by T. A. White
Kira grimaced. That’s what she was afraid of.
Maksym clapped her on the shoulder. "Don't worry, little junior. His punishments only hurt your soul and body for a little while."
"Somehow, that’s not as reassuring as you might think," Kira said dryly.
"You'll get used to it."
*
Their destination turned out to be a gym.
Like the rest of the house, it had a distinct lack of frills, instead making use of clean lines in its designs.
Kira frowned when she saw it. Despite the presence of weights and other equipment, something was missing. There was none of the scent of sweat and blood that inevitably lingered long after a hard training session.
Either the space was a new addition or it had been re-purposed specifically for its guests to work out their natural aggression.
The Tuann walked a treacherous edge. Physical activity helped them maintain a balance that kept them from lashing out in new and unexpected ways.
It was one of the reasons Kira had done so well in the war.
Let her be inactive too long, and she got this itch under her skin. Violence or the adrenaline that came from danger were the only ways to work it out again. Without them, she had to exhaust her body to keep from tearing people's heads off when they irritated her.
She'd always thought those urges meant she was broken inside. It was only recently that she realized it was a normal facet of her species.
Mats lined the floor with simulators on one side for those who desired a more strenuous workout. Any opponent you wished was available along with a wide variety of difficulty levels.
Floor to ceiling windows occupied one entire wall, offering a clear view of the garden and pond outside. Something told Kira if someone wished those windows could easily become a mirror to allow the user to perfect their form.
"Where's Wren? I don't see him," Kira asked as Auralyn ignored her, walking away.
Kira frowned after her. She thought the whole purpose of this jaunt was so Wren could take her to task.
Yet, Auralyn was abandoning her without even vague instructions about where to go next.
Maybe this was all a trap, Kira thought as the other two trailed in Auralyn’s wake, leaving Finn and Kira on their own.
"Are they always like this?" Kira asked Finn.
She'd expected many things out of this encounter. Politely being shown to the them before they went their merry way wasn’t one of them. Where was the lecture? The threats?
"They've always had their own way of doing things," Finn said carefully.
Kira shot him a look. Wren had always struck her as a rule follower. Someone who basked in tradition.
Kira, on the other hand, was not. Her way of doing things was considered a little unorthodox—to put it kindly.
That conflicting methodology was why she was hesitant to accept him as her seon’yer.
Finn shrugged at her. "You'll see what I mean."
"Why do I feel like I don’t understand Wren at all?"
“You’re in good company, then. No one truly understands that man.”
Kira moved into the gym, noting that it was almost empty except for two figures in the far corner.
"You sound like you’re familiar with him," Kira said.
Uncertainty crossed Finn’s face. "One of my previous swords was a friend of his."
Kira was surprised he was the one to broach this subject. Since Yukina’s revelations, he’d made a point to keep a low profile.
There was something in the careful way he held himself that said he wasn’t ready to reopen this wound. Kira could respect that.
From the way his shoulders loosened when she didn’t say anything else, she realized she’d made the right decision.
Movement pulled Kira’s attention to the tableau in front of her.
An oshota stood guard as a figure not much taller than Kira's waist spun and twirled, executing kick after punch after flip in a short drill Kira recognized.
The figure spun again, showing her the person's face.
Kira inhaled sharply, forcing herself not to move as the oshota tensed, fixating on her like a papa wolf who’d spotted a danger to his pup.
Said pup wobbled as she immediately tried to flow into the next sequence of movements. There was a hitch in her step as she recovered.
Not bad, Kira conceded, but the pup still had a way to go.
Kira stopped several feet from the oshota and young girl. She waited, knowing getting any closer would only escalate the situation. The oshota didn't know who she was. If he perceived her as a threat, he would be within his rights to eliminate Kira.
In the next second, the girl spun, her leg sweeping out in a graceful arc.
She spotted Kira, her eyes widening as she lost focus. Unfortunately for her, her momentum didn't stop. She tripped, nearly face-planting before she caught herself again.
Kira folded her arms across her chest and stared at the waif. "Is there something you'd like to tell me?"
Kira pretended not to see the way the oshota tapped his fingers against the hilt of his sword in clear threat as her niece looked up at her with guilt written across her face.
"Hi, Auntie. Some unexpected things happened."
Kira's eyebrow twitched. "Oh? Do tell."
Elena flinched at Kira’s expression.
"I just thought I could help," Elena muttered, deflating.
"Instead, you got caught—and now I'm caught. What have we learned?" Kira asked, not letting herself soften.
They were dealing with extremely dangerous entities. Things had worked out this time because it was Graydon. What if it had been someone else who'd locked onto Elena because of her actions?
Kira's way of speaking might seem harsh—maybe even mean—but she'd much prefer Elena learn with words rather than experience the much more brutal lessons their enemies would teach if they ever caught her.
The oshota watched the two carefully, dropping his hand from his en-blade as he concluded Kira wasn’t a threat.
Elena answered in a monotone. "Not to act recklessly, or else I’ll put everyone in danger."
Kira's smile was humorless. "You don’t seem quite convinced."
