BATTLE SCARS: (Indigo Symbols Book II)

Chapter Three: Being Dead Sucks

HUNTOR:
    Being dead sucked. It is always that one time, that one time you prepare your students for the war, the battle that you know has been coming for a year. That one fight that would determine the outcome of the war, and the lives of your people and those you shared the world with, worlds, now we know there's more out there, and the Drac'on made their apppearance and no one can ignore that. The Drac'on, werewolves, vampires, gee what's next, mutant spiders? Oh and on top of it all, I'm dead to the world and can't be seen. So, I have to send my Leaders out, with one warrior escort to be certain of their safety, and the safety of the Indigo they find. Then again, that's not the thing that pisses, well, not pisses me off, ok fine, it irritates me. There, that's the word, irritate, because I can't be there, can't be the one to find them or ensure my Leader's safety, even if they can take care of themselves. I just wanted to be there, in on the action, in on the rescues, especially when my Leaders come back bloody and injured. But we always had healers ready, always on hand.  But either way you think on it, being dead sucks like hell. Although there are some high points, I got to spend more time with my students, and the newcomers. Those who lost family or friends at the knefly Epic Gym Battle. Ha, see I did a little Poke'mon refrence in there. But seriously, some of them, even I lost people in the Knefly Battle. Mr. Lupin, Gayla, and so many other teachers who were just slaughtered there just for being there. The only one we were able to save who worked there was Lara and by Greece I was grateful for that. Her and nine other teachers from different schools were rescued along with eleven students. Out of seventy in all. So many lost, so many who died for no reason but for being in the wrong place at the wrong times.
    That added reason to hate the Keepers for what they use to stand for, but now, now under it all, they just want to kill, to murder, to end lives. Them and that trader Amanda. Her and Starlight, Greece I hope Starlight was killed. Amala had said she checked
with Kitana, but the girl hadn't seen her body, then again, it would have been hard to identify anyone's body in that carnage. Either way, I hope someone killed her because she put the school in this situation, she destroyed them, now they're under complete lock down. Keepers swarm the place night and day, supposedly protecting the Indigos inside, but most likely killing them. No doubt they were taking anyone who they suspected or just wanted to be Indigos. I wanted to get back at them all, wanted to fight for my students, and get justice for those innocent who were murdered, just murdered just because they were there. For a while I've been dead. For a while the country has assumed my death and has ffigured the Indigo would die off after me. Being dead, I've kept up with the news reports, mostly on CNN and FOX. FOX believe my death, as does the rest of the channels, but CNN speculate just a tad too much and it makes me apprehensive that a few of the reporters will have accidental deaths or loose someone they love because they did their job. SHawn and I debated hard on sending ceiled letters or clues. But I vetoed the ideas. "I can't trust I or any of us won't be putting reporters in jeopardy." He knew what I meant. "I don't want any more lives lost on my conscience, no more people lost because of me." He, like everyone else, like anyone else would say it wasn't my fault, I wasn't, and aren't responsible for the deaths or the possibility of death. But that's the thing, I am.
I sat at the big table on the Leader's Plateau, dictating to James who wrote super fast, his hand flying across the paper. In the Dinner Hall,, everyone, Indigos and Non-Indigos alike ate, talked, laughed, joked, and teased. That, those sounds, that's what made me smile, what told me we were doing the right thing. Not just a Symbol to train for battle and blood, but for peace and love, a safe haven, for those who need it. I never thought I would hear that laughter, hear the joking, the teasing from them, from the newcomers, from those who lost so much, endured so much. Then I looked up and saw Wenzi coming towards us, Faith, Vera, at her side. "Hey Huntor." Wenzi said. "Hey, Hey Vera." I said. "Hi." Vera fidgeted, making me think she should use one of the Spinners that the Center developed, one that doesn't explode. "What's wrong?" I asked her. Vera took a bit to answer. "It's just, just, just that I miss them, I miss my friends from school, my old friends, I, I don't even know if they are alive. I, I know a lot of them went to the tournament, but, but those who didn't, I, I don't, I don't know if, if they're still alive." She finished and I heard the tears. I leaned forward, "I can have someone check for you Vera, Wenzi could have someone check." "No." She said. "I don't want, I don't want—"She doesn't want to put anyone in danger." Wenzi finished. "Doesn't want anyone to get hurt just because she wants to check on her friends."
"Huntor?" Vera's voice was weak as she took my hands, "Please, please, don't, don't, don't—"Don't  what?" I asked gently. faith, Vera, struggled, seemingly against her own will, "What is it?" I asked softly. Vera tried again, "I, don't want, I, I I, well, Huntor—"Faith." Wenzi said. In that name I heard the exasperation, and the worry. I knew Faith was strong, knew that Wenzi trusted Vera, Faith, whatever, but she trusted her deeply and needed her to be strong, but it seemed Vera was falling apart at the seems. "Vera." I said gently. "Tell me, what is it you need, that you want?" "I—" Then Brooklyn screamed my name from across the hall. I got to my feet quickly and sat on the edge of the Plateau, "Brooklyn, what—"Huntor there a problem. There's a really, really, really big problem." I turned to Vera, "Go." There was relief and fear in the word when she spoke. I dropped from the Plateau and landed next to Brooklyn. She had her sword in her hands and by her stance, I knew something was hugely wrong, "Show me." I said. She put her hands on either side of my head after sheathing her sword. Suddenly I was gone from the Symbol. Instead I stood next to a girl. The first thing I noticed were the green daggers she held, and the people in black that surrounded her. when she attacked I knew, knew what she was. "Another one." The thought had gone through Brooklyn's mind as she watched.