Nyxara
Refocusing, I inhaled and exhaled for three cycles. When I felt ready, I squared my stance and grounded my feet. I kept my core tight. I was ready for whatever Elias would throw at me. I quickly learned I was in no way ready for the hell this man was about to put me through.
Elias shook his head once while simply saying, "No." I almost dropped my guard at the absurdity of this man. In response I frowned, "No?" He stood before me, hands behind his back with a neutral expression. I met his unwavering gaze. "You are broadcasting fighting intent. As a Sentinel, your role is to get the job done as quickly and seamlessly as possible. You will be a representative of Asari's laws. Fighting unnecessarily is beneath your role."
Before I could ask what that meant, he stepped into my space. Fast. I didn't see him move. He pressured me with nothing but his presence. Is this what an aura becomes when it merges with a person's very being? Even without actually displaying his aura, I feel like I'm moving as he wishes.
His shoulder brushed mine, his foot cut across my space, turning me just enough that my balance slipped. I reacted on instinct, blocking where the hit should have been. Except there was no hit. I was already in motion, so I followed through, then turned to face him only to find him already gone, standing just out of reach, calm as ever.
"Reset," he said. I resumed my stance. I tried to be like a placid lake. I waited for him to make his move. Again, he stepped into my space, only the timing was different. I reacted too late. I didn't know which way to go, so down I went. He guided me down with a firm hand at my elbow and a twist at my wrist.
When the mat met my back, I felt so many emotions. I looked at this man that I wanted to do very opposing actions to as my muscles loosened for a brief moment. He isn't being too hard or gentle with me. He is simply being efficient. Why is that so hot? I'm not into incest, but I can admit my brothers are attractive and have no problem beating me into shape, yet Elias has gotten so deeply under my skin in less than 24 hours. His gaze remains upon me as he wordlessly taps his jaw. Heat flares under my skin as I consciously relax my jaw.
He nods, holding out his hand for me to take. I take it, then stand still for a moment to gather myself. I inhale and exhale in cycles until I hear Elias come stand in front of me.With mild annoyance, I realize before this moment I hadn't heard him take any steps, so he was subtly but purposefully getting my attention. Who is this man really? Where did Keir find him?
Opening my eyes, "How?" I asked feeling defensive.
"You broadcasted your anticipation." Elias replied with a hint of amusement in his tone. With narrowed eyes, I reset. Stance ready, I didn't block this time. Instead, I pivoted in an attempt to reclaim the space between us the way the katas I learned from Azrail taught me. This is phase two training, Azrail. I won't hide anymore. I thought I would catch him off guard, but he adjusted instantly.
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, then disappeared as he flowed with my movement. He did not resist, simply used my rotation to step inside my guard and unbalance me completely. I tripped over my own feet before I caught myself. His hand on my shoulder stabilized my body but not my spiraling emotions and thoughts.
"What are you trying to win? You are, as you put it last night, still a novice. Plus, winning isn't the purpose of this exercise," he said quietly. He had locked down his scent along with his aura so I could only scent the leather of his training uniform, yet I was still entranced by the warmth of his touch and gaze.
"Be present in the here and now. You can deal with the future when it arrives. You are not a soldier or a Keeper of the regional laws. You don't stop danger before it comes. You handle it when it has the audacity to disturb the peace of Asari."
I clenched my jaw and flexed my fingers while absorbing his words. With a small shock, I realized that Elias is not going to be just my sparring partner but also my Sentinel tutor. He is guiding me in body and mind with basic principles I can build my foundation upon. My ward slipped for a moment as I processed this revelation. My aura stirred and my essence system shifted. My scent almost escaped, but I locked it all down. Not now. Focus. Journal and ponder on these matters later. I could already sense that I will likely have a small flare-up later because of that system shift.
I reset and tried again as sweat slid down my spine. Slower. Less force. Less intent. I did not succeed. Damn it all to the lowest levels of the darkest realm where people are tormented.
Side note: ask if the concept of Hell exists here. Again and again, I failed. Elias now corrected me nonverbally with movement alone. A shift of angle. A touch at my hip to redirect weight. A single finger against my shoulder blade, pressing until I adjusted or fell.
By the time he called an end to the lesson, my muscles burned in places I didn't know the name of or even knew existed. Why does even that orifice ache? "You did well for your first lesson," Elias said when I came back from freshening up in the bathroom. I looked at him suspiciously. "Today was the first day, and you will need to learn to compartmentalize most of what you learned with your brothers," he continued. "Your body is in conflict between your mind, the paramilitary training, and whatever training you have received from the Crown Consort."
Keir made a quiet sound of interest from the sidelines. My head whipped around to him. He waved as he grinned at my shocked expression. Shit, I forgot he was there. I can only pray that he didn't record this session. "Don't worry, Little Dragon Queen. I recorded and uploaded the session to the cloud for your review." He sounded so proud of himself that I unconsciously sent a wave of pure essence to knock him off his chair.
The jackal just kept laughing. I ignored him to give Elias my full attention. That quirk of the lips was there and gone again. "Tomorrow, we strip this down further. No katas. No sparring. Just walking." I swear this man is not good for my mental-emotional health. "Did you just say we will be just walking tomorrow?"
"Yes." Then he looked thoughtful before adding, "It will be difficult, so be prepared." I decided to not hurt my brain trying to understand his methods, so I just gave him a nod, then went over to Keir to hug him goodbye.
Elias
She is all raw potential. I had observed her to see if my instincts were right that this was the martial style for her. I watched how by the end of the session she was closer to instinctively shifting her weight like she should when she wasn't being told what to do. Whatever katas the Crown Consort had taught, had already prepped her for the Spiral Doctrine style. It has just been suppressed under habit and expectation. She doesn't trust me or the style yet. She will. It feels almost inevitable. For now, the friction of struggle will be enough to shape her foundation.
I accepted the towel and water bottle Keir handed me with a grateful smile. "You and Lux downplayed how fast she learns." Keir snorted. "It was not our intention. Every week she learns and absorbs at a faster rate. It surprises even us. She hasn't been like this since she was younger than ten." Keir started bouncing in that way he does when he is gearing up to fight. I glanced at him sideways, as I stretched out my limbs, knowing I would have to accompany him for a few spars after this debriefing is over.
"It is one of the main reasons we are fully supporting her return for the spring semester. We haven't told her that her progress rate is ridiculous and that this is on top of her learning almost everything related all over again because of the amnesia."
"Dude. My sister died and came back a savant! I'm both proud and amazed. The Creators must really have a plan in store for her. Maybe she will become our Grand Sentinel, the Black Sentinel's successor. Become a real power in this world." He was bouncing around like an energetic puppy. I couldn't help grinning at my friend's behavior and excitement.
Thinking back on what I've seen of Lady Nyxara both before the incident and now, I don't doubt Keir's words. Yes. I don't doubt that the world will know her name someday.