Elizabeth
I woke up in a foreign bed, confused I looked around. Then I remembered, this was the Nimo estate, a mega house meant to contain a large amount of the clansmen, while most were in nearby housing developments. Continuing to inspect the room I noticed all the fine furniture, a make up table was to my right, a wardrobe on my left. The floors were dark hardwood like the rest of the building, with a thick red carpet under the bed. This place was far more luxurious than necessary, and this was done several hundred times more through the house.
Someone knocked on my door. "Elizabeth? It's Jennifer. Jasper sent me to get you, he said that the Elder would like to talk to you and the rest of your squad. Do you need help putting in the combat suit?"
"They seem quite hard to put on, please come in." I climbed out of bed and toward the wardrobe. Jennifer came in looking the same as yesterday, her service uniform, and ponytail looked no different. "I'm surprised by how well these things stretch considering how tight they are." I held the combat suit up to look at it.
"They are made to go directly over the body with only special undergarments on underneath, while you were unconscious yesterday I was the one who dressed you." She started looking through the drawers. "Strip and put these on." She threw a wad of clothing at me. They fit skin tight but weren't restrictive. Stepping into the suit was a challenge, and I had to have Jennifer zip it up. She clasped a button on the back so a piece of material hid the zipper.
She started pulling on different areas to make sure it was right. "Jasper's lucky, you're cute." She stopped to pull at the legs of my suit. "Good to go." She stood up and left the room, motioning me to follow. She took me first to the dining hall to grab a light breakfast, Genevieve and Carter were already there suited up.
"Well we intended to train this week, this is probably the best place to do it, think of it like that." Carter was talking to Genevieve as I walked up, he nodded to acknowledge me.
"We were still kidnapped. Morning Elizabeth." Not exactly two sentences that go together...
"She makes a good point, but yeah, this is by far and above the best place for us to train." Victoria came up behind me with her plate. "Where's Jasper and Aaron?"
"They are already in the gym with the Elder, they are waiting for you." Jennifer informed us. The others looked at her unfazed.
When she left I asked them about it. "Did you guys learn about their eye system?"
"Yeah, Aaron told us. It's kinda screwed up, but if it is actually correct, then it just means the actual family is screwed up. Treating whites like that." Carter leaned back in his chair. "I wonder if they treat normal civilians the same, considering that's what they are."
"Let's hurry and finish. We need to get to the gym." I picked up my pace, munching on the toast on my plate. After we finished we made our way to the gym, and I would like to say that the scene we found surprised me, but well… it didn't. On the far end of the room large obstacles had been blown up, it looked like one of those inflatable obstacle courses, but much more difficult. Aaron and Jasper were frantically racing through it, dodging pillars, diving through holes, climbing walls and all other sorts of challenges.
We walked over to the start and found Grandpa Nimo. He looked at us, then at his watch. "They should be reaching the end about now, would you two go to the sides." He pointed to Victoria and I. I went to the side Jasper was on, he was running back to the entrance on the side, not going through obstacles. He didn't seem to notice that I was there, just ran straight past. "Winner Aaron."
"Dang it!" Jasper and Aaron were breathing heavily showing the stretch of their combat suits. "Okay the others are here, let's get started." Jasper started walking toward the large blue mats in the center. They didn't seem thick enough to completely protect you against the concrete floor in case you were slammed on them. Then again, the point was to avoid that.
"Jasper and Aaron were doing agility training, that specific type is used for our more advanced students, teaches them to run in difficult terrain. Couldn't use the forest today. You'll be doing something a little different." Grandpa moved to the center of the mat. "Arrows please." He looked toward the glass room that overlooked the gym. Large concrete pillars moved up out of the ground, we all kinda jumped, realizing that we hadn't noticed them before. What else was hidden in here?
"These machines are stocked with arrows, safety tipped of course. Keep in mind that it will still hurt if you get hit." He nodded at the room. The first arrow flew, directly in front of his face. "Worry not, for most here we have prepared a type of arrow that you can sense with more than your hearing. Carter Denson, you will be the only one who will use their ears. You are a trained meister, the others are not." Carter nodded accepting the challenge. "For the rest, well I'll let you figure it out."
