AM: 'Mockingbird' belongs to Eminem.
Chapter Six
"Wake up, stupid bitch!" Malice shouted as she sparred with Ilivarra. "You will die before your first mission if you continue such sloppy work!"
"Well, it's a bit hard to be alert if you haven't slept in two weeks." Ilivarra spat, blocking Malice's attacks.
"Pathetic. You disgust me, childless mother."
Ilivarra suppressed the anger she felt at that name, continuing to spar against Malice.
An hour later, Malice stopped. "You may rest now, Zar Baste. Go take a break. But should you sleep, you will suffer before you can even begin to dream."
Ilivarra nodded and walked away, rubbing her eyes to keep from falling asleep.
She walked out the door of Malice's wing of the academy, intending to go to the kitchen for some food. Dilafae was on her way to see Malice and was making her way down the hall.
Ilivarra accidentally bumped into her. "My apologies, Great Mistress."
"Do not worry about it, Zar Baste." Dilafae said in the same emotionless voice.
As Ilivarra started to leave, her sense of danger screamed in her mind. She ducked just in time to see Dilafae's dagger swing past her head.
Not a flicker of emotion had appeared on Dilafae's face. "I see that Malice has been training you well." Those were her last words as she sheathed her dagger and continued towards Malice's chambers.
Ilivarra blinked. Crazy bitch…
XXXXX
Awhile later, Ilivarra sat in her 'room.' Finishing off her seventh cup of coffee, she took a puff of her cocaine cigarette. Ili had been using a variety of drinks, potions, and drugs to keep herself awake over the past several weeks. But nothing could shake the constant exhaustion she felt.
Malice is out of her fucking mind. Ili idly remembered one of the events that had happened in the past several days.
"Move, Zar Baste! Faster! FASTER!"
Ili gritted her teeth and continued to rain blows upon the combat dummy.
"You make me want to break down and cry like an infant! People with no arms can hit harder than you can!"
Ilivarra merely pursed her lips and continued to practice.
"Didn't you hear me? What the fuck is wrong with you?"
Ili took a deep breath in an attempt to bite back her anger.
"The mental retardation in this room is like the planet. It has a crust, a mantle, and a core. You, Zar Baste, are the core."
"Well if I'm the core, then you're the sun. I revolve around you and receive my retardation from you." Ili snapped.
Malice narrowed her eyes. Before Ili could react, Malice gave her a swift kick in the buttocks.
"OW! Dammit, Malice! I'm gonna have a bruise on my ass the size of a catapult!" Ili snapped.
"Good. It'll match the other proportions." Malice declared.
Ili seethed.
She finished off the cigarette and tossed it down into the spikes pits below. Her eyelids began to droop. I can't…fall…asleep…zzzzzz….
XXXXX
Ili walked through a shadowy plane. She was quite familiar with the place, for it was the plane of her dreams, the place where her darkest nightmares and wildest ideas resided.
A figure appeared ahead. It was Corran, standing above a baby crib. Reaching inside, the bard took out a small bundle that Ilivarra assumed was Amalaere.
Corran smiled and began to sing softly.
Now hush little baby, don't you cry
Everything's gonna be alright
Stiffen that upper lip up little lady, I told ya
Daddy's here to hold ya through the night
I know mommy's not here right now and we don't know why
We feel how we feel inside
It may seem a little crazy, pretty baby
But I promise momma's gon' be alright
Corran looked up and grinned at Ili. "You wanna see her?"
Ili's heart filled with a warmth that she had not felt in a long time. Nodding enthusiastically, she began walking towards Corran. Ili abruptly cried out as a sharp stab of pain entered her shoulder. Corran and Amalaere left her vision, soon replaced by the ceiling of her room. When she looked at her shoulder, she saw that a throwing dagger was embedded in her flesh. The drow let out a furious snarl and pulled the weapon out. "What the fuck?"
"I warned you against falling asleep, childless mother!" a voice screamed.
Ili snapped her head around just in time to see Malice return to the gymnasium. Pure rage coursed through Ilivarra's veins. Her chance to finally see her little daughter had been taken from her. Even if it was a fleeting glimpse, that was worth more to Ili than all the gold in the Underdark.
She quickly jumped across the pit, ran into the room and attacked Malice. Her fury echoed in her every blow, her mind screaming and begging for her to tear Malice apart.
Malice let out a laugh as she blocked Ilivarra's attacks. "That's it, Zar Baste! Let your anger guide you! You want to kill me! Now do it!"
Ilivarra let out a scream of fury and attempted to punch Malice in the stomach. A pang of surprise hit the trainer. She could have sworn that for a moment, her student's eyes changed from amethyst to deep crimson. It was gone as soon as she saw it, and Malice did not have time to reflect as Ili aimed another punch at her.
Malice avoided the blow and grabbed Ilivarra by the front of her shirt and slammed her against the wall, pinning her student in. Ilivarra butted Malice's head and escaped her grasp.
Malice felt her forehead and smiled as droplets of blood appeared on her hand. "You've improved, Zar Baste."
Going into a defensive pose, Ilivarra bellowed, "Come on, you screeching sack of shit. Fight me!"
Malice chuckled. "But you haven't excelled enough." She deftly slammed her palm into Ili's face, used her other hand to break some of Ilivarra's ribs, and finally kicked Ilivarra in the stomach, sending her flying. Malice smiled at Ili's unmoving body, slumped against the wall. Surprise replaced her amusement at the sight of Ilivarra beginning to move.
The student staggered to the ground, raising her shaking fists. "Attack me some more. I'm not dead yet." Her breathing was heavy and ragged as she spoke.
Malice once again attacked Ilivarra, slamming her head against the wall and breaking one of her arms.
Ili shouted a fireball spell and wore a satisfied grin at the pure shock in Malice's expression as she was slammed against the wall.
"You did not tell me that you possessed arcane magic. Neither did Matron Sinvyl." Malice smiled. "I am glad that you are truly able to throw your cunning into a fight. However, it will not be of much use here." She ran forward and tackled Ilivarra to the ground, breaking her legs and arms. Ili attempted to stand up but a painful kick to her already damaged skull stopped her. The adrenaline left her veins, and she lay on the ground, defeated.
Kneeling next to her, Malice murmured, "You fought well, Zar Baste. You may truly rest now. I will give you three hours. Then we may even see about getting those wounds of yours healed." She gave Ili one last cruel smile. Malice walking away was the last thing Ilivarra saw before slipping into unconsciousness.
