Bound (The Guardians) (14 page)

‘But how does that work?’ I ask. ‘How does that yellow stone give him that super…zap…power? It doesn’t make any sense.’

‘Maybe not to the naked eye…’ Elentia slides her finger across the clipboard. The picture of Leo turns into a faceless, black body outline.  She draws white lines around it as she talks. ‘The stone draws on the natural electric signal we emit from our bodies. When needed, the gem picks up on the signal and activates. A shield then appears around the body, protecting the wearer. Almost anyone can use this technique. However, for members of the Montarus family, who emit an extremely high energy signal, it gives them the ability to draw on the element of the stone, using it as a weapon. We are unsure why the family have this higher signal. Most believe it is because they were chosen by the spirits.’ Elentia sounds rather disbelieving. From her tone, I can assume safely she is
not
a Livolism follower.

‘Then why did Leo get shot when I first met him?’ I reply. ‘I mean, if he has a shield then why didn’t it work that time?’

‘He was probably out of energy,’ Elentia says. ‘The stones are not
magic
. If you are exhausted or perhaps something overwhelming is on your mind, the stone cannot pick up a clear enough signal and is no more than a rock. They merely act according to the laws of physics. A gun will not fire on its own. The stones are no different.’

Elentia changes the image to show me a wide variety of jewellery. There are twenty items from rings, bracelets and even a tiara. Each piece has a different coloured stone.

‘When the time comes, as a Successor’s bride, you too will get an item of your own. But remember this—’ she says, pointing her clipboard pen at me, ‘those outside the Montarus family
rarely
have the strength to use an element. It is not impossible, but very rare. So do not get your hopes up that you will be able to do what Leo does. He is from sacred blood and a member of the oldest family our history can date. You are a country girl.’ I narrow my eyes. She stretched out the word “you” much longer than required. I get the point.

Elentia puts her clipboard down next to me on a chair. ‘Once you get your stone, defence will be automatic. But until then, you must learn how
not
to get hit. If you get hurt in battle, you will only be in everyone’s way. Today we are doing an introduction into the two things that will be vital as a member of the Tower.’

Elentia doesn’t explain any further, she simply asks me to follow her. We both move to the centre of the room. As instructed, I wait there. She keeps moving. From the corner Elentia wheels over a machine, covered in a black sheet. When she whips it off, a menacing looking contraption is revealed. It has a shooting end and is loaded with dark balls.

Elentia pulls a lever and the device begins to whirl. Reaching over, she places her hand on a bar and I notice she is able to rotate the end.

‘In order to stay alive you must be prepared to escape attacks at the drop of a hat.’

‘Wait…what?’ I squeak. Is…is she serious?

‘You never know when danger is right around the corner. Oh, and we prefer a practical method of education here. Therefore—’ Elentia grins, ‘— I suggest you run.’

The machine becomes louder. My eyes widen as she shifts the end towards me and rapidly small, hard covered balls start flying out. I run around the padded floor covered room with my hands on my head. I dodge a few shots, very ungracefully. The machine abruptly does a double-shot and I get smacked in the shoulder. The bodysuit is nowhere near thick enough to protect my skin from the harsh hits. I grab the sore spot and glare at Elentia.

‘Stop shooting at me! What’s wrong with you?’ I scream.

Elentia says back, ‘I am sorry. But you see, I am a Tower enemy and wish you dead. You had better think of a way to stop me before I kill you.’

She really gets into this role. It’s freaky.

I jump out of the way of another shot. I stumble over a stationary ball near me. With my one good arm, I pick it up and peg it at her. It misses. I dodge another shot and grab the rolling ball. Throwing it at Elentia is no good. She herself isn’t the problem, it’s that machine. As hard as I can, I throw the ball. It strikes the nozzle, bending it and the balls become stuck. 

Elentia appears shocked at first, but then gradually smirks. She turns off the machine and walks over to me. ‘Nicely done. A bit barbaric, but still a good effort.’

I thump down on the floor, breathing heavily. I can’t remember the last time I had that much exercise. I hadn’t even stretched, my legs are cramping already. Elentia tosses a small bottle of water at me. I take it with shaking hands, trying to get the lid off.

