The Warrior- Laila Nomon

8. Chamber

'Superb,' and then Laila asked the question which she'd been meaning to ask, 'Also, who's the blond-haired-girl?'

'Which one?'

'The one which Laura sent to fetch you.' Laila said, suppressing a smile, reminiscing the reason why.

'Oh, you mean Erika?'

'I wouldn't be asking you if I knew, Fedrick.'

'Well, must be her. She's very rude, don't mind her. Both her parents died in the War, apparently. She's got a bit of attitude, herself. Personally, I don't like her. Just make sure not to get on her bad side.'

'Even if you do, we're there to help you.' Nick said slowly.

Fedrick gave a small shriek and almost rolled down the stairs but Laila caught him in time.

'Oh, gosh, Nick, you scared me. I forgot you were still here with us, and by the way, that's what I mean when I say Laila has a very strong grip,' Fedrick said and Laila smiled.

'I'm sorry. I'll see you tomorrow,' Nick said and went downstairs.

'Okay, so this is my chamber,' Fedrick said, approaching the fourth door to the left of the stairs. And opening it with a number lock, said, 'Stay here, I'll go down and ask Jake which chamber is yours and come back.'

'Are you already half-trained?' Laila asked, lifting an eyebrow.

'No, but we're getting so many new recruits that they had to give me a chamber on this floor. No matter how many enchantments we used, there was always less space. Everyone has a chamber mate- I got Nick. He forgets he's with me most times- he arrived a few months ago too. I'll grab him as well; you be inside, in the meanwhile.' And he went down the stairs.

Laila went in. There was a study table with two bright yellow twin chairs; upon one of which was Fedrick's bag. On the right was a small shelf full of books and on the left two bunk beds; in the middle of these was a small closet. Against the wall was a sky-blue couch. She was thinking about how the other chambers might look, when Fedrick came in, holding her bags.

'I couldn't track Nick. Maybe he's in the library. Let me show you your chamber.'

Fedrick took her to a door a few doors away and said, 'Now, everyone has a number lock- just like the one I used to open my chamber. So, you're going to have to have to set yours by putting a number lock consisting of three numbers and you can't forget them- you won't be able to get in again. So, you have to choose something that you'll remember. Okay?'

'Yep', Laila said as Fedrick stepped aside for her to set her lock. After a minute, Laila confirmed, 'Okay, I'm done.'

'Fine, let's go in.'

Laila and Fedrick both stood in silence, each waiting for the other to open the door. After waiting a minute, Fedrick gave up and reached for the door handle and opened it.

It was much smaller than Fedrick's. The wallpaper was a bright blue hue. There was a shelf full of books about the history of Warriors and a beginners' guide on how to control your powers, the leader's powers, the history of the Leaders, there was even a book about the Dark One and Dark powers, and many more which arose from the ground, touching the ceiling, placed to the right of the door and at the end of the chamber on the left was a bed with bright yellow sheets with a restroom at the corner.

'Wow. You guys have some taste of colors', said Laila.

Fedrick chuckled. 'Yeah, we don't exactly live black and white.' He placed her bags on a chair and left. Laila grabbed her jacket and went out as well; she wanted to get to know her surroundings a little.

She went this way and that, entered a passage, went into a room, went out, entered a curving passage, found herself in some sort of a board room and declared herself lost. She concentrated hard and found her way up to the staircase and out of the snow-covered-building. She stood there for a few minutes, fighting the urge to run away and somehow find her way back to her house in Norwood Hills. She turned around to go in when Erika came out at and looked her up and down with a look of disgust on her face.

'What beef do you have with me? Bonked your head?' Laila burst out.

'Oh, nothing... princess,' Erika replied calmly, gave her a mocking bow and walked away, out of sight, in the opposite direction of the building.

Laila wanted to run after Erika and throw her into some tree and crack her skull, but thought the better of it. She walked back in, climbed the staircase, and went back to her chamber, took off her jacket and threw it on the bed. She wondered why neither Laura was talking to her nor was Rosalie calling her- only if there was a telephone somewhere. She took out her anger by throwing down a mug on the floor which caused a huge clatter.

At once, there was a knock on her door, and she went to open it. There was the red-haired girl that she'd seen in the morning, 'Are you all right?'

'I guess.'

'You're the newbie, right? My name's Helena.'

'I'm Laila.'

'I know. Everyone does. Have you been training, yet? I mean- had a go with a sword or something?'

'Nope, ever since I arrived, I've seen nothing but butter-knives.'

'I can take you to our training arena. If you'd like to check it out.' After taking a few twists and turns, they reached a solid brick wall and on it was nothing but a bronze two-headed snake with emerald eyes in a far corner. Laila thought Helena had lost her way but Helena touched one of the eyes of the left head of the snake and muttered something. The snake's eyes started to glow and it seemed as if the snake had come to life; it slithered down the wall and lay there on the floor motionless. Laila was so intrigued by the snake on the ground that she looked up just in time to see the wall separating into two parts, revealing a room behind it.

A/N: Lemons, it's been a very long while. I admit, I'm very lousy at maintaining a schedule, which must've been obvious by now. I'm actually in the middle of the first set of exams for this academic year. It'll end around the 30th of this month. I barely even get 4 hours of sleep these days. I don't think I'm teenagering the way the other teenagers are teenagering, anymore. You feel me? 

See you after another billion light years! To infinity and beyond!