《Proem》 Coming Soon... Proem will be coming to Royal Road on OCTOBER 3rd, 2024! Summary: ZEKIAH (Z) AKOLcan''t escape his past. It haunts him in every step he takes, every memory he dreams, and every glimpse he gets ofhim- Icarus.No matter how fast he runs, the screams of his family and the blood on his hands follow him closely, reminding him of his sins. Trying to leave the past behind is futile, so he brings it with him as he moves forward. He has a plan. He''s going to find the tyrant that destroyed everything he''d ever loved and slit her throat on the very thing she loved: her throne. After all, revenge is the only way to quiet the ghosts, right? The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. But thenIcarusjumps back into his life and refuses to leave him alone, making all sorts of unneeded and unwanted feelings mess up his plans. Z tells himself to get back on track and avenge his blood, but maybe what he really needs isn''t revenge, but relief.Heoffers him a hand, but will Z take it? Can he, after all he has done? In this spellbinding tale full of magic, vengeance, and healing, Proem illuminates the human need for unconditional love and support.
Want to support the author or just can''t wait? Proem is currently available for purchase on Amazon in Paperback, Hardcover, and Kindle EBook. Link:https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0D8X87Y1V Update Schedule Proem is finally here and will update every Saturday at around 10PM CDT! Updates are regular and will begin this Saturday, October 5th! Summary: ZEKIAH (Z) AKOL can''t escape his past. It haunts him in every step he takes, every memory he dreams, and every glimpse he gets of him- Icarus. No matter how fast he runs, the screams of his family and the blood on his hands follow him closely, reminding him of his sins. Trying to leave the past behind is futile, so he brings it with him as he moves forward. He has a plan. He''s going to find the tyrant that destroyed everything he''d ever loved and slit her throat on the very thing she loved: her throne. After all, revenge is the only way to quiet the ghosts, right? Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. But then Icarus jumps back into his life and refuses to leave him alone, making all sorts of unneeded and unwanted feelings mess up his plans. Z tells himself to get back on track and avenge his blood, but maybe what he really needs isn''t revenge, but relief. He offers him a hand, but will Z take it? Can he, after all he has done? In this spellbinding tale full of magic, vengeance, and healing, Proem illuminates the human need for unconditional love and support. Want to support the author or just can''t wait? Proem is currently available for purchase on Amazon in Paperback, Hardcover, and Kindle EBook. Link: https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0D8X87Y1V Pre-Matter Copyright ? 2024 by Alika Josh All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission. This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author¡¯s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental. Alika Josh asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work. Alika Josh has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party Internet Websites referred to in this publication and does not guarantee that any content on such Websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate. No use of AI or any other sort of artificial intelligence was used in the Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.creation of this publication. The author, Alika K. Josh, created all the art and words found within this work. First edition This book is part of a greater effort to improve literacy rates in Texas and to help schoolchildren all over with their academic pursuits. All profits from this book will be donated to Literacy In Action Corp., a nonprofit dedicated to helping students all over Texas via free, personalized tutoring sessions in various available courses. To learn more, please visit literacyinaction.org or email [email protected]. To all of the young writers out there like me who dream of becoming a published author, I have a message for you. It doesn¡¯t matter if you never become famous or never end up pursuing writing as a full-time career. What matters is that you made a piece of art out of carvings of your own heart and that you¡¯re brave enough to share it with the world. So please, keep on writing. I dedicate this book to you. The Holy Scriptures of Isela Humans didn¡¯t exist. Not in the beginning. Instead, creatures of myriad forms roamed the earth, creating a delicate dance of predator and prey.
Growing weary of these brutish beings, the five Gods united to create humankind in their divine image. This extraordinary new race was endowed with free will by the breath of the wind, wisdom by the murmurs of the streams, steadfast morals by the wishes of living beings, and passionate hearts by the flames¡¯ fervor.
Yet, despite their superiority in every other way, the humans were still physically weak. The twin deities born of fire were infuriated by the ease with which their children succumbed to illness and cowered in fear before predators.
¡°How could a species crafted in the image of the Gods be so easily felled by sickness and brute-minded beasts?¡± they cried out in their indignation. The other Gods murmured amongst themselves, and the embodiment of the rivers, streams, and oceans stepped forth with grace. They offered a proposition. ¡°Why not endow humanity with the divine powers of the Gods?¡±
The voices of the Gods buzzed with excitement at the suggestion. A vote was held, and it was agreed. Humanity would be granted the ability to harness the elements of the Gods. Yet, a question lingered: how would these powers be distributed? This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Arion, the Deity of Water, spoke first. They declared that their element would be gifted only to those born with innate talent, the Wals. The God of Air, Liraz, was reluctant to part with his element. He decreed that only those destined for grand fates could be called Aery. Orion, the God of Earth, chose to bestow his gifts upon those of pure heart or mind, creating the Tipu and Tanah. However, many humans lacked exceptional talent, pure hearts, or grand destinies. To maintain balance, Sorrel and Sora, the God and Goddess of Fire, graciously bestowed the element of fire upon the rest of humanity, establishing the Fiammes, the Flares, ¡­ and the Ashes. Thus, the five Gods stood tall and presented their gifts to humankind.
For many centuries, the human race flourished, forming splendid kingdoms and intricate societies, triumphing over the beasts that once ruled the earth. Peace prevailed among the mortal creatures for many generations. Yet as time passed, greed took root in the hearts of men.
Once bountiful forests became barren land, destroyed by the people who exploited them for money. Plague was no longer the deadliest disease, as war had spread to the hearts of humans, driven by the slothful rulers and the avaricious soldiers. Growing irked by the unending cycle of battle and the predictable fools who starved for power, the God of Air vowed to raise a ruler who demonstrated true fitness for the crown. And so, he found a child destined for greatness and placed in her hands the gift of air.
Through her dreams, he guided her, teaching her to wield her powers with strength and kindness. He poured his divine love into her being, crafting a warrior who was born to lead. When the time came, she lent her strength to the whole of the people, vanquishing the tyrants and claiming her rightful place on the throne.
Thus, our benevolent Queen of Isela, Queen Collette, led us into an age of prosperity and peace, dedicating her life to the well-being of her people and- Z snapped the book shut, an ugly scowl disjointing his face. Gritting his teeth, he tossed the book behind him, landing it in a greasy puddle of water that soaked the pages gray. His scuffed sneakers shuffled forward while Z shifted the backpack strap on his shoulder with a frown. Walking through the flowery gates of his new school, only one thought lingered at the back of his mind. ¡°What a load of bullshit propaganda.¡± Chapter 1 Mother¡¯s screech ripped into the walls of the house, tearing the delicate wallpaper to shreds as she bounded across the hall. She gripped her skirt with white knuckles as she ran. ¡°WINI! WINI!¡± She screamed with her hoarse throat and flushed cheeks, abandoning all noble grace for the first time in her life. Her cheeks stretched impossibly wide and her dry lips tore, yet she still shrieked and continued to shriek until Father hurtled down the stairs. Upon seeing her husband, she collapsed to the floor and the tears she had been holding escaped from her, tainting the wooden ground. Father gently cupped her sullen cheeks with both hands, panic apparent in his weary eyes. ¡°My love? What ails you?¡± Mother grasped at those hands, eyes wide and pupils shrunken. ¡°Joseph! Joseph, where is she? Where is Wini?¡± Father gripped her tighter, a feeling of dread settling down in the cup of his intestines. ¡°Whatever do you mean? She resides in her room, safe and sound.¡± The news did not appease her. She wailed loudly, clutching Father¡¯s pants and bowing her head to the ground. The floor beneath her dress grew darker as her tears soaked into the wood. Father wrapped his arm around her waist, hoisting her upright. He held onto her firmly, gazing at her with disbelief. Mother nodded. She spoke in between unsightly sobs. ¡°The Queen¡­ she found out. Oh! Winifred! Wini! She must hide¡­ she must run!¡± Her words made Father¡¯s arms tremble. Pinching his face, he bellowed, ¡°Zekiah! Zekiah, show yourself at once!¡± He spoke with his usual authority, but Zekiah could hear the quiver in his voice. The ebony-haired child scurried down the stairs, taking in the scene before him with furrowed brows. ¡°Mother? Mother why-¡± Father interrupted him. ¡°Zekiah, grab your sister and do as we planned. Do you remember where-¡± A harsh, guttural groan escaped his mouth as his body began to jerk violently. Mother stumbled back as his grip on her faltered, staring at him with abject horror. A sharp buzzing sound filled the room along with a faint smell of smoke, but both were overwhelmed by the man¡¯s screams. Father¡¯s hair stood up straight like iron rods, but his body slowly teetered towards the floor. ¡°JOSEPH!¡± Mother cried out, catching her husband just before his head shattered onto the ground. Mother grasped at his cheeks desperately, her bright blue eyes causing her tears to frantically dart around her. It was no use, however, as Father lay cold on the wooden floor. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. His mouth hung open in unfinished speech, and his pristine clothes were slowly being chewed up by sparks of fire. Shocked, Zekiah looked up to see a burly man standing at the doorway with his arm outstretched. His eyes glowed red, and sparks of electricity danced on his skin. A dragon-like tattoo curled around his bicep and up his neck, the animal¡¯s mouth open wide on his throat, where a deep scar stood menacingly. The man sneered mockingly, glaring down at Mother with a threatening gaze. ¡°Lady Akol. I¡¯m sure you know why I¡¯m here. Give us the girl, and no harm will come to your son.¡± Mother stood quickly, cautiously stepping forward to shield Zekiah from the strange man. Her entire body shook as she spoke, her eyes trained on the man in front of her. ¡°Zekiah¡­ my love. Go do as your father said.¡± But Zekiah could not move. His pupils shrunk as they focused on his father¡¯s body, the sight of it making his feet grow roots and latch onto the wood. He dared not to pry his eyes away¡ª his lip quivered at the thought of it. However, Mother had no patience for him. She shoved him backward harshly, hoarsely repeating her previous command. Zekiah¡¯s legs buckled as he took his first step back, but they didn¡¯t on his second step, or his third, so he turned tail and ran up the stairs as fast as his legs could take him. The space behind him filled with blood-curdling screams, but he did not look back. He ran into Wini¡¯s room and grabbed her arm, dragging her through door after door after door. She came pliantly, eyes blown wide at the ugly sobs that deformed her brother¡¯s face. The screams of their mother once again filled the hall and Wini squeezed her eyes shut, letting Zekiah lead her wherever he wished to go. They were almost out the door. They could make it! Zekiah urgently twisted the handle of the steel door and pushed it open, stepping outside with a sigh of relief. But then there was a tug on Wini¡¯s arm and the two children were yanked back into the shelter of their beloved house. Zekiah¡¯s heart pounded as he looked behind him to see the head of an ink dragon aimed at his sister¡¯s throat. Wini kicked at the man behind them, yelping as his grip on her arm tightened. The man tugged once more and Zekiah¡¯s sister went flying out of his reach. ¡°NO!¡± Zekiah cried out. ¡°NO! WINI!¡± He stepped forward to grab her arm, her clothes, her hair, anything, anything, anything. Just please don¡¯t let him lose her too. He almost had her. A chestnut-colored hand cupped over Zekiah¡¯s mouth and pulled him away from Wini and into the darkness outside. ¡°Shhh¡­¡± A deep voice whispered into Zekiah¡¯s ear. ¡°Stay here. If I don¡¯t come back, run.