ã€ŠMasters of Shadow and Lightã€‹


 Chapter 0001

    "Excuse me," a woman approaches me, holding out a microphone. "Do you have a few minutes to discuss your thoughts on the Patron''s policies."

    Judging by the microphone, her suit, and her blond hair being fixed up in a bun, I''d say she''s probably a reporter. The cameraman with her suggests that to me, too. A glance at the camera and the microphone reveal she''s from the city''s biggest station, though I don''t recognize her. Even if I don''t watch the news much, I do still recognize the anchors from the biggest station due to having at least seem them from time to time on various TVs.

    "Is this live?" I ask.

    "No," she answers. "There are too many issues with people saying inappropriate things, so the station reviews everything first. Since children do watch the news, we strive to make sure that we don''t allow crude things to be said."

    Makes sense. Most of the ''live'' footage that I''ve seen them do was usually just them doing a report somewhere live and not interacting with civilians.

    "I''ve got a few minutes," I tell her.

    It''s not like I have a job to be at or a meetup to attend. They''re had to come by for someone with as few skills as I do, and most of the time I do get a job, it''s just something temporary, one to three shifts. I was on my way home from a frustrating appointment at the temp agency when she stopped me, so I have nothing better to do.

    "Are you new to the station?" I ask. "I''ve never seen you on there before."

    "I''ve never been broadcast, but I''m not new," she smiles. "Normally, I screen people on the streets. You know those interviews with random citizens done at the station?"

    "You pick them?"

    "I do, indeed," she smiles. "So this little interview might be a bit more casual than you''re used to seeing, since I''m not used to the proper way of things."

    "That''s fine," I tell her. "It''s not often I see coverage about the Patron, though."

    Every city on the back of a great beast has one. Sivalshi City rests on the shell of a turtle over fifteen miles across and is home to around twelve million people. It swims around the ocean, resulting in a rather safe environment. Most of the demons and monsters that plague the world don''t mess with the great beasts, which is why people moved to live on them once they realized the beasts didn''t mind.

    When the migrations happened a few centuries ago, the Patrons were eventually discovered. Gods, we think they are, and it''s likely the great beasts are their pets, which would explain why few things ever bother trying to mess with the cities.

    I''ve grown up here on Sivalshi''s back, though I''ve never met our Patron. No one has, though I know there are a few who''ve actually heard his voice. Each Patron has their own quirks, their own way of doing things, but each also usually talks with a select few.

    Most people try to ignore the existence of the Patrons because it doesn''t usually affect them. Whatever the Patrons do, it''s less about us and more about themselves. At least, that''s what many believe.

    "Our city has one of the most benevolent Patrons," the reporter tells me. "So while most people don''t think about him much other than to thank him for protecting us from monsters, the station decided to do a small piece on it. They sent me out here to talk with a few people, see their thoughts. If I think we have something we can use, they might expand the horizons and do a bigger piece."

    "Makes sense," I say.

    "Alright," she smiles. "Let''s begin. I''m Amanda Shendal from the Sivalshi News Network. What''s your name and age, sir?"

    "Kieran, and eighteen," I answer.

    "Are you in high school?"

    Questions like this are normal to start a street interview, it helps build a relation, or something like that. From what I''ve seen, they often tie in the actual interview to the starting questions, too. At least, for the live interviews I''ve seen on other networks.

    "I''m not," I answer. "Even if I''d gone to graduation, I''d have graduated back in May."

    "I see," she says. "So you''ve been working instead?"

    "Yes," I answer. "I dropped out of school after my parents died when I was fourteen, have been renting an apartment since."

    According to the stories, that wasn''t normal before the Rift Calamity. Back then, in the Old Society, it wasn''t legal for someone to even have a contract for an apartment at that age. Some people were able to receive permits to work, but they were exceptions, not the rule. Here, though, in the New Society, that''s different. Resources are scarce, technological advancement is pretty slow, and anyone, of any age, might find themselves needing to work.

    Sure, I could have gone into the system, but that would have come with headaches I didn''t want to deal with when I was fourteen. Like overcrowded group homes. So I got to work and started renting an apartment. I do end up behind on bills sometimes, but everyone does unless they''re at least well-off.

    "Pretty common story," she says. "Mind if I ask how your parents passed, Kieran?"

    "Bank robbery gone wrong," I answer. "My parents went to the bank to try to negotiate a loan to help pay to fix the apartment we''d been living in. Some power users came in and robbed the place and killed several people, including my parents."

    My name was kept out of the papers, and such events aren''t uncommon enough that someone would be able to identify me. Even if they did, a small piece on this for the station wouldn''t matter much despite how large they are, so I wouldn''t find too much issue. No one would really care, though. Almost everyone around me has either lost someone or knows someone who lost someone due to disease or crime. The only thing special about my situation was that there were power users involved.

    "Power users?" Amanda asks. "That''s not a common way to go when compared to all other things."

    "Still common enough," I slip my hands into the pocket of my hoodie.

    Sivalshi likes to swim around cooler areas, and we rarely reach sixty degrees in temperature here, though he''s nice enough to rarely go into the freezing areas. Right now, we''re in a bout of him swimming around a zone that stays between forty and forty-five during the day, and about thirty-five at night. Only when it''s windy is there much of an issue. My hands were getting a little cold. Unlike her, I don''t have gloves.Stolen novel; please report.

    "Yes, it is," she says. "Quite sadly. Fortunately, the Patron of Sivalshi City is one that cares about such things. I am, of course, referring to the Sivalshi Guardians."

    They''re all power users hand-picked by our Patron. A small, elite force of power users whose main job is going after those organizing disruptions in our city. Anyone attempting to rally forces to cause a disturbance will find themselves targeted by the Sivalshi Guardians, as will anyone who commits too many disruptive crimes.

    Naturally, there are a few organizations who can oppose the Sivalshi Guardians, but they''re usually pretty hard-pressed to do more than just drive them off. In the end, they also always lose. I think only one organization''s actually managed to exist for more than ten years as a major force against the Sivalshi Guardians. The Patron''s warriors are the elite, after all.

    What''s more, the Sivalshi Guardians have never gone-all out against one of these forces before.

    "Our Patron cares about keeping order on the larger scale," I state.

    "Exactly," she says. "On the larger scale, Kieran. Tell me, were the power users who killed your parents ever caught?"

    I don''t like this line of conversation.

    "No," I answer.

    "So normal," she says. "So standard. Yet the Patron is a god. Even if he doesn''t know all, he knows more than most, sees more than most. How else can his warriors so efficiently fight against those who wish to disrupt the peace?"

    She sounds like she''s opposed to the Patron. Is that what this network is going for? That won''t bode well for them. While the Patron is rather benevolent, it does not take well to attempts to rally against it. Such attempts always end up with riots that disrupt the peace, so the Patron tries to stamp them out early on.

    "I don''t know," I tell her. "I''m sure the Patron had his reasons. He may not be able to interfere in things too much. No one really understands what the Patrons are or how they work. What are their rules? Their limitations? The extent of their powers? They''re all mysteries."

    "Yes, they are," she says. "Especially as the Patrons tend to act differently, even for the ones with similar patterns. According to our sources, there are fewer than ten Sivalshi Guardians, Kieran. Did you know that most other Patrons have at least thirty to forty of their chosen? There''s one city whose Patron has over sixty."

    "You''re referring to Kelorins City, right?" I ask.

    "I am," she answers. "The last time we received a communication with them, they had sixty-four working for their Patron."

    The Patron of Kelorins City has its warriors fight each other. At least once a week, they''re ordered to track down and fight another warrior, and killing the opponent is allowed. It''s a form of sport to that city''s Patron. Some Patrons are sadistic instead of benevolent. I''m glad I grew up on Sivalshi.

    "I wouldn''t call battling each other and causing disruptions to be a good thing," I say. "Our Patron looks for the grander scheme, leaving it to us to police the smaller things. If he interferes to much, then we''ll become dependent on him and his warriors. He probably doesn''t want that. This is, of course, speculation. No one can truly know what the Patron is thinking or what his reasoning is."

    We also have the vigilantes dealing with lesser issues, anyway. They aren''t the Patron''s chosen, but they certainly help to some degree. Power users who don masks and patrol the streets on their own, looking for crimes-in-progress and helping the police catch criminals who got away. Sometimes, I wonder if the Patron actually approves of them and that his approval is why the authorities don''t hunt them too much unless they get stupid.

    "Maybe not," she says. "But he could definitely increase patrols, couldn''t he? Lamrivax City''s Patron has its chosen policing the streets, looking for crimes in progress and helping hunt down criminals."

    "Lamrivax City," I say. "Does have three times as many chosen as Sivalshi. However, they have millions of citizens, which means that their overall impact probably isn''t actually all that great. It says something that all of the Patrons we know of have very few chosen in relation to how many citizens are on their pets."

    "So you''re suggesting," Amanda says. "That something limits the Patrons'' influence?"

    "No," I say. "They have plenty of influence. That''s why there are entire cults that either worship them or hate them. What I''m saying is that the Patrons have their reasons, and it''s not our place to question them. They''re already kind enough to let us live on the backs of their pets, where it''s safer than living on the continents. Why should we ask them for more?"

    "So you think," she says. "That it''s acceptable for the Patrons to help us as little or as much as they want then, Kieran?"

    "I do," I answer. "Asking them for more may even cause them to turn their backs on us, and that might cause problems. Sivalshi has let us ride on his back for three centuries without once diving underwater. What if we beg his Patron for more, and in response, his Patron tells him to drown us all? We should be grateful for the mercies they''ve given us."

    "Even though the Patrons could help us more?" She asks. "They could drastically decrease the death rate if they wanted. So many people die from illness, yet they''re able to cure the incurable. So many people die from hunger, yet they''re able to increase food bounties. So many people are killed, yet our Patron keeps his protectors to a select few, only having them protect society as a whole rather than the common man. Your parents could still be alive today if he was more active, Kieran. Their killers could have been caught even if not."

    She really wants me to change my opinion, and using my parents as an argument is only serving to annoy me. Maybe others would have fallen for her bait, her arguments, but not me. While I cared about my parents, there''s no changing the past and the Patron has his reasons. It''s not my place to ask a god ¨C or a godlike being ¨C to change his plans. It''s my place to accept things as they are.

    "Look," I tell her. "I''ve heard it all before, and I don''t really care for the preaching of this. If your intent is to try to convince me to side against the Patron, we''re done here. You can tell your station to be careful, too, Amanda. If the Patron thinks you''re trying to rally people to cause a problem, he will stop you. Thank you and have a good day."

    I turn and resume the walk home, and Amanda doesn''t try to follow me, like some reporters are wont to do. She kind of upset me with that, and the walk home gives me time to calm down. What game is her station playing? If they really want to do a piece painting the Patron as a bad guy, they should screen people for interviews first, then interview them live and make it seem like it''s on the spot, to better paint it as if the majority of people are opposed to his current actions.

    Coming up to people like me will only net them bad results for their plans.

    When I reach the thirty-story apartment building that I live in, I use my key to enter, then approach the mail room, noting that the tiles of the floor look like they were actually cleaned for the first time in a long while. Maintenance is always spotty on stuff like that everywhere that''s not a better district.

    Entering the mail room, I dip my head to the twenty-nine-year-old woman checking her box, a baby on her hip and a toddler holding her pants. I don''t actually recognize her, but there are six apartments on each floor, so almost two hundred apartments here, and most of them are occupied. Most of the residents here don''t interact with each other unless they actually need to, and I''m no exception to that standard.

    The mother and her children leave as I reach my mailbox, and I pull out my key and unlock it. Instead of nothing being in it as I expected, there''s a manila envelope resting inside, with only my name, Kieran Wolfe, written on it. No addresses, no stamps, nothing that would have made its delivery legal, even in this era.

    How did this get in here? I''m doubting the mail service would have put it in. Did management? I did manage to pay everything last month, and they don''t really evict people over missed or late payments unless it''s too extreme, so I shouldn''t be getting a notice from them.

    Grabbing the folder, I walk to the elevator and take it up to the twenty-third floor, then to my apartment, flipping on the light. After pulling off my sneakers, I plop myself on the couch. There''s no heating here, so staying comfortable means staying with socks and my hoodie on.

    Opening up the envelope, I pull out the items inside. An ear comm, a stack of crisp, neat bills, and a letter. Did some sort of organization or gang decide to recruit me? How much trouble will I get into for having this? They''ve already paid me, so I may be seen as an accomplice.

    It''s very rare for someone in the lower sectors like this to ever have new bills like this. Heck, I''m pretty sure most of the wealthier people rarely handle fresh money like this. That only makes me more worried. Who was robbed for this, and why was some of the money given to me?

    Looking at the letter rather than counting out the cash, I begin reading.

 Chapter 0002

    The letter is a little on the short side, but what it says is¡­ stunning. Never did I expect something like this to come my way. Even when someone jokingly made a comment about it when I was younger, I dismissed it.

    Mister Kieran Wolf,

    You are probably wondering how I got this envelope into your mailbox. The answer is quite simple: a Sivalshi Guardian picked the lock and stuck it in there after being given the envelope and the instructions to deliver it to you.

    As you are likely guessing, I am the Patron of Sivalshi City. Recently, I have begun to see the need of a teleporter more and more, and as you are well aware, you possess the ability to teleport, even if there are limitations to it.

    Therefore, I would like to extend an offer to you. I am asking that you become one of my Sivalshi Guardians, to help protect the city against threats to the overall peace.

    If you accept this offer, then you may use the money to pay your bills for the next month, feed yourself, and find yourself a place to train your power and your abilities. Be advised that you will need combat training and the willingness to kill when necessary.

    If you decline this offer, then put the cash, earpiece, and this letter back into the envelope, then stick the envelope back into your mailbox.

    If you accept, then in thirty days, I will assess your progress in your training, Kieran. Should it be sufficient, then I will contact you for your first mission and you will become my employee, with a payment for each job which you perform. Should your abilities not be sufficient, then I will expect a full refund of what I have expended on you for this within six months.

    Patron of Sivalshi City

    After finishing reading through the letter the first time, I read through it a second time. I have to, just to process what I read. If this is true, then the Patron has contacted me and wants me as a Sivalshi Guardian. There''s a chance it''s someone screwing with me, but with the fresh bills, the expensive-looking earpiece, and their ability to find out that I''m able to walk through shadows¡­ I don''t think it could be anyone but the Patron.

    Does the power of teleportation really hold that much value to the Patron? Is it really so rare that he''d have to use someone who hasn''t used it since the panicked discovery of it when I was five?

    My power isn''t teleportation per se, but shadow-walking. I can step into one shadow and come out of another. However, only my body travels through them, no clothes as well. It traumatized my five-year-old self when this power was discovered because of that.

    Though that particular trauma is gone, I''ve never used the ability again. I''ve done just fine without it.

    Yet now the Patron is asking me to use it for him, telling me that I can earn money with it. Why? Shouldn''t there be someone with a much better version of this ability? An actual teleporter, for example? There are twelve million people in the city, and one percent of the population has powers. That''s a hundred and twenty thousand people the Patron could pull from.

    Looking at the stack of bills, I reach over and grab it, counting through. My bills for each month total up to fifteen hundred, and that''s with skimping on food and supplies. There are twenty-two bills, each one valued at one hundred dollars.

    Enough money to pay my bills for the month, buy some better food, and money leftover to find a place that can help me train my power and possibly a place to train in martial arts, as lesser as my skills will be after just a month.

    At least, that''s true when factoring in the money I''ve already earned for this month''s bill so far. Without that, I''d probably barely be able to afford a place to train my powers and not a place to train in combat. If I hadn''t already bought some food and saved some money for the bills this month, would the Patron have sent me more money? Or would I have to make do with this as some sort of test to see what I manage without good resources?

    While there''s the issue of me losing my clothes every time I shadow-walk, I can probably talk with the staff at whatever place I find and see what they say about that. I don''t have a spellsuit tailored to my power, but if I become a Sivalshi Guardian, I''m pretty sure the Patron would supply one. It''s probably not possible to rent a spellsuit, though.

    If I wanted one outside of the ones the Patron supplies to his warriors, I''d have to pay tens of thousands of dollars and have it tailored for my power. There''s no way a place just has one of those sitting around, waiting for someone to rent it.

    Running through the cash again, I pull out seven bills and stuff them into my pocket, then grab my shoes and pull them back on. There''s no reason not to start looking now.

    While I''m a bit iffy on the job needing me to kill people, the Patron chose me over all other possible candidates for a reason that I''m sure I''ll one day learn if I work for him long enough. Though I''d rather stay with the temp jobs or find something more long-term but not as risky, something about the offer appeals to me. I support the Patron, and if he wants me to help him keep the peace in the city, then I''ll do that, no matter what it takes, no matter the risk to myself.

    So I leave my apartment and make my way out of the apartment building. I know of a place for power users to train their abilities in, a bit further away from my apartment than comfortable, but still worth checking out. Hopefully, it''s not too expensive.

    The facility takes me almost forty minutes to reach, and when I arrive, I look at it. It''s fairly large, though not a high-rise like most residential or work buildings. Standing as a business by itself, it even has its own parking lot. Both of those are rare enough on their own. From what I know, it''s about four stories tall and has a lot of facilities inside to help people with powers train them. However, those ''stories'' take up more than four normal stories, as it''s four stories where two of them together roughly equal the height of a basketball court.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Its walls are a bland grey, and there are several cars in the lot. Most of its windows are high up, probably to avoid having people try to break them for whatever reason. Some people like to do that to standalone centers like this.

    Walking inside, I take in the polished tile floors, the functional lights, the polished reception desk, the glass in the doors, the cushioned seats without any damage to them, and all the other signs of a place that''s probably actually pretty expensive. What''s this place doing here in the lower districts?

    "Hello," one of the two ladies sitting behind the desk greets me when I approach it. "How can I help you today, sir?"

    "I was wondering what a membership cost?" I ask.

    "A month-to-month membership," she says. "Costs three hundred dollars. A yearly membership is two-fifty a month, set as a contract for twelve months. There''s a sign-up fee of one hundred dollars for each. With it comes full use of our facilities. If you want a membership with a trainer, it''s an additional hundred per month for the monthly and extra seventy-five per month for the yearly.

    "The standard membership," she tells me. "Does allow you one free training session with a trainer per month. The trainer membership grants you access to a trainer anytime you''re in here, and you''re also able to request to work with specific trainers."

    Overall, this is cheaper than I was expecting. By a few hundred dollars. And I wasn''t even expecting them to offer trainers, too, not with them being in a lower district. How do they fund all of this and still manage to keep the place maintained?

    "Before I give you the paperwork to look over," she says. "I do need to ask if you''re a power user. This facility is catered to helping them train their abilities, so it''s not that suited for someone looking for a fitness program."

    I suppose it makes sense that they''d want to check that first, for the reason she stated. Someone might come in thinking it''s a normal fitness place and then get put off by the lack of normal equipment or by the presence of people training powers around them.

    There''s no point in hiding my ability, either. Not when they''ll probably discover it as I train it, anyway. It would be hard to get a personal trainer to help me if I don''t tell them, and still probably unlikely if I do tell them. This power is pretty rare, and I knew that even before the Patron''s letter.

    "I''m a power user," I nod. "My power is shadow-walking. I''ve never used it except the time I discovered it, so I''m pretty, well, bad with it. I figure it''s time that I learned how to use it properly. Do you have someone able to help me with that?"

    "We do," she smiles. "Surprisingly enough. Such abilities are pretty rare, but one of our staff members is a light-walker, the inverse of your power."

    Instead of moving through shadows, he moves through light. I just happen to go somewhere that has someone like that? What are the odds of that?

    "If you''d like a free, two-hour consultation with him," she says. "It''s only ten dollars. He''s here right now, so we can set that up now if you want. He can give you a tour of our facilities, some lessons on your ability, and figure out a training plan for optimal results for you."

    Ten dollars seems kind of cheap for all of that, so I pull out my wallet and pull out two of the five-dollar bills in it, then fill out the paperwork she gives me. Once I finish and pay, she picks up her walkie.

    "Luke, come on up," she says. "We''ve got someone who needs a consultation, and you''re the best trainer for him."

    "Auntie Tabby, what have we talked about?"

    Auntie Tabby?

    "Lucas," she says. "Please come on up."

    "Be there in a second, Tabitha," he says.

    I suppose he dislikes the nickname.

    "He''ll be here shortly," Tabitha smiles at me.

    "He''s your nephew?" I ask.

    "A few of us here are related," she informs me. "My father owns the place, and he inherited it from his father. Dad and Lucas are the only ones who inherited the light-walking power. Most of us can''t do much, but my sister ¨C his mother ¨C married a man who could manipulate light as well, so Lucas had a higher chance of inheriting more."

    Inheriting more? People can have more than one ability? Someone with two parents with similar powers can inherit more than them, too?

    "I see," I say.

    "Ah," she seems to remember something. "You don''t have an issue working privately with a gay guy, do you? If so, we can arrange for someone else. I''d forgotten that some people react rather negatively, and he''s wearing a bracelet that causes most people to assume it immediately."

    So my trainer is gay? Is he cute?

    "No, that''s fine," I tell her.

    "OWOWOWOWOWOWOW!"

    We all look over to find a very hot guy who looks about my age walking towards us, dragging someone twice our age by the ear and looking rather stern. The guy our age has blond hair and bright green eyes, and is dressed in a grey polo tucked into dark blue pants and is wearing black and grey sneakers. That polo fits him rather nicely, showing off his lean build.

    There''s a walkie fixed to the black, leather-looking belt, a rainbow silicon bracelet and a black and blue watch on his left wrist. Hanging around his neck is a silver necklace, though it''s tucked under his shirt, so I can''t see if there''s something hanging from it or not.

    The man he''s dragging has brown hair streaked through with grey, brown eyes, and is dressed in rather thin clothes, a bit like me. He''s also a bit dirty.

    "How many times," the blond guy says. "Do I have to kick you out before you stay out?"

    "Please," the guy begs. "I''ll do anything, just-"

    "No," comes the stern response. "You were banned from here ten years ago, Eric. I catch you here again and so help me, I''ll put your ass in the ground. Got it?"

    The twink-looking guy drags the guy outside, then quite literally kicks his ass hard enough to send the guy to the ground.

    "Where was he this time?" Tabitha asks.

    "In one of the ball rooms," the twink-looking guy answers. "Caught him before he managed to do anything."

    The twink-looking guy suddenly turns and approaches the doors, performing a roundhouse kick to the air. There''s a scream, then Eric materializes, crashing to the ground. So the trespasser can turn invisible, then? And the twink-looking guy can detect him anyway.

    "That''s it," the twink-looking guy grabs him by the arm and pins him to the ground, then grabs his walkie. "Thomas, get your ass down to the lobby and keep hold of Eric. Get the authorities on the way. I''m tired of dealing with his shit."

    "On my way," a man responds through the walkie.

    "Is that Lucas?" I ask Tabitha.

    "Yep," she smiles. "The best of our family at detecting invisible people. That particular ability is a form of light manipulation, so to someone who can sense light? Rather easy to notice."

    Lucas is hot, though the look on his face is a bit concerning. Will I have to worry about him being sadistic during the consultation? Is that why they allow such things, to see if we''ll actually get along?

    A minute passes before an older-looking version of Lucas shows up and walks over to Eric, grabbing him and pulling him to his feet as Lucas steps away. He''s dressed in the same outfit as Lucas, minus the chain and bracelet, though he''s wearing a black and green watch on his left wrist.

    "They''ll be here in about twenty minutes," Thomas tells Lucas. "You can be absolutely certain I won''t be letting him escape."

    "Thanks," Lucas responds, then lets out a heavy breath before approaching and giving Tabitha a friendly smile. "So! This him?"

    That''s an attitude change.

    "Yep," she says. "Kieran, this is Lucas. Lucas, this is Kieran. Lucas, Kieran''s ability is shadow-walking, and he''s interested in getting some training here."

    "Okay," Lucas turns to me. "So, Kieran. Let''s start walking and talking, shall we?"

 Chapter 0003

    Lucas begins giving me a tour of the facility, showing me several of the training rooms that I''ll have access to. They have general facilities in addition to the ability-training ones, though most of the rooms are designed with power users in mind.

    So while they have a couple of pools, few people use them for laps rather than training water-based abilities. The two tracks are often used by people training speed-enhancement abilities, though they are required to be courteous to those using them who don''t have those. The reverse is true, too.

    Things like that exist that can be used both ways. Then there are more advanced training rooms. One of the ball rooms, I discover, is actually a room that shoots balls at random angles and speeds. It''s often used by people with certain abilities, such as telekinesis, barrier bubbles, and speed.

    "I use it sometimes for training, myself," Lucas tells me. "It''s actually pretty good for martial arts, too, as you can deflect the balls with your hands or feet and have to keep in mind your surroundings, trying not to get hit while still protecting yourself."

    "Seems pretty nifty," I say.

    "Yeah," he says. "Come on, let''s move on."

    There are two basketball courts in here, too, and several small, personal training rooms with mats covering the floors. These rooms are often used for powers that don''t need specialized equipment, consultations, and other things.

    "Like training in martial arts," he tells me. "Some of our members like to practice them with their abilities, and use these rooms for that."

    "Do you guys teach martial arts?" I ask.

    "Nah," he answers. "Everyone in my family learns from when we''re first able to do the moves and follow instructions. My training started when I was three, so I have seventeen years of it now. Every day for at least an hour."

    So he''s twenty, and probably pretty skilled in martial arts. How nice are his abs? Focus, Kieran!

    "Here are the locker rooms," he indicates a room. "Men''s, women''s. They have bathrooms, showers, lockers, whatever a locker room should have. And now, let''s show you the room that will probably work best for your ability right now."

    Lucas takes me further down the hall, then hangs a right after a bit and leads me down another hall until we reach a set of double doors. Entering it, I find us in a room two stories tall and at least two hundred long and maybe a hundred wide. There''s some sort of padded barrier three feet in height surrounding most of the room, with a gap about five feet from the wall to the barrier.

    Within the enclosed space are padded blocks of varying sizes, the tallest of them almost ten feet in height, the shortest maybe two. The widest is about five feet across, and the thinnest looks to be two feet.

    "We have four of these rooms," Lucas tells me. "Just to let you know. If you''re with a personal trainer, we can also lock the doors for privacy, though you can''t for security reasons."

    "For privacy?" I ask.

    "Some people don''t like showing their powers to others," he tells me. "I actually already locked the doors so that we can talk about your ability without others overhearing. Don''t worry ¨C it''s only locked one-way. You can exit the room without issue, but others can''t get in unless they have a key."

    When did he do that? While I was looking around? I didn''t notice the movement near me, so he must have been fast.

    "Okay," I say, sitting on one of the benches lining the wall. "What''s this room used for?"

    "Like I said," he says. "Several things. Flight, phasing, and agility for those moving quickly are among the more common uses. We can set up larger barriers to help with the flight maneuvers. I think one of the rooms is currently set up for that.

    "How it relates to your power," he says. "Is that you have to move from one shadow to another. The barriers cast shadows with the current lighting, meaning you''ll be able to do that in here. However, there are some important questions. How advanced is your ability? What''s your range, do you need to move between linked shadows or can they be separate? Do you still need to see the shadows, or can you move to a shadow you can''t see before entering the shadows? How many times can you successively move between shadows before needing to rest? How long does it take to activate your ability?"

    "Um," I interrupt. "I''ve only used my ability one time, when I was five. I don''t really know the answers to those questions."

    "When you were five?" He raises an eyebrow. "Ah. The standard issue, and I''m guessing it traumatized you a bit then, enough to keep you from using it for awhile."

    "Yeah," I nod. "By the time I was over it, when I was a little bit older, I''d never had need of the ability, so I never bothered trying to train it again. But I decided after getting a bit of money that maybe I could look into getting a professional to help me train the power."

    "Probably a good idea," he flashes me a killer smile and I feel my heart skip a beat. Focus on the consultation, Kieran, not the hot guy giving it. "What''s your understanding of abilities?"

    "About one percent of people are born with them," I answer. "Usually inheriting whatever the ability is from one of their parents."

    Then I remember his aunt''s comment.

    "And if both parents have similar abilities, the kid can inherit something stronger?"

    "You seem uncertain."

    "My ability''s never been much of a focus in my life," I shrug and slip my hands into the pocket of my hoodie. "And I don''t really know anyone with powers. Except you guys, I guess, and we just met."

    "You''ve probably met a few people, just didn''t realize it," he says. "And yeah, it''s good that you came here. You''d probably only train shadow-walking."

    "That''s what I have, though."

    "Nope," he says. "It''s rare that someone has only one ability, especially when that ability is something as advanced as shadow-walking. Most people have an entire set of abilities. I can move through light, generate it, and manipulate it, among other things. The official term for someone like me is ''light-shaper''. And don''t make the mistake of thinking that light is weak, either."

    He raises a hand, and a whip of light forms from it, flicking out and touching my cheek. Literally touching it, as if it''s physical. How can light be physical, though? The whip itself seems like it''s made of some sort of golden light condensed down into a solid state, giving it a crystalline appearance.

    "Shadow-shapers can do the same thing, but with shadows," he tells me, the whip fading. "You''re right in that abilities are hereditary, though. If a parent has one, the child is basically guaranteed to have it, though it may end up weaker. My mother married a guy who can manipulate light who came to us from a continent, hoping to renew our bloodline''s strength. It resulted in my birth. I''m not as powerful as grandpa or as my great-grandpa was, but I''m still plenty powerful compared to my parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Most of what Thomas can do is sense altered light, and that''s really it."Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    "So one of my parents could move through shadows?" I ask. "Neither one mentioned it, though."

    "They probably couldn''t," he shakes his head. "If they did, they probably would have helped you train that ability. Almost everyone with a walking ability learns how to move with their clothes on early on, so once your ability was discovered, they''d have trained you until at least the point you could move with clothes on."

    "I can shadow-walk clothed?" I ask.

    Lucas starts disappearing and reappearing in various parts of the room, his clothes remaining on him. After a few ports, he reappears back in front of me, leaning against the barrier again.

    "It does take some training," he says. "Usually starts with small things. Bracelets at first, moving on to underwear, underwear and socks, shorts, and so on. Building up to bigger things. What you''re actually doing is taking other objects with you. The root ability is just moving yourself through shadows, which is why you have to train to take other items.

    "That said," he reaches under his shirt and pulls out a shield-like token hanging from the necklace he''s wearing, a sunbeam emblem on it. "If you have a spellsuit tailored to your ability, you can do that training without the uncomfortable early stages."

    "Your family could afford a spellsuit?" I ask. "Isn''t that extremely expensive to get them for children? Mostly because as soon as the child grows, the spellsuit is no longer able to fit them?"

    Spellsuits are tailored to the owner. While there''s some room for body weight changes, there''s much less room for growth. A child would probably outgrow their spellsuit within six to ten months, so a family would need to keep buying new ones if they wanted the kid to keep wearing them. I''m not sure why he showed me the token, though.

    "Normally," he tucks the token back under his shirt. "My great-grandpa was a Sivalshi Guardian, though, and their spellsuits are different. Actual magic. That token I just showed you, Kieran? That is the spellsuit. All I have to do is channel some of my magic into it and the suit forms around me. It''s always perfectly-tailored to my size. My grandpa gave it to me when I first started training my light-walking power."

    The suit forms around him? That''s how he puts it on? I knew the Patron''s spellsuits were leagues above the ones mankind can create, but that''s even more beyond what I''d thought.

    "Nifty."

    "Yep," he says. "I always had it on while training the ability, though as you saw, I don''t need it to keep things covered anymore."

    "Meanwhile, I''ll have to work my way up to that," I say. "Since I don''t have a spellsuit."

    "Yep," he says, then gives me a curious look. "Mind if I ask why you suddenly decided to train this power? If you had decided it wasn''t all that necessary, it seems kind of random."

    How can I be honest without revealing things? He seems a lot friendlier than his first impression gave off, so depending on how the rest of the consultation goes, I may stick with him. I''m not sure how comfortable I''d be training with him, though, considering his looks and the knowledge that he''ll end up seeing me naked.

    While my fantasies do include hot guys like him seeing me naked, there''s a vast difference between fantasies and realities. At least I won''t have the ''normal'' problem that someone would have in that situation.

    If I do work with him, things will go a lot smoother if he trusts me a bit more instead of being suspicious. That means not lying, but not telling the full truth, either. What can I say to explain my sudden interest?

    "I received a job offer," I tell him. "Security job. It seems someone somehow dredged up a record I didn''t even know existed mentioning the shadow-walking incident thirteen years ago. They gave me a small advance and told me to find a place to train my power and to get some martial arts training, and then in a month, they''d assess my abilities. If it''s good enough, they''ll hire me on, probably want me to keep training."

    "Teleporters can be extremely useful," he nods. "I''ve gotten a few of those offers myself. I''m surprised there was even a record of you doing that if it was a one-time thing when you were five. Chances are, they found a mention of a kid who shadow-walked, and then had to do some heavy research to identify and locate you."

    Thank the Patron that''s a plausible explanation.

    "Still," he flashes me that killer smile again, setting my heart racing for a moment. "Must be a pretty nice place to want to see if you''re worth hiring on enough to give you money in advance. Don''t worry, I won''t ask which company it''s for."

    "Thanks," I tell him, and he flashes that smile again. "So, um, how do we go about this?"

    "First," he says. "I have to ask how old you are."

    "Eighteen," I say. "Didn''t I already tell you?"

    "Near-eighteen, barely-eighteen, almost-nineteen?" He asks.

    "Uh, eighteen and a half, why?" I ask.

    "Okay," he nods. "So there are a few things you need to know before you begin training your power, Kieran. I take it Tabitha already told you I''m gay?"

    "Uh, yeah," I answer. "It''s not really a problem for me."

    "That''s good," he says. "The first thing you need to keep in mind is that using your powers will make you horny. That''s perfectly normal. In fact, there''s reason to be concerned if it doesn''t. It''ll be slight at first, but the more often you use your powers, the greater this effect will be. It''s something to do with our powers, and no one really knows what. Keep in mind that just because I''m gay, it doesn''t mean I''m going to be ogling you over this. I keep my eyes where they belong. They might accidentally wander down, but it''s never intentional and I always correct that as soon as I notice. It''s the same as a guy checking out a gal, or a gal checking out a guy, though with the added part that I stop as soon as I become aware that I''m doing it."

    I wouldn''t mind him checking me out.

    "That''s fine," I tell him, feeling my cheeks a little warm at that thought, despite how uncomfortable even the idea of being naked around others makes me. I don''t really get hard, anyway, so this probably won''t apply to me.

    "Second," he says. "You''ve probably noticed that you haven''t grown facial or body hair, and are probably thinking you''re a late bloomer. You aren''t. Power users tend to, ah, be free of that. That''s also perfectly normal, so if you were hoping for a hairy body for whatever reason, I''m sorry to burst your bubble."

    "I prefer the twink build, anyway," pops out of my mouth before I can stop it. "Having it, I mean."

    Well, and ogling it, but there''s no need to tell him that. Hopefully, he just takes that to mean that I prefer having a slender, hairless build and not me trying to make a move on him or comment to provoke him or something.

    "Understandable," he grins. "I do, too. Next up, your dick is probably above-average in size, right?"

    "A little too close for comfort there, Lucas."

    "Most male power users," he says. "Are about six to seven inches, which is above-average, when they''re eighteen. Their thickness is a little bit more than average, too. About one-point-five to one-point-seven inches.

    "Starting sometime between the age of eighteen and a half and nineteen, where you are now," he says. "Until the age of about twenty, though, it can grow more despite the fact that it should be done doing so. Weird, but true. The biology of power users is a bit strange. Depending on how much you use your ability, it can grow up to half an inch longer a month. Most power users who use their powers regularly and heavily end up between eight and nine inches long, and most end up at least two inches thick, with the upper end usually being about two-and-a-half inches thick."

    What? That sounds strangely¡­ strange. Power users tend to be monsters in the size department? Doesn''t that cause problems for their wives? Unless like male power users, female power users have some sort of added ''help'' to them, something that makes it easier for them?

    "Following that," Lucas tells me. "Power users have a lower fertility rate. My parents don''t use protection and try pretty much every night, and they''ve only had two children in thirty years of marriage, me and my little brother. This doesn''t mean you''re safe, though, so make sure to still use protection, especially since if you end up training this power a lot, you''ll probably inevitably find yourself getting some as a way to relieve the effect it has on you."

    "All of this sounds weird," I say.

    "Yeah," he shrugs. "You know the ancient myths?"

    "Not really."

    "The gods were always fucking around," he says. "And I mean literally. The myths of the Old Society were full of this god sleeping with that person or beast or whatever. One theory is that power users are actually descended of gods, and these traits, well, come from that."

    "Well," I say. "I don''t have much of a libido at all, so it probably won''t be an issue for me."

    "You never know," he shrugs. "Now that those forewarnings are made clear, Kieran, let''s move on to the actual training part."

 Chapter 0004

    "First," Lucas says. "We need to know the limits of your ability. Your magic never changes on its own. It only ever grows stronger through training, so it will be exactly the same as it was when you first discovered it thirteen years ago. Do you remember how to move through shadows? I''m always ''aware'' of my abilities and how to use them, but with it being so long since you did, I''m not sure if you do or not."

    So my power hasn''t been growing all this time? That''s nothing like how things work in the stories I heard when I was younger. In them, powers usually still get stronger on their own, just much more slowly than with training.

    "I do," I nod. "It''s not like it''s in the forefront of my mind or anything, but if I think about my ability, I can ''feel'' it there and how to activate it."

    "Okay," he says. "Using the shadows in the training arena, try to shadow-walk as far as you can see. Since you''re just starting out, you''ll probably need to see the shadows you''re shifting to. Don''t be afraid to stand on the blocks for a better vantage point.

    "When you try," he tells me. "You''ll probably fail. Reduce the range you''re attempting to travel by a foot each time. I''ll monitor how far you traveled. Once you do, I want you to try again. Travel as far as you can as many times as you can in a row."

    "What if I can only do the one?" I ask.

    "That''s fine," he tells me. "Can you sense your magic? The energy source for the spell?"

    "No."

    "Okay," he says. "You''ll probably be able to once you start using your power again, though you might not be able to judge how much it takes at first, since you''re new to it. You''ll learn to tell over time. Once you run out of magic, we''ll discuss things further, and once you''re full on magic, we''ll have you try again, but at a reduced range."

    "Okay," I nod, then look at the field. "I should probably, uh, undress first."

    "Up to you," he shrugs. "You''ll end up naked either way."

    Nodding, I decide to just do it now, pulling off my hoodie first, then my tee. After removing my belt, I pull off my sneakers before slipping off my socks, then I pull down my pants and blue boxer-briefs at the same time. Lucas doesn''t seem to be watching me, but I''m sure he snuck a peek in while I was doing this. Not because he''s gay, but because he''s a guy, probably wanting to check out my build to see how he compares.

    I''m skinny as all heck, so he definitely has the better build between us.

    Though it''s warmer here than in my apartment, a sign they have a heater, the air is still a bit cool, which gives me some goosebumps. I rub my arms for a moment, letting out a brief shiver, then stand.

    "Alright," I walk over to the barrier, then notice there''s no gap. "Uh-"

    "Just climb over it," he says.

    There''s no way to do this without giving him a view of something.

    "Alright," I climb over the barrier and drop down into the arena.

    The floor here isn''t really mats, but some sort of padded material similar to the covering on the blocks. After feeling myself sink into the floor just a little bit because of that, I look for a lower block that''s cast in the shadow of a taller one.

    Climbing onto that, I look around, spotting a shadow about sixty feet away. Thinking about my power, I remember how it works as clear as day. Focusing on the destination shadow, I attempt to slip through this one and into it, only for nothing to happen. Following Lucas''s instructions, I start reducing the range. A few times, I have to move to see a shadow that''s not much closer than the previous, eventually managing to slip through the shadow.

    When I do, I come out exhausted. I can feel an energy in me now, just as he said I probably would, and there''s almost none of it left. It''s like I''m a sort of storage container for it, but the container can''t hold much and is nearly empty. Just wisps of it left.

    I have only a moment to register the magical energy within me. Then, my head spins, and I stumble for a moment, tripping backwards from the disorientation. The next thing I know, a pair of strong hands are holding me by the shoulders from behind.

    "Easy now," Lucas murmurs, helping me to a nearby block so I can sit down. "The blocks and floor are padded, but it can still bruise if you stumble and fall like that."

    "Thanks," I mumble, suddenly very aware of his hands on me, my heart starting to pound at the realization that he''s touching me while I''m naked, even if it''s just my shoulders. "I think-I think I''m good."

    "Yeah," he pulls his hands away. "Let me guess ¨C nearly empty?"

    "Yeah," I moan a little as a wave of nausea fills me. "Is this normal?"

    "Yes and no," he sits on the block facing me. It''s a little higher up, resulting in his legs dangling down rather than having his feet resting on the floor. I''m not looking up because I''m pretty sure I''ll puke if I do. "Normally, you can use up all of your energy without backlash. However, that''s only true if you don''t use it all at once. If you use up most of your magic at once, like you just did, well, there''s backlash, which you''re suffering from."

    "And I''ll have to deal with this every time I train?" I ask.

    "Nope," he answers. "Because the next time you should push your limits, you''ll have more magic and it''ll probably use less magic, anyway."

    "What do you mean?"

    "The sick feeling will pass in a few minutes," he tells me. "And once you''re back at full magic, you''re going to try to step as many times as you can five feet away. You managed to go twenty-five feet, which is the current limit to the distance you can travel at the moment. It costs almost all of your magic, too."

    Since he didn''t say it was because of costing all of my magic, I feel like there''s something I''m missing.

    "If it cost almost all of my magic," I say. "How do we know that''s the actual limit?"

    "There''s a difference," he says. "Between your range and the amount you can manage with how much magic you have. Do you still have any magic energy left?"This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "Um, yeah," I answer. "A small bit."

    "So you didn''t use it all up," he says. "In other words, if you could have gone farther, you probably would have, even if a little bit. The reason I''m saying that is because you were focused on going as far as possible, right?"

    "Yeah," I answer.

    He''s right in that this feeling is clearing up, though my magic seems to be recovering rather slowly. It doesn''t feel like there''s much more than there was after I cast, if anymore at all.

    "Because you were focused on that," he says. "The spell would have taken you to the absolute limit when you were focusing on that shadow. You only popped in halfway through it. Since you still have magic, twenty-five feet is your absolute maximum distance at the moment."

    "Oh," I say. "I guess that makes sense. "If my range had cost more than how much magic I have, I would''ve just gone as far as my magic let me, then been empty?"

    "Yep," he says. "And since you''d have used it all up at once, you''d have passed out, too."

    Which explains how he knew I''d used up most, but not all, of my magic.

    "Oh."

    We''re quiet for a few minutes as he lets me recover from the nauseous feeling, and once it''s gone and the world stops spinning, I decide to speak again.

    "It doesn''t feel like my magic is recovering much," I tell him. "Not very fast at all."

    "That''s normal, to be honest," he tells me. "It''ll get faster in time. The more you train your powers and use your magic, the more of it you''ll be able to hold, the less your spells will cost, and the faster it will recover. All of those factors together work together to allow you to do more, even if it doesn''t push the limits of each ability."

    "How do we do that?" I ask. "You said I''ll have more magic and it''ll use less. Just that one use will increase those?"

    "Goodness, no!" He laughs. "Using the ability one time, or pushing your limits one time, won''t count as training. It counts as a use. That''s it. To train your ability, you have to use it repeatedly, in a short period of time.

    "That''s where our next part of the assessment comes in," he tells me. "Once you''re recovered to full, you''ll be performing five-foot shadow-walks, like I said. We''ll see how many of those you can do. Their cost will be much less than the full range. You can travel twenty-five feet one time from full, but that''s not telling how many times you can do five feet. The cost increases a bit more than proportional the further you go. You might be able to do six steps, or seven. Maybe even ten steps, if you go at five feet."

    "So I''ll be training like that?" I ask.

    "Yep," he answers. "Every day you train, go only five feet, but as many times as you can in a row. Once you''re back to full, do it again. However, only train for two hours at most a day."

    "Why?" I ask.

    "There''s little benefit beyond that," he tells me. "If any at all. It''s like with working out your body ¨C there''s a limit to how much benefit you can get from performing a specific exercise each day. Magic works the same way in that you can only do so much to improve it each day."

    He thinks about something for a few seconds.

    "How devoted are you to improving this ability?" He asks.

    "I kind of want the job," I tell him without hesitation. "So as much as I can."

    "Okay," he nods. "Three times a week would be optimal, then. That''s optimal for increasing your limits for the ability, decreasing how much it costs to use the spell, how much magic energy you have, and how quickly you regenerate it. Anymore than that, and you''d be training it purely for the skill itself. Activating it faster, moving quicker, and probably reacting as soon as you pop out. If you agree to the membership, I can work with you three times a week for the basic training, and four if you want to do a skill training."

    Four times a week, training with him to better this ability? I might not be able to find someone else who can help me train this power with how uncommon it and similar abilities are. This facility is perfect for me. The cost is pretty decent and the trainer is pretty cute and knowledgeable about how this ability works, and I can''t believe I just thought that him being cute was a plus to this.

    Well, it is, but that''s not supposed to factor in to the decision.

    "Four sounds good to me," I tell him. "Do you think I''d be decent enough in a month to get the job?"

    "Hard to say," he says. "It depends on their standards. That said, if you work hard at it, Kieran, they''ll probably hire you. They already scouted you out when you hadn''t used the ability since you were five. That means they''re interested and want a teleporter, even if their range is only a few feet."

    "A few feet?" I ask, and he snorts.

    "Yeah," he says. "Starting out, most people with a power like ours can''t go more than four to six feet as their limit. When I first started, I could manage ten feet three times, and I was considered pretty badass. You managed twenty-five feet. That''s your base, which makes you pretty damn incredible, Kieran. It''s a shame you took so long to start training."

    "Why?" I ask.

    "Because of the increases," he tells me. "A spell can improve by ten percent of the base at most in a month with training two hours a session, three sessions a week, every week. Let''s say it''s been exactly thirteen years since you first used your ability."

    "Thirteen years and a month."

    "Okay, so it''s pretty close," he snorts. "At two and a half feet a month, every month for exactly thirteen years? That''s a hundred and thirty extra yards you could travel. Up from barely more than eight. Over four hundred feet in total with a single shadow-step, Kieran. And chances are, you''d no longer need to actually see the shadow before using your shadow-walk in order to move to it. If you''d been training all this time, they''d probably have hired you on the spot."

    Damn, I really missed out. Now I''m wishing one of my parents had found a way to train me comfortably so that I could have increased that. I don''t hate them for not trying, and I can understand why they didn''t. I was five and it was somewhat traumatizing, and then it was never really important.

    Would the Patron really have hired me immediately? Would he have hired me sooner, if I had been training all this time?

    "Sheesh," he says. "I''m a bit envious, Kieran. I can only manage about a seventy-six yards at the moment, and that''s after seventeen years of training regularly. But hey ¨C your lack of training means that I come out on top. It''ll take you probably a couple of decades to match me in distance!"

    I snort, amused by his cheerful tone at that. It''s not malicious, just a playful poke at me.

    "Yeah," I say. "So does the distance say anything else?"

    "Not really," he says. "It doesn''t mean you''re particularly powerful or anything, just that you have a decent starting range for that particular ability. Let''s say you learn the shadow whip, your version of that whip I did earlier? You might only manage a foot of it at first when the norm is four or five."

    "How far could you do?" I ask.

    "I''d been training with my powers for awhile," he says. "So my abilities with light magics overall were rather decent. When you train one ability, any abilities with overlaps get a little boost to them, too. At the root, they''re all based in shadows, so there''s an overall increase to everything, though slight. When I first used the whip, I could manage about ten feet. However, it only extended by about three-fifths of a foot each month when I actually actively trained it, which suggests that my base range was about six feet."

    "Okay," I say. "Will we be training other abilities, too, then?"

    "No," he answers. "Right now, you should focus on the one you know how to use. It''s better than overloading yourself. I know dozens of spells, but I learned them over the course of years. Also, keep in mind that the only spells ¨C the only abilities ¨C you can learn will always be rooted back to the same origin."

    "Shadow-walking."

    "Shadows," he shakes his head. "The elemental aspect is telling there. So any spell you learn, it will have something to do with shadows."

    "Okay," I say. "Do you mind if I lie down?"

    "Not at all," he says. "Just keep in mind my vantage point and the tendency of humans to turn their gazes to people around them."

    He''s informing me that he might end up ogling me by accident. Or intentionally if I show no dislike for it. Not caring because he''s cute and nice, I turn and lie down on the block, which is long enough for my head, torso, and thighs to rest on, my feet planted on the floor still.

    How long will it take me to recover to full magic? I''ve noticed a small increase now, but it''s not really that much.

 Chapter 0005

    "I''m back to full," I sit up to find that Lucas had lain down at some point. I guess his block was big enough for that as well. "Magic, I mean."

    "Alright," he sits back up. "Remember, try to do about five-foot shadow-steps, see how many you can do."

    I stand and step into a shadow, then assess the shadows around me. Just like he said, I can somehow sense which shadows I''m able to actually travel to from here. Focusing on a shadow about five feet away, I slip through the shadow I''m standing in and into that one, then I reorient and try again. It takes me a few seconds to manage the second step, and a few more than that to manage the third.

    Overall, I manage ten steps of five feet each, though it takes me three to four seconds longer than the previous gap to manage the next movement.

    "So," I look at Lucas. "How long do you think it would take me to reduce that rest between successive ones? Or is that something that doesn''t reduce? You did yours pretty quickly."

    "It reduces," he tells me. "It actually doesn''t take as long as other benefits. You might manage to cut the wait for the second and third down to only a second or less within a month. Maybe even the fourth. By that time, you may manage to do eleven or twelve total."

    "Eleven or twelve?" I ask. "Not a ten-percent increase?"

    "Well," he chuckles, using light-walking to reach me in an instant. "If you increase how many of them you can do, how much magic you have, and decrease the amount of magic it costs to do them¡­"

    "My overall gains are actually bigger than ten percent," I say.

    "Exactly!" He grins. "All the little things add up in the end. So I''ve figured out your training schedule. I''d actually planned it from the start, but I still wanted to see your limitations."

    "We had to go through this even though you already knew it?" I ask.

    "Yep," he answers. "If you go with the training schedule and the silver membership, then I''ll be able to work with you regularly, and knowing your starting point, where you are now, and so on lets me better-tailor your schedule as you advance. Of course, this is assuming you continue coming here after getting the job rather than them training you somewhere. This is, of course, assuming you do decide to train here for the next month."

    Unless the Patron has some sort of secret training facility for his agents, it''s doubtful that I''d stop coming here as long as I can afford it. Having a tailored training program would be immensely beneficial.

    "If they hire me," I say. "And do want me to keep training on my own, then I''ll probably keep coming here. As long as the next month shows me this place is a good one."

    "So you''ll take the membership?" He asks.

    "Yep," I answer. "And I''ll go with the silver, just in case something changes while I''m training."

    "Alright," he says. "Mind if I touch you? I can transport people with me when I light-walk and it''ll make getting back to your stuff faster."

    "Sure," my heart pounds in my chest at the thought of a cute guy touching me, especially in the state I''m in. Urgh. This is ridiculous. "How long did it take you to do that?"

    "A few years," he places a hand on my shoulder, then a few moments pass as I feel a warm sensation, notice a slight brightness, but¡­ nothing. "Strange."

    "What?" I ask.

    "Let me try again," he mutters, and the same warmth and slight brightness occurs again. "Something''s blocking my power."

    He releases me, then disappears in a brief flash before reappearing.

    "Huh," he says. "It seems that I can''t take you with me."

    "Because I''m a shadow-walker?" I ask.

    "No," he says. "That shouldn''t affect it. I''ll have to ask Grandpa if he knows what''s going on."

    "Okay," I say. "Well, let''s just walk back?"

    "Sure," he says. "I figured we could step back like that just because it''s faster and you''re probably tired."

    "A bit," I admit. "But I can still walk, and I''ll have to do it to get home from here, anyway."

    "Yeah," he says. "Come on."

    We return to the bench with my clothes and I get dressed. This time, I do notice him checking me out. While I''m bent over. It''s brief and he does look away almost immediately, just as he said he would. I don''t think he noticed me noticing him checking.

    "Let''s get you signed up," he tells me. "Then I can go over the training plan with you."

    "Thanks," I say as we leave the training room. "I''m not familiar with training places in the area. Do you know of any where I can train in martial arts? Preferably for under three hundred? That''s, uh, all I have left after signing up for the silver with the sign-on at the moment. Silver''s the one with with the personal trainer help regularly, right?"

    "Yep," he answers, then checks for anyone around. "I take it they told you we don''t have normal fitness facilities?"

    "Yeah."

    "We do," he tells me. "But they''re for our gold members. Five hundred a month, comes with all the benefits of the lesser tiers. We usually don''t tell people unless they''ve been coming here for awhile because we''d rather people use the power training facility portion over that. This place is intended for power users, after all. If we advertise that we have normal training facilities, we''d probably get a flood of people from the upper districts who want a place that''s not packed full of people wanting to use our services for the normal workout section, then starting to use our others, taking away from the power users."A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    "Ah," I say. "That makes sense."

    "Yep," he says. "Since it''s gold instead of silver, you still get a personal trainer or trainers to work with, and if you sign up for it, that means we can teach you martial arts here, too. But you have to promise not to tell too many people about the special section and to follow the training program I set up for you."

    So he lied about the martial arts training here? I''m willing to bet that it''s at least a little bit known they teach martial arts, just with restrictions on who can apply. Unless they manage to keep everyone from telling about it and not dressing out for it until they arrive.

    "I kind of want to advance this power, it''ll increase my chances of getting hired," I tell him. "Even if you''re right about them probably going to hire me, anyway. I''ll probably only use the other section for the martial arts training, if you''re okay with being my mentor on that?"

    "Yup," he says. "I actually have a class I teach in the afternoons, though you don''t have to attend. Those are an additional service, costing a hundred a month extra. For private lessons, those are included in the gold membership."

    It''s only an extra hundred dollars a month, and I might not find as good of a deal elsewhere. How good the lessons are remain to be seen, but I''m going to trust Lucas, for now. Him being cute might be affecting my judgment on this, but I don''t care.

    Sending a small prayer to the Patron, I thank him for the funds. Even after the sign-up fee, I''ll still have about five hundred dollars after my bills are paid when combining the advance with what I''ve saved up already. That''s if I eat my normal diet, too. But if I''m training, I''ll probably need to eat more, so I should try to take that into consideration as well.

    "Okay," I say. "I''ll sign up for that. Will I need to go on a special diet?"

    "Sort of," he says. "It''s better not to eat as much junk food as a lot of people eat. I''ll go over it with you after you sign up."

    "Alright," I say.

    Lucas takes me down to the reception desk and has them give me the paperwork for a gold membership. Tabitha seems a bit surprised by that, so I guess they really don''t tell people about it very often, especially not new people. I fill it out and pay the six hundred using the bills, and I know that them being so fresh is attracting a bit of interest from them workers.

    It''s only after I''ve handed Tabitha the money that I realize he didn''t charge me for the martial arts. I''m not going to bring it up because then they might make me pay even after I''ve not been charged but told I''d be getting the lessons. Lucas must have a reason for not doing so. A free trial, maybe?

    "Must be a pretty sweet place," Lucas comments as Tabitha puts the money away. "I''ve only seen bills that crisp twice in my life."

    "Yeah, it''s a good deal," I say, and we''re silent for a few moments. "So. Um. The plans?"

    "Do you mind coming every day?" He asks.

    "No," I answer. "The more, the better, but didn''t you say only three or four times a week?"

    "Yeah," he says. "Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, you''ll train your power. This means using it the way I had you do it earlier ¨C as many as you can, recover, as many as you can, recover, and at the end of the two hours, as many as you can.

    "On Saturdays," he continues. "You''ll spend two hours with skill training. This is different from simple repetition. You''ll adjust your distances, get a feel for moving through the shadows better, and other things. Once you''ve acquired enough magic, we''ll also have you do carrying training."

    "Carrying?" I ask.

    "Where you''re taking items with you," he tells me. "You''ll probably need a bit more magic just to take a bracelet like mine with you right now. As you get used to it, you''ll be able to take more with you, until you can eventually take, ah, people."

    He''s probably remembering the weirdness when he attempted to take me with him a few minutes ago.

    "Oh, okay," I say. "I guess that makes sense."

    "Yeah," he nods. "Finally, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, you''ll come in and I''ll do martial arts training with you for two hours. Some of that time will just be warmups and cooldowns, and if you''re good with it, we might do some other light exercises, like rope climbing."

    "Okay," I say. "That sounds like a full schedule, but it sounds good to me. What time should I come in?"

    "What time works for you?" He asks.

    "It takes about forty minutes to get to my apartment from here," I say. "So maybe not too late? Is six to eight good?"

    Now that I think about it, I got here around six and I haven''t had dinner yet because I got a little bit excited with the offer. I''m hungry and still have a forty-minute walk home.

    "Yeah," he answers. "The lessons I mentioned to you end around five-thirty, so I can meet you after. Just get changed and head to the area we''re training in."

    "Tomorrow''s a Wednesday," I say. "So that''s martial arts, right? Where do I go for that?"

    "We''ll have someone show you when you get here tomorrow," Tabitha tells me, handing me a pair of cards, a normal membership card and a mini one for a keychain. They''re both black with gold accents on them and the name of the center. "You''ll need to show one of these at the desk to receive entry, we''ll have to scan it before you can go."

    "Okay," I pocket them. "Thanks."

    "You''re welcome," she says.

    "So," I look at Lucas. "Before I, uh, head home and get something to eat, you said I shouldn''t eat too much junk? What sort of diet should I go on?"

    "It''s not a diet," he says. "So much as just increasing caloric intake, making sure to eat certain foods, and eating within a certain time after each training session. What''s your current diet?"

    That''s still a change to my diet, Lucas.

    "Mostly ramen and breakfast pastries," I answer, and he raises an eyebrow. "Budget constraints. I''ve been given enough money to, uh, increase that for the next month."

    "Okay," he says. "After martial arts days, you''ll want to eat protein within two hours. Some people do a milkshake with banana, milk, and peanut butter. I go to a diner down the road and eat a giant burger. To each their own.

    "On power and skill training days," he says. "The important things are milk, blueberries, bananas, oranges, and lemons. Do a little baby spinach if you want, but the first five are important to helping you recover from power training, and don''t ask me why, I don''t know the science behind it, if there''s even science there. It''s magic. Also within two hours."

    This seems rather specific, and I''m not sure how I can work all of that into a diet without just eating it plain, and I feel like there might be certain amounts I need to keep in mind. I''ve never done much more planning beyond stuff like ''I need a little more fruit and veggies in my diet'' and then only keeping to that for the one grocery trip because of the cost. I do usually manage an apple a week, though.

    "Uh-"

    "It''s a little past eight now," he checks his watch. "If you want, I can take you out to dinner, then we can hit up a store near where you live and I can help you fix up a meal plan for at least the next week? I can write up a list of things you can eat and ways you can adjust foods to make them not just be the same old boring things all the time."

    He frowns for a moment.

    "You won''t have an issue with people trying to break into your apartment, would you?" He asks. "If you have, you know, ''better'' food?"

    That''s a viable concern in many places. Some areas, everyone''s so poor that if someone is seen to have, say, fresh oranges, they might get attacked or their home broken into by someone wanting them. A lot of people end up buying canned because it''s cheaper, even if it''s not as good. It''s in better supply, too, even if we grow most of that stuff in the special farming domes in the center districts of the turtle.

    "No," I tell him. "My area''s pretty decent in regards to that. There''s a store right around the corner from my apartment building that sells fruit and veggies fresh from the greenhouses and domes."

    "That''s perfect, then," he says. "Mind taking me up on that offer? A proper meal plan can help optimize your magical and physical growth."

    Is my apartment clean? Do I really want to eat out, even with the money the Patron gave me, even if it''s just once? My stomach rumbles a little.

    "Sure," I answer.

    "Give me a few minutes, and I''ll be back," he tells me, then looks at Tabitha. "Let Dad know I ran out to help our newest member know what he needs to add to his diet and ways to make them."

    "Sure thing, Lucas," she says.

    "Back in a minute," Lucas tells me, then heads down a hall.

 Chapter 0006

    Lucas returns wearing a grey hoodie and a pair of grey sweatpants, though the same sneakers as before. He''s just as attractive in that as he is in his uniform. I have to wonder if he knows he''s having an effect on me.

    While he was changing out of his uniform and preparing to go, I was thinking a bit. For whatever reason, he''s going a bit above and beyond with me. Does he have some other motivation? I didn''t ask Tabitha or the other lady at the desk, but I''m pretty sure this level of help isn''t normal. I mean, taking me out for dinner after the first session, then helping me go shopping?

    Maybe it is and I''m overthinking this just because I know he''s gay and I find him cute and a nice guy. It could be he''s just taking this as part of his job. I mean, he said to eat within two hours, and I mentioned that it''s a forty-minute walk home. He probably wants to make sure I eat before the two-hour limit, for whatever reason it exists, and the shopping and meal plan is probably just part of his job as a personal trainer.

    I''ve never been through this sort of thing before, so it could be normal. I mean, part of his job is coaching me on this, now.

    "Ready to go?" Lucas asks.

    "Yeah," I answer.

    "Let''s go," he says.

    I follow him out of the center, and we both almost immediately pull our hoods up. The sun set a bit ago, and with it, the temperatures dropped. Sivalshi is potentially heading towards a colder zone right now. Though I don''t follow the news beyond what I overhear when passing by a TV, I did catch the prediction. He went from swimming at a rate of about three miles per day to about six starting about a week ago and hasn''t slowed down. He''s also begun heading north. We may be looking at a freezing winter for the first time in my life.

    Our breaths fog on the air as we walk towards the diner in silence, and I notice that Lucas is standing a little close to me. Maybe it''s not my imagination. While he''s cute, if he''s looking for a hookup, he''ll have to look elsewhere. Though I have a few fantasies from time to time, I don''t really have much libido.

    We reach the building with the diner he suggested, a twenty-story building with the diner on the first floor, giving it a view from the street. That must help to draw people in since they can see it better. There are probably a few more restaurants in the building itself, but the one with the street view gets a premium on impulse customers.

    Lucas opens the door and lets me in first, then follows behind me. It smells of grease and fast food, and I can hear the sizzling of the fryers in the back, even though there aren''t any customers in here at the moment. Maybe it doesn''t get as many customers as I thought it would, considering the time.

    There''s a chrome bar running most of the length of the back wall, with booth tables along the front wall. The booths and the stools at the counter all have red cushioning, some of which is split. The chrome plating on the edges of the seats, table, and bar are all a bit dulled from age, and I can spot a couple of cracks, too. The lighting is decent. Not poor, but not excellent, either.

    Homey.

    "Hey, Lucas," the waitress behind the counter looks up from the book of puzzles she''s working on. "Who''s the cutie?"

    "Not what you''re thinking," he tells her. "New client at the center. He lives a bit away, though, and needs help figuring out what to eat, so I''m taking him to the store to help him. Figured we''d stop for something eat before heading back, because while I don''t know about him, I know I''m starving."

    Not what she''s thinking? Does that mean he brings hookups here, then? Or a past boyfriend?

    "Alright," she says. "Have a seat wherever and I''ll be with you to get your drinks."

    "Thanks," he beckons to me. "Let''s have a seat."

    Lucas sits in one of the booths, and I sit across from him. Because of their comments, I can''t help but think about what that means. Just as I realize I''m staring at Lucas while he''s trying to hand me a menu, he notices my gaze.

    "Everything alright?" He asks.

    "She, ah, knows?" I ask, letting my eyes wander around the diner a little more.

    There''s a TV above the counter at just the right angle for me to see from here, the volume high enough for us to hear the news that''s playing, but low enough to not bother most customers.

    "Yeah," his cheeks flush a little. "Sorry, I forgot about that when thinking of this place. I just love their food. I used to come here with my ex."

    "How long ago did you break up?"

    "About four months ago," he answers. "It wasn''t, ah, pleasant. Sandy''s been asking me when I''m getting a new boyfriend, she probably thought it was you because of that. I promise I''m not trying to make a move on you or anything. I mean, I know you''re cute and look a twink, but you''re just a client who started today, and I''d rather actually know someone before making a move on them. Hell, you seem pretty straight to me."

    "I ''seem'' straight?" I raise an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that? Other than the bracelet, I wouldn''t have any thoughts about you being gay."

    Well, other than that and seeing him checking out my ass.

    "You didn''t hesitate much when getting naked in front of me," he clarifies. "Was basically just like ''whatever'', and weren''t constantly checking to see if I was checking. You also didn''t react much to me touching you while you were naked."

    So he wasn''t basing that off my attitude or walk or talk or anything, but on if I was checking to see if he was checking me out and my response to his touch. He definitely had an effect on me, I was just a bit too disoriented to tell him.

    "He''s ''just a client'', huh?" Sandy asks. "One who gets naked in front of you? I know you use a different changing room from the clients, hun."

    I look at Lucas as I try to figure out if it''s safe to tell her or not. Though most people accept power users, there are a few who hate us, and I don''t know if she knows that his center is for power users or not. I''d initially thought it was just some exclusive, elite workout center that decided to plop itself into a lower district. Took me almost three years to realize it was for power users.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    "Yeah," he tells me. "She''s cool with stuff like that. She''s known about me since I was little."

    "It''s my power," I tell her. "I can''t use it while dressed at the moment."

    That''s vague enough that it could be any number of powers. I''ve heard of people who can manifest wings from their back or spikes all over their body. I''ve even heard of someone who can catch themselves on fire. Kind of hard to keep clothes on when your body''s flaming. It tends to burn them right off.

    "Ah," she says. "And Lucas here is your personal trainer?"

    "Yep," I answer. "He''s going to work with me on not ending up naked every time I use it."

    "That must be fun," she winks at him.

    "Oh, jeez, Sandy," he groans, burying his head into his hands.

    "What can I get you two to drink?" She asks as I wonder if she''s poking at him being gay or if there''s an actual story behind that.

    "We''ll both have orange juice," he tells her. "Unless you have lemonade made from lemons, then maybe a bit of that."

    "I can do a citrus twister if you want," she says.

    "Sure," he tells her. "Two of those."

    "Back in a minute with those," she says, then leaves.

    "She made a poke at you helping a guy keep his clothes on rather than take them off?" I ask. "Have you, ah, been trying to get hookups since your breakup? Just curious because you told me-"

    "I hooked up with her son before I started dating my ex," he looks up at me, face crimson. "I had just turned eighteen, he''s about a year older, and I''d been coming here for a few years at that point. Nervous and jittery, I was that time. She walked in on me fumbling as I tried to undress him. She''s teased me ever since."

    "Ah."

    "Yeah."

    We''re quiet for a few minutes as we examine our menus, then Sandy shows up with two glasses of a thin-looking orange juice. I take a sip of it, tasting the orange juice, some lemonade, and the fizz I didn''t notice to it. It''s not half-bad.

    "Made with all-fresh ingredients," she tells me. "We''re able to order them from the orchards right now. Comes at a premium to sell, though."

    "Figures," I say, wondering how much money Lucas makes from his job if he''s able to come here regularly.

    "You two ready to order?" She asks.

    "Yep," Lucas says. "Let me order for you tonight, Kieran. I can pick the best thing to help you recover from the magic use. I know you''re probably still feeling a bit off, and not just ''cause you haven''t eaten in awhile. That''s from using your ability without having proper nutrition for awhile."

    I want to resist his offer because I found something I want to try, but jeez, I''m falling way too fast for him. He seems so caring, and he''s just so damn attractive.

    "Sure," I set the menu back in the holder beside the wall.

    "We''ll both have the power-up special," Lucas tells Sandy.

    The power-up special? I don''t remember seeing that on the menu.

    "You''re lucky I know what you mean, hun," she chuckles. "You made up that name."

    "I use it ''cause you know it," he grins back. "Thanks, Sandy."

    "No problem," she heads to the back.

    Lucas and I are silent for a few minutes again. I''m not really sure what to say here, and he seems to be mulling something over.

    "Do your friends know about your ability?" He eventually asks.

    "I don''t really have friends."

    "Really?" He seems surprised.

    "I spend most of my time just trying to do whatever odd jobs I manage," I tell him. "When I''m not, I just relax at home. It''s not much time, though I guess with the advance, I''ll have a bit more time to myself. It seems the potential boss wants me to not have to worry about needing to do so many temp jobs."

    I might keep doing the jobs, though, in preparation for if I don''t get the job. It''ll help me be able to pay back the Patron, too, and I might actually manage a little bit more food for a short while. Though I''m dreading what''ll happen when I tell my agent at the temp agency I go through. I may end up getting less jobs because of it.

    "Good luck," he tells me. "As long as you follow the schedule I set and follow the guidelines for the post-training meals, you should be fine."

    "Thanks," I say as something on the TV catches my attention, the face of a seven-year-old boy with blond hair and dark brown eyes. "A kid was murdered."

    "Huh?" He turns and looks at the TV.

    "The Blond Boy Basher has struck again," the news anchor says. "This marks his sixth victim, following his pattern of one kill every four days with his latest kill occurring only hours ago, the victim''s body left in front of the boy''s home, as with all previous victims. As with the previous five victims, it was a blond-haired boy no older than ten, and he was found with his body severely beaten, as if repeatedly bashed with a large, heavy, blunt object until every bone had been broken. Seven-year-old Matthew Holmes was playing at Lamatri Park in the upper districts when he went missing four days ago. His parents had taken their gazes off of him for only a few moments to talk with a friend.

    "Parents," she continues. "In this trying time, please remember to always keep your children near and your eyes on them. Until the Blond Boy Basher is found, it is especially important for the parents of blond boys under the age of eleven to keep careful watch over their sons."

    "Disgusting," Lucas mutters.

    "Yeah," I answer. "I hope the guy''s caught soon."

    "Not just that," he looks at me. "The Patron doesn''t care about things like that. It''s not a threat to the actual safety of public order, only a select few. Sure, people will be worried, but does he care? No. Most of what he sends his Sivalshi Guardians after are people who oppose him."

    Of course the cute guy who''s going to be training me for the next month is anti-Patron. I should''ve known he had a flaw.

    "Most of them try to incite riots and anarchy," I point out. "That''s what he''s going after. Norman Whitehall is basically ignored."

    "That''s because he has power users who know what they''re doing," Lucas shakes his head. "The Patron doesn''t want to have to replace them."

    "Is it really?" I ask. "No one''s really heard of more than an encounter between one of the guardians and Whitehall''s men. It''s only been four separate occasions, and only one guardian was present at each time. Yet they always wiped the floor with Whitehall''s men. Those men were also trying to incite riots at the time. It''s entirely possible that if the Patron wanted, he could wipe out Whitehall by sending all of his guardians after the guy."

    "We''re going to have to agree to disagree on this," he mutters. "You seem nice enough, I don''t want to get into an argument."

    "I can agree with that," I say.

    We fall into silence again, and Sandy returns with our food.

    There''s a decent-sized salad plate full of leafy greens, carrot slices, and some other things I don''t really recognize, all sliced like the carrots. There are also some blueberries, chopped nuts, and even small orange slices. I''ve never seen oranges that small before. Then there''s a small dish with five thick mozzarella sticks and a cup of marinara.

    In addition to those, there''s a basket with six decent-sized chicken tenders, the rest of the basket full of seasoned shoestring fries. In a dessert bowl to the side is a bright yellow pudding. Then there''s also a milkshake that I find out is blueberry banana.

    This order isn''t for us to share. We each get this much food.

    "Damn," I say.

    "What?" Lucas asks as Sandy finishes putting the food down.

    "This is more food than I eat in three days."

    "We''re going to your apartment first," he tells me. "So I can see what dishes you have. If needed, you will be buying new dishes to help you make these meals. You''re probably helpless in the kitchen, so when you show up for training tomorrow, I''m going to have a recipe book. All you need to do is follow the instructions exactly."

    Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I''m in no way offended. He''s absolutely right about how helpless I am in the kitchen.

 Chapter 0007

    Dinner was delicious and I can''t remember ever feeling more full in my life. It was also hella expensive. Eleven dollars for the basket of tenders and fries, nine for the mozzarella sticks, five for the pudding, five for the milkshake, five for the drink, and seven for the salad. How in the world does Lucas afford that? Especially since he paid for two sets of that. Does his family''s business really pay that much?

    Right now, we''re walking towards my apartment in silence. I don''t really know what to say ¨C as I told him, I don''t really have friends. I''ve never been one to socialize, and he''s only doing this because I''m a client needing help. Chances are, most of it''s in the interest of having me renew my membership after a month.

    "What are you thinking about?" Lucas asks when we''re halfway to my house.

    "How well your job must pay to afford that sort of thing regularly," I answer honestly. "Does being a personal trainer at a center for power users really pay that much?"

    "Not at all," he snorts. "I get paid fifteen an hour, which is only about two an hour more than a personal trainer at a normal workout center in the area. In the upper districts, it''s only a few dollars short. So I get paid about normal here."

    "Did you say you go there regularly, though?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he answers.

    "Living with your parents to cut down on expenses to afford that?" I ask.

    "I have a second job," he informs me. "Personal bodyguard for someone in the upper districts. I''m paid by gig, charge five hundred an hour for that, always rounded on the hours. I usually work a single gig each week, two to three hours each time. Once every four or five weeks, though, he asks me to do a second gig."

    "Damn," I say. "Personal security pays that much?"

    "When you''re as good as me, yeah," he nods. "I have seventeen years of martial arts training and a pretty decent ability set that I''ve been training in just as long. I''d pit my powers against the Sivalshi Guardians any time."

    He stops and gives me an apologetic look.

    "Sorry," he says. "I''m used to dealing with people who know I don''t like them, not people who support them."

    "It''s fine," I say. "We have our differences of opinion, but that doesn''t mean we can''t get along."

    "Thanks," he says, and we resume walking. "That job makes me go from needing a roommate to afford a semi-decent apartment and still feed myself to being able to live on my own and buy extras."

    At four grand a month, minimum, he could probably afford a decent apartment in the middle districts from just that job and still afford a decent amount of food. I guess he probably wants to be closer to his family, though, and likes helping out at the training center.

    "What''s the ability you''re the best with?" I ask. "It is light-stepping? You mentioned you were about double or so the norm for starting, right?"

    "Yeah," he answers. "Though the first thing you awaken isn''t always your strongest ability, even if it''s a bit better. For all we know, you might end up superior with a shadow whip over shadow-walking."

    "So yours is something different?" I ask.

    "I can summon beasts," he nods. "Most who have such an ability can only summon one thing, and it''s usually not large. It might take them most of their life to power up enough to increase its strength significantly compared to starting. My light beasts? I can summon over twenty of them, and my first one, a wolf, is already triple in strength from when I first summoned it, which was when I was ten. It was¡­ an accident."

    He chuckles at the memory of his first time summoning. Most people discover their power by accident, though I guess in cases like his, where the parents knew he''d have something, they have the kid try different things until it manifested. After Lucas told me about people having multiple abilities in actuality, I''d assumed that they were usually discovered through training, not accident.

    Looks like I was wrong.

    "That said," he tells me. "With how far you can go as your starting point, shadow-walking probably is your strongest. Your strongest ability is almost always the one that''s ridiculous compared to the norm."

    "So what does that mean for me?" I ask. "I mean, it doesn''t seem like there''s much to it, so it being that ''strong'' isn''t really beneficial, right?"

    "Not so," he says. "With an ability like that being your strongest, you''ll probably be able to reduce how much magic it costs you rather decently in comparison to others. Mine got down to a certain cost, then stayed there no matter how much I trained. You''ll probably manage to reduce it even more, meaning you can make more jumps before running out of juice. Second, you''ll probably be able to reduce the cooldown time pretty well. I can manage about fifty short jumps before I start lagging. You might manage a hundred or more before starting to lag again once you''re trained up, and that might only take you a year or two. Your skill with it will be improved by it being your best."

    "Sort of like you and your summoning of light beasts," I say.

    "Yep," he says. "I could stop training my magic entirely for twenty years the day you learn to summon shadow beasts, if you ever do, and after twenty years, my skill with it would be far superior still simply because that''s my strongest and not yours. I can summon more beasts, summon them faster, and summon a more versatile range than others. My grandpa can summon three beasts, and he can manage to summon two at a single time. He''s been summoning for almost sixty years now. I''ve been summoning for ten, and I can already summon three at once. And I can keep them out longer than he can keep one out.

    "So don''t think yourself too special," he shoots me a grin. "Everyone''s got their own best and it''s unfair to compare your ability with something you''re normal for against someone who''s got it as their best."

    "Makes sense," I say, then a thought comes to me. "Lucas, it takes me an hour and a half to recover my magic right now, but I''m only supposed to train for two hours for best results? Wouldn''t it be better to train that basically every time I''m at full?"This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    "Sure, but not for increasing your power with it," he tells me. "Two hours from start to finish of training, regardless of how little you''re able to do. It''s just how magic works."

    "Oh," I say, then am silent for a few moments as I think over that. "So what am I doing in that time between? Just¡­ resting?"

    "Agility training."

    "Agility training?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he answers. "You can do a little bit of physical training there, too. Would certainly help you with running around if you need it for the security job. Between step sessions, you can train in the same arena, running between and jumping over the blocks. They''re actually perfect for that, and we change the setup every day, too, so you won''t be able to just learn a route and time things perfectly by knowledge instead of through what experience tells you."

    "Okay," I say. "What should I wear for the training sessions? I''m not running around naked¡­"

    "Bring some shorts," he tells me. "If you really want, a sleeveless, too. You''ll get warmed up pretty fast and have to take them off for half a minute, anyway. That''s for the power training. For the martial arts, we''ll supply you with a gi, it comes with the gold membership."

    "Okay," I say. "Thanks."

    "No problem," he says.

    We go quiet again, as I don''t know what else to talk about and he doesn''t seem to have anything to say. I really hope that our difference in opinion regarding the Patron won''t affect my training. He seems nice and I''d hate to end up needing to deal with a different trainer because we can''t get along over something like that.

    Lucas and I reach my apartment building, then I take him up to my room, looking around at it. It''s a slight mess. Every apartment here is a studio apartment, with only a separate bathroom and separate closet.

    My apartment has a couch against one wall with a coffee table in front of it. A mattress rests in the corner of that wall and the one with the window facing outside. Between those is a chest of drawers angled with the short end touching the wall, the drawers facing my mattress just to ''separate'' the living room and bedroom a little. My bathroom is opposite of the bed, with the door facing my bed, though I keep it closed for obvious reasons. Beside the bathroom is the closet then the kitchen, and past that is the front wall of my apartment, which we just stepped through.

    Small and cozy, but it''s home.

    There''s my towel from my shower earlier resting on the floor where I dropped it, along with my clothes from yesterday. My bed''s not made, the three blankets on it tossed haphazardly across it, the pair of pillows resting unevenly. It''s not visible at first glance, but I know there are a bunch of forks in the sink, and there are some glass cups sitting on the counter, since they need washing.

    The recycling bins are overflowing with the plastic ramen containers, the paper lids that sealed them closed before use, and the foil wrappers for the breakfast pastries. My trash can, on the other hand, doesn''t overflow. The bin for the compost stuff ¨C like used napkins and paper towels, things that shouldn''t be recycled the normal way ¨C is full, but not overflowing.

    I need to take the recycling down to the bins so all of that can be reused. Supposedly, before the Rift Calamity, most of this stuff was just trash, stuff that couldn''t be recycled. With resources as scarce as they are for some things, though, everything that can be recycled is being made to be recycled.

    This is especially true on the cities on the great beasts, since we don''t go near land very often. We have to make do with the resources available here most of the time, so the rules regarding trash are pretty strict to make the most of what we get.

    My apartment is definitely a mess. I was going to pick up the dirty laundry when I got back, and I was planning on doing my dishes later. Someone with as much money as he does probably has his apartment neat and tidy, and I wouldn''t be surprised if he has a maid, too. This place probably looks filthy to him. At least the carpet doesn''t need vacuuming, though it does smell a little just from how old it is and the damp that sometimes seeps in.

    Nothing I can do about that, though. Scented stuff costs too much, a deep-clean for the carpet does as well, and so does one of those things that draw in the moisture from the air to prevent the issue of the moisture seeping in and making everything smell musty.

    Yeah, he probably thinks this place is filthy.

    "Um," I hurry over and pick up the dirty laundry. "You can see the kitchen, uh, there."

    "Hey," he chuckles. "This is one of the cleanest apartments I''ve ever been in."

    As I dump my clothes in the hamper, I remember the letter, envelope, money, and earpiece. They''re all still sitting on the couch, and I hastily move them into a drawer in the coffee table after grabbing a few extra bills, thankful that Lucas didn''t seem to notice them. If he did, he probably assumed it was from the offer or something.

    Lucas goes through my cabinets, muttering to himself, and I make my bed as he does.

    "Okay," he approaches me. "You definitely need to get some stuff. You literally only have ramen and breakfast pastries. That''s¡­ not healthy at all. How big is your food budget?"

    "Uh¡­ about five hundred dollars for the next month," I answer.

    "Good," he says. "Because you have a few bowls that probably never get used, a bunch of forks, a bunch of glass cups, a bunch of instant-ramen, and a bunch of breakfast pastries. Oh, half a quart of milk. Is this seriously normal for you?"

    "Yeah."

    "Okay," he lets out a breath that tells me that he''s trying not to say something. "We are buying you some dishes, too. Proper pots and pans, a better variety of utensils, cooking utensils, plates, and a few other things."

    "I don''t think I can afford all of that," I tell him.

    "While you were making your bed and I was trying not to pull my hair out at your diet," he tells me. "I looked up some shops nearby, and-"

    "You have wifi?" I ask. "Isn''t that expensive? Same for a phone that can actually pull that up?"

    "Private bodyguard for someone in the upper districts, remember?" He chuckles. "Yeah, it''s expensive. I bet your phone''s only about twenty a month. Mine''s a hundred and twenty. It''s worth it, though."

    "Damn," I say. "If the guy does hire me, I''m hoping I get paid enough for that."

    Though I''d be grateful if the Patron only pays me enough to continue living here, eating better, and training at the center. That''s really enough for me. Anything extra would be a bonus to me.

    "Good luck," he says. "Anyway, I found a place that you can buy that stuff at."

    "Pretty sure just a set of pots and pans would cost a pretty penny," I say. "Every time I''ve seen them in stores, they''re at least a hundred to a hundred and fifty for the lower-end stuff."

    "Yeah," he says. "That''s pretty much how it is. Is using a blender acceptable here? Or would that disturb the neighbors?"

    "Probably disturb the neighbors," I answer. "I can hear it anytime the gal next door has her boyfriend over."

    "Must make it hard to sleep," he says.

    "Nah," I respond. "All I have to do is holler ''THERE''S A MONSTER IN MY CLOSET!'' and they stop."

    "Oh, jeez!" He laughs.

    "The first few times I did it," I grin at him. "I heard thumps upstairs. Eventually found out that the upstairs neighbor had literally fallen in her laughter. The neighbor with the boyfriend now tries to be a bit quieter, but gets a reminder that everyone can hear it anytime they get too loud."

    "You''re ridiculous," he says. "Let''s head out, the one place is only open until midnight and I''m probably taking up too much of your time as it is."

    Unsurprisingly, I find myself not minding that he''s taking up my time. Surprisingly, he hadn''t made a comment about the state of my apartment. His only complaint is apparently my kitchen.

    "You''re paying me back by helping me off-the-clock to get this stuff set up," I walk over to the recycling bins. "Though if you really want to make it up to me a bit more, you can help me carry these down. I can only manage two bags at a time, the bulk is a bit much for me to succeed in going down the steps with two in one hand."

    "Sure," he says. "I''ll follow your lead on this, then we can head to the store."

 Chapter 0008

    "Here we are," Lucas tells me once we step out of the elevator of the business building. "Floor Seventeen, a thrift store. They get most of their stuff through donations, so they sell them a bit cheaper."

    I''m not entirely sure what he''s expecting here, I''ve been in a few thrift shops. They''re always full of the same things, and this one doesn''t seem to be an exception. Through the glass windows set into the shopfront, I can see racks upon racks of clothes. It''s dimly-lit, a sign that they can''t afford too much lighting, just like most of the lower districts.

    "Erm, that''s stuff like clothes," I say. "Toys. Books. Maybe movies if someone decided to donate them. Small things. Not more expensive things."

    "You''d be surprised," he beckons me to follow, then opens the door to the shop for me. "Come on."

    We enter the shop and pass by the registers, where a lone guy in his fifties works. He briefly glances up at us, then returns to reading his book as we continue on our way. Lucas leads me to the back of the thrift shop, where the shelves are, and takes me past the books and toys.

    "They put the stuff people buy most towards the front," he says. "Because it makes for a shorter trip for the customer, and most people want in and out and are on pretty restricted budgets. Unlike in the upper districts, where they''ll put the goods behind other things in an effort to get people to look at and possibly buy other things. However, when you get to the back¡­ you can find things like this."

    He indicates a box sitting on a shelf. It looks like a brand-new box, still with the original seal on it. It''s a cooking set, complete with one pot, one saucepan, one deep-walled skillet, and two skillets in different sizes, all with lids to match. It''s priced at forty dollars. Beside it are several packs of cooking utensils, plastic, metal, and bamboo alike. Underneath are several boxes of cups or dishware sets of plates and bowls. Some look new, some look like they were repackaged. There are also loose items around. They''re all priced rather low for the things, too, even if they''re new.

    That cooking set, I know for sure sells for five times that at a normal store. I know because I''ve seen it there.

    "Sometimes," he says. "Someone buys two of something, or they buy something and then move in with someone else who has the stuff already, so they donate it. Some people will donate their old dishes when they get new ones, if they do. So you can find brand-new stuff at some thrift stores. Though as a somewhat well-known secret in some circles, there are a few people from the upper districts who''ll buy stuff specifically to donate to second-hand shops in the lower districts, just to help people out."

    "That''s¡­ surprising," I say. "Though I''m not sure how to get this stuff home. Or even up to the register."

    "Leave it to me," he tells me. "Just stay here a few minutes."

    Lucas leaves, and I mean leaves. He exits the shop. About ten minutes later, though, he returns. This time, he has a red collapsible wagon with him.

    "It''s sold for sixty in the shop on the next floor down," he tells me. "That''s the normal price, though, not a discounted one. You can pay me back by following the schedule I set for you and doing your best to eat the meal plan I set up for you."

    He really doesn''t need to do all of this. Is he this nice to everyone? Is part of the reason he took on the second job so that he could afford to do things like this to clients from the center who need a little help? Whether it''s that or just a special case with me, it''s still incredibly nice of him, and I''m not sure how to respond, so I say the only thing that comes to mind.

    "Uh¡­ thanks."

    "No problem," he says. "We''re buying you an entire kitchen set for under a hundred. We''ll even get you some containers to store leftovers in."

    Lucas picks out everything for me. In addition to the standard stuff, he adds a slow-cooker and a toaster, too, arranging the boxes all on the wagon, then pulling it to the front. The total comes out to be only eighty dollars, when I know it should cost four times this much if bought at full-price.

    Why have I never gone to the very back of a thrift store before? Probably because I figured it was just the same stuff as before it and I''ve never really had need of all the extras, anyway. Heck, this is going to be my first time attempting to cook since my parents died.

    His recipes better be pretty specific on what to do.

    Lucas and I take the stuff back to my apartment and has me pull everything out of the wagon, setting them on the floor against the wall by the door.

    "You''ll need to wash everything," he tells me. "Before putting them away. Do you have dish towels and washcloths?"

    "Yeah," I answer, realizing none of them are out. "I just washed those yesterday, and haven''t, ah, needed them yet, so they''re all in the drawers there."

    I indicate the two bottom drawers of the set of them under the kitchen counter, and Lucas nods slightly.

    "That''s good, then," he says. "Come on, let''s head to the grocery store. And we''re taking the wagon, it''ll make bringing the purchases back a bit more comfortable, since we''re getting more than a couple of boxes of instant-ramen bowls."

    My face heats up at his comment, and I just mumble an agreement and follow him out. It didn''t come off malicious, just matter-of-fact, so I don''t think he meant it as a poke at me. This really has been all I''ve been able to afford, beyond that one apple a week, for the last four years. Heck, there are times where I go without food for a couple of days.

    The quart of milk in the fridge was me splurging because I really wanted some milk and hadn''t had any for a year, and it was on discount last time I went shopping.

    Lucas and I walk down to the business building around the corner, the one which houses the grocery store I use, and he folds up the wagon and tucks it onto the bottom of the cart he pulls out. The next thing he does is walk around the shop, assessing what''s here and taking nothing.

    After the first trip through the store, he begins pulling items off the shelves. Everything is so expensive compared to what I can normally buy, and it''s making me cringe knowing how much money I''m going to be spending. He just put a twenty-dollar pack of fresh chicken in the cart. That''s only seven breasts, and it''s supposed to be used within a few days, too.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    He just put a second one in the cart. Then a third.

    What kind of fantasy world is he living in? There''s no way I can eat that much that fast.

    "Uh, Lucas?"

    "You''ll see what''s going on," he says. "Just be patient."

    It takes another forty minutes before Lucas finishes picking out the groceries, and the end result is nearly three hundred dollars. That''s¡­ most of my food budget, and I''m not sure this is going to last me until I get paid again.

    "Don''t look so worried," Lucas tells me. "A lot of what we got are staples ¨C things that you keep in the kitchen and use again and again. Salt, sugar, flour, seasonings, and other stuff like that. Three dollars for a thing of salt, and it should last you months. Even if you don''t get the job, you''ll still have stuff to make some things with, if you manage to get a little extra money from time to time to buy the rest of the ingredients. Staples tend to be versatile things, too ¨C used in many different dishes."

    "O-okay."

    I pay the cashier, then we load the purchases into the brown paper bags, set them in the wagon after Lucas unfolds it, then bring them to my apartment. He helps me put everything away, then tells me we''re going out again.

    "Again?" I ask as I fold up the paper bags for reuse. Since I have them, I''ll use them when I go shopping again and will keep doing so until they''re used up and need recycling or composting. "It''s already getting late, and this has taken up so much of your time, Lucas, and-"

    "Just a few more things," he tells me. "From another store. More stuff for the meals. And I don''t mind taking the extra time, Kieran. To be honest, I''m enjoying hanging out and helping you. And if this causes an issue in your budget by the end of the month, I''ll take responsibility and set you up with something temporarily to earn you a little extra so you can afford your bills. If that''s okay with you."

    He''s enjoying this? Even though it''s all business?

    "Um, yeah, that''d be nice," I say. "If-if it''s needed. I don''t want to impose too much."

    "Then come on," he says. "Let''s go."

    This time, he leads me to a store higher up in the same building as the grocery store I shop at. This one seems to be a bulk purchase store, and the first thing that Lucas gets is a twenty-pound sack of rice.

    "The wagon is rated to about two hundred or so pounds," he tells me as he lays the sack flat on it. "But you still want to distribute the weight evenly to avoid breaking it from an imbalance. The rating is assuming the weight is spread evenly."

    "Okay," I eye the sack of rice as he adds a second to it. "That''s fifty dollars, Lucas. We''re now almost completely having used up my food budget."

    "I know," he says. "Like I said, I''ll take responsibility and set you up with something temp at the end of the month if you need it, as long as you aren''t forcing it for that. Not to be blunt, but you''re skinny as heck and if you''re training every day, you need to eat better."

    "Do you really think I''ll go through forty pounds of rice in a month?" I ask. "Doesn''t rice-"

    "Basically triple in volume when cooked?" He asks. "Yep. This is mostly to ensure you have it for awhile. Several of the recipes I''m giving you will use rice. If you''re in a pinch for money, you can add some cheap things to it for a little bit of flavor. It''s basically the same as ramen in that sense ¨C but cheaper since you aren''t buying the premade stuff. And speaking of ramen, come on."

    He leads me to another aisle¡­ where bulk packs of ramen are sold. It would be cheaper for me to buy them here than downstairs. Thirty-two cents a cup rather than thirty-eight. I''ve never come up to this store because I figured I''d never use the bulk-buy stuff before it expired and that I wouldn''t be able to afford it, anyway.

    The difference on the ramen boxes isn''t enough to over-budget me. While the difference of six cents a pack doesn''t seem like much, it adds up over time, especially for someone carefully watching their budget and only rarely splurging on a single, cheap thing that''s on discount and actually provides some nutrition.

    Looking at my consumption of two packs a day, that''s twelve cents in a day. Thirty-six in three. That''s a whole extra pack every three days, or about two and a half a week.

    It''s not much, but it''s enough that I could have missed meals a little less often. This is twice now that Lucas has shown me something that could possibly have benefited me. While the dishes one probably wouldn''t have mattered, this one definitely would have. If the job falls through, I''ll at least know I can save a few cents a meal that''s not breakfast.

    "Uh, Lucas?" I realize he''s loading a box of ramen into the wagon. "I thought we were going away from the ramen?"

    "These aren''t the flavored ones," he shows me the box. "It''s a box of just noodles, portioned to individual servings. They''re a little thicker than the ones you''re used to, and they don''t come with seasoning pops. I factored in your norm and am keeping some of the ramen so you at least have something familiar. But it won''t be too familiar. You''re changing it up."

    That doesn''t sound like a good thing to me.

    Lucas takes me to the refrigerated section and loads a double-pack of eighteen-count eggs, and why I need three dozen eggs confuses me. Then he adds a second pack, confusing me even further. Two packs of four sticks of butter each are added, then he goes through the fruits and veggies here, too, picking out a few more things.

    My total reaches a hundred this time, leaving me with very little for extra food budget for the rest of the month until I find out about the job. I won''t really be able to buy stuff again unless I work some more. While I appreciate Lucas''s offer, I think I''ll definitely continue using the agency just in case that doesn''t work out.

    I really don''t look forward to updating my agent that I''m not available after a certain time due to other obligations. I''ll probably get a lecture from the agent I''m working with, she really likes to go off on people for anything that could possibly hinder their chances at getting a job. It''s frustrating.

    If I do become a Sivalshi Guardian, though, I can confidently tell her to stuff it without worrying about risking getting fewer jobs.

    Lucas walks with me back to the house and unload the purchases, putting the cold stuff in the fridge.

    "Before I go," he pulls off his hoodie and walks it over to the coffee table. "Let''s get these dishes cleaned."

    "But-"

    "I''m not leaving until a certain thing''s done," he tells me as he walks back into the kitchen and opens up the drawers with the dish towels and washcloths. "And that needs certain dishes cleaned. I''m not going to tell you what they are in order to ensure everything gets washed. I''ll wash, you dry and put things away."

    He pulls out a dish towel and tosses it to me, then spreads a few of them out on the counter before grabbing a washcloth and closing both drawers. Deciding to just go with it because he seems a pretty good guy who''s just a bit concerned for my health, I follow along.

    Washing all of the dishes together takes us about an hour and a half, mostly because it''s not a small amount and we''re washing everything, not just what was used for dinner or whatever. I can expect my water and sewer bill to go up a little for this month. And my electric bill, since I''m apparently going to be cooking more in order to actually benefit from my training.

    "Alright," I say. "Everything''s washed. What''s next?"

    "Remember those shallow, rectangular plastic containers I got from the thrift store?" He asks. "Not the longer and wider ones, but the shorter and narrower ones?"

    "Yeah."

    "Grab them."

    I do as he gets into the fridge, and he pulls out all three packs of chicken, unsealing the packs and using tongs to move the breasts into the containers, one per each. The breasts fit pretty nicely. Not squished in, but not with much extra space. Once he finishes, he disposes of the packaging, then washes the tongs and his hands after telling me to seal the containers.

    "Anytime you touch raw meat," he says. "Wash your hands. Wash anything that comes into contact with raw meat, too. I bought some cleaners, if you didn''t notice. Use those for the counter. Raw meat can spread contagions that can make you extremely sick. Never, ever use things that touched raw meat on other things ¨C so don''t use tongs you used on raw chicken to toss your salads. Cross-contamination is a nasty thing."

    "Okay," I say. "I''ll try to keep that in mind."

    "I''ll add it to the notes of the recipe book," he mutters.

    That''s really appreciated, but I''m not going to say that. I do have a question, though, because something doesn''t make sense.

 Chapter 0009

    "So why did we just separate twenty-one chicken breasts into their own containers?" I ask.

    "Four of them," Lucas tells me. "Go in the fridge. Put the rest in the freezer."

    "The freezer?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he answers. "They''ll keep for up to three months. You could''ve bought a ten-pound bag of them for twenty bucks, with a lot more breasts in it, but they''d be smaller. These are perfect. And that''s why you shouldn''t look so worried about your food funds, Kieran. If you have only one breast per meal, that''s three weeks'' worth of food."

    "I was trying to figure out how I''d use them before they went bad," I tell him. "I hadn''t thought about freezing them."

    "I''d figured that was the case," he tells me. "Anyway, with the breasts, you want to store them separately. It makes it easier to defrost them. When defrosting, you want to pull them out and put them in the fridge the night before you want to use them. By around four or five in the afternoon the next day, they''ll be ready to use. If you don''t use them that day, they''ll likely be bad the next."

    "Got it," I say. "So why did I pull out four of the breasts? If I''m only eating one a day, won''t two of them probably go bad before I get to them?"

    "Nope," he answers. "You''ll be using all four of them tomorrow with the recipe I''m giving you tonight."

    "I''ll be using four at once¡­ for one meal?"

    "No," he sighs. "For several meals. It''ll last for several days, Kieran. After you cook and let it cool a little, you put it in the fridge."

    "Oh," I feel stupid for not realizing that.

    I guess that''s what happens when I spend years eating single-meal things.

    "Yeah," he says. "Those four breasts, when added to rice, will make more than four meals'' worth of food. A lot of what I''m having you make for the dinners and lunches, Kieran, will be batch works. Lemon pepper chicken breast? You''ll cook up two of them the first day and do a double amount of rice, then refrigerate the second breast and half of the rice, reheating it the next day. My cooking instructions will tell you all of the reheating instructions, too, so don''t worry about that."

    How many times has he given this recipe book out to new clients of the center? As soon as I think that, I have to wonder if most people don''t follow it. How many people just ignore the stuff, complain, and then quit? Is that why he went shopping with me? To ensure I actually get the stuff, and therefor will have a sort of moral obligation to follow through and cook everything, since it''s too expensive to let it all go to waste?

    He seems to be genuinely concerned about me in regards to being able to eat properly for my growth, but could that be from all the failures? It seems like a bit much to expect it to be from an attraction, especially since I know I''m not really that attractive. I''m just falling for him way too fast is all.

    "Thanks."

    "You''re welcome," he says, then shivers a little. "I''m grabbing my hoodie."

    He walks back to the table and grabs his hoodie, pulling it on.

    "You leaving?" I ask.

    "Well, it is past midnight, now," he grins. "It''s pretty late, so unless I''m spending the night, I should probably head home after I write up that recipe for you. I''m hungry after all this running around, too, so I need to eat something before I go to bed."

    The thought of him spending the night here embarrasses me a little, since it''s definitely not as good of a place as he''s used to. At the same time, the thought of it¡­ doesn''t bother me. I''m not thinking anything inappropriate here, but I don''t think I''d have an issue with him staying the night just to stay the night.

    "I need something to eat, too," I realize that I''m pretty hungry after all that running around.

    Dinner was almost five hours ago, now that I think about it. It really is pretty late.

    "If you want," he says. "I can teach you how to do ''better ramen'' before I go."

    "It wouldn''t be fair for you to do that and not eat," I tell him. "Especially after all you''ve helped me with so far, even though we just met, uh, seven hours ago? Eight hours ago? Something like that. So yeah, but only if you have a bowl, too."

    "Sure," he says. "Do you know how to hard-boil eggs?"

    "Uh¡­ "

    "Okay, so we''ll start with that¡­"

    Lucas teaches me how to hardboil eggs in the saucepan while water heats up in a sort of ''instant kettle'' thing from the thrift shop. It sits on a stand and regulates the temperature on its own rather than me needing to put a kettle on the stove and need to take it off the heat as soon as it goes up.

    The longest part of this is the eggs part, but Lucas does ten of the boiled eggs, for later use. The extras are put into a container and added to the fridge, but one each are kept for our ramen. The noodles are put into the bowls, along with strips of ham and turkey he''d bought, then some chopped chives and the eggs, halved. On the center, he places a small ''flavor cube'' to make the broth. Finally, he pours on the hot water, just enough to coat the noodles, the flavor cube dissolving in it.

    With the food prepared, we sit on the couch and eat, the noodles actually pretty delicious. Lucas mentions that we probably could have gotten chopsticks to eat them with.

    "I''ve never used them before."

    "They''re easy to learn," he tells me. "Maybe I''ll teach you, we ever eat this together again."Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Glancing at him in response to that, I notice a slight blush. It slipped out without him meaning to say that. He probably wants to hang out sometime, possibly without it being related to his work. Only to my mild surprise, I do as well. He''s definitely coming across as a pretty decent guy.

    "I don''t ever remember hanging out with someone before," I tell him. "And while I know that you were doing this because I''m a client who needs the help of a personal trainer, and this is part of the job¡­ I actually kind of enjoyed it, Lucas. If, uh, you want to just hang out sometime, not related to work, I''d be fine with that. Just as long as a certain thing doesn''t come up."

    "I can work with that," he says.

    "Oh, and as long as I don''t have to spend more money," I add. "I''m not sure I can afford it if I have to spend this much every time we hang out."

    "I can manage that," he chuckles. "And if I eat over, Kieran, then you can bet your powers I''m going to make it up to you with a meal of my own."

    "You mean the ''power-up special''?" I ask. "''Cause if so, Lucas, that''s rather disproportionate cost-wise, and-"

    "Not necessarily that every time," he tells me. "Maybe I''ll bring a few ingredients of my own, show you something a little bit fancier?"

    If I didn''t know he was just trying to reassure me that he''s going to make sure that anything I spend on us hanging out, he''ll make sure it doesn''t affect my budget, I''d think he was trying to flirt.

    "I''d be curious to taste that," I tell him. "Though keep in mind that my palate is instant ramen, so if it''s too fancy, I might not be able to appreciate it."

    "I can take that into consideration," he chuckles. "I already did that when planning these meals for you. Most of them are simple, even if flavorful. You can work your way up to the fancier meals. My focus was on things you''ll probably be able to enjoy the flavor of while still keeping in mind the nutritional needs you''ll have with your training."

    "Thanks," I say, then return to eating this.

    It definitely tastes better than the ramen I''ve been eating, even if it''s a little more expensive than that. Most of that cost comes from the egg, meat, and chives, though. Stuff that adds nutrition to this. I really hope I do qualify to become a Sivalshi Guardian in a month so that I can continue to enjoy this kind of food, train my abilities, and discover new flavors that I probably forgot over the years. Or ones I hadn''t gotten to taste before my parents passed away.

    After finishing his bowl of ramen, Lucas drinks the broth, so I do the same with mine after finishing. Our late-night meal completed, he washes the dishes and I dry and put them away, then he stifles a yawn.

    "I should get going," he tells me. "I do need my sleep and I work every day. I might even make it in to work on time."

    "You''re not going to cut your sleep short for work?" I ask.

    "Nah," he gives me a tired chuckle. "I only work from two to eight each day ¨C only six hours. But that''s forty-two a week. Even if I did end up late, I can just put the last few hours as work time, since I was helping you out with the meal plans and getting things set up."

    I guess it makes sense that he''d get paid for helping me at this point, since he''s my personal trainer and, well, adviser, I guess. He was doing this as part of his job, so it would be weird if he didn''t get paid for it.

    Talking about his jobs reminds me of something. Especially with how late it is right now, something I hadn''t thought about until just now.

    "I know you''re a personal bodyguard and all," I say. "But would it really be safe to walk back that way? It takes forty minutes to get there, and it''s, like, two-something in the morning. I''m sure your apartment''s further past it, too, considering the layout and the value of apartments. You don''t seem much like a guy who''d go for a cheap one if there''s a good one nearby."

    "Yeah, it''s about a twenty-minute walk in the opposite direction," he says. "So about an hour''s walk. About two and a third to two and a half miles, if I had to wager a guess. I can probably handle anyone who tries to jump me, but thanks for the concern."

    Even though I know he can probably handle himself, that doesn''t change how worried I am. I''d feel awful if he got hurt because he was walking home from here so late after helping me as part of his job.

    "That''s a pretty far walk," I say. "Are you sure it''s safe to go by yourself as tired as you are? I know it''s not much, but I can let you borrow my couch and a blanket."

    "A blanket?" He raises an eyebrow. "Judging by how cold it is, you probably sleep under all three of those just for warmth, possibly with your hoodie still on judging by how old they look."

    He nailed that in one, and I feel my cheeks flushing at just another reminder that he probably doesn''t have to worry about stuff like that. Did I just insult him by accident?

    "I can manage one night," I tell him. "Though I guess you''d be cold, too."

    I glance towards my bed.

    "Um," I say. "Well, my mattress is big enough for two to sleep without touching. We can, ah, share if you don''t have an issue with that."

    "You seem pretty insistent on being worried for me," he says. "Is there something I should know?"

    He looks a bit concerned, and I realize that he thinks there''s something I know about the area that he doesn''t.

    "I just¡­ I don''t know how I''d feel if you got hurt going back this late, this tired, because you were helping me, Lucas," I tell him. "That''s all it is."

    My voice is quiet, and the excuse sounds weak now that I say it out loud. It doesn''t change how I feel, though. I''d feel guilty if someone got hurt just because they were helping me. Especially when they''re as good-looking as he is.

    "Alright," he stifles another yawn. "Sure, Kieran, but I have to ask you something else."

    "Um¡­ what?"

    "You don''t have an issue sharing your bed with, y''know?" He pulls his left sleeve back, showing his rainbow bracelet again.

    "Oh, that," I say. "I mean, I hadn''t even though about it until just now."

    Though the idea of even sleeping in the same bed with a guy as hot as him is a bit of a turn on, so now it might take me awhile to fall asleep. Why did he have to bring that up? Well, I know why he did, but still.

    "So it doesn''t bother you?" He asks.

    "I don''t assume someone''s going to grope unless they have a habit of it," I tell him. "You barely even looked at me when I was naked. A bit disappointed to get such obvious confirmation that I''m not really that attractive, especially with how skinny I am, but it''s evidence that you wouldn''t do something unless you had a need for a power trip, which you haven''t displayed at all."

    "Alright," he says. "Then I''ll take you up on the offer, Kieran. Thanks. And thanks for not judging me. It''s bad enough when gays do it, but it''s pretty expected of straights because that''s rather normal."

    Oh, right, he still thinks I''m straight. Maybe I''ll mention it in the morning that I''m not, he''ll probably get the wrong idea if I tell him now.

    I empty out my pockets onto my dresser and he empties his onto the coffee table, then we move to my bed. Since I usually sleep on the side with the wall, I lie down there, and Kieran lies on the other side. Thankfully, my blankets are rather large. It only takes us a minute to get comfortable and not touch, yet still be completely covered.

    Unfortunately, I know it''s going to take me more than a minute to fall asleep. We''ve only known each other for less than half a day, but Kieran''s shown me several sides of himself, and other than the one flaw, he''s rather appealing to me. Not just sexually, but as a potential friend. There''s nothing romantic there, but I didn''t expect it. We did just meet today.

