Three days passed before Ellen managed to get hold of Kopna. In this amount of time Hirune had read Don Quixote three times over, Kala started to show an interest in reading for once, Clint melted another cup, and Tundra read as many chapters as he could of Don Quixote every night after Hirune was done with it. He really liked it for a matter of fact, and it also gave him an incredible idea.
He swung the door to Hirune's door open and exclaimed, "You! You're my squire from now on! You'll be deemed a proper knight once you get your memories back."
Hirune rolled over groggily, taking a moment to process what he just said before jumping out of bed enthusiastically.
"Really? You mean it?"
He nodded, "Yes, I do. We'll set out on an adventure all over Triste to try and get your memories back while dealing with the assassin's coming after you, and during this time, you shall undergo your training as a squire!"
Hirune started bouncing off the walls before suddenly stopping and grabbing a cardboard box.
"Will I need armor?"
"I don't think you will, and either way that's cardboard it won't hold."
Hirune sighed and put the box down before walking out of her room behind him. Reaching the key area where Gregor was standing, she gave him a quick hug and put her room keys back in their slot. Which, she had no need to grab as the doors didn't lock anymore but she did it for full immersion.
She walked through the door while yawning, then she stopped, spotting the familiar back of someone's head on the sofa that faced away from her. She grabbed a cookie from the cupboard in the kitchen then walked back over, never taking her eyes off of the person.
Then she suddenly froze recognizing them now that she saw their face. It was a young woman with tired bags under her sharp emerald eyes. Her messy black hair having a red highlight through the middle to suddenly spread in a large part of her bangs that covered right eye, right above her other eye, there were shorter bangs that were both black and white. A couple red streaks scattered throughout her hair. She wore a black leather jacket covering a borderline see-through white t-shirt and black jean shorts. She also carried a long sword-bag over her shoulder and around her back as if it was a purse.
"Instructor Kopna!" Hirune ran over and squeezed the oxygen out of her lungs with an extremely tight hug.
Kopna chuckled and hugged her back, a solemn smile on her face.
For the first time, Ellen, who Hirune completely neglected on the other sofa, saw this woman let out an emotion.
"Long time," Kopna said running her fingers through Hirune's hair. "Ellen here, told me about what happened... Is it true?"
Hirune nodded as she inspected Kopna's hair as if it was missing something.
"You're looking for the bow you gave me aren't you? I put it on my swords shead instead because I was worried someone would cut it while I dodged their attack," Kopna said as she took off her bag and pulled a Nodachi out of it, the bow tied around the middle of the sheath of the blade.
"Okay, I was more concerned that you'd lost it somewhere than anything," Hirune said as she hugged Kopna tightly again.
She returned the hug, "Don't worry, I'll help you get your memories back somehow. For now though, I'm guessing you forgot everything I taught you?"
She nodded awkwardly.
"Don't worry, I don't mind reteaching you. I'll teach you while you're on your journey," Kopna said with a soft laugh.
***
An hour later they were on their way to the lake that The King in Yellow had made that was connected to the ocean.
When they arrived, Ellen started to investigate it alongside Kala, Clint got on the grill, and Kopna started training Hirune. As for Tundra, he was looking around for anything else that the king in yellow might've changed around the area.
Kopna was teaching Hirune hand-to-hand combat and a bit of fencing. The fighting style she was teaching her was one that took her many years to learn, a fighting style that had been passed down through generations in her family according to her, but since she never planned to have any kids, she decided to teach Hirune after Namulenza requested her too. The fighting style was dedicated to the moon and all of its phases; it was once deemed the strongest fighting style before Quetzalcoatl came along and made the Sunkissed Luchador style. As for the fencing it was simple, if Hirune was going to use the Void Blade and use it to thrust she'd need to learn how to thrust her blade well.
"Half Moon," a half-moon appeared behind her for a split second as she palmed Hirune in the gut sending her flying back through a couple trees. The devourer jaws ripping through her skin and coming out from behind her shoulder blades, devouring the trees so she wouldn't snap her back in half.
Bleeding profusely from the back of her shoulders, Hirune slowly got up panting as her blood returned into her body and repaired it.
"Crescent Moon," Hirune devoured the distance between her and Kopna as she sliced upward with a backheel kick, a crescent moon trail following her leg as it connected with Kopna's chin.
"Waning," Kopna's eyes shone like the moon for a split second as she became a mirage and appeared behind Hirune, "Waxing" she continued as Hirune turned around and tried to slam her ribcage with a Gibbous. Kopna appeared in her previous location and slammed Hirune in the back with her own Gibbous, sending her tumbling through the ground.
Hirune got up as she rolled and devoured the distance between her and Kopna gain, pump faking her with a Waning Crescent then actually hitting her with a Waxing Gibbous knee kick to the gut. Before flying back, Kopna grappled her and headbutted her, a bunch of purple dust flying everywhere as she did.
"That's enough of a test run," Kopna said, "So how'd it feel? You up to learn it?"
Hirune nodded as she rubbed her forehead, "Yeah, just give me a second. I've got to recover from the tree's and headbutt."
Kopna nodded as she spotted Tundra walking over in the corner of her eye, "what is it?"
"I found something interesting near a tree over there," he said as he looked at Hirune.
Hirune just gave him a thumbs up, "Yeah just... Just give me a second."