¡± The man¡¯s warm hands left Zekiah as he stepped into that forsaken house. His snowy eyes grinned sadly at him before disappearing into the light. Zekiah covered his mouth, muffling his terror as he heard the sounds of buzzing and shifting fade into the pounding of fists on skin. Eventually, all the sounds went silent. Zekiah¡¯s eyes had adjusted to the dark now, but he still saw no movement inside or outside the house. He huddled in the bushes, pressing his knees to his chest. Zekiah then buried his head into his arms and allowed his sobs to rock his body back and forth. He had lost them all. Chapter 2 ¡°Oi, new kid!¡± A gruff voice snickered at a black-haired boy. Z jolted, the voice yanking him out of his thoughts. He squeezed his eyes shut, swallowing hard as he tried to push that stupid memory to the back of his mind. The boy grimaced in disappointment. Wallowing over events that transpired ten years ago was fruitless. He had expected better from himself. A sharp shoulder jabbed into the small of Z¡¯s back, making him stumble forward and forget about his previous worries. Anger bubbled up within him, but he chose to ignore the other boy, vouching instead to walk forward unblinkingly. The kid didn¡¯t take kindly to being ignored. ¡°Hey, shit face.¡± A firm tug on his collar sent Z keeling back. Without warning, a fugly face was pressed into his, and a foul stench made its way into his nose from the other boy¡¯s mouth. Z narrowed his eyes at him. The boy chuckled evilly. ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me, you brat.¡± He paused and then smirked at Z. ¡°I heard you were an Ash. Is it true?¡± Z didn¡¯t spare him a glance. He directed his blank stare towards the rotting ceiling above them. ¡°Your breath stinks,¡± he monotoned, dragging his eyes down to meet the other boy¡¯s gaze. Ugly Face scowled at Z, his eyes flashing with mirth. Sneering, he opened his mouth to retort. A short, chubby kid walked up behind him to discreetly sniff at his breath before pulling back abruptly as the other whipped around with a glare. Z rolled his eyes and turned away, intending to simply walk off. Just his luck. The boy from before grabbed the collar of his shirt again, this time with his fist reeling back for a punch. The last thing Z could register was greasy red hair before a blooming pain in his face stopped him in his tracks. Z¡¯s head whipped to the side from the force. He took a slow, shaky breath. A familiar anger bubbled up within him again, and he chuckled, slowly turning his head to finally get a good look at Ugly Face. Z cocked his head to the right, widening his eyes to adopt a crazed look. The boy from before looked taken aback. He stepped away from Z almost unconsciously. Z licked his lips at the taste of his emerging fear. ¡°You¡¯re a noble, yes? Of House Floa?¡± Despite his tenseness, Ugly Face managed to twist his lips into a sneer. ¡°I am. You should bow down, peasant.¡± He spat the last word out, droplets of saliva landing on Z¡¯s face. House Floa. He remembered that one. That day, Lady Floa had snickered behind a feathery blue fan. She had glanced impassively at them as if she were gazing down on insignificant bugs. Z smiled sweetly. Ugly Face saw nothing but a blur. Before he knew it, he was facing the ground as Z gripped the back of his neck tightly, using his other hand to yank fiercely at his hair. Z chuckled, ¡°Well Mister Floa, allow me to serve you like the peasant I am. Would you like some water?¡± Before the boy could respond, Z dragged him towards the nearest bathroom by the hair on his head. Ugly Face flailed around in his grasp, but Z¡¯s gloved hands did not budge. Passersby stared in shock as the boy cried for help. None were brave enough to step in. Z kicked open the stall of the closest restroom, ignoring the girls¡¯ shrieks of surprise. He let go of Ugly Face¡¯s hair, pressing down on his nape and shoving his face into the toilet bowl. The water in the bowl filled with bubbles as the boy struggled to breathe. The water muffled his yells, so he kicked out his arms and legs, grabbing at Z desperately. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Z lifted his head by his hair, smiling madly as Ugly Face gasped for air. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sire? Water not up to your standard? Here, let me get you some more.¡± He dunked the boy¡¯s head back into the toilet, holding him down as he flailed about. The girls in the restroom stood in shock as Ugly Face¡¯s thrashing slowed to a stop. Z sighed, pulling him out of the toilet and dropping him onto the tile floor. He turned around to face the girls, who immediately huddled up in the corner furthest from him. Z scoffed, casually stepping over the dripping body and making his way to the sink. He spoke suddenly, making the girls jolt. ¡°You should give him CPR if you want him to live.¡± The girls scrambled towards Ugly Face worriedly, maintaining a safe distance from Z. Z silently turned on the tap, staring blankly at his hands as he rinsed off the toilet water that had splattered onto his black gloves. He had done it again. The rumors spread like wildfire. ¡°Did you know? He¡¯s been expelled from 4 schools already for murder.¡± ¡°I heard the kids at his old schools called him the Noble Slayer because he only targeted nobles.¡± ¡°I heard he¡¯s an Ash! An Ash! How does he even defeat nobles?¡± ¡°Apparently their powers were useless on him.¡± ¡°No way. He¡¯s a monster.¡± ¡°Shut up! Here he comes.¡± Being feared was a bittersweet feeling. Yet as Z walked down the halls of his new school, a sense of pride and relief filled him. The way they whispered was almost nostalgic. After all, they sounded just like their parents did. This time, however, their words were full of fear, not ridicule. Z hummed, and the bitter monster inside him was appeased. ¡°Hey! Are you Zekiah?¡± A silvery voice rang out in the hall. Z turned around, shooting a glare at the figure who called out to him. A blonde boy just a little taller than him stood at the end of the hall with furrowed brows. His icy blue eyes sized Z up warily. Z¡¯s lips parted as he recognized him. Who wouldn¡¯t? He was the prince of the Floa House and, of course, the son of Lady Floa. Aalto Floa was a prodigy. By the young age of 14, he had already mastered the art of controlling his element. As he grew, his skills only got better and better. His unique ability to alter the pH of the water molecules he controlled allowed him and his House to rise and become one of the strongest noble families in Isela. Now seventeen, his water could disintegrate bone. At least, that¡¯s what Z¡¯s sources told him. Z sighed. ¡°Prince Floa. What can I do for you today?¡± Aalto stepped forward confidently. He scowled as he said, ¡°I¡¯m sure you know why I¡¯m here. You attempted to murder a noble from my House.¡± Z scoffed, crossing his arms and glaring murderously at the boy in front of him. Somewhat taken aback by Z¡¯s blatant killing intent, Aalto tensed up with narrowed eyes. Noticing Aalto¡¯s unease, Z sighed. He closed his eyes, reeling back the pure hatred he held towards Aalto and his family. ¡°Attempted murder is a bit excessive, no? I thought all members of House Floa adored water. I was just trying to give him what he wanted.¡± Aalto gritted his teeth. ¡°Are you insane? You almost drowned him.¡± Z raised an eyebrow at him, making Aalto flinch back. The blonde boy sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. ¡°Listen, Zekiah-¡± ¡°Z,¡± Z interrupted. ¡°I go by Z.¡± Aalto shot him a curious look before continuing, ¡°Okay, Z.¡± He crossed his arms. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of vendetta you have against the nobles, but this kind of violence is unacceptable and-¡± Z snorted, interrupting him once again. The noble glared at him, a muscle twitching in his left eye. ¡°You have a penchant for disrespect, I see.¡± The boy smiled sweetly at him, but Aalto could see the disdain in his eyes. ¡°Only for hypocritical fuckers such as yourself.¡± Audible gasps sounded out among the growing crowd. Aalto¡¯s face grew ever so slightly red. He pressed his lips into a straight line and clenched his fists while glaring at Z. The shorter boy raised his eyebrows at him, beckoning him to continue with his eyes. Aalto seethed, the muscles in his body tensing as he attempted to stay calm. ¡°I am trying to have a civil conversation with you.¡± Z shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not stopping you. Go ahead.¡± Aalto opened his mouth to retort but decided against it. He turned on his heel, his arms tensed into straight rods as he stormed away. Z huffed in disbelief. Turns out the nobles were cowards too. Who would¡¯ve guessed? As the coward stormed away, Z could feel a familiar pair of eyes watching him. An unsettling feeling washed over him, and he turned around slowly to see a boy with familiar white hair and caramel, milky skin staring pensively at him. Icarus. Z averted his gaze, biting down hard on his lip. What in the hell was he doing here? Whatever it was, Z didn¡¯t want to stick around and find out. Being around him for too long would dredge up painful memories that could only serve to hinder all the progress he¡¯d made. He couldn¡¯t afford that. Not when he was so close. But he could still feel Icarus¡¯s eyes on his back and he couldn¡¯t help but glance back for one more look. It had been so long. He was taller than Z now, and his hair was longer, with a style that cropped it at his shoulders. As Z looked into his eyes, he was struck by the pain inside them. Pain that he had caused. A vibrant bell rang through the air, breaking the trance. The crowd parted as students started scrambling to get to class on time, obscuring Z¡¯s view. By the time the halls were empty enough for him to see, Icarus was gone. Z gritted his teeth. Don¡¯t get distracted, Z. You¡¯re here for a reason. Don¡¯t forget it. Chapter 3 Most kids got their gifts by the age of ten. Z was no different in that respect. Back then, he lived with a group of 20 or so kids just like him, all from families of fallen nobles. As the days went by, they had all anxiously waited for their element. On his birthday, the others gathered around him, all of them excited about a new gift in the family. The entire day, at least one person was glued by his side. Usually, it was Icarus, looking up at Zekiah with anticipation in his eyes. The two of them laughed together as the younger kids tripped over their feet trying to crowd around his bed whenever he fell asleep. Finally, the moment came. That night, Zekiah found himself in a long, narrow tunnel. The boy frowned, squinting his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting. He ran his hand along the wall, surprised to find little chunks of dirt fall into the palm of his hand. He was underground. Shit. A feeling of unease slithered through his body as he walked forward. His dread grew by the second. Sure enough, the narrow dirt passage he was in bled into a large opening where the walls turned into solid rock. Around a hundred or so kids gathered around him, all of them looking as disappointed as he felt. Zekiah took a deep breath. It was fine. There was still a chance he would be a Fiamme. Or a Flare. After all, being the majority wasn¡¯t too bad. He would fit in easily. He would be normal. Right? The children were herded into a straight line near the front of the room by two ghoulish creatures. Zekiah shuddered at the sight of them. They had no mouth, just wrinkly skin that stretched out along their jawbone and nose. Their limbs were long and bony, and they had had no eyes, only empty holes. Instead of ears, two long tusks protruded from the side of their heads, as if penetrating their skulls. Zekiah jumped back when one of the creatures pulled the huge tusk out of its head, using it to poke at one of the children who wouldn¡¯t get in line. The poor girl screamed. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Zekiah couldn¡¯t move. He was petrified in place. For some reason, he had the feeling that something bad would happen the moment he stepped out of the stone room. It was almost empty now, except for a few kids huddled at the front. The creatures gestured for him to come, and his feet moved against his will as his stomach rose in his chest. He approached the one who called, whose eye sockets stared at him inquisitively. Zekiah gulped, immediately aligning himself with the kid in front of him, a cute-looking girl with bouncy curls in pigtails. She grinned at him, but Zekiah averted his gaze. They both stepped forward and the next thing he knew, the girl in front of him was swallowed by darkness. He gasped, alarmed, and tried to step back, but a stringy hand placed on his back pushed him forward into the shadows. To his surprise, he emerged in a silver temple with torches dominating the walls. A gold-crested throne stood at the far end of the circular room with a bright figure posed elegantly on it. An armadillo rested on the arm of the throne, curled up into a little ball as the figure stroked it lovingly. Zekiah looked around to see nine other kids in the room with him. They each wore matching expressions of doubt. One brave little soul confronted the figure. His squeaky voice rang out in the room as he said, ¡°I thought the Gods didn¡¯t grant the gifts themselves. Don¡¯t you have someone else to do this for you?¡± The figure grinned, leaning forward in his chair. His hand abandoned the armadillo to rest on his knee. ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you a brave one?¡± his voice boomed across the room. ¡°What if I wasn¡¯t a God? You could¡¯ve had both of us killed for insinuating I was Sorrel.