Riptides And Memories-Chapter Nine
TW: violence, blood, it's challenges people come on.
Challenges are anything but clean and orderly. Andrea knew that even before she was transported into this world by mistake. Knives flashed in the afternoon light, some covered with blood. There were sweat stains and blood pools on the mats before even five minutes into the challenges. It didn't help that the room was heated like an oven due to humidity since it was officially August.
Andrea watched as her squadmates got called off to other mats, Shrask winning with brutal efficiency, Nerina tapping out but getting in a few good hits. It wasn't until she saw Zay get stabbed in the stomach that she felt the bile rising. He got carried off to the Healer's, but it still sent a shiver down her spine. She was barely paying attention when she heard Emerettio call out, "Anika Durran and Kaelen Unger!"
She looked up to see the instructor pointing to the mat. She took a breath and stepped forward. Her opponent was a medium sized guy with reddish brown hair, a lengthy build, and half a dozen knives already. His boots were barely dirty, only having a few scuff marks on them.
She rolled her shoulders and stamped down the feeling of nausea as Emerettio marked the beginning of the match. Unger immediately pulled a thick knife from his sheath and charged. He was quick, and heavy, leaning into the swipes. She leaned backward, away from the draw of the knife. He used his strength, but wouldn't think to set up a trap like Aaric did. She dodged another swipe and turned to the side, so she was facing his shoulder. She elbowed him in the side on her way to his back, then kicked at the back of his knee, forcing him to fall to the mat.
He turned, swiping with the knife. Andrea took a step back, the edge of the dagger cutting a line across her midsection. He charged forward, catching her off guard and around the waist. He slammed her against the mat, sending a bolt of pain up her spine. He raised his knife, as if to slam it down on her. Fuck him. She is not going down that easily.
She reached out and punched his throat, right in the Adam's apple. She heard a few people grunt from the side lines. He coughed, dropping his knife in shock. She reached out, grabbed the blade and punched his temple with her other hand. He was off balance and dizzy. Good. She kicked at his stomach, making him gasp, falling away from the force of it. She scrambled up to her feet, crouching in front of him, his blade at his skin.
He drew another dagger and went for another wild stab still on his ass. She used her free hand, grabbing his wrist. His other hand sent a jab to her ribs but she held on. That cut on her stomach burned in pain. She twisted her body and kicked at his midsection. He backed up, even though she still had ahold of his wrist, keeping him off balance.
Then, she had a wild idea that she doubted will come back to her later. She'd likely regret it too. But if it kept her alive... Keeping her grip on his wrist, she leaned in and bit his forearm. Unger let out a scream as she heard a few more vocal reactions by the mat. She released him when he dropped the knife. She picked it up as he cradled his bleeding wrist.
"Fucking bitch!" he exclaimed.
She spit his blood back at him. "You taste disgusting." She pointed both his daggers at him. "You wanna yield?"
He bared his teeth and charged again, this time without a knife. His mistake. She dodged his punch, slashed at his side, drawing more blood, then placed his knife under his chin. She tucked the other against his spine, in the place where she knew would hurt if it went in. She had watched Supernatural after all.
He made a noise like a grunt and she dug the blade in his back deeper. "There's a place in the back where the spinal column is in line with the heart. I don't know where it is, but this seems like a good of a spot as any to check. Want me to try?"
She wasn't sure how, or why, but he sighed and said, "I yield."
She blinked in astonishment and released the knife's hold on him. She stepped out from behind him and held out the one hilt. He watched her carefully but took it. The other, she slid into one of the sheaths at her waist.
"You put up a hell of a fight," she told him.
He looked at her, uneasy. He didn't say anything, just walked off the mat to the doors. No doubt to get to the Healer's. Andrea took a breath and walked over to where her squadmates were watching in astonishment.
"That was... kind of scary," Nerina stated.
"But also kind of cool," Ophelia, one of their second years, said. "That thing about the spinal column, is that true?"
