Jupiter peered through the training room doorway, letting out a laugh at the sight inside.
“I see you’re exactly where I had expected! Good morning, dear.”
Celina turned from the training dummy before her, lowering her sword-arm. The room had clearly been well used, her exhaustion from the day’s activities obvious. Still, she let out a wry grin.
“And you slept– I’m pretty sure that’s not a common occurrence. Come in, do you have a sword?”
“I have a spare, though it’s not quite as elegant as your own. Judging from your face, you've had quite an eventful morning. Anything worthy of informing me about?”
“I met two of the guards.”
She turned back to the training dummy before her, swinging towards it. The sword slashed against the chest twice, a cross formed over the lungs location.
“They seem nice. I don’t know if they’re that focused, but they’re friendly. Some ritual didn’t work on me though, so I had to see Terry and get that sorted.”
“I see. It delayed your morning?”
“So badly. It sucked- he thinks maybe I used sunshield without realizing, it blocked the magic of it? I don’t know, I’m just glad it got fixed.”
She turned to him at that, weapon limp by her side.
“Would you like to spar, doll?”
She stepped into position on a training mat, and Jupiter followed her lead. She kept speaking while the two began to exchange blows, more so through controlled blocks than anything else.
“I hadn’t seen anyone sign other than you– I don’t even know if the ritual works for people who rely on sign or for everyone, but whatever translator there is wasn’t working for me. I’m lucky I’d been taught a bit before, it’s deemed necessary for knights back home.”
“Aren’t you quite young?”
“I’m 20, but just in training. I’d be finishing it now if I weren’t sent here.”
“Is sent distinct from invited?”
“I was invited too. I would’ve come without a second thought, but there were difficult circumstances. I had to go to my superiors, ask them which duty is more important.”
She swung again. Three strikes over Juniper’s chest. He blocked them, but failed to block her next diagonal strike. She was clearly in her element.
“Everything was getting corrupted when I left. I wanted to stay and handle it, but it wasn’t my place to disobey. This place is my best shot, I’d be useless back there anyway. I just thought we’d be doing more here. Right now everyone’s exchanging pleasantries while my people could be dead.”
She took another swing, that one stopping just before Jupiter’s neck, drawing blood as it grazed it. She nearly swung again before she realized Jupiter had flinched.
“They’re strong. They’re still there, at least for now. Hasn’t been long enough for them to die. But the longer I'm here, the longer I can't stop it, the more they're at risk.”
Jupiter’s hand went to his neck, smudging itself with blood. His eyes looked almost glassy.
“Sorry. I uh– you alright?”
Jupiter’s head snapped up, and his expression shifted in an instant as he laughed.
“I wasn’t aware you were so brutal. I should obtain some protective gear, clearly your level outranks my own in this endeavor.”
Celina let out a sigh of relief.
“Well, it’s just us who have experience, I’m pretty sure. I could host a training for the four of us sometime. Parav would be good if he tried, he’s quick on his feet, but I doubt he’d held a proper weapon. I’m not sure about Hum, but she might take to something ranged if we give it a shot.”
“I surely could outpace Parav, you deceive yourself.”
“I don’t know. Watch how he moves, he has the agility to put on a strong fight with just basic training, I’d say.”
“If I yelled loud enough, he’d drop the blade.”
“That’s a different matter than skill. And a dickish move, what the fuck dude.”
Jupiter held up his hands in a mock surrender.
“I merely feel it’s worth acknowledgement!”
The two continued their talking, sparring a bit longer before Jupiter excused himself to his room, putting on an accessory to cover the graze. It was always best to be cautious. Celina on the other hand finished her early training and made her way to the guards location, ready to make some rain.
