Adike raised her hand, forming Ice daggers, not perfectly made but sharp enough to kill. She threw it at her opponent, who raised her two hands palm close to her chest – forming an ice shield that shattered as the dagger collides with it.
Adike's best friend – Bukola, gave her a feral grin, eyes glowing ice blue as she uses her Watcher power, she turned in her drawn duel circle, doing a series of fast frost dances that she brings to an end by slamming her two hands on the ground. The ice-covered floor turn to pure solid frost that shoots sharp ice crystals, fast and deadly towards Adeke's direction, she took a deep breath, feeling the ice that is her birthright move in her veins. Eyes glowing like two small ice stars, she brought her right hand down, the iced floor shuddered, the force of the power make the ice crystals broke, sending them back.
The force of it sent Ola falling backward, even with her ice shield. She lay there a minute, groaning. Adike flung back her black braid, giving her grinning friend a hand up.
"One of these days, an going to win one of our duels," Ola said, removing her training leather gauntlet. She was clad in the black training armor, her black hair weave in a watcher's braid.
"Maybe when the ice Castle melts " She replied. Which is the truth. You were either born with the watcher's blood or you are not and if you were born weak you can only hope to attain perfection in the Arts of the elements.
Adike was born strong in the Arts of the ice element. The strongest, except of course her father, The West Watcher Lord.
"You shouldn't have used so much of your power, my lady." Yina the captain of her guard– it's made up of him and Bukolasince there's no need for many guards in the ice Castle. "You should reserve as much as you can in case there's more enemy."
"There's no enemy here cap." Ola gave him faked puzzled look.
"You know what am talking about Bukola." He said sharply. "If it's in real battle her ladyship must be conscious of her power usage, not use brute force.
Even though she tried not to feel hurt by his words, she feel the stings. It's the truth after all. She did use brute force more than the perfect precision that most watchers use.
She was saved from replying by the arrival of a page boy, who bows deeply at her.
"His grace requests the presence of her leadership in his study." He said, voice squeaking. Adike smiled at him, his face blushed blue, hardly noticeable with his ebony black skin. Adike knows from experience that her father did not "request" but rather a command.
She moves from the training ground, walking into the castle proper, the castle is built for its beauty but also for defense. Made of white stone and ice, its three towers standing proudly with the west flag flying at the top.
The keep inner walls are made of frost sleet that glows soft blue, Only the West lord can make that kind of ice. She moves swiftly through the corridors that lead to her father's study, the guards at the walls straighten and salute at the sight of her. She acknowledged them absently, her mind on what her father wants her for, it must be serious if it's the study she was called to. Her father only use the study for important things, far from the court eyes.
Two watchers guard the door to the study. The most loyal of them. They wore the west watcher uniform, which is made of half metal armor and blue leather. They wore one short sword and daggers at their waist, in case they run out of power in a fight. They gave her a nod, eyes hard – the watchers bow to no one, only their lord. The
She entered with her friend and guard. The study was surprisingly sparse, made so by her father. The walls and bookshelves are painted blue, ice crystals glow softly from their hanging place in the ceiling.
She bowed, her companions following. Her father's back was turned towards her, he was a powerful man, tall and muscular, with a face carved from ice, his black blad head shines from the light of the crystal.
"Father?" She knows from the temperature If the room that her father was angry, watches lords had worst tempers. He turned to her, eyes glowing brightly, it looks as if blue orbs had been plug Into a tall shadow. she shuddered, her father can be terrifying if he so chooses.
"He had been found." Her father's voice is iron.
Ola in a salute post gave her a puzzled look, it took a few seconds for what her father said to penetrate. Her heart rate speeds up, found, that change things for them, for the whole realm of watcher guardians.
She looked at her father. He was conflicted with the new situation, that much she can tell. She had been training since to read faces for their hidden secrets. She had to since she's the heir and future watch Lord of the west. Why is the conflicted?
"He was found in my domain, west of the human realm."
Now she knows why her father was having concerns since the Demon portal is in the human world and each portal is given to the five watch lords to guard and protects. This is bad news for the west, both in the human realm and the one and five realm – the name of the home of Ànjanu since it's one realm divided into five different domains– East, West, North, South and the Central, capital and royal seat of the king.
"What are we going to do?" She asked quietly.
Her father gave a short laugh. "Do? There's nothing to do but send watchers to bring him home"
"Shouldn't the rest of the council know?" Her father gave her an unreadable look for a while before losing a big breath, he sat in one of the two chairs there. "The council is turned Adike, the North want him for sure, but East and South? They are keeping their opinions to themselves.
She gave her father a pointed look. He smiled at her, touching the blue wolve that is etched into the cloak he wore, he didn't need the cloak of course anyone from the west doesn't fear the cold elements – it moves in their veins. But her mother sews the cloak, she had put detailed attention in it, she can see their crest –the howling wolve.
"We are the family of the wolves, Adike, loyal to the end."
"You will go and bring him." Her father said. His voice is now that of a watch lord – commanding. "Nobody will think it odd that the heir to the west watch is visiting the outposts of the human realm. Take your guards with you, I will be in the capital, am calling a council for him.
She wanted to argue, but to what end? Not now, she'd find him later. She bow, her guards giving him sharp salute.