"I have no idea," Andrea admitted. "I just didn't wanna die."
The older girl laughed as Nerina watched her with wide eyes. Andrea looked around, seeing most of their squadmates in challenges or off to the side. But where... "Where's Josiah?" she asked.
Ophelia pursed her lips, looking down. Nerina swallowed before she answered, "He got choked unconscious. When they tried to wake him up, they couldn't find a pulse. He's dead."
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"You didn't die," she heard behind her. She recognised the voice, which was why she didn't turn.
"I did." She stabbed at her pasta. "Josiah died."
There was a momentary pause before Aaric said, "I'm sorry."
She shook her head. "Nothing you could do, nothing I could do either."
Aaric didn't say anything, just put a hand on her shoulder. She froze, but didn't shrug him off. He didn't squeeze her shoulder, just... held on for a moment. She closed her eyes, wanting to remember the feeling of his comfort.
Then he left. Leaving a space behind her and emphasizing the hole in the table that used to be filled.
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She took a breath and knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" the Major called.
She looked up and down the hall before she replied, "Anika. Can I come in?"
There was a moment of silence before he responded, "The door is open."
She walked in and saw The Major at the desk, papers spread over the surface. She closed the door before she turned back to Konrad, who had stood up from the desk.
"Andrea," she corrected. "I'm... trying something new. Kind of have to right?"
He gave her a rueful smile, like he understood, but didn't know what to say further. And of course he understood. He was here before her. He understood more than anyone. She took a breath and stepped forward.
"I've decided that I can't forgive you," she began. "For what you've done, back in our world. The things I know and the things that happened... they're not mine to forgive and are unforgivable." Konrad nodded slowly, processing the words. "But I also understand that we're the only ones in this place from another world. We're alone here together. And I don't want to lose that. So I will work with you, but I can't forgive you."
Konrad looked up and smiled. "I understand. For what it's worth, thank you. I cannot tell you how much that means to me."
Andrea nodded and sat down heavily. Konrad sat down in the other chair. "What's wrong?" he asked.
She took a breath. "One of my squadmates died," she said slowly. "I barely won my first challenge. He almost killed me. And Josiah still died... I know there was nothing I could do, but he was just... gone. Like he wasn't even there. Like he didn't matter. He was a person-and then he was just gone."
Konrad sat and listened to her, watched as she silently cried and spoke of her emotions. He watched her with a steady face. Like he understood each and every emotion she was feeling.
"How do you feel?" Konrad asked.
She closed her eyes. "Like I wanna throw up. But I've been feeling that since I came to Basgiath." She scoffed, giving a weak smile.
Konrad furrowed his brows though. "Since you arrived?" he echoed. "Is this a phantom feeling, or a physical one? Did you have this in your life beforehand?"
She furrowed her brows. "Um, no. No, this is new. I thought that it was a symptom of the whole dying thing."
Konrad paled a little. His eyes got wide. "Anika died from poison."
She felt the blood rush from her face as the nausea rose once more. "You think that-that poison-is still in my system?"
Konrad stood. "I think it is enough to go to the Healer's and check."
She nodded and followed him over to the Healer's Quadrant, where she had once come every day, if only for a few hours. Filled with cots, most seperated only by hanging curtains, the air filled with the scent of plants, blood and herbal medicines. The walls were a mix of a soft painted blue and white, to be able to scrub the blood off the walls no doubt. Various beds were filled with rider and infantry cadets, Healers and their cadets moving between the beds, tying bandages, applying salves and analysing injuries. She even saw Unger there with a bandage on his forearm.
"Excuse me," The Major said. While Andrea had been busy scanning the room, they had walked up to one of the Healers. An older woman with grey streaked hair and wrinkles around her eyes. "Can you fetch Nolon please?"
The woman sighed and furrowed her brows. "Colonel Colbersy is very busy, there's a waiting list for those-"
"I understand that," they said evenly. "However, this cadet has been exposed to a poison for quite some time. I have reasons to believe said poison may still be in her system."
