I awoke slowly. First, my warm toes began to wiggle underneath my curled self, and then my fingers began to twitch with awareness as they touched a warm piece of fabric.
I opened my eyes in the midst of a yawn, embarrassment flaring into my cheeks as I recognized that I was still in Stephen's room. And even worse, there was a blanket thrown over me! I wasn't a four-year-old to be tucked in at night!
But it had been cold..
He was gone, and the sun was already quite high so I hurried into my own room and selected robes similar to what one would think a gi looked like. "Kaecilius could come today." I told myself as I stared into the crooked mirror, feeling the now familiar tension rise and clench my throat. My fists tightened at the idea, determination trying desperately to steady my breaths as I stepped out into the hall and began searching for Mordo or Stephen.
It wasn't that I was following them like a dog, it was just- If they all acted like Wong.. I might need some help. "Taipan," I turned to see Mordo stepping in from the streets. He seemed much more relaxed than the day before, and I found it easier to follow him when he gestured for me. "Strange has told me what the Ancient One said, so we will train you in the ways of protecting the natural law."
What and what? "I don't know what you're talking about." I said honestly.
"About which part?" We stepped through a double door that led into an open concept room- much large than the library or even the entrance.
"Um," My eyes traveled along the edges of the walls, observing all of the objects that hung in different ways from floor to ceiling. "Both parts."
Mordo looked at me confused. "The Ancient One believes-" he paused, "believed that there is potential within you." I nodded. "As for natural law: we sorcerers protect, how can I put it simply- we keep physics and science applicable to you.." he was pausing a lot. "The people of this universe."
I wondered why he had corrected himself so much. "But what's this room?" I asked, running my fingers over the cold metal of weapons hanging beside my head.
Mordo stood in the center, the wooden beams beneath his feet creating what was probably a magical symbol I didn't yet recognize. "This is where you give up." He said, staring at the floor with determination.
I hoped he was joking, but the expression on his face told me otherwise.
I opened my mouth to ask him to clarify, but no words spilled out as I glanced his way again- surprised by the rapid approaching anger written all over his body.
He was most definitely not joking.
-
I groaned as my back slammed onto the wooden floor for what was probably the thirtieth time in the past two hours.
It felt like I was taking a bath in my own sweat as Mordo shouted at me to get up again.. for the thirty-first time. "Come on, Taipan!" He ordered. From my angle, I could see the light reflect off of the frustrated spit flying from his frustrated mouth. Everything about him was frustrated.
I was utterly failing this training, and the soreness with each movement I made told me so.
"You know what Mordo," I huffed, trying to catch my breath while staring at the ceiling. "I think I'll stay here for a minute."
Suddenly, the light that streamed from the window behind me ceased doing its job and a long shadow of a tall man cast over the ground. The action was accompanied by a throaty chuckle, then followed by a smug smiling Stephen that I turned to look at with a defeated
glance. "This is going well," he said to me more than his friend, holding out his hand to help me up.
After I took the offer, I was fortunate enough to catch the annoyance written over Mordo's face- obviously, he didn't know patience. "She reminds me of you," he sneered jokingly, drawing his staff from his back's sling and taking a defensive pose. "Come on, Taipan." He ushered, "conjure a weapon."
Stephen raised a brow and stepped to the side, pressing his back against the wall as he watched. I sighed and clapped my hands together, drawing the gold spectacle of a blade I had thought of when training before.
"Okay," Mordo sounded impressed, his eyes scanning the weapon for flaws. "Now we are getting somewhere."
I wondered if Stephen felt above Mordo- secretly knowing that he was the one to teach me this trick. Still, neither of us said a thing as the man lunged at me with gritted teeth.
The honest hate he held within every movement he made frightened me; I didn't know if each blow I failed to block was going to be my last.
And so, when I failed to block something, I felt the jab, punch, or pure blunt force of whatever he had thrown. By the time I hit the floor again, I could almost feel the colors of bruises blossoming beneath my robes. "You stood longer that time!" Mordo's voice sounded celebratory, but my body was refusing to join in on the hoopla.
Lying still, I was given the time to notice the flare on my shoulder.. I hadn't been hit there, at least I didn't recall. I took a glance- a very short one- to look at the top of my short sleeve, pulling it back slightly to see the gray veins seemingly moving beneath my skin. I shuddered, dropping my hand so as to not draw it to attention.
"Alright Mordo," Stephen was abruptly serious, his hands clasped behind his back. He wasn't wearing his cloak. "She's done for today."
