2

A week of learning.

*Ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump* My heart beats in my ears, as air rushes past. The ground moves closer with every beat. It sounds like we are falling a long way, but it’s the complete opposite. We hit the ground almost a second after rushing off of the roof! My legs get jolted to the bone, but I bend them to take to absorb the force of my decent.

The girl plows into the ground despite my best efforts to keep her upright. I want to see if she is okay, but I have no time! I swing myself around and finally get a clear view of the creature. My breath catches in my throat. This creature is on one of the paintings in the Manor. The name of it engraved in a frame made of gold.

“Manticore!”

It has the body of a blood-red lion, the face and ears of a man. It sees me at the same time I see it and lets out another loud growl revealing three rows of razor sharp teeth. The red eyes bore into me, evoking fear. The one in the painting had been bigger, something which makes me thank my lucky stars. It closes the grotesque mouth and its legs bend in preparation to jump. Its tail swishes lazily and I realize the tail is fanned out at the tip, not with hair, but barbs!

I reach behind me blindly feeling for the girl she takes my hand, but I shake it off. “Get in the cart and go! Bring the first person with a gun.”

She takes my hand again and replies with a shaky voice. “What about you!”

I shake my head. “I have a feeling its after me and there is no way that cart can outride it. Go now!” Like a signal the shout causes the Manticore to jump. It launches at me like an arrow leaving s bow. I step forward holding the spike so tight my hands are white. Its silhouette grows as it bears down on me until I can only see its ugly face.

It crashes into me, knocking out my precious breath, but I don’t forget to put my plan into action! Falling back I plant the spike against the ground. The creature’s face changes from one of victory to pain and disbelief. Warm fluid runs down my hands. It lets out a deafening roar which causes rancid spittle and drool to fly into my face. It takes a shaky step back and another. Pulling the spike, which is stuck in its chest along with it.

My wet and slippery hands cant hold on and slips! “I am so dead, so dead. The plan was to make it impale itself and die! Not make it even more hungry for my blood.” It steps to the side revealing the barbed tail. I roll out of instinct, the action saving me as it smashes down next to me, making the earth shake.

The thing then pounces growling in anger and pain grabbing the same leg it had earlier. I let out a scream at the fresh wave of pain. The little reason I have left disappears! “Bastard, let go of me!” My kick lands on its face, but it doesn’t let go, my hands frantic searches around for anything to grab onto while I stomp its face repeatedly.

My body lifts into the air as it picks me up and starts shaking me like a chew toy. I scream again as my leg breaks because of the abuse! It falls over after a few shakes its jaw still locked in place. Battered and bruised with clenched teeth my eyes wonder around looking for something to hit it with.

Thoughts are slow, caused by the poison. For some reason I start to chuckle deliriously while struggling in vain to move. My body soon becomes too heavy and I lie still just staring at the sky. “Is this how I am going to die?” My gaze settles on a cloud in the sky. It drifts lazily along without a care in the world. “I wish I was a cloud. My father is dead. Pffft it’s not like I knew the guy. I wonder if my existence will fade like the cloud will? Will someone remember me? It’s not like I ever made an impact in anyone’s life.”

My vision starts to fade along with the pain. Sounds like footsteps reach my ears, but I am too tired to react, too tired to care.

“Master, don’t give up.”

“A familiar voice? Go away, let me sleep.” Slap! I want to laugh at whoever just slapped me, I didn’t even feel it.

A female voice joins the familiar one. “Klaus I got help, just like you asked. Please don’t give up.” A soft and cold hand brushes through my hair. It’s the last thing I feel before everything fades into darkness….

“Mommy, mommy look.” Little hands come into view holding a grotesque boat. “It’s me, when I was young?” The person I am holding it out for looks… well not human. She has long coal black hair framing a pale face. Her delicate hand reaches out and ruffles my hair, its cold and soft. However it makes me feel loved.

My little hands reach up to hold onto her arm that is white as snow. She leans to the side peering at me with eyes that almost look evil if not for the big smile on her rose-red lips. The biggest contrast to the kind smiling face is two horns that sprout from her temples.  They are red at the base turning darker as they curve gracefully.