¡± The kid raised his chin proudly. ¡°It¡¯s obvious. Anyone would recognize you at first glance. You stand out even when there is no crowd.¡± The figure¡ª Sorrel¡ª laughed heartily. ¡°I appreciate the flattery, but it won¡¯t get you anywhere.¡± He sighed. ¡°I almost feel bad for you guys.¡± A girl spoke up this time, her curls swishing back and forth as she voiced the anxiousness Zekiah was sure they all felt. Zekiah recognized her to be the same one he had encountered before stumbling into the darkness. ¡°Why?¡± she squeaked. The God of Fire grinned. ¡°Why don¡¯t you check the time, love?¡± A clock made of shiny steel engraved with imprints of torches suddenly materialized on the wall above Sorrel¡¯s head. The hands pointed to 11:58 PM. The cursed hour. Zekiah threw up. Chapter 4 Z licked his lips, nonchalantly tasting the blood that stained them. A pile of snot-nosed nobles lay in a pile on the ground, meticulously stacked on top of each other. They all seemed to think that they could beat him. After all, despite his physical strength, he was still an Ash. His elemental capabilities were practically nonexistent. Well, Z didn¡¯t mind. He would always welcome the chance to put filthy nobles in their place. Z glanced down at his most recent victim, who lay on the ground with blood gushing out of his broken nose. He quietly nudged the boy¡¯s familiar face with his shoe, a small grin making its way onto his face. Z especially enjoyed beating down the children of the filthy nobles who¡¯d snickered at him in that room back then. ¡°ZEKIAH AKOL! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?¡± A familiar silvery voice ricocheted off the walls. Z sighed as the blonde boy approached. He raised an eyebrow at Aalto, speaking in a monotone, ¡°It¡¯s Z, Prince Floa.¡± Aalto scowled at him, spitting out, ¡°I¡¯ll call you by your name when you call me by mine.¡± His eyes dragged over to the pile of nobles lying on the bloody floor, wincing at the gory sight. Biting his lip worriedly, Aalto rushed over to the pile, pressing his index finger firmly under the chin of the noble at the top. Feeling a faint heartbeat, the boy let out a sigh of relief. Z hummed, casually wiping his bloody glove with a handkerchief he¡¯d swiped from one of his victims. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Prince. They¡¯re all alive¡­ I was just having a bit of fun.¡± Aalto seethed, whipping his head back to glare at Z. ¡°Fun? Fun? This is the eighth time just this month that you¡¯ve beaten innocent nobles half to death.¡± He jumped to his feet, shoving his face into Z¡¯s with a sneer. ¡°When will you have enough?¡± Z shoved at his chest, shooting him a dangerous look. ¡°Back off.¡± Aalto opened his mouth to retort, but Z beat him to the punch, scoffing. ¡°They all attacked me first. I was simply defending myself.¡± He raised an eyebrow at Aalto¡¯s disbelieving glare. ¡°What, did you expect me to let them have their way with me? Sit back and just take the beating like the other commoners do?¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Aalto couldn¡¯t respond. Instead, he pressed his lips into a thin line and stared at Z as if he were disappointed in a child. Z raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for a reply. He didn¡¯t get one. Aalto turned away from him and called out to a white-haired boy with caramel skin. ¡°Icarus. Please, carry the injured to the infirmary.¡± Z watched Icarus as his white eyes bled into a glowing green. Thick vines protruded from the ground, wrapping around the injured to immerse them in a small cocoon. The cocoons filled with students sank back into the ground, a faint rumbling sound echoing through the halls as they moved through the underground tunnels. Z turned away. He had to. Every time he saw that green glow, every time he saw him, he was reminded of House Phyllis and his old home. To the populous, little to nothing was known about House Phyllis. Other noble families outright refused to even mention their names when asked. Public knowledge was limited to the fact that they conceived a long line of powerful Tipu and that they all shared the same striking features of white on white. Z, however, knew the House almost intimately. For seven years, he lived there. And he remembered each and every one of them with striking clarity. Thinking about them made his heart shrink in a feeling he couldn¡¯t quite name. Stop thinking about it. Z clenched his fists, keeping his gaze trained on the blood-soaked tiles. ¡°If that¡¯s all, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± The boy looked up to see Aalto dissecting him with his gaze. He raised an eyebrow at the Wai. Aalto hummed with a worried tilt to his brow. ¡°Are you planning on attending the Queen¡¯s Guard examinations?¡± Z pursed his lips in contemplation. Ah, yes. The Queen¡¯s Guard. Those bastards. A group of royal knights who made up the army of the Queen, they were revered for their intellect, strength, and bravery. Upon turning 18, each citizen is given one shot to take the entry exams. It was insanely competitive. Only the strongest and smartest in the nation would be admitted to the Guard. If a lucky soul was chosen, the money they would earn would be enough to feed their family for three lifetimes. Now, Z had no family to feed. What he did have, however, was a burning desire to destroy the Guard from the inside out, and slit the throat of the one who led it. He smiled at Aalto. ¡°So what if I am?¡± The other boy¡¯s gaze narrowed. A suspicious conviction settled in his eyes. He sighed, walking off with a scowl. ¡°Come on, Icarus. He¡¯s not worth our time.¡± Z scoffed. Typical holier-than-thou noble. He glanced at Icarus, beginning a sort of staring contest with the other boy. Icarus eerily watched him with blank eyes, as if something about Z troubled him. Right after Z averted his eyes, Icarus finally spoke, nodding towards the scrapes on his arm. ¡°You should get that checked out.¡± His voice was deep like honey. Z didn¡¯t respond, only lifting his eyes to watch as Icarus walked away. Chapter 5 Aalto paced around a plain classroom, dodging the tables and chairs staged around him as he walked. He scowled, chewing at the tip of his thumb while his footsteps thudded angrily. Icarus casually leaned back against one of the desks, not amused. He quietly flipped through a dark-covered book, ignoring the other boy¡¯s restlessness. ¡°How are you not more concerned about this?¡± Aalto seethed, stopping his movements in favor of gripping the edges of the table in front of Icarus. ¡°Zekiah Akol is going to take the Queen¡¯s Guard examinations. The guy who beat up practically everyone in school. He¡¯s GOING to succeed, and then what? We¡¯ve got a murderer in the very army that¡¯s supposed to protect us!¡± ¡°Murderer,¡± Icarus murmured. ¡°Fitting.¡± He flipped to the next page in his book, but his eyes remained blankly fixed on the bottom corner of it. He hummed, before stating, ¡°You¡¯ve already questioned the authorities about him. They say he hasn¡¯t murdered anyone yet.¡± Aalto scowled, retorting, ¡°Allegedly, he hasn¡¯t murdered anyone yet. I guarantee you those rumors have some truth to them.¡± Icarus sighed. ¡°Rumors are rumors. With how publicly he spills blood, I highly doubt a murder would go unnoticed.¡± Besides the one his family covered up, of course. He looked up at Aalto, closing his book and setting it beside him. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just deal with him yourself?¡± The blonde boy grumbled. ¡°I can¡¯t afford to ruin my reputation.¡± Icarus¡¯s eyebrows raised in mild surprise. ¡°You don¡¯t think you can beat him?¡± Aalto sighed. ¡°Maybe. I don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s not worth the risk. A Wai losing to an Ash would destroy both me and my family.¡± He scowled, biting his lip. ¡°And that¡¯s exactly what he wants.¡± ¡°Suit yourself.¡± He was done with this conversation. Icarus stood up, picked up his book, and prepared to leave. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Before he could, Aalto lunged across the table, grabbing Icarus¡¯s arm. ¡°Hang on.¡± A deadly glare from the other boy made him flinch back. Aalto let go of him hastily. ¡°Sorry.¡± The Wai sighed, rubbing at the back of his neck. ¡°Listen, we gotta stop him from taking the exam. There¡¯s a week and a half left until it begins, and the exam site is a good 3 days walk from here. Let¡¯s say we drop him off somewhere safe, but a little bit further out so he won¡¯t make it on time.¡± Icarus raised a brow. ¡°You want to kidnap him?¡± Aalto grimaced, saying, ¡°I¡¯m just trying to protect the citizens of Isela.¡± He looked up at Icarus worriedly. ¡°If Zekiah becomes a part of the Guard, nobles will let him into their homes without asking any questions. I guarantee you that¡¯s his aim. He may claim he only fights in self-defense, but I don¡¯t buy it.¡± A look of true fear was displayed on Aalto¡¯s face as he muttered, ¡°He¡¯s trying to kill us.¡± Icarus hummed at the thought. Z would never hurt him. Would he? He closed his eyes, pushing down the familiar desire to defend Z, even after all that he¡¯d done. ¡°You think the worst of him.¡± Aalto scowled. ¡°Don¡¯t you? Thirteen nobles at this school alone have received major injuries from him.¡± He threw his arm out to make his point, hissing, ¡°He cut one girl¡¯s arm off for talking about his father. No one says anything because they¡¯re scared shitless. The girl herself lied to her parents about how she lost a whole ass arm because she didn¡¯t want to have to face him again.¡± The boy ran a hand through his hair anxiously. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s like he has some sort of psychological effect on them. They¡¯re so eager to fight him at first but once they do¡­¡± Aalto gritted his teeth. ¡°Or maybe he¡¯s just insane.¡± Icarus sighed, closing his eyes in defeat. The boy bit his lip, struggling to produce the words he needed to say. Upon looking up and seeing Aalto¡¯s expectant face, he relented, blurting them out. ¡°Fine. He can stay at a country villa my family owns. I¡¯ll instruct them to keep him there until the exams start.¡± Aalto smiled gratefully. ¡°Thank you. I promise you, you¡¯re making the right decision.¡± The other boy didn¡¯t respond. He stared at the door as Aalto left, a sinking feeling in his chest. Was it really okay to bring Z there? He knew the significance of that villa to both of them. He knew what they both went through there. Yet an ugly desire within him urged him to go through with it. It wanted Z to suffer just like he did. It wanted Z to be tortured by the ghosts that he had created. Besides, he¡¯d be safer if he didn¡¯t attend the examinations anyway. Right? Chapter 6 Five more days until the Queen¡¯s Guard Exams. The school was buzzing with excitement. Everywhere Z went, he could hear students chattering about the potential new Guard members. Their voices were starting to grate on his nerves. Z blankly stared at a spot on the ceiling, tuning out the professor, who was drawling on and on about some stupid academic requirements to graduate. As soon as the bell rang, Z was the first out the door. The chaos began to accumulate quickly as more and more students rushed out of their classrooms to make it back to home sweet home. Those who had one, at least. Z sighed, taking advantage of the temporarily empty halls to slip into the boy¡¯s shower unnoticed. He hummed, pulling his shirt over his head in one fell swoop. His toned muscles flexed as he moved, gently placing his shirt on the counter. Z undressed quickly, removing everything but the dark gloves on his hands and stepping into the shower. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. He took a deep breath when he felt the familiar stinging sensation of hot water splashing onto his skin. The best part about executing a job was the shower before it. Perhaps it was the only good part. Z hummed, basking in the warm water. The water intoxicated him, making his muscles loose and his bones soft like pudding. A bit¡­ too soft, as he suddenly felt his knees buckle under him. Z¡¯s eyes shot open in alarm, his vision blurring while his head began to pound. The boy cursed, steadying himself with a hand on the shower wall as he swayed back and forth. The water¡­ there was something wrong with it. It seemed to seep into his skin, diluting his bloodstream and clouding his mind. A faint sizzling sound reached his ears as his skin began to scald painfully. Was it just him or was the Earth spinning just a tad faster than normal? Z gulped, the hand on the shower wall slipping as everything bled into black. Chapter 7 Zekiah¡¯s shirt was wet. His pants were wet too, and the rain had begun to soak into the fabric of his socks. Still, he sat still in those bushes behind his house, unable to muster up the courage to move. It felt like the Earth was swallowing him whole. Thirty minutes of silence had passed since the noises stopped, but still, his savior and his sister were nowhere to be found. Zekiah bit his lip, tears he didn¡¯t have pricking at his eyes. Was this really how his story would end? A loud thud jolted him out of his thoughts. Zekiah flinched away from the door, pressing himself into the rough twigs scraping at his cheeks. A bloodied figure came out of the house and stumbled out into the rain. The figure wheezed, clutching at a red welt on his dark skin. Ah. It was his savior. Zekiah bolted out of his hiding spot, letting the twigs rip into him so he could tackle the man with a hug. He clutched onto him for dear life, and a slender hand weakly rubbed soothing circles into his back. Zekiah looked up at his savior and the man smiled down at him in return. He spoke softly and with a conviction that Zekiah no longer had, ¡°Shh, it¡¯s okay. You¡¯re okay now.