He gasped as the impact knocked him off balance, sending him skidding across the field. He barely caught himself before falling flat on his face.
"What the hell?!" He looked up, stunned.
Kiara was already standing where he had just been, hands on her hips. She hadn't even broken a sweat.
"You're slow," she said casually.
Agastya gritted his teeth and launched himself at her. He threw a punch, aiming straight for her face—but Kiara sidestepped effortlessly, grabbing his wrist mid-swing. In one swift motion, she twisted his arm behind his back and swept his legs out from under him.
THUD.
Agastya hit the ground, face-first.
Laughter erupted from the other rebels watching nearby.
"Damn, new guy got WRECKED!" someone hollered.
"Did he even land a hit?"
Kiara released him and took a step back, waiting for him to get up. "Come on, Agastya. You were talking big earlier. Is this all you got?"
Agastya groaned, pushing himself up. He wasn't used to not being the strongest person in the room. She's faster than I expected…
But he wasn't done yet.
He took a deep breath and charged again, this time aiming for her legs to throw her off balance. But just as he moved, Kiara suddenly vanished again.
A chill ran down his spine. Where did she—?
Before he could even turn around, a sharp kick slammed into his back.
Agastya flew forward, rolling several times before stopping on his hands and knees. His body ached all over.
"Alright, alright! I get it!" he coughed, spitting out dust. "You're strong. Damn."
Kiara folded her arms, tilting her head. "That's it? You're giving up?"
Agastya exhaled sharply, glaring up at her. "For now."
She chuckled, offering him a hand. "You'll need a LOT more training before you can keep up with me."
Reluctantly, Agastya took her hand and let her pull him up. His pride was bruised—but somewhere deep inside, he found himself grinning.
Agastya sat on a bench at the edge of the training field, wiping sweat from his face. His body ached from the relentless beating Kiara had given him. She stood before him, arms crossed, her sharp gaze assessing him like a teacher evaluating a failing student.
"Your fundamentals are a mess," she stated bluntly. "You have good agility, but your reflexes are weak. You're completely useless in close combat."
Agastya groaned. "Thanks for the confidence boost."
Kiara ignored his sarcasm and continued. "You always try to keep your distance and rely on your energy cannon. That's not a bad thing, but it means you have a clear fighting style. You avoid getting up close because you're not comfortable with hand-to-hand combat." She smirked. "If someone faster than you closes the gap, you're screwed."
Agastya sighed. He hated to admit it, but she was right. He had always fought from a distance, using speed to reposition himself and strike from afar.
"But," Kiara added, tilting her head, "your accuracy is pretty damn impressive. You hit exactly where you aim. That's a talent most people don't have."
Agastya perked up slightly. "I was my brother's spotter," he admitted. "He was a sniper. I learned the basics from him."
Kiara raised an eyebrow. "So, why aren't you a sniper?"
Agastya hesitated before replying, "Because I don't want to fight like my brother. He was great at what he did, but… that was his way. Not mine." He glanced at his hand, clenching and unclenching his fingers. "I want to use a bow. I feel… connected to it. Like it's something I was meant to wield."
Kiara scoffed. "Archery is a lost art. It's nothing more than a hobby in this world. Guns, energy weapons, and cannons have replaced bows. What makes you think you can bring it back?"
Agastya smirked. "Because I have Sharanga."
Kiara's expression shifted slightly. She knew that bow wasn't ordinary. It was legendary. It was a soul weapon.
She sighed, rubbing her temples. "Fine. If you're serious about this, I'll help you. But archery isn't just about pulling a string and shooting an arrow. It takes patience, discipline, and skill. You up for that?"
Agastya grinned. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
Kiara didn't waste time. The moment Agastya expressed his interest in mastering archery, she grabbed his wrist and dragged him out of the training field. He barely had time to catch his breath before they were speeding through the narrow alleys of Ujjain's underground district, dodging merchants and rebel soldiers.
"Where are we going?" he asked, struggling to keep up.
"To the only place where we might find what you need," Kiara replied without looking back.
They arrived at a small, rundown pawn shop tucked between towering stone buildings. The faded sign above the entrance read "Jai's Relics & Oddities." The place smelled of old parchment, rusted metal, and faint incense.
Inside, an old man with thick round glasses sat behind a counter, counting ancient coins. He didn't even glance at them when they entered.
Kiara walked straight up to him. "We need long-lost combat techniques. Specifically, archery."
The old man, Jai, finally looked up, pushing his glasses up his nose. His sharp, calculating eyes shifted from Kiara to Agastya. Then, without a word, he turned around and rummaged through a pile of scrolls stacked in the corner. Dust filled the air as he pulled out a bundle of six aged parchments tied together with a thin string.
"These," he said, placing them on the counter. "Ancient archery techniques, long forgotten by the world."
Agastya's heart pounded as he reached out to touch them, but Jai placed a wrinkled hand on top of the scrolls.
"They're yours," he said, a sly grin forming on his face, "but only if you do something for me first."
Kiara groaned. "I knew there'd be a catch."
Agastya sighed. "What's the job?"
Jai leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I need you to retrieve something for me… something that was stolen."
Kiara and Agastya exchanged glances. This was clearly not going to be simple.