She was there, Zendya, at the edge of the plain of a majestic mountain background. Zendya fits so well in this landscape, she looks as fresh as grass, as mysterious as the bottom of an invisible abyss, and as cold as snowflakes covering the mountain tops.
"Hi." that's the only thing that could come out of my lips. My words are hiding out every time I get a face-to-face with Zendya.
"It's been a while, huh?" Zendya walks in a leisurely pace, but her movements make me nervous. I don't want to be like this, it's all because of the trauma Zendya had kicked up during my lecture. Yes, her treatment had a profound impact on my life. It's not that I'm afraid of her, it's just that I always feel like my movements and my speech are judged by her. I became more cautious, and... not feeling free.
"Ehm... yes. Yes. Maybe about fiv-- six? Six years?"
Zendya giggled. Of course she was. She really enjoyed seeing me like this.
"To be honest, I was surprised to learn that you would serve in the realm of monsters. Luckily you have plenty of time. Let's hope a year and a half will be enough to prepare you."
Now Zendya is right in front of me, within the distance where my reflection is caught in her big eyeballs. Today she was wearing a shiny little green suit that sparkling everytime the sunlight hit it. As much as I was anxious to see her, I would still love to look at her if she were in front of me like she is now. Especially her wings. A pair of wings that shape like a butterfly wings, yet transparent and delicate like those of a dragonfly.
"I'm going back to the academy?" one more Zendya's effect on me, my voice sometimes squeaks like a little mouse. Levent, a handsome person that turned to be one hundred percent coward in front of a beautiful creature. Zendya lifts her body slightly and then spins slowly around me as she flaps her wings. She was watching me, somewhat look of contempt.
"Well... it is inevitably. Even though you went through the basics, I still remember exactly how you're capable of. I passed you because you're about to serve in the human world. There's not much of a threat there, because they can't see you."
"So how do you mean exactly?"
"I will test you to determine which level you must go to. It's not necessary, though."
Gradually I became indignant at Zendya's increasingly condescending tone. Does she not know that the disciple needs to be motivated rather than mocked? My emotions are starting to burn into anger.
"You underestimate me?" I turned to look for her and found that she was no longer around me. I'm spinning fast, a little freaked out. My legs wobbled. I spontaneously clenched my hands, and raised them a little at the side of my body.
"Ohh, Levent! What you doin'? Ready to fight me?!"
Zendya's voice came from a distance. I looked up and seek around, but I couldn't find her anywhere.
"Did you know that there is no Ardeon in the monster world?!"
"Get out!" I called out, trying to sound fierce but failed.
"No Ardeon is good enough to serve there. For the monster world is the most dangerous world."
Zendya whispered in my ear, and I swung the fist recklessly, my fist met with an empty air.
"If you can avoid one of my attacks, you're going to level two. If not, start again from the bottom."
I can feel the mocking grow.
"Don't underestimate me!"
"Here we go!!"
Not until a second after the sound of Zendya's voice disappeared, I screamed. A mixture of pain, surprise, and shame. My pride was crushed along with my body hitting the ground. The grass is sharp on my skin, and I can even feel the wounds from the scratches. I don't know where Zendya attacked, or what she did to me. All I know is my body felt hit by something hard and fast. Zendya's attacks have always been appalling and merciless.
"Weak." Zendya, towering before me, murmured the same word as many years ago, when she trained me.
"See you in class."
Then she just left me there. Like I'm some piece of sh*t. I always felt like crap in front of her.
*
"Zendya?"
That's all Martin was able to say when I told him this little story about the wounds I had. I think Zendya kicked me earlier, and she went for the back, my butt. It's certain that Zendya intentionally humiliated me. Now the place she attacked was in pain, throbbing like it had its own heart, and would surely become bruised.
"You know her? You never met her, did you? Doesn't the gatekeeper have their own academy?"
I held on as Martin treat my wounds, again. Just like the other day when Ashmedai attacked me. I was back at the apartment, sent home by Santa shortly after I met Zendya. Santa Claus called me into his office and he said he'd be in touch in a few days. For now I'm doing my duty as usual. Of course, no Grohl was kind enough to treat me, so I came home bleeding. Okay, that's excessive, there's not much blood. But still, I got hurt. My physique and my dignity.
"Zendya is the most famous creature in The Circle. Who the hell doesn't know her?" Martin asked me back, which I answered with a shrug. I'm not going to comment as impressively praising Zendya.
"Many of the gatekeeper will take a little stroll, because she is pretty and strong. Rumor has it some coaches at the academy tried to win her over, but nothing worked."
"Surely they'd get a 'mark of love'." I moved my hands to form a quotation when I said mark of love. What I mean is a punch or a kick, or at least a swear word.
"Well...pretty much."
Martin pack up his equipment and medicine after he was done with me, and all of a sudden he looked up.
"Are you ready?"
"For what?" I rattled off confusion.
"To the realm of monsters. I tried to find out, but there's no information about that place from gatekeeper."
That's because no Ardeon serves there."
"But Santa says there is."
"There was. Seems like a long time ago."
We froze and stared at each other.
"If anything happen to you --" unconsciously Martin had a firm grip on the medicine case in his hand.
"Hey. I wasn't thrown there unprepared, was I? Don't think badly."
I leapt off the sofa and took a standing position, momentarily forgetting the results of Zendya's attack. The stinging sting caused me to fall back to my seat.
"Aww!!" I winced in sore as I wiped away the source of the pain. Martin pulled a sour look, like he felt it too.
"That won't be the only wound, I guess." he said, which I answered with a nod.
"Gonna get a lot more than this."
***