”Cerondee-training will last for ten years. The training of ZarewCerondeen will be divided like this: For the first three years you’ll have ten hours, counting also breaks and lunch, sword practising. Four times a week. For these three years all the practising will happen with only one sword. Once a week you’ll have rehearsals which will build up your strength and agility.”

After the breakfast Lilis had commanded the girl to get their swords and the follow her. The overlooked door in the wall of the dining hall in the main building had lead them into a room, which clearly served as a practising hall.

”When these three first years are over, the next four years are completely same as their schedule, but you’ll use both swords on the sword lessons. For the rest thee years you’ll have no scheduled lessons, and it’s not necessary for you to practise with the blades at all, though I’d highly recommend it. You’ll have different kind of missions. There’s no final exam in Cerondee tribe. You’ll pass the training and become ZarewCerondee after ten years time, and if your masters, both of them, accept you. But unless Serathe or Reijzah does not see you as Cerondee, you’ll be banished from our tribe,” Lilis had a short break.

”Only fractional part from all Cerondees is living in this village . Most of Cerondees live outside, spread out all over Chali’enda. They’ll keep their eyes and ears open for possible job-offers, and if needed, contact us here.”

Cheryza examined the faces of the girls sitting in the hall. They all seemed surprised.

”Cerondee is loyal only to her tribe, her Spirit guide, to her goddess, and to the person, who at the moment is paying her salary. Cerondees are hired assassins, thieves, soldiers. When Serathe calls you, you will come, even though you’d be on the other side of Chali’enda. When you become fully authorized Cerondees, you may decide if you stay in the village, or leave to the outside. In the village you may ask for continuing training, and maybe then one day you’ll become Zarew-master.

But now, end for talk and start the practise!!”

Cheryza noticed Triloa standing only few feet ahead of her. She turned to look at Cheryza and grinned. The girl held her sword in a carefree grip. Cheryza herself a little nervous as she took her own sword in her hand. Everyone else here had been born to the tribe and raised among it for years. Cheryza had never held a sword in her hand. Never.

”We’ll start with the basics. Here, ” Lilis showed to all, ”is a right grip of the sword.”

Ten hours later Cheryza sat down on her mattress. She was slightly disappointed. They had not been learning any kind of moves yet. She could hear Lilis’ clear and bright voice in her head.

”You must learn to know your sword. You shall wield that sword as long as you’ll live. It will save your life for several times. You must trust the sword. You must be the sword.”

Cheryza snorted. Though she partly understood, what was the point of Lilis’ words, they still seemed stupid. She watched the piece of parchment, which was attached to the wall, above the notch.

Parchment was a schedule, where stood the training times.

Rennohen, the first day of the week, started with a breakfast, which was at 5:30. First sword lesson started at six o’clock, Zarew-master Lilis was the trainer. Lunch was from ten to eleven. Second sword lesson began at eleven, and lasted until five o’clock. At six the dinner was served. Rest of the night was spare time, but Lilis wanted absolute silence from ten o’clock. Sleep was important.

Trahen was otherwise exactly the same, but Zarew-master Aneiwa was their trainer.

At Nielhen Cheryza had time to participate only to the first sword lesson. After the lunch she should hurry to where the Poisongroup had their lessons. After that lesson she had one hour free time, to hurry to the Cerondee-village, to the house of Reijzah where the Gifted group met. That lesson would end at eight, so Cheryza had to hurry so she could eat the dinner in time, before the silence fell.

At Zewhen Cheryza had a lesson with the Poisongroup instead of the first sword lesson. To the second sword lesson she was able to attend normally.

At Lunnhen Cheryza was the whole day with Zarew-group, doing the exercises “to build up strength, agility and condition” as Lilis had told them.

The last day of the week, Sojhen, was a day off for Zarew-group. But not for Cheryza. The wake up was only at half past seven, but since the other girls were allowed to sleep for as long as they wanted, it seemed unfair to Cheryza. The first lesson was with the Poisongroup. After lunch Cheryza continued with the Gifted. Dinner was at seven o’clock.

