Balen
forced her away and she twirled. Quickly she turned and felt their sticks
unexpectedly meet.
It’s kind of fun
hanging out with Balen, instead of always watching him in action from a
distance.
Balen’s
eyebrows raised and he smirked at Demona. His brown eyes sparkled as he tried
to anticipate her next move. They went at it again. This time Demona was able
to strike him first. His smirk faltered, but he was enjoying himself as well.
“What’s
so funny?” Demona asked.
“You’re
a quick learner. Let’s continue for a little longer,” Balen said.
They
danced around the creek bed, jabbing at one another back and forth.
“Is
there a reason we keep coming here?” Demona asked.
“I
have my reasons.”
“And
they are?”
“Did
anyone ever tell you that you ask too many questions?”
“No,
but apparently it makes people think I’m creepy when I do,” Demona said. “I
can’t help that I’m a curious person.”
Balen
laughed. “I don’t think you could ever be creepy. Maybe annoying, but not
creepy.”
“So,
are you going to tell me why it’s so special?”
Balen
paced a moment. Demona saw an advantage and struck Balen across his lower back.
He ignored her.
“It’s
where I was turned,” Balen said.
Demona’s
eyes grew wide. “I…I’m sorry, if I had known I wouldn’t have asked.”
“It’s
alright. I never regretted what happened to me. That’s why I come here,” Balen
said.
“Can
I ask what happened?”
Balen
sat on a large rock. “I had just been released from duty after a being sent to
Antietam.”
“Wait…
Antietam, you don’t mean like the Battle of Antietam, do you?”
“Yes,
though I saw little action, because by the time I reached there the battle was
over and we were sent home. As I was saying, I had just arrived in town by rail
and met my wife, Elisabeth, at the station. Elisabeth was as beautiful as ever.
“We
had walked a few miles towards home and it began to grow dark. We had been
talking as if nothing had changed in my absence. We stopped to rest for a
moment before continuing on our way. I turned to give Elisabeth a proper kiss,
since no one was around.
“I
noticed she felt very cold in the July heat. Before I knew what happened she
had pinned me to the ground and was biting me. It happened right over there in
the field. I had attempted to get her off, but she was too strong and I
couldn’t reach my saber,” Balen said.
“Your
wife is your master?” Demona asked.
“Yes,
that is what I said.”
“Where
is she now?”
“This
is the last question I will answer and then we go back to training. She met her telos about a century ago.”
They
were back for training the next day, on a day with weather similar to the two
before. Demona stood in the dried portion of the creek bed trying to ignore the
cackling crows perched above.
“Today,
we will use silver blades,” Balen said. He unsheathed the swords he had brought
with them and handed one to Demona. “You shouldn’t worry about the silver,
since we don’t actually view each other as evil. But keep in mind that cuts
still hurt, and too many can begin to weaken you. Your kataphraktos will help to prevent superficial cuts, things like
scrapes or scratches. When it comes to deeper cuts by swords and daggers your kataphraktos is useless.”
They
returned to their positions and continued the dance of swordsmanship once more.
Demona struck and the blade tore at Balen’s stomach ripping the shirt as she
withdrew her sword. The tear revealed his rock hard abs and a small red
scratch. Demona was more startled by the glistening sweat on his perfect
muscles than by the mark she had left. She was distracted for a moment as she
admired him as a man, not as a coworker.
Balen
smiled at her success in training. He returned the favor by sliced through part
of Demona’s shirt revealing her bra strap.
“Balen!
You did that on purpose!” Demona glared at him, her mouth hung open. “That’s
it, I’ve
forced her away and she twirled. Quickly she turned and felt their sticks
unexpectedly meet.
It’s kind of fun
hanging out with Balen, instead of always watching him in action from a
distance.
Balen’s
eyebrows raised and he smirked at Demona. His brown eyes sparkled as he tried
to anticipate her next move. They went at it again. This time Demona was able
to strike him first. His smirk faltered, but he was enjoying himself as well.
“What’s
so funny?” Demona asked.
“You’re
a quick learner. Let’s continue for a little longer,” Balen said.
They
danced around the creek bed, jabbing at one another back and forth.
“Is
there a reason we keep coming here?” Demona asked.
“I
have my reasons.”
“And
they are?”
“Did
anyone ever tell you that you ask too many questions?”
“No,
but apparently it makes people think I’m creepy when I do,” Demona said. “I
can’t help that I’m a curious person.”
Balen
laughed. “I don’t think you could ever be creepy. Maybe annoying, but not
creepy.”
“So,
are you going to tell me why it’s so special?”
Balen
paced a moment. Demona saw an advantage and struck Balen across his lower back.
He ignored her.
“It’s
where I was turned,” Balen said.
Demona’s
eyes grew wide. “I…I’m sorry, if I had known I wouldn’t have asked.”
“It’s
alright. I never regretted what happened to me. That’s why I come here,” Balen
said.
“Can
I ask what happened?”
Balen
sat on a large rock. “I had just been released from duty after a being sent to
Antietam.”
“Wait…
Antietam, you don’t mean like the Battle of Antietam, do you?”
“Yes,
though I saw little action, because by the time I reached there the battle was
over and we were sent home. As I was saying, I had just arrived in town by rail
and met my wife, Elisabeth, at the station. Elisabeth was as beautiful as ever.
“We
had walked a few miles towards home and it began to grow dark. We had been
talking as if nothing had changed in my absence. We stopped to rest for a
moment before continuing on our way. I turned to give Elisabeth a proper kiss,
since no one was around.
“I
noticed she felt very cold in the July heat. Before I knew what happened she
had pinned me to the ground and was biting me. It happened right over there in
the field. I had attempted to get her off, but she was too strong and I
couldn’t reach my saber,” Balen said.
“Your
wife is your master?” Demona asked.
“Yes,
that is what I said.”
“Where
is she now?”
“This
is the last question I will answer and then we go back to training. She met her telos about a century ago.”
They
were back for training the next day, on a day with weather similar to the two
before. Demona stood in the dried portion of the creek bed trying to ignore the
cackling crows perched above.
“Today,
we will use silver blades,” Balen said. He unsheathed the swords he had brought
with them and handed one to Demona. “You shouldn’t worry about the silver,
since we don’t actually view each other as evil. But keep in mind that cuts
still hurt, and too many can begin to weaken you. Your kataphraktos will help to prevent superficial cuts, things like
scrapes or scratches. When it comes to deeper cuts by swords and daggers your kataphraktos is useless.”
They
returned to their positions and continued the dance of swordsmanship once more.
Demona struck and the blade tore at Balen’s stomach ripping the shirt as she
withdrew her sword. The tear revealed his rock hard abs and a small red
scratch. Demona was more startled by the glistening sweat on his perfect
muscles than by the mark she had left. She was distracted for a moment as she
admired him as a man, not as a coworker.
Balen
smiled at her success in training. He returned the favor by sliced through part
of Demona’s shirt revealing her bra strap.
“Balen!
You did that on purpose!” Demona glared at him, her mouth hung open. “That’s
it, I’ve
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