FIRST DAY (Part2)

Wanni’s POV:

The car pulled up to a grand, imposing mansion, its towering stone walls and intricate gargoyles silhouetted against the twilight sky. My breath caught in my throat, a mixture of awe and apprehension swirling in my stomach.

“Wow,” I breathed, my eyes wide with amazement. “It’s so… beautiful.”

“Just like a dream,” I thought, my mind still clinging to the notion that this whole experience was a bizarre, elaborate dream.

“But a dream that feels strangely real,” I admitted to myself, a shiver running down my spine as I stepped out of the car.

As we stepped out of the car, a wave of excitement and apprehension washed over me. The staff lined up in front of the mansion, their faces a mix of deference and curiosity. They bowed as we approached, their whispers a hushed symphony of greetings and welcome.

“Welcome home, Master Kai and Lady Wannia,” the Head Butler said, his voice deep and resonant. “We have been eagerly awaiting your return.”

“Home?” I thought, with a small uncertain smile forming on my face. “I've never felt at home here, but maybe... maybe this time will be different.”

The entranceway was grand, a soaring ceiling adorned with intricate chandeliers that cast a shimmering glow on the polished marble floors. A grand staircase spiraled up, each step lined with elaborate carvings.

"This is where we grew up," Kai said, his voice soft with a hint of nostalgia. "This is where our family lives, where our legacy continues."

“Our family?,” I thought, a wave of unease washing over me. "How can I be a part of this?"

“I'll never be able to live up to that legacy,” I worried. “What if I ruin everything?”

As we walked through the grand foyer, a sense of history and mystery enveloped me. The mansion seemed to hum with an unseen energy, a silent echo of lives lived and secrets kept.

“This is our home, Wannia,” Kai said, glancing at me, his gaze intense.

“My home,” I thought, a pang of longing hitting me. “What about my real home? The one with Aunt Amelia and Uncle Thomas? I miss them so much.”

“And now I’m going to be missing Gio too,” I sighed. “He was actually pretty cool, even if he did act like a little brother.”

Mrs. Beatrice, the head maid, approached us with a gentle smile. “Master Kai, Lady Wannia, it is a pleasure to welcome you home. I will be your guide for the evening, showing you around the mansion and the training grounds.”

“Training grounds?,” I thought, my stomach doing a little flip-flop. “What kind of training? I’m not really good at… you know… physical stuff.”

We followed her as she began to tour us through the mansion. She showed us the library, a vast room lined with bookshelves that reached the ceiling. “This is where the legacy of the Crimson Claw is preserved,” Mrs. Beatrice explained, her voice a hushed reverence. “Generations of knowledge and wisdom are held within these walls.”

I felt a shiver run down my spine as I imagined the countless stories that had unfolded within these walls.

She led us to the grand ballroom, a breathtaking room with a crystal chandelier that glittered like a thousand stars. “This is where we hold our grand balls and receptions,” Mrs. Beatrice said, her voice filled with pride. “The finest musicians and performers in the land grace this stage.”

“I’ve never been to a fancy ball,” I thought, a wave of excitement and apprehension washing over me. “What if I make a fool of myself? What if I can’t dance? What if…”

Mrs. Beatrice then took us outside, leading us to the expansive training grounds, a sprawling expanse of grass and dirt, dotted with targets and obstacle courses. “This is where our assassins hone their skills,” Mrs. Beatrice said, her eyes gleaming with admiration. “The finest assassins in the land are trained here.”

I imagined myself wielding a gun, my movements fluid and precise, a cold, deadly efficiency coursing through me. Or maybe a knife, the blade flashing under the dim light, a silent, deadly weapon.

“This is where you will train,” Mrs. Beatrice said, her gaze shifted to me. “You will learn to fight, to defend yourself, to protect our legacy.”

“Me? An assassin?” I thought, a wave of terror washing over me. “But I’m not good at fighting. I’m more of a bookworm, a dreamer. How am I supposed to be an assassin?”

I took a deep breath, trying to sound casual. "So, um, do we need to, like, kill someone to be an assassin?" I added, trying to inject a little humor into the situation. "I'm not really into the whole taking-lives thing."

Kai, who had been listening intently, shot me a glare that could melt steel. "Wanni, this is serious. Don't joke about it."

Mrs. Beatrice, however, just smiled gently. "Don't worry, Lady Wannia. We'll teach you everything you need to know, step by step. You don't need to be a killer to be an assassin. It's about strategy, precision, and discipline."

“But isn’t the point of an assassin to, you know, kill people?” I thought, a wave of confusion was washing over me. “Am I missing something? What am I actually supposed to be training for?”

“Now, follow me, my dear," Mrs. Beatrice said, her smile unwavering. “I’ll show you the training facilities.”

As she led us through the vast training grounds, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease. I was surrounded by reminders of a life I never imagined for myself, a life of shadows and danger.

“And here we have the firing range,” Mrs. Beatrice said, gesturing to a large, open area dotted with targets. “You’ll learn to use firearms with precision and speed.”

I imagined myself holding a gun, the metal cold against my skin. “I don’t even know how to use a gun,” I thought, a wave of anxiety washing over me. “What am I going to do?”

“We’ll start with basic instruction,” Mrs. Beatrice said, sensing my apprehension. “Don’t worry, you’ll learn.”

