Chapter 17

Z                                        Chapter: 17
A
Y                                             It’s time to train!
D                                                      But also, time to make memories!
I
E



I started to laugh along with Kylun. I had never seen him laugh, so this made me really happy. Really, really happy!
So yeah, I started to laugh with him, and then with me, everyone else started to as well!
Soon we had all collapsed on the ground and were now laughing our heads off!

We finally calmed down enough to breath. We were all lying on the ground with our heads together in a circle as we watched the sky turned pink.
“What were we laughing at again?” Quorra asked.
That sent us all in to another laughing frenzy.

I took a deep breath and sighed with a big content smile on my face.
I’ll cherish this moment for the rest of my life. I just know it!
“So what’s your weapon Kylun?” I asked getting up to my knees.
Everyone else sat up and we looked at Kylun.
He summoned his weapon, and a staff appeared in his hand.
The staff it’s self was as tall as he was or possibly taller. It was made of black wood, toward the top of the staff where Kylun held it, a red handle made of that same pulsing liquid light thing that was in Takara and Zindra had. It looked like the red grew on the wood like moss [yeah weird description I know] then ribbons of it grew up the rest of the staff and circled around the top.
The top was what was interesting.
At the tip top was a stone, that was filled with light. It was such a contrast to the black wood that it almost seemed out of place.
Around the neck [the base of top that holds the gem] was a red ribbon. At the end of the ribbon hung a chain, and at the end of that, a key.
“Wow. That’s a really, really cool weapon!” Quorra exclaimed. “What does it do?”
I giggled behind my hand.
“That’s what training’s for.” We all turned to see Braxlin walk up. “And I suggest we get started.”
We all nodded.
Time to get to it!

I was surprised by how much Braxlin knew beyond how to use his own weapon.
For the rest of the day both Braxlin and Brin trained us hard.
It kind of reminded me of the old days until Brax comes up and pushes me harder.

“No Zaydie. Your getting  this form mixed up with the last.”
I took a deep breath and forced myself not to scream in frustration.
But I could tell that Brax was getting annoyed.
Real annoyed!
I had been trying to get this one form down for the past half hour.
But I just couldn’t get the last few steps. [I blame it on Braxlin’s teaching style. How Savrin ever learned anything is beyond me!]

I shook my head and placed a hand on my hip.
“Sorry. I’m just not use to a sword. It’s so much longer then my ureci and I feel like such a klutz!” I confessed.
“Well that’s because you are a klutz with that thing.”
I turned and saw Kylun walking up.
He patted Braxlin on the shoulder.
“I’ll take it from here.” He stated. I let out a small sigh as Brax walked away.
“Well you sure do know how to make a girl feel special.” I retorted sarcastically.
He shrugged and gave me on of his grins.
“I try.”
I shook my head. This guy was crazy!

He used his Power and a sword appeared in hand. [not Ultima obviously]
“Ok, you keep getting it confused here, so we’ll start from there then see how you do.” I nodded and watched closely as Kylun went through the form. It didn’t look difficult when he did for some reason!

Although at times I was slightly embarrassed to mess up in front of Kylun, he was very patient with me, and never had anything but a kind and friendly tone.
But try as I might, I couldn’t get that form to work with me.
“It’s fine. Took me a while to get the dragon form right any way. But out in a battle is really when your likely to get it right. Just when you need it most.” Kylun said as we called it a day for everyone.
“Well thanks for your help.” I said as we walked out of the simulation chamber and back into the living room.
He shrugged.
“No prob.” He then collapsed on the couch.
When I looked around, everyone was collapsing all over the place.
I took the floor and lied down on my back.
Closing my eyes to keep the light out, we all started to talk about our training and our weapons.
“You guys did really good.” Brin complemented.
We all turned to look at her.
“What? I’m being honest! For the first day with new weapons, ya’ll did great!”
I sighed and turned over on my stomach, holding my chin in my hands.
“Well it didn’t feel like it.” Quorra muttered from her position on the end of the couch.
I started to swing my legs back and forth mindlessly.
“Well you already know how to use a gun, but Zaydie and Kylun had to start all over on a new weapon completely! And they did fabulous.” I smiled up at Brin, then turned to Kylun.
“Hey, we never asked, what’s your staff’s name?” I spoke up. Everyone nodded and we all looked to him.
“Shiro.”
I nodded. “White? Hmm... cool.” completely random for him but hey, that’s ok.
“So what can it do? I mean it’s not exactly a sword.” Quorra asked.
“Well there’s a lot of things I think it can do. Tasin explained that the more I use it, the stronger it’ll get, so the more I can do with it.”
“Ooh!... cool beans.” We all chuckled at my sister.

