Serix watched Cassie execute the handspring, her leg coming close enough to his face to rustle his hair with the wind it created. Cassie moved with all the grace and poise of a female instructor he had as a child. Beautiful, yet deadly. She definitely had the makings of a talented fighter. He just had to teach her the proper techniques.

“Not bad,” Serix said when Cassie stood up straight again. “Unfortunately, that kind of move is more for looks than efficiency. Exposing your torso when you’re that close to your opponent is generally a bad idea. If I had a bladed weapon, I could have cut you in two.” He shrugged nonchalantly. “It might work on slower enemies, I suppose.

“Since you know next to nothing about combat, I’ll just start by showing you the ropes,” he moved to stand closer to Cassie so he could demonstrate. “All of your power comes from your legs and your core.” He put a hand on his own stomach. “During a fight, you need to keep these muscles tense. It helps add strength to your own attacks and it also helps lessen the sting of your opponents’. Trust me; it hurts a lot worse if you get punched when you’re relaxed.

“You should also keep your hands up by your jaw when you’re not taking the offensive,” Serix held up his own fists to demonstrate. “This way your arms protect your upper body and you’re in a position to counterattack quickly if you see an opportunity. Make sense?” He dropped his hands again and took a step back from Cassie.

“You’re not very big, so most of your attacks would be aimed upwards or to the side,” he said thoughtfully. “So to start out, you should learn how to uppercut and roundhouse kick. Those moves aren’t very hard.” He planted his feet shoulder-width apart, bending his knees slightly, and performed a simple uppercut, straightening his legs and thrusting his palm upwards. “With proper form, you get most of your power from your lower body.” He tapped his thigh. “If you rely on your arms alone, you might end up hurting yourself just as badly as your enemy.

“Now for the other move,” he adjusted his stance, placing his left foot a bit ahead of his right with his knees slightly bent. He pivoted on his back foot and effortlessly kicked his other leg out behind himself, compensating for his balance by leaning forwards so his body almost made a ‘T’ shape. He dropped his foot back to the ground and stood up straight again.

“Which one do you want to learn first?” he asked, grinning at her.