The Healer furrowed her brows but sighed and looked over to another Healer that was passing by. "Go to the back room. Tell Nolon to come out when he can." She turned back to the pair of them, and looked at Andrea. "Come with me, girl. Let's check you out."
Andrea nodded and followed the woman to a bed. She raised her eyes at the cut from challenges earlier in the day, put a bandage on that, eyed the other cuts and bruises, then stepped back. "Now, your professor said something about poisoning?"
Andrea nodded. "I think I accidentally injested it on Conscription day. I was really woozy when I woke up and I've been nauseous on and off ever since."
The woman gave her a hard stare. "And you're just coming in now? It's been two weeks."
She shrugged, trying to look innocent. "It was kind of mild and I didn't think much of it." The woman shook her head and muttered under her breath about stubborn riders.
"Winifred, what is the emergency?" a voice asked from behind the woman. A man, surely almost 50, with light brown skin, salt and pepper hair, light brown eyes, came over, leaning heavily on a wooden cane. Instead of most Healers, he wore Rider black, with at least half a dozen patches on his breast.
The Healer-Winifred-looked over and gave the man a small smile. "This cadet has apparently had long time exposure to poison, first administered on Conscription Day."
Nolon raised his eyebrows. "And they're just coming in now?"
Winifred shrugged. "Apparently the symptoms were mild enough to be ignored."
Nolon sighed and staggered forward. Andrea shifted uncomfortably at the man. At the knowledge of what he had done to Violet-what he will do. God, this was confusing. He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. He was still for a moment, then furrowed his brows and moved his hand to her stomach. Then his eyes widened. He looked up at her.
"You said Conscription Day yes?" he asked.
"Based on what I'm feeling..." he paused, as though reading a passage that didn't make sense, "...there is enough poisonous material in your body and based on the time frame, you should have been dead weeks ago."
Winifred gasped and held a hand to her mouth. Andrea swallowed, feeling her stomach sink and the nausea rise once more. "C-Can you get it out?"
He sighed. "I am... currently occupied with a more extreme case. Even if I wasn't-there would not be any way for me to remove it through mending. We would have to remove it by more evasive measures anyway."
She furrowed her brows. "What kind of evasive measures?"
Winifred sighed and pulled a set of vials from the small bag at her hip. "Would you like to spend the night experiencing diarrhea or extreme vomiting?"
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Andrea was quickly regretting her decision. She had spent the past two weeks living with the feeling of nausea, so she decided, for catharsis, to finish it off with vomiting.
God, it was such a bad idea.
The diarrhea would be embarrasing sure, but the way her jaw practically unhinged, and the aftertaste of it in her mouth-it was just plain nasty. She sat back against the tile wall, holding her stomach as the waves of nausea recoiled for the moment. Winifred had said that the effects of the elixir would last all night. She had also signed a note that The Major would deliver, saying how she was excused from the next round of challenges, until they could ensure that the poison was removed from her system.
She squeezed her eyes shut and winced as the nausea rolled through her again. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes. She was sweating, having long since shed every outer layer she had on. Her body was shaking, the cut on her stomach was itchy and her sick body wouldn't let her focus on one train of through for more than a minute; other than her being sick of course. She wished-not for the first time and not for the last-that she was back home. With her momma who would make her soup, give her ginger ale and worry for her. Then her friends, who would at the very least send check in texts and wish her better. Here, there was no one.
The knock on the small door made her look up. She expected Winifred with some water.
Instead a rough voice came from this one. "Andrea?" Aaric called. "Nerina said you were in the Healers. Are you okay?"
She groaned, both in pain and embarrassment. Of course it was Aaric that came to find her. Anybody else would have been better. Hell, she would have taken Bodhi a thousand times before Aaric. Why was he even here? They barely knew each other.
The nausea rose again and it saved her from responding as she curled over the metal toilet.
