"You wish for me to help you pack your things, yes?" Diarra questioned me, after she had responsibly led me back to my bedroom. I felt like an old woman who needed help walking. I believe I had almost fallen flat on my face. But I was so dazed that I felt like I was dreaming. The whole meeting couldn't have taken any longer than twenty minutes, yet the whole thing had felt as if it had taken hours.

The Bishop had explained that, because the Generals were very busy people, the four apprentices and their escorts would be traveling to their respective Army Temples to live and train for the next three years. Every day, from now on, I would have to get up at five in the morning and work my tail with Zeno (I refused to call him General, since he thought it was so funny to completely humiliate me). After he 'finished' with me, he had an entire platoon of trainee soldiers to work with for the rest of the day. During that time, I would finish my Priestess studies until it was time to rest again.

Tomorrow morning I would be meeting Zeno for the first time as his Stealth apprentice. Then he, Diarra, and I will spend the rest of the day in a carriage riding to the Southern Army Temple.

I collapsed on my bed the moment I saw it, but then recalled that I needed to pack everything I wanted. We would not have enough time to do so in the morning. I sluggishly stood up, faced my dresser, and slid the drawers open one by one. The weather was supposedly very nice at the Southern Army Temple, so I decided not to pack my thick and heavy sweaters. Diarra was kind enough to gather my official robes and fold them in my bag while I sorted through the pass time activities. I rediscovered several books which I had enjoyed reading long ago, and quickly stuffed them into a side pocket. One of them was 'The Adventure of Remy', one of my favorites that Jakarran use to read aloud to me before I could read myself. Speaking of Jakarran, I began to wonder where she was. She must have discovered that I wasn't in my room and decided to go to her own sleeping chambers for the night, not knowing this would probably be our last together. I decided to tell her first thing in the morning I was leaving, even if it caused me to be late. Suddenly leaving the place I had almost spent my entire life would prove to be more difficult in reality.

The last thing I packed was my violin. I was careful to wipe the body before placing it, and the bow, into a black carrying case. I could have fit the case in my duffel bag with my clothes if I had wanted to, but I felt more secure if I could keep an eye on it.

My violin was gift from my parents. They had given it to me the last time I had seen them, when I was five, to congratulate me on my acceptence on my Priestess apprenticeship. They had sent me to study at the Temple the moment I was born, so that was the first time I ever saw them. Jakarran had explained to me that my parents were poor, and they sent me here so I could be taken care of properly. Outsiders weren't allowed on Temple grounds, and I was allowed to leave them, but when the High Priestess took me (and two others, at the time) under her wing, an exception was made. The violin must have cost my parents a fortune. I have never seen its equivalent. Every time I play it, I feel the love of my parents. I am extremely grateful to them for being so brave to give me up, even though I know they didn't want to. Because of that, I'd never felt alone or bitter.

When we had finished packing my things, I asked if Diarra wanted me to help her with her own belongings.

"No, you get your rest. We will have a big day tomorrow, yes?" I nodded and crawled under satin sheets for the last time. Just as Diarra opened the door to leave, a thought popped into my head.

"Hey... Diarra..." I began hesitantly. The golden haired girl stopped and turned back towards me.

"Yes?"

"Do..." I swallowed a lump in my throat. "Do you even want to... go with me?" Diarra looked taken aback; not offended, just like she hadn't expected those words to come out of my mouth.

"I..." She appeared truly puzzled, her chocolate brown eyes fixed on her feet in deep contemplation. "I haven't really thought about my reason. It is all happening so fast... But," she finally lifted her eyes to mine with a determined expression. "Know that I will always be by your side because I want to to, and not because I had to." And with that, she shut the door gently and left.

Feeling reassured (and sleepy), I blew out the candle that lit the room and laid my head on my soft pillow.

Dressed in my one of my traveling robes, I marched my luggage over to the court yard. Diarra was right behind me, a small pack strapped on her slim shoulders. Her curly golden locks were pulled back in a ponytail, so I could actually see her eyes. It seemed as if our carriage had not arrived yet, nor had Zeno.

Eventually I got tired of standing and I plopped down on my behind. The Bishop had instructed us to be in the Southern Courtyard (the other apprentices in their respective directions) by six, and it must have been at least seven. If I could be punctual, why couldn't Zeno be? The irritation must have been apparent on my face, because Diarra placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"Something important delayed him, yes?"

