Alpha team left and traveled in a quiet jog. Derek struggled a bit before he found the courage to jog next to Alex.
"Hey." He said in a meek voice.
"Hey." Alex replied with indifference.
"I'm sorry about what happened earlier, I… I didn't know… no I didn't even think that when Tom said he had tested you, that he was being serious. My mind immediately went to thinking you had cheated and managed to get in in a foul way. I shouldn't have acted that way." His apology spilled from his mouth.
Alex smiled. "There is no need to worry, I was never upset with you. I had purposefully hidden the fact that I overpowered Tom in just one exchange."
"You overpowered Tom!" Taylor asked in shock.
Tom turned around with a fake upset face. "Hey I took it easy on you."
James laughed before saying. "So you say, it still doesn't change the fact the your tempest was redirected to you with even more force, sending you flying like a training dummy."
Derek sighed happy that he hadn't made an enemy with one of the strongest students in the school.
The two girls giggled at the boys fighting while Dylan sighed with relief. 'With two strong people to assure our safety, I can fight to the fullest.' Dylan thought as he looked at the Alex and Taylor.
——————
four students could be seen panting heavily.
"They really managed to do it, I almost jumped in to save them so many times." Taylor said to the three standing next to them.
"It looks like Alex is very good at predicting, seeing as he was the only reason you didn't go out every five seconds." James said.
Tom nodded.
"Alright you four follow us and keep at a distance. That is unless you want to become the meal of the next beast we fight." Tom said while looking at the map provided. A small red circle on it just east of their current position.
"You guys ready?"
Alex nodded. 'As ready as I could be, my stomach feels like it's in a knot.'
Both of the new students were feeling the pressure, this fight would determine how far they would be able to get in the future.
The group stopped as the two captains gave them the sign to. Alex's eyes widened a he saw what they were gonna be fighting.
Next to a stream there was a snake that was easily longer than the buses students rode to school in.
"Okay you two, a sneak attack is the best moment to get ahead when hunting. Get as close as possible then strike we will support you."
Alex and Taylor used techniques that were similar.
Taylor controlled the light that bounced of himself preventing it from reaching the snakes sight. Alex stayed in shady areas and his dark energy would prevent the light from touching him in the first place.
The two became blurs in the vision of the rest of the students.
Alex got within ten feet of the snake, making sure to keep clear of its head. 'If it's like other snakes it can sense heat, meaning any invisibility will be null.'
He slowly drew the chain blades, one hand rising above his head ready to strike. He poured some of his dark energy into the blade, and prepared to use his spacial element to speed it up.
Taylor just a few feet to the side had a sword raised above his head, he was ready to dash in.
"Now." Alex said in a low voice. He threw the blade as hard as he could, continuing to push it with his spacial element. The blade had wisps of dark smoke visible on the blade. This was the same dark ability that would drain all living things of their vitality. The chain blade was thrown and landed in less than a second. It only managed to pierce the beasts scales going no further.
Alex noticing it wouldn't be enough quickly threw the other one before the snake would turn around and launch itself at him. The blade also managed to pierce the beast.
Taylor could be seen rapidly attacking one spot on the beast his entire body glowing as he put all his force into each blow. Each and every swing left behind a shallow cut. But it didn't last long just two seconds after the beast had been attacked it summoned rocks to cover its scales.
The rocks stopped blood from flowing out of its wounds and stopped Alex and Taylor's assault. It was about to turn and pounce on the two vermin that had attacked it, but a large fireball had smacked it in the face injuring its sensitive tongue.
It hissed as it lunged towards the two figures in front of it. A large torrent of wind interfered with its speed slowing it down as it tried to chase down the assailants.Alex continued to pour darkness through the chain blades that were acting like needles, pouring a deadly poison into the snakes body.
The snake continued to slow down as its became weaker. Feeling itself growing weaker it turned around to see two humans riding on its rock covered back, as if it were an amusement ride.
Alex poured in all of the remaining dark energy seeing that the snake had them in its sight. He pulled the two blades out of its back, and readied himself as he prepared to perform the killing blow.
