He stood before me, his white cloak of a robe moving slightly as he tilted his hidden face to the side, regarding me, "I'm your guardian angel." He said, his hands clasped tightly behind his back.
"What do you want with me?" I stood on an invisible floor, surrounded by an endless darkness. He had come to me, in multiple dreams now. He wanted something, I could feel it.
"I want to guide you, guard you. After all, I am your guardian," His voice was low. Something didn't feel right.
"Why don't you show me your face?" I challenged, my eyes narrowing as I tried to peer into the hood. His hands lifted to the hem of his hood and he slowly pulled it back over his head. Pale blond hair and pure black eyes met me, a sinister grin curling across his lips., "You." I breathed, my stomach twisting, "You're the man I met back at the masquerade. You gave me that fairy drink!" I accused, my hands curling into tight fists as I tried to control the mountain of anxiety that was building up inside of me.
"That's right," He tilted his head to the side, his dark eyes wandering over my significantly smaller form.
"You're no guardian angel," I bravely spouted, looking at him with distrust.
His black eyes smoldered with curiosity, "You are a very observant girl. It's not like I tried to hide the truth. I wanted you to see me, look into my eyes." I was frozen in place as his dark orbs bored into mine, that wicked smirk planted deviously on his porcelain face. He advanced towards me, his hand harshly cupping my chin, forcing me to continue to look into those black holes for eyes. A burning sensation fled through my entire face, forming from where his skin pressed against mine. It trailed painfully down my neck, my pulse speeding up as it traveled to wrap itself dangerously around my aching heart, it spread through my entire body, pulsating like fire through my veins and I let out a small gasp of pain, "Do you feel that Ava? That's your soul, it craves the darkness. Burns for it. You can't escape it, you can't escape me." His face neared mine, leering over it like a serpent ready to strike, "Try as you may Ava to fight it, but it's for this you were born."
~*~
I sat upright in a cold sweat, my breaths coming out quick and heavy. I ran a shaky hand through my damp hair, eyes wide as I kicked off the coral pink blankets. My bare feet hit the cold wood floor, my legs wobbling beneath me. It was just a bad dream I tried to tell myself, but I knew better. I shivered as his black eyes fled into my memory. I didn't know who he was and I wanted him out of my head.
I had retired to the chambers I had been given on my last stay here at the Lockwood mansion, hoping to sleep away the cruel emotions I had been distressed with, but that had proved to be an impossible feat. My hand slipped into the pocket of my jeans, fingering the crystal key tucked safely in the bottom. My hand wrapped tightly around it and I pulled it from my pocket, examining it in the moonlight of my room. I felt drawn to it, like I needed it, or maybe it needed me.
My phone vibrated and I pulled it out, my alarm for work was going off, signaling the hour of six o'clock. Wait, my stomach twisted, six?! Already?! My aunt would be getting up in half an hour and I wouldn't be there. That would only give her another reason to go on an Ava hunting spree with her army of angels. Yet, the world was dangling from a hook while I made my decision, and it seemed clear that I needed to find whatever this key unlocked. I didn't waste another second, I quickly crossed the room and dashed down the hall, having tucked my phone and the key back into my pockets for safe keeping.
Fifth door from mine. I pushed it open, stepping inside the softly illuminated bedroom. West lounged on his bed, a book in hand, his eyes attentively scanning across the precious pages. He looked up, a smile making its way across his face as he took me in, "Can I help you?" He asked, placing the book on his nightstand and swinging his legs off the bed.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady the slight escalation of breathing running had caused. I fished into my pocket and pulled out the key, holding it up for him to see, "We need to find the scroll, and I'm guessing that this key unlocks whatever the scroll is inside of. This might lead me to my parents and maybe even Luis." My throat went dry at the last word and I swallowed hard.
West stood from his bed and crossed the wood floor, his brown eyes glinting intensely as he came to stand only a few feet from me, "That may be, but you're not going anywhere," I raised a brow, my stomach sinking and a twinge of irritation igniting inside of me. His face suddenly broke into a wide grin, "Not until you learn how to properly defend yourself. It's dangerous in the north and Illius and I won't always be able to protect you."
My jaw dropped, "Are you going to teach me to fight?"
"Not just fight," He took my fisted hand - held tightly around the key - in his and gave it a good shake, "I'm going to teach you how to win."
