Arlen had gone for a run, as he did every morning. He was upset and angry. He hadn't been able to rest well after Caleb's words.
'You are weak and always will be.'
That last sentence kept repeating itself over and over to him.
"Arlen, don't let that influence you. It's not true and you know it."
And he knew it, but it bothered him that someone thought that way about him. Angrily he let himself go. In the end he ended up running faster than ever, and faster, without realizing it, ending up on the mountain where he first spoke to Olivia.
[+1 stamina
+1 strong]
Arlen smiled in satisfaction.
—How good that feels.
—Running like a madman?
Arlen was surprised when he heard Professor Ivonne's voice. As he turned around the tree he saw the teacher wearing glasses and sitting in front of a canvas.
—Good morning, Ivonne.
-Good morning. What was your name?
—Arlen. Arlen Ober.
—Well, Arlen, while you're here, come over and tell me what you think of what I'm doing.
Arlen did as Ivonne said and what he saw surprised him, not because it was ugly, but not because it was beautiful either, but he felt as if he couldn't stop looking at the painting. A painting composed of a white semicircle below, a gray color surrounding it and a blue changing from light to dark. Arlen felt like the painting had perspective, as if the background was inward instead of a plain background.
—It's addictive.
—Hahaha, I don't think anyone has ever said they liked a painting of mine like that before.
—But what did you paint?
—Just what I have in front of my eyes.
When he looked up, Arlen understood what the painter Ivonne was telling him. She had painted the academy, surrounded by mountains and the sky above them. But, even if he could see it clearly, the truth is that it would not have occurred to him at first.
—And what are you doing here?
—Ah, well, just letting off some steam.
—Tell me, I'm all ears.
—No need, I don't want to disturb you while you're painting.
—You already disturbed me when you came in sweating and breathing so hard.
—I'm sorry...
—No problem, now, tell me.
—Ha, well look, when I came here I had no skill, and I hadn't awakened my bloodline. I was weak and had been targeted by bullies for much of my life. But everything changed as soon as I got here, I got my ability, I awakened my bloodline, and for the first time I have people I think I can call friends. In the combat department are the official battles, one of the ones who used to abuse me challenged me, and I lost, but I didn't care. However, one of my friends threw it in my face, he told me that I was weak and I will always be weak, I know he said it because he was taught that way, but the words hurt me... And besides, I don't know what to tell him now either.
After a few seconds of silence, which became eternal for Arlen, Ivonne answered him.
—You know, many times we say things, not because we believe what we say, but because we repeat what we were told without knowing what we say. They are empty words with no real intentions behind them.
Arlen thought for a moment before asking one last question.
—And how do I respond to that?
—With words that you believe. Tell him what you really think, important words come out when we speak from the heart.
And after a moment of silence Ivonne gathered what she had and said goodbye to Arlen.
—We'll see you, Arlen Ober. And hurry up, you don't want to be late for your third day of school.
When Ivonne finally left, Arlen sat down to rest.
—So much for speaking from the heart. What I really think... And what's that?
"I'd hit him and be quiet, that's what comes from my heart."
—And whoever created you was a pretty aggressive person.
"I can't deny it hahaha."
But Arlen was smiling and with a different mindset decided to go back to the others.
Caleb self-isolated himself from the rest during breakfast and during Professor Mary's class, teacher of bloodline classes, or so the head of the combat department called it on the first day.
—Good morning students, during this class I am supposed to teach you how to fight efficiently with your bloodline, and does anyone know how to do that?
—Using weapons that we can use when we can transform parts of our body.
—Very well, but not only that. Does anyone else want to try?
—Because there are bloodlines that bring with them an ability apart from the one we already have, higher caliber weapons can make use of our blood so that we can use that ability without having to wait until we can use it freely.
—Correct answer. As expected from the White heir.
So Mary decided to give us a free hand to take whatever weapons we wanted from the ones in the training camp. Of course they were unsharpened or wooden weapons in some cases.
