*
Diana took a deep breath as she entered the training arena, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement as she approached Jurien, who had his back to her at first. He turned and greeted her with a kind smile and a bow, and she noticed that he had already laid out two practice swords on the ground.
"Are you ready to begin?" he asked her.
Diana nodded, her grip tightening on the hilt of her sword. She set it aside as Jurien handed her the wooden sword, which was blunt at the end to make sure she didn't injure anyone.
Jurien stood in the center of the training arena, his hands clasped behind his back as he surveyed the space around him. His eyes were focused, and his voice was low and measured as he began to speak.
"The art of sword fighting is both dangerous and beautiful," he said, his w
