Chapter 8: Train to fight, Train to survive, Train to Live!... I like trains.

A trio of women were trekking down the road. They are none other than Tomoe, Shizuka and Risty. Risty come across their little camp and heard Shizuka's complain that the map is always putting them in the wrong directions. Seeking an opportunity to earn some extra money, Risty approached them and sells them her map. Since they're all going to Gainos, It's not a bad idea that they travel together.

Currently, Risty is examining the money that Tomoe gave her. "Can I spend this? I'm not even sure if this is real money." She snaps from her thoughts as the three hears a loud beep.

They looked back to see a strange large metal creature coming near them. They readied their weapons in case that it's a threat to them. The strange beast pulled over near them and it's door opens. "Risty!" Leina said as she comes out, along with boys. "I finally caught up to you."

"Leina? Eric? Boys?"Risty said, surprised to see them, were the two Hinomotans and the boys greeted each other.

"What is that thing?" Shizuka asks, she never saw an RV before, but she has a clue that It's probably like those vehicles that the boys show in their gadgets, mostly because of the wheels and how it moves.

"This is an RV. Me and the boys found it." Leina answered her as she looks at the RV. She then turns back to Risty and tossed a coin at her.

"This is..."

"The same coin that you gave me." Leina finished the sentence.

Risty had an indifferent look on her face, she turns then started to walk away. "Thanks. Now go home kid." She said but stops when Eric called out to her.

"Wait! That's it? No hugs', No kisses. No 'Hi! Nice to see you again'?" He said as Leina joined in.

"Listen. If It weren't for you, I wouldn't made it. Without you I would die and not knowing anything!"

Risty chuckles and turns to her. "Of all things to say... Is that why you're following me?" She ask her.

"I just want to properly thank you. And also..." Leina smile then turns serious as she draws her sword and points it at Risty. "There is something else I wanted to do."

Risty raise her eyebrow. "You want to fight me? What for?" She asks.

"The Queen's Blade should be reason enough." Leina said as she prepares for a fight.

"Woah! Woah! Woah! Hold on just a minute!" They turn to Kevin who raised his hand, gesturing to stop. He steps in front of Leina. "We just have a reunion and you're already want to fight? Can we just have a nice chat and a cup of choco drink?" The others were thinking the same thing except for Nanael who is hoping that Leina push forward with the fight.

"I want to test my strength, I want to know how strong I've become." Leina gently push him out of the way as she readies herself.

Risty had a mocking smirk as she addressed the blond boy, "Let her fight. She just wanted to show her skills." She said in a mocking tone.

Kevin would've said something but John grabbed him by the arm and pulls him away. "Kevin, I think it is best that you don't get in the way in this."

"Kevin, It's alright, I'll be fine." Leina added. Assuring them that she won't end up dead.

Nanael squealed with joy for this is moment to broadcast and she's not gonna let it slip. "Alright! That settle it!" With a wave of her hand and announcing the fight, the image of Leina and Risty appeared on many of the orbs. "Let the battle for the Queen's Blade begin!"

As soon as the angel finished talking, Risty charges at Leina with her mace ready to strike. Leina who is startled by the sudden aggression raises her shield, but the impact causes her to fly toward some boulders.

"Ouch! That gotta hurt." Shizuka comments.

"I can't watch." Ivan covered his eyes with his hands, not wanting to see his friend get hurt.

Leina struggled to stand up, when she looks to face her opponent, she saw Risty pointing her mace at her. "Are you really fighting for the queen's blade!" She ask a rhetorical questions.

Not wanting to look weak in front of her companions, Leina shakily stood up and attacks, Risty did the same. At that critical moment, Tomoe could already see the result, and that is Risty is going to win, but leaving Leina severely injured or worse, dead. Tomoe quickly rushed to intervene before any damage can be done. The same can be said to the three boys who are watching, Kevin and Eric quickly rushes to help not knowing that the Holy Runes activated, giving them immense speed.

Shizuka took notice of this sudden burst of speed. "Strange, how can those two move that fast, they even match Tomoe in speed?" She thought.

