Krystal

62

The next day, when I go out for my morning run like always, I suddenly get hit with the strangest feeling deep in the pit of my stomach and I didn't like it.

Once I've reached the halfway point along the trail, I genuinely feel like I'm being watched. Even though I can't see anyone around, I can't shake it.

I carry on running without looking back and I feel a lot safer once I'm back inside the house, knowing there's a lot of security around here.

"FRIDAY?"

"Yes, Miss Star?"

"Can you check the motion sensors around the lake for recent activity? Last night and this morning, please?"

"Other than yourself this morning, there has been no recent activity in the perimeter".

"Thank you".

I could swear that there was someone out there, or maybe being alone for this long has started to make me paranoid?

Knowing there's still Asgardian assassins out there somewhere looking for me right now didn't exactly fill me with confidence.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When I'm sat eating my dinner later that afternoon, I glance out of the window and see something unusual off in the distance.

Dark smoke was rising from the trees a couple of miles away from the house, enough to make me think that someone had set up camp out there.

Chances are it's just hikers, but there's also a possibility that it could be a trap designed to lure me outside. I have to find out either way, so I grab my weapons and head for the door.

"FRIDAY, if I'm not back in two hours, call Tony".

Heading into the woods, I begin to regret my decision to investigate, especially when it starts getting dark out.

I find the campfire still burning when I arrive, but there's no signs of any people around. I have little doubt in my mind that this was probably a trap.

"If you're here to kill me then you might as well get it over with!" I dare whoever's there to come out.

There's no reply, but I can feel an eerie silent presence all around, with not even the sounds of birds in the trees as you'd normally expect.

"You were foolish enough to wander out alone at this hour?" a male voice from an unknown source asks.

"Yep, I'm all kinds of stupid. Now why don't you come out so we can do this?"

I hear something whistling through the air in my direction, but I quickly dodge and catch it just in time when it narrowly misses my head.

"Neat trick, but you're going to have to do a little better than that" I boast with the small blade still in my hand.

"So I have heard. Thor claims you are quite the spirited fighter".

"You know Thor?"

"He is the one that challenged me to find you".

"And why would Thor do something like that?"

"To see if it were possible. Especially now that Odin has extended his reach by placing a bounty on your head. You now have every ravager in the galaxy searching for your location".

"I'll be ready for them".

"You truly believe that? I found you far too easily".

"If they really want to kill me, then I'll take as many of them down with me as possible before they do. Maybe you should come out and claim that bounty for yourself?"

"Asgard and I aren't exactly on good terms at the moment. Thor would also not take kindly to your demise by my hand".

"Do you always do what Thor says?"

"Not at all, but he recently granted me a favour which I must repay".

"What favour?"

"That is none of your concern" he replies sternly.

"Well this was interesting, but if you're not here to kill me and you're done being all creepy, then I'm going back before FRIDAY calls for backup".

"You will not survive an onslaught by a group of ravagers. You do not have what it takes to kill in order to survive".

"And you do?"

"A small group of them arrived in these very woods only last night in search of you".

"You're lying. The motion sensors didn't pick anything up last night".

"I made certain their ship landing here went undetected by Stark's primitive technology".

"And why would you do that?"

"So I could kill them all myself".

"Wait, how long have you been out here?" I wonder.

"Several days. During which time, I have witnessed numerous occasions where you have left yourself entirely exposed to danger".

"So you've been watching me?"

Creep much?

"Only when necessary".

"So why did you light that fire?"

"I have lured you here this evening to make you an offer".

"Go on then" I may as well hear him out before I go back.

"I will train you in the art of combat".

"I'll pass, thanks. I already know how to fight and I don't need some coward hiding in the shadows to teach me what I already know".

I turn to walk away and bump into a giant cloaked male figure that towers above me. How did he manage to sneak up on me like that?

I take a few small steps back away from this stranger now that I've taken measure of his intimidating frame.

"Then let us see what the sorcerers have taught you, shall we?"

No sooner has he said that, he draws his swords and prepares to fight me. I pull out my hilts and form the blades with my magic.

This guy is ridiculously fast when he lunges forward, his sword only narrowly missing my abdomen, but I manage to avoid it by some miracle.

Our blades clash repeatedly in the dark, with the fire and magic from my blades being the only sources of light now.

I'm nowhere near as skilled with swords as my opponent clearly is, so once I create enough distance between us I put them away.

I'm surprised when he responds by casting his own aside before continuing his attack on me.

His punches are like being hit by a truck, but mine barely seem to affect him at all so I start getting exhausted pretty quickly.

"Had enough, witch?" he laughs mockingly.

I draw magic into my fists and attack him with everything I have left. It doesn't seem to take him long to study my technique and anticipate my every move to easily overpower me.

Now laying flat on my back, and feeling like I've been beaten to within an inch of my life, he stands over me knowing that he's won.

"Mediocre" he says bluntly, not even remotely out of breath even though I am.

I don't even reply while I struggle to get myself back up onto my feet so I can get back to the house before FRIDAY calls Tony.

"If you wish to survive what is yet to come, then you will return here tomorrow evening to begin your training" I hear him tell me when I slowly make my way back through the trees.