Quietus

The Game

"What even is this?" Reed laughed, his legs dangling from the table he was sat on.

"It looks like a slingshot," Acaila hummed, amused by Reed's puzzled expression.

Reed picked one of them up. "Yes, but what's this pointy thing?" he mumbled out loud, inspecting the bottom of the handle.

"It's called a blade. Be careful, it's pretty sharp." Inc explained, in a tone that implied that he thought Reed was actually asking.

"I know what it is." Reed laughed as he jumped down from the table and handed a slingshot to each of them.

"Clearly." Inc parred.

"Did we get a note this time?" Acaila asked in an attempt to spare the group from unnecessary quarreling.

"Are your eyes alright, sister?" Inc asked.

"Of course, I'm just asking if you saw something I hadn't," Acaila sighed, but before Inc had the time to prepare a new sarcastic remark, Reed claimed their attention from the other end of the room.

"Looks like we did get a note!" he yelled. He had walked around their pale training area. First to the arena, then over to the manikins, and from there to the row of circled targets.

Slingshot in hand, is seemed like Reed had found something.

Acaila jogged over to read over Reed's shoulder. He could very well have hidden the note from them, performed the task, and left his kin in the dark about the days mission. But Reed was Reed.

"We start at the same time, right?" Acaila asked, knowing she was likely the worst at aiming out of the three.

"Of course," Reed replied, and they were both aware of Inc's sharp eyes, coming closer as he calmly walked towards them.

"Let's get in line," Reed proposed, and Acaila did as he said. They all stood next to each other, about four feet apart.

"What is our task?" Inc asked, his tone flat but his hands were tightly clenching his slingshot.

"I guess we're going to shoot down the targets. The one that knocks over most, wins." He explained.

"But what are we going to use as ammo?" Acaila asked, but before she had managed to finish the question, Inc was clutching the flask dangling from his belt. He opened it and froze a ball of water as it shot out of the opening. He placed it in the slingshot, aimed, shot, and made a hole in the middle of a target, failing to knock it over.

He was breathless and paused for a split second of time. "That was the only thing the note said, to knock over the targets?" Inc asked, and the calm of his voice had faded.

Reed looked at him, and at the exact same time, they threw their slingshots to the ground and started running towards the targets. Reed was the first one to knock one over, but Inc managed to shove his hard enough to send it crashing to the ground within seconds after Reed.

Acaila felt stupid as she went running towards one herself. She knocked it over and was about to throw her slingshot to the floor as well, when she noticed that her brothers were both far ahead of her. They had twenty targets all together, each made of wood and weighing about as much as herself. Only 13 were standing.

Acaila froze. Her mind buzzing, before she jerked her flask open, mimicked Inc's ice ball, and aimed at Inc. She was never good at aiming, but he was only a few feet away. It didn't matter that her body was shaking with adrenalin, somehow, the ice hit Inc on the back of his head. He yelled out in pain, giving Acaila the moment she needed to send another at Reed.

She had kicked over her third target when Reed and Inc finally realized what had happened. Inc reached for his flask, but Acaila was quicker, and froze his water before he had time to pull it out.

Now, freezing and melting water were two completely different tasks. And Inc was left without weapon. Reed was tumbling through the targets, ramming over as many as possible, when Inc pelted towards her. It seemed as though he had given up on winning and was instead intently determined to achieve second place.

Inc was smart. He was a genius. His mind was his greatest weapon, and Acaila knew that, but in that moment, Inc was stupid.

Acaila grinned as she shifted her grip on the slingshot. Inc had frozen her water as well but must have forgotten about the dagger under the handle of the slingshot.

Acaila was ready for close combat, even though Inc was significantly taller than her, and would overpower her in strength alone, Acaila held a blade.

They knew they could hurt each other. They could do almost anything they wanted to each other, without getting in trouble. The White mark that stained the hand of close to all the citizens, had healing properties. They could fight to the brink of death, and then the medics would bring them back.

She knew they were watching, as well as their instructors. She knew how to keep her face in calm folds as her blade pierced skin and sunk into flesh. She could play unaffected, and she was prepared to. Inc had yet to notice the dagger when the doors burst open.

Inc came to a halt, but neither Inc nor Acaila dared to turn their head to see who had interrupted.

Reed on the other hand clearly must have. "Tavia! What on earth are you doing here?" he questioned, running towards his younger sister.

"They took Oriann," Tavia stammered.

The instructors entered the room with their shoes clicking against the floor.

"Stand down." One of them ordered Acaila and Inc. The others were on their way to Tavia and Reed.

"Who took Oriann?" Reed whispered; his eyes wide open.

"What is the meaning of this?" One of them growled, through gritted teeth.

"Oriann. Lawrence summoned her back to the Black Kingdom. It seems that he is interested." Tavia shuddered, both her arms wrapped around her own body.

"Has she left yet?" Reed asked, gripping Tavia's shoulders with his hands.

"I came as soon as they took her." Tavia responded, and with that, Reed was off.

Tavia didn't seem tempted to stick around, and dashed off after him, leaving the officials in breathless fury.

Acaila glanced back at Inc. His eyes were locked on Acaila's blade. Realization struck him and his brows furrowed. If he was angry at himself or at Acaila, she didn't know. Acaila herself felt only relief.

She was still in the game.