John also notice this as well. "Okay, first Kevin and Eric can fight with swords like they're master swordsman, second I can read foreign languages that I have no idea on, and now they move fast almost like Flash. What is going on with us?" he thought, thinking they received some kind of super powers when they got here. He glances at Ivan wondering if he got anything strange.

Shizuka and John quickly turn there thought the outcome of the fight. There they see that Tomoe, Kevin and Eric stopped the fight, Tomoe in the middle with her hand raised Risty telling her to stand down, Kevin in front of Leina to protect her and Eric stops Risty by grabbing her from behind.

"Risty! Leina already had enough!" Tomoe said with a stern tone.

"Please Risty. Stop." Eric pleaded, tightening his hold on the bandit, making Risty blush a bit since Eric is just hugging her.

After what seems like forever, Risty calmed down as Eric let's go of her. "So this is how you fight in the tournament?" She said, very disappointed in her. "Wake up kid! You're not in dream land anymore." She spat out.

Leina being helped by Kevin in standing up, spoke up to her. "But I can fight!"

"Yeah right!" Risty face shift from into a mocking smirk. "Your beaten easily in a prize fight. You got manipulated and controlled by that Princess Whatshername..."

"Uh. Her name is Menace." They turn to John. "Just clarifying."

They return attention to the two warriors as Risty continues. "And let's not forget your eldest sister Claudette who defeated you without breaking a sweat, she would've take you back if it weren't for these boys..." Risty paused as she thinks Leina's current strength. "You might ready for something, but not ready for this. You would better off as a home maker."

Leina is surprised by those words but before she could say something, Tomoe spoke up. "I believe there is truth in Risty's words." Leina just looks at the Warrior Priestess with disbelief. "I'm sorry Leina but the Queen's Blade isn't for the people who have not mastered their skills and abilities."

"I'm with Risty here. Sorry Leina." John apologetically said.

Nanael who is observing this decides to announced the victor before the broadcast ended. "The winner is: Risty! Benevolent Bandit of the Wild!"

Once the fight is over, they heard a clapping sound. They saw a certain elf woman, slowly clapping her hands as she walks up to removed the hands from his eyes and looks at the new comer. "Echidna?"

"You're right on time... You can take Leina home now."Risty said as she place her weapon on her side.

"I don't think so."She said with a sultry like voice. "It'll be such a waste of entertainment if I do that now."

"It's your job is it not?"

"Oh my. How blunt." She said with a faint surprise. "You're rather ungratefull, Leina here just went all the way just to meet you again."

"Be a good dog and do what you're told to do." Risty said as she get's in her face, trying to intimidate her.

Echidna is unaffected by this and smirks. "Funny... Cause you're in no position to give me orders..."

Risty smirks back as she toss a coin at the elf woman. "Here. For your troubles."

Everyone who is watching these two can feel that they're about to fight, and Nanael is overjoyed because of this. "Alright! Time for round two!" She said as she officiate it and introduced the warriors.

For a few seconds, Echidna and Risty glare at each other. Tomoe can feel the intensity of their aura. "They... They really do want to kill each other." She glances at Leina who is watching them intently.

"Man this is intense. Are you feeling this?" Eric comments as Kevin and John replied with a nod.

"This should be interesting." Shizuka said as she observed the fight.

After the their staring contest, they began to fight. Needless to say Leina, Kevin, Eric and John are speechless at this, surprised by ferocity of the battle. Ivan however started cheering. "Yahoo! You go Echidna! You go Risty! Can't decide which one should I cheer for so I decided to cheer for both of you!"

Echidna chuckles a bit when she heard Ivan's cheer. She narrowly dodges Risty's mace. "You should talk some sense into that girl..." Risty said as she attempts to strike the elf down who dodges gracefully. "...Cause if she fights in the tournament with her current skill. She'll likely get herself killed!" Leina was shock when she heard this.

"You don't know anything about her do you?" Echidna said playfully as she blocks Risty's mace with her sword. "She's a stubborn little girl, that's why she won't give up so easily."

"Then you should make her understand!" Risty said as she pushes her and attacked to which she defended herself by blocking it again.

"I'm actually interested in how far she will go. And how strong she will get... It's not my job to be her teacher you know."

