Filed to story: The Chosen Saga Novel PDF Free
Araiya tried her best to ignore the Enforcer and prayed to the Goddess that she wouldn’t have much contact with him after today. The other few Chosen showed up after a few minutes. Tal walked up next to Araiya and nudged her. “You good?”
“Yeah, I’m good. Where is Shavon?”
“She’s coming. River asked her to help set up his demonstration for healing.”
“Chosen listen up. I am sure you have already received the big every Chosen learns combat blah blah. That isn’t this. Here we are checking where you land on the scale of pathetic to less pathetic. Here you will decide if becoming a warrior Chosen is your path or not.”
“Who are you?”
“I am Enforcer Zephyr, from Air, and just who might you be?”
“I’m Chosen Tamara.” Tamara walked closer to him. “Do you have a bonded? It seems like all the hot ones are already taken.” She reached out and stroked her hand down his arm.
Zeph chuckled. “What is it with you new Chosen? Every year, a few of you think you should be worthy enough to land one of my brothers or me. Want to hear a secret? Not once has a Chosen even come close to landing one of us, and you won’t be the exception little bird. Now fall in line.” Tamara stormed back to the other Chosen. Araiya laughed at how quickly she was dismissed again, causing Tamara to glare over at her.
“You think that was funny little Chosen? Step into the ring.” Zephyr pointed to the ring in front of him. “Pick a weapon.” Araiya stepped into the ring, grabbed a practice sword from the side, and waited, raising an eyebrow at the Enforcer. “Chosen Tamara, step into the ring and choose a weapon.” Tamara grabbed another practice sword and stepped into the ring. “It’s simple ladies. You attack until you get the other to yield. Begin.”
Araiya planted her feet and kept her grip on her sword loose. Slowly she circled waiting for Tamara to attack. Tamara charged at her with her sword raised above her head. She screamed as she slashed down at Araiya, but she was prepared. She blocked the blow and parried with her own, slapping Tamara in her ribs. Tamara stumbled back, shook off the impact and charged back in. Araiya dipped under her raised arms, kicked the back of her knee and brought her sword down on Tamara’s back. She stepped over her and held her sword against her neck.
“I yield,” Tamara groaned out.
Araiya stepped back and smiled over at Tal and saw Shavon walking over. She dropped her sword where she picked it up and was walking back over to say hi when someone grabbed her hair and pulled her back.
“What the fuck was that? Did you think making me and that girl look like idiots would go over well?”
“What?” She reached back to grip her hair to stop him from pulling it any more.
“Did you think I would let you just go after you put on that performance?” His other hand wrapped around her throat and squeezed.
“Enforcer Zephyr. Let go of the Chosen. You are here to assess their abilities, not to abuse them when they are better than expected.” Tal took a step closer.
“You think you can tell me my fucking job?”
“I did what you asked, so let me fucking go.”
Zeph shook her again by her hair. “You’ve been trained. You think you can just pretend to be innocent and then make another Chosen out to be a fool.”
“I have never had the option to be trained. You act like that’s an option for everyone. I just had to learn how to protect myself. Now fuck off and let me go.” Araiya twisted away from Zeph and tried to pull away, but he yanked her back, ripping out some hair.
“You’re fucking lying,” Zeph screamed in her face.
Araiya turned in his hand and kicked out. Zephyr let go of her hair and stumbled back. Araiya had one second of pure adrenaline free of pain before Zephyr returned the kick to the side of her chest, re-breaking the newly healed ribs. He grabbed her arm as she stumbled back and whipped her around, re-breaking her shoulder and wrist when he slammed her down. She screamed out in pain as she hit the ground. Her vision flickered in and out as she struggled to breathe.
“Araiya. Breathe baby, you’ve got to breathe.” River somehow was kneeling over her.
“River?” Her breath whistled in and out as she struggled to stay awake, but she failed, succumbing to the darkness.
“I will get my justice River,” Zephyr yelled.
“Justice for what Zeph? She’s just a girl!” Tal screamed.
“She made me look like a fool in front of the Chosen.”
“I think breaking her ribs, her shoulder and wrist should be enough for you,” River countered while running his hands down her side.
“I demand the Rite of Ten.” Zeph stormed over to tower over River and Araiya.
“Then I demand the Rite of Substitution.”
“No fucking way.”
“If not me then Tal, but you are too angry to deliver the correct amount of justice. Whoever isn’t striking will bear witness, but you Zephyr are too close to this. You shouldn’t even demand the Rite of Ten for this situation. I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with you, but you broke what I have just spent three days fixing. I demand reparations for my power, time and effort. You want ten strikes on this Chosen fine, but you will not be delivering them. Choose your substitute.”
“You. Talon will be too soft, but I at least know you will get your reparations from the act of substitution. I owe you nothing after this.”
“Fine, now you need to leave, before I finish healing her and have nothing to hold me back from putting you on the ground.”