Board Thread:Fun and Games/@comment-36570662-20181223024110/@comment-34572969-20190104131206

Katina

I felt numb with shock. I was frozen to the spot, not a single muscle twitching. I felt light-headed, like the world was spinning around me. My legs threatened to buckle underneath me.

"Uh...di- di- disappeared?" I finally managed to stutter out. "Wh- what do you mean? Actually, you know what, no, don't answer that. I don't want to know." My shock and fear quickly turned into anger and denial as I turned away to make my way up the stairs.

"Kat, please, you're being irrational," my mother stated, devoid of much emotion. I paused.

"Irrational? Do you expect me not to be irrational right now?! My father could be dead for all I know, and you're just- agh forget it!"

I stormed up to my room and slammed the door shut, leaning my back against it as if I was blocking out some monster. I couldn't even bring myself to cry. I barely even registered what I was feeling.

The sun had already set, and I headed straight for bed, wrapping the covers tightly around myself for comfort. Who knows what time I cried myself to sleep that night.

Morning. I kicked the covers lazily off of myself and headed downstairs, my gaze fixed onto the floor. I entered the kitchen and grabbed an apple off the counter, not acknowledging my mother the entire time as I bit into it and kept it in my mouth to do my hair. Morning routine done, and I was out of the house, eager to get to the arena early.

I'd already decided that my mood wasn't going to affect my performance, and I entered the arena, where the rest of the Initiates were gathered around. Almost immediately I noticed Isla, who was excitedly talking to some other guy. Michael, I think his name was.

She headed for the crowd of excited teens, almost crashing into me in the process.

"Whoah, steady girl," I said, stepping away so we didn't end up colliding.

"Oh hi Katina!" she greeted.

"Hey. What was all that talking about?" I asked curiously.

"Well, in short, we found out that Michael is actually related to the Haddocks- you know, like Hiccup and Astrid Haddock -and thought he should be chief, however his older brother thinks that he should be chief instead, and so they're gonna train and come back in a month or so see who's better!" she explained quickly, then went back to join the others.

I raised an eyebrow. "I leave one Trial early and this is what happens while I'm gone? Typical,"  I sighed. I turned to face the elder guy running the Trials as he began to explain what was about to happen.

"This will be the day of your last Trial."

That set them off. Confused whispers sounded from the crowd, and while I was equally as puzzled, I kept to myself. The elder lifted up a hand to silence everyone.

He explained what our Trial was going to be, and that we were to get into two different groups and line up at on of the course set at the sides of the arena.

I automatically gravitated to where a group of people were already forming together, namely Aud, Rita, Kate, Aidan, Isla and Ari. We collectively decided who was going to do which bit of our course, and holy heck Kate was a stuttering mess.

"O-oh I can carry K-kat and F-Flame o-on Stormslicer," she offered.

"That's okay with me." Flame squawked and shot out a flame- hehe, flame -in agreement.

I readied myself at the hurdles, waiting for Kate to bass the baton onto me. As I was, I looked over to the other team with Jack dodging the arrows. I was seriously contemplating lobbing a dagger at him.

The Trial started off with Rita, then Aud, then Aidan climbing the wall. Then Ari, Kate, and finishing with Isla taking over just before me.

Eventually it came my turn, and I jumped over the first hurdle with ease. Apparently I was supposed to go over and under the hurdles, and I skidded under the next one. The pattern continued until I reached the final jump, with Kate and Stormslicer picking me up to finish the Trial. And I mean literally picking me up.

"All good down there?" she questioned, looking down to me.

"Yep, just a little-" ow- "...tight around the arms."

Kate looked up. "Just hold on, it's going to be fast."

I gripped tightly onto Stormslicers leg, unable to help myself from looking down.

"Oh Thor oh Thor oh Thor oh Thor..." I muttered. I abhor heights.

We landed all together, and almost immediately whoops of joy sounded from our little group.

"We...made it," I muttered to myself in disbelief. "We made it! Haha! We did it!"

It wasn't that long before we were all announced the new official Guardians of the Hidden World. And it wasn't too long after that either before I was pulled into a group hug with the others.

"O- okay, hugs are...happening." I couldn't help but smile along with everyone else. I would be lying if I said I wasn't as ecstatic as them. "Hugs are happening."

I stayed back with the rest of th gang to celebrate (and- yes, also to gloat). I was practically vibrating with excitement as even Flame squwaked and jumped around, his energy seemingly ceaseless.

"Mental note," I muttered to myself. "First act as Guardian: find my father."