Angry at her words, Risty pushes her back again and charges at her. "The Queen's Bade... Is NOT a game!" The elf woman dodges with ease and then attacks the bandit with her special move called 'Snake Tail', the attack collided with Risty's shield. And the dust clouds dissipates revealing that the participants are not harmed, no longer fighting. "Three days..." Risty said to the Vance heiress. "I'm giving three days and that's all I can give you..." She said as she departs. "It might be a big waste of time but I'm willing to give you one more chance. If you're ready Leina, meet me at the gate of the capital."

As the bandit walks away, Nanael complains by the sudden halt of the match. The gang then went on their way.

Later. At a nearby town

The gang found themselves a nice inn with four beds to stay, though only Tomoe and Shizuka will be sleeping there since the RV is full. Nanael, Eric and Ivan were in the mobile home playing Counter-Strike as a small celebration for Nanaels achievement of officiating two Queen's Blade battles in a single day, Shizuka is with them, though she finds Nanael very annoying, she can't help but be very intrigue and astonish with the game and gadgets they're playing with, after learning the basic control the kunoichi joins them, and she enjoys it very much.

Leina, Tomoe, Kevin and John on the other hand were in the inn, were Tomoe is tending Leina's injury and the two boys were checking if their companion is okay. "I must say, this Elven medicine is astonishing." She comments as she finished applying the cream on Leina's bruise and saw that it's healing fast.

The two heard knock on the door. "Hey. I know I've asked this five minutes ago but is Leina alright?" Kevin was very worried when he saw Leina's injuries.

Seeing Leina putting on a sleeping gown. "She's doing well. You can come in now." Tomoe said.

The door open and Kevin and John went inside the room. The blond boy sigh a relief. "That's good to hear."

Leina looks at Kevin and shows a warm smile. "Thank you for your concern..."

John then went on to asks her. "So how are you doing?"

The smile on Leina change into a sad expression as she looks down at the floor. Kevin looks at John with a disbelief look. "Do you really have to ask her that?"

Before John could reply, Leina suddenly spoke. "Everyone..." The three divert their attention to Leina as she continues. "Everyone have a goal but me... Risty's fighting to save those poor children... Nowa's goal to protect the forest... Cattleya's search for her missing husband..." She then glances at the two boys. "And you boys are finding a way to get back to your own world..." She shift her view to the Warrior Priestess. "And you came from a distant land so you must have an important mission..."Looking down at the floor again, she sigh in disappointment for her lack of goal, a purpose and things to fight for. "Me... I have no goal."

Leina was hugged by Tomoe and Kevin on both sides to comfort her. "Don't talk like that Leina, just because you don't have goal doesn't mean you're useless."

"He's right." Tomoe said, agreeing with Kevin. "Everyone has their own goals, even you."

"As my grandfather always say: Everyone has a purpose, you just have to find it." John said, remembering his grandfather who is a good man.

Leina let their words sink in and slowly starts to accept it. "Thank you..." She said, feeling a bit more better as Tomoe and Kevin lets go.

Kevin then suddenly comes up with something. "Hey, I have an idea! Win the tournament and become the new queen." His friends are surprised by his idea, he quickly explains why. "Think about it Leina. When you are the queen, you can give financial support to the orphanage that Risty's helping, you can help Nowa defend the forest, you can help Cattleya find her husband, you can help many people when you're the queen."

Leina,Tomoe and John thought about it for a moment, though the idea is good, there are some flaws. "Do you really think I can win the Queen's Blade tournament?" Leina asks him, doubt in her voice.

"Yeah! All you need is determination and be trained by someone who is strong." Kevin replied.

Once he's finished they began thinking. Tomoe is thinking of helping Leina by training with her. She'll give her that offer tomorrow as she saw the clock. "We should get some sleep, It's late." Tomoe went to bed with Leina since she knows that the RV is going to be noisy with Nanael and the other's who are celebrating by playing a game.

Kevin and John went to the RV to sleep and remind the gang that they need to sleep early, but Nanael insisted they play till morning, with the help from Shizuka who gave the angel some grapes. Who would've thought that sleeping powder can effect angels.

