8 Daughter of The Deathless
Since he could remember, Genesis had always been better in some way or another. She outrun him during field training. She beat him at dueling. The other acolytes all admired her. But of course, he should have known after so long!
A deathless!
For some while Janus lay on his bed turning the same thought over in his mind. NO sleep came to him. He rolled on to his back and grunted when he felt no comfort, the more he fidgeted the more awake he became. Slowly he pushed himself upwards, there was no headboard on his bed so he leaned against the stone wall, instead.
"No sleep?" Asked Genesis in her casual, friendly tone. She had her back to him and was looking into the small mirror on the wall. He noticed that his corner of the cabin was visible from there.
Shaking his head in reply, his gaze wandered aimlessly. The cabin was small, and it didn't have much room to hold anything else than a chest, two beds and a sink. The two beds belonged to Janus and Genesis. They ran parallel with about 2 meters between them. There were fresh wild flowers in a goblet by the window. He wondered if Genesis had picked them. The goblet itself looked ancient and a bit out of shape, if one looked closely enough he or she would nearly be able to make out a dim eagle symbol.
Usually Janus didn't bother with the random objects in the cabin, Elmek had placed them there. Except when he was really bored. Once he discovered that if he looked at the goblet at a certain angle some words, so small that they were nearly indistinguishable, can be seen. "Jensen. Drem's Maw" it read. I've been to Drem's Maw! He saw in his mind's eye, tunnels and caverns, huge chains dangled from rock walls and the rock ceiling above him.
But no. He finally decided, for he had never actually been to Drem's Maw. Strictly saying, he wasn't even sure if Drem's Maw was the name of a place. And if there was one thing that Janus was truly good at, it was to imagine, designing all kinds of gadgets in his brain. He didn't really enjoy fighting, either. The Aegis was indeed, an art but the power to overwhelm someone in combat was insignificant next to the power of prediction. The skill of synchronizing with the opponent, of seeing his next move in action before the latter was even aware.
This skill Janus had secretly taught himself. This skill he used against all the acolytes and they were no match. But there was one exception. He couldn't out match Genesis. It didn't make sense. The pattern she used, the Dimachaerus, he knew it well. In fact he knew her every move, her every dodge and every sidestep. Janus would watch her as she trained, from afar. He moved with her, feeling every contraction of the muscle and timing each intake of breath…
But now he knew why. The answer had always been there. Now that he knew, it seemed simply pathetically obvious.
She was superior. She was deathless.
A Deathless. He corrected himself, for being a deathless was being a god. An immortal could have infinite life but could still be destroyed. But the Deathless were eternal. They are indestructible, therefore, the word should be used as a noun, not an adjective. This Janus reasoned with vague dissatisfaction.
He turned to see Genesis still gazing into the mirror. "So, how do you feel…" He muttered and tasted the bitterness in his own voice. The girl's reflection tilted her head to look at him. With her chest plate off and hanging on a wooden peg she wore a white shirt which was slightly oversized. Her dirty-blonde curls now cascaded down in a casual way without the hairband. Genesis looked about eighty percent ready for bed.
"Feel about what?"
"About being a…You know!"
"Well it wouldn't change much. Would it?"
"Wouldn't change much?" Janus half echoed.
It could change everything. He thought.