ă€ŠWorld After Calamityă€‹


 Chapter 001

    <(Caleb)>

    The trees pass by me in a soft blur as I run through the forest, but I barely take note of them. At the same time, I observe every single one of them. If I wasn''t alert at all times, Teacher would take me down in an instant with one of the traps he set up throughout the woods.

    The air this early in the morning is crisp and cool, the moon large and unmoving above us. Calmness fills everything in this peaceful realm. No war or fighting, only minor arguments and an occasional bit of crime in the city where I live.

    But there are too many voices there for me to be comfortable. I want them out of my head, and Teacher provides an out. When everyone sleeps, we visit the ruins or these woods and he trains or tests me. I only wish the voices in my head derived from a psychic Ability. That would be far better than my murderous, primal power that shows no mercy to anyone. At least I would be able to shut it off if it were just a psychic Ability.

    Teacher wants to teach me how to use my power, but I refuse to use it ever again. The last time I activated it, a lot of people died. I was six then and I''m twelve now, and I''m still terrified of that repeating that day even by accident.

    Many times, I have asked Teacher to bind my Ability, but he refuses. He tells me that if it binds it, then I will regret having it bound in a time where I desperately need it.

    We argue about it a lot. I will never want to use this cursed power of mine ever again, yet he continues to insist that I will change my mind. I do not want to fight, and I most certainly do not want to use a power that can devastate an entire city.

    Snapping out of my thoughts, I disassemble the trap that nearly caught me due to my distraction. I finish my task at the last moment and pass between the pair of trees a barrier was placed upon, grateful to have caught the trap after pausing for only a moment.

    The spell would have spawned a temporary homunculus that would have fought me. Teacher has taught me to fight, but mostly through the use of dummies and inanimate objects. Every now and then, however, he creates a homunculus in an attempt to help me get over my dislike and fear of combat.

    The pause lasts for only a moment as I''m immediately moving through the woods again after, watching out for other spells. Teacher has been pushing me to fight for real more and more lately, not against training dummies that can''t fight back. He started that a year ago and now tries to encourage me to nearly every training session.

    It''s getting annoying.

    Grant''s grown worried, too. I know that my other mentor has some sort of military background, but neither of them strike me as people who worry. They both try to hide it from me, but I''m twelve, not a child. I''m almost thirteen. I can notice when they''re on edge about something.

    Teacher wouldn''t be increasing his attempts to help me over my fear of fighting if he weren''t worried about something serious, and Grant was on edge today and constantly reached to his side, as if reaching to grab a sword or knife or something.

    Shaking those thoughts from my head, I continue to travel, moving like a breeze through the woods through the utilization of my aura. As far as I can tell, only Teacher, Grant, and I can use aura in the area. I know Grant can because he conceals it, hiding it within himself to avoid leaking it out. It''s a basic technique all aura users are taught if they learn to use it through a mentor. It slows aging and speeds healing, retaining within us the life energy that is our aura.

    We replenish aura over time, so using it up does not put us at too much of a risk unless we burn it out quickly or someone forcibly removes it from us.

    I know Teacher can use aura because he taught me how to use it better than I could back when we met, though I have always had access to it. He calls me a prodigy with the use of Aura because of my talents for it, though I''m not sure if he''s serious or just trying to bolster my confidence.

    Sometimes, I want to smack him hard with all my might. The only thing that prevents me from doing that is the fact that he is older and more powerful than me, and a punch with the full power of my aura behind it would probably just glance off of him. Also the fact that I don''t like violence in the first place, as much as he says I''ll one day need to fight.

    Before I realize it, the rendezvous point stands before me, a street of ruined buildings that nature chose to reclaim many years ago. I make my way to a piece of fallen concrete and sit on it, setting my backpack on the ground at my feet and pulling a bottle of water from within.

    Aura is fun to play with. Unlike Abilities, the only variation that I know of within it is the level of power put in, though I also know I can shape it outside of my body. That''s not a variation, though, just a technique.

    I take a few sips from my bottle, then screw the cap back on and set it on the ground before I lean back and stare up at the moon, listening. Once upon a time, I could hear the moon speak. He sounded young, like a child. For the last year or so, though, his voice has remained silent. It worries me.

    The moon is what kept me sane all those years. Ever since he went silent, I''ve struggled. I wish I knew what I did wrong, to make him stop talking to me.

    Sighing, I wipe the sweat from my brow and drain the rest of my bottle, setting it back down and touching a finger to the top of it, forming a spell to turn it to dirt. The dirt contrasts with the soil around us, darker as it''s rich with nutrients. Ever since the Calamity that occurred two hundred and some years ago, the world has been in a continuous state of ruin. Sure, there are cities and even farms, but nutrients in the soil are sparse. Forests manage to exist only because they feed themselves.

    At the same time, however, forests are dangerous. The majority of forests in the world have monsters hiding within them, and the only reason this one is safe for me to wander about is because of its lack of monsters. Well, a lack of monsters that would bother me. A quick flare of my aura is enough to scare them off.

    Most townsfolk would never enter the woods.

    Looking up at the moon, I wait for something to change. A few minutes pass before I hear someone approaching from my right. Only one person other than myself would be out here at this early hour.

    "You did well again, Caleb," Teacher stops walking a few feet from me. "Though your reaction times slowed down toward the end."

    "I went for four hours straight," I look down, nudging the new dirt around the ground with the worn-out sneaker on my right foot. I''m surprised my shoes have lasted this long, even with my magic helping keep them good. "I''m surprised that I managed to complete your game tonight without stopping. We''ve never gone that long before. Three hours was our previous max, and that had a fifteen-minute break halfway through."

    Teacher doesn''t respond to me, and after a few minutes, I look over at him. He''s watching me with his deep, blue-grey eyes. He says that his eyes are ocean blue. My eyes are almost identical to his, though my hair is only sandy blond, while his looks made of actual gold. His golden skin defies logic, as it takes about a day of travel to make it to sunlight here. This part of the world is covered in eternal night, even if our world continues to rotate as it spins around the sun. The Calamity had some odd effects on the world, effects not even the Sage himself could affect.

    My mentor, ever since he found me here after I was brought to this new orphanage, has not aged a day. His hair, his eyes, his sun-tanned skin, his near-six feet of height ¨C all of it remains the same. I asked him once if he were my brother, and he said he was far too old for that, that his own parents were dead long before I was ever a thought.

    That isn''t hard to believe, but I still had to ask him, since we look so similar. In a rare moment, I jokingly asked him if he were my dad when he told me he was too old. He thought I was serious at first, since I''m not one to joke.

    Then, Teacher confessed to me that he has never been with a girl before. He only had one lover, and they died before I was born. I didn''t press further about that since he looked pretty sad talking about them.

    Still, though ¨C there must be some relation. Our slender builds are even the same. We both have muscle from training, but slender in form, like someone who does martial arts and other non-weight exercises would have. Someone used to speed over strength. I bet that if I had a picture of him at my age, the only differences would be his tan and golden hair.

    Him evading answering how we''re related only makes me more curious about it.

    "You''re rather thoughtful tonight," Teacher says, interrupting my thoughts. "What fills your mind, Caleb?"

    What fills my thoughts? Plenty of things fill them tonight. Aura, the games he played, his worry, Grant''s worry, my fears, thoughts of what happened when I was six, what Grant suggested earlier.

    "Grant has suggested that I join the GSDF," I finally decide on an answer.

    Grant is the second of the three people I look up to and trust here. He''s roughly fifty years old, tall, and well-built with salt-and-pepper hair and dark brown eyes. I eat lunch at the tea shop with him nearly every day and he has helped me out of rough spots. He refuses to let me work there for money even though I know how to do the job as well as any of his actual staff and the regulars all know me.

    Grant is the only other superhuman I know of in the town. I''m not sure of his actual rank, but he can enhance his own physical defense and resilience.

    "The Global Supernatural Defense Federation?" Teacher looks amused. "That would be a fun thing for you, Cay."

    "Don''t call me that," I glare at him. He knows I hate that nickname. "I''ve never even heard of them before today."

    "GSDF," Teacher sits next to me, looking up at the moon for several long moments before he looks back to me and continues. "Is one of many organizations that help contain the monster and supernatural threat levels. In my opinion, the GSDF is the superior force. Some wish to harness the power for their own ends, some wish to simply eradicate magicians, superhumans, and monsters alike, and others simply want balance.

    "The GSDF," he continues. "Fights to maintain that balance. They''re very small, and they only accept superhumans. Their magical counterpart is the Global Magical Defense Federation, which takes in magicians, though of course, their power is nothing compared to before the Cataclysm. While I say they''re small, they''re also the most potent forces, united under the Council of Dreams.

    "Back to the GSDF," Teacher looks at his pupil. "They train young superhumans in the art of combat and defense as well as their own powers. For the most part, they fight against monsters causing problems, hunting down powerful monsters before they can cause a problem, and against magicians and superhumans that attempt to disturb the delicate balance of the world. They work with the GMDF from time to time, and their resources are pretty vast."

    I think about that for a long time, not a word said between us for nearly half an hour as I stare at the moon once more, my thoughts drifting back to his silence.

    "I recommend," Teacher interrupts my thoughts once more. "That you listen to Reynolds''<u> </u>advice. Yes, you''ll have to face your fear of fighting and using your own ability, but at the same time, you''ll be able to make a difference."

    "I can''t," I shake my head, shuddering as the memories of six years ago come to mind. "If I use my Ability-"

    "You don''t need to use your Ability," Teacher hates interrupting me, but the few times he does it, it''s always when I''m starting to relive what happened. I''m grateful he does this. "No, Caleb, you never need to use your ability. I was able to teach you to fight without you ever fighting. While you won''t want to, they''ll teach you how to wield those skills. Someday, you''ll be forced into a combat situation. It''s better to face your fears in training than in the situation where freezing up or panicking could result in a fatal wound."

    "No," I shake my head. "I''ll never be forced into combat, not here. The monsters don''t dare come near our town."

    "Not yet," Teacher says, looking up at the moon. "But with the Ability you possess, all manner of beings will seek after you, especially with the level of power you possess with that Ability. An ordinary superhuman would die of old age, if not killed sooner. You''re not ordinary, though ¨C you''re a magician who knows magic beyond the norm, magic believed to have been forgotten. Should you continue your training in magic, you''ll live hundreds of years. Should you live to be two hundred, and actively train your ability, our passive fields will likely match in size."

    "So you''re two hundred?" I can''t help but interrupt him, knowing there''s a mischievous look in my eyes at finally getting a clue about his age out of him. "Or thereabouts?"

    "Perhaps," my mentor smiles at me, amusement in his eyes. "You never stop attempting to discern my age, do you?"

    "It was worth a shot," I grin at him.

    Admittedly, my mentor''s age was something often on my mind. Teacher speaks of times long ago, when the world was different. I believed him to only be around a hundred and very knowledgeable of history, but he just accidentally slipped and let me know he was alive back then.

    "If you were," I cannot resist pushing again. "That means you might have been alive during the Calamity."

    "The Calamity?" Teacher laughs. "I''ll give you this one: I was around during the Calamity. And before it. I am well over two hundred years old. What I was actually saying, Caleb, is that should you live to be two hundred, then at that point in time and comparing to my power now, your own passive field will match mine for size. That is, of course, providing you live that long and train in your Ability. Given your circumstances and training, you could even match my own field at it''s current size sooner than two hundred."

    I digest that information. I never believed I could match my mentor in power, not once, but here Teacher is, saying that I will, one day, do just that. Another smile forms on my lips, and I look at Teacher once more.

    "So," I trail off, knowing that the few times I manage to do it and Teacher doesn''t know what I''m going to say, it frustrates him.

    "So?" Teacher raises his right eyebrow, a move that used to infuriate and frustrate me, but not anymore. I haven''t revealed to him yet that I figured out how to do it, and so pretend to be annoyed by it. "Well, Caleb? What?"

    "Are you saying that I''m stronger than you?"

    "Not right now!" Teacher laughs again. "But your own potential means you could one day surpass my own. I was not born with anywhere near as much latent power and talent as you, Caleb, and hard work will only go so far against a natural, especially when said natural is a genius."

    I look back up at the moon, my smile fading as I return to my thoughts.

    As I think, Teacher walks away, examining the street. Now that I notice it, there are scars gouged into the street and the buildings, and dried blood. Teacher dips a finger into some for a moment, then touches it to his tongue, tasting it.

    Ew. Why would he put that in his mouth?

    I look back up to the moon, keeping my gaze fixed on there as Teacher continues to look around the streets. Some monsters probably went at it with each other here, though the fact that they could gouge the streets here is a little worrying, I know that it''s nothing to worry about.

    At least, not until Teacher returns to me and speaks with worry in his voice. He''s not even bothering to hide it.

    "Caleb."

    "Yes?" I<u> </u>look at him, noting the furrowed brows and pursed lips. "What''s wrong?"

    "I believe I know why Grant suggested that you go," he answers.

    "Why?" I ask.

    "An entire unit of GSDF and GMDF soldiers were killed recently," Teacher answers. "I believe Grant wants you out of the way."

    "Out of the way?" I pout. "I''m not in his way! We just talk every day at lunch, and he-"

    "That''s not what I meant," Teacher hastily interrupts me. "He wants you out of the way of potential fighting in the area, somewhere you''ll be safe. There was a battle here yesterday, on this very street. One that killed twenty trained agents, all of them with A-Rank abilities or who were A-Rank magicians. At the training facility you would go to, the instructors are retired S-Rank superhumans. They might be retired, but S-Ranks are S-Ranks. Grant must know their target."

    "Their target?"

    "The monstersˇ­" Teacher trails off as he thinks for a few moments. "The monsters here were after you. It appears you''ve gained the attention of an ancient being, one I thought I left sealed well enough we could forget about it. I need to investigate this. For now, your training with me will be on hold. Go to the training for the GSDF, Caleb. You''ll be safe there. Learn to fight. Not just alone and against targets, but to actually fight. If that being is waking from his seal, then others will be as well. You''ll be safe there. As soon as I''m able, I''ll return to continue your training, and I will teach you magic that you could never handle before."

    Teacher cocks an ear, then scoffs. At the same time, a monster roars in pain, golden flames bursting into the sky from the next street over. Teacher looks back to me, and I turn my gaze from the flames to him.

    "Again," Teacher says. "Go to the training grounds, become a cadet. You will need the skills and resources that they give you there. I must be going, but before I do," Teacher places a hand on my head. "I''ve given you a charm that will protect you until you arrive at the training grounds, no monster will be able to trace you. The spell there will prevent any from getting to you so long as you remain on the property. Farewell, Caleb, and until we meet again, may the power of the ancients be your guiding star."

    Teacher turns and walks down the street, a jacket materializing on him, a deep, rich navy in color, a thirteen-pointed gold star on the back of it. He turns the corner an immediately disappears from my perception.

    I sigh, then look back at the moon.

    The silent, yet powerful moon. I desire the day that the moon speaks to me again. As I drift back into thought, I think about my mentor''s parting words. Everyone knows of the Sage. Nearly everyone swears by the Sage and bids farewell by the Sage.

    The Sage, a mythical figure who ended the Calamity. Or, according to Teacher, a real being who halted the powerful fluctuations of magic that ravaged the world, changing its landscapes and environments, casting some places into eternal darkness and others into eternal daytime, one into eternal dusk, some into eternal frozen wastelands, and so on.

    Teacher never swears by the Sage, he never parts by the Sage. His swears are by the ancients and his farewells give their guiding power.

    Sighing once more, I zip up my backpack and begin the trek to the orphanage I call home, a walk that takes me thirty minutes. If I had really tried, I could have made it home in just a minute. I didn''t feel like using my aura to speed my advance, and when honest with myself, I was really just dragging my feet.

    The orphanage stands at two stories, with clean, straight lines in its construction, an eight-foot wall surrounding the lot with a hinged gate that squeaks when opened sitting at the entrance to the property. The gate is never greased so as to ensure the residents could not escape unnoticed.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Not that some of them don''t scale the wall to get in or out to avoid the squeaking gate. In my case, I usually just use my magic to ensure the gate opens without a sound.

    Today, I choose not to utilize my magic to simply cancel the sound of the gate. There''s a more fun way in and I''m feeling like the kid I am right now. I look around before using my aura to boost me when I jump, using a touch of magic to let me perform a quick triple flip at the peak.

    Landing in a crouch on the other side of the gate, I look around to make sure no one inside noticed me. The coast seems to be clear and I can only sense the forms of others within.

    As I enter the home, I listen carefully. One small aspect of my gift that I actually enjoy is being able to know when others are around or awake. I do not hear their thoughts as anything but in sleep and so make my way upstairs, to my room.

    Once there, I drop my bag by my bed. It''s just a simple twin bed on the opposite wall of another, where my roommate, a boy three months my senior, snoozes under his blankets.

    If one looked at the room, they could see the imaginary line that divides it in half.

    On my side, neatness reigns. Books are organized neatly on shelves, clothes are folded neatly in the dresser or hung properly on hangers in my wardrobe that has its doors shut, my desk is clear and uncluttered, and not a toy or piece of trash or whatever is on the ground to be stepped on in a nightly bathroom trip.

    My side is the one with the door.

    A stark contrast to my half of the room, my roommate''s side bears clothes and toys and trash all over the floor and bed, his desk is cluttered with junk, the walls are adorned with posters of characters from games and cartoons.

    As I unlace my shoes, my roommate snores softly. A quick check shows that he''s still asleep, and the annoyed part of me wants to wake him up. That would be impulsive and Teacher and Grant are always telling me not to be impulsive. I can''t help if it he keeps me up at night sometimes, and he made it hard for me to get some sleep before it was time to sneak out to go meet with Teacher.

    Annoying him would likely get me into trouble.

    I sense a stirring within the house other than my roommate. Upon noticing who it is and gently use my magic to put the sixteen year-old back to sleep, knowing that, were she to wake, then her roommate would as well, and the two of them would claim both of the bathrooms on the second floor. Those are the good bathrooms and I''m covered in sweat from Teacher''s games. I''d rather take a shower now than wait for them to finish in six hundred days for them to finish whatever it is that takes them so long.

    What in the world do they have to do in the bathroom that can take an hour or more?

    Grabbing a change of clothes, I exit my room and by the hall closet to grab a towel and a washcloth before entering the nearest bathroom. Remembering my shampoo and body wash, I quickly run to my room to retrieve those. With those retrieved, I hurriedly return to the bathroom and close the door. I the shower just as someone knocks on the door. I only eased her back to sleep so that I could make it in first, not so she would sleep through my shower.

    I really should have forced her to stay asleep through the shower. Or at least, for long enough I would be in it and unable to hear the knocking. I really hate confrontation.

    "I need a shower!" Tracy pounds on the door when I ignore her. "Let me in!"

    "Sorry," I yell over the shower. "But the rules state that if someone makes it in first, they get it first. Try the other one."

    "Erica''s in there!"

    "You snooze, you lose!"

    That wasn''t me.

    "You''re going to regret this!" Tracy yells at me through the door.

    Probably not. In the past, I would have sacrificed my shower time and let her in once she started pounding. This time, however, I do not plan to be around to face her wrath, which will start once she finishes her shower, not before she takes it.

    There are enough of us here that being angry has to wait until after your turn for something. Otherwise, you end up losing your chance.

    Kind of by accident, I lose myself in thought as I do my best to quickly clean. Teacher gave me a lot to think about.

    I do not want to fight, I do not want to learn how to fight for real. That happened once before, when I was six.

    Four of my closest friends, other children that I considered brothers and sisters, were killed in a monster attack. I was powerless in the fight, and when I attempted to use my power, it acted differently than I wanted it to. That caused the deaths of my friends. Not just them, but everyone I was close to.

    Teacher tries to tell me that it is fine for me to use my power, that all I need<u> </u>is to learn how to control it and wield it. He even went so far as to make sure I knew all of the laws of science and nature and magic, yet I refuse to ever use my power, allowing only the passive field it grants me to act as that is one thing I cannot control. It''s active whether I want it to be or not, but at least it does nothing on its own.

    Though sometimes it''s a curse because I can sense the activities of everyone who''s woken up in the area and it''s giving me a headache.

    I focus on the thoughts of the home''s youngest resident, a boy of six years named Tommy, who sleeps, blissfully unaware of the commotion going on around him, dreaming of dinosaurs and magic, his dreams innocent and pure, combining the child''s two favorite things together to create a fantastical adventure.

    I am envious of Tommy''s ability to sleep through anything. The child is small, slight of build, and easily scared, but also innocent and na?ve, and such a heavy sleeper that the other youth wonder if their landlady drugs him in his evening cup of milk, something the child cannot fall asleep without. Another detail that baffles them is how the young boy manages to never wet his bed despite consuming liquids just before falling asleep.

    Their landlady is just as baffled as they are, though I know the true reason behind it. The answer is that it is simply in the boy''s genetic code. He comes from a long line of heavy sleepers, waking exactly once every night to use the bathroom, then passing back out within moments of returning to bed. I think I''m the only one who knows that he actually wakes up during the night.

    I finish my shower and dry off, the full-length mirror on the back of the door unfogging as I move my fingers through my hair, styling it slightly as it dries thanks to the warm air I''m manipulating through it.

    Once my hair is dried off, I get dressed as the mirror fogs back up. There''s no reason to stay here longer and the only thing I needed the mirror for was making sure my hair was good.

    I leave the bathroom to find Tracy standing against the wall across from the bathroom.

    "You probably stole all the hot water," Tracy snaps at me. "I had to stand here and deal with Brody, as always."

    One: she could have avoided Brody''s annoying talk by returning to her room.

    Two: I wasn''t in there nearly long enough to steal all of the hot water.

    Three: I only had the cold water on in the first place as I can just use my magic to heat the water as it comes out.

    "Should have woken sooner," I hastily walk past Tracy and into my room, scanning my things.

    My decision is made. As much as I hate the idea of fighting, both Teacher and Grant suggesting I should join the GSDF means I should do it. Knowing that monsters are apparently wanting to hunt me here only makes that feeling stronger.

    The training center will give me some sets of their uniform to wear, so I don''t need to bring much. Thinking about it, I don''t really need anything from here.

    I make my way downstairs to Jennifer, the landlady who watches over us orphans. She''s currently in the middle of preparing pancakes in the kitchen for all of us.

    There''s no reason for me to stick around here, so I already have my shoes and jacket on. Grant told me yesterday that I pretty much need to leave today if I want to get to the facility before the next training session begins. If I miss it, I''ll have to wait another three (or was it four?) months for the next one.

    That''s not something I want to do, not if monsters are hunting me and Teacher isn''t in the area.

    "Good morning, Caleb," she greets me as I''m trying to figure out how to tell her that I''m leaving. How did she know I was standing here? I was silent as night yet she still seemed to know. She''s an ordinary woman, too. That talent of hers has always baffled me. "Chocolate chips today?"

    "No, thanks," I shake my head, seizing the opportunity to tell her as an explanation. "I''m not staying for breakfast."

    "Really?" Jennifer asks. "You never leave before breakfast."

    "I''ve got an upset stomach," I answer truthfully. "I probably wouldn''t be able to keep food down."

    "Oh," Jennifer walks over to me, pressing a hand to the back of my head, though I know she feels a normal body temperature as a result of my magic keeping it regulated. "Well, you feel fine. Are you sure you should be going out, then? If you''re not feeling good, then you should get some rest."

    "If I stay and rest," I respond. "I''ll never leave. I''m-I''ve decided to try security work. I''m leaving. The world''s a dangerous place and it was suggested I join the GSDF to help out."

    "You''re not a fighter," Jennifer puts her hands on her hips. "In fact, you let the other kids pick on you and beat you up. I don''t think you''d do very well."

    "I''m going to do my best," I straighten up in an attempt to show more confidence than I''m feeling right nw. "I''ll try to get over my fear of fighting. I''m going to train hard and help take down the evil people of this world."

    "Then I give you my blessing," Jennifer wraps me in a hug. "I hope it works out for you and that you can get past what happened back then. I know the others here don''t know about it, but I was told about it when you were brought to me. Should joining the GSDF not work out for you, your bed will still be here for you."

    "Thanks," I dip my head to her.

    I never knew she was aware of the incident, but thinking back on it, I realize that they would have told her. Why else would she have been so calm and patient when I first came here, quiet and scared and easily frightened? She had to what happened to me back then so that she knew what it was that made me so wary of people and frightened of everything, falling into a meltdown every time something went wrong.

    "When are you leaving?" Jennifer steps back, looking down at me.

    "I''m going to talk to the person now," I answer. "And find out when I need to leave and how to get there. He said I have to leave today if I want to get there on time for this session."

    "How well do you know this person?"

    "It''s Grant Reynolds," I answer. "I''ve known him for years. He''s apparently a retired member of the agency."

    "Mr. Reynolds is a good man," Jennifer nods, smiling.

    I know that she''s interested in him, but she''s never worked up the courage to ask him out. Her reasoning is that surely, a man as handsome as he is already taken ¨C another factor in her decision to keep their relationship professional. It gives me a headache whenever she comes into the cafe to see him.

    "That, he is," I interrupt her memories of them meeting. "I''ll be going now. Goodbye, Jennifer."

    "Goodbye," Jennifer gives me another hug. "And good luck."

    I fight the urge to turn around and return to the home as I make my way to the tea shop, arriving just after it opens. The bell above the door rings upon my entrance, and a moment later, Grant Reynolds enters the room from a doorway behind the bar along the right side of the room.

    "You''re here early today," the older man says as I take in his appearance.

    He stands at nearly six and a half feet tall, his fit body filling out the dark brown polo and black jeans my mentor chose to be the shop''s uniform, his dark brown hair tinged with grey, his brown eyes looking at me with great concern.