The next morning

Leina is first to wake went to the RV to train with Kevin, when she knocks on the door It was Ivan who opens it. Ivan let's out a yawn and rub his one eye. "Oh hey. Good morning Leina." He greeted then yawns again.

"Good morning to you too." She greeted back. "Is Kevin awake?"

"Still sleeping. So what are you going to do today?"

"I'm training to get stronger. But I need some help..." She got close to the boy as she asks him. "Do you know where Echidna is?"

Echidna is chilling on the roof of a shack, petting her snake and feeding it. She heard someone and looks down and saw Leina and Ivan. "Hi Echidna. Leina wanted to talk to you."

Leina steps forward and addresses the Elven Mercenary. pausing for a second then speaks. "Please train me..." Seeing That Echidna's listening intently she continues. "I don't know how to fight like a true warrior, I'll give you anything you want in return if you teach me."

Echidna leaped from the roof and landed in front of Leina. Their eyes meet until the Elven Mercenary circled around Leina in a fast pace. She then stops and whispered to the Wandering Warrior's ear. "You should be careful in what you wish for... And the deals you make... And the things you beg for..."

Leina's face reddened at the implied sexual undertone. "W-What?" She stuttered.

"You're so adorable when taking things too seriously." Echidna merely giggled then turn to Ivan and asks his help. Leina followed the two to a tree were Echidna make large slashes on it till sap starting to pour out, and Ivan is collecting the sap with a bucket. After collecting enough sap they returned to the shack where Echidna begun boiling them. She scoop some with a wooden spoon, spill it in a small cloth, and then hit it with the hilt of her sword. "That's about it... Oh Ivan, would you please leave for a moment. We need a little privacy."

"Okay." Ivan smiles and leaves without question. Though Leina wondered why Echidna asked him to leave, but seeing the elf turn to her with an evil, sinister and perverted grin on her face. Now she knows why and wish she left with Ivan.

"Strip down..." Echidna said with hungry eyes. Leina definitely should have left with Ivan as she got pounced by the mercenary.

Tomoe, Nanael, and three other boys were to headed to the location indicated by a map made by Ivan. Though the map that Ivan made sucks, since it's nothing more than a piece of paper with squiggly lines and circles with an X marked the spot. Though it took them half an hour before they've finally found the shack. there they saw Ivan standing guard at the outside of the shack. When they're near they heard Leina's cry for help, they rushed toward Ivan to asks what's going on. "Ivan! What's going on in there?" Kevin said.

"Training." Ivan simply said.

They rushed inside with Ivan trying to stop them, and when they're inside needless to say that surprise is an understatement, Leina and Echidna are naked on the floor covered in this waxy goo. Leina cried for help but cut short when Echidna who pinned the blonde on the ground poured more of the goop on her.

"What are they doing?" Nanael said.

"Does she have any sense of dignity?" Tomoe asks, completely shock by the sights in front of her.

"See. They are training. Echidna is teaching Leina how to wrestle." Ivan simply said, either completely oblivious or maybe the two are wrestling.

"Wrestling? This looks more like a erotic naked oil fight." Kevin said. This earn him stare from Tomoe, John and Eric, he then quickly explains. "I saw my big sister Clover do a lot of strange fetishes. Just saying."

Five minutes later

The rest of the gang were watching the two warriors at a clearing. Echidna and Leina are wearing nothing but that yellow, waxy resin that cling to their bodies like latex suit. What's more, the resin suit didn't really cover their modesty, It's see-through. The boys except for Ivan are struggling to focusing on Leina and Echidna's head and face instead of the breast and lower region. Tomoe is blushing hard at the lewdness of the strange 'attire'."This thing feels strange... and squishy." Leina said to herself then suddenly she got struck by Echidna from behind.

"A fight? Yes! Ye fighters who seek to-" Nanael was immediately silenced by Tomoe.

"Shh! They're not fighting for the Queen's Blade Nanael." Tomoe harshly said. She then removes her hand from the angel's mouth.

