《Legend Slayers》 -2 IDs first in book year (Note: please skip to the first chapter in volume one.) Aura Ranks (the colors indicate the color of the corresponding containment bracelet): Aura Low (zero-year): 0- 100(white), Medium-low (first-year)(silver): 101-250, Medium (second to third year)(bronze): 250-350, Medium-high: 350-500(gold), Low high: 500-700(dark red), High: 700 -1000, Epic is above 1000, Mythic is above 3000 Mission Rank: Apprentice junior - they are enrolled as a LegendSlayer at an Academy, but they are not on a team and needs specific permission from a headmaster to go on a mission Apprentice Senior - is on a LegendSlayer team and can start gaining experience killing legends, they need supervision to go on missions Journeyman - This person has some experience killing legends and is most likely on a LegendSlayer team. Some missions can be completed without supervision or on their own but this is highly frowned upon. Master - lots of experience killing legends, can be on their own but most work in teams. (These people are can supervise a team of journeymen or apprentices while on a mission.) SAM - (secret for now) SDM - (Secret for now) Rank (danger rank): (All of these are measured based on the damage someone can cause when they lose control) Z (extremely low and extremely rare) - this person doesn''t have an ability F (low)- their ability can only cause harm to their self E (below average)- they can cause a little damage to some of their surroundings or harm one other people. D (normal) - they can cause damage enough to kill someone. C (above average)- They can cause damage to several people or significant property damage. B (mid-high)- They can kill several people and cause a lot of property damage A (high) - the can cause extreme damage to an area and kill anyone within the area. S (extremely high and rare) - they can at least damage and kill everyone within the size of a medium-size city (half the size of Laserath) Zero-Years: [ Corson Livence: Aura: 110 Mission Rank: Apprentice Junior Age: 15 / Rank: D Ability: Metal Resonance ] -Centra''s little bother who has a crush on Liza. And strong dislike of Kyrie. First-Years: [ James Collin: Aura: 215 Mission Rank: Journeyman Age: 17 / Rank: B Ability: Plant Manipulation ] -DJ''s best friend. Kyrie''s cousin and childhood friend. Single and looking for a girlfriend. Loves walks through the forest and promise to keep you safe on your date. ;) [ Joe Columbia Aura: ?? Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior Age: 17 / Rank: ?? Ability: ??] -The spoon guy. One of Caleb''s groupies from the start. [ Andray Florence: Aura: 215 Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior Age: 17 / Rank: B Ability: Irrational Targeted Anger ] -A friend and teammate of James. He''s also friends with Centra and DJ. Has a twin sister Syra. Met Kyrie''s father before Avalon fell. Is a goof the most people are angry with due to lingering effects of his ability. [ Syra Florence Aura: 264 Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior Age: 17 / Rank: C Ability: Healer ] -Andray''s twin sister. Teammate of James. Centra, DJ and James'' friend. This girl''s got crush on James but doesn''t know how to tell him. As a result of her crush and rumors she thinks Kyrie is a horrible person. But Kyrie''s slowly changing that. [ Liza Frost Aura: 101 Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior Age: 17 / Rank: F Ability: Oblivious ] -The daughter of the Headmaster on of the main five chars even though you haven''t seen much of her. She likes to hide so she can learn things and do jump scares. She used to be bullied but took care of that problem by scaring her bully off. And leaving a scar is really difficult when you aren''t hiding things. Her parents died on a LegendSlayer mission and she lives with her Grandpa. [ Jasper Glyph Aura: 200 Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior Age: 17 / Rank: D Ability: Magic ] -One the main five. Has a bullying problem, mainly from Masaki and Caleb. Centra was his neighbor and childhood friend. Has some trust issues and a stutter. Also has thing going on between him Kyrie. He''s also into men. [ Doe John (DJ) Aura: 225 Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior Age: 17 / Rank: A Ability: Dominion ] -Best friends with James and Andray. Has a long-term relationship with Centra. Is the king of fun! DJs at Caleb''s father''s club 58. Is one of the main five. [ Centra Livence Aura: 200 Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior Age: 16 / Rank: C Ability: Telepathic, Telekinetic ] -Is the team strategist and leader. Was going into mission control before transferring to be closer to her man, Deej. Loves calling her little brother Corson a bother. Is bit of rule stickler but will break them for those she cares about without a thought. Another member of the main five. [ Casey Lupine Aura: 189 Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior Age: 17 / Rank: F Ability: Wolf Shifter ] -Doesn''t like Ren was friends with Ana. Is the distant descendent of werewolves. [ Rick Melson Aura: 203 Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior Age: 16 / Rank: F Ability: Seer ] -Is on Ren and Caleb''s team. Is Caleb''s best friend and the only one who knows his darkest secrets. He''s not sure what to do about them. [ Amity Miltiades Aura: 325 Mission Rank: Master Age: 18 / Rank: ?? Ability: Water Manipulation ] -Is best friends and teammates with Ren. She transferred in with Ren. And has experience with combat. [ Ren Perdita Aura: 351 Mission Rank: SDM Age: 17 / Rank: E Ability: Aura Manipulation ] -She''s the girl with the big sword and the ribbons. She likes a good fight over wooing someone. Is one of three new transfer students. And likes making others think she''s weak and or incompetent then proving them wrong when they cross a line. [ Del River Aura: ?? Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior Age: 17 / Rank: ?? Ability: ??] -He''s part of Caleb''s¡­ family. One of Caleb''s groupies from the start. [ Ana Romanoff Aura: 248 Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior Age: 17 / Rank: E Ability: Guardian ] -Is on Ren and Caleb''s team. Is one of the discarded members of a LegendSlayer clan. [ Kyrie Say Aura: 2861 Mission Rank: SAM and SDM Age: 17 / Rank: S Ability: Motion Manipulation ] -The main protagonist. Is a hero. Has some connection to the fall of Avalon. Is prone to panic attacks when around certain things and in certain situations. His ID info may or may not be accurate. [ Caleb Slayder Aura: 225 Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior Age: 17 / Rank: F Ability: Physical Enhancement ] -Bullies Jasper. His dad owns a club that he doesn''t like going to. Thinks Ren is interesting. [ Masaki Steerman Aura: ?? Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior Age: 17 / Rank: ?? Ability: ??] -His father is a great magician. He bullies Jasper because he''s jealous of Jaspers abilities with magic. Is out for vengeance against Kyrie. [ MelissaToll Aura: ??? Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior Age: 17 / Rank: ?? Ability:???] -On James'' team. [ Bob Waters Aura: ?? Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior Age: 17 / Rank: ?? Ability: ??] - One of Caleb''s groupies from the start. He likes club 58 and thinks it''s awesome DJ works as a D.J. there. Adults: [ Professor Clay Aura: ?? Mission Rank: ?? Age: ?? / Rank: ?? Ability: ??] -Is the Math professor for the first-years and Magicians. He doesn''t like teaching LegendSlayer majors. [ Alex Aura: ?? Mission Rank: SAM Age: ?? / Rank: ?? Ability: ??] -The guy with guandao. He went on a mission with Kyrie and he''s a field communications expert. [ Raven Clof Aura: ?? Mission Rank: ?? Age: ?? / Rank: ?? Ability: ??] -Liza''s Grandfather. Is the Headmaster of Kondaira Academy. [ John Glyph Aura: ?? Mission Rank: Non-licensed Age: ?? / Rank: ?? Ability: ?? ] -Jasper''s father. Doesn''t like the LegendSlayers guild or Kyrie. Goes the same place as Corson for his news. [ Amber Glyph Aura: ?? Mission Rank: ?? Age: ?? / Rank: ?? Ability: ?? ] -Japer''s mom. Was a LegendSlayer and has renewed her license to follow Jasper''s older brother Jason around. She likes Kyrie and thinks the guild is fine. She''s mostly retired now. [ Jason Glyph Aura: ?? Mission Rank: ?? Age: ?? / Rank: ?? Ability: Magic ] -Jasper''s older brother. Jasper looks up to him. He''s gone on some missions with Kyrie. [ Professor Fel Aura: ?? Mission Rank: ?? Age: ?? / Rank: ?? Ability: ??] -Teaches combat to the zero-years. Was involved with making Taru. [ Professor Florence Aura: ?? Mission Rank: ?? Age: ?? / Rank: ?? Ability: ??] -Syra and Andray are her twin children. She also teaches the upper level Control class and hopes Corson can become a god guy someday. [ Ayla Null Aura: ?? Mission Rank: ?? Age: ?? / Rank: ?? Ability: Illusions] -Was briefly Kyrie''s adopted mother. Had two twins Aden and Brayden. She''s married to Gerard or Null. She''s more intimidating then Gerard and Kyrie. [ Gerard Null Aura: ?? Mission Rank: ?? Age: ?? / Rank: ?? Ability: Barriers] -Has a magic treasure room with creepy mirror that holds an ancient being that''s traversed all timelines. Was briefly Kyrie''s adopted father. Has twin sons. Aden and Brayden. Is married to Ayla and the leader of the Laserath branch of the LegendSlayers guild. [ Professor Olson Aura: ?? Mission Rank: ?? Age: ?? / Rank: ?? Ability: ??] -Is the combat professor for the first-years. [ Professor Pell Aura: ?? Mission Rank: ?? Age: ?? / Rank: ?? Ability: ??] -The calculus professor. He was also Kyrie''s tutor. He gave Kyrie the dragon necklace. Eventual he moved away from the Say clan with his little sister. He wanted to keep her safe. [ Kyle Say Aura: ?? Mission Rank: ?? Age: ?? / Rank: ?? Ability: Endurance] -Kyrie''s father. Eventually became the leader of the Say Clan. -1 Other Refences for Emergence Ceffyl D?r: - The Ceffyl D?r is a horse made of water. - It can turn to mist and its eyes burn like Greek fire. - It can control water. - Depending of the one it can be friendly or a trickster. - It usually lives in water falls. Dolos: - His master is the Titian Prometheus. - He can make great fakes. But the always have a flaw to distinguish them from what he copied. Efflorescence: - It''s not the stuff you get when search for if online. It''s an edible spread like butter made from plants and is delicious. Extrinsic Abilities: - An extrinsic ability is an ability that can affect the outside world. Kyrie, Jasper, James, Ren, DJ and a lot more of the characters have extrinsic abilities Guandao: - A 5 ? foot long staff with stubby half-moon blade on the end. Harpy: - Wind manipulation and wind element spell hijacking - Beautiful, arms are both arms and wings. Have bird clawed feet and hooked fingers - If it hasn''t been harmed by those in front of it, it will steal food items or only target those who have harmed their family members. Otherwise when they give in and attack depends on the harpy''s willpower or instruction from Ares, Hades, or Zeus. - Live near moderate climates with lots of water and forest nearby. Intrinsic Abilities: - An intrinsic ability is an ability that can only be operated on the user''s own body. Caleb, Rick, and Liza''s abilities are intrinsic. Jubokko: - The vampire tree - They appear anywhere trees grow, and enough blood has been spilled - They attack all creatures Legends and Humans alike. - The drink blood and aura from their victims by using their vines and branches. - most of the time you won''t know they''re there until it''s too late - the bones of the victims lay at the base of the tree, often times they are hidden by its roots and vines. LegendSlayers: - The people who fight legends for a living. Most of them are part of the LegendSlayers guild. - There''s a test that you have to pass before you can get your license. Kyrie passed it at six. Ren passed it when she was ten. But you can still be a LegendSlayer without a license. It just means you won''t be able to get missions from the guild. Math ap Mathonwy: - A king and a great magician. - He turned his nephews into animals when they attacked the woman he liked while he was fighting in a war they''d started. - He eventually married the woman her liked. - Math class is named after him. 1 Prolog Note: the *signifies text*, * "means this is a title" *. Null sat in the evening darkness with a lamp on. He''d just finishing reviewing some papers. As he straightened his papers his eyes caught on the words, *transferring for* and *summons of.* Null had already read these papers and had a more important and nagging question. A question he had yet to receive a satisfactory answer for. He stood up, turned off the light and ran his hand down the wall behind his desk. A portal rippled before him and he stepped through. Portals always left him feeling as if he was soaked but there was never any moister. Teleportation was the better way to travel. But he couldn''t teleport to here. To his room of treasures and haunted items. Tonight, he had a particular item in mind. One he frequently visited. It was a mirror. One that could answer any ¨C every question asked of it. Null stood before the mirror and said, "Mirror, mirror on the wall, head my call." The image of a trapped and ancient being that had traversed all of the time lines in existence appeared. "You''re going to ask that question again, aren''t you?" Null grimaced inside, he''d spent too much time with this being. Given it too much knowledge on what he valued. When it finally escaped, he''d have hell to pay. For now, he''d still seek its knowledge because he knew how things would go if he couldn''t help the one he cared for. He knew all too well how things would ¨C could go. "Will he become a legend?" The being grinned. "I need a name." Null''s fist clenched. "You know his name." He took a deep breath and relaxed his hand. "Kyrie, will Kyrie become a legend?" The being smiled. "Unfortunately for you, yes." "In all time lines?" The being liked to play tricks with words. "No." "In this time line?" The being huffed. "I cannot know which time line this is yet. But know this there is very little time left in which you can change things so that he might remain as he is. Or at least an ally." Null frowned as he nodded. He''d heard all of this before, but he''d hopped the answer would be different. No matter what he did or how many times he''d asked the answer never changed. Nor did the task he needed to do. If he couldn''t get enough people to learn who Kyrie really was, then he''d lose him. He''d lose the child he wished so much to protect and save. Maybe, just maybe the tournament and jobs in cities that weren''t about to be lost could do it. Could help him get enough people to trust in Kyrie so that he could still be himself. So, he wouldn''t become just another hero turned legend. 2 The Prodigy Was she texting him again? A small, well-built 17-year-old casually flicked his hand partially open. His watch''s holo-display activated and covered most of the fingers on his left hand. *Are you sure u want to do this?* Yep, it was her. He replied. *Yeah*, with a soft smile. She was such a worrywart sometimes. He closed his hand and the holo-display shut off. After gazing out the hotel room window for a moment more, Kyrie stood and placed his hotel key on the desk. As he walked across the room, he pulled up the hood of his soft, midnight-blue hoodie. It was better for him to stay hidden these days. A sturdy black case a foot and a half taller than the five-foot boy rested against the wall next to the exit of the room. The case had a cross shoulder strap and a handle on it. He slung the strap over his head. It landed on his right shoulder and he grabbed the handle. His smile was nowhere to be found. It was time to go. If he waited any longer, he''d be late. He maneuvered the case through the hotel door. He quietly made his way down the wooden hallway, past the front desk, and out on to the bustling streets of Laserath. Once outside, he positioned the case so it rested comfortably on his back. This had to go well, it was his last chance. ? ? ? As Kyrie walked down one of the busier streets, he noticed one of the taller buildings had a monitor on it for displaying ads, emergency notifications, and news broadcasts. A news broadcast was being displayed. Kyrie glanced up at the monitor. And felt his nails bite into his palm at what was being shown. How, how could they?! "They''re still showing that!? It''s been 3 months!" He just wanted it to stop. He wanted to move on. A passerby on the street sharply turned and said, "Hey punk! You''re being disrespectful to LegendSlayers!" Kids these days just don''t understand what LegendSlayers risk to keep people safe. Shit, so much for staying hidden. Kyrie turned to his left where a much larger man stood. In a more mollified tone with his head crooked and his heart pounding Kyrie said, "So, you''re saying I should show a little respect, right?" The man crossed his arms and responded, "Yeah, that''s right. They''re the ones who keep punks like you safe." Maybe, just maybe this punk would listen to what he had to say. Kyrie lowered his hood, he might as well go all in. "Yeah, well¡­ I think continuing to show it is disrespectful to the friends and family of those who died." The man''s arms relaxed in shock. "Why would you say a thing like that? They should be honored and remembered for fighting to save people like us." His arms tightened and his glare sharpened. "Especially, when most of the clan died protecting people like you." So, the man didn''t recognize him. Perhaps, Kyrie had been gone long enough. Or maybe he''d been gone too long. Either way, he couldn''t take this. He should walk away. He''d be late, miss his last opportunity, but they were still playing that clip and people thought it was okay. No, they thought it was right. Kyrie clenched his hands and said, "Would you want a video of how your loved ones died to be shown on the news over and over again!?" He pointed sharply to the monitor and asked, "How is that fair to them!?" in a voice that broke as Kyrie''s heart had so long ago. The man''s arms hung loosely at his sides. "I¡­ I hadn''t thought of it that way." Poor kid must have lost a lot in that attack. Damned legends. Kyrie nodded and turned to leave. So many people were killed, and he couldn''t do a thing. He paused for a moment and tried to compose himself one careful breath at a time. "I''m sorry for your loss," the stranger said as he watched the hurting child before him. The child he''d accidentally hurt more. Kyrie sighed. "If you''re truly sorry, then go apologize to the dead." Before he continued down his prior path. A path that led to the destination he''d chosen. A destination that resulted from the first decision Kyrie had made of his own free will. Hopefully, he could still make it to his new school, his new life, on time. When the stranger glanced mournfully at the news broadcast, he realized the image had changed from the clip showing the tragedy of the now lost city of Avalon. To the picture of a familiar 17-year-old boy with short black hair and a set of longer teal bangs that rested next to his right eye. Both of his eyes were a dark teal and his skin tanned from the sun. The man failed to notice the teal ribbon wrapped around the boy''s neck. Underneath the boy''s picture was the caption * "The Heroic LegendSlayer Kyrie Say" *. Damn, that kid really had lost a lot. The stranger turned in the direction Kyrie had taken. "Hey kid! ¡­" He could no longer see Kyrie and had received no response. Still, the man spoke, as if with the futile hope that Kyrie could still hear, "I''m¡­ I¡­ I''ll go visit the Crimson memorial." The man turned and left, headed in the opposite direction of Kyrie. 3 The Strategic Telepath A girl of 16 sat cross-legged on her bed with early morning sunlight falling across her. Her arms rested gently in her lap as she completed her regular morning meditation. Her skin was dark and her hair an ebony black in a pixie cut. She was wearing a dark green shirt with golden designs on it. The shirt had one long sleeve that reached the girls left hand and possessed separate openings for her fingers and thumb. Her right arm was adorned with a simple golden bicep cuff. On her lower half, she wore a green and black skort with a slit in the skirt slightly to the front of her right thigh, along with knee-high black boots. This morning, a very excited and persistent thought niggled at the girl. She shifted a bit on her bed and continued to persist in her morning routine. After all, returning to school after summer vacation reaallllly wasn''t as exciting as her little brother thought it was. Even though, she was excited to see her boyfriend after being apart for three weeks. Well, maybe it was okay to cut this morning''s meditation short. And listening in on her little brother''s conversation should count as some form of practice, right? "now that I''m in the LegendSlayer program I''ll be able to fight legends!" ''That selfish basted won''t be the one people have to rely on.'' "And I won''t let there be a tragedy like Kyrie did!" The girl''s mother could be heard both telepathically and auditorily as she scolded her youngest, "Corson! You know nothing about the situation Avalon was in!" Corson rolled his eyes at his mother as he said, "I''ve watched the videos mom. He practically stayed to one side until nearly all of the LegendSlayers were dead. Then he was on the dragon and it was dead. I mean if he could do that, then couldn''t he have killed it before it killed everyone else? He''s no hero all he cares about is the next fight." "Corson. I''m not going to have this argument with you again," his mother said in an exasperated tone. "What!? All I''m saying is I''m going to help keep Laserath and its defenders safe." "And how do you plan to do that if you don''t make it to your first day of school on time?" asked Centra and Corson''s father with a smile. ''One day his son would be a respectable LegendSlayer.'' "Centra we need to go!" Corson called as his dishes clattered into the sink. Centra rolled her eyes as she tapped her brother on the shoulder, "I''m right behind you dufus." "Centra. Don''t call your brother names," came her mother''s exasperated response. "I know, but sometimes he''s just such a little bother." Centra gave her mother a hug before she turned to leave. "Let''s go, Corson. We have to pick up Jasper." As Centra and her brother made their way to the front door with their combat equipment, they said goodbye to their parents. And the carefree life they used to live. 4 The Lonely Magician "Glacies, Aqua, Occursum!" resonated through the basement in a deep tenor. A blinding blue magic circle formed over the floor. And a damp chill permeated throughout the air. "Damn," called out the voice of a blond 17-year-old, as he peered into a puddle of water with ice crystals forming at the edges. The boy''s reflection revealed short messy blond hair, pale skin, and sleep deprived azure blue eyes. A short sleeved blue shirt wrapped from his left shoulder and buttoned halfway up his right side. As the boy turned to grab a book off of the floor, his black cargo pants and hiking boots were reflected in the puddle. He flipped through several pages before finding a place to write. * Experiment 3,487: Attempted to create slush by Ice, Water, Meet incantation. * Result: Failure. A puddle of water with Ice crystals bordering the edge formed after .003 seconds.* As he finished his entry, he could hear soft footsteps creeping down the stairs. "Jasper, honey, it''s time for school," informed his mother''s sweet and loving voice. Jasper sighed, closed the well-used cover of his book and opened the basement door. "Do I have to? I still have another 36 experiments I want to complete." Plus, Caleb''ll be there. "Yes." "I can miss this morning, right? It''s just the welcome back ceremony. I could complete at least another 5 experiments. But which ones should I do?" Jasper trailed off as he became lost in the sanctuary of his ideas. Perhaps he should try combine instead of meet? That might work. His mother smiled at him, sighed, and said, "As much I love having you at home, do you really want to walk in on your father and I again?" "Legends! I thought we agreed to never bring that up again!" Jasper yelled as he felt the heat of a blush on his face and his mind trying to drag the horrifying memory from the depths he had, until this moment, successfully buried it in. "I''m going, I''m going! Don''t say anything else!" he shouted as he carefully ran past his mother, up the stairs, grabbed his things by the door, and dashed out. He paused for a moment to catch his breath while leaning against his front door in the pink morning sunlight. "Well, that''s unusual. What happened to you over the summer?" Centra asked as she started up the front path, her little bother in tow. "Nothing you want to know about. Let''s go before she catches us!" Jasper rushed over and urgently grabbed Centra''s hand to save her from his mother''s grasp. Why do mothers always have to be so embarrassing? "Uh, are you sure we shouldn''t go say hi?" "Yes," Jasper said with a shudder. "She''s in one of those gushy modes," he said with a shudder. Why does everything lead back to that horrifying memory? "Ha ha ha," Centra laughed. "And that is why you will never get a boyfriend." "How about we start with my inability to talk to strangers?" Jasper said as he rolled his eyes at Centra. During the time Centra and Jasper had stopped, Corson had continued down the path to school. Eagerly anticipating the future that awaited him. 5 The Social DJ A 17-year-old boy with a buzz cut, wearing black over the ear Meow headphones could be seen walking in the distance. The teenager was 6-foot-1 wearing a dark gold colored T-shirt with dark green designs similar to Centra''s and dark blue Levi''s. He also had on a pair of black and gold, high top sneakers. He was rarely seen without his headphones. Even when he conversed with others. "Seriously, James? Three new transfers?" DJ asked with a sideways look at his best friend. "Yeah. Andray told me," Andray was the son of Professor Florence a well-liked teacher for the upper-level control classes and a good friend of James and DJ. "But, don''t most students attend the same academy until they graduate?" DJ asked as he gave James a skeptical look. Usually, the information James gathered and passed on was reliable, but the claim that their Academy was receiving three random transfer students was a little too ridiculous for DJ. "A bunch of students transferred after Avalon fell," Centra pointed out. These transfers occurred because some students wanted to move closer to their families. For others, it was because attending an academy outside of the city their guardian resided in had become too expensive. Money their families could no longer spend because most refugees would end up working as laborers in overcrowded human cities. "Yeah, but no cities have fallen since the start of break¡­" DJ trailed off as he recalled that the most recent fall of a city was two months ago. There was speculation that the city would have survived, had a certain hero not gone missing the month before. "That''s what makes them so interesting! Do you think any of them will be strong?" James loved watching and participating in high-level fights. He also happened to be amongst the strongest students enrolled in the academy. "Seriously James? Did you hit your head too many times over break? Why would anyone strong transfer here?" To Centra the notion of transfer students being strong was absolutely ridiculous. And the thought of James messing up during practice was a lot more reasonable. After all, James would, on occasion, practice combat without using his ability or aura. "Uh¡­" James tried and failed to recall the last time someone had managed to hit his head. "Centra why must you crush my dreams of meeting a strong, hot, female transfer student," said a very dejected and slight concerned James. Sometimes Centra just made to much sense. "Thank you," replied Centra with a smile. DJ laughed and leaned over to kiss her. "Tormenting our forgetful friend again?" "At every opportunity!" "If you''re going torment me can it at least be about the potential of one of the new transfers being hot? And not be about the fact that you two actually have a love life; or my ability to lose my holo-watch," James grumbled with a slight smile. He was happy that his best friends had found a deep love for each other and was hoping to find the same someday. Preferably soon. Watching Centra and DJ was making him feel lonely. "Okay," Centra said with a devious smile as she decided to mess with James. She wanted to distract him from his melancholy thoughts. "If we want to be realistic about it then your hot, strong transfer student''ll be Kyrie." With a sharp glare at Centra, James said, "Centra. You know not to talk about that freak around me." ''Especially after Avalon¡­'' Oops. "Right. Sorry. I didn''t think about that," said Centra. She hadn''t thought about the strange relationship James and Kyrie had. James had rarely mentioned Kyrie before the fall of Avalon and that hadn''t changed after it was lost. James nodded, then sighed. "It''s okay. And your right." It was probably too much for him to hope Kyrie had vanished into the land of legends like every other hero. If he was gone then James wouldn''t have to feel so conflicted about the events of Avalon, before and after its fall. James, Centra, and DJ continued walking in silence as they inched their way closer to school. ? ? ? "Obviously the three of us are on a team together. Who do you think the other two are?" DJ asked as he attempted to ease the mournful atmosphere by switching to a topic they had been discussing for many years. Centra glanced behind them, at Jasper ¨C who she believed was contemplating what experiment to do next. During the walk, Jasper had put on his hollo-watch. "Maybe Jasper? He''s pretty good with magic." "Uh¡­ I know you two have been friends for a long time, but it probably wouldn''t work. He''s just too¡­ timid. We haven''t been able to hold a proper conversation," James said with an apologetic look as he recalled the many times he had attempted to converse with Jasper. "Ah, yeah¡­ I could try passing thoughts between the two of you?" Centra said with a hopeful look. She didn''t want to leave her childhood friend alone, even in a theoretical discussion of who should be on their team. Plus, he was a brilliant magician. "Isn''t that tiring and too slow during a fight?" asked DJ. Thoughts can be fast but even in a fight, they could be dangerously slow. And if Centra was focusing on trying to directly connect people''s minds then she wouldn''t be focusing on the fight and would be unable to defend herself. And DJ wanted her to be safe. "I guess," Centra said with a sheepish smile. She was well aware of the downfalls of using her telepathy like that. "Hmm¡­" Who should be the last two teammates? "Oh! How about Andray and his twin sister? They''re pretty strong," James said. "They do make a great knight and healer combo," Centra said. With Syra and Andray''s twin bond they could share their aura. "Especially, with Andray''s ability to piss things off," DJ said. Andray was a very kind and friendly person, even though many people feel varying levels of irrational anger when they think of him. The reason DJ and Centra didn''t feel this way, was because Centra could remove the lingering effect of Andray''s ability. "Heh. Do you remember that time when he accidentally pissed off that toddler?" James said. Andray was having a horrible time controlling his ability that day. "Oh man, that was hilarious! And the toddler nearly killed him with his water manipulation," DJ said as he recalled their eight-year-old mishaps. "Yeah, that was pretty funny, and bad. At least the kid''s mom could also manipulate water," James said with a grimace. If she couldn''t or if Andray''s ability had been stronger that day would have ended very differently. "Yeah, that was pretty close." DJ and James reminisced in silence for a moment more. "Still, they would make a great choice for the team," James said. "Ugh. It''s too bad the choice isn''t ours," DJ grumbled as he hoped the rules would change and that the students would be allowed to select their teammates. If he could pick, then he wouldn''t have to worry so much about the girl he loves. "True. But we have luck on our side," since Headmaster Raven Clof usually puts the strongest students on the same team. Centra smiled as their group arrived at the gates of Kondaira Academy. The gates were swarmed with students as they caught up with friends they hadn''t seen since the beginning of spring break. It was the start of a new school year. The start of a year of trials, blood, and legends. 6 The Semi-Forgotten Assassin Moving within the tree-lined pathway leading to Kondaira Academy''s Headmaster''s quarters was a girl of 17. This girl was swiftly and silently moving from one tree to the other without touching the ground. She was using her ability to make herself easily ignored as she proceeded down the path. When she reached the end of the trees, the 5-foot-7 girl carefully slipped to the ground and dashed for the shadowed side of the building. Crouched below a window the girl could hear two voices. "I''m so glad you decided to join us!" Headmaster Raven Clof said. "Thanks for giving me a chance," replied a young man. "Of course," said the Headmaster. "You needn''t worry about a thing. We even have safety precautions set up should you lose control." "How?" asked the very confused young man. "Ah well, your father was working with us on making it possible for you to come to school here. Of course, we intended for him to teach here as well¡­" "¡­ I miss them." "Of course you do," Headmaster Raven Clof said in a sorrow-soaked tone. Liza, the girl under the window, wondered who the young man was as she crept further down the side of the house. Confident that the distracted Headmaster would be none the wiser, she unlocked the glass door to his study and carefully opened it. The most likely location for her target was inside the ironwood desk. Ironwood is a very difficult material to work with. But the properties that made it difficult to work also made it incredibly sturdy and great for lasting enchantments. A common device made out of ironwood was holo-watches. Like the one flashing on the girl''s wrist. She quickly dimmed the lights on her watch as she glanced around to see if she''d been caught. Hearing nothing and seeing nothing out of place, the girl proceeded to the desk. Once there she noticed the shimmer of a shield on one of the desk drawers. Should she do this fast and loud-ish, or slow and silent? Just how long would Raven Clof be talking to that young man? Well, it''s not like the slow method has worked before, might as well go fast. The girl slipped a dagger from its sheath in her earthy-brown knee-high leather boots. Dagger in hand, she struck the drawer. "Clang!" The shield broke but the desk was hardly scratched. That didn''t matter, all she had to do now was use the lock picks stored under her shirt. She had just finished deftly unlocking the drawer when she heard footsteps approaching. The girl scrambled to open the drawer and grab file she was after. File in hand, she ran to the door with her power active.Please work this time. Just as her hand touched the door handle, "Liza, I believe that is the wrong file," Headmaster Raven Clof said with a smile. The girl carefully looked at the whole name of the file. *Team arrangements XXXX 2nd years* "Dang. I was so close this time," Liza said as she returned the file to the laughing Headmaster. "That you were. If you had just looked on the desk instead of in it, you may have found what you were after." The girl, skeptical, turned to look. Sure enough, the file *Team arrangements XXXX 1st years* was sitting on top of the desk. "We''re never going to speak of this again Grandpa," Liza said. Even though she knew her grandfather would tell this story at the first good opportunity. Liza walked towards her Grandfather and away from the desk that sat below a family portrait. This portrait had been completed two years ago, and a young girl, who sat between her now deceased parents. Liza was currently wearing, brown pants that matched her boots, silver dragon scale bracers that rested on top of her fingerless dark green gloves, and a dark green short sleeve shirt embroidered in silver and brown. Her hair was a reddish brown like her father''s and worn in a braided crown on her head like her mother used to. The orangish gold color of Liza''s eyes matched her Grandfather''s. "My alarm went off a few minutes ago Grandpa. If we don''t leave soon, we''ll be late to the welcome back ceremony," Liza said as she walked to the glass door. "I''m the Headmaster; they wouldn''t dare start without me." "I could just beat you there and say your speech for you," Liza said with a smirk. "When did you even memorize it?" asked her disgruntled Grandfather as he followed her out of the house. "Oh, how about during one of the dozen times you made me be your audience," Liza said. "Ah, I suppose I may have practiced it a bit too much. But it''s important that the students understand what awaits them without terrifying them, too much," Headmaster Raven Clof said as he made his way to the arena where the entrance ceremony was to be held. With his Granddaughter at his side. 7 The Entrance Ceremony Kyrie stepped from the tree-lined, cobblestone path, leading to the Headmaster''s quarters and into the stream of students making their way to the arena in the center of the campus grounds. The arena was a mix of a glistening red ironwood cross beams and seats, so dark they look black at night. There are 12 layers of dark, polished xenotime columns and archways. Various runes and legends were carved into the outside of the arena. Lighting was provided by petalite stones carved into various shapes with the rune lux carved into each stone fixture. The amphitheater could seat a max of 320,000 people which was half of Laserath''s population. This arena was built well before the earliest historical records of the humans who live on the world of Mity. These records go back to the end of Charlemagne''s tyrannical reign nearly 1,000 years ago. The arena Kyrie was heading to was where the welcome back ceremony would be held. Kyrie glanced curiously at the students around him, he wondered which, if any of them, would be in his classes. And what taking classes would be like. Kyrie adjusted the strap on his shoulder. It''d be fun going to school. There was a group of five students, laughing and messing around in front of him. A tall guy with headphones on playfully shoved his eerily familiar and slightly shorter friend. The shorter guy lost his balance and started to fall. Kyrie caught him and easily supported the larger boy. "Tha ¨C What the hell are you doing here?!" James said as he stared in shock at his much shorter cousin. "Going to school?" Kyrie said with a sheepish smile. "Why? You''re already certified! Did you just come here to torment me?" said James with a voice full of hurt and disgust towards the person who let his ¨C their family die. "James cool it," DJ said as he pulled James further from his cousin. He was worried about his friend. His friend, who was suddenly attracting a lot of attention and not in his usual manner. Kyrie fidgeted with the end of the teal ribbon wrapped around his left wrist. "Sorry," he hadn''t thought he would be causing trouble for James when he enrolled. James clenched his jaw, then grimaced when he noticed Kyrie''s fidgeting. It was a heart-wrenchingly familiar scene from their childhood. James, still pissed at losing so much of his family, but he felt guilty for how he treated his once best friend. James sighed and said, "Ugh, fine. I just¡­ need some space from you okay?" Kyrie nodded and said, "Okay¡­ I''ll be going then." He nodded a second time before he walked around the group and left without looking back. His right hand holding the strap of his weapon''s case and his left clenched in his hoodie''s pocket. ? ? ? "So that''s Kyrie," Andray said as he watched Kyrie walk away. Andray had thought Kyrie''s dad was nice and that Kyrie wasn''t as bad as rumors made him out to be. Maybe they could be friends? Ah, but first James and Kyrie would have to get along¡­ "Yeah, that''s him," James said as he carefully watched Kyrie leave. If he still knew his cousin, then Kyrie would be trying to hide how hurt he was feeling. James sighed, he preferred how Kyrie acted before they were seven. Kyrie was so much more open about his feelings then. "I thought you hated his guts?" Syra said. She was Andray''s older twin sister. Syra had never seen James happy when Kyrie was mentioned. But lately, James was always angry when Kyrie''s name was brought up. Syra agreed with James, Kyrie should have ¨C could have done something ¨C anything to save all those people in Avalon. "I don''t hate him it''s just¡­" "Wait! Why should he hate you and your family?" Centra asked with a perplexed look. Shouldn''t Kyrie be the hated one? He let his family and clan die. "Damn! Why did I have to forget my watch today!" James shouted as he carefully kept his thoughts from things that only Kyrie had the right to share, if and when he wanted. The scenery James, just focus on the scenery. Was that tree there before the break? "Ah sorry. I didn''t realize that was a thought," Centra apologized as she berated herself for not paying enough attention. She would often learn things that others hadn''t meant for her to know. As long as she could tell what was a thought and what was speech, she was able to keep other people''s innocuous secrets as they were meant to be, secret. "If you want, I can turn my psych guard off and you can practice telling thoughts from speech with me," DJ said with a smile, as he reached for his holo-watch. Centra grabbed his arm while smiled and shook her head. "I think I already know what''s on your mind Deej." Syra and Andray laughed and dragged the couple towards the arena. And James trailed after them trying to think about everything but his cousin, and former best friend. ? ? ? "Welcome to the start of a new year here at Kondaira Academy! Some changes have been made to the curriculum. All fields of study will have increased work experiences and now have cross grade classes. Please be patient with your underclassmen and set a good example. "These changes have been made because the frequency of attacks on a similar scale to the one against the now lost city of Avalon have been increasing. As such we, the teachers and students, must strive to do our best so that you the next generation are prepared to stand strong in the perilous times ahead. "But please do not forget you are still young and should enjoy yourselves as such. As always, the first festival of the year will take place on June 21, next Sunday, and I expect the campus buildings to be empty," Headmaster Raven Clof announced with a smile. Vice Headmistress Alicia continued with instructions for the students, "Please gather at the designated stations so we can update your IDs and inspect your weapons. LegendSlayers and pre-major students are to remain here. The Magicians are to meet in the magic labs. The Smiths will be meeting¡­" 8 Updating IDs Part 1 After the students had dispersed to their various stations the already sparse arena stands became even more vacant. A group of fifteen students had gathered around Centra, James, and DJ. This group was goofing off and chatting while waiting to have their ID''s updated and weapons checked. As per tradition at Kondaira Academy, the lower grades would go first in alphabetical order. Elsewhere in the stands, Liza was hiding at the edge of another group of students. In contrast to Liza and the others, Kyrie was seated on his own. The nearby students glanced at him with looks that varied from adoration to unbridled hate and disgust. Not far from where Kyrie sat, there was another small group of students. This group of five was harassing Jasper. "Hey Broken, did ya fix yourself over the summer?" Caleb said as he shoved Jasper''s head. Jasper glared at Caleb as he and his friends gathered around him. "What? Can''t talk? Guess he''s still broken guys," Caleb said as he shrugged, with one leg up on the arena seat. As he leaned forward, he forced Jasper to lean back in a vain attempt to avoid him. "Just leave him be," Kyrie called out. Caleb grinned. "Yeah? And whatcha gonna do about it from over there ya shity hero," Caleb sneered. As he slowly reached for Jasper''s shirt, a hand grabbed Caleb''s just as his fingers brushed the blue fabric. "Wha¡­" Caleb glanced up in shock, to see Kyrie looming over him from the row above. "Are you really going to keep that up?" Kyrie had long since grown dangerously comfortable with combat. A school bully was nothing to him. Caleb glanced at Kyrie and said to Jasper as he stood up, "Don''t think your little guard dog will always be there to save you." Messing with a monster was never a good idea. Caleb and his friends climbed further up the arena stands so they could sit and watch Jasper. And wait for their chance. "I didn''t need your help!" Jasper shouted. For once he was talking to a male stranger and not stuttering. "Sorry?" Kyrie said as he looked at Jasper, then the boys climbing the stairs. He claimed the seat next to Jasper. After all, those twits''d come back if he left. "Wha-what ar-are y-y-you doing?" Jasper stuttered with annoyance. Why did this scornful hero have to sit here? "Sitting," Kyrie said. Jasper looked at Kyrie then looked towards the floor of the arena where the non-major students were finishing their assessments. The non-major students would have several students completed their assessments at once. For the majored students this was a chance to show off their stats and abilities. As such the older students would have their IDs updated one or two people at a time. Kyrie and Jasper sat in silence for a while. Eventually, a name Jasper recognized was called amongst the zero-year students. It was Corson, Centra''s little bother of a brother. Corson parted with his friends and made his way to where Headmaster Raven Clof stood on the arena floor. He was familiar with having his ID updated and placed his hand on the measuring tablet that Raven Clof held. The various monitors around the arena changed to display his now updated ID. [ Corson Livence: Aura: 110 Mission Rank: Apprentice Junior Age: 15 / Rank: D Ability: Metal Resonance ] Aura is the energy all people possess that helps them absorb damage, deal damage, heal, and cast spells. Aura is also used in the protection of the human cities and reinforcement of their walls. This energy can regenerate over time or through the consumption of magical ingredients. Corson was slightly above average for the quantity of aura a zero-year''s body can usually contain safely. His Mission Rank of Apprentice Junior means he is enrolled as a prospective LegendSlayer student but is currently not qualified to go on missions without approval from a Headmaster. The other rank on his ID means that his ability is considered to be at a normal danger level should he lose control. After having his ID updated, Corson handed off his daggers, two of which were attached to each other by an enchanted chain. The enchantment allows the chain to lengthen and shrink when someone infuses some of their aura into it. Corson''s weapons were all well cared for and quickly returned to him, so he could demonstrate his ability. Corson took one of his daggers, lightly tossed it into the air, and held it there until he''d thrown all seven. He then used his resonance to spin them around himself and weave them through the air. In the end, he carefully but quickly buried them into the sturdy arena floor until only the hilts were showing. The Headmaster thanked him for his excellent demonstration and the diligent care of his equipment before dismissing him and calling the next student. ? ? ? One of the first students to be called from amongst the first-years was James. There was joking and teasing as James playfully bowed to his friends after he stepped onto the arena floor. "I see you''re still a showman James," Raven Clof said with a fond smile. "Of course! There are ladies in crowd, Raven Clof," James replied with a wink as he placed his hand on the tablet. [ James Collin: Aura: 215 Mission Rank: Journeyman Age: 17 / Rank: B Ability: Plant Manipulation ] James'' aura level was in the normal range for first-year students, medium-low. The medium-low range is from 101-250. His Mission Rank is common amongst students from LegendSlayer clans like the one he and Kyrie grew up in. A Journeyman mission rank means he can go on hunting missions with others of the same level or higher whenever he wants. Technically, James could go on missions alone but going off on your own is often considered stupid and suicidal. The danger Rank of B means that his ability is considered to be mid-high level when it comes to accidentally causing damage to others. As for James'' equipment he carried a wooden spear and several new pouches of seeds. Headmaster Raven Clof didn''t bother with checking James'' weapon. He was known for frequently losing things and manipulating the growth of nearby plants to recreate a weapon or use against his foes. James created a 10-foot field of large flowers and vines, that he later used to create a statue of himself. After James bowed to his friends, he killed off the plants. He helped them quickly wilt and wither into crisp brown husks. The plants were so devoid of life and structure that a simple gust of wind from Raven Clof''s movements dispersed the plants into a cloud of dust. ? ? ? Several students later, Raven Clof called Liza to the floor. Just after her name was called, there was a rush of students scrambling to get away from the ice princess they''d found hiding in their midst. Liza hardly gave these students a glance as she made her way down the stands. Once on the floor, she greeted her grandfather with a smile and immediately placed her hand on the tablet. [ Liza Frost Aura: 101 Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior Age: 17 / Rank: F Ability: Oblivious ] Liza''s Mission Rank of Apprentice Senior means that she can go on missions offered to the academy with her team and a supervisor. Her danger Rank reflects her ability to only damage herself. Since Liza''s ability to make herself easily ignored by others cannot be applied to other people, she can only harm others intentionally. And intentionally she has. Several years ago, some of the other students had been picking on her for having such a wimpy ability. In response, Liza used her ability after shoving the other girl. Then Liza immediately struck the girl from behind with the full force of her aura. This attack had easily destroyed the protection of the other girl''s aura and left her in the infirmary with a punctured lung. Liza handed her daggers and lockpicks over to her grandfather to have them checked. "Liza remind me later that your lockpicks'' roll needs to be replaced soon," Raven Clof said as he handed her equipment back to her. "I was planning to replace it during the festival," Liza said. During the festival, many stores would sell their wares at a reduced price. As Liza returned to the stands her grandfather called out, "Jasper Glyph." Jasper stood from his spot next to Kyrie and made his way onto the floor of the arena. As Jasper was headed to the arena floor, Kyrie thought ''so that''s his name. Is he as good as his older brother, Jason?'' Jason was a great magician and LegendSlayer Kyrie''d worked with, in the past. When Jasper reached the Headmaster, he didn''t even attempt to speak. He simply placed his hand on the tablet. [ Jasper Glyph Aura: 200 Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior Age: 17 / Rank: D Ability: Magic ] Jasper''s ability of magic meant he could cast spells more efficiently than others. Along with the ability to cast spells of a greater complexity and learn new spells more easily. Jasper carried a dagger and a wand, as most magicians did. The wand and dagger would allow a magician to continue fighting even after they''d used up their aura. Jasper''s gear was given to him by his older brother when he first entered the LegendSlayer program. As such, Jasper always made sure to take good care of his equipment. Jasper cast several spells for his demonstration. When he returned to the stands he sat down, slightly further from Kyrie then before he was called up. 9 Updating IDs Part 2 Eventually, DJ''s name was called. Many of his friends and fellow students started snickering as he got up. At the start of each year, DJ''s full name would be shown to everyone. For DJ this was always a very embarrassing moment. Since DJ wasn''t 18, he couldn''t legally change his name and his parents didn''t want him to. After all, they had named him after his mother''s sister. When DJ reached Headmaster Raven Clof he asked the question he had repeated since he was seven, "Could you not display my ID?" "DJ, you know my answer." After this brief exchange and a glare at Raven Clof, who was struggling not to laugh, DJ sighed and placed his hand on the tablet. [ Doe John (DJ) Aura: 225 Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior Age: 17 / Rank: A Ability: Dominion ] DJ''s ability Dominion allows him to manipulate everything within a certain distance of himself, with near infinite possibilities. Every time he uses his ability, something different happens. Because his ability is so tied to his movements and mental state, he relies on music and dance to control it. After DJ''s ID was updated Raven Clof walked about seven feet away from him when DJ said, "You''re going to want to be at least ten feet away." After Raven Clof was clear of DJ''s control radius DJ changed songs. At first, it started with barely perceivable ripples in the ground originating from where DJ stood tapping his left hand against his thigh. Several streams of water began to form on top of the gradually growing ripples. After a few beats, a soft wind formed in the still air of the arena. The wind swirled around DJ causing his clothes to shift as he began to dance. As the song picked up and the strength of the wind grew. The shimmering water shot into the air in several streams. DJ moved his left arm and the water flowed with it, soon the wind began to weave around the water. Approximately 46 seconds through the song, trails of varying colors of fire began to mix with the elements DJ was already controlling. Sometimes the elements would be next to each other in perfect harmony and at others, they would separate in discord. Halfway through DJ''s demonstration, the ripples in the ground began to increase in height and depth. While the changes in the earth grew the other elements faded to thin trickles in the air. On some beats, the ground would change from smooth and rolling to sharp and deadly. Each time the earth grew sharp the other elements would flair to life for an instant. Eventually, the elements came to intertwine and dance like they had before. All of the elements spiked one last time before they vanished into thin air. The arena grounds appeared as if the changes wrought on them had never occurred. After DJ completed his performance, he waved to the people in the stands who were giving him a standing ovation. He basked in the applause for a bit before returning to his friends in the stands. ? ? ? Before long, Centra was called forth. She quickly placed her hand on the tablet. [ Centra Livence Aura: 200 Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior Age: 16 / Rank: C Ability: Telepathic, Telekinetic ] Centra handed Raven Clof her ironwood longbow and quiver. Each end of her bow is tipped with the polished green scales of a Jaculus. A Jaculus is a winged serpent that has two back legs and lives in trees. Because Laserath is a harbor town near a large forest Jaculus are a very prevalent lower level legendary creature in the area, making Jaculus scales easy to acquire. Raven Clof returned Centra''s equipment and used his holo watch to turn his psych guard off. ''Centra have you gotten better at differentiating speech and thoughts?'' ''Yeah but sometimes I get them mixed up.'' ''Keep working on it,'' Headmaster Raven Clof re-engaged his psych guard before he asked, "How''s your telekinesis? Can move someone my size?" Centra answered by way of mentally shoving Raven Clof back a few feet. She had intended to pick Raven Clof up and move him back but failed to achieve her goal. Centra was able to pick DJ up with her telekinesis before spring break, but Raven Clof is a bit larger than DJ and she was out of practice. "Good job. Keep practicing, I''m sure you''ll get there." "I will." Centra returned to her friends with a slight headache from straining her mind during her attempt to lift Headmaster Raven Clof. ? ? ? One of the last students to be called was Kyrie. Kyrie was very familiar with the process of updating one''s ID, though he was used to doing so in a LegendSlayers guild hall. [ Kyrie Say Aura: 2861 Mission Rank: SAM and SDM Age: 17 / Rank: S Ability: Motion Manipulation ] When Kyrie''s ID came up for everyone to see, Raven Clof whistled and said, "Dang kid you''re already at Epic rank! Are you okay?" Epic rank was where someone can contain an aura quantity greater than 1000. Mythic rank was the only rank higher than Epic, and both were usually only applied to a few strong Legends and very old magicians. Normally, a Magician or LegendSlayer''s body couldn''t contain more than 700 aura without burning up. Kyrie was surprised that Raven Clof had even asked if he was okay. Most people assumed he was fine just because he was alive. "Yeah I''m okay¡­" 2,861 was close to the maximum amount of aura he could safely contain. Kyrie''s ability allows him to absorb the energy of moving things and convert it