Katon POV
The night sky grew lighter and the light of the stars began fading, night was ending to allow day to come. I made my way into the Coliseum of Maximiliano through one of its eight passages. The sight that greeted me and my brother who walked slightly beside me was a familiar one. The second daughter of house Greenery and her two liaisons. The first was Petal Viceroy, a servant girl and her Cousin, while the other a boy I only saw a few times when I visited their estate.
"Khalulid Saltwater."
My little brother whispered to me probably from sensing my confusion. These three and a few others that stood clear of them were the first ones here. It was understandable as to why those three were not socialising with the rest of the people there. Their chi is impressive and that could be intimidating, we headed straight for them.
"Well well if it isn't the Ice Princess!"
I said as I approached the girl with pale white skin, it looked like snow and was even as cold. Being a grandchild and a daughter of a great power came with its perks and quirks. Her lineage chi is powerful and that led to some complications, her affinity is ice and that made her situation worse. Wynter has no body heat, her touch is cold and hard. I once shook her hand and thought I was touching nothing but glaciers, one wrong move and I could break her.
That was until I fought her, her physical strength although not being as big as me is on par with my own. Her punches feel like getting hit with a cold hammer swung with the intent to kill and her chi pool is greater than my own.
I have been said to be in my family the one with the greatest chi pool at my age in Arc history. I can't help but feel inferior to her whenever I look at her. She is so strong she was born with her affinity.
I remember attending her first birthday when I was three, it was the first time seeing anything like her. She had these big beautiful white eyes that swayed the adults in attendance, her white hair was a shade lighter than her eyes and even lighter than her skin.
"Don't call me that, Arc." She said nonchalantly as is her demeanour as always. "The Creed must be in dire need if they are allowing you, of all people, to participate."
"Good morning Lord Katon and Lord Lotein."
Petal greeted us in her elegance, it is always refreshing to see someone so kind as her once in a while. Though the temperature was that of a normal summer morning, she was robbed in a warm coat. The same as Wynter, but unlike her it wasn't for aesthetics. It so she could stand next to the walking blizzard that is her cousin, her blonde hair covered her eyes. A shy and introverted but beautiful individual, the two cousins steal attention wherever they are together.
"Aww give me a hug Petal!" I went in for an embrace and she did the same with a beautiful smile. "And I remember telling you it is Katon or brother."
"Hello Petal." My brother's words were lazier than him. He too went in for a hug, his one was a little warmer than mine. He released some of his chi to warm up the area we were standing in but the moment he stopped the temperature dropped again.
"Good morning Lord Katon and Lotien Arc."
"Call me Katon," I said as I went to grab a hug from the guy, he tried to back away from me but that was to no avail. "And Lord Arc is my father."
"I'll keep that in mind, now could you put me down."
I did as he asked and refocused my attention on the Ice Princess.
"Why are you here, Wynter? A Lieutenant General's daughter should be gearing up to join the army."
"I could say the same about a General's heir." She quickly retorted.
"Hahaha! I told my father a long time ago that I would be an interim Fire Elemento, not a general."
"I'm sure there is some disappointment in Ignis, for the strongest Arc in history not to serve in the military."
"I'm not the strongest Arc in my family's history, well not yet. That would be my great Aunt Azalea."
"She too is not the strongest Greenery, that would be her elder brother who has been away on a mission. For what now?" My brother looked at Petal as he asked.
"Sixteen years, nine months and twenty-three days." Petal answered. She looked at her cousin's side frame and then returned to her diffident stature.
"What's your point?" Wynter asked coldly.
I forgot these two hate each other, I wonder what led to this resentment. They were once happy to be engaged to each other, now they don't even want to breathe tge same air.
"Nothing, except that you and Katon are in the same boat." He turned back to me. "Both of you have been chosen because of your great chi pools to aid the Creed against the venaliciums, who possess great 'Stamina' themselves." He drew closer to Wynter, I only watched as I wanted to see if my brother would start a fight. He is always too lazy to do that. "Let me guess, you're not here on volition."
"I could assume the same about the laziest human alive."
