The next day, Alex and I arrived at these massive metal doors after a couple of hours of walking. "You ready, Ash? I hope we get into battle school," he beamed with excitement. Oh boy, this is going to give me a headache, I thought to myself.
I nodded as we entered, instantly feeling a wave of regret wash over me. People around our age stopped and stared, probably because we actually had clean white shirts on for once and the fact that we look poor could also contribute to this. Yeah, don't even ask how we have actual white shirt I'm still curious as well.
Alex, with his red pants, went on about something like, "You won't be able to tell if I bleed." Meanwhile, I was sporting black jogging pants with a knife holder strapped to my thigh, carrying two knives, and one on my hip. Alex had a short sword on his back, showcasing his strength and forcefulness, while I relied more on my agility, speed, and tactical thinking. My muscles were more defined, while he had more muscle mass.
It's funny how we have such different styles, but somehow we make it work. We complement each other in our own unique ways.
anyway….
The moment we walked in, it was clear we were the odd ones out. The crowd was a mix of high-status individuals, each adorned with an array of impressive gear and equipment that screamed 'elite.' There we were, in stark contrast, with the bare minimum—our presence practically screamed 'newbies.' It was like we had a spotlight on us, highlighting our lack of gear. Perfect, right? Just the grand entrance I had hoped for... Not! Hit that sarcasm buzzer again, would ya?
But then, as if on cue, just as I sensed Alex gearing up to say something probably meant to boost our morale, fate intervened in the form of a human wrecking ball. Some kid toppled over him, sending them both crashing to the floor in a heap. I couldn't suppress the chuckle that bubbled up—it was a comic relief we desperately needed. Whoever this kid was, he was my unexpected hero for giving me a break from Alex's soon to be inspirational speech.
The kid who had become my accidental hero had hair like gold, bright blonde and impossible to miss. He seemed to snap to attention quickly, recognizing the awkwardness of the pile-up he'd caused. Scrambling to his feet, he let out a flurry of apologies, his words tumbling out in a sincere, if not slightly panick. "Oh my god, I'm so, so, so sorry," he stammered, hastily helping Alex up.
Then, in a gesture of respect or perhaps sheer embarrassment, he gave a deep bow, as he continued, "I didn't mean to fall into you." I might have been convinced by his remorse if it weren't for what happened next.
A hulking figure approached, the kind of guy who radiated 'school bully' vibes with every step. He zeroed in on the blonde kid, clamping a hand on his shoulder with a grip that looked like it could crush stone. The kid winced, and it was clear this wasn't a friendly pat—it was a silent warning, the kind that spoke volumes.
"Aw, Nate, why'd you have to go and fall on someone, you clumsy ass?" The jock/bully dude sneered, his grip tightening on Nate's shoulder, causing him to wince.
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, Danny," Nate stammered, fear evident in his voice as he tried to appease the jock.
As the tension escalated, I felt a heat-like sensation on my wrist. Glancing down, I saw Alex's hand, his anger simmering beneath the surface as he struggled to control his abilities. It was frustrating to be caught in the middle of this mess. We hadn't even been here for five minutes, and already Alex was on the verge of losing control, all because of this wannabe cool kid, jock-looking ass bullying the guy called Nate.
"Hey, it's none of our business, Alex. Let's just leave this guy behind," I suggested, gently tugging Alex away from the jock and leading him towards the food court.
"Look, food! You love food, Al," I exclaimed, trying to distract him, I mean there was nothing we could do? Start a fight and immediately get disqualified? And who knows what family that jock is from.
However, there was still no response from Alex, and his grip on my wrist remained tight, causing an uncomfortable heat to radiate from his touch.
"Okay, okay, here's the deal. I'll buy you some food if you calm down. How about that? Free food and there might be some cute girls around," I teased, nudging his arm. Personally, I wasn't really into the whole dating scene, but I knew it would help divert his attention. Besides, I didn't want my hand to end up burnt to a crisp.
"You can go sightseeing for chicks and enjoy some delicious food, but you gotta take a deep breath and relax," I negotiated, hoping to see a positive response from Alex. And just like that, his head lifted, a mischievous grin spreading across his face as he vigorously nodded in agreement. God he never changes.
Taking a deep breath, I handed Alex our last bit of cash, nudging him towards the food stands. I plopped down at a table, trying to gather my thoughts.
Suddenly, I felt something unexpectedly soft and the weight of a body pressed against me. Confused, I turned just in time to catch a slap across my face. The surrounding crowd's eyes were glued to us. Us? Oh... right.
The source of the commotion was a girl with striking silver-white hair who had somehow ended up sprawled on top of me. In the confusion, and without any intention, my hand had landed in an... awkward spot. I accidentally yuh know.... groped her boo-yeah you get the picture.
