Heroes

Chapter 2:
Firsts

“Look, Dorian, I thought I had gotten through to you that I am not going to train with you, ever. I don’t like fighting. I don’t want to fight. I am not going to fight,” Kalina said as she walked past Dorian who was standing beside a rack of silver jackets and black dresses.

“Ms. Lourince, you are one day going to have to face the party of you that is a fighter. In fact, not only will you have to face that side of you, you will have to embrace it,” he told her. “You are the reincarnation of the Spirilite queen, Drea, and-“

“And nothing. I have told you before that I am not the reincarnation of some dead queen. I am not a warrior, and I feel that I have made that very clear at least twenty times. I do not care, nor do I care about what you say because you are nothing more than some psycho loony who seems to be unable to take no for an answer,” she snapped as two middle school students walked by, shooting the blonde a strange look.

“If I am the ‘psycho loony,’ as you put it, then why are you the only one who can see me out of all the people in this store? The patrons are considering you the psychotic one, Ms. Lourince,” he retorted.

“Listen here, pal. The name is Kalina. Now, leave me alone! I don’t want anything else to do with you or your mission,” she said. “I am just a normal teenager. Granted, I am a little more emotionally unstable than the rest, but still I am just a normal teenager.”

“And what are you going to do when creatures come looking for you and end up attacking innocent people? What are you going to do when innocent people die because of you?” he asked.

“People are not going to die because of me, Dorian, and that’s because I am not the person they are after,” she sighed.

“And what if you are?” he responded. “You are going to have to face your destiny, Kalina. You cannot run from the truth for the rest of your life.”

“Truth lies in the eye of the beholder,” Kalina said as she pushed a strand of sandy blonde hair out of her eyes.

“That would be beauty, not truth, Ms. Lourince,” he said, slipping back to the formality of titles. “Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder.”

“Yeah, um, pal, if you are so smarou sou should the line from T.S. Eliot’s ‘Ode to a Grecian Urn,’ ‘Truth is beauty and beauty, truth,’ or something like that. Lit is not my best subject.”

“You are as bad as that blonde character in that comic book you red haired friend reads,” the bareheaded man sighed in disbelief. “Quotes and misquotes.”

“No, I get most of the quotes right in some respect because I can always go cite some other poem to back up my quote,” Kalina stated as she turned and glared at him. “And leave my friends the hell out of this. They don’t know a damn thing about you, and I plan on making sure it stays that way by forgetting all about you, myself.”

“I have to say that you are too much like Drea not to be her,” Dorian chuckled softly to himself.

“Well then, if I am so much like Drea, then you can guess which two little words are going through my mind right now, can’t you, baldy?” she asked, causing him to only laugh louder. Shaking her head, she walked over to the counter where she saw Lex standing. She smiled when she saw the way he got gotten his usually shaggy chocolate colored hair trimmed.

“Hey, babe,” he said simply as his eyes roamed over her work uniform which consisted of a pair of black leather stiletto boots, a long black skirt with a slit up to her mid-thigh, and a long sleeved metallic silver shirt. “Nice.”

“”Thanks,” she said as she quickly leaned up and kissed his cheek. “What are you doing here?”

“I just came to see my girl at work,” he replied. “And to fout out why you didn’t call me last night like you said you would.”

“Oh my Gaw… I’m sorry. I meant to, but I just got really sidetracked,” she said, looking pointedly at Dorian. “Anyways, I get off work at eight tonight, and I have a change of clothes in my locker in the back.”

“You don’t need it because you look great in that outfit,” he told her as he pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. \"I swear...\"

“Get away from him, Kalina,” she heard Dorian say in alarm. “He is giving off a strange energy. He could be dangerous.”

“Quit being so paranoid,” she snapped quietly.

“I’m not being paranoid, Kali. I was just saying how I thought you looked hot in that outfit, and how other guys are going to be checking you out,” Lex said with a mock hurt look on his face.

“I’m sorry, babe-“

“Kalina, do as I say and get away from him now! He is giving off a strange vibration. That man is dangerous. Please, you have to trust me!” Dorian exclaimed fervently.

“Just leave me alone!” Kalina cried out angrily.

