Page 59 of Immortal Origins (Chronicles of the Immortal Trials #1)

L ily pulled her foot back in a half circle, crouching down into her fighting stance as she faced Ambrose.

Determination set into her elegant features, dark hair tied back, as her muscles tensed with her steps.

She brandished her curved blades, crossing them over her chest as she raised them to eye level and dropped her hips.

Eyes narrowed, Ambrose held her own sword in front of her body, holding her weight light on her feet, ready to pounce.

Akadian leaned against the wall of the otherwise empty courtyard, watching their match intently.

They’d managed to find a yard without countless fighters or mages, in the back of the palace that allowed them some privacy to train away from any prying eyes that could report back to Casimir.

The sun was beginning to set, its glow taking over the horizon as the sky turned hues of pink and gold and both women were drenched in sweat from the countless drills Lily had Ambrose working on.

Lily stood firm in her stance, muscles unwavering, eyes flaring.

Ambrose channeled her attention into her feet, into the ground, looking for an echo before it came. She saw it in her mind a fraction of a second before Lily lunged, blades crossing against each other, readying to take Ambrose’s head with one swipe. Moving too fast to see with the naked eye.

But Ambrose wasn’t using just the naked eye.

She easily parried the attack, bringing her sword to meet Lily’s in the middle as she brought her leg around and hooked it behind Lily’s knee, spinning around behind her to kick it out from under her.

Lily stumbled forwards, quickly catching it as she twirled her body around and metal sang against metal in their deadly dance.

Lily pressed her, coming harder and faster with each thrust of her swords. Without Magick to help see Lily’s movements, she likely wouldn’t be able to counter yet. Lily was incredible with her speed and precision.

Ambrose ducked under Lily’s blade and placed her palm on the ground—she thrust her magick into the dirt as her skin tingled and the air sparked with her charge. She pushed it until the ground responded, quaking beneath their feet, shaking the entire courtyard.

Lily fought to keep her balance, crouching low to keep a solid stance. Ambrose launched herself, sword raised, as she swung it around to meet Lily’s neck.

With a clash of metal Lily grinned behind her well-shined blades as Ambrose pressed into her. With a fire in her eyes, Lily let out a laugh that started in her belly and filled her chest as she pulled her swords down to her sides.

“You’re getting much better at using Magick in hand-to-hand combat.” She sheathed her weapons into their home on her back. “You’re really beginning to get the hang of it. Your reaction time is quicker too.”

Ambrose grinned. “Still not fast enough to beat you yet.”

Lily returned her smile. “You’ll never be fast enough to beat me.”

“We’ll see about that.” Ambrose tossed her braid over her shoulder and homed her sword at her side.

“Don’t let it get to your head.” Lily punched her shoulder.

“Warrior families raise their kids specifically to compete in this tournament in hopes they’ll get to face the rest of the trials and win.

Every round they get stronger, faster. Each family and fighter learning from the failures of the previous and still no one has managed to even get past the tournament. You’ll need more than that to survive.”

Ambrose made a face and stuck her tongue out at her. “Thanks for the reminder.”

“I’m serious.” Lily walked to the wall where they had goblets of water and towels, which she used to wipe the sweat from her face.

“You need to be focused. There’s no telling who might be entering that has been training in another city or kingdom.

Don’t be so foolish to think that the Trial Champions you’ve seen are the only ones that’ll be there.

Anything can surprise you, at any time. You have to be ready. ”

Lily’s concern was touching but Ambrose knew all this training wasn’t worth much but for her confidence.

She couldn’t possibly get stronger than the fighters that were entering the tournament.

Not with so little time to spare. If she couldn’t be stronger, she’d have to be smarter. It was in fate’s hands now.

“You’re right, I’m sorry.” Ambrose drank heavily from one of the goblets, draining it completely. There wasn’t enough water in the world to quench her thirst.

“Where did you learn to do Nature Magick anyway,” Lily asked.

“Out in the forest. I don’t know, something about being in the woods, I could just kind of feel what to do.

