I unsheathed my sword in the Training field at Elite HQ, shuttle helicopters and hovercraft occasionally passing above. "Attack me, Jira."473Please respect copyright.PENANAD1D92pd78K
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Jira shook his head, resting his hand on a self sheathing sword, "No. I don't want to hurt you or you yourself."473Please respect copyright.PENANAdGlCjuFIgr
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"Can I walk?" Jira huffed in response. "Answer the question."
"Yes, Motome, you can walk."
"Can I move?"
"Yes." I smiled, "Then I can fight." He sighed, and pressed a button on the sword. The blade sprung out of its grip, glowing bright blue. "Fine. But I'll go harder on you. If you can't beat me by the end of the year, then you may as well call quits on being an Elite." That's reasonable. Four and a half months till the end of 2027. Four and a half months to get past my disability. Four and a half months to get back to the front lines.
Then he swung. I raised my sword, the blade pointing towards the ground, his blade screeching against mine. I pushed back, trying to keep the weight and pressure more on my right foot. I then quickly turned my blade towards him, and thrusted, stopping before it pierced him. "I may be considered disabled and no longer an Elite... But my skill still surpasses you in some ways. Stop doubting me Jira," I said as I sheathed my sword, and began walking away with that damned limp.
***
“You really think you can get in tip top shape by the end of December?” I nodded at the General of Elite, slightly peering under his red hood. “Yes, sir. However I feel that it isn’t possible here.” He leaned back in his chair, pulling down his hood, revealing brown hair and green eyes upon a strong and serious face. “You mean you wish to go back to Japan?”
“Yes, sir.”
“To your family?”
“Potentially.”
“Your parents created Elite. Why not ask them to give you the clear to go back?” I looked out the window then back to him, “If I were to ask them, they would tell me to go to you about it. As you know, they may be the founders, but they pretty much handed over control of Elite to you.” He sighed, “You have a point there. Alright, i’ll put you on leave till the first of January starting tomorrow. Stay safe. Dismissed.”
“Thank you,” I said as I swiftly left the room to head home.
***
“Hey, I’m being put on leave tomorrow to head back to Japan for a few months. Can you call for one of the jets,” I asked my uncle over the phone. “Yeah. I’ll let you know when and where the private jet will arrive, as soon as I receive notice. Okay?”473Please respect copyright.PENANAotMGfVL9Xr
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“Alright. Thanks!”
“No problem.” And he hung up. I sighed heavily, beginning to dial Jira… Goodnight to you too, uncle.
“Hey. Why you calling so late?”
“I’m leaving for Japan... Probably sometime tomorrow.”
“And you couldn’t wait to tell me till the morn? Or say it in person?” Great… He sounds pissed. “I just thought you needed to know now instead of maybe a few hours before I leave. So i’m sorry. I’ll be coming back on December thirty-first.”
“Alright. Night.”
“Goodnight. I love you.”
“Love you too.”
***
"You're leaving? Again?! Whyyy?" I looked down at Kyle sprawled on the couch, "Mainly to train."
"Can't you train here?"
"Yes. However I need to get away from things and people that can be a distraction."
Kyle quickly stood up, "There's still a whole lot of people and other stuff in Japan that's a distraction!" I shrugged, "that's true. But I'm going to my family's Estate. It's different there. The Estate is away from the cities, surrounded by mountains and lush greenery. Oh, and lovely Yoshino Cherry trees!"
"But doesn't a bunch of people outside of the Kyrn family live on the Estate?" I huffed, "Yes. Doesn't change anything. It's peaceful. I know what I'm doing, Kyle." He snatched up my keys, "Okay. Just make sure to come back in one piece. I call driving." I rolled my eyes, picking up my book bag, "Fine. I control the music then."
***
I stared down at the text on my phone, leaning on Jira's shoulder. "You're not eating lunch. What's wrong, Motome?" I handed my phone to him so he could read the text from my uncle. "They landed an hour ago at the Elite runway," I began, "my bodyguards will be here any minute." He gently placed down the phone, and pulled me closer. “Damn,” he whispered.
“I know.” Tears began to flow down my cheeks… No matter how much one of us have to leave, the separating doesn’t get any easier. Hell, sometimes it feels like it’s getting harder. I looked up, watching him silently cry. With my thumb, I wiped away his tears and gave him a small smile, “I’ll be back in a blink of an eye, as if I never left at all.” He leaned forward, and whispered against my lips, “Liar,” right before he gently kissed me, and I kissed him.
“I’m not letting you go, till your guards make me, I hope you know that.” I smiled, "I-"
"Miss. Kyrn?" Time flew by as if it didn't mean anything. It was crushing me. I turned to face my four supposed guards. "We're your bodyguards. The limo waits out front."
"Prove it." All of them lifted up their sleeve and bared their right wrists, which had a K in the center. "That's my que, Jira," I said as I stood, noticing that nearly everyone in the cafeteria stared at the four strangers next to me. He then quickly stood and caught me off guard with a passionate kiss. "Promise you come back in one piece." I smiled ear to ear, kissing back with the same- if not more- passion. "I promise. I'll text or call you when I take off and land. See ya, babe. I love you."
