Katoptris

Book 2 ~ Part 1

The dark haired Roman stood at attention. She was guarding the entrance to her home, trying to be like those she watches when they go to the city and swim. It has been far too long since they have gone, but then again, it has been far too long since they have done anything but train and wait.

And more training.

And more waiting.

You get the idea.

After the dark haired Roman's best friend was kidnapped, anything resembling "fun" was put on hold. Now she spends every day being just a warrior, a member of the legion, no one special (though everyone there is special), and the nights are spent waiting for her best friend to come home.

She promised.

The dark haired girl shivered even though the sun was high in the sky and she was wearing her silver jacket, which matched her silver beret.

The promises of mortals mean nothing when the gods get involved.

"Are you doing better today?"

The girl kept scanning the freeway, not bothering to look at the blonde boy beside her. She kept her bow in hand, knocked with an arrow, startled by his idle chatter. He was the perfect soldier; he was what everyone strived to be. He was never one for idle chatter.

But they were friends, cousins even, but they always kept their personal lives separate from their legion duties, especially since war was once more on the horizon.

"It's been six months since she left, and we still have no idea where she is."

"She", they always referred to the girl in question as "she" or "her" or "the messenger", never by her real name, unless another member of the Legion was mocking her.

"She promised to return. I trust she shall keep her promise." Her cousin could never understand that their messenger would return. He wasn't there. He didn't see the goddess come in and grab her, leaving the dark haired girl alone.

Then she knew what it felt like.

"Bi-"

"Jason, I am fine, really. I am not going to give up hope. Our messenger shall return to us."

The blonde shook his head. "No, look."

She followed the line of his sword to where two figures were running across the freeway. The younger was male, and carrying and older lady. Bi was not pleased to see them, but she disliked the monsters following them even more. She shot an arrow and watched as it flew past the traffic, and into the head of a monster. It did not even stop as it pulled out the weapon.

The blonde was tugging on her sleeve. "Bianca, we need to go now."

She hated the sound of her real name, but it was all formalities with Jason. "You go and take them with you. I shall hold off those ladies."

He nodded, leading the teenage boy and old woman down the tunnel and towards home. Bi knew exactly who they were, momentarily thinking where she would like to place a few choice arrows in each of them, and from the brief moment the new boy caught her sight, he definitely recognized her too.

Bi slammed the door behind her as she followed the others into darkness. She could see their silhouettes far ahead of her, but still far from the entrance when the door burst open. Bi barely turned back as she released another arrow, pinning one of the beasts to the wall. She knocked another, and trapped the other monster in a similar fashion. She could hear Jason calling for her when she had reached the half-way point. She released one last arrow, letting the shadows consume her and dispensing her at the edge of the tunnel as it collapsed over the monsters.