"At least I look alive."
"You mutt!" Ice Crystals and snow erupted from her face when she said that, Lotion simply ran his palm over her face and evaporated the ice and snow.
"Same old, same old." He said. "If you wish to survive here in the Creed Wynter, don't allow others to exploit your insecurity."
"What do you know of the Creed?" Khalulid asked.
"What you've probably been taught, but I know people and they will fear you as long as you stay as you are."
"Um where you guys told the reason as to why our families forced us to participate in this year's Creed exam?" Khalulid asked.
"Isn't obvious, they want to see the capability of the Terragon compared to their own children." Lotien voiced.
"Hmph, so you also know that the Terragon is participating." Wynter returned to her original position of crossing her arms. "It makes no difference to me, I will fight him at the end."
"How do you know that?" I asked.
"If he doesn't make it to the finals, then he is of no interest to me."
"I assume you're saying you'll make it to the finals, even if it means you'll have to fight me along the way."
"You are of no interest to me, puppies have no place in what I'm doing here." She looked as if there was something on her mind, something personal.
"Hey!! Wynter, Lotien, Petal!" A loud feminine voice shouted at the top of her lungs, I turned to the sight of Mayumi. She was dragging along her twin sister who as always is shy and hiding behind her, Maria Clara. Mayumi blitzed past me with her flash artem and she headed straight for Wynter. "Hello Wynter!" Mayumi said as she went in for a hug cladding herself in flash lightning to warm herself up. Steam erupted from the one sided hug of the tall slim girl and the petite pale victim. "Did you miss your big sis?"
"Greetings Lady Mayumi Sisory, please release me when you're done." Wynter said with a given up expression as if fighting her off would be waste of energy.
"Hey, you know I don't like it when you don't call me big sis. I'm not anything else to you… "
"Except no'ting." Wynter said quickly with her Aquarian accent (Slovic/Russian)
"Don't break my heart, now I won't let you go." She lifting Wynter off the ground, more steam erupted from them.
"Goo.., good morning Lady Wynter, Lady Viceroy and Lord Solwater. " She said with timidness but a firm grip on her sister's shoulder, the grip tightened until Wynter was placed on the ground.
"Good morning Clara, at least one of you has manners." Khalulid said. "I guess your theory about our parents pitting us against the Terragon might be true, General Sisory would never send these two here just for the fun of it. Not her, she reminds me of Wynter's mother."
My brother walked up to Clara and gave her hug which she reciprocated cheerfully. I've met these two on many occasion but I never noticed that my brother built a bond with one of the sisters
"Hello Clara! " She immediately fell behind my brother. "Good morning Alpha Jiāndi."
"Huh! Does something matter, why are you hiding behind my brother?"
"Because none of you boys are good, except Lotien." Mayumi interjected herself between me and her sister.
"How are you?" She turned to my brother grinning.
"I'm fine and you?"
"I was fine until I saw your brother."
"Yeah that happens to me when I'm dreaming only to be disturbed by his face." They embraced in front of me, Mayumi turned to me and her disgusted gaze connected with mine.
"Good morning Mayumi, how are you…."
She simply walked past me again and I turned to the direction she was heading too. She was walking to Lukachi, another flash artemer. Next to him was a kid that looked no older than 10 years, his eyes were covered with bandages.
"Good morning Lukachi, even you are here.".
"I assume for the same reasons as all of you." The blonde boy said nonchalantly. "And it is Lord or Prince Lukachi to you Lady Mayumi "
"Oh you know how I hate honorifics for people younger than me," She bent down to meet the gaze of the blinded boy. "Who might you be?" She asked the boy who immediately hid behind Lukachi.
"I'm afraid that is classified, now don't bother him." He said placing a hand on Mayumi's shoulder to push her back.
"It's a him? He has such a cute face though, definitely not related to you." She kept her eyes solely focused on the boy. "A Prodigy!"
A prodigy, he must be if they allow someone blinded to participate in the exams. What could be so special about him, his chi is peculiar. Something I've never felt before.