She then led us to a large, enclosed arena, where several figures were practicing with knives and throwing stars. “This is the close combat training area,” Mrs. Beatrice explained. “You’ll learn to use different weapons, including knives, daggers, and throwing stars.”

“Knives? Daggers? Throwing stars?” I thought, a wave of panic washing over me. “How am I supposed to do that? I’ve never held a weapon in my life.”

Kai, noticing my reaction, squeezed my hand again, signaling me to stop asking questions.

I tried to return his smile, but my heart wasn’t in it. I was starting to realize that my journey into the Crimson Claw was going to be far more challenging than I had imagined. But I knew that I couldn’t give up. I had Kai, and I had my own strength, my own resilience. I had to find a way to make this work.

...----------------...

Kai's POV:

Okay, first things first, this mansion is seriously next-level awesome. It's like a palace out of a fairytale, complete with gargoyles and a staircase that could make Cinderella jealous.

Wanni, however, seems less than thrilled. She's been staring at the place like it's about to swallow her whole. I get it, she's never really lived here, but come on, sis, it's not like it's a haunted house. It's actually pretty freaking' cool.

"Wow," she breathed, her eyes wide. "It's so... beautiful."

"I know, right?," I thought, mentally adding another layer of awesomeness to the place in my mind. "It's like a freakin' castle."

"Just like a dream," she muttered under her breath, as if talking to herself. "But a dream that feels strangely real."

Yeah, well, sis, it's not a dream. It's reality. And it's reality with a side of awesomeness.

Grandpa's standing there, looking as stoic as ever, while the staff are bowing and scraping like we're royalty. It's kind of amusing, watching the staff practically tripping over themselves to please us.

"Welcome home, Master Kai and Lady Wannia," the Head Butler says, his voice a little too dramatic for my liking. "We have been eagerly awaiting your return."

“Home,” I thought, a small, proud smile forming on my face. “This is where I belong. This is where I can finally be myself.”

We walk through the mansion, and I'm just trying not to get lost in the sheer opulence. It's pretty mind-blowing.

"This is where we grew up," I said, trying to sound as casual as I can, even though I'm feeling a little nostalgic. "This is where our family lives, where our legacy continues."

"Our family," I thought, felt a surge of pride. "This is where we belong. This is where we’re finally coming home.”

“And I have to admit,” I thought, a smirk playing on my lips, “this place is even more awesome than I remember.”

I steal a glance at Wannia, and I can tell she’s struggling. She’s looking around at everything with a mix of wonder and anxiety, her eyes wide.

"I'm glad you're here, sis. We’re a team. We’ll face this together." I give her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder.

“But she’s so clueless,” I thought, shaking my head. “How is she ever going to handle all this? This is the Crimson Claw, not some summer camp for normal kids.”

Mrs. Beatrice, the head maid, approaches us with a gentle smile. “Master Kai, Lady Wannia, it is a pleasure to welcome you home. I will be your guide for the evening, showing you around the mansion and the training grounds.”

“Training grounds?,” I thought, a wave of excitement washing over me. “Here it comes. I’m finally going to learn how to unleash my full potential!”

I glance at Wannia again, and this time, I can’t help but chuckle. She looks like a deer in headlights. I guess this might be a bit much for her. But she’ll get used to it. She always does.

We follow Mrs. Beatrice through the mansion. She shows us the library, the ballroom, even the kitchens. But it’s the training grounds that really have me buzzing. We’re finally going to be training, just like we’ve always dreamed.

“And here we have the firing range,” Mrs. Beatrice says, gesturing to a large, open area dotted with targets. “You’ll learn to use firearms with precision and speed.”

"Firearms? Awesome," I thought, mentally picturing myself firing off a shot with perfect accuracy. "This is going to be amazing."

I glance at Wannia, but she doesn’t share my enthusiasm. She’s looking at the firing range with a mix of fear and bewilderment.

“It’s okay, sis. I’ll help you,” I think, a reassuring grin spreading across my face. "We'll have a blast."

Mrs. Beatrice then leads us to a large, enclosed arena. "This is the close combat training area,” she explains. “You’ll learn to use different weapons, including knives, daggers, and throwing stars."

I watched Wannia's face go white as a sheet, her eyes wide with a mix of terror and confusion. "Knives? Daggers? Throwing stars?" she whispered, a nervous tremor running through her voice. "How am I supposed to do that? I've never held a weapon in my life."

I knew exactly what she was feeling. Honestly, if I hadn't been training for this since I was a kid, I'd probably be freaking out too. But this was her reality now, and she had to face it.

I squeezed her hand, a silent signal for her to stop questioning. She was already overwhelmed. We'd work through this together, step by step, one weapon at a time.

My heart ached for her. She was so used to her safe little world, to her books and her friends, and now she was thrown into this world of shadows and danger. But I wasn’t going to let her down.

I flashed her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, sis. We'll figure this out together. Remember, we’re a team."

I knew those words didn’t fully convey how I felt. They sounded simple, almost cliché. But for me, they were a promise. I was going to make sure she came out of this, not only safe, but stronger. I was going to be the rock she could lean on, the shield she could hide behind, the hand that helped her through the darkest night. She may not be a warrior like me, but she was tough. She was resourceful, and I knew she had the heart of a fighter. We would learn to navigate this world, together.

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