Game of Prythian

Chapter Thirty-Three

Those who could look past that, like Mari and my friends back on Prythian, those were my friends, allies. They understood that deep down, no matter how many different words there were, none of them would describe who I am. None of them, but the name Kana Archeron Brangwen.

Archeron, a river from a fairy tale that ran through the underworld. Brangwen, the dark and pure ones. Kana, one simple word that could mean so many things. Yet the word it defined was powerful.

✵ ✵ ✵ ✵ ♞ ♝ ♜ ♛ ♜ ♝ ♞ ✵ ✵ ✵ ✵

I adjusted my pony tail slightly, and stepped out into the sunlight. Falcon bowed jokingly, "So glad you could finally join us."

"I had some visitors." I explained shortly. Pulling a staff from the barrel Xer grinned. Head tilting slightly, his grin only grew. He wanted a taste of the skill then. Perhaps mercy was a little underrated for today.

Entering the ring Xer was quick to join me, the males were shirtless and sweating. Disgusting, yet even my eyes caught on to how fit the lot of them were. Falcon especially. He raised a brow, I quickly flipped hima vugular gesture. He laughed and said, "Xerxes win please."

Xer launched himself at me, I brought the staff up and blocked his attack. I swung my leg through the dirt, the dust rose up and hid me from sight. Xer cursed and listened for my breathing. By the time he noticed I was already striking behind him.

He gripped my staff with his bare hand, trying to pull away, Xer's grip was too string. I kicked his unsuspecting wrist and knocked his staff over into my hand. Quickly releasing the grip on my own staff I shift my weight trying to study Xer.

We circled for a bit before I lunged left, he followed, yet so quickly he couldn't calculate I lunged back right and struck the crooks of his knees. He crashed into the dirt, and I pointed the staff at his face.

Xer smiled, "Not so rusty anymore are we?"

I hummed and evacuated the ring before someone else could challenge me. Sitting on my usual crate Theo came and sat to the right. He murmured, "I wish I could have warned you before they showed up, father didn't tell us until after mother took you up to see them."

"It's okay," I declared. "It was good to see them, even though I don't really want to go back to Prythian."

Theo turned his head to me, I explained. "I'm going to help with Hybern, even if they turn down my assistance. However, I can't see myself living there, it just feels right to be here."

Theo nodded glancing at Darwyn as he and Falcon fought. Small footsteps drug my attention. Athena looked up and me, I smiled down at her. Picking her up I sat her down between Theo and I. "How are you?"

She whispered, "I'm good."

Theo hopped off the crates and went to spar with Darwyn who apparently challenged Xer and Falcon to a team match. She murmured, "I don't want to fight like you all do."

"That's okay." I declared. She glanced up at me, "How? Everyone else is strong while I'm just me."

She climbed into my lap and leaned back into me. I explained, "Strength isn't just in muscle and fighting Athena."

"What do you mean?" Her green eyes peered up to me. "Do you know Father's advisors?"

She nodded quickly and sat up to pay more attention. I explained, "Knowledge, Athena is one of the greatest weapons you can have." She nodded as I added," A wise man once said, 'The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.'"