Walking behind Zander along a dimly lit hallway, I was deep in thoughts. A deal was struck between me and Gladion. He had seeked my help to fight the other Clovers and overthrow Duan since I was special and could aid him immensely. I am reluctant to be roped into a political dispute like this but I have no choice. He had promised to help me return to Earth after the war.
"Can you move faster," Zander voiced out impatiently.
"Well I'm sorry. I don't have long legs like you do," I rebutted crossly.
He responded by increasing his pace and I quickened my steps too so that I could keep him in my sight. I can't believe that Gladion placed him in charge for my training. Why him out of all the other four-leafed Clovers like myself? Are the others going to be as rude as him?
"Here," he slid open a door and side-stepped for me to enter.
"Everything you need is in there. Meet me in the battle courtyard tomorrow at 6:30 sharp."
"How am I supposed to know the way there?" I called out to him, who was already walking away.
"There's a map in your room," he answered and disappeared around the corner before I could say anything else.
Whatever. I slid the door shut. The door can't be locked? I pushed the table against the door. I'm a light sleeper. If anyone tries to come in, the noise would wake me up. The decoration of the room was somewhat similar to mine back on Earth. Was it done deliberately? Even so, I won't be able to feel at home. I sighed as I opened the wardrobe doors. There're many clothes inside. They sure worked fast. Picking a random loose T-shirt and shorts, I went into the bathroom and took a quick shower, making sure to wash away the dried blood on my neck. A crazy thought bloomed in my head. It had to be done to confirm that everything that had happened so far was real. I ran my finger over the sharp edge of the mirror I winced at the cut on my finger. I watched intently as it grew fainter and fainter until it disappeared altogether as though it didn't exist. This is real.
While waiting for my hair to dry, I stared at the map, trying to figure out the routes. The place was humongous. There are 50 rooms in total, including 40 bedrooms. There must be a lot of people in this house. I'm on the second floor currently and the courtyard is on the ground floor. There are two stairs which led to the first floor, each behind a door. After reading the map for what seemed like eternity, I placed it back on the table. I surely can't read a map to save my life. I laid down and stared up at the ceiling. I still don't get it. Why would she keep the truth from me? Tears pricked my eyes at the thoughts of my mother keeping things from me for so many years. We only have each other. Why would she lie and what other things did she hide from me all these time? With a heavy heart, I gave in to the darkness.
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Please let this be the correct door to the stairs. I slid it open carefully. A guy was pulling his shirt over himself.
"Sorry!" I slammed the door shut and hurried back the way I had came from.
This place is a maze! All the doors looked the same to me. Luckily, I found the stairs on the second try. One level cleared. Now I would just have to find the battle courtyard. I turned left and entered the living room where I had broken the vase yesterday. The mess had been cleared up. However, it still triggered bad memories.
Whatever happened to Savage? I sure hope I won't ever cross path with him again. I proceeded further inwards and entered a capacious room with long wooden tables and chairs. This should be the dinning room? I was fully aware that there was not a soul in sight. It made me doubt that there are more than a hundred people living under the same roof. I must be not far from my destination. There are four doors here, excluding the one I had came through. Trusting my instinct, I headed straight for the door to my right.
I was reaching out for the door when it abruptly slid open. I collided with a women in an apron and fell. The contents in the large bowl the lady was carrying came raining down on me. Finally, a soul other than myself.
"Oh I'm so sorry!" that lady took out a handkerchief from her apron pocket and started dusting me with it. She had ash-brown hair pulled back into a bun and she looked about my mother's age. If not, a little older. Just when I was wondering if there is any woman living here at all. It was a relief really, seeing her now. Her benign look topped it off.
"No it's okay," I stopped her and swept my face with my hands. A pile of white substance gathered on the floor like snowflakes.
"Is that powder?" I stared at the snow-white mess around me.
"No. That's flour," she smiled at me apologetically.
"Oh," I answered and stared at the metal bowl that reflected my image. I'm covered in white from head to toe. Even my hair looked white. I looked like a walking snowman.
"I should get you cleaned up," she offered and helped me up gently. Seeing her sorry expression, I did not find it in me to stop her. I just followed her into the kitchen's washroom. "May I know what time is it?" I asked in remembrance.
"6:29." she replied after glancing at the clock through the open door.
