[HEADING=1]CHAPTER 3[/HEADING]
3 Days Later...
The Training Hall was located far 'deeper' into the Sanctuary, than any of the areas the new apprentices had been in before they'd been inducted into the family. It was at least a hundred feet wide and over four times as much in length, with smooth, concave walls and cylindrical pillars, that were moulded out of the floor and ceiling like strands of viscous fluid, delicately held in a channel between two equidistant pools. Rather than being arranged in uniform rows and columns, the pillars criss-crossed the room in a manner that would have been declared nonsense by any self-respecting architect.
The Old Man stood on a balcony at the far end of the hall, curved staircases that seemed to require no support, fanning out to either side of him to lead down into the main pit. Lightly, his hands brushed against the semi-circle of stone that came up to his waist in front of him, as he looked down upon the new Children, sparring or otherwise training with their mentors.
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With a small, slightly insolent smile, Darius faced off against Sparrow. He stood opposite around twelve feet away from her, side on and back straight, with his legs wide apart and with their balance perched upon the balls of his feet. Around his layered, loose fitting grey robes, the air almost seemed to dance and crackle with energy, motes of dust buzzing as they flitted to and fro. Extending an arm, he made a single encouraging gesture with his index finger.
"Hit me, if you can." He told her simply.
=========================================================================================================================
Minerva skipped happily in a wide circle around where Will stood, still and expectant, waiting for the moment to spring into action. As she toyed with him, she giggled (as well as making affectionate cooing noises whenever she passed around the back).
When she eventually judged that the time was right, she snapped her fingers, and in a flash Will was alone. In pitch darkness, Will felt the barrage of a storm whipping around his face and shoulders. Inside his mind, he was wet through in seconds, and the icy wind cut him deep, disorientating him as it howled past his ears. A thunderclap, and suddenly a figure was rushing at Will through the downpour, screaming a hoarse battle-cry and holding the shaft of its spear true, on a path to skewer Will right through the gut. As a second figure also appeared through the grey murk, teeth bared and sabre rattling, Minerva's disembodied laughter could be heard in the echoes of the thunder.
=========================================================================================================================
"Your power is the will of death itself. Channel it. Understand what it is to take the most basic factor of life itself, and turn it upon itself..."
These words were spoken among the hubbub by Olegg, Selena's mentor, as he placed a small goblet full of water on the floor at her feet, before standing back, watching with expectant eyes. Nodding, he gave her the all-clear to begin the attempt.
=========================================================================================================================
The dim light of the hall made the delicate blade of the stiletto dagger in Cecilia's hand seem to glow a silvery blue colour, as she advanced on Maggie.
"At this early stage, I shan't be aiming for anywhere lethal." she said, matter-of-factly. "I know it hurts still, but just concentrate and try not to flinch too much. Oh, and if you lose a finger, don't dwell on it. Your body isn't used to your ability yet, so trying too hard to re-attach something that has been severed is more likely to impede you than it actually is to help. Let it flow naturally."
=========================================================================================================================
"You're getting a good grasp of the basics. Now, for something a little more challenging."
Sigmund, standing opposite Skylar, opened the breast of his robes, to reveal row upon row of pockets inside. Each one housed a slender cylinder, wrapped in some kind of black paper, with wicks sticking out of the top.
"These are flash bombs." He explained "Completely non-lethal, but you'll have quite the headache after a few of them go off in your face. Their light is powerful, but only last a split second."
As he spoke, Sigmund removed the first flash bomb, and lit the fuse.
"Catch the light. Use it to blind your enemy before he blinds you." he said, tossing the lit bomb across the divide between them.
=========================================================================================================================
Giles and Poppy, the waif girl who had collected him fro his initiation, circled each other, their arms each raised towards the other, and their stares fixed. A small smile curled around the edge of Polly's lip, as her little finger twitched. In the same moment, Giles left wrist twisted around into an incredibly uncomfortable angle, forcing him to arch his back and fall to his knees.
"Come on, you can do better than that." She teased, releasing him from her grip and allowing him to stand again. "There's no use in controlling others if you can't keep control of yourself."
=========================================================================================================================
Tammy was sat beside Langston, cross-legged, trying to hide her increasing boredom as she watched the clock tick over and over, and over. It wasn't that she wasn't taking her mentor duties seriously; just that, without Langston's self-same ability, how was she supposed to judge when he'd managed to do it?!
"Is time going as slowly for you as it is for me right now?" She asked, trying to make light of it, though she wasn't sure if Langston would appreciate the humour.
=========================================================================================================================
"To begin with, the illusions will be easier if you have a visual reference for them." Arnold, the tall assassin stated, as he stood in front of Andra, arms akimbo.
"Feel free to take a good long look before you start. It's all in the detail... Now, show me my reflection."
=========================================================================================================================
"Relax, they're only rats. Well, big rats." Brutus growled, as he placed the large box in front of Ezrah, a box that rustled and squeaked in constant, frantic fashion.
"There all blind, these ones. Not much use for their eyes, the ones that live all the way down here. Their sense of smell though? There no beating it." he continued. As he said so, Brutus reached into the folds of his robes, and withdrew a raw, juicy steak.
"These buggers have been dining on the finest cuts of beef you've ever tasted this last week, they can't get enough of the stuff." He said with an almost affectionate grin. "Let's see if you can make the think there's something even tastier over your way?"
