Shadow Realm

6

Cassie didn't say anything else. He went on stage and took a deep breath. Nathan was there, not moving, watching him. Nathan stood in front of him with his arms folded and at that moment, without warning, Nathan kicked his ankle, landing him behind.

"Are you crazy? Can't you just give me a warning first..." But before he finished his words Nathan had already reached out to help him stand up. For a moment, Cassie thought if she grabbed his hand, Nathan might let go again, but Nathan didn't. He stood up and his face was one breath away from the boy's face.

“You should be faster and learn your opponent at the same time.” She was so close that Cassie could feel the heat of her breath on her face. Nathan returned to the same spot when he took to the stage a few minutes earlier.

"I can't do both at once!"

"Of course you can! I'm here to help you" His expression is unpredictable, like his uncle's.

"Back to position" Cassie did as she asked.

"Now you just need to focus. The first thing you have to do is study your opponent."

"In what sense?"

"If you see more focus on your opponents, you will see that they are gesturing before moving to attack. Memorize and try to think about which part of the body is most open when about to hit. At that time you should hurry and hit."

Cassie recalls when Morgan made the first move on Nathan at first they stood facing each other, but then Morgan kicked him and did the same to him, so the body parts and arms were open.

"Ready?" Cassie nodded and, shortly afterwards, when Nathan leaned towards her with a kick, with her elbow she began to hit Nathan's belly. But Nathan was quicker to dodge, making him fall back to the ground but this time forward.

"I know faster and try not to let yourself be known. I knew you'd hit"

"How do you know?" cassie said standing up.

"your view. You look in that direction... You should look into the eyes of your opponent. Memorize the picture and then hit without seeing the place you want to attack. Let's try again!"

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Cameron can't hit Crystal. It was so small that he was afraid that his bones would break, but at the same time the Crystal had dropped it to the ground many times. After about twenty falls, Crystal offered to help lift him up and when she pulled him, they both fell down.

The girl looked at him and widened her eyes in embarrassment.

"Sorry."

Cam smiled at him.

"Don't worry!" they had known each other before, but they had never spoken before.

"And I'm sorry that I hurt you. It's just that everyone here looks at me as if I could be ruined at any moment and I think the same thing happened to Casalia... It seems normal for me to lose in your eyes."

"You guys are the only girls in the group..."

"But that doesn't mean we're so fragile! Yesterday, Cassie would have dropped Morgan without a problem if the suit hadn't stiffened her!"

"I know," Cam recalled Morgan's gaze, so greedy and aggressive. He thought he was going to break Cassie's arm, but then Cassie dropped him.

"'Don't you feel weird?"

"What's so weird?"

"Nothing"

Crystal looked at Cam, she blushed and smiled at Cam. She was pretty, she always was.

"Maybe we can go together sometime." the girl ventured.

Cameron has never dated a girl before. They all thought he was with Cassie and it made things a little complicated.

"Yes, of course..."

🌺🌺🌺

So far Cassie hasn't hit Nathan, but Nathan can't hit him either. For the last twenty minutes they did nothing but avoid each other.

"Do you want to keep dodging or will you hit me sooner or later?"

Cassie smiled. He never wanted to hit someone like now, but Nathan was too strong. Nathan was too fast and he still couldn't hit him without turning his face away.

"I can say the same thing!"

Nate tilted his head to the side. Cassie looks him in the eye and is aware that Cassie will hit him soon.

Cassie is much faster and more agile in war gear, but Nathan is stronger.

Without taking her eyes off Nathan, Cassie raises her leg to hit Nathan, Cassie kicks Nathan in the stomach. Before Nathan hits the ground, Nathan grabs Cassie's arm and drags her to the ground with him. Cassie was now above Nathan, staring at Nathan in the same way Nathan had looked at him the day before.

"Tell me I didn't drop my contact lens any other way..."

"Nathan, Casalia!" Robert White stood behind them.

"I think that's enough for today!"

🌺🌺🌺

When Cameron tells Cassie that she's dating Kristal, Cassie doesn't seem too interested because she just nods all the time. Just as they arrive in front of her house, Cassie tells Cameron that she is happy and Kristal is a good girl, but in fact she feels a strong feeling of jealousy towards her. So far, knowing that Cameron is always there when she needs it or just for the fun of spending time together makes her feel good. Now someone else can take his place and he doesn't like it.

On the way home Cassie felt someone was following her and when she turned around, for a moment she thought Nathan was behind the bushes, but when he blinked he realized that maybe it was just his mind. The satisfaction he felt while training with Nathan was indescribable and the desire to train again felt extremely strong.

"I'd really like to train at the academy."

🌺🌺🌺

"We can't hide it from her, she must know!"

"Nathan, I told you for now it's better he doesn't know anything! The most important thing is to train him and make sure he doesn't get caught."

"How do you say these things Robert? Sooner or later a person will realize that they are almost identical and start asking questions. How long will this story last?"

Cassie walked slowly to Robert White's office. He didn't mean to eavesdrop, but his hearing was very strong, so he couldn't help it.

"We'll see" said Robert.

"Casalia is in, too."

Cassie suddenly stiffened and stepped forward into the room.

"I just ..."

"Eavesdropping? Don't worry, I know you'll hear us even if you go any further..."

Being caught eavesdropping makes him nervous and embarrassed. Cassie was aware of the fact that she was acting like a girl but from the tone in which they were arguing she understood that it was something serious.

"Then you can also tell me what you're talking about."

"Cassie.." Nathan tried to tell her something but Robert glared at her.

"If you call me come here, there must be a reason ..."

"We just have to tell you that from tomorrow we will train at the Academy and in a few weeks your family will come to see us." Cassie cringing.

"You mean the Wistledes will be there?" Robert nodded and the girl felt dizzy. Legs trembling. He wasn't worried about seeing his family, he was worried about getting caught. They are professionals, they know hybrids when they see them.

"Don't worry" Nate said approaching her .

"We'll make sure they don't see anything."

"And how?" His tone of voice increased sharply.

"They'll see me in a bare-handed fight against my comrades and they'll see that I'm stronger than them, even too strong!"

After that, Cassie no longer trains with Nathan but with his team-mates and always beats them, even taking down Cameron. He had tried to reduce his strength, but he could not control his strength.

"It's pretty simple, you're weird aren't you? So Nathan has to fight you."

"Why Nathan and not Morgan? He's already dropped me once, he can do it again and get his little revenge, right?"

Nathan smiled, but it was a strange smile.

"I told you it'd be better, Morgan!"

The two exchanged looks. It looks like they are talking to each other with mind power and Cassie thinks maybe Nathan isn't so keen on fighting it. His mood changed drastically from anger to? Was he really disappointed that Nathan didn't want to confront him in front of his family? He took a step back and set his eyes on the boy.

"Nate if you won't..."

"Do you see any other options? I'm like you!" The boy told her he almost shouted.

"Only I can do something..."

"What do you mean?"

Nathan smiled at him again.

"You know what I mean..." Nathan took a step towards him and stood in front of him, covering his entire field of vision. Nathan is much taller than him and has big shoulders. His eyes were large and he did not have the usual blank stare at the moment, no, he was actually staring at him. Suddenly that closeness caused a strange sensation in his chest, as if his heart was about to pop out.

"Trust me and everything will be fine."