~*~
I let out a frustrated scream as I was tossed onto my back for what felt like the hundredth time, slamming against the hard mat with force, knocking the wind out of me. I slammed my fists onto the mat, angry, wearing thin on patience, and physically hurting. I forced myself to roll over and push up into a seated position on my knees as I panted, sweat running down the side of my face. I wore a pair of black leggings I had found in my wardrobe and a black tank, my feet were covered in a pair of sturdy tennis shoes and my hair, damp with sweat, was pulled up into a now severely messy ponytail. I wore a pair of tight fitted gloves of which my fingers poked out of in order to "protect" my knuckles, or at least that's what West had said as he had secured them around my wrist.
I pulled the ponytail, tightening it and looked up at West, my eyes filled with a raging fury that radiated from my entire being, "The only thing I'm learning is how to accumulate an abundance of bruises!" I seethed between clenched teeth, my entire body ached. I was fatigued and beyond my breaking point.
"Get up!" Cyran shouted from my side, "You think your enemies are going to spare you just because your tired or got bruised?!" He slammed the end of the kali he had been holding down on the wood floor at the edge of the mat, "Again!"
West offered me a hand, even he had broken into a sweat. I took it as he pulled me to my feet, "Remember," He took my arm, positioning it against his, "Strength, hold your muscles here and here," He said, pointing to my bicep and forearm, "When I swing, you bring it up," He brought my arm up in front of my eyes, "And push against here," He touched his forearm, "Alright? Let's try this again." We stepped back, and I raised my fists in front of my face in a guarded position, taking a deep breath. I watched as he swung his fist towards me, I lifted my arm, blocking against his hit, "Good," He shifted in front of me, "Now punch me," He said, patting his shoulder. I tried to steady my breathing and, hand in a balled fist, let out a battle cry and punched towards his arm with as much power as I could muster. His hand shot out and grasped my wrist, twisting me around and bending my elbow behind me as he pulled me against him. My back slammed against his chest, the arm I had swung with bent behind my back and the other arm held firmly in his grasp. It wasn't painful, but it wasn't exactly comfortable either, "You're cute when you're angry." He teased, his breath caressing my neck as he whispered in my ear.
Frustration built up inside of me mixed with annoyance. My heart leapt in my chest as I twisted my wrist out of his grasp, spinning around, I swung with all I had. My fist made contact as it slammed against his jaw, his grasp on my other wrist fell as he stumbled back, lifting a hand to his sore jaw as he shifted it, "Oh my gosh," I breathed, panic settling in, "I am so, so sorry!" I ran towards him, trying to push his hand away in order to look at his jaw, but he only broke into a grin.
"Nice hit!" He exclaimed, surprise in his voice.
"Very good Ava," Cyran complimented.
"He's going easy on her," My head snapped to the side towards the owner of the chilly voice. The door he had just come through slammed behind him and he moved to stand beside Cyran. His arms crossed over his chest. He wore a long sleeved black shirt, the sleeves having been pushed up to just below his elbows and a pair of black jeans, his feet covered in his same black boots, "You're not pushing her hard enough. She isn't going to learn anything as long as you are babying her." Illius commented, his blue eyes vibrant even from where I stood, near the center of the giant mat.
"Then would you like to teach her?" Cyran challenged casually, his brows raised as he turned to face Illius, his Kali still in hand.
Illius didn't say anything as he strode forward, his hands clenched into fists at his sides, his eyes firmly planted on mine, an anger behind his features. West placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, "Don't hurt her." He warned before stepping off the mat.
My heart pounded as Illius came to stand in front of me and I slowly allowed my eyes to trail up his chest and to his dark orbs, "You're not going to learn to fight by blocking hits and landing a punch every once in awhile. There's a lot more to it than that," He planted a cool finger against my chest, just below my collar bone, "It comes from here," He pointed at my head, "Not there. If you can't feel it, then you're already dead. Close your eyes."
"What?" I felt shocked and confused by his sudden order.
"Close your eyes," He repeated, more firmly this time. I bit my bottom lip and forced my eyes to close, putting all my willpower into keeping them closed. I didn't like not being able to see what he was doing, especially when he was in this kind of a mood. I jumped as his hand placed itself securely on my lower back, the other against my stomach, pushing it in, "Keep your core tight, all movement initially comes from here. You are weak, but you're also fast. So use that speed to your advantage." I peeked an eye open, "Keep your eyes closed," He almost immediately said, his voice harsh and low. I quickly closed my eyes again, sighing as I did so, trying to keep my core tight, "You rely too much on what you can see, but not everything is visible. You have four other senses, use them. What do you hear?"
