Class comes to an end for Traur. He gathers his things and leaves the classroom like everyone else. Outside Joran waits for him. As before, the cadets give Joran an unpleasant look and continue to whisper about him. None have the stomach to confront Joran face to face. Many act fearless but they dare not try anything against him after the stories they have heard.
While Traur comes out of the building, five cadets in his class bump him. One of them goes as far as to knock Traur's things out of his hand. Joran didn't like the sight of them laughing. He looks to Traur and sees him shake his head. For his friend's request, he does nothing and lets them pass but watch them as they continue having their laugh.
Joran gets a good look at the four boys and one girl. Two of the boys are average looking, with the third being heavy. The fourth boy is the tallest by a few inches and more than average looking. He is fit and quite the good looking individual with his golden blonde hair slicked back. The girl has brunette hair that's long and silky. All five of them look obnoxious as they walk by and Traur joins his side.
"You should have let me loose on them," Joran says to him as he watches them walk away still laughing.
"I wasn't saving you from them. I was saving your father a headache from high ranking officials. The pretty boy is Derisior, son of some Federation political official. The girl he is with is Marsuna, supposedly the girl he is aligned with," he says before looking at her briefly to see her staring back and give a slight wave before Derisior can see.
"Not so sure about that last part, Traur," Joran comments as he stares at Derisior who looks back at him. "Weak Premderians who don't belong here."
"But well connected, Joran," he says while they begin walking the road back to their homes.
It is clear Joran's mind is lingering and his friend sees it. Traur reaches into his pocket and pulls out a disk. He extends it out to the distracted Joran who takes it and puts it in his pocket. As he does so, Traur hears his friend's stomach growling.
"Did you not pack food?"
"I swore I did. Somehow it disappeared while I was training," Joran explains as he scratches his head thinking upon the matter. "There was peanut butter chocolate in that meal pack too."
Traur reaches into his pocket and pulls out a bag. The same thing Joran speaks of makes his face smile. He immediately takes the bag as soon as his friend extends it out to him and begins devouring the chocolate peanut butter bars quickly. There's no desire to savor the taste for Joran as his stomach craves to be full. The two stop when they come to Traur's house.
"Are you coming to the fort?" Joran asks him as he stuffs his face.
"I can't. I have homework and a thousand-word essay to write as punishment for my part in helping you," Traur says and Joran seems somewhat disheartened by the news. Traur knows he didn't mean for him to get assigned an essay but it's something else. "The fort will get finished, eventually. We all swore it would get done."
"Yet we have gotten older and have drifted apart."
"Now you are thinking too hard. That is supposed to be Mildral's job," Traur tells him with a laugh as he slaps him on the back. "Relax, Joran. We will all work on it again soon," he says and Joran stands silent.
The door opens and Lorphiel comes out dressed in civilian shorts and and a short sleeve shirt. All it does is reveal her wounds that she suffered in battle. Both her legs are robotic. Her left hand up to her elbow is a machine as well. Traur didn't have a smile after seeing hers. It didn't matter that she smiled because Traur knows that he is in trouble.
"Get up here. You were part of this too," she says calmly looking at Joran.
"Hello, Warden Lorphiel," Joran says with a wave giving a cheesy smile while chuckling but see her giving him the same look. This sees his vanish. "I am sorry for getting him into trouble," he tells her while bowing his head. "I shouldn't have persuaded him to do so."
It is very difficult for Lorphiel to be mad at Joran. His reasons are justifiable. She touches on another subject. One that is tougher to talk about. A subject that Joran isn't too fond of but didn't show anger when it is brought up.
"Look, Joran, I know it is tough for you with the bloodline you come from. Being unable to fulfill your ambitions and become an Honor Guard of Premderia or a soldier, but I am asking you not to risk my son's future," she says to him, and Joran nods. Her attention turns to her son who he gives orders to as she walks inside. "Come inside and start your schoolwork. I know you have quite a bit of it," she tells Traur before going inside giving the two a moment.
"Don't worry I am not in trouble. Anyway, I will see you later," Traur says before patting Joran on the back and rushing inside leaving Joran alone. "Don't think too hard, Joran," says to him before shutting the door.
"Am I thinking too hard?" Joran asks himself out loud before continuing his walk. "Perhaps I am."
With a full belly, Joran proceeds to the border of Masipolt and the three regions where he can see the tip of the island. Joran journey into the woods, behind Joran's house. He'd not travel far as his house is still visible.
All around there are pieces of lumber and old pieces of the building. What they have is more than enough to build a house that is the size of the cabin where Joran lives, his barn, and the hangar all together. The walls and doors are up. Inside several more rooms are being built with a second floor as well. In the back, there is a cave inside of the hill from where he builds.
Inside the cave, several wires come out and are hooked up to lights and other devices. Joran hooks up his computer to several wires. He pulls up Settings and turns on lights and music that is heavy rock music. With everything set up, Joran removes his jacket and put on some gloves. He takes a board from a stack and begins building one of the many walls he visions.
