Rough night. (Dom runs into Whitney during his training)

One month passed since the new found mages of the College of Charleston had separated in order to become stronger, and better equipped to deal with the oncoming apocalypse that they had inadvertently started. 

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Dom awakens one foggy morning in a well hidden cabin in the northern Appalachian Mountain Range, along a route that was never traveled by the ever adventurous backpackers of the United States. As he rolls out of his bed and begins to dress himself, Dom notices the smell of bacon cooking. This is new, he thought to himself as he finished buttoning his shirt and began to roll his sleeves. Dom then stepped into the hallway and began making his way downstairs, grimacing with each step feeling every muscle he had used in the previous day's training session with his mentor Sarge. As he walked into the kitchen he noticed that it was not only bacon that Sarge had been cooking, but it was a breakfast feat! Sarge had whipped up eggs, bacon, bangers, pancakes. Dom felt like he was about to faint, the only other time Sarge had fed him this way was on their first day of training as a manner of breaking the ice between them, and as an attempt to get Dom to snap out of his grief stricken state. However, it hadn't worked and, as it turned out, the only thing capable of breaking Dom's trance was the simultaneous beating and pep-talk that Sarge had delivered soon after. 

"Take a seat, Son" Sarge said in his gruff voice "I got you all the key things to a good breakfast, all I need is a person to eat it."

"What's the catch?" Dom asked, suspicious of Sarge's intent.

"No catch, son, just a celebration of our first month of being together. Congrats, kid, you made it through it'll only get tougher," Sarge answered, raising a glass of coffee in a toast to Dom's achievement. 

Soon after Sarge had finished cooking and they both sat down to eat. 
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After the meal had finished Dom followed Sarge into the Portal room, which consisted of several doors each having it's own space enchantment that led to another location in the world. Dom and Sarge had used these doors on several occasions throughout Dom's training. However, this new door that Sarge was heading towards was completely unknown to Dom. 

"What's this about now, Sarge?" Dom asked, raising an eyebrow.

"This is your next survival exercise, son," Sarge said as he opened the door, "You'll be in the hot seat when you graduate from my training, and you'll always need to be on your guard. So consider this your behind enemy lines exercise." 

"Wait, wh-" Dom was about to ask, but Sarge grabbed Dom by his collar and tossed him through the door and into an awaiting bush. 

"You'll be needing this," Sarge said as he tossed Dom's cane sword and then began closing the door, "Remember, no exposed fires or you'll alert the enemy to your position, don't shit where, you eat, remember to bathe in order to avoid being tracked through scent, I'll see you in a few days bye." Slam! The door closed just as he was speeding his way through those last few words.

"Shit!" Dom said as he got up, and adjusted his vest and shirt. "Nothing to do but set up a camp I guess." 
Dom picked up his cane, and began to twirl it as he mouthed a jolly tune to himself.

Through the window of the study, the last rays of the day were peeking through on a mes of disheveled, discolored hair that spread over a long open textbook.  The nightmare had returned once more to disturb Whitney's sleep, a phenomenon which was hardly something she or Reese could predict.
But finally, she'd managed to drift off in the study, the sound of the strange grandfather clock's ticking like a lullaby to her.  Reese finally came in to find that his student had in fact fallen asleep while studying.  He had half a mind to get her to move to her bed, but this was the first time she'd fallen asleep in a couple days so instead he draped a blanket over her and switched off the lamp on the desk.
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Whitney naturally woke up in the middle of the night. The hour hand, or at least, she thought it was the hour hand, on the grandfather clock was just passing the 16th rune on its face, somewhere around where nine thirty would be-- maybe.  She really needed to ask Reese how to read that clock.
She instinctively pulled the blanket more tightly around her and sat still for a moment, listening to the soothing tick-tock-tick-tock that had put her to sleep.
After a while, she finally rose and made her way silently down the carpeted hall to the kitchen where the welcoming light of the refrigerator promised a midnight snack, or a drink if she could find where Reese kept his Jack Daniel's (she'd seen him with a glass and she knew he had it around here somewhere but for obvious reasons never revealed its hiding place).
Instead she sat up on the counter, her hands wrapped around a mug filled with spring water from the tap, her gaze counting the knots in the wood panel floors, waiting for a disturbance in the silent night, if there would be any.  Perhaps she'd hear the coyotes tonight. Or something else.

Sunset-
Dom had already set up camp, he collected some berries shortly after setting up camp. He was thinking about setting up some small game traps, but the sun was fast setting so he decided to do it during the following day.

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Dom nudged himself closer into the niche in the trunk of a large tree hidden behind a bush and began to sleep.

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Several hours later Dom was awakened by a loud snap, from somewhere towards his left. He moved as quietly as he could, trying to find a vantage point from behind the bush. 

