Kon, 1,000 years ago...

The midday sun beat down on the sand pit, its oppressive fist not deterred by the rain clouds stirring in the west. The flowers and trees stretched their arms towards its rays, yearning for nourishment. And in turn, they offered their shade to those who sought reprieve.

Kitaya didn't care for it, as she saw the burning heat as no more than a mild irritant. Her resolve was stronger than a thousand blazing stars, especially when it came to her training.

"Use your whole arm," Kemah instructed. He stood near the edge of the pit, his practice spear in hand. "Remember, your body is the bow and your spear is the arrow."

Kitaya nodded and dug the balls of her feet into the sand as she drew back her spear. Her eyes were trained on the wooden target across the sand pit. She threw her weight into the throw, releasing her spear at the last possible moment. It ripped through the air, kicking up a cloud of sand in its wake, and slammed into the target with enough force to split it in two.

Kemah gave a long, low whistle, stuffing his hand in his pockets as he admired her handiwork. "I'd wager that throw could take out a small monolith."

She smiled, pride making her heart swell. But there was still some doubt lingering behind the pride. She couldn't train with Kemah indefinitely, and they were coming close to that time... The time when they'd be done. When Kemah would have nothing more to teach her, and she'd be left to twiddle her thumbs indefinitely.

"Is something the matter?" he asked.

Kitaya avoided his eyes. "There's actually something I've been meaning to talk to you about."

"Well, let's take a break then. We've been working all morning." He stretched his arms over his head as he walked to the terrace on the garden's north side. Kitaya shuffled behind, leaving a trail of sandy footprints in her wake. The morning sunshine had warmed the variegated tiles and the smell of blossoms permeated the air.

Kitaya sat opposite Kemah at one of the round stone tables, watching insects dart from flower to flower. An attendant came out, bearing light refreshments of fruit and chilled tea, but she only nibbled and sipped, worry scaring her appetite away.

Kemah cleared his throat. "Well? What's bothering you?"

"What is all this training for?" she asked, getting right to the point.

He scrunched his brow. "If I recall correctly, t'was you who asked me for training, so I assumed you already knew what you were going to do with it."

"Right," she said with a sigh. She tried to recall why she'd asked Kemah in the first place, but her mind drew a blank. She probably had wanted something to do outside of her private lessons with the castle's scholars. "I just... I mean, I'm getting stronger every day. And I'm satisfied with my progress. But I don't know what my end game is. What happens when you've taught me everything you can?"

Kemah shrugged. "That will be for you to decide, Kitaya." 

"But what if I can't?" she squeaked, her voice higher than usual. "What if I never decide? Then what? I'm almost two hundred Kemah, shouldn't I be... more involved? Shouldn't I know where I'm supposed to do? Where I'm going?"

"Again, that is for you to decide."

She worried her bottom lip. Thinking about her future made her stomach quiver with unease. Every place and position seemed out of her reach at worst and undesirable at best. "Couldn't you just pick for me?"

"And you will shoot down every choice I give you. I know you, child." He drained his glass of tea, his calm demeanor ever present. "You shouldn't rush to seek your path, Kitaya. You may end up running down one that's not meant for you."

Kitaya shouldn't have expected anything less than sagely advice from Kemah. But that sagely advice did nothing to appease her. Waiting for a path to magically open up seemed worst than actively searching for one.

Their conversation came to a halt when Mellidius ran out from the castle's east exit. Shara was a cape of burnt orange on his shoulders, and he was hastily shoving the Behemoth's gauntlet onto his hand.

"Where's the emergency?" Kemah asked.

"A pack of Kiboura, to the east. They're after the cubs," he said over his shoulder.

"Wait, I can help!" Kitaya shouted after him.

Mellidius stopped in his tracks and spun around cutting the air with his hand. "Absolutely not, Kitaya. You never listen."

"Then I'll come as well," Kemah said, before she could sprout a second head and start breathing fire. "We'll meet you all out there."

