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‘Name’s Keb’, he drawled.
She faced him with her hands relaxed and inclined her head in acknowledgment. ‘Sana’a.’
Kaniz stepped forward, her voice ringing out across the training grounds. ‘K?thi kin, we have a new fighter joining us today. Sana’a of the Shotelai.’
‘No clue of her or them,’ a burly K?str?l called out from the sidelines.
Sana’a pressed her lips together. You’ll rush to find out more once I’m done here.
‘Don’t be a preen, Kendo,’ Kaniz snapped at the insolent bystander.
The gathered kavaliers stirred at her admonishment, one or two grunting their welcome.
‘Keb, Sana’a,’ Kaniz said, turning to the two fighters. ‘Stay low, keep it clean and to the floor. No atmospheric antics, for now. We’ve no paying punters around seeking entertainment. This is an assessment, so show me what you’ve got, Sana’a.’
Keb groaned in exasperation at the rules, but Sana’a ignored him, closing her mind to his arrogance.
Focusing instead on the adrenaline surging through her as she turned off the metsai flight feature in her undersuit and slip-ons.
Leaning forward, her eyes locked on her rival.
The weight of the food in her belly melted away, replaced with a knot of balled-up energy.
The same tingle was always present whenever she faced a challenge, and she welcomed the electrified tendrils as they worked their way through her spirit, soul and sinew.
Her focus narrowed away from the boisterous rings and the shouts of the onlookers. She shut her ears, oblivious to the smack of a sab?r blade-on-blade, the scrape of soles on the sand, the grunts of exertion, and the yells of the combatants.
She only had eyes for one focal point.
Keb.
He swung his hand into his tall mohawk and withdrew one of his koya. Its ebony and gold sword extended just by the touch of his hand, and a thick hilt formed that his fingers dug into.
He then brought his weapon to his chest, thrust back his magnificent head to the skies and shouted. ‘Kuvu! Strength for the battle.’
The word echoed across the arena as the watching k?thi, and Kaniz repeated the words. ‘Kuvu! Power to prevail!’
Without warning, he sent his lightweight missile whistling through the air, his eyes flashing as his mysterious K?str?l íkan energy flowed in glowing strands around it.
Sana’a dodged it with ease, her body moving with a fluid grace that surprised even herself.
Taking a deep breath and stepped forward, drawing her curved shotel from its sheath.
The koya arced back into Keb’s hands, and he swung it once more.
He lunged towards her with a vicious grin.
Sana’a was quick on her feet, dodging the attack and slicing her blade towards his arm.
They circled each other with wary glances; Sana’a kept her eyes on him, trying to read his movements and predict his attacks.
She flourished her cutlass, the metal singing as it sliced through the air.
He charged with his talons, his koya zipping in front of him
‘Flank, to the left.’
The shout came from the sidelines, but Sana’a ignored it despite its astuteness.
