Thorns (Sequel to A Dozen Roses)

Chapter 5 Pick Your Battles

Chapter 5

Isaac POV (dun dun dun)

One step foreword. Breathe.

One step back. Breathe.

Left swing approaching at at 10mph. Relax my back and duck. Perfect.

The way he fights is far to common and easy to track. Myself on the other hand, I know nothing but the fall of the enemy.

I bring my fist underneath his swing and slam it into his stomach. His body convulses and I bring my other fist up and slam it into his temple.

"Solace! Knight! That's enough!" I take three steps back my body stiffened up. The other kid puts a hand to his head but steps back as ordered.

Our instructor, who we were only allowed to refer to as 'Sir', moved to stand alongside the two of us.

"Solace excellent formation. Keep your body a bit looser. Don't be so stiff, relax your shoulders." I nod my head.

"Yes sir."

"Excellent work over all. 60 Knife movements then you can help the beginners." I nod my head respectively and wait until he dismisses me before crossing the giant room to where the knives are lined up.

I guess I should tell you I'm at my Assassin training Academy. It's called Lorem. I know Seto didn't want me continuing here but I begged my dad to let me. This place relaxes my nerves and it harnesses my skill. I'm top of my class of six hundred over all.

You here that? Six hundred kids between the ages of 7 and 16 are training to kill people all over the world. People would think that's horrifying but that's not how I see it.

I see it that everyone should know how to fight and defend themselves.  It should be something taught in schools honestly.

I shook my head and picked up one of the knives taking my place in front of the dummy.

"Hey Solace!" I turned my head at the sound of my last name. Two boys and a girl approached me, they were older and taller than me. "Heard you were messing with our little brother?"

"We were ordered to fight so we did." I said softly looking up to the eldest boys eyes. I wasn't afraid of them. I'm not afraid of anything or anyone.

"You cheated and hit him in the temple. That's against the rules." He snapped, "You should know what we do to cheaters here."

I did. If a person honestly cheated in a fight they'd end up getting beat up out back. I shook my head.

"I know the rules Damien. Cheating and a tactical shot in defense are two different things. What I did was a shot of defense, nobody you fight outside these walls are going to play fair. It's better to learn now rather than get your ass beat" his eyebrows shot up at my defiant tone.

Here I was a prodigy and very few kids knew that. Seto went here sometimes and so did Uncle Ty. Most of my family and family friends have gone here. I was born to fight and kill. It's in my blood.

"Don't think your so special Solace. Why don't you go run home to mommy before I beat you up." He put a hand over his mouth, "Oh I'm so sorry I forgot your mommy didn't want you. That's why she left you and your dad all alone."

Crack!

My fist connected with his nose and a sickening crack echoing the room. People got quiet really fast and turned to look our way.

I stepped closer to Damien, watching his brother out of the corner of my eye.

"You never speak of the horrendous woman in my presence again. You understand me? You don't speak negatively of either of my fathers or anyone of my family ever again or next time I hit you, you'll be on the floor." I stepped back, "Have I made myself clear?"

"You can't threaten us." The girl hissed. I turned my head to look at her.

"I can do whatever I please. I'm not afraid to hit a girl either." I set my knife down, deciding I didn't want to do Knife movements right now, and moved past them towards the doors. I needed some fresh air.

Once outside I sat down on the steps to the building watching the cars go by. I couldn't help but think about what they had said. About my mother I mean. I remember the day she left like it was yesterday.

My parents were suppose to come tuck me in. But they were fighting again. I tiptoed down the stairs, peaking my head around the corner into the living room.

My mother stood with a suitcase in her hand, her long black hair in a tight braid. Her back was too me but I could tell she wasn't happy.

"Brice you can't tell me you don't think that I'm right!" She demanded. My father looked heartbroken and horrified.

"Absolutely not!" He exclaimed sharply, "He's just a boy. So what if he's smarter than others? That's a good thing!" Mother threw her hands up in disgust.

"A good thing? Brice he's not even 2 and he knows how to speak other languages! That's not normal! I don't know what freaky gene you have that did this to my son, but I want nothing to do with him." My heart shattered.

"If you want nothing to do with Isaac then leave like you want. I will not sit here and listen to you call my son a freak.." She huffed and gripped her suit case handle.

"Fine. But don't come crawling to me when your sick of that monster" and she left.

She left us that day and never came back. My dad told me what happened the next morning, I cried, but that was it. After that it was like she never existed. A few months later he met Seto, who was amazed at how smart I was. Called me a genius.

"Hey bud what are you doing sitting outside?" I lifted my head. Kyle had come to pick me up.

"Got tired of training is all." I stood up and dusted off the back of my pants. "Can I ask you something Kyle?" We started to walk down the road back to the house.

"Course you can. What's up?" I bit my lip shoving my hands in my pocket.

"What did you think when you first met me?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Honestly. My first thought was 'who the hell let Seto breed' but he told us you were just Brices."

"No no. I mean about meeting me. Who I am." I wanted to know.

Kyle gave me a look but slung his arm around my shoulder pulling me into his side. He sighed loudly and over dramatically.

"I couldn't believe some little kid was so smart. Smarter than me even, ain't hard to do but you did it, I was well...impressed honestly. Why'd you ask?" I shrugged.

"Just wondering."

I decided like in a fight that I would choose what I dealt with at the moment. Dealing with idiots in class and my mother abandoning us wasn't the battle I should be worrying about.

I'm picking my battles.

And I'm choosing to fight to find my Father.