Scorpius Finds A Teacher

Chapter 15.2

After hearing rumors of an amazing swordswoman near Bosco, Scorpius decided to take a trip out their to meet her.

"I wonder where she would be exactly?" Scorpius said to himself as he walked down the road. He had left Onibus town about a week prior. He had brought his new sword, daggers, and his staff along for the journey.

Lyn Zolga was fairly irritable. She was at her favorite bar, but was still in a bad mood. Seeing Kishan had rattled her. She was always on edge after her visits with him, but this time was different. He had struck her again. Even after his oath three years ago he had struck her. She still remembered the moment she saw his body shift into it's beastly form. She remembered the rattling in her chest and his breath hot and heavy in her face when he whispered. "Do not speak his name." She shivered. The bruises were still fresh on her ribcage. She called over the bartender and ordered another whiskey.

As he entered the town of Bosco, Scorpius had become rather thirsty. Might as well find a place to drink. After a few more minutes he found himself in front of a bar. This will work, I guess. He entered into the bar and saw a woman at one end of the bar. He decided to sit on the other end, noticing that she didn't look too in the mood to talk. "Excuse me, can I get a beer?" Scorpius asked the bartender.

Lyn's eyes flickered to the young man on the other side of the bar. He had dark cropped hair and blue eyes. She supposed her was fairly attractive, but she was not interested In his body. What she was concerned with was the sword he was carrying beside him. Its size rivaled that of Zoran, which was unsettling to her. Of course with one swing she could probably shatter it.

Scorpius shivered as he felt himself being watched. He looked around the room to see who it could be ,but the only two around were the woman and the bartender. He sighs, saying to both of them, "Excuse me, but have either of you heard of a great swordswoman that is supposed to be famous around here? I am looking to talk to her."

Lyn shot a icy glare at the bartender that was about to point at her, he stopped in his tracks. She then took another sip of whiskey, whipped the remaining liquid on her sleep and said, "Whose asking? She doesn't show her face often, it's a horrid one at that. Her face I mean."

Scorpius looked at the woman who spoke. "I am a mage from Koma Inu in Onibus Town. My name is Scorpius. I am needing a teacher, and I hear she is one of the best around. Do you know where I could find her?" he asked.

Lyn snorted. "You want me to teach you?" She laughed. " I'm the-" she hiccuped, "Worst teacher ever!"

"Well considering the reason why I need a teacher, I will do my best to be the best student you could have." Scorpius said bowing, assuming that this was the woman.

Lyn stood and circled him, examining his body from head to toe. He was muscular and solid. "What magic do you use?" She said, considering his offer.

"I use a few variations of Water Manipulation magic: Torrent and Black Water. I also can do a little summoning as I have a contract with a Kraken." Scorpius said proudly.

"I can't teach you then." She turned and picked up her drink, flicking a few coins at the bartender. "Cya tommorow Ryan."

"Wait!" Scorpius said as he ran after her. He stopped short of the door, ran back to pay for his drink, and ran again. As he exited the door he saw the woman about to turn a corner. Instinctively Scorpius made walsl of water that blocked all paths execpt for the one that lead back to Scorpius. "Please... I'm going to be honest with you. I don't know squat about how to fight with swords. I have always relied on my talent as a mage, but my next opponent... well, she is too strong for me. she knows all of my tricks. But now that she has given me a year away from her torment, I can learn something new. Please!" Scorpius was trying to fight back the urge to cry at the next thought. "If I don't try I will be faced with two choices. Neither are good for anyone. Please..."

In a split second Scorpius' water wall was cut into pieces and Lyn's sword clicked back into it's sheath. "Hey Man, I don't work well with water, and water doesn't work with swordplay. It's too flimsy and..." Jane moved her arms in a wave like pattern. "Ya'know? I could try, but it wouldn't work out well."

"Why wouldn't it?" Scorpius asked as he walked closer to the woman. "Do you want to test me or something first? I will do anything?"

