Since building up a new communications network worldwide, getting transport around the globe was becoming easier. Still treacherous, but they had started mapping safe routes from one country to another by land and air. Outposts and transit hubs were established at key locations to make travel easier. Within a day, they could travel from the UK to China with one single helicopter flight. From the United States, there was an additional road trip, which only took a couple of hours depending on your location.
For the first time in years, Shaw could see the end result of General Sherman’s crusade. The mutations were still being treated like a threat, but they were an afterthought. Civilisation was slowly reasserting itself now they are all talking to each other. That’s what war does, she sighed.
She finished her flight to the transit hub in southern region of Asia. She transitioned to a jeep, where she drove across the designated route to an outpost set up on the outskirts of what used to be Hong Kong. The landscape was horrifically deformed here. Mutations were known to roam like rats everywhere. There were even stories of behemoths bigger than Tankers lurking in these plains. It was believed the monster giants like the leviathan and Dust Worms originated from here. Shaw didn’t want to think of anything bigger than a Leviathan waiting out there in the valley every survivor wanted to avoid.
She collected the supplies she requested and packed back into the jeep. When asked where she was going by the sergeant, she was coy with her answer. “I’ll stay in radio contact. I won’t be long” she promised, driving on alone. She didn’t want to tell there where she was heading. They’d try and talk her out of it.
Even she was hesitant to drive up to Silicon Valley. Thought there was little left of it after the Event six years ago.
She drove over the uneven roads, climbing a tall mountain that somehow survived the Event while the rest of the landscape twisted around it. She looked up at the wooden gateways marking her path forward. Japan had similar structures, twin thick beans supporting a roof standing in the open. Built to last she chuckled, recalling they could withstand a nuclear blast too. She followed them up the mountain to a small building stationed at the top, overlooking the land beneath. It was quaint and tiny, a temple from an age before the modern world. China was always very precious about their history and traditions. This was an old building, but it had been maintained for centuries. Even now, it looked almost like new.
The path ended at a small gate set into a fence enclosing the property. She brought her jeep to a stop and climbed out, bringing a cooler with her holding it by the handle. She left her rifle in the vehicle, the pistol holster on her hip. She wouldn’t need them here. She walked through the gate and brushed her hand across the wind chimes hanging overhead in a dead tree. They sang delicately, announcing her arrival.
Nobody came to greet her when she approached the structure, which stood stoically atop the mountain like a sentry. She scanned the yellow grass, crunching under her feet when she stepped on it, following the broken path to the front door. She examined the courtyard, a well situated nearby with a pail resting on the stone. A motorcycle sat under a tarp by the building, smudged with dirt indicating it hadn’t been used in months. Shaw walked forward and followed the fence until it fell away to a cliff overlooking the valley. She didn’t stare long at the devastation looming in that direction. She couldn’t understand why anyone would choose to live here.
She heard noises coming from around the side of the building, stepping off the path to see a circle of training dummies made of wood and straw set up in a clearing marked by stones. A small figure was weaving around the centre of them, twirling in circles swinging a short sword that swiped and cut the dummies with speed and precision. Shaw watched in amazement as the young teenager pivoted on one foot to cut the leg off one of the dummies before sidestepping to bring her sword in to block an imaginary blow, her red hair falling behind her shoulders gracefully. She was wearing a red and yellow uniform that seemed to be straight out of the history books, robes that covered her legs and fell to her elbows, a belt tied around her slim waist. she traced a line with the toe of her shoe before lunging, barking with each cut to convey the power behind them before spinning in a pirouette, dried leaves levitating off the ground as the wind circled with her, her skin glowing yellow for the briefest of moments before she stopped and twirled the hilt of her weapon to impale a dummy in the side. Then she was snapping back into position, her arms in front, facing her next opponent. Shaw smiled. It was good to see the girl’s training was going well.
