Blend the Light

Bow and Arrow

 I stir the next morning, and when I open my eyes, I'm nearly blinded by the sunlight. I blink my eyes rapidly. After hastily shutting the blinds, I change, and make my way to the cafeteria. Pancakes and an apple become my breakfast. I sit down across the table from Hawk. We don't talk for a while, and I drizzle syrup across my plate while he wolfs down toast.

"So. What are you going to do today?" Hawk asks around a mouthful of food.

"I'm not sure. Adrien hasn't asked me to do anything, and I don't have anything planned. What about you?"

"Vladimir wants me to help him in preparations for when Guthrie Harper decides to send his minions to attack us."

"We don't know for certain if he'll attack."

"Jay. There is no way he wouldn't attack if he could. He's known we exist in some shape or form for years, and he's been searching for just as long. It's, like, his lifelong dream or something to exterminate us. A bit of an odd lifelong dream, but a lifelong dream nonetheless."

"I know. I guess I'm just holding onto some tiny hope that there won't be an attack or something."

"You'll be disappointed if you keep thinking that, you know." Hawk skewers a square of watermelon and pops it in his mouth.

"I know, I know," I sigh.

I'm getting myself a glass of water when Lily walks up to me. "Jay..." She says slowly.

"Yeah?"

"Why did it take this long to bring me here?"

"I told you before. We had to make preparations, and make sure we were ready. As much as we wanted to, we couldn't just waltz into the Wasteland."

"This thing has been going for fifteen or sixteen years. I was at the Wasteland for well over a decade, so you had plenty of time to get me out of there. It wouldn't take ten years to come up with some plan, so why did you wait until I was about to snap to pull me from there? Why?" Lily's glaring at me, her green eyes blazing.

"Lily, please calm down. Take some deep breaths. We weren't ready, and we got ready as fast as we could. There's always a little bit of trouble that comes after we rescue a Gladiator, but there's more now since we rescued you. That's not your fault, and don't think it is, please. We know what we're getting into, and it was a unanimous decision to go into this."

"No matter how much you prepare or train or whatever you're doing, it won't be enough. If you kill one Wasteland guard, a dozen more will appear. You don't stand a chance."

"We want to bring down Guthrie Harper. If we only make a dent before we're gone, then hopefully we inspire others to take our place. All the Raydownians will know The Loyal Order of Thorny Devils does exist."

"That's cool that you believe that, but it's not going to happen. If it took you this long to be ready to take him on, it would take even longer if there was to be a second version of The Loyal Order of Thorny Devils, and he'd know and be actively hunting them every step of the way. Guthrie Harper doesn't care about any of the people. He'd kill them all without a second thought." Lily crushes her cup in her hand. Plastic crunches.

"Jay!" Adrien is speed walking towards me.

"What is it, Adrien?" I ask.

"Hey, Lily. We're guessing Guthrie Harper's going to attack within the next day or two. You're ready to fight, right?"

"Yeah. I'll probably spar with Hawk or someone in a bit. Do you need anything?"

"Just make sure you're ready. Are you ready, Lily?" Adrien turns his gaze to her.