"Oh no! Sorry but I have to rush to the battle courtyard now," I dusted myself frantically. "Can you please tell me how to get there?"
"Sure, exit from the door at the back of the kitchen and turn right. The big double doors you see there leads to the courtyard," her eyes crinkled into a smile as she gave me the directions.
"Thanks!" I shot her a quick smile and dashed towards the battle courtyard. After I burst through the door, I took a moment to catch my breath. Initially, I thought that I was the only one in the courtyard but someone stepped out of the shadows, startling me. I relaxed when I saw that it was Zander.
"What did you..." he gave me a once over, disbelief written clearly on his face.
"Am I late?" I asked.
"No, on the dot."
"Okay. That's good,"
"What's that?" he questioned.
"Oh, this?" I patted my clothes, sending a cloud of flour in the air. "It's flour."
He looked at me as though I had gone bonkers.
"I was rushing to get here because I'm lost in this maze of a mansion and I got into a floury incident!" I gestured to myself.
"Don't you have a map?" he narrowed his brows at me.
"I have it but it's no use. I...have no idea how to read it," I admitted sheepishly.
"Then why didn't you mention it?" he threw me an accusatory look.
"How was I supposed to? When you were so bent on getting away from me as fast as possible?" I retorted.
"I was not," he defended, his voice raised. Was it due to surprise or anger, I couldn't be too sure.
"Yea sure. You were not," I muttered. I don't believe it. His actions told me otherwise.
"Fine," he snapped and stalked right out of the door with his hands in his pockets.
I watched him go and made no move to stop him. It's better that he left. I walked to the centre of the battle courtyard and laid down on the grass. I want to go home. I whispered to the stars and they twinkled in reply. I don't want to stay here. How long will I take to get back? I shut my eyes tightly. Maybe this is just a bad dream. I'll be at home once I wake up. Please just let this be a bad dream.
The light squish of grass under someone's feet caused me to bolt upright.
"Time to train," his voice sounded from behind me.
Didn't he leave? I examined his face for any indication of anger but there was none. Zander had on a guarded expression.
"Take the knife," he told me and I obliged.
"Attack me," he instructed and I almost dropped the knife in surprise.
"What?"
"Attack me with that knife," he repeated his instructions.
"I heard you. But why? I thought that you are supposed to teach me. Isn't there a dummy or something?"
"No, treat me as your enemy and attack me right now."
I gulped. Attack him? What if I hurt him? Is he serious about this?
"Now," he insisted.
The scene with the broken shard floating in the air flashed past my eyes and I signed. Here goes nothing. I ran towards him with the knife and was about to attack him when I hesitated. He grabbed my wrist and twisted it, causing the knife to drop to the ground.
"What's that for?" I glared at him.
"Lesson one. Don't hesitate when you face your enemy," he stated seriously.
"Again," he picked up the knife and slapped it on my palm.
I closed my hand around the handle and kept my eyes on him as he walked five steps away from me. I swallowed and charged. The blade was an inch away from his abdomen. Shoot! I'm going to hurt him for real, I realized in panic and reeled back at the last moment. He snatched the knife from me before I could move any further and pointed it at my neck.
"I told you not to hesitate," he warned.
"I just don't want to hurt anyone..." I uttered out feebly.
"Can you handle the consequence of being soft-hearted towards your enemy?" he approached closer to me, his breath fanning across my cheek.
"And what is that?" I challenged, catching him directly in the eyes.
He pressed the tip of the blade against my skin lightly and my breath hitched. "You die," he revealed.
I blinked and stepped back from the blade quickly.
"Catch," he tossed the knife in the air towards me but I failed to catch it. I jumped away just in time and the knife landed on the grass.
"Are you mad? What if I was hurt?" I exclaimed.
"There are no ifs, pick it up."
I pulled it out of the ground and clenched my fist around it. He moved five steps away from me again and I caught on to his message. He wanted me to try again. He has telekinesis anyway, I reminded myself. When I reached him, I raised the knife and was prepared to bring it down on him. However at the last second, my hand turned wobbly and I dropped the knife which punctured into the slightly damp earth.
"I can't do it." I confessed.
"You are weak." It was the last three words I heard from him before he left through the door. I stood rooted to the ground as the words sink in.