“God, Kali, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bother you. Just let me know when you feel like talking, all right?” Lex said as he backed away from the counter and headed towards the door. “Maybe we should postpone our anniversary dinner tonight… Just call me when you’re feeling more like yourself…”

“Lex,” she called out as he walked out of the boutique. “I’m sorry…” She then once more turned and glared at the bald headed man. “Dorian, you psychotic loon! You have officially ruined mine and Lex’s eight month anniversary. Thank you so very freaking much! You have made this day one of the worst I have ever known. We were just getting over a huge fight we had two weeks ago, and now he probably thinks that I am still mad at him. I can’t even leave to try and catch him.”

“I am sorry, Kalina, but he could be dangerous,” Dorian apologized. “If I am wrong, then I will plead to you for forgiveness, but I cannot deny my instincts.”

“Look, Dorian, how about you just go away?” she exclaimed as she fought back the tears that threatened to fall.

“I’ll return soon to commence your training. Until then, please, calm down.”

“How about you don’t?” she snapped.

“Ms. Lourince, are you all right?” questioned Kalina’s employer, a tall dark haired woman with model-like features, and piercing navy eyes.

“Yes, m’am- I mean Tori,” Kalina replied as she rested her elbows on the counter, burying her face in her hands.

“Are you crying, Ms. Lourince?” questioned Tori. A soft sob coming from the blonde was all the answer that the woman needed. “Kalina, why don’t you go and splash some cold water on your face and try to calm down some?”

“I’ll try. Thank you, Tori,” Kalina said as she walked through the door behind the counter and headed to the restroom. As she stood facing the mirror, saw Daw Dorian standing behind her, even though his reflection was barely visible. “Gaw… can I not have any sort of privacy?”

“This was the first instance out of the sight of others. I know that you are in pain, but you still need to train, and I plan on making sure that you do.”

Kalina turned to look at him with a disbelieving stare. “Are you dense or something? I couldn’t give a rat’s ass about your damn training! Even if I did, I don’t have the time,” she told him. “Bes, es, you said it yourself that I am in pain, but don’t you think that I have been through enough today?”

Dorian sighed and ran a hand over his face. “Just because your boyfriend is not as important as your destiny, I am supposed to feel sorry? When he is dead, are you still going to hate me for trying to turn you into a savior of this planet and its people? Are you-“ he stopped when he saw Kalina’s face contort in pain before she doubled over, hand clutching at her midsection, her body trembling in pain. He seemed to step througpanepane of glass as he rushed over to her and placed a hand on her back. “What’s the matter Kalina?”

“I-I don’t know…” she whimpered softly. Despite its utter softness, however, Dorian could still hear the pain and fear was lacing her voice. “I saw… a flash of green and… I felt like someone was just… just stabbing me in my stomach.”

“Oh, no…” she heard him mutter softly.

“Dorian, what’s going on?” she asked through clencteetteeth. She looke at at him as the pain caused spots to dance before her eyes. “What is happening to me?”

“I thought I would have time to train you before your first battle,” he murmured.

“Dorian!” she cried out painfully as she slowly struggled to stand upright. “Tell me what the hell is going on damn it! If you truly believe me to be your queen, you had better start answering my questions.”

Dorian helped support her as she once more cried out in pain and felt the urge to double over. “I am sorry, Kalina. I thought I might be able to begin your training before the Spirilites began to launch their attacks. Your body is unprepared for the power in which thy use, and in response to the power, you are suffering from the adverse reaction which you are feeling now…”

“So everyone is feeling what I am feeling right now?” she questioned as she looked at him and saw pain flashing through his.

Dorian shook his head. “No, but this proves what I have been telling you. Only those people who are reincarnated members of the royal family and their protectors are feeling this pain,” he told her. “And as far as I know, that would be me. I feel the pain, but it is more of a muted pain because I have trained for years to deal with different sorts of pain as well as the energy associated with the entrance of a Spirilite into a different plane of existence.”

“You pathetic piece of shi- Ahhhhhhh!” Kalina once more doubled over as the sounds of running and screaming sounded outside the bathroom door.

“Where is the bag I gave you after our first encounter?” Dorian asked quietly as he quickly covered her mouth to muffle the pained sounds and curses escaping her mouth.

Slowly, he removed his hand and she whispered, “It’s in my pack. I left my pack in one of the chairs near the coffee machine.”

“All right. Kalina, go into one of the stalls and try to hide until I say that it is safe to come out. I will be back as soon as I can,” he told her as he led her towards one of the eggshell colored stalls.