He pointed to Victoria, motioning her onto the mat. She stood between the pillars, trying to focus. I heard the machine whirl up and Victoria's widened her eyes. The arrows started flying but she didn't get hit, occasionally moving her legs, leaning back and ducking, but not getting hit. Grandpa Nimo raised his hand signaling the stop. "Magic." Victoria turned to him. "That was tracking magic, do you have a witch not affected by the Pull?"
"Indeed, I doubt all of you have been taught about this yet, the Pull of Magic. This is the phenomena that causes witches to be consumed by madness, in their younger years it doesn't affect them. But once their magic manifests itself and time goes on, the Pull takes it's toll and drives them to madness. Only certain witches are not affected, specifically those with non-destructive magic. Things like tracking and healing fall into that category. Those arrows were imbued with a tracking spell, if you had been hit the caster would know your location for a number of hours. I chose them for you because of your magic sensitivity." He finished his miniature lecture then motioned Genevieve into the arena.
She looked at the pillars nervously. I heard the whirl of it starting, she dodged the first one, then the second, she made it to the fourth arrow before being hit. At that point it all went down hill, she continued being hit several more times before she was allowed to stop.
"Can you tell me what was special about those arrows?" She shook her head. "Very well, if you figure it out tell me. Elizabeth, go." He had a stern look, he must have expected Genevieve to do better.
I pushed those thoughts from my mind, focusing on the task at hand. For the third time the whirl up, as soon as the first arrow fired I knew what I was being tested with. I continued to dodge, never being hit. A frenzy of colors were all around me, green, purple, red, gold. I couldn't keep track of the kaleidoscope all around me. When it all faded I knew that I had succeeded and walked off the mat.
"Souls. Those arrows had the feeling of souls, how?" It was confusing that an arrow seemed to have a soul.
"Correct, those arrows were put in between a pair while they used Soul Resonance, the overwhelming power of it left an impression on the object. They didn't have souls, instead they had the presence of one." He nodded at me, pleased. "Carter, good luck."
Carter stepped up, bouncing on his feet. He dodged the first one that came for his chest, the second that went for his head but the third hit his left leg. He winced in pain, giving a look of determination to not get hit again, dodging left and right, each arrow barely missing. The arrows died down, he raised his arms thinking that it was over. The last arrow fired, hitting just above his ankle, knocking him the floor. "Damn it!"
"Close, you all did as I expected. Not hoped, but expected. If Elizabeth or Victoria had failed I would have been deeply concerned, but you two." Grandpa looked at Genevieve and Carter. "Carter, you need just a little more training. Genevieve, you need to be able to sense what was on those arrows, I'm surprised you didn't, honestly. If you can do that you'll make fine additions to this squad and will round out all the talents to be truly powerful team."
"Yes sir." They nodded.
"Right. Now to train your bodies instead of reflexes. Jasper I assume that you will want Jennifer to help you come up with your plans?" He raised a questioning eye brow.
"Please send her." Jasper nodded in agreement. Grandpa Nimo gave us one last glance and started walking out of the gym. After he left Jasper addressed us. "Jennifer is the white in charge of the gym, she handles all things combat suits and she makes training regimens for me on request. I did my best for you guys back in Death City, but she'll be a lot more specific. She'll be here shortly, in the mean time we should probably call Kelsey."
We all blanked, we had completely forgot about her. I started patting down my suit vainly hoping my phone was in it, no luck. I looked to Jasper who held up his own. "Thanks." I grabbed it dialing her number. After a few rings she picked up, breathing heavily.
"Hello?"
"Hey Kelsey, uh, sorry I called to tell you we kinda got taken to the Nimo estate." I tried to make it sound as normal as possible.
"Oh, so that's where you were. The dorm keeper called and said you guys didn't come back last night, I thought you were at Jasper's. I'll call and tell her. And what do you mean estate, is it that big?"