    A sudden jolt of everything sends me slamming into Lucas, who gets slammed into my dresser due to the jolt suddenly angling the entire building down in that direction.

    "Ow," he groans as everything rights itself.

    "Sorry," I respond as I pull away from him, my heart racing from the sudden jolt.

    Did Sivalshi just tilt himself? That''s rather rare, especially for it to happen so suddenly. Was there an attack from a monster or something? Now that I think about it, I''ve never heard of Sivalshi shifting like that.

    "¡­ it''s okay," Lucas''s response is a bit delayed.

    "That shift is going to be all over the news."

    "Yeah," he says. "I wonder what that was about."

    "Who knows?"

 Chapter 0010

    A very annoying sound fills the air, and Lucas groans next to me as I get up, having forgotten that I did not sleep alone in an effort to grab my phone. Part of his groan probably comes from the annoying sound, part of it probably comes because I tripped over him in an effort to grab my phone off my dresser, where it''s not. That reminds me that Sivalshi shifted a few hours ago, as we were trying to fall asleep.

    "What in the name of Sivalshi is that noise?" He moans as I scramble around the dresser to pick my phone up off the floor.

    "The ringtone for the agent assigned to me at the temp agency," I grab the phone. She called right at seven. Did she wait until the earliest possible moment where they''re allowed to call people just to be annoying? "Sorry, didn''t remember you were here, and I keep it like that to ensure I wake up if she calls, since she can get really bitchy if I don''t."

    "''S''okay," he tells me as I answer the call.

    "Good morning, Hannah."

    "Good morning, Mr. Wolfe," her tone is crisp. "I expect a timely response to the call, not for you to answer when it''s nearly over. It''s not as if you have anything else to do."

    "Actually," I tell her. "I intended on calling you when I woke up to let you know that I''ll no longer be available after five in the evening. I have signed up for classes every day from six in the evening until eight in order to acquire new skills that will broaden the scope of jobs which I can perform. It''s a one-month course, though it may repeat after."

    I''m not going to tell her it''s for a possible future job, she may try to screw me over with the agency because of that and there''s still no guarantee that I''ll become a Sivalshi Guardian.

    "Hmph," she responds. "I''ll make a note of that, Mr. Wolfe. In the future, please inform me before you do such a thing. That would be the responsible thing to do. I have a job for you that runs from eight this morning until four-thirty this afternoon, with a half-hour lunch at noon."

    "What''s the job?" I ask.

    "You''re in no position to be picky, Mr. Wolfe," she tells me. "Will you be declining it?"

    "I was only wondering so I can mentally prepare myself for it better, so that I''m in a better position to perform the duties upon arrival."

    "You will be cold-calling potential customers and attempting to sell product to them," she informs me. "It is at nine-fourteen Twelfth Red Street."

    "Twelfth Red Street?" That''s about a ten-minute walk from the center. In the opposite direction from here. "Hannah, that''s outside of the range on my file. You know I don''t take any jobs too far away, and this is the second time this month you''ve asked me to do so."

    Hannah tries this at least twice a month, assigning me a job outside of my range. I stated on my forms that I''m only available for jobs within a thirty-minute walk of here, and always refuse any that are beyond that because I know that as soon as I accept one, she''ll start assigning a bunch of them.

    Then she notes on my file that I''m ''uncooperative'' and ''refusing perfectly good jobs'' as a result. I''ve made several complaints about it, but with how things are, she just gets told not to do it again and things are left at that. Then she tries it again two to three weeks later. Her notes with this results in me getting lower priority for jobs as a result.

    "Which agency is it?" Lucas asks.

    "Lormant," I answer.

    "Who is that?" Hannah asks. "Mr. Wolfe, if you were up late last night due to staying with the wrong crowd, I will need to note on your file that we may need to terminate your contract with us."

    "Hang up," Lucas tells me. "Let me grab my phone."

    He sits up, and the slight mess of his hair makes him look cute. Curious about what he''s doing but trusting him after last night, I hang up and ignore it when Hannah immediately calls me back. He gets up and crawls over to the coffee table, locating his phone on the floor, then grabs it and makes a call, setting it to speakerphone.

    When whoever it is fails to pick up, he calls again. On the third try, the call picks up.

    "Lucas, it''s barely seven in the morning," the voice of a woman who sounds somewhat familiar responds. "I was in the middle of making the perfect coffee at the office. Aren''t you normally asleep at this time?"

    "Yeah," he answers. "I was staying over at a client''s house after helping him with some stuff pretty late. Do you have a Hannah as one of your job assignment agents?"

    "Hannah Lawr?" She asks, and he looks at me.

    I nod, realizing why I know her voice. That''s Abigail Folms, the director of the agency. Lucas has her number?

    "Yeah," he answers, putting a finger to his lips to let me know not to speak. "As you know, we use your agency to hire temp workers from time to time, usually janitors when we need the extra hands and our staff are too busy with clients to do the cleaning. I will be informing my grandpa that we need to terminate our contract and will take our services to an agency where agents do not treat clients the way that Hannah has treated Lucas Wolfe. You may review her call with him that ended just before I called you to find out exactly what kind of attitude we do not like. That was me in the background, asking him which agency he received jobs through. You may also cancel his contract with you as well. I''ll be taking him to a more reputable agency that actually cares about their clients'' restrictions. Have a good day."

    He ends the call, then lets out an aggravated breath before giving me an apologetic smile.

    "Sorry," he says. "I''m a bit grumpy first thing in the morning."

    "That ''possibly set you up with something'' was temp work as a janitor at the center?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he covers his mouth with a hand as he yawns. "We usually need someone at least once or twice as week for about six hours. Only pays twelve an hour, but minimum''s still a wage."

    "Okay," I say. "Well, all''s forgiven if you really do mean what you said. You seem to be going a bit far for a client, Lucas."You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    "I meant it," he tells me. "Grandpa''s been considering switching to this other agency for awhile, anyway. As for why I''m going this far, uh¡­"

    He averts his gaze.

    "Uh?" I ask.

    "You seem kind of vulnerable," he tells me. "And a pretty nice guy. I''ve seen people like you get trampled on way too much. That''s just how things are with how few jobs there are compared to the population. And maybe I''m a sucker for twink-looking guys with black hair and green eyes, so¡­ that might be clouding my judgment a bit. Don''t take it the wrong way, I''d never do anything to make you uncomfortable and will keep things professional at the center. I kind of do want to try to be friends with you, though, and friends don''t let friends, y''know, suffer if they can help it."

    Wait, so he does have some sort of attraction to me? It''s probably sexual, then, just like mine. Nothing romantic. Am I really that appealing, as scrawny as I am?

    "I mean," he chuckles. "You were literally concerned about me going home last night, Kieran. It was as if you''d completely forgotten that I could jump over seventy yards of distance at a time. Literally no one before you has ever had that concern before, even among those who had just found out about my ability that day. Night. Whatever."

    "It slipped my mind," I feel my cheeks flush in embarrassment at being reminded that he''d probably not have been around long enough for someone to jump him. "Maybe if I''d thought about it, I''d have not been so worried."

    "Really?" He raises an eyebrow, and I feel my cheeks burn hotter. "Yeah, the tomato-red cheeks say otherwise, Kieran."

    He''s right, but I''m not going to admit it. Even after being reminded of it, I still think it''s dangerous. If it takes him a few seconds between large jumps, that''s a few seconds that someone could jump him if he popped up right beside them. And it only takes a moment to kill. He was tired enough he probably wouldn''t have noticed them noticing him, then acting.

    "So yeah," he says. "I kind of want to be friends, Kieran, and like I said, friends don''t let friends suffer when they don''t have to. I''ll help you out with the resources you have, and with the job thing, that''s just a friend using his connections."

    "Thanks," I say. "I''m not¡­ really sure if I''m friend material, though. I mean, I don''t even know what friends do. Other than hang out, I mean. But I don''t really have anything to do when hanging out, and I''d feel like a shitty friend if you were hosting everything."

    "No worries about that," he grins. "There''s plenty, and as a friend, I''ll introduce you to some of them. Just try not to take some of those the wrong way, yeah? You''re cute, but I''m not going to assume you''re into me and I''m not going to make a move on you, okay?"

    Should I tell him? Or should I let things stay as they are for now, to keep things a bit more comfortable at the center?

    "Okay," I tell him, then rub my stomach as it rumbles a little. "I think I should eat breakfast. Or, uh, we."

    "I''m going to take a guess and say you don''t know how to cook breakfast?"

    "You would guess correctly."

    "Let''s do something simple," he walks into the kitchen. "So we can head to the agency office and get you set up with something new¡­ if you''re interested in continuing with an agency while you''re doing this training?"

    "I kind of am," I answer. "Just in case, y''know."

    "Alright," he opens up the fridge and pulls a few things out.

    Lucas prepares two bowls with vanilla yogurt, nuts that came chopped, blueberries, and then strawberries and bananas that he slices, before serving one to me and keeping the other for himself. We eat, then rinse out the bowls and set on the dirty dish side of the sink, then he asks if I have paper and something to write with.

    "Yeah," I open up a drawer in the coffee table and pull out a piece of paper and a pen, then he sits on the couch and starts writing. "Oh, right, the recipe."

    "Yeah," he tells me. "All you need to do is mix up the sauce, then put everything into the slow cooker on low before you leave for training. Switch it over to warm when you return, cook up some rice, then serve the two together."

    "Okay."

    It takes him a few minutes to write up the full recipe, including how to cook the rice in a pot on the stove and how to reheat everything properly. Once he finishes, he stands and stretches.

    "Ready to head out?"

    "Yeah," I say, then pause for a moment. "Thanks, Lucas."

    "No problem," he smiles at me, and I feel my heart flutter a little.

    Am I falling for him?

    Lucas and I leave, our walk silent, our hoods up, our breaths fogging on the air. I''m kind of curious about why Sivalshi decided to give us a proper freezing winter this year, especially since it means a lot of people will be extra-cold at night. Those who have working heaters or someone to snuggle under the blanket probably won''t be affected too much. Not if they''re as warm as I was last night with Lucas''s body heat added to my own, trapped under those three layers.

    But then there are people like me, who don''t have a working heater in their apartment, can''t afford a space heater, and don''t have someone to snuggle under a blanket for warmth with. Maybe I should invest in a brand-new blanket, one that''s thick and comfy and will help me stay warmer? I should probably buy a jacket to wear over my hoodies, too, for the extra warmth when out and about.

    The walk to the agency Lucas is leading me to takes nearly an hour, and it''s on the twelfth floor of the office building we arrive at. The receptionist at the front desk on the first floor initially refuses us entry since we don''t have appointments but as soon as Lucas introduces himself properly, she makes a call and is told to send us up.

    "I wasn''t aware the people who ran the center was so famous in the area," I mutter as we enter the elevator.

    "Not famous, so much as having connections," he says. "We''re the best center for training powers in the lower districts this side, so several companies pay for their employees to train there to keep their skills up. We''re also right by the border to the middle districts, too, and get some customers from there, including businesses doing the same."

    "There are companies that hire people for their abilities?" I ask as we step out of the elevators. "Sorry, it''s just¡­ I was under the impression most people want to ignore the fact that we exist."

    "Oh, they do," he shrugs. "Except when it comes to things like vigilantes. But that''s for the common person. Plenty of companies can see the point in them. Not ones like the shops and call centers you''ve been called to work for, though."

    "What kind of jobs do power users get?" I ask.

    "Depends on the power," he answers as he opens the door for me to enter the office. "There''s one guy who comes to the center whose ability is to generate flames. His main one, anyway. He gets paid to heat-test things because it''s much cheaper than the cost for electricity or gas for the same thing. I think he''s paid thirteen an hour. Not much more than minimum, but it''s a job and what can be afforded."

    "Ah," I try to think over things my power could be used for. "Can''t really think of something for me, other than, y''know. Security work."

    It would be easy to catch up to someone if I just shadow-walk to them, which might be why the Patron wants me, now that I think about it. It would be much better if I''d been training since I discovered the ability, though, rather than¡­ since last night. Assuming the spellsuit I get moves with me since it''s magic created by a god-like being, I won''t have to worry about popping up naked, either.

    "Deliveries," Lucas says.

    "Deliveries?" I ask as we stop at the desk.

    "Yeah," he answers. "I sometimes ran deliveries when I was younger, just for some extra cash. When you can travel a couple hundred feet at a time, carrying someone''s food with you, with only a few seconds between movements? They get their food hot and fresh every time!"

    That seems pretty useful, now that I think about it. His customers were probably pretty pleased.

    "Anyway," he says. "We''re here now, so why don''t you get signed up with this company, and I''ll do my thing? We''ll probably finish at different times, so I''ll see you tonight, yeah?"

    "Yeah," I answer. "I said the training was at six, yeah?"

    "Yeah," he answers. "So I''d suggest ending your availability at four rather than or five. It will give you time to get home, do quick prep for dinner on days you need to, then head off. Also get a snack so you aren''t training on an empty stomach."

    "Okay," I say. "Thanks for the help, Lucas."

    "No worries," he grins. "Just make sure not to waste it."

 Chapter 0011

    There seem to be a few more cars in the parking lot when I arrive at the center today, and the fact that there are cars here catches my attention. Cars aren''t common due to their expense in both up-front costs and in paying for the magic cores that fuel them. In the lower districts, we usually only see vehicles being used to deliver things to a business, pick up trash and recycling, or for police officers. Not for normal people.

    I should have noticed this last night and realized that they had clients from the middle districts. While cars aren''t common there, either, someone working for a higher company in the middle districts might have a car, especially if they''re splitting costs with someone else.

    Reaching the front doors, I enter the foyer and approach the reception desk. Tabitha and the woman from yesterday are sitting behind it, while Thomas is leaning against the wall behind them, sipping a hot drink from a mug.

    "Good evening," I greet them as I push my hood back.

    "Good evening, Kieran," Tabitha gives me a concerned look as I pull my membership card out for her to scan. "Lucas didn''t try anything with you last night, did he?"

    "Try something?" By the time I realize what she means, she''s already responding.

    "He mentioned he spent the night because it was late," she says. "Despite him being able to just light-walk home in relative safety. Power users also tend to be pretty horny, and he''s been getting hookups ever since he broke up with his boyfriend to deal with that. He didn''t stay over to force-"

    "No," I interrupt. "Lucas didn''t try anything. We just slept, that''s it. It was my idea for him to stay over, I was a bit worried with it being late and everything. With how tired he was, I was worried someone might be able to jump him before he noticed. It was just-nothing happened. Don''t worry."

    "Okay," she lets out a sigh of relief. "We were wondering if we''d need to get Grandpa involved over it. Lucas hasn''t done something like that yet, but you never know when someone uses their powers as much as he does."

    "Yeah, no, he''s good," I say. "He''s fine."

    "Okay," she chuckles. "Thomas will take you to the area you''ll be meeting Lucas in. You''re a little early, so his class is still going at the moment."

    "Thanks," I say. "I was wanting to make sure I got here in time, in case something came up on the trip."

    Thomas sets his mug down as she nods, then he beckons for me to follow him. We walk towards the back of the facility, leading up to a door with a scanner.

    "Scan your membership card," he tells me, and I do, the light on the scanner switching from red to green. "Come on."

    He opens the door and lets me in, then follows behind me.

    "We''re pretty strict about entry to here," he tells me. "If you''re caught letting someone in and they aren''t a gold member, your gold membership will be revoked, and probably your full membership."

    "What if it''s a staff member?"

    "That''s fine," he chuckles. "We''re going up the stairs here."

    Thomas leads me up to the fourth floor, and to a room where Lucas is teaching seventeen people martial arts. They''re varying in age between ten and fifty, all dressed in white gis with various colors of belts. White and black, I recognize. There are also orange, yellow, green, brown, and purple, too.

    Lucas, on the other hand, is wearing a dark blue gi with a black belt. His has five white stripes on each end of the belt, too.

    "Here we are," Thomas says quietly when we enter, giving a small bow to the room. "Always bow to the room when entering or exiting, and do the same to the mats before stepping on and after stepping off. Never set foot on the mats with shoes on."

    "Understood," I nod, taking a seat on one of the benches lining the wall.

    Thomas leaves, and I watch the end of the lesson. It mostly consists of a set of cool-down exercises, and the session ends and quarter-to-six.

    "Thanks for coming today," Lucas says as everyone is stepping off the mats. "Remember to practice in your own time as well if you wish to improve, and stay safe this evening."

    Some of them put on shoes and jackets and leave, others slip on shoes and exit, probably heading to the changing rooms up here. Just as Thomas mentioned to me, everyone bows to the mats after stepping off of them, then to the room before leaving. They all do so with their hands at their sides, a slight bow at the waist while keeping their backs and necks straight. Not deep bows, just slight ones.

    Lucas himself disappears into a room off of this room for a few minutes, returning after everyone has left with a folded gi in his hands.

    "Here you go," he says. "This should be in your size, and since we''re alone in here and the door is closed, you can put it on without heading to the changing room. Or if you''re worried someone might step in, you can use the changing rooms, just hang a left when you leave, second door on the left."

    "I''ll change here," I pull off my hoodie. "What''s with the different belt colors?"

    "It shows your rank," he answers as I undress. "White is for beginners, black is the highest. For those under sixteen, we also use yellow, orange, and green to denote their next rank up, as many kids tend to be discouraged by how long it can take to reach blue belt, the next adult belt, and so don''t feel rewarded. For adults, it goes from white to blue, then purple, then brown, then black.

    "How quickly you reach each one," he tells me as I pull on the gi pants. They''re light and comfortable, sort of like pajama pants. "Depends on your skill level. That''s what we test for here ¨C your skill. Some people are able to advance to black within six months, others take a few years to reach blue."

    "Depends on how much they train in their own time?"

    "Partly," he nods. "Dedication, private lessons, and a few other things can contribute. Some people have a natural talent for it, such as me."

    "I see," I pull on the gi jacket, then try to figure out the belt.

    "Here," he walks me through it by showing me with his own belt. I still screw it up, so he moves behind me and undoes the belt. "Watch it like this, that should help you see how it''s done."

    Having him standing like this, his arms around me, is rather distracting. I''m barely able to focus on this, and that tells me all I need to know. I apparently did fall for him in under a day, and I completely missed the demonstration due to thinking about the feel of his body against mine like this, his calm words in my ear.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    "Got it?" Lucas asks once he finishes tying the belt.

    "Uh¡­ no. Sorry. I, uh, got distracted."

    "I''m wearing a cup, so I know it''s not that."

    Way to tell me that you''re¡­ oh. Because of power use, or something else?

    "This is the second time in a day I''ve been this close to someone, when I don''t normally have people touching me ever since my parents died."

    "Oh," his voice is quiet. "Uh, sorry."

    "It''s fine," I say. "I do, uh, need another demonstration. You can, uh, stay like this."

    "Okay," he says.

    This time, I do my best to pay attention to how he moves his hands to tie the belt, then he steps away and has me try it. I manage to succeed in fixing the belt properly with this attempt.

    "Thanks," I tell him.

    "No problem," he says.

    "So, uh, what''s with the stripes on the belt?" I ask. "I noticed a couple of the others had one or two."

    "They denote the dan, or degree," he tells me. "Our dojo here uses a ten-dan system for black belts. To advance to the next, you need to both improve your skill and have been at the dan you''re at for at least as many years as the dan number. So while you can hit first-dan within six months if you''re good enough, it takes one year, minimum, to reach second-dan. Two years of being second-dan to reach third, three to reach fourth, and so on."

    "You have five," I say. "So you earned your black belt ten years ago?"

    "Twelve," he answers. "The youngest we''ll test someone for black belt is when they''re eight, and I tested right on my eighth birthday out of impatience. Some places require certain attitudes and mindsets, but ours is mostly skill. If you have the skill to advance, then you''ve shown the discipline needed."

    Sexy and talented in multiple areas. He really does know his stuff, I guess.

    "I didn''t see anyone under ten," I say, and he snorts. "What?"

    "We have a set of six-year-old twins on the alternate days," he tells me. "Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, in that session. There''s a six-year-old girl as well, two seven-year-olds, and four eight-year-olds. There are adults and other teens, of course, but that session is the one with most of the younger kids. It wasn''t intentionally set up that way, but it does make it easier to pair them against others."

    "Ah."

    "Let''s step onto the mats," he suggests, so we do, and I make sure to bow the same way I saw everyone else bowing before stepping on. "Good, you noticed that and listened to Thomas."

    "It seems important."

    "It''s a sign of respect to the dojo as a whole and the training space itself," he tells me. "I''m not sure what actually started the tradition, it dates to the Old Society."

    "Ah."

    "Yeah," he says. "We teach a mix of things here. Some sparring, some ground grappling, some throws. I''ll teach you basic moves for both. To start with, we''ll do a couple of basic grappling moves. We teach them to everyone first thing, because they''re useful if you get attacked and are pinned down. However, we''ll warm ourselves up first."

    The warmup includes a dozen different stretches, pushups, situps, planking, squats, and a few other things. He spend fifteen minutes on the warmup, and by the end of it, I''ve learned that I''m not able to do very much at all. My body is also burning at this point, and I know I''m going to be feeling this the next few days.

    Once we finish the warmup, Lucas lies on the ground and has me kneel over him with a knee to either side of his stomach, grabbing the front of his gi. In a flash, he has me flipped over and pinned down. He demonstrates this to me twice more, performing it slower each time. With a fourth demonstration, he explains the movements used for this.

    "Your turn," he says. "Lie down."

    I obey, and he kneels over me, then walks me through the movements. Cup my hands behind his wrist, shift my weight with my hips, and flip. It seems easy like that, but takes me a few attempts to manage it properly. He''s got to have at least forty pounds on me, and I know I''m rather weak, yet I still manage to do this.

    "You look shocked," he grins once I succeed. "Weight and muscle isn''t everything. It can help, but with leverage ¨C which is what you use for this technique ¨C you can move something beyond your weight class. Some of the techniques I''ll be teaching you will include moves to use an opponent''s weight or momentum against them, or things like this that simply use leverage. You''re a smaller guy, so we''ll focus more on those than things that are better for someone with less strength. Let''s try this again."

    Lucas has me perform this move four more times, then teaches me there different choke-holds, which involves full-body contact between us and him teaching me how to tap-out so he knows when to stop. I also have to stop if he taps out. Otherwise, we risk the other person passing out.

    The more basic choke, he shows me I can practice on my leg by bringing my knee up to my chest.

    "Practice this one three times a day," he tells me. "Do it with each arm. By the time you find out if you get the security job or not, you''ll probably be pretty decent at it with an actual target."

    "Okay," I say.

    "Let''s move on to the next set of moves," he tells me.

    Lucas teaches me several basic strikes and kicks, as well as a few basic blocks. Each one, he has me practice five times after he''s corrected it to the proper form. After those, I''m taught a few throws, then two more grappling moves. Then he runs me through a review to see how much of it I remember, correcting me on my mistakes. There''s so much physical contact between us that I quickly learn to not be distracted by it.

    Well, mostly. He''s noticed that something''s on my mind, but doesn''t pry when I tell him it''s nothing to worry about.

    "Alright," Lucas says after we do a few cool-down exercises. "You''re going to be sore as heck for a few days, Kieran, so don''t be surprised. It''ll get worse before it starts to get better. The best thing to do is to just keep coming here and practicing. You can do some of these things on your own, and I''ll correct you if you start developing bad forms. As long as you come here for all of the sessions, train hard and focus well, you should at least have basic competence by the start of the job."

    "Thanks," I tell him, bowing to the mats as I step off, then I undo the belt and pull it and the gi top off. "The walk home is going to be fun with how sore I am."

    "Worried about getting attacked?" He asks. "I can escort you if you want, my shift ends at eight every day."

    I''m about to point out that he''d have to walk back before I remember that he can just light-walk back.

    "No, thank you," I tell him as I pull off the pants, then pull mine back on. "I''ll be fine. It''s only after nine-thirty that I should really worry about anything. Uh, I just realized, but what do I do with the gi? Do I have to keep it in a locker here, or-"

    "You can take it home," he tells me.

    "I, uh, forgot to bring a bag."

    "No worries," he says, then slips back into the room he''d entered earlier, emerging from it with a black duffel bag with the center''s golden logo on the side of it in his hands. "Comes with the gold membership, too. At bronze and silver, you have to buy it for fifty dollars. I put the binder with the recipes and directions in there. It''s pretty thorough on everything you need to know to make the stuff, just follow the directions."

    "Thanks," I accept the bag, sticking the gi inside before I finish dressing. "So I''ll see you tomorrow, in the room we were in yesterday?"

    "Yep," he says. "Sure you don''t want an escort home?"

    I know he''s just trying to be nice because I was concerned about him and he knows I''m sore and exhausted, and it makes me want to accept. But I don''t think I can handle him anymore tonight, not with me definitely starting to find myself attracted to him.

    "It''d be nice," I say. "But your family might get the wrong idea. They were suspicious of the real reason you stayed the night last night."

    "Alright," he says. "Well, you have a good night."

    "Thanks," I say. "You, too, Lucas. See you tomorrow."

    I sling the bag over a shoulder, then begin the walk home. When I reach my apartment, I find it smelling of the orange chicken he wrote up the recipe for, and it smells pretty delicious. I drop the bag down and slip out of my sneakers, then walk over to the slow-cooker and switch it to WARM before getting the rice started.

    The wait for the rice to finish is agonizing because the chicken smells delicious, which I didn''t expect when the recipe had me add orange juice and zest to it, and I kind of want to try it now.

    Once the rice finishes, I fluff it and let it sit for a minute, just as the instructions said, then I serve some on a plate and scoop some of the chicken beside it, before filling a glass with water and taking a seat on the couch.

    When I take the first bite of the chicken, I find myself pretty impressed. I actually cooked something, and I didn''t screw it up. It actually tastes half-decent, too. Are all of the recipes in that binder this simple to make and good to the taste?

 Chapter 0012

    Lucas isn''t in the training room when I arrive, so I drop the bag on the bench and pull off everything, then slip on some shorts. Until today, I didn''t even own shorts, and was pretty surprised to actually find them in a shop. I suppose some people have warmer homes and wear them around the house instead of pants?

    It''s pretty cool in here, making my nipples hard within moments of me pulling off my shirt. I''ll tolerate it since if Lucas is to be believed, I''ll be warming up with some physical exercise, anyway. I only even put the shorts on in case someone came in while I was waiting for him.

    Deciding to do some stretches, I run through some of the ones he had me do yesterday. Only the stretches, though, not the exercises. Each stretch makes my body ache more. Lucas wasn''t kidding yesterday when he said I''d be sore as heck.

    Just as I''m finishing up the stretches, Lucas enters the training room, and this time I actually catch him locking the doors, swiping a card in a reader beside it pretty swiftly, the card disappearing back into a pocket almost as soon as it was pulled out. No wonder I missed the movement on Tuesday.

    "Stretching?" He asks.

    "Yeah," I answer. "Is doing the agility training you mentioned a good idea when I''m feeling this sore?"

    "You''ll be fine, don''t worry," he tells me. "Once you''re moving about, it''ll recede a little. Then come back in full a little after. Within a week or two, though, you''ll be fine."

    "Okay," I say. "So ten five-foot jumps, then the agility stuff?"

    "Yeah," he answers. "I''ll walk you through the agility stuff after you do the jumps."

    I pull off my shorts and set them on the barrier and, now naked, I climb over the barrier and step into a shadow, performing my first shadow-step. I select another shadow and repeat, continuing until I''m out of magic. Lucas grabs my shorts and light-walks over to me, handing me the shorts.

    "Feeling dizzy at all?" He asks.

    "No," I answer as I pull the shorts back on. "Maybe a little light-headed, but that''s it."

    "Alright," he says. "Let''s start the agility training. First, let''s move back to the barrier."

    I follow him over to the barrier, then he turns and faces the other side of the room.

    "Go from here to the barrier on the other side," he points. "Use a brisk walk to do it, and navigate around the blocks, but don''t go over them. It''ll probably take a few minutes."

    "Just walking?" I ask. "Not running?"

    "Yeah," he answers. "Start."

    A little bit confused by this, I do as he instructs, navigating my way from this end to the other. Because of the arrangement of the blocks, I do sometimes have to completely alter my path in order to make it to the end, and it takes me almost four minutes despite the short size of the room and the brisk walk I''m doing. Needing to navigate around things really hinders me a bit.

    Once I reach the barrier, I place both hands on it just because, and Lucas light-walks himself over to me.

    "Alright," he says. "Let''s move over about twenty feet."

    We walk to the right about twenty feet, needing to move around a couple of blocks since some do touch against the barriers.

    "Now go forward," he tells me. "And this time, navigate around any block that''s taller than two feet. Any that''s either two feet or less tall and at least two feet wide, navigate over. Don''t try to jump over, just climb onto them. Try to keep the rhythm of a brisk walk."

    "Okay," I follow his instructions.

    My knees and thighs really start to feel it by the time I''m halfway across the room, needing to step up so much. Once we reach the other end of the room, we move closer to the other side, then he has me head back, telling me to walk a little faster.

    Over the course of an hour and a half, Lucas works me up in speed for this, though I never jump over the blocks because he explicitly instructs me not to. When my magic is recovered, I perform the ten shadow-steps that I can manage, then Lucas gives me my shorts and resumes this training.

    Why he wanted me to start slowly has become evident to me. If I''d immediately begun by trying to run through, I''d have probably tripped and slammed into a lot of blocks. There''s only two to three feet of walking space at most between the blocks, which isn''t much room for movement at all, I find.

    Anytime we pick up the pace a little bit and I start messing up more, Lucas pulls the pace back a bit, finding the speed at which I can navigate through here with minimal errors but still while pushing myself.

    This is just as exhausting as yesterday, and it''s honestly kind of boring. But with Lucas encouraging me on, the repetitive training isn''t all that bad. I think I''m going to want him here for all of these sessions, or I''ll probably call it quits if left to myself.

    At eight o''clock, I perform as many shadow-steps as I can. I only have enough magic recovered to do two at five feet.

    "Do one as far as you can manage," Lucas tells me. "Regardless of how short it is. Always finish off the last one with the rest of your magic."

    I nod, then perform one last shadow-step, only managing about three feet this time.

    "Congrats," he says. "You''ve officially finished your first day of training your ability, since Tuesday counts as just an assessment."

    "Thanks," I walk over to the barrier and climb over it, grabbing my shorts from him and stuffing them into the bag before getting dressed. "I wasn''t expecting to actually warm up a bit."Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    "Yeah," he says. "That''s normal. When someone''s training with one of us, we like to give them something to do between when they can do things. It makes it easier for them to stay interested and not lose the will to continue."

    "Same with the encouragement?" I ask. "During that ''other thing''?"

    "Yep," he grins. "Did it work?"

    Just you being here worked, that was an even better bonus.

    "Yeah," I answer. "That definitely worked, Lucas. I don''t think I could have done the agility training if you hadn''t kept encouraging me and giving me tips."

    "Neat," he says. "By the end of the month of training, we''ll have you running across this room, jumping and scaling over and bouncing off the blocks like a pro."

    "In a month?" I ask.

    "Yep," he answers. "If you''re doing it for almost two hours three days a week, and you put in as much effort as you did today each time, you''ll definitely be pretty decent at it. And, to be honest, it''ll help you with some of the skill training."

    "How?" I ask.

    "You''ll see on Saturday," he tells me.

    I look out across the arena of padded blocks, then shake my head before looking at Lucas.

    "I don''t think I''d be able to navigate that like a pro by the time I find out if I get the job or not," I tell him. "We barely made any progress today."

    "Maybe," he says. "But you''ll get used to it."

    "How fast can you do it?" I ask.

    Instead of telling me, he pulls his walkie off his belt, sets it on the barrier, hops over it, then takes off. Rather than running straight across, he runs around the edges of it, navigating over and around the blocks. A few times, he even jumps off the blocks.

    The arena itself, I learned through inquiring at the desk when I arrived today, is two hundred and twenty feet along the length and one hundred and ten feet along the short side, exactly, on the inside of the barrier. It''s a quarter of a mile for the lap, though extra time has to be factored in because of the blocks that block his path which he needs to navigate around.

    Despite that, he manages to finish the whole thing in a little more than two minutes. He just ran an eighth of a mile, while having to navigate barriers, in less time than it takes me to cross only a third of that length.

    When he reaches me, his breathing is only slightly heavy, though his face is flush from the movements. Instead of speaking, he just gives me a grin, and I feel my heart skip a beat at it. Calm down, Kieran. You just met him two days ago. Regardless of how attractive he is and nice he seems.

    "Okay," I say. "You''ve also probably been doing this for years."

    "Definitely," he says. "It might take you a few months to build up to that. I was a bit restricted ''cause of the pants. If I were wearing just a pair of shorts, I could probably manage it about twenty seconds faster."

    Jeez, that''s fast.

    "What''s your time for a mile?" I ask.

    "My personal best," he answers. "Is five minutes, thirty-eight seconds, though my average is five minutes, fifty-one seconds."

    Yeah, he''s got a bit of an advantage there, too.

    "However," he says. "That doesn''t necessarily translate into this. That''s just straight running with a little bit of turning. This is something different. Navigating the barriers adds time, and you aren''t straight-up running, either. You''re dashing maybe a couple of steps at a time."

    "Yeah," I look across the arena again as he clips his walkie back onto his belt. "I still don''t think I can do just across decently within a month, though."

    "Want to make a bet?"

    Does he seriously think that I''ll manage this within a month? Is he really confident enough in this that he wants to make a bet? What if I sabotage it so that I win just to get the reward?

    "You''re going to lose."

    "I''ll take that risk," he grins. "If you can manage the length of the room and back in under four minutes by the time you''re contacted by the potential employer, then I win. If you fail to manage that, then you win."

    Both directions?

    "Bets usually require someone losing something," I say. "Or putting something on the line."

    "Yeah," he flashes that killer grin. "If I win, I have to do any one thing you want. If you win, you have to do any one thing I want. Barring illegal things, of course, and if it costs money or makes us uncomfortable, we have the right to refuse. So if I win, you can''t tell me to, say, strip naked and run down the street. That would make me uncomfortable and I''d refuse."

    "Uh," I say. "I think you mixed up who gets the instruction for who wins."

    "Did I?" He raises an eyebrow. "Pretty sure I got it right. I win, I do one thing for you. You win, you do one thing for me."

    "Shouldn''t it be reversed?" I ask. "That means the loser gets something."

    "Are you sure I''d be the loser?" His grin widens. "If I win the bet, that means you managed it, Kieran. So my reward for winning the bet is getting to reward you for that success. Your reward for winning the bet is getting a punishment from me."

    His logic on this is twisted a little from the norm, but I actually like the idea now. Whatever his ''punishment'' for me failing to manage to traverse the room and back in under four minutes, it probably involves a harsh training session that will last several hours.

    "I don''t think I''ve ever imagined saying this to anyone," I tell him. "But you just gave me motivation to lose a bet with you."

    "I should warn you," he turns his grin into a sly smile. "I''ve never lost a bet when it comes to training unless the person didn''t follow my training schedule or didn''t put in the effort, or both."

    "And I bet," I tell him. "That every single one of those ''winners'' either turned their back on the bet after losing or regretted it after whatever training hell session you put them through."

    "So you understand!" He grins again. "Got an idea of what you''ll do if you lose?"

    That''s probably confirmation of my suspicion about what will happen if I win the bet between us. If I''m this sore now, I really don''t want to find out how I''ll feel after his training session from hell.

    "No," I tell him. "But I''ll think it over. I''m sure I can come up with something."

    "Excellent!" He exclaims. "So, before you go, I was wondering what you thought of the orange chicken?"

    "It was pretty decent," I tell him. "And, uh, a fair bit simpler than most of the other recipes in that binder. After looking through them earlier, I think there''s a good chance I''ll screw everything up."

    "As long as you follow the directions," he tells me. "That shouldn''t be a problem."

    "I tried following the directions for breakfast this morning," I tell him. "Four strips of bacon, two eggs. I burned the bacon and the eggs were chewy."

    "Ugh," he shivers in horror. "Okay, you probably had the heat on a little too high, and cooked them for a little too long. Next time, try turning the heat down a little bit and cooking for a bit less time. The eggs should still be slightly-glossy if you''re going for scrambled."

    "I was."

    "Yeah," he says. "If they don''t have a slight shine to them, you''re going to have chewy eggs when you finish. That''s my experience, anyway. As for the bacon, yeah, burnt is a no-go. How did you let them get that far?"

    "Uh¡­ I don''t know?" I ask. "I was trying to pay attention and only let them get crispy, but it seemed like they burned while I did."

    "Well," he says. "At least that''s something that''s more easily remedied. Just cook a little cooler and for a little less time. It''ll take a little bit of experience to get bacon and eggs done properly, so don''t worry over that too much, alright?"

    "Alright," I say. "I''ll give it a try again, then. Thanks for the help, Lucas."

    "No worries," he says. "Heading back now?"

    "Yeah," I answer. "I want to eat a bit as soon as possible, since you said it''ll help me recover and optimize the growth of my abilities. Plus, I''m starving."

    "Alright," he says. "See you tomorrow, then."

    "See you."

 Chapter 0013

    After the martial arts lesson last night concluded, Lucas warned me that I''d wake up even more sore today because it''s the third day after the first proper workout in awhile. That this would be the worst of it, and then my body would start to settle down.

    He wasn''t kidding. I have discovered several new muscles upon waking up, and every last one of them is sore.

    Groaning a little, I toss the covers off of me and get up, heading to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Today is a day for training powers, so I fix up a breakfast of yogurt, berries, and chopped nuts. I''m almost out of the fresh produce he had me buy, since I had to use it up to keep it from going bad. Most of that stuff only keeps for three to five days.

    However, after looking at my budget, I do have enough cash to buy some fruits and veggies over the next few weeks, especially if I get some more jobs.

    After eating breakfast and washing the dishes from now and yesterday, I stretch a bit, my muscles aching as I do so. Lucas said it''s important to stretch in the mornings, especially with the cold, or it can make the aches worse.

    My phone rings, startling me, and I check it to find an unfamiliar number calling me. My new agent hasn''t contacted me yet, so I answer the call just in case it''s her, risking it being some scammer.

    "Hello?" I answer.

    "Hello," a woman responds. "My name is Melody Holt, from the Amlirx Work Agency. I''m looking to speak with a Mr. Kieran Wolfe?"

    "Speaking," I answer.

    "Hello, Mr. Wolfe," she says. "I was assigned to your case and wasn''t able to review your file until the end of my shift last night, or I''d have called you already, I''m sorry. Normally, I like to set up an in-person appointment for us to meet and talk about your case, just in case there''s something missing, especially when you''re a transfer from another agency."

    I feel like there''s a ''however'' in there, so I don''t jump in immediately when she pauses there. That seems to have been the right idea, as she continues only a moment later. She was either taking a breath or giving me a moment to finish processing what she said.

    "However," she tells me. "I actually have two jobs that I feel you might be interested in, and I thought I''d offer them to you and set up the appointment for us to meet sometime later."

    That''s a bit surprising, I was expecting her to have some reservation about meeting me or something. To have two jobs prepared for me? In four years of working with the previous temp agency, I was never given an offer to choose between two, it was either take it or nothing that day.

    "Okay," I respond. "Am I correct in assuming I can only take one?"

    "That is correct," she answers. "They do overlap in hours. The first job is on Ninth Green Street, a twenty-three-minute walk from your apartment according to my mapper. The job runs from nine this morning until three this afternoon, and is assisting with cashiering at a convenience store. You''d be paid minimum, at twelve an hour, for the six-hour shift, rounded down to the hour in case you leave early, but only if you work at least two hours. Of course, we do have our ten-percent fee, but you''d earn approximately sixty-five dollars if you do work the full shift."

    That''s pretty normal, and I probably know which store it is. There''s one on Ninth Green Street that I tend to work at every three weeks or six, to cover for a cashier who has a medical appointment the morning of every Saturday. Every third Saturday, they need someone extra to cover the shift as no one else can. Today is the third Saturday since the last one I covered, and that''s the same shift.

    "Okay," I say. "Is that for Lamika''s Sundries?"

    "It is," she answers. "They contacted us to see about having you help out today, and I''ve noticed in your records that you typically do so every three Saturdays. I''m assuming they checked to see other agencies after being informed by you previous agency that you are no longer with them."

    "I do," I answer. "I take it the other job is a bit better, if you''re offering it along with a regular?"

    "Yes," she answers. "It''s from ten this morning until two this afternoon, so only a four-hour shift. However, the pay is one hundred dollars total. It involves cleaning up a couple of conference halls after a lock-in last night. Most of it will be picking up trash, taking it out, and then vacuuming the halls. You may need to put chairs away as well."

    I feel like there''s a catch to this job. Not the expected one, like the place is probably going to be trashed and I''ll have to clean it all up myself, but something else. That sort of ''catch'' stopped surprising me a few years ago, and it''s easy to tell when it''s something like that because the price tends to be a little higher if the place is decent.

    "But¡­?"

    "It''s forty-two minutes away from your apartment," she answers. "So it''s beyond your listed range. However, after our ten-percent, you''d receive ninety-one dollars, so for two hours less work and around twenty to thirty minutes of extra walking each way, you''d earn around twenty-six dollars more. If you wish to decline because it''s beyond range, that''s acceptable. I only considered it for you because of the significant increase in pay in comparison."

    I want the extra money, especially since the total time ¨C working and traveling ¨C for that job will end up less than just the shift for the other job. The extra money will more than make up for the extra distance. However, if I accept the job, it might tell her that I''m willing to accept jobs beyond my range, and she''ll probably offer me normal ones there.

    "Please understand, Mr. Wolfe," she says before I can respond. "That such a decision is something that I normally would have discussed with you during our first meeting."

    "What do you mean?" I ask.

    "This is why I prefer to talk in-person first," she comments. "It''s easier to explain and discuss things that way. When looking at potential jobs, I try to look at only the ones within their restrictions. However, I also like to see if there are any exceptions to those restrictions. With the distance thing, I like to ask my clients if they''d be willing to work jobs outside their range under certain conditions. Generally, it''s an extra fifty percent of minimum per anything between the maximum to double the maximum. So for you, it would be eighteen an hour for anything between thirty and sixty minutes of walking away. Then I add on those two increases. Twenty-four an hour for anything between sixty and ninety, thirty an hour for anything between ninety and one-twenty, and so on. However, it''s only if the client is okay with me making these offers. Otherwise, I file them away. Such jobs don''t come along too often ¨C most of the jobs we receive requests for pay between twelve and fifteen an hour."This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    So if I accept this job, she wouldn''t try to lump me into minimum-wage jobs that are outside of my distance like Hannah did? And here I thought all temp agency agents were heartless, soulless beasts whose main duty was trying to get the jobs accepted since they get a commission. Hopefully, Melody is being honest with me here and not trying to bait me into accepting so that she can eventually pressure me to take cheaper jobs.

    "If I''m being paid at least eighteen an hour," I say. "I wouldn''t have an issue with traveling up to an hour. I don''t want to be getting home any later than five, as I have training at six each day. I''ll take the job with the conference centers."

    "It''s the Korriska Building, which is located on Ninth Red Street," she informs me. "The pay periods at your old agency ended on Saturdays, but ours end on Sundays, just to let you know. So if you receive a job tomorrow as well, it''ll be paid with this one when we deposit the money into your account on Friday."

    "Thanks," I say. "And thanks for the job, Mrs. Holt."

    "Thank you for accepting," she responds. "Don''t forget that the job is from ten to two today, Mr. Wolfe, at the Korriska Building on Ninth Red Street."

    "Ten to two," I say. "Korriska Building. Ninth Red Street."

    "Yes," she says. "Have a good day, Mr. Wolfe, and good luck with the job."

    She ends the call, and I stretch again, then change my clothes. Sivalshi sped up again, and it''s even colder now. I''m going to definitely look into buying a jacket next Saturday, especially if we keep heading north.

    I heard a few people talking yesterday that they''re worried Sivalshi is running from something. To be honest, I''m a bit worried by that as well. Sivalshi has always maintained a steady rate, rarely speeding up or slowing down by more than a mile a day. Yet here he is, having increased from three miles a day originally to ten. In less than a month.

    What, exactly, could a great beast be fleeing? There''s starting to be tension in the air with worry, and vigilante sightings have become even more frequent as the masked power users try to reassure people that they''re around and will fight against any beast that dares to come to our city, just as they fight against criminals who dare to harm our citizens.

    It won''t be too long before we''re in the ice zone if Sivalshi keeps up this pace, and with how courteous he''s been of everyone so far, he wouldn''t go there unless it was important.

    Ready for the day, I decide to set off and walk around for a bit, mostly to clear my head, partly to keep my body warm with movement.

    Since I have plenty of time before I need to be at the Korriska Building, I take the time to think about a few things. Mostly Lucas.

    How warm will his apartment be once we''re in the zone where temperatures are below freezing every night and only a little above them during the day? Probably much warmer than mine based on how much money he makes. Even down here in the lower districts and the lower portions of the middle districts, though, things can be tough. Heating a space takes electricity, and the city always prioritizes powering the farming domes at the center of the turtle''s back.

    They take up a ring about four miles or so, from what I''ve heard, surrounded by the upper districts. Though I thought it was weird the wealthy people wanted the farms in the center of their beauty, I''ve learned as I grew up that there were several reasons for it. Two that I can think of specifically at the moment.

    The first is that it protects them from being soaked with water should Sivlashi dip down a little, or in the case of a heavy storm. His shell isn''t too domed, and a severe ocean storm can bring water up to three-quarters of a mile in. For that reason, there''s nothing for the first mile of his shell, though I know some people will go down and fish at the shore.

    The second is that it ensures that wealthy people have easier access to the fresh food. If something disrupts deliveries, it''s more likely to affect those further from the domes than those closer. There''s a lot of disruptions when sending fresh food out to the lower districts, though the area I live in usually doesn''t get too many of those, we just have to pay more.

    Lucas probably pays less than I do, even if it''s only by a few cents on some items. He probably also has to eat canned food much less often. That stuff doesn''t get affected by the delivery delays, so it''s easier to find in the stores at the fringes of the lower districts.

    Thinking about Lucas again reminds me of his smile, and how his hands feel on me when he''s helping me with a move. Everything the last few days seems to lead me back to thinking about him, and I don''t know how I really feel. Is all of this because he''s helping me out and also incredibly attractive?

    Hopefully, I can get over this crush in the next week so that I can sort out how I really feel about him. He''s nice, but do I want to try to be more than friends? Yes, absolutely. Right now. But that could just be from the crush formed through his help and kindness and looks.

    Time is needed.

    I''ve never had a crush before, so I want to make absolutely sure that I do actually like him before trying for something. He''ll probably refuse me, anyway, since not only does he think I''m straight, but it''s clear that he''s just seeing me as a client who needs help. Hopefully, I can get over this soon.

    When it''s time to head over to the Korriska Building, I do, approaching the reception desk. Sitting at it is a guy who looks to be about my age, with dark brown hair, kind brown eyes, and pale skin with a splash of freckles across the middle section of his nose. He''s dressed in a brown polo, and I can''t see his pants, but that polo fits him nicely.

    Great. I go from thinking about one hot guy that I''m crushing on to seeing another hot guy at my temp job for today. At least I''ll only see this one upon arrival, and possibly departure.

    "Good morning," I greet him when I approach. "I''m Kieran Wolfe, the agency sent me to do a cleanup on a couple of conference halls?"

    "Ah," he suddenly looks a little uncomfortable. "Yeah. It''ll only be one hall."

    Only one? From his tone¡­

    "How bad is it?" I ask.

    "We''ve put some trash bags in there already," he tells me. "Just clean up the trash, but make sure to sort everything as per protocol. Stack the chairs against the walls, no higher than five each. There''s a bucket with cleaning solution in it and some wash rags and dry towels. Use the rags to dab up any wet spots and the towels to dry, then vacuum. Don''t worry about getting stains out, just try to prevent it from getting sticky."

    "Got it," I say. "Where at?"

    "Fourth floor," he hands me a key. "Only room there, this key will unlock it. Take the elevator. Let me know if you need anything."

    "Alright," I accept the key.

    I head to the elevator, surprised this building not only has one, but that it''s working. That''s not common here in the lower districts. Heck, even the middle districts tend to be spotty on elevator usage. It''s an expense for electricity that most don''t see the need for, especially since they need maintained as well. As I take the short ride up, I think about what the room might be like.

    The way the hot guy at the desk reacted to my question suggested that it''s pretty bad. A building as fancy as this one, even if there are still signs of age and things needing replaced (this high-traffic carpet looks especially worn-out), I can''t imagine they''d have kids who aren''t kept under decent control during a lock-in. Did they spill just a few things and leave their trash about? We''re near the border of the lower and middle district here, so it wouldn''t surprise me if their definition of ''bad'' and mine are different.

    I''ve seen some awful things in my cleaning jobs.

    Reaching the fourth floor, I step out and glance at the restrooms to the side, then approach one of the sets of double doors at the end of the carpeted lobby. Unlocking it, I open the door and start to enter the conference room and stop dead in my tracks, looking around the room.

    How long was the lock-in, and was there any supervision for these kids at all?

 Chapter 0014

    As with Thursday, Lucas isn''t in the training room when I arrive, so I begin undressing. Just as I remove my underwear, Lucas enters the room with a box in his hands. He takes one look at me and snorts.

    "I''d thought you changed in the changing room on Thursday," he tells me as he locks the doors to the room. "And only dressed after in here since the door was locked then. Guess you prepared in here, too. What would you have done if someone else wandered in while you were butt-naked?"

    "Let them know," I say. "That I was going to be practicing my powers in here, and that my clothes wouldn''t stay on when I used them. My assumption is that most people using this place are understanding of such things, especially if they''ve had similar experience with their own abilities."

    "Yeah," he confirms. "Once you warm up, we''ll get started with the skill training. You can put on your shorts for the warmup if you want, or leave ''em off since you''ll be taking them off when you finish."

    "Just a quick stretch," I start stretching. "My body''s all achy from the workouts and my work today."

    "What did you do?" He sets the box down, and I see that it''s full of bright yellow tennis balls.

    "I spent five hours on my knees, picking up trash, sorting it into bags, then scrubbing spills out of carpeting," I answer. "With some chair-stacking and some vacuuming involved as well. I had to get the water changed thrice. It was disgusting."

    And the hot guy at reception helped me each time. Fortunately, my low libido kept things in check and I didn''t have too much discomfort. My discomfort with Lucas is a bit different, since he''s actually seeing me naked and is someone I find hot. Even my low libido has its limits, and while it hasn''t done anything yet, there''s always that chance it will.

    They even offered to pay me an extra thirty-five to stay another hour and finish everything up. Since I was already there and it wouldn''t have interfered with me getting here, I agreed because extra money is extra money.

    "Jeez," Lucas says. "Were you at a daycare?"

    "A conference hall, cleaning it up after a bunch of kids spent the night there for a lock-in."

    "That can be even worse."

    "It was worse."

    "You''ve done daycares before?"

    "Yup."

    "Alright," he chuckles. "Finish up your stretches, then we''ll begin."

    I finish up my stretches, then grab my shorts and bring them to the barrier before climbing over it. Since I''m going to be shadow-walking first, it''d be pointless to put them on.

    "How does this work?" I ask. "If it''s skill training rather than just training? And why are there tennis balls?"

    "First question," he picks up the box. "Is me to you. How comfortable do you feel with training naked today?"

    "Isn''t my training always going to be naked until I can pull clothes with me?"

    "No," he clears his throat. "I mean remaining naked the entire time. From start to finish. Having it flopping about as you run around for two hours."

    "Am I training my ability or my body?"

    "Both," he sets the box on the barrier. "The training today will involve you shadow-walking at various distances. Your goal will be to catch the tennis balls before they hit the ground. I was thinking we could have you do this the entire time. After the initial batch of jumps, you''d then do one anytime you had the magic to reach the ball. Basically, you''d keep yourself empty."

    "So part of it''s just training my agility and reflexes, part of it''s my power," I say. "And if I did the random jumps trying to grab the balls every few minutes, I''d end up naked each time, so I could either wear the shorts and put them back on after each jump, or just leave them off the entire time and let you ogle me since it''d probably be hard to ignore."

    Even if I''m a scrawny guy, it probably would be difficult to avoid ogling at least once with me running about naked. As long as I comment on it first, he probably won''t feel guilty over it and know that I''d understand and won''t get upset if I catch him at some point.

    I''d probably be too focused on catching the tennis balls to notice, anyway.

    "Uh, yeah," his cheeks flush. "That''s part of why I was asking how comfortable you were with that."

    "Well," I say. "There''s a first time for everything. So how do we do this? You throw the ball, then I try to catch it?"

    "Even better."

    He pulls a ball out of the box, then throws it down. There''s a pop as it connects with the ground, and as it moves back up, the ball disappears in a flash of light, continuing on its path a few feet to his right as if it had been bounced there instead. He holds out his hand, and the ball flashes above it, continuing its arc up before dropping down into his palm.

    "I can use light to move things about without going with them, too," he holds up the ball. "That''s an advanced technique, and you''ll probably have to spend many months, possibly a year or more, to reach that point."

    "That''s pretty awesome," I say.

    "So what I''m going to do," he tells me. "Is bounce the ball, and as soon as it starts to go back up, I''ll send it somewhere. Your goal will be to catch it before it hits the ground. If it''s within ten feet of you, shadow-walk to it. Otherwise, try to close the gap yourself."This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    "Only ten feet?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he says. "If you try beyond that, you''ll probably drastically decrease how many you can manage. Try to close the gap as much as you can, but don''t do a step any shorter than five feet. Remember to remain aware of your surroundings, hurry but be careful, and that chances are high you''ll crash into things or fall. Don''t stress over not catching the balls, but do your best to even while you''re between the jump attempts. You should manage to do somewhere between thirteen to twenty jumps total during this session as long as you stick within that range. Act as if catching the balls when you aren''t doing a jump is just as important as when you are."

    "But don''t stress?" I ask.

    "Yep," he says. "Treat both types of catches the same. Your skill training is a mixed training. Agility and ability. More agility than just navigation, I mean. This will help you with the split-second decisions needed to properly run through here."

    "Okay," I say. "Let''s get started."

    "Head to the center," he tells me. "I''ll start once you''re there."

    I nod, then make my way to the center while resisting the urge to look behind me and see if he''s checking me out as I walk just because it''s there. Barely after I reach the center does the first ball appear in my vision, telling me that he was at least watching me.

    The ball is about nine feet away, bouncing into a shadow. Drawing on my power, I step through the shadows and try to catch the ball, only to miss. Attempting to grab it as it continues to drop, I fail, and it hits the ground, then vanishes in a flash of light.

    There''s a popping sound nearby, and I look over to see a ball bouncing up about fifteen feet away. Hurrying, I start to make my way so that it''s within the ten-foot range, only to catch my leg on a block, causing me to fall and slam my head against another block.

    That hurts, but only mildly. Thank goodness these things are padded, and thank goodness the floor is, too. Rising, I wait for the next ball to appear, and this time try not to fall as I close the gap of about seventeen feet. I only manage to shadow-walk to it right before it hits the ground, the ball vanishing in a flash of light.

    Lucas and I continue at this, and though I find it difficult, I also find myself improving. Within an hour, I''m no longer tripping over the blocks in my haste, though I''m still failing to reach the balls in time. It takes me an hour just to manage to touch one, and I''m starting to suspect that Lucas is intentionally putting the balls just-beyond my range.

    Or at least, most of them. A few are within my range, and I''m able to reach them quickly, but catching them is different. Half the time, I miss them entirely, and the other half, I slam into one of the padded blocks in my attempt to grab them.

    With the time it takes me to be able to shadow-walk at least five feet again after using up my magic, I still try to catch the balls just as he instructed. I still fail to, as he seems to have a sense for when I''m able to shadow-walk again and is sending the balls between them far enough that I can''t just move around or over a couple of blocks, but actually need to navigate a bit.

    Another half hour passes before I realize two things.

    One, Lucas seems to be able to send things to where he can''t see. He mentioned on the first day something about being able to travel even to shadows I can''t see. Does that mean he can do the same, and that there''s some sort of sense that can help with that? Something to ask when I''m a bit more advanced.

    Two, some of these balls are a bit too far for me to catch. There''s no way I can manage to reach the ones twenty feet away or more without shadow-walking, and even then it''s iffy depending on how many blocks I have to get through or over.

    When the first ball too far for me after I realize he''s doing that on purpose pops up, I remain exactly where I am, making no move to go for it. The next ball is close enough that I can make an effort, so I do, barely missing it and slamming into a block. This continues for a few minutes, with me not bothering to go after the ones that are blatantly out of my reach.

    "Good!" Lucas eventually calls out. "You''ve figured out not to go after the ones you know you can''t reach! Don''t waste your energy on things you can''t manage, Kieran! That translates to the shadow-walking, too!"

    So that''s what he was going for. He was hoping I''d figure out to do that on my own. Or rather, that I''d figure out not to do that.

    As the training session starts to come to an end, I start saving up my magic even when there are balls within five to eight feet of me or that I can get to there. When a ball I''m confident I can get to about ten feet away pops up, I shadow-walk without stopping and charge forward as soon as I come out of the shadow.

    Doing this cost me a little more magic than I expected, and there''s a slight disorientation that causes me to stumble when I come out of the shadow. However, I do my best to catch myself and continue forward, jumping over a block, then dashing around one before weaving around another.

    Reaching out, I try to grab the ball while it''s low and end up smacking it with my fingers instead. At the same time, I lose my balance and start to fall. The ball bounces off a nearby block and flies back at me, smacking me in the forehead as I crash to the ground.

    Laughter fills the air, then Lucas appears beside me, holding out my shorts, the ball in his other hand.

    "That was a pretty nice attempt," he says. "You always stopped stood still for your jumps, so when I saw you saving up, I was thinking you were going to try doing a jump as you ran into a shadow instead. Didn''t expect you to bolt as soon as you exited."

    "I still failed," I complain.

    "You did," he says. "I didn''t expect you to catch a single ball tonight, Kieran. However, you still busted your ass off trying to. You got better. You learned. Come tomorrow, you might just be a little bit better at running across the arena. Come on, get up."

    He holds out a hand, and I take it and let him pull me to my feet.

    "I''m all sweaty and gross," I say. "I''ll probably take a shower before heading home this time."

    "Okay," he says as I reach for my shorts.

    Before I can grab them, there''s a sudden lurching of everything and I''m sent crashing into Lucas as he''s sent tumbling backwards, tripping over the low block he was standing in front of. We land with me lying on him with my head on his chest, and his hands on my arms in his attempt at catching me.

    For a moment, we''re both quiet, and I know I''m a little uncomfortable at this. I mean, I just fell on a hot guy while butt-naked. Thank goodness I''m not¡­ wait, what? Since when?

    My cheeks burning with embarrassment, I hastily pull myself off of him and help him to his feet, then grab the shorts and slip them on. We both stand here awkwardly for a moment, then he gives a small cough.

    "Since you put in some extra effort today," he says. "Want to head down to the diner with me for a post-training dinner? My treat, of course."

    "You don''t need to do that," I tell him.

    "I know I don''t," he says. "But I figured we could chat about how you feel about the training so far, maybe make some small talk. And maybe make it up to you for pushing you so hard today, too. I kind of went faster with the balls than I meant to, and you went the entire two hours of it without complaint about it, only your own failure at the end."

    I want to decline him, because it means him spending money on me. But something tells me that declining this offer might hurt the chances of getting to hang out with him as a friend, and after having hung out with him a little on Tuesday night, I find myself realizing that I really need a friend. Until now, I didn''t realize just how lonely I was without anyone to call even a friend.

    "Alright," I tell him. "Let me take a shower first, though. I feel gross."

    I almost told him that he shouldn''t make a habit of this, but that same feeling tells me not to. Paying for something like a meal might be something he doesn''t think much of, even if the other person can''t reciprocate. He might take offense if I say something like that.

    "Meet you at the desk?" I ask.

    "Meet you at the desk," he says, then disappears in a flash of light.

    Cheater.

 Chapter 0015

    "Two power-up specials, please," Lucas tells Sandy when she returns with our drinks, the citrus twisters we had before.

    "Sure thing, hun," she says. "You two okay with that lurch a little bit ago?"

    I feel my cheeks burn at the memory of landing on him naked, and Lucas looks a little uncomfortable, too.

    "We were still training when it happened," he tells her. "Caused a little bit of an embarrassing situation, but otherwise we were fine. We were surrounded by padded blocks, so it''d have taken something a bit more to hurt us."

    "That''s good," she says. "I nearly knocked my head against the counter, and a couple of glasses broke when they fell. Second lurch in a few days, with a history of very few. Then there''s this increase in speed. I''m a bit worried."

    "Most people are," Lucas nods. "I''m a bit concerned, too, though there''s not much we can do. If there''s an attack from some demons or monsters, then I''ll definitely lend my services to helping the defense."

    "If that happens," she says. "I hope you come back safe and sound, the beasts driven back."

    "Same here," I add.

    "I''ll go get your food started," Sandy tells us. "Back in just a bit with them, boys."

    "Thanks," Lucas says.

    She leaves, and Lucas and I sit here in silence for a few moments. I really don''t know what to say, and I''m not sure if Lucas wants to talk. While I know he said we could talk about my training, maybe he was just using that as an excuse? Is he as lacking in friends as I am?

    Probably not, he''s handsome, kind, and friendly. There''s no way he doesn''t have at least one friend.

    "Do you have any friends?" I ask before realizing the words are coming out.

    "I have you, if you count as a friend," he gives me an amused smile.

    "Just me?" I ask. "You seemed so¡­ depressed when you found out I didn''t have any friends."

    "I''ve got a couple of friends," he tells me. "They put up with my crankiness first thing in the morning just to hang out, though we''ve done a bit less of that since they began dating last month. We still hang out, they just have more ''together'' time."

    Are they turning him into a third party now that they''re an item?

    "Ah."

    "I''m not worried about losing them," he assures me. "We still hang out once a week. Saturday mornings so far are those days. It''s really only down from two hangouts a week, so it''s not a significant drop. The changed happened because of availability. They''re dating, but both have to work, and Wednesday and Saturday mornings were the only days both of them had their schedules line up for free time. So they have their romantic times together on Wednesday. Nothing else has changed."

    "Ah," that sounds better.

    "Speaking of hanging out," he takes in a deep breath for a moment, then lets it out before speaking. "We apparently had a meetup with a ship from North America earlier, they were headed to meet up with us and found us coming towards them by surprise."

    Ships from the continents while we''re a fair distance away from them are rare, we usually only have communications with the continents whenever Sivalshi draws near to one.

    When those times happen, we usually receive a few immigrants from the continents, most of whom are in the wealthier districts because those tend to be the people who can afford to flee the continents. We also receive goods produced by a few of the continental cities.

    Though there always seems to be a shortage of certain resources, thus creating the need for heavy regulation on trash and recycling to optimize the resources we do have, we never do receive the essential resources from the continents. They couldn''t afford to give it up to us, anyway.

    Now that I think about it, it''s almost as if we have a small supply to make up for what we lose and can''t recycle. How is there always glass and clay for dishes? The stuff needed to make up for the loss when recycling plastic, paper, metals, and other things?

    If we received a ship early, it was probably to deliver some wealthy person who wanted to move here or something.

    "Wait," I realize what he said. "You said this ship had to do with hanging out? What?"

    "Yeah," he says. "Apparently, they have a few powerful power users on-board, and so are able to make the risky trek through the ocean. They have some goods that they''re selling to the cities on the great beasts. Some of them were films for theaters. New movies from the continents."

    I''ve never been to a theater before, and haven''t seen movies since I was a little kid, back before my parents died. They''re expensive because most are imported from the continents. Only a few cities produce films, ones with higher populations of powerful power users, allowing them the ability to grant an easier peace. An easier peace means they can have more luxury jobs, like the film industry.

    While there are theaters here, those are live theaters and only in the wealthy districts as far as I know.

    The request he''s making clicks in my head.

    "You want to go see something with me?" I ask.

    "Wednesday, if you''re not opposed to it?" He asks. "I''d cover, of course, since I''m asking this and I know you can''t really afford luxuries like going to the movies. My friends don''t have an issue going on Saturday, but there will be crowds and I''ll be a bit cranky. They don''t want to switch their Wednesday romance time to Saturday because it means having to wait ten days rather than seven to see each other, and I don''t like going alone."

    While I''m not entirely comfortable with him spending more money on me, I can understand not wanting to go alone. Even if I''ve never been before, I''d not want to have someone I trust there. While ''trust'' is probably a strong word for someone I''ve only known a few days, there''s enough of it.

    "It''ll be my first time going to the theater," I tell him. "So, um, as long as it''s not romance or horror or something like that, I''d be fine with that. But you have to let me make it up to you somehow."

    "That''s easy," he chuckles. "You can handle talking with everyone for me. You saw how I was with Abigail on the phone over Hannah''s bullshit. I really do tend to be cranky first thing and I have little patience when I''m cranky."

    "I can do that," I tell him, noticing him focusing on something behind me, a slight frown forming on his face. "What''s wrong?"

    "It''s been four days since the last killing," he takes a sip of his drink. "We''re now at seven victims. A continuing sign that the Patron doesn''t care about the little things."Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    I don''t want to get into this with him again, but I can''t stop myself.

    "He does," I counter. "Why should we rely on the Patron for everything rather than just the big ones? If we start relying on him for every little crime, is he really a more distant observer? No, people would start calling him a tyrant, claiming he''s taking our free will away."

    "That''s not what I''m saying," he says. "He''s letting a serial killer go loose. This guy kills a new boy every four days. He kidnaps the kid, then four days later, just bashes the kid''s bones until he dies, and then continues after he dies. That''s pushing fear into people, Kieran. It''s disturbing society."

    "Sure," I say. "But it''s not inciting riots. It''s not destroying order. It''s a disturbance, to be sure, but it''s nothing close to the scale of what he sends the Sivalshi Guardians after, Lucas. Nothing close. It''s a failure on our law enforcement for him to have gotten away so long. They''re the ones who handle this stuff."

    "Yet the Patron could," he says. "I''m not saying the Patron needs to handle every little thing, Kieran. But maybe he could, y''know, get his warriors to take care of a freaking serial killer who is causing fear across the city."

    "Minor fear," I point out. "Sure, some people are feeling unsafe, but most of those are the ones who have a friend or loved one who might be¡­"

    I trail off as I remember something he mentioned.

    "How old''s your brother?" I ask.

    "Eight."

    "He''s as blond as you are, isn''t he?"

    "Not quite, but close enough," he mutters into his drink.

    "Look, Lucas," I say. "I''m not saying it''s not important. I''m saying that the Patron wants us to deal with most things. It''s a trade-off. He handles the greater things, the things which could truly cause a disruption to society and order, and we handle the smaller things with the extra ability we have due to not worrying about the greater thing. He''s already shown his care by allowing us to live on the back of Sivalshi, Lucas."

    "Weren''t your parents murdered?" He asks, and I frown. "You''ve mentioned enough I was able to dig it up, Kieran. Are you saying it''s okay that the Patron let them die? That because he hasn''t interfered, the trail for your parents'' killers went cold?"

    "Don''t-don''t bring my parents into this," I feel my anger rising. "It''s not the Patron''s fault they were killed. It''s the fault of a couple of power users on a power high. It''s not the Patron''s fault they weren''t caught. It''s the inefficient state of our law enforcement and the lacking ability of the vigilantes. Maybe if the government actually worked with power users to help catch criminals, the vigilantes would be enforcement as well. They''d have access to better resources, not need to lurk in the shadows."

    "Sure, the government could do that," he says. "But the Patron is a god, as far as anyone knows. He might not be all-knowing, but he damn well knows enough. He damn well has the power needed to force things. How else are there actual magical spellsuits that are always perfectly-tailored to the guardian they''re assigned to? These tokens are beyond anything mankind can make, Kieran. The Patron could have stopped your parents'' deaths. He could have caught their killers. How do you still support him when he let your parents go free like that?"

    "You''re right," I tell him. "The Patron is a god. So why should he care about us at all, Lucas?"

    He opens his mouth to speak, and I inspect the fork that came with my silverware when I sat down.

    "Don''t you dare bring my parents up in argument again," I tell him. "Or I''m going to ask for a refund from your facility and see about training myself on my own. Or find another place I can train at. And I''ll ask Tabitha to send a complaint straight to your grandpa."

    He closes his mouth, and the two of us sit here in silence. Even after Sandy brings us our food, we don''t talk. She seems to know there''s tension between us now and doesn''t try to make any small talk. It''s probably for the better.

    I simmer through all of this. It''s unreasonable to expect him to know why I''m so angry, but I really don''t like when someone tries to use my parents in an argument against the Patron. I trust the Patron, and I trust he has his reasons for acting the way he does. I do not expect him to meddle in the lesser things.

    After we finish eating, Lucas pays and we leave. I''m about to head off on my own, not saying a goodnight to him, when he speaks.

    "Sorry," he sounds it, so I turn and face him, finding an apologetic look. "I don''t know why you got so riled up, but I''m sorry, Kieran. It''s just¡­ when I think about my little brother being a victim, and the guy getting away, I can''t imagine ever letting that go."

    "We have our differences in view," I tell him. "Please remember that."

    "I will," his voice is quiet. "You''ll still come, right? I enjoy training you."

    "As long as you promise not to try to use my parents'' murder as an argument again."

    "Okay," he says. "I promise, Kieran. I don''t understand your view, but I''ll respect it."

    For a few moments, we''re both silent, then I take a deep breath and hold it for a few seconds before letting it out.

    "Look," I say. "Let''s just go home and calm down. We''re both heated over different things, we both have differences of opinion that we probably won''t settle. It''s best if we just agree to disagree on this and move on, yeah?"

    "Yeah," he says, then we''re quiet for a few moments. "Would you have an issue with me walking you home? Out of concern for your safety?"

    As much as I''d like to do that right now, I''m a bit too upset with him to agree and know that I need the time alone to calm down. What I really want most, though, is for someone to hug me, to hold me in their arms. This argument has, strangely, made me feel even more alone than I''ve felt in years.

    "Thank you," I tell him. "But it''s probably best if I''m alone right now. I probably shouldn''t be, but I''ll face that danger."

    He starts to say something, but decides against it. It was probably an attempt at asking to walk me home again. His concern is touching, but I''m conflicted with him at the moment. I''m angry with him and know I need to calm down, but at the same time, I''d like it to be him that hugged me and made me feel better.

    "I''ll see you tomorrow, then," he says.

    "Yeah," I say. "See you tomorrow."

    I start the trip home, and the walk does give me plenty of time to calm down. Only a few blocks away from my apartment building does something different occur. I pass by homeless people burning things for warmth, people traveling to and from somewhere, run-down buildings, and more all the time.

    Very rarely do I spot someone standing under one of the few functional streetlights here, just waiting. Especially with no one else around to observe the meeting.

    She''s wearing a black-and-grey outfit, complete with cloak. Her straight, black hair is a wig, and she wears a silver mask over her entire face to conceal her identity, her eyes concealed by a layer of fabric stretched over the holes for the eyes in the mask. She can see out, but we can''t see in. Sheathed on her hips are a pair of single-edged swords.

    The figure before me is one I know by sight, even if I haven''t seen her in a couple of years. Everyone who lives in this particular area recognizes her based on her outfit, though. The vigilante is one of the reasons there''s so little crime in this particular part of the district. With her ability to manipulate the wind, including using it to fly and to pick up the sounds of crimes in progress, and her ability to fight with expert skill, she''s a force to be feared.

    "Sovirna," my tone is curt as I stop a few feet away from her.

    "I overheard your argument at the diner," her voice comes out metallic, altered somehow to make it impossible to learn her real identity. "You keep the truth bottled up, Kieran. It can be helpful to let it out sometimes."

    She''s referring to my parents.

    I take a deep breath before responding.

    "I don''t have anyone I trust well enough to confide that in," I tell her, more than a little snippy in my tone. "And I''ve only known Lucas a few days. I''m not going to tell him something like that."

    "I can''t force you to do anything, Little Kier," she uses the nickname she''s had for me since I was little. I''ve never argued against her changing it, even after I hit my growth spurts. Hearing it makes me angry, and I like being angry when dealing with her. "But I can ask that you remember to not always keep it bottled up. If you ever need to talk, you know how to contact me."

    "Yeah," I say. "I''ll never do that, Sovirna."

    Her cloak flutters in the wind, then she lifts up into the air and flies off. I track her as far as I can, then finish the trip to my apartment. She must be really concerned to decide to approach me after these last few years.

    We had a pretty big argument after my parents died. Some things were said between us that were probably better not said. All of them by me. I made it clear I didn''t want to talk with her again.

    I blame her for my parents'' murders and she knows it. I blame her for the killers getting away, too, and she knows it. She''s spent the last four years keeping me safe to make up for it. I still haven''t forgiven her.

    Entering my apartment, I step out of my shoes, drop my bag, and walk over to my bed, dropping onto the mattress. She''s right that I need to talk with someone about what happened, but I really don''t have someone to do that with. So I''m going to shut all of those feelings back down and just go on with my life as normal.

    That''s how I handle it.

 Chapter 0016

    "So. Um. Hi."

    Lucas seems pretty awkward as we meet in front of the center for our hangout at the theater. Our argument from Saturday night hasn''t come up again between us and we''ve gotten on as if it hadn''t happened, so I''m not sure why he''s feeling a little awkward. Maybe he''s as worried as I am that we might get into another fight over the Patron? Both of the last two times we did something outside of my training, an argument happened.

    "Everything okay?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he answers. "Just cold. And cranky. Think we can get going?"

    "Sure," I try not to laugh at his response. "Lead the way, because I have no idea where any theaters are."

    "It''s this way."

    We walk in silence, and a few times, I glance over at him, watching him slightly. Despite our differences in opinion over that one thing, I still find myself attracted to him. I also find myself wanting to explain to him what''s going on. It''s only been a week since we met, but it might help him to understand why I get so angry when someone tries to blame the Patron for my parents'' deaths.

    It''s not his fault he doesn''t know, and people who don''t know the full story tend to assume it''s like every other case. It''s not their fault they don''t know. I feel like I can trust Lucas with the knowledge of why I''m so sensitive regarding this.

    "My parents were vigilantes."

    Lucas nearly stumbles at my sudden statement, then he turns and gives me a look that says he''s trying to figure out if I''m serious or not. I am.

    "The bank robbery was a cover," my voice is quiet as I keep walking, and he steps back to my side. "My parents were the real targets the entire time."

    "I thought you said your parents didn''t have abilities?" He asks. "Vigilantes-"

    "They didn''t, as far as I know," I answer. "I mean, they never let me know. From what I know, they used their skills and only their skills. They assisted another vigilante, a power user who goes by the callsign of Sovirna. She can manipulate the wind. It was¡­ her fault that the group that targeted them found out their identities. It was her fault they escaped, too. Her fault the trail went cold."

    "A vigilante covered up the crime?" He asks.

    "No," I hesitate at this point. "One of the killers was her husband, though he didn''t know she was a vigilante. She''d let slip to him something about my parents that led to him realizing that my parents were the ones who''d interfered with the drug trade he was a part of. Massively disrupted it. So he and another power user went and killed them knowing they didn''t have abilities, that they couldn''t really stand a chance.

    "Sovirna caught wind of the crime, no pun intended," I say. "And instead of chasing after them, she went to my parents'' side. If she''d chased after them, she could have caught them. But by the time she went after them, it was too late. They''d disappeared without a trace. So it''s her fault they were killed, her fault their killers got away. The Patron has nothing to do with it."

    Wisely, he chooses not to bring up the usual argument given about the Patron being able to catch them easily. Instead, he''s silent for a few more minutes, and I just stare at the marbled browns of the shell as we walk.

    "Sorry," he eventually breaks our silence. "I guess I can see your stance on that, then."

    He seems genuine, so I''ll accept the apology. We''re still going to disagree on the Patron, but at least he understands why I don''t blame the entity for my parents'' murders and the lack of conviction. Mostly understands. I don''t know if he''ll ever understand that I truly believe in the Patron''s mysterious reasons for acting the way he does.

    The theater turns to actually be in the middle district near the lower, though not too far from the edge, only about a ten-minute walk from the boundary between the two. As with nearly all buildings, it''s multi-story, and the individual theater rooms are apparently on separate floors. There are five total theater rooms, and each one apparently spans four floors by itself.

    That''s insane.

    Posters showing the current set of movies are all on the wall outside, and we take a few moments to examine them.

    "Shit," he mutters. "Romance, horror, and cheap comedy seem to be all they''re showing."

    "I take it you don''t like cheap comedy?"

    "It''s awful," he says. "I prefer horror and fantasy, especially if it''s an action flick."

    "There''s a fantasy-looking one there," I indicate a poster with a dragon on it.

    "Let''s try that," he says, and we walk up to the ticket office, which is outside.

    "Why do you buy the tickets outside?" I ask Lucas.

    "You buy them here," he says. "Then head inside. They then check the tickets once you get inside, and they''ll check them on the floors, too, to make sure you''re not sneaking into a theater. If the lines are inside, it''s easier for people to slip past unnoticed, creating more work on busy days, when the checkers are already overloaded."

    "Ah."

    "Shit."

    "What?" I ask.

    He points up at the showtimes on the wall behind the clerk for the ticket office, and I see what''s wrong. The fantasy movie is only showing in the evening. The five morning selections include two romance and three horror movies.

    "The nearest theater is too far for us to both walk to, too," he mutters. "I wish we could''ve checked before coming out this way, but it''s not possible. Sure, I can easily find out all of the films that were sold to theaters and what they''re about, but not which are playing at which. Stupid, but true."Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    Coming to a decision, partly because of my own still-here crush on him, partly because I want to see how he reacts, I decide to say something.

    "We can do horror," I tell him. "As long as you don''t mind me hiding my face in your hoodie anytime it gets too scary for me. I''ll just get annoyed at the romances."

    Lucas mutters something, and I''m pretty sure he was just asking which is the scariest. Does that mean that he''d want to avoid it? Or that he''d be perfectly fine with having my face against him for a fair portion of the movie?

    He examines the showtimes again, then hands me some cash.

    "Theater Three, for the ten o''clock showing," he tells me. "Two tickets."

    "Hi," I step up to the counter. "Can we get two tickets for the showing at ten for Theater Three?"

    "That''ll be forty dollars," the clerk rings us up, then I pay and he hands us the tickets and receipt.

    "Here we go," I hand Lucas one of the tickets. "How, uh, do we do this?"

    "We go inside and show them to the person inside," he says. "Then they rip the stubs off and put them in a box, showing that we''ve been checked. That simple."

    He leads me inside, and it really does go that simply. There''s a man waiting between a pair of rope barricades, and he checks our tickets, tears off the bottoms, drops them into a box, hands the tickets back, tells us it''s Theater Three, then we pass on. I was expecting something a lot more complicated than that.

    "Large combo meal," Lucas tells me as we pass the ticket-checker. "Lemonade, nachos with extra cheese. Get yourself a combo meal if you want."

    He hands me fifty dollars and it takes me a moment to notice that we''re approaching a food counter. Fifty dollars for that little food? I look at the prices and find that a large combo is twenty-five dollars. And he''s seriously placing an order?

    After examining the menu, I order two of what he requested, pay, then accept the food once it comes out. At least the servings are decent-sized.

    Once we have our food, Lucas and I make our way up to Theater Three, which is empty of other people other than the lady checking tickets to make sure we paid for this showing. There are rows upon rows of seats, each row a little higher than the previous, and a massive screen. No wonder the theaters take up four floors, that screen is bigger than any I''ve ever seen before.

    Lucas leads me to the back of the seating, the highest row of them, and sits in the center.

    "Just curious," I say as we munch on the nachos and the strange-tasting liquid cheese while waiting for the movie to start. "But will it stay this bright in here while watching the movie?"

    "No," he answers. "They''ll dim the lights. Also, turn off your phone or set it to silent. Theaters are strict on that and will kick someone out if they''re on their phone or it goes off."

    I pull my phone out of my pocket and set it to silent, then return it to my pocket. Since he doesn''t do anything, I''m going to assume that he switched his when I wasn''t looking.

    A few more minutes pass, and I''m almost halfway done with my nachos before I have to know something.

    "Did you pick the scariest or the least-scary of the horror movies?"

    "The scariest," he stuffs a couple of nachos in his mouth and avoids my gaze.

    "Even knowing that I''m going to end up hiding against you?" I ask, and he just adds another nacho to his mouth, chewing slowly. "I''m going to poke your cheeks, you poof them out with more food."

    He chokes on his food in an attempt not to laugh while eating, and does his best not to cough it out before he manages to swallow. Once he finishes, he just shakes his head a little, clearly attempting to look annoyed at me. It looks like I got past his morning crankiness with this.

    "I like ''em scary," the weak attempt at convincing me tells me all I need to know.

    Lucas wants me against him. Could he be trying to get a feel for me as much as I''m trying to get a feel for him? Am I really that appealing, despite being a scrawny runt? This makes me realize that he could be trying to figure out my sexuality, despite what he told me the other day about why he thought I was straight.

    Whatever it is, I''m not going to let him know that I''m crushing on him just yet, for several reasons.

    There''s the usual one of we''ve only known each other a week. While I''ve met plenty of people who don''t care and get with people right away here in the lower districts, I''d rather know him better and know my own feelings better. That way, if this is just a flash crush, I don''t hurt myself when it ends.

    The second reason is that he''s a personal trainer. My personal trainer. I know he''s just trying to be friends at the moment, but we still have to maintain some level of professional-whatever in our relationship. Is he even allowed to date clients in the first place? Probably not.

    Then there''s the fact that, in a month, I could be gone. If I become a Sivalshi Guardian, every single job could get me killed. Even the first one. Unless the guardians do stuff that never hit the news, every job I''ll be assigned will be to kill someone.

    As I think about that, the reality of the offer hits me. I''d never thought too much on it before. I want to be a Sivalshi Guardian, but I don''t think I realized what it meant until now. Can I kill someone? How even could I?

    If the Patron, a godlike being that might actually be a god, thinks I can, then I should trust in his faith, right? Or would that be a test for me, too? Would he refuse me if he doesn''t think I can kill someone?

    My thoughts over this are interrupted by my sudden realization that the movie started, the lights having dimmed at some point while I was deep in thought. The reason for this realization is the appearance of a horrid, grotesque monster on the theater screen, causing me to let out a small yelp and immediately seek shelter against Lucas.

    We have to deal with real monsters and demons, and someone wants to go and put them in entertainment, too? People really enjoy this stuff?

    Lucas''s hoodie smells nice. There''s a faint scent of flowers, rather than that chemical smell I''m used to with my detergents. He can afford the good stuff.

    Focusing on that helps me deal with the terrors on the screen, and I get the faint sense that Lucas is amused. Whatever, that shit''s disturbing. Even if I do get this job and have to kill people, I really doubt I''d have to handle something like that.

    I''ve seen pictures of the demons and monsters in this world. None of them look that disturbing.

    After awhile, I realize that Lucas has moved his arm around me. It may have been for comfort, but it''s definitely not something two friends would normally do, I''m sure of that. His hand is on my shoulder, not the back of my seat or the seat next to mine. It''s comfortable.

    When I look up at his face, I see him fully interested in the movie, his attention focused completely on it. Has he realized what he did? Is he used to sitting like this because of his ex, and once he got into the film, went to this out of habit?

    Either way, it feels nice to have him holding me like this, and holy shit, that thing has seven of those and is¡­ URGH!

    I bury my head back against him as my heart pounds furiously in my chest. Don''t look at the screen. Don''t look at the screen. Some people enjoy watching that stuff, but it''s definitely not for me. Definitely not. I definitely shouldn''t have turned my head that much towards the screen. Definitely not.

    When the movie ends, Lucas has to convince me that it''s okay to look away. It takes him some doing, because I''m worried that there''s something still on the screen, but when I do look, it''s blank, the lights having been turned on a few minutes ago. After the movie ended.

    "Sorry," Lucas tells me as we get up. "I hadn''t, uh, expected it to frighten you that much."

    "That was¡­" I let out a disturbed shiver. "Uuh!"

    "Yeah, sorry," he says. "Uh. Mind if I make it up to you with lunch?"

    "You''ve already-"

    "Please?" His plead sounds genuine, and upon hearing it, I feel like guilt might eat at him for awhile if I refuse.

    "Sure," I answer. "You can pick for me."

    "Alright," he says. "Let''s head back. There''s a diner near the center that''s good. Not the usual one, but a different one."

    We exit the theater and dump out our drinks into the drain, then toss our trash into the appropriate bins before leaving. As we begin the walk to the diner, I find myself standing just a little bit closer to Lucas than normal. Not intentionally, though, but it definitely makes me feel safer.

    I won''t have to deal with stuff like that as a guardian, right?

 Chapter 0017

    The diner Lucas picked out is situated on the eighteenth floor of a business building in the opposite direction from the center as the other diner he''s taken me to. It looks just as cozy, though.

    There''s high-traffic carpeting on the floor here, with wooden panels on the walls and bar, and wooden seats and booths. The booths and stools are all cushioned with dark green covers, and the lighting is a bit dim, which is to be expected considering the location. There are only a few strip bulbs.

    "You''re ordering for me," I remind him Lucas as he slides into one of the booth seats, and I slide in across from him.

    "Sure," he grabs a menu and starts looking through it.

    "Are you two ready to order?" A woman in her late twenties asks after approaching us a minute after we sit down. "Or do you still need a few minutes?"

    "Do you have lemonade available?" Lucas asks.

    "Sure do," she answers. "We just got a few bottles of lemon juice in a few hours ago."

    "We''ll have a couple of lemonades, then," he tells her. "And can we get a couple of orders of mozza sticks to snack on while we wait for the rest of our food? We''ll probably be ready to order the rest in a few minutes."

    "Sure thing," she says. "Anything else before I go back?"

    "No, thank you," he tells her.

    "Alright," she says. "I''ll got tell them to drop the sticks, then I''ll mix up your lemonade."

    He turns his attention back to the menu as she steps away, and I tap his leg with a foot, causing him to look at me.

    "Lemon juice in bottles?" I ask. "Not squeezed?"

    "Lemonade isn''t just lemon juice," he says. "There''s a little sugar to reduce the sourness and just make it tart, and some water mixed in as well. It''s cheaper to just buy the juice than the actual lemons for most places."

    "Even though they have to squeeze it to make the bottles?"

    "You aren''t paying for the peel, which can be used, or the guts, which can be used," he explains. "The amount of lemons used to make the bottle of lemonade, when all is said and done, nets them more than if they simply sold the lemons. The guts can be used for certain recipes, while the rind can be used in recipes or to extract the oil from for use in things."

    "Oh."

    "Yeah."

    Our waitress returns with our lemonades, and Lucas orders for us. For lunch, we''re both getting thick double-cheeseburgers with lettuce, onion, pickles, and ketchup, a side of fries, a side of onion rings, and a salad. It turns out pretty nice, and I wish I could eat stuff like this more often.

    Then I remember the recipes that Lucas has given me, and how they''ve turned out so far.

    "I''ve screwed up almost everything that isn''t just measuring and dumping into the slow-cooker."

    "Oh, jeez," Lucas groans. "You are following the directions, right?"

    "Pretty sure."

    "It''s only been a few meals," he mutters to himself. "It''s not that bad. He''s just new and needs the experience."

    I decide not to let him know I heard that.

    "Just¡­ try to pay attention to the recipes," he tells me. "Read them all the way through before starting, make sure the heat is right, and that''s about it. Don''t forget the help section at the start of it."

    I''ve been doing all of that. I''m still screwing things up.

    "Y-yeah," I answer. "I''ll do that."

    Neither of us talk for the rest of lunch, Lucas seeming pretty happy to indulge in eating over conversing. I guess he''s still partially in his cranky morning mood.

    "I''m going to head to the center and get some exercise in before my shift starts," he says after we leave the diner. "What are you doing until you come in for the martial arts session?"

    "It''s what, almost one?" I ask, and he checks his watch.

    "Quarter ''till."

    "Probably wander around town to keep my blood flowing."

    "Why don''t you come to the center?" He asks. "You aren''t restricted to only coming during the scheduled training, you know."

    "I don''t really know what else I could do," I tell him.

    "Just wait at the desk," he tells me. "If Sophie''s there, I can have her show you a few things."

    "Sophie?" I ask.

    "One of our employees," he begins walking, so I follow. "Not a family member. She began training there when her power manifested thirteen years ago, shortly after her sixth birthday. Her family didn''t really know how to help her train her powers We offered her a job three years ago. Most of our non-family staff are people who had come for years that we offered the positions to. The rest are temp workers hired through an agency for a shift or three."

    "Ah," I say. "How good is she? At training, I mean?"

    "Better at the stuff that''s not powers," he tells me. "Though if it''s something related to her power, she''s decent. She hasn''t worked with a variety of powers much, though, so she''s lacking the experience that someone like from my family has. If you''d attempted to work with her, she probably wouldn''t have had the first clue of what to do for your ability."

    "What''s hers?" I ask. "Or, uh, is that, uh, wrong to ask?"

    "No, it''s fine," he says. "Some communities, it''s rude to ask someone their abilities, but those are the elitist ones. Sophie doesn''t hide her ability, and doesn''t mind if we tell others, especially if they''re a client she might be working with. Her ability is called ''needles''. She can generate needles and project them towards a target. Her ability isn''t all that powerful, though. As soon as they generate, they fly forward. Straight forward. She can''t control that. She can, however, control how many of them that she has out at a time, but she does have to actively sustain them. As soon as she stops, the needles disappear."

    "I thought you said every ability had a ''strongest'' part?" I ask. "And that people have other spells?"

    "Some abilities are weaker than others," he tells me. "Especially if the blood''s diluted. I''ve not met someone with only one part, though. With training, she''s become able to create bludgeon needles. Rather than piercing you, they slam into you and break your bones."This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    "Ouch."

    "Yep," he says. "Her best ability, though, is controlling the speed at which they fly forward. When she started off, we didn''t know she could do that, and they flew at about only ten miles an hour. However, after about five years, we realized that they''d been moving faster, and guessed that she might be able to adjust the speed, too, and so she began working on that. Now, she can project them at about sixty miles an hour."

    "That doesn''t seem like a ten-percent gain per month," I say.

    "It''s not," he nods. "The gain is actually something like five to ten percent, and we normally say five percent because that''s closer to normal for someone with simpler abilities, like hers. Since you can shadow-walk, though, I kind of assumed you''d be a shadow-shaper, which is a more powerful class of power user, and so would have the higher gains."

    "Ah."

    "Yeah," he says. "She''s still pretty decent at helping power users train their bodies to help with their abilities regardless of what it is, though. All she has to know is how your body moves during the use of your power, and she can formulate a training to go help with that."

    "I tend to be standing still," I point out.

    "Apart from that one time on Saturday," he nods. "Yeah. But as you proved that time, you can move while doing it. It''s just harder for you at the moment. If you tell her about the agility training that we''re working in as part of the training, she can probably figure out a few things for you."

    "That you could just tell me?"

    "Yep," he says. "But she can work with you on getting started with them while I work on other things. Like my pre-work exercise."

    I''m going to take a guess and say this pre-work exercise is necessary for him to not be a total grump while at work.

    "Alright," I say. "I''ll chat with her and see what she says, though I still need to head home and grab my bag first. I''d planned on going home after our hangout today, so I didn''t bring it."

    "If you don''t mind me popping into your apartment, I can be there and back in a few minutes."

    "Just another reason to wish my parents had helped me start training this when I discovered it," I mutter.

    Lucas and I stop talking there and finish the walk back to the center in silence, and there are a man and a woman I don''t recognize at the desk. The man looks to be in his fifties, while the woman looks to be maybe thirty.

    "Tabitha and Amy come in at four," Lucas tells me. "These are my parents. As you can see, I got my youthful genes from my mom. Judging on her nice aging ability and my grandpa''s, I''ll probably be a twink for another decade. I''ll be back with your stuff."

    He disappears in a flash of light, and I suddenly feel very exposed with the gazes of his parents upon me.

    "So you''re Kieran Wolfe?" Mr. Lusvaris asks.

    "Uh, yeah?" I answer.

    "You are as adorable as my sister says," Mrs. Lusvaris tells me. "You''ve been working with Lucas for a week, right?"

    "Yeah," I answer.

    "How do you like it?" She asks. "I assume a lot, since you were hanging out with him this morning."

    "It''s nice," I answer. "I wouldn''t have thought up the training schedule he gave me, and he''s helped me learn a fair bit about abilities in general."

    "Yeah," she says. "He mentioned you''d only used it once, when you were five? And that your parents apparently didn''t seem to know how to help you train it?"

    "Yeah," I say. "I guess they didn''t have abilities? He''s mentioned that most people manifest by the time they''re ten, and everyone has by adulthood, due to the hormones of puberty and stuff."

    "Nonsense," she says. "One of them had to have had an ability. However, it''s possible it was minor, something they wouldn''t have even thought of as an ability."

    "What do you mean?" I ask.

    "How good''s your night vision?" I ask.

    "A little good, I guess," I shrug. "Nothing supernatural though."

    "Are you sure?" She asks.

    "I mean, I''ve never had something to compare it to," I say. "But I''m pretty sure. Why?"

    "People with powers rooted in light," she says. "Have benefits to their eyesight. A power to not be blinded by brighter lights and to pick out light in darker times. Tell me, how easy is it for you to pick out the items in your room when it''s dark in there? When there''s virtually no light at all?"

    "I can see the outlines of things," I shrug. "But that''s really it. Nothing supernatural."

    "Really?" She raises an eyebrow. "That''s not normal, Kieran. Not unless there''s enough light cast in there, anyway. And if there''s almost none at all, then it would take the eyes of a light-wielder or shadow-wielder to pick things out with little light to see by. And I''m willing to bet one of your parents could as well."

    I''m about to protest again when I realize she''s right. Not just one of my parents, though. Both of them. They went out at night because ''we both inherited good night sight'', and they never tripped over things in our apartment while navigating it after coming back in. Even in what most would consider total darkness. That''s from a power? I''d never thought it was something special, but I guess when it was for my household, it''s natural to think that way.

    "You see I''m right," she smiles. "There are many people who have abilities that are slight that they never realize are abilities. They may have even trained them without realizing. I knew one boy when I was growing up who had a tendency to turn invisible whenever he felt anxious and wanted to be left alone. Didn''t even know he was doing it, he''d just assumed people were leaving him alone. His ability was to disappear from the perceptions of others, so not even his clothes were noticed, as it would mean perceiving him."

    "Unlike with an actual invisibility power," Mr. Lusvaris says. "Where only the body would turn invisible, so people would still see the clothes until the person learned to turn them invisible as well."

    "It wasn''t until he was almost twenty," Mrs. Lusvaris tells me. "That he realized he had a power. If your parents'' powers were as subtle ¨C to them ¨C as that, then it makes sense they might not have known."

    And if they both had shadow-based powers, it would explain why I came out stronger. Lucas did the same thing, coming out more powerful than either parent because he had two bloodlines with light-based powers rather than one with and one without.

    "I guess that makes sense," I say. "So it may have just been seeing in the dark?"

    That doesn''t line up with what Lucas told me, though. How could that be a power by itself, then?

    "Not just that," she says. "It could be something as concealing themselves in shadows, a subconscious activation that they weren''t aware of. Or enhanced spatial awareness and mobility in shadows."

    "My dad," Mrs. Lusvaris tells me. "Gained increased strength, agility, and toughness when in light. The brighter the light and the more of it there, the greater the enhancement. If your ability with that is weak, you might not even notice the increases enough to realize you have a power there."

    "Once the power in the bloodline dilutes enough," Mrs. Lusvaris says. "It''s pretty common for the abilities to end up as more subtle things, unnoticed for a few generations until they either fade away or get strengthened by coincidence."

    "I guess that makes sense, too," I say. "So a lineage can lose an ability if it doesn''t merge with another with something similar frequently enough?"

    "No," Lucas speaks up, startling me as he apparently showed up while we were talking, holding my bag. "Lack of training in each generation weakens the power as well. If too many generations pass without the power being trained, it can disappear. That can be slowed or stopped by either starting to train your abilities regularly or by having a child with someone else with a magical bloodline, though one with a similar base as yours is best for that."

    "And two weak bloodlines can result in someone more powerful than either parent?" I ask.

    "Correct," he answers. "However, two powerful parents won''t result in a child more powerful than them unless it''s a case of a prodigy. The thought is that the bloodline is still there in full until it actually fades away, and that two of them mixing together results in an awakening of it. If the parents are already powerful, then the bloodline''s awakened to its fuller potential. Your case ¨C where one or two weak parents have a child, and the child seems to be strangely powerful in comparison ¨C isn''t uncommon among power users."

    "It''s not an extremely common thing," Mrs. Lusvaris tells me. "But it''s not a rare thing, either."

    "Oh, okay," I say.

    "I''m going to go train," Lucas says. "I''ll send Sophie down to talk with you."

    Lucas then disappears from sight, and I look at his parents.

    "Don''t take it personally," Mr. Lusvaris tells me. "If he''s not getting some, then he tends to be a grump after waking up, up until he flexes his powers a bit more than traveling to and from an apartment."

    If he''s not-oh. Ah, right, he told me about a certain issue power users face that I haven''t really dealt with. Only slightly, but it''s not bad. I guess some people are cranky if it''s not dealt with well enough.

    "It doesn''t bother me," I tell him. "He hasn''t really turned the cranky on me. Is it really okay for me to be here for, uh, seven hours? He said that it''s not a problem to do stuff here until my scheduled sessions with him starts, but-"

    "It''s not a problem," Mrs. Lusvaris interrupts. "We have some power users who train for twelve or more hours a day in an attempt to increase their skill with it. As long as you aren''t causing problems or trying to actually live here, it''s fine."

    I take it they''ve had some try to live here because it''s cheaper than an apartment?

    "Okay," I say. "I''ll wait over there for her."

 Chapter 0018

    A girl around my age comes out from a hall, dressed in dark blue pants and a grey polo, her dirty blond hair in a ponytail. Her brown eyes are warm and friendly, and she approaches me without hesitation upon entering the lobby.

    "Kieran, right?" She asks.

    "Sophie?" I ask.

    "Yep!" She responds with a smile. "Lucas said you were wondering some alternative training things you could do, and mentioned you were doing agility training in one of the blocks rooms because of the way your power works."

    "Yeah," I stand.

    "Come on," she beckons for me to follow, leading me down a hall in the direction of the blocks room. "Real quick, Kieran, do you have an issue using your ability around me? Lucas mentioned you''ve only just begun training it, so you aren''t able to bring your clothes with you yet. Being able to see you using the ability can help me out a little, though I can work with not having seen it if you''d rather not get naked around me. And on a related note, I won''t be offended ¨C I''d be uncomfortable getting naked in front of a guy I just met. Or a girl I just met, for that matter."

    Is that a subtle probe into why I was doing it with Lucas on the first day? Since his power is similar to mine, he didn''t need to see it, he could just work with what I told him. I''ll do what needs done for the best training program, and if that means getting naked around a guy who''s apparently attracted to me, then so be it.

    "With Lucas," I say. "I felt it''s better to just do it because having him actively training me rather than giving me advice based on what I say would be better overall. As long as it''s for the training and I feel like the person can be trusted, I don''t have an issue with it. This is especially true here, since Lucas said you guys sometimes deal with people whose powers are like mine ¨C ones which make it impossible to stay clothed. He even said there''s one person who can''t even train up to being able to wear clothes during it."

    "Yeah, I know her," she nods. "Thomas is the one who helps her train. So you are you saying you''d be fine showing me your power?"

    "Yeah," I answer. "It''s mostly just me standing still, though. My skill training is the one that has me using the agility training."

    "How does the skill training work?" She asks. "He didn''t mention what you do for that, just that you do agility training in there. Since the agility training is always the same in that room, it was easy to figure out."

    "He light-ports a tennis ball somewhere," I tell her. "And I have to try to catch it. At least, that''s what he did on Saturday, the only skill training day so far. It''s a mix of navigating the blocks and shadow-walking. I, uh, crash and trip a lot."

    "Mind getting ready while I grab some balls?" She asks. "I can''t light-port them, but I can definitely throw them. It should help me see what kind of movements you''re actually doing."

    "Sure," I say.

    We reach the training room, and I enter while she walks off. While I wait for her, I change into a pair of shorts, then begin stretching for a warmup. Sophie returns with a box of balls a few minutes later, then I step up to the barrier and pull off my shorts, setting them on the barrier before traveling a little bit into the training field.

    "Ready?" Sophie calls out, holding up a bright yellow tennis ball.

    "Ready!" I call back.

    She tosses the ball, and I take off. Around the blocks too high, over the ones that aren''t. As soon as I''m within range, I stop in a shadow and shadow-walk to one close to the ball, then go for it. Just as with on Saturday, I miss, and I even crash into a nearby block, tripping over it.

    "Nice fall!" She laughs. "So you have to stop when you shadow-walk right now?"

    "It''s easier," I pick up the ball and toss it back to her. My throw is bad, though, and it only makes it halfway before slamming into a block. We''ll retrieve it later. "I''ve only done one shadow-step while moving so far. It costs a little bit more magic ¨C probably because I''m not still ¨C and I continued through the movement I''m in, but there was a bit of disorientation, probably because of the moment while I''m in the shadows."

    "Okay," she readies another ball. "Show it to me!"

    Sophie tosses the ball and I go for it, this time shadow-walking without stopping before doing so. As soon as I come out, my movement continues but I feel the disorientation again and stumble, this time tripping over the smaller block I popped out next to.

    "Alright!" She calls out, and I can tell she''s trying not to laugh this time by the way her voice shakes. "That''s good enough for me, Kieran! Grab the balls and return."

    I do, dropping the balls in the box before grabbing my shorts. That was a surprisingly short assessment, but I guess that''s all she really needed to see for this.

    "So what now?" I ask.

    "Now," she says. "I take you to one of the trampoline rooms."

    "Trampoline rooms?" I ask.

    "Yep," she answers. "I''ll work with you on a few things in there that will help you. It''s focused at improving your jumps, as you seem hesitant with those and are doing them rather poorly, probably because you''re new to it. Lucas probably intended on introducing you to the rooms later on in your training. You should put underwear on, too. Unlike in here, other people might be using it."

    "Alright," I climb over the barrier, then get dressed and grab my bag. "So the trampoline rooms?"

    "This way."

    Sophie leads me into the section of the center requiring a gold membership, up to the third floor. Or second, I guess, depending on what''s beneath here. She shows me several rooms that take up two floors, with square trampolines cover a huge portion of the floor, the ceiling high so that people don''t accidentally slam into them.

    Some of the rooms, there are short barriers between some of the connected trampolines, between two and five feet high.

    "This is mostly," she tells me as she rummages in something behind the desk of one of the rooms. "For athletics and exercise."

    "I figured," I say. "It''s in the gold membership area."

    "Yeah," she holds up a pair of socks. "Here you go. These have grippy things on the bottom, you need them for the trampolines. You can keep them, they come with the membership."

    "Thanks," I say, then realize something that Lucas told me. Several things. "I need to ask about that."

    "Ask what?" She asks.

    "Nothing," I say. "Something to ask Lucas when I go in for martial arts later."

    "Ah," she says. "Okay. You can put your bag in one of the cubbies. Also, there are no shoes allowed on the trampolines."

    "Okay," I take a seat on a bench and swap my shoes and socks for the grippy socks, then stick those, my bag, and my hoodie into a cubby.

    Sophie joins me, having swapped her shoes for grippy socks as well. Mine are bright green while hers are dark grey. Client socks versus staff socks?

    "Come on," she leads me into one of the sets of trampolines.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    There are a few other people here, including a staff member watching things, a man in his thirties, and a girl around ten or eleven. I''m going to assume the girl is the man''s daughter and wasn''t just left here by her parents.

    Sophie begins by teaching me the basics of jumping on the trampolines, how to slow my bounces and use my momentum to aid in movements rather than letting it carry me, how to land from certain bounces, and a few other tips and tricks. Most of this involves moving across trampolines in a line and bouncing off the ones angled up toward the walls.

    "Some of these skills," she tells me. "Will translate into the parkour you''re doing with the agility and skill training. You don''t need to do this ¨C many people practice with stable footing, not bouncy footing ¨C but it can help. The trampolines also help with training flips and jumps, and that''s part of why we have barriers like this one."

    She indicates a barrier that''s randomly between two trampolines, with at least one more past the landing one to either side of it.

    "To help people train jumping over things?" I ask.

    "And flipping," she nods. "Though most people do it just because they can and not to help them with an ability."

    "Ah."

    Sophie has me work on my bounces and movement a bit more, helping me focus on springing myself rather than simply jumping, giving me extra height. Once I''m comfortable with this, she teaches me how to do a flip on the same trampoline and has me do higher jumps between two and over a shorter barrier.

    "Don''t," she tells me after a bit. "Try to do flips over the barriers until you''ve got a bit more practice in. It takes more than a couple of sessions for most people to do so safely."

    "Got it," I say. "Thanks for the help, Sophie."

    "No problem," she says. "How often you do this is up to you, by the way. This is mostly just to practice jumps, and once you''re able to do them smoother without the bounces, you''re pretty much good on this."

    Her lack of mention on how long that will take could mean anywhere from it won''t take too long to it might take a few months. I think I''ll only do this once a week for now, though. My legs are really feeling it, and I''m willing to bet that it''ll be worse on Saturday. I''ve definitely worked out a few muscles here I haven''t been during the rest of my training.

    "Okay," I say. "Thanks again. I think I''m going to let my legs rest a bit."

    "No problem," she says. "See you ''round."

    Sophie leaves, and I rest for a moment before leaving, too. I pull off the grippy socks and stick them in my bag, then pull the rest of my stuff back on, grab the bag, and start wandering around the facility to see some of the other facilities it has. Lucas gave me a tour, but it wasn''t much of one.

    Speaking of Lucas, I find him coaching a boy who looks maybe ten years old. The room they''re in is around a hundred and fifty feet long and across, though only one floor in height. It seems to be mostly an obstacle course made up of connected wooden rods.

    The rods form squares one foot on each side, and the path through is formed by sections where one or more rods are missing. Some of them are vertical gaps, others are horizontal. Some are only a foot wide or high, while others are fine for someone to walk through.

    However, it''s not all done by walking on the floor. The course stretches from floor to ceiling, with five feet of space between the walls and the course itself. It involves crawling, climbing, and walking at various levels of height.

    This is in the section of the center meant for training abilities, but I can''t see how this is used for that. It just seems like some sort of physical training course.

    Then again, that was my first impression of the blocks room, too. Just an area to play some sort of game in, not train the ability to teleport by shifting through the shadows cast by the blocks.

    Deciding to see what''s going on, I watch them for a few minutes, hoping it''s not rude to. The door wasn''t locked, after all, and his dad is in here, too, so it wasn''t for a safety thing. The man isn''t wearing a uniform, anyway, so I''m assuming that''s his dad.

    "Good job," Lucas calls out once the kid finds himself crawling along a path at the very top of the course. "Now remember to breathe deeply, Jake. You can do it this time."

    "I''m scared," Jake tells Lucas, his voice trembling, an expression of worry on his face as he looks at the trainer.

    "I know you are," Lucas tells him. "Believe in yourself, Jake. If you get stuck, I can get you out, remember? Just like last time, remember? Take a couple of deep breaths, Jake. In, then out. Okay?"

    Jake nods, then takes a minute to calm himself down a little. As he does that, I take a few moments to admire Lucas''s calm, patient, and helpful tone.