    I feel stupid for not realizing yesterday that he was worried about me. Now that Teacher has informed me that the monsters came for me, Grant''s current worry is obviously about me. The concern lingers too long in his expression when he looks at me.

    "I''ve decided to go," I inform him. "I wanted to know how I''ll get there and where to go."

    "I only presented it to you yesterday," Grant frowns at me. "I expected you to think a fair bit more on it before actually taking me up on it, if at all."

    "I did enough thinking," I respond. "If I think about it more, I''ll choose not to go. I want to do this. I don''t want to delay. Plus, you said I''d have to wait for the session in a few months if I don''t go today."

    "I was going to have you on that session if you accepted," Grant tells me. "To give you more time to think about it. Telling you that the upcoming one starts in a couple of days wasn''t meant to rush your decision, Caleb. If you catch the next bus out of town, you''ll be there around lunch tomorrow and the session begins the day after that. Are you sure you want to do this?"

    "No," I shake my head. "But Teacher believes it''s a good idea."

    Grant doesn''t respond immediately, probably thinking about how we met and the mysterious being I call ''Teacher''. No one here has ever seen him. He tells me he''s shy and I honestly believe he is. When he first started mentoring me, he was always awkward. Being six, I didn''t notice it, but at twelve, I have a different perspective on things.

    And I''m not suffering from events that just happened anymore. Those are in the past now, even if they still affect me today. So I can look back at those memories with a little bit more clarity.

    "Very well, then," Grant takes a deep breath, then lets it out all at once. "Let me grab a piece of paper."

    Twenty minutes later, I''m sitting at the bus station, waiting for the bus to come as I look up at the moon while listening to music through the headphones and player Grant gifted me. The bus arrives about ten minutes after I sat down, its brakes squeaking a little as it comes to a halt. I stand and stretch before I step onto the bus.

    The trip is long and boring. A few people board or exit the bus at each stop we make, but not much else happens. As I''m starting to doze off at night, the bus stops at a service station to fuel up and let off the passengers so they can stretch. Most of them grab a bite to eat in the service station.

    Once the other passengers have stepped off the bus, I step off and stretch for a moment before making my way inside the service station. The first thing I do is head to the restroom in the back, finding that I''m not the only one who needed to go and so need to wait in line.

    Upon entering the tiny restroom, I scan the grimy room with its sole, dim light bulb, which flickers every few moments.

    Using my magic, I ensure that the restroom is safe for human use. I do not trust a bathroom that looks grimy. Grant and Teacher have both instilled a sense of cleanliness upon me, even if they made sure I understand that certain types of being dirty are fine. I think the two of them have different definitions of that, though.

    The soap looks shady and I don''t trust it or the pipes here, so I use magic to clean my hands. It''s faster and more energy-efficient, anyway.

    I exit the restroom and browse the food the service station keeps in stock for travelers. Some plastic-wrapped sandwiches are set up in a cooler shelf near the registers and a roller grill with hot dogs and some other cylindrical foods cooking on it. Beyond those, everything is candy, chips, or needs heating or cooking or mixing with other things.

    Not wanting to bother cooking something with my magic, I grab two hot dogs from the roller grill, pulling out buns from the warming draw. I squeeze ketchup onto the bottoms before adding the hot dogs, and this will be my dinner tonight.

    I bite into one as I make my way to the counter, chewing it the snack slowly. To my surprise, the hot dog is actually fairly tasty.

    At the counter, I pay for the two hot dogs with money that Grant provided me for the journey, then return to browsing the candy. When I finish the hot dogs, I throw my trash away, then walk over to the magazine racks and pull one out, beginning to read the latest gossip.

    Magicians and superhumans publish magazines sold all over the world, and they are sold widely, despite the majority of people being mundane, even if aware of the world around them. Everyone, magical and mundane alike, wants to know what is going on in the world, after all. Except for those who''d rather be ignorant, and both Teacher and Grant tell me those people are among the most dangerous.

    I have been fascinated by the superhuman and magical gossip since I was seven years old and read my first magazine.

    With the music in my ears, I cannot hear the thoughts going on in the heads of those around me. Well, they aren''t actually drowned out, but they''re not as loud as normal. I regret not having looked into something like this before, I assumed it wouldn''t work.

    As I''m reading about a development in magical crystals, I feel a gun shoved into my back. I stumble for a moment, frozen up in fear, and the man spins me around, yanking the headphone off of me. My gaze fixes on the gun aimed at my head, my body frozen.

    I can''t move, all I can do is think about the gun, about a bullet shooting out and blasting me in the skull. About death and destruction, about-

    "Empty your pockets," the masked gunman orders, interrupting my thoughts. "Give me everything you have."

    I nod, afraid of what will happen if I don''t. Complying with his request, I reach into my pockets. As I do that, the door to the service station opens.

    <hr>

    <(Jared)>

    As I step off the bus, which lingers only long enough to allow new passengers to board, I look around. We stopped at a service station where one other bus has stopped. That bus will likely rest up here for a couple of hours, then take off again. It''s a long-distance bus, which means that three drivers are on it and they take shifts.

    The Norvo Kingdom Transport logo, a falcon soaring above the moon, which sits on the side of the bus, tells me it''s the one I''m looking for. It''s the one that will take me to Alzir, where I will join other youth in basic training in the hopes of becoming a full agent of the GSDF.

    Not that I need the training, I am already powerful enough on my own. However, the training is mandatory in order to join them, so I make my way inside the service station for a snack while I wait for them to get ready to leave. I''ll show them my ticket when it''s time to board.

    They probably won''t ask for it, if what I''m sensing here is true, but I''ll show it to them anyway. After I''m done in there, the mundies around will be in awe at the power of the superhumans if they''ve never seen one before.

    Just as I expected from what I could sense outside, I count ten armed gunmen, two frightened workers, and thirty terrified customers. One thing I notice is a gunman pointing a gun at another boy around my age. His hair is sandy blond and he''s got nice, ocean blue eyes. Kind of cute, and his build suggests he''s got a bit of training.

    Chances are high that he''s heading the same way I am, and despite the look of fear on his face, I get the sense he''s actually rather powerful. Someone a bit more timid despite clearly being the superior one?

    I hate those kinds of people.

    "Hands up!" One of the gunmen aims his gun at me and the gunman holding up the other kid looks over.

    "Why?" I ask, and the boy who looks terrified but powerful takes advantage of the distraction to disappear from sight.

    Another superhuman, then, one with the power to weave light. That''s an interesting ability. It not might be illusions, though. Light-weavers are rare enough, but a power that affects a person''s perception would automatically be an S-Rank Ability. Straight-up invisibility that isn''t either is at least A-Rank, too.

    I hope it''s perception-manipulation, though, as that kind of power would be useful on my team. Even if it''s just light-weaving, I''ll still invite him into my team once we form them.

    I turn my attention back to the man pointing a gun at me.

    "It''s not as if you could do anything to me," I say.

    He really can''t. B-Rank superhumans like me are pretty rare and I doubt any of the gunmen, if there even are superhumans among them, would be higher than D-Rank. My power alone makes me a formidable force among mundies, even ones with guns.

    Especially ones with guns.

    "Fine, then," the gunman fires off a shot, causing everyone to jump.

    Everyone save me, as the bullet stops a foot from my face. I smirk at him as I reach up and grab the bullet, examining it. The heat doesn''t bother me, not when it originates from metal.

    "Like I said," I look back to the gunman. "It''s not as if you could do anything to me."

    As the gunmen fire at me, I flex my Ability, the bullets all pulling to my hand, merging, heating up, glowing orange as they fuse together. They form a group of small blades that then float in front of me, the process taking me less time than it takes them to fire their guns.

    It''s really quite boring. Once I''m out of Basic Training and in full Training, I''ll get to go on real missions, and threats like these would be absolutely laughable to my team.

    I stand here, calm as the night, as the men realize that not one of their bullets touched me. I then sweep my arm out. As I complete the arc, the blades, of which there are ten, shoot out, piercing the chests of the men, and they drop to the ground, dead.

    "As I said," I snort. "You can''t do anything to me."

    I scan the room before fixing my gaze on where the invisible boy is standing. He moved after turning invisible, probably to avoid being struck. With a power like that, he could really do damage to them. He must be scared of fighting. No matter. He''ll get over it in training and become a formidable force and a useful member of my team.

    "That''s an interesting ability," I tell him. "Were it not for the change in your pocket, I wouldn''t be able to tell you''re there at all. Is it light manipulation?"

    "Magic," he reveals himself. "I can do a little bit. I created a minor field around myself to prevent people''s gazes from fixing on me. You still saw me, you simply couldn''t focus on me, even though you knew I was there. To your conscious mind, there was no one standing there."

    Magician? He''s going the wrong way for training, then.

    "So you''re a magician, then," I grin at him. "Where are you going? I''m heading to get trained to be an agent of the GSDF."

    "Same."

    "That''s for superhumans," I frown at him, hoping he understands what I mean. Maybe he''s not as good as I thought, he can''t be that bright if he''s as powerful as I''m sensing and even able to affect perception with magic but won''t use it to defend himself. "You''re going the wrong way. Magicians have a different place to train."

    "I''m a superhuman."

    "That was magic."

    "Superhumans can know magic," he retorts, finally meeting my gaze, and actually looking into them seems to be too much as he quickly looks away. "I''m both."

    Unlike his timid blue eyes, my green eyes are always full of confidence.

    "Nice to meet you, Both!" I grin at him. "I''m Jared!"

    "Caleb."

    "Look at the mundies," I chuckle, scanning the room of frightened citizens. "They''re so scared, and the gunmen aren''t even alive anymore."

    "How can you just kill someone?" Caleb has a slight whine to his voice. "It''s not right."

    "It''s easy!" I grin at him again. "They''re worthless and weak, so it''s easy to kill them. Besides, they had their guns pointed at me and were trying to kill me. It''s not like I wasn''t defending myself and all of these poor, helpless, defenseless citizens. As a soldier, you''ll learn that killing is simply a fact of life. By the way, are you on the bus that''s out front? I''m joining it ¨C maybe we can sit next to each other?"

    Caleb doesn''t answer, and after the police have come and gone, everyone returns to the bus to sleep for the night as the drivers rotate and leave. I attempt to talk to Caleb, but he simply lets himself fall asleep.

    I''m wide awake, brimming with excitement for the day to come. It takes me a long time to fall asleep as a result.

    In the morning, everyone feasts on donuts and coffee provided by another service station, the two of us youths drinking hot chocolate instead.

    I talk to Caleb until Caleb dozes off again. Once he''s asleep again, I pull my handheld out and start playing, immersing myself in the game. We pass out of the realm of eternal night and it takes everyone a moment to adjust their eyes to the morning light, though it doesn''t take me long. I switch between night and day all the time, coming from a realm of actual day-night cycles.

    I wake Caleb up when we arrive at our destination, the same place the bus stops for lunch. He squints, covering his eyes, and I realize something about him. His pale skin should have made that obvious to me when we met.

    "Never seen daylight before?" I ask, and Caleb shakes his head. "I grew up going in and out of daylight, it''s pretty cool. Out here, night falls regularly, with it being longer in the winter and shorter in the summer. It''s pretty cool, I''m sure you''ll like it. Perfect for tanning, too. Get yourself a nice tan, a shorter hairstyle, and you''ll look a whole lot more confident."

    "Not interested," Caleb stands up. "Can we get off, please?"

    "Sure," I grin at him, standing and walking off the bus.

    Caleb and I stop for lunch at a small cafe, grabbing sandwiches and juice to drink, and when we finish our meal, we begin walking. I attempt to engage Caleb in conversation, but his quietness results in me rambling about my own training, the trouble I got into with the staff, anything to prevent silence from falling between us. I''m pretty sure he tuned me out. Maybe he''s not a coward, just an introvert, and that was his first fight.

    The training program will whip him into fighting shape.

    After a few hours of walking, we have exited the town and arrived at a two-story building near the edge of a wooded area. The building itself is constructed of faded grey bricks, but the glass in the windows and doors are clear and polished, showing no signs of time''s touch. Save for a handful of cars, the parking lot is deserted.

    It''s unassuming, and there''s no sign indicating what it is, but we both know we''ve arrived at our destination, the Alzir Training Branch of the GSDF.

    "We''re here," I grin at Caleb. "Ready for an adventure?"

 Chapter 002

    <(Caleb)>

    Jared and I approach the building for the training facility. He has an excited bounce in his step while I''m dragging my feet, far from prepared for this. I''m only here because Teacher and Grant both want me here and I doubt the instructors here will let me just live here as a shelter.

    Dread fills me a little bit and is making it hard for me to breathe, and I try to push through that as I walk. This is for the better, but I really don''t want to fight. Ever.

    Jared reaches the entrance first, but waits for me there, opening the glass doors when I arrive, the two of us entering the building and looking around the lobby. Jared just gives it a casual glance but I immediately take it all in, assessing the surroundings in only a second.

    Couches and armchairs fill the entrance, a table here and there with magazines and vases with plants scattered on them. The furniture appears sturdy, probably to minimize damage in minor altercations. Two halls branch away from the lobby, one on the far wall and one on the end of the wall to the left, when entering. A counter runs the length of the wall to the right, stopping at the entrance to the hall on that wall. A few potted plants stand in corners of the room while a cactus stands on the counter beside the computer monitor.

    Immediately, I identify the green and orange cactus as an ilusia needle, a rare breed of cacti that produces a syrup that can be used to erase recent memories. The fact that they have one just sitting out in the open tells me that they''re confident in their security, considering the cost of that breed of cactus in half the size of the one sitting there. Teacher told me that they have a barrier that prevents monsters from getting in, but what about human threats?

    A woman in her thirties sits behind the counter, tapping away at her computer, looking at us only briefly when we enter. With her dark brown hair pinned up in a very tight bun and brown eyes sharp and alert, the woman looks like that of a soldier to me ¨C strict, professional, and dangerous.

    I''m a bit hesitant to approach her, but Jared walks right up to her, a big smile on his face.

    "Jared Fuller, ma''am!" He greets the woman behind the counter with a sloppy mock-salute. "Reporting for training!"

    "And you?" She looks at me, voice sharp and quick, gaze filled with danger, making me jump the moment her eyes meets mine "Name, boy."

    "C-C-Caleb R-R-Rivers, ma''am!" I stutter in response, taking a step back.

    "The boy Colonel Reynolds recommended," her tone softens and she nods her head slightly. "He said to expect you a session sooner. Down the hall straight ahead, both of you. Dorms and classrooms are upstairs, but you won''t be using those until training begins tomorrow. Until it does, your squads aren''t determined, and therefore, you won''t have room assignments. You will be sleeping on the floor of the cafeteria tonight. Go on ahead."

    "Okay!" Jared exclaims, then starts down that hall.

    I give the woman a quick bow, then slowly walk down the hall, nervous of what lies ahead.

    <hr>

    <(Kieran)>

    A powerful presence woke me up. Two powerful presences, actually, but one nearly overwrote the other from how strong it is. Not only that, but it feels oddly familiar to me which is rare. This place is pretty much the only area I go, and I know all of the people who come here regularly.

    Irina seems to still be alive down at reception, her life force steady and strong, but the two powerful presences have passed on into the other part of the building.

    She would not let someone pass by her so easily, so they truly are threats to us. Especially if they are cocky enough to leave her alive.

    Irina Mailes has worked for the GSDF for nearly twenty years now, starting when she was only twelve years old. Her power is not especially powerful, but she is still considered S-Rank. She can read people''s strengths and their power levels through their auras. Though she has a support-class ability, she is a powerful asset to the training facility.

    A long time ago, an unknown entity spelled the facility so that it could only be entered through the front doors, the identity of the magician long since been forgotten as the facility was designed and constructed more than two hundred years past, updated only as needed. So long as she or one of us other guards stands watch, no threat could enter this place.

    After all, despite only having a support-class, Irina Mailes is ranked as a Colonel in the GSDF and possesses the highest seniority and authority within the facility. She has been through many battles and wars and is quite capable with each of the four swords, twenty-eight daggers, nineteen knives, and fourteen guns concealed beneath the counter or hidden on her body.

    At the same time her power allows her to know of any threat entering the facility, it allows her to give an assessment to the staff of the power levels of new recruits.

    If she is alive, and those two forces are passing by, they must have bound her or something in order to prevent her from giving a warning to the others. Though all of our instructors are S-Ranks and I''m a minor, I''m actually the most powerful person here.

    Or at least, I was until the more powerful of those two newcomers arrived.

    Age means experience, but does not always means power. Sometimes, the youth went through more and came out much stronger. Forged in fire, but not in the flames of a candle.

    Calmly, I switch to pulling back on my pants rather than the lighter pants I was preparing to pull on, as I was in the middle of changing into pajamas when those two arrived. Night is when I''m usually awake and I was just getting ready for bed.

    I pull black skinny jeans, black combat boots, a black leather belt, a black t-shirt with a black leather jacket over it, and then hook my silver chain to my left beltloop and the one behind that one. Pulling on my bracelets, I make my way downstairs and out of the staff quarters.

    At only fourteen years of age, I am often underestimated. The few who know who I am never dare to do that. In fact, they fear me. I am more powerful than any of the other staff here, and I choose to act as the night guard. If there is someone capable of taking down Irina, then they''re a threat to everyone, even if the other staff members can handle them.

    When I step into the lobby, our receptionist/guard is staring at her computer, but very much mobile and conscious. Did someone alter her memories?

    "Your presence is as unnerving as always, Kieran," Irina states without looking up from her computer. "I''m guessing you were woken by their presences?"

    "Changing into my pajamas," I answer. "You let them through?"

    "They''re new cadets," she nods, then reads me their files and gives me her own assessments.

    Jared Fuller, twelve, an Elemental B-Rank with the power to manipulate any metal, both in a form of telekinesis and in reshaping. He will likely be an A-Rank by the end of basic training and S-Rank by the end of the two years of training all recruits go through. Cocky and arrogant, he believes that all those who are weak are inferior and useful only for producing laborers and performing labor. The boy ran away from home, defying his parents'' orders to stay in his sheltered life.

    Caleb Rivers. The most unusual recruit she has ever seen, though his name sounds familiar to me. He can''t be the same one I''m thinking of, as that one died years ago. Shaking my head, I tune out the memories and listen to Irina.

    His file, supplied by the Colonel Grant Reynolds himself, claims he is extraordinarily weak, and has never revealed what his Gift is. It also states that he possesses a high affinity for magic, taught it by a mysterious teacher the retired Colonel had never met nor caught a glimpse of. Scared in combat situations and easily buckling under pressure, Rivers stands far from being ideal candidate.

    And yet the retired Colonel recommended him simply because a few monsters attacked the town they were in, supposedly to chase after the boy, and Reynolds wants him at the facility for no reason other than protection.

    Grant, unlike Irina, could not read the boy''s power. She knows that even though Rivers''s file claims he is weak, the strength of Rivers''s Gift surpasses that of any of the retired S-Ranks that run this facility. In fact, she has never seen an S-Rank with that level of power before.

    Not even me.

    And Rivers, true to Grant''s word, possesses an extraordinary amount of magical power. He likely does not even know what he can do, he is that powerful.

    Maybe the one I know did survive? I''ll investigate that at a later time. If they''re recruits, then I''m going back to bed. Once Irina finishes her little ''chat'' with me.

    This year will be interesting, indeed. Irina will need to word her report without making it seem as if the boy is powerful. Grant informed her that he refuses to use his Gift, and that he fears fighting. If she claims he is powerful, the instructors will be harsh on him at first, believing him to be holding back.

    They have no idea what they are in for, she concludes. This session''s batch of recruits is highly unusual. Forty boys and girls between the ages of eleven and fourteen, with a wide variety of abilities and personalities, as well as their fair share of issues. Yes, that happens every session, but this one definitely takes the cake with the extremes that present themselves in the forms of Caleb Rivers and Jared Fuller, among a few of the others. We typically only find one new recruit per session, if that, already at C-Rank with their Gift.

    Irina smiles to herself, probably at the thought of the adventures that will soon occur, wondering how the boys and girls will change. Rolling my eyes at her, I turn around and make my way back to my room. Hopefully, their presences will not continue to interfere with my sleep during their training.

    <hr>

    <(Jared)>

    Caleb lagged behind me on the way to the cafeteria. It''s not much, honestly. A buffet-style serving area which reminds me of school cafeterias lines one wall, with the tables in the center part of the room seating roughly forty boys and girls around our age, all of them wearing black cargo shorts, black combat boots, and sky blue t-shirts.

    Against the far wall stands a man wearing the same outfit, only his shirt is black instead of blue. He''s tall and imposing, his brown hair cropped short, his brown eyes watching everyone and snapping to me as I enter.

    He waits until Caleb''s in the room before speaking.

    "Fuller! Rivers!" The man barks, causing Caleb to jump as we look at him. "You will find a change of clothes on the table behind you! Dress in them immediately, and leave your current clothes on the table!"

    I immediately change, removing my clothes and pulling on the uniform the other recruits are wearing. Caleb hesitates, and I realize that he''s shy. At the same time I come to that realization, the man does.

    "Rivers!" The instructor barks. "You must get over your shyness! This is the military, not preschool! Undress and get dressed now!"

    Caleb nods shakily, then begins to undress, but his fingers fumble as he tries to pull his shirt off. I yawn and stretch, and as I do, the buckle on the instructor''s belt liquifies, sliding off, then reshaping as it flies to my hand.

    "Excuse me, sir!" I hold the buckle up. "But I found this buckle, and I was wondering if you might know who it belongs to?"

    "Give that back!" the man orders.

    "Oh, it''s yours?" I ask. "Sir, you really should take better care of your buckles, else they might just abandon you."

    "Give it back, Fuller!"

    "Give what back?" I ask as the buckle reshapes itself, becoming a rabbit. "This is yours? I figured you were a manly man, but it appears you''re into bunnies!"

    "Fix it and return it! Now, Fuller!" The man orders sharply.

    "Aw," I mock him, nearly every eye in the room on me. "Is the wittle man upset his bunny''s gone? Does the wittle man want his bunny back?"

    "You are not off to a good start, Fuller!"

    "Only messing with you!" I grin, tossing the rabbit up and down, then to the instructor.

    He attempts to catch it, but the rabbit melts through his fingertips, falling down to his waist and resuming its position and form as a buckle, though with a rabbit-like shape.

    "This isn''t amusing, Fuller!" The instructor snaps.

    "To you, maybe!" I flash him another grin. "But it got everyone''s gaze off Caleb, didn''t it?"

    All eyes turn to Caleb, who now stands dressed in the uniform, having rapidly changed as I screwed with the instructor''s buckle. The other boy''s face turns a deep shade of crimson, and I step forward.

    "I''m Jared Fuller," I introduce myself. "Elemental, B-Rank, can manipulate metal, non-restricted. If any of you are stronger than me, don''t expect to be for long."

    "A metal Elemental, huh?" A boy around year older than me stands up. "I''m Owen, an electric Elemental. C-Rank. I think we''d make a pretty good team."

    "Maybe," I can already see the possibilities of our teamwork. "But only if you can keep up."

    Owen has white-blond hair and electric blue eyes and I can sense the energy within him, but faintly. I''ve only recently started sensing the energy levels of others, and Owen''s is stronger than any I''ve managed to sense before, probably because of his ability.

    I take a seat by Owen and the other strong recruits, waving Caleb over, but he finds a seat by himself, away from the others. He''ll warm up to me, he''s definitely powerful. Strong people will work together.

    "Hey, bunny-buckle!" I call out, and the instructor ignores me. "Who''s Colonel Reynolds?"

    "What''s your interest in him?" The instructor asks. "If it''s for a history lesson, you''ll hear all about him in those after basic training ends."

    "So he''s famous?"

    "You could say that," he nods, just barely. "Colonel Grant Reynolds is a retired S-Class Superhuman agent of the Global Supernatural Defense Federation who passed up a promotion to be a General six times before retiring several years ago. His Ability is defensive enhancement, and he can become virtually indestructible. He''s one of the most powerful superhumans to ever exist."

    "So the fact," I say. "That he recommended Caleb to the federation means that Caleb''s, like, crazy-strong, right?"

    "Perhaps," the instructor says as gazes turn to the quickly reddening boy. His shyness is adorable. "That will be seen tomorrow, when training begins. We will place you into squads based on your strengths. The stronger you are, the stronger your squadmates will be, so that the strongest are together, and the weakest are together."

    After that, many of the recruits want to talk with Caleb, trying to discern his Ability, but he does not answer, only saying that he prefers to not use it. Dinner is served not long after we arrive, a hot meal that reminds me of lunches in a school cafeteria, if just a little bit tastier than those.

    We continue to mingle once dinner concludes, and not long after the sun sets does the man ¨C who has yet to introduce himself ¨C send us to bed. That''s being generous with the term. The tables in the cafeteria are moved aside and thin mats are placed out on the floor for us to sleep on.

    I try to get some sleep, and while everyone else sleeps easily, I''m used to comfortable beds. Plus, I''m not far from Caleb, who tosses and turns on his mat for almost an hour.

    Then he suddenly bolts upright, looking around before fixing his gaze on the moon through the windows, its cool, silvery light passing into here, washing over his pale face.

    "Save you?" Caleb whispers.

    There''s silence as he stares at the moon.

    "I can''t understand you," Caleb whispers. "You''re not clear."

    He frowns, and a tear starts to stream down his face.

    "What?" Caleb asks quietly, looking around nervously.

    I pretend to still be asleep, but he continues to listen to this voice that seems to be speaking to him.

    "What?" Caleb whispers as he tries to decipher what was said.

    The only explanation for this I can think of is that Caleb''s some sort of psychic and someone''s trying to talk to him but can''t be made out clearly. Why he thinks it''s the moon, I don''t know.