Like the plants and dirt are constantly trying to get my attention.

” Ambrose shrugged. “Even now I can hear it calling to me beneath us. I can kind of feel…everything? At first it was really overwhelming, like my channels were making so much noise all I could do was silence them. But I think I’m beginning to be able to start picking them out.

I can actually feel the Elements. It’s almost like they’ve been waiting for me to be able to hear.

It’s still a lot, but it’s getting easier. ”

Lily smacked Akadian on the shoulder. “I wish you would’ve invited me on that trip. I should’ve been there. I could’ve helped.”

“Or…” Akadian looked at her through the side of his eye. “You more likely would’ve gotten yourself killed. You’re still just a brittle human and she seems to have taken a liking to you, so, you’re welcome for keeping you out of danger.”

Lily pulled her weapons from their sheathes with expert ease and crouched back down into her fighting stance. “What did you say?”

Akadian looked at her as though she were nothing more than an insect he could swat away with ease. “Put away your toys.”

“You have no idea what I’m capable of.” Lily glared at him. “Maybe they’d all be alive if I had been there.”

Akadian turned to her, eyes flaring. “Shall we see just how strong you are?”

“I’m always ready,” Lily threw back at him, swords held high.

Ambrose laughed and pat her friend on the back, hoping to defuse the situation before Lily tried to outright murder the second most powerful ruler in the kingdom.

She might only have a few days left of survival, but being with Lily and Akadian was a memory she’d cherish until the last moment.

She thanked the gods that at least she got to spend this last bit of time with the people she loved.

Ernaline had been rummaging about the palace all day, meeting Ambrose whenever she could manage between jobs, offering as much advice as she could from information she found in the library.

She stayed up all night reading and spent all day telling Ambrose everything she discovered about the previous tournaments.

She still had no idea what type of monsters she’d for sure be facing, but with Ernaline’s help, she had a much better idea.

Lily insisted on training her all day. Demanding that she use her magick with their training so that Ambrose could use a sword while simultaneously wielding an Element.

It was becoming easier to feel the Elements calling her when in the midst of battle and pick out which one she needed.

She was finally able to focus on her sword and Magick, though it was still very clumsy.

Even as they stood there, she could feel the ground pulsing, the wind whistling through her chest, the warmth of the fading sun and the flames that sat just beyond that warmth, coaxing her.

If she truly focused, she could feel everything in an almost overwhelmingly calm way.

Something she owed entirely to Lily relentlessly training her.

It was beginning to make her feel like she actually might survive.

Maybe.

Though, she tried not to get her hopes up too high.

Lily was right, this was serious, and she needed to treat it as seriously as it was or it wouldn’t matter how good she became at recognizing her magick, she’d be dead before she could use it.

But with her friends all rallied in their own ways to help her… it was hard not to hope.

So, she’d train harder than she ever had in her life over the next few days. She’d prepare for everything and anything she could, ready for whatever the tournament or the gods could throw at her. And she’d either succeed—or die trying.

“Thanks for doing these extra training sessions with me,” Ambrose told Lily as the last rays of sun dipped out of view on the horizon and the cool blue light of early evening fell over the yard.

“I honestly don’t know what I would’ve done without your help these last months.

You’re a master swordswoman and it’s been an honor learning from you.

I couldn’t have asked for a better teacher. ” She meant it.

“I can’t let you go in without it, what kind of friend would I be?

” Lily nudged her shoulder, her eyes deep with worry.

She paused for a few heartbeats before saying, “And stop talking like you’re saying goodbye.

You’re gonna be fine. Right? Even if you don’t win, you just have to stay alive until someone else does and you’ll be fine. It’ll all be over.”

There was no possible way either of them could know but Ambrose could feel how much her friend feared for her in how ferociously she’d fought that day. Holding nothing back, she pushed Ambrose to her limits, giving her little room for mistakes in her swordplay or Magick.

“Of course I will,” she promised. But they both knew it was empty.

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