"He has evolved chi." My brother said, drawing the attention of everyone in the coliseum to look at him and then the boy.
This excited me, so I went closer for a better inspection. More people started flooding the area, most were familiar and others had good chi. I approached the boy and gave him a good sniff, he smelled like rain.
"What is your affinity, boy?"
"Hello as well Alpha Jiāndi, like I said to Mayumi, that is classified." He said as he got in between me and the kid.
"You are of no interest to me Lukachi, but that boy is a different story. Did you hear that the Terragon also has an evolve art?" I saw the kid's face light up as I mentioned the Terragon. "Ah, is that the reason why you are here kid, to fight someone of similar nature?"
"Get lost before I make you." Lukachi drew out his spirit weapon on his left hand which was a gauntlet.
"I'd like to see you try."
I said as I raised my chi, then a scent I have been waiting for appeared. It was the Terragon, the person whom most came here for. It is true, he is an evolved artemer. His chi was just as different and unique as the kid in front of me, he was in shackles and escorted by guards. He held out his hands to the guards accompanying him and was unshackled and left alone. Everyone just looked at him with disgust as he walked past them. Whispers and rumours began erupting in the arena, he just simply walked to his corner.
A flashport appeared before us, a Creed Captaineus and four other people appeared from it. One person stood out to me, his chi was exactly unique like Titen's and the boy behind Lukachi. The Captaineus pointed to Titen and said his goodbyes to his comrades, the boy walked over to Titen. His green hair was something a Terrian would not usually have, or anyone actually, and his scent was powerful. He smells like a morning in a rose garden with honey being aerated. He began conversing with Titen and chanted, creating a giant tree in the coliseum. Great Ark was what I heard as I approached the boys.
"Well I must say that is an impressive tree you creoid here."
"Creoid what is that?"
"You don't, you mean it isn't a creo.?"
"No, it's a tree."
"Well I can see that much, greetings my name is Katon Arc." I held out my hand.
"My name is Akiyon Koba, want to be my friend?" He asked me as he tried to grab my hand, every instinct in my body said run. So I withdrew my hand.
"What is that?" I asked.
"Oh sorry, I forget sometimes. Angola said not to touch anyone."
"Why is that?" Titen asked.
"The forest will smite whoever it deems bad to me, she said."
"Well in that case let us test this smiting." I grabbed the kid's hand and a green light enveloped me, it was warm. "Nothing happened to me."
"Well that must mean you're good."
"It must mean that indeed kid!" I laughed. "Lotien come shake this kid's hand."
My brother just ignored me, but kept his attention on the kid.
"Are we now friends?"
"Friends? No! We are brothers just like me and Lot."
"I've never had a brother before."
"I'm glad to be your first, what do you say Terragon?! Want to be my brother as well?"
"No, I'm fine being an only child."
"Hahaha! I wouldn't know how to live with myself! My brother is my world."
"You're embarrassing me." Lot came from behind me to take a distant yet close look at the kid. I don't blame him though, these kids' chis are so unique it might induce our instincts. When that happens we go berserk and fight the strongest chi in the area, regardless of who they are.
"Cmon Omega don't you feel the same way also?"
"You want to be my friend omega or is it Lot?"
"Lotien is fine Great Ark Guardian"
"Well Terragon it's a pleasure to meet you at last." I turned to him in his corner.
"The pleasure is all mine. Was it Katon right?"
"Yes, the Alpha Jiāndi of the Arcs."
"I'm sure you can't wait to be just called the Alpha?"
"I dread that day."
"But it will be soon, the last time I saw the General he wasn't at his peak." The look on this guy's face was normal yet I could smell the resentment in his bones, not at me nor anyone in this arena. Amusing since everyone here hates his guts yet they don't even know or acknowledge him. Father said it right, a soul carrying so much hate will never save the world. No matter what you promise it, how long before he isn't satisfied with just killing his father. "I'm sorry to offend, I meant no harm Jiāndi."
That apology is as fake as the smile that came with it.
"It's the curse of the bloodline, so no need to apologise. We Arcs live everyday like it's our last, that is the Arc way."