THUNK! Dom's eyes darted to his left where a throwing knife had just landed. Shit! Realizing that his hiding spot had been discovered, Dom rose from behind the bush grabbing his cane sword. As he walked out from behind the bush, his gaze was drawn upward, to a hooded figure standing on an outward pointing branch on the tree right in front him. 

"Well you found me," Dom said at the figure "To be honest though, I was at a disadvantage seeing as how I did not have another person to keep first watch."

The figure did not speak, but Dom did notice that his hands popped out from beneath the folds of the cloak. Then the figure began muttering, and moving his hands. 
Damn! he's doing a fire spell! Dom said, recognizing the mutterings.
Dom responded in kind, he quickly pulled out a lighter he held in his pocket and turned it on. The figure launched his fireball first, then Dom.  
Both of the spells ran headlong into each other and erupting in a blinding conflagration. Drawing his sword Dom tried to search for his opponent. Then he saw the figure darting down to the floor and start running towards his left side, reaching into the cloak the figure produced a small ball, no more than 2-3 pounds, that was attached to a chain and began to swing it around. 

Dom started running on a course to intercept his opponent when he flung the ball and chain. Dom sidestepped making the missile miss the right part of his body, only to then realize that the his torso wasn't the target. It was his sword arm. With a quick flick of the wrist, the hooded man had caused the ball and chain to wrap tightly around Dom's right arm. And with a quick tug Dom was thrown off balance. Dom quickly realized that he was at the mercy of his opponent, and tried to untie his arm. But the hooded man had a different plan, he began to mutter to himself, and his hand tightened around the chain. Hearing the sound Dom turned to see his opponent completing the spell, and sending a bolt of lightning through the chain and right at Dom.

Dom tried to get up, he was completely disoriented from the shock, and his right arm was completely numb. He tried to get up, but stumbled forward. He tried a second time, but only managed to roll himself over. He then noticed the figure walking towards him, pulling out a kama from behind his cloak, Dom's eyes darted directly towards the chain that was attached to the kama.

The man walked over to Dom and raised the kusarigama, and swung it into the ground right next to Dom's head. "Dead," a voice said from behind the mask, and the man untied Dom's hand and disappeared into the night.

Without a normal watch or clock in the house to read the time, Whitney padded over to the tiny microwave next to the sink and peered at the small blinking numbers.  It appeared that Reese had forgotten to reset the time or simply wasn't going to use a kitchen appliance to tell the time.
She let out an exhausted sigh and ran a hand through her disheveled curls.  The colors of the sunset had disappeared completely, and the crickets had emerged to sing their nighttime song in the small grassy opening next to Reese's cabin.  No coyotes tonight, just the chirp chirp of insects.
She did hear an owl once, but only once.  It probably flew off to find prey.
"Did Reese go to bed already?" she thought aloud and decided to make her way down the hall to where Reese's door was closed, and the crack under the door showed no light that could indicate he might still be up.  Perhaps that was a sign Whitney should retire as well.
Her room was just across the hall, and empty as a morgue after a funeral service, minus the flowers and coffin.  In that place was a small dresser with what little clothes were donated to her by one of Reese's "friends". She'd never met them, but hey, the clothes were cute.  The other piece of furniture was just a simple bed, no fancy headboard or pillars at each corner.  Just a plain mattress on a plain bed frame with a  plain old black comforter.
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Whitney wasn't sure how much time had passed since she'd gotten into bed and how long she'd been trying to fall asleep in the eerily silent room.  If she held her breath and stayed very still she could hear the strange clock in the study drum its constant beating tick.
The thought of the clock was what finally caused her eyes to droop, and then close.

Dom got back up not long after the man had departed, and feeling the feeling comeing back to his arm picked up his sword where he dropped it and started walking off in the direction that the figure went.
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Some time had passed, but Dom knew he was heading in the right direction. The trail was hard to find at first, Dom could only find small signs that the man had passed through. Whoever he was, he certainly knew his way around the forest.
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Dom kept following the trail and then it ended. Dom looked around for a sign but found nothing. He peered through the trees and noticed a clearing in which there was a small cabin.
"Buddy's got a house here?"
Dom started making his to the clearing until he heard a chinking sound. A chain!
"Don't move a muscle!"
Dom wheeled around drawing his sword. As he did the man threw the ball Dom's way.
This time Dom was ready, he caught the chain with the scabbard of his cane sword and let it wrap around. Then he gave a great tug on the chain pulling the man from his perch.
Dom discarded the scabbard and started towards the man.

