Approaching the nearest car, I noticed another individual standing in front of the steps at its entrance. He was dressed completely in black as well, with a cap of matching spiky hair covering his head, the lower half of his face bearing several days’ worth of stubble. He wore dark sunglasses, even though we were underground in very dim light. Tilting them just barely, his eyes raked over me, starting from my worn brown boots and moving up until he was staring right into my eyes, his mouth slowly twisting into a callous smirk. Instantly I dropped my gaze, his expression so reminiscent of the guard in the field it sent shivers down my spine. The moments ticked by as I shifted back and forth nervously. Finally, he moved to the side, motioning me to climb up.
There were about twelve rows of metal seats inside. Rowan was sitting in the farthest seat back, right side. Ivy, meanwhile, was about midway back, but on the left. Both sat quietly, motionless. I would have wondered why they didn’t look at me, but the answer was obvious as soon as I saw their faces. Both had gray pieces of cloth tied around their heads, covering their eyes.
They’d been blindfolded. Another cold rush of fear ran through me.
Without turning around, I started to speak to the man behind me.
“Why are they wearing…” My words dissolved into a gasp as the image in front of me disappeared. Cloth now covered my eyes, hands at the back of my head tying the ends into a tight knot. Once finished, those hands suddenly grasped me tightly on either shoulder, dragging me back. I could feel hot breath right next to my ear and knew he was only inches away from me.
“Don’t speak again,” he whispered menacingly. His hands slowly moved off my shoulders, traveling down to the center of my back where they rested for a moment.
Suddenly, a rough push sent me flying blindly forward. My hands hit hard upon cold metal, stinging my palms.
“Sit down!” My next order.
Somehow I managed to rearrange myself so at least I was sitting properly in the seat I’d just been shoved into. Silence reigned for several minutes until the loud noise of grinding metal reached my ears. The train began to creep forward, building up speed quickly. Even without the sense of sight, I could tell we were moving fast.
With nothing to look at besides darkness, each moment seemed endless, thoughts and questions racing through my mind. I didn’t even know who else was on the train with us. Had the angry woman with the ridiculous orange hair gotten on? Was there anyone else here besides the man who’d sculpted his hair into innumerable points? Where were we going? How far away was it? And most worrisome, what was waiting for us there?
My thoughts ran wild for the rest of the ride. Until the brakes hissed sharply, the train lurching us forward, then finally jolting to a stop.
The sound of doors opening and footsteps on the stairs reached my ears.
“Stand up,” commanded a raspy voice. Someone new. This voice was lower and came out like a growl. Quickly, I rose to my feet. I wasn’t about to get rebuked again so soon after the last time.
A hand clamped around my upper arm and pulled me into the aisle. Shuffling forward, I hesitated, feeling the top ledge of the steps with the toe of my boot. An exasperated sigh sounded next to me. Suddenly, there was a sharp pressure against my ribs as an arm wrapped around my waist. My feet left the ground as he carried me roughly down the stairs, dumping me back down a moment later.
‘Let’s go,” his deep voice rumbled, hand once again closing around my arm and yanking me forward. I would have bruises his grip was so tight. The sounds of Rowan and Ivy coming down the train steps and being pulled along behind me met my ears, echoing through the tunnel. The ground was hard beneath my feet and the temperature much colder than it was when we’d left Earth Society. The thin wool sweater around my shoulders did little to shield my body from the frosty air.
I shivered involuntarily. Next to me, the raspy-voiced man snickered.
“You better get used to that.”
Fear rippled through me.
The cloth blinding me suddenly seemed oppressive. I felt dizzy, light-headed. My legs grew weak and just as they were about the give out, the grip on my arm tightened and I was jerked to a stop. A sliding noise sounded and a moment later the hand encircling my arm pulled me forward a few feet. Shuffling footsteps sounded behind us as others entered the smaller, enclosed space he’d led me into. The sliding noise sounded again. I had the sensation we were rising.
