The next morning, I wake up to the sound of sizzling meat and the sharp hiss of Ryu's tools. Blinking away the sleep from my eyes, I look around the cave, still groggy. Sunlight filters in through the entrance, casting a warm glow over everything. I spot Talia by the fire, flipping strips of salted pork in a pot, the aroma making my stomach rumble. Near the worktable, Ryu is hard at work, sparks flying from whatever he's crafting, with Nikko standing beside him, watching intently.

  "Good morning," Talia greets me with a smile, grabbing a plate and piling it high with crispy bacon and fried eggs. She hands it to me along with a fork, and I thank her, sitting down by the fire. The warmth from the flames feels comforting against the cool morning air.

  "Sleep well?" Talia asks, sitting beside me with her own plate of food.

  "Somewhat," I reply, trying to shake off the remnants of a restless night.

  As we eat, I notice Ryu setting down his tools. With a whir and a series of mechanical clicks, something lifts off from the worktable. My eyes widen as I watch a small droid hover into the air. Its central body is a sleek, dark oval, almost like a flattened disk, with a single large, red eye glowing at its center. The droid's three spindly arms, each tipped with claw-like appendages, move with precise, calculated motions. It floats effortlessly on four articulated legs, which seem designed for both mobility and fine manipulation. The red eye gives it an almost sentient appearance, as if it's observing everything around it with keen interest.

  Nikko lets out an excited squeal as the little droid flies around the cave, stopping in front of me and Talia. It beeps enthusiastically, its red eye blinking rhythmically.

  "Say hi to DP-8," Ryu says, a hint of pride in his voice.

  The droid beeps again, this time more insistently, as if it's waiting for me to respond.

  "Uh, hello," I mumble, feeling a bit silly talking to a machine.

  Talia, on the other hand, seems more at ease. "Hi there," she says, reaching out as the droid extends one of its arms. She shakes it with a grin. "Nice to meet you."

  The droid chirps happily, then turns to Ryu, who introduces it to the others. When he mentions Nikko, DP-8 circles around her, and she giggles, her tail swishing with delight.

  "What kind of droid is that?" Talia asks, tearing off a piece of bacon and popping it into her mouth.

  "That is a seeker droid," Ryu explains, leaning against the worktable. "Works the same way DP-7 did. Now I can conduct proper reconnaissance."

  I can't help but raise an eyebrow. "Wouldn't that giant red eye be a dead giveaway?" I point out, eyeing the droid skeptically.

  Ryu smirks. "That won't be a problem." He messes with his glove, and the droid suddenly vanishes from sight.

  "Where did it go?" Nikko asks, her ears twitching as she looks around the cave.

  "DP-8 is still here," Ryu explains, "It can camouflage itself."

  Just as Nikko's curiosity peaks, Ryu messes with his glove again, and with a slight hum, DP-8 reappears before them, its red eye glowing brightly as if it had never vanished.

  Nikko giggles in delight, reaching out as the droid hovers close to her again, its small arms extending as if offering a handshake.

  He then gives the droid its first mission. "I want you to head to Inyeth Themar and look for any secret passages to the main palace. Stay hidden and report back to me at the end of the day."

  The droid beeps in acknowledgment, and just like that, it's gone, flying out of the cave and disappearing into the air.

  "What will we do in the meantime?" Talia asks, her curiosity piqued.

  "I suggest training," Ryu says as he retrieves a small crate from his pouch of holdings and dumps its contents onto the worktable. Various small parts and metal plates spill out, and he immediately starts sorting them, already absorbed in his task.

  "And what will you do?" Talia inquires, watching him with interest.

  "Making some more surveillance," Ryu answers as he begins to arrange the parts and picks up his welding tool. The tool's tip glows red-hot as it meets the metal, and sparks fly as he works with careful precision.

  I finish my food just as Talia does, and we decide to head out for some more target practice. As we pass Ryu, he suddenly stops us.

  "Wait," he says, his voice firm. I turn to face him, a knot of anxiety tightening in my stomach. "Rebecca, I want you to learn actual self-defense. Blasters are good, but what if you lose them or your knife?"

  "But I'm not much of a fighter," I stammer, the familiar fear creeping back in.

  "My point exactly," he says, his gaze locking onto mine. "Apollo will teach you. He'll be waiting for you where you practiced with your blaster yesterday."