into his aura or to reverse the process. As such, Kyrie intentionally tries to keep his energy level below his max. He had a danger Rank of S because when Kyrie lost control an area as large as the city of Laserath was in danger. The fear of Kyrie losing control was part of why has hadn''t attended an Academy, until now. Kyrie placed the case containing his weapon on the ground. He carefully opened it and removed his weapon, one of his most precious belongings. There were two blades on Kyrie''s weapon. Each blade looked like a solid oval, with a thick center and paper-thin edges, that had been cut in half and attached to a five-and-a-half-foot long staff. The blades were attached to the staff on opposite ends and sides. This was done to balance Kyrie''s weapon and so it looked identical when he spun it 180 degrees. There was a large enough gap in between the blades for Kyrie to comfortably grab his weapon with his scarred hands. This gap caused the blades of his weapon to extend half a foot past each end of the staff. The straight edges of the blades were in line with the far side of the staff so the ends of it hid in the blades. Each blade had a gap between the staff and the blade, so Kyrie could hold his weapon like a quarterstaff. "Be careful it''s really heavy," Kyrie warned as he easily handed his weapon to the much larger and stronger looking Raven Clof. A thud echoed through the arena as Kyrie watched with concern when one side of his baby sank into the arena floor. "Sorry, I wasn''t expecting it to be that heavy¡­" said a very embarrassed Raven Clof. This happened every time Kyrie let someone hold his weapon. No matter how much he warned the other person his baby always ended up falling to the floor. "I¡­ should really stop letting other people hold her," Kyrie said as he pulled his baby free of the floor, spun her around, and examined the blade that had gone into the ground. Damn, she''s a bit chipped. He''d already begun feeding her some of his aura. His weapon was specially made with a mix of enchantments and runes, placed on a composite of rare magic metals. All of those things allowed Kyrie to feed her his aura and help her recover from the damage she received. "Oh, what''s her name?" Raven Clof asked. Kyrie looked off to the side as he mumbled, "Taru." "That''s a very pretty name." "Uh¡­ Thanks?" Kyrie said. Raven Clof hadn''t recognized her name that was good. "If you''d be so kind as to wait, let''s have Caleb come down and help with your demonstration." Caleb was both happy to hear he would be helping in Kyrie''s demonstration and not happy about it. The dude had pissed him off by showing him up earlier, but Kyrie was also freakin epic ranked. And getting into a fight with someone that strong did not seem wise. Even if it was a chance to show them up. Caleb glared at Kyrie as he made his way to the arena floor. Then glanced warily at Raven Clof as he took off one of his black, leather, fingerless gloves and placed his hand on the tablet. [ Caleb Slayder Aura: 225 Mission Rank: Apprentice Senior Age: 17 / Rank: F Ability: Physical Enhancement ] After updating his ID, Caleb took off his sturdy black boots and his other glove, so they could be examined. Each piece of Caleb''s equipment was well cared for and treasured by him. Caleb put his equipment on as Raven Clof said, "Caleb, I would appreciate it if you would demonstrate some of your attacks on Kyrie." "Sure," Caleb said as he settled into an attack stance. He was ready to throw a test punch at Kyrie. Kyrie carefully and easily slipped his weapon into the ground. He did it safely by reinforcing Taru with his aura. Then he took a defensive stance ready for an attack from Caleb. Caleb took a deep breath. He channeled his ability to help strengthen and speed up his body. Then he threw a perfect full-strength punch at Kyrie''s left shoulder. Yet, Kyrie stood there as if nothing had happened. And Caleb''s punch would have sent most people flying back several feet. If their aura was weaker than normal, they would''ve had a broken collarbone or worse. "That was a good punch," Kyrie said. "Fuck! I''m trying again." This time Caleb sent a kick at Kyrie''s waist. Again, nothing happened. It was as if Caleb was performing a staged fight with a partner who''d frozen under the pressure. Caleb tried several more attacks in quick succession. Until finally Kyrie blocked a punch from Caleb and skidded back several feet. "Yes!" Caleb shouted. "I think we should stop here," Kyrie was suddenly breathing a bit heavily. "What? But I finally landed a proper hit!" Caleb exclaimed. "I need to expend some energy first. And I don''t feel like taking hits from you without using my ability." Kyrie shuddered. Even with his aura, taking a hit from Caleb would not be fun. "Ah. Are you alright with expending some energy here? Or do you want to go to a more secure place?" Raven Clof was torn between concern for his students and his curiosity at just how much this young man was capable of. Kyrie grimaced. "A secure place might be safer." He would have preferred to expand his aura here, under the open sky, but there were too many people around to risk it. While Kyrie quickly left the arena, headed to one of the more recently remodeled buildings on campus, Caleb returned to the stands and he gave Jasper an, I''m watching you, sign. 10 Lunch and The Transfer Students One of the cafeterias on campus was attached to the dorms. The cafeteria and dorm had recently been renovated. The cafeteria was a large two-story building with a skylight depicting the school crest, a multi-colored equilateral triangle inscribed in a circle. The skylight was placed so it shines from the roof down to the first floor. There are two spiral staircases at each side of the balcony like second floor. The first floor had long rectangular tables that can fold up and be stored for special occasions. This cafeteria is only available to the LegendSlayer majors and the students who live in the dorms. The current group of students had arrived late to lunch. Inside the cafeteria, Jasper had just sat down with his lunch of lyson soup and an ambrosia roll. Lyson soup has ingredients that vary based on the time of year and the chef''s recipe. In each bowl of soup is a large lyson flower. Its blue in the center and faded to pink at the edges. Not long after Jasper sat down Caleb showed up. "Kissing up to the strongest guy in school isn''t going to do shit for you, Broken," Caleb said as he slammed his tray on the end of the table next to Jasper. Jasper glared at Caleb and said, "L-l-leave me a-alone." Caleb sneered, "Never gonna happen, Broken." "You''re a pathetic little wimp." "You should just give up on being a LegendSlayer." "And take some speech classes. I mean what kinda magician can''t even talk right." "Are you guys seriously doing this again?" Kyrie asked as he took the seat across from Jasper. Why couldn''t these asses leave others alone? Both Caleb''s group and Jasper glared at Kyrie as he sat down. Caleb was practically growling in irritation as he gestured for his boys to follow him to a nearby table. He wouldn''t risk sitting near a hero. Who knows when he''d turn on them? On the other hand, he''d be able to keep Caleb safe, if he hasn''t pissed Kyrie off to much. ? ? ? The other two transfer students were also in the cafeteria. One of these girls was 5-foot-4 in her tan platform heels. These heels attached to her feet by green ribbons that wound their way up her legs and stopped just below her knees. She was wearing a gorgeous green and hot pink skirt with more ribbons wrapped around her hips. On top, she was wearing a green corset with a tight-fitting top that was supported by her ample cleavage and two more ribbons that tied into a bow behind her neck. Her top appeared to have more ribbons tightly winding around her waist. Another set of green ribbons wound so thoroughly around her lower arms to her palms that not a sliver of her tan skin could be seen. This girl had bright pink almond-shaped eyes and long black hair tied up in a high ponytail by another long green ribbon. Some of the ribbons on the girl''s clothes helped support and attach a claymore to the girl''s back. The claymore also had a green ribbon warped around the hilt and ricasso of her weapon in place of a leather grip. The new girl, Ren, was currently having a conversation with another girl, Casey. "You do realize as a LegendSlayer student you''re supposed to be dressed for combat, not a party," Casey said as she scornfully gazed at Ren''s outfit. "Well then, it''s a good thing I am," Ren replied with the hint of a smirk. "You call those heels COMBAT equipment. If you tried to do anything in those, you''d just twist an ankle and cause problems for the rest of us!" "She probably plans to have others fight for her," Ana said with a scowl. "Ah, thanks," Ren said cutely as Amity, her childhood friend who had also transferred in, groaned. Here we go again. "Fine. If that''s your plan then, we''ll leave you alone. If you can get Caleb to kiss you by the end of lunch," Casey said as she crossed her arms and gave Ren a smirk. Bet you can''t do that. "Only, if you also agree that if he doesn''t kiss me and I win a fight against one or both of you, you''ll leave me and my friend alone," Ren said. The bet seemed interesting, but a fight would actually solve this problem¡­ Oh well. The two girls looked at each other and smiled. "Sure," they said in unison. "Deal." ? ? ? When Ren arrived at Caleb''s table, she breathed, "Hi boys, can I join you?" "No." "Yes" Caleb glanced at his friends who were watching the new girl very intently. He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine." After a brief round of introductions, Ren placed her tray on the table and moved Caleb''s over some as she sat down next to him. Caleb glared at her and said, "Rick, scoot over." "So, what''s fun to do around here?" Ren asked as she leaned forward, her leg touching Caleb''s. "We usually go to Club 58." Del said with a straight face. He was a part of Caleb''s¡­ family. "It''s Caleb''s dad''s place. And his dad lets us in for free." Joe said as he put down his spoon. Caleb shifted so his leg wasn''t touching Ren''s. "Cool," Ren said as she glanced at Caleb. "Yeah! You know that guy DJ?" Bob said as he leaned forward. "Not really," Ren said as she leaned over and snagged a cherry off Caleb''s plate. Ren loved cherries and had already finished hers off. "Eat your own food," Caleb said as he moved his tray further from Ren and closer to Rick. Ren pouted, then leaned over to snag another cherry. As she reached past Caleb, Caleb gently shoved Ren away from himself. But he''d forgotten how close Ren was to the edge of bench. Caleb grimaced as Ren hit the ground. Ren noticed Caleb''s grimace and said, "It''s fine," as she stood up. "It''s my fault for not giving you the room you asked for. Sorry, I was trying to win a bet¡­ and went too far." "A bet?" Caleb asked. His interest was perked. Why would someone involve him in a bet? "Yeah, that I could get you to kiss me by the end of lunch," said Ren with a wary smile. Caleb repressed a shudder and said, "That, is never gonna happen." "That''s fine, I''ve always been more interested in a fight than in wooing someone. See ya boys," Ren said as she waved to the boys and walked away. Kissing Caleb wasn''t a bet she ever going to win. But that meant she''d get to have a ¨C the fight she wanted. When Ren arrived within speaking distance of the girls she said, "Guess I blew it. Where should we fight?" Casey glanced at Ana. "The arena should be available." "Students can fight there as long as a class isn''t being held in it," Ana added. "We''ll need someone to ref the fight, though¡­" "James should be strong enough." "I think it would be safer if Kyrie was our ref," Ren said. It''d be best to prevent injuries during the fight. And James couldn''t ¨C wouldn''t be strong enough to stop her. Ana and Casey glanced at each other while Casey said, "Sure. If you ask him." Ren turned and casually called out, "Kyrie will you ref a fight for us?" Kyrie caught Caleb''s eye when Caleb glanced from Ren to him. "I''m going. This sounds like fun," Caleb said with a predatory grin. Ren should show those b-----¨C girls what involving him in harassment bets meant. Kyrie responded, "Sure." He was relieved. At least Caleb would be too distracted to bully Jasper. He added his tray to the pile by the door as they headed to the arena. ? ? ? "Let''s have a good clean match. We''re going to use the standard dueling rules. No A rank or higher attacks, you''re disqualified when you use up your aura. I''ll disrupt the fight if I think you''re breaking the rules or believe an attack will cause a severe injury. Is that clear?" "Yes," the girls said. Kyrie nodded, "Good." He took off his hoodie and freed Taru from her case. When Kyrie removed his hoodie, he revealed a dark-colored T-shirt with teal designs and teal ribbons wrapped around his wrists. "Shake hands and well start." "Aren''t you forgetting to activate the arena''s sensors and monitors so you can track our aura levels?" Casey said as she gave Kyrie a disdainful look. Does this guy even know what he''s doing? Kyrie looked sheepish as he said, "We have those?" "Yeah, all certified dueling arenas have them." Ana frowned as she said, "C-can you really ref a fight?" Kyrie blushed as he said, "Yeah." Kyrie''s refereed several fights, but they were never¡­ entirely legal. "How do we activate those?" "I''m Ana," Ana said as she shook Kyrie''s hand, "I''ll teach you how." At least he seems willing to learn. As Ana taught Kyrie how to set things up, Ren held out her right hand. "Hi, I''m Ren. Let''s have a good fight." This one''s going down first. "I''m Casey," Casey said as she tries to crush Ren''s hand. "There''s no way a girl stupid enough to wear heels in combat is going to put up a good fight." This frilly girl''s gonna get whooped. "Oh yeah? Then you better beat me first," Ren said as she tightened her grip on Casey''s hand. Ren doesn''t dress like she does for the fun of it. Well entirely for the fun of it. "We''re all set up. Take your positions. I want at least ten feet between each team," Kyrie said. "Okay¡­" Ana said. Ten¡­ feet. When Casey and Ana were far enough from Ren, Casey mumbled, "Standard rules my ass." "Shh, we''re about to start. Remember what we talked about on the way here." "Got it." Casey''s knuckles, jaw, and tailbone cracked. And her vicious claws, drooling canine mouth, and adorably fluffy tail formed. This was Casey''s preferred combat form. Her ability allowed her to change fully into a wolf or a human. Her combat form was the result of her unique heritage as a distant descendant of a werewolf. Ana stood with her shield in her left hand and a bastard sword in her right. Ren grasped her claymore as she took a solid two-handed stance. "Ready?" "Get on with it!" Caleb shouted from the stands. He wanted the fight to start. He wanted a distraction. The girls, each gave a nod to say they were ready. "Start!" Casey was past ready. She charged at Ren. Ren sidestepped Casey''s charge and swung at her side. Casey''s aura flashed then cracked. Ren''s blade had slipped through. And sliced into Casey''s side like butter as she pulled her blow. Casey ground her teeth. How could this ridiculous pretty girl be strong enough to break through her aura? No that''s something to worry about later. "Shit!" Ren turned carrying the momentum of her first swing into Ana''s shield. Crash! Casey rolled to her feet and caught Ana''s eye. It was time to strike together. "Stop!" Ana lunged at Ren as she recovered from her swing. While Casey started for Ren''s legs. On heels like those, she''d be easy to topple. "Dude! Why aren''t you stopping this fight?!" As Ren stepped back and to the side. She realized they''d gotten to close. She needed to shorten her reach. Ren shifted her right hand to the ricasso of her claymore. She blocked Ana''s swing. And Casey slammed into Ren''s knees. Ren started to topple. But turned her fall into a roll. Casey grasped at Ren''s legs with her claws. But she couldn''t get purchase through the glistening green ribbons. Casey felt as though she was trying to grab water. How the hell did she do that? At least one claw should''ve been able to get purchase on her clothes. Aura didn''t protect clothing unless ¨C unless the wearer knew how to channel aura through cloth. "They''re fine," Kyrie said. Ren swung at Casey''s unprotected back. Casey''s aura flared to life again, but this time her aura held. Just moments ago, Casey had increased the quantity of aura protecting her back. While Ren attacked, Ana struck Ren''s side with her shield. Just as she and Casey had planned. Crash! Ana''s shield hit nothing but the pommel of Ren''s sword. "Yes!" Caleb shouted from the stands. He''d root for Ren any day. Shit what was he doing? Ah fuck it Ren seemed cool. Ana swung at Ren''s unprotected side. Ren pivoted and stabbed Casey. Her back was to Ana''s shield. "Casey, out!" Kyrie said. Casey growled in anger. She hadn''t done anything to that frilly girl. Even so Casey left. Her side was throbbing and needed medical attention. Ana slammed her shield at Ren''s back. But Ren was already turning to face Ana. She tried to get the hilt of her weapon between her and Ana''s shield. But Ren''s aura flared. Ana''s shield had grazed her knuckles. Ren grinned. This girl isn''t could handle herself. Ana stabbed at Ren. And Ren''s aura flared to life. Ren swiped at Ana''s legs and Ana dodged. Ren shifted her grip to the hilt off her blade and swung at Ana''s right side. Ana blocked that strike as well. But Ren''s momentum carried her blade into Ana''s shoulder. This time Ana''s aura flared to life. Ana lunged with her shield. And Ren stepped back. They paused for a moment. Each girl studying the other for openings in the early afternoon sun. The arena previously filled with noise was now deathly silent. The only thing between these girls was the salty sea breeze from the east. Ren broke the still silence with a swing exactly like the one she just did. Ana blocked it with her shield. And Ren''s sword cleaved through Ana''s shield. Ana grimaced. Ren was really chipping away at her defenses. She dropped her useless shield. Then Ana stepped closer and swung at Ren. But Ren blocked Ana''s swing and kicked her in the side. The edge of Ren''s heel bit into Ana''s aura and quickly drained a large portion. Ana watched Ren warily. Did Ren just¡­ no, she couldn''t have. Both girls took a moment to recover. But Ren recovered first. She swung again. Ana took the hit to get closer. She swung. Ren dodged. And Ren swung a finial cleaving blow. Clang! Her sword struck a blade. How? Who? "Ana can''t take another strike like that." Kyrie stood at Ana''s side. He''d blocked Ren''s strike. "You need to pull your strikes better when you dual. Look at Casey." Casey was in the arena stands, her face twisted with pain as Syra healed her side. Ren shrugged, going easy on a stranger had never worked out well for her and Amity in the past. "That was a fine dual girls. And Kyrie you may want to look up the rules for a legal duel before you ref another fight," Headmaster Raven Clof said as he stood from his seat in the arena stands. Kyrie looked at Casey as he said, "¡­ I will." He put his hoodie on and Taru back in her case before he vacated the arena floor. He hadn''t realized an injury like Casey''s was a big deal in a city. The girls caught their breath as they headed into the arena stands. Ana sat near Ren and Amity. "Did I catch it right? You can pull on someone''s aura through those heels of yours." Ren smiled. "Yeah, that''s why I wear them. They have a great edge and they have aura consumption runes." "But what do you do with the aura they consume?" "I refine it to match mine and absorb it. I''m not very good at the refining process so I lose a lot of the energy." "That''s pretty handy." "Yeah. I''m surprised your aura could completely block my strikes." Ana smiled, "Ah, yeah. It''s a perk of my ability Guardian. It runs in my family. The only skill I have down is extreme hardening of my aura." "Oh, are you from a LegendSlayer clan?" asked Amity. Ana''s smile fell and she stared at her clenched hands. "I''d rather not talk about it." "Ah, sorry," Amity said. Most of the children from a LegendSlayer clan, that attended Kondaira Academy, had a falling out with their clan. For some, it was for being considered too weak. While those, like James, were here because they had a disagreement over something their clan was doing. James didn''t agree with his clan''s views on certain things. But they were still his, mostly kind, family and as such he loved them ¨C missed them. As the third-years completed their ID updates, Kyrie sat in the stands on his holo-watch. He was studying the rules for an official dual. The main difference being, an official dual must be stopped the moment someone gets hurt. If the parties involved in causing the injury are found to be at fault. then the win goes to the injured party. Another difference is each group must start at opposite sides of the arena. As Kyrie studied up on the standard ¨C legal dueling rules, Caleb watched Ren with concerned interest. And James watched Kyrie with worry. James knew where Kyrie had learned those dueling rules, and he didn''t like what that meant about the things his cousin had been through while on missions. DJ and Centra where chatting with their friends near James. Liza was once again hiding amongst her peers. But Jasper, he didn''t return to the arena until just before the third-years finished updating their IDs. 11 The Teams The students from other majors trickled into the arena after their groups finished updating IDs. Most of the students who joined were interested in the first-year team arrangements and in the changes that had been made to the other LegendSlayer teams. The remainder were here to see the so-called hero. Some came to support friends, or out of curiosity, or guilt for leaving their friends to fight while they pursed a safer occupation. This was also an opportunity for the gangs to stealthily collect bets on team compositions. But it wasn''t just students and gang members that came. The academy news agency was present along with several of the news agencies based in Laserath. As long as a city didn''t fall tonight, the team compositions would be on the front page of every news outlet in the city. After all, these teams would be the defenders of the human communities. And most of the third-year teams would remain together after graduation. "It is time to present the new teams. I know at least one person who was so anxious about learning who her teammates are that she has been trying to steal the list for the entirety of spring break. Just this morning she tried to steal it while completely missing the fact that I had left it sitting on my desk." Liza groaned and glared at her grandfather. "Ah, but I should be telling you the team compositions, not rambling about my granddaughter. First up, James would you please come down." James grinned at his friends and said, "See you soon," before he bumped fists with DJ. Headmaster Raven Clof shook James'' hand. He''d shake hands with every student he called to the arena floor. As the quantity of students increased his hand ached more by the end of the ceremony. "Andray and Syra Florence." Andray and Syra headed down. And happily, greeted James. DJ grabbed Centra''s hand and held it tight. They were waiting ¨C hoping they''d be on the same team as James. "Melissa Toll." That was not DJ or Centra''s name. The two of them couldn''t ¨C wouldn''t be on the same team as James. And Melissa was shocked. She had to have miss heard what Raven Clof had said. She wasn''t good enough to be on that team. Surly, he meant someone else. "Melissa Toll would you please come down," Raven Clof repeated as he looked for her in the stands. Melissa stood on shaky legs as she made her way to Raven Clof. And DJ glanced at Centra. He was worried how she''d handle being on a team without him. And he was worried how he''d handle not being able to back her up. How he''d handle it if he lost her. She''d switched from communications so they could spend time together on missions. So, they wouldn''t have to go thought the weeks to months of time away from one another. Centra smiled at DJ. She loved him and wanted to help keep him safe. She wanted to spend more time with him. But she''d take him being safe in place of being on the same team as him. Raven Clof said the name of the final team member, "C-" "No! You have to put us on the same team!" DJ shouted as he leapt to his feet. Raven Clof glared at DJ. "If you would let me finish DJ. I was going to say Casey Lupine." "Oh. Sorry." DJ meekly reclaimed his seat with his flushed cheeks. Centra smiled and gave DJ''s cheek a kiss. "As always, you have until tomorrow morning to decide who your team''s leader is," Raven Clof said as he returned to the list in front of him. James'' teammates glanced at each other. Then Andray said, "There''s no need, James is our leader." "Are you pups sure about this?" James asked. "Yep!" Syra said. "Alright then. If you would follow Miss Alicia to your spot." Raven Clof said, "Next, we have Ren Perdita-" "Who is she?" "Have your head her name before?" "No." "Maybe she transferred?" "There are rumors about there being several transfers this year." "She must be a new transfer." "I wonder why she came here?" Raven Clof had to raise his voice to be heard over his audience, "Amity Miltiades." Amity and Ren joined Raven Clof on the arena floor. "Caleb Slayder and Rick Melson." Quickly followed by, "Ana Romanoff." "I look forward to seeing what your team can do," Raven Clof added before he moved on to the next team, "Kyrie Say." Kyrie looked up from his holo-watch when he heard his name. He''d heard several people say his name as he waited. As such he glanced at those around him. Everyone was watching him. So, Kyrie closed his holo-display. And stopped gathering every scrap of dragon lore he could. He stopped wondering if there was something more ¨C something different that he could have done. But it was only for now. The fall of Avalon had loomed over him from the moment it happened. Raven Clof watched as Kyrie looked up and said, "If you would please come here, Kyrie." Kyrie felt his cheeks warm as he stood and made his way to Raven Clof. "Thank you, Kyrie. DJ if you would join us as well," Headmaster Raven Clof said. DJ nervously glanced at Centra as he got up. Please let her be on the same team as him. Centra smiled at DJ. At least he''d be on a team with Kyrie. Someone with Kyrie''s strength should be able to keep his team safe, right? "Jasper Glyph." Jasper groaned. He was stuck on the same team as that interloper. At least Centra wasn''t on it. He loved her like a sister but being on a team with a telepath would be¡­ hard. "Liza Frost," Raven Clof was smiling as he called his Granddaughters name. Liza startled another group of students as she released her ability. Liza''s ability required other people. So, she would use events like this assembly to practice her ability. DJ was anxiously shifting as he waited. There was one spot left on the team. And so many students to choose from. Raven Clof spoke slowly as he watched DJ, "Cen-tra Livence." Originally Raven Clof was going to call Centra and DJ''s names at the same time.But he changed his mind after DJ interrupted him. ? ? ? Raven Clof said, "Congratulations on making it here. Good luck on your missions and in this year''s tourney selections." 12 First Team Meeting After the clapping stopped, Raven Clof dismissed the first-years into the arena stands. Most of the first-year students sat in their newly formed teams. James'' team sat down with Kyrie, DJ, Centra, Jasper, and Liza. James was currently watching Kyrie unhappily and Kyrie was looking everywhere but at James. James had picked this spot because he wanted to talk with Centra and DJ. While Kyrie wanted to get to know his new team and hopefully make some friends. After they''d sat in awkward silence for a while, Kyrie said, "I guess¡­ I''ll go." Even though he said he would leave, Kyrie remained seated for a moment more, his form slumped with reluctance. He wanted to make friends. And he wanted to fix things with James. But he couldn''t fix his failure to save their family. James sighed, "Don''t. If you can deal with having me around. I can deal with having you around." Kyrie looked at James, he was confused, "But I''ve never had a problem with being around you." James glared at Kyrie, "You know what I mean." Kyrie watched James as he thought of all the things James could''ve done to make him stay away. James had done none of them. So, why did James think he''d done something as irreparable as Kyrie had? ? ? ? That evening Kyrie, DJ, Jasper, Centra, and Liza moved into their dorm apartment. The main room had a table with six chairs for studying and dining. Along one wall was a kitchen area. There was a cold cupboard that almost reached the ceiling. Between the cold cupboard and the ceiling was an ice cabinet. They were for storing food and made out of ironwood. The most efficient ones were made out of frost wood. Since frost wood is perpetually cool to the touch, less aura was needed to keep the inside cold. There was a breakfast bar separating the kitchen from the rest of the apartment. The room also had an L shaped couch across from an ironwood monitor. The main room had six doors. The first was the one the team had just entered through. Another door led to the bathroom and the last four doors went to the bedrooms. "So¡­ who''s going to share a room?" Liza asked. "I can share one with you." Centra said, "DJ, love, you snore too loud." "I w-want room for m-my x-experiments," Jasper said as he claimed the room closest to the door. Kyrie hesitated a bit as he glanced from Centra to DJ, "I think¡­ it would be fun to try having a roommate¡­ If you want too that is." As DJ watched Kyrie''s hopeful face and exited fidgeting, he couldn''t help but think of his little cousin. He''d been so excited to room with DJ over the break and it''d been fun. It might be fun rooming with Kyrie. DJ said, "Sure." "Why don''t the two of you take the largest room." Centra said. "Sounds good." Inside the largest room was a bunk bed, two dressers, and two desks. Kyrie and DJ each claimed a dresser and a desk. Taru was in her case, leaning against Kyrie''s dresser. "Are you cool with me taking the top bunk?" DJ asked. "Uh, sure." Kyrie fidgeted with the ribbon on his left wrist. The bottom bunk might be to¡­ enclosed for him to sleep well. ? ? ? The team unpacked their things and met in their common area. "So, we should decide on our leader and go have dinner!" DJ said as his stomach growled again. "I think Centra should lead, she''s an amazing strategist and if we sync our holo-watches to her telepathy she can give us instructions without our opponents knowing." Jasper glanced at Kyrie as he said, "I''m g-good with C-Centra l-leading us." It might be better than having the interloper lead. "Kyrie had the most experience dealing with legends, so he should lead," Liza said. Her grandfather had repeatedly told her to learn from those with more experience. "That''s true," Centra said as she smiled at Kyrie. "I''m okay with following Kyrie or leading." "I''m not much of a leader." Kyrie''d already screwed up as a leader. He''d lost friends under his command. He didn''t want to go through that again. "Having a leader who can communicate silently''d useful when we fight more intelligent legends." It''s just that he knew things his teammates didn''t. Had more experience than them. "Centra, if you promise you''ll listen to my advice and I''m good with you leading." Centra nodded and asked, "Liza?" "I guess I''m good with it¡­" What was the point in saying otherwise? Kyrie had already turned the position down. "I''ll send Headmaster Raven Clof a text then we can get dinner." Centra opened her holo-display and texted Raven Clof. *We decided that I (Centra Livence) am going to be the leader* Raven Clof: *okay¡­ *Is Kyrie okay with that?* Centra: *yeah. As long as I listen to his advice. He''s good with it* Raven Clof: *hmmm, alright. *I think you''ll make a good leader. Especially, if you can make good use of Kyrie''s experience.* Centra: *thanks* Raven Clof: *And don''t be shy about asking him for help. *He''s a bit socially awkward but he''s a good kid.* Centra: *okay* Raven Clof: *Also call me the moment you think a room is unusually cold or hot and you think Kyrie may be losing control.* (message status: unread) ? ? ? "Are we going to have dinner in the cafeteria or go out?" Centra asked. "Well, it''s getting pretty late, so how about we go to the cafeteria?" Liza said after she glanced at the night sky altered by the light pink shimmer of the city''s defenses. "Sounds good! I''m starving," DJ said as his stomach gave a particularly loud growl. "We should go before DJ decides he''s hungry enough to eat us," Centra smiled as she rolled her eyes. Deej was always hungry. Kyrie and Liza were smiling as they left for the cafeteria. DJ gently grasped Centra''s hand as they walked. Centra''s team claimed a small table on the second floor of the cafeteria after they''d gotten their dinner. Centra always considered the start and end of each school year as a special occasion worthy of a treat. So she would have her favorite food, a walnut delight. A walnut delight is a sweet pie filled with walnuts and fresh seasonal fruit. She grabbed a flavored tofu roll to balance out her sweet tooth. Liza had a plate full of croissants and a small container of efflorescence to put on her croissants. Efflorescence was a spread made from flowers and tree sap. DJ had two bowls of lyson soup, an ambrosia roll, and a flavored tofu roll. Jasper was eating an ambrosia roll and tofu roll. And Kyrie was having lyson soup accompanied by an ambrosia roll. But Kyrie was confused. The cafeteria''s menu was missing what he really wanted to eat. "Does the cafeteria ever serve meat?" Kyries teammates stared at him as if he had just grown horns. "Did I say something wrong?" DJ coughed a bit to clear his throat of the roll he had been eating and said, "No you didn''t ask anything wrong. It''s just¡­ meat''s way too expensive. Only high-class restaurants sell it." What kind of life has this guy been living? "Oh, I thought everyone could eat it. It''s not that hard to get and butcher a legend for some," Kyrie was baffled. He''d grown up being able to have meat at every meal. And when he went on missions there was no shortage of meat for him to eat, as long as he knew how to butcher the nearby legends. Jasper mumbled too quietly for the others to hear, "For you maybe." Kyrie was such a privileged brat. He''s exactly like they say. Well almost he did stop Caleb. A monster wouldn''t have stopped him. A monster would''ve let it continue. "Part of the high price is for the risk it takes to hunt a legend and carry its meat back. Since legend meat''ll attracts carnivorous legends," Liza said. She frequently used her ability to avoid being called on in class, but she was still one of the top students at Kondaira Academy. "Hmm," Kyrie said. He knew legend meat attracted other legends, from personal experience. Several of his scars were from improperly disposing of a legend when he was little. And some of his newer ones were from other LegendSlayers making the same mistake. Making those mistakes and ignoring the advice Kyrie had given them. As they ate, the team discussed the movies they''d seen and the actors they liked. Kyrie listened with interest. Eventually, DJ, Centra, and Liza realized Kyrie hadn''t seen most of the movies they were talking about. So, they showed him clips of different films and had declared tomorrow a classic movie marathon. Some of the classics were, * "Legends and Love" *, * "The Nightmare" *, * "One Last Song" *, * "A LengedSlayer''s Love Story" *, and * "A Night of Terror and Blood" *. DJ finished his meal and realized Kyrie wasn''t eating his ambrosia roll. "If you''re not going to eat your roll can I have it?" Kyrie looked sorrowfully at the roll, he loved them but¡­ he''d failed her. She''d been so kind to him ¨C given him a safe place to hide. But he hadn''t protected her like she''d done for him. "You can have it." ? ? ? *Also call me the moment you think a room is unusually cold or hot and you think Kyrie may be losing control.* (message status: read) 13 The Nightmare ''Dad, I want to go to Saloran Academy!'' ''Kiddo I don''t think you''re ready for school just yet,'' my father told me gently. ''But I''m seven now! Everyone starts attending an Academy at seven.'' At least, that''s what my best friend James was doing. ''And what if you lose control again?'' my father asked as he looked me in the eye. Right, this is serious. I''ve got to think it through. ''Uh¡­ I''ll be careful! That way I won''t lose control!''I said with pride. That had to be the right answer! My Dad smiled and gave a small laugh. Then my Mom said, ''Kyrie you will lose control, again. And this time you will hurt the other children. You can NOT go to an academy.'' When did mom get here? The plan was to get Dad on my side, so he could help me convince Mom. Wait, she said I''d lose control. Does she trust me so little? ''But I''ve been doing really well. And I''ll be careful I promise.'' ''Kyrie stop this your already losing control!'' ''Wha no I''m not! I''m-'' ''Do we have to send you to the basement?'' What!? No, no. I can''t do it. I can''t go back to that place. That deep, dark, hell. I can never go there, again. Trapped, alone, chained, in that horrible place. "P-please no." I pleaded. I just might not make it out of that place if they send me there. "Kyrie? Are you okay?" Did someone just touch me? Oh, Legends they did. No sane person would be near me. Unless. Unless they were taking me there. To that large, creepy, carved, stone door. Down that never-ending set of stairs. To the room. My room. It was slipping. The door I have to keep closed was slipping. That door so eerily similar to the one leading to that place. The room was getting colder, why was it colder now? No. No, it couldn''t be, was-was some taking me there! "Shit!" Dad, is that dad? Oh, my feet are on the ground. "WAKE UP!" Wake? Up? ? ? ? Kyrie blinked and glanced at the person trapped under him, then around his unfamiliar room. Where is this? What happened? Dad''s not¡­ he''s¡­ right. Seventeen not seven. "Dude could you move?" DJ asked with his cheek shoved into the carpeted floor. His left arm was pinned under his body. And his right ached in Kyrie''s grasp. DJ had tried to wake Kyrie up. That had been a mistake. It sounded like Kyrie''d been through a lot ¨C was haunted by a lot. "Sh-shit," Kyrie said as he scrambled to get away from DJ and his other teammates, who were standing in the doorway to his and DJ''s room. As Kyrie scrambled for distance from them his back hit a wall. There was no more room to escape. He couldn''t leave. And that horrid door. Kyrie sank to the ground with his knees in front of himself and his head between them. He needed to breathe. In. Hold. Out. In. Hold. Out. Check if the door is still sealed. Good, it''s still closed. Did it open when he wasn''t aware of it? Yes. Shit, how much energy did he take in? Could he contain his current aura? No, yes. Kyrie fingers dug into his hair. He''d try. He had to try. "DJ are you okay?" Centra asked as she watched her boyfriend roll and stretch his right shoulder. Centra kept her telepathy focused on how Kyrie was doing, just in case she had to use it on him like she had a moment ago. "Uh, yeah. I''m fine," DJ said as he watched Kyrie. Kyrie was fast. Even when he was a sleep, he was fast. "Turns out I can get a lesson in self-defense every time I try to wake Kyrie up. How about we make this a regular thing, Kyrie?" DJ joked in an attempt to ease the tension. "NO! We are not doing that!" Kyrie gasped as he focused on his breathing. His right hand anxiously rubbing at the ribbon on his left wrist. They should leave him alone. Being here ¨C being around him wasn''t safe. His mother was right he shouldn''t have come here. Liza glared at DJ. "Is this really the time for jokes?" "Maybe not but you didn''t hear him in his sleep, Liza." "Shouldn''t that have made it even more apparent that this is the wrong time?" "Guy''s stop. Arguing it is not going to help. Why don''t you pups grab DJ''s things and take them to my room? I''ll try to help Kyrie," Centra said as she bit her lip. How do you help someone through a panic attack? Was moving DJ out the best choice? As the others grabbed DJ''s things, DJ watched Kyrie. "Kyrie? Do you want me to move out? You seemed excited about this earlier." "DJ, he was thinking about wanting to be left alone, that''s why I said to grab your things." "Yeah, but maybe we should wait until he''s not having a panic attack to do this? What someone thinks or says in the heat of the moment isn''t always what they want later," DJ said. Centra glanced between DJ and Kyrie. She was worried that Kyrie and Raven Clof were right, that Kyrie was a danger to those around him. She just wanted to keep DJ safe. But then safe wasn''t a part of the job description of a LegendSlayer was it? Centra sighed and said, "I guess we should wait." Centra and the others each found a comfortable place to wait. Centra sat on the floor next to Kyrie. DJ sat across from Kyrie and talked about various things in an attempt to distract him. James sat next to the door and watched the others. Liza was perched on DJ''s bunk. Eventually, she got into an argument with DJ about what good music was. 40 minutes later, DJ and Liza managed to get a laugh from Kyrie and pull him into the argument. Centra smiled and joined in, glad that her boyfriend was very distracting and kind. Even if he makes jokes at the wrong time. All of the team, but Jasper chatted into the early morning. Eventually, they decided that DJ would continue to room with Kyrie and fell asleep in their various positions. Liza fell asleep on DJ''s bunk snuggling his pillow, Centra was sleeping under a blanket with her head on Kyrie''s shoulder to reassure him that he wasn''t alone. DJ was stretched out into the center of the room, with his head lolling to one side and drooling a bit. Jasper left the room not long after his teammates had finally fallen asleep for the night. 14 Math Class On Monday morning part of the first-year LegendSlayers were in Math class. Math class was named after the genius magician and second king during the Gwynedd family''s reign, Math ap Mathonwy. King Math was well known for his war magic and transforming two of his nephews into animals as punishment for committing a monstrous crime on the love of his life. Out of all the classes LegendSlayer students must take, Math class was both Jaspers favorite and least favorite. Jasper had a deep love and interest in magic, but the math professors would often call on Jasper to perform a demonstration. Half the time Jasper would do a demonstration, he had to mess up when casting a verbal spell and all of his demonstrations would end with someone subtly picking on him. James'' team sat with Centra''s team. Of course, Kyrie sat as far from James as he could while still sitting with his team. James and Kyrie alternated guilty glances at each other while they waited for class to being. Liza, who was sitting next to Kyrie, eventually asked, "Okay what''s the deal between you and James?" "I screwed up," Kyrie said as he fidgeted with the ribbon on his left wrist. Liza rolled her eyes at Kyrie, "Okay, and how did you screw up?" Kyrie grimaced, "Well I-" "Take your seats and be quiet. It''s time for class to start," Professor Clay said as he placed his things on the desk to the side of the classroom. "For those of you who are new here, I''m Professor Clay. I teach the high-level Math classes to those who are enrolled in the magicians'' branch of the school. For most of you, this class will be useless. I would rather you didn''t come at all. That way I can focus my time on the students that can actually use magic. But alas they want me to take attendance¡­ so I''m stuck with you. You can do as you please in this class just do it quietly." Professor Clay nodded to himself before he said, " Right, today let''s continue with the Valkine technique for casting a fireball. Remember this technique is performed by clearly picturing the runes for the spell and channeling your energy into them. This is how you cast a spell faster and can surprise your opponents. But it also consumes a lot more aura than verbal or sign casting." Professor Clay drew a dashed version of the runes needed to cast the fireball spell. Making the lines dashed was a common method to preventing the rune from becoming active. "Masaki, your father''s a magician, show me what you can do." Masaki repressed a grown. His father is the lead magician in charge of maintaining and updating the magic barriers attached to the inner and outer city walls. The outer wall encloses the farms surrounding Laserath. The inner wall separates the farms from the main part of the city. Masaki, unlike his father, was very bad at magic and hated it when people assumed he should be good at it just because his father was. After all, Masaki and his father were two very different people. Masaki went to the front of the classroom and studied the runes Professor Clay had drawn. After a bit, he gave the spell a half-hearted shot. Ignis, Sphera. When Masaki channeled his aura into the pattern of the runes, he didn''t channel enough. The lack of aura caused his spell to come out as a large puff of smoke that left him, and several of his closer classmates, coughing. "That was¡­ an attempt," Professor Clay said. "Jasper you should be able to do this. Unless, you''ve been slacking off as well." Masaki grimaced as he re-claimed his seat. Jasper headed to the front of the class room and cast the spell. Ignis, Sphera. This time a fireball formed in Jasper''s hand. And because this was his own spell, Jasper could absorb the fireball into his aura. Even so he''d lost some of the energy. "Very good! Jasper, your talents are wasted as a LegendSlayer, Jasper. You really should switch majors," Professor Clay said. Such brilliance so stubbornly wasted. Just like his older brother. Jasper gave a polite node and said, "I-I''d r-rather n-not." Professor Clay sighed and dismissed Jasper. As Jasper made his way back to his seat Masaki struck his foot. He put it in Jasper''s way. And Jasper hadn''t noticed. Until he was falling, and Masaki said, "Teacher''s pet." Jasper kept his head from hitting the floor with his hands and whispered, "Just you wait." He was fed up with Masaki''s torment. A torment that had started when he was seven. Professor Clay continued his lecture on the Valkine technique and its uses, before he moved into Ice spells and what they were good for. After a while, he asked for a volunteer to try casting an Ice spell using the Valkine technique. After a moment of not getting any volunteers, Professor Clay was about to speak. But Kyrie said, "I''ll do it." He enjoyed casting ice spells. Professor Clay sighed and glared at Kyrie. "I''d rather have someone who can actually cast spells come up, not some hero that thinks he can do anything." Kyrie''s eyes widened and his smile fell. Weren''t teachers supposed to teach classes and why ask for volunteers when you don''t want them? Plus, Kyrie may not be the best when it comes to casting spells, but he could cast them when he needed to. "Fine seeing as we don''t have any other volunteers. You can give a shot." Professor Claywalked to desk and mumbled, "LegendSlayers, always so cocky." Kyrie walked to the front of the classroom and studied the runes Professor Clay had drawn on the board. After studying the runes Kyrie held a clear picture of Glacies, Munio in his mind and slowly filled the runes with aura. When Kyrie cast the spell, an Ice wall formed at the front of the classroom. And Professor Clay impatiently said, "Good. Can you reabsorb your spell, so I can move on with the class." At least this one could cast the spell. "Uh. Not exactly¡­" Kyrie could, in a way, reabsorb most of the aura he used in casting the spell. But that would still leave a large puddle of water on the classroom floor. Professor Clay was about to say something when the bell rang for the end of the first class of the day. "I''ll see you pups next week." "Do you want me to try and get rid of the wall?" Kyrie asked. He was fidgeting with his ribbon, again. Combat class was next. Hopefully, their next teacher wasn''t like this one. "No, I''ll take care of it. Just do me a favor and don''t volunteer in my class until you can reabsorb a spell properly. Also, if you want, I can meet with you outside of class to teach you how. I already meet Jasper in the magic labs, you can tag along for one of those lessons," Professor Clay said. On the other hand, it might be better if didn''t teach Kyrie ¨C a hero more. 15 The Locker Room After Math class, the students headed to the locker rooms hidden within the arena. The Arena locker room was where LegendSlayer students would store their notes, books, spare combat uniforms, extra equipment, shower things, and sometimes a weapon case. After class in the arena, the students would come back here to shower and change before lunch or another class. Jasper had slowly made his way to the locker room so he could drop his books off in peace. He sighed when he saw Kyrie. The interloper was still here. Jasper moved went to his locker and entered the combination that he had received by text. Hopefully, the interloper would leave him alone. As Jasper entered his combo, Kyrie fiddled with the zipper on his hoodie. If he left it on it would restrict his movements. But if he took it off then his classmates would see his scars. Scars, the other students were lacking. So far, he''d only seen Ren, Amity, and Caleb with scars. And having scars was not a badge of honor amongst LegendSlayers. A large number of scars was a sign of failure. The other day Kyrie had easily removed his hoodie because he believed he needed to be ready for anything during the fight. But class, was an entirely different and new experience. Kyrie glanced at Jasper. "Hey Jasper¡­ Uh, how difficult are the combat classes here?" Jasper sighed quietly, today was not going well and all he wanted to do was work on his experiments. It was too bad his schedule was full. "They''re difficult for most p-people¡­ but e-everyone already knows t-that hoodie is not p-part of your combat equipment and the t-teachers are o-only letting you g-get away with it b-because you''re a hero," Jasper had used finger quotes around hero. "If you want to s-stop pissing people off t-then stop wearing that s-stupid hoodie. LegendSlayer s-students are required to be r-ready for c-combat at all times!" Jasper slammed his locker door and left. Kyrie looked at his sleeved arms for a moment longer, took a deep breath, and removed his hoodie. He opened Taru''s case and pulled her out. At the doorway to the arena floor, Kyrie paused for a moment, took another breath, and left as he thought, ''Oh well they already think I''m a crappy hero. All I''ll be doing is confirming it.'' ? ? ? At first, everything was relatively normal as Kyrie approached his teammates. But then one of his new classmates glanced at his arms and their eyes widened in shock. As Kyrie walked past, the guy whispered to his friend, "Do you see his arms? They''re covered in scars!" The student''s friend glanced at him and responded, "What? There''s no way he''s got scars like that." "Dude just look at his arms," the first student said as he pointed at Kyrie, who had almost made it to his teammates. "Seriously? I wear glasses and specialize in close combat because I''m so blind. How in Mity am I supposed to spot scar tissue on someone so far away." At this point Kyrie had nearly joined his teammates and was making his way passed James'' team. But as he passed Syra she grabbed one of his arms and asked, "Why do you have so much scar tissue? You should have plenty of aura¡­" Syra pulled Kyrie''s arm closer as she studied the scar tissue. "Though most of your scars look fairly old¡­ Why didn''t your healer take care of the scar tissue? It must have hurt¡­ Your healer must be a Jackass!" Syra had a look of disgust and anger on her face. Most of which was focused on the person who had been tasked with keeping Kyrie in top fighting form. What remained was her feelings of anger and disgust that this man, who had hurt James so badly, had successfully made her feel sorry for him. Kyrie started to tense up and blush as he briefly glanced at James, who had been so startled by Syra''s comment that he had breathed in some of the water from his canteen. A canteen that was nearly identical to the one Kyrie had stored on top of his dresser. "I''m fine!" Kyrie said as he yanked his arm from Syra''s grasp. Syra scowled at that and responded, "Fine! See if I help you when your hurt!" Syra crossed her arms with a humph and glared at Kyrie. "My healer is one the best alive," Kyrie said stubbornly, as he stared Syra down. ''He''s one the best and the kindest,'' Kyrie thought ¨C along with, ''it''s my stupid body that won''t heal right.'' "Ugh, whatever, I''m not getting into this with you," Syra said. No good healer, with a heart, would leave someone with scar tissue marring their body. While most people believed a lack of scars to be the sign of a good fighter, a fighter who could protect themselves and others, Syra knew better. She knew that the presence of scars meant someone couldn''t afford to pay a proper healer or feared that a healer would learn their secrets from the traces left on their body. And a clan as wealthy as the one Kyrie and James were from should have been able to afford one of the best healers around. As long as Kyrie''s secrets didn''t harm James, Syra would pretend to not care about what Kyrie was hiding beneath the scars marring his small frame. "Alright class line up in your teams! Team Captains at the front!" The combat instructor waited until the students were in position. "I''m professor Olson and am your dedicated combat teacher. This means you should consult me when you have questions or need help dealing with something. I''m your professor, unit leader, and counselor. If something is haunting you, talk to me," Professor Olson paused as he glared at the students who were laughing and joking quietly with their friends. The students messing around were the ones who''d lived in Laserath all their lives. The ones who hadn''t seen what the world was like outside of their well-protected home. "You may not understand the severity of PTSD and how important it is to know how to handle it just yet¡­ but some of you will begin to understand after today''s class. Hopefully, you''ll all fight to the best of your abilities, take this seriously, and come out of today''s class unharmed. And if you don''t, the least I can hope for is that next time you''ll listen properly." He paused to let his words sink in before he said, "Team Captains come forward and draw the tablet for the legend your team will fight." 