    "Good, good," Lucas tells him. "Now focus, and remember to hold the spell until you''re through. The worst that happens is you get stuck and need me to rescue you, but you need to do this to be able to get better at it, remember?"

    Jake nods and takes a couple of more breaths, then stares forward, at the one-foot-by-one-foot gap before him. A few moments pass, then space warps, the rods forming that gap seeming to stretch out wide enough for him to crawl through. Space returns to normal once he''s almost all the way through, the rods snapping back into place, slamming his ankles together and causing the boy to yelp.

    So this is one use for these with power-training. The boy seems to be able to warp space, but it''s not a complete warping, since he was able to pass through normally without warping himself.

    "It''s okay!" Lucas calls to him immediately after the yelp. "You almost made it all the way, Jake! That''s good! Do you want to stop and let your ankles rest? You can move them, right?"

    Jake wiggles his ankles a little.

    "Yeah."

    "Okay," Lucas says. "You did good, making it almost all the way. That''s better than before! Want me to retrieve you?"

    "N-no," Jake responds. "Let me try again! I wanna go all the way!"

    Judging by the look on Lucas''s face, he had planned on that. Would Jake have refused to continue if Lucas hadn''t said that?

    Jake tries twice more, getting stuck on his third attempt at warping space. Lucas immediately retrieves him, the boy appearing in Lucas''s arms. The trainer then sets the boy down and ruffles his hair.

    "Good job," Lucas says. "You made it all the way through the second time."

    "But I got stuck the third," Jake sulks.

    "You ran out of magic, didn''t you?" Lucas asks.

    "Yeah," the boy pouts.

    "It''s okay," Lucas tells him. "You''ve never warped like that before. Until now, you''ve only ever warped a space big enough to toss a ball through other than that attempt at doing this a few months ago. A smaller space, for less time. You did really good today, Jake. Do you want me to wait here while you recover your magic so you can try again?"

    "No," Jake sulks. "I''m going to train normally again once I do."

    "Okay," Lucas says. "Just let someone know to contact me if you want to again before four, I''ve got a class to teach then."

    "Yeah," Jake says as he walks over to the man. "I might do that. I got stuck again, Dad."

    "Maybe," his dad says. "But you heard Mr. Lucas, you did good, Jake. I was twelve the first time I could pass through those gaps with a warp without getting stuck."

    "Really?" Jake looks at his dad with his eyes wide in surprise.

    "Yep," his dad says. "I''ll buy you ice cream for that, Jake."

    "Awesome!" Jake''s mood turned right around with that, and it makes me smile a little.

    "Thank Mr. Lucas for his help," his dad tells him. "Then we''ll head back to the other room and do your normal stuff."

    "Thank you, Mr. Lucas," Jake tells Lucas, then leaves with his dad.

    Seeing Lucas help others only makes him more appealing to me. Definitely improves his likability a lot. The way he was patient with the kid, encouraged him, and complimented his success all show some of his real personality.

    "It wasn''t rude for me to watch, was it?" I ask him.

    "Nah," Lucas tells me. "Jake tends to put more effort in if someone is watching because he really hates failure and gets embarrassed over it more when someone else sees it. You being here is probably the reason he managed to succeed."

    "Ah," I say. "I had a question for you. I was going to ask later, but was touring the place and found you here. Was going to stay only a few minutes, but it seemed that was just a quick thing?"

    "Yeah," he says. "It''s not an actual training session, just me being around in case of a problem. A few of us get called to help like that pretty often."

    "Ah," I say. "So, uh, my question. You told me that the martial arts lessons cost extra on top of the membership, but the uniform came with the membership? I know you said personal lessons were included, but I feel like that might not included a full routine like ours¡­"

    "I might have lied a little?" He shifts slightly, a little uncomfortable. Embarrassed over having to admit that he''s giving me something free? "The uniform comes free with the course sign-up, but the course isn''t free, you only get a half-hour lesson a week with the gold membership¡­"

    Did he offer it to me right away because of a crush? His interest didn''t develop over the last week, but was actually there from the start?

    "So I''m getting a service free?"

    "Yeaaaaaaaah," he says. "Grandpa decided to look at it as a potential investment in that if you get the job, you might be more inclined to continue here if we''re providing everything for you, though we''d have to charge you after the first month¡­"

    I take that to mean his grandpa wasn''t happy with the service being given for free. That''s understandable, though. Money tends to be tight everywhere, and this place cannot be cheap to run. Seeing a one-month investment for someone they think is guaranteed to get a job, though, would make sense.

    How hard did Lucas have to argue for that?

    "How much does it normally cost?" I ask.

    "An extra hundred," he tells me. "And it''s separate from the memberships, though it does still require you to have at least a gold one."

    I''m not going to ask what the memberships above gold include. Gold seems to work out for me right now.

    "Okay," I tell him. "Well, this last week has shown me the place is decent, so unless something shows me otherwise before then, then if I get the job, I''ll continue training here unless I can''t."

    "Cool," he says. "Well, unless you need advice or help with something training at the moment, I should probably get back to work."

    "Alright," I say. "See you in a few hours."

    "See you."

 Chapter 0019

    "Good morning, Kieran," Melody greets me after I answer the call. "How are you this morning?"

    Over the last week, I''ve learned that if she doesn''t have a large load, she''ll try to make some small talk. Well, I''ve only talked with her three times since Saturday, but three times in a week is pretty decent for me with the ''record'' I have and how new I am to her agency.

    Since today is a skill training day, I was hoping to have today off so I could go shopping for a jacket to wear over the hoodie. Sivalshi increased his speed up to fifteen miles a day as of yesterday morning.

    I''m a bit surprised that we aren''t feeling the speed, but I guess there''s probably some sort of higher power involved. Or it could just be that it''s still slow enough that we wouldn''t notice the speed.

    It''s enough that they''re predicting we''ll be hitting the ice zone within a week, now. I really want a coat before then, and since I got paid yesterday afternoon, I didn''t have time to go looking for a good coat.

    I had time to go looking, just not at a store that would sell a good coat. My budget is still low, of course, but most of the coats around here are only about thirty to forty dollars, and they don''t do too much. Enough to stave off the cold, especially when layered over a hoodie, but they''re still a bit on the thin side.

    For my first proper coat, I want it to have a fuzzy lining. From what I''ve heard, those are good at helping keep the wearer warm, better than the ones without.

    Sadly, it seems that I''ll have to put it off another day or two, depending on if I get offered a job tomorrow or not. I definitely like Melody and this agency better than my agent and the previous one, though. Other than last Saturday''s job, I haven''t been offered a single one outside of my range, and Melody has always been friendly.

    So three encounters aren''t much so far, but it''s still enough to get a good judgment for the agent, I think.

    "Cold," I answer her question.

    "Same here," she says. "We barely have any heat at all. Enough to keep our fingers from stiffening up as we deal with the paperwork, but that''s about it. Heating a building tends to be a little bit expensive."

    "My apartment building doesn''t even have a heating system," I tell her. "And with Sivalshi heading north, brr!"

    "Well," she says. "I have a job request for a building that does have decent heat if you want."

    If it has decent heat, then that means it''s a decent company. At least, in terms of their finances. They''ll probably want to pay a lower wage as compensation for having the heat up, and I consider that a fair price.

    Melody''s tone makes it sound like there''s some sort of extra circumstance beyond me probably being paid minimum.

    "However¡­?" I ask.

    "However," she says. "It''s until five tonight, which is an hour past your allowed time."

    "Yeah," I say. "Sorry, but I''m going to have to decline. I have training at six every night, and I need time to get home to pick up my stuff for it and get there on-time. It''s about a forty-minute walk."

    "Yes," she says. "I understand that, Mr. Wolfe. You mentioned during our meeting the other day that you were undergoing additional training to allow you to take on security jobs as well. You had also come in to change over to our company with Lucas Lusvaris, whose family owns the Lusvaris Training Center. My assumption was that you were training there. If so, that''s a fifteen-minute walk from this job, and I spoke with them and informed them that you may require the need of a place to store a bag as if a normal employee and Mr. Korriska confirmed they could arrange that."

    Mr. Korriska? Is this job at the Korriska Building again?

    "It is okay if you still wish to decline," she tells me. "You did state that was a hard rule, and I know you may wish to eat between work and training, Mr. Wolfe. I normally wouldn''t consider offering a job outside of the hard limitations, but Mr. Korriska specifically asked for you, and I thought that you might be lenient if it was that close to where you train and allow you to store your gear, as your only stated reason was to allow you enough time to return home, grab your things, and head to your training.

    "If you decline," she tells me. "I have a job for you from eight until two this afternoon, which pays twelve an hour. No break, as it''s only a six-hour shift. It''s to work at a waiter as a diner. There''s another job, from nine until three, that pays the same wage of twelve dollars an hour, helping a company perform its deliveries."

    Once again, she has alternatives lined up for me in case I wish to refuse the one that goes beyond my stated availability. This time, there are two alternatives. I''m hesitant to accept because I really want to enforce the availability, but the main reason for it is so that I can have the time to get home and then to the training center. If I can store my bag somewhere safely at the Korriska Building, then there''s not much of a reason to decline.

    "What''s the job for Mr. Korriska?" I ask.

    "He said it''s the same as last week," she tells me. "And asked for you again as the preferred option due to the effort you put in being greater than most temp workers."

    Oh, dear. Either I''m cleaning two conference halls, or it''s the same room as last time, but just as bad. Maybe even worse.

    "¡­and the pay?"

    "It''s two hundred per hall cleaned," she tells me. "Less if the room isn''t cleaned to standards or finished."

    It took me almost five hours to clean one room last time, but even if I only manage to finish one room again, that''s still more than last time. I could really use the money and the circumstances are good for me and my schedule.

    "I''ll accept it," I tell her. "But only because it''s close to the center and I can store my bag there."

    Storing my bag is important because it means I won''t need a trip home, and the distance means I can still make it in time even if I walked straight there, and I''d have time to warm up as well.

    "Okay," she says. "I''ll let them know to expect you. In regards to the circumstances, would that be acceptable, as long as the pay is high enough to compensate for going past your stated limits?"

    "No," I answer. "With the Korriska Building, I''m making an exception because I''ve already worked there once and the circumstances work out for me. From dealing with the staff I interacted with before, I can trust that my stuff will be safe while I''m there."

    "Okay," she says, then there''s a pause again. "I''ve noted that into your file. If they put in a request again and it goes until five, would that be acceptable if the pay is decent enough?"If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    "Yes," I answer.

    "I''m adding that in as well," Melody informs me, then there''s another pause, probably as she adds it in. "They''ll be expecting you at eight-thirty, Mr. Wolfe. Good luck, and have a good day."

    "Thanks, and you as well."

    Melody ends the call, then I check the time. It''s seven-twenty, so I should probably head out. I finish up my breakfast of yogurt, nuts, and fruit, rinse out the bowl, then change into a clean outfit before grabbing my bag and setting off.

    When I enter the building, I approach the reception desk, where a woman sits. As soon as I enter, I realize that it''s pretty warm in here. Did they turn the heat up as well to help combat the cold seeping in due to Sivalshi''s journey? Or to help keep the receptionist warm without needing her to wear something warmer than a polo? I''m certain it must get cold in here whenever the front doors open, and having the heat up high ¨C at least in here ¨C will help keep her warm.

    It''s only as I approach that I remember that last Saturday had a hot guy sitting here. At least he''s not here today. I''m pretty sure that if I have to interact with him more, I''ll develop a crush on him, just like with Lucas. That, or I''ve already started to develop one and it''ll only get stronger.

    "Good morning," I greet her. "My name''s Kieran Wolfe. The agency sent me to clean a conference hall, they said?"

    "Yes," she answers. "The first one is up on the fourth floor, Mr. Korriska said he''ll meet you there."

    The guy who the building is named after? Why am I meeting the big shot himself? In the four years I''ve been contracting out for jobs, I''ve never once met the big shot of a place I was at.

    "Thank you," I tell her, then head to the elevator.

    The ride to the fourth floor is silent, but when I reach it, the floor is noisy. There''s a lot of chatter coming from the conference hall, which has both sets of double doors open. Standing in front of a series of large wheeled bins, along with a cart with buckets of water and some rags and rolls of trash bags, is the hot guy from last Saturday. He''s dressed in a brown polo and tan slacks, and greets me with a gesture to cover my ears.

    I do just as I realize there''s an air horn sitting on the corner of the bin closest to him. Just as I notice the can, the hot guy picks it up and presses the bulb to release air.

    Even with my hands over my ears, it''s deafening. I can see kids and a few adults through the double doors, and the ones I do see jump at the sound. The hot guy continues pressing down on it for a solid minute, and I''m amazed he''s able to do it with a smile on his face and without flinching despite not wearing ear protection of any sort.

    Once a minute has passed, he releases the bulb and approaches the nearby set of double doors. There is absolute silence coming from the conference hall.

    "The agreement was that you could stay until eight," he says without breaking his cheerful smile. "And I hit the button at precisely eight-thirty. Please remember to abide by the contract agreed upon, which states that you are to be packed and evacuated from the premises no later than eight in the morning. You now have ten minutes to remove yourselves or we will cancel the contract we have with your group."

    "I''m sorry," a woman tells him. "It''s just that the kids are so rowdy, and it''s so cold outside with Sivalshi moving north so quickly, that-"

    "I''m sorry," the hot guy says, still smiling. "But we need to clean and prepare this room for the group that comes in from Saturday night until Monday morning. By the time their stated end time occurs, they have already been gone ten minutes nearly every time. We will be more lenient with them than with a group that consistently violates the contract."

    "You''re going to send the kids out in this cold?" She asks. "Instead of letting us wait until it warms up-"

    "By a few degrees?" He asks. "Ma''am, waiting an hour or two won''t increase the temperature outside by much, if at all. I don''t know what world you live in, Mrs. Hobe, but everybody lives in the cold in this city, and always have. We''ve already given your group an extra thirty minutes, ma''am. There''s only so much warmer it can get in the cold zone. We''ve already granted you mercy by letting you rent this room out for thirty-six hours. If you wish to not have to deal without this, please abide by our contract so that we can properly serve all of our customers. Your group isn''t the only one we deal with."

    Mrs. Hobe stares at him, a tic working in her jaw, but then calls for everyone to line up and leave.

    I walk over to the hot guy and wait as streams of kids under twelve escorted by only about ten chaperons total leave through both sets of double doors. There are at least a hundred of the kids.

    Once the last of them has left through the elevator and the stairs, the hot guy lets out a massive sigh, his smile fading.

    "I hate this group," he mutters.

    "They''re always a problem?" I''m starting to sweat wearing my hoodie, they have the heat on decently high up here, too.

    "Yeah," he answers. "I was given the okay to cancel their contract, should they continue to push their luck. Most of our money comes from this sort of thing. Most families, even in the middle districts, can''t afford to turn on the heater for much. It can take over a day just to get an apartment to a comfortable warmth, and then the cost of the electricity just continues to hurt their budgets due to the limited supply.

    "My grandma decided to do this as a mercy," he tells me. "Invite in large groups for two nights, let them pay per person, and the overall cost for the heat will end up being split by the multiple groups being here as long as we charge a minimum of a thousand per session.

    "That group," he leans onto one of the bins. "Is actually a bunch of kids from wealthier families that can actually afford to at least have some heat. It''s being used as a way to get rid of the kids for a couple of nights so that the parents can do their own thing and not deal with the kids. It happens every week, and they rotate out which twelve adults watch the kids. This group is the absolute worst because they don''t control the kids other than to keep them on this floor, and the kids were spoiled by their parents."

    "Are you sure they''re from the middle districts?" I ask. "That many spoiled kids sounds like an upper districts thing."

    "They''re from a freaking weird community," he shakes his head. "They''re closer to the upper districts than the lower districts, but still in the middle districts. And trust me when I say that this room is awful. The adults with them don''t care at all, and it''s even worse this time."

    "You know without seeing it?"

    "I can see enough," he indicates the doors near us, which does show a lot more trash than before. "They never handle their trash. They went in with a lot, and no one left with any."

    I shoot a worried glance at the restrooms. Will I need to clean those, too, as part of this job? If no one takes care of things, then the state of the restrooms will probably be worse than any of the restrooms I''ve had to clean before.

    "We hire out a company that handles that," he snorts. "They''ll be here in about half an hour to clean it up."

    "You hire a company for that, but not the conference halls?" I ask.

    "Erm," he says. "We used to hire a company for the halls. We canceled their contract last week because they told us they were increasing their rates. By the amount we were already paying them. Normally, they''d go in with ten guys and clean the room in three hours. Trash, spills, vacuuming, all of it. Left the halls in pretty good condition, and we paid them five hundred a hall. Not exactly the best of rates, but it fit within our budget. We would have been willing to up it to six hundred, maybe seven hundred. They wanted a thousand a room. That''s a bit too much, and they weren''t willing to budge, citing they had to transport all of their stuff in the colder weather. Dad decided to peep in on them while they were cleaning, and discovered that while it took them three hours to clean the halls, most of it was spent talking or screwing around. They were wanting to charge us even extra for them slacking off."

    "So you''re hiring out temp workers until you can find a new company?"

    "For now," he nods. "Dad says it''s probably cheaper to just hire the temp workers for now, then find someone or a few someones to just do the job for us. It cost us three grand to hire the company per cleanup day, since all six halls have to be cleaned the same days. They used two groups, completing all of the jobs in about ten hours when including breaks.

    "Since it took ten people slacking off three hours," he tells me. "Dad figured it would take one person maybe two hours, so we put in a call for three people. With this particular room, that was a mistake, so thanks for staying extra last Saturday."

    "How did the others go?" I ask.

    "They managed to clean each of the rooms in about two hours," he answers. "Two to two and a half, anyway. It''s a faster rate with just one person than it was with ten. In the end, we''re paying less, but the people cleaning are earning more and everything happens faster."

    "So it did work out," I say.

    "Yeah," he answers. "So¡­ are you ready to get to work?"

    "Yeah," I look into the room. "I take it I''ll probably be doing this all day?"

    "Not if I can help it," he tells me. "I''m going to help you because this is just awful."

    "Aren''t you the son of the owner?" I remember who was meeting up here and what he said. "Or grandson?"

    "Doesn''t mean I can''t do the work, too," he says. "And it''s my dad. My grandma passed away one particularly cold night a few years ago. Come on, let''s get to work. If we''re lucky, the two of us together can finish by half-past eleven."

 Chapter 0020

    "I really want to ban the group now," Zane, the hot guy whose dad owns the building, mutters as the two of us work using scrubbers rather than rags to try to get out a sticky spill spot that dried as best as we can.

    Zane actually left to go buy the scrubbers after we realized a few of these weren''t coming out otherwise. I spent the time he was doing that working on other spill spots. It involves soaking them with a rag, then using another to try to dab them up. Sometimes letting the solution soak into it for a bit, wetting it again as needed.

    Taking care of the trash alone took the two of us a couple of hours. Sorting it, bagging it, and taking it to the dumpsters and making sure we put them into the right ones, then returning. Even with the wheeled bins to help us, it still took a lot of time. And now there''s the scrubbing.

    We''re already into the second hour of scrubbing, and we discovered that we need to clean many of the chairs, too. This whole thing may take us longer than it took me last week. Even with two of us. I really don''t blame him for wanting to ban them.

    At this point, I got so hot that I even took off my hoodie and tied it around my waist. My bag is out in the hall, as Zane said no one''s supposed to come up here without permission, so it should be safe. It was still there the last time I stepped out of the hall.

    "Didn''t you say your dad gave you permission to?" I ask.

    "That''s right," he gives me a grin, which hits me just as hard as Lucas''s do. "He did give me permission to do that! Though I may see if we can charge an added fee to cover dealing with spills for groups that do a lot of them."

    "How often would you need to deal with that?" I ask.

    "The group that''s coming in to use this room tonight?" He stops scrubbing and shifts back, sitting on his legs as he looks at me. "Up to two hundred and thirty kids, all under the age of twelve, and twenty adults to chaperon them. That''s the most we''ll allow in one of the halls. It''s run by a wonderful woman. She contacts families throughout this area of the lower districts and offers them a chance to let their kids out of the cold for two nights a month. Every group of kids is different during a month because they can only do it once per month unless there''s a fifth one that month, then it''s first to sign up.

    "She''s been doing this since before I was born," he tells me. "The group usually doesn''t change unless someone can''t afford the ten dollars we charge per person, someone moves or dies, or someone hits thirteen, as she only covers children up to twelve for this. Most of the kids are here from when they''re four or five until they turn thirteen, every single month, their parents doing everything they can to save up those ten dollars a month in many of the cases. Some of the parents pool money together to buy snacks for the kids, too, and to cover the costs when some of the other regular kids can''t afford it so that they can still attend.

    "When they leave," he gestures to the hall. "It really only needs vacuumed. I do that on my own. They take care of their trash, they clean up spills immediately, and they even stack the chairs before they leave. She''s actually asked us to leave bins in here so they can sort their trash themselves and she likes to have a bucket of cleaning water for when they spill their drinks. She keeps the kids responsible for cleaning up their own messes. It''s an amazing group to work with, and we actually give them a discount every few months for it, especially since I can take care of the cleanup. Even the bathrooms are rather clean. The crew that handles those has commented that they only really need to restock things and take out the trash."

    "So you have two extreme ends of the spectrum there," I say.

    "Yep," he answers. "And most of the groups lean closer to the next group''s habits than the last''s. There''s still plenty of trash to clean up and other work to do, since everyone figures we''ll just handle it, but it''s nothing as severe as the group that just used this hall."

    We return to scrubbing out the spills, and it takes us until almost two-thirty to finish because of how bad and disgusting it was. Part of why it took that long was also needing to constantly empty out the buckets and refill them with hot water with the cleaner mixed into it. Honestly, we probably just cleaned almost the entire carpet in here.

    "Let''s take our break for lunch," Zane whips out his phone and sends a message to someone as we walk out to the foyer. "Then after, we can work on the chairs."

    We moved the chairs out to the foyer of this floor, stacked a little higher so that we have more space to clean them in, because of how much of the carpet we needed to clean. There''s also the fact that most of the conference hall''s floor is damp now as well, and we should wait to walk on it again until it''s dry.

    I take a seat against one wall and stretch out a little, then fold my arms across my chest and rest. Zane''s probably going to go eat lunch in an office or something, while I''m left without any food because I didn''t bring any and I''m not heading out to buy some.

    "Mind if I sit by you?" Zane asks.

    "Aren''t you going to go eat lunch?" I ask.

    "You mentioned you hadn''t brought anything," he says. "So I ordered some pizza while changing the water a little bit ago. It got here a few minutes before we finished and is being held in the warmer on the staff floor. I let someone know to bring it down."

    "You didn''t have to do that," I tell him. "I''m fine with missing a meal."

    "You mentioned while we were working," he sits beside me, close enough that our arms are touching. "That the reason you normally aren''t available after four is because you recently started training in the evenings. You need food for that, Kieran."

    "Thanks, I guess," I tell him. "You really didn''t need to, though. If I got really hungry before going in, I could always pick something up on my way there."The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    "Yeah," he says. "But you literally just worked with me for six hours picking up trash and scrubbing a carpet. I can buy you lunch."

    "Thanks."

    "You''re welcome," he says. "Mind if I ask what kind of training it is?"

    Just like with Lucas, I can tell I''m falling fast for Zane, and it makes me want to be honest here.

    "Power training," I answer. "I''ve never really used my ability before, other than when I discovered it. About a week and a half ago, a, uh, company decided they wanted to utilize it and hire me on as a security guard. They paid me an advance and told me to get training. If, in a month, I meet their standards, they''ll hire me. If not, they''ll expect me to pay back the advance within six months. As far as I can tell it''s a position that''ll cover my costs of living without needing to be a temp worker like this, so I''m throwing myself into the training. Two hours a day, every day. I switch between power training, agility training, and martial arts. I''m hoping I make the cut."

    He''s quiet for a few moments, and a glance at him shows that he''s contemplative about something.

    "Can I see your power?" He asks. "It sounds kind of cool."

    "How can you tell if it''s cool or not?" I ask. "I didn''t say what it is."

    "Yeah," he says. "But if it''s something a security company wants, even if you''ve only used it once, meaning it''s probably pretty weak, it''s got to be something cool, right? I mean, they literally paid you to train it in prep for possibly getting the job. So it''s got to be cool."

    "Erm," I hesitate. "I can''t stay dressed when using it."

    "I can''t stay dressed when using mine," he grins. "Well, I could, just not fully."

    "You''re an ability user?" I ask.

    "Yep!" He answers as the elevator pings, then the doors open.

    A guy who looks like Zane might in ten years comes out, carrying a box of pizza, some napkins, a couple of plastic cups, and a pitcher full of water. He''s dressed in the same outfit as Zane, though looks somewhat annoyed.

    Then he sets his gaze on me and a look of realization and resignation crosses his face. What''s that about?

    "Zane, you know you can get your food yourself, right?" He asks.

    "Yeah," Zane says. "But why would I want to leave a cutie alone by himself?"

    Oh, he thinks I''m cute.

    Wait, what? I look at Zane in shock. Is that why he stuck around to help me? To chat with me more? That explains why he sat touching me, too. Could he be testing to see if I have an interest, just like Lucas is? Though I supposed Zane is a bit more open about it if he''s openly stating that in front of me.

    This might be part of why he specifically requested me to do this job, then. It might also be part of why he ordered food for me. What kind of attraction does he hold? Interest in sex, or is he one of those people who wouldn''t mind dating a nice guy he just met and seeing how things go?

    "Yeah, yeah," the guy responds to Zane''s comment as he sets the stuff down in front of us. "Just remember your position, Zane. By the way, Dad said that Mom contacted him and said she has to stay there a few more nights."

    "Okay," Zane says. "Thanks! Now shoo!"

    He really wants to be alone with me, doesn''t he?

    "Just remember your position," his brother tells him, then leaves.

    Zane opens up the box immediately and pulls out a slice of the sausage-and-onion pizza.

    "Your position?" I ask.

    "Hm?" He asks as he takes a bite.

    "Your brother said to remember your position when you mentioned I was cute, and again when you made it clear you wanted to be alone with me."

    "Ah!" Zane chuckles. "Yeah. Soooooo I used to just hook up with random guys. One-off flings. Maybe let it last a few more than that. It''s not me being into cute guys that was the problem, nor me being in cute guys. There were just problems from time to time if a hookup affected the family in any way. Like when I slept with the nineteen-year-old son of a very homophobic friend of my father''s."

    That probably wasn''t the best of ideas.

    "You said ''used to''?" I ask. "How long ago was that? Your brother doesn''t seem to think you''re over it."

    "Ah," he says. "Yeah, that''s because I told them only last Wednesday that I was done with that and would look for a serious relationship, no matter how much I want, well, y''know. It was the day after my birthday, and after another hookup, and so I can kind of understand why they don''t trust me on that."

    "How old did you turn?" I ask.

    "Just hit twenty-two," he grins. "I got the good, twink build. Hoping to keep looking like I''m eighteen or nineteen for another five years if I can. Have some pizza, Kieran."

    I grab a slice of pizza and start enjoying it as I think about what he said. If he used to do hookups regularly, but is looking for a relationship now, where does that leave things with me? Is he wanting to hook up with me, but is resisting the urge to attempt it? Does he want to give dating me a try because I''m cute and that''s it? Could he be off in the head and want me around so that he has eye candy to admire?

    "Why the sudden change?" I ask after I finish my slice of the pizza.

    He takes a drink to give him time to think over his response.

    "Last Tuesday," he answers in a pretty serious tone. "After I got back to my apartment from the hookup, there was a job offer there."

    "A job offer?"

    "Yeah," he says. "It''s a bit like yours. Just a notice that I have a month to decide if I want to accept it or not, not a request that I train or anything, no advance or anything. It is a security job, though. A pretty dangerous one, too. If I take the job, I''ll never know if I''ll make it through a shift alive."

    It sounds like a similar situation to mine, and I can understand the change now.

    "You want to give a real relationship a try," I say. "Because you''ll be risking it all."

    "Yeah," he sighs, leaning his head back and letting it rest against the wall. "The thing is¡­ it''d be unfair to anyone if I did get into a relationship with them. I mean, what if it takes me only a week to get killed on the job? I''d go in knowing that I''m probably going to die much sooner than them, and it''d leave them alone."

    "Everyone knows they could die at any time," I say. "There are diseases, murderers, accidents, the cold, starvation¡­ a lot of things that can take a life that was otherwise fine. But yeah, it''s a tough thing when you want to go into a relationship just because you know you might be dying soon."

    He''s quiet for a few moments.

    "You''re struggling with that, too, aren''t you?" He asks.

    "Yeah."

    That''s part of why I''m refraining from telling Lucas about my crush on him. There is, of course, the reason that if I don''t become a Sivalshi Guardian, I won''t be able to see him anymore. However, there''s also the fact that if I get into a relationship now, it''d be for the same reason as Zane ¨C to experience a relationship before risking my life.

    Sure, Lucas is a personal bodyguard and has risk to his life, but he''s looking for a relationship for love. At least, I''m pretty sure he is. Yeah, I''d like to be in love with the person I''m dating, but right now, I want it just to experience it. It would be really unfair for Lucas, even if I am crushing on him.

    Zane and I finish off the entire pizza without speaking again, then we take care of the trash and stretch.

    "So," he says. "I kind of like you a bit, Kieran, as you probably guessed. You''re cute, you''re nice, and you work hard. You also seem to be under similar circumstances as me. I know we''ve only known each other a week, and really only two of those days, but¡­ do you want to experiment with an actual relationship with me? Kissing, cuddling, dates, and all?"

 Chapter 0021

    At first, I''m not sure how to respond to Zane''s request. I mean, I''ve literally never been asked out before, and then there''s his reason for doing so. Should I refuse because the relationship request was made because we both want to try one before risking our lives? Is that really a good reason to enter into a relationship?

    Then there''s the fact that I really don''t know him that well and have been crushing on Lucas for longer. Then again, I don''t really know Lucas that well, either. But I do know Lucas longer and was wanting to see if my crush on him fades before seriously considering a relationship. Shouldn''t I do the same for Zane?

    Except Zane isn''t looking for a relationship out of love. He just wants to experience it, like we said. It would be completely unfair of me to start a relationship with Lucas just because I want to experience one without even knowing if I actually do like him like that.

    It would be unfair to both of them to get into a relationship when they''re both obviously used to a lifestyle where they spend money on things I''d never afford without what''s considered a high-paying job while I normally have to pinch pennies to feed myself.

    On top of all of that, there''s also the fact that Lucas is a trainer at the training center I''ve been going to and Zane is employing me. Wouldn''t both of those be inappropriate? Well, I guess if we were in the middle or upper districts it''d be considered more inappropriate. Here in the lower districts, such relationships are perfectly normal, it''s just that my parents never liked such things.

    "You look like you''re torn between accepting and rejecting," Zane interrupts my struggle.

    "Was it really that obvious?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he answers. "Mind if I ask why?"

    I explain to him my reasoning, though I leave out Lucas''s name.

    "Ah," he says, then thinks over something for a few moments. "So the fact that your partner might die because of his job doesn''t bother you?"

    As I didn''t mention that my other crush is a personal bodyguard, he''s definitely asking for himself.

    "Yeah," I answer. "I mean, I''m looking into getting such a job, too, so wouldn''t be hypocritical of me to expect that willingness of my partner but don''t have it myself?"

    "True," he responds. "So you feel like you''d be betraying yourself if you agree to go out with me because you know me less than this other guy and are crushing on him pretty hard, yet you don''t want to get with him for a few reasons?"

    "I-I guess?" I answer.

    "You said you''ve only known him since you started training last Tuesday?" He asks. "After you got the offer and the advance?"

    "Yeah," I answer.

    "What all have you done with him so far?" He asks.

    "We haven''t gone that far," I tell him. "I mean, it''s evident he likes me, too, but¡­ no. It''s remaining professional during training and though it''s clear he wants more, he''s just trying to be friends right now, probably because he hasn''t realized I''m gay."

    It''s only as I say I''m gay that I realize that I had let Zane know about this so casually, without any real hesitation. He figured it out because of my delayed response, so it''s not really that big of a deal because we''re discussing my reluctance to go out with him.

    "No," he snorts. "I mean when you two hung out. You said you''d done it a couple of times."

    "Oh, uh, yeah," I say. "Tuesday was mostly him taking me shopping to get me set up on my meal plans so that I''m not wasting my training. I paid for all of that, though he did buy me dinner before then, and a collapsible wagon to bring purchases home with. Saturday, he bought me dinner after training for¡­ I don''t remember, exactly. Then we went to the movies on Wednesday, and that''s when I realized he liked me but didn''t want to tell me, probably out of worry that I''d quit the center. Then we had lunch after."

    "Did he pay for both of those?" Zane asks.

    "Yeah, and it makes me feel awful."

    "Well," he says. "It seems like this other guy has no issue spending some money on you, Kieran. He probably fell for you as fast as I did, and as fast as you fell for, well, y''know."

    As fast as I fell for each of them.

    "So," he says. "I''d say see how things go for another week or two, then talk with him if you still like him more."

    "You''re fine with that?" I ask.

    "Yep," he grins. "As long as you hang out with me, too."

    I feel like I''m about to enter a battle between the two of them.

    "Let''s get back to work," he tells me. "If we''re lucky, we can get all of the chairs cleaned before the end of the shift."

    "Yeah," I respond.

    Zane and I get to work, and because we have to scrub pretty hard on some of the chairs, dry them off, stack them again, and then move them all back into the conference hall and against the walls, it takes us nearly all of the remaining couple of hours we have. There are over two hundred chairs to clean, after all, and I''m not sure how the kids got this stuff set in so hard.

    Once we finish, Zane checks his phone for the time.

    "Ten to five," he tells me. "Not enough time to get started on another room."

    "That''s fine," I tell him. "Even just the one room is a bigger pay than I''ve ever had for a single job."Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    "Alright," he nods. "So I was told to ask you, should you do a good job today ¨C and I know Dad and Zach will agree that you did after they see our effort ¨C if it''s okay if we permanently request you to help deal with this room. Only this room, every Saturday. Three hundred dollars. At least, for as long as we don''t block that group from coming again. So only as long as it''s bad like this. And as a bonus, I''ll help you out so that you can actually get it done at some point each day."

    "Sure," I answer immediately.

    The job isn''t really that bad, and while I''m not planning on dating Zane just yet, he''s still good company based on our small talk today. As long as he doesn''t try to actively make a move on me, I won''t have an issue working with him again.

    "Alright!" He says. "Thanks for the help today, Kieran. I''ll make sure to contact the agency and let them know."

    "Thanks," I say.

    "And now we''re both off the clock," he tells me. "Well, technically I have a few more minutes, since I get off at five. But you are. We never did finish the discussion that got interrupted by Zach."

    "The discussion?" I don''t remember what it was about.

    "Yup!" He smiles. "About our abilities? I''d asked if I could see yours, you mentioned you lose your close using it, and I mentioned it''s a bit, ah, difficult for me to stay fully-clothed."

    "Oh, right," I say. "Uh¡­ I don''t know what else we could discuss?"

    "Want to see my ability?" He asks.

    "Is this some attempt at seducing me?" I ask.

    "Nope," he grins. "That would just be a bonus, but like I said earlier, Kieran, I''m looking for a relationship, not a hookup, and with a guy that would understand I might be gone for good each time I leave for the job when I accept it."

    "So you are accepting it?" I ask.

    "Yep," he answers. "I''ve done some martial arts training, it''s kept me fit. Family thing, really, so it''s rather decent. Been thinking about getting professional lessons since I was made the offer, just to improve my skills. Unfortunately, almost everyone who teaches it either charges a few hundred dollars a month at two lessons a week or is too far away. I did find one place that was close by, but they told me it was only for exclusive club members."

    I found out yesterday that it''s not really kept secret that they teach martial arts at the center I go to as some people show up dressed in their gis already. Most of those who find out and make an inquiry tend to be informed it''s an exclusive opportunity given only to some members. Only if it''s someone the center trusts do they let them know about the gold membership.

    It sounds like he found out about Lusvaris Training Center, but was told the standard script for new people when he investigated the costs.

    If I talk to Lucas about Zane, he might be willing to make an exception to the whole rule about letting people sign up for the gold membership new, just like he did with me. Maybe.

    "What''s your budget?" I ask.

    "Uh," he thinks for a few moments. "Well, if I get the job, it goes up. Right now, I''m looking at about seven hundred dollars in free spending money beyond my normal expenses, and that''s taken me awhile to save up. The cheapest martial arts place I found was about three hundred a month, and I''ve been researching places to train powers. The nearest one I can find is in the middle districts, and it''s five hundred a month. I''m not even sure if they could help me with my powers, anyway. I mean, it''s been in my family for quite a few generations, and we''ve all basically done the same thing."

    I know Lucas said that generally speaking, people learn additional abilities over time, but I''m guessing that if a family doesn''t know they have other abilities, and everyone always discovers the same power, they probably only focus on that one.

    "Actually!" Zane''s face lights up. "I was thinking while we were talking, Kieran, but you mentioned you were training both? At the same place or different?"

    "At the same," I answer. "It''s an, ah, exclusive membership perk."

    "Strange," he says. "That sounds like what I was told at-"

    "Lusvaris Training Center?" I ask.

    "Yep," he answers, then frowns. "Wait. They train powers there?"

    "I feel much less bad about taking a few years to learn that," I say. "When someone who is fifteen minutes away from it every day didn''t know."

    "Huh," he says. "How much does it cost? I can''t imagine a company would pay a high price for training for someone who they haven''t even employed. Wait, I can''t imagine a company paying a high price for someone to train themselves unless they''re in the upper districts."

    "The cost is your budget," I tell him. "All of it. But it is exclusive. I was thinking I could maybe talk to my trainer and see what he says, considering your circumstances."

    "How did you get the exclusive membership?"

    "The owner considers it an investment," I answer. "Give me the exclusive membership access so that I can sign up for martial arts lessons, and if I get the job, hope that I continue training there, thus sending more money their way each month. I think he''s also hoping that coworkers of mine, if I get the job, will check them out as well. That place cannot be cheap to upkeep with how good everything looks to be."

    I''m not going to mention that I''m getting the martial arts for free, because that might an additional expectation that I doubt will be met.

    "As for your power," I tell him. "You can do a consultation in advance there. It''s ten dollars for a two-hour session. Or if you get a membership, they''ll give it to you as part of the membership. You can work with a personal trainer once a month, and regularly if you advance your membership to the silver tier. Then, of course, advancing to gold, if they let you, gives you access to paying for the martial arts."

    "Okay," he says. "If you don''t mind waiting for me to change, want to walk there together? I want to check it out. I can''t believe I didn''t know they trained power users."

    "Sure," I pull my hoodie from around my waist and pull it on, then pull on my bag. "Meet you in the lobby?"

    "Yep," he answers as we walk to the elevator together. "I''ll go down with you just ''cause it''s an elevator, then I''ll be back in a few minutes."

    We get into the elevator and take it down, then I wait for him in the foyer. Hopefully, me doing this isn''t a problem. They might refuse him for the gold membership, but I get the feeling he won''t be too disappointed if they don''t. The fact that he was wanting to make sure he could get lessons for using his ability better ¨C despite having generations of knowledge regarding it passed on to him ¨C on top of the martial arts suggests to me that he wants the power lessons more.

    Does that mean he thinks there might be more to his ability than he''s been taught and is hoping a proper trainer can help him? If so, then he''s definitely going to find out that''s true.

    Zane eventually returns, and we begin the walk to the center. He''s dressed in grey sweatpants and a maroon hoodie, and looks pretty damn nice in it, too. Am I helpless?

    "Can I ask you something?" He asks as we walk.

    "Sure."

    "What''s your opinion of the Patron?"

    Here we go again. The first cute guy I crushed on hates the Patron. That''s the only flaw I''ve found in him over the last week and a half. Please, please, please, let Zane not hate the Patron, too.

    "I support him fully and understand that he has his reasons for being as distant as he is," I answer. "And only dealing with things that could actually disrupt society, such as riots, overthrows, anarchy, and other large-scale things. I also believe it''s unreasonable for someone to expect a god to do anything for us and think he should do more for us than he''s already doing. Isn''t living on the back of his pet enough already?"

    "Oh, thank goodness," he lets out a relieved breath, his breath fogging up when it meets the frigid air. "I forgot to check that before asking you out. The way you went off with that, I take it your trainer, ah, has a pretty serious flaw?"

    "Just the one I''ve found so far," I nod. "We''ve argued about it a couple of times already, mostly because of the Blond Boy Basher popping up on the news both of the times we ate dinner."

    "And you''re still crushing on him?"

    "Everything else about him is fine."

    "Well," he grins. "I can accept that."

 Chapter 0022

    "You do have," Tabitha tells me. "The one time a month where you can bring a friend along as long as he stays with you while here, Kieran. Part of the reason we have that rule in place is so that friends of our members can check out our facilities. While we don''t do assessments for the guests, there''s always the possibility that if you''re working with a personal trainer while the guest is here, they might see the guest''s training and abilities and mention something off-hand."

    In other words, they might give a small assessment statement for free. Most likely, it''s to encourage the guest to get their own membership or pay for an appraisal. If the member is undergoing the training and the guest has a similar ability, then they would even be able to see stuff that works for them without paying. Without a similar ability, the guest might still see how tailored the program is for the member and be more interested in seeing if they can get results, too.

    "So Zane can hang out with me while I''m in my session today?" I ask.

    "Yep," she answers. "Though Lucas is scheduled to work with you, Kieran, that doesn''t mean you can''t have a guest there as well, just as long as it''s understood that Lucas cannot give him advice or training."

    "Alternatively," I tell Zane. "You can pay for the assessment and have someone else do it for you."

    "Can I request Lucas for my assessment?" Zane asks Tabitha. "Kieran sung some pretty decent praises about him."

    "Unfortunately," she says. "Lucas gets off as soon as he finishes with Kieran''s training session each day ¨C he''s only scheduled until eight in the evenings. Kieran took up his last two hours of availability. If you''d like to schedule an assessment with him, it would to be earlier, though you''d need to schedule it ahead of time in order to ensure he''s able to come in earlier due to his current schedule here."

    Assessments are two hours, and Lucas is only available from two to four due to teaching martial arts and acting as my personal trainer, meaning he''d have only a small amount of time to get to his martial arts on time, and he likes having a few minutes extra before things. He admitted to me that personal training sessions usually only last an hour to an hour and a half, too, and not every day. However, that''s mostly because of the person they''re training rather than a rule or anything ¨C he prefers full sessions like with me.

    "We do, however, have a few other trainers who can assess you," Tabitha tells Zane. "If you''d like to work with them now instead. We do like to set people up with the best person possible to assess an ability and formulate a routine, so Lucas might not even be the best option for this."

    "Ah," Zane says. "I turn to stone."

    "¡­come again?" She asks, both her and Betty, the other receptionist, looking confused.

    "I turn to stone," Zane tells her. "It''s my family''s thing. My older brother, my dad, my grandmother, my great-grandfather, and so on, for, uh, we don''t know how long. We can still move about and stuff as if we aren''t stone, but we''re tough like stone in that form. It comes with enhanced strength and durability in normal form, too, but nowhere near as much as when we turn to stone. We also have decreased mobility, but that''s usually not a problem."

    "How does that translate into not being able to stay fully clothed?" I ask in confusion.

    "I turn rock-hard in more ways than one when I use that technique," he informs me "And being hard while wearing clothes and as big as a power user? Not fun."

    "Ah."

    "So," he says. "Think I can hang out as your guest this time, then? See what kind of training you do and how it works?"

    I''m pretty sure he just wants to see me naked, especially as I haven''t told him what my ability is yet.

    "Sure," I tell him. "As long as you promise to at least get an assessment after."

    "I can agree to that," he says.

    "Alright," I look at Tabitha. "Thanks, Tabitha."

    "No problem," she says. "I do need Zane to fill out some forms. Mostly waivers, so that he doesn''t try to hold us accountable if he gets hurts."

    "Sure," Zane fills out the forms to be allowed in as my guest this time. "There we go!"

    "Enjoy your training," Tabitha tells me.

    "Thanks," I respond. "Come on, Zane."

    I lead him down to the blocks room, finding that Lucas isn''t here yet. That doesn''t surprise me, though, considering how early I am today. With almost half an hour before he even finishes the martial arts lesson, and at least ten minutes from then until he arrives in here, I have a lot of time before my actual training begins.

    "Is your ability speed-related?" Zane asks as he looks around at the blocks. "Having to weave through these while go as fast as possible? Fast enough your clothes rip off?"

    "Uh, no," I answer. "I''m going to change and do some warm-ups. I don''t like to use my ability outside of the training yet, so I won''t demonstrate it for you, but you''ll get to see it when Lucas arrives."

    Part of that is so that I can psyche myself up to someone seeing me naked. Not just a trainer seeing it to help me and figure stuff out, but just some random person. Well, he''s not that random. But it''s still him seeing it for a reason other than training, and for that, I do need to psyche myself up a bit.

    I only remember as I go to pull off my underwear that he''s going to see it before then.

    "Nice ass," he comments.

    "Uh¡­ thanks."

    I finish pulling off my underwear and stick them in the bag, then pull out my shorts and pull them on, turning just enough that he can see that I''m soft. If he''s trying to trick me about looking for an actual relationship, this hopefully shows him that I''ve little interest in going further than that at the moment.

    While I have noticed an increase in my libido the last few days, it really isn''t that much of one.

    After slipping on the shorts, I begin working through some warm-up exercises. Zane strips down to his sweats, revealing a lean, toned body with nicely-defined abs. Okay, so he''s a little bit hot for sure. And there''s tenting in his sweats¡­

    Deciding not to focus on that, I perform exercises and stretches the full time until Lucas arrives. Zane stops after about ten minutes, but I push on. After the last week, I know I can handle this as long as I don''t push myself too much with the exercise portion.

    Before the martial arts session yesterday, Lucas taught me a workout plan using just my body. Just like with my ability, I don''t push myself to my limits, but to a portion of it, and do them in sets like that. Doing it this way lets me do even more. Four sets total.

    Not by much, but I''ve built up enough strength over the last week to make it at least partially doable. I can manage four pushups instead of three using this. Lucas said that we''re going to do it every martial arts lesson and increase my limit by four every week until I can do twenty, then by five every week after.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Though I think he''s a bit optimistic, I''m going to trust him. It''s even something I can do on my own if the job for the Patron doesn''t go through. I''m also going to do them before every session for training my powers, too.

    I just decided that, right now, as Lucas walks in here, holding a box of bright yellow tennis balls again. My guess is we''ll do this every week for the skill training.

    "Good evening, Kieran," Lucas greets me, his gaze traveling to Zane, who''s sitting on a bench. "And¡­ I don''t think I know you?"

    "I''m Zane," Zane introduces himself. "Here as Kieran''s guest today, so they told me I have to stay near him. He''s worked at my family''s company a couple of times, and when I mentioned that I was looking for a place to train my powers, said I could tag along. I figured I''d see how his sessions went before getting an assessment."

    "Ah," Lucas says as he sets the box of tennis balls on the barrier, then looks at me. "Are you ready to begin?"

    "Almost," I pull off my shorts and set them on the barrier. "Now I am."

    "Okay," he rolls his eyes. "You''re in a fun mood at the moment."

    Now that he mentions it, I don''t normally do things like that. I guess I am in a bit of a different mood than normal. A good, happy one, but still different. And that''s with having two hot gay guys in here, knowing that one of them is actively checking me out and the other will do so subtly¡­ I really need to sort my head out regarding this.

    "You never did tell me what your ability is," Zane says as I climb over the barrier. "I''m kind of curious what kind of ability you''d train in here, involving tennis balls, where you can''t wear clothes."

    "Middle again?" I ask.

    "Yeah," Lucas glances at Zane. "Going to tell him?"

    "It''s not that I can''t wear my clothes," I tell Zane. "Just that they fall off. Once I''m powerful enough, I''ll be able to work on keeping them on. As for what I can do? You''re about to find out."

    I walk to the center of the center, then immediately hear the popping of a ball smacking the tile floor. A moment later, I spot the ball and charge towards it. It''s fifteen feet away, so I wait until I''m nine to shadow-walk over.

    While I could try to show off for Zane and move as soon as I''m out, I''m not quite talented enough yet and still need that slight pause before taking off. After I miss the ball, I realize that I had thought about showing off for Zane.

    That''s a new thing to me. Is it because I''m crushing on him and have knowledge that he''s interested in me? I haven''t tried showing off for Lucas, though. That might be because Lucas knew what I could do before I realized he was into me, whereas I''ve known Zane for less time.

    Lucas continues with the session, and I continue attempting to grab the balls. Zane''s leaning against the barrier, watching intently as I train, but I start to forget he''s here as I try to catch the balls. Just like last Saturday, I stumble a fair bit, crashing into blocks and tripping into a couple. However, I manage to move faster than I did last Saturday, my fingers brushing the balls a little more often than last time.

    The agility training over the last week, the practice from last Saturday, and the practice with the trampolines on Wednesday really are helping me. I didn''t expect to see results this soon.

    Just like last Saturday, I try to finish off this week''s skill training by performing a shadow-walk while moving. As soon as I pop out and try to continue my step, I roll my ankle and tumble to the side, slamming into the block whose shadow I stepped out of. Through the pain, I attempt to scramble for the ball, only to fail.

    The ball smacks the mats, bounces up, and disappears in a small flash of light. Groaning, I use a nearby block to help myself stand, then pull myself over to one I can sit on and do so, rubbing my ankle. A moment later, Zane and Lucas appear in a flash of light, Lucas holding out my shorts.

    "Trying to show off?" Zane asks.

    "No," I answer. "I figured I better not try showing off when I lack the skill for it."

    "He did that for the last one last time, too," Lucas tells him as I take the shorts and pull them on. "It''s not something he can actually do, but he wants to try so that he can build up the skill."

    "Why put on the shorts now?" Zane crouches down as well. Is he hoping to see it a bit more? "It''s not like he didn''t see it up close already."

    I only put them on because Lucas handed them to me, so I look at him. Instead of answering, Lucas kneels and examines my ankle, poking at the it and causing me to hiss in pain. He grabs the walkie and presses a button.

    "Tiff, you there?" He asks.

    "Just got in," a woman''s voice answers.

    "Mind if I pick you up?" He asks. "I think my client sprained his ankle."

    "Sure," she answers. "I''m outside Flight Two."

    "Be right back," Lucas stands, disappearing in a flash of light.

    Zane opens his mouth to say something, only for Lucas to reappear a moment later with a woman who looks to be in her late twenties. She''s dressed in the uniform of the center, her dark brown hair fixed up in a ponytail.

    "Hello," she greets me, giving Zane only a glance before kneeling. "You must be Kieran Wolfe, huh?"

    "Yeah," I answer.

    "Give me just a moment to assess this," she grabs my ankle, and a pale yellow glow forms under her fingers. "It looks like a fracture, actually. You haven''t really built up strength in your bones and have been putting a bit too much stress on them. I''m going to guess you rolled it, based on the way it fractured."

    "You can sense injuries?" I ask.

    "Yep," she answers, and the pain starts to fade away. "And heal them, too. To a degree. Let me guess: your diet is the Lower District Special?"

    "Not much, not healthy, and sometimes missing?" I ask.

    "Yep," she tells me. "There we go. I can sense some signs of improvement, but slight. Did you recently change your diet? In the last week or so?"

    Her ability is good.

    "Yeah," I answer. "A potential employer paid for me to start training and gave me enough money to buy food to go with it. Lucas has given me some recipes to follow to help ensure the training doesn''t go to waste."

    Yet I continue to fail at them.

    "Ah!" I look at Lucas. "Is there any way we can get more for the slow cooker? I think I''m able to handle those better. Those and anything I don''t need to actually cook¡­"

    "What did you screw up this time?"

    "I tried doing that spicy chicken with rice that was near the end of the recipe book," I tell him. "One, I discovered I really don''t like things too spicy. Two, I burnt the underside and they were really rubbery."

    "Yeah, that''s called ''overcooking''," he says as Zane does his best not to laugh.

    "You''re doing a lot there, Tiffany," Lucas says.

    "I''m better at fixing clean breaks than fractures," she says. "I''m almost done."

    "Thanks," I say as she pulls her hands away. "So you work as a healer overnight? Wouldn''t it be busier during the day?"

    "My brother handles the day shift," she tells me. "Mostly, we handle the big things with our powers. Breaks, fractures, more severe things. For everything else, we generally just use medical supplies."

    "I''m sure you''d get paid more elsewhere," Zane says. "At a facility in the upper districts over here. Sorry if it''s rude, I''m just curious about why you picked here. You said your brother does? Is it a family requirement or something?"

    "No," she answers. "Though we do all work here. You''re right that we can be paid more in a district that''s not one of the poorer ones. One place has offered to pay me triple to work there in addition to providing a living space."

    "So why here?" I ask. "Isn''t that a better deal? Or are the others a bit worse to actually work for?"

    "No, they''re decent," she tells me. "We''re all just friends with the Lusvarises, so we put up with the lower pay, poorer districts, and worse living conditions to be among friends."

    "How many are you?" Zane asks.

    "Three," she answers. "My mom''s normal, so it''s just me, my brother, and our dad. Like Lucas, we usually only work six-hour shifts, but we work every day. We also live in the apartment building right across the street, so if they need us for an emergency, they can just call us and one of us can usually get here pretty fast."

    "Nifty," Zane says.

    "Yeah," she stands. "Well, I''m going to get back to doing my rounds, Lucas. You have a good evening."

    "Thanks," he says. "See you, Tiff."

    Tiffany leaves, then Lucas looks at me as I stand and put weight on my ankle. There''s no pain, it''s as if it was never injured.

    "You did much better today," he tells me. "You may manage to catch a ball within a month. Want to go to dinner? Same as last Saturday?"

    He''s trying to tell me that he''ll pay again, but without trying to come off that way to Zane so that Zane doesn''t misunderstand. Except it''s probably not a misunderstanding, and Zane already knows since I told him earlier.

    "Actually," Zane says as I start to answer. "I have a bit of extra fun money. Mind if I come alone? I''ll pay for it all¡­ if you''re willing to stay a bit late and do an assessment for me? I like what I''ve seen."

    Lucas seems a bit divided, and I suspect it''s because he wants to spend time alone with me. However, we are just friends right now, and I''d be happy having two friends eating dinner with me. Especially since I''m a bit uncertain regarding both of them.

    How he reacts to the situation might help me get to know him a little better. Zane wanting to intrude on the dinner tells me he doesn''t want me to be alone with a love rival outside of a professional setting, too. Is that jealousy? Or something else?

    "I don''t mind waiting a bit," I tell Lucas. "If you''re okay with staying for his assessment and won''t get into trouble. Three''s company for dinner, right?"

    "Alright," Lucas looks at Zane. "What''s your power?"

 Chapter 0023

    "I become rock-hard!" Zane cheerfully answers.

    "Is that supposed to be a jibe at me?" Lucas growls. "Just because I''m-"

    "I mean literally," Zane grins. "I can turn to living stone, though it does cause me to become rock-hard in more ways than one. Not just from the usual issue power users deal with, but probably as some quirk of our power to prevent issues. I don''t know, we''ve never really figured it out. Even my great-grandpa, who lived to a hundred and ten, couldn''t figure it out. Something to do with how our blood is also living stone? That''s about all we know."

    Their blood is also living stone in that form? What on Earth does he mean by that?

    "Alright," Lucas sighs. "Let''s get you signed up for the assessment and I''ll let them know I''m staying a bit later. We don''t¡­ really have someone with an ability similar to that, and I''ve never seen one. I''ll need to call Grandpa and see what he says. You good waiting for us, Kieran?"

    "Yeah," I answer. "Just leave the balls in here and I''ll be fine."

    "Okay," he puts a hand on Zane and light-walks them away.

    When I stand up, they''re gone, but I''m assuming Zane dressed before they left. As I walk over to the barrier, I realize that Lucas might be right about what he told me, too. I can''t remember the last time I was horny, yet I''m definitely a little bit right now, even if I''m soft. Does using powers really have an effect like that? Could it be linked directly to our libido, too?

    At the barrier, grab the balls, then start tossing them a short distance before attempting to catch them. While I know that I won''t receive an extra benefit to training my power today, I do work on my skill with it every few minutes.

    Once I can shadow-walk five and a half feet, I toss the ball towards a shadow within the range, then shadow-walk into the shadow and attempt to catch the ball. This is a form of skill training, too, though it''s one I came up with on my own. I''m sure Lucas would have suggested it to me eventually, but he seems to prefer training that involves more action.

    There are three things this works on.

    First, it helps me with more precise shadow-steps, as I''m attempting to appear in the right spot to catch the ball. In order to make better attempts at catching the ball, I have to aim myself for more than just the shadow, but for specific spots in the shadow.

    Second, it''s helping me move for the ball right after. Instead of lunging for the ball like I have to with Lucas''s training, I''m able to simply catch the ball ¨C or try to ¨C by reaching out without moving my body much. A smaller movement rather than a larger one.

    Third, it''s helping me with navigating the blocks, too. This part doesn''t come in when I make the shadow-steps every few minutes, but rather, between those times. I still don''t toss the balls very far, but it''s far enough that I do need to hustle.

    It only takes me a few minutes to work out how to toss the balls so that I still have time to catch them, even with a short distance. To do that, I need to toss them high, so that they''re coming down about when I should be arriving.

    Training without Lucas encouraging me on isn''t much fun, though, and I find myself bored rather fast. There really is a difference between training alone and training with a friend. I only manage half an hour before deciding to stop out of lack of motivation.

    This extra session has confirmed to me that there is a connection, like Lucas told me, because even though I focused solely on this training, I find myself hard again. Hard and actually wanting to take care of it.

    Sitting down, I try juggling three of the balls instead. My attempts at this are a bit more entertaining to me, though I only manage to do this for a short while before Lucas and Zane return.

    "Done already?" I ask.

    "I really can''t do much," Zane shrugs. "I turn to stone, and that''s about it. I''m stronger, tougher, and heavier in that form, but also a bit slower. Lucas says that he thinks we can work on the slower part."

    "According to what Grandpa said," Lucas says. "Your normal strength, speed, and flexibility will translate over into the altered. The former will enhance, and the latter two are lessened, so you have to train the normal in order to increase them for the altered."

    Zane''s less flexible as well?

    "So your grandpa knew of the ability?" I pull on my shorts and shirt.

    "Yeah," Lucas answers. "He said that the only ability he knew of where the body changed into an element was if the power user was something called an ''elemental''. They can turn into the element, manipulate it, sense it, and several other things. So like an advanced version of what we do."

    "I can''t do any of that," Zane says. "But I supposedly will be able to if I work on it. I signed up for the full package."

    "Grandpa agreed to let him into the gold membership," Lucas tells me. "Due to having the same circumstances as you."

    I''m pretty sure they''re not exactly the same circumstances as me, but it''s close enough.

    "I''ll be coming in at the same time as you," Zane tells me. "Though I''ll be doing martial arts in his grandpa''s class while you''re in the lessons with Lucas."

    "Since he already has training," Lucas says. "It''s better for him to train with people who have some as well. I''ve set him up with Thomas for his ability training for now. I don''t have the patience to deal with him."

    Lucas''s tone and Zane''s grin tells me that Zane probably pushed at Lucas''s patience during the assessment and possible tour. There''s a good chance a fair bit of it came while Zane was using his power.

    I really want to ask Zane if I can see him use his ability, but I''m worried that will come across the wrong way. While I am curious about ''that'', I mostly just want to see the ability itself. What kind of stone does he turn into? Can he really move around with only some decrease to his speed and flexibility? What happens to his hair when he turns to stone? Can he transform only part of himself?This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Well, I''m assuming not the last one based on what he said. But the rest of those aren''t things I can simply assume. Maybe once we know each other better, if we''re still hanging out, I''ll ask him about it.

    "Alright," I say. "I''m going to go take a shower, then I''ll meet you two up at the desk."

    "See you," they say.

    I head to the showers and scrub off the sweat, then make sure to thoroughly dry myself and to dry my hair as best as possible before getting dressed. Zane hasn''t acted like that with me, but it seems like he''s intent on antagonizing Lucas. Or is that just his real personality, and he''s suppressing it with me in an effort to win me over?

    Once dried and dressed, I make my way up to the front, where Tabitha and Betty both look like they''re doing their best to pretend Lucas and Zane aren''t there, and the guys themselves appear to be a little more relaxed, chatting about their experiences when they were in high school. Even though they grew up so close to each other, they were in different districts.

    "Ready?" Lucas asks as I approach.

    "Yeah," I answer. "Same place?"

    "Yeah," he answers. "I prefer them after training."

    "Okay," I say. "Let''s get going. I''m starving and we''re already heading there past nine. The later we''re out, the riskier it''ll get."

    The three of us leave the center and make our way down to the diner, and Zane and Lucas both sit first. Zane sits in the middle of the booth on one side of the table while Lucas scoots over close to the window. That''s kind of strange, I would have expected Zane to try to get me to sit beside him. And why did Lucas sit as if expecting me to sit beside him?

    I sit beside him as Sandy approaches us, since we''re the only customers right now.

    "Hey, boys," she says. "How are you tonight?"

    "Hungry," Lucas answers. "Can we get three power up specials?"

    "Sure thing, hun," she answers. "And to drink?"

    "Still able to make the citrus twisters?" He asks.

    "Sorry, hun," she says. "Out of lemons. I do have orange juice I squeezed up, though."

    "We''ll have those," he tells her. "They''re still selling fresh oranges? That''s odd, the supply sent to each lower district usually only happens for a week."

    Even with the domes letting us grow any type of crop all year-round, there''s still only so much space. Sure, the domes have three to five levels of farms and fields and orchards and vineyards, but they can still only produce so much.

    There are twelve million people here that they try to feed with what''s grown or raised there and the fish that''s caught around us and the supply really isn''t that great for premium item like fresh fruits.

    In the Old Society, that wasn''t an issue. They could cover much more land, grow in multiple areas, and import from all over. We''re stuck with trying to produce all of our food on multi-level farming domes at the center of our city.

    So it''s better that they rotate which of the lower districts are receiving what on premium items. This way, they all get a chance at buying them.

    "I don''t know," Sandy tells Lucas. "Just that we''re still able to put in orders and they''re still delivering even after a week and a half. Maybe they have a little extra supply and can''t get the rich folks to buy them? Who knows? I''ll go get your drinks, boys."

    Sandy heads back, and just after she disappears through the doorway, everything lurches, sending me slamming into Lucas and pinning him against the wall.

    "That is the third time I''ve been thrown into you," I say as I scoot back over.

    "Wait, the third time?" Zane asks.

    "Yeah, why?" I ask.

    "I dunno," he says. "It''s just that these lurches started after you met him, right?"

    "Yeah?" I say. "Why?"

    "It''s happened what, three times?" He asks. "And all three of them, you were thrown into Lucas? It''s kind of funny that Sivalshi is coincidentally doing it at just the right time for that. So were you naked either of the other times?"

    I feel my face heat up a little, and he grins in response.

    "Lucky boy," he tells Lucas. "It''s as if fate is working for that."

    "Yeah," Lucas mumbles, fiddling with the roll of silverware in front of him.

    Okay, I am officially confused. It seems like Zane has shifted to being okay with Lucas''s crush on me? Before I can ask them what''s going on, Sandy returns with our drinks, and by the time she walks away, I decide to observe a little more.

    "So, Kieran," Zane says. "What kind of stuff do you like to do in your free time? When you aren''t working or training, I mean."

    "Keeping warm," I answer.

    "Anything else?"

    "Living by myself," I say. "Without a roommate, I can''t afford hobbies. Most of what I do involves walking around the area I live in or just wrapping myself in my blankets at home."

    "What about hanging out with friends?"

    "I don''t have any," I tell him. "You two are the first people I''ve hung out with since my parents died."

    He looks as shocked and sad over this as Lucas was upon finding out about this.

    "Well," he says. "I know we talked about it earlier, Kieran, but if you''ll allow me, then I''d be happy to be your friend."

    I thought it was my boyfriend, and with how confidently you asked me out earlier, Zane, I''m a bit surprised you didn''t mention that. You didn''t seem to have any issues with comments that might annoy Lucas before.

    What in the world is going on?

    "Just remember that I don''t have ''fun'' funds right now," I tell him. "So if we''re hanging out, it needs to be without that. I know of a few things, but haven''t done them since I was little."

    "No worries," he says. "I know all about playing games. As long as you can get the stuff, you''re good. And we can get a deck of cards for three dollars, but even without those, we can still just hang out and relax."

    "Yeah," I say. "What kind of things do you do in your free time?"

    "I play the guitar," he tells me. "Or if my fingers are too cold for that, I''ll play cards by myself, read at the library, or find some people on the street to kick a ball around with. What about you, Lucas?"

    "I either play with my brother, sleep, or hang out with my friends," Lucas states. "If I have time to myself and I''m not training, then I usually play a game on my phone."

    Lucas and Zane start chatting about the various phone games they play, and I start to feel a little left out. I didn''t even know that there were games to play on phones, and here are the two guys interested in me having something like that in common.

    It''s just another reminder that even if we''re all in the lower districts, some of us are better off than others, especially those living closer to the middle districts.

    A few minutes of them talking passes before I feel Lucas touching my arm under the table. Just a little, as if to let me know he hasn''t forgotten about me. That makes me feel a little bit better about this.

    When our food comes, the discussion ends as we all dig in, starving. As soon as it''s time to pay, though, Lucas and Zane start arguing over who pays. Zane said he''d cover all of us, but Lucas doesn''t want him to have to pay that much because Zane had mentioned he didn''t have too much fun money left.

    In the end, Sandy splits the bill in half without consulting them, setting the two tickets down. Zane pays for his meal and half of mine, and Lucas pays for his meal and half of mine.

    Deciding to stop arguing about who pays, the two of them hand her their payments, and once they have their receipts, we leave the diner.

    "Thanks for introducing me," Zane tells me. "I look forward to training a bit. I''ll see you around, then."

    He steps forward and speaks quietly into my ear.

    "I''ll pass for now, but I''d still like to be your friend."

    As I try to figure out what he means by that, Zane wishes us a goodnight, then sets off.

    "Well," I look at Lucas. "I should get going. It''s pretty late and I don''t feel comfortable being out this late. Even if it used to be safer until after midnight¡­ with us going towards somewhere colder, you never know what other changes are happening."

    "Yeah," he says. "I know you refused the other day, Kieran, but mind if I walk you home? I''d feel much better if you didn''t go home unprotected. One person alone is more likely to get jumped than two. I want to talk with you about something, too."

    He wants to talk with me about something? What? I guess I can accept his offer. It''s probably the smart choice, anyway. Besides, I''d be happy to have him keeping me company on the walk.

    "Sure," I tell him. "Let''s get going."

 Chapter 0024

    Lucas hasn''t said a word as we walked, just stuck beside me as he silently watched our surroundings. We''re literally outside of my apartment at the moment and he still hasn''t spoken since we left the diner. I don''t mind the company and added protection, but it''s confusing me why he said he wanted to talk, then didn''t. Right now, he seems like he wants to say something but isn''t sure.

    "Want to come in for a minute?" I ask, and he jumps a little, as if he''d gotten lost in thought and my words reminded him he wasn''t alone. "Or was saying you wanted to talk just something to make me be more willing to go with the escort¡­"

    "Oh, uh, yeah," his face reddens a little. "Let''s¡­ let''s talk inside."

    I unlock my apartment and let him in, then slip the door closed and pull off my sneakers and drop the bag down, before pushing back my hood and moving to the couch, plopping onto it.

    Lucas is quiet for a few moments, sticking by the door. Sighing, I pat the couch next to me. He hesitates for a moment before walking over and sitting down, a little close but not enough that we''d be touching.

    "What did you want to talk about?"

    "Did I misread you?" He asks.

    So he realized it? Did Zane say something? If so, that makes Tabitha''s and Betty''s reactions to them at the desk make more sense. The conversation they had was probably best left for somewhere private.

    "Are you asking if I''m into guys?" I ask.

    "Yeah."

    "Yeah," I answer. "I appreciate the twink more than anything. Actually, that''s the only type of guy I find attractive. Everyone else is just normal or bleh."

    "Oh," he quiet for a few moments. "Am I really that obvious?"

    "What tipped me off," I tell him. "Was you picking the scariest movie right after I commented saying I''d watch a horror one with you if you were okay with me using you to avoid seeing it, Lucas. And then you wrapping your arm around me and holding me with your hand on my shoulder¡­"

    "Oh," his face flushes a little. "I, uh, didn''t realize I did that. The hand thing."

    "Yeah, but you did it."

    "I guess that''d make it a bit more obvious," he takes a deep breath, then lets it out. "Zane told me you were conflicted. And why. Before you get angry at him, do you know how long you''d be ''waiting to see if it faded''?"

    I''m not too angry at Zane. He comes from a different upbringing than me, and just the little bit of interaction I''ve had with him has told me he''s more of an immediate-moment guy. There''s a bit of upset that he went and told Lucas, but I can understand that he''s bothered by my delay and wanted to kick things into motion. But for Lucas?

    "I don''t know," I answer. "Maybe a few weeks? I don''t really know how long to wait to see that sort of thing, though¡­"

    "So you might have kept pushing it back?" He asks.

    "Um¡­ probably a few times."

    "You can never really know," he sighs. "My ex and I dated for a little more than a year. We''d known each other¡­ about four years when we started dating, I think? I''d crushed on him from the start, and his crush developed over time. My feelings for him never wavered. After we''d been dating for about a year, he dumped me. Right after sex. Said he didn''t feel the spark anymore and so was moving on. My feelings for him hadn''t decreased at all."

    The hurt in his eyes and tone tells me that he still hasn''t fully gotten past his ex and that what happened still pains him.

    "Wait, he did that after sex?"

    "Yeah," he mutters. "I told you it didn''t end well. That''s part of why. Apparently, he was just using me after awhile to get some because we were both power users, so, well¡­ y''know. Sort of."

    "Oh."

    His ex is an asshole who deserves to be dropped off a building. What kind of decent person does that? Even if I''m ignorant when it comes to romance, I know that doing that is inappropriate and bad form.

    "So you never know," Lucas tells me. "How long or how short the flames will last. All you can really do, I guess, is give it a try and see where it goes. I mean, the crush is still there despite us having pretty strong differences of opinion on something important and two different arguments that started turning heated regarding it. In eleven days. Sure, it could be a flash flame that''s pushing through that, but it could also mean there''s something there."

    Lucas goes quiet there, giving me a few minutes to think.

    "So you''re saying," I say. "That I should throw caution to the wind and give it a try?"

    "Sometimes, a crush stays only until the relationship starts," he tells me. "Then you start dating and realize you''re better off as friends. Sometimes, you get into a relationship just to get into one either to be with someone or for their sake, and a flame develops."

    It sounds like he''s speaking from experience there.

    "You''ve done that?"

    "A few times," he nods. "First one was when I was fifteen, and we were both just not wanting to be single. Ended up deeply in love within the first few months, and mostly involved us snuggling or training together. Lots of kissing, nothing else."

    His tone suggests it ended badly, but not for the same reason as his latest ex.

    "What happened?"

    "He was mugged walking home one night, wounded pretty badly, and ended up dying on the street."

    "Oh."

    He''s quiet for a few moments, and it makes me wonder if there was more to it than that. Was the boyfriend a power user? Or a normal person? If he was a power user, then how much more powerful was the person who jumped him? Or how bad in a fight was his ability?If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    "The second one," he says. "Was when I was sixteen. He liked me, I just saw him as a friend. I don''t know, I think I just didn''t like being lonely, it wasn''t all that long after my first boyfriend died that I realized the guy had been crushing on me. He knew I wasn''t into him, so he was pretty surprised when I asked him out. I just wanted to hold someone and not feel alone. That one turned into a pretty heavy crush within a week. His feelings for me faded within a month, though. I could tell he was pulling away, but before we talked about it¡­"

    "He dumped you?"

    "He was killed walking home from work."

    His first two boyfriends were both murdered, and it looks like he still hasn''t fully gotten past that.

    "How-how many of your relationships ended like that?"

    "All except the last one," his voice is quiet. "There were seven of them."

    No wonder he has pretty strong feelings about the Patron''s lack of action. He must feel like the Patron is responsible for that for not doing more. To lose seven boyfriends over the course of only three or four years, it''s got to have left an impact. Then for his relationship that lasted to have ended the way it did¡­

    How can he still be interested in dating?

    "So, um," I decide to switch the topic a little. "When did you first do it?"

    "A little after I turned eighteen," he answers. "Was between boyfriends at the moment. One particularly horny day after training and work, one pretty good opportunity, and we were doing it."

    "Shortly after you turned eighteen?" I ask. "Sandy''s son?"

    "Nah, he was a few days later," Lucas tells me. "The first guy was, uh, a blur."

    "A blur?"

    "We had a bit more interest in doing it than looking at each other too much," he tells me. "Alcohol may have been involved."

    So Lucas is the type of guy to get pretty drunk, too? I''m kind of wondering what kind of drunk he becomes. If what he said is any indication, then it''s a pretty interesting one. That one time doesn''t speak for all, though.

    "Oh."

    We''re quiet for a few minutes as I try to figure out how to continue the conversation. This started off about him crushing on me and me crushing on him, then turned to his exes all being killed except the last one.

    "So in regards to your concerns," Lucas breaks the silence. "Let''s, uh. Yeah. With the concern about entering into a relationship with the expectation that you might die, Kieran? That''s kind of how things go. I''d rather date with that risk than give up something just because I might die. Though I do always check to make sure they''re okay with it, since I am a bodyguard, and so do run the higher risk of dying.

    "Regarding how, um, how long you''ve known someone," he says. "Well that''s up to you. If you want to keep waiting to see if it fades, or if you want to throw yourself into a relationship and see how things go. Some people want to know each other for months, others won''t hesitate to start the same day they meet. We''ve interacted enough over the last week and a half that I know I want to give being with you a try. I''d only not said anything because I''d thought you were straight. But I know you might want to wait a month or two, and that''s fine for you."

    There''s the confession. He''s now officially stated that he''s into me. I''m about to say something when he continues on.

    "With me being a trainer," he says. "As long as we keep it professional at the center, they don''t care. Relationships there aren''t uncommon, actually. Tabitha met her husband because he was a client there. Most of the staff met their significant others through the center.

    "Finally," he says. "With the whole paying thing¡­ I mean, I always offered to pay for the things I asked, Kieran. That''s my choice and my money. I''ll never let someone take advantage of me, and from what I can tell, you''re the kind of guy who wouldn''t.

    "I guess what I''m saying, Kieran," he meets my gaze, his blue eyes bright and hopeful. "Is that if you''re willing to start dating someone you''ve only known for a week and a half¡­ I''d be interested."

    While I''ve interacted with him and done more with him than I have with Zane, I''m still torn between the two of them. There are still feelings for Zane, and¡­ he said he''d pass for now. Was Zane referring to this?

    "Wait," I say. "You and Zane talked about this, didn''t you? You mentioned he mentioned my conflicts to you. And he told me he was going to pass for now, but still wanted to be friends."

    "Y-yeah," he says. "Zane said he thinks your feelings for me are a little stronger than the ones you have for him. But also that as long as he has feelings for you, then if I do anything to lose you¡­ he''d be there for you."

    In other words, Zane wants to be my second choice? A sort of backup plan in case things go wrong with Lucas? I''m a bit confused by that, but¡­ okay.

    "You don''t," Lucas hesitates for a moment, then lets out an aggravated breath. "Jeez, I''m so much more confident with this with other guys, sorry for fumbling so much, Kieran. I''m not asking you to make a choice right now. But I would like to go out with you, despite knowing you as little as I have. I''m not expecting sex or anything, so don''t feel pressured to do that even when your libido hits the norm for a power user. I just really want to be with you, hug you, hold you, snuggle you, take you out on dates, and just do things with you."

    "But not kiss me?"

    "I definitely want to kiss you," he smiles. "You have no idea how much I want to right now, Kieran. Jeez, just being in here, I want to sit closer to you."

    So all I have to do is tell him that I want to date him, and it becomes official? Do I really want to do that right now? Especially with the one big flaw he has¡­

    "Lucas," I begin.

    "Uh," he frowns. "Judging by that tone, I might not like what you''re about to say, am I?"

    "You and I do see pretty differently," I tell him. "On something that''s pretty important to me. If it weren''t for that, I''d probably be okay with it right now."

    "The Patron," he sighs.

    "We''ve already had two arguments that heated up over him," I say. "You even mentioned that a little bit ago. This is¡­ it''s a rather big thing, Lucas. You feel like the Patron needs to help us more than he is. I feel like he''s already doing so much for us that to expect him to handle the small-scale stuff on top of the large-scale stuff is stupid."

    "He''s only half-assing his protection, though," Lucas protests. "If he''s going to perform protection, why only go part way? He''s a freaking god, Kieran. Why doesn''t he increase the number of guardians and have them do patrols, too? It''s obvious he can see everything going on in Sivalshi City, why doesn''t he send them after people like the Blond Boys Basher?"

    "Is it really that obvious?" I ask. "Everyone assumes that he can, Lucas. But what if his sight is limited? Every Patron acts differently, which lends credence to this theory. None of them have the absolute protection and enforcement that you suggest. If they really were all-seeing when it came to the backs of their pets, if they really did have that sort of power, then why doesn''t a single one act that way? And even if they could handle everything, Lucas? Why should a god care about mortals at all? He wants us to handles ourselves, and this is exactly what I was talking about."

    "Sure, he wants us to handle ourselves," he says. "That''s why there''s so much crime running rampant, why so many people go hungry, why so many people live in poverty and there''s so little power. It''s so obvious that we can''t. It''s like he''s toying with us, Kieran. Is it really that much effort to create the magic spellsuits that he can''t employ more guardians to help deal with crime?"

    More than a little pissed at this point, I reach out and reach under his hoodie, feeling for the chain of his necklace and pulling it out, holding up the shield token on it.

    "Yeah, why doesn''t he?" I ask. "Last I heard, this is one of his magic spellsuits. How many Sivalshi Guardians have left these for their descendants? How many of those descendants are like you, Lucas? Keeping the tokens that he graced your family with but not using them to keep the legacy going? Ever think that maybe the Patron wants to hire more, but only finds people like you instead? If he wanted, I''m betting he could take these tokens back. Instead, he lets them be kept, even after the service is done, even after the original owner dies. How many of these tokens are out there, being used for little things rather than big things? You decided to work as a personal bodyguard for someone once or twice a week. Do you ever think to protect everyone? All you seem to do is expect the Patron to do that for you. You have the power to, don''t you? Why aren''t you a vigilante, you ungrateful brat?"

    Without thinking, I jerk my arm towards me, snapping the chain and pulling the necklace away from him.

 Chapter 0025

    Lucas just stares as the two ends of the necklace snaps toward me, hitting my hoodie before hanging down from my hand. I briefly notice that it seems like the clasp came undone and that it didn''t actually snap, but that''s not important. What''s important is Lucas''s attitude and what I just said.

    He seems about as stunned as I feel at my outburst, and the two of us just stare at each other in shocked silence. For several moments, I just try to calm myself down, but the more I do, the more I hate myself. I know that once we calm down and get past this argument, I''m going to find myself drawn to him again. Even now, he''s still irresistibly attractive.

    "A relationship between us won''t work out unless you resolve this stupidity of yours," I finally tell him, my voice a little bit calmer than a few moments ago. "No matter how attracted to each other we are, it can''t work out if every mention of the Patron sends us into an argument. It can''t work out if you''re going to hold onto this gift from the Patron that would make it so easy for you to do the things you''re complaining about him not doing, yet not use it for that very same thing."

    Casting his gaze down in shame, Lucas doesn''t say a word. He knows I''m right. At the moment, Zane really would be the better choice for me, but he''d given up the chance to let me get with someone he knew I had a disagreement on something major with. While I could try to say that Zane was just trying to get me to come running to him, I think he wanted me to try to work this out with Lucas because he''s right, my feelings for Lucas are stronger than my feelings for him.

    "This is part of why I wanted to wait," I say. "To see if there are things that would make it not work out, in addition to the possibility of the crush just being because you were nice, hot, and helpful, Lucas.

    "The Patron," I''m on a roll now and I don''t think there''s any stopping me, and I think Lucas knows this. "Wouldn''t let people keep these tokens after their service ended, wouldn''t let them be passed on to descendants, if he didn''t do it in the hopes that work would continue without his instructions, Lucas. I''m pretty sure that he wants these tokens to be used for helping people still, for doing the very thing you''re expecting him to send people to do.

    "And before you try to say that he could just tell people where the people needing dealt with are," I continue. "Ever consider that his ability to communicate might be limited? Yeah, it could be that he doesn''t want to walk us through everything, but he may not be able to talk as much as you''re expecting him to.

    "Nobody even knows who or what the Patron is, Lucas," I point out. "We don''t even know if he is a god! He could be some sort of magical construct for all we know! You''ve talked about the myths from the Old Society before ¨C weren''t some of their gods more powerful based on how many people worshiped them?

    "You talk about how you''re worried about your brother''s safety because of the Blond Boy Basher," I shake the token for emphasis. "Yet you sit on your ass and do nothing to find the killer yourself while expecting a mysterious and unknown being to handle the situation.

    "You lost seven boyfriends to murders?" I laugh. "And you''re using that as an excuse for hating the Patron? Don''t deny it, either, because I know you are. Guess what, you spoiled brat! I lost my parents to a targeted attack in a bank robbery. I lost my brothers to the plague. I lost every damn friend I ever had to a collapsing building. All before you had your first damn date. All at a younger age than you. Yet I have never, not once, put the blame on the Patron because it''s not his duty to deal with mankind''s issues, you hypocrite."

    Finished for the moment, I just stare at Lucas, breathing heavily in my anger and from the tirade I just finished. For his part, he at least looks ashamed of himself now, unable to meet my gaze. Several long moments pass before he speaks.

    "You¡­ had brothers?"

    Lucas hasn''t looked back up, instead continuing to avoid my gaze. There''s not just shame in his eyes, but guilt.

    I feel bad for making him feel so guilty at angering me.

    I hate myself for feeling bad for that.

    He''s probably not wanting to change topics, but at the same time, doesn''t know what to say in response to my rant. Picking at an unknown factor that''s unrelated might be a way of giving himself time to think over what I said.

    "Twins, six years older than me," I confirm. "Died when I was nine. I''m surprised you didn''t find that out when you looked me up."

    "I didn''t look that far," he mutters. "They died in the plague?"

    There''s a plague that runs around all the time. It''s worse in the lower districts than the upper because we can''t afford the medicines needed to treat it. It''s probably the number one cause of death in the city regardless of where someone lives, though.

    With everyone so packed together, it can be difficult to avoid those who have it. If someone catches it and doesn''t realize right away, it can spread pretty fast, too. A lot of people have a cough or runny nose because of the weather and air quality, allowing some symptoms to hide. It wasn''t uncommon to hear about an entire school needing to shut down because half the staff and students had the plague and they wanted to stem its spread as best they could.

    That''s why it wasn''t really a surprise when my brothers and I caught it when I was nine. I don''t actually know what happened to my brothers, but my parents told me they''d died from it. That whole time was a weird one for me, and I don''t remember much of what happened while I was sick.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Since I survived it, I''m unlikely to catch it again unless it mutates too much again.

    I let my arm drop into my lap as I look at the necklace gripped tightly in my first. My arm is sore from holding my hand up like that for so long, but that doesn''t really matter.

    "Yeah."

    "I-I''m sorry, Kieran," Lucas says.

    We fall silent again, and I''m not sure I want a peek at what he''s thinking. There''s the obvious discomfort on his face after hearing what I''ve lost. His family is still alive. Most of his friends are still alive. He blames the Patron for his losses, yet I don''t blame them when I''ve lost more.

    Death should be expected here, especially in the lower districts, and we''re considered to be living in a safer place than on the continents. They don''t even have Patrons on the continents, they''re only for the cities on the backs of the great beasts. Lucas is one of the types of people I hate, with his attitude towards the Patron.

    Everything else I know about him isn''t, though, which makes me really conflicted about him. The rest of his personality, how kind he is, how willing he is to help out¡­ all of it wars against that one major aspect of him in my head.

    "If you really want to get into a relationship with me," I fix my gaze on him. "Despite this massive disagreement between us, then you really need to rethink your stance on the Patron because I will not change my mind regarding him. It''s not his job to protect us."

    He only lowers his head further.

    "Look," I reach over and press my hand against his, and he opens his so that I can put the token into it. I pull my hand back. "It''s late and I want to get to sleep. Either leave right now or stay and keep me from feeling so alone. The choice is yours, but know that if you choose the latter and don''t intend on doing something about things yourself, then I''ll talk with Zane and see if it''s okay if I try training my ability in one of the conference rooms after my shifts there."

    The only reason I''m even considering letting him stay with me tonight is because I know that as soon as I calm down, I''m going to still want to be with him. I also know that bringing up my family and the friends that I''ve lost is going to make me feel extremely alone once he leaves and I calm down.

    Rising from the couch, I empty out my pockets onto my dresser, then walk to my mattress and lie on it, pulling the blankets over me. For several moments, Lucas doesn''t move from his position on the couch.

    Eventually, though, he rises from the couch, and I can hear the soft sounds of his shoes against the carpet on his way to the door. When he reaches it, though, he doesn''t leave. The light switches off, then I hear a slight rustling as he pulls off his sneakers before approaching me on my mattress.

    Looking over, I make out the outline of his form in the darkness, him beginning to bend down¡­

    Only for everything lurch again, and Lucas is thrown onto me as I slide up slightly on the bed, only my pillows keeping me from slamming into the wall. Lucas quickly pulls off of me as I groan from having someone forty pounds heavier land on me. Especially when that weight is compacted down into lean muscle.

    The smaller the package the weight is contained within, the worse any impacts with it are. The heavier it feels when lifting or moving, too. Both of those are things I''ve learned from my various jobs over the last four years. Not that it really matters right now, other than ow.

    Sivalshi has the oddest yet most consistent timing for his sudden lurches.

    "Are you okay?" Lucas asks, crouching beside me. "I didn''t mean to fall on you."

    "Sivalshi just likes throwing us together," I mutter, and he chuckles. "Though considering it was you getting thrown onto me this time, unlike the last three times¡­"

    I trail off, not sure if I should say it.

    "Unlike the last three times?" He asks.

    "You were going to lie down the same way as last time, right?" I ask. "Back to me, spaced apart?"

    "Yeah," he answers.

    "Not¡­ not tonight," I tell him. "I don''t want to feel alone. This lurch, the timing¡­ I know it means nothing and Sivalshi was dealing with something, but maybe it''s the universe at work."

    "What are you saying?"

    "Please hold me," I turn back onto my side, facing the wall. "Really make me feel like someone''s here, Lucas. Please? I''m probably pathetic for asking this, but please?"

    Lucas pulls the blankets back, then lies down and pulls them over us as he scoots against me, draping an arm across me as I feel the pillows shift from his other sliding under them. His breath is warm against my neck, and I feel my heart pounding in my chest. This is both uncomfortable and comfortable.

    Feeling myself starting to drift off, all I can think is that as stupid as his belief in the Patron is, he''s a good snuggler. He''s so cozy, even if we''re both fully-dressed and wearing hoodies to keep warm. I snuggle up a little more, then let myself relax.

    As exhausted as I am, though, I can''t fall asleep. My anger at Lucas has subsided, and that''s let the rest of my feelings for him back in. That gives me a lot to think about, too. I don''t mind cuddling with him, having him against me as I sleep, even with his mindset regarding the Patron. He''s strong, confident, knowledgeable, kind, and sexy.

    At the same time, though, he finds it easier to blame a big, faceless entity for what''s wrong with things. He lost some people dear to him and decided to put the blame on something other than the cause, on something that might possess the ability to have stopped it. Lucas finds it easy to believe people have a responsibility to use their abilities to help others.

    Even while ignoring that he could, too.

    These thoughts swirl through my head as I try to fall asleep, and just as I start to manage it, I feel Lucas pulling away from me. I was nearly sweating under these blankets with him here, and as soon as he''s gone, I''m cold again.

    Did he think I fell asleep? Did he think that he should only stay for as long as I was awake, just to sate me? Or what?

    Lucas makes his way over to the door, then I hear him slipping on his shoes before quietly opening the door and leaving, softly shutting the door behind him. Just like that, I''m in here alone again, and I curl up under my blankets, trying not to let out the tears that so desperately want to come out. He made me think that he''d try to look at things from my view, and then he just leaves once he thinks I''m asleep.

    What does he expect my reaction to be, once I ''wake up'' and find myself alone? I''m already feeling so alone, missing my parents and my brothers. And now missing the first guy I had a crush on.

    I wish I had Zane''s number. If I told him that things aren''t going to work out between Lucas and me, he''d probably be here as soon as he could. Or he''d let me come over and snuggle him there. I bet his place is warmer. Lucas probably light-walked himself home, to his warm, cozy apartment as soon as he was out in the hall.

    At least he was considerate enough to try not to wake me.

    With a new reason for me to be upset, it takes me even longer to fall asleep.

 Chapter 0026

    Waking up alone, I confirm that Lucas really did just up and leave last night after he thought I''d fallen asleep. That wasn''t just a bad dream. More pissed than anything, I get out of bed and go to the bathroom to relieve my bladder, then once I wash my hands, go to the kitchen to start preparing breakfast.

    Sitting on the counter is something new. There''s a tin of pancake mix sitting on the counter, a letter resting against it. There are also a few more fruits in the bowl than there were last night, and three kitchen timers sitting beside the tin of pancake mix.

    I grab the letter and unfold it, reading the very neat handwriting.

    Kieran,

    Sorry for bailing on you last night. I got a little hard while snuggling you and went back to my apartment to take care of it without bothering you. I was planning on returning after so that you didn''t wake up and get the wrong idea, but you caused everything to get mixed up in my head, so I went for a run for awhile to try to clear my head.

    Then I took the binder of recipes and made some updates to it because you''re terrible at following the directions. Use the timers to help you with the added parts to the binder. Make the pancakes using the instructions in the book, not the back of the box.

    I''ll see you at training tonight.

    Lucas

    Lucas is one of the few guys I''ve met with neat handwriting, and I''m kind of impressed. Shaking that thought from my head, I read through the letter again. I didn''t notice his issue, though I was focused on other things so I may have just missed it.

    There are a couple of important things with all of this, though.

    First, I''ve confused him, and it''s made him think about things. That means there''s a chance he may switch perspectives regarding the Patron, though it may take awhile with how deeply-rooted his hatred is. He has to get past that hypocrisy, too.

    Second, his last line tells me that he may be working on that hypocrisy. How he plans on helping with things himself, I''m not sure. But unless he''s hoping to play me, then that line tells me that he does intend on doing things, too.

    Finally, he''s sorry about upsetting me last night. That much is made evident by the fact that he bought me stuff to eat and to help me cook, but didn''t make a big deal out of it. Also because he apparently took the binder.

    Grabbing the binder, I start looking through it, and it becomes evident fast what he added to it. In the tips and tricks and explanations section, he''s added in an explanation of what each heat instruction means in regards to where the dial should be, complete with a drawing of the knob. Most of the recipes also have clarifications on this for when it''s a range. Lucas also added in timer instructions on many of the recipes to tell me exactly how long to cook things for by using the timers.

    Finally, he added in a page to the breakfast section of the binder, this one including pancakes made from mix, sausage links, and eggs. There are also instructions for adding certain fruits to the pancakes and how to do that.

    I open up the cabinet with the mixing bowls and find that there''s a new cutting board inside of it.

    Pulling out the new one, I find that it has lines patterned onto it. Solid black lines every half-inch, dashed black lines halfway between those ones, and solid red lines between each set of solid and dashed black lines. Did he seriously give me a cutting board to make it easier to follow instructions regarding the size I should cut things into?

    Well, I probably do need one, but still.

    Deciding to use bananas in the pancakes, I keep the board out as I grab the bowl I need for them. I pull out all of the other dishes I need as well, then read through the recipe twice before getting to work. I''m not sure why I need to whisk the pancake mix after measuring it and putting it into the bowl, but before adding the milk, so I make a mental note to ask Lucas tonight.

    The pancakes actually come out pretty decent this time, though I still overcook the eggs a little somehow.

    I''m in the middle of eating when my phone rings, and since it''s Melody, I answer it.

    "Good morning," I greet her.

    "Good morning, Lucas," she responds. "How are you this morning?"

    "I''m okay."

    "Were you awake when Sivalshi shifted again?"

    "Yeah," I answer. "I was in bed at the time, but awake."

    "I was brushing my teeth," she tells me. "Fell into my sink, and my stomach''s still sore from that."

    "Ouch."

    "Yeah," she says. "I have an ice pack against it right now to help. I also have a job assignment for you, if you want it. Twelve an hour, from eight until two helping out the Lenny''s Burgers and Fries on Third Green Street. My system says it''s an eighteen-minute walk from your apartment."

    I check the time. I have about twenty-five minutes to get there.

    "I''ll take it," I tell her. "This is a little close, though, and I might run a few minutes late."

    "They only just sent it through," she informs me. "I let them know that there are only even two people who would be able to get there in time, and that''s if they left immediately. He said it''s fine as long as they have someone."

    "Alright," I respond. "I''ll finish up breakfast, then I''ll change and head on my way."

    "I''ll let them know," she tells me. "Good luck, Mr. Wolfe, and enjoy your day."

    She ends the call, then I hurry up and finish breakfast, then change into a fresh set of clothes before setting off with fourteen minutes to arrive. It''s only eighteen minutes if I walk normally, but I can put on a good pace and so I do, managing to arrive a full minute before I''m supposed to start.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    Even at only eight in the morning, there are already customers here, a few tables taken by various people eating their breakfasts. They''re lower district people, but ones better off than me. Able to spend a little money like this now and then.

    There''s a bored-looking guy of about eighteen or nineteen standing behind the register, a little on the skinny side though not as much as me, with brown hair and blue eyes. He''s dressed in an old, faded black button-up, probably to show some sort of professionalism, and a hat.

    He''s kind of cute¡­

    "Hello," he greets me in a bored tone as I approach. "Are you ready to place your order?"

    "My name''s Kieran Wolfe," I begin to introduce myself, and his face lights up.

    "So you''re the one they sent!" He says. "Awesome. I''m Danny. Have you worked a kitchen before?"

    "Yeah," I answer. "Sort of. I''m usually stuck on the registers, I''m pretty bad in a kitchen."

    "Great," he says. "So there''s an apron back there, put it on, yeah? You can leave the hoodie in the back, it''s just us until you get off and you''ll get hot in the kitchen. I''ll show you the basics, but I''m not allowed to let temp workers work the registers. Had issues with them stealing in the past and we''re done with that."

    "Erm-"

    "No worries, it''s easy," he tells me. "Go get ready."

    I walk through the kitchen and enter the break room, where there are several aprons hanging on a hook. I pull off my hoodie and hang it on one of them, then pull on one of the aprons and fix it on before returning to the front.

    "Okay," the guy greets me in the kitchen, then immediately launches into showing me what to do as he tells me what''s needed. "We''ve got an order for hash brown patties and our sausage biscuit sandwich. This one''s easy. First, you pull out this tray, grab the biscuit, set it down, slice it like this, and then grab a sausage patty from this one and put it on the bottom half before putting the top back on. Grab a liner, put it in the serving boat, put the biscuit in. Then you grab the two patties from the order and put them in the basket. Use the tongs like this. Check the order on the screen there, make sure it matches, and put it on the tray and give it to the customer like this. Done."

    The customer thanks him for the order, then takes her seat at one of the tables, and I look at Danny. He went a bit too fast for me and there are several things I still need to know.

    "That doesn''t tell me what to do when the cooked stuff runs out."

    "That''s easy, too," he says. "I''ll show you when we need more."

    "Okay."

    This probably isn''t the best of ideas. I really have always been put on the registers, and for good reason. However, I accept it for now and let Danny show me the ropes. Making the food turns out to be easier than I thought. With the patties, there''s a timer for how long to put them on, then I flip them over in order and set the second timer, then remove and put them in the plastic tray. The biscuits are heated in an oven on a timer, but come mostly-ready. For the hash browns, I just need to line them up on the frying rack for them, then lower it into the fryer on a timer, pulling them out after it goes off.

    Why can''t making my own food be this simple?

    Within half an hour, I''m running the kitchen and preparing meals constantly, a steady stream of customers coming and going until around ten, when Danny and I finally have a few minutes without needing to work. He''s been handling ringing up the customers, collecting and cleaning the dirty dishes from the kitchen and the dining area, and wiping down the tables.

    Just as he told me, I''m pretty warm with the heat of the stove, oven, and fryer around me, so I guess it''s a good thing I listened and took off my hoodie. Without doing that, I''d probably be sweating up a storm, and that wouldn''t be comfortable at all.

    "It''s almost time to switch over to the lunch stuff," he tells me. "It''s just as easy, though, so I''ll show you."

    "Okay," I say. "Do you guys normally have to go through a temp agency for help?"

    "Just sometimes," he tells me. "Maybe once every few weeks. There were supposed to be two guys working with me, but, uh, as you can see, they''re not here. We don''t have that many employees, either, and none of the others could come in. Half of them don''t like coming in even when they''re scheduled."

    Even when money is scarce and nearly everyone in the area can use every penny they can get, there are still lazy people who don''t want to work. They''re like Lucas ¨C they find it easier to blame others. If they can''t afford things, they blame the companies for putting the prices high, not caring that those so companies are probably barely making a profit at all.

    Sure, their upper employees do make more than we do, but they''re also working, more likely than not. And doing bigger things to keep things running.

    Before blaming others, everyone should do things themselves in this harsh world. That''s why I actively looked for work, that''s why I''m jumping at the opportunity to make a difference and why I accepted the challenge to train myself using the resources I was given.

    When I was out of money and had to go hungry, I didn''t blame others. Either it was my fault or just luck of the draw with the jobs. Though with the way Melody is so far, if things keep up I might be able to continue eating a little bit better than I was before the Patron made me the offer, should I not meet his requirements.

    "Did they call in?" I ask. "The workers, I mean?"

    "While they''re normally," he says. "The lazy sort who''ll show up late or call in, no. That''s not what happened today."

    "Sick?"

    "No," he snorts. "They got taken out by a vigilante."

    "A vigilante?" I ask. "What were they doing?"

    "Mugging a guy," he answers. "It''s a standard thing for them, usually get ignored. They''ve tussled with the vigilante that covers this area a few times, but he''s never managed to overpower them. I can always tell when they have because he''s kicked their asses pretty decently as well."

    That''s right, I''m not in Sovirna''s territory anymore. I left that a block ago, and his guys probably do their stuff a little further away. Though if these two workers can take on a vigilante, they''ve probably got abilities of their own.

    "What can they do?" I ask.

    "Figured that out, eh?" He grins. "One of them can turn invisible for about ten seconds at a time. He uses it to strike unseen. The other''s a shield-maker ¨C barriers of teal light. As a team, they''re pretty decent. Barriers protects them while Invisible sneaks around and attacks, having enough time to adjust based on how the opponent is defending."

    "And the vigilante?"

    "The one who normally patrols this area," he says. "Can amplify the force behind his strikes or something like that. Makes it easy to break bones, but it''s a bad mashup for those two and they end in draws a lot. Still ends up stopping them when he catches them, though, and the victim usually manages to escape."

    So all three of them are like me ¨C they only knew about one thing they could do with their power. That doesn''t surprise me, though. I think Lucas vastly underestimates how many people actually know that power users can do more than one thing.

    "And the one last night?" I ask.

    "Dunno him," he shrugs. "Vigilantes do sometimes cross over or move, or even just travel through. Sovirna''s sometimes stepped into this area and done some stuff, though she''s never gone after those two. Either she doesn''t know or she doesn''t care about muggers."

    "She''d have only gone after them," I tell him. "If they crossed her path or she needed to. If she''s come into this area, it''s usually because she''s on a hunt already."

    "Yeah," he says. "So anyway, vigilante last night is one I haven''t heard of, so I think he''s come from a further part of the city, since I know all of the ones within a few districts. His power isn''t small-time at all, either."

    Am I going to find out what he did at all? Or just get told more stuff that''s not what he can do?

    "What''s his power?" I ask.

    "Chains of golden crystal," he answers. "According to the guys, there were a lot of them, but they were probably exaggerating. Either way, they were tied up nice and neat for the cops. Guy used them well enough to trap the guys in an alley, then bound them ''till the cops arrived. They''ll probably be back at work next week."

    Chains of golden crystal, able to trap them, and then waited for the cops to arrive? This guy is a professional vigilante. He''s probably from the middle or upper districts, most likely passing through here for something and saw a mugging in action, then stepped in to stop it.

    Usually when one of the bigger vigilantes shows up in the area like here, that means they''re chasing something big. I really hope it''s taken care of soon and doesn''t cause me any problems. The last time I got mixed-up in such an event¡­ well, it wasn''t fun.

    "So!" He grins at me. "Who''s your favorite vigilante?"

 Chapter 0027

    "I had a feeling I''d find you in here," Zane says, and I look over to find him in the doorway, wearing a pair of shorts, sneakers, and a sleeveless shirt. He''s looking just as sexy as always. "Warming up?"

    I''m sitting on the floor at the moment, my legs stretched in front of me and feet pressed together. When he walked in, I was stretched all the way forward, attempting to touch my toes while feeling the backs of my knees burning from the effort, though I''ve pulled back, letting my hands rest on my thighs as the burning feeling fades just a little.

    "Just some light stretches," I tell him. "I already did some exercises."

    "Ah, yes," he smiles. "I can see the sweat already. Do you always go shirtless?"

    "In here," I confirm. "Once I''m in here, I''m ready for my shadow-walking training. The only reason I''m wearing the shorts at the moment is in case someone else comes in here. And because the tile is cold and that''s not comfortable on my ass."

    "Yeah," he chuckles. "I agree. Funnily enough, I tend not to feel heat or lack thereof in my stone form."

    "Really?" I ask.

    "Yep," he answers. "However, I''m warm to the touch, as if still made of flesh and blood."

    "That''s interesting," I say. "I was wondering, Zane, but you know my training schedule, so I was curious if you''d tell me what yours is. What you''re doing to train your power."

    "Ah," he says. "According to Lucas, his grandpa gave a progression suggestion for me. I could try to immediately jump into things, but he said it''s better to work on my ''stone sense'' first. I have to try to sense the element of earth around me. Sounds pretty boring, but I''m going to do my best to do it so I can move on. If I do it in my elemental form, I should manage it faster."

    "How long can you sustain the form for?" I ask.

    "I''ve never found a limit," he shrugs. "I just turn it on and let it go. According to Mrs. Lusvaris, the transformation between forms requires magic, but not sustaining the changed form. Elementals apparently have two different pools of magic, too."

    "One for each form?"

    "Yup," he confirms. "And the elemental form is inherently more powerful than this form. So my sense for the earth around me will be weaker in this form than my elemental form, but awakening it will be easier to do in the other form."

    "Makes sense," I say. "About the sense, I mean. I think the other part''s kind of weird, though."

    "Yeah, it is," he shrugs. "But that''s how it is! My training for the ability days will consist of sitting in a room with rocks around me. For the first half, I''ll try to sense them in this form. For the second, in my elemental form. I don''t need a trainer for this, since it''s mostly some for of meditation and sensing, though Lucas''s cousin will meet with me every Sunday for a little bit of advice-giving and review and stuff."

    "Sounds boring," I agree with his earlier statement. "So you''re going to do three days of that and three days of martial arts? Going to go all seven days?"

    "Yeah," he answers. "Actually, I was wanting to ask you about that."

    "Me?" I ask. "I can''t really help you with skill training, if that''s what you''re asking."

    "No," he says. "Actually, I was wondering if we could both train in here for skill training on Saturdays? Mine is supposed to consist of doing something to help me work on my agility and reflexes in that form, and after thinking about it last night and a bit today, I realized that running the blocks would be perfect for that.

    "Of course," he says. "I could always use one of the other rooms, especially since I don''t need to do it naked like you do, and so wouldn''t have to worry about someone coming in and seeing me like that who I didn''t want to see me like that. But I figured, it''s always more fun when you aren''t alone, right?"

    Didn''t he say it''s better to be naked in his other form because it causes an erection, and keeping it contained is uncomfortable? Is he wanting to avoid admitting he''d rather not be naked in a room where some random person could walk in on him in that state?

    "You just want to ogle me."

    "That, too," he admits without shame. "I was also thinking that if you''d agreed to it, and Lucas was willing, he could do the balls thing with me, too. Naturally, I''d just be chasing after them, not shadow-walking or light-walking or anything. I''d also not expect it to be a competition, the two of us working in separate parts or something."

    "Maybe not right now," I tell him.

    "Oh," he gives me a sly look. "Want some alone time with-"

    "It would make it harder to focus," I interrupt. "Lucas and I aren''t together."

    "What?" He looks surprised. "I told you last night that-"

    "As much as I like him," I say. "He''s got some issues to work out. He made it clear he wants to, though, so I''m going to give him a chance to work on them. I''m curious, Zane, but why are you okay with being the backup?"

    "Um," he hesitates for a moment. "Well, I realized that your crush for Lucas is bigger than your crush for me, and most of my attraction to you is definitely sexual, even if I do want romance, too. And with how new you are to that sort of scene, I feel like I''d be putting pressure on you, especially with how soon after I decided to give up that sort of lifestyle it is."

    In other words, he wants to work on his own past before looking at a future relationship. That only makes him more appealing to me. He''s coming off as a much more attractive option for a romance than Lucas is. Now I''m getting a bit hesitant and confused again.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    What should I do? Should I wait for Lucas? Should I give up on Lucas now and try it with Zane? Should I wait for Zane to feel comfortable with his past? Should I just go whichever deals with those problems first?

    "Alright," I don''t let any of this confusion leak out into my voice or expression. "Well, I guess I can understand that. Though I wouldn''t say ''yes'' just because of pressure."

    "Doesn''t change how I''d probably feel," he tells me. "So I''m going to wait two or three more weeks, just to give myself time to ''calm down''."

    "Wouldn''t that only make your problem worse?" I ask.

    "It should be enough time for me to deal with handling it alone," he grins. "So back to what I was asking. It would make it hard for you to focus?"

    "Using my shadow-walking ability," I tell him. "Still requires focus, even if it''s only for a moment. When I do the moving ones, I have to prepare myself in advance. Part of the purpose of the skill training sessions each Saturday is to help me need less focus, turn it to an instinctive thing. Right now, I have to actively use the ability, and we want to get me to where I simply do. Turn it into a power-memory, like with muscle-memory things."

    "You do something enough times, it becomes as natural as breathing," he nods. "Yeah, my ability is like that. When I was younger, I used to have to spend a few moments tapping into the power. Now, I simply tap it and it works. Though it does take a few seconds for me to transform."

    The door to the room opens, startling Zane, who''s still standing in front of them. Lucas locks the door and steps past Zane, who''s shifted to the side. Strangely, Lucas is carrying a box in his arms. Even though I''m sitting on the ground and so unable to see what''s inside, I''m pretty sure it''s full of tennis balls.

    "You can work on that," Lucas tells him. "According to Grandpa, just practice switching back and forth between forms. He mentioned you probably feel a little drained after each switch and that practicing them will help you with that as well."

    "Okay," Zane says. "Well, I guess it''s time for you two to start your training, so I''ll see you."