    "I can''t understand you," Caleb whispers. "Not well. What are you saying? I can''t train my powers, I screw things up. They died because of me."

    At this point, Caleb''s sobbing, but he''s trying to be quiet. At least he hasn''t woken anyone up. I''m starting to change my thoughts on him being strong. Lucky, maybe, but not strong. He''s definitely a cowardly weakling.

    "Don''t go!" Caleb whispers, reaching out with a hand. "I don''t understand you! How did demons trap you? How am I supposed to save you?"

    Caleb breaks down completely, curling up into the fetal position as he cries himself to sleep. A few moments later, I feel a dark and ominous presence and freeze up, my body filled with an inexplicable terror.

    Why am I scared? And of what? What manner of being can get past the supposed S-Rank guard of the Alzir Branch yet remain unseen? I''m able to move my eyes around, yet I cannot see anything. I can sense them, though. They''re wearing metal. An iron belt buckle and a silver chain on their hip. They''re walking over to Caleb. The chain and buckle drop down, as if they''re in a crouch. I can''t see anyone. I can''t use my Ability. Even if I could, they would probably unleash some sort of nasty horror on me for attempting to do something.

    A few moments later, a chill goes down my spine. I''m already frozen, yet whatever is there, whatever is going to hurt Caleb, knows I''m awake. It''s as if they''re looking right into my eyes.

    Their gaze remains on me, and now I really wish I could have awakened my aura sooner. I found out only a few days before leaving about auras. There wasn''t enough time for someone to teach me how they worked or even how to awaken them. However, I did learn that a person''s aura can be used to terrify others.

    The intruder is definitely using their aura to do this to me.

    Now that I''m able to think and push back against the fear with my mind, I realize that this presence disturbs the sleep of the other cadets. They''re shifting slightly, muttering and whimpering in their sleep. Were I asleep, I''d probably be doing the same. I can hold out mentally, but had I access to my aura, I''d probably be unaffected by this. Or maybe they''d just increase the intensity in order to cripple me.

    Strangely, Caleb''s not affected by this presence. He''s sleeping, even if not peacefully, but his movements haven''t changed from when this being entered the room. Caleb was having bad dreams, and after the gaze leaves me, he calms down and becomes still. For a moment, I think he''s dead, that whatever it was killed him, but then realize that he''s still breathing ¨C it''s just calmed.

    This being of fear, whatever it is, soothed Caleb''s dreams? Why?

    <hr>

    ~~~(Kieran)~~~

    Night watch is boring. Not much happens, not now that the reputation of a powerful S-Rank who can take on any foe who tries to break in went out and the rumor was proven true. Two years ago, a force of six S-Rank magicians and Gifted attempted to break into here during the night, using powerful magic to conceal themselves with the aim of killing the instructors before they woke and kidnapping the cadets to sell them off as power slaves.

    They never made it past the lobby, and I was out back when they entered. The staff and students woke up to the screams and all rushed down to see what was going on. I suppose I could have done it quieter and cleaner, but I was dealing with an injured wolf and didn''t want to bother diverting too much focus away from him.

    Ever since then, all attacks come while I''m sleeping.

    So instead of bothering to wait in the lobby, like I''m supposed to, I make my way into the cafeteria, where the cadets are sleeping. It''s not uncommon for me to leave the lobby completely unattended, so it''s not like they''ll yell at me if they find out.

    Tonight, I want to investigate the boy with an absurd power level.

    When I enter the cafeteria, I notice one of the boys sleeping uncomfortably. That wouldn''t be different than normal from anyone sleeping in my presence, what with my aura wrapped around myself, but he was sleeping roughly when I entered, not after.

    The only cadet here with a traumatic past is Caleb Rivers, so I make my way to the boy with bad dreams, and when I crouch down, I see a gentle, worried face framed by blond hair. As I crouch down to confirm my thoughts, I sense someone looking at me, which shouldn''t be possible. My aura completely affects someone''s perception of me, as well as bends light around me.

    When I turn around to stare at them, I realize why. It''s the Elemental boy. Fullmetal, or Metalfull, or whatever it is. I don''t bother remembering names unless they''re important. Caleb Rivers is an important name to me from when I was younger.

    This other kid is probably sensing the metal on me. If I exuded even a fraction more of my aura, he''d be unable to perceive it at all. I use more of my aura when others are awake as I don''t like being seen, but it affects people who are asleep.

    I turn back to the boy with nightmares. The blond hair with that name only makes me think he is who I think he is, but that''s impossible.

    I place my hand on his head and close my eyes to try and touch into his mind. Immediately, I find myself repelled by a powerful force.

    It''s him. He''s the Caleb Rivers from six and a half years ago. I was seven, he was six. He''s the only person who can resist me like that even while asleep. He has an impenetrable mind. Were he awake, he''d see right through my aura, unaffected by the terror it instills or the sense of unease that it emits, depending on my mood. It''s usually just unease, though it''s in the terror mode right now.

    Caleb Rivers, my childhood friend. He survived the Alkran City Takeover, just like me. Everyone said I was the only survivor. They confirmed his death. I confirmed his death.

    How could he have survived? He was an only child, so it can''t be twins or anything like that.

    He must have used his Gift.

    Playing with Caleb and his Gift back then was pretty fun. He created all sorts of amazing places for us to play with. The kids at the orphanage loved him, he was a bright and cheerful kid. We envied his power and all of us dreamed of being one of the rare people who possessed it.

    During the attack, my brother was killed. At the same time, Caleb used his power. I felt it flux. It''s the reason I have the powers I do. I was born with the Elemental Gift of Light and Shadows, a dual-element. I was A-Rank. My identical twin brother, who had albinism, was a natural S-Rank, a Special who was ranked at B-Rank among Specials, with his power over Perception itself.

    When Caleb flexed his powers, it merged my dying brother''s aura and power into me. Caleb must have tried stopping the fight, tried stopping death.

    It isn''t until I snap myself out of my memories that I realize Caleb''s breathing has calmed down. After repelling my mind, his calmed and his dreams likely became tame. I make a note to try again tomorrow night, to see if his mind will calm for him. If it works, then I may be able to make it so that he can sleep easy. From the report, he fears fighting. If he''s exhausted, he''ll never get over that fear.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    I wish I could talk to him now, but I''d rather let him sleep. Besides I''m not sure what I''d say. It''s been six and a half years since I last saw him, and I''ve already mourned him. For him to be alive is a miracle.

    My investigation done, I return to my monitoring of the facility''s entrance, knowing that in the morning, Reynolds will hose the recruits down.

    <hr>

    <(Jared)>

    An icy shock wakes me up, and I find the instructor who was in here when we arrived hosing us down. I scramble to my feet as he moves on, and within a minute, we''re all awake and dripping wet. Except, I notice, Caleb. I watched as the instructor sprayed past him, and Caleb''s eyes shot open before he did and moved out of the way.

    Did he subconsciously hear the instructor''s thoughts and wake in reaction to the rest of us yelling from the cold and just react instantly?

    The instructor orders us to move the tables back into position, then we eat breakfast. When we finish, we''re to meet him out back.

    Caleb is the first to move, grabbing one of the tables from the wall and wheeling it back into position before lowering it. Once we does that, the rest of us get moving. We''re cold and wet and miserable, but we''re also hungry.

    "How''d you keep dry?" One of the boys sneers at Caleb. "Did you pay off the instructors or something? This is my second attempt at basic, and they never show mercy to anyone."

    Caleb looks at him with a little bit of fear in his eyes. Why won''t he defend himself? It''s just words, it''s not like they can hurt.

    "Well?" The boy asks, backing Caleb into the wall. "What''s the secret, huh? I got injured the first time and had to wait until this one to resume, and I ain''t gonna put up with the bullshit they give us. If you''ve got a way to avoid getting punishment like that, then I want in on it. I''ll even protect you, if you can get them to lighten it up on me."

    "If you''re in this twice," I tell him, once it''s clear that Caleb''s just going to be terrified. "Then you should know the tricks and tips. Shouldn''t we ask you what to do?"

    "Do as little to piss them off as possible," The boy glares at me. "Because they look for every little reason to come after you and punish us all," he turns his gaze back to Caleb. "So? How did you do it? How did you talk them into keeping you dry?"

    I can understand being a coward, but Caleb is just ridiculous.

    "Magic," I answer, and Caleb freezes up. "He''s both a Superhuman and a magician. He probably used magic to dry himself or to keep the water from hitting him or something."

    Let them think it''s magic over his Ability to know it was coming. I can use that to my advantage. Special-type Abilities are rare. If he''s truly able to manipulate time, I''ll be able to use that to my advantage.

    Thinking about it more, Caleb could be either a Time or a Perception Superhuman. Either one is still exceptionally powerful and useful. I want him on my team.

    That satisfies the other boy, who backs down, and everyone finishes setting up the tables, then we make our way to the food. The cooks don''t say a word about what happened even though they had to have witnessed the entire event.

    Caleb gets pushed out of the way by some of the others as he tries to get into line, eventually giving up and waiting for everyone else to go through. What a weakling. To have thought he was strong. Sure, his Ability is powerful, but he''s got no guts or courage.

    No sooner do I think that than his gaze meets mine. I nearly drop my tray when we lock eyes, and he looks away. Someone bumps into me, and I glare at them and take my seat. Owen sits across from me. He''s completely dry, too.

    "How are you dry?" I ask.

    "Electricity," he grins at me. "Useful for more than just shocking people who are wet. By controlling the amount I use and where I send it, I can heat up the water without damaging my skin or clothes, quickly drying myself off. I haven''t gained full resistance to shocks yet, so gotta be careful. Wish I had magic like Rivers, being able to stay dry or having the power to dry myself without fear of shocking myself would be awesome."

    "Yeah, it would," I flash him a smile before shooting a look back to Caleb. "Shame he''s such a weakling, he''d be a powerful Superhuman if he showed just a little bit of aggression or assertion, I''m sure of it."

    Plus, when he looked at me, I felt as if he knew what I thought. Can he see a few moments into the future and hear thoughts? One''s a time power, one''s a psychic power. There''s no known cases of anyone having two different Ability Types. If he somehow did, it would explain why I don''t know which.

    The moment I think that, a chill runs down my spine. I look around the room, first looking at Caleb, who''s sitting by himself at a table in the corner of the room, but he''s not looking at me. That feeling remains, a feeling of foreboding, of darkness.

    Suddenly, I remember last night. The thing that caused us to all have bad dreams, which locked me in place in pure fear. That thing that calmed Caleb down. It''s here, it''s in the room.

    "Shouldn''t you be sleeping?" The instructor who''s been leading us enters the dining room, and the feeling fades. "As talkative as ever, Kieran."

    "Kieran?" Caleb''s head perks up when he hears that name.

    "Kieran, sir!" The instructor snaps at him. "He''s the night guard of this facility, and an S-Rank Superhuman who prefers us to be called Gifted! All of you would do well to never cross him ¨C he''s the only known case of a Superhuman with two Abilities, and he''s S-Rank in one and S-A in the other!''

    S-A? He''s got a Special-Type Ability? And he''s reached A-Rank among the Special Abilities, too. He truly is powerful.

    That explains how he was able to get past the night guard ¨C he is the night guard. Why was he interested in Caleb? And why did Caleb react to that name? I look over at the weakling, who''s disappeared.

    "Everyone outside!" The instructor yells. "Breakfast is ten minutes, and ten minutes only! Move!"

    We all hastily rush outside, where Caleb and the boy who attacked him earlier are both waiting. When did they come out here? Caleb''s trying to ignore him, but the other boy is taunting him, calling him a coward.

    "Today!" The instructor yells. "We are going to assess your Abilities! Not just your Abilities, but your strength, your speed, your stamina, your might, your courage, your aggression, and many other factors! We will then rank you and place you into eight squads of five! You will be assigned with others of similar rank, with the top students in Squad 1 and the worst in Squad 8!

    "For now!" He yells. "Line up in eight lines of five! Now, cadets!"

    We all scramble to obey. I make it to the front of a line, directly in front of him.

    "I am Colonel Fowl!" He finally introduces himself. "I am an S-Rank Transmuter with the Ability to transform my body into a variety of different animals! I am the Head Instructor here, and thus, in charge of your training! I will also lead the majority of your physical fitness and combat training lessons!"

    "I am Colonel Sparks!" A woman approach us with a man at her side, and they take their places to either side of Colonel Fowl. She''s got platinum-blond hair and electric blue eyes. "I''m an S-Rank Elemental able to harness fire, light, and electricity! I am the Head Ability Trainer!"

    "I am Colonel Garth!" The other man introduces himself. He''s got light brown hair, dark brown eyes, and tanned skin. He''s massive, and looks tough. "I''m an S-Rank Enhancer capable of enhancing various attributes, namely my speed and strength! I am ranked fourth among all the Enhancers of the GSDF, and I''m in charge of your Superhuman training! This is your knowledge of Abilities and how they work, as well as how to counter them! I''m also in charge of history and languages! You will all leave this training with a partial mastery of another language!"

    "Sir!" Caleb quietly calls out from the back.

    If I can barely hear him, then there''s no way the instructors did.

    "Speak up if you have a question!" Colonel Fowl snaps, his gaze turning to Caleb.

    "Sir!" Caleb repeats, louder this time.

    "Speak, Rivers!"

    "What if you already know all languages, sir?" Caleb asks.

    "Do you honestly expect me to believe you are capable of speaking every language, Cadet?"

    "Sir, yes sir!" Caleb answers Colonel Fowl''s question looking scared.

    "Wait!" Colonel Garth holds a hand up, stopping Colonel Fowl from speaking. "Cadet Rivers! How do you possess the capability to speak all languages?"

    "I''m a mystictongue, sir!" Caleb answers.

    What the heck is that?

    Colonel Garth walks over to Caleb, and we all watch as he strikes up a conversation with Caleb in some foreign language. I think he switches it once. After about five minutes of that, Colonel Garth looks at Colonel Fowl.

    "Eighteen languages," Colonel Garth says. "He spoke all eighteen languages I know, including two that only eight people in the world even know exist, and he spoke them with accents that I can only judge to be native. He''s a mystictongue."

    "I''ve never met one in person," Colonel Fowl narrows his gaze at Caleb. "Cadet Rivers! Mystictongues are magicians! Are you a magician or a Superhuman?"

    "Both, sir!"

    "Then what''s your Ability!"

    "A curse, sir!"

    He views his Ability as a curse? That''s not unheard of, but it''s not common, either.

    "Tell me what your Ability is, Cadet!"

    "I''ve never told anyone, sir!" Caleb responds. "I do not use it, sir! I am here under the recommendation of Grant, and only because he wants me here, sir! I have no intention of using my Ability or fighting, sir!"

    "Then you will fail this training!" Colonel Fowl snaps. "What''s your Ability, Cadet? You will answer me or-"

    He cuts off, snapping his gaze up to the second floor of the facility. We follow his gaze to the window he''s looking at, but there''s nothing there, other than an open curtain.

    As we look back to him, I notice that Caleb''s gaze is fixed firmly forward. The coward looks a little scared.

    "Never mind!" Colonel Fowl shouts. "First part of your testing! Put on the backpacks sitting against that wall, and follow me! Jog, don''t walk!"

    We all walk to the wall of the facility and pick up the backpacks, which feel weighted to me. I open mine up and find brick weights inside. They are weighted. It feels about ten pounds.

    I pull on the bag and begin jogging, following Colonel Fowl into the woods. Colonel Sparks runs along the middle, and Colonel Garth sticks to the back of the group, to make sure everyone jogs and no one strays.

    I''m almost at the front of the run. Colonel Fowl is just barely keeping ahead of the one at the lead of us cadets, and I realize that he''s changing the pace based on the person in front, who''s managing to keep up with him. I don''t think the cadet in the lead realizes that the person behind him, the one in front of me, is trying to outpace him. Colonel Fowl definitely noticed, I''m sure. Of all the people to be there, Caleb is the one at the front.

    Caleb matches the instructor''s pace, no matter how much the larger man increases it. The kid in front of me, the one who pushed him around earlier, starts to lag behind, but manages to keep his pace ahead of me.

    The jog lasts for what feels like forever, especially on this rough terrain. Why did he want to take us for a jog through the woods as part of our assessment? That makes no sense. I was expecting something like treadmills and weights and combat simulations. This feels more like training than testing, especially with the bag feeling heavier as time goes on.

    When we finally return to the yard, Colonel Fowl orders us to line up in rows in the order we arrived, putting Caleb first, the other boy second, and me third, standing at the front of the middle line, just like before.

    When everyone else has arrived, I''ve managed to catch my breath, but the instructors don''t wait for the last of them to.

    "Pushups! Now!" Colonel Fowl orders. "Don''t stop until I tell you!"

    I drop and begin my pushups, noting everyone else doing the same. Twenty-four pushups later, Colonel Fowl orders us to stop, and I let myself drop to the ground. My last streak was twenty, so that was rough. I''m not much into fitness, and think I should have waited a little longer before coming here, so I could get into better shape. My arms are sore just from that.

    "Nine!" Colonel Fowl yells. "The one who did the least, but lasted all the way, managed nine! One of you only managed one before giving up!" Probably not Caleb, though he''s no doubt exhausted as well. "Then there''s one of you who managed to do four hundred, eighteen pushups! We worked for two minutes! By the end of this training, I want each of you able to do four hundred, eighteen pushups! This is the standard I''m setting, and you will meet this, or you will fail!"

    A lot of the cadets groan, but all I can think about is how is that possible?

    As I start to sit up, I notice Caleb standing at attention.

    It was him?

    Then it hits me.

    The same thing that affected us in the cafeteria last night and this morning: aura. Caleb wasn''t bothered by that aura last night, which means that he''s had aura training before. He must have utilized his aura to do pushups faster.

    Performing physical training while utilizing aura is believed to be able to increase one''s natural strength, speed, and senses. Caleb must have been doing that since he was little to be able to do that many. And doing it heavily, too.

    Colonel Fowl is insane if he believes we will manage to match him.

    We''re only given a momentary respite before we''re ordered to perform situps. Colonel Fowl runs us for two minutes again, and once again, Caleb scores higher than any of us by an impossibly high margin.

    Immediately after, we are each given a rubber training knife with orders to brush the edge with a red paint that won''t dry quickly. Once we do that, we''re paired up with another cadet and set to fight for one minute, rotating four times, so that each of us fights five cadets. Once that concludes, we fight with our bodies alone for two minutes against five cadets.

    Following that, we''re ordered to put on the weighted packs and begin running again. They feel heavier, but I''m fairly certain they actually weigh the same. Exhaustion is getting to us.

    This time, Colonel Fowl leads us down a different path, and we arrive at an obstacle course. Those of us scoring first, physically, are sent first, after we shed our packs.

    It begin with a brief run to a sloped wall that we must scale, and when we reach the top, we have to cross a rope line over a large, muddy puddle. I grab the rope and try to crawl across it, swinging around and ending up facing the sky, crossing it like that.

    Briefly, I''m aware of Caleb speeding along the rope, as if unaffected by exhaustion.

    At the end of the rope, we drop down and crawl under some posts and barbwire, which hurts. It takes me a minute to figure out how to get detached, too. That done, we have to cross a series of suspended poles that are supported with posts too close for us to duck under, forcing us to climb over each one. They''re not spaced far apart, either, which only makes this task more difficult.

    Then, we have to climb up a rope wall, cross monkey bars, and then crawl down a sort of ladder-like wall, at the bottom of which is a small pool. Past the other side of the water is a small stretch of land with the finish line at the other end. As I''m reaching the end of the wall, I notice Caleb already on the other side of the line.

    How did he move so fast? He can''t have used his aura alone for that, could he?

    Dropping into the water, I let out an involuntary gasp, forcing myself to the surface for air.

    "Cold!" The cadet between Caleb and me exclaims as he leaves the water.

    The water is freezing! I quickly swim across, climb out, and sprint across the field to the finish line, where I''m allowed temporary respite from this cruel course.

    That was frigid water even though the air is warm out. They''ve got to be using magic or something for that.

    We rest until everyone has arrived, then pull our packs back on and follow Colonel Fowl down the path. The other boy has given up on trying to place in front of Caleb, which I think is better for him. I doubt anyone can match Caleb''s inhuman abilities.

    I doubt Colonel Fowl could stay ahead of him if Caleb chose to actually kick his ass into gear and take off.

    When we arrive back at the facility, we''re wet, we''re cold, we''re miserable, and we''re given ten minutes for lunch, which consists of ham and cheese sandwiches, a banana, some carrots, and water.

    As soon as lunch is finished, we return outside to test our Abilities, three more Colonels awaiting us.

    Colonel Smoke has fiery orange hair and hazel eyes and is an Elemental who can manipulate fire, light, and shadow.

    Colonel Terrier has brown hair and eyes, and is a Transmuter who can transform into various types of canines. He''s not very talkative.

    Colonel Thompson has brown hair and blue eyes, and is an Elemental who can manipulate the elements of stone and air. He can also manipulate iron and various alloys of it, though comments that he''s never managed the alloy I wore on me when I arrived.

    I feel naked without that metal, but know I have to go without for the sake of training. It''s a rare and expensive alloy, and I hope they give it back when we''re finished with this.

    They start with Caleb, as he''s been placing first. Colonel Thompson stands in front of him, ordering him to utilize his Ability in every way he knows how, and to attack him if needed.

    Instead of complying, Caleb freaks out, backing up with his hands held up in fear, refusing to use his Ability.

    "Tch," Colonel Fowl clicks his tongue. "Freaked out in the simulated fights earlier, and freak out at the thought of using your power. I want to know what Colonel Reynolds was thinking when he sent you here! Cadet Marks! You''re next!"

    The boy who''s been staying ahead of me walks forward, taking a deep breath, then putting his palms together. As he pulls them apart, a metal staff forms between them. He grabs it from the air and attacks.

    I fought him during the knife and martial arts simulations earlier in both sets. He was pretty skilled, and kicked my ass both times. I don''t have too much combat training, and not placing first of everyone is going to bother me.

    No matter, as I''ll no doubt rise to the top, where I belong.

    Cadet Marks strikes hard and fast, and Colonel Thompson defends himself, even when the cadet switches to a sword, pushing his palms together with the staff between them to make it disappear, then pulling them apart to create the sword.

    "C-Rank!" Thompson says after finishing the fight. "If you don''t work on doing it quicker and creating more types than just wooden and simple metal weapons, then you''ll never reach B-Rank! Cadet Fuller! You''re next!"

    "Close combat isn''t everything," I say as Cadet Marks moves away.

    Instantly, the buckles on everyone''s belts detach themselves and fly forward, reshaping themselves and developing razor-sharp edges, and Colonel Thompson dodges the first volley of attacks, barely avoiding the third, and taking four hits from the third. I watch, only moving to watch as he avoids my attacks. The strikes didn''t make it past his defenses, even with the sharpness of the blades. He truly is powerful; I made it past the defenses of an A-Rank Enhancer who specialized in enhancing his resiliency to physical attacks when I was only a C-Rank.

    "Tag!" He yells, jumping back.

    Colonel Sparks steps forward and raises her hands up. Immediately, the forty-some blades I created crackle with energy before stopping in the air.

    Any attempt I make to strike Colonel Sparks is stopped by her energy. She''s dispelling the energy in the attacks. That shouldn''t work, this isn''t a psychic Ability. I''m not launching them, I''m directly controlling them.

    For the first time, I''m facing an opponent who has a counter to my Ability, and it makes me excited.

    "B-Rank!" She snaps, and I stop the attack. "Though you''re damn close to A-Rank, don''t think it means you''re better than the rest! By simply imbuing your metal with electricity, I could take complete control over them!"

    That''s what she was doing? Damn! I need to figure out how to counter that.

    The rest of the cadets go, fighting against one of the instructors. I take note of only the strongest.

    Owen is classified as C-Rank after his fight with Colonel Sparks, matching up with what he told us yesterday.

    A boy of thirteen with ginger hair and green eyes named Eric Vance is scrawny, but able to enhance his strength and resiliency. He''s also powerful, and goes head-to-head with Colonel Thompson. Then again, the instructor is holding back, so even with Vance''s enhanced speed, the Colonel is clearly the superior in the fight. He''s a C-Rank and will likely be in the top group. Most of the cadets are F, E, or D.

    There''s one more C-Rank among our cadets. He''s quiet and shy, but it fits his power. He can weave light and turn himself invisible. When he''s in that mode, even Colonel Thompson struggles to keep track of him, though the moment the cadet strikes, Colonel Thompson reacts with lightning-quick reflexes.

    I have no doubt the five of us will be the top team. We make up most of the physically stronger cadets, as well as all of the stronger cadets.

    I watch as Cadet Hills finishes the fight, turning visible once more as Colonel Thompson declares him as C-Rank. They probably knew that from our files, not from the fights. Cadet Hills has shaggy brown hair and gentle blue eyes, and it looks like he''s trying to hide behind his hair.

    Shy, but deadly, just like from my favorite stories and shows. That''s pretty nice.

    We''re allowed to rest at last now that this is finished, the instructors telling us to stay in the yard as they head inside. They leave us alone for an hour, then order us into lines, this time arranging us on our own. Caleb is put in the back of the line all the way on the right, when facing the same direction as us. I''m placed in the front of the line all the way on the left, with the other strong cadets behind me.

    "For the next hundred days!" Colonel Fowl yells. "These will be your assigned squads! You are placed in these squads based on a variety of factors, including your own level of power, your control over it, your rank, your willingness to fight, your skill in combat, your physical fitness, and a variety of other factors! For the most part, we''ve placed you based on your level of combat power! The cadet at the front of your line is the captain of your squad! All activities will be done in these squads, and the stronger squads will receive lighter chores and duties than the weaker squads! Your room numbers are the same as your squads! Keep everything appropriate, kid!