16 The Bloodening After each team captain had drawn a tablet, all but one team left the arena floor and headed for the stands. For most students, this would be their first time fighting a Legend. All of them have seen legends through the barriers and in photos in their legend studies classes, but that was very different from standing face to face with one in combat. The first team to fight a legend was Centra''s. "Kyrie please leave the fighting to your teammates. I''ll tell you when I think it''s alright for you to join in," Professor Olson instructed. "I understand, sir. It''s not the first time I''ve watched over a bloodening," Kyrie said, as he looked Professor Olson in the eye with a fierce military air. Professor Olson smiled slightly at this. Of course, someone as experienced as Kyrie knew what to do in this situation. "Alright, I will be at the base of the stands watching over the fight. Do your best pups. When you''re ready, insert the tablet into the pedestal in the center of the arena." Kyrie walked with his teammates over to the pedestal and asked, "Do you want me to participate in a defensive capacity or do you want to try this alone?" "Well, Professor Olson said to leave the fighting to us¡­ so it''s probably best if you don''t help at all," Centra said. On the other hand, Kyrie had watched over this Blooding thing before and he probably wouldn''t suggest something that would go against their Professors instructions. Either way, Centra had made her decision and planned to stick with it. "Okay." Kyrie turned his back on his team, with a clenched jaw, and carefully selected a spot at the edge of the arena to monitor the fight. A bloodening was hard and watching over one was even harder. DJ, Liza, and Jasper stood guard over Centra as she placed the tablet on the pedestal. The pedestal sunk into the arena floor and the gate on the far side from Kyrie opened. The team clutched their weapons tightly and took their battle stances as they gazed into the opening engulfed in darkness. Screeech! Came from the opening followed by the form of a creature that was part woman and part bird. Its wings and arms molded into one and its feathers where a mix of crimson and black. The harpy''s torso melted into the feather-covered form of a bird''s chest, tail, and legs. Wicked Claws extended from the harpy''s fingers ready to shred flesh, armor, and weak auras. The harpy''s head was that of a woman, that of the viewer''s ideal woman. For Kyrie harpies always appeared as a girl with long red hair and orangish-gold eyes. He had never been sure why it happened, since he had never met such a girl, until recently. And he didn''t find her to be the most appealing member of the team, though she was definitely a close second. As was the case for most straight women, a harpy''s face would be that of the woman they admire the most. In Liza''s case it was her mother and in Centra''s it was her Aunt Malisa. For Jasper, the woman was a blond he knew quite well. After DJ saw the harpy''s face he smiled and gave Centra a kiss on the cheek. "Well, you definitely don''t have to worry about not being my most appealing woman." Centra smiled, laughed, and nudged DJ away a bit so she could have room to draw her bow. The harpy stepped further out of the entryway and took to the air looking for food to steal. As the harpy left the ground Kyrie tensed further and wondered why his teammates hadn''t attacked yet. Everyone knew a grounded or better yet soaked harpy, is less dangerous than one you let take to the air. With Centra''s bow, she couldn''t have that slow of a shot as to be unable to tear a hole through the harpy''s wing, right? The harpy screeched once before it spoke in a high-pitched voice, "There''s no food! Why''s there no food! I haven''t eaten in forever!" Screech! Jasper''s eyes widened in shock as he said, "What?! Why don''t we just feed her and let her go?" Centra watched as the harpy flew as high as it could before it screeched as the tips of its wings clipped the top of the transparent barrier that separated the arena floor from the stands and the harpy from freedom. Centra spoke with an aching heart as the harpy briefly plunged towards the arena floor, "We¡­ could give it some food and let it go right?" DJ glanced at Jasper and Centra as he said, "I-I guess so-" Liza looked at her teammates aghast and with two of her daggers in hand, she shouted, "What the hell are you cats talking about! It''s a Legend! We have to kill it before it kills us!" Jasper glared at Liza and shouted, "Just look at it! It''s not hurting us, so we don''t need to kill it you-" Screech! ''You! If I take you back to Zeus in proper form, he will definitely praise me for my work!'' the harpy thought as she dived. Centra shouted, "Kyrie!" as she turned to look past Liza at their final teammate. Liza ran towards Kyrie as a skrrreeek range through the arena and the harpy''s claws met one of Taru''s blades. The harpy was quickly backpedaling its wings to get higher into the air. Liza''s blade bit into and through the harpy''s right leg as it made its escape. "Shit!" "SCREEEECH!" the harpy cried as it felt agony tear up its leg from where its now missing foot had been. "You didn''t have to do that!" Jasper shouted as he ground his teeth and started casting a spell. "Screech!" The harpy dove for Liza. Liza blocked the remaining clawed foot with one dagger and a swooping razor-sharp feathered wing with her other arm and dagger. As the harpy''s wings made contact with Liza, her remaining aura flared to life and plummeted further. Screech cried the harpy as it was flung away from Liza in a startled heap of feathers, claws, and hair. Kyrie had carefully hit the harpy with a bladeless side of Taru and sent it flying away from Liza and his other teammates. "Sir, I''m going to protect Liza at this point," Kyrie said as he watched the harpy and placed himself between the harpy and a very shaken but unharmed Liza. Jasper had finished casting his fire spell but watched in shock as nothing happened. Kyrie clenched his teeth and forced himself to keep a loose stance. He needed to focus and would come back to the problems with this fight later. "Good," Professor Olson said. Kyrie had addressed him and that was good. Most students from LegendSlayer clans thought they knew more than their teachers. The harpy righted itself in the air as Centra released several arrows at it. The harpy grinned. Then used its control of storm-winds to flip the arrows and launch them back at the people below. DJ grimaced, he was too far away from Centra, now that he had moved close enough to help defend Liza. And Centra couldn''t get a good telekinetic grasp on the location of the whistling arrows. Arrows that could easily punch a hole through someone''s aura, if it wasn''t concentrated at the points of impact. Something Centra couldn''t do without knowing exactly where the arrows were heading. Jasper cast a spell using the Valkine technique, but as such the ice-wall he constructed between the harpy''s location and where he and Centra stood, was significantly weaker than if it had been cast properly. The arrows burrowed their way through the ice and struck Jasper and Centra''s auras. Their auras flared to life and cracked as DJ ran towards the harpy''s location, his field of control rapidly enclosing on the harpy as he too used the wind to speed up his movements. The harpy turned to face the form rapidly approaching it, the one who dared to control the wind in its presence. As the harpy battled for control of the winds with DJ, who had nearly gotten within range of the harpy, the arrows lodged themselves into Centra and Jasper''s bodies. Centra gasped for a wet breath that did not want to come. And Jasper, he rolled onto his unharmed left side to relieve some of the pain coming from his right side, arm, and leg. Before Kyrie moved to finish off the harpy it was engulfed by the earth and gone. DJ had finally gotten into range and used the wind to pull the harpy fully into his area of control, before having the arena ground consume it. And return to an eerily empty space. 17 The Aftermath "Centra!" DJ screamed as he crashed to his knees next to his dying beloved. A sob caught in his throat as he grabbed her uninjured hand. As DJ arrived at Centra''s all too still form, Syra jumped from the edge of the arena, through the one-sided barrier, and onto the arena floor. When Syra landed, Kyrie was in her way, blocking her path to Centra and Jasper. Syra ground her teeth, this hero was a murder. He was murdering his own teammates by doing this. Before Syra could complain, Kyrie reached for her and said, "I''ll take you." And he wasn''t trying to stop her, like she''d thought. No, he was trying to help like a hero should. Syra grabbed Kyrie''s proffered hand. Because now was not the time for grudges, there were injured people in need of her help. Kyrie swung Syra into his arms and delivered her to Centra''s side. As Syra reached for Centra, she used her ability to sense the extent of Centra''s internal injuries. Kyrie glanced back at the stands and made a hurried come here gesture. Professor Olson and Liza had arrived at Jasper''s side. Professor Olson was checking on Jasper as he waited for the staff running the arena''s mini infirmary to arrive. As Kyrie repeated his earlier gesture with more urgency, DJ asked in a low trembling voice as he glanced from Centra''s now closed eyes and barely breathing chest punctured with her own brutal arrows to Syra, "You can heal her right?" Syra''s face was twisted in contraction and beads of sweat had formed on her brow as she focused on Centra''s injuries. "I''m doing my best DJ¡­ But she has too many injuries to her vitals. In a moment I might be able to pull out one the arrows and heal a wound¡­ but then I''ll have to stop focusing on keeping her stable." "N-no, no! She, I can''t lose her Syra! Y-you have to save her!" DJ shouted as the ground beneath them rumbled and the air started to heat up. While Syra was explaining Centra''s dire circumstances to DJ, Kyrie held his hands up in a why gesture as he looked into the stands flabbergasted and confused. After he received another head shake for no, Kyrie gestured at Centra''s nearly still and blood-soaked form. Another no. Kyrie growled and stomped the foot he pivoted on into the ground before he locked gazes with DJ. He took a deep breath and spoke in a low steady tone, "DJ you need to calm down or move away from Centra." "Why didn''t you do something!? You were supposed to keep us safe!" The air began to crackle as flames formed around DJ and the ground shook. Kyrie felt a sting in his heart at that. He didn''t want them to get hurt and was supposed to be their teammate, but a blooding had recently come to mean the LegendSlayer lost blood, not the legend. With the same tone as before Kyrie said, "DJ your ability is starting to hurt Syra and Centra. If you don''t leave, I will make you." DJ glanced at Syra and Centra, then at the shaking ground and flames. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He changed the song he was listening to, let go of Centra''s hand, slowly stood, and said, "Right. I-I''ll go. J-just watch over her for me." When DJ looked at Kyrie his face was the picture of one despairing over the love of their life. "I will." At this point, the arena infirmary staff had arrived with two stretchers. Two of the staff members headed for Jasper and one went to assist Syra. Kyrie glanced at Jasper and clenched his fist. He took another deep breath and knelt next to Syra, Centra, and Dr. Kristoph. "How''s she doing?" Syra briefly closed her eyes, she was overwhelmed in worry and despair for her friend. But she had to focuses. She was all that kept her friend from crossing into the realm of the dead. Dr. Kristoph glanced at Kyrie, "Can you help move her onto the stretcher?" "Yeah, we''re trying to keep from jostling her too much, right?" Kyrie asked as he moved around Syra and to Centra''s head. Kyrie wanted to be certain he was doing this right. "Yeah, we''ll move her on three." After the doctor and Kyrie were in position, she continued, "One, two, three." After Centra was moved to the stretcher, with Syra maintaining her contact, Kyrie and Dr. Kristoph headed to the arena infirmary. Unfortunately, it was located below the arena. It was only after both stretchers were in the elevator and the doors were closed that Kyrie realized down was the only option. Just as Kyrie began to ask to be let out, the elevator lurched into motion. His hands shook as he tried to hold the stretcher steady. Kyrie bit his lip and desperately trying to focus on the elevator wall as his breathing slowed down until it stopped. Syra glanced at Kyrie in worry and surprise. Was¡­ he having a panic attack? No way. A hero wouldn''t be afraid of an elevator, right? Dr. Kristoph looked at Kyrie and muttered to herself, "Stupid." After which she sternly said, "Kyrie. You need to breathe. It''s alright we''re almost there." Kyrie gulped in a breath that caught in his throat. "We need to get Centra to the surgery room. Can you manage that, or do I need to wait for Dr. Cal to help me move her, so you can go up?" Kyrie took a breath and tightened his grip on the stretcher. Syra grimaced and panted, "I''m sorry. I don''t have much aura left." "I-I can do it." He''d already let the team down and didn''t want to do so again. Plus, he could go up whenever he wanted. Kyrie juggled his tasks of breathing, keeping the stretcher steady, and reminding himself that he could go up whenever he wanted. Before he knew it, they had placed both stretchers in the operation room. Immediately after setting Centra''s stretcher down, Kyrie left the room, found a set of stairs, and burst into the pink-tinged sunlight. ? ? ? After the staff from the infirmary left with Jasper and Centra, Liza chased after DJ. When she arrived at the inviting and warm colored three-story infirmary, DJ was talking with a receptionist and wearing a silver aura containment bracelet. DJ''s bracelet can contain the energy of someone with a Mid-low aura rank. "Should I wait here or at the arena infirmary?" DJ asked for the third time. A very patient nurse, who was trying her best not to look irritated said, "Sir, the answer is still the same. They will bring your teammates here once they''re stable enough to make the trip. You won''t be able to see them until after they''ve been cleared by a doctor. You can wait here or go back." "But-" "DJ lets go back. We can meet Kyrie, and Syra can tell us how they''re doing." Liza watched as DJ turned to face her. "Ok." DJ immediately walked past Liza and to the door. He paused and said, "What are you waiting for? Let''s go." "Right. " Liza followed DJ out the door, while she wondered why she''d just sicked a worried and impatient DJ on herself. Syra, please be out soon. "How were they when you left?" "I don''t know." They walked in silence for a while, lost in worried thoughts. ? ? ? When Liza and DJ arrived at the arena, they followed the signs leading to the infirmary stairwell and elevator. "What are you doing here!?" DJ shouted as he grabbed Kyrie''s shirt. "You promised to watch over her for me!" Kyrie grabbed DJ''s wrist, looked him in the eye, and said, "I''m sorry." "You broke your promise! And you let her get hurt!" DJ clenched his jaw and closed his eyes. The hand buried in Kyrie''s shirt was trembling. DJ''d let her get hurt too. He opened his eyes and asked, "Why? You''re so fast, you could judge what''s too much during the other fight and stop it. Why¡­ why didn''t you do anything?" DJ unconsciously loosened his grasp on Kyrie''s shirt. "I''m sorry. I miss called it. I thought Jasper''s Ice wall would slow them down enough to make them harmless." DJ let go of Kyrie''s shirt, stepped back, and nodded. "Why are you out here?" DJ gave a very sad smile and joked, "Did they kick you out?" Kyrie smiled, an equally sad smile, and said, "¡­ No, I-I don''t like going¡­ down." "Ah¡­" "So, shall we go back to the infirmary?" Liza asked. "Wait." Kyrie paused for a moment, "There''s something I have to ask. When you agreed with Centra and Jasper did you really mean it?" DJ shifted uncomfortably, "I don''t know. I''ve seen a harpy try to take someone before¡­ but I''ve also seen them just go by on their own business. So¡­ I was good with it if this was a harpy that wouldn''t hurt anyone." Kyrie looked up at the pink-tinged sky with the fingernails of his right hand digging into his palm, "Let''s get our equipment and go wait at the infirmary." Liza glanced at Kyrie as they went to gather their things. "Why did you ask that?" "Liza, I''m pissed and tired, let''s leave it until we know how they''re doing," Kyrie said. ? ? ? As Kyrie, Centra, and DJ waited for an update on Centra and Jasper''s conditions, Kyrie was on his hollo watch guiltily browsing through the LegendSlayer Updates app. This app was updated by communication experts from all over Mity. It had public and LegendSlayer only news sections. Kyrie was currently signed into the app and browsing through the news updates reserved for those with an S on their mission rank. *URGENT: An influx of legend movements has been reported near the town of Sentry. We are sending in three teams consisting of mostly Master Rank LegendSlayers to monitor the legend movements. A scout team has moved out to investigate the type, quantity, and ranks of the legends. They left one hour ago and have been out of contact for 15 minutes. So far, the legends appear to be intelligent enough to avoid being spotted. If there is an available S ranked LegendSlayer within 6 hours of Sentry, please respond.* Out of habit, Kyrie checked the distance to Sentry. It would take around five hours to get there outside of an emergency. Once again, Kyrie acted out of habit and changed from the news feed to the communication portion of the app. He selected the Mission Control user ID and began typing. *I''m located in Laserath and currently available.* It was only as Kyrie was about to hit the send button that he realized what he was doing. He may be available at this moment but how long would he be stationed there? A mission like this could be anywhere between a few hours and a few days. Plus, he was sort of on vacation right now¡­ but how many people would die because of his decision not to go? And if he went, where would it stop? SDM missions where rare-er, though more of them have appeared after the fall of Avalon, then the SAM missions which were never-ending. Kyrie decided to wait for more information before sending his response. After a short time, the door to the small infirmary waiting room opened and Centra''s little brother Corson walked in. Corson headed for DJ and casually asked, "How''s Centra? Is she healed yet?" DJ grimaced at Corson''s question and responded, "We haven''t heard anything yet." Corson frowned and asked, "What about Jasper?" "He was brought here a few minutes ago and is still being healed. Hopefully, we''ll be able to see him soon." DJ glanced at the door leading further into the maze of warm wooden hallways and rooms. He needed Centra to make it. To be here, where he could see her. Corson thought for a moment before he spoke, "You mean they were hurt so badly they¡­ couldn''t be moved from the arena?" "Yeah," DJ said as he continued to watch the door. "Why are you waiting here? Did you come because they moved Jasper?" Corson wished DJ''d answer his questions. DJ wasn''t a one-word answer kinda guy. He was jokes and never-ending strings of words. Not one word. How badly was Centra hurt? Kyrie closed his holo-display and said, "It''s my fault. I wanted to wait here." Corson crossed his arms and watched Kyrie with pure loathing. "Of course. I should have guessed it was all your fault." "It wasn''t his fault!" "It was an accident."Liza and DJ spoke over each other in their rush to defend Kyrie. Corson looked at Liza and DJ with surprise. "What did you say?" Liza glared at Corson. "I said, it''s not his fault. If anyone is at fault it''s Jasper, Centra, and DJ." Who did this kid think he was? Blaming everything on Kyrie, when he wasn''t even there. Corson rolled his eyes. Of course, his first interaction with the ice princess would involve her defending his nemesis. It was a classic plot from one of his sister''s romance novels. That he''d never read. Never. "Yeah right, like they would screw up that badly in a fight." DJ''s shoulders slumped, and he was staring at his hands as he spoke, "We wanted to let the harpy go." That¡­ was such a stupid idea. Corson looked at DJ with shock and horrified disgust. "Y-you wanted to let a legend go?! You''ve been to the tournaments and outside the city. Why the hell would you want to let one go?!" DJ grimaced, "It wasn''t hurting anyone at the time." Corson shouted with a voice that cracked in disappointment and betrayal, he''d thought DJ was better than this, "They always end up hurting someone! That what they do!" "Not always," Kyrie said from his spot next to Liza. "Sometimes you or the legend will part ways fast enough that they won''t attack. But once they get close enough to a city or in a city they will attack. They''ll also attack if you spend enough time around one." "Oh, my legends! You''re defending them!" Corson shouted. Of course he was. Kyrie was nothing but a horrid hero. "No, I''m teaching you about Legends. I don''t agree with what they did," Kyrie leaned forward and looked at DJ as he continued, "releasing one like you wanted is reckless and stupid." "Hmph." Corson plopped down on the seat next to Kyrie and grumbled, "I guess we can agree on some things." DJ looked at Kyrie. Kyrie was right, letting the Harpy go was a stupid thing to contemplate. He tightened his fists and promised himself never again. He would never make that mistake again. The containment bracelet on DJ''s wrist beeped a warning that his aura output had increased. He took a deep breath and attempted to calm himself down. As he waited for news, Corson texted his and Jasper''s parents. Liza was, once again, looking for safe methods to increase her aura content. DJ was analyzing the fight for what he could have done differently, and Kyrie had reopened the LegendSlayer Updates app. *I''m located in Laserath and currently available.* Kyrie stared at the message for a bit before he decided to rewrite it. *I''m in Laserath and available for a short mission.* No that wasn''t right. *I''m located in Laserath and can be called in as part of an emergency response.* There, that was much better, Kyrie hit the send button and switched to a different chat. After several minutes, a nurse entered the waiting room and asked, "Are you the team members of Jasper Glyph and Centra Livence?" "How are they?" DJ asked as he leaned forward. "Jasper is resting in his room and fully healed. You can visit him now if you want. Centra has been moved here and is going into another surgery and healing session. You don''t need to worry she''ll live. This session is just to help speed up her release. She will have several smaller sessions to attend over the next few days. But right now, it looks like she''ll be released tomorrow afternoon." DJ slumped back in his chair and sighed in relief, "Thank you Math." Corson smiled and spoke, "When is Jasper going to be released?" "He should be released in a few hours." "Great!" Corson said, "Let me tell my parents, then let''s go see him!" Kyrie frowned, he did not want to see that stupid magician ever again. 18 Pissed "Jasper! How are you? You should call your parents, so they stop bugging me." Corson rambled excitedly as he entered the private and cozily furnished room. Jasper looked paler than the last time his teammates had seen him. He also looked a lot thinner, but that was to be expected. Most healers and healing methods would involve using the energy stored in one''s body and the healer''s aura. Syra''s method of healing with only aura was an uncommon one. "T-tired b-but I-I''m okay." Jasper shifted on the bed, so his back was resting against the headboard. "T-the staff h-has m-my h-holo-watch." "That doesn''t matter." Corson unlocked and removed his holo-watch before handing it to Jasper. "You can use mine." Jasper took Corson''s holo-watch, opened its display, and texted his mom. *Hi mom, hi dad.* *Honey, how are you? Are you okay? *Should we pick you up? Surely, you can stay at home for a few days?* *I''m fine. I don''t need to go home.* *You may not need to, but I want you too¡­ * *I''m not coming home!* *Fine :( but I need to see my precious baby boy. And don''t think you can escape that. Just ask your brother how that worked out for him.* Jasper grimaced, he''d heard the horror stories from Jason. His mom had temporarily reactivated her LegendSlayer license to follow Jason''s every move for a month. After that Jason made sure she knew when he was hurt and came to visit her, even if it was hardly a scratch. "Are you still in pain?" DJ asked. "I can go get a healer if you need one," Corson said he glanced at the doorway Kyrie was awkwardly occupying. "Ah. N-no I-I''m f-fine. My m-mom j-just w-want''s to s-see me." DJ smiled, "Centra''s told me a few stories about your mom. She sounds pretty cool." "Ugh, c-cool is n-not h-how I w-would d-describe her. She''s s-so embarrassing." *Jasper you better not be ignoring me. When can I come see you and make sure you''re eating properly? *And Centra. *You know what, your father and I''ll take your whole team out for dinner! And Corson too! That sounds like fun! :)* *Mom! Seriously, do you have to drag my new teammates into this.* *Of course! They''re your team which means they''re part of your new family. Don''t you remember, we''ve taken Jason''s teammates out to dinner several times.* Jasper recalled how embarrassed his brother had been as their mom told every childhood story she could think of. He was filled with dread as he said, "M-my mom w-wants to take us out for d-dinner." DJ rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, how about tomorrow? We can go with Centra and her parents if we do it then." "W-why n-not w-with m-my parents t-tonight and Centra''s tomorrow?" The sooner Jasper could appease his mom the better. Kyrie spoke from his spot by the door, "Because Centra won''t be released until tomorrow afternoon." "W-what s-seriously?" No way, she was hurt that badly? And, and not attacking the harpy was his idea. "Yes, she nearly died Jasper. And you nearly killed a member of our team," Kyrie growled as he stalked farther into the room. The room that''s temperature dropped for a second. Jasper grimaced, no way, he couldn''t have¡­ "I d-didn''t mean to n-nearly k-kill Centra! I t-tried to p-protect her, you b-bastard!" When Kyrie arrived at Jasper''s bedside, he slowly shook his head and spoke, "I''m not talking about the crappy Valkine Ice wall. I''m talking about the fire spell you cast at Liza." DJ grabbed Kyrie''s shoulder as his bracelet beeped and said, "What are you talking about? Jasper would never have done something like that." Jasper had barely concealed his shock that DJ had sided with him. When, Liza shook her head, looked at Jasper, and spoke with scorn, "You bastard." Kyrie shrugged off DJ''s hand and turned to look at him. "Yeah well, he''s the only one I know of that could have cast that spell. You could have mimicked it, but you were too far away. It had to be Jasper." Jasper ground his teeth and said, "Y-you could have! A-are you sure you a-aren''t just c-covering your own a-ass!" Kyrie looked at Jasper with a mix of fury and shock that had the temperature in the room spiking. Did Jasper seriously just try to pass the blame?! Corson looked at Kyrie and said, "Of course he is. A crappy hero would never want to take the blame for his actions. Or inactions like you did with Avalon." Kyrie''s growled at Corson, "You don''t know shit about Avalon or what happened in that fight so but out." "Oh, I know plenty! You''re strong enough to easily kill that dragon. But you waited until after the other LegendSlayers were dead to do it." "I told them to leave! They didn''t listen!" "They didn''t need to! You could have just handled it before it became a problem!" "And have killed everyone! Thanks, but no!" Corson paused for a moment trying to figure out what happened. Did Kyrie say he could have done something¡­ but it would have meant killing everyone? Kyrie looked at Jasper. "This isn''t about me. It''s about him and the shit he pulled!" DJ was still trying to process the whirlwind argument but said, "If he did something wrong, then Centra and I did it too." "No, you didn''t. Not this." Kyrie took a deep breath, the room''s temperature leveled out a bit, and he continued, "Yes the three of you screwed up by wanting to let the legend go but you didn''t try to kill your teammate for fighting it." "I d-didn''t t-try to kill a-anyone. I w-was t-trying to a-attack the Harpy and m-missed." Liza spoke, "If you were trying to attack the Harpy then why not admit it." Jasper looked down and fidgeted with his sheet as he spoke, "I s-screwed up okay. I d-didn''t t-think about t-the fact t-that it w-would move or t-that you could h-have been hurt by the s-spell." DJ glanced around the room and said, "See it was just a misunderstanding. Everything''s cool now, right? If we just admit when we screw up, then we can avoid misunderstandings like this." DJ got a nod from Liza and waited for a response from Jasper and Kyrie, but he didn''t receive one. "Kyrie? It''s exactly like what happened between us earlier only you admitted your mistake at the start." Kyrie sighed and glanced at Jasper, maybe DJ was right? And this was all just a mistake? "Alright, just fess up next time, okay?" "Alright, n-next time I w-won''t try and h-hide it or b-blame it on s-some else." Jasper gave an embarrassed smile and asked, "C-can you f-forgive me?" Kyrie looked at Jasper and said, "Yeah." Despite the peaceful resolution, the atmosphere remained awkward. Eventually, Jasper glanced at Corson''s holo-watch to find ten new messages from his mom. They were all along the same line as the most recent message. *Jasper you better not be trying to keep me away from your new friends!* *I''m not mom we''re trying to figure out when to have dinner with you.* *Silly boy, that''s easy. We have dinner with Centra''s family and the team tomorrow. I''ve already worked it all out with her parents.* Jasper shivered and said, "M-my mom is t-terrifying. A-apparently w-we''re all h-having d-dinner w-with her tomorrow." ? ? ? *URGENT: An influx of legend movements has been reported near the town of Sentry. We have sent Three teams consisting of mostly Master Rank LegendSlayers and one scout team. All contact has been lost. We are mobilizing Kyrie Say (@Sword) for a SAM mission to recover the town of Sentry.* 19 Called in For Rescue The group was relaxing in Jasper''s infirmary room when Kyrie''s watch started vibrating incessantly. When Kyrie opened his holo display he saw the update on Sentry''s situation and instructions to report to the nearest airport. Kyrie responded. *Acknowledged, I''m on my way.* Kyrie watched DJ, Corson, and Liza pester Jasper with questions about his favorite movies. So far, they had a list of* "Returning Home" *, * "Going Our Own Ways" *, and * "The River" *. Kyrie hated to break up the relaxed atmosphere, but he couldn''t just leave. "I''m going on a mission." The other four stopped talking and turned to Kyrie with varying degrees of worry. Liza looked at Kyrie and said, "Are you sure you sure that''s safe? You said you were tired earlier." Kyrie shrugged and stood up. "I''ll be alright." Corson watched Kyrie with concern. Would¡­there be another news report praising the actions of this hero while disguising the lives lost due to Kyrie''s actions? "Do you want support? ¡­ I could go with you," DJ said as he swung his legs off the edge of Jasper''s bed. "No. It''s better if I go alone¡­ Tell Centra, I''m sorry I couldn''t wait." "I will." For a moment DJ frowned in worry as Kyrie turned to go. Before Kyrie could leave, DJ forced himself to smile and speak with a lighter lilt, "Come back in one piece, alright?" Liza sadly brushed her right hand against the braided crown of her hair and said, "Safely. Come back safely." Kyrie turned to look at his teammates and smiled a bit. "I plan to," was all he said before he left, headed to the airport and out on his first official mission, since the fall of Avalon. Liza, Corson, and DJ watched the empty doorway for a while more. DJ was worried that Kyrie may have gone on this mission alone. Liza was concerned that Kyrie wouldn''t be coming back or that he would come back, in one piece, like her parents. Corson worried for the people who were in danger and would only have a failed hero to help them. Jasper glanced at the other occupants of the room and spoke, "D-don''t worry. H-he''ll complete his m-mission and c-come back in o-one p-piece." Liza turned to Jasper with narrowed eyes and said, "He''s going to battle. You can''t know if he''ll come back." Jasper gave her a sad smile and said, "Y-yeah¡­ My b-brother''s w-worked with K-Kyrie before. He s-said Kyrie h-has one of the h-highest s-success rates s-so I t-think he''ll succeed and c-come back s-safely." DJ and Liz glanced at the doorway one last time before DJ spoke, "There''s nothing our worrying can do for him now. But maybe we''ll bug the Headmaster later." ? ? ? Kyrie left the academy and headed for the airport across the glistening blue-green river that runs through Laserath. When he arrived at the airport, with Taru on his back, he headed for the LegendSlayer guild terminal. As Kyrie neared the terminal, he noticed a line of LegendSlayers getting their missions destinations and transportation requirements checked. Kyrie walked past the line and to the staff member checking the LegendSlayers in. Some of the younger LegendSlayers watched unhappily as Kyrie started talking with the staff member. "I''m here to check in for an emergency class mission." "Ah! We''ve been expecting your arrival. Just to check, what''s your name, sir?" "Kyrie Say." "Good." The staff member looked at the man in the front of the line and said, "Sir would you please step back so I can get Mr. Say checked in?" "Of course." The man quickly moved to the side. Further back in the line a young LegendSlayer grumbled to the person in front of them, "Why is he being treated differently. Aren''t all missions of the same importance? Or is it just because he''s a hero?" One of the older members of the young man''s group responded, "In theory, all missions are equally important. But some missions require a faster response, most of the time it means we''re about to lose another city. And, if the emergency response goes well, they may shift some of the mission teams to help stabilize the cities defenses. And a hero usually becomes such by saving cities. "Oh," the young man said. At this point, Kyrie had already checked in and was headed farther into the LegendSlayer portion of the airport. Kyrie quickly arrived at the gate for emergency departures. He walked up to the staff member and said, "I''m Kyrie Say and reporting for the emergency mission to Sentry." "You can head for the cargo Helicopter LS58. We''re still waiting on some of the emergency support staff, but the Pilot is already on board." Kyrie said, "I''ll head over in a moment." The staff member nodded and spoke with a smile, "Good luck on your mission." Kyrie smiled back at her. "Thanks." Kyrie turned and followed the airport signs to the bathroom. After taking care of his business, he washed his hands and stared into the mirror. With the sound of rushing water filling Kyrie''s ears, he recalled the screams of the guards and citizens, the pungent coppery smell of blood in the air. The flashes of the pink barrier as it started to fall. The horrifying crack as the barrier gave way and the monsters began to slaughter their way through Avalon. The dark shape of a dragon shoving its way through the stone portion of the northern wall. The body of the little girl holding a phoenix plushy. Her brother''s sobs as Kyrie separated him from his sister, the sister he was supposed to protect. Someone said, "You alright?'' "Huh, yeah I''m good." Kyrie pulled his hands out of the sink and a dried them. A blond guy with a guandao, a 5 ? foot long staff with stubby half-moon blade on the end, smiled and said, "Going on your first mission can be pretty scary. What mission are you going on?" Kyrie glanced at the guy and said, "It''s pretty far from my first mission, I''m going to Sentry." The blond guy paused for a moment before he finished drying his hands and said, "Ah. Sorry about that. The name''s Alex, I''m a connection expert. I''ll be on the mission to Sentry too." Alex bumped fists with Kyrie, a customary greeting between LegendSlayers who are heading out on the same mission. "What''s your specialty?" Kyrie said, "Slaying legends." Alex and Kyrie left the bathroom. As they walked towards the helicopter Alex asked, "Was¡­ your last mission a bad one?" "Yeah. It was Avalon." Kyrie opened the door leading from the airport to the runway. Alex walked through. "Dang. That one haunts a lot of people and probably will for a long time." Alex gave Kyrie''s shoulder a comforting pat. "It''s good you''re getting back into the game." Kyrie nodded. "Yeah." He grabbed the shoulder strap of Taru''s case. "I will do everything I can to make sure it goes well." Alex looked at the heavily warded copter made of a dark glittering blue feather wood and nodded. "What''s your name kid?" "Kyrie Say." Alex smiled. "At least we''ll have some serious attack power." ? ? ? It took just under two and a half hours for the helicopter to fly along the Emerilla river and over the lush green forest. The trip was fairly uneventful. They had one run in with a harpy as they were taking off. But the city guard took care of it for them. As they approached Sentry the pilot spoke to his passengers through the speaker system, "We''re approaching Sentry. If it looks intact, I''ll land, and we can start assessing the situation. If not, we''ll drop our offensive attacker, Kyrie, and he''ll clear a landing zone for us." Alex looked across the helicopter and at Kyrie. "You ready?" Kyrie stood and pulled Taru from her case. He made his way the door, grabbed a support rail above the door with his left hand, looked Alex, and said, "Yeah." Sometimes vehicles were a necessary evil. 20 The Mission The LS58 arrived above Sentry. The pilot circled the small town of Sentry looking for signs of life and a spot large enough to land his copter. "We''ll land in the town center. Kyrie, I want you out the side door right after we land. We''ll set up a defensive formation around the copter. Once the area''s secure we''ll split into three groups. One will maintain our defenses, one will search for survivors, and the last group will search for the communication center. Kyrie''ll escort Alex, the rest of you know your positions." Soon after the pilot finished handing out instructions the helicopter started its descent. Just after the helicopter landed Kyrie threw open the door, dropped to the ground, and felt a bit ridiculous as he made eye contact with a person standing on the porch of the city hall building. At least this wasn''t the first time he''d done this. Kyrie decided it would be best to be cautious. After all some Legends can masquerade as humans, "We''ve got people so give me a sec." Kyrie walked forward a ways before he said, "Hi, sir. Would you mind giving me an update on the situation?" The man glanced at Kyrie''s weapon and said, "You won''t be needin that in town. Whatever''s been killin people hasn''t made it in." Kyrie nodded. "Good. Do you have any idea what it is?" "Not really. We have a few people who think they saw Misty in the trees. But that''s all we got. Haven''t had anyone come back yet." Kyrie nodded again. "Thank you, sir. Give me a moment and we''ll see what we can do to help." "Sure thing, kid," the man said. Kyrie turned and climbed back into the copter. He closed the cold door and said, "Right the situation looks like we might have a human turned into a legend problem. The gentleman outside said none of the people who''ve left have returned. If he''s telling the truth then the town should be safe, but he might be lying so we''ll want to stay on alert." At least the rescue crew remained silent for a bit, the pilot left the helicopter''s cockpit and said, "Right, we''ll keep two guards on the copter, I want the rest to help out in shifts with the city guard. Mia, Kyrie, Alex, you''re with me. Let''s find out what''s going on here." As Kyrie reached for Taru''s case and Alex grabbed his communication gear, their pilot, Gage, spoke, "Kyrie leave it. I want you ready for combat." Kyrie nodded, opened Taru''s case, and removed the straps for securing Taru to his back. With Taru resting comfortably against his back, Kyrie followed Alex, Gage, and Melissa into the city hall. The mayor met them in the simple reception area. "Thanks for coming. If you''ll follow me to the conference room, we can talk there." A large oval display table occupied most of the conference room. The mayor sat at the head of the table. Alex and Melissa sat on one side. Gage sat on the other side and Kyrie stood near the door. He chose to stand, even though the sun would be setting soon and today had been an exhausting day. Gage spoke first, "We know there have been sightings of what people believe is a human in the forest. Can you tell us any more about that?" The Mayor sighed, turned on the display table, and pulled up the picture of a girl. "This is Misty she''s the one people believe they''ve seen in the forest." He placed a picture of a boy next to Misty''s photo. "This is her boyfriend John. They were the first to go missing and were both LegendSlayers with intrinsic abilities. They went missing sometime last night. When we realized they were gone we sent a search party towards the river. The last report we received from the first search party said they had found Misty and that she was taking them back to John. "After we lost contact for a while, we sent another search party and requested assistance from mission control. The next search party said they''d reached the point where the first party had found Misty and were going to carefully follow their trail. We lost contact with each search party faster than last. Eventually, we lost contact with mission control. Chris, our communications manager, believes we lost contact because our communication line was cut." "Can I talk to him?" Alex asked. The Mayor sighed and ran his hands down his face. "He left with the last group. They were searching the communication line for a break. I wish we knew more¡­ After the first search party went missing, we sent the others with silver. There''s a werewolf pack that lives on the other side of the Emerilla." At the mention of werewolves, Kyrie could feel his left ankle ache where it had been crushed years ago. "They''ve attacked us before, so we thought it might be them. After we lost the communication line ¨C we were sure, there are no other legends nearby that would cut a communication line." Gage turned to Kyrie. "How much experience do you have with werewolves?" "Enough." Kyrie smiled and patted one of Taru''s blades. "She''s laced with silver." "Good." Gage nodded and thought for a moment before he said, "I want proof that it''s werewolves before we get too far. Kyrie, who do you want to take for a scouting mission?" "I''d rather go alone," Kyrie said. To him going alone was always better. "Are you sure? It might be better to have more eyes out there?" Gage said as he watchedthe oh so young man before him. "I''m sure. If I can go it alone it will be easier for me to fight and escape." Kyrie''d have less to worry about. "Alright¡­ If you''re not back in 3 hours, we''ll start evacuating," Gage said as he turned from Kyrie to the Mayor. "You can''t!" shouted the Mayor of Sentry. "We need this outpost to help monitor the river and to notify Laserath of an influx of legends." "And you have. We just want to keep you and your citizens safe. If we can, we''ll retake the outpost and your citizens can move back," Gage said as he tried to pacify the Mayor. Something he had a lot of experience with. The Mayor sighed, "Yeah. All right. I''ll¡­ tell them." It''s the least he could do for his people. Gage nodded. "We''ll see Kyrie off and see if Alex and Melissa can remotely find the break." ? ? ? Kyrie walked through the Emerilla gate into the clear and fading sunlight. There was a defensive clearing that ran along the walls encasing the town of Sentry. A faint breeze carried the smell of water, earth, and blood. Kyrie pulled Taru from his back and headed for a clear path leading into the forest. Kyrie listened for unusual sounds as he followed the trail left behind by the other search parties. The further Kyrie went into the forest the stronger the smell of the earth and blood grew. The sun had finished setting by the time the trees had grown bigger and closer together. Due to the lack of light and the dense forest, Kyrie was slowly creeping down the remains of a path. He could hear the occasional creaking of a tree and snapping of branches. Along with the rustling sound of something moving along the forest floor. But he had yet to see a werewolf. Or any legends. Eventually, some green vines began to impede Kyrie''s movement speed and he had to work to keep Taru free of them. The vines trailed from a tree''s branches towards the ground or crossed between several trees. "Crack!" Kyrie turned in the direction of the breaking branch. "Snap." This time the sound came from behind him. Kyrie was surrounded by legends. And their numbers were increasing. As Kyrie tried to spot the werewolves between the dense trees something grabbed his left ankle. He tried to swipe Taru at the hand on his leg. And as Taru tore through the vines above him heading for the werewolf grabbing his ankle, blood spilled from the vines. More vines and branches from the surrounding trees rushed towards Kyrie. And, as Kyrie began to channel his aura to help him move faster, the vine on his ankle dug into his boot. Wrapped its way around his ankle and slithered into his leg. The tree that had staked its claim on Kyrie, yanked him in close and held him up by his left leg. As it flipped him, more of its branches and vines wrapped around Kyrie and greedily burrowed their way through his aura. They weren''t werewolves. They were vampire tress. The forest was full of Jubokko. 21 Amongst the Trees "Fuck," Kyrie groaned as he hung upside down in the tree. His right side and shoulder throbbing where the tree had burrowed into him. As he tried to move enough to free Taru, the vines tightened their grip on him and in him. Kyrie''s aura was quickly being consumed, along with some of his blood. Kyrie clenched his teeth and watched the bones lying tucked in the roots of the tree. The bones that the tree had been hiding under its vines. As Kyrie began to work on a plan to free himself from the Jubokko, the tree realized it could pull more aura from Kyrie''s left ankle then from the other locations it had been feeding from. The tree''s vines headed for the other four locations Kyrie''s aura naturally leaked from ¨Chis neck, right ankle, and wrists. As the vines brushed his neck, Kyrie felt like his neck was burning and itching, just like his left ankle, just like they had in the past. He needed to get out. Now. As Kyrie took as deep a breath as he could, frost began to form on the trees and plants around him. The tree drinking from him slowed and Kyrie managed to place his aching ankle against the tree''s trunk. Kyrie pulled himself up with the vines and planted both feet against the tree''s trunk. Kyrie preemptively grimaced, channeled his ability, and tore free of the tree. He re-absorbed the momentum as he hit the floor and the temperature dropped more. Kyrie was constantly pulling more energy in, as he swung Taru into and through the trees. He hacked and chopped for a bit before he stood, favoring his left leg, and using Taru to support his weight. The excessive quantity of aura had stopped helping his body heal and had begun to cause it harm. Kyrie glanced at the first tree he had chopped down and sighed. A bright green sprout was already poking up from the trunk. Kyrie didn''t want to waste any more time in the quickly re-growing clearing. He grimaced, placed his left foot firmly on the ground, and began to run. As he ran, he grimaced and coughed. A sick wet coppery tasting cough. He had too much aura and it was feeding on his remaining strength, slowing him down. Just like he was slowing down the Jubokko. It was only when Kyrie became dizzy and desperate that he released some of the aura, tearing through and at his body, into the forest. The forest that quickly drank it and grew stronger. After releasing some of his traitorous aura, Kyrie felt marginally better and continued to run. After what felt like hours Kyrie glimpsed the town of sentry through the trees. The normal, pleasant to hang out in, trees. The kind of trees he would climb for fun as his father watched below. The kind of trees James would build houses for. The trees he wished he could climb with his brother Tyrone Say. The trees that would feed on blood and become cursed, if he couldn''t put an end to this and soon. Trees that where a part of the life and livelihood of Laserath and Sentry. A livelihood that would take others'' lives almost as if in retribution for the countless deaths of their own species. Kyrie arrived within shouting distance of the gate and with a wet, aching, shout he said, "Let me in!" The guard standing watch quickly opened the gate. After Kyrie was through, the guard closed it with a resounding bang. He glanced from the wall to Kyrie and shouted, "We need a doctor! Now!" and sent a request for medical help across Sentry''s internal communications network. ? ? ? Gage was waiting outside the room Kyrie was being treated in. He was leaning against the wooden wall of the infirmary connected to Sentry''s guard barracks. The door opened and the doctor from the rescue team stood in the doorway. "You can go in now. We''ve treated him as best as we can, for someone resistant to healing magic." Gage stood up, glanced into the room, and saw the medical assistant pinning a bandage on Kyrie''s right shoulder. "How''s his aura sickness?" "He''s mostly recovered. His body is healing quickly," the doctor looked from Kyrie to Gage and continued, "If he keeps healing at this rate, he''ll be able to move without a crutch by dawn." Gage sighed, "Thanks," then turned and entered the room. Gage sat next to Kyrie who was sitting on the edge of the examination bed and asked, "How are you?" Kyrie winced and shifted a bit on the bed. "I''m alright. Sore but okay." Gage nodded, "What did you find out there?" "I''m not sure what started it, but enough blood has been spilt for the trees to become Jubokko. I didn''t realize what they were until too late. We need to handle this and fast, they''ve already spread quite a ways." Gage nodded and pulled up a holo map. "Can you show me where you were attacked and where the Jubokko stop at?" "Yeah." Kyrie pointed to the spots he knew had Jubokko. After that, he showed Gage his estimate for the area the trees covered. "Alright, we''ll expand the radius and start setting up a containment barrier along the front. Then we''ll connect the other sides of the barrier to the edge of the Emerilla. Can you help us support the barrier?" "Yeah. Can you give me the crutch?" Gage stood and handed Kyrie the crutch. "Take your time. I''ll tell the others and we''ll get started." ? ? ? When Kyrie arrived outside the Emerilla gate, one wall of the translucent pink barrier had been raised along the edge of the forest. The barrier was weak and held only a hint of pink. Alex and the other members of the rescue party were powering the barrier. Gage turned at the sound of Kyrie''s approach. He paused for a moment as he watched Kyrie make his way closer, by using Taru as a crutch. "You do realize I shouldn''t have even asked you to come help power the barrier and I am absolutely not letting you fight." Kyrie tightened his grip on Taru and said, "I don''t like going outside a barrier without my weapon." "Ah¡­" Gage felt similarly about being side a barrier without his copter. "Can you take Alex''s place as the anchor?" "Yeah." Kyrie made his way over to Alex. "How''d the search for the break go?" Alex caught sight of Kyrie out of the corner of his eye, smiled, and responded, "Good, we have an estimate on the location and it lies within the range you guys created for the barrier." Alex studied Kyrie for a moment. "Are sure you can take the anchor position? You look like you should be spending more time with a healer." Kyrie smiled a bit. "Yeah. Using up some aura''ll be good for me. Plus, if I run out, I''m sure someone''ll help me get more." Gage placed his hand on Kyrie''s left shoulder and said, "Of course. But I''d rather you tell us when your running low and we''ll switch you out." Kyrie nodded, carefully stretched out his right hand, touched the barrier, and began focusing on synchronizing the rhythm of his aura with the barrier. As Kyrie took over powering the barrier, Alex pulled back and, eventually, stopped powering it. "I''ll take the next group and head for the right side. Alex, you''ll head for the left side. Kyrie, strengthen the barrier a bit more when everything''s in place so we can start the fires." Alex nodded, and Kyrie responded, "Understood." ? ? ? After some time, Kyrie could feel the pull on his aura increase as the remaining two sides of the barrier went up. Once he felt the barrier settle into place he began to pour more of his aura into the barrier. The pink color of the barrier strengthened, and the magicians cast their spells. One fire was started along the right side of the barrier and another along the left. As the hours passed Kyrie and the others, monitoring the fire and feeding the barrier, grew bored. Some of them started playing twenty questions and swapping tales. After some time, Kyrie carefully sat down and leaned against the barrier. He could hear the cracking and snapping of the fire next to him. The smoke-filled air would have been burning the LegendSlayers'' lungs if not for the enchanted masks that had been handed out. In Kyrie''s case, he''d loosened the scarf-like ribbon around his neck and used part of it to cover his mouth and nose. Eventually, they killed all of the plants and legends within the barrier. Alex was replaced by another member of the team. Freeing him and Melissa so they could make their way into the barrier and begin repairing the coms line. It was early morning when Alex and Melissa hacked into the completed part of the coms line leading to Laserath. Afterward, Alex sent a request for a purification team and the parts needed to repair the communication line to Sentry. After the next helicopter arrived Kyrie was relieved of his position, low on aura, and ready to sleep for a day. He caught the copter returning Laserath in the early morning hours and took a surprisingly wonderful 5-hour nap. ? ? ? DJ woke up to the vibration of his holo-watch. He groaned and groggily rolled over. DJ''s watch vibrated again. He groaned, rolled onto his back, turned his head, and glanced at the window. His view of the academy grounds was obscured by a curtain. A curtain with no light leaking through. Who the hell would be texting him at this time? DJ sighed and pulled his sheet over his head. Whatever it was could wait until morning. DJ''s watch vibrated one more time. "Fuck it!" DJ sat up and opened his holo-display. He had three messages from Headmaster Raven Clof. *I just got word that a connection with Sentry has been established. I''ll see if I can find out how Kyrie''s doing. *It sounds like Kyrie was injured during the mission but is doing alright. *His commander is sending him back on the first ride home.* DJ sighed and replied. *Thanks. Do they know when the first ride back will be?* *No. But I would guess Kyrie''ll be home in around seven hours. I''ve sent Kyrie a message telling him to take the day off from class. *Though he probably won''t listen and''ll go anyways. He''s not very good at taking breaks or resting, could you help me make sure he takes a break?* DJ smiled at the last message. It was time for him to reclaim his role as the master of fun. James used to have a similar problem and DJ had turned him into his partner in crime. It was time to do the same to Kyrie. *Don''t worry. I got this :)* ? ? ? At a more reasonable time in the morning, DJ was up, dressed, and ready for his next day of classes. When he arrived in the common area of the team''s dorm room he headed for the cool cupboard. As DJ was contemplating what to make for breakfast, Liza walked in. "Hey. Have you heard? Kyrie''s on his way home." Liza had spent much of the night anxiously waiting to learn if Kyrie would be coming home alive. She was glad he would be coming back but she wouldn''t be able to fully relax until she saw him for herself. DJ closed the cupboard door and turned to Liza who was perched on a stool at their breakfast bar. "Yeah." DJ''s stomach grumbled as he contemplated his food options. Cafeteria or make something? "What are you thinking of doing for breakfast?" Liza looked a bit sheepish as she said, "Uh, I''ll probably go to the cafeteria. I''m not much of a cook." "Oh! I could cook something for you." It might be faster than walking to the cafeteria and waiting in line forever. Or at least what would''ve felt like forever for DJ''s stomach. Liza watched DJ skeptically. "Are you sure? You don''t seem like the kinda guy who can cook." DJ grinned as he watched Liza. "Oh, I can cook." Liza studied DJ for a moment. "Okay." Why did that sound like a challenge? "Let''s get Jasper and have a team breakfast! We''ve got planning to do." DJ turned towards Jasper''s room and had already taken a step when Liza spoke, "Jasper left earlier he said he was going to practice." DJ''s shoulders dropped a bit at the loss of another person to cook for and at the subtle reminder of the terrible Blooding they had gone through yesterday. In fact, they''d missed the last class of the day Survivalist Training. "Oh¡­" DJ reopened the cool cupboard and perked up a bit. "I still get to cook for two." Liza watched DJ and attempted to cheer him up more. "If you want, tomorrow you can cook for the whole team." DJ smiled. "Yeah." He pulled out some fruits, vegetables, and tofu. He went to the sink and started washing some of his ingredients. "We should find out what Jasper and Kyrie like to eat. Then we can go grocery shopping and I can try to make their favorites." DJ paused his cleaning of the fruits and vegetables he planned to turn into a stir-fry. "What''s your favorite food?" Liza grinned. "I love croissants. Their fluffy efflorescency goodness is amazing. There is nothing that can beat a good croissant." Liza watched DJ more seriously for a moment before she said, "We should definitely make their favorites. It''d be a great morale booster." "Yep and it''ll be part one of the have fun as team plan." Liza had a predatory grin as she said, "I like the sound of this. Please tell more about this plan of yours." DJ smirked, this was going to be epic, especially now that he had another partner in crime. 