    "See you," I stand as he leaves. "Same as always?"

    Yeah, those are tennis balls in the box. However, there are yellow, green, orange, and pink ones, rather than just the yellow ones. All of them are bright and bold, looking new. One, why does he have tennis balls, two, why are there four colors of them now?

    "Same as always," Lucas says. "How did the pancakes turn out?"

    "The timers helped a bit," I tell him. "And the, uh, diagram for the knob settings."

    "Good," he nods.

    "While I appreciate the cutting board," I say. "Why?"

    "I passed through that aisle on my way to the kitchen timers and saw it," he shrugs. "Keeping the sizes consistent helps with cooking things evenly. Now, let''s get started. I''ve got a slight variation for the agility training today."

    "Does it involve the tennis balls?"

    "Yeah," he answers. "I''ll explain once you''ve done the first batch of jumps."

    "Okay."

    I strip off the shorts and set them on the barrier before climbing over it, then begin performing the shadow-steps. It''s been almost two weeks since I began this training, and I can already tell a difference.

    When I first did these short, consecutive shadow-steps, I had to take about three seconds after the first to cast the second. Today, it''s down to two seconds. Each consecutive shadow-step took me about three to four seconds longer than the previous gap did in order for me to manage, too. This time, it''s only two to three seconds.

    Lucas''s assessment about me possibly being able to do several of them in a row without needing to wait a few seconds within a month of starting this training might not be off. Overall, the ten shadow-steps takes me around two minutes to finish.

    Upon finishing, I notice that I have almost enough magic to perform an eleventh one. If I''m increasing my magic and decreasing the cost enough for that already, then I''ll probably be able to perform an eleventh at five feet on either my Tuesday or Thursday training session.

    I''m about fifteen feet away from Lucas at the moment. Normally, I''d walk back over immediately to start the agility training, but I want to check something first.

    "Hey, Lucas?" I look over at him, noticing him holding one of the green balls, and he looks up to meet my gaze. "At the end of each session, I''m supposed to do as many five-foot ones as I can, then use up the last of my magic to go however far I can manage. When I''m able to do more than just the five-foot ones during the earlier shadow-walking sessions, should I do a shadow-step that covers that distance?"

    "No," he shakes his head. "It takes you more than three minutes to recover enough magic to perform a five-foot shadow-step. That''s an extra three minutes and some seconds it''d take to reach full. Only do that for the final one at the end."

    "Alright," I walk back to the barrier and grab my shorts.

    "Before you put those on," he says. "I was wondering if you''d prefer to leave them off during your training sessions in here."

    He''s pretty bold, asking me that outright. It can be taken at least two ways. The ones I can think of are that he''s confident that he''ll be able to date me and wants to ogle me, or he wants me to be comfortable enough with him to look past his lack of attempts at doing something. Either time will tell if he''s making the attempts or if he just wants to ogle me.

    Or I can just ask.

    "Uh-"

    "Not for ogling or anything," his face quickly flushes as he realizes what I was thinking. "Sorry, I probably should''ve just explained first, Kieran. On Saturdays, you leave them off entirely because you''re shadow-walking anytime you can, so you''d keep having to pick them back up and put them on. You''ll end up having to do that again in about an hour and a half, only to have to take them off again half an hour later. I was just thinking that since you were comfortable enough to go the whole two hours on Saturday, you could do it now as well."

    "Leave off the shorts entirely for a minor inconvenience?" I ask.

    "Uh¡­ it sounds kind of ridiculous when you put it like that," he chuckles. "I always had the spellsuit to train with, so the whole naked-not naked thing is new territory to me."

    "I mean, it''s a little bit weird to have it flopping about," I tell him, causing him to snort. "But sure. I''m getting used to it. Going to explain about the tennis balls now?"

    I set my shorts back down as he sets the tennis ball he was holding into the box.

    "Training," he tells me. "To start, though, you should run from here to the other end and back twice as a warm-up. Once you''ve done that, I''ll explain the next stage."

    "Alright," I stretch for a moment, then turn around.

    Taking off, I do my best to reach the other end of the arena. This training is going a fair bit slower than the shadow-walking training, though, which I expected. It still takes me a little more than three minutes to reach the other side while attempting to navigate the blocks. If I work hard at this, though, I might be able to manage one length in three minutes within a week. Bringing myself up to a full lap in under four minutes within a month, though, seems like a fantasy.

    That only reinforces my desire to lose the bet. I want to prove myself wrong with this, and part of it is to take advantage of that reward for him. I need to figure out what I''m going to make him do. First, though, I need to put more effort into this. From now on, I''ll start every martial arts day with a warm-up in here.

    It takes me about fourteen minutes to finish both laps, and I know I slowed down a bit towards the end. I''m definitely building up stamina with the constant movement he''s putting me through. It''s only when I stop for too long that the exhaustion starts to set in.

    "Alright," I tell Lucas. "So what are we doing with the balls?"

 Chapter 0028

    "There are forty balls in here," Lucas tells me. "Ten of each yellow, pink, green, and orange. I''m going to scatter all of them about the arena, then you''re going to go after them. Running, not shadow-walking. The first ball you reach, you''ll only go for those balls. I''ll flash them each back here once you touch them, but you do have to touch them first. Once you''ve collected all ten of one color, you''ll continue, going after the color of the next ball you reach. You''ll do this until you''ve collected all forty balls."

    "So instead of running as straight across as I can," I say. "I''ll be running around, hunting balls?"

    "Correct," he says. "It adds a little more flavor to your training. We''ll do this once a week. I figured we can do it Sundays, to build upon the skill training from the day before. We''ll do the normal training on Tuesdays and Thursdays."

    Wouldn''t it be better to do this one of those days, so that I''m not doing this sort of thing two days in a row? I feel like Lucas might have some other idea in mind, though I''m not going to ask it right now. I have something else to ask, anyway.

    "What do you mean by ''flash them each back''?" I ask.

    "It''s the term we use for light-walking," he informs me.

    "Because of that brief flash?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he answers.

    "What causes that flash?" I ask. "It seems like the flash is only where the person or item moving was ¨C it doesn''t radiate out like normal light would."

    Lucas reaches into the box and pulls out a yellow tennis ball, then holds both of his hands out and facing up, the tennis ball resting on his right palm, his left palm empty. Deep concentration fills his face, and it honestly makes him look kind of cute.

    Over the course of a minute, the tennis ball resting on his right palm turns into pure, white-yellow light. Then it disappears before reappearing above his other palm. The light slowly fades as the ball returns to being a ball.

    "What that ''flash'' is," he''s breathing heavily, as if he''d just moved something extremely heavy. "Is that complete conversion occurring in under a second. About a thirtieth of a second. I forgot how tiring slowing down light-walking was."

    "That was light-walking, slowed down?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he answers. "When you shadow-walk, you actually do the same thing, but as shadows. We can''t actually see ourselves in that state, though. Not directly ¨C we can through a mirror. You turn entirely to shadows before reappearing elsewhere. That delay you have, even as you perform another shadow-step? That''s because it''s taking you longer to turn back to shadows."

    "Oh," I say. "Wait. Is that why you can''t take me with you? Because I turn to shadows when I shadow-walk and you turn to light when you light-walk?"

    "No," he snorts a little. "I already told you, remember? Grandpa said that a shadow-walker and a light-walker can take the other with them because they aren''t shadows or light at the time. Or shapers, since we''re those. Whatever it is that''s preventing us, it''s something different and I don''t know what it is."

    I''d forgotten he told me that. Then again, I''m not perfect, so it''d be unreasonable to expect me to remember everything, especially after how much has happened the last twelve days when compared to the normal amount of activity I go through. My brain is still starting to catch up, and I know I''ve forgotten a few other things.

    Like the other abilities that Lucas has mentioned he can do. While I want to ask him, I can''t figure out a way to do that without letting him know I forgot already, which would be pretty embarrassing. He''s not the type to tease over stuff like that as evidenced by his lack of doing so over my cooking ability, so I''m not worried about that. I just find it embarrassing to have to ask him so soon.

    Lucas would probably say it''s understandable as they aren''t important and I had other things on my mind at the time, and he''d be right. That doesn''t change how I feel, though.

    "Okay," I say. "I suppose we should get started, yeah?"

    "Yeah," he nods before flashing the tennis balls out of the box. "They''re now scattered around. Go as fast as you can, Kieran, but don''t hurt yourself. Now go!"

    I nod, then set off around the arena. The first ball I find isn''t too far away, and it''s an orange one, so I begin my hunt for the orange balls, working up a rhythm to move around and over the blocks that I can. It takes me around eight minutes to find all of them, and the nearest ball I know of from the tenth orange one is a pink one, so I go for it.

    Halfway through collecting the pink balls, I notice something. A pattern to where the balls are located. They can be on a block or on the ground, but they''re never in a shadow. Aren''t even shadows somewhat in light? Is there a limit to how shaded an area can be for Lucas to flash into them? What are the limits to where he can and cannot go?

    Continuing on, I find it taking me a little bit more time to retrieve all of the pink balls, having misremembered a few of their locations. For the yellow balls, however, I remember a bit better, finish a bit faster. Overall, it takes me roughly thirty minutes to finish, and by the time I do, I feel more exhausted than if I''d just done the normal agility training.

    "Jeez," I lean against a nearby block.

    "Take a breather," Lucas tells me. "Then we''ll repeat this. Two laps back and forth, then a ball hunt again. I expect you''ll go a bit slower, considering you''re more exhausted and are probably feeling the shift in training a bit."

    "Yeah," I answer. "I''m sore again."

    "You''ll get used to it," he nods. "Take another minute, then we''ll continue."

    The rest of my training today goes this way, with me performing two laps, then hunting the balls, and performing shadow-steps when I''m at full again, then again at the end of the session. By the time today''s session ends, I''m just as exhausted as on skill or martial arts days.

    Instead of putting my shorts back on, I just plop onto a block, a little too exhausted at the moment to climb over the barrier. I don''t even bother crossing the fifty feet to the barrier, I just plop myself down.

    Trying to catch my breath, I lie back and stare up at the ceiling of the arena.

    "Mind if I leave to get changed?" Lucas flashes over to me. "Since I''m officially off the clock now? Or would you rather I waited until you have the energy to put on shorts, in case someone comes in here?"

    "Nah, you can leave," I tell him.

    "Alright," he says.

    Lucas leaves without saying goodnight, so I''m guessing he''ll be back before then. A few minutes pass before I realize something. I sweat all over these blocks and the floor during my training, yet I never wipe the sweat up. Do they not clean the equipment between uses? Lucas and I just leave and that''s that.

    Am I resting on a block that someone else sweat all over? That someone else''s naked ass had been on?The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Just as that thought starts to disturb me, I hear the door to the room open. It''s probably Lucas, but he doesn''t flash himself over, so he''s probably assumed I''m still resting.

    "Uh¡­ hello?" A voice calls out. "Someone in here?"

    Sounds like a guy.

    "Yeah!" I call back. "Just¡­ resting!"

    "Ah!" He responds. "Lucas had left and I saw the stuff but not a person, wasn''t sure if it was abandoned or not! Were you still training in here?"

    "No!" I stand and climb onto a block, allowing me to look over the highest of them. Only my chest and up is visible, so I''m not too bothered, even if I''m a bit self-conscious. "I just trained a fair bit harder than normal and was resting."

    The guy standing at the barrier is dressed in the uniform of the center, with sandy-blond hair and glasses. I can''t make out his eyes from here, but they''re probably just as cute as he is, and calm down, you. Chances are pretty high he''s straight.

    He''s also in here alone, so I''m assuming he''s not here to train with someone. Lucas mentioned these rooms don''t see too much use, especially not this one. While they have the facilities needed to train a wide variety of powers, that doesn''t mean they''re all used regularly.

    "Ah, okay," he looks over at the shorts, then back to me. "Is it okay for me to wait in here, or should I head to the hall to wait for you to leave?"

    Whatever he''s wanting to do in here, do I feel comfortable enough going over and grabbing my shorts with him in here? Especially when I''ve never seen him before?

    What the hell, why not? The way he asked that suggests he knows I''m naked and doesn''t have an issue with it, so he probably doesn''t care at all. If he''s a trainer here, he''s probably seen people in all states.

    I hop off the block and make my way over to the barrier.

    "Are you in here for training?" I ask as I grab my shorts off it.

    His eyes are brown, and he''s even cuter up close than he was from fifty feet away.

    "No," he answers as I pull on my shorts. "My power is sanitation and purification. Until I started working here, they''d lock down a room and have a couple of workers go through and sanitize things after a session like this, as well as every so often, just to keep it clean. But with my ability, that''s not an issue."

    So there are powers like that, too? Is his power quicker than a janitorial crew, or does he do this because his power sanitizes better? Or is it because paying him is cheaper than paying an entire crew?

    "How does it work?" I climb over the barrier.

    "Want to see?" He asks.

    "Is it safe?"

    "Do you have reduced lung capacity?" He asks.

    "Not that I''m aware of," I answer. "Why?"

    "You have to hold your breath," he tells me. "You should manage it, it only takes about thirty seconds and normal people can hold their breath for longer than that. Be warned, you''ll feel a tingling sensation across your body, and it''ll feel cool, too. You don''t need to close your eyes for it, though it might feel weird depending on your biology. Some people react badly to it, others aren''t affected at all."

    "Alright," I say.

    "Take a breath and hold," he holds up his hands.

    I inhale all the way in, then hold, the worker doing the same. Immediately after we''re both holding, a sort of mist sprays out of his hands, quickly spreading through the room, swirling around as if caught in many, many breezes. Just as he told me, it feels cool, my body tingling where the mist touches.

    My eyes don''t feel weird at all, though I do have a blink reflex when the mist heads to my eyes that nearly causes me to lose hold of my breath. I can feel it penetrating through my shorts and going up the legs of them, too, which just feels weird, especially since it feels like it''s even going under the waistband, despite that being tight against my skin due to the elastic part of it.

    He stops spraying the mist after about twenty seconds, and after another ten, it''s completely cleared up.

    "The mist cleans anything it''s in contact with," he tells me. "Well, most things. Sweat''s one of them, so even you are cleaned. And your clothes, since they were in here. It penetrates through fabrics pretty easily."

    "So that''s why I could feel it working under the waistband, too?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he answers. "It also goes into any cracks it can, no matter how slight. I can focus it into smaller spaces, too. Makes cleaning my teeth pretty easily, and I save on those expenses. Even if it''s slight, it''s helped me out some."

    Most people in the lower districts ignore brushing their teeth or do it rarely. Most also don''t use mouthwash because it''s just extra money and water does part of the job, even if not all. I take care of my teeth as best I can, though I can''t remember ever going to the dentist like I know people in the upper districts and some in the middle districts do.

    "So it''s safe to let in your mouth?" I ask. "Why did we have to hold our breaths, then?"

    "You can''t breathe it," he tells me. "Trying to do so results in choking until your lungs have cleared it out, and that''s not fun. I can actually breathe it out, too, which is how I generate it when cleaning my mouth."

    "Huh," I say. "That''s a rather useful ability."

    "Shadow-walking''s a pretty useful one, too," he says.

    "Does everyone here know about it?"

    "Among the staff, yeah," he shrugs. "It''s hard to keep abilities hidden from the staff at a center like this, so we don''t bother keeping things a secret. Plus, Lucas was pretty excited to train someone who had an ability similar to his."

    "Ah," I say.

    "Yeah," he says. "My name''s Todd, by the way."

    "Nice to meet you, Todd," I say. "I''m Kieran, though I guess you already knew that."

    "Yeah," he chuckles. "Nice to meet you, too. You''ll probably only see me around if you ever stick around after your training, I work seven in the evening to one in the morning every day."

    "You work pretty late," I say. "Isn''t it busier during the day?"

    "They still have part of the old crew that did the cleaning," he tells me. "I come in later and start doing thorough sweeps when it''s emptier, makes it easier. Though it''s really only rooms like these ones that actually need it, since they''re the ones more likely to actually need it."

    "But it''s still good to do thorough cleanings, right?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he answers. "Especially with the plague. While I can''t cure a person with it, my power does neutralize the virus on objects."

    "That''s pretty handy," I say.

    "So''s being able to teleport."

    "My range is extremely limited."

    "For now," he says. "But you''re training it, so that''s going to improve."

    "Yeah," I say. "It just won''t be too useful for awhile, but I''m going to put in the effort that I can. When did you start?"

    "I discovered it when I was six," he answers. "And my mom could do the same thing, though she never really trained her power. She did help me with training mine, she just never cared to use her power."

    "Ah," I say. "How long have you been coming here?"

    "Since I started working here a few months ago," he answers. "I don''t really train here, except back in the area reserved for members at gold or higher. Just using my power to clean stuff counts as a form of training."

    "Right," I say just as Lucas and Zane enter. "Well, I should get going. Thanks for showing me your power, that was pretty neat. It was nice meeting you, Todd, and I''ll see you around."

    "See you," he says, then leaves, bidding Lucas and Zane a good evening as he goes.

    "Kieran," Zane says as I start changing into clothes since Todd cleaned the sweat right off of me with his power. "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out sometime this week? Maybe Thursday? I''ll be free then."

    "Sure," I answer. "As long as I don''t need to work, either. What will we do?"

    "Cool!" He grins. "It''ll be fun. And it''ll be a surprise! Just meet me out front of the Korriska Building at ten, okay?"

    With his enthusiasm, I''m not sure if it''ll be fun for me. But I''ll give the surprise a chance, regardless.

    "Uh, sure?"

    "I was wondering," Lucas says. "If you wanted to go see a movie with me on Wednesday, Kieran. I managed to find out what a couple of theaters were showing and the two lovebirds still don''t want to reschedule their love to Saturday."

    "Let me guess," I sigh. "I do all the talking and you''ll cover the cost?"

    "Yeah."

    "Sure," I try not to roll my eyes. "What time should I meet you, and where?"

    "Eight-thirty at the latest and here."

    "Got it," I respond. "I should probably get your numbers so that I can let you know if I need to change plans."

    As soon as I say that, they both pull out their cell phones. I pull mine out and we exchange numbers, then I grab my bag and sling it over a shoulder.

    "Alright," I say. "I''ll see you two tomorrow, then. Have a good night."

    "Wait," Zane says. "Mind if I walk you home tonight? Just to your apartment, not to enter or anything. Like Lucas, I don''t feel too comfortable with you walking alone at night, not with as little training as you have."

    Lucas nods, and I get the feeling they had a ''discussion'' about who gets to walk me home, which would explain why they came in together. While Zane doesn''t know my address right now, I don''t really mind if he does. I let Lucas in literally the day we met, which probably wasn''t the smartest of ideas. What''s one more person?

    "Sure," I answer. "As long as you feel safe going home on your own."

    "I trust my skills," he tells me. "Let''s get going!"

    I''m probably going to end up getting escorted home by one of them every night, now.

    "Good night, Lucas," I say.

    "I''ll see you tomorrow," he says.

 Chapter 0029

    Melody is calling me a little earlier today. Does the job start at eight again?

    "Good morning, Melody," I answer the call.

    "Good morning, Mr. Wolfe," she responds. "The job from yesterday needs someone to cover the same shift today and tomorrow as well. Would you be willing to cover that on either or both shift, Mr. Wolfe? It''s at the same wage."

    Did they really like my work in the kitchen well enough that they want me to come back? I find that hard to believe, even if I somehow managed to not screw anything up yesterday. I also find it hard to believe there would be a third person interested in me in such a short time, so I''m pretty sure it''s not because of that, either.

    "Yes," I answer. "That''s eight to two at Lenny''s Burgers and Fries over on Third Green Street, right?"

    "Correct," she answers. "Thank you, Mr. Wolfe. As another job request, Mr. Korriska has asked to employ you every Saturday for the foreseeable future to clean a room, three hundred dollars each time. I''m not entirely certain about this job, though. The other workers we''ve sent were offered multiple rooms at two hundred each when the call came in yesterday."

    My guess on the reason for the higher amount than the others are offered is because of how much extra effort has to go into cleaning that room after that particular session. In the end, I''ll make less money than anyone else who cleans the rooms through the week, but that doesn''t matter too much to me.

    Right now, anyway. As long as the Patron approves of me after the month of training ends, I''ll probably not have to worry about finances at all. If I don''t become a Sivalshi Guardian, or the pay isn''t too great, then the income from that room each week will make up the majority of my income. I''ll only need to do probably one or two more shifts each week to be fine on money.

    Even if I become a Sivalshi Guardian and the pay turns out to be more than enough, I''ll probably still do the conference room as long as I don''t need to do guardian stuff. Zane is pretty nice and it''ll help me fill my time somewhere warm. Then there''s the extra spending money aspect of it.

    Melody is probably thinking there''s something shady planned for me with the offer because of the strangeness of the situation. That doesn''t surprise me, though, since some places do things like that and she''s much more considerate of her clients than the other agency I was at.

    I''ve encountered a few of the places the sort of thing she''s worried about, though I managed to keep my integrity intact each time. I''m pretty sure part of that''s why my last manager hated me. She probably wanted me to disappear and I just wouldn''t. There were actually quite a few jobs she sent me to that were shady as all get-out and quite a few, especially towards the end, where the superiors wanted to force me into things.

    However, there was always an opportunity to escape before it got to that point. Almost as if something was looking out for me, now that I think about it¡­ did the Patron create those opportunities for me? If so, then how long has he been wanting to recruit me? More importantly, why did he wait so long?

    "Ah," I say. "That''s because the room we''re cleaning is rather bad on Saturdays and needs a ton of effort. It took us the entire shift Saturday to clean it, and that was Zane and me together working at it. The other rooms aren''t anywhere near as bad as that one and can be done in far less time."

    "I see," Melody says. "That''s good, then. I take it you''ll accept?"

    "Yes," I answer. "Zane actually mentioned it to me on Saturday, after we finished cleaning that room. He probably wouldn''t have contacted you if I refused it."

    "Okay," she says. "I''ll put you down for that, and I''ll call the restaurant and let them know you''ll be there. I hope I gave you enough time today."

    "You did, thanks," I tell her.

    "Have a good day," she says.

    "Have a good day," I respond, and she hangs up.

    Changing my breakfast plans, I instead cook bacon and eggs, then fix up a bowl of yogurt, nuts, and berries before sitting on the couch and eating. This is a quicker breakfast, giving me enough time after to change and make it to the restaurant.

    When I step outside after breakfast, I''m greeted by an icy wind. Pulling my hood up and stuffing my hands into my hoodie''s pocket, I begin walking. I really need to buy a jacket to put over this. With me having a shift today and tomorrow, then hanging out with Lucas on Wednesday and Zane on Thursday, that means I won''t have time to until at least Friday. At least, I won''t have time if I want to go to a store that can sell a decent jacket.

    What is Sivalshi running from that we have to go north for? Is it something that hates the cold? As slowly as we''re going overall, it must be somewhat slow as well.

    Halfway to the restaurant, I spot a man calling out to the few people passing by on the street. He has a boy and a girl around ten years old or so with him, handing out fliers to anyone who will take them. If he''s got enough money to make fliers, why is he here in the lower districts? Judging by his warm-looking coat that reaches down to his knees, and the better-quality clothes of the children and their scarves, I''d say that they''re from the middle districts, but near the upper districts. At least halfway there, anyway.

    What purpose does he have advertising and calling out to those who can barely afford to eat and keep the lights on? Why not do this where he''s from?

    Once I''m close enough to actually make out what he''s saying, I tune in. He''s stopped a woman passing by with three children, and the boy with him steps forward to offer her a flier.

    "-who selfishly use their abilities, rather than putting them forward to help the common person?" He asks her. "These people were granted their powers to help us, yet do they? No, they do not. A select few claim to do it, but when you actually ask them why they do it, these so-called ''vigilantes'' only do it to gain publicity. Right now, we''re pushing for the government to create new legislation. We want them to crack down harder on vigilantes, to stop these attention-seekers from ruling our streets. We want them to stop media coverage to crush the egoists from gaining the attention they so seek. We want them to regulate power users, force them to register and obey stricter laws.

    "However," he tells her. "The government is reluctant to change such a thing. They claim that the vigilantes make everyone feel safer and that the ones who go beyond reason are dealt with. Do you feel safer with them, ma''am? Why would forcing registration of power users, forcing them to obey stricter laws and only serve us through approved methods be bad? It would allow us to better regulate them and more easily catch those who commit crimes.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    "How would you feel," he says. "If a classmate of your boys awakened a power in class and hurt them, and then was let be? That''s not right, and a power user should not be allowed to roam free after that. What if they go and hurt others? They surely will, they''ve done it before. They need to be locked away, controlled so that they don''t hurt anyone again. They need to be forced to learn their power, then use it to serve us. That''s why they have their powers, after all."

    He''s playing to fears, and his choice of arguments incites a fury within me. That''s not justice, that''s not fair. That''s discrimination, plain and simple. It''s not the fault of a newly-awakened power user if they hurt someone. Even if they accidentally cause an entire school building to collapse when they awaken, killing a couple thousand children, it''s not their fault. Forcing them into service after is wrong. Yes, they need to be taught how to control their power, but that''s it.

    I''m about to interrupt him when someone beats me to it. Not just anyone, though, but the only vigilante I actually like to keep tabs on from time to time, like to hear what they''re up to.

    When he lands between the man and the woman after dropping out of the sky, both adults and all of the children jump back, creating a gap between the preacher and the target.

    The figure is dressed in a skintight spellsuit that''s dark brown in color, with dark grey patterns on it. It''s showing off his lean muscles, every last line of them. He''s wearing a pair of black combat boots with brown laces, black gloves with a brown-and-grey emblem on the backs. The patterning of the grey on his spellsuit almost looks as if it''s stone that''s breaking apart, which is actually rather fitting considering his power.

    There''s no belt, his spellsuit uninterrupted across his body, and it looks thinner than some others I''ve seen. Most others I''ve seen through the news, actually. I''ve always wondered how he stays warm, and now that we''re in even colder territory, I wonder that more.

    The vigilante also wears a brown cowl with a similar patterning to it, along with a dark grey mask that covers his face completely, the spellsuit disappearing underneath it. His eyes aren''t visible at all, the mask a single piece of plastic without holes.

    Crunalz. I know him personally, though I haven''t spoken with him in seven years. Not since the last time I saw him in school. He disappeared after his power awakened, and a year later, made a debut as a vigilante. I don''t think many people who knew about his awakening and power put that boy with the suspected-child vigilante, even with as unique of an ability as he has.

    Now that I''m actually seeing him in-person, I can see that just like me, he stayed a runt after puberty. He looks taller on the news. Taking out the added height from the soles of his boots, he''s probably an inch shorter than me.

    Looks like I beat you in that game.

    What''s he doing here in the lower districts, though? Crunalz usually only bothers with the middle and upper districts. He''s a high-profile vigilante, and one of the best. His power makes him virtually untouchable by anyone, providing absolute defensive and offensive capabilities.

    "That''s enough of that, Stephen," Crunalz''s voice is altered to make it sound deep and unidentifiable in order to protect his real identity. "You and the organization which you are a part of have been warned regarding stirring up fears."

    "Look!" Stephen calls out to the woman. "Look at how a vigilante comes to stop me from attempting to get regulations passed! Look-"

    "It is perfectly fine," Crunalz says. "To put forth new legislation and attempt to gather people who will support you in the petition for it. It is not, however, acceptable to push fear, Stephen. By playing to people''s fear, you incite panic, cause riots. The homes of several power users have been raided and ransacked by citizens whom your organization have filled with fear of our kind. This is your final warning, Stephen. Stop instilling fear into citizens, or you will be stopped."

    "Really?" Stephen asks. "I''m the one instilling fear into people, vigilante? Here you are, threatening me, leveraging your power-"

    "I have done no such thing," Crunalz interrupts him. "Do not attempt to change the truth, Stephen. You are convincing people that power users are forces that need to be controlled and regulated when very few of them actually do wrong. I''ve listened to some of the meetings your cult have hosted, and you push for all power users to be forced into service without a choice, that they are given no free will of their own. You convince people that power users will destroy them if left unchecked and incite panic in people. As it has begun to cause problems for society, we cannot allow it to stand anymore."

    "What are you going to do?" Stephen asks. "Attack me, as you power users are wont to do? That won''t stand, vigilante. It only reinforces-"

    "It reinforces," Crunalz interjects. "That we wish to uphold the peace. By inciting panic against innocent civilians, you have disrupted this peace. Over the last three days, more than two hundred power users and suspected power users were attacked by people converted by your organization. Inciting fear, panic, and riots among the general populace is strictly against the law. Leniency has been shown to your organization. Consider yourself fortunate you haven''t already been put in prison, Stephen. Now leave."

    Stephen''s nostrils flare up, but it looks like he''s decided to listen to the vigilante. Turning, he starts to leave.

    "Hand me the fliers," Crunalz orders. "As they were designed with the intent of inciting fear, they''re being confiscated to be destroyed."

    "Let''s go, kids," Stephen tells the kids. "Don''t give them to him."

    Crunalz sighs as the kids follow Stephen. Does this guy not know who this vigilante is?

    Extending a finger in the direction of the kids, Crunalz flexes his powers rather amusingly. The fliers in the kids'' hands burst into tiny pieces that scatter about for a moment, before flying over to Crunalz and reassembling themselves into a single, neat stack.

    His power is to destroy and reassemble things, and he can manipulate the things he''s destroyed. I''d thought that was all part of a single ability, but after hearing that we can have multiple, is it possible that they''re multiple abilities?

    "That wasn''t a request," Crunalz says as all three of them stare at him in shock. "These fliers are illegal and will be handed over for destruction. Enjoy your day, and keep in mind what you say before you speak again, Stephen. Do not continue these fear campaigns."

    Glaring at him for a moment Stephen then turns and hurries the kids on their way. Crunalz glances at the fliers for a moment before turning to the mother.

    "Good morning, ma''am," he dips his head to her. "I''m sorry you had to listen to his plays to fears. We vigilantes have been working with the authorities to stop them and only resort to using our powers when necessary. I hope you can understand that most power users mean no harm and prefer to simply live out their lives as they are."

    "I lost my husband to a power user," she tells him. "But that''s a single person, not all of them as a whole. I only fear the ones who walk the path of darkness. I do agree that those who have destructive powers need to learn to control them, but that should be done safely and keeping in mind that if they had hurt someone in their awakening, it wasn''t intended."

    Her words seem sincere, and Crunalz nods, accepting that.

    "Have a good day, ma''am," he tells her. "Stay safe and warm."

    "You as well," she tells him, then ushers her children on.

    Crunalz turns to face me, and for a moment, I wonder if he has any idea that he''s standing before someone who knows his real identity. Someone who knows what his awakening did. But that''s a bit ridiculous, since we haven''t seen each other in seven years and both of us went through puberty in that time.

    Even if I didn''t grow much, I know I look different enough that someone who hasn''t seen me in this long wouldn''t recognize me. He probably even forgot that I survived.

    After a few moments of us looking at each other, Crunalz simply dips his head to me and flies up into the air rather than making an attempt at convincing me that power users are alright. I suppose he didn''t think the man''s words had any sway over me.

    Wait, Crunalz can fly? Since when?

    Ah, crap! I need to hurry or I''m going to be late!

 Chapter 0030

    "Sorry for cutting it close," I tell Danny after I come back up from the back. "There was a slight incident on the way here."

    "Slight incident?" He raises an eyebrow, curious, and I tell him about the encounter. "I''ve run into some of those freaks. Honestly, what they''re doing is going to cause the Patron to get involved."

    "What do you mean?" I ask.

    "You said he was trying to scare her, right?" Danny asks. "And that Crunalz literally warned him against instilling fear in the general populace and it was causing power users all over to be attacked?"

    Oh, right. That''s not a straight-up riot or anarchy or something, but it''s definitely a sizable problem, something that can cause a problem city-wide. It becomes an even bigger problem if this problem is purely out of fear that people are advocating, because some types of fear turn ugly fast. I can see it counting as something the Patron would get involved with. Are the vigilantes and authorities attempting to step in before he does, then?

    Or has the Patron given them a chance to deal with it first?

    "That makes sense," I tell him. "Let''s hope it stops fast. They''re also targeting children with the comments. It''s not their fault if they awaken violently."

    "Yeah," he shakes his head. "It''s sad."

    A customer enters the restaurant, so we stop our conversation while he helps her, then I get to work preparing her order.

    "So you said yesterday," Danny says once the customer has received her food and taken a seat. "That Crunalz is your favorite vigilante. How does it feel having met him live?"

    "Technically, I didn''t meet him," I say. "We saw each other from a few yards away. And I''ve met him before."

    "Wait, really?" He gives me an amazed look. "You didn''t say that!"

    "You didn''t ask," I shrug. "I''ve met a fair few vigilantes if you go by just encountering them. Crunalz, Sovirna, Lumrax, Helziva, Noxila, Umbrailn, Zevimas, Rorult, Shmenst, and others."

    "By the Patron''s blessing, you are lucky," he gasps. "You''re insane! When? Where? How?"

    I''m saved from answering at the moment by the arrival of a group of four, and Danny takes their orders, then I spend a minute preparing them before setting them on the tray. Once the customers are seated, Danny gives me an inquisitive look, and I know he''s about to ask again. I shrug at him.

    "I wander around a fair bit," I tell him. "When I''m not working. Keeping moving keeps me warm, and it''s better than just sitting at home, being cold. I''ve wandered a lot. It''s resulted in some interesting experiences."

    I''m not going to mention that I only knew Crunalz before he awakened his powers, nor that Noxila and Umbrailn were my parents and that Sovirna was basically an aunt to me before my parents'' deaths.

    "I can tell!" He exclaims. "You have got to be one of the luckiest citizens of the lower districts!"

    "I wouldn''t call myself that lucky," I mutter. "My parents are dead, my brothers are dead, and every friend I ever had before my parents died also died. I''ve spent the last four years barely eating and sometimes missing bills, and things only just started turning around. Possibly."

    Danny stops for now, and we return to work in silence. I feel a bit bad for killing the mood. Maybe I am lucky, but I don''t always feel it even right now, even after the incredible luck I''ve experienced with this offer. What if the Patron decides I haven''t developed the skills necessary? Then I''m back to how I had been, just maybe with a little bit more money.

    Fortunately, Danny''s not the type of dwell on things for long, and within half an hour, he''s back to chatting.

    "So the vigilante with the crystal chains appeared again last night," Danny tells me. "Over in the middle districts. Haisken District, specifically. I did some digging, and he apparently is new. That appearance two nights ago was his first one. Because he showed up in the middle districts after being in the lower districts, no one''s entirely sure what area he''s claiming as part of his, or if he''s going to travel around."

    Haisken District? That''s close to the upper districts. The new vigilante traveled pretty far, what could have caused that? As much as I know about the vigilantes, I know that it''s rare for them to cover such a huge range. They also tend not to travel very far. Sticking to one area allows them to build up a rapport with the people in that area, causes them to be trusted more by the locals. That can make things easier for them, especially when they''re asking questions.

    While many new vigilantes do travel until they settle into an area that they''ve decide is under their protection, they don''t travel six miles.

    "How do you think Crunalz would fare against the new boy?" Danny asks.

    "If they got into a fight?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he answers.

    "He''d win," I answer. "Golden chains might be useful, but Crunalz is one of the strongest for a reason. His ability can affect both temporary and permanent manifestations from other power users. If the new guy tried binding him, Crunalz would simply break the chains. He''s talented in hand-to-hand combat, swift, and intelligent. The new guy''s only hope would be to flee, just like everyone. Crunalz is the type of person who you have to take down before he notices you, and he has pretty good awareness of his surroundings. He''s one of the very few vigilantes no one''s managed to catch by surprise. In the entire history of Sivalshi City."

    Honestly? Crunalz is the main reason I''m not freaking the hell out about Sivalshi''s rush to the north. While it''s making me anxious and worried, I know that I''d probably have panicked and started doubling down if it weren''t for Crunalz.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Though his powers are limited, Crunalz will probably be the difference between survival and destruction for Sivalshi City if whatever the turtle''s fleeing catches up to us. As long as he doesn''t run out of magic in the fight, he''ll probably be able to handle most of it. Him and the strongest Sivalshi Guardian combined would probably deal with everything unless it''s far too much.

    "Okay, okay, that''s fair," Danny says. "So if you could date any vigilante, which would it be?"

    "I mean, I''d have to be able to see them," I say. "But, assuming you''re basing this on their powers and activities, then we''ll also assume that they''re physically my type."

    "So, what, big-chested redheads with the most gorgeous green eyes ever?" He grins.

    "That''s you," I roll my eyes. "But let''s say that, assuming a vigilante was physically my type, then based on the powers, activities, and displayed personalities of them, I''d have go with either Crunalz or Orwitz."

    "Shocky boy, really?" Danny snorts. "You like that static power, huh?"

    We''re interrupted by the arrival of more customers, so we take a couple of minutes to handle that before returning to our discussion.

    "My only issue with him," I say. "Is his energy levels, no pun intended. Orwitz is a rather hyper guy, which isn''t really my thing. However, his lightning god form? That''s pretty badass, and he literally stops bullets in their tracks. He also doesn''t have a preference for what type of issue he steps into ¨C he''ll step into anything. I kind of find that attractive."

    "So you don''t like the hyper?" He asks as another customer arrives.

    We have to stop talking for a bit while we deal with customers and he cleans up tables, but as soon as we have time to breathe again, he asks me again about the hyper.

    "No," I answer. "I''m a rather calm, slow-paced guy. Or, well, was. I''ve been training lately, so things a little bit faster-paced, but I feel that if I were to date someone who''s hyper and outgoing, I''d probably feel a bit small and overwhelmed."

    Which¡­ honestly doesn''t do favors for Zane, as much as I like him. Now that I think about it, Zane''s a bit outgoing and strong in personality. If I dated him, would I feel small when with him? I don''t right now, but I''m pretty sure I might the more we hang out.

    Still, though, I think I could tolerate it better than Lucas''s irrational hatred of the Patron. Why does this have to be so difficult? Zane wants to give me a chance with Lucas because my feelings for the trainer are stronger, but Lucas still has that major, glaring flaw.

    Deciding to stop thinking about who I want to date, I Danny a curious look.

    "So assuming they were physically your type," I tell him. "Age, sex, looks, et cetera, which vigilantes would you want to date?"

    "Helziva, definitely," he tells me. "Calm and passionate, but so badass. I mean, have you seen footage of her when she goes hell mode? Fire and stone, lava and destruction. The way she took down those-"

    "Okay, okay!" I chuckle. "I should''ve said other than Helziva."

    Danny made it clear during our discussion yesterday that he crushes on her pretty heavily. It took me an hour just to convince him that Crunalz could best her with ease if they ever got into a fight.

    "Let''s see," he thinks for a few moments. "Shanus and Tholus. As women, of course."

    "Who?" I''m unfamiliar with those two vigilantes.

    "You don''t know who they are?" He asks.

    "No," I answer. "Haven''t heard those names before."

    "Huh," he says. "Well, that doesn''t surprise me. They don''t get much media coverage and considering that you made it evident yesterday you don''t watch too much news, that means your chances of coming across a piece on them is low. I''m not actually sure when they started, but I think it''s something like six or seven years, maybe eight. They tend to travel all over, usually hunting big players in the underworld. It''s thought that they''re twins, because they have the same powers."

    "Twins don''t always have the same abilities," I remember what Lucas told me when I asked him about that the other day. Only in cases where the bloodline is awakened, such as with me and him, would it be likely for siblings to possess the same set of abilities. "Wait, powers? As in, more than one?"

    So there are vigilantes who display multiple abilities?

    "Yeah," he nods. "The Shadow Twins ¨C that''s what they''re more commonly called ¨C are among the only vigilantes known to have multiple abilities, which is why I find it weird they get so little coverage. I''ve only heard of maybe a handful of powers users who can do multiple things, and they''re two of that handful."

    Shadow Twins? They have shadow-based powers?

    "What can they do?" I ask.

    "Their more famous one is a shadow whip," he tells me. "It''s their primary means of offense and defense. They actually like to use multiple of them, almost like tentacles around them, when defending against an onslaught of projectiles. Then there''s their ability to disappear into shadows."

    "Teleporting?" I ask.

    "No," he answers. "They''re not moving between two places, they just become invisible, in a sense, when stepping into shadows. If the shadow''s interrupted, then they''re forced back into view. One of their best features is that they become stronger and faster the darker it is, literally drawing on the darkness for strength. It''s pretty amazing."

    Twin brothers who have shadow-based abilities? I suppose I shouldn''t be surprised that there are others like that out there. It''s possible that we might even be distant relations. If it weren''t for the fact that my brothers died to the plague, then I''d suspect they were them.

    They''d also probably be significantly more powerful than me by now if they were running around as vigilantes, and there''s no doubt they''d have shadow-walking. The fact that the Patron wants me because he needs a teleporter is evidence enough that my brothers aren''t still around and secretly playing vigilante. Well, that and the fact that my brothers wouldn''t have abandoned me.

    The reminder my brothers are gone depresses me a little. I''ve been thinking about them more lately than I used to, and I hate this. I hate feeling so alone in this world. Maybe I should try to look into my family tree, see if I can find any living relatives? I might find the Shadow Twins if I do. Finding family that I didn''t know I had will help some, I''m sure of it. Would we get along, though? What if I find family and discover that we don''t get along at all?

    What if they hate the Patron with a passion? I''d probably feel even more alone, now.

    "So," I decide to push those thoughts away. "If the Shadow Twins were hot women, you''d want to date them? Separately or together?"

    "At the same time, of course," he says. "It''d only be fair. Why would I choose one sister over the other, especially when they''re already used to doing everything together? That''s assuming they were both interested in me and didn''t have issues sharing, anyway. But we''re talking about fantasies, so that''s assumed."

    "What about in real life?" I ask. "Would you actually date two people at once?"

    "Sure," he says. "If they both were fine with it. Otherwise, nah. I''d stick to just one."

    I don''t think I could handle dating two guys at once. It seems like it would be a lot of work. Maybe if all three of us were dating at once, but I''m still uncertain about that. How would the relationship work, anyway?

    "So," Danny nudges me. "You seemed to get pretty depressed there for a minute. Everything alright?"

    "Yeah," I give him my best attempt at a smile. "I used to have a set of twin brothers a little bit older than me."

    "Used to?"

    "Plague."

    "Oh, man," he says. "I''m so sorry, Kieran. I didn''t mean to upset you."

    "It''s fine," I tell him. "I just¡­ don''t generally have people, so it hits me sometimes."

    "Yeah, but I made you upset," he puts a hand on my shoulder. "I wouldn''t have mentioned them if I''d known, I don''t like making good people upset or sad, and you''re good people."

    "You didn''t know," I snort. "Thanks, though. So if you had to pick between one of the shadow sisters, which would you pick?"

    "You really know how to pick the hard questions, don''t you?"

 Chapter 0031

    "Thanks for helping out today," Danny tells me when I return to the front after finishing my shift. "See you tomorrow, Kieran."

    "See you, Danny," I tell him, then give a small wave to the two workers who showed up for their shifts. "Good luck."

    I turn and leave the restaurant, then set off in the direction of home. Since I only worked six hours, I didn''t get a lunch. Since I didn''t eat lunch and it''s been more than six hours since I ate breakfast, I''m pretty hungry. There''s a good chance Danny would''ve given me a free meal if I''d asked, but I didn''t want to do that. The restaurant is probably barely scraping by and I don''t want to contribute to that.

    Only a minute after I leave the restaurant do I notice something unusual. Again. This is happening far too much lately for my comfort. Sovirna, the fear petitioner, and now this. In less than two weeks.

    Leaning against the front of a shop, dressed in a better-quality jacket over a rather nice hoodie, a scarf around his neck and hands in the pockets of his jacket, is a pretty good-looking guy. He''s about my height, but I''d put him probably at my age, not younger. His jeans and boots are pretty decent, too. They look new.

    Though he''s cute, and his brown hair is ruffled slightly, his eyes are hidden by a pair of sunglasses with black plastic frames. Sunglasses aren''t a common thing in the lower districts. Hell, they can be pretty pricey in the middle districts, and considering that his look like they have comfort grips on the legs and they''re not the kind that simply sit in front of the face, but actually touch up against it to block sunlight from coming in on the sides or above, they''re definitely not of the cheaper variety of sunglasses.

    I''d better hurry on before whatever he''s waiting for shows down. If he''s a dealer of some sort, I don''t want to get caught up in the mess that''ll occur when vigilantes show up.

    Just as I start to pass by him, he speaks.

    "Kieran," he says, and I jump a little, turning to face him. "Sorry, didn''t mean to startle you."

    Oh, hell no. It''s bad enough when Sovirna is waiting for me, it''s worse when some guy I''ve never seen before does it.

    "Who are you, and how do you know my name?" I ask. "I''m not into the trade, if that''s what you''re-"

    "I''m not into that stuff," he chuckles. "I was hoping to maybe get some lunch with you? For old times'' sake?"

    "Sorry, but I don''t have anyone I''d have ''old times'' with, bud," I say. "I-"

    "There''s one friend who didn''t die in the incident," he says.

    A runt my age¡­

    "Isaac?"

    "Got it in one," he says.

    "Weren''t you blond?"

    "My hair had started darkening back then," he shrugs. "It was fully brown by the time I turned thirteen. Eyes are still blue, though. And still sensitive to light. Thankfully, I can afford these now, and can even afford to buy backups."

    He taps the sunglasses. Isaac always got headaches when it was too bright for him back when we were younger, and his family couldn''t afford sunglasses to help him with that. They probably wouldn''t have lasted long, anyway. Someone would''ve stolen them. Or broken them. He was skinnier than most and a frequent target of bullies, so either was plausible.

    "I can''t really afford to go out for lunch," I tell him. "But we can walk."

    "I can afford lunch," he tells me. "It''s a small expense, when compared to¡­ what I did. Especially what I did to the survivors."

    He took away our friends, caused us to need to travel further if we wanted to attend school more, and hurt us all.

    "It wasn''t your fault," I say. "You couldn''t have known or controlled that. It''s clear you feel bad over it, even now. The way you work¡­ your focus is more on protecting children."

    "I can never truly repay what I took," he says. "But I can try to protect others. Let''s go to the middle districts. There''s a place there that you''ll like."

    Isaac wouldn''t have approached me today if he wasn''t ready to face me after what happened. This is probably a big deal for him, and me rejecting him might have a bad effect on his psyche. That''s not good for a vigilante, especially not one as powerful as him.

    While I don''t want to have someone buying me a meal at a restaurant again, I don''t hate Isaac anymore. I''ve forgiven him after understanding he didn''t have any control over that. I''d rather not see him hurt, especially since we were friends back then. The only one I lost who I didn''t lose to death.

    "Can we stop by my apartment, first?" I ask. "A walk to the middle districts is pretty far, and I have-"

    "Training, yeah," he nods. "Your apartment isn''t that much out of the way, so that''s fine."

    I begin walking, and Isaac steps to my side, the two of us making the trip to my apartment in silence. He waits outside while I go up and grab my bag, then we begin the walk towards the middle districts.

    "It''s kind of sad," he says as we draw near them. "How times change."

    Something tells me he''s not talking about our lives, specifically. They''ve definitely changed massively since we last knew each other.

    "What do you mean?" I ask.

    "Seventy years ago," he says. "We''d be standing in middle districts right now."

    "Really?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he answers. "But rising populations combined with resource scarcity can be a pretty big problem. Slowly, over time, there''s less per person. It becomes harder to afford things, and those once considered well-off find themselves not making enough. That''s why the Lusvaris Training Center is so fancy despite being in the lower districts. It was originally sitting a mile into the middle districts."The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    "Have you been keeping tabs on me?" I ask.

    "You were my best friend," he mutters. "I wanted to make sure you were okay, even if I couldn''t face you."

    That kills conversation for a bit, and it gives me time to ponder over his words. The fanciness of some of the places around the training center makes sense now. This stuff wasn''t afforded recently, it was afforded back when it was still in a ''better'' area. And then they kept drawing people who could afford it even after the area went down, and that helped buff up some of the businesses nearby, like the restaurant that Sandy works at.

    "I''ve forgiven you, you know," I eventually tell him. "Though I guess ''forgiven'' is too odd of a word for it. I blamed you, yeah, but then I realized it wasn''t your fault. If you''ve been keeping tabs on me, I''m sure you''ve figured that out."

    "Yeah," he says. "It''s just¡­ hard to face someone who you''ve hurt, you''ve taken away all of the friends of. I mean, you were traumatized by your power''s manifestation. Imagine mine. It awakened and killed thousands, Kieran. Only through a miracle did anyone survive, myself included. I still have nightmares over it."

    That''s right, his awakening was far, far worse than mine. Mine was just a feeling of humiliation and embarrassment that faded after a few years. I didn''t use my power again until less than two weeks ago simply because I didn''t see a need for it once I''d gotten over that.

    Isaac killed people. He was trapped in the rubble, too. Just like me, he was wounded and suffering, he spent a couple of days buried and unable to escape. Yet he was using his power again within a year. He''d trained his power after he disappeared, resurfaced as a vigilante who saved people using the very power that killed others.

    How does he manage it?

    "Well," I say. "I''m glad you''ve come to me, Isaac. You don''t feel obligated because we ran into each other earlier, though, do you? I''d have understood if you took longer. It''s got to be hard."

    "No, earlier had nothing to do with it," he sighs. "Those people¡­ we''ve been running around for the last couple of weeks dealing with them. Then the Patron sent a message last night: they were becoming a problem. A six-year-old power user was killed by someone who had joined the cult. If there''s another death because of the cult¡­ the guardians are getting involved."

    "That''s pretty bad," I say. "Wait. The Patron sent a message? I''ve never heard of that before."

    "That''s because it''s not something you can overhear," he tells me. "The Patron prevents people from ''observing'' certain topics. Even if you''re told directly, you won''t catch it without his permission. It''s to help keep things secret. The identities of the Sivalshi Guardians, most of the vigilantes, and a few other things."

    No wonder the identities of most of the vigilantes seem impossible to find. The Patron prevents it entirely. If what Isaac''s saying is true, then that means that everything he''s telling me, the Patron''s intentionally letting me hear, too. Was Isaac told to talk to me? Or did he choose to, and then received permission for it?

    "That''s¡­ pretty nice of him," I say. "And he sends messages, too?"

    "He has a guardian tell the central enforcement group for the city," he nods. "Which then spreads it to the different districts'' stations and vigilantes. Yeah, vigilantes work with the authorities a little, despite what some people think."

    While I''d suspected the Patron had no issue with the vigilantes, just like I told Lucas when I went off on him, I''d never expected that the Patron actually communicated with more than just the guardians, even if he did so through them. That only raises my opinion of him more.

    "I''d kind of figured they did," I say. "So he sent one out last night?"

    "Yeah," Isaac nods. "With the way the cult is, we''re expecting it to last not even a day."

    How would it work, taking down a cult like this? I''m assuming that they''d have to take out several people who might be scattered across the city. Would a single guardian do all of that? Or would he send several guardians? What about the members who still go about spreading after?

    Isaac and I don''t talk again for awhile, eventually reaching the restaurant he''s leading me to. It''s on the fortieth floor of a business building, and it looks kind of cozy. Carpeted floors, cared-for booths and seats, and polished wooden tables. The lighting isn''t bright, but it''s not poor, either. Actually, judging by how it''s just-right for that cozy feel, it''s intentional.

    "Two, please," Isaac tells the woman standing at a small podium a little bit inside the restaurant. "Booth, please."

    "This way," she grabs two menus and rolls of silverware, then leads us to a booth in a corner.

    Isaac takes the seat facing the restaurant, leaving me facing the wall. He pulls off his jacket and hoodie, and I realize that it''s actually kind of warm here, so I pull off my hoodie, too. He''s wearing a tight-fitting grey tee with a v-cut neck. It''s showing off his lean form pretty well, and I notice after a moment that he''s caught me ogling.

    "I do have a girlfriend, by the way," he comments as he pulls off his sunglasses, which somehow stayed on when he pulled off his hoodie.

    Man, are his eyes even more beautiful than I remember.

    "That''s neat," I say. "Sorry, I didn''t mean to stare. I don''t normally, actually, but the last couple of weeks-"

    "Training your power''s done that to you," he nods. "I know. I''m flattered to know people think I''m attractive. I try to keep fit and healthy."

    My eyes drift down to the necklace around his neck. Hanging from a silver chain is a brown crystal sphere maybe a quarter of an inch or so in diameter, set into a silver claw with a loop in it for the chain.

    "Nice necklace," I say just as a waiter approaches.

    "Hello," the waiter greets us. "I''m Chance. Are you two ready to order your drinks, or do you need a few more minutes?"

    "I''ll have an iced tea," Chance answers as I quickly try to find the drinks in the menu. "They''re on the back."

    I flip the menu over and examine the drinks for a moment.

    "Could I get a lemonade, please?" I ask.

    "So a lemonade for you, and an iced tea for you," the waiter indicates each of us. "Would you like that tea sweetened or unsweetened?"

    "Unsweetened," Isaac answers.

    "I''ll be back with your drinks in just a minute," Chance says.

    "It''s not just a necklace," Isaac says after Chance leaves. "It''s the token for my spellsuit."

    "Your¡­"

    Crunalz has always had the same spellsuit design. Always. I''d assumed he''d found a rich sponsor who put the money in for a spellsuit for someone who wasn''t finished growing yet, but that''s not what happened?

    "How did you find it?" I ask.

    "I didn''t," he fingers it. "The Patron gave it to me."

    "The Patron?" I ask. "Doesn''t he only give those to the guardians?"

    He stares at me.

    "Wait¡­ you''re a guardian?" I ask. "But wouldn''t you have started when you were twelve, then?"

    "Yeah," he answers.

    "None of the guardians have your ability," I say. "I know the capabilities of each of them, and-"

    "I''m the one who rips space," he tells me.

    There''s a guardian who will slash the air, and a tear will form, traveling through it as an attack or remaining static as a defense. It usually fades after a few seconds, and the tear only lengthens in a few cases rather than the entire tear traveling.

    "Normally," he says. "The Patron doesn''t, ah, offer it to anyone under twenty-one. But I was a special case. While I was learning to control this power and use it properly, I''d pleaded with him regularly to let me fix things. Shortly before I was going to return to school, he made me the offer and let me know about that particular aspect of my ability. I managed to train it well over the course of a month, and then I received this token."

    Chance returns with our drinks, then leaves so that we can take a few more minutes to look through the menu. I spend that time processing what Isaac''s revealed to me. He''s not just a vigilante, he''s a Sivalshi Guardian, one of the most badass members of our society.

    After Chance takes our orders and leaves, a thought comes to me and I have to ask it.

    "If you''re a guardian," I say. "Does that mean that you know about the offer I was made?"

 Chapter 0032

    "I''m the one who picked the lock on your mailbox and put the stuff in there," Isaac tells me. "With the Patron giggling in my ear the entire time."

    "Giggling?" I ask.

    "Well, not giggling," he mutters. "But he might as well have been. He knew I was anxious about potentially running into you, even though he never has us do that stuff when we''ll get caught. The Patron likes to do things like that. He''s not sadistic or anything, and he''d never have sent me at that time if it meant we''d run into each other. He just¡­ has his own form of humor. For example, he finds it funny that you and Lucas are crushing on each other, both because of your powers contrasting and because of your views regarding him contrasting. We''re all getting subjected to comments about light and darkness lately because of it."

    "You guys talk with the Patron often?" I ask. "I mean beyond just jobs?"

    "Depends on how long we''ve worked for him," he shrugs. "Most guardians only last the mandatory year ¨C I''ll get to that in a minute, it''s part of why I wanted to approach you ¨C and those ones don''t get to hear him talk. Those of us who''ve served for longer, we tend to hear a bit more. We''ve ''earned'' it, so to speak."

    "I see."

    "Yeah," he goes quiet for a few moments, and I take a drink of my lemonade. "When the Patron makes the official offer after the one-month testing period ¨C that''s what you''re going through right now ¨C the potential recruit is given a few rules. One of them is that if they accept, they have to serve as a guardian for a full year. If they do, then they get to keep the token. If they don''t, then they have to pay back everything they''ve been paid by the Guardian and return the token. It''s a contract.

    "At the end of the year," he says. "You''ll be allowed to continue serving the Patron. You get money for each job, that''s from the start, but with the time after, you''re also able to request other things after the year. Each request enters into a contract for a period of time, and as long as you remain a guardian for that amount of time, you''ll receive it after that period is over."

    "Is that why you''re still a guardian?" I ask. "Because you want stuff?"

    "No," he shakes his head. "I''m a guardian because I want to be. It¡­ I feel better, helping people this way. Using my power this way. It helps me deal. So does my girlfriend, but my doing this helps me more.

    "That said," he says. "I do sometimes ask the Patron for stuff."

    Chance returns and asks if we''re ready to order, and Isaac tells me to order whatever I want because it''s on him. He orders a sizable amount of food, and while I order a bit, it''s nowhere near as much as him.

    "Mind if I ask what kind of things?" I ask once Chance has left.

    "The latest," he says. "Was an increase to the fertility of me and my girlfriend until we conceived. It required nine more months of service, and ended back in February. Sasha ¨C that''s my girlfriend ¨C and I did it for the first time the night that I finished that contract as celebration. We hadn''t actually planned on having sex until we were twenty, but we were in a good mood and one thing led to another¡­ The Patron, in his infinite humor, made it so that we had a guaranteed conception¡­"

    "So you''ve got a baby on the way?" I ask. "Wait, in February? That means she''s close, right? This is pretty close to your birthday, too. Isn''t that next week?"

    "Next Thursday, yeah," he nods. "And, uh, yeah. It''s pretty close. Judging by their growth, they may actually be born around my birthday instead of on their due date."

    "Their?" I ask. "As in ''more than one''?"

    "Twins," he nods. "Brothers. The Patron denies it, but Sasha and I both think that he caused the twins, too. After we found out about the pregnancy, the Patron told me they''re going to be identical. And that they''d look cute in matching outfits."

    I''d never expected the Patron to be sociable, and here I find he''s making jokes and messing with the guardians. If I become a guardian and stay beyond a year, will I go through that, too?

    "Is it okay for you to tell me all of this?"

    "If it wasn''t, you wouldn''t understand any of it," he tells me. "Actually, it''s part of the protocol. Fifteen days after you''re given the thirty-day notice, a guardian approaches you and tells you some stuff, like about the contracts. At least, for the ones still in consideration for the position."

    "So I''m still in consideration?" I ask. "Wait, fifteen days? Doesn''t that mean you''re two days early?"

    "We don''t always do it on the fifteen-day mark," he tells me. "The Patron was asking us last night who wanted to approach you. He said you''ve been doubting pretty heavily that you''d get accepted because of how weak your ability is and figured that it might be a good idea for this to happen a little early, as a boost. I jumped at it, because I''ve been wanting to approach you for awhile and knew that if I kept putting it off, it''d be too late-"

    "Too late?" I ask. "Is one of us dying?"

    "Um, no," his face reddens. "That, uh, came out wrong. I''ll get to that later."

    "Oh, okay," I let out a sign of relief. "That''s good to know. Why is he interested in me when my power is so weak?"

    "Remember how I said we''re supposed to explain a few things?" He asks. "One of them is the reason the Patron took an interested in you, specifically. You''re the only young-ish teleporter in all of Sivalshi City who isn''t opposed to him. Well, unless you count a certain kid, but he''s too young to be offered outside of an exceptional circumstance."

    "How many teleporters are there?" I ask.

    "Four," he answers. "You, Lucas, his grandfather, and his little brother, though his brother hasn''t accessed that power yet. His grandfather is too old to be offered, Lucas hates the Patron, and his little brother both lacks having awakened that ability and is too young to be offered the role outside of exceptional circumstances."

    "I''m a bit young, too, aren''t I?" I say. "Didn''t you say that he doesn''t normally offer it to anyone under twenty-one?"

    "Yeah," he nods. "The Patron was going to wait until you turned twenty-one. I''ve known for a few years he planned on making you the offer. But then something came up. Don''t ask, because I don''t know. All we know is that he wanted you training your powers and developing them sooner."

    "Does it have anything to do with what Sivalshi is fleeing?"

    "The Patron is extremely silent on why his pet sped up and started heading north," he tells me. "Whenever we push, he just responds with ''if you''re cold, go snuggle someone''. That exact wording, in a monotone voice, every single time."

    "Here are some breadsticks," Chance returns unexpectedly, setting a basket of them on the table, along with two small dishes of marinara sauce and two of cheese sauce. "You get free refills on this, and your food''s still preparing."Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    "Thanks," Isaac says, then Chance leaves. "Don''t worry, he couldn''t understand us."

    "Okay," I say. "So you said part of why you''re here is to tell me why I was under consideration?"

    "Yeah," he answers.

    I grab a breadstick and one of the things of cheese sauce, then dip the stick into it and bite off the end, pulling the marinara over as well. Isaac does the same, then takes a sip of his tea before continuing.

    "First, teleporters are pretty useful," he says. "The Patron does want you for that power because it means you can get into a few places more easily than others. I can easily get into somewhere ¨C but it involves being pretty destructive, even if I can put things back together.

    "Second," he continues. "You''re a pretty good agent for stealth missions. Once you''ve trained enough, you''ll be able to use ''shadow meld'', which allows you to merge into shadows. Not travel through them like a shadow-walk, though you can move between touching shadows. Being able to teleport into areas helps with that, too."

    That''s the ability that Danny mentioned the Shadow Twins can use, isn''t it?

    "Third," he says as I finish off this breadstick and reach for another. "You''re a pretty good potential agent for a certain thing I''m not authorized to tell you at the moment. It''s something that only guardians who''ve passed the first year are let in on. So he does have that hope that you''ll continue after the first year, though I can still at least tell you this much.

    "Fourth," he says. "He''s a big fan of how faithful you are to him, even after everything that happened. You have the potential to be one of the biggest pains in the asses we guardians ever deal with, yet you''ve never let what happened to you turn into anger towards him. One of the requirements is faith in him, usually proven through trials."

    We snack on the breadsticks as he gives me time to digest the information he just gave me, and he doesn''t speak again until after we have our lunch and are eating it.

    "If you do become a guardian," Isaac says. "There''s a job he has in mind for you. Not the big one that we don''t know any thing about. A smaller one."

    "A smaller job?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he hesitates for a few moments, then starts fingering his token again. "He actually stopped me from dealing with them myself. Actually took my token away temporarily so that I wouldn''t do anything."

    That sounds¡­ extreme.

    "What kind of job?"

    "Your parents'' killers."

    I stare at him, shocked. Is he saying that the reason my parents'' killers have been left free¡­ was so that I could potentially take care of them?

    "Your parents were like a second set of them for me," he tells me. "Even if we were only friends for a year and a half. When I heard about their murders, I wanted to go after the killers myself. The Patron interfered. He told me that because he wanted you to join the Guardians once you were twenty-one and they hadn''t been caught by the time I found out, we were forbidden from going after them. If they were caught before then without our help, that was fine. Otherwise, he wanted them saved for you. If you make it through the full year of contract, then he''ll issue to you the mission, if you want it."

    "So the Patron," I think over my response for a few moments. "Has left them go free, letting them torment and kill or whatever others, just so that I could deal with them?"

    "I was under the impression," Isaac says. "That you didn''t care that the Patron let stuff like this go, that he didn''t stop people just to protect others."

    "I don''t," I say. "That''s not what''s shocking me, Isaac. It''s not his job to police us. It''s just¡­ the fact that he saved them for me? That''s what I''m a bit shocked by."

    "Ah," he says. "Yeah, he sometimes does that if something particularly bad happens. Especially when it was vigilantes under his employ."

    "Vigilantes¡­ under his employ?" I ask. "Wait. You mean my parents were guardians?"

    "No," he shakes his head. "Just vigilantes. He does actually pay some people to be vigilantes. Your parents drew strength in darkness, not realizing they had powers."

    Of all the blurry things I remember from when my brothers and I had the plague, I remember my parents telling me they''d take care of some bad guys and get us the treatment. They could afford the treatment because of the Patron, couldn''t they?

    "And that caused an awakening of our bloodline in me," I say. "And maybe my brothers, though as far as I know, they didn''t awaken any powers before they died."

    "Yeah, I couldn''t tell you," he shrugs. "The Patron might, you become a guardian and stay one long enough. While he''s not all-knowing, he''s probably aware of if your brothers had awakened any abilities or not."

    "It doesn''t really matter, does it?" I ask. "I mean, they''ve been dead for nine years now."

    "Yeah, they have," he says. "I wish I''d gotten to know them¡­ and I''m sorry for not talking to you after the incident. I just¡­ it was hard for me to face anyone, much less you. The only reason I jumped at this was because it''d be too late to talk with you if something didn''t kick my ass in gear."

    "You mentioned that earlier," I say. "What do you mean by that?"

    "You were there to celebrate my tenth and eleventh birthday," he says. "I was¡­ wanting to invite you to celebrate my nineteenth, too. Well, I kind of wanted to invite you to my parties the last few years, but I never worked up the courage to talk to you. If something didn''t prompt me coming, I probably wouldn''t have approached you before then."

    I''ll probably feel out of place at his party. Not only have I not been to a party in years, but Isaac and I were friends seven years ago and haven''t seen each other since. Wouldn''t this be weird? At the same time, though¡­

    "Sure," I say. "Where and when?"

    "Thursday of next week," he points at the window, indicate the building across the street. "At that building. Twenty-seventh floor, Room Two-Seven-Three. And us sitting where I can point like this is coincidental. I do like the restaurants in this building, though. Sasha and I come to them a lot."

    "I''ll get to meet her, I assume?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he answers. "I''ve kind of wanted to introduce you to her for awhile."

    It sounds like he really had a hard time letting go of me. Was I really that good of a friend back then? Or was it mostly out of guilt?

    "You can come after you finish your training," he tells me. "No one will steal your bag, so you don''t have to worry about that."

    "Alright," I say. "I''ll be there, Isaac. I look forward to meeting her. It''s a shame I don''t have anyone to introduce, though."

    As much as I''d like to, and this reminds me of the struggle I''m facing right now.

    "Everything alright?" He asks.

    "Yeah," I answer. "It''s just¡­ I like two guys, Isaac. I mean, I probably fell for them a bit too fast, but whatever. One of them''s Zane, a pretty hot guy I met Saturday before this past one. He''s into me, too, just¡­ he''s wanting to deal with some stuff before trying to give a proper relationship a try. Then there''s Lucas¡­ and you already know his issue. I don''t think something could last between us if he''s like that."

    "Ah," he takes a sip from his tea. "Well, if you really want, I could introduce you to a guy I know who''s looking and bi. He''s got his stuff together, supports the Patron, and is pretty handsome from what I can tell."

    "Much as I appreciate that offer, Isaac," I snort. "I don''t think I''d have it that easy. We probably wouldn''t get along."

    "You never know," he shrugs. "If you can''t get with one guy you''re interested in and the other has some serious mental problems, try giving another guy a try, see if it goes somewhere. If it does, great, if not, maybe one of the two you''re more interested in has figured things out by that point. Just something to think on."

    He takes another sip of his drink. I suppose he''s right. Unless Zane gets his stuff together or Lucas stops being an idiot soon, I could probably end up waiting a long time for them. Do I really want to do that?

    "Well, I''ll think on it," I tell him. "Thanks, Isaac."

    "No problem," he says. "He''ll be at my birthday party, anyway. We''ve been friends for awhile."

    "How old is he?" I ask.

    "Turned nineteen this past summer," he answers. "We met¡­ five years ago, I think? At a park. I liked to go to them for awhile, the first few years after. It reminded me of my first friend. I didn''t expect to make my second one at a park."

    He snorts, then we start catching up on stuff that''s happened. Isaac seems to know quite a lot about me, and I realize that even now, he''s probably feeling lonely, just like me. Though he has friends, what happened when his powers awakened still hurts him.

    After we finish eating and he pays, Isaac walks me down to the center. When I get him talking about Sasha on the walk, his eyes light up, even if his tone doesn''t change much. It''s a sign of how much he loves her, I''m certain of it.

    "Thanks," I tell him once we reach the center. "It was nice finally getting to talk with you again, Isaac. And remember, I don''t blame you for what happened. I understand it was an accident."

    "Thanks," he tells me. "Have a good day, Kieran. And enjoy your training."

    "Thanks, and bye," I say.

    Isaac leaves, and as he does, Zane approaches me.

    "Who was that?" I ask.

    "Someone from my past," I answer as I look at him. "I ran into him after my shift today, and we''ve spent the last couple of hours catching up."

    "Ah, nice," he says. "Do you want to warm up together?"

    "Sure," I answer. "Nothing too harsh, though. Lucas pushes me pretty hard during martial arts training."

    "I can work with that," he chuckles.

 Chapter 0033

    "I thought we were meeting at the center?" I''m going to ignore the fact that Lucas apparently flashed himself into my apartment while I was sleeping. "Especially since it would give you at least half an hour more of sleep."

    Instead of answering, Lucas continues preparing to cook breakfast. I guess he''s too grumpy at being up so early to actually talk right now. Since he''s busy doing that, I open up my dresser and pull out my outfit for today, then quickly change into it. It''s way too cold here, the freezing temperatures biting at my skin. There''s no heater for the building, and just buying a space heater would be expensive. Running one enough that the temperatures are tolerable?

    It would probably be cheaper for me to move to an apartment building with a heating system.

    Plopping myself onto the couch, I watch Lucas as he cooks. He''s wearing a dark blue apron that I know isn''t mine, which means he probably brought it with him to use, himself. Then he''s wearing pants and a hoodie, definitely because it''s cold here. In his grumpiness, why did he choose to go to a place that''s much colder than his? Did he forget? Did it make him even grumpier?

    Whatever the reason, I''m not going to oppose having a cute guy I know and trust making me breakfast, especially since Lucas is the kind of guy who would bring his own ingredients. I''m not entirely sure what he''s making, but it seems like a lot of food.

    Which is probably good. I''ve been feeling hungrier lately, which he''s stated to be a result of becoming more active. My stomach was tiny because of the lack of food, and now that I''m eating, it''s expanding as well on top of me needing more fuel.

    Fifteen days. It''s been fifteen days since I began training, since the Patron gave me the offer to become one of his elite warriors. I still feel inadequate, but after meeting with Isaac a couple of days ago, I know that there''s still something to it. The Patron is still considering me for a spot among his warriors, and he really, really wants my power to teleport for something.

    He probably would have made the offer to Lucas, had my trainer not held such a deep hatred for him. What sort of thing came up that put a rush on getting a teleporter? What other powers should I train for it?

    "Lucas?" I dare to poke at him while he''s grumpy. "Do you really think I should focus only on teleporting and martial arts as prep for this job?"

    "Training center," he grunts.

    "Are you saying to wait until we''re at the training center?" I ask.

    Lucas just grunts in response. I''ll take that as a yes. He''s much less talkative than last Wednesday. Was last Wednesday a fluke? Or does it have to do with him sleeping over, even if we didn''t snuggle? I remember someone telling me that Lucas tends to be grumpy in the mornings when he''s not getting laid. Does just sharing a bed with someone ease that up some?

    "Alright," I respond, then jump as my phone goes off.

    Rather than the shrill, annoying one I had for Hannah, this one''s a much more tolerable, pleasant tone. My neighbors never complained after finding out why I had the original tone, since some of them do the same for their agents. A few of them even came to check on me recently because they''d noticed there wasn''t that annoying sound for a few days to a couple of weeks, and actually congratulated me on finding a better agency.

    Though I didn''t share what the new agency is, since I don''t know my neighbors well enough to know if directing them to a quality temp agency would be a good idea or not and I''d rather not have recommending a bad worker on my record.

    Lucas gives me a curious look, and I answer the call.

    "Good morning, Melody," I say.

    He makes an ''ah'' motion with his mouth, then returns to cooking. It smells really good, though I can''t really tell what he''s making.

    "Good morning, Kieran, how are you?" She asks.

    "Mildly amused," I try not to smile, since I know she''d be able to tell I am through my voice and I want a straight face for when Lucas turns around. "I woke up this morning to find someone had broken into my apartment and was cooking breakfast. I can''t tell if it''s just for them or if they''re going to give me food, too, since it doesn''t look like they''re using any of my food for it."

    Lucas turns around and gives me an annoyed look, and upon seeing my expression, grunts. I stick my tongue out at him.

    "That sounds¡­ definitely strange," she answers. "Are you okay?"

    "Yeah," I chuckle. "It''s my personal trainer. He''s a morning grump and I think he''s tired of hearing about how I screwed up this food or that."

    I take a deep breath, and Melody probably hears at least a little, since she doesn''t speak despite the pause. The breath is mostly a breath of courage, taken because even though I know Melody is different from Hannah, I dealt with a bad work placement agent for four years. Two weeks isn''t enough to make my nerves go away.

    "We''re supposed to be hanging out this morning," I tell her. "He probably knows that if I mention my cooking failure before he becomes human again, it''d sour the hangout. My plan was just to do yogurt, to avoid having one to mention."

    Lucas huffs in the kitchen, and I know I''m right.

    "Okay!" She laughs. "I''ll mark down that you''re unavailable today."

    She''s not reacting the way that Hannah would. Please don''t screw me over for this, especially with the other unavailable day this week.

    "Also tomorrow," I tell her. "A new friend wants to hang out, and he and my trainer don''t exactly get along, so they decided to hang out on different days."

    "I can work with that," she tells me. "I know you''re probably used to how the old agency did things, Kieran, but you don''t have to worry over having to block out a day, as long as it''s not something that essentially prevents our chances of placing you. In fact, it''s better to let us know as soon as possible, so that we can mark it on our calendars and not call you those days as well as change our plans on who to offer what as needed."

    "Sorry," I tell her. "I know you''re not like her, it''s just¡­ four years of that. If I even tried saying it once, I''d likely get bad jobs or no jobs for a week or two. And I know others who got the same treatment from other agents. It''s hard to get past that so fast."

    "We don''t do that here," she assures me. "We prefer it when our clients communicate their availability to us, as it makes it easier to do the things I mentioned. Before I go, are you still planning on the Saturday job?"

    "Yes," I answer.

    "Okay," she says. "Since it''s a regular job, I won''t be calling you on Saturday mornings unless the job is canceled. So make sure to mark down or whatever you need to do in order to remember."

    "Zane trains at the center at the same time I do," I tell her. "He''ll probably remind me the night before. And possibly call me in the morning to make sure I''m up. I''m going to take a picture on Saturday to show you the next time we meet."This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    "Okay!" She laughs. "I''d like to see this horror they apparently want you to deal with every week."

    "It''s worse than it sounds," I say. "Thanks, Melody."

    "No worries," she tells me. "Thanks for letting me know, and about tomorrow, too. I do have a potential job lined up for Friday, but I''ll let you know then if it''s still available or not."

    She already has a potential job for me? Is that just her trying to assure me it''s okay, or does she actually have one for Friday already?

    "Okay," I say. "Talk to you later, Melody."

    "Bye, Kieran," she says, then hangs up.

    Lucas turns to say something to me, only for my phone to ring with a cheerful and upbeat tone. The grump gives me an annoyed look, probably because he got interrupted. This is the ringtone I set for Danny when we exchanged numbers after my shift yesterday, picked because he''s such a cheerful and upbeat guy.

    "Morning, Danny," I say, and Lucas sighs, then returns to cooking. I shift around so that I''m lying on the couch, staring up at the ceiling. "Something got you excited this early?"

    "Yeah!" Danny answers. "They finally gave chain-boy a nickname in the news!"

    "Really?" I ask. "What''s his nickname?"

    "Lumilxal!" He answers. "It''s surprising that they nicknamed him this early, you know!"

    "Lumilxal?" I ask. "Why''s it surprising they nick''d him this early? It''s been five nights, right?"

    "Well, yeah," Danny says. "Thing is, I was only able to hear about him because of the net. He''s not actually hit the news outlets themselves. That usually means that the authorities don''t actually like that particular vigilante."

    "So there''s a sudden turn?" I ask.

    "Maybe," he answers. "Thing is, there also wasn''t any footage to go with him initially. Normally, when a new vigilante who might actually be working with the government shows up, the news outlets have footage of them."

    "But they didn''t for Lumilxal," I say. "You think that he made his debut early?"

    "It may not have even been that, Kier!" Danny exclaims. "See, I managed to find a first-hand account of his original appearance. He was wearing a hoodie, sweatpants, and mask."

    "Which isn''t vigilante gear," I say.

    "Nope," he says. "And from other accounts and statements I could track down, that''s what he wore the next three times."

    He really goes for it when he researches vigilantes, doesn''t he?

    "So his first four appearances," I say. "He was wearing casual gear. Now he''s outfitted in something more like a vigilante? It probably took him a few days to put together an outfit that''s better for it. But that doesn''t explain the sudden switch in the media."

    "Unless," he says. "The government managed to track him down and they supplied the gear."

    "Holding my phone like this is annoying," I tell him. "I''m moving you to speakerphone."

    "Alright!"

    I switch it over and put the phone on the table, taking the opportunity to look at Lucas, who is still making breakfast. Turning my attention back to the ceiling, I let Danny know the call''s been switched.

    "Okay," Danny says. "So it''s weird that the media wasn''t covering him, then they suddenly did, right?"

    "Yeah," I say. "From what I know, the media tends to either cover or not cover, and sometimes stop covering. If they do start covering someone, it''s usually well into their career as a vigilante."

    My guess is that the ones the media will actually cover are the ones Sivalshi employs. Those they stop covering likely ended their contracts with him, while those they start covering after awhile probably ended up working for him after awhile.

    "So what I think happened," Danny tells me. "Is that Lumilxal''s first event? The one the night before you came to work at the restaurant to cover for his first victims? I think that was actually a chance encounter!"

    "You got the first description from those idiots, didn''t you?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he answers. "Anyway, so what if that''s true? What if Lumilxal''s first appearance was just him seeing a crime-in-progress and put a stop to it?"

    "Rather than being a professional," I say. "Realizing he might get into trouble, he left as soon as the police came to take them away."

    "Yeah," Danny says. "And then once he calmed down, he realized he liked it. So he went off searching for more, but in a different area. New vigilantes who don''t normally get covered tend to travel, looking for a place they feel comfortable in."

    "You think," I say. "That the next three nights, he was giving it a try. Then last night?

    "I think yesterday," he says. "The government managed to track him down and asked him to be more official. Why else would they suddenly start covering him? An assurance he won''t get into trouble, and maybe even the new outfit that he was sporting last night!"

    That''s actually a plausible theory. The Patron does employ vigilantes, which means the media coverage is probably on them rather than the ones he doesn''t. So the Patron liked this vigilante, gave it a few days to see if the guy was serious about it, then probably offered him a position as an official vigilante. He may have even supplied Lumilxal with the gear.

    With vigilantes, the Patron probably doesn''t wait as long as he does the Sivalshi Guardians.

    "You know," I say. "That actually sounds plausible to me."

    "Plausible?" He snorts. "The guy''s wearing a freaking spellsuit, Kier. One that''s not in any records, which means it''s new."

    "What do you mean, ''in any records''?" I ask.

    "You don''t know about the spellsuit directory?" He asks.

    "Uh¡­ no."

    "Oh!" I can hear his grin. "Well, there''s a directory of every known spellsuit appearance in the last two and a half centuries or so. Vigilante, bodyguard, private, or even Sivalshi Guardians. They''re all recorded. Did you know that the suits for Sivalshi Guardians change? I''m not talking the general style, I mean an individual''s. No one''s really figured out what determines when they change, but it can change several times throughout the course of their career. There''s one whose outfit changed more than fifty!"

    "That''s¡­ impressive," I say. "So it''s like picking a different outfit?"

    "No," he answers. "Once it changes, it''s that until the next change occurs. It''s usually a buildup, too. A slight alteration, then another slight one. Usually leaving the previous changes in effect. So a grey cowl might turn blue at one point, then gain a white streak on it."

    I''ll ask Isaac at the party what that''s about, but something tells me it might just be the Patron making the changes on a whim.

    "Huh," I say. "So anyway, you''re saying this isn''t a spellsuit someone had lying around that Lumilxal found or bought, but one that was actually made for him?"

    "Yep," Danny says. "And who but the government could get one made so fast?"

    The Patron, but his vigilantes probably count as government vigilantes, so it''s essentially the same thing.

    "Breakfast," Lucas says, and I look over to find him standing on the other side of the coffee table, two plates full of food and two cups full of milk resting on it.

    "Who''s that?" Danny''s voice turns sly. "Got a boyfriend, Kier?"

    "It''s my trainer," I tell him as I sit up. "He''s trying to make sure I''m actually eating a healthy diet to optimize my training. He broke into my apartment while I was sleeping just to do this."

    "Awesome!" Danny laughs. "Hey, want to hang out in the next couple of days? I have the mornings off."

    "I have a job on Saturday," I tell him. "And a potential job on Friday. I''m supposed to be hanging out with someone tomorrow¡­"

    Danny and Zane would probably get along well.

    "But I''ll see if he wouldn''t mind you joining us," Zane might want alone time, but he might be more comfortable with someone else along since he wants to wait on that until I''m more used to things and he''s used to taking care of things alone. "Anyway, Lucas is giving me a death glare, so I should probably start eating."

    Wait. Is this a freaking feast? No wonder it took him so long!

    "See ya!" Danny says, then the call ends.

    "You have a friend who''s into those conspiracies?" Lucas asks. "I thought you said you didn''t have any friends?"

    "He''s the manager from the restaurant I worked at the last few days," I tell him. "We decided to keep in touch. Danny''s also a huge fan of vigilantes and the guardians, so I don''t think I''ll be hanging out with the two of you at the same time."

    "Suits me," he plops himself down on the couch. "I doubt the government actually works with vigilantes. They probably only decided to cover him because he''s in a spellsuit now rather than whatever he had before. Let''s eat. Then I''ll tell you what our movie options are and what theaters we can get to in time."

    How would Lucas react if he knew that many vigilantes are? It''s a shame I can''t reveal that to him, the Patron definitely covers that stuff up. I tested it just to see, and found it true: the Patron actually does prevent people from learning certain things. While I could say it just fine, they either didn''t hear it or thought I was just referring to the theory.

    At least Lucas didn''t try to turn this into an argument over the Patron. He probably would have, before I snapped at him the other day. So I''ll take that as a win. Maybe in a month or two, Lucas might actually be receptive to the idea.

    "Also," Lucas says. "There are only a couple of movies to pick from. Nearly everything playing nearby this morning is horror or romance."

 Chapter 0034

    "Are you really okay with horror?" Lucas grunts as he hands me the money for the tickets.

    We''ve just finished discussing which movie we''re going to see after arriving at the theater. It''s a pretty cloudy day, the clouds overhead thick and dark enough that I''m pretty sure we wouldn''t be able to see if it weren''t for the lights of the city around us.

    There''s more of them here in the middle districts than back in the lower districts, and I''ve noticed something else. I felt a little bit more energetic, a little bit stronger, before we entered the brighter areas.

    Do I gain strength in darkness, too? Am I beginning to notice this sort of thing because of my training? Have I always gained strength in darkness, or is it something that developed because of my training? A power that awakened on its own as I begin to grow stronger, myself.

    "You like horror," I say. "And nothing seems interesting to me from the genres I do have an interest in, Lucas. I''ll just avoid looking at the screen."

    "You''d make a terrible vigilante or Sivalshi Guardian," he mutters.

    Does he know?

    "What do you mean?" I ask.

    "I know you probably want to be a Sivalshi Guardian," he grunts. "As much of a fan of the Patron as you are. Hell, I know you probably want to double as a vigilante once you find out if you got the security job or not. That''s probably why you were wondering about only focusing on martial arts and shadow-walking as prep."

    Oh. He just knows I''d find those jobs appealing. Thank goodness, I''d wondered for a moment if he somehow found out that I''m training in preparation to potentially become a Sivalshi Guardian. Right, there''s also the fact that he probably wouldn''t be able to learn it directly, either. Not if the Patron hides information from people.

    "To be blunt with you," he says. "It''s a bad idea. A security job, too, but it''s not as bad as vigilante or Sivalshi Guardian. For those, you''ll definitely face horrible things, things straight out of horror movies. You''ll have to kill at times, and there will be blood, gore, and other stuff. You''re a pretty bad fit for that, I don''t think you can handle it."

    Could he be right?I don''t really think so. There''s a pretty big difference between a movie that''s designed to instill a sense of fear or terror in someone and getting into a fight with someone who wants to kill me.

    Or who I''m trying to kill. I''m not sure how easy the latter will be, but if the Patron has faith in me, then I''m going to do my best to follow through.

    "There''s a difference between movies and real life," I tell Lucas, slightly annoyed that he has so little faith in me regarding this. "Besides, I don''t even know how I''d go about becoming a Sivalshi Guardian, and, uh, I''m pretty sure it''d take at least a couple of years of intense training to manage that. Sure, I can teleport, but it''s pretty limited and that''s about it."

    "Yeah, it is," he says. "Don''t go looking for a way to become a guardian, even after you''re stronger. You''d just become a slave to-"

    He clamps his jaw shut, probably realizing that his comment would lead to another argument between us. That''s progress.

    "Two for the movie we discussed," he says. "Then buy the same food as last time."

    "Back in a minute," I tell him, then approach the ticket counter.

    After buying the tickets, we head inside and get the tickets checked, then I order us each the nachos and soda combo, because I''m pretty sure that''s what we ordered last week, but I can''t remember for certain. Lucas doesn''t complain when I return with them, so I''m going to assume I ordered right.

    We make our way to the appropriate theater, another employee making sure we''ve paid for this one, then Lucas and I take our seats at the back of the theater.

    "So," I say. "Why is there a second person checking our tickets when we enter the theater? They already have the one doing it outside."

    "Some people like to sneak into movies they haven''t paid for," he answers. "Sometimes after finishing the one they did. Some people sneak past the first checker to avoid paying. So some theaters hire additional people just to ensure the views are paid for."

    He stuffs nachos in his mouth, which probably means he''s done talking for now. Just in case, I wait for the movie to start playing, eating my own nachos and drinking my own lemonade while waiting. Once the movie starts, I put earplugs into my ears, then close my eyes and lean against Lucas.

    This way, I won''t hear what''s going on and won''t be terrorized by the sounds. Deciding to rest a little, I pull my hood up and bury my face against Lucas. A few minutes pass before Lucas''s arm wraps around me in that comfortable manner he did last time. Just like then, he probably hasn''t realized he did it.

    With the lights dimmed in here, I notice the rise in my energy, the slight increase to how strong I feel. Yes, I''m definitely getting stronger in the dark. That brings up my earlier question, though: have I always had this ability and it''s only becoming more noticeable because my strength and energy levels are increasing, or is it something I''ve developed because of my training?

    I definitely drift off because at some point, I find myself surrounded by darkness. Not a blanketing kind of darkness, but more of it''s just dark here. Too dark to see. Instead of leaning into Lucas the way I was, I''m also standing, something prickling against my feet. My bare feet, as I''m naked here. The air is a little chilly, too, sending goosebumps across my body.

    This is a lucid dream, right? I don''t think I''ve ever had one before. If I have, I don''t remember it.

    Can I control things in lucid dreams? Focus, I try to visualize a lamp on a table, the lamp lit up. A moment later, one appears before me. Yeah, this is definitely a dream. What''s going on here?

    The light of the lamp illuminates the area around it, revealing something green growing out of the ground. That''s the thing that''s prickling my feet. Kneeling, I reach down and feel it with my right hand. Is this grass? There''s none here in the lower districts, so I haven''t seen it for real before, but I have a vague, distant memory of a picture or video or something that had grass in it.

    Standing once more, I take around me. All I can see is the grass, only the stand, lamp, and myself here beside it. Looking down, I examine my body. This is definitely based on my real one, as much as I hate it. Aren''t dream selves supposed to reflect our ideal version of ourselves? Why does mine look like me?

    Being scrawny as heck isn''t exactly my ideal self. Lean and toned, that''s how I want to be. A couple of weeks of training isn''t enough to give me that build. Heck, I''m pretty sure it''s impossible to have noticed a difference in my body yet. Sure, I''ve gotten a little bit stronger and faster physically, but it''ll probably take some time for my body to show those changes.

    So far, the only real change is that I actually am starting to have an increased libido. And in just two weeks, I''ve noticed a difference in my dick size. To be honest, I noticed it while showering after training yesterday because I was pretty hard and needed to take care of it. I didn''t, not at the center. When I got home, I took a shower to take care of it somewhere warm, and I measured it because it seemed a little bigger.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Back when I started training, I was 6.1" long and 1.6" thick. I''m now about 6.3" to 6.4" long, having grown roughly a quarter of an inch in half a month. Lucas said that during the growth spike, a power user''s dick can grow up to half an inch a month. Am I hitting that? What will my final size be? Since he said that our final size is between eight and nine inches long and at least two inches thick, I''m sure I''ve gotten thicker down there, too.

    That''s kind of weird, though. Didn''t he say it depends on how often and regularly we use our powers? I can barely do anything with mine, so it shouldn''t have grown this much already. Or does how much we can do also affect it? Does something else affect it, too? Is the fact that I''m training at the optimal for power growth the reason I''m hitting what he said was the upper limit of growth?

    Yes, despite me having forgotten plenty of what he told me, I remember what he told me about what I should know about power users, back when we met. I''m an eighteen-year-old guy, of course I''d remember being told that being a power user means I get a bigger dick and have wonky biology.

    Huh. Now that I think about it, I''m hard in this dream. Was I already hard, or did I get hard because I was thinking about the only part of me that''s not in need of improvement?

    Whatever the reason, I should figure out what''s up with this dream. It''s so¡­ bland. Why is my first lucid dream something so plain? Why does it involve grass? Why am I not in the form of my ideal self?

    Something catches my attention. The shifting of shadows at the edges of where I can see. Perhaps if I summoned orbs of light?

    Just as soon as I think that, orbs of light fill the air, scattered about. Each orb is the size of an orange and emits a pale yellow light in a radius of about ten feet. It''s enough for me to see that the grassy field extends for awhile. This dream is probably an outdoor one.

    Looking around, I spot what looks like playground equipment. There aren''t any parks near where I live, but I remember hearing about them and their playgrounds. I walk toward it, moving some of the orbs of light with me.

    Swings, slides, some sort of construction that''s probably meant for children to play on, a round platform with bars on it that I can''t understand the purpose of, and a few other things. This is definitely a playground, right?

    Focusing on the swings, I will one of them to move, and it shifts forward a little, then swings back. I nudge it with my mind some more, playing around with the swing a fair bit, watching other things without being obvious about it. There''s something here in this dream with me, and with the fact that powers exist, I''m going to guess that this isn''t completely a dream.

    Not mine, anyway. Whatever or whoever else is here with me, they''ve caused this. A power user? Or a beast that managed to make it onto Sivalshi''s back without being noticed or caught by the guardians? Something that''s been slumbering for awhile?

    I walk over to the swings and take a seat on one, keeping my feet planted firmly on the ground, moving the swing back and forth just a little by bending and straightening my knees. Eventually, I manage to see what it is that''s here with me.

    It''s a shadow. Literally a shadow that''s moving around on its own. For the most part, it''s keeping out of my light, but every now and then, it enters, allowing me to see it.

    Is this a power user trying to scare me? Or the form of some creature that''s connected to my dream self?

    "Hello," I greet my dream companion.

    "Hello?" A voice speaks into my mind.

    It sounds male, not much different from someone my age. Young, but not a child. It sounds hesitant, uncertain. An image flashes in my mind, a vision of two people approaching each other, saying ''hello'', then shaking hands before giving a hug. An impression of greeting. A question.

    Did I just get asked if I was performing a greeting? Either it''s a powerful child or it really is some sort of creature.

    "Yes," I respond, just a little bit hesitantly.

    "Yes?" It asks, then an impression of affirmation, a vision of a child nodding their head.

    I nod in response to that, so that the other can tell it''s confirmation.

    "Yes," it responds more certainly this time.

    "I''m Kieran," I say. "That''s my name."

    "Name?" It asks. "Identifier?"

    Its last question comes with the sound of several names echoing in my head, followed by people introducing themselves. So it does know some things already, then? I''m starting to lean more towards a beast that''s loose nearby than a child power user doing this.

    "Yes," I answer. "My identifier is Kieran. What''s yours? Do you have a name?"

    If it''s a child, it will probably answer this one easily. Most children I''ve seen like to tell people their names.

    "My identifier?" It asks, and several moments pass. "I am nothing. Maybe something. Perhaps Shade? Memory bad. Shade old? Young? Uncertain."

    An image forms in my mind, a young man my age, though 5''9" rather than the half-foot-shorter height I have. He''s lean and toned, his hair black and eyes bright green. His skin has a light tan to it, something that''s not common here on Sivalshi''s back due to the turtle''s tendency to stay in cooler areas. Just like me, he''s completely naked, and he''s just as hard, though bigger. I don''t think he''s supposed to be a ''better me'', though. The image is accompanied by an impression of warmth and happiness.

    In the vision, the man reaches forward and places his hand on a shadow, one which has taken the form of a wolf made of pure shadows. Nothing as vague and undefined as Shade seems to be. The wolf of shadows leans into his hand the way a dog would lean into a friend''s.

    "Nox named Shade," Shade tells me. "Friend. King of Shadows. Kieran¡­ Master of Shadows. Young one. Younger than Nox. Descended of Nox."

    Descended of Nox? Did he just show me an ancestor of mine? How long ago did he know Nox? What does he mean by ''King of Shadows''?

    "I''m not really a master of shadows," I tell him. "My skill with them is pretty low. I can''t even manipulate them. Right now, all I can do is move between them and get stronger in them, and the latter''s something new to me."

    "Master¡­ future ruler?" Shade asks. "Am wrong?"

    There''s an impression in my mind, one of a circlet of black metal, set with black and grey gems, then it transforming into a crown. A throne made of stone as black as night. Crowds of shadows¡­ are they bowing to it? They''re shadows on a black stone floor, yet I''m getting the impression they''re bowing to the throne. A deep sense of respect and loyalty.

    "Ah," I say. "I think you mean ''Prince'', Shade."

    "Hm," Shade muses for a few moments. "Prince of Shadows. Master of Shadows. Both are you, you are both. Master Kieran. Master of Shadows."

    I think it meant to say ''Prince Kieran'' the first time. This is starting to make my head spin. Who was Nox? He just looks like a normal guy. Why does Shade think I''m his descendant? Because we both have black hair and green eyes and powers dealing with shadows?

    Does ''King of Shadows'' just mean someone who has control over shadows the way Lucas has control over light? Or greater control than that? It would explain the term. Someone who''s a master at commanding the shadows can be considered their ruler, and a king is a ruler.

    Then to that comparison, I''m just a prince of shadows, someone who has some authority with shadows, but not actual control yet.

    "You can just call me Kieran," I tell Shade. "I don''t feel like a prince or master or anything."

    "I am Shade," Shade tells me. "What like?"

    The broken question is followed by an impression of animals, an inquiry, a sense. I can tell what he''s trying to ask.

    "My favorite animal is the wolf," I tell him.

    "Like Nox," the shadows making up Shade shift, coalescing and rising, taking on the form of the wolf I saw in the vision he''d sent me. "Nox like wolves. Liked wolves. Shade became wolf for Nox, but Shade can become many things. Shade is sleepy. Strength not recovered. Must rest more. Goodbye, Master of Shadows. We meet again."

    The dream fades away, and I find myself waking up to Lucas gently shaking me, the lights in here on. It''s blinding for a moment, and I notice him saying something, his lips moving, his eyebrows furrowed in worry. I push back my hood and pull out the earplugs.

    "Oh!" He says. "I was wondering how you managed to fall asleep despite the noises that were probably disturbing to you. I guess that explains it."

    "It doesn''t hurt to come prepared," I tell him.

    "No, it doesn''t," he says. "The movie ended a few minutes ago and you weren''t waking up. I thought something was wrong."

    My dream with Shade either didn''t start right away, or time in the dream was slower than time in reality. That was¡­ strange and slightly surreal, to be honest. I just got contacted by an ancient shadow¡­ thing. I''m not sure what it was, but I know for certain my brain didn''t make it up.

    "Thanks for being concerned," I tell Lucas. "I was¡­ having a weird dream."

    "I''m glad you''re okay," he sighs in relief. "Let''s head somewhere for lunch. I want to eat before training."

    "Alright," I say, then stand and stretch.

    Lucas does the same, and I can tell that despite his concern for me, he''s still grumpy. His worry just overrode that for a bit.

    I''m going to be ordering for us at the restaurant for sure.

 Chapter 0035

    "What was wrong?" I ask as we begin the short walk to the training center from the restaurant.

    "What?" Lucas grunts.

    "You were grumbling about something while we were eating," I say. "What was it?"

    He also kept making aggravated movements, such as setting his silverware, cup, and napkin down a bit more heavily than he should have. The fact that he didn''t make a complaint to the waitress or manager surprised me, and I''m guessing it was because I was here. Possibly because I''d slept against him at the theater. Lucas''s grumpy mode is definitely one that complains if there''s an issue, and that''s something his Aunt Tabitha has told me is a sure fact when he''s not getting laid.

    "My salad was warm," he grumbles. "And my fries weren''t that warm. They''d been sitting out before they were served."

    "Ah," I say. "Mine were, too. They''re not supposed to be?"

    "Uh, no," he says. "Fries should be hot, not cooled. You have noticed that the ones you''ve had that were hot were better, right?"

    "Yeah," I answer. "And less floppy."

    "And salads should be cold and crisp, not warm and limp," he complains. "What idiot doesn''t keep salads cold until it''s time to serve? I should''ve asked for a discount. Or for them to remake it right. Don''t serve customers stuff that''s been sitting out. Ever."

    "I don''t plan on it."

    Lucas gives me a confused look, then sighs, rubbing his temples.

    "Want me to grab your bag for you, or are you going to head back home after?" He asks.

    "Would you be kind enough?" I ask.

    "Sure," he answers. "I''ll do it when we get to the center."

    "Okay," I say, then look up at the dark clouds filling the sky. "I''ve wondered, but how much does something like night or a cloudy day affect your light-walking ability?"

    "Depends," he answers, then stops walking a little before the rectangle of light from a building''s window on the sidewalk. "I could light-walk right here, despite not being in obvious light. However, the cost is greater for me. But if I took a step forward¡­"

    Lucas steps forward, into the rectangle of light.

    "The cost goes back to normal, since I''m in direct light," he tells me. "A shadow-walker, on the other hand, becomes more hindered."

    "Because if we have a light source directly on us," I say. "We''re in ''light'' and can''t travel."

    "Yup," he confirms as we resume walking. "You have to be in darkness or in the shadow of something to move. At the center, sure, there''s light everywhere and you can see just fine. But the room is set up so that there are shadows cast around, even with the light. So you can just step into one and move."

    The lighting setup is weird in the blocks room. Logically, there shouldn''t be that many shadows in there. Yet there are, cast despite lights being aimed in that direction from above as well. When I asked Tabitha about it, she said that it''s something the grandfather or whatever, I can''t remember, managed to get set up, and they''ve never learned the how of it, but they know it was to help light-walkers.

    In a room like that, there are places they can''t travel, as Lucas has shown without mentioning. The power is weird. He can''t travel in direct shadows, but he can travel in darkness as long as there is light nearby.

    By using a room with shadows everywhere, it forces them to be selective about where they travel to, rather than allowing them to just travel everywhere like in a well-lit room.

    No doubt it''s something that was arranged with the Patron by the great-grandfather who was a Sivalshi Guardian. It would explain the lack of logic behind the cast shadows of the room: the Patron used his powers to create that effect. It''s done through magic or divine power or something.

    We continue our walk to the center, then I check in and Lucas flashes out of here. Since he''ll know where to find me, I make my way to the blocks room we use for my power training, then sit on a bench and wait for his return. It takes a few minutes longer than I expect, Lucas looking somewhat annoyed when he finally arrives, my duffel bag slung across his chest and resting at his right hip.

    Oops.

    "Sorry for moving on you," I apologize. "I figured you''d know I was here as soon as you saw me-"

    "I''m not annoyed at you," he says. "I wasn''t going to expect you to wait around for me in there rather than use the time to get here. It''s something unrelated to you, don''t worry about it."

    "Okay," I say as he pulls off my duffel bag and hands it to me. "Thanks, Lucas."

    "No problem," he says. "Now, I''m going to go change and do some training before my shift starts. See you."

    Lucas flashes out of here, and I strip down to my underwear, stuffing my clothes into the bag. I''m not planning on doing power training today, just some warm-ups in here followed by some time in the trampoline room. After that, I''ll return to here for some more light exercises to help relax my body after the trampolines, and then I''ll do two laps across the blocks before heading to my martial arts lesson, since I''m doing laps in here on these days now.

    Just as I reach for my shorts, the door to the room opens, and in walks a cute, lean guy about 5''8", with sandy-blond hair and brown eyes with glasses, dressed in black shorts and a red sleeveless shirt that hugs his body a little well, showing his arms. They''re not muscular, but they''re still toned.

    This guy is definitely attractive, and I know I start showing it immediately. Training my powers these last couple of weeks has definitely begun to wake that side of me up for sure. Hopefully, he''s focused more on the fact that I''m changing and doesn''t stare at my crotch.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    Tucked under his right arm is a basketball, and he gives me a surprised look.

    "Kieran?" He asks. "I thought you didn''t show up until closer to your training sessions?"

    Only once he speaks do I recognize him.

    "I honestly didn''t recognize you out of your uniform, Todd," I answer, and he chuckles. "Don''t you not get in until halfway through my training? It''s only one in the afternoon. This seems a fair bit early, even for a post-shift training."

    "Yeah," he taps the ball with his left hand. "Training."

    "Sanitizing mist training with a basketball in Block Room 4?" I raise an eyebrow. "I know it''s only been a few months since you started here, but I doubt you got lost, especially since the basketball court''s in a different section of the center."

    And since he''s not in his uniform, I know the training is for him and not as a personal trainer. Plus, he told me Monday that he''s not a trainer, just the guy who cleans rooms like this after use. Could he be here to train with a friend, then?

    "I''m not lost," he confirms. "I was looking through some stuff in our family, and found that the mist isn''t just a sanitizing thing. That''s just the ability my mom and I both awakened first. Her dad had a mist that let him move objects, and Mom had assumed that he''d gotten with someone who had some sort of healing ability, which resulting in our cleaning mist. Working here, I''ve learned that abilities aren''t exactly single-focused¡­"

    "So you figured," I say. "That you probably have a mist that can move objects."

    "Yep," he holds up the ball, and a mist begins to flow out of his hand, gathering underneath it and lifting the ball up. "I''d found Gramps'' journal mentioning his ability this morning, and after some testing, managed to figure it out."

    With skill betraying his new discovery of the ability, he moves the basketball to me, letting it drop in front of me. I catch it and examine the ball as the mist fades away.

    "You just discovered it this morning?" I raise an eyebrow once more.

    "Yup," he answers. "I''ve been training its base, a mist, since I was six. So it''s not at its base."

    "Right," I remember that part of powers now. "It''s grown stronger over time, even without you having used it, because you were using a similar power. And some of the skill translates over."

    "Bingo," he points at me for a moment. "With the cleaning and sanitizing mist, I can manipulate and control its flow if I want. That skill translated over to this ability. Something else I realized while using this new ability, I can actually get a vague sense for what''s around the mist. And that brings me to here."

    "What do you mean?" I ask.

    "Throw the ball into the arena," he tells me, and I raise an eyebrow. "Just do it, you''ll see."

    Turning, I throw the ball into the arena of blocks. It lands somewhere in the front-left quadrant, mostly because my throws are just as terrible as when I threw a ball for Sophie last week.

    "You are definitely working on your throws at some point," Todd snorts. "Watch."

    He holds out his right hand, and a mist flows out of it, condensed into a sort of stream of mist rather than just billowing out like when he sanitizes things. It flows into the arena, and about a minute passes before I realize it''s begun to flow back toward him, dissipating as it reaches his hand once more. Soon, the ball comes into view, supported by the mist that''s gathered underneath it.

    Using his ability, he can search out an item, grab it, and bring it back to him.

    "That''s¡­ pretty freaking awesome," I say as he catches the ball, the last of his mist fading.

    "Yep," Todd says. "So I figured, I could come in here, toss the ball somewhere, then use my mist to find it and bring it back. Right now, the ability to sense or see around the mist just gives me a fuzzy sense of things. With training, I can probably sharpen that up. It will also help me push the limits of how long I can support it or how far I can bring it. I''m pretty sure of the ability to increase this since I can sense anything that''s in contact with the cleaning mist, and the image of it sharpened up over the years to the point that it''s crystal-clear."

    Does that mean that when he used it with me in here, he received a visual of my naked body? I mean, it''s not like he hadn''t already seen it, but I''m sure it''s different getting it through the sense of the mist. What did he think? Yeah, yeah, I know, he''s probably straight, but that doesn''t mean I can''t be curious what he thought.

    Has he ever used it on someone he was attracted to in order to get that sense of their body? I wouldn''t do something like that, but I''ve known plenty of people in my life, even if just as coworkers or customers at my temp jobs. Plenty of people are perverted, even if secretly or only slightly, and many of them wouldn''t hesitate to sneak a peek when they know they won''t be caught.

    I''m pretty sure Zane is one of those people.

    "Neat," I pull on my shorts. "I was just going to do some warmups in here before heading to the trampolines for a bit, but I wasn''t going to be doing that for four hours. Mind if I watch?"

    "Sure," he answers. "If you want, you can help, too."

    "Help?" I ask. "How?"

    "You toss the ball," he explains. "I retrieve it and give it to you, repeat. You''d just need to stand in the center and toss it in some direction. I was originally going to do that, but this way, I can move around a bit, too, and not be using the same starting point each time."

    "Alright," I say. "I can do that until my arm gets sore."

    "Alright," he chuckles.

    I walk over to the barrier and climb over it, and he tosses me the ball. After catching it, I make my way to the center of the arena and climb up onto a block that''s tall enough for me to see him over. Not one of the tall ones that would have me completely visible, just one where my chest and up is visible while I''m standing on it.

    "Ready?" I call out.

    "Yep!" Todd calls back. "Throw the ball!"

    I throw the ball to the front-left quadrant when facing him, and after it lands, Todd begins manipulating his mist to locate it. A few minutes pass before the ball returns to me, carried by the mist, then the mist retreats. I wait until Todd gives me the all-clear, then toss the ball again.

    We do this for nearly half an hour, with me throwing the ball in various directions and Todd retrieving it, then bringing it to me, before Todd says he''s almost out of magic and doesn''t think he can do another round. I hope off the block and return to Todd, tossing him the ball before climbing over the barrier.

    "That''s impressive," I tell him. "You were using it with very little breaks, yet your cleaning mist doesn''t even last a minute."

    "Yeah," he chuckles. "How effective my cleaning mist is depends on how much power I put into it, so I''ve built up quite a bit over the years. I also regenerate it at a decent rate, and this doesn''t cost too much."

    "Speaking of the cleaning mist," I say. "You said that lets you see anything it comes into contact with, and you get a crystal-clear image of it?"

    "Yeah," he answers. "It''s not in color or anything, more like a sense of the form that''s extremely sharp in my mind. I-ah. I used it on you last time."

    "Yeah," I answer, and he snorts.

    "Don''t worry," he says. "I''m not a creep, I don''t use it to check out people''s bodies or anything. I don''t normally mention that part of the ability because people tend to judge me when they find out I''ll use it with people around."

    "I wasn''t judging," I tell him. "Just curious what you thought."