"Yeah," I sighed. We could have packed our belongings three times over now. I could have slept in. I could have had a longer time to say goodbye to Jakarran. "Or he just feels like pissing me off," I muttered.

Zeno didn't arrive for another twenty minutes, but the carriage never did. I can only imagine the look of horror on my face when he came jogging up the marble stairway in nothing but cargo shorts and combat boots. His skin glistened with sweat and his breath was heavy.

"Did you walk here!?" I all but shrieked. Diarra seemed just as flabbergasted. I quickly realized how silly I sounded. The Temple was over nineteen miles away (30 kilometers), and he seemed like he ran for a quick jog.

"No," Zeno waved me off, and I felt relief. Perhaps he had parked the Carriage on the other side of the Temple and was forced to jog around the grounds. That itself is very difficult for anyone, since that would be equivalent to about half a mile.

"I ran here," he finished proudly. I broke into a fit of coughing while Diarra let out a shriek of horror.

"You must be very tired, sir! Let me fetch you something to drink, yes?!" She fretted, rapidly scanning the area for a servant. They normally didn't work in this part of the yard until after the sun was blocked by the Temple. Zeno chuckled, and I was positive his young voice reverberated through the entire building. He's joking, right?

''No need for that, kid. I'm only halfway done! There is no time for breaks!"

"What? Hold on! Why would you run here? Are you stupid?" I implored, my shock probably very apparent. Under normal circumstances I wouldn't have insulted anyone, let alone a General (and one who I'd be spending three years with, at that), but I was tired and annoyed and hot and scared. Zeno glared at me. His black eyes felt heavy and hateful, and I couldn't help but remember his words from yesterday.

"I guess I'm stuck with the apprentice known as Aris."

I felt myself grit my teeth in loathsomeness. He's stuck with me? I'm stuck with him! This whole mess was really unfair. Stealth was the last thing I needed for the Hunter Exam, but this guy didn't seem to get that. Apparently, I looked so absolutely weak and useless that I was the last thing he needed. He wasn't even the one who had to risk his life, and he didn't just discover this the night before. I wished that I spoken up when The Bishop had asked for drop-outs. Now I had dragged Diarra down to my humiliation, and the two of us had to spend three whole years with this guy, who was as loud and as disrespectful to me as Jakarran (however, she only acted so because she cared for me. Zeno obviously didn't), despite his status or rank. I secretly began to hope that my unavoidable failure really would get Zeno fired, as awful as that sounded. That situation was still unlikely because Generals were hard to replace once lost. Despite his young age, I'm sure he earned his position, even if said position could sometimes be considered useless.

If only Melanion had picked me, because then I would have had a chance of passing the Hunter Exam. Well, perhaps Stealth would at least keep my from losing my head, so I guess Alchemy would have been the worst class for me to have been stuck with. I wondered what Tatiana and Keoni were doing now with General Cleo.

"I wouldn't call anyone else stupid, Stupid," Zeno sneered, bringing me back to reality. I felt my eye twitch in astonishment, since he had just insulted me for the second time. I had never been insulted by anyone other than Jakarran (who meant well) and Tatiana (who had indirectly offended me by requesting to be seperate from me); who would dare insult the possbliy next High Priestess?

Zeno hadn't even come up with a good comeback.

"No," I spat in return, "you really are stupid. How did you think the two of us are going to get to the Southern Army Temple without a carriage?!" The look Zeno shot me after I said that would forever haunt me. He seemed to hate me twice as much as I hated him.

"You carry it, of course, because you'll be running back with me."

'I hate him, I hate him,' was my only coherent thought. More than an hour ago (after three nonstop hours of running), I had collapsed on the forest floor and couldn't get up. What did Zeno do? He left me behind, and when Diarra attempted to help me to my feet, he had ordered her to leave me there, laughing all the while. Diarra had a very conflicted expression on her face, so I just barked at her to follow him. Well, I tried, but I couldn't breathe very well, let alone speak (coherently). Diarra apologized to me, but continued through the thick foliage behind Zeno obediently.

