“Come on, guys, we’re losing time and we only have two flags!” He clapped loudly, urging them to get their minds back on the game. “Our next challenge will take place at the bottom of the hill, so let’s go!” They ran swiftly down the path to the clearing where the judges waited for them in a small dirt arena.
“Alright, red team!” Gregg roared with a huge grin. “You’re all looking a little rougher than the last time I saw you.”
“Do we?” Allie sneered. “Do we really? I can’t imagine why?” She blustered as the blue team stumbled into the arena, looking only marginally worse.
“Okay guys, this one’s simple.” Aide stood to address the group. “You’ll compete in a one-on-one challenge. Winner gets the flag and the loser gets a disadvantage. You will decide as a team who will compete. You may send your oldest or strongest, your youngest or your smartest; it is up to you. My only suggestion is to send me your best boxer.”
“Not it!” Allie glared, daring them to pick her.
“You’re easily the best among us,” Jin insisted.
“How is that remotely possible?”
“I’ve never even trained as a boxer.” Hélène took a step back from the group.
“Neither have I,” Liam added.
“You’re two-thousand freaking years old! How have you not trained in everything?”
“Never found the time.” He smirked.
“Sorry, I’m afraid I’m no help on this one either.” Darius winked. “Go get em, Killer.’”
“No, Jin, please!”
“You’ve trained with Ming. Sorry, kid, but you’re the best by far. I’m confident you’ll do well if you don’t let your head get in the way. For God’s sake, don’t be afraid to fight aggressively.”
She stepped forward, unable to fathom how she could be the best they had to offer.
Erin joined her to represent the blue team and Allie was only slightly relieved she wouldn’t have to face someone a hundred times older. As they took their places at the center of the dirt ring, she noticed Erin was trembling.
I’m so not scary. She smiled at the irony.
Erin was the first to strike with an impulsive roundhouse kick that caught Allie’s shoulder with a painful jolt.
She watched her opponent’s confidence grow. She thinks she’s got me! Allie regrouped, moving into a defensive crouch. She thwarted Erin’s rear-crossing jab and took a step back, hoping for a moment’s respite, but she didn’t get it. Allie attempted a fast uppercut, but didn’t put much force behind it. She didn’t want to hurt the girl. She didn’t even know her.
When she sparred with Aidan, it was different. He was her equal, but Erin wasn’t in the same league and it just didn’t seem right. But she was ruthless—and fast! Erin landed an unexpected blow to her face and Allie felt cartilage snap. Pain blossomed behind her eyes as blood poured from her nose.
“Attack!” Jin barked. “She’ll recover!”
Allie blocked Erin’s low roundhouse and managed a few piston kicks and even an uppercut jab, but refused to advance. She knew she could win if she tired her opponent. Allie held back, moving swiftly to avoid Erin’s powerful kicks. The match seemed to go on forever until both girls were exhausted. Their teammates anxiously watched to see who would win.
She knew she had to end this now if she had a prayer of winning. Catching Erin’s shoulder with a solid crossing jab, Allie ended with a low sweep that she hoped would take Erin out of the fight without hurting her.
She wasn’t prepared for Allie’s sudden advance, but she recovered and retaliated in an instant.
The jolt of Erin’s last strike caught her squarely in the face. She lost her balance and fell to the ground in a heap. Her head swimming in a dizzy haze, Allie vaguely heard the sound of a whistle ending the match. The blue team cheered loudly for their win.
She felt like a failure as she tried to stand.
“Careful.” Aidan bent to help her up.
“I’m sorry!”
“It’s just a game.” He forced a smile. “Now let me look at that nose.”
She winced as he examined her injuries.
“The cartilage has already started to fuse. If you want me to fix it, it’s going to hurt, but if I don’t you’ll have hump—”
“Fix it!”
“You realize that means I have to break it again?”
“Just do it.” She steeled herself for the pain.