¡± The boy didn¡¯t believe him, but he remained silent nonetheless. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. The two held onto each other for a good few minutes, Zekiah desperately clutching the bottom of the man¡¯s shirt as the rain drenched them both. The man huffed in laughter, kneeling down to meet the boy eye-to-eye. He murmured kindly and gently as if he was afraid Zekiah would bolt. ¡°Hi there, I¡¯m Soterre. What¡¯s your name?¡± Zekiah looked into his pearly eyes and felt a wave of comfort wash over him. He answered shyly, ¡°Zekiah.¡± Soterre nodded. He smiled at the young boy, standing up and grabbing his hand. ¡°Come on, Zekiah, there¡¯s a safe place I can take you. The Queen¡¯s Guard won¡¯t be able to find you there.¡± He gently pulled the boy forward, leading him away from the house. Zekiah resisted, his brows furrowing. ¡°Wait. Where¡¯s my sister? Where¡¯s Wini?¡± Soterre looked a little taken aback by his question. He knelt back down on one knee, squeezing Zekiah¡¯s shoulders. The words caught in his throat as he spoke, regret and guilt lining his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I couldn¡¯t get her back.¡± ¡°W- what? No!¡± Zekiah shrugged off Soterre¡¯s hands, bolting back towards the house, a sense of urgency filling his veins. ¡°WINI! WINI!¡± He slammed himself into the back door, pounding on the wood as tears rolled down his face. ¡°GIVE HER BACK! GIVE HER BACK!¡± Soterre gently gripped his shoulder, pulling him back as he continued to yell. He turned the boy around, enveloping him in a tight hug. Zekiah continued to sob, weakly hitting the firm body in front of him. ¡°No¡­ no¡­ please.¡± He hiccupped. ¡°She¡¯s all I have left.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Soterre whispered. ¡°You have me now, and I promise I¡¯ll protect you.¡± Zekiah couldn¡¯t answer over the force of his sobs. Chapter 8 Z groaned as he came to, black and gray colors swirling around him. He gulped, feeling a fresh sting swaddle his skin. He gritted his teeth. Aalto. Dammit. The bitch must¡¯ve messed with the shower. The boy slowly sat himself up, his arms brushing against the softest sheets he had ever felt. Soft sheets? Was he in a bed? Puzzled, Z inspected his surroundings. He was in a large room with laces of green vines crawling up the walls and blooming into lilac wisterias. A small bookcase and reading chair stood to his left, while a nightstand topped with an intricate lamp was found on his right. The wall beyond the nightstand was made entirely of glass, allowing the moonlight to bathe the room in a soft glow. Z eased himself off the bed, gently stepping into the white fur slippers stationed next to it. He peered out the window, struck with the familiar scene of nature surrounding the room. An evergreen forest extended for miles, stocked to the brim with exotic animals who enjoyed a sheltered life within the estate of the Phyllis. In the distance, Z could just barely make out a large cabin made of trees cut down to form a clearing. The sight made Z shiver. He rubbed at his arms uneasily trying to settle the goosebumps that had formed. He didn¡¯t think he would ever come back to this place. The door clicked open, and Z whipped his head around to stare at the two boys who entered. He snarled, lunging towards the shorter of the two. Unsheathing a hidden dagger from the folds of his pants, Z gripped the back of Aalto¡¯s neck, pressing him against the dagger that was now biting at Aalto¡¯s throat. The boy yelped in alarm, raising his hands in surrender. Aalto glanced at Icarus uneasily, who sighed exasperatedly, ¡°Let him go, Z.¡± Z didn¡¯t do anything to show he had acknowledged Icarus¡¯s presence. He kept a trained glare on Aalto, who gulped as the steel glinted. Watching Z anxiously, he hissed at Icarus, ¡°I thought you got rid of his weapons!¡± The Tipu ignored him. ¡°Z, please. Let him go and we can talk.¡± Reluctantly, the cold metal backed off Aalto¡¯s throat. The blonde let out a breath of relief as Z stepped back. Z¡¯s gaze warily flickered between the two boys. He narrowed his eyes at them. ¡°What is the meaning of this? Kidnapping is illegal, you know. So is trying to disintegrate someone.¡± Aalto scoffed, rubbing at the spot where the dagger had scraped him. ¡°Yeah, and so is murder.¡± He pursed his lips, looking somewhat apologetic. ¡°And the acid wasn¡¯t strong enough to disintegrate you. It was just supposed to knock you out.¡± Z mocked Aalto¡¯s scoff, crossing his arms menacingly. ¡°Yeah? It hurt like a bitch for a mere sedative.¡± He scowled, turning his face away from Aalto. ¡°And I didn¡¯t murder anyone.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Icarus butted in, staring at Z with an unreadable gaze. Z winced, averting his eyes to the fancy silver rug beneath his feet. The white-haired boy pressed his lips together tightly. ¡°Aalto, leave us.¡± The Wai glanced at him curiously, but obediently stepped out of the room, gently closing the door behind him. Icarus stepped forward, gripping Z¡¯s chin to force him to face him. The other boy resisted, swinging his head around to glare at the green vines decorating the walls. Icarus scoffed, letting go and crossing his arms. ¡°You can¡¯t even look me in the eye.¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. He snatched the dagger out of Z¡¯s hand with a scowl. Icarus turned away from him, declaring, ¡°You have no money and no powers. It takes four weeks to walk from here to the examination site, and there are only four days until the exam begins. I advise you to sit tight until it¡¯s over.¡± He turned to look at Z, his smile betrayed by the pain in his eyes. ¡°I hope you suffer while you¡¯re here.¡± Icarus walked out, slamming the door behind him. But he didn¡¯t leave. Icarus stood silently behind the shut door, staring blankly at the hardwood floor. ¡°Fuck,¡± he murmured. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that.¡± Did he? He wasn¡¯t sure what he wanted anymore. Z swallowed, desperately trying to get rid of the lump in his throat. He could feel the bile rise from his stomach as those dreaded memories rose to torment him. Z took a shaky breath, relaxing his muscles. He didn¡¯t have time for this. He had to get to that exam. Good thing he knew the inside mechanics of House Phyllis by heart. Z was left alone for an hour too long contemplating his escape route. He hummed softly to pass the time, watching the clock on the wall inch its way towards eight o¡¯clock. As soon as the clock struck, a soft click from the door sounded out, making Z smirk triumphantly. A young girl, perhaps around Z¡¯s age, inched open the door to his room as she rolled in a tray stocked with luxurious food. ¡°Master Z!¡± She called out. ¡°Master Z! I have brought you your dinner.¡± Hearing no response, she glanced up, yelping when she saw the window in the back of the room covered in streaks of blood. Shivering, the girl shook her head, wiping off her hands on her blue apron. ¡°Master Z, the window is tempered. I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to break through it, even with your formidable strength.¡± The room remained silent, and the girl nervously stepped forward. ¡°Master Z?¡± The girl¡¯s eyes glowed red as her body temperature increased slowly. Hands at the ready, she stepped further into the room, hesitantly calling out to Z. The very second she stepped away from the tray, a heavy force dropped from the ceiling, knocking her onto her stomach. The girl tried to scream, but a gloved hand covered her mouth, and a sharp knife pressed against the nape of her neck. ¡°Move, you die. Scream, you die. Use your element, and you die. Are we understood?¡± The girl nodded furiously, frozen in place with terror. Z hummed, withdrawing his knife. He slowly slid off of her, walking towards the tray she had brought in. The girl scrambled to get away from him, scooting backward until her back was pressed against the window at the far side of the room. The boy rolled his eyes. He grabbed another knife from within his jacket, flinging it at the tempered glass. It struck the window inches from the girl¡¯s head, bouncing off the glass and causing her to shudder. Z pursed his lips, turning towards the tray in front of him and examining its contents. He spoke as he picked up one of the plastic containers perched on the tray, saying, ¡°You can avoid me if you wish, just know that I can kill you within a second or two from any point in this room.¡± Z took off the lid of the container, his mouth watering at the aroma that filled the room. ¡°Mm, braised pork belly. My favorite.¡± He sighed, snapping the lid back in place, a dark and nostalgic feeling welling in his chest. ¡°Let me guess, Icarus told them to make it.¡± Z looked back to see the girl glaring at him warily, her entire body tense with fear. He sighed. ¡°Fine, we don¡¯t have to talk. Just give me the keys to the room.¡± Z shrugged off his jacket, laying it on the ground and placing the containers of food inside. Once they were all stacked up nicely, he tied the sleeves of his jacket together to form a little sack. Swinging the sack over his shoulder, he turned back towards the girl, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Would you rather I go over there and get it myself?¡± The girl shook her head, shuffling through her apron and throwing a ring of keys at Z. He caught it with his free hand, examining the numbers on the keys. ¡°Which one?¡± The girl¡¯s voice slightly trembled as she answered, ¡°The one marked 128.¡± Z nodded, fishing out the correct key and sticking it into the lock. The door turned with a click. Grinning, Z pulled it open, nodding at the girl on the other side of the room, who avoided his gaze. He slipped out quietly, carefully checking the hallway for passersby before bolting down the hall. Z knew this place like the back of his hand. He traversed the house with ease, only stopping occasionally to stay hidden out of sight. Finally, he arrived at the front door. Taking a deep breath, Z grabbed the knob and turned it, swinging the door open to see an older man with nearly the exact same features as Icarus. Z¡¯s eyes widened in panic, his arms automatically swinging to slam the door shut again. The older man stuck his foot in the doorway, a sinister smile on his face. ¡°Now, now, Z. Is that any way to treat an old friend?¡± Chapter 9 Z gritted his teeth, reluctantly pulling the door open again. The older man chuckled, pleased. ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± He hummed, stepping inside and examining the house. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve set foot in here. I¡¯m surprised Icarus keeps it running after what happened to Soter-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Z cut him off. ¡°Don¡¯t say his name.¡± The older man looked up at Z, mildly surprised. He chuckled once more. ¡°Why? You feeling ashamed of what you did to him?¡± Z bit his lip miserably, unable to do anything but give Uncle a half-heated glare. He was right. He was ashamed. A set of footsteps approached the two men rapidly, likely one of the Phyllis staff. Z groaned. By now, they¡¯d have noticed he was gone and were most definitely on a manhunt for him. He brushed past Uncle, resting his hand on the doorknob. ¡°As much as I enjoy our conversations, I¡¯m not supposed to be here. May I go?¡± The man tilted his head to the left questioningly. He sighed, waving Z off. ¡°Yes, yes. Go on and take your little exam.¡± Z blinked, surprised. He hadn¡¯t expected him to agree so easily. The man smiled sweetly. ¡°Now, now, Z. What¡¯s with that look? I fully support your endeavors, so long as they don¡¯t interfere with your work.¡± Z pursed his lips, unsatisfied. Uncle was acting strange. ¡°They won¡¯t.¡± Uncle nodded. ¡°Good.¡± He smirked at him, ¡°Be careful at the examinations, now. You never know what to expect.¡± The boy narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He opened his mouth to retort, but the chatter of the estate staff grew closer and closer. Gritting his teeth, he hissed, ¡°Fine.¡± The man hummed, keeping a trained eye on Z¡¯s back as he raced into the woods surrounding the building. Chuckling, Uncle said to himself, ¡°I wonder how you¡¯ll react.¡± ¡°Lord Phyllis?¡± An old woman¡¯s voice rang out through the hall, her apron billowing among her feet as she quickly approached the man. ¡°Ah, so it was you who was talking. Forgive me, but have you seen Master Z anywhere? He has escaped from his confined quarters.¡± ¡°Confined quarters? How interesting.¡± The man laughed. ¡°I have not seen him, no.¡± The woman shook her head sadly. ¡°He must have already left the estate then. We will send a team out to retrieve him.¡± The Lord shook his head. ¡°By now he¡¯s long gone. No need to waste your efforts.¡± He waved a hand at the old maid. ¡°Thank you, Barbara. Please, instruct the staff to get back to work.¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. The woman nodded, bowing respectfully before waving off the rest of the staff. Uncle turned back towards the open door, staring pensively at the spot where he last saw Z. ¡°Confined quarters¡­¡° He chuckled. ¡°I suppose my nephew disapproves of my plans. He cares more about him than he¡¯s willing to admit.