"Jesus Christ!" Nana exclaimed. She turned to leave the room but Dora and Ellia intercepted her retreat. "Let me out of this hellish place!" she shouted.
"I presume it will be difficult to put you under control. I suppose this is enough to convince you that I'm not much of a patient woman," Luliar said, her face devoid of emotions. "Your training starts tomorrow, Eaglely. And I expect, no, requires, full submission and obedience."
To Dora, she said, "You're in charge of her training. Break her if possible. I expect a fruitful result in two weeks."
"Ah, I suppose she is as good as dead," Ellia mumbled.
A mischievous glint came to Dora's eyes, her lips curling up in a lopsided grin. "Gladly, my Lady," she said to Luliar with glee.
"I brought her. I am supposed to be in charge of her training," Kiya retorted. But Luliar waved her protest off.
"Is that concern I suspect in your eyes, Kiya?" Luliar inquired. "I see you have eyes on her. But those are fleeting emotions. I want a fighter, not a weakling. Don't let your pity for her hinder her potential."
"Dora will kill her!" Kiya said.
"No, she won't. Eaglely will be our greatest asset and weapon," said Luliar. "There is a reason why she came to us. I named her 'Eaglely' for a reason."
She glanced at Nana and smiled. "You shall be well fed and given whatever you need. In return you obey and learn," she whispered. "Off with you," she waved her hand to Dora who bowed and took Nana away.
"A war is coming, said the Dark Witch two nights ago. I paid no attention to her words, but I sense it now," Luliar said. "We shall need Eaglely for what is to come."
"You met with the Dark Witch?" Ellia asked, surprised. "Why, my Lady?"
"Information. We needed information," Kiya said, glaring at Ellia with the look of 'What kind of foolish question are you asking?'
She glanced back at Luliar, expecting her to continue with her words. Luliar looked at her and her face turned grim. "According to Jella, the King is sending his Hissers to look for a specific person whose identity she knew not," she said. "Jella suspected a large quantity of mana had been expended on Gateways to another world to find this individual."
"And what rubbed me the wrong way was that such activities were done clandestinely. Normally, if the King seeks a person, he just sends his Hissers or Grotos, puts a bounty on them, and within three days, he finds them. Whoever this individual is…"
"King Likaki wants them gone, as quietly as possible," Kiya finished Luliar's sentence. "And such a person is most valuable to Africlaux."
"To US!"
"You suspect Eaglely is such an individual?"
"Have you heard of the prophecy that has transverse this Southeastern Wedge of the kingdom?"
"About the new leader of the Wedge?"
"Indeed."
"There is a saying that HE comes with the blood of the leader in his hands. He's definitely a man. And Eaglely did not have blood on her hand when we found her."
"The Gods do not converse as humans do, Kiya. They are not always specific in their messages, which are sometimes otherwise blurry."
"That I agree upon. But…"
"Eaglely does not come from the Wedge, and neither from this Kingdom, yes?"
This time Kiya's eyes widened in realization. "Gods! You're right. It was so apparent in the way she speaks," she said.
"Take two of your sisters at dawn and go to Vin Town. You shall deliver a message to my sister there," Luliar said. "It is a three-day journey if you take the fastest route and horses." She produced a letter from her cloak and handed it to Kiya. "She will either write back to me or tell you the information she'd gathered."
Kiya bowed and left the room, leaving Luliar with Ellia. Luliar strode toward one of the screaming people hung upside down. She brought out a dagger clipped to her belt and stabbed into the man's chest, all the way to the hilt.
The man shuddered and gasped for a moment before going silent.
Luliar wiped away the blood sprayed on her face with the back of her hand. She cleaned the dagger with the clothes of the corpse and sheathed it.
"His job is done in this world; return the body to his family. They should not wander for him much longer," she said to one of the sisters in dark outfits before stepping out of the room.
The following day. The sun was preparing to peek over the horizon, casting a warm morning glow over the training space in Luliar's abode.