    "Ah," he snorts. "Assuming I''m into men?"

    "Assuming you''re like most people and will make comparisons or judgments about bodies," I say. "Especially when you get the full nude view, which I know you''d gotten then."

    "Maybe if you''d been hard, I''d be comparing," he tells me. "I did think ''damn, he''s even skinnier than he looks'', though."

    I snort in response to that, and he grins at me.

    "Going to head to the trampolines now?" He asks as I pull on my workout shirt.

    "Going to do some warm-ups first," I answer. "Then yeah, I''ll head to the trampolines. Going to train your power some more?"

    "Maybe in a bit," he tells me. "Mind if I join you for the trampolines? I''ve never really done them before and have been curious."

    "Sure," I tell him. "Just know that your legs are going to really, really not like it the next few days."

    That''s part of why I''m planning on taking a rest and doing some stretches after: Lucas told me that doing so will help decrease the soreness and stiffness that will come after, especially if I''m planning on doing it only once a week.

    "I''ve heard," he nods. "So. What kind of warm-ups do you do?"

 Chapter 0036

    Thunder booms, the sound much more audible closer to the front of the training center than when I was showering after martial arts, probably because I was showering down here on the first floor and the shower room I use is closer to the center of the place than the outside.

    The storm started up while Todd and I were in the trampoline room, and it was pretty loud up on the top floor, where Lucas was teaching me martial arts. That was probably partly because of the rain pounding the roof above us, so we were hearing more than just the thunder.

    Hoping for the storm to finish before I left was probably a bit too much to ask for. I don''t have rain gear, and I''m pretty sure there''s a decent wind right now judging by the rolling sound of the rain against the roof before my shower.

    With a walk of forty minutes ¨C more since I''ll have to fight the wind and the rain ¨C to get home, I''m going to be soaked through and freezing. An immediate hot shower will be a must, as will bundling up well in warm clothes and my blankets. With luck, I won''t be sick when I wake up tomorrow.

    Upon reaching the front foyer, I find Lucas and Zane in an intense battle of rock-paper-scissors, Tabitha and¡­ I can''t remember her name, actually. But she and Tabitha are both looking rather amused by the game, so I''m going to guess they''re arguing over who''s walking me home.

    Neither are wearing rain gear, either, which suggests that they''re both willing to risk getting sick or frostbite or something just to see me home safe. While I''m touched, they should probably just head home.

    For about a minute, I watch as they continue to either draw or alternate between wins, neither one managing to get more than a single point ahead of the other. It''s really nice to know they both care about me that much.

    "Guys," I say. "Are you seriously trying to play rock-paper-scissors to see who gets to walk me home? You do know you can both do it, right? It doesn''t have to be only one of you like it has been."

    I know the reason they''re alternating who walks me home is because Lucas can''t stand Zane in anything more than small doses, but if they''re walking me home in a storm of freezing rain, there won''t be much talking or goofing off.

    As soon as I ask this, both of them turn wonderful shades of crimson and give each other uncomfortable looks.

    "They weren''t debating over who was walking you home," Tabitha informs me.

    "Oh?" I ask. "It certainly seems like it judging by their reaction."

    Though they''re both turning even redder, now.

    "They were both wanting to invite you to spend the night at their apartment," she tells me with a grin. "Since it''s a much shorter walk than to yours. They got into an argument over it a few minutes before you showed up and decided to do rock-paper-scissors to pick who gets to invite you first."

    That hadn''t even occurred to me. What''s more, they both have heated apartments. Lucas mentioned to me that he''s got decent heating in his and keeps it on, and that he''s glad that he makes enough to cover the electricity bill caused by that. The Korriska Building has two floors of apartments above the conference halls, and Zane, his brother, and their parents live in them.

    "You live about twenty minutes from here, right?" I ask Lucas.

    "Maybe thirty, in this weather," he mutters.

    "Zane lives in the Korriska Building," I say. "That''s only about fifteen minutes when walking slow and chatting. So maybe twenty minutes, maybe a few more than that, in this weather. You can light-walk yourself home, which is probably safer, and Zane and I can head to his place."

    Lucas opens his mouth to protest, probably because he just doesn''t want me spending the night with Zane. It has nothing to do with him worrying about Zane getting sexual with me, he just wants to minimize the risk of Zane getting an advantage over him when it comes to who I''ll end up dating between them once they sort through their issues.

    "Or," I continue before Lucas can speak. "All three of us can head to Zane''s and spend the night there. If Zane''s willing."

    "Sure!" Zane answers. "So you''ll probably blow over in this wind, Kieran."

    I look through the glass doors making up the entrance of the building and find the wind blowing strong enough that the rain''s coming down at a severe enough angle it''s almost horizontal. He''s right, I''m much too light for this to be safe.

    "So why not," he says. "Give Lucas your bag, and you can ride on my back? I can turn to stone, weighing myself down. The walk will only take me eighteen minutes. Can you match that, or should I go slower so you can stay with us?"

    Zane directs that last part at Lucas, and I can tell it''s not meant to be a jab at Lucas. He wants to make sure the speed he can go in this rain isn''t faster than the other person who might be coming with us.

    "I can match it," Lucas huffs. "Fine. We''ll do that."

    I hand Lucas my bag, then watch Zane as he transforms. This is my first time seeing his power in action and I don''t want to miss it.

    Over the course of about three seconds, Zane turns to grey stone, his features just as defined as when in his human form, but every part of his body made up of the stone. Even his eyes, teeth, tongue, and hair are made of it. That''s pretty amazing. So is the size of the bulge down low, and I quickly turn my gaze back up to his. He gives me a big grin.

    "Told ya!" He says, then turns around. "Hop on!"

    I climb onto Zane''s back, wrapping my arms and legs around him, and he reaches back and grabs my legs to help support me. Then, he and Lucas leave the center, and I can feel the wind ripping at me immediately, trying to pull me off of my mount. I hug him tighter, doing my best to resist the wind''s force.

    The walk feels like it takes hours, and by the time we arrive in the Korriska Building, I''m freezing and my body is numb. Moving my limbs to release from Zane isn''t easy, and it takes until we reach his apartment for me to have thawed enough for that. Lucas, meanwhile, looks rather jealous, even if soaking wet.

    All three of us have ice in our hair, our clothes frozen in some spots. With the lower temperatures here, I''m surprised the rain wasn''t frozen by the time it reached us. That probably would have been painful, though, so at least there''s that? But the wind was so strong that it managed to get the rain between Zane and me, soaking us all the way through, including the areas that were touching most of the walk.

    Lucas doesn''t look as affected by the cold as I do. Zane doesn''t feel the cold in his stone form, and he hasn''t switched back yet. Lucas, on the other hand, still feels the cold.

    "Kieran needs a hot bath," Zane tells Lucas as they help me off of stoneboy. "Otherwise, he''ll catch cold. You, too. The tub''s big enough for both."

    Lucas''s cheeks flush for a moment, and to my surprise, he declines.

    "You get in with him," Lucas tells him. "Make sure he doesn''t fall asleep, and if I find that you forced yourself on him-"

    "I wouldn''t do that," Zane holds his hands up in defense. "Consent is my thing, Luke. Have more faith in me."

    A tic works in Lucas''s jaw, and I know it''s from the nickname. He''s too concerned about me right now to bicker with Zane, though. At least there''s that.

    "I''ll be back."

    "Back?" Zane asks as Lucas pulls off my bag and drops it on the ground. "Where are you going?"

    "To buy food," Lucas answers. "Some shops are definitely still open despite this weather, and all three of us need to eat. Kieran especially. Get in the bath with him and make sure he stays awake. Help him out of those clothes, he''s obviously still too stiff to do it himself."

    As much as I hate to admit it, he''s right. My body''s too stiff and numb for me to undress. Getting off of Zane''s back was already pushing the limits of what I can do until I thaw out some.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Please don''t let this sort of weather be a recurring thing where we''re going.

    Lucas flashes out of here, then Zane picks me up and carries me to his bathroom. Much like me, he has a studio apartment, though it''s much larger and comfier looking. His bathroom''s bigger, too, and even has a tub rather than just a shower. With how naturally Lucas was talking about it, does he have a tub, too?

    "Come on," Zane starts helping me undress, his fingers cold where they brush my skin. "Let me do most of the work. How Lucas managed to not be frozen is beyond me."

    Perhaps he has some spell that helps him? Nothing like turning to stone, but Lucas might have something else he can do.

    It takes a good few minutes for me to finish getting undressed, my thawing clothes wet enough to stick against me. The warmer air of the apartment actually feels nice, and I can feel myself starting to thaw some.

    "And into the tub," Zane tells me as he turns on the hot water. "Let me help you."

    Normally, I''d be uncomfortable with someone touching me while I''m naked, but I''m too cold and wet to care. I really do need to warm up, and soaking in hot water will help with that. Is Zane going to listen to all of what Lucas said and join me? Once I''m warmed up, I''m definitely going to be uncomfortable with that.

    Once I''m in the tub, Zane stops it up to let the hot water start filling. He probably had to wait for it to heat up a bit. Then, he starts pulling off his clothes, still in stone form.

    "I can really just wipe myself down," Zane says as he undresses, letting me see his toned body bare for the first time. "And I''ll be fine. Once the cold water''s off, I can shift back to my human form and it''ll be like I was never wet. However, Lucas is right. Someone needs to make sure you don''t fall asleep, as well as ensure the water stays warm. With how cold you got, it''s going to take awhile."

    He''s asking if I''m okay with him joining me in the tub. It is big enough, as long as we''re beside each other. If he just stays outside of the tub, he can still make sure I''m okay and defrosting well. I know that''s why they want to make sure I stay awake ¨C to ensure they can tell if I need medical attention for some reason. My parents did the same thing, back when I was younger and we had a bad cold storm.

    Whoa. No wonder he''s incredibly uncomfortable when wearing something over his crotch while hard.

    "Zane," I say as I stare at the very hard tool staring at me now that he''s standing again, the foreskin stopping halfway up the head of the dick. "What are your measurements?"

    Unsurprisingly, he snorts.

    "I''m ten-point-three inches long," he tells me. "And three-point-one thick."

    "And guys let you put that in them?"

    Immediately, I know that was the wrong thing to say. Zane seems to deflate, no longer looking proud of that weapon. It wasn''t meant to be offensive, I''m just¡­ really surprised. Wouldn''t that break a guy? It would probably break me. But I know he tops, so I guess not?

    His deflation probably comes from someone he actually wants to be with asking that and seeming to not want something that big inside of him. I should try to fix this because I''m still interested in him, just¡­ confused.

    "How does it fit?" I ask. "And. Um. You can join me in here if you want. Just¡­ don''t touch."

    "I won''t," Zane climbs into the bath, moving me over so that I''m pressed against one side. He sits so that he''s facing me, his back against the other end of the tub and his feet beside me, mine against him. "You can fit surprisingly long things in one''s ass, Kieran."

    "I guess," I say as he returns to human form, cheeks slightly red. Is he feeling a little shy, despite his experience and openness? "But, uh¡­ that''s so much thicker. H¡­how?"

    "The human ass can stretch more than twice as wide as this thing is thick," he flicks his dick, giving me a grin. "It''s a matter of getting used to it and stretching your ass out to accommodate it more easily."

    "O-oh."

    "Yeah," he sighs. "The only downside is that it''s almost impossible to find a power user to give a proper blowjob to. A male one, anyway."

    "Why?" I ask.

    "Because the mouth of an adult human," he says. "Can open up to about two inches high or so. Some more, some less. Since male power users have this growth, and our thickness ends up over two inches by the end of it¡­"

    "Most are too thick to ever get a blowjob again."

    "Yup," he answers. "Well, one where more than part of the head makes it in. Though mine''s not really possible for that."

    This seems to depress him. Bigger isn''t always better, and all that, I guess. I can see his point. He probably wants to be able to experience someone deep-throating him again, but can''t because of how thick he is. The fact that he''s managed to find so many hookups despite his size is impressive, though.

    I should probably change the subject to one that doesn''t sadden my friend.

    "Since I''m spending the night," I say. "I guess there''s no need to wait until ten tomorrow morning for our hangout. Are we going to start once we wake up? Or still wait a couple of hours to do whatever it is you wanted?"

    "Depends on if the storm''s still going," he answers. "Which will probably affect if your friend joins us or not, since I doubt he''d be walking here in the rain."

    Danny would never make it.

    "Yeah, I don''t think he would," I say. "Oh! We were talking earlier, before you showed up at the center. Apparently, Danny came here on Saturdays until he turned twelve."

    "Really?" Zane asks. "Guess I shouldn''t be too surprised you''ve met someone who did. You said he likes vigilantes?"

    "Yeah," I answer.

    "Neat," he grins. "Growing up, I always wanted to be one. The last few months, I actually thought about trying to be one. It''s why I started saving up money to try and train my powers. I''d always wondered if there was more to it than just becoming stone, you know. And then the job offer happened¡­ how are you warming up?"

    Such a change in subject. He''s wanting to avoid talking about that too much? It''s just an offer for a security job. Is it something a bit more illegal or unofficial than becoming a Sivalshi Guardian, then? If it weren''t for the fact that he''s not got some super rare and powerful ability, I''d think that was his offer.

    While my power is weak, I can teleport. Isaac mentioned there are only four of us in Sivalshi City who can. Becoming stronger and tougher? That''s a pretty common ability, even if his form of it is different.

    Maybe he was offered a chance to become an official vigilante? That would actually make sense, considering his shift to the security job before the sudden change in topic. Lumilxal was made the offer no doubt because he was already doing stuff, but Zane? He was wanting to, and planning on training to do it, but hadn''t found anywhere good for that.

    After he received the offer, he met me. Someone who introduced him to a place to do that. That seems extremely coincidental. Did the Patron somehow nudge Melody into offering me the job first despite us having not met and gone over my limitations and skills yet? If he can prevent people from observing or realizing things, then he could surely do that.

    Don''t worry, Zane ¨C your secret''s safe with me.

    "I''m still stiff and feeling frozen inside," I tell him, playing to his topic change. "Thanks for keeping me company, I probably would fall asleep if I were alone."

    "Yeah," he says. "So who''s your favorite vigilante?"

    I guess it wasn''t a full shift away from the topic.

    Zane and I discuss the various vigilantes we know for about twenty minutes with him occasionally draining some of the water and adding more hot water to the tub to keep us warm, then Lucas flashes into the bathroom and grabs our clothes before flashing out. He''s still in clothes that are soaking wet, so I''m guessing he only just returned, and he probably put the food he bought away before doing that. Or left it on the counter.

    "Uh¡­" I say. "What was that about?"

    "Dunno," Zane says. "I guess he''s back, though."

    "Yeah," I say. "What do you think he bought for food?"

    "Dunno," he shrugs. "I''m hungry, though. Should''ve brought snacks or something before getting in the tub. Something with protein, since we''re supposed to eat that within two hours."

    "It''s not been an hour yet," I say. "Though I do feel a little warmed up."

    I stretch my arms and back a little, leaning forward to touch my toes, my legs stretching with this movement, too. Yeah, I''ve thawed well, now. Since Lucas didn''t say anything, I''m guessing he''s fine with us staying like this until he has food ready.

    Realizing that my hands are near Zane''s torso, my face leaned in close to a certain part of him, I quickly sit back up.

    "Yeah, I''m warmed up," I tell him. "Thanks, Zane. This felt nice."

    "Yeah," he smiles. "It was nice. I just wish I felt comfortable asking you out again, maybe some fun could have happened. But I sure as hell don''t want to do that right now, because I still feel like you''d be pressured into things, despite you saying otherwise."

    "I know," I tell him. "Just don''t take longer than Lucas takes to deal with his problems, because while I want to date both of you, Zane, I really don''t want to date two guys at once."

    He nods, then we both continue to rest in the tub. Zane drains some of the water and adds more hot water to it, and a few minutes later, a naked Lucas appears in here, just as hard as Zane is. He''s not as massive as Zane, but I know that Zane''s a bit on the absurd side. His dick is straight, just like Zane''s, but instead of sticking straight out, there''s a slight upward angle to it.

    I kind of want to find out his measurements, but now that I''ve thawed out and am doing better than my frozen self, I have enough control not to and enough mentality to be shy with that.

    "How big are you are?" Zane, on the other hand, has no such qualms.

    "Nine-point-four inches long and two-point-three inches thick," Lucas answers. "Not all of us are as ridiculous as you."

    So still above-average in length for a power user.

    "My turn to warm up," Lucas says. "I''ll make something to eat after thawing out. I put our clothes out to dry and did my best to rescue our phones, they''re drying now. Hopefully, they''re still usable."

    "Thanks," I say.

    "You''re welcome," he says. "I want a hot bath to warm up. Either by myself or with Kieran is fine, but not with you, Zane."

    "That''s fine," Zane grins, standing up and stepping out of the tub. "I understand you don''t want to spend too much time being around the competition when seeing how small you are in comparison."

    Lucas opens his mouth to retort in irritation.

    "Boys, can we not around me?"

    "Sorry," they both apologize, averting their gazes from me and each other.

    "I''ll get myself a snack," Zane grabs a towel and starts drying himself off as Lucas takes his place in the tub. "Don''t worry, Lucas ¨C I won''t eat what you brought. You probably have specific stuff in mind, and I''m not an asshole. Not that kind of asshole, anyway. Don''t take too long, though. Kieran needs food, too."

    Zane leaves the room, and I look at Lucas, whose face seems a little red. Are things really that different with me than with other guys he''s been with, both in and out of relationships? He''s mentioned before that he feels differently with me.

    "So," I try to find something to talk about. "What''s for dinner?"

 Chapter 0037

    Lucas remains in the tub for nearly thirty minutes, draining it a little and adding more hot water as needed, and unlike Zane, he doesn''t really speak. I think he just wants to warm up, spend time with me while we''re naked, and relax. Possibly abuse the fact that he''s costing Zane money by using hot water. There''s not a look of satisfaction on his face when he adds more to the tub, but I wouldn''t put it past him to be staying long enough to need to top it off a couple of times just because of the extra costs associated with hot water usage. Like using water. And heating it.

    Eventually, Zane enters the bathroom, still naked and hard, and looks at Lucas. There''s a very good chance the erection is intentionally just to mess with Lucas, and I focus my attention elsewhere. Now that I''ve actually recovered, the nudity and being around erect hot guys is kind of uncomfortable. That''s part of why I haven''t really tried making conversation with Lucas, as much as I appreciate his company right now.

    "So, uh, if you aren''t eating soon," Zane says. "I''m going to start fixing something for me and Kieran, because Shadow Boy is definitely hungry."

    "Considering what your diet is," Lucas stands. "That''s not happening."

    Lucas steps out of the bath and grabs a towel, then starts drying off. Zane starts to walk toward the tub, and I can tell that he''s intending on getting back into the bath with me. I''m not the only one who notices, as Lucas snaps a hand out, grabbing Zane by the arm.

    "You''ve already warmed up, Zane," Lucas fixes an intense stare on Zane.

    "But-"

    "Kieran wants to dry off and get dressed now," Lucas glances at me. "Don''t you?"

    It''s not the kind of statement and question that''s telling me to agree and get out, but the kind that says he''s noticed.

    "Yeah," I answer.

    Zane pouts, but lets Lucas push him out of the bathroom. Lucas finishes drying off, then leaves the bathroom, leaving me alone. I pull the plug for the drain, then exit and grab a towel from the rack, then begin drying off. Just to give Lucas extra time to force Zane to cover up, I make sure to completely dry myself off before wrapping the towel around my waist and exiting the bathroom.

    Our clothes aren''t out drying anywhere. My bag isn''t here, either. The apartment''s a studio, like mine, with a massive bed against the wall opposite the entrance to the bathroom, then a dresser set up similarly to mine but with space between it and the bed.

    On the other side of that is a couch with its back against the dresser, just as long as the dresser and a little bit shorter in height, as I can only see part of the arm. Then there''s a coffee table, and against the next wall is a TV sitting on a stand with consoles, games, and movies underneath.

    The kitchen rests against the bathroom and closet, just like in my apartment, though just like the rest of the space, it''s larger. It even has its own pantry on the wall with the closet. At least, I''m assuming it''s a pantry.

    Between the kitchen and the living room is the dining area, as the apartment actually is large enough for that. It''s really just a rectangular dining table stretched longways between the kitchen and living area, with two chairs on either side and one on either end. Has Zane actually ever needed all six chairs before?

    If our clothes were in here, they''re not anywhere I can see. Lucas is wearing a pair of sweats and an apron, while Zane is wearing a pair of red boxer-briefs. The latter''s in the kitchen, cooking, while the former''s sitting at the table, watching him with a grin.

    "Where are our clothes?" I ask. "And, uh, phones?"

    "I tossed everything in the washer," Lucas answers without looking away from the food. "Your bags had gotten soaked through, too, so your stuff inside was wet. Zach said he''d switch them to the dryer once it was time and bring them up once it was done."

    "You met Zach?" I ask.

    "Yeah," Zane answers for Lucas. "The laundry room''s on the lower apartment level rather than this one, and Zach was apparently doing something in there."

    "Ah," I say. "So, um¡­"

    "Couch," Zane says.

    "Huh?"

    "Couch," he indicates the couch.

    I walk around the couch and find a hoodie folded up and sitting on a pair of folded sweats, along with a thick blanket. Zane''s sitting on this side, so his back''s to me, and Lucas is cooking with his back to me. Even though they both saw me naked just a little bit ago, I''m still a little uncomfortable being naked around them.

    There really is a difference when trying to warm up and after having returned to normal.

    Grateful that they''re being courteous, I drop the towel and begin dressing, slipping into the sweats and the hoodie, then I move the towels back to the bathroom, hanging them on a bar on the wall so that they can dry. With all of that done, I return to the main room and move to the couch, climbing onto it and pulling the blanket around me.

    This is cozy.

    "Awesome!" Zane moves over here and kneels in front of the TV, opening up the case underneath it. "I''m going to play a game until dinner. Did you ever play any, back before you were living on your own?"

    "I don''t remember," I answer as Zane puts a game in, then grabs a controller and joins me on the couch. "Do you get new games? Or are these all older ones?"

    "I have a couple of new ones," he tells me. "Zach and Dad got me them for my birthday this year."

    "When''s your birthday?" I ask as the game boots up.

    "March nineteenth," he answers. "Yours?"

    Right. When asking someone''s birthday, it''s courteous to share your own. I forgot about that, and that asking was likely to result in mine being asked.

    "I don''t like sharing mine," I mumble. "I shouldn''t have asked ''cause of that. Sorry."

    "Oh," his tone softens. "I guess it''s been awhile since you had any celebrations? Well, I''m planning on still being around for your birthdays from now on, Kieran, so we''ll make sure it''s not some lonely day. But, um, I''ll make sure to not go too much with it, okay?"

    While part of me not caring much for my birthday comes from not having had anything to really celebrate the last four years, that''s not why I don''t like sharing mine. I wouldn''t mind celebrating it with friends. It has to do with the date itself.

    "Mine''s January fifth," Lucas tells us. "And Zane? He probably just doesn''t like people knowing his birthday for more than that, considering the actual date it is."

    "How do you know when my birthday is?" I ask, surprised.

    "Personal trainers have access to your file at the center," he tells me. "I saw it on there. And no, I''m not going to act the way people probably normally do, I know that something like that could be annoying."

    "Now I''m really curious," Zane grins. "But I''m going to respect your-"

    "It''s fine," I sigh. "Lucas already knows, so you might as well. February fourteenth."

    Zane is silent for a few moments, then he starts laughing, and I pull the blanket around me more. Why did he have to laugh at finding out I was born on Valentine''s Day? This is Zane, he''ll probably tease me mercilessly over finding out. But he would eventually if we stay friends, especially if we start dating, so it was better to get this out of the way? Even if it means getting teased sooner?Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    "Man!" He eventually puts an arm around me. "If I''m the one you end up dating, Kieran, I promise you that I''m going to make sure your birthday is extra special every single year. Okay? It''s not just celebrating the day of your birthday, but a day for love, romance, and if you want it, more. What''s your idea of an ideal date?"

    Well, this went better than I expected. Maybe Zane can be mature at times?

    "Um¡­ I don''t really know," I shrug. "I''ve never been on a date, and never really thought about it. Even with, um, thinking about dating one of you two. I can''t really afford things right now and don''t really know much of what to do. So the ''ideal date'' hasn''t really come to mind before."

    "Hm," Zane says. "I guess I can see that."

    "What''s one for you?" I ask.

    "Probably one full of sex," Lucas scoffs.

    "Hey!" Zane says. "That''s only part of the date! And don''t say you don''t expect sex in the ideal date, Lucas! You''re a power user, too!"

    Lucas doesn''t respond, which basically confirms that Zane is right. It''s kind of understandable, though, considering what using our powers does to us.

    "I''m not sharing my ideal date unless Lucas does," Zane pouts.

    "Watching a movie," Lucas answers. "Then eating whatever meal it''s time for, before snuggling on a couch, enjoying each other''s company before yes, having sex."

    That suits him, actually. From what I''ve experienced with Lucas, he likes activities that don''t require too much interaction while hanging out. That might just be because of a morning thing, but he definitely seems like the kind of guy who wants to be snuggling the entire time, which is something he can do with a movie. He also seems to like cooking, despite the excuses for why he''s doing it each time.

    "So?" I look at Zane. "Yours?"

    "First," he says. "We go to the Nakibia Arcade and play some games. Two-player games, together. Then, we possibly do a round of laser tag, if he wants to. After that, a nice walk to a neat restaurant, eat, then a nice walk back here. Then we have sex, maybe after some wrestling. After we exhaust ourselves, a good shower, then a good soak in the tub before heading to bed. If we have the energy for it, then some more sex before falling asleep."

    Active things that burn off energy and let him entertain his competitive side. I can definitely see that as being his perfect date. Both of those sound interesting, though I think I''d lean more towards Lucas''s version of one.

    I''m not so sure about the movie part, I think just cuddling and eating together would be nice. Maybe a small activity so that we actually do something. Perhaps a walk, like Zane mentioned? Maybe while holding hands.

    "Now that we''re done discussing how much more awesome my dates are than Lucas''s," Zane says, causing Lucas to snort. "I''m going to start playing. Or do you want to?"

    "I don''t know how," I tell him.

    "It''s really easy," he says. "Standard play is using this button, the star, for confirmation messages. Some games ignore that, and we don''t play those games. For movement, you either move the left directional stick, this thing here, or use the directional pad, these arrows. Everything else, any good game tells you. Start a new game on File 5."

    He holds the controller in front of me, and I decide to just go with it, moving my hands out of the blanket and grabbing it. I start a new game and select File 5 for my save, noticing that File 1 and File 2 are both in use, with the latter not having as much playtime as the former.

    "Do you let your brother play here?" I ask.

    "No," Zane answers. "Some games it''s better to have two save files: your main and your secondary. The main is the one you save on most of the time, while the secondary is the one you save on when in certain situations, in case you need to return to before that point. That way, you can just load up your main save, which is presumably as recently as possible from before entering the zone where you did the secondary."

    "Uh¡­"

    "You''ll see," Zane says. "Eventually. I don''t think we''ll get to the first dungeon tonight, since you''ll probably be too sleepy to continue. By the way, you''re being asked to confirm the save slot."

    "Oh."

    I confirm the save slot, then the game launches into a video sequence that Zane explains is just the opening. The animation is kind of cartoonish, though still 3D. As the video plays, Zane explains a few things to me, mostly introducing who the characters are and probably giving me a little bit more information than he should.

    That doesn''t bother me, though, as I''m not really into this and it seems to make him happy to get to explain stuff. For the next half-hour, I go through the game''s tutorial, then start exploring the caves beyond that. I''ve barely left the caves and saved at the floating crystal outside of them when Lucas announces dinner is finished, so Zane teaches me how to exit the game, then we move to the table for dinner.

    Tonight, we''re having some sort of thin, small strips of meat cooked with onions and some other veggies I''m not sure, all sliced up neat and thin, cooked in a marinade of some sort. There''s rice on the side, along with a mix of fruit, and to round off the meal, there are brownies for dessert.

    "You made all this in what, thirty minutes? Forty minutes?" I ask. "Color me impressed, Lucas."

    "The brownies are store-bought," he confesses. "There''s a bakery that does their goods daily in the building I was shopping in, and I picked them up there. Otherwise, we''d still be cooking."

    "I don''t see forks," I realize, then spot something at each of the three seats. "Wait. Chopsticks? You know I don''t know how to use them."

    "You''re not the only one," Zane assures me.

    "It''s an ancient dish from Korea," Lucas says. "Bulgogi. I figured we''d use chopsticks with it, since that''s what would have been used in the Old Society, and what the remnants still use. I''ll teach you both."

    Lucas begins showing us how to use chopsticks, and they turn out to be easier to use than I expected. By the time I''ve finished eating, I''m able to use them without issue, and Zane can, too.

    After dinner, Lucas and I wash the dishes and Zane dries them and puts them away, then I head to the bathroom, letting them know that I''m tired enough I''m probably going to bed after.

    "Okay," Zane says, and I''m not sure I like the look he gives Lucas.

    I use the bathroom, wash my hands, dry them off, and step out, only to find the two of them arguing in hushed voices on the other side of the table. They probably did it there so that I wouldn''t overhear them from the bathroom. Just as I go to interrupt them and tell them to knock off the argument, I realize what they''re arguing about.

    "I cooked dinner, so it''s fair that I get to," Lucas says.

    "It''s my apartment," Zane counters. "That makes it my bed. You can sleep on the couch or floor."

    "Kieran''s not sleeping on the couch or floor," Lucas states. "We both agreed he could use a comfortable bed. You just want to share it with him because you want to feel him up, don''t deny it."

    "Again, have more faith in me," Zane tells him. "I don''t do that unless it''s consensual, and Kieran certainly ain''t going to consent to it. You''ve gotten to snuggle him twice. It''s my turn."

    Before I can ask if I get a say in it, there''s a knock at the door, interrupting their argument.

    "You know," Zane walks over to the door. "You could always use another apartment, we have a few spare ones. You''d probably be more comfortable like that, right?"

    Zane opens the door, revealing Zach on the other side. He''s carrying a basket in his arms, the basket full of clothes.

    "The bags are still drying," Zach says. "I didn''t think it was a good idea to put them in the dryer, but the clothes are done."

    "Thanks," Zane grabs the basket. "We appreciate the help, Zach."

    Zach looks at the three of us, and I can tell he''s trying to figure out the chances of something happening tonight despite what Zane told their family. They still don''t believe he''s really given up the constant hookups with different guys in exchange for looking for an actual relationship.

    "Hey, Zach," I give him a wave.

    "Nice to see you again, Kieran," he says. "My brother''s not being a brat, is he?"

    "He''s not really a brat to me," I tell him. "I think he''s worried it''ll ruin his chances of getting a date with me."

    "You guys need anything?" Zach asks, the question aimed at me rather than Zane or Lucas.

    "Nah," I answer. "We''re just getting ready for bed. Lucas and Zane are trying to decide who gets to be the big spoon between them while I''m trying to decide if I really only need the one blanket. The apartment''s warmer than mine since it has heating, and the blanket''s warmer than mine, too. I might actually change into shorts and a tee, now that my clothes are back, else I might end up sweating tonight."

    "Alright!" Zach laughs as Zane and Lucas both look uncomfortable now. At least his worries about Zane still being his old self have been alleviated for tonight. "Have a good night, you three."

    Zach leaves, then I grab some of my clothes from the basket and take them to the bathroom to change into. I really will sweat up a storm if I sleep in Zane''s sweats and hoodie while under a blanket. When I leave the bathroom, Zane and Lucas are both sitting on the bed, waiting.

    "We decided," Lucas says. "That if you''re okay with it, we can all share the bed tonight."

    So they finally came to an agreement, huh? I can imagine that Lucas isn''t too comfortable sharing a bed with Zane, but is willing to put up with it because he wants to snuggle me. Zane probably doesn''t want to share snuggling me with Lucas, but is willing to because it means he''d get to snuggle me.

    I''m willing to snuggle both of them because being snuggled feels nice, based on the two times that Lucas has snuggled me and my memories of snuggling with my family, years ago.

    "Sure," I say. "As long as Zane gets to be the big spoon, since you have twice already and that''s fair."

    "Fine," Lucas grumbles as Zane gives him a grin.

    They made a bet on whether I''d say or that or not, didn''t they?

    "Let''s get some sleep," I tell them.

    I climb onto the bed, and Lucas gets up to turn off the light as Zane and I lie down under the blankets, Zane spooning me from behind, just as comfortable as Lucas, though I''m quite aware of something poking at me from behind, too. It doesn''t feel as big as I''d thought it would, after seeing how big it is. Strange.

    With Zane and me in position and the lights off, Lucas then joins us in the bed, lying in front of me, facing me, his forehead resting against mine, a hand on my side. Everyone''s legs are tangled up, and this is actually a little comfortable.

    It''s also warm.

    Closing my eyes, I let exhaustion start to seep in, wondering as I drift off if Shade will contact me again tonight.

 Chapter 0038

    A sudden movement from the other side of the room, followed by a thump, catches my attention. I look up to find Zane rising to his feet, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Did he just fall out of bed?

    "My body pillow moved," he complains.

    "Lucas made breakfast," I say. "I woke up to the smell and wasn''t going to wait for you."

    "You didn''t wake me up," he complains.

    "I tried."

    Judging by the sigh Zane lets out, he''s aware of how hard it can be to wake him up. I grabbed and twisted his ear, did the same to both nipples simultaneously, convinced Lucas to stop slapping him in the face, and more. Zane just wouldn''t wake up.

    He slept like, well, a rock. No, he didn''t return to stone form, he just slept as if he were actually a statue.

    "Where''s Lucas?" He looks around.

    "Grabbed his things and left about ten minutes ago," I answer. "Which is for the better. He''s cranky in the morning and you have a habit of irritating him just as a part of your existence. That''s not a good mix, and I''m certain that the two of you interacting would result in him pummeling you to a pulp or tossing you off the edge of Sivalshi."

    Both of those are very real concerns, too. It took a fair bit of convincing to get Lucas to leave, since he didn''t want to leave me alone around Zane. His issue with Zane really is just the fact that Zane likes teasing him and has an interest in me. So Zane''s not just a rival for my affections, but one that annoys him. I did manage to convince him to leave, though, so all''s well for the morning.

    Lucas probably went back to bed after he returned home.

    "Oh, hey, my phone!" Zane exclaims, rushing to the table and grabbing his phone. "Where did Lucas stick them yesterday? He wouldn''t tell me."

    "Since they were soaked through with freezing rain on our trip here last night," I explain. "There was a good chance they were damaged. He''d apparently returned with his grandpa, gave them to him, and then his grandpa left to take them to Lucas''s little brother, who did his best to save them. Lucas brought them back after he woke up. His brother did a good job."

    "Nice!" He pulls back a chair and takes a seat, then starts serving himself breakfast. "Lucas is so kind, making food for me. Think he''d be okay with me making him Lucas-shaped pancakes? Or dick-shaped ones?"

    "Erm¡­ probably not the latter," I tell him. "Just¡­ give him thanks."

    "I can do that," he grins, and I roll my eyes. "Hey!"

    "Danny wanted to know if he had to wait until ten to arrive," I tell him. "Since it takes about an hour to get here for him, he''d basically get ready for the day, then have half an hour or so of just time to kill."

    "Oh, sure," Zane says. "I''d said ten just ''cause it was between breakfast and lunch, but if your friend wants to show up earlier, that''s cool."

    "Alright," I grab my phone and shoot Danny a text letting him know, and he messages back a moment later saying he''s heading out in just a minute. "Now he''s on his way."

    "Sweet!" Zane says. "Hey, he knows you''re a power-user, right?"

    "I''ve told him, yeah," I say. "Haven''t told him what I can do, though. I don''t really feel like demonstrating my power. It''s different at the center since I''m there to train it."

    "Just curious," Zane grins. "My original plans for today involved us heading down to the conference room we clean and messing around with our powers, since it''s private."

    "Isn''t there a group taking shelter in there?" I ask.

    "Nope," he answers. "The groups are Thursday and Friday nights, Saturday and Sunday nights, and Monday and Tuesday nights. Wednesdays are a free day, and I have Thursdays off because of it, since there wasn''t a group there that night and they''re already cleaned."

    That explains why he asked for today rather than any other, then. Unlike Lucas, he gets a day off regularly, and this is it.

    "Ah," I say. "I''m not sure there''s much ''messing around with my powers'' I could do, though, Zane, since I can''t use them too much at the moment. I can only manage eleven five-foot shadow steps before needing to recover my magic, and that takes close to an hour and a half at the moment."

    "We could''ve figured something out," he tells me. "Anyway, let''s get back to eating. I''m starved!"

    I snort, then return to eating, watching Zane as he starts. Lucas made us pancakes, sausages, and bowls of yogurt, berries, and nuts. The food''s cooled down a little since he left (or warmed up, in the case of the yogurt), but there''s plenty of it and I''m pretty hungry. So is Zane, and by the time we finish eating, there''s nothing left.

    After breakfast, I wash the dishes and Zane dries them and puts them away, then he gets dressed since we''re apparently going out for something after Danny arrives. He slips into sweats and a hoodie, socks, and his sneakers, then pulls out his guitar and takes a seat on his bed before beginning to strum. Zane tunes the guitar for a minute, then starts playing a song I''m pretty sure he made.

    While I''m not much of a listener of music, I can still tell if someone''s got a good singing voice, and Zane''s is pretty good. The song is a bit¡­ weird, but that might just be from Zane being the one singing it. I''m not a good judge of lyrics, so I can''t speak for those.

    "I''m not sure I want to be¡­ in the mold they want to shove me. I just want to reach out and touch¡­ but they say that vic''try''s too much. One day I will be so high¡­ like the birds soaring up in the sky.

    "Perhaps then I could possibly find¡­ someone who is oh-so kind. If that day comes, I don''t know¡­ the path upon which I will go. One will lead to a life that is cold¡­ doing just that which I''ve been told. The other will lead to a life that is warm¡­ one where I choose my own form.

    "If I choose the path without fun¡­ could I bear to once more stand in the sun? Should I do what is chosen, what it is that they say¡­ or should I choose to go off on my own way? The crossroads that I''m at aren''t all that clear¡­ rising in my heart is a deep-rooted fear.

    "If I choose the path that they''ll fight¡­ am I worth its kind light? Do I have the needed strength¡­ to hold out for its length? What will happen if I fall¡­ will I no longer stand this tall? I really don''t know what I should do¡­ follow their path¡­ or let my heart be true."

    The song is kind of slow and melancholic, not like the energetic and mischievous Zane that''s singing it. I can''t tell if it''s meant to be about romance, career, lifestyles, sexuality, or what. It could be about any or all of them. However, it''s clear it''s about a choice that needs to be made, and is more of a debate with one''s self in song form.

    "You have a nice singing voice," I tell Zane.

    "Thanks," he smiles a little, a bit of sadness in his eyes. "The song needs some tweaking still, but I haven''t had the heart to touch it."

    The heart to touch it? That makes it sound like someone else wrote it.

    A song about an uncertain future, that isn''t finished, that the determined and out-going Zane knows by heart but doesn''t want to tweak more. Zane has always seemed so sure of himself, knowing what he wants to do and going for it. From what I know of him, he has no doubts about his future. He had no issues with acting as a manager within his family''s company while also wanting to be a vigilante. He''s confident in himself and his sexuality, and doesn''t make any efforts to hide who he is. In fact, he''s rather much with how comfortable he is, having done random hookups for years, never staying with someone.

    It wasn''t until he got notified he was being considered for a job that could lead to his death that he changed.

    "Was that written by a dead boyfriend?" I ask. "Um. Sorry for being so blunt."

    "No," Zane gives me a sad smile. "We never dated. He was too scared of his parents finding out that he was gay, and rightly so¡­ when they found out, they killed him. They cut off his dick and balls first and¡­ other stuff I''m not going to say. I decided then that I wasn''t going to hide who I was.

    "To be honest," there are tears in his eyes now. "He''s the only person I''d ever actually loved in a romantic way. At least, until I met you. There''s just something¡­ different about you. Alluring. The same is true for Lucas, actually. But I know it''s unlikely he''d ever like me, and I''m not willing to change myself for a boyfriend. That''s why I''m sticking with romancing you and hoping I win out in your heart. And can finish dealing with¡­ things. First."

    That''s the real reason he wants to wait, isn''t it? Once he was past the part where he asked me out, he started to remember his last crush, and he wants to try to deal with the sadness that comes from it first so that a relationship isn''t just him trying to fill a void or something.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    "Well," I tell him. "Take your time, Zane. Though know that if Lucas is ready first¡­"

    "Yeah," he gives me a more cheerful smile. "Unless Lucas can get past that major flaw of his fast, I''m definitely going to win first."

    "Well," I grin at him. "Unless a third person comes and takes my heart. Remember when I mentioned the friend from before?"

    "The childhood friend you ran into the other day?"

    "Yeah," I feel my grin widening. "He tried hooking me up with a friend of his. He may just do it again at the party."

    I''m pretty sure Isaac won''t, I just want to tease Zane. It''s pretty unlikely I''d actually get with a guy I just met, no matter how hot he is.

    To be honest, I''m leaning more towards Zane between the two guys I am interested in. The only thing that might push me away is his tendency to tease people, especially Lucas. That bothers me a bit, but he might calm down on that once I''m in a relationship.

    But I won''t not date Lucas if Lucas gets his head together first just to date Zane one Zane gets his head together. What if it takes Zane several months longer than Lucas? A year or more?

    What if someone else does come along first? Someone who has their head together, their lives together, and has an interest in me, just like them? I want to love and be loved, and I''m not going to hold back because someone else is interested. Not when that person has their own things to deal with.

    Considering my luck, though, the next guy who comes along who I might fall for who falls for me as well will probably have his own stuff to deal with first.

    "Well," Zane sets his guitar to the side and walks over to me, putting a hand on my shoulder. "If you get with a guy at the party, you better be committed to him and not just having sex. Otherwise, Lucas and I are going to have some words for you."

    "You mean like ''How was it?'' and ''Was he bigger than me?'' and ''How sexy was he?'' and ''We have no room to talk because we both did hookups for awhile and it''s understandable you might give in to your developing libido at a party after a power training session''?"

    Zane stares at me, realizing I have a point with the last one. I''m not planning on getting with someone I just met as I really do want an actual relationship. Even if I did hook up with some random guy, though, neither of them would have room to talk. Zane, especially, considering he''s only ever done hookups and did plenty of them over the last few years, but Lucas as well since he''s done them while not in a relationship.

    "Well, then," Zane recovers from the reminder of that, giving me a grin. "If you decide to forego relationships for hookups, Kieran, perhaps you''d let Lucas and me in on it? Me more than Lucas, of course, since I''m the sexier one with the bigger weapon."

    "I think I''d do Lucas more if I decide not to do relationships," I retort. "He''s less likely to break me."

    "Hey!" Zane exclaims, then starts to rebut that when his phone rings. "This ain''t over, Shadow Boy!"

    He grabs his phone and answers.

    "Hi, Macy! What''s up?" He asks. "Did my awesome guitar playing reach down there? What? Hey! That''s mean!"

    I laugh at his expression and response to whatever she said.

    "Oh, yeah, tell him we''re coming down," Zane says. "I didn''t realize it''s been that long. See ya soon!"

    Zane hangs up, then grins at me.

    "Your friend''s here!" He tells me. "Let''s head downstairs! You can leave your bag here, since it''d probably be too much to head back to your apartment, then to the training center, once we''re done. We can just hang out all day! And I''ll get to treat you to food without Lucas paying!"

    "Alright," I chuckle. "Let me get my shoes on."

    I grab my shoes and pull them on, then my hoodie, then we head down to the first floor, where Danny''s waiting for us, sitting on one of the old benches against the wall. As soon as we arrive, he jumps to his feet and approaches us.

    "Whoa," Zane says. "You didn''t tell me your friend was hot."

    "And straight," I roll my eyes. "Hey, Danny. How was the walk?"

    "Freezing," he answers. "Though they''ve treated the roads, so they''re not icy anymore."

    "That''s good," Zane says. "Let''s head out!"

    "What are we doing?" Danny asks as we leave the building, stepping out onto the street.

    It''s still cloudy, and there''s a layer of ice on most things. As Danny said, though, the streets aren''t iced over. That surprises me, since the lower districts usually don''t get treated. It''s got to have been expensive, considering how unprepared for ice and snow we are here. Yet they still made sure the roads were good for walking. Because even the slight slope of Sivalshi''s back is enough to send people sliding? Or some other reason?

    How did they even get the stuff to treat all of the roads on such short notice? There''s no way we normally keep that stuff around.

    "Let''s walk around and see what''s open," Zane says. "Hey, can you walk in front of me for a minute?"

    "Sure," Danny answers, and I realize too late what Zane''s planning.

    As soon as Danny is in front of him, Zane jumps onto his back. To his credit, Danny manages to not fall over, recovering quickly and just taking off down the road, laughing. They''re definitely meant to be friends.

    Chuckling, I just keep walking. Danny stops after a few yards and turns to face me, Zane waving from his back, neither of them caring about the stares the few people out here are giving.

    "Let''s head to the middle districts," I shiver a little. "I need some warmer clothes, since we''re entering the frost zone since Sivalshi''s abandoning his usual environment this winter."

    "Good idea," Danny says. "I''m probably going to get stuck getting a cheaper hoodie to double up with. I''m covering a few extra shifts to get something better."

    "You''ll need more food, too," Zane says. "The cold increases your needs."

    "Yeah, that was in the news," Danny says. "The extra shifts will help. I''m not like Kier, living on his own without a roommate. I''ve got some savings, and with the extra shifts until we replace the two employees who, ah, got arrested."

    "Again, or still from the first time?" I ask.

    "Still from the first time," he answers. "They''re apparently actually going away this time. Speaking of that, would you be free and willing to work the same shifts next week? We found ourselves unable to cover just those three."

    "Sure," I answer. "Just put in the request to the agency as usual, and ask for me specifically, and they''ll let me know I was requested for it."

    "We can''t just request you directly?" Danny gives me a look of confusion. "I mean to you directly?"

    "Yeah, I was actually wondering about that, too," Zane says. "You''d get the full pay, rather than the ninety-percent, rounded."

    That''s right, Zane''s family''s company hasn''t requested through an agency before.

    "Ah," I say. "No, we can''t do that. Any jobs we take have to go through the agency as per our contract."

    "But your security job isn''t," Zane says. "The one you''re probably getting next month."

    "That''s different," I explain. "I''d be an actual employee, rather than a temp employee. We can still get proper jobs where we''re under a full employment contract. But we can''t just pick up shifts for a place without going through the agency we''re signed up with, as it''d be seen as circumventing the fee they get for helping us get the jobs. Doing so for a place that we''ve been assigned to before can cost us our contract entirely, even get us blocked from agencies entirely."

    "Oh," he says. "That sucks."

    "Actually," I realize something and address Zane. "You''d be able to avoid getting us into trouble. Not just for me, either."

    "Really?" He asks. "How?"

    "Uh¡­" I say. "Because you''re asking for the same people every time. The other two people are working what, three times a week, cleaning all of the rooms except on Saturdays, when you and I clean the one? They''re basically employees at this point."

    "So we''d be able to offer them full contracts," he says. "And the agency wouldn''t have an issue with it?"

    "Well," I say. "They''d be upset to lose the what, three hundred dollars a week from the fee they take out of our checks? But that''d be it as long as you let them know you''re planning on offering the temp workers contracts to become full employees. It''s actually not uncommon, and they''d be more willing to accept it after a month of the temp workers doing the job."

    "Oh, neat," he says. "So places do hire temp workers as full workers?"

    "Yep," I answer. "Though I''d recommend avoiding offering me a full contract. I''m ''for the foreseeable future'', and it''s better that way since I don''t know what my shifts will be for the security job, if I get it."

    "Alright," Zane nods. "So wait until it''s been a month, then offer the two of them employment contracts and let the agency know. I can do that."

    "And leave me as just being requested for the shift on Saturdays," I say. "Since I might become unavailable on them in a couple of weeks."

    "Yep," he says, then looks at Danny. "So Kieran says you like vigilantes and the Sivalshi Guardians, huh?"

    "Yeah," Danny grins. "He said the same about you. Who''s your favorite?"

    "Ah!" I exclaim, remembering something. "Danny, you know a lot about power users in general, not just vigilantes and guardians, right?"

    "Yeah," he answers. "Always fun trying to see if any famous power users might be a vigilante or guardian, as horribly as I fail at it."

    That''s probably the Patron''s interference, since he doesn''t want people to know their identities in order to keep them protected. Even when something is blatantly obvious, the Patron will prevent someone from connecting the dots.

    "Do you know old ones, too?" I ask. "Not just modern ones?"

    "Heck yeah," he answers. "It''s fun trying to figure it out regardless of how long they''ve been retired. Or dead."

    "Do you know of any named Nox?" I ask. "Black hair and eyes, probably shadow-based abilities, might have had a shadow wolf beast as a pet? Not in recent times, but older times. A powerful power user, too."

    Nox was definitely powerful, he gave me that vibe from Shade''s memories. Not only that, but Shade does refer to him as the King of Shadows, which suggests it as well.

    "Hm," he thinks for a few moments. "Can''t say that I have, actually. Under any alias. Only minor people like the Shadow Twins."

    Zane gives me a look that tells me he knows what I''m thinking but is hesitant to say it with Danny here. I give him a nod, letting him know it''s okay to ask.

    "You think he might be an ancestor of yours?" Zane asks.

    "Yeah," I answer. "Something came up yesterday that led me to learning about him, but it was really just what I gave you."

    "I haven''t heard of him," Danny tells me. "But there haven''t really been any famous shadow-based power users. Wait. Zane said he might be an ancestor? Your power has to do with shadows?"

    "Yeah," I answer. "It''s something minor, though. I have more energy when in shadows or darkness, and have a little bit better eyesight in it, too. I also don''t get blinded by bright lights. That''s about it."

    "Neat," he says. "Would''ve expected something cooler for you, like turning invisible in shadows or something. It''d suit you."

    "Thanks," I say.

    "So are you one, too?" Danny asks Zane.

    "Yep!" Zane grins. "It''s not a secret, either, as much as some people hate power users or want to ignore our existence."

    "What is it?" Danny asks.

    "I can turn rock-hard!"

    Danny gives me a baffled look that says he thinks the same thing everyone does when Zane says that: he''s just talking about getting a boner. I did learn that it really isn''t a secret about his family, though. They''re not famous, however, so it''s not widespread. They just don''t hide it and will truthfully answer when asked.

    "He can turn to stone," I explain. "Literally. Zane just likes saying it like that."

    "I love their reactions!" Zane pushes Danny in front of him, then jumps onto his back again. "Onward, my steed! Let''s go coat shopping!"

    Today is definitely going to be an entertaining one.

 Chapter 0039

    "What''s your budget for a coat?" Zane asks as he gets off of Danny''s back.

    No, we didn''t walk all the way into the middle districts with Zane on Danny''s back. He switched whether or not he was on our friend''s back from time to time as we walked, so as to not actually hurt Danny. While he didn''t actually say that''s why he did it, I''m pretty sure that''s why.

    As much as Zane loves having fun, goofing off, and teasing people, he''s still respectful of certain things, like how much someone can carry and for how long. Personal space is another matter.

    "Three hundred," I answer as Zane opens the door to the store and lets us in. "Basically, how much I get paid to clean that conference room, plus a few more."

    "I still find what you said beyond belief," Danny says. "There''s no way they leave it that trashed."

    "Ooooh, they do," I snort. "The other workers manage to do a room in two hours or so by themselves. It took Zane and me around eight hours together just to do the one. Wait ¨C Zane, you took a picture this past one, right?"

    "Yep!" Zane happily pulls out his phone and shows Danny the pictures he took of the room and some of the spills and messes we had to deal with. "I made a bet with Zach, my brother, on whether or not it''s going to be worse than this on Saturday. He didn''t believe me it could get worse and asked why I didn''t ban the group yet."

    "Why haven''t you?" Danny asks. "If they''re leaving it that much of a mess, wouldn''t it be better to ban them and find a group that will treat the room better? Or are you waiting until you find a replacement group, to make up the loss in income?"

    "We can handle one or two groups leaving," Zane says. "I mostly haven''t banned them because it means I can still see Kieran here and he gets a little bit more money. It''s guaranteed money for him until he finds out if he gets the job or not, and maybe some extra money once he does get it, since we''re certain he''ll get it."

    "Security," Danny shakes his head in disbelief. "I can''t believe you got an offer like that, Kieran. You must have one hell of a power. Just how strong do you become in shadows? You said ''a little bit stronger''. It''s a lot, isn''t it?"

    "Nah," I answer. "It''s only a little bit."

    "They really want someone with no skills?" Danny asks. "Why?"

    "Ask the Patron, not me," I stop and look around. We''ve walked through part of the store already, and all I''m seeing are normal clothes. "Where are the coats?"

    "Oh, they''re this way!" Zane cheerfully answers. "Though stock might not be the best, since people are probably buying what they can."

    He leads us to the other end of the store, which suggests that he was probably letting me wander around in search of the coats knowing we were going the wrong way. Once we reach them, we find the racks half-empty already, and I can''t help but gape at the prices on them. The cheapest ones I can see right now are almost two hundred dollars. I''m glad I brought three hundred for a coat.

    "Are you looking for one to wear by itself, or over your hoodies?" Zane asks. "This one''s cute."

    He holds up a heavy winter coat that would probably be uncomfortable to wear with a hoodie on. It''s also almost three hundred dollars, though it does look warm.

    "I''d prefer something to wear over the hoodies," I answer. "For layers. That should help deal with winds better than just one coat."

    "Alright!" He hangs that coat back up, then grabs another. "What about this one? Hey! I like this one!"

    Zane starts going through the coats, commenting on whether he likes it or not, and muttering under his breath about how expensive things are anytime he finds one over my budget. As he does that, Danny moves over to the hoodies and I inspect the coats and jackets within my prince range.

    After about ten minutes of searching, I find a dark blue heavy jacket with a fuzzy inner lining that looks nice. It''s three hundred exact, but it feels nice and might work for what I need.

    "That''s a good choice," a calm voice says behind me.

    Danny and Zane are arguing a few aisle over about whether or not a jacket or coat over a hoodie is better than just a heavy coat, though I''d know it''s not them, anyway. The voice is different. Calmer, more focused.

    "Hello, Isaac," I turn and face my childhood friend.

    He''s dressed in a dark brown hoodie this time, still wearing his sunglasses despite being inside. His hands are slipped into the pocket of his hoodie, and his hair is slightly-ruffled, leading me to believe that it might actually be intentional styling on his part rather than just something that had happened last time we saw each other.

    "Didn''t expect to run into you here," I admit. "Doing some errands?"

    "The Patron asked me to deliver a message to you," his cheeks flush slightly. "I was going to call you, but he refused to give me your number, saying I had to ask for it myself."

    "Oh," I say. "Yeah, I can give you my number. We didn''t do that, did we?"

    Isaac and I pull out our phones, and after putting in each other''s contact information, we put them away.

    "He has a message for me?" I ask. "Did I get disqualified despite¡­ you know?"

    "No," he waves a hand dismissively, then slips it back into the hoodie''s pocket. "It''s a random message, and I haven''t heard of him ever wanting one delivered like this before. Only the guardians hear his voice, and only those who''ve finished the first year hear it for things other than missions. I''ve never heard of him sending a message to someone like this before."

    Isaac said it twice, so I''m assuming it''s important. Yet at the same time, he did say it''s random. Could it be that Isaac is just repeating himself out of confusion.

    "What''s the message?" I ask, curious.

    "He told me to tell you," Isaac says. "That ''the king of shadows kept to the shadows while here''. He can be cryptic sometimes, but I assume that means something to you?"

    The king of shadows kept to the shadows while here? The Patron must be referring to Nox, Shade''s "King of Shadows''. I''m going to assume it means there aren''t any records of Nox while he was here on Sivalshi''s back. Intentionally so, and only Shade and the Patron know of his existence.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Well, Shade, the Patron, and me. Isaac if we include just his knowledge of this ''king of shadows'' that the Patron is sending me a message about.

    "Yeah," I answer. "I found out about a potential ancestor of mine and had asked Danny if he''d heard of him, since I''d figured he might have been a guardian or something in the past, but Danny said he''d not heard of any famous people with shadow powers. He''d had a pet wolf made of shadows, so I figured that would be distinctive, and what''s with that face?"

    As I spoke, Isaac began to give me an extremely bewildered face.

    "From what you said," Isaac says. "I caught that you asked Danny about him, and nothing else until you asked me what''s with that face. I could see your lips moving and hear you talking, but I could understand nothing of the rest. Even reading lips didn''t help me."

    "Huh?"

    "The Patron just outright censored you," he tells me. "Normally, it''s done through a distraction so that we don''t notice that we''re being censored, but I''m probably too focused for that. He''s never censored me before. At least, not that I''m aware of."

    Why was me talking about Nox censored? Danny and Zane heard me just fine. Unless the Patron removed the memory of the discussion after Danny answered? If that''s the case, did he want it censored from the start, but hadn''t caught the mention in time and so did a removal after the fact?

    Or he selectively censored it for Isaac himself and not the other two. Why? Does Isaac know something that, when combined with what I said, would allow him to learn something that the Patron doesn''t want learned?

    "Don''t worry about it," Isaac tells me. "He''ll probably tell me eventually why he censored me. So. What are you doing here? I didn''t expect you to be here when the Patron told me you were."

    "Looking for a coat," I answer. "I need something a bit better than just my hoodies since we''re going into a frost zone, and figured layering a coat over would work."

    "It would," he nods. "That''s a good one you''re looking at."

    "You think?"

    "Yeah," he answers, shifting uncomfortably as I try on the jacket to see if it fits over my hoodie. It does. Is he uncomfortable because I''m poor? "Do you need more clothes, too?"

    "I could always use more clothes," I pull the jacket off and hang it back up. "Hopefully my financial situation changes in the next few months and I can afford to buy a few more things."

    "Can I?"

    "Can you what?" I ask.

    "It won''t make up for what I did," his voice is quiet. "But can I buy you some clothes? As-as an apology?"

    Even though I told him it''s okay, and it''s been so many years, he still wants to find ways to apologize. Judging by his expression, if I refuse, it might feel to him like I''m rejecting his apology.

    "You don''t need to," I tell him. "You didn''t do anything wrong, Isaac."

    "I-I know," he casts his gaze down. "But maybe if I hadn''t done that, you wouldn''t be in the situation I''m in. Or if I''d approached you sooner, I could have helped you out more, got you a better job. Maybe helped you learn to control your power."

    Oh. He''s feeling a different type of guilt over things.

    "Okay," I say. "But nothing too much, yeah?"

    "Yeah," he lifts his head. "This place has a good selection of clothes. Let''s do five shirts and five pants? Oh, and five long-sleeves, to wear under your shirts. You can wear one of the outfits to the party. If you''re single, you might get lucky if you dress up."

    He''s definitely going to try to get me and this bi friend of his to hook up when I''m there.

    "Thanks," I say.

    Isaac nods, then falls silent for a few moments. I return to examining the jacket. Do I want this one? It feels nice, and it''s darker in color, too. Would help me blend into shadows a little more at night if wearing it.

    Blending into shadows. Keeping to the shadows. Keeping to them while here. A king of shadows who''s my ancestor. I think I know what the Patron was censoring from Isaac, but if I''m right, why hide it from him?

    Unless he wants each person to figure it out on their own. If that''s the case, then I doubt the "while here" was part of the message and Isaac might have added it by accident out of nerves. Knowing what I said probably would have given him the last clue he needed to learn it, but would probably have counted as me telling Isaac as a result.

    "Tell me who you are," Zane''s voice is threatening. "And why you''re staring at my friend so intently, or I''ll beat your ass into submission while our friend here flags down the police after calling them."

    I turn over to find Zane in a fighting stance in stone form, which has caused an obvious bulge in his pants that''s probably very uncomfortable for him, and Danny standing with his phone ready. Upon seeing how worried they are for me, I look at Isaac, realizing that he''s half-hiding behind a rack as we talk, probably out of shyness when dealing with me over what happened. We haven''t spoken in a few minutes, so they probably thought he was stalking me and I wasn''t aware despite how close he is.

    "Zane, this is Isaac," I say. "He''s the friend from my childhood I told you about running into the other day. He saw me coming in here and remembered that we hadn''t swapped numbers, so finished what he was doing and came to chat. He''s just a bit shy with me due to the last thing that happened between us before he moved elsewhere in the city."

    "Oh," Zane returns to normal. "Okay."

    "I''ve got time," Isaac says. "So I''m buying him some clothes to make up for the birthdays I missed. I''ll be here for a little while."

    "Really?" Zane grins. "What''s the limit?"

    I''m about to tell Zane that''s rude to ask, but Isaac beats me to responding.

    "Five pants, five shirts, five long-sleeves," Isaac says. "Or maybe we could do six? That''s how many I''ve missed."

    He meant the budget, but I think that doesn''t matter to the city''s top Sivalshi Guardian and vigilante.

    Isaac looks at me for a few moments.

    "We''ll do six."

    "Okay," I say. "Thanks, Isaac."

    "You''re welcome," he says.

    "Alright!" Zane claps his hands. "I saw this shirt that I think Kieran would look cute in. Let''s go take a look at it! We''re all trying on some clothes! By the way, you''re pretty cute. You trying to make moves on my bud? If so, you''re gonna have to fight Lucas and me for him. We ain''t with him yet ''cause of our own issues, but buddy-"

    "He''s straight," I interrupt. "Has a girlfriend he''s marrying soon and a baby on the way. Also, if another guy has interest in me and you want to get with me, then hurry up and deal with your problems because I told you earlier, I ain''t gonna wait forever."

    "You already have a baby on the way?" Zane looks at Isaac in shock. "Huh. Guess you ain''t a power user, then. Well! You didn''t react badly to seeing I was one! What did you think of the bulge? It''s still there. I bet I''m bigger!"

    "My girlfriend likes my weapon well enough, thank you," Isaac responds. "And yes, I''m a power user. We got lucky and are quite happy."

    "Really?" Zane asks. "What''s your power?"

    "What do you do for a job?" Danny asks. "If you can throw money like this as a gift so soon after reuniting with him, then you get paid really well, right?"

    "Yeah!" Zane starts leading us to another part of the store. "Kieran said you live nearby, but you can afford the upper districts, can''t you?"

    "Um, well, yeah," Isaac is clearly uncomfortable, but I don''t know how to rescue him. Zane and Danny together are a dangerous pair. "I have a couple of jobs that pay pretty well. I don''t share my powers with those I don''t know well. Kieran knows, but he was there when they awakened."

    Zane and Danny both turn their gazes to me. It''s for Isaac to share, not me.

    "I mostly just grab whatever I can afford and buy them," I say. "But I think you two would hate me for that right now. At least, you would, Zane. So what are we doing?"

    "Okay, first," he grabs my hoodie and starts pulling it up. "This comes off. Can''t wear it while trying on shirts, after all."

    Really, Zane? Taking off my hoodie? I let him, though, and he hands it to Isaac, who looks about as helpless as I feel. Where did Danny go? He''s grabbing clothes, isn''t he?

    "Wow," Zane examines my shirt. "That''s¡­ really old. Look at how thin it is. Does it even keep you warm? Does your hoodie? Are you sure you don''t need a new hoodie, too? Danny! Find a long-sleeve that will go with a dark blue shirt!"

    "Got it!" Danny yells from wherever he went.

    "I''ll be right back," Zane shoves me down into a chair. "Sit here."

    He steps away, and I realize that he''d led us to changing rooms. I look at Isaac again, who just shakes his head and sits down.

    "You have interesting friends," he says.

    "I still have to eat lunch with them after this."

    "I''m going to avoid that."

    "I don''t blame you."

    "Hey! Zane! Do you think he''d look good in this one?"

    A shirt goes flying over the racks, in the direction of Zane, who catches the shirt and holds it up. I can''t really make it out, but I can make out Zane''s expression.

    "No one would look good in this one!"

    If anyone gets kicked out, I''ll make sure the employee focuses on those two and lets Isaac and me do the rest of the shopping trip in peace.

 Chapter 0040

    "See you, Danny," Zane says once we reach the Korriska Building.

    Hanging out with Zane and Danny was pretty nice, and so was getting to spend time with Isaac again. Especially the part where it was just Isaac and me, because then we got to pick out clothes I actually liked without the hassle of dealing with Zane and Danny adding in their comments or forcing me to try on other clothes while they were trying on outfits, themselves.

    Danny and Zane didn''t buy anything, with Zane saying he''d need to go to a few more stores for a new coat, but I did buy the jacket that I was looking at when Isaac arrived. I''m wearing it over my hoodie now, and there''s a noticeable different in warmth with it. By that, I mean that I''m actually warm in it.

    "See you," Danny waves to us. "Thanks for letting me hang out, today was fun."

    "Which part?" I ask. "Getting kicked out of the clothing store and being forced to wait for Isaac and me to finish picking out my clothes? Or when you nearly got kicked out of the restaurant due to the argument over who was a cooler vigilante?"

    "Okay, so next Thursday," Zane says. "We''re going to an arcade. That''s final. I''m kicking your asses in the games there, so you''re both coming. Got it? So mark next Thursday for the hangout."

    "You''re on!" Danny says. "And while there, I''ll definitely convince you that-"

    "We should probably go put this stuff away," I say. "It''s getting close to time to train at the center and I don''t want to be late. Lucas will probably think you did something to me."

    A look of horror crosses Zane''s face, and he gives Danny a fist bump before saying goodbye again. Danny leaves and Zane and I head inside, taking the elevator up to his apartment.

    "Are you leaving your stuff here while we''re training?" Zane asks.

    I know it''s fine by him, so I''m not going to bother saying that in my response.

    "Yeah," I answer. "I''ll stop by here and grab it before heading home. It''ll add a little bit more of a walk, but I''ll be fine."

    "I''ll still walk you all the way home," he tells me. "I''m more capable in a fight than you, so I''ll be fine even with the hour."

    "Okay," I say. "Let''s head up now."

    Zane and I make our way inside and into the nearby elevator, taking it up to the floor with his apartment in it. When we reach the floor below it, the elevator stops and Zach steps on.

    "Hey, Zach!" Zane greets his brother. "We''re back! But only shortly, we''re going to head over once we drop his stuff off."

    "Went shopping?" Zach asks as the elevator stops on Zane''s floor, and he steps off with us.

    "He ran into a friend of his," Zane nods. "Rich guy who''s trying to make up for something. He bought Shadow Boy here a bunch of clothes."

    "Want me to take care of those for you?" Zach asks. "I can throw them in the wash here, and it''ll be done before your training''s over. That way, you don''t have to handle washing them the first time yourself, since you''ve been getting busier and I know most places, you''d have to stay with the clothes."

    "Are you sure?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he answers. "I''m not doing anything else this evening. I was just going upstairs to see if Dad wanted to play some chess."

    "Okay," I say. "Thanks."

    Zach takes the clothes, then enters the elevator again. Zane and I enter his apartment and collect our workout bags, and I can tell he wants to know what Isaac did that he''s trying to apologize for. While I''d hesitated on telling him after Isaac left, I know that if the Patron wanted Isaac''s powers to be secret, he''d prevent Zane from understanding what I''m about to say.

    "His power awakened in our school," I tell him. "It kind of destroyed the place and left some of us trapped for a couple of days. I still have nightmares over what happened, and still can''t stand very tight spaces. Unlike some of the others, I actually somehow remained conscious through the entire thing. I also had a couple of dead bodies in front of me."

    "Oh," he looks sad for a moment, then steps forward and wraps me in a hug. "Well, I''m glad you survived, you''re an awesome guy, Kieran."

    "Thanks," I return the hug for a moment, it''s nice. "We should head to the rec center, you and Danny arguing over vigilantes as we walked around took way longer than it should."

    "Yeah," he chuckles, stepping back. "Let''s go."

    We leave his apartment and make our way down to the rec center, Zane accompanying me to the blocks room. Instead of changing in a changing room like he normally does, he undresses in here as I do, but when I slip on shorts, he doesn''t pull anything on. It''s showing off his absurd erection.

    "Zane?" I ask as I start my stretches.

    "Well," he says. "The first time you saw me in my stone form, you were kind out of it due to having been frozen by the rain. I doubt you really took it in much. Then earlier, I was clothed, so you really only saw my face and neck. I''ve seen you in the use of your power, so I''m showing you mine properly."

    Zane transforms to his stone form, turning back to the grey stone I remember him being last night. This time, I do actually take in even more than I did last night. It really is a perfect replica of him, made out of stone. There''s no color to it, just the greyness of the stone, but every detail of his body is perfectly visible. The slit of his dick, his foreskin, his abs, his balls, his nails. Even his hair, every last strand of it visible yet one. His eyes, his eyelashes, his eyebrows. Even his freckles are there, small spots of darker grey against the rest of his face.

    That really is incredible. His cheeks seem to be a darker shade of grey than the rest of him, just a little bit. The little detail there is strange, but only accents the fact that he''s still a person, as it only makes his freckles darker. Wait¡­Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    "Are you blushing?" I ask.

    "No," his cheeks turn even darker.

    "The great Zane," I grin. "Shameless and fearless, without hesitation when it comes to hooking up with any random guy. Shy over showing his elemental form to someone like me?"

    His cheeks turn even darker, to an almost black-grey.

    "Can I feel?" I ask.

    "Which part of me?" He puts his hands on his hips as he grins, and I can tell he''s trying to cover up the fact that I''m right.

    "Well," I say. "I was thinking your arm, but I do wonder if it would hurt more to punch your face while in this form than the other."

    "You can feel my arm," he holds out his right arm.

    I reach over and feel it. The feel is strange, but not weird. It''s smooth, like polished stone, yet warm and soft, like flesh. I press down on it and find that it does still have the give of skin.

    "Try punching me," Zane says. "And you''ll find it like punching stone. Same with cutting me. Dad demonstrated that to me when I first awakened this power back when I was little."

    "I can''t imagine it would be safe if you got shot, though," I tell him.

    "Probably not," he shrugs. "I can still be cut, it just takes more effort to cut this form than my human one. Though in theory, I can probably become tough enough to resist bullets, too."

    "Possibly," Lucas says. "Grandpa said that since your family has consistently kept and trained the form over many generations, even as little as you have, the power is still strong in your bloodline. The perks of being an earth elemental is the ability to toughen your stone form to a near-impervious state. That might take you a few years, though."

    "Hello, Lucas," I greet him.

    "Yo," Zane flashes him a peace sign.

    Lucas is dressed in his uniform, as always when here, and he has a slight look of suspicion towards Zane. This is starting to get a little bit ridiculous, his worry over my safety around Zane. He''s even here early today, did he end his class early so that he could check on me once he knew I was here?

    "You''re early," I tell him. "I normally have another ten minutes to warm up. Did you leave your class early?"

    "Grandpa taught my lesson today," he tells me. "I was needed to help a new client."

    "A new client?" I ask. "Consultation?"

    "Yeah," he answers. "Managed to save up enough money to afford a month here on the silver plan and wanted help learning how to control his power. Grandpa was going to help him, but the guy apparently has trauma that makes him extremely twitchy around the elderly, so he asked me to help instead."

    I can guess at what happened judging by the way Lucas says ''trauma''. For the guy''s sake, I hope he finds this place safe and comfortable, with its facilities able to meet his training needs. This place is good and the staff is friendly, even overprotective at times. I''m sure if he''s actually dedicated to learning to use whatever his power is, he''ll find this place doing its best to help him in the month he has with them.

    "Don''t," I interrupt Zane before he can ask what the new client''s power is.

    "Eh, I''ll probably find out eventually," Zane switches back to human form, then pulls on a pair of shorts, zips up his bag, and slings it over a shoulder. "Since you two are here, I''ll be heading to the room I do my training in. See you after it ends."

    "See you," I say, and Zane leaves.

    Lucas is giving me a worrying look.

    "Is something wrong?" I ask.

    "How did hanging out with him go?" Lucas asks. "I can''t imagine he was able to keep his hands to himself. Zane is far too touchy and inappropriate."

    "Stop being paranoid about him," I roll my eyes. "I told you this morning, everything would be fine. It was. We went shopping for a new jacket, ran into the childhood friend I''d mentioned the other day, he insisted on buying me some clothes so we spent some longer time at the store, then he left and we went to go eat lunch. After lunch, we just walked around. Most of it was actually Danny and Zane heatedly debating vigilantes.

    "Zane isn''t as bad of a guy as you like to think," I say. "You''re just annoyed that he likes to tease you, Lucas. When he figures out a limit, he sticks to it. He knows I''m not available for certain things and won''t try to make a move. That''s part of why he wants to hold off on getting into a relationship ¨C because he knows he''ll try to have sex with me and will feel as if he pressured me into it if we do. He wants both to calm himself down on that front and give me time to get more comfortable with things. He teases you because he knows he can get away with it and your reactions amuse him."

    That''s part of what makes Zane interesting and appealing: he looks for his limits and while he pushes them, he''ll keep to them if he knows they''re a hard limit. With Lucas, he knows that Lucas gets aggravated, but if Lucas actually got mad at him, he''d learn and not do that again. If Lucas wanted Zane to stop, it would be really simple to get him to.

    "If you want him to stop, he will," I tell him. "You just need to actually make it clear that you don''t like him teasing you about sexual things. Or you can just tease him back. Seriously. Next time he comments about the difference in your sizes, say he''s probably lied about being a top because there''s no way someone would let that thing in their ass and he''s just projecting his wistful fantasies."

    "I really don''t think he would-"

    "Do you see him teasing me like that?"

    "He wants in your pants."

    I''m not the only one in this room Zane wants to sleep with, Lucas.

    "Let''s just get to my lesson," I sigh.

    "Alright," he says. "Do your warmup, then we''ll get started."

    I continue my warmup, stretching and performing some light exercises, then I take off my shorts and climb over the barrier, before beginning the five-foot shadow steps. Today, I''m able to manage eleven full ones. After the eleventh, I have almost no magic left, about as much as I did when I did that massive shadow-walk to find out my limits.

    With the shadow steps completed, I perform two laps back and forth across the room. I manage it in thirteen minutes this time, averaging about six and a half minutes per lap. I can probably actually go faster than that, but I''m worried that my current reflexes aren''t enough to keep up with the speed ¨C that I can run and jump faster than I can react. Maybe another couple of weeks of this, and I''ll be able to really put in the speed I know I can manage while on the blocks floor.

    When I return to Lucas after the second lap, he nods approvingly.

    "You''re getting better," he says. "How do you feel about the bet now?"

    Even if it doesn''t seem like I''ve improved that much, I know what he''s asking. He knows I can tell I''m going to start improving a little bit faster, now that my body is getting stronger and I''m eating better. There''s no real noticeable change to my build yet, but the fact remains that I''m feeling stronger and more energetic.

    "I might actually make one lap back and forth in under four minutes by the time I''m contacted," I tell him. "That means I should probably figure out what my instruction for you will be."

    "The look on your face says you already know," he frowns a little.

    "You sound worried," I smile. "Why? Do you think it would be something like ''passionately kiss Zane on the lips for a full minute with a little bit of tongue action'', Lucas?"

    I wouldn''t actually do that, that would be cruel. But I can tell by Lucas''s expression that he thinks that my order would be something like that, and he probably can''t figure out a way to call it ''unreasonable''. Actually, he''d probably say it''s a fair punishment for him because it''s something he''d hate, which is part of why I won''t make the order be that.

    "Dammit," he mutters. "And the bastard would happily do it, too."

    "Probably," I say. "What now? More running?"

    "No," he seems happy to have switched topics away from him possibly kissing Zane in the future. "Walk a lap around the edge of the arena. Walk, not run. Go over every single obstacle that you can, only going around when you can''t. I had the room set up so that there''s a lot of blocks in the way that you''ll need to climb, jump, whatever."

    The fact that he can request specific setups for this room hasn''t crossed my mind at all. I honestly thought that the setup was always based on something random, or the whims of whoever set it up.

    Has Lucas made specific requests for my training before? Or is this the first time?

    "Okay," I say. "How many laps?"

    "Until I say stop," he answers.

    "Okay," I stretch for a moment, then begin the first lap.

 Chapter 0041

    I walk counter-clockwise around the arena, finding that there really are more blocks along the edge than normal. Rather than having some gaps within a few feet of the barrier and every few feet, I''m having to constantly climb over, jump over, or move around. Halfway down the first side of the arena, I come across a section where I have to climb over a block onto another block, drop down onto a block, take a step to the side and jump over a block, and so on for almost thirty feet straight.

    As I walk, I find myself picking up speed at times and having to force myself to slow back down since Lucas said to walk. I''m not sure why he wants me to do this, since we''re already at the stage where I''m running, but okay.

    After three full laps of it, Lucas seems to have figured something out because he looks ready to move on to the next stage. I''m mostly saying that because he''s holding a tablet.

    "What''s up?" I ask.

    "I figured out how to change the lighting in here," he tells me. "With the switches, I can only turn them on or off, but I knew there was a way to actually change the lightning."

    Why would we want to change the lighting in here?

    Ah.

    "You want to see if my powers change in strength based on if I''m in light or darkness?" I ask. "Since I''m-"

    "No," he taps on the tablet, and the room darkens pretty heavily, though I can still see alright. However, it''s got to be killer for a normal person to see in here. As has happened recently, I feel a bit stronger and more energetic with it being darker in here, with there being little light around. "I want to see the difference in you based on that. You can see in this, right?"

    "Yeah," I look around at the arena a little bit, then face him once more. "I can even make out where the shadows are deeper, darker, with pretty good clarity."

    "Alright," he says. "Run back and forth across here, and I''ll time you. You said your parents both had this power, so it''s probably a little bit stronger starting out. I''d estimate a lap might take you about five minutes at base like this. Then we''ll run through a series of other exercises to see the difference between normal and in darkness of this level."

    "Okay," I turn around. "Tell me when."

    "Go."

    I take off across the arena. Rather than going at a steady pace, I do my best to put on speed, to try to reach that five-minute mark. With the darkness around me, my reflexes are sharper, quicker, allowing me to react much faster than I normally could. A jump over this block, a twist around this one, a step onto this then jump onto that before landing on the floor, a step over this, a jump over that, and so on.

    When I reach Lucas again, he''s looking a little frustrated.

    "Did I not make it?" I ask. "It''s okay to be wrong with your estimate."

    "No, it''s not that," he returns the lights back to normal. My energy and strength drop back to normal immediately. "Take about thirty seconds of rest, then go as fast as you can. You were holding back a bit before."

    "Yeah," I answer. "I''m definitely getting faster, but my reflexes are still catching up. I could only go faster in the darkness because I knew I''d be able to react. I probably could have gone even faster just now, actually, but that was as fast as I could go and not be worried over my reflexes."

    "Hm," he thinks for a few moments. "So it''s a matter of reflexes, then? We''ll need to work on those."

    "We already are," I say.

    "Yeah," he nods. "I think for martial arts days, I''m going to add in fifteen minutes of reflex training. It will involve you reacting as soon as something happens, with specific reactions for specific signals."

    "On top of all the other reflex training I''m doing?"

    Going after the balls, navigating this, just sparring with him for martial arts ¨C those all require training my reflexes.

    "Yeah," he answers. "This is training specifically for your reflexes."

    "Oh," I say. "So what was my time?"

    "How many laps in a row do you think you can do right now?" He asks. "If I alternate between light and dark?"

    "I tend to recover energy in darkness," I say. "And have a fair bit right now. Maybe four or five more laps?"

    "Okay," he says. "Do them all and push yourself to your limits. I''ll give you your times once you finish. Six laps total, including the one you just did. After that, you''ll probably be close to having finished recovering your magic. We''ll rest until you have, then I''ve got something new."

    Another new thing?

    "Alright," I stretch again. "Ready?"

    "Go."

    I take off across the arena again. This time, I''m going slower, more cautious. However, I''m still going faster than I normally do, and it results in me bumping and stumbling a few times. At one point, I nearly trip over a block, but manage to catch myself on another and keep going. Yeah, my reflexes definitely need training before I push myself like this more.

    Once I finish the lap, Lucas darkens the room and allows me thirty seconds of rest, partly to catch my breath, partly so that I can recover a little with the benefits the darkness provides me now. I do the lap, then he allows me thirty seconds of rest before flipping the light back on.

    After all six laps are completed, I lean against the barrier and look at Lucas, who''s fiddling with the tablet, grumbling under his breath while looking annoyed.

    "Do you get stronger in light?" I ask.

    "No," he answers. "But I do heal faster and regain energy faster in it. So no, my time when I showed you back then wasn''t through enhancement."

    "Okay," I say. "What were my times?"

    "For the normal times," he looks at his tablet. "They were five minutes and fifty-seven seconds, five minutes and fifty-four seconds, and six minutes and three seconds. That''s a pretty good boost, even with you tripping. Your exhaustion was showing in the last one, and you''re right, your reflexes are definitely what''s holding you back, so we''re definitely including reflex training on martial arts days."

    "Neat," I say. "I''ll still go at my little-slower pace, but that''s definitely a sign that I''ll hit the four-minute mark by the time I''m contact, so long as I keep it up."

    "Yeah, about that," he mumbles. "Your strength-in-darkness times, erm¡­ three minutes and fifty-eight seconds, three minutes and fifty-seven seconds, and three minutes and fifty-nine seconds. I was hoping it was a fluke."

    That last part is a definite grumble, and I realize why now he seems aggravated. He thinks he has to kiss Zane. I need to figure something out for it, but it might take me a few days.

    "Alright," I say. "I think it''ll only be another four or five minutes before I''m back to full magic."Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    "Take a breather," he tells me. "I-"

    "Lucas," Tabitha''s voice comes over the radio, a note of urgency to it. "I know you''re in a session with Kieran right now, but can you come down to the lobby? We have a situation."

    Lucas grabs his walkie and holds it up to his mouth.

    "Be there in a sec," he says, then clips it back to his waist. "If I''m not back before you''re recovered, do six five-foot shadow steps, then try to do five-foot moving shadow steps. You''ll probably only manage three or four rather than all five. Once you can''t do another five-foot one while moving, stop and do the normal training stuff while waiting for me to return. If I''m not back by the end of the session, do the normal finishing stuff, no moving shadow steps."

    "Got it," I say, then he flashes out of here.

    I sit on a block and wait for my magic to recover, then do as Lucas instructed. My guess is that he had always intended on having me start performing moving shadow steps once I was able to do one more normal one. Didn''t he tell me he was waiting until next month, though? Or am I misremembering things?

    Upon recovering the last bit of my magic, I perform five shadow steps of five feet, then begin my moving shadow steps. Rather than running into a shadow like I did on Saturday, I instead just walk into one while focusing my energies on the shift.

    Unlike with the running starts, there''s less disorientation when I make the shift. I''m going to guess that it''s normal to build up to running into the steps rather than going full-on into them from the start. I don''t stumble, but I do come close to it.

    Once the disorientation fades, I walk toward another shadow and perform another shadow-step. I manage to complete four full five-foot ones, and judging by the magic cost of the moving shadow-steps, I don''t have enough magic for a fifth unless I shrink the range down to only three or four feet. That''s against what Lucas instructed, so I begin performing laps, alternating between walking and running, not giving myself more than thirty seconds of rest after each one.

    I continue my training as normal, and Lucas doesn''t return by the time the two hours are up. Is everything okay? How bad was the situation? I hope he''s okay and is just having to fill out paperwork or something over it.

    Since the training exhausted me, I do like normal lately and just lie on a block on the arena to catch my breath. After my shower, I''ll check at the desk to see what''s going on. Or is it not safe for me to go to the front? Is it a dangerous kind of situation?

    The door to the room opens after a few moments, and since it was locked, I''m sure it''s Todd.

    "Hey," I raise a hand.

    "Hello," Todd responds. "Waiting for Lucas to finish?"

    "Is he still busy with that thing?" I ask.

    "He''s talking with the officers right now," Todd answers as I sit up. "Should be done in a few minutes."

    "Cool," I say. "I was just resting, was getting ready to head to the showers."

    "Alright," he says as I climb over the barrier. "How do you like it here? Training here, I mean. You''re coming in far more than others, so I''m assuming you like it?"

    "Yeah," I answer. "I''m definitely building up strength, stamina, and skill. My powers are growing stronger, too. I actually figured out a new one, the same power my parents had."

    "I heard," he nods. "Did it awaken on its own? Or did you try to awaken it?"

    "On its own, I think," I tell him. "Lucas was planning on doing some tests with it today, but then got called away before he could do more than just speed and agility. Mind if I ask what happened?"

    "I don''t actually know," he answers as someone tries the door to the room. "Weird, no one usually tries this room."

    "Might be Zane."

    "HEY!" Zane''s voice comes through the door. "SHADOW BOY AND LIGHT-FOR-BRAINS! YOU IN THERE?"

    "Yeah, that''s Zane," I say as Todd laughs.

    Todd walks over and unlocks the door, letting Zane into the room. Zane''s wearing just the shorts he put on before leaving, his bag slung over one shoulder. Whatever he did while training, he did a fair bit of physical exertion because his cheeks are flushed and he''s soaked in sweat, his hair sticking to his head.

    "Secret boyfriend?" Zane asks me, and while his tone is teasing, I can tell from his eyes he''s worried that there''s actual competition that he and Lucas will have to deal with.

    Possibly someone who''s taken my heart already because they were too slow for it.

    "Pretty sure he''s straight," I tell Zane. "This is Todd, he cleans the room."

    Zane looks around in confusion, probably because he can''t see a cleaning cart or anything.

    "With his power."

    "Oh, cool," he says. "What''s the power?"

    "I create a cleaning and sanitizing mist," Todd answers. "It takes about thirty seconds and completely cleans the room. I can show you if you want, but you''ll need to hold your breath, Stoneboy. The power won''t be good for your lungs. It''ll eliminate your need for a shower, though."

    "Oh, neat!" Zane reaches for his shorts.

    "You don''t need to get naked," Todd says. "It''ll penetrate through your shorts."

    "You''re showing me yours, I''m showing you mine!" Zane grins, dropping his shorts and stepping out as he turns to stone. "Plus, I''d be getting naked after to dress, anyway."

    Zane drops his bag on the ground as I roll my eyes, and Todd just shrugs.

    "I don''t need to breathe in this form, by the way," Zane tells him. "I do just out of habit, and your misty stuff won''t hurt me while I''m like this. So don''t worry about messing with my lungs."

    "Alright," Todd looks at me. "Ready?"

    I inhale deeply and give him a thumbs-up, then he holds up his hands and releases his mist. It quickly fills the room, making my skin tingle as it rolls over it and works its way everywhere. Then it fades away, leaving us clean, and Zane examines himself in amazement.

    "That''s freaking awesome!" He exclaims. "All my sweat''s gone! And it feels tingly good, too!"

    "I take it you just used your power?" Lucas asks, and the three of us look over to find him standing by the barrier.

    "Yeah," Todd answers. "Done with the officers?"

    "Yeah," Lucas answers as Zane gives him an enthusiastic wave. "That mess was annoying. Power users trying to control what other power users do."

    He shakes his head.

    "Anyway," he says. "Thanks for taking care of the room, Todd. I trust Zane didn''t try getting inappropriate with you?"

    "He seems pretty nice," Todd says. "Anyway, I should get going. See you around, Kieran, Zane."

    "See you," I say.

    "Bye!" Zane holds out a fist for a bump, which Todd meets.

    Todd leaves, then Lucas grabs my shorts off the barrier and steps over to us, handing them to me.

    "Thanks," I say, then stuff them into my bag and pull out my underwear.

    "What?" Zane asks, sounding confused.

    I look over to find Lucas looking at him awkwardly. Why is Lucas standing so close?

    "What would you do if I kissed you?" Lucas asks.

    That seems random.

    "Kiss you back!" Zane enthusiastically answers. "Though you''d never do that in a million years, so-"

    "Ah!" I remember that Lucas thinks he needs to, but it''s too late to stop because Lucas grabs Zane and pulls him against himself, pressing his lips to Stoneboy''s.

    Zane only pauses for a moment before returning the kiss, and man is it hot. Lucas must be so uncomfortable, especially because Zane''s naked and rock-hard and they''re pressed against each other. The kiss really does seem pretty passionate, Lucas not holding back in it and Zane returning the favor. They''re both probably desperate, and I can tell that Zane wants to start stripping Lucas but is holding back.

    He''s holding Lucas''s polo just above the pants, his hands starting to make an upward motion before stopping. Lucas, meanwhile, has his arms around Zane''s neck, crossing each other behind Zane''s head.

    A full minute of the kiss passes, then Lucas steps away and looks at me. His face is crimson.

    "He''s very aggressive with his tongue," he says.

    "Whoo!" Zane exclaims, looking thrilled. "That was amazing, Lucas! I thought you hated me? What brought that on? Are you secretly wanting in my bed? Sorry, but I''m aiming for Kieran!"

    "Lucas," I clear my throat. "I never actually said that''s what you had to do if you won the bet. I was just teasing you because I knew you thought it would be something involving Zane."

    Lucas''s face turns a wonderful shade of scarlet at the realization that he just kissed Zane without needing to. I kind of feel bad for that, but in my defense, I hadn''t said that he had to and I didn''t remember that he thought he needed to until it was too late.

    "A bet?" Zane asks.

    "I''m still going to aim to be able to do a lap back and forth in under four minutes without darkness-enhanced speed and agility," I tell Lucas. "Before I find out if I get the job or not. Want to keep the bet on? And make sure that the order is the actual order before doing it?"

    "Um, yeah," Lucas awkwardly answers. "Let''s do that. Also, um, we''ll count this as still yet to be fulfilled. I didn''t expect you to actually tease me so I thought you were serious. So you, uh, still have your order."

    "Tell me all about it on the way home," Zane grins at me. "I want to find out why he kissed me and I think he''d be a bit too uncomfortable with it being said right here."

    "Alright," I snort. "Let''s get dressed, Zane."

    Hopefully, Lucas will see Zane''s more mature side, because I know Zane isn''t going to tease Lucas too much due to how obviously uncomfortable the realization it wasn''t needed was. He might tease if it goes with what''s going on or being said, but I know Zane will know there''s a line drawn on bringing it up without that.

    "Let''s!" He exclaims. "I''m starving! Do you mind if we get a snack on the way, since I''m walking the distance twice."

    "Only if you get me one, too," I answer as my stomach rumbles.

    "It''s a deal!"

    "He''s walking you home tonight?" Lucas asks.

    "I have stuff at his place still," I tell him. "So yeah, we''ll walk there, then to my place, and he''ll head back home."

    "Alright," he says. "Have a good night, you two. See you tomorrow."

    Lucas flashes out of here, and Zane gives me a curious look, none of his mischief present.

    "So¡­ the kiss?"

 Chapter 0042

    Just as I finish washing the dishes, drying them, and putting them away, my phone rings with the cheerful tone I set for Melody''s calls. I''m glad I woke up a little earlier today, which I did specifically so that I could get breakfast out of the way in case it''s an early job. It''s not even seven yet, so she''s calling before my allowed time. In other words: the job is either early or a decent distance away.

    I put the cup in my hand away, the last dish to go, then I walk over to my phone and answer it.

    "Good morning, Melody," I greet her. "You''re calling earlier than I set as the allowed time, so I''m assuming it''s got a better pay?"

    "You''re assuming correctly," she answers. "Sorry for not letting you know yesterday, they didn''t finalize whether it would happen or not until a few minutes ago. I finished talking with them and called you."

    She finished talking with them, then called me? Not finished her call with them? Is their rep at her office right now? Is part of the reason it''s so early because they want to interview the potential candidate before hiring them for the job? I''ve heard of that happening before, but I''ve never had any skills needed to actually get one of those jobs. They''re also more common in wealthier areas than in a lower district like we are.

    "Before I give you the information," she says. "I wanted to assure you that the job is, in fact, real. We''ve already done a few verification checks to make sure of that after they contacted us to let us know they might be using our agency to make the request."

    "Sounds suspicious," I say. "If you have to do those checks."

    "It was to us, too," she tells me. "She told me that she''d given us that much notice so that we could check in advance if we wanted. It''s the best-paying job I''ve ever had for any individual on a one-time contract, actually. Two grand for the one shift, with a possibility for a tip depending on the performance."

    Eighteen hundred dollars for a single shift? Just what is this job? If Melody hadn''t told me she verified it was real, I''d be suspicious of it and turn it down immediately.

    "They''ll cover your transportation and meals during the shift," she tells me. "And will allow you to store your bag for your training stuff during it."

    Melody pauses for a moment, and I can hear a woman talking in the background, though it''s faint enough I can''t actually make out what she''s saying.

    "Yes, I was going to get that in a moment," Melody says, though not rudely. "Kieran, before I can call you in for an interview, I do have to inform you that it does require you being a power user, and they want me to verify that you actually are one. I know you mentioned it before, but they''re going to want demonstrations of your power as proof. After seeing your power, she''ll determine whether or not you''re suitable for the job."

    Definitely suspicious. I can see why Melody''s agency wanted to verify the authenticity of it. Normally if someone wanted that with such short notice for the actual confirmation it will happen, the power user is going to be used and abused or just outright killed. From what I''ve heard, the actual power doesn''t matter for those jobs, but the employer still pretends it does.

    "I''m a power user," I confirm. "Erm, you said it''s a woman?"

    "Yes," Melody answers. "That''s not a problem, is it?"

    "Not for me," I answer. "I can''t remember if I''ve told you or not, but I can''t wear clothes while using my power. I''d be a little uncomfortable with that since they''re a stranger, but I''m basically butt-naked the entire time I''m training it at the facility due to an aspect of it."

    "Let me check," she says. "He wants to know if you''d be comfortable with him showing you his power because he can''t wear clothes during it."

    I can hear the other woman say something briefly.

    "Okay," Melody says. "Kieran, she said that won''t be an issue."

    "Alright," I say. "What''s the job? And other information?"

    "She works for Spelcor," Melody informs me. "They want to do an experiment ¨C not on you ¨C involving a power user they don''t already know."

    The woman there talks again for a few moments. She''s a rep from Spelcor? They''re the leading manufacturer of spellsuits in Sivalshi City. If someone wants one of great quality ¨C that''s not Patron-made ¨C it''s Spelcor they''ll go to. Why would they ask for someone from the lower districts?

    "If your power is one they don''t have readily available or much experience with," Melody tells me. "It will work better for their tests. However, they do need a power user to help them with the tests."

    "Okay," I say. "I can come down for the interview unless something interferes while I''m on my way. It''ll be maybe an hour to get there if I want to be safe."

    "She can have a car at your place in ten minutes," Melody informs me. "The job itself takes place at Spelcor''s center in the upper districts, so whoever they hire will be going that way already."

    I''ll get to ride in a car? That might be fun.

    "Okay," I say. "I can be ready in time for then."

    "He said he''ll come down," Melody informs the rep, who responds. "Kieran, the car should be there in about ten minutes."

    "Okay," I say. "I''ll see you soon."

    "See you soon," Melody responds.

    The call ends, and I quickly change into one of my new outfits. Issac did buy me hoodie, so I make sure to put on the new one for under the jacket, too. That way, I''m more presentable. I even have a new pair of shoes to go with it, and once I''m in the outfit, I''m feeling pretty handsome, even if I know I''m a scrawny runt who''s probably only average at best.

    Ready to go, I grab my phone, wallet, and keys, pocket them, pull my workout bag over one shoulder, then make my way downstairs. I''ve barely stepped out of the apartment building when a car pulls up to the curb. It''s black and a little shiny, and looks completely out of place here in the lower districts.

    The front door opens, and a man in his late twenties or early thirties with slicked-back hair steps out of the front, then looks at me.

    "Looking for Kieran Wolfe?" I ask.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    "You him?" He asks.

    "I am."

    "ID, please."

    I pull out my wallet and show him my ID, and after examining it, he nods and steps to the back door of the car before opening it. I enter, then he closes the door and enters the driver''s seat. We both buckle up, then he begins driving.

    The ride to the office building is smooth, and the car smells pretty nice. I don''t really know what the smell is, but it''s pleasant. The back of the car is pretty spacious, and there''s a divider between it and the front, with a glass window allowing for a view between us. It can probably open to allow us to communicate with each other, though we aren''t right now.

    When we arrive at the office, he opens the door for me, then waits in the car while I go inside. I take the elevator up to Melody''s floor, then walk over to her office, one of the four that are here. Only her office has light right now, and I can feel myself being stronger as I walk through the door lobby of this floor.

    I reach her office and knock on the frame of the glass door, Melody visible within, and the rep probably sitting to the side, blocked by the filing cabinet that''s strategically placed beside the door in order to hide whoever is with Melody at the moment.

    My case worker is about five-foot-ten, with long, brown hair that she keeps tied in a ponytail, her eyes a moderate green. She''s wearing a pink long-sleeved shirt, and when she stands up to let me in to her office, I can see that her usual blue jacket is tied around her waist. Melody is in her late twenties, but looks like she''s in her early twenties, something she''s quite proud of.

    "Good morning, Kieran," she greets me as she lets me into the office, a semi-spacious room that''s well-lit and warm. "Thanks for coming so early, and sorry for calling you a fair bit before the allowed time."

    "If I got the job, then it''s worth it," I say. "And if not, well, the opportunity was there."

    I turn my attention to the rep from Spelcor, who''s rising from her chair to greet me as I do. She looks to be in her late thirties, maybe early forties, and is dressed in black pants, with a dark grey blazer with the Spelcor logo, an orb with a flame and swirl of water circling it, on the left breast. Her hair is as black as mine, her eyes a darker green.

    "Oh," she says upon seeing me. "I knew the name was familiar, though I didn''t connect it to you when Melody here mentioned you."

    "Um," I hesitate for a moment. "Do I know you?"

    "No," she smiles. "But a file for you did cross a coworker''s desk the other day. She''d mentioned you to me, though hadn''t mentioned this was where you live or I''d have probably realized it was you Melody was contacting."

    "A file for me?" I raise an eyebrow. "Why would Spelcor have a file for me?"

    "With a power like yours?" She asks. "Word got to us about it and that you''re training it. We like to preemptively prepare in the cases of someone potentially being hired by someone who will request a custom spellsuit for them. Your power is useful enough that once you''re trained, there are several groups that would likely want to hire you and have a custom spellsuit for your uniform."

    I shouldn''t be surprised that organizations have already found out about my power and me training it, but I am. The way she''s talking, I can assume that the Patron isn''t in contact with them about stuff, so it was probably someone just mentioning it to someone else and word going around like that.

    "Ah," I say.

    "So there''s no demonstration necessary to prove you have it and to show me if it''s something we''d be looking for," she smiles. "Though with the tests for the product, you''ll need to use it. You won''t have an issue with several people observing you, will you?"

    "No," I answer. "I mean, I might be a little uncomfortable, but overall, no."

    "That''s good," she says, then looks at Melody. "We''ll hire him, no interview necessary. We already know he has a power and that it''s one that we can use for this test."

    "Melody said on the phone," I say. "That you''d let me store my bag? Does that mean this will be done in time for my training at the center today?"

    "Yes," she answers. "We''ll provide transportation to it after. We''d offer to let you do your training at our place after as a bonus, but the Lusvaris Training Center is quite good. Plenty of people who''ve trained there seriously have been hired in the upper districts."

    "Thanks," I say.

    "We should be going," she says. "The more time there, the better."

    "Okay," I say, then turn to Melody. "Thanks, and have a good day."

    "You as well," she tells me.

    I follow the rep outside, and she introduces herself as Liz as we leave. Only Liz, with no other name. When we reach the car, the driver opens the back for both of us, Liz sitting on one side and me on the other.

    Once the driver''s returned to the car, the windows begin to darken as a light turns on in the ceiling. It''s like a private room, and the fact that they''re hiding where we''re going worries me. Especially because Liz has a much more tired face now than she did inside.

    "Don''t look so worried," she tells me. "I''m just exhausted. I didn''t get any sleep last night and wanted to at least catch a nap before going out."

    "I''m still worried," I indicate the windows. "You''re taking me somewhere I can''t see."

    "That''s for my sake," she tells me. "It might sound a bit snobbish, I but I can''t stand seeing the city in the state of the lower districts. However, it''s because I find it depressing to see how bad things are. I''m a fair bit older than I look, and I remember this city when the lower districts were much smaller, there was much less of an overcrowding issue, and resources were scarce but not as much as now."

    "Oh," I say. "So I''m going to be testing some product all day? That''s a lot of money for just one testing session. How dangerous is it?"

    "Do you value your sanity?" She asks.

    "Uh¡­ what?"

    "Joking," she smiles. "Maybe. Actually, once you arrive at headquarters, you''ll be asked to sign a non-disclosure that allows you to state that you did a job for us, but not what the specifics of it were. The payment is partly to help give an incentive to follow that. You''ll be permitted to speak about it after a certain point, but not until then."

    "So you can''t tell me what I''m testing now?" I ask.

    "No," she answers. "Though we did lie slightly to the agencies in that it''s not strictly a product that we''re testing. There might be a few products involved."

    "I can''t figure out," I say. "What kind of test would require a power user that you don''t already know, but still have guidelines for what it could be."

    "You''ll see once you arrive," she tells me. "It''s more that we need to exclude certain types of powers than include others. We''ve actually given several groups of agencies this request, all in the lower sectors, in different areas. Each day starting this past Sunday and going through this Saturday, a different person will be selected to undergo this, from a different area."

    Which means that they''re almost done with these tests. The only have me and one other to test this thing with.

    "So I''m one of seven?" I ask.

    "Yes," she answers. "The reason we''re going with power users in the lower districts is due to the unfamiliarity of things they''d have."

    "But power users themselves are still required?" I ask.

    "Yes," she answers. "And as I said, we had to exclude certain types."

    "But someone who takes almost an hour and a half to recover after just a few uses is okay?" I ask.

    "Yes," she answers. "We''re just testing something right now, and it requires power users whose abilities can be useful for it, but that''s a wide range. It doesn''t necessarily need them to be particularly powerful right now. Once it goes full live, we''ll be more thorough in our hunt."

    I''m dying to know what this testing thing is that works that way. Especially because they need people unfamiliar with whatever it is. Well, I suppose I''ll find out after signing the NDA. How much longer before we arrive? What kind of testing is this where I can get tips, and what would I get them for?

    Did the Patron have a hand in me being the one picked for today? To help me out for some reason? I don''t doubt for a moment he''s behind the improvements in my life lately, there are far too many of them to be coincidental.

    Is the Patron trying to bribe me into saying ''yes'' even though I''m already going to? It will probably be a year or more after I accept the offer before he tells me, since it would count as ''talking extra''. But I do feel confident in that he''ll make the offer despite my lower abilities.

    After all, Isaac did say that I''m basically the only person who can do a certain job who supports the Patron. So it''s basically guaranteed as long as I actually train.

    Ugh. The wait is killing me. I''ve never been more impatient for something in my life. I really hope the next couple of weeks go by fast and as good as the last couple have been.

    "So," I say to Liz. "Is it okay to ask how long you''ve worked for Spelcor?"

 Chapter 0043

    "I''m still jealous," Zane says. "I mean, you got a super-secret job yesterday that you can''t tell us about."

    Zane''s currently standing behind me, resting his chin on my head with his arms resting against my chest in a sort of hug from behind. I''d have told him to stop, but it''s actually kind of comfortable to sit like this. He''s not putting too much pressure on my head or anything, just resting like this. The only thing I''d say is uncomfortable is that he didn''t wait for me to get dressed, and he''d stripped off his shorts before joining me on the blocks.

    We''re waiting for Todd to show up to sanitize the room. The plan was to do as normal and just rest for a couple of minutes to catch my breath after the intense skill training today, then go take a shower. That changed when Zane showed up right after Lucas unlocked the door, because he thinks Todd''s power is cool and wants to experience it again.

    Regardless of me saying it might annoy Todd to have us do that all the time, especially since Zane wants to do it naked.

    I hope Lucas doesn''t walk in on this, if he saw Zane naked and knew that Stoneboy''s dick was pressing against my bare back, he''d probably go ballistic. But I know that while it makes Zane a little excited, he''d have backed off if I asked him to.

    He hasn''t made any move on actually trying to get me to do something, so I''m not saying something and just letting him sit like this. If Lucas did blow up on him, he''d probably just ask Lucas if he wanted to take his place, anyway. I''m also sure he''d actually let Lucas, if Lucas said ''yes''.

    As for Zane''s comment about the job from yesterday, he''s expressed several times since I mentioned it before martial arts yesterday that he''s jealous. I can tell he really wishes he''d been picked for such an on-the-spot, secret job that paid so much.

    While I do have to wait for the eighteen hundred until Friday, when I get paid by the agency after they take out their fee from all of the jobs I did this week and compile it into a check, Spelcor did tip me two hundred dollars, which Liz said was to make up for the fee being taken out.

    "You''re saving that money, right?" Zane asks. "In case the offer falls through? Or doesn''t pay enough? Or to help with moving expenses, if the job wants you to move?"

    I hadn''t considered it, but will the Patron expect me to move if I do get to become a Sivalshi Guardian? I''ll ask Isaac at his party on Thursday.

    "Yeah," I answer. "I''m saving it. All the jobs I''ve been getting, including thanks to this guy Stoneboy, have given me enough to cover my expenses for now, but there''s no telling when I''ll need an extra couple of grand. Reminds me that I can actually pay my rent on time for once."

    Thanks to the advance the Patron gave me and the paychecks I''ve already received from Melody''s agency. I''ve never had so much money before, yet I know it''s also considered pretty much nothing, so it''s not getting to my head.

    "Due on Monday?" Zane asks.

    "The first of every month, yeah."

    "Ah!" He exclaims. "That reminds me, Shadow Boy, but what are you doing for Halloween? It hasn''t come up in conversation at all, I realized, and it''s tomorrow."

    "I don''t normally do stuff for Halloween," I tell him. "I take it you want to do something?"

    "Yeah," he answers. "Danny and I were talking earlier, and we were planning on meeting up after training tomorrow, then heading up into the middle districts. There''s a small festival, as allowed by the rules and resources we have right now. We''ve already got our costumes."

    Why does it not surprise me that they''ve already arranged another hangout? And to one of the festivals, no less?

    The city does allow some festivals that use up food for treats and other resources for fun stuff, as long as the recycling rules are followed, among others. Things like that are necessary to help keep spirits up, even if it results in a small waste or binge problem, though there are still rules that apply to minimize that.

    My brothers took me to the last one I ever went to.

    "Then after," he says. "He''ll spend the night at my place, since it''d be a fair bit of a walk back for him. You can stay the night at mine again, if you want. Without the Mother Hen being all suspicious though did you notice that he''s been really subdued the last couple of days? Lucas hasn''t snapped at me for my comments, and it''s worrying."

    I noticed that, too. I think my comment about the fact that he hasn''t actually told Zane to stop got to Lucas, especially with him already thinking over things regarding the Patron and his own inaction with things. Basically, Lucas has a bit on his mind and it''s caused him to quiet down a little bit for now.

    Time will tell how he comes out of the thoughts.

    "Yeah, he''s quiet," I say as the door opens. "Hi, Todd."

    "Hi," he greets us.

    "We''d have already gone to the showers," I tell him. "But Zane kind of wants to experience your mist again. Is that a problem?"

    "Not at all," Todd chuckles. "Did you two start dating? The way you''re sitting and he''s standing-"

    "Nah," I answer as I feel Zane''s skin change, a glance down to his arms confirming he just switched to his stone form. "Zane just decided this was cozy and I didn''t tell him to stop."

