So I'm not sure, but i think Fanfiction is removing some of the chapters because the life of the story or something has expired. If that's the case, I'll figure something out.

enjoy the chapter. leave a review.

Chapter 23

Natalie

A few weeks later after our fighting training Leon said we'd be doing individual sessions with him. He didn't explain much about them, but I barely felt safe with him when TJ was around. Now he'd be with us individually. Today was my day to work with him and he'd take TJ tomorrow. My brother was ordered to continue working on the exercises and techniques we'd been learning while Leon and I were gone. He said nothing, but gave a quick nod and started punching the iron dummy in the dojo.

Leon let me out of the dojo. I could hear the sharp clangs of my brother's fists reverberate in the distance. I don't know if I would've trained, I would've tried to sneak and sleep for a few hours.

"That's the constant difference between your brother and yourself, Natalie." Leon's sharp voice cuts through my ears "He wouldn't dare chance something so foolish. Just because I am not watching him, does not mean I cannot see him."

I looked at the back of his dark head as we walked through a side tunnel close to the irrigation systems. It smelled of mildew inside and I noticed the air was much cooler now. It must be fall by now. I can't believe we've been down here for nearly three months already.

"How do you know what i'm thinking? Are you telepathic?" I asked as he walked three feet ahead of me.

Leon chuckled and stop slowly. He came in front of a large weathered metal door with rusty hinges.

"No. I just focus. It's not that hard. Especially when your thoughts are as loud as yours is." He mocked slightly as he opened the door.

"Focus can even read the thoughts of others? I thought it was just for fighting?"

Leon shook his head irritably as he held the door by the rusted handle. "Focus is inherently mental itself. Why would it's sole purpose be for physical combat alone?"

I didn't know how to answer and luckily Leon didn't seem to care for one. He entered the room and I followed slowly behind him. It was very dark inside and I could only see small gleams of something reflective and shiny that seemed to be all around me. Beside me Leon fumbled against the wall for something until finally he clicked the lights on.

The room was full of mirrors. They were the walls and the ceiling. The only thing that wasn't covered was the floor, which was the same stony and earthy ground as nearly the rest of the rooms. I looked at my reflections as they stared back at me. I leaned my head to the side slightly. I almost didn't recognize the girl all around me. This girl was taller, muscular, defined, and intimidating. Her hair was long, reaching the top of her back in dark russet locks that were split on ends. Her eyes were stern, insistent, focused, and hid something. I did not know who she was. But I felt her when I touched the sinewy clavicles lightly with my rough fingertips.

Leon's own multiple reflections still towered over my own. I could see him at all his angles now. His body seemed to be more ornate and sturdy looking now. The stretch of black ink on his large biceps formed by lines and curves gave an image now. It seemed to be claws of some sort of animal, perhaps a cat, all made of black flames. It never looked this detailed until now.

"You're eyes are getting better." Leon said watching my many gazes in the mirror focused on his arm.

"What is it?" I asked softly. "Is it a cat?"

"A lion." Leon said sternly.

I nodded and looked at it closely again behind me through the mirrors in front. A lion. Black flames.

"So that's why they call you Black Lion of Dauntless." I said as I gulped dryly.

Leon said nothing and folded his arms behind his back. He paced behind me from left to right, studying my reflections silently for several long moments. I didn't know why he brought me here and what the purpose of this room even was. What were the mirrors for?

"This room used to be a testing site for the earliest versions of the aptitude tests developed by early Erudite founders. Before they fully understood the capabilities of simulation serums, they would inject people with a hallucinogenic version of it. From there, they would wander the facility, end up in this room among many others and found where they best belonged in the faction systems." Leon said still pacing behind me.

"Of course." He said stopping finally "There were too many deaths when it came to the Dauntless portion of the test. Not too many people had the resolve or skill to fight and kill when it came down to it. It wasn't optional either. You would either have to fight a vicious attack dog or a criminal of society who they gave weapons too."