I had a suspicion that he knew of my shoulder, or hopefully, only simply knew that I kept looking at it and that it was just my lack of sanity that made it appear as it did to my eyes. "I appreciate that," I noted, standing and brushing the dust off of my pants. I had yet to see other people this morning- it kind of felt lonely, in a way. There was doubt in my mind that there was anyone besides Mordo, Stephen, Wong and I.
I kind of felt like I needed to run away. If Dormammu was all that they were making him out to be, and as I assumed, four minute people did not stand a chance- especially when one of them had no idea about what she was doing. I wondered how I had even gotten there. Was there such a thing as fate? If there was, it was an awfully cruel thing for putting me here.
Although, I didn't think there was much else that I was missing from back home.. except for Samantha; not that Camille would let me near her.
There was a sudden swell of sadness pressing on my shoulders, my throat closed and my chest felt stuffed with gray. I had thought of Jeremiah and all he could have accomplished.
"You can't be serious." The sound of disappointment was thick within his usual monotonous voice, his scruffed face being dimly lit by the phone in his hands. "Well if you had finished the reports on time, this kind of thing wouldn't have happened!" I waited for a few minutes, looking up from my dinner plate and sitting patiently in the dining room as he stood to make a phone call.
Worry chiseled its way into my facial expression- enough so that the waiter who was serving us approached with concern. "Is everything alright, ma'am?" his thick British accent asked, a bottle of wine in hand, beginning to pop the cork.
When he was finished, I grabbed the thing. "I sure hope so." I said, pouring myself and Jeremy a glass; he returned with a red face- flushed with some form of anger that I knew had ot do with his work. "What happened?" I asked, careful that I didn't sound pushy. Respect was a bug thing for us.
"Tom's proposal was refused by corporate." he said before inhaling a heavy pocket of air- releasing it with a smile littering his expression. I could see its falsehood.
"That's okay," I started, "It just means you don't get that raise.. nothing changes."
Jeremiah scoffed, "Nothing changes except the vacation I was planning," My mouth made an 'O' shape. "I'm sorry I jumped the gun, Lar."
It was my turn to scoff.
"Considering I didn't know about it two seconds ago," I tilted my head to gesture to the past. "I think I can forgive you." Lifting the red liquid into the air, I tapped it against his that was still on the table and took a sip.
Jeremiah made his smile a little larger, picking up his own glass and tilting it my way before enjoying the taste. "Where was it, though?" I smirked, raising my brow to the man.
A bashful look fell over his sheepish grin as he tucked his head into his arm. "You wouldn't have liked it," he said, placing the glass back down and reaching to take my hand that rested where my glass was.
"Well it's the thought that counts." I shot back, narrowing my eyes. As he paused, actually debating if he should tell me of this unrealistic destination, my thoughts turned to admiration. The dark scruff that lined his jaw made him look sharp, especially with the black suit he wore for our fifth anniversary.
"New Zealand," he said, squeezing my hand before letting go for the oncoming dessert that the waiter was bringing.
His conscious was right about my feelings, but I would never show it. "Pft," I pulled my head back with another scoff. "We don't have to go there until we're retired."
"Well that was the plan," he said, holding up two fingers. "We were going to go twice."
I laughed lightly, "You sure do like to plan ahead."
"It pays the bills," referring to his business managing career.
I faked looking offended, Jeremy coughed on his chocolate mousse. "We-" he corrected, "we pay the bills."
I smiled victoriously, grabbing my spoon and dipping it into the Creme Brule set before me. "Damn right," I said.
The ground suddenly shook, and the soup that was on its way into my mouth within a spoon spilled over and onto my hand. I yelped in surprise at the sudden movements the entire building was making, as well as for the slight burn that I could feel seeping into my skin. Luckily it wasn't something like a third-degree burn- I didn't think it would even leave a mark, and because it occurred when something much larger was taking place, I didn't have the petty chance to make an overdramatic reaction.
I looked to Mordo, who was already standing and shouting. "Strange! Wong!" I could barely hear his voice- I had never heard a building fall, but I imagined it sounded something like what my ears could hear now.
My stomach dropped as I sat for a moment longer, my body tingling as I struggled to take it in as reality. I don't think you ever understand something that's life or death until afterward; and then what happens if you're dead?
This was it. In all the movies- the last place was always the bad guy's strongest show of power. All throughout history, it's always been the good guys winning. But what we never focus on was the loss that had to take place in order to win. We ignore what goes on in that smaller picture because the bigger picture was what effected everyone. I was now in the smaller picture. The problem was: I had no faith in the good guys, and I guess that now included me.
Kaecilius had come again, and my numb hands seemed sluggish in forming my golden weapon.
-
For some reason, I found it really difficult to write the last half of this chapter..
xx A.