Evil Forces Walden

Chapter 2- What it's like

In the dim light of the training room, the rhythmic thud of punches against the padded mitts punctuated the air. Caligula stood resolute, sweat glistening on her brow as she propelled her body through a series of fluid movements. Each strike resonated with a fierce determination that echoed her mother's expectations. Outside, the world was chaotic; the impending war against Flendale's relentless armies loomed ever closer, yet within these walls, there was a single focus: preparation.

In contrast, Anestesia lay nestled in her bed, the soft light filtering through the curtains seeming to cradle her in a gentle cocoon. She was aware of the muffled sounds of battle training next door, yet the weight of her fatigue anchored her to the mattress. Her mother, Stella, hovered just outside the door, a mixture of disappointment and concern washing over her features.

"Why are you not going to do what your sister's doing?" Stella's voice traveled through the threshold, filled with urgency and concern.

Anestesia turned her head, her eyes heavy. "I was tired, and I need to rest. I think that we should do this together..."

Stella crossed her arms, the stern edge of her tone cutting through the soft ambiance. "I think you don't have to understand why I'm telling you this. I'm your mother, and I know what's best for you. And look at Caligula; she understands that I'm pushing her for a reason. We all love you, Anestesia."

The phrase melted into Anestesia's mind, yet layers of insecurity held her down. She felt like a shadow in her sister's brilliance, a flaw in the family dynamic.

"I want you to do me a favor," Stella continued, eyes narrowing with fierce maternal resolve. "You have to try to attack one of Flendale's allies."

Anestesia blinked, the words echoing like a drum. "Huh?!" The surprise rippled through her like electricity.

"I can do that! I want to prove to you, Mother, that I've learned from you. I don't want to disappoint you," Caligula chimed in, adrenaline coursing through her as she punched the mitts again, channeling her sister's apprehension into determined energy.

Stella's smile emerged, an evil grin that flickered for an instant. "Yes! That's what I wanted to hear. Who knows who loves to fight more than you? You're born for it!"

With the weight of a looming battle hanging over them, the mother and daughters joined forces. Under Stella's watchful eye, Caligula led the charge against the enemy, swift and relentless. Anestesia, however, lingered behind, her heart racing but her feet glued to the ground.

The scene intensified quickly as Caligula dispatched the first wave of unsuspecting Flendale soldiers with a ferocity that startled even herself. They faced fierce opposition, but the taste of victory fueled her, and she pressed on. Anestesia watched them, her body aching to join, yet paralyzed by doubt.

But then dissent rippled through the ranks as the enemy escalated their assault. They began rolling in tanks, massive metal beasts that threatened to crush her sister's progress. "Caligula! Look out!" Anestesia shouted, the protective instinct surfacing.

Caligula turned, eyes wide as she calculated the imminent danger. But instead of retreating, she charged forward with renewed vigor. "I won't let you down, Mother!" Caligula yelled, her voice a resonant battle cry.

Stella's pride swelled, bittersweet as she observed her girls. One charging fearlessly into the fray—with talent braided in blood and battle—and the other still tethered, yet capable of more than she realized. Perhaps the time was right for both of her daughters to embrace the fight, each in their own way.

The year was 1991. Six years had bled into the past since the botched invasion of Flendale. Stella, her face a mask of controlled fury, surveyed the wreckage. Another laboratory, reduced to twisted metal and smoldering debris. Flendale's alliance with the Task Forces had proven too formidable. The dream of conquest, at least for now, was a bitter ash in her mouth.

Meanwhile, deep within their remaining, more fortified hideout, Gertrude sparred with simulated troops. Sweat slicked her brow as she effortlessly parried blows, her movements fluid and precise. She danced around the training bots, each strike landing with calculated force.

Vinse leaned against the wall, arms crossed, a sardonic smile playing on his lips. "Oh, don't you find it difficult, huh?" he drawled, observing her with a critical eye.

Gertrude deactivated the simulation, the holographic soldiers dissolving into thin air. "I told you I can do this," she replied, a hint of playful arrogance in her voice. "And of course, I know how to fight them. But don't worry, it doesn't mean I'm mocking everyone. It's just that I feel... I just have the skills to do it. What do you say?"

Vinse pushed himself off the wall. "I say that you're getting a little too confident for your own good. Caligula has been observing you, by the way. But seriously, you're not quite one of the top like her."

Gertrude's eyes narrowed. "Why do you say that? Because you believe she's better than me? I know I'm getting better with each passing year. I've been training hard since I was four."

"You're right, you have improved, its just, I caught you reading world maps and history books. I don't think we need to study like normal students do." Vinse countered, a flicker of genuine curiosity in his eyes.

Gertrude shrugged. "It's not bad to add knowledge. It's important for me to know all the locations, everything in there, or else I always get mistaken. I've studied longitude, latitude, the countries in the world, the most tourist spots."

"Why are you studying that, Gertrude?" Vinse pressed, his skepticism evident.

"I told you, I want to learn something new. It doesn't mean I'm betraying you or my family. Brunhilde just teaches me what she knows when she has free time."

Vinse's gaze hardened. "Prove it to me then. I hope you can show me something."

Before Gertrude could react, Vinse lunged, a fist aimed at her face. Reacting instinctively, she caught his hand, her grip surprisingly strong. With a swift, controlled motion, she pushed him away. Vinse stumbled backward, caught off guard. He landed hard, the breath knocked out of him. Gertrude hadn't expected to take him down so easily. A surge of confidence, bordering on unease, washed over her.

"I told you I'm good at this," she said, her voice steady, though a tremor of surprise ran through it. "So you might not want act like I don't know anything about fighting anymore. I told you I want to learn some things."

Vinse sat up, rubbing his jaw. "Oh, I see that you're good at that, Gertrude. But I can't believe you threw me like that, like you were angry. Well... I could see that you're lucky. Maybe you have some super strength that is going on, because Caligula never had that ability. Maybe all Waldens are super different after all."

"I told you so," Gertrude repeated, a hint of satisfaction in her tone.

"Perhaps... I think that probably it's a good idea that you are learning something like that. And that's not a big deal that you're already dealing with good people, because we are evil," Vinse admitted, a hint of grudging respect in his voice.

"I know that," Gertrude replied, her expression softening. "Besides, don't bother yourself too much about my dealings. I am always humble for my family. I know this is my home."

Vinse changed the subject, a flicker of concern in his eyes. "Where is Anestesia?"

"She was doing her own training," Gertrude explained. "I also can't she can't do to train herself more because of that. She was like trying to be a scientist."

Vinse snorted, shaking his head. "What? That girl makes me laugh already."

"Me too," Gertrude agreed, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Just sometimes... And now I have to do my other practice. Anyway, I already proved what I deserve."

She reached for one of the batons and pressed a button on the simulation panel. A new scenario materialized, depicting a horde of simulated evil troops, each more menacing than the last. Prepare to fight, she steels herself for the upcoming fight.