Preparations

Kaisra wiped the sweat from her forehead. She focused on the sound of Kian’s heartbeat, searching for the right time.

Ba-dump.

She exhaled.

Ba-dump.

Too slow.

Ba⸺

She pounced, aiming for Kian’s neck. He dodged the blow swiftly, missing the blade of the sword by a fraction of an inch. Kian got ahold of Kaisra’s ponytail and yanked it back; the rest of Kaisra’s body followed. She elbowed his abdomen from behind, dropped to the ground, and spun on her hands, driving her foot against Kian’s and causing him to fall to the ground.

She jumped on him and held the blade dangerously close to his neck, but he knocked it clean out of her grasp and flipped free. They both jumped to their feet, understanding what was to happen next, and thereon began a series of attempted blows using their fists and feet. Finally, Kaisra drove the bottom of her palm upward, hitting his nose hard. Kian flew backward. Kaisra had won this time.

“Alright, that was good Kaisra,” Daedalus began, approaching from the sidelines of the practice space they had created, “but it could’ve been better. When an opponent is forced to the ground, that is not the time for second-guessing. You must move quickly, or else you allow them to recover. Also, don’t ever go into a fight with your hair loose like that. You practically asked for what Kian did to you.”

Kian stood up, his nose trickled with some blood. Daedalus held out a cloth to him.

“That’s what you get for taking it easy on her. She could’ve easily broken your nose.”

“Yes, sir,” Kian replied, accepting the cloth.

“Taking it easy on me?” Kaisra grumbled, outraged at the notion of her not winning by merit.

“Alright, now, Kian take the sword. Kaisra, your turn to disarm him. Afterwards, hand to hand combat. Just like before.”

Kaisra handed Kian the sword and began putting some distance between them.

“Come here and I’ll cut that pretty ponytail of yours off for you,” Kian taunted.

Kaisra mumbled something and began putting her hair in a bun.

“I heard that.”

She turned around.

“Good. Now shut up and let’s get to it.”

Kian smirked and got into a ready stance.

“My Lord!”

Everyone turned to see a soldier running towards them. Daedalus held a hand up to Kaisra and Kian, signaling them to stop. They eased out of their fighting stances and watched as the soldier reached Daedalus out of breath.

“My Lord, a message from General Rikan.”

Kaisra and Kian looked towards each other.

“Proceed,” Daedalus said with a nod of his head.

“My Lord, the plan was carried out, but the target was not in sight. Since they were spotted, General Rikan took care of the unit and the general that was leading it. He is searching for the original target as we speak.”

“I see…”

“My father is on the surface?” Kian whispered.

Kaisra furrowed her eyebrows and turned her attention back to the soldier.

“Very well. Tell him to report back in six hours with an update on the situation,” Daedalus ordered.

“Yes, my Lord.”

The soldier gave a salute and left. Daedalus turned to Kaisra and Kian.

“Yes, your father is on the surface.”

Kian’s eyes widened. He forgot Daedalus would be able to hear him even if he whispered.

“Why?” Kaisra asked, “Are we going to the surface too?”

“Patience Kaisra, patience. He is only setting the first phase of the plan in motion. I have special assignments for both of you as well, but first, you two need to go through your second YDS. Then, after some training, you two will be ready.”

“When is our second YDS?” Kian asked.

“In about a month.”

“What will happen to us then?”

“You’ll see,” Daedalus answered, “you’ll see.”

***

“Alright, that’s enough for today. Kian, go wash up and meet me in my study.”

Kian gave two quick salutes.

“My Lord. My Lady.”

And he took off in a run. Daedalus now looked to Kaisra, who was bent over with her hands on her knees, struggling to catch her breath.

“Kaisra.”

She turned her head to look up at her father, still chuffing.

“Have you been practicing using your ability?”

She looked down guiltily at the ground under her feet. She didn’t want to use it. She understood how dangerous it was. Ever since her first YDS, she had been having trouble controlling her strength.

“Not on purpose, I assure you,” she replied with a huff.

Daedalus crossed his arms over his chest.

“If you don’t use it, you will never learn to control it. It was a miracle that you didn’t send Kian into a coma when you hit his nose. But that also speaks volumes about your disposition.”

“What do you mean?” Kaisra asked, instantly regretting that she did.

Daedalus slowly walked over to her. He stopped right in front of her and cast a disapproving look at his daughter. She looked up at him, dreading what he had to say.

“You lack determination. If you don’t learn to stop hesitating you are never going to survive. Especially on the surface; you’ll be a goner before you even realized you made it.”

Kaisra furrowed her eyebrows in frustration. Why did he expect so much from her? He had never been this cold and cruel towards her, and it sparked a fiery temper. She mustered up the wit to glare at him in all her anger. He scowled back at her, unmoving.

“Yes, my Lord,” she spat, like venom from a provoked serpent.  

He walked towards the palace without a word. As she watched his retreating figure, she took note of the gleam she saw from the corner of her eye. The sword lay still on the ground. She took it and clenched it into her tight fists. Then she felt it again. The heat. The sweltering heat. With a cry of pure anger, she threw the sword at the ground. It was nothing but a ball of crumpled metal. She sat on the ground and laid her forehead on her knees.

She had to learn to control it. She had to learn to use it. That was the only way she was going to make it to the surface and pay that wretched king and his kingdom back: for trapping them in the darkness, for causing the death of her mother, for not allowing them a taste of freedom…

For submitting them to this hell.

She wiped the stinging tears from her face. Her father was right. She was going to fight and free them all.

“I’ll show you freaking determination,” she growled, “I’ll make that king and his kin pay with their lives.”  

Several feet away, Daedalus kept walking towards the palace. But he couldn’t help the smirk that tugged at the corner of his mouth.