Chapter 3
Creatures of darkness
Ezra and I had found him during the last winter solstice, an egg nestled in a lake within the Corat Forest, just beyond the outskirts of Merlanis.
He was the last of his kind, the others perishing in wars or hunted for their valuable skins.
We always wondered how he ended up in Corat, considering his species had only been found in the Kingdom of Darkness.
But, then again, even the most dangerous creatures had been forced to flee from there.
Rhey had stunning black scales that shimmered with a subtle blue hue under the sunlight.
To most onlookers and spectators, he was just another serpent, but the ragnor snake could take the shape of any size it wished, whether it chose to be as small as a worm or as big as a mountain, but Rhey was still young and we had never allowed him to shift bigger than what was deemed normal.
Ezra and I would never risk putting Rhey in the arena, there were too many cunning eyes who would seek him out and capture him for their own benefit.
Rhey was ours and we were his, however he was always with Ezra, they had a bond no one could decipher.
Other than that, we were inseparable, a small family as I would like to call it, along with everyone we worked with in the arena. Rhey clung onto Ezra like a decoration and hissed at the guards who came near.
"Thanks for the apple, you even remembered which colour was my favourite, I see you care, unlike some people." I smile lovingly at him, reaching out to brush his head.
"Kiss ass," Ezra muttered and fought a smile as I took a bite out of it in smugness. Ezra held the opening of the tent for me, he had always held on to some etiquette from his past life.
I chewed slowly, savouring the sweet tart taste, the juice biting into my cheeks.
I scanned the training room, Ezra and I were the only ones present.
The targets for archery and blade throwing were all set in place.
Beyond them emanated the power from the cages, the real challenge.
Monstrous creatures that most soldiers would attempt to kill on sight however we keep them as part of our performances.
Fala's one rule was absolute: defeat, never attempt to kill.
Coming in all different shapes and sizes, these creatures were forged by darkness itself, creatures that cannot feel pain.
To survive against them, you had to break their resolve, not their flesh.
I softly touched the curve of my finger where the creature had wounded me and left a harsh scar- darkening my index finger.
I was only a child when I first snuck into the training tent, curious and positive that I could help these creatures.
My heart had once felt guilt that these creatures were to remain in captivity and not taste freedom.
Every living being dreamt of being free, no one could possibly want to be contained. I remembered the day so vividly.
I had reached my hand through the magic shield covering the area, and to my bewilderment, it wasn’t zapped away. The barrier seemed to part effortlessly, as if it had never been there. I had felt a subtle coolness until I realized I had stepped all the way in, entering the shield.
The creatures in the cages were oddly quiet.
None had been snarling or growling like they had when fought in the arena.
I went to the one closest, its illuminating eyes bore into mine.
I noticed how this dark creature almost resembled a sloth, seemingly made of shadows with only its eyes and claws gleaming.
I reached to open the cage, and in a flash, I felt a sharp slicing pain on the tip of my index finger.
I had let out a shrill scream, not in pain but in shock as I fought to scramble away, it was then that all the dark creatures started howling and snarling—making everything in the compound sound as ferocious as I had imagined them to be.
A hand grabbed me and pulled me away swiftly, startling the darkness out of me. It had been Fala. Panicked. The only true emotion I had ever seen on her face since meeting her, she was looking for any other injuries as she held my bleeding finger in her palm.
"Why would you go in there and how on Terran did you get in? You know those creatures are dangerous, Morana. Why would you go there? Why?" Fala continued to ask, now angry.
"I don't know, I jus— I just got in. It let me in, I-I just wanted to free them." I sobbed softly.
Fala's face softened, and she caressed my tears away. "Sometimes... one who has witnessed so much destruction and has felt so much death in their lives, prefer not be let out. Sometimes, one can feel safer in one," Fala spoke softly and then looked down at her wrists.
There were marks there, burn marks as if she had been shackled and those shackles had been put on fire.
I returned to the present, slowly turning my gaze away from the force field compound.