She turned back to the temple, which remained silent while she waited outside. She climbed the steps and approached the door, pausing outside wondering if the other occupant was aware she was here. She held a breath before rapping her knuckles on the wooden frame, waiting for a minute but hearing nothing from inside.
“He won’t see you” Scarlett told her, drawing her attention to the red haired teenager now standing at the edge of the training circle with her sword pointed down. “He won’t see anyone” she explained plainly.
Shaw shared her downcast expression, expecting as much. She stepped away from the building and held up the cooler. “I brought you some more supplies. Should last you two the month” she said.
Scarlett’s eyes lit up and she jogged over to accept it, sheathing her sword and hooking it back onto her hip. She opened the box and examined the contents. “Awesome. You even found those cereal bars I liked” she beamed.
“We got lucky. A superstore in Spain was still packed. Had to fight through a few hordes to get them, however” Shaw explained, sitting on the front step with the girl sharing the story.
Scarlett sat beside her, listening attentively and asking lots of questions. She was always eager to hear what everyone was doing out there in the world. Shaw loved being able to tell her, and hearing how her training was going. “It’s been great. We found an old scroll with these old fighting techniques and stances. I’ve been practising every chance I get. There was also this book we found on ballet, which Shade insisted I try learning too. I thought it was stupid at first.”
“I bet you changed your mind when those spins I saw earlier got easier” Shaw smirked.
She laughed, blushing a little. “Don’t tell anyone, but I’ve started to enjoy dancing more than fighting.”
“That’s nothing to be ashamed off” she told her, proud at how much she had grown up.
She was still fourteen, but approaching fifteen quickly. And she’d found her growth spurt which added a few inches to her height. She was still small, but certainly no longer a child. And she looked taller, her confidence making her radiate without her magic.
Shaw took a moment to appreciate the tranquillity of where they were. However the presence of the valley behind them loomed over her shoulder, unsettling the young woman. Scarlett followed her uneasy gaze and looked at the valley the mountain was overlooking. “It becomes quite peaceful after a while” she told her, not bothered by the nature of its existence any longer. “Gets lonely up here though” she confessed quietly.
Shaw looked at her. She missed her too, putting an arm around her shoulders. “You know you two are welcome to come visit whenever you want” she told her.
The girl nodded. “Are they still mad?” she asked.
Shaw sighed, shaking her head. “It was never you they were mad at. What happened back then…it hit everyone hard.”
Scarlett’s eyes welled up and she pulled her knees up. “I miss Gavin” she whispered.
“We all do” she nodded. She saw the look in the girl’s eyes and squeezed her arm. “What happened was not your fault.”
“He told me what they were trying to do. If I hadn’t panicked…”
“It was an accident. Everything got out of hand.” she cast a look over her shoulder to the temple. “Is he still blaming himself for what happened?” she asked.
Scarlett nodded.
Shaw looked down the mountain, pointing down the path. “We’ve set up an outpost a few miles down that way. If you’d like, I could take you with me and we can speak to the others over the radio. They’ve love to hear from you.”
Scarlett perked up a little, considering it. But then she pressed her lips together and glanced over her shoulder. “Not without him” she said.
“I wouldn’t let anything happen to you” Shaw promised.
“I know. And I can take care of myself. It’s just…I worry about him” she said. “And I can’t explain why, but I feel like I have to be here.”
Shaw nodded, understanding perfectly. She was feeling the same about Clark. “As long as you have each other” she said, rubbing her shoulder. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a radio, passing it to her. “If you ever need anything, this will call the base down there. Call them and they will call me. Okay?”
“Thank you” she said, holding the walkie-talkie. She stood up with Shaw and gave her a big hug. “Are the mages still coming for us?” she asked.
She sighed. “We think so. But we’re going to make sure they know we don’t want any trouble.”
“Why can’t they just leave us alone?” Scarlett asked.