¡± *** The ground thudded as Z raced through the forest, sweat dripping down his neck as he pushed himself to run faster and faster. The wind bit at his hair and his heart pounded, flooding his veins with adrenaline. Z gritted his teeth, cursing silently as he slowed to a stop. He panted heavily, resting his arm on a tree in front of him and turning to stare helplessly at the setting sun. It would be night soon. He would have to find shelter or else¡ª he hummed at the thought¡­ well he could use a good fight right about now. Z shook his head. No, he didn¡¯t have time. With a sigh, he treaded through the shrubbery, hoping to find any sort of shelter to wait the night critters out. A cool breeze sped through Z¡¯s hair, making shivers speed up his spine. The boy trudged forward, cursing out the Gods that created this world. Z made a conscious effort to step lightly on the strewn leaves and twigs, keeping his footsteps silent. He took shallow breaths as he walked, pressing a steady hand on each tree he passed by for support. It was quiet. Too quiet. Z frowned, pausing to listen for any sign of activity. The forest remained still, and the only sound he could hear was the wind whistling at his ears. He held his breath, taking a hesitant step forward. Z chewed on the inside of his mouth nervously and his muscles jittered with unease. The second Z took that first step forward, an eerie presence settled over him like dust. Z froze. The longer he stood still, the stronger the presence that weighed down upon him. Soon enough, he could hear heavy breathing echoing amongst the leaves. The boy turned around slowly, training his eyes on a large figure far into the distance. It looked somewhat like a large beast leisurely strolling in Z¡¯s direction. The Ash watched silently, afraid to take a breath in case it would be his last. The beast¡¯s scruffy claws dug deep into the ground as it moved along, uprooting bushes and flowers alike. It had no arms, but rather a long and skinny neck flexible enough to both snatch prey out of the air and devour it on the ground with its rows of sharp teeth. A cold tremor crawled through Z¡¯s veins as the sight of the monster burned itself into the back of his eyes. If he were forced to fight it¡­ he may never make it to the exams after all. Z gritted his teeth. He had to get out of its path before it found him. The boy took a step backward, eyes flitting around for any sort of shelter the creature would look past. Taking a gamble, Z darted to the left, watching his steps carefully as he searched for a place to hide. Z¡¯s breath grew labored as the monster made its way closer, still strolling along as its crystal eyes swept over the forest. Ah. Finally, the constant greenery assaulting Z¡¯s eyes parted to reveal a small rocky tunnel that seemed to burrow into the ground. His breath hitching in relief, Z scrambled towards the hole, dropping down onto his stomach to examine the entrance. It was damp like the promise of rain and didn¡¯t appear to have any sort of end. Yet as he heard the crackling sound of trees bending to make way for the beast, Z relented, diving into the tunnel head first. Chapter 10 The further he went, the dizzier Z felt. It was as if there was some sort of invisible force pressing down on his mind and rendering him incapable of thinking. He shook his head, forcing his shaking arms to pull himself forward. He continued until the narrow tunnel gave way to a moist cave dripping with water. Z quickly made his way inside, stumbling onto his feet as his mind clouded. Groaning, he pressed a gloved hand to the stone wall, the slimy surface pulsing with a strange energy. He stumbled his way forward, only to be met with empty space where the ground ought to have been. Panicked, Z latched onto a protruding shard of rock nearby, just barely managing to pull himself back onto solid ground in time. He gasped, stumbling backward as his heart pounded in his ears. A whooshing sound similar to rain reverberated at the back of his mind. Forcing himself to calm down, Z took a careful step forward, kneeling to examine the rocky ground. It looked completely normal, indistinguishable to the human eye. However, past a certain point, when he lowered his hand, it passed right through the stone. It was an illusion. Why would there be an illusion in the middle of nowhere? The whooshing sound grew louder, and alarm bells began to sound in Z¡¯s head as he began to get the feeling that he shouldn¡¯t be here. The boy stood up quickly, stepping away from the false ground. Something was wrong. He needed to leave, now. Z stepped towards the tunnel he had come out of. Facing the narrow space, the boy hesitated. Where would he go? If he were to go back now, he would have to face that nasty beast. Conflicted, the boy stepped away from the tunnel, making do with the lesser of two evils. Z sighed, leaning himself against the stone wall of the cave. A droplet of water dripped onto his face, and the dreaded whooshing sound echoed louder and louder. The energy inside the cave seemed to condense on him, making his head pound. What was going on? Too late, he glanced towards the tunnel entrance to see a rush of water burst through the hole and towards him. Water rapidly filled the small cave, leaving Z with seconds to spare before he would drown in the flood. Z stumbled away from the rush of water, but it was futile. It was moving too fast. Before he knew it, the flood barreled over him, freshwater assaulting his nose and mouth. The current threw him backward and lifted him off the ground. Panicked, Z flailed his arms and legs to no avail. Clear water and gray dirt filled his senses, stinging his eyes and pushing him further back into the cave. His breath ran out and he took a hitched breath, expecting water to flood his lungs. To his surprise, it didn¡¯t. Z gasped for gorgeous, fresh air. His eyes pried open, but it was just as dark as it was when his eyes were closed.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Was the water gone? No, he could still feel splashes on his arms and legs. He could hear a roaring sound behind him. It sounded like the water was falling off a cliff. Now that he thought of it, it felt like he was falling. Shit. He must have passed through the fake stone in the cave. Z groaned. How long had he been falling? Time seemed to flow strangely here. Or perhaps his brain was too muddled to process anything. Seconds stretched into minutes, and minutes into hours. The rushing sound of water dulled out as time passed, making way for his blaring thoughts. Was this how he¡¯d die? Then what was the point of his struggles? What was the point of fighting for life, every second of every day? Look at where he ended up. A measly Ash all on his lonesome. Z closed his eyes, letting an invisible force dull his mind and senses. There was no need for them where he was going. He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed. He didn¡¯t think it mattered. The water carried him along its currents as he faded in and out of consciousness. *** A sharp sting woke him up, jolting his brain back into action. Z looked down at his arm, which had gotten caught on a sharp rock. It dug into his skin harshly, tearing through the tissue and dying the water red. Z struggled to hoist himself upright, carefully detaching his arm and examining his surroundings. He was still in the cave, now floating in water that seemed to be several miles deep. He could still hear the waterfall behind him, so it hadn¡¯t been too long since he¡¯d landed. Z coughed, compelling his limbs to swim forward, the lukewarm temperature like bliss on his skin. As he swam, a soft ringing noise drifted towards his ear. Z paused to listen to the bell-like chime. Was there someone here? Energy surged through his arms, his survival instincts taking hold. He swam as fast as he could towards the noise, and obediently, it grew louder. Now he could hear another song amongst it. The comforting crackling of a fire that put his panic at ease. Z pushed his body to the limit, swimming until the sounds cleared into voices. Beautiful voices. Each syllable wrapped around every vowel in undeniable grace. His head felt like it was going to explode. He couldn¡¯t make out the words. It wasn¡¯t any language that could be understood by the human mind. It sounded like the language of the world itself¡ª the language of the plants, of the rushing water, and of the burning sun. Perhaps it was the tongue of the Gods. The sounds soothed him. As he got closer, his mind grew numb. An overwhelming pressure smothered him, causing his limbs to give out as he sunk down into the sea. Yet, strangely enough, he didn¡¯t feel any regret or alarm. Only unconditional ecstasy pounded at his thoughts. He decided right then and there that this was most definitely the best way to die. Wait what? Z¡¯s consciousness jerked awake. Die? No, he couldn¡¯t die. Not yet. He had too much to do and too many to avenge. Clenching his fists, Z forced his legs to stop sleeping and kicked them with all his might. His soaked gloves pinched his hands uncomfortably, but he flapped down anyway, cupping water out of the way to push himself up. He could see light past the top of the water. If he could just get there- He reached above his head to grasp at air, but only water ran through his fingers. His legs had been pushed to the limit. He was so close! Just a little bit more¡­ ah. His momentum stalled and he slowly began to sink back down as the superior force weighed down on his body, more insistent than before. Z wanted to breathe, but he couldn¡¯t. He was so tired, too tired. His eyes fluttered shut as he succumbed to his fate. He laughed dryly, bubbles drifting up from his mouth to the water¡¯s surface. What did he expect? He was just an Ash, after all. Chapter 11 Arion¡¯s head jerked up, startled. They hummed, shoving away the face of the man next to them. The golden-haired man pouted, causing Arion to roll their eyes. ¡°Quit your whining. There¡¯s a human in the cave.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°He¡¯s one of yours. An Ash. Perhaps you should be a bit more amicable towards him as you¡¯ve essentially ruined his life forever.¡± The blonde man shrugged. ¡°Not my problem. He was unlucky enough to be one of the few that arrived late.¡± Arion stood up, brushing their hands along the silk of their dress. ¡°I¡¯ve never understood why you and your sister made such a hierarchy of power. Why not simply give them all the same amount? Let their skill speak for themselves.¡± The blonde jumped up after them. ¡°Oh come on. As if you and the others don¡¯t do the same thing! Your powers are never evenly distributed!¡± Arion shot a glare at him, flipping the sleeves worn past their knees behind their back. ¡°I choose based on worth. You choose based on pure luck. Do not compare us.¡± ¡°Well, isn¡¯t luck a virtue on its own? Besides, it¡¯s none of your business how I give out my powers anyway! Not when you guys all leave us with the sloppy leftovers!¡± Arion had already walked away. The man scowled, scrambling to follow them. ¡°Oi! Wait up! Where are you even going-¡± He froze at the sight in front of him. Arion¡¯s hair billowed around their waist. It was as smooth as water, starting blue at the top of their head and fading into vapor. The modest, layered dress they were wearing was soaked at the hemline as water pooled around the floor around them. It made the man ashamed to be in his simple shorts and flip-flops. What captivated him most was their eyes. Their eyes glowed a mesmerizing blue. Blue like the ocean was reflecting the sea grass inside it and glittering under the sun. Arion was always so gorgeous. And not interested in him. And¡­ using their power? Recalling their recent conversation, the man lunged forward to distract the other. They glared at him, eyes fading with their lost concentration. He narrowed his eyes at them. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? Did you just use your powers on that human?¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Arion shrugged. ¡°I found him interesting. I thought I¡¯d see how he fared in the space of the Gods.¡± The man gritted his teeth. Arion had always had a bad habit of randomly testing humans for their own amusement. ¡°That¡¯s no excuse! He¡¯s an Ash! You need my permission before messing with someone under my jurisdiction.¡± Arion raised their brow. ¡°Are you going to stop me?¡± The man froze. He scowled. No. No, he wouldn¡¯t. He would give anything and everything of his to them. And Arion knew that. A moment of silence passed before the Water Deity spoke up again. ¡°Look,¡± they murmured. ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± The blonde looked past the small strip of white sand they were standing on, watching the water that filled the rest of the cove ripple. Indeed, the boy was here. He grinned, ¡°Wow. He¡¯s conscious.¡± Arion nodded. ¡°Quite a surprise, isn¡¯t it?¡± He shrugged and replied, ¡°He¡¯s not the first.¡± Arion cocked their head to the side. ¡°It seems he is following our voices.¡± The man snorted. ¡°That¡¯s not going to end well for him. The second he gets closer, he¡¯s going to¡ª oh yep, there he goes.