Sword of stars

Knock Out

The cockpit was smoking from a fuel line. The wires hung from everywhere. The box sat on the computer panel this time. "What do you want," I pleaded. I was the only one there. "What do you want from me," I pleaded again. I picked the box up. It began to reverberate. Then it started to float out of my hands. It started to spin, increasing the speed ever few seconds. It began to expand. I grabbed it again, trying to keep it compact in it's box. What ever this thing was it refused to stay contained and glowing brighter. I used all my strength till I had none left. Finally, I let go and a flash of white shot through my vision. I saw the outline shadow of someone, then all went black.

I wrenched from my sleep sweating. I couldn't take it anymore and threw the covers back and got out of bed. The stars were still out. I knew I had to get up early the next day for battle school, but this dream weighed heavily on my mind. It wasn't like the last one I had, or the one before that. It was changing, but why?

That morning I was exhausted from no sleep last night. I had been knocked down too many times and had another black eye. My opponent rushed me and I manged to trip him up when he got close. He landed on his back and knocked the wind out of him. I put the tip of my wooden sword to his chin. My hands were shaking. "Do you yield," I asked. He nodded.

"Alright break it up! Princess, get over here," Commander Sabra barked. I straightened my back and shoulders and walked over to her. "What's going on. Don't tell me I've wasted my time coming all the way to the Capitol. The Queen said you had a talent for this. Whatever is going on, fix it before you come back here, now go home. You're useless in the state your currently in. I'll be talking with the Queen personally."

I was relieved to hear I could go home. It was all I could do to stand up. I quickly got changed and left my gear in the armory and left the coliseum. I caught a farmer with a wagon load of potatoes on his way to market. "Farmer, I'll buy half of your potatoes at your price if you take me to the castle."

I showed him the medallion the Emperor gave me and once convinced he was happy to take me. My only other choice was to walk home and I was too tired for that. I climbed in the back with the potatoes. I nearly fell asleep a couple of times if it weren't for the bumps in the road. I was about to dose off again when the wagon stopped.

We were at the kitchen entrance of the castle. "Oy, we weren't expecting any potato deliveries today?" The kitchen maid declared. The Farmer was trying to explain the situation when I jumped out. "He's with me. I bought half of his potatoes. Have someone help unload them." The maid bowed and left to get one of the male servants.

I asked the farmer his price and rummaged in my coin sack with a little extra for the trouble. I walked inside and climbed up several flights of stairs. My plan was to just sneak in a take an ice bath for my muscles, but that was when I ran into the Queen.

"What are you doing being home early?" She noticed my black eye.

"What happened this time." I explained as best I could between yawns how I gotten pretty beat today. I avoided telling her I was having bad dreams.

She dismissed me. I could tell in the tone of her voice she was not happy with me, but I was too tired to care right then. I went to take that ice bath and go to bed.

I rested a for a few days. I was questioned after a while about why we had so many potatoes, but little else happened. When I heard about the conversation the Commander had with the Queen I got real nervous about going back. I found out It didn't go well.

I could never imagine what I was going to face when I arrived at the coliseum. The conversation between the Commander and Queen really didn't go well. I had been challenged to duel the Commander herself.