    "Squad assignments are permanent!" He yells. "Unless I decide to change them, which I never have before! Dinner! Today, you may take as long as you like, but know that you have the rest of the day to complete your assigned chores! Check the bulletin board in the dining hall for your squad''s chore assignments! Dismissed!"

    We make our way into the cafeteria and get food. I lead my squad to the front of the line, and everyone makes way for us. The fact that I mess with their belt buckles helps enforce that we go first. After that, the squads go in order of number, with Caleb''s squad going last.

    The fact that he was in the back of the line tells me that he was ranked as weakest out of all of us. I''m not surprised by that anymore. I thought he was strong, but he''s just a coward. No wonder he wove magic to turn himself invisible two nights ago ¨C he wanted to avoid the conflict altogether.

    Dinner is spaghetti with meatballs, pudding, garlic bread, and salad, with milk and juice to drink. We devour it and go back for seconds, not bothering to talk, then check out the bulletin board.

    Squad 1 Chores: None.

    Of course we''re exempted ¨C we''re the best.

    <hr>

    <(Caleb)>

    "Laundry duty," Nick Jones, captain of my Squad, groans. "And bathroom duty. And kitchen duty. Seriously?"

    "We''re the weakest squad," I say. "It''s only natural that they''d give us the nasty jobs no one else wants."

    "We have to clean laundry, the bathrooms, the cafeteria, the kitchen," Nick looks at me. "And seriously? You''re easily the strongest, physically. Why are you so scared of fighting? What''s your Ability?"

    "You''re my captain," I say. "But not my boss. I''ll get the laundry in the wash, then get started on the dishes. They''re duties I''m used to."

    "It''ll take the team to do the bathroom and the cafeteria," Nick states.

    "To do it quickly, maybe," I counter. "Do one, then the other. I can handle starting the laundry on my own, as well as the dishes."

    "You''re a magician," he says. "I heard that little conversation. Got a spell that can help us?"

    "You''re aware," I take a deep breath, doing my best to not freak out and give in to him. I hate confrontation, and he clearly wants to start a fight with me. "That most magicians can barely do parlor tricks, ever since the Calamity, yes? A simple cleaning spell isn''t easy for most to do. And if I could use my magic for it, I wouldn''t."

    "And why not?" He asks.

    "Because we''re constantly being watched," I remind him. "And there''s a reason they want us to do these. It''s not to cheat and get it done immediately. If we use magic to take care of the issue, then they''d just punish everyone and it would make the others hate us more than they do just because we''re the weakest. I''m considered the weakest due to my inability to fight or use my Ability, but that doesn''t mean I''m unintelligent. I''ve been taught for years how to use my head. I''ll get started on the laundry."

    I turn and make my way up to the dorms, feeling my skin and clothes become clean as I do. Maybe I do know a few spells that could assist us. Honestly, I could just weave a spell and finish an entire task in minutes.

    But what I said will happen if I do that. They''ll punish everyone and I''ll get treated even worse as a result.

    As I collect everyone''s dirty laundry from today, my team showers and changes into fresh clothes, then I collect those as well, leaving them wondering when I washed up and changed.

    In the laundry room, I open the closet and note that the bleach and the laundry detergent look almost the same, but they''re in in different boxes. Both are a white powder, though the detergent is more powdery than the bleach, and the bleach emits a faintly more pungent odor and takes on a slightly more crystalline appearance than the detergent.

    As I''m filling the first washer with Squad 1''s clothes, I sense a presence behind me; a mind that, while I can enter, is scrambled. Teacher is immune to my passive territory and only one person I know of could affect my Ability to perceive their thoughts, even through the passive territory.

    "I thought Perception was John''s Ability."

    "Gift."

    I turn and face Kieran. He''s dressed in black skinny jeans, a black buttonup, and black sneakers, a silver chain looped from one beltloop in the front to one of the ones at the back of his pants. Underneath his shirt, which is buttoned-up, he''s wearing a plain black tee. His arms, much like mine, are smooth, devoid of hair. It makes him seem younger and more childish than he really is.

    His azure eyes show a darkness within, but not an evil kind, just a troubled past, something traumatizing.

    "How did you survive?" I ask.

    "You."

    "I didn''t save anyone," I shake my head, backing up until I hit the washer. "I killed a lot of people, Kieran. I didn''t save anyone. I couldn''t save anyone."

    "You saved me," he states.

    "No, I didn''t!" I protest. "I killed everyone! It''s all my fault, Kieran! I used my power, and everyone died! I couldn''t save anyone!"

    "You saved me," he repeats. "It''s because of you that I''m alive."

    "And because of me that everyone else died!"

    "False."

    "No, it''s not!"

    "Yes, it is," he says.

    "I-"

    "Was six years old," he interrupts me. "You were six. Six. Years. Old. I was seven. We''re twelve and fourteen now. We''re older, more mature. We can see things we couldn''t see before. Back then, you didn''t kill them all."

    "Yes, I did, Kier-"

    "No," he interrupts again. "You saved me. John was killed by a monster in the attack. As he was dying, you flexed your power. You tried to stop death. Instead of dissipating, his aura and power flowed into me. I gained his power in that moment.

    "When that happened," he continues. "I gained John''s Gift. That allowed me to weave a barrier of perception around me and meld into shadows using his and my powers, and that is how I escaped. I believed you dead. Everyone did. There were no reports of any other survivors. How did you survive?"

    "I..." I try to think, but I can''t. "I killed everyone!"

    "Get over that," he snaps. "You didn''t kill anyone! You simply couldn''t save anyone! There''s a difference!

    "How did you survive?" His voice returns to his its soft, calm state from before. "I could only survive because of the dual Abilities. None of the demons or monsters noticed me as I fled."

    "I," I take a deep breath, trying to remember. "I don''t remember. I was there, and thenˇ­ I was waking up at an orphanage. They found me in the woods, I think. It was hundreds of miles away, and I somehow ended up there. No one knew what happened to meˇ­"

    "So it happened to you, too," he mutters, and I stare at him until he remembers that I can hear everything within my passive territory. "I got out of the city, ran through the woods, and then woke up here. The only thing I remember from right before I passed out was a cool, soothing sensation and the feeling of your power."

    "I didn''t do anything!" I exclaim. "I used it, and then everyone died and no one lived and the monsters almost killed me when it failed and then I passed out!"

    "That''s the weird part," he frowns. "The Invocation I heard ¨C it wasn''t yours. Yours was always a little funny. This oneˇ­ this one was different. It was ''Reality bends to my command'' ¨C a statement, not an exclamation."

    "You said," I frown. "That it was a cool, soothing sensation? Did itˇ­ feel childish? Like a protective brother?"

    "Yes," he answers. "I''ve been through many records and have yet to figure it out. No one knows of someone with your type of power with that Invocation, either. Promise me something, Caleb."

    "What?" I ask.

    "Learn to fight," he requests. "Don''t hold back anymore. Get over your fear of fighting. Something bad is coming, I can sense it. I''m not sure what, but I believe we''ll need a powerful warrior. You''re more powerful than anyone I''ve ever felt."

    "Do youˇ­ do you remember," I take a deep breath, deciding to confess something to him. "When I told you I could hear voices in my head?"

    "Everyone called you crazy," he nods. "But not us, we thought it was cool. I wished I could hear voices. It''s not the voices of others, but some other voice, it was always the same one."

    "I couldn''t hear it after the battle," I look down. "But I started hearing a new one. The last year or so, his voice has been missing entirely. I don''t know what happened. Then last night, I heard him. He was garbled, rushed. I couldn''t make his voice out. He said something about being captured, that I''ve got three years. I think. He something about three years. He told me to train. That was the one thing I could make out clearly."

    "A different mysterious voice?"

    "It''s the moon," I look at him.

    "The moon?" He raises an eyebrow in disbelief.

    "Yeah," I nod. "His light feels different, too. Ever since he stopped talking to me, it''s as if his light isn''t as comforting."

    "Your best friend and the moon are telling you to get over your fears and fight."

    Kieran doesn''t say anything past that, just stares at me with his intense gaze. I look away after a few moments, and he sighs. I know what he''s saying. I should really get over my fears.

    But I can''t. It''s hard. Anytime I try to fight, anytime I attempt to use my Ability, I freak out. I start to relieve the battle, the death, the horror, the blood, there was so much blood, so much screaming. Burning fle-

    "Caleb!" Nick snaps me out of my thoughts, and I jump, looking at him. "Thought you said you could handle this? You''ve only got one load in! And you haven''t even finished putting that in!"

    Nick''s eyes dart around the room, but not as if to see what happened. Something''s put him on edge. What?

    "Sorry," I apologize. "Give me a few minutes, I''ll be out. I was just talking with Kieran."

    "There''s no one here," Nick snaps. "Don''t try making me think the night guard would bother with you, either."

    "I weave my power of perception into my aura," Kieran tells me. "He can''t perceive I''m here. Your passive territory negates this. While my Gift can affect what you see, you don''t see with just the five standard senses," there''s a slight ripple around Kieran, and he looks at Nick. "I''m standing right here."

    Nick jumps, turning pale as a ghost when he sees Kieran. The guard was standing right beside him. To most people, Kieran''s dark eyes on his expressionless face, combined with his attire and jet-black hair, would be unnerving.

    "He was speaking with me," Kieran says. "Give him a few minutes to finish getting this ready. He''ll do the dishes when he finishes, then finish the laundry," Kieran turns to look at me. "Remember what I said, Caleb. Do what I said."

    There''s a ripple around Kieran again and Nick jumps once more. Kieran must have wrapped himself in his aura and the ripple is the effect taking hold. Other than that, I can''t tell a difference.

    Nick just gives me a ''the hell?'' expression.

    "That''s the night guard," I inform him. "He and I are old friends. I''ll be out in a few minutes. Sorry for taking so long. He was telling me something."

 Chapter 003

    <(Jared)>

    For three weeks now, the instructors have drilled us relentlessly in unarmed and knife combat, using our abilities, and just plain physical training, our only breaks being the ten minutes for breakfast and lunch, twenty for dinner, and the hour for our languages or history lesson.

    It''s honestly extremely exhausting, but I''m getting stronger. I can feel myself nearing A-Rank after just these three grueling weeks. All I need is one breakthrough and I''ll be there.

    More training follows dinner, and at seven, chores begin. Squad 1, as the most powerful squad, receives no chore assignments, and we use that time to rest or talk. We mostly take the time to rest a bit extra as the instructors often don''t let us sleep through the night. Most of Squad 1 is probably already passed out in our room.

    Caleb adamantly refuses to fight or reveal his power. I''m sure the instructors are frustrated by this ¨C the sheer exhaustion from no consistent sleep schedule and grueling training should have broken him of his fear and forced him to fight.

    The sign of a true coward is one who refuses to fight regardless of the circumstances, and I''ve made sure he knows my dislike of him. No matter what I do, however, it just slides right off of him.

    He''s even begun to passively fight back. Unless he''s somehow talked that intimidating night guard into working with him, he''s been messing with my stuff. My toothbrush was covered in literal shit when I woke up a few days ago, one of my shorts had a massive rip in it when I put them on last week, my shirt was the only one that retained the fake blood from training in the last batch of laundry, and other little things.

    I''m not even sure how he managed that last one ¨C I was there when he threw my squad''s clothes into the wash, and they all came out clean except mine. I didn''t see them come out, but I do know the clothes were washed and that he didn''t repaint it. It was set in, as if washed like that. I know what set-in stains look like because of incompetent staff back home.

    How he manages stuff like that, I can''t be sure. He must be using magic for it. I should have known there was something different about him from when we met ¨C I''ve never heard of a magician who could manipulate light.

    That''s one of the magics lost during the Calamity. He''s figured out Old Magics. At least, some of them. Who knows what he knows?

    Today, three weeks in, we begin the class I''ve been looking forward to the most: aura usage.

    At last, I''ll learn the method to accessing my aura, bringing it forth from within to use around my body as an extra layer o protection.

    The moment breakfast ends, the forty of us recruits gather in the main training yard, where Irina awaits us. She stands at the front, arms crossed, the other instructors absent, save for the one giving everyone an uneasy feeling without being visible.

    "How many of you," Irina asks once we are lined up, standing at attention. "Have awakened your auras so far?" She looks around. "Marks, who received an injury last time and couldn''t continue, and Rivers, who has yet to fight once. Anyone else, or just those two?"

    She gazes at all of us, then to the side, where Kieran is likely standing. The night guard seems to come out to watch our training every and then. Knowing when he''s here is easy because the instructors have a habit of looking at an empty space when he''s around.

    "Understood," she looks back to us. "Marks! Rivers! Front and center!"

    David and Caleb walk to the front, standing before her, and she assess them.

    "Exude!" She orders. "Wrap your auras around yourselves, and make them as intense as you can!"

    David clenches his fists, and I sense the atmosphere shift a little around him.

    "Do you know how to do that?" Irina looks at Caleb. He must not have done anything. "Because if so, do it now!"

    "As intense as I can?" Caleb asks. "Are you sure you want me to do this?"

    "It will give us a raw estimate of your overall aura strength!"

    "The brute force method probably isn''t a good idea, ma''am," Caleb states. "Not with me. I can give you the exact overall power level of my aura, if you''d like. At least, what it was the last time Teacher measured it. I''d estimate Marks''s aura to sit at two hundred, eighteen points, on the Kaennik Scale."

    "Exude!" She orders again. Why must he choose this to be stubborn about? He''s going to get us all into trouble, and if we have to do one more extra run witih packs on, so help me... "Enhance your aura around you to as strong as you can, and now, Rivers!"

    Caleb doesn''t move, doesn''t blink, doesn''t steady himself in any way.

    Yet the moment he does as she orders, everyone can sense it. It''s hard not to, not when the air thickens and we''re all sent to our knees ¨C even Irina herself. Kieran''s aura vanishes, allowing us to stay standing. It''s evident that even the powerful night guard is forcing himself to stay standing. His body is tense from the effort, veins bulging out of his neck as he resists the overwhelming force that is Caleb''s aura.

    Something shatters, and I realize that the force of Caleb''s aura broke the windows on the facility and even damaged the nearby trees. The range of his exuded aura itself probably extends a hundred feet.

    From the little I know of aura, the actual aura itself stays within a foot of the user, the rest is simply an after-effect, very difficult to feel past a few feet. Only a dozen in the world have auras that can be felt fifty feet away. David stood just ten feet from me, and I could only barely sense the shift immediately around him through the metal on his body.

    Caleb holds the aura for less than a second before he releases it, and it returns back to within him, and Irina looks visibly shaken.

    "That was only one-one hundredth of my aura, ma''am," Caleb calmly informs her. "Would you like me to obey your order and perform exude with the full force of it?"

    That has to be the closest he has come to openly challenging someone or defying orders or causing a problem intentionally the entire time we have been here. He avoids confrontation like the plague.

    "No," Irina finally speaks. "That was enough for me to get a reading on you. For those of you whose auras awoke from that! Before your aura leaks out of your body ¨C focus on it, imagine it as a form of energy flowing throughout your body, visualize it leaking out of you, and then visualize it returning to you, will it back into you! If you don''t contain it, and fast, you''ll burn through it all. If that doesn''t kill you, it will severely cripple you!"

    "You can stop that, you know," Kieran tells Caleb. "It takes about a minute and a half of it leaking out of every auric pore in their body for someone to burn it all up. You''ve got about a minute left ¨C just flex your Gift, and you''ll be able to stop it."

    "You know I can''t," Caleb takes a step back, holding his hands up. "I can''t use my Ability, Kieran! You know that!"

    It isn''t until Kieran opens his mouth to respond that I realize my own aura must have awakened from that. I feel something thick and vicious on my skin, and when I look around, most of the cadets have a steam-like substance surrounding them, dissipating as it escapes their bodies. Quickly, I do as commanded, visualizing it as a sort of energy and willing it back into my body. It only takes me a few moments, and I notice some of the others gaining control over their auras as well.

    Kieran and Caleb continue to argue, and Caleb suddenly freaks out, putting his hands to his head and screaming that he can''t as he bends forward, as if terrified and wanting to escape, like a little kid.

    The air shifts around us, but I''m not sure what happened. When I look around, everyone else is doing the same. Something very obviously off is the fact that no one''s auras are releasing. Almost half the cadets still had to pull it in ¨C what happened?

    "What in the world?" Irina asks.

    "I''d suggest," Kieran looks at us. "That you all figure out how to control your aura, and fast, before this wears off. It''s been over six years since he last used his Gift and he''s not doing it consciously. There''s no telling how much time I bought all of you."

    Caleb continues to scream, hands over his ears, and I realize that he''s doing something few can ever manage: using his Ability subconsciously. It''s almost unheard of to do, yet Kieran seemed to be expecting it. Everyone instinctively knows their Ability and has a minor amount of control over it. It can''t be used subconsciously without a powerful enough reason through a powerful enough Superhuman.

    Just what is his Ability? I''ve not heard of one that can prevent people''s auras from leaking out. What would such a power even be categorized as?

    As I think on this, everyone does what they can to tune him out and control their auras, and Irina just stares at Caleb in confusion. I turn my gaze back to him, wondering how he''s managing to scream for so long without a single breath.

    Suddenly, Caleb collapses to the ground. The other instructors rush out of the building immediately afterwards.

    "What happened?" Fowl asks, leading the group. "Irina! What happened?"

    "I''m not sure," she says. "I had the students who had already awakened their auras to enhance it around them as full as they could. Rivers used only a hundredth of his and did that damage. It awoke most of the cadets, and I hadn''t gotten to explaining how to control it yet or any of the ordinary pre-awakening stuff. Then, he and Kieran got into an argument, something about how Rivers''s Ability-"

    "Gift," Kieran interrupts her.

    "Could stop them," Irina continues. "And then Rivers freaked out. It was as if time stood still when he did."

    "He''s a Time?" Fowl asks as all of them halt suddenly.

    That''s what I was wondering, and now that it''s mentioned, I realize that it makes sense.

    "No," Kieran states. "That wasn''t time he manipulated ¨C he interfered directly with their auras to keep them from leaking out until they could contain it. His Gift is complicated."

    "You know it?" Fowl asks.

    "He and I grew up in the same orphanage," Kieran says. "Before the monsters attacked and killed everyone. Turns out ¨C I wasn''t the only survivor of our hometown."

    "And you''re only telling us this now?" Fowl asks.

    "I''m a Colonel, too," Kieran states. "And while we can go into the topic of seniority, and how I should have told you guys that Caleb survived and might have information, I chose not to. And before you ask ¨C no, I''m not telling you what his Gift is."

    "But it is a Special, yes?" Fowl asks.

    "Correct," Kieran answers. "He''s a Special, but he''s not a common type. That''s probably why you haven''t already figured it out based on what I said."

    "No Special Ability is a common type," Fowl states. "Just finding someone who has one in the first place is incredibly rare."

    "And now you''ve got two in the same facility," Kieran tells him. "You should probably run for the hills."

    Kieran vanishes from sight, that uneasy sensation filling me, and several moments later, it fades, signaling his departure.

    "That''s more than I''ve ever heard him speak," Fowl looks at Irina. "Ever since he arrived here. Get the recruits back to awakening their auras, put the ones who did to the side and focus on the ones who haven''t. Those who''ve already awakened their auras need to do physical training until everyone is ready for control. Standard run, we''ll end it at the set time."

    Fowl walks over to Caleb and picks him up, carrying him inside.

    <hr>

    <(Caleb)>

    "ˇ­and tell the kitchen," Fowl''s voice is the first I hear when I wake. "To prepare additional food for Rivers. Every Special I''ve ever met who used their power on that level was famished after, so they''ll need a decent amount prepared for Rivers rather than the usual fare. He''ll need to be filled up or he''ll be too weak. Kieran eats out the entire kitchen anytime he uses a large amount of power, and from the way Kieran spoke, Rivers definitely used far more than I''ve ever known Kieran to use."

    "It felt that way, too," Irina states. "I omitted some information from my report ¨C his aura is a mix of the three colors, not just one of them or one with a gentle touch of the two. It''s a perfect harmony of the three, and all three of them are powerful beyond belief. I knew his aura would be able to do that, but didn''t think he''d flex it so strongly Not with how timid he''s been. I''d expected him to release just a small bit and try to pass that off as his amount.. He''s also far stronger than I estimated ¨C it appears that after a certain point, increases in power are harder to read properly. I originally thought he wasn''t much more powerful than Kieran when it came to his Ability, but it appears I was far wrong. He used more power in that one trigger than I read Kieran as ever having. If Kieran ate out an entire kitchenˇ­"

    "Rivers would eat out a city," Fowl sighs. "Damn. Just what kind of Ability does that kid have?"

    "A powerful one."

    The voices stop, and a moment later, the door opens and the two instructors enter the room.

    "It''s also a curse," I add when they look at me in expectation of me expanding explaining what my Ability is. "What happened?"

    "You tell us," Fowl responds.

    "I disobeyed Irina," I begin. "By not exerting my full aura. However, that was for the best as that would kill everyone around except for Kieran. I accidentally used more than I intended, which forcefully awakened the auras of most of the cadets, also not intended After that, Kieran and I argued about my Ability. He''s been attempting to get me to use it ever since we reunited back when I arrived here and he realized it was me. He believes that it is for the best that I get over my fears and begin to fight and use my Ability. He keeps insisting I saved his life when I used my Ability back then, not caused the deaths of everyone around. I have a hard time believing that."

    "And what, exactly, is your Ability, Rivers?" Fowl asks.

    "A curse, sir."

    "What Type?"

    "Special."

    "That," he says. "Is a wide range of powerful Abilities, Rivers. Which, specifically?"

    "My Superhuman Rank," I stand, going to attention. "Has four letters, sir."

    "Four?" Irina asks. "They only go up to three."

    "There''s a fourth," Fowl sighs. "And I''d hoped to never meet one who had an Ability that goes that high, though."

    "Why?" Irina asks.

    "Because we''re unbelievably powerful," I tell her. "Chaos tends to follow us. I only know of three, but that''s because Teacher wouldn''t tell me if there were others."

    "Teacher?" Irina asks.

    "The man who taught me how to fight and how to use my aura."

    "Did he teach you how to awaken it?" She asks.

    "I awoke it before the attack."

    "You knew how to awaken your aura when you were six?" Fowl asks. "That''s not very common."

    "Did Kieran have access to his aura when you found him?"

    Neither of them respond. I have them there ¨C Kieran could also use his aura back then.

    "Wasn''t he only seven?" I ask.

    "Two boys who knew each other," Fowl says. "Who both had access to their aura as children. Now that''s unusual."

    "It was a city of over ten million," I say. "It wasn''t that unlikely. I don''t remember anything past the argument."

    "The argument?" Irina asks. "With Kieran? That was a switch in topics."

    "Events are related," I say. "Follow the thought process and you''ll arrive at the proper answers to your questions."

    "You screamed," Fowl informs me. "Had a complete breakdown from the fear, and you unleashed your Ability. It''s not what I expected it to sense like and we couldn''t leave the building. Some sort of field prevented us from doing so."

    "I''ll ask Teacher about that the next time I see him," I tell him. "I''ve never heard of this Ability doing that and Teacher never really touched on it. I can''t believe no one died when I used it."Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    "Your Ability prevented that," Fowl states.

    "How did you know no one died?" Irina asks. "If you didn''t remember anything and passed out?"

    "There are sixty-eight people on the facility right now," I look at her. "Forty cadets including myself, then there''s Kieran, the instructors, and the various staff members, such as the chefs and the doctor."

    "Sixty-eight?" Irina frowns. "There should only be sixty-seven."

    "Grant''s here."

    "Who?" She asks.

    "Grant," I repeat. "Umˇ­ Reynolds, my other mentor."

    "You in there, Fowl?" Grant asks through the door.

    "See?"

    "Yes!" Fowl calls back, straightening.

    Grant enters the room dressed in a suit, and he looks at me the moment he''s through the door.

    "Caleb," he looks surprised. "What are you doing in here?"

    "Incident in the training yard," I answer. "Passed out after subconsciously using an immense amount of power through my Ability."

    "You used your Ability?" Grant asks. "Even if it was subconsciously, I find that weird considering your conscious and subconscious refusal to use it."

    "A ghost freaked me out."

    "Pretty sure ghosts have been disproved."

    "Don''t go in the ruins," I say. "Specifically, the ruins of the cemetery with the three big, creepy trees in the middle of the night. Ghosts like to sing there, and those particular ones have not learned to do it properly in the last two centuries."

    "You''re claiming ghosts exist?" Grant asks.

    "I''m stating I know they do," I tell him. "They''re quite annoying, too. They can not harmonize. Those particular ones, anyway. Abigail is actually quite nice, but she haunts elsewhere. If you ever go to the floral shop on Ninth and Jackson in the ruins, then bring berry pies. Blueberry or strawberry are her preferred types, and yes, she can eat them. She''s a poltergeist, which means that she can interact with the mortal realm. Umˇ­ don''t bring blackberry pies, she hates those and will get really mad, and that''s not fun. Just thinking about it makes my head hurt."

    "Since he''s already separate," Grant looks at the two instructors. "Do you think you two could give us some space? I came here to speak with him."

    "Yes, sir," Fowl dips his head to Grant, and then beckons Irina to follow. He pauses at the door. "Rivers ¨C you''ve been asleep for most of the day after doing that. Are you hungry?"

    "Extremely, sir," I answer. "I forgot how hungry I get after I use it, and that was more than I''d ever tried using before, exceptˇ­ for back then. When that happened."

    "We''ll have food brought in," Fowl states, then they leave.

    Once they are gone, I cast a quick spell to protect the room a little. Grant coming here and wanting to speak with me must mean this is important.

