Destined: 2 Be Continued

5. The Rose Palace

Alex followed Jeremiah into the completely ordinary building that he called the "Rose Palace," with Penny close behind. Alex had wanted to talk to her about what he was going to say at the park, but they hadn't really gotten the time. Maybe he would once they went inside the building.

Jeremiah opened the door and let Alex and Penny in. Inside was an eerily large chamber, the entire building seeming to be that one room. Two people were sitting on chairs, reading rather large-looking books. One was female, with a light chocolate skin and dark hair, and a man, twice the female's size, and a beard that probably reached his waist. The female looked up and noticed the three walking in. Alex heard the other three come in and close the door behind them.

"You must be Alex and Penny," the female stated, standing up and revealing two large white wings. That's another one that knows our name, Alex thought as the female introduced herself as Eden and shook their hands. "I'm a mistress of courage," Eden told them, then pointed to the other man, who was still reading. "That's Portcullis, master of the earth. He'll try and push you to your fullest extent, but the lords of your elements--Windigo and Vespira, if I'm not mistaken--will teach you about your powers when you dream.

"Speaking of dreams, how are you, Jeremiah?" Eden asked Jeremiah, who was still standing behind them.

"I'm just dandy, Eden. Thanks," he answered, sounding reasonably dandy. "Well, the rest of the team and I have some business to attend to, so you kids just go and talk to Portcullis. We'll see you tomorrow." With that, Jeremiah and the other disappeared, probably to return tomorrow. Portcullis finally stood, setting his book down. With three absurdly long strides, he reached them. "You must be Alex and Penny," he rumbled. Alex tallied another person for knowing their names. "Follow me."

Portcullis strided off to a wall, and Alex and Penny struggled to keep up, running for his walking. Quickly, they reached the wall. Portcullis turned just as Alex was about to point out that it was a wall. "Watch this," he rumbled, then snapped. The wall opened, revealing what seemed to be some sort of training room. He walked in, then beckoned for the new Destined to come. They obeyed his order.

"I need you to fight me for as long as you can," Portcullis told them. Alex and Penny looked between each other. How were they supposed to do that? He was twice their size, and could probably pummel their skulls with one punch each. The two exchanged gulps, then turned back to him. "Let's do it," Penny challenged. Portcullis grinned, then charged them.

Alex held his arms in an X shape, and a shield of wind formed in front of him and Penny. Portcullis bounced right off of it, then charged again. Alex dispersed the shield and dragged Penny out of the way. Penny began to make fluid hand motions, trying to turn the oxygen around them into something they could use. Eventually, as Alex continued to make sure they weren't rammed to pieces, Penny made a ball of blue liquid. She threw it at Portcullis, and it splashed on the man's shirt. He stopped immediately.

Portcullis didn't just stop running. He stopped, stopped. As in, froze right in place. Penny and Alex walked a few laps around him, and he was still frozen. Alex took this time to charge up a blast of powerful wind. As he was charging. Portcullis slowly began to be able to move again. Alex knew he had to release soon, or he would be pummeled. As soon as Portcullis started moving, Alex shot off his blast.

It did absolutely nothing.

As Alex would later find out, a master of earth was stronger the closer he was to the ground, and a master of the sky was stronger the closer he was to the stratosphere. Since both were at sea level, Alex was at his weakest, and Portcullis was at his strongest. Henceforth, Alex's attack did nothing. Portcullis pummeled them both hard enough to make sure they wouldn't be fighting on, but not hard enough to kill them.

Portcullis scoffed. "The last team of Destined that fought me won. And no excuses, I made sure that I only fought hard enough for two people. I'm very fair in my fighting." Alex was disappointed in himself. Why hadn't the blast worked? Perhaps Windigo would come to his dreams and tell him why. Right, like that will ever happen, he thought. He and Penny dusted themselves off and asked if there was anything else to do. Portcullis shook his head.

"I don't know anything about poison or the sky, so that's up to the lords to teach you that kind of stuff," he explained. The three left the room to see Heather and Eden talking over tea.

"He's right. You have to accept it, and just move along. That's what everyone wants--you've seen how August and Belle act when you two talk alone," Eden said.

"But--yeah. Yeah, you're right. That's two years that we can't get back, and there's nothing that we're going to do about it. I'll forgive him, and we'll go back to how we were," Heather resigned, sipping some tea. Eden smiled, then noticed the three. "How did it--oh." Clearly, she saw the scrapes and bruises on Alex and Penny. Heather, sipping more tea, beckoned them over.

"Come here, kids. I'll fix you up."

"You're two years older than us," Penny corrected.

"I'm an adult. I can call you whatever I like, kid," Heather declared as Alex and Penny obliged. She set down her tea and placed her hands on their heads. Slowly, Alex felt his pain go away, as well as his tiredness. "Thanks," he and Penny thanked in unison. Heather smiled, then asked if they would like some tea.

"Sure," Alex answered.

After a bit of tea and scones, Heather looked at her wrist, which didn't have a watch on it. "Look at the time! It's past nine," she said. Penny looked at her phone, which had somehow stayed in her back pocket the whole time. Heather was right on the dot. Before Alex could ask questions, Heather stood up and started walking for the exit. She gestured for them to come along.

"What are we doing?" Penny asked. 

"We're showing you to your rooms. They're in the train," Heather explained. She walked over to one of the last cars and opened the wall. Alex and Penny followed.

The room was decorated to look like the sky, with a weapon rack full of weapons on the wall on Alex's left. There was a window at the other end of the room, and empty bookshelves on the wall to Alex's right. "This is your room," Heather told to Alex, leading Penny through a door on the weapon rack side. They closed the door behind them, and Alex figured out how to close the wall. 

There was a bed on the window side of the room. Alex immediately hopped on it, and fell asleep in moments.

He then had a dream.