I swallowed again and still felt the pressure on my throat. I couldn't imagine having to kill someone at sixteen just to figure out where I belong in society. But with everything I've been learning so far and the way the city looks, it looks like I'd kill before I turn fifteen.

"Bring yourself back into the space, Natalie." Leon snapped slightly. I jumped a little and forgot where I was for a moment.

I watched him carefully behind me as he stared into my eyes through the mirror. He furrowed his brows and opened his mouth to speak.

"Your eyes. Your abilities are visual. You need to activate them."

My mind rushed back to my brother on the floor in Amar and George's apartment when my eyes turned into that strange orange color. I was afraid of that strange power. I didn't know what it was or where it came from.

"It's fear. You're able to see the fears of others." Leon said slowly.

I rounded on him wide-eyed and shaking my head.

"No way." I sputtered. "How is that even possible?"

Leon rolled his eyes and sighed irritably. "After everything you've been learning these past months, you really don't believe you can just run faster, hit through wood blocks easily, or jump unusually higher do you? There is more to you, Natalie."

I didn't really understand what he wanted me to do. I looked at him directly in his eyes and imagined what I saw in my brother's that time in Amar and George's apartment. I saw his fears. The heights, the fire, the spiders. It didn't make sense.

"While going through Dauntless initiation we had to learn how to face our fears. We had to learn how to not them paralyze us in the face of danger." Leon said pacing behind me with his arms folded across this chest.

"So you want me to do the same?" I asked softly.

Leon smirked slightly and said "Yes. But not through a serum injection. I want you to look at yourself." He motioned to all the mirrors around us "I want you to face your own fears, harness their power and channel them into your sight. You will understand how your eyes work once you can understand your fears. Focus."

I turned to him but he was out of the room. The door closed with a squelching noise and suddenly I heard the quick metal clang of a lock snap into place. I rushed the heavy metal door and pounded hard with my fists.

"Hey! Hey!" I shouted with each bang of my fists on the thick and weathered metal. They vibrated violently with each slam but even with my newfound strength they would not budge open. I listened for Leon's footsteps by focusing my hearing and they were all but faded away. He was probably out of the tunnel by now and I knew he had no intention of returning until I learned what I needed. I didn't know what to do.

A sob escaped my lips and I forced it back by cupping my hands over my mouth. I felt my arms shake and my legs tremble under my weight. I didn't want to cry. Not here in this room full of mirrors where I could see myself in multitudes. Where I could see how weak I was.

I turned slowly to them and looked deeply at myself. My body was still trembling a little and I felt my heart pound erratically in my ears. What was it that I was afraid of?

The room seemed smaller than when I first entered. The ceiling and mirrors looked closer to me now. I pressed my body against the metal door and slid down onto the floor. My forehead glistened with cold sweat that dripped down the bridge of my nose and cheeks. I wiped it away quickly with the back of my clammy hand. I felt dizzy like I had been spun around in a whirlwind. Bile formed on my tongue and stained my teeth.

"Get it together Natalie!" I shouted out slamming my fists on my thighs. I clenched my eyes tightly together and tried to breathe calmly. I imagined myself floating in an empty space with endless walls. Then I saw the face of my mother. Smiling. Eyes bright and warm. Her scent wrapping around me.

I opened my eyes and saw the many faces of myself staring back at me. The mirrors grew larger and enveloped the entire room. Even the door behind me had became one. My eyes were bright orange around the irises. They looked like liquid fire racing in an endless loop. I touched my face gingerly and my many reflections copied me. They looked just as lost, scared, and curious as I felt inside. Dad always told me my emotions always showed on my face. I never believed him until now.

Suddenly the mirrors melted away and became a pool of silver liquid on the floor. I quickly stood up as the liquid flooded my feet and ankles. It seemed thick like some sort of syrup or oil. It rose up and began to fill the room. I sloshed through it backward grasping at anything solid to escape. But all my fingers touched were air. The silvery syrup reached my knees now and I could barely move at all now. It churned and seemed to become thicker the more I struggled. I screamed as I fell sideways into the thick liquid and became submerged underneath.

