Guardians

Chapter Thirteen: Disoriented

Solana hovered her hand over the switch and flipped it. Instinctively, I dove to the ground. Did something swing at me? Maybe this danger reflex worked a little too well.

I stood up and brushed myself off. The new tunic was covered in dirt, but it didn't matter to me. I pulled off the blindfold and looked over at Solana, who couldn't contain herself in the corner.

"Do you even know what swung at you?" Solana asked, then pointed to the top of the tent.

Following her finger, I saw massive logs suspended above us, all varying in shapes and sizes. Some were pointed and thin, and others were wide and flat. Each of them were connected to a mechanism, which I assumed dropped the log and swung it across the room. All of their movements were a product of Solana's switch flips. I was at her mercy.

"These logs pack a mighty punch, and I can make them attack you from any angle. I'll give you one hint: diving will get you killed. Imagine yourself in battle, and you dive out of the way of say, a collapsing building. With the amount of time it'll take you to recover, the enemy can send any number of killing blows through your back or your side. Too many options for your opponents. Like I said, you have to turn the reflex into a voluntary action. Now put your blindfold back on; I won't give you a warning when the next log comes."

I had to dodge fifty of these logs, and some of them could easily impale and kill me. I nervously placed the blindfold over my eyes again and waited for the next log. I took deep breaths, slow and steady. Anticipate the next log, I thought.

With those breaths, I began to visualize a log coming at me. It was coming from behind again, but it was one of the sharp, thin ones. I couldn't figure out if it was just my mind playing tricks on me, or if I was actually foreseeing Solana's next switch flip.

Why would Solana attack me from the same place twice? To scare me? To prove a point?

I prepared myself for the oncoming log, based on my previous foresight, and sidestepped to my left. I could feel a strong breeze from my right side, blowing towards the direction I was facing. It was the log slicing through the air beside me. I did predict Solana's next move.

This danger reflex was quite the tool.

Excited, I leaped into the air and pounded my fist. "Haha! One down—"

"Forty-nine to go," Solana finished.

The next moment was all too quick. Still in the air, I was knocked to the side, and my vision jaded. The outer rim of my vision was black, and a sharp pain surrounded the left side of my body. She caught me while I was celebrating, and I paid for that mistake.

"You shouldn't get too cocky. And never let your guard down. That's what will land you in the hospital.

My breathing slowed, and my heartbeat calmed. I could feel myself drifting out of consciousness.

"Now you're going to force me to scour the castle for a Green?" Solana sighed, and walked out of the tent.

Meanwhile, my eyes finally fell into darkness.

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"Sorry to bring you here from your post, Melodie," Solana's voice echoed through my semi-conscious head.

"You're lucky I was still here," a softer voice replied. "Since I'm the only Green in the Castle, the Master doesn't want me leaving until Celeste returns tomorrow."

I could feel their eyes looking down at me. My eyelids were weighed down by fatigue, refusing to open by my will. I had to forcibly separate them, startling the other girl standing over me. Solana, however, seemed unphased.