The last blood

Chapter 6: caleese

(Back to atlas)

We're still running. I think we may have to fight Saska and his friend but I know twenty's not ready for that.
Finally we reach a safe hiding space in an abandoned building.
"Are you alright?" I ask twenty.
"No." He says catching his breath .
"Who are they?" Twenty asks.
"The one after me , is Saska . I had a feeling he'd come for me after I said I wouldn't help him . He's the one from that night at the hotel , you said you heard?" I say.
"Yes I heard but I didn't see , and if I were Saska I'd be mad too you did throw the guy out of a window ." Twenty says laughing .
"Enough . Now listen to me , I don't know who he's with and I don't know how powerful they are together." I say warning twenty.
"But you're stronger, right?" Twenty asks .
"I'm not sure , I'm still getting back into my old ways , against a human of course I'm strong , but against my own kind I don't know if I can handle it yet." I say unsure.
"I know you can. You're older than they are you have more experience we just have to get you back at it." Twenty says with hope.
"You're right , and you as well ." I say.
"What do you mean?" Twenty asks .
"Being with me has put you in danger I promised to protect you , but I may not always be able to . We must train together . I'll teach you how to fight , and I'll show you how to protect yourself . This way when a battle happens which I know it will , you'll be ready ."
I say confident in twenty.
"I can't fight to begin with, let alone vampires!" Twenty says unconfident in hisself.
"Shush child , we will teach you . Not yet but soon you will learn." I say.
Twenty looks away in disbelief.
"Now what is this paper?" I say opening it .
"It's just another piece of paper ." Twenty says jerking it away.
"That's you" I say jerking it back from him.
Twenty continues to try and grab it but I just hold it above his head reading it .
I forgot he had a family .
"Are you going to go home?" I ask.
"No." Twenty says .
"They probably think I'm dead it's better that way." Twenty says .
I hand him the paper and he crumbles it and puts it in his pocket.
"I'll check to see if it's clear to go." I say walking towards the hole where the door used to be.
"We're clear come on." I say signaling twenty to come behind me.
As soon as we're out we run .
"The castle would be a good place for us to hide , and we can train there as well." I say.
I grab twenty and we vamp speed to the nearest woods .
"Which way?" Twenty asks.
"This way." I say pointing .
Twenty follows me and we continue to walk.
"Knock knock?" Twenty says.
"What?" I ask.
"It's a joke you're supposed to say who's there." Twenty says smiling.
"Who's there?" I say blankly.
"Not Alexcia." Twenty says laughing so hard he falls.
"Very funny now stop acting foolish." I say helping him up.
"I've got another , okay , okay, how come people never ask to see your ID?" Twenty says nudging me.
"Why?" I ask.
"Because you're old that's the joke , Get it because you're old , you're like a thousand." Twenty says laughing barely breathing .
"You humans will never fail to amaze me , at how absolutely stupid you all are" I say annoyed.
"Come on I didn't mean it , you'll never fail to amaze me at how sensitive you are" twenty says  rolling his eyes .
Twenty runs up behind me grabbing onto my arm.
"Is this how you want to be treated Atlas my king." Twenty says batting his eyes .
"Wha- what-" I say shaking him off .
"I'm joking. See what did I say sensitive" twenty says .
I ignore him . We arrive at the castle and twenty pulls the stone lever to reveal it.
We walk inside and I light a torch .
"Okay follow me" I say walking down stairs .
"This place is spooky" twenty says biting his nails.
We finally get to the training room.
"Here's where I'll teach you". I say smirking at twenty.
He takes one look around the place .
"Ya know what maybe I don't have to learn" he says walking away and nervous laughing.
I grab him and drag him back.
"This is important." I say.
"Well uhh hmm" twenty says looking around .
I just stare at him with an eyebrow raised .
"Fine" he says giving in .
"First thing you need to learn is your basics" I say .
"And what's that?" Twenty asks .
"Regular fighting . Now your goal is to knock me down , I won't fight back ." I say .
Twenty gives me a yes nod .
He runs at me at full speed and try to knock me down , unfortunately he fell after he hit me.
"Oh we're going to be here awhile" I say planting my face in my palm.
"Well at least I knocked one person down." Twenty says smiling and nudging me.
Okay let me teach you how. I grab a mannequin and set it up .
"Let me show you how it's done." I say.
I run at a fast speed , I run up the side of a punching bag using the punching bag to kick myself into the air , I grab the mannequin by the neck and it goes down instantly.
"Woah" twenty says.
"Think you can do that?" I ask .
"Yes I can try ." He says .
"Practice on the mannequin it'll be an easier target." I say.
Twenty does exactly what I do except he missed the punching bag and he fell.
"Again!" I say.
He does it again this time he misses the jump and just hugs the punching bag.
I shake my head and place my face in my palm again. "Again!" I say.
He makes it but he trips and falls .
"One more time!" I say.
This time he almost had it but he can't get the jump right.
"I give up." Twenty says disappointed.
"No you can't give up your life depends on this." I say .
"I don't care , I can't do it" twenty says looking down .
"I know you can!" I say louder .
"I can't!" Twenty yells.
"You can!" I yell back .
We go back and forwards .
"How do you know?" Twenty yells .
"Enough! I know you can because I was you.
I know what this is like , to feel weak to be human . I was human once too! You know how hard I worked to be where I am today ,  I was hunted , I was constantly on the run , my only safety was this castle and becoming what I am." I say .
"I'll do it again". Twenty says disappointed in himself.
I grab his shoulder and say "You have been through so much , you're mentally strong twenty and in the amount of time I've known you you've had a positive response to everything ,no one is quite forgiving like yourself , and if you're mentally strong no one can defeat you." I say giving twenty a nod.
He looks back at me with a tear in his eye and nods.
Instead of running up the punching bag twenty runs up the back wall and lands on a table , he looks at me then looks up . He jumps and grabs the bar hanging from the ceiling he swings himself on top of the mannequin and takes it down. He lands perfectly. I applaud him.
"You did good". I say.
"I figured out my own way." He says.
"It was very impressive . I'm proud." I say .
I truly am impressed , and proud .
"On to the next part of training follow me." I say.
I lead him to a wall of staffs .
"Pick one." I say pulling out my red and black original staff.
"I'll take this one." Twenty says picking a plain wooden one .
"Interesting taste." I say.
Twenty smirks .
We go out into the room.
"Okay now like this" I say showing twenty , I show him the moves the ways . He learns fast .
My eyes glow again .
(Flashback)