I felt my lungs cry out in pain as air left them. My chest would most certainly cave in on itself and there would be nothing I could do.

"This isn't how it will end. This isn't real." I thought desperately to myself as the syrup filled my nostrils, ears, and mouth.

I felt something hard hit my back and then the silvery thick pool became cool and clear. It smelled familiar now and when I reached my hand out a slimy piece of green algae brushed my fingers. Water. I was in water now. I opened my eyes and saw sunlight pierce through the opaque surface. I launched my body from the bottom of the pool and towards the top. It didn't take me long to break the surface and then I was standing up surrounded by tall trees. I looked between them and nothing but more trees formed in the distance. The sunlight burst down and glistened on the leaves and water I stood in.

When I looked down the pool had become shallow now only reaching my ankles. It seemed unusually calm as it billowed out into circles around me. I could see my distorted reflection stare up at me. As I peered closer it became clearer and clearer. The Natalie I saw seemed frightened and mouthed something I couldn't understand.

The air felt warm on my skin and a strange scent floated by through the trees. It seemed sweet, but acrid and deadly as well. The leaves shook as the scented breeze flowed through again and I stood still as watched them.

Suddenly an ear splitting scream of a familiar voice erupted through the sky.

"Natalie! Help me!"

I whipped around and ran in the direction of the sound. Water licked at my legs as I moved and the voice yelled out again.

"Natalie! Natalie!"

I raced through the trees and watery forest ground panting as my heart jumped in my throat. "TJ! TJ! Where are you!?"

"No! Please! Please!" His voice screamed out in pain. He screamed loudly and I yelled as I leaped through endless trees.

Then another voice and another deafening scream came from behind me.

"Please don't hurt me! Please!"

I turned around and stumbled through the water, catching a nearby tree branch to balance myself. The voice of my mother screamed in horror as it tore through me.

"Mom! Mom!"

Then TJ's voice yelled out again. Then Mom's. Then I heard the only voice left of my family.

Dad's painful screech shot through my ears and I turned to my left to see where it was coming from.

"Dad! Please! Dad!"

Then they were all yelling around me. I couldn't find out where they were coming from until I looked at the trees. Their trunks were all contorted with the faces of my family. Their eyes were empty and their mouths stretched and disfigured. They all began to scream and scream until I could only cover my ears. It still didn't help much. I began to scream too.

I fell to my knees in the shallow water that surrounded me and tried to block it all out.

"This isn't real! This isn't real!" I screamed internally while I yelled back at the multiple shrieks bombarding me.

I clenched my eyes close and then, suddenly, nothing came. I could only hear my beating heart and gasps for air. As my eyes stayed shut I kept still in the pool of water now engulfing my knees and thighs. I could hear it moving underneath me and I smelled the scent of the strange, warm air again.

Something brushed my leg and I shot my eyes open to look into the water around me. It was murky and smelled coppery now. Almost like—-blood.

Blood covered my hands and stained my legs now. It was deep red and thick. The smell was revolting and I gagged slightly. But then I saw what touched me moments ago and that really made me sick.

A long, detached arm with a right hand attached floated in front of me. On it's finger was a small silver wedding band with the numbers four and six divided by a fraction bar on the side. The nails weren't kept and I knew it belonged to my mother. Soon more body parts surround me.

A foot that belonged to my brother.

The legs of my father. His torso with his familiar tattoos on his back.

My mother's eyes drifting along peering directly at me.

I couldn't move. I couldn't move.

Then all three of their faces appeared around me. My mother's face had two gaping red holes where her eyes used to be and her mouth hung open. My father's nose and mouth had become black maws void and empty. TJ's face was split down the middle, his skin corroded away on one side.

"You…failed…us." His head said as his eyes spun around madly in the back of his head.

"You…failed us." My mother repeated as his eye sockets spurted blood.

"You failed…" My father said through the black abyss that now replace his mouth.

I couldn't move.

I screamed and screamed.

Actually this story is going to be split into two stories. Be on the lookout.