For several minutes I just laid there to catch my breath. When I had finally started on my way again, I realized that I was terribly lost. My robes kept snagging on branches. Suddenly I wished I had just gone in my underwear. The most difficult obstacle was minding my precious violin. Long ago had I simply grabbed the top clothing in my duffle bag and stuffed them in my instrument case. Leaving the bag, and my books, had been difficult, so I swore to myself that I'd come back to find them. I hid them in the hollow of an oak tree for protection from the weather, but they were still easily accessible to insects and animals. That encouraged me to find Zeno even faster, despite my feelings for him.

I wondered how Diarra had managed to keep up with Zeno, but quickly remembered how lightly she had packed. Acolytes barely had enough space to sleep in, so her only belongings could be counted on one hand. She was also smaller and younger than me. Besides, she was allowed to cut her hair, so it wasn't like she stepped on hers like I did mine. Once, it had fallen out of the intricate bun I had done it up in that morning. While it began to drag on the ground behind me, I felt it on my ankles and saw its black color from the corner of my eye. I thought it to be an animal, and I tried to leap away, but ended up tangling my feet in it and falling over. In the process, my outer robe had ripped in half and I achieved a wicked cut above my eyebrow (most likely from a fallen branch on the dirt floor). It did not cease its bleeding, so I tore the rest of the outer robe in stripes to tie around my head. I also used a left over strip to bind my black locks in a braid. Once I had recuperated myself for a second time, I was on my way again. I tried to keep my mind preoccupied to make the time go faster. I really didn't have any idea which direction the Southern Army Temple was in (that is, to my left or right. Obviously it was in the south), so I just went straight ahead.

As the sun began to set, I felt a sharp pain tear through my foot. I stumbled over my feet and dragged my body over to a tree so that I could lean against it. The air no longer seemed too hot, but now I wished it was. I was shivering uncontrollably and I had to swat at pesky mosquitoes repeatedly. When the pain in my right foot began to register in my brain again, I decided to inspect it. I hadn't realized it, but I had lost my slippers. Without protection, the soles of my feet were black with dirt and red with blood. On my right foot, there was a long gash down its length. I was surprised I hadn't realized how bad the wound was earlier. I must have raked it across another fallen branch (curse those things).

That was the worst night of my entire life, so far. I was exhausted, thirsty, cold, wounded, and scared. I didn't have a clue where I was. While I was growing up, the first set of distances I learned to measure in were miles and inches. Because of that, I was terrible at converting miles into kilometers in my head. I had no idea how much of my journey was left. And if I had gone in the wrong direction, I would probably die tomorrow.

I hadn't remembered falling asleep, but I suppose I had to have done so before I could wake up. Immediately, I felt the pangs of hunger gnaw at my innards. My throat was dry and my head felt heavy. I think what had awoken me was the heat, however, since to sun was at such an angle in the sky that its rays glared straight down on me. I swore. Two days in a row I would have to make the trek while the temperature was at its peak.

When I sat up, my head began to ache. I remembered the cut above my eyebrow, but discovered that it was no longer the source of my pain. I just had a horrible headache. I attempted to crawl to my feet, but an agonizing jolt ran through my limbs. The gash had nearly scabbed over, but it was still vulnerable to infections. Not really knowing what else to do, I un-wrapped the robe stripe from my forehead and transferred them below. I covered both feet for protection, even though only one seemed to be cut. Thankfully, my head wound had ceased bleeding.

I cautiously unlatched my violin case, picked up my wadded clothes, and breathed a sigh of relief. My violin was as pristine as ever. I took great care repacking before I stood up and went on my way again, the case in a death-grip.

I broke out of the forest shrubbery as twilight began to fall. That was when I caught my first glimpse of the Southern Army Temple. By a storke of luck, I had found it. The entire thing reminded me of the pyramids, but it was gray and green. The building had been built over a large river, which flowed through the center of its base. There were no courtyards, only training grounds. Men and women of all ages and sizes, dressed in black combat clothes, occupied almost every square inch, either training or taking a break and conversing. It reminded me of a busy ant hill. I didn't recognize anyone until my wandering gaze fell upon the steps of the entrance way. Standing there like a hawk was Zeno. He was staring straight at me, his face hard and smooth. I sucked in a breath and wobbled through the training grounds, doing my best to stay out of everyone's busy ways. I stumbled twice and was knocked over my two brawlers. They didn't seem to even notice I was there, and continued attempting to knock the other unconscious.

I did my best to restore my dignity by brushing myself off and rising to my feet. I had used my body to shield my violin case so that it would not be stepped on. It took me several minutes just to break out of the crowd, and then several more to lug my case (and my body) up the stairs, which I desperately wished were flat.