Aidan pinched her nose tightly and pulled until she heard a snap and a blinding flash of pain filled her head. He moved the cartilage back into place and she felt the warmth of his healing flood her face and the throbbing subsided.
“There, that should do it,” he said stiffly and walked away. His cold demeanor was worse than if he’d kicked her in the face. Apparently, their truce ended at the cave and they were back to not speaking.
“Congratulations, Erin!” Gregg exclaimed. “As reward, I have your clue, which should give you an advantage. You’ll take the path to the left. Liam, take your group to the right. You’ll find your next clue shortly. From here on it’s a race to the finish, and right now blue is up by one.”
Allie and her team made their way down the path until they found the next checkpoint with their clue.
Your challenge waits on the small outlying island at the northwestern shore. You must reach the location through any means available to you. There you must successfully navigate the complicated maze to capture the flag as a team.
“Let’s move!” Liam shouted. And they were off, flying along the trail. Following their captain’s lead, they quickly made up time. When they reached the shore, Naeemah and Ming Lao were working together to bring up boulders and mud from the lake bottom, creating a narrow jetty.
“We’re going to lose!” Sasha wailed.
“Why didn’t they take the boat?” Quinn pointed to the old boat just big enough for them all.
“There’s a note. We can only take it if we can start it, but the ignition isn’t working.” Aidan said.
“Everybody in! Now!” Allie said. “I’ve got this!”
“Are you sure?” Darius asked.
“Positive.” She scrambled on board.
Within seconds, she hot-wired the engine and everyone cheered as she guided them to the smaller island.
“Where did you learn that?” Sasha grinned.
“Dad taught me!”
“Nice job, kid!” Jin paused to blow a kiss at his wife as they passed.
The maze was made up of trees and thick vines and the path was dark in the dim light of the evening. Liam and Allie rushed headlong down a path with the others trailing behind. The way was complicated with obstacles at every interval.
“Liam, can you just locate the flag?” Quinn asked.
“I can only follow people, not objects, so unless someone I’ve met is holding that flag, I’m useless!”
“Guys, we have to stay together!” Allie called frantically to her scattering teammates. “The best way through a maze is to pick a wall and follow it through wherever it goes and eventually it will lead you out.”
“Will it be fast enough?” Quinn asked.
“If we don’t have to think about where we’re going and just run like hell, it might be,” Liam said and they all set off like a shot.
The island was small, but the maze ran in a snarled mass of twists and turns leading back to the center where the flag waited for them. The blue team was nowhere in sight, but they still had to navigate their way back out. They continued to run as the last light faded over the horizon. When they made it back to the beginning, their opponents were trailing in the distance.
“We’ve got this!” Aidan said. They filed out of the boat, back on the main island where Chloe greeted them.
“You’re almost there!” she cheered. “There’s a small pond to the northwest where your last challenge awaits.”
They ran along the narrow icy path, but the blue team was quickly gaining, and resorting to dirty tricks to hinder the r
ed team.
“Move faster!” Liam roared.
Little by little, Allie’s group pulled further ahead and they were the first to arrive at the small pond.
“Congratulations, everyone! It seems this will come down to the very last challenge.” Gregg watched in amusement as both sides fidgeted nervously.
“Your last task is simple. You and your team must cross this pond by any means available to you, but you must remain dry while doing so.” He grinned mischievously.
“Jin, can you part the water on our side?” Quinn asked in a rush.
Naeemah had already taken a running leap with Graham on her back, sailing effortlessly across the pond, immediately returning for her next passenger.
“We have to hurry!” Sasha cried as they scrambled to find a way across.
“You guys are making this way too hard.” Allie rolled her eyes. She walked to the nearest tree, pulling the serrated dagger from the sheath at her hip. In the time it took her teammates to suggest a dozen ridiculous ways to cross the pond using their gifts, Allie cut down the tree, creating a perfect bridge for them to cross with minimal effort.
