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Metal on metal clashing, ragged breaths and the occasional gasps were the predominant sounds of that morning training session. Both young warriors had been training since the sun had shown its first rays of light. Now, it was at its peak, embracing the entire village of Tondc with its welcoming warmth. They were covered in sweat, their bodies were beginning to tire, but neither was willing to give up the victory.
They clashed swords once more, their gazes fixed on their opponent and sly smiles on both lips.
"I win," Coriane spoke, managing to replace her opponent's smile with a frown.
"You did n..." Aren didn't have time to answer, as Coriane took advantage of the man's distraction and struck his knees, forcing him to collapse to the ground and become helpless.
Without removing her smile, she placed her sword at her friend's throat and with her boot she stomped on the sword in his hand, giving him no choice but to surrender.
"Told you," she laughed, making the man roll his eyes.
She helped him to his feet and they parted to catch their breath.
"Where's Astrid?"
Coriane hadn't seen her feline all morning, but the predator's absence wasn't something that worried her; Astrid could spend hours in the woods playing with her prey and return at dusk happy and kicking.
"She must..." As soon as she began to speak, her aunt's angry voice echoed throughout the place.
"Corianeeeee!" She looked at her friend and they both held back the urge to burst out laughing, both knowing the reason for the sudden cry of anger.
"Forget it, I think I've found her," said the man with amusement.
Both warriors went to the place where the loud scream came from, finding Indra being "attacked" by Coriane's huge liger; Astrid had knocked her down and was now on top of her, trying to encourage the start of an innocent game, one that Indra refused to play.
"Control your animal," the woman told her as soon as she saw Coriane arrive.
The two could no longer hold in their laughter and burst out, making the older woman even angrier.
"But aunt, Astrid just wants to play," smiling from ear to ear, she patted her thighs with her hands, looking at her animal. "Come here, baby," she called to the feline, who immediately got off Indra to answer her mistress's call.
Coriane crouched down so that her liger could greet her without having to attack her with her great weight and three-metre length. When she stood up, Indra had already arrived at her side as she brushed dirt off her uniform.
"Lexa requests you at Polis, there will be a meeting of the Coalition," her aunt informed her.
She nodded to the brunette and proceeded to leave, leaving Aren and Coriane alone again. She looked at her friend and he nodded, understanding without a word.
"We leave in an hour. You stink, take a shower," she wrinkled her nose.
Aren rolled his eyes and laughed sarcastically, making as the two went their separate ways in the direction of their respective cabins, so they could prepare for the journey ahead.
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When she arrived in Polis, all eyes in the citadel were on her. Some excited citizens waved their hands and gave her warm smiles of welcome, others merely nodded in her direction, deeming the act more respectful and appropriate, and there were those who dared not even look her in the eye, intimidated by the presence of the woman and the huge animal that now walked with the momentum of a predator. Which of the two was more dangerous, no one was entirely sure.
Coriane made her way to the Commander's room in the company of Astrid, the huge feline hybrid; Aren and Indra. The guards in the room bowed as she approached and opened the doors, revealing Lexa with her Flamekeepers and a few other guards. Among them, a blonde head stood out, eyes gazing mercilessly at her and a grimace that deepened the second he saw her enter. She didn't even bother to look at him, not intending to sour her day so early in the morning with Isaac's rather sour face.
They had arrived before the Ambassadors of the other clans, giving Coriane time to talk with the Commander without all the devouring eyes on them.
She stopped walking as soon as she was in front of Lexa's throne and only nodded slightly to the woman. Even though Lexa was the main Commander, Coriane was an Elementa, and if there was one thing Elementas didn't, and never would do, it was kneel before anyone but the warrior spirits.
"Heda," she raised her head, watching Lexa rise from the throne and descend the steps to stand in front of her.
The two embraced. Rarely were they both able to give small displays of affection, for their lives were always in front of many more eyes, eyes that were always waiting for any sign of weakness, and, in their world, something as simple as affection was seen as weakness. Alone, however, they had the opportunity to treat each other as the friends, sisters, they had been for as long as they could both remember.
"What is the reason for this meeting?" Coriane asked intrigued.
Lexa broke away from her and sighed, in her eyes Coriane could see an overwhelming tiredness, enough of a sign for her that something was wrong.
"Arana and Milo are dead."
Coriane's face scrunched up, had she heard correctly? Those two were part of Trishanakru, loyal followers of Ignis, and now could not be a worse time for their deaths. The Coalition was increasingly at odds, and now worse news were looming for one of the clans.
"Was it the Mountain Men?"
