Atoli and Kain watched Axel coach Myriah through drills.
"I'm glad to see her in the ring." Atoli murmured with a small smile. "She's always watching when we train. I was worried, when she outright refused to step into the ring."
"She is a broken warrior." Kain murmured, "I watched her try to fight them… I watched her anxiety increase every time she was over powered… until she no longer fought."
Atoli pursed her lips. Thats right, heavy duty sedatives were used on Myriah… sedatives that were illegal, and given to her in lethal doses.
Atoli shook her head as she recalled the conversation to get Myriah in the ring. It was actually a full screaming match with Axel followed by a violent mental tug of war with Jasmine, that almost resulted in the permanent disfigureation of the witch. Finally, Angalo lost his temper and ordered Myriah to learn self defense from Axel while expanding on her magic with Jasmine.
There would be no compromise.
The order did not bode well. First, Myriah froze. Then she looked around helplessly and stomped her foot with a wail. Axel was stunned, while Atoli was concerned. Angalo, however was having none of it.
With another wail, Myriah grabbed a cushion and hurled it at Angalo who froze. Wide wide, mouth slightly parted, he froze. Axel was torn between intervening and leaving the room. Today was just not the day.
Then Myriah hit him again with a whine. Axel took a step toward the upset girl at the same time Edymond cautiously took a step toward the lavender eyed girl, when Angalo shredded the cushion with a snarl what had Myriah stilling with wide eyes.
Axel made it a point to come between his brother and Myriah, lest one of them lose control and harm everyone.
Everyone in the room held their breath as Myriah and Anglao stared at one another until Myriahs bottom lip started to curl and she threw her arms in the air with a sob. Angalo blinked while Myriah flailed her arms about, sending cotton flying. Before he could snatch the damn pillow from her, Myriah threw herself over the arm of the couch and started to cry.
Anglaos left eye started to twitch and a giggling Atoli dragged him from the room. Part of him had half a mind to properly discipline this girl… trauma or no, her attitude and tantrums were ridiculous. Axel decided to go the rare, gentle route and coax the girl into cooperating.
"Myriah…" Axel soothed by running a hand through her hair.
"I know you don't want to train with Jasmine. But if you do, without mentally destroying her… we can spend the day doing as you please."
"You mean it?" Myriah mumbled, "I mean it." Axel murmured.
At first Myriah grumbled and threw tantrums. And then after a long staring contest with Axel coaxed her into not attempting to harm Jasmine, the remaining half of the session would go rather smoothly. The condition being: every time Myriah trains with jasmine without hurting her, she would earn an extra boxing lesson with Axel. Everybody wins.
"Should she be pushing so hard so soon?" Atoli asked worriedly. Kain shrugged, "who really knows?" Atoli blinked, "the only one who she'll let near her is Axel."
"You sound upset." Atoli observed.
"Does it make you sad?" Atoli asked, curiosity replacing her concern. Kain watched Axel flip Myriah over his shoulder. "It hurts." He murmured, "It was her and I when we were in the facility, and now it's her and him." Atoli nodded, "He was the only one who could touch her when you came for us too …" Kain sighed, "I don't know how to name what I feel. I …" he shook his head as Myriah swept Axels feet from under him. "You're siblings in survival and trauma. Jealously and abandonment are natural to feel." Atoli murmured. Kain tilted his head, "are they?"
Atoli looked at Kain who held her gaze, "We are different than mortals…"
"Magic doesn't make you immortal." Atoli murmured, "We can die…" the brown eyed girl whispered, "if you ask me, I say we die too easily."
Atoli tilted her head, "Sometimes … the hurt just runs too deep."
Kain pursed his lips, "You were mortal?" Atoli nodded, "how'd you guess?" She asked, Kain shrugged, "I could feel it." He offered, unsure of how to answer. In observing Atoli and Angalo, he seamed fo guard her in a way that was different… Kain couldn't say why or how but it was different. Atoli also didn't speak their language. Every time Kain and Angalo would converse in the old language, comparing accents and dialects, Atoli would seam confused.
He watched Axel lock Myriahs hands behind her back. "Don't be rash." Axel murmured, "if you move the wrong way, you can dislocate your shoulder." Kain nodded to himself, 'That's right.' He stepped forward, 'if you try to pull-' "Myriah stop." Axel commanded, Kain halted. Debating, observing, 'If she moves she'll-' A loud pop and Myriah fell to her knees with a scream. "I told you…" Axel fell with her and cupped her shoulder in his left hand.
"Don't move, I'm gonna put it back in place."
Myriah nodded with a quiet sob. Axel placed his right palm just beneath her collar bone. "One." Myriah inhaled, "two." Atoli covered her open mouth, "three!" Axel jerked Myriahs shoulder forward, popping the joint back into the socket with a loud pop. Myriah hissed in relief as the pain seamed to subside with every inhale.
"I don't know what happened, I didn't even feel the hold…" Myriah complained as she moved to right her arm, she was held back by Axel. "I'm sorry you got hurt-" "it's the risk you sign up for. My mom told me: the more I bleed and hurt here, the less I will out there..." Myriah murmured, avoiding his gaze, "big fat lie that turned out to be, huh?" Myriah scoffed, "Myr-" "had I been more attentive, I'd have known the hold…" Axels expression softened, "Let your arm heal-" Myriah brought her good hand to her shoulder and she focused.
Kain and Axel leaned forward in anticipation. Atoli latched onto Myriahs side as nothing happened. Myriahs eyes snapped open.
"Why doesn't it work?" Myriah asked, wide eyed. Axel and Kain looked at one another, shocked. "Did I-" tears filled Myriahs eyes. "Am I-"
Kain avoided Myriahs gaze while Axel guided her face to his. "Don't fret; this isn't the first time this has happened to you..." He offered, "it's not unheard of."
Myriah scoffed, "I healed myself back in Texas. And at the facility. So, I know you're toying with me." She muttered "Myriah-"
"Its just another thing you all don't know about me. Another question to be answered."
The lavender eyed girl sighed.
"Goddess." Edymond murmured as he wondered into the area and took a knee before the crest fallen girl.
"Pure ones could heal everything. Except themselves." He murmured, "The magic of their being was their very life force, and so they naturally healed themselves unless wounds were affected to the body." Myriah nodded, as she allowed herself to lean into Axels form. "Why?"
'Of all people…' edymond thought as he watched Axel gather her into his arms. 'And he guards her…'
"For the pure ones, healing cannot be used on one's self. When the elves were born, they learned that channeling was possible and healed themselves through their counterparts."
"Channeling? Like binding?" Myriah asked.
"Like this: take my hand." Edymond extended his hand. Myriah placed her left hand in Edymonds and tilted her head, "focus your thoughts. Look for my energy." Myriah focused and centered her thoughts, narrowing her world to the elf in front of her. "Excellent, now pull my power to you, envision pulling a rope."
Myriah did as she was told and she could see the golden energy going into her left hand, tracing to her wounded shoulders healing the swollen joint.
"Did I do it?"
"You've done wonderfully Goddess." Edymond praised, "Vampire. Why don't I sit in on the Goddesses lessons? Perhaps I may be of help in helping her hone her powers?"
Axel pursed his lips. "Perhaps."
Edymond stood and nodded, "Also Vampire, I am in need of your assistance."