“Hey guys!” she snapped her fingers to get their attention. “Care to join me on the other side?” Allie quickly tiptoed across to the finish line.
“Red wins!” Gregg roared as he presented Allie with the final flag. “Leave it to you to see the practical solution.” He winked.
<><><>
CHAPTER
THIRTY-ONE
“Sláinte!” Gregg lifted his tumbler of scotch for a toast.
The games were hard, and Allie never wanted to do it again, but now that it was over, she was eager to celebrate.
“Allie, I have something for you.” Gregg gestured toward his office. “We’ll get back to the festivities in a moment.”
As they crossed the darkened room, she saw an ancient looking enameled box resting on his desk.
“Another weapon, I presume? I can’t keep taking such priceless weapons from you. It’s too much—”
“Just have a look, you stubborn little minx. I think you might actually like this one. Think of it as a Christmas present.”
She lifted the ornate lid to reveal a pair of exquisite crystalline blades. Each was clear as glass, sharp and slim with an oddly shaped hilt. She could grip them with her fist, leaving the intricate guard to protect her hands, or she could wield them like daggers in a more traditional approach. The potential for flexibility had her intrigued.
“These are akin to the less ancient, Asian sai. I think they might be the right choice for you. I know you really don’t enjoy this aspect of your training, but these blades will act as an extension of your body, which should feel more natural. You fight well, but when I put a weapon in your hand, you fall apart on me. This should feel more comfortable.”
Allie felt an unusual spike of interest. There was something about the sai that called to her. They were beautiful, but intimidating, like she couldn’t possibly be good enough to wield them. As she hesitantly stroked the razor sharp edge, a strange musical sound echoed from within. She flinched at the cold shock surging through her like ice, chilling her veins.
“They’re so old,” she whispered reverently. “A powerful woman gave them to you. Her ancestor forged them using the ancient power when it was pure. Infused with the strength of their previous owners, they are stronger today than they were when pulled from the fire thousands of years ago. They have no equal.”
“And now they belong to me?” she finished uncertainly. Allie dropped the sai back in the box as if burned. “What was that?”
“It seems I was right,” Gregg murmured sadly. “They belonged to my good friend, Kassandre, who was a very gifted Clairvoyant. Somehow, the weapon’s memory has spoken to you.” His smile was stiff. “They would only acknowledge you as their owner if you had the gift of true clairvoyance. It is going to be very exciting to watch you grow into your full potential, Alexis Carmichael.”
<><><>
CHAPTER
THIRTY-TWO
“Allie, I swear, you will get past this aversion to fighting if I have to bloody beat it out of you!” Gregg shouted.
“She’s perfectly willing to spar with Aidan,” Jin laughed.
“He’s my EQUAL!” Allie rolled her eyes.
It was a Saturday several weeks into the New Year and she was supposed to be training with Jin, but Gregg felt the need to stage an intervention.
“Aye, and I know you feel more comfortable bouting with Aidan, but you hold back with everyone else. It has to stop,” he sighed. “Sasha isn’t a delicate little flower. I’m her father—I give you permission to wipe the floor with her. She’ll only respect you for it!”
“She’s my friend, Gregg. I just can’t.”
“Two thousand years and I’ve never met anyone so stubborn.” He raked his hands through his hair irritably. “During the games we saw just how much work we still have ahead of us. You should have won the challenge against Erin. She was terrified to face you, but she recognized your hesitation and took advantage of it.”
“How am I supposed to be okay with this? I don’t care if you heal fast, it just isn’t fair when I’m so…whatever.”
“Aye, you’re a powerful girl, Allie. You have something most Immortals would kill for, and make no mistake, they will come for you, sweetheart. Sooner than you might think and you have to be ready. I need to know you can protect what is rightfully yours. I’ve no doubt you would pull it together to defend those you love, but I’m not so sure you’d defend yourself.”
“I don’t know. I guess I still don’t see this power as mine. If someone wanted to take it from me, I don’t know if I wouldn’t just let them.” She shrugged.
