Hael finally found himself at the training grounds and was surprised that a group of young men dressed in their training uniforms was already occupying them.
It looked like they were beginning to perform drills, and the instructor ordered them to pair off into groups.
The boys eagerly chose their partners and got started right away. From the corner, Hael recognized the young boy he had seen last time—Atilla, who looked around the group, but no one wished to approach him.
Hael frowned as he saw a group of three boys sneer at him before walking off. Atilla was left alone, and the instructor didn't seem to care that the group was openly ostracizing him.
The obvious hostility toward the boy didn't sit well with Hael, so he approached the instructor. "It looks like that boy doesn't have a partner," he said.
The instructor glanced at Atilla and shrugged.
"Not surprised. He's a foreigner from barbaric origins, and most people here don't treat them very nicely. It also doesn't help that he used to live in the Nahatian region, a Kingdom that is on bad terms with Trojas." He casually said until he looked up at Hael, and his eyes widened.
"Uh, Sir, Hael! I apologize; I didn't realize you were the one I was—I'm very sorry." He stammered.
Hael dismissed him. "It's fine. If he doesn't have a partner, you don't mind if I work with him, do you? It would be a shame if the child couldn't participate in the exercise because of this." He said.
The instructor profusely nodded his head. "I-It's fine; be my guest," Hael nodded before approaching the young boy.
Atilla looked up and was shocked to see Hael. "S-Sir Hael, what are you doing here?"
Hael smiled lightly. "If you don't mind, I will be your partner for this exercise."
The boy shook his head. "Not at all; it would be an honor."
The two found a spot away from the others and began the drill.
Whispers erupted in the grounds as the children watched with wide eyes. The ultimate warrior, now the King's guard, was there, and he was Atilla's partner.
They watched with jealousy and awe as the two exchanged blows.
Once they completed the drill, Atilla thanked the man and watched him leave.
One of the boys approached Atilla, his eyes filled with disdain. "How does a nobody like you get to associate yourself with the ultimate warrior?" He sneered.
Atilla barely acknowledged their presence as he put away his equipment, ready to leave the training grounds.
The boys were jealous of Atilla and took out their shortcomings on him because they knew he wouldn't talk back to them. The boy was clever and quite perceptive for his age. He knew the trouble awaiting him if he decided to speak out now. His mother always used to tell him that it was often those who were silent that were in control. So, he chose to stay quiet for now, thinking it was the wise thing to do.
However, his silence, which the child mistook as Atilla ignoring him, only seemed to anger him.
"Ha! The nerve of him. Coming here on our lands, thinking he can do whatever he wants."
Atilla once again paid no mind to his words and walked off. This was nothing new to the boy. From the moment he arrived at the palace, he would receive strange looks from others. It didn't help that he stood out, too. His alabaster skin was different from everyone else, and the light colour of his eyes. He stood out like a sore thumb, and despite wanting to fight back against his tormentors, he kept his anger hidden. He wasn't in a position to make waves right now, and neither did he want to stick out any more than he already did.
He knew very well that he was above everyone else, and his skills were leagues above the rest of his peers. All he needed to do was pass his exam and graduate from trainee to knight. He still had two more years and was willing to wait those years.
He then thought back to the exchange he had with Hael earlier. A smile took over his face.
"Well, things aren't so bad either. It's nice to have someone not avoid me like the plague."
*
Georgio, Aigeus, and Boris woke up from their deep slumber and found themselves in the medical center, surrounded by hospital beds and other such items.
The huntsmen were located in the general care ward, which was kept separate from the others. The hospitals in Trojas were divided into different wards, each catering to different types of ailments. Wards for surgical cases or infectious diseases were located further away from general care so they knew where they were.
The men were disoriented for a moment, confused about why they were there when suddenly, a memory came to their minds simultaneously. They recalled their fight with a mysterious beast in the forest and how they barely made it out of there alive.
They exchanged glances, a silent understanding passing between them. The door to the medical ward creaked open, and vice-captain Laurel entered.
"Well, I see you boys have finally woken up. We were worried you'd be in your comas indefinitely." He said, his tone serious.
"C-Coma?" Boris said weakly.
"How long have we been out?" Georgio asked.
"Did we miss the Novas Festival?" Aigeus wailed, earning strange looks from the four three other men.
"What? I was looking forward to it!" He defended.
Laurel sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Even after waking up after two weeks, you still manage to be an idiot." He muttered.
Their eyes widened when they heard this.
"Two weeks?! That's how long we've been out?!"
"Please say that's not true?"
"I don't remember being that badly injured."
They protested at the same time.
Laurel was starting to lose his patience. How could these three still have this much energy?
"Will you all be quiet?!" He shouted, making the three go mute.
They had forgotten how terrifying Laurel can be when angered. "Everything will be explained to you after you get out of the medical center. For now, you should all be happy to be alive," the vice-captain said.
The three glanced at each other before nodding. "Get some rest. I'll come back tomorrow to brief you all on the situation." With that, he left.
The three men were left alone, unable to process what they had just heard.
Georgio, still bewildered, voiced their shared disbelief. 'Did we really remain unconscious for fourteen days? How is that even possible? How powerful was that beast?' he wondered.
Aigeus sighed. "Better this than being dead."
"I guess you're right. I hope the guild ended up taking care of everything."
Aigeus took a sip of the water near his bed. "I'm sure they did. I just hope we never have to see that manbeast again."
At the same time, that "manbeast" found himself in a rather precarious situation.