"Excuse me!" Melu announced, he is a noble from the house Danjuka of Terra. A high noble I have met on several occasions, I searched with my eyes for his cousin. I found her standing alone observing us, she smiled at me when our eyes met. "Are you really the Great Ark Guardian?" The boy asked.
"Yes." Akiyon answered.
Melu bowed before him and other Terrians did the same, so did Lotion behind me. I took a step back and headed straight to her, Manada. The Terrian girl stood alone in her corner, not a very special person was the signal she was sending. Her long brown dreads were the first thing that caught my eye, but her deep dark shiny skin was her beauty mark. She must be here with Melu, I'm sure she could care less about the exams or the Terragon.
"Well if it isn't the Alpha!"
"If it isn't Lady Danu."
"What brings you of all people here, shouldn't you be in the army? Thought the Creed was for lower puppies."
"How funny, you know why."
"Is it the Terragon or the holy child next to him, maybe it's the blind boy over there next to Prince Serious All The Time."
"I'm afraid, I'm not here for them but it is good to have options."
"Ah! You're here to settle the score." She uncrossed her arms and crept closer to me, smirking. "You can't beat a god's blessing."
"A god's blessing huh, my entire bloodline is a blessing to man and I'll show you." My reponse only incited a bigger grin from her
"I can't wait to see."
I turned and walked over to my brother who was just looking at Titen and Akiyon converse in a different part of the arena. I felt it, his massive divine chi approaching us. Everyone's heads also turned to the source as it entered, Felixstowe Everest, crown prince of Lux. I approached him and of course my brother followed. Probably to converse with the two extras he came with, it seems he is quite social today. Out of nowhere I sensed an even stronger chi above me, I looked at the source immediately on its podium. It seems the morning has finally began, the orange sun rose behind the semi-god.
"Welcome warriors to the 653 Creed acceptance exam, my name is Justice." The brown skin shirtless semi-god voiced.
The thought that was going through my head was how strong do I need to be to beat this guy? At my current strength I know for certain that I'm no match for him. He rhythmically talked but I don't usually listen well. I heard forest, two days and no killing. Nor to worry, that's why I have my brother here with me, I looked at his nonchalant face with a smile. He was staring at something else entirely, I looked at the direction he was staring in.
He was looking at the prince of Lux in a manner I understood dearly. Every instinct in my body was telling me the same thing, fight him! His aura was bright and majestic, one ever though holier than the god standing before me. A human born with divine energy, an anomaly my instincts and that of my brother just can't ignore. My time with him will come, Alpha said my objective in this exam is to defeat the Terragon but I can add one more assignment. The number twelve was on everyone's lips, that brought me out of my daydream.
"No rules, just no killing." That was pleasant news to my ears, I disdain killing potential.
"Trust no one, fight with your partner and don't lose to anyone, your warrior pride won't stand for it. The annual Creed exam begins now!! Crude Oil Artem: Krude Placement. "
Lord Justice bowed to us on his podium as his artem of pitch black oil covered our every being. When I came to, I opened my eyes to the topside of trees. I was falling and next to me was my brother, he was chanting and magma erupted from the ground. We both landed in the pool of molten rock, and I quickly stood out of the pool. The hot liquid destroyed everything within its vicinity, no plant or soil could withstand the heat. Our clothes are specially made to withstand the heat our chi emits so lava just dropped off our fabric.
"Hey Lot, why didn't you increase the heat!?" I asked because the heat of the lava was a little bit cold. My brother as he was about to answer me turned away from me and bent over to vomit profusely. I walked closer to him in the cooling down magma pool, coughing followed. With every cough I could see the magma losing heat, turning to black stone. I know the signs, I've seen it so many times before. My mother, my best friend and my father lost heat in their artems, the curse of my clan. Our power is unrivalled but like a great fire, we will eventually burn up our fuel. The fire loses heat, light and eventually extinguishes. I began emitting chi to heat up the cooling pool and walked to my brother's side "Are you alright?" My brother looked at me and then showed me his hand. There was blood on it. "How long ago did it start?"
