Am I Human?

Chapter 19

I was awoken by the rain tapping against my window. I pushed myslef out of bed and stretched. Ouch.

There was a sharp pain between my shoulder blades and my legs were sore. The training yesterday had wore me out. This is the first time I'm happy to be awaken by the rain. If there's rain, which means no training.

I stepped out of my bed, my feet touched the soft carpeted floor. Ryder tried to teach me how to use a dagger and I was a complete failure at it. Then came the bow and arrow.

I touched the scar on my arm Jay had caused. He tried running while using the bow and arrow, that's how my scar is formed. I don't feel like going in detail too much.

I stepped into the cold floor of my bathroom and took a nice warm shower. I grabbed a pair of jeans and a plain shirt from the stack of fresh new clothes I asked for. The clothes in my closet were a bit too, puffy and girly. I checked my phone for new messages from my parents or Sam. They must still be worried sick about me.

I offed my phone and slide it in the drawer with my mask. I pulled the towel off my head, releasing my wet hair as I grabbed a brush and brushed it. I heard a knock the door, "Ash? Breakfast is ready." there's only one person who would call me by my name in this world. I placed my brush down in my dressing table and unlocked the door.

He brought in two trays of food and sat on my couch. "You know you don't have to bring my food to my room for me everyday, right?" I told him as I inserted a piece of bread into my mouth. "It's fine. Plus Jay has morning training so I'm free." he said with a warm smile as he spread butter on his bread.

"Training? In the rain?" I looked towards my window, the rain poured down slightly heavier than before. Ryder nodded, "Raining or not, soldiers have to train."

I was afraid he was going to make me train in the rain like Jay. "Don't worry, I'm not" I let out a breath of relieve. "Instead, we're going to the old underground arena! Yay!" he seemed to enjoy training. Like yesterday, he and Jay enjoyed it when I nearly died halfway. I could see Ryder giggled by reading my thoughts. "Yay.." I said 'excitedly', I fake smiled and rolled my eyes, "I'm so eager to go right now." I placed my last piece of bread in my mouth as he drank a glass of milk.

"Well since you said it.." he took my empty tray and his, a cinnamon bun dangling from his mouth. "We'll bee goin' shnow," he placed the two trays outside my room and pushed me outside. He took my keys and locked my door, dragging me towards the closes stairs.

We walked down the stairs that seemed forever, I was relieved to see light at the end. I stepped into the dusty arena as Ryder flew high up. "I haven't been in here for ages." he did a flip in the air and flew around.

I walked towards the weapons that rested at the side of the battle field. Ryder landed with a jump causing a cloud of sand. "I told Zac that we'll be using the arena and too him to set up, didn't imagine he'll leave us weapons," Ryder say as he flew down took a sword up, waving it in the air.

I picked up the dagger and threw it forward, aiming for the target Zac set up not far away from me, I didn't managed to his bullseye but it didn't flew over it. I was quite pleased with the results and a sword came rushing by my face, few inches from mine and flew towards the target. It got bullseyes right above mine. I glared a 3rd Ryder and he shrugged sheepishly.

He flew towards the target and pulled out the sword and the dagger and toss it back to me. I quickly grabbed it by the handle, nearly catching the blade. "Here, you swing your body to the side, and throw" he did an example and a dagger flew out of his hand and towards the towards the target. As usual, he got a bullseye. It was harder than it looked. I sighed and copied his moved, swinging my hand hard, my dagger flew across the arena, hitting straight into bullseye. I was shock and happy in a way. "Yeah!"

I tried a few more times and managed to get all of them bullseye. "I guess we know what type of weapon you'll be using." Ryder smirked as I threw another one. I tried working on different angles and at least manages to hit the target.

"Since you got that covered, I'll teach you how to do-" I gasped, a dagger appeared in his hand, a few inches from my face. I was also amazed by how cool it was and wanted to try it by myself.

"So all you have to do is... "

•••

I huffed and sat on the seats at the side of the arena, drinking a bottle of water Ryder had thoughtfully brought down for me. He was sitting next to me and balanced the blade on his finger tip. Throwing it up, he caught it by the handle. I placed my bottle of water next to me, picked by dagger up and tried to copy Ryder. I cut my finger a little and it started to bleed but I still managed to catch it by it's handle.

"Hey, you're bleeding." he said as he saw my bleeding finger. I quickly put the finger in my mouth and sucked the blood.
He shook his head.

He tossed me something sharp towards me, I squeezed my eyes and caught it with two hands. I slowly opened my eyes and saw a dagger clapped between my two hands, it's sharp ends was a few inches away from my face. I steadied myself and hold the shiny object by it's handle. I was about to scold Ryder but realized what the thrown at me.

The golden handle sparkled as the spotlight from above shined down, I could see my reflection through the blade. "It's yours." How can I be angry at this person? I chuckled.

I looked around the dagger he had tossed to me, cool. "I know right. I even have a sword or a bow ready for you," he said as he took out a sword with golden handle and a bow with beautiful patterns.
"I'll just stick to this," I waved the dagger, but the bow was pretty, I have to admit. And I'm gonna need more than one dagger to fight Allison.

"You're right, lucky I brought this." he tossed me a bag that made a 'clank' sound as it his the floor. I unzipped it and found many similar ones but smaller than the one I'm holding. A belt was fold up and waiting to be put on.

I slide the belt on and adjust the buckles and placed each dagger into their individual pockets. There was a slightly bigger pocket perfect for my dagger he threw at me.

"Thanks." I smiled as I look at my reflection at the dagger.