Elena shot up her head, her eyes widening. "No. I've learned my lesson. I promise."
"Too late." Kira clapped her hands. "Time for some remedial lessons."
Elena groaned. "I hate those."
"Which is why I do them."
Though their effectiveness seemed to be wearing off if Elena's recent actions were anything to judge by. In the future, Kira would need to find a more powerful motivator for good behavior.
Truthfully, she'd been expecting this.
To call Kira and Jin headstrong at that age was an understatement. As rebellious teens go, they were so much worse with Himoto often being left to clean up their messes.
To be honest, sometimes Kira wondered how she and Jin had survived this long.
Elena frowned. "How did you get captured anyway?"
Finn looked away, his shoulders shaking suspiciously.
Kira didn't move, glaring at the pint-sized annoyance. "Are we talking about me?"
Far from the chastened expression Kira was hoping for, Elena's eyes narrowed as speculation filled her face. "No, just surprised is all. You and Uncle Jin almost never get caught."
Kira thanked her lucky stars that Jin wasn't there at the moment. If she had her preference, Elena would never learn how a swarm of shriekers had led to their downfall.
Next to Kira, Finn's shoulders shook harder.
Laugh it up. They'd see who was laughing the next time she decided to go on walkabout. She'd pick a disguise so much more humiliating than the hoodie he currently wore.
A crafty look entered Elena's face as she glanced between the two of them. "Maybe it's the mountain I should be taking lessons from."
"Two lessons."
Horror filled Elena's eyes. "Auntie!"
Kira shot her a look. "Want
to make it three?"
"No." Elena's lips held a sulky pout.
"Pick your weapon then."
Elena grumbled to herself as she faced the oshota guarding her. Arms pinned to her side, she bent forward at the waist in a slight bow. "With your permission."
Only the faintest trace of amusement marred the oshota's stoic expression as he inclined his chin.
Kira waited until her niece had turned before aiming a brutal kick to the side of Finn's knee. He easily dodged, stepping out of range.
"It's not that funny," she told him.
"She's a miniature version of you. The universe is just."
Kira aimed her grimace at the ceiling, finally understanding what people meant when they said karma was a bitch. She really should have made more of an effort to ensure her niece didn't turn out like her. Raider was going to have her head when he realized.
"Do you have a preference?" Elena asked as she examined the practice blades on the rack.
Kira waved a hand. "Whatever you choose is fine."
If this had been a real duel, Kira would have chosen for herself rather than trusting someone else to do it for her. Instead, this was a lesson for Elena. It would lose its impact if Kira chose the best weapon for herself.
Elena was solemn as she picked out a practice en-blade before setting it to the side. The second en-blade she spent some time choosing, picking up one and testing it with a few swings before putting it down again. She repeated the movement several times before she found a blade she was happy with.
Finished, she marched over to Kira and handed the second blade to her.
Kira took it, getting accustomed to its weight and feel. Not bad. It was one Kira might have chosen for herself.
She shot her niece a sideways glance. It looked like someone had been paying attention.
Elena waited, her expression hopeful as Kira tested her selection. Anticipation brewed on her face, forcing Kira to smother her smile.
This might have been called a lesson, but it was clear her niece wanted nothing more than to test herself against Kira.
Elena bounced on her toes. "Remember your promise, Auntie."
Ah. Someone had gotten cocky in Kira's time away. She'd have to fix that.
"We're a long way from that. First, a certain someone has to convince me with her actions." Kira sent Elena a pointed stare.
Her niece nodded; her expression serious as she got a focused look in her eyes.
"Remember. No—" Kira wiggled her fingers to indicate ki.
Rather than answer, Elena planted her back foot and lunged forward. Kira swayed, barely avoiding the tip of Elena’s practice blade.
Elena switched tactics, aiming a kick at her aunt's knee. Kira grabbed Elena’s foot and tugged, pulling her niece off-balance.
"That's not what you wanted to show me, is it?" Kira asked with a mocking lift of her eyebrow.
Elena snarled, bounding upright and lunging for Kira again.
This time Kira grabbed Elena’s leading arm and hooked a foot around the back of her knee, breaking her stance again. Elena landed on her knees.
"Tut, tut. What did I say about anger?" Kira asked.
Elena planted her hands, lifting in a modified handstand and shooting one foot back and up toward Kira's face. Kira blocked with one hand, grabbing her niece's calf with the other. Kira grinned, right before she picked her niece up and swung her in a circle before gently depositing her on the ground once again.
"Dead," Kira told her.
This time Kira stepped out of reach as her niece rolled onto her back, looking up at her grumpily.
Kira gave her an expectant expression. "Done already?"
Determination shone on Elena's face.
Kira's lips twitched. Good.
She'd be disappointed if this was enough to break Elena's spirit. There were many trials and tribulations facing her niece in the future. Her path, more than most, wouldn't be an easy one.
Not entirely Tuann, not entirely human, but a mix of both with a little extra thrown in. She wasn't likely to be fully accepted anywhere.