I strained my ears, trying to listen. The room was almost completely silent, except for Illius' and my breathing and the distinct pounding of my heart in my chest, "Ours breaths, and my heart." I spoke, continuing to listen.
"Good," His hands were still firmly placed on my back and stomach, "Now what do you smell?"
I inhaled deeply through my nose, I could smell sweat and the exhaustion that lingered in the air with it, but then there was something else. Something sweet, "Cedar wood." My voice resonated throughout the mostly silent room and my heart skipped a beat. Illius always smelt like Cedar wood.
"What do you feel?" His voice was soft and I inhaled sharply as I felt his body press against my back, his warmth radiating from him in heat waves, his chest rising and falling as he breathed, His hands planted on my waist, "What do you feel Ava?"
My skin tingled beneath his touch, a heat rising to my face as I stood motionless in front of him, my eyes still held steadily closed, "You." I breathed, my voice scarcely a whisper.
"Now fight," He said. I felt his warmth leave me and could hear him step back. My eyes snapped open as I whirled around, my fist flying through the air. He gripped it in his and moved to punch with his other hand, but I instantly blocked, raising my arm up in front of me and shoving his arm to the side. I took this opportunity to swing my leg towards the side of his ribs. His hands gripped my ankle, lifting me from the ground. I tucked my arms, twirling through the air and landing on the ground with my hands and feet. I swiftly stood, spinning around to face him. I was breathing heavy and my heart hammered in my chest. I watched as he crossed the room, picking up two daggers from a shelf of assorted weapons on one of the walls of the training room. He strode back towards me and held one of the daggers out to me, "Take it."
I shook my head, "I'm not going to hurt you." I eyed the dagger, it's silver metal glinting in the light.
"Take it," He growled, twirling his between his fingers. I swallowed the lump of fear that had formed in my throat and gripped the hilt of the dagger, holding it with both my hands, I raised it up beside my head. Illius rolled his eyes, "It's not a sword." He removed one of my hands from the hilt and I blushed, embarrassed, "Don't think of it as a weapon. It's not a weapon, it's a part of you. It is you." He began circling around me, his dagger dancing from one hand to the other, "You are one with it and it is one with you. It's your emotions, your pain, anger, fear, all sharpened into a point that will defend your life at all costs. It travels with you, aimed with precision. It will never falter, it will never abandon you, it will never fail you." He came to stand in front of me once more, "It's your strength, your power. Feel it Ava, let it fuel you." I ran my tongue across my lips, allowing my fingers to carefully slide down the metal blade as I stared down at it. My fingers traveled to the wooden hilt, the handle, the anchor, "Don't see it, feel it." My head snapped up as he stepped towards me, dagger moving through the air as it came towards me.
I spun to the side, narrowly escaping the blade, "Are you trying to kill me?!" I yelled once I was facing him again.
"Feel it Ava." He said as he moved towards me once more, his dagger twirling. I felt my fingers tighten around the hilt and I slashed towards his arm, stepping to the side to avoid his attack. The blade of my dagger sliced through his shirt, forming a long slit on his bicep. He looked down at his shirt, "You tore one of my favorite shirts." He smirked, his eyes sparking with amusement.
He lurched towards me, gripping my wrist as he spun me around, the hair of my ponytail whipping around me. Cold metal pressed against my cheek and I winced as it nicked my skin. I pulled from his grasp, pressing my fingers against the small, stinging cut on the side of my face. I pulled my hand away to see blood decorating the tips of my fingers, "You cut my face!" I exclaimed.
"What are you going to do about it?" He asked, extending his arms out and taking a few steps back, "Your enemies will cut a lot more than that. So what will you do?"
My stomach lurched and heart jumped as I pushed from the pads of my feet, lurching forward as I ran towards him, my breaths coming out in short huffs. I pushed from the ground, leaping into the air, gripping the handle with both my hands as I raised it above my head. I let out a cry as I landed on him, taken by surprise, he fell to the ground with a thud and I came to sit on top of his abdomen, straddling him. I brought my dagger down, centimeters away from his throat and held it there, my breaths heavy, my heart hammering, adrenaline pumping through my veins, sweat pouring down my back.
There was a loud clapping sound and then a low chuckle, "Looks like she just beat you." Cyran said as he leaned against his kali.
Illius' eyes met mine, a wicked smirk curling its way across his lips, "Now that's impressive."