Painted Moments

26 I Hate Playing Damsel

Chapter 26
I Hate playing Damsel

"I don't know about this Cori."
"Oh come on Luc you promised you would try. Plus, I talked to Iving last night. I think he truly is sorry for his behavior."
"You will have to forgive me if I hold my opinions until I hear it from him."
I huffed at him in exasperation. Stumping ahead through the trees, I broke into the clearing that housed the sparring arena and the obstacle courses.
Luc grabbed my arm pulling me to a stop.
"Come on Koi, don't get grumpy with me. I'm just being cautious. I find it hard to believe that dislike so intense he hung me upside down would disappear by the next day."
The smile on his face tells me he isn't as upset about it anymore. At least not as much as he says he is.
"Well he said it himself. He never disliked you per say. He was just envious of the time you get to spend with me, and having to share his time here."
"That's really childish."
"Well he is only two and a half."
Luc scrunched up his nose, looking doubtful.
"If it will help you forgive me I could take on the form of my chronological age, but honestly I don't like going below five. The shift back into my adult form always makes me dizzy."
Iving lowered himself with his vines down into the sparring arena.
"Cori I would suggest no more trips to New Orleans for the foreseeable future. There was someone knocking on the portal this morning. I doubt it was a Nephilim, but it could have been a helper."
"Helper? What's a helper?"
Iving looked to Luc and for once gave him a straight answer without a brush off or insult.
"It's a Cog that is aware of the families. Someone who is trying to prove themselves worthy of a blood bond to make the transition into a Nephilim. They are rare, but they do exist."
"I see... so what did you mean about changing your form?"
Iving smiled taking a few steps towards Luc as his guardian form shimmered away leaving behind the adorable little boy from last night.
"I don't like being a child cause I don't like being small. If given the choice would you like being a little kid again?"
Luc kneeled down in front of little Iving with a look of wonder on his face.
"Amazing! How did you do that?"
Iving shrugged his little shoulders.
"Cori made me this way. Though I don't think she meant to on purpose. My Ivy vines always have new or old growth. She is the one that drew me at different stages of development before she settled on what we call my guardian form. When she brought me to life though she activated all the sketches on the page. So here I am. As long as my Ivy is still growing I can take the form of the older growth or the newer growth. My age doesn't really matter. Though technically I'm two, but my birthday is in a couple of months."
Ivying's excitement over his last comment spilled out, causing Luc to smile at him.
"You must be a pretty awesome guardian."
Iving looked shocked at the complement. Suddenly finding great interest in his feet, Iving resembled a scolded child. Maybe it was because he looks so defenseless as a child, or maybe because Luc has always had a bit of a soft spot for kids. Whatever the reason, his guard that was up just moments ago melted in front of the little one.
"I'm sorry I've been so mean and upset with you. I was jealous, and didn't like the idea of you taking Cori from me."
Luc glanced up to me with a quick smile, before he reached out and grabbed Iving's bare shoulder.
"Hey no harm no foul. I'm sorry I said such mean things to you. I shouldn't have retaliated like that. Come on perk up. I hear you have a lot to teach me today."
Iving's head popped up with glee, a huge smile on his face. Nodding his head like a bobble head doll, he exclaimed.
"Yeah Cori said you want to learn how to fight artworks. As my apology she said I could help you!"
"Well that's great cause I could use a lot of help," Luc laughed. "So if you want to bring out your guardian form, I'm ready when you are."
He pushed up on his thighs dusting his hands off ready to start the spar.
"Ummm... Luc, don't take this the wrong way, but I think you should start with this form first."
I gestured to Iving's current state to get my point across.
"Before you argue, just listen. Until you completely release your instincts I want you to start slow and gradually raise the bar throughout the day to draw out your full potential."
"That makes since Lucas. Why don't we try that first. I mean I'm still really strong in this form too you know!"
Luc huffed, "alright alright, I'm obviously over ruled. So whatever you say General."
He clicked his heels together and saluted me like an American soldier.
I giggled at him as I walked out of the arena to watch from the side lines.
"Remind me to teach you our salute later Love."
"Right, well let's get started Iving."
Luc turned around to find the kid gone as Iving's childish giggles resounded throughout the area.
"What the...?"
Luc wasn't able to finish his sentence before a vine bursted through the ground at his feet catching him in the gut before throwing him into a tree.
"Lesson one Lucas, always be aware of your surroundings, Lesson two, real fights don't have a start button."
Iving drifted down from the trees like a ghost suspended from his vines. His countenance completely changed. The Ivy vine tattoos on his skin glowed from his little body as he radiated power fueled by every plant's life force in this painting.
"And Lesson Three, never lose your footing. If you do, roll and evade until you can plant your feet. See you have sat on your butt too long so you lose."
Without a warning more vines shot from the ground successfully lashing Luc to the tree leaving him open to a killing blow.
I sighed, this will be a long day.
Luc has eaten sand more than once in the last hour. I feel like I might need to call a timeout for him. He still can't let go of his restraint.
That's when I feel a little tap on my shoulder. I looked backwards to find a little bumble hovering there. Patting its fuzzy head, I reached for the note tied loosely around its neck.