Your training became a regular routine taking up most of the day. The morning would start out with you and Scarlet doing a tai chi form. It took about an hour to get prepared, do the form and finish off with some simple winding down technique. The whole purpose of this routine was to relax your body and sharpen the mind. However it was suppose to do that you couldn’t tell but you weren’t about to complain. After all, she could have had you doing yoga instead. Just the thought of having to make your body bend in all those unnatural and hurtful ways… no, there were no complaints with the tai chi. On top of that Scarlet said that once you had mastered the basic one, she might teach you one of the sword techniques. You loved swords. There was just something about them... like an ancient magic that had long been forgotten. It really did amaze you that this slow form was used to fight in real life. Scarlet said that, when fighting someone, the tai chi form was one of the fastest fighting techniques. Kind of ironic isn’t it?
After that you’d go to the room under the staircase to do purposeful mind techniques. Time after time she would forcefully enter your mind while you were trying to stop her. In all reality it was just like being bashed. You were the weak victim that was doing all they could with little affect to protect themselves while scarlet was the group of kids that would beat you up. Then they would decide to let you try and get back up on your feet and when you just started thinking you would be alright, they’d start beating you again. Over and over again, only stopping when you were on your last breath. Depending on how long you could keep it up, would depend upon how long the beating would last. Every day it would go for longer, and sometimes you were actually starting to be able to keep her out for a while.
Once that was over you’d eat, possibly take a break and then crash, sleeping very heavily before waking up the next morning to do the whole thing all over again. You were literally exhausted. IT was just like being back at school.... except harder, and the ‘subjects’ were completely different.
It was about a week through this routine that it was completely ruined in an instant. You and Scarlett were doing the warming down techniques after the morning session of Tai Chi when... Smash! Both of you stopped mid stretch and ran inside. Out of everything you might have thought to have happened, like Wolfgang and Lennon fighting or someone accidently dropping something, you’d never have guessed what had really happened.
As soon as you ran into the main room you stopped mouth open. A figure was standing in the door way with long black hair flowing around her perfectly toned body. The actual door no longer existed. Wooden splinters from it could be found across the whole room.
The females red eyes locked onto yours and she started walking towards you. For some reason you found yourself unable to move. Her eyes having some sort of power over you.
That was when Virgil appeared in front of you. There was tenseness to his whole being that made you nervous about this visitor. "What are you doing here Darnell?"
You watched as a playful grin appeared on the females face. "I recall having requested to see the Princess. So why" only anger showed through her now, "did i come to find that she magically disappeared soon after? You traitor!" It looked like Darnell slapped Virgil across the face, but upon closer inspection of the wound, to your horror, you realised that she had given him a deep cut on the cheek with her nail. "If you move now i might be inclined to let you live."
From behind him, you could feel the anger welling up inside Virgil as his hand reached up and wiped the side of his face. Upon seeing the ruby liquid staining his fingers, he lost control of himself and swung at Darnell, connecting only because she had been caught off guard.
The female flew back a couple of paces before she composed herself once more. She was actually smiling, "Well now that you are no longer useful to me, there is no reason why i should refrain from killing you. You were only ever useful for all the dirty work."
It was only then that everything started to make sense for Virgil. Only now did he truly understand what had been going on without his knowledge. Darnell had purposefully forcing him to be away as much as possible because she knew that if he found out what she was really doing everything would be ruined. She knew that he wouldn’t agree with her plans, but she had never expected him to start acting upon his own accord. "You’re going to kill them all... You’re going to hand her over to Xeros, and kill them all! "
There was no more talking. There was no need for more to be said. The two of them had come to an understanding which would result in one of their deaths. The only problem was, it had been made plainly obvious by their rank that Darnell was stronger than Virgil.
He lunged at her full of rage, while she dodged without emotion. The only thing that made you know that she wasn’t taking this lightly was the way her eyes appeared as slits as she concentrated, forming plans and moves.
Never had you seen Virgil in such rage. It actually reminded you of Wolfgang when he was completely out of control. It was a rage that you had been secretly hoping you would never have to be part of again. Of course, if it did show up, you knew that you could deal with it. After all, when you loved someone, you did love for their good points, you loved them for their bad points. That was something so many people seemed to get wrong... and you loved them all.
Just then you saw Darnell grab Virgil’s fist as he sent a punch in her direction. Using the moment that he already had going, Darnell threw him into the wall to your left. Immediately you brought your arm up to protect your face from the debris that came from the wall. A small cloud of dust had formed around the area too.
