The Weaponsmaster

Chapter 11

Later on in training that day, Danny thought he’d see how Drea did with a knife. It was possible she could have natural knife skills like she had with the sword, but after training with the knife for so many years, Danny knew how difficult it was to master.

He waited patiently for her at the waterfall. He was looking forward to seeing how she would do. The way she used the sword, it was possible she could be the Weaponsmaster, yet there had never been a human female before. It wasn’t likely, but the way she caught on so fast… he couldn’t help but to wonder. The real Weraponsmaster would’ve been able to beat him, but if she hadn’t tapped into her true power yet, it was only to be expected that she couldn’t win.

If she did happen to show proficiency with the knife, he’d try a new weapon tomorrow. If she was able to master the next weapon just as quickly, then Danny would try a few special tests to see if in fact she was the Weaponsmaster. Koracan’s leader, Wren, had made sure that anybody who went to earth to teach the humans would know special techniques to discover if they were training the next Weaponsmaster. Danny never thought he’d be the one to use those techniques.

Drea was fifteen minutes late; she was never late. Danny tried to reach out to her with his mind but couldn’t. Something was stopping him from hearing her thoughts. He was beginning to get worried, so he decided to see where she was. Danny took off from near the waterfall and started on his way to the school. Something was wrong, now he just needed to find out what.

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Drea was so happy when school was finally over for the day. Off to train, she thought. Just as she began to walk out front where she could run off without anyone seeing, someone yelled her name. Drea turned to see Karen running towards her, waving. She sighed. Hopefully this won’t take too long. She didn’t like the fact that she wanted to get away from her best friend, but she really wanted to go train. Of course she wanted to see Danny too though….

Karen caught up with her. “Hey Drea.” She looked happy like she always did, but Drea knew her well enough to know that Karen was faking it. Something was bothering her.  

Drea panicked or a moment. Does she know? How could Karen know?  

Karen might’ve known, but moved on with the conversation. Maybe she didn’t want to say anything yet. “Hey Drea I’ve been thinking, and I feel like we aren’t spending as much time together. I thought that maybe we could go to the mall this afternoon.” Karen smiled at her expectantly. She wanted her to say yes.

It broke Drea’s heart to lie to yet another person. “Um I’m sorry Karen, but I really have to go. I’m uh…” Drea played with her hair, something she always did when she couldn’t figure out what to say or when she was nervous. Bad habit, especially since Karen knew all about it.

Karen looked confused for about a second, but then her face broke out into a suggestive grin. “Oh I see.” She nudged Drea.

Drea arched her eyebrows. “What?” She was getting angry.

“You’re going to meet that hot guy who helped you out the other day and you don’t want anyone to know you have a boyfriend!”

Drea blushed. That was kind of right actually, but she suspected Karen wasn’t exactly thinking of training.

“I told you before, it’s not like that.” Even when she said it, she didn’t sound too convincing.

“You keep saying that Drea,” said Karen with her smile still smeared across her face.

Drea opened her mouth to respond when a throbbing pain started in her head. She heard her heart beat resonate through her skull as the aura inside of her went crazy. It felt like her mind was spinning as she lost all awareness of herself and her surroundings. Everything blurred as her vision changed again.

This time though, everything stayed black. All she could hear was a cluster of voices. There were so many o them all speaking at once, that she couldn’t understand what they were saying; they were overwhelming her. Stop! I can’t understand… They continued without interruption. After what seemed like an eternity, they began to quiet down, yet Drea still saw only darkness.

They were just whispers now, ringing through her head. One alone spoke clearer than the rest: “Remember.” With that word, Drea’s world lit up. She saw pictures of people she didn’t know, but that resonated with power and importance. The first was of a woman who was about thirty with pitch black hair pulled up in a loose bun. Her eyes were wise despite her age and she was dressed in what looked similar to a Japanese kimono.

The next showed a young man, probably about twenty, with rugged short brown hair. He was smiling, and judging from the smile lines near his eyes, he did so a lot.

So many other pictures of countless men and women flashed through her memories, each looking different from the last. The only thing they seemed to have in common was the sense of power Drea got from seeing their faces, as if they emanated it. She felt their auras through their pictures, and while they were all very different, there was something in each of them that was the same. She didn’t know what it was. Their aura had one thread of energy that connected them all, even her, together.

Before she could comprehend what it all meant, the pictures vanished and the voices returned. This time though, they all whispered the same word: “Remember.”

They began to dissipate. Her hearing was returning. “Drea!” It was Karen’s voice sounding as if they were underwater; she sounded panicked. Something was shaking her. Drea blinked a few times and her eyes began to refocus. Everything was blurry for a few moments before Drea was finally able to make out Karen’s face above her. She must’ve fallen. Karen was shaking her, yelling her name.

Another voice joined Karen’s. Drea heard footsteps coming closer. She tried to get up, but her body felt weak and her eyes were still blurry. Arms wrapped around her and lifted her into a sitting position. Drea looked to either side of her: Karen sitting on one side and Danny was on the other. The both of them were holding her up. They looked really concerned.

Drea blinked a few times stood up on her own, the two of them watching her curiously. Strength was returning to her like fire in her veins. She remembered those pictures as they became engraved in her memories, even though she had no idea who they were.  

“I-I’m sorry,” muttered Drea. “I uh didn’t eat today.” She wanted to say her body gave out, but she’d used that one with Danny many times.

Neither of them looked too convinced. She heard Danny say, Andrea, why don’t we resume your training tomorrow. I think a day of rest will benefit you…

He paused, unsure of how to continue. Are you fainting or are you lying to me about these visions?

It was an accusation. It was obvious Danny suspected something, but Drea couldn’t lie to him with their minds connected. What could she say that would satisfy him without giving her away?

After a moment’s hesitation, she said, My body’s just been weak lately and it all caught up with me just now. The only ‘visions’ I’ve been having are memories of my brother.

It wasn’t a complete lie, yet of course it wasn’t the whole truth. The way to lie without lying: withhold information.

Danny lowered his eyes; she could tell he felt bad about accusing her of lying when she brought up those bad memories.

“Well why don’t I take you home Drea?” Karen’s voice brought Drea out of her head.

“That sounds good. Thanks Karen.” Drea nodded to Danny and walked away with Karen. She hadn’t expected to just go home, but the rest would certainly be welcome.

Tomorrow then Danny? She was hoping he wasn’t too angry with her.

She felt his happiness as he said, Sure. It’ll be my pleasure. We’ll be doing a new weapon, so be prepared.  

Drea was pleased that Danny was finally warming up to her and maybe she was warming up to him too. She liked having him around and only hoped he felt the same.