Lilia: A New Dawn

James scrolled through various websites, searching for martial arts classes that could help him learn to properly wield the Serene Wrath and other weapons from Lilia's inventory. Having these powerful relics was one thing, but he knew being able to skilfully utilize them in combat was another matter entirely.

Alistair perched on the desk nearby in his imp form, peering curiously at the screen. "Pardon me, Mistress, but might I ask what has you so preoccupied with these fighting styles of the mortals?"

James glanced over, reminded that Alistair still saw him as Lilia. "I figured that after getting that blade I could expand my arsenal, relying solely on magic leaves one vulnerable."

He clicked on a page for a local fencing academy. Alistair's speech infecting that of his own. "If I can master the physical art of bladesmanship, it will complement my sorcerous skills nicely."

Alistair nodded thoughtfully. "A cunning strategy, my lady. Though I admit, I know little of wielding cold steel myself." His eyes brightened with an idea. "Perhaps you could grant me a weapon as well, so that I may better serve as your protector!"

James chuckled. "All in due time, my friend."

Of course, learning to wield medieval weaponry might seem foolish in the modern world of firearms and advanced technology. But with Lilia's enhanced speed and reflexes, James believed these skills could still prove highly effective.

Initially James considered something like kendo, but realized it focused more on Japanese swordsmanship, while the weapons Lilia possessed were more of Western design. After some more searching, he discovered a local training hall that offered classes in European martial arts, covering weapons like swords, daggers, rapiers, spears and staves.

"Hmm, what do you think about this place, Alistair?" James asked, angling the screen so the imp could see. "The Steel Lion school. It looks like they teach historical European fighting styles."

Alistair's tilted his head curiously as he examined the site. "A fine establishment, it would seem. Their instructors appear quite skilled." 

James nodded. "Yeah, and they have evening classes, so I could attend after school."

He hesitated, debating whether to register as himself or Lilia. The logic was that if Lilia's enhanced learning abilities also translated to faster mastery of combat skills, it would be prudent to train in her form. Additionally, it would be wise to expand Lily Song's public persona just in case he needed to establish her credibility later on.

If his hypothesis proved wrong and there was no real difference in learning speed, James could always quit and resume classes later as himself. But the warnings from the dream Lilia emphasized the need to grow stronger quickly in preparation for looming threats ahead. If training transformed could potentially expedite his progress, that seemed the wisest course.

The decision made, James signed Lily up for an introductory class at Steel Lion's starting next week. Satisfied with his plans for now, James shut off the computer and leaned back in his chair, mind abuzz with anticipation for the trials to come.

 

The week passed swiftly as James continued practicing magic with his friends after school. Mia advanced steadily in her mystical studies, while Alex struggled but managed to produce a few weak spells. Nathan, unfortunately, still seemed unable to tap into any latent magical talents despite his enthusiasm. After a few frustrating days, he resigned himself to just hanging out with the group during their sessions rather than actually practicing spells.

The New Atlantis Bureau of Control had yet to contact Lilia about any assignments requiring her specialized skills. And while whispers circulated about the Phantom Thief planning another heist, the roguish figure had provided no direct invitation for Lilia to attend this time. For now, James was content to focus on his own development rather than get caught up in others' machinations.

When Monday afternoon finally arrived, James made his way to the nondescript building housing the Steel Lion training hall after triggering his transformation into Lilia. She stood uncertainly outside the entrance, clutching the strap of her gym bag. Other students filtered past her into the building without a second glance.

Taking a deep breath, Lilia went inside and followed the signs to the second-floor training area. Various weapons adorned the walls, and padded floor mats covered much of the open space. A group of students were already warming up under the watchful eye of a muscular bald man that Lilia assumed must be the instructor.

Lilia lingered shyly by the door, feeling out of place. The other students all seemed comfortable chatting and joking together, while she was an unknown newcomer intruding into their familiar space.

Before her anxiety could get the better of her, the long haired instructor noticed Lilia hovering awkwardly. He came over and extended a callused hand in greeting.