"Yes. What are you doing?" I kept hearing loud noises and yelling
"I'm in the gym, I can walk again but I need a cane. It'll take me a good amount of time to rebuild my strength to the point I can fight. I assume you all training over there? Good luck with that." She went quiet for a second. "I got to go, need some more sleep for the day begins, also why are you guys training 5 AM?"
I pulled back the phone looking at the clock on the phone. 9:00 AM. "Jasper where are we that there is a four hour difference between here and Death City?"
"Did we not mention, we're in Maine."
"How do you forget to mention that we were brought across the god damn country?!"
"Seems like your all having fun, see you when you get back." Kelsey hung up the phone.
"We're in Maine?" Genevieve looked to Jasper. "Where exactly?"
"No idea, I don't even know the towns nearby. Only one way in or out of the estate, being the drivers. You have to sit in a heavily tinted car and wait till they drop you off, rarely in the same town as last time. From there you can move however you want, but only the drivers know how to get here, the Nimo are paranoid about being attacked." He looked looked over to the door. "Jennifer is here."
"So it seems I need to put you all into top shape. Jasper can you show me there scores?" Instead of her maid uniform, she too was wearing a combat suit.
"I don't have them on hand, sorry."
"Is it that big a deal?" Victoria questioned.
"Oh dear, he wasn't apologizing to me. If we don't have your scores we have to redo the test." Victoria was the only one not overcome with a sense of dread. We all knew what we were about to have to do.
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With the second round of Nimo branded testing done, we once again were sprawled on the floor, trying to breath. Victoria realized now why we reacted how we did. "That… was rid… iculous." She choked out. Jennifer scowled at her clip board.
"No good, you guys are horribly below average. Well Carter's not but I expect that out of him." She looked down at us. "You girls need to shape up." She turned to Jasper and Aaron. "You two! You let yourselves go! These scores are far below what I expect out of you! Ten more laps! NOW!" She said that despite them being the only two still standing. Turning back to us she started writing things again, tearing off slips and handing them to us. I looked at mine, it seemed to be a list of exercises, most of which I had never even heard of.
"Damn it! Wall sits!" Carter stood up and went to a wall, pushing his back against it and lowering himself so he looked like he was sitting on a stool, but nothing was there. Who came up with that?
"Well get to work, keep in mind you won't have any exercising tomorrow to let your bodies rest, but you also won't want to move." She smiled her good wishes, then walked out of the gym. With a huff I got off the floor and asked Carter what I was supposed to be doing. Once I had learned what strange forms of torture I was to do I got started.
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"Apparently everyone asked to be served in there rooms once they found out about that option." Jasper had come to my room for dinner because he was the only one who came to the dining hall. "I suppose you guys won't be up to doing much." He looked over to me. "Except eating." I was sitting in my striped pajamas cramming food in my mouth, that "exercising", I liked to call self inflicted torture, took a lot out of me.
"Anyway, what's up? We haven't really talked about whats happened. Or the Nimo, I still want to know whats up with all them." I made gestures with my bread before taking another bite. "You were really angry about us being brought here, then when you fought Quentin it just stopped, he wasn't the only one responsible so why not go on a rampage?"
"Not dying is nice, I may be strong, but all the Nimo? I wouldn't stand a chance. Just taking out the guy who started it was enough. With the Nimo there isn't really a lot of general information."
"Give me some detailed information then. Like what standing does the squad have in the clan, specifically Victoria and I?"
"You two are considered the same rank as Aaron and I. So extremely high, I inherited my position for being the Omni weapon, and my parents were already high ranking. Aaron's father is the second child of Grandpa Nimo, and as such lower ranked than my father, but Aaron worked his way up. Most people don't get to rise in rank this early, but he is an exceptionally talented fighter and weapon."
"So basically I'm on par with you in the ranking system."
"Well no, you are by all rights ahead of me, a meister is always greater than their weapon. No exceptions. Eventually they'll look to you to become the head of the clan, but I never planned on letting that happen." I choked on my food, taking a drink I looked at him.
"Wait what?! Why would they want me to head the clan?"