"Hey! What was that for?!" Leina didn't get her answer as Echidna suddenly charges forward her with the curved sword aiming at the blond. Leina barely dodges the attack but was not fortunate the next time as Echidna made a quick turn and and with enough force slashes Leina's back. Leina fell to the ground, she touch the are where she was hit and to her surprise, no blood, no wound, just a slash on the waxy resin. "Did the sap did that?"

"A true warrior would know an opponent's strike. You died twice today." Echidna proceed to attack Leina who manage to raise her sword to black the attack. Leina is having a tough time fending of the elf woman, but she give it all she got and attacks with full force.

Kevin who is watching the fight got an idea. "Hey guys! Let's sing a song to give some inspiration to Leina. And I know just the right one."And so, after a few minutes, Kevin drive the RV next to the shack, he brought out the electric guitar and Ivan carried the electric keyboard and drums. Kevin begun playing the guitar. John and Eric recognizes the tune, and with some convincing with Ivan the two decided to play were John does an epic piano pose as Kevin begins singing. But unknown to the blond boy is that his Sacred Rune begun to glow faintly to which Nanael notices.

Risin' up, back on the street

Did my time, took my chances

Went the distance

Now I'm back on my feet

Just a man and his will to survive

So many times, it happens too fast

You trade your passion for glory

Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past

You must fight just to keep them alive

It's the eye of the tiger

It's the thrill of the fight

Risin' up to the challenge

Of our rival

And the last known survivor

Stalks his prey in the night

And he's watching us all with the

Eye of the tiger

"That's the Angel's Voice! This is awesome! It seems like their power is getting stronger." Nanael thought

Face to face, out in the heat

Hangin' tough, stayin' hungry

They stack the odds

Still we take to the street

For the kill with the skill to survive

It's the eye of the tiger

It's the thrill of the fight

Risin' up to the challenge

Of our rival

And the last known survivor

Stalks his prey in the night

And he's watching us all with the

Eye of the tiger

Just as Nanael suspected, the Angel's Voice is giving strength and power to the two fighters who are training and that they felt it. "Strange. I feel stronger." Echidna thought.

"What is this power that I'm feeling?" Leina thought to herself as she dodges another attack.

Risin' up straight to the top

Had the guts, got the glory

Went the distance

Now I'm not gonna stop

Just a man and his will to survive

It's the eye of the tiger

It's the thrill of the fight

Risin' up to the challenge

Of our rival

And the last known survivor

Stalks his prey in the night

And he's watching us all with the

Eye of the tiger

Three Days later

And so, days have pass. While Leina and Echidna were training for three days straight the others were having a fun time, Nanael once again playing Counter Strike with Eric and Ivan, John and Tomoe are talking about their worlds and it's respective cultures and lifestyles, throwing a singing and dance party in the town to which earns the boys some more fans, and many more.

On the last day of training they went back and watch the two. While watching the fight, Tomoe notices that Leina changes her fighting style, no longer going for wild attacks but instead the blond warrior is focusing on defensive and conserving energy, then an incredible moment arise, Leina attacks Echidna with a move that is familiar to Tomoe, the Snake's Tail that the Elven Mercenary used on Risty. Needless to say she was surprise that Leina manages to copy the technique, and the boys cheered at this.

It took four hours for Leina to rest after three days of exhausting training, she was laid in bed with ice packs on her aching limbs, the boys compliment her with some hot chocolate and roasted beef. Once Leina is fully rested she went to the Elven mercenary to express her gratitude. She spotted Tomoe smiling at her. "You've change Leina, and for the better. You're taking the warrior's way seriously now and I'm happy for you."

Leina smiled back and nod, then she turns to Echidna who is behind the Warrior Priestess. "Thank you Echidna for training me... I should call you my teacher."She said with a blush, probably from how the training started, particularly the one were the elf applies that waxy resin substance.

Echidna leaned closer to Leina's face with that calculating look. "Really? Then if that's the case I can offer some night classes if you want to." She said with a wink.

The blush on Leina's becomes redder. "N-no! I'm just fine, no more training for me. heh heh..." The others laugh at the blond warrior's embarrassment.

