We were back to the training grounds. The day was ending, even though I despised the thought itself. The dinner was great, as everytime, and we did not have an assessment class since Master Enoch wasn't here.
Master Abel stayed over for quite a while, until he decided he was too old for this and took his leave to his own room.
We stayed back, discussing stuff we weren't aware of, of each other.
Like, how Wallace's ability was blood manipulation. I surely was bewildered when I heard him explain how he had the control to his opponent's blood flow.
Then we had Judah show us his telekinetic ability that he never seemed to use. He said, it's fun only until it came with a price. He was supposed to be used to the throbbing headaches he would get everytime he used his abilities, but it's just as painful as everytime.
Jonan, on the other hand, explained his own telepathic abilities, and showed us how it didn't matter who he was looking at, they'd eventually either submit to him, or go crazy.
It was after the talk, that everyone were ready to go back to their own bunkers. I insisted on staying behind this time to be the one to pick up the dishes. This was a chore we took turns on, but I didn't mind, since I did this everyday back in my house.
"Quinn."
I flinched at the voice, turning around to look at Vanola all alone leaning against the wall behind me.
"Yeah.. yeah?" I hesitated.
"I see you've opened up to everyone." She commented, tilting her head to one side just a tad bit. "That's great."
Her hair was midnight black and her eyelashes long and thick.
"Yeah, I tried my best." I said.
She had her royal robe back on and her hood covered her head like every other time.
"Do you think you can guess why I'm here?" She pushed herself off the wall and stood upright.
"No?"
"No?" She furrowed her eyebrows.
"Yes?"
"..yes?"
I blinked. I had no idea why she decided to talk to me today of all the days.
"I don't know." I told her.
"The other day," Her gaze sharpened, "I noticed what you were going through when you passed out."
My lips parted. "Uh, okay."
"I know what this is about." She looked to her left, as if she wanted to break the eye contact. "I.." she cleared her throat. "I can help you understand your abilities, if you let me."
"Huh?"
Did I hear that right?
"I'm a dark magic user, and yours is similar to mine." She extended one of her hands forward. Before I knew it, her eyes were glowing purple, and her hand was slowly engulfed in black matter loosely floating around. I couldn't explain what I was looking at but it looked exactly like what I experienced last time. "You and I are dark magic users, no doubt, since we're descendents of Yin. But also, our abilities are closely related, I believe."
My fingers itched to touch the whatever was surrounded her palm, but she pulled away. "What was that? It was exactly like mine." I asked, my eyes getting curious.
"Similar. But not the same." She stated. "Do you want to find out more?"
I looked at her warily. "Yes."
"Let's go."
Right now? Like, NOW?
I didn't know if I had to trust Vanola. Ever since we met, I've only watched her on her own. She never cut into conversations, never tried to express any sort of emotions or reactions.
But, I followed her anyway, and she lead us to the open ground where we also had to fight each other last time.
"It's dark." I stated the obvious.
"And so, no one will know what we do here."
"Oh, I see."
She took off her hood turning around to face me in the middle of the open ground, and suddenly, three golden glowing bars appeared on her forehead.
"This," she pointed to it, "Proves I'm a noble, and from Necos."
So, that was what she had showed back then to master Enoch. I never got to ask her, but I'm glad she showed me anyway.
"It's.." I stared, holding my breath. "Unreal."
"Believe me, it's real." She closed her eyes. "And this.." the three glowing bars started extended around her head until they formed a crown. "This is, dark arts: eternal darkness."
I took a step back.
"Ama..amazing." I gulped.
"I will attack you." She told me, narrowing her eyes. "You have to fight back."
"What?" I was startled, when she moved, and she was fast. So fast that I couldn't see her and when she stood inches away from me, I gasped.
I didn't see it coming at all.
"I don't intend on hurting you, Quinn." She smirked. "But if you don't fight back, you will die."
"Hold on!" I stumbled back on my feet. "What the heck are you doing?"
"When we fought," she paused, "You hesitated didn't you, even though you could have had me right there and won the match?"
My eyes widened at her words. She remembered that little detail?
Yes, I did. I didn't know why, but I did hesitate. I was disappointed for days after that one incident, and I wished I would have atleast got one hit on her.
It was eating me up.
"I--"
"You can't fight Vadon if you can't even strike your opponent." She scoffed, as she drew a sword out of nowhere from her hands. She pointed the edge of the blade at my neck, barely inches away from my skin. "Fight, or you die."
"Whoa- whoa, whoa, wait-"
I dodged her attacks, as she threw herself at me one after the other. "Fight!" She screamed at my face.
"I don't have my sword!"
"You have your abilities."
I got down only to roll as far away as possible from her. "I don't know how to use-"
"Or," she lost her blade to thin air. "You don't want to?"
I sat up, hastily gasping for air. What was her deal?
"Fuck you."
I closed my eyes.
"The darkness is not your enemy."
The darkness, is not my enemy.