The Training Grounds

"Lexie, Let's go to the Training Grounds." you suggest "It's about time I kick your ass."

"Hah, you wish." she beams that beautiful smile back at you.

Now, you did have ulterior motives, you were hoping that not only would you kick Lexie's ass in a sparring contest, but you were hoping that maybe, just maybe at these Training Grounds you would be able to finally reunite with Claire. From everything you learned, she was now the leader of the Sunriders. These so-called "Training-Grounds" were the place where Sunriders and Syndicate warriors come to train. So unless she wasn't in the Sicilian Syndicate, you would hope to find her here, sprawling between her Sunriders, fighting, training, maybe even...much more?

"The Training Grounds are a little walk away, maybe 5 minutes or so, it's where the cliff runs out, about half the battle ground is outside the mountain, the other half inside. It's quite treacherous as there is only a simple rope guard rail to protect people from falling to their ****" Lexie begins "The true arena, where we will spar, is on a small little plateau out on the side of the mountain, about a 40 foot circle, no rope guard rails, if you accidentally fall, you plummet thousands of feet. It's where the best of the best fight, it's where Sunriders become leaders and it's where I plan to bring you, draw a crowd, and proceed to kick your ass." she smiles at you as she holds your arm close "Be careful though, I don't want any of us falling to our ****...but I want to kick your ass with everybody watching." she rests her head against your arm.

You continue to walk down a man made path in a straight line, many steel torches guide the path. You pass many other Syndicate Warriors and Sunriders walking to and from the place you're about to enter. It's when you see it, the exit to the mountain, a hole in the side of the cavern, stalagmites making the entrance look like the mouth to an man-eating giant worm. A hole in the side of the mountain, sunlight beating in, the two of you walking closer and closer.

"Almost there." Lexie hugs your arm tighter

You continue to walk toward the hole in the mountain, step after step. You suddenly reach the entrance, the sun, shining straight into your face as the day is getting close to finished, you reach outside the cave, looking over the training grounds.

"Welcome, to the Sicilian Syndicate Training Grounds!" Lexie blissfully states

Your body almost falls into shock at the sight you behold. You bring your hand up to wipe across your eyes as the sunlight causes them to water. You're stunned by your surroundings, stunned by the magnitude of the Training Grounds.