Tristan scratched his chin whilst his eyebrow rose in curiosity at that phenomenon. The temperature within that room rose and he could feel it. The occurrence brought back memories of the other night.
Still, he remained intelligent enough to understand that now wasn't the right moment to ask the questions that weighed his mind.
"I curse the day I was born, I curse this entire town this very nation," Mark's chest rose as he spoke those words, and his eyes blazed with an intensity even Tristan respected.
"I see… that's rough," words could not exactly explain how awkward Tristan felt. In truth, he didn't care about the man's problems or past. He couldn't show that truth since he had something to gain from Marcus.
Realization dawned on Mark and he blinked in shock that he had let that happen. His gaze locked with Tristan's and he saw how unreadable the eyes of the young man before him was. Mark could tell he was older than the beautiful-eyed boy before him, but his trained instincts could also tell he was weaker.
The sound of flames flickering into existence snapped the duo out of their locked gazes and Mark rushed forward to stop the paper on the table at the side from burning. He seemed to be in slight disbelief. His audience could not comprehend the reason for that.
Tristan silently watched Mark scramble to put out the fire while he apologized fervently. Once again, all that did not exactly matter to him.
"Oof. That was a job we once had a meeting on," Mark heaved a sigh of relief, tapping his forehead in self-condemnation
"What was that?" Tristan's voice pulled the man's attention to him. Mark had set the bowl before him on a small brown stool, but he figured he would eat later.
"What was what?" Mark asked, rather fidgety. He remained in the dark about Tristan's identity, an academy student could get him punished for cursing the continent.
"There was heat now. And it was as a result of your anger," Tristan explained, his hand following his words.
"Oh… oh that," Mark's relief was evident. "I'm a class-two flame inheritor," he stated, taking a seat.
There was one couch and a plastic chair in that upper living room. It featured the picture and a ceiling fan. The power supply seemed to have been cut from that building so there wasn't electricity being generated. The truth was far from that, however.
"Class two?" Tristan's youthful features contorted in confusion, but he made known his intent to know more.
"Yes… but I'm still in the first class… I'm sure you understand why." Explained Mark, giving a defeated smile.
Shaking his head, Tristan spoke. "No, I don't. In fact, I don't know anything about this world. I woke up on the shore and nothing seems familiar."
Silence reigned in that room and Mark's eyebrows creased as he tried to understand what had been said to him.
"You do not know anything about this world!?" Those words came out as an exclamation and even more amazement and a bit of suspicion appeared on Mark's features.
Tristan furrowed his eyes brows and scooped a spoonful of the steaming brown grain-based substance before him. Like brown oats. In between blowing on it due to its hotness, he replied.
"Yes, I don't."
"I don't!" He exclaimed, seeing disbelief further grow fully on Marcus's face. Placing the spoon in his mouth he chewed even if he didn't need it. Out of instinct he chewed the oat-like substance and noticed the lack of sweetness. It was also stale. Strangely so.
"There isn't much sugar in this…" Tristan commented even if he had no idea how he knew what sugar was.
Mark did not mind that comment since Tristan continued eating. All that remained in his mind was the fact that the man before him claimed he did not know the world around him.
"How do you not know what classes are yet you know what sugar is?"
Mark felt like he was being tested, and truly he disliked it. Hated it even.
"Great question. I don't know," Tristan shrugged, starting to like that food substance given to him.
"Oh hell no, that's bull-crap!" Mark exclaimed, even if he regretted it instants later.
"Bull-crap?" Tristan realized that he understood that curse word. He felt even more confused but focused on savoring the meal before him, his belly growled, he knew what was served would never be enough. 'At least ten more servings.' He concluded.
"I'm sorry… but your claim really is unbelievable," Mark cracked his knuckles in slight nervousness, his skin had crawled in fear at the glare Tristan had thrown his way.
"I see. But it's the truth. I don't know anything about anything important. Especially how you're all able to achieve certain feats. I don't know how to," Tristan explained clearing his bowl quickly.
Difficulty arrived on Mark's face and he watched Tristan straighten his back to focus his gaze on him.
"How about you just explain everything you believe everyone knows, to me? That sounds fair."
"Uh… okay." Mark accepted, defeated.
"But before you do that can I get more," Tristan raised the brown bowl and Mark nodded proceeding to pick that bowl up and return downstairs to get more for his strange, honestly unwelcomed guest.
Tristan by the reason of his great hearing ability overheard the comments Mark made to his housemates. Their exclamations and comments made Tristan adopt a blank expression even if he suddenly fell into thought.
He recalled the only image of Medrial he had, the blueness of the ocean, and he pondered on how he could understand certain things even if he had no memory of learning them.
The deeper he thought the more somber he felt his mind become. Tristan felt sad and mildly lonely.
Mark returned before he could get too deep, another steaming bowl of that food substance in his hand.
"It strangely a bit sweeter. But I apologize if it still isn't to your taste," Mark revealed, genuinely apologetic.
Despite the poor state of his life; for the sake of his sister, he had developed a hatred for being as cruel as life was to him and others.
Sure there wasn't much he could do. He lacked both power and resources. But he did his best in the little he found himself in.
Many saw him as timid, and truly he was, but they knew him not only because he had been in that town all his life but for his capability of giving.
Unfortunately, life had even crueler to him and the entire town. Untimely death being the peak of its cruelty.