The door shut heavily behind them. It almost gave off the feeling of being trapped and Bella wondered how Kaiya's brother survived without losing his mind, though she didn't necessarily know that he hadn't.
"So, how do you know Kaiya?" Bella asked.
"Oh! I'll answer!" Kaiya said excitedly as she made her way over to where Bella and Hades stood. "My family lived in the states during the summers until I was ten and Crystella was my best friend until I left."
"Crystella?"
"My sister," Hades clarified. "They left after she died and never returned."
"But Hades kept in touch with me even though my parents hated it. He was very helpful when I was figuring out my gift and even Takumi when he first realized he had powers as well." Kaiya rolled back and forth on her toes and heels as she spoke and continued to do so with a smile for a few moments after her last word. Then her face took on a more serious expression. "So, Belladonna, you wanted to fight me?"
"That depends," Bella responded.
"Hades said you wanted to fight an essencist because your headmaster is one. That true?"
"Essencist?"
"You're in for a treat," Kaiya said as she smiled and turned around to walk to the other side of the room. "I can absorb someone's essence, which in a superpowered person is essentially their superpower, then reverse it in that person."
"You can what?" Bella asked. Hades took a few steps back, making sure he was out of range for the fight that was coming seemingly very soon. "That's a power?"
"It is. Are you ready to experience it?"
"I don't think it would make much of a difference it I wasn't ready," Bella stated. "I don't have time for anything like that. Call it Hades."
"OK. Remember, no use of formalized fighting instruction. Powers only. No killing, but maiming, almost killing, and knocking your opponent out are not only allowed but encouraged. Go!" Hades said, repeating the official words said at a Malent Talent Competition then taking a few more steps backwards.
Bella immediately felt a weird sensation encompass her entire body. As if she was losing feeling everywhere, every part of her body began to feel numb. She tried to use her power to no avail, instead having her eyes drawn to tiny shimmering pale green lights that seemed to radiate from Kaiya's head for several moments before pausing. They then moved toward her, causing her to take a step back until she saw the pale green lights intermingle with and then pass by similar pale red lights which rushed toward Kaiya, who accepted them willingly. Bella suddenly felt all of the feeling return to her body, accompanied by the feeling of pins and needles which seemed a necessary evil when such a thing happened.
Not even a second later, Bella's body was flung to the wall and she was both unable to move and unable to use her powers. The pressure on her body was growing to a point where she felt her bones might break and she couldn't breathe.
"Remember what she said, Bella," Hades coached from the sidelines. "She absorbs your powers and then reverses it in you."
The first part was obvious. Belle realized that Kaiya now had her power once she realized that she couldn't use it herself. The problem was Bella had no clue what the reverse of her power was. What would the opposite of telekinesis be? Antikenisis? How would she go about using that power?
"W-well... how do I even... use it?!" Bella gasped, using whatever strength she had left. Her fights with Hades, though difficult and emotionally scarring at times, definitely strengthened her body and increased her stamina.
YOU ARE READING
Villains in Training
Fantasy"There are all types of supports for heroes," Bella said angrily. "There's schools and mentors and even government aid sometimes. We just want one thing, ONE THING, to help us reach our potential." "Potential to be villains?" Quinn asked, exaspera...
