It stood in front of me... eyes cloaked in flames. It was supposed to be scary but it wasn't anymore. Soon it broke the silence leaping at me. I put my hand out in front of me and hardened it. Though the creature didn't draw blood it tossed me to the side my hand still in its jaws.
It dragged me across the ground before tossing me at a tree, but I was one step ahead. Hardening my back I still felt the impact but no pain.
It leapt at me once more but this time I was going to fight back. I hardened my hands and as It came into jabbing distance, I swung with all might.
Yet I would not see the fruits of my labor, as I was pulled out of my sleep by an alarm of sorts.
As I looked over at the dresser to my left, I could see a smaller version of what Ms. Francis had given me. It was the same thing Rose carried around, a phone. I picked it up to realize it was an alarm, I quickly turned it off, noting it was ten o' clock.
Beside it was a note. "I thought you might need it. Rose. Ps, 1+11531154"
On the screen was a picture of a starry night the moon being the back up. I scrolled through it to find the usual apps, though with different names. It felt surprisingly sturdy for what it looked like. What I first thought was normal glass though thin was strong. It was of high quality, its trim was golden in color and maybe material, I couldn't tell.
I took a shower and changed my clothes into sport gear and not long after I went down stairs. I could see sat at the counter on one of the ten stools a woman I hadn't seen before.
As the steps reached the bottom and I was stepping off, I could see through the detection spell Rose and Mr. Rockwell hiding behind the counter in the fetal position.
"You can see them too, right? Hiding, that's how they tried to get out of the situation. Come have a seat. " She said patting the stool next to her.
I went over and sat beside her, as I looked over she looked exactly like Rose only older, taller and more beautiful.
"I'm Rose Theia, the first that is. You?" She said as she looked back at me with a smile.
"Chaménos Psychí Francis. Ma'am." I said leaning over the counter to look at the cowards.
They looked up at me both scared Then I could read their lips. "Help us."
As I looked over at her I could see small metal balls in her hand. Resting all five of them on the table, they began to roll. She was using them like golems. As they rolled over the edge I could hear squeaking before a thud.
By their hands, they were being held upright by metal bands. They were now crying.
"I told her not to drink it, I did." Mr. Rockwell said sweat rolling down his forehead.
"It was a mistake, I won't do it again!" Rose shouted sniffling.
"As long as both of you learn your lesson." She said smirking.
Then as soon as she finished speaking the metal bands opened up floating to her. They then in mid air turned red hot before breaking apart and turning into metal balls once more.
Rose was now rubbing her wrist and eyes simultaneously. They both sat to my left, not making eye contact with me or Mrs. Rose.
"So, the training you had planned." I said trying to break the silence.
"It isn't twelve yet." He said in a low and faint voice.
"Oh, I thought you said you taught him everything you had planed."
"I did but he needs special training for his mental expanse."
"Ok, are you going to keep the boy waiting." She said he balls slowly rolling over in his direction.
"We haven't even had breakfast yet." He said in a panicked voice.
"One, make us breakfast." Mrs. Rose said.
As soon as she said this, I could see from the edge of my detection spell in the direction of the dome a humanoid figure coming forward. As it got closer, I could see it was clearly the maid. She stepped into the kitchen and as soon as she did she bowed her head greeting us. She soon got to work and after about twenty minutes of silence she was finished.
She gave us soup, with what looked like chicken. It tasted like chicken too. It was delicious, perfectly salted just thick enough and a little spicy. It didn't take long for all of us to finish our meals, and as soon as Rose finished.
"Ahem, sorry." She said staring down Mr. Rockwell.
"Come on Psychí ." He said as he hurriedly left the room heading in the direction of the hollowed hill.
He stayed in front of me the entire time, ensuring I didn't catch up. When we got there he descended without looking back. I used the stairs.
"Mr. Rockwell..." I didn't get to finish my sentence.
"She's so scary. I'm not the one who told Rose to drink. I explicitly told her not to. Now I'm getting blamed." He said in a relieved voice.
"Is she..." Again he cut me off.
"My wife, yes. The thing is she's scary when she's mad. The last time we broke her vase she hunted us down with machine guns. I was second guessing my marriage at that point." He said holding his shoulders with opposite hands.
"So, what about the training?" I asked ready to cut the awkwardness.
"Oh." He then pointed towards the small lake, chains were now on the bank.
I walked over and started to inspect the chains, ("How will this help me I thought?")
"Put them on."
I asked no questions and did as I was told. He pressed his watch and soon the chains started to drag me into the water.
"Sir?" I asked confused.
"Just go along with it." He said looking at his watch.
I did as he said and went into the water. Where the chains stopped wasn't too deep it met me at my neck.
"Go in your mind and do jumping jacks." He said looking over at me his face emotionless.
I did what he said but as soon as I lifted my hands from my side in my mind my body followed. Though it didn't get far the chains were tighter than I thought my hands or feet wouldn't budge.
"Keep going." He said as he started walking along the bank.
I kept going and though my body didn't move on the outside it did in my mind. Soon the movements became weak and faint. I kept at it for five hours as he didn't tell me to get out. It was only at the five hour mark that he did.
"Come that's enough." He said signaling me with his hands. "Now were going to do some basic hand to hand combat. The catch is you have to be in your mind." He said smiling.
"Won't I be a punching bag." I asked trying to convince him otherwise.
"If in the middle of battle you need information on the enemy, won't you become a punching bag." He said shrugging with a smile.
"Fine." I said trusting him not to beat me to a pulp.
"Good." And with those words he started to walk forwards.
I went into my mind and readied myself. As he threw a punch to my face in my mind I'd try to lift my hand but my body wouldn't respond. He stopped millimeters away from my face.
"This is what I was hoping for. Now you'll have to differentiate the movements of your body and mind. Good luck." This time he threw a punch to my chest and I took it. Stepping back I fell to one knee, it was stronger than I expected.
I had continued my mistake and tried to move in my mind. This time I thought about my body as using magic. When I did my body seemed like a tool, I'd replicate that feeling.
I stood up, rather slow, though still in my mind, my body was lagging.
He stepped forward and aimed at my chest again, my body moved to get out of the way but I was way too slow. It was as if I wasn't trying. I took the punch but it was light like he stopped at the last moment.
"This is too slow. You figured out what you needed to practice on your own. The water thing too. Make the most of the time, one day left."
"So I pass." I asked knowing his tactics.
"Ha, not everything is a test you know... but yes you pass." He said rubbing the back of his head with a smile.
"Anyway, there is something else I want to try. I'm going to knock you out to see the effect. Is that okay with you."
"Yeah. Just be careful I guess." I said thinking of the panther winning the fight.
"Alrigh..." I couldn't hear the rest of his words, everything went dark.
There it was in front of me, as if waiting, eyes ablaze.