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- 03/18/2011
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
Seeing Double - 12. Chapter 12
Well I've finally got round to finishing another chapter. Thank you for everyone who is still reading and has had the patience of a saint :)
MATT
I could see a battlefield, I was high above it. Below me I could see Hquaio tearing in the ranks of the Dark Path’s followers.
The stench of blood was almost overpowering even at this height.
The landscape had changed dramatically: Energy burns ravaged the land; the once beautiful meadows were now barren, both sides’ Energy warping it.
I saw a Dark Practitioner take out a score of warriors with a well aimed blast, the soldiers dying instantly under the assault.
In revenge I saw Ailarha concentrate and the Dark One screamed as his mind literally melted under Ailarha’s psychic onslaught.
A group of flying riders made a bee line for me but I extended my hand and a bolt of lightning scored a molten line across them and they plummeted down to the ground with a scream.
The vision cut away again and I was screaming something as I held back Arensha’s attack, I saw something hit Arensha and he went down.
My vision cut to another scene. This time Arensha was on the battlefield and the attackers had redoubled their effort.
He challenged me to combat and I could see Dan next to me turning white at the prospect of the duel.
I accepted, having no other choice if I wanted a swift end to this war. He needed to be defeated.
I heard screaming, I heard the clash of blades. Then, when I thought the dreams had ended, I heard a single word: ‘Good.’
I cried out as I entered the real world once more. I hated these visions. They came more often now and I didn’t know if it was a version of events, one of the various threads of future or if I was really being shown a glimpse of what was happening, wait... what was going to happen.
Dan had woken; a consequence of my screaming.
“That’s the third time this week, are you alright?” He asked, gently kissing me and holding me in his arms and I let him hold most of my weight. It had indeed only been a week since Dan had taken me on that next step; what we did during lovemaking was amazing, albeit not the final stage. But only two days after that the visions started.
“I don’t know. I mean, this has only started recently. I’ve had visions before but they were of past events. This is new. I’m not sure how to analyse it, not sure...I can’t say how I feel.”
He made soothing sounds as he stroked my hair, letting it run through my fingers as he pressed himself into my side. He has always had the ability to make me feel safe when I need it most.
“We can get through this. When you speak to Ailarha she might have more answers.”
I nodded.
“What time is your training today?” I asked him.
“Not until the afternoon.”
I didn’t even need to say a word. Dan knew what I wanted and he curled up with me. It was all I wanted at this moment. To forget about the war, forget about my powers or where we were. I just wanted to get lost in his eyes.
The intensity of his eyes, so green, so pure made me lose myself in his face as he stroked my back and shoulders; I sighed softly as I relaxed under his touch.
Dan always seemed so in tune with what I needed, and he means so much to me.
I brought my face to his to kiss him lightly and I breathed lightly across him, the Energy contained in my breath had my love in it and he could feel it hit his face; he could feel it now he had Energy of his own.
Without warning a final vision emerged into my head.
It was Dan, he was being dragged into a portal, and I couldn’t stop it. I knew that I couldn’t see him again once the portal closed.
I looked back at Dan and cried.
He was startled but hugged me as tightly as he could.
I had only had a few visions but they were so fraught with loss, so much death. It was too much too soon.
“I’m sorry I’m like this right now.” I whispered.
“You have nothing to apologise for, I don’t see why you feel the need to. Every time you need my comfort I will be there to curl up next to you and wrap you in my arms.”
I stroked his neck with my thumb and he sighed softly as well.
We stayed there for hours... I didn’t want to move I felt so safe and Dan didn’t seem to want to break the hold either.
Dreamless sleep fell upon me thankfully because, as I awoke, I noticed Dan had had to leave. He had left a note saying he had been summoned for training.
I picked up the note and I could feel the reluctance he felt when he was writing it on the paper and I could imagine his face torn between wanting to stay with me and having to go to his training.
The cloth of my robes felt soft as I slipped them on; it felt weird wearing these once more as the last time I had was when I had ascended to become a Lord.
