Rhea
I'm left shocked at Valek’s orders, and even take enough time to be sure that he means what he says, and it's not a different sort of training or some trick question meant to goad me into doing something stupid.
After taking a moment to process what he means and assuring myself that he actually wants me to do it, I propel myself towards him and swing the sword without so much effort, trying my best not to hurt him. A large blur goes past my eye, the sword swishes through the air without touching anything, and a small, quick touch that I barely feel sends me crashing to the floor and on my back with my weapon in my hand.
Not far from me stands Valek, triumphant, after executing a ruse so well done that it elicits gasps from the other trainees who’ve now stopped whatever they were do