  He then turns to Nikko. "I want you to train too," He says, patting her on the head.

  Nikko nods eagerly, already excited at the prospect of training, and grabs Talia's hand. But I hesitate, my eyes still on Ryu as he returns to his work. The sparks continue to fly, and I notice that what he's working on looks like a ball of metal, though its purpose eludes me.

  "You coming?" Talia calls out, breaking me from my thoughts. I look over at her and Nikko, who are both waiting for me, and nod, though the fear within me only grows stronger. The three of us make our way to the training ground, where Apollo stands patiently by the trees where we practiced shooting before.

  ?????

  The knot in my stomach tightens even more as I look around the training area Apollo has brought us to. The wooden puppets standing in a row look intimidating, their surfaces worn and scarred from countless training sessions. I take a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves, but my hands are already trembling.

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  "Ryu wants me to teach you hand-to-hand combat," Apollo says, his voice calm but firm. I watch as he turns to Talia. "Miss Talia, are you familiar with hand-to-hand combat?"

  Talia nods confidently, her posture relaxed and assured. "Yes, I am."

  "Good," Apollo replies, then shifts his gaze to me. "Miss Rebecca, are you familiar with hand-to-hand combat?"

  I feel the knot in my stomach tighten painfully. I've never been in a real fight before. The only experience I have is from stabbing that cloaked man, and that was pure instinct, nothing more. I shake my head slowly, too afraid to admit it out loud. Apollo nods, his understanding clear, but it doesn't do much to calm my nerves.

  "Then I'll split you three into two teams. Miss Talia, you'll be teamed with Miss Nikko, and you, Miss Rebecca, are teamed with me."

  Nikko's excitement is almost palpable as she bounces on her toes, her ears twitching with anticipation. Talia nods, her confidence radiating. But I can't shake the feeling of dread growing inside me as I watch them move to the other side of the training area. Talia immediately starts showing Nikko a proper stance, demonstrating punches in the air that Nikko eagerly mimics.

  I'm momentarily distracted by them when Apollo's voice pulls me back. "Miss Rebecca?"

  I turn to him quickly, blinking as I try to focus. "Sorry, yes, I'm ready," I say, though my voice sounds shaky even to my own ears.

  Apollo steps closer, his presence towering yet oddly comforting. "We'll start with the basics," he says, his tone patient. "First, let's get into the proper stance."

  I try to mimic his stance, but everything feels awkward. My feet are too close together, my arms feel stiff, and I can't shake the feeling that I'm doing it all wrong. Apollo steps forward, gently nudging my elbows in and adjusting my footing. His touch is light, but it helps to guide me into a more stable position.

  "Good," he says. "Now, let's work on a basic punch."

  He demonstrates a punch, moving slowly so I can see each part of the motion. "Your power comes from your core and shoulders, not just your arms. Try it."

  I take a deep breath and throw a punch at the wooden puppet in front of me. It feels weak, barely making contact with the puppet. I glance over at Talia and Nikko. Nikko is laughing as she tries to mimic Talia's high kicks, her tail swishing in delight. Meanwhile, my punch has barely made a dent.

  Apollo doesn't seem phased. "Try again," he encourages. "Focus on your core and rotate your hips as you punch."

  I try again, putting more effort into it this time. There's a bit more force, but it still feels off. Apollo nods approvingly. "Better. Now keep practicing."

  The training goes on like this, with Apollo patiently guiding me through the basics—punches, kicks, even some basic sweeps. My body feels stiff and uncoordinated, and the knot in my stomach doesn't seem to be going away. Each time I glance over at Talia and Nikko, I can see how much fun they're having, how confident they both are. It makes me feel even more out of place.

  Apollo corrects my form again, showing me how to shift my weight from one foot to the other. "Stay light on your feet," he says, demonstrating the movement. "And don't forget to breathe."

  I try to follow his instructions, but my nerves are getting the best of me. My punches feel sloppy, my kicks weak. But Apollo is patient, never showing any sign of frustration. "It's okay to make mistakes," he tells me after one particularly weak punch. "That's how you learn."

  Gradually, I start to feel a slight change. My punches become a bit more solid, my kicks more accurate. I'm still not great—far from it—but I'm starting to understand the basics. The knot in my stomach loosens just a little, but it's still there, a constant reminder of how far I have to go.

  ?????

