Iris. Chapter VI

Elder returned to the corridor that evening, just as he promised. He found her lying there, sleeping, or so it seemed. He stood next to her, looking down at how she lay, almost begging.
“Curaga?” he said roughly, worrying on their timing. There was no response. He knelt and tapped her arm. She stirred and sat up, pulling her smooth hair away from her face.
“I was dreaming,” she smiled.
“You were sleeping?” he asked, helping her to her feet.
“No, just dreaming…” she sighed. “Come on,” she added, leading him towards the door. He paused, as he watched her walk towards it. It was strange how she seemed so small against everything, when in reality she was a mere two heads shorter than him.
“How can you not be afraid?” his voice echoed around the corridor. Infinity dropped the arm that was reaching for the door and turned around. She walked over slowly to him.
“Well…” she began. Her voice was the colour of silver, the colour of the moon and all its freedom it let out in its pallid beams. “Sooner or later, it’s all over,”
She ignored the look on his face, unaware it was of admiration, and opened the door.
“State your-” the disembodied voice began as she found herself standing in spotlight.
“Curaga, Infinity. I’m here for the battle,” the words had barely left her mouth, when fire torches lit around the walls. Infinity recoiled in horror as the light
revealed something about Elder she never wanted to know. She was standing in what appeared to be a stadium, millions of faces bearing down at her, watching her every move. Every person appeared to be wearing the same long black cloak Elder wore. A cult? she wondered, fitting everything into place. There were hurried footsteps behind her. Elder greeted her with an awkward stare.
“You…” she began. Everything within her ached, it was as though something inside her rose from her very spirit, released itself from her aura and left her to plead and beg for everything she had lost. “You set this up. This isn’t a battle…what is this?!” Infinity cried, tears in her eyes.
“There will be a battle…this is just training” he reassured her.
“This is a coliseum!” she protested trying to force the tears back, although by now it felt impossible. Elder gave a look of sympathy before turning his back and walking away. It seemed she was alone once more. Elder kept his head bowed as he walked away, his silver hair brushing over his shoulder blades. As he left her, there was a sense of longing in her heart. I hate him…so why don’t I want him to leave?