"Six moons (months) ago, but don't worry. Elder Trinity said it's common amongst first gen mixed bloods."
"Will it pass?"
"After a Solace (year) she said if it doesn't subside by then, then she will take my case seriously."
"She should be taking it seriously now, if something were to happen to me our clan would need you at full strength"
"I'm fine!" My brother shouted in anger. "It's what's in the air that causing me to react so badly. "
"What are you talking about?" At that moment I saw what Lot was pointing out, there were these unusual orange particles in the air. I sensed chi emanating from them, which means it was someone's artem.
"Could it be one of the contestants?"
"I doubt it, we just got here. Whoever did this had time." My brother said with a worried expression. "I can't sense him, do you?"
"Who!?"
"The Terragon." He looked at me as he said the name, I immediately closed my eyes to focus on sensing him. My sensory was at seven a little higher than my brother's six and even with our difference I couldn't sense Titan or Akiyon.
"I also can't find him, I can sense everyone else except those two."
"Then it must be true, father was right."
"What did the Alpha say to you?" I asked curious as to what my brother was told, I wondered if it was something similar to me.
"They may try to take him back to metalum, my mission is to prevent that."
"You mean our mission."
"No! Did father tell you that?"
"No, he just told me to win,"
"So that's your job, also father would never trust a muscle head like you with something so important."
"What are you saying to me!"
"What you already know."
"Fine I now see where the Alpha's favouritism lies." As said this my brother walked off.
"Hey! wait for me."
We manoeuvred our way in the forest, both of us following the clashing of chis. As I looked around I noticed that this forest was lamented in chi. My brother broke a crystal of the bark of the many trees with crystals
"Would you look at that, trees growing elementium? This place does have a lot of chi but I've never seen chi exposure, do this to trees."
"I'm impressed myself, the halls of Maximiliano were more grander than when we went there as children." I said as I observed the other trees with crystals.
"Idiot, let's get moving."
"Who are you calling an idiot?"
"We only need to find one trinket and then the boys."
"I know that."
"Then stop slowing me down, we don't have time for both."
"I said I know that!"
"I doubt that for some reason."
"Who's the elder brother here?"
"I wish you acted as such."
Anger is also a sign that his condition is really getting bad, but he is right we only have enough time to do so much in this competition. We headed in the direction of chis clashing, the light was blinding when we exiting the shading of the trees. Two guys were fighting in the open field that was dishevelled by earth artems and dust.
One was a dark skin Terrian using earth artems and the other guy was a Ventusian a little older than me. He was using smoke creos, in his hand was a shield and spear made entirely from smoke. Behind him was a young woman who was frozen in place and the same could be said about the other Terrian guy. My brother crept towards the darkskin statue, he waved his hand in the face of the guy. He turned his head towards and shook his head, indicating that the guy wasn't conscious. I couldn't care less about the immobilised, my attention was on the fighting warriors. The sound of rocks clashing with solid gas was epic, it sounded like iron against ice. I crept closer to the battle field, the Ventusian fought hard to protect the girl behind his shield.
"Get out of my way, that girl murdered my family!" the Terrian shouted at the defender of the unconscious smiling girl. "Earth Art: Sinking Terrain."
The ground began vibrating until a rhythmic pattern was formed, the ground began losing structure. The breaking particles of dirt began converging on one point and everything carried by the dirt joined the movement.
"You bastard, how many times must I tell you. She couldn't have harmed your family, this is her first time leaving Ventus!" He took his spear and threw it against the Terrian, which was easily dodged. "Swing forth and back, Incensicar!" His spirit weapon began to materialise out of thin air and into his hand, it was a thurible emitting smoke. His eyes finally connected with mine and then he grabbed the girl he came with and placed her on his shoulder. He opened the tool used in temple sermons by the priest. "Smoke Creo: Nahas!"
He chanted then blew the inner metal part of thurible and a large amount of smoke flooded the area instantly. I couldn't make out what it was until I saw it's red eyes in the smoke.