It didn’t feel any warmer once the doors slid open and we moved forward. From the sound of voices echoing, I could tell we were in a large room. I noted a metallic smell filling my nostrils. There were whispered murmurs in all directions, but none of the people making noise were close enough for me to decipher their words.
I stumbled again as my arm was suddenly wrenched backwards. We’d reached our destination.
“Stay in this spot and don’t take off your blindfold until instructed.” A moment later he released my arm, his footsteps echoing harshly in my ears as he walked off.
“Rowan? Ivy? Are you here?” I whispered. He didn’t say I couldn’t talk.
No answer.
“Rowan? Ivy?” I tried again, slightly louder.
“We’re here,” Rowan’s familiar tone came from somewhere in front of me. Ivy didn’t respond, but if Rowan was here, she must be somewhere nearby.
“What is happening? Why are we still blindfolded?” I asked, panic lacing my voice, though I knew he wouldn’t have any answers either.
“It’s okay Sage.” His words weaved their way towards me. “Our families, our friends, everyone we know over seventeen got through this. We will too.”
And that was Rowan. Always the voice of reason, always the calming force I needed.
“Thanks Rowan,” I murmured. Then said what I’d always felt, but never had spoken out loud before. “Thanks for being my friend when no one else was.”
He didn’t respond, but I knew he heard me.
I wondered how much longer we would be standing there, blindfolded.
I didn’t have to wait long.
Chapter 7
“QUIET!” a voice boomed from somewhere in front of me. A hush fell over the entire room and all murmuring ceased.
“Welcome to the Training,” the deep voice echoed around us. I didn’t recognize it. Someone else new.
“The next four weeks will be the most challenging ones you have ever experienced. You will be tested in ways that will push you to the extent of your abilities. How you perform will determine what will happen with you at the end of your time here.”
Four weeks? If this only lasted four weeks, then why did it take two months for those people who came back to return?
“Let me be quite clear about what is expected of you here. You will receive information deemed necessary when the time is appropriate. Besides that, you will listen, you will complete the tasks instructed of you, and you will not question your instructions. Nod if you understand.”
Clamping my lips shut, I nodded my head, still blinded to everything around me. My fingers ached to tear off the cloth tied around my eyes.
“Good. It will be in your best interest to remember what I’ve just told you.” A quiet pause. “You may now remove your blindfolds.”
Reaching up behind my head, I slipped the cloth down over my face so that it hung around my neck. Blinking at the brightly shining fluorescent lights, I quickly realized we were standing in what appeared to be a large warehouse. It was enormous, nearly the size of the Distribution Center. The floor and walls were concrete while the entire ceiling was of cold silver metal. Attached to it was at least a hundred hanging fluorescent lights, their cold light casting an unnatural gleam around the sterile room. I hugged my wool sweater closer as a shiver ran through me, this time not from the cold.
As I’d expected, Rowan stood directly in front of me. Ahead of him was Ivy. And on either side of us were three more groups of people, each forming a row with one person behind the next.
The Seventeens from the other thre
e Societies. Air, Water, and Fire.
We’d learned in school that the arrangement of the four Societies was like four pieces of a pie, equally divided. That each segment served different purposes. And standing here, looking at the other three groups, I could already see how different they must be.
Those from Air were dressed in light clothing, for the most part whites and creams, and ribbons seemed a mandatory part of every girl’s ensemble. Meanwhile, those from Water wore outfits clearly inspired by the sea. Clothing dyed various shades of turquoise and aqua, necklaces of shells, sandals of intricately woven rope.
But despite the different clothing choices, Earth, Air, and Water Societies seemed, for the most part, similar. The Seventeens from the Society of Fire were different though.
I’d heard rumors growing up, murmured discretely of course, that the members of Fire Society were fierce, trained as warriors. Glancing at the tight group of them, I believed that sentiment. Massive guys and equally powerful girls, approximately fifteen of them in total. Leather clothing adorned their bodies, some even with protective armory encasing their chests. And unlike the rest of us, nervous and anxious as we scanned our surroundings, their faces remained forward, ignoring everyone else in the room.