The staff of the palace darted around everywhere, constantly running errands and doing their duties, keeping the palace up to standard as well as occasionally helping to prepare the defences for the palace if they were capable.
Walking up the spiral steps to Ailarha’s training room brought back memories of the first session I had with her. That was one difficult training session. My entire mind ached and I couldn’t even think let alone perform anything by the end of it.
This time, however, it wasn’t concerning anything about training, but I was almost as nervous as I was back then. Visions of the future were something completely new to me and I wasn’t sure I was going to like what Ailarha had to say.
DAN-
“Again, Daniel; you must concentrate.”
I gritted my teeth as the small wave of Energy from the instructor hit me and I staggered back. Toned down so it only stung me the Energy wasn’t lethal, but it still wasn’t pleasant when it hit.
“Remember Daniel, you must deflect the Energy with your mind; that way the Energy will begin to automatically deflect small amounts of Energy away from you without you thinking consciously about it.”
“I know.” I muttered. My mind and my body were aching from the concentration and exertion needed, and these were for basic functions.
‘How the fuck did I even remove Matt’s clothes back then but I cannot do this?’ I thought.
‘I helped you that time you twit, if you had tried to on your own you would have either just tore his clothes and still left them on him, or you would have overdone it and tore into his skin at the same time.’
‘Oh, thanks then I suppose.’
‘At least you remember your manners now.’
‘Do you even like me?’ I asked after one too many sarcastic comments from Sarala at a time when I was tired.
‘Yes, I do Dan; I just like to tease you. Finally being free of the sphere is liberating for me, so I want to lord it over you somewhat.’
‘Wait...you would have seen Matt naked then!’
‘No, I didn’t. I only controlled how much Energy you could use so you caused the right effect.’
‘How did you know what I wanted to do?’
‘Just because I don’t have a body anymore doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy sex when I had a body. I haven’t been a talking amulet all my life.’
Her playful tone was too infectious and any ill feelings towards her just vanished.
“Again Daniel, if you would.” My instructor called out to me.
I felt Sarala remove a small part of my fatigue and I silently thanked her as I walked back to my starting position.
The training room, to me, looked like an enlarged sports hall.
Smooth walls surrounded us and the rock they were made out of gleamed in the light; it was the same rock as on the surface.
I had come to realise on the first session that the training rooms, for beginners at least, were underground.
“Are you ready, Daniel?” The instructor asked; that would be my only warning of the attack, after I nodded, which I did quickly in response to his question. After that he was random in his timing, in order to insert some sort of realism into the training.
Before the instructor did anything I remembered Matt upstairs and I remembered it was because I wanted to help him that I was doing this.
This time I noticed the instructor release a small ball of Energy and I focused my gaze on that small ball. I willed it to veer off course.
As I kept staring at it, the ball zigzagged before flying off in the direction of one of the other walls and it hit the rock with a small hiss.
After another hour of shielding training, which included having to prevent real arrows from striking me, the instructor lead me over to the target squares on the opposite side of the training room.
“Let’s see how much better you’re shooting has become Daniel.” He said simply and I nodded before facing the target squares and calling the Energy to my hands.
It was going to be moving targets today and the first one I actually managed to hit. As the square flashed into the air I let a small blast of Energy loose to strike the target. It vanished, telling me that I had hit it fully.
The next two I missed, but over the course of the next half hour, my instructor had been calling out several commands, forcing me to change the way I used the Energy, using different sizes, causing the Energy to be released in a wave instead of a ball, and dozens of other different ways.
I had a film of sweat covering most of my body.
What I had been told was that the Energy used portions of energy from inside my own body, for example energy gained from food; it was this, I was told, the reason for the meals with high calorie count.
“That’s enough for today I think, Daniel. You are improving quickly which is good. We will move you onto more complicated techniques soon.”
I thanked him before heading off to the showers.
.
Once I had showered I noticed combat robes had been laid out for me and I quickly put them on.
For combat training I was afforded the honour of training outside under Galwrock’s suns and, although it might be an honour, it left me almost dead by the end of it.
I drank plenty of water before I entered the combat area.
