The Sanctuary

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“Up!"

Kat was sitting in a heap on the floor, a slow bruise forming over her cheek. She was glaring angrily at me with just a hint of tears forming at her eyes.

 “Alaya, you are hurting m-“ But as Kat was getting up, at a quicker speed than any of her peers, I had kicked the seven year old’s legs out from beneath her and Kat was back on her behind again with a rather ungraceful “Oof!"

“Alaya!!”

 “Kat, you have to learn how to respond faster,” I admonished with a grin. Kat seemed taken aback and gave me a rather confused look. I continued, “The worst thing you could do is take your eyes off your opponent. A slight second and you’re helpless.”

As Kat rose to her feet for the second time, her eyes never leaving my form, she raised her fists to her face. Then she straightened.

“What’s wrong with you, Alaya?”

I straightened from my fighters’ stance to give Kat a quizzical glance. “What do you mean, what’s wrong with me? I’m fine –“

“You’re smiling,” Kat said suspiciously. “You never smile.”

I laughed. Kat’s eyes widened even further and I crumpled my face, confused. “I don’t smile?” I mumbled to myself. Was that really true? I narrowed my eyes at the child.

“Kat, stop trying to distract me from your training. I do smile and laugh. End of story,” I said sharply.

Kat almost comically rolled her eyes in response, and I jumped into action, set on making Kat dearly regret her words.  We began to spar, slower than I would usually but enough so that Kat had a challenge. We broke apart as a yell rung out through the sparring room.

“Alaya!”

I whipped my head to the door. Jonrick stood there, arms crossed. He didn’t look happy.

 “Did you forget?” Jonrick glowered.

I was taken aback by Jonrick’s tone. I looked down at Kat who was raising her eyebrows questioningly at Alaya.

“It’s not for another-“

“It’s now, Alaya,” Jonrick said shortly. He turned and walked away, his steps hard and forceful. I stared at his retreating back, my jaw slack.

“What’s now, Alaya?” Kat asked, quietly. I shook my head.

“Nothing, Kat. I’ve got to go,” I gave Kat her sparring gloves. “Keep practicing. Ask Reece if she can show you around a bow and arrow.”

With that, I raced after Jonrick. He was hurrying to the training room, shoulders tensed. I fell into step alongside him, glancing warily up at him as he moved.

“Jonrick, what-“ I began to start, but then was interrupted as I saw Edward and Chara at the entrance of the training room. Chara was giving me a hesitant smile, but Edward looked livid. Although barely older than Jonrick, Edward had a look about him that made him seem older than he was. He had a close cropped hair cut, which made the raised grooves on the side of his face stand out even more, pulsating with each angry clench of his jaw.

“Late,” Edward barked.

I blanched. “I’m not late-“

“Get in!” He interrupted me. I looked up at Jonrick, who was steadfastly avoiding my gaze and then at Chara who shrugged a bit, apologetically. I walked slowly into the training room, warily.

Maybe this wasn’t going to be all I had hoped for.

A few other Riders were in the room, setting it up. Bows and arrows, swords, sparring gloves, throwing knives.

The room was large and expansive, probably the largest room in the Sanctuary. I had never entered this room, as it was dedicated to Rider training and practice. I had spent waking moments envisioning myself walking into this room, showing off my skills, passing every test with flying colours while Madame Widow would only stand back and applaud in amazement. Finally announcing my name as a full-fledged Rider.

But now, it was all I could do not to turn back and walk right back out from where I came from.

The Riders began to notice my entrance, as Edward stalked into the middle of the room.  The other Riders followed, falling in beside each other as they formed a strong line, facing me.

“Seek courage! Seek Strength! Seek life! Seek freedom! Seek revenge!” The Riders chanted. I chanted it alongside them, standing at attention.

I suddenly felt very alone, standing there facing a line of stoic faced Riders. I found myself focusing on my breathing, on inhaling and exhaling. Trying to calm down.

I could do this.

“Speak your names!” Edward bellowed.

“Samson!” The first man stated. He had long dark hair that was left loose around his shoulders. His beard and piercing silver eyes were intimidating, and I found myself looking away from his severe gaze.

“Alise,” A woman of smaller stature piped out. The ridges around her eyes were much more pronounced than I had ever seen before, travelling right down to her cheeks and upwards into her forehead.

“Marvine,” A man barked. He had a gravelly tone of voice, which startled me. His hair was shaved, and he seemed much more muscular than the others. Scars travelled up and down his exposed arms, scars of a worse time.

“Rowen,” An olive skinned boy said. He had dark, short hair, and his ears seemed jeweled with various piercings. He was a smaller boy, but he had an angry glint in his eye not too unlike Edward.

Chara and Edward introduced themselves, as well as Jonrick.  Jonrick kept his eyes forward and I wondered blankly why he seemed so angry at me. A pang at my chest surprised me as I looked at Jonrick’s steady expression, his anger only belied by the muscle that jumped in his jaw.“We are your trainers,” Edward said, his tone snarky. “You will do everything we say, when we say it. You will be put through rigorous training. We will push you to your limits, beyond them even. This is not easy. This is no game. This is serious.” Edward began to pace, keeping his eyes steadily locked with mine.

“Consider each training a challenge, a test you must pass. If you pass each one of these challenges, you will be considered,” His lip curled. “to join our ranks as a full-fledged Rider.”

I felt my fingers begin to tremble with uncertainty. That wouldn’t do. I straightened my spine and tried to give Edward a bold look.  “I’m ready for it.”

Edward raised an eyebrow.

“Sixteen years old,” He muttered. “Foolish and headstrong. What in gods name is Madame Widow thinking.”

I kept my gaze steady. Edward and I stood at an impasse, neither of us willing to back down.

“Good,” Chara said quietly, shooting Edward what seemed to be a warning look. “We begin.”

“Today, you will train with Marvine,” Edward smirked, as Marvine stepped forward. “The dagger test.”