And as I continued to pass my gaze over the members of Fire Society, my eyes happened to fall upon the back of one in particular. He was the tallest of the group, the muscles in his arms and legs straining against his clothing. His dark brown hair hung down in tousled layers, the longest pieces ending at his chin. Black leather pants and boots fit snuggly along his body. A dark sleeveless shirt was nearly hidden entirely by the thick leather chest plate encasing his torso. Bands of black leather were tied around either wrist. In fact, the only article he wore that wasn’t black was a metal chain, hanging from around his neck.
Swallowing, I slowly moved my eyes back up. And froze when I reached his face. It was no longer the back of his head I was looking at.
No. He’d turned and now stood there, staring directly at me.
My breath caught at his penetrating gaze and even though he stood far from me, I suddenly felt vulnerable and exposed. Swallowing, I quickly turned and stared at the back of Rowan’s head, trying to hide the burn of my cheeks.
But not before noticing his eyes.
They were deep blue, cobalt.
And though his face remained blank as he stared at me, it was his eyes that seemed to pierce through me, like an icy blade.
✽✽✽
“Ahem.”
I lifted my gaze towards the front of the room. The man who’d been speaking to us stood on a platform there. Without the limitation of the blindfold now, I took a moment to study him. His face was angular, chin prominent. His eyes, a dark mahogany, stared out at us while his arms crossed tightly over his chest.
But as I studied him closer, I noticed the lack of lines around his eyes, the youthfulness still present in his face. The light stubble of a brown beard grew along the lower half, only a few shades darker than his short hair. He couldn’t have been older than early thirties, probably a couple years under. He stood there rigidly, his feet spread apart slightly. It made his commanding presence even more imposing.
All chatter stopped.
“My name is River and I am the lead trainer here,” he began. “The reason you were blindfolded while you were brought in was to impress upon you how serious we take this. It is not a game and there are no second chances.” His dark eyes weighed on us. “What happens over these next four weeks will determine the course of the rest of your life.”
The rest of my life. I’d known the Training was important but didn’t realize how much so until that very moment.
“The next four weeks will be grueling. You will be pushed to your limits. Because we need to know what they are. And at the end of this you’ll be tested. It is to your own benefit to perform well on these tests.”
I swallowed nervously and noticed that even Rowan seemed a little shaken at River’s words. I chanced a glance back over at that guy from Fire Society. He faced forward again, eyes trained on River.
“You will now be shown where you will eat, sleep, and train while you stay here. Tomorrow it all begins. You will have daily classes along with physical challenges. You will be continually tested to rate your performance. However, there will be time to converse and engage with your fellow trainees and this should be taken advantage of. Learning about the other Societies is crucial to your success.”
“You will report back here immediately after breakfast tomorrow morning.” He paused, his eyes moving over us until they stopped and rested directly on me and I took an uneasy step back. “Trust me,” he said without an ounce of emotion on his face. “You do not want to be late.”
With those last words, he stepped back and a woman I hadn’t seen yet moved forward. She was short and thin and looked to be about the same age as River. A cropped black sweater clung to her small frame, the dark skirt she wore extending to her knees where it met the tops of her black leather boots. Light blonde hair fell in waves around her shoulders.
There was something oddly familiar about her. What though? I couldn’t have met her in Earth Society. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d seen her before.
“Good afternoon, everyone.” Her voice was soft but had a crisp undertone to it. Feminine, but someone who wouldn’t be challenged. “My name is Eden and I am one of the Trainers here. My primary focus will be the knowledge you gain here during your classroom sessions.”
She smiled, looking around at us, and it surprised me that she was one of the trainers; she seemed much less terrifying than the rest we’d met so far.
