Glistening Embers

Chapter 10: Discovery

Author's Note: Hi, fam! Starting a new story; a ship book! The book will be done with simply ✅s and ❌s. If you're interested in any other stories, you might try Duffy and Puffy for a laugh or check out SilverFire106 or ResilienceYT two of my best friends! Happy reading!

Glisteen didn't know exactly what happened next. All she remembered was that she had stood stiffly, then shoved her arms in front of her. Flames had leapt from her fingers. The flames had easily made a ring around Sabecary, then the flames grew into a wall. Sabecary spat insults at Glisteen, and the flames grew hotter, and hotter, until she could feel the heat from where she was standing.

Glisteen brought the flames down with her anger. "I think I win." she spat, before turning and going to the other side of the training room.

When Glisteen got to the other side of the room, she realized it was silent. Everyone stared in awe and fear. Was her Gift really that powerful? Raya and Sinlivbie looked cautious, which was reasonable. What shook Glisteen was Yilasia. She looked scared, like she knew Glisteen was powerful, but not sure if it affected her.

"Come on, Sia, let's get started." Yilasia walked forward tentatively, and Glisteen waited, patiently.

Soon Yilasia was at Glisteen's side near the plants. Glisteen had done this on purpose. She knew Yilasia most likely had a Nature Gift. "Yilasia," she said calmly. "I think you have a Gift with plants. Try and get them to do what you want." Yilasia looked at her, astonished. Glisteen nodded.  By then, everyone was going back to their exercises, Raya and Sinlivbie dueling.

Yilasia extended a hand toward a red, budding rose and screwed up her face in concentration.  A slow, hesitant vine twisted its way from the rose. It wrapped itself around Yilasia's waiting hand. Yilasia smiled.

"Yilasia, you're going to have to learn to hurt people with your Gift." Glisteen said cautiously.

"Why?" Yilasia asked.

"We have to prepare for the battles. Try it on Sabecary." Glisteen said, feeling like Sabecary needed to know that Yilasia was not to be his next target. Yilasia nodded.

The vine slowly snaked its way on the ground, making its way to Sabecary, who was destroying another mannequin. The vine was two feet from Sabecary, one foot, half a foot. The vine darted forward, and wrapped itself around Sabecary's feet. Yilasia threw her hands back, the vine moving with her. "Hey! What-" Sabecary slammed onto the floor. The vine quickly darted back into the pot, just as Sabecary was regaining his senses.

Yilasia smiled, as Sabecary struggled to his feet. "I should have known..." he muttered, stalking towards them. "What are you trying to play?" he asked, standing a foot away from Glisteen.

Glisteen shrugged. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yes, you do." Sabecary replied, stepping closer.

"Well, I didn't do it, but maybe I helped." Glisteen retorted.

"You just have an answer for everything, don't you?" Sabecary asked, leaning forward, so his face was an inch from Glisteen's.

Glisteen blushed. "Yes, I do."

"Then why are you blushing?" Sabecary asked, whispering. Glisteen blushed more.

Glisteen tried to fake yawn and ended up failing. "Are we done with this interrogation yet?"

"Sabecary, back off." It was Sinlivbie.

"Why? We were having a wonderful conversation." Sabecary replied, turning to face Sinlivbie. Glisteen took her chance to walk around Sabecary, and lined up with a dummy. Sabecary went back to his, Yilasia went back to the plants, and Raya and Sinlivbie went back to dueling.

The seconds passed, and seconds turned to hours, and hours finally turned to lunch time. Glisteen left off shooting fire at the now disfigured dummy, and walked to the hallway at the end of the room. Everyone followed, literally everyone, followed for lunch time.

As they emptied out into the cafeteria, Glisteen, Raya, Sinlivbie, and Yilasia found a table near the corner. They sat down. Glisteen had grilled chicken and Sinlivbie had a salad. Raya had tomato soup, and convinced Yilasia to have the same.

They ate in silence; it was tense, everyone not knowing who'd they fight, or if they'd win. They then returned to the training room. They trained and trained. "Hey, Glisteen!" Glisteen jumped as Raya, came up from behind her. "Want to spar? Sinlivbie left to cut up a dummy."

"Sure." Glisteen replied. They went to circle in the arena. Glisteen stood in the center, not needing a weapon. Raya grabbed a short sword, but it was too long to be a knife. It was silver like most metal, and had black leather covering the pommel. Glisteen was confused.

"What kind of weapon is that?" Glisteen asked.

Raya glanced at it. "It's a dirk. Perfect for darting and making small wounds, while fending off a sword."

Glisteen shivered. She did not like being up against that.

"Don't worry, it's been dulled for training." Raya assured her. Glisteen took her fighting stance. She learned it when she was younger, since Kavana would often instigate fights. Glisteen's feet were spread at shoulder length, her arms held slightly apart from her sides.

Raya took a similar stance, the dirk held slightly forward. The sounds of the training seemed to fade, and were replaced with the pounding in Glisteen's ears. "Ready?" Raya asked, her smile back. Glisteen nodded. "Go!"

Raya darted forward. Glisteen jumped just in time, as the dirk swooped by, just in front of her. Glisteen leapt forward, careful to avoid Raya's defensive slices. Glisteen feigned a strike to Raya's side, and instead ducked down and kicked Raya's feet from under her. The dirk fell from Raya's grasp and Glisteen snatched it from the floor, bringing it up to Raya's throat as she lay on the ground. "I think I win." Glisteen said with a triumphant smile.

Raya smiled. "How'd you learn to fight like that?"

Glisteen shrugged. "When you've lived in the worst orphanage in the world, you learn a few tricks."

"You didn't even use your Gift." Raya stated.

"Didn't need to. You didn't, either." Glisteen replied. Raya giggled. Glisteen flipped the blade around and caught the dull blade, and held it out for Raya. She took it and Glisteen held out a hand and pulled her up.

"Want to go again?" Raya asked. Glisteen nodded.

Glisteen left the training room sore, and with several new bruises. The four girls met up, then went to dinner.

It was the best meal of Glisteen's life. However bad the Niactarctans were, they sure were good cooks. The appetizer was shrimp with garlic sauce. The main course was a kind of soup called chili with corn and beans. Dessert was a cup filled with a spongy 'soufflé.'

After dinner, she was so full, she felt she was about to explode. The Gifted left the cafeteria and retreated to their bedrooms.  Glisteen felt satisfied as she took a shower and got into a soft nightgown. As she laid in bed, she thought that when the fights started, she and her sister would be prepared for whatever was to come.

The next morning, Glisteen woke to the sound of heart wrenching sobbing. She hastily tugged on a burnt orange romper and brown sneaker boots, then ran outside.

Curled into a ball on the floor, was Sinlivbie. "Sinlivbie, what's wrong?" Glisteen gasped, going over to her. Sinlivbie pointed a shaky finger to a list on the wall that Glisteen hadn't seen before.

Glisteen's heart sank as she realized that it was a list of who was against who in the Battle of the Gifted. Near the bottom was Glisteen's name.

And right below, the name of her opponent was... Sinlivbie.