His blade was as fast as lightning death fell before him. Unknown on watching the master of fire.

10th day 7thmonth 579th year of the 8th era

One morning (despite being well into the morning and they hadn’t yet eaten) they were both coated in sweat from practice, but instead of complaining Akuchi followed Mayu back to the ring for one more practice round. He watched her as she took her normal defensive water stance. He had tried all the water and mountain type attacks she had taught him. What if I tried something a little different? The sequence came to his mind. A smile crept across his face, as he saw the duel ending in at least a tie. He took his mountain defence stance, legs spread and both hands on the hilt of his sword levelled in front.

Mayu recognised the defence posture and attacked. The water movements come naturally. Akuchi blocked the first couple of blows. She was in the water attack forward position, and he changed; instead of taking the customary step back, he remained in earth stance. He spun to the left and ran his sword along the length of hers. Shock registered on her face as he ran past her. He then turned and was inches behind her. He wrapped an arm around her and patted her stomach. She twirled out of reach instantly, colour rising to her cheeks.

“Where did you learn that move?” she demanded, bunching her eyebrows.

“I just thought of it,” Akuchi responded, a smile crossing his face.

Mayu raised her sword and charged him. Akuchi blocked it and she pressed into the attack. A smile crossed her face. “You are using new fighting styles without being taught them.”

“So, someone already thought of that one?” he asked, frowning.

“Yeah, a rock defence, then to a wind switch and dart. Very clever.”

“Thank you.” Akuchi laughed as they both pushed off from each other and leapt back. They stopped at the edge of the mat and stopped.

“Well,” she started, “I think that is enough today.”

“I think you are quitting before I beat you,” Akuchi taunted.

The door opened and Oghenekaro stepped down the steps into the training room. Akuchi and Mayu turned and watched him descend. Reaching the bottom of the steps, Oghenekaro stopped and surveyed the scene. Akuchi and Mayu stood in the room coated in sweat, swords drawn, standing at the edge of the duel ring.

“Ah,” Oghenekaro exclaimed, “I was wondering where you guys were training.”

“Just training Akuchi.” Mayu bowed from the waist, her hair falling over her eyes as she straightened up.

“I see.”

“We have been spending every waking moment here, working on my swordplay.” Akuchi bowed, following Mayu’s example.

“I came looking for the two of you because I expect you two to join a scouting party this afternoon.”

“Yes, sir,” Akuchi and Mayu both chorused bowing, as he ascended the stairs.

“Well,” Akuchi started. “I guess we will never find out who was the better today.”

They both walked to the table and drank another mug of water and returned their swords to their scabbards that were sitting on the table. They ascended the stairs and headed to the mustering yard.

Once in the yard, they walked towards the stables, attached to the command building. The smell of horses and manure reminded Akuchi of home and the hours he had spent shovelling out the troughs for his father’s two workhorses. He would muck out the stables every morning before taking the quiet old nags out to hitch them to the plough or some other piece of machinery his father needed that day. He shook himself of the recollection, took the saddle gear from the stall wall and attached them to a strong, black gelding.

“Good choice,” a voice came from the stable’s door.

Akuchi and Mayu turned as two women entered. They wore tight trousers that moulded to their legs. Their whole bodies were a deep brown, their hair cut to ear-length, partially covering their blue eyes. They both had a pair of short swords attached to their wide hips.

“Damn,” muttered Mayu, before brightening. “Yokoyama and Kono, what are you ladies doing here?”

Yokoyama and Kono both turned their eyes on Mayu. Their eyes flashed, but they smiled sweetly at her.

“We are going on the scouting mission,” Yokoyama said. “Is this your new partner?”

“I can see why you have kept him all to yourself.” Kono stalked over to Akuchi.

“Shut your hole.” Mayu sneered at Kono.

“No need for hostilities,” quipped Yokoyama. “Just being friendly.”

“I don’t want your type of friendliness. Let’s try to make this a civil scouting party.”

They each chose a horse. The twins chose identical brown mares. Akuchi finished saddling his black gelding. Mayu saddled a white charger. The twins led the way, out of the fort through a narrow gate surrounded by whitewashed stone walls. The Northern Wastes stretched out before them. A warm wind tore through the grass, making the endless sea of grass shift in waves.

“Wow,” observed Akuchi.

“Welcome to the Northern Wastes,” Mayu said.

“Is there any end to it?”

“Not that we have found. We have travelled for months to the north and all we have found is this endless grassland, no rivers, no mountains, nothing.”

“Except for the roving band of trolls,” said Kono. “Sometimes hiding in the grass and getting the jump on us.”

“Our orders are to travel north for the rest of the day and then return,” Yokoyama instructed.

They turned their mounts north and started off at a gentle walk.

As they travelled, the twins pulled in front talking in low whispers, with the occasional cackle of laughter from one or the other.

“Mayu,” Akuchi said.

“Hmm,” responded Mayu, jolting her out of her sullen silence.

“Do you mind if I ask you something?”

“Not at all.” Mayu sat straight in her saddle, completing a scan of the horizon.

“Why don’t you like those two?” Akuchi indicated to the twins.

“Well, it all began …” Mayu paused, then slumped into her saddle again.

Akuchi waited for a minute, hoping that Mayu would continue.

“Don’t worry about it.” She pouted, crossing her hands.

“Well, I thought that since we were partners, I should know about things that bother you.”

“Commander Oghenekaro says it’s a personality thing,” Mayu waved her hand. “But I don’t believe that.”

“Why is that?”