"Because, all Omni weapons become clan heads, except I have a meister so they will want you. Of course that's for formalities sake, I'll be asked to make decisions. They wouldn't trust an outsider."
"Well okay then, as long as nothing is expected of me I guess I don't have to worry for now. What even is your number rank?"
He leaned back in his chair, plate cleaned awhile a go. "Two, second only to the Elder." The information sunk in. It meant so much, we were more considered more important than almost all others in the clan. "Moving on, the curse. There are a few things that not even I know, the elder has a book, it has all the information on the Omni weapons curse. I told you all I can, but it seems like there is more. Anything else?"
"Uh, what about the challenge system? How does that work?" he got up and went over to the wardrobe pulling out my suit. Reaching to the back he found the small compartment on the lower back with my iron rod. The compartment was a small cylinder of plastic that had a cap on either side, once the cap was undone you could see the edge of the rod allowing you to pull it out. Grabbing mine he came forward and showed it to me.
"See here?" he pointed to some engraved letters, rolling it I could see them all. Elizabeth Ekler, my name. "Every one of these has the owner's name inscribed on it, it is considered your most valuable possession within the clan. If you steal one it is a death sentence, no one is exempt. These hold everything you have toward the clan." he flipped it so I could see one end, a small pattern was etched into it. "This tells what clearance level you have, this one is master level. The only one above that is Elder, bet you'll have a hard time guessing who has that one. If you ever need in anywhere or need anything, show a Nimo this and your in." He handed it to me. I started looking at it all over to try and see anything else, like maybe my social security number.
"Whenever you intend to challenge someone to a duel, for whatever reason, throw that at their feet. Keep in mind, a duel doesn't end until both parties agree, bar death. If your opponent were to kill you they are imprisoned for a very long time, for killing you specifically they would be executed on the spot." Like he was with all Nimo matters, flat.
"Nice to know that if I die they die too." I rolled my eyes. "Any other death penalty worthy offenses I should know about?" I flopped back onto my bed.
He pondered it for a second. "No not really." It scared me he had to think about it. "Anyway, should we go do something, instead of sitting in bed and do nothing?"
"But the bed is so comfortable." I started waving my arms around, enjoying the fluff.
"And I was going to show you the attic too." He looked at the door, a smile on his face.
"Can it actually be called an attic? I bet it is bigger than most people's houses." I rolled to get maximum fluff enjoyment.
"Its also my room, if you don't want to join us that's fine, but I'm inviting the others. Carter will want to see it at least." He was trying to bait me out. Pushing myself off the bed was an effort, but I did it. I smiled at him, showing that I was going.
"Get out I need some real clothes."
"I'll text the others."
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"You know, when your house has an elevator, and its justified, you have a problem." We stepped into the elevator, I hit the button for the fourth floor.
"Well the main Nimo Estate is basically a hotel, its used by Whites for living, and all guests. We haven't run into them but the Nimo are currently entertaining several nobles and a princess, from different countries. Only the main family actually lives here, so basically, me, Aaron, Grandpa and our parents."
"The only reason its so big is to impress people and so that, if need be, the entire clan and them some could be housed here." Aaron was staring at the ceiling. "Our family is horribly impractical and all too fond of their name."
"So what about those guys from earlier, the ones that were messing with you?" Elizabeth looked to Jennifer.
"They were from branch families, they are allowed to be on the grounds, and many of the youths spend there time here before and after their training sessions. Those particular ones had just finished when Jasper came in and asked them for a match." She leaned in closer to Elizabeth, but was still audible. "He likes to prove his dominance, male thing."
"That has got to be the worst description of Jasper possible." Carter was smiling.
"Ha! Try to cop a feel on Elizabeth some time and see how fast he breaks your wrist." She wasn't joking and Carter looked to me questioningly. I just shrugged.
"You still have such a foul mouth." Aaron looked down to her. "Please don't encourage 'coping a feel' as you call it."
