Futures Unseen (Chasing Titania #2)

Initiates

"Come on," Aelianna threw open the curtains of my room, the one that used to belong to Briar. "We have new initiation fights today. Let's go."

"I hate you," I rolled over, curling myself up on Alton's chest. 

"Seriously, Aelianna," Alton sighed. "It's nearly dawn."

"And we must guide them in, come on let's go," she pushed me. 

"Fine, fine," I grumbled, removing myself from the bed. "Did you get Nox up yet?"

"Who do you think got me up?" Aelianna shot me a look. "If I have to suffer, so do you."

"I hate the both of you," I walked over, casting a glance into my crystal ball. "Did you get the list of fights for today?"

"Indeed," she nodded. "Now, we have children to meet."

I quickly threw on my clothes, a green top and grey bottoms. Brown leather boots. This is what I was forced to become accustomed to, now that my job, my life was thrown on their heads. I waited in the entrance hall, surrounded by the other guild staff. I happily accepted banana nut bread from Monarch, who still dutifully staffed Delta Ace's kitchens.

"Welcome, welcome," Nox threw open the doors.

"Nox!" Silver immediately threw his arms around the Nixie.

"Silver!" Nox was surprised. Aelianna and I had kept the little Eltmer's arrival a secret.

I could barely recognize him now. His hair was actually silver, the sheen coming off of it quite gorgeous. His disguise still bore orange wings. He hadn't grown much taller but had become much stronger. I was glad to see him once again.

"To the arena," Aelianna called.

We lead the initiates in through the halls, to the side entrance of the guild. From there, it was a straight path to the arena. We filed into the practice arena. There was a certain thrill here, the anticipation of a new battle—the memories of old fights that graced this floor.

"First to the floor, Ne'mallia Mau and Lexington Breece," I called.

Ne'mallia Mau, a girl from the Pryamognical Desert Fae, lowered herself into the arena. A boy fell into the arena, picking himself up quickly. Lexington Breece was of the Resteric River Fae. He unsheathed his sword, holding it sturdy. Ne'mallia opened her hands to reveal alchemy symbols inked into either palm. 

"Wrath of the Pharoh," she commanded.

The head of Anubis appeared above her own. Bandages whipped out from underneath her skirt, flying towards Lexington. He attempted to block a few of them, finding success until they wrapped around his ankles. He was lifted into the air. His sword clattered to the ground.

"Ne'mallia is the winner," I called. 

The arena floor emptied. I looked down at my list. 

"Tia Roscoe and Rodam Havisham."

Rodam Havisham. I kept my eyes on him. He was the one who couldn't speak. He was born mute, but he had so much potential. Strapped to his side were two curved sickles. Tia Roscoe had a pretty heavy claymore, which she twisted in her hands. Their fight commenced with weapons. Rodam was very defensive, blocking each attack as it came at him. Tia was offensive, choosing to go for her attacks with full force. Rodam managed to hold her off. 

"Come on now!" Tia shouted, going back for another hit. 

Rodam seemed to fall underneath her call. He hit back harder this time, sending the blade of Tia's sword careening for the floor. The curved blade of his second sickle was at Tia's throat.

"Rodam is the winner," the arena cleared. "Next is Silver Une and Lala Deinenocten."

Silver stepped into the arena. A girl in a black dress floated down onto the floor. Her grey wings folded as she collapsed her parasol. She tapped it on the ground, the sound of chains sliding followed. She raised her arms, chains shooting from the floor. Two ghosts stood before her. I paused, reeling at the ghosts she had managed to summon. Grandmother, the woman who cared carefully for Silver, for Alton, for Nox, and Stranton, stood there. Stranton was next to her. Both ghosts were poised for attack. 

"Grandma?" Silver was crushed.

"Hey!" Nox called, interrupting the fight. "You can't use those ghosts."

"It's how my power works," Lala said, her voice flat.

"Let it go," I shoved Nox down. "This is how the battle is to commence."

The ghosts floated towards Silver. He screamed, ducking down. The ghosts stood over him, ready to kill. 

"Lala wins," I nodded as the ghosts faded. "Next is Forrest Eden and Sam Havisham."

Forrest was a pixie with white-blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. He pulled off his moonstone choker, revealing himself to be a Nixie, much like Nox but completely white. His eyes were an empty blue, not black like Nox's. Sam lowered herself. Her twin brother had won but could she? He revealed water that pooled along the floor of the arena. Sam wasn't phased, launching her way towards the winter Nixie. He waved up a wall of water to block her. She caught onto his trick. The next wall he put up, she threw herself through broadside. Forrest was easily taken down beneath her. Clearly, Sam had won.

"Loral Snicks and Arn Juno," I looked around the arena. 

Arn Juno was a clever alias. In reality, he was Persephone's and Domascus' son. Under the dark grey dress shirt he had on, his forearms bore the same tattoo his father did. A skull sitting among roses. This was the ink of a necromancer. He was dressed in a way his father would have, very formal. His name was, in fact, Arn, but his last name was a cover. 

Loral was a light magic wielder. The two squared off, but inevitably Arn won. That was what he got, being the son of gods. His dark overpowered the light. 

There were more fights but nothing that stood out quite as much as the first sets. I couldn't focus on them, the lists of teams falling into my head. I scratched them down as Aelianna officiated the last of the fights. 

"You will be called to a meeting within the next few days to be introduced to your teams. More will be added to your groups later, but you can begin training with the strengths and gifts you possess for now. Prepare, Delta Ace is a guild that will test the limits of your ability," I looked over the kids. "You are dismissed."