S.H.A.D.E. [{ Completed }]✔ (#Wattys2018)

Training

11.

I wrap my fingers around the silver handle of my axe, feeling the coolness of the metal. It's heavy, my arms tensing to hold it. The blade is not simplistic, but curved intriguingly, a deadly mistress. She shines at me, a welcome, a celebration for the oncoming kills she will make.

I think that it is beautiful, but I am also afraid. I don't want to kill.

"You can name it, if you want. I find a lot of Shades do that. It's gimmicky at worst, legendary at best."

"Name my weapon?" I ponder at the thought, staring down at the carefully crafted battle axe and all it's etchwork, kind of thinking the idea is stupid, but then a name comes to mind. "Bellona," I murmur.

Scarlet hears me. "Oooooh, mysterious," she giggles. "Well, why don't you bring Bellona on over here and see how good you are at handling her?"

I notice then the cloth dummy set up in front of her. There are three of them, actually, and they are all greatly beaten up, torn and filthy. I tighten my grip on the axe and go to stand by her.

"Go ahead, take a swing. I want to assess your approach."

I nod, re-gripping my hands, which are sleek with sweat. I am nervous. This swing represents something. It means that I accept this path, that I am a Black Shade, willing to kill those who go against the establishment.

"This isn't a novel. Come on already."

"Oh--"

"-- 'Screw you, Copper', yeah, yeah. Get going."

Drawing in a breath, I take a swing. It hits the dummy just barely, and the weight of the axe sends me off balance.

Scarlet starts belly laughing, which irks me.

"Sorry, sorry! That was just so... anticlimactic!" she wheezes, almost kneeling over in laughter.

I straighten, poise myself, and then swing again, this time anticipating the heaviness of the axe. It lands leveled at the dummy's neck, but it doesn't cleanly go through the way I want.

Scarlet whoops in excitement. "Wow, not bad!"

I pause there, with the toe of my blade sunk halfway into the neck, and a feeling consumes me. This will one day be a person. A man, a woman, someone... eyes bulging, blood spurting, choking, gurgling.

I drop the handle, stumbling back, catching myself against some equipment before I can tumble over.

"Ebony, stop that."

"Shut up."

I blow out the breath I forgot to exhale and hold my face in my hands.

I feel a hand on my shoulder, and I look up into Scarlet's deathly serious eyes. "There's no time for remorse in battle."

I knock her hand away. "How can you just do that? Take a life?"

"An evil existence in exchange for thousands of good ones?" She lifts her chin. "Damn easy."