"Oh, Aaron, how could I say something so crude around you?" She was over dramatizing her gestures and voice. "My dear pure younger cousin!" He narrowed his eyes. They always did clash on the matter of formality, or at least within recent years.
"Come on! Don't tease the boy! He's lost in the world no one to guide him!" Victoria joined Jennifer in the teasing, earning a glare as well. The rest of us were fine to sit back and let it unfold, or we would have, but the doors opened into the fourth floor, identical to the other three below it.
"To the stairs." I started walking down hallway, the familiar soft patting sound of the carpet being the only noise. "Why does this sound make people go quiet? It's just like a hotel."
"That's a good point, I know full well that this isn't, but the sound makes me think it is." Genevieve was staring at the carpet, seemingly trying to unravel its secrets.
"We were raised here and we do it to." Jennifer said. "The Nimo house does have that official and unfamiliar air to it."
"Here we go." I turned toward the last door of the hallway, unlike the solid and polished wood of the other rooms this one was rough, well used and meant to last. It was my door. Opening it I started climbing the old wooden stairs, the atmosphere instantly different from the rest of the house. The narrowness made us go single file, at the top we came into my "attic". The room was extremely large for an attic, and was actually only one of four that were all sectioned off. This particular one was on the top left of the house and had been converted to my room when I requested an out of the way location. On the left the eve of the house sloped downward, at the end only leaving enough space for the small windows. The right side had most of my stuff, save some book shelves.
Multiple different game consoles and their TV's were set against the wall, they were everything I could get my hands on, Genesis SNES and everything else. But that's not where the technological beauty lie, moving toward the back windows I tapped away on my computer firing it up. I put my all into building this PC but after a few years its age was starting to show. My two monitors flicked on, showing the camera that was in the stairs.
Carter was looking around at all the miscellaneous consoles, then got a confused look. "Where's your bed?"
"Oh god Carter never bring up the beds." Jennifer put her head in her hands. Smiling I pointed up. I walked toward the left wall, grabbing the ladder that was hanging on its hooks. Setting it against the boards that came from the ceiling, grabbing the other three ladders and setting them up took some time, but it was worth it. I motioned Carter up, he looked skeptical but started climbing.
He started looking around once he got to the top. "But why? Isn't horribly inconvenient? Why are there four beds?"
"Thank you!" Aaron and Jennifer had never approved of my attic, but I didn't care, it was fun and that's what mattered.
"I would be lying if I said that it was never a challenge to climb up while I was dead tired, but the rest of the time its great fun." Carter stepped back on to solid ground. "I have four, uh… because?" Ten year old me wanted four, maybe he didn't think it through but he wanted them. "Anyway, let us find ways to pass time until we pass out." And with that we started looking around for things to do.
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I turned toward the clock, 10 PM. The others were passed out on blankets around the room, Only Jennifer, Aaron and I were still awake, continuing to play the shooter on the screen.
"I figured they would hit the deck earlier than this." Jennifer put another bullet into a bot while continuing to speak. "Should we drag them back down to their rooms?"
"They'll be fine, I don't feel like carrying them back." Aaron was beginning to sound tired. "We should actually get some sleep as well. Don't you plan to go to town?"
"Yeah, Genevieve's from the area and I think I know her Mom. Her last name isn't a coicidence. Marl." That got them to stop playing.
"Marl as in that Marl?" Jennifer was wide eyed. "That could mean… dear god."
"It's dangerous more than anything, we need to meet with her. Are you planning on talking to Genevieve about it?" Aaron glanced over at our sleeping squad.
"Yeah. I'll talk to her ear-"
"That is unnecessary." Genevieve sat up. "I'll let you meet with her. There's nothing to learn, but I doubt you trust that." Her tone was bitter, she was used to this, but still hated it.
"I'm not saying I don't trust you, but I think it has something to do with your arrow test. Your mother might hold the answer to it, she may know something you don't." I really didn't want to alienate her. "You said she didn't want you at DWMA, so why would she tell you about one of your talents?" She nodded agreeing. Standing she started walking toward the door.
"I need some sleep, and the floor doesn't feel all that great. Good night."