Memories of Friendship

[sky]

Approximately 60 years prior to Lady Aeolian's reign in Airos' land of Wind

Deep breath. Arms stretched high over his head, the tall young-looking male focused on how good is muscles felt. One arm slowly bent down leading a fist behind his head stretching a few more arm muscles while the other only reached higher.

White hair tinted with silver and blue hues rippled with the soft summer breeze. The flesh seemingly textured as leather glistened with a hard earned layer of sweat. His pale skin reflected the golden sun softly.

Summer’s heat led the non-human man to interact with his group relieved of his shirt as the other men were. Along similar needs, he walked bare foot having left his boots with his uniform top under a tree on the side of the field. It was natural and far more comfortable than moving around in boots. As much as he loved his homeland, the humanoid uniform that was appropriate to military and national persona he still found restricting.

He opened his eyes revealing sapphire jewels and dropped his arms back to his side. Turning back to the tall draconic half-breed, he gave the young one a wide encouraging smile. His large wings folded behind his tall form to give the other room.

“Good work-out,” he asked with a bright expression on his face.

“Good!” the other man asked back in a quick flabbergasted voice. “Are you kidding!” His grey wings stretched skywards. He paused shaking his head in an informal manner, but the first man knew the second was not waiting for an answer. “Caelum, that was an amazing work-out! I rarely get that with my men."

The dragon in humanoid flesh chuckled through a swallow of revitalizing water. “Do not blame your men for that. You train and guide them and you are doing an excellent job of it. Keep your horizons wide for your own training. They will learn to follow.”

“Sure. You make it look easy. Look at your own troop.”

“Each has their own talent, Lucas. We are here to help those grow.”

“Yes, I know that, but…” he sighed gathering his words, “where the hell did you learn that!”

“Oh! That’s your aim.” Caelum took another drink giving those who wanted to pass into the soft shadows of the trees spare room. Additionally, he automatically made room for those gathering to learn his secrets. Sapphire eyes scanned the faces around him. His soft stare settled on Lucas, a subordinate officer. A mischievous smirk crossed into his cheek. “Years of practice,” he explained playfully which was immediately greeted with a crowd of exasperated sighs.

Without another word, the leader of the Imperial Guard removed his favorite double-bladed staff weapon from the fence and took it back to the tree with his boots and shirt. He stretched his wings wide and returned to the group with his large hand gripped around the hilt of his broad sword.

“Everyone have their second wind? Back on the field.”

He took another drink from his canteen tossing it towards the tree before pulling his sword from its sheath. "Magdalena. Are you ready?" he gestured towards the inner field with the back of his hand sword tip towards the ground. His smile was warm. His eyes were serious. "Ready your sword," advised the group's leader before spreading his wings half-open.

Caelum jumped back into the training zone in no rush giving the young battle angel some time to breathe. Still, he wanted to be on their way hoping to see her progress.

[wingedwarrior]

A young and slightly still immature Magdalena worked in a group of sweaty men. Her red ponytail bobbed about her young face as she practiced with a young immortal man.

Hand to hand combat. He swung a fist at her and she dodged. She barely dodged the swing however. Her short stature of just over four feet was an advantage. The large sword on her back that weighed her down? Disadvantage. However, her leg swiped out and knocked the guy down. She moved quickly to get on top of him and pin him.

Both of their chests heaved with deep breaths. Lena pushed herself up off of him and began to walk away to get water. However, the young male, unable to give in to a young girl, grabbed her ankle and pulled her down. Unfortunately for him, the young angel was used to fighting her own battles. She turned on to her back and swung her foot. Her bare foot caught him in the jaw and knocked him over.

"Would you stay down?" she hissed angrily under her breath. The boy just rubbed the red mark on his jaw and walked to the tree line for his canteen.

Magdalena walked further down the tree line for her own canteen. She hated that she had to fight so much while with the guys. For one thing, she was the only female. The guard was usually a male thing. And she stuck out like a sore thumb in the seas of silver, blue, blonde, and other fair wind characteristics in her comrades.

She pressed her lips to the top of her canteen and took a few swigs of cold water. Being a female in her clan was tough work. You were expected to be strong like a male, but be feminine at the same time. And with her father being the second in command of the clan, she had more responsibility put on her to be the best.

She twisted the cap on her canteen and winced. She hated when the leaders referred to their group as men or guys. It wasn't like she was hard to miss.

Magdalena's glowering lasted only a second until Caelum called her over. She tossed her canteen to the ground by a thick oak and made her way to the training area. She weaved gracefully between other groups and pairs until she was a few feet away from her leader.

He pulled out his sword and asked if she was ready. She couldn't exactly say no to him, so in response she pulled out her own sword. Her father's sword, the one that she would keep. However, it was bigger than she was and heavy. But she was determined to learn how to use the weapon thoroughly, so she held it up like a baseball bat. She would switch her stance as soon as Caelum came at her.

[sky]

Her group leader had seen her fight before but thus far he had never seen her start with such a stance. Caelum needed to see how she had improved since the last sparring session. If that sword was to be her main weapon as she insisted, Magdalena needed to know how to handle it in order to protect herself, others, and her country. It could be a cruel world even as the age of peace continued. One never knew when another scuffle or some small rebellion would arise. Then again as a pure-bred feather dragon, Caelum Gladius was not exactly in the position to understand why anyone would want to harm their beloved and blessed Lady.

Caelum began to circle slowly around her. Sapphire eyes scanned her form gauging opportunities and angles. He did as habit dictated evaluating the situation prior to jumping into the thick of it. Deciding on an initial course of action, Caelum side stepped breaking from the circle only a few steps into it.

He came at her wings extended behind his body and bare feet skimming the dust off the ground. His large broadsword wheeled in his hand as the opposite hand took an offensive-defensive position ahead of him. In a large motion, Caelum came at her with a broad downward stroke. Both hands now held the elaborate hilt of the Imperial Guard.

Quickly, he pushed back to an invisible outer circle. Dust scattered as the dragon helped himself away from Magdalena with a strong push from his white wings. He settled for a moment having caught his body with an empty hand to the ground. His right hand has once again taken control of the blade. Sapphire eyes have yet to leave their quarry.

One would be lucky to catch the shuffling sound of foot against dry dirt for Caelum was off again coming at his young team member from a lateral direction. This time the tip of his blade curved upwards to the left towards the battle angel following the natural flow of motion. An outstretched arm kept balance with his sword arm as the power behind the weapon was enforced by the body and controlled with the arm.

Suddenly, in mid-stroke, the large blade switched hands. Its edge came back across aiming for her midriff.

Through each action and reaction of the current match, his body and mind remembered it was only a sparring match. He was here to test her. Focusing on both the blow-to-blow action and who she was as a fighter, Caelum altered his technique trying to keep Magdalena challenged. Her leader and mentor kept at her switching up directions forcing her to react with a wide range of positions. Despite this testing/teaching tactic, the dragon kept to ground attacks. Aerial practice would come later when he was satisfied with certain aspects of her technique.

In addition, he kept a hold on the strength he threw at her. Caelum watched her response time and gauged the length of each stroke according so he wouldn’t hurt her too badly. He had always tried to adjust the strength he put into practice meant for others; not everyone had the capacity to fight a dragon even in a human form. Some of the less experienced recruits would complain about him being a harsh, but those were the ones who usually did not notice his holding back. The others rarely noticed when he raised the anti; they rarely recognized the increase in their own strength.

A warm encouraging smile broke through in the middle of their friendly match.