The Storm Apprentice

Chapter 11

Starrynt Target turned out to be less than Narira had hoped for. Contestants lined up in a field equipped like an archery range, complete with circular targets, and then took turns sending lightning blasts down range under the watchful eyes of the judges. The Starrynt seemed to aim the electrical charges, but not precisely like with a bow. Instead the better contestants combined methodical movement with careful timing and body motion to control the arc.

Narira watched as Ravasinio went. He lined himself up carefully, leveling his Starrynt at arm's length. Then he brought it down again, readying himself. With a fluid motion, he sliced the small copper weapon to the side, then around and up, and finally jabbed forward. A blinding beam of white light blasted from its circular, pointed tip, only a few tendrils spinning free to create a thin tree-like shape.

By the time it was Jay's turn, she had lost interest and turned to thinking about the obstacle course. It had been amazing, especially Q at the end, and Narira found herself too busy recreating the movements in her mind to bother watching the rest of the Starrynt Target round.

The Open Hand game caught her interest again. Contestants again lined up at the target range, this time with about half the distance to the target as for the Starrynt-aided event.

"You lose points for steadying your hand with the other," Ceylis whispered. "It doesn't look as cool. But it does help the flow of energy, and it certainly helps you aim."

Sarenzie was the first of three contestants, the last one being Q. She stood on one end of the field while three bales of straw were lined up at the other. Readying herself, she panted her feet and steadied her hand with the other.

A thick bolt of energy sprang from Sarenzie's palm, arching across the field. It splayed out in a horizontal tree of light, until all that hit the targets was a small zap of energy that made the straw let off a bit of smoke.

"Impressive," Ceylis commented to Narira's surprise. "Most can't even reach the targets until their fifth or sixth tournament."

"That didn't look very impressive," Narira protested.

"You try doing better in your third tournament."

"I will," Narira told him.

He raised his eyebrows. "You're a little ambitious," he remarked.

"I'm at least going to try it," she insisted.

"What happened to the girl who was so nervous about doing poorly on her assessment?"

"I needed to pass to go to tournaments and get money."

"So now your plan is to not do well at those tournaments?"

"I'm not going to win at my first one. Trying something different will only make me more likely to win in the future."

"Fair enough," he said with a shrug. "We'll start working on it tomorrow. You can do it at the next tournament... if you decide to go."

A flash of light was followed by a bang, and Narira realized they had missed the next shot. Annoyed, she turned back to see Q ready to go next.

Q marched to the center of the dirt field, her young features relaxed into a confident grin. The crowd grew quiet in anticipation. She stretched her arms, probably for the sake of drama, then raised her left hand to the target to her left. The lightning sprang free in an instant flash of silent light, tearing through the bale and leaving it a smoking heap of blackened straw. The sound followed in the next moment, a deafening blast that tore the air. Then Q shifted her feet, spinning around, and blasted the other two targets at once. Thought tendrils of energy still spun away into the dirt, it was an impressively controlled set of blasts.

"Points for style," Narira told Ceylis. "I like the way she did that, spinning around and using both hands."

"Thinking like an Electrovite already," Ceylis approved.

"Could you remind me what's next?" Narira asked.

"The best part."

"And that is..."

"Awesome to watch, better to participate in."

Narira sighed in resignation and turned back to the front of the cutout, trying to remember what was going to happen next.

"Placements at the end of round two are as follows," Narira heard the announcer say. "Q, Emerald, Canieth, Ravasinio..." Jay had moved up to eighth.

"The third stage is Choice Duel," the announcer said at last.

Ceylis sighed. "All right, I'll tell you what's next. The third stage is Choice-"

"Shut up. If he doesn't do well here, will Jay be able to make up a lot of points in a Free Duel?" Narira asked.

"Free Duel gives you the most points out of any event, but even so he won't pass Q. She'll have gotten a lot of points from that Open Hand alone. He could be second or third, though!"

"Oh, well," she said. "Honestly, I'm just here to observe the tournament. I don't care too much who wins."

"Suit yourself. I find it's more exciting when you're rooting for someone. Or participating."

"Alright, I get it! I'll go to the next tournament! Just stop going on about how great it is to participate."

Ceylis smiled smugly. "Deal."

"Choice Duel begins with No Weapon," the announcer shouted. "All contestants not competing in this event, please exit the field."

All but two left. As they readied themselves, Narira felt excitement pulsing through her. "What happens with an odd number?" she asked, her eyes still glued on the events beneath her.

"They bring in a substitute," Ceylis responded. "There's always an apprentice who isn't in the tournament but volunteers to duel if needed."

"Duelists Emerald and Rettia, ready yourselves!"

Narira almost squeaked with excitement as the two girls readied their fists and began to circle each other.

"Begin!"

The girls tensed but didn't immediately burst into action. They migrated closer each other, making the entire crowd hold their breath.

One of them, the girl Emerald, lunged. Rettia ducked under her first punch, moving with blurring speed. She sent a series of quick jabs at Emerald's side, but she intercepted each with a swipe from her forearms.

With their lack of range, they're forced to protect themselves more, Narira realized. Part of her had always wanted to explore new kinds of fighting, especially hand-to-hand.

Emerald swung a low kick, but Rettia lithely jumped over it and spun into a kick at Emerald's head. Contrary to what Ceylis had been teaching Narira, the girl didn't dodge. Instead, she brought one fist up, and lightning cracked outward to assist her block as the other fist was sent at Rettia's belly. She took it hard and went sprawling, and the announcer called for a stop.

"Emerald is the winner!"

Retina slowly pushed herself to her knees, then stumbled off the field. Emerald assisted her, holding one of Rettia's arms.

"Ceylis?" Narira began tentatively once the event had finished.

"Good lightning, girl! Be a little more assertive!"

"Alright, fine. I want to try fighting No Weapon." There was a gleam of ambition in her eyes as she looked at him expectantly.

"That's rather unexpected," Ceylis admitted. "I would have thought my apprentice, as a duelist, would have had some slight amount of good taste. I see I thought mistakenly."

Narira laughed and punched him in the shoulder. "I'll think about it for later. What's next?"

Just then, the announcer said, "Next, we have No Magic Duel."

Ceylis turned to Narira again. "Next, it's No Magic Duel."

"I never would have guessed," Narira said with an exaggerated eye roll.

"It means they duel, but there's no magic," Ceylis added helpfully.