The smaller boards are easy to do himself, but it is the longer ones he has to hold horizontally he struggles with. Strength is not an issue for the Premderian. Keeping it perfectly level to Joran's desire is a nuisance. He takes a step back after doing one and notices how it is not right. In frustration, Joran rips off the longboard and throw it into one of the walls. His frustration makes him cough and fall to a knee for one moment.
There is a noise. The sound of several people shouting. He can't make out what they are saying. Joran tosses the hammer down to the ground and climbs one of the unfinished towers. Looking in all directions. The voices disappear and Joran begins his climb down. He shrugs off the matter shaking his head. As his foot touches the first rung of the ladder he hears them again. This time he hears one of the voices.
"The freak is over here!" A boy his age shouts.
"They won't get away!"
"What a freak!"
Joran didn't recognize the voices. He didn't like what he heard from them. He slides down the ladder then grabs his swords and coat. When at the entrance of what he's building, Joran stop and listen for the direction. He hears their laughs coming from the left and takes off running. The voices continue to become louder.
His journey takes him deep into the woods where the trees become abnormally large and thick. The air is heavy and somewhat difficult to breathe with the elevation growing. He climbs to the top of a steep hill and looks down at a very small clearing. There is a tree that is much larger than the rest. It has an abnormally large hole at the bottom but still stands.
Gathered around the very large tree, are Derisior and Marsuna with their three lackeys. All of them take turns throwing mud balls and small rocks into the hole. Except for Marsuna who try to pull them away. They pay no attention to Joran jogging down the road and walking upon them. The fat one hears Joran's foot snaps a stick and turns around. He startles the premderian cadet and makes him stumble into the others and gain their attention.
"Hello there, cadets," Joran says to them while walking up in confidence.
Joran looks past them for a moment. His eyes turn to the hole in the tree and what is inside. He first sees the blood before the entrance into the hole of the tree. Next, his eyes see those of a Premderian in the darkness. His ears hear a girl breathing heavily while trembling.
"Look, it's another freak," says Derisior watching Joran cough for a moment and spitting out the small bit of blood with dark spots. "One thing they have in common is that their parents should have done themselves a favor and end them at birth." All his friends laugh while Joran does the same in a sarcastic manner.
"Same old joke for someone with Acruna," Joran says with a small smile. "Don't you have any better material?" He asks before looking at everything around him. "You know you aren't welcome on this land and don't belong. It is land that is private," he tells them while looking around at the trees.
"Are you going to make us leave?"
"Well, I was going to try. It might be a good challenge," Joran explains as he removes his bag along with his coat. He cracks his knuckles and neck. "But you will be leaving these woods by force if you don't leave now."
"I don't think so," says Derisior with him and his three male friends laugh while the girl hiding keeps watching.
"Let me take him, Derisior!" Shouts the fat one.
"Go ahead. Teach him a lesson."
The heavy one laughs but Joran didn't even bother getting his hands up. His opponent gets their guard uptight and charges forward with a cocky smile. He loads his right hand back while laughing. When in range the first and only strike connects. Joran throws a front kick that strikes the chin. The heavy prospect drop to the ground with his body going stiff and his eyes open wide. Derisior's two other lackeys are surprised while he and Marsuna both shake their heads in disappointment.
"Overconfidence is not good. Didn't they teach you that in school?" Joran asks them before kicking the downed prospect in the body. "Who's next?"
"Get him," Derisior tells his two average-looking lackeys and neither are so quick. "Get him," he says more firmly.
The two average looking fighters watch Joran put his hands up and become more serious with his expression. Both Cadets come forward at the same time. One goes low and try tackling his legs. The other goes for a punch just like his heavy set colleague. For the average-looking cadet going for his legs, Joran takes a wide stance as he adjusts to the right and brings his left leg back.
The takedown attempt is sloppy and slow. What is worse is that the prospect attempt it too far up. Joran jumps straight up and stomps both feet on the back of his head driving his face into the mud. The other prospect still striking with his punch. The average looking fighter throw a couple more punches. Joran did not back down after he takes several clean punches. When the prospect gets too close, Joran grabs hold of his arms and clinch him tight. While the prospect tries to get free, Joran whispers something in his ear.
"You are just using your arms to punch. That is what makes them weak," Joran comments before pushing him off.
The cadet overextends on his next punch and Joran dodge it. He can't dodge the next one as the heavy set Cadet grab Joran by the ankles. From behind Joran is hit with a stun wand from one of the average looking ones. It drops Joran to one knee. Derisior comes up and kicks Joran in the jaw knocking him down.
"Cheap shots. Guess the weak need every advantage they can get," Joran says before being struck again by a stun wand from the Cadet on the side of his neck. "That thing smells funny," he says with a small laugh. "Where do you stick that thing?"
Derisior punches him several times. Joran didn't fall so easily. He takes every punch and shows a grin. When Derisior takes a breath, Joran swish around the blood in his mouth and spits it out. There is a creeping sound and the sound of branches snapping but the group standing in front of them did not care. Joran looks up and sees a large tree falling.