Before anyone can say a word Eric buts in. "Guys. We got a bit of bad news. The RV got a little trouble in the engine. Apparently while we were running over many of the dead in the swamplands, a skeleton hand got into the engine and mess up a few things. I think I can fix it but It might take some time."

"Man." Kevin turns to asks Leina. "So what's the plan, should we wait for Eric to fix the RV, or you go on ahead."

"I can't keep Risty waiting, but I can't just leave you." Leina said.

Echidna went to Ivan's side and put her arms around his shoulder. "You don't have to worry about your boys Leina. I can watch them for you."

Ivan looks at the elf with a touched look on his face. "Aww. You really are a great person." The said elf smiles at Ivan.

Tomoe steps forward and announce her motive. "I'll go accompany you Leina."

Ivan suddenly jumps up and turns to Eric. "Oh yeah! Eric, what happen to skeleton hand? Can I see it?" He said with some excitement.

"You won't be seeing that damn thing, it turned to dust the moment I touched it." The red headed boy replied.

Though this got Nanael's attention, she knew that when a lower undead, demon or any other dark and evil beings made contact with a Holy Knight, the Sacred Runes immediately unleashes a holy energy to destroy the said beings. And the angel knew that the Holy Knights' power are getting stronger, and sooner or later they need training to control their powers.

"It's a plan then." John declared. "You two go first and fight Risty and the rest of us will catch up and meet at the gates."

Once everyone agrees they depart were Leina, Tomoe and Nanael will go to the Gates of the Capital while Echidna and the boys will stay until the RV is fixed. Echidna looks at the trio who going farther in the distance, she thinks back to the training. "Snake's Tail... No. Dragon Tail."

"Wow... Sounds awesome." Ivan comment. "So what kind training techniques in your night classes?" He asks wondering about that when the elf mentions it.

"Mostly about about espionage, moving around without making a sound, types of poison to use, intelligence gathering. I've done this before with my last student." She answers. Echidna chuckles when Leina interpret it the wrong way, and she felt a small hint of sadness when she remembers a certain member in the Assassins of the Fang.

"Cool. Spy training. Can you train me?" Ivan again asks with glee in his eyes.

"Some other time." The elf ruffled the boys hair as they went to the others to see if they can help.

And while Eric is fixing the engine with some help from Kevin and John going back to the town to get some supplies, Ivan and Echidna were talking about the Calibara Forest and it's famous inhabitants the Wild Elves. Soon enough Kevin shouted to tell the others about the orbs in the sky. "Look! It's Risty!" They turn and look at the orbs showing images of the famous Bandit.

A voice then announces the combatant of the Queen's Blade, surprising enough It's not Nanael's voice, they would have expect that Nanael would announce. "On this side we have Risty the Benevolent Bandit of the Wild. And on this side..."

Upon seeing who will facing Risty, Echidna is surprise by the sudden turn of events. "What?"

"No way! Why her? This is such a bad timing!" Eric ranted.

"Guy! GUYS!" John came shouting at them carrying groceries. Catching his breath for a second he quickly said an alarming news. "Guys! This is bad news."

"Yes! We know. We saw it." Echidna said to him but John quickly shook his head.

"No! Not that! I heard news from town that a large army of undead is heading south! Which means..."

Echidna suddenly spoke up, finishing his sentence. "The undead approaching the Capital gates where Leina and the others are." John merely nodded.

"Oh man! Just our luck! What are we going to do? We can't fight an army that big!" Eric said with panic in his voice.

After a minute of the boys trying frantically planning a way, Kevin suddenly comes up with an idea. "Guys! I have a plan. We need to go back to Cattleya's." The others quickly realize in what he's planning and went into action. Luckily the engine wasn't that damage and Eric is able to fix it right away. Then they get in and drive back to Cattleya's house, hoping that the mother and son is still there.

Chapter End

AN: I'm Back! Still alive and kicking. Once again sorry for the delay, but I do hope you all enjoy this chapter. The song "Eye of the Tiger" belongs to Survivor.

Anyway here's a new ability that I like to add to list on Sacred Runes.

Skill/Ability: Angel's Voice

Effect: The Holy Knight's singing can give incredible boost in strength, agility, stamina and healing capabilities to nearby fighting allies.

R&R