Atlantian

Becoming Atlantian

Chapter

The atmosphere in Atlantis was different to before. There was no immediate relief from the suffocating and all controlling presence of the Matriarch. No one had known about her gifts and had been duped into following her all those years because they had not been able to stop her invasions. What made matters worse was there was still a new leader to elect. The council had convened and it wouldn’t be long until they would all know who was to command them into the coming age.

Aubrey sighed as she reached the particular spot that had become too familiar to her. The man in the wall waved at her cheerily before he stepped aside. Seconds later the doorway formed and she found herself ambling through the tunnel. Tiberius was waiting for her in the training room with an easy smile on his lips. But there was something behind his eyes which had her shuddering and looking away. He was worried and for Aubrey, that certainly didn’t bode well.

“We need to continue with your training.”

Aubrey opened her mouth as she stared at him, more than willing to retort but Tiberius held up a tired hand, ignoring his many injuries that still hadn’t healed.

“I know you survived your first test but you’ve died twice since coming into your Atlantian heritage. It’s great that you can revive.” He held up his hand in an attempt to the rapidly reddening woman and offered her some cold hard logic. “We don’t know if this is lasting or whether it is merely a temporary effect. Don’t you think it would be prudent to train so you no longer have to use your gift so unnecessarily?”

Aubrey glared at him for a few seconds more before stomping away. The man raised his brows at her back and stumbled back in shock.

“You’re going to sulk,” He questioned her retreating back before turning away in disappointment.

He strode towards the main training area quickly becoming lost in his worries. Thus in his distraction he did not notice that Aubrey had picked up a sword from the rack near the only door in and out before striding towards her mentor and saviour feeling more than a little disgruntled.

Swinging the sword in a clean arch in a controlled sweep, she never got a chance to finish the movement as Tiberius swung on his heel and stepped close to her form while using his hands to halt her arm. He still didn’t look to be in the present and the woman watched with wide eyes as he batted the sword away, pulling it from her hand. Before she knew it the blade was at her throat and she was trapped with her back to his chest.

Her mouth dropped open and the red head felt the chest behind her rumbling as Tiberius laughed at her.

“I’ve been fighting for hundreds of years. Do you really think you could strike me so easily?”

He laughed out loud when he noted that she was still gaping at him.

“You should have had the upper hand but you were more unprepared than me.” Pausing, he handed over the sword. He even took a moment to adjust her grip to ensure that it was resting in her palm properly. “I need you to try really hard, I have a bad feeling and the last time I had one of these you were dead.”

Aubrey shuddered and rubbed her arms to try and ease the chill coursing through her.

“How soon do I need to be ready?”

“Now.” He grinned and stepped back, pulling his sword from his belt. He had not been parted from it since the ordeal the day before with the Matriarch. The crazed woman had turned him positively paranoid and if it wasn’t for her own unease, Aubrey would have shaken his warnings off as just that – paranoia.