22 Late But Presen DJ claimed the seat next to James, and Liza claimed the seat on the other side of DJ. James took a sip from an innocuous-looking bottle he''d brought with him. DJ wrinkled his nose and his face contorted in disgust as he caught a whiff of the bottle''s contents. "Please tell me that isn''t your specialty smoothie." James grinned, took another sip, and said, "Yep!" DJ shuddered and shifted so he could get as much distance as possible between himself and James'' smoothie. James'' disgusting energy smoothie. "I can''t believe you''re drinking that stuff during class. Next to me." James smiled and laughed, "You''re the one who sat by me." James took another drink, closed his bottle, and deliberately placed the bottle next to DJ. DJ glared at James, "Sometimes you''re really annoying." James grinned at DJ. And DJ watched James for a moment. Then, when Professor Pele entered the room and James glanced at the door, DJ struck. He snatched James bottle, horrible smoothie and all. Then chucked it as hard as he could. The bottle struck the classroom wall, left a dent, and landed perfectly in the trash can, with a small leak. In return for DJ''s effort to save the class from James'' smoothie, he received two glares. One was, of course, from James and the other was from Professor Pele who DJ had narrowly avoided hitting. "I see DJ is already working hard on earning himself extra after class work." Professor Pele slammed his books on the desk at the front of the classroom. "I will only tell you once so listen well. You''re in teams now. That means the rules have changed. Any punishments one member of your team earns is a collective punishment. That doesn''t mean you split the punishment, it means you all receive it. On the other hand, rewards are treated the same way," Professor Pele smiled and said, "And the thing I''m sure you''ll enjoy the most is you get to take tests as a team." Some students cheered and others watched their cheering teammates with worry. Professor Pele continued, "DJ since I haven''t assigned any work yet, you just earned your team 20 problems from chapter 3. They''re due next time we have class." James grimaced that was going to suck. DJ tried to make his impressive frame smaller and hide under the table. Earning his teammates more work was definitely not part of the fun plan. At least Calc class was only once a week. ? ? ? The classroom door creaked open just after Professor Pele had finished his review on derivatives and had written a simple problem on the board. y - 3a - 3 = 14 - a cubed Professor Pele turned to catch the person attempting to sneak into his class. As the student''s form became visible in the doorway Pele realized he knew this student and he knew them well. Pele crossed his arms and glared at the intruder, glared at Kyrie. "Trying to sneak in late." Kyrie paused in the doorway and blushed a bit. "Sorry, sir." "You''ve earned your team 30 more problems from chapter 3." Kyrie glanced at DJ, Liza, and James. He was unsure how to handle this situation. Maybe if Centra had been out of the infirmary she could have passed on some advice. "Not taking your seat? Are you volunteering to take the derivative of the problem on the board?" Professor Pele said. Kyrie fidgeted with the ribbon on his left hand. "No, sir. I''ll go take my seat." Kyrie glanced at Professor Pele as he made his way towards Liza. He wondered why Pele looked so familiar. As Kyrie walked past the trash can near the doorway, he sneezed at the strong smell coming from it. The very familiar smell. He glanced at James for a moment. Why would James'' throw away his smoothie? Professor Pele ground his teeth at what he believed to be Kyrie''s continued reliance on James. It was time Kyrie learned to stand on his own. "Come work the problem on the board." Kyrie paused and glanced at the problem. y - 3a - 3 = 14 - a cubed "Why? He''s probably way ahead of us in math like he is in everything else," Masaki said with a sneer. His finely tuned bully senses had told him this was an opportunity to help make someone even more miserable. And, it might just be an opportunity at revenge for Kyrie showing him up in Math class. "Kyrie. Come," Professor Pele said. Kyrie let go of the tiny bit of ribbon on his wrist and cocked his head sideways in wonder. Why was this Professor''s voice, and his last command, so familiar? He turned and walked back to the front of the room, past the trash can, and stared at the problem. y - 3a - 3 = 14 - a cubed After confirming he had no idea what to do Kyrie said, "Uh, what am I supposed to be doing?" Professor Pele responded "Take the derivative of y with respect to a." Kyrie took the whiteboard marker from Professor Pele and continued to stare at the problem. The only thing he understood was that he was supposed to do something involving y and a. But even that meant nothing to him. Professor Pele ground his teeth and looked at Kyrie. "I know you''re smart enough to easily solve this problem Kyrie." Kyrie grimaced as he realized why Professor Pele was so familiar. He used to be Kyrie''s private tutor for Mathematics. Unfortunately, Pele was also Kyrie''s last tutor for mathematics. And that lesson was several years ago, on division. "Uh, Professor Pele I haven''t done mathematics in a while. Could¡­ you help me?" Pele crossed his arms and watched as Kyrie shifted uncomfortably in front of him. Pele slowly asked, "Exactly how long has it been since you attended a mathematics class?" Kyrie grimaced, "Uh since I was eight." Professor Pele closed his eyes and tried not to explode in rage at the child in front of him. It was not Kyrie''s fault that his education was so heavily skewed towards combat and survival. But it was his parents and clan''s fault. The clan Pele had once been a part of. The clan that he had taken his baby sister and left. They left because of the clan''s abusive behavior in their obsession with combat. An obsession that had run to the point of getting several children killed and creating this scarred mess of a boy. And Kyrie was just that, a boy. A boy in need of help. Pele opened his eyes and said, "We need to start by isolating the y. You can do this by adding 3a +3 to both sides of the equation. You add it to both sides to keep the integrity of the equation." Kyrie nodded and did as he was instructed. y = 14 - a cubed + 3a + 3 "Next we''ll use the power rule and take the derivative of y." Before Pele could continue, Misaki shouted from the back of the class, "He missed the first part of class do not make me sit through this shit again." Pele turned to glare at Misaki, "You just earned your team 30 problems from chapter 3 as well. It seems after class work is not enough to get this class to behave. If this continues, I''ll have to come up with something better." Pele paused for a moment as he looked each student in the eye. "Misaki, while rude, is correct. Kyrie, take your seat, your teammates will help you catch up." Pele turned to the board and finished the problem. y = 14 - a cubed + 3a + 3 y'' = -3a squared + 3 Pele continued class and moved on to his lecture on integrals. Once class was over Kyrie fidgeted with the ribbon on his wrist and glanced at James. "Why''s your smoothie in the trash?" James glanced at DJ, "Someone threw it in thrash." DJ grinned, "Someone had to do it." 23 Control The students stood along the wall with the entrance to the control classroom. The opposite wall of the classroom was lined with doors and windows that lead to individual practice rooms. Kyrie half-heartedly covered a yawn and asked, "Which class is this?" "Kyrie," James glanced from the practice room doors to the entrance of the classroom. "You might want to skip this class." Corson scoffed as he stopped in front of James and Kyrie, "Yeah. He wouldn''t want to help me become better than him. He might just lose the title of hero." Corson looked from Kyrie to James. "I thought you knew better than to hang out with this," Corson spat on the ground and spoke with unbridled disgust, "Legend." Kyrie grimaced internally but appeared impassive. He could practically hear his father voice saying, "Shh, Kyrie it''s okay," as his father wrapped him in his arms. "I know you. You aren''t a legend. You''re my little boy and one of gentlest souls I know." In contrast to Kyrie''s more relaxed stance, James was glaring at Corson and lunged for his shirt. James felt a gentle touch on his shoulder. A touch that gave him pause. He glanced down at Kyrie who shook his head once. "It''s okay." Kyrie turned to Corson, his hand still resting on James'' shoulder. "I thought we had come to an understanding, but it appears not. You can believe what you want but I will always do everything within my power to save another''s life. Calling me a legend won''t change that." The tension that betrayed James'' want for a peaceful solution eased. A sign that he believed in Kyrie, even if being in Kyrie''s presence made his heart ache. Corson rolled his eyes, "Yeah? Did they teach you to parrot that in hero school?" "I quite admire your control, Mr. Say. I certainly wouldn''t take someone belittling me as well as you." Kyrie frowned at this new professor''s reference to himself. And James was grinning as Corson spun to find Professor Florence standing behind him. Andray smiled, his mom was the best, a real badass. "What''s your name, young man?" Professor Florence said. Corson gulped a bit and managed to say, "Corson Livence." Professor Florence smiled, "There might be just enough time to turn you into a fine young man Corson." Professor Florence patted Corson''s shoulder and moved to stand with her hands clasped behind her back in front of the practice rooms. "Students, welcome. Every Tuesday we''ll be holding a joint class on Control." James glanced at Kyrie, who was frowning and holding his left wrist as he watched Professor Florence. James sighed and gently grabbed Kyrie''s arm. Kyrie glanced at him and James gave him a very sad looking smile. He wasn''t ready to try and prevent one of Kyrie''s panic attacks. Or to stay by his side after it was over. Kyrie gave a weak smile in return, nodded, and focused on Professor Florence. James may not have done much but he reacted quickly and that in itself was enough. "I''d like to start today by having some from the upperclassmen, who has demonstrated exceptional control, share their techniques for achieving it. Miss. Perdita would you please tell us how you''ve achieved your exquisite level of control," Professor Florence said with a smile. Ren smiled and walked to the front of the room, she pivoted to face the class and her skirt twirled as she moved. Ren watched her classmates for a moment before she spoke, "The main part of learning control is to practice. You should practice a lot, in different ways, situations, and with different goals. You''ve probably heard that bit before, but it still bears repeating." Ren paused as she glanced around the room. When she made eye contact with Caleb she smiled and continued, "For those of you who don''t know my ability is aura manipulation. When I was first learning to use my ability, I found it easier to use it by channeling aura through objects. Of course, some materials are easier to channel it through than others. For example, it''s much easier to channel my ability through wood than metal, like my sword. "When I first started using my ability, I pictured it like I was pulling or pushing different sized rocks." Ren looked at Amity who stood next to Rick. "Eventually Amity suggested I try thinking of something more versatile like water, which helped a lot. By changing the image I used to control my ability, things got a lot harder to control for a while but eventually, I was able to do a lot more with it." "Thank you for your explanation. Miss Perdita is also working as my teaching assistant so if you''re having trouble feel free to seek help from her or myself. DJ if you would please come forward and share your unusual method of controlling your ability," Professor Florence said. DJ grinned and placed a hand on James and Liza''s shoulders. He did a fist-bumped with Kyrie before heading over to Andray''s mother. "Hi everybody! My ability is Dominion. It''s tied to my emotions, so I use music to help me control it. Something relaxing or boring to keep me calm and something with aggression or hype for combat. Or just whatever song or part of a song seems right for the occasion. That''s about it¡­ Oh yeah! I DJ at Club 58 so come by sometime." "Thank you, DJ¡­ I''m sure Caleb''s father apricates the advertising." Professor Florence locked eye gazes with Kyrie who started shaking his head. "Kyrie would you please come tell us how you control your ability." Corson smirked when Kyrie glanced at him. While Caleb watched Kyrie with a mixture of concern and curiosity. Why did he not want to go? And Syra watched James whisper, "You don''t have to," into Kyrie''s ear. Syra wanted to know when things had changed ¨C how they''d changed. When did James go from hating Kyrie''s guts to acting worried about him? Didn''t James feel the same as her? Sure, he was decent during the healing thing and¡­ Okay, he definitely has a bad past but that shouldn''t have changed anything between Kyrie and James. And it definitely shouldn''t have changed how Syra thought of Kyrie¡­ But then again, she wasn''t nearly as mad about James whispering something to Kyrie as she thought she would be. As she would have been just 24 hours before. Kyrie was watching Corson as he debated on what to do. He reached for the ribbon on his wrist as DJ spoke, "Come on up Kyrie." Kyrie looked at DJ who was giving him a reassuring smile. He dropped his hand to his side and walked to the front of the room. Kyrie watched his fellow classmates as he tried to think of how to start and what to say. "Umm hi¡­" James silently groaned this was not going to go well. Kyrie once again reached for the ribbon on his wrist. He''d figured out what to talk about but getting the words out was a different problem. A problem that stemmed from an instinctive want to shy away from the topic. "Umm I, uh¡­" Kyrie trailed off and spoke quietly, "A door." Professor Florence gave Kyrie an encouraging smile and said, "Mr. Say could you speak louder." Kyrie grimaced, let the ribbon fall against his wrist, and snapped, "I''m not Mr. Say, that''s my father. And I said a door. I picture a door. Most of the time it''s closed. When it''s open ¨C I''ve screwed up, okay?" Kyrie was watching the door leading out of the classroom as he ran one hand through his hair. He wanted to leave. He wanted the ribbons gone. Kyrie wanted to walk out the door with only Taru and his canteen. He wanted to walk out into the wilderness of the land reclaimed by the legends. Through the trees and into the dangers that lurked there. Away from the dangers that lurked in his mind and memories. The dangers found in words that made him think of his parents and things that made him recall the horrors of his past. But he was a hero. DJ slung an arm around Kyrie''s shoulder and said, "A door huh. Sounds good. Though maybe I can help you try to find something more versatile to picture." Kyrie glanced up at DJ both of them could hear the words DJ hadn''t voiced, the words he''d left out, "Maybe something less related to your nightmares." 24 Dinner with the Family After control class DJ, Liza, Kyrie, and James'' team met Jasper on their way to pick up Centra. Thunderclouds were blocking the light of the sun, but the barrier was still casting a strong pink light from the impact of the pouring rain. Kyrie frowned in worry as he glanced up at the barrier. How long could the barrier take the impact of a storm like this one? DJ said, "Hey Jasper. Where were you during class?" as he slung one arm over Jasper''s shoulders and dragged him towards the infirmary. Jasper blushed and shrugged DJ''s arm off as his mind stumbled for what to say. "I-I w-was t-tr-tr p-practicing w-with m-moving t-targets." DJ smiled and said, "Good. How did it go?" "Oh umm, I-I''ve m-made s-some p-progress." Kyrie watched Jasper closely as he said, "That''s good. Do you want help practicing?" Jasper glanced at Kyrie. Was Kyrie watching him like that because he was still angry? Or was Kyrie watching him for another reason? "Uh I-I g-guess." As the group wandered into sight of the infirmary, the door slipped open. And Centra stood in the doorway. When DJ saw her, he ran the short distance to Centra and engulfed her in his arms. Centra smiled and wrapped her arms around DJ. When Centra looked up, DJ placed a hand on her cheek and she kissed him. James covered his face with his hand and groaned, "Please don''t do this to me again." Kyrie started laughing and James spun to face him. "Kyrie this is not funny." Kyrie grinned as he watched James. "It''s really funny when you think about it. You of all people groaning over two nearly adults kissing." Another chuckle made its way past Kyrie''s lips. James blushed and retorted to Kyrie''s laughing form, "I''ve said I''m sorry. I didn''t know what I was doing. We were, like five." Kyrie finally stopped laughing, but still smiled as he said, "It''s fine." Centra was snuggled up in DJ''s secure but gentle hold. She smiled and whispered, "When did those two start getting along?" DJ pulled Centra closer. He was still a bit worried that it was all a dream. Worried that he''d fallen asleep in the infirmary waiting room and that everything had turned out like this because of his wish for everything to be okay. For everyone to be safe and where he could protect them. DJ shook off his worries and whispered back, "I don''t know. It just kinda happened at the end of Calc class." DJ groaned at thought of all the extra homework they had and at the thought of trying to teach someone else how to do all it. "We''re okay Deej." Centra smiled and said, "Don''t worry, I''ll help teach him." Kyrie smiled as he looked at Centra, "I''m sorry I couldn''t see you when you woke up. How are you?" Centra slipped an arm around DJ''s waist and moved so she could see her teammates and friends. "I''m good." ? ? ? Later that evening, the rain had slackened and Centra''s team had made their way to one of the tall buildings with a display monitor on it. Kyrie was concealing his face with the hood of the black hoodie he''d put on before they''d left for dinner. Kyrie was trailing behind his teammates. Centra and DJ were holding hands and chatting. Liza glanced back at Kyrie. She''d been watching him carefully all afternoon. She''d seen him dozing and resting his head in his hands a few times. "Kyrie, I''m glad you''re okay." Kyrie smiled, "Thanks." The team entered the building and took the elevator to the 4th floor. The doors opened, and they made their way into the restaurant. Jasper and Centra glanced around the room looking for their parents. "Are you looking for someone?" the hostess inquired while she held a pile of menus. Centra turned to face the hostess as she said, "Yeah. A group of five should be waiting for us." "Please follow me," the hostess said. The hostess led them to a private room at the back of the restaurant. There was a large table set for ten. Corson, his parents, and Jasper''s parents sat around the table. As Jasper moved to claim the seat closest to his parents, his mom and dad got up. His mom grabbed his shoulders and checked her baby for any sign of lingering injuries. Jasper glanced at his teammates, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Before Jasper could ask his mom to let him go, his mom pulled him into her arms. Jasper groaned, but when he wrapped his mother in his arms ¨C he was happier then he thought he would be. Happier than he would ever admit to his teammates. After all, Jasper was a teenage boy. While Jasper was reuniting with his mother and father Centra was going through a similar experience with her parents. In contrast to Jasper, Centra was very much displaying her happiness at being hugged by her parents. And even though Corson had seen Centra yesterday he decided to give his sister another brief hug. After which Centra claimed the seat next to her parents. Corson reclaimed the seat between Jasper''s parents and his own. DJ claimed his spot at Centra''s side and Liza took the empty seat next to DJ. Kyrie propped Taru''s case against the wall and pulled his hood back before he claimed the remaining spot at the table. As the hostess finished passing out the menus she asked, "Will the bill be together or separate?" "Together," came the response from Jasper''s mom, Centra''s dad, and Kyrie. "I''ll pay," Kyrie added as the others turned to look at him. "No." Centra''s father said as watched Kyrie. "You''re our guest. We''ll pay for you." Jasper''s mom glanced at Centra''s dad, "Technically, we set up this dinner so you''re all our guests." She smiled as she continued, "Which means we get to pay." Centra''s father narrowed his eyes at Jasper''s mom. "You paid last time. Which means it''s our turn to pay." Centra sighed and Jasper rolled his eyes. This was a very familiar argument. Rarely a week would go by without this argument happening. And the only times it didn''t was because their families weren''t having dinner together that week. As Centra''s father and Jasper''s mom fell into their familiar banter, Kyrie turned to the hostess and said, "You can give me the bill." "No," Jasper''s father said as he glared at Kyrie. "I won''t eat something bought by you. If you want to spend your money, then spend it on the families of the people you got killed yesterday." Kyrie stared at Jasper''s father in shock. After a moment of silence, in which everyone could hear the chatter of the other restaurant guests through the open doorway, Kyrie spoke, "I didn''t get anyone killed yesterday." "Is that like how you didn''t nearly get my son and Centra killed?" Jasper''s father said as gestured to his son. The restaurant''s hostess glanced at the doorway. Should she leave and come back after they had settled this argument or stay? "That''s different that was a mistake!" Kyrie said. "Oh, and the twenty-something people you got killed yesterday wasn''t?!" Jasper''s father ground his teeth in anger and disgust at the so-called hero before him. Kyrie could feel his nails biting into his palms. This was the second time he''d been accused of letting others die in less than 12 hours. Hearing it from a child was one thing and hearing it from an adult who was twisting his words was another. "You know that''s not what I meant. I did not get or let anyone die yesterday." "No. You just nearly let half your team die yesterday," Jasper''s father said with a piercing glare. This child was as much a liar as the LegendSlayer guild. Claiming no responsibility for the lives he''d failed to protect. A protection that had failed to keep his son safe. The hostess decided now was the time to go and quietly slipped out the door. As she left, she decided to warn the restaurant''s Bouncer that he may have to throw some out. "I miscalled the speed the Harpy returned the arrows at," Kyrie said. "No, you miscalled the durability of Jasper''s Ice wall." Liza was watching Kyrie as she spoke. "At least that what you said yesterday." She didn''t like how Jasper''s father was tearing at Kyrie. And wanted to help him, but she didn''t pick a very good method. Jasper''s father grinned predatorily. "So, which is it?" Kyrie grimaced and glanced at Jasper. "I''m not used to working with¡­ young magicians. So¡­ I expected more of¡­ Jasper''s Ice wall." "That sounds like you. Blaming others for your mistakes," Jasper''s father said. Jasper grimaced and started to speak, "H-he-" Kyrie replied, "I don''t blame others for my mistakes. I said I misjudged it. Not that Jasper messed up. If you''d just listen to what others are saying this wouldn''t be a problem." "I don''t listen to lying legends like you," Jasper''s father said. Kyrie huffed in irritation as he started to get a headache. "Where are you even getting the idea that I got people killed yesterday!" Jasper''s father responded, "I got it from a respectable news source that doesn''t spout the bullshit the guild does." "Which means you got from someone who wasn''t even there. There were no reporters present when I left Sentry. And the people who died were dead before I got anywhere near Sentry," Kyrie said. Jasper''s father rolled his eyes, leaned back in his chair, and shook his head in disappointment. This kid just wouldn''t admit to the truth. "You''re no better than the LegendSlayer guild that my foolish children want to join." Kyrie stood up. And his chair screeched backwards. He slammed his hands onto the table and said, "And you''re a horrible excuse of an adult." Kyrie yanked his hood up as he turned away from Jasper''s father and moved to grab Taru from her spot near the door. Kyrie hesitated at the doorway before deciding it would be better for him to just leave. 25 A Team Breakfast? I grimaced as the burning, slithering agony tore up my leg. I could feel the blood-slick thing moving inside it. Under the skin, in the muscle, and wrapping around my leg. A rustling sound came from behind me. I had to move, to free myself from this thing worming its way around me. I grimaced and grabbed at it. It started to slip free of my leg. The rustling sound of heavy footsteps urged me to work faster. I yanked the thing free of my left leg with a dizzied gasp. I could hear a soft growl from the creature behind me. It was getting closer. But some of the Jubokko''s vine was still inside my leg. Wriggling. I dug my fingers into the flesh of my leg. I needed it out. I needed it out now. The coppery smell of my own blood flooded my nose. It was so thick I could practically taste it. Just a little more and I''d have it. A¡­ "Awk argh zzzzz." ? ? ? Kyrie woke with a start. He was bent over his recently healed left leg. His hands were warm and wet. "Shit." Kyrie removed the ribbon on his right ankle and tied it around the wound in left leg. His holo-watch vibrated as a second message came in. @shield: *@sword are you okay? *If you don''t answer soon, I''m going to call you.* @sword: *Nightmare* @shield: * Ah.* Kyrie grimaced and stood. His left hand supported some of his weight as he grabbed the edge of DJ''s bunk. He limped his way to his dresser and the emergency kit he''d stowed there. Kit in hand, he carefully made his way to the bathroom. Leaving a trail of bloody handprints. After the slow and excruciating process of tending to his leg, Kyrie washed his hands, then replaced the ribbons on his right leg and wrists. He changed into his everyday clothes, gathered his bloody things, and dumped them in the wash. As his clothes and bedding were being cleaned ¨C he started cleaning up the bloody trail he''d left. By the time everything was clean, his clothes and bedding were done. Kyrie remade his bed, grabbed Taru, and left the dorm with a slight limp. ? ? ? DJ''s shoulders were slumped as he stared glumly at the contents of the cool cupboard. Centra wandered over, slipped one arm around DJ''s waist, and kissed him on the cheek. "What''s wrong Deej?" DJ closed the cupboard door and hugged Centra. "Kyrie left this morning and I was planning to cook breakfast for the team." "Ah¡­ Did you tell him what you were planning?" "No. I forgot." Centra gently pulled out of DJ''s hug and gave DJ a light swat on the arm. "You goof. Just call and tell him." DJ stood there watching the beautiful angel before him. After a moment he pulled her in for a quick kiss and said, "Your brilliant. I''ll call him." DJ flicked open his holo display and found Kyrie''s number in his contacts list. He impatiently waited for Kyrie to pick up. His watch rang once. Twice. Three times. No answer. DJ''s shoulders slumped. The room grew humid and his glum expression returned. "Did he forget his watch in your room?" James was always forgetting his holo-watch so Kyrie forgetting his watch seemed like a very reasonable idea to Centra. DJ perked up a bit at the idea of Kyrie having forgotten his watch and charged into their room. He glanced at the dressers, Kyrie''s had nothing on it while DJ''s was already covered in things. Having no luck at finding Kyrie''s holo-watch he headed to the bathroom, maybe Kyrie had taken it off when he got ready this morning? The bathroom door was closed so he knocked. "I''ll be out in a moment," called Liza as she finished doing her hair. "Is there a holo-watch on the counter?" Liza glanced at the counter but didn''t see a holo-watch lying amongst her bathroom stuff. "I don''t see one. Did you lose yours?" The door to the dorm opened as DJ said, "No, but I thought Kyrie might''ve." "Thought I might''ve what?" said Liza DJ turned to face Kyrie who had just entered their common area and shouted, "Your back! Now we can have a team breakfast. I''ll cook." Centra smiled at DJ and moved to knock on Jasper''s door. Knock, knock. Centra received no answer so she said, "Jasper! Are you there?" She waited for a bit and still didn''t get a response. "Looks like he''s gone or too absorbed in his work. I''ll text him while DJ starts breakfast." Hopefully, Jasper''s free, Centra glanced at DJ who seemed to be having one of his moody days. *Where are u?* Jasper: *The Magicians training ground. What''s up?* *DJ''s making breakfast. You should join us." *I already ate. Maybe next time.* *okay.* "Jasper already had breakfast. He might join us next time." But he''ll probably avoid that meal too¡­ Liza opened the bathroom door and said, "Four out of five is pretty good." "I guess." DJ pondered for a moment as he cut up some potatoes. Jasper was working pretty hard¡­ "We are definitely dragging him with us to the festival." Kyrie grimaced as he recalled the form of a little girl running from her big brother. The echoing call of the brother, ''Why?! Why didn''t you protect her? I thought you were different! I thought you were nice.'' "I-I don''t think I''ll be going." Liza turned to Kyrie, her eyes wide with surprise. "What? The festival here is amazing! You have to go." She could picture the lights and shouts of hawkers. The music and the games that awaited them. The duals in the arena. Kyrie fidgeted with the ribbon on his left wrist. But¡­ after Avalon¡­"I don''t think me going is a good idea." DJ frowned at the onion he was cutting. We can''t miss the opportunity of going to the festival. But Kyrie might be right, to many survivors from the fall of Avalon have moved to Laserath. He sniffled a bit before he said, "It''ll be fun you should come." Kyrie dropped the bit of his ribbon, glared at the wall, and said, "No. I''m not going." 26 Corson vs Kyrie It was Friday morning and Professor Olson, along with the under classmen''s combat Professor, Professor Fel, had started class in the arena. Friday mornings were spent as a joint combat class for zero-year and first-year students. "Zero-years please select who you would like to fight," Professor Olson instructed. The moment he was released to select his opponent Corson headed straight for Kyrie. "Fight me, hero." Kyrie sighed and tightened his grip on Taru. "Alright." "Good." Corson finally had his opportunity to show he was a better fighter then this so-called hero. Corson turned and walked over to his combat professor. "Sir, I''d like to dual with Kyrie first." "Good," Corson''s teacher grinned. Corson turned towards Kyrie. He wasn''t letting this chance slip, even if it meant standing far closer to the pretend hero then he was comfortable with. "Corson! Show that bastard who''s better," Professor Fel said. Corson grinned as he watched Kyrie. "I will." Professor Olson frowned as he glanced at his fellow teacher. Encouraging your students is a good thing but this, this felt vindictive. What did Professor Fel have against Kyrie? It had to be more than just a dislike from rumors. It had to be personal. While the other students selected the upperclassman they wished to fight, Ren was left without an opponent. Even though the number of underclassmen was significantly larger than the number of upperclassmen. James had gathered the most opponents and was looking at them worriedly. There were way too many students for him to do one-on-one bouts with. James shrugged and smiled, at least this should make for good training. Professor Olson said, "Right, we''ll split the arena up into eight sections. That way we can have eight instructional bouts at once." "Wouldn''t it be better for our students if they watched a fight between the strongest students of each year? We could¡­ hold a single bout between them and split the arena later." Olson glanced at Professor Fel, "I suppose that would be alright." "Good. Students," Fel gestured to the arena stands, "Please take a seat in the stands. I''ll ref the fight." "You mean we''ll ref the fight," Olson said as glared at the new professor. "Of course¡­" responded Fel with a sickening smile. Fel was watching Olson carefully. This other professor was likely to do something¡­ problematic. If Fel had shown a little less enthusiasm perhaps this Olson fellow would have stayed out of his way. With the arena cleared, the professors headed to the ref''s barrier off to one side. Both boys made their way to their positions. Corson was next to refs, as Fel had arranged it. An arrangement Kyrie had been all too easy to manipulate into allowing. Time to make sure Corson knew what his advantages were¡­ "Corson, his weapon is made of metal, wood, and magic. So-" "Professor Fel, are you giving advice¡­ to a competitor? When you''re supposed to be an impartial ref." This prof¡­ Fel glared at Olson and forced a smile. "No, I was just¡­ giving Corson a warning." "Then let''s consider him warned and start the bout. We do still have two classes of students waiting for their opportunity to practice." Fel grinned, genuinely. "If you say so." To easy. That was way too easy. "Hmm," was all Olson said in response. Shit, did Fel just trick that answer out of him? With Kyrie and Corson in place. Olson asked, "Are you ready?" "Yes." "Yes!" came the responses from Kyrie and Corson. "Start!" shouted Olson. The moment he was released to attack Corson sent two of his daggers shooting towards Kyrie. The daggers whistled through the hot damp air. And were brushed from their path with a clang as Kyrie swung Taru. Kyrie continued to charge forward as Corson grinned and sent another dagger whistling towards Kyrie. Corson was grinning because this was turning out even easier then he thought it would. With a careful twist of the first two daggers, he spun them towards Kyrie''s now exposed back. Perfect. The blade coming from Corson rushed towards Kyrie and he carefully brushed that one away as well. Kyrie''s path to Corson was now clear. He could''ve simple finished his charge before Corson''s other daggers caught up to him and forced Corson onto the defensive. But Kyrie didn''t do that, for one simple reason. He was here to teach. And how much does one really learn if they are so overwhelmed by their opponent that they couldn''t even begin to pinpoint how they lost? So, Kyrie kept his pace the same. And Corson took advantage of that. His daggers sliced towards Kyrie''s back. They had nearly brushed Kyrie''s aura when Kyrie simple moved one of Taru''s blades to cover his back. An easy maneuver to complete when he was wielding Taru with one hand. The daggers were battered away once again. This time the third dagger had changed course as well, and it sought the flesh of Kyrie''s left side. The side opposite to the hand was Kyrie holding Taru with. Yet, Kyrie simply took his next two steps faster than before. He easily dodged Corson''s follow up attack. He was closing in quickly and had gotten too close for Corson''s comfort. Corson started to take careful ¨C slow steps to the right as he struggled to bring the three daggers he was controlling to continue their harassment of Kyrie. Corson hoped this would slow Kyrie''s charge. But Corson''s control was worse, and the daggers moved slower. To Kyrie, the daggers had already been boringly slow and now they were excruciatingly slow. Kyrie slowed his charge and easily battered the daggers away as he approached Corson. "For this fight, you may want to stop trying to walk at the same time as you control the daggers. Their speed might be threatening to most. But to me, they''re just irritatingly harmless." Corson grimaced, stopped walking, and shot his daggers at Kyrie with a speed he had never achieved before. But it was a speed born of anger. Kyrie continued to talk as he battered Corson''s daggers aside, "The speeds better, but you''ve lost yourself to anger. You should think about practicing with Andray." Corson grimaced again. That damned hero was treating him like a child that needed a lecture on combat. Kyrie''s not that much older. And it''s not like that just over a year difference in age would have made that big a difference in their combat experience. He could hold his own against James. Surely, he could defeat this idiot in front of him. The idiot that wasn''t even trying and his fucking weapon was even made of expensive shit like aura conducting metal. Metal. Kyrie''s weapon was made of metal. And in Corson''s way. Corson sent all but one of his seven daggers after Kyrie. He used the daggers that were chained together to try and tangle Kyrie''s weapon in it. The sudden, all-out attack kept Kyrie busy for a moment. Just busy enough to become distracted by his immediate predicament. As Corson yanked on the metal elements of Kyrie''s weapon, Fel grinned ¡ª for just a moment. Corson struggled for a bit. He couldn''t manipulate Kyrie''s heavy weapon and his daggers at the same time. But the solution was easy enough. Corson yanked Kyrie''s weapon to him and stopped moving some his daggers. He used the ones he still controlled in a now far more effective manner to keep Kyrie in place. As Kyrie dogged and blocked the daggers, he noticed what Corson was doing with Taru and felt a chilling wave of terror wash through him. His eyes widened and he stopped caring about the daggers attacking him. Kyrie''s aura flared to life as he shouted, "NO!" Kyrie pushed through the daggers but he''d realized what Corson had intended to do, all too late. Taru was in front of Corson. And she was hungry. Corson''s hand warped around the cold wood of Taru''s handle in what felt like an agonizingly slow manner to Professor Fel, one of her creators. With Taru in Corson''s hands, everything was in place. Kyrie would not be making it out of this bout unscathed. 27 Tarus Curse "Argh!" tore through the arena. Corson crashed to his knees as a burning agony tore down his right arm. His own aura shredding its way through his body. And into Taru. The coppery smell of blood flooded the arena stage as Taru became coated in a greedy crimson light. Kyrie grimaced as he rushed to Corson''s side. Then slid his left palm against Taru''s upper blade. The cut was so fine Kyrie didn''t even feel the blade sliding into his palm. He wrapped his now bloody-stinging left hand around Taru''s warm wooden shaft. Please let this work in time. Please. Kyrie forced his own aura to flood down his left arm, and into Taru. At first, Taru drank greedily from both boys. But soon she became engorged on Kyrie''s aura. The more she drank the more the smell of blood faded and the crimson light she admitted dimmed. Corson yanked his right hand free as soon as Taru''s pull weakened enough. His jaw was clenched in agony as he held his arm protectively to his chest. Professor Olson crouched next to Corson. "Ssh, let me look at your arm. Corson? Corson," Professor Olson said. But his words fell on pain deafened ears. Kyrie grimaced and opened his eyes to see Corson huddled on the ground. This was not how he''d meant for things to go. He''d just wanted to help Corson improve. But he''d messed up once again. It was hard. So hard to go from always fighting life and death battles to fighting duals with those younger than him. It was hard fighting a battle that shouldn''t end in the death of a combatant. Kyrie had tried to fight like his father had when he''d taught him. But that was a long time ago, and he was not his father. Next time this wouldn''t happen. Next time he''d make sure Taru wouldn''t feed on some innocent soul that tried to take her from him. As Long as they met in the arena. Kyrie tightened his grip on Taru before releasing her and removing the ribbon from his right wrist. "Here it''ll help." Corson growled as he smacked Kyrie''s proffered right hand. "I don''t want anything to do with you, you monster!" The ribbon had slipped from Kyrie''s grasp and he watched the teal ribbon with bloody smears laying on the stone floor of the arena. He picked the ribbon up. When he looked back at Corson''s silent pain wrecked form he said, "I''m sorry." "Sorry," Fel sneered from behind Kyrie, "You''re sorry. For what? Wielding a cursed weapon like that one." Fel pointed at Taru and continued, "Or are you sorry for the lives it cost to add such a disgusting feature." Kyrie closed his eyes. "Both. And that Corson got hurt." Now wasn''t the time to wallow on mistakes. Kyrie opened his eyes and stood up. "His injuries shouldn''t be life-threatening, but he should still go to the infirmary." Professor Olson nodded in agreement. "Corson, do you think you can stand?" Corson grimaced placed his left hand on the cold stone floor and pushed himself up onto shaky legs. His legs steadied, and he looked down on the shorter monster before him. "I will kill you. You''re a goddamn monster." Kyrie looked up at Corson and said, "Good to know someone''ll do the right thing." Kyrie smiled sadly. "But first you might want to let me help you with your arm. I know more than most about these kinds of injuries." Corson''s eyes narrowed and he growled, "You aren''t getting anywhere near me. Unless, I''m revealing you of your head." Professor Olson rested a hand on Corson''s back. "Let''s get you checked out Corson. Kyrie we''ll discuss your weapon with the Guild master and the Headmaster." Fel grinned. "I''ll make sure this monster goes straight to the Headmaster." Professor Olson stopped walking and glared at Fel. "I trust that Kyrie will clean up and go directly to the Headmaster''s quarters himself. You will stay and keep our other students safe." Fel glared at Olson and ground his teeth. He hated this job. "You don''t want to know what I''ll do to you if any of other kids are injured today, Professor Fel." Professor Olson slowly walked Corson out of the arena. ? ? ? Kyrie grabbed Taru, who was now no different than she had been before the fight¡­ well, almost no different. And turned to go to the locker room. "And where do think you''re going?" Professor Fel sneered. Kyrie sighed and watched Fel warily. "To the locker room, then to the Headmaster. Is there something else? Or can I go?" Fel opened his mouth to speak but closed it as he changed his mind. He''d pushed far enough, for now. "You can leave." When Kyrie got to the locker room he washed and tended to his left hand. After taking care of his hand he pulled an extra shirt from his locker. He discarded his bloody things in a pile. And slammed his arms against the frame of his locker. So stupid. He was so stupid. He should have realized someone could take Taru from him during a dual. He should have prepared. It was a simple thing to keep her from feeding on a thief. He just had to pass on his intent that it was okay for another to hold her and feed her a little bit of his aura. Such a simple, easy thing and he hadn''t done it. Now Corson would be scarred for life. No magic or operation could heal wounds from having your aura torn out of you like that. Kyrie took a deep breath and stepped back from his locker. The light from the embedded petalite stones glinted off Kyrie''s bare chest. His chest was marred with scars. The thickest of them wrapped from over his shoulders and diagonally across his chest. The scars crossed his back, leading to the shoulder they started at. Kyrie had a light blue tattoo of the glyph of purity inscribed inside the alchemic glyph for water. The simple glyph was marred with interlocking runes. Kyrie straightened out the crumpled shirt and pulled it on. He put Taru back in her case and slung her over his shoulder. He hesitated to place his disgusting bloody things in his looker. If he put them in side they''d smear the inside of his looker. It''d be another mess for Kyrie to clean up. But this one was preventable. Kyrie closed the locker door, picked up his bloody things, and headed for the Headmaster''s quarters. ? ? ? "Kyrie. We can wait in the living room," Raven Clof said as he opened the door for Kyrie. Kyrie sheepishly followed Headmaster Raven Clof. They entered a room furnished with a simple-elegant window-seat. A couch was across from the window-seat. A short table sat between the couch and the bench. The table was closer to the window-seat. A pile of papers and a mug of tea sat on the table. Raven Clof reclaimed the window-seat as he said, "Feel free to take a seat Kyrie. There are some things I''d like to discuss before the others arrive." Kyrie glanced around the clean room awkwardly. Should he put his bloody things on the ground or keep holding them? Maybe he should have visited the dorms first? Raven Clof glanced at Kyrie after he claimed his seat. "Are¡­ you holding clothes?" Kyrie awkwardly cleared his throat and said, "Yeah. I was wearing them during the fight so¡­" He stared at the clothes in hand mournfully. Raven Clof got up and walked over to Kyrie. "Follow me you can put them through the wash while we talk." "How did the mission in Sentry, go?" Kyrie put his clothes in the washer as Raven Clof got the soap. "Hmm, I guess it went alright. I''m not sure how the Jubokko showed up. But it seemed like a girl got turned and was luring people in for them. Not really anything unusual." Raven Clof sighed in disappointment. This child knew how to fight but could use some work on differentiating the usual and the unusual. At least this was something he could teach Kyrie. "Are sure about that? What do you know about Jubokko?" With Kyrie''s things in the wash, Raven Clof led Kyrie back to the living room. Raven Clof reclaimed the window seat. Kyrie leaned Taru against one end of the couch and sat across from Raven Clof. "The Jubokko feed on blood and aura." Raven Clof nodded and Kyrie continued, "They appear in places where there are trees and the ground has been drenched in blood. Like from battles with a lot of legends. Or it could have been from a large battle between humans or legends. The trees have to be burnt to ash and the ground purified before normal trees can regrow." Raven Clof smiled, "And what do you know of the history of that area?" "Nothing." "Ah," Raven Clof nodded. "Sentry is a small outpost for warning Laserath of large troop movements. It is a relatively peaceful place. And they''d purified that spot almost two weeks ago. Even with all the lives lost and the legends killed in the area the day before. The trees around Sentry should not have turned to Jubokko that quickly. Not only that, the analysts say the spread was too quick. And, Kyrie, what do you get when something is spreading too quickly along with a single girl being turned into a legend?" Kyrie watched Raven Clof for a moment as he thought. His eyes widened in surprise then narrowed as he said, "Something bigger making a move. A legend that can turn someone, no, can turn women and has some kind of resonance with trees." Kyrie closed his eyes as a wave of guilt washed over him. "I left too soon. I should go back." Kyrie opened his eyes and moved to stand as he reached for Taru. "No. It turned out alright this time. I suspect this legend is playing a longer game or was simply fooling around and has moved on. Either way, no tracks have been found so there''s nothing you can do about it now." Raven Clof paused as he watched Kyrie reclaim his seat. Kyrie was staring at Taru his left hand resting on her case. "What I, and the people you are trying to help, need you to do is ask more questions after the fight. And figure out whether the events make sense. If they don''t, hang around and keep looking. Do you think you can manage that?" Kyrie dropped his hand from Taru''s case and turned to face Headmaster Raven Clof. "Yeah. I can do that." Raven Clof smiled, "Good. If you think there''s anything strange come tell me, or try and get a message to me." Kyrie node his head in agreement. ? ? ? A little while later professor Olson entered with Gerard Null. Null was the Guild Master of the LegendSlayers Laserath branch. Null claimed an armchair and repressed a sigh as he watched Kyrie. This thing with Taru wouldn''t help. Nor would the rumors that Kyrie''d gotten twenty people killed earlier in the week. Professor Olson claimed a spot on the couch next to Kyrie. And Kyrie asked him, "How''s Corson?" Olson watched Kyrie for a moment before he said, "He''s alive but seriously injured. The medical staff are doing what they can, but it looks like Corson''s injury may be permanent." Kyrie grimaced as watched the scars on his wrist. He had hoped medical knowledge had improved enough for Corson to avoid having those scars. It was a vain hope born of guilt and the want for Corson to have a different fate than him. But then, how much of Kyrie''s fate could a boy who decided to kill him avoid? "Corson was the one injured by Taru?" Null asked. "Yeah." Olson watched Guild Master Null as he asked, "Did the guild know Kyrie was wielding an illegal weapon?" Null relaxed and leaned back in his chair. "We knew Kyrie was wielding her. And that she had certain features. Taru herself isn''t necessarily illegal. It''s more the process that gave her those features." Null leaned forward and watched Olson as he spoke, "You see Taru was made with a vampirism feature. A feature created at the cost of several lives." Null ran a hand down his face. "Unfortunately, only two of the seventeen creators of Taru have been identified. And they were only identified because they refused to follow their punishment of banishment from Avalon. As such, they were killed. Before anyone outside of Avalon could interview them." Null glanced at Kyrie and sighed, "The original decision was that Kyrie, as a young child, was innocent in his involvement and that Taru would be taken and locked up." Raven Clof glanced at Taru''s case. "But Kyrie still has Taru." "Yes, it was discovered that another of Taru''s features is returning to Kyrie''s side after 48 hours." Null paused and glanced at Kyrie. Kyrie nodded. He thought Null was seeking confirmation that what he was saying was true. But Null wasn''t. "After some research, it was decided that Kyrie was also a victim in the creation of Taru. One that we couldn''t find a way to help." Kyrie looked at Null with confusion. "What do you mean I''m a victim?" Null grimaced, this conversation would have gone better if Kyrie hadn''t been pulled into it. "It''s believed¡­ you were used in both the ritual to bind you as Taru''s point of return and¡­as part of the ritual for creating Taru''s vampirism." That had to be specific enough for the others and vague enough for Kyrie. He couldn''t bear the thought of what would happen if it wasn''t. And for a moment it was. Until Kyrie glanced at Taru. His heart beat faster and his hands trembled in his lap. He could hear the screams. His own and others. His strange relief when a group of people declared they were taking her from him. And his terror when she showed returned. Kyrie remembered the agony of the ritual. And waking up in the basement next to her. He''d scrambled across the cold-stone floor, to get as far away from her as he could. She stayed there, on the other side of the room, for 47 hours and 59 minutes. The next instant she was there, a heavy weight across his lap. He''d grabbed her and tried to throw her away from him. But she stayed stuck to his hands, drinking his aura. He''d begged his father to take her away. And his father would wrap him his arms and silently cry for the son he was incapable of helping. Kyrie whimpered and pressed closer to Olson. Olson carefully placed his hands on Kyrie''s shoulders and Kyrie pressed into them. "Ssh, it''s okay Kyrie, it''s okay." But Kyrie wasn''t listening. He was watching the wretched weapon that wouldn''t leave his side. Raven Clof stood up and walked towards Kyrie. "Kyrie? Kyrie can you look at me for a moment?" Kyrie glanced at Raven Clof and Raven Clof smiled. "Hi. You okay?" "Uh." Kyrie blinked and shook his head to try and clear it. He brought his right hand to his temple and blinked a few more times. His head was pounding. He pulled away from Olson, and Raven Clof backed up to give Kyrie more room. Kyrie gave another small shake of his head and asked, "What are we talking about?" Null watched Kyrie with a very sad expression. And Raven Clof glanced at Professor Olson before he reclaimed his seat by the window and said, "We were talking about your dual with Corson." Kyrie''s eyes widened for a moment. How could he have spaced on that? Kyrie reached to fiddle with a ribbon the wasn''t there. His fingers lightly brushing his scared wrist before he winced and dropped his right hand into his lap. "I believe we can let you continue to wield Taru with a few conditions-" Raven Clof said. Kyrie turned to face Raven Clof properly. "You mean more than the condition that I''m capable of controlling her?" Raven Clof watched Kyrie as Olson asked, "How is Taru permanently injuring Corson keeping her under control?" Null leaned forward and said, "It''d be easier to show you." He glanced at Raven Clof. "Does this table have a display feature?" Raven Clof gathered his papers as he said, "Yes. Give me a sec." Raven Clof put his papers on the bench and moved his tea to the far corner of the table. He taped the power button on the underside of the table. When the table booted up it auto connected to Raven Clof''s holo-watch. Raven Clof quickly unsynchronized the table and it switched to selection mode. In selection mode, the table displayed the four watches it had found to connect with. Null leaned forward and selected the icon for his watch. It was the image of a set of twin boys. After tapping the icon, he opened his holo-display to confirm his selection. Null quickly navigated to the file containing the case involving Taru. Null pulled up the image of a person''s body. The victim''s skin was wrinkled, their face screwed up in agony. They looked as if all the fluid in their body had been removed in a quick and excruciating manner. "This young man tried to take Taru from Kyrie after the guild had learned about the actions of Say clan. Before Kyrie learned how to control Taru''s vampirism everyone who touched Taru would end up in this condition." Null looked away from the photo and at Raven Clof. "So as long this young man is alive Kyrie has still shown sufficient control of Taru." Raven Clof narrowed his eyes at Null. "He may have shown sufficient control for you but not for me. I will keep my students safe. Even the ones being sent into combat Guild Master Null." For a moment, the two remained still, studying each other. Eventually Null conceded. After all, he was a father and needed to encourage students to stay within Laserath''s branch of the guild. Null nodded in agreement and said, "So what are your conditions?" Raven Clof turned to Kyrie. "You must keep Taru in a condition where she can be held by others during all school-related duals." Kyrie nodded. He could ¨C and already planned ¨C to do that. "If you''re going to fight someone you think can and will take her from you make sure you''re using a different weapon or fighting unarmed. I don''t want to increase the risk of someone else getting hurt." Kyrie hesitated for a moment but nodded in agreement. He''d have to practice with other weapons. "And Kyrie." Raven Clof leaned forward with a sad expression. "If you want, we can research breaking or altering Taru''s return feature." Kyrie looked at Raven Clof with confusion. Why would he offer to change that particular feature? Either way, "Nah I''m good," was what Kyrie said. Raven Clof frowned for a moment but nodded and sat up. He''d start preparing to figure out ways of altering that aspect of Taru''s cures. He wouldn''t leave this child to suffer in silence, even if Kyrie didn''t always remember his dislike for the weapon he was stuck with. The group sat in silence for a bit. The adults were contemplating the events they had discussed. And Kyrie was awkwardly waiting to find out if he should leave for class or not. Guild master Null looked at Raven Clof and asked, "While I''m here shall we call Miss Perdita and discuss the tournament?" "Sure, I ca-" Beeeep! Beep! Kyrie glanced deeper into the house as he asked, "Was that the wash?" Raven Clof nodded then glanced at Professor Olsen. "Olson, could you contact Miss Perdita while Kyrie changes the laundry?" Olson and Null gave Raven Clof a strange look. Why was he using a student to change his laundry? Kyrie stood up and said, "I''ll be right back." He reached for Taru. But his hand shook as it neared her case. Kyrie shook his head, as if he could shake the lingering fears from his mind, and left the room ¨C left Taru, behind. He was still shaken by the awakening and the forgetting of his memories, whether he realized it or not. Olson sent a quick message to Ren saying, *Can you come to the Headmaster''s quarters?* *K* was the fast response Ren sent. From her lonely spot in the stands. But Olsen failed to notice. He had more important questions on his mind. "Why did the Guild return an abused child to their abusers?" Null sighed and gave Olson a sad and weary look. "We weren''t equipped to handle his nightmares or panic attacks." Null shifted in his seat so he could watch for Kyrie''s return. "We couldn''t leave him alone or he''d panic. And we couldn''t leave someone with him 24-7." "Why not?" Olson growled. If leaving the child alone was the fastest way to make the kid panic, then why do it? What reason could the guild possibly have to justify such a horrific treatment of a child? Unless, they were trying to help him heal. "When he had panic attacks, he''d lose control of his ability. And we lost two of our gentlest LegendSlayers. They¡­" Null swallowed, his throat choked with grief. 