Eyes Of Etro

Chapter Three: A Request

Two weeks later
"Too slow."
I get up and swing my sword at Vince, but he ducks and kicks me in the ribs. I slide back but trip on my foot and fall on my ass. "Focus." He says as I get up and brush myself off. Vince has been helping me train for the tournament ever since I told him and Gramps. So far, it feels like I haven't been getting anywhere with it. I sigh and sit down in defeat.
This is hopeless, I'm totally gonna fail.
Vince sits down next to me. "Why the long face?" He asks. I sigh and look at him. "It just, feels like I haven't been making any progress." I said. Vince glances at me and looks thoughtfully at the ceiling. His gray and blue eyes study the ceiling for a moment before they fall back on me. "Maybe it's because you're not using magic?" Magic. The one thing most children knew growing up. It was a basic fundamental in combat and sometimes, daily life. I haven't used it much in the past year, but Vince was right. I need to start using it again if I want to get anywhere with my training. "Maybe you're right." I said. Vince looks at me and smiles. The smile quickly drops as a worried expression crosses his face, Something was up. "What's the matter?" I ask. He looks down and taps his hand. "Its about Sice,I heard she hasn't been talking to anyone since she moved in." That's true. The night after I met her, she hardly comes out of her room. I look down. "What do you want me to do about it?" I ask.
Vince chuckles at the question. "Easy, I want you to be her friend." Her friend? Easier said than done. I'm not exactly anti-social but trying to make conversation would be hard.
"Are you sure? I mean, I'm not exactly a social butterfly." Vince rolls his eyes in mock irritation. "You talk to Iwabe right?"
"Yeah, but that's different. I actually know Iwabe." Vince looks me in the eyes.
"But there was a point where you didn't know him, right?"
Damm, he had a point. Vince notices my exression and realized he won. "Soooo?"
There was no backing out of this one, I would have to go through with it.
"Okay, I'll do it." Vince smiles warmly and pats my shoulder. "Thanks Erik." He said. I get up and point my practice sword at him. "You owe me one." I said. Vince smirks.
"Okay, your request?" He asks.
"Teach me a cool move! Some thing that only a few people know!" Vince gets up and stretches, his eyes lighting up in excitement. "I got just the thing, come on I'll show you." He directs me to the center of the room and we begin our lesson.
Later that night
I sleeplessly stare at the ceiling. The light coming from the moon lit up my room
And it was pissing me off.
How the hell am I supposed to get some sleep if my room was completely lit? I've tried the blinds and the curtains, but the light is so bright it shines through those too! I cover my head with my blanket and pray I can fall asleep.
Just as I was dosing off, I began to hear movement by my door. I poke my head out of my blanket to see a folded piece of paper by my door. I quietly get out of bed to look at it. I cross the room and bend down to pick it up. I unfold it and realize it was a note.
Are you awake?
      -S
It was Sice. What was she doing up this late? Maybe she can't sleep either. I look around for and pen and found on on my desk. Then I reply.
Yes,are you sitting at my door?
      -E
I slide the paper under my door and I hear someone pick it up. Seconds later,the paper slides under my door again.
No.
I bite back a smile as I put the paper on my desk and open the door To see Sice sitting right in front of me
She jumps and looks at me in suprise, her face growing red as she realized the gig was up. She quickly gets up and brushes herself off.
"So much for passing notes." She said.
I lean against the doorway and cross my arms wondering what this was all about. Then I quickly remembered what Vince requested of me. "So, um. I'm guessing you want to talk?" I ask. She nods. "May I come in?" I nod and let her into my room. She sits down on my chair and I flop onto my bed.
"What's up?" I glance at her as she nervously taps her finger on her thigh. Her normally carefree expression now looked upset.
"Is something the the matter?" I ask.
"I'll be starting school tomorrow." She says quietly.
So that's what this was about.
"What's so bad about that?" I ask, confused as to why she would be so upset.
"It's gonna be lonely." She said. Makes sense, starting at a new school is tough. She would need someone to show her around. But lonely? Nah, not on my watch.
"That's not true, I'll be there."
Sice looks at me in suprise, then shows a big smile.  "So you'll help me out and show me around?" She asked excitedly. I nod. She claps her hands together. "Thank you so much!" She gets up and begins to leave the room. Wait a minute, her moods changed entirely too fast. Then it hit me, I just got guilt tripped. Damn, she's good. I silently snicker to myself when Sice stops at the doorway and turns around. "By the way, your room is entirely too dark at night. Get some lights next time." Lights? The hell? My room was completely lit up by the moonlight. I open my mouth to ask her what she meant, but she already went back to her room. I turn around and look at my window. I thrust open the blinds, and gasp. For what was lighting up my room wasn't the moon, it was a bright light. It was smaller than the moon, faintly peeking through the clouds. The same one from my dream on the Stone Castle.
The Gate.
***********
Lupus looks out the window,staring at the vast city below him. From here,he could see everything,all of it. The city was always magnificent at night but tonight, the city wasn't his focus. His focus was the bright light in the sky.
The Gate.
If he could see it, that means the boy's powers have begun to manifest. It was almost time, soon they will meet, and the end will begin. The revenge he promised nine years ago will soon come to pass.
"Credo,inform the others."
The man named Credo moves to leave the room, but stops at the doorway and glances back.
"It's begun?"
Lupus' focus turns away from the window but stops when at his reflection. His normally serious face,  twisting into a haunting smile.
"It's begun."