The Embers Book I: The First Fires Of War

Chapter Seventeen: Days Gone By

"So do I pass the test?" asked Taylor. Who now just wanted to rest, fighting the two of them had really taken it out of him.

"Ha, yeah you pass but it's still not the end of training. So back into position and we'll continue" said Mylar. Now getting to his feet as Taylor removed his Gladius from his throat then took his position back where they started.

An hour later and training was done; Mylar had pushed him harder than ever before not letting him stop to take a breath. Taylor's muscles ached as if they'd been stuck together with glue and looked forward to a nice hot shower and his bed back at the caravan. Jamie and Taylor dragged themselves back to the caravan after being dismissed by Mylar. He reminded them to be at the clearing for training at 7 o'clock the following morning. It was pushing on past eight in the evening by the time they got back and had showered up ready for sleep. Taylor wasn't able to sleep just yet and decided to wonder outside for a while heading back to the artillery ruins. He walked through amongst the trees feeling at peace being in their presence it was another part of nature that he loved so much growing up. Funny seeing as he grew up in a city, but that didn't stop him from venturing out to the woodlands outside of the city.

Leaves crunched, and branches snapped beneath his feet as he navigated his way through to emerge by the newly erected gravestone of the recently fallen Arturion's. He made his way to it and sat down in front of it crossing his legs to get comfortable. Taylor merely sat there and picked away and the grass about him as he looked out to the sea. It was pitch black but it was calming and the soft breeze mixed with the salty sea air was heavenly to him. The silence was welcome as well, so much had happened over the past six days since the attack at the College. He'd gone from a very normal teenager to a warrior able to wield fiery weapons from just a simple thought and travel where ever he wanted. The days gone by had been interesting to say the least, and Taylor couldn't help but wonder how life was going to be from now on. He'd jumped into the flames of hell itself just to protect his family, but it also made them a target to get to him and this worried him above all else.

"I've got a habit of running into you here" said a soft female voice from behind Taylor's hunched form upon the grass.

As he turned, he saw that it was Kimiko stood but a few feet away. She was wearing a woollen jumper made up of browns and greens, it was handmade definitely not the kind of mass produced. She also wore black jeggings and navy blue daps. Her long black hair was left untamed and flowed down to her shoulders. It encased the beautiful features of her face perfectly and he felt his eyes drifting to her lips and eyes most of all.

"So it would seem, come join me if you like" said Taylor who now sat up straight and brushed off any blades of grass still on his fingers from before.

His heart began to race as she sat down beside him and he couldn't help but feel knots in his stomach twisting and unfurling. After the kiss on the cheek in the caravan he'd been feeling confused and was beginning to feel things for Kimiko. He just wasn't sure how to approach the situation, he'd never really thought much about girl's before and was petrified of making the wrong move.

"How was training tonight?" asked Kimiko as she led back on her elbows with her legs stretched out before her and tapped the tops of her shoes together.

"I didn't get any teeth knocked out, so it was an improvement on this morning" said Taylor with a small smile.

"Good, as long as your handsome face is in one piece I won't have to kick Mylar's ass" said Kimiko with a laugh as she and Taylor locked eyes for a moment before she broke her gaze away to look to the sky.

"You sound so sure of yourself" said Taylor teasingly as he looked at her and saw her smile wickedly out of the corner of his eye.

"What don't you think I can?" asked Kimiko a smile still tugging away at her lips as she looked at Taylor intensely, analysing all of his features.