“Now?!”  Ven asks, panicking.

“Yes now,” Enishi says as he walks out of Ven’s room. “I’ll be waiting for you outside.”

Ven sucks his teeth and changes into the clothes that were in the drawer and then goes outside and finds Enishi, Kia and Nyx waiting for him. Nyx with a huge smile on his face.

“Ready kid?” Nyx smirks. “Your first lesson is with me.”

“Oh no,” Ven groans.

Enishi and Kia chuckle.

“You?! Why you?!What are you two going to be doing?” Ven asks. He's trying not to show it but he is trying not to piss himself. He hasn't forgotten what Nyx did to him so he still holds a grudge against him and only thinks of him as the asshole that had fun trying to kill him.

“I’m going to sleep,” replies Kia while yawning and stretching her arms. “Nyx, wake me up if and when the kid is ready for me.” She waves them off and heads off to the sleeping quarters.

Ven turns towards Enishi. “Enishi?” he pleads.

“I have some things to take care of. Don’t worry, you’re in good hands.” Enishi pats Nyx on the back. “We’ll be in touch.” He then heads off into the forest.

Nyx nods in his direction and then looks at Ven and smiles a sinister smile.

*A few hours later*

“RUN! FASTER!” Yells Nyx.

“I’M DYING!!” Ven screams back.

Nyx is floating above Ven, yelling at the top of his lungs while Ven is below him, running for his life.

“You are out of shape! I have to get you right! FASTER!”

Ven has been running for over two hours in the forest and he is nothing short of exhausted. Nyx has done nothing but yell at him like a drill sergeant, and has made him run nonstop without any water all while making sure that he keeps a steady pace.

“My grandma has more endurance than you! And she’s dead!” Nyx taunts.

“I can’t go on anymore!” Ven pants. “I need… water.” 

Ven stops running and tumbles over, gasping for air. He huffs and puffs, and wipes the sweat from his brows. He looks up and sees Nyx above him with his signature blank look. He stops floating in the air, and lands right next to Ven with his arms folded, looking like a disappointed parent.

“You need what?” 

“Wa… water.” Ven begs, huffing and puffing.

“Well, you have been running for quite some time so you have to be thirsty. It's to be expected.”

Ven nods in agreement. Nyx kneels down to face Ven and makes eye contact with him. Nyx then raises his hand and points ahead of him.

“There is a natural spring right over there. You can get fresh water there.”

Ven sits up quickly and asks, “How far?”

Nyx smiles and replies, “Another two  miles.”

Ven falls onto his back with a hard thud. “You have got to be kidding me.”

“Nope," Nyx says dryly. He then gets up and jumps into the air and floats. “I’ll see you there. Hopefully.” He then floats off in the direction that he pointed to, leaving Ven groaning and cursing behind.

 

*One Hour Later*

Nyx has been sitting at the bank of the spring, paitently waiting for Ven. 

*I wonder if he died*

 Nyx says to himself.

*Rustle* *Rustle*

Nyx turns towards the sound and is surprised to see Ven, alive. Ven is crawling through a bush and looks as if he has been to war and back. Dirt and sweat cover his face, and his eyes and cheeks look sunken. He crawls towards the refreshing spring but moves at a turtle's pace.

*I'm so.... close..... just a little.... further* he says to himself as he crawls towards the spring, imagining himself fully submerged in it's cold water. He makes it to the edge of the bank but before he can even submerge himself in it, his body gives up and he sprawls out on the ground.

“Wa… water…. Please,” Ven pleads.

Nyx sighs and gusts up a wind that lifts Ven off the ground and drops him into the spring, causing a huge splash.

“Was that necessary?!” Ven exclaims, spitting water out of his mouth.

“You looked a bit hot so I just wanted you to cool down,” Nyx replies while shrugging.

“What is your problem with me?” Ven asks Nyxs as he pulls himself out of the spring and marches towards Nyx and gets into his face. “You have been nothing but an asshole since we’ve met! What’s your deal?”

Nyx says nothing but just stares at Ven, keeping his arms folded.

Ven growls and then grabs Nyx by his shirt collar. “And you do that! Give me that stupid look! Do you not understand me?! Why are you being such an asshole?”

Nyx says nothing and just stares at Ven.

“Is there anything going on in that big head of yours?!”

Nyx smirks.

“That’s it!” Ven raises his fist as if he is about to punch Nyx in the face. But before he can even connect with his chin, Ven is suddenly thrown into the air, and hovers.

“Put me down! Put me down!” Ven demands as he hangs upside down, being held up by God knows what.

Nyx shakes his head. “You have such a temper. If you leave that unchecked, it’ll get you into a lot of trouble.” Nyx, now standing, has his right arm extended, with his palm facing up. “Before you even attempt to lay your hands on anyone, I would suggest you learn how to fight. Besides, we both know that if you and I were to ever get into it, I would destroy you. Easily.”

