Sweat drips off the end of my nose while I'm hunched over, grasping for air to fill my lungs. It's been a week straight of training with Pira, and it never gets any easier. But at least I'm getting better with a sword.

"Nope. You're not going to get better if I don't try my hardest to hit you." Unfortunately, she's right.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's go again."

We've gotten into a bit of a routine. First, sword training, or as I've been thinking of it, hit me really hard with a stick in one spot until I learn to block it. Then we go into magic. Pira was able to get Stone Skin to activate for less than a second, so I've been trying to help her increase that. We're still opponents when the tryouts start, but we can help each other for now. We finish training by running a few laps around the training center. I've got to have stamina for the tryouts. If I can't breathe, I can't win.

***

We're about to begin our run when we hear a voice behind us. "Mind if I join you guys?"

I turn around and notice who asked the question. It’s Oriah Anders. Thirty-three, knight-sorcerer, local legend. 'Knight-sorcerers' like him have just enough magic in their well to be useful and more than enough talent with a blade to terrify anyone still training with sticks, but not enough of either to be considered a master of one. He graduated a few years before us, and now leads the second most dangerous Beasthunter group in Westholender. And no, he’s not the reason they’re not number one.

"Sure, why not?" Why does he want to run with us? The guy doesn't know us. Perhaps he's trying to scout us.

We begin our run. "First time trying out? This is my fourth try." I already knew that. I've been scouting the competition ever since I decided I was going to try to make it to the Invitational all those years ago.

"Yep, this is our first. Just graduated." I look over to Pira and see her practically about to burst with fangirl energy. Didn't peg her as a fan.

"Yeah, it doesn't get any easier. Young prospects keep getting better, and the old guard never gets worse. Especially recently." He's right about that. The average retirement age for Invitational hopefuls keeps going up.

Well, Pira's trying not to explode, so I guess I'll carry the conversation along. "Really? Doesn't seem like it'd be much of an issue for you." Inflating his ego might give me an edge later on.

He chuckles. "Oh, it is an issue. Most older hopefuls won't be selected for the Invitational, Shigon being the exception, but they still drain you during tryouts. During the last cycle, if it wasn't for an older knight lady nearly taking my head off, I might've beaten Shigon. Made it all the way to the finals only for wounds suffered in previous rounds to catch up to me." Oriah loves to talk, doesn't he? "And don't even get me started on the young prospects. I'm pretty sure your graduating class all would've given me a challenge when I was your age."

Pira finally speaks up. "You know us?"

"Well, yeah, of course." Uh oh, Pira might faint. "I have to know what I'm up against when the tryouts come around. I know the top students from your class, plus the two above you. Since the Invitational only happens every three years, I've got to keep track of three years' worth of future rivals." He jogs half a step ahead of us, not even winded.

Future rivals? He's been watching me just like I've been watching him. "So what have you gathered then?" May as well test his knowledge.

"Mondor, you have an aptitude for magic so great that if your control and patience ever catch up to your power, the rest of us are screwed. On the other side of the coin, Pira can control a sword with the same ease that most people put on their tunic and boots in the morning. It also helps that her quickness is unmatched." I see Pira blushing in the corner of my eye.

She asks another question. "So, how do you beat us if we're so talented?"

He smiles. "Easy, I don’t try to beat your strengths. I wait for your mistakes. People your age tend to rush. You don't like 'silence' in combat, so you try to fill that silence with spells. Or by swinging your weapon. It tires you out and leaves an opening for me to cut you down." Then he finishes the run and turns to leave, but not before saying one last thing. "I hope you learned something from me. You're going to need it. I'll see both of you at tryouts."

***

"So, do you have a crush on him or what?" I couldn't help myself.

"Oh, shut up! It's not a crush. He's just really cool..." I see her blushing again.

"Yeah, I bet. What've you got planned for tonight?"

She looks away for a second like she's thinking. "I don't know. Mother and father are still on their visit to Slovetch. The orcs are paying them to settle a border dispute with Hinarialis. Something about the Elarin wanting rights to the southern half of the Uratarian River. They say it runs through their ancestral spawning ground, whatever that means."

I could be studying my notes on my competitors right now, but I think she might need a friend. I can always study when later. "How about we go grab some sizzlebites? We can strategize for the tryouts while we eat, you know?"

"Yeah, that sounds nice. I'll meet you outside in a halfclock."