The Darkness

Lesson 4: On Your Feet

"No no no, run up the tree, not into it." Clash said, watching me from above.

"It wasn't intentional! How do you go from running horizontally to vertically so fast?" I asked, brushing tree bark off me.

"You don't, you jump and run up the side!" Clash exclaimed.

"Easy for you to say!" I called.

"Come on Starlight, again! One...two..." He counted. Then I ran up the tree just like he said. I moved through the tree until I popped my head out of the top where Clash was. "Yay! I knew you could do it! But why did you go on two?"

"It's actually a pretty funny story..." I giggled.

"Come on, lets hear it!" Clash said.

"No way! It's embarrassing." I replied.

"Pleaaaaaaaasee?" He asked batting his eyelashes.

"Fine." I said rolling my eyes. "Ya know how Bodil has been trying to help me learn how to fly? Well the first time-"

"Starlight! We're ready!" Ant called.

"Aww shucks. Looks like I have more training to do." I said winking.

"You're still telling me that story!" Clash called as I jumped into the air and glided towards the rainforest. When I got to the other side, I gracefully landed on the ground next to the forest's edge.

"Hey! I didn't know you could fly!" Ant said.

"I'm not flying, I'm gliding, but it works for now." I explained.

"Nice! Ready?" Ant asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I replied. Ant nodded and turned towards the forest, following a lightly used path. The path lead to a small area of prairie near a river, where Jerome and Bajan were waiting for me.

"I'm not going to get hurt am I?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"No, no, no, we're taking it slow." Bajan assured.

"We aren't even going to practice combat," Ant explained, "in order to even begin to even think about combat, you need to be able to stay on your feet. So today, those two are going to try to knock you down, and you need to try to stay standing up." Ant explained.

"Wait, two against one? That doesn't sound fair!" I exclaimed.

"You're right, it doesn't, but at the same time fighting a dragon won't be either, and as you train we are going to put you against more people as you progress."

"Oh, boy." I said sarcastically.

"Sorry Starlight, see you later. I have a meeting with Seto. Have fun!" Ant called.

"Did he really just say that?" I asked the duo.

"Yup." Jerome replied.

"Alrighty then, you ready?" Mitch asked.

"I guess so." I replied.

"Ready, Set, Go!" Jerome exclaimed, He and Mitch running to opposite sides of me. I tuned towards Mitch then realized my mistake and turned to face Jerome. I then started to look back and forth between them, trying not to get caught by surprise. By looking back and forth like that I made myself dizzy. I stumbled, trying to regain my footing and vision. Before I knew it my legs were swept out from under me and I was laying on my back in the grass. I held my head in attempt to make the world stop spinning, closing my eyes. When I opened them I saw Mitch and Jerome leaning over me.

"See Biggums? I told you it would work." Jerome declared.

"You were right, we'll have to use that strategy in the Hunger Games next time." Mitch replied. "You okay Star? Mitch asked, holding a hand out to me.

"Star?" I asked, taking his hand.

"Yeah," He said, "sounds cooler."

"Ready for another go?" Jerome asked.

"Sure I guess." I replied.

"You guess?" Jerome asked. "Where's the fighting spirit?"

"I'm not a fighter, that's the problem." I replied solemnly.

"Sure you are! There's a little fight in everybody." Jerome said.

"Not in me, I'm not strong enough." I replied.

"Not all fighters are strong, some are fast and agile, like ninjas." Bajan said.

"But I'm not a ninja." I replied.

"Thats right, you're a girl with wings." Jerome said. I sighed and walk back to the center, shuffling my feet. "Come on Star, if you don't cheer up, I'm going to do it for you."

"Thanks but I'm not in the mood." I replied.

"Alrighty then, you asked for it." Jerome said walking up to me. Then he poked me in the ribs. I cried out in surprise, backing up into Mitch who tickled my other side. I laughed and sprinted away from him, then I stopped in the middle, panting.

"Now are you ready to go again?" Jerome asked, grinning.

"I suppose." I replied.

"You Suppose?" He asked.

"Yes! Yes I am! Just please don't do that again." I said straightening up.

"No promises." Mitch replied with a smirk. I opened my mouth to protest but then Jerome shouted,

"Take two, Go!" and they ran to either side of me again. I was slightly desperate now, I needed a new plan. Looking back and forth didn't work, but I couldn't turn my back to either of them, if I did they could sneak up on me. I backed up, hoping to get both of them into my field of vision, but they both moved backwards with me. I sighed, looking at my feet. When I looked down I could see them both with my pereferal vision.

Then Jerome started to sprint at me. I ran froward, not knowing what else to do when I turned around Jerome and Mitch were just standing there, staring at me.

"What?" I asked.

"How did you do that?" Jerome exclaimed.

"Do what?" I asked, confused.

"You started to glow then you ran at super speed." Mitch replied, his eyes wide.

"That's weird. Something new to show Seto I guess." I replied.

Then Bajan and Jerome looked at each other, and both sprinted towards me. I yelped in surprise as Mitch tried to slide tackle me. I ran forward and jumped over him, and opened my wings gliding over Jerome, landed behind him, and tripped him before he turned around. Mitch jumped over Jerome, who now laid in the grass, and came at me full speed. I turned and ran up a tall jungle tree's trunk and jumped away from it, opening my wings and gliding behind Mitch, hoping to do use the same strategy I used on Jerome. But Mitch saw what I was doing and jumped as he turned around. I was breathing hard with effort so in a last attempt I opened my right wing, knocked him off balance, and making him fall in the grass.

I just stood there, panting. The duo looked at each other and burst out laughing. I cocked my head.

"That was crazy!" Jerome said.

"How did you learn to run up a tree like that?" Bajan asked.

"Oh that? Clash taught me that just this morning." I replied, walking over to the fallen. "So did I pass?"

"Yes you passed! And you said you weren't a ninja." Jerome said in disbelief.

"I'm not I just combined all my skills." I replied.

"And that's all you're gonna need." Bajan assured.