    Partly because it does feel nice to have someone holding me like this, even if we aren''t dating. I''ll take what I can get, since I sleep alone most nights and don''t have someone to hold me as the trauma from my past returns or I feel incredibly alone.

    "Okay," Todd says. "Ready?"

    I inhale deeply and hold my breath, then give Todd a thumbs-up. He holds up his hands and releases his mist, cleaning and sanitizing us and the room. Once it ends, he steps up to the barrier and leans on it.

    "Wednesday," he says. "Will you be here at the same time as this week?"

    "Probably," I answer. "Lucas hasn''t asked to hang out yet, but he likely will before then. If he hasn''t, I can still come that early. Want some help again?"

    "If you don''t mind," he says. "Training with you was actually pretty fun."

    "You two trained together?" Zane asks. "What kind of training? Because if it''s the sexy kind-"

    "Power training," Todd rolls his eyes. "You know Kieran won''t do that, Zane. I discovered a new power on Wednesday, came in to train it and found Kieran doing his warmups, and he helped me out with it."Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    "Can I ask what?" Zane asks, and he does seem actually curious, even leaning forward a little more.

    "I can move objects with mist," Todd holds up a hand, letting some mist swirl around above it. "I was going to throw a basketball around and use the mist to find it and bring it back, but ended up having Kieran throw it, then I''d find it and give it to him with the mist."

    "That sounds awesome," Zane bounces a little, and I clear my throat. "Sorry, Kieran! Can I join you for that? We could alternate. One throws, you find it and give it to the other, he throws, you find it and give it to the other. Wait, how do you find it with the mist? What time?"

    "About one in the afternoon," Todd answers. "And I can ''see'' through the mist. I already do that when cleaning things with it-"

    "Wait, so you have basically a sense for my naked body when you do that?" Zane asks. "That isn''t weird or anything?"

    "The only thing weird about it is how that monster manages to exist," Todd quips. "It practically takes up the gap between your legs. Can''t imagine it''s easy to walk like that."

    "Oi! This thing is a piece of beauty and you''re just jealous yours ain''t that big!" Zane protests.

    "As if anyone would want something that big," Todd snorts. "Thank you, but the ladies like mine just fine."

    "The ladies?" Zane asks. "How many ladies?"

    "Uh, just two," Todd answers. "But we''ve been together for awhile, and they''re quite satisfied, thank you."

    "Alright, boys," I interrupt. "Let''s stop comparing dicks, they''re both beautiful, and-"

    "You''ve seen Todd''s?"

    "I''m sure it is," I roll my eyes. "We should probably get dressed before Lucas shows up and sees you like this."

    "He''ll only be upset ''cause he wishes it was him," Zane says. "Oh! You never did answer, Kieran! Hey, Todd, do you want to go to the festival with me after training tomorrow? I''ve already got a friend coming, and Kieran might go."

    "Sure, I''ll go," I say.

    "After training?" Todd asks. "I''ll have to ask my brother if he wants to swap shifts if I go, but yeah, that would be nice. I''ll let you know after training tomorrow if I can."

    "Sweet!" Zane says. "Make sure to have a costume, we''ll all change here."

    "I don''t have a costume," I say.

    "I''ll make sure you do," Zane tells me. "Don''t worry about that. Since we''ll be late, you can stay at my place."

    "Your place for what?" Lucas asks, having arrived just to catch the tail end of that. He steps closer and spots how Zane and I are, and immediately looks annoyed. "Going somewhere? We were planning on doing dinner tonight, and we always walk him back after."

    "Tomorrow," I say. "Zane''s inviting us to go to the festival tomorrow, and since we''d be out pretty late, he doesn''t want us walking all the way back to my place. Danny''s going to stay the night, too."

    "Which festival?" Lucas asks.

    "Narbikka," Zane answers.

    "I''ll go with you," Lucas says. "We can stay at my apartment after. It''s five minutes from there."

    "Wait," Zane tenses up, and even before he continues, I know it''s out of surprise. "You''d let me stay in your apartment?"

    "As long as you promise to behave," Lucas says. "It''s bigger and has more space than yours. I''ll pick up groceries for breakfast after we take Kieran home tonight."

    "Make sure to get a costume," Zane tells him. "We''re all going dressed up for it."

    "I already have one," Lucas tells him. "I''m taking my little brother to it before my shift and he insisted on costumes."

    "It''s a group, then!" Zane says. "Let''s get dressed, Shadow Boy! I''m starving!"

    Zane and I get dressed as Todd leaves, then Zane, Lucas, and I leave the center and make our way to the diner Sandy works at. When we arrive, we find it empty of customers, though still open.

    "Evening, boys," Sandy greets us. "The usual?"

    "The usual," Lucas answers as we take our seats in a booth, Lucas and me on one side, Zane on the other.

    "We have lemons and oranges," she says. "Want the special?"

    "Thanks," Lucas tells her, his gaze going to the TV that''s in view.

    They''re doing a piece on the Blond Boy Basher. A boy nine years old with blond hair disappeared from the bathroom at a store this morning while his mom waited outside, and they suspect it was the Blond Boy Basher kidnapping his eleventh victim. They don''t know how the boy went missing because no one else had gone into the bathroom.

    Lucas''s jaw is set hard, and I know he''s trying not to make a rude comment about the Patron rather than just lashing out with his words.

    "He''ll get caught," I tell Lucas. "I know you disagree on that, but he will get caught. Something like this is something vigilantes and officers are investigating hard."

    "Yeah, whatever," Lucas mutters, looking at the table. "It''s not like the Patron can''t just tell us where the guy is and how to deal with him."

    "You''re assuming he can," I say. "I still say the Patron''s powers of knowledge are limited. He probably isn''t the omniscient being you think he is. Like I''ve said before, we don''t know what the Patron is. Everyone makes assumptions about him, and that''s it."

    Lucas doesn''t respond to that, and I take it as a sign that he''s probably starting to look at my argument more seriously than he has in the past. If he changes his view and starts to support the Patron, I can see Lucas becoming a Sivalshi Guardian. He''s powerful, and while he''s nothing on the level of Isaac, he is a teleporter, and Isaac did say that the only other person who wasn''t too old or too young with teleportation powers hated the Patron.

    Even as a vigilante, Lucas would¡­

    Wait. Vigilante? One who showed up the same night that I snapped at Lucas over being a hypocritical, lazy, spoiled brat? What were Lucas''s other powers? Light-shaping, light-walking, light-beast summoning¡­ and he demonstrated a whip of solid light. Which looked like golden crystal that glowed from within.

    The same thing the chains of Lumilxal do. While there are others in Sivalshi City who can use crystallized light, what are the odds that one with them started their career as a vigilante the same night I went off on Lucas over doing nothing, the same night that Lucas left to ''think about things''?

    The places that Lumilxal have shown up, and where the Blond Boy Basher victims have disappeared and been left so far, what were they? There, there¡­ there and there¡­ they match up. Lumixal has shown up everywhere one of the Blond Boy Basher''s victims either disappeared from or was left at.

    "You''re Lumilxal," I say.

    "Wait, you didn''t know?" Zane asks, and I look at him. "I kind of thought it was obvious. Powerful, golden chains, spellsuit? And not the fancy custom ones made by Spelcor, but one similar to a guardian?"

    "Wasn''t your great-grandpa''s spellsuit different, though?" I ask as Sandy returns with our drinks.

    Lucas waits until she''s left before answering.

    "It looks different," he tells me. "When I wear and my little brother wear it, it has a different look. I''d fiddled with it the other night, thinking about wearing it under the stuff I''d worn, and when it activated, the outfit was yet again different."

    "So¡­" I say. "The Patron changed the spellsuit design for you, Lucas. That''s a sign that he approves of what you''re doing. Especially since I doubt the city news networks would be covering you if he didn''t give them the okay."

    Lucas gives me a shocked look, which is all I need to know that he hadn''t thought about that before.

    "And you even heard Danny talking about it on the phone," I roll my eyes.

    Lucas sighs.

    "So¡­" I glance at Zane for a few moments. Sorry, buddy. I look at Lucas. "I told you to get your head out of your ass if you wanted to get with me, and you did. Literally the same night. And you''ve continued. According to Danny, you''ve racked up a pretty good record in just a week, too, Lucas."

    "Y-yeah," his cheeks flush a little.

    "So, uh," I say. "I guess that means I don''t have a reason to say ''no'' anymore. Want to fuck?"

    There, no dancing around the issue, just asking directly.

    "Um," Lucas hesitates, and Zane looks defeated, knowing he took too long. "No¡­ I mean yes, but¡­ you''ve got me thinking about a lot of things, Kieran. I''d rather sort my head out first. You''re far too loyal to the Patron for me to feel comfortable right now. Not in a bad way, just¡­ you were right, the other night. It wouldn''t be good for us to date unless I do change, and I''m still not sure about the Patron. Especially since I know he''s apparently supporting me despite my hatred of him. Who does that?"

    "Someone who''s a good guy," I say. "Well, take your time."

    "But not too much time," Zane says. "In a few weeks, if Shadow Boy''s still single and interested in me, I''m asking him out officially, because that''s probably how long it will take me to feel comfortable with it."

    "With how horny you are all the time," Lucas says. "It''s doubtful you''d feel ready to date him before I do. Now, I believe our food is here. I''ll pay for today if you pay for food at the festival tomorrow."

    "Deal!"

 Chapter 0044

    "Hey, Danny," I say as he enters the blocks room with Lucas, both of them with a bag slung over their shoulders, Lucas out of his uniform, but dressed in shorts and a tee rather than his normal clothes. "Did you make sure to let your work know you won''t be in tomorrow? I forgot that we''d be too far away to get there in time unless we got pretty much no sleep tonight, but did remember to tell Melody."

    I''m not used to having things that would interfere and the thought hadn''t crossed my mind. Thankfully, Melody was understanding about that. How my life has changed lately¡­ I went from either working, sleeping, or wandering around to actually having things that can prevent me from working. I went from having no friends to having a small group of them and reuniting with another.

    I went from being incredibly timid about some things to, well, I''m butt-naked and sitting on a barrier with four other guys in front of me. I''ll probably cling to my friends in the crowds of the festival, but it''s still a huge difference in just two and a half weeks.

    Had someone told me the morning the Patron sent me the notice that I''d be this comfortable this soon, I''d have probably blushed and either tried to escape the conversation or escape the situation itself.

    Right now, the only person who makes me hesitant is Danny himself, and that''s probably because he''s the only one who hasn''t already seen me in this state before and it isn''t for training or because he walked in on me without knowing I was here.

    Zane and Todd are both naked as well, meaning that only Lucas and Danny are dressed.

    "Uh, yeah," Danny says as he realizes this about us. "Why is everyone naked?"

    "Todd just finished sanitizing the room," I tell him. "I haven''t been given my costume yet, and Todd had just undressed to change into his. Zane intentionally waited for you to arrive."

    "Ah," he says.

    "Like what you see?" Zane poses for him.

    "Too male for me, sorry," Danny retorts, slinging off his bag and setting it on a bench. "We''re changing in here, Lucas said?"

    "Yeah," Lucas answers as he pulls off his bag and starts to undress. "The door''s locked, so no one can walk in on us. Once we''re near my apartment, I''ll flash my stuff into it so we aren''t carrying it around during the festival."

    "And after the festival," Danny says. "We''ll head to your apartment and spend the night there. There''s room for five guys?"

    "There''s room for five guys on my bed," Lucas says. "And my apartment is much larger than that. The couch pulls out into a bed as well, so there''s plenty of space for all five of us. I won''t be there most of the night, anyway."

    He fixes a stare on Zane.

    "Hey!" Zane holds up his hands. "I''ll look for your toys while you''re gone, but that doesn''t mean I''ll play with them."

    "He''ll behave himself," I assure Lucas.

    "Sure," Lucas mutters.

    "Wait," Danny says. "Why won''t you be there most of the night?"

    "I''m a night person," Lucas explains. "I''ll get home early in the morning and go to bed, but don''t worry about me waking you up unless you''re a light sleeper. Or if you''re in my bed, you might wake up when I get in."

    "You go out at night?" Danny asks. "Isn''t that dangerous? I know you train people in powers, but-"

    "I''m also a personal bodyguard," Lucas tells him. "Most of my powers are combat-focused and I''m well-trained in martial arts."

    "Most?" Danny frowns. "You have more than one?"

    "Most power users do," Lucas answers. "Most just haven''t found them. Or are aware that they do."

    "Like me," Zane says. "My family has apparently been stone elementals for generations. All we knew was that we can turn into stone versions of ourselves, but since coming here, I''ve learned I can actually sense stone, and with training, I''ll even be able to manipulate it or turn myself into other types of stone."

    "I can create a mist that cleans and sanitizes things," Todd tells him. "But I can also use a mist to move objects around."

    "I can move through shadows," I tell him. "But I also become stronger when it''s darker, and feel more energetic. Speaking of that, Lucas, where I am in comparison to average?"

    "You received," Lucas says. "About a thirty-percent boost or so to your speed. Thirty to forty is average for a strength-in ability."

    "So I''m average," I say.

    "Yeah," he nods.

    "Okay," I say. "Also, I can see pretty well in the dark. With training, we can all access a variety of other abilities, too, though it''s something that usually takes time."

    "Oh, cool," Danny says, then looks at Zane. "What are you supposed to be?"

    Zane''s pulled on a set of white clothes, including a white hoodie, and he''s still hard from using his powers. Will that go down before we reach the festival? In addition to the set of white clothes, he has a pink quiver slung across his back, and a red bow with a white string in one hand. He''s also wearing a pink wing.

    That boy changed fast.

    "I''m Cupid!" Zane grins.

    Danny is probably the only one who didn''t see that coming, and he has hung out with Zane before.

    "Alright," I snort. "Now what I am going to be?"

    "Did you bring it?" Zane asks Lucas, who''s changed into a pair of light blue briefs rather than the boxer-briefs he''d had on before.

    "Yeah," Lucas reaches into his bag. "How the hell did you know I had one?"

    "I asked your grandpa if he had one we could borrow for Kieran''s costume, and he said you did."

    Lucas mutters something I don''t catch beyond it being about his grandpa, then pulls out the item. It looks like a bodysuit, but it''s almost completely clear and looks extremely thin.

    "Uh-"

    "Don''t worry, it''s not the outfit itself," Zane hands it to me. "I''ll help you pull it on. Oh! Your erection''s gone! Well, guess we don''t have to worry about making sure it''s pointed the right way to not be visible."

    He must not have guessed at my excuse for using the bathroom before Todd joined us. There was no way in hell I was going to walk around with the boner for however long it lasted, now that I''m using my powers and becoming a more proper power user.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Zane helps me pull on the suit, and it really is tight against my skin, and did it just adjust itself to match my size? It''s also completely clear now, too. I can feel it against my skin, but I can''t see it at all. The suit goes from my ankles all the way to my neck, with sleeves all the way down to my wrists.

    "What is this?" I ask.

    "A special kind of suit," Lucas answers. "It''s not a spellsuit, but it''s still Patron-made. It adjusts its size to whoever is putting it on, and once it''s zipped, it''s completely invisible. From time to time, they show up, though there aren''t any new ones from what I heard, they were all made a long time ago. My great-grandpa got one from the Patron before he stopped being a Sivalshi Guardian. The suit protects your body against the elements. I''d completely forgotten about it until Zane texted me this morning asking about it, the last time I wore it was when I was fifteen."

    I rub my finger over it, feeling the smooth texture of it despite not seeing it. This is pretty neat, but what is its purpose and why am I wearing it? Hell, why does the Patron make these for people?

    "If you get hard, it''s going to be uncomfortable," Zane tells me. "Should''ve told you to make sure to take care of things extra-well while we waited, to decrease the odds, but-"

    "I''ll be fine," I roll my eyes. "So why am I wearing an invisible skinsuit? Because the fact that my dick''s still visible tells me I''m not going to be going out in just this. The festival is kid-friendly. But I do feel like a bit''s going to be exposed, considering you said it protects me against the weather."

    "Yup!" Zane opens up his bag and pulls out a pair of green and black wings. "You''re going to be a fairy!"

    Five minutes later, I''m wearing a black loincloth, the fairy wings, and a pair of black leather boots with green leaf patterns on them. I''ve also had something added to my ears to make them slightly pointed, and glitter brushed onto my cheeks. The weird thing about the wings is that they stuck on to the suit, and according to Zane, there''s no visible lines for it.

    "A skinny fairy," I comment. "But a fairy."

    "Yep!" Zane grins. "Though you aren''t super-skinny anymore. Two weeks of eating right is starting to show its signs."

    "It is?" I look down. "I''m not seeing a difference, though."

    "You are," Lucas tells me. "You''re no longer the worrying kind of skinny, and you don''t look strange like that, though you''d probably look better wearing that a year from now, you keep up this diet and training program. Actually, you might look weird, being a fairy with killer abs."

    "More fairies should have killer abs," Zane says. "Everyone ready?"

    Lucas himself is dressed in a skintight suit as well, though his isn''t invisible. The briefs must be to make his underwear less obvious in it. His skinsuit is a dark blue one, with golden streaks through it, and he''s put on a dark blue wig, while wearing blue and black sneakers and gloves.

    "Hey!" I recognize the outfit. "You''re Zevimas!"

    Zevimas is a vigilante who uses a whip that looks like a dark blue stream filled with stars. Lucas has a pretty good replica attempt at his spellsuit, though the vigilante also has a mask and cowl, like most¡­ who are supported by the Patron, now that I think about it. He also wears boots and better gloves, too.

    The wig itself is the common way of portraying Zevimas, rather than putting on a mask and cowl. Impersonating a vigilante can land someone in a lot of trouble. For warmth, I''ll assume Lucas has another layer on under the costume, probably something thin but protective, like the invisible suit I''m wearing.

    "Yeah," Lucas says. "You know his outfit? That''s surprising, he''s from the upper districts."

    "Isn''t he one of the ones you''ve mentioned as having met?" Danny asks.

    "Yeah," I answer.

    "You know Zevimas?" Lucas asks. "How?"

    Because he was another classmate at my school, back when Isaac collapsed it. He never spoke with anyone, choosing to sit by himself and be by himself and only staring at people when they tried to talk with him. I''d thought he had died in the collapse, but a couple of months after Isaac made his debut as a vigilante, the vigilante Zevimas appeared and I recognized his ability. The fact that he wasn''t much bigger tipped me off to it being him rather than someone else with the same power.

    Especially since he has grown over the years.

    That''s now two of my former classmates who are vigilantes, and I''m possibly going to become a Sivalshi Guardian and vigilante, too. Was there something going on with my school, despite it being in the lower districts?

    "I know a few vigilantes," I shrug. "Though it''s more of ''have met'' than ''know''. I saw Zevimas up-close a few years ago, and that''s about it."

    "Oh," he says.

    I look over at Danny, who is dressed in a black suit with a red dress shirt underneath, his hair darkened and slicked back, his collar high. Easy to tell that he''s a vampire, and his costume has got to be the cheapest one here. He probably found the stuff in a second-hand store.

    Not that I''m criticizing him or anything ¨C if Zane and Lucas hadn''t worked together, mine would probably be even cheaper and more simple than Danny''s.

    Todd''s costume, on the other hand, is a bit more¡­ what? He''s wearing a leather vest and leather pants, with matching boots, and a lion''s head headpiece, though his face is visible. It''s showing off his muscular arms, and he''s not wearing any sleeves or gloves.

    "Todd?" I raise an eyebrow. "No coat?"

    "I might know someone who has one of those suits, too," he indicates me. "They let me borrow it tonight, under a few conditions."

    "Alright," I say. "I think we''re ready to head out, right?"

    Everyone confirms we''re ready, so we grab our bags and make our way out of the blocks room. Well, I try to grab my bag, but Zane grabs it first. Since it would be given to Lucas soon anyway, I let him carry it for now.

    We probably make an interesting sight as we leave the center and walk to the festival. A fairy, a vampire, Cupid, a vigilante, and whatever Todd is supposed to be. But we aren''t the only people in costumes I see, so my only real issue is how many people look over at us. Quite a few gazes settle on me, and I know it''s because of how exposed I am.

    This suit really is warm, though. Only my face and hands are cold, my breath fogging in the chilly air.

    "Did you hear?" Zane asks. "Sivalshi has apparently begun to slow down. The danger must be over."

    "He did?" Todd asks.

    "Yeah," Danny says. "By about a mile a day. So instead of traveling twenty miles a day, we''re traveling nineteen. They don''t think the slowdown will last, Sivalshi is on track to navigate around an island and may have only slowed down as part of that."

    "I just hope we''re not in the winter zone too long," I say. "I don''t have any heat in my apartment and while bundling up at night is nice, getting out of bed isn''t."

    "I''m sure you''ve having other issues, too," Zane pokes me in the side, causing me to pull away. "Hah! Knew you were ticklish!"

    "I''m not, I just don''t like being touched unexpectedly," I say.

    "You know," Zane says. "Lucas and I wouldn''t mind letting you stay the night at our places so that you can stay warm. It''d cut down the time you''re walking after training, too. Even if you don''t get the job, we''d be happy to have you around and warm. We are your friends, and we are concerned about you."

    "You don''t have any heat?" Danny asks. "Even my apartment has some, as little as it is right now."

    "My apartment building doesn''t have a heating system at all," I tell him. "That''s part of why I''ve been able to afford it as much as I could since moving in."

    "Sheesh," he says. "That''s got to suck."

    "You can stay at my place if you want," Lucas tells me. "I do have a second bed in the form of the pullout couch. Unlike Zane''s, where it''s either just his bed or a normal couch."

    Zane and Lucas then get into a bickering match over whether or not I should stay at just one of theirs or if I should switch between the two, Danny seems amused by it, and Todd just shakes his head, stepping beside me now that Zane and Lucas are walking alongside each other.

    "This is normal, right?" He asks. "Them arguing over what you should do?"

    "Yeah," I answer. "Though the offer''s tempting, to be honest. My apartment really doesn''t have any heating system, so we''re freezing in there. Cooking is proving a pain because of that. I''m mostly using the slow cooker and doing rice in a cooker I bought just for that because that''s really the only way I can get the food to heat properly right now, but don''t tell Lucas."

    "I won''t," he chuckles. "If you live with Zane, you''d have to deal with a horny guy wanting to snuggle you at night. If you live with Lucas, you''d probably have to deal with that, too, but you''d get food."

    "If I took Zane up on the offer," I say. "His dad would probably let me use one of their spare apartments. However, I''d rather stay in my apartment for now specifically because they''re both interested in me. If I move in with one, it might lead to problems while they try to figure things out. Dealing with the cold for a couple of more weeks won''t be an issue."

    "Okay," he says.

    "So," Danny steps over to me, glancing at Lucas for a moment. "His great-grandpa was a Sivalshi Guardian? How much do you know about that? I think I know which one it was. Do you think he''d be upset with me asking about it?"

    "Lucas hates the Patron," I say. "So yeah, he probably would be upset. I haven''t gotten much out of him, and actually wanted to ask you what you knew."

    "Well," he smiles. "They''re probably going to argue for awhile based on what I''ve observed, and we have at least ten more minutes before we arrive at the festival. What do you want to know?"

 Chapter 0045

    "Welcome back," I tell Lucas when he reappears.

    "Everything''s in the apartment now," he informs me. "Anything happen while I was gone?"

    "You were gone for maybe thirty seconds," which impresses me, to be honest, considering all the bags he took with him.

    How long will it take for me to be able to take that much with me when I shadow-walk? I can''t even take a piece of chopped walnut right now.

    Lucas gives a pointed look in the direction of Zane, Danny, and Todd, who are all huddled around something, muttering to themselves.

    "Oh, that," I say. "Guys! Lucas is back!"

    "Look!" Zane exclaims as they all turn to face Lucas. "A puppy!"

    Sitting in the center of all three of them is a dog with longish, golden-yellow fur. It''s sitting in the center of the trio, wagging its tail excitedly. There''s a dark blue collar around its neck with a grey leash attached to it, but no person.

    "That''s not a puppy," Lucas says. "That''s a full-grown dog. Heel!"

    The dog trots over to Lucas''s side and sits, and he reaches down and scratches its head.

    "What are you doing by yourself?" He asks, and the dog woofs. "Yeah, still can''t understand animals."

    Lucas actually seems disappointed as he mutters that, and all four of us are staring at him. I know I''m definitely confused, the dog responded to his command and he spoke to it as if he knew the dog.

    "Uh, Lucas?" Zane asks. "How do you know the dog?"

    "Hm?" Lucas asks as he picks up the leash.

    "The dog," Zane says, then points at it. "That thing right there? That you''re holding the leash of? And spoke to as if you knew it? How do you know it?"

    "Him," Lucas says. "He''s a golden retriever, and his name is Lumi, isn''t that right, Lumi?"

    Lumi woofs in response, wagging his tail excitedly.

    "Is it yours?" Zane asks. "Isn''t keeping a dog as a pet expensive? And it''s so clean, too."

    "Lumi is a ''he'', not an ''it''," Lucas says. "And yes, it''s expensive to keep a pet. Most people don''t have pets because of needing a license, then paying for their food, any medical issues they have, and so on."

    "I didn''t know there were actually dogs on Sivalshi," I admit.

    "Same here," Danny says. "I knew they existed, of course, but I''ve never even seen a stray on the street."

    "There aren''t very many dogs," Lucas says. "I think there''s maybe a hundred? Most have died out or live as luxury things in the upper districts."

    "So is he yours?" Zane asks. "I want to play with him more."

    "He''s my little brother''s," Lucas says as he reaches into the pocket of Zane''s hoodie and pulls out a phone.

    "Wait," I say. "You''re keeping your phone in Zane''s hoodie?"

    "Zane agreed to carry it for me," Lucas states as he makes a call. "Hi, Grandpa. I''m going to assume the wailing is Cyrus? Yeah, I figured. Yeah, I do. I was putting my and my friends'' stuff in my apartment, and when I returned, they were petting him. Where are you? No, we''re just a little outside of it right now."

    Lucas vanishes, Lumi disappearing with him.

    "Todd?" I look at Lucas''s coworker, who was a bit silent during all of that. "You knew about Lumi?"

    "Yeah," he nods. "I didn''t realize that was him, but I''ve heard the Lusvarises mention him before. Lucas bought him and got all the necessary paperwork done for Cyrus''s birthday earlier this year."

    He really loves and cares for his little brother, so much that he''d go the extra steps to get his brother a dog. Isn''t he concerned about someone trying to steal Lumi, though? I can''t imagine that''s not a valid concern, so there must be something in place to normally protect against that. What if Lumi actually was gone for good this time? What would Lucas do, then?

    Several minutes pass as we chat and wait for Lucas to return, and when he does, we all look at him, none of the others wanting to broach the subject but wanting to know the answer to that.

    "Lucas," I''m brave enough to ask. "What would happen if Lumi was stolen? Or if he''d been lost for good?"

    "I can find him," Lucas tells me. "He''s chipped, and I have the program to track it on my phone and my laptop at home. Even if I didn''t have access to those, I can summon one of my beasts and track him down. Most of the time, Lumi only goes out when Grandpa is with Cy, so it''s not a problem. Grandpa and Mom also have access to the tracking program, and Grandpa was actually trying to follow it when I called him."

    "That''s good," I say. "What if someone killed Lumi when you tried to get him back, though?"

    "Then they''d be quite the idiot," Lucas answers. "Come on, let''s go enjoy the festival."

    "Are we going to get to meet your little bro?" Zane asks.

    "No," Lucas answers. "They were getting ready to head home since it''s getting late, and Grandpa''s going to light-walk them back, especially with Cyrus needing to calm down after that scare. Sorry for taking a few minutes, he was pretty clingy for a little bit."

    "It''s cool," I say. "We understand. I was kind of clingy to my brothers, back when, um¡­"

    Back when they were still alive. They were my best friends, after all. I wish they were still around, I miss them a lot. I''ve also been thinking about them a lot lately, and it''s starting to depress me more.

    "Yeah," Lucas puts a hand on my shoulder, his gaze telling me to not be so down about it. "I wish I could have met them, I''m sure they were as good as you remember."

    "Probably," I grin, deciding not to tell him about the time they stole some food for me.

    Lucas would probably disprove of that, though I''m sure Zane would say it made my brothers even more awesome than I''d already said.

    The five of us enter the festival, looking around at all the people in costume. It''s pretty crowded, and Zane and Lucas both move closer to me, probably because of my dislike of massive crowds. Not a word needed to be said, and for that, I''m thankful. I don''t know if Todd or Danny really know about it, and I''ve only really mentioned it to Zane and Lucas, anyway. This is the first real crowd I''ve been in in years.

    As we walk, I glance up at the strings of paper lanterns stretching across the booths and over the walkways, flickering lights within. Because electricity is expensive, these lanterns don''t have electricity hooked up to them. Rather, they''re just paper lanterns with slow-burning candles sitting inside.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    I''m not sure why, but we always seem to have an abundance of wax in the couple of months leading up to Halloween, enough that all of the festivals can be lit through just candles and whatever lights might shine out from apartments and businesses around it.

    The lanterns themselves are all orange, and some of them are showing signs of age, with slight tears or stains here and there. Like most things in Sivalshi City, they''re recycled from year to year and event to event until they''re no longer usable, only then being recycled properly and replaced.

    "Guys, let''s do this one!" Zane excitedly exclaims, leading us over to a nearby booth.

    Sitting behind the booth is a wooden table upon which a series of glass bottles are resting, forming five half-rings with a single bottle at the very back. Sort of like a rainbow''s arch, actually.

    The bottles in the outer two rings have bronze paint around the rims, the ones in the next two rings have silver paint around their rims, and the center bottle and the ring around it have gold paint around the rims.

    Resting on shelves on the back wall of the booth are a series of stuffed animals, toys, and treats arranged on four levels of shelves, and standing in front of the booth is a small group of kids and adults.

    One of the kids is playing right now, trying to get a red ring to land on the bottles. He has five of the rings to throw, and we watch as he manages to get two rings on bronze, one on silver, and one that barely missing getting a gold, instead landing between two of them. The kids and adults with him clap and pat his back, congratulating him on his effort.

    "Good job," the booth''s attendant says. "You scored four points, so you can pick anything from the lower shelf, buddy."

    "Can I get the box of candies?" The kid asks, pointing at one of the boxes of treats on the shelf.

    "Sure!" The attendant hands him the box, collects the rings and sets them in a basket at the front of the booth, then the next kid hands over a dollar and begins his attempts.

    After a couple of minutes of watching the kids, we figure out that the bronze bottles are worth one point, the silver worth two, and the gold worth three. So they can earn anywhere from zero to fifteen points.

    There are four shelves with prizes on them, and how many points they earned determines which shelf they can pick a prize from. For under five points, they can pick from the bottom shelf. For five through nine points, they can pick from the two bottom shelves. For ten through fourteen, they can pick from any shelf except the top shelf. If they manage to score fifteen points, they can pick from any of the four shelves.

    Most of the rewards are candies or sweets that were probably made just for this event, but on the upper shelves are also toys and stuffed animals of varying quality. On the highest shelf are five large teddy bears, each one clean and immaculate, and I can tell that Zane wants one of them.

    As for the rings being thrown, they''re barely large enough to fit over the heads of the bottles, small enough to rest around the neck of it rather than sliding all the way down. That probably makes things easier, too, since the bottles are sitting beside each other.

    Why they''re worth more points the more inside they are rather than the further back, I don''t know. But Zane really seems interested in playing this, so we watch as the kids and adults in the group take their turns, then Zane steps up and slaps down a ten.

    "We want to do two turns each!" He exclaims.

    "I''m not interested," I say as the booth attendant takes the ten and lets him know he can go.

    "Come on, it''ll be fun!"

    "I''ll be horrible at it," I say.

    "You''ve got to try it at least once!"

    "Just take your turn."

    Todd snorts and Lucas rolls his eyes, then Zane begins tossing the rings. He manages to score a bronze, two silver, and one gold, a total of eight points. Disappointed, he picks a coffee cake that was set up on the second-lowest shelf, then Todd steps up to the booth as the attendant gathers the rings.

    After they''ve all taken their turns at it, Zane pushes me to the counter. More than reluctant, I pick up the first ring. It''s metal and cool against my fingers. Looking at the bottles, I aim for the gold ones in the back, then toss it.

    The ring flies past the bottles and strikes the shelf.

    "Whoops."

    "Good try," Zane puts a hand on my shoulder. "But maybe aim a little closer next time."

    I pick up the next ring and toss it, trying not to use as much force. This one lands in front of the bottles, and my third lands to the side. My fourth ring manages to loop onto a bronze bottle, while my fifth one lands between two bottles, standing up on its edge.

    "So, uh, one point," I say. "I''m not playing again, Zane."

    "One point," the attendant is trying not to laugh at my comment to Zane. "You can pick anything off the bottom shelf."

    "Let Zane pick," I say.

    "Ooh! I want the box of candies there!"

    After Zane receives the box of candies from the attendant and a thump from Lucas for being rude, everyone takes their turns again, with Zane taking my second turn. With the prizes obtained, we move on, looking at a few of the stalls before coming across a candy apple stand.

    There was enough allotment for candy apples for a festival? Or did the ghoul selling them spend a hell of a lot extra just to do this? She''s selling them for seven dollars each, and I don''t know the normal pricing for them but it does seem cheap to me. At the stall, we pick the coating and the toppings ourselves and then the ghoul makes them.

    "Anybody want a candy apple?" Zane asks as we get into line, probably because he definitely wants one.

    "You paying?" Lucas asks.

    "Do I look made of money?" Zane asks.

    "Fairies don''t carry money on them," I pipe up, and all four of my friends look at me, realizing that with my outfit, the only place I could have stuck a wallet would be in the loincloth.

    I could have slipped cash into the boots of the outfit, actually, but my wallet was in my pants in my bag while I was having this outfit put on. There wasn''t a chance for me to grab it, and I didn''t get to carry my bag here, either. So my wallet is at Lucas''s apartment right now, along with the cash I had in it.

    There was intent to buy some stuff, I''d budgeted in a hundred dollars for this since I''ve had so many jobs lately and the big one from Spelcor a couple of days ago. But the wallet slipped my mind because of the costume.

    "I think I heard Zane volunteer to pay for your things," Lucas says. "After all, he''s the one who stuck you in that and took your bag."

    "Hey!" Zane protests. "You helped!"

    The two begin bickering, but Lucas doesn''t look as annoyed as he normally does while they do this time. Todd and Danny both seem amused, and Danny steps beside me as Lucas tries to convince Zane it''s his fault I don''t have any money on me, while Zane points out that Lucas is the one who took my wallet to his apartment.

    "You didn''t say you wanted a candy apple," Danny says.

    "I''d prefer something more substantial first," I tell him. "Especially after today''s training session."

    "Right!" Zane exclaims, turning to face me. "We do need our protein first! And good food!"

    "There''s a place selling kebabs over there," Lucas says. "Let''s get some stuff from them first, eat it as we walk around. We can come back to the candy apples later."

    "If they have them," Zane says. "I''ll stay here."

    "Cupid," the ghoul running the booth says. "We have plenty of apples and supplies, don''t worry. You can come back in a couple of hours, and we''ll probably still have some."

    "Oh, cool!" Zane exclaims. "Alright, let''s go get kebabs!"

    "I''ll pay for the kebabs if you pay for the apples," Lucas tells Zane.

    "Deal!"

    "Two kebabs each max."

    "Darn!"

    We walk over to the kebabs booth and Lucas orders two for each of us, the kebabs alternating between meat and veggies, and we begin eating them as we walk around. I don''t participate in most of the booths, but Zane and Lucas turn it into a competition, most of their bickering being over who pays for what, resulting in Todd, Danny, and me not having to worry about paying a penny. Apparently, both of them have been saving up for awhile just for this festival, and Zane didn''t consider using any of the budget he put aside for it for anything else, like training.

    The night wears on, and I find myself having more than a little bit of fun just walking around with the four of them. Zane and Lucas bickering over who pays for what or what order we should do things in is amusing, too, especially because Lucas doesn''t have the extreme aggravation over Zane he normally does.

    Did me snapping at him over his view of Zane really change things?

    I do have to wonder what people think of Cupid and a vigilante arguing about whether dark chocolate or milk chocolate is better, though. That''s come up six times throughout the night, so I know people have overheard it.

    Outside of that, we play a fair amount of games, Lucas and Zane covering pretty much everything, though Todd pitches in a few times, and Danny is basically told he''s not allowed to. Like I told them earlier, I don''t even have money on me, though I did find out that Lucas is keeping his wallet in Zane''s hoodie.

    Now that I think about it, he''s actually trusting Zane with that stuff. Or is he trying to see if Zane really can be trusted? Either way, it''s kind of nice that he''s making the effort, especially because Zane is a good guy.

    Festivities for Halloween continue until dawn, but around three in the morning, we leave and begin to make our way to Lucas''s apartment. I''m exhausted enough that I''m starting to nod off, and Zane offers to carry me on his back.

    "No, thanks," I stifle another yawn. "I''m sure I can make it to the apartment."

 Chapter 0046

    Lucas''s apartment is basically a bigger version of Zane''s. In fact, he has a set of barriers set up to help section off his bed space because his living room isn''t even at the back of the wall. No, behind that is an area covered in training mats, with a couple of well-worn punching dummies and exercise balls sitting on them. The sleeping space is still on the back wall, so the barriers help separate it from seeing that area.

    Why he decided to hide that from his sleeping space, I''m not sure. Or maybe his hookups or past boyfriends weren''t too comfortable having sex with armless humans not far from them? Also, if Lucas trains at the center every day, does he even use the training space here? I''d imagine so, since he has the dummies.

    "Sheesh," Zane says. "And here I thought my apartment was a decent size, Lucas! My family owns the building it''s in, and it''s smaller than this! Dude! Is that set of doors there a laundry room? You have your own private laundry room?"

    Lucas having his own private laundry room would be pretty impressive, and I don''t doubt Zane''s assumption about the set of sliding closet doors he''s amazed over.

    "There are only four apartments per floor here," Lucas says, then taps the floor with his right foot. "Our floors and walls are soundproofed pretty well. Most of the people living here have some sort of security job and use the extra space for training. There''s no sleeping on the mats."

    "Why not?" Todd asks. "It would give more space."

    "They make your body feel heavier," Lucas explains. "Not good for sleeping on."

    "They''re enchanted?" Danny asks. "Isn''t that expensive?"

    With resources are rare as they are, finding the magical items needed to create enchanted items is even harder. Most of them go to making spellsuits, vehicles, or keeping the domes functioning. To buy anything that''s enchanted and isn''t one of those becomes pretty expensive as a result.

    "Cost about thirty grand for that, yeah," Lucas answers as he begins undressing. "The previous resident had then put in. These ones are good enough to only need replacing about every fifteen years, and the previous resident only had them for about two. I moved in here when I was sixteen, so it''s been about six years since they were made."

    "How come they only had them for two years?" Danny asks. "Something that expensive isn''t something you''d just leave behind."

    "Everything gets left behind when you die!" Zane begins undressing as well.

    "Erm, yeah," Lucas says. "Previous resident caught the plague and died. The apartment was sanitized, and I moved in the next week."

    "It''s pretty warm in here," Danny says as he starts removing his costume. "Better than my apartment."

    "Better than Kieran''s too," Zane shivers. "That place really has no heat! No wonder he makes Lucas snuggle him if Lucas spends the night."

    "You two have snuggled?" Danny asks me.

    "A couple of times," I answer. "The first time he''d spent the night, no, he just slept under the blanket on the other side of the mattress. The second time, I was feeling lonely and depressed and didn''t want to feel so alone, so I basically made him hug me. When we all spent the night at Zane''s, they both snuggled me in bed."

    "So what state are we all sleeping in?" Todd asks, having already completely undressed and stuffed his costume into his bag.

    "Whatever state you want," Lucas tells him. "There''s plenty of space on the bed or the pull-out bed from the couch to not touch others."

    "There is?" Zane looks at Lucas''s bed. "Damn, boy! That''s bigger than mine! It''d be good for an orgy!"

    "Please don''t," Lucas sighs. "And no, I won''t let you ''borrow'' it for an orgy, Zane. Ever."

    "Already told you I''m done with that," Zane gives him a wink. "I''ll have to steal it for Kieran and me once we''re dating, though."

    "As if you can tone down the horny soon enough to be ready for dating him properly anytime soon," Lucas retorts. "I''ll have sorted things out before you manage that, Zane. The bed will remain here, and Kieran will get to find out what it''s like to sleep in the warm on such a soft, comfortable bed with just me."

    Zane and Lucas start bickering, and I look at Todd, who''s apparently decided to stay naked. I mime helping me out of my costume, and he nods, then steps behind me and begins pull off the wings. I''ve already removed my boots and the loincloth, as the only things I can''t remove on my own are the wings, which I can''t reach, and the bodysuit, which has the seal on the back of it and I''m not flexible enough to undo all the way.

    "Are they always like this?" Danny quietly asks, having put on a pair of black boxers. "Arguing over, uh, who gets to date you?"

    "Zane really wants to date me," I say as Todd helps me out of the bodysuit. "But he used to sleep around a lot. He feels like if he dated me, any sex we would have would be because he pressured me into it by accident as a result of being used to just having sex and me being so new to everything. I mean, I didn''t even really have libido until a week or so ago. So he wants to take a break in general and get used to not, so that we can just date at first and build up to that. He''s ignoring the fact that if I don''t want to have sex, I''d say so rather than allow myself to be pressured into it.

    "As for Lucas," I slip on a pair of shorts and a tee as I continue to explain things to him. "He just likes me a lot and would rather not let me date Zane. I straight-up told him that we wouldn''t work out if he didn''t deal with his issues with the Patron first, because I''m a full supporter of the Patron and we kept getting into arguments about his policies. Kind of called him a hypocrite, some stuff happened, and I asked him out. For sex. Then he told me he needed to sort out his head regarding the Patron and me."

    "Just curious," Todd says. "But if some other guy came along before either of them did that-"

    "One who''s put-together," I say. "And doesn''t have the holdbacks? Is cute and nice? And a full supporter of the Patron? I''d probably get with him. Lucas and Zane are both pretty nice, but I don''t want to hold myself back anymore, thinking ''what if?'' in things. That''s why I initially turned Zane down, to be honest ¨C I was scared it would be temporary. But¡­ everything is temporary. Even our lives. So the first opportunity I have to date someone nice, I''m going to jump at it. Might seem stupid, but-"

    "It''s not stupid," Danny says. "That''s reality, Kier. Most people start dating at the first chance they get just in case something happens. Out of curiosity, do you have anyone you''re interested in other than them?"

    "Nah," I answer. "I mean, you''re both cute, but I don''t feel anything towards either of you, and you''re really the only other guys I really talk with or hang out with. Heck, I have more of an attraction to Zach, Zane''s brother, than I do to either of you, and that might just be because he has similar looks to Zane and seems decent from the few interactions I''ve had with him."

    "Makes sense," Todd says.

    "What about you two?" I beckon toward the bed, and the three of us make our way over to it.

    We''re stealing it and leaving Zane and Lucas to their own things. I don''t care if it''s Lucas''s bed and apartment, they''re too busy bickering to notice us doing this.

    "Me?" Todd asks as we climb onto the bed. "I think I mentioned that I''ve got two gals I''ve been sleeping with to help deal with the horny that comes from power using, right?"

    "You''re interested in them?" I ask.

    "It''s an exclusive thing," he says. "The two of them and me. We sometimes get together for a threesome, and we''ve recently talked about them moving in with me and my mom. In my bedroom, of course."

    There''s something in his tone when talking about them¡­ is one of them pregnant, despite the low fertility of power users? Even if he was sleeping with two normal women, the chances of pregnancy would still be insanely low. Todd''s tone also suggests that he really does like them, and the feelings might be mutual.

    "Your apartment has separate rooms?" I ask.

    "Just the two," he nods. "We got lucky on the price, we''re locked in to the rate barring an emergency, and there were some repairs done to the building after we moved in that raised the prices for new renters. We''re paying half of what someone who moved in after the repairs did."

    "Damn," Danny says. "That''s a nice deal."

    "Yeah," Todd says, then nudges him. "What about you? Any ladies?"

    "As a non-power user," Danny says, cheeks flushing slightly. "I move a little bit slower."

    Yet we still live in a place where mortality rates are high, even for civilians. Those without powers don''t move that much slower, the only reason they would is the lower libido.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    "But there''s someone?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he answers. "A gal from a diner two floors up from mine. We''ve been talking a fair bit, and might have held hands the other day while doing so."

    "No kissing?" Todd asks.

    "Not yet," Danny admits, face reddening just a little bit more. "But we did agree to go out on a date tomorrow. Erm, actual tomorrow, not later today, since it''s already Monday."

    "Yeah," I cover my mouth as I yawn again. "I think I''m going to turn in now. You two can keep talking if you want, I''ll probably pass out immediately."

    "Alright," Todd says.

    I tuck myself in to the bed, quickly drifting off. When I do, I find myself standing in darkness, the space feeling open, yet without any light for me to see by. The air is chilly, and I can feel something prickling my feet. Grass?

    Remembering my first encounter with Shade in that weird dream taking place in a park, I summon up orbs of light, finding myself at the park once more. I spread the orbs out, their light extending only around ten feet in each direction. Just like back then, my body is completely bare of any clothes, though I feel a little bit less self-conscious than I did back then.

    I approach the park, keeping my eyes peeled for Shade. Once I reach the edge of it, I take a tentative step onto the surface. It''s some sort of textured rubber. Kneeling, I inspect it. No, it''s more like a bunch of pieces of rubber that were stuck together and smoothed to form a grippy surface.

    Rising to my feet, I look around. He''s here, whether or not I can sense him. He has to be, since that''s the only explanation for why I''m here again.

    "Shade?" I call out.

    "Master Kieran," Shade''s young-sounding voice fills my head.

    Images and impressions fill my mind, a handshake and a high-five, a dipping of the heads, two people welcoming each other and a sense of greeting and welcome. As that appears, shadows near the edge of my vision shift, taking on the wolf-like form that Shade used last time.

    "Hello, Shade," I say.

    "Hello, Master of Shadows," he responds, then pauses for a few moments. "Prince of Shadows."

    There is silence between us, Shade watching me and me watching him. He brought me here, so he must have a reason for doing so. Something tells me he''s attempting to figure out how to ask. Soon enough, he does.

    "You¡­ are fledgling," he finally says. "Young. Weak."

    His words are accompanied by an impression of Nox, the supposed ancestor of mine, wielding shadows to an incredible degree, moving between them, gliding through them, manifesting weapons of them and battling armies of monsters, even becoming shadows, at times. There''s a touch of curiosity there, telling me he doesn''t know if he said it properly.

    "I am new to learning my powers," I tell him. "Only began recently. I''m growing stronger."

    "Master of Shadows was near," Shade says. "Close. Felt presence. Knew Master of Shadows was near. Prince of Shadows. Much weaker than Nox. Many times weaker. Much noise."

    The visions this time include the park we''re in, along with the sounds of many people talking, kids squealing, people cheering, and music in the air. There wasn''t much music at the festival we were at, and what I''m hearing from Shade''s memory is much too loud to have definitely been that which was.

    We were at a festival that''s closer to the upper districts than Lucas''s apartment, but not bymuch. Is Shade at a park in the upper districts?

    "It''s Halloween night," I tell him. "A night of festivities to drive away evil spirits."

    "Shade¡­ not evil," Shade tells me. "Shade is Shade. Shade does as King Nox commands. Or Master Kieran. Prince Kieran. But Shade is sleepy. Feels stronger today. Regaining strength."

    Let''s try this again.

    "What are you?" I ask.

    Instead of answering, Shade walks a full circle around me before taking a seat directly in front of me, five feet away. His tail swishes a few moments before stopping beside his legs.

    "Shade is Shade," he answers. "Shade came with Nox. Nox gave Shade his name. His identifier. Shade is nothing more than that. You are Master of Shadows. Descendant of Nox. Prince of Shadows? Yes. Prince of Shadows. And Master of Shadows, Prince Kieran."

    Well, I didn''t get much further, but Shade mentioned he came with Nox, which might mean nothing, or it might relate to my theory about where Nox came from.

    "Has Prince Kieran spoken with Sivalshi?" Shade suddenly asks, head tilting to the side.

    "Sivalshi?" I ask. "The giant turtle?"

    Shade shifts his form, taking on the form of a giant turtle. At the same time, I receive an impression of Sivalshi, a vision of looking at him from off and above. Rather than a city on his back, though, there''s forests, even a stream that flows out of it and into the ocean he''s swimming in.

    "This is Sivalshi," Shade says. "That is turtle?"

    He seems more clear this time, more alert. Has he recovered his strength, then? Or at least, more of it than before?

    "Yes," I answer. "That''s a turtle. Sivalshi is the giant turtle we live on."

    "Yes," Shade nods, shadows shifting as he returns to wolf form. "People settled on Sivalshi, to escape monsters and demons. He protects. Ever protects. Some arrive, but his champions fight."

    The Sivalshi Guardians? The Patron did enlist them back at the founding of the city to protect the people living upon the back of Sivalshi. I thought it was to protect them from greater threats within, from things which could disrupt society as a whole. Was their original purpose to help protect people against monsters and demons? They still do that whenever something does actually come.

    "Yes," I say. "The Sivalshi Guardians are still around today, though different than the ones you knew. The Patron wishes to ensure we''re safe. You seem more alert."

    "More strength recovered," he responds. "Though must sleep again soon. Maybe soon, we meet. Maybe soon, Shade strong enough to roam again. Only through dreams may Shade talk now. But soon, we talk real."

    "That would be nice," I tell him. "I''d like to meet you for real, Shade."

    "Shade would be honored," Shade gives me a small bow. "Master Kieran is strong. But may become stronger. Become true self."

    "Speaking of who I am," I say. "I wanted to know something about Nox, Shade."

    "Ask," Shade tells me, with an impression of him in his wolf form curled up, snoozing. "But Shade must return to sleep soon."

    "Was Nox an elemental?" I ask.

    "Elemental?" Shade asks.

    "Yes," I respond. "An incarnation of shadows themselves. Living shadows."

    "That might be the name," Shade tells me. "King Nox is shadows itself. Nigh unkillable. Form is whatever he wishes to be. Shade born of his blood. Blood is shadows. Life is shadows. Core is shadows. Master Kieran is shadows, almost. Have human within. Diluted. Prince of Shadows nonetheless, much like the others, from where we came. Shade must sleep now. We speak again soon, Master Kieran. Closer Prince Kieran is to Shade, easier communication be."

    "Okay," I say. "Goodbye, Shade."

    "Goodbye," Shade says. "Until next time."

    The dream ends, and I find myself waking to the apartment being illuminated slightly. Danny has an arm stretched out over my chest, while Todd is stretched across both of us. They both move in their sleep for sure, and I''m going to assume that either the dream started late, it ended during my sleep and shifted to another dream and I don''t remember those ones, or both.

    I also really, really have to pee, but trying to get out of bed would probably wake one of these two and I''d rather let them sleep. It''s probably not that late into the morning, and they can use their sleep.

    So instead, I try something I haven''t done before. I close my eyes and attempt to shadow-walk out of bed. There''s barely any light in here, so it''s not implausible that I can just teleport to somewhere random in here. However, I''ve never gone blind before. It has only been about three weeks since I began training, after all.

    For about two minutes, with a growing need to pee now, I continue to try to shadow-walk. Then I feel the familiar sensation of my body slipping through shadows, and I find myself on the carpeted floor of the apartment, butt-naked. Right, I can''t take things with me right now.

    That''s not important, though. I hurry over to where I can see the bathroom and enter it, flipping on the light as I close the door. I relieve my bladder in the toilet, flush, wash and dry my hands, then leave the bathroom, flipping the light back off.

    Since my clothes for sleeping in the warm are on the bed, I walk over to my bag. With my shadow-shaper ability to see in the dark, finding the bags isn''t hard. I pull on some underwear and sweatpants, but instead of pulling on my own hoodie and jacket, I walk over to Lucas''s closet and open it up, looking through the hoodies inside. I pick one that looks black and pull it on, he can have it back once it''s time for me to leave.

    Walking over to the couch, I find Lucas and Zane both asleep on it, both naked, and Zane tightly spooning Lucas, who has one hand on Zane''s face, the other holding one of Zane''s hands. My guess is that Lucas fought it when he returned from his outing as a vigilante, but eventually gave in to his exhaustion and just let it happen. The fact that he decided to go nude even though Zane was in the bed with him is telling.

    He''s starting to accept Zane. Did my words really have that much of an impact on him?

    Shaking my head, I grab Lucas''s keys off the coffee table, along with my phone and wallet, then head outside, making my way up to the roof of the building. When I try the door onto the roof, it denies me access. I try Lucas''s key, and the door opens.

    Most apartment buildings let residents up onto their roofs.

    "Brr!" I shiver a little as the door swing closed behind me.

    Maybe I should''ve put on my jacket, too.

    I pull the hood up over my head and walk over to one of the chairs sitting up here and take a seat, looking up at the sky, blue tinged with oranges and reds from the early morning sun. It''s quiet up here right now, giving me time to think over Shade''s words.

    He basically confirmed my theories. Nox wasn''t human, he was a shadow elemental. Not an elemental like Zane is, but an actual elemental. Zane is probably descended of a stone elemental, and the full power remained in his bloodline because they trained the ability to shift their form through the generations.

    If my ancestors below Nox had trained their power to shift into their shadow forms, I''d probably be a true shadow elemental rather than just a shadow-shaper. Instead, the power weakened, nearly disappeared. If my parents hadn''t met, would I even have powers, once I was born?

    As for the other theory¡­ Nox didn''t come from Earth. Much like Sivalshi and the other great beasts, he came from somewhere else. Shade said as much, when he made the comment about from where they came.

    Nox and other true elementals are probably actual deities, unlike the Patron. They and other deities probably came here upon noticing the problems, the calamity that we suffered a few centuries ago, and had children with the humans of Earth in order to give humans the power they needed to help themselves. Once they''d done that, they left, probably returned to where they came from or to go do the same on another world.

    For some reason, though, Nox left Shade behind. Was Shade wounded? He said he has to recover his strength.

    Something I''ll find out eventually, especially as his speech is getting better at a decent rate. Shade''s probably not sleeping all the time, instead listening to people and learning from them. He might also go through their dreams to learn.

    When my phone rings, I know it''s time to head back down. I don''t think there''s really anything happening the next few days, outside of training and hanging out with Lucas and Zane on their respective hangout days, until the party.

    Crap. I''ve never really been to a proper party before and have no idea what it''s going to be like. Can I even handle a party?

    Well, I managed the festival just fine. Maybe the party won''t be so bad. What''s bad will probably be the panic downstairs upon finding out I''m not there.

    As I stand and make my way to the access door, something else Shade said comes to me. Why did he want to know if I''d spoken with Sivalshi? Can the turtle actually talk? Or is it some sort of telepathic thing that only other creatures can hear?

 Chapter 0047

    "Kieran Wolfe?" A voice speaks from behind me, and I tear my gaze away from the guards to look at the speaker.

    He looks to be a few years older than me, with sandy-blond hair, brown eyes, and freckles across his nose and cheeks. Dressed in a fur-lined green coat and skinny jeans, with his hands stuffed into the pockets of the coat, he''s pretty sexy. Is that fur real, though? If it is, that coat must have been extremely expensive.

    I suppose it''s natural that he''d have the money for that, though, being a Sivalshi Guardian. Isaac didn''t tell me the guy he was sending was one, but it was pretty clear to me that he was. Something tells me that Isaac is hoping that I do hit it off with his bisexual friend, especially since he almost did accept, then made a small exclamation from a thought he had then said he''d send a friend.

    Totally not obvious there, Isaac.

    "And you are?" I raise an eyebrow, feigning ignorance.

    "Chris," he smiles a killer smile, but it does nothing that the smile of someone like Zane or Lucas would do. "Isaac''s friend. He said you''d wanted to leave the city to go for a walk, but didn''t want to ask one of your friends to go in case you got attacked?"

    I''d mostly asked Isaac because I know for certain he could handle things if we got attacked by some stray monster on that rare chance. That, and because I didn''t want to bring both Lucas and Zane along, which I would have to do, and Lucas would probably end up late for work.

    That''s if they didn''t strap me down or something for saying I wanted to leave the city for a bit today. People generally don''t go for a stroll outside of the city for a reason, and with how protective they are of me, they''d probably do everything they could to stop me. I didn''t want to deal with that and knew that Isaac would probably agree if he had time.

    "Lucas didn''t go to bed until shortly before everyone else woke up," I shrug. "And Zane is¡­ well, he can turn to stone. They were really my only options among my friends; of the others, one makes mist to clean things and the other is a normie."

    "Yeah," he snorts. "I supposed that makes sense. Nice to meet you. I''m glad Isaac finally gathered up the courage to reconnect with you, we''ve been pushing him to do so for a few years now. Actually, Sasha and I were planning on forcing a meeting soon."

    "If it hadn''t been for other things, he probably would have kept delaying it," I shrug again. "Thanks for meeting me. Since Isaac sent you, I''ll trust you."

    Even if Isaac and I hadn''t seen each other in years, he is a Sivalshi Guardian ¨C and so is Chris. That makes them trustworthy in my eyes.

    "Thanks," he chuckles. "Ready to head out?"

    "Yeah," I approach the pair of guards at the gate booth. "Hi, we were wondering if we could head out for a bit?"

    "You''ll need to fill out paperwork-" one of the guards begins to say.

    "I have a pass," Chris steps up beside me, holding something out for the guards to examine. "No paperwork."

    A few moments pass while the guards examine the, well, pass, then they nod and signal to someone inside of the booth. After a few seconds, the heavy, thick metal ''gate'' begins rising. It''s more of a solid sheet of metal, and there are three of them on the way through the tunnel out of the city.

    Each one takes about a full minute to rise high enough for us to pass through, and once we''re out of the city, I gaze out across the turtle''s shell, out to the ocean. It''s my first time really seeing the ocean, though straight ahead of us is Sivalshi''s head.

    The smell of the salt and ocean is stronger out here, much less diluted by the smells of the city. It smells so clean, too. I actually like it, though the vast openness before me does put me off a little. After having grown up surrounded by tall buildings and people all my life, this feels weird. It feels like I''m exposed, naked for all the world to see.

    I actually want to go back right now because of it, but I have a mission to accomplish, and I know the only real problem would be if a monster attacked. If one did, though, I do have a bodyguard so I''ll be fine.

    "So," Chris says as I begin walking forward. "Mind if I ask why you wanted to go for a walk around the outer shell? It''s not often people want to do that because of the risk of a sea monster boarding. That does happen, you know. I actually go fishing every now and then just to try and catch them."

    Why does this not surprise me?

    "Mind telling me which guardian you are?"

    "What makes you think I''m a guardian?"

    "Because I doubt Isaac would have asked anyone but a guardian to escort me," I answer, and he laughs.

    "I''m Naximar," he informs me.

    "Oh, neat," I say. "You use barriers as a defensive force, but you also compress them down into blades for attacks."

    "Actually," he grins at me. "Those are two different abilities."

    "They are?" I ask.

    "Yup," he nods. "But we let people believe the one-ability thing since the general public and most power users don''t know everyone who has powers has several. My root power is actually telekinesis, and that''s the one my civilian persona uses, as well as my vigilante persona. You probably haven''t heard of him, I mostly stick to the upper districts for vigilante work. Telzarus?"

    "Name is familiar, but that''s it," I shrug.

    "Yeah," he says. "Thought as much. My powers are rooted in what''s essentially force magics. The barriers are a form of compressed force, as are the blades. Telekinesis moves things through force. I''d actually become a vigilante when I was sixteen, and it was five years before I became a paid one, and another year before I became a guardian."

    Naximar made his debut three years ago, so his timeline tells me his age.

    "So you''re twenty-five?" I ask.

    "Yep," he nods. "My birthday''s back in September. You know, you traveled quite a bit to get to this gate. Don''t you live near Leftgate?"

    "Not near it, but in a district in that general area, yeah," I confirm. "The walk here took more than two hours."

    "Sheesh," he says. "At least I can use my power to fly around. Would never have gotten here that fast otherwise, don''t like bothering with the cars."

    "You flew here?" I ask. "You weren''t worried about being seen?"

    "Nah," he answers. "The Patron is more than generous in hiding our identities even for stuff like that. As long as we don''t get stupid with it, anyway. So I can fly around a bit without a problem."

    "That''s pretty neat," I say. "And to answer your question, I want to try talking with Sivalshi."

    The look he gives me at that statement says that I''m beyond strange and stupid. Coming from a guy who regularly tries to catch sea monsters, it has no effect other than making me amused.

    "It''s a personal thing," I tell him. "Once we get to his head would you mind stepping back a bit? Close enough to react if I''m attacked, far enough you can''t hear what I''m saying?"The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    "Sure," he says. "You do know that Sivalshi can''t talk, right? He''s a giant turtle, I''m pretty sure only the Patron can talk with him. Or a telepath. You''re a shadow-shaper, right?"

    "Yeah," I shrug. "Like I said, it''s something personal."

    "Got it," he says.

    We make small talk for the rest of the walk across the shell, and I learn a fair bit about Chris. He''s lived in the upper districts his entire life, his mother working at an art gallery as a supervisor, his father a researcher.

    There aren''t many art galleries around, but they do exist here, a few floors of a building devoted to showing off art people made. A small bit of beauty in the hell that''s our home. They charge a decent price for entry, because it does take a lot of money to run a place like that and to employ the people to keep order inside, to prevent thefts.

    As for research, it seems his father works for Spelcor. In fact, Gabriel Aisal was one of the people I met when I went to Spelcor on Friday. I''m not going to mention that to Chris, though, because I can''t talk about what the job was even if I can mention I was there for one. If I mention this, the conversation might steer toward the job.

    "He actually made my vigilante spellsuit," Chris tells me. "Well, up until I became a guardian, anyway. Now I''ve got the Patron-made one."

    "Only until then?" I ask. "If you''re still a vigilante, where does he think your new suit came from?"

    "He knows I''m a guardian," Chris explains. "Both of my parents were, so it was safe to mention to them. One of Dad''s main researches is trying to figure out how to make spellsuits like the Patron''s. Not exactly like them, but similar enough. Powers like yours tend to be tricky, because the entire suit would need to travel even without you bringing it with you."

    "Yeah," I shrug. "You know, it''s kind of weird that the Patron let me know your identity as a guardian and vigilante. I mean, I''m still in the probationary check period, we don''t even know if I''m actually going to be accepted or not, even if he does have a mission in mind for me. Doesn''t he usually prevent people from hearing or noticing that stuff? And wipe it from their memories if they do?"

    "That''s only proof that he''s planning on accepting you," Chris says. "You are putting in effort, and your power is extremely useful. Isaac can do a lot of things, but he can''t teleport. If he wants to get in somewhere, he''ll have to go the same way as the rest of us unless he brute-forces it."

    That''s a fair point, I guess. If the Patron is letting me freely learn the identities of guardians and vigilantes he employees, then it means he has no intention on keeping it a secret from me. If that''s the case, then it''s a sure sign I''m to be made the offer in a week and a half, once the period is up.

    "I feel like I''m meant as an assassin¡­"

    "Probably," Chris shrugs. "It''s one of the jobs we do end up doing and being able to teleport is perfect for that."

    "Bet if my powers were light, it wouldn''t be assassination," I mutter.

    "They probably would be, actually," he says. "There was a guardian, oh¡­ how long ago was it? Eighty or ninety years ago? His powers were rooted in light, and he was mostly an assassin. A light-shaper who could light-walk, he''d wrap himself into an illusion to hide himself from sight. That would have been a terrifying time to try to overthrow order."

    That long ago was when Lucas''s great-grandfather was a guardian.

    "Do you have hesitations about killing?" Chris asks. "It''s something we do end up doing from time to time in this job, especially on more major missions. If you don''t want to do that, the Patron would probably be fine with making you just a vigilante. I think him letting you know and remember our identities as guardians is partly a bribe."

    "I don''t think it''s a bribe," I roll my eyes. "I want to be a guardian, even if it means killing. I''d be doing so for the better of the city, to protect people. It might take me time to not freak out after, though."

    "Yeah," he says. "Remember that there are people for you to lean on, whether as a boyfriend, girlfriend, friend, or whatever."

    "Yeah," I nod. "Anyway, here we are."

    We''ve reached the end of Sivalshi''s shell now, and there''s a significant drop down to his head. I didn''t realize his shell was that thick, but it''s got to be at least five or six dozen yards down.

    "Are you going to talk to him from up here, or down there?" Chris asks.

    "I''d rather down there," I answer. "But I don''t think I could manage to get back up with my clothes on. Or down safely with my clothes on."

    Which is definitely something I don''t want to do in this cold.

    "I can fly us down," he says. "If you don''t mind me holding you."

    "Go ahead," I say.

    Chris wraps an arm around me, then pulls me forward with him as he steps off the shell. We sink down quickly, the feeling of falling terrifying even just from this short distance. When the school collapsed, I was near the top of it. I fell a very long way and I didn''t think this through and oh goodness we''re going to die!

    Our descent suddenly ends, but there''s no jerky movement, no sudden shift. We''re falling, then we''re not, our feet lightly touching down on the turtle''s head.

    "You okay?" Chris asks. "You look like you''re going to be sick."

    "Y-yeah, I''m fine," I clutch my chest. "Just need¡­ holy fuck that was terrifying."

    "Really?" He asks. "It wasn''t that much."

    "I fell over two hundred feet when I was little," I tell him. "It''s associated with nearly dying and some other traumatic things."

    "Oh," he puts a hand on my back, his face and voice full of concern. "Sorry. If you''d told me, I could have made the drop slower."

    "It''s fine," I shake my head. "Just¡­ give me a few to collect myself."

    Chris nods, and I take several deep breaths, basking in the feel of the shadows around me. Sivalshi is facing northwest and we''re right up against the shell, so the shadow is deep, a fair portion of his head covered in it with the morning sun hidden from us as it rises.

    Once I manage to collect myself, I let Chris know I''ll head forward. The turtle''s head is large enough that if he stays here, he won''t hear anything I say to the turtle.

    I walk forward, until I''m between Sivalshi''s eyes. At least, I''m pretty sure those small hills are where his eyes are located. Taking a seat, I reach down and feel the turtle''s head. It''s smooth and firm, and extremely cold to the couch. Quickly, I stuff my hand back into my coat pocket, where it''s warm. Warmer.

    Sometime soon, I should buy gloves.

    "Good morning, Sivalshi," I say, then sigh. "This is stupid, isn''t it? Do you even have ears? Can you hear me? It''s not like you can actually respond, though. You''re a giant turtle, what are you going to do, raise your left foreleg for ''yes'', right for ''no'', left hindleg for ''maybe'', and right for ''interesting''?"

    I sigh again.

    "Shade asked me if I''d talked to you," I say. "But I don''t really know why. Were you a friend of Nox''s, when you guys came over from wherever you''re from? Shade says I''m a descendant of his. Now I feel stupid and awkward. What do I say to a giant turtle? How do you even hold a conversation with one? Maybe I should have waited for Shade to contact me again, find out why he wanted to know if I''d talked with you."

    Sighing once more, I shake my head, then stand and stretch.

    "Well, until next time, Sivalshi."

    I return to Chris, who looks at me in curiosity.

    "That was a short ''talk''," he says. "Everything alright?"

    "Yeah."

    "Can''t imagine what you wanted to talk to a giant turtle about, though."

    "It''s a long story," I shrug. "Maybe one day, I''ll figure it out."

    "Alright," he chuckles. "Ready to head back up? I can fly us back into the city."

    "Sure," I say.

    "Where do you want to go?" He asks as he wraps an arm around me, lifting us up into the air.

    "I was planning on buying a new phone if I had time in the next few days," I answer. "Mine''s kind of old and cheap. Even if I won''t get data for it, I could still use a better one."

    If I buy a decent phone, I can connect to wifi while I''m out and about, which would make some things easier. The camera on it would be better, too, and I want to start taking pictures of me and my friends.

    "Alright," he says. "Want me to take you to a store I know? Or got one in mind?"

    "There''s one in mind," I tell him. "Do you know where the Lusvaris Training Center is? It''s not far from there."

    "Sure," he says. "I''ll go slow enough you don''t feel sick. And don''t worry about falling, as long as I have enough of us touching, you''ll fly with me."

    "Thanks," I say, then we begin flying forward. "And thanks for accompanying me out here, even if nothing happened."

    "No worries," he says. "You''re a friend of Isaac''s, so I don''t mind."

    The rest of the flight is made in silence, mostly with me keeping my eyes closed as we go. Once we reach the general area of the training center, I direct Chris to the building, and he lands us at the entrance of it.

    "Thanks," I say.

    "No problem," he says. "I''m going to get going now, you take care of yourself. See you at the party?"

    "See you there," I say.

    He gives me a wave, then takes off into the air again. Once he''s gone, I enter the store, thinking about our encounter. I''m pretty sure he''s the bisexual friend that Isaac mentioned, especially with how he was wrapping his arm around my waist. I really doubt he needed that much contact between us to keep me in the air as he flew.

    However, there was no spark between us, no attraction towards him like I feel toward Zane and Lucas. Unless some new guy shows up to steal the show, they''re still safe.

    My phone pings, and I check it, finding a text from Isaac.

    That''s the friend I mentioned. Did you like him?

    Yup, my guess about Isaac''s intentions with sending Chris as my guard was right. I shoot him back a response.

    Think he''d make a nice friend, but no spark.

    Isaac doesn''t respond to that, and I know he''s probably disappointed his attempt at hooking me up with someone failed.

    Now I want to tell Zane and Lucas that I met the guy Isaac wanted me to hook up with, just to see their responses. Maybe I''ll avoid telling them how things went, just to test them further?

 Chapter 0048

    "Did you really fall asleep again?" Lucas asks as I sit up, covering my mouth as I yawn.

    I removed the earplugs first because I knew he was going to ask something right away.

    "Yeah," I answer. "You''re cozy and it''s warm in here, especially with my layers on. With the sound of the horrors and screams blocked, it''s perfect for sleeping."

    "Having you sleep against me is nice," he mutters. "Better than Zane."

    "I did ask you out," I point out.

    "Yeah, I know," he sighs as we rise from our seats, Lucas gathering up our trash to take care of as we leave. "But as I said, I need to¡­ deal with things. You are far too into supporting the Patron for me, and I''m not sure how to deal with that. I don''t mind doing vigilante work, even if most of the others are apparently supported by him, but there are still too many-"

    Lucas cuts off there and doesn''t say another word as we leave the theater. In fact, he doesn''t say another word on our way to the restaurant for lunch, either. Him making that effort to not get into a fight with me over the Patron is nice.

    Though I also know he''s upset over the article that aired about him yesterday. Sorry, about Lumilxal. Lucas got into an altercation with another vigilante Monday night, and the news report called into question the budding vigilante''s motives. He won''t say what caused the altercation, and the article didn''t say, either.

    Once we''re in the restaurant and seated, Lucas immerses himself in examining the menu, probably not wanting to talk further. It is the morning, after all, and I know he''s running on less sleep than normal since he woke up early just to hang out with me.

    "Am I ever going to meet your other two friends?" I ask. "The lovebirds?"

    "Maybe one day," he shrugs. "You''re busy on Saturdays right now, which is the only time I see them ever since they began dating, and I''m not an asshole. I won''t crash their dates. Now hush, I''m too grumpy to talk."

    At least he''s being straightforward about it. I examine the menu, and when our waitress arrives, I place the orders for both of us because he does look irritated. If only he had been ready to date when I asked him out¡­ his aunt did mention that he''s really only like this in the mornings if he isn''t getting some. Right now, he''s holding off on just hookups because he does want to date me.

    What would he do if I started dating Zane? Or someone else entirely? What would Zane do, for that matter? I did try pulling the "I met with the cute guy my childhood friend wants me to hook up with" thing with them on Monday, but I couldn''t keep it up for long.

    If another guy does show up, one I''m attracted to and who''s attracted to me, I might go for it. Sure, I know Lucas and Zane better, but I''ve really only known them a couple of weeks. I won''t wait around forever for these two to get their heads together, especially because I am ready for dating and sex.

    Our food arrives as I wonder over these things, and Lucas and I begin eating in silence. When I''m halfway done with my food, I happen to glance over towards the counter and when I do, I jump in surprise.

    "Whoa!" I exclaim.

    "What?" Lucas asks as I pull out my phone.

    My new one, that I bought on Monday after Chris dropped me off at the building full of stores. It''s a smart phone this time, and I have four missed messages from Zane, all of which contain friend invites for a game he plays while bored at work.

    "Damn turtles are everywhere," I pull up the camera app, the image on the screen far clearer than on my old phone.

    "Turtles?" Lucas looks over as I take the picture of the turtle, which is just sitting on the counter, chilling like nothing''s strange about it sitting there. I move the picture to my turtles album I made just for these pictures. "Uh¡­ yeah, that''s a turtle. What''s it doing in here? And what did you mean, they''re everywhere?"

    "I''ve been seeing them everywhere since Monday afternoon," I tell him. "Starting with the restaurant I went to for lunch after meeting Chris. I''ve taken pictures of all of them."

    I switch to the first picture, then show it to Lucas. He takes my phone and starts flipping through the pictures. The second one is in the changing rooms at the center, where I''d dressed after my shower after martial arts on Monday. The third is sitting on one of the trash cans at Lenny''s Burgers and Fries, taken after my shift yesterday. The fourth is hanging out on the sidewalk in front of the Lusvaris Training Center. The fourth is sitting in the mail room at my apartment. The fifth was sitting on a bench I passed on my way to the center this morning. And now the sixth, here at the restaurant.

    "It''s gone, by the way," I say.

    "What is?" Lucas looks at me.

    "The turtle," I indicate where the turtle was, not even needing to look over to see that it''s gone. "They show up, and after I stop focusing on them, they leave."

    "That is more than weird," he mutters as he hands me my phone back. "Without the pictures, I''d have thought I''d imagined it."

    The fact that this began after I talked to Sivalshi makes me wonder if it has to do with why Shade wanted to know if I''d talked to the great turtle or not. Why am I seeing turtles everywhere now? Why do they seem to just disappear after I look at them? Isaac said he has no clue what I''m talking about and was surprised when I sent him the picture.

    According to him, the Patron''s answer didn''t really answer the question, but did make him think the turtles have always been here, just hidden through some sort of filter. Now, I''m starting to see through that filter because of my talk with Sivalshi. Or to Sivalshi, anyway.

    I''m wondering if that''s really what it is, because every single turtle is looking at me, as the pictures will attest.

    "Which is why I''m taking them," I tell Lucas. "Because I wouldn''t believe it without the proof, either."

    "I''ll keep an eye out for more," he says as my phone pings. "Zane again?"

    "Yup," I check it. "Another invite, this time so that he can get free red turtle coins."

    "I regret giving him my phone number," Lucas mutters. "I play that game, too, and he sends me two dozen of those invites a day. The only mercy was this past Thursday and Saturday, when he only sent me a handful. Probably because he was actually busy and not playing games."This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    "Probably," I chuckle. "He does work though. The gaming is between jobs and he does take his duties seriously. When we''re cleaning that conference room, he puts effort into it and doesn''t goof off or anything, other than when we need to release some stress. According to his brother, he''s a pretty decent manager, too."

    "You talk with his brother?" Lucas asks. "I thought you''d only seen him a couple of times?"

    "I saw him yesterday," I tell him. "I''d stopped by the building to ask a question and Zach was covering for Zane at the desk."

    "What was he doing?"

    "Zane?" I ask, and he nods. "He was up in the conference rooms, talking with the lady cleaning it, though I think he was also ''observing''. They''re considering hiring the other people from the agency on full-time as actual employees, after they''ve worked there for a month."

    "And not you?"

    "My state''s iffy due to the potential job," I say. "We don''t know if I''ll be available on Saturdays or not, and that''s the only one I do at the moment. They''ll probably ask three people to clean it in my place if I can''t."

    "Ah."

    We return to eating, then Lucas pays and we make our way to the training center. Once we arrive, Lucas flashes to where he stored my duffel, then returns and hands it to me.

    "I''m heading for my workout," he tells me. "See you later."

    Lucas disappears as he flashes himself to get changed, and I make my way to the blocks room I train in. As usual, no one else is here. I change into clothes, slipping on my shorts just in time for Zane to arrive, his bag slung over one shoulder.

    "Good afternoon, Kieran!" He cheerfully greets me. "How''d the hangout with Lucas go?"

    "Same as usual," I shrug. "So you really are getting off earlier to come help with this?"

    "Yeah," he answers. "Since I''m possibly getting another job anyway, they don''t mind so much. Zach''s covering for me again."

    "Alright," I say, then start stretching.

    Just like me, Zane undresses completely before changing into his workout clothes, and I don''t think it''s entirely in the hope that I''d ogle him. I think Zane plans on doing some power training after we help Todd out, so he wants to be ready to just strip and go.

    The reason I suspect this is because I know he''s frustrated by the limits of his power, and even if he might take awhile to figure out or learn others, he wants to speed up the shifting rate he has right now. That''s at least something he can work on without a maximum improvement rate per month.

    "Nice ass," Todd comments. "Do you always moon the door?"

    I laugh at Zane''s surprised expression, and Todd locks the door before bouncing the basketball once and catching it. He''s already dressed in his training outfit, which consists of sneakers, shorts, and a sleeveless. Zane slips on his shorts, then I guess he decides to leave off the shirt as he starts stretching, too.

    "Good afternoon, Todd," I say. "How''re you?"

    "Doing good," he answers. "How are you?"

    "Not bad," I answer. "Have a good morning?"

    "Yeah," he answers. "Mom, the gals, and I were talking, and we decided to make the move official. They''re moving in with us tomorrow."

    "That''s good news," I say.

    "Yeah," he says. "How did Danny''s date go? Did he tell you?"

    "Oh! Right!" Zane jumps to his feet. "How did that go? I didn''t want to wait until tomorrow to ask him, but forgot to send him a text!"

    "Erm," I snort. "You guys are assuming he told me how it went? It was after our shift at the diner, you know."

    Both of them stare at me in a way that says they don''t doubt for one moment that Danny texted me and told me how it went. I''m surprised he hadn''t texted Zane, too, with how buddy-buddy they became after meeting for the first time on Thursday. Maybe he figured I''d tell Zane anyway, since I''d be seeing him today?

    "It went well," I tell them. "Danny said that they spent some time just walking around, chatting, then they snuggled up in a restaurant and ate while watching the movie that the restaurant had playing on the TV. An older movie, but he said they both liked it. They''re officially dating now."

    "Is it a true lower-district relationship?" Zane asks.

    In other words: since they''re dating, are they having sex? That''s pretty much the expectation here, with how easily someone''s life might end and the desire to not waste time once actually in a relationship.

    "Enough that he almost overslept his alarm this morning, which would have made him late for work," I confirm, causing both of them to laugh. "Let''s get training, yeah?"

    I take the basketball from Todd, then Zane and I move into the arena itself, heading to different sections. Once we''re in position, I throw the basketball, and Todd releases his telekinetic mist. About a minute passes before he finds the ball and delivers it to Zane, who then throws the ball.

    We repeat this for half an hour, with Todd delivering the ball to the one who didn''t throw it each time, his control over the mist growing better as he does.

    "Thanks for the help," Todd says once we return to him. "Want to go shoot some hoops over in the gold-and-up section?"

    Todd helped me work on learning how to dribble and shoot yesterday. I think he likes basketball and wants some people to play with.

    "Sure," I answer as I slip on my shoes. "Though I don''t think Zane knows how to play."

    "Hey!" Zane protests. "I know how to play basketball, thank you very much! I bet you''d be surprised to know, Shadow Boy, but I actually used to play on the weekends, back when I was still in school! There''s this street court not far from my home, a group of us would hang out and shoot hoops! You can bet your shadows I''m better than you!"

    "I''m not betting anything," I roll my eyes. "Get your shoes on, let''s head to the court."

    "Me and Todd against you!"

    "Nah," I say. "Me and Todd against you, when I''m actually on the court. I''m still sore from yesterday''s game."

    "You played basketball yesterday?"

    "I was teaching him the basics," Todd tells him. "Kieran kind of sucks at it."

    Zane steps beside me and puts and arm across my shoulders, my heart beating hard at the feel of his bare skin against mine. It feels good, and as much as I wanted to kiss Lucas earlier, I want to kiss Zane now. But if I did that, he''d probably push himself away and distance himself for a bit because he doesn''t feel comfortable dating me yet.

    This is frustrating.

    "Kieran," Zane says. "By the time you go to martial arts with Lucas today, we''re going to have you shooting hoops like it''s the only thing you''ve ever done in your life."

    "You really want to see me red in the face, sweaty, and exhausted, don''t you?" I ask, and he tenses up a little, his face a beautiful mix of shock and hesitation. "Don''t worry, Zane, I''ll put on shirt for the game."

    It''s then that he realizes we''re skin-to-skin, and he quickly backs off, his face turning a little bit red. Zane''s blushes really make his freckles stand out more, and it''s cute.

    "You don''t need to do that," Zane says as I grab my bag and sling it over a shoulder. "I mean, we''ll be bumping each other and stuff, but it''s not that bad, and I promise I won''t get touchy with you."

    He continues to protest as he pulls on his shoes and grab his bag, even as we walk to the area saved for gold members and up and to the basketball court.

    "Don''t worry, Zane," Todd says once we''re in the court. "I''ll go shirtless for you. While I''m not into guys, I wouldn''t mind letting you ogle me. It''s nice to know someone appreciates my looks, and not just my girlfriends."

    Zane''s face reddens once more, and Todd actually does pull off his shirt, dropping it by our bags on the bench, then he bounces the ball a couple of times.

    "Damn," Zane says. "I know I saw your body on Monday, after we got up and was doing breakfast and stuff, Todd, but I have to say, you really look nice. Nice and lean, which is amazing. You''re put together well."

    "Why, thank you," Todd smiles. "My girlfriends agree. Let''s play one-on-one-on-one. No tracking points, for Kieran''s sake."

    "Sure," I say. "Everyone for themselves, half-court?"

    "Yeah," he says. "Come on."

    We move onto the court, and it''s only as we''re stepping over the line that Zane realizes I was screwing with him and haven''t put a shirt on.

    "Hey!" He exclaims. "That''s mean!"

    "You''re not the only one allowed to tease people!" I laugh.

    "I''m not letting you score a point!"

    "Don''t worry, Kieran! I''ll make sure he can''t do that!"

    They''re going to use their powers during this game, and it''s probably going to result in them competing for points with that while I enjoy the show, forgotten on the side. That doesn''t bother me much, as I find it fun to watch, too.

 Chapter 0049

    "Guys, you really don''t need to escort me there," I say as I walk down the street.

    "It''s not that far from my apartment," Lucas says.

    "You''re walking into an area you''re unfamiliar with," Zane says.

    They''ve been like this pretty much all day. Zane and Danny both expressed worry about me heading into the middle districts for a party while we were hanging out, and Lucas didn''t want to push me to my limits during power training because "you might need the energy". I still used up all my magic at the end of the session like normal, so it''s not like I''d have any power left.

    That part kind of annoyed Lucas because he really wants me to be ready for a fight. Even if I hadn''t used it up, he probably would have wanted to escort me, anyway. They both know that my martial arts skills are only developing, not exceptional. I do only have a few weeks of training, after all. I can hold my own in a fight with one or two amateurs, but not against someone with actual skill or in a group.

    They''d also rather I didn''t end up naked just to escape, especially not with how cold it is right now.

    "Lucas," I say. "Your apartment is twenty minutes headward of Isaac''s. Zane, it''s significantly safer than the lower districts."

    Also, I doubt Isaac would let me walk there by myself. He probably has a vigilante watching out for-yup, there they are. I''m not going to draw attention to them because it would probably make Lucas paranoid and Zane excited.

    "I''ll be fine," I say. "And it would take at least forty minutes for you to get back home, Zane. You''re worried about me? Think about yourself."

    "I''ll just have Lucas walk me back," Zane grins. "I''m sure a strong, confident guy like him wouldn''t have any issues walking me home."

    "Sure," Lucas says, surprising both Zane and me. "Or I can just flash you back. It would take a series of trips, but it would be faster. Or you can stay the night in my apartment again. Not on my bed."

    "I''ll just sneak on during the night," Zane whispers to me.

    "If I need to, I will bind you in chains."

    "Is that one of your kinks?" Zane asks. "Can you do ropes of light instead? I''m not a fan of being tied up, but for you, baby, I''d give it a try."

    Zane gives Lucas a wink, and once more I get to see how differently Lucas has treated Zane ever since I snapped at him. This time, Zane''s teasing doesn''t lead into a more relaxed bickering session between them. Lucas actually countered him, though it did fail a little bit since it''s Zane he tried that counter with.

    "I can make a cage out of light, would that satisfy you?" Lucas asks Zane.

    "Awesome!"

    "And then summon one of my light beasts and lock it in there with you."

    "¡­not so awesome," Zane thinks for a few moments. "Ooh! But if I turned to stone, I''d probably be fine! You gonna join me in the cage? Without the beast, though. We can wrestle in it!"

    The two of them begin going back and forth, and they do so all the way to the apartment building that Isaac lives inside.

    "Alright, lovebirds," I say, and they both look at me. "I''ll see you two tomorrow, alright?"

    "Let me know when you''re ready to leave," Lucas says. "I can take you to my apartment, and-"

    "Isaac has a spare room," I interrupt. "He said I can spend the night there rather than heading back at night. Thanks, though. That''s why I have my bag still."

    I shift my bag a little to draw attention to it. If Isaac hadn''t made that offer, I would have asked Lucas about coming to his place after the party.

    "Are you sure?" Lucas asks. "You haven''t seen him in years, right, what if-"

    "Lucas stop," I hold up a hand. "If I get suspicious of stuff, I''ll call you. I know you''re probably going to hang around this area once you transform into Lumilxal, anyway. But I seriously doubt anything will happen. So go, shoo, let me go enjoy the party. Or suffer through it. Whichever will happen."

    Reluctantly, Lucas and Zane leave, and I shake my head, then enter the apartment building and ascend the stairs up to the floor Isaac lives on. His girlfriend gave birth yesterday, so she and twins won''t be there. In fact, he wanted to reschedule his birthday party so that he could be with her, but she pushed him into keeping it today.

    So sadly, I won''t get to meet his girlfriend today. I''d actually been looking forward to that.

    When I reach Isaac''s apartment, I knock on the door, hearing the faint sounds of chatter and music from within. These walls are pretty soundproof to contain the noise of a party. That, or the music is low and there aren''t actually that many people inside.

    The door opens and holy damn this guy is hot. He''s around my age, I think, with platinum-blond hair and electric-blue eyes. He''s lean and dressed in shorts, a tee, and sneakers, his face smooth and youthful and damn he''s sexy. Just like Lucas and Zane.

    Actually, there''s something more sexy about him, and not just the electric sense I''m getting from him. It''s like there''s something about him that''s just sexier than either of them.

    In his right hand, he''s holding a glass filled with red liquid. Punch, maybe?

    "Hi!" He greets me, then gives a suspicious glare. "Name?"

    "Uh¡­ Kieran Wolfe?" I answer. "Isaac invited me."

    "Nice to meet you!" He smiles. "Come on in! Sorry for the more hostile greeting, we''ve had a couple of people trying to get in uninvited already. I''ll show you the room you can put your stuff in."

    "Thanks," I tell him, entering behind.

    Isaac''s apartment is probably larger than Lucas''s is, and that''s just for the living room, kitchen, and dining room. There are probably forty or more people in here, male and female, most of them around our age but there are a few who are older. Are they all vigilantes? Or just his friends?

    The hot guy leads me all the way through, a few people stopping and greeting me or asking him something, and we finally make it to the bedroom, which has a bunch of coats and jackets and hoodies tossed about. I drop my bag by the door and pull off my coat, tucking my gloves into its pockets, but I leave on my hoodie.

    "Don''t be shy here," the hot guy tells me. "I know you don''t know anyone but Isaac, but just chat with anyone and they''ll talk."

    "I know Chris," I say. "I did see him on the way through."

    "There are three Chrises," he grins at me.

    "Erm," I try to remember his last name. "Isaw?"

    "Aisal?" He asks.

    "Can fly?"

    "Yep, that''s him," he grins. "I''m Theo, by the way. Theodore Spark."

    "Spark?" I raise an eyebrow.

    "Yup," he holds up his right hand, blueish sparks dancing over his palm and across his fingers. "Kind of fitting, it matches my powers. I come from a line of people who can manipulate electricity and lightning."

    Wait a second¡­

    "Orwitz?" I guess, and he grins.

    "The one and only!" He announces. "Isaac said you''d probably figure it out pretty fast! I''ll give you a hint on something else: I''m like Isaac."

    "So you''re a guardian, too?" I ask.

    "Yep!"

    "That would make you¡­ Zignarl, right?" I ask.

    "The one and only!" He declares.

    "So you can make sparks on your hand," I say. "As Orwitz, you supercharge yourself with lightning to move at high speeds and react quickly while making it difficult to touch you without getting a nasty jolt. As Zignarl, you fire off lightning to strike your enemies and stop attacks, including bullets. Are you a¡­ lightning-shaper? Is that a thing?"

    "It is," he chuckles. "But I''m actually a lightning elemental. First in several generations."

    "Lightning elemental?" I ask. "That''s pretty cool. Aren''t elementals extremely rare? It''s weird that I know two."

    "They''re pretty rare," he nods. "Most cities only have one or two, according to the Patron. We have seven, though we did have two more in our lives, but the Patron won''t say what happened to them. It''s before my time being in contact with the guardians."This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    "They were guardians?" I ask.

    "Dunno," he shrugs. "No one really knew about them outside of comments the Patron made. We think they were lovers, but we aren''t sure."

    "Oh," I say. "How many people here are a vigilante or guardian?"

    "Only Chris, Isaac, and I are guardians here," he tells me. "Sasha would have been a guardian here, except, y''know, the babies. The other guardians are either working or declined to come due to the crowd or mass of strangers. Everyone else is a vigilante that Isaac''s become friends with over the years. You''re the only one who isn''t ¨C but you might be joining the ranks soon. Which only we guardians know about, by the way. As far as everyone else here knows, you''re just a childhood friend Isaac recently reconnected with."

    "Alright," I say.

    "So!" He puts and arm across my shoulder and turns me to the door. "Let''s rejoin the party!"

    Theo leads me out of the bedroom and back to the party, over to a game he calls Foosball. Theo starts playing against a girl who looks a few years older than us, whose power seems to be superspeed. Or at least, the one she''s using. Theo competes against her using his lightning-enhanced speed, the little ping-pong ball shooting across the playing field as the ''players'' they''re controlling spin rapidly. How the game doesn''t break from the speed, I have no clue.

    I watch them for a few games, but trying to keep track of who''s winning and who''s losing gives me a headache, so I step away after a bit and try to find something else to do. While Theo said to just talk to someone, everyone here seems to know each other and I don''t really know how to socialize when I have to initiate it with a strange.

    "There you are!" A hand clamps down on my shoulder. "Hi, Kieran!"

    "Hi, Isaac," I turn and face him. "Thanks for inviting me."

    "Thanks for coming," he grins and releases my shoulder. "Do you want to see a picture of the twins?"

    "Sure," I answer, and he pulls out his phone and shows me a picture of a pair of babies wrapped in light blue blankets, staring up at the camera. "They look like babies."

    "Yeah, they do," he chuckles. "Sasha''s staying in Kathy''s apartment during the party, to watch the babies. I was down visiting them when you arrived. Have you talked with Chris?"

    "Theo says there were three of them."

    "The one you know!" Isaac laughs. "I know you said you think he''d make a good friend but not a good lover, but he''s a great guy, single, and looking. He also thinks you''re really cute and said he had to resist the urge to kiss you because he thought you might stab him."

    Do I really give off the impression I''d stab someone for kissing me on impulse?

    "I don''t even have a weapon," I roll my eyes. "Besides, I really don''t feel attracted to him. Like with you or Danny or Todd ¨C two other guys I know ¨C I can admit he''s attractive, but he doesn''t have that ''draw'' that Zane or Lucas does. Theo does, though."

    "Theo?" Isaac raises an eyebrow, then looks towards Lightning Boy, who''s in the middle of an arm-wrestling game with another guy, this one a bit more muscular than him. "We''re pretty sure he''s asexual and aromantic. He''s never shown an interest in anyone. Sasha even tried nudging him towards some people and he just chatted with them."

    "He still holds more sexual appeal to me than Chris, sorry," I say.

    "Things are as they are," he shrugs. "Though that''s interesting¡­ anyway, I''m going to go mingle. Try to have fun, yeah?"

    Something tells me that if I try to ask him what''s interesting about me being attracted to Theo, he won''t answer.

    "Yeah," I say. "Happy birthday, Isaac."

    "Thanks," he responds, then walks off.

    I head to the kitchen and grab a glass from the table, then scoop some of the drink in the bowl into it and take a sip. This is fruit punch, right? It has something¡­ sharp? I don''t think that''s how it should be described.

    "Ever had punch before?" Someone asks, and I turn to face a girl a little older than me. "Isaac mentioned you were a friend from before he joined our ranks."

    "Never had most of this stuff before," I say. "Or if I have, it was when I was little."

    "The punch," she says. "Has lemon-lime soda, fruit punch, and sherbet."

    Ah, the bite or whatever must be the soda. I''m not feeling much fizz, though.

    "Okay," I say.

    What do I say?

    "So what do you do?" She asks. "I mean as a job, though you can share your power, too, if you want."

    I probably shouldn''t share my power at the moment since the only one that I can really play with is meant for my guardian life, so it''ll probably get censored by the Patron, even if they researched me later. Though I could probably mention how I grow stronger in darkness?

    "I work through a temp agency," I answer. "The pay''s decent, especially after moving to a better one recently. As for what I can do, um, we''re keeping that under wraps at the moment."

    Though now that I think about it, how will me using my shadow-walking as a Sivalshi Guardian not get connected to me as a person by those who already know me? Or will that be done through more interference by the Patron?

    "No worries," she says. "Haven''t decided which will be your civilian power and which your vigilante?"

    Are they assuming I''m going to be a vigilante? Or do they actually know for sure that I''m going to be one?

    "I get stronger in darkness," I tell her. "Little bit faster, recover a little bit quicker."

    "Haven''t branched out yet?" She asks.

    "Not really," I shrug. "Have a few ideas on what to go for."

    "Well," she says. "If you wait until you''re made the official offer, the Patron will tell you what would work best for the persona you''ll have."

    The Patron talks with his paid vigilantes? Or is it just for the offer?

    "We don''t pick the personas?" I ask.

    "We do," she chuckles. "He bases it on our personalities already and our fighting style. I think Isaac mentioned you''re a case that will have a few months to prepare yourself after being officially made one, to go through certain training and education first."

    Probably so that a guardian and a vigilante with shadow-based powers don''t show up at the same time. Finding out that the Patron tends to tell vigilantes new powers to use is interesting, though. I''ll assume he does that for guardians, too.

    "We''re getting ready to play poker," she tells me. "Join us if you want, anyone can jump in."

    "I''ll think about it," I tell her.

    She refills her punch, then walks off to join the game, and I walk over to one of the two couches facing the coffee table and take a seat. For the next couple of hours, people join me to talk for a few minutes, then step away, and I get the feeling I''m not being very good at being social here. It''s so much easier when I have two of my current friends with me because they handle everything on their own, I just hang out and give occasional input and comments.

    Around one in the morning, Theo plops himself down on the couch beside me, his half-full glass of punch nearly spilling as he does. His hair is ruffled, probably from some game or another he did, and it only makes him sexier.

    "You look like you''re not enjoying yourself," he says.

    I look into my glass, mostly to avoid looking at him because he is really sexy, and I didn''t get off in the showers at the center today because I knew Lucas and Zane were going to be impatient and one might have walked in to see if something was going on. Don''t get a boner, Kieran, if he notices, he might get upset.

    "I''m enjoying being here," I tell him. "I''m just not good at being social. That probably comes from years without social interaction. I''m getting better."

    "Everyone has their types," he chuckles. "Me? I go both ways: social or antisocial. Depends on the crowd and how active I''ve been that day. I''m actually rather tame right now because I was doing a job before and burned up a lot of energy. That hyper movement I do as Orwitz? Yeah, I do that even without being in the mode. Just slower since I ain''t charged through with lightning."

    "That must be fun," I chuckle. "Have any hobbies?"

    "Playing video games when I''m calmer," he answers. "Or doing something active like shooting hoops, running laps, or just training when I''m not. What about you?"

    "Well, I didn''t really have any, to be honest," I tell him. "My apartment was too cold all the time, so when I wasn''t working or sleeping, I was just walking around town. I''ve begun hanging out with new friends I''ve made, though, and one is trying to get me into this game he plays on his phone. I''m thinking of finding a game he doesn''t play for me to so I can screw with him."

    Theo snorts at that, then asks what game my friend plays, and we start chatting for a bit. I have to really, really try to keep my gaze off of him because every time I look at him, it''s like looking at Zane or Lucas. Not only that, but he''s friendly and nice, just like them.

    "Can I ask if I''m boring you?" Theo eventually asks. "Every time you look at me, you quickly look away and you seem not that interested."

    "You''re good," I look at him. Damn, those eyes are beautiful. "I''m just bad at socializing, like I said. And, um, I was power training before I came here and didn''t get to, erm, jerk it before leaving. And you''re incredibly sexy. I''m trying to not get hard because I don''t want you taking things the wrong way, especially since Isaac said you''re asexual and aromantic."

    He''s quiet for a few moments, and just as I start to worry that I did upset him, he scoots so that we''re touching, moving an arm across my shoulders and leaning in.

    "I''m gay," he whispers. "Elementals just tend to have very specific tastes, and I haven''t met someone before who met them. That said, the reason I came back over wasn''t just because you were looking kind of bored and to invite you to join us for a game of punch pong ¨C which I forgot to do, by the way. It was because you meet those tastes and I was hoping to see if you were a nice enough guy to ask to my apartment after we leave the party."

    Patron help me, if he''s serious send me a turtle.

    Something catches my attention, and when I look up, I see a turtle sitting on the coffee table, staring at me. For a few moments, we just stare at each other, then I hand Theo my glass.

    "Um¡­ thanks?"

    I pull out my phone and take a picture of the turtle.

    "Wait, is that a turtle?" Theo asks.

    "Ninth one I''ve seen since Monday."

    "Holy shit, Isaac wasn''t kidding when he said you were seeing them."

    "Nope," I confirm. "I''ve taken pictures of all of them, see?"

    I show him the pictures on my phone to give myself some time to think over his offer. I''d rather go with Lucas or Zane, but Theo is definitely someone who has it all there, he''s a freaking Sivalshi Guardian. The turtle showing up now can''t be a coincidence, which only adds to my theory that the Patron has just been screwing with me for talking to Sivalshi. Then suddenly decided to send me a sign? Is the Patron reading my thoughts?

    The turtle raises its left foreleg. Which is what I''d said to do for ''yes'' when talking to Sivalshi the other day¡­

    Well, that confirms it. The Patron is officially screwing with me.

    "The Patron has got to be screwing with you," Theo says. "We all go through it, but usually after our one-year mark. You must have done something that made him to do this."

    "I tried talking to Sivalshi the other day," I tell him. "Like, on-the-turtle''s-head kind of talking. Personal reasons."

    "That would do it!" He laughs.

    "Mind if I ask what your verdict was?" I ask.

    "On?" He asks.

    "Me."

    "You?" He smiles. "You''re cute and nice. I know we just met, but I''d be happy to sleep with you. Sexually or non-sexually."

    "I''m kind of interested in two guys at the moment," I tell him. "Though they are taking awhile to feel comfortable enough with themselves to date me. I wouldn''t mind doing hookups, though. I''ve told them that I''m not necessarily going to wait for them, so it''s their loss on not being my first. You being a guardian tells me enough about you to know you''re a good guy."

    Then there''s the fact that he is literally my vigilante crush. This even came up recently, too, back when Danny and I were talking about vigilantes we''d have sex with if we could.

    "So hookups with a possibility of more snuggles and actual dates?" He asks.

    "Sure," I answer. "Not to be rushy about it, but¡­ now? I''m kind of horny, like I said, and I think I''ve been in a party for too long already. It''s starting to overwhelm me."

    "Let''s go," he sets our cups on the coffee table. "Huh. The turtle''s gone."

    "Yeah, they tend to do that."

    Theo extends a hand, helping me to my feet, then beckons towards the door.

    "Come on," he says. "My apartment''s the one below this one, so it''s not that far."

    I''m both excited and nervous for this.

 Chapter 0050

    "You weren''t kidding when you said your apartment was beneath his," I say as Theo lets us in to what is literally the apartment beneath Isaac''s.

    "This apartment complex," Theo says, leading me through the apartment without turning on the light. "Is pretty hard to get into. Have to be a current or former vigilante employed by the Patron or a Sivalshi Guardian to get a room here, though our significant others and children can stay, too. Because of that, most of us who work this general region stay here as a central hub."

    I can make out general furniture, and what I think might be a training mannequin. But without any trace of light at all, even my ability to see in the dark is rather limited. Theo must be moving based on memory and knowledge of where things are.

    "Oh, cool," I say. "Is it a requirement or something?"

    "Nah," he answers. "We just do because it''s easier and everyone understands that we might work strange hours or come home bloody. Here''s my room."

    Theo flips on the light for his room after we enter it, showing off a bed the same size as Lucas''s, a dresser, and two extra doors.

    "Uh¡­ you have two closets?" I ask.

    "One''s a bathroom," he explains. "In this complex, all apartments have two bathrooms: one off the main area, and one attached to the master bedroom. Basically lets parents have their own bathroom."

    "Ah," I say. "So, um, as I said, I''ve never had sex before. Do we just undress? And, um, I haven''t seen a boner on you at all, so I have to wonder if you''re actually serious. Unless you''re small?"

    "I''m serious," he says. "And I''m not small. Go ahead and undress. I''ll do so facing away, so you can see my boner once I turn around."

    Confused but curious, I start undressing, remembering as I do that I left my stuff up in Isaac''s spare bedroom. I''ll get it back after everyone wakes up, probably.

    "Crap," I say. "I didn''t tell Isaac I was leaving, and I was supposed to stay there after the party to spend the night."

    "I sent him a text letting him know I''d taken you down to my apartment," Theo tells me as he pulls off his shirt, showing off his smooth, flawless back. "Told him you were tired and starting to fall asleep, and I decided to give you somewhere quieter since the party would probably go for a few more hours."

    "Oh," I say. "Thanks."

    Theo strips off his shorts, then waits until I finish undressing. He has a really nice ass. Once I finish, Theo turns around and-

    "Holy fuck! That''s bigger than Zane''s! How did you contain it in those shorts without anyone noticing?"

    Theo laughs, and I tear my gaze away from that monster of a dick to examine his torso. He''s lean, but with a fair amount of definition, his abs fine and nipples pink and soft-looking. Like all power users, he''s smooth. That''s my type, though, and damn I really want to just hug him now.

    That dick, though¡­ it''s at least twelve inches long and three and a half thick, his foreskin completely hiding the head of that weapon. Now I know two power users who are¡­ wait. They''re both elementals.

    "Both elementals I know have massive ones, even for power users," I say.

    "I''m twelve-point-four inches long and three-point-six inches thick," Theo tells me. "And yeah, elementals are¡­ special. The first time we shift into our elemental form, we gain two inches to the length of our erection and a full inch to the thickness."

    That would make his pre-elemental length longer than Zane''s current length, which is still impressive as hell. Heck, it would make Zane on the lower end of average for a power user if we subtracted that, I think.

    "How did you hide that, though?" I ask. "I mean, Zane''s is obvious, and it''s smaller. Hell, how do you walk around with something that thick and long? It can''t be comfortable! Zane complains about that all the time, because it''s awkward. That''s why he prefers to use his powers while naked and-"

    "Whoa!" Theo chuckles, holding up a hand and stopping my tide of questions and comments. "We elementals can change their bodies."

    "You can what?" I ask.

    "We can do this," he indicates his dick, and when I look at it, that weapon begins to shrink down. "I showed you my ''elemental'' size. I usually went down to about eight inches in length and an inch and three quarters in thickness in my past relationships."

    He just shrank it down to that size, and if I didn''t see it, I wouldn''t believe it.

    "The bodies of an elemental aren''t ''set''," Theo says as he returns to the full size. "But we do have base forms. We have our elemental, humanoid, power user, and human forms. This is my humanoid, while the main difference between power user and human is the size of our dicks. Well, and our humanoid forms, too. I''m not really sure why there''s a difference, and the Patron won''t tell me."

    "Different forms?" I ask. "In addition to manipulating your form?"

    "Yeah," he nods. "When we shift forms, we can sense the other forms. Your friend Zane might actually know about them since the power he knew about before was his ability to shift into his elemental form."

    "You know about Zane?" I ask.

    "I know the identities of all of the elementals in the city," Theo informs me. "Only an elemental has the power to actually kill an elemental, so it was somewhat necessary for me to know, just in case."

    I''m not going to ask what he means by that.

    "He''s probably even shifted into those forms before," Theo tells me. "But decided he didn''t like them, though he might use them when having sex."

    Which would explain how he was able to get some so much. He might have shifted down to just a power user in size. I can''t see him going all the way down to human, which is probably the size he''d be if he wasn''t a power user at all.

    "And then you can shift your body in other ways, too," I say.

    "Yep," he holds up his hand, which morphs into a dog''s paw. "And we can always revert it, since we can ''sense'' our true forms at all times and have those four forms we can shift into."

    Theo shifts his hand back to normal.

    "And you use that to hide your boner," I say.

    "Hide it?" He smirks, his dick shrinking, disappearing along with his balls, his crotch turning completely smooth and devoid of genitals. "I get rid of it entirely. It''s way more comfortable to not have it pressing against clothes or visible while in my spellsuit. It also makes it easier to walk around without issues."

    "And Zane probably already knows about this?

    "Correct," he answers. "It''s the only way I can think of for him to get laid so much, despite the Patron usually censoring that sort of thing and preventing other elementals from finding out. He only wants elementals under his employ to know about our ability to shift forms because it can be a dangerous ability in the wrong hands."

    Someone who can change their appearance at will can become a lot more manipulative.

    "I won''t tell anyone, I promise," I say. "Though it''s weird he let me know."

    Theo shrugs, telling me that he''s not sure why the Patron let me know, either. Hell, he might have told me that it was an elemental thing and not a him thing just to see if the Patron would censor it from me or not.

    "So," he reverts back to his humanoid form, that monster of a boner returning. "What do you want to do? And what size would you prefer me to be?"

    Having a hookup who can change the size of his dick to suit my comfort is pretty damn amazing for a first time.

    "How about¡­" I think for a few moments. "You make it nine-point-two inches in length and two inches in thickness? I want to try blowjobs for certain. Can I still suck something that thick?"

    "Should be able to," he says as he slims and shortens his dick down to my requested size. "If not, I can always slim it up a little more. Let''s move to my bed."

    After he says that, I finally notice the necklace he left on. It''s a silver necklace with a golden charm hanging from it, a crescent moon with a pair of lightning bolts crossed behind it. That must be his spellsuit token.