"I already told you. Swords are stiff, and water is flimsy. They don't mix, but if you really want to learn... THINK FAST!" Lyn slung a dagger at him from out of her sleeve, aiming straight at his right lung.

A disk of Black Water appeared in front of Scorpius' right hand, which absorbed the dagger fully. He then pointed to the ground in which the dagger impaled the dusty street, now tainted black. "I have a few tricks up my sleeve. But I guess you'd rather a sword fight I'm guessing?" Scorpius grabbed his sword in both hands as both his and it's auras started to shine blue and black. "I'm ready to learn. Come teach me please." Scorpius said as he got ready for her to strike.

Lyn cracked her knuckles, "Want me to start off easy Water Boy?"

Scorpius' aura grew more visibly erratic at those words. "No one can call me that but Mirrana. Whatever you prefer sensei. By the way, what is your name?"

"Oh you've got a girlfriend eh?" Lyn drew Ren, a silver blade almost shimmering with light. "Name's Lyn Zolga, please forget it."

"She is the one I am trying to save, yes. I can't forget it now." Scorpius said. He looked at the blade she drew. ''Well this is it. Let's hope watching my guildmates has taught me something.'' Scorpius took a breath and ran towards Lyn ready to lunge at her.

Lyn sidestepped and pushed the butt of her sword into his gut. "Faster. You cannot expect to take on a master with a blind attack."

Scorpius coughed as he stumbled to his knees for a moment. He got up and turned back to the Lyn. "Faster? Alright. I can go faster." he said with a grin. He twirled one of his hands at his side, which caused a rain storm to form overhead. "Hope you don't mind the rain." Scorpius said as the water began to fall. He used his Wave Running magic to charge toward Lyn at twice his original speed. He dragged the sword on the water on the ground which gathered on the blade. He started his swing towards Lyn as he grew closer to her.

Lyn's heel slammed on the tip of his blade, forcing it to the ground. She grinned as Scorpius struggled to free his blade. He was fast, she had to admit it. He had good reflexes and she wouldn't mind teaching him. He had the drive to learn quickly too, she may consider it.

''She stopped it with foot?! ''Scorpius thought. "I did not expect that." He told her. He looked down at the blade and thought of how to free it. Hmm that would work. Scorpius shifted his weight as his hands were enraptured with water. The water than thrust itself down the length of the blade which freed the blade as well as blew away the dirt around it. The blade flew up from the force of the water which made Scorpius turn and have to let go of the blade with one hand. "Woops that was a bit more forceful than I thought." he said.

Lyn smiled, and reached for his blade, grabbing it out of his hand. "Cool! Is this made by a magical blacksmith?" She swung it a few times. "It's perfectly weighted, and a beautiful piece of art as well." She turned it back to him that crossed her arms. "Fine. I'll teach you, but only if you can block a swing of my most powerful blade."

Scorpius took the blade back. "I'll try." He got into a position to where he can take a hit. "I'm ready." he said after taking a breath. his aura was still visible but Scorpius was trying to keep it focused.

Lyn unbuttoned two buttons on her dress and revealed her collarbone. On the right side there was a plain black ink tattoo. Two swords crossing each other and another piercing through both of them. "Are you sure you're ready?"

That mark... I wonder what it's for? "Go ahead. I can stop it. I need to grow strong, and I can do that if i fight someone stronger than I." Scorpius said with a look of determination. "Go."

She clenched her right fist and pulled it on top of the tattoo. Suddenly a hilt of a blade appeared in her fist and she drew a claymore out from the mark. It was pitch black and seemed to radiate an aura of darkness. "This is the Oblivion Blade. Everything living it touches, vanishes." She leapt forward at suprising speed and went for an overhead strike, but before Scorpius was moving to block, she changed the blade's course of action into a side slash, straight towards his stomach.