“We will have to show your father how creative you are.” I giggle with happiness at the praise, and start to run around the meadow. Flowers of all kinds of colours are everywhere around us. The horned woman is sitting on what looks like a pelt of some kind of beast. As I look up I realize we are in a huge cavern since I can’t see the sky, a huge ball of energy lends its light to the darkness smaller spheres surrounds it like the earth around the sun they revolve around it, as if forever caught in a trap of gravity.

Over the trees that have red and blue leaves I can see a Palace in the distance luminescent, glowing with a pale white light. It feels like hours that I play with the ship made out of bark and sticks, but they are hours that feel like the happiest time of my life…..

It starts slow, a feint rumbling in the distance accompanied by a sound dull and indistinct.  My mother jumps up at the sound and runs over to me. A second rumbling makes my entire world shake along with the leaves. She scoops me up in her arms and we take off flying! Black wings with a red glow sprouting from her back. We soon reach a small tunnel hidden by brush. She puts me down with tears in her eyes. “Listen Klaus, you need to hide here for mommy. Only come out when you hear me or…. Or daddy.” Another crash that causes rubble to fall down from above increases the sadness in her voice.

Her hands run through my hair and she holds my face planting a kiss on my forehead. “Always remember mommy loves you. People may hate you in the future for what you are they may call you bad, or even evil. At those times remember that to me you are special and that I love you.” Saying this she pushes me inside and closes her eyes as she mumbles something. The earth around the tunnel starts to move by itself.

Too late I realise the entrance is closing! I try and run toward it, but by the time I reach it all I can see is her crying face through the small opening that closes a second later, throwing the surroundings into darkness…

Light spills into my room through the large windows, making me squint as I open my eyes. I lay still for a moment taking in the familiar surroundings. The walking in cupboard that you have to walk through to reach the bathroom is open and I can hear the water of my shower running. “Who can it be? What the hell happened?” It all returns like in a flash. “Must have been a dream, yeah just a dream.”

Is what I think until I try to move! Pain shoots through my whole body making me squeeze my eyes shut. I calm my breathing and exhale slowly. “Embrace the pain, pain is your friend it reminds you that you are alive.” Frederich’s voice with his teachings runs through my mind and I take another slow breath.

My arm lifts the thin blanket placed over me; I look down trying to discern the damage. “Leg is in a cast, a few scratches bumps and bruises on the rest.” Something in my hand catches on the blanket which draws my panicked attention. The panic in my heart subsides as soon as I realise it’s an IV drip. What surprises me, is that the liquid inside is a sickening yellow colour. I turn my gaze away not wanting to look at it.

The running water stops and I hear the automatic body dryer. My eyes rests on the ceiling as I try to focus my hearing to figure out who it could be. The ceiling has arches that run to a circular flat area. My room is in the West wing near the top of the tower which explains the weird build. The flat area is painted. When I was small I used to stare at it for hours before I fell asleep. It depicts a human like figure with wings, What makes it strange is that one wing is golden and feathered like that of an angel the other look like, like… “The wings the woman had in my dream?!”

A startle yelp comes from the walk in cupboard. I look at it. “Who is there?” After a few seconds two shapely legs come into view. “It’s the girl? …. In my clothes…. In my room?!” The confusion I have must show on my face because she quickly starts to explain. “Sorry… its been two days and Frederich has forbidden me from leaving.” She stomps her foot while saying this her eyebrows drawn close together. “I feel like a prisoner in this place. I had no clothes nor do I know any other place in the mansion, so I uh I took a shower and borrowed some clothes….sorry!”

The last part of her sentence was said with flushed cheeks. My gaze drifts over her again. She is wearing one of my black t-shirts, which hangs to just under her hips. My blue training pants covers her bottom parts all the way to below her knees. She has to hold it up with her hands otherwise it will fall off.

I want to laugh at the sight, but being in my situation I really can’t make someone angry at me. She pouts. “Stop staring.”

I look away quickly feeling my cheeks go red. “Uuh.. Sorry it’s not every day I see a girl in my clothes.” Hearing me say it she looks down inspecting herself self-consciously. After a few seconds she shrugs and walks over. Not knowing what to say, the first thing that comes to my mind gets blurted out. “Sorry about what happened, are you okay?”