                                                ++++

In an hour, Braxlin and Brinlynn left with strict instructions on how to behave.
The four of us groaned as we sat through another uncomfortable conversation.
Brinlynn had taken us girls into the bedroom and had us sit down at the end of the bed.
Then she went on talking.
Our mom died before we were ever old enough to have such a talk, so I was thankful that Brinlynn didn’t think it too embarrassing to not tell us to be careful.

“I made my decision long ago that I would wait for who ever the Creator had for me. So I’m not going to do something dumb now and blow it.” I said after Brin had finished.
Quorra nodded in agreement.
“Same goes for me. And besides we’re both way to young and innocent to know anything anyways.”
Brin smiled.
“Well I’m glad you girls have decided to reserve yourselves. Lets just keep it that way, ok?”
“You can count on us!” We both said, giving her a thumbs up.
Brin laughed.
“That’s good to know. Well,” She sighed. “I have to get back. I have other training responsibilities I have to take care of. See you girls tomorrow!”
We met the boys outside and saw Braxlin and Brin off.
“Oh! They make a real cute-”
“Don’t even finish that!” The three of us interrupted.
Quorra shook her head.
“What? I was just... thinking out loud.”
“Then stop thinking out loud.” Savrin ordered.
Quorra stuck out her bottom lip and marched off to the kitchen.
“Not much of a hiding-” I jumped up and clasped my hand over Sav’s mouth.
“Shh!” I said through a giggle. “Don’t provoke her!”
Savrin rolled his eyes and swiped away my hand away.
“So... what’s for dinner?”
“Kylun!!” my sister and I shouted.
“What?” He asked with the most innocent face I had seen yet.
I laughed and Quorra came into the room.
“You know what?” I asked, looking around the circle of friends. From one sincere and playful smile to the next. [Yeah, even Kylun!]
“I never want to forget any of you.” I said. Slinging an arm around Savrin and Kylun’s shoulders.
They all looked at me.
“Where did that come from?!?!” They all shouted.
“I’m just speaking from my heart.”
Quorra smiled and slung her own arms over the boys’ shoulders as well.
“That’s real sweet sis. But some how I have a feeling that we’re never going to forget each other even if we wanted to.”
The boys in turn, slung their arms on our shoulders, and we all looked at each other with big smiles.
“I say we make a promise.”
Kylun suggested. We all nodded.
“It doesn’t matter how far away we are from each other. It doesn’t matter if we can’t see each other. What matters is that we remember each other. Because our hearts are connected, and they always will be.
All we have to do is remember each other.”
Quorra looked at me with raised eyebrows after Kylun’s touching speech.
“It’s a promise!” We all shouted. Placing out fists together in a circle.
“Thank you Creator for giving us each other.” Savrin said quietly.
We all nodded and looked from our hands to each other.
Quorra was right.
I could never forget this gang even if I tried.

“So! can we have dinner yet?”
We all laughed at Kylun, and my sister and I walked into the kitchen.
“What ever are we going to do with them?” Quorra asked with a smile.
I shrugged.
“Beats me.”

For dinner, we had the boys in here helping us.
Kylun blasted techno music from the computer room, then we all moved around the kitchen, bumping into each other, getting in the way, spilling things, and making one massively huge mess of flour, sugar, chocolate batter, and pie crust!
But we made dozens of memories, filled with laughter, joy, peace, and friendship.
Memories that’ll last a life time.

