The Ascension

Chapter Six Sides

Nicolas followed Sage to her room where she stood on the balcony looking out at the incoming storm. "What you did tonight was stupid. You could have been killed or worse killed any of the others!" She looked back at her father and his green eyes meet her sapphire with purple specks. "Why is it so important for me to join you?" asked Sage seriously.

"Sage, you are my daughter and the prophesized knight. You know this in your heart!"

"That may be true but for me to fulfill that I must remain with mother and the others!"

Sage turned towards her father and he studied her for a moment. "Your mom was right you are stronger than I thought. James will be up; you have a punishment to do!" said Nicolas and left her alone.

Sage went back onto the balcony. Out of everything that happen what surprised her was that her father let her keep her equipment. The wind swept her hair around her head and the rain started to fall. She missed Ian already. Her cloak billowed out behind her as she looked over the edge at the ground.

It was twenty minutes or so later when James came in! "Let's go Craft!"

"What's this back to surnames again?"

"Move it," he replied.

He was pissed off her father must have come down hard on them. After tonight things, would change. The change would be slow, so Nicolas would not pick up on what she was doing. She had her orders and the only thing that truly mattered was getting back to the others. Sage quickly followed James to the training courtyard on the first level. There were several others waiting for them. Deidra, Malcolm, Tessa, Mike and Janet. "So, what's the punishment?"

"You can have your equipment, but you cannot use them. You will use the weapon of your opponent's choice," he said with anger in his voice.

Malcolm came first and tossed her a long staff. She twilled it in one hand to check the balance. "Don't worry it is built to speck," said Malcolm.

Sage smiled, "Let's start then!"

He looked at her for a moment than moved in. He took a defense stance which was probably good for him since Sage started it. She moved in and brought her staff down on him, but he intercepted her move.

In a window, high above Nicolas and Damian looked out. "That was an interesting way to get your daughter to display her power level!"

Nicolas nodded, "We didn't touch her full potential though. She didn't even break a sweat in that little display of hers."

"Yes, I saw that, how is it that she wasn't knocked out with that last energy ball!"

"Honestly I don't know but it is possible that she absorbed the energy only temporally knocking her out!"

"I am a little surprised she didn't escape!"

"She would have if I had not stopped her!"

They watched the sparing session go on for several hours before Sage started to wear down. It was almost five hours later when she returned to her room dropped on her bed and fell into a dreamless sleep.

***

At EHQ Jarrid and the others sat in the Masters chamber explaining what had happen. "We entered the grounds with no problems. When Callie and I entered the front, there were four people one fighting two and the fourth watching. We quickly realized that it was Sage and three others. My brother Malcolm, Deidra and James Drew. A few minutes later they brought her to see Nicolas because she wasn't playing by their rules. Sage was in there only a few minutes before she was escorted out by James and brought to her room. Callie and I then followed. After James left the others showed up and we entered her room."