An Exquisite Lie: Zodiac (Still Under Construction)

Chapter Four - Rescue

Four

RESCUE

When Syle reached the comfort of a couch, he was almost out of breath.

 “I’d rather swim for two days straight than go to combat practice for seven hours every day!” Syle complained.

Will found refuge on a sofa too. “Another day of an extremely punishing training,” he said to Syle. He slumped into his seat and gulped down an ice cold seltzer. “Just a few days after Greyson had revealed the truth to us, and he’s already training us like crazy!”

“Training is the least that Greyson could do to help us,” Fallanine explained. “Instead of whining, why don’t you get back to training? We only have a few weeks!”

Zauri joined the discussion. “Correction, we still have a few months!” she said. “Unfortunately, with the way they’re training us, I would likely last only a few weeks.”

“Come on guys! If we go to war unprepared, we’ll get killed.” Fal tried to encourage her friends.

Syle hugged a giant pillow then fell uncontrollably onto a carpet that covered a silver floor.

“I don’t see why you’re still so pumped. Mrs. Hernandez’s self-defense tutorials use us for test dummies. Any person who gets plummeted to the ground or gets kicked in his awkward regions for more than twice daily wouldn’t have the energy to even stand up!”    

Fal grinned. “This training has lots of rewards. I’m feeling that my body is getting more flexible. I’m also learning how to summon fire. I can’t wait to test it on certain make-up kits and expensive bags.”

“Laira and Matt seem to be enjoying all of this,” said Zauri. She was observing the two from one of the large windows of the temple, and both were still energized as they sparred with their parents.

Since the first day of training, the silver temple was a camp, and the forest was a survival safari. Each floor of the temple served different purposes, and all had facilities capable of turning a puny teenager into a brawny soldier.   

The Hernandez’s led the combat training, while Mr. Sena became a fitness coach.

Greyson and his children taught the six what it takes to be a Vaniad, and using a Vanjeidean culture book, they were able to assist the heirs in getting to know their home world.

Every day after school, the six had to head straight to the temple and train whether rain or shine. Though, some days were extremely rainy that they had to postpone.

Zauri switched her attention to the orange afternoon sky. She sighed then said, “I’m going to miss a bunch of things when we leave for Vanjeide.”

“Don’t worry,” Fal comforted Zauri. “Greyson said that Vanjeide has almost the same type of environment as Earth. That’s the reason why we were sent here.”

Interested with the girls’ conversation, Syle rose from the floor and approached them.

“It has been there all this time. Some eight light years away, cloaked by a light bending barrier,” he said.

The sun continued to dive into the tall trees of the forest, and the sky grew darker.

“Do you think there’s a sun at Vanjeide, Syle?” asked Zauri.

Syle began thinking. He walked away and headed towards one of the bookshelves in the room. He scanned the spines of the books stacked in it until he found the one he was searching for. Syle rejoined Fal and Zauri.