Kiera
What the hell was all of that about? First he says it's hard for him to stay away from me after I tell him he's a conceited ass, then he says it's best for me to just go back home because of what happened before and apparently because I'm a liability.
Declan continued to walk back down the dark corridors while I stood there fuming. He was so going to pay for this.
When I cooled off a little, I slowly walked back to my room and slipped under the sheets.
~
The next morning at breakfast Trev sat next to me and asked, "So what happened when Dec dragged you away from our training session?"
I was not in the mood to talk about it at all so I just shrugged.
"That bad, huh. I'll have to kick his ass." Trev said.
I choked on my pancakes and had to take a sip of water before I could speak.
"Then he will hate me even more." Not that I cared how much he hated me.
"Hmm. Fine don't tell me," Trev said as he pushed himself up from the table.
I quickly grabbed his arm and yanked him back down.
"Sorry I've been in a bad mood since Declan talked to me. He actually dumped me in my room when he abducted me from our training session. Later that night he came back and dragged me out of my room," I explained.
Trev nodded at me for me to continue.
"He basically said that I don't belong here and if I stay I'll just end up being a liability. He also doesn't want me here because of what happened before, whatever that means."
Trev was quiet for a moment before muttering, "Before..."
"Don't tell me you know what he's talking about," I said.
It looked like he was going to say something, but then the bell rang and he grabbed my tray to throw it out.
~
I guess the Third Trial would be held in the backyard today.
All of the entrants gathered around Coordinator Vlad as he explained today's events.
"Well done to those of you who helped take down the demon. Your efforts have been recognized and the current standings are on the board behind me," he said gesturing to the board.
Declan was ranked first, followed by Trev, Justine, and a few other Nephilim who I didn't recognize. Jack and Aaron were ranked far below the line, in dead last.
I glared at the board where my name was. Apparently my efforts in yesterday's fight had gone unnoticed.
My name was in the same spot as the day before, right above the line.
Trev noticed where I was looking and gently nudged my arm. I looked up into his violet eyes and he just shrugged. Of course he wouldn't understand. He won't be kicked out of this place, but it wouldn't take a second thought to make me leave.
I heaved a sigh and turned my attention to Coordinator Vlad.
"The Third Trial will require teamwork and cooperation. It will be a stimulation of the work a real pairing of a Guardian and their Supporter will do. This will justify if you are cut out to be either of those positions. With that being said, the partners have already been determined by random draw."
He turned around and flipped the rankings board to the other side where names were paired together.
When I saw who my partner was, I muttered, "Well, shit."
I locked eyes with him and he looked as angry as me.
I crossed my arms and waited for him to walk over to me.
~
Declan
Out of all the entrants at The Trials, I had to be her partner.
I made my way over to a very pissed off Kiera and stood next to her without saying anything.
"Okay, now that you are all standing with your partner, please take a seat. Each pair will be put through a stimulation and you will have to work together to defeat the demon."
Pairs were led one by one inside The Dorms to begin their stimulations. When they were done, they rejoined with the rest of us in the backyard.
"Declan and Kiera, you're up next," Coordinator Vlad said and we followed him inside.
He led us to a small room with plain white walls and nothing else inside.
"Each of you will swallow this pill to initiate the stimulation. Your goal is to find and exterminate the demon. Keep in mind that demons can look like anyone else," he explained while handing us the small pills.
Kiera plopped it in her mouth quickly and I did the same.
The white walls melted away as Kiera and I were put into a fancy restaurant in the White Sector. We were sitting in a secluded booth and I was wearing a white polo shirt with cargo pants while Kiera was wearing a rose colored blouse and a skirt.
She gawked down at herself and I quirked a brow when she looked up at me.
"W-what am I freaking wearing and how did I get here?" She asked.
Of course she wouldn't know. She's lived in the Gray Sector her whole life.
"That pill created this stimulation and everything in it," I explained.
She didn't respond.
A waitress came up to us and asked for our orders.
"Declan watch-"
Kiera didn't get to finish as the waitress's eyes turned a vibrant green and she grabbed my wrist, pulling me out of my seat.
My knee hit the table and toppled our glasses of water over.
"Duck!" Kiera screamed.
A blade of ice rocketed through the air right where my head had just been. It embedded itself in the demons arm that was holding me.