                                               ++++

The next week was nothing but training!
As tiring as it was, I learned quite a lot about Takara, and Zindra!

Tasin explained to me that Zindra was actually a Creature from Paradise, and that she had been Genesis, Mikaiela, and Aarek’s guide back in the day. She had returned to Paradise once they had completed their quest. But when I had touched the bow, she came back for an instant.
“So will she come back?” I asked looking at Zindra. [the bow]
“She might, every now and then. But she won’t stay here.” Tasin said.
I nodded and took aim at a tree twenty or so paces away.
Letting go, I watched as it hit dead center.
“Your getting much better. Especially in such a short amount of time.” Tasin complemented. Jerking Zindra, it disappeared in a wash of light.
“Thank you. I’ve gotten good at Zindra now, a while ago, I couldn’t even shoot strait to save my life!”
Tasin let out a small sigh.
“The more you train with Zindra or Takara, the better you will become. That I can promise. Now I must go. I’ll see ya’ll latter!” she said with a smile, and a wave. Then disappeared with all of us waving her off.

I turned back to our gang. They were all fighting various training droids. Most of them were winning, except for Kylun.
He was having a little bit of a difficult time trying to figure out how to use Shiro.
I dug out Aarek’s book from one of my pouches and sat down on the grass of the clearing in the forest we were fighting in this time.
Opening up to my bookmark, I dove in to his world.

“Life is getting more and more difficult to cope with. Everyday we walk
into a new city, we help the people out, watch the happy ending,
then leave.
We’re only passing through.
And that makes me wonder if we’ll ever see home again. But if we do make
out of all this alive, we will go back to living out own seperate lives.
We won’t see each other any more.
Genesis is from Konsor, the city that thinks their better then every
one else and doesn’t let any one out or in.
Mikaiela will go back to Nibraca, that small ocean villiage of hers she talks
about so fondly.
And I suppose I’ll go back to Vecina.
But that’ll be the end of The Chosen Three won’t it?
No... perhaps not. I’m laughing as I write this. No now I know that
some of us will be still in contact.
Genesis is going to propose to Mikaiela today after we finish fighting
our biggest enemy yet and rid Dresher of him for good.
That is of course we get out alive.
But I suppose if we don’t Genesis can always propose to her
in Paradise right?

Hmm... I know I will do what ever the Creator has planned for me, and
that is all very well and good with me. I just hope that we won’t be
strangers.

Well on to more pressing matters. Genesis’ weapon, Shikira.
Is a peculiar weapon. If you ever find a staff, yet it seems to have no
use. I shall give you a hint.
The staff’s power comes from the bearer’s heart. If he believes it’ll work,
it’ll work.
But if he gets frustrated and angry it’ll only lock up.
I’m afraid that Genesis had to learn this out the hard way. So take that
as a warning.

I looked up and watched Kylun as he shook his head and made Shiro disappear.
Hmm...
Getting up, I went over to where Kylun had sunk into the grass.
“Hey, I think I might have found something to help with Shiro.” I said, sitting down on me knees.
He looked up at me and angled his head to get a better look at the book.
“Oh yes, Genesis proposing is really going to help me.” He said sarcastically.
I rolled my eyes and slapped the back of his head. I might have blushed as well. Though I can’t be one hundred percent sure.
“Not that part! This paragraph here.” I pointed to it.
He read it and nodded.
“Ok thanks. I’m not going to try it right this second because I’m way to tired.”
I nodded and slipped the book back in my pouch.
“So does it actually say that Genesis and Mikaiela get engaged or does it just hint?” Kylun asked.
I shrugged.
“I haven’t gotten there yet, but I hope so.” then I laughed.
“What?”
I shook my head, still laughing though.
“Nothing.”
“Well it’s obviously something or you wouldn’t be laughing.”
“It’s just that Genesis reminds me a lot of you. It’s funny sometimes to see what he does, and then you do the exact same thing.” I remarked.
“What’s that suppose to mean?”
I shook my head.
“Nothing bad, I just think it’s funny that’s all.”
“How are we alike?”
“well.... you both are extremely moody all the time. Have secrets that you don’t trust with any of your friends. And apparently you both put you hands behind your head when your bored. Which annoyed Aarek pretty bad.”
Kylun laughed.
“Well tough for Aarek, because I’m not stopping.”
I chuckled.
“No one was asking you to. and besides I don’t think Aarek minds.”
I awkwardly tucked my hair behind my ear as we sat quietly.
“Well tell me that they get married in the end and that Aarek finds a girl. Because he’s in desperate need of one!” Kylun stated as he got up.
“Why?” I asked as he turned to go. He paused and glanced over his shoulder.
“Even I  like happy endings Zaydie.”
I smiled to myself and turned back to look at the tree tops.
Mindlessly, I reached out and controlled a small yellow flower.
I watched it spin around in front of me as a million thoughts ran through my head.
I did hope Genesis and Mikaiela got married after all they had been through.