¡± Arion and the man watched as the boy went under as soon as he got close, overwhelmed by the transcendental energy overflowing every pore in the cave. Just like all the others before him. The blonde couldn¡¯t say he was disappointed. After all, there¡¯s no way any human could withstand the true presence of a God, let alone two of them. Arion was still watching though, so he begrudgingly dragged his eyes up to watch bubbles forming at the spot where the boy was last seen. Arion gasped. The blonde snapped his head to the side to glance at them. Their eyes were wide like a ghost, and their mouth parted slightly in surprise. Arion was never surprised. What could have made them react that way? The man turned back to the lake just in time to see a set of gloved fingers protrude from the water. The fingers sunk down once more after that, but the image was already imprinted in his brain. This boy, this Ash, had managed to break free from the mind-fogging sensation of not just their presence, but their voices too. No human had ever accomplished such a feat, and many had tried. A faint glow from the corner of his vision told him that Arion was using their powers again, and the water bowed down to form a trench around the boy, resting him gently on the soft sand. With one flick of the finger, the water he had choked on shot out of his lungs, triggering his body into a coughing fit. Soon enough, he was breathing again. The water that settled at his side began to rise again, gently carrying him closer to the Gods. A sudden flash of blue light had the blonde blinking erratically. He turned to the side to see Arion in one of his human forms, kneeling down to check the young boy¡¯s vitals. A swat at his leg prompted the blonde to do the same. He rolled his eyes as he switched to a humanoid form with flickers of red and orange. He looked down to see Arion¡¯s eyes shining up at him. ¡°Tell me everything you know about this kid.¡± The man grumbled under his breath. So much for his little ¡®date¡¯. Chapter 12 Z woke up with a start. A feeling of pure euphoria clouded the back of his mind, though much less prominent than before. Z slowly propped himself up onto his elbows. He squinted his eyes, pushing himself up and forcing his legs to stand. They were still weak, but other than a couple of wobbles, he managed. Z glanced around, trying to determine where he was. In front of him, a large fire radiated strong heat, immediately ebbing out the cold. The boy shivered as the chill seeped out of his body, stepping closer to the warmth. Two figures were sitting next to the fire, one on a moist log and one on a smooth slab of stone. Stone that couldn¡¯t possibly be naturally made, what with the glossy furnish and perfectly prism shape. The closer he got to the two figures, the foggier his mind became. Something about these two set off alarms in his head. The taller one turned towards him, making Z step back with caution. The figure seemed to be amused at his trepidation. He waved a hand at him, and all of a sudden Z¡¯s head was clearer than ever before. Z frowned, watching the two figures carefully. The man on the log smiled at him, his hair reflecting the fire¡¯s light like water, seeming to ripple with his every move. Something in Z¡¯s mind clicked. They were Gods. ¡°You figured it out. Good job.¡± The bluish man spoke, his voice chiming across the walls of the cove. Z gulped. No one had ever encountered the Gods in person before. Or if anyone had, they didn¡¯t live to tell the tale. The man on the log seemed to be able to sense his distress. He chucked, ¡°Fear not, little one. We won¡¯t hurt you. We¡¯re even suppressing our magic to allow you a clear mind.¡± So their magic was the source of his grogginess. Z warily glanced up at the man, keeping his face tilted towards the ground. ¡°Who are you?¡± The man chuckled, a soothing sound like the rapids in a river. His translucent blue eyes held a dangerous glint. ¡°I¡¯m Arion, the God of Water. This here is¡­ ahm¡­¡± His voice trailed off. ¡°Sorrel.¡± Z helpfully supplied. He was all too familiar with the face that haunted his nightmares. Sorrel, however, didn¡¯t pay Z any mind. The boy watched, astonished, as the Great Fire Deity pouted at Arion. ¡°You don¡¯t even know my name? We¡¯ve known each other for millennia!¡± Arion cleared his throat. ¡°It¡­ slipped my mind. " Sorrel scowled, and the other man pursed his lips. Ignoring Sorrel, he turned back to Z, a coy smile on his face. ¡°You intrigue me. A mere Fire elemental, and an Ash at that. Yet in the presence of Gods, you don¡¯t seem to hold any sense of fear.¡± Z didn¡¯t respond. He avoided Arion¡¯s gaze, staring intensely at the water lapping at his ankles. Arion hummed. He slowly lifted his hand, and Z could feel his mind grow numb as the God¡¯s eyes glowed a bright blue. Astonished, he watched as a bubble of water floated towards him. ¡°Drink,¡± Arion commanded. Z glanced up at him prudently, cautiously bringing a hand up to cup the sphere of liquid.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Arion smiled as he watched the boy analyze the bubble. ¡°I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s a human that can withstand our divinity.¡± He shot a glare at Sorrel. ¡°How in the world did you manage to snatch up such a diamond I¡¯d looked over?¡± Sorrel¡¯s face lit up, and Z could almost see an invisible tail wagging behind him. Arion rolled his eyes. He spoke dismissively, ¡°Forget it. You probably didn¡¯t notice him either,¡± making Sorrel¡¯s face fall back into a pout. Z felt an almost sadistic form of satisfaction from watching the very same man who smirked down at him all those years ago in a puddle of affection for this other God. Well, it was also a bit pathetic. Sorrel¡¯s eyes shot towards him, his face contorting into a sneer. ¡°What the hell are you doing? Arion told you to drink! He¡¯s been holding that bubble in the air for you, you ungrateful little sh-¡± ¡°Sorrel.¡± Arion cut him off. ¡°Knock it off. It¡¯s pointless to be jealous of a human.¡± Z¡¯s jaw dropped open slightly as he watched Sorrel interact with Arion. A poorly masked look of disgust twisted itself onto his face as he wondered how someone so idiotic could be a God. Still, he feverishly drank the water. It was the best water he¡¯d ever had in his life. The minerals from the lake gave it the perfect tangy taste, yet it was still fresh and clear, like a winter morning. Arion¡¯s eyes dimmed, and Z could feel his thoughts clear again. ¡°Well,¡± Arion hummed. Z looked up at the Water Deity, who chuckled at him, ¡°I hear you have a competition to get to? The one for the Queen¡¯s Guard?¡± Z nodded in agreement, making Arion click his teeth. ¡°I cannot fathom why someone like you would want to participate in that ridiculous dick-measuring contest¡­ but I suppose you have your reasons.¡± He looked up at the cove ceiling as if contemplating something. Finally, he stood up, smoothing out the wrinkles in his dress. ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind.¡± He strolled over to Z, declaring, ¡°To make up for not catching a gem like you, I will provide you with two gifts.¡± ¡°The first¡­¡± Z felt a warm feeling wash over him as if he was sinking into a warm bath drawn up by his mother. A tear nearly ran down his face at the nostalgic feeling. ¡°¡­ is my support. If you, a mere Ash, succeed in achieving your goal, I will give you the greatest gift a human could ever wield. Should you fail¡­¡± Arion slid his finger under Z¡¯s chin, bringing his face up to meet his own. ¡°You will be stripped of your magic. The already worthless title of Ash you wield? It will dissipate into nothing.¡± Z narrowed his eyes. He knew exactly what that meant. The title of Ash may seem like nothing, but it was the only thing saving him from descending into a life of utter despair. Because at least Ash meant he was still a citizen of Isela. If he were to lose his citizenship¡­ ¡°The second gift is the first step towards making the Queen¡¯s Guard. I¡¯ll take you where you want to go.¡± He hummed, letting Z¡¯s head drop. Arion quietly stood up, his eyes glowing a calm blue once more. Again, Z¡¯s senses were muffled, but they were accompanied now by an overwhelming pressure that shook not only his consciousness but the depth of his bones. The pressure left as quickly as it had come, and Arion¡¯s eyes were clear once more. ¡°Do you accept these terms?¡± Z gulped. ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡± A sickly sweet smile slithered onto the God¡¯s face. ¡°Nothing.¡± Well. It was better than what he had now. He looked up at Arion, a determined look in his eyes. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do as you say. I will succeed in making the Queen¡¯s Guard.¡± Arion giggled. ¡°If you were given the chance, of course you would. With someone of your prowess, I would be more surprised if you didn¡¯t make the Guard.¡± The man smiled. ¡°No, to earn my gift, you must achieve a goal that proves you worthy.¡± Z frowned. A goal that makes him worthy? Surely he didn¡¯t mean¡­ did he? The Ash opened his mouth to ask, but before he could, something else the God said struck an alarm in his brain. ¡°Wait, what? What do you mean given the chance¡ª ARGH!¡± Z didn¡¯t have time to react before a searing pain soared through his abdomen and water filled all of his senses. He felt like he was drowning, but without the ecstasy to numb his brain like before, all he could feel was pain as water filled his nose, his ears, his mouth, his eyes. A voice screamed, perhaps his, before the world went black once more. Chapter 13 Sorrel stared unfeelingly as the boy was swallowed by the lake. He glared at Arion. This situation, he hated it with every fiber of his being. ¡°How do you know I¡¯ll go along with your plan?¡± Arion said nothing. He walked up to him and patted Sorrel¡¯s cheek. A mesmerizing flash of light returned them to their true form, and Sorrel could only stare helplessly in the presence of their beauty. ¡°Because. I want you to. And you¡¯ll do anything for me.¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Sorrel couldn¡¯t deny those words. He wrapped Arion up into a hug, clenching his arms around their waist. ¡°Yeah,¡± he murmured, ignoring the searing pain from his human body making contact with a divine one. ¡°I do.¡± His eyes filled with pools of hurt as he glanced towards the ever-still Arion. He grasped them a little bit tighter, squeezing his eyes shut. ¡°And I probably always will.¡± Chapter 14 It felt like a stain upon his soul. When Z¡¯s eyes blinked open, they were met with a school of startled fish swirling around him. He groaned, keeling over in pain as his stomach tumbled. Gritting his teeth, Z forced himself to calm down, taking a look at his surroundings. Evidently, he was underwater. Perhaps in a river or lake, judging by the freshwater critters that swam past him in their hurry to get away. Closing his eyes, he focused his senses on the rumbling sound of the rapids that seemed to come from varying sources. Opening his eyes, he kicked and propelled his arms to push him what felt like up. Something wasn¡¯t right. The water pressure only seemed to weigh down upon him more the further up he swam. Z¡¯s breath was starting to run out, and his vision was fading fast. He opened his mouth to cry out for help, but only air bubbles dribbled out. With shifting eyes, he watched as the bubbles floated down, towards his legs. With a kick, he flipped himself upside down, trying his best to force his mind to focus on the rising bubbles of air. He was close to the surface now. Once again, he reached out for the bright, bright sunlight above him. And this time, he made it. Z¡¯s head breached the surface of the water, bringing bouts of freshwater with him. The kids surrounding the river were shocked, some of them jumping back to avoid the splashes. Z gasped for air, scrambling to grab onto land and pull himself up. He shook his head, water droplets soaking the grass beneath him. Chest heaving, a strange feeling curled up in his stomach. It was suffocating, yet freeing. Like an imprint on his soul. Z glanced at the other kids staring at him, mouths to the ground and eyes flabbergasted. He huffed. If only they knew what he¡¯d been through. Z shook off his legs, reaching down to squeeze the water out of his shirt. He must¡¯ve been a curious sight. The onlookers sure thought so. Glancing around, Z determined that the Water Deity had indeed kept their word. From what it looked like, he¡¯d been transported to the exam site for the Queen¡¯s Guard. Ignoring the bystanders who gaped at him, Z made a beeline for a small table with a sign that read ¡®Sign-Up Here¡¯. The guard sitting at the table raised an eyebrow at him curiously. He looked Z up and down, taking in his disheveled figure. Huffing with laughter, he said, ¡°Name?¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Z Akol.¡± The guard¡¯s eyes flashed green, and he seemed to zone out as he searched the database for Z¡¯s name. A few minutes later, his eyes returned to a churning brown. He nodded at Z and handed him a translucent white wristband. ¡°Put that on. Next time, give your full name.¡± The guard didn¡¯t spare him another glance before waving the next applicant forward. Z clicked the wristband onto his right arm, the two ends automatically fastening together when they touched. He walked past the crowd of chattering contestants to a large gladiator-style arena, whistling at the sheer size of the thing. Dirt covered most of the ground, except for the audience quarters. Their floors were paved with marble, and their seats were lined with a silk-like fabric. The seats slanted outwards like a set of bleachers, running all around the arena so all that were seated had a clear line of sight. The entire thing was very obviously designed with only the comfort of the rich in mind. All the wannabe guards were gathered in front of a semicircle stage of stone protruding from the ground in the middle of the arena. Z¡¯s wristwatch beeped, and he looked down to see a holographic arrow hovering inches above the ground pointing toward the stage. He slowly made his way to the crowd, blending in among dozens of optimistic teens. There was a woman who looked to be in her thirties standing on the stone stage. She was saying something or another about the rules of the first test. Z didn¡¯t¡ª couldn¡¯t¡ª listen. His head was pounding, and his skull felt heavy as it carried the weight of recent events. His legs could barely support the rest of his body. Z was tired. So tired. All he wanted to do was sleep. ¡°. . .your test begins in two days. For now, you¡¯ve all been assigned a dormitory to stay in for the duration of the test period. There is a kitchen in each of the dormitory buildings, and food can be purchased through the stores provided. They¡¯re around a mile¡¯s walk from here, so don¡¯t plan on making multiple visits a day.