Rebel Born [FIRST DRAFT]

Chapter 21: A Fighter's Elegance [PART 2]

I landed in the middle of what seemed to be a battlefield... I blinked. A ballroom in chaos seemed to be a better way to describe it. Colors blurred around me as I identified people in suits and ballgowns frantically running about, trying to escape the bloodbath that was occurring. Blotches of red splashed around the room, striking out to me the most among the different colors.

A loud clang of metal sounded through the air before being drowned out by the screams and battle cries. I realized I was breathing heavily, as if I had been in the middle of the battle for an extensive amount of time. I was wearing a dark purple gown that was ripped and covered in blood. Whether it was my blood or the blood of others remains unclear. A battle cry ripped through the blur of noise as a blotch of black rushed towards me.

I dodged it at the last second, grabbed one of the person's arm to pull him backwards and downwards and delivered a kick to his head. I looked around the room to survey the situation the best I could.

More people dressed in black emerged from the crowds and surrounded me. One of them lunged at me, whipping out their sword. I dodged it and picked a sword up from the ground and swung back. Another one made his move.

I blocked, swung, and stabbed at the attackers. My mind was completely empty and I was acting based on what I was seeing in front of me. I blocked when I saw a sword coming at me, and dodged when I felt a prickle on my skin that told me that something was dangerously close to me. I was doing pretty well in fending myself. I managed to injure some of them and knocked some of them out but the attackers kept on coming.

Through the noise of the fight and chaos, I heard someone shout my name. I stopped moving and began searching for the source. Bad move. Multiple sharp metal edges pierced through my body the instant I stopped fighting. I let out a blood curdling scream, and jerked my eyes open.

I was back in the lab. I sat upright and ripped the sensors off me. My eyes darted around the room to take in my surroundings and make sure that there were no attackers. My heartbeat was racing and beating so loudly, as if to reassure myself that I was still alive. Cold sweat dripped down my neck and back. I placed a hand over my heart and breathed in deeply. I fisted my hand, scrunching up the fabric of my shirt. It felt so real.

I heard the door slide open and I whipped my head up to see who was entering. It was one of the ladies in the lab coats. She came in holding a tray. "Here you go." She handed me a cup of water. I chugged it down gratefully before placing it back on the tray.

"Where's Mrs. Miller?" I asked her as I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.

"She had work to do so she headed back upstairs." The lady replied, "You're free to go whenever you want. Please make sure you're back here by 5 PM though. Please place your hand on the black screen on your way out of the lab. We'll put your handprint into the system."

I nodded at her and stood up, my legs shaking slightly. "Oh, I haven't even introduced myself." The lady said again, turning my attention back to her. She extended a hand and I took it for a handshake, "My name's Isabelle. I'm one of the lead researchers for this department. I'll also be in charge of your virtual training sessions. If you have any questions or need any help, feel free to find me and let me know. I'll be happy to help!" She offered a wide smile and released her hold on my hand.

I offered a small smile in return and said a quiet, "it's nice to meet you," before I left the room. Before I left the lab, I did as she asked and pressed my hand against the screen. Once it had finished scanning, the screen turned green and a beep was heard.

I walked back to the hotel we were staying at, still feeling jittery. Every sudden noise made me jump and adrenaline was still flowing in my system. Once I finally made it behind the door of the hotel room, I exhaled a deep breath and went straight into the room I was sharing with Vanessa.