    "There''s no guarantee," Grant sits on the bed opposite of me. "That whoever comes won''t try to eavesdrop, so I''ll try to be fast."

    "I cast a spell on the room to prevent eavesdropping."

    "I''ve not heard of anyone who''s managed a spell like that, Caleb."

    "Teacher predates the Calamity," I tell him. "He knows quite a bit of the lost magics, and taught me a little of it. The spell prevents anyone from hearing or scrying or looking in. The magic cost for me is insignificant, though I doubt most regular magicians could fuel it. Most advanced magicians would probably manage a few minutes of privacy."

    "And you?"

    "I''ve never tested how long I can sustain it for."

    "Just how powerful are you with magic?" He asks. "I''ve tried doing a read on you before, but it didn''t work."

    "Probably because I interfered with the device," I tell him, then let my head hang down. "Sir, I can''t do this anymore. It''s too stressful. I can''t take it anymore."

    "The training?"

    "Yeah," I take a deep breath. "I can''t do it anymore. I can''t keep trying to fight. Every time I do, I freak out. Then earlier, Kieran sent me into a blackout where I used my Ability and stopped everyone''s auras from leaking out."

    "You can interact with people''s auras?" He asks.

    "I can interact with a lot of things," I nod, then feel a sob rising in my throat. "Sir, I want to quit, I want to stop. I just, I can''t do this anymore!"

    "Calm down," he says softly. "You''ll be okay. I finally met Teacher, though he was just speaking through a fox. A very odd one ¨C it had three tails and dark blue streaks in its reddish fur."

    "Nokra, one of his familiars," I rub my eyes on my sleeve and look at Grant. "He spoke to you? He has a message for me? Why didn''t he come tell me?"

    "He said he couldn''t extend his influence this far," Grant shakes his head. "And to get close enough to contact you would be problematic. He says he''s on the tail of whatever was after you back in the city."

    "That''s his message?" I feel my shoulders sag as I look down. "I kind of expected him to be able to track it down, so that''s not surprising to me."

    "That was more a message to me," Grant shakes his head. "Actually, his message for you is that, should you manage to pass the training, then in the two-week rest period, he''ll teach you the spell you''ve been wanting to know. He also told me that, should you manage to get over your fear of fighting and begin striking blows starting tomorrow, he will answer one question you have, no matter what it is, so long as he knows the answer to it. Honestly, I think it should be the other way around, but I''m sure he has his reasons."

    "Because," I take a deep breath, then let it out. "He knows I have a ton of questions for him. He doesn''t answer them. Ever. Giving me a single answer for that? That''s immense. I don''t think I can do that, though, sir. I don''t think I can get over my fear of fighting. I''ve been trying, Kieran''s been pushing me for it, but it just, I just-"

    "How about," Grant says. "When you spar with your classmates, don''t think of them as people? Think of them as an enemy there to harm those you care about. Put yourself in the mentality where, if they manage to get past you, everyone you care about will be hurt. This Kieran sounds important to you ¨C try thinking of him needing to be protected."

    "I''m sorry," I try not to laugh. "Kieran? Needing protection? I''m referring to the night guard, Grant."

    "The night guard?" He frowns. "He talks to you?"

    "We both survived the Alkran City Massacre," I tell him. "We were close friends before that, and both thought the other was dead. We''re both heavily relieved to know the other isn''t. He keeps trying to talk me into fighting and using my Ability."

    "You were in the city?" His eyes widen. "How did you survive?"

    "Neither Kieran nor I are fully sure how we survived," I tell him. "Though I have more of an idea than he does. Food''s here, I''ve now let them hear us."

    "Enter!" Grant calls out as Nick knocks on the door.

    Nick enters the room, pausing when he sees Grant, a little confusion on his face.

    "Think about what I said, Caleb," Grant stands up. "And remember it."

    Grant leaves and Nick looks at me.

    "Who was that?" He asks.

    "Colonel Grant Reynolds," I answer. "One of my mentors back home. He came to bring me a message."

    Nick looks at my critically, then at the tray he''s bringing in, which is packed with turkey and gravy, mashed potatoes, salad, pudding, and fruit salad.

    "Why are they giving you so much food?" He asks, not moving to give it to me.

    "Probably because," I keep my eyes on him as he looks down at the tray. "I used more power than Kieran has ever shown them, and Kieran''s always famished after. If I don''t eat, I''ll probably just pass out again. They want to exhaust us, but they don''t wish to cripple us. Know how, after you use your Ability for awhile and push it to its limit, how you''re a little bit hungrier than you normally would be after a workout? The more power you use, the more fuel you need after to restore that power, or you''re weakened until you manage to eat enough to restore it. They feed us enough here to keep us strong, but not enough to let us recover fully. If they don''t feed me a bunch, they know that I won''t be strong enough to continue."

    Nick frowns, then sets the tray down on the table beside my bed, and I know he''s thinking about trying to get some of it for himself, since he''ll still be hungry.

    He reaches to touch it, and his hand bounces off of a barrier.

    "What the?"

    "You were instructed to bring it to me," I tell him. "Not touch it. The food is intended for me and I don''t appreciate people trying to take my food."

    "I''m also your squad leader," he says. "And-"

    "That means nothing," I will myself to not give in as I normally would. It''s taking a lot of effort, though, and I hope I can win this before I crack. "Considering that tomorrow, I''ll start fighting instead of just trying to avoid being struck. I''ll hold back, but I can''t guarantee your safety."

    "You really think you''re stronger than me just because you can use your aura?"

    "What?" I ask.

    "Everyone knows about it," he says. "How you used your aura to increase your strength and-"

    "That''s total bullshit," I tell him. "You can''t use your aura for that, just to enhance your defense and create certain types of filters. You can also sort of project it, though a weapon designed for aura channeling is best for that, such as an aura gun. Fowl lied when he said how many pushups I did ¨C I could only do one hundred six, which is an actually-possible amount without temporal shenanigans.

    "No," I grab the tray and set it on my lap. "I meant something entirely different from physical strength. Now shoo, I need to eat this."

    Nick stares at me and I start eating, willing myself to not break down. After a very long minute, he leaves and I let out a huge breath in relief.

    The moment the door is closed, I dig into the food like will never eat again. The hunger is so much worse than I remember it being. When I finally finish, I take the dishes to the kitchen and wash them up before making my way to bed.

    Sleep evades me as I toss and turn, thinking about what Grant told me. Eventually, I can''t take it anymore and get up. I need to feel the moon''s light on my skin directly rather than through a window, even if it''s not the same as it used to be.

    Moving quietly so as to not wake anyone, I make my way downstairs and out into the training yard. Kieran probably knows I''m awake, but he''s not going to bother me. Watch me, maybe, but not bother me.

    Once in the yard, I materialize a training knife. Unlike the regular ones, the edge of the rubbery green blade I''m holding will leave a red streak on anything it touches and the mark will be set immediately as if it''s long-dried paint. It will also wash much more easily.

    Far better than using actual paint that takes forever to dry.

    Taking a stance, I begin moving through the motions of several moves that Teacher taught me. I don''t visualize any opponents as I go through this attacks and blocks. Anytime I start to visualize opponents, I start to freak out and have to stop.

    I''m not sure how long I do that for before I change tactics. Instead of visualizing opponents for me to fight with just my body and imagination, I create an actual enemy to fight. To do so, I place my right hand at waist-level, palm down, then scoop my hand, turning my palm to the sky as I lift my hand, a golem rising from the ground.

    A creature formed of the element of stone, the typical form of the magical construct simply does as ordered or follows a single command for the entirety of its life. They''re strong and durable, usually squat in form. I''ve made this one more humanoid, matching my height and build.

    This one is different from most standard golems in that it can think for itself, but only a little bit. It''s still bound to my orders.

    Right now, it stares at me as it awaits my commands. I gave it all of my physical combat knowledge and access to my passive territory. Without magic or an Ability, it is my equal, though its hits are harder than mine, being made of stone.

    Taking a deep breath, I create a quintet of child golems behind me, all roughly the size and form of boys around five or six, then give them the order to huddle against the wall, scared.

    Not going to visualize trying to protect something.

    The next step is to make adjustments to the bigger golem to make it more human in strength and appearance, then equip it with a training knife. The final step is to create a small field around us through magic. We will feel any blow as if it were a real strike. The field ensure that, but also ensures that once a match has finished, we will be ''reset''. That is, any ''injuries'' we receive will be undone.

    That''s to ensure I won''t die whenever it attacks.

    "Attack me," I order the bigger golem. "And attempt to take the kids."

    The golem dips its head in acknowledgment, then attacks, landing a strike on my chest before I can stop the freakout.

    "Dead," I mutter as the golem returns to its original position. "Again!"

    I take seventeen kills before I can actually fight. Seventeen blows before I manage to move out of the way, but I can''t strike it. The moment I try, I flash back to the massacre that happened six and a half years ago and end up dying.

    "Dammit," I mutter to myself as we return to our starting positions. "Again!"

    Six more attempts end with me ''dying'', and I tell myself that I have to strike it at least once on this next one. When we begin again, the golem attempts to get past me and go straight for the children, changing its tactic again.

    When I see that, I freeze up, the flashback coming back in full. It fills my mind, paralyzing me as I return to the moment they died.

    With a start, I return to my senses and realize that the flashback only lasted a moment and the golem is almost to the kids.

    Throwing the knife, I move forward, using my passive territory to manipulate the air to let me fly a little bit as the knife strikes the golem in the leg. As it drops to one knee, I land in front of it, disarming it and putting its own knife to its throat.

    "Do you yield?"

    "Yield," the golem responds in a gravelly voice.

    "Still can''t get good voices," I sigh. "Should I recreate them before trying again?"

    <hr>

    <(Jared)>

    Something about Caleb is different today and I can''t quite place my finger on it. We were woken up at four this morning and didn''t get to eat until almost nine, not until after we ran the trail, went through an obstacle course, and then stood through a verbal test on GSDF history.

    Now, we''re pairing up for sparring after more aura training, and it''s only while it''s my turn to rest that I realize what it is. I''m watching the other teams spar, each with one person resting while the other four pair up.

    I get to watch Caleb spar, and the thing I''m looking at that''s telling me what''s different is his stance.

    He''s not in his usual I''m-scared stance. He''s in a ready-to-fight stance. He also has a bruise covering the entire right side of his face, but he''s had that all morning. I have to wonder how he got that, but for now, I''m focusing on why he''s appearing to want to fight. I''m on the second rotation for rest, and he was on the first, so this is his first fight. That means that the shift will soon become obvious to others for the first time.

    He''s paired with his Squad Leader, Nick, for this match.

    "Start!" Fowl orders.

    Nick quickly attacks Caleb.

    His blade slices air, Caleb moving immediately. Before Nick has reached where Caleb was, Caleb has moved to where Nick was, slashing with his own knife as he completes his spin, the blade touching the front of Nick''s neck, Caleb standing behind him.

    "Dead."

    "The hell?" Nick asks as Caleb steps back, dropping his knife to the side. He turns around and faces Caleb. "You don''t fight."

    "And you still have a lot to learn," Caleb states. "Your footwork was sloppy and your aim was too low. Were I an enemy combatant who wanted to torture you and not kill you, and this not a simulation, then you''d have been disabled instantly and possibly tortured for hours, days, weeks, or maybe even months. Possibly years. If you''re in a fight with a daushar, it would have killed you as your blade glanced across its scales."

    "The hell is a daushar?" Nick asks.

    "A humanoid monster around our size," Caleb answers. "With green skin, blue-green scales covering its chest and most of its back, and with a grouping of fins. Despite the appearance, the beast isn''t aquatic. No, it prefers to live in ruins. They''re very stealthy, very strong, and quite fast. A full-grown adult one would look somewhat like a human child. They do have hair on their head and eyebrows, typically black or very dark brown, though special ones have green or blue hair and the truly special ones have blue-green hair. In the worst disaster to have occurred since the Calamity, four hundred daushar invaded an educational complex and killed over five hundred children and two hundred staff."

    The entire training yard is silent as Caleb speaks. Even the instructors have fallen silent.

    "What are you talking about?" David asks.

    "The Alkran City Massacre," Owen answers. "None of the few reports about the attack mention daushar."

    "I can assure you," Caleb looks at Owen. "There were four hundred, seventeen daushar there. I came face-to-face with them as they slaughtered my family."

    "Dausher are incredibly dangerous," Owen tells Caleb. "They''re S-Rank monsters. You''re claiming you survived an encounter with them?"

    "I''m not sure how," Caleb tells him. "I passed out and woke up elsewhere. Something moved me, shielding me somehow. Since it''s not a trigger I know, it means there''s a third person with the Ability I have out there."

    "And what Ability do you have?" Owen asks. "You make it sound as if it''s not common, saying you only know of three people who have it."

    "It isn''t," Fowl states. "Everyone! Back to sparring! Now!"

    We return to sparring, but my mind is spinning. That was confirmation that Caleb''s Ability is a Special-Type.

    My mind is quickly taken off of that, however, as training resumes just as intensely as ever and all I can focus on is the training. I''m getting stronger, but the stronger we get, the more they push us.

    Only once the rest period before bed begins can I think again. Making my way to my room, I think about what happened earlier. So far, Caleb has shown two distinct Special-Type Abilities, Psychic and Time, yet he mentioned a ''trigger''. Abilities don''t have triggers, not even the Special-Type Abilities.

    If it uses a trigger, it must be far more powerful than any I''ve ever heard of. I assumed that yesterday, he simply halted time. Having two different Classes of the same Ability Type isn''t unheard of even if it''s not common, but the time-stopper I came across didn''t use a trigger and never mentioned needing one. None of the texts I''ve read have mentioned triggers, either.

    Sitting down on my bed, I''m startled out of my thoughts with a cold jolt, jumping up and looking down at the bed. It''s completely soaked. I look around at the other beds in my room ¨C they''re all soaked.

    "RIVERS!" I yell, storming down to the laundry room.

    "Did you need something?" Caleb has the most innocent look on his face.

    "Don''t act like you don''t know!" I yell at him.

    "Don''t know what?" He asks. "That you swapped the detergent with the bleach? That was actually pretty obvious considering that they have two different looks and smells. In addition, you were thinking about it after you did it yesterday. I saw you swap it, anyway."

    "Saw me?" I ask. "You were in the kitchens."

    "Doesn''t mean I can''t see what''s going on around me," Caleb states. "You really think I''m an idiot, Jared?"

    "You are if you think you can soak my bed," I growl, preparing to fight. Without warning, my connection to the metal around me vanishes. "What the hell?"

    "I can disable your magic with a thought," Caleb answers.

    "My magic?" I ask. "You mean my Ability?"

    "Same thing," he says.

    "They''re two different things," I tell him.

    "Keep telling yourself that," Caleb returns to doing laundry. "And I''m not the one who soaked your beds."

    "Bullshit."

    "Keep telling yourself that."

    "I know it was you, Caleb!" I struggle against the disconnect, trying to regain access to my Ability. "What the hell did you do to me?"

    "Disconnected you," he states with a tone that suggests I''m an idiot. "If that''s all you''re here for, I need to get back to work."

    Looking around, I notice some dirt on the clothes he''s yet to put in the wash. I''ve never attempted to manipulate the element of stone before, as my innate knowledge only let me know metal, but metal is a more refined form of stone, so it should be possible.

    Should be easier to break whatever block he''s made. He so casually ignores me and it pisses me off. After gaining his senses and deciding to fight, he grew some real balls, and it''s infuriating.

    There! It''s a struggle, but I can gather up some of the dirt off the clothes. As his back is turned, he won''t see it coming.

    Aiming it at his shoulder, I reform the meager amount of dirt I gained control over into a blade, changing it to steel, then launch it. It stops less than an inch from him. He turns around and examines the blade, waving a hand.

    Immediately, the dirt vanishes and I lose all connection to it as if it doesn''t exist and never did.

    "Congratulations," Caleb turns his gaze to me. "You''ve nearly reached A-Rank. Your bed is dry ¨C go get some rest. They plan on working us even harder tomorrow than they did today. And the trick to combating Sparks''s ability to take control of your metal by infusing it with electricity? It''s a lot simpler than you think."

    He turns around and returns to doing laundry, leaving me stunned.

    Caleb hasn''t been retaliating against me this entire time ¨C he''s been intentionally making me mad, mad enough so I''d confront him and be willing to break the rules and attack him. He knew he had to make me furious before I''d lose my cool here.

    And then, when I had nothing else to use, he knew I''d attempt to manipulate the dirt on the clothes. But how did he predict all of that? What the hell is his Ability?

    Turning around and making my way to my room, I have to wonder just what that last statement meant. Simpler than I think? I''ve tried thinking simply, and it doesn''t work.

    As he stated, my bed is completely dry. I strip and lie down on it, staring up at the ceiling until exhaustion overtakes me. My dreams fill with stone and metal.

    "That''s it!" I wake in realization as it hits me. "That''s what he meant!"

    "The hell, Fuller?" Owen groans. "You do realize we''re already not going to sleep to full tonight, you really need to wake us up."

    "Sorry," I whisper. "It''s just that I realized something in my sleep and forgot where I was. Go back to sleep."

    "And don''t wake me up again," Owen groans, turning over in his bed.

    Lying back down and closing my eyes, I realize what Caleb meant.

    It''s simpler than I thought, but came off as more complicated. Had he not done that to me earlier, I likely wouldn''t have even realized it.

    The element of metal derives from the element of stone. It has a wide range of properties and unlike most Metal Elementals, I''m not restricted to one type. Like most Metal Elementals who''ve reached or passed B-Rank, I can change the type of metal between the types I can control, to a degree.

    Now that I know I can manipulate the element of stone, I can probably manipulate a wide variety of them, just like metal. Many stones aren''t conductive.

    All I''d have to do is change the metal into a stone of some sort. It really is that simple.

    That doesn''t mean I won''t stop trying to find a way around the way the Colonel prevents me from keeping control. I mean, being able to change it to porcelain might be great, but at the same time, I''d rather keep to metal.

    This entire time I''ve been antagonizing him, he''s been trying to help me. What kind of masochistic freak is he to let me keep harassing him like that? I really hate masochists.

    Just as I''m drifting off to sleep again, I come to another realization.

    The knowledge he helped me to? It''s brought me to A-Rank.

 Chapter 004

    ~~~(Caleb)~~~

    The instructors push us harder and harder every day and we grow stronger and stronger the longer we endure this training. I''m still not fully able to fight, but I am able to disable my opponent. If I push myself, I can manage an instant-kill strike. Jared finally let up on the crappy treatment of me, but it''s only given him more time to make fun of or taunt or tease or whatever else he does to the rest of my team. I''m not sure how long the temporary peace between the two of us will last since he still sees me as weak since as I still have some issues with fighting.

    Today is one of the few cases where we can rest for more than usual. Instead of just the usual educational block, all of today is education. History, types of monsters, aura theory, languages, and more. We were woken early for the lessons, had to wait a long time for breakfast, and then went through several more hours of just lessons. I have no doubt that dinner will be followed by an exam to see how much of it we''re retaining. For failing said exam, we''ll be sent on the trail with weighted bags.

    That''s mostly because I heard them thinking about it. Fowl had to warn them to keep their thoughts about what we''re doing when we''re not supposed to know what''s coming to only when I''m definitely asleep.

    I don''t think he knew I was awake when he told them that.

    Colonel Garth enters the room, and he immediately gives me a look, aware that I can hear his thoughts.

    Don''t answer any questions.

    Topic: Abilities. The fact that I have this Ability means I likely know more about Abilities than most, which can be troublesome if they''re trying to do a rush education. He doesn''t want me answering when the others need to learn.

    The others who, much like me, suffer from extreme mental exhaustion while our bodies manage to gain a little bit of rest. I''m able to compensate through my passive territory and magic, and I think the instructors are a little frustrated by that.

    I''m glad for my magic. This amount of sun was agitating my skin, having never felt it before. Through magic, I''m able to minimize the effects. A little redness at first, but it faded as my skin tanned. No burns, like some of the others who weren''t used to being in the sun all day.

    Seeing how bad they were at first, I know I would have been terrible. My skin was far paler than theirs, just like everyone born and raised in a territory lacking sunlight. My skin was a little darker than most there, though.

    No one knows why, but it''s theorized that one of my parents probably wasn''t from there, but somewhere that had sun, and so they hadn''t developed the paleness of the people from realms of eternal night.

    "Five, sir!" Nick says, and I look over at him.

    He''s standing with his arms at his sides and back straight, but his chin is just slightly too low. Everyone''s at their limits today and we haven''t even done any physical training, just sat in these seats. They''ve not allowed us to stand apart from when they call upon us, too.

    It''s another test, another form of training. Even our meals took place in here.

    "Incorrect," I involuntarily say, and Nick glances over at me.

    "How so?" Colonel Garth asks.

    "I know of," I state. "Six primary categories, with five of them being actual Ability Types, and the sixth, a lesser-known one, containing all the Types that don''t fit into those. Any Ability within that sixth Ability Type, or Special-Type, is automatically considered S-Rank. To denote their official ranking, the GSDF began utilizing multiple characters, with the first S being for the first level, the second letter being for the second level, and so on, up to four levels of Ability rankings. If the Sage were a Superhuman, he''d have likely broken through and become a fifth-level in the rankings. Kieran is an S-A. He''s an S-Rank Superhuman, and among Specials, he''s an A-Rank."

    "Barker!" Garth snaps, and she shoots to her feet, standing at attention. "What are the other five Ability Types?"

    "Enhancer, Manipulator, Creator, Elemental, and Transmuter, sir!" She answers.

    "Kaeler!" Garth barks, and she shoots to her feet. "Give me an explanation of Transmuters!"

    "Yes, sir," she responds. "Transmuters are Superhumans capable of altering the physical properties of either themselves or another object. The majority can transform themselves into a type of animal, such as Colonel Fowl and Colonel Terrier. Some are capable of transmuting the properties of their bodies into things such as metal, giving them an Enhancer effect, or the properties of other items, such as making a metal staff liquid or electric, mimicking the power of an Elemental."

    "Can anyone expand on that?" Garth looks around, and when no one answers, he gives me a look that tells me not to even think about responding. "Very well, then! Transmuters can do far more than that! Most Superhumans who make it to Rank B or A can imitate another Ability Type to a small degree! S-Ranks can do it to a large degree!

    "However!" Garth begins walking up down the rows of desks. "That doesn''t mean that they are limited to only one or two minor things! Yes, most Transmuters are able to transmute their bodies into the forms of animals, even if they can''t remove mass, and they must keep it the same! And yes, they''re able to change the properties of other items if their Ability works in that manner!

    "They can do many more things!" He continues. "When I was first an official agent, having just graduated from full training, I came across a Transmuter who makes Colonel Fowl look weak! He could transmute energy itself, and all forms of it, too! I watched him as he converted magical energy into a barrier of air! The magician had thrown a death spell at him! Highly illegal, might I add, but that didn''t matter for the Colonel I met simply converted it the moment he sensed the energy leaving the magician! When he did that, he transmuted it so that it would explode outwards, toward the magician. They can do more than simply change its properties ¨C they can weaponize it. It is the art of alteration itself, turning one thing into another. Often called alchemy, transmutation is a vastly underrated Ability.

    "There''s a B-Rank Transmuter," he stops walking and looks around at the room, gesturing for the standing cadets to sit, and they do. "Who can transmute the living ¨C but not in the typical fashion. He was a few training groups back, and while he was here, he first revealed his Ability to the others when a member of his squad got injured.

    "Her hand was stepped on by a student much like Fuller, and it left a deep cut in her hand that should have made it difficult for her to continue training for a few days, but not badly enough to force her to drop out. Alcher immediately went to his squadmate, grabbed the girl''s hand, and while ignoring the taunts from some of the other cadets, challenged his Ability, transmuting the blood that was leaving her hand, redirecting it as he transformed it to flesh, healing her wound entirely. Quite the practical application of it, and I do have to say that Fowl was impressed by the Ability when he first heard of it! Though don''t ever tell Alcher that, you ever see him. Fowl isn''t one to compliment people."

    I think Garth is getting tired, too. He''s been stuck with us all day, even if the other instructors have been popping in to assist. Garth is the one best-suited to this and they know that toward the end of the day, he starts to loosen up.

    Thankfully, most cadets are too exhausted to notice that he''s slipping and take advantage of it.

    Thankfully? That''s the instructors'' thoughts about this.

    Unfortunately for Colonel Garth, I''m not quite that exhausted. I may be draining a little bit of energy from the air, but not from anyone in particular.

    I''m starting to get tired, too, I''m just taking longer than the rest. I''ve caught my mind slipping a few times already.

    "Sir!" I raise a hand.

    "Cadet Rivers!" Garth glares at me.

    "Was Cadet Alcher B-Rank when he started BT?" I ask. "Or at its completion? Or is that just where he''s at now?"

    "When he started," Colonel Garth answers. "He''s A-Rank, now. It''s rare to make it to S-Rank, though I believe that if he continues to apply himself and train with his Ability, he might reach it within a decade."

    "Could he mend a broken arm?"

    "Not back then," Garth answers. "But he can now. Did his first break a few weeks ago. That''s not easy for him to manipulate, Transmuters have limited manipulation ability with the things they transmute. A-Rank and S-Rank can to a decent degree, while those below can move them in a barely perceptible way. E-Ranks can''t do it at all. Mending a broken bone takes a lot of finesse."

    "I''ve never had an issue with it."

    "You''ve also proven yourself," Garth continues. "Capable of using magics we''ve thought lost. I''m sure mending a bone is far less of an issue for you than it is for modern magicians."

