The Scarlet Tower

One day till move

I decided that Cassandra should go out together. We were leaving tomorrow, and I had to figure out how to make sure that she didn’t come with but didn’t want to hurt her. We were in a town a bit far away from our house. I didn’t want Hunter finding us and Cassandra being able to see too much, I had kept her away from all werewolves just in case. Mind readers were all way too sympathetic to those monsters and got more of us killed. As we walked, I saw something. More like someone that made my blood run cold. He had messy hair and dark bags under his eyes. His clothes made him look homeless, since it was worn down miss matched and filled with holes. His eyes contained eons of knowledge; he was rubbing his head. He had a notebook and a pen behind his ear. There was writing on his arms. He turned and met my gaze his eyes were filmed over as all prophets were. He knew who I was and what I would do, and that scared me the most. I didn’t want to hear how I was going to ruin these girls’ lives. How I would get them all killed for a cause that wasn’t originally mine. I couldn’t hear that. Cassandra had noticed him as well her eyes went wide and I grabbed her arm dragging her away. She looked at me confused.

“His mind is so…” She trailed off looking longingly back around the corner to where the prophet was. I had heard that a prophet mind was insane filled with all the possibilities of what could be or what will be. So many options, I would hate that, so many different memories that are not yours. I already had enough problems with my mind I didn’t need anything added to it.

“He is a prophet they are very dangerous stay away from them.” I say pulling her into the car and driving home. That was too close prophets are dangerous because they know too much and having Cassandra around him would undermine everything that we have worked for.

I didn’t know much about prophets, they could be male or female. Unlike how for us we were all females, at least I don’t remember ever meeting a male that was of our kind. Besides there are so few of us now it didn’t matter we were a dying race.

As long as that prophet didn’t interfere, and Cassandra didn’t read too much everything would be okay. We just had to get to the tower.

When we got home, I decided it was going to be a training day. I needed to feel like I was preparing them enough. Like they weren’t just fodder in a war.

Once a month we would go out to train in the woods we would all fight against each other once without powers and once with powers. I know I was supposed to do this every week, but they got so hurt every time. I couldn’t stomach it, so we only did it once a month. Even though I know it will just harm them more once we get there. But part of me feels that they will all die no matter how much we train. I shake my head to get rid of the morbid thoughts. I must have faith.

We had to go outside since the basement wasn’t big enough for this. This was like a simulation of what we were training for. To kill all of those wolves before they kill us. The girls now knew that was what it was all going to lead up to. The area was checked and found to be empty. A perimeter was set up so no one would wander in by accident.

Then we started we had to first fight with our powers since with powers it would be more dangerous and then everyone would be too tired to fight again. But we would fight a second time, without powers everyone knew the stakes. I had everyone stretch out.

“You have thirty minutes, like normal last one standing wins. Begin.” at the conclusion of my words pandemonium broke out instantly they were all on each other. Normally when we trained like this the winner didn’t have to do dishes for a month. A good prize everyone felt.

Cassandra held her own since she could sense what they were thinking about doing next, but her lack of experience emit she was out fast. The only rules were not to kill each other and once a bone is broken you are out. Cassandra got out by her leg being broken. I watched trying not to think about how if this was real how they would be torn to shreds. Cassandra sat at the bottom of the tree I was in watching. I didn’t participate one because I didn’t need to train with them since none of them were near my level it wouldn’t help me. Also, I can way to easily kill them, my powers can never be used in a friendly fight.

Cassandra was watching me, not the fight. She looked very concerned for me, no idea why. I knew I needed to find a way to send her away. I would hate to have to kill her myself, I knew I wouldn’t be able to. I was too soft. I needed to get back to the tower.

Odelia was the last one standing for this one which was usual she was highly powerful. A good asset. I don’t think she had done dishes since she showed up. Her water power’s were dangerous once she learned she could make the water hot. All of the girls except Medusa and Cassandra had nasty water burns.

“Thirty minutes get healed and refreshed and then you go again.” I say Gina our resident doctor was busy for the next few minutes healing everyone’s broken bones. The more difficult one was on Medusa. Her arm bone was sticking out of her skin which looked absolutely horrifying. However, Medusa was very good at mental things, so I had showed her a handy little trick. I taught her how to ignore pain. It was a long time ago I taught her that. Feels like a lifetime.