Episode 5: Crimson Blade

**CRIMSON BLADE**

The sun rose behind the mountains the next day. A pair of bird was flying and sat on the window sill of Lisana’s room. It was chirping the morning song and its melody woke up Lisana. She stretched her arms and legs to wash away laziness. Her feet came in contact with the cold floor beneath and sent a shiver through her body. The wooden floor creaked under her weight as she walked towards the window and opened it. There was a balcony and on its steel grill sat two birds that quickly flew away as Lisana came closer. Her eyes were blessed with the most beautiful view. The mountains covered with ice and the sunlight piercing through the ice needles. Birds were flying carrying the message of morning with them. Lisana was sensitive to the cold in the air and sneezed twice. Her nose turned pink and blushed.

“Bless you,” said a familiar voice.

Lisana turned to look back and then front to find him.

“Here on your right!” He waved to get her attention.

Lisana saw him standing on another balcony, dressed in white pajamas and shirt lose on the collar and his black hair a mess but the blue of his eyes was lighter in the day.

“Good morning!” Lisana greeted him.

“Up so early?” Jason asked.

Lisana nodded and looked at the mountains and valleys in front and said,” I always wanted to live in the mountain side.” She took a deep breath of cold air and exhaled. A dull white puff appeared,” It is so peaceful and quiet up here.”

Jason was looking at her as if taking interest in what she was saying and then smiled,” But it won’t be too quiet if you started sneezing and catch a cold.”

At that Lisana laughed softly and passed a smile.

“The breakfast is about to get ready. I will be waiting outside your room and then I will take you there”, Jason instructed and went inside.

After a few seconds Lisana did the same and went to the bathroom. She slipped into a maroon hoodie, blue jeans and wore her black boots. Lisana stood in front of the mirror of her dressing. Her nose was still pink but her eyes were swollen around the eyelids. The whole night she spent crying was the cause for that. Lisana sighed and after brushing her hair, tied them in a low ponytail. The wooden box was on the side table. She opened it and wore the locket. As she came out of the room Jason was leaning against the wall opposite to her. He wore a black leather jacket and was looking down on the floor and the hair covered his face.

He straightened up,” Let’s go…” Jason kept staring at Lisana and she felt awkward,” Did you sleep well?” And he started walking leaving her behind.

Lisana moved fast to meet his pace and said,” Yes I did. Thank you for asking.”

“But it does not seem that way.” And he looked at her again,” Your eyes are swollen.”

His blue against her brown held much higher status and she swallowed\,“ Well…I was___”

Her sentence which she did not want to say was completed by Jason,” Crying?”

Lisana bit her lower lip and did not say anything.

 The silence was broken by Jason who put his fair hand on her head and said,” It is okay to cry sometimes. It is not a sign of weakness but of strength. At some point in your life when you will look back at it and would not cry, that means you have healed.”

The warmth of his words touched her and the weight of his hand on her head was comforting. She nodded and smiled to herself.

Jason said,” You really are short, aren’t you?” Tapping his hand on her head and then removed it.

Lisana lifted her chin seemed to be irritated and snapped at him,” I am not short it is you who are very tall! My height is totally normal. I am 5’6 you know?”

Jason laughed and then started walking and said,” Is it that easy to make you angry?”

Lisana said nothing and followed him. They came to the dining room which was already opened and went inside. On the head chair sat Mavis and on her right sat Cortnie and next to her Harry. Opposite to them sat Zen leaving the first chair on his side empty. Jason filled the empty chair and Lisana sat on the other side of Zen. The table was decorated in a proper English breakfast. Steam rose from scrambled eggs and coffee mugs. Toasts properly set in the holder and on its side was butter and jugs containing fresh milk and juice. Everyone was busy eating.

Cortnie looked at Lisana and asked,” Do you want to eat something else?”

Lisana shook her head but then Harry intruded,” She might be thinking is her cooking better than our chefs?”

“No no, it’s not like that at all.” Lisana cleared Harry and then lowered her gaze to decide what to eat.

Zen was silently eating but then wanted to participate and said,” Just eat what’s on the table. You would not be served anytime you want.”

At that Jason crossed his eyebrows at Zen and said,” Manners.”

Lisana then helped herself with eggs. Mavis set her knife and fork parallel on the plate and cleared her throat to say something,” The research wing came up to me with a report yesterday.”

Zen grumbled while speaking; chewing his food,” It is a surprise that they cameup with something.”

Jason sighed and said,” Mind chewing your food first?”

Harry was drinking his coffee. He set the mug on the table and inquired,” So, what did it say?”

Mavis looked at him for some time and then replied,” Well the good news, is that they have made some progress in t he antidote. But, they need dorions for them to test on.”

Lisana and Cortnie were taken aback and looked at her in puzzelement, as if what she said was a taboo.

“Do not look at me like this,” Mavis said hesitantly,” how will we know if the cure works or not  if won’t try?”

