“I am trying.” Eldana had cried out with exasperation. “I truly am. While I am here trying to learn new skills, all the world is eating itself up.”
“I understand your frustration, but you know, this is important.”
Eldana nodded and sat. “I just wish there is something I could do to, you know, to speed things up,” she moaned.
“Whatever it is you need to do, you are doing it,” Fraweyni told her.
Today, Kochob was taking her through exactly the same thing, just with different words.
“The will of a telepath is just as important as their focused mind. You have got to use that well, deftly, like a thrusting force, to get into another’s mind. And lastly, you need consideration so that you do not destroy the victim’s mind. Reading minds can be very tasking work, and very addictive too. There are only a few things as sweet as knowing the secrets of another.”
Yes, Eldana thought, I know that well enough.
The first thing Kochob had done when he began his lessons with Eldana was to take her to the training ground. Siem had been practicing her archery, shooting arrow after arrow into the bullseye of the stuffed targets. Mikko was using long wooden staves to train with another elf. Eldana had spotted him and remembered what Siem had said about his speed.
Wow, he is fast, she had thought.
Kochob signalled for an elf to give Eldana a sword.
“No offense, Kochob,” Eldana chuckled. “but I know enough of sword fighting. I do not think there is enough time for us to revisit this.”
“This is not about your skill in sword fighting,” Kochob told her.
Eldana raised the sword in her hand and cocked her brows inquisitively.
“Strike me,” Kochob said.
“What?” Eldana asked, her tone rising a few notes higher in mild confusion.
“Strike me,” Kochob repeated.
“But you don’t have a weapon in hand!” Eldana protested. “I mean, I know you are an elf, and are fast, but so am I. I have been trained. You will only get yourself injured.”
Kochob had sighed, “If you are that concerned about my well being, you can blunt the edges of the sword.”
Eldana eyed Kochob, wondering what exactly he was up to. She muttered a spell over the edges of the sword. When she was done, she ran a finger over the edge of the blade. There was no blood. She nodded satisfactorily.
Seeing her nod, Kochob nodded. “Now.”
Eldana looked at him. “Are you sure about this?” she asked him.
“Oh, please stop being such a wimp,” Kochob cried with mock frustration.
There was resounding laughter from all around. Eldana turned to find that all the elves had stopped their training to watch. She spotted Siem and Miko at the fore, and they gave her an encouraging smile.
Eldana pressed her lip into a hard line and gripped the sword. It was an elven blade, long and slender with a hilt. Eldana rolled the blade in her palm and then settled into a stance facing Kochob.
She saw the look in Kochob’s eyes. His gaze was anticipatory, expectant. It was almost like he was begging her to attack. There was no fear in his eyes.
Oh, you have no idea what’s coming, Siem thought, and then Eldana dashed forward.
The elves were taken aback by the speed at which Eldana lunged at Kochob. This was the first time that they had seen her fight. It looked like Eldana was going to thrust the sword into Kochob’s shoulders. But at the very last second, Kochob twisted his torso to the side. Eldana’s thrust went through air. But she had something up her sleeve. She flicked her wrist to the left, in the hopes that she would nick Kochob across the chest, but once again, her blade passed through thin air.
Mikko’s mouth was open. He had seen the fight between D’rmas and the elven commander. But this one was something more exhilarating. D’rmas and the elven commander had used speed and brute force. Here, he was seeing speed, skill, thoughtfulness, and improvisation on the spot.
Eldana moved away from Kochob, her eyes on him the entire time. He seemed to have more in him than he let out. She circled him, but he stood still. She made a feint at him when she was behind him. He did not move. She tucked her lower lip into her mouth and smiled, the glint of mischief in her eyes. Still, behind Kochob, she slashed at his neck. Kochob zinged low, evading the strike, and the second strike that followed immediately.
The elves were beginning to cheer now. Eldana was beginning to get furious. She had struck numerous times at Kochob, and not even one of them had touched him. He had evaded all of her blows effortlessly,
She noticed Kochob attempt to spread his legs a bit wider. She lurched at him before his raised leg touched the ground. She knew that now his mind was still making a decision, and he was out of balance, it would be difficult for him to evade her blow.
With lightning speed, Kochob applied pressure to the foot that was still on the ground, and turned, letting Eldana’s thrust go through the air. Eldana had gone in with such speed, that she sped past Kochob when she missed him. She turned, immediately, and went into a melee of strokes. Kochob dodged all of them. Neatly.
Eldana stopped. She was heaving, but Kochob was looking calm, still maintaining his poise. Eldana gave him a look of incomprehensibility.
How’s he doing this? She asked herself. It is almost like he knows every move I make before I make it...
The thought had not matured into completion, when her eyes widened, as realization dawned on her.
Kochob saw her reaction and smiled satisfactorily.
“I think this lesson is over.” He told her.
“Of course, it is,” Eldana said. “I could have gone on trying to hit you, and would never
