*POV* Kylo Hillmore
I threw up my arm in dismay as the main fighter of the ring fell to the ground defeated. "I expected more!" A man standing beside yelled over the screaming crowd.
I don't often come to the magic fighting ring, but after the fight at the castle yesterday I felt I needed to watch more of the elements
being used in combat.
The crowd quieted as the contestants left the ring and two others entered the ring. The one on the right was a tall woman dressed in
black, she held 2 long daggers in her hands.
The one on the left was a young man dressed all in black with empty hands. It wasn't uncommon to see someone with no powers or someone
with Aurorane's powers fighting in rings.
A whistle blew and in a split second the fight started. The young man's hands lit up with blazing red fire as the woman pushed forward
towards him.
He sent a wave of fire towards her, but she shimmered, and the fire went through her. She became solid again and got close enough to slash at his face.
He stepped back while grabbing a small knife from his belt, he blocked her next blow. I started to realize I had seen him before. "No way!" I thought, as he threw more fire at the woman.
The memory of the fight just the other day replayed in my mind. Leaving the arena, I walked around to the back of the building and waited at the back door. The sky was growing dark with evening light.
The door opened a while later and he stepped out, I stepped away from the building and greeted him. "Hey!" He stopped to look at me, but only for a second before without a word he walked away.
I hustled to catch up and walk beside him. "I don't know if you remember me, but I was there when you fought those guys in the castle last night."
He stopped at my words and seemed to look me over from head to toe. We were near the same height, maybe an inch difference between us.
"And who are you?" I was glad he was giving me a minute. "I am Kylo, I wanted to ask you if I could fight you?" His brow rose. "You want to
fight me?" I didn't, not really. I had no combat training and no elemental power.
I nodded. "I want to try something." He looked at me suspiciously. "Try what?" I motioned for him to follow me. "I keep feeling like I should be able to fight. Watching you guys fight made me remember something from when I was little."
He fell in step with me. "Just know I am only doing this because I am bored. Where are we going?" I continued to walk until we reached
the school grounds. I had never broken into the school grounds, but the best place to fight would be in the fighting court there.
Pushing open the door I was glad the light from the sunset was enough to see by. "What was this memory you remembered?" he asked, glancing around the room.
I walked to stand in the middle of the room. "Shadows." I paused. "Lots and lots of them." He eyed me. "And what does that have to do
with me?" He asked, I sighed, he didn't seem so happy to be here.
I didn't know much myself; I was hoping he would be more useful in giving me a pointer or something.
"Well, you guys popped out of the shadows, so I figured maybe you could help me figure it out. Plus, when those shadow guys were around,
I swear if I had tried, I could have manipulated the shadows."
He looked skeptical. "Are you sure you aren't just crazy?" He voiced with a slight frown, kicking at the padded floor. "But if you are so
sure you are feeling this strange power. Try it. Concentrate on the darkness around you and move it."
I nodded, feeling an eagerness I hadn't had before. Closing my eyes I focused on the shift in the lighting around me from the dim light
that floated through the high windows. Then I grabbed hold of the darkness around the corners of the room and drew it towards me.
There was a curse from the young man. "Dude, whatever you are doing stop, now! Or we will all die!" I opened my eyes and stared at him, or rather at the shadowy figures of men standing on either side of him.
"Oh." The word slipped from my lips and at the audible noise from me the figures crumbled to the ground and retreated to the darkest corners of the room. For a couple seconds we stared at one another before he marched
towards me and grabbed my arm.
"Never do that again. They will find you, and believe me, you do not want to go with them!" A shiver ran up my spine. "What do you mean?"I asked, he frowned.
Then grabbed my face and lit a flame close to me, I struggled to get away, but he was stronger. "You definitely have the mark.
That's going to be crazy to explain. I suggest a mask or something to cover
it."
I placed a hand over my cheek where he had been staring so hard, I felt nothing. "What are you talking about?" I moved away to head into
the bathroom to look in the mirror, he followed his flame lighting the way.
What I saw scared me, a black jagged line was on my cheek. It was no bigger than my fingernail, I frantically tried and failed to wash it
off. "Am I sick?" I questioned as the stories of the rune sickness filled my head.
"No, at least I don't think so. But from the looks of it, you definitely have the power of shadows."
I looked at him in the mirror. "But the elements of darkness are evil." He shrugged. "Are you an evil person?" I chuckled lamely. "I don't
think so." He turned on his heel. "Then who cares what power you have, being good is a choice. At least that's what Stefon says."
I followed him out of the building, not sure what to do now. "Well. I guess I will see you around." He voiced as he headed away, I stood
where I was and nodded. "Sure."
It weirdly felt like we were friends even though I wasn't sure I would see him ever again. With a sigh I headed back towards the shop.