Oh crap! Is all Scorpius had time to think as his aura exploded in energy. Scorpius felt like he was moving in slow motion as he tried to twist and drop his blade to avoid the attack. He barely got the tip of the blade in position when Lyn's blade hit, striking it and pushing Scorpius off of his feet from the force. He fell down on the ground, dropping the blade as his hands stung. "Holy hell you move fast!" He said as he looked up to her.

Lyn was already pushing the blade back into the mark on her body. "Fine, I'll train you. Tomorrow, that cliff outside of town at noon. Don't be late."

The next day

"I hope this is the cliff she meant." Scorpius said as he sat on the edge overlooking the terrain below him. He had arrived an hour early just to make sure he wasn't late.

An hour had passed and Scorpius was still waiting. Then he noticed something on the cliffside. A small hammock was slung between two tree branches growing along the cliff. Inside was Lyn Zolga curled up with a blanket covering her naked body. She groaned and Scorpius saw her face for a moment before she buried herself back into the blanket.

Scorpius blushed and looked away. ''This isn't good. If Mirrana were to see this situation I don't know what her mind would lead to.'' Scorpius tried to get closer to the hammock without looking. After being a few feet away his back was to her, but with his head turned facing the same direction her head would be. With his eyes closed he said, "L-Lyn! Sensei! Please wake up!"

She groaned and twisted. "Kishan since when did you call me Sensei. I know I can kick your ass in a fight, but that doesn't make me your Sensei...." She paused for a moment then started speaking again. "Why the hell are you in Bosco anyways? You usually make me come to you."

Is Kishan her boyfriend then? "No I'm not Kishan. It's Scorpius, from yesterday. You said you would train me..." Scorpius said realizing that just talking may not wake her up.

"Scorpius.... that kid with the weird sword? I went easy on that guy. I didn't think he'd actually come." Her eyes opened and she requiped within instants back into her day attire. "Oh. You actually showed up. Well, move so I can get up."

Scorpius moved out of the way to let her up. "What shall we do today then?" Scorpius asked.

She climbed up the limestone cliffside and stood, brushing the excess dust off of her clothes. "You're going to dodge."

"Sounds good to me." Scorpius said pumped. "What do I do first? And you do mean dodge a blade right?"

She snorted. "You're not ready to dodge a blade." She threw a tomato up and down and revealed the basket behind her feet. "You're dodging the worst fruit ever known to mankind, and I'm guessing you want to dodge so you don't ruin your clothes. Get ready Water Boy, they're coming in hot." Lyn finished as she chucked a tomato directly at his abdomen.

Scorpius juked to the side to avoid the lone fruit. "I told you not to call me water boy right? Only my girlfriend can." Scorpius stood their waiting for the next volley.

Lyn grinned. "Do you really want me turn up the heat?" She closed her eyes for a moment and around twenty tomatoes floated in the air around her body. With another deep breath she thrust her arms forward and sent the juicy red fruits flying at him in an almost unavoidable pattern.

Scorpius turned himself Into his water body form, allowing the tomatoes to glide through him without damaging him. "I know this isn't technically dodging but it works." Scorpius said as he reformed into flesh.

She grumbled, "Don't use your magic as a crutch. It will fail you when you need it most." Lyn sent another volley of tomatoes at him from her seemingly endless basket.

"You're right. Sorry" Scorpius said in between dodging the tomatoes. He was able to dodge all but the last one which hit him in the left leg. "Well I guess 1 for 20 isn't bad... but deadly still if this was a real fight."

Lyn nodded in agreement. A buzzing sound briefly filled the air and the swordsman checked her Compact Communications Lacrima. She answered it and said. "Bad time Kishan..." She mouthed one minute to Scorpius and continued talking. "Yeah I'm still here. You got something? Come on over then. I'm with a student. Don't scare him. Yeah. Mhm. Do that. Cya soon Kish." She dropped the lacrima back into her pocket and turned to Scorpius. "Now, where were we?"

"Dodging practice. Who is Kishan though? You mentioned... Nevermind" Scorpius said, not sure if it was appropriate to say what he heard while she was sleeping.