    "Magic is an extension of our bodies," I shrug. "It''s like a muscle. Once you first feel it, you can flex it, just like any muscle in your body. As you get familiar with that particular muscle, you gain control over it, and it gets stronger the more you train it. At the same time, it''s an extension of our will. If we can think of it, we can do it with magic. It''s why I''m able to imitate Abilities with my magic ¨C all I have to do is will it to happen and it does. Magic is the most flexible thing in existence."

    "Which is why," Garth says. "We''re surprised you came here and not to the GMDF. You''d be a prodigy there."

    "I''m sure Fowl told you about my Ability," I say. "Considering that you told me not to give any answers via thought, and that Fowl instructed all of you to keep from thinking about anything we''re not supposed to know unless you''re positive I''m asleep. Not that doing that can fully keep it from me, but being the expert that you are, you''d know it''s one of three Abilities."

    "Yes," Garth confirms. "Fowl told me which Ability you have. I never believed I''d live to meet someone who had it. He said you claim there are three?"

    "Teacher, myself, and one with an identity unknown," I nod. "After BT ends and we enter into the two-week rest period before we move on to the rest of the two years of our training, I plan on speaking with Teacher to see if he can divine who it is. Of course, that''s if my scrying attempt fails. I''m sure Teacher would like to know who the third is, since he told me he only knew of himself and myself as those with this Ability who live right now."

    "What''s Teacher like?" He asks. "Your record says you speak of him highly."

    "He''s quiet," I answer. "Like I am when I''m not explaining something. Imagine a wiser, ancient, and more powerful version of me. And unlike exhausted instructors, he can''t get led off-topic."

    "How ancient?" Garth asks, then pauses, blinks at me, then laughs. "Point taken! You did that easily."

    "I learned from Teacher."

    Teacher taught me that unless prepared, anyone can be redirected from their original train of thought. He used it on me quite often until I learned to keep my train of thought moving in the same direction no matter how tired I grew.

    I got bored and wanted to make sure he realized he was starting to slip up. He wasn''t catching it, so I decided to make the implication a little more obvious.

    "And for the record," I add. "Transmuters can alter flavors or smells. They can change colors of an item, make it softer or harder, turn it into another object, and a variety of other things. It is the art of altering the properties of an object or being, and its applications can be pretty vast, when you think in the abstract sense of it. That''s why there are people who can use it to heal instead of change their form, sir."

    Garth smiles and shakes his head, then returns to the lesson about Abilities. He doesn''t touch on any I don''t already know about, so I tune him out while thinking about the future.

    I almost miss it. I''m getting tired enough that my perception is slipping. Sitting outside the classroom and watching me through the window is a butterfly with crystal-clear wings with faint, silvery lines that slowly change their design, giving the butterfly a beautiful, serene, mystical appearance.

    One of Teacher''s many familiars.

    He''s watching me here? I haven''t sensed any of his familiars before, yet I can sense Tukuku very clearly, when I don''t tune his signals out. Bad habit of mine.

    No, you haven''t been missing us. I was passing by and decided to check on your progress.

    You were passing by?

    My master is still currently hunting down some things and I have been flying across the continent out of boredom. I went to the zoo again yesterday. It''s very nice. A couple of weeks ago, I went to a butterfly garden over in Trumas. Confused the heck out of the workers there while entertaining some of the kids. Nothing like a butterfly that can think far above the level of a butterfly to steal the show.

    What did you do?

    Gathered up some of the others and performed a show. And maybe turned neon green the hair of one of the workers.

    As mischievous as always, Tukuku.

    Stop calling me that! That''s not my name!

    It''s what stuck.

    You''ve even gotten my master calling me that. It''s Tukunurar.

    Tukuku works better. Hold on.

    "There''s a three hundred year-old butterfly outside the window, sir," I look at Garth. "He was currently arguing with me about his name. Now, to answer the question no one else could, it''s that supposedly no one knows the true origins of Abilities themselves, though there are a wide variety of theories on it. That is why everyone who answered gave a different reason or a variation of a reason already given. Teacher said that they''re all wrong."

    "Did he say what was the right way?" Garth asks.

    "He claimed to not know," I answer. "And said that if he figured it out, he''d tell me first."

    He''s still working on it, too. It''s really annoying him that he can''t figure out the origin of Abilities.

    "You hush," I look out the window. "Go back to dying hair."

    Okay.

    Tukuku flies off, and I look back to Garth, who has an eyebrow raised. I do the same thing, and we stare at each other for several long seconds.

    "Dying hair?" The instructor asks.

    "I do have my own theory, of course," I ignore the inquiry. "And I''ve even mentioned it to at least one person here, but until I perform further research, I won''t be able to prove it. I won''t elaborate past that as I have no concrete evidence yet."

    Garth nods, and then there''s a knock at the door.

    "Enter," Garth calls, and the kitchen staff enters. "Dinnertime! You have twenty minutes to eat and rest! Then we''ll resume class!"

    Everyone talks in a small murmur during dinner, a meal of burgers and fries today, though in a more healthy fashion than we''d find at most restaurants outside of here. Less grease involved and healthier, more organic ingredients used. They want to give us hot food, but they don''t want to ruin our bodies. This training period is about honing them, after all.

    After dinner, everyone is handed a test and told that their day is done once they complete the test.

    After half an hour, I turn in my test and leave, the first student to finish. I make my way down to the laundry room and begin today''s chore duties. I''ll save the load of what we''re wearing now for last, since everyone has to finish the test, but I can get started on some of the other loads, such as bedclothes and the combat training outfits.

    "Pretty sure," Jared says when he enters the laundry room. "Half the questions weren''t even in any lesson we were given."

    "They weren''t," I answer. "It''s partly to see what we already know. Teacher taught me all of that and more."

    "Was that butterfly really three hundred?"

    "He claims to be," I answer. "And Teacher commented about his three hundredth birthday to me, so I''m pretty sure they are. Teacher misdirects me, but he never flat-out lies to me."

    "How did you stay alert?" Jared yawns. "The rest of us were falling asleep."

    "By draining energy," Kieran answers, startling Jared. "You should work on your reflexes, seeing as you jump every time I appear. If I were an enemy, I''d kill you before you noticed me. Become more observant."

    "Says the guy who can alter people''s perceptions of him," Jared counters. "I still can''t figure out a way to see you there, since I can''t perceive you at all. I can see what''s around you, and what''s behind you, but not you, yourself. It''s almost like you''re invisible."This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "What''s up, Kieran?" I start the second load.

    "I felt a powerful presence on the property," he answers. "But couldn''t locate it accurately. No one knows how it got here, and it felt really small, despite its power. It was outside the classroom you guys were in for a few minutes before it left, completely ignoring the barrier as it passed through. I was wondering if you sensed it."

    "Probably Tukuku," I answer. "He''s a butterfly and he''s one of Teacher''s familiars. He''s ancient and powerful and was dropping in to see how I was doing in my training as he passed by."

    "And he dyes?" Jared asks.

    "He likes to cause some mischief."

    <hr>

    <(Jared)>

    Caleb returns to putting the laundry in the wash and I make my way up to my room. Kieran followed me for a minute before disappearing off into the other dorms, though I''m not sure why. He disappeared when he went down the hall that leads to the weaker squads, so he probably doesn''t want to be seen for whatever he''s planning.

    He''s willing to let me see him more often lately and I''m not sure why. I have to wonder if it has anything to do with Caleb helping me reach A-Rank.

    That boy is an enigma. I''ve never heard of a Superhuman who uses magic, and he uses both. Well, he uses magic and refuses to use his Ability, but he has both. He still hesitates in combat training, but he''s getting better at going for an instant-disable. He prefers to disarm or disable over killing, which will bite him in the ass one day if he''s not careful.

    He''s also wise beyond his years. When I look into his eyes, I see the wisdom of a thousand people. He thinks a lot and he''s got this thing he does with his lips when he gets deep in thought. Not quite pursing them, but it''s kind of adorable the way he does it.

    Even though we sat at a desk all day, I still take a shower just because it''s something to do, something that gets me moving without preventing me from being able to go to bed easily. Then again, I don''t think any of us will have an issue.

    The issue will be the Squads who have to do chores. They''ll have a hard time staying awake.

    One of the Squad Eight kids collects everyone''s clothes from today and brings them down to Caleb. That boy seems to like doing everyone''s laundry. I''m not entirely sure why because that''s a servants'' job and even if he''s been timid, he''s never come off as being the servant type.

    He''s powerful, I''ll give him that, but he''s still an annoyance. He''s still a coward despite his recent willingness to fight. I need to make sure he knows that I disprove, but I''ll figure something out later.

    For now, there''s other stuff I want to do. I think Nick''s taking care of the kitchen so I head down to check.

    Yup, he''s mopping it right now, the dishes already finished. That was fast. Then again, when four kids work together and have for weeks, they tend to work faster. Though there''s also the possibility that the staff might have done some of the dishes, too. Every now and then, the staff complete part of the chores while we''re all distracted, to help out a little bit.

    "Hey, Nick," I walk over to him, hands in my pockets, pretending to not realize he''s mopping. "How do you think you did on the test?"

    "I just mopped over there," he barely looks at me. "Do you think you can go somewhere I haven''t mopped yet?"

    "Over here?" I ask, taking a few steps to the side. "Oh, I''m sorry, I didn''t notice."

    "That''s bullshit, and you know it," he says. "Now get out of the kitchen."

    "Or what?" I ask.

    "Just get the hell out of the kitchen."

    "No," I tell him. "I can be wherever I want and there''s not a thing you can do to change that."

    He clenches his right hand into a fist, and I know he''s trying his hardest not to create a rock to throw at me. It''s something he does when he gets annoyed too much when he''s exhausted. I love annoying these weaklings. All he can conjure are small pebbles, not even useful for anything.

    Part of the reason I still dislike Caleb is because he stands up for these weaklings, as if they could actually be useful. It''s not like they can do anything helpful in a fight. There''s going to be a battle between the units at the three youth training branches here in a few weeks. Squad Eight will be the reason we fail, just as this branch has done for decades. Over a hundred battles, and Alzir Branch hasn''t won a single one.

    I smile at Nick, wish him a good night, then go to locate Owen, who usually grabs everyone''s mail to hand it out.

    "Get anything from your sister?" I find him in the small lounge we have, a stack of mail sitting on the table he''s at, along with a couple of packages.

    "Nah," he answers. "I think she forgot about me. You, on the other hand, received a package."

    He gestures to the larger of the two packages. Whoever made it wrapped the box in brown paper and tied it with twine, a note stuck underneath the twine.

    Carefully, I remove the letter and for a return address to find out who it came from, but I find nothing. Nothing on the letter or the box. Suspicious, but I''m sure that our mail is somehow scanned for threats. Probably through magic of some sort.

    I open the letter and begin to read, recognizing the handwriting almost immediately, a recognition that tells me why no return address was marked on them.

    Brother,

    If Mom and Dad knew I was doing this, I would get into so much trouble. It took me forever to find you, which I''m sure was your intent. In fact, I doubt you intended for us to locate you at all.

    Mom and Dad are furious that you ran away. You didn''t even take much with you ¨C just some clothes to wear, some food to eat, and a small amount of money, likely enough to live on until you got there. Picking up your trail was hard.

    They say you did it to be rebellious, and that''s probably true, but you also did it to see how hard you can push yourself, to see if you could meet people stronger than you so that you could excel even more just to beat them. Nothing like a good opponent to make you stronger.

    I hope you''ve found your rival, someone more powerful than you, another cadet who is strong enough to make you truly wish to excel, someone you challenge yourself against time and again to try to exceed the power of, and I wish you luck in becoming S-Rank, as you so truly desire. If you haven''t already reached A-Rank, I''m sure you will soon. If you have, then congratulations.

    Best of luck to you, Brother ¨C Taylor.

    My little brother found me and sent me a letter and what''s likely a care package. I snip the twine with the knife Owen hands me, then open the box up.

    "You know," Owen says as I look inside. "It''s not often for you to show a sensitive side. In fact, I think you just did it for the first time, Jared. Girl you''re crushing on?"

    "Little brother," I correct. "He''s been in a wheelchair since birth and all the money in the world can''t fix his legs. He''s a Superhuman as well, and he falls into the Special-Type with his Ability. Mom and Dad don''t know it, though ¨C I''m the only one he''s shared his Ability with."

    "You haven''t received mail before," Owen comments, and I know what he''s saying.

    "I didn''t leave home on good terms," I admit. "I, ah, ran away. I took just enough to get me here and no more. Taylor said that our parents are furious at me for running off, but he understands why I did. He''s ten, but he''s smart. He''s happy for me, andˇ­"

    I sigh, pulling out the items in his care package. Some candy, a jar of peanut butter, marshmallows, chocolate-hazelnut spread, crackers, mineral water, a first-aid kit, and underneath it all, something that makes me stop what I''m doing and stare.

    "Hey, Caleb," Owen snaps me out of my trance. "You got mail again."

    "Thanks," Caleb collects his three letters.

    That boy gets more mail than anyone else. So far, there have been letters from thirty-one different people while he''s been here, and the names tell us it''s from fourteen females and twelve males, with five who might be male or female, having androgynous names. Mail was held for the first ten days, and after that, he has yet to go a day without receiving at least three letters, and not a week goes by when he doesn''t receive a care package.

    "Hey," I say as Caleb starts to leave, and he turns and looks at me. "More fanmail? How did a quiet wuss like you get so many girls sending him letters, anyway?"

    "By not being an obnoxious brat," he retorts before leaving.

    "He bites harder and harder every day," Owen chuckles, and I glare at him. "You know, if you try to talk to him without being a dick, you can actually get some answers. Jennifer, the one who sends him the care package every week? She''s a woman who runs the foster home he came from. Caleb commented that he thinks she and Colonel Reynolds both have a crush on the other. The other mail all comes from the other kids at his home or some of his classmates from school who heard he was joining the GSDF. They''re all wondering how training is going and wishing him well."

    "That''s a surprise," I say.

    "I saw one of his letters," Owen tells me. "And I that some of them are actually giving stuff to Jennifer for the care packages, on top of the ones who just send them on their own."

    "What did it say?" I ask.

    "Ask him," Owen gestures at the door. "I hadn''t meant to see the letter and swore to him I wouldn''t tell anyone what it said. It wasn''t anything inappropriate, Caleb just wants his privacy respected."

    "I can''t find his letters," I tell Owen. "It''s annoying. I can''t figure out what he does with them, no matter how hard I look. I can find the rest of his squad''s letters, but not his."

    "He''s probably using magic to hide them," Owen points out. "Magic is how we explain a lot of the unusual things about Caleb."

    "One of your mail got stuck with mine," Caleb returns, handing Owen a letter, then he looks at me. "I''m not a sentimental person."

    He turns and leaves, and I look at Owen, who laughs.

    "I think he just said he gets rid of them," Owen shakes his head, his face lighting up when he opens the letter. "Oh, cool ¨C Tanya send me a pic. Look! She got a new teddy bear!"

    Tanya is this girl Owen has a huge crush on, and he didn''t ask her out because he''s only thirteen and was a bit shy about it. The fact that he was getting ready to leave for two years probably didn''t help.

    "Want to see?" He holds up the picture, and the teddy bear looks almost as big as Tanya is.

    "Cool," I pack my stuff back into my box, then make my way up to our room and sit down on my bed.

    Taylor sent me the ingredients for s''mores, in addition to the other snacks in the box, and I share them with my squad when they come to turn in for the night. Owen creates the heat to roast the marshmallows and we chat for a little while about what we got today, though I don''t say much.

    Taylor wasn''t kidding when he said it''ll be bad if Mom and Dad find out he sent me stuff. He risked a lot to track me down and send me the care package.

    They''ve probably already cut me off from our accounts, but I don''t care about that. I''ll be working either for the GSDF or as a merc once this ends, so I''ll have my own source of income. I know how to invest, having grown up with them, so I can make my money grow.

    Taylor, on the other hand, doesn''t have much going for him. He''s wheelchair-bound, he''s fragile, and he keeps his Ability a secret for fear of being exploited.

    My little brother is a Territory, D-Rank. He can create a territory around him that he can see, hear, smell, whatever anything within, and which he can even manipulate things within, to a degree. Territories are rare enough, and those who can''t defend themselves can easily be exploited.

    If Mom and Dad knew about his Ability, they''d probably use him to gain an advantage in meetings and stuff. If he were kidnapped, he could be forced to use his Ability for crime.

    A realization hits me as I think about my brother''s Ability.

    I don''t know why I didn''t see that Caleb had Territory or some variation of it before now. Everything make sense now that I do ¨C how he seemingly reads thoughts, notices things before they happen, sees right through Kieran''s perception filter as if it doesn''t exist, and so much more.

    Caleb and Taylor are pretty similar in a lot of ways, now that I think about it. They both don''t use their Abilities out of fear, they''re both bound by something that keeps them from living without fear, and they''re both powerful.

    That is, however, where the similarities stop. Taylor is bright and cheerful, always willing to play a game or tell a joke, whereas Caleb tends to be silent and without humor. At least, not any form of humor we can agree on ¨C I think he finds things funny that are just annoying.

    "Damn, dude!" David claps Owen on the back. "That bear is awesome! That thing looks super, super snuggly! I bet it''d be awesome to sleep with! Do you think it''d feel like a cloud?"

    "Yeah," Owen nod. "Tanya''s letter said she got it from her aunt after her aunt found out she''d spent the weekend helping kids in a hospital. She''s one of the nicest girls I knew. Not a kinder soul in the world."

    Owen is definitely in love with her.

    "You know," David says. "I find it funny that the strongest and weakest cadets are all boys, while the girls are in the six squads between, mixed in with the other boys. Speaking of the girls here ¨C which girls do you think could kick your ass in a fight and why?"

    While they discuss the girls that could kick David''s ass and not Owen''s, I look at the things that Taylor placed in the bottom of the box. He''d be in far worse trouble if Mom and Dad found out he sent them to me. He took a huge risk just sending me the package ¨C sending me these things?

    That''s almost like asking for our parents to treat him like he''s dead. They''d never acknowledge his existence again. Ever.

    The sign of someone who truly loves you.

    Get out of my head, Caleb.

    Your emotions are overpowering everyone else''s thoughts. You truly care for your brother. Meet me at the pond at one.

    He doesn''t respond to my attempts to talk with him after that, so I debate whether or not I''m going to listen to him. We could get into so much trouble if we''re caught snooping around the property at night.

    Lights-out happens at the same time as always and I find it a struggle to keep myself from falling asleep. When the time comes, I barely manage to drag myself out of bed and make my way to the pond, arriving a couple of minutes before one. It''s an hour-long hike to the pond without the packs on, and Caleb''s already here and looking wide-awake.

    Just what the hell is he doing with his magic that allows him to look so awake when everyone else is exhausted?

    "If you''re worried about being caught," Caleb says. "Only Kieran, you, and I are awake right now, and Kieran knows I''m out at night pretty often."

    "You sneak out all the time?"

    "It''s not sneaking when I don''t try to hide it," Caleb turns his gaze to the pond, looking up at the moon. "You''re lucky it''s the full moon tonight. That''s when this particular magic works best."

    "What magic?" I ask as he turns his gaze back to the pond.

    Thinking he didn''t catch me asking, I start to ask him again, but stop as the air around us shifts, charging with energy. The pond begins to glow with a silvery light, the colors of the woods around us growing clearer and more vibrant. Caleb''s eyes turn violet in color, and sparks lavender energy dance around his body.

    They say that in the old times, powerful magicians would radiate magic in the form of small sparks when they cast powerful spells. Caleb''s not creating small sparks ¨C he''s creating a small lightning storm around himself.

    He''s far more powerful than he''s revealed himself to be when it comes to magic, and this spell is definitely a magic even the magicians of old likely couldn''t perform.

    The surface of the pond turns smooth and glassy, the reflection of the moon expanding until it covers the full pond, turning the surface of the water pure white. A few moments later, a bedroom forms in our view.

    The room itself is neatly organized, not a single item out of place. A wheelchair sits by the bed, and a familiar face sleeps peacefully in the bed, his brown hair wild and untamed. He needs a haircut.

    "This your brother?" Caleb asks.

    "Huh?" I look at him. "Yeah, it is. Didn''t you know that?"

    "The energy from the spell is messing with my passive territory," Caleb states. "I can''t hear your thoughts right now even though you''re right next to me. It''s been a long time since I cast a spell of this caliber, and the last time I did this particular spell, I did it on a much, much weaker scale. I wasn''t sure if I hit the right spot or not."

    "Why are you showing me him?" I ask.

    "I''m not," Caleb picks up a rock, holding it over the pond. "Everything is to scale."

    He drops the rock before I can ask what he means and it drops down into the pond, passing through and landing on the floor of Taylor''s room with a small thunk! The sound was clear and sharp, as if I were just feet away from where it landed.

    This isn''t a viewing spell ¨C it''s a spatial spell. He''s created a link between the two locations. Not even the most powerful of spatial magicians could do anything like this ¨C they can mostly just bend the space for a few feet around them.

    "I can sustain it for maybe an hour," Caleb informs me. "If you wish to visit him."

    I nod, and he gestures for me to step through. I do, landing as softly as possible on the flooring. Taylor stirs, but doesn''t wake. Looking up, I can''t see the passage, but can sense the connection there. Caleb''s keeping it open.

    Walking over to the bed, I sit on the edge and gently shake my little brother awake. He mumbles something as his eyes flutter open, and it takes him a moment to focus on me.

    "Jared!" He exclaims, then covers his mouth.

    I help him sit up, then wrap my arms around him.

    "I missed you," he says before breaking down into tears.

    I rub gently his back until he calms down.

    "How did you get here?" Taylor sniffles, leaning back and looking at me.

    "One of the others at the facility is a powerful magician," I tell him. "His power is beyond belief, and he''s able to do stuff no magician has been able to do since the Calamity."

    "Lost magics?"

    "Yeah," I nod. "He can do lost magics. And the kicker? He''s learning his magics from a being even more powerful than him, a being it seems like he practically reveres."

    "You sound in awe of him," Taylor says.

    "He''s the most powerful being at the facility," I admit. "Caleb''s unbelievableˇ­ when he actually uses his stuff. Most of the time, he''s too scared to do use it. He created some sort of portal that brought me here, and I can sense it open."

    "I can''t sense anything," Taylor concentrates really hard, then shakes his head. "Nothing."

    "I probably can because I went through it," I ruffle his hair. "I got your package today."

    "Finally," he grins at me. "I sent it, like, two weeks ago, but I had to be really careful so Mother and Father didn''t catch me. I''m glad you finally received it."

    He wraps his arms around me, and too late, I sense them.

    The door flies open, and Taylor and I split apart as Father barges into the room with two security officers. None of them have metal on them ¨C they probably knew I was here. Then again, they stopped wearing metal on them when I was little, back when I couldn''t resist pulling a prank on them at every opportunity.

    Looking at it that way, there was probably a reason they never did start up again.

    "Jared!" Father screams. "Arrest him!"

    I jump off the bed and summon Taylor''s letter opener, launching it into the guards as they begin to move. I''m faster now, due to my training. My father screams at me, telling me he will kill me, then he looks up at the ceiling, his gaze traveling down to the ground, then rising back up.

    "I believe it''s time we go, now," Caleb states, and I turn to my left find him standing beside me.

    He places a hand on my shoulder, and immediately, I''m drunk on the magical energy he''s emitting as he keeps the barrier open. My father''s even paused in fear, due to the storm of lightning that deals no damage to me as it rages around my fellow cadet.

    "Magician," Father whispers in fear.

    It''s not as if he''s scared of magicians, seeing as he has several in his employ, but he''s facing a magician radiating an immense amount of power ¨C power Father knows he can''t fight.

    He then reaches out a hand, and I realize that he noticed the rock the Caleb dropped through. Father can manipulate stones ¨C he''s a stone Elemental, and children who are Superhumans often have an Ability of the same Type as their parent of the same sex and the same Class as other siblings with that Type.

    Taylor''s rare, with his Territory Ability despite me having metal and Father having stone, both Elementals. A deviation like that doesn''t happen often.

    "I don''t think so," Caleb sweeps his left hand out and the stone ripples, changing form as I sense my own Ability''s link to it vanish.

    The stone grows, five protrusions forming as it increases in size, becoming a figure roughly humanoid in shape, complete with arms, legs, and head. It even has hands and feet.

    Golems can still be taken over by an Elemental affiliated with stone ¨C they''re not living. Not unlessˇ­

    "Ensure the safety and well-being of Taylor Fuller," Caleb commands.

    "Yes, Master," the golem''s voice is deep and rumbly.

    It sounds like it came out of a stone mouth, which I guess makes sense.

    "Tch."

    I look at Caleb as Father attempts to manipulate the golem.

    "I can never get the voices to sound human," he complains, then looks at Father. "It''s a true golem, you idiot ¨C your Ability doesn''t allow you to manipulate the living."

    "That''s impossible," Father gasps.

    "Screw off," Caleb says, then we rise up into the ceiling, passing through it and the pond, hovering above it for a few seconds before moving to the grass, which we promptly collapse onto.

    The lightning storm around Caleb fades, as does his effect on the pond and the surrounding area. I crawl over to him to check his status, and find him completely unconscious. He''s passed out and won''t wake no matter how much I nudge him or splash water onto his face.

    Picking him up, I carry him back to the facility, hoping we don''t get caught as I bring him up to his room. His clothes are likely stained from the grass and dirt, and that would be suspicious if someone saw that after he woke up.

    Back to what I was thinking, I decide to quickly change Caleb into a different set of shorts and tee. As I get ready to do that, I notice that his clothes and sneakers are completely clean. Looking at my own outfit, I see that they''re in that state as well and stare at him in shock. He prepared a spell for our clothes before he passed out, to avoid problems.