“Allie, no,” Gregg said. “Your gifts are who you are. It isn’t some luck of the draw. You were meant for this because you have the inner strength to control it. You need to own it. It doesn’t just belong to you, it is you, and no one has the right to take it from you. You and Aidan are so unwilling to own your power. Perhaps it’s your youth, but one day you’ll take pride in your strength—in what sets you apart, and you’ll fight to protect it.”
“I know your power must confuse you,” Jin said, “but imagine what it could do in the wrong hands?”
“I never really thought about it like that,” she said. “I know I have to do better.”
“Unfortunately, practicing on each other is the best way we can learn, but I’m guessing you just don’t see it that way.” He smiled.
“This is a problem, Allie. Your mental blocks could easily destroy you if you don’t learn to overcome them,” Gregg said.
“Blocks?” she frowned. “I wasn’t aware I had multiple issues.”
“Aidan showed me how much you struggled through the cave challenge. I’m so sorry we did that to you. It never occurred to any of us that you would react so strongly, like a mortal. I realize now it may take years for you to adjust your way of thinking, but I’m afraid we might need to take more drastic measures to get through that bloody thick skull of yours. I don’t expect you to become a ruthless fighter overnight, but I do expect you to be aware that this is a problem. And…there’s something I have to know before I leave.” He paced across the room. It happened so quickly, she barely saw the sword in his hands.
“No!” she screamed in horror as blood spattered across her face and Jin’s head rolled across the floor. His body slumped forward in a boneless heap.
She fell to her knees beside him, not sure what to do. “There’s so much blood! What have you done? Help him, Gregg, please!” she sobbed.
He carefully returned Jin’s blank staring head back to his lifeless corpse.
“I’m so sorry, Red.” He pulled her into his arms. “You know we cannot die, but you’ve reacted as if you still don’t believe it. You need to see this. Watch and witness the miracle that is your life.”
She stared at Jin’s body for a long time. When the mangled tissues began to knit and fuse be
fore her eyes, she let out a startled gasp. His skin gradually smoothed to a thin angry red line and she wondered if he was in pain.
“Aidan! He can feel this! Gregg, how could you?”
“Allie, I do not make a move without first considering if it will harm my child. I sent him away with Daniel.”
Admonished, she continued her silent vigil. When Jin stirred and his amethyst eyes flew open, the concept of immortality finally resonated deep in her mind.
“You son of a—” he rasped, trailing into a string of profanities in ancient Chinese. He rose to his feet, grinning like it was all some great prank.
Allie flung herself into his arms, completely overcome. He was fine! But she couldn’t still her sobs. She knew he was Immortal, but to witness it was life altering.
“Hey, kid, I’m fine. Come on, no tears.” He hugged her tightly. “Jeez, Gregg, did you have to be so violent? She’s shaking like a leaf.”
“Aye, I may have overdone it,” he admitted. “But I needed to know how she would react. I don’t know if it will help, but I wanted to leave no doubt in her mind.”
“I know I needed to see that,” she gulped, managing a wry smile. “Maybe a little heads up next time?”
<><><>
“Saturday worse than usual?” Aidan eyed her blood-splattered clothes. Allie was making a run for the kitchen between sessions, hoping to avoid him. They didn’t do well one on one these days.
“Your father decided I should witness a beheading!” she snapped.
“That’s why he sent me and Daniel out. That’s an injury I’m in no rush to experience.”
“It’s not funny! And why have you been discussing my progress with Gregg?”
“You need all the help you can get.”
“Here’s a thought; when you’re all sitting around discussing my training, how about you INVITE ME?” She shook her protein drink vigorously. “I know everyone has my best interest at heart,” she relented, “but I will never stop worrying about hurting people! I know some of my reactions have been over the top, but just give me some freaking time! You all may just need to accept that my empathy is who I am and it’s not going to change.”
Emerge: The Awakening Page 22
