The earthy dust flared around him as he focused his energy to his feet, ready to show off his speed.

“Why can’t I see your aura accumulating by your feet?” She asked curiously, looking back at the aura of Gerrard, his where concentrated by his feet, yet the effect it had on the ground was minimal…

“That’s because Ryker has an abundance of energy to spare and is barely using any. I on the other hand have barely enough to last a whole fight as long as you had with him last week.” Gerrard explained, letting his energy, his aura return to its normal flow, the sweat stinging his beet red face, he heaved in a deep breath.

“Ryker I have other duties to return to, Misses Houston had put in a request for an escort on her trip to Xheno, I’ll be back within a fortnight.” He bowed and left as soon as Ryker waved him off, so easy irritated by the sound of ‘work’.

“It’s useless for the two of us to spar when you can’t even dodge me, so practice what I showed you!” He ordered yawning and stretching as he left her stranded there in the middle of the woods.

“Great!” She ground her teeth; the man never showed or told her anything! It just didn’t make sense! What he basically did was exactly the same her mother has told her… To focus her energy to a single point… Her aura has never budged never moved, as if fixed in place.

Meditation wasn’t going to help her either…

“Aaahhh!!!!” She screamed, startling the birds from the perches in the trees. Gripping at the root of her hair she plopped down, falling backwards to stare at the drifting puffs of clouds.

“He didn’t even put me up at a higher rank… Hell I survived against a beast like him and I’m still a rank 1 rookie? A Trainee?” She hissed in her annoyance.

She had in the end escaped her dictated fate only to be halted by someone like Ryker… Why must he know who she was? Did her mother contact him; tell him to keep her in his sights? She ran through all the possibilities again for the umpteenth time that week.

“Maybe if I didn’t act so cocky and all mighty and what not I might have stood a better chance against him… No… I would have done my research on the so called ‘king of the arena’ and taken the long root or hell even headed for a different Guild HQ for the Examination!” She let her thoughts be voiced.

She bounced back up and took her stance deciding to keep trying. Hell if Gerrard, a true commoner, could do it then she could too! Maybe if she was able to get it right she could cast spells like her mother too?

She felt for her energy and focused on dragging it towards her feet, her eyes closed the world around her seemed different when she was ‘meditating’ like this. She now could see the energy that was the aura of everything around her as clearly as a star’s light at night. She felt her mind wonder, feeling like she had left her own body and was looking at herself… She watched her aura cling to her like her already soaked clothes… How long had it been? No!

She refused to get distracted now! Continuing to force her aura to her feet, she had to erase all other distractions! Soon the only aura in her sights where her own!

“How long has she been at it?!” Ryker barked for an answer, startling the maid.

“Sir, it’s been too long! She hasn’t eaten yet, not moved for over nine hours!” The maid sounded concerned for Averisa’s health and safety.

“And nothing yet?”

“No Sir!” The maid’s eyes flashed a bright silver before returning to their dull blue-gray color.

“Her Aura doesn’t even seem to flow like others’; like she’s shielded, her aura acts more like armor than ‘energy’.” The maid furrowed her brows as she tried to make sense of it.

“No wonder she hasn’t been able to cast any magic spells of her own.”

“I’m glad someone like you in my service, Meryl, It’s a rare gift you have.”

“And here she is, also able to see aura’s.”

“But by the sounds of it, not as clear as yourself.” Ryker flung his arm around the dainty maid, gaining him a scowl from her.

“Sir! Please remove yourself from me!” She ordered.

A glistening bead of sweat dropped from her chin.

“She’s going to faint from dehydration soon enough, try and get her to come out of her trance before then; I’ll tell Foster to come lead the two of you back home.” Ryker ordered.

“Yes Sir!” Meryl bowed in greeting her ‘master’ as he left.

Meryl, stepped closer to Averisa.

“Young Miss!” She tapped the girl’s shoulder.

“Miss!” Nothing, Averisa was completely lost in her mind!

Meryl laid her hands on the girl’s head, her eyes glazing over, her irises hinted with a silver glow.

“Sorry Miss. This will most likely leave you with a splitting headache!” She warned before allowing her aura to disrupt Averisa’s own ‘armor’ like aura.

“What…?” Averisa watched as her aura seemed to crack before mending itself again.

“Sorry Miss! Sorry! I’m truly sorry!” She heard a voice plead just as the last crack was mended.

A sudden jolt to her core and more cracks splintered into her tightly clinging aura.

“Please Miss, you have to return! The sooner the better, or else I’m afraid this is only going to hurt more!” Averisa recognized the voice, it was Meryl’s; the timid maid always lurking in Ryker’s shadow…

Just then Averisa noticed her exhaustion, her bones ached as her muscles spasmed.

“How long have I…?” She eyes jolted open.

“Miss!” Meryl gasped.