"Love you too." Then I finally backed up, spun around, and began limping away, surrounded by my guards.
***
As the limo pulled up next to the jet, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Over and over, I blinked and rubbed my eyes, thinking that I was just hallucinating. My guards stepped out of the vehicle, one of them opening my door for me. Oh so carefully, I stepped out into the bright sun, staring at the man in front of me.
"Taredd?"
"Yes, Motome?" That voice… More mature since the time I last heard it. Strong and serious, yet light and kind. Though his hairstyle hasn't changed at all- messy, short, and the color of chestnut brown. But then his brown almond eyes… They spoke of many tales I'm yet to hear.
"You're- you're really here? In the flesh?" He laughed, running a hand through his hair. "I'd be concerned if I wa-" In a sobbing mess, I embraced the one fae friend I've had since childhood. The one friend who has always been beside me through thick and thin. Even when I was a bitch to him. 473Please respect copyright.PENANAUjiFGYG83X
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"It's been to long," he said as he hugged me back, "Common, we have a lot to talk about."
I dried up my tears, backing away, "Yeah."
He motioned to the stairs leading up to the entrance, "After you." With a smile, I walked into the jet, taking a seat next to a built in table. Taredd followed, taking the seat opposite of me. Then the guards walked in, pushing a button which pulled in the stairs and shut the door.
"One of you go tell the pilot we're ready,” He said as he buckled up, I following suit. “Yes sir,” A guard said, as they walked towards the Cockpit. In a matter of seconds, after the guard came back, we heard a voice fill the air around us.
“Passengers please buckle up. We’ll begin take off in just a few moments. You will hear a small bell ring over the intercom when you are allowed to freely roam throughout the Jet. On a side note, welcome Miss Kyrn. It’s an honor to be your pilot today. Relax and enjoy the ride. We should be at the Estate by early tomorrow morning.”
Once the guards were in their seats nearby, the jet began it’s take off. Soon we were high in the air, and the bell rang.
“You have a limp,” Taredd said as he took off the seat belt. “I thought that your uncle was probably just over exaggerating to your parents to be an ass… I guess he wasn’t exaggerating after all. What happened?”
“Mission gone wrong.”
“What was the mission?”
“Classified.” He shook his head, “nope. I and your other guards have the highest clearance, and- yes limited- access to Elite files. Spill. I want the whole story. Start to finish.” I sighed, digging into my memory… The memory that I buried deep.
“Alright. Fine. The General gave me a mission on August First, of which I had to do alone. I wasn’t allowed to say anything, not even say goodbye to friends and family. I was to vanish without a word till I completed my mission, that’s why it’s been such a mystery as to what happened to my leg. Elite received intel that those damned creatures of darkness were gathering as a small group in the forest nearby. We could only assume that they planned on attacking the city. So I was sent into the forest, to hunt down the group, gain any info I can get, then eliminate ‘em.” I drew in a quick breath, noticing that I was beginning to shake.
“It was easy to find the group of monsters… Too easy. They allowed themselves to be an easy find. It was a trap. I knew that there were likely many more of them… To many for me to take on. At that point, I knew I had to get away as fast as possible, and pray that I didn’t already step straight into their trap. I was high up in the trees, so I began to carefully jump and swing from branch to branch, but right as I realized I was being followed, my world went dark.”
I buried my face in my hands, trying to block out the worst part of what I went through. The part that no one knows. “I was able to escape about a week and three days later, with my sword in hand. They sent one of their largest and fastest after me, so I was barely able to even dial the General on a phone I found at their gathering sight. I told him it was Kyrn, and he immediately told me that Jira -my boyfriend- and some backup was on the way. I was then tackled by the beast. I slashed at it, got a good distance from it, reassessed my situation, and fought it for a good while before it pinned me to the ground. I had my blade in its belly, but I still lost. I was told it ripped my leg to shreds and that I was barely alive when I was found. That’s what happened.”
He squinted at me, seeming to study me.
“What,” I asked.
“There’s a whole week and three days missing in this story. Were you unconscious that entire time?” I tensed, flashes of the pain I felt during that time, running through me both mentally and physically. “No. I was wide awake for most of it.”
“Oh… I see. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.” I hugged myself, beginning to feel cold and sick deep inside. “It’s fine. You didn’t reali-” I was suddenly surrounded by the Creatures of Night, one of them slashing at my back over and over again. My blood all over me, both freezing cold and searing hot.473Please respect copyright.PENANAubCmmucaFz
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“Please stop. Stop. Stop! STOP! Lord save me! Someone save me! I won’t tell you anything! I WON’T! I-”473Please respect copyright.PENANA5dqNQknIyM
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Strong arms wrapped around me then. I couldn’t escape. There was no way out. They’ll kill me.
“Motome.”
Taredd? How was he here? How could I hear his voice? “Motome, you’re safe. They can’t hurt you anymore. Come back to me. Remember, you’re on a jet flying to Japan. You’re safe.” I blinked, realizing I was in Taredd’s arms, away from the Creatures of Night. “I’m so broken, Taredd.”
“I know. It’ll be okay though. I’m here for you. Always.”
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"Thank you," I whispered. "I needed to hear that." For far to long... To damn long.
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