A/N:  It's training day for Jazmine! I can't wait to see how my girl does against her dejaino and his brothers!

Language key:
Taeto [Tay-toh]- Brother

Tesonara [Teh-soh-nar-ah]- darling

Tesora [Teh-sor-ah] - sweetheart

Ja'nua [Zhah' noo-ah] - the one 
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Darius led me down a flight of stairs to a finished basement with a layout of gym equipment and tons of weapons lining the walls. I fingered a few swords and axes; I had no idea kues use weapons to fight.

"We don't. But humans and de'mujos do. We use them to know what it's like to fight against them." He said opening a closet and rummaging through it. He pulled out a black nylon fitted jumpsuit and handed it to me and took one out for himself. I stood there looking at it wondering what the point of it was.

"Are we going to dance class?" I asked as he laughed slipping his shirt over his head.

"No, this type of material helps you move better so you can feel the way you should be reacting in combat." He chuckled as I shrugged.

"Whatever you say sensei." I laughed stripping down and slipping on the outfit. It felt so good against my skin it was like being naked! 

I'm not sure I'm going to be able to spar with her looking like that. I heard Darius' voice float through my mind. He is usually so good at blocking those random thoughts from me. I looked up at him as I zipped up my suit and laughed at the lustful look in his eyes.

"Darius contain yourself." I laughed putting my hands on my hips, but I have to admit the way the body suit laid across his skin so I can see every cut and slope of his muscles and the way it fit over his tight ass was rather distracting. He smiled a slow grin and winked at me.

"I think you need to contain yourself too, dejaina," he laughed,"come on my brothers are waiting." He said as I followed him out a side door and we walked up the steps to a large field where his three brothers and Meilyn were waiting for us.

"What's Meilyn doing out here?" I asked as I put my hair in a ponytail and we made our way over to them.

"I'm not sure. She's supposed to be helping Samaria and Amerie." He frowned.

"Well finally Adonis was about ready to go in there and look for you two!" Damon said shaking his head.

"Well I had to introduce her to Samaria and Amerie and our parents. We'll have enough time to train. Don't worry." Darius smiled.

"Meilyn are you training too?" I asked as she beamed and Byron sighed.

"Yep, I didn't want you to have to go through this alone you're going to need another dejaina to help you and another healer." Meilyn smiled.

"Meilyn...I don't want you to do this. I'm already putting enough people in danger." 

"That's exactly what I said...she's so stubborn!" Byron growled while Meilyn cut him a look.

"And I figured if Darius is allowing his Dejaina to fight then my dejaino should feel so inclined to allow me to as well."

"But Meilyn I'm only allowing this because she's Ja'nua and she has to fight Sol." Darius explained as I nodded.

"I said that too, please Meilyn I don't want you to fight. I don't want you in any sort of danger. I want you safe in the lab with Samaria and Amerie." Byron sighed taking her hands.

"I know, but I want to do this. I want to help Jazmine as much as I can, I feel like she's the closest sister I have and I want to be there." She said squeezing his hands and I sighed. 

"She's right; I'm going to need my sister during this if I'm going to stay sane with all of you kues. Plus what happens if Meilyn, Samaria and Amerie get attacked in the lab? At least one of them should be trained to protect themselves." I said as she smiled at me.

Jaz don't give her more ammo to this fight.

She's right though and if you trust me to be capable of this then Byron should trust her. We're masters in the same elements. We like the fight.

But you're stronger than her, sesti, Byron's scared about that.

I'm stronger than all of you and I'm not telling you not to fight, lunto. I said as he nodded.

"Fair enough," he mumbled,"I think Jazmine's right. We're going to train them to be kues; Meilyn's going to be strong enough to do this Byron. It would be smart to train Meilyn we might not be able to save them in the lab." Byron looked at Darius as if he had two heads.

"What the hell has gotten into you, man? This is my dejaina and you're saying that you agree with her coming out here with us?" 

"Hey, you're the one that let her suit up. She already had you saying yes, right Meilyn?" 

"Yes, and thank you Darius for backing me up." She smiled.

"Fine, Mei Mei, fine. You win." Byron grumbled as she squealed wrapping her arms around him.

"Evela'tu." She smiled kissing his cheek.

"Well! I'm glad Samaria and Amerie are nerds and don't like to do any of this." Adonis laughed while Damon nodded.

"Let's get this show on the road shall we?" Damon laughed clapping his hands as the four of them all stood in front of Meilyn and me.

