I follow Addy into the arena. She takes me through her warm up routine which consists of deep stretches, some body weight training, and a couple of rounds in an elaborate obstacle course. Her course has me using all my limbs to run through it. We`re jumping, climbing, vaulting, swinging, and rolling using momentum, strength, and balance to get through the terrain. I actually broke a sweat trying to keep up.

　　We exit the arena through the back and head into the woods. There isn`t a trail to follow like our morning run. The woods here are thick and overgrown. It`s darker underneath the tree`s canopy and the brush looks unexplored.

　　"This is where I train." Addy twirls in a circle, arms out presenting her woods to me.

　　I look around again but still don`t detect a worn path, broken limbs or any other disturbance to indicate she routinely uses these woods.

　　"I know. It`s beautiful right?" She sighs and carefully rubs the tree next to her like she`s praising a pet.

　　"How do you train?"

　　"Well, as a scout I only have minutes to assess the terrain and make sure the team`s position is safe and advantageous for mission objectives."

　　She leans towards me.

　　"The secret is to move swift, observe everything, and never give away your position. Follow my footfalls. Follow my steps exactly." She points to her feet. Her big eyes look up at me, all the lightness is gone, she`s the Elite warrior now.

　　"Okay." I nod.

　　She takes a step deeper into the woods and I keep my eyes glued to her footfalls. I place the toe of my boot in place of hers as she leads.

　　"As a scout, the entire team depends on you. If you leave a trail, or call attention to yourself the mission is compromised."

　　She walks slowly and talks about the importance of stealth as I struggle to bend, turn, and stretch to follow. I`m annoyed at my fumbling and at the lack of training warriors receive at the academies. It`s no wonder our numbers are in decline.

　　"You really handled last night well." Addy says softly from up ahead.

　　"Didn`t have a choice."

　　"No you didn`t. And with what you let slip, you were expecting something very different than what we had planned. I . . ." Addy`s words trail off as we duck underneath some heavy foliage and vines.

　　"I`m sorry you went through that. People are weird. We lash out when we don`t understand, when we`re scared, when we`re hurt. Usually at the most undeserving. It feels better to be angry than in pain."

　　I misstep and go too wide almost losing my balance. Addy has stopped and I feel her eyes on me. But I keep my head down. I don`t want to see her misplaced pity. I`m the bad guy. And being around her makes me forget that. She starts to lead again and I follow.

　　We come to a large rock formation and with a few hops she propels herself to the top as if she floated up there. I place my right foot into a notch and step up. My fingers wedge into a jagged hand hold to keep me up while I try to figure out the path she took.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

　　"Do you know how many twins are born into warrior families?"

　　"No." I push off my right foot and jump onto a flat spot high to my left.

　　"None." Addy`s soft voice is drowned out by a big gust of wind. The whole area clacks and rustles in its wake. "Not since the original founding families at least." She looks down at me, but she`s not really seeing me.

　　"So you and Fletcher are—"

　　"Freaks." She cuts me off and turns her back to me looking beyond what I can see from my low position. She sighs and spins back to face me holding up one finger. "Abominations. Mistakes. Or my personal favorite, demon spawn."

　　Her eyes glisten as she curls her three fingers into a fist. I don`t know what to do. No one really speaks to me, not about real things, not about anything. But I keep my eyes on her. I didn`t want her pity and I know she doesn`t want mine. She stands tall above me after sharing her truth. As much as I want to turn away from this moment, I won`t.

　　So I wait for Addy to pull on her mask. Her`s is not like mine. Her`s is sunshine and sparkles. And I want to give her the dignity to decide when she`s ready. Her eyes become watery so I give her a hand and break the silence.

　　"In Fletcher`s case, that last one may be true." I say.

　　Her mouth drops open and then begins to quirk up slowly spreading into a smile. We laugh a bit, and she points down at the rocks to show me where my next step should be. I notch my foot into place, vault straight up to stand next to her, and take in the deep green land before us.

　　She leans her side into mine. I tense up and instinctively move away but she follows. Her head barely reaches my bicep. I look down at her shiny golden hair and see there`s no point in ever trying to keep her at arm`s length. She is a force impossible to escape. She straightens up and delivers a solid punch to my shoulder that stings. She`s got bony knuckles.

　　"I do not. My bone structure is delicate and refined, I`ll have you know."

　　I spoke out loud without meaning to again.

　　"What you went through, at the academy . . ." She shakes her head and waves off her words. "We`re more alike than you know."

　　She makes her way to the edge of the rock formation ready to move on. She turns around and looks at me with her heels hanging off the edge.

　　"We all are." She finishes with a smile and then back flips off the ledge.

　　I race to look over the edge but there`s no sign of her. I push some energy to my senses to catch the sound of her footfalls or the bounce of golden hair, but all I pick up are the creaks and groans of the swaying trees. Even the hint of Addy`s floral scent is gone. I jump down to the uneven forest floor and almost roll my ankle. How the hell did she back flip and land without hurting herself?

　　After several attempts to pick up her trail, I head back. I can`t be late for Demon Studies. I let my powers flow through my muscles for added speed and make my way to the edge of the tree line. It feels good to relieve some energy. It`s building up faster and there`s not a lot of opportunity to let it loose here in Centrum.

　　I can`t shake what Addy said, about being like me. I was taught that being a warrior-born was like being born into a family with an unshakeable bond. We live and die for each other and protect the ones that can`t.

　　I accepted my fate, my treatment. Killing warriors is unforgivable. I know if I hadn`t been a child, I would`ve been banished to the Mist. But I`m unbalanced with the thought that Addy and Fletcher suffered what I did, at the hands of fellow warriors, just because they`re twins.

　　I slow my steps as I leave the woods and find Addy sitting crossed legged in the grass waiting for me. I narrow my eyes and look her over. She has no powers, and yet she is fast and more agile. I slowly trudge ahead. I rely on these powers too much. I don`t know why I have them or how to control them. They could go at any moment.

　　I`ve been stupid to depend on them and not build my physical skills all these years. I still blame the academy for not preparing us but there`s blame sitting on my shoulders too. I`ve been too complacent in my training and too accepting of what I`ve been told.

　　I shake my head as she waves both arms up and down as if I didn`t see her in plain sight.

　　"C`mon, you can`t be late." Addy bolts up to stand and starts jogging back to the arena entrance.