To Fall is to Die

Chapter Nine (Lydia)

"Techy." Lydia muttered as she sat down on her bed in the Cloud Dorms, sliding on the pin that marked her position. "The one who they are all relying on to get them through the worst of the Cup's challenges. Faze I know, but he hides too many secrets. Isa? I don't even know that girl."

Even though she had tried her hardest, she had still been unable to figure out what Faze had learned at Feivel's former house. She knew that it had to be something important, but he hadn't said a word through all of her attempts to get more information from him. And now, he was in her team. How could they be expected to succeed when division was at the very heart of their group?

Lydia pulled off her feather charm and started to tinker with it. The feather could blow so easily in the wind, but it was also light and graceful. A smooth fall, not a straight plummet. A glide to safety. She was the one with the wings.

As soon as she heard footsteps, she tucked the feather beneath her shirt once more. It was Faze entering the room, she could tell that by his uneven footing. He wasn't used to moving about with the cast, it felt unnatural to him. That was something she would have to fix in the time they had left before the Cup.

"Great. It's you." Lydia muttered as he plopped his things down on another bed. "Mr. Mysterious secret hider. Are you finally going to reveal yourself to us?"

"We will wait for Isa first." Faze turned away from her, but not before she glimpsed the scowl upon his face. He was equally less willing to spill every detail about himself as she had been, but now he would be forced to.

"I hope she hurries up. If she doesn't come here soon, we will miss lunch." Lydia complained, laying back on her bed. Faze read some document in his bed while they waited.

It was if her words had a power of their own, for Isa stepped into the room soon after she had finished talking. Isa's gaze was like fire as she looked over her new team, and Lydia couldn't help but cringe back at the severity of it. She had seen Isa around since they had gone to the same school, but never had she thought that they would be forced to put so much faith into each other.

"My name is Isabella Verlane, but you can call me Isa." She announced, taking the bed that was right by the door. "I am this team's leader."

Already, she had made herself distant from the others, acting like she was better than all of them. Isa knew nothing about group dynamics. Lydia ran a hand through her hair, grooming out the tangles. "My name is Lydia Zephyn. I am this team's techy." She mocked.

Faze shot her a glare, but she ignored it. It was his turn next. "My name is Faze Kanti." He looked down, finally giving away his last name. "I am this team's strategist."

Lydia had gotten a last name, but she wanted more than just that from Faze Kanti. "So why did everyone decide to compete? I need the money so that I can go to the college that I want and get a career in art. They don't offer many scholarships, and my family doesn't have much real money." She hated admitting this much about herself, but it would be worth it to finally get Faze's story.

Isa looked towards Faze, but seeing as he was reluctant to answer, she stepped up to go into her story. "I need the money for my sister. She is very ill, and my family can't pay the costs for her treatments." Lydia nodded, but she wasn't really paying attention. Isa had already distanced herself from them already with that little speech at the beginning.

"I think you need to tell us your story now, Faze." Lydia blinked sweetly at him. "We already shared our own, now it is your turn."

Faze grimaced but took a few steps forward. "Where should I begin?"

"At the very beginning." She leaned towards him. "That's the best place to start."

"My father made a deal when he was just a young boy, one that saved his life but placed a great debt upon him. Now I need to pay off that debt so I can live in true freedom, not with my rights belonging to that of another man." Faze said it all very quickly, as if he was trying to get it over with.

Lydia felt her heart sink as everything started to click. This man, he must have been her father. That was why Faze had been working for him all this time. And now, he wanted to leave.

"We need a team name." Isa interjected, all of them seeing that Faze didn't want to talk any more about it. "Something that resembles us, something that will make our name be known, even if we don't win."

"You can't win this thing." Faze hissed, something shimmering in his eyes. "You know that it isn't possible."

"It can be possible." Lydia swung her feet off the bed. "Everything is. We just need to plan..."