Like Kira and Jin, she would have to make her own family and home. If she couldn't figure out how to face adversity now, her future would be a harsh one.
Kira could only provide so much of a buffer. She couldn't be with Elena a hundred percent of the time. Nor would she be able to control the actions of others.
It was her job to ensure Elena had the tools she needed to not only stay alive but to thrive. Kira took that job very seriously. Sometimes you had to be cruel to be merciful. A little pain now would save Elena a lot of heartache in the long run.
Elena stood and dusted herself off.
Kira waited for her niece to take her stance, her blade held loosely at her side.
To her surprise, Elena didn't attack immediately, instead watching Kira closely as she shook one hand out and then the other.
Kira kept her small smile to herself. She was taking the time to assess the situation, just like Kira and Jin had taught her.
Now, niece, what are you going to do?
Elena inched toward Kira, the blade held cautiously in front of her.
She was trying to draw Kira out.
Kira was willing to play. To see how far she'd come.
Kira shifted her weight to her right foot as if she planned to dart right.
Caution filled Elena's posture, but she didn't move.
Very good. She wasn't falling for Kira's bluff.
It was an improvement. A few months ago, she would have.
Kira lifted a hand and made a come-on motion. Caution was all well and good, but sometimes it held you back.
Elena darted forward, bringing her sword down in a standard strike. Kira evaded with a small shift of her weight. This time Elena hadn't committed fully to the strike, so Kira didn't pull her off-balance.
Elena followed up with a feint, advancing as she tried to force Kira to react.
The entire time Kira didn't exchange a single blow with her, instead shifting and dodging, each time with only a fraction of clearance between herself and Elena's blade.
Predictably, Elena's frustration grew, making her more and more intent on reaching Kira.
She lunged forward, an opening appearing in her guard. Kira took advantage, dumping her on the ground.
"Dead again."
Elena spun, sweeping a leg out. Kira hopped away.
"You'll never accomplish your goals with this level of skill."
Elena attacked from a low crouch. Kira swayed to the left, grabbing Elena's sword arm and hauling her closer. She set the blunt edge of her blade against Elena's neck.
"Not fast enough."
Kira pushed her away gently, careful not to hurt her.
"You always attack in the same way. You can already see it's not working. Do something else."
Rather than listen, Elena sprung forward, causing Kira to sigh and shake her head.
She stepped to the side, reaching for Elena's lead arm.
Elena's hand opened, the blade falling. The arm Kira was holding twisted, bringing her closer as Elena caught the blade, and stabbed up under her arm toward Kira's stomach.
It was an unexpected move, designed to force Kira to finally use the practice sword.
Kira's lips twitched. Well done, but not smart enough.
She sidestepped, pushing Elena's arm down to interfere with the path of the sword.
They ended with Elena stumbling a step forward and Kira standing in the same position as before.
"Well done. You finally figured out the handicap," Kira said.
Elena flushed at the compliment.
"For that, you can now use your ki," Kira said. "Show me what you got."
Elena's eyes lit up. Her stance shifted as Kira waited.
Since her time in Roake, Kira had learned about ki and how it differed from person to person.
Some, like Auralyn, manipulated ki as if it were an external force, manifesting it outside their bodies
. Then there were those like Joule who specialized in shields. Kira suspected since his designation was as an earth affinity, he could also manipulate the attributes of materials, a handy talent for anyone seeking the role of protector.
His talent was still raw and unpolished, but Kira had a feeling he would become a force to be reckoned with if guided properly.
And then there were those like Elena who used ki internally. Speed, agility, power. All amplified.
This time when Elena attacked, she did so with a speed and force double what she'd used previously.
Kira knocked Elena's sword thrust away. Elena whirled, coming at Kira again and again, her momentum increasing until the thwack, thwack, thwack of their swords filled the room.
Elena jumped and leapt, even her most vicious attacks repelled until sweat dotted her head and her eyes glittered.
Kira waited for her moment, knowing it was coming.
Finally, Elena barreled forward. Kira slid to her right, stepping forward and turning until she was behind her. She poked her niece in the spine in the next second.
"Dead."
Elena gritted her teeth, undeterred.
Her movements came faster and faster. Kira parried easily.
Finally, she swept her niece’s legs out from under her, toppling her onto her back. She thrust the point of the blade down, holding it to Elena's neck.
"Dead again, dear one."
This time Elena didn't move, resting with her arms spread.
"Auntie, why are you so good?"
"Practice." Kira tapped Elena on her belly twice with the blade. "Now, chop, chop. You know the rules. Every moment you lie there, you’ll take an additional punishment."
Elena rose to her feet with a groan, grabbing the practice sword next to her.
"Remember, it's not always about speed, kiddo," Kira told her. "Sometimes you have to be slow to be fast."
Elena's ki made her reactions quicker and her movements faster, but it also made them uneven. Her accuracy fell as a result.
With a normal opponent she'd be fine, but she wasn't up against normal people. They'd take any weakness and exploit it to their own benefit.
Kira stepped aside, taking up a defensive stance and motioning for her niece to continue. "Again."