*Crack*
*Boom*
"Aaahh!!"
Everyone immediately turned to look at the source of the sound.
"Man, that Miltiades. He really doesn't know how to hold back"
"Now, it's more workload for Mr. Iason."
"Yeah, I heard he was complaining about Marios' condition. I think he said something about mental attack."
"Everyone, please continue practicing. The guards will tend to Ilias. And Miltiades, please learn to hold back even if it's just a little." Mr. Stylianos addressed the students before turning back to Orpheus "Let's continue."
"Yes sir" Orpheus retook his stance and prepared to throw his punch.
[Orpheus, wait!]
'Huh?'
[The skill that you applied on your blade just a while ago. Apply it on your fists]
'I don't know if I can do it again, but I'll try'
"Orpheus, anything wrong?" Mr. Stylianos asked.
"Um, sir. Seeing as I'm sparring against you, can I test something with my ability?"
"Hmm," Mr. Stylianos contemplated "Sure, it won't cause much damage anyways."
"Ok Sir" Orpheus closed his eyes and focused his energy into his fists, creating a layer of mist.
[Make it a little bit thicker until it turns dark purple.]
'Do you want me to cause a scene?!'
[Just do it]
'Fine'
Orpheus continued pouring the energy into his fists, turning the former light purplish mist into a dark one.
'Huh, interesting. I may have to buckle up for this one' Mr. Stylianos immediately placed a thick layer of rock on his arms.
[That's enough. Punch!]
"Aargh!" Orpheus yelled as he threw a punch at his instructor.
*Boom*
"Uh-oh, was that a little too far?" Orpheus asked on seeing the large cloud of dust covering where his instructor was standing while panting heavily.
[Relax; the academy cannot give you weak personnel as combat instructors.]
*Cough*
A black-haired man coughed as he walked out of the smoke cloud with tattered clothing.
"Sir are you okay," Orpheus asked worriedly.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just the effect from the shockwaves of your punch. Let me get a new outfit. I'll be right back." Mr. Stylianos said as he rushed into the locker room, leaving a room filled with stunned students.
"Is that not who you wanted to fight?"
"Not me, it was you."
"Man, thank fate the instructor stopped us. We might have just kept Marios company at the infirmary.
"I really need to stop crossing paths with the late bloomer. He's like the harbinger of bad luck."
"You're right about that."
"Okay students let's move on" Mr. Stylianos walked out before a guard appeared next to him, interrupting him.
The guard whispered something in his ears, making him to widen his eyes in shock.
"As I was saying, the class will end here today as an important matter arose" Mr. Stylianos said before rushing out of the combat room with the guard.
"What's going on?"
"Who knows, maybe someone went berserk."
"Why are students suddenly going berserk? I haven't had a good sleep since the last one."
"I said 'maybe' you idiot."
______
[Orpheus, do you have an idea of what is going on?]
'Hell, if I know. It doesn't concern me anyways' Orpheus began to walk out of the combat room.
[Oh really?]
"Orpheus!" Sara called out while running after Orpheus "wait up!"
"Huh? What is it?"
"Can we walk back to the classroom together?" she asked.
"Oh, sure" Orpheus agreed as they began to walk to the classroom unaware of the eyes watching them.
"Now that I think about it, the new girl and the late bloomer seem to know each other"
"You're right. She was the first to stand up for him during the commotion."
"We need to tell her about the consequences of hanging around the late bloomer."
"And by 'telling' you mean beating right?"
"If that's it, count me out. I'm not ready to die yet."
"Yeah, yeah coward. Only I would do it then"
"I'll go with you."
"Me too"
Unknown to the duo, the little interaction between them brought misfortune coming their way.
Meanwhile, Kers stared in the direction in which Orpheus and Sara had gone, thinking deeply.
'She's the one who forged his chained blades for him. It seems the gems he requested for are embedded in the blades. Now it makes sense why he was able to stay in the berserk stage for that long'
"Kers!" Thalia interrupted her thoughts "What are you thinking about? We have to return to class."
"Oh, let's go" Kers said.
________
"Orpheus, I spoke to Kers today..." Sara said while they were walking back to the class.
"Yeah, so?"
"She told me you'd gone berserk yesterday. What happened?"
"It's none of your business," Orpheus said before walking forward, leaving her behind with complex emotions.
'I guess something awful happened to him. Maybe I should distance myself from him for now'
_______
[Man, you didn't have to be so harsh you know. She was just trying to look out for you as a friend]
'It's not my fault. I just don't want to talk about that day'
[But she didn't say anything about that day]
'She asked about it'
[That doesn't matter. You are going to have to apologize and learn to control your emotions]
'I'll try to do both'
Orpheus walked into the classroom and sat down with his eyes closed. A while later, he heard the sound of the door opening and immediately opened his eyes.
*Click*
Sara staggered into the classroom with burns and bruises all over her body. 'On seeing Orpheus, she tried to speak but instead, fell to the floor unconscious.
"Sara? Sara? Shit! Wake up" Orpheus immediately ran over to Sara after seeing her fall.
[Orpheus, calm down]
"How am I supposed to calm down at a situation like this? Someone is about to die under my nose."
[You must stay calm so you can think]
*Inhale*
*Exhale*
Orpheus took long deep breaths for a while before his eyes lit up
'The light element. It has the ability to heal right?'
[Um, yeah. Where are you going with this?]
'The blades. They have the light gem embedded in them. It might heal her'
[You know you can just take her to the infirmary, right?]
'I know but let me just try this first. Moreover, there's no time.'
[Okay, do as you wish]
Orpheus took out he chained blades form his shadow and placed them along with his hands on Sara's unconscious body.
'Please work, please work'
As Orpheus prayed with his eyes closed, a faint yellow light enveloped Sara's body, increasing at rapid rate.
[Orpheus! It's working]
'Huh, it's really working.' Orpheus opened his eyes in shock.
[Don't remove your hands. It seems I was wrong at first.]
'Wrong about what?'
[ You really are a late bloomer]
'What do you mean? '
[You have just awakened the light element]
"Whaattt!!"