So, she would have 30 hours of sword lessons, 12 hours with Poisongroup and 8 hours with Gifted a week.

Cheryza sighed. After careless, free life this all scheduling seemed depressing. Would she still have enough time to run away? Surely Xalitha wouldn’t mind even though…

’Trust me.’

’Is this all really inevitable?’

You’ll realize after few hundred years that I was right. As always.’

Cheryza snorted, and threw herself on the mattress, lying now there on her back. She didn’t speak about her doubts aloud. Even gods couldn’t be always right…. Couldn’t they?

”Cheryza!”

Woman heard someone repeating her name, with a frustrated voice. Little afterwards she realised that the same someone was shaking her body. Cheryza forced herself to wake up.

She saw Nenna, who was bending over the thief.

”Well it’s about time!” She burst aloud slightly annoyed. ”Hurry up. If you’re late from the breakfast, Lilis will without a doubt give you a lecture…”

Cheryza sighed as she forced herself to stand up. It was only quarter past five in the morning. Getting up that early wasn’t easy for a thief, who usually used to work at night, going to bed at four o’clock and waking up after a day – or night at work, only after noon.

Anyway she managed to stand up and dress herself and she was in the hall ten minutes after she had woke up.

The cheerful buzz of conversation in the breakfast table only seemed to annoy Cheryza more. At the moment she truly felt herself older than all the others.

Triloa, who was sitting on her left side, poked Cheryzas cheek with the tip of her spoon.

”Quit being so sullen. Cheer up. You’ll get used to the early wakening in time.”

”Let her mope around in her own peace”, Nenna grinned from Cheryzas right side. ”She can’t be like that forever you know.”

The sword lessons that day with Zarew-master Aneiwa were pretty much same, than the earlier lessons with Lilis. All the exercises were now only repeated with left hand. Annoyance only grew during the day, and Cheryza didn’t notice Nenna and Triloa, rolling their eyes behind her back.

But in the end of the last Sword lesson happened something, that lifted Cheryzas mood up, and what made all the thoughts of running away vanish.

”Now”, Aneiwa spoke with his low, steady voice, ”I’ll ask Zarew-master Lilis to come here in front of you all. We will now show, what you should be able to do, if you’ll pass the training.”

Lilis, who had been unnoticed, leaning on the wall, now walked up next to Aneiwa. Alertness could be seen in every single move she made.

The blades made a loud ”clang” as they met each other in the air. Zarew-masters had clearly fought against each other earlier also, since all circulating the opponent and trying his strength was missing from the beginning of the fight. Fast dodges, turns, And the rhythmic clanging whenever the blades hit each other, All of it together made it seem more like a dance as a battle.

Cheryzas eyes widened, and she wasn’t the only one in the hall, staring the pair with a whole new glint of respect in their eyes. No. She was not running away. She wanted to stay here. Despite the hard schedule she’d survive. And she would finish the training, and pass. And she’d become a Zarewcerondee.

So on the next morning Cheryza woke up early, without any word of complaint and she attended to the swords class with a whole new enthusiasm, and patiently accepted when she did not exactly learn anything new. After the lunch she met Reijzah on the inner courtyard of the Zarew-groups headquarters .

”I came to guide you to the Poisongroup, for your next lesson will be held there.”

Cheryza smiled happily.

”Nice to meet you again, Cerondee Reijzah”, Cheryza said with a short bow.

Reijzah raised his eyebrow.

”Now what’s all this about?”

”What do you mean?”

”Lets just say, that seeing you’ve grown up on the streets, your nature has been blessed with quite big amount of pride. So why are you now suddenly bowing in front of me?”

Cheryza blushed slightly.

”I only got to know… that you are the wise man of Cerondee-tribe.. Why didn’t you tell me that before?”

