✧The Earthe of the Elves✧

11

Mia's POV

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The next few days of training are the same, except I've been given the green rock that teleports me around to hold on to, so I can travel easier. However, Andor suggested I walk when I can, to only use the magic for long journeys like a 3 mile walk to the training arena. I'm still adjusting to the magic, and Andor tells me the sudden use of magic could tire out a halfblood like me.

Anyway, by the time the next week rolls around I've gotten basic forms down and can put up a solid fight with a power-diluted Elanil, but I'm still feeling a little sluggish with the new movements. Also, a week has allowed the news of my being here to spread around, causing elves to stop and stare at me as I walk by. I guess they've never seen a halfblooded before, plus the fact that my dad was... Who he was here.

As I step onto the mat after our warmup today, I have to ask El the question on the tip of my tongue.

"El, do you think there's a reason I feel... I don't know, held back?"

Elanil blinks at me, then a recognition passes over her face. "Absolutely. First of all, your new, but second your instincts haven't fully kicked in yet. It's normal to feel that."

"Could I do something to get better?" I ask, thinking back to all the adventure novels I've read. Funny to think I'm kind of like the main character of one right now. "Could I get angry or something, give me more power?"

"No," she says immediately. "Anger is unreliable, it can lead to... Well, let's just say the Cin elves became evil because they used hatred to fuel their powers. Not anger, exactly, but using anger too often can give you bad habits here. Sometimes you can't help it, but for the most part try not to use anger. There really is no trick. My guess is you're not used to trying to hurt someone, so you don't really want to yet."

I nod, a little confused. I do want to beat her, but maybe there's still something holding me back that I don't realize yet.

I still haven't seen Knox, he's been gone for the past week, which is leaving me feeling kind of lonely. It's not like I know him very well, but he's my only friend here besides Elanil. I haven't exactly tried to reach out to any elves I spot frolicking around. After staying in the castle and walking around aimlessly again last night, I'm ready to get out some energy.

Elanil strikes first, coming at me with a punch. I use her momentum and push her arm aside, which should've sent her stumbling from the force of her momentum, but she just jogs away from me gracefully. I duck a kick from her, sending one of my own that almost hits her as she dances out of the way, smirking at me in a hey, you almost hit me, way to go look. I smile. Maybe I'm finally getting better.

Today I decided to wear a dress to get used to fighting in, and kept my hair down, as most elves seem to do. Well, besides pulling the front up into a french braid so it won't fall in my face. I wish I could do those cool intricate braids. But anyway, I had thought the dress would slow me down, but it's not. Sure, it whips around my legs sometimes, but it seems that the elves dresses were made for movement on top of style. It flows around me as I dart away from Elanil's fist. To my surprise I'm hardly breaking a sweat, but my heart rate is doubling as I work harder, trying to push myself as I jab at El over and over. She easily avoids my movements.

After about ten more minutes of sparring my legs are starting to get tired, and my thigh hurts from a kick that landed there, but I keep pushing. As we continue our graceful, almost dancelike spar, I notice that my movements are getting more fluid, less choppy. I tip my upper body backwards to avoid one of Elanil's punches, somehow knowing just how much to lean back so her punch flies by, inches away from my face. As we continue, I feel more sure of my movements, like I know exactly what to do before I do it. If that makes sense. It's like the tiredness that had been building up inside me these past minutes were dust building on a countertop, and suddenly the dust has been blown away, leaving a shiny, clean slate that has me feeling oddly powerful.