    Theo and I move to his bed, and he pulls me against him once we''re on it, Theo lying on his back with me over him. I''m short enough that my dick rubs against his stomach and his between my legs due to our height differences. It''s still pretty intense, especially with how aggressively he''s kissing me, the way his hands move over my body, the feel of his body against mine.

    "I''m probably going to cum really soon," I break off the kiss after a minute. "I was serious about needing to get off. I really feel like I''m getting ready to."

    "Okay," he kisses me again. "Can I blow you first, then? I can hold off longer and want to make sure you enjoy it."

    "Sure," I answer.

    Theo flips me over onto my back, kissing my lips again, then he begins kissing down my body, stopping once he reaches my chest to tease my nipples with his tongue and teeth. His bites are gentle, more like nips, and damn do they feel good. When he resumes moving down, my dick sliding against him, I''m actually slightly annoyed. I want more of that, though it probably would have made me cum if he kept it up.

    Next, Theo flicks his tongue in and out of my bellybutton, swirling his tongue around it while looking up, meeting my gaze with those electric blue eyes of his.

    "Wait," I realize something. "Are you planning on swallowing?"

    "Of course!"

    Theo moves so that he''s between my legs completely now, his tongue working against my balls.

    "Mmh!" I moan a little, grabbing his blanket. "Theo!"

    He starts licking the underside of my dick, biting it gently, just enough to apply pressure and make it feel good. This is definitely something he knows how to do from experience, but I won''t fault him for that. I mean, I just met him and I''m doing it with him, and he''s five years my senior and a power user who uses his powers all the time.

    Theo only teases me for about half a minute before pulling back my foreskin and taking the head of my dick into his mouth, his tongue playing with the sensitive tip.

    "Oooh!" I moan again, feeling my body shudder in pleasure.

    He meets my gaze again, not going down further on my dick, just playing with the tip with his tongue. This feels pretty great, even if he''s doing less than I''d expected. It''s more than enough, and I soon hit my peak, shooting my load into his mouth. Theo swallows as I do, his tongue resting under the head of my dick until I finish, then swirling over it for a few moments before he goes all the way down, his nose pressing against my crotch.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    Suddenly, his mouth feels tighter against my dick, his tongue pressing against it even more underneath. This feels amazing, but how is he doing that? Shape-shifting again? Theo loosens up on my dick, pulling his head back so that only the tip is in, then he moves back down, only taking a few inches.

    For a couple of minutes, he repeats this, one of his hands rubbing my stomach while his other rolls my balls around, gently working them with his fingers. Though this feels amazing, and it''s definitely making me moan, I know it''s going to be a bit longer before I reach my peak again.

    Theo stops before bringing me to a second orgasm, beginning to kiss and lick his way up to my mouth again, playing with my bellybutton and nipples, spending a minute just kissing my collarbone, neck, and shoulders, and finally reaching my mouth, slipping his tongue inside. It feels slimy against my tongue, but not disgusting. His hands play at my sides, hold my head, stroke my hair, rub my chest, and more as we kiss, and eventually, I put my hands against his chest, feeling how firm it is, then gently push him up.

    "My turn to suck," I say.

    "Alright," he chuckles, then grabs me and flips us over so that he''s lying down and I''m lying on top of him.

    "How did you do that thing where you make it feel tighter?" I ask. "Did you shapeshift your mouth smaller or something?"

    "I sucked," he tells me. "Literally. It creates a sort of vacuum in the mouth, causing a tighter feeling. When you''re sucking me, don''t go all the way down ¨C you''re definitely not experienced enough for that. You''ll just choke and something else. When you feel yourself starting to gag, stop there. Do you plan on swallowing?"

    "Yeah," I answer. "It''s only fair, since you did mine."

    "Don''t do it for that reason," he says, his hands rubbing my back. "It''s not a ''you do me, I do you'' thing. If you don''t want to do something, don''t."

    "I want to swallow your cum," I tell him. "Or Zane''s or Lucas''s, but you''re the one I''m with, so yours."

    Theo chuckles, then kisses me.

    "Do your thing," he tells me.

    I nod, then begin kissing down his body, trying to emulate what he did to me. I''m probably really awkward and bad at this, but Theo doesn''t seem to care, his body shifting as he moans while I play with his nipples. I think I bit too hard, though, but he doesn''t complain about that. When I reach his abs, I lick along their lines, kissing each of the six sections, and then I flick my tongue into his bellybutton. Theo giggles slightly when I do that, and I do it again, causing him to giggle again. Is he ticklish in his bellybutton?

    That''s a new thing to me, but it explains why he was playing with mine.

    Snorting, I start licking from there down to his dick, tasting his skin. It tastes like, well, skin. Clean skin, too. When I reach his dick, I lick around the base, somewhat hesitant to go straight to sucking it. Remembering that he played with my balls for a minute first, I decide to do that, too.

    Gives me time to build up the courage to actually suck him. Or decide I don''t want to and back out.

    At first, I just lick his balls, but then an idea comes to me and I try to gently bite them. Theo lets out a soft hiss, a sign that I definitely bit harder than I meant to. The fact that I accidentally got more than skin might have factored in to that.

    "Sorry," I apologize.

    "Don''t worry about it," he puts a hand on my hand. "We''re all new once. On the topic of teeth, make sure not to use them on my dick. If I''m too thick for that, let me know and I''ll slim down."

    That''s probably another benefit to that particular power of his, and it''s pretty neat.

    "Alright."

    I try biting just the skin of his balls again, and this time, I manage to succeed. Judging by Theo''s light moan, I didn''t use too much force behind it, allowing it to be pleasurable instead of painful. I do the same to his other one, then lick them again before taking his right one into my mouth, sucking on it and trying the actual sucking thing he mentioned.

    "Mmmnh!" Theo moans, the hand he has on my head pressing down a little. "That feels amazing, Kier. Unh!"

    Glad I managed to do it right this time, I release his right one and do this with his left, just to be fair and give them equal treatment. Once I have, I begin licking up the underside of his dick.

    "If you''re swallowing," Theo tells me as I take his dick into my mouth, holding the base of it with one hand. "Make sure to pull my foreskin back after I tell you I''m cumming. That way, none gets trapped under there. Only have the tip in your mouth if you want to taste it on your tongue, too."

    I try to confirm this around his dick, but that doesn''t work out so well. It does cause Theo to laugh, though.

    Taking more of his dick into my mouth, I begin to spend the next few minutes going up and down, getting into a rhythm and learning how much I can take right now is while adjusting to that. Theo lets out soft moans, and every minute, I make sure to do the suction thing he did for a few seconds, which he seems to really like.

    "Hold on a sec," Theo says as my jaw starts to get sore, and I look up at him. "Do you want to top tonight? Or bottom?"

    Why is he bringing this up? I haven''t gotten him to cum yet. Couldn''t he have waited until after?

    "Bottom," I answer after releasing his dick. "I can''t really see myself topping. That takes too much, erm¡­ assertiveness? Something. More than what I have."

    "You seem to be doing just fine with that right now," he says.

    "Yeah, but this is just a blowjob," I tell him. "I don''t think I could do it for anal sex. To me, this is just me pleasuring you. For anal, it''d be¡­ I don''t know. More than I can handle? Do? I''m not really sure how to put it into words."

    "Well," he chuckles. "I could always ride you, where you''re lying down and I''m sitting with your dick in my ass, still in charge and control. You don''t have to be in control if that makes you uncomfortable, Kieran. If you want to top, we can still do that. Do you really want to bottom?"

    "Yes."

    "Alright," he says. "Turn around so that your dick is over my mouth¡­ erm, my chest, I guess. Since it''s your first time, I''ll loosen you up with a finger while you''re sucking me."

    "Ah! That''s why you wanted to know now."

    "Yep!"

    I turn around so that I''m in position, then take his dick back into my mouth. I hear the sound of a tube opening, probably the lube, and then a few moments pass before I can feel a finger pushing into my ass, coated in something slick.

    "Mnh," I moan into his dick as his finger slides into my ass. "UNGH!"

    He hit something inside of me that felt amazing, and as soon as I let out that larger moan against his dick, Theo curls his finger a little, letting it rub whatever that is more. Theo continues to play around inside my ass, moving his finger back and forth, turning it and curling it, rubbing that pleasure spot, and I continue to suck him, licking his dick as much as I can.

    My jaw starts to feel even more sore, but I want to suck him until he cums. Not only that, but he just added a second lubed-up finger into my ass, and it''s feeling pretty good. While he''s doing that and not lubing his fingers back up in preparation to add another, Theo''s using his free hand to gently stroke my dick and rub my balls.

    "I''m getting ready to cum," he softly moans, three fingers in my ass. "Soo-oon. Nnh!"

    Remembering what he''d told me to do, I pull my head up a bit and use one hand to pull his foreskin down, rubbing his stomach with his other while I lick the head of his dick, only the tip of it in my mouth. Theo shoves his fingers as far in as they''ll go as he lets out another moan, and cum shoots out of his dick, hitting my tongue and throat.

    It''s thick and salty, and it tastes pretty good and is quickly followed by another. His cum has a tingly sensation to it, almost electric. That''s both surprising and delicious.

    Theo keeps his fingers in my ass, barely moving them as he shoots load after load of cum into my mouth. I manage to swallow without choking, though some does end up leaking out of my mouth. I can''t swallow that fast, not with how much he''s shooting per shot.

    For now.

    I''m pretty sure I count seventeen shots, which is just incredible. Isn''t that something like twice as many as average? More than that?

    Once he finishes, he pulls his fingers out of my ass, and I release his dick and turn around, going straight to kissing his lips rather than doing the kiss-up that he did to me.

    "Jeez," I say after we break off the kiss. "Theo, you came a ton."

    "I did seventeen, right?" He asks.

    "Yeah."

    "That''s a few more than normal," he tells me. "I usually do twelve to fifteen, but I was kind of pent-up. Really needed that. It''s an elemental thing."

    I snort, then he kisses me, pulling me against him again as his tongue enters my mouth again. A few minutes pass of just us kissing, and I can''t help but start to wonder if he''s decided not to fuck me tonight.

    "Theo?" I softly ask, ending the kiss.

    "Why do you look worried?" He asks.

    "Did you change your mind about fucking me?"

    "Ah! I knew I was forgetting something after you started kissing me."

    "Huh?"

    "I meant to tell you," he kisses me. "To let me know when you''re ready for me to fuck you. That way, we go when you''re ready and you don''t feel like you have to just because I''m ready."

    "I''m ready," I tell him. "Well, as ready as I think I''ll ever be, especially with someone I just met tonight."

    "Alright," he chuckles, then flips me onto my back, his body pressing down on mine now. "Then we''ll get started in just a second. First, though¡­"

    He returns to kissing me, biting my lower lip a little for a moment. Then he stops and grabs the lube, beginning to apply a generous amount of it to his dick. Once he''s coated it well, Theo tells me to lift up my legs. I do, and he guides his dick into my ass. There''s a slight pressure against my ass for a few moments, then a pressure within as his dick begins to stretch it more than his fingers had.

    "Mnh!" I moan as he slowly pushes his dick in.

    "Let me know if it''s too much," he says. "If you want me to slim it or pull out. If it hurts."

    "There''s a little pain, but it''s good," I tell him. "I think you loosening me first was a good ide-unh!"

    "Okay," he nods. "Make sure to let me know."

    I nod again, gripping his blanket tightly as he continues pushing in. Once he''s all the way in, Theo moves my legs so that they''re resting against him, which is more comfortable for me, then he grabs my sides and begins pulling back, then pushes forward again. His movements are slow, probably to help my ass get used to having a dick inside of it, and we keep our gazes locked. Damn, those blue eyes are beautiful.

    A few minutes of him doing this passes, then he bends forward and starts aggressively kissing me, shoving his tongue into my mouth as he begins thrusting faster. I moan into his mouth, welcoming his tongue with mine, placing a hand on the back of his head and my other on his back. Both of his hands are on my chest now.

    While it does feel a little bit more painful with his new speed, it''s still pleasurable and I don''t want him to stop thrusting. Theo stops those aggressive kisses, shifting back to his kneeling position, his hands on my sides once more. His eyes, however, remain locked with mine, staring intently with lust and desire and focus.

    The only sounds that fill the room are the muted sounds of the party upstairs, of flesh slapping flesh, of our soft moans and quiet grunts, of the crackle of electricity as it sparks off his skin.

    Wait, the crackle of electricity?

    Theo has begun sparking. They''re small sparks that dance from one spot to another, but only short distances and they fade immediately after. A couple hit my legs, causing a light tingle, but nothing uncomfortable. Has he noticed he''s doing this? Is it intentional or accidental? Something he''s not aware of at all?

    Regardless, it''s actually pretty cool, especially the way the sparks feel when they touch me. Theo''s picking up the pace, too, and I think those two things combined mean he''s getting ready to finish again.

    "Ooh!" He moans, leaning forward a little, his thrusting slowing as I feel something shooting into my ass. "Ungh! Yeaaah."

    Theo continues to moan softly, thrusting all the way inside of me as he cums, and once he finishes, he leans forward, kissing me. Sparks dance off his lips, zapping me lightly, and he moves a hand under my head once our lips meet. This time, I take the initiative and shove my tongue into his mouth, feeling sparks against it. They''re not unpleasant, which means that this has to be some special part of his power or something.

    He keeps his dick inside of me as we kiss for a minute, and when he finally pulls it out, it leaves me feeling empty. Literally. Theo grabs me and flips us over so that I''m on top of him again, his arms wrapped around me.

    "So?" He asks. "How did you like it, Kieran?"

    "A lot," I answer. "Though I think I''m starting to leak your cum."

    "We can clean it up later," he kisses me. "I just want to hold you now."

    "Alright," I say.

    Theo moves us so that we''re lying on our sides, still facing each other, looking into each other''s eyes. We stay like this for a few minutes, giving me time to think about things. I really liked having sex with him, and while I wish Lucas and Zane were ready first, I''m not going to turn down the opportunity just to wait for them.

    What if it takes a couple of months? What if I die during my duties as a guardian? Not only is Theo clearly someone who has his stuff together, but he''s also a guardian ¨C he would understand this better than anyone.

    "Theo?" I ask.

    "Yeah?" He responds.

    "Can we just go straight to being boyfriends, rather than hookup partners?" I ask. "I think I''d like snuggles and dates. Erm. Maybe not dates where we have to spend money, though. I''m on a rather small budget for now."

    "I''d love to be your boyfriend," Theo says. "And not just because you''re the first person to actually spark my interest, Kieran. You''re a good guy, you wouldn''t have been scouted by the Patron otherwise. That''s enough verification for me."

    "That''s kind of why I didn''t mind it with someone I just met tonight," I chuckle. "The Patron approves of you."

    Theo chuckles, and I cover my mouth as I yawn. I''m exhausted, and I''m starting to feel a little sore from the sex, too.

    "Let me turn off the light," he kisses me on the lips. "We can clean up once we wake. Maybe after more sex, if you want that when we wake."

    "My libido''s only arriving," I say as he gets out of bed. "It mostly only shows up after I use my powers a bit, so I probably won''t have much once we wake, especially not after we had sex before bed."

    "That''s fine," he tells me as he flips off the light. "I''m perfectly fine only doing it when you want to and are ready for it, Kier. If you aren''t horny in the morning, I''ll just beat it on my own. You can watch if you want, of course."

    That last part is said with a slight smile I can barely make out now that the light is off.

    "Alright, Sparky," I chuckle. "Let''s get some sleep. I expect you to wash me in the shower after we wake up."

    "Sparky?" He asks, and I can make out him raising an eyebrow as he climbs back onto the bed.

    "You were letting off sparks before you climaxed."

    "That''s new," he sounds serious. "Might be because I actually find you appealing, unlike others I''ve gotten with before."

    Theo lies behind me, pulling the blanket over us as he begins to spoon me, his dick resting between my legs. Once he''s in position, he drapes an arm over me, pressing his head against mine as his fingers gently stroke my arm. This is more comfortable than I''ve ever been before, even more than when others I know better snuggled me.

    "Good night, Kier."

    "Night, Sparky."

 Chapter 0051

    Waking up being snuggled is definitely something I like. Even more so when the apartment is warm. Even more so when we''re both naked. My position shifted a little during our sleep, and I''m now resting with my head under Theo''s chin, the arm he''s not holding me with used as a pillow instead of the actual pillow. The shift in position has resulted in his dick pressing against my ass, and it''s definitely hard.

    I like this.

    While I do feel slightly guilty for getting with him instead of Lucas or Zane, my guilt disappears when I remember that neither of them are ready for dating, and they both know that I am. I''m not going to wait around forever for someone when I have other options.

    Patron-approved ones, too.

    "Afternoon," Theo says when I reach for his hand to hold it a little.

    "Already awake?" I ask.

    "Yup!" He answers, kissing the top of my head. "I tried moving you back up, but you slid yourself right back down all three times. I couldn''t tell if you were just finding the position comfy or if you were subconsciously getting into that position because of where my dick was."

    "It''s definitely comfy," I tell him. "My ass is sore from last night. Thanks for not taking it as an invitation to enter."

    "I''d never fuck a sleeping person," he says. "Even if they''re my boyfriend, unless they''ve given me permission beforehand. On that topic, if you ever wake up first, Kier, you can do whatever you want with my dick. I am more than fine with that."

    "If I did something, it would probably stop at a blowjob," I tell him.

    "That''s fine," he shrugs against me, then kisses the top of my head again. "Is it too sore for you to get up?"

    "As in out of bed?" I ask.

    "Yeah."

    "Nah," I answer. "It''s not a bad kind of sore."

    "Let''s go take a shower," he says. "Then I''ll fix us brunch."

    "Do you want to fuck me first?" I ask.

    Theo''s hand moves from mine to trailing down my stomach, reaching my admittedly-flaccid dick.

    "You''re soft," he murmurs.

    "You''re not," I counter. "I might not be horny, but I''m willing to deal with you being so, Theo."

    "Are you sure?" He asks.

    "Just make sure to lube up first."

    He''s quiet for a few moments, his hand still gently rubbing my dick.

    "Let me find the lube real quick."

    I snort as his hand pulls away from my dick, and a few moments later, I can hear him popping the lube open with the one hand. His other arm is still tied up as my pillow. Theo moves his hips back, his hand tapping my ass a few times as he lubes himself up. Then, he tells me to lift my leg up a little, and I do.

    He begins pushing his dick into my ass from behind, and once the head is inside, he moves his hand onto my side. I pull my knee up and set my foot down, and Theo thrusts all the way in.

    "Nnnh!" I moan.

    "Let me know if you want me to stop," he tells me. "Or if I''m too rough or fast. I''m a bit more energetic than last night."

    "Mnh-hnh."

    Theo begins thrusting, and he really is moving faster than last night. It''s slightly uncomfortable, but still pleasurable. Our moans, grunts, and breaths fill the air as he fucks me, my dick returning to full mast at the stimulation. His entire body gets into the fucking, his moans louder than mine, his hand sliding down to my stomach, pulling me closer as I hear the light zaps of his sparks, feel them tingling against my skin.

    "Ungh! Yeaaah!" He moans, thrusting in hard, and I can feel him shooting his cum into my ass again. "Ooh, fuck, Kier. Your ass feels nice."

    I don''t know how to respond to that.

    "Your dick feels nice."

    Theo''s moans become mixed with snickers, which is honestly a sound I never knew could exist but one that''s amusing to hear. When he finishes, he keeps his dick in my ass for a few minutes, just holding me tight.

    "Let''s go take a shower now," he tells me. "I''m starving, and I bet you are, too."

    My stomach rumbles in response, so we get up, which takes a little bit of effort on my part because I''m more sore than I realize. In response to that, Theo quite literally picks me up, then carries me into his bathroom, stepping into his shower before setting me down. It''s sizable, with enough room for us to be in here comfortably. I start scrubbing myself off, only for Theo to grab my hands.

    "Whoa, Kier," he says. "Don''t worry about wasting water, I''ll spend the extra few cents it will cost to clean us thoroughly. In fact¡­"

    He takes the scrubber from my hand and sets it down, then turns me around and starts washing my hair. I let Theo scrub me clean, the feel of his hands working my scalp nice, the gentle, but firm way he scrubs my skin pleasant. When he gets to my ass, he''s gentle, tender, careful of its soreness. When he cleans under my foreskin, he carefully pulls it back and gently washes it.

    After he finishes cleaning me, I try to return the favor, but I''m not as experienced at scrubbing someone else. When I clean his dick and under his foreskin, and idea comes to me and I look up and meet that electric blue gaze of his.

    "Go ahead," he says with a chuckle. "It''s already in your hands, Kier. Literally."

    I chuckle, then get down on my knees and take his dick into my mouth. It tastes a little bit like the soap I just washed off of it, but mostly it just tastes like skin. Since I can''t go all the way down like Theo can, I just take what I can, moving between that and just the head of it in my mouth, using my tongue as much as possible and adding suction when I''m as far as I can go.

    Theo keeps a hand on my head, his other on his hip, looking down at me as he lets out soft gasps. I look up and meet his gaze a few times, one hand on the base of his dick, the other playing with his balls. His hips start twitching forward a little, and I can tell he''s trying not to shove his dick all the way into my throat. Sparks start to dance across his body, and even as they zap me, there''s no discomfort, not even with the water on me.

    "There actually are sparks!" He excitedly exclaims.

    That exclamation causes me to laugh, which results in me choking on his dick.

    "Ack! Sorry!" He says as I pull off his dick so that I can laugh properly.

    For a moment, we both just laugh at the situation, then I return to sucking him off, the sparks returning about a minute later. Theo is rubbing my head lightly, his other hand on his hip/ass, and it feels pretty nice to have him doing that while I do this, even if we''re both wet.

    "Getting close, Kier!" He warns me, and I pull back so that only the tip of his dick is in my mouth, pulling his foreskin back. "Ungh! Yeah!"

    A spark strikes me in the cheek, leaving just a light tingling feeling behind, then Theo reaches his climax. Shot after shot of his thick, salty cum fills my mouth, and I do my best to swallow it all. Just like last night, his cum has a light zing to it. Is that because he''s a lightning elemental? Either way, it''s actually pretty neat and I like it.

    Once his climax finishes, I take as much of his dick into my mouth as I can and suck on it, rubbing my tongue against it.

    I do this for a couple of minutes, then free his dick and begin licking along its length, looking up and meeting Theo''s gaze as I do. Not wanting to waste too much time in here, I only do this for a minute before I return to cleaning him off.

    After we finish washing ourselves off, we step out of the shower and start drying each other off, making sure to completely dry the crotch, under the foreskin, and the ass. Theo teasingly squeezes my dick, asking if I want some help with the boner.

    "It''ll go away when you stop playing with it," I snort. "Ah, crap. I forgot my stuff up in Isaac''s apartment."

    "I can have him bring it down in a bit," Theo tells me. "You can put on my clothes if you want to wear something clean while you wait. Or you can wear a towel. Or nothing at all. The apartment''s warm and I''d like to see this body of yours more, if you''re okay with it."The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    As he says that, he puts his hands on my sides, pulling me against him, his dick rubbing my stomach as he tilts his head down to kiss. I meet his kiss, sliding one hand onto his back and resting the other on his shoulder. Theo slips his tongue into my mouth, aggressively working it against mine. I wrestle it back, though there''s definitely a lot more energy in Theo''s than mine. Wow does he have a lot of it already.

    "I''ll stay naked for now, I guess," I tell him once we finally stop the kiss. "I''ve never really done that before."

    "I''m glad to be your first," he smiles. "In more than one thing."

    We grab our phones, than Theo grabs me by the hand and leads me to his dining room. I take a seat on one of the chairs as he steps into his kitchen, his genitals disappearing before he pulls on a sky-blue apron. I guess that makes it easier to cook?

    My ass is really sore now, and sitting on something hard like this wooden chair is uncomfortable, but I just lean on the table, watching Theo as he works. That is a really nice ass he has. He''s also definitely sexy, especially with his hair still slightly damp from our shower, darkened by the water.

    As he moves around, I realize that he jolts from spot to spot at times, a small burst of sparks accompanying it.

    "Any particular type of pancakes you want?" Theo asks. "I''ve got chocolate chips, bananas, blueberries, gummy bears-"

    "Gummy bears?" I ask. "In pancakes?"

    Gummy bears aren''t even a common food, they''re considered a luxury because some of the necessary ingredients are rare. Mom sometimes bought a handful of them for me as a snack when I was little, and I don''t think I''ve even seen them in any stores. It was on the rare occasion she visited the upper districts that she''d return with them.

    "Heck yeah!" Theo enthusiastically responds.

    And here Theo is, sticking them in his breakfast.

    "I''ll try that, I guess?"

    "Great!" He opens up a cabinet and pulls out a giant container of gummy bears. That is a giant container. "Gummy bears! Mixed colors or any particular ones!"

    "Just toss ''em in."

    "Will do, Kier!"

    The more he works on breakfast, the more energetic he seems to become, his movements swifter as he multitasks making pancakes, bacon, sausages, and scrambled eggs. The eggs aren''t plain, being mixed with chives, bell peppers, and something I''m not too sure of, in addition to a touch of salt and a little bit of milk. Small sparks dance across his skin as he moves, and it really adds to his attractiveness, in a strange way.

    Just like elementals are drawn to me, I''m definitely drawn to elementals, even more so when their true nature is leaking out. The way his sparks felt against me during sex was pretty amazing, too. How did they not hurt if he wasn''t even consciously using them? Because of something in his subconscious?

    Or maybe-

    "Milk or orange juice?" Theo asks as he starts putting the food and dishes on the table, his movements sudden, as if he''s teleporting form spot to spot.

    When did he take the apron off? It''s already hung up, and I don''t remember seeing him remove it. That must have been another high-speed movement. His dick is back, the same size it was before rather than its full size.

    "Milk, please," I answer.

    What was I thinking about before he asked me that?

    "Cool!" He zaps himself over to the fridge.

    Right, how sexy he is, especially when using his powers.

    "Did you know you''re using your powers?"

    "I tend to do that when I''m rushing," he reappears back at the table in a burst of sparks. "Like when I''m really hungry! It tends to happen on its own, can''t help it!"

    "It''s kind of cute," I tell him, and he chuckles, then takes the seat across from me as he pours milk into two glasses. "I''m surprised my friends didn''t try calling up a storm or something. It''s weird, actually, with how concerned for my safety they are."

    "Yeah, that is weird," he says. "You want to call them?"

    "Nah," I answer as I check my phone. "I''ll talk with them later. Holy fuck, it''s already two."

    Lucas must be starting his shift right about now, and Zane''s at work, probably playing games. Strangely, he hasn''t sent me any game invites so far today.

    "Yeah," he chuckles. "Let''s eat!"

    I dig in to the food, and it''s surprisingly good despite his rushing and the gummy bears in the pancakes. Theo rubs one of his legs against mine as we eat, giving me happy looks. He''s not doing his zappy movements anymore, the sparks having calmed down a bit.

    "You know," I say as we finish our breakfast. "When I told Danny last week or whenever that if I could be with any vigilante, I''d get with Orwitz, I didn''t expect to actually get with him."

    "Oh?" He grins. "How did I compare to your fantasy?"

    "Much better," I answer. "You''re sexier than in it, too."

    Theo''s grin widens, then he gets up and steps around the table, giving me another kiss. I return it for a few moments, then we start clearing the table. He puts the milk away as I start washing the dishes, then he rinses them and puts them in the strainer.

    "There we go," he says once we''ve finished and dried our hands. "What do you want to do now?"

    "Cuddle."

    "I was hoping for something with more energy," he chuckles. "But that will work. Come on! To the couch!"

    Theo grabs my hand and pulls me to the couch, grabbing our phones on the way over before plopping us down on the couch. The couch has a pair of small, maroon pillows, one resting against each arm as if there for decoration.

    He turns on the TV to the news as we snuggle, and the report finishes a moment later, shifting to a piece on Lumilxal. Apparently, Lucas spent the entire night hunting down a ring of sex traffickers.

    That reminds me that my friends still haven''t contacted me, so I send both Lucas and Zane a message letting them know I''ve woken up and am fine, thank you for checking in. Zane responds a few seconds later.

    We came by the apartment building this morning. Some hot guy showed up and said the party went late and you were still sleeping. He wore sunglasses inside. That''s so weird!

    "Must be referring to Isaac," Theo says as he shoots off a text.

    "Probably," I say as another text pops up.

    Lucas wanted proof you were fine, and the guy said that he''d never let anyone hurt you. I''m guessing he''s your childhood friend? The one you said seems to care for you?

    I send back a confirmation, then set my phone on the table and snuggle into Theo. Being naked like this is weird to me, but it''s also comfortable. Theo drapes an arm across my shoulders, pulling me against him a little more, then leans his head against mine as the news shifts to talking about Sivalshi''s speed having increased by another mile per day. It seems that drop was temporary.

    This is extremely cozy, and I both want to kiss Theo and not move from this spot. That comes to an end, however, when the door to the hall opens. I jump, trying to cover my crotch.

    "Oh, right," Theo blushes as he looks at Isaac, who''d entered carrying my jacket, gloves, and duffel bag. "Erm. I''m used to not hiding anything so forgot to mention Isaac was coming down with your stuff."

    "I''m used to never seeing you with a boner!" Isaac exclaims as the door closes. "And here you are, naked with a boner and snuggling against-wait. You''re doing naked snuggles while you have a boner. You''re not aro-ace?"

    "No," Theo grabs a couch pillow and places it on my lap.

    I feel stupid now, there''s one right there and I hadn''t thought about it. I guess that''s what happens when panic sets in, huh? Thank you, Theo, for your quick thinking.

    "So you''re gay?" Isaac asks. "Or bisexual? Or¡­ uh¡­?"

    "Gay," Theo chuckles. "I''m just really good at hiding my boner and it''s never really come up in conversation."

    "I''ve known you for three years, and I can''t believe I didn''t know," Isaac mutters, bringing my bag and stuff over, setting them down beside the couch. "He didn''t force you into anything, did he, Kieran?"

    "No," I answer as Theo protests.

    "Do you really think I''d do that?"

    "No," Isaac answers. "I just wanted to make sure anyway. So is it just hookups, or¡­?"

    "Boyfriends," Theo pulls me back against him, leaning his head against mine. "We decided on that after hooking up. If we don''t develop feelings beyond attractions, then we''ll just be hookups until we find boyfriends, but I hope we stay boyfriends."

    "That''s good," Isaac says before looking at me. "If he ever hurts you, just let me know. I can''t kill him, but I can definitely make him regret it."

    "You''ll be at the front of the line," I tell him. "Lucas and Zane will probably be too busy arguing to get ahead of you."

    Theo and Isaac chuckle at that comment, then Isaac wishes us a good day and leaves. Once the door has closed, Theo gives me a light kiss on the cheek.

    "Sorry," he says. "I''m used to not hiding anything with Isaac. I still can''t believe he thought that, he knows I can shift my body''s form and use that to leave no trace of my junk while I''m in the spellsuit. When you said that yesterday, it actually shocked me a bit."

    "You shocked me a bit," I grin at him. "And not just by being into me or having a dick bigger than Zane''s, Theo."

    "Sorry," he says. "It kind of happened without me realizing."

    "It didn''t hurt or anything," I tell him. "Just tingled a bit. It felt nice. So what do you want to do? Because I''m sure it''s not snuggle for however long we''re going to snuggle."

    "Want to arm-wrestle?" He asks.

    "I''ll probably lose."

    "If you lose, you have to wrestle with me on the mats," he says. "Until you manage to kiss me at least three times or call a yield. If you yield, then you have to snuggle me for a full hour as punishment."

    "If I manage to kiss you three times," I kiss him on the cheek. "Then you have to walk me to the training center when I leave."

    "I''d do that even without losing, if you wanted," he grins. "And if you don''t mind others knowing about us, I''ll even hold your hand as we walk."

    We move off the couch and sit across from each other at the coffee table, then begin arm-wrestling. Both of us know I''m going to lose, I''m much too skinny and weak to compare with someone as trained and fit as him. However, we arm-wrestle anyway, Theo winning all three matches.

    Since he won, we move onto the training mats, Theo moving the two training mannequins to the side to give us more space, then we begin wrestling. Lucas has taught me a few grappling moves, and I try to put them to use.

    I manage to get Theo almost into a lock three times, but he manages to slip out of it. The third time, he does it by rubbing my dick, which has been getting hard from the skin-on-skin contact. While the wrestling does start off erotic for me, it loses that to me as I try to seriously get the kisses on Theo. Every attempt at getting him into a lock or position where I can, however, fails.

    Wait a second¡­ he didn''t say I had to kiss his lips. Just that I had to kiss him. My mouth is close to his dick at the moment, too¡­ two can play dirty!

    I move my head over and kiss his dick, and Theo jumps, shifting to the side for a moment. I quickly retake him, kissing him on the chest before he manages to pull me off and start to put me into a lock from above. Just to see if I can, I condense myself as much as possible under him, then sink into the shadow.

    The attempt works, and I pop out of the shadow of a training mannequin.

    "Hey!" He exclaims then zaps himself towards me, sparks dancing off his body as he does. "Got you!"

    Theo sweeps me off my feet and begins to flip me onto the mats, and I manage to land an awkward kiss on his arm before I land.

    "That''s three!" I laugh. "But let''s keep going until I''m exhausted!"

    "Alright!" Theo jumps down and resumes wrestling with me.

    I keep trying to kiss him at every opportunity, and manage to shadow-walk away from him more than a few times, though he always zaps himself over to me, wrapping his arms around me entirely after realizing his sparks aren''t hurting me. We wrestle probably another thirty minutes before I completely wiped, both of us sweaty and exhausted. Another shower is probably a necessity now, but we instead move to the couch and snuggle some more.

    This is definitely nice, and I don''t regret going with him last night.

 Chapter 0052

    "You know," Theo says. "I''ve actually been by this place a few times, and it wasn''t until Isaac mentioned you picked here to train that I learned it was actually for power users."

    As promised, he walked me to the training center when it was time to go. We probably could have waited at least another half an hour to leave, but I want to spend some time on the trampolines. Much to my happiness, he held my hand as we walked, though with gloves on so it''s not as good as I wanted.

    There''s no way we were going to walk with our hands bare. Not in this weather.

    "Zane thought it was for normal training, too," I snort. "And he lives only about fifteen minutes away. It''s a common misconception."

    "Probably," Theo chuckles. "Mind if I join you for a bit inside, too? Or would you rather not? It''s okay if you don''t."

    He put on shorts and a sleeveless under his sweats and hoodie, so I''d assumed either he was just weird or he was planning on coming in and doing stuff, too.

    "Sure," I say. "It''s not like I could stop you if you didn''t want me to, anyway."

    "Alright," he gives me a kiss. "Lead the way, Kier."

    We enter the training center, and he fills out the paperwork and pays for a day pass as I check in and ask if it''s okay to take him to the trampolines and my martial arts lesson, then I lead him to the blocks room.

    "Thought you said trampolines?" Theo asks in confusion.

    "I change and warm up in here," I tell him. "This is where I do my power training."

    "Ah."

    "You can stick your stuff in my bag," I pull it off, then strip down to my underwear.

    "Okay."

    Theo pulls off his hoodie and sweats as I pull on my shorts and tee, then he slips his sneakers back on and we begin doing some stretches, Theo teaching me a couple of new ones. Zane shows up as we''re finishing up, and he stares at Theo.

    "Who''re you?" He asks. "Because you''re damn sexy, boy!"

    "I''m Theo," Theo introduces himself. "You must be Zane."

    Zane raises an eyebrow.

    "Zane," I say. "Theo is the guy whose apartment I spent the night in last night. He wanted to see me on the trampolines."

    "That''s a weird thing for someone who just met you," Zane says as he pulls off his bag and begins stripping off his clothes. "Incredibly suspicious."

    Once he''s naked, Zane switches to stone form and enters into a fighting stance.

    "What are your intentions towards my friend?" Zane growls. "Choose your answer wisely, punk, or it might be the last thing you do before finding yourself saddled with a hospital bill."

    To answer that, Theo grabs me and pulls me in for a kiss, one which I return so that Zane knows it''s not uninvited. When we break it off, I take a look at Zane and find him staring at us with wide eyes.

    "It wasn''t just spending the night," I tell him. "Theo and I hit it off at the party, found ourselves attracted to each other, and decided to give things a try. It was just going to be hookups, but we decided to try a full relationship instead."

    "Stupid Zane," Zane mutters to himself as he switches back to human form. "Not being comfortable dating Kieran because it would feel like you''re forcing yourself on him, and here he is getting hooked up with the sexiest dude you''ve ever seen before."

    "I accept your compliment," Theo chuckles, and Zane blushes. "You weren''t kidding when you said his blushes made him cute, Kier."

    "Right?" I chuckle.

    "Well," Zane puffs out his chest, putting his hands on his hips. "At least I''ve got a bigger dick than you!"

    "You can show him the pic you took of mine," Theo tells me.

    I retrieve my phone from my bag and pull up the picture I took of Theo''s full-sized weapon, then show it to Zane, whose jaw drops.

    "You took that into your ass?" Zane asks. "What? Seriously? For your first time?"

    "You''re assuming I bottomed?" I ask, and he raises an eyebrow. "Okay, yeah, I bottomed. It honestly felt amazing, Zane. Have you ever done it before?"

    "Once or twice," he shrugs. "I''m more of a top, myself. Damn, boy. I didn''t think you were serious when you said you might hook up with someone at the party. How do you know you can trust him?"

    "How did you know you could trust any of your random hookups?" I ask, and he tries to come up with a response to that. "Theo came verified."

    Zane pouts at that, but pulls his underwear back on before pulling on his shorts, sleeveless, and sneakers. The three of us make our way to the trampoline rooms and stuff our bags into cubbies, then get to work exercising on them. Zane tries turning it into a competition with Theo to see who''s better at jumps and flips, while I ignore his futile attempt at impressing a guardian with his skills to practice my jumps and flips.

    Because I know how Zane''s going to talk to Lucas, I wait until I know the class will be gone before telling them I''m heading to my martial arts lesson.

    "Wait up!" Zane protests, chasing after me as Theo joins me. "I want to say hi to Lucas!"

    Sure, you do.

    We pull on our sneakers, then grab our bags and make our way to the training room where Lucas gives me martial arts lessons. As I expected, he''s alone in here, sitting on the mats as he waits for me.

    "Luucaaas!" Zane whines as I drop my bag down and begin stripping naked. "We have a probleeeeeeeem!"

    "Good to see you''re doing well, Kieran," Lucas says. "Your friend mentioned you went to sleep late, and I meant to send you a text, but someone was irritating me until I had to start my shift."

    "PROOOOBLEEEEEM!" Zane whines louder.

    "You seem rather comfortable stripping in front of this guy," Lucas tells me as I pull on my gi pants. "Especially considering you stripped all the way, Kieran."

    "He''s the probleeeeeem!" Zane tells him. "KIERAN GOT LAID LAST NIGHT AND THIS GUY IS THE CULPRIT!"

    Lucas spends several moments in quiet thought, and I finish pulling on my gi and belt during that time.

    "And his dick is bigger than mine," Zane mutters.

    "You''ll survive," Lucas tells Zane, though his gaze is on Theo. "So you seduced my friend? Tell me why I should believe a stranger who just met him would have genuine interest in him. Kieran is undersized, underweight, and only average by normal terms. Very few people find him attractive right now. Unlike with Zane and myself, I''m inclined to believe you don''t feel that way about him and only want to use him. We''re the exceptions to that view of him, not the norm."Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    Thanks for the vote of confidence about my looks, Lucas. More seriously, thanks for being protective of me. The way he''s reacting, I''m going to guess that he and Zane weren''t chased off peacefully this morning and Isaac might have threatened them or something. His tone is calm, but his words and gaze are more than enough to intimidate most people.

    Fortunately, he''s trying to intimidate Theo. The Patron verified his honesty with me last night by sending that turtle at the party and Theo''s also a top-notch vigilante and Sivalshi Guardian.

    "My intention is to have a boyfriend who feels loved," Theo answers. "One to stick with long term, hopefully until death parts us. You''re right about his looks, though. Most people would find him average. But much like you and Zane, I find him, well, unbelievably attractive."

    "And why should I believe that?" Lucas asks. "You are, after all, a complete stranger to him."

    "Why should he believe in anyone''s attractiveness to him?" Theo asks. "You and Zane were both strangers until last month, yet you both made it clear you were attracted to him soon after."

    This is going to turn into a dick-waving contest, isn''t it. Or power-waving, I guess, since Theo hides his genitals when he goes out in public to avoid a bulge.

    "Perhaps," Lucas responds. "But Zane held off because he wasn''t comfortable dating Kieran because he felt it would come off as forcing himself on Kieran due to how new Kieran is to things and how used to sex Zane is. As for me, well, I''d have liked to get with him from the start, but we have our differences we''re trying to sort out. So he''s seen we''re at least serious about giving it a try, even if it will take us time to be ready for it. He''s seen that we aren''t just saying he''s attractive, we actually do find him so."

    Theo is silent for a few moments, and I can tell he''s trying to formulate a response that fits within the ''rules'' of not exposing things. He knows that I wouldn''t have accepted him so easily if he wasn''t both a vigilante paid by the Patron and a Sivalshi Guardian, that I''d have given him a similar treatment to Zane and Lucas: hang out a fair bit before making a decision. Without being able to say that, he can''t just explain why I should believe him when he says he finds me attractive and appealing.

    Wait a second¡­ it seems like Theo is listening to something. Is the Patron talking to him directly right now?

    "I can sense magic," Theo tells Lucas. "While I''m only attracted to men, their magic factors in to that appeal to me. I can sense the shadows in Kieran, the core that makes up his power. I can sense the light that makes up the core of yours, and the stone that makes up the core of Zane''s. It allows me to get a general sense for how powerful someone is and what abilities they possess. Kieran''s looks might be extremely average right now as he recovers from his years of malnutrition, but I can see that potential for his looks once he''s toned up, and I can sense his magic, which only enhances that appeal to me. His magic is beautiful, Lucas, and it''s what I''m attracted to."

    "Uh-huh," Zane crosses his arms over his chest. When did he get naked again? He does know that his stone form isn''t going to intimidate Theo, right? "That sounds like something made up. Something unbelievable."

    "As unbelievable," Theo doesn''t bat an eye at the fact that Zane''s back in stone form. "As the fact that you have two other forms you haven''t told your trainers about, Zane?"

    Zane''s look of shock is priceless.

    "What do you mean?" Lucas asks. "He can shift between human and stone, and that''s it."

    "Really?" Theo raises an eyebrow. "Because what you call his ''human'' form is actually his humanoid. He has two more forms: one that imitates a power user''s, and one that imitates a regular human''s. Which one do you use for sex, Zane?"

    "The, uh, power user one," Zane admits. "How did you know about those? Who are you? Who sent you?"

    Instead of responding, Theo strips off his clothes, though his humanoid boner is on full display. He''s really good at transitioning that without being noticed, isn''t he? Lucas and Zane are staring at him in confusion, then the former jumps to his feet as the latter takes a step back in response to Theo immediately becoming lightning.

    Much like Zane, his lightning form is an exact replica of his real body ¨C or I guess, his humanoid one ¨C except it''s made of lightning. It''s solid yellow and glows, with some rough edges where his form shifts for the lightning, along with blue sparks dancing across his body, his irises made up of blue electricity.

    Despite how terrifying the form is, it''s also sexy.

    "Much like you," Theo''s voice is the same as in his normal form. "I''m an elemental, Zane. Though you probably also know me by a more public persona: Orwitz, the vigilante. All elementals can shift between the four forms."

    The Patron gave permission for him to reveal that identity of his? Why? And why in front of Lucas, who hates the Patron and will probably quickly realize that my new boyfriend is one of those most valued by him?

    Theo shifts back to his human form, turning around to dress so that he can hide his genitals without Lucas and Zane noticing. Once he''s dressed, he turns back around.

    "As for sensing magic," Theo points at Zane. "You do it subconsciously right now. It''s part of why you''re attracted to Kieran. All elementals have, well, specific tastes. If one is attracted to someone, there''s a good chance all elementals are. If you want, I can teach you how to sense magic while Kieran is training his martial arts with Lucas. That way, you can sense what I sense when I''m around him."

    "If that''s true," Zane narrows his gaze at Theo, but returns to his humanoid form. Or rather, he shifts down to a human form. "Urgh. I hate this form. It explains why we ain''t seeing that bulge, though. I''m going back, it itches."

    He shifts back to his humanoid form.

    "Yeah, it does for some," Theo shrugs. "I''ve never had that issue, fortunately."

    "The power user isn''t so bad," Zane says. "But probably because I''ve gotten a bit used to it. Still itches, though. Yeah. Teach me. If it''s true, then I''ll accept you. I just need to let Master Lusvaris know I won''t be in the session, he''s probably wondering why I''m almost late."

    Zane pulls his clothes back on and grabs his bag, then he and Theo leave, and Lucas clears his throat.

    "He didn''t force himself on you, did he?" Lucas asks.

    "I brought up sex first," I tell Lucas. "And he repeatedly made sure I was okay with things. I do trust him, Lucas. Especially since he''s a vigilante featured on the news a lot."

    "And you trust those ones because they seem to have backing by the Patron," Lucas sighs. "Alright. Let''s get training. But I''m pushing you extra hard from now on just in case."

    I suppress the urge to roll my eyes, then bow and step onto the mats. Lucas begins with a small warmup session, then launches me into the reaction training. It lasts for fifteen minutes and requires me to react in specific ways at specific signals or taps. After that, Lucas begins the session with a small review of everything he''s taught me in martial arts so far, followed by the rest of the session involving me learning and practicing grappling moves.

    The fact that he''s teaching me these, including four moves that don''t need me to grip my opponent''s clothes, tells me he''s focusing on what I should know if someone tries forcing himself on me. The session ends at eight, like usual, and I step off the mats and bow, then go to grab my bag.

    "If they show up while I''m in the showers-" I begin, only for the door to open and Zane and Theo to enter.

    Zane''s gaze moves to me, and his eyes widen in surprise.

    "Whoa," he says. "That is¡­ I''m finding that incredibly sexy."

    "See?" Theo asks.

    "Yeah," Zane looks at Lucas. "Hey, if I found Lucas that attractive before sensing his magic, does that mean you-"

    "Yes," Theo snorts. "I find Lucas quite sexy, Zane."

    "Don''t make a move on him," Zane tells him. "Lucas hates the Patron with a passion."

    "I can hear you," Lucas says.

    "Sure, sure," Zane looks at me again. "Hey, Kieran, I was thinking that since you''ll just be coming over to my place in the morning for that job, anyway, you could stay the night? That way, you don''t have to do that huge-ass walk first thing in the morning."

    He looks at Theo.

    "I won''t make a move on your man," Zane assures him. "I still feel like if I did and he agreed, he''d do so out of a feeling of pressure from knowing how used to sex I am. Though I also don''t steal other guys'' boyfriends, anyway. Shadow Boy doesn''t seem like a poly type of guy, either. Ah! But it would involve snuggling, if you''re okay with that. Kieran''s really nice to snuggle."

    "I can agree with that," Theo says as Lucas gives a small nod in agreement. "I don''t have an issue with that as long as you understand that any unwelcome moves on Kieran will be met with me removing your ability to fuck anyone ever again."

    As an elemental, couldn''t Zane just make a new dick for himself?

    "Understood!"

    He''ll probably remember some other time. Or I''m wrong about this and it''s only adjusting what they already have.

    "You''re cool with it?" I ask.

    "I''m not some protective jackass," Theo flashes a killer smile at me. "I can understand having friends and don''t get jealous just because my man is sleeping at another guy''s apartment. Heck, I don''t get jealous just because they''re snuggling. It''s an understandable desire with someone as cute as you, Kier, and I''m always comfortable in my relationships until I have reason to be suspicious. Since I don''t, I''m not."

    "That''s cool," I say. "Though I probably need to head to my apartment tonight anyway, Zane. I don''t have any clean clothes for tomorrow."

    "You can just steal mine again if you really want," Zane tells me. "And we can toss yours in the washer and dryer like before. And then you can tell me all about the party last night and how this guy got you in bed."

    "Alright," I snort, then give Theo a kiss. "I''m going to go take my shower now. Are you going to wait for me to finish or head out now?"

    "I''ll wait," he tells me. "Give you a better kiss goodbye."

    "Alright," I give him a kiss. "I''ll meet you all downstairs."

    I grab my bag and make my way to the changing rooms, then strip off my clothes and head into the showers. As I scrub myself down, I can''t help but think about Theo outing himself as Orwitz. Lucas and Zane both definitely understood him saying that, which means the Patron allowed it. Why did the Patron let them? How do I ask them not to tell anyone?

    Something to figure out later. For now, I should really scrub this sweat off.

 Chapter 0053

    Zane took off his sweatpants to make breakfast, wearing just an apron as he works. I''m pretty sure it''s not because I''d mentioned Theo cooked in just an apron ¨C Zane is the kind of guy to go nude when he can and he knows I''m fine with it. He probably normally cooks like this when he''s alone or with one of his hookups.

    His movements aren''t as fast as Theo''s, but that''s understandable considering he''s not charged with lightning. Zane is, however, humming as he works, the tune a cheerful one that still has stability to it, Zane bouncing to the beat of it. It''s honestly kind of cute.

    "So, Zane," I say as he starts putting our breakfast ¨C omelets, bacon, and a yogurt mix ¨C on the table. "Now that I''m, y''know, not on the market anymore, what are your plans? Because while Lucas is sexy, I know that there''s no way on Sivalshi you two will be able to tolerate each other in a relationship."

    Though honestly, if I was into poly, they''d probably get along better as boyfriends if we were dating together. Lucas might be starting to accept some things about the Patron, but he still hates the deity too much and still doesn''t like the way Zane acts. Even if he''s begun to calm down on being aggravated by Stoneboy.

    "Hope you two find out you''re better than friends pretty fast," Zane fills two glasses with orange juice, setting one in front of me. "And if not, hope a sexy guy with magic as sexy as yours and Lucas''s and Theo''s shows up soon. And that he''s willing to date me and not just be a quick fling."

    Zane seems pretty serious about that, so I''ll accept it as honesty. He removes his apron and hangs it up, then sits and starts eating. I dig in to the breakfast he prepared for us. Whoever he does get with is a lucky guy, to have someone who can cook as good as Zane.

    I''m still terrible in the kitchen. Me improving might take several years to happen, if I somehow manage to live that long.

    "Breakfast was great," I tell Zane as we finish up.

    "Yeah," he says, sliding his chair back and grabbing dishes. "You can hang out in here until it''s time for the shift in the conference room, but I need to get changed and head down to the front desk. I do have to cover it a little bit before joining you for cleaning the room."

    "I''ll wash the dishes for you," I say.

    "Thanks," he deposits the dishes by the sink, then heads to his bed area.

    I pull on his apron and start washing the dishes. The apron will protect my body against any splashes that happen, so I don''t mind it and I know Zane won''t care that I''ve put it on, though he''d probably be disappointed that I''m still wearing the sweats I borrowed from him rather than going full nude.

    A few minutes pass before I hear choking behind me, and look to find Zane red in the face and clearing his throat. He''s dressed in his work uniform, the brown polo and tan slacks I see him in while he''s on the clock, sneakers on his feet.

    "You okay?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he answers. "It''s just I saw you wearing that and then imagined you doing that naked, and then realized how sexy that would be and started choking on my thoughts."

    Snorting, I turn my attention back to the dishes.

    "See you in a bit," he tells me.

    "See you," I respond, and he leaves.

    I finish washing his dishes, then remove his apron and hang it back up before lounging on the couch for a bit. When it''s time to get ready, I strip off the pants and get dressed in my clothes. Zach brought them up earlier, which is what woke us up. As usual, he tried to make sure I was fine and Zane hadn''t done anything to me.

    After he left, Zane told me that if his magic looked anything like his brother''s, it was no wonder Theo thought he was sexy, too. Then he puffed up his chest and declared he was definitely the sexier Korriska.

    The dork.

    Ready for my shift, I make my way down to the conference room, where Zane is waiting outside of it. It''s nine in the morning now, a full hour after the group was supposed to leave, and they''re still inside, their noise level intense.

    "Let me guess," I say. "This is the worst mess we''ve seen?"

    "Yup," he says. "I swear, they brought in more stuff this time just to spite us."

    "How come you let them stay this long?" I ask. "Don''t you normally not let them wait more than fifteen minutes, with thirty being a rare exception?"

    "Yeah," he grins. "But I''ve got a plan this time, one that will really piss them off."

    "Finally giving them the boot?" I ask.

    "Nah," he answers. "But they''re still going to be pissed by it."

    Zane picks up the air horn, then steps over to the nearby entrance of the conference hall and lets loose that painful sound. Thankfully, I had enough time to cover my ears first, and Zane doesn''t stop blasting it for a full five minutes, resulting in everyone else covering their ears as well.

    "Attention, attention!" He calls out once he stops. "A new policy has been enacted! For every fifteen minutes you are here past the checkout time, you are charged an additional two dollars and fifty cents per person, which is split between the cleaners who handle the room after your session and the company! If it''s not paid before checking out, then you will not be permitted to check in again until the debt has been paid, with a ten-percent interest each day it''s left unpaid!"

    For every fifteen minutes? That''s ten dollars a person per extra hour, and there are two hundred and fifty people here. An extra hour means that they have to pay the same amount that they paid to use the room for thirty-six hours.

    "Hmph!" The woman in charge of this group says. "We''ll note that for next week, Mr. Korriska. Thank you for informing us in advance."

    "I believe," Zane''s smile doesn''t leave his face. "That you signed the paperwork when you signed in! My brother made sure to tell every person checking in Thursday night to review the paperwork as some terms have changed! It''s already in effect! You can pay at the desk downstairs, and failure to do so will incur that interest until the full amount is paid! Thank you and have a good day!"

    She stares at him for several moments, then calls for everyone to leave. Once the entire group has left, Zane grins at me.

    "Their group is the only one we put that clause in for," he tells me. "They''re the only one consistently staying over. By the way ¨C I called Melody during my shift yesterday, and she said that because this fee is being counted as bonus that gets paid to the cleaner or cleaners, it doesn''t count as part of the pay. So we can just pay it to you directly, once the group pays the fee."

    That''s pretty neat. I don''t receive actual bonuses for awhile, and if the group is smart, this time will probably be the only one they ever pay.

    "What happens if they don''t pay it?" I ask.

    "Then they don''t get to use the conference hall again," he answers as we grab trash bags and enter the conference room to get to work. "It''s not as if those kids will be left wanting, though ¨C I did mention before that their families come from apartments with heat. It''s just being used as a way to get rid of them for a couple of nights a week so that the parents can spoil themselves. If the fee isn''t paid for a full month, we''ll send it to a debt collection agency."

    "And if they try bullying their way out of it so that they can keep using the room without paying?" I ask.

    "It''s not like they could actually do anything to us," he shrugs. "If needed, we''ll call the cops. While these are the lower districts, we''re close enough to the middle districts that we get decent response times."

    "Okay."

    Zane and I continue working with small talk made between us, and when it''s near time for us to break for lunch, an older woman clears her throat from one of the doorways. She''s bundled up for the cold, so I''m assuming she came from outside.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    "Rachel!" Zane hops to his feet and approaches her. "Hi!"

    "Wow," she looks at the room. "This is how the previous group leaves it?"

    "It''s worse," he tells her. "Much worse. We''ve already cleaned up most of the trash. You''re a fair bit early, and I don''t see the kids?"

    So this is the woman who runs the next group?

    "Yes," she says. "I had a question for you, and the receptionist at the desk told me you were up here. I didn''t realize you helped clean the rooms."

    "I just help with this particular room after that particular group," he tells her. "They couldn''t answer your question down at the desk?"

    "They said I''d need to ask a manager and sent me up here," she says. "Normally, we just play games with the kids, but I found a great deal on a projector, speakers, and some movies. They work just fine ¨C I checked this the last couple of days ¨C and so I was wondering if we''d be allowed to set it up in here during this. I know the sound might disturb others if we turn it up loud enough to let everyone hear, so I was thinking of having the volume low so that only those interested in watching can do so. If not, we could still use it for games for the kids. I was working on one of them earlier and will have it ready by tonight, if you approve of our use of this."

    "Have you ever heard the other groups before?" Zane asks.

    "No, we haven''t," she answers.

    "The group in the floor above you plays games all Sunday," he informs her. "Including running around. There are only around a hundred people there, so they have more open space to work with. They also have stereo speakers set up throughout the room during. The floors are reinforced well to prevent too much sound from traveling between them. As long as you don''t have it ridiculously loud or aren''t intentionally trying to get the other groups to hear you, you won''t really be heard. You''re free to use that if you wish ¨C part of the reason we charge so much is to help cover additional electricity costs that might be incurred."

    "I did notice in the contract," Rachel says. "That if we use an excessive amount of electricity, we''ll be required to pay an amount equal to thirty percent more than the extra electric bill incurred by our group before we''re allowed to use it again, with interest added every day we don''t."

    "Yeah," Zane scratches the back of his neck. "Your group has never actually used much extra electricity, but years ago, we had a few months where people were running up the bill to the point we almost couldn''t pay anyone for their services, so we started adding in that clause. Normally, we only add clauses to the groups causing the problems warranting the clauses, but there were so many it was added to everyone''s."

    So the addition of that clause to the previous group wasn''t out of the norm for the company. Do they do the same if, say, a group uses the bathrooms too much, resulting in a higher bill for sewer and water?

    "Okay," Rachel says. "Thank you, Zane. I just wanted to make sure of this first."

    Zane thinks for a few moments, then chuckles.

    "A little-known thing about the fees," he says. "If you have a group of two hundred and fifty, the limit, then you''re paying enough that you can actually have ten slow cookers running almost the entire time, along with probably ten to fifteen of those drinks heaters for coffee or cocoa or whatever."

    "Really?" Rachel seems surprised.

    "Yeah," he answers. "A general rule of thumb to think of is one large slow cooker ¨C the kind you might cook a turkey in ¨C per twenty-five people and one drinks boiler for every twenty to twenty-five. Don''t worry about leaving a scent behind ¨C we do scent bombs in any rooms that have a smell before the next group begins. That''s why this one always smells nice when your group finally arrives."

    "You know," Rachel says. "I''ve wanted to ask about slow cookers and water pots before, but figured it wasn''t allowed due to the cost."

    "It''s allowed," he says. "You just have to be mindful of how many you do else you''ll drive the bill up too high and have to pay extra."

    "Thanks for letting me know," she says, then looks at me. "Do you clean this room after my group as well?"

    "No," I answer. "I only come in for this one particular shift to help Zane. Zane takes care of what you don''t. He says your group leaves it so clean, all he really needs to do is a couple of quick things."

    "We do our best to respect the place," she tells me. "They''re being courteous to us, after all."

    "Yeah," Zane hums to himself for a moment. "Actually, since I''m the one who cleans this room after your group, there''s no cleaning fee that we have to incur. We can increase the threshold of the electricity bill for your group a little bit more. If you bring in a couple of extra slow cookers or water pots, it won''t be a trouble. That would help feed that many kids better."

    "Thank you," she says. "Since I know about this now, I''ll see if we can get some stuff for that. It might not be much today, but I''m sure the kids will enjoy being able to have a hot meal and some cocoa."

    "Stews work great," I tell her. "Rather than cooking something like a whole turkey. Or do roast pig or beef. Something that actually fills up the pot''s space, rather than leaving lots of extra space. But if you do that, you might want to bring rolls as well, so that the kids can wipe up the liquids a bit easier."

    "That''s a good idea," she nods. "Thanks."

    "Were you planning on just projecting onto the wall directly?" Zane asks.

    "Yes," Rachel answers.

    "If you have a white sheet," he tells her. "The image will be cleaner for them. Rig it up on a frame that folds to fit through the doorways and stand it up against one wall, and boom, clean image. We can even store it here for you ¨C we do charge an extra fee to store things, though."

    "I''ll talk with the other parents and grandparents helping with this," Rachel says. "See if we can''t figure something out for that. Thank you so much, Zane."

    "No worries," he smiles. "Your group is my favorite, so I''m glad to work with you. Your kids are always so polite, too."

    "We do our best," she smiles. "I should be going now so that we can get a few more things for the kids before our session tonight. See you tomorrow, Zane."

    "See you," he says.

    "Enjoy your night," she tells me, then leaves.

    "How many groups use the slow cookers?" I ask.

    "There hasn''t been one in about five years," he tells me. "I think we actually have some in storage, too. I''ll ask Zach to check when we go to leave for training. Since Rachel and her group are so nice, it probably won''t be an issue to let them use some we have in storage so that they don''t need to buy as many."

    "That''s nice," I say. "You know, when you told me she was ''nice'', I''d assumed you meant lower-districts ''nice''. Not actually polite and kind and considerate of things."

    "Right?" He laughs. "It''s always a surprise. She''s like the grandma everyone should have."

    "You knew yours, right?" I ask.

    "For a bit, yeah," he nods. "You?"

    "All of my grandparents were dead before I was born," I shake my head. "I think my brothers might have known one of them, but I''m not sure."

    And since my brothers and parents are dead, I can''t really ask them what my grandparents were like, now that I''m old enough to wonder. Great, now I''m thinking about my family again.

    "Hey," Zane steps over and gives me a hug. "Just remember that even if you''re the only one left, Kieran, you''ve still got friends. And now a boyfriend, I guess. And a couple of boys to fall back on if that one fails. Make sure to pick me over Lucas if that happens."

    "Thanks," I snort. "I''ll keep that in mind. Let''s get back to work, yeah? Else your brother might get the wrong idea when he brings up the pizza you ordered."

    "How did you know I ordered pizza?" Zane takes a step back, eyes wide with shock.

    "It was a guess until just now," I chuckle. "Let''s get back to work. We''ve got a lot left to do before five."

    "I might try to convince Zach to help us for a bit," Zane tells me. "At least once we finish sorting out the trash. Might be able to convince him to work on the chairs, he''s a bit of a clean freak and won''t want to join us on the ground for scrubbing the carpet."

    That might actually be to avoid comments from you.

    "Alright," I chuckle, then hold out a trash bag. "Here you go, Zane. Do plastics for that one."

    "Will do, sir!"

    Rolling my eyes, I return to picking up trash and sorting it into the bags I have set out already, Zane getting to work looking for plastic to pitch into his bag. This previous group¡­ is Zane trying to find a replacement group before actually banning them? Is that why he hasn''t banned them yet? If so, that''s kind of smart, since it means they''ll still have the income from that session after.

    The new clause in their contract might be because a potential group has been found, and the Korriskas want to try to get this group to leave on their own. If it is, then I''ll probably find out soon if it worked or not.

    Though it also means I''ll probably lose out on this income after, but depending on the pay for being a guardian, it might not be so bad.

    "You know," I say. "I''m actually starting to get nervous."

    "About what?" Zane asks.

    "The job," I tell him. "I mean, I know everyone says it''s basically a guaranteed thing, but still. That doesn''t mean the nerves are going away anytime soon. What if I get my hopes up like everyone says I should, and then find out I didn''t make the cut?"

    "Tell you what," he grins. "Since you''re finding out the same day I get to tell them I still want to whether or not you get the offer, let''s do a big celebration on Saturday, whether or not you get the offer, because at least you tried, right? We can invite Todd and Danny ¨C maybe not Todd, since he''s normally working during that time. And if you''re still with Theo, you can invite him, too. And Lucas will be there, of course."

    "Of course," I snort. "Thanks, Zane. That doesn''t relieve the anxiety, though."

    "Of course not," he grins. "Just remember that you did put in the effort, Kieran. Anytime you start to feel anxious and nervous over it, just remember that they''d be a fool not to take on someone as dedicated as you. Even if they do end up rejecting you, there are other places that will want to hire someone with your talent ¨C and some of them will definitely pay for a specialized spellsuit that will go with you when you shadow-walk, regardless of whether or not you can bring it along with you or not."

    That''s actually a good point, and it makes me feel much better. While I''d much rather become a Sivalshi Guardian, there are other jobs that will probably want to hire me once they find out I can teleport, even if it''s only short-range. It''s also possible that if I fail now, I''ll get an opportunity again in the future due to this power.

    Then there''s the fact that there seems to be a job the Patron wants me to do right away. Does that really increase the chances of me getting in, despite how weak I am? I''m still confused by that. But I''ll take Zane''s advice for now and try not to worry too much. It''s better for my mental health, anyway.

    "Thanks, Zane," I tell him. "That actually does help a bit."

    "That''s what friends are for!" He grins. "Now let''s get to work, Shadow Boy! I ain''t paying you to laze around!"

    "Says the guy who''s making a tower out of trash."

    "I''m bored!"

 Chapter 0054

    "You really pushed me hard today," I tell Lucas as I return to the barrier.

    "Yeah," he says. "You''re getting close to the point where you find out if you got the job or not. Since today''s skill training today, it was good to push you hard. You''re getting closer to being able to catch a ball. Maybe another week or two, which will be good. If you''re able to catch a ball ¨C or at least, touch one consistently ¨C then you''re going to do decently trying to catch someone who''s running away. You''ve also improved rather decently in how quick your shadow-walks are. Maybe another month or two, and it''ll be instant. This is definitely your strongest ability."

    "Thanks," I climb over the barrier

    Lucas looking at the boner that resulted from pushing my powers in the skill training today before quickly snapping his gaze to mine, cheeks slightly red. It''s nice to know he appreciates it but still makes the effort to not look too long once it attracts his attention.

    "Monday," he says. "And Wednesday, I''ll teach you some knife work, Kieran. I meant to do so Friday, but, um, got a little bothered and went to grappling instead."

    "I might need that skill," especially since I''m probably going to be an assassin if I do get accepted as a guardian. "But do you think I''ll have the necessary skill soon enough with just two lessons?"

    "Some of your martial arts stuff translates over," Lucas assures me. "And they''ll probably not put you to work immediately but have you shadow someone instead ¨C no pun intended. You''ll probably have at least one to three additional months after signing the contract before you''re actually working on your own and needing the full skills. So we have time to get you past the basics."

    Would he say the same if he knew that job was being a guardian and this is the observation period? He seems to be thinking over something, though I know it''s unrelated to that.

    "To be honest," he tells me. "You actually picked up martial arts well. If you took the test on Thursday, chances are good you could pass the test for the facility''s blue belt. As I mentioned before, we only put time limits on the black belt ranks and base the others on skill. You might reach purple in another month or two, passing brown probably another month or two after, and black within eight to ten months from the start, if you continue to show this much dedication. After that, we do require a minimum amount of time regardless of skill level."

    "What''s the fastest you''ve had someone reach black belt?" I ask.

    "Four months," he answers. "It''s only happened a couple of times, though. The main reason it will take you as long as it will is because you''re building up strength, agility, and reflexes pretty much from none. Your body seems to have good muscle memory, though, which is neat. Zane and I are the same way, actually."

    "Neat," I say. "I''m going to go take a shower, then I''ll meet you and Zane in the lobby. Before I go, though, I wanted to ask something about Zane."

    "You know my thoughts on him."

    "I don''t, really," I lean against the barrier. "That''s what I wanted to ask, actually. Just like with what happened after I snapped at you over your views regarding the Patron and your hypocrisy, you''ve been different about Zane ever since I snapped at you over him. You actually make an effort to retort and not get aggravated over his antics now, and while you do still hold some suspicion about him, you''re much nicer about it. So I''ve been wondering what you''re actually thinking of him now."

    Lucas is quiet as he thinks over my statement. It takes him a bit, and when he finally responds, it''s not what I expected.

    "I think the kiss affected me just as much," he admits. "I actually liked it, and found myself¡­ wanting more of it? The fact that Zane hasn''t really teased me about it supports what you told me, too. Actually, I don''t think he''s really brought it up at all, which isn''t really like the view of him I had."

    "You actually liked kissing Zane?" I ask, more than surprised by that.

    "Yeah, but I still find him an irritating brat," Lucas states. "So no dating going on there. Not unless he matures up."

    "Your views on the Patron would have to change, too," I say.

    "They''re probably not going to shift much more than they have," Lucas tells me. "I''ve accepted that he''s employed vigilantes, but I still don''t agree with your reasoning on why he doesn''t do more. If he''s here to protect us, he needs to go all the way, not half-ass it, and-"

    Lucas stops and takes a deep breath, closing his eyes until he''s finished.

    "Look," he says. "I still want to date you, Kieran. I''m kind of upset you went with someone you just met, but I''m sure you have reasons you didn''t tell me, other than him being your vigilante sexual fantasy. But I know it won''t work out as long as our views on the Patron differ. That''s why I''ve tried to see it from your point of view, and I really can''t. Not all the way.

    "I''m still thinking about things, though," he tells me. "More about the vigilantes than anything, though. I still think the Patron is a giant ass. You were right in that I was a hypocrite, and I''m trying to change that. Maybe I can even make a change in things now that I''m hitting the news. So if things don''t work out with Theo¡­ I want to give it a try with you, okay?"

    "We''ll have to see," I say. "Zane does have values that align better with mine. Anyway, I''m going to go scrub off the sweat, Zane''s probably going to wonder what''s taking so long if we take too much longer."

    "See you down there," Lucas nods.

    I grab my bag and head to the showers, and once I finish mine, I step out and return to the bench I''d stuck my bag on, only to find a turtle chilling beside my bag. This is the first time I''ve come across one while naked.

    Keeping my gaze on the turtle, I grab my phone from my bag, then take a picture of the turtle. I set my phone down and start getting dressed, and when I look at where the turtle was, it''s gone. Just like normal. How long is the Patron going to continue to screw with me for trying to talk with Sivalshi?

    After I finish dressing and pull on my hoodie, jacket, and gloves, I pull on my bag and head out to meet with Lucas and Zane. When I arrive in the lobby, I find Theo there as well.

    "Hey, Kier," he greets me with a kiss. "Just finished a shift a few minutes ago, thought I''d see if you wanted to spend the night again tonight."

    In other words, he''s horny and knows I probably am, too.

    "Actually," I say. "I have to work at Lenny''s in the morning, which is in the opposite direction of here from my apartment. That walk would be rather bad, so I''ll be staying at my apartment tonight."

    "Lenny''s is that burger place that Danny works at, right?" He asks.

    "Yeah," I nod.

    "I remembered right," he looks pleased with himself. "In that case, mind if I join you for dinner tonight? Lucas and Zane said you three always go out for a big dinner after a harsher training on Saturdays."

    "If they''re okay with it," I look at Lucas and Zane.

    "He''s used his powers probably more than we did," Lucas says. "Sure. But he''s paying for his own food."

    "I''ll pay for Kieran''s, too," Theo says.

    "Let''s go," I say before Lucas and Zane can try to argue with him over that. "And thanks, Theo."

    "You''re welcome," he gives me another kiss, and Zane makes a noise of mock disgust. "Jealous, much?"

    "You bet!" Zane responds, causing us to laugh.

    We leave the training center and make our way to the diner. There''s only two other customers in here tonight, an elderly couple sitting at one end of the diner. We take a booth at the other end of it, Zane and Lucas sitting together because Theo and I slide in on the same side together.

    "How are you boys tonight?" Sandy asks, eyeing Theo. "And hello, sir! I don''t think I''ve seen you before."

    "I''m Theo," Theo introduces himself. "Kieran and I just started dating a couple of days ago, so you wouldn''t have."

    "Well, it''s nice to meet you," she says. "Do you boys want your usual?"

    "Yes," Lucas answers.

    "Whatever it is, I''ll have it, too," Theo says.

    "We also have lemons and oranges again," Sandy informs us. "Do you boys want the twist?"

    "Yeah," I answer. "Thanks, Sandy."

    "I''ll be back with those in just a few," she says, then walks to the back to put in our orders.

    "They seem to be producing a lot of those lately," Lucas says. "That''s pretty weird. How are there still so many to harvest and spread to areas like here?"

    "The Patron is expending some of his power," Theo says. "To make the farms a bit more bountiful right now, due to the entry into the frost zone. It''s an effort to lower prices a little bit so that more people can afford to eat to have energy to help them get through the cold times."Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    "Should''ve known he''s a Patron supporter," Lucas mutters. "Do you really think the Patron would do something like that?"

    "Uh, yeah," Theo answers. "My family actually work on the farms. I grew up there, and got lucky with the vigilante gig. Someone sponsored me after finding out my powers so that I could get the suit and do good work. If my parents tell me that the Patron is doing that, then I''ll believe it. He''s already ensuring we aren''t affected by Sivalshi''s movements, you know. Those jolts are abnormal enough that he probably didn''t expect them. But we haven''t felt them in a bit, so he''s probably begun shielding us again. That, or managed to convince Sivalshi not to do it."

    "I didn''t know you were a dome boy," I say.

    "Born and raised," he grins. "I only moved out once I could afford it, but I do still stop in from time to time to help my family out, when work doesn''t need me too much. The increase in produce actually surprised me, so I''d asked my parents about it, and that''s how I found out the Patron was using his power to increase the bounties without negatively affecting the plants. They said he promised to keep it up throughout the time we''re in the freezing times so that the prices can drop down a bit and stay dropped down, as I''d said."

    Lucas grumbles something under his breath that I don''t catch, probably a complaint about the Patron. That''s interesting to know, though. I wasn''t aware the Patron could do things like that, but it''s neat that he can and is willing to do that extra step. Just how much does it cost him to do that, though?

    Unlike Lucas, I do believe there''s a limit to his powers. It must tax him in order to increase the bounties of the farms. To do so for an extended period of time, such as however long we''ll be in the frost zone, might drain him pretty hard, too.

    Sandy soon returns with our drinks, and our food a few minutes after that. The four of us chat a bit as we eat, though I''m reminded near the end of our meal that today falls into a pattern.

    "Damn," Theo mutters while looking at the TV, and I look at the screen.

    "The twelfth victim," I shake my head. "How long before he''s stopped?"

    "No clue," Theo says. "We''ve been trying to find him, and we know a certain new vigilante is looking for him-" he looks at Lucas to say he''s aware of who Lumilxal is. "-but we''re struggling. Even the guardians are apparently having a difficult time with it."

    "The guardians?" Lucas snorts. "As if the Patron''s sent them after him."

    "They''re the ones who got some of us vigilantes involved," Theo says. "Contrary to popular belief, the Patron isn''t all-knowing."

    Theo''s tone suggests he''s frustrated by the Patron''s lack of ability to locate the Blond Boy Basher. Wisely, Lucas decides not to get into an argument with my boyfriend over Theo''s statement. It would be three against one, anyway.

    "Hey, they''ve switched off of him," I say. "Seems we''re to expect snow next Friday or Saturday."

    "Snow?" Everyone perks up and looks at the TV, even Sandy, who was approaching probably to check on us.

    "For the first time in years," the weatherman is saying. "There''s an expectation of snow to fall here in Sivalshi City. If Sivalshi continues on his current path, then our prediction has us meeting the snow front next Friday, with a chance of snow either then or on Saturday. Unfortunately, we''re unable to predict how much snow might fall, but we do recommend bundling up if you can if you need to go out, and to avoid going out if you can. Conditions shouldn''t be as bad as after the freezing rain we had the other day, but caution is still advised."

    "You know," Lucas says. "In the Old Society, they could predict the snowfall rather easily. Nowadays, though, technology is set back a small bit and our predictions aren''t as easy to make due to the monsters interfering in our attempts to set up more consistent systems."

    "You mean sending satellites up?" Theo asks. "The ones from back then are all out of commission now, and yeah, it''s not easy trying to get a new one up in orbit. I did hear a group on a skybeast is trying and might have one up in the next few years, but there''s nothing solid about that. It might fail just as all others have."

    "I wish them luck," Lucas says.

    "So do I," Sandy says. "How do you boys want to split the checks?"

    "I''m paying for Kieran and I," Theo tells her.

    "I''m paying for Zane and me," Lucas says.

    "I ain''t gonna protest that!" Zane grins. "Thanks, Lucas!"

    "I''ll have those out in just a few minutes, boys," Sandy says. "But don''t rush finishing."

    We thank her and she leaves, then we return to eating our dinner. After we finish we sit and talk for a few minutes, Theo stating that he definitely enjoyed it and can see why we have that for dinner after pushing ourselves in power training.

    "It''s my turn to walk him home," Zane tells Lucas after we leave the diner. "Thanks for dinner, Lucas!"

    "Is it okay if I walk you home?" Theo asks me. "I have some business in that area to take care of, anyway, and I kind of like taking walks with my boyfriend."

    Business?

    "Sure," I say. "Thanks for the offer, Zane, but Theo''ll walk me home tonight."

    Zane pouts, and Lucas puts an arm across his shoulders, saying that if he really wants to walk someone home, he can walk Lucas home.

    "Or you can walk me home," Zane says as they set off. "It''s closer, you know."

    Theo waits until they''re gone, then gives me a raised eyebrow.

    "They''re not going to hook up," I say. "Lucas is just¡­ starting to accept Zane a bit more. He might be wanting to talk with Zane about you, too. Come on."

    Theo grabs my hand and we begin walking, our breath fogging on the air, no words said between us as we make the trip to my apartment. Even without talking, the walk is actually quiet, though I can feel Theo''s energy. He''s sort of buzzing a bit, even if not literally. Despite having burned up a lot of energy earlier, he''s already recovered a bit.

    We''re near my apartment when Theo stops walking and looks at me.

    "Do you mind if we do my business first?" He asks. "It shouldn''t take more than a couple of minutes, and we can do it right here."

    "It''s not, uh, violent, is it?" I ask. "Uh, relating to-"

    "No, and sort of," he says.

    "Sure," I shrug. "Are you allowed to do it with me here?"

    "Yeah," he answers. "The Patron actually told me to do it if I ever walked you here."

    That kind of makes me worried, actually.

    "Oh."

    "Hello, Sovirna," Theo turns his gaze up to the roof of a building. "Why don''t you come down here?"

    A few seconds pass before Sovirna drops off the roof and approaches us, the hair of her wig flowing back a little in the wind that''s beginning to pick up right now. Her steps are swift but strict, giving her the appearance of an angry vigilante on a mission to kill. Please tell me Theo was serious about it not being violent. Please.

    "Hello, Theo," Sovirna says, her voice distorted by the filter she uses. "It has been awhile."

    "It has," he looks at me. "Do you mind giving us a small bit of privacy? It''ll only take a minute or two."

    "Sure," I say, and he gives me a kiss before I take a few steps back.

    Theo and Sovirna talk for a few minutes, too low for me to understand from here, then Sovirna leaves and Theo returns to me, giving me another kiss as he takes my hand again.

    "Sorry about that," he says. "Let''s go get warm."

    "My apartment doesn''t have a heater."

    "You don''t turn it on?"

    "It doesn''t exist."

    "Damn," he says. "And you sleep like that every night?"

    "It''s not bad when bundled up," I shrug. "Though I feel like I haven''t actually slept at home half the time the last week or so. Now that I think about it, that might actually be why Zane had me sleep over last night. He and Lucas really don''t want me sleeping in my apartment anymore, since it doesn''t have heat at all."

    "I can understand that," Theo says as we reach the apartment building I live in. "Mind if I stay over, then? Two bodies under the blankets make for warmer temperatures, you know."

    "I''m not going to refuse that," I snort as we enter. "Let''s check the mail, then head up."

    Theo follows me into the mail room, and I check the mailbox before leading him up to my apartment, no mail for me today.

    "You weren''t kidding about it being freezing in here," Theo exhales, watching his breath fog the air. "How do they get away with no heat?"

    "It''s legal," I shrug. "And part of the reason the rent is as low as it is. I was actually able to afford all my bills this month, fortunately. Even if the Patron decides not to offer it to me on Thursday or Friday, I''ve had enough positives since he started this to make up for it. I''ll just have to work my ass off to get those bills paid."

    "You know," Theo says. "I know we only just started dating, but you''re more than welcome to stay at my place instead. I''ll be much warmer. And if we decided to just be friends after living with each other a bit and you don''t want to stay at my apartment, you should accept the offer from Lucas or Zane. The Patron said that we''re likely to stay in the frost zone for over a year, possibly two or three."

    "He what?" I ask.

    "Yep," Theo says. "We finally managed to get that out of him. This morning."

    "Why the sudden change?" I ask. "The Patron''s always kept Sivalshi somewhere decent for us. Where the most we had to deal with was a bit of a chill in winter."

    "He didn''t say," Theo tells me. "We''ll probably find out eventually. Our theory is that there''s a powerful demon that got loose and we can''t handle it, but it doesn''t go to freezing areas, so the Patron had Sivalshi to come here until it''s gone or dealt with by someone capable."

    That''s frightening, and I hope that whatever''s going on, it ends soon so that we can return to warmth.

    "That''s a new blanket," I realize something.

    "What?" Theo asks as I walk over to my bed and pick up both of the new blankets.

    "There are two new blankets," I smell them. "This one smells like Zane''s laundry detergent, while this one smells like Lucas''s. Lucas must have dropped them off without telling me, so that I''m warmer when I''m here."

    "That''s nice of him," Theo says. "Did you know that you''re the only potential guardian or vigilante in the last six years who hasn''t put in that ear comm?"

    "The ear comm?" I ask.

    "The one that came with the notice?" He says.

    "I actually completely forgot about it," I feel my cheeks heat up a little in embarrassment. "I''d assumed it was how I''d be contacted when it was time to make the offer or tell me I didn''t make the cut and then just¡­ forgot."

    "It''s actually the Patron screwing with people," he tells me. "Most potentials get curious and put it in early just to see what happens if they try."

    "What happens?" I ask.

    "It''s linked to a children''s radio station," he tells me. "So you get to listen to whatever is being broadcast at the time. No one''s figured out why the Patron does it, just like with many things."

    "Oh," I say. "Let me thank them for the blankets."

    I pull out my phone and slip off my gloves, my fingers freezing pretty fast as I type out the thanks. Lucas responds first, followed by Zane.

    You''re welcome. I hope it keeps you warmer when you sleep there.

    I bet you''re going to snuggle your boyfriend under them.

    Snorting, I empty my pockets out onto my dresser, then look at Theo.

    "Feel free to join me under the blankets," I tell him, then remove my shoes.

    Theo empties out his pockets onto the coffee table, then removes his shoes and joins me on my bed as I pull the blankets over us. Those combined with my layers make me really warm, really fast, so I work off my jacket and toss it off the bed.

    "You know," Theo murmurs. "We could probably go naked under here and still be warm, as long as we keep the blankets wrapped around us. There''s enough layers there for that."

    While I know he might be hoping for more than just snuggling together and sharing warmth, he does has a point. The new blankets are thick and the layers retain the heat well. Keeping under the blanket, I remove my clothes, tossing them off onto the floor at the foot of the bed. Theo only has on sweatpants and a hoodie, and those come off quickly, then he''s pressed against me from behind, holding me tight. To keep our heads warm in this cold, I pull the blankets up over them. While I''ve never slept like this before, I''m sure we''ll be fine.

    "Much better," he murmurs. "Are you comfortable?"

    For a few moments, I think about whether or not I''m comfortable, then move down and adjust the arm that''s under the pillow so that I can use it as a pillow, his dick pressed against my ass.

    "Very comfortable," I answer, and he chuckles in response. "Wake me how you want, Theo, but I''m too exhausted for anything right now."

    "Got it," he holds me tight. "Night, Kier."

    "Night, Sparky."

 Chapter 0055

    "Attention, citizens!" The man calls out to the crowd of around thirty people who have gathered around him. "The time to act is now! We must petition the leaders of this city for change! For those who don''t, we must petition for them to step down, have them replaced with people who are more interested in the true betterment of our city!"

    He''s dressed in a fine suit, his hands covered in warm gloves, a black scarf around his neck and a black woolen cap atop his head, keeping his ears warm as he speaks. He has two people accompanying him, a woman in her early twenties, and a man in his late forties, both bundled up just as well.

    Theo and I stop to watch and listen. The guardians and vigilantes dealt with the group I''d encountered before, back when Isaac handled the situation. Is this remnants of it? A revival? Something different?

    "You see," the speaker says. "They are reliant on the Patron. They trust in the Patron and believe that in the end, all things will work out for us. Because of that, they have grown lax. But! Does the Patron stop the plague that kills our people? Does he stop mass murderers from continuing their jobs? How safe are our streets truly?"

    I look at Theo, questioning, and he shakes his head. He doesn''t know who this guy is or what group he''s from.

    "Most of you dislike power users," the speaker says. "Or don''t believe they exist. I assure you, power users do exist, and those vigilantes you hear of truly do possess powers. They take to the streets in an effort to make things safer, and it''s easy to tell who sold their souls to the Patron by how much media coverage they receive and how positively they''re portrayed.

    "But there are many who don''t," the speaker says. "Many vigilantes who take to the streets to protect people, and they are punished by the law for doing so. Why? Why do only some suffer from the laws while others do not? We must change this!

    "I am part of an organization," the speaker says. "Who is pushing for this change. Remove those who follow the Patron from authority and implement new rules. Create an enforcement force of power users. Let them roam more freely and enforce the law, truly making the streets safer for us.

    "For now," he continues. "We have claimed a district all our own. There, we are recognized as our own authority, police the streets on our own. Crime rate is lower than anywhere else, and we are expanding our domain. Right now, we are accepting entry to anyone who can meet certain qualifications, regardless of which district they come from, regardless of their income. We have jobs, food, and warmth. We will protect you against the cold, and if you hold powers but hide them in fear, you will have no reason to do so in our territory."

    "Come on," Theo tugs on my hand, leading me away from the crowd.

    "At least he''s not trying to cause a riot," I say. "Just a change, but no anarchy. That''s at least a change."

    "He works for Norman Whitehall," Theo tells me. "The Patron has tentatively allowed them to use that district without issue. They''re actually gathering power users in an attempt to overthrow the government and the guardians, but disguising it as just attempting to create a new society within our city."

    "And the Patron''s letting it go?" I ask.

    "There are a few reasons for it," Theo says. "Two main ones, though. First, let it build up until they''re going to actually do it, then wipe out everyone at once. That way, we quickly reduce the population of those who would try it or revive it and send a message stating that we could have done it at any point."

    Brutal, but efficient. Some groups will probably try to use that as a reason to challenge the Patron and overthrow the guardians, but others will see it as a statement of power. Theo''s right ¨C if the group has fully gathered up and is put down rather fast when they go to act, then it''s a show of might. A statement that it could have happened at any time and the Patron let it get to that point.

    "Second," Theo hesitates on this one. "Norman Whitehall would probably survive the fighting."

    "He''s a power user?" I ask.

    "No," he answers. "But he has a powerful bodyguard. We never received external confirmation, but the Patron says the guy''s power is super strength, super speed, and nigh-invulnerability to the point that even Isaac wouldn''t manage to take him down. The guy could take an attack from the most powerful power user in the city as a shield. He''s proven himself able to stop bullets ¨C some idiot tried assassinating Whitehall from a distance and the bodyguard caught the bullet."

    Did¡­ did Theo just say the bodyguard caught a bullet?

    "So the Patron is looking for someone who can counter him," I say.

    "Someone who can counter him and would make for a good Sivalshi Guardian," Theo corrects. "The Patron said right now, he has his eye on one particular person, but won''t say who it is. Judging by his comments the last few years, the power user is too young for the cut."

    "And unlike with me," I say. "I guess there''s not a need for that particular power right away, since Whitehall isn''t acting on his secret plans yet."

    "Correct," Theo says. "So we''ll probably have to wait until he or she is twenty-one, whenever that will be."

    "Okay," I say. "We''re here."

    "Neat," he says. "I''ll walk you in."

    True to his word, Theo walks me in to the restaurant, which is empty save for Danny at the register right now.

    "Hey, Kier!" Danny greets me, looking at Theo. "This the stud?"

    "I didn''t call him a stud," I roll my eyes.

    "Nice to meet you, Danny," Theo says. "Kieran''s mentioned you a fair bit in our chats."

    "Everything bad and nothing good, right?" Danny grins.

    "He said you''re a major fan of vigilantes and the guardians," Theo says. "Who''s your favorite?"

    As they chat, I head to the back and remove my jacket and hoodie, then pull on the apron and hat and get to work checking on the stock of food already prepared for customers. Theo leaves after a few minutes, telling me he''ll see me after my shift ends, then Danny gives me a knowing look.

    "The way you''re walking says you had fun last night," he tells me.

    "Not last night," I snort. "It was this morning, and it was a fair bit awkward to do it completely under the blankets. I think I''m taking the guys up on their offers and once the three shifts here this week are done, spending the night in a warm apartment."

    "Neat," Danny says. "Oh! Good news! Not for you, I guess, but for the restaurant! We finally replaced those two idiots, the new guys are getting trained Friday and Saturday, so we won''t be calling in and asking for you again. Bad news for you, since you won''t have those three shifts, but you probably know why that makes me happy."

    "Yeah," I snort. "And it''s all good, Danny. It''s good you guys are getting actual employees to cover these shifts again. I''m sure Melody will have at least one job for me during that time. Though if I get the job I''m going for, I might not need to work through the agency anymore."

    Which will be a shame, really. I finally get a good job placement agent, and I''ll be saying goodbye to her after only a month. If I do end up not needing the extra jobs, I''ll make sure to send Melody a gift basket. Hell, I might send her one anyway just for being great.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Danny and I start chatting, working when there are customers and work to do, and he reveals that he''s begun playing the game that Zane''s been sending out invites to. Mostly because he got curious after the eighteenth one Zane sent and gave it a try, then found himself addicted.

    "Have a good day," Danny tells me once my shift ends and I''ve gotten ready to go. "See you tomorrow!"

    "See you, Danny," I wave to him, then leave the building, meeting Theo on the street. He gives me a soft kiss. "Hey, Theo."

    "Let''s go get something to eat," he tells me. "You''re probably hungry."

    "Are you going to do this every day?" I ask.

    "If you''re good with it," he tells me. "I don''t have any missions right now, so I can spend the time with you."

    "What about as a vigilante?"

    "We mostly make our own shifts," he tells me as he takes my hand, then begins walking. "I''m taking a break between parts of it right now."

    "So you were doing stuff before you came here?" I ask.

    "Broke up three fights and stopped a robbery already," he chuckles. "I''m hoping the rest of the shift isn''t as eventful."

    "Good luck," I tell him.

    "Thanks," he responds. "So I was wondering, Kier, what you thought about my offer? To come stay with me once your shifts at Lenny''s finish."

    "I''ll take you up on it," I tell him. "It would be nice, and the sex would be a fair bit less awkward."

    "Yeah, this morning was a fun one," he chuckles, then turns more serious for a moment. "Would you mind if I spent the night again tonight? And tomorrow night, too? Then after your shift on Tuesday, we can move your clothes to my apartment, and anything else you want to bring."

    "Sure," I say. "Having you keeping me warm in that freezing apartment would be amazing. I did have a question, though, and it''s okay if you say no."

    Having someone with me at night really works wonders for keeping me from getting depressed and feeling alone as I try to sleep.

    "What''s up?" He asks.

    "On Wednesday mornings," I say. "I go to the movies with Lucas. I know part of it was him wanting to try to romance me, but part of it''s because he''s grumpy when he wakes up if he''s not getting some, and he likes to go to the movies. So I act as his voice so that he doesn''t blow up on the people at the theater or the restaurant he goes to after. It''s a recent thing, but-"

    "You''re wondering if I''m fine with that," he shrugs. "They''re not dates, so it''s not a problem."

    "Actually," I say. "I was going to say that I tend to fall asleep snuggled against him in the theater. He really likes horror movies, and I really hate them, so I put in earplugs and sleep to avoid being subjected to it, but still give him that presence and help he needs to not snap at anyone and everyone."

    "Oh," he says. "Is it comfy?"

    "Yeah."

    "Go ahead," he says. "He seems like the kind of guy who''d respect you''re in a relationship and won''t try to make it more than that."

    "Thanks," I say. "And something else I just thought of, but would you have an issue with me spending the night at his place or Zane''s the night before hanging out with them?"

    "You mean Tuesdays and Wednesdays?" He asks.

    "Yeah."

    "Not at all," he answers. "They''re friends who were taking care of you already, and it''s not like I own you. I trust you enough to be confident that it will be just hanging out and sleeping, with nothing more than that happening."

    "Awesome," I say. "Because Zane will probably want to now that I''ve done it once, even if that was for work, and Lucas will want to compete with him over that even though they both know I''m dating now. But they''d both be hesitant to ask because I''m dating now."

    "During dinner yesterday," Theo says. "Zane mentioned celebrating him getting the job and you possibly getting the job?"

    "Erm, yeah," I say. "He was given a similar offer as the Patron made for me, but his was just ''we''ll give you a month to think about if you want to be a security guard for us'', since they know he''s happy with his job right now. That way, he can also train someone to replace him if needed, too. He''s supposed to find out¡­ Thursday? That''s the thirty-day mark, but it might be Friday, since that''s the one-month mark for him. Hey ¨C what''s mine?"

    "Friday," Theo answers. "The day after the thirty-day mark. That''s the standard. You get thirty days to prove yourself, and then the next day is when you find out if you get it or not."

    "Okay," I say. "So I can expect to find out Friday sometime."

    "Probably the morning," he tells me. "That''s when it normally happens."

    "I''ll make sure to let Melody know I won''t be available, then," I tell him. "I didn''t think about it when Isaac was telling me about the stuff at the halfway point."

    "He was supposed to mention that," Theo snorts. "I guess his nerves over finally speaking with you again got to him and he forgot about it."

    "Maybe," I shrug. "Anyway, as I was saying, Zane said he''s accepting for sure once they ask him if he wants to. So he wants to celebrate that on Saturday. If I get the offer, then we''ll celebrate that, too. If I don''t, then we''ll just celebrate his new job."

    "Okay," Theo says. "Let''s try a restaurant in this building here, I''ve heard good things about a few of them from local vigilantes."

    "Alright," I say.

    Theo leads me into the building, then takes me up to the seventh floor, where we''re seated quickly, only a few other customers here at this time in the afternoon. We wait until after we''ve placed our orders to continue our conversation.

    "Zane invited me to the celebration," Theo tells me. "I was thinking, why not invite everyone back to my apartment? We aren''t banned from having normies and civilians there, and it might give those two a reassurance after spending the night once."

    "If you want to," I say. "It''s your apartment, and Zane might go nuts in excitement."

    "Probably," he chuckles. "I''ll do that, then. Will your other friends be there?"

    "Danny''s already accepted the invitation," I say. "Zane asked me to text Todd, who said he''d have to see if he can take off that evening or work an earlier shift."

    "They can come, too," Theo tells me.

    "Alright," I say. "I''ll tell Lucas, Zane, and Todd at the center tonight, since I''ll see them then, and let Danny know at work tomorrow."

    "Thanks," he says. "What are you training today? Martial arts?"

    "I do those on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays," I tell him. "Today is power training. Sundays, I run around the blocks room, trying to collect tennis balls of specific colors. It''s to work on my memory, agility, jumps, and my shadow-walking, though it''ll be awhile before most of it is done through my powers. I have quite a ways to go before that."

    "Do you think I could watch some of it toward the end?" He asks. "Or would that be too much?"

    "I wouldn''t have an issue with it," I say. "I''ll ask them at the front desk. Speaking of my training, Theo ¨C you don''t have an issue with the fact that I''m naked all through it, do you?"

    "It''s just training," he says. "You couldn''t wear clothes during it if you wanted to, anyway. Why would I have an issue with it?"

    Because some people would take issue with that just because someone else is seeing their man naked. I''m so glad that my boyfriend isn''t that type of person and understands the situation. Theo is amazing, and I have no intention of betraying his trust.

    "You also won''t get to see me too much," I tell him. "I''ll be hidden by the blocks for most of it."

    "I''ll ogle when I can," he says with a wink just as our waiter returns with our drinks.

    "Oookay!" The waiter says, causing us to laugh.

    "Thanks for the drinks," Theo tells him. "And perfect timing for that, too!"

    "Yeah," the waiter chuckles. "Your food will be about twelve more minutes. Do you want an appetizer in that time? We do have a few that we can get out in three to five minutes."

    "Sure," Theo says. "Can we get an order of onion rings?"

    "Sure thing," the waiter says. "I''ll go get those down for you."

    The waiter leaves, then Theo grins at me.

    "If we''re still together next Monday," he tells me. "And I really hope we are because you seem like an awesome guy, Kier, then I''m probably going to get a membership there just so I can watch you train without having to pay and fill out paperwork every time. If you don''t mind that."

    "I don''t," I say. "Though expect Lucas to figure out some way to include you as part of my training. He''s threatened to have me hunt down Zane and pelt him with tennis balls while Zane''s in stone form if Zane doesn''t stop asking if he can watch me train."

    "That would actually be pretty fun to see," Theo says.

    "Which is why I''m disappointed Zane turned down that offer," I say. "So enough about my training, Sparky. What do you do for yours? How often do you train? What sort of stuff can you do for training your powers, considering what they are?"

    "I train daily," he tells me. "Some martial arts, some with my powers. Some of it''s just sparring with a friend, some of it''s training on my own. It really depends on what I''m doing. For my lightning-charged form, I spar with someone who has enhanced speed or run an obstacle course."

    I think it''s a good thing the Patron prevents people from overhearing and noticing conversations like this, because it would make casually talking about such things much more difficult.

    "What about for your other persona?" I ask.

    "That one?" He laughs. "It depends on who''s free. Sometimes, I just throw lightning at Isaac. Other times, I stop attacks with my bursts. Something more basic? I charge my phone."

    "You do what?" I ask.

    "I charge my phone," he grins. "It doesn''t take much effort on my part, though I usually only do about five minutes at a time. That''s a decent charge, though, and doing that a few times a day ensures it''s good for the next day or two."

    "That''s pretty neat," I say.

    That''s also an extremely mundane use of his power. Will I ever have any powers that can be used in such a simple way for something so plain and mundane?

    "What else can you do that''s so boringly mundane?" I ask, and Theo grins.

    There''s a lot, isn''t there?

 Chapter 0056

    "Do you think it''s going to rain?" I ask as I look up at the sky. "These clouds came out of nowhere."

    There wasn''t a cloud in sight when we entered my apartment to pick up my stuff after my shift today to bring it to Theo''s aparmtent. That was maybe thirty or forty minutes ago. Now, however, the sky is covered in thick, dark grey storm clouds. They''ve completely blocked out the sunlight, resulting in my strength and energy having increased.

    It''s nowhere near enough of a boost to let me match Theo in speed when he supercharges himself, but I could probably outrun a normal person right now. Or at least, a normal person from the lower districts. Outrun and outmatch.

    Lucas would probably still be faster than me, though. He''s trained his speed, after all, and I''ve not yet had a month of that, even if I''ve managed to build mine up a fair bit.

    I''d say that it would make carrying the duffel of clothes easier, except Theo took that bag, leaving me with just the workout bag. After some consideration, I decided to only bring my new clothes with me, leaving my old outfits at the apartment since they''re, well, old and worn-out.

    "I dunno," Theo answers, looking up at them. "Probably. Hopefully it waits until later, though. That way, we can get your stuff to my apartment without it getting soaked through, and you can get to training just fine."

    "And to Lucas''s after," I add.

    "And that," he nods. "You said that with the heavy rain before, you guys went to Zane''s instead and shared a bath to warm up?"

    "Well, it was mostly to make sure I was fine," I tell him. "Lucas seemed fine without it, and Zane can turn to stone. The cold didn''t bother him at all. I, on the other hand, got the full soak treatment."

    "Okay," he says. "Do you think that will happen again?"

    There''s no jealousy in his voice, no anger or worry. It''s pure curiosity.

    "If it''s storming like hell?" I ask, and he nods. "Zane will probably suggest we go to his place again, since it''s closer than Lucas''s place."

    "And mine," Theo nods. "I''ll be off duty at that point. Think he''d have an issue with me joining you guys?"

    "Does me taking a bath with other guys bother you?" I ask.

    "Nah," he answers. "I''d just like to make sure you''re okay, too. A bath isn''t inherently sexual, especially not when it''s just to clean up or warm up."

    "Okay," I say. "Zane would probably be happy to have another guy hanging out at his place. I do hope we don''t get a storm until after I''m at Lucas''s, though. I don''t want to get frozen again."

    "Hopefully," he nods as a commotion draws our attention.

    A person in a hoodie pushed a woman to the ground, running off with her purse. Theo''s off-duty at the moment, and if he supercharged himself to catch up to the thief, it would mean needing the Patron to hide his identity. The person doesn''t seem to be using super-speed, so I can probably catch up to them shortly.

    Snatching someone''s bag or purse isn''t an uncommon occurrence, especially not here in the lower districts. I usually see it happen once or twice a week, but never before have I really been able to do something about it. The extra speed thanks to the cloud cover right now, however, means that I can.

    "Here," I pull off my bag and toss it to my boyfriend.

    "See you," Theo chuckles as he catches the bag.

    I take off running, really feeling the boost from the darkness. Everything passes by much more quickly than normal for when I run, though I can still process it all just fine, reacting easily. This jacket is making it harder to run, though, due to the extra bulk. It needs to go if I want to catch up to the thief, so I work it off as I run, losing my gloves in the process. I''m sure Theo will pick them up or retrieve them for me.

    "Stop!" I call out to the thief, who turns their head and looks at me. I can''t make out if they''re male or female. "Stop! Now!"

    They turn down an alley, and I follow them, jumping over the stack of boxes they knocked over, then I jump up onto a dumpster and off of that, the height and added boost from the jump bringing me closer to them. When they turn and see that I''m even closer now than before, they twist, swiping with their hand.

    A glowing blue tendril lashes out at me from the brick wall of the building to my left. I shift my weight to the right, bringing me closer to the building on that side of me before jumping up, kicking off the building and flipping over the tendril. A rolling landing, then I''m on my feet again, drawing closer to the thief. My training with the blocks and trampolines has helped me more than I realized.

    That move was awesome.

    "Shit!" She yells in realization that I''ve almost reached her, gesturing again and bringing out more of those tendrils in an attempt to stop me.

    I duck under the first, step around the second, jump onto a trashcan and then over the third, continuing to maneuver past her attacks. They''re slowing me down, and they''ve slowed her down, but she''s managing to gain a lead.

    As we draw near the end of the alley, one of her tendrils manages to strike me, knocking me back a bit. That hurt!

    "Final chance, thief!" I call out to her, stopping my charge forward. Another tendril lashes out at me, and I step back, striking the tendril with a fist, knocking it off-course. That''s much less painful. "Surrender now and allow the purse to be returned to its rightful owner, or force will be used!"

    "As if you could ever catch me, would-be vigilante!" She''s turned around again, bolting forward now that she''s managed to stop me in my tracks, though she''s still summoning those damn tendrils.

    Taking a deep breath, I allow myself to travel through shadows ten feet at a time. I pop out naked, my clothes not traveling with me, and then I travel again, drawing another ten feet closer to her. Two more shadow-steps, and I''m on top of her, tackling her to the ground.

    She tries wrestling against me, then squeals as she realizes my state. I pin her to the ground, putting her into a lock.

    "If you''d stopped like I''d yelled," I say. "I''d still be clothed, ma''am. But you made me use my power. You aren''t the only one with them, you know."

    "What''s going on here?" A voice asks, and I look up to see a vigilante standing there.

    They''re about 5''10" in height, I''d say, and dressed in black and dark red, a pair of knives on their hip. It''s a skintight bodysuit with a cowl, their mask a crimson-and-orange affair, their eyes hidden and voice filtered to make it that of a deep male one, regardless of whatever it actually is.

    I don''t recognize this vigilante.

    "Purse-snatcher," I tell him. "I had to shadow-walk to catch her, hence the nudity. I''ve only recently begun training the power, so can''t bring clothes with me yet. You can find the purse there and verify that the ID does not belong to her."

    "I wasn''t asking you," the vigilante holds out a hand, and a crimson tendril shoots out, slamming into my chest.

    The attack sends me flying backwards, crashing into the ground.

    "You probably exhausted yourself already," the villain tells me. "Good luck catching up to us. And I told you to stop doing it when there were others around."

    "Ow," I groan, returning to my feet. "So you''re working with the thief, huh?"

    "Stay down if you know what''s best for you," the villain says. "The next tendril I hit you with will be charged with pain, enough that you won''t manage to get your clothes back on. You''ll freeze to death before anyone finds you."Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    "Yeah, unlikely," I say. "Which vigilante would you rather face? Sovirna or Orwitz?"

    "We''ll be gone long before Sovirna gets here," he chuckles. "And Orwitz doesn''t patrol this region."

    "I don''t?" A lighter, playful voice asks, the sound of sparks dancing filling the air. "Aw, man! Nobody told me that! Sovirna! Why didn''t you tell me I don''t come to this area?"

    "As if anyone short of the Patron could tell you what to do, Orwitz," Sovirna says from behind the thief and villain. "Little Kier, put your clothes on. We''ll handle this."

    Slipping into the shadows, I pop out behind Orwitz, then quickly begin pulling my clothes on. I don''t know what Theo did with my stuff, but he even took off his own clothes so that he could shift into his vigilante outfit.

    It''s an electric-blue bodysuit with small, yellow spark-like designs across it, including accenting his ass, and I know they accent his chest and crotch as well, because the Patron is apparently weird like that. His boots, gloves, cowl, and mask are the same electric-blue, with the back of the cowl covered in a yellow design resembling lightning spreading out from the center, his mask with yellow sparks patterned on the cheeks, and his boots with yellow laces.

    "Shit," the villain says, looking between the two vigilantes.

    He decides to take his chances with Sovirna, but before he can, Orwitz has charged forward at full speed, body-slamming into him.

    "Whoops!" Orwitz exclaims. "Did I hit a little too hard? Well! If you don''t want me to do it again, you''ll stay down!"

    Wisely, the thief stays silent and allows Orwitz to put her in cuffs.

    "I''ve gone a couple of rounds with the partner before," Sovirna tells Orwitz. "He''s always managed to escape after letting her get away. I was planning on requesting help soon. They''ve stolen fourteen purses and seventeen bags in the last three months. I''ve managed to return most of the items to their owners."

    "You should have requested assistance sooner," Orwitz states. "Too many people have been affected by those stats. Now a civilian has been affected as well."

    He indicates me as he says that.

    "Just doing my part to help a civilian who''s been stolen from," I say. "Don''t mind me."

    "What was with that freakish strength?" The woman asks, her hood back now, revealing the face of someone around my age, her dark brown hair tied up in a ponytail, her green eyes intense, angry. "You''re too damn skinny to be that strong!"

    Orwitz looks at me, then shrugs and looks at her.

    "You know how your partner can use different types of attack tendrils?" Orwitz asks as Sovirna steps away and presses a hand to the side of her head, probably to her ear. "That one he hit Kieran with, along with one that causes greater pain?"

    "He can also make them burn like acid or sting like lightning," she boasts.

    "Those are all different powers," Orwitz says. "Most power users have multiple. Kieran here grows stronger in the darkness. He also heals faster in it. In essence, he is the darkness. This alley is relatively dark normally, judging by how narrow it is and the lack of lights. Then there''s the heavy clouds we have right now. If he was actually fit, he''d have caught up to you much sooner and then merely shrugged off your partner''s attack."

    I''ve finished dressing by now, though I''m still cold. Losing my clothes in this weather was not fun. At least the thieves were stopped, though. Theo probably wouldn''t have caught up to them if I hadn''t interfered, not unless Sovirna managed to delay them.

    Though how have they managed to escape from her? She can track them through the wind, can''t she?

    "You can fetch your bags," Orwitz pulls me aside and speaks in a low voice. "From a man outside the alley. He''s wearing a green cap. He has the key to my apartment, too. I''ll have to deal with this situation before I can catch up to you."