It was still weird to her how the toilets were metal.
She heard the door open and then there were hands at her back. She was just grateful that her hair was short enough it didn't get in her way.
Andrea leaned back and flushed the pipes, the water removing all evidence of her sick. She crossed her arms over the cold metal and rested her head against it.
"What happened?" Aaric asked.
"Poison," she supplied. "Only way to eradicate it."
He removed his hands but she still felt his presence. "Who poisoned you?"
She chuckled but then groaned. Laughing hurt. She spit in the bowl and moved to rest against the wall. "Don't do that."
He furrowed his brows. "Do what?"
She waved her hand in his direction. "That... possessive, jealous thing guys do. Don't do that. It's stupid. You barely know me."
He paused, watching her. Then he leaned next to her on the wall. "I'm sorry," he told her. "I just hate seeing you like this."
"Trust me, it's not fun for me either," she replied. "Why did you come to find me?"
"You missed our training session," he supplied.
She smiled. "You were worried about me," she teased.
He rolled his eyes. "I was upholding my end of the deal. Nothing more."
"Sure." Andrea smiled before she groaned again, curving into a ball. Aaric placed a hand on her shoulder, held her steady. She closed her eyes, her face pinching in pain.
"What can I do to help?" he asked.
"Talk to me," she requested. "Keep me distracted."
He was quiet for a moment. "Talk about what?"
She thought for a moment, blurting out the first thing that came to mind. "What's your favourite colour?" Aaric let out a surprised breath, maybe even a chuckle.
But he didn't tease. He just said, "Blue. Like a really dark blue."
She took a deep breath and said, "I like purple. Everyone expects mine to be blue-but I like purple."
He took a breath and shuffled a little closer. "What else do you wanna know?" His voice was low, and quiet. Like he was afraid to speak the words into existence.
The nausea rolled through her again. "Anything. Do you have any siblings?"
He was quiet for a long time. Though she knew the answer, she wanted to hear it from him. She wanted his answer.
"Yes," he replied. "I had two. Both older brothers-twins. One went into infantry, the other became a rider. He died in Threshing."
She unhooked her one arm from her stomach. She reached out for his hand. She ended up grasping his knee. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.
He turned his head to look at her. "He was killed by your cousin."
She blinked, feeling shocked, then stupidity. She knew what Xaden had done, had read those books cover to cover. She didn't know why she was shocked by it. But she still let the shock show on her face. Then, she slowly nodded and leaned her head back on the wall.
"I can't explain Xaden's actions," she told him. "I can't apologise for him either. The only thing that I can do is offer my condolences for the fact that you lost your brother. I don't want to imagine what that was like."
He scanned her features, like he was processing what she just said. He took a breath and traced his finger along one of the curves of her relic. His hands were cold and she shivered. He removed them and she shook her head. "It's cold. That's good."
Slowly, almost unsure, he slid his hand around the back of her neck so his hand rested against her left. Then placed his other arm over her relic on her right arm. His cold skin relieved the heat her body had created after repeated vomiting. "Is...Is this okay?" he asked.
She nodded. "That's good." The nausea rose again. "Toilet."
He directed her carefully to the metal basin, barely enough time for her to empty the acid that her stomach wanted to retch once more. She really, really hated that elixir. "Keep talking."
He pursed his lips, then started speaking, "I grew up with my brothers in Calldyr Province. My father is a strict man. He's very obsessed with the way he thinks things should be. My mother... both sides of my family are from noble backgrounds. They didn't have a wedding, they had a marriage contract. I remember her more... alive when I was younger. Now, she seems more of a poreclain doll or a ghost than our mother. My brothers were both awful people. Arrogant, terrible tempers. We all got tutoring growing up-that included combat teachings- and they were always just a little too rough..."
She leaned against him, let herself relax. Tonight was gonna be horrible. But maybe it wouldn't be so terrible. At least she had someone to tell her stories and drag her out of the undertoe.
It was something. She would take it.
