn't get a pass. After all, she has no combat training and a weak body. But, she took a deep breath and grabbed a training club, and made her way to the arena.

"You've got this, Ver. I'm rooting for you!" Cassidy exclaimed When Veronica took her first steps into the arena.

Tisha looked Veronica up and down, studying her, and rushed towars her.

Veronica didn't know what to do. Does she swing? No, she wouldn't hit. Dodge? She's too slow!

"Swing as hard as you can, left to right, when I tell you." A voice said, echoing in her mind. But, she had no time to find put where, or who, it came from. So, she readied herself.

"Now!"

Veronica swung as hard as she could. Although the strike itself was weak, she saw something interesting. Her swing had deflected Tisha's thrust!

"Advance! Don't give her time to recover!"

Veronica rushed forward and swung wildly. Her technique was terrible, and she could feel the invisible watcher's disappointment. Tisha, with more skill, easily blocked and took control, disarming Veronica and throwing her to the ground, sword to her throat.

"You need more training. That first strike must've been desperate luck. Good thing you're using a mace. Doesn't require much skill. It'll be quick to learn proper techniques with it."

"Right. Got it. Ow..." Veronica muttered as she got up, rubbing her backside.

"You okay, Ver?" Cassidy asked, helping Veronica down from the arena.

"My butt hurts, and I'm exhausted, but otherwise, I'm fine."

"Good. But you did pretty good up there!"

"Thanks, Cass." She smiled in appreciation, which Cassidy returned, but quickly looked away with a rising blush.

"Guess it's my turn."

"Nope. You're gonna train your magic on those training dummies over there." Tisha said, pointing towards three wooden scarecrows with mock armor.

"What!? But... if we have those, why did you test them in the arena!?"

"To get a feel of how much training they'll need. Before we go to one of the dungeons." She responded coldly, putting away her training sword.

"But I'm a combat magic class! Shouldn't I at least practice on a moving target?"

"Have you casted anything yet?"

"No... Not yet."

"You want to practice magic, that you never casted before, in an arena against a warrior who can easily wipe down squads of trained soldiers?"

"I get it, I get it! I was hopping to get some revenge for Ver..." Cassidy said in defeat, muttering her last sentence.

"The go practice you magic. Get to the point to where you can reliably cast them without chanting."

"Fine..." She agreed, and walked of to the training dummies, where a magic trainer also stood.

Veroncia took her time to get back up. That voice hadn't said anything again. And no one else seemingly heard it.

'Great. I'm going crazy. I should try and research something about this class.'

She sighed as she got up and waited for Tisha to dismiss them. She wanted it to be quick, as she really wanted to figure everything out.