Fair.

As dawn cast its friendly glow down on the three around the ashes of the fire, Claire was the first up, he stretched, walked over to Aella and shook her shoulder gently;

“Aella, time to get up.”

Claire then walked over to Timon, and kicked him in the leg.

“GET UP LAZY!”

“What the hell kid!?! what’s the rush!?!”

“In case you didn’t know, we cant afford to let our guard down, you’re bracelets always pull towards the nearest warrior.”

“So?”

“Sooooo… they are pulling towards each other, there could be a warrior coming for you guys over the next hill and you wouldn’t notice it!”

“…this is a good point.” Timon was suddenly very awake.

Aella yawned and stretched.

“I’m too tired for people to be attacking us, it wouldn’t be fair.”

Timon turned to her;

“Sorry blondie, but not all the warriors are going to be as nice as I am, there aren’t really any rules to this thing.”

Timon held up his arm showing his bracelet, Aella suddenly felt her bracelet almost pull towards his.

“the bracelets… do they really want us to kill each other?”

“Of course not, they are just bracelets, they don’t want… anything!” Claire finished picking up his bag. “It’s the beads, they contain some of the essence of the white event… its like magnets, they pull towards each other, the essence is trying to recombine.”

Timon looked at Claire.

“He’s pretty smart, even I didn’t know that.”

“That’s why I know where we have to go, Aella needs training, and no-one knows more about her abilities than my father. And as for YOU…” Claire looked darkly at Timon, “You have to look after us until Aella is in fighting condition. If any warriors appear, you fight them off understand?”

“geez, so bossy… whatever, I was going to do that anyway.”

Aella looked around as the others got ready to set off.

‘So we are going to go see someone who knew my mother’ she thought. ‘perhaps going with these guys is for the best.’

–

“Um, little crossdreser kid…”

“It’s Claire asshole, I can remember your name, why cant you remember mine?”

“Well it is pretty confusing, you having a girls name, and dressing as a girl when you are a guy, besides my name isn’t ‘asshole’.”

“Fine, TIIIMOOON, and its only confusing to you because you are stupid.”

“could you guys maybe not fight so much? You’re giving me a headache.” Aella was already weary, they had been walking for hours across fields, no signposts or paths.

“so… CLAIRE, just where are we going anyway?” Timon asked, probably just as weary as Aella.

“We’re going to Koob of course, the capital of knowledge and wisdom? Where do you think a family of master scholars like mine would live?” Claire seemed to have lost no energy since this morning, even with her massive backpack. How she did it was a total mystery to both Aella and Timon.

After a few minutes Timon asked “Are you sure it’s ok to go to Koob? There’s a lot of people there right? There could be warriors nearby.”

“It’ll be fine, even if there are warriors, fighting is forbidden inside the city, we can use it as a refuge until Aella has mastered her abilities.”

“umm, about that…” Aella questioned, “exactly what abilities are you talking about? Like using swords and stuff?”

“I don’t think so, from what I heard about Anemone her abilities were more energy based.”

“energy based?” Aella was even more confused.

“she could use spiritual energy, she willed stuff to happen and it did, stuff like… telekinesis, levitation, heating stuff up from across the room… that kind of thing.”

“uhh, sure.” Aella was sceptical

“Don’t dismiss what he says,” Timon could sense Aella’s tone, “I’ve seen a battle between someone who could summon fire and one who danced in a way she changed the air around her.”

Claire stopped and turned around.

“Wait, you’ve actually seen 2 of the 26 warriors battle!! how the hell did you get away? Did you kill them?”

“no way, I was just a kid, I ran away whilst they were fighting, it was scary stuff.”

“and the winner didn’t come after you?”

“no, the bracelets have only recently started pulling.”

Claire thought about this for a second, and turned back continuing at his slightly too energetic pace.