His Dark Embrace (Rewrite)

Nights Fall

🌖 Aurora's POV 🌗

The pasture was slippy under-boot, made treacherous by the manure of  cows.

The joys of training on a farming field.

Focus. Deep breath in. Deep breath out.

Eric stood in front of the couple hundred of adults that stood before him. His jogging pants hung dangerously low on his hips; as if they were almost mocking the nearly approached 'v' line. Panting deeply his muscles flexed, sweat trickling down him. Nodding his head in approval, his latest sparring partner backed away; a look of anguish on their face. Obviously Eric had won, again.

I watched the exchange intently, Eric coaching corrections, demonstrating with his hands the correct moves. He was smart when it came to fighting, his moves calculated, but that didn't mean he was cocky enough to think he'd always win.

That was something I liked; arrogance I despised.

Noticing my approach a small grin flickered across Eric's face; he knew I'd give him a proper fight and after today's events I wasn't going to disappoint.

Without any words of welcome his stance adjusted; tensed muscles, crouched legs, attentive eyes. My eyes flickered briefly to the crowd, a pent up excitement lingered in the air.

A simple nod was all the permission he needed, a sign that I accepted his challenge. The first move was his to make.

He abruptly lunged forward at a surprisingly
fast speed; kicking into my abdominal I allowed my leg to stumble to one side, a grappling hold bending it backwards, his hand digging light into my neck as we tumbled to the ground.

A few chuckles ran through the air, amusement that I'd been taken down so quickly. That's what I was hoping for, good old naivety.

Eric, appearing certain of his victory twisted my arm back, perplexing it towards him; using the weight of his knee to lightly pin my back to the ground.

"Time for today's lesson." I mumbled, loudly enough for silence to suddenly grab hold of the air.

Allowing my arm to fall completely limb, the sudden change in pressure allowed for a single twitch to unlock Eric's subsiding grasp. Being caught off guard by the sudden act of submissery, my elbow jammed into his side, stunning him immediately as I hoisted up my leg, effectively flipping his back into the grass. Leaning forward my legs slithered around his torso, a deep pressure forming against his chest; one elbow deeply burying against his throat, my other hand firmly supporting my own weight.

"Never underestimate your enemy." I concluded, a satisfied smirk painted my lips as I released the pressure, pushing upwards with my hands to quickly hoist  myself back up into a standing position.

Eric smiled softly, dusting himself off he stood behind me.

"Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes. After all, how else would we learn?" I addressed the crowd, before heading into the barn adjacent to the field we were currently standing in.

Freedom is a state of mind and body; where all the shackles are removed. In one way, your freedom comes hand in hand with your "free will". You physically have the ability in your life to make your own choices, defy what others say, and do whatever you choose to do. Despite having this freedom, there are always risks and consequences. You can always choose the cause, but you can never choose the effect of your actions.

The moon glowed dimly, a cream disc suspended in the now velvet night. Moonlight trickled from the bleeding sky and played on the barns windowsills, leaching colour from all it touched. It casts a silver organza veil over the barn, shimmering, dancing.