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The rigorous training with the Leaders was taking its toll on Tornado’s body. He had sprained his wrist and sustained many other minor injuries and felt constantly fatigued. Despite his waning stamina he still attended all of his training sessions. He leaned against the fence of the army training grounds. He could hardly pay attention to the demonstration before him. The scene seemed to fade in and out of focus and every once and a while he felt his eyelids droop completely over the scene.

“Am I boring you, Tornado?”

He stood up quickly at the sound of his master’s voice. He looked up to see the master standing before him.

“Now that you’re awake why don’t you come in here,” the master commanded angrily.

“We will test your reaction time. Don’t let any of these stars hit you.” The master stood by the fence holding ten throwing stars.

Tornado nodded holding his kamas ready. He had seen this punishment before. He gripped his kamas as his master prepared himself but his right wrist ached under the bandage. Even before the task began he knew too well that he would not be able to defend himself one handed in his current condition.

The first star came and made a metallic clang against Tornado’s kama. The next two flew at different speeds confusing his eyes. He managed to deflect them both but the fourth came quickly again and Torando was unable to react quickly enough. The star cut across his shoulder and he grabbed the wound quickly. He could feel the heated glare of his master before he saw it.

The master threw down the stars in anger. “Not even half.” His voice was scathing. “You are a disgrace. Go! Come back when you are ready to be a soldier. A disgrace to our Realm.”

Tornado climbed back over the fence avoiding the worried looks of his friends far and the bewildered stares of his fellow members. He stopped by the exit of the grounds opening the trunk of medical supplies and grabbing the tin of bandages. He held the end in his teeth as he wrapped the bandage over the cut and tying it tight.

Charizo slipped out of the Destu group to talk to him. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” he answered in a mumble as he cut the tails of his bandage.

Charizo didn’t answer while Tornado threw the bandage tin back in the trunk. He could only watch worriedly as he left.

The unit met later that day but they concentrate on their training. Despite their attempts to practice they often found themselves staring off into space. Even Umbro, who kept demanding a new exercise when he noticed their lack of attention found himself greatly discouraged by his worries.

“Can’t we go check on him?” Durza asked Umbro when it was clear they weren’t going to get anything done.

“If he’s training with Barren he should be fine.”

“He sure doesn’t seem fine,” Ember muttered from where she stood making patterns on the ground with her sword.

“What he needs most now is rest,” Umbro told them, “We should just let him take this day for himself.”

“Do you really think he’ll spend his day off resting?” Pye asked.

Umbro pushed his bangs back with a sigh. “Alright. Let’s go check on him.”

They arrived at Barren’s house knocked eagerly. When no one answered Umbro opened the door and took the group up.

“Uh, are we allowed to just enter?” Charizo asked fidgeting on the squeaky steps while he waited for Umbro to open the door to the kitchen.

“It’s fine,” Umbro whispered as he opened the door silently, “he may just be asleep.”

“I think it’s safe to assume he’s here,” Pye observed as he noticed the glinting metal of Tornado’s kamas lodged into the wooden door of his room.

The sight of the door kept them wary of approach but the silence of the house rooted them even stronger. The sudden click of the key down the stairs woke them. Barren entered nodding when he saw the paralyzed group. He walked to the door of Tornado’s room slamming it against the wall as he opened it.

“Tornado,” he spoke into the darkness loudly but no emotion showed through.

“Leave me alone,” he snapped.

“Are you really going to let that master get to you?” he asked walking in to see Tornado lying on his bed.

“He publicly humiliated me!” he exclaimed sitting up.

“So you are just going to sit here and sulk?”

“I’m not sulking.”

Barren grabbed Tornado up by the front of his shirt. “You are stronger than this.”

“Just leave me alone!” Tornado shoved his arm away.

“No, I can’t do that,” Barren told him sternly, “You have to pull through this and grow. Have you forgotten why you are here? Have you lost your reason to fight?”
Tornado didn’t answer. He sat on the edge of his bed holding his head in his hands.
Barren knelt in front of him. “Tornado, you have to keep fighting. I know that we are pushing you but this will make you stronger. Fight alongside us and keep your reason in sight.”

“I can’t take it anymore.”

“You have to push through it.”

“There’s no way I can defeat him!” he yelled, “I’m too weak. I’ll die if I face him.”

Barren grabbed his shoulders looking calmly into his angry face. “You’re the only one who can defeat him. You are the one who told us that. I have put all of my hope in you.”

“There is no hope.”

“There is, Tornado. It’s the hope of all the rebels that is pressuring you like this. You don’t feel like you can live up to their hopes. The power is in you Tornado. We all see it. You have the strength, the talent, the wings. It is all there. We see you as the next Lord and we are willing to fight for you. Don’t give up, Tornado.”

Tornado shook his head. “No.”

“You’re giving up on all of us?”

He nodded.

“I won’t give up,” Barren told him standing. “If you won’t fight him I will. You can stay here and mope if you wish.” He left the room and found himself facing the worried unit. “Don’t bother with the fool,” he told them slamming the door behind him as he left the house.

“Barren is just frustrated,” Umbro tried to consol the group.

Charizo looked at his feet as his shoulders trembled slightly. He was a few years younger than the others. Ember, who stood beside him, put a hand on his shoulder causing him to lift up his head. His eyes were watery but he held in his tears.

“We have to be strong for him,” she whispered making a motion with her fist.

“I’m trying,” he told her shakily, “it’s just . . . hard. I don’t understand why he feels this way.”

“It must be more difficult for him,” Pye told him quietly, “Give him some time to battle with himself. It will surely be more difficult than his training has been.”

“We should leave.” Umbro led the way to the door. “Come, there’s nothing we can do here.”

Tornado sunk onto the floor by his bed leaning against his knees. He listened as the door closed for the last time. As silence enveloped the house he sighed letting his head droop as he clasped his hands over his head. He glanced over at his bedside table. The hidden drawer seemed almost cold to him as he reached for it. The brown feather had grown as dark as the wood. It was much darker than he had ever seen her wings. The feather seemed almost foreign to him now. As though the darkness had consumed it and turned it into something strange and cold. He reread her letter once more leaning back against his bed.

“I don’t want to do this anymore,” he spoke quietly, “I just want everything to go back to the way it was when we lived in the Faery Realm where we were safe from the Dark Lord.”

“You can’t turn back time, Tornado.”

He was on his feet as soon as he heard the voice. Durza sat on his windowsill looking away.

“Just listen. I’ll be gone once I’ve spoken my mind.” She avoided his angry glare. “You can only move on from here. I know you don’t to hear any more of this, but you need to. We’re all going to keep fighting for you, even Charizo. We’ll wait for you to join us again no matter how long it takes. We know that it has been hard for you and we want you to rest. You can say all you want that we don’t understand what you’re going through, but the truth is you never gave us a chance to!” She turned to face him. “None of the others may have been able to say it but I will. We want to fight with you, Tornado. We need you because you are our friend. You are much more than a leader to us.”

There were no words from Tornado. His emotions were in conflict and Durza knew not to push him any farther. She crouched on the windowsill.

“Please come back after you’ve rested.” She jumped down landing flawlessly on the ground below before he could have a chance to reply.

Tornado looked down to the road and saw that the rest of the group had been there waiting for her.

“Hey,” he called down. They looked up surprised. “I’ll see you at practice tomorrow.”