    Carefully, I tuck him in and return to my room to turn in for the night for good this time.

    My thoughts turn to my family as I try to fall asleep.

    If Caleb made a true golem, then my parents will have a hard time doing anything to Taylor. True golems are sentient and quite alive. They need no rest or food, allowing them to last as long as the magic in them remains. Knowing Caleb, that golem is probably constructed with the ability to defend itself and my brother. He gave it a specific order before leaving, which means he knows what will happen to Taylor.

    My brother was found with me in his room, the two of us hugging. My parents won''t forgive him. Caleb''s doing what he can to protect my brother.

    He''s a coward, but he''s powerful and considerate. In some ways, that makes him a weakling, but he acted to protect someone he doesn''t know just because I care about them. Just because it''s the one person I care about.

    The rest of his team can burn. Caleb''s alright in my books.

 Chapter 005

    <(Caleb)>

    The instructors woke us around five in the morning and I felt nearly refreshed, but not fully. My spell worked, granting Jared and I enough energy by the time they woke everyone so that we would wake as well with just the right amount of energy to prevent any suspicions of us doing something we weren''t supposed to.

    After waking us, the instructors ran us through a series of physically grueling obstacles, then allowed us eat cold cereal and a banana with a glass of orange juice to wash it down with. Just as we''re finishing up, Fowl, who watched us eat from the door as always, suddenly transforms into a wolf and charges into the hall in the lobby, the other instructors flooding inside the dining room, then the hall to the lobby.

    Moments later, a black barrier forms at the entrance to the lobby, blocking off the hall.

    Kieran woke up for this, which means it''s gotta be good. I tune into the lobby, grateful for my increasing control over my passive territory now that I no longer fight against it.

    All of the instructors move into a formation around a quintet of soldiers who got aggressive with Irina after she refused them access into here. The soldiers aim guns at the Colonels.

    Against ordinary Superhumans, those weapons would be quite fatal. Unfortunately for the soldiers, the Colonels are anything but ordinary. Only S-Ranks can become GSDF Colonels.

    "Why have you disrupted our training?" Fowl growls, still in wolf form.

    "We are here to deliver an arrest warrant on one Jared Fuller," the soldier in charge states, not lowering his gun a millimeter. If anything, he pulls the trigger to the hair. "As we have informed your secretary. Release him. We are authorized to use any force necessary to apprehend him. This order comes from the Council of Dreams."

    "Jared," I speak up, and he looks over at me. "What connection do your parents have to the Council of Dreams?"

    "My father''s on it," Jared answers. "Why?"

    "Ah," I say. "That explains the soldiers demanding your arrest in the lobby."

    "What?" He''s as surprised as I am. "That fast?"

    "I''m going to project what''s going on over the War Board."

    The War Board covers one entire wall in here, and it ranks all of us based on various attributes. I rank first on everything, including combat. The scene occurring in the other room appears over that, letting the rest of the cadets see what''s going on. And hear, too, when I remember to add that on.

    "I don''t care," Fowl repeats himself. "This is a secure training facility. Unless you give me reasonable cause, I will not hand over a cadet. You will leave this premises at once."

    "You are allowed by the Council of Dreams," the lead soldier states. "You work under their authority. If we deliver a warrant, you oblige."

    "Have you ever," Fowl growls. "Faced off against ten S-Ranked Superhumans before? Your petty guns won''t affect us. If you even try to take Jared by force, you''ll come face-to-face with a Superhuman that has four letters to his Rank. That''s if you make it past the S-A Superhuman concealing himself somewhere in this room. That sense of unease you have? That fear you''re trying to push down? The rumors of our night guard lighten what he did, makes him seem smaller and weaker than he truly is.

    "So you are going to tell me," Fowl growls. "Exactly why you are here. Exactly what the charges are. Or you will lose your lives."

    "Jared Fuller," the soldier says. "As well as his accomplice, are under arrest for the murder of two guards of Thomas Fuller, a member of the Council of Dreams, at one-thirteen this morning at the Fuller Mansion."

    "That''s an ocean away," Fowl sounds stunned, and the cadets giggle, their thoughts revealing they think the soldiers are total idiots. "Do you really believe that they managed to cross thousands of miles, killed two people, then crossed that same distance to return here in the six hours they were out of our sight? Let''s ignore the fact that traveling that distance in that time is impossible, and was for magicians even before the Calamity."

    "Wait," Irina looks at Fowl. "That boy defies logic, you know."

    "He knows magics from before the Calamity," Fowl looks at her. "He hasn''t shown any magics that I haven''t heard of in my studies. Even the most powerful of spatial magicians back then were very limited in traveling magics.

    "Kieran," Fowl looks around the room. "Did Fuller and Rivers leave the property last night?"

    "They jumped into the pond," Kieran says, and the soldier jumps. "After that happened, I lost touch with them. By the time I made it there to personally investigate, they were on the ground beside it, passed out. Neither were wet. I found it odd. It''s Caleb, so I didn''t question it. He probably was showing off his Gift for Jared and I no doubt misread what happened."

    Oh, right. I could see Kieran. The soldiers look stunned by his appearance, though I know that the effect of his aura remains in effect. The other cadets could see Kieran the entire time because I was projecting what I could see and hear.

    "Theyˇ­ what?" Fowl looks confused.

    "Caleb stays up most nights to fight his golems," Kieran states. "He draws energy from the forest to keep himself from falling asleep, then to restore his energy. He keeps himself as exhausted as you guys do, to keep the effect of the training. It''s how he''s getting over his fear of combat. He complains to himself a lot about the fact that he can''t get the voices to sound human."

    "He makes golems that speak?" The soldiers now look completely confused.

    "Why does he use golems?" Fowl asks.

    "He makes true golems," Kieran shrugs. "Probably because he can shape them to whatever humanoid level he desires. Any age or sex, any level of combat skill, up to his own. He usually gives them his own level of combat ability because it''s the only way he can fight them fairly. They don''t have his reservations, so they actually use his full skill while he won''t. It''s actually effective and is why he keeps popping up bruises in weird places and shapes."

    "That big gash he had on his side?" Fowl asks him.

    "Not from that," Kieran says. "He tripped."

    "He got that from tripping?"

    "He fell on his knife."

    "Do I want to know what happened then?" Fowl asks.

    "He just rubbed his hand over it and went to bed," Kieran shrugs. "He was exhausted enough that he forgot to heal it fully. Did that the next night, which is why it vanished without a trace."

    "So he just jumped into the pond with Jared last night, then you found them lying beside it?"

    "No," Kieran says. "Jared went into the pond, and Caleb watched it. A few minutes passed, Caleb jumped in. A few moments later, they floated out. I found them collapsed by the side of it. Jared came to first."

    "Do you think there''s something more to what happened than what he said?" Sparks asks.

    "Kieran sees what we do not," Fowl reminds her. "After all, Perception is one of his Abilities."

    "One of?" The soldier in charge asks, clearly irritated at being ignored as if he''s insignificant.

    "This is a discussion between staff," Fowl turns his gaze back to the soldier. "Stay out of it."

    "We''re here to arrest Jared Fuller and his accomplice," the soldier reminds him. "If his accomplice is here, then he is under arrest as well."

    "I''m so tempted to interfere," Jared says. "But I think Kieran''s wall will prevent that."

    "I can teleport you in there," I tell him. "It won''t even be a fraction of the power I used last night. That, and I can power through Kieran''s Ability or disconnect him from it, just like I did with you. I could get you in there in one hundred, eighteen different methods. That come to mind right now."

    "You know the exact number?" Jared asks.

    "The number that comes to mind, yes."

    "You will hand them over now!" The soldier demands.

    "I so wanna rip them to shreds right now," Kieran sighs, only us hearing him speak.

    He pauses before frowning and looking at the wall leading to the cafeteria.

    "Caleb! Stop that!"

    Everyone starts laughing, and I snort.

    "Fowl!" Kieran makes himself visible. "Caleb''s using his magic or his Gift or something to project this entire scene into the cafeteria! And he just enabled one-way passage through my barrier!"

    "I told you," Irina looks at Fowl. "This is going to be an interesting batch."

    "I''ve already planned out the punishment for the events," Fowl tells her. "I''m sure even Rivers will find it difficult to stay strong mentally through it."

    "Hand them over now!" The lead soldier orders, and Fowl looks back to him as more soldiers flood into the room, more powerful weapons aimed at them.

    Those guns can actually hurt the soldiers.

    "Do you want to?" Jared asks me.

    "Up to you," I tell him.

    "Can I participate?" Owen asks.

    "I want to have some fun, too," David comments.

    "I don''t know about you guys," Kieran says. "But I plan on surviving. I''m not a big fan of turar guns."

    Kieran vanishes from their perception, then phases through a wall. Turar guns are a sure-fire way to kill Superhumans. They can rip through Abilities just as well as they can magic. Auras are vulnerable as well.

    Not that they can''t be completely stopped. Teacher taught me how to counter them with my magic.

    "If you can''t win, flee," Fowl mutters, glancing at the barrier Kieran erected before looking back at the soldiers. "We will defend the cadets to the end. That is a vow we made. If you wish to arrest and kill Jared Fuller, you will be forced to kill several Colonels of the GSDF. Do not believe it will react gently toward the Council of Dreams for this. There will be consequences."

    "Jared Fuller is under arrest under a death warrant," the soldier states. "He-"

    "Is here," Jared says as he passes through the barrier, metal flying through the air, every piece of it in the lobby forming armor on his body. "Will you fight me?"

    They turn their guns to him as Sparks creates an electric field. The soldiers fire their guns, which pass through the electricity as if it weren''t there, but they never touch Jared''s armor.

    Everyone looks confused ¨C Jared, the cadets who flooded into the lobby to defend themselves, Kieran (at the fact that the cadets are running through the barrier), the Colonels, the soldiers here to arrest them.

    Everyone but me.

    "I am Auriauror," I say, knowing my voice is projected into the other room, altered to become deeper, older, wiser, imbued with raw magic that shakes the very fabric of existence itself. "Dragon of Creation. I demand to know why you have trespassed onto territory I created many centuries ago for the training of youth, and why you have endangered their lives."

    "If you weren''t standing right next to me," Jared looks at the avatar I created and sent with them while cloaking myself. "I''d think this was you doing it."

    "I can give you a breakdown of how a powerful enough magician could manage it," my avatar tells him.

    "You really do create golems," Owen looks at the duo standing to either side of my avatar.

    "Oh, my goodness," Jared looks at Owen. "We''re doing the same thing the instructors did. We''re completely ignoring the threat-"

    "And the all-powerful voice," Owen interjects.

    "While a serious threat stands before us," Jared finishes.

    "ANSWER ME!" I roar, the room shaking, ever person in there feeling my voice rattle their very existences. "WHY HAVE YOU CHOSEN TO TRESPASS AND VIOLATE THE SACRED LAWS AND LAND I SET?"

    "Who are you?" The soldier in charge looks around, aiming his gun everywhere. "Reveal yourself!"

    "I am Auriauror!" I state. "I am not a being whose presence you can handle! You will leave this facility at once, or I will erase your existences entirely!"

    "This boy-" the soldier begins, gesturing at Jared.

    "I DO NOT CARE!" I roar. "Tell Thomas Fuller that Jared will not be executed for defending himself! He is under my protection and I will not tolerate this heresy! Leave!"

    "How do I know you are who you claim you are?" The lead soldier asks.

    "Do you know of any being who can stop turar bullets with a thought?" I ask, turning them around to face the soldiers. "Or who can manipulate them at will? This is a mere afterthought. I will alter your reality itself, if you wish to test my limits. The Council of Dreams swore a vow to fight the war against monsters. They exist to represent the hope of all of mankind. If word gets out that the Council of Dreams slaughtered Colonels and cadets simply because one of them killed two of their guards in self-defense, then they will lose all power they hold and no one will trust them again."

    The soldiers think about this for several long moments, then the lead soldier pulls out a phone and makes a phone call. After explaining the situation, everyone leaves.

    "Well," I say in my normal voice, my avatar and golems vanishing. "They really are idiots. Auriauror was the Dragon of Creation who created lineages and heritage. He can''t manipulate reality, as far as I know. That would be Naubara, one of his older brothers. Theoretically, he could alter reality, but it''s mostly to just set things into heritages, into lineages. Also ¨C Teacher taught me how to stop turar with magic. It''s actually really simple. He''s been considering ''leaking'' the knowledge of it for awhile, but hasn''t only because of criminals. If they found out how to block it using magic, it''d pose a problem.

    "And anyway," I continue. "Terian was the one who created the barrier around this facility, with the aid of Teacher. I''m not sure why Teacher helped him, Terian is more than capable of creating such a barrier himself. He''s the Dragon of Creation of Advancement. Usually seen as technological or magical or scientific, it also refers to training and education. Personally, my favorite is Kalmira, who created-"

    "What the hell are the Dragons of Creation?" Jared interrupts me.

    "Huh?" I ask. "Oh, right. The Dragons of Creation are the beings who created existence itself. There are many dragons, but only a few Dragons of Creation. They can''t be born, they simply exist. Teacher never told me how they came to be or where they came from, but they supposedly created the universe itself. Anyway, my personal favorite is Kalmira, who created nature. He, just like Auriauror, are considered the fathers of life, but it was really Gelvier who created life and later, death."Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    "Who created time?" Jared asks.

    "Baelsoar," I answer. "Without time, nothing progressed, so Baelsoar created a way for things to progress, to continue to evolve and pass and exist, which is what allowed life and death to truly occur. That, in turn, evolved into time itself. The only other Dragon of Creation I know of is Jasier, who created love, romance, lust, envy, sex ¨C emotion and desire itself."

    "The disembodied voice is starting to creep me out," Jared says. "Can you please stop that?"

    "Okay, cadets!" Fowl reverts to his human form. "Out back, now! Line up, and get ready for a tough day! Thank Fuller and Rivers for it!"

    "You''re welcome!"

    I take off into the training yard, stopping all of my spells and giggling to myself as they chase after me. Everyone glares at me as we line up. Fowl summons Jared and I to the front.

    "How in the hell did you two travel across the ocean and back in the six hours we weren''t observing you?"

    "Magic," I answer.

    "No known magic can do that!"

    "It''s a spell of my own creation, sir!"

    "What is with your cheerful, uncaring mood?" Fowl asks. "This is not like you, Rivers."

    "I''m drunk, sir!"

    "Drunk?" He looks confused. "There''s no alcohol on the premises and you seemed fine at breakfast."

    "It happens to any magician who uses too much power in a short span of time, sir!" I explain. "We get drunk on our own power! My body isn''t used to exerting this much power in this small of a timeframe, so it''s making me a type of magical drunk!"

    <hr>

    <(Jared)>

    I do not want to know what a magical hangover is like. Caleb went back to his silent, thoughtful self after he recovered from the magical drunkenness. It took him six days. Kieran apparently knew it would happen and even admitted to Fowl at one point that he had been surprised that Caleb hadn''t gotten drunk from the spatial spell he performed.

    According to Kieran, magically drunk Caleb at five was quite the riot as well as quite the annoyance. I''m not sure the adults around them agreed with that viewpoint. I meanˇ­ Caleb was quite weird until he recovered, and he only has vague memories of what happened.

    At last, we no longer have to suffer through Caleb''s talkative, uncaring mood that let him say and do whatever came to mind. Right now, he''s busy working on laundry after a long, hard day, and I''m sitting in the lounge when Owen arrives with mail.

    "You''ve got one," he tosses me a letter. "No return address."

    "Thanks," I catch it, examining the envelope.

    Plain and white, the information on it a printed label, a single stamp placed on it, one for long-distance mailing. It came from across the ocean, which I doubt anyone around here would know. Express letter, very expensive. The stamp tells me it was mailed off yesterday morning. That kind of speed is ridiculous.

    Already knowing who sent it, I''m about to throw it away when I feel a small shiver down my spine. I pause, wondering what that is, then once more attempt to throw the letter away. The moment I do, the shiver runs down my spine again. Every time I think about throwing it away, a shiver runs down my spine.

    "Stop that!" I realize it''s Caleb, and Owen glances at me with a raised eyebrow.

    I''d do anything to receive a letter from my parents.

    "Yeah, well, mine tried to kill me!" I snap.

    Yeah, well, mine are dead.

    I let out a small scream in frustration, then throw myself into a chair and open the envelope, pulling out the several sheets of printed message one of my parents sent me.

    "Have you already read this?" I ask.

    I''m getting better at ignoring things in my Territory now that I''m not fighting it. I only knew it was from your parents from your thoughts. Would you like me to?

    "Screw off."

    He doesn''t respond to that, and I turn my gaze to the letter.

    Child,

    We are not pleased by your actions. First, you run away, then you intrude into our home, then you kill our guards. I do not know what being it truly was who protected you, but Auriauror it was not. Your actions are not acceptable and you must suffer the consequences for performing them.

    As soon as your basic training is over, we ask that you come peacefully and turn yourself in. If you do not, then we will come to collect you when you arrive at the training facility to start your rest period. We will leverage all the power we hold to arrest you for your actions and nothing will stop us. The Global Superhuman Defense Federation works under the Council of Dreams, not independent of it. If you resist, they will assist us. We have already spoken to them there.

    To ensure your arrest, we will be using artifacts from the old days, including weapons designed specifically for working against magicians. There are ways to affect turar with magic. These weapons have no known method of combating. We will come with five hundred soldiers, magicians, and Superhumans for your arrest.

    The letter goes on to detail exactly what I did wrong, exactly what they will bring with them when they come for my arrest, and blah-blah-blah. Caleb''s in my head the entire time, telling me whether or not something will work. Apparently, he can combat the weapons Dad''s referring to.

    I''m about to put the letters through the shredder when I notice the backs of each sheet have writing on it. Not type ¨C writing. Someone hand-wrote something on the backs of each sheet. It takes me a moment to realize it''s my father''s handwriting, it''s been so long since I last saw it.

    I turn the sheets over and begin to read.

    Jared,

    Taylor got away safely. Whatever magic your friend used in that golem, it was powerful enough to get your brother out of the house safely. We lost track of them shortly after that, the golem carrying him away quickly, far more quickly than any ordinary human could.

    A true golem! To imagine that there''s a magician alive that could create them! It''s been my life''s dream to encounter one, and to think I''d actually do that ¨C it''s just astonishing!

    I hope you''re well, and I do apologize for the inconvenience. I had a feeling that the soldiers wouldn''t be able to capture you, what with a magician capable of affecting space on that level and creating a true golem protecting you, but I had to do it.

    This is the first time I''ve been able to break free of her grip. As you know, I''m an Elemental. Your mother is a Manipulator, and what she can manipulate are minds. That kind of power corrupts people rather easily, and nearly all mind-based Manipulators are evil. She selected me as her mate because of my own strength of power. She wanted a strong, powerful heir to continue her line. That''s part of why she disliked you and Taylor your whole lives, even if you thought it as just her acting for the good of you two.

    She wants a female heir, a child to carry on her family''s legacy. They''re a group of dangerous mind Manipulators and they need to be stopped. Your mother uses me to her own gains, being the first of her line to gain control over a member of the Council of Dreams.

    She''s using what you did as a way of trying to end you. As you attacked two of my guards, it''s considered an attack on me and thus, the Council of Dreams. I''m not sure what I can do to break free of her grip. She''s S-Rank and her power is far too strong.

    As stated, this is the first time I''ve been able to break free, and all I can do is write this letter to you on the back of the official mail she approved. I had to go to great lengths to get the pen I used to write it. Only those of my blood can see it, and it lasts for only two days before it fades away. It was quite expensive. I obtained it years ago, in case I ever needed it. Never thought I actually would.

    Jared ¨C I have no clue the level of power of the magician you''ve befriended, or how you even found a magician that can use magics on that level, but I wish you luck in your journeys. If he''s there as a cadet, as they stated, then he''s a Superhuman as well, right?

    Is he your rival? I know you wished to find someone you could rival, someone to challenge yourself against, to grow stronger while trying to best. If he is that rival, then I wish the two of you luck and hope that you can be friends at the same time you''re rivals.

    If you find Taylor, please, tell him the truth. I have a variety of safe houses constructed. Should the two of you ever need a place to stay, use them. I''m including a list of their locations as well as how to obtain access to their keys or what their codes are. I''m excluding all of the ones your mother knows of, even if I only suspect she''s aware of it.

    Good luck on your journeys, son, and know that, despite how I act ¨C my true feelings toward you and your brother are love and nothing more.

    Dad

    Father then lists a dozen locations. I''m not sure what to make of the letter. Is he lying and the safe houses a trap, an attempt to gain my trust to lower my defenses? That would be the obvious choice. I find it hard to believe that Father is actually under Mother''s control. I mean, he called me by name at the beginning of the letter ¨C he never calls me by name. Then he used ''dad'' at the end of it, not his name, like he usually finishes letters with. And he doesn''t hand-write letters, either.

    I smell something fishy.

    "What are you thinking?" Caleb sits down across from me.

    "I don''t know whether or not," I tell him. "This letter is real."

    "May I?" He asks, and I hand papers to him.

    "You two sure are chummy the last few days," David approaches us. "Mind telling me what''s up with that."

    "It''s-"

    I erased their memories, Caleb interrupts me. Only the two of us and Kieran know what happened. I''ve affected their memories about me being magically drunk as well.

    "Caleb," I look back at David. "Is not an ordinary magician. He''s powerful beyond belief. His Ability is powerful beyond belief as well, from what little I know of it. He''s far beyond the level of any being here. He deserves respect."

    Plus, he did something no one else could. Two things, actually. The first was that he drove me to becoming A-Rank without letting me on to the fact that he was helping me until I reached that point, and the second was the spell he cast to allow me a chance to see my brother.

    It''s only now that I realize that Caleb''s examining the papers. He''s not even paying attention to us, and he sent me those thoughts.

    I''m about to ask him what he thinks when I realize his irises have turned completely violet, just like when he cast that spell over the pond. He mouths something, but I can''t read lips. He''s probably just talking to himself.

    The action itself is pretty cute, and as soon as I think that, I shake that thought from my head. As much as he randomly stares at people, it seems like he''s not actually looking at them when he does that.

    "Caleb," I say as a realization hits me. "What do you like most about Erica?"

    "The way her magic forms swirls around her," he looks at me. "It creates these fluid patterns that remind me of watching a stream run over rocks, but in slow-motion."

    "Kayla?"

    "Her magic is weird," he answers. "It''s all rough and spiky, flaring up whenever anyone comes near her. It''s not like it actually does anything, it just flares up, as if to protect her. I can''t figure out that purpose is, though. I mean, it makes no sense ¨C why would her magic just flare up to protect her but not actually do anything to do so?"

    He''s studying the magics in them. That''s what he''s doing when he''s absentmindedly staring at people. Now that I''m thinking about it, his gaze rests in different positions depending on what he''s thinking about.

    I''m such a freaking idiot. I can''t believe I never realized that before.

    "Nadia''s magic," Caleb adds in thoughtfully. "Is the prettiest, though. It sparkles like the reflection of the moon on the ocean. But that''s for the girls, since you''re asking about them and not the guys."

    "Who has the prettiest," I can''t believe I used that word. "Magic for the guys?"

    That question is only natural considering he specified it was out of the girls. The implication with that is one of us guys has the most beautiful magic to him.

    "You do," he answers without hesitation. "Yours is the prettiest out of everyone''s here. It shines like the moon, cool and calming, yet at the same time, rages like a fiery inferno."

    He starts mumbling to himself, losing himself in thought as he stares at me, moving his hands as if shaping something.

    The next thing I know, my entire body feels like it''s being reshaped, yet at the same time, it''s completely unaffected.

    "Caleb!" I snap, and he jumps, looking at me in surprise. "What the hell did you just do to me?"

    "I was doing something?" He frowns, thinking, then shrugs. "Dunno. What did I do?"

    "You were talking about my magic," I say. "Then started mumbling and moving your hands, and then it felt like I was being reshaped."

    "Oh," Caleb frowns. "I was playing with your magic. It doesn''t actually do anything to you. Teacher can probably make it affect you, but I can only reshape how it looks."

    He then stares at me, lifting a finger in the air, pointing it at me, and beginning to draw. I can''t figure out what he''s drawing, but when he finishes, he giggles, then leaves. I stare at his retreating form in shock at the fact that he''d do something like that, then gather up the letters and track him down.

    He''s passed out on his bed, changed into his night outfit and fast asleep. It''s not worth the effort to try and wake him to ask him about what he was doing with the letters or my magic.

    Making my way to my room, I throw out the letter from Father, then change and climb into my bed. Moments later, I''m out.

    The instructors wake everyone with icy water. It''s still dark out and they order us to get dressed. Scrambling, we all dress and meet them outside, where they promptly order us to begin pushups. We do that, then situps, then more pushups, then other exhausting physical exercises before pulling on weighted packs and beginning a run.

    Every twenty minutes, they stop us for more pushups, situps, and other exercises. The sun has begun to rise by the time they stop us and we''re all exhausted. Judging by the moon''s position when we started, they only gave us two hours of sleep, if even that.

    They send us to breakfast instead of allowing us a chance for more sleep, then straight into more training. Even Caleb and I are losing our focus by the time the day ends, and everyone returns to bed, hoping we''re not given another rude wake-up call, but knowing we won''t sleep until the sun rises.

    The days tick down toward the end of the training and I receive no further news from my parents. I''m still undecided about Father''s letter, but Caleb assured me that it was legitimate and that he was being honest.

    I can''t press him for more, though. They''re pushing us harder as time ticks down, and we suffer through less and less sleep each day, receiving just enough to get us through the training. No one quits, but I know many want to.

    Everyone wants to beat Caleb. Everyone knows it''s impossible, but everyone wants to take down his place as first in every area. According to the instructors, that''s never happened before, someone standing in first in every area.