"A serpent!" I shouted in amusement, for the first time in my life I could say I was surprised. I had never seen anyone creo a living animal, I thought only Divinusses could do that. I don't think it is a spirit beast, there would be hints of elementium on it in some parts.
"I see you're itching for a fight, kid." He turned to me. "You can have this one." After saying that he disappeared in a smoke cloud.
"Why would you end up leaving if you know I'm looking for a fight?"
The ground was still sinking and the vibration dispersed the cloud, his attempt to hold them here failed. I activated my chi and some of it escaped my body in the form of fire, hopefully I was visible to the boy. The vibration stopped and earth flew my way, I simply dodged the fast approaching object.
"You killed my family!" The Terrain shouted at me from the height he jumped and landed where I stood with an axehammer. I managed to dodge the opponent whose skin had turned to stone, a strike from him could be damaging.
"Earth body, huh! I hope it can take the heat."
"I don't want to talk to a murderer."
Even though I have travelled the world, I have never committed something so vile. This must be the effect of the dust in the air, some can't move and for others it must induce trauma. I sense no malice directed at me even though he is striking me with his fists. I thwarted the first flurry of kicks beneath the belt and struck back with my fists in flames. The heat and power did nothing to the skin, I guess I can't hold back.
"Fire Art: Hell Wave." Fire erupted from my left palm, the flames pushed my attacker backwards. In the flames you could hear him grunting and then I could hear his footsteps approaching. "I guess holding back isn't an option for me."
I used my right palm as well and the grunting turned to screaming as I pushed him back with my fire. I walked him down as I was burning away at his armoured skin, I halted when the screaming subsided. He was steaming and unconscious on the ground, I listened for a pulse as confirmation. I didn't kill him to my relief.
"Is he alright?" My brother asked from a distance, he had placed the unconscious boy on the ground.
"He's asleep."
"Okay." He said so as he walked off, I carried the guy I knocked out and placed him next to his comrade. "I found one."
"Found what?" I turned to my brother holding some jewellery in one hand. "Is that what we are looking for here?"
"Yes, now we just need to find the Terragon." This made us ponder for a minute.
"Maybe the enemy is masking his chi with that of someone else."
"So what do you suggest? We check everyone else to make sure it's them."
"I guess we are splitting apart." I said with a smile.
"Fine, just don't over do it." He waved goodbye to me and he ran in the opposite direction.
Hours passed and night had taken over the sky, still I couldn't find the Terragon. The forest is really large but also my theory that his chi was masked with someone else's is false. Everyone I met matched their chi signals and scents I memorised in the coliseum, even Wynter can't find him. Her sensory is at eight, how disappointing I really wanted to fight him first. My theory on the dust was correct, everyone I met was affected by the dust in some manner. Some were daydreaming statues, others were just violent and many more were just hallucinating.
There were those who were unaffected by the dust such as myself, omega and that smoke guy. I really want to fight him, Wynter and Petal weren't affected as well. It might be a physicality that prevents the dust from messing with our head, but Petal and Smoky are normal people. Then it must be the strength of one's chi that discerning factor, all those affected weren't that impressive in my opinion. Omega must have quickly discerned this when we fell here, he's not as strong as he usually is. That explains his temper, really out of character for him.
As I walked alone underneath the stars with the clicking of jewellery I adorned and night sounds that accompanied me, I was getting frustrated. "I have to find Lot, I'm sure he has found a solution." I thought outloud. "I wonder what he will say about all the trinkets I recovered?"
I simply fought the guys I met, of course those that could still fight and now I littered in trinkets. Four if I'm being honest, but they belonged to strong opponents before I liberated them.
"I'm hungry." I said as my stomach started its dance.
Bustling in the grass knocked the hunger out of my mind, a snake appeared from the greenery. A strange kind of snake, one I have never seen before in my life. I went to pick up the wooden creature looking at me.
"Akiyon needs your help." It spoke to my surprise, I touched its backside, feeling the scales made from wood. I have seen weirder things today in this forest so a talking wooden snake won't take the cake for me.
"Point me in his direction." I said to the serpent.