He hopped off the back of the snake, noting that Tom's domain was providing him a boost to his speed. Taylor did the same, his body glowing bright the closer the snake came.
When the beasts head was within fifteen feet of them they moved. Taylor's previously glowing body was dimming while his legs and arms glowed brighter. He jumped leaving clouds of dust behind him.
Alex jumped as well, pulling his self up with an invisible propeller. When he was above the beasts head he gathered all the air compressing it into a small area so that he could use it as a hammer. He then slashed both blades down aiming for the beasts brain.
Taylor flexed as hard as he could whenever he got close to the open mouth of the snake, throwing the sword in and aiming to hit the brain from the inside. Alex's blade once again only pierced the skin.
Alex groaned as he willed the compressed mass to slam into the chain blades. A loud slam was heard. He wasn't able to control the compressed air any more afterwards he felt completely drained.
The spacial element returned to the other dimension as the released wind blew Alex and Taylor who were airborne away.
But the attack was successful the chain blades were imbedded in the snakes head, and Taylor's sword that was lodged in the top of its mouth pierce all the way through its skull, as its head was slammed into the ground forcing its mouth shut.
The beast was killed in an instant.
Alex laid on the ground, he was exhausted he felt drained and empty, but most of all he felt tired. "Ahh so nice, maybe I'll just stay here for a bit." He closed his eyes to rest.
Taylor was in a similar situation however he was able to get his strength back more quickly seeing as the sun was still up.
Everyone else gathered around them, worried at first, but calming down when they heard light snoring.
"Are they ok?" Ana asked.
"Their fine. They fight like they train, holding nothing back. This was some good training it'll help them to understand their limits." James said.
"Hehe, maybe we should teach them to strengthen their weapons. Otherwise we're gonna have to visit the smithing club a lot." Tom said while dropping a badly dented set of chain blades, and a chipped sword that he had just cleaned in the stream.
"Yeah that would be wise. Do you wanna wake them up?" James asked Ana.
Ana got a mischievous smile as a small stream of water floated from the stream above the two sleeping men.
"Splash"
Alex coughed and jumped up as he was assaulted by a frigid cold water. He looked over to see Taylor had been in the same situation.
"Alright you two sleepyheads, you guys are from the central town correct?" James asked.
The two nodded.
"Good you guys are free to go, the rest of us will wait here for the pickup team. We are not far from where you guys live, it's just north of here." He continued while handing Alex a compass.
The pair were too tired to complain about their current situation so after thanking them the turned and walked following the compass.
Alex was drained, so he began absorbing spacial energy once again filling his body's spacial storage.
——————
Midway through their journey, Taylor spoke up. "Hey Alex."
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry about how my father, treated you when you played on the sports team. I tried asking him why, but he just told me to stay away from you, that I didn't need to be around people like you."
"Like me?"
"Part Tragnantian, I never knew why that was a reason to treat you like he did. He said that the Tragnantians last leader was evil hunting a bunch of nobles from his kingdom. He said that everyone from there praised him as a god, saying he was cleansing the world of a bunch of corrupt nobles."
"But from just seeing who you truthfully are, I can tell you don't even know about the situation in the world." Taylor said in a somber tone.
"It okay, I've always known that most parents dislike me. What matters most is that you were able to see past that. They have their right to fear the past repeating itself." He said thinking back to the memory of the man who was absorbed by darkness hunting the killers of his wife and friends.
"But to do it the way they do it, it's just not right why not help rather than hurt, I mean this is the kingdom of light for crying out loud, It's known for its ability to help, and yet they would rather treat you like your less of a human because of what someone else did." Taylor said his eyes blurring.
"Hey, I'll be fine I can guarantee that I've been through worse." Alex reassured Taylor.
Alex smiled. Putting his arm over Taylor shoulder. "I've decided. I'm gonna show you the truth. How good are you with a secret, I promise you only have to keep it for two years?"
"Im good with secrets, nobody knows that my dad doesn't pay a single cent in taxes." Taylor said giving an example.
'Did you just say your good at keeping secrets while telling me one.'
Alex laughed "well I promise that I won't tell your parents what you've told me."