"If you're wondering why the training compound is empty, it's because you're late. If you haven't already noticed," Ezra reminded, Rhey coiling around his neck and succumbing to deep slumber. I rolled my eyes at him and took out my fire blades.
"I'm not the arena's best warrior for no reason, you know?" I smirked as I knew this would rile him up.
Ezra lifted up an eyebrow and then asked, "You mean the best female warrior the arena has?"
I set my fire blades out neatly and rolled my shoulders back, slowly stretching, relaxing my shoulders, closing my eyes and proceeding to call to the fire from the blades and let the blade ignite in flames, bright red fire, blue catching onto the tips.
"Sure," I said. Let him believe what he wants.
Without warning, I threw the first blade, making Ezra jerk back in surprise.
Watching it land directly on its bullseye, I furiously hurled the remaining fire blades at each target, breathing softly as I visualised my target and acted fast— just like I would need to in the arena.
This arena was known for its unique talents.
If anyone else tried to summon a blade of fire, they would drop it at once, suffering a harsh burn, that is assuming they could even call to the fire spirit within the blade.
Fala had told me only fire blessed beings could call to the fire spirit and have it answer.
It was a gift from her to me, but how Fala actually came to own them was another mystery.
The only hard part of using the blade was controlling the flames; telling them to vanquish because the fire itself is seductive to those whom wield it.
It calls out to me, begs me to let it continue to burn, to set everything alight in its path.
It clearly was made with the intention to destroy.
I've grown used to its voices and have learned to ignore it.
.. sometimes, thus with each time it lands on the bullseye, I call the fire out of the blade to not have it spread and give it the satisfaction it wants.
I can't bear to take much more guilt upon myself if an innocent were to get killed by it.
Fala had been proud of me the first time I had wielded this blade and fire had come alight, as if she knew from her very heart that I could manipulate the blade, and I've been making her proud by using the blades on other deadly creatures that no other warrior could handle, including Ezra.
I hold the last fire blade in my hand and feel its comforting warmth.
"I get your point, you never miss." Ezra chuckles softly, folding his arms tightly.
"The blade of fire never misses," I correct him in a steady voice as I draw my arm back to throw.
"Your words are true..." Ezra trailed off as he slowly leaned against the pillar beside him.
"I've missed you, Mor. We haven't spent time together since we set camp," Ezra said softly, eyeing the last blade I had in my hand.
I tightened my hold on the blade while I listened to his words.
His words warmed my heart, a warmth that spread to my cheeks in a blush, and yet I ignored the feelings that came with it.
Mor... the nickname he had bestowed upon me that had everyone calling me by it the next day.
It had been the only part of my name he could remember when we found him.
I softly smiled at the memory and responded.
"I missed you too, but only a tiny bit, because you were stationed with Rosetta to help set up the east side of camp," I teasingly said, and I didn’t have to look to know his face cringed at the thought.
"I did all the work myself, while I had to listen to how she always got splinters from the wood, and that helping would mean injury," Ezra admitted, groaning in annoyance, trying not to relive the memory.
"Well, that's what happens when you volunteer to take on the extra work." I teased.
Ezra rolled his eyes. "Enough talk of that disaster. After your last shot, we’re going on a run. I won't take no for an answer. We both need to train harder for the performance, from what Fala said, this is going to be a big one," Ezra declares, walking near the tent exit.
"Where will fun be if I simply agreed?" I laughed and then proceeded to straighten up. I swung the blade with force and let go of it.
Thud.
I was satisfied with the sound. I analysed the small middle red circle it was embedded in.
Right on its mark.
Ezra turned to make his way to the exit, but Dezimus and Elijah stepped in, catching our attention instantly.
"We heard you're going to fight three cliftolights at once for the arena's show. Please tell me you’re joking?" Dezimus said, almost outraged. Ezra whipped to my direction in shock.
"Show me to them," I said, ignoring his question, turning around to make the fire from my last throw vanquish with a swift gesture of my hand.