"A weapon does not make a man; a man makes a weapon!" Dora said, hurling her spear in the air.
"Well, I'm not a man, am I?" Nana seethed.
Dora took a whip, clicked to her belt, and latched her. Nana let out a pained scream as she fell to the ground, grabbing her arm.
"I'm going to kill you, I promise!" she growled amidst the pain.
"Then become stronger. You're now my pride, Eaglely," Dora said. She walked closer to her and raised Nana's chin up with her index finger. "Make me proud, you wench."
"Proud, my foot!" Nana spat. "You just need a dog to brag about!"
"Now that you know, get the hell up and grab your sword." Dora stood up and walked a few feet before turning around. "I think I have been lenient on you, and that gives you—"
"Did you say 'lenient'?" Nana scoffed. "Whoa, I thought this is your strict side. How long do I have before you kill me?"
"Grab the sword!" Dora snapped, glaring.
Nana stood up and grabbed her sword lying down not far from her. Before she could even raise the sword up, Dora charged. Her attacks were fierce and relentless, overwhelming Nana in less than a minute.
"What you're holding is not just a weapon. It is part of you," Dora said to her. "It can only be considered a weapon when it is out of your grasp, but immediately you wield it, it becomes a part of you. Feel it, like it is one of your limbs!"
"Alright, I'll do that next time. So can I rest for a minute, please? I'm very tired," Nana whispered, breathing heavily.
"Will you tell that to your enemy when you face them?" Dora asked. "That they should give you a minute so you can rest?" She waved her spear overhead. "Get on your feet and grab that damned sword!"
Nana struggled to her feet and reached for her weapon which Dora had knocked away. Dora allowed her to stand properly before she charged. Nana wondered how dangerous her teacher would have been if she were to face a real enemy.
Nana just couldn't understand why Dora was fighting with her as if she were an experienced fighter. It only took Nana all her will to survive to be able to avoid grievous wounds from Dora's spear. However, she wasn't sure she would last longer if this continued.
The training space was encircled by a two-story, circular building with a continuous balcony that formed a ring around its perimeter. This allowed residents from various apartments to meet and socialize. On this balcony stood Luliar and Ellia, staring down at Dora and Nana.
"Is it not too early for such training?" Ellia gasped. "Dora is going to kill her!"
"I don't care about how she trains Eaglely. As long as they both give me meaningful results," Luliar replied. "She must become strong to be able to survive the cruelty of Africlaux."
"But… this! This is too…"
"What about Kiya?" Luliar interrupted Ellia.
"She left already with two of our sisters," Ellia replied.
"Go prepare. We leave for Jella's cave very soon."
"The Dark Witch?"
"If we leave now we shall get there before dusk. Go now," Luliar said. Ellia took about five feet before reaching the nearest door. She opened it and stepped out from the balcony.
Luliar glanced as she heard a loud scream from below. Nana grabbed a slashed wound on her flank, oozing blood.
"You fucking bitch!" she cried. "You cut me! You fucking cut me!"
"That is merely a little slash, a flesh wound!" Dora fired. "Stop displaying such craven behavior. Get up and fight!"
Nana raised her head from her wound and glared at Dora. "What? Craven behavior?" she said. "You harmed me and you dare call my agony 'craven behavior'?"
"Do not dare—" Dora stomped toward her. "That is enough!" Luliar interfered.
Dora craned up her head and saw her. She bowed. "My Lady. I was merely training her to be stronger."
"I know. That is enough for now," Luliar said. "Treat her wound and let her rest for some time. You shall continue her training later."
"As you wish my Lady," Dora said, bowing. As Luliar disappeared beyond the door she turned to Nana sitting on the ground. "Consider yourself lucky. We shall resume your training in two hours."
"Just two?" Nana sniffed. "You won't let me live, will you?"
"Let's go!" Dora said and she headed for a large double door ahead.
"I am going to escape this hellish place," Nana assured herself. "I just need to wait for an opportune time."