As I drink, she says, ‘Hurry and finish that. It is time for the next part of training.’

I cry, ‘Are you serious?’

‘I am always serious.’

Chapter twenty-one

After an extensive break, that lasts all of two minutes, Elentia continues to school me. We walk around the edge of the training room. She points out doors and explains the point of the third pillar.

‘This space is more than simply a training facility. It is also the loading and unloading dock for Tower flight boards and small flyers. Any devices that are unused get stored behind here.’ I watch Elentia move to the back wall. There is a set of metal doors. I was too distracted by her shooting at me to notice. She enters and returns holding a small flight board.

Elentia fiddles with it. ‘See those large metal doors to the left of the storage room?’ I move my head to look. Abruptly Elentia kicks my feet out from under me, knocking me to the floor.

I fall onto the mats, but I still hit hard.

‘And you are dead…again,’ she says.

‘You were talking to me, I wasn’t ready!’ I cry painfully.

Elentia keeps talking. ‘The large, metal doors I just mentioned open via a sensor above. It is the place where anyone on a board exits and enters the Tower. It is the
back door
, so to speak. A side note – if you are ever here training watch out for Sentry officers. They get rather crotchety when someone is in their flight path, especially when they are late for a meeting, which they always are.’

I pull myself up as she finishes unknotting the straps on the flight board. ‘For the duration of training, this will be yours,’ she tells me.

I stare at it with only silence in my brain. The board is so small, a metre long at most. The flat surface is only about a foot’s length wide too. On top of that, it’s worse for wear. It’s been painted over several times, a mash of green and blue paints. The foot straps don’t match and the underfoot directional pedals are old.

‘But…it’s kind of…’ I start. Elentia gazes at me sharply. I say, ‘It’s, well, this board is
really
small! I mean, compared to Leo’s. His board is amazing. It’s almost as long me and has sparkly paint all over it. Plus it must be really powerful.’

This thing is no better than my scooter! In fact, I think my old ride might be faster!

Elentia laughs at me. ‘The flight board you speak of is an Exo-D950, one of the best boards available. Leo has that device because he is an exceptional flyer. In fact, I would wager Leo is
the
best
flyer the Tower has
ever
seen. It is far too powerful for a beginner. You would be impaled into a tree the moment you put a single toe on it, of that I am certain. Now quit moaning and get strapped in.’

I bend down and put my feet into the straps. I keep looking up until Elentia moves away. I can’t be sure she isn’t going to kick me again. When I’m locked in, she returns from the grandstand with a material bag. She props down and fastens protective pads to my elbows, wrists and knees. On my head she slaps an unflattering circular helmet. Busted board, dorky safety gear… it seems about right. I mean, why would I assume I could ever do anything with a sense of style?

Elentia stands back. ‘Left foot is the accelerator, right foot is direction. The start-up button is between your feet.’ 

I reach down and push the button. Gradually the board begins to rise. I try to be careful when I hit the acceleration pedal. And yet somehow it’s still too hard. I shoot up into the air and my knees buckle from the fear of not being supported.

‘You are giving it too much,’ Elentia calls up to me. ‘Move your foot back.’

Feeling sick from the height I wobble. My heel suddenly hits too hard on the brake. I drop from the sky and smack down into the mats. They’re not padded enough and the wind is knocked out of me for a moment.

I awkwardly try and stand. But getting back up with a board strapped to your feet is not as easy as it seems. When I move, I accidentally jam my toes on the accelerator. I’m shot along the floor, on my belly, until I hit the back wall. I push off it, with a strange swimming-like action, and manage to get back up. I float into the air with my arms straight out.

Elentia walks across the mats. ‘Right foot is control, move it around to get stable.’

I press down. Quickly I spin around and around. I go upside down and finally fling back up to a normal position. Nothing she says ever helps, it feels like it’s making it worse!

I hear the doors that lead from the foyer into the training room open. Anrella walks through and smiles at me. She is wearing a blue body suit and has pink goggles strapped to her head. Her bright red hair is tied into a long straight ponytail.

