Maybe the Beginning of Ch24?
Knoll was quick with that ax, bending back to avoid the blow, the sharp blade cutting a few strands of my hair that didn’t move fast enough. Cori on the advance, spear leveled at me. I parried it away, swiping her legs out from under her.
I tried to kick the spear away from her, but Knoll smacked me aside with the flat of his blade. That hurt, though I had reflexively gotten into healing myself after sparring with the Sorcerer these past few weeks, the broken rib not phasing me. I pirouetted. Knocking Cori to the side again as she tried to charge.
My saber coming up to catch the ax just under its beard pulling him off balance, closing the distance. His eyes went wide as I pulled the ax from his grip with the edge of the knife in my off hand. I swung hard to the left, putting him between me and Cori. Cori, misjudging, had to push the spear tip in the dirt to keep from impaling him.
I took the opportunity to kick her in the side, trying to gain distance. I wanted to keep them separate, they were too much if they covered each other's defenses. She grunted hard, holding a rib I think I accidentally broke. I had to temper the frequency I was humming at, I had to remember this was just sparring, this wasn’t the Sorcerer.
I was in my head too much, Knoll grabbed my wrist in his iron grip. Twisting I dropped my saber to get away. Tossing my knife into my main hand, while Cori regained herself. She was obviously in pain though, she threw her spear at me. Knoll charged, keeping his flank covered.
The humming in my throat changed pitch again, as I watched the spear tip come closer. Aware of Knoll coming at me, I caught the shaft of the spear. Leaning back, as Knoll swung at me in a wide horizontal strike. I used the spear as leverage, getting under him. Feeling a muscle pop as I threw him over me.
A tangle of ears and beard, his shocked eyes looking down at me. He landed hard on his back, knocking the wind out of him. Wasn’t fast enough for Cori to come and grapple me. She caught me in a tight arm lock, on my back, getting my feet under me. I hadn’t healed the muscle right away, feeling it tear as I put my weight into my thighs.
I only screamed for a second, before the magic took effect. Much better than last time. I pulled Cori off the ground, pushing air under me trying to increase the pressure and lift. It worked enough to break her grip on me. Not well enough to have to immediately block a strike from the spear she retrieved.
I ducked the swipe, kicking her knee out from under her. She tried the same move I did, knocking me to the ground a few yards away. My breath knocked out of me now too. My humming stopped, my speed slowed down. She took her chance to rush me, quickly getting to her feet.
Still winded, an idea came to mind. Sound… did it have to be my voice? I focused on the loud pounding heartbeat in my ears, the steady thrum in my chest as the adrenaline rushed through. My speed returned, as the wind pushed my body out of the way.
While I still couldn’t breathe right, it was barely enough to get behind her, and throw her backwards. She lay there, chest rising and falling in a quick exhausted pace.
“Well done” She said breathlessly, “Illy!”
I collapsed on the ground, still trying to fill my lungs with air. Though a giddy smile on my face, “Yes, you finally beat us.” Knoll grunted, as he got up, rubbing his lower back. “Student to finally best the teachers! A truly wonderful feeling to be had.”
The air finally found its way into my lungs. Though still breathless, I said “Took long enough didn’t it?”
“You have to teach us that thing” Cori said, getting up, leaning heavily on her spear “That thing you are doing with your voice. You’re like a leaf in a windstorm!”
I couldn’t help but let a proud smile split my face, turning to see both Mother Kari and Ghet clapping softly. The steaming mugs of broth set at their feet.
I feel like I've been focusing too much on Ilgor being the Priestess and Healer, I want to try and show that she does still think of herself as one of the raiders in the clan, despite all that has happened.
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