The demon waitress screamed and dropped me on the floor.
What the hell?
I've only ever seen Justine use ice blades before and I know for a fact that she isn't here. I looked up at Kiera as she stood on top of the table in a battle stance, facing off the ticked off demon.
I sat there stunned for what felt like forever until Kiera said, "Hey make yourself useful and get your ass off the ground, like now."
I jumped up and joined her on the table a split second before a green glob hit the floor where I had just been sitting.
Kiera leaped off the table, over the waitress's head and landed behind her. The demon turned its back on me to focus on Kiera.
With a determined look on her face, Kiera's arm turned into ice with sharped ends where her fingers were.
She flicked her eyes to me and nodded at the demon. I had no idea what was going on here. Kiera's arm should not be encased in ice right now. As far as I knew, I thought she had limited access of foreseeing her opponents actions.
Things just got interesting.
~
Kiera
Yeah, don't ask me why all of a sudden I'm sprouting ice out of my hands because I don't have a clue why. Maybe this is all part of the stimulation and I won't be able to do it again once it's over. I'll just go with it for now.
If Declan would actually help me, that is.
Like an idiot, he's just staring at me while the demon comes after me.
Guess I'll just have to do this myself.
As the demon was slowly slinking to me, an image of her lobbing goo at me formed in my head.
I ran straight at the demon and something like surprise registered on its face. Before it could do anything, I plunged my arm surrounded in ice right through her heart.
My heart thumped loudly in my chest as the demon collapsed in a heap at my feet and disintegrated into nothing.
Declan's silver eyes were wide open and he stood completely still on the table.
The ice melted off my arm I suddenly didn't feel good. I started to sway and knew there wouldn't be much time until I passed out.
I started falling to the ground and right before everything faded to darkness, a strong pair of arms lifted me off the ground.
~
Declan
I really have no idea what just happened. All I know is that what did happen needs to be kept a secret. Kiera killed the demon without any help from myself and instead used Justine's power to defeat it.
The restaurant faded as I returned to the white room with Kiera still in my arms.
Coordinator Vlad entered and said, "Congratulations on killing the demon. She will be fine in just a moment. Please make your way back to the backyard."
I walked into the backyard to be assaulted with the gawking eyes of the entrants. Trev ran up to me and demanded, "What the hell did you do to her!"
"I didn't do anything, smartass," I said.
Kiera stirred in my arms and when she looked at me, she flailed around to get free. I dropped her and Trev caught her before she hit the ground.
Both of them turned to glare at me. Then, they both opened their mouths to say something. I held up a hand and said, "Save it."
I walked away to join the rest of the entrants seated on the grass. I took a seat under a shaded tree and leaned my head back against the sturdy trunk.
I replayed the stimulation in my head. It was obvious that Kiera apparently has two powers. The power to foresee opponents actions and the power to manipulate ice. I've never seen anyone with more than one power in my life, except me. Technically, I have many powers, but it's really just the power to mimic other Neph's powers and to take them for good.
If Kiera was able to use the power that Justine has, does that mean that she can also absorb powers?
Does that mean she actually tapped into my power source and used my power of using other powers?
The only way to be able to use another power is when you're paired with your Guardian or Supporter. They can tap into each other's power sources to use their powers.
This was a stimulation. Kiera and I aren't actually Guardian and Supporter. So how did she use my power?
Lost in thought, I didn't notice that everyone had finished their stimulations and we're now crowded around Coordinator Vlad.
I slowly climbed to my feet and made my way over to the group.
"-will happen after dinner. Please get changed and washed up to go to the cafe." Coordinator Vlad said as I approached.
I looked to Justine for clarification as to what would happen after dinner.
"The results of the standings will be posted and those under the line will be told their positions. Those stupid humans will finally be gone," Justine said rolling her eyes.
"Oh," I replied. Justine had been paired with one of the human boys for the stimulation and she did not at all seem happy about it. Of course she was still able to defeat the demon.
I raked my hand through my hair, still unnerved about the stimulation. Maybe the point of the stimulation was to show what it would really be like to be Guardian and Supporter.
Yeah, that's it. There's no way that Kiera is able to use my power. She only could because we were paired together like a real Guardian and their Supporter.
I breathed a sigh of relief and walked with Justine inside The Dorm to get ready for dinner.