28 Meeting the Guild Master Around ten years ago: Null stood in front of the LegendSlayer guild hall of the city Canguard. Canguard was the home of the LegendSlayer guild master, Alic. Alic''s job was to run the entire organization of LegendSlayers. And Null, a relatively young LegendSlayer, had just been called to meet Alic. Null was extremely nervous but not about visiting Guild Master Alic. He was nervous about becoming a father. Null had made his way past the guards and up to the highest point of the building. He hesitated for a moment before he knocked on the guild master''s door. "Come in!" Alic said as he sat at his desk with the best view of the city. Null carefully and slowly opened the door. He spotted Alic who''s back was to his view and his desk. "Um¡­ Sir, what did you want to talk to me about?" "Come on in and take a seat." Null carefully closed the door and hurried to claim a seat in front of Alic''s desk. In his haste, Null tripped over his own feet, caught his balance and sat down with red-tinged cheeks. Alic smiled and said, "We all have those clumsy days, huh?" Null''s cheeks grew redder, "Yeah." His wife frequently teased him, in a loving manner, about his clumsiness. Especially, in the kitchen. Alic''s smile fell as he pulled a file from one of his desk drawers. Null shifted nervously, why did Alic want to speak with him? Was he being fired? Shit, he was getting fired. His license would be revoked. He''d over done it. Ayla and he''d have to start over. Damn. Alic opened the file and turned it to face Null. The picture of a seven-year-old Kyrie with chains around his wrists, ankles, and neck ¨C was pinned to the inside of the folder. This was¡­Null frowned. He''d heard of this kid. He was instrumental in the defense of several smaller cities. But this¡­ he''d rather have been fired if it could''ve prevented a child from being treated like that. Alic tapped the top of the photo as he said, "We got a report that this child was being abused by the Say clan. The boy was located in Avalon when we received the report two weeks ago." Alic looked from the photo to Null. He was gauging Alic''s reaction. And whether he could be trusted with this mission. Null reached for the photo in shock. The Say Clan? They''d slowly fallen over the centuries but this. They''d reached a point of such desperation that they''d treat a child like this. Null felt his hand clench as he placed his other hand on the photo. This child needed someone to protect them. Null glanced up at Alic, "You said was. Where is he now?" Did they bring him in to help this child? "We''ve already rescued him and brought him here." Alic folded his hands on his desk as he continued. "His father helped us get him out and bring him here. But it was discovered a week ago that his father also had a part in abusing his child." Null ground his teeth. He would never do that to Ayla and his children. "How can I help?" "The child''s spent most of his time in isolation since we separated him and his father." Alic watched as Null''s hands clenched in another flash of barely controlled anger. "I''ve been spending evenings and nights with the child, but we need a more permanent solution. Someone who can spend more time with him." Alic leaned forward. "That''s where you come in." Null moved his hand and looked at Kyrie''s photo. His heart ached. Null''s wife was pregnant, with twins. She''d need him. His children would need him. This child needed him. Null looked back at Alic and asked, "Will I be able to take him home at some point?" If he could then he wouldn''t need to choose. Alic smiled sadly as he said, "Probably but we need to give him enough time to get comfortable with you. Before you agree to take on this mission, I feel I must inform you that child''s ability is of S rank. He could destroy this faculty and much of its surroundings. That''s why I''ve been the one spending time with the child." Null watched Alic as he processed what he''d been told. "You picked me because you think my barrier magic will be able to contain his ability?" "Yes. And because you''ve spent a lot of time volunteering to help children." Alic leaned forward flipped the picture back to reveal the child''s information. Kyrie Say, age 7, aura level 600. "You can stay here and read the file. When you''re done, I''ll take you to see Kyrie." Alic let the picture fall back into place and started reading another report on his holo-display. At least there was a chance Null could be there for all of them. He carefully took the file and began reading. ? ? ? Null sighed as he finished reading the file. Alic stopped his work and looked at Null. "What''s wrong?" "This whole damned thing." Alic gave Null a sad smile and Null continued, "What are we doing to keep James Collin safe?" Null closed the file and placed it on Alic''s desk. "Ah," the child who sent the report. "I have informed Headmaster Raven Clof to keep a close eye on him, along with some of my most trusted LegendSlayers." Alic folded his hands on his desk. "It helps that his clan hasn''t found out that he sent the report." Null frowned and asked, "Could we bring him here? I could take care of both of them. And the file says they''re close, so James may be able to help Kyrie." Then he could keep both of them safe. Safer than anyone else could. "We''ll see how things go with both of them. If needed, we''ll bring James here." Alic stood and said, "But let''s start with seeing how Kyrie reacts to your presence." ? ? ? Alic and Null arrived in front of a control room. There was a display attached to the wall outside the room and a guard on either side of the door. Alic activated the display. When it turned on it showed a young Kyrie with bandages wrapping around his neck, wrists, and ankles. Kyrie had his knees pulled up to his chest with his arms wrapped around them. He was watching something. The room was brightly colored, and toys were scattered about. Many of them along one wall. Several of the toys were scattered around Kyrie. And Taru rested against the wall opposite the one with the toys. A large bed was located against the back wall. Null was watching Kyrie as he asked, "What''s he staring at?" "The door." Alic frowned as he moved to the door. "Give me a moment to talk to him before you come in." He opened the door and stepped inside. As soon the door opened wide enough for Kyrie to see who was at it, he unwrapped his arms and let his legs fall to his sides. Kyrie shouted in excitement, "You''re early!" Alic went forward and crouched in front of Kyrie. "I''m am." Alic glanced at the toys surrounding the boy before he said, "I know you get lonely when I''m not here." Alic looked back at Kyrie, "So I''ve brought someone that can spend more time with you." Kyrie scrambled into a position where he could stand quickly. Was dad? He could get another hug. They could play! It had to be dad. It had to. "Is it Dad?" Kyrie asked with batted breath as he tried to glance around Alic''s form. Alic shook his head. "No." Kyrie crumpled. He''d hoped it was his father. Kyrie tried to look past Alic again. Maybe it was Mom? He missed her. "It''s someone new." Kyrie frowned, "You mean a stranger." Alic gave Kyrie a sad smile. "Yes, but it''s someone I trust to take care of you." Kyrie jerked his head up to look at Alic, his face the picture of fear and betrayal. His small form shook with the pain of it. It was happening again. Why did adults have to be like this? They promised, Alic promised. He was, "You were supposed to keep me safe." "Ky-" "My father said you''d protect me!" Kyrie shouted as the room started to heat and an alarm went off. Alic wanted to wrap the distraught child before him in his arms and reassure him that he would ¨C was keeping him safe. But he''d tried that before. Kyrie had regained control of his abilities, but his panic attack had become worse. "Kyrie, I''ll do my best to protect you and the many others who need me to protect them." Kyrie''s chest heaved as he watched Alic. He closed his eyes. He took a breath, then another. When he reopened his eyes, the alarm had stopped, and the temperature of the room had returned to normal. "The stranger is¡­ supposed to help you protect me?" Alic nodded as he said, "Yes." "Like my father did?" Null had slipped into the room while Kyrie''s eyes were closed. "No. But I''ll take care of you and help you learn to take care of yourself." Kyrie watched Alic with a curious tilt to his head. "My name is Gerard Null, but you can call me whatever you want." Kyrie watched Null with skepticism. "What can you do?" Null looked at Kyrie with surprise and confusion. The first question Kyrie asked was what he could do? Alic glanced at Null and said, "He wants to know what you''re capable of. What makes it so you can stay near him." Null looked back at Kyrie, smiled, and said, "I''m good with making barriers. In fact, there are very few living creatures that break one of my barriers." Null crouched before Kyrie. "So, when you''re scared or sad or angry or really really happy you can express all of that when I''m around. I won''t let you accidentally hurt someone." And Eventually he''d do almost anything tokeep Kyrie safe. Even if it meant risking the discovery of his secrets. Kyrie watched Null for a moment before he said, "I''m fine. I can keep controlling it like normal." Null sat on the ground and said, "Keeping all that in is hurting you, isn''t it?" Kyrie looked down at his hands and grabbed a nearby toy to fiddle with. He shrugged and glanced at Null through his bangs then looked back at the toy. "I can handle it." Null watched the child before him. After a moment he placed his hand over the toy Kyrie was fiddling with. Kyrie jerked his head up in shock. And Null said, "With me you don''t have to. You can be just like any other child." Kyrie turned to look at Taru. And as Kyrie watched her sitting there, Null said, "It won''t be easy, and it''ll take time, but I promise I''ll do anything for you Kyrie." Kyrie''s mouth twisted with skepticism. He''d heard it before. But they''d left him, his parents ¨C James. They hadn''t stayed and neither would Null. Eventually, Kyrie turned back to find Null and Alic sitting near him. "Can we play a game?" They wouldn''t stay, but that didn''t mean they couldn''t play. "Of course," Null said. Kyrie grinned and Alic watched him seriously, "Hold on. What game did you have in mind?" Kyrie blushed a bit as he glanced at the toys and games off to the side of the room. "How about Jenga?" Alic smiled while trying to look stern. "That''s what I thought you''d say." Kyrie''s grin widened. "Can we?" Alic shook his head as he smiled. He turned to Null and said, "He uses his ability to cheat when we play Jenga." Null laughed and turned to face Kyrie, "You''re on. But I''m using my barriers." Alic sighed with a smile as he said, "Why did I have to be born with such a useless ability?" Null and Kyrie giggled as Alic stood and grabbed the game. Predictably, Alic lost first, Kyrie was next and Null won. After all, he could replace the risky blocks he removed with a barrier to keep the tower from falling. Alic sighed and stood up. "Well Kyrie, I''ll leave Null with you, I''ve got to get back to work." Kyrie frowned, "You''re coming back right?" Alic wasn''t pawning him off on Null, was he? Alic nodded and said, "I promise. I''ll be back this evening, like normal. You need to keep Null out of trouble for me." Alic winked at Null. Kyrie nodded his head with the expression of one having been given a very important LegendSlayer mission, "I''ll do my best." He''d make sure Null didn''t cause any trouble on his watch! After all some adults need watching. Like them, the ones that made Taru. Alic tried to keep a straight face as he said, "Good." Alic left the control room that''d been re-furnished to have the decor of a child''s room with a bathroom attached to it. 29 Its Time Over the next several months Kyrie came to trust and know Null. As time passed Alic spent less time with Kyrie and Null spent more. Eventually Null got permission to take Kyrie on trips outside the LegendSlayers'' Guild Hall. Most of the trips involved going to see Null''s wife. In the earlier months, and later during the terror-filled nights, Null would spend some of the night watching over Kyrie. And Alic stayed for the rest. Kyrie was usually asleep by the time Null and Alic switched places. If he woke up between five-am and nine he''d wake up alone. At first, he waited for Null. But as he adjusted, he began to play with toys in his room. Like any child would. ? ? ? Kyrie frowned in concentration as he tried to use his ability to make a flower out of ice. "Is this right?" Null smiled and ruffled Kyrie''s hair. "Yeah." Null grinned as Kyrie scowled and used his free hand to fix his hair. Null had tried teaching Kyrie to use magic, but Kyrie had a tendency to believe he was using magic when he was actually using his ability to mimic certain spells. "What type of flower is that?" Kyrie grinned, the flower he made was one he and James had made a home for when they lived in Avalon. "It''s an Avalon Daisy." "Let m-" Bang, bang! Kyrie jumped and dropped the ice flower. It fell to the floor, shattered into dozens of sharp cold shards. Null stood up and patted his shoulder. Null quickly made his way to the door. He opened it and asked the blond women on the other side, "What''s wrong?" "Your wife''s in labor," Charlotte said as she moved to the side of the doorway. Null froze in the doorway. He was shocked. It was happening now. His wife was about to give birth. Two babies. Two! Less than a year ago he''d thought he''d never have children of his own. And now he''d have three. Null turned to Kyrie and smiled as he said, "Grab what you want to bring with us. It''s-" "He''ll be staying with me." Null''s eyes widened as he watched Kyrie who was standing in the center of his room. His room that was nicer than his last. But was still a prison. Null said, "What?" as he turned to face Charlotte. "I said-" "I know what you said," Null''s eyes narrowed. "Why can''t I take him with me?" "You''ll have enough to worry about with the twins." Charlotte gave Null a sympathetic look as she said, "Alic sent me to watch over him. It''ll just be for a few days, to let you and Ayla settle with the twins." And to give her more than enough time. Null turned from Charlotte to Kyrie. "But¡­" Kyrie smiled sadly at Null. "I-I''ll be okay." He wanted Null to stay, but he didn''t want Null''s kids to miss their father like he did. And he knew this time would come. But maybe Null''d be different? Null moved towards Kyrie and opened his arms. "How about a hug before I go?" Kyrie''s face lit up and he threw his arms around Null. "You''ll bring the twins?" Null''d come back, he just knew it. Null chuckled a bit and said, "Yeah. I''ll bring them." Kyrie and Null separated. Then Null said, "Be good for Charlotte while I''m gone." Kyrie nodded yes, and Null started to leave. He spun and hugged Kyrie, one last time, before he left. He''d definitely come back. ? ? ? After several hours and a healing session for Ayla, Null was walking to his house with a child in his arms. His wife, and love of many many years, was walking beside him with their youngest in hers. Their backs were to the center of Canguard, where the guild hall and town center resided. Null felt a chill run down his spine. A chill he hadn''t felt in very long time. A chill that meant something dangerous was coming. Something big. Null snagged his wife''s hand as he said, "Ayla¡­" She stopped and turned to Null. "I know. Go. Bring him home." Null frowned at the son in his arm. "Can you-" "Yeah." Ayla smiled at Null, then glanced at Brayden who was stirring anxiously in his father''s arms. "It would be easier if you could lend me some strength." Null smiled and changed his grip on his wife''s hand. "Of course I can." Null moved closer to his wife. He leaned forward and kissed her. A soft pink light flowed from Nulls chest to his arm and up Ayla''s. Ayla quickly broke the kiss. "That''s good enough." Ayla squeezed Null''s hand and let go. She took Brayden and watched as her husband went to war. Whatever was coming he''d do his best to protect those he could, especially his family. Ayla stepped back as Null started casting, "Ianuae Magicae, Kyrie." ? ? ? Null shivered when he materialized in Kyrie''s crystalizing room. The next thing he noticed, beyond the extreme cold, in the dim flickering light was Charlotte looming over Kyrie''s small form. A form that had chains attached to its legs. "What did you do?" Charlotte was trembling as she spun to face Null. "H-he''s a monster. H-he¨C" Null grabbed Charlotte and shoved her away from Kyrie. "He''s a child. And¡­" Null felt his body warm with rage his eyes landed on Kyrie''s neck. His purple, blue, and black neck. The neck of a small child imprinted with the shape of a hand. Null cast a barrier, one that was quickly weakened as it fought Kyrie''s automatic attempt to protect himself. A barrier that trapped the most likely suspect for having placed those bruises on that small neck, in the same room as Null. "Did you do this?" Null asked in a chilled and calm tone as he reached for Kyrie''s tender neck. Null was searching for a pulse. "I-I, he lost control¡­" Charlotte straightened her stance and stopped trembling. What she did was right. What she did had to be done. "I had to stop him. I had to do it before he killed us all." For a moment, the only sounds were that of frost forming, ice cracking, and Alic trying to get through Null''s barrier. Null was still searching for a pulse. And then he found one. Null turned halfway towards Charlotte and said, "Was that panic attack before or after you chained him?" "After but¨C" Null enhanced his strength with a Valkine spell and cast drain on Charlotte. Before she knew what was happening her meager aura was gone. Then her ability silenced by another spell cast by Null. A spell only one person had ever used, had ever developed. A spell that only a true master magician could cast. And then her feet were dangling above the ground. Her eyes wide with terror, Null''s hand wrapped around her warm throat. A warmth that contrasted fiercely with the icy wrath of Null''s heart. It wasn''t long before Alic broke Null''s falling barrier. "Let her go." Null glanced from his victim to Alic. "She''d have killed him. Why shouldn''t I do the same?" "His ability is uncontrollable. Even your barrier didn''t stop him from affecting those outside it. Neither of us wanted it to end this way but one of us has to kill him. She made the right call." Alic glanced at Charlotte. He''d sent her here. And needed to get her out of here, Alive. Null glared at Alic. He tracked Alic''s gaze to Charlotte. If they were now on opposite sides, then the welp in his clutches would be nothing beneficial if dead. But alive¡­ well there were options. Null chucked the welp at Alic. Alic stumbled back from the force of Null''s throw as he caught the gasping girl. "It''s her fault he ended up in this state. If you''re going to punish him for her actions, then you''ll have to go through me." Alic glanced at Charlotte, she''d done this? "What ¨C No. We have to keep Kyrie from killing everyone here." Alic turned to Null who was watching him with an eerie calm. "Do you know another option?" If Null was so set on saving Kyrie, he must have another method to control him. He had to have another option. What was the point of saving a child from abuse only for them to kill him? Null felt his stance soften a touch. "If I take him to an unpopulated area then we can let this run its course." Null watched Alic for a moment before he continued, "I won''t bring him back." Null took a step back, towards Kyrie''s side. "So, are you going to fight me or save that welp?" Null said as he gestured to Charlotte, and took another step. "Either way Kyrie and I are leaving." Alic nodded and stepped to the side of the doorway. "Go." Null spun around and headed for Kyrie''s side. He started breaking the chains binding Kyrie''s unconscious form. "She chained him before he had a panic attack, probably while he slept." The last of the bindings broke free and Null pulled Kyrie to his chest. He turned and looked at Alic. "Then she tried to kill him, and this happened." Null walked towards the doorway where Alic watched in silence. "Why did you pick someone like her?" Alic grimaced and looked at Charlotte, the weakened young woman in his arms. He had questioned letting her do this. Taru''s anti-theft feature had killed Charlotte''s brother after he''d convinced Kyrie to give Taru to him. None of them knew it had that feature. He tightened his grip on Charlotte. She''d convinced him to give her the chance to help the child her brother had volunteered to care for and save. "I thought I could trust her." Null nodded. "That''s the sad thing about trust, sometimes it gets misplaced." But trust must be given to others, even if it hurts you later. Null left the room and went to the guild''s main teleportation circle. A teleportation circle was the only way to teleport outside of a city''s barrier. Null had one in the basement of his house, but the guild''s was closer and the buildings were taking the brunt of Kyrie''s absorption. Null''d take them someplace safe and then he''d take them home. 30 Home Kyrie was seated on the wooden floor of the large cabin home the Null family lived in. Aden was drinking from the bottle Kyrie was helping him hold. The curtain was fluttering in the sunlight as a breeze made its way through the open window. Null was out back. He was checking on their garden. Ayla was carving a charm as she watched her children. And Brayden was gnawing on a hardwood horse''s head as he watched Aden with jealousy. Brayden pulled the toy from his mouth and crawled over to his brothers. He reached up and pulled on a fist full of Kyries teal bangs. "Ow, Ow. Brayden stop!" Kyrie moved the arm he''d had around Aden''s back and freed his hair from Aden''s grasp. Ayla placed her carving and tools on the bench. Then went over to her pile of boys. Brayden was leaning on Kyrie with his arms wrapped around Kyrie''s neck. Ayla crouched next Brayden and gently grabbed him. "Brayden let go of Kyrie." Brayden''s weak grip fell easily as his mother picked him up. Ayla had just settled on the floor with her middle child when a shock of magic tore through their little clearing in the woods. The shock was a warning that something had entered the clearing without permission. And Ayla reacted swiftly. She used her ability to create illusions to hid herself and the kids. Kyrie moved to stand, and Ayla placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "But I can help." He knew how to fight and was better than most. Ayla watched Kyrie sadly. "Not this time." She''d keep her children safe while Null checked out their intruder. "B-" "Sssh. I can''t hide sounds." Null arrived at the front of the house. He was standing guard over his family as the trespassers approached. They were close and outnumbered him. It would be better to stay in reach of his family. When Alic rounded the curve of the path through the trees Null called out, "Why are you here?" "We''re here to return Kyrie to his family." Null glared at Alic and said, "What makes you think we''ll let you?" Alic watched Null carefully as he said, "Because we''re losing this fight." Null clenched his hands in his pockets. "You know what it''s like to lead Mat. Sometimes we have to do things we don''t like." Alic stood firm in front of Null''s gaze. "He can help us defend our cities." And help reclaim them. "We just lost Knightwind. If Kyrie''ll help us, we can keep the Legends at bay, we can protect those who need us." Kyrie placed Aden on the ground and watched Null through the fluttering curtain in front of the window. Null ground his teeth in irritation. "I''ve said pretty words like yours. I know what they really mean." "Just because they''re pretty doesn''t mean we don''t need his help." Alic waved at the trees behind him and several people left their hiding places amongst the trees and undergrowth. Null growled at Alic, unaware of the running child in his home. "You think I''ll-" Kyrie slammed the front door open and stood barefoot on the porch. "Dad!?" "Kyrie¡­" "Kiddo, go back inside," Kyrie''s father, Kyle, said as he pulled his hood down. He''d warned Alic that Kyrie would know he was there if he got close enough. But he shouldn''t have. Alic was using him to get to his son. Kyrie paused for a moment. He started towards his father as Null placed an arm in front of him. "Kyrie please." Kyrie glanced from Null to the man who''d cared for him all of his life. He was torn between the desire to follow the instructions of the man that had protected him for over a year and his desire to go to his father. "It''s okay Kyrie. Stay with Null." Alic grimaced internally. They needed this child''s help and they needed Null''s as well. But they would take at least one. Preferably Kyrie''s, he was less likely to take off or turn on them. Alic knew it was a low blow, but they were losing more ground. Alic called out gently, "Kyrie, we need your help fighting legends." Null and Kyrie''s father glared at Alic. "You''ve fought them with your father before, right?" Kyrie glanced at his dad and nodded yes. "If you come back with us you can do that again." Kyrie turned from his father to Null. He shivered at the thought of going back. At what else his return would hold. "I don''t want to go¡­" Kyrie opened and closed his mouth. He was unable to give voice to the word caught in his throat. Kyrie clenched his fists in irritation that he couldn''t say what he wanted. If he couldn''t say it, then Null wouldn''t understand. Null crouched and half turned to face Kyrie. He was watching Alic as he spoke, "You don''t want to go where?" Null knew the answer Kyrie would give may not help him keep Kyrie safe, but he wouldn''t keep this child trapped. He was already trapped enough by what had been done to him. Kyrie smiled and relaxed. Null always knew when he had more to say. "The¡­ my old room." Null nodded and stood up. He repressed his sigh of sadness. Still, he wouldn''t let Kyrie go if they were just going to treat him the same as before. "Can you do that? Guarantee he won''t be placed in that horrible room. And that he won''t be chained." Alic nodded as he said, "We can''t guarantee it won''t happen if he loses¡­" Alic paused and glanced at Kyrie. "Well, you know. But the old leader of the Say clan had passed several months ago and we''ve helped place Kyle in the position." Null glanced at Kyrie''s father in surprise. "I''m sure you know he''ll look out for Kyrie." Kyle looked from Kyrie back to Null. "Null, you can visit anytime. Or move to Avalon." Kyle would''ve felt better if someone who could truly protect his son was there. Kyrie turned to Null with a grin. "Yes! You and Ayla and the twins should come!" Null solemnly rested a hand on Kyrie''s shoulder as he said, "Sorry kiddo." "Oh¡­" Kyrie bit his lip as he glanced from his father to Null. "I¡­" "Kyrie, this is serious. Please take a moment to think before you answer," Kyle said as he watched his son. He wanted to hold his child again, but he also wanted his son to be safe. He wanted all of his children safe. Kyrie frowned and shuffled his feet on the porch. Alic had said they needed his help. And Kyrie wasn''t sure what the other meaning Null had mentioned was. Kyrie glanced from his father to Null. He wanted to help but he didn''t want to do it alone. And¡­ Kyrie glanced at Alic. He''d trusted Alic before but, Kyrie glanced at Null, he trusted Null more. "I''ll help if you do." Null watched Kyrie. "Do you really want to go back?" Kyrie nodded and said, "They need me." Null opened his mouth then closed it and his eyes. He wanted to help, he wanted to let Kyrie go where he wished, but Null also wanted to keep Kyrie safe. Ayla knew that, and she knew her boys. She walked out the front door and hugged her boys on the porch. She stood up and smiled at Kyrie and Null. "You can help them as much and as long as you want." Ayla hugged Kyrie again and said, "Sweetie you will always be welcome in our home. And you''ll tell me if someone tries to hurt you. Got it?" Kyrie spilled into Ayla''s hug as he said, "Got it." Ayla smiled and stood up. She turned to Kyrie''s father and said, "Do your best." Kyle nodded he''d never done anything less when it came to his family. Ayla turned to face Alic. She walked toward him as she said, "My boys are a lot nicer than me." Ayla stopped in front of Alic. "If either of them get hurt," Ayla lifted a finger and placed it under Alic''s chin. Alic tried to step back but found himself frozen by Ayla''s presence. The presence of a predator that had caught a trespasser in her territory. "I will kill you." Ayla lifted her finger and forced Alic to tilt his head up. "And, I''m stronger than them." Ayla removed her finger from his chin and stepped back. "If you still want their help then what''s your plan?" Alic gulped as he looked at Null. "There''s a vacancy as the Laserath branch Guild master. It''s the closest position of power I could get for you near Avalon. From there you should be able to support Kyle in keeping Kyrie safe." Alic looked at Kyrie. "Part of the deal we made with the Say clan was Kyrie''s participation in a minimum amount of missions per year." Alic focused on Ayla who was still very close to him. "That way we can make sure he''s okay." Null nodded and knelt at Kyrie''s side. "You can go back to your dad now." Kyrie smiled and glanced at his dad. Kyrie turned back to Null and hugged him. "Thanks M&N." Kyrie let go of Null and ran to his dad. Kyrie''s Dad picked him up, his now far too large for carrying son. It was time to get Kyrie''s things and take him home. ? ? ? The next time Null saw Kyrie he was still eight. And five months had gone by. Kyrie and Kyle were in Laserath''s guild lobby as Null entered. Null smiled when he saw them. Null walked over to them and said, "Hi Kyrie." Then hugged a very startled child. Kyrie pushed Null back. "Who are you?" Null watched Kyrie with shock and confusion marring his face. As he glanced from Kyrie to Kyle, his eyes narrowed into a glare. What had they done to his eldest? Kyle glanced at his son with sorrow and guilt. "Kyrie why don''t you go check us in for the mission." Kyrie nodded and left with a last glance at the weirdo that had hugged him out of nowhere. Null watched Kyrie leave with an aching heart. If he''d really forgotten, then¡­ he could turn. Turn and be lost to Null forever. As Kyrie rounded the corner Null felt his worry and hurt turn to anger. "What did you do to him?" Kyle looked around the lobby they were standing in and said, "Can we go somewhere private?" Null watched Kyle for a moment before he nodded in agreement. He led Kyle to his office. Once inside Null closed the door and took a seat at his desk. He glanced at the family photo on his desk. It was a photo of Ayla, Braden, Aden, himself, and Kyrie. "Explain." Kyle sighed and told Null about the events of a mission they''d gone on three months ago. "Afterwards he needed to relearn how to control his ability and aura around his wrists, neck, and ankles. But to do that safely he needed to go back to this old room." Null sighed. "You could''ve asked me for help." Kyle shook his head. "There was no time at the start and¡­" Kyle''s eyes closed in anguish. "It was too late, by the time he regained consciousness." Null picked up the picture on his desk. "Why was he chained?" "Kyrie was going through a power surge again. He gets them sometimes and needs something to help absorb the increased aura." Kyrie had been okay with it, but he was losing his fight to control his ability. And Kyrie was okay with a lot of things when that happened. Really happened. Null nodded as he ran a finger down Kyrie''s smiling form in the picture. "But¡­ why did he forget?" Kyle watched Null sadly. "Probably because he couldn''t take having to go back." Null and Kyle sat in a sorrow-soaked silence for a while. Eventually, Kyle stood and said, "I should get going." Null stood as well. "I''ll take you back." When they returned to the main lobby they heard, "Come on Dad. We need to go!" And then Kyrie was grabbing Kyle''s had. Kyrie glanced at Null as he pulled his dad towards the meeting location for their next mission. "See ya later M&N." 31 Present Day "Damn," Professor Olson said. "Yeah," Null responded. The three of them sat in silence for a while. Raven Clof reached for his tea and took a sip. He sighed, it had long since gone cold. And he preferred something warm after such a conversation. He glanced at the time on his watch. Kyrie should have come back by now. "I''ll be right back." Null nodded absentmindedly. He was still lost in his thoughts and memories of a time when his family had been whole, as it had been when he was younger. Olson nodded as well. He was checking his messages since his holo-watch had gone off during their conversation. As Raven Clof stood and made his way towards the exit of the living room, Olson said, "Ren should be here any minute." "Alright." Raven Clof glanced at Null. Should they postpone their talk? Perhaps. Raven Clof was also concerned about Kyrie. If he''d overheard their talk, he may need time. Raven Clof caught Olson''s eye and nodded towards Null. Olson nodded and gave Raven Clof a smile that said he''d be glad to check on Null. ? ? ? When Raven Clof found Kyrie he was in the laundry room. Kyrie''s knees were pulled up to his chest and his back was against the cool wooden wall. His head rested in his hands. "How much did you hear?" "Enough." Kyrie''s eyes were closed as he tried to hide how they watered, and as he kept a tight grip on his ability. He''d felt like something was strange when he''d met with Null. But he hadn''t realized Null was him, M&N. Kyrie had believed the dreams that''d left him feeling safe and loved had been just that, dreams. He hadn''t realized M&N was a real person and someone he''d met many times. Raven Clof nodded, even though Kyrie couldn''t see it. "How are you doing?" Kyrie opened one eye and watched Raven Clof through his bangs. "I¡­ I don''t know. I¡­" Kyrie thought of his father, the one he''d always known. The one he''d last seen covered in blood. "I''m not ready to face him. Not after¡­" The image was there, and it wasn''t leaving quickly, most of them never did. Raven Clof sat down next to Kyrie. "That''s alright." He turned to look at Kyrie. "Do you want me to postpone our talk with Ren and Null?" Kyrie sat back against the wall and stared at the ceiling as he thought. His right hand drifted to his left wrist. Yet, he draped both arms over his knees, after his right hand had brushed his scarred wrist. Kyrie wasn''t sure how to face Null. He ¨C he wasn''t ready to have a talk with Null about the figments of his dreams. Nor was he ready bring those memories back in full. He was scared it''d change him. And he''d had enough change as it was. Kyrie tapped a finger against his knee. Null was a Guild Master. He had to be extremely busy. And he''d dropped everything to come here. Kyrie stopped tapping his finger and shook his head. Null had faced him several times when Kyrie hadn''t remembered him. Kyrie stood and looked at Raven Clof. "Let''s go. We''re all here, so now seems right." Raven Clof stood up and smiled at Kyrie. "All right." ? ? ? When Raven Clof and Kyrie returned they found Ren seated in the other chair. Kyrie reclaimed his seat next to Olson and Raven Clof claimed the window seat. Ren glanced around the room filled with quiet, tension, and a sorrow so thick an empath could drown in it. "Which city did we lose?" Raven Clof chuckled before he said, "Sorry. We haven''t lost any more cities." Null quickly steered the conversation to the topic he and Raven Clof wished to discuss. "We were wondering how much you know about the Academy LegendSlayer tourney and Laserath''s selection method?" Ren frowned as she looked at Null, they were hiding something. She glanced a Taru. Hopefully, it related to Kyrie''s weapon and wasn''t something worse. Kyrie shrugged and took a moment to make sure his voice didn''t crack, "Not much. All I know is that it''s annual and popular." That and his older brother and sister had participated several times, but Kyrie was never allowed to go. Null repressed a sound somewhere between a growl and a sigh. The Academy tourneys were just one more thing Kyrie had missed out on. Professor Olson turned towards Kyrie, "Each academy can select five individual participants per grade year that haven''t selected a major or are zero-year students. For first-years and above, five teams are chosen from each year. The selection method of the original five varies between years at Kondaira Academy." Raven Clof nodded and continued, "We can''t tell you the selection method beforehand, but the first selection is in two weeks." Ren narrowed her eyes in curiosity as she watched Raven Clof. "Then why call us here?" Raven Clof glanced at Null, before he turned back to Kyrie and Ren. "Because we need your help. Both of you." Null leaned forward as he said, "Laserath is in rough shape financially. We''ve been losing a lot of our neighboring cities." Null paused as he felt a shadow pass over his heart. A shadow concealing a cruel glimmering light. A light of happiness that Kyrie was finally free of his clan. "You''ve both experienced that first hand." Ren nodded solemnly and Kyrie reached for his left wrist. This time he stopped before he touched his bare wrist. Ren focused on Null as she spoke, "How do the tournaments help? Are we hosting it?" "Not this year," Null responded. "But winning the tournament gets the Academy more support from the main branch of the LegendSlayer guild. And increases the percentage of the total mission reward money they pay the city." Raven Clof took over when Null paused. "On a good year, we make it into the second part of the tournament. Last year was really good for us. James and a senior team both made it into the second part. Unfortunately, both groups were eliminated at the end of the first round." Raven Clof paused and held Ren''s gaze then Kyrie''s. "What we need is simple. We need you two to take the tournament seriously and to do your best, within the rules of the competition." Raven Clof paused and focused on Kyrie. "And the rules we gave Kyrie regarding his weapon." Kyrie nodded and said, "I''ll do my best, safely." Ren was watching Null. It didn''t fit. Why have Laserath''s LegendSlayer guild master here to tell the two of them something Headmaster Raven Clof or Professor Olson could have said? Ren spoke with a barely concealed edge of danger, "And, what, exactly do you get out of this?" Null smiled, Ren was a sharp one. "The Laserath guild branch will get more funding and a decrease in cost for bringing specialists in for missions. It will also get higher priority for selection of missions and an increase in safer missions that can be given to the Academy and new LegendSlayers." Null met gazes with Raven Clof. "Kondaira Academy and I have a deal to increase work experience opportunities. Clof, you can share our deal if you want." Raven Clof nodded, there was no reason to keep such a simple deal hidden. "The guild is getting the labor of the students at a decreased cost. Everyone who participates in the mission will get paid. It''ll just be slightly less than if the mission was taken normally. And we both get student LegendSlayers that are more likely to survive their missions." Ren nodded and said, "Then I''ll do my best to help." Null watched Kyrie with a guilt he''d learned to conceal over many years. "We also need the two of you to help make sure the missions get completed and as many of the students come back alive as possible." Null paused for a moment as he watched the two young adults before him. "If you have to choose between the missions and the students," Null wanted to say they should choose the student''s, but they didn''t know ¨C couldn''t know how a mission would change from the contents of the request. "Chose the option you think you can live with." Ren and Kyrie looked at each other and nodded. Kyrie turned from Ren, glanced at Taru next to him then faced Null. For the first time after he''d overheard the story of his ¨C their lives together, he felt calm and ready to act. But not ready to tell Null he knew. "When''s the first mission?" Professor Olson spoke from his spot next to Kyrie, "In three weeks. We leave a week after the first part of the selection." Olson had already selected his students'' first mission. Ren said as she grinned like a cat that had caught a fish. "The first part?" Raven Clof said, "Yes. We have several chances for the selected representatives to change. That way we can make sure we''re sending our strongest and or our most cooperative teams to represent us." Ren slumped a bit in disappointment, her fish had escaped. Before anyone else spoke Ren shrugged off her disappointment. Kyrie leaned forward. "If that''s all, we should go." Raven Clof and Null glanced at each other. Since Raven Clof appeared to have nothing more to say, Null spoke, "Good luck." 32 Agian? As Kyrie and Ren neared a corner on their way to the dorms, they heard, "L-leave m-me alone!" Kyrie stumbled. Was that Jasper? Shit his aura''s near. It''s him. And him. Kyrie sprinted for the corner. Ren followed. She watched as Kyrie''s aura level spiked for a moment when he stopped. Then dropped to the same level as before he rounded the corner. Kyrie groaned. Yep it was him. It was both of them, again. Caleb, Masaki, and two others were surrounding Jasper. Jasper was pinned against the wall with his shirt bunched up in Caleb''s hand, as Caleb glared at Masaki. Kyrie growled, "I thought we talked about this already?" As he clamped his hand around Caleb''s arm. "Fuck it''s you." Ren rounded the corner, and scowled at Caleb as she said, "Caleb, what do you think you''re doing?" Caleb groaned as he released Jasper''s shirt. What were those two doing together? And why did they have to show up now? "Caleb," was all Ren said. Caleb glared at Jasper, sighed, and stepped back. "I was just trying to help keep an idiot from getting himself Killed." Caleb shook his head at Jasper before he turned and walked towards Ren. "Let''s go." Ren watched Caleb for a moment. Why had she only seen Caleb bully Jasper? "Alright¡­" She didn''t like Caleb''s approach, but she''d used it before on Amity and another friend of theirs. Kyrie turned his attention on Masaki. "And, what, exactly is your part in all of this?" Masaki grinned, "Teaching this magician his place." Kyrie narrowed his eyes at Masaki as he stood protectively in front of Jasper. Jasper snapped, "I''m fine. I don''t need you." Why''d this hero need to be such a hero? Kyrie shifted a bit, he was uncertain whether he should stay or go. Masaki sneered, "See he''s fine. You and your blood magic aren''t needed here." Masaki took a firm step towards Kyrie. "Scram before I get you kicked out of my city." Kyrie watched Masaki as he said, "Do you really think you can kick me out?" Masaki grinned, "Of course. My father is in charge of the cities magical defenses." Masaki gave a slight shrug as if fulfilling his threat was as simple as breathing. "One word to him that you''re a threat and that''s it. Because poor little Kyrie lost it and attacked me." Masaki took another step forward and drew his hand across his throat. "Next thing you know you''re just another traitorous hero." Kyrie grimaced inside but showed nothing. "Do you really think you can gather enough strength to remove me from this city?" He thought of Null, surely he''d help. But this wasn''t something Kyrie wanted to drag others into. He let some of the strength of his aura leak out. Most people don''t bother masking their aura unless in combat. Ren kept hers repressed to trick others into believing she was weak. But Kyrie, repressed his because it was easier for him to keep his ability under control. "No-one our age could be that much of a threat." Masaki shrugged and continued, "Everyone knows the LegendSlayers guild manipulates official LegendSlayer ID''s." He took another step closer, and towered over Kyrie. "It''s common knowledge that you''re a lot weaker than they say you are." Kyrie huffed and looked up at Masaki. "Your right." He grinned at Masaki. It was a look Masaki would never forget as he stumbled back. It was the look of a monster. Kyrie buried one hand in Masaki''s shirt and continued, "Careful there, we wouldn''t want you to go crying to daddy now would we." As Jasper watched Kyrie, he was confused ¨C uncertain and wary of the side he hadn''t realized his teammate possessed. Kyrie paused in thought as he said with the slightest of headaches, "Where was I?" He turned to Masaki again, the grin was still there. "I remember. You''re right. The LegendSlayer guild does manipulate my ID." Kyrie took a step further into Masaki''s personal space. "It makes me appear weaker." Masaki shuddered as he thought of the epic rank aura level on Kyrie''s ID. But then he stopped. Kyrie''s ID was updated by the Headmaster, in front of everyone. He grabbed Kyrie''s wrist as he said, "Yeah but your ID was updated by Headmaster Raven Clof. Masaki wouldn''t alter your ID." Masaki grinned and tightened his grip on Kyrie''s sensitive wrist. Kyrie repressed a grimace at the increasing ache, and at the reminder of Corson''s fate. The air around Kyrie grew warmer with anger. Not now. He couldn''t lose it now. If he did, he''d be falling for Masaki''s plan. One of Masaki''s friends said, "Uh¡­ Masaki, wouldn''t that mean he really is epic ranked?" "Sure," Masaki tried to remove Kyrie''s hand from his shirt. He failed his first attempt and Kyrie tightened his grip. Masaki frowned at the so-called hero before him. "But Aura levels the only thing evaluated. He''s probably only B rank." Masaki shifted his grip on Kyrie''s exposed scar tissue. He pulled again. Kyrie grimaced and released Masaki. "See, B ranked at the most," Masaki said to his friends as he grinned, and remained stupidly close to Kyrie. "They don''t tend to fudge the ability rank, Masaki," Kyrie said as his wrist hovered between them. Kyrie let his arm fall to his side as he glanced up at Masaki. "You do realize the updating system for ID''s was made for easily fudging aura levels, don''t you?" Masaki rolled his eyes and tried to shove Kyrie back. Kyrie didn''t budge. "I''ll take that as a no. The system has a registered feel for the quantity of aura you poses. When the number personally acquainted with the value is lower than the true number the system calculates a difference and adds it to the registered number. A convenient glitch the guild takes advantage of. After all who would want to appear weaker?" Kyrie shoved Masaki away from him. "If you were smart, you''d take this knowledge and go." Masaki glared at Kyrie as he scrambled to his feet. "I will get you executed as a traitor." "Good luck with that. I''m sure those in charge of the city will be tripping over themselves to help you rid this fragile city of my traitorous presence," Kyrie said sarcastically as he grabbed Jasper''s hand and glanced at Masaki. "If by some chance they realize helping you with your petty vengeance is an idiotic move, don''t go back to picking on my teammates." Kyrie slid his hand across his throat. "Or I might just give them a reason to believe you." Jasper''s face was bright red and his were cheeks warm as he stumbled after his hero. They were headed to their dorm. And his hand was still clasped in Kyrie''s gentle and warm, but firm grip. Maybe this wasn''t so bad after all. 33 Insubordination Centra stood up and started for the arena exit just after Kyrie departed for the locker room. "Where do you think you''re going?" Professor Fel said with annoyed glair. He''d gotten Kyrieinto trouble. But that wimp had escaped his clutches before he could get pictures for. And now this kitten was walking out on his class. Centra stopped and glanced around. Was Fel talking to her? Oh, right, "Corson''s my Brother. I was going to check on him." Fel frowned at Centra and said, "Re-take your seat." Centra watched Fel for a stunned moment. Then turned her back on Fel and continued towards the arena exit. Sure, Fel was a teacher, but he was asking her to not check on her brother. And that wasn''t something Centra could do. Just as Centra couldn''t leave her brother alone, Fel couldn''t let this disrespectful student leave after he told her to stay. A slithering green mist quickly crept through the Arena stands. DJ who was glancing between Fel and Centra''s retreating form when he noticed the mist, like several other students. Unlike the others DJ spoke up, "Centra, behind!" James and Jasper stood up. James ground his teeth in frustration as Jasper chanted, "Clipeum, Venenum, Custodi, Centra." For a moment nothing happened, and the mist continued its approach un-headed. Then, just as the mist reached Centra, Jasper''s spell activated. A pink shimmer glimmered around Centra''s form. It rippled as the green mist made contact. Fel turned his glare onto the students who were standing in defiance of him. In defiance of his methods and goals. "You don''t want to fight me on this." James called out, "Are you sure you don''t want to let her go?" "Yes." "Really? Because all we need to do is tell Professor Olson you attacked us." James stood with his arms crossed, backed by his team and the remaining members of Centra''s. Fel took on a neutral expression. He didn''t doubt that Olson would take action. Nor did he doubt the student''s standing would inform Olson of what happened. But he doubted all of them would hold firm when given a legitimate excuse. "If your injured teammate was already moved to safety ¨C would you follow them? Leave others defenseless by abandoning your post, increasing the chances of some else getting hurt." Fel paused for a moment as he gave Centra a challenging stare. "This isn''t the battlefield," was Centra''s annoyed response. Fel smiled as he said, "No, this is training for it." Fel cleared the smile from his face and turned to James. "She can leave, if I have your silence, and she still wants to." "I agree," James said with his fingers crossed, hidden behind his arm. Centra looked at James, DJ, and Jasper. She said, "Thanks," and left. Fel shook his head as he watched her go. If she doesn''t learn to keep fighting, she will get someone killed. ? ? ? A while after Centra arrived she was allowed in to see her brother. When she entered the comfy infirmary room, her brother was seated on the bed and a nurse was talking to him. Centra stood near the doorway, watching her little brother as the nurse spoke, "If the pain becomes too much, we can give you something to take the edge off." Corson grimaced as he looked at his burning palm, but said, "I can handle it," without the pain meds. Centra watched her brother with concern. "Corson it''s okay to have some pain meds." Corson frowned and looked at the nurse. "Can you go? I''d like to talk to my sister alone." The nurse nodded and closed Corson''s medical chart. "I''ll be back to check on you in an hour." Centra claimed the seat next to Corson''s bed. The two of them sat in silence for a bit as Corson stared at his right palm. Eventually, Corson turned to face his sister. He gingerly rested his bandaged arm in his lap. "No, this isn''t an injury that can go away. And I don''t want to become reliant on pain medication." "Oh." Centra glanced at the bandaged hand resting in her brother''s lap. Kyrie had to have known. He''d known how to stop it. He should have known how to prevent it. Centra glanced up at her brother who was trying to give her a reassuring smile. Corson and Kyrie had never gotten along. Had ¨C had Kyrie hurt her brother on purpose? Did Kyrie''s intent matter? Centra clenched her hands in her lap. Kyrie''d hurt her little brother. That wasn''t something she could just let go of. Corson frowned as he noticed his sisters clenched fists. He glanced at the clock on the wall. It was lunchtime. "Hey Centra. You should go eat." Centra gazed at Corson questioningly. Corson grinned and stuck his tongue out like he and Centra had been doing to tease each other since they were children. He wanted his sister to cheer up and go eat. He was fine. And would still be fine later. Centra laughed at her brother''s antics. "I''ll go eat and leave the nurses to deal with your bothersome self." Centra stood up and hugged her little brother. She''d had more hugs from Corson in the last week then she''d usually get from him in a month. She let go of her brother. And gave him the space he wanted. DJ would be at their dorm making himself lunch. Centra''d joined him. She glanced back at her brother. He was smiling and waving. Centra waved back before she left. Centra was gone. And Corson let his walls fall. He grimaced and held his arm. It was doing better than before because he was getting better at keeping his aura from flowing out. 34 More than a Ribbon Centra found Liza and DJ in the common area of their dorm room. "How was the rest of class?" DJ smiled and said, "A little awkward, but you should have seen James fight. It was adorable." Centra slipped an arm around DJ''s warm back. DJ smiled as he turned from the vegetables he was prepping to give Centra a kiss. Centra was smiling as she turned to grab a knife. She grabbed some mouth-watering strawberries to slice for DJ''s salad. "When did you start describing James'' fights as adorable?" Liza was perched on a stool on the other side of the counter. She was doodling on piece of paper. "It was pretty adorable." Liza smiled as she looked up at Centra. "His cool guy image has definitely been tainted." Liza repressed a chuckle. Centra glanced from Liza to DJ. "What happened?" "One of our underclassmen has the ability to temporarily turn someone into a kid. And he fought James." DJ put the vegetables in a bowl. Liza''s giggling disrupted her doodling. She stopped and smiled at her picture. That bout was great. DJ continued, "James was adorable as a kid. Most of his clothes didn''t fit so he was running around in his oversized shirt. The people he was supposed to be fighting couldn''t stand the idea of hurting him. So, it turned into a game of chase. "Fel was so annoyed. He ended the bout, but James was still having fun running around. And the underclassmen whose ability turned James into a kid said he wasn''t very good at reversing the process. So Fel ended up chasing James around the arena until Syra tricked James into getting close enough for her to catch him. It was great!" Centra smiled she wished she''d seen that. Centra tossed a strawberry piece at DJ. As DJ caught it with his mouth Centra realized something. "If James couldn''t be turned back, will he be okay?" Liza answered for the still chewing DJ. "Yep. It didn''t last too long. He''s already back to normal." "That''s good." DJ finished putting the dressing on as he asked, "How''s Corson?" "He''s okay-ish." Centra tightened her grip on the knife. She wished Corson''s injury wasn''t permeant. If only Kyrie hadn''t screwed up. What was she going to do when he showed up? Send him off. He didn''t belong here. Not now, maybe never. The door to their dorm room opened and a still blushing Jasper entered. "Hey Jasper¡­" Centra trailed off as she saw Kyrie come in and close the door behind him. She couldn''t do it. She couldn''t say it, not in so many words. Centra grabbed the salad from in front of DJ and took it to the table. "Lunch is ready. You should join us Jasper." And Kyrie should go. DJ glanced from Kyrie to Centra. And decided to get the dishes for lunch. He didn''t want to pick sides between his love and a friend. DJ grabbed enough dishes for five and claimed a seat at the table. Jasper wandered over ¨C he was still dazed from what happened. He was also a little afraid of Kyrie. Or rather he was afraid that Centra was going to piss Kyrie off. And he''d just seen what that could result in. Kyrie shifted awkwardly as he watched Centra. She didn''t want him here. He should go. Kyrie glanced at his teammates gathered around the table. He gestured to his room as he spoke. "I¡­ I''ll just get a few things and go." Kyrie headed for his room. Taru rested heavily on his back. As Kyrie passed Centra, she asked, "Did you do it on purpose?" "No." Kyrie turned his back on his room. He faced Centra as he told her, "It was an accident. I forgot to remove the theft protection." Centra''s hand was clenched in her lap and her other on the cold wood of her chair. "You forgot?! My brother got hurt, permanently, because you forgot! Jasper and I nearly died because you forgot. What are you going to forget next!? And who''s going to pay for your next forgetful action!?" Which of us will be killed? No, she wouldn''t let it come to that. Centra turned her back on Kyrie and said, "Get out before you get one of us killed." She stared guiltily at her holo-watch. She''d been warned and hadn''t listened. Kyrie was no hero. He was a monster, a legend. DJ tried to place a hand on Centra''s shoulder, but she quickly shrugged it off. "Centra, I know-" "No, you don''t. Raven Clof told me he''s dangerous. He told me to keep an eye on him. I did. I''m done." Centra looked at DJ with tears in her eyes. "I let you sleep in the same room as him. I shouldn''t have. I put you in danger. I¡­" Centra hiccupped as she tried to keep from crying. DJ pulled her into his arms. Centra held him tight as she continued, "I didn''t even tell you. I should have said something, believed my brother that he''s dangerous. A monster. I-" Kyrie turned from his teammates, opened the door to his room, closed it, and sat on his bed. He stared at his dresser. Centra was right. He''d forgotten those things and gotten others hurt. And he''d forgotten more. He''d lost an entire year and he hadn''t realized it. He was a monster. Just a few minutes ago he''d been threatening another student. Threatening the lives of all who lived in the city. He hadn''t meant it. He''d never choose to kill everyone in a city. But Masaki¡­ that threat he''d meant. He was becoming the monster rumors made him out to be. He was losing himself and changing. How long would it be before he was just another hero, following the same path as all the heroes before him? Centra was right. He should leave. He could live in the forest like he wanted. It was almost summer, he could gather enough food before the first snow. Out there, he could be free. He''d never have to worry about hurting others. Free. Kyrie stood up and started packing slowly. Would it really be freedom to run and hide? In the common area, Liza said, "Did Grandpa really tell you Kyrie was dangerous?" Centra wiped her eyes and pulled back from DJ''s hold. "Yeah." Liza sat in silence as she glanced from Centra to Kyrie''s door. If her Grandfather really thought Kyrie was too dangerous to handle, then he wouldn''t have placed him on the same team as them. "I think Grandpa would be really disappointed in us if we give up on being a team." Liza stood up and said, "I''m going to talk to Kyrie." Liza paused at Kyrie and DJ''s room. "We don''t have to be friends or like each other right now. But we have to work together." Liza opened the door. Kyrie paused as he glanced at Liza, some of his clothes in hand. "Do you really want me to stay?" Kyrie placed his clothes in Taru''s case. She couldn''t have meant it. "Yeah. There have been bad accidents but," Liza shrugged and continued, "We''re still learning." Liza turned and