I sensed a blade of grass bend under someone or something’s foot. And it was only an arm’s length away.
Friends are special. I said in my head. Takara appeared in my hand, I spun around and Takara blocked a sword. I jerked it away from me and gave my shield a forward thrust, ramming who ever, in the chest and throwing him backwards.
Quickly flipping Takara, it formed into a sword.
Slashing downward, Takara met metal halfway.
I glanced up and found that I was fighting Sav.
... Alrighty then.

He rose to his feet and we circled each other.
I sensed the others stopping what they were doing to watch. Oh yes, I’m sure this’ll be a good show.

“What’s up with you?” I asked.
Swiping away hair from my eyes.
“You looked to peaceful.”
I laughed and spun away as he lunged at me.
“Jealous huh? that’s odd because I don’t remember you being the jealous type.” I remarked as our swords met in sparks.
“Who said anything about being jealous of you?” He asked, glancing over my shoulder.
“Sav your never going to win that way!” Quorra yelled, jumping into the fight.
“Hey! two against one?! That’s not fair!” I shouted at the two of them.
“Nah, looks pretty even to me.” She answered.
I turned and saw Kylun walking up beside me.
“I’m always having to bail you out.” He mumbled, pulling a sword out of the air.
“Nu-uh.” Braxlin remarked, stepping in between the two teams.
“Use only your new weapons! No Powers either, and you can’t be off the ground for more then a few seconds.” He ordered.
“You’re really asking for a lot you know?” I stated. Brax gave me a sarcastic smile.
“I’m sure you can handle it. Ready?” The two teams nodded. “Give us a show.”
He then moved off the fighting field.
I glanced around as a wall sprouted up around us in a flash of light, then turned invisable. But it was still there.
“Oh boy.” I muttered as I faced Savrin and Quorra.
Kylun summoned Shiro and didn’t look to happy about it.
“Hey remember the tip!” I said. He looked at me and nodded.
“Got it.”
I turned back to our oppoinents.
Quorra had her guns at the ready, and Ryota was barred to the teeth.
I took up my unique fighting stance and braced myself. [If you were wondering I held Takara out behind me instead of in front of me like Sav.]

I went up against my sister, which wasn’t really a good idea seeing as Takara could only be a shield or a sword. Not both.
Yet Quorra had guns! oh bother.

“I’m not going easy on you.” She warned.
I rolled my eyes. “No of course not. Yet who asked you too? I have backup.”
Quorra smiled.
“So do I.”
I shook my head and ran forward.
Quorra ran backwards, shooting at me. I quickly flipped Takara into a shield. I could hear the bulits hitting my shield. And when Quorra stopped, and I risked a peek at it. There wasn’t even a dent!!
But taking a second glance, I noticed that the heart lights were brighter and immediatly I knew what to do.
Gathering a small amount of energy, I gave it to the shiled, which made the lights grow brighter, then the shield let something go, and I felt the wind pick up, surprising everyone, a whirlwind shot out of it, and at Quorra. It knocked her clear off her feet and when it did, it disappeared.

I looked down at Takara and flipped her back to a sword.
“... Whoa!! sweet awesomeness!” I shouted.
Quorra laughed.
“yeah no kidding!” She said picking herself up from the ground. “I wonder if mine can do something like that... hmm...”