Lexa nodded, inwardly lamenting. The Mountain Men have terrorised the Clans for decades, taking their own and destroying their villages, taking lives, hopes, families and friends.
"The Coalition will not be happy about this."
Lexa sighed, closing her eyes for a brief moment. Opening them again, she turned back to her throne and nodded to her friend once more.
"I know. The other Elementa won't be either," Lexa looked into her friend's eyes. Coriane didn't need any more details to know exactly what the Commander wanted to ask of her.
"I'm sorry, but I don't think I can help, Eddard hates me and is increasingly against me. If two flamma sectatores died, the spirits can't be too happy either," she sighed and lifted her shoulders helplessly.
"I know, but Ignis appreciates you, we must convince both the Elementa and the Coalition. I need your help, my friend," Lexa's voice partially hid the pleas, but her eyes did not do the same.
Coriane sighed, she knew that a war at this time would not suit them, so she would have to find a way for Eddard not to get in the way and make her look unworthy about being Terra.
"All right, I'll try," she nodded.
Lexa smiled, and before they could talk any further, the doors opened, letting in some of the Ambassadors.
The room began to fill with the Clans, and as Coriane was about to sit down in her own space, a seat with Aren and Jensen, the General of her Terran warriors, on either side and an imposing feline hybrid sitting at her feet, a guard approached her.
"Ignis is requesting you at The Temple, Terra."
Coriane nodded to the guard and looked at Lexa who had heard the message, she nodded back, assuring her that she could handle the Coalition on her own.
She left the room with the two men and Astrid and descended into the Tekara Temple.
She prepared herself in advance for bad news. None of the Elementa other than herself attended Coalition meetings, usually not bothering to intervene in political matters.
While she went inside, her companions stood outside the temple guarding the doors. Candles scattered everywhere illuminated the place, the altar of Tekara was at the centre of it all, and several leaves led a path to it. On the other side of the temple were the great doors that led to the hall of The Union: the place where the Elementa held their meetings. The echo of the doors opening alerted the only one present of Coriane's arrival.
Dominic was sitting in Ignis' chair at the large round table in the centre of the room, looking up at the chestnut with uneasy eyes as soon as she entered, smiling wearily in her direction.
"I didn't expect to see you here today."
The man stood up and gave his protégé a warm hug. Of all the Elementa, Coriane was his favourite. From the first moment the 15-year-old girl walked through those doors, he knew he was going to protect her with his life from the dangers their duty brought.
"The circumstances warranted it."
Coriane sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, nothing good was coming, and that meant she would have to find a way to deal with the 3 elements, Lexa and the Coalition.
"I know, I'm sorry about your sectatores."
Dominic was a noble and kind-hearted man, even if on the outside he gave a completely different impression, and Coriane knew that the loss of his followers pained him, but now was not the time to mourn, they had to solve the problems and then mourn the dead.
"I'm afraid you'll know why I'm here. Igma is not happy, the spirits are restless, not to mention Eddard, I suggest you prepare for his tantrum."
"I expected as much," she sighed again. "Lexa wants me to calm The Union, but-" Astrid's roar interrupted their conversation.
Coriane, hearing the alert in the roar, frowned and soon ran off. When she was in the square, everyone looked curiously at the sky, where Astrid had concentrated her growls and roars.
"What's the matter, baby?" She approached the feline and looked up at the sky as well.
There was nothing there. But as soon as Astrid's growls intensified, they saw a streak of light cross the sky.
"Since when did comets bother her?" Aren spoke up, coming to her side, as confused as she was by the strange behaviour.
As the "comet" advanced, its speed, size and shape left them all more confused, until it was Coriane who placed it all together; it was not a comet, it was a ship, and it was descending to Earth at great speed.
Astrid kept grunting and Coriane looked at her friends, who had the same surprised look on their faces as she did.
"We'd better go with Lexa," the brunette said, receiving a nod from Aren and Jensen.
As she turned around, she noticed Dominic's presence and approached him to say goodbye.
"I have to warn Lexa, I'll see you soon," she half-smiled. Dominic smiled and nodded, letting her go.
They headed back to the Commander's room and hurried inside. All the other Clans were already gathered.
"Heda, I think we have a problem," Coriane spoke, drawing the attention of everyone present.
"What is it?" Lexa stood up from the throne, alarmed by the woman's sudden entrance and her serious expression that indicated real trouble.
"I'm not sure what it was, but apparently something like ship crashed a few miles from here."
Coriane's confession not only alerted the Commander, but all the other Ambassadors in the meeting.
"Are you sure of your words, Terra?" Questioned the Azgeda Ambassador, rising from his seat along with the others.