"Thank you, I'm sure that they wouldn't be happy to know of what I said." Taylor said realizing his mistake.
"Watch closely." Alex said he took a step and disappeared.
"Did you see?" Alex said from behind Taylor.
"What, how did you get there?"
"Like this." his spacial energy became visible turning into a shade of blue. Taylor watched as the energy cut open a hole in the air. He looked through the hole and saw his own back.
"What type of affinity is this you just made a teleporter, no a portal?" He asked an amazed expression sitting on his face.
"Your speaking to the worlds first spacial mage. A mixture of light and darkness fused together forming the newest most powerful affinity."
Taylor was stunned this was the biggest secret he had ever been told, even bigger than his father not paying taxes.
"Wait did you say light and darkness?"
"Yes, I awakened my dark affinity a little over a month ago."
"You only just awakened your affinity?"
"Yeah it only took me almost losing my life. I don't even know what it would take to awaken my light affinity." Alex said thinking back to what had happened.
"A month ago?" His eyes lit up as he remembered what was being discussed by his father and mother. "You were the one who caused the tremors, that were heard throughout the town."
"I guess I did I don't remember everything vividly." Alex answered honestly.
"What about your wind affinity, does that mean you have four affinities?"
"No, the wind affinity is just an imitation. If I join the magic competitions, it would immediately be noted that it's not wind magic." Alex said.
"Imitation?" Taylor asked.
Alex only nodded. His energy once again became visible, the tendrils of energy formed into propellers. They spun rapidly and changed sizes. The flow of air growing stronger as they grew. They then spread out into a sphere, becoming translucent. The energy compressed itself into the shape of a blade.
Alex willed the blade to slice through a bush. The translucent energy went through it but whatever was contained within, cut the bush as if it were butter.
"That's genius, you compressed the air into a wind blade. The spacial affinity it too good. I can see why you wouldn't want them to find out, but why would you tell me this."
"It's a show of trust. After you showed me your honesty I couldn't just sit here and be dishonest with you for a few years. It's still gonna suck having to lie to all of my other friends for that long though."
"But enough with all the sappy stuff, I've also decided that I'm gonna help you get the secret reward that Instructor Timothy spoke of. Tomorrow I'll have somewhere set up that we can train."
"I understand Alex, I will never forget this and I won't let your secret be known. You can count on me." Taylor said.
"Good then I will." A big smile filling his face.
——————
The two continued on to town splitting up,as Alex and Taylor lived in separate areas.
'I've decided to put my trust in him. If everything he said and did was fake, then I deserve to get stabbed in the back, the acting was just that precise.'
Alex sighed looking up to the moon that now was visible in the sky. It was as beautiful as ever filled with multiple colors and made him calm every time he looked at it.
'People say that not that long ago the moon didn't have an atmosphere, and that it was gray and devoid of color. That is something I could never imagine not matter how many times I look at it.'
With the random portals that showed up on earth, many were also showing up on the planets nearby. No creatures have been seen roaming the moon, but scientists have concluded that the portals are creating a livable atmosphere on it. The fresh rush of oxygen and the heat from meteorites, had left the precious metals oxidized coloring the moon.
'The only thing is what happens after it becomes habitable.'
He shook off the thought as he entered the towns laundromat. Hit older brother has long since stopped helping him close it. He cleaned as the last people who were drying their clothing left. He finished up a few minutes afterward getting a key from his storage and locking the place up.
The sun was completely gone now.
He headed home, after a good day like today he dreaded entering into the door.
He entered in to the house, and was greeted by the all to familiar yelling. "You're late!"
"I know I went straight to the laundromat after I was done with school."
——————
After around ten minutes Alex laid down on his bed after locking the bedroom door. He sighed as he turned off the light.
He waited for the rest of his family to fall asleep. When he heard no more noise he slowly got up. He lifted the big storage box, taking the box Drak had given him, the rest of his food he had stored, and then disappeared from the room.
Whenever he reappeared he was seventy five feet away, just barely hidden by the woods.
'It's time for me to make my own base.' He thought as he sauntered off into the woods.