A Mirage in the Desert

Yunwa heard the door open. Gil must have finally caught up with her. She tuned, but it wasn't Gil who entered the room. It was the warrior, the one who had blown her cover at the Sacrificial Chamber. Was the warrior after the Naryu Sarasva as well? Yunwa couldn't let anyone else get to her prize before her, but how could she handle a skilled warrior? Her father's words echoed in her head:"If one side has the advantage, initiative and surprise can level the playing field." Before the warrior could speak, Yunwa attacked.

The warrior quickly countered Yunwa's strikes. Yunwa backed away, clearly outmatched. "Don't fight a battle you can't win." That was another of her father's sayings, one that clearly made sense here. Thankfully, the warrior was willing to talk, apparently unphased by the assault.

As Yunwa caught her breath and faced the warrior, her father's voice returned yet again. "Work smarter, not harder, and never work alone." Perhaps this warrior wasn't a rival so much as a potential partner. The only thing better than defeating a rival was convincing a rival to work for you.