“You had damn well better be,” she snapped painfully as he closed the door. She then heard the bathroom door open and close. Silently, the blonde leaned against the wall as tears rolled doer cer cheeks. She curled up against as much as she could in the tiny stall in an attempt to try and ease the pain which continued to rip through her.

When she heard the bathroom door open, Kalina silently wa for for Dorian to call out, but instead she was taken by surprise as the doo heo her stall was ripped off of its hinges by a great creature which looked like a human-vulture hybrid.

“Well, well, what do we have here?” a second creature asked from where it was standing behind the monstrosity which was still holding the door.

The creature threw the door aside and reached into the stall, dragging the young woman out. It looked her up and down as if sizing her up. “A human who managed to hide from us? Interesting… You must be smarter than the rest. You could be very useful in helping us find our target.”

“L-Let me go… Please…” she whimpered fearfully as the pain she was feeling almost drove her to losing consciousness.

“Now why would I want to go and do something like that when you could be so very important to increasing my power?” the first creature asked.

“Because I have reason to believe that there is someone who could be a big ol’ nuisance to you in the future if you don’t take care of him first. His name is- “She took a deep breath before shrilly screaming, “Dorian!”

The creature holding Kalina threw her aside and like the rest of its comrades, covered its head where its ears should have been in order to protect itself from the harshness of her voice. Taking advantage of the situation despite the pain ripping through her, Kalina attempted to rush to the door. Before she reached the door, it burst open, and in front of the blonde stood another of the beasts. The blonde shrieked again, hoping that her cry would have the same effect, but unfortunately, her scream only caused the creature to shake its head.

Just as the creature was about to grab her arm, the blade of a sword rammed through its forehead and split the things head in two. As the blade was yanked out of the creature’s head, it fell to the floor, revealing Dorian standing behind it. He stepped up to her and ed aed a hand on her shoulder

“Are you all right, Kalina?”

She looked up at him and replied snidely, “Do you have to ask?”

“Take this,” he told her as he opened the small blue bag with peace signs and pentacles sewn and draw all over it and pulled out a small dagger with a gold toned hilt which was decorated by delicate engravings and a single pink stone which was the size of a pencil eraser.

“What am I supposed to do with this?” she asked as she tightened her hand against her midsection, attempting to ease the cramping which she was feeling.

“Press the small stone on the dagger’s handle and focus on the power within you. The dagger’s magic will give you a way to focus your strength, as well as help ease the pain which you are feeling.”

“I don’t want to have to focus my power to fight. I don’t want to train, Dorian…” she almost sobbed.

“I am sorry, Kalina, but I am afraid that you are going to have to,” he told her. “If you don’t then these creatures will kill you and everyone you care about.”

“These are the things you told me about?” she questioned incredulously. “I thought that they would look more like normal humans. Not like giant birds.”

“I thought they would appear that way at first, but I cannot guess the Spirilite methods of attacking you,” he told her. “Just do as I told you, please.”

“Fine, but this doesn’t mean I agree to anything that you have been talking to me about,” she said. “Just this thing seems kinda puny when thinking that it is supposed to be used to hurt them.”

“It is not the weapon which will hurt them, but the powers within you. You will be more capable when it comes to focusing the true strength of your powers once you have trained for a while, but for now, do not be afraid to attack after allowing some of your blood to touch the blade.”

“And just how is my blood supposed to touch the blade?” she questioned suspiciously.

“That is up to you,” he told her.

“That sounds just freaking great,” she muttered as she took a defensive stance, her grip on the small weapon tightening to the point that her knuckles were turning white.

“Don’t be scared of this, Kalina,” Dorian said calmly.

“Too late, Dorian…” she replied as her thumb pressed the small stone on the hilt of the blade. Moments later, a surge of raw energy rushed through the blonde leaving her momentarily short of breath.

When the feeling caused by the power quelled, Kalina noticed a weight on her forehead and lifted her hand to her face. There she felt the base of a small crown above her brow and three small jewels dangling just above her eyes. Her fingers drifted to find a mask covering her eyes.

“What in the world?” she muttered as she felt that the pain had indeed faded to be replaced the coldness of the air conditioning as her clothing had shifted to scanty armor which consisted of a pair of boots which came up to just above her ankle, a deep purple skirt which went down to her mid-thigh, and was covered by violet toned, metal plates which covered her hips. Her stomach was left bare and her chest was protected by a thick wrap which was held in place by a breast plate which had been held up by metal shoulder plates which covered her shoulders but allowed her movement. On the girl’s neck was a purple metal collar and on her wrists were purple metal wrist bands that went up to her elbow.