It turned out that each of our new weapons had at least one magic trick up their sleeves. [for example, the whirlwind]
And we could call on them quiet easily as well, which was great!
Except the first time, they appeared quiet randomly.

I was chasing after Quorra with Takara [in sword form] when I was suddenly blasted off the ground with a bolt of lightning. Looking up from the ground, I saw that it was Savrin to blame for knocking me off the ground.
I shook my head and jumped up.
“Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to hit girls?” I asked sarcastically, shooting a whirlwind at him. Knocking him off the ground.
“yeah! now that’s what I’m talking about. Kylun exclaimed jumping up and giving me a high five.
“Don’t loose focus!” Brin yelled.
We nodded and turned around. Finding Savrin and Quorra side by side.

I knew Savrin was good at swordsmanship, seeing as he’s been at it for three years or so.
Quorra was fast with her guns, I wasn’t sure how fast, but fast.
Kylun’s weapon, Shiro, hadn’t showed us what it could do yet, but I hoped it would soon!
Or we were toast!

We charged each other, Sav’s sword and mine clashed together as he protected Quorra from Takara.
He locked me with his new odd sword, and my strength started to leave me as I tried to stay my ground.
Kylun jumped in next to me, pushing Savrin away, I heard a gun cock behind me and felt the coolness of a barrel in the back of my head.
I turned sideways to keep both Savrin and Quorra in my sight.
Kylun had stopped fighting behind me. Sav kept his sword pointed at him though [traitor! Just kidding haha!]
“Looks like we won.” Quorra remarked with a smile that made me angry.
I felt Kylun step closer to me.
“Get rid of Takara.” He whispered barely audible.
I jerked Takara, and she disappeared.
“I wouldn’t judge to soon.” Kylun stated. Pulling me close, he raised Shiro in the air, then pounded it on the ground.
I felt the air get heavy and suddenly it seemed like the whole ocean jumped in the arena with us, only confined by the invisible wall.
It was all flooded! Except for the small air bubble around Kylun and I.
I kept close, but turned around and gazed in wonder at all the water.
It only lasted a few seconds before Kylun dropped the water level till it was soked up in the ground.

I looked to find Quorra and Savrin, cautiously moving away from Kylun, he dropped his hand off me.

We both ran over to Savrin and Quorra, pointing our weapons at them.
“Do you give up yet?” I asked. Quorra nodded.
“Yeah. You win!” She said in a feeble voice.
Kylun and I got rid of our weapons and pulled them to their feet
We all placed our fists in a circle.
“Yeah us!” Quorra exclaimed. We all chuckled.
“See?! I told you guys were doing great!” Brin said excitedly as the invisable wall dropped. I smiled at her.
“Thanks.”
“Eh, you did ok. But don’t get to excited yet, you still have a lot of work to do.”
We all groaned.
“Kill joy.” Quorra muttered at Brax.
He just crossed his arms and glared at us.
Which we returned.
The boys chuckled.
We never did find out what Quorra’s guns could do, but we were all so tired, that we didn’t think to ask.

“Hey we made a great team!” Kylun complemented.
I nodded. “yeah we did.”
We all stumbled out of the simulation chamber hot and sweaty.
“Ok! I need to go swimming!” I exclaimed.
Brin and Quorra nodded and immediately agreed.
“Oh yes! where should we go?” Quorra asked. “A pool with a hot tub?”
I shook my head.
“I was thinking something more natural.”
“How about a lake?” Brin suggested.
“That sounds good.” I said.
“Um girls-”
“But won’t it be cold?” Quorra asked.
“Then lets go to a hot springs!” I suggested.
“Girls.”
“Ooh! one up in the mountains so that when you get over heated, all you have to do is lay in the snow and your as good as new!” Brin exclaimed. Clasping her hands together excitedly.
“Girls!!” We all turned as the boys yelled at us.
“We don’t have any bathing suits.” Savrin pointed out. I swiped his worry away with my hand. Which made their jaws drop.
“That’s what the big room upstairs called the ‘wardrobe’ is for.” I answered.
“How do you plan to get there?” Kylun questioned.
“That’s what your for.” I said with a sweet smile.
“Um... did you miss that whole episode when I tried to teleport this many people last time by any chance?!” He asked. [well more like yelled]
“That’s why you take more then one trip.”
“What about security?” Brax threw at me.
“I’ll take care of the cameras easy.”
That stumped them all.
Savrin finally shrugged.
“Alright fine, you win.”
Us girls squealed and gave each other high fives.
“What?!?!” Kylun shouted. Turning to Sav. “did you just sign me up for a girls field trip?!?!”
“Yes. I believe I just did.”
We all laughed. Well at least us girls.
Kylun shook his head and held out a hand.
I immediately took it with out the slightest hesitation. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him shift uncomfortably. Was he embarrassed?
I couldn’t [wouldn’t] ask, because he then teleported.
This was the first time he had teleported me, when I had my eyes open.