She sits down on the corner of the bed and starts to giggle. “You with a broken rib and leg, are asking me if I am okay?” I nod not knowing what else to say.

“Well apart from being held prisoner, I am all good.” She smiles and looks around the room. “Do you really not have any games or something to keep yourself busy with?”

I shake my head. “No, my time is all spent on training. The closest I have come to a game is when Frederich and me play dodge.” Her eyebrow arches at me. “You see we take knives and throw each other with it while dodging.”

The one lifted eyebrow turns into two. “What the hell kind of game is that, what if you accidently throw someone’s eye out or something. DO your parents know he is treating you like that, its abuse!”

I frown at her feeling a bit wronged. “It’s not abuse it’s fun, besides the blades are blunt at most you get a bruise for a few days if you are hit.” She shakes her head with a face that says. “This guy is a lost cause.”

I swallow which reminds me how damn thirsty I am. “Have you seen a trolley with a jug of water nearby, there is always one somewhere in the room?” She nods and points into the corner on my right side.

Clenching my teeth I turn to look at it. “Well here goes nothing.” My face cringes up in pain, as I move to the side of the bed intending to get up and fetch me some.

Her panicked voice stops me. “Are you crazy?! Stay in bed.” She quickly walks over and pours me a glass.  “Why didn’t you just ask me to get some for you?”

I frown in confusion. “Why didn’t I?” It dawns on me. “It just never occurred to me… I.. I have always been by myself.” I stare at the glass after taking a sip. Remembering the dream or vision, whatever it was I had.

Her angry gaze softens at my words. “I guess rich people; really don’t have everything like I thought.”

Surprised I look up. Its no secret that only rich people go to the school. The very town was built by the school for the school in order to give the students some semblance of a normal life. “You are not rich?”

She shakes her head. “Nope, my mom works as chef at one of the restaurants in town, its called Caprinja. Have you ever eaten there?”

I shake my head. “I am not allowed to go into town.” The answer makes her frown.

She soon shakes it off and starts to explain. “Well every year the children of the people working for the school gets a chance to get into it with a scholarship. I did not want to go, but mother forced me and look where that brought me.”

I look at my hands. “Sorry.”

“Its not your fault, however that thing and what happened…the other guys.” Her eyes start to tear up, which makes me uncomfortable.

“What do I do?”  I remember reading somewhere that compliments make girls happy. Slapping on my best smile, stupid words escape my lips. “You have real pretty eyes.”

She freezes and her body starts to shake. “Oh no, did I do something wro-“

Its then that I realise she is laughing at me. Feeling stupid I frown. She wipes at her tears while trying to stop laughing. “You are so weird you know that? Its like you have never spoken to a girl before. That coupled with your appearance…”

I cut her off, feeling annoyed with being laughed at. “What’s wrong with my appearance?” She completely stops laughing at hearing the tone of my voice.

“Yesterday, your eyes were blue with a tinge of purple, not only that your hair was black, but today…” She stops talking and walks heads towards the bathroom. After a few seconds she returns carrying a mirror and hold it up.

I stop breathing for a second. My eyes were slightly purple before, but now they are full on violet, my hair as well…. It looks like it’s turning silver. “What the hell is going on.” I say aloud without intending to.

She sits back satisfied. “That’s what I want to know, Frederich said when he gets back he will explain everything.” I barely hear her. Kids already avoided me like the plague because of my weirdness, now my appearance… wait.

“Where did Frederich go?” She looks at me a bit worried.

“He went to go fetch my mom. Apparently she has threatened to go to the cops, the army and the FBI.” She blushes while saying this, but a part of me feels a bit jealous. Then I remember the woman on the phone. “My father is dead, what does that mean, does it even change anything?  I never knew him. Is he really dead?”

My thoughts threaten to drive me crazy and I close my eyes afraid I may start crying in front of a girl if I don’t. I feel the bed move as she comes closer. “Klaus, are you okay?”

The question makes me feel worse, more fragile. “Yeah I am fine.” I manage to croak out. Silence fills the room and soon I fall asleep my thoughts still in turmoil.

