It was the next day. We were supposed to be training by day and leaving Oldwest town by night.
And that was what everyone were abiding by.
Except, Judah was late today to the training, and Vanola had me in her fingertips, trying to get me to play by her commands, though, I wasn't quite against that and was giving my best.
"Stop sulking." She scowled at me.
"I'm not." I closed my eyes in frustration, facing the sky. "It's too hot today."
"No, it's not." She rested her war scyth, completely done with me. "It's going to rain soon."
I opened one of my eyes and was met with grey above my head. Now that I think about it, the weather was getting breezy too.
"How worse could it be?" My upper lip twitched. "I hope it doesn't rain when we set out tonight."
"Shut up and do your squats."
I sighed in defeat. She definitely was as scary as usual, but it did feel s little more comfortable around her since yesterday.
Thanks to that, the training might go a little smoother than I could expect.
"I'm back."
I turned to look at Judah walking towards the ground apologetically. He scratched his head awkwardly while sweat dripped down his temples.
"Judah!" I waved, receiving a smile as an immediate response from him and he waved back. "You're la-"
I stopped mid sentence when his body went limp.
"Huh?"
No one spoke for a second. The heaviness of the dead silence sinking in.
Judah fell, face first on the ground, blood oozing out of his pierced chest.
"Judah!" I heard Jonan's blood curling scream as he ran towards his cousin, getting on his knees. He held Judah in his arms.
Eden covered them with whatever weapon she had in her hands and got ready to fight whoever attacked us right now. But there was only one person who would do that.
"Vadon." I heard Vanola say, as she placed a hand on my shoulder and stepped forward. "Stay behind me."
My head was spinning. I looked around, trying to take in the surroundings. It still was the same ground, same buildings, same city, yet, one was down.
"Jonan, trade places!" Eden commanded, loud and clear. Jonan did as told, eyes wide open and grabbing Eden's weapon from her. She sat down next to Judah, closing her eyes in what I assumed, extreme concentration. "Energy summoning: art of healing."
"I.. What is happ-"
"Look." Vanola cut me off, her gaze fixated on something.
I held my breath, as I slowly turned, looking up towards a silhouette.
He was standing tall and proud on the roof of the building. I had to squint my eyes to look at him in a robe and an armour.
"That is.. Vadon?" I whispered, my voice wavering. My chest was aching, and it was so sudden, I didn't know what to think about it.
Where was Wallace? I couldn't find him here in the open ground.
I flinched, when the figure moved.
I could see his face, and it was nothing like I had anticipated.
He looked like every other guy, like a commoner, like a noble, like a human being. But he was entitled with everything except that.
"Nobles, show yourselves." He spoke slyly, voice rough and grit. "Or, I'll be taking everyone here."
"You have no right to do that!" Jonan yelled at him, and I could hear the rage in his voice.
"Been there, heard that." Vadon shrugged, pushing his hood off his head. He had platinum blond hair upto his ears and all over his forehead. He smiled smugly, squatting down. "Are we going to have this conversation again, Scaldris?"
"I will kill you." Jonan growled.
He was about to step forward, when Eden pulled him back to his place. "Stop."
"No, let me-"
"I did what I could to save Judah. Take care of him." She said, getting back on her feet.
"Ah, Eden, was it?" Vadon rested his jaw on his palm. "It doesn't matter who takes care of your cousin, you all are coming with me, dead."
"The one who's dying will be you." She pointed her finger at him.
Vanola nudged me to step back.
"Dark arts," she whispered to herself, joining the tips of her fingers of both her hands together in front of her chest. "Eternal darkness."
I watched as she tried to keep it as quiet as she could, but it wasn't working. Vadon was already looking at her with a pleased look on his face. Vanola knew that he could attack anytime now, yet, she kept going, trying to spread her shadow as much as she could.
"Don't bother." Vadon brushed her off. "Vanola, we meet again. And I've come prepared."
Vanola lost it, the dark aura that she tried emitting from her returning. "What?"
"You can't expect me to not to. I know all your moves now." Vadon chuckled, standing back up. He drew out his blade, that looked nothing like other swords I'd seen. "You see, this one repels your darkness."
Vadon leaped from the roof, landing clean on the ground and walking towards us, completely ignoring the three Scaldris clan members.
His eyes drifted from Vanola and fell on me. "And who might that be?"
My hands were trembling, and my legs felt like they would give up any minute now. Vadon was looking at me, a gaze I couldn't explain and a drop in the tone which only meant that he was totally upset looking at me.
"None of your business." Vanola hissed, blocking Vadon's views from me.
"Now, now," Vadon's smile fell from his face. "Did I forget to count in a noble? I thought I hadn't left anyone apart from you guys, and that girl in hiding."
Girl in hiding.
Girl in hiding.
Girl in h-
"What a great day, I found you all together, making it absolutely easier for me." Vadon quickly turned around, "Barrier!" He narrowed his eyes, and blocked Eden's attack by drawing a green circular barrier out of air.
It looked just like starters for the fight to begin.
I took a deep breath.
How were we going to face Vadon when none of us were even close to being ready?
The bud that was raised all these years, might never bloom.