“Well, they are from the country where my parents were born,” she started. “But they aren’t even related.”

“Oh,” Akuchi puzzled. Why would that matter?”

Mayu frowned at him. “Well they, like my parents, are from the Duchy of Alysiri.”

“Ok,” Akuchi followed, “I have heard of Alysiri, they are over the Dragons Gate from my own country, Crece.”

“My parents moved, leaving their homes because of extreme poverty. My parents were lucky enough to have not been sold into slavery. They moved to the Duchy of Ishtaree, where I was born.”

“That would explain the wardrobe choices,” commented Akuchi.

Mayu stuck out her tongue at him. He laughed.

“Anyway, when they arrived a month after I came here and they found out that my parents had migrated to Ishtaree, they thought my family and I were traitors.”

“Hmm, I see.”

“It didn’t help that I was their instructor,” Mayu continued. “I think they didn’t like the fact that a traitor and a peasant was giving them fighting lessons.”

“They are nobles from Alysiri?”

“They are. While they look alike they are not actually twins; Yoko is the youngest daughter of a minor lord and Kono is the oldest daughter of some baronet.”

“What happened to your parents?”

“Oh, they did well with fewer taxes and a lord that actually wanted to grow crops,” Mayu answered.

“Smoke,” stated Yokoyama, calling a halt to the patrol.

“What is it?” asked Akuchi. “Could it be trolls?”

“Only one way to find out,” said Mayu, pushing her horse forward.

Akuchi noticed Yokoyama giving a black look to Mayu’s back.

“Let’s go,” Kono ordered.

They spurred their mounts into a full gallop, heading towards the column of black smoke in the north.

Ten trolls, slumped around a small campsite, were singing songs and drinking out of clay pitchers. Four more trolls lay, passed out. The trolls all had green skin and dark fur covering most of their bodies. The hair was all different with varying colours and patterns. Their eyes were yellow and red-rimmed from drinking too much. A sickening stench assaulted the riders.

The party stopped twenty paces out from the nearest troll. Mayu, Yokoyama and Kono all dismounted. Akuchi drew his weapon. Holding it in his right hand, he spurred his horse into the troll camp.

Akuchi assaulted the camp first, swinging his falchion down on a troll beginning to rise from the campfire. Blue blood spurted from its severed neck and the body fell to the ground as Akuchi moved forward. He passed the camp and killed one of the trolls rutting in the dirt.

Mayu, Yokoyama and Kono were on the rest of the camp like avenging demons, slaughtering the drunk trolls before they had time to react. They stabbed and sliced their way through the ten drinking trolls as Akuchi wheeled on his horse and came for another pass at the camp. Mayu split off from the twins and sliced the throats of the unconscious trolls. As Akuchi made another charge at the camp, he dismounted and kicked the dead body off the female troll. She jumped at him and swung her bare claws at him. He blocked easily with the flat of his blade. She stepped back then reattacked, slashing again. He stepped sideways, and the troll struck air as he whirled away. She turned to face him again. Her fury grew as she slashed at him and missed.

“Stop playing with it and kill it so we can go home,” cried Kono.

Akuchi gulped and raised his sword. He hesitated, and she advanced on him. He reflexively returned the strike as the troll swung at him. His blade cut through her fingers, slicing off her claws. Blue blood spurted out from each finger joint as she collapsed in anguish. Kono stepped forward and cut her neck, killing her quickly. She gave Akuchi a black look as she turned back to the camp.

“Damn raw recruits,” Kono cursed. She stalked off back to the horses.

“Clean your blade on the grass,” Mayu instructed, chuckling.

“I guess she didn’t want to see the beast suffer,” Akuchi stated, bending down to wipe the sword on the grass.

“I understand that this was your first fight against trolls,” said Mayu, walking back to her horse. “Make sure next time that you don’t overthink, just react and you will be fine.”

Akuchi sheathed his falchion and mounted his horse. Sweat beaded on his face.

All four rode back to the fort in silence.

They arrived back at the fort and took their horses back to the stables. As they brushed down the horses and packed away the saddles, Salvadore entered the stables, accompanied by Iwamoto.

“Commander Oghenekaro would like your report,” Salvadore instructed.

“Thank you,” Mayu called out as Salvadore turned and left.

Mayu and Akuchi had just finished tending to their horses. Mayu looked over at the twins and saw they were still working.

“We will report to Oggy.” Mayu smiled as she and Akuchi left the stables.

Mayu led the way back to the tent that Oghenekaro used as his field command.

“Mayu, why doesn’t Oghenekaro use an office inside a building?” Akuchi asked as they walked down the stone path from the stables to the command tent.

“Not sure. It has just always been like that.”

They arrived at the tent to find Oghenekaro sitting at the desk with a lantern on the desk. Upon their arrival he stopped his work and looked up at them, clasping his hands and placing them on the desk.

“Mayu and Akuchi. Good to see you back. What do you have to report?”

“We encountered a small group of trolls having what seemed to be a party in the grass,” Mayu started. “They had several pitchers of wine. Some were passed out on the grass, while the rest sat at a campfire.”

“Did you kill them or did any of them escape?”

“We killed them all. Akuchi’s long weapon allowed him to control the battlefield,” Mayu replied.

“Good that you are accomplished in the saddle,” Oghenekaro commented. “Quite high praise from your trainer.”

Mayu smiled at the compliment, her cheeks going red.

“Thank you, sir,” Akuchi said.

“Was there anything else?” Oghenekaro asked.

Akuchi shook his head

Oghenekaro nodded, “Thank you for your report.”