I wake up because of a tugging at my hand. My eyes open to see the gorilla standing over me. Evidently he is busy removing the drip from my hand. “Frederich?”

His hands briefly stop before continuing with its work. “Welcome back to the land of the living Master.” After removing the drip he walks out and brings in a cart. Out of habit my eyes search around for the “healthy shake”.

“No shake today?” He shakes his head.

“The potion is no longer needed.”

For a moment I feel so happy I could dance. “What do you mean the potion is no longer needed?”

He sighs, it’s the first time in my life I have ever seen him do it. “I will explain everything once the woman and the girl join us.”

Grudgingly I keep all the questions I have to myself. If there is one thing about Frederich I know, it’s that he is bull-headed and stubborn beyond compare.

Its not long before we hear a knock on the door. Frederich walks over and opens it. A woman enters, dressed in plain clothing, but the brown hair and eyes makes it rather obvious who she is. The girl follows behind and I realise I never got the chance to ask for her name.

Three chairs have already been place at the foot of the bed. Frederich gestures for them to sit down. Before taking his own seat. The chair protests against the enormous weight being placed on it, but luckily manages not to break.

The woman speaks first. “Alright, you said you would give me answers if I came and here I am.”

Frederich rubs over his sleeked black hair that is never out of place. “What you know about your world is very limited and many things are hidden from your kind.”

The woman frowns confused before saying. “My kind?”

Frederich nods. “I am referring to humans. You see around 356 BC my people found a way using…. A certain method to travel to this world. The person who did this was the mother of Klaus’s great,  great, great grandfather. Because of this he was tasked with guarding this doorway and it led him to many wars. Being half human however he soon met his end, but not before having an heir with an ancient race from my world.

The lineage continued there growing stronger until the human gene was all but gone. However because of this, something came to light. Something which I cannot speak here.”

The woman is dumbfounded along with me. Then the unexpected happens, she starts to laugh. “You must think I am crazy if you think for one second I am going to believe that poppycock!”

Frederich smiles. “If you believe me or not is not my concern, however since I have told you this much you fall under the official secrets act and cannot utter a word of what was said to anyone, I am telling you out of courtesy, not obligation so I suggest you listen very intently.”

The woman aims to stand up, but the girl grabs her hand and pulls her back down. “Mom let’s just listen, you didn’t see what I did, that creature…. It was not from this world.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The woman purses her lips and sits back down. “Alright say I believe you, who is this great grandfather and what is the purpose of this other world?”

Frederich stabds up and points to a painting on the wall. “The name of this person is commonly known as Alexander the Great.” He then motions towards me, his tone turning softer. “Master would you please tell them your full names?”

I blush a bit at the astounded and unbelieving gazes that are pointed at me. “Klaus is short for Nicholas.” I swallow. “My full names are Nicholas Megas Alexandros Mecadon.”

Frederich luckily picks up from there. “As you know in the old days there were no such things a surnames however you were…

The woman holds up her hand her gaze never leaving me. “I know Alexander was also known as Alexander of Mecadon since he was born there.”

Frederich nods pleased that he does not need to explain any further. “As for the purpose of the world. What is the purpose of any world to exist, the creatures on it to survive. However there is power struggles in any world, wars for land, resources and even less trivial things. Right now there is a power struggle in my world, you see one group wants to take earth expand their borders here while another wants to protect it. This power struggle is not an old one and has been going on since the discovery of this planet.”

The woman snorts. “If that was real we humans as you call is would not take it lying down.”

Frederich smiles and bends down holding out his huge hand. In his palm a flame suddenly comes to life. “That may be true, but we have magic which has also been mixed with your weapons, apart from that we have creatures, which your people have only learned of in legends. Dragons, is a good example, but finally and this is the most important part. The world of Certona is a hundred times bigger than earth, the populations are larger, and the strength of the average sentient being there is four times more powerful than the average human. If the faction that wants to take earth wins.” He leans closer to the woman until she is force to sit back. “You humans will have no hope.”

An audible silence fills the room. I don’t know how to feel after hearing this. Frederich has never really lied to me, but still this is a bit….

The girl speaks. “What does that have to do with Klaus?”