Before she could answer, the doors opened again, revealing two guards carrying a piece of metal with them.
"Heda, something has landed in Trikru territory," after kneeling in front of Lexa, the guards threw the object, causing a roar in the room and confirming Coriane's words.
The room was filled with whispers, some faces expressed fear, others confusion, while Coriane's remained serious looking at the Commander.
"Silence!" Commanded Lexa, bringing the noise in the room to a halt. "We'll send scouts to search the area, I don't want anyone lurking around before we know what it is," she said, causing the room to sink back into whispers.
"Heda, I'd like to go scout the area myself," Coriane spoke again, shutting them all up once more.
Lexa seemed to think about it for a while, but after all, she didn't trust anyone else as much as she trusted Coriane to do the job, not for nothing was she her right-hand woman.
"Of course, have Aren and Isaac accompany you."
Coriane wanted to refuse Isaac's company, instead offering Jensen's, she didn't mind Aren accompanying her, but she knew that the presence of the third would turn the atmosphere upside down. Not to mention that Jensen, as her General, would be in an uproar to even think of letting her go with Isaac and not accompany them. But, considering the setting and the moment, she had no choice but to nod and cast a quick glance at the blond, who stood in the corner of the room with a sly grin on his face, drawing a grimace from both her and her companions.
She walked out of the room with Aren and Jensen at her heels, she knew that they too were angry with Lexa's decision to put them together with Isaac, as if she wanted those two to get that fool killed.
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"I don't trust him," Aren spoke to her, glaring at the blond standing a few feet away from them with hatred.
"And you think I do? I don't like this either, but there's nothing we can do, just try not to kill him," she laughed at the last, turning her friend's scowl into a sly smile.
"Or do, I'll cover you," Jensen added, then bumped fists with Aren.
Coriane rolled her eyes with a smile, Jensen had turned red when he heard Lexa's command, but hadn't said a word in protest, knowing well enough that it would change nothing, yet he had, however, encouraged Aren to "split his guts out" if it became necessary.
They were settling their horses to set off in search of what the hell it was that had fallen from the sky. Coriane was bursting with curiosity, would that be like what had brought her to Earth?
Her thoughts were interrupted by Isaac's voice, and her peace with it as well.
"Am I interrupting something? We don't have all day," the blond rolled his eyes, the three of them having to clench their jaws to try and control themselves.
"I suggest you to watch your tone, Isaac, or have you forgotten all the ways I know how to kill a man?" Jensen stepped forward, but Coriane put a hand out to stop the raging man of giving another step closer to the blond.
"We were waiting for you, let's go," she replied, keeping her cool and warning both Aren and Jensen with her eyes to do the same.
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The three warriors mounted their horses, alert to their surroundings and anything else that might be around.
"Halt," Coriane commanded. "Let's continue on foot," she got off her horse and was followed by the two men.
She stroked Nix's, her mare, fur, and ordered her to stay around until they returned.
The three young grounders started walking, making as little noise as possible so as not to give away their location.
After a few minutes of walking, they heard noises approaching. Aren and Isaac both drew their weapons, but Coriane denied and pointed a finger at the trees. The boys nodded and the three of them climbed the trunks until they were high enough to hide among the branches and leaves.
They stood in complete silence, still and attentive. A few seconds later, a group of teenagers came up smiling and talking animatedly. He had never seen them before, did not recognize them from any clan and the excitement in them was even more than she had seen in Floukru members, plus their clothing was nothing like what any other clan would wear. She thought of the thing that fell from the sky and tied up loose ends; Skaikru.
Those people were from the sky.
She looked at Aren and then at Isaac, they both had confused expressions, they had deduced the same thing she had. As the blond was about to descend from the tree, probably to do something stupid, Coriane shook her head frantically and pointed to the front, telling both boys to move forward through the trees.
They did so, nimbly jumping from branch to branch, being extremely stealthy so as not to be seen or heard.
They kept their distance, and after a few minutes reached the edge of the forest; after that, there was the road to Mount Weather.
That passage was forbidden, but those strange invaders obviously did not know it. A boy with strange glasses on his head swung on a vine to get to the other side.
"We have to avoid the pass," Aren spoke in a very low voice, audible only to his other two companions.
"I'll take care of that," out of the corner of her eye, Coriane watched as Isaac grabbed his spear and tried to stop him. He could give away their location and besides, they didn't know these people, they didn't know what weapons they had or what danger they posed.
"Don't even think about it," Coriane warned him with a hard look, but Isaac ignored her, and threw the spear at the boy's chest. "Son of a..."
"Jasper!"