Echo raised her head, meeting the commander's gaze. The commander tilted his head towards the door. Echo looked at the door, and then at the commander.
Jasmine walked out of her and the commander's house. The commander glanced at her and back at Echo.
"You said you wanted to talk about something," Jasmine walked to the commander, and then looked at Echo.
Frustrated, the commander looked at Echo, "Open the door!"
Without hesitation, and a hint of panic in her eyes, Echo bolted to the door. She kept her hand on the door knob, turning it, but nothing happened. She tried again, but the results were the same.
Jasmine looked at Echo, and stated, "The magic you possess should be enough to open the door."
Echo took her hand away from the door knob, and turned to the two, blurting, "I don't have magic."
"Then what was that magic you used to change clothes?" the commander asked, raising his eyebrow.
"That's a spell, commander. Not the same magic that the witches, and Protectors have," Echo replied, glancing from the commander to Jasmine. She had told the commander about her magic earlier, how could he not remember?
Sighing, the commander stepped forward and opened the door. He motioned for Echo to enter.
The commander closed the door after Echo and his wife entered the house.
"What do you mean you were human before you were revived?" the commander asked, crossing his arms on his chest.
Echo glanced at the commander, and then at Jasmine. She pursed her lips and had put her hands on her hips, shifting her weight from one leg to the other. "The witches didn't tell you?"
"No!"
Echo sighed, she immediately turned away from the two, and walked to the window. She was thinking if it was wise to explain everything to the commander, but then again he was the commander. She had just briefly explained everything to the room full of captains too.
"Why didn't they tell you about it, commander?" Echo asked, turning back to the commander.
"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" the commander raised an eyebrow as he asked.
Echo pursed her lips and nodded. She exhaled, and tilted her head as she looked at the ground. "I'll explain everything… just don't let the witches know that I told you."
"You're afraid of the witches?" Jasmine asked, she looked genuinely worried.
Echo gave out a small chuckle, "Trust me, you don't want to get on their bad side." Echo finally crossed her arms, and stood straight, staring at the commander.
The commander wondered if it would be wise to ask something the witches did not want to tell him, but his curiosity got the better of him. "What you tell us, stays here."
Echo nodded, and began explaining, "I was a normal human before I died. I had a family, mom, dad and an older brother. Everything was just fine, until one day… according to the witches I was in a car accident, but I don't really remember what happened."
"The next thing I knew I was on the ground in the Witches' Coven. It was rather intriguing to me, since I thought I was kidnapped. Turns out I had just died," Echo casually shrugged her shoulders, continuing "After that it was training for a year, and here I am."
The commander stared at Echo, as Jasmine quietly processed what Echo had told them.
"What about that demon? How do you know him?" the commander deepened his voice as he interrogated her.
Echo replied without hesitation, "He's… was my brother's best friend. But he seems to have changed a lot."
The commander's gaze turned cold, "Tell us everything you know about him."
"Uhm.. He… He's usually really quiet and doesn't talk much. He likes chocolate ice cream, and doesn't like when someone's wasting his time… Hmm… oh and he has silky black hair, which is actually pretty cool…" Echo stopped when the commander glared at her harder, and Jasmine had a smirk on her lips.
The commander broke the silence, "Stay here. I'll send someone to drop the keys to the house, and don't tell anyone what you just told us."
"Yes, commander," Echo blurted, lowering her head.
The commander gave his wife a nod, as they both turned around and walked out the door.
Echo slumped on the sofa, contemplating what she just did. 'I'm digging my own grave… What if the witches don't like that I told them the truth? This is bad… but I needed to tell them the truth. They would have found out at some point, right?'
Still contemplating, Echo almost did not hear the knock on the door. Turning her head to the door, she stood up walking towards it, and opened the door. "Sebastian!"
He was dangling a pair of keys on his finger, with a smirk on his face. Without saying a single word, he stretched his hand out with the keys, but as Echo tried to take them he closed his hand.
His smirk disappeared, "Spar with me."
Echo glared at him, "Would you give me the keys then?" He nodded. Echo closed the door, and followed him down to the training field.
—
The sun was up, but it was not hot outside. Echo looked around the training field while following Sebastian.
The training field was right behind the mansion. It was a large field with short dense grass. Several soldiers were already out training.
Echo twisted the sword in her hand, as she warmed up her wrists. "How'd the war go?"
Sebastian gave a small smile, as he turned to face Echo, "Not bad, had worse fights."
The two arrived at an empty spot on the field. Sebastian tossed the keys in his hands, and then put it in his pocket. Without warning, he attacked Echo, who blocked with ease.
Their swords clashed, as they went into an almost all out fight. Echo blocked the fireballs Sebastian made with his hands. Echo's sword turned red from the heat.
To everyone watching, Echo looked calm and collected, waiting for the right moment to fight back, but Echo was just defending herself. She felt sharp pain from her earlier injury, but did not react to it.
Echo was gripping the sword with both her hands, as Sebastian swiftly circled around her, their swords shining under the sun.