"You must be Lily, our newest recruit," he rumbled in a baritone voice. "Viktor Steelmane. Don't let this rowdy bunch intimidate you none - you'll be sparring with the best of 'em in no time."

Lilia shook his hand, managing a small smile. "Nice to meet you, sir. I'm looking forward to learning, though I'll admit I'm a complete beginner."

Viktor waved dismissively. "No shame in being green. All my best students started out naive as lambs." He gestured for her to join the others. "Come, let's get you outfitted in some gear and going through the basics."

Buoyed by his encouraging words, Lilia felt some of her trepidation melt away. Perhaps she did belong here after all. With renewed eagerness, she stepped onto the training floor, ready to embrace this first venture into the world of martial arts.

Viktor began leading her through a basic warm-up routine to limber up. Despite an initial clumsiness getting accustomed to the unfamiliar movements, Lilia soon fell into the exercises, feeling her body flowing smoothly.

After the warm-up, Viktor called the class to gather round. "Alright lads and lasses, we've got ourselves a new recruit joining us today. This here is Lily." He gestured for her to step forward.

With an awkward little wave, Lilia greeted the other students, who turned to look at her with curiosity. A few playful winks from some of the trainees made her shuffle her feet self-consciously, as she was unaccustomed to attention from other men. However, Viktor quickly got the rowdier pupils to settle down before continuing.

"Now then, let's start on the basics. Everyone pair up and go through the standard drills - I'll work with Lily here one-on-one."

The rest of the students eagerly broke off into pairs to practice, while Lilia followed Viktor over to a quiet corner. He handed her a lightweight training longsword. "Let's see your stance and grip first." 

Lilia tried mimicking what she'd observed earlier, planting her feet shoulder-width apart and gripping the hilt with both hands.

Viktor nodded approvingly. "Solid fundamentals to start. Now take a few practice swings, get a feel for the weight."

As Lilia went through some basic cuts and slashes, she found herself automatically compensating for the sword's momentum and shift in weight as though she'd handled blades all her life. Viktor watched closely, occasionally adjusting her grip or stance with light touches.

"You're a natural, lass! Only been at this one day and you move like you've had weeks of training already," he remarked, eyebrows raised.

Lilia bit her lip, uncertain how to explain her affinity for swords. "Just a quick study I suppose," she murmured.

Over the next hour, Viktor led her through footwork drills, parrying techniques, and finesse moves at a rapid pace. Lilia absorbed it all eagerly, integrating corrections and tweaks until each motion flowed intuitively. More than once, she noticed other students shooting her surprised looks at her swift aptitude.

By the end of the intensive one-on-one session, Viktor shook his head in disbelief. "I swear you're toying with me, lass. You sure this is your first time holding a sword?"

Lilia ducked her head, cheeks slightly flushed. "I promise it's all new to me. I think I'm just lucky to have a great teacher."

Viktor looked thoughtful. "Well, keep this up and you'll be a master in no time. A few more classes like this and we can move on to intermediate stuff."

As the other students began packing up their gear at the end of class, Viktor pulled Lilia aside. "You've got real talent and drive," he rumbled. "With the right dedication, you could go far with this. My advanced competition team's always looking for prospects. Think on it."

Lilia blinked, surprised and flattered by the unexpected praise. "I will, thank you. This has been amazing just after one session. I can't wait to keep learning."

She bid Viktor and the other trainees farewell, feeling exhilarated and accomplished after her successful first lesson. The initial self-consciousness about her appearance had faded away during the intense concentration required to absorb all the new skills.

Walking home, Lilia mulled over Viktor's words. While becoming some champion swordswoman hadn't been her intent, his belief in her potential was immensely validating. If she could attain mastery in mere months or maybe even weeks, it would dramatically accelerate her ability to wield her arsenal when necessary.

This brief taste of swordsmanship had awoken something primal and thrilling within her, a fervour to refine her skills to lethal sharpness. James had never considered himself particularly athletic or combative, only slightly above average, yet as Lilia handling steel just felt inexplicably natural. She couldn't wait to test her growing abilities against skilled opponents.