Shaw shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe they think they’re doing the right thing.” she turned away to look one last time and the front door that didn’t open. “As long as you’re both safe here, that’s what’s important. Remember, if you need anything…”
“I know” she nodded. She gave her another hug and walked her back to the jeep, watching her drive away.
Shaw watched the temple shrink in her rear-view mirror. She was glad to see they were doing well. But she was disappointed she didn’t see Shade. She would’ve liked the opportunity to talk to him.
***
Scarlett waited by the gate until the jeep was out of sight. She was always sad when Shaw left. She wanted her to stay, or to go with her. But she couldn’t leave Shade. She couldn’t explain it, but she needed to be with him.
The topic didn’t come up in their conversation, but it was always there. After Shaw tracked them down months ago, she would visit once a week. She would try and convince them to come back, to talk to Clark. But Shade didn’t want to see anyone. And if she was being honest, Clark scared the girl now. He had changed since Gavin died. She didn’t like who he was now, or how he looked at them.
She turned around and returned to the temple, picking up the cooler on her way and pushing the sliding door open. She stepped inside and closed the door, kicking off her shoes and placing them by the door. She holstered her sword on the rack alongside Shade’s treating it with the care it deserved. She walked barefoot across the clean floor, recalling the hours they spent sweeping up the place when they found it. She had wanted to use magic, but Shade insisted they do it by hand. It took days, but she felt a sense of accomplishment now when she looked at the tidy rooms and the polished carpeted floor. You wouldn’t think the world ended in here.
She crossed the room to the dining table, placing the cooler on the oak wood. She looked across to the open floor of the main chamber, where Shade sat facing the opposite wall. It was wearing a dark blue and black variant of the robes she was wearing. There were piles of them tucked away when they got here. And when they were washed in the well outside, they proved to be very comfortable to wear. They had a spare set of clothes sitting in the cupboard in their room, waiting for when they ventured out into the wasteland again. Their weapons sat by the door. Everything had its place. They had a bath and had started a small garden around the back (yet to grow anything). It had become home for the last five months. “Shaw brought us some supplies” she told him.
“I heard” Shade replied without turning around.
Scarlett watched him as he remained seated, meditating. He seemed to meditate all the time now. She wished she knew what he was thinking about. “It was practicing my form outside. I think I’ve mastered the moves you showed me” she boasted while unpacking the cooler.
“Is that right?” he asked. “Show me.”
She paused, holding a warm packet of food. “But I thought we were going to eat? I’m hungry” she said.
“After. Now show me” he said.
She huffed, putting the food down and stepping into the main hall. She crossed the room and retrieved her wooden training sword, giving it a few test swings before taking up position in the centre. Shade remained on the carpet, his long dark hair falling down to his shoulders. He didn’t turn around or make any move to observe as Scarlett bowed like she was taught and took up her stance.
She began going through the moves, performing the sequence like the scroll demonstrated. She moved back and forth, from side to side, her weapon thrusting and blocking in a practised and precise motion. She placed her feet in the correct places, twisting her hips from side to side, her eyes following her weapon.
Yet she could see out the corner of them Shade never looked up. “You’re not watching” she complained, interrupting her routine.
“Maybe not with my eyes. But I am watching” he assured her.
She huffed, rolling hers. “You can’t see if you’re not using your eyes” she said in a snarky voice, frustrated that he wasn’t paying attention. She waited for him to turn around, then huffed when he didn’t. She continued where she left off, moving with much less care or enthusiasm. “You’re supposed to be training me” she whined, pivoting away from him. “But instead you’re sitting over there staring at a wall. How is that meant to help me…?”
She blinked when her movement turned her back to discover Shade had disappeared. She froze in fear, her eyes darting around searching for him. She walked forward, turning in a circle. “Shade” she squeaked.
Something made of wood slapped her shoulder, causing her to yelp when it hurt. She whirled around, finding nothing there. But then she spun back and gasped as shade stood with his back to her, his hands behind his back holding his training sword in his hands. “Mages like us don’t need our eyes to be able to see” he reminded her calmly. “Now, show me” he repeated.
