Shadowed in Secrets

Chapter 1

A strong gust of wind snatched roughly at Cahya, pushing long strands of ash brown hair into her flushed face as she sidestepped a thrust from Sasha. Expecting a parry, her opponent was thrown off balance, providing a slight opening for Cahya to dart forward and disarm her. Sasha's wooden sword clattered onto the stone floor of the courtyard.

"Come Sasha, pick it up. What are you waiting for?" Cahya snapped, positioning herself to launch another attack on Sasha.

Sasha breathed heavily, her black combat boots making a quiet tapping sound as she stepped back from her cousin "Cahya!" she whined, "Can we end practice now? I'm exhausted!"

"Sasha, you know that if you don't-"

"-improve my skills I won't be allowed to work in an elite position in the Neverseen. Yes, I recall that you've mentioned this once or twice before", Sasha cut in sarcastically as she crouched downwards to pick up her sword. On the last day of the school year, every 16 year old citizen would fight for a position in the Neverseen in a fierce competition. The highest ranking competitors would be trained to join the elite levels, while the lowest ranking ones would be assigned less favourable jobs in the community.

Just as Sasha's slender hand was closing around the leather grip of her sword, Cahya whipped up her own practice weapon, slid it under Sasha's short auburn curls and tapped the side of her neck.

Sasha tensed, "That wasn't fair!"

Cahya's electric blue eyes shone in the waning evening light, " Honestly Sasha! You're opponent isn't going to pass up the generous offer to skewer you through the neck! You're paying about the same amount of attention to this practice as a green verminion!"

"I would be fighting better if I was less exhausted! Can we please go in?" Sasha made pleading imp eyes, the ice blue within them melting Cahya's resolve. They resurfaced memories of her of her older sister's frosty eyes....

"Fine. Just this time. But be prepared for tomorrow's practice."

Sasha and Cahya stepped onto a cobblestone pathway leading from the courtyard towards the large mansion centred in the middle of the property. Beautiful trees surrounded majestic fountains, which trickled into narrow streams on the field bordering the large house. This was the house Cahya had lived in for the past 3 years, and although she was welcomed and loved by her cousin's family it never felt like home.

The two cousins glanced around as they silently crept towards a small pond near the back of the house. The light blue water glistened in the light of the setting sun. Sasha padded towards a moss covered wall behind the pond, and placed her hand against the soft surface, as though feeling for a door knob. Her hands brushed against a rough carving of an eye, and she gently pulled outward. A hidden wooden door, covered in moss opened with a barely audible click.

The girls snuck through passageways, lit by glowing fungi, hallways that Sasha had discovered as a curious child with parents that had little time for her. She suspected that they were a remnant of escape ways created by one of her ancestors.

"Do you hear that?" Sasha whispered.

Cahya listened carefully. The sound of hushed voices was coming from a thin wall in the passageway, located just outside of her uncle's office. The girls pressed up against the wall and listened closely.

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Hi readers! This is our first fanfiction! Hope you enjoyed our first chapter!