"Duck!"
A sharp blade of wind raced above me as I swiftly bent my back close to the floor. The projectile easily cut through the bamboo as if it were paper, only stopping as it collided with the walls of the training facility… but that was the least of my concerns…
*Ka-krack!
The sounds of the bamboo falling to gravity became clear, and with a subtle push of the wind, numerous bamboo stalks swung down, all readily aiming for my head… T-This… This was training, right?!
The bamboo wasn't stopping… and as if time was frozen in place, the stalks seemed to take forever to reach me… but my heart beat loudly in my head, my palm was sweaty and the thought of death haunted me…
I wanted to vomit… I… I don't want to die!
Yet I froze… looking skyward, unable to move like a deer in red headlights… until I saw a faint silhouette. It swiftly moved past the falling debris, and with a single moment, the objects were reduced to nothing but shavings…
"That… Why did you hesitate, Pyre?"
"I… I-I…."
"That boy, Geon, you challenged him to a fight, yes? Or so that's what his threat to you told me… If you wish to beat him, you would need to beat something stronger than just measly bamboo. Yet, it turns out that your resolve is duller than Swiss cheese."
I looked down at my hands only to find them trembling, unable to muster up a single spark… but why?
"P-Principal… why did you assault me like that…"
Xion let out a sigh before walking closer. He then brushed my hair with his hands, all while keeping a small smile on his face.
"I am sorry. With all the tension yesterday I thought that the key to you power was merely pressure. Think about it Pyre, when have you used that power of yours?"
I took a brief pause and recounted most events that I used it in. There was the first time I went here… The time with Wyzen and the door… Most of which were under pressure, not to mention the events of yesterday. I bit my lip at the thought of ever using it, and my hands became clammy once I imagined the next situation, I may eventually have to use it.
"Why, Pyre… Why do you refuse to use that gift of yours? Are you afraid of hurting someone? Are you scared of being hurt…?"
Xion moved closer to me, his face inching closer as he stared at me with narrowed eyes.
"Pyre… what you need is not courage, but a resolve. You may have a resolve to protect yourself, the people around you, what you believe in, do not fear the flames. Love them. If not, well at the very least find a key on how to turn your faucet of strength on or off…"
He stared at me, his mouth set at a grim line before withdrawing. However, instead of tossing me a towel like yesterday, he retreated to a part of our training area, his back turned to me. He then carried on his mini lecture as I processed the emotion I felt… I was… restless.
Was I really fit to be an Epico? Can… I hurt others? My hands shuddered when I thought of the weight of the people, the responsibilities that I was going to face… and my death if I mess up.
"Xion I…"
However, instead of retorting or replying, he simply placed a finger over my lip.
"Please… think about it carefully, Pyre. That may be the secret to unlocking your power. Take a break from training for today and let me know you find that courage and resolve of yours…"
My lips quivered and my body shuddered. I took a step back, my mouth still open and dry with replies.
For the first time, I left in silence with no retorts or formalities…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The ventilation in the room seemed to be lined with ice, or at least that was how it felt even with Shan there. It really wasn't her fault, but… I was really not in the mood for book discussion or idle chatter. If what Silian said was true, then she must still be under their power or control… and I was powerless to defend her. Which meant everything we talk about right now might not be genuine and might be used against me...
"H-Hey…? Can you at least say something?"
A shuddering voice from a fox filled the room, the source gazing at me with her cool blue eyes. Shan also had her brows raised and back leaned forward. What an eager woman… I do not deserve her compassion, not a coward like me… She even gripped the sheets of her own bed out of pity!
"I… It's none of your business."
However, Shan was not one to withdraw. She stood up and gently stroked my head… I… no… I may joke around all the time, be sarcastic and abrasive, but that was nothing but a farce… a false play for a fragile man's ego. I was only a living blowtorch! I am not a superhero clone like Silian or a fighting game character like Cora! No, I had nothing but literal "hot hands". How can I protect people with this!
"It's fine Pyre… Y-You can always tell me you know!"
She tilted her head to the side and shot me the same smile… that smile Geon stole, the smile he captured… and the smile I may never get back, not from him at least.
"STOP IT!"
I slapped away her arm, gritting my teeth as my breath seethed through the cracks. My eyes felt watery, and my body felt numb…
"Shan… you… have you ever even struggled? Have you ever fought to kill?! If you haven't then don't look at me with those eyes! You can barely even protect yourself you mor-"
A soft hic escaped her lips… then the soft sounds of sobbing followed. She covered her mouth with her right hand, shuddering as she cried.
"I… If t-that's w-what you want… Then, I…"
Without finishing her sentence, the lady blinked and ran to the exit. There was a limit on how unsociable someone can be… and we were holding up to be the best candidates for it. I reached out to her, but much like my efforts of proving her captor was in the wrong, she slipped away.
I… Maybe it's for the best. My insides felt hollow and much like a deflated balloon, I lowered my arm and closed my eyes before collapsing on the bed.
"I… still have training classes. Maybe… maybe I'll unlock it then, yes?"
I wanted to vomit though, that damn positivism when I knew I was a scam that can only hurt others in a frenzy. Yours truly was nothing but a disturbed teenager who couldn't use his powers in accord. Unlike most of them who regaled mastery over the elements and their physical strengths, I was merely nothing, a reckless liability to Xion's cause.
Still pondering on my darker thoughts, I allowed myself to sprawl on my bed only to let out a groan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why was I still here?