 

The next day after school, James or rather Lilia and made her way to the Steel Lion training hall for the evening class. As she walked briskly down the sidewalk, a familiar energetic voice called out from behind.

"Hey, Ja—Lilia! Fancy seeing you here!"

Lilia turned to see Nathan jogging to catch up with her, a gym bag slung over his shoulder. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Nathan? What are you doing here?" she asked.

Nathan looked at her oddly. "Uh, I train here. I'm a senior student."

Lilia froze, feeling incredibly dense. Now that she thought about it, Nathan had mentioned in the past that he was training with swords, but she'd never pieced together that this was his school.

Noticing her discomfort, Nathan leaned in conspiratorially. "Don't worry, your secret identity is safe with me...Lilia." He gave her a cheeky wink.

Lilia quickly shushed him, glancing around. "Yes, yes, but here I'm going by Lily, okay?"

Nathan mimed zipping his lips. "Got it, mum's the word."

As they continued walking, Lilia shook her head ruefully. "I can't believe I didn't realize this was your training place. You certainly kept that quiet."

Nathan shrugged. "Hey, you guys never asked specifically where I trained. And I don't go blabbing about my uncle's business left and right."

Lilia's eyes widened in realization. "Wait, Viktor is your uncle?"

"Yup! He's been teaching me swordsmanship since I was a kid." Nathan puffed out his chest proudly. "I'll have you know I'm one of his top students."

Lilia had to laugh at the absurd coincidence of ending up in Nathan's uncle's class. "Well, please go easy on the newbie tonight," she joked.

Nathan made an exaggerated show of stroking his chin in thought. "I dunno, maybe I should take this opportunity to show off a little...Ow!" He yelped as Lilia punched his shoulder.

"Okay, okay! I'll be nice, I promise," Nathan laughed.

They chatted lightly about training on the rest of the walk to the hall. Despite the unlikely circumstances, Lilia felt relieved to have a familiar face there. Entering the building, she and Nathan parted ways to change into their gear.

As the class progressed, Lilia noticed Nathan watching her sparring matches closely. She moved through the drills with smooth competence, despite only being her second session. It seemed her battle instincts ingrained in this form were truly awakening.

During their final paired spar, Lilia sensed Nathan's attacks coming a split second before he moved. She parried his strikes, following with a quick riposte that almost sent his practice sword clattering away.

Nathan let out an impressed whistle as he removed his helmet. "Man, you weren't kidding about being a quick learner. At this rate you'll be kicking my butt for real in no time."

Lilia smiled, exhilarated by the night's progress. If she kept advancing like this, she'd be ready to wield other weapons before long. With patience and dedication, she would master the skills necessary to face whatever fate throws at her.

After class ended, Lilia and Nathan exited the training hall together into the cool night air, chatting lightly as they walked.

"Man, it's almost unfair how crazy fast you're picking all this up," Nathan joked, though she could feel a tinge of jealousy beneath his smile.

Lilia laughed. "Oh stop, I just seem to have a knack for it somehow." She paused, then added more quietly, "Though I guess having this body probably helps, having the enhanced reflexes and all."

Nathan nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, I can see how that would give you an edge. Speaking of which..." He leaned in with a cheeky grin. "Bet you must get quite an eyeful in the women's locker room, huh?"

Lilia scoffed and gave him a light shove. "Oh please, it loses its appeal fast once the novelty wears off."

As they walked, Lilia added casually, "Anyway, I'll be paying a visit to Phantom Thief soon. Apparently, he's got another heist coming up."

"Oh yeah? You gonna actually try to stop him this time?" Nathan asked curiously.

Lilia smiled enigmatically. "Something like that." In truth, she was more interested in connecting with the rogue's information network. But no need to bore him with details.

Nathan eyed her speculatively for a moment before smirking. "Ah, playing it mysterious. Well, whatever you're up to, kick some butt for me!"

They exchanged some final friendly banter before parting ways for the evening. Lilia hurried to the scene, invigorated by the productive training. Perhaps the Phantom Thief would prove a useful ally after all.