I pushed open the doors and I stood slack-jawed at the sight that greeted me. The dojo was as it alwayswas. Runes etched onto the practice arena were brilliant silver against the black background mat. Pillars of black and silver also held the roofs that sheltered the cloisters around the outside of the practice mat. Solid wooden doors led off into separate meditation chambers and other rooms for which I was told I had no need of yet. But what took me aback was the figure that stood in the centre of the dojo.
It was Matt who was standing there, in combat robes of his own. He was standing in a loose stance, looking completely at ease in this environment.
“Matt?” I was so surprised that it came out as a question.
He just smiled.
“What’s going on? I thought Master Hyan was supposed to teach me today?”
“He was, until he asked me to take over as he needed to sort out a difference of opinion in his main school.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Master Hyan doesn’t just teach you Dan, he teaches a group of acolytes in his style of martial art. At his school, in his group, two students were arguing quite voraciously over a martial arts issue. Therefore Master Hyan will oversee a fight between those two students to see who is right.”
“Isn’t that quite...”
“Uncivilised? I don’t think so. By demonstrating their interpretation, each can understand the other’s point better. The winner will be the one whose innovation of the style is better and therefore their argument wins.”
“Master Hyan allows diversion from his style?” I asked surprised.
“Yes, in fact he encourages it. By seeing flaws in techniques and adapting them you make a martial art stronger. Fluidity is as important, if not more than rigidity.”
I smiled and Matt took that as a sign to move on.
“Are you ready for your combat training?” Matt asked and from the look in his eye, boyfriend or not, I wasn’t going to be let off the hook.
I nodded and he sprung towards me.
‘Use what you’ve already been taught.’
He quickly said to me telepathically as I blocked his first strike barely in time.
He followed up with several attacks and I just about parried them all.
Matt backed away slightly. I relaxed slightly, but the next thing I know I am flat on my arse and I see Matt come in to follow up. The momentum was with him and I felt his fist connect lightly with my chest then pull away. He was so fast yet barely touched me.
I got up as quickly as I could.
“How did you do that?” I asked.
“That was just what I learnt from karate.”
I just whistled my appreciation of his dedication to his martial arts, to which Matt sniggered. Hearing him laugh after the week he had had made me soar.
“Let me see what you have been taught so far and we’ll continue from there.”
I just bowed, and whilst he looked slightly uncomfortable at me bowing to him, he bowed back and we set to work.
Matt was meticulous in his observations. As I trained he corrected things by tiny amounts, but they added up to make a large difference in my technique.
He must have worked out before coming to see me, because the smell of him, musky from his sweat, was driving me wild and it took a lot of effort to stay focused, especially when he came close to move my arm or body posture to a different place.
Matt moved me on from weapon free training to pass me a sword from the rows of training weapons lined around the walls of the dojo.
The weapons were blunt as usual; the amount of injuries that would occur if they were live blades would be horrendous.
We both took up stances and I noticed Matt was slightly less proficient with a sword; his stance seemed to be unnatural for him. It didn’t stop him beating me though; after about half a minute he decided to disarm me and he caught the weapon. He smiled and his whole dynamic shifted. Matt practiced for a short while with the twin swords and it was this style he preferred. The swords seemed in perfect balance with each other as I watched Matt practice.
“Ok, enough of me, we’re here to train you.” He said with a smile in his eyes.
Again as I practiced with wooden dummies and also with nothing in front of me, I had Matt altering little things again: the way I brought the sword down in my strokes, how I shifted my weight, moving my stances.
He had to touch me to move my leg into a stance or rock me onto one particular foot, and he was always getting closer, in my opinion, than he needed to.
After all of this Matt got me to spar with him again and I lasted a bit longer this time, but my reflexes were just not fast enough to compete yet and once again I was disarmed.
Not being able to touch him had meant that this training session had turned into torture.
I glimpsed a small smirk at the edge of Matt’s mouth.
‘That cheeky git! He knew what he was doing to me!’
Thankfully the training session didn’t last too much after seeing his smirk.
When we had washed, changed and exited the dojo, I pushed him against a nearby wall, grinding my hips into his as I planted a deep kiss on his lips.
