The Mysterious Door

Chapter 8

Round two is starting today. They recalculated our scores based on our performance yesterday, but the Instructor hasn't put the updated versions on the scoreboard. She didn't give much explanation to why, but I suppose she just wants to encourage everyone to work harder.

I had breakfast and put our team colours on reluctantly. I still can't believe what happened last night. How could Anthony leave me like that? And for Daniel, of all people. I really thought we'd be in this together till the very end. I guess he was just pretending to be my friend all along.

Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I should have given Daniel a chance to prove that he isn't the mega asshole I think he is. Anthony isn't stupid. He won't befriend someone if he isn't sure of their character. Or maybe I just read him wrong.

The Instructor's voice sounds through my room again, "The second round is about to commence. Daniel and Jake, please make your way to the training room."

My stomach drops. Not only didn't I want to see Daniel ever again, but I wanted to face him in battle even less. He's a much better teleporter than I am. I'll never be able to beat him. The Instructor must have cameras in the bathroom. There's no way I'm going to believe she didn't set this up on purpose, just because Daniel and I were fighting over Anthony yesterday.

I step into the hallway, Daniel smirking menacingly. I foul taste fills the back of my throat at the sight of him. I try initiating a death stare like they always do on the television on the shows made before the world was torn apart, but he only laughs and winks at me.

"Anthony was right," he says, "You really are a pathetic coward. You'll be dead before the end of the week, I just know it. But don't worry, just because you were friends with Anth I'll take it easy on you today." I don't say anything, partly because I don't know what to say. Off all the things he could have said, he knew exactly what would hurt me the most.

He walks out of his room, bashing me with his shoulder and heads towards the training room, "You might just as well enjoy the view from back there, you're going to be seeing a lot of it." I wish someone would just take his head out of his ass and punch him into next week. Everyone deserves to be confident, but nothing gives you the right to be arrogant.

We step into the ring, the mirrors rise (good as new; all signs of Margarete erased) and the bell rings. The time to fight has come. From across the ring the wooden dagger doesn't look like it could do much damage, but when it's penetrating your side out of nowhere while you're left slashing empty space, I'd say it gets the job done.

Daniel doesn't have any compassion, and that only makes him stronger. Where others would show mercy and hold back, he only does more. My entire body was aching by the time I managed one shot and even then he was gone before I could do any more damage. How do you beat something that you can't hit? Daniel is the fastest teleporter in our group, there's no way I can catch him the way I've done against other opponents, and by the time I follow his eyes to his next destination he has already ported from there too. It's useless, I'm going to have to come up with an entirely new strategy quickly, or I'll be done for. I can't give him the satisfaction of beating me in here too. He already took Anthony, he's not going to take this too.

"I didn't realize you and Anthony were so close," I say, blocking one of his swipes, "I can see why you would like him, but I just can't figure out what he sees in you."

"It's not about what he sees in me," Daniel says, meeting my blade again, this time staying put for a few seconds, "It's more about what I can do for him."

"And what exactly can you do for him that I can't," He ports behind me, but he seems to become more predictable.

"Many things my dear Jake," our blades clash a few times in a more playful manner than before, like friends would duel in the movies, "Protection for one and other things you'd never understand."