"Am I my brother's keeper?"
Killian answered, staring blankly at the boy with lidded eyes. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Evelyn retreat back to the safe space of her pillows.
This guy must've bullied her in the past for being a Null. He looked down at his jacket the boy held.
Gently, his leg lifted and slammed at the boy's chest. The boy blocked the hit but still fell back.
Those nearby turned to the scene.
Killian adjusted his crumpled jacket. "It is against the rules to start a fight amongst trainees. But if you just want to warm up, then ask me nicely."
The boy's upper lip twitched frequently and Killian wondered if he was mentally stable to start with. He rose from the ground, dusting his butt.
"I will let you go now. After the training, we will talk…" He hissed, holding his hands that shook. "What did you do to me? Didn't you just say that we can't—
"I didn't do anything. That's your own weakness. What use will wasting mana on a guy who wouldn't add to my kill counts do?"
Evelyn turned to him, a knowing smile stretching on her face. She sat upright, staring at the boy with scorn. "There's half an hour left. You should return to your team now, Juda."
Juda watched his hand as it vibrated with strange momentum. He couldn't understand why, so rushed back to his team to use healing strips.
The others went back to their discussions, anticipating.
"Thanks."
"For what?" Killian rested back on the wall. "I don't even know who he is and why he'd pick a fight."
"Really? He's your cousin. The one always around Keith when our schools have competition together. Did you forget?"
"Oh," he answered absentmindedly, while trying to remember which other school she meant.
He always spent the extracurricular hours training in the gym with a classmate, since D-Ranks got jeered by the other students during active hours.
His mind drifted to Keith. His WLog always lit up so there was no way he didn't get the alert.
Before getting his HEART, he also had a base of 12% lightning affinity. He should be here.
I should only worry about myself. I am the one living an impossible reality at this moment.
Yet he couldn't stop thinking about it.
Keith was his twin, and they both wanted to team up as Wardens while they were younger.
They grew distant because of their parents, but it would be disappointing if he couldn't fulfil his dream.
[First Training Alert!]
Killian and Evelyn jumped to their feet at the same time. Everyone in the room got the same alert on their WLog but each person could only see theirs.
[WLog Updated!]
[Killian Dominic]
[Rank: D Trainee]
[Class: Trainee]
[Element: Void (S)]
[Diagnosis: Anomaly]
[Affinity: 40%]
[Capacity: 2%]
[Nickname Required: ___]
[Teammates:___ and___]
[Fill All Spaces To Start!]
Teammates. Pfft.
"Tell me your nickname." Evelyn said, staring intently at the space in front of her. "We are still a team, right?"
"Yes, but we need another. It says 'teammates'."
Evelyn raised her head, with a small tilt. "Mine just requires one. Do you need two teammates?"
Killian's expression darkened. Why did he need two teammates? Could it be because he's an anomaly?
"Oh, is your element a B-Rank? Maybe Black Fire isn't highly ranked since it's not a normal Fire Element? That might be why you need more."
"I don't think that's why."
Void would be the most ranked element anyone here had. Every other element, apart from Light and Darkness, were A-Rank elements. Their users could be S-Rank but the element's rank never changed.
It must be because I'm an anomaly. The system is trying to keep more people around me.
"I said, get lost!"
Someone was thrown to the ground. Another scene played out and took all the trainees' attention.
Juda was the one on the ground again. He glared at his teammates with a hurt expression. "What do you mean you're kicking me out! We are a team!"
"Heh." A tall girl with twin-tail braids and tanned skin walked to him on the ground, staring down at him. Her blue eyes raked his frame.
"Not anymore. You're just a C-Rank and it turns out we only need one teammate. Also, what can you do with that arm?"
Juda's arm still vibrated conspicuously. He pressed his lips together, remaining on his knees. "It will stop soon. I'm just a little tired, really."
His teammates walked away in pairs. Others watched him, some pitied him, the rest looked away.
Evelyn shook her head, pitying him a little. "He will have to beg someone to… what are you doing?"
Killian walked up to the boy still on his knees.
Juda looked up as a shadow loomed over him. His breathing hitched when he met red eyes looking at him. "I-I am not picking a fight with you now."
"I know." Killian softened his voice. He stooped down and kept an arm over the boy's shoulders. "You join me. We are family after all."
Evelyn threw her hands up. "Of all people!"
Killian forced a smile at him.
"You have the lightning element, right?"
If he were his cousin, he might be from his maternal side that were too many to remember.
"No," Juda said, his head lowered to his hands. "It's just an effect of the Fire Element like yours. Healing Fire."
"Oh… those are really delicious. No wonder he reacted that way to your hit."
What do you mean? It surprised him that the Void was talking about something under than being fed.
"Well, your skill, Shadow Writhe, is always inactive, but its tendrils rest under your legs. When you hit him, those tendrils might've weakened his hand flowing with mana connected to his HEART. The HEART of Healing Fire."
Killian stayed there, listening to the voice in his head. He met Juda's confused gaze and his smile widened.
I planned to use his mana as your treat, but I am glad to know you are looking forward to it as well."
"You are truly a sneaky one. No wonder your affinity is so high."
Smiling, Killian pulled Juda up. "Let's work together, alright?"
Juda watched his former teammates vanish out the exit. He nodded, accepting Killian has his only lifeline. "Thank you. Sorry for attacking you earlier." He looked down. "I expected this to happen so I hoped Keith would come. But he didn't."
So he already knew he was baggage? That was why he didn't argue with his teammates.
Leading the boy back to Evelyn, Killian saw her disgruntled expression, she shook her head vehemently. He nodded in the same pace.
"He is more my teammate than yours. Just bear with him. Healing Fire…" He turned to Juda. "What does it do exactly?"
"It's just a support role. Burns poison and toxins at lower levels."
So a purifying element? Definitely a type that the Void would like. "Also, apologize to her too."
Juda didn't waste a second. He bowed at ninety degrees, and lower. "I am sorry for joining my captain to harass you, Evelyn Constantine. The truth is, the fucker actually had a crush on you but was annoyed that you were just a D-Rank."
"Huh?" Killian and Evelyn said at the same time. But for different reasons. "He had a crush on me?"
Juda nodded with his head lowered.
Kilian sighed, rubbing his temples. So a D-Rank can also get bullied for being liked by a higher ranked? "Give me your nickname, Juda."
"It will just be Juda." He stood straight. "Status."
Killian guessed his WLog appeared, and Juda turned to him for his.
"Um, maybe… well."
Using his first name too would be a good idea, but that nickname would be his identity as a Warden so he should put more effort.
"I know," Evelyn raised her hand even if she wasn't asked a question. "Grim Reaper!"
"What?" Killian visibly cringed.
"It's cool. You know when you said you sent that thing to hell. It was like the Grim Reaper. I thought it was cool." She nodded at her own words.
Killian face palmed. "If it's cool, name yourself that."
"No, no, I'm 'Gear Heart'." She said proudly, and tapped her mechanical arm behind her. "You get it? My gear, and HEART of the Wind Element? Pretty cool, right?"
"...."
"Maybe I should call myself something cool too." Juda thought out loud.
Killian turned to him with the same expression. How old are these guys again?
He typed in a name.
[First Training Officially Commenced!]
[Trainees, Hunt!]
Killian felt the Void stir, as if excited for the hunt.
{A/N: What do you think of this chapter? If you like this chapter, drop power-stones.}