  Just as I manage to land a decent punch on the wooden puppet, I hear footsteps approaching. I look up to see Ryu walking toward us, his presence commanding as always. "How's the training coming along?" he asks, his voice calm but curious.

  Nikko is the first to respond, rushing over to him, her tail swishing with excitement. "Papa, look! Miss Talia taught me how to punch and kick like this!" She demonstrates a quick combination of strikes, her movements surprisingly quick and precise for her size.

  Ryu smiles down at her, patting her head affectionately. Her ears twitch happily, and she beams up at him, clearly pleased with his praise. "You're doing great, Nikko," he says, his voice full of pride.

  Then his gaze shifts to me, his eyes—though hidden in shadow—seeming to study me intently. "And how about you, Rebecca? How are you doing?"

  I nod, feeling a bit more confident after the training, but the nerves are still there. "It's going well," I say, though I'm not entirely convinced.

  Apollo, ever the honest one, chimes in. "She was very bad at the beginning," he states plainly, "but she's starting to understand the basics."

  I glance at Apollo, a bit taken aback by his bluntness. I can't believe he's being so brutally honest, but I know he's right. Still, I'm a little upset that he said it so bluntly.

  Ryu nods, clearly satisfied with the progress. "That's good to hear." Then, with a slight shift in his stance, he adds, "How about a sparring session, Rebecca?"

  My heart skips a beat, the nervousness returning in full force. "Spar with you?" I echo, my voice almost a whisper.

  Ryu offers a reassuring smile, though it's hard to see through the shadowy void that covers his face. "It's just practice," he assures me. "I'll start simple and hold back. This will help you get a better feel for what you've learned."

  Despite his words, I can't shake the anxiety bubbling up inside me, but I nod, knowing that this is part of the process. Apollo steps back to give us space, his gaze focused on me as he prepares to offer guidance.

  Apollo begins by showing me how to position myself again, adjusting my stance slightly and reminding me to stay light on my feet. "Whenever you're ready," he says calmly, his voice steady.

  I take a deep breath and throw a punch. Ryu blocks it effortlessly, nodding as he does. "Good," he says. "Try again."

  We go back and forth, me throwing punches and kicks while Ryu blocks them with ease. Apollo offers pointers, correcting my form and encouraging me to focus on my breathing. "Keep your guard up," Apollo reminds me as I throw another punch.

  Without realizing it, I start to move faster, my strikes becoming more fluid. The knot in my stomach is still there, but it's loosening more with each attempt. Ryu nods approvingly, his calm demeanor helping to ease my nerves.

  "Don't think too much about the next move," Ryu advises as he blocks another kick. "Let your instincts guide you."

  I follow his advice, and before I know it, I'm moving with a bit more confidence. I'm still not perfect—my punches don't always land where I want them to, and my kicks aren't as strong as they could be—but I'm improving.

  Finally, Ryu steps back, signaling the end of the session. "You're doing well, Rebecca," he says, his tone sincere. "Keep practicing, and you'll get better."

  I nod, a small smile forming on my lips. For the first time, I feel like I might actually be able to hold my own, even if just a little. The knot in my stomach isn't completely gone, but it's not as tight as it was before.

  "You're doing great," Ryu tells me, his voice steady and encouraging. "I may not look it, but I was terrible when I first started. Practice every day, and it will become like second nature."

  I nod, trying to absorb his words, but a part of me remains unsure. How could I ever reach the level of skill that Ryu and Talia possess? They move with such confidence, such fluidity, that it seems almost unattainable. But I have to try, even if the path ahead feels daunting.

  "Speaking of practice," Apollo says, turning to Ryu, "it has been a while since we last sparred."

  Ryu turns to Apollo, his gaze steady as if he's pondering something. "Yes, it has," he finally says. "The last time we sparred was on—"

  "The Crucible," Apollo finishes. "It has been a while."

  Ryu's demeanor shifts, a hint of excitement creeping into his voice. "Okay," he says, his tone confident. "Let's spar. How do you want to fight, Apollo? Swords or hand-to-hand?"

  "This is a hand-to-hand lesson," Apollo replies. "So let's spar hand-to-hand."

  Ryu nods, and I notice Nikko's excitement bubbling over. Even Talia seems a little thrilled by the prospect of watching them spar. I can't help but feel a twinge of curiosity myself. I've seen Ryu and Apollo fight before, but I've never seen them spar against each other. I'm not sure what to expect, but I'm intrigued.