The Guardian

Chapter 2

*

"There you are" Fane walked into the gym.

"Where else would I be?" I panted and grabbed my towel off the bench. If I couldn't leave, I had to be doing something useful. I'd been pushing myself to training extremes. Stone had introduced me to things that nobody had ever been brave enough to try. Naturally I insisted on trying. The survival course wasn't as hard as we thought. It had been on a training level difficulty. It could be turned into an actual survival course, with real weapons and possibilities of injury. I was determined to try it eventually. But even I knew my limits. I wouldn't risk it. Not yet.

"Yah you've been in here everyday this week" Fane followed me over to target practice. I'd up'd my training to everything. Instead of focusing on a few things I'd been doing everything from sword practice to intense parkour training.

"I can't just sit around" I snapped and looked at him as I let an arrow fly. I never missed my mark. We'd even tested that theory, multiple times. I'd shot targets from across the room and I'd even been blindfolded.

"You're mad" Fane sighed. I ignored him and sent out a stream of arrows, hitting the remaining four targets.

"I just want to do something. Anything. We're just sitting here while she's out there and-"

"I know" his voice was soft as he slipped the bow from my hand. "Stone suspects that Elizabeth has been recruiting an army. He's sending out a team tonight to see what she's up to"

"You knew where she was and you didn't tell me" I hissed and stepped back.

"I knew that you would go after-"

"I'm going with them tonight"

"No. We can't go after Elizabeth yet"

"Why not!"

"Because it's not the right time"

"But-"

"Just listen to me" Fane growled. I glared at him and took a step closer.

"Fane" I warned.

"Just let Stone explain. Please" he pleaded and brought a hand up to cup my face. I sighed and slumped in defeat. The gang had been on my ass about the whole 'guardian' thing. I found it absolutely ridiculous.

"Thank you" Fane kissed my forehead and tugged me across the gym.

*

"I know. I've heard the prophecy" I interrupted Stone when he started reciting it to me.

"I just don't understand why you think it's me" I sighed.

"Your skills are extraordinary" one of the members of the council informed me. There were four of them, and they had been here a lot recently. They were known as the Elders. They were the last ones with information about The Brotherhood. They knew the truth about the history and secrets that only they knew about The Brotherhood. One day they would pass that information down. Whoever received that information couldn't speak of it.

I squirmed under their intent gazes.

"Anybody can train" I argued.

"Nobody can do what you can. Not even the skilled mentors that we have here" a woman spoke. She gave off the kind of vibe I would expect from a grandmother, honest and proud. I opened my mouth to protest when she spoke again.

"Give it time. The Guardian is said to have a power of great strength-"

"But I'm already strong"