Songs of War: The 5th Song... Is A Person?!

Awakening

At the beginning of her grieving and solitude, Riza would try different ways to let everything out. Singing, dancing, crying, using her powers until she fell unconscious, sometimes just lying on the cold stone floor of her new home, reminiscing the times when they were training, graduated school, and spent long nights talking and laughing about the day's events. Sometimes she would project her conscience and travel outside the mountain, being invisible to the naked eye and leaving her body safe. She would find some joy in making certain objects float, befriending some children. The broken ones. The ones who lost nearly everything they had, like her. She would make herself visible and listen to their woes. Senn was one of the few she visited regularly and he introduced her to Ria, a Sendaris. Thalleous, having survived the battle against the Voltaris on Mount Velgrin, would sometimes stop by and tell them stories of his adventures. After she was knocked unconscious by Zinaida Voltaris, she managed to astro-project again and visit Senn. He was sparring with Ria and gave her a new spear when Thalleous stepped in and presented them with songs. A Protisium song for Senn and a Mobilium song for Ria. She smiled as Senn left with Thalleous to go on some adventure, but sensed someone was trying to wake her up, so she flew back to Mount Velgrin to her own body.

"Wake up. It's time for training again," said Lucidius as he shook her awake. "You better get there before Tygren loses his patience."

"Alright, alright," she exclaimed tiredly. Since her capture, the Voltaris had chained her wrists together with bonds that resisted her magic so she couldn't escape. She held her wrists out in front of her.

"Nice try," sighed Lucidius. "You know when they come off." They only released them during her training time with Tygren, who she learned was the best fighter among the Voltaris, to build his endurance and strategy. They stored her weapons in the training grounds and punished her severely whenever she lost to Tygren. She had only lost once, her first time, and never dared to lose again, for she had been hit with a whip-like Aggressium song on her back. Despite it being a little over a hundred years since, she could still feel the pain of the markings on her back when she stretched, and they were also readily visible, so she kept them covered with a cloak whenever she could. Lucidius handed her the training gear she wore, an iron helmet so her hair won't get in the way, and enchanted wrist bracers to control her in case she tried to fight her way out. They worked just the same as the chains that bound her now.

As she exchanged the chains for the bracers with the help of Lucidius, she noticed that she hadn't seen about half of the Voltaris. She hoped they weren't about to attack another city. She normally had to prep them with disguising magic, making them into human bandits for fear of the whip again.

"Finally," spat Tygren. He emerged from a nearby cave with his signature sword in hand. "I've been waiting for nearly ten minutes now."

"Where are the others?" Riza ignored his remark. "Half the clan is missing."

"They are preparing for the assault on Sendaria," he responded, clearly pleasured at knowing something she didn't. "I might even tell you why if you win against me today."

That was a tempting offer. He nearly never told her why something happened until it has already been done.

"But," he continued, "if you lose, you have to come with me and watch."

He knew she didn't like the killing of innocents. Especially Ardoni. But the offer of information is tempting, and they were going to duel anyway.

"Fine," she agreed. She defeated him before, why not now?

As they readied for their duel, the Voltaris came to spectate.