"The first thing you need to remember is that you are no longer healers, dejainas, and Earth Masters. You are kues. That means that you're a warrior and every element is used as a weapon." Darius said as we nodded.

"You need to stop feeling and start reacting." Byron added.

"You need to be aware of your surroundings." Adonis said.

"And most importantly you must not be afraid to kill." Damon said as we nodded.

"How are we going to use the elements if we're only masters in Earth and healing?" Meilyn asked as Damon smiled.

"It's a common misconception that Mercatija are born with only a few master skills and only kues are born masters in all. It's true we are born a master in them but every Mercatija can master the elements. It's actually good you two are Earth masters because you use a small portion of every element in your powers. It's probably why you don't mind being around us when we fight besides the fact that you're healers." Damon explained.

"So, today we're going to get you two to become masters in air. It's the easiest element to master." Adonis said as they sat down and Meilyn and I followed.

"We're going to do some meditation; it's the best way to find your elemental powers. Close your eyes." Damon said as I sighed closing my eyes waiting for the next instruction. 

"Darius and Byron are going to walk you through the process in your mind while we talk you through it out loud. We figure this would be the fastest way for you to find your power."

Alright, sesti, relax your body and block out everything but my voice. Darius instructed as I sighed blocking out the sounds of the earth, Adonis and Damon's voices and concentrated only on Darius in his sexy jumpsuit.

Only my voice, litani, this is not the time to fantasize. He chuckled as I sighed again wiping that image out of my mind.

Good, now concentrate on the wind feel it wrap around your body and blow through your hair as you breathe in and out. I could feel the small wisps of air circling around my wrists and travel around my body and gently course through my hair. We sat there for a while letting me feel the energy of the wind getting a feel of the power.

Good, Jaz, now let it come into your body and slowly release it from your fingers. He said as I absorbed the power inside of me and felt the tingle of it mix with my earth and healing energy. I sighed as I let it flow from my fingers and travel the small distance to Darius. I grinned slowly unzipping his suit. I like air.

Jazmine! He gasped countering my powers and zipping his suit up.

What did I say about fantasizing! He growled but there was a hint of laughter in it.

I can't help it.

Well since you have a handle on this. I want you to disappear and reappear behind Damon give him a light push and reappear without him knowing you were there.

What? I can't do that!

Sure you can. Now concentrate. Let the air envelope you completely, imagine you're not there. Imagine where you want to go. He said as I took a deep breath and slowly let the air energy surround me let it come out over my Earth powers and become the only power I knew.

Good Jaz, now think of where you want to go. He said as I pictured Adonis' back and the grass right behind him. I felt myself moving slowly like a breeze and I could see Damon and swirled around him sat behind him. I opened my eyes and I realized I was sitting directly behind him. I looked over at Darius but he couldn't see me I must still be invisible. I quickly gave Damon a push and concentrated on being back in front of Darius.

"What the hell! Is Samaria out here, Adonis? I don't think it's very funny. We're trying to train. This is serious." Damon said giving Adonis a stern look.

"Samaria isn't out here, Damon." He said as I looked at Darius whose shoulders were shaking trying not to laugh. I was biting my cheeks from giving myself away. I watched as Damon was shoved again and he gave Adonis a deathly stare.

"Seriously, taeto? Really? I mean we're trying to train. Will you tell Samaria to cut it out?" Damon sighed as I looked over at Meilyn who grinned as Byron held in his laughter.

"Damon. It's not Samaria. It's them!" Adonis yelled as Damon frowned looking at us.

"No shit? You two catch on quick! Sorry, Adonis, I didn't think they'd be able to do that so fast." He apologized. 

"Yeah well look who their dejainos are. It doesn't surprise me." Adonis shrugged.

"Well! I guess it's time for some combat skills with air then." Damon said getting up and stretching.

"What? But we just learned how to disappear can't we practice that some more?" Meilyn asked as they laughed.

"Litani, once you can do what you and Jaz just did it's a part of you. You'll always be able to disappear and call air to you. We just did that to awaken it inside of you. We wouldn't do combat if we didn't think you were ready." He smiled.

Are you sure about this Darius?

You'll be fine, sesti.

I was talking about you, are you sure you can handle me? I asked as he burst out laughing.

"Just because you almost beat us when you were a de'mujo doesn't mean I can't take you on as a Mercatija." He laughed.

"Doesn't mean I'm not as good either" I said pushing him away from him. I am so ready to take him down.

"Would you and Darius like to go first then?" Damon laughed.

