Glorious

Runners ~Chapter One: Training and Promises

"I'm becoming a Greencloak and I will defend Erdas."

Tasha

"Great, more obstacle courses," Raisha grumbles under her breath, Gerathon lifting her head from Raisha's shoulder to see what caught her summoner's attention. The training hall was completely rearranged, walls blocking Tasha's view of the full room. All she could see was an entrance into what she assumed was a maze.

"I don't think this is an obstacle course," Tasha points out.

"Tasha is completely right," Lenori says from somewhere in the room. Tasha looks up to see the blue-haired woman standing on a platform, Keith beside her, leaning on the railing. His sloth hung from the bottom, snoozing.
"This is a maze," Keith explains, "you'll be split in teams of two and as a pair, you have to find your way out, which includes fighting those in your way."

"This was Keith's idea," Lenori immediately says so that she can't be blamed, "we choose the teams based on who would work well with who."

"Teams are," Keith looks down at paper in his hand, "Raisha and Kirat, Dawson and Kaiina, Grif with Anuqi," Tasha hears the two friends high five. Out of all the group, they were the only pair to actually starts as friends with the Wyrm and stay together during Greencloak training. Even her and Kirat didn't have that bond.

"That's all of them," Keith finishes and Tasha realizes that she zoned out and missed the rest of the conversation. Looking around she can already see people meeting their partners for the training. Dawson and Kaiina were probably comparing muscle size and gloating about how big their spirit animals are. Kirat looked very unhappy with his partner and shot Tasha a pleading look.

"I think we're partners," a male says from behind her. Tasha spins around to see the summoner of Kovo, Takoda. Tasha knew that he went underground to help Conor and Meilin, but the Great ape (who was currently sitting behind Takoda, red eyes glaring at Tasha) still didn't seem trusting to her.

Her face must have shown that because Takoda looks behind him sadly to Kovo then back to her, "he isn't bad. The world's not black and white."

"He started the wars," Tasha reminds him. The ape flares his nostrils before turning around and moving away.

Takoda watches the formally Great Beast stalk away, "Ninani isn't perfect."

"Excuse me?" Tasha asks confused, hand brushing against her left forearm where Ninani was in mid-flight.

"She didn't stop the wars, just gave the Greencloaks nectar. She left your people to rot," Takoda explains, referring to her home in Steriol, "how many people suffered from bonding sickness because she didn't help?"

"Yet you're a Greencloak," Tasha says nodding to the emerald cloak that only Takoda wore.

"Lesser of two evils," the monk replies.

Tasha rubs her arm and looks away, hinting that she didn't want to talk anymore.

Lenori release her Rainbow Ibis who screeches to get everyone's attention, "the challenge starts now."

Tasha starts to move forward, but something holds her back. She spins around to see Takoda grasping her green cloak, an amused grin on his face.

"What?" Tasha snaps, already realizing they must be far behind, the only ones remaining being them and Dawson with Kaiina.

"Just wait, the tortoise won the race, correct?"

"Well, yeah, but that's because the rabbit fell asleep," Tasha argues impatiently, the sound of the others summoners sounding farther away, "I don't think these rabbits will," Tasha assumes yanking her cloak back.