instructing us to kill on sight. I can’t leave a marauder alive.
Pushing off the ground in one graceful bound, I catch a lower limb and swing up to a crouch on the next nearest limb. Assistant #1 starts yelling, “Don’t kill me! Please! Stop! No!”
I hate him.
I push through the anger I’m feeling towards Garret’s assistant for making me kill him as an innocent. I attack him as I’m expected. He doesn’t struggle much. He mimics what a weak marauder might be like. After the kill, I question myself. Will I really be able to do this? Will I be able to kill an innocent? I instinctively know the answer. I will never be able to do such a horrible thing. However traumatic that thought, I can’t do anything about it right now. I have to keep playing their game. Later, when I’m on the outside, making my way through the Third Trial, they won’t be watching me. I will be alone. There will be no Republic, no instructors, no friends, and no family.
In an effort to avoid the tree surrounded by cacti and crates, I cross back toward the dying, mostly burned tree that sits next to the pond. It would be impossible for someone to hide in or near the tree. There is no foliage to take cover in, and there is a wide v-shaped split right through the trunk, leaving a glimpse of the other side. I drop my guard as I make my approach. I find a secure location and squat down with my back against the rough bark of the tree. I scout my next path.
To the left is a grouping of two massive trees and dense shrubs. To the right is a patch of only shrubs. The path to the right is too easy. That’s where I will find trouble. I decide to travel closer to the grouping.
As I stand to advance further into the Defender’s Course, I’m surprised by something heavy, smacking into my back. Garret has launched himself out of the pond and onto my shoulders. He’s soaking my clothes with pond water and trying to choke the life out of me. I grab one of his arms that lie across my shoulder. I heave him over the top of me, which causes water to spray in an arc. It saturates my face. I hurriedly wipe my eyes in time to see him land on his back in front of me. He immediately jumps up into a fighting stance.
With the brief pause in our fight, I realize, he was hiding in the pond! I’m dumbfounded that I never considered the possibility. Garret is correct; I’m not ready for the Third Trial yet.
And to prove his point, my instructor lunges for me, whipping a sword through the air. I jump straight up, grasping one of the tree’s dying limbs and tuck my legs up against my body. The branch breaks with a loud crack, and I fall to the ground. He takes his kill shot.
I’m dead.
EIGHTEEN
After the morning training session, Ethan and I walk to the cafeteria together. We discuss our weak performances. Ethan is disgusted with himself for being beaten in hand-to-hand combat against one of Garret’s assistants. “He’s a fourth place United!” he cries out. He’s furious and lashes out, kicking the ground hard. It leaves a divot in the soil.
I look around, frantically searching for anyone who may have noticed his outburst. Luckily, there are only two citizens pruning some bushes nearby. They are completely focused on the task at hand and don’t appear to have seen or heard anything unusual.
“Get a hold of yourself.” I plead with him as we approach the Exalted’s main training building.
After taking a deep breath, he apologizes, “Sorry. My parents are putting so much pressure on me, which is making me put a lot of pressure on myself. I want this so bad.” He shakes his head.
Ethan carefully brushes his calloused hand across the top of mine for an instant. He closes the gap between us; my cheeks burn from the close contact. This gesture is the first time he’s touched me in an affectionate manner.
He casually changes the subject to discuss my performance. “You did great today though, Mena. I never would have expected one of them to
Pushing off the ground in one graceful bound, I catch a lower limb and swing up to a crouch on the next nearest limb. Assistant #1 starts yelling, “Don’t kill me! Please! Stop! No!”
I hate him.
I push through the anger I’m feeling towards Garret’s assistant for making me kill him as an innocent. I attack him as I’m expected. He doesn’t struggle much. He mimics what a weak marauder might be like. After the kill, I question myself. Will I really be able to do this? Will I be able to kill an innocent? I instinctively know the answer. I will never be able to do such a horrible thing. However traumatic that thought, I can’t do anything about it right now. I have to keep playing their game. Later, when I’m on the outside, making my way through the Third Trial, they won’t be watching me. I will be alone. There will be no Republic, no instructors, no friends, and no family.
In an effort to avoid the tree surrounded by cacti and crates, I cross back toward the dying, mostly burned tree that sits next to the pond. It would be impossible for someone to hide in or near the tree. There is no foliage to take cover in, and there is a wide v-shaped split right through the trunk, leaving a glimpse of the other side. I drop my guard as I make my approach. I find a secure location and squat down with my back against the rough bark of the tree. I scout my next path.
To the left is a grouping of two massive trees and dense shrubs. To the right is a patch of only shrubs. The path to the right is too easy. That’s where I will find trouble. I decide to travel closer to the grouping.
As I stand to advance further into the Defender’s Course, I’m surprised by something heavy, smacking into my back. Garret has launched himself out of the pond and onto my shoulders. He’s soaking my clothes with pond water and trying to choke the life out of me. I grab one of his arms that lie across my shoulder. I heave him over the top of me, which causes water to spray in an arc. It saturates my face. I hurriedly wipe my eyes in time to see him land on his back in front of me. He immediately jumps up into a fighting stance.
With the brief pause in our fight, I realize, he was hiding in the pond! I’m dumbfounded that I never considered the possibility. Garret is correct; I’m not ready for the Third Trial yet.
And to prove his point, my instructor lunges for me, whipping a sword through the air. I jump straight up, grasping one of the tree’s dying limbs and tuck my legs up against my body. The branch breaks with a loud crack, and I fall to the ground. He takes his kill shot.
I’m dead.
EIGHTEEN
After the morning training session, Ethan and I walk to the cafeteria together. We discuss our weak performances. Ethan is disgusted with himself for being beaten in hand-to-hand combat against one of Garret’s assistants. “He’s a fourth place United!” he cries out. He’s furious and lashes out, kicking the ground hard. It leaves a divot in the soil.
I look around, frantically searching for anyone who may have noticed his outburst. Luckily, there are only two citizens pruning some bushes nearby. They are completely focused on the task at hand and don’t appear to have seen or heard anything unusual.
“Get a hold of yourself.” I plead with him as we approach the Exalted’s main training building.
After taking a deep breath, he apologizes, “Sorry. My parents are putting so much pressure on me, which is making me put a lot of pressure on myself. I want this so bad.” He shakes his head.
Ethan carefully brushes his calloused hand across the top of mine for an instant. He closes the gap between us; my cheeks burn from the close contact. This gesture is the first time he’s touched me in an affectionate manner.
He casually changes the subject to discuss my performance. “You did great today though, Mena. I never would have expected one of them to
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