My gaze also turns to Frederich. He stays quiet obviously thinking for a while. “I cannot tell you, but he has been found and because of that we can no longer remain here. The young lady has also been seen in his presence and whoever sent the manticore will know this, so you are not safe.”

Her mother takes her hand. “What do we do now?”

FFrederich sits back down and gestures at me. “You have two choices. Come with us, we will keep you safe in return you must swear loyalty to the master.” The woman wants to object, but Frederich lifts his finger for silence. “Or you can take your chances with your government, I have already phoned them and told them about the situation, it is up to you however I feel obliged to tell you, your chances of survival will be slim.”

The woman sits back into her chair and looks at her daughter who is on the verge of crying.

I feel the need to apologise again, but I can’t find the words. All of this is new to me as well. I swallow hard knowing the answer for my next question may be painful, but I need to know. “Frederich, is it true… that my father is dead?”

Frederich’s fists clench and a vain pops out on his forehead. The air around him looks like its bending with his raw strength. “It is true master, I am sorry.”

After hearing it I turn onto my side. Subcontiously my mind notices that there is considerably less pain, but I don’t care. “I have no father, no mother, no family. The dream may have been real, but what does that change? ….I am alone.”

I vaguely hear the others talking. “How long have we got to decide if we want to go with you or not?”

Frederich sighs. “You have a week I am sorry I cannot give you longer than that and until then you can’t leave the manor. It has wards to protect against magic and right now is the safest place for you to be.”

The chairs creak as they all stand up and leave. Inside I am screaming, hurting, hating. “I will find whoever caused my father’s death and make them pay and after that. I will find those who tore my mother from me.”

The next morning Frederich enters my room to find me standing in front of a mirror inspecting myself. The change is huge and I feel like I am looking at a different person. When I woke up the cast was broken from my leg, I have no Idea how though.

“Everything about me is changing Frederich. I feel…. stronger, faster and full of energy. My mind feels like it has been blocked and last night it had finally broken through whatever was blocking it. I even heard you coming up the stairs. I can smell you from where I am standing. What is happening to me?”

Frederich pushes the trolley into the room and closes the door. “You are becoming the real you master.”

I look at him annoyed. “What the hell does that mean, stop playing games!” My new keen eye sight picks up the small mannerisms of his body, His nostrils are slightly flaring, and his eyes are slightly wider, pupils contracted. “I can even hear his heart rate has increased? He is afraid of me.”

“I apologise I did not mean to upset you.” He bows low, something he has never done.

“You do not have to be afraid of me, just tell me what is going on.” I say while walking over to make him stand straight.

“It’s the shake I have been givingn you, its wearing off I just did not expect it would happen so quickly.”

I turn back to the mirror. My face is smoother, skin a bit more pail and slightly glowing. My black hair has almost entirely turned silver. It’s only broken with streaks of purple here and there. I am taller this is obvious since I no longer need to look up when I talk to Frederich. My body looks leaner, built for speed yet I feel stronger than ever.

“What am I?” I ask no one in particular, but Frederich quickly answers.

“You are a culmination of everything powerful in our world. The first of your kind, but at the moment also the most fragile. People may hate you, shun you and even call you evil because of what you are.”

My head snaps to Frederich. “What you just said, I believe my mother said the same thing before hiding me.” Frederich starts to sweat.

“My Lord, you remember your mother?” I nod, but I don’t feel like explaining.

A knock on the door makes us both turn around. A sweet smell reaches my nose and I a smile briefly before it disappears. “What will her reaction be if she sees my like this?!” I quickly jump into the cupboard, as Frederich opens the door.

The girl’s voice fills the room or seems to with my enhanced hearing. “Where is Klaus?”

A short silence, I assume it’s because Frederich turned around to find me gone. Knowing there is no way out of this. I raise my voice. “Uuum… I am in the closet.” Hearing her steps come closer I start to panic! “Wait, don’t come closer!” She stops.

“What, why, are you getting dressed?”

I shake my head but soon realise she can’t see me. I rest my head against the door frustrated and scared I may lose the only sort of friend I have ever had. Closing my eyes I talk. “I have changed and I am afraid you may think I am a monster.”

