This time, though still a slight surprise, we were ready for the mysterious liquid that rose from the earth, enveloping us quickly. Mei’s decision for herself made me happy for her. It had only been a few hours since I met her, but she seemed like a nice girl.
But that’s what she was—a girl. A child.
Those thoughts disappeared with the sensation of movement through space. The matter was over already in a sense.
It wasn’t long before my senses returned to me and I was staring into a theater-like screen, something of an image of grass and pillars slowly fading—distorting away as if it had never changed.
The device, whatever it was, peaked some interest in me, but I figured answers wouldn’t help me much. One day, I would know more about it, but I’ve learned weakness doesn’t allow for many questions to those much stronger.
“Well done boy!” Drema’s unwelcomed voice greeted me first. “To convince such an opponent through just words to forfeit… An excellent strategy.”
His words felt like poison to my ears. His tone speaking well, not even bordering on sarcastic. He was genuinely congratulating me, but it had a deeper meaning. The shame cast on the opponent implicit in his words.
The next presence I noticed was not my own Guardian, but instead my former opponent. Amei.
Her gaze wasn’t full of anger. Frustration. No—but there was something that danced around disappointment. I’ve understood now that there were deeper implications to the results of these matches. Some sort of punishment or reward system in place for them, but it mattered very little to me.
“You did well, both of you,” Serith said from beside her friend, but even with her words, Mei’s head next to me didn’t lift.
Griffith kneeled next to the woman, raising his head in an obvious request to speak. The man behind them mumbling something about ‘bringing a more pleasant guard this time.’
“You may speak,” Serith granted.
The man lowered his eyes as he did. “I would like to have some words with Peter… And the girl,” he took a moment to glance at Amei. “If it is permitted of course.”
Amei hesitated, but ultimately nodded. Serith took no time at all, thankfully treating the situation as more of a formality. Maybe to appease me, but hopefully, starting to treat the rest of us with a tinge more consideration.
Griffith rose, stepping up to me, gesturing with his hand for Mei to come as well.
First, he looked at the young girl. “You should raise your head. Despite what others may think, there was nothing shameful or foolish about what you did. Dying for a cause you know nothing about is more than foolish. What you did took courage.”
She glanced up at him, but only gave a small nod.
He continued. “And a child at your age already so powerful. There is only one class that would be appropriate to describe you. That strength will only grow. Any freaks of nature that may or may not have strange ears will only bow to it if all the can do is spew hot air from their useless lungs.”
The room tensed. I was stunned. This man. My commander. Trainer. I had brought him because I figured he would be the most composed. But… Maybe a nerve was touched. Even with such indirect words from Kris’ Guardian, he would state such a thing with such certainty.
“Sir—” I started, trying to shift the conversation, but he cut me off with a glare.
“Of course… That is only true if you continue to improve. If you survive.” Griffith didn’t bother waiting for a gesture of response, shifting to me with a glare. “And you—”
The words hit my ears like ice. It may have been the most angry I had ever heard him. It wasn’t the impressive volume he had summoned during the early days of my knowing him. Not utilizing the lungs that could blow a horn that could rouse an entire forest without any effort.
No—This was something that froze the veins in my body. Halting the circulation of Internal Force somehow. This was a cold anger.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“This wasn’t a game.”
He said nothing else, standing, turning, and giving a light bow to Serith and Synthia each, ignoring the other before walking back to stand beside them, but somehow making himself look smaller.
It.. was strange. The feeling that lingered in me. It was truly impossible to describe. Crying… I don’t know if I had done so since seeing my world near-literally crumble, but—at this moment… Well, I could feel the lump forming in my throat.
Nothing came out, but it was all I could to keep myself from running out of the room.
Luna curled on my arm, squeezing, but said nothing.
But even if she did, it wouldn’t matter. It wasn’t just about being right===which he was. It was a disappointment so heavy, aimed at me, that all it took was those four words. No words had ever affected me so much. Had shattered something so deep within that I didn’t know what existed.
My thoughts scrambled as time passed, eventually, a hand outstretched in front of me.
The fog that enveloped my mind cleared for an instance due to the purple skin. Kris was holding out his hand, an open palm, waiting to shake.
“I want to apologize… Master said I had gone too far,” the man said, though if insincere could be personified, it was this. There was no mockery, animosity, but it was clear that he held no regret for his past actions.
My eyes landed on Drema, but they felt lazy—slow.
“I only want us to have a nice relationship, young man,” he explained. “The past should be put behind us. It truly was unintentional.”
Fucking snake.
Reaching out, my hand clasped his. It didn’t matter. Neither of us cared. I’m sure he, just like me, would prefer to finish this nonsense and go wherever we needed to.
It took only one shake.
That was it.
My body buzzed and time stood still.
Was it because before only his feat touched me for less than a second? A fraction of it? Maybe because that being had developed more in my Inner World. I don’t know why, but he moved. I had an instant understanding of why.
Recognition.
A desperate call for someone that was thought to be all but lost.
Kris, like the soul that resided in me, was a Voidrace.
The expression on his face turned so quickly, so drastically, that no one could react. He was already faster than me. And even by the look on Drema’s face, the actions taken were far from expected.
Calling Kris’ face rage wasn’t appropriate.
Within moments of each other, I experienced two separate emotions are the far extremes of what could be described.
A disappointment so strong that it left a pit in my soul.
And an anger so hot, it felt like my flesh melted from just the exposure.
As my vision became fuzzier, I noticed that it wasn’t just my imagination. The world literally froze. The energy around me halted. Wyrem had spoken of it before. It wasn’t something I had to be told of.
Maybe even the Guardian’s didn’t know of his capabilities, but now I understood. Kris never teleported. His abilities were never so lack luster. This was it.
As the thoughts raced in slow motion, my fingers started to tingle, a familiar sensation pulsing through me.
“You are not the first. And will not be the last,” Kris whispered, unsatisfied. “Even that woman will pay for her part in this.”
He had frozen time with that single touch. But I had noticed to late. Even now, it was so quick that it felt unreal.
Something within was crushed. Missing from my chest.
Time started again. The arm cloaked in scales like jewels pulled from me. Shouts from the world and within my mind.
The seething fire still undiminished from Kris as I fell backwards.
They’re fusing again.
Luna shouted hearing my thoughts, but it was too muddled to understand. Wyrem too. I could feel them both. But there was a finality to this feeling. It was beyond even what I felt in the cave. Maybe if Elric were here, but… This level wasn’t something I would even want him to attempt to fix.
Last time he was so affected. He had recovered, but I doubted it was truly full. You can’t just turn from a desiccated mummy to a fresh prince by meeting your girlfriend.
What a stupid thought to have now.
Even at a time like this, that stupid idol-like idiot haunts me.
The white lights of Harmonized World Force began to approach me.
Why not Thea? Velea? God, even Bristle would be a better thought than my best friend.
I guess I’m just not normal.
The light of power was now nearly engulfing me sight—consciousness fully.
“Wasn’t it just darkness the last time?”
The words echoed, stunning me.
Whatever counted for my eyes in this abyss of pure white landed on the man sitting peacefully, smiling.
Black hair still, running down his shoulders like an ink waterfall, golden eyes—flickering with green—welcoming me.
“To think you were so far away. I would have never imagined,” he said.
He—the leader of the Quake Mercenary Group—the man from an illusion—apprentice of a slaughtered elder greeted me.
Janus.