    "Alright," I say. "See you later then."

    "See you," he says, then hands me the purse. "Go return this to the woman, she''s with him."

    I want to give him a kiss, but I know I can''t, so I just give him a brief dip of my head before heading out of the alley the way I came. Once I''m outside of it, I take a look around and spot the man with the green cap carrying my bags and the woman who''d had her purse stolen. The two of them are walking in this direction, and I meet them on the way.

    "Here you go," I hand her the purse. "Everything should still be there."

    "Thanks," she accepts her purse and goes through it. "Looks like it. You didn''t have to do that, though. What if you''d gotten hurt?"

    "I''m in training to be private security," I tell her. "That job comes with a bigger risk than stopping a purse-snatcher. Orwitz and Sovirna are taking care of them now."

    "So I really did see Orwitz?" She asks in surprise. "That wasn''t me mistaking someone else for him?"

    "It wasn''t," I answer. "He showed up just as the snatcher''s partner did. You''re not hurt, are you? She shoved you pretty hard."

    "No," she smiles, though she looks a little nervous. "I''m fine, thanks."

    "Are you sure?" I ask. "If you need something, we can step inside a business around here. I''m sure they have a first-aid kit on-hand we can borrow."

    "She''s fine," the man hands me my bags, then the key. "Orwitz said these were yours and to give them to you."

    "Thanks," I say, looking between them and how nervous they seem. "You both seem like decent people, so I''m going to assume the nerves aren''t because of something shady. If you''re worried about being charged for having treatment, I''ll cover it if they want to charge for using the rubbing alcohol and bandages."

    "I''m not hurt, really," she insists. "Please, we''re fine."

    That''s a strange insistence and sudden shift from being grateful to insistent everything is fine. Hm. Does she realize that her pants are bloody on the knees, and the blood looks fresh enough that it was definitely from the attack?

    "Just taking a shot in the dark here," I say. "But I''m going to guess you''re worried that I accept vigilantes because they can kick my ass, but have problems with normal people being power users?"

    The look of fear on her face suggests she really does think that. It''s a valid concern, as some people do act that way. They accept vigilantes because they can''t do anything about them, but then turn around and harass normal people who have powers.

    "The reason I caught up to the thief," I tell her. "Is because I grow faster and tougher the darker it is. Any other afternoon, I probably wouldn''t have managed to do anything to help. Don''t worry, I won''t come harass you at work or try setting fire to your apartment or something. I also happen to know that that building there has no less than seven power users working in it. Come on, we can get those knees looked at."

    "My knees?" She asks, then looks down. "Oh! I didn''t realize they were so bad."

    "Regeneration?" I guess at her power, since she didn''t realize she had been hurt too bad and seems to have assumed she''d already recovered.

    "A little," she nods. "It would be obvious if someone tried treating them."

    "Well, we can pick a business that''s fine with it," I say.

    She and the man follow me, and I find out they''re actually husband and wife. Orwitz showed up and handed the husband the stuff before disappearing just as he reached his wife, and I''m going to assume no one realized it was Theo, though he apparently undressed and stuffed his stuff in my workout bag rather fast.

    The husband is normal, but the wife has always known about her power due to having been injured a few times as a child and the power activating on its own each time. She admits she can still get infections if things aren''t cleaned, but assumed she''d be fine until she and her husband got home and were able to clean things off there.

    It really needs to be cleaned right away, though. What if it got infected quickly? Or there''s some bacteria that''s only on the surface right now? Several things could go wrong or make it worse and take longer for her to heal, so cleaning it now is a priority. Especially with how cold it is ¨C the blood is probably already frozen, but as soon as it warms up and circulation improves, those problems can appear.

    In the business building, I take them up to a place I''ve worked at before, whose head manager is a power user, though I never did find out her power when I worked here. She greets me with a friendly smile, then fetches a first-aid kit when I explain the situation.

    "Thanks," I say once she returns.

    "No worries, Kieran," she says. "Happy to help a fellow out. I''ll make sure she''s taken care of, you look like you''re going somewhere."

    "I''m moving, yeah," I confirm. "Started dating recently and their apartment has heat while mine doesn''t."

    "Go have fun," she tells me. "And stop by sometime, you seem much more social now than you did last year."

    "That''s because I am," I snort. "Made a few friends who won''t let me not be. You have a good day, and you two ¨C stay safe."

    The husband and wife thank me, then I head out. Time to go to Theo''s place and hope I can see him again before training tonight. At least we got to eat lunch together before this.

    I''m almost to Theo''s apartment when my phone rings. Hoping it''s him, I check it and find that it''s Isaac instead. I pull off my glove and answer the call, pressing my phone to my ear.

    "Hey, Isaac," I say. "What''s up?"

    "You''re a crazy fucker, shadow-walking in this cold."

    "Theo told you?" I laugh.

    "Yeah," he says. "And he said that according to the woman, you performed some pretty neat maneuvering in that alley. Sounds like the training is going well."

    "I guess it is," I say. "Though if it weren''t for this cloud cover, I wouldn''t have been able to do anything. Those moves were definitely because of the darkness."

    "Probably," he says. "Theo asked me if I could check on you since he''s busy now. He was worried you were more hurt from that attack than you let on."

    "I''m not," I tell him. "My chest is sore from it, but it''s fading. As long as the clouds stay like this, I''ll probably be fine by the time I get to the center tonight. Erm. If I keep the lights off in his apartment once I get there, too. If not, there''s a healer who works at the center who can probably take care of it."

    "That''s good to hear," he says. "I''ll let him know you''re fine, then."

    "Thanks," I say.

    "Talk to you later," Isaac says.

    "See you," I tell him.

    He hangs up and I pocket my phone, then quickly pull my glove back on. Maybe I should have done that after answering the call?

    As I finish the walk to Theo''s apartment, anxiety begins to set in again. Once I become a guardian, how will I fare in fights? I''m not superb, and I''ll definitely have to fight some. Wouldn''t it be better for me to start off as a vigilante and build up my power and skills?

    The first time I get involved in an incident, and I get knocked back. I did do some decent jumping around, though. But my powers aren''t suited for offense right now and I doubt I''ll be able to learn one that is for months.

    Taking a deep breath, I push those thoughts from the back of my mind. The Patron has his reasons for making me the offer. If I make the cut, then clearly my skills right now are good enough.

    Right?

 Chapter 0057

    Okay, when did Lucas show up, and why did he show up? It''s Thursday morning and this is Zane''s apartment. I mean, I''m not going to complain that I''m getting double the cuddles, I''m just confused. He must have decided to pop in after he finished being a vigilante for the night.

    Zane is wearing boxer-briefs, while Lucas is wearing sweatpants. I''m wearing shorts and a tee, because I''m not as comfortable wearing less with either of them right now. Maybe I should be? I mean, they do see me naked all the time and I''ve slept naked with another guy several times already. But what if they take it the wrong way? Theo''s said he wouldn''t have an issue as long as it was just cuddling ¨C as long as nothing more happened.

    Shaking my head a little, I start to work myself out of the guys'' grips, only to fail. Sighing, I shadow-walk out of it, then hurry into the bathroom so that I can pee. When I return from doing that, Zane''s awake and looking amusing.

    "I wake up just in time to see your pale ass hurrying into the bathroom," he says. "And Lucas in my bed. At least Danny''s still on the couch."

    Zane was actually disappointed that Danny decided to sleep on the couch last night, because it made it harder to talk ourselves to sleep. Danny doesn''t mind sharing a bed with me and Todd, but Zane apparently pushes his limits, which I find amusing. He spent the night with us so that he didn''t have to walk even further than I would have had to in order to hang out today.

    "Don''t ask me when he arrived, I just woke up," I tell Zane.

    "I won''t," he snorts. "Breakfast?"

    "Want me to make it?"

    "Only when you''re alone!"

    He hops out of bed and hurries into the kitchen, and I return to his bed and grab my clothes, slipping back into them as Zane flips on the lights. I move to the table and sit down, watching as my apron-clad friend prepares breakfast.

    "So I talked with someone at the group that''s possibly going to make me the offer," I tell Zane.

    "Yeah?"

    "He said that I''ll find out tomorrow, not today," I say. "Whether or not I''m getting the offer."

    "Any hints on whether or not you will?"

    "His boss still hasn''t said," I say. "But like you, Lucas, and pretty much everyone else, he says I''m guaranteed to get it because I did put in the effort to show that I''m dedicated to improving myself and my power is useful."

    "See?" He says. "Even people in the know say it."

    "Doesn''t mean I''m not nervous, though," I say. "Even remembering what you said isn''t helping. I mean, it''s tomorrow. If I get this job, then everything changes."

    If I get this job, I become not just my dream job, but I become a Sivalshi Guardian, protector of the greater peace of this city. I become one of the heroes of the city. Even if there are people who hate them, even among my friend group.

    "Yeah," Zane says. "I''ll admit, I''m a little nervous about the job, too. It''s an amazing gig, to be honest. I was already qualified, and the wait has me nervous. I can''t imagine how it is for you, who hadn''t used his powers since he was little, to get told you might get a job as a security guard. Knowing there''s a chance you won''t get it must be stressful."

    Getting up, I walk over to where I left my phone and grab it, returning to the table and checking my texts. Invites from Zane and messages with Isaac, Todd, Lucas, Danny, and Theo. Nothing new, though when I check my contacts, there''s the one I put in yesterday sitting there, clear as day on my screen.

    "I got an offer yesterday."

    "From the job?" He asks. "Didn''t you just say you wouldn''t find out until tomorrow?"

    "From another company," I tell him. "They, uh, found out about me tackling the purse snatcher on Sunday, including that I used shadow-walking to do so."

    "What did they say?" He asks.

    "Full use of their training facility for powers," I answer. "A specially-tailored spellsuit once Spelcor studies my power enough to figure out how to make one, use of a company-owned apartment in a building where tenants have access to a workout center, pool, and spa, and an income of two grand a month starting, with a potential raise of two hundred fifty every six months. It also comes with health insurance, including complete coverage for anything arising from the job."

    With the company owning the apartment, I wouldn''t have to worry about paying the bills for it. That income would give me not just the money to cover food and other normal stuff, but give me some extra spending money and even savings.

    "I''d be in a probationary period for the first three months," I continue. "Where I''d go through education on the procedures, shadow other security guards, and learn the ropes while continuing to improve my skills. If I make it past that, then I''d exit probation and receive a pay increase of five hundred then in addition to become a full security guard. I''d basically just need to not screw up, remember the protocols and rules, and continue to improve my power."

    "Damn," Zane says. "That''s a pretty damn good job offer there."

    "Yeah," I say. "I was kind of suspicious, so I checked into it and called the company directly rather than using the business card he gave me, and their security office confirmed that they were interested in hiring me and I really did talk with the chief of security."

    From the way the guy spoke, their chief of security doesn''t often make a personal visit to extend a job offer.

    "Sheesh," Zane says. "I''m jealous."

    "Of what?" Danny asks, and I explain again as he joins me at the table, dressed in his birthday suit, just as what he slept in. "That''s pretty neat. So if the first job falls through, you''ve already got a second lined up."

    "Yep," I answer. "Which is kind of reassuring. I did tell the guy that I was waiting to hear back on another job, but that I should know tomorrow whether I get it or not. He told me to consider the offer open as long as I continue to improve myself because they''d love to have someone on their team who can shadow-walk and who is willing to chase after someone of his own initiative rather than waiting for a cry for help."

    "Did you explain the ''why''?" Zane asks.

    "Because of the clouds the other day?" I ask. "Yeah, I did. He said that didn''t matter ¨C I saw the problem, knew I could handle it, and did it. If I get the job, he expects me to use that same reasoning and to call for backup if I need it."Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    "That''s good," Danny says. "Will you take it if the first job doesn''t fall through?"

    "Maybe," I answer. "Theo said that if I don''t ¨C which he doubts ¨C then I should wait a week to see if any other offers come through. Since I did use my powers publicly, even if only the criminals and the two vigilantes saw it, word will still probably get to companies in the middle and upper districts about it, and once they research me, they''ll learn more about my power and that I''m training it and myself for a security job. He said a better job offer might come, though the company that contacted me is respectable."

    "Good luck," Danny says.

    "Thanks," I smile. "I really want the first job, though. It''s basically my dream job."

    "Extra luck for that," he claps me on the back. "What''s for breakfast, Zane?"

    "Biscuits and gravy with sausage links," he answers. "Plus some fruit on the side. Do you think I should make some for Lucas?"

    How shocked would Lucas be that Zane actually considered making food for him? Even if he''s looking at Zane in a new light, he''s still viewing Zane as being somewhat antagonistic toward him.

    "He''ll probably sleep for a couple of more hours, minimum," I say. "So nah."

    "Alright," he says.

    Zane finishes up making breakfast as we discuss our plans for today, then we eat, and after breakfast, Danny and I wash the dishes. Once they''re washed and in the strainer, we move to the couch to play a video game.

    This one, we''re supposed to be killing hordes of zombies, and we take turns slaughtering the undead abominations. This is nowhere near as bad as the horror movies that Lucas likes to watch when we hang out. I can actually handle this.

    "Wait, don''t go in there yet," Zane tells Danny. "Go back a bit."

    "Why?"

    "Secret loot," Zane says. "It''s only here the second time you''re in the area. You have to kill another eighty zombies here, then it''ll appear. Go back to the fountain, there should be more there."

    Danny moves his character to the fountain, then starts attacking the zombies there, hunting down a few more to reach the needed one thousand kills before following Zane''s directions to an alley. He opens up the dumpster in the alley, and inside of it is a trophy that causes an achievement to pop up.

    "Sweet," Danny says. "Did you see that bonus?"

    Most of the achievements in this game come with bonuses for the player (or players, in our case).

    "Yeah," I say. "Fifty percent extra strength when fighting more than twenty zombies at a time, and that''s most of the battles after their start, before you''ve wiped out most of them."

    "Yeah," he says. "That''s awesome, we''ll be killing them faster. Thanks, Zane!"

    Danny moves to the next area, then hands me the controller, and Zane guides me in getting another secret treasure. This time, it''s a ring that we can equip onto our character to increase their regeneration by ten percent.

    "So as long as we don''t lose the finger, we''re good," Zane says.

    "Wait, we can lose our fingers in this?"

    "Nah," Zane grins. "Just messing with you. There should be a boss spawning as soon as you walk into the next room."

    "You fight him," I hand him the controller. "I''m still learning how to play and I failed against the last boss."

    Zane navigates the character into the next room, then starts fighting the giant of a zombie that was waiting for us. Just as he beats us, we hear a snort from the bed area.

    "Morning, Lucas!" Zane greets him.

    "One is naked, one is in his underwear, and one actually has clothes on," Lucas says. "That''s not what I was expecting at all."

    "We''ve got the full stages if we include you," I say. "Since you''re just wearing pants."

    "True," he says. "Didn''t bother getting dressed?"

    "We''re just hanging out here," Zane says. "Didn''t see a need to. If we''re comfortable, we''re comfortable. Heck, the only reason I''m not naked is because I didn''t bother stripped after getting out of bed, and I''d slept with something on for Shadow Boy''s sake. Plus, I don''t want Danny getting jealous of my awesome-hey!"

    "Whoops," Lucas says as Zane throws the pillow back at him. "My hand slipped."

    "I made extra breakfast for you," Zane tells him. "It''s in the fridge, but now I''m regretting that."

    "What time is it?" Lucas asks.

    "Nearly noon," I answer. "Which might be why you''re not a cranky jerk right now."

    "Probably," Lucas yawns as he walks over to the fridge. "Thanks for letting me crash here last night, Zane."

    "I didn''t give you permission to," Zane says. "You performed an illegal entry."

    "Yeah," I say. "Why did you come over, Lucas? All three of us were a bit surprised to see you here when we woke up."

    "I was nearby when I decided to finally go to bed," Lucas answers as he pulls the food out of the fridge and puts it on a plate, before putting that in the microwave. "And I figured that Zane wouldn''t mind paying me back for his teasing by letting me crash here instead of traveling back to my place."

    "Are those my sweats?" Zane asks.

    "I didn''t have clothes on me at the time," Lucas answers.

    "If Kier ain''t here when you do that, no clothes," Zane says. "Gotta crash naked. That way, I can marvel at the fact that even if Kieran''s boyfriend is bigger, I''m still bigger than everyone else."

    Danny''s looking confused about the clothing comment, no doubt because he doesn''t know about the nature of the spellsuit and how it works. Before he can ask about it, Zane decides it''s time to start wrestling Danny over me to tease him about how he''s outmatched. Not one to back down from such a challenge, Danny starts wrestling him back while saying his girlfriend likes it just fine.

    I manage to escape the couch and grab the controller. Lucas just rolls his eyes when he notices that. If Danny was into guys and was still single, there''s a good chance he and Zane might have become a couple, the way they act.

    They wrestle for a few more minutes, then Zane realizes I''m about to pass up yet another hidden treasure and stops so that he can direct me to it. Danny takes the opportunity to gather as much saliva as he can, then spit it onto Zane''s shoulder.

    "Hey!" Zane protests. "I''m helping play the game!"

    "That''s for calling me Tiny Danny!"

    "Guys! There''s a miniboss here and I''m dying!"

    Zane takes the controller from me to fight the miniboss, then hands it off to Danny. Lucas moves onto the couch, wedging himself between them. That will probably keep them from wrestling around for now.

    Soon, Lucas''s phone rings, and he flashes it to his hand to answer it.

    "Hi, Mom," he says. "I just woke up a little bit ago. Why do you sound upset? What? What do you mean?"

    Lucas jumps to his feet.

    "WHAT?" He practically screams. "Let me get some clothes on, then I''ll be there. Not even five minutes. See you."

    He hangs up, then flashes himself over to Zane''s dresser.

    "I''m borrowing some clothes," Lucas tells Zane as he yanks open a drawer. "And shoes, since you have extra and we''re the same size."

    "What''s wrong?" Zane asks as Lucas pulls out a hoodie and pulls it on, then grabs a pair of shoes. "Lucas?"

    "Cyrus was kidnapped," Lucas answers. "From his school. They think it''s the Blond Boy Basher."

    Lucas finishes putting on the shoes, then disappears in a flash, and the three of us look at each other.

    "That''s not good," Zane says.

    "No, it''s not," I say. "And it''s only going to fuel his hatred of the Patron more. As soon as Lucas talks with his parents, grandpa, the school, and whoever, he''s probably turning into Lumilxal again and tearing this town apart in search of Cyrus."

    "Probably," Zane''s voice is quiet. "I hope they find him soon. I''ve already wanted the bastard to be caught, but now more than ever, now that I know someone who was affected by it."

    "Yeah," I say. "I really hope the bastard is caught even more, and I really, really hope Lucas''s brother is found before he''s killed. For the sake of both of them."

    If Cyrus dies, Lucas will likely go down an extremely dark path. The sort that would put him in the crosshairs of the Sivalshi Guardians. Despite our differences of opinion on the Patron, Lucas is a good guy ¨C right now. He''s a great friend, too. I really don''t want to lose him, especially not to the darkness inside.

    "There''s nothing we can do," Zane sighs. "Let''s just carry on with our day and pray to the Patron Cyrus is found healthy soon."

    "Yeah," I nod.

    Even with that said, our mood for the day has soured, none of us really getting into the game again. How can we enjoy ourselves when our friend is hurting and worried? Especially since we know this is going to consume Lucas enough he won''t be at the center tonight, and probably won''t be at his apartment tonight, either. We won''t be able to be there for him the way we should be.

    Please, Patron, let Cyrus be found healthy and alive. Please.

 Chapter 0058

    "Hello, Tabitha," I greet Lucas''s aunt when Zane and I arrive at the training center. "How are you doing?"

    She looks extremely stressed, with bags under her eyes and her hair slightly messy, not quite fitting into her ponytail cleanly. Even if she''s only the aunt, it''s understandable that the entire family is likely affected by this. The Lusvarises are all pretty close judging by the way Lucas talks about them, when we do get him to talk about them.

    With the youngest member kidnapped, I''m surprised any of them even showed up for work. Lucas won''t even respond to our calls or texts, and we''ve seen a couple of news reports about Lumilxal''s mysterious hunt this afternoon. Tabitha might be attempting to anchor herself by going about the day as normal.

    "I''ve been better," she answers as she checks us in.

    "Is there any news?" I ask.

    "No," she answers. "And none on Lucas, either. We''re left to news reports on him."

    "So you know?" I ask.

    "Yeah," she answers. "It wasn''t something he could really hide from us, since we know his power set. Do you want someone to come help you in his place?"

    "No, thanks," I tell her. "I think Todd''s the only one I''d be comfortable running around naked with here other than Lucas when it''s not for an assessment or something, and I can go today without having a coach."

    "Okay," she says. "Let us know if you need anything."

    "Actually," I say. "Since my power does kind of require me getting naked repeatedly, would there be a way to lock the door? Just for this one session? Or would that require me having a staff member in the room?"

    While I know Zane has no issues if someone does actually walk in on him while he''s training nude, it does make me a little uncomfortable to do that. What if a kid enters? The risk of that is low if I''m just changing, but it''s much higher if someone shows up who wants to use a blocks room and picks that one and I''m in there for two hours.

    "Normally, I''d say you need a staff member," Tabitha holds out a hand. "But we trust you a bit and given the circumstances, I can do a temporary permission. May I see your card?"

    I hand her my keycard, and she inserts it into something on her desk, then does something on her computer. About a minute passes before she hands me the card back.

    "Until eight tonight," she tells me. "Your usual finish time, you''ll be able to lock the doors to a training room where that''s allowed. The door will unlock if someone leaves the room, just as a warning. And while I''m giving you trust on this, don''t abuse it or you''ll feel the punishment."

    "Thanks," I slip the card into my pocket. "We won''t abuse this trust, Tabitha. We''ll see you later, and I hope he''s found safe."

    "Thanks," she says. "We''re all hoping it happens."

    Zane and I make our way down to the blocks room I use, and I drop my bag on the bench. Zane is probably going to change, then leave.

    "Since Lucas isn''t here today," Zane says. "Want me to help you with your training today? I don''t really know what he does, but I can probably make my best effort."

    "He mostly just coaches me and gives me encouragement if I need it," I tell him. "At least, for the Tuesday and Thursday sessions."

    "What do you normally do for them?" He asks.

    "As many five-foot shadow-steps as possible," I answer. "Followed by running back and forth across the arena. Once my magic is recovered all the way, I do that again and continue until eight, when I do as many as I can, then use up the rest of my magic stepping as far as I can go."

    "That''s¡­ rather basic."

    "It''s how to improve," I say.

    "Wait," he says. "You run around the entire time?"

    "Just like on the weekends," I confirm. "I do take short breaks. It''s helping build up stamina and my agility. The only difference is these two days are just running, rather than running with targets to go after."

    Lucas told me we''ll stick with this for these two days for awhile, to continue to help me build up speed and stamina without extras. Once I have a fair bit more magic and can do a fair bit more shadow-steps, we''ll probably switch one or both of these to doing more than this.

    By that point, my body will be conditioned enough that I won''t get much improvement from that and would only need to do it as a warmup.

    "Can I run with you?" Zane asks. "In stone form?"

    "Not with me," I roll my eyes. "Considering how slow you''ll be compared to me, but yeah, you can join me."

    It will be nice to not be alone while doing this, even if Zane and I will be moving at different paces. Being left alone with my thoughts, especially with Lucas''s situation right now, won''t be good for my mental health.

    I swipe my card in the door as Zane pulls off his bag, and as Tabitha promised, the door locks in response to that. Zane and I then undress and put our clothes on our bags, then we begin to warm up in silence.

    Once we''ve warmed up, Zane and I climb over the barrier, entering the arena. Zane shifts into his stone form, his extra weight causing him to sink down into the mats a little. While that form is significantly heavier, Lucas has mentioned in the past that the mats and blocks can handle the weight.

    I perform my shadow-steps, then the two of us begin running back and forth across the arena. As always, I adjust where I''m running across after a full lap, so that I''m not doing the same run more than once every five or six laps. Zane picks up on that and does the same, though he ends up several laps behind me.

    His stone form really is slower, and I can see why it''s recommended to train running in it. What''s more, it''s heavy enough that he can''t really jump over the blocks, so after his first few falls when attempting that, Zane goes around them instead.

    Our training passes mostly in silence, only the sounds of us moving around the blocks arena filling the air. Even though Zane doesn''t give me the encouragement that Lucas normally does, just having him here supports me enough that I can push through. Without him joining me today, I probably would have given up on the runs.

    Right at eight, the doors to the room open, and a peek over the blocks shows Todd entering. He looks as composed as always, but the fact that he showed up right at the end suggests he''s not. As usual, he''s dressed in his work uniform, his glasses in place as always.

    Zane and I head over to him, Zane shifting out of stone form as he climbs over the barrier and I sit on it. Todd actually has a look of worry on his face, but one that he''s trying to hide.

    "Have you heard from him?" Todd asks. "Lucas, I mean. Tabitha said they haven''t heard from him directly since he met with his parents."

    "Not since he left," I answer. "Unless he messaged us while we were in here, but I doubt it."

    "Let me check," Zane checks our phones, then shakes his head. "No contact. Damn idiot''s going to get himself into trouble. I understand being worried, but the way he''s going about it isn''t healthy."

    "It''s not," Todd sighs. "I really hope they find Cyrus, the kid is a bundle of joy and energy, and is much more friendly than his big brother. No pun intended, but he really brings light to people when he''s around."

    "I want to meet him," I say. "What do you think of the Patron?"You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    "I''m neutral," Todd answers. "I''ve never really been sure of what to think about him. Why?"

    "I know Lucas hates him," I say. "And is used to dealing with people who don''t like him, up until he met Zane, Danny, and me. I don''t know about the others, but I''m definitely hoping the Patron is able to do something."

    Even if he seems to have been unable to so far, I hope something happens that lets him interfere, for Lucas''s sake and for Cyrus''s.

    "I am, too," Zane says.

    "I''m just hoping he''s found," Todd says. "And that Lucas calms down before he gets himself into trouble with other vigilantes or the guardians."

    "Yeah," I say. "So. You cleaning?"

    "I''ll clean," he nods. "You two ready?"

    Zane switches back to stone form and I inhale deeply and hold my breath, then Todd releases his cleaning mist. Once it ends, I exhale and hop off the barrier, then walk over and begin to dress. Zane waits about a minute before shifting out of his stone form and dressing.

    "What are your plans for the evening now?" Todd asks as I pick up my phone and send off a text asking Lucas if he has any leads.

    "Head to my boyfriend''s place," I answer. "Though I might be alone there for awhile. Eat dinner once I''m there, then just go to bed if he''s not there, or cuddle with him if he is."

    There''s a good chance that Theo has extra work tonight due to Lucas''s rampage in his attempt to find his brother. I can''t imagine the Patron letting Lucas go too out of bounds over this, as it could cause major problems for the city. This is especially true because of how powerful Lucas is.

    My first night staying at Todd''s as his actual roommate, and I might end up doing it alone. I''m not going to fault him for that, though ¨C his job has to come first with what it is. If I make the cut, then I''ll be the same way at times, unable to spend the night or even a full day with him, possibly longer at times.

    "Why not ask him if he''s going to be there?" Zane asks. "And if he''s not, I''ll take you out to eat, my treat. That way, you''re not alone and you get to eat something that''s not, well, made by you."

    "That''s fair," I send off a text to Theo asking him what he''s doing, and he responds almost immediately. "He says he''s at the front desk, actually. I guess he''s walking me home tonight."

    "See you guys tomorrow, then," Todd tells us. "Enjoy your night as best you can, and remember that Lucas can take care of himself. He''s one of the best, after all."

    "Yeah," I say. "See you."

    Zane and I grab our bags, then make our way down to the lobby, where Theo''s waiting. As usual, he''s dressed in sneakers, sweatpants, and a hoodie. That''s also probably all he''s wearing ¨C I''ve learned this week that Theo doesn''t like wearing underwear or socks, nor does he like wearing shirts under his hoodies. His hands are tucked into the pocket of his hoodie, and he''s looking as hot as always.

    He looks serious at the moment, his playfulness and energy subdued right now. That might mean he does have to work.

    If this isn''t a stop to to tell me he has to work tonight, then I really hope he''s up for sex when we get to the apartment. Despite what''s going on, I''m really horny after my training today and it''s a good way to relieve myself and not feel alone and take my mind off other things. Like how stupid Lucas is being.

    "Hey, Kier," Theo pulls me against him and gives me a kiss. "How''d your training go?"

    "Good, thanks," I answer as we leave the center. I make sure to wave to Tabitha on the way out. "Do you have to work tonight?"

    "Sort of," he answers. "Do you want to get a bite to eat first?"

    "Do you have time for that?"

    "Yeah," he answers.

    "Then sure," I say.

    "How ''bout you, Zane?" Theo asks. "Want to join us? I promise we won''t be all lovey-dovey during it. I''ll pay."

    "Not going to turn down free food," Zane says. "Where to? Sandy''s?"

    "She''ll probably ask questions about where Lucas is," he shakes his head. "I know a better place, though we''ll have to walk a bit, it''s in the middle districts."

    "Alright," Zane says. "Lead the way, Theo."

    Theo takes my hand in his, then leads us down the street. Our walk into the middle districts is quiet, not a word spoken until we arrive at the restaurant. Theo sits beside me, Zane across from us, and a waiter greet us soon after we sit.

    "Good evening, gentlemen," he greets us as he sets the menus down. "Would you like to order drinks now, or would you like a few minutes to peruse the menus?"

    "Can you give us just a few minutes?" Theo asks.

    "Can do," the waiter responds, then steps away to check on another customer.

    We look at the drinks, all three of us ordering lemonade when the waiter returns, then we begin looking at the food. This place seems to do pasta as their main thing, and by the time the waiter returns with our drinks, we''ve all decided on what we want to eat. For an appetizer, we get a basket of buttery garlic breadsticks. Zane orders a macaroni-and-cheese with shrimp and chicken meal, Theo orders spaghetti and meatballs, and I order a lasagna. All three of us order salad on the side.

    "I''ll be back with your appetizers in just a few minutes," the waiter informs us, then leaves.

    "So," Theo says as I take a sip of my drink. "You mentioned you had thirty days to decide if you wanted the security job, Zane. Are you still planning on accepting it?"

    "I am," Zane answers. "As much as I love my family and our business, I really want this job."

    "Okay," Theo says.

    "Kieran told you about the offer, right?" Zane asks.

    "The one he was told he might be getting?" Theo asks.

    "I think he''s referring to the one I told you about yesterday," I say.

    "Ah, yeah," Theo says. "He did. It''s a good offer. Are you still interested in the other job, Kier?"

    Is Theo seriously asking me if I''m still interested in being a Sivalshi Guardian? Has he gone stupid?

    "Yeah," I answer. "I am. It''s basically a dream job for me. There''s no way I''ll turn it down if I get the offer tomorrow, even considering the stuff I''ll end up having to do for the job."

    "Alright," Theo chuckles. "Just wanted to check. Nervous?"

    "A bit," I nod. "What if I don''t make the cut? I mean, a month isn''t really that much time to train my power up. I''m not like Lucas, who''s trained that power for years. I can barely do anything."

    Our waiter returns with the appetizer, which comes with dishes of marinara and some sort of buttery sauce. Our conversation turns towards the expectation of snow this weekend after that, then just various bits of news that Theo''s caught that we haven''t.

    When our food comes, we all share a bit of it with each other, and I discover that I really don''t like the shrimp in Zane''s, my expression and attempt at not spitting it out causing Theo to laugh. I do manage to swallow it, though if we weren''t in public, Theo might have tried to take it out of my mouth with his own. His expression definitely says he wanted to.

    "You know, most people might have just thought it was a kiss," Zane adds, causing Theo to blush a little and me to shove a forkful of lasagna into my mouth. "Hey! Just saying, unless you get too obvious¡­"

    There''s a thump under the table, and I''m willing to bet that was Theo kicking Zane judging by the way Zane jumps, then sticks his tongue out. We continue eating, with me stealing some of Theo''s spaghetti and him stealing some of Zane''s dinner. The salads are all the same, so there''s no real stealing there.

    "I''m stuffed," Zane rubs his stomach after we finish eating. "That was a good meal, Theo. Thanks."

    "No problem," Theo says as our waiter approaches with our check. Theo hands him some cash. "You can keep the change. Thanks for the service."

    "You''re welcome," the waiter responds. "Enjoy your evening, gentlemen, and have a good night."

    Theo, Zane, and I leave the restaurant, and Zane stretches, then announces that he should be heading home.

    "Actually," Theo says. "Why don''t you walk with us?"

    "Why?" Zane asks. "Want me to make sure Kieran''s okay tonight while you''re at work?"

    "No," Theo answers. "Because for some reason, the Patron decided to move the offers and initiation up to tonight rather than doing it tomorrow, and you said you were accepting the offer."

    Is he saying what I think he''s saying?

    "Uh," Zane frowns.

    "You know my vigilante persona," Theo smiles. "I''m also Zignarl, Zane. One of the Sivalshi Guardians. And my first job tonight involves the orientation of the three of you, provided all three accept."

    "The Patron must have kept us from realizing it," I shake my head. "The signs were all there. The same date, the similarities of the offers¡­"

    "Probably," Theo says. "Normally, there''s only one under consideration at a time, so we didn''t have anything to go off of. But we did suspect he was keeping you from suspecting, especially since you had more than enough clues to have figured it out, Kieran."

    I decide to ignore the fact that the Patron used his powers to affect my mind. It''s not like it''s the first time he''s kept me from learning something, and I understand his reasons for it even if dwelling on it too long does actually scare me a little.

    "You said three?" I say. "Zane, me, and¡­ who?"

    "Someone from the other side of the city," Theo answers. "Isaac is bringing him over to the meeting point if he accepts. The Patron said to make sure you two had rested a bit after training before bringing you there. The walk will take about half an hour, so let''s get going."

    Zane''s power seems even less suited to being a guardian than mine without training does. Yet he got the offer, too? What sort of hidden power is inside of my friend that would catch the Patron''s attention? And why didn''t he get told to train like I was?

    "You said your first job?" I ask as we begin walking.

    "Yeah," Theo answers. "The Patron said I have another job after orientation is over. Don''t worry, though ¨C I shouldn''t take more than an hour or two for it. Three at most. So we can still spend most of the night together."

    "Alright," I say, then look at Zane and shake my head. "I can''t believe Stoneboy got the offer, too."

    "Hey!" Zane protests. "The Patron must have seen my awesome talent as being a heavyweight!"

    "It''s something else," Theo snorts. "You''ll find out once we arrive and do orientation. There''s always more to the decision than what''s revealed to the one who talks to the offered at the halfway point."

    "I''m curious to know what Zane''s is," I say. "And nervous to know mine, after everything that I was told."

    "I was the same way," Theo tells me. "Don''t worry about it, Kier. The Patron doesn''t make his decisions lightly. Every guardian is picked for a reason, and most enjoy it well enough that they choose to remain one for several years when he allows them to."

    That''s only a mild relief. But something tells me that the Patron wants me to assassinate someone once I''m more powerful. Not just the normal assassination jobs I''ll no doubt get, but something much bigger.

    At least tonight is just orientation.

 Chapter 0059

    The building we arrive it is similar to the Lusvaris Training Center, being an unmarked building with a parking lot. It''s also massive ¨C easily bigger than the Lusvaris Training Center is. Theo leads us to the entrance and places his hand on the scanner, and the solid metal doors slide open.

    "This building," Theo says once we''re inside and the doors have closed. "Is used exclusively by the Sivalshi Guardians. Only we have access to it, and only we can enter it ¨C literally. It''s shielded from all others by the Patron. Had you both not accepted the offer, you wouldn''t have even noticed the building, despite me leading you here."

    "That''s impressive," I say.

    "Yeah," he says. "Come on, orientation is this way. Isaac will finally get to find out why it''s in that room instead of the normal one."

    "What do you mean?" Zane asks.

    "Normally, we do orientation in a certain room," Theo says. "The Patron likes to teach new guardians ¨C and new vigilantes ¨C a new spell they can use. Or two. So we usually do orientation in a room that''s good for that. When the Patron told us to bring you three in if you accept, he told us to use a different room. Isaac asked the Patron probably forty times why it''s that room instead of the normal one."

    "I take it you know?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he answers. "For once, I actually know more than Isaac, which he doesn''t know. He''s going to find out during orientation, though."

    Theo leads us through a few semi-illuminated halls, eventually arriving in a large room with a stone floor and stone walls. Something about the room feels¡­ strange to me. It''s as if I can sense the magic in it. The room isn''t lit very well, and I can feel my strength rising as we enter it.

    "Whoa," Zane says. "That''s a lot of magic."

    "The room is shielded from damage," Theo says. "Far more than others, which will be needed tonight. Hello, Isaac."

    "Hello," Isaac greets us.

    He''s in his guardian uniform, though without the cowl and mask. Though it has the same base form as all guardians and vigilantes, and is still skintight (a boner is visible in it, though it''s tucked between his legs so that it''s not as visible), it differs from his Crunalz outfit. Isaac''s guardian outfit is black with dark brown and dark grey lines spread across it, his boots black with brown laces, his gloves black with the lines on them as well. I didn''t know they could do partial outfits, but if he had his mask on, it would be solid black save for the eyes, which would be brown.

    Isaac is standing on one side of a rectangular table, resting atop which is a cellphone that has a phone call to the Patron active and on speaker, I see as we approach. Beside the phone is a small wooden box.

    On this side of the table is another guy, who looks to be around our age.

    The other recruit''s hair is red ¨C not that rusty color of redheads, but actually red ¨C with orange and yellow highlights, making me think of fire when I see it. Rather than normal eyes, his irises are orange. Either he''s dyed his hair and is wearing contacts, or that''s his actual appearance. Considering his eyebrows and even his eyelashes are the same shade of red as his hair, I''ll assume the latter. He''s dressed in a hoodie and jeans, his hands tucked into his hoodie pocket, and he is hot as fuck.

    "Whoa," Zane says. "You''re sexy, man."

    "Thanks," the guy''s face flushes a little. "You''re both kind of sexy, too."

    He finds me sexy? Is he an elemental, too? Theo did mention that it''s likely all elementals will find me attractive since one does. His bulge looks normal, though. Hasn''t learned to take on his elemental form yet?

    "Welcome," Isaac greets us. "To the ranks of the Sivalshi Guardians. Since you''re here, it means that all three of you accepted the offer."

    I pull out my phone and pull up the camera app.

    "What are you doing?" Isaac asks.

    "Taking a picture of the turtle."

    Everyone looks at the table, where sure enough, there''s a turtle sitting. It''s resting on the box, staring right at me. I snap the picture, then return my phone to my pocket. The fact that it''s here shouldn''t surprise me considering that there''s even a phone call to the Patron going on and he''s the one putting the turtles everywhere just to mess with me.

    "Welcome," a deep voice speaks from the phone before anyone can comment about the turtle. Though the voice is deep, it doesn''t sound ancient ¨C it actually sounds young, similar to our age. "To the ranks, Aiden, Zane, and Kieran. Each of you was carefully considered before approached, and you were observed this last month to see if you continued to meet the requirements. As you have no doubt figured, I am the Patron of Sivalshi City."

    "Thank you for the offer," Zane says.

    "You are most welcome, Zane," the Patron says. "I am glad that you accepted. Your brother has refused every time."

    "Zach''s been offered?" Zane asks.

    "He is more qualified than you," the Patron responds, and I try not to laugh at that. "Before we grant you your guardian names and your spellsuit tokens, you must remove your clothes and set them on the table."

    Not to my surprise, the turtle has already disappeared.

    "Sir?" Isaac looks confused. "May I ask why everything seems to be different this time?"

    "All will be revealed shortly," the Patron says. "Theo, you know what to do once they have stripped. To the three of you, remove everything, including any jewelry which you might be wearing. Go completely naked."

    Confused but curious, I obey. Zane and Aiden both strip as well, and we put our clothes on the table. Aiden and I do our best to fold them as we do, Zane just dumping his on there. Aiden has a nice package down there, and I''m guessing he''s either just plain aroused or he was using his power recently. Almost ten inches long and a little more than two inches thick I''d estimate, with a foreskin. Long for a power user, but average in thickness for one. It''s a good package.

    "Theo, if you will."

    Theo raises his hand, then blasts us with lightning, sending us tumbling back. Much to my surprise, I''m only slightly disoriented for a moment, thrown to the wall by the blast, then I fall to the ground. Zane has switched over to his stone form and only stumbled back a few steps, while Aiden was thrown into the wall, just like me.

    However, Aiden''s now a man of fire ¨C literally. So he is an elemental, then? Even made of flames, I can tell his weapon''s grown.

    I start to pick myself up, only to realize that I''m now made of shadows¡­ and that my dick has grown, too. It''s nowhere near an elemental''s monstrosity in length, but that''s probably because it''s still growing for now. I''m an elemental, too?

    As I return to the table, Aiden walking with me, I play around with the ability to alter my form, slimming my dick down to 1.85" while making the length 8.6", just because I can. Doing this actually feels natural to me, and it doesn''t itch as Theo and Zane claim. Maybe it''s only when we do those two forms that our bodies itch?

    Whatever it is, it''s not the only change. I feel powerful ¨C much more so than being in darkness alone should make me. I remember Zane being told that his elemental form is ten times as powerful as his human form. Or, well, his humanoid form, I guess.

    Isaac looks shocked, which tells me he didn''t know this or expect it, but Theo''s expression¡­ the Patron clearly told him to do that beforehand and he knew about our true forms. He even told me before that he knew the identities of all of the elementals in the city.

    Which means he knew that I was a shadow elemental when we met.

    Wait a second¡­ three elementals find me sexually attractive, and I find them the same way. Did Theo mean that elementals tend to be attracted to other elementals? What about Lucas? Unless he''s an elemental, too? But I''m sure that someone as powerful and knowledgeable as Lucas would have known that about himself, so he probably is just an outlier. Perhaps his magic''s just powerful enough that we''re all subconsciously drawn to it? As for his attraction to me, well, I could just be his type.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    "The three of you," the Patron says once we return to the table. "Are among the ranks of the elementals of our city. You are nigh-unkillable, and if you are hit with a lethal attack or suffer too many injuries, you will revert to your true forms, which is the forms you three have taken on thanks to Theo''s attack. Only Zane knew of his true nature beforehand, so I felt it better to inform you two, Aiden and Kieran, of this at the same time I inform you of your nigh-immortality.

    "However," he continues. "Do not think yourselves immortal. Elementals can kill elementals, and there are two who do not align with me. Aiden, Kieran, I am sure you can both feel your ability to shift to your other forms. It is safe to do so, and time to receive your spellsuit tokens."

    The three of us return to our humanoid forms, and my alteration remains as I do. That''s pretty neat.

    There is also no itching.

    "Aiden," the Patron says as Isaac opens the box, then pulls out a silver chain with a golden flame token hanging from it. "When you are a Sivalshi Guardian, you will be known as Embralsi."

    Isaac holds out the token and Aiden accepts it, then pulls it on around his neck.

    "Zane," the Patron says as Isaac pulls out a silver chain, from which hangs a small fist carved of some sort of brown stone. "When you are a Sivalshi Guardian, you will be known as Stolaxil."

    Zane accepts the token and pulls it on.

    "Kieran," the Patron says as Isaac pulls out a black orb held by a silver claw, which hangs from a silver chain. "When you are a Sivalshi Guardian, you will be known as Noxulkin."

    I accept the token and pull it on. Just like everyone else''s, the charm is small, the crystal orb maybe half an inch in diameter at the most. It''s cool to the touch, and when I put it on, I feel a strong sense of responsibility.

    This is it ¨C I''m an actual Sivalshi Guardian now.

    "Welcome to the ranks, young ones," the Patron says. "Ordinarily, we only bring one in at a time. Isaac and Theo are likely wondering why I chose to bring in three, and I will explain that now. There is a job which only Kieran can do, among all the potential guardians. It is a job which requires immediate attention, unable to wait until he turns twenty-one, the age at which I would normally make the offer.

    "Because of that," the Patron continues. "I decided to advance your own offer, Aiden. You were to be offered it upon turning twenty-one as well, despite you having turned down the offer to become a vigilante on your eighteenth birthday. Your skills in combat are admirable and worthy of being among the ranks."

    There''s silence after that, and Zane shifts impatiently. I have a feeling the Patron is making him wait on purpose just to get Zane to ask.

    "What about me?" Zane asks. "I''m past twenty-one."

    "Yes¡­" the Patron trails off as if in thought. "With you among our ranks, more than half of the elementals in Sivalshi City are now Sivalshi Guardians and we have one each of four different types now as well. I know you will dedicate yourself to being the best guardian you can."

    Trying not to laugh at Zane''s stunned expression is hard. He was basically a "let''s just try to collect one of every type" kind of deal. Isaac and Theo said that the Patron likes to do things on a whim, but I don''t think even they expected him to do that when selecting Zane to be a guardian.

    "Normally," the Patron says. "You would be informed of the pay rates, then taught one or two new spells. However, the job for Kieran is immediate, as I said. So Kieran, I will teach you the new spells. Switch to your elemental form, you will learn them much more easily that way."

    I shift back into my elemental form, my body becoming shadows in the shape of me once more. This form is kind of weird, because I feel solid, but I''m literally made of shadows ¨C I can actually see through myself, to a degree. It''s like seeing something that''s cast in shadows, when I see what''s past me, but there''s also an awareness of my form there as well.

    "Reach within yourself," the Patron tells me as the lights go out in here. "And sink into the darkness, but do not come out of them, enter without a destination. Once you do, move around through the darkness."

    Confused, I do as he instructs, sinking into the shadows without a destination in mind. This time, I actually stay in the shadows, and find myself able to move around. I can even sense where the others are while in this state and weave around their legs just to test myself. Interestingly, it doesn''t feel like it uses any magic to do this, only to enter the shadows.

    "Return to the table," the Patron says, and I can hear him just as fine in this state despite knowing he''s speaking from the phone.

    It''s as if all of the darkness around me is a part of me, a part of my senses.

    I return to the table and emerge from the darkness, and the light turns back on.

    "That is called shadow-gliding," the Patron informs me. "It only costs magic to enter, and you can move at great speeds. Though it is slower than shadow-walking in some respects, you can travel much greater distances for less magic, provided there is darkness to travel through. You will need this spell in order to reach your first mission quickly and unnoticed."

    "Is it an assassination?" I ask, returning to my humanoid form.

    "It is," the Patron answers. "The assassination of one Victor Damariks, better known as the Blond Boy Basher."

    "Wait," Isaac says. "You said that it''s something only Kieran could do, sir. You also said that we guardians couldn''t handle him, and Keiran''s new. If it''s the death of-"

    "Isaac," the Patron calmly says, and Isaac stops. "Victor is a power user who uses a spell called ''dimensional lock''. It locks down the area in a dimensional field, which is how he travels unnoticed. Your ability to rip space would be stopped by it. However, to one who can sense shadows or light and move between it, entry would be no difficult feat."

    Shadows or light¡­ Lucas could have been assigned this job, if he''d been a supporter of the Patron rather than a hater. And I can''t tell Lucas this, either ¨C nor that the reason the guardians didn''t handle the situation was because they couldn''t.

    The Patron wants the Blond Boy Basher taken care of, and he had to go to the second choice for dealing with it because of Lucas''s hatred. This puts a lot of pressure on my shoulders, especially since the Patron is trusting me to do this with only a month of training.

    No wonder he moved things to today, too ¨C he probably wants to decrease how long Lucas is on his hunt for, to avoid having Lucas get into a fight with his agents.

    "Kieran," the Patron says. "Once you activate your spellsuit, I will display the route to take to reach him. When you reach his apartment, remain in the shadows, sense the shadows within his dimensional lock. You will need to reach deep into your power to do so, and once you do, shadow-step into them. Then kill him. His combat skills are within your capabilities to handle. Once he is dead, his lock will fade and you will leave. Theo, you will then enter and rescue his current victim. As this is an emergency mission, you must leave now. However, as it is asking a lot of you to kill someone for the first time, Kieran, I will grant you five minutes to collect yourself and calm your racing heart."

    Nodding, I take a few steps back as the Patron begins to teach Aiden a new spell. Theo grabs me by the arm and pulls me over to one wall, then wraps his arms around me in a hug, rocking me gently as I return the hug and lean my head against his chest. While I knew I was probably going to have to kill someone, I really didn''t expect it to be my first night. Not only that, but it''s someone Lucas is hunting for.

    "I see you got the hang of shifting parts of your body," Theo murmurs. "Planning on doing the same as me when putting on the suit?"

    "Probably," I answer. "Did you know?"

    "I knew that I was going to be rescuing Cyrus," he tells me. "The Patron didn''t tell me anything beyond that."

    "Why have two different guardians act?" I ask. "Because I''ll probably freak out after killing the killer?"

    "No," Theo answers. "Cyrus can light-walk, right?"

    "Lucas mentioned that, yeah."

    "He''s probably been kept in darkness, if he hasn''t been able to escape," Theo says. "In a separate room. So he won''t see the kill ¨C nor you. This will delay the public finding out about Noxulkin. It might be to stagger the reveal of three new guardians, or it might be so that those who know about you don''t connect your new job to it to make the censoring lighter for the Patron."

    "Oh," I say. "Or to make it take longer for people to find out there''s a new assassin around. That might make it harder for me to do jobs."

    "That, too," Theo says. "And after I finish dealing with ensuring Cyrus is returned to his family, I''m not going to leave you alone. I remember my first kill, and you''re not as tough as I am in that regard."

    "Thanks," I close my eyes and take a deep breath, then manipulate my dick and balls out of existence so that they won''t be visible in the spellsuit. There''s nothing there now, no sign of any genitals at all, just smooth skin. "Okay. I shouldn''t try delaying it, this needs done. The sooner that Cyrus is rescued, the sooner Lucas calms down. If he knows a guardian did it, then he might lighten up in regards to the Patron."

    "Or he might see it as the Patron trying to win him over," Theo says. "To activate your suit, just channel some magic into it."

    Theo walks me through using magic in that manner, and my spellsuit begins to form around me, sliding out of the token, which disappears entirely as it transforms. Soon, I''m covered in the thin, skintight bodysuit of my spellsuit.

    It''s dark grey with a one-inch black stripe down each side, leading from the armpit down to the ankles. From the black stripe, black swirls stretch out, looping around my nipples and reaching for my dick ¨C or where it would be if I hadn''t disappeared it. Something tells me there are swirls on my ass, even though Theo only mentions the ones on the back of my cowl, which is the same dark grey as the rest of the suit. He says that my mask is dark grey as well, with a black swirl reaching toward each eye from the edges of it. As for my boots and gloves, they''re dark grey as well, with black laces on the boots.

    "Does the Patron like making us look like we''re wearing sex suits or something?" I ask.

    My voice sounds deeper as it comes out, yet the depth sounds natural rather than filtered, and I can''t recognize it as my own, indicating it''s still altered in other ways. I can see and breathe through the mask as if it doesn''t exist, too, even if I''m able to tell it''s there. This is pretty neat.

    "Depends on the person, but yeah," Theo snorts. "Zane''s is actually probably thicker, and a non-elemental dick would probably not be visible in it. He likely has one built for defense rather than agility like ours or looks like Isaac''s. Those tend to be thicker and have cups. Let me change, then we can head out."

    "I''ll go ahead," I tell him. "You''ll probably get there faster than me anyway."

    "Alright," he kisses the cheek of my mask. "See you soon."

 Chapter 0060

    The route plotted out on the inside of my mask doesn''t hinder my ability to see, appearing almost as if it''s a sort of projection before me. It also leads me to the top of a building near Zane''s apartment, which I managed to reach within only a minute by shadow gliding.

    Shadow gliding is actually amazing when going at high speeds, and it feels incredible, moving between shadows faster than I can run. I''m actually kind of disappointed I had to stop so soon, since this is where the Patron''s route stopped.

    I''m back in my elemental form as well, for that extra boost to my powers and life that it will give me. Just in case the Blond Boy Basher puts up more than a small fight and manages to inflict something dangerous. This way, his attack only damages the spellsuit, which will repair itself right after.

    "Kieran," the Patron speaks to me, his voice entering through my right ear as if there''s an earpiece there. "You have a decision to make tonight."

    "Sir?" I ask as I look out across the city from this building.

    "You do not need to be an assassin," he tells me. "This mission is special, and the reason I approached you sooner. It is urgent. If you do not wish to be an assassin, then after this mission, you may become a vigilante whose power is strength in darkness, much like your parents were. You can then figure out what sort of guardian you wish to be over the next few months and learn the spells associated with that."

    "Learning spells would take me too long," I shake my head a little. "And it''s best if I''m an assassin guardian, isn''t it?"

    There''s a pause before the Patron''s response.

    "It would be optimal to have a stealth-based assassin, yes," he tells me. "But you need not be that if you do not wish so, Kieran."

    "If that''s what is best," I say. "Then I''ll do it. I was prepared to be an assassin when I said ''yes'' tonight, Patron. Besides, I don''t think I could learn other abilities so fast, especially not well enough to debut as a guardian with them in the next few months."

    "Do not discount yourself," he says. "You are an elemental. Do not put yourself on the level of a mere shaper. If you train in elemental form at the optimal training amount, which is the same as for normal power users, you can improve at a rate of fifty percent of the base per month. You also learn new spells more easily in this form. That is something unique to elementals. It is why Theo is as powerful as he is. And now, you, Aiden, and Zane will be improving at this rate, should you choose to."

    A rate of improvement of up to fifty percent? So if I trained two hours at a time, three times a week, every week, I could improve how many five-foot shadow steps I can manage by six or seven a month, and my maximum distance by twelve and a half feet a month? That sounds¡­ incredible.

    I''m willing to bet Zane will be happy to train with me after finding out about this, so that we can both improve as best we can without alerting Lucas to our additional abilities or the fact that I''m an elemental, too. Explaining my progress might be difficult, but I''m sure the Patron will prevent Lucas from thinking about it too much.

    "I will," I say. "I have a lot of catching up to do, and this form feels amazing. It feels natural."

    "It should," he tells me. "If you utilize it to maximize your training, then by your birthday, you will be ready to meet Shade in person."

    "Shade?" I ask. "The shadow¡­ thingy?"

    "A shadow beast," the Patron corrects. "And yes, him. If you maximize your training with this form, then you will be powerful enough to bind him to you, which will be necessary to protect the safety of the people around. He isn''t evil, but his presence will cause worry should others learn of it."

    To bind him to me? Like a familiar?

    "Okay," I say. "And like I said before, Patron, if being an assassin is how I''m best needed, then I will be an assassin. Use me as your blade of stealth. I will get used to killing. This is something I was determined to deal with the moment I realized I was suited for being an assassin."

    "Very well, then," the Patron says. "There are two new spells you should learn. The first will help you with your mission tonight. Reach for the shadows and shape them into a knife. As Shade calls you, you are a Master of Shadows. This should take little effort to do, as they are yours to command as much as lightning is Theo''s, fire is Aiden''s, and stone is Zane''s."

    "And light is Lucas''s," I poke.

    "Eh."

    That''s not a response that says he''s annoyed by Lucas, but that Lucas isn''t really worth noting for that. I suppose that''s confirmation Lucas is just a light-shaper, if light isn''t his to command the way shadows are for me.

    Inhaling deeply, I hold out a hand, pulling on the shadows. It''s a cloudy night again, the city cast in darkness save for the lights that escape from buildings and the occasional streetlight. Accessing the shadows and pulling them to my hand, creating a knife of them, takes me about a minute to manage, and once I finish, I''m holding a basic combat knife in my right hand.

    Made of shadows, of course. If I look at it, I can see through it, the area behind appearing as if covered in shadows. Seeing this will take some getting used to.

    "Excellent work," the Patron says. "Despite being made of shadows, it is as solid as you wish it to be, allowing you to cut anything you choose, should you wish it. Now dismiss the knife."

    I do, and the Patron has me summon it a few times. The knife takes me around ten seconds to summon, so I guess that will be something I work on in my training. Hopefully, being able to make a knife of shadows instantly doesn''t take me a year or longer.

    "Good job," the Patron says after the fifth summoning and dismissal. "Now for the next spell, Kieran. And this is one you must not tell anyone you know, not even Theo, until I give permission. Look deep within yourself, to the shadows within. Draw on those to form a knife. For as strong as shadows are, they are nothing in comparison to the shadows of a shadow elemental."

    Obeying, I find the core of shadows within me and draw on them, managing to create a knife in about twenty seconds. Though it takes me longer to do, I can sense just how much more dangerous this knife is. Something about it warns me of its dangers.

    "This knife," the Patron tells me. "Can harm an elemental even while they''re in their elemental form. It will leave an injury that will not heal by shifting forms. Forged of the core of your powers, this knife can kill an elemental, Kieran."

    This is why he wanted to make sure I was okay with being an assassin, isn''t it? I might need to assassinate an elemental one day, and he wanted to make sure I would be okay with it, then teach me the spell needed for it. Just in case Theo can''t kill them through pure combat, I guess?

    "You think I''ll need to kill one of the city''s elementals?" I ask.

    "There are elementals in cities with less friendly Patrons than ours," he tells me. "And we may cross paths with them from time to time. It would be best to be prepared in case we cross paths and an elemental is sent to cause problems within our city. There isn''t an elemental in this city who can''t be dealt with through the guardians I have."This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    "Okay," I take a deep breath, then let it out. "Which apartment is he in?"

    A new route appears on my mask, this time leading me even further away.

    "You''ve yet to arrive," the Patron informs me. "Your stop here was only for my question and your education."

    "Oh," I say, then sink back into the shadows, forgetting to release the knife as I do. "Whoa."

    The knife stayed with me, still in my ''hand'', despite me being made entirely of shadows now that I''ve entered them. I guess that saves me from having to create a knife on the way. The Patron doesn''t tell me to get rid of it and use the other knife, so I just glide through the shadows, following the route he planned out for me.

    "Patron?" I test seeing if he''ll respond.

    Would people near the shadows hear my voice if I speak? That''s something to test later, I''m moving much too fast for anyone to really notice right now.

    "Yes?"

    "If it wasn''t cloudy tonight, how much different would my route be?"

    "It wasn''t meant to be cloudy," he informs me. "I conjured up the clouds specifically to give you an easier route and increase your strength, speed, and toughness for the mission."

    He summoned the clouds just for me? Wait, if that''s the case¡­

    "A few days ago-"

    "Yes, those clouds were for you," he says. "I knew the incident would occur and felt it best to trust you to deal with the situation than Sovirna. Consider it an additional test of your character, if you will. I saw the opportunity to see how you would react, and you pleased me."

    If he tested to see how I''d react, did he look for opportunities to test Zane and Aiden, too? Probably, and they definitely passed, to have still been made the offers.

    The Blond Boy Basher seems to live tailward, in a middle district near its border to the lower districts. The route plotted out takes me up to the seventeenth floor of a building, to a rather specific window, actually. When I try to sense the shadows inside, something I realize I can do with ease while in this form, I find them¡­ feeling weird.

    Pushing deep, I sense no one in this particular apartment, but it''s the one the Patron stated the Blond Boy Basher and Cyrus are in. He did mention a dimensional lock, though, so I try to sense additional shadows, ones that are there but not there. Soon, I''m sensing a second layer to the apartment, though it feels like trying to sense them through a layer of something viscous.

    There''s a smaller figure wrapped in shadows, tied up in a room past two doors. In the living room, there''s another figure, pacing about, muttering to himself about how he finally found his target and all he needs to do now is locate the family.

    That sounds like he wasn''t targeting random people, but actually looking for Lucas''s family. Why?

    ¡­because of teleportation being able to bypass his dimensional lock. That''s why Cyrus is kept in shadows ¨C so that he can''t teleport out and for help. If he did, then Lucas would probably show up and obliterate this man from existence.

    The Blond Boy Basher was trying to find the teleporters of the city so that he could kill them. That way, there would be no way someone could come after him. He knew that they had blond hair and a young boy was one of them, so he was kidnapping ones he suspected might be them to try to find the right one.

    This is just a theory, but it would make sense.

    I wait until I can see his face through the shadows, verifying he''s the man the Patron assigned me to assassinate, then I teleport into the apartment behind him, emerging from the shadows with knife in hand. Not giving myself time to think, I thrust my knife into the man''s back.

    The knife sinks in easily, quicker than a hot knife in butter, and when I pull it out, I don''t give myself time to think about it, I just reach up and slash his throat. The Blond Boy Basher drops to the ground, and I flip him onto his back, then drive the knife into his chest for good measure, before releasing the knife from existence, feeling the shadows returning to my core when I do.

    There''s blood on my suit now. And my gloves. It''s not the dark red of drying blood but a brighter, fresher color, with a slight shine to it in the light of the room. The killer''s body is beneath me, blood still flowing even in his death. It takes time for it to stop, just like when Isaac accidentally destroyed the school.

    "Noxulkin," the Patron''s voice is calm, neutral. "Leave. Now. Zignarl will handle the boy. You are finished for the evening. If you wish for a route home, just command the mask to display the route to where you wish to go. If you wish to just glide through shadows for awhile, then you are more than welcome to do that. But avoid being seen in your guardian uniform."

    "Yes, sir," I respond, then meld back into shadows and glide my way out of here.

    Since it seemed like the Patron was making a suggestion, I follow it and just glide around the city for awhile. The high speed makes it easy to see parts of it I''ve never seen before, and I start doing just laps with increasing and decreasing ranges.

    Killing him was so easy. My knife sunk into him like he was nothing. I expected the assassination to take more effort, for there to be a fight, a struggle, a battle. Not for it to end in moments, my target unable to even react to the attack.

    Being able to move around like this, to teleport, really does give an advantage for an assassin. No wonder the Patron wanted someone who could. Am I shaking? I''m shaking, even while made of shadows and melded into shadows. I didn''t know that was possible.

    An hour passes as I just glide around the city, then two, then I come across a place that feels familiar. A park? Yes, that''s a park. But I haven''t been in this area before, we''re almost to the upper districts. Why does it seem familiar?

    Wait, this is the park that Shade projects to me from, isn''t it? Moving through the shadows, I try to locate the beast, only to end up bumping into him ¨C quite literally. I feel my shadowy self come into contact with another shadowy self that''s hiding under the round thing with the bars that''s confused me. Shade''s tucked in to the shadows of it, melded in just like me. He doesn''t stir, though, probably unable to actually rouse fully into consciousness. That''s probably why he''s contacting me through dreams, after all.

    Reaching through the shadows, I touch him again, this time feeling his shadows with my hand. It''s soft, like fur, and cool to the touch. His wolf form, I''m guessing? I can vaguely make it out.

    For a few minutes, I just stroke Shade''s fur, attempting to project my greetings to him even as he sleeps. If it works, he might tell me the next time we speak. I hope.

    This helps me calm down a bit, to stop shaking even as shadows. But it''s not enough. I need a friend, someone to be with at the moment. Someone to hug and snuggle. Someone who might have an update on Lucas already.

    Rather than heading to Theo''s apartment, I ask the mask to direct me back to the training center. It''s not far from here, and when I arrive, I find it empty. No one around? Maybe Zane went home? My stuff is gone, too, so I''ll assume that Theo took it. That means I can''t text anyone, either, so I definitely want to go talk to Zane to see if he''s heard from Lucas.

    "Mask," I say. "Route to the Korriska Building, please."

    A route pops up, and I follow it through the shadows, arriving within a minute. I glide up the shadows on the side of the building and sense into Zane''s apartment. At first, I''m not sure of what I''m sensing, so I look through the shadows directly.

    I sensed it correctly¡­ Zane is balls-deep inside of a guy. Not just any guy, either, but Aiden. Well, it''s Aiden unless there''s another person with that rather unique hair and eyes around who Zane''s met tonight. Since I''m off the market, Zane must have decided to hook up again. Or try a relationship with Aiden. After all, the reason he was waiting with me was because of how new I am to things.

    Good for you, Zane, but I wish you''d waited so that I could talk with you. I really need someone right now. Maybe Theo is home now?

    I pull away from the apartment and request a route to Theo''s, then make my way there, entering it through the shadows and emerging into darkness. He''s not home, but my phone is on the dining room table. Letting my spellsuit return to its necklace state, I walk over to the table without turning on the light and grab my phone, turning on the screen as I return to my humanoid form. There''s a message from Theo waiting for me, from only twenty minutes ago.

    Almost done with things. Should be back in thirty.

    I won''t be alone for too long. That''s good. Hopefully.

    The scene of the killer''s bloody body and injuries return to me, and a sick feeling wells up in my stomach. Maybe I do need someone right now. I teleport into the bathroom, making it to the toilet in time.

    Once I finish losing my dinner, I collapse against the ground, my body beginning to shake again. I killed someone. I knew I was going to have to, and I was prepared to do it, and I did it.

    Deep breaths, Kieran. Everything will be okay. You took out a bad guy. A very bad guy. You saved more people from losing loved ones. You did good today. I know I did, but that doesn''t change how much I''m shaking, how light-headed and sick I feel.

    I killed someone. And despite having freaked out over it, despite not being as ready for it as I thought, I know I''m going to do it again. I''m not going to turn back on what I told the Patron. No, I won''t ¨C someone needs to do this job, and I want to protect this city''s peace from threats.

    Right now, a boy is being returned to his family, or has been returned to his family. Cyrus had it even rougher ¨C he was kidnapped. Compared to that, what I did today is nothing. What I did was make him safe and protect others, too.

    Reminding myself of that helps, but I can still feel how easily the knife slipped through the killer. I would have expected it to be like cutting meat when preparing one of those meals Lucas gave me a recipe for, but it wasn''t. That has resistance to it while this didn''t. It was much easier than cutting butter with a hot knife.

    My body begins to shake again as I think about that. Killing was much easier than I''d expected it to be.

    I don''t want to be alone right now. Please return soon, Theo. Please.

 Chapter 0061

    The water blasts out of the showerhead hot, almost scalding. I don''t turn on the cold water, though, and just stand under the hot spray. My body will adjust to it. It takes a few minutes, but it does, the heat becoming more tolerable.

    Once I''ve adjusted to the heat, I begin scrubbing my body carefully, working it over thoroughly and making sure to clean every last part of it. There wasn''t any blood on me ¨C I''m not sure when it disappeared, but it wasn''t on my spellsuit when I activated it again. Did it disappear when I entered the shadows? Or when I removed the spellsuit the first time?

    Something I''ll find out at some point, I''m sure. After all, I''m an assassin now. An assassin who protects the city from greater threats, not the small ones. Though soon, I''ll protect it from smaller ones as well. At least as a vigilante, I won''t have to kill people.

    Usually.

    Most of that work will be stopping crimes in progress, disabling and disarming rather then making dead.

    Maybe it''s the part of me that''s not human ¨C the fact that I''m an elemental, not a human ¨C but I don''t think it''s normal to have recovered from a first kill this fast. I''m still shaking, still light-headed, but I''m rational again. I''m taking a shower, making sure every last bit of myself is clean¡­

    Who am I kidding? I''m just trying to distract myself while I wait for Theo to return, and once he does, I know I''m going to try to distract myself further. It helps, I found as I brushed my teeth to get the taste of my vomit out.

    However long I''m in the shower, it''s enough to clean myself twice over. Strangely, Theo doesn''t join me in here. Has he not returned yet? It''s definitely been more than ten minutes since I returned. At least half an hour, actually.

    I guess he got delayed further.

    Shutting off the shower, I grab a towel and step out, taking a few minutes to thoroughly dry myself. Getting my hair dry with just a towel isn''t really that easy, and while he does have a hairdryer, I''ll just let it dry on its own. Since I need to eat again and I''m sure Theo will be home soon, I''ll be up for awhile.

    Though I guess if I have my way, I''ll probably need another shower. Oh, well.

    Once I''m dry, I use the towel to wipe off his mirror, then hang it up on a bar before looking at my reflection. My hair''s gotten so long, I should probably cut it again. Maybe this time, I could go to an actual hair salon for a cut? Something to think about later, my stomach is rumbling.

    I leave the bathroom to find Theo entering the bedroom. His face lights up in surprise when he sees me.

    "Oh!" He exclaims. "I''d expected you to have fallen asleep! Sorry for taking so long, I got tied up right as I was getting ready to leave."

    "Cyrus?"

    "Returned safely to his family," Theo answers. "Good job on the kill."

    He tilts his head a little, as if examining me.

    "How are you doing?" He asks. "I know it''s your first kill, so-"

    "Either we''re having sex right now," I''m not letting him bring me back to that, not after I just finished getting rid of those thoughts. "Or I''m going to the kitchen and cooking myself something to replace what I lost to your toilet."

    "You are not," he says as I walk over to him. "Cooking, Kier. I''ll make dinner. Are you sure you want sex right now?"

    "You saw the boner, right?" I ask as I wrap my arms around him, using my right hand to tilt his head down. "I used my powers a lot tonight. I''m horny and I need a distraction and want to feel your body against mine. Or in mine. Preferably both."

    I stand on my toes a little and kiss him, and Theo returns the kiss as I grab his hoodie and start to pull it up. He lets me pull off his hoodie, and I start rubbing his sides, his back, his chest, his really, really damn fine abs. Theo grabs my sides and holds me tight as we kiss.

    "Do you really want a distraction?" He murmurs after breaking our kiss off a few minutes into it. "That might not be healthy to-"

    "Sex or food, your choice," I interrupt. "And I need my mind off of how it felt, so I''d really like the former to happen now."

    Theo kisses me again, his hands sliding down and around, rubbing my ass as they move beneath it. He then lifts me up, and I wrap my legs around him, feeling my dick rubbing against his stomach as he moves me to his bed, lowering me onto it before removing his shoes and joining me on the bed. We move so that my head is resting on the pillows, and Theo starts kissing my chest, sucking on and biting my nipples.

    "Ngh!" I moan as he applies a little more pressure than normal, and I move a hand onto his back. "Theo, don''t stop!"

    He snorts, then continues, spending a full three or four minutes just on my nipples, making me squirm a little from the pleasure and slight touches of pain. It causes my dick to rub against him more, and I can feel myself drawing close to my peak just from this. Theo probably notices this because he stops playing with my nipples and begins kissing his way down my stomach.

    As always, Theo stops at my bellybutton and flicks his tongue into it, swirling his tongue around it, playing with it with his tongue. He really enjoys doing this, and I''ve thought about asking him to put something in it, like a blueberry or frosting or something, just as a ''treat''. The only reason I haven''t is I''m not bold enough to most of time.

    I am right now, but I''m also too horny to want to wait for him to get it and return if he agrees to it.

    "Theo, just suck me off already," I say.

    My boyfriend laughs, but stops playing with my bellybutton, licking down to my balls. He takes first the right one into his mouth, sucking on it and swirling his tongue against it, then releases it and takes the left one into his mouth, repeating.

    "Theo!" I moan, putting a hand on his head. "Come on!"

    He looks up and meets my gaze, then gently licks and kisses the underside of my dick. At this point, he''s definitely just teasing me. I almost want to knee him in the side for this, my knees are in the right spot for that. Before I actually do that, though, Theo stops teasing me and just takes my dick into his mouth, going all the way down, his nose pressed against my crotch.

    "Mmh!" I moan, and Theo looks up at me.

    If he could smile right now, he''d definitely be smiling.

    "Theo!" I gasp. "You took¡­ too long! Gonna-gonna! Mmh!"

    Theo pulls back a little as I moan-whimper in response to trying to hold back my orgasm, and he manages to get my foreskin pulled back just in time for me to begin shooting my load. He swallows every last drop of it and doesn''t stop sucking, even adding suction with just the head of my dick in his mouth, his tongue rubbing against the sensitive head.

    "Nnh!" I moan. "Theo!"

    He releases my dick, smiling at me, and as soon as he does, I throw the lube at him.

    "Hey!" He exclaims as he catches it. "Is that how you ask-"

    "Just fuck me already, would you?"

    Theo laughs and opens the tube as I lift my legs up. Once he''s lubed himself up, Theo slowly begins to push his dick into my ass, and I moan a little, pushing my ass towards him.

    "Don''t hold back, Theo," I say. "I want it rough and hard right now."

    "You sure?"

    "Yes."

    "Alright," he thrusts all the way in, and I moan, my back arching a little, lifting off the bed. "You okay?"

    "Shut up and fuck."

    Theo snorts, moving my legs beside him before grabbing my sides and beginning to thrust. His thrusts are faster, harder than normal. I like the way it feels right now, though can acknowledge that under different circumstances, I''d probably not like it. It feels good, and I like staring into those beautiful, electric blue eyes of his as sparks dance off his body. The way his fat, long dick slides inside of me, the way it stimulates my insides at high speed. It almost feels like he''s going to break me, but I know he won''t.

    "Ungh!" Theo moans as he finally reaches his climax, still thrusting hard even as he pumps my ass full of his cum, his hot seed making his dick feel sticky inside of me. "Kieran!"

    When Theo finishes his climax, he bends forward, moving his hands to my head and shoulders as he starts kissing me, still thrusting inside of my ass. I grab his sides, feeling the sweat that''s begun to soak his skin, how warm his body''s gotten. Our kisses are breathless, the two of us needing to stop for air a few times as Theo continues fucking me hard and rough, the feeling one I know I would probably have refused another day. But right now, it''s what I want, and Theo''s giving it to me. It feels amazing, especially with his sparks dancing across him, lightly zapping my body in that way they do without harming me.

    Theo continues until he reaches a second climax inside of me, then he just rests with his dick all the way inside, still kissing me, his tongue inside of my mouth, wrestling with my own tongue.

    "I was trying to get you to cum again through anal stimulation and rubbing it with my body," he murmurs, and I snort. "And that didn''t work."

    "Maybe next time," I kiss him. "I''m still building up libido. I might be ready for more when we wake. Though my ass is sooooore."

    Theo slowly pulls out of my ass, and if there was any way to do it gently, he''d probably be doing it like that, too. He gives me a kiss as I lower my legs down. My hips and ass really are sore, he gave it a rather good pounding.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    "Thanks," I tell him.

    "You''re welcome," he says. "I''m going to go make you food, okay? Just rest, and-"

    "Carry me?" I hold up my arms. "Or do you not want your cum leaking out of-"

    Theo flips me onto my back, then does something with his nightstand, though I don''t bother to look. A few seconds later, I hear the lube opening up again, and not long after that, something is pushing into my ass.

    "Mnh!" I moan. "Theo?"

    "Butt plug," he says. "That way, you don''t leak."

    I snort, and once he''s pushed it all the way in, he flips me back over, then picks me up. I wrap my arms and legs around him, resting my head on his shoulder, and Theo carries me out of his room and to the couch, gently setting me down on it.

    "It''s softer than the chairs," he kisses me on the neck. "So it will be easier for you to sit on. I''ll go cook now. We could both use food."

    "Thanks," I kiss him, then he heads to the kitchen.

    Before beginning to cook, Theo fills a glass with water and gives it to me, and I drain it completely almost immediately. Laughing, Theo zaps himself over to the kitchen to refill it, and once I have the second glass, he gets to work on cooking.

    "You know," Theo says after a few minutes. "You kind of surprised me, Kier. I know we''ve only been together a week, but you''ve never come across as that, well, aggressive when it came to sex. You even prefer to bottom because you feel topping is too much of being in charge, but you were really demanding tonight."

    I almost agree with him in that it''s strange, but stop myself before I do.

    "It doesn''t surprise me that much, in hindsight," I tell him. "There was this time that Lucas and I got into a big fight. I was feeling¡­ well, I was feeling extremely down after that, and he went to leave my apartment to head home. I basically ordered him to get in bed and spoon me to make me feel better. This is basically the same as that, just with me having a libido. Once I calm down from¡­ um¡­ having freaked out over how easy it was to kill someone, I''ll probably be back to normal."

    "So if you get into a bad mood," Theo says. "I can expect you to get pretty demanding?"

    "Or if my mood is just low," I say. "Is that a problem?"

    "Not as long as I still get a choice in everything," he tells me. "While I love getting to do stuff with you, tonight''s was more my style, to be honest. So while I hate the idea of only getting it when you''re feeling down or upset, Kier, I''ll look forward to them as a special treat. I just hope they don''t happen too often."

    Because getting to do it like this would mean that I''m feeling down or we''ve gotten into a fight.

    "Hey," I try to pout at him. "You can still go rough with me other times, Theo. Just not, like, every night."

    "No," he grins. "I mean where my partner is a bit more aggressive. How aggressive you were with getting me to do stuff really tells me you''re okay with it. I know you''re not that way, which is why I try to make sure you''re okay with it ¨C I''m worried that if I don''t, you''ll not tell me if something''s wrong."

    "Theo," I say. "I will tell you if something''s wrong. I just don''t really get in charge much¡­ except in cases like tonight. But I''m not going to let someone do something I don''t like without saying something. So rest assured on that."

    "Okay," he says.

    He returns to cooking in silence, though I can tell he''s happy that I promised him that. Happy, but also a little uncertain. We did just meet, so it will probably take him a little bit more time to be comfortable with the idea of me letting him be in charge so much.

    It''s not something I''m upset over because it would make sense to try to make sure of that until he''s certain I really am okay and really would say something if something''s wrong or I don''t like it. There''s a difference between trusting your boyfriend and actually knowing their limits and how willing they are to say something.

    "Hey, Theo?" I ask after a few minutes.

    "Yeah?"

    "Are you versatile?"

    "Yeah, why?"

    "Because you have butt plugs," I answer. "Ones thick enough to fill the gap caused by a thick one."

    "Oh," he snorts. "I actually bought them for the guy I hooked up with before ¨C don''t worry, they got sanitized after every use. We also stopped seeing each other a couple of months ago. He liked my dick about this thick, too, so we used that one after sex to keep the cum in. He wears plugs while he goes about his business, but when he hung out here, he''d wear one with a tail. It was kind of cute, but there was no spark between us.

    "Why''d you stop seeing him?" I ask. "It was just hookups, right?"

    "Right," Theo nods. "And he started developing feelings for me. I couldn''t return them, so we agreed to end it."

    "Elementals are only attracted to elementals," I murmur.

    "Correct," Theo says. "While we can get into relationships with others, or have sex with them no problem, we don''t hold true feelings for them. Zane got into all of those hookups trying to find someone he felt a spark with."

    "Zane said he did love someone once," I say. "But they died before he could ask them out. The way he talks if the guy is ever brought up-"

    "Erm, yeah," Theo says. "This is the norm, Kier. In an exceptional case, we can still hold an attraction for someone else, especially if their magic is beautiful, even if it''s like you and how Zane used to be ¨C subconsciously sensing it. Zane''s crush was one such case. I actually sensed his magic once, and for a human, it was pretty damn appealing. It''s kind of sad that Zane lost him, it''s probably part of why he was delaying getting with you. I do feel guilty for taking you before then, but I also like being with you. He''ll find someone soon, I''m sure."

    Nah. Not soon. He''s already found someone, I''m sure of it. But I''ll not say that for now.

    "Okay," I say. "By the way, while I was shadow-gliding around, the Patron asked me if I wanted the role of an assassin. If not, I could switch over to being a vigilante immediately as we figure out a better style for me as a guardian."

    "What did you say?" He asks.

    "If there''s a job only I can do," I say. "Then I''ll do it. He was interested in me because my powers are good for assassinations, so I''ll be an assassin. It might take me some time to get used to killing people, though. I didn''t expect it to be so easy¡­"

    There''s a burst of electricity, and Theo''s standing in front of me, a hand on my shoulder. For a moment, the fact that he''s wearing an apron surprises me, but then I remember that he tends to do that while cooking. He didn''t get rid of his dick this time, though. It''s not hard, so I can only see a slight bulge where it''s pressing against the apron. I guess he only removes it if he''s actually hard while wearing the apron?

    Either way, it''s kind of sexy.

    "No wonder you wanted distractions," Theo bends down and kisses me. "Food will be ready in about thirty minutes. Think you can hold out?"

    "As long as we keep chatting," I answer.

    "Alright," he says, then zaps himself back to the kitchen. "Speaking of the job, Aiden and Zane were given more information after you left. The main point is the pay for both sides of being a guardian."

    "Right," I say. "I forgot about that. Will it be enough to sustain me, even if I had my own apartment?"

    "That''s actually up to you," Theo tells me. "You get paid five hundred for every job as a Sivalshi Guardian. An additional two-fifty for an immediate job, and massive jobs can get bigger paychecks. So that part depends on how many jobs you have to do that month."

    "Did I get five hundred or seven-fifty for this one, then?" I ask. "Crap, my phone and laptop are in your room, so I can''t check."

    "Seven-fifty," Theo answers. "It was an immediate job. It''s possible that''s your only job this month, or you might get five or six jobs. It all depends on how many big threats to the peace of the city itself occur.

    "As for being a vigilante," he says. "We get paid one-twenty for every eight hours we work, or fifteen an hour. However, we don''t get paid unless we''ve worked eight hours, and it''s only for every block of eight. So if you work fifteen hours, the deposit only has eight hours on it. If you work seventeen hours, it will only have sixteen on it. There''s no limit to how long you can take to earn that ¨C so if you work exactly seven hours, and then spend a year not being a vigilante, then work another hour, you''ll get eight hours'' pay. The payments for both jobs are done on Fridays at midnight. That is when it turns Friday, as that''s midnight on Friday."

    "That''s why you said you guys get to schedule your own shifts," I say.

    "Yeah," he confirms. "We basically pick our times and areas. The Patron sometimes makes suggestions, usually when he feels something might happen."

    "Okay," I say. "By the way, I think I know what I want to use as my vigilante power."

    "What?" He asks.

    "Chains of shadows," I answer. "Be a counter to Lumilxal."

    "Hm," Theo thinks for a few moments. "That might not be a bad idea. Since you''re supposed to be a ''secret'' Sivalshi Guardian for now, you might even be able to start sooner. Learning how to make the chains shouldn''t be too difficult if you''re in your elemental form, though you''d probably have to stay in it while being a vigilante in order to actually use it well. At least, at first."

    "Yeah," I say. "Do you think the Patron would let me start sooner?"

    "Just train the power," he tells me. "When the Patron''s okay with you making your debut as a vigilante, he''ll let you know that you have a second spellsuit you can manifest."

    "Okay," I say, then realize something. "Crap."

    "What?"

    "If I''m increasing my power at a rate of fifty percent a month by training in my elemental form," I say. "Then Lucas will realize something''s up ¨C there''s no way I''d be able to handle hiding that from him."

    "It''s in publicly-available records," Theo tells me. "That elementals have a higher improvement threshold. While it''s not really that well-known what the higher threshold is, you just have to tell Lucas you found out you''re an elemental and show him your other form."

    "Erm¡­ is that allowed?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he answers. "The Patron wouldn''t have let you understand me saying that if it wasn''t. He also wouldn''t have let Zane and Lucas meet if Lucas knowing about elementals would have been a problem."

    "How do I explain finding out?" I ask.

    "Orientation," he answers. "It''s the truth, after all. You showed up for orientation and found out that the company had approached elementals, and not just ones who knew they were elementals, then informed them that they were and taught them how to shift."

    Which would also give a better explanation for why the company was willing to hire me after just one month: I can gain five months'' worth of improvement to my spells per month, so by the time my probation period is over, I''d be significantly stronger. However, they hadn''t wanted to tell me that before I was hired because they didn''t want me to know unless I was hired.

    "Now that I think about it," I say. "That''s four of seven elementals who align with the Patron, four who are guardians. Was Zach not told about his true nature? Though I guess Zane probably mentioned it."

    "Yeah, Zach knows," Theo says. "The Patron would rather elementals know what they are without finding out through tragedy, so he prefers to have someone approach them and tell them, preferably when they''re hired. This also avoids having them wonder why they still look seventeen when they''re fifty, too."

    "¡­what?"

    "Elementals stop aging by the time they''re twenty," he tells me. "Though it can be as young as fifteen normally. I stopped aging at nineteen, according to the Patron, and Zane did when he was eighteen. The Patron won''t say if you have or not, but he''s always been weird about information regarding you. Since you haven''t really used your powers until the last month or so, you probably haven''t, unless kicking you into your elemental form caused the halt."

    The fact that elementals are nigh-immortal didn''t really sink in until now. I''d only thought about the part where only an elemental really had the ability to kill an elemental, but I''d assumed we''d age all the same. Does this mean Zane''s parents aren''t elementals, then? That their power really was just shifting into stone form, but then Zane and his brother were born with greater power? What''s their mother''s ability? Probably something stone-related, to have caused them to awaken their elemental nature.

    "So it''s probably a good thing an elemental is attracted to elementals," I say. "And rarely others. We''d outlive pretty much anyone else."

    "Yeah," he confirms. "And if you''re wondering what happened to the elementals of the past, the Patron said that we normally only have one in the city at a time, and they usually end up moving. For us to have seven at once is strange, even by his standards."

    So the Patron didn''t manipulate things so that more elementals were born, then. Could there being so many of us here be a sign of something to come? Some sort of cosmic hand at work, preparing the back of Sivalshi for a greater threat that only we can handle?

    "Anyway," Theo interrupts my thoughts. "I''m at a critical part of cooking this. Do you want me to use wine in the sauce, or no?"

    "I don''t think I''ve ever had wine in the sauce before."

    "The I''ll wine it up."

    "Isn''t wine expensive?"

    Making alcohol takes up extra space, so there are only a couple of places for it, and they''re subject to the same high prices for produce as everyone else.

    "Dude, I''m a Sivalshi Guardian," Theo laughs. "And have been for almost two years now. Trust me, a bottle of wine isn''t that much. But you aren''t getting to drink any. With your current size and meat amount and your current mindset, that would be bad for several reasons."

    "I''m not interested in drinking alcohol," I assure him, then stifle a yawn.

    After we eat, we are definitely going to bed.

 Chapter 0062

    Okay, so having sex so soon after how rough I had Theo be last night probably wasn''t the best idea. Nor was doing it in the shower again after that. But damn did it feel good, so I''ll put up with how sore I am from that.

    As I go to sit on the couch while Theo enters the kitchen to make breakfast, my phone rings. I set my glass of water on the table and pick up my phone, which was sitting beside the remote. When I check to see who''s calling, I see Lucas''s name on the screen.

    It''s eight in the morning on a Friday.

    "Hey, Lucas," I answer the phone. "You''re up early. How''s Cyrus doing?"

    "I haven''t slept yet," Lucas''s voice is soft, almost subdued. He must be exhausted if he hasn''t slept yet, especially after his rampage yesterday. I''m not surprised he sounds subdued now, he''s probably fighting passing out. "Cyrus is doing fine. He''s¡­ well, he''s scared. He spent the night at Grandpa''s and-wait, how did you know that Cyrus was home?"

    I switch him to speakerphone so that he can hear the news that''s playing on the TV at the moment, as I''d turned that on before getting the water.

    "To those of you just tuning in," the news anchor says. "Last night, the serial kidnapper and killer known as the Blond Boy Basher was killed by the Sivalshi Guardians. Zignarl rescued the killer''s latest victim, Cyrus Lusvaris, and brought the boy to the Greater Sivalshi Hospital, where he was checked by doctors, given a clean bill of health, then returned to his family. A menace which has terrorized our city these last few weeks has finally been ended, with a happy ending for his latest victim."

    I switch my phone off speakerphone and she continues to talk about the killer. That much was enough for Lucas to know how I know already without raising suspicion about how I know. He must have not have seen the news yet.

    "They''ve been running that report on the hour, every hour for the last three hours," I tell him, though I only know this because Zane texted me to tell me.

    In response, I told him I''d just woken up. I did not mention that I know what he was doing last night after orientation, mostly because I want to see if he''ll tell me about it himself.

    "Oh," he says. "I didn''t realize that."

    "Cyrus''s kidnapping did hit the news last night," I say. "Which is probably the only reason they announced his name with this report. So other than scared, he''s doing okay?"

    "Y-yeah," Lucas is quiet for a few moments. "Have you eaten breakfast yet?"

    "Theo is pulling stuff out to start making it now," I answer.

    "Can we meet up for breakfast?" Lucas asks. "To, um, talk. Theo can come, too. I''ll pay."

    "Are you okay?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he answers. "Just¡­ wanting to talk. Can we?"

    "Theo," I say. "Lucas is inviting us out for breakfast."

    "Okay," Theo responds. "Where at?"

    "Where at?" I ask.

    "I''ll text you the location," Lucas tells me. "It''s about halfway between the apartments."

    "Okay," I say. "See you soon, then."

    "See you."

    Lucas ends the call, and a few seconds later, a text pops up.

    "He just sent me the location," I tell Theo. "Let''s get dressed."

    Theo puts the food away, then we head into his room and get dressed, Theo slipping into just sweatpants and a hoodie, as usual. I, on the other hand, pull on my full outfit, including my coat over a hoodie. Once we''re ready, Theo and I head out.

    The restaurant takes about fifteen minutes to reach, as it''s angled closer to the training center than a straight shot towards Lucas''s apartment, and when we arrive, we find Lucas sitting at a table, a mug of steaming brown liquid in his hands. There are dark spots under his eyes, and his eyelids are drooping. He''s definitely fighting off sleep just to talk with us.

    "You''re staring at that hot chocolate pretty intently," I say as Theo slides into the booth across from Lucas, then I slide in beside my boyfriend.

    "Y-yeah," Lucas says, then nudges the menu toward us. "I already know what I want."

    Theo and I look through the menu, and Lucas doesn''t talk again until we have not just our drinks but our breakfasts as well. I don''t try prompting him, though. If he''s fighting sleep just to talk with us and isn''t staying with his brother after the kid was rescued, then he feels it''s important. Important discussions need to have some thought behind them, so it''s better that I let Lucas collect his thoughts.

    "When I first heard what happened from Zignarl," Lucas tells me. "I was angry. I mean, he just went and killed the Blond Boy Basher and rescued my brother? Was it because of my attempts at locating the killer? I wasn''t causing that much of an issue, they were just covering it pretty heavily in the news. I think people might suspect that Cyrus is related to me, which kind of worries me."

    Lucas doesn''t speak again for a moment, and I take the moment to think over his words. He said he first thought that, does that mean his view of what happened changed? He''s not angry at the Patron?

    "See," Lucas says. "If the Patron could have just ended it then, why didn''t he before? It was clear he only did it to stop my hunt last night. My anger at him swelled, it only reinforced my belief that you were wrong, that the Patron could do stuff, he just didn''t because he didn''t care."

    "But something changed," I say. "You don''t think that anymore?"

    "No," he pokes at his pancakes with a finger. "We got Cyrus talking a couple of hours ago, before he passed out. The Blond Boy Basher¡­ apparently scared him. Did his best to scare Cyrus into either manifesting a power to protect himself or into using a power to do so. When he saw Cyrus use a light-based spell, he began boasting to my brother. He said he''d finally found the light-shapers."

    Lucas pokes his pancakes again.

    "That now that he knew where the teleporters were," he continues. "He could finally kill them and get rid of the only people who could actually get past his power."

    Lucas pokes his pancakes again.

    "He probably didn''t realize that Cyrus could understand everything he said," Lucas says. "But he told Cyrus how his power worked. He created a sort of dimension in a location, locking it down. You can''t enter. However, someone who can ''sense'' things could potentially sense inside, and teleportation would bypass the lock, allowing someone to enter the dimensional pocket. He knew that there was a young boy in a family that had a light-shaper who could teleport, and so he began hunting us so that he could kill us before we could become a threat to him."

    Lucas pokes his pancakes again.

    "We were the targets all along," Lucas says. "And the Patron¡­ there aren''t any guardians who can teleport. The killer apparently even boasted that his dimensions were immune to spatial tears."

    Once again, Lucas pokes his pancakes.

    "The report says that Zignarl killed him," Lucas says. "Zignarl claimed to have killed him when he told us that he''d dealt with the killer. But that''s wrong. Someone else did. Cyrus even confirmed it."

    Lucas once again pokes his pancakes.

    "For the last couple of years," Lucas says. "Cyrus can sense a sort of light in people. It''s nothing like Zane''s ability to sense magic, but he can only sense this light in people with powers. He said that Zignarl showed up after someone else. That this other person ''flowed through the shadows''."

    Crap.

    "You think it was me?" I ask.

    "No," Lucas shakes his head. "There''s no way you could have done that. I mean, it would have meant killing someone. I can''t imagine you ever doing that, even with the security job you''re supposed to find out about today. That''s why I''ve only taught you disables and locks, really."Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    "Speaking of that," I tell him. "I was actually at orientation for it last night, when all of that happened. It turns out that Zane and I were both approached by the same company ¨C they did extra for me because I didn''t have the means to get training otherwise."

    "Oh," Lucas looks at me, his eyes a little wider in surprise. "So you got the job? That''s good."

    "Yeah," I think for a few moments. If Lucas would be able to connect things to me, then the Patron will censor this. "It turns out, my ability to shadow-walk wasn''t the reason they wanted to recruit me."

    "Then why would they want you?" He asks.

    "I''m apparently not a shadow-shaper," I tell him. "But a shadow elemental. Apparently, we have a higher amount we can increase our powers by each month. The company apparently really likes elementals. Theo''s apparently a senior member of the security force there."

    "O-oh," Lucas says, then looks down and pokes his pancakes again. Theo and I are almost completely done with ours at this point, and Lucas just keeps poking his. "A higher threshold? Grandpa mentioned he''d read something about that somewhere. They must be hoping you can develop other abilities sooner. Or the ability to travel with clothes faster. But didn''t you only increase by ten percent this past month?"

    So Lucas did catch what I said. That means he won''t connect the dots. That, or the Patron will prevent him from doing so. Now that I know the Patron does stuff like that, I can''t help but wonder how much I was affected by stuff like that. I''m sure there were many times where he erased my memories, prevented trains of thoughts, or just plain prevented me from observing or understanding something.

    It might have bothered me if I didn''t know it was done to protect his agents. Could it be that he even does it for others? Will he prevent people from connecting Lumilxal and Cyrus?

    "The higher threshold only happens," Theo explains. "If we we train in our elemental form. Since Kieran didn''t know about it until last night, he only trained in his humanoid form, so he only increased like a normal power user would."

    "Oh," Lucas pokes his pancakes again. "Congratulations, Kieran. Did you know that a ship docked in last night? It docked rightward."

    "No," I answer. "I didn''t."

    "Yeah," he thinks for a few moments. "It showed up two hours before my brother was rescued. I think¡­ that whoever saved my brother, they came in on that ship. They came from the south, from somewhere on the west coast of North America. They also left a few hours later, going back south. As if they were here for a single mission. That might be why it took so long. Maybe the Patron does care about smaller stuff like that. Maybe he had to wait for someone who could handle that power to show up."

    Lucas pokes his pancakes again.

    "Don''t get me wrong," Lucas says. "This doesn''t mean I support the Patron now. I need to think about things a lot more. But¡­ I''ll admit that I was wrong. But the kill was weird."

    "What do you mean?" I ask.

    "You said it yourself," Lucas pokes his pancakes. "The Patron only really interferes in things when it''s a threat to the city''s peace as a whole. The Blond Boy Basher didn''t qualify for that, not if what Cyrus said was true. The guy was insane, and he wanted to protect himself, but I don''t think he intended on doing some big overthrow or riot or something, just something small-scale. Maybe he was just paranoid, even. Yet the Patron got involved."

    Now that I think about it, that is weird. Could it be the Patron trying to protect Lucas, though? If the killer had managed to get to Lucas before I killed the bastard, then Lucas would probably be dead right now. While he could teleport out, that would do nothing if he was attacked in his sleep.

    Does he want to try to turn Lucas to his side? It was mentioned that I was picked for the mission because the only other teleporter qualified hated the Patron. That means that if Lucas supported the Patron, he might have been offered to become a Sivalshi Guardian ¨C especially since his power is just as good for assassinations as mine, just in a different way.

    "That is weird," I agree with him.

    "Yeah," Lucas says. "But¡­ I''m grateful for it. It means that Cyrus is back home, safe. Sound. Scared, but unharmed. Once we leave, I''m heading to Grandpa''s and getting some sleep, and I''m not letting go of Cyrus until I wake up again."

    "I was surprised you''d left him for this," I admit.

    "Yeah," Lucas sighs. "I just¡­ needed to talk. With you. I''m sorry about snapping at you over¡­ over the Patron before, Kieran. You were right, and I was an ass. Even if you were single, I''d still need time to think over things, though. I mean¡­ I still don''t like the Patron, but some of my views have changed. It''s a lot to take in."

    "Well," I say. "I''m still your friend, Lucas."

    "Yeah," he''s quiet for a few moments, poking at his pancakes the entire time. "Thinking about all that made me realize I''m missing out, too. Do you think¡­ if I asked Zane¡­ he''d be willing to give me a try? Other than his habit of teasing and goofing off, he really is a good guy, and maybe we could work out."

    "Erm," I hesitate.

    "Probably," Theo says. "Zane''s made it clear he thinks you''re hot, so he''d at least be willing for sex. If he knows you''re reconsidering things about the Patron, he might give a relationship with you a try in the hopes it gives him a bigger advantage in showing you our view of the Patron."

    "Maybe," Lucas nods. "I''ll ask him after training tonight, then."

    "You''ll be there?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he nods. "Cyrus might be, too. Or he might stay with Grandpa. One of us."

    "Okay," I say. "Well, um¡­ how do you feel about poly?"

    "Poly?" Lucas asks. "Why?"

    "Would you be okay dating multiple guys at once?" I ask, and I can feel Theo putting a hand on my leg and squeezing it in a way that says he''s not sure how he thinks of this conversation. I put a hand on his and give it a reassuring squeeze. "Or where all of the guys in the relationship are dating each other?"

    "Like, if you, Theo, and I were dating all at once?" I can see a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

    "Or you, Zane, and his new boyfriend," I answer, and Theo chokes on the juice he had begun to take a sip of. "There was a third new guy at orientation last night, and he and Zane kind of hit it off. Zane might say ''yes'' to you, but only if he and his boyfriend are okay with poly."

    "Are you¡­ sure that they hit it off in that way?" Lucas asks.

    Plans change, such as when a friend says he''s interested in someone who''s gotten with someone else. I pull out my phone and send Zane a text asking for a picture of him and Aiden. He responds a few seconds later.

    Sure!

    About ten seconds after that, a picture of Zane and Aiden snuggling on Zane''s bed comes in. The picture only shows them from the chest up, but they''re probably naked. It''s also clear that they''re a little sweaty, their hair stuck down. Their faces aren''t flushed, though, so they probably weren''t in the middle when I texted. They''re both smiling, their eyes full of energy, and they''ve both wrapped an arm across the shoulders of the other. The picture really shows off the fact that they''re not just two guys who happened to be shirtless when they took the picture, but two guys who are definitely an item.

    I''m about to pull the picture up to full-screen when another message pops up.

    WAIT! HOW DID YOU KNOW???

    Ignoring that, I pull the picture up and show it to Lucas. As Lucas examines it, eyes widening, Theo receives a phone call.

    "He''s kind of sexy," Lucas mutters. "But I don''t think I want a threesome right now. Especially not with someone who can put up with Zane''s energy enough to have sex both before and after they sleep."

    In other words, poly isn''t off the table for Lucas. That''s interesting to learn.

    "Understood," Theo says, then hangs up. "Sorry, that was the boss."

    The boss? Is he referring to Isaac or the Patron?

    "Do we need to leave?" I ask.

    "No," Theo answers, giving my hand a squeeze. "It''s nothing bad, though he did suggest you go in for training this morning, after we leave here. But no rush, it''s just so you can get a feel for some of our training stuff that the Lusvaris Training Center doesn''t have."

    "Oh," I say.

    "So," Lucas says as I pull my phone back and check another message from Zane asking how I knew, since apparently even Isaac wasn''t aware that Aiden went to Zane''s apartment last night. "The job is as a security guard, right?"

    "Yeah," I answer.

    "And it''s at the same place Theo''s a guard at?" He asks.

    "Yeah," I answer.

    "And Theo''s a vigilante?" He asks. "One with a specialized spellsuit?"

    Did Lucas just connect the dots on something? The Patron didn''t stop him?

    "Yeah," I answer. "He said he saved up for it over a few years."

    "Is this company," Lucas hesitates here, then looks around before leaning forward and lowering his voice. "Is ''security guard'' code for ''vigilante''? Does this company employ people to be vigilantes?"

    "No," I answer.

    "Yes," Theo answers. "But we''re ordinarily not allowed to reveal this to people. You''re being trusted with the secret, since you''re a friend of two of our newest members and a trainer for another and you''d likely figure it out once you saw them on the news."

    That''s what the Patron really called Theo about, isn''t it? He knew Lucas was connecting the dots, and he decided to trust Lucas with this information, especially since he''d probably have to constantly prevent Lucas from figuring it out. Lucas must be leaning more towards the Patron now than he realizes or admits, if the Patron is showing him that trust.

    "Are you¡­ getting paid to be a vigilante?" Lucas asks.

    "We are," Theo answers. "It''s not much more than minimum, but it does cover medical if we get hurt on the job. The company is extremely pro-Patron, so you won''t be able to get in. Sorry, but you''re stuck doing it for free."

    "That''s fine," Lucas shakes his head. "I''m just happy Kieran got a job doing something he wants to do. I know he''s looked up to the guardians and vigilantes and wanted to be one."

    Lucas fixes his gaze on me.

    "Which means I''m pushing you even harder in your training," he tells me. "Since you''ll probably be doing all your power training there, I''m going to double down on your martial arts."

    "Actually," Theo says. "It would be good for him to continue to train at your place normally, too. In this form. It''s best if we train in both forms so that we''re used to working with the limits of both."

    "Is he still texting you?" Lucas asks. "I saw the message pop up while-"

    "No," I aim my phone. "There''s a turtle hanging out on one of the stools at the bar."

    Lucas and Theo look over just as I take the picture. The Patron is still sending the turtles.

    "So we''ll keep going as normal, then," Lucas decides to ignore it. "I''m still going to push you harder on the physical side, though. Being a vigilante is even more dangerous than a security guard. You need to be prepared to not just give hits, but take them, too."

    "I appreciate it," I tell him.

    "Yeah," he pokes his pancakes. "I should probably finish eating, then head to Grandpa''s. I''m struggling to stay awake."

    Lucas stops talking and starts eating after that, and once he finishes, he pays for his food, then the three of us leave the building. Once we do, I give Lucas a hug.

    "Don''t feel like a failure for not protecting your brother," I tell him. "You can''t do everything. And remember that you have friends who will support you, even if we disagree about some things."

    For a few moments, Lucas doesn''t say anything. Then he returns my hug. After a few moments of it, Lucas steps back.

    "See you tonight," he says.

    "See you," I say.

    Lucas flashes himself out of here, and when he does, I connect the dots. The Patron never rejected it, he just gave me a response that suggested otherwise.

    "Theo?" I turn to face him.

    "Yeah?"

    "Lucas is a light elemental, isn''t he?"

 Book 1 End

    Thank you, everyone who has read Masters of Shadow and Light up to this point! If you only clicked on ''latest chapter'', make sure to go back and read Chapter 62 as well, it went up right before this one did! All chapters of Masters of Shadow and Light are now live here on RoyalRoad, with no more posted for Patrons (until Book 2)!

    For those of you who don''t know, Masters of Shadow and Light was only originally planned to take us through Kieran''s initial training, making friends, getting a boyfriend, and finding out whether or not he got the job. As I wrote it, however, I added in smaller things here and there which necessitates continuing the story past that.

    This actually wasn''t my first attempt at writing MSL, it was my third, just the first one that was public. More than a year went into planning stuff for Book 1. Book 2 contains stuff that doesn''t have that much development, as well as me writing scenes of a variety I''ve never really done before, and so need to work on and grow more comfortable with writing.

    Because of that, and the need to finish fleshing out stuff for Book 2, Masters of Shadow and Light will go on break until I am comfortable enough with how much of Book 2 is written to begin posting it. I''m not sure when that will happen, but thank you for reading Book 1, everyone! I''ve been doing some work on it here and there, and do have an internal ETA, but I''ve learned not to give those because I almost always miss them, and that just disappoints readers.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Don''t forget to give the story a Follow so that you can get updated when Book 2 resumes! I know at least one user has been using another site to get to my story - you can make a RoyalRoad account, click on Follow (on the story''s main page), and then go to your Follows on here to see all stories you''ve Followed, sorted by the latest updated! You can also set it to send you an email notification for updates for a story there as well!

    If you made it this far and enjoyed the story (it would be strange if you got this far and didn''t), please remember to also Rate and/or Review the story to show that enjoyment of it! Also don''t forget to do the anonymous survey in the post-chapter note if you haven''t already and want to give that sort of contribution towards future characters and works!

    <hr>

    Book 2 will get into Kieran settling into his new job, continuing to adjust to having friends and a boyfriend, and finally, the reason behind Sivalshi''s sudden migration into the Frost Zone may come to light...

 Relationships Poll

    I''m still working on Book 2, and one of the things that came up while I''ve been working on it is a new character that now has me thinking about some stuff. I''ve already told this to my Patrons and asked for their thoughts, and now I''m asking all of you here.

    As mentioned previously, Masters of Shadow and Light was intended on only being a single book, which is part of why it''s taking me so long to work on Book 2 - I''m writing stuff I''m not used to writing and am trying to make sure I don''t just rush past things as a result. Because MSL was only intended on being a single book, the plan had been for Kieran to only enter into a relationship with a single person.

    While working on MSL, however, I''ve wanted to have Kieran in a relationship with others as well, and not individually - in a poly/open relationship. Because the story wasn''t planned for that, I didn''t put the harem tag on it and was going to keep it that way. A character I''m developing for Book 2, however, would be a pretty good fit for another person for Kieran to get with, either long-term or as just occasional hookups. That''s not actually the reason he''s in the story, it''s just something I realized while working on the character and his background. He''s being developed for some other plot stuff and will become a recurring character probably for the rest of the story, whether or not he gets with Kieran.

    Due to me not having the harem tag on this story from the start, I decided to see what y''all would think about this. Here are the poll options:

    <blockquote>

    Option 1: Kieran is only in a relationship with one person at a time and doesn''t see anyone else or hook up with anyone else, even with permission from his boyfriend.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Option 2: Kieran is only in a relationship with a single person at a time, but he and his boyfriend can still hook up with others individually and without commitment (as long as the other in the relationship is okay with it). In other words, he can hook up with someone, and his boyfriend can hook up with someone, as long as the other is okay with the hookup.

    Option 3: Kieran is only in a relationship with a single person at a time, but he and his boyfriend can hook up with others individually or together without commitment as long as the other in the relationship is okay with it. In other words, Kieran can hook up with someone, his boyfriend can hook up with someone, and the two of them can hook up with the same person at the same time (threesome).

    Option 4: Kieran and his boyfriend can enter into poly relationships short-term, but it might happen more than once. That is, Kieran and his boyfriend start dating another person together, so it''s not just hookups. Could be poly with more than one additional person.

    Option 5: Kieran and his boyfriend can enter into a poly relationship of any length, short-term or long-term. This is them dating one or more other people, not just hookups.

    </blockquote>

    I''ll use the results from the poll to help guide me on the choice, though know that the most-picked answer might not be the one that I end up doing. You can pick more than one option, so pick any of the ones that you would be okay with seeing. This poll will be active only until I get to the point in Book 2 where the decision on how to proceed will be made. At the same time, I''ll mention whether Kieran remains in an exclusive relationship or if it opens up more or not.

    Feel free to leave a comment on your thoughts as well.

    Thanks for voting, everyone, and thanks for being patient as I work on Book 2!