Her heartbeat starts to speed up, whether it’s out of fear or excitement I can’t tell. Her hand touches the door and slowly pulls it open. Her heart beat increases as it does until finally…. She gasps as soon as she sees me.

“What the…. Why would I think you are a monster you are… you are beautiful!” She realises what she has said a second later and starts to blush profusely. My heart jumps at what she said.

I step closer. “You really mean it?” She nods still blushing and takes a step back her heart beating even faster.

“Anyway… I uh came to tell you that…. Whatever see you later.” She rushes out head held low.

Turning to Frederich I ask. “What just happened?”

For some reason the gorilla is smiling. “I have no idea my Lord.”

After breakfast I headed to the training room following the same path I always have. The house has now completely changed! The paintings and the runes that are inscribed everywhere glow a feint blue colour. When I asked Frederich, he said I had somehow learned the ability to see mana, however the feint blue is the most basic form of it and there are some in our world who has trained for hundreds of years to see more.

Furthermore upon touching the paintings information flowed into me, telling me all about the creature’s abilities weaknesses and so on. Frederich also commented by saying it is a sort of encyclopaedia my father left me for when it was time to return. After touching a few, I started to have a headache; obviously my mind is not powerful enough to process so much information in one go.

I quickly reach the training room after perusing the rest of the paintings to decide which ones to process next, which failed miserably. I feel like a child that has woken up for the first time knowing nothing at all.

Thinking on this I nearly walk into her. She looks just as surprised at seeing me as I am at seeing her. “I umm, felt bored and wanted to explore so I took a walk around the place.” I eye the bow in her hand and smile. For some reason it makes her blush.

Ignoring it I reach for the bow. “Do you know how to use it?” She shakes her head before replying.

“Not really, but I have always wanted to learn how.” I think for a second and then nod.

“Okay let’s make a deal. I will teach you how to, but in return at least tell me your name?” She looks up and smiles a bit more relaxed.

“Sorry I didn’t realise I have never introduced myself. The name is Raina.” She extends her hand making a business like face.

I laugh at it and take the hand lightly. “Klaus, its nice to meet you Raina.”

Our hands stay together as we look at each other a bit longer then we are supposed to. She realises and suddenly breaks it. Its followed by an awkward silence, but I am the one that breaks it.

“Ah-ahem, so you have fulfilled your end of the bargain, now it’s my turn.” I hold out the bow and she steps closer, her face set with concentration. “Alright so this is a composite bow, which was a good choice from your part since a composite bow gives you more force then a normal one of the same length. Not much history is known about it accept it came from the Asiatic countries.”

I give it back to her before walking to the wall on the far side and pressing a button. Four targets come into view as I walk back.  “For now I am going to have you shoot the one that’s ten meters away.” She nods looking a bit excited. I smile back remembering my first time. Then I remember how Frederich made me shoot it until my arm and fingers were bleeding.

Shaking the memory I walk to a shelf. “Give me your arm.” She does so obediently and I quickly slip a bracer on.

She looks at it curiously. “What that for?”

I grunt. “If you knew what I know, you would be thanking me right now. When you fire arrows in rapid succession people tends to forget to hold the bow correctly so when you lose the arrow the bow string chafes off a nice layer of skin, until your arm looks like a raw liver!” I shudder at the memories.

 She swallows and rubs over the brace looking a bit more thankful. I quickly hand her an arrow and step back. “Without lifting your bow, turn until your shoulder is facing the target.” She does as told.

“Klaus I am feeling a bit nervous about this.” I walk a little closer.

“Don’t worry about it, you will do fine. Now look at your target. This is your head’s unstressed position, leaning forward or tilting it back will cause your shots to be inconsistent.” Bending down I take her leg and spread the out about shoulder length. When I stand up she is blushing again which in turn makes me feel awkward.

“Look at your target not at me.” Her head quickly snaps back, but she starts to laugh faintly. “Now lift your bow, make sure you hold it so that when you pull it the bow is resting against the meaty part of your hand that’s in line with your thumb. Don’t grip so tightly, loosen up if your grip is too tight you are going to torque it.” Her head turns back to me with a vague expression.

