[+1 in stamina]
When Arlen finished the circuit he rested his hands on his knees and that was the first message he received.
'Are you kidding me?'
"You gave it your all on this circuit, lighten up instead of thinking so negatively."
Arlen was trying to breathe more slowly. He was noticing how his shirt was full of sweat and overweight. In front of him, there was the back exit of the training field and a dirt road.
Arlen sighed and followed the path in front of him.
"You did pretty well for not having awakened any bloodlines."
—Thanks, I guess.
When he reached the end of the road he came upon a white building with windows. When he climbed the stairs and entered he was greeted by a large entrance with a staircase next to an elevator and hallways on the sides.
Someone dressed in white caught his eye and asked.
—Do you need help?
—Hey, yeah, where am I?
—Didn't you read the sign at the entrance?
'Was there a sign at the entrance?'
"Even if I see what you see doesn't mean I'm always attentive."
—Sorry I was a little distracted after the second test.
—That's okay. Do you know which room?
—No.
Arlen just smiled at the IOH agent who looked at him a bit incredulously. When everything was settled and he went up to his room on the third floor where Caleb and Kevin were already staying.
The room was much larger than Arlen had first thought. The three beds were raised to the height of his head and under each bed was a table and a closet. There was also a door leading to the bathroom and a window overlooking a training ground.
In one of the closets Arlen saw his name, as he opened it he saw the clothes from when he changed and his backpack. Arlen couldn't help but feel that the closet was big for someone like him.
—Hey, no blood, you coming to dinner?
Arlen stood for a moment before turning to Kevin. Was there a trick in the question? He also didn't want to go to the dining room now that it should be full. The fear that he might run into someone who might know him.
"You should get rid of that fear, before long you'll be able to humiliate them."
—Okay. —Allen gave the best smile he could and with more confidence. Not that he could say no, he was too hungry.— Is your name Kevin?
—That's right, and this guy is Caleb. He's coming too. Come on.
—No, but I...
—I said you're coming too. Come on.
Caleb was about to say something, but Kevin wouldn't let him and dragged him into the hallway.
'Does he know he's dragging one of the heirs?'
"Maybe you should stop calling him an heir and think of him as your roommate. Because Kevin is what he's doing."
—Come on bloodless, don't just stand there still.
And Arlen followed the voice of his companions. He still didn't know without thinking if they were treating him right or if it was some trick to then beat him up.
When they arrived at the dining room they lined up and sat at a table a little apart from the rest. They hadn't talked much and only some commentary about tastes and amounts of food.
Both Kevin and Arlen were surprised when Caleb only took a piece of fruit for dinner.
—That's what I was trying to tell you in the room. I barely eat dinner.
That's what Caleb said when Kevin and Arlen looked at him a little incredulously.
—It's okay, so you can join us. So, tell me bloodless, how are you going to get strong?
That question caught Arlen off guard. He didn't know if there was any correct answer to that or what Kevin was looking for, but he also didn't know how to respond.
—Eh, well, I guess I recently received a promise from my parents that I was going to awaken a bloodline. Besides, I boxed.
Arlen had a goofy grin on his face. He was nervous, it seemed like he had been touched by nice people, but it wasn't the first time he had encountered someone with that same facade.
—What a promise, and what's your bloodline?
—I don't... I don't know.
—You don't know?
—My parents died in the last days of the war against the Reddaj 8 years ago.
—But you have no other family? Grandparents, cousins, uncles?
Arlen denied Kevin and Caleb's surprise.
—Only the old Brand has been helping me, he's the one I got the gift from my parents. He's been good to me from the beginning and he's the only one I consider family.
—I'm sorry.
—What are you, white-haired boy? —Kevin asked in an attempt to change the conversation. He's not much for complicated things.
—A white tiger.
—Impressive. Can you transform?
—You think I'm going to tell you that?
—Oh, that's right, the information advantage.
—And you?
—My blood is that of a shark.
The 3 of them were still talking quietly when a person came to the table where they were.
—Hello, heir to the White family.
As soon as Arlen heard the voice coming from his left he froze. It went from a boy he knew at his previous school. He was one of the main abusers and never treated Arlen like a human.
—My name is Charles, and I wanted to inform you that you are sitting at the table with a being with no bloodline. I don't mean to pry, but I think it would be best if you knew this to avoid consorting with someone of an inferior race like him.
—Who are you?
Caleb's question was serious and firm.
—My name is Charles Foix. My family recently became part of the King family.
—No, you misunderstood me. Who are you to tell me what to do?
Charles was caught off guard by that answer. His prey was in front of him and he could not let him escape. He had heard that the White heir was a special boy who didn't care about anything. He just wanted him to let him have some fun, but maybe he had been too nosy.
—I didn't mean to disrespect you, but I know this scumbag. He's not easy to deal with and he doesn't give up easily. Let me deal with him.
A silence formed at the table. Arlen had his fist clenched and it showed on his face how angry he was, all he could think about was punching Charles hard. Seeing this Kevin smiled, he knew he must not have had an easy time, and even having the strength to fight is something to be applauded.
But now it was Caleb's turn to decide what to do. He could simply save himself the trouble and tell them to take him away, pretending to not care as he had done all his life. But at last, he had found people who didn't treat him differently, who didn't treat him special but like one of their own. It had been a short time, but he felt comfortable, he wanted to give the boy a chance and see what he was like.
—Leave him and go. If you want something from a family go to Leo, that's your boss, I have nothing to do with it.
You could see the look of disgust on Charles' face after Caleb's response. He wanted to play with the toy he had grown up tormenting for a while. He promised himself to find a moment to remind him who was above it.
When he finally left he left a heavy silence at the table that Kevin broke with his laughter.
—That was good. —Between Arlen's anger and Caleb's hesitation, a funny situation developed.
—What funny situation?
—That if you, Caleb, had said he could take it, Arlen was ready to punch him in the face.
—HAH! Why would you do something like that when you can't win? —Caleb asked out of clue.
Arlen had mixed feelings. He was grateful for what he had done, but he had already been recognized by someone, how long would it take for the news to spread among the students?
—Well, I hate that he treats me like I'm not human, and the beating I'm going to get anyway, but at least this way I get to throw a punch right to his jaw to put me at ease. But now I'm in more trouble and it might be problematic.
—What?
—Now they know I haven't awakened.
"Let it spread, and when they all come for you and you've managed to wake up the situation will be different from what they think."
'But when am I going to awake? I don't think it will be long before they come after me.'
"Sooner than you think."
—Why don't we go back to the room?
After Kevin's proposal, everyone looked around. It seemed that there were already glances from several students directed at their table. Even from some other heir like Schrot. But the question on Arlen's mind was, 'Are those looks for Caleb or for me?'
The 3 in the room kept talking. The others didn't know it, but it was the first time the three of them felt so comfortable talking to other boys their age.