”You didn’t need to know that then”, Reijzah answered shortly and headed away from the inner courtyard and chose a narrow path going to west.

Cheryza hurried to follow the old man, and during the rest of the way neither of them said a word.

”Ranqe, here’s your special student.”

”Oh I see….. Interesting.”

Cheryza watched the short and thin man, who looked back at her with very intense gaze. Cheryza could not really say she liked him.

”Zarew-trainee Cheryza, here’s Poisonmaster Ranqe.”

Cheryza gave a short bow.

Reijzah made a small gesture and Cheryza sat down on the floor among the other trainees. part of them had a black ribbon on their arm, others had white. Some had a ribbon in their both arms, other black and the other white. Black was the colour of the Poisongroup, white of the Weaponless. Cheryzas own ribbon was deep red.

Once again she felt the curious glances being thrown onto her direction, but she ignored them.

Ranqe and Reijzah talked for awhile, keeping their voices down so no one in the room could hear their words. Then the old man left and the lesson was ready to begin.

”I’ll teach you about every culture in Chali’enda. The habits and manners, history, religion and myths. Besides that, I shall teach you all to read, write and calculate. And, you shall learn elvish.”

Cheryza changed her mind about Ranqe. The man seemed to know quite a lot. He had earned her respect.

These lessons would surely be very useful.

”Hey, what are you doing up here?” Cheryza barely hear the whisper coming behind her but she surely felt the prod on her back

Cheryza turned her head to see a young-looking guy from the poisongroup, sitting a feet from her.

”Obviously, I’m on a lesson”, Cheryza answered calmly.

Boy grinned.

”Well I had no idea! Jann.”

”Cheryza.”

They had no more time to talk with each other, since on that moment the poisonmaster gave them a warning look.

”Let us start with the basics. Chali’enda is divided into two, the Union of the lands of Light and Rodacen. The Union is formed of all the lands, which share the same religion, they all believe in the same goddess, Xalitha. People of Rodacen are unbelievers, they see their emperor Acechir as a god. The Union is made by eight different lands, six of them are lands of men and two of them are lands of elves.”

Cheryza covered a yawn with her hand. She already knew all of that. Though she hadn’t had proper education, she was not a dummy!

”But we’ll get back to this later. Now her you can see the alphabet. Copy them on your own parchment. Learn them by heart. When you’re finished, place your quills on the floor.”

Cheryza grimaced and got the writing utensils she had got from Reijzah before the lesson.

When Cheryza stepped out of the little building, where the lesson had been held, Reijzah was standing there and waiting for her.

”I hope you remember the way, for I shall not be guiding you the next time”, said the old man.

”A good thief has a good memory”, Cheryza answered with a grin.

They walked back to the village of Cerondee-warriors. Reijzahs house was on the edge of town, right next to the wall of the mountain. Seven youngsters were on the yard, waiting for them. The group of the Gifted.

They all bowed Reijzah as he walked by them. Cheryza felt again glances on her back, and saw a glimpse of Nenna winking at her. Reijzah opened his door. He lead the group from the entrance hall to left, into a little room, which had pillows on the floor. Cheryza was about to sit down on one of the pillows in the back of the room but before she did, Reijzah talked to her lowly.

”Come with me to the front of the room, Cheryza.”

Cheryza did what she was told to, though she really wondered what it was about.

The others of the group slowly came in and sat down onto the floor. Reijzah stood in front of the whole room, watching them and four feet to the left from the wise man was standing very confused and nervous Cheryza.

Beside Cheryza and Nenna, the group had only one other girl, bearing the black ribbon of the poisongroup. Cheryza felt that the gazes of the trainees were more on her than on Reijzah. Uncomfortable feeling inside her only grew larger.

”You’ve al been invited here, since from the trainees of this year you’re the only ones, who have the Gift”, when he started to talked, Reijzah snapped trainers attention from Cheryza to himself. Cheryza was only grateful because of that.