Harry nodded while drinking from his mug and said,” What do we have to do then?”

The question was correctly answered by Jason,” The capture the dorions is it?”

Mavis passed a smile and nodded in favor. Jason and Harry looked at each other with a mysterious grin. The determination in their eye; evilness in their smiles. Surely they were up to something. Heaven knows what they were thinking, but these best buddies could read each other thoughts with just exchange of glances.

Zen was finished with his breakfast and stood up to leave but Mavis instructed him just as he was about to exit the room,” Zen do not lack behind your training. I will come to check on you in half an hour.”

Lisana concluded that the base is not merely a refuge but a powerful faculty. Not only there are medical facilities but research and training is done side by side for self protection as well as for the protection of others.

Cortnie must have noticed Lisana’s amazement. She joyfully looked at her and said,” I will give you a tour around the base after you are done eating.”

She smiled towards her delightedly,” I would love too. Thank you!”

Cortnie’s gray eyes shined when she complained,” You need not to thank me on such things. We are now friends!”

Hearing the word friend filled her with warmth but at the same time made her heart ache with pain as well. She also had a friend in the past whom she loved dearly.

“Of course!”

                                                                      ***

Cortnie was looking beautiful when she was telling about the medical wing. She spoke with confidence like an expert tour guide. Her red hair curls bounced whenever she turned to address and her eyes shined in the white sweater with black fur around the neck and cuffs.

“This is the research wing. Although, you can say it is part of the medical wing but it has a different purpose.” She told while entering a white lobby with glass cabin on either side.

In the cabins were doctors in their medical coats. Some of them were working with chemicals while wearing gloves and goggles while in others some were presenting a hypothesis to convince a theory from the scientific calculations on the board.

“Next stop is the Ammunition Wing.”

They entered a lobby which was not as brightly lit like the others nor was it crowded. Though there was smell of gun powder in the air like burning charcoal.

“Why is it so quiet here?” asked Lisana while looking around in inspection.

She replied diligently,” It’s because we only store weapons here so it is not necessary to keep watch 24/7. Apart from a few guards not many are required. They are also expert in using these.”

“I see.”

Cortnie then asked the two men on duty to open up the doors. Each door had its own specialty in weapons. One had guns, while others bow and arrows and grenades and explosives. Among them in one were swords and daggers. Amidst them at the far end of the room was a glass stand in which hung a sword. It was different from the others. Its metal was of tinted red colour and the hilt was shining like polished metal. Over it silver bluish lines slithered and turned into a whirlpool. In its centre set a beautiful sparkling stone. Her brown eyes fixed there, thinking about the similarity of the stone but could not put her finger on it.

“This master piece is called the Crimson Blade”, Cortnie’s voice created ripples in her imagination.  She went on,” It belongs to Mavis’s family. The sword is one of a kind and has been passed down through generations.”

She looked at her and then back at the sword,” Indeed it is. I have never seen anything like it before.”

“You are the second one with such an awe inspiring expression.”

“Really? Who was the first one?” Lisana chuckled.

“It was Jason. He wants to get a chance to wield the sword one day. But Mavis does not let him. It is not wielded like other swords you see. It uses a lot of power to use it and the sword may drain the power of the user if not wielded properly. So, only the Thatcher lineage has an advantage over it.” She explained while hunching her shoulders.

“Unbelievable! I have never heard of such kind of sword before,” stated Lisana slowly.

While walking they reached the exit and were back at the Head Quarters. Sounds of clanking metal were heard. Just after few steps Cortnie opened a room where stood Zen, applying force on the dagger he held against another man who happened to be his opponent.

Although Zen was only twelve he looked older while training. Perhaps his height was tall as well but was still about three inches shorter than Lisana. He picked up the towel from the bench and patted his face. His shirt was wet with sweat.

“And this is our training room!” Cortnie announced tiredly,” I will show you the kitchen when you are done here.”

She was observing the spacious room and the training supplies when she blinked her eyes at Cortnie when she caught her attention,” What do you mean?”

She came forward with some clothes in hand with a grin and said,” You will be training here with us.” She handed her the training gear,” Now go hurry up and change!”

She pushed Lisana towards the changing room and when she came out, Cortnie was also dressed in her gear. Both of them were wearing the same black T-shirts and black trousers which had a pair of white line running from the waist till the bottom of the trouser on its one side. Lisana’s slim fair arms were visible from the half sleeved shirt.

She tried to  reason with Cortnie stating,” Do I really need to do this?”

Cortnie who was tying her hair in a ponytail replied,” Yes, you do. How will we protect ourselves at times of danger if we won’t know how to fight?”

She came near Lisana and put her hands on her shoulders and said,” Trust me. It’s for your own good!”

Lisana nodded obediently with a smile and tied her hair in a bun. Zen and Cortnie got busy with their training while the instructor started teaching her the basics.

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