"He's an Information Broker. Don't let his attitude get to you though. He's the best of his trade." Lyn sent another round of flying fruit at Scorpius and chuckled to herself. "He's a real character."

Kishan grumbled walking up the hill, why did Lyn insist on staying so far from town. He remembered what he said to her earlier and shapeshifted. He was supposed to surprise the boy she was training and see how he handled an attack from behind.

After dodging the fruit Scorpius asked, "So he is coming here to meet us? I hope I won't be intruding..." suddenly Scorpius heard something from behind him. He quickly turned around grabbing his sword out of instinct and swung. He didn't see anything but kept a wary eye. "Did you hear growling?" he asked Lyn.

"Nah. Don't worry about it. Besides I told you don't use your sword." Lyn chucked tomatoes at Scorpius to keep him distracted. Meanwhile Kishan was slinking up the hill, his tail flicking slightly. He sniffed the air. Besides smelling the ocean and the familiar honey-like scent of Lyn he smelt something soft. He didn't know how to describe it. It was fresh like spring water, but there was also something dark in it, something that set him on edge. A secret. He always could smell secrets, they smelt like that, but it was something more than that. It was something darker, something sinister. Kishan brushed off the feeling, and jumped. He caught Scorpius by the shoulder knocked him over. He snarled, staring the boy in his face.

"What the hell?" Scorpius said startled at the creature in front of him.He was face to face with what looked like a black and white tiger. "Why are you here? Tiger's don't originate around here at all." Scorpius got up to defend himself.

A deep rumbling chuckle sounded through the air. "You're right Lyn. He is jumpy." said the tiger. He flicked his tail and paced around Scorpius examining him. "He looks strong. Where'd you pick him up Lyn?" "A bar." She replied. "Sounds like you." She laughed, "You sure scared him. Why not show him who you really are." "Nah I like to keep them guessing."

"A talking tiger. Well that makes sense. Is... that Kishan?" Scorpius asked dropping his guard. "So if you can talk can you tell me why you attacked me?"

"Lyn asked me to test your reflexes, so I did." He said. In a flash of light he shifted into his natural form. He had black cat ears as opposed to his regular human ears and a tail on his lower back. He grinned. "Bet you've never seen one of my kind before." Kishan reached out to shake Scorpius' hand. "Kishan Rai, Information Broker and Sword-For-Hire."

Scorpius shook his hand. "Nice to meet you." Scorpius turned to Lyn and said, "Do you want me to give you two some space to talk?"

"No, she called me last night. Coming here today was part of her plan. I'm here to help you with that Claymore of yours. It's a hard blade to learn to use, and Lyn wanted a true master to help." "Shut up. I'm equal to you with a claymore but I can kick your ass with a katana." He threw a tomato at her and she sliced it in half with a knife that was hidden up her sleeve. "Come on kid, give me all you've got." He took off his shirt, and dawned his vest. drawing his Claymore from the sheath on his back.

"Alright." Scorpius said as he drew his sword out again. The blade started to glow with energy right away, but more dim than before. "Should I try to cut the aura down so it's just a blade, or let the magic flow through it?"

"I don't particularly care." Kishan shrugged. "Lyn?" He asked. "Eh whatever." She replied, picking dirt out from under her nails with a knife. "Alright, it's settled then. Come at me."

scorpius grinned with excitement. I can go all out with him I think. The aura around the blade grew as both it and Scorpius' grew in intensity. Scorpius watched Kishan warily, trying to decide whwre to try and hit. He lunged forward aiming for Kishan's arm hoping to be able block his attack at the same time.

Kishan swung half heartedly and knocked Scorpius' blade to the side. He then lunged forward at a cobra-like speed and stabbed at Scorpius poking his chest lightly with the tip of his blade.

"Well that was quick..." Scorpius said. He grabbed his chest to check for blood. He then at full speed tried to stab Kishan back, while also turning his body to water to avoid future damage.