For some reason, Whitney suddenly woke up.  Had she heard something?  Yes, her door had opened.  Reese stood on the threshold and then flipped on her room light.
"Hrrrmm," Whitney groaned and turned into her pillow. "Reese, what the hell? It's the middle of the goddamn night."
"There's someone outside," said Reese. "I don't recognize their thoughts."
Whitney slowly sat up and pushed her hair out of her face.
"Maybe it's just a hiker who got lost or something," she suggested.  Reese shook his head and inched towards the curtained window.  He peered outside and then glanced back at Whitney.
"You might want to put on a shirt--or--not that."
Whitney glanced down at the camisole she had worn to bed and then raised an eyebrow at him. Really?

A loud clang rang out as Dom and the man's weapons weapons clashed again and again. The man gave a yank on the chain and the ball came his way, picking up the extra slack he started twirling and launched it Dom's way. Seeing the oncoming missile and with his right hand occupied, he reached out with his left, making the chain wrap around his left hand. Knowing that there was a cabin nearby Dom didn't use any magic, for fear that they would see. Instead he gave a pull to the chain throwing the man off balance. He then drove the crook of the cane sword to where he expected the man's face to be. There was a crack, as if a tough ceramic had been broken. The man staggered back as a piece of a mask fell to the ground. Dom quickly undid the chain, not knowing if the man shared his fear of discovery, and readied his sword.

Dom started lunged toward the man, as he started to get back up. The man made a quick upward block sending the thrusting sword wide of its mark. This time it was Dom's turn to get hit, the man ran forward whipping the kusarigama's chain so that the ball would get flung Dom's way. The ball hit its mark, sending him staggering off to the side. The man then came in with the kama, cutting in every direction possible. Dom had to keep on falling back.

The man kept on closing in on Dom, who had to use all of his concentration on blocking. Then in a flash of brilliance, Dom had an idea. Dom retreated from the man's strikes for a few feet, baiting him forward. He took it! Keeping an eye on the man's approach, Dom stood at the ready, he would only have one chance at this. Praying for the enchantment on his sword to kick in Dom stabbed at the ground before him. A faint green glow appeared and then dozens of roses sprouted forth causing the man to trip forward. Dom quickly side stepped the man, and pointed his sword down.

"Give up?" he asked.

"Not yet!" The man replied cooly, "remember who got here first."
There was a snapping noise and Dom felt something tightening around his leg, there was then a sound as a counter weight fell down through the trees, and the next thing he knew Dom was hanging upside down.
There was the sound of a door slamming shut, and the man turned towards the cabin.
"Good luck getting out of this," he said, and he ran back into the forest.

Whitney tugged on a black wife beater, hardly more modest, but for some reason, the lack of spaghetti straps was up to dress code.  Reese held his hand out to stop her as she got out of bed.
"Shh," he shushed. "There's just one out there now...and...I think he's hanging out of a tree."
"Is he dead?" said Whitney, her head lulled to the side as she rose more quietly from the mattress, although the floorboards still creaked beneath her. "I doubt he could hear us..."
"Unless he's a mind mage," Reese replied, raising an eyebrow at Whitney, and then glanced down at her again. "Do you not get cold at night?"
Whitney rolled her eyes and went to the other side of the window and glanced out.  Sure enough, there was the silhouette of someone hanging from a tree.
"Shouldn't we help him?" she asked.
"If he can't help himself, maybe," Reese replied, a bit too causally.

"DAMN IT!!!!" Dom screamed in frustration, as he helplessly dangled upside down, "I HAD HIM!!!" 

As he looked down he saw his sword discarded in the place where he was once standing. That's no help at all. Dom tried to go and untie his ankle, but he couldn't reach it. At this rate I'll be here all night.... What story should I tell the folks in the cabin when they see me.
Dom made a few flailing motions, in an attempt to free himself..... Nothing.
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Finally, after much thought Dom had an idea. He returned to flailing around, and making what looked to be jumping motions.

Crack!

"What was that?" Dom asked aloud.
Crack! 
"No!"
Snap!

"SHIIIIT!!!!!!!!!"

Dom came crashing down to the forest floor below, landing face first on the ground, soon followed by the branch, which landed and broke on him.

"Well..." he groaned, "That probably woke the neighbors.... I'll just wait here till morning."

The stranger's thoughts were faint, as they should have been given how far he actually was from the cabin, but Whitney had been practicing.  She could pick up bits and pieces and for some reason, this person's aura, their thoughts-- that mostly consisted of swears-- seemed very familiar.
Something snapped in Whitney.  It even took Reese a moment to realize that she had, for lack of a better phrase, woken up.  She recognized him.  She didn't even bother putting on shoes.  She made a beeline out of her room and down the hall, and practically burst open the front door of the cabin and out she was, sprinting across the field in nothing but a black tank top and plaid pajama shorts, not even a weapon either.
"Hey!" she called out, her voice raspy from sleep and-- well, not ever raising it above a mumble for weeks.  She scrambled over to the fallen young man and fell to her knees next to him, cautiously reaching out for him in the dark.