Anrella quickly walks under me to the storage room. I find myself floating in mid-air, turning very slighting to the left, so I’m making a circular pattern. It’s not by choice. I’m too scared to move my toes at all from the spot they’re wedged in. Anrella comes out of the storage room and joins me in the air, her own flight board strapped to her feet. She floats up with absolute control.

‘How’s it going?’ she asks.

Panicked, still floating around to the left, I reply, ‘I-I don’t know… I’m scared.’

‘Breathe.’

I cry, ‘That’s easy for you to say, you’re so good.’

Anrella laughs. ‘I had a basic flight board before I came here. So I had a few years of practice under my belt before I started training. You’re doing better than my first lesson overall though!’

I doubt it. Obviously she missed air flipping spectacular.

I glance down at her current board. It is silver with two pink stripes down the middle. It isn’t a basic thin rectangular shape like mine. The sides of hers veer off slightly to make two curls. It’s definitely a girly board, I’d bet it’s light and easy to manoeuvre. She pulls her pink goggles down over her eyes.

‘I’m off,’ she calls to Elentia.

Elentia, in turn, raises her hand understandingly. Anrella flies down towards the metal doors. They automatically pull open, she rockets out, and they close behind her.

I hear a beeping sound coming from Elentia’s tablet. She crosses the room over to it. ‘Oh shoot,’ Elentia says quickly. She looks at me, ‘There is an urgent matter that needs my attention. That is enough for today. Lower yourself using the controls and then reach down and turn off the switch.’ She starts to make her way towards the foyer entrance.

‘You’re not going to leave me floating up here, are you?’ I ask with a fake laugh. I watch her leave and the doors shut behind her. She didn’t even glance at me once.

‘Wait! Hey! Please tell me you’re kidding…’ Silence falls over the room. ‘You’re the worst teacher ever!’ I scream. When the room remains silent, it’s clear she isn’t coming back.

It’s going to be all right.... at least that’s what I start telling myself. Surely it can’t be that hard to land a little board. I slowly begin my decline and smile. Easy does it.

I hover slightly off the ground. I reach down to the switch. But when I do, I accidently trigger the accelerator. I rocket forward and smack against one of the walls. It hurts; I think I might have reopened my head cut. I push back and float around the room, waving my arms in the air. When I finally think I’m stable, I reach down again.

For some
stupid
reason I have the bright idea that if I unclip one of my feet, I will be able to touch the ground and have an anchor. Now, one would think that if you’re going to do that, unclipping the accelerator pedal is the way to go. But like the idiot I am, I unclip the directional control foot. The accelerator now has my full body weight pressed against it. It shoots me across the floor, flips me and leaves me dangling by one foot in the middle of the room. I hover upside down, suspended with the blood rushing to my head. I struggle to reach upwards. Using my free foot, I thump the OFF button and hit the floor.

I lie there for a moment, glancing upwards at the high ceiling. Slowly I pull myself up and unclip my other foot. I slide off my helmet and sit still. I’m bruised and sore, angry and confused, and even worse, disappointed. I have always dreamed of having a flight board and zooming around the Centreland. I had this picture in my head of me being totally badass whilst doing it too. But no, it had to turn out this way. Another thing I suck at.

I sit forward, holding my tender shoulder. My head hurts and my body is spinning. My back is facing the loading doors when I hear them open. I tilt my head around to see Leo flying towards me. I turn my head away and moan.

Great, exactly what I need.

Chapter twenty-two

Leo hovers over beside me. His quality board is basically silent. He’s wearing the grey body suit he wore when I first met him. His yellow squared flying goggles are pulled up onto his blond head. He stares at me. I glare back. I’m waiting for the sarcastic comments, the rude snaps. But he doesn’t say anything. He just gazes at me with those big blue eyes of his. The tension forces anger and pain to come rushing to the surface and out my mouth.

I yell, ‘What? If you have something to say just say it! I’m not a sideshow attraction.’

Leo stands on his board with his feet facing me, the ends sticking out both sides. This is a different board to the one I remember. It’s long and fans out in the middle a little. Around the edges it’s gold, and through the centre is a lightning bolt. In the other spaces it’s clear and makes the pattern stand out even more. I can’t believe he has another fantastic board. I guess rich kids have all the best toys.