We were in the ‘wardrobe’ before long. And as soon as we landed, Kylun let go and moved away.
ha! so he was embarrassed!

I started to hum my favorite song as I walked down the isles.
Pushing down with my hands, I turned off the cameras and erased the last few seconds on all of them. Just in case.

We had just walked past the front doors when they opened.
Kylun jumped me from behind, which freaked me out making me open my mouth to scream.
But he clamped his hand over my mouth and slowly backed up into a corner. He pushed me behind him, and waved his hand in front of him. I looked down and saw shadows washing over my body.

I looked up as I heard footsteps.
Valadamir walked in with his hands in the pockets of his expensive tailored grey trousers. he had on a crimson red collared shirt with a suit jacket over it.
When I looked from him to Kylun, the resemblances were remarkable!
They looked identical, except for their eyes. Kylun’s were silver due to Sindo, yet they still had that red tint to them.
Where as Valadamir just had black holes for eyes.

Valadamir stopped at the door and took a deep breath looking up at the ceiling.
“You know Kana, it must be hard to keep your heart from beating so fast.” He said, seemingly mindlessly.
I froze. Half of me hopped that he had a girlfriend that I didn’t know about, and that at any moment she would answer back.
But... no one did.
“Are you going to stay hidden in the shadows? You struck me as one that liked light, not shrouding yourself in darkness.”
I touched Kylun’s arm gently.
“Go get the bug.” I whispered quietly.
He turned and met my determined gaze.
He nodded and my hand suddenly fell back to my side.
“Creator send an angel to be with me please! don’t make me go in alone.” I whispered.
I suddenly felt a small warm hand in mine. I glanced down and found Tasin giving me a reassuring smile.
“He heard you.” she whispered back.
I then stepped out of the shadows and faced my fear head on.

“Because even I have secrets that I keep in the dark.” I answered. Valad turned his head and sent one of his dashing smiles at me.
“Oh yes. Just the same as my brother.” He said. “Pitiful thing really. Cursed actually. But still had one secret that he kept from me to his death bed.”
I wanted to shout out that he wasn’t dead. Even though I had just seen him a few seconds ago, when Valad clamed him to be dead, I got a gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach.

No Zaydie. you can’t say that if you want to protect him! I yelled at myself.

“Maybe that was best.” I answered.
“Hmm... I would have known if I had my mother’s journal.” that got my attention.
“But I know enough.” Valadamir walked up to me.  “To know that there was an extremely dangerous side to him that would lash out unexpectedly.
I don’t mean the curse Zaydie... I mean the darkness in his heart. It’s mind blowing what the dark can do to someone if they wallow in the past, or worry about what’ll happen if they let their guard down for just one second.”
My jaw slacked slightly as I tried to hide the shock.

Tasin squeezed my hand, snapping me out of the daze. “But I don’t care about my brother’s pitiful life.” Valadamir continued, turning away. “soon I shall have every Shievan-” He cut himself off. “well lets just say that very soon, you’ll be mine... Kana.” He placed a hand on my right shoulder, only his palm was over my Mark.
Then he walked out and left me there, with my brain running a hundred miles a minute.