"You might want to move," Joran tells them.
The average-looking ones look up and see the tree falling and run away. Derisior and Marsuna both look back and immediately move. Joran moves as well. The tree slams down and Joran falls to his knees. Derisior and his colleagues regroup and look around.
"You might want to think about leaving," Joran says to him while slowly standing up. "Otherwise you are going to have a bigger problem."
"What are you talking about?"
The two average looking boys are struck in the back of the head. Both of them fall to the ground. Derisior, Marsuna, and the other prospect turn around as they do so. They look up to the sight of the short blonde-haired girl his age in the picture with Joran and other kids their age. In her hands she has a double ended axe that she drives into the fallen tree.
The heavyset cadet charge at her. It is surprising the speed and power she shows. She leaps into the air and presses her large boot into the heavyset cadet and stomp him to the ground. Derisior delivers a cheap punch but she is unfazed. In response, she drives her head upward. It is strong enough to break Derisior's nose and knock him on his backside, crying out. Marsuna just watches as Joran joins his friend's side.
"Thanks, Tilain," Joran says as he takes a breather before looking her.
"You could have told me there was going to be a scrap against some Federation cunts."
"If I knew, I would have happily invited you." Joran turns his attention to Derisior and Marsuna. "Your still here?" He asks and Joran takes one step forward and they take a step back. "Run along now," Joran says while waving his hand at them and Marsuna grabs Derisior before running.
"You will pay for this!" Derisior shouts at them while Joran turns his attention to Tilain.
"How did you find me?"
"I can easily sense you."
"You sensed my power?"
"No," she answers before taking a sniff of him. "Your smell. It isn't that great."
"I don't smell that bad!" Joran shouts at her and notices Tilain leave his side. She walks over and picks up her ax before leaving. "You don't want to hang around and help with the fort?"
"We are probably going to be taken into Federation custody. I need to tell my father so he doesn't get surprised. Otherwise he might go to prison as well."
"I wouldn't want to be on your father's bad side either."
"It is not his bad side you should worry about," she says while walking away.
Joran looks back at the girl hiding in the darkness that the innards of the tree provide. She continues shaking while keeping one eye on Joran. He takes a knee at the entrance. She continues shaking and her trembling is still loud, even when going as far back into the tree as possible.
"It is alright," he says to her before extending his hand.
In the darkness, he sees her left eye turn towards him. The rest of her she can't see. Joran assures her it is alright to trust him by keeping his hand extended but extending it further. He didn't do so by much to not startle her. With what little light there is, Joran watch as her hand slowly move towards his.
The tips of her fingers touch his. Immediately he feels something. It is uncertain what he feels. The mysterious feeling is not dead yet strong enough to make him lose his breath and make Joran's Premderian eyes widen. A vision comes into his head. It is very brief. A cell that is dark and dank. His arms and ankles in black chains. In front of him is a cell along with several other Premderiana boys and girls.
It all disappears and he gasps for sure. The shocking expression startles the girl and she retracts her hand. Joran regains his focus and sees her eyes disappear into the darkness. He is quick to realize that she is scared and is quick to try and regain her trust.
"Wait!" He says loudly and she didn't move. "I am sorry," he says to her and her Premderian eyes return to looking at him. "I didn't mean to startle you. Please..." he says before slowly extending his hand. "Let me help you."
She slowly extends her hand back out and touches the tip of his fingers once more. She slowly slides them along the palm of his hand. He let her build trust by continuing to slowly move her fingers. Joran is gentle and takes hold of her hand. He slowly helps her out and into the light.
She shields her eyes from the light with the other hand. Joran notices the raggedy clothes that are nothing more than a black cloth that covers her upper body and goes down to her thighs. He notices several cuts and bruises visible on her arms and legs. Several of them fresh but more are much older.
Joran looks back up to her face and watches as she lowers her hand. She's the same age as him. That is not what makes him stunned. The hair is not long but very straight and cut to the center of her ears but cut short on the sides and back. That is not what keeps him stunned. The hair is red like Premderian energy. Her eyes lock with his.
"Sorry," he says and takes his jacket and drapes it over her. "I am Joran," he says to her, and she says nothing return. He sees that she isn't trying to be rude. Joran didn't pressure her and make sure to let the girl know. "It is alright," he says and her mind slowly eases. "You don't have to tell me. But at least allow me to take care of you," he says to her and she is uncertain. "I swear no one will harm you when your with me," Joran tells her and extends his hand once more.
She didn't have any reason to doubt him. It is odd to her. Something makes her want to trust him. She goes to reach for it. Her legs give out from being so weak plus the injuries she has sustained but didn't touch the ground and surprise the girl. She opens her eyes to Joran catching her.
"That is alright," he says with an enthusiastic smile and lifts her into his arms. "I will carry you," he tells her and the girl is somewhat surprised. She sees his smile as he begins walking. "Don't worry. You can relax around me," he says while looking back at her with his smile. Within a second she rests her head on his chest. She didn't smile but find relief. He continues smiling before uttering something. "This certainly has been an interesting day."