The Never-Ending Notebook: Book of Books

Dud: Chapter 3: Confrontation

 A/N: I don't feel like writing much right now so I just want to say sorry for the wait and here is another chapter from The Dud. Have a good day. 

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I stare up at the cloudless cerulean sky. Perfect perfection above the hellish perdition I breathe in. I stare up to attempt to find an imperfection. One seam to prove that it wasn't perfect-that nothing ever can be. At least not here. A corner to prove that it ended. The sky mocked me. The sky laughed at me. The sky who believed we were all monsters. If only I could be in the sky. Fly away from the gilded cage. Fly away and be one with perfection.

My left foot hits the ground first when exiting the grandiose library. Immediately, I feel the white noise hum of absorption and neutralization of powers. Looking down I see the ground that's known well. It's a blend of different riverside pebbles that somehow create a new force in physics that combines buoyancy force and a new force called Magentralization. If electricity runs through it then it starts the neutralize any internal or external power. It's used a lot for practicing and the training grounds ahead are covered in it.

To my left, is a sand environment but the majority of the land ahead is this Magtran pad. Boxing. High Jump. Sprints. Spar. Archery. Javelin. Basketball. Weights. As far as the sun touches, a visual of every training practice is seen. Except aquatic sports and potion making. Scanning my surroundings I walk towards the private training facilities. By now Mother has created a room just for my purposes.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to check them out before training starts. However, who wants to be near stuck up and gaudy high brows who are also more fit than you. No one? Exactly. 

"Hey, you!" Amongst the shouts, grunts, and slams against the floor, a voice seems to shout directly at me. I rotate my head to so I could hear the command better. The voice repeated. Turning to evaluate my opposition with creases between my brows, I see Countess Tanalia.  Sweet, ebullient, nature-loving Tanalia. Squatting in a sandbox circle as she embraces a giggling Lilana.

"So, the rumors are true. You never seem to be able to be useful. Stirring up trouble again, Zero." Wicked, Slimy, Oil-infested Tanalia. Spider is her spirit animal without a doubt. 

"It appears to be so. I was heading to practice, milady." My cajolery was clear in my statement. Tanalia knew I wasn't sincere in my sentence but seems like sweet Tanalia is a dictator that only wishes to be correct.

"Why don't you go back to where you belong, Zeroth." My nickname taunt resurfaces in a low blow. 

"You mean above you?" Oops. I shouldn't have said that. However, it felt damn good.

"What did you say? Remember your position in the hierarchy, Dud." My left eyebrow raises as I stand rooted to my stance. 

"You're a piece of a woodchip! Did I say that right, Tan?" I pivoted and stared at little Lilana. No doubt she was learning that language from Nyradiana. I turned to glare at my slightly younger sister.

"Getting closer sweetie. Can you go practice your shooting skills beside Kyanak?" Returning my glare she resumes a various spew of low-class insults.

"You are a weakling. You are nothing to me. I beat Kyanak could even beat you. He's weaker than me." She continues with her meaningless insults. If bringing people down makes her feel higher than she is stupider than I thought. 

"Is that so? Last I heard he beat your ass in the last ranking competition. Swept the floor with your ashen remains. Only so much your little birdies could do. Besides, I could beat you with your powers. Don't kid yourself." Her lucid bluebird eyes shift to glacier. The harden ice glares with such passion that being near the Titanic could sink it. She attempts a staring competition to prove me wrong. Quickly losing interest in her trivial life, I wave my hand to her face and turn my attention to my youngest brother, Kyanak.