“I’m going to show you to your rooms. Along the way we will pass the cafeteria as well as the classrooms and library. After settling in, you will have the rest of the night free to talk with one another, have dinner, and relax before tomorrow. I suggest you take advantage of this time and get to know the members of the other Societies. As River has already mentioned, it is important to your success here.”
Quickly stepping down from the platform, and with a flick of her hand, she motioned us to follow. The entire group, approximately forty people in all, filed after her. Towards the back, I noticed several people, dressed completely in black, file in behind us. More trainers. Clearly, we were not trusted to wander on our own. At least not yet.
A short narrow passage led out into the main entry. High walls arched up to an identical metal ceiling with identical lights. A set of doors led outside, though they were closed and I couldn’t see much besides a field of grass, the sun having already set causing the sky to become an ever-darkening gray, through their glassy surfaces. Eden kept a brisk pace, quickly leading us down one branching hallway after another, rapidly pointing out the dining space, various lecture rooms, a library filled with rows upon rows of thick dusty books. Interestingly, there was also a small room filled with a couple of couches and chairs. ‘A place to relax’ said Eden as we passed. Though from the way River spoke, it seemed time for relaxing here would be at a minimum.
I walked down another cold, dimly lit hallway with the other trainees, lost in thoughts about what was going to happen over the next four weeks and how it would affect the rest of my life. So lost in my thoughts that when a girl strode up to my side and tapped my shoulder, I jumped in surprise.
“Hi!” she just chirped, not even taking notice of my gasp at her sudden touch.
“Umm…hi?”
“I’m Aurora. From the Society of Air.” A bright smile lit upon her face as she held out a hand.
I stared at her as we continued to move forward, taken aback. Maybe it was her bubbly tone. Maybe it was her exuberant expression. Maybe it was the fact that for the last four years, not a soul had come up to me, introduced themselves, and extended their hand. Whatever it was, she’d taken me off guard. Completely.
Cautiously, I took her hand, shaking it lightly as I studied her.
She needn’t have told me she was
from Air Society; it was obvious from her outfit alone. A white wispy cloth dress hung from her small frame, ending in feathery ends at her ankles and wrapped around her shoulders was a lacy, white shawl. She had the face of a pixie, large green eyes and a perky little nose. Straight strawberry blonde hair fell around her shoulders, the upper half weaved into an elaborate braided design, entwined with small jewels, ribbons, and silk flowers. I couldn’t deny how pretty she looked, and, if I was honest with myself, the jealousy I felt when comparing it to my own plain appearance
But her smile seemed so sincere, I couldn’t help but return it. And it would be nice to have a friend here besides Rowan. He was wonderful to me, more than I deserved. But there were things I just couldn’t talk to him about. Things that only another girl would understand. Maybe she could be that person.
“I’m Sage,” I finally replied. “From Earth Society. It’s nice to meet you.” I tried not to sound so stiff and formal, but I had no idea what else to say. It had been a long time since I met someone new.
Luckily this wasn’t too much of a problem. Because as it turned out, for Aurora, making conversation was second nature.
“Oh, it’s wonderful to meet you Sage!” she responded easily, not missing a beat.
“You too.” I hesitated, not knowing what else to say, then looked awkwardly back towards where we were headed. On second thought, making conversation would probably be difficult for me no matter what.
Eden had led us to the area we would be sleeping. The hallway was dark and lined with tall wooden doors on both sides. She began to call out individual names, pointing the owners to the rooms they would be staying in.
After we’d gone about halfway I heard, “Clarison. Sage.”
Eden’s hand flicked towards the right briefly as she continued to lead the rest of the group down the long hall. A large oak door stood in front of me. Nailed in the center was a black number twelve, its paint worn and chipped.
“I’ll see you at dinner,” Aurora called back as she gave me a big grin, then disappeared into her own room. Which just so happened to be directly across the hall from mine.
Awakening Earth and Fire: Earth and Fire Trilogy Book 1 Page 5
