Chapter Twelve: ( Mantra)

Chapter: 12(mantra)

            We had just entered a big gymnasium of sorts. It had the normal high gloss wood flooring of any American High school has but everything else was completely new and intimidating. There were weights and bar bells and a few rubber mannequins lined along the back wall of the enormous room. The air was hot and heavy and smelled very much like a gym.

            “Um, Nicholas?” I asked looking over at him. My stomach was tight with anxiety.

“I thought you guys said this class was a blast?” I looked around the room and more people were huddled around a few weights and some were running laps around the parameter of the gym. My eyes locked onto a group of boys who were wrestling each other on a mat about ten feet from where I stood frozen.

            “It is. Every other day the class is just a warm up work out and then the next day the real fun begins. You will see.” He grinned at me. “As for now this is just a warm up. You are going to need it.” He grinned and elbowed me. “Let’s get you into shape.”

            As we began to join the group of joggers Nicholas seemed to have hit a rhythm and our conversation ended. I struggled to stay next to him. Every lap seemed to become longer and more treacherous. With every slow moving lap, I became angrier and more frustrated. I couldn’t do this. If this was just a work out how was I ever supposed to survive here? I have never been any good at gym. Never played sports and sure as hell never ran for fun. It wasn’t fair. Nicholas had been here his entire life so of course he could keep this up for hours. Even Jackson had spent summers here and could do this no sweat but not me. Every breath seared into my lungs and it didn’t take long for me to slow my pace. I wasn’t Nicholas or Jackson. I wasn’t the golden Boy and I sure as hell wasn’t a Guardian. Nicholas noticed that I had begun to slow down and he jogged in place until I caught up.

            I was already out of breath but seeing him then caused my heart to quicken even more. He was barely out of breath but a warm coat of glistening sweat had begun to cover his body.

            He looked down at me as he spoke. “When your running don’t try to hit my rhythm. You have to find your own. Just start running and empty your mind. Just let everything go and don’t think.” With that small amount of advice, he took off again, making quick headway around the track.

            I stooped over and supported my hands on my knees. I took deep breathes to try to clear the fire out of my lungs.

            Come on Madison. I told myself, you can do this. You may not be an athlete but you are in good shape. What are a couple small laps around a gym? With my pep talk working, I took a deep breath and pushed off. I set into a fast pace and concentrated on my breathing. My strides began to synchronize along with my breathing. I listened to the sound of my shoes against the wood. I felt my hair lazily dancing behind me in the wind and it brought back the memory of the race I had with Addison to our house. The feeling of complete contentment and exhilaration. I forgot about Zavion and the dream of my parents. I forgot everything. I just let my muscles pump and flex as I made my way around the track.

            Before I had realized it, I had caught back up to Nick. As we ran shoulder to shoulder, I let out a laugh that danced its way up my chest and out of me. I felt wonderful and I picked up speed. I looked back at Nicholas who was behind me and laughed once more.

“Who knew my rhythm would be faster then yours!” I taunted as I turned the bend in the track.

            Fifteen minutes later, we were both gasping for breath and covered in a thick layer of sweat while drinking bottled water that Nicholas had fished from a water cooler near the entrance of the gymnasium.

            “Not bad, I have to admit.” Nick said after he had downed his entire bottle in one go. I smiled up at him over my bottle of water.  I couldn’t tell if my face was red because of my just running over three miles or if I was blushing.

            “Thanks, I’m pretty surprised myself.” I panted. I actually felt great. My mind felt clear and I felt stress free. The last two days worth of stress had been lifted off of my shoulders.

            “So why have you always lived here Nicholas?” I asked as we sat down to rest for a few minutes. “Why does Jackson come every summer? And why have Addison and I never been here before?”

            Jackson looked at me for a moment as he thought about what I had asked him. Finally, he answered.

            “For as long as The Hunter’s Guild has been around the Hunters and their Guardians have lived here and protected the essence stones and hunted down Zavion and his Armies. When one of them had a child of course they lived here to learn what it means to be a part of all of this and taken on the role of their parents once they became unable to do so.” He glanced down at his hands and continued.

            “Your parents are the only known Hunters to live outside of the Guild. Of course, their Guardians followed suit, Jackson’s parents. A Guardian never leaves his Hunters side no matter what.”

            I didn’t get it. Why would my parents leave this place? Especially when they knew there was Zavion out there who could harm them?

Nicholas nudged me in the shoulder and gave me that smile again. His eyes shimmered in the light and his smile light up his entire face.

            “I know that I haven’t known you that long Madison but I’m glad they decided to let you and your brother come here though.” He looked into my eyes seriously. “Especially you. I haven’t ever met anyone like you before. You are down to earth and smart, but I have this feeling that there is more to you then I think. Or even yourself thinks for that matter.” He suddenly looked away from me and down to his feet.

            “I think you could bring a breath of fresh air into this musty old castle.” He whispered just loud enough for me to hear. I felt my cheeks grow hot and I knew I was blushing. I looked up at him and grinned.

            “Well maybe we all will be surprised then?” I said as I stood up and stretched. My muscles were beginning to feel tight from their first work out ever. Nicholas stood up and stretched as well.

            “Come on. Ill walk you to your next class.” Nicholas said nodding towards the exit.