¡± Z stopped listening after the word ¡®dormitory¡¯. He immediately tapped on his wristwatch, selecting the ¡®sleep¡¯ function out of the options that popped up. Another arrow formed in front of his eyes, sinking down to hover gently above the floor. As Z moved, the arrow did too, remaining around a foot in front of him at all times. It took thirty minutes to walk to the dormitories from the arena. Z¡¯s legs burned. He was afraid he¡¯d collapse if he waited any longer. The boy trudged towards the building entrance, the doors opening automatically upon registering his wristband. He was let into his room¡ª thankfully on the first floor¡ª with a beep from his wrist. A brief look around told him his roommate wasn¡¯t there yet. Good. He could have some peace and quiet. There weren¡¯t any sheets on the bed, but Z didn¡¯t mind. His knees nearly buckled before he flung himself onto the bed. Sleep came in record time, and the boy could feel the exhaustion seeping out of his bones as he let himself drop into the void. Chapter 15 A faint clicking noise roused Z, and all of a sudden there was a boatload of light assaulting his eyes. He mumbled something incoherent, turning over in his bed to escape the abrupt brightness. A light chuckle interrupted his peace. ¡°Are you awake?¡± Z¡¯s eyes shot open. He scrambled to sit up in the bed, groggily searching for the source of the voice. A red-haired boy sat at the coffee table between the beds. He was fairly short¡ª around five inches shorter than him, and seemed comfortable in the cramped space between the bed and the table. The sun¡¯s light from the window next to the other boy¡¯s bed illuminated whatever book he was reading. He stared up at Z, a curious look on his face. Z frowned, rubbing at his eyes with the back of his glove. ¡°You¡¯re my roommate?¡± The boy nodded with a grin. He jumped up, enthusiastically climbing over the table and onto Z¡¯s bed to examine the taller boy. Positioned right in front of Z, his body blocked the sun¡¯s light from Z¡¯s eyes, who blankly noted that his own side of the room had no illumination. ¡°Man, you were out for quite a while!¡± Z grimaced, pushing the boy away from his face. He was too friendly for his own good. Didn¡¯t he know that everyone here was competition? The boy didn¡¯t seem to falter upon being rejected. He spoke with a chipper drawl in his voice, ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t ever wake up! When I got up this morning, I figured you dead!¡± Z pinched his brow. ¡°Morning? How long was I out?¡± The boy shrugged. ¡°Dunno. I got here about noon yesterday, and you were passed out like a log. I assumed you were tired after a long journey so I let you sleep. You¡¯ve been knocked out about a day.¡± ¡°A day and a half,¡± Z corrected. ¡°I got here the day before yesterday around nine.¡± The boy pursed his lips. ¡°Damn, what got you so exhausted?¡± Z furrowed his brow. This boy was starting to grate on his nerves. ¡°You don¡¯t want to know.¡± The other shrugged. ¡°Fair enough. I¡¯m Isacc by the way. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Z.¡± ¡°¡­Weird, but okay. Well Z, you might wanna get situated. Today¡¯s the last day for arrivals, so we¡¯ve about half a day to stock up on food and stuff before tests begin.¡± Isacc nodded towards the closet in front of their beds. ¡°There¡¯s a pillow and some sheets for your bed in there. I¡¯m pretty sure the larger uniforms are yours, so I¡¯ll get out while you get changed. Meet me outside in 10?¡± Z nodded. ¡°Thanks.¡± He slowly crawled out of bed, yawning as a refreshed feeling pleasantly settled on his skin. Isacc gave him a grin as he left the room. As the redhead had promised, half of the closet was stocked with necessities. The side in front of Isacc¡¯s bed, however, was empty apart from a single spare uniform hanging on the rack. A large fridge stood smack down in the middle of the closet. It seemed to act as a divider between the two sides of the room. Z grabbed the sheets and pillow from the shelf at the top of the closet and quickly made his bed. When he was done, he admired his handiwork, placing his hands on his hips. It was bound to be more comfortable than last night, although it didn¡¯t matter either way, considering how well he slept. Finally, he put on the uniform hanging on his side of the closet. Isacc was already wearing his when he left, so Z had a general idea of how he was supposed to wear it. It fit perfectly¡ª like it was tailored to him. He supposed it probably was. A loose purple T-shirt tucked into black cargo pants, adorned with gold strips that ran down the side of his waist and legs. Simple, yet elegant. Z scoffed. All this was for mere Guard candidates, while the people in the slums were starving. Typical nobles. Z sighed, fiddling with his cuffs. All the more reason to uproot this damned country. Isacc was patiently waiting for him outside the room. He looked him up and down, a low whistle sounding from his lips. ¡°You may get a few girls while you¡¯re here. That uniform seriously suits you.¡± Z ignored him, activating his wristband and clicking the food option this time. Another arrow blinked to life, settling in its place hovering above the floor. Z followed it through the large dormitory. He hummed as he walked, taking in his surroundings while Isacc chattered about something or another next to him. As soon as he left his dorm, he was met with a huge courtyard area that reached up and cut a circular hole in the middle of each of the floors. From here, Z could see almost every single dorm room beyond the railings surrounding the clearing. The whole building was structured like a fancy hotel. A large vine staircase located to the right swirled up to connect each of the floors, much like a large tree. It was no doubt, designed by a Tipu.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Z glanced over to see such a Tipu using the staircase. With a flash of green light in his eyes, the stairs moved by themselves, carrying the boy to his floor elegantly. In front of him, a very bitter Flare dragged himself up the stairs, panting with sweat as he stumbled onto the tenth floor, the top one. ¡°Here!¡± A chipper voice brought him back to reality. Isacc gestured towards a grandiose door, adorned with golden leaves, bronze swirls, and everything in between. It was three times Z¡¯s height, and it was a wonder that he hadn¡¯t noticed it upon walking in. Noticing his wide eyes, Isacc giggled. ¡°Pretty nifty eh? I remember foaming at the mouth when I first arrived. This kind of money¡­¡± He trailed off, eyes drifting to the large door. Isacc shook his head. He smiled bitterly, ¡°Well that¡¯s why we¡¯re here isn¡¯t it?¡± Z nodded as they left the dormitory. He knew exactly what he meant. Z pondered, gazing past all the candidates circling the place. There were hundreds of them¡­ thousands. And they were all here for one reason: to get a better life. All of them except Z. The boy smirked. He supposed that wasn¡¯t entirely true. Even if he doesn¡¯t manage to make the Guard, he can sure as hell drag some filthy nobles down to the underworld. That would make his life a whole lot better. ¡°What are you smiling about?¡± Z looked up in surprise, jolted out of his thoughts. Isacc pouted at him with his hands on his hips. Z¡¯s eyes drifted past him to see a large building named ¡®Food¡¯ stationed behind the shorter boy. He raised his eyebrows. ¡°Creative.¡± Isacc stared blankly at him, striking Z with a strange feeling of malicious intent. Somewhat startled, Z stepped back abruptly, causing Isacc to raise an eyebrow at him. The feeling was gone as if it had never happened, and Isacc smiled at him innocently, but it didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes. ¡°Well let¡¯s get to work then!¡± He bounded off cheerfully. Z frowned. He had almost forgotten. Noble or not, they were all enemies here. Friends, even among roommates, simply did not exist. He silently reminded himself to take a look into Isacc¡¯s background before following the redhead into the store. *** Isacc smiled brightly next to him, the previous mirth in his eyes gone without a trace. Z pursed his lips, silently trailing behind Isacc as he grabbed the supplies they needed. The store was nothing conventional, much like the rest of the buildings on the test grounds. It was almost as if they had stepped into a different world altogether. Everything was green. No matter where he looked, he was struck with green leaves and large vines outstretching to cover every nook and cranny of the store. The air was moist, yet everything was brightly lit¡ª a stark contrast from the desert-like climate they¡¯d treaded for 30 minutes to get here. Z sighed. Everything about this place screamed rich, powerful nobles. He really didn¡¯t belong here. Not anymore, at least. Yet as Z passed by a small shelf of spices, he was hit with the familiar aroma of home. He stood with his feet frozen to the ground. Of all the places¡­ why here? Why in the pride and joy of all those who destroyed his family? ¡°Z? You ok?¡± Z turned to face Isacc and almost believed the worried look on his face as he looked up at him. Z shook his head. ¡°You go on. I¡¯ve got a couple of things I want to buy.¡± Isacc narrowed his eyes, emerald green darkening to a forest wood. He squeezed his eyes shut and forced a smile on his face. ¡°Well alright then.¡± With that, Isacc slowly trudged off, ever so often glancing at him from the side of his eye. Z let out a breath as he finally disappeared. There was something off about that kid. He pressed his lips together as he turned towards the shelf next to him. Sure enough, a familiar spice stared back at him. Areslota. His mother¡¯s favorite. She would always hum while sprinkling a bit of the spice onto a tray of food the cooks had prepared. Back then, she always had a smile on her face, even as the chef chewed her out for ruining her dinner. She would laugh, apologize, and then glance back at him and wink, scooping a spoonful of food into her mouth and marveling at the taste. The chef always appreciated that. She would get flustered and scoff, her metal soles tap tapping as she left to prepare the next dish. A nostalgic smile made its way onto Z¡¯s face. He¡­ really missed her. Z¡¯s eyes drifted to the spice right next to it. At the dinner table, his mother would tell stories too. He still remembered some of them. His mother¡¯s favorites, at least. One of which spoke of the tale of the two spices in front of him. They used to be two seeds, born from the same flower. They lived together in peace until a greedy farmer uprooted them and sold them off for profit, planting them miles away from each other. The two seeds grew into luscious plants on their own, but due to their grief for each other, their flowers always had half of their petals missing. When they grew old and bore seeds of their own, they vowed to each other, from miles away, that they would enact revenge on the humans who pried them apart. And so if one ever found themselves eating spice ground from the two seeds mixed together, they must be very careful, for a little bit of magic would ignite the fury of the sibling plants and create a deadly poison that killed instantly. But of course, it was just a story. Seeds don¡¯t have feelings. Seeds can¡¯t get revenge. Z smiled as he picked up the spice bottle titled Acerole next to the Areslota. Seeds can¡¯t, but humans can. He hummed. Placing these two spices next to each other¡­ it was almost as if the administrators of the test wanted them to kill each other. Z pocketed the two bottles. Having a little bit of extra poison on hand could never go wrong. Z met up with Isacc at checkout. A very bored man sat on what seemed to be a beanbag made of tree roots. He glanced up at them, eyes flashing green as he briefly sorted through the items selected. ¡°That will be 120 iselas,¡± he droned, going back to his book, uninterested. Isacc held his wristband out, but Z stopped him. ¡°We should both pay,¡± he murmured. ¡°In case either of us gets into an emergency.¡± Isacc beamed at him. ¡°Great idea! Sir, sorry to bother, but could you split the cost between us?¡± The man groaned as if they were asking him to cut off an arm for them. ¡°Fine. Give me your bands.