Dom had no idea how long he had been lying there when he heard the sound of someone running toward him
"Hey" he heard the voice say, and he felt someone kneeling next to him.
That voice is familiar.... Dom thought to himself.
"Gravity... hurts..." Dom groaned weakly.

For a moment, Whitney froze.  This was the first time she'd spoken to anyone other than Reese in a damn long time.  How do you socialize again?
She squinted in the dark and brushed some of her hair back to see better.
"Uh-- yea," she said, her tone clearly indicating her unease. "Are you alright?"

"Nothing's hurt.... Except my pride," Dom said, rolling himself onto his back, wincing as he did so, "and some ribs."
He chuckled, "damn, it hurts to laugh."
Dom's eyes widened when he realized who was kneeling down next to him.
"Whitney?" Dom breathed hardly believing his eyes, "I must have hit my head harder than I thought."

Whitney blinked a few times, her eyes widening as well.
"N-No..." she said. "I-- Dom? I knew I--recognized you-- somehow."
She swallowed hard; it gave her a headache trying to form a single cohesive thought.  It took a moment, but she finally collected herself and leaned forward.
"Dom!" she said loudly, as if she hadn't before, her eyes widening in surprise.

"What're you doing here?" Dom asked, unable to believe what was going on.
He started to get up, but sat down instead his hand going up to his side. "That bastard got a good hit in, that's for damn sure."
Dom looked to Whitney "how've you been? I haven't seen you since....." His voice trailed off, as the bitter memory returned. His free hand curling into a fist.

"I-- I live here," she said slowly. The idea that she had not seen anyone since they separated to train, since she was taken from anyone she knew who could possibally provide a little comfort.
"That's--that's my mentor's cabin."
She was suddenly aware of Reese's presence getting closer and she turned around.
"This is my friend!" She called out. "H-he's hurt!"
She turned back to Dom.
"C-can you stand?" She stammered, offering him a hand.

"Yeah," Dom said taking her hand he stood up, rubbing the area where he was injured. He looked to the man that Whitney was calling out to.
"Your mentor?" He asked.

"Yyyea," she said, brushing her hair back again. "His name's Reese."
The two of them met Reese halfway between the end of the clearing and the cabin and Whitney got to introducing them, albeit with a bit of difficulty.  Afterwards, they found themselves in the kitchen, Reese making sure Dom hadn't broken any bones or suffered any brain injuries.

"So Sarge threw you out here, did he?" asked Reese, standing back up. "He's always been one to go hard or go home on his students."

Meanwhile, Whitney sat on the counter after putting on some sweatpants and joining the two men in the kitchen.

"Your mentor threw you out in the woods?"

"Yeah, Sarge tends to do that," Dom said to Whitney, throwing his head back laughing.
"Said this was the 'behind enemy lines' training. Which explains my injuries and why I was hanging around in a tree." Dom said rising from the chair after Reese finished his inspection.
"Things were rocky between me and him at first. Then he knocked some sense into me and he pulled me out of that hole I was in." 
Dom walked over to the kitchen window and stared out for a moment before facing Whitney. 
"What have you been up to?" He asked, "how's your training coming along?"

Whitney shifted a little in her seat, placing her hands on the edge of the counter to steady herself.
"I've-- just been here..." she said quietly. "And I'm just--training...I suppose it's going--alright."
It was apparent that she was not all there anymore. Not the social butterfly. Not the level head.
Now, her gaze flickered here and there, she stuttered. She was a mess.
"What--what about you?" she said before the silence got too long. "Other than--this...how's your training?"

"This pretty much is my training," he said "I study spells and then go to the Pit, as Sarge calls it, to practice the spell in a combat setting. "
He walked over to Whitney and draped his arm around her to pull ber into a comforting embrace.

She flinched at first. Dom had never hugged her before, much less been so close. But she supposed after everything they'd been through, they had become very close in a very short time.
"Yea..." she breathed out, and slowly let her shoulders relax and leaned against his shoulder.
"Have you heard from anyone else?" she asked softly, her nervous tick gone for a moment.

"You're the first I've seen," Dom sighed looking out the window "I take it you haven't seen anyone else either?"

He noticed that the sky was starting lighten up. "Sunrise will be comin up soon," he muttered to himself, sticking his free hand in a pocket he drew out a small pocket sized book an used its tassle to open to a page, scanning the open page.

"No," was all she could say to his question. She sat up straight and looked out the window to confirm morning was in fact here, and then glanced down at the book Dom held.
"What's that?" she asked, leaning over to snoop.