The lost world : Drown

"Come in"

I took in a deep breath, and stretched my hand to use the door. 

"You're taking a long time, Muna"

"Why didn't you contact me in those three days" I tried to guilt trip her.

"Talk to me in person. Be a man"

I opened the door, dropped the tray on the table, and sat on the bed next to her.

"You wanted me in person, so there you go. What now?

She pulled my close, putting her head on my chest while breathing hard.

"Dont do that again. Promise me you wont go off like that again. I want you to say it."

I came into her room looking for bronze, but I found gold. I looked down to her, briefly admiring the display.

"I wont do it again. But I won though? Why should something like this worry you? You are a my friend, my trainer" I asked nonchalantly.

She got up in somewhat of a hurry, put on more clothes, and made her way to the door.

"Good thing you said that. Get ready, we will be training practical combat. We also have a lot to talk about. You may leave now" 

"Wai-"

"I said leave" 

I was shocked at the sudden switch up. I got up, brushed my head a little bit while looking at the ground nervously. I fidgeted my way to the door, which she held open for me. I looked at her one more time. There was no look of compassion in her eyes. I pulled myself together and left the the room, the door closing behind me.

"How did that go?" 

I looked over to where the voice came from, only to see Mercury standing there, her eyes sharp, as if waiting for this moment.

"I'll give you one word of advice" she said as she got off the wall she was leaning, petting my shoulder like she was pitying me.

"Leave my sister alone. Then I might postpone the beating I owe you. I wont be like Marse. I wont hold back"

Then she got closer, her lips close to my ears

"I know men like you. You attach yourself to girls that you think are easy to manipulate. You made a mistake if you think you can go after her and dodge me"

I pulled my shoulder off her grip, and walked off angrily, as she snickered and giggled at my expense.

"Didn't knew she hid such a poisonous character under that pretty smile of hers. Captivating, but very poisonous."

I walked down the hallway, making for my room to get ready for 'training'. As soon as I got inside, another surprise awaited me. Marse.

She laid on my bed, cuddled up and sleeping soundly. I spent most of my life up until these times in a cave, so responding to this kin of behavior was something that my 10 years of continuous book-reading couldn't make up for.

"Should I tap her gently, or should I rock her like I want to? No she'll beat me to a pulp. Or should I just completely relinquish my room"

"Oh, you're here. I have a few things to talk to you about" she said as she lazily got up from my bed.

"First, congratulations on your victory against me. Secondly, this is my room, well, it was. So I'll dropping by from time to time. Lastly, what are you going to do about this?" she asked referring to her lost hair, as she came close to me, reaching an inch before stopping and staring, expecting an answer.

I stood in utter confusion.

"Both you and I know that you dont stand a chance against me. Your nothing compared to me. I could crush you right now" she pointed out, sounding as serious as ever.

"And then battle Venus? I'd like to see that go down. Oh no, it'd be a two on one, because Mercury wouldn't want me gone that quickly, that easily. Then, imagine the gossip. You coming over here, caught sleeping on my bed, poorly dressed and 'came to fight' ? No one could bring themselves to believe that. If I go down, you come with me"

She erupted in laughter.

"Oh, that was a good one. Venus found someone interesting" she stepped closer to me and petted my head.

"What's up wrong with these people today?"

She grabbed my head and coiled my hair around her fingers in a playful manner.

"Could you let go?" I asked.

"I'll do whatever I want to you. You cut my precious hair".

"I'd argue you look better with shorter hair" I said confidently.

"That's not your decision to make. Dont you have some where to go? You should get going. I dont want any rumors spreading" she replied.

I got going.

"Wait. I have gift for you. It should be outside near the door. Male sure to use it well. Remember to thank your big sister later"

I walked out of the room, and a gift it was. It was the blade I used against her, fixed up and fortified. Nice.

I walked out, making my way for the 'training grounds'. It was ever full of huge mountainous structures. I saw Venus standing, looking lost in thought.

"You're finally here" she exhaled.

"We have a lot to talk about. Up until now we haven't discussed our ethereal divide. I gave you a part of my soul. That's how I've been able to be along with you. We've only merged 15% though. At this level you should be able to sense me around, and you'll be able to see some of my memories. 'If you wish to speed it up, you should give me part of you soul' is what I would've said, but the level of your QI is too low" she explained.

"I want you to come closer, and put your hand on my stomach" she directed.

"I'm not sure you understand what you just said. Just to be sure, what did you say?"

"I'm not repeating myself. If you learned anything in the academy, you would know that that is where the core is located. The purpose of the exercise is to get you to used to my QI. We're going to try something very soon. If it works, you'll be able to use my QI while you're not here"

"If that's it, you can count me in. I just have to absorb some right?" I asked.

She responded in silence.

As I took, it flowed into my body, warming it up by the minute. As soon as I took my hand off, my body burned with an intensity that felt both exquisite and excruciating, as if every nerve ending had ignited in a symphony of heat, awakening a profound awareness of existence that coursed through my veins like molten fire. I dropped to the ground.

"I didn't respond, so that you can experience it firsthand. It burns because you dont have an energy core, so your vessels were forced to merge with your paths a little bit to accommodate my energy. I can feel you, and I think you're good to go back. If I estimate, you should be on level 3. You have real power now"

"Can I punch you, just once?" I said in a lighter tone, through the excruciating pain. She giggled.

"Not a chance"