“Torqueing a bow means you turn it once you let go of the bow string remember when you hold the string you actually anchor it so when you let go it moves, making your arrow miss the target.”

I quickly walk around to spot and correct any mistakes. “Now draw the bow.” I watch her struggle a bit before intervening. “Okay hears a trick that makes it a little easier, however it means you have to let go faster. Lower the bow until it’s in front of you then while taking a deep breath pull the string while lifting your body into the position we practiced.”

She grunts as she does, which makes me want to laugh, but I keep it in. “It seems like you have got it, more or less. Now for anchor points, when you have anchor points the bow will be held steadier the first is your hand which should be held against your chin, the second is the bow string should touch your nose. Aim in a way that makes you feel comfortable.”

She practices to draw a few times while I watch and correct any mistakes she makes. “You ready?”

She nods still looking at the target. I step back holding my breath she bends down as I told her and draws it while coming upright. I hear her exhale slowly…. *Twang* the arrow zips through the air and hits the target just a bit off to the left.

She looks at me surprised and smiling. “So cute!”

We continue to practice a while longer before her mother finds us. The woman walks in anger on her face, but the more she looks around the more baffled she becomes. “Weapons, so many weapons and you bring my daughter here!” She walks over and grabs Raina’s hand and before I know it the two have disappeared leaving me behind looking at them stupidly.

“What’s wrong with weapons, I shot my first gun when I was nine?”

The week goes by uneventfully. I spend most of my time in the training room trying to get accustomed to my new body. My mind keeps going to Raina though, since that day with the bow I haven’t seen her again and I think her mother is keeping her away from me. By now I have finished all the paintings in the West wing and had started in the East.

During the last day here I have learned many things about the other world and new most of the races and their characteristics. It still didn’t feel real thought, like I am learning about some story fairy tale in a book, but each time I look at myself I am reminded its real.

I also asked Frederich to teach me what he did with the flame, but apparently it’s a trait from his race and he can’t really do magic. When I asked him what race he was, he just smiled and said it would be a surprise.

So the last day came, the day they had to choose. “I feel pretty confident, since their safety should be the mother’s top priority.” Thoughts like this one is what I use to placate myself, thinking of any  other result then them going, makes my heart sink lower then low.

Frederich knocks while I fix my tie one last time. “Someone from the Macedon family needs to look good after all.” My ears can hear arguing on the other side, but I shut it out wanting to give them privacy.

The door opens and I immediately know things are bad. Raina’s eyes are swollen from crying the usual smile nowhere to be seen. Frederich pretends not to see and steps inside before speaking. “Have you come to a decision?”

Raina’s mother nods even now I can see her still looking at her mother with hope, but it’s no use. “We have decided to stay on Earth.” I look at the mother, my dislike for the woman growing.

Frederich nods.”I will phone your government and have them pick you up.” Raina looks at her mother again this time with anger. Frederich leaves, but turns as soon as he sees I am not moving.

Logic tells me it over, but my heart does not want to let go, my first friend, a person that accepted me and everything else. I turn to the mother. “Please Mam it’s for your own safety.”

She looks at me with a face near disgust. Before speaking. “Look at you, you may be pretty but I see the evil in you. Me and my daughter do not belong with creatures like yourselves, now leave we need to pack.”

For a moment I want to rip her head off, but Frederich’s hand on my shoulder lets my sanity return. “As you wish, but know this if anything happens to your daughter and you survive, I will kill you.” Both woman stop and stare at me.

The mother turns to the daughter. “You see I told you they are monsters!”

Holding my finger up for silence, which surprisingly works? I turn to Raina. “Despite what you may now think of me, I consider you my friend. You may take any weapon you want in the training room, just make sure to train with it. I hope to see you again someday.”

I turn around feeling my heart break at the same time. “Frederich I want to leave as soon as possible I am thoroughly fed up with this place.”

“As you wish my lord.”

I had learned many things this week, but the thing that stood out the most was that getting close to someone, can hurt like hell!

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Hoped you enjoyed the chappie.

If you guys have not noticed yet whenever the MC thinks it will be in Italics.

I split paragraphs whenever a new person starts to speak. (there was a lot of dialogue in this one. Let me know if it feels a bit dry.)

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