Once it started to settle you could see that Virgil had stood back up and was brushing some of the debris of him. That wasn’t what caught your attention though. It was the look on his face, in his eyes. That smirk that you had come so used to was back on Virgil’s face. The anger seemed to be dissipating as he was getting into the rhythm of the fight. He was enjoying this. You weren’t sure whether or not you were suppose to be horrified or what. Sure, now that the anger was gone he’d be able to fight better, but to know that he was enjoying it... that thought scared you.
You felt a tugging on your arm and you turned around to see Lennon motioning for you to follow him out of the room. Hesitantly you looked back to see Virgil and Darnell reengaged. They were almost completely equal at the moment. You knew Lennon was being logical in getting you to leave the room. It was hard enough for your eyes to follow the fight. It would be impossible for you to react should something head your way. They were just moving too fast.
Just as you and Lennon left the room, the wall you were standing at crashed down. The figure that had been thrown into it got back up and moved towards their component so quickly that you were unable to tell if it had been Darnell or Virgil.
The two of you walked into another room where you found the rest of the boys. They were doing something with chalk. Elyett was the first to look up and see you there. He nodded towards Lennon and gave you a gentle smile, as if to say everything would be all right. Lennon bent over and whispered in your ear, "We’re going outside. That’s where it’ll be safest."
That’s right. The sun was still up. In fact, it was only midday. So why had Darnell chosen to turn up at a time like this? You thoughts turned back to when you had been kidnapped by Virgil and the boys had come to save you. What was it they had said then? The king can go out in the daylight while the prince could as well, but for not as long.... She had come at this time planning to get Virgil outside... So was it really the safest option for you? You were immediately starting to get your doubts.
You and Lennon walked out into the backyard which started out as clean and barren but turned into bush the further you walked away from the house. As soon as you’d had your thoughts about how "great" this plan really was you began voicing them to Lennon.
"... i know... but we can’t stay in the house... it’s twice as dangerous int here. You could get caught up in the middle of the fight, or they could end up causing the house to fall down...."
There was also that aspect... You did agree that he had a good point when it came to that.
"Also, there’s more room out here for us to protect you should something happen, and remember, Scarlet is an Elemental..."
Another good point. So outside was definitely the safest spot for you, but still... if Darnell should come out in search of you, it was the most dangerous spot for Virgil... Then the thought hit you. Virgil probably wouldn’t let her get as far as outside, so if she did come out in search of you... Virgil would be...
"Where are we going? What about the others? What were they doing?" You asked as you noticed that Lennon had continued taking you further away from the house. The further you got from the house the more bushy the environment became.... the bushy the environment became meant the more shadows were around, and you were starting to develop a subconscious fear of shadows thanks to Xeros, who had made a point of turning up every time you really couldn’t deal with having him around.
Lennon didn’t answer. Instead he just stopped walking and turned his attention back to the house. Finally he sighed and turned towards you, "They’re making a backup plan in case... you know... well it is a fact that in their current state Virgil is stronger than all of them and if Darnell turned out to be stronger then Virgil then there would be no doubt that she would be stronger then the guys. So they need to be prepared... I’m the second backup..."
"What do you mean?" you asked starting to get worried at where this was heading.
He turned his attention in the other direction of the house, and nodded towards the bush. "We figured out where it was the Virgil had taken us. Where exactly it is that this house is located. Even though it looks like barren land all around us, there is in fact houses and people just on the other side of that. Should the others fail in stopping Darnell as well. I’ll do the best i can to give you enough time to run. You have to run, and when you get there..."
"No! Lennon i’m not leaving you and the others! I’m not going to just desert you!"
"Caira!" His deep blue eyes held yours with an intensity that was very rare to see in Lennon. He was usually such a joker... "It is what we want. Everything we have done so far has been to protect you. If you won’t do it for yourself, you have to do it for me. For all of us. We want you to live on in safety.... Once you get to the town, you have to call this number and tell the person on the other end of the line that you are the daughter and sole heir. You have to tell them that i sent you and use my middle name as the password.
You swallowed down your desire to retort. You didn’t want to go! You wouldn’t.... If it were to get to that stage everything you had to live for would be gone anyway...
It was just then that you heard another crashing sound. Your eyes darted quickly towards the house.