    As the days pass, we grow more powerful in every aspect. The instructors do their best to flesh out the basis for our futures, for how our powers will function. Not so much to control them, but to make sure they have solid foundations as they grow more powerful even if our range of what we can do with them isn''t improved.

    That will happen naturally as we train more after basic ends, as they assess us as warriors and see what types of jobs we''ll be best for and what types of abilities are easiest for us to expand into. We''ll focus on forms of Ability exercise that will help us shape new techniques with what we can already do.

    There are no more attempts to claim my life, but I''m worried about what will happen during the rest period. If they bring in the full force they mentioned, I doubt even Caleb could stop them. He''d have to pull something truly astonishing out of his ass to do that, considering that the weapons they''re referring to could kill the most powerful of magicians from back then in moments.

    At long last, the day for the mock battle with the other training grounds comes. It''s tomorrow, and we were hoping for a day of rest before in order for us to be fully-prepared for it. Even that''s not something we''re allowed, apparently.

    Dinner comes at last and we have more food than normal. It''s only as we''re eating that I begin to realize that they went light on us today. They''re preparing for tomorrow while keeping our training schedule.

    After dinner, the instructors tell us we have the rest of the day off. No one really knows what to make of it or what to do.

    In the end, we do our usual routine, then make our way to our beds, passing out almost immediately.

    For the first time in months, I wake up feeling fully refreshed. The sun''s already out and some of the others continue to sleep. I dress in my training outfit and make my way downstairs, where Caleb is eating breakfast.

    Sitting across from him is a guy around sixteen or seventeen that could be his brother. According to Caleb, he has no blood family, but I have to say that there''s no way. They look way too similar. They have to be brothers.

    Other than the two of them, the only people down here are the cooks watching from the kitchen. I go to the line to find pancakes, bacon, eggs, sausage, and biscuits and gravy, along with a variety of fruits and drinks. My stomach growls, telling me to get all of it, so I do. The staff don''t comment on my bout of greed.

    They''re making sure we''re prepared, giving us a full night''s rest and a full breakfast. I''m not sure where the instructors even are right now.

    "As quiet as always," the mysterious teen finally speaks as I sit down a couple of tables away from them. "Tell me what''s on your mind, Caleb."

    "Seconds."

    "How''s training going?" The teen asks. "I can see some physical changes. Your muscles have become more lean, but more defined as well."

    "Well," Caleb answers. "They push us hard."

    "You''ve used your Ability," the teen comments. "I didn''t think that would ever happen with how much you resisted during your training with me."

    Is this Caleb''s mentor? He really does look like he''d be Caleb''s brother, but Caleb claims his teacher''s hundreds of years old.

    "Unintentional," Caleb answers.

    "What was that spell you cast a few weeks ago?" The teen asks. "I could sense it from the other side of the world. I''ve never seen anything like it before."

    "Magical transportation," Caleb answers. "I invented the spell myself. I''ve never used it that far before, usually only a few hundred feet, and only to transport small items and never anything that''s alive. Sometimes, I''ll use it to affect what''s around. That was taxing on me. Using magic the next day to interfere with an attempt on Jared''s life by agents of the Council of Dreams put me into a state of magical drunkenness."

    "Are you ready for the training competition?" The teen asks. "It''ll be a situation where you''ll be attacked by others."

    "No," Caleb answers. "But I don''t think I ever will be until I do it. During the competition battle, I will attempt to use my Ability."

    "You''llˇ­ what?" The teen looks utterly confused, and it does not look like an expression he normally makes. "Caleb, do you really think you''ll be able to use your Ability intentionally?"

    "No," Caleb answers. "And if I cannot use my Ability during the simulation, then I will drop out of training altogether. If I cannot use my Ability then, when there''s no real threat, then I will never be ready, I''m afraid. If I cannot use it in that sort of situation, then I''ll never be able to use it. It will be a long time before I''m ready in that case."

    "Caleb-"

    "No," Caleb shakes his head. "I can''t, Teacher. I made an oath to myself that this is what I''d do. I''m going to do my best to do it. Now go. Shoo. You''re just an avatar, anyway. I don''t want you lecturing me on how stupid it is, especially since you''re not even on the same continent on me."

    I have to take a few moments to process that. That''s his Teacher ¨C who happens to look like he could be Caleb''s older brother ¨C and he''s actually just the avatar of Teacher, who is also on a completely different continent right now.

    "Caleb-" Teacher begins.

    "No!" Caleb insists, a slight whine in his voice. "I know what I''m doing, Teacher!"

    "There''s something you''re not telling me," Teacher comments. "What''s got you on edge, Cay?"

    "Don''t call me that!" Caleb snaps. "Only Kieran''s allowed to call me that!"

    "Kieran?" Teacher smiles, and Caleb''s eyes widen as he realizes he let something slip.

    Caleb doesn''t slip up. He says exactly what he intends to say. Teacher must have a powerful effect on him for such an event to occur.

    "So," Teacher says. "Someone else survived. Wasn''t Kieran the one who could manipulate shadows and light? Is he a cadet here? I can''t locate him."

    "He''s sleeping," Caleb looks down. "Unless you pressed, you wouldn''t notice it''s him. He''s the one who has strong effect on perceptions."

    "Didn''t you say that was his brother?"

    "It''s a long story," Caleb says. "Now shoo. I wanna eat in peace."

    Teacher''s avatar chuckles, then vanishes. Caleb sighs, staring down at his food.

    He''s depressed. That''s why he''s so quiet when he''s not in a weirdly good mood ¨C he''s depressed. I''m not sure what it is, but it probably has to do with what happened back then, and now from being separated from Teacher for so long. He developed a powerful bond with the mentor and basically imprinted on him, like a dog.

    The moment I think that, I realize that Caleb''s completely tuned everything out. There''s no way he didn''t hear that comment otherwise. He said he''s getting better at it ¨C but he can completely control what he perceives in his passive territory, he just doesn''t know it yet. He''s not able to turn it off, but he can at least tune things out now.

    Owen makes it down here, and when he sees me watching Caleb, asking me what''s going on when he sits down.

    "Caleb," I answer. "I think he doesn''t know how to make friends."

 Chapter 006

    <(Caleb)>

    "We''ve been riding on this bus for six hours, now," Nick complains to Chad, the second on our team. "And they still haven''t told us where we''re going."

    "Simulated battle with other teams," David states what we already know. He''s sitting in front of them with another member of his own Squad. "They do this toward the end of every session, as a sort of contest between the different locations. There are a few of us, but we''re the only one with one group. There are eight total groups between the three locations. Our particular training branch hasn''t earned first in the simulations in several decades, though we aim to take the crown back."

    "If Caleb would use his Gift," Kieran reveals himself to them from his spot beside me. "You guys would probably win within a few minutes."

    "It lasts for seventy-two hours," Owen says. "And usually ends in the last four."

    "Just what is Caleb''s Ability?" Jared turns around to ask him. "I mean, I''ve figured out the general category, but not the specific version of it."

    "His Gift is probably the most powerful you''d ever come across," Kieran states. "Though he stubbornly refuses to use it. Actually, he''s got part of it he''s always using, despite not wanting to. It''s why he can always see and notice me, why my perception field doesn''t work on him. His Gift is ranked with four letters."

    "They only go up to three," Jared says. "Single for anything that''s not a Special or in the Gravity Class of Manipulation. Those two sets are automatically an S-Class. They also have their own ranking system, with a second letter added after, using the same E-A, S ranking style as single-letter. There''s one particular type that is considered S-Class no matter what, and so has two S''s, then another letter, ranked E-A, S as well. Territory type. They''re insanely powerful, andˇ­"

    Jared''s gaze fixes on me.

    "You''re a special, powerful type of Territory Special, aren''t you?" He asks. "You have to be, if you really have four letters to your ranking."

    "Or there are types you''ve never heard of," I say. "After all ¨C have you ever heard of a Territory who can directly interact with your auras or Abilities?"

    "Gifts," Kieran amends my statement.

    "That''s annoying."

    "Deal with it."

    "I will twist your mind inside out again."

    "That''s surprisingly aggressive for you," Kieran says. "You''ve been sticking to a passive style of combat or going for instant take-downs. If you can''t disable immediately, you dodge until the opening presents itself, sometimes fighting for twenty minutes as you wait for them to wear themselves out. You''re an interesting fighter."

    "Says the guy who plays with people''s perception just to toy with them instead of disabling them immediately."

    "I''m not sure if I like the new Caleb," Kieran tells me.

    "Deal with it," I look out the window. "We''re here."

    "Where?" Jared looks out the window. "It looks like a desert."

    "Look ahead," I instruct him. "There''s some ruins. And we''re back in a realm of eternal night as well. This will be one interesting test."

    An hour later, we arrive at our destination, and the forty of us exit the bus, Kieran exiting last to make sure all of us departed. Irina and Fowl wait outside, watching as we line up.

    "This!" Fowl states loudly. "Is your final test before the mock final training exam, which will take place in at the end of your basic training! After this test, we will return to the branch and finish the training, and in a month, you''ll all get to rest! Our branch has not won this challenge in forty-three years! You are no ordinary group of cadets, so we expect you to win it this year!

    "The forty of you!" He continues. "Made it this far! No other branch can lay claim to a unit that has ever done this before! Indeed, we are the first! And so, I declare that, should you claim us this victory, you will receive a full day of rest and a special meal!"

    Huh. He was actually serious when he said that. Unless he''s just saying that to get everyone to work even harder and try to be more cooperative.

    I look at Kieran, whose face is as impassive as ever. Fowl must have mentioned this to them when I was tuning them out.

    "On to the exercise!" Fowl exclaims. "In the building behind me is a neon orange flag with our unit number on it! Over the next seventy-two hours, you will all attempt to defend this flag while stealing at least one other flag and bringing it here! There are eight total units, just as there are eight total squads in a unit!

    "We," he looks annoyed. "Are Unit 8! This is because we have not won in over four decades! We will be Unit 1 next challenge!"

    He probably says that every training group, but has no idea that we will be winning this. I made a promise to Teacher, and I will do my best to uphold that promise. By the end of this session, I want to use my Ability.

    "On to the rules!" Fowl continues. "The battle will begin once the flare goes up! There is a field surrounding us that will prevent death! We are in what we call a reality marble!"

    I already knew that, I could feel it as we passed through. It feels like Teacher''s magic. I think he used his Ability for its creation, though, not just his magic, and simply removed that part of his Ability from himself, using his magic to finalize it. Far easier than actually creating a reality marble with its rules and restrictions through magic when wanting it to remain permanently.

    "You can still be injured, just not killed! There should be no monsters, but they may wander in past us! If they do, do not engage! None of you are prepared for real battle yet, which is what your training period after BT ends will be about! Let us handle it!

    "If, for any reason, you''re in a situation you cannot handle or escape from, then use your flares!" He orders us. "You will each be given a backpack with some supplies, including an emergency flare, two water bottles, and rations! How you survive is up to you, but you are all one unit! You will not have our assistance during this!

    "You will, however!" Will he just finish this already? I need to pee. "Have aura guns and regular guns with simunition! This is ammunition that will not penetrate, but it will hurt! They''re essentially a form of paintball, for those of you who''ve done that before! If you don''t want the bruises, then try not to get hit!"

    "Yeah," Kieran mutters. "Simunition''s a bitch. And if you shoot me with the gun to show it like you did last time, I will shove it up your ass."

    "I would demonstrate how it hurts on Kieran!" Fowl states. "Except I''ve been instructed not to do it again! Unless one of you would like to demonstrate?"

    Surprisingly, he doesn''t order someone to come be his example this time. Guess he''s being lenient because they do hurt. Teacher shot me with one once to prove it. Then again to make sure I knew.

    The next night was one of the few times I ever managed to catch him off-guard. Our Abilities cancel each other out ¨C he can''t read my mind or notice my presence in the passive territory. It''s the same reason he''s able to sneak up on me.

    "If you receive what would be a fatal injury were these real guns and this not a reality marble!" Fowl continues. There''s more? "You will be teleported out of the combat zone and into a safe area, where instructors will watch over you and continue your training until this ends! We''re also changing it up, starting this time! It will last the full seventy-two hours, even if a flag is earned! From now on, we''re going to see how well you can retrieve a flag, return with it, and defend it! The team that has the most flags at the end, if one does, will be the winner, but even that is subjective! This building is your safe house and your base! Defend it and your flag well! Earn us that win!"

    A flare goes up in the center of the playing field, and with that, Fowl, Irina, and Kieran board the bus as us Cadets move on, with Kieran hanging back for a second, immune to people''s perceptions once more. Kieran looks at me.

    "I forgot about the changes," he yawns. "Too sleepy right now to bother remembering. Go get us all the flags. Show them just what the Alzir Branch of the GSDF training groups can do."

    With that, Kieran gets on the bus, which then leaves. I turn around and head inside our group''s base, where Jared is already delegating tasks to the various Squads and individual cadets.

    "The playing field," I approach him. "Is five miles in radius, or ten miles in diameter. They''ve spaced each of the teams at random distances from the border, but kept us relatively equal in distance from our neighbors. If I can get within a mile of a base, I can pinpoint its exact location."

    "What makes you think you can do that?" Jared asks, continuing to look at the map on the table.

    "They never said we couldn''t use magic," I say. "And the instructors know I''m capable with magic."

    "Using magic doesn''t mean you can do that," Owen tells me. "Any sort of divination magic was lost back during the Calamity."

    "Before?" Jared mutters, then snaps his gaze to me. "Just what all do you know?"

    "Enough that we can win," I say. "I''d suggest taking the bag with your name on it."

    "Why?" He asks.

    "It''s lined with a material which make it resistant to Abilities," I inform him. "It also doesn''t work on my passive territory. Look inside it."

    He walks over and opens his bag, then looks over at me.

    "How did you know?" He asks.

    "I told you," I say. "Get me near enough to a flag, and I''ll be able to pinpoint its exact location."

    Jared pulls out some of the items in his bag, which include a new version of his outfit from before he came to basic, which had metal bracelets, bands, collars, hems, and stuff everywhere. It''s an identical outfit to the one before, but this one is fitted to his new size.

    "They''re giving us," I tell him. "What we need to fight at our fullest. That''s why we had a full breakfast and a full night''s sleep. Anyone who had aids they needed or used before starting BT will have them again. This trial is where many advance in rank.

    "The other teams," I pick up my bag and sling it over my shoulder as I remove something. "Will likely split the strong between hunting down other flags and defending their base. The best option for us is to leave our strongest here.

    "There are comms in each bag, front pocket," I clip it to my ear. "Clip them to your ear. We can use them to communicate with others on our team across the entire distance. You can expect them to stop working at some point, as it wouldn''t be a true challenge if we didn''t lose communication at some point and have to adapt and make do with what we have at our disposal. Because of that, it''ll be best if we''re prepared for any circumstance.

    "Which is why," I continue. "I think it''s best if we leave our strongest behind. I can scout for the first day and locate the other flags while everyone rests up here. The first fight will likely take place this evening. If I know the locations and who all we''re dealing with, I can make predictions of how things will play out and which flags will be easiest for us to acquire. Might even be able to predict who will gather flags together, ready for us to steal them.

    "After that''s calculated," I say. "We could send a small force of our weakest members to retrieve flags. The other teams will wear each other out and make it easy for us to take. We''ll use only one strong person for that. Marks, you''re the best for that.

    "For defense," I say. "We''ll move the flag to the roof and keep all of our mid here, in the lower levels, and the rest of the weaker upstairs. The strongest will stay on the roof, acting as snipers up there to try to ''defend'' the interior of the building."

    "Why?" David asks. "And who put you in charge? What the hell? I can''t sense my Ability!"

    "He can disconnect people with their Abilities," Jared states. "Hit me with it a few weeks after we started. I still can''t figure out if it''s part of his Ability or if it''s magic that he knows. Caleb, it''s how you''ll know where the flags are, isn''t it?"

    "I can sense anything within a certain range around me," I shake my head. "It''s-"

    "You have a passive territory, don''t you?" He''s only now realizing that? I thought he already figured it out. "That''s why you read as both a Psychic and a Time! You can hear the thoughts of anyone around you, and that lets you know what''s going to happen!"

    "It''s part of my Ability," I confirm. "But it''s not my Ability. I can''t stop the passive territory, though I am beginning to realize things about I never realized because I''m no longer fighting it."

    "What the hell are you guys talking about?" David asks. "What the hell are Territories?"

    "Territory," Owen steps forward. "Are an Ability Type in the Special-Type Abilities. They''re automatically ranked as S-Class among Specials, which are automatically ranked as S-Rank among Abilities. They have three letters, the last of which denotes their rank among Territories. They''re the most powerful known type of Superhuman there is, though Caleb''s ranking apparently adds on another letter. He is the most powerful Superhuman here, with three S''s in his ranking, along with another letter. Even Kieran is weaker than him, and he was supposedly the most powerful Superhuman in the facility."

    "And that," Jared adds. "Is why he and I are leading this operation. We''re the two strongest cadets here and combined, the two of us truly can take on everyone else. Caleb, why do you want me to stay behind with Marks sent out instead?"

    "That''s simple," I approach the map, scanning it. "You and Owen work well as a team, when you combine your elements. We can only afford to send a single strong person."

    "Why keep the strong people here and send the weak out?" Owen asks.

    "That''s easy," Jared realizes. "They''ll see the weak people out going for a flag with a single strong person, and expect that to be our strongest team. Then, when they get here, they''ll find some slightly stronger people, and realize we left all but our best here to defend the flag. Then they''ll go upstairs and find our weakest ¨C only to realize the flag isn''t there."

    "Then," I say. "They''ll realize that the roof fighters are the ones guarding the flag. Unless they can get onto the roof, they won''t be able to take our flag, and they''ll have already exhausted themselves against more than half our forces, if they make it that far."

    "And once they get up there," Jared slams a fist down onto the table. "They''ll be crushed."

    "You two," I say to Owen and Jared. "I have a separate mission for you initially, but once it''s done and you''re back, stay out of sight. That way, unless they have something that lets them gauge Abilities or people, or know if someone''s there or not, once word gets out that we have an A-Rank and a B-Rank, they''ll be cautious. If they can''t see if you''re here or not, then that will weaken them, mentally. They''ll be unsure."

    "Or if people don''t return," Jared cracks his knuckles. "Why let them run and tell when we can kill and send them to the safe zone?"

    "It''s likely that those in the safe zone would return after awhile," I answer. "So word would get out anyway. And you know my views on that. Kill if you want, but I''d rather you disable or chase off. We''re not going to just come in first ¨C we''re going to take every single flag."

    "You''re insane!" David exclaims. "No one''s going to manage that! Do you have any idea who we''re up against?"

    "Doesn''t matter," I shrug. "We have my Ability''s passive territory, then Jared''s and Owen''s teamwork. No one will get the flag through them and we will find every flag. Our little retrieval team will acquire every flag they hunt. If you guys need me, contact me over the comms. I''m heading out."

    I turn and leave, making my way out of the house.

    <hr>

    <(Kieran)>

    "You were right, Kieran," Fowl says as we observe through the magic screens. Ancient relics even the best of magic researches have yet to figure out how to recreate. The Sage truly was powerful to have made so many of them and for them to still work, over two centuries later. "Caleb asserted control without realizing he was doing it and did so without fear ¨C and Jared let him."

    "Jared acknowledges his might now," I state. "Even if he doesn''t understand it. Now that Jared knows that Caleb is something more powerful than a Territory and that even I acknowledge that, he knows my old friend is truly powerful. What he did with his magic only reinforces this."

    "He also acknowledges that Rivers is special enough to make you talk," Fowl says. "You still haven''t answered our question about aura, by the way. Both you and Caleb showed up here with immense aura ¨C and access to it even though that''s extremely rare. Caleb, at least, imitated it being inactive, unawakened, and fooled us until that day. How did the two of you have access to your auras when you were just little kids?"

    "We have our reasons," I return my focus to the screens in front of us, watching over everyone in the playing field. "Caleb''s hunting down the other flags. He gave himself until the end of the day, but he could probably do it in a few hours even without using his Ability."

    "I can''t believe there''s one alive," Fowl says. "And yet, he said there were three. One''s his Teacher, and one, he wouldn''t tell me."

    "The one who saved our lives," I tell him. "We both heard his trigger and Caleb says it''s not his teacher''s. Oh, those poor boys and girls. They have no idea what they''re in for."This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    "What boys and girls?" Fowl asks.

    "There," I bring one of the screens into focus. "Tell Arianna that one of her teams is about to enter a bloodbath."

    "You can talk to her, you know," he tells me, and I shrug. "Hey, Arianna! Your team''s on their way to intercept a pair of the strongest members of Unit 8, who are seeking a water supply source."

    "Prepared to lose your strongest?" She approaches, watching the screen. "What are their ranks?"

    "Brown hair is Jared Fuller," Fowl informs her. "An A-Rank metal Elemental with no limit on his metals, and gained access to stone during BT, after an encounter with our strongest."

    "And blondie?" She asks. "An electric?"

    "B-Rank," Fowl confirms. Almost all electrics are blonds, even if not all blonds are electrics. "Owen Darxis. He''s no ordinary kid, and when he and Jared team upˇ­ they''ve proven to be quite the formidable combination. I''m glad there are no records of any Elemental with both metal and electricity, as that would be an eternal nightmare. Here comes the battle."

    <hr>

    <(Jared)>

    We discovered after Caleb left that none of us actually had water, so after discussing it with Caleb, he directed us to the nearest source of water and Owen and I set out. I''m pretty sure Caleb had something else in mind, but it was hard to convince him to tell us. Of course, it turns out that that was Caleb''s side mission for Owen and me anyway and he had just forgotten to tell us before he left.

    As powerful as he is, and as much of a thinker as he can be, he sometimes forgets the weirdest things to forget. ''Oh, I had a whole mission for you so we can get essentials like water, but I completely forgot to tell you before I left''. Seriously?

    According to Caleb, there''s a water Elemental in a small scouting party who could sense it and is now leading her party over there. Owen and I decided to get water anyway, and I have to wonder why Caleb didn''t want to tell us.

    "Man, these packs are heavy," Owen complains as we reach the small spring, where the other team is already waiting. "I wouldn''t be surprised to find out that they used some absurd material to make these packs just to make them heavy."

    "Looking for water, boys?" A girl with ocean-blue eyes asks, standing in front of the spring defensively. "Because we''re laying claim to this spring here and if you want it, you''ll have to get through us."

    "And here I was," I look at Owen. "Hoping for a damn easy time."

    The two of us are dressed in the uniforms in the bags, an entirely black ''suit'' and combat boots, our unit number in dark blue on each shoulder, our various weapons strapped to their spots. The girl''s crew all have a dark blue three on their uniforms, which means that they''re of the third-best unit here.

    "Oh!" She laughs. "It''s just Alzir Branch. You know, I heard that they''re so lax there, you guys actually get to sleep in sometimes! Is it true that your night guard is a kid?"

    "Kieran?" I ask. "He''s creepy. You don''t want to be around him, he''s a Special-Type Superhuman, and his gaze alone gives me the shivers."

    I shiver, pretending to be scared.

    "Man!" She laughs. "You Alzir''s really are weaklings!"

    "Your guys aren''t filing their bottles," I say. "If you''re not going to, mind if we do? We''d rather get back to base and-"

    "Hah!" She laughs. "I''m more than enough to take down two from Alzir!"

    "Is that really what you think of us?" I ask. "That you can just take us out? And really? Did you really think that Alzir would let two of its agents go out on its own without some sort of backup?"

    Only a moment of doubt appears on her face, before she laughs.

    "Alzir grads are only good for guards!" She says when she catches her breath. "They-"

    She stops the moment one of her teammates drops to the ground.

    "Don''t travel alone," I tell her. "You were taking too long. Have fun finding our sniper!"

    "You want to, or me?" I ask Owen as their Conjurer summons up a metal staff to fight us with.

    "Do you want to?"

    "It would be really fun," I say as more bullets rain on them, causing them to enter a temporary panic as the girl screams at them to calm down and defend, to take us out. "But you can if you want."

    "How about me first, then you?" He asks. "The Conjurer seems able to block most of the attacks. Oooh ¨C David''s going to be so jealous when he learns this guy not only can do metal weapons, but two at once."

    "Nice shield!" I wave to the Conjurer as his rod cackles with electricity. He yelps, dropping the staff. "What? Was that too shocking?"

    Just as he recovers from Owen''s attack, I shift the metal of the shield to wrap around him, expanding to the point of almost transparent thinness before he release his power over it. The metal object vanishes, which is no fun for me.

    Fortunately, he forgot about his other conjured item.

    "Too late!" I laugh, the staff wrapping itself around his legs, sending him to the ground.

    As he frees himself, Owen fires a shot to his head, making him the third of the ten to disappear.

    "Don''t let any escape," I order the snipers as Owen places a hand on my shoulder. "Ready to try this for real this time?"

    "Of course!" Owen laughs as chaos continues to ensue.

    They''re only now realizing we have more than one firing at them, and the water Elemental summons up the only nearby source of water she knows ¨C the spring ¨C and prepares to use it as a weapon against us.

    "What a waste of water," I say.

    "Indeed," Owen says, and I feel his Ability begin running through me at the same time I run mine through him.

    We take control of the area, every piece of metal charging with electricity as we control them in harmony, melting belt buckles, watches, necklaces, rings, rubble. The clearing fills with our power and in a panic, the girl launches all of the water at us an a frigid spray of water as sharp as ice, a thousand needles flying at us.

    They evaporate before ever reaching us, the girl screaming at us in anger as she and the others all lose their ''lives''. Owen and I release our strike, then collapse to the ground, breathing heavily. Nothing could stop us. We took