"Yeah, you guys go first." Meilyn nodded as I smiled up at Darius.

"You ready?"

"I was born ready, baby." He smiled slapping my ass. I yelped and glared at his laughing face. 

"You're going to pay for that." I growled as we stood a few feet apart from each other on the field.

"First we want you two to spar without any powers. I want Jazmine to get used to using her fighting skills, and then we'll have you use air." Adonis said as we nodded.

"We haven't even learned how to fight, aren't you going to show us moves?" Meilyn asked. She was full of questions. I think the idea of us really fighting is starting to get to her.

"Once again, all Mercatija are born with the ability to fight, to protect themselves, even women. It's a natural instinct. The only reason we protect you women, is because you are our source of life. Without you we will all die, but you can do this naturally." Damon explained.

"Alright whenever you two are ready." Adonis nodded as I smiled as we circled each other. 

You scared, litano? I asked taunting him.

Why would I be scared of you, sesti?

Remember not to underestimate me, darling. I purred as he lunged at me and I ducked under his punch wrapping my leg around his and pulling him to the ground and pinning him to the ground.

"You should be scared." I smiled as he laughed leaning up and biting the zipper on my suit and pulling it down. I gasped covering myself as he laughed pushing me over and pinning me to the ground.

"You shouldn't let your guard down so easily."

"You cheated!" I yelled pulling my legs up and pushing him off of me. He grinned as he came after me again refusing to give me time to think before my next move. He started throwing punches in my face and I smiled dodging every punch. He caught me off guard and punched me in the stomach and I doubled over in pain.

"Oh shit, are you alright?" He asked bending down to check on me. I grinned grabbing his head and kneeing him in the stomach and kicking him away from me.

"What was that about letting my guard down, huh?" I laughed as he smiled.

"Who's the cheater now?" He chuckled as I started running towards him.

"Alright you two, I'm sure we could let you go all day and you wouldn't get tired but I think we should let Byron and Meilyn warm up a bit." Adonis said as I stopped running. Stop? What did he mean stop?

"But...but we're just getting started!" I whined as Darius wrapped his arm around my waist.

"We still have tons of more drills to do, litani. Don't be in such a hurry to get your ass beat." He laughed kissing my head.

"What?! I was totally beating you!" I laughed, letting him lead me to the side of the field. We watched Meilyn and Byron spar which was an experience because Byron is this big guy and Meilyn is this tiny thing compared to him but she did really well against him. I wouldn't mind trying to take on Byron he'd be a nice challenge.

Oh and I'm not? Darius scoffed as I laughed.

Shut up, I'm just saying he'd be fun to try to fight. I think I can beat Byron. I nodded as Darius laughed.

I can beat him so I'm pretty sure you can too, but I wouldn't mind seeing that.

"Alright now that you're all warmed up and ready to go, we're going to start with sparring using what you learned today. Damon referee Byron and Meilyn and I'll go with Darius and Jazmine." He said as we split off on the field Darius was smiling across from me.

This is where it gets fun. Air is my specialty, but I'll go easy on you. He grinned.

Please don't that's rather insulting. I smiled back eager to use my newly awakened powers on him.

Alright, sesti, but I warned you. He chuckled shaking his head.

"So we're just going to do this like you're sparring without powers. I'm going to watch the way you use your air techniques and see if I can give you any pointers. I just want to warn you, li'kaeta, Darius is really good with air. So if you don't get to put him down as much as you'd like to that's why." Adonis explained.

"Oh I plan on challenging his awesome air skills." I said as Adonis laughed.

"Well alright then, have at it." He nodded and Darius immediately disappeared and kept reappearing all around me. I smiled closing my eyes and tried to focus on his energy and the air around me.

"Jaz, you're going to want to do something other than stand there." Adonis said, but I blocked him out. Whenever Darius disappeared he left a tingle of energy behind him and right before he appeared, the air seemed to gather where he is going to land. 

Silly, silly dejaino of mine, he should really stop underestimating me. I thought as I felt the air gather right before me and I quickly disappeared and reappeared behind him giving him a swift kick in the back and he stumbled forward on to one knee laughing as he went.

 I reappeared again right above him coming down on him my elbow ready to smash into his back but it smashed right into the dirt below me. 

Before I could let out a painful scream, Darius had me flying over his head and smashing into the ground face first. I spit dirt out of my mouth and disappeared following his energy trail and reappearing in enough time to use a concentrated gust of wind to level him on his back; splitting the ground with his body. 

