Days had passed, and saying my life was a living hell would've been an understatement. I was stuck fighting this silver mannequin that barely dented from my punches.
Honestly, it wasn't really a fight. I was thrown from one side of the rocky field to the other. My throat hurt from screaming so much.
But through all of this, there were some good things. I was getting used to using this power, Tzelem. My body was becoming stronger, so strong that I didn't even have to activate my power to lift heavy things. I could move so fast that most things seemed to be moving slow. Most importantly, I was becoming more accustomed to the power itself, able to use it for much longer without feeling pain or awkwardly smiling like a madman all the time. So, I guess I'll take a win where I can.
I stepped onto the rocky field, stretching my arms and legs as I walked, ready to get my butt beat again. "Madelyn?" I called, looking around my surroundings. She was nowhere to be seen, which was a little weird. Usually, she would be waiting for me in front of the ladder.
As I looked around, I felt something strange—a feeling that ran up my body like a cold tingle. I sensed a presence, a moving presence, a fast-moving presence coming towards me, zipping right and left as it moved, almost as if it didn't want to get caught.
My body seemed to move on its own as it jumped high into the air. My mind needed time to think as I looked down and saw something rocketing by where I once stood. I focused my gaze and saw her, Madelyn Adams, her body angled into a jump-kicking form as she soared forward.
Madelyn gracefully landed on the ground, her shoes pushing up dust that flew high into the air as the wind itself went wild, only to calm within a few seconds.
I landed a little less gracefully, but at least I didn't fall over. "Were you trying to hit me?!" I yelled, not really understanding why I was shocked by Madelyn's behavior at this point.
"Yes," Madelyn said with a smile as she placed her hands on her hips. "Good work on dodging," she said as if she had done no wrong.
"I... uh..." I didn't really know what to say. "Thanks," I finally settled on as I rubbed my head, defeated.
"It looks like you are now able to sense my power," she said. "You've come a long way," she complimented as she walked over to me and patted my shoulder.
"Not long enough to beat that silver bastard," I said, crossing my arms as I thought about my archenemy, that monstrous silver bastard.
"Are you talking about the mannequins?" Madelyn asked with a little giggle as she walked away. "Oh, you were never going to be able to beat that at your current level," she said.
"Huh?" I asked, my body frozen.
She turned back, her expression softening. "Ethan, I didn't mean to mislead you. I saw your potential. The bronze Mannequins weren't challenging you enough. I needed you facing a greater danger. You're more advanced than I expected."
"So you made me fight that thing when you knew I wasn't going to be able to beat it?" I asked, frustration creeping into my voice, pushing aside the compliments Madelyn had given me.
Madelyn smiled at me as she slowly turned around to face me fully. "Winning and losing..." she said, her gaze momentarily dropping. "Are such things really so important?" She looked up at me earnestly. "This training wasn't about your victory, nor was it about your defeat. It was about teaching you how to fight, how to survive," she explained. "And you have fought, you have survived, and you've become strong enough to dodge a strike from me with little effort." She turned around. "And now," she continued, gesturing towards something.
I walked over. "The next part," I said as I joined Madelyn, noticing a wooden table just a few feet away. On it sat a small box of cookies and drinks.
"What is this?" I asked, curious.
Madelyn didn't respond verbally; instead, she walked over to the table, sat down, and gestured for me to join her.
"Yeah," I said slowly, walking towards the table and taking a seat.
"Cookie?" Madelyn offered, opening the box and selecting a cookie with evident enjoyment.
"I'm good," I declined politely. "Not really hungry."
"That's too bad, I love cookies. Trust me, these are the best sweets," she said, munching on another one.
I smiled, watching Madelyn enjoy the treats. Over the past few days, it had been all about training and getting stronger. This change of pace was refreshing.
"Madelyn?" I finally spoke up as she savored her third cookie. "What is this about?" I asked.
"What do you mean?" she asked, looking genuinely puzzled.
"I mean, why the cookies and drinks? Why are we sitting down like we're having a picnic?" I questioned. "Why now, after so many days of endless training?"
Madelyn brought her hands together, her eyes focused on me, which made me gulp nervously. "Tell me," she said, her tone serious. "What is the organization that is in charge of all the houses of Solomon?"
"The Black Order," I replied simply.
"How many Pillars are part of the Black Order?" she pressed on.
I smirked, sensing where Madelyn was leading with her questions. "All of them, because the Black Order is formed by the 72 houses of Solomon."
"How many Pillars can one house have?" Madelyn asked, testing my knowledge again.
"Each of the 72 houses can only have one Pillar, as only one demon was sealed within each of their bloodlines," I answered confidently.
Madelyn nodded approvingly. "When it comes to us Pillars, how many ranks are there?"
I smiled, knowing this answer well. "There are only two ranks that a Pillar can hold. The first is the title we all bear, which is Pillar. The second is Zaeim, the highest rank among Pillars."
"And who are the Zaeim, and how many are there?" Madelyn continued, her gaze steady.
"The Zaeim are the strongest Pillars, and there are 12 of them in total," I replied promptly.
Madelyn stared at me silently for a moment, making me wonder if I had answered incorrectly. But then her expression softened, and her smile returned.
"Good work, Ethan," she praised. "You've really come a long way."
"Well... I had a good teacher," I responded modestly, feeling a bit awkward with all the praise.
"Now, I'm sure you are ready,"
"Ready for what?" I asked, curiosity piqued.
"Excuse me, my lady, sorry to interrupt," a gentleman-like voice chimed in unexpectedly.
Madelyn paused, her attention shifting downward.
"Who said that?" I looked around, puzzled. Then, I followed Madelyn's gaze to the ground. There, under the table, was a small black cat with piercing yellow eyes, staring up at me.
"Where did this cat come from?" I asked, still trying to process the situation.
"The name's Poku, young man, and you best not forget it," the cat declared in a low, polite yet serious tone, locking eyes with me.
"Uuhhhh...." I stammered, unsure how to respond. Talking cats were definitely not something I expected to encounter.
"I guess this is your first time meeting each other," Madelyn said, breaking the awkward silence with a nervous giggle. "Ethan, this is my family's longtime familiar, Poku."
"Uh, hey," I managed to say, offering a tentative wave to the cat.
"It's a pleasure," Poku replied, his tone indicating quite the opposite.
***
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