“Put me down!!”

“You got into my face and tried to hit me. Why are you surprised by my reaction?” Nyx asks calmly, tilting his head to the side. “This is self-defense.”

“Put me down!” Ven repeats.

Nyx shrugs. “Ok.”

He puts his arm down and Ven crashes to the ground and lays there, arms and legs sprawled out. Nyx then shoots a gust of wind at Ven, causing him to stand upright.

“Are you done?” Nyx asks.

Ven nods in defeat.

“Listen kid. Today is only our first day and you are already a pain in my ass. Only been with you for a few hours and you have done nothing but whine all day and I am sick of it. I have NEVER in my life have had to deal with such a whiny spoiled brat.”

“If I am such a burden, then why doesn’t Enishi or Kia train me then?” Ven says and rolls his eyes.

Nyx laughs. “Oh, they will! You just have to get through conditioning with me first. And trust me, you would want to get into shape before you spend time with them.”

Ven groans in agony. "Why God, why?"

"Which God are you whining to?"

"Shut up!" 

Nyx chuckles. “Listen,” Nyx walks over to Ven and faces him. Ven didn't realize it before but Nyx is actually well built and has a good foot and a half of height over him. Attempting to punch him was probably not the best idea. “I am not being mean to you or have an “issue” with you. What I am trying to do is get you ready. I don’t think you understand what is to come and I get that. You have NO idea what you are truly capable of and you are the ONLY chance we have at even surviving what’s to come. I have to train you and mold you into a warrior. Kia and Enishi do as well. It’s going to be tough but it is what it is.” Nyx points at Ven’s heart. “All of your power has been dormant for a long time. We have to bring it out. Slowly. But you need to be in shape in order to manage it properly. So, if I have to push you, I will. Do you understand?”

Ven sighs then nods. “I’m sorry.”

“I get it kid. Everything that has happened to you. It has happened to me. Well, not being teleported to a different world but I have had my share of losses and have seen a lot of things. My heart aches for you.”

Ven looks at Nyx and sees the sadness in his eyes. “We all have. But you are our only chance at finding peace. I will not allow you to let that go to waste. Your whining and childish behavior ends NOW. Do you understand?”

“I understand. I'm sorry for my behavior.” Ven bows.

Nyx smiles and bows back. “That’s more like it. Now that we have an understanding, this is what is going to happen. We are going to run, every single day to build endurance. We will lift rocks and boulders to build strength. We will climb trees, chase animals and anything else I can think of. Once you are able to run without collapsing, you will start to train with Kia. She will teach you hand to hand combat.”

“Kia?” Ven asks. “A girl?”

Nyx growls. “That WOMAN is the best hand to hand fighter I know and probably the most dangerous out of the three of us and is probably the most powerful person at the Tower. If you think I am bad, wait until she gets her hands on you. Don’t underestimate her.”

Ven’s eyes widen. “But she seems so nice!”

“She is but do not piss her off. That is my only warning. It’s always the quiet and friendly ones that have the DEEPEST well of rage. She's really scary when she's mad." Nyx shudders.

“Have you ever pissed her off?”

Nyx shakes his head rapidly. “No! I enjoy teasing her but I know when to stop. I know what she's like when she's mad so I try my BEST not to get on her bad side. I value my life….. and my balls.”

“Enishi?”

“Ask him what happened at Lake Nyr,” Nyx chuckles.

Ven smirks.

“Drink some water. We'll finish this session early today. We’ll pick this up tomorrow.”

Ven and Nyx cool down at the spring and head back to the Tower. Along the way back, Ven asks Nyx about his upbringing and where he originally came from. Nyx only tells him that he was born in the Air Kingdom of Nymbus and is a member of House of Wind. He tells him that he was dropped off at the Tower of the Republic at the age of five, by an unknown person, and doesn’t remember much of anything before then. Not his parents, nor his homeland.

The Kingdom of Air is located in the mountains of Hewa. Much isn’t known of the Kingdom of Air, as the people of that land are hardly ever seen because their kingdom is so high in the mountains that only Wind Madokais can get there. One must be escorted by a Wind Madokai if they wish to enter the kingdom. Outsiders are forbidden to enter the mountains and if someone were to enter without permission, they will be beheaded and thrown off the mountain. The land is also the origin land of Oracles and other creatures such as the Drakken ( a winged creature) and the Oya ( Wind spirits). 

 Ven asks Nyx if he would ever return to his homeland and Nyx doesn’t answer him. Back at the Tower, Ven takes a bath, climbs into his bed and falls asleep, dreaming of his mother.

 

 *BONUS*

For reaching 25 subscribers, I decided to share some artwork!

Here is our House of Wind bad boy, NYX :)

 Art by: Krysten Diedrick