He laughed jumping into the air as I followed him grabbing his ankle and slamming him back down into the ground. I laughed watching the dust rise from the earth and gasped when he wasn't there but held me in a headlock.

"What now, litani?" He chuckled as I laughed disappearing out of his grasp letting out a punch at the back of his head but he was quick to counter it grabbing my fist and slamming another fist into my face that I quickly dodge. We darted across the sky throwing kicks and punches at each other, neither one of us willing to stand down.

"Hey! HEY!" I barely made out the call from Adonis as I blocked another punch to my stomach and countered with a kick to his face.

"TIME OUT!" Damon and Adonis' voices boomed around us as we both stopped and looked down at them.

"Why do they keep stopping us when it's just getting good?" I asked. Darius laughed as we both descended back to the ground.

"I don't know, they could give us a little longer. You're the best sparring partner I've had in a long time." He smiled.

"And you were worried about being able to protect me." I smirked as we walked over to the rest of the group.

"Why'd you stop us now?" I asked crossing my arms over my chest.

"We figured it'd be a good time to break for some grub, Samaria and Amerie said Mom and Dad made lunch." Damon said as I sighed in frustration. I wasn't hungry right now! We could've kept going if that was the case! I said storming off back to the main house the ground quaking in my path.

"Is she ok?" I heard Adonis asked Darius who just laughed.

Tesora, we've been out here for a while it's good to eat to keep your energy going.

I'm all hyped up, I want to keep sparring not eat! I grumbled walking through the hallways and realized I have absolutely no idea where I am or where I'm going.

Um, Darius? I'm lost. I said and heard his roar of laughter down the hall as he came around the corner shaking his head at me.

"Come on, the dining room is this way." He laughed taking my hand and leading me in the opposite direction I was traveling.

"My anger gets the best of me sometimes..." I mumbled.

"I know, sesti." He laughed as we walked into the grand dining room. Full of pictures of the family and a crystal chandelier hanging above the center of the table and an immaculate feast laid out before us. 

Samaria and Amerie were sitting comfortably in the middle of their two dejainos as Darius and I took our seats across from them.

"Your mother couldn't settle on one thing to make for lunch so as usual there's a spread of everything." Jack sighed as we laughed at the spread of sandwiches, salad, soup, vegetables, and fruit.

"Well you boys know how much you like to eat and with two new kues in training, I figured they'd be starving too." Lana smiled as my stomach gave an ugly growl. I looked down at it in surprise.

"No shit..." I whispered as Darius laughed.

"See you are hungry." He said as everyone laughed and started piling their plates with food.

"So how's it going in training girls?" Jack asked.

"Pretty good, I'm getting used to throwing a punch." Meilyn laughed as I nodded.

"Yeah it feels good to knock Darius down a few notches on the 'I'm a super macho warrior' scale." I said as he smiled at me squeezing my thigh. 

"Oh really, Jaz?" He laughed.

"Yeah, Dad and to be honest they're both doing really well with it. Jaz was holding up remarkably well with Darius in air combat. She knocked him down quite a few times." Adonis laughed as Jack raised an eyebrow.

"Darius, air is your specialty and she got you down?"

"I know," he chuckled threading his fingers through mine,"she's the best sparring partner I've had since you, Dad." 

"That's saying a lot, Jazmine." He chuckled.

"Yeah Jaz, how are you getting this so well? You're not afraid to knock him down." Meilyn said shaking her head at me.

"I'm not sure really, but I like fighting, it makes me feel alive." I shrugged. 

"Your father was the very first kue and the strongest of the Mercatija before he turned.  It's probably why you like the fight. You've mastered your mother's side in you and you're just now awakening your father's. You may not think it, but you were born to be a kue." Lana smiled at me and I frowned at her.

"But I'm a woman; we're not supposed to be kues." I said as the men at the table nodded looking at Lana for an explanation. She opened a golden book that was sitting next to her and flipped to a bookmarked page and slid it over to me.

"No, not all women were born to be kues, but you were. It's all there in the book." She said as I looked at the ancient words scribbled across the book.

"Is that the ancient book of prophecies?" Samaria asked.

"Yes, it's passed down to every ancient family; we're the last so naturally we must keep it." She said as I eyed the ancient Catijan language and taking a deep breath.

 "Read the prophecy, Jazmine." Lana smiled as I sighed looking back at the book.