I can hear murmurs from the stands as numerous Epico viewed us from above. We were currently in the Training Area, alongside a few other people. Silian, Geon and his group, Cora, whose stares glazed over the entire scene. She seemed out of it... Me? Oh, I wasn't sure why I was here… My powers haven't grown in that duration and my resolve to fight? If we are counting my anime figures at home which I could never pick up again, perhaps that might be all the motivation I have right now. Compared to them, I was really nothing.
With us was the same principal who looked at the others with a smile while I wanted to hide under a rock. It was embarrassing to see him have faith in me and our team, especially if one of its members were a massive deadweight. At this point, I can barely smile.
Much like magic, life threw me another curveball since from the corner of my eye; I could see the hooded menace walking closer to me, together with his friends, at least.
"Why, if it isn't the chump from yesterday, you seemed really desperate to frame me for something I never did."
Her two friends glared at me, pressing their lips together as they looked at me with melding brows.
"Plus, you were the one who made Shan cry, weren't you? She went to us this morning, sobbing."
I staggered back, my hands being cold as ice thanks to the guilt I felt… If only your group would stop your controlling shenanigans, then maybe…
"Made… her sad. Olly is fuming. Olly don't think you deserve to be Shan's friend."
The ashen lady looked at me with a glower, her eyes locked with mine. That action sent yet another cold chill down my spine. I was about to answer when yet another woman joined us. She entered the fray after she saw Geon dealing with me… must be another person he controlled. Yet another person I could have kept safe… If only Silian would act, not me.
"Geon… Oh? Is this a greenhorn?"
The Lady took a pause, not waiting for his answer as she eyed me from head to toe. Combing her black hair to the side, she shook her head and shrugged.
"Or it must be something worse than a greenhorn. Xion must be running out of choices, yes? Bold of you to challenge Geon yesterday when you clearly overestimate yourself."
I clenched my fist into a ball and felt a hot sensation embellish my eye. She was correct. Just because I was trained by Xion, does not mean I am special. Far from it, I was merely an issue, a loose end that was somehow a key to the enemy's strength. Well… so much for protecting Shan… Wait, Shan?! I gripped the lady's hand, grabbing her attention as her head swiftly turned to me with wide eyes.
"Wait… you said you met Shan, didn't you? Where is she?"
"First, let go of me… only Geon gets to hold me like that."
My hands quickly lost grip of her wrist, allowing them to be pulled back by the woman who glowered at me, her mouth having an upturned smile.
"Next, no, I have no idea where she is; she has no obligation to attend this training since she wasn't in the list our student body president made… She is probably somewhere sulking after what you did. Now scram!"
She waved her hands in the air as her eyes emitted a bright blue glow, and as if it were magic, a low rumble rocked the stadium. I teetered in an attempt to gain my balance, but alas, I still fell to the ground, sitting on it with a stinging sensation. Her group soon left, leaving me alone with less than enough time to dust myself off.
I guess that was her power… it shows how insignificant I can be…
But just when I was about to brood, a loud voice soon rang out the training grounds I was in.
"All team members, follow me! We will be testing out your powers one by one. Let us see what you can do and we will design roles intended for your abilities."
I followed the sound, only to find that their group was trudging through the dense undergrowth alongside Xion, who called out to those who remained. So, like a lost sheep, I trailed them behind. We continued moving deeper into the forest, finding what were supposed to be non-existent objects in an actual facility. Some animals, some shrubbery and flowers, actual waterways. It reminded me of Xion's bamboo lair. After a few minutes of walking, we reached a clearing with a massive door made out of steel with the same dragon world thing etched into the front, much like Xion's lair.
"Is everyone here?"
The principal glanced at the list, then back at the group to confirm if everyone was there. After a few moments of repeating this, he paced closer to the door before motioning for us to move closer.
"Alright… then this assessment will be simple. Give me your strongest shot. Put all your power into a single attack, tricks and usability will be assessed later but right now I want to see everyone's raw strength."
The group then rioted, as if they were disorganized fools who never knew better. Forming a line was a new concept for them, I guess… Letting out a long sigh; I spoke up.
"Guys, how about taking turns instead of bloody fighting, we are at least only ten people here! I may not have been able to see you lot earlier, but surely, we can give turns right?"
The group turned to me, revealing who they were. Most of them were from my class yesterday, with only a few additions…
There was Cora, Adria, and Silian who were trying to break things up.
Geon and his lackeys, make that three if we add the new girl who glowered at me…
The thunderbird guy, or Klaus… from yesterday, who looked at me as his mouth stretched in a grim line.
Then there was little old me, nine members, I thought there were ten…?
Bah, that was not important… What mattered would be their stares that were directed at me.
The first one to speak was the man with the most animosity towards me. He looked at me with his arms crossed around his chest, huffing as he made a statement.
"Huh?! And why should I listen to you?! Weren't you a powerless chump! A sorry excu-"
"You should listen because I have connections."
I then switched my gaze to Cora, whose eyes had a bright red glow. She gave me a nod as Geon followed my gaze, only to have his mouth drop open when he saw who I was referring to. The other participant Klaus, well, he silently nodded and retreated. And so we let Geon and his gang go first. I raised my hand to get Xion's attention, to which he quickly responded to.
"So, have you decided on your ordering?"
The principal walked over to me, fixing his coat as he did. He stared at me with sparkling green eyes… once that I could not meet, so I panned my gaze to the floor when I saw it.
"Y-Yeah... Well, mostly…"
I was half expecting a mean line by now, but that wasn't what happened. Instead, I felt a hand brush my hair with their fingers…
"You will do okay, and you would unlock that power, eventually. You just need to find that heart."
He then left, moving closer to my "teammates" as I was left clenching my fist…
Why… Why were him and Shan giving me this kindness! It was something I don't deserve…