*Pantera*
„Kaito, how exactly did you end up here?" I asked the half blind kid.
„Me and my sister wanted to cross Jianxin Bridge. But while we where crossing it, another earthquake shook the ground and destroyed the part of the bridge I stood on. I fell into the lake and drowned. I was lucky that the earthquake shifted the ground to a degree that I rode an underground wave. Grandma found me by the shore, the same place we found you." He explained.
My headache was getting worse, I felt like throwing up, and I doubted my decision.
„Can't you leave this place somehow?" I asked.
„No, we can't. Behind the hill, an active volcano's magma is slowly spreading. It has already cut off all land paths."
Kaito was a prepubescent kid whose intelligence bordered that of geniuses'. I hadn't even conversed with him fort that long, yet, his intelligence became more aware with each of his words. His sentences held so much information that further questions were unnecessary. He knew he could speak to me that way, because he believed that I was smart enough to understand.
"I see..." I answered.
"I want to ask, but I think that you won't answer me." He said.
"What is it?"
"You have abilities of your own too, right?"
"I do. You have a Salan ability. Is that what you are telling me?"
"Yes, thank god. I feared I was only dreaming. I have what you call a Salan ability too. I can control water when I send the blue particles to it." He revealed.
"Ever thought of escaping here by water?"
"I did. But Grandma's condition is too poor. And I'm just a kid that can't handle her weight. Even with these blue particles strengthening my body."
After he mentioned the grandma, I looked over to her. Grandma smiled kindly, as if she was watching her grand kids.
"How are you able to communicate with her?"
"I've been here since the impact. She taught me her language. Of course I don't have the hang of it yet. But I'm making progress.
The point, where my body didn't have enough energy, arrived, and I passed out.
***
I woke up after a few hours, the Grandma by my side. She was still smiling. 'That's how Revela looked at me too. Her intentions are pure.'
Grandma handed me some water and a stew. Then, she stood up and left the dark room. A knock resounded at the room's door after a few minutes.
"Have you eaten?"
"I did, Kaito. Thanks for asking."
"If you don't mind me asking. How did you, a princess, end up here?"
"I wouldn't mind staying here for a while, but this is enemy territory. I committed a crime, and if the other Lands find out about it, they might hunt me." I answered.
"Your Highness, I don't want to stay here anymore, but I owe my life to Grandma. Whatever you decide to do, whether you help me or not, I will get Grandma out of here. "
Kaito's resolve was admirable. His sense of dignity and honor were overdeveloped, his existence wouldn't allow him to leave his savior to die. But so was I. I owed my life to Kaito now. If not for him, I may have died.
"Highness? Come on, kid. It's Pantera from now on. But I understand. I owe my life to you now. I will help you both. But I need to train you first."
***
The days of training began for me and Kaito as soon as I was back to health. Luckily, my claws had stayed on me when I was dragged around in the lake's waves.
"Your weapons, they're so cool." Kaito admired.
"Kaito, in this new world, live's have become fragile. Alone these claws have killed dozens of soldier. Once you kill with a weapon, the smell of blood never leaves the steel." I preached.
"I am aware of that. I already guessed that something like this would happen. How many casualties where there anyway?"
"Billions..."
"Oh god... That much, huh?"
It wasn't easy for Kaito. The life he was meant to grew into was destroyed, replaced by a new, uncertain and blood filled future that did not promise him anything except death.
The sooner Kaito understood and accepted these facts, the faster he would adapt to it. It was unfair that children his age had to face the brutality of the new world. It was inevitable, Kaito had to become strong and play his role for the sake of his, and his loved ones' lives.
We had no weapons except knifes and and small scythes. We also had axes, but Kaito didn't want to use axes in combat. I was aware of the risks, but I still taught Kaito close combat martial arts.
Agility, wrist flexibility, center of gravity, and guard. Those were the things I had him master. Body strengthening was a part of training too, but I feared his body would break from excessive training. He was too determined, he disregarded his body's condition several times.
'This is useless. Teaching him these things won't change the fact that he will lose to a grown man. But I will keep him safe, I owe it to him.
***
Kaito's body had gotten used to his abilities. The weeks I had spent training him weren't in vain. The time came to make proper plans. We exchanged ideas everyday, but never finalized a version.
"Your ability can push a floating object forward, right?" I asked.
"Yes."
"All right. We must build a raft that floats above water. Considering the magma, we still have about 2 or 3 months left before it reaches a critical position and burns all the green."
Our plan was simple, yet difficult. We had no idea how e could build a raft that could withstand weight our weight and float above water. There was also the problem with the unpredictable currents in the lake. Mana seemed to have changed the "behavior" of huge bodies of water.
*TAK*TAK*TAK*
I hammered 2 pieces of wood together. Our first raft was finished. We were excited. It had taken us over a whole month of trying until we managed to build our first raft.
"Now... The moment of truth. Does it float?" I experimented.
The raft luckily floated.
"Next... Weight. Place the sand bags on it." I ordered Kaito.
It wasn't that I was too lazy to carry the bags myself, it was meant to train Kaito's body even further. He had no problem carrying 2 bags of sand that weight the same as me.
*CRACK*
"Please let it no-"
The raft broke into 2 pieces.
"Damn!" We cursed.
Kaito and I had gotten used to each other. He was like my younger, yet nonjudgmental, siblings. I believe that I had taken the role of older sister for him too. 'He was separated from his sister after all.'
With the gathered experience, building a second raft was not problem. This time, it had taken us a mere week. But the raft still couldn't hold the weight.
I thought about different methods, then an idea came to my mind. I had forgotten about my powers. Rebellion is a struggle. And I was struggling. I hoped there was a way that my ability would assist me, and it did.
The raft I had built was finished in a mere day at the cost of my Mana reserves. Kaito was impressed and carried me back to Grandma's house.
I was barely conscious. But I still heard sobs.
***
Once I woke up. Kaito threw a bag at me.
"We are leaving today."
Kaito looked exhausted and tired.
"What's wrong?!" I asked.
"Grandma died a natural death. After I brought you home, Grandma slept on the dinner table's chair. She had never done that before. I grabbed her arm, it was cold. I checked her pulse, there was none."
"Kaito, I-"
"I'm okay. I need to get used to death, don't I?"
I might've been too hard with my preaching. I had turned a child into a man. I had stolen his innocent way of thinking.
The raft, I had built, floated and withstood our weight. The they we left was sunny. We could see Central Superio's broken skyline.
Kaito used his Salan ability and brought us to Central Superio's shore.
"Sun Side Seven, huh? Oh, the memories... I wonder what HE is doing right now"