looked at Centra. She was watching Liza talk with Kyrie. "Some of us just have different things to learn." Kyrie looked past Liza and at his other teammates. "Are you okay with it? With us trying to be a team again?" He hoped they''d say yes and also hoped they wouldn''t. Going alone was familiar ¨C something he knew how to do. Yet, spending time with others and helping them was what he''d yearned to do for years. Jasper pondered for a bit. He recalled a recent conversation and knew his answer. "Okay." Things would be better this way. DJ glanced at Centra. He placed a hand on hers and squeezed it gently. "Let''s give it another shot?" Centra sighed. Her brother was in pain and that was worrying her. But she was already regretting her behavior. She was supposed to be their leader, and she didn''t feel like she was doing a very good job. "Alright¡­ I''m sorry I snapped. Only one of those was your fault and it was an accident." Kyrie gave Centra a sad smile. "It''s okay. And I think I have been forgetting too many things." Kyrie walked over to Centra and held out his fist. "Teammates?" Centra nodded and bumped her fist against Kyrie''s. "Teammates." ? ? ? It was dark out when Kyrie left the dorms. He''d realized he''d forgotten his laundry in Raven Clof''s quarters. After he''d picked up his clothes, he crossed paths with Corson on his way back. The two stood in the dark, lit by the faint pink of the barrier and the porch lights on the dorm. "How are you doing?" "Like I''d tell you." Corson scoffed and crossed his arms. He carefully kept his tender right palm from touching anything. It was scarred and bandage free. Kyrie pulled a ribbon he''d put through the wash free of his clothes. "Here." He placed it on Corson''s palm. "It''ll help." Corson clenched his hand around the ribbon that felt like a cool balm on his burning hand. "I''m not keeping it. You damned monster." But Corson wasn''t letting go either. It felt too good in his hand. It really was helping, and it didn''t come with the mental fog pain meds did. Maybe he would keep it. But it was from him. Kyrie nodded but didn''t reach for the ribbon. "If you really going to kill me, you''re going to need that." Kyrie turned from Corson and headed for the door, "Your aura now flows out your right arm easier. Learn to control it and one day you may just kill me." Kyrie opened the door and whispered to himself, "I''ll be counting on you, hero." The door closed and Corson stared at his palm. One day he''d do it. One day he''d kill that hero. Someday he''d protect everyone. And if Kyrie wanted to help him, he''d accept it, with a grain of salt. 35 A Calculus Morning Kyrie''s leg bounced incessantly. Sitting still when faced with a challenge was not something he handled well. He''d rather stand or move. Sadly, calc homework on a Saturday morning was not very conducive to moving. Kyrie had spent a fair amount of time this morning trying to figure out the formula for the problem Pele had demonstrated on the board. DJ, Liza, and Jasper did their best to answer Kyrie''s questions, without giving him the answer. Centra and the others were completing the rest of their homework. Eventually, Kyrie ended up with the power rule''s formula; y(x) = x to the power of n the derivative of y(x) equals y''(x) = nx to the power of (n-1) when x equals a constant you get 0. Kyrie''s leg bounced incessantly. Sitting still when faced with a challenge was not something he handled well. He''d rather stand or move. Sadly, calc homework on a Saturday morning was not very conducive to moving. Kyrie had spent a fair amount of time this morning trying to figure out the formula for the problem Pele had demonstrated on the board. DJ, Liza, and Jasper did their best to answer Kyrie''s questions, without giving him the answer. Centra and the others were completing the rest of their homework. Eventually, Kyrie ended up with the power rule''s formula; y(x) = xn the derivative of y(x) equals y''(x) = nx(n-1); ifx equals a constant you get 0. After finishing his calc homework, Kyrie glanced around the room. Jasper was doing magic. And Liza was drawing in a comfy chair. When she glanced up, she met Kyrie''s gaze. Her cheeks warmed as she went back to her sketch of Kyrie doing his calc homework. DJ and Centra had synchronized their holo-watches to the display across from the couch. They were playing the game Honor. Honor is a popular MMORPG. It had a pro-alliance and an inter-city pro team competition each year. But that was all Kyrie knew. Well that and DJ''s a fan of one of the local pro teams, it was called blue something. If things weren''t so awkward between Kyrie and Centra, he''d have asked if he could join her and DJ. Kyrie glanced at Taru, maybe he could go practice? Kyrie shook his head, he was trying to do things differently. He had a second chance. He wasn''t going back to the way things used to be. But what should he do? Kyrie glanced at the display Centra and DJ were using. Even though asking to join them was something Kyrie wasn''t willing to do after last night, he could still sign up and play the game. Kyrie flicked open his watch''s holo-display. He purchased a new game account and created a character. But before he could actually play, it went off. A signal. A sound that sent the fingers of dread running down his spine. A sound that froze and terrified many but felt like so much more to those who were at the fall of Avalon. Centra was the first to react. "Get your gear!" Kyrie dashed to his room as his chair clattered to its side. Liza dropped her drawing in her chair and headed for her room. Jasper opened his door and walked out as Centra entered hers. Jasper watched DJ with wide eyes. "I-is t-that ¨C" no it couldn''t be. That ¨C that stuff didn''t happen here. Attacks didn''t happen here. "Yeah." DJ watched Jasper with worry. He was ready. DJ''d always be ready. But that didn''t mean he was ready to lose his home, or the people in it."How''s your aura?" Jasper grimaced. "H-half." He glanced at Kyrie who''d returned to their common area. Taru was strapped to Kyrie''s back and a canteen to his side. They couldn''t expect them to fight, at least not for long enough to need a canteen, right? They were just students. Learning, just learning to fight. Not fighting something big enough to threaten their city. S-so, "Y-you don''t t-think t-they''d h-have us f-fight?" Kyrie shrugged. He was licensed, and he wasn''t going through the same thing as he did at Avalon. "I''ll be fighting." He''d practiced and even if he couldn''t face what was coming at his strongest, he wasn''t going to let anyone keep him from helping. Helping how he wanted. Liza had left her room, her daggers were securely hidden away. "No. We''re students. We''re supposed to go to the nearest shelter and get our orders from a Professor." It was the right thing to do. Centra was back as well, her bow in hand and her quiver strapped to her back. "How many of the other students know what to do? They haven''t covered that since I got here." Kyrie glanced at the door. He could hear banging and confused arguing. "We should help by telling them where to go." DJ nodded. "I''ll go with you. They know me and I know where the nearest shelter is." Centra frowned. "I don''t think we should be doing that, especially Kyrie. There might be something more urgent they need us for." He was a hero after all. And letting DJ go somewhere alone with Kyrie was terrifying. But they were trying to be a team. She was trying to trust Kyrie. "So, we split up," Kyrie said with a nod. "You can use your telepathy to contact us when you two get our orders." DJ watched Centra. He was he didn''t want to leave her, but Kyrie was right. And Kyrie''d need his help. So, he''d go with Kyrie. If Centra could do one very important thing. "Can your telepathy reach us here if you''re at the shelter?" Centra shook her head. "No. But it should from half a block away." Centra glanced at Kyrie. She''d turned down his offer to help before. She and Jasper had almost died at that time. She''d promised to listen to Kyrie. He''d put his feelings aside and offered to work with her. Offered like she was licensed. And now he was offering his opinion. Centra walked over to Kyrie and extended her fist. They were a team. A rough team, but a team. "Alright. We split up. Jasper, Liza, and I will get our orders and head back. DJ, Kyrie, you''ll help make sure the students here know what to do." Kyrie extended his fist to make contact with Centra''s. "Will do, leader," he said with a smile. DJ wandered over and added his fist. "Stay safe." Jasper''s fist joined his team''s as he said, "I''ll keep them safe," this time. He''d been practicing hard. His aura may be lower than normal, but he''d do his best. Liza rolled her eyes and added her fist. "You do know I''m only good for an attack or two, right?" Centra nodded and smiled. "You''ll be our short-range scout." Her smile fell. Was Corson okay? No. He was hurting. Because of Kyrie. But she was trying to move past that. Centra took a deep breath and said, "I''ll be our attacker. How''s that sound?" Kyrie smiled. "It sounds good, but remember survival comes first." If he could help it, there''d be no more deaths of those he knew. Liza sighed. "Let''s get going. Things aren''t going to get better because we''re standing here like idiots." DJ laughed as he pulled his fist free and headed for the door. As Kyrie passed Centra she said, "Keep him safe for me." Kyrie nodded. He''d try. DJ was probably the easiest for him to protect. That or Liza with her ability to cause obliviousness to her presence. Kyrie passed DJ and opened the door. "Let''s start at the top and check with anyone we see on the way up." DJ followed Kyrie out the door. "Sounds good." Centra turned to Liza and Jasper. "Let''s go." She''d try and contact Corson on the way out. ? ? ? Centra, Liza, and Jasper had quickly made their way out of the crowded stairwell, and into the cramped lobby. When they arrived at the exit, they found Ren and Caleb standing on the interior side of the door. They were making sure people left in a speedy and orderly fashion. Centra said, "Kyrie and DJ are checking the building to make sure everyone evacuates." Really, Caleb was helping? Why would he help? Ren nodded. "We were told he''d do that." Centra watched Ren with confusion. "Who?" knew the two of them well enough to guess what they''d do? Caleb grumbled from the other side of the doorway, "Just get out already." He glanced at Jasper. Worry etched his face. This can''t be it. It can''t be. Ren shrugged. "Go. You can talk to them outside." And Centra knew who it was the moment she had a clear view of them from in front of the dorms. She could clearly see the form of a student stronger and more well known then DJ. A student that was instructing others to keep watch and quickly devising groups to head to the shelter. A student Liza had thought would never be able to regain the cool guy image he''d lost. Or as Liza would put it, never really had. James was busy, but he had the help of his team and the rest of Ren''s. He was working with the senior and second-year LegendSlayers. He''d send a group of non-LegendSlayers or zero-years with a team of first-year and senior-year LegendSlayers. Or a group of second-year and first or zero-year LegendSlayers to the shelter. Centra, Jasper, and Liza walked over to Andray. Andray was keeping his distance and standing watch. "We''re headed for the shelter. Should we bring back orders for your team and Ren''s?" Andray nodded. "Please." Centra nodded and turned to go. But Andray had to ask, "Why''d you come to me?'' James had said Centra would go to him. And he''d told Andray to have her get orders for them, if she was headed to the shelter. Centra smiled, "Because, you''re the second in command of your team." Andray watched Centra in shock. He''d never thought of his actions like that. But it made sense. He was the one helping James figure out what to do. But it had never felt like much because James usually knew what he wanted to have done before talking to Andray. Especially today. "Sis! James sent me to help." Centra smiled as she saw her brother. Finding his mind amongst the cluster of panicked students had given her a headache on the way down. So, she''d reluctantly given up and resorted to hoping he was okay. And he was. Liza spoke while Centra was distracted, "Does James want us to head out with a group?" Corson shook his head. "No. He said something along the lines of, ''if you can''t make it there safely, then I don''t want you coming back here with orders.'' " Centra''s smile fell as the implications of their current situation returned. "Right, let''s go. Liza, make sure you stay close so we can back you up." Liza opened her holo-display and disabled her telepathy block for Centra. ''I''ll send you an all clear if we''re good to go.'' She activated her ability and jogged to the nearest corner. Corson claimed a position at the front. Jasper and Centra followed side by side. Centra was using her telepathy to sense if someone was approaching from behind. As Centra walked down the street her gaze drifted to the forest of buildings around her. The city she''d lived in all her life had never felt so foreign. 36 A Momen Liza, Centra, Jasper, and Corson made their way down the first two blocks without problems. They were headed to the smithy and it looked like the attackers hadn''t made it onto the academy grounds. Their only indicators that something was wrong were the off and on siren and the faint coloring of the barrier over their heads. Whatever ¨C whoever was attacking had placed a great strain on the city''s main defense. Liza had just cleared an alleyway and had signaled for her current team to move forward. She''d chosen a longer route with fewer alleyways and side streets. Liza had debated taking the same route that the larger groups were or this one. So far it appeared to be working. Liza rounded the second to last corner. She quickly studied the next street.''It''s all cl-'' ''Shit.'' Jasper cast a quick Valkine fireball at the tree creature that had snuck up behind them. Corson grimaced as he pivoted and placed himself between the human-sized tree creature and his teammates. The creature nimbly avoided Jasper''s fireball but got one of its two twig arms severed by the dagger Corson had hidden behind the fireball. Corson flipped the dagger and maneuvered it for a second strike as Centra loaded her bow. The Trie snatched Corson''s dagger and slashed it a Centra''s arrow. In moments, the Trie was headed right for them. Centra yelled, "Back!" Corson was slow to follow his sister''s instructions. But it was intentional. He wanted to keep himself between the Trie and his team. He wanted to protect them. Centra quickly shot three arrows. The Trie dodged the first, blocked the second, and found a dagger logged in its chest. Then an arrow to where a human''s heart would have been. The Trie didn''t care. It pushed forward and sent some of its oak leaves at the group. Jasper quickly cast a sloppy Valkine barrier. His aura was draining quickly. The leaves sliced into it and the barrier crumbled. But it was enough, the Trie''s leaves fluttered gently to the ground. Centra slung her bow over her shoulder and threw out her hands. She looked as if she was trying to keep someone from pushing her over. And, in a way, she was. Centra had locked herself in a telekinetic battle to prevent the nimble Trie from moving. "Jasper bind it!" "I need a moment." Jasper closed his eyes and stood with his hands palms out at his sides. He was centering his energy. A binding spell required a balance of the six main magic types, ice, water, earth, fire, wind, and life. Centra groaned but held tight. She had changed her mind about retreating when the Trie had displayed its ranged attack. There was no option of keeping a safe distance. They''d have to take it down, or go down themselves. Liza approached her teammates and started to move in for an attack. "Liza, wait. We can''t have you attack now. We still need to get back." Liza shifted her grip on her daggers in irritation. She could go and end this now. "No!" Centra said, "We don''t know it would work! Look at its shoulder," the arm Corson had removed had already begun repairing itself. Corson stood with his remaining five daggers poised for an attack. He was worried that an attack now would make it harder for his sister to control the Trie. But he wasn''t sure how much longer he could keep this up. His right palm was throbbing under the teal ribbon he''d bound it with. And his aura was draining quickly with his focus elsewhere. Liza sighed, "I''ll watch our backs," and turned so she could keep an eye on the corner and the Trie. Jasper didn''t bother to speak. He began casting once he was centered. He quickly brought his left hand to his head. His thumb was facing his forehead. He channeled his aura into his hand as he yanked it down to the base of his throat, then over to the end of his right shoulder. He extended his arm and two fingers were pointed at his enemy. Crystalline looking chains formed around the Trie. Jasper had achieved a near-perfect balance that left the chains shifting colors. Within a millisecond of the chains'' appearance around the Trie, they changed from a physical object to a marking etched into its bark. "Don''t hit the marks!" Jasper shouted as Corson launched his attack. Corson''s dagger ripped, chipped, and tore at the Trie. He was searching for something that would let them kill the Trie without fire. Jasper was running out of aura and they needed to find another way to kill one. As Corson hacked and slashed, the edges of his daggers dulled, and he grew anxious. It had to be there. There had to be a spot that they could hit to kill this thing. But more wood fell away, then regrew, as Corson searched. Soon most of the untouched places were under or near the chains. One nick and the Trie would be free to move. Then he''d found it. A crystallized core that appeared to keep the Trie alive. Corson struck it with a dagger, but his blade bounced back leaving only a scratch on the core. Corson''s heart rate picked up and his hands shook with nerves. It was so hard to find the core and they couldn''t even destroy it. But Centra was calm she pulled back an arrow. "Move your blades." With Corson''s blades pulled back she released. And cracked the core. Another arrow whistled after it and the Trie went limp within its bindings. "Let''s move. We''ve been here too long." Liza nodded and moved forward. The next road looked clear. "Sis, why didn''t you tell us it was here?" Centra shuddered at the thought of the Trie. "It doesn''t have a mind." Even someone blocked gave off a muted and muddled feeling of having thoughts or emotions. But that Trie had none of those. It had felt like the air or the stones they were walking on. To Centra not a thing about the Trie had felt alive, something like that didn''t ¨C shouldn''t exist. Jasper was walking next to Centra when as he stumbled. "I-its magic. I could feel it like runes or a spell forming." Centra glanced at Jasper for a moment before she resumed examining their surroundings. So, it was made of magic. Then she wouldn''t be much of a lookout. Jasper on the other hand, "Can you keep watch?" "Yeah." Jasper glanced behind them. What kind of legend could make those creatures? Jasper turned to the building in front of them. There were far too many legends to pick from. They needed more info. ? ? ? DJ and Kyrie arrived at the top floor. Most of the students had left. Some doors were locked, and others left open. Kyrie and DJ quickly knocked on doors and checked open rooms. DJ knocked on the door across from the one Kyrie knocked on. The door in front of Kyrie flew open, as an annoyed young man spat, "What?" "You need to evacuate." The young man glared at Kyrie. "Like I''d listen to a murderer." He started to close his door. But Kyrie couldn''t let him stay here. Stay where he''d be in danger and where a rescue party would have to be sent later. The door quietly slammed into Kyrie''s palm. "You need to evacuate." The guy holding his door growled as he tried to close it again. "Fuck off." Stupid hero, it was just a drill. Everything was fine ¨C safe until this murder failed at his job. "It''s not safe to stay here." "Felt pretty damned safe till a murderous hero showed up." Is that stupid hero using his ability to keep the door from closing? Fuck. "The evacuation siren is going off. You need to get to the smithy." The young man''s arms and face took on a slight glow as he used his ability to increase his strength. "It''s just an F-n drill!" By this time DJ had convinced the occupants of the other room to leave. "Whether it''s a drill or not doesn''t change what to do." He said as he stood behind Kyrie. The guy looked at DJ and stopped pushing on the door. DJ? Oh. Well, "I-I guess so. You really think that?" DJ smiled as he said, "Yeah." The guy glanced at Kyrie then looked at DJ. "But evacuating''s for wimps." Kyrie shook his head but left DJ to answer. "Nah. It''s the smart thing to do." "Hmm." DJ was a cool and decent guy. He''d never do something wimpy, unlike this shorty. The guy stared at Kyrie as he said, "I''m not doing this for you, murderer." Kyrie nodded solemnly. DJ and he had gone through this song and dance several times. It had gotten to the point where Kyrie was wondering why he was here. DJ knew what to do, where people were supposed to go, and the students listened to him ¨C respected him. And DJ could talk. All Kyrie seemed to do was piss people off the moment they saw him. It had been different at Avalon. He was hated. The people were terrified of the moment he''d lose control again. But he was also respected and trusted. They trusted he''d protect them. They knew he''d help them, protect them. But he''d failed. The ruins were evidence enough that their trust had been misplaced. The students here were right. There was no reason to listen to a hero like him. Kyrie could feel his fingers bite into his palms. DJ had moved away from the door as the other guy grabbed his stuff. When DJ realized Kyrie wasn''t following, he turned around. DJ felt a sympathetic pang for Kyrie. He walked back and placed a hand on Kyrie''s shoulder. "Come on." Kyrie took a deep breath and turned to follow DJ. "I''m just making this harder for you." DJ patted Kyrie on the back. "Nah. You''re helping me get them through the pissed off stage faster." Kyrie rolled his eyes and scoffed, "Oh yeah, it''s really helpful to piss them off." DJ sighed. "Dude it''s okay. You being here really helps." DJ grinned at Kyrie. "I get people out faster by saying, ''Hey, you see him? He''s Kyrie Say. Yeah, that guy. Do you think he''d be doing this if he wasn''t concerned it was real? I know, right! So, head on over to the smithy. You don''t know where that is? It''s just a few blocks that way. It''s a great place to get a new weapon or have one fixed. We''re students so the school''ll pay for it. Bye pups see you around sometime. And stay safe out there!'' " Kyrie laughed. "Is that really what you tell them?" DJ grinned as they rounded the corner into the last hallway of the top floor. "Nope. But the part about you was real." "Ugh." Kyrie stretched and said, "Alright, I got it. I''m helping so stop moping." DJ gave Kyrie a hard and friendly pat on the back. A pat that would have had most people stumbling a bit. "Yep! It''s the end of the world! So, what? We''re still here so we''ve got stuff to do in order to see tomorrow!" The last hallway ran parallel to the back of the building. The first door they found had been left open. DJ and Kyrie entered the room and could see a long window showing the back side of the dorm. "Oh shit." DJ stared out the window in shock and terror. "We need to go faster." "No more mister nice guy." "Definitely." 37 The Chat Group Centra, Liza, Jasper, and Corson had joined the students entering the shelter below the smithy. They were anxiously waiting in the shelters entrance hall line for a prof to check them in. Centra glanced at Jasper. He''d had cast some pricey spells. "How much aura do you have left?" "E-enough f-for a-another s-spell or t-two." Jasper fidgeted with the wand at his hip. Masaki was checking in. Centra nodded and watched Jasper with worry. "We''ll see if we can get you something to help with aura regeneration." Jasper wouldn''t be able to do much right now. If they couldn''t get him some help, he''d have to stay behind. Jasper nodded. He needed to be careful. An item for aura regeneration can also cause aura sickness if used too long or in the case of food too much was eaten. Liza flipped open her holo-display. She opened her texts and typed a message to her grandpa. *Are u okay?* It took a moment, but her message was sent. Liza covered her mouth as she tried not to laugh too much. What''s the point of communication plans when the net was still up? Centra and Corson turned to Liza with concern. Was she okay? She was kinda laughing like a maniac. Jasper took an uneasy step back. Sometimes Liza really freaked him out, she just laughs so much. Centra cleared her throat and asked, "What happened?" Liza eventually regained control enough to speak, "We can text them." Corson glanced at Centra and Jasper in confusion. But they were soon laughing in relief with Liza. "Text who?" Liza answered, "Kyrie, DJ, and James. We''re supposed to get orders for them." Liza held up her writs with her watch. "Since the coms net is still up, we can text them the orders." It would be a significantly safer and faster method of communication too. Centra fingered the arrows in her quiver as they waited. Nineteen left, it might be a good idea to get more. She glanced at her little bother. He''d need his daggers sharpened and one replaced. It wouldn''t be cheap. Avalon had been the source of most of Laserath''s metals, ores, and alloys. At least the school might pay for one to be made by a blacksmith student. Jasper turned from Masaki and looked towards the door. "We s-should t-tell them w-where the c-core is." Jasper''s cheeks warmed and his hand clenched around his wand, Kyrie could use his help. "Got it." Liza hadn''t received a response from her grandfather and was worried. But he was powerful and influential. He was probably busy. Hopefully, safe. Liza switched to the team chat DJ had created and grabbed everyone''s LegendSlayer account names. After that, she looked for Ren and James'' accounts. Both accounts were set to private. "Does anyone have James or Ren added?" Centra said, "Corson and I have James." Jasper grimaced. "I''ve got J-James'' a-and¡­ C-Caleb''s." "What?" Liza stared at Jasper. Why the heck would he have Caleb friended? Centra watched Jasper with worry. "Why? Did he force you too?" Jasper sighed in irritation. "No. I-I just do!" He pulled up his holo-display and added everyone to a group chat. Why did everyone have to worry so? He could take care of himself. He''d been doing it for years. Caleb was just an idiot. @greenRock (Jasper): *Hey. The networks still active so we decided to communicate this way. I''ll change the settings in a sec so you can add your teammates. We found a core that''ll destroy the tree things. If you break it around where a human''s navel is. It took two of Centra''s arrows to break it.* See, he could handle things. @shield (James): *Thanks!* System message: *@greenRock has changed the group settings. Members may add others to the group.* System message: *@P---Off added @never, @Ribbons, @silk, and @AnaGaurd. And @shield added @healer, @tankThis, @Grrrr, and @MToll.* @Ribbons (Ren): *Tree thing? How big?* Please be less than eleven feet, please. Anything bigger would be hell to fight. Fun, but hell. @Tel (Centra): *Yeah. It''s human-sized. Smaller than DJ.* Centra shifted nervously and glanced at the door. DJ wasn''t answering but he was at the dorm. He should still be safe. @shadowStalker (Liza): *It regenerates and can shoot its leaves.* Still nothing from Grandpa. @Ribbons (Ren): *Ugh. How hard was it?* Regen shit. They''d need to be dealt with in one blow. One blow would be hard for Ana. @Tel (Centra): *Harder than a sapling but not bad. Except for the core. That parts tough when exposed.* @Ribbons (Ren): *Gotcha. Speed?* Might not be so bad then. @Tel (Centra): *I''m not sure. It can dodge.* @Ribbons (Ren): *Hmm.* That they''d need more info on. The temporary team had finally arrived in front of Professor Pele. Pele glanced at the familiar group before him. "Your teammates with Kyrie, right?" "Yeah," Centra said. Pele glanced at the door. He hated jobs like this, sending kids out to fight. Especially the kids he cared about. When it came to Kyrie, it might be better that he fought. At least he wouldn''t be struggling through a panic attack. "He''s supposed to report to the guard captain at the southern interior gate." "What about James'' and Ren''s teams?" Centra asked. "James and his team can go there as well. Ren''s presence has been requested, like Kyrie''s." it was just more kids whose pain, blood, and nightmares would haunt him. He''d come here to avoid being part of a group that would do such things to children and now he was a part of one. "W-wait y-you d-didn''t mention R-Ren''s team o-or o-ours?" Jasper stuttered with worry. Were they just supposed to stay here? When he finally had his chance. "If you want to support Kyrie you can go with him. The same goes for Ren''s team. But the two of them won''t have a cushy job to do." Pele paused and looked each of them in the eye. "You will be in a lot of danger." But his gaze softened as he watched them. "If you really want to help you should try going with James." It''d be safer for them and they could still help. Liza glanced at Centra. ''I''d rather not leave Kyrie alone.'' He''d already gone on a mission alone when he had a team to help him. Liza clenched then opened her fist. They needed to show Kyrie they could help him ¨C support him. Jasper could feel the warmth of Kyrie''s grasp on his hand. He wanted to feel that again. He wanted to learn more about Kyrie. Jasper fiddled with his wand. He''d get something for aura regen and protect the hero that had wandered into his life. He''d do what he should, what he must do. Centra nodded at Pele and said, "We''ll restock and help our teammate defend our home." Pele sighed, checked something off and said, "There''s a group of senior and junior students heading out soon. You can go with them and meet up with your friends at the guard post." Pele held out a small box. "Also, can you give this to Kyrie?" Centra took the box and said, "Yeah." She, Liza, Jasper, and Corson turned to leave. They''d need to get re-equipped and head out soon. But Pele called after them, "Wait! You, who are you?" Pele was pointing at Corson. "Oh. I''m Corson." "Corson?" Pele searched his check-in sheet for a Corson. "Livence." Pele found him and frowned. He glanced back at Corson, he was a zero-year LegendSlayer and he was marked for leave from combat. "I''m sorry but you can''t go with your sister." Corson clenched his good hand. "What?! Why not?!" "You''re still injured and have been pulled from combat training until your aura control improves." At least he could keep this one safe. Corson grimaced. That stupid injury was keeping him from helping. That damned hero! "I can still fight. I did so on the way here!" "Then you''ll be fine with letting me test your aura quantity?" Corson shifted awkwardly and glanced at the others. "I-I don''t need aura to fight." Pele frowned at that. Corson''s aura had to be low. Jasper glanced at Corson. He was like a little brother to him. "I can protect him." Pele raised an eyebrow at that. He''d kept tabs on how Kyrie and his team were doing. Jasper''s protection hadn''t been enough last time it was needed. Perhaps he had improved enough. Perhaps he hadn''t. Centra spoke before Pele had the chance, "Jasper doesn''t have enough aura to keep both of you safe. Just¡­ stay here. Where you''ll be safe." "I''ll be fine." Corson glowered at his sister. He loved her but she really didn''t need to keep him wrapped in bubble wrap. He wasn''t one of her fragile figurines. Liza watched Corson skeptically. Most people didn''t train to fight without aura. She activated her ability and moved closer. Once she was in front of him, she deactivated her ability and threw a solid punch to Corson''s gut. Corson gagged at the strike to his stomach and grimaced. "What the hell?" Liza rolled her eyes. "You aren''t ready to fight without aura." Corson felt his heart plunge. She didn''t think he was ready? Corson shook his head, no he''d show her. "Throw another. I''m good. I''ve got ¨C" Corson coughed and grabbed at his chest. Panic flitted through him. He couldn''t breathe. His chest was tight. He couldn''t pull air in. His hands trembled and tried to help, but they couldn''t. There was nothing he could do, she''d killed him. Fuck, why couldn''t he breathe! "Give it a moment. You''re fine." Liza said as she rested a hand on Corson''s back. She hadn''t hit him that hard. Just enough to make him understand. Corson drew in a shaky breath. After a few more his cheeks betrayed him and reddened. She still had her hand on his back. Sadly, it didn''t last long. Liza soon removed her hand and backed up. "You should stay here." Liza calmly watched Corson. "If you really want to learn to fight without aura give me a call." Liza turned to face Centra and Jasper. "We should get going." Before Corson could change his mind. As Corson watched Liza with a hazy mind he thought, damn she''s hot. Centra glanced from Liza to her brother as she repressed a grin. ''I heard that. Want me to set you two up together?'' Corson''s eyes widened and his oxygen-deprived mind cleared in his panic. ''NO!'' He didn''t want his sister involved in his love life at all! Centra focused her attention on Liza as she said, "We should grab some regen supplies for the others." They might need it. One Trie was hard enough to take down with the four of them. Liza and Jasper nodded. The three of them left to get supplies and join the other students in the garage. Most of them would take on safer jobs. ? ? ? Kyrie and DJ were watching an approaching grove of Tries. There was at least twenty of them. Kyrie moved to the window and unlocked it. "I''ll buy us time. Go tell everyone to get ready for a fight." DJ glanced at Kyrie out of the corner of his eye. "That''s a lot of them. I think it''ll be better to send someone else with a warning. Then I can support you." And Kyrie wouldn''t have to fight alone. Kyrie shook his head. "Fewer people means more room for me to maneuver." And a safety zone for his mess ups. DJ nodded. He had a similar problem with his ability. "Still, that''s a lot to take on. Either way, we can discuss it on the way down." Kyrie smiled sadly at DJ. "Not really." He turned and threw open the window. "I''m jumping down." DJ''s eyes were wide, and he glanced down from the window. "Oh." It was a six-story drop to the ground. DJ shook his head as he said, "I don''t think I''ll jump." Kyrie smiled. He''d felt the same way the first time he''d done it. Even though he knew he could use his ability to prevent any injuries. There was just something about heights that makes a person think jumping is stupid. At least the first time. "You can bring help once you get the others moving." DJ nodded and turned to go. Kyrie was maneuvering Taru out the window and had a foot on the seal. "Wait!" Kyrie lurched forward in surprise. He grabbed for the window. His hand slipped. He tried again and his grip held. What was DJ thinking? Startling someone who was about to jump out a window. Kyrie snapped, "What?" "Let me check my messages first. I''ve got something from Jasper." Kyrie rolled his eyes but waited. He''d nearly fallen because DJ wanted to check his messages. Oh well, the grove was still a ways away. DJ quickly scrolled through the group messages. "The tree things have some kind of though core around their navel. If you break that they''ll go down. They regen too." Kyrie nodded with surprise, that message was a lot more helpful than he''d expected. "Can you tell him thanks for me?" "Sure. We''ve got our orders too. But this is more urgent." Kyrie nodded and leapt from the window. DJ typed a message in the chat and left the room, with a last glance at the empty window. "Stay safe." @beatBox (DJ): *We''ve got, like a grove of these things behind the dorm. @greenRock Jasper thanks for the info.* @shield (James): *Shit. We''ll prep for a fight.* Who should go where? Should he send a group to buy time? James glanced over the crowd of people outside the dorm. There were too many people out right now. @beatBox (DJ): *Kyrie''s heading them off to give us a chance to evacuate and prep.* Alone. That guy better come back. DJ''s display shook. He didn''t want Kyrie''s death on his conscious. @shield (James): *Got it. We''ll look out for stragglers.* James was smiling. Kyrie''d do a lot to help. He should have enough time. @P---Off (Caleb): *Should we go help? *I could use sometime breaking shit.* @shield (James): *Not yet. Kyrie''ll be fine. I''ll play it defensive.* @never (Rick): *It''ll be fine Cal. You''ll break stuff later.* DJ closed his display so he could focus on getting everyone cleared out of the building. It''ll be slower without Kyrie. But a very real and very near threat would help counter that. ? ? ? Kyrie landed lightly on the ground with a grimace. Spending this much time out of combat and in a city wasn''t doing much for keeping his aura levels lower. Hopeful, these things don''t drink ambient aura energy. That would be painful. Kyrie kicked off the ground and headed for Tries at an inhuman pace. 38 In the Groove Kyrie stopped his charge as he swung Taru at the Trie in front of him. The Trie jumped back and dodged Kyrie''s swing. It was fast. He''d have to get closer and pick up his pace. Kyrie moved closer and began thinning the Tries before him. Swish, crack, snap, block. He''d quickly found a rhythm for killing the Tries. Swish, crack, snap, block. The Tries weren''t that intelligent. All they had going for them was speed, regeneration, and numbers. Swish, snap, block. Hold it. That one didn''t have a core. Where was its core? Kyrie shivered as he spun to face the Trie he''d split in half. Its body was mending itself. Swish. Still no core. "Holo activate voice chat." Swish, crack, snap, block. Damn some are splitting off. "Voice chat activated. Who would you like to chat with?" Aim for the head. Swish, crash, block. There it was. "Chat with my newest LegendSlayer chat group." Kyrie pivoted and split the next Trie with a downward stroke. That would work. He needed to get closer to them, but that should take down the ones with a core in their head like part or in their stomach area. "Connected to chat. Would you like to invite the other group members to chat?" Swish, crack, snap, dodge. Kyrie slung Taru down and used the bladeless spots to rotate her around his body for another downward swing. "Yes." ? ? ? James had placed his teammates and Ren''s so they could safely watch the sides of the cafeteria and dorm. They were looking for stragglers from the grove, or those from other groves. James'' holo-watch didn''t even ring. He''d long since set his watch to answer calls from Kyrie automatically. At least when it wasn''t between 10 pm and 4 am. "Connected to chat." "What''s up?" James could hear Kyrie''s strained breathing. "Stranglers¡­ from my left." James nodded and gestured for Casey to move to his left. Casey was in her combat form, partially turned into a cute¨Cvicious wolf. Crack, snap. Ren moved from her spot by the door and said, "I got it." "Wait. How many stranglers Ky?" James had turned from the dorm to the direction the Tries would come from. If the number was low, they wouldn''t need Ren just yet. "Two ¨C three." Another had slipped away. "You good with me stopping them?" "Yep." James grabbed some of his vine seeds and sprinkled them in the cracks between the stones. He found their specs of dormant life and poured his aura into them. The plants flourished under James'' care as he directed them to grow toward the corner the Tries were headed to. "Some have head cores too." "Gotcha." James and his vines began the wait. "Get everyone not on guard duty into the cafeteria or headed to the shelter." James shook his head, no that''s not right. "Actually, send them to the shelter." He didn''t want to say it, but this might be the last group they could send safely. If Kyrie had more space, he could go faster, and this wouldn''t be a concern. But he didn''t have more space. And one person could only do so much. No matter how Kyrie wished he could do more. James shook his head again, thinking about Kyrie and his late-night complaints wasn''t going to change their current situation. "Grrr. More stragglers." Crack, snap. "Right side. One." James split some of his vines and shifted their growth pattern to reach the other side. "Got it," Andray said as he and Syra headed for the other side. "I''m," crash, "Almost done making firewood." "Great. I can light shit on fire!" James ignored Caleb and Kyrie''s banter about their plans for the Tries corpses and focused on the sound of rustling leaves. It was faint but growing louder. Soon three Tries rounded the building''s corner. James waited patiently for them to step into his trap of vines. Closer, just a little bit closer. There, perfect. James struck. Swoosh, crack, thud. James'' vines went straight for the Tries'' cores, through the bark and wood. He''d cracked the cores into several pieces. The Tries went limp. "I got the first thr ¨C ahgg!" James screamed at the sudden flash of pain tearing through him. It was a pain he''d felt once before. When he and Kyrie had been five. A pain that tore at his ability itself. James'' aura was being yanked on through his bond to the plants he''d grown. He could feel it being pulled from the plants and into the cores of the Tries. James grimaced as he yanked the aura he''d given to his precious plants back into his body. Do to James'' aura being pulled in different directions, the plants quickly tore, withered, and died. And the Tries grew stronger, bigger than they had been before his failed attack. Ren dashed from her spot at the door. Her sword was out, and she was headed for the Tries. She should never have left the main part of the fight to a bunch of amateurs. As James gathered his bearings, he heard Kyrie grunt, "James, what the hell happened?" Ren''s blades slammed into and through the first Trie''s core, as smooth as cutting butter. Even so, she''d need to take good care of her claymore. Wood and sap aren''t the best things for a sword. She''d clean it soon. Casey shook herself from her crippling shock. That damned girl in those stupid heels was faster than her. And she even had further to go! Casey growled as she rammed into the Trie furthest from Ren. Casey hated Ren''s guts, but she didn''t want to impede Ren''s swing at the remaining Trie. Casey growled again as she struck the healing wood over the core. Her claws dug into the grooves. She yanked a chunk off. Stupid tree thing. Couldn''t it be softer!? The Trie slammed one of its branches into Casey''s side. Her aura flared as she lost her grip. A hand landed on the back of her shirt and flung her out of the way. Ren''s blade sliced into and threw the last Trie. The crisis was averted, for now. Ren left a startled pile of girl, claws, fangs, and tail on the ground. She moved from one side of the building and headed for the other. She sighed as she passed James. He''d done well until things had gone horribly wrong. He should have let her go earlier. She should have just gone earlier, but team work and trust are important. James watched Ren with a grimace. He''d really thought he could handle it. And he had, for a moment. "James?" Crack, "You''re," snap, "really starting to worry me." "I''m fine. Ren handled it." "Really?" snap. "What happened?" Crack, snap. "Yeah. They can pull aura from my plants." James fumbled with the water bottle attached to his side. If he was going to be more aggressive, he''d need a drink or two from his smoothie. "Oh." "Shit. Ren don''t you f-n get hurt!" "Shut up Caleb. My swords cheap metal for a reason." Caleb glowered at the people in the lobby. They''d had it mostly cleared out, but more people were gathering. It was probably that D.J.''s doing. "You''re the jerk that left me to ''keep the peace.'' " Rick laughed. "Your perfect for it. A grumpy glowering bully works great for keeping people from leaving." Caleb mumbled, "How the fuck did you know I was glowering?" Unfortunately for him, his voice was still picked up. "Cause we''ve been best friends since forever dude." Rick grinned at James who was putting the lid back on his smoothie. "Did¡­ you just drink your smoothie." James grimaced at Kyrie''s question. "Yeah¡­" "Ugh. Four more and I''ll be there." Crack, snap. Another Trie quickly rounded the corner. And found itself sliced in half by a slightly pissed girl in heels before it even finished rounding the corner. "Last stragglers down." "Almost¡­" Crack, snap. "I''m done. See ya in a moment." James frowned, Kyrie seemed to be breathing heavily. It must''ve been the fight. Or it could''ve been something else, hopefully nothing bad. James shook his head and said, "Caleb, it''s clear. Let''s get more groups headed for the shelter." "Got it. Hey! Ya all shits can leave me alone now! Get out!" Caleb moved from in front of the door and went back to lurking near it. DJ grimaced as he said, "I''ve cleared the last floor. I''ll go try and tame the beast." "Fuck it you can have the job." Ren made her way back to James as he said, "I''m sorry. I thought I had us covered." Ren patted James on the shoulder. "It''s all right. I made it in time, nobody got hurt." Ren looked at James guilty. "Plus, we didn''t know they can feed off of us like that." James nodded his head and sprinkled another seed in the broken stones. He quickly and carefully grew it into a solid spear. Then severed the spear and pulled the life he''d given it back into himself until it was but a lifeless hunk of wood. "I''ll be ready for it next time." Ren nodded. "Good." Hopefully, James would rely on her on her more. Kyrie rounded the corner and re-joined them. He looked fine. The sweat darkening his shirt and the mussed hair he was fixing were the only indications of the fight he''d just gone through. Well, that and the giant pile of wood he and Caleb had grudgingly agreed must be turned into a bonfire as soon as possible. Even though it was a warm summer day. 39 The Guard Pos Taru hung from Kyrie''s back as they watched the last of the students leave for the shelter. Kyrie turned to his left and asked James, "How are we getting to the guard post?" James glanced at the others and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I''ve got a car. But it''s only meant for five. And we''ve got twelve." Kyrie shrugged. "I can run." Runs are nice. Way nicer than the calc homework he''d been doing before this. James wasn''t fond of the idea. That would be a lot of running. He turned to face the rest of the group. "Anyone else got a car?" "I got a cycle over break." Andray''s keys hung from his hand. "I can take Syra with me." James nodded and said, "Okay, everyone else is with me." We''ll make it work, somehow. Caleb growled, "Nobody''s sitting on my lap," as the group headed for the tiny underground garage. ? ? ? James popped his trunk and said, "So who wants to get in the trunk?" "Me," Ren said as she glanced at Amity. Having someone sit on her lap or sitting on someone else''s would be very awkward. "I''ll run." James sighed and rolled his eyes at Kyrie. "Set Taru up to be touched and stick her in the trunk. Then Ren can get in." Kyrie watched James stubbornly. "Seriously Ky! If you run, we''ll be there at least an hour before you. Your riding on someone''s lap." Kyrie glanced at the trunk. For a moment he was tempted but then he shuddered. There was no way he could ridein there. Kyrie channeled his aura into Taru than placed her in James'' trunk. Ren climbed in and took the other''s weapons. She carefully stored the weapons so shewould have less chance of being injured during the drive. James closed the trunk and looked at the remaining nine people. "Well I''m driving, so how about we start with the three biggest in the back?" DJ shrugged and climbed in, he was followed by Ana in the middle and Rick at the other door. Caleb climbed into the passenger seat in the front. The only thing worse than being in the dark was sitting on someone''s lap. After Caleb got in the front, Malisa and Amity looked at each other and climbed in the back. Neither of them wanted to sit on Caleb''s lap. Casey wandered off to change forms behind a support column. When she returned, she was in her fluffy wolf form and claimed her spot. James anxiously waited next to Kyrie. He wasn''t going to let his cousin escape. Kyrie glanced at James, sighed, and climbed into the front. Sometimes being small sucked. Caleb tensed as Kyrie sat on his lap awkwardly. "Don''t do anything." Kyrie scoffed with his arms crossed. "Like I''d want to do anything with you." Caleb turned to stare out the window. He bit his lip and met Ricks gaze in the reflection. It would be a very long ride. James opened the driver''s door and started the car. It wasn''t that great of a car and it was a lot heavier than normal.He put his foot on the gas pedal and his car lurched forward. Kyrie''s palm hit the dashboard as he tried to keep his seat. "James." "Sorry." Caleb grumbled inaudibly and wrapped his arms around Kyrie''s waist. It would be better to keep Kyrie from moving so much. "Do you want some help getting this thing moving?" Kyrie asked as he grudgingly leaned against Caleb. "Let''s save that for later." ? ? ? They''d seen a few Tries during their drive, but the creatures couldn''t keep up with the car. It was a tense and awkward ride to the southern interior gate. The car had just rounded the last corner in front of the southern guard post when the passenger door opened and Kyrie dived out of the speeding vehicle. Caleb grabbed the door and closed it. "Finally." James rolled his eyes at Kyrie''s antics. He''d already guessed this would happen. For some reason, his cousin wasn''t a fan of most forms of travel. He''d use them when he had to but if he didn''t have to Kyrie would walk. James pulled to a stop and hit the trunk release. Thankfully, it was summer. His trunk release was a bit seasonal. DJ had offered to help James fix it. But James didn''t use his trunk much, so he wasn''t all that inclined to do so. Ren and the others climbed out of the car. They had just finished unloading it when Kyrie and a member of the guard showed up, from different directions. "I better not see that many people coming out of your car again young man." The guard''s arms were crossed as he sternly watched James. "You won''t," growled Caleb. He hated the idea, but he might as well get something out of it. His chest tightened with panic and self-loathing. A car would be helpful, just maybe not worth it. Caleb''s hands trembled. He couldn''t believe the thought had crossed his mind. He watched Rick with a sickness churning in his guts. He could really use help from his best friend right now. But Rick was distracted by chatting up Melissa. Caleb shuddered he could never do such a thing. "You okay?" Ren whispered from behind Caleb. Concern etched her face. Caleb jumped, stuffed his shaking hands in his pockets, and grumbled, "Yeah." He''d switched to watching Kyrie join James and the guard. Did he really have to jump out of the car? Was being around him that bad? Caleb shook his head. "What the fuck, I''m the one who didn''t want him there." Ren cocked her head as she watched Caleb. It was clear something was wrong. Something he wasn''t ready to talk about. She''d wait. One day she''ll have waited long enough for Caleb to trust her and then she could help him. But that day wasn''t now so she wouldn''t ask him, just yet. James turned and called out to their ragtag group. "Let''s go in and figure out what''s going on." ? ? ? A Sargent led the group of students to a quieter spot off to the side of the bustling lobby. Liza, Centra, and Jasper were waiting for them. DJ grinned and swept his girl into his arms. After a moment he pulled back and looked her over. She was gorgeous and unharmed, perfect. DJ leaned forward and kissed her. Centra moved her hands from DJ''s back to his head as she deepened their kiss. She was so glad to have DJ safe and in her arms. James coughed into his hand and nudged DJ. The Sargent was glaring at them. DJ and Centra meekly separated. But they still kept an arm wrapped firmly around their love. "If you two are done. I need to know where you plan to go." The guard turned from Centra and DJ to focus on the group as a whole. "Kyrie Say and Ren Perdita please come forward." Ren and Kyrie stepped forward, their weapons on their backs. "You two are to assist with preventing more breaches at the main force of what we''ve decided to call Tries. You''ll continue to the southern outer gate." The guard frowned and said, "We''ve been instructed to let the hero be the main force for the battle upon arrival. And the frilly girl is to be his back up. The two," the guard paused and swallowed the words he was going to say. "Of you will spearhead our counter-attack." Kyrie and Ren nodded calmly. But their teammates weren''t calm at all. "What?! They''re students, kids, we can''t even get married yet! And you want them to spread-head an attack?" DJ said, his hand tense and tight where it grasped Centra''s hip protectively. The guard snapped at DJ, "Listen here and listen well. I''m not any happier about these orders then you are. But," the guard paused and took a breath that eased the tension running through his frame. "Orders are orders. Even for a group as disorganized as the LegendSlayer guild." "James Collin and his team are to go with the redhead over there. He''s Sargent Lake. He''ll be leaving soon to clean up smaller groups of Tries. You''ll assist him and do everything he says. If you have a problem with that you go to the shelter underground." James nodded. "Got it. We''ll head over now." James squeezed Kyrie''s shoulder. "Stay safe. I might not be able to watch your back this time." Kyrie nodded and gave James a soft smile. "You stay safe too." James nodded and headed for Sargent Lake with his team trailing their goodbyes as they followed. "The rest of you can join the group heading out to support," the guard paused to glance at Kyrie and Ren. "These two. Or you''ve got the same options as your friend there." The guard nodded towards James. Centra glanced at DJ then turned to the guard. "We''ve already decided to support our teammate." The guard nodded. "And the rest of you?" Amity took no time to answer. "I''m going with Ren." They''d gone through so much together. She wouldn''t leave Ren now. Caleb glanced at Jasper. He was still worried. And he kinda liked Ren. "I''ll go." Rick nodded his head. "If Caleb''s going so am I." Ana nodded. "It''s not like I can leave my teammates defenseless," she said it easily, but her hand was clenched around her sword. This was her chance to prove herself, to Ren and the family that had rejected her. The guard nodded. "Right. We''ll join the main group in the gym." Centra called out, "Kyrie." As he moved to follow the guard. Kyrie turned and watched Centra with confusion as his right hand tugged at the ribbon around his left wrist. "Yeah?" "Here." Centra thrust an intricately carved box towards Kyrie. "It''s from Professor Pele." Kyrie carefully took the box. "Why would he¡­" Centra shrugged and said, "I don''t know." Then left to follow the others to the gym. She wasn''t ready to stay at Kyrie''s side. Not without the others there. Kyrie opened the box and pulled out a glimmering necklace. "No way¡­" From the necklace hung the shape of a dragon. But this charm was more than that. It was both a symbol of Kyrie''s failures and a symbol of protection in chaos. Pele wanted Kyrie to come home safe and had gone to great lengths to say so. But Kyrie couldn''t do it. He couldn''t put it on. So, he tenderly put it back in the box. Than he carefully hooked the box to his wallet chain. He''d keep it safe. Protecting it from danger would cost little and was a price Kyrie would gladly pay. Maybe one day, when he''d finally atoned for all the wrongs he''d done, he''d put it on without guilt. Until then it''d stay in his pocket. ? ? ? "Listen up. This guy is Kyrie Say. You''ve all heard of him. He''ll be spearheading our counter attack so stick behind him a ways." The Sargent gestured to Ren. "She''ll be his back up. Don''t get any closer to him than she does. The rest of us will be split into squads of six to seven and we''ll follow them from behind." The Sargent paused for a moment. "We need someone to babysit their friends. Any volunteers?" A guy at the back raised his hand and said, "We''ll do it. We''ve got loads of experience babysitting the babies that think they know how to fight." He had a hungry looking grin. The guard nodded with a similar grin marring his face. "Why don''t you tikes head on over. We''ll move out in ten." 40 The Southern Gate Kyrie glared at the two-wheeled cycle in front of him. Ren had already settled herself on a similar one. She chuckled and said, "You really don''t like vehicles, do you?" Kyrie sighed as he climbed on. "They''re death traps." Why do we have to use so many of them? Couldn''t we just make Laserath smaller. Taller and smaller means less vehicles, perfect. Ren watched Kyrie with one brow raised. "Seriously? With your ability, there is nothing deadly about them." Kyrie shook his head. "I could easily end up absorbing too energy much." And that would be deadly, for more than just him. "We''re ready to move out." "Got it," Kyrie responded as he powered up his cycle and took off. Ren followed a little behind him. And the rest of the convoy after her. Ren, Kyrie, the Sargent, and the squad leaders were connected to a chat that allowed them to speak with each other. But Kyrie didn''t trust them, couldn''t trust them. He used his watch to create a private voice chat with Ren. "How long do you think it''ll be before one of us has to go save them?" "Hopefully, it''ll be a while. They''ve got Amity to look after them." Ren trusted Amity. She knew her friend would use every survival technique they''d learned since the fall of their village. Ren bit her lip and tasted her lipstick. Amity was a survivor she could do this. "I''d like it if you focused more on protecting our friends then on me." They mattered more. They''d need it more. Ren''s grip tightened on her handlebars. "You heard how that Sargent felt about us. And you still want to deal with that alone?" Kyrie shrugged. "I''ve been dealing with it for years." Ren rolled her eyes. First Caleb, now Kyrie, they were really testing her patience. "You and Caleb don''t seem to realize you don''t have to live in melancholy just because," Ren deepened her voice as she continued, " ''I''m used to it.'' I mean seriously you have friends and people who want to help you. So, no. Amity can handle them. Ana''ll step in to tank damage. Rick''ll watch Caleb''s ass. I''ll watch yours." Kyrie smiled and said, "I don''t live in melancholy. It''s called reckless abandon and guilt." Or perhaps something else. "Oh. Oh, I''m sooo sorry. I hadn''t realized you were reckless." Kyrie laughed. "Just wait." James had told him to be careful. But Kyrie could already feel his blood churning. It was due to the very reason James wanted him to be careful. ? ? ? DJ had his eyes closed and one hand around Centra''s shoulders. His relaxed look betrayed the tension running through his veins. Centra would have worried more about him, if it weren''t for his tight but warm grip on her hand. Jasper was seated next to Liza. He fidgeted with the wand his brother had given him as he worried over how things would go. Would they all make it back? Liza was impatiently tapping her finger against her knee. Then it happened. Kyrie''s spoke through the command chat, "We''re approaching the gate." DJ sat up and kissed Centra. He was worried it would be their last. And Centra was as well. She clasped his cheeks and DJ pulled her into his lap. One hand on her upper back and the other warm against her lower back. Liza nudged Centra in the ribs. Centra was tempted to continue but Liza was persistent and now wasn''t the time. Centra broke their kiss and watched DJ. Centra definitely wasn''t hearing anything Kyrie had to say. She rested her head against DJ''s chest and heard only his strong¨Cloud heartbeat. DJ pulled Centra''s warm body against his chest. He''d have to adjust things when he got up. Liza sighed. She''d have to repeat their instructions to Centra and DJ later. Kyrie had passed on a general plan of attack. Liza pulled out a dagger and wiped her already clean weapon down. Soon they''d need to get out. Soon they''d be joining the fight to defend their city. ? ? ? Kyrie and Ren got off their death traps and headed for the guard manning the gate. As they approached the guard, Kyrie glanced at the solid doors. They were Ironwood, like most structures in the city. But the doors and walls here were reinforced through construction and runes, powered by a separate aura generation unit. It was a last line of defense. And they had to open the doors to get out. When Kyrie got in range of the guard he said, "We''re here on a counterattack mission. How are things on the other side?" The guard shook his head. "You''ll see soon enough. If you''re here for what you say you are." Kyrie nodded and placed his hand on the tablet the guard held out for him. *Kyrie Say, Mission: Main defense of Laserath.