She stared at him for a moment before returning to her starting position. She kept her eye on him while she began her routine from the start.
He stood motionless, staring the opposite way. “You find my presence distracting?” he asked, as if he had eyes in the back of his head.
She huffed. “You’re still not watching” she said.
“And you’re too busy watching me. You’re not paying enough attention to what you should be doing.”
She groaned, turning her eyes away so she could focus on her routine. She thrust, sidestepped, blocked, parried, pivoted around…and he was gone again. “Okay, that’s not funny” she said.
“It’s not meant to be” he told her, his voice bouncing around the room. She turned in a circle, but she couldn’t see him. “You’re getting distracted again” he remarked before rapping her hip with his sword. She yelped and spun around, but he wasn’t there. “This form you claim to have master is a test in spatial-awareness” he told her. “The ability to know where each of your opponents are in the midst of battle. While you’re focused on one enemy, the others…” he wrapped his sword against her elbow again… “Will flank you and exploit your blind spots. You must learn to defend yourself.”
She spun in a circle as Shade continued to evade her sight. “How am I supposed to defend myself against something I can’t see?” she complained.
“You don’t need your eyes to see” he told her, his voice coming from directly behind her this time. She stiffened, but refused to turn around in case it was a trick. “You’re a mage Scarlett. Use your other five senses. Show me you understand the purpose of this form.”
She nodded, closing her eyes and concentrating. She started again, performing the routine. This time she kept her eyes closed, using her other senses, using her magic. She felt him this time, sensing his presence circling her, watching her. She swung her sword and opened her eyes, turning to peek out the corner of her eye, she saw him standing there, looking away. She pivoted again, not surprised when he vanished. So on her next twirl, she feinted to the left and thrust right. Her sword connected to empty air. Then another sword swatted her wrist, making her drop her weapon before a leg swept under her and tripped her over. She fell onto her butt with a thud, groaning in frustration before looking up to see Shade standing over her again. “You cheated” she whined.
“Not every duel is going to be an honourable one” he admitted, his long hair falling over one side of his face. He held out his hand for her. “But in this instance, I didn’t cheat. You just wasn’t paying attention.” She grumbled and took his hand, lifting herself to her feet. “Still not satisfied with the level of training I’m giving you?” he asked.
She looked down ashamed, mumbling an apology under her breath.
He held his weapon behind his back before listening to their stomachs growl. “Go on and set the table” he said, dismissing his student.
She walked back to the dining table, setting up their diner while he put their training swords away. He joined her at the table and they sat together on the cushions, opening up the warm meal Shaw prepared in advance. “She also gave me this” Scarlett told him, bringing out the walkie-talkie and putting it between them.
He glanced at it before picking it up. “Did she say anything else?” he asked.
“Only that if we need anything, to give her a call” she replied.
“She didn’t say anything about the others?”
She looked up at him uncomfortably. “She said they’re not mad at us” she told him.
His expression became glum, putting the radio down. He sighed and resumed eating. “She still wants me to talk to Clark” he guessed. She nodded, getting the same vibe. “He knows where we are if he wants to talk to us” he said.
“Why don’t you want to talk to anyone else?” Scarlett asked him.
He fell silent, his face taking on a look of shame. “I can’t face anyone else. Not now” he whispered.
They ate in silence for a long moment, the loneliness lingering with them. So to lighten the mood, something she learnt from him, Scarlett used her magic to catapult a pea from her plate into Shade’s face. He looked at her across the table, where she tried to look innocent. Moments later a ball of mashed potato sprang from her plate and hit her on the nose. She blinked in shock, staring at him until they both broke into laughter. “Let’s not start a food fight” he suggested.
“Okay” she said, wiping her nose. But that didn’t stop her retaliating with a dollop of sauce smacking Shade in the face, much to his disapproval.
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