3 Days Later...
The Training Hall was located far 'deeper' into the Sanctuary, than any of the areas the new apprentices had been in before they'd been inducted into the family. It was at least a hundred feet wide and over four times as much in length, with smooth, concave walls and cylindrical pillars, that were moulded out of the floor and ceiling like strands of viscous fluid, delicately held in a channel between two equidistant pools. Rather than being arranged in uniform rows and columns, the pillars criss-crossed the room in a manner that would have been declared nonsense by any self-respecting architect.
The Old Man stood on a balcony at the far end of the hall, curved staircases that seemed to require no support, fanning out to either side of him to lead down into the main pit. Lightly, his hands brushed against the semi-circle of stone that came up to his waist in front of him, as he looked down upon the new Children, sparring or otherwise training with their mentors.
===========================================================================================================================
With a small, slightly insolent smile, Darius faced off against Sparrow. He stood opposite around twelve feet away from her, side on and back straight, with his legs wide apart and with their balance perched upon the balls of his feet. Around his layered, loose fitting grey robes, the air almost seemed to dance and crackle with energy, motes of dust buzzing as they flitted to and fro. Extending an arm, he made a single encouraging gesture with his index finger.
"Hit me, if you can." He told her simply.
=========================================================================================================================
Minerva skipped happily in a wide circle around where Will stood, still and expectant, waiting for the moment to spring into action. As she toyed with him, she giggled (as well as making affectionate cooing noises whenever she passed around the back).
When she eventually judged that the time was right, she snapped her fingers, and in a flash Will was alone. In pitch darkness, Will felt the barrage of a storm whipping around his face and shoulders. Inside his mind, he was wet through in seconds, and the icy wind cut him deep, disorientating him as it howled past his ears. A thunderclap, and suddenly a figure was rushing at Will through the downpour, screaming a hoarse battle-cry and holding the shaft of its spear true, on a path to skewer Will right through the gut. As a second figure also appeared through the grey murk, teeth bared and sabre rattling, Minerva's disembodied laughter could be heard in the echoes of the thunder.
=========================================================================================================================
"Your power is the will of death itself. Channel it. Understand what it is to take the most basic factor of life itself, and turn it upon itself..."
These words were spoken among the hubbub by Olegg, Selena's mentor, as he placed a small goblet full of water on the floor at her feet, before standing back, watching with expectant eyes. Nodding, he gave her the all-clear to begin the attempt.
=========================================================================================================================
The dim light of the hall made the delicate blade of the stiletto dagger in Cecilia's hand seem to glow a silvery blue colour, as she advanced on Maggie.
"At this early stage, I shan't be aiming for anywhere lethal." she said, matter-of-factly. "I know it hurts still, but just concentrate and try not to flinch too much. Oh, and if you lose a finger, don't dwell on it. Your body isn't used to your ability yet, so trying too hard to re-attach something that has been severed is more likely to impede you than it actually is to help. Let it flow naturally."
=========================================================================================================================
"You're getting a good grasp of the basics. Now, for something a little more challenging."
Sigmund, standing opposite Skylar, opened the breast of his robes, to reveal row upon row of pockets inside. Each one housed a slender cylinder, wrapped in some kind of black paper, with wicks sticking out of the top.
"These are flash bombs." He explained "Completely non-lethal, but you'll have quite the headache after a few of them go off in your face. Their light is powerful, but only last a split second."
As he spoke, Sigmund removed the first flash bomb, and lit the fuse.
"Catch the light. Use it to blind your enemy before he blinds you." he said, tossing the lit bomb across the divide between them.
=========================================================================================================================
Giles and Poppy, the waif girl who had collected him fro his initiation, circled each other, their arms each raised towards the other, and their stares fixed. A small smile curled around the edge of Polly's lip, as her little finger twitched. In the same moment, Giles left wrist twisted around into an incredibly uncomfortable angle, forcing him to arch his back and fall to his knees.
"Come on, you can do better than that." She teased, releasing him from her grip and allowing him to stand again. "There's no use in controlling others if you can't keep control of yourself."
=========================================================================================================================
Tammy was sat beside Langston, cross-legged, trying to hide her increasing boredom as she watched the clock tick over and over, and over. It wasn't that she wasn't taking her mentor duties seriously; just that, without Langston's self-same ability, how was she supposed to judge when he'd managed to do it?!
"Is time going as slowly for you as it is for me right now?" She asked, trying to make light of it, though she wasn't sure if Langston would appreciate the humour.
=========================================================================================================================
"To begin with, the illusions will be easier if you have a visual reference for them." Arnold, the tall assassin stated, as he stood in front of Andra, arms akimbo.
"Feel free to take a good long look before you start. It's all in the detail... Now, show me my reflection."
=========================================================================================================================
"Relax, they're only rats. Well, big rats." Brutus growled, as he placed the large box in front of Ezrah, a box that rustled and squeaked in constant, frantic fashion.
"There all blind, these ones. Not much use for their eyes, the ones that live all the way down here. Their sense of smell though? There no beating it." he continued. As he said so, Brutus reached into the folds of his robes, and withdrew a raw, juicy steak.
"These buggers have been dining on the finest cuts of beef you've ever tasted this last week, they can't get enough of the stuff." He said with an almost affectionate grin. "Let's see if you can make the think there's something even tastier over your way?"