THE TRIBRID'S SOLACE

Chapter Ten: Interference

Bash and Daniel were outside where the assassins were training. Daniel looked around the vast area and noticed how young some trainees were. He couldn't help but think of Luce. What if she were here? What if somehow she was saved as these kids were? Not that this life was any better than being dead. He didn't realize how unfocused he was until Bash was practically yelling at him.

"If you're going to be zoning off while I give my tour, you better be thinking about your revenge." Bash teased with his smile.

"What?" Daniel said, snapping back to their tour.

"Look, Daniel, in a place like this, being aware is a survival tool. Especially with the trainees. I am taking an enormous risk for you here. No one here really knows you or anything about you. And that includes me, alright? Don't make me regret making you my right hand." Bash said in a serious tone.

"Yes, of course. You won't regret this." Daniel said, more aware now.

He looked over to his right where two teenagers were sword fighting. Well, the young boy had two sharp blades while the young girl had a steel sword.

" Those are the twins of the house. Cal and Luca." Bash said as he noticed Daniel staring.

" They're so young." Daniel said in a whisper.

" Most of them grew up here. The mansion. Their home with nowhere else to go." Bash said in a somber tone. He slowly started walking towards the next group of teenagers in training. This pair was older then the last.

" Elliot and Paul." Bash said turning his head to the side as is evaluating their every movement.

" Fencing?" Daniel asked, chuckling.

" Oh yes, we teach every kind of defensive training here." Bash said, guiding Daniel out from the training center. The two men left the training yard and found themselves in another training yard. An empty one.

" What is this yard for? Looks pretty deserted to me." Daniel asked

" This" Bash said grunting as he lifted a huge brown box, " is the archery training yard. Normally we would have the trainees practice everything but I specifically kicked them out to see what my new right hand man was made of." Bash winked and smiled at Daniel. In some way, Bash felt like a childhood friend to Daniel. Bash felt like the only person he could really trust in the mansion.
" So you brought a huge box of?" Daniel asked with a smirk of his own.

Bash chuckled lightly and lifted the lid of the box. " Archery!"

" Archery ?" Daniel asked, surprised.

" Yes. This way I can see how well your aim is when it comes to weapons. For the next week, you will be a trainee. You will practice with me alone but if you show weakness, I will send you with the younger trainees." Bash said suddenly serious.

" Let's get started then." Daniel said, starting to grab the archery equipment.

Daniel grabbed a black bow and arrow and stepped away from Bash. He walked towards the colorful target. Bash followed behind him carrying a silver bow and arrow. They both carried a small bag on their back carrying 10 arrows of their own.

" I'm guessing you already know how this works?" Bash asked with a small tone of curiosity.

" Of course." Daniel said, a bit insulted. He placed his arrow in its place in the bow and raised it to match the center of his face. At that moment he didn't see the target stand anymore. He saw the men that destroyed their cabin. They were just standing there giving Daniel an evil smile. He wasn't at the training field anymore. He looked down and saw Selena laying on the floor. Bloody and dead. His breathing was ragged. Daniel looked back up and the men were still staring at him. He felt his blood boil and his hands grip harder on the bow and arrow. Suddenly, the men were running towards him. Daniel took a quick deep breath and pulled his right arm back. He let go of it. The black arrow pierced one man in the left eye. Daniel quickly reached another arrow from the bag on his back. He hit the second man in the heart. He stood still, breathing heavily. He had been moving so quickly before that he hadn't realized that the men just dissolved. They hadn't been real. Of course they hadn't. He snapped his eyes shut and opened them abruptly. He didn't even realize how still he had been standing until Bash was clapping.