Forever | Sodo x Reader

Emeritus Strategems

"Holy shit" Nik whispered as we walked through a tall wooden door revealing a vast square room dedicated to honing one's fighting skills.

A row of three red punching bags was lined up on the same wall as the door. They looked like they hung there for years, untouched and covered in dust. Though some faint scratching marks could be seen in the blood-colored leather as if some beast got too angry to resist fighting.

To my left, three round wooden targets were suspended about a meter or two above the ground, firmly affixed to the massive stone wall. Each one had a small blue dot at its center, marking the bullseye. The wood was showered in scratches and small holes, caused by hundreds of arrows slamming into the solid material over the years. Next to it, I noticed a chest, probably containing bows for archery practice.

A series of cupboards and tables stood against the wall in front of us. Screwdrivers, cords, hammers, pencils, and all kinds of other tools were scattered all over the surface. It seemed like a place dedicated to the repair and creation of weapons. Even old books with yellow wrinkly pages were stacked on top of each other in one of the cupboards. They almost seemed like they were glowing in the dim light.

Black mats covered the floor to the right, creating a cushioned surface for combat. Even the wall was padded to prevent serious injuries.

There was something strong in this place that was like a magnet. Energy rushed through my veins as soon as I first stepped in here and my heart hammered rapidly against my ribs. The atmosphere here was so.. different in comparison to all the other rooms. Filled with pure magic and electricity. But why would I react like this in a.. normal training room? Probably because it was everything but normal.

"It isn't a lot but it's enough to get the decent idea of fighting and getting better at defending yourself" the third Papa said as he lead me and my friend through the big room.

"Not a lot? Are you kidding me?" I almost scoffed as my eyes still inspected every single detail.

"Well, not a lot for us. We're probably the only church of hell that provides this little to learn fighting. Others have massive rooms the most modern pistols, knives, and so on." Terzo explained while he walked over to the big desk and waved his hands in the air. "Come here, i miei amici (my friends)"

I walked over to the third papa, still not fully realizing in what magic ass room I was in. Nik gently grazed the small of my back with his hand as his wide eyes wandered over the damaged wood.

"Here, look. I-" he started but stopped to take a deep breath in. His nervousness crept up my back, sending uncomfortable shivers down my spine. Suddenly the atmosphere beneath this roof changed as if someone snapped. The summer heat changed to ice cold, my guts changed into knots and it felt like something was stuck in my throat, making it hard to breathe.

"There's something not right here.. am I correct?" I asked with raised eyebrows. My muscles tensed as Terzo's eyes wandered to the stone floor.

"I- I can't lie to you, can I?" He sighed. I watched how his fingers curled around the edge of the table. He was scared. A sweat pearl rolled down his cheek and landed on his shoulder with a too loud blop. I heard it. The wetness spread on the heavy purple fabric, leaving a damp dark spot.

"No, you can't" I answered. The pressure of Niks hand on my back left as he turned around, still observing everything around us.

"Here" is all Terzo said and opened a drawer. Something shiny hidden in the dark reflected the light coming from the chandelier. Something silver, about 10 centimeters, and sharp looking. Very sharp. His fingers wrapped around it — no, around a black handle — and pulled it out. A.. dagger?