"you pervert", she yelled. "Whoa, hold on there!" I exclaimed, my voice filled with surprise and a hint of defensiveness. "I didn't mean to do that, it was a total accident! Don't go calling me a pervert."
But she wasn't having any of it. With a flustered expression she glared at me, her face turning as red as... well, a ripe tomato.
"listen here 'tomato' you should really watch where your going if i was a pervert then i would have taken advantage of you", i should really learn to keep my mouth shut, but as i said that i shoved her off of me making her hit the ground only to which she stood up quite quickly.
"listen here you asshol-", before she could finish alex walked back...with a girl...hmm low key proud, you usually scare them away the first five minutes al.
"yeahhh oh and i als- roseeee thats where you were" the small red headed timid girl said while walking to this bitch that accused me of being a pervert.
"leah", she gasped as she ran and hugged her. "im sorry i was caught up with.... issues", this white haired girl named rose said looking me up and down.
"yeah hes gotta alot of those", alex chimed in as he sat down at my table. chuckling to himself about his comment.
"oh yall know eachother", the small petite red head know as leah said towards alex.
"yeah were basically brothers", alex replied back with as he looked at me with his signature smile
on another note something was more distracting... i had only been received death glares from rose....."and your fucking problem is", i said glaring back at her only to cause alex to laugh.
"Don't mind him, he must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," Alex chimed in, trying to diffuse the tension. "Oh, by the way, I'm Alex, and this here is Ashton." He raised his hand to shake Rose's, who happily accepted the introduction.
As Rose hesitantly took a seat next to me, Leah settled down beside Alex. I couldn't help but chuckle at Alex's comment about sleeping on the wrong side of the bed. "Sleep on the wrong side of the bed... Ha, I wish!" I thought, rolling my eyes playfully. It was clear that Alex was just trying to lighten the mood.
I let out a heavy sigh and dropped my head onto the table, hiding my face in my arms. Alex, however, barely contained his laughter and turned his attention to the girls. "So, what brings you two here?" he asked, his smile slight but genuine.
Leah's face lit up with enthusiasm as she responded, "We're here to try out as well!"
The words 'as well' echoed in my mind. She must know why we're here, which means Alex has been chatting with her beyond the infamous five-minute mark. Wow, Alex must really be hitting it off with Leah!
I straightened up abruptly, my gaze flicking between Leah and Alex. "No fucking way," I exclaimed, louder than I intended. The sudden outburst made everyone jump, snapping out of their deep conversation, probably thinking I had dozed off.
"Ash, mind the language, we've got company," Alex reprimanded me with a teasing tone, but I barely heard him over the buzz of my own surprise.
Turning to Leah, I couldn't help but ask, "Hey, redhead, did he put a charm on you or something?" I noticed her expression change, a visible line forming on her forehead as she tried to keep her cool.
"its leahhh and no he did not why do you ask", leah questioned back.
"ashton i swear if you speak another word" , alex threatened causing me to look at him, only to see him flustered. raising my hands in surrender. Alex's threat had a fiery intensity to it, and I could see the flames of his ability flickering in his eyes. Not again, I thought to myself, remembering the last time his powers got out of control.
Al didn't want me spilling the beans about how girls tend to get scared and run away from him. I never really understood why he found it embarrassing, but hey, to each their own. I mulled over the idea of keeping this juicy information in my back pocket for a bit of friendly blackmail material later on. I'd have to play my cards right, though. For now, no need to add fuel to his already kindling fire. Plus, the last thing we needed was for him to accidentally torch the place in a fit of embarrassment.
"Oh, actually, it slipped my mind," I fibbed, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.
Leah just nodded, "Okay," and turned her attention back to Rose, continuing their conversation without missing a beat.
I couldn't help but notice Alex mingling effortlessly, making new friends as if it were nothing I mean usually with men it was nothing. Strange, considering how people usually take their time warming up to strangers. But then again, this place wasn't your average hangout spot. It was massive, a sprawling complex complete with food courts, training areas, and even stalls for weapons and gear.
My gaze drifted across the crowd, taking in the influx of newcomers. It was like a cross-section of a fantasy world, with individuals from all walks of life—royalty, commoners, and yes, even demons. I had half-expected them to resemble the monster like creatures from the tales I'd heard, but they were surprisingly... normal, at least in stature. However, their distinct features set them apart: pointed ears, razor-sharp teeth, ghostly pale skin. Some sported horns of various shapes and sizes, and their hair was as dark as a raven's wing. It was almost like looking into a twisted mirror, their hair a stark contrast to mine, it was all to similar to my own. The thought was a bit unsettling. With my dark hair, I could easily be mistaken for one of the demons roaming around, if not for the distinctive white streaks breaking up the midnight hue. I mean I don't really know My father so anything was possible I guess, I can barely remember, sometimes he appears in my dreams, but those fleeting memories often twist into nightmares, leaving me with more questions than answers.