(Outdated) The King of Elements (part 2)

Chapter 17

The four split up once they passed the academy gates. Katherine and Megumi went inside of the foyer while Dre and Kimmy walked down the sidewalk to the training arena. "Are you sure you want to do this, Kimmy?" Dre asked.

"Well, yeah. I've never really used a bow before, so it would be nice to train with you to kind of get the hang of it. Besides, I know that you wouldn't try to hurt me."

Dre was perplexed as they stopped in front of the dome-shaped training building. "What made you put so much faith in me?" He held the door open for her.

"Simply because you're always so polite and so gentle that it's hard to not have faith in you. At least, that's how I feel anyways."

"Sure? Because I'm like a mad dog." He bared his teeth with a growl.

Kim grinned. "More like a cranky puppy." So much for all of that bravado. "But that's what I like about you. You're not afraid to be yourself, even when the school says that you have to act a certain way."

Shrugging, he said, "Well, if I don't be Ke'Undre Wolf, then who will? Huh-" He looked around the vast training ground. It stretched on for about a quarter of a mile, and was sprinkled with large wooden crates, some stacked onto each other. Two hefty cupboards stood on both sides of the room. "No one's here. I half way expected this place to have a few people sparring in here." They both made their way to a cupboard and pulled open the doors; the insides were neatly filled with an assortment of practice swords, paintball guns, bows, and quivers of arrows.

"Wow, so many swords," Kimmy said, moving beside him. Dre was hit with a scent of lavender soap as she approached. Picking up a one handed broadsword, she said, "I think that this one will work for me. Oh, and these too," she said as she picked up a quiver of arrows and strapped it, as well as her bow, on her back. She stepped back and let Dre pick his own weapon.

There were so many to choose from: natural colored katanas, wax bo staves, black, plastic-like broadswords, just about anything that he could think of. Remembering the Suscéptor's style, he picked up a hand and a half broadsword. The weight was a bit heavier than the Suscéptor, but he figured that it would do. "Okay, I'm ready."

They walked to the center of the training arena; Dre's heart began pounding in his chest. It was hard enough sparring with Katherine. Now he had to spar with Kimmy, someone who is a lot more timid than his last sparring partner. How would he be able to get through this?

Kimmy held the shield in front of her, the sword was held behind her in her left hand. Dre got into his fighting stance, the gauntlet strapped comfortably on his left forearm. For what seemed like an eternity, they stood there, starring at each other, waiting for the other to move. "I'm ready when you are," Dre said.

"I am as well," she said behind the shield.

We aren't going to even move unless I start it.

Gulping, he stepped forward; Kimmy flinched behind her shield. Oh, man. This is a big mistake. He took another step forward, only this time, Kimmy looked from behind the shield with fierce determination in her eyes. She rushed at him, shield first, planning to ram him.

Dre brought his arm up; the gauntlet blocked her shield attack. His arm slightly stung, but the protection of the leather was apparent. Without thinking, he brought his sword down on her. Both swords clacked against each other as she brought her sword up as well, sending vibrations down his arm.

They were both at a deadlock, both struggling to outmuscle the other. Dre stumbled towards the ground as Kimmy jumped back. He quickly got back into his stance, gauntlet up to deflect a blow that didn't come. Instead, she began sprinting towards one of the boxes. Placing her sword in between her belt and her jeans, she grabbed the bow and nocked an arrow on the draw string. In one fluid motion, she spun towards him, pulled back the arrow, and released.