Matt almost fell with the intensity of it. I traced Matt’s jaw line with my finger as I kept the kiss deep.
Soft moans were all I could hear from Matt and, before I went any further, I pulled away.
Matt looked disappointed.
“Why did you stop?” He asked.
“Because that, you great big tease, was what you had me feeling like during most of the training session.”
He paused to remember and then smirked again.
“Did you want to rip my clothes off there and then?” He said softly, seductively.
“Don’t keep teasing me.” I pouted and Matt laughed.
“Oh I wouldn’t worry Dan; I think I’m almost ready.”
“Really? I thought it would be later.”
“We can leave it longer if you want.” The smirk was back.
I answered with another deep kiss.
“No, when you’re ready I intend to make love to you Matt.”
He just smiled in reply, took my hand in his and we walked back to our room.
MATT
I was still coming down from the high that I had been on the past hour, the glow on each of our faces evidence of our love making. I looked over and saw that Dan looked as dazed as me. I giggled, blushed and went hard again just thinking about the activities of the past hour, Dan just laughed with me.
“Matt, did you see Ailarha today?” Dan asked, and a fair enough question at that. Not one I wanted him to ask though.
“It was fine. I explained to her about the visions I had been currently having. She asked me to show her some of them. Which I did... just about.”
“Just about?” Dan picked up immediately.
“Yes, it took a lot of effort for me to do that.”
“Right.” Dan said, letting it trail off to let me continue.
“Ailarha told me that these visions would continue to come to me, and may get worse. She told me that some of those visions may come true, some will not and some are yet to be decided whether or not they will.”
“I don’t understand...can’t you just decide to think of them all as false?”
“No Dan, not when I know that at least some of those will be true. And if one of them is true...”
“Which one?” Dan asked, very gently this time. He could read the signs of my distress better than Ailarha herself.
“This one, Dan.” I said before showing him the vision and starting to cry simultaneously.
“Oh Matt...” Dan just engulfed me in his arms once more and it seemed quite ironic the day had come full circle.
“Every time I go to sleep I am in fear that I will be shown more and more visions like that one.”
“And what happens if more crop up?”
“If one particular vision keeps arising it means it is more likely to come true. Ailarha told me once that, the first seer of their kind saw the extinction of the dinosaurs every second he slept; he had no respite from it. Only his iron will allowed him to retain his sanity.”
“But that’s not going to happen though. Matt.”
“I can’t guarantee that Dan. I will protect you until my last breath. I just can’t say 100% that you will emerge from this alive.”
And I can’t guarantee I will emerge from this alive either I thought to myself.
“And you can’t guarantee you will emerge from this alive either, can you Matt?”
Shit! Why was he so good at reading me?
I just nodded.
“I’m supposed to be able to comfort you, but it seems it’s a one way thing at the moment.” I sobbed.
Dan made soothing sounds before adding “If I have to comfort you the rest of your life then I will do so gladly.”
I kissed him and he responded, but this time it was soft kisses, showing our love once again. I wrapped my arms around his neck. I just wanted to feel him close to me.
He shifted closer to me and just held me. Instantly I felt safe. How he can do that is something that Energy cannot do.
‘It is ready when you wish for it sire.’A voice very quietly entered my head.
I confirmed that I had received the message to the same person before curling up with Dan.
“It’s too early to go to bed...what board games do they have under this bed?” Dan asked softly.
Despite the earlier conversation I found myself chuckling.
Three games of Monopoly later and I was actually laughing. Dan was so terrible I wondered if he was letting me win, but his frustration was real. Which only made me laugh harder.
Realising the time we climbed into bed and, for the first time for a while, I fell to sleep without apprehension.
Ok let me know what you think, love to hear from you all. Is the formatting better this time? I am slowly going back through the other chapters as well.
There is also a discussion thread if anyone is interested, you can ask questions about parts of Galwron or Matt and Dan or let me know what you think of the story in there :)
http://www.gayauthors.org/forums/topic/29942-seeing-double/page__st__100
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
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