The Heart of Shadow and Gold

Chapter 3

My eyelids opened to a horizon of darkness, a vast universe filled with white splotches and coloured swirls.

Shooting streaks striking across the canvas heading towards an unknown destination.

I took a step forwards, my feet sending ripples of the reflective substance away until it faded back into the unknown.

I looked down from the night sky and saw a horizon of evergreen trees surrounding me and the reflective platform.

Under my feet were shimmering gemstones sparkling and igniting their own light not unlike candles.

When i look up again there's a figure standing with their hands behind their back. No matter how hard i squint i cant see what the figure looks like, just darkness despite the glowing gemstones and stars.

"Ashley." A feminine voice calls out. I tense up and separate my legs to hip distance raising my hands getting ready to fight.

"Who are you and what do you want with me?" I demand,
my voice cold while inside im fighting the urge to run in fear.

"Oh, my dear. Im so glad your ok." The figure reached out to touch me but i backed away.

"Ill ask again, who are you and what do you want?" I said a little quieter, i don't know who this person is, but at the same time that voice seems so...familiar.

"Ashley, you don't remember?" The figure laughed and then opened her mouth to speak but no sound came out.

She reached out to me frantically as she mouthed the words 'come back' before the darkness faded and Leylas face came into view.

"Ashley! Ashley wake uppp. Come on we're going to be late for training!" Leyla whined while shaking me. I grumbled and replied "im up, im up. Jeez Leyla why you got to shake me that hard"

"Cause we're going to be late!" She yelled.

"Leyla, its 6 in the fricking morning, training starts at 8." I said fuming with anger.

"We have to be the first ones there obviously." I roll my eyes at her antics. Resisting the urge to punch her.

After 30 minutes of us getting ready and 20 minutes of us just talking we head down to the training arena.

While walking i start wondering about the dream i had, i don't usually have dreams and when i do they're nightmares.

When we get there,its empty, as expected. I walk around for a bit, admiring the architecture.

The training arena has a white marble floor and golden stairs and seating areas surrounding it.

The skylight roof letting light in the arena while training dummies are scattered around the floor. I go to a rack where there's an assortment in weapons. I look at what's in stock.

Maces, bows and arrows, guns, swords, daggers, katanas and blow darts. I pick up a sword and feel it in my hand, i go up to a dummy and stand in the ready position that i saw the older groups perform. And the stance that i myself was taught by our trainer.

I see Leyla pick up a gun after she picked the lock that keeps it secure and move over to the targets where they keep the ammo.

I move the sword around getting a feel for it and started slashing and stabbing the dummy.

Me and Leyla have been here for about 30 minutes when someone coughed in the entrance way, i turn my head to see our trainer, Xanthos Chen.

He stood in the doorway arms crossed with a wonky smile on his face.
"And i thought i came early." He joked. I set down the sword and walk over to him. Leylas still shooting in the target area, she probably hasn't noticed Mr. Chen come in, but if she has she probably doesn't care.

"Mr. Chen" i say while respectively bowing my head slightly.

"Ms. Parker, pleasure to meet you." He said, sarcasm dripping off his words "Chen, i see you like, all the time." I say while rolling my eyes

"If you truly do, than you would know to call me Xanthos." He replied. Xanthos Chen is the Etherial trainer, I remember watching him and the older guards practicing their skills when I was 7, and one day Chen saw me watching.

Swords clanging in the arena, gun shots banging.

"Alright! Listen up! I want you all to study this method of disarming and prepare for the duels on Friday, understood?" Chen ordered.

"Yes sir!" The classes voices echoing in the dome. Chen nodded in acknowledgement while the class dispersed. Chen stood tall and proud with his uniform hung loosely around his dark skin. He turned in my direction as I hid from his piercing yellow and blue eyes.

"Show yourself." He demanded softly. I peek over the edge, he tilts his head curiously as he asks for my name.

"A-Ashley sir." I stutter. "Ashley, what a beautiful name. And what do I owe the pleasure of having you here?" He asks. I say nothing.

He smiles and stands up. "I see, come here would ya?" He gestures for me to follow him as he leads me to the Weapon stand. He runs his finger along the weapons until they stop at a sword. He picks it up a and examines it. "Yes, this is perfect." He turns to me and puts the sword in my hands, he turns my fingers so I'm holding it properly and claps. "There! Perfect, now we can begin."

"Begin what?" I ask. "Why, our story of course. I can tell that you'll have a very special place in it." He then stood up and left me to clean up, left me standing there, left me thinking, wondering, of what my place will be.

A/N 960 words