¡± The two boys held up their hands, and the man raised his arm to click his wristband against both of theirs. A bright green holographic message popped up, stating that their transaction had been successful. Isacc and Z politely nodded at the man before grabbing their groceries and hurrying along their way. They both shared a look as they left the warm mist of the forest and entered the scorching sun. Z sighed, closing his eyes as the wind flitted through his hair. This was going to be the beginning of a long month. Chapter 16 Two sirens of different pitches winded around each other, combining together to create the perfect apocalypse nightmare alarm. It seemed Z wasn¡¯t the only one who thought this way. Isacc jumped so high when the alarm sounded that his head almost hit the ceiling. Then, he shrieked perhaps even louder than the siren itself. Z winced at the assault on his ears Before long, Isacc was leaping out of bed and struggling to pull on his uniform. Z made a face and groggily turned over in his sheets, desperately trying to ignore the ear-bleeding sound bounding about in the room. His not-so-peaceful moment was interrupted when Isacc practically yanked him off his mattress, his wide violet eyes blinking down at him as he shoved Z¡¯s uniform into his arms. ¡°Put it on, now! Hurry, we¡¯re gonna be late!¡± Z cursed, tripping over his legs as he attempted to scoot out of bed and pull his trousers on at the same time. ¡°Late for what? The hell is going on?¡± Isacc didn¡¯t reply, too busy messing with his hair in a futile attempt to look professional. By the time he registered Z¡¯s question, the dark-haired boy was already fully dressed and struggling to button his shirt up. Isacc grabbed his arm, yanking him out of their shared room. ¡°Are you kidding me? Didn¡¯t you listen to the instructions? They were given every day during the week-long arrival period,¡± Isacc said, desperately tapping on his band to get it to navigate to the test site. Z shook his head. ¡°I was knocked out almost the entire time.¡± Isacc groaned. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. You¡¯re mister sleepyhead.¡± He let out a whoop of joy as a blue arrow finally popped up on the ground beneath him. ¡°Now we¡¯re talking!¡± The two ran as Isacc quickly gave Z a rundown of the tests. ¡°Okay, so the first test is the physical test. It¡¯s your standard fitness test, ya know? They¡¯ll measure you on your reflexes, stamina, strength, flexibility, agility, and of course-¡± Isacc slowed to a stop. The two guard candidates had arrived inside the arena they¡¯d entered through, except now it seemed to serve as an open gymnasium of sorts. The large set of bleachers surrounding them was now filled with rich nobility that seemed to be placing bets on the candidates. There was a large holographic projection of a timer in the middle of the gym, counting down from 3¡­ 2¡­. 1¡­. 0. ¡°-speed,¡± Isacc finished, out of breath. The moment the timer hit zero, a large heat shield surrounded the building, effectively shutting the few latecomers out of the gym. Z could hear wails of misery from outside the shield, but he ignored them, effectively mesmerized by the sheer grandeur of the arena. It seemed the entire testing ground had a theme of ¡®Tipu¡¯, as the bleachers where the nobles sat were now laced with vines and shrubbery. Wai guards stood behind the nobles, creating a cool mist to keep them from heating up under the laser sun. The candidates, unfortunately, did not have such a luxury. Isacc let go of Z¡¯s hand and gestured for the taller boy to follow him. Z complied, and the two joined a cluster of people in front of a tall woman, likely the exam proctor. She had bright red hair and fiery eyes, with a face that seemed to shift every time she turned her head. Z huffed in awe. Light manipulation. As they slowed to a stop, Isacc whispered with a grin. ¡°Actually, don¡¯t tell anyone I told you this, but there¡¯s a hidden objective in every test.¡± He wagged his eyebrows with a smirk. ¡°Think about it- what traits aren¡¯t being explicitly tested?¡± The woman raised a hand and silence fell over the chattering candidates. ¡°I am told you all were already given the details of the first test. In that case, we will begin promptly.¡± She turned her head upwards to nod at a woman with bright purple hair that flowed down her shoulders. The woman nodded back at the Fiamme, standing up and snapping her fingers. The guard candidates watched mesmerized as seats began to rise from the floor, accompanied by a multitude of gear such as punching bags, dumbbells, and even a boxing ring made of marble and twine. A gravel road rose up from under the dirt, stretching out across the arena to form a small racing track. The Fiamme seemed almost proud at the crowd¡¯s awe, her nose turned up in glee. ¡°Alright, alright,¡± she exclaimed, clapping her hands together. ¡°That¡¯s enough, settle down now.¡± She paused to click a button on her wristband. Almost immediately, dings went off in the crowd of guard candidates as each of their bands lit up to project a number between one and twenty. ¡°Separate yourself into your groups according to your number. There should be around thirty people in each group, so if there are more, then one of you is in the wrong place. If there¡¯s less,¡± a sinister grin crawled onto her face. ¡°¡­ then consider yourself lucky as your chances of passing just went up.¡± Murmurs erupted throughout the candidates as they sorted into their groups. Z nodded goodbye to an enthusiastic Isacc, who bounded off to join Group 6. He looked down at his wristband to see a bright yellow 20 shining at him. Dead last huh? Fitting. He looked over at the other people assigned 20, and¡ª oh. Aalto fucking Floa. The naughty little prince. He was staring Z down like a hawk eyeing its prey. Or, well, more like a ruffled hawk whose prey had come back to life after he¡¯d snapped its neck. Z smirked at him, confidently walking towards him, his eyes flashing with mirth. The blonde avoided his gaze, causing Z to laugh dryly. Oh, how the mighty fall. Before he could say or do anything, their proctor spoke up, her voice bouncing in the air gleefully.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°As you all know, this is a test based on your physical ability. What you don¡¯t know is that only half of you will pass this test.¡± Panicked faces scattered as everyone took a glance at each other, checking out the competition. The proctor hummed apathetically. ¡°Take a look at the people you¡¯re standing with right now. They¡¯re the ones you¡¯re competing with. Only 15 people from each group are permitted to advance. If you had any friends in your group, you no longer do.¡± Some faces grew more panicked while some relaxed knowing they weren¡¯t competing with their buddies. Z glanced over at Group 6 to find Isacc already staring at him. The redhead winked, giving him two thumbs up. Z ignored him, turning his attention back to the proctor, who giggled at the emerging chaos. She clapped her hands twice, and twenty adults wearing yellow uniforms materialized behind her. ¡°Meet your testers, AKA the people who decide who passes and who fails, so be nice okay? There is a total of five tests. You will be scored out of 10 on each of them, and those scores will be added to form your final grade. The top 15 grades from each group pass! Simple enough, right? Great! Let¡¯s begin.¡± The proctor clapped her hands excitedly and instantly disintegrated into ashes. A young man wearing a yellow shirt with the number 20 on it stepped toward Z¡¯s group. He briefly introduced himself as their tester and motioned for them to follow him to the racing track. The man sat down at a simple wooden desk next to the track, making a clipboard materialize in front of him. ¡°Five at a time please,¡± he drawled, motioning towards the race track. A few volunteers who were confident in their abilities, one of them Aalto, stepped up to compete. Lined up in a horizontal row, they each claimed one of the five lanes to race on. All of them seemed nervous, yet excited to be there at the same time. Z turned away from the runners as they began their race, staring off into the distance as he lost himself in thought. A moment later, his wristband buzzed with a message from Isacc. ¡®You figure it out yet?¡¯ Z dismissed the message, narrowing his eyes. He didn¡¯t know what the hidden test was, and he didn¡¯t care. With Z¡¯s abilities, there was no way he would fail the physical tests. He would be better off worrying about how to pass the elemental ones. Still, his mind wandered, contemplating what Isacc could¡¯ve meant. Every single test here had an indefinite way to be measured. In a race, you¡¯re measured by time. In a fight, you¡¯re measured by whether you win or lose. In strength, by the amount you can lift. So if the results are decided solely based on your own merit, why did the proctor say that the testers were the ones who decide whether you pass or fail? Z watched as the first batch of runners made it to the finish line, Aalto finishing first with a wide grin on his face. The answer, of course, was that there was a hidden condition. One that the testers decided whether or not you completed well. It was likely the same one that Isacc told him about. The boy examined his surroundings for any hints. All he saw were depressed instructors, annoyingly optimistic guard candidates, and a whole lot of sweat. The boy groaned, scratching at his temple. All this thinking made his head hurt. Who the hell cares about some hidden objective? He could just bulldoze his way through these tests. ¡°Alright, next group, line up for the race!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± Z stepped up confidently, deciding to just get the race over with. Seeing his boldness, a couple of other candidates stepped up as well. One of them was a beautiful young girl with curly auburn hair that glowed in the sunlight. She winked at Z, casually standing next to him on the track. ¡°I see you found the hidden objective,¡± she giggled, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth. ¡°I almost thought you wouldn¡¯t! You know, it was quite cute the way you were pacing around trying to figure it out.¡± Z blinked at her. He didn¡¯t figure out shit. But she didn¡¯t need to know that. Deciding not to grace her with a response and make himself look stupid, he turned his eyes to the track, a blank stare steady on the horizon in front of him. ¡°Ready? Go!¡± The other racers took off, feet landing with loud thuds on the gravel floor as they pushed their bodies to the limit. It was almost comedic, considering the slow speed at which they were running. Z walked forward casually, giving the others a good head start to the race. The instructor stared at him curiously while his group members murmured amongst themselves. The boy smirked. Even if he couldn¡¯t figure out the hidden objective, he could surely blow the competition out of the water. The auburn-haired girl snickered as she practically glided across the track, scorching the ground in her way. ¡°Well,¡± she hummed as she passed him, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re smart. Otherwise, you would never have passed.¡± A muscle in Z¡¯s eye twitched. This bitch was starting to get on his nerves. Taking a deep breath, he glanced at the other candidates to see that most were about halfway done with the track. The girl from before quickly made her way to the front, a confident smile on her face. Z grinned. He was about to crush her spirits. The boy took a deep breath, crouching down to the ground. The candidates that weren¡¯t running watched him, some with expectant looks, some with faces of scorn. Z paid them no mind. When the wind hit his face at just the right angle, he took off, leaving a trail of dust in his wake. He couldn¡¯t hear anything but the flapping of the wind and the beating of his heart as he pushed his legs to the limits. He passed the other racers easily, the auburn-haired girl staring at him with a jaw-slacked mouth as he flew by, shooting her a smirk. In record time, he passed the finish line, but he didn¡¯t stop there. Z continued to speed up, his muscles burning as he looped around the arena once more, making it to the finish line once again seconds after the annoying girl did. Finally, he skidded to a stop, wiping at the sweat dripping down his chin and resting his hands on his knees. The thrumming of his veins echoed in his mind, along with the shouts from the watching members of his group. Even though he was their competition, they still cheered out of sheer awe. Z smirked triumphantly as he made his way to the instructor, who chuckled at the ground. ¡°Impressive, Mr. Akol. You¡¯ve won both first and third.¡± *** ¡°Wowww! That was thrilling!¡± Z ignored the girl who sidled up to him as they walked to the next test. ¡°You really had me fooled with the whole ¡®taking it easy¡¯ thing!¡± She giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. ¡°I almost thought you were a goner with how slow you were going at the beginning!¡± A nerve was starting to throb in Z¡¯s head. This girl¡­ she didn¡¯t know when to stop did she? Despite Z¡¯s unresponsiveness, the girl chattered on. ¡°I honestly didn¡¯t think you would pass the test, considering how late you discovered the hidden condition and how wimpy you look. But man, did you prove me wrong. I¡¯m sure you got the highest score!¡± Z stopped in his tracks, turning to face her directly. ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t know who you are or what you want from me, but I¡¯m not interested. Leave. Me. Alone.¡± The girl¡¯s face twisted into a wry smile. ¡°Oh, but I reaaaally want to get to know you better! I think you¡¯re just adorable!¡± Z scowled, breaking into a light jog to get just far enough away from her so he couldn¡¯t hear her babbling. The girl stayed behind for a couple of seconds, brown eyes flashing bright red. She stared blankly at the small of his back. ¡°I¡¯m also interested in why you have traces of my brother¡¯s magic on you,¡± she murmured, ¡°and why you¡¯re alive despite it.¡±