“That is the proof that you are Drea. Normal armor would have formed along your body had you been anyone else. She had her armor specified into the power of the stone. She wanted to be able to move freely which normal armor would have kept her from doing.”

“This is not the time to discuss this, Dorian!” she replied. “Now, tell me how to beat these damn things!”

“Your blood is a catalyst which activates an inflammatory agent in the blood of certain Spirilite races. The ones which are coming after you should be affected but if not then just do what you know,” he told her.

“Great…” she sighed as she held the small dagger in front of her, ignoring how Dorian dispensed with another of the many remaining birdlike creature. I’ve seen this done on TV before. It shouldn’t be that bad.”

Gritting her teeth, the blonde wrapped her hand tightly around the blade and slashed it open by dragging the dagger out slowly. She winced when she saw the way her blood coated the metal and muttered a soft, “Ow…”

“Do not worry about the wound, Kalina. Just defend yourself for now,” Dorian ordered as one of the creatures charged towards the young warrior.

She shrieked when she saw the creature less than five feet away. She quickly held out the dagger, and before the creature could stop, it impaled itself on the blade. A moment later, it erupted into a ball of fires and disintegrated into a pile of ash.

“It can’t be,” said the leader of the creatures as the armored girl ran over to the other fighter. “Kill the man, get the girl, and make sure to destroy that weapon!”

“Dorian, I sure as hell hope that this doesn’t mean that I am going to have to keep cutting myself because I really don’t like causing myself pain. It tends to put me a little on the disgruntled side,” she stated.

“The weapon should do until the end of the battle. If it stops working, just slap the creature with your wounded hand,” he retorted as she slashed out, piercing the flesh of one creature which raced towards them, as Dorian raised his sword allowing one of the creatures to run into the blade.

“You are an idiot, Dorian!” Kalina exclaimed before she quickly jumped up, dodging the creature that had decided to slide towards her feet. She looked down and scoffed. “What was that move? An attempt to bite my ankle off?” Shaking her head, the blonde took her dagger and sliced through the back of its neck, causing the creature to go up in flames. “Hey, baldy, you said that whoever I was in the past had some sort of power? What kind of power did she have?”

“The power to make the ground literally tremble beneath her feet, but she took years to develop her powers,” he replied.

“Then I should be able to since I am her reincarnation, right? The power should be in me in some way, shape, or form. Now tell me, how she did it?” she asked as she spun in a half circle, slashing the skin of two of the creatures as they charged at her. One burst into flames like its predecessors, but the other simply laughed.

“Do you honestly think that I am as weak as those others? My lord bestowed upon me the powers that match those of the legendary Queen Drea. How else would he expect me to be able to catch her new form should she have the powers?” it questioned with a mocking laugh. “And frankly, I don’t think that you are her like my comrade did. I simply think that you are someone who got lucky with a certain part of your DNA.”

“So you think that I’m not powerful?” Kalina retorted nervously. “I mean I am the designated protector of her new form.” She then pointed to Dorian. “I mean, yeah, she’s a guy now, but he still isn’t all that powerful.”

“What are you doing, Kalina?” Dorian snapped as he looked at her in confusion and disbelief.

“You really are an idiot! Don’t you know that you aren’t supposed to-“

“If you really are his protector, then why did you-“

“Will you stay out of this, bird brain?” exclaimed Kalina. “It’s bad enough that my job was taken away from me because of a stupid duty I have no choice in fulfilling. I have to deal with a head-shaven idiot who has got some serious problems. I am warning you that I am not going to deal with an overgrown bird interrupting me.”

The creature backhanded her, and then it questioned mockingly, “How about an overgrown bird smacking aro around and then taking your charge away while you watch?”

“Oh, that is it!” she shouted as her eyes flashed a deep green behind her mask, and the room began to shake violently. The floor below the creature collapsed, causing it to fall into the basement where it was crushed by the material that made up the floor and the ceiling.

“So that is how that works…” Kalina noted as she rubbed her jaw and walked over to the bald guardian as he finished off the last creature. He looked over to her as her illusion of the warrior faded. She looked around at the mess. “You can explain this to anyone who asks, Dorian…” Kalina then fell forward into his arms as she lost consciousness.

“Kalina?” he said softly as he gently shook her, only to find out that she was asleep. “Just great…”