Kitaya was already racing into the castle, barely hearing when Kemah shouted at her to meet him back in the gardens as quick as she could. Her feet slapped against the tile, and she left a trail of sand in her wake as she pounded down the halls. Attendants leapt out of the way as she charged past.

Finally, a chance to put her training to use. She would've been remised if she hadn't jumped at the opportunity.

As soon as he burst through the doors of her chambers, she made a beeline for her garderobe and pulled out her finest enchanted gear. It was made of a thick, scaly hide accented with gold plates of metal, and the wards were weaved into the material by the Queen herself. In the back of the closet was her good spear. Unlike her practice spear, it was made entirely of metal, an had a little more heft.

She made quick work of getting dressed and ran back down to the east gardens as fast as her feet would carry her. Kemah was already there, standing on the Lyberra perch with Chaga. 

Kitaya pounded up the stone steps. "I'll take him," she said, grabbing for the reins.

Kemah held them out of her reach. "We're riding double," he announced, and as she opened up her mouth to protest, he cut her off. "So I can keep an eye on you."

She huffed, but didn't argue. Fine, she wouldn't be able to show off her riding prowess this time. Kemah climbed into the saddle first, fluffing up Chaga's golden mane to soothe him. He'd already secured his spear in the slot on the saddle.

Kitaya chose to hold onto hers as she climbed on. She could throw just as well from the sky as she could on the ground.

Chaga bounded across the podium, his muscles bunching and stretching beneath them. In short order, they were airborne and the familiar sinking feeling settled in Kitaya's stomach. She clung tightly to Kemah as an updraft roared in her ears and sent them higher into the mid-afternoon sky.

Kemah worked the Lyberra into an easy glide before banking east. "No nonsense when we get out there, Kitaya. You know how dangerous the Kiboura can get."

"Alright," she said, rolling her eyes.

"And don't roll your eyes at me." He flicked Chaga's reins and the Lyberra shot forward with a speed that threatened to rip them from the saddle.

Kitaya peered past him, eager for a glimpse of their foes, but there was nothing in sight yet. She distracted herself by checking and rechecking her armour, smoothing her hand over the scaly hide to made sure there were no nicks or tears.

It wasn't long before the sounds of battle reach her ears – roars, shouts and the explosions of spells. She Tightened her grip on her spear, and got ready to jump off.

"Patience." Kemah said over the noise. "We assess the situation first, then act."

She watched the small army of Kiboura below, their spotted furry bodies prowling in and out of the tall grass like a unit of well-trained soldiers. They were fond of attacking in large numbers that overwhelmed their prey. Their feline grace and cunning was what made them such deadly hunters. 

Opposing them were three female Lyberra, along with Mellidius and a team of five magicians. The air was a light show of spells and magic. Fire coalesced with lightning and ice danced with wind.

Kitaya swore under her breath. They were stealing all of the action. At this rate, she wouldn't get so much as whiff of the fight before it was over.

As if sensing her agitation, Kemah gave the reins a hard flick, and the Chaga charged forward with a mighty flap of its wings, before shooting around to the southern side of the battle. Through a haze of frost they saw a Kiboura pounce on a female Lyberra.

"Move in closer!" Kitaya said over the cacophony of battle.

Kemah obliged, working Chaga around the explosions of spells. "We'll flank it and—"

Kitaya shot from the Lyberra's back like an arrow loosed from a bow, spear poised in front of her. Her eyes were rapt on the Kiboura snapping at the throat of a female Lyberra. She collided with it, her spear punching into its ribs hard enough to send them skidding. Dirt and sprigs flew in her face, but she held fast to her spear, staying on top of the beast as it slid across the battlefield.

She yanked her spear from the Kiboura's ribs, and flicked the blood and viscera onto the grass.

"Kitaya run!"

Just as the shout reached Kitaya's ears, she spun to greet the gaping maw of another Kiboura. It was lunging at her, all fangs and fury. She ducked and thrust her spear into the soft pallet beneath it jaw, using its momentum to slam into into the ground. As it landed on its back she drove her spear the rest of the way into its skull.