Kishan shapeshifted quickly, into a black house cat and darted between Scorpius' legs. Lyn burst out laughing. "Kishan! You have a kitty form?!" She fell on the ground cackling with laughter. "Shut up Lyn!" His voice was very high pitched and childlike.

Scorpius couldn't help but chuckle. "That reminds me of a story I read back in the day." Suddenly he had a bright idea. "Don't cats not like water?" Scorpius held out his hand and made a weak spray of water pointed towards Kishan.

He hissed shifting back into his Felid form. "Hey! Stop it. It's the truth, we Felids do hate water, although we live on an island. Now get back to work." He went into an overhead swing aiming at Scorpius' head.

Scorpius put his sword up to block the attack. Once the blade hit Scorpius pushed up and back against it, sliding his blade down Kishan's to break away and strike his shoulder.

Kishan took a step backwards and let Scorpius' blade fall to the ground. "That's a decent move, it'd work against a beginner. Now, what Lyn was teaching you was dodging, just dodge my attacks. Lyn dull my blade." Lyn muttered a spell and Kishan experimentally slid it against his arm, when he lifted it it drew no blood. "Perfect. Ok,  Lyn, get out of her and go get me a few beers, I'm staying the night." Lyn nodded, and could tell by his attitude that they were going to have a men's moment, and she did not want to be around if Kishan got angry. "Cya in an hour or so." She waved as she walked down the hill towards town.

Scorpius watched as Lyn left. "So... what next?"

"You smell weird. What is your deal. Why'd you come to Lyn, and how'd you find out about her. No one knows about her." Kishan grabbed Scorpius by the collar. "So. Tell me or else I'll gut you."

Scorpius stuttered. "I was just traveling to train and I over heard people talking about a swordsman around bosco. What do you mean I smell weird? I showered this morning."

Kishan sniffed him. "I can smell people's secrets, and their scents. Your scent smells like spring water, but there is something dark within it.. Tainted.. Something you've hidden."

Scorpius heart quickened. ''How would he know that? ''"I never hid anything. It's more forced onto me..." Scorpius said trying to avoid the subject. He pushed Kishan away from his collar. "I thought you were here to train me, not to interrogate me?"

Kishan sneered, his canines showing. "I'm also here to protect her. She's the closest thing to family I have on this mainland, and there's no way in hell that I'm going back to Felieda. Tell me your secret."

Scorpius sighed. "If you really want to know... My family was cursed, well, 'blessed' by a demigoddess to give us some of her magic when we are in danger. In return though... She wants the owners of the curse to kill for her. I was born with this curse as well as my uncle. My grandfather was the original person to gain the curse from the witch. A side affect of the curse is that when it kicks in we go bloodthirsty nuts...." Scorpius' eyes were growing wild from talking abou his secret. "For a while, I was being haunted by her, she was around me at all times yet jo one else could see her... On christmas eve she showed me my grandfather who I never met& and he murdered a couple right in front of us. She wanted me to see how, in her words, pleasurable it was to kill. She wants me to kill for her, saying I was born destined to be her knight. After she showed me the deaths, I attacked her. I had enough of her in my life. She beat me though, and gave me an ultimatum. Either I join her and kill for her next christmas eve, or she will take my girlfriend, my fiance ajd torture her to death until I say yes." Scorpius took a deep breath as thinking about what will happen causes his anger to rise. " ...She... The demi goddess has left me alone since then, giving me a year off to think. I chose to take the time to train. That is my secret... Happy?"

"That.. Well, Um... My first girlfriend went full beast mode on her period because of her soul, and tried to kill me." Kishan pulled up his shirt to reveal a scar shaped like a claw. "Then my dead brother murdered her, so.. That was fun. Either way, now I know you're not a threat to Lyn so we can keep training. But between use, if you need help. I'll help for half price." Kishan said reluctantly. "Now lets get back to work before she kicks both of our asses."

"First answer me this question. How much of the darkness did you sense?" Scorpius asked, looking worried.