Chapter 6: Training in Darkness

Going into the vulture infested city was far worse than staring down on it. They glared at you with such distrust it was as if they were staring at your soul. Behind Ebony was Jet, then myself and Storm. Climbing up a set of stairs Ebony reached the top and spun around with wings spread wide apart.

"It's so good to be home!" she declared to everyone.

They cheered her on as she made a speech about her homecoming.

"Been about 15 years since I've seen you all, and with good reason. I'm sure you've all heard about the destruction of Babylon and the Wind City at the hands of the natives and Thunder Hawk. Well I didn't leave empty-handed."

She motioned to Jet who was still sour as a grape. He stepped forward with his head down.

"This is the fruit of Thunder Hawk's loin and the future Wind Master. I give you Jet Hawk!"

Again they showed their praise. Jet wasn't thrilled about any of the applause.

"May he and his comrades grace us with better days to come! All shall welcome these warriors with open arms and if I hear of any trouble involving these three that individual will have to answer to me. Now disperse!"

Just as they left Jet rushed up to Ebony in confused anger.

"What gives you old hag? You act as if you knew this would happen!"

She shoved him off. "Your right I did know what would happen to your father. The way he went about trying to find the Treasure was just plain stupid, so I had all of this planned from the day you were born. Only your mother knew what I wanted to do that's why she didn't bother to come with us. She didn't want to live with the guilt of your father's death. And I told you, here I am the Master."

Bitterly Jet stormed off aimlessly with Storm following him. I decided to pry into the vulture's head. "Why are you the 'Master' of this city and not the Queen or Empress?"

She hesitated then started to speak. "My husband died a long time ago; before you were even conceived. We used to live with the other avians before they turned on us and our way of life. Soon we were all run out into this desert half-starved and thirsty for anything. It was my husband who discovered this place, though scary as it may look. And he was the only one who wanted revenge. So you figure it out."

"I don't have to, but you still didn't answer my question."

"…Child if those you rule over don't fear you then they won't follow you for very long; it's a proven fact. Now if you don't mind I'd like to get acquainted with my bed."

Creaking doors opened automatically as she entered the vast castle. Left alone I wandered around the city to be the judge of my new home.

Despite the fact that they were living in a third-world hellhole, the vultures acted as if they hadn't a care in the world. Hatchlings ran around in the sand on bare talons and the adults had smiles on their faces. Yet this wasn't a place for me. I couldn't serve these vultures since they didn't have any kind of advanced technology. Storm wouldn't be of any use either; I didn't even know what he was good at other than destroying things with his hands. And speaking of that…

"Okay Storm just punch it," Yelled Jet. A crash came from the far end of the city.

"Gosh, what are they up to?" I hurried over to the scene where those two idiots were causing a whole lot of commotion. As I thought they were trying to break out by any means. "Would you guys knock it off?"

"Why don't you give us a hand? Storm isn't strong enough to bust this wall."

"Are you crazy! If you tear down the wall the whole city could collapse! And I don't get why you guys aren't trying to escape on the ship."

"Ebony put some kind of barrier around it and now we can't get our boards or nothing!" Storm put out his hands while Jet stepped into them.

"Well this isn't going to work so…hey listen to me!" Amazing how dumb those two could be. Storm tried to catapult Jet over the wall but that obviously backfired. Just because we were birds doesn't mean we could fly. At least they couldn't…heh heh…

"I want to go home!" wailed Storm in a fit.

"Come on guys, if we want to get out of here then we have no choice but to follow Ebony. I mean, it's not like we're going to stay here our entire lives."

Shuffling footsteps came from behind us and I thought we were going to get in trouble with Ebony. However it wasn't her, but a really buff vulture with a bunch of markings across his face.

"You must come with me Master Jet. Training hours are now." His speech was very limited.

"Uh, though I like that you called me 'Master', it's like midnight or something and last time I checked you can't train in the dark."

"But hours are perfect. In this city we train at time most challenging."

"I hadn't noticed," Jet responded sarcastically, "and what about my friends? There gonna sit on the sidelines while I work!"

The vulture lowered his head down as if he were thinking heavily. I could tell he was confused. "I can fly a little. Something my ancestors gave to us I guess but not for a long time. And I can fix or build anything you want."

He perked up and I felt a connection at last. "Storm?"

The albatross was fidgeting with his fingers until he finally spoke. "I break stuff with my hands…"

"Yes! Yes! All those things good for training! You train with Master Jet as well!" he gave us all a huge hug which was literally suffocating and then dropped us. "I'll be over there. You come as soon as you're ready."

As he ran off Jet started to snicker. "Ya know this might not be so bad."

"Oh, please Jet. You only say that because you have a few misguided aves calling you Master. Don't expect the same treatment from us."

"Of course I wouldn't expect it from a girl who doesn't know her place. But my best pal Storm-"

"I'm not calling you Master! I'm 3 years older than you!" Storm interrupted.

Jet growled like some rabid dog then turned his back toward us. "Whatever. Point is next to Ebony I rule around here so I'd at least like some respect. Let's get this over with."

So Jet's taking this new life in too fast. I'm sure that eventually he'll become the Wind Master and a good leader, though he has a lot of work to do.

Note: Actual training is in the next chapter. Was going to include it in this one but it was going to be way too long and I know tedious it can be to read long chapters.