The Scarlet Tower

“Focus your mind. Let everything leave it.” I say in a calm voice as Odelia closed her eyes. We were on the floor of the basement. It was the safest place to practice, years of enchantments surrounded us preventing magical overload and any stray magic from leaving the concrete around us. Also, nothing would get damaged because it was an empty room.

“Now in your mind think of your powers and what holds them back. Now let it go, imagine it disappearing. You have no feelings. You are a conduit for your powers, let them free.” I say. Her face was impassive, which was a good sign. We had been going this for months. Control of our powers was one of the most important things. Along with doing what we must to survive. I smiled as water filled up with bottom of the basement. I gave her more instructions about what to do with the water. Till she was too tired to do anything more.

We always had to train until someone collapsed, the way it had to be. I sent her upstairs but didn’t follow yet, I watched the water slowly drain out through the floor. I took a deep breath this was getting harder and harder. I was getting to soft, something I cannot afford to have happen. It was too dangerous. The laughter from upstairs was nice too nice. I was too used to things being normal, and nothing could be normal. It felt like the fight was leaving me which was bad. I needed to keep my edge, but I was so tired, tired of doing this, tired of losing.

We would have to go soon, not because they were completely ready but because I was getting too attached. She would be upset if I got to attached to them. They were soldiers nothing else, that is how She said I must think of them. I sighed and went upstairs I could do this.

Everyone was chattering around the table eating I took my things and went upstairs I saw Medusa watching me walk away from everyone. She was the first one I found when I was creating our little pack. We only every had a small amount of people easier to train and control. There are 5 girls this time. Medusa was one of the rarer ones I have ever found, the power to freeze time is almost as rare as what I do. She will be pleased.

After eating and sitting planning what we had to do for this I got up and pulled on my running shoes. We had just moved here; scouting was done before we settled to make sure the area was safe. We couldn’t have any of those monsters near us. I went through my window so not to scare anyone in the house it was dark and late. Climbing out of the oversize tree-house we lived in was more difficult than I first anticipated. Which ever Princeps, Latin literally meaning leader we are so creative, decided making a tree-house as a safe house had to have battle shock or something like that. Honestly it was fun but so impractical.

Running made me feel much better about everything, since nothing is worse or better than running. The burn in your lungs the struggle with your mind and knowing the fact that your legs could carry you forever. I ran past where we had scouted into a new part of the forest.

My mind wandered and that’s what I blame for not noticing it right away.

I remembered back being younger a small 10-year-old running through the forest with her running next to me telling me I had to run faster run better. She was training me something we all needed. She trained harder than I do.

My foot caught something sending me to the floor. I rolled coming up into a crouch on defense. I saw what tripped me it was just a tree root. I sighed and stood up then heard a growl.

“Who are you?” A voice asked. I froze I knew what a growl meant. This was bad.

Instead of an answer I ducked and swung around my leg raised for a round house kick and caught the monster in the stomach throwing him off guard for a few seconds. Just enough time for me to spin and sprint through the woods. I didn’t go back to the house. I couldn’t bring that monster back home and risk the girls getting hurt, or worse not understanding what had to be done. I heard more footsteps, great, the monsters were set up in packs just like us. So, the one I kicked called to more of those things, most likely more boarder guards. They didn't call the Alpha for something small as a 'human' trespasser. They were fiercely territorial. Which was unfortunate for my idiot self, I ran directly into their territory. I ran through a stream, hoping it would muddle my scent and then into town gasping softly. I listened closely to make sure I lost them before walking through town. We had settled in an outer town of Boise, Idaho. Should have known that Idaho would have wolves.

I made it back to the house that was not really in the town since well it was a tree house that would seem weird to normal people. We didn’t come into town often. The girls went to school at the local public school. I luckily had graduated from the hell of high school last year. I stayed home and took care of the house and kept us safe. I made it back into my room and laid down staring at the ceiling. We couldn’t stay long. But the girls weren’t ready and there was only one more place to go… A week, if I could give them a week then I could get the ready to go to the scarlet tower. With my decision made I fell asleep hoping I didn’t just sentence us to death.