"You're an entire day behind schedule," Zeno sighed in fake disappointment. I saw his pleasure in his onyx eyes. I must have looked horrible with my tattered clothing and my skin smudged with mud and blood. My hair felt unusually brittle and thick, while it was just silky and clean yesterday morning.

"Because of your lack of punctuality," Zeno continued, a smirk forming on his lips, "You will no longer have an entire day off for recuperation. Your first training session will be tomorrow and four." I groaned, and nearly broke into tears. But I had a feeling this jerk wanted me to cry, so I swallowed my sobbing. I tried to save myself any more embarrassment, so I just ignored him and began to wobble past him. Where I planned on going, I had no idea. The relief I felt had numbed my mind and body. Zeno sighed behind me in satisfaction. Then he seemed to recall something.

"Oh, and your friend is worried about you, so I would give her a little visit, if I were you." I kept right on walking, all the way to the mahogany doors. This place, from the outside, at least, appeared to have similar blueprints to the Temple I had grown up in. Perhaps I could find my way around? Ugh, when did my violin become so heavy?

I relieved my arms of the case temporarily so that I could pry to doors open. Unfortunately, they wouldn't budge. I yanked again, gasping from excursion. I shivered when something (I don't want to admit Zeno was human) chuckled lowly in my ear.

"What's wrong, can't you even open some doors?" Zeno teased. "Would you like my help?" I gritted my teeth and pulled again in response, failing once more. "Hey," Zeno called, actually sounding serious, "take my help." I sucked in a breath and turned to face him. If I had accepted his offer to open the door for me, he would have found satisfaction. I wasn't entirely sure why (although I was guessing it was because I was a complete disappointment), but he wanted me to break down and give up. I felt my face grow hot with anger.

"While I'm flattered, I'm perfectly capable of opening a door," I retorted sarcastically. "So, as they say in York New City, go shove a-"

The doors swung open. I think I yelped when one of them smacked me in the face, but I don't recall this very clearly. That would be because, as a result of a mixture of hunger, thirst, pain, faintness, surprise, and (most obviously) a whack to the face, I blacked out.

My eyes opened and, thankfully, I was on a bed. It wasn't as comfortable as my old one, and the linen sheets were scratchy, but I didn't much care at the moment. From the various scents that wafted to my nose, like shampoo and soap, and the dampness of my hair, I assumed that I had been bathed. The full feeling in my stomach told me I had also been fed. My entire eye was covered in starch bandages, although that seemed unnecessary because my cut had been above the eyebrow, and my foot felt stiff and restricted. I hesitantly sat up in the bed; I didn't particularily want to get up, but my curiosity was overpowering. I found myself in what could only be the infirmary, since no other room was as clean or colorless. The glaring heat of the sun entered through the windows and made my eyes water. To my left, a sudden squeak made me jump.

"You are feeling better, yes?" Diarra inquired eagerly, immediately at my bedside and clutching my hands. I noticed the pillow on the floor next to me, so I knew she had spent the night by my side. I smiled fondly at her.

"Sorry, if I worried you. I... got lost, I guess." Diarra nodded vigorously.

"I had thought so!" She exclaimed. "I had also thought you were attacked!" I blinked at her in surprise. Then she broke out into a nervous rambling, which she only did when she was angry.

"I swear, coming here all ragged and bloody, passing out for three days-"

"What?!" Three days? I passed out for three whole days? I gulped. "I guess I missed my first training session. How is... Zeno feeling about this?" I questioned hesitantly. I didn't really want to know that badly, but I figured I would find out soon enough. I remembered how that man had distintively told me I didn't even have one day off, but three... he would not be happy. Sure enough...

"General Zeno is very pissed," Zeno stated from the infirmary doorway. His arms were crossed over his chest and a frown was plastered on his face.

I gulped again, this time in anticipation of a punishment.

AN: AWWWWWWWWWWWW! Two chapters finished in two days? Wait, no, it's after midnight. Two chapters finished in three days? That's a record for me! Please review! I want to know what you think of this! Again, the speed at which I update depends on the reviews! (Except for this chapter, I guess). So those of you who read this chapter before 4-1-13: I made LOTS of revisions. Nothing big or noticeable, but I fixed my mistakes. So, please REVIEW!

~MaoIsSleepy