* "And the Miss?" *Ren Perdita. Mission: Support Kyrie Say.* "So, you want out. To do that we''ll have to strengthen the barrier over the door before we open it." The guard frowned at the door. "The barriers already pretty thin. You''ll need to relieve the pressure on it quickly to keep it from collapsing." Kyrie glanced up. He nodded. There was an awful lot of blue coming through the barrier. The guard glanced at the convoy. "Are you all going through at once?" "No." Kyrie looked back at the guard. Sending all of them through at once would make things harder. "I''ll be going first, then Ren''ll follow. You can close the door behind us to relieve the strain on the barrier." Kyrie tapped the band of his holo-watch. "We''ll tell them when we have a foothold." The guard nodded. Give us a moment and we''ll be ready to let you out. "The guard turned to go. But stopped as he realized something. "Do you want us to have the guards on the wall aim towards the gate or focus elsewhere?" Kyrie grimaced, he didn''t want to deal with friendly fire. "You can have them aim 30-feet ahead of us or wherever else they''re need." The guard nodded and entered the gatehouse. Kyrie fiddled with his wallet chain, as he watched the gate. Ren had her back towards Kyrie as she watched their teammates. She smiled and waved at them. But inside her heart was beating quickly and her clothes felt too tight, too restrictive. She''d been through fights like this before but that never made it any easier for her. It didn''t help her nerves or the trembling in her legs as she waited. Waiting always waiting. It seemed like she''d spent so much of her life waiting for what will come and shred things to bits. Even as she improved and grew, she waited. For the next betrayal, the next attack, the next loss of one she knew ¨C of one she loved. And here she was once again, waiting. Only this time it was one of the few moments where she waited to act, to do. To fight for the life she and Amity had started here, in their new home. Amity waved back and turned to their friends and classmates. She''d give them a rundown on what to do, on the plan. On how to increase their chances of survival. The gatehouse door opened. And the guard walked out. "We''re ready. I''ll open the door now." Kyrie removed Taru from his back. Ren took careful hold of her claymore and stood slightly behind Kyrie. The large wooden doors opened. They opened quietly and quickly. They revealed a sight that had the Sargent shocked and worried. "Well shit." There was no room at all on the other side of the barrier. No room to get out. No room for the weapons of Ren and Kyrie''s size to be swung. It was worse than Kyrie and Ren had expected. Because there was simply no room. 41 No Room Kyrie grabbed Taru from one end and swung her twice. Once to test and one more time to be sure he was ready. There was no room. And too many trees. He''d only have one chance to start things off right. Once he left this side of the barrier he couldn''t come back until it was removed from covering the gate. Kyrie turned from the open door and grinned at Ren. "See ya in a moment." He turned his back on her and the others. The Sargent and so many others had thought, ''This is it we''re done for.'' But Kyrie hadn''t even hesitated. Kyrie''s body lowered as he prepared his charge. Every one of his pounding steps left the clear image of a foot in the dirt. And just as he neared the barrier, he leapt. He cleared the first few rows of Tries ¨C his weapon held in one hand, raised for its first strike. The early afternoon sun glinted off Taru''s blades as it fell, as they fell. And when they hit the ground the Tries within three feet shattered along with the ground beneath Kyrie''s feet. And for a moment every member of the convey held their breath. They could no longer see him. They could only hear the sounds of crack, thud, and crash as limbs and cores broke. Kyrie was killing the Tries faster than he had when he fought behind the dorms. And as he fought the temperature dropped from a warm summer day to a cool summer evening. Kyrie quickly drew energy in. Then expended it through his attacks. Right now, he could risk it. There was still a barrier standing between him and everyone else. Soon Kyrie left the small crater and the glint of his blades could be seen amongst the Tries. As the last Trie within ten feet of the gate fell, several thoughts came to the minds of the convoy, ''So this is a hero.'' or ''He''s a monster. He''s a damned monster. When will he turn on us?'' Kyrie wouldn''t have cared what most of the convoy thought, unlike Null. But he would have cared about the thoughts of his friends, of the ones he wanted to be his friends. Kyrie''s teammates had the soul-crushing thought, ''He doesn''t need us.'' For DJ and Jasper, this thought shocked and left an ache in their bones. One of them wanted to help him and the other wanted him. But he didn''t need either of them. Perhaps, didn''t want either of them. For Centra this thought was racked with guilt. She hadn''t listened to this person, this hero, who clearly knew what he was doing. But for Liza, this thought came with relief. She didn''t need to worry so much that she''d become like her parents. She didn''t need to worry that the handsome stranger who had walked into her life and was fast becoming her friend, would leave. Well, most others in the convoy contemplated what they''d heard about this hero before them or compared themselves to the strength of a monster. Ren grinned. He''ll be a tough one to keep up with. Even as she thought this Ren ran through the barrier and to the side of another hero. One whose name was known and sung, unlike hers. But that was more than okay with her. It was perfect. All the fun, some of the responsibility, none of the blame. What could be better than that? Before the others had finished processing what happened, the door of the gate swung closed with a bang. It was like a spell had been broken. The Sargent shouted, "Get in position! We''ll follow soon." The Sargent waited for those under his command to form up before he continued, "Soon we''ll join the battle. You''ve all seen what Kyrie can do. Let him take the brunt of the attack. We''ll follow and make sure the Tries are down for the count." The barrier above them flickered. "We need to keep those things off the barrier, or our families will be the ones swarmed by them." The Sargent paused, glanced at his people, the lives he was responsible for. "Don''t be an idiot. The city walls may be right behind us, but we won''t be able to return. Not until our mission is done." "We''ve cleared as much as we can without support." Kyrie''s voice came over the leaders'' chat. The Sargent turned from the members of the convoy and waited anxiously as the doors opened. "We''re on our way." The other side of the gate was a Trie graveyard. Leaves, sprouts, chopped and chipped wood, littered the ground. Ren and Kyrie hadn''t gained much ground, but they had killed so many Tries. "Move out. We''ll press forward and create a place for our med staff." "Got it," Kyrie said as he took down another Trie. Kyrie let his momentum spin his body, as he took stock of his situation. His and Ren''s teams were a ways away from them. He might not be able to help them. As Kyrie turned to face the Trie''s in front of him he said, "We charge south." And have one less front to worry about. But it was a charge for the forest near the city. Kyrie gestured for Ren to switch locations with him. She held the line as Kyrie backed up. He ran to Ren and placed a hand on her shoulder as she finished her swing. Then he leapt. Leapt right over the first layer of Tries. Kyrie''d begun the charge. ? ? ? Rick could see it. He could see the leaves slicing into Ana''s aura. Her aura was low, but the leaves weren''t the problem. They''d been fighting for too long and it was the blow headed for Caleb''s head. Caleb was fighting and his aura was gone. So, Ana blocked it just as the tree she''d been fighting shoved its arm through her chest. Ana looked up and met Caleb''s shocked face. He reached for her and¡­ Rick grabbed the back of Caleb''s shirt and shot a bullet at the head of the Trie Ana was fighting. His gun was out of energy, the best he could do now was keep his friends, teammates, and companions from being killed. Rick had noticed a pattern in his visions. The Tries that went for the kill had a core in their head. The others had one in their stomach. Centra ground her teeth and glanced at their babysitters. "DJ pull back. You''ve gone too far." Their baby-sitters were leaving all the work to them, those bastards. "Oh shit." Rick stared in shock as the Trie he''d sworn had to have a core in its head. It was healing. He''d¡­ DJ was fine. But the others weren''t Ana''s arm was shattered. She needed help ¨C escape. Ana wasn''t the only one. Caleb''s side was torn open. Blood soaked it as he stood between a Trie and Centra''s still form. Liza was shaking horribly as she sunk her dagger into a Trie. A Trie that was teaming up on Jasper. Surrounding him as he desperately used his wand in jittery hands. If it had been a fire wand, he could have done more against them, then he could with an ice wand. Amity shook with exhaustion as she did her best to keep her water barrier up. Just a little longer¡­ and it started to crumble. The sky over the city held no pink. The barrier had fallen. The vision Rick just had, had given him nothing to go on. Nothing. If there was one thing Rick knew with certainty, his visions never accounted for what he did. Sometimes what he did could change things. And sometimes he couldn''t. "Holo switch speech to Misfits Rock chat." Rick kept a hand on Caleb''s shoulder and stepped back. Jasper had them covered with a fire line, for now. "Help. We need your help." Rick said with a tremble in voice. If he had better control, he could force a vision ¨C learn how to protect them all. He could see the future, but he couldn''t figure out how to help. Or what had to change. "Ren?" Kyrie said as he frowned at the Tries around him. Was it just him or were they avoiding him now? "Go help them." Ren looked towards their friends. Amity had her water barrier up. And Centra had no arrows in her quiver. Wait, time ¨C time like this shouldn''t be available unless¡­ Kyrie moved forward. The Tries around him moved away. They were avoiding him. They were avoiding him and, Ren turned back towards their teammates, they were pressing harder at the flank with their friends. "No," Ren said as she watched the others lose ground. "You need to go." Kyrie frowned for a moment then nodded, she was right. He needed to go. It''d be faster if he cut through the Tries. He took a step towards their teammates, then stopped. Ren''s hair was disheveled. She was breathing heavily, and her aura had been getting steadily lower. The pace he''d set was taking a toll. It was exhausting and shredding at every member of this mission but himself. And what made it worse was that he hadn''t noticed. He hadn''t relaxed it. He''d thought he was going slow. It was an easy relaxed pace that he could keep up all day, for several days if needed. He''d set a pace that was comparable to a nice hike, to him. To almost everyone else it was a monstrous pace. No, the pace of a monster. Kyrie had torn the front of their convoy down and into pieces. That was why people were dying now. That and the Tries had finally realized it was best to avoid him. So, no he couldn''t leave Ren here. She''d taken the brunt of the attack and he wasn''t about to leave her behind. "Come with me. We''ll make it work." And so, they changed locations. They left one spot where they were needed for another. And they left at the wrong time. 42 The Ceffyl D?r Sorry, content is lost, You are reading Novel on Novelhall.COM, we will fix it as soon as possible, thank you 43 Time But Kyrie didn''t split his focus instead he used the speed of the water to his advantage. He''d let it shred at his aura and help push him faster and closer to the Ceffyl D?r. The Ceffyl D?r''s body was quickly thawing. Would he ¨C could he make it in time? Or would he have to risk taking friendly fire as well? ? ? ? Her barrier was gone. Amity''s barrier was gone. It was slow. The vision was happening at a slower pace. DJ was near them now. He could see her. He could see the love of his life''s all too still form. It had happened again. She was hurt. She was ¨C no, he couldn''t finish that thought. And Caleb, a very pale and unsteady Caleb, was still defending her. He wouldn''t be doing that if she was dead, right? A Trie''s leaves rounded the area of DJ''s control and slipped towards Liza. Her back was to them as she cut down another Trie targeting Jasper. Then they slipped past her as she turned to take a spot at DJ and Ren''s side. Then the leaves found a home. They found a home in the one the Tries'' viewed as the largest threat with the best opening. They slipped into and finished off Amity''s weakened aura. She cried out as they sliced through her armor, tore a chunk from her leg and the muscles in her side. She fell. Her hands grasping at her bloodied side in shock. Where were their bloody babysitters! What the hell were they doing as everything went to shit!? Rick''s gaze drifted to the tauntingly blue sky. How could the weather be so nice on such a horrible day? How many would die before this hell was over? At least the barrier was still up. ? ? ? Kyrie inched closer to the Ceffyl D?r. His aura had faded so much. He changed his angle. He needed the height. The Ceffyl D?r opened its head to bite. Its front hooves kicked in the air as it prepared for an attack. Then it happened. Just like at Avalon. To everyone but Kyrie, it was just like at Avalon. The Ceffyl D?r''s head was severed, then its body was gone in a puff of steam that scattered in the summer air. It was gone, dead and no one knew exactly what Kyrie had done. Nor how he''d achieved this feet. No one knew how close Kyrie''d come to killing them all. ? ? ? He''d won. He''d killed it. But could Kyrie make it back to his teammates, to his friends? Could he make it back before he lost them for good? No. He couldn''t. He couldn''t make it back. Rick watched as Kyrie fell. As he crashed into the earth above a mess of Tries. He felt a hand on his shoulder. He jumped and spun nearly slicing his knife into the man''s aura. "Head on back. Your friends are already at the med-center." It was their babysitter. Their dammed babysitter had grabbed him. "You did good. Don''t worry your friends are fine. You won''t have to fight more today." Rick nodded his head numbly. "Why? Why didn''t you switch with us earlier?" Their babysitter nodded, he got that question a lot from newbies. "Because you needed to know what you''ve gotten in to. And the best time to switch with newbies is half." "Half?" "Halfway to the first call for a full switch." Rick glanced past the man at his team that was quickly pulling ahead. "You mean this gets¡­ longer?" The man nodded. "It can get a lot longer. Head on back. You''ve earned it." As the man turned to leave Rick saw a grin on his face. A grin born from a man thrilled by the adrenaline of battle. He and his team babysat because it meant they''d fight more. And in turn, it meant they''d earn more. This wasn''t a team of guards as Rick and the others had assumed. It was a team of LegendSlayers. The fight was done for the students. But was far from finished for the heroes. 44 The Festival The battle had ended. The students were, healed, debriefed, and fed. Most of those who fought were awake late into the night and slept most of the next morning away. They''d missed the first part of the summer festival. But the afternoon and evening were the best times to go out anyways. If Kyrie could finish getting ready so they could go. He stood in front of the bathroom mirror, holding the necklace Pele had given him. He''d unclasped it and was hesitant. He''d gambled yesterday, nearly gotten people killed ¨C nearly killed them. But it worked, paid off. He''d managed to control his ability and save people even, if it had started off as a drill. He''d saved lives. Earned the right to wear the necklace in his grasp. But still, he hesitated. A gamble. Centra pounded on the bathroom door. "Come on Kyrie, we''re not leaving without you." She''d been knocked unconscious yesterday. That was it. She was fine. In fact, she had the easiest time recovering from her injuries. She and the others were all okay. Liza was still a bit shaky and Raven Clof had taken her father''s battle necklace from her. She''d over used it yesterday, and her grandfather was worried about her. He was worried she''d have permanent effects from aura sickness. She was already supposed to take it easy for the next week. DJ was firmly attached to Centra''s side. He''d spent last night at her side. And Centra was grateful to have him there. Amity was walking with a limp. And Caleb had been healed after he lost consciousness. Everything was fine. The gamble had worked. But it was still a gamble. "Coming," Kyrie said as he slipped the necklace into his pocket. Maybe he''d put it on later. For now, he''d join his teammates for a bit fun. Just like DJ''d planned. And Kyrie would try to forget about what Masaki had done. ? ? ? As the team wandered through the various festival stalls a news broadcast was playing. "During yesterday''s evacuation drill a hacker managed to break into the control system for the defense dolls called Tries. She''s believed to be a member of an organization called the Chars." The newscaster paused before she continued. "Most of the deaths during the training was the result of the hackers turning off the Trie''s safety mode. Though some deaths appear to have occurred before the system was hacked. "It will take several weeks before the researchers and staff at Kondaira Academy can begin pinpointing what went wrong before the hack. "The Tries will not be activated until the bug is found and the security is increased. "In other news, Kyrie Say was instrumental in the defense of¡­" The team had heard all of this yesterday. The current broadcast was on a loop. Plus, they had more pressing matters to worry about. Like having fun and getting their shopping done. Kyrie was introducing Corson to the couple he purchased his ribbons from. And Liza was purchasing a new lock pick roll, with trembling hands. Jasper was eyeing the wand options available. He debated on buying one now one now or waiting. He should get paid enough for a wand from his work in the battle yesterday, and he had enough saved up. Okay, a fire wand it is. DJ and Centra were chatting with James and his team as they waited. So far it had been a good goofing off day, on the surface. Many people were worried and scared. They tracked where the nearest shelter was, nodded at the guards, and checked that the sky over the city was still tinted a strong pink. As Kyrie passed a stand selling ambrosia rolls, he purchased two. They were his favorite. He may not have been able to save her in Avalon, but he could enjoy them again. They''d never beat the ones he''d make with the Say Clan''s head chef when he was in Avalon. But they tasted wonderful. And they''d always remind him of her and the times he escaped to her warm kitchen. As Kyrie wandered after his friends, he saw Caleb''s team go into club 58. Later as they played games, he saw a guilty but happy looking Null wandering around the festival with his family. So far, his plan was working. Kyrie wasn''t turning. And people were believing in him. All Null had to do to reassure himself was listen to the news broadcast. But not all news broadcasts matched the ones being displayed in the city. Kyrie was laughing and enjoying his first time at a festival, not as a guard. When it happened. Kyrie had spotted the young boy who''d once said to him, "You''re way cooler than I thought!" And his heart ached. The boy was hurting, hungry, and angry at the one who was supposed to protect them. Keep him and his sister safe from the legends that had ruined his life. The legends that had stolen the life of the little sister he was supposed to protect. He''d tried. He''d given everything he had but he''d been too weak. Stealing from a man that had betrayed him and had plenty was fine, was perfect. There was no reason for him to feel guilty. The boy slipped his hand in Kyrie''s pocket and ran. Kyrie watched him, let him empty his pocket and let him go. The boy needed it more than he did. 45 Epilog @@ Within the forest near Laserath, the form of Dolos watched the celebrating city for a moment. He''d need to report what he''d learned. His steps were quick and his hand trembled. Hopefully, he hadn''t ruined their plans. He''d go to his master first. Prometheus the Titan was usually forgiving of his transgressions. Plus, they needed to test their foe''s strength. They should go for something better, next time. A real test. On something smaller. Like an outpost or a village.@@ 46 The Necklace Kyrie turned on the lights for his room as he closed the door and slipped his hand into his pocket. He was home from the festival. And it was time to find out how much he''d lost. How much he''d let the boy take from him during the festival. His wallet was gone. He''d need a new license and to disable his old one. The cash was gone, his pay chips were gone. Kyrie slipped his hand into his other pocket. The necklace was gone. The necklace Pele had given him was gone. Kyrie spun and reached for the door handle. But he stopped as his hand brushed its cool surface. He couldn''t go to the police. If he did then¡­ then that boy would have to pay the price of thievery. He''d be forced into work as a deep laborer. He''d have to complete his assigned work so deep in the lands of the legends that he may never make it back. And he''d lose his chance to attend Kondiara Academy. Kyrie couldn''t do that to him. He stepped back from the door and ran a hand through his hair as he paced. The license didn''t matter he could replace that. He''d cancel his chips and that''d be taken care of. But the necklace. Pele had given it to him. It¡­ it meant Pele supported him ¨C cared for him. That he wanted Kyrie to be safe. And now it was gone, stolen. But what would he do with something he''d stolen. He''d probably sell it. Kyrie could purchase it. He had connections he''d cover all his bases. Kyrie flipped open his holo-display and set to work. He''d get the necklace back without putting the kid in more danger. ? ? ? As Kyrie put his legal and not so legal connections to use Jasper got a text. *It''s time for us to start your training.* And Jasper slipped out the front door. ? ? ? Liza sat on her bed. Her drawing notebook was open to a new page ¨C what was a new page. She had the image. She had the skill to put it to paper, but she couldn''t. Her trembling hands clenched her notebook and pencil. She could taste the coppery blood on her lip. Feel the sting as a warm tear rolled down her cheek. It fell and smeared her horrid sketch. It was supposed to be a sketch of her team at the festival. An image of the games they''d played, the fun they''d had. But, she choked back another sob, her stupid body wouldn''t stop shaking. May never stop shaking enough for her to draw. And it was her fault she''d relied on her father''s battle necklace too much. If only her stupid body could store more aura. Then she wouldn''t be so useless. She wouldn''t be so weak. If she''d been able to store more aura she could''ve done more. She could''ve kept it from getting this bad. She''d still be able to draw. She''d be able to do more than sit and watch in class. Sit and hope she hadn''t pushed herself too far. Liza sat her things on her bedside table with shaking hands. She wiped her eyes and unbraided her hair for the night. It took longer than normal. ? ? ? DJ and Centra sat on Centra''s bed. Their arms were wrapped around each other. They''d gotten the message at eight o''clock. The tourney selections started in a week and their first mission in two. They were going to Saroff outpost. It was deep in the woods and near the Emerilla river. 47 Team Breakfas Kyrie was the first one up, as usual. Everything was taken care of he''d make a trip to the guild hall this evening to pick up his new licenses and chips. He just had to wait for a response, on his necklace. Kyrie did a quick check of the groceries in the cool cupboard. DJ had picked them out and Kyrie''d bought them. He glanced at the time on his watch, six am. He had at least an hour before everyone''d be up and ready for breakfast. Kyrie pulled various ingredients out of the cool cupboard and his dry ingredients from the cupboards. He had enough time to make a savory breakfast pie. But not enough to complete his morning practice. Kyrie was rolling out his pie dough when Jasper got up. Kyrie smiled and said, "Good morning." Jasper glared at Kyrie as he grumbled, "Morning." He was usually the second one up. But he was never happy about it. And last night''s training had left him sore and walking funny. Jasper opened the bathroom door and closed it loudly. He wanted another shower, badly. Kyrie frowned as he placed the first layer of dough into a pie dish. Jasper normally showered before bed not after. Kyrie started prepping the contents of the pie. Liza opened her door. She glanced from the bathroom to Kyrie with one eyebrow raised. Kyrie smiled and shrugged. He had no idea what was up with Jasper. Kyrie usually went for a run or had individual practice in the mornings. Everyone was usually up when he got back and Jasper was gone. Liza shrugged and claimed a spot at the breakfast bar. "So, you can also cook." Kyrie blushed and his knife slipped. There was a pink glimmer as it bit into his aura. Kyrie coughed and said, "Uh, I''m not as good as DJ." Centra laughed as she entered the room with a glance back at her love. "No one''s a better cook than Deej." DJ zeroed in on Kyrie''s cooking. Food. He was hungry. It''d go faster if he helped. "Want some help¡­" He glanced at the pie dish and froze. DJ turned back to Kyrie''s ingredients. Uh,"What are you making?" "A breakfast pie. And well," Kyrie gently placed the next layer of dough on the pie. "I''d kinda like to make it by my self this time." He looked up from the pie and smiled meekly at DJ. "How about we make it together next time?" DJ nodded. "Sure¡­" A breakfast pie, he''d never heard of one. "Is it a normal breakfast food in Avalon?" Kyrie shook his head as he spread the next layer of ingredients. "No. We only have it for special occasions. Like birthdays and such. You can''t eat it on the go so." Kyrie shrugged. "Oh right! James mentioned that. So it''s true that Avalonions do ¨C didn''t sit-down when they ate?" DJ watched Kyrie''s careful work with interest. The people of Avalon would often eat different filled roles, sandwiches, and other easily held foods. Kyrie finished smoothening out the last layer as he said, "Yeah-" Slam! "Wait a minute you said birthdays!" Liza had slammed her hands on the counter as she spoke. DJ''s eye widened as he sat down. Had they ¨C no they couldn''t have. Unless, "Kyrie, is today your birthday?" "What? No. It was on the 13th." Kyrie watched Liza and DJ with a mixture of worry and fear. He swallowed as he glanced at the last piece of pie dough. Kyrie wanted to put it on. But he wasn''t sure his teammates would stay calm enough for him to do so. Liza studied Kyrie as she said, "Of June?" Kyrie nodded. Liza groaned and put her head on the counter. She''d have put her head in her hands but she couldn''t trust them to hold still right now. And, apparently, they couldn''t trust their teammate to tell them when his birthday was! DJ groaned as well. "You should have said something! We could''ve at least taken you to someplace better than the cafeteria." Kyrie glanced at the pie. He should really put the last part on and put it in the oven. He''d have to risk it. Kyrie quickly put the top on and poked holes in it as he said, "It was fine. It was just a normal birthday. They aren''t that big a deal." Centra frowned from her spot at the table. She turned to look at Kyrie. "Every birthday''s important." "Y-yeah," Jasper said as he left the bathroom. He''d taken a quick shower. Kyrie stared at his teammates in confusion. Was this a cultural thing? DJ tapped a finger against his legs as he frowned. James should''ve told them. He had to have known when Kyrie''s birthday was the first day of school. But then again maybe James hadn''t told them because it wasn''t as big a deal to Kyrie? Still, they had to do something. Liza sat up. "So if it isn''t your birthday why are you making a¡­ breakfast pie?" "It''s tradition to have it on the first full day of a new season." Kyrie''s hands shook as he placed the pie in the oven. It had been a thing of instinct to want the pie today. But now that he thought of it his hands shook and his heart ached. Every morning after a festival the clan members in Avalon would gather for one huge sit-down breakfast. It was the one day a season Kyrie could freely join his clan, and not have them avoid him. He had a special role to fulfill. It was tradition for the strongest member of the clan to cut and hand each member a serving. It was a small way for them to say thank you and keep the piece with the other members of their clan. A tradition that had been started by Kyrie five times great grandfather. It was started when the Say clan was just rising to the height of its power. Kyrie stood up and looked at his teammates. Maybe he''d keep the tradition alive with them. Liza groaned and stood up. "I''m going to shower." Kyrie absent-mindedly said, "Cool," as he started to clean up. Centra said, "Tell me when you''re done so I can get a jump on mine." "Sure." DJ nodded. He was planning. It was happening this Saturday. They were celebrating Kyrie''s birthday. The question was who should he invite? ? ? ? The team was seated at the table enjoying the pie Kyrie had made and served them. Centra was using one of the forks Kyrie''d found for them to pick at the remains of her pie. She was worried. Things had gone horribly during the drill. Would they be able to handle their first mission? The only ones going were the students and Professor Olson. Centra glanced up at Kyrie. "How do you think the mission will go?" Kyrie finished off his last bite and said, "I can''t really say. But it''ll probably be something simple and fairly safe. They wouldn''t send newbies to do something too bad." Jasper shuddered as he glanced at the ice wand his brother had given him. His new fire wand hung next to his old one. "B-but l-last time w-we n-nearly¡­" Kyrie glanced around the table ¨C at the haunted faces of his teammates. ''That''s different. It shouldn''t be that bad this time. Last time you pups followed Ren and I on our mission. This time we''ll be following you pups on your mission." Kyrie placed a hand on Jasper''s back. Jasper glanced up at Kyrie. Kyrie smiled and said, "Really. It''ll be better. If things go a bit sideways, I''ll be there to help you out." Kyrie met each of his teammate''s gazes. "All of you." Jasper nodded. Liza hid her shaking hands under the table. Centra couldn''t help but think of Corson. He''d tell her not to trust this hero in front of her. He''d tell her not to trust in his pretty words. DJ left the last slice of pie on the plate. His stomach was heavy with worry. Kyrie had tried to cheer them up and reassure them. But there was no better example of how horribly wrong things could go than the drill they''d just gone through. 48 Survival Class It was Monday afternoon and the first years had arrived at the meeting place for their survival class. They were at the wall that separated the Academy grounds from the wilds of the forest. It was the only point where the wall that separated the Academy grounds from the wilds of the forest. It was the only point where the city of Laserath had people living with only one wall between them and the legends. The students had gathered in the gate house classroom, as a few of them had the week before. This time all of the students were present. Several of them had missed last weeks survival class as the result of their booldening. A quarky tiny professor entered the room. Many of the students froze when they saw him. He looked like a goblin. His skin was tinged grren his ears were large and pointed out sideways. He was two feet tall. A golden ring hung from his left ear and a chunk was missing from his right. Jasper reached for his wand and Centra unslung her bow. They weren''t the only ones who''d prepped for a fight. Before Jasper could pull his wand free, Kyrie''s hand was on his. Jasper glanced from the goblin to Kyrie in confusion. Why ¨C when had their positions reversed? She had said Jasper would be jumpy after the battle on Saturday. That it would only be natural. Jasper pulled his hand from his ice wand. Attack a goblin. Not yet they hadn''t done anything threating. While Kyrie had stopped Jasper, Liza had stopped Centra. "He''s one of our professors," Liza said with a hand on Centra''s bow. The goblin like professor jumped on the a chair, then one of the tables spread about the classroom. "It''s all right. I''m sure the drill this weekend had made those of us who haven''t been introduced quite jumpy today. I''m professor Hogswell and am in charge of teaching you how to survive beyond the walls of a city." He paused as he glanced at his marginally more relaxed students. As he did so his gaze landed on Kyrie. He smiled a smile that reviled wicked looking teeth. "Kyrie it''s so good to see you aren''t amongst the jumpy ones. If you had been, I fear Kondaria Academy would be hiring a new survivalist professor." Hogswell gave a deep chuckle. And Kyrie smiled as he moved to claim a seat near their professor. Once Kyrie moved the other students followed with wary glances at the two of them. Things had changed. Kyrie had earned a little more trust from saving the city. Just like Null had hoped. Hogswell whispered, "Thanks." Then spoke to the rest of the class, "I''m sure kyrie here could''ve taken over my job had that happened." Kyrie shrugged, "I''m not so sure,, Sir." Hogswell laughed, "Oh you''d do fine." Hogswell jumped off the table and walked to a cupboard. It was off to the side. He continued to speak as he did, "Now don''t get to comfortably, we''ll be putting those prior classes of yours to use." Hogswell opened the cupboard and pulled out a medium sized bag that he held up for his students. "We''ll be going outside the walls and gathering safe thangs to eat. I usually save this trip for until after the first test but as Headmaster Raven Clof mentioned there will be more work experience for you to do. As such you''ll have to catch on quick and really remember what you''ve been taught in class." Hogswell lowered the bag as he said, "If you don''t you may very well end up dead or worse." Hogswell paused as he watched some of his more forgetful students shift uncomfortably. Eventually he continued, "Come, grab a bag, than we''ll leave." As the students lined up to get a bag from Professor Hogswell Centra asked her teammates and friends a very pressing question, "How can he be a goblin and teach?" Before Kyrie or Centra could answer James said, "Because he''s half goblin half human." Centra frowned. How could that work? He''d have to have like a parent that''s a human and a parent that''s a goblin? As the others neared their Professor Centra froze. She''d seen an article years ago that she''d thought was just some conspiracy theorist rambling again. But it had talked about experiments. Illegal experiments involving the create of halfers. Half legend half human. There was no way that their Professor could''ve been¡­ the result of such a thing, right? DJ turned and looked back at Centra. "Are you coming?" He was holding a bag out to her. Centra nodded her head numbly and took the bag. It was time for them to venture outside the walls of Laserath once again. 49 The Gates "This is the gate room. The only people that can operate the gates here are the Combat Professors, advanced survivalists and of course Headmaster Raven Clof." Hogswell paused next to the interior gate. The gates here were hidden inside the gate house, unlike the other gates out of the city. This exit through the wall was protected by two gates. A mechanism kept both hates from being opened at once. And on illusion kept it invisible from outside the wall. "Stay with your teams and don''t go too far. We''ll meet back up at tree line in fifteen minutes to check how things are going." Hogswell paused as he surveyed his class. Some of his students were grasping their bags with shaking hands. Other were watching the gate''s in anticipation. And fewer still were waiting calmly. "Get ready. We''re leaving." Hogswell reached out and placed his hand on the authentication tablet. It flashed from blue to green and the first gate started to open. The students walked through and Hogswell closed the first gate. As the they waited Hogswell felt the need to remind his students of a very important point, "Do not eat anything you''ve gathered until I''ve checked it. That includes things you think you''ve gathered and received an okay on before. Many plants look similar to an edible one but aren''t edible. So don''t eat them." Hogswell glanced at his students, maybe he''d get lucky this year. But then his eyes landed on a pair of guys who were nudging each other in the ribs. Nope, he''d definitely be using some od his anti-toxins this afternoon. Hogswell turned and placed his hand on another tablet next to the outer gate. It flashed green and began to open. ? ? ? Kyrie picked a red tinted and ribbed berry from a bush. He rubbed it clean and popped it into his mouth. "Yum." Kyrie reached back to the plant and picked a few more of the delicious red barriers. Liza and Centra watched with shock and worry. Did Kyrie really just eat that? It hadn''t even been five minutes sinceHogswell told them not to eat what they''d gathered. DJ don''t do it if you want to sleep with me tonight," Centra said with a stern look and a shake of her head. She wasn''t going to let DJ risk dying over a few stupid barriers when they''d just had lunch. DJ''s cheeks warmed as he sheepishly put the barriers in his bad. He could wait to eat them until after Hogswell checked them. Kyrie ate several more of the barriers as they wandered through and studied different plants. He picked a glimmering blue berry. This one might be fun to eat later. Kyrie grabbed only one of them. They were a fairly strong aphrodisiac. So far they''d had no trouble. But some of the labor''s were nearby clearing the trees ready for harvest. There was only five guards to keep the twenty labor''s safe. Being able to increase security for those working near the city had been one of the hopes for the Tries. A hope they couldn''t fulfill right now. Kyrie paused as he watched a teen that was the same age as him. The teen''s muscles had the bulk of one who moved heavy things regularly. The youth paused in his work to glair at kyrie. He spat on the ground and mumbled, "Damn hero. Ain''t done a thing for us." Before he moved on to the next area. But Kyrie hadn''t looked in the youth''s direction to watch him. He''d looked that way because he''d sensed something moving quickly. With its speed and aura it could be a person, or a young Jaculus. A winged serpent that lived in the trees being felled. Kyrie turned around and looked for the closest person he knew would look after his teammates. He saw James near a suspicious looking ivy plant. "James, can you watch over the others?" James voice broke with nervousness as he said, "Yep!" Kyrie paused as he went to turn around. "Did you?" James nodded. It might not''ve been his smartest move, but he''d gathered some poison ivy. It''d make for one hell of an itchy attack. Kyrie quickly turned around. He''d just have to remind him self to stay far away from James''s vines. They wouldn''t be a threat if he kept his aura up until after he showered. That and if he didn''t give James the chance to break through his aura. But the second one was never really a choice. Syra watched as Kyrie left the group to go further into the forest, trouble and injures always seemed to follow that guy. ? ? ? Kyrie could hear the snapping and cracking sounds of footsteps behind him. He took a quick right around a tree. Then a left around another and waited. The footsteps grew closer. Than paused at the same tree he had. Kyrie circled around. He stood behind his stalker. She looked very familiar. Kyrie moved forward and placed a hand on Syra''s shoulder. "What do you think you''re doing?" Syra jumped and spun. Her baton headed for Kyrie''s aura. Kyrie slipped past her guard and grasped her wrist. "Seriously, why are you following me?" Syra yanked her hand back as she said, "You were acting weird."She swept her hands out towards the lush forest surrounding them. "Sneaking out here when we''re supposed to stay together." Syra dropped her arms. "You usually listen to our Proffs. So what are you doing out here?" Kyrie''s eyes widened and he spoke in a small voice, "You know that much about me?" Syra rolled her eyes. "Of course. James associates with you more than I''d like." After you''ve hurt him so much. Kyrie calmed himself. Of course, she was only watching him so closely because of James. It wasn''t because she wanted to be his friend. Wait, she cared about James enough to keep tabs on Kyrie. He smiled as he said, "Do you have a thing for James?" Syra''s eyes widened. "What?! I do ¨C" "Ahhgh!" "Shit!" Kyrie turned and ran towards the scream. He''d screwed up and let himself get distracted. Kyrie''s pounding steps shattered branches under his feet as he moved unnaturally fast through the trees. He''d left Syra behind. But he''d left a clear trail. Hopefully, she''d follow or head back. Just, please let her stay safe. Kyrie didn''t want to have to tell James he''d left her alone. That she''d died because he''d left her in a forest where something was attacking. Syra had tried to keep up. But she quickly fell behind. She was following Kyrie. They were headed deeper into the woods. 50 Announcemen Sorry, content is lost, You are reading Novel on Novelhall.COM, we will fix it as soon as possible, thank you 50 The clearing Kyrie burst through the trees into a small man-made clearing. Well mostly cleared clearing. Tree stumps littered the ground. Along with red soaked underbrush and leaves. The smells of copper and blood soaked the air. The clearing appeared empty of life, for an instant. As Kyrie stood on the edge of the clearing, he could hear a moan coming from the center. He carefully took a step into the clearing. The bright blue sky contrasted with stillness and stench of death that soaked the salty breeze coming from the east. Nothing moved. So Kyrie stepped clear of the forest. He could see a severed limb to his left. Kyrie continued to scan the clearing. One. Two. Three. Four. A guard. Five. Six. Kyrie took another step, and paused. He scanned the clearing for changes. Nothing. A terrible, sickening, pungently coppery nothing. The sound of pounding feet covered the moans, if the poor sole still lived. Syra saw Kyrie before she saw the clearing. Her batons were out as she ran ito his side. She ran into the Kyrie''s palm. There was no sound when she hit. No pain or pressure. She simply stopped. "Wha¡ª" Kyrie shook his head and Syra fell silent. With the silence raining, Syra could feel her guts churning. No. They, Syra gulped in a sickeningly coppery tasting breath and closed her eyes. But it did nothing to help remove the image. They were dead. Six labors. One guard. But then she heard it. The moan coming from the center of the clearing. Syra opened her eyes and found the form of a teenager the same age as them. His once sturdy and strong form lay twisted and mangled in the center of the massacre. When Kyrie took a step forward, he lowered his arm. That was a mistake. Syra was a healer. A great and wonderful healer. One with a heart so giving and kind. Without Kyrie stopping her Syra ran. She ran to the teen. To the center of the clearing. Kyrie wanted to stop her. To yell no! But he didn''t ¨C couldn''t. He''d be giving the creature he swore was nearby confirmation. He''d be telling it that they were here. Telling it exactly where they were. Instead, he reached for the back of Syra''s shirt, but missed by millimeters. Syra had only made it halfway to the teen when things went horribly wrong, again. As Syra lept from the top of a tree stump it struck. It was fast and hard and full of fangs. Its green wings glimmered in the air as it bit. Syra''s aura flared and she fell. Fell to a spot where more than one could hide. Syra tried to twist around and strike at the Jaculus attached to her leg. But each time she moved it moved. Her aura was a solid pink around its mouth and draining quickly. Kyrie ran. He ran along the same path Syra had taken. And when he got there he swung at her leg. A quick burst of momentum and its heart was severed in two. Kyrie pulled the energy from his stroke before he hit Syra''s aura. He pulled Taru back and stood over her. Syra nocked the Jaculus'' jaw free of her leg and moved to stand. "Thanks." Kyrie nodded. He was worried. All this blood and a dead legend didn''t bode well. The magic seeping from the legend''s body would bring other legends soon. After Syra got to her feet Kyrie shifted Taru to his right hand and picked up the larger part of the Jaculus'' body. "Let me go first," Kyrie said as he started to quickly and carefully move to the teen in the center of the clearing. When they arrived at his body Syra knelt at the teen''s side. She quickly began setting bones and healing. As Syra worked on the teen Kyrie placed the Jaculus'' body nearby and began treating it. Kyrie reached out with his aura and coated the Jaculus in it. That''d have to do until they left. The teen stopped moaning from the pain as he lost consciousness. Syra continued to heal him as Kyrie shifted anxiously. Something else was coming. They needed to move. But could the teen be moved yet? "Syra, can we move him?" Syra shook her head as she said, "We really shouldn''t. If you give me two minutes, we might be able to." Kyrie glanced around the horrid site they stood at the center of. He''d rather move on. Or at least get Syra and the teen out of here sooner. The creature was nearly here. It felt small but strong, very strong, It''s approaching presence was enough to scare off other legends headed towards them. They needed to move. And they needed to do it now. "Syra, grab him and run." "He''s not ¨C " Kyrie snapped, "Run!" He pointed deeper into the forest. Syra shivered as she did her best to grab ¨C pull the larger boy onto her back. As she tried to flee she glanced at Kyrie. She''d never seen him like that. Heard him snap and yell. Whatever was coming, Kyrie didn''t seem sure he could keep them safe. And it was almost here. Syra left a trail behind her. It formed from her slow heavy steps and the unconscious teen''s feet dragging through the earth. Syra couldn''t make it far, she needed a spot to hide. If she could heal him enough to wake him it''d be easier to run. As Syra stumbled into the forest she found it. A furrow they could hide in. She dumped the boy on the ground, climbed in and pulled him in after her, then continued her work. ? ? ? Kyrie waited in the clearing. He could still track where Syra had gone. If he knew, the creature coming for them could as well. But now Syra was far enough away, he could try and scare it off, without hurting her or worse hurting the one they were trying to save. Kyrie released as much of his aura''s presence as the legend approaching them had. It worked, the creature coming towards them paused. If it was a normal legend, if it wasn''t trying to protect its territory but was hunting, it would back off. But it didn''t. It kept coming and now it was moving faster. Kyrie let a little more of his presence leak out. A little more for him was a lot for others. The creature coming for them stumbled. But kept running. It was running at them, then its presence vanished. To kyrie it felt as if it had never been there. But that simple trick no longer worked on Kyrie. He''d have to risk it and move closer to Syra. Kyrie increased his output as he stepped towards Syra''s trail. He was using his own overwhelming aura to mask Syra and the teenager''s presence. A trick he''d learned from the dragon that had destroyed his home, destroyed Avalon. The dragon had masked the presence of the weaker legends it had brought with its own. And hid them under the cover of its giant wingspan. Now all Kyrie could do was hope and pray to Math that it didn''t find Syra first. And that is was a legend he wasn''t weak against. ? ? ? Syra shook with an instinctual fear of the legend hunting them. Its presence was so terribly strong it was all she could feel. Her hands shook where they pressed on the teen''s side as she healed him. She understood it now. Why Kyrie had snapped and told her to run. She felt her legs quivering. Every instinct was telling her to leave. To get away as fast as possible. They were screaming at her to stop. To stop healing the injured teen and save herself. But she didn''t, she stayed because for all her body said to go, her heart said to stay. Her training said to stay. As she healed the teen she worried and wondered if Kyrie would make it. It felt like the legend was in the clearing. Kyrie was strong but he wasn''t this strong. He''d need help fighting or he''d need healing. Syra wasn''t going to accept the trade of saving one life and losing another. Not if it was someone else''s. ? ? ? The underbrush near the edge of the clearing rustled. Kyrie shifted to face the approaching legend. He held Taru in a two-handed grip. The brush stopped rustling. Then it stepped out of the forest. The small strong, green, creature. A creature capable of scaring off other legends. Kyrie''s eyes widened. It was, "Professor Hogswell?" "Ah, I''m glad that was you and not something else," Hogswell chuckled with relief. He had already checked the clearing for Syra and hadn''t found her. "Do you know where Syra is? She''s missing. And it looks like something very dangerous is nearby." Kyrie relaxed and pulled back on his presence. "She''s hiding and healing the only survivor of the attack." Kyrie hesitated for a moment then turned his back on Professor Hogswell. "I''m worried that we only found one Jaculus with a broken wing. But I think there may be more near." Kyrie was headed for Syra and the teen. Hogswell followed. He glanced at Kyrie''s running form. He''d never thought the fudging of Kyrie''s strength on his ID was so far off. Kyrie was far stronger than him. And to be capable of hiding another''s presence with his was inhuman. How could Kyrie contain so much aura? Most legends couldn''t reach such a strength by the end of living a full life. And humans were far less capable of holding aura. That''s what made someone with Jasper''s ability of magic special. They were born with an innate ability to hold more aura and manipulate it more efficiently for spells. They were born with great potential. Soon Kyrie found Syra and the groggily awakening teen. Syra was breathing heavy and looked exhausted. Her eyes wandered over Kyrie''s form. He seemed okay, warry but okay. Kyrie leaned over the furrow and held out his hand. "Here it''s safe." Kyrie smiled at Syra a bit sheepishly. "Sorry about scaring you. I didn''t realize it was Professor Hogswell coming to get us." Syra glanced at Hogswell who waved at her. The presance she felt must''ve been him. She frowned as she grabbed Kyrie''s hand and they traded places. Why did they send Kyrie and Ren to the front when they had a teacher as strong as Hogswell? Kyrie picked up the groggy teen, who groaned and said, "I''m fune can walk." As he feebly tried to push his way free of Kyrie''s arms. Kyrie easily kept his grip and said, "It''s okay, I''ve got you. You''ve lost a lot of blood. Let me get you out of here than you can try walking." Kyrie glanced up at Syra as he said, "If Syra thinks your legs can handle it?" Kyrie glanced at the teen in his arms. "How''s that sound?" The guy struggled to open his eyes and slurred, "Yes." Kyrie tightened his grip. He crouched and jumped out of the furrow with the help of his ability. Once he''d gotten the two of them out he looked up at Syra. "So can he try standing or not?" Syra placed her hands on the teen and healed him a bit more. Her arm and body shook with aura fatige. Any more healing and it''d turn into aura sickness. But the guy should be strong enough. Syra nodded. When she was tried, she became quiet. Kyrie walked over to a sturdy looking tree. He was about to set the teen in his arms down when the boy started trembling. He wrapped his arms around Kyrie and whimpered. Kyrie''s eyes widened for a moment. But he quickly cleared his expression. He backed away from the tree and the teen began to relax. "I''m going to let your legs go and keep holding your shoulders. Are you ready?" The guy''s ¨C Max''s cheeks were warm with embarrassment. How could he have lf act like that over a tree. A stupid tree. He killed hundreds of them, but -- but they were a hiding place for legends. A hiding place for legends whose home''s he''d distroyed. Kyrie released one leg than the other. He still had a grip on the guy and used his ability to slow the earth''s pull on Max. It helped to lessen the awkwardness of helping someone so much bigger than him stand. Once Max was standing Kyrie gradually let Max''s body adjust back to the pull of gravity. The guy''s eyes landed on Syra as he said, "Thank you." But widened as he stumbled back into Kyrie. He''d noticed Hogswell. Kyrie steadied the teen as he said, " It''s all right he''s a Professor at the Academy." "A goblin''s an f-n teacher!?" How? What? They -- they couldn''t stay in a city. They''d kill anyone that got too close! "A half goblin. And I think he''s one of the best Profs I''ve met." Kyrie said with pride as he watched Hogswell. Pride and a bit of guilt he''d really only meet seven Professors and Pele. But Pele was still more of a favorite tutor to Kyrie. His smile fell. He hadn''t heard anything about the necklace. Max coughed awkwardly and said, "Uh sorry." He hadn''t meant anything by it he just well didn''t expect that a goblin seen in the forest was a half goblin. It was an instinct formed by years of working as a labor in the forest. Jaculus, goblins, wolves, and so many other creatures inhabited them. Anything that didn''t look human was often a legend coming to kill him. The cites were different. It wasn''t too hard to find someone that didn''t look quite human. But all of them were safe. Or as safe as any human could be. Kyrie stuck close to Max as they headed back to the rest of the class, so he could reach out to steady Max when he stumbled. ? ? ? When they got back Hogswell said, "Kyrie, Syra we''ll discuss your full punishment for wandering off tomorrow morning. I don''t want to see either of you until then." Hogswell pointed along the wall. The three of you can go through the labors gate. And expect extra work in the evenings." Hogswell kept his back to them and his expression stern. He lowered his arm and said, "Leave your bags and scram." And they did. 51 The Fruit of One’s Labor Hogswell was checking DJ''s bag when he found a red tinted and ribbed berry. "You don''t want to eat this one." "Uh," DJ watched the innocent looking berry with worry. Kyrie''d eaten a lot of them. And Hogswell was already pissed at him. He didn''t want to get Kyrie in trouble but¡­ , "Um," DJ gulped and said, "What happens to you if you ¡­ uh eat ¡­ DJ licked his lip and looked from the berry to Hogswell. "Well, a lot of them." Hogswell sighed. Another one that''d eaten some of what he''d gathered. "You ate some didn''t you?" DJ grimaced, "Well a ¡­ friend did." "Then your, " Hogswell paused, "Friend must like bitter and sour fruit. And is very, very lucky. They are edible but most people hate the taste." "Oh thank Math," DJ said as his shoulders fell in relief. Kyrie wasn''t off dying in some ally way from eating an innocuous-looking berry. Centra was right he''d never eat something without knowing what it was first. And double checking it too. After checking DJ''s bag, Hogswell moved onto the one Kyrie had left. Hogswell separated the bag into two piles. The first pile was large and the second ¨C well it only had the one glimmering blue berry. Hogswell paused as he stared at the giant pile of red tinted and ribbed gooseberries. He looked at DJ as he said, "You really were asking for a friend, weren''t you?" DJ rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah." Hogswell nodded and checked the second pile. It was an interesting choice and one that was illegal to have in Laserath. Hogswell held up the glimmering blue berry. "Never eat this one if you aren''t someplace safe. And absolutely never give it to someone else." That was all Hogswell wanted to say about this one. He wanted no part, even the tiniest of one, in what may happen if he taught his students more about this berry. He already needed to have a very serious conversation with Kyrie about it. Del asked, "What''s it do?" Hogswell glared at him. "It gets you sent to a psychiatric care facility and put to work as a deep labor." Hogswell had lied about the deep labor part. That part may not have happened but the threat of it would keep several students clear of it. Hogswell turned and chucked it towards the forest. Then he placed the gooseberries back in the bag. "DJ you can give these to Kyrie." "Sure," DJ said as he grabbed Kyrie''s bag. ? ? ? Syra, Kyrie, and Max were walking through the clearing by the city''s outer walls. Kyrie was sticking close to Max so he could catch him if he tripped. Max glanced warily at the hero by his side. He wasn''t much of a hero. Max watched his jittery hands. He could still see it in the tree above him. He could feel it crashing into and depleting his flimsy aura as the guard grabbed his shoulder and flung him back. Flung him into the center of the clearing. Where his legs had twisted sickeningly and snapped so terribly fast. He''d been trapped there, where he could hear the screams and cries as the others died. Still, Syra had healed him, helped him, saved him. And yet she was being punished for her action. For doing what she was being taught to do. "That prof is shit," Max said as he watched Syra. Syra smiled at Max. "He''s not so bad. He was just trying to make it seem like he was punishing us." Syra yawned as she walked on Max''s other side. "A real punishment would be making me stay in class right now." Kyrie watched the other two as he said, "We''ll also be able to make sure you get back safe and file a report with the labor''s office." Kyrie turned back to the forest and the creatures that haunted them. Had the legends taken advantage of the drill and the festival to move closer to the city? Or was this a normal occurrence here? Kyrie glanced at Max. He''d recovered a little quick for it to be that unusual an event. Laserath was larger than Avalon. It had more people to guard and police. And more border area to protect. While Avalon''d had Kyrie. Had the portion the city was paid for all the commissions he did. For all the commissions the Say clan completed. They''d been on the rise again. Avalon had been on the rise. Kyrie clenched his hands he walked by the wall. He hated losing his family, losing those he''d sworn to protect and stand by. What was he doing here? Staying near these walls, when¡­ Kyrie felt a burst of happiness blossom in his chest. Right, that was why he was here. To make friends, to reconnect with James. To do things he''d never done before. Kyrie''s clenched fist relaxed. He could do both he could ¨C would do both. At least for this city. Kyrie glanced at the wall. He''d do better by Laserath than he had Avalon. He would never let his new home fall ¨C be lost to depths of Legend. ? ? ? As Hogswell opened the gate for the students to return, a student grabbed the glimmering blue berry he''d thrown. It might be just the edge they needed. They''d rather not use it, but they were already doing a lot of things they didn''t want to. And it was all in the name of the cause. 