"The Ja'nua," I began, "is a being that is born from all the light and darkness in the Earth during the eve of a dark time. She will have immense power to rid this Earth of the darkness plagues it but she must accept the darkness within herself to battle the evil that gave her life. 

"The Ja'nua only comes when the Earth most needs her and must return when peace is restored." I read feeling tears well up in my eyes. How can I rid the Earth of darkness when I was born with it? Darius is going to have to kill me. I quickly blinked back my tears and pushed the book away from me.

"What does it mean she must return when peace is restored?" Darius asked squeezing my hand. So he was focused on the same phrase I was. 

"It could mean many things; prophecies are like riddles. You're going to have to figure that out for yourselves." Jack sighed. He's going to have to kill me, we can't bond like this. 

I'm j-just a tool. I whispered. 

No you're not, litani. Darius said but I am, I'm just a vessel to fix everything. I pulled my hand away from him standing as I did. 

"I am and you being my dejaino is a mistake." I need air. I need to think I need to cry. I left the table and all but ran through the house and back out to the field. Why? Why me? I asked looking up at the sky, letting the tears I'd been holding roll down my cheeks.

This is so unfair, I'm starting to love Darius, I think I  do love him and I'm going to have to return? As in return to the Earth, meaning I'm going to die once I cure the parasite. I can't leave him, he's a part of me now and I refuse to let him die with me. What was Gaia thinking giving me a dejaino?!

"Jaz...don't cry." Darius cooed pulling me into his chest.

"This isn't fair." I whispered as he pushed me away slightly wiping my tears and caressing my cheeks.

"This isn't a fluke; I'm not a mistake, Jazmine. Gaia chose me to protect you, just because it's not in the prophecy doesn't mean this isn't the way things are supposed to be." He said as I nodded looking down. But I can't rid the earth of evil without ridding it of myself too. I can't hurt him like this. He never should've been my dejaino. I won't let him kill me, I'll find Sol by myself, kill him and then kill myself. I closed my eyes as more tears fell from my eyes.

"Jazmine your mind is blank, tell me what's wrong, tesora." He pleaded and I looked up at him putting my hands on his neck and smiled a watery smile.

"I'm fine, Darius. I-I just don't want you to get hurt." I said leaning up to kiss him. I can't let him hear those thoughts. He sighed kissing my forehead.

"You're hiding something from me, I don't like it." He said as I sighed.

"I'm not hiding anything." I said looking away from him unable to meet his eyes. He held my chin tight, forcing me to look at him. 

"Don't lie to me, Jazmine. Tell me what's wrong." He said his eyes dark with worry. My heart tingled in my chest, I know I shouldn't lie to him, but I have to protect him. 

"I'm just scared, litano. Nothing is wrong." I smiled kissing his cheek. He sighed shaking his head. 

"Is everything alright?" Meilyn asked as she and the other Kues joined us back on the field.

"Yeah, we're fine." I nodded pulling away from Darius.

I don't like this Jaz, how can we fight Sol together if you won't let me in to help you? He sighed in frustration.

"Good, we thought we'd do some more exercises with air. Mom put some food away for you guys for later unless you want to go finish now?" Damon asked.

"No we're fine." Darius answered.

You don't need to help me, Darius. Just let me protect you.

"Ok so this time we're going to work with weapons. We'll do some exercises so you can learn how to disarm someone before they attack." Adonis said as Darius picked up a spear and I readied myself to take it from him.

So, you admit there is something wrong then? He asked throwing the spear at me, but before it left his hands I wrapped a tight hold of air around it and flung it away from him.

You don't need to worry about it.

I will worry about it, damn it Jazmine, I'm your dejaino! It's my job! He roared throwing an axe at me with more force behind it than the spear. I gasped in surprise and quickly flung it back at him with the slight shift in the wind. How dare he throw an axe at me like that?!

"Maybe I don't want it to be your job. I'm just a tool anyway and we're never going to bond!" I yelled flinging chunks of the field at him. I can't understand why he doesn't see it. Why he can't see how much of a mistake our connection is. I won't let him bond with me if he's going to die because he has to kill his dejaina.

"Why would you say that?" He asked easily dodging the balls of dirt. His hurt emotions was radiating all over my body and I want to take back what I said but maybe if I can get him to want to leave me then he won't have to know the pain of killing me.

"Because I mean it. We can't do this anymore Darius." I sighed shaking my head letting the dirt fall to the ground and walking away.

"Jazmine!" Darius called after me but I kept walking blocking him out. I need to get away from here, away from Darius. I can't make him kill me I won't do that to him.