For the first time, she noticed that she was isolated from everyone else, with a score of Kiboura stalking her way. "Damn it." That little stunt was stupid. Impressive, but stupid.

Just as she got her spear free, the largest of the pack lunged for her. The crushing weight of the beast bared down on her as she used her spear to keep its snapping jowls away from her throat. Its hot breath washed over her face, and its saliva streamed down her arms, making her grip on the spear slick and unstable.

The weight of the animal was ripped away as something slammed into it. Kitaya looked up in time to see Kemah rolling away with beast. His arm was caught in its mouth, and he was punching away at its eyes. She scrambled to her feet but didn't make it far before Mellidius intercepted her.

"Just stay back!" he yelled, as he dashed into the fray, with several other magicians.

Her heart raced, its roar in her ears like rushing water. She lost sight of Kemah in the commotion, and an insufferable ache settled in her chest. Time seemed to slow as she watched the magicians fight off the Kiboura. And she just stood there, both her body and resolve shaking, like a scared child.

What am I doing? She squeezed her eyes shut and took several deep breaths to calm her nerves. When she opened them again she watch Mellidius parry a claw swipe to his head with his gauntlet.

Kitaya rubbed her hands dry before poising her spear for a throw. She watched the movements of Meillidius and the Kiboura gauged their speed, predicted their attacks, and made her throw. Her spear flew straight and true, missed Mellidius' head by a hair's breath and slammed between the Kiboura's eyes.

The beast fell limp.

She ran forward to move its body from on top of Kemah. Her heart sank as she saw the condition of her altori. His arm was mangled and deep gashes marked his side. And blood, there was so much – too much – leaking out of him, creating a crimson sea in the grass.

"No, no, no. Kemah..." Kitaya fisted her hands in her hair, cursing her stupidity.

"That's enough, Kitaya!" Mellidius shoved her away. "You've done enough." He turned from her and barked orders at the other magicians.

In short time, Kemah was on the back of a Lyberra flying towards the city. Kitaya took Chaga and stayed a distance behind. Her hands shook and no matter how tightly she gripped the reins, they wouldn't stop. How could I have been so stupid? He'd told her to be patient, to assess the situation first. And of course she didn't listen. Of course she had to be willful and reckless and put everyone in danger.

She watched the Lyberra carrying Kemah disappear around the north side of the castle, and prayed to the gods that he'd be alright. She landed in the east garden and made the long walk to the infirmary. 

The scent of poultices and elixirs assaulted her and she walked into the main antechamber. A medic ushed her into a small room, and tended to nicks and cuts she'd gotten. Worry making her stomach turn, even though the medic assured her that Kemah was in the best hands. 

It was a long time before she was got assurance that he'd be alright. But that assurance didn't make her feel any better. All she could think about was his arm caught in the Kiboura's mouth. All she could see was his blood pooling in the grass. She wanted to see him for herself. See that he was whole and breathing.

The hall seemed to stretch forever as she walked to his room. Eriani was there, along with Nylarah. The latter gave Kitaya a sad smile, while the former stepped protectively in front of her cape as Kitaya had come there to finish him off.

"What in damnation were you thinking?" Eriani's voice was barely above a whisper, and rage laced her words like deadly poison.

When Kitaya spoke her voice was small and thin. "It was an accident. I just wanted to—"

"Shut up! I don't want to hear any excuses. Kemah almost died because of your foolishness!"

"Eriani—"

"Get. Out. Get out!" She pointed towards the door, her eyes holding anger, disappointment and shame.

Kitaya felt the weight of it on her shoulders, bore it as she walked from the room. Mellidius was out in the hall and he avoided her eyes as she walked by. No doubt they were all ashamed of her. And she couldn't blame them. She was ashamed of herself.

Oh Kitaya... It was strange writing this chapter, because I'm used to Kitaya being reckless, but I'm not used to her being absolutely stupid. What do you guys think of these dives into her past? Boring? Insightful? Let me know.