52 Reports and Party Prep Kyrie, Syra, and Max stood at the entrance to one of the largest buildings in the city. The only building at the west gate. It was the building that operated as a labor dispatch office and a warehouse for storing the gathered materials. It was where incidents involving labors were reported. Kyrie opened the people door to the building and held it for Max and Syra. The inside of the room smelled of wood. It was well lit and a worker was swamped at the front desk. They were taking papers, passing out instructions, and answering questions. Some of the labors in the room had glanced at the door. A few of them recognized Max and gave him a friendly nod or wave. When they spotted Syra they frowned but shook it off. Something about her seemed different. But all sorts of people would take work as a laborer. And seeing new faces was normal in the labor''s office. Most of the people who''d turned to look had resumed their work. But a few hadn''t and they watched in shock as Kyrie entered the building. They nudged and whispered to those nearby. "Look it''s him!" "What the hell is he doing here?" Some of them scoffed in a quiet voice. They were experienced enough with legends to know Kyrie could hurt them easily. And those truly scared of him stayed quit. Null''s plan was working. Even so, they didn''t want him there but they also didn''t want to make him mad. The fear the hero before them still weighed heavily on them. Yet a few of them were in awe. A hero was here in the same room as them! They were still young, they hadn''t experienced a hero''s betrayal. One child, in particular, was very excited to see Kyrie. While the others quieted and pulled away from the trio, she had fearlessly run up to Kyrie. She''d eagerly run up to a scorned hero. A hero that was responsible for the death of many during the botched drill two days ago. It was well known the hero could''ve handled that mess on his own. After all, Char had said as much on their blog. But this little girl knew Kyrie. She''d come from Avalon like he had. She bounced on her feet excitedly as she said, "Kyrie! Are you okay? What are you doing here? Is it guard duty? You''re'' on guard duty aren''t you!" Kyrie shifted Taru and knelt before the girl. In that position, he was smaller than her. He smiled as he said, "I''m fine, thanks for asking. How are you? Are you heading out soon?" Kyrie was smiling but inside he was worried. Max had almost died yet he was bigger, stronger, and more experienced than the little one before him. The girl smiled. "I''m good! I''ll head out soon since Mommy and daddy aren''t well right now." The little girl''s smile fell and her bouncing stopped as her left hand fidgeted with the strap of a bag over her shoulder. "Uhm, you never said why you''re here." Kyrie nodded, he hadn''t said it. He glanced up at some of the adults who where glaring at him. They didn''t want him near one of their children. Kyrie focused on the child before him and said, "I''m here to file an incident report." Kyrie glanced at Syra before he continued, "And offer my assistance to the labors'' office." He was supposed to go home and do homework. To be punished for leaving the class when he was told not to. But his heart and soul weren''t in it. This child, these people could use all the help they could get. And Kyrie would give as much of it as he could. The labors didn''t work at night but that didn''t mean Kyrie couldn''t do a little to help in the evenings. The worker at the from desk glowered as they said, "We can''t afford to pay someone of your expertise. If you''re here for work, it''ll be as a labor. You can fill out your incident report. Then, we''ll talk about your work as a labor." The worker held out a clipboard with a single sheet of paper attached to it. Kyrie''s eyes went wide. That was it? That single piece of paper was all they did for handling an encounter with legends and the loss of lives. One little flimsy piece of paper that would ¨C could do nothing to help those in that area or help the families of those who died. Let alone, help them prevent or decrease the likelihood of such an occurrence happening again. And pay him for his experience? Kyrie had done jobs like this in Avalon and been paid an hourly rate a tenth of what a newly hired guard had been. It was an amount that covered just under his expenses in gear and food for the work If he needed money, he could easily take a job with the LegendSlayers guild. Kyrie stood up and took the clipboard with a pen tied to it. He glanced over the questions. One of the questions he felt was important wasn''t there. Kyrie glanced at those in the office. He was keeping them from doing the work they desperately needed. But ¡­ Kyrie turned back to the worker. "You don''t even want to know where the people you sent to work died?" The worker sighed, while some of the labors glanced quietly at their feet. But a few of them nodded and watched Kyrie with a budding sense of respect. At least he seemed to care. But the harried worker didn''t appear to. They said, "We get too many reports to record anything beyond who died, who was injured, and how many guards were lost." They gestured at those in the room. "They already know that." Kyrie''s hand clenched around the clipboard, and the warm room grew unbearably so. He opened his mouth to snap at her but paused at the grip of small hands on his right one. Kyrie turned to look at the little girl. "It''s okay, were used to it." Kyrie bit his lip, should he ay it? Say what he was going to before she''d stopped him. Syra grabbed the clipboard from Kyrie and quickly skimmed it. She glanced up at him, why did she have to be the one to help him? She asked, "How did Avalon manage incidents?" Kyrie briefly squeezed the little girl''s hand. "They recorded the locations, pulled the workers from the area and had them work someplace else. Then they sent an eradication team from the guards or guilds." "I told you we can''t afford to do that," the worker snapped at him. This hero was slowing everything down on a day already messed up by a reallocation of guards due to losses from the emergency drill. And the added protection for the survival class made it even worse. Not to mention the guards would be back soon to get their next assignment which would mean 15 more things to track and do. Yet this hero stood here taking up everyone''s time like it was nothing. "In Avalon, they''d pay me 10 credits an hour to help out with the eradication missions. And ¨C" "10 credits! But that''s," the worker''s eyes were wide as they swallowed, "a fifth of a laborer''s hourly wage. You ¨C you really let them pay you so little? Do you even have money for lunch?" They looked Kyrie over. He seemed a bit thin, maybe? Did his skin always look so pale? Or was it the bright lights that washed the color from everything? Forget the things they had to do this kid needed help. They pulled open a drawer and grabbed a temporary guard contract. "Here, you can start today. I know we said we can''t afford more guards right now so we''ll get you set up with a starting pay rate equal that of a labor''s. You''re going to school right now, right? What hours would you like to work?" Kyrie watched them in shock. It was like he was talking to another person. "Uh, I''m fine. 10 credits is good. I''ve got plenty of credits saved up and I did a high-rank mission last week." Kyrie''s hand felt warm where he held the precious seven-year-old child''s hand. He''d try and go as a guard for her group if he could. He didn''t want to find her corpse when he went out tonight. "Can I join as a guard for her team?" The worker glanced over the counter to see the little girl. Nina had started as a laborer yesterday. They flipped through some of their files. Nina Thatcher, she was headed out to what should''ve been a safe place. As safe as any place could be outside the city walls. It was near where the survival classes field trip had taken place. And two of the students from that class stood before them. They pulled out the report for those on Nina''s team ¡­ "I''ll add you to the list as a guard for Nina''s team." Kyrie frowned, Nina¡­ Kyrie turned to the little girl in shock. He let go of her hand as he said, "Wait, your Nina! Little Nina the tinker?!" Kyrie kneeled and fiddled with the small charm of a dark metal shield with a sword down the middle. "I still have the good luck charm you made me! Oh pup, you''ve gotten so big!" Nina blushed and smiled. Kyrie would often visit her Mothers metal shop. He rarely purchased anything, but he would ask her mother questions about the weapons she sold. After a few days, she''d decided to have Nina answer his questions and be his master in metallurgy. He couldn''t come that often, but they''d had fun. It had been like having a big brother. Then it ended. It ended suddenly three years ago, Kyrie had stopped visiting when he had the rare chance. At first, Nina had thought he would come back. But he hadn''t. Then she found him one day. He was fourteen, underage, and drunk. Nina had gone up to him and asked if he was coming back. He shook his head no with grief and guilt etching every fiber of his being. She was a child and she did what many children would. She asked him why. And Kyrie said, "She left me and now ¡­" Kyrie swallowed with his eyes closed. He could still feel that sickeningly warm sticky substance on his hands. He could smell that horrid ¨C rotten stench in the air. "I''m sorry Nina. I just can''t, that life, one like yours. I can''t have that." When she asked her mother what Kyrie had meant she''d said, "It was bad luck that he ended up with that ability and in that clan. They''re better now but a few years ago, I never would''ve let you near a member of the Say Clan." "Why?" "Because they didn''t treat their children right." Nina pestered her mother for more information, as any child would, but her mother refused to say more. As most children would, Nina wanted to help her friend so she made him a good luck charm. A real good luck charm. Though it could only do so much to cancel out Kyrie''s bad luck. ? ? ? Nina studied Kyrie''s neck. It wasn''t there. She bit her lip, it was probably best not say anything about the necklace she''d made him. She forced a smile and said, "Well yeah!" Kyrie laughed as he stood up. He collected the files from the worker and said, "I''ll hand these back in a moment. But ¡­ " Kyrie paused then decided to take the plunge and ask, "Could you start recording the locations of incidents. I can take an hour or two each night to go clean up the legends nearby and having some targets in mind would be helpful." The worker hesitated but nodded. They would see what could be done to make this a more permanent arrangement at the daily briefing tomorrow. ? ? ? As Kyrie and Syra filled out the incident report with Max''s help, their friends and teammates gathered their cleared food items then headed to the dorms. DJ rested an arm across James'' back. He leaned heavily on James as he said, "So ¡­. You didn''t tell us it was a certain someone''s birthday on the 13th." James froze, oh shit. When did DJ learn about Kyrie''s birthday? "Uh, yeah he''s not big on birthdays." DJ pulled his arm back and grabbed Centra''s hand as they walked. "We kinda gathered that when he told us. Is there a reason for that?" James shrugged. "We didn''t celebrate birthdays in Avalon like you do here. It''s usualy just a small family thing, parents and maybe some siblings if their around. I tried to throw him a part a few years ago, but that ¡­. didn''t end well." Liza watched James as she asked, "What happened?" James grimaced. He could remember the look of fear on Kyrie''s face when he found him. A kid James had invited decided to play truth or dare. They had asked a question about her and Kyrie hadn''t been ready to answer it. So he decided to do the dare. James was in the bathroom and the other kids were from their clan. They knew Kyrie couldn''t stand basements. That''s what they''d dared him to do. To go into the basement. Kyire''d only gotten as far as opening the large creepily carved and cold basement door when James had found them. He''d told the others off. James had ruined their fun so they made the rest of the night hell for James and Kyrie. Until they''d gone too far. Kyrie had lost control. Those kids became scarred by their fear of Kyrie. And James was chained by his guilt from having thrown such a horrible party. James shook his head. DJ''d never throw a party that would end up that way. "I invited the wrong people. And we played truth or dare." DJ nodded. Truth or dare was a game that could be fun and good as easily as it could go bad and leave people hurting. "Would you help me put together a list of people to invite? I was thinking of our teams and maybe Ren?" James tapped his chin as he thought about Kyrie and Ren''s interactions. They hadn''t had many but she seemed like a good choice. "I think that sounds good, We should probably include Amity and Ana too." DJ nodded and continued to plan. The party would be another step to the fun plan and it was going to be great. 53 Coming Home Everything was fine at first. The first one to call Kyrie was Liza. And he didn''t answer. They waited, Kyrie may not have had signal yet. Then they called again. He should''ve been in town. He should''ve had signal. He should''ve answered. But he didn''t. DJ wanted to call James next but Centra gave him that look. The look that said honey you missed a step. So, she called Syra. It rang once, twice, three times. There was no answer. Jasper wrung his hands in worry. What happened? What should he do? And DJ, he called James. "Hey, what''s up?" DJ opened his mouth once than closed it. His eyes were closed and his heart was heavy. Their hearts were heavy. Kyrie and Syra were gone. Just three day''s ago they had been fighting to live another day and the two of them, with their kind souls, had fought not for themselves but for others. Kyrie and Syra had fought to protect those who couldn''t protect themselves. Even the risks Kyrie had taken were for other. Now DJ had to tell James that they were missing, that they may be dead. DJ opened his eyes and grabbed Centra''s hand. "Kyrie and Syra aren''t answering. They ¡­ their¡­ " DJ couldn''t say it. Say what everyone on their team was thinking. They''d seen the guards wandering the woods. They''d only escaped unharmed because they were being protected. Kyrie was strong, they''d seen it. But he wasn''t back and who knows what else lurked outside the city walls. "They''re fine." DJ''s head snapped up. "What? How could you know? Did they call you?" If Kyrie had called James, why hadn''t he called his teammates? And why didn''t James tell them?! James spoke gently to his best friend. "We haven''t heard from them, but Andray has his twin bond with Syra, so he''d know if something happened to her. As for Kyrie," James smiled, "I know him. He''s fine. You don''t have to worry. Those two are a pair of softies. They''re probably doing volunteer work right now." Liza cast a news report onto their TV as she said, "Their fine. They are idiots that need to learn to inform us that they''re fine, but they''re fine." While DJ had called James, Liza had taken the gamble that Kyrie would be recognized and that someone, even Char, would have posted about what Kyrie was doing. It had paid off, she''d found them. Liza was pissed but smiling. It wasn''t a scary someone''s going to die smile. It was a soft happy smile that said Kyrie was such a sweet and loveable idiot at times. Centra frowned, they had barely brokered peace between them then he went and did this. But her frown softened as she read the article. Kyrie was helping to make the forest a safer place for the labors. Syra was helping out with first aid treatment and the occasional healing of injuries. They were both fine and they were trying their best to make sure other people were okay tool. Jasper smiled and sighed as he read the article. Kyrie was still alive, so he still had a chance to do it. DJ grinned. They were safe. And that was so like Syra to find a way to help wherever and whenever she could. It seemed that Kyrie and Syra were alike in that way. DJ said, "Thanks, James. I''m sorry I bugged you like that." He wasn''t sure he could trust James'' answer on how Kyrie was. But Kyrie was with Syra, and Liza had found news about them. "It''s cool. If your ever worried about Kyrie just give me a call. Talk to you later bud." DJ and Centra smuggled on the couch as Liza and Jasper each claimed a seat. They picked a show to watch with minimal bickering and waited for their wayward teammate to come home. ? ? ? It was ten o''clock that night when the dorm room door opened. Centra was the only one in the common room. The lights were on and she was watching old tournament battles. She was trying to figure out how to incorporate Liza and Kyrie into her battle strategies. And she was waiting up for Kyrie. She''d sent DJ to bed when he''d fallen asleep on the couch and had started drooling on it. The next to go was Jasper who said he had training early tomorrow morning. The last was Liza. She was going to stay up with Centra but the trembling in her limbs had increased to the point that Centra had nearly carried her to bed. She left Liza with instructions to stay in bed and sleep. Centra had also warned Liza that she was going to check on her every morning and evening. There''d be no more slipping off to classes her body wasn''t ready to handle. Centra was also exhausted, she loved DJ dearly, but his loud snoring and her nightmares were taking there toll. But someone needed to talk to Kyrie when he got back. Kyrie softly closed the door behind him. He smiled a bit sheepishly at Centra as he said, "Hi." Centra paused the video and stood up. She''d have glared at Kyrie if she had the energy for it.Instead, she settled for one her mother''s tricks. She pulled out a chair at the side of the table. It was the chair next to the head of the table. She walked to the head of the table and said, "Sit down." Kyrie shifted uncomfortably at the door but removed Taru''s case. He left her by the door and perched awkwardly on the edge of his chair. His head was down and he was staring at his hands. He''d messed up and Centra was pissed. Centra sighed and entered their kitchenette area. She grabbed two glasses of water and pulled out some of the dinner DJ had made for them. She warmed it up on the stove as Kyrie sat there. It warmed quickly and she placed them on the table. "You haven''t eaten dinner yet have you?" Kyrie looked up at her in surprise, he was sure Centra would scold him. He said, "No," as he grabbed the plate and fork. He took a bite as Centra grabbed her water and sat at the head of the table. "You did something really good today Kyrie. I mean really good. But you also did some really stupid things today." Centra watched as Kyrie''s eating slowed. Kyrie swallowed and looked at Centra with guilt. "Are you talking about leaving the group during class?" Centra nodded and trailed her hand in spirals on her cool glass of water. He''d done that and it was amongst the list of things to talk about. She nodded again, that spot would be as good a place to start as any. "You should have told me when you were going to leave. I''m in charge of our team, responsible for it. I need to know where you are when we''re outside these walls or in a fight." Kyrie grimaced but nodded. "Your right, I''m sorry. Not telling you was disrespectful of your position as captain. I won''t do it again." He''d thought only of saving those labors. He''d been too lateto save everyone. He hadn''t told his team because he was worried that they''d come someplace dangerous with him. Kyrie fiddled with his fork as Centra continued, "That was the first stupid thing, the next one was picking the blue colored berry." This topic made Cantra nervous. Kyrie wouldn''t have picked it if he hadn''t intended to use it. The questions bugging Centra were what it did and what Kyrie had planned to do with it. Kyrie crooked his head. The glimmering blue berry? It was a problem? "What''s wrong with picking it?" Centra''s shoulders relaxed. At least Kyrie didn''t realize he shouldn''t have picked it. "All Professor Hogswell told us was that it was illegal to have it in the city and to only eat it in a very safe place." Do you know what it does?" Kyrie''s eyes had widened. It was illegal to have here? Well shit. Kyrie didn''t answer Liza''s question he got up, opened his bedroom door, and dug through a drawer. Centra got up as well. "D-don''t tell me you have more of those things?" Kyrie grimaced and held up a small, mostly empty, round metal container with a lid. "I''ve got the powdered and dried version. I swear I had no idea it was illegal in Laserath." Kyrie nervously fidgeted with the container. "What should I do with it?" He glanced towards the bathroom. "I could flush it." "No!" Centra slapped her hands over mouth as she and Kyrie listened for someone waking up. After a moment Centra said, "No. Laserath recirculates most of its water to limit the possibility of legends slipping into the city that way. What isn''t recirculated is carefully let in through releasing parts of the Emerilla''s barrier. And we have no idea if their cleaning will get rid of that. It might, but we can''t be sure." and Centra didn''t want to take that risk. Even though the city''s water purifiers could handle far worse than the contents of that container. Kyrie nodded. "Maybe I could sneak it out and empty it? I''m going out to help the labors'' guards after dinner each night." Centra sighed and nodded. It was the best plan they''d come up with. "Hide that. Then, tell me what it does and what you''ve been doing with it." Kyrie slipped it back into place and closed the drawer. They reclaimed their spots at the table. Kyrie pushed his mostly full plate back and fidgeted with his left ribbon. He could understand how the berry could be illegal. "I''ve only ever given it to myself. And I don''t use it a lot of it. It''s strong and sometimes I need a little push. I ¡­ " Kyrie wound his fingers in the ribbon he''d pulled too tight. He hadn''t even realized he''d pulled it too tight. Centra out reached and placed her hand on his. Kyrie flinched. There were times he didn''t like being touched and this was one of them. Talking about why he used that berry was one of them. Even though it was contradictory to what he used it for. Centra almost let go when Kyrie flinched but she caught his wrist instea. One of them needed to free his wrist from the ribbon he''d pulled too tight and Kyrie didn''t seem to be interested in that right now. "Sorry," Centra said gently as she moved his arm closer to her. "I''m just going to free your wrist before your hand gets worse." For those like Kyrie and Ren, they were so used to protecting their clothing with their aura that it was considered a natural part of their bodies as such their clothes could do them harm. Centra started untying and unwrapping the ribbons with the gentle grip of her cool fingers. Kyrie watched Centra free his wrist as he said, "Sorry, I didn''t realize I''d ¡­" Centra smiled up at him. "It''s okay." They sat in silence for a bit as Centra unwrapped Kyrie''s wrist. Kyrie cleared his throat and said with a blush. "The berry it makes you really ah ¨C needy? Like you really want to have sex." Centra coughed and nearly dropped Kyrie''s hand. She had sex with DJ but that wasn''t something you talked about with a near stranger. Centra glanced up at Kyrie and then back at his wrist. She was halfway done and it might be best if she stayed quiet. After all, something was bugging him enough that he''d restricted the blood flow to his hand way too much. "There, " Kyrie swallowed, "occasionally, there are times when I don''t really want to, you know. But I wanted to feel close to someone and I''m not very good at that. The only people I''ve ever really been able to hug or snuggle up with are James and .. "Kyrie frowned at the table. He really wanted a hug from his father. "My dad." Kyrie''s head snapped up as Centra''s hands stilled. That had sounded like he was or had been¡­ Kyrie shuddered that was not what he meant. "Nothing ever happened with them I did not mean it that way. What, I meant was I wanted touch but I didn''t have anyone to go to so I''d drug my self by putting a little on a snack before I left. Then I''d go to a club or a bar and, you know, find someone to have a one-night stand with." Centra grimaced that was ¨C bad. It was also good that Kyrie expanded on his answer, but that was really bad. "We''ll DJ''s a snuggler too so next time you want a shoulder to lean on you''ve got us and probably James." Centra pulled that last of the ribbon off and laid her hand on Kyrie''s. "Just promise me you''ll take care of your self and never drug yourself like that again." Kyrie opened his mouth and closed it. He wanted to promise it but he wasn''t sure he could follow through on it. And breaking a vow or promise had consequences. Centra squeezed Kyrie''s tingling hand as she said, "I need you to promise Kyrie." Kyrie closed his eyes and swallowed. "Alright. I won''t drug my self like that anymore." Kyrie was staring at the door to his room. Centra watched him as she said, "If it''ll help you can give it to me and I''ll dump it out next time we leave the city." Kyrie nodded, it was a good idea. He''d been ready to dump it next time he left, but now he wasn''t sure he could. Kyrie grabbed the container and gave it to Centra. "I''d like the container back. It was a present from my first girlfriend." He wanted it back but he should probably get rid of it altogether. Centra took the small metal cylinder and nodded. The last topic had taken its toll on both of them. But she still had to talk to himabout the last one. "Kyrie we were worried about you when you didn''t answer our calls or tell us where you were. We don''t need to know where you are all the time but I would like it if you''d tell us when you leave the city and when you get back. Just let us know you''re safe and okay." Kyrie grimaced. "Sorry, I''m not used to that sort of thing." James usually took care of that sort of thing for him. Kyrie smiled at her and said, "I''ll try and do better." Centra smiled. It seemed weird but she finally got why her mom would hug her and Corson after one of those talks. It was her way of saying, ''I do this because I care about you.'' Centra stood up and hugged Kyrie like his big sister used to. He hugged her back and let go. They separated, Kyrie went to the kitchen with his plate and Centra to her room where DJ could be heard snoring. But before Centra entered her room Kyrie said, "Thanks. Most people wouldn''t have helped someone like you did. If I do something like that again will you tell me?" Centra smiled as she turned around. "Sure." It had gone well, really well. And she hadn''t expected it to go so well. Kyrie cleaned up his dinner while Centra hid the container in what now seemed to be her and DJ''s room. It had been a long day. Hopefully, she could get a decent night''s sleep. 54 Consequences The first class on Tuesday was Calculus. Pele was there earlier than last week. And all of Kyrie''s contacts had come up with nothing. Kyrie hadn''t found the necklace Pele had given him. Kyrie sighed and said, "Pups, I''ll turn in our homework." It''d be best to get it over with now. Later today he and Syra were going to meet up with professor Hogswell. It was doomed to be a bad day and this was something he could deal with now. Centra''s eyes widened. She''d forgotten about the box Pele had given them. She was curious about the contents, but she didn''t want to ask. Dislike was a tricky thing. Even as one got over it, it would rear its ugly head. And the nightmare Centra had last night was of her brother holding Taru. But Liza didn''t have that problem. Centra nudged her and Liza rolled her eyes. She looked up at Kyrie and said, "What was in the box Pele gave you?" Kyrie fidgeted with the corner of their homework papers. "It was a necklace. But-" Kyrie nodded to himself and took a deep breath. This would be good practice. "But I lost it during the festival." Jasper frowned. Losing something during a festival wasn''t losing something. "Y-you m-mean it w-was st-stolen." Kyrie grimaced as he accidentally tore a corner of a piece of paper. Jasper was right. But he didn''t want people going after that boy. "I lost it. It wasn''t stolen. I''d pulled it out to show it to James and sat it down when I helped break up a fight. Right James?" James nodded. "Yeah." James and Kyrie had spent some time alone during the festival. And they had broken up a fight. But Kyrie hadn''t shown James a necklace. Either way, this wasn''t the first time they''d lied like this. It wouldn''t be the last either. But this time James felt guilty. He''d just lied to his friends. He didn''t like that. He didn''t do that. He would get the real explanation as soon as possible. Class should''ve started already, and Pele was standing near Kyrie. Their group had been the last group he needed to gather homework from. Pele frowned. He was familiar with Kyrie and James'' joint lies. It was clear to him that James was out of practice and that, Kyrie, he''d gotten better at it. Pele placed a hand on Kyrie''s shoulder as he took the now torn papers from Kyrie. He whispered, "I understand you wanting to hide something, but you''ll need to do better to pull that off with me." Pele glanced at the papers and quickly flipped through them. He frowned as he reached the end. "Kyrie, James I need to speak with you about your homework." Pele straightened the papers in his hand, spun on his heel, and started his class. ? ? ? James waved at their friends as they left, "See you later!" As Ren and her team passed them, Ren waved to Kyrie and tapped her wrist. It was a gesture that meant call me. Kyrie nodded. He had several things he wanted to discuss with her. After the last of the students left Pele closed the door. He walked back and leaned against the desk at the front of the room. "What''s going on? Why''d you lie to your friends about the necklace?" Kyrie reached for the ribbon on his left wrist, but James beat him to it. "You hurt your self with that last night Ky." Kyrie blushed and dropped his wrist. He really needed to kill that habit. He''d fidget with Taru''s case, but most people got tense when he did that. They couldn''t be sure if he was planning to attack or if he was simply fidgeting. James sighed and removed his holo-watch. "Here you can fidget with this." Kyrie took the watch and played with it as he spoke. "There was this kid at the festival." Kyrie glanced up at them, then down. His hands stilled. They''d all lost people in that attack. "It was the festival in Avalon. He was chasing his little sister through the crowd." Kyrie ran his thumb over the face of James'' holo-watch. "His little sister accidentally ran into me. And I let her. I ¨C" Kyrie swallowed heavily. "I wanted to help her brother catch up to her, so I let it happen." Kyrie''s hand tightened around James'' watch. And the screen cracked. He''d accidentally used his ability. "I ¨C" Kyrie closed his eyes as he took another breath. James laid his hand on Kyrie''s. Kyrie looked up at him and James nodded. He''d help. He helped. Kyrie continued, "I was too late. His sister died in the attack. I ¨C" Kyrie licked his lip with nerves. His heart felt heavy in chest. "I hadn''t meant to ¨C I wanted to keep everyone safe but ¨C" Kyrie looked between James and Pele. His chin trembled and his form was wracked with guilt. He was wracked with survivors guilt and with the guilt of being a hero. "I couldn''t. They were too scared that I''d turn to trust me." Yet, they trusted he wouldn''t lose control. "They wouldn''t put up isolation barriers or evacuate like they had the civilians do. Like the boy had. Like I''d made the boy do." Kyrie closed his eyes and took another breath. His hand trembled under James''. Kyrie opened his eyes. "It was the boy. He stole it and my wallet. I ¨C " Kyrie loosened his grip on the watch. He stared at its cracked screen. He and the watch were so alike. Broken but still running. "I let him steal it. I''d forgotten the necklace was in my pocket too." Kyrie looked up at Pele. "I''m trying to get it back, but I don''t want him to get in trouble. So, I lied. I ¨C I don''t know the others that well. They don''t know me yet either, so." Kyrie shrugged, "it seemed better to lie so they wouldn''t report it." James nodded. "Ah." Unfortunately, Kyrie was right. If he''d told DJ or Centra the truth they''d have pushed him to report it. James didn''t know Liza and Jasper enough to say what they''d do. Pele sighed. Kyrie was right that the punishment for thievery was harsh. Too harsh for a child but Laserath treated many children like an adult once they reached seven. Though a child had more restrictions on what they could do. Pele wouldn''t take the risk of ruining a child''s life. He''d been around enough of that in Avalon. He''d saved his sister from that by moving here. "Let me see what I can find. If he''s stealing then he needs help." Kyrie smiled softly and with relief. Pele wasn''t mad. He''d help Kyrie handle this in a way that would help the boy. "Kyrie, send me a message with the information you have. I''ll find him and see what I can do." Kyrie nodded. He''d send the message to Pele later that night. James and Kyrie left for their next class. ? ? ? Kyrie and Syra met Hogswell in his classroom after their last class of the day. Hogswell''s arms were crossed as they entered. "Kyrie we need to talk about the rex berry you picked yesterday." Kyrie grimaced. "I''m sorry. I didn''t know the berry was illegal here. I only used it on myself." Hogswell frowned but nodded. "How much have you used?" Kyrie shifted uncomfortably. As he tried not to fidget with the ribbon on his left wrist."Not a lot. Just a bit sometimes." Hoswell sighed but nodded. "Are you having any of the effects of over usage?" Kyrie coughed uncomfortably as he glanced at Syra. He didn''t really feel like saying that he didn''t have erection problems in front of her. Instead, he went with, "Uh, no. None." Hoswell''s relaxed and nodded. "Good." He walked behind his desk and grabbed his gear. He slung a recurve bow over his shoulder and attached a sax knife to his hip. The knife was nearly the length of his torso. "Your detention will be helping the local guild, Lily-Livered with missions after class. You will help them affter class for the next two weeks. Your weekends are yours ... as long Lily-Livered doesn''t need you." Hogswell walked to the door. "Come on. I''ll help out today. But you''ll be on your own after that." 55 Lily-Livered Hogswell had Kyrie grab his hoodie before they left for the rail transport system. When the city wasn''t shut down due to an emergency the Rail was how most people traveled. Owning a car took space most people didn''t have and the rail was the second fastest mode of transportation. The fastest was teleportation circles but eh energy cost was higher than most could afford to cover. As they headed deeper into the city Kyrie tugged his hood down. He was near the door, leaning against the wall of the train. It was fairly empty because classes ended at 2:00. Syra had claimed the seat across the aisle from Kyrie. And Hogswell was seated next to him. Syra leaned forward as she said, "We''re really going to help a guild of cowards?" Kyrie smiled under his hood. Hogswell nodded with a grin as he said, "Some guilds name themselves to show the work they''ll do, and others name themselves for fun. Lily-Livered is far from a guild of cowards." Syra watched Hogswell with skepticism. After all the guild was called Lily-Livered and she''d never heard of them. But then again, the guild most people knew about was the LegendSlayer guild. There were a few large guilds in each city. But Laserath, they only had small time guilds. ? ? ? They got off at the stop closest to the interior wall and near the river. The building Hogswell led them to was old, sturdy, and well cared for. It was only three stories tall. A sign on it said *" Lily-Livered"* with a violet colored lily painted on the side. Hogswell opened the door using the bottom handle. It had three handles. One for smaller people like Hogswell and children. Another for people of average size and the last was for those tall enough to be the decedents of giants. They entered a small reception area. There was no one at the counter, but Hogswell didn''t care. He seemed used to it as he headed straight for the door on the back wall, he opened it and stepped through. "Hogswell!" a giant man shouted over the noisy chattering of the guild hall. He was tending a tavern bar that had a clear view of the door. Hogswell grinned and waved as he led Kyrie and Syra through the hall. Syra''s eyes were wide as she glanced around the room. There were so many people there. They ranged from babes, to children and teens, to adults and the elderly. It was a chaotic and noisy and colorful place. Lily-Livered was a guild that breathed and exuded friendship and life, when inside their guild hall. Syra was in awe but Kyrie took it all in with calm and wary glances. The friendlier the place the worse it felt when they realized who he was. No place like this could stay as it was with a hero like him in their midst. When Hogswell reached the bar he climbed onto one of the stools and stood on it. Hogswell shook hands with the barkeeper as he said, "How''ve you been Tiny?" The giant man smiled at his old professor as he said, "Good. Misty''s getting so big. I''ve got to show you some photos of her." Hogswell nodded with a grin. "She''ll be starting at Kondaira next year, right?" Tiny nodded as he grabbed a mug and filled it with a frothy maple ale. "Yep." He grinned as he said, "I trust you''ll take good care of my girl if she''s got the misfortune of being in your class." Hogswell laughed. He was a harsh Professor, but he needed to be when children''s lives depended on whether they truly learned what he was teaching them. "She''ll be able to take care of herself that''s for sure." "Good," Tiny said as he sat the mug in front of another man who''d just arrived at the bar. The man was familiar to Kyrie. He''d been the one to tell Kyrie about the guild, Lily-Livered. He was the babysitter from the emergency drill. "Not now Tiny. I''m helping Hogswell out. I''ll take a water." Tiny nodded and took the mug back. As Tiny turned and grabbed a glass to fill with water he said, "Are those two new recruits?" He''d nodded at Kyrie and Syra. The girl looked capable but the other one looked a bit ¡­. Well, they looked like something was wrong with them. People don''t wear hoodies in the summer unless their hiding something or they''re cold. Hogswell turned towards Kyrie and Syra as he said, "They''ve got detention for the next two weeks." The man, the babysitter ¨C Candor smiled as he said, "So we''ve got two weeks to hook the new recruits." Hogswell didn''t bother with a response. Most of Lily-Livered''s members had been recruited by him. And the majority of them had been brought there because of an unreasonable detention. Instead, Hogswell said, "This is Syra. She''s a healer and is unlicensed." Candor nodded and shook hands with Syra. "It''s always good to know a healer. Are you any good at it?" Syra nodded with a blush as she said, "I''m alright at it." Hogswell gestured to Kyrie as he said, "This is Kyrie, he''s licensed and extremely capable." Candor shook his head and patted Kyrie''s shoulder. "There''s no need for discretion. We''ve been expecting Kyrie." Kyrie''s eyes widened. What? They were expecting for him? Candor relaxed his grip on Kyrie''s shoulder as he said, "It took longer for him to follow up on the invitation then I expected." Kyrie cautiously lowered his hood as he said, "Invitation?" Hogswell smiled and nodded. "Remembering Lily-Livered''s guild name is an invitation to work with them or join them." "Wait?! That''s why I didn''t remember hearing about them!" Syra said as she knocked one fist into her palm. That was part of what was bugging her, Lily-Livered seemed like a medium sized guild but that was based solely on the people present. Lily-Livered was Laserath''s big guild! But how did they stay so hidden? And how did a hidden guild get jobs? Candor nodded. "That''s the reaction we want." Candor turned to Tiny and said, "We''ll take the waterway clean up mission." Tiny hesitated as he handed a plate to another person. Those jobs were always present but they usually left them to the LegendSlayer Guild, when they couldn''t gather enough people. "How many are going?" As far as Tiny could tell it was three with experience and one rookie. Waterway jobs weren''t for rookies. A good haunting was more the level for teaching a rookie. "It''ll be the four of us." Tiny glanced between Kyrie and Hogswell. If there was a group of three who could take a rookie into the waterways safely, it was probably them. "Alright, I''ll get it for you." Tiny tore a bulletin from the board above his head and handed it to Candor. "I better see all of you back here by dinner." Candor nodded while Hogswell jumped from his stool. He led them to a table in the corner. As they settled down at the table, Hogswell watched Kyrie''s wary glances. Kyrie must''ve had bad experiences with a guild or two in the past. "How do you keep people from knowing about your guild?" Kyrie asked as he leaned forward and folded his hands on the tale. It would be nice if he wasn''t in the news so much. Candor took a drink before he said, "It''s a guild secret but it has to do with the building and our emblem. That''s all we tell potential recruits." Kyrie nodded. "That''s fair." Every guild had its secrets. Especially the larger ones. Syra watched Candor with skepticism. How did they get jobs? How could a guild that everyone forgets about have members? "But how do you remember? And jobs, where do you get them from?" Hogswell smiled as he said, "There''s temporary measures we can take and more permanent ones like getting a guild tattoo. As for missions, Guild master Null passes some on to us, the others come from the Mayor. But the Mayor only has a temporary remembrance." Syra nodded that made sense or more sense. She still really wanted to know how they pulled it off. But two not answers meant she really wasn''t going to get a good one. Candor glance between Kyrie and Syra. "If that''s good enough we should move on to the mission." Kyrie nodded as Syra said, "All right." Candor placed the mission request in the middle of the table. "I''ll be in charge of our little group over the next two weeks. I''ll pick the next mission based on how this one goes." Candor looked at Syra. "I don''t want this to be a waste of the opportunity to get Kyrie''s assistance." He turned to Kyrie. "But I don''t want to go so far that Syra gets hurt more than she can handle healing." Candor looked at both of them. "Got it?" "Yes." Candor tapped the mission request as he said, "Right. We''ll start here. This isn''t usually a mission for a rookie. But I thought it would be a good pick for now. A waterway mission is down in the sewers and clean water tunnels." Fuck. Kyrie groaned. Why couldn''t it be work in an irrigation canal or an aqueduct? Those were way more open than an f-n tunnel. Candor glanced from Syra to Kyrie. A groan from one of the most experienced LegendSlayers was not a good sign. Did he think such things were below him? Candor''s gaze stiffened as he said, "Do you have a problem with that?" Kyrie''s eyes widened. "No. I just ¨C well ¨C I don''t do well in ¡­ underground places or small spaces." "Oh." Candor''s eyes were wide. He''d never heard that Kyrie had issues with those places. Though it made sense to keep such a thing a secret. A weakness like that could get him killed, if the wrong people learned about it. "Do we need to pick a different job?" Kyrie shook his head no, but his hand trembled a bit. "I can handle it. Just, don''t get to close to me." Hogswell glanced at Taru''s case. "We weren''t planning on it. But it''s good to know." Candor nodded; Kyrie''d know best if he could handle it. "How much experience do you have fighting in cities ¨C in small places?" Kyrie shifted and his left hand brushed his wrist. He jerked his hand back as Candor watched. "Some. Usually, when the damage I deal to my surroundings doesn''t matter. But I can strip Taru''s blades off to increase my mobility in smaller places." "Taru." Candor said with a smile, "That''s a risky name. What if she turns?" Kyrie smiled. "It''s not like a guild named Lily-Livered is that different." Hogswell laughed. "true." Syra glanced between the three of them. There was some kind of insider info she was missing. "What''s Taru mean?" Hogswell smiled as he said, "Legend." 56 The Waterway Kyrie left Taru''s case and his hoodie in the guild storage area. He pulled Taru''s blades free of his staff and attached the parts to his back with his support straps. Small spaces meant he''d need all the maneuverability he could get out of changing Taru''s configuration. Candor grabbed his weapon and the four of them headed for the riverbank. When they arrived he leaned down and unlocked one of the circular waterway access covers. If access wasn''t restricted, then the waterways would be an easy method to take down a city. And a city would fall if they weren''t kept clear. Just like the border along the walls. "I''ll go first," Kyrie said as he moved closer to the hole. He wanted to get it over with. If he was down there, then he wouldn''t have to worry about going down. Candor rested a hand on Kyrie''s shoulder. Kyrie already had problems with such spaces, it''d be best if Candor went first. "Let me go down and turn the lights on. Then you can follow." "There are lights?" Kyrie had thought he''d have to use his watch''s flashlight option. Light would be better for seeing but that also made it harder for Kyrie to pretend he was somewhere else. Candor nodded. "Yeah, each section has a separate lighting control. It''s not the best lighting but its pretty good. You can come down after I turn on the first set of lights." Candor paused and glanced up at Kyrie. "Be quick about it. The legends down there are hungry and they know the lights mean food." Candor had done this kind of mission many times. The best he could hope for was not having anything attack before the lights were on. Kyrie nodded and unslung his blades. "Got it. Keep clear of the hole if you can." Candor nodded and turned to Hogswell, "Send Syra down when we''ve cleared the first wave." It''s be better than her coming down in the middle of an attack. Hogswell nodded.He understood; a rookie didn''t have the experience to handle such a situation. Candor climbed into the hole and down the ladder. The light from the hole was enough for him to find the light panel. He flipped a witch on the side and the screen lit up. Candor clicked through the light options and set a timer for 30 minutes. If they didn''t reach a panel in 30 minutes the lights would go out and a lost team notification was sent to the guards. They''d send help, if they could. If they couldn''t the mission would go back up, with a higher mission rank. Candor held his sleek, dark war hammer in his left hand. It was made out of the mystic ironwood. A series of runes lined each side of the 15-and-a-half-inch handle all the way up to the balance point near the head of the hammer. Candor ''s war hammer was tactically enchanted. A stiletto blade was attached to his waste and ready for him to grab after he turned the lights on, after he told the legends he was here. Candor flipped the switch and heard a splash. He held his war hammer between him and the sound. Thud, thud. Candor glanced towards the closer thud. Kyrie stood there; his knees were bent as he waited. Splish, splash, splash the sounds were growing louder and the clean water rippled as the legends got closer. Kyrie''s hands shook. He was underground again. He was down but he wasn''t in a basement, he could handle it. It wasn''t a construct made for people it was a tunnel for water. And Kyrie liked water. Especially, the clean variety. Splash, splish, slap. A large dark green leg slapped over the edged of the walkway. It was followed by a second, a third and fourth, a fifth. Slap a head, no three heads appeared. They looked like turtles, but then they grinned. They were hungry, they''d been eating other legends to survive. And now they had two tasty looking morsels in front of them. It was too bad it was only two. They were hungry and wished for at least one morsel for each of them. But they would share and they needed to be quick, more of the legends that lived in the tunnels were coming. Kyrie and Candor stayed near the wall. Most of the town was constructed to allow for fighting distances but underneath wasn''t. They had updated the more than a thousand-year-old structure with lights and panels, more controls on the river access. But they needed the water flow for those living above, widening the paths wasn''t possible. And going near the edge was a risky ¨C rookie mistake. Anything found down in tunnels thrived in the water. One of the mutated turtles closed its mouth of shark''s teeth and slipped down a little. Kyrie tensed and shifted so hi right blade was in front and his left brushed the wall. It lept, Kyrie gambled. He stepped forward and sliced his left blade through the head of the turtles open mouth. The seal turtle was dead before it realized its attack hadn''t worked. Candor slipped his thumb against the rune for acid burn on his war hammer. Then he struck. He hit the seal turtle on its head. It screeched and launched itself at his leg. Squelch. This turtle also didn''t find what it wanted. Candor''s blade had slipped into its cheek as he struck its head with his hammer right on the same spot as before. The turtle stopped and slipped into the clean water. The water turned pink as the blood from two of the three seal turtles seeped into the once clean water. The last turtle glanced at its buddies in shock. Gone. They were gone. Shit, it dropped below the water and moved to find its bale. The seal turtles were an unusually social species of turtle. Kyrie glanced at Candor, "Is it ¨C" "Yes." Candor growled. They''d have more seal turtles to deal with if they didn''t stop it. And the only one who had the range to do that wasn''t here. It''d be best if they ¨C Splash. "What the hell are you doing?!" Candor yelled as his hand shook with fear and rage for what should''ve been a highly experienced hero. Who had just done one of the stupidest things he could''ve. Kyrie had entered the water after the seal turtle. One of Taru''s blades lay with the staff, Kyrie''s watch, and his boots on the walkway. Kyrie didn''t answer as he was busy trying to block the turtle''s path. He''d never be able to keep up with it if it passed him. And his first strike had missed. The seal turtle snapped at the stupid human that had followed it. Kyrie tried to dodge but he couldn''t compete with a seal turtle in the water. It latched on to his arm. Kyrie''s aura flared as he tried to snatch the blade from his left hand. He caught it, just as the seal turtle started to let go. Kyrie started to swing when a hissing sound tore through the water. The seal turtle had started to strike again. This time it was an electric attack coming from the turtle''s eel-like tail. The electricity struck Kyrie and burned at his aura. But Kyrie''s strike had also landed. It cracked the underside of the turtle as he reached for the hole its head had retreated into. He quickly yanked his blade down and back up. The seal turtle snapped at Kyrie''s hand as his blade hit and tore through its underside. The electricity stopped and Kyrie shoved up on the turtle''s body. His blade was free as he pushed towards the surface with burning lungs. His vision darkened as his hand broke the surface. "Grab it!" Candor''s yell was muffled by the water and lack of air in Kyrie''s aching lungs. Kyrie fumbled for an it to grab on to. His hand brushed the cool wood of Candor''s war hammer. As a hand brushed his bare foot.