”Gift usually runs in the family, as we can well see today too. I’ve taught a parent of each of you when they were trainees… Each save for Cheryzas.” Reijzah looked at her.

”I’ve heard my father had it”, Cheryza said quietly, so that only the wise man heard her words.

Reijzah nodded at her words and continued:

”Gift is given to you by the goddess. Gift is a piece of her own power… But I’m not giving you a lecture.” Reijzah turned now to watch Cheryza.

”Cheryza here will be our example.”

A loud WHAT?! echoed in her mind.

”Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Block every possible thing that’s around you and might disturb you and then dive into yourself. When you get deep enough, you’re supposed to find a bowl.”

Cheryza searched for it until she felt a slight warm coming up from somewhere deeper. She dove after it.

And there it was. A big silvery bowl, which sent out the warm.

”I can see it.”

She was able to find it so fast? Reijzah wondered quietly.

”As you can see, it’s sealed. You can’t see what’s inside. Now, Cheryza, open the seal.”

Open the seal? How on the name of the goddess she was supposed to do that?! Cheryza decided to try her best. She gathered up all of her strength and pushed hard against the seal, until she was very exhausted. Disappointed, annoyed, tired she placed her hand on the seal.

Would you please now open?

Nothing happened.

Curse you! Cheryza shouted in her mind. She saw an image of her ripping the seal into a thousand little pieces.

She nearly fell straight into the bowl, for suddenly, without any warning, the seal vanished.

”It opened..!” Cheryza more wondered the thing aloud herself, than let Reijzah know about her success.

”Good. Now, Cheryza. Imagine you reaching out your hand and touch the surface of the magic in the bowl.”

Cheryza watched the liquid, which was glimmering with different colours, and which was peacefully swirling in the bowl. She slowly streched herself forward. Her hand vanished under the surface. It was not cold, nor warm. It was wet nor dry.

Nenna watched among others, how Cheryza, who was standing her eyes closed in front of the room, slowly stretched her hand before her, reaching for something none of them could see.

And then, Nenna gave a little shout.

Bright flames were licking on her hand. The shout made Cheryza open her eyes. surprised the woman watched her hand that was on fire. The poisongroup girl sitting next to Nenna was still screaming. Confused Cheryza looked her Giftmaster.

”Is this supposed to happen?”

Reijzah started to laugh.

”In the name of Xalitha, cut that out already, would you?!” Cheryza spat out. Her words were meant to the girl of the poisongroup, but apparently they also worked on the flames on her hand.

Reijzah finally got serious again.

”Yes… When you touch the pure magic inside the bowl for the first time, it shall reveal you, what is your strongest element. Usually, at least after training, you’re able to use the power of your element without any spells and even then, when your powers are sealed.”

Cheryza grinned at herself.

”May I go to sit now?” she asked from the old man.

“Did you place the seal back on the bowl?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Good. Now you may go to sit”, he smiled.

Cheryza walked to the back of the room and sat down next to Nenna.

”Now, I want you to do exactly the same, what Cheryza did here in front of you. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Block out everything around you and concentrate on yourself…”

Cheryza wrapped the cloak more tightly around her. Still there was enough light to see the path back to girlshall of Zarew-group. Cold wind made the tree-branches swing.

”Autumn is coming”, Cheryza said watching around her.

Nenna ignored her. She was still so excited about her first lesson in the group of the Gifted.

”I got so scared when I saw your hand on fire! But Jindei was totally terrified, she only stopped screaming when you got annoyed.” Nenna giggled.

Cheryza shrugged.

”Those flames did no harm to me. They only warmed up my hand a bit…” Cheryza grinned.

”But to tell you the truth I’m not surprised at all that my strongest element is fire. My character has always been pretty blazing.”

Nenna laughed.

”I’m happy with my element too,” the girl smiled.

Cheryza smiled back and watched the dark-haired girl. As well as fire was good for her, the air was good for Nenna...