Chapter Two
Five Years Later
I looked outside and with the start I realized that it was already morning. Sixth bell rang as I heard off my cot and scrambled to find an outfit. Before twenty-five strikes from sixth bell, I was already, had exited my tent, and was waiting outside the tent were my best friend and fellow warrior, Rhan, slept.
“It’s about time,” I said as Rhan walked out of their tent at seventh bell. “Ravin’s gonna lecture us about being late again.”
“Sorry,” Rhan said. “I woke up at fifty strikes from sixth bell.”
Rhan had brown eyes, black hair, pale skin, and freckles. We were the same age: 13 years since birth. We both had the same skill level in fighting. And we both had gone through so much. Rhan’s parents hadn’t been the kindest towards them, so Rhan doesn’t use their family’s last name: Hydrell.
Waiting for us at the training arena was one angry mentor.
“Your late Mx. Rhan,” Our mentor, Jai Ravin whom most of the trainees simply call Ravin, drawled. “ You too, Miss Alinac.”
That’s me: Vala Alinac, the daughter of legendary warriors Jelric and Xara Alinac. But I hadn’t seen my parents since the incident, the one that haunts me to this day. Just like Rhan, I excelled at fighting; but unlike Rhan my strength was incredible. I have blue eyes, brown hair, and tan skin.
Not thirty strikes from seventh bell, a pretty girl walked into the arena. The girl had hair so light it was white, hazel eyes, pale skin, and a scar across her face.
“... the weapon of your choice should be at the ready,” Ravin ordered. “Ah, Cofia. Grab your weapon.” Did my ears deceive me or did Ravin sound kind towards that girl, Cofia?
Cofia got out a glowing golden sword and nodded towards it. My cheeks flushed when she twirled her sword. I turned into a cherry tomato when Cofia got into a warrior’s stance. And I turned into a sunburnt cherry tomato when Cofia winked at me.
Rhan cleared their throat from their place beside me. I rushed to my locker and grabbed my glowing silver sword, which I named Callisto, as Rhan took their sword, a glowing blue sword named Aoki, from their locker.