'Any ideas.'
"Let's see, what do you think?"
'Well, from when I was with Olivia I know that the Phoenix are firebirds, so I can understand where my blood skill will go. But I can't think of a kind of weapon that goes specifically with a bird.'
"Actually, I don't think there isn't, so take your pick."
Arlen then began to walk around the weapons on display and would see that his friends were already starting to pick up weapons.
'I guess they were already taught them in their families.'
"Surely."
Watching as Laia picked up some sort of clawed gauntlet, Caleb some simple gauntlets, Kevin picked up a sword and Olivia some daggers. He decided to follow his friend Kevin and pick up a sword, plus it made him feel really 'cool'.
During the first class he was learning the basics of how to move with a sword and where he could carry it and some basic positions. Surprisingly, he really enjoyed the class.
But he was still worried about Caleb. After lunch he decided to follow him to a training camp and decided to talk to him. Arlen didn't know he had been followed by Olivia, Laia and Kevin, who watched the image of Arlen approaching Caleb with curiosity.
—What do you think will happen?
—If Caleb were a proud heir, Arlen would probably be getting his ass kicked right now.
—I think he'll listen to him.
—Aren't heirs proud and despicable beings from birth?
Laia and Olivia looked at Kevin with a disgusted face.
—Do you want me to beat you up?
The heiress said with a disgusted tone.
—Another time you can try. But I'm talking about Caleb, yesterday he seemed like a proud person who was hurt and upset.
And a silence formed as they watched Arlen and Caleb that Laia broke.
—It's a shame we can't hear what they say.
A comment with which the other two agreed.
Meanwhile Arlen reached Caleb.
—What are you doing here?
Caleb asked as soon as he felt Arlen.
—I came because of what you said yesterday.
—And you already answered me yesterday, didn't you?
Arlen snorted. He didn't quite know how to deal with Caleb and hoped he would listen, but it looked like he was going to have a hard time.
—I hate losing, but that doesn't mean I'm going to get bitter, or let it make the people around me bitter. If I lose, I learn and get better, losing is also in the learning process. I have no idea what you went through as an heir to one of the big five families, but you are no longer alone here. If you lose, smile, think about where you failed and change it. That's what I think.
Caleb looked at the floor as he listened to Arlen. When he finished Caleb looked him in the eye.
—So, if you hate to lose how can you smile? Why don't you get angry? Why don't you make others bitter? That's silly.
—Yesterday I got angry. When I was in the infirmary I was very angry at myself. I replayed the fight in my head a thousand times, how I could have done it better, what I could have used to get closer to him. I was angry at myself for not being strong, but I said it on the first day of class. I came here to become strong.
—And what do you want from me? Why are you telling me that?
—Ah, well, I never had any friends before and I had considered you one. I was hurt by your words yesterday, I wanted to tell you that you were wrong.
Caleb looked down at the floor at Arlen's sincerity in thought. Thinking that he had never been told anything like that. At first he was curious about Arlen, but he had really become a person he considered amazing for always having a smile on his face.
—My family has me as a failed heir. Every day they question me and I wonder if it's worth the effort to become strong if no one loves me. Yesterday, when I saw you smile it bothered me. Not because I was annoyed by you, I was envious of you, of being able to smile like that.
—I offer you a deal, I train with you, we become strong together, and you relax, forget about your family. Think about the here and now, okay?
Caleb hesitated for a moment before accepting the offer.
—Okay, so how about a 1 vs. 1 to start?
—Ah, well, don't hurt me too much....
And when Laia, Kevin and Olivia saw that both of them were getting ready to fight they ran towards them. When they arrived they rushed to stop the two of them by throwing themselves on top of them.
From the ground Arlen explained to them that it was settled and the 5 started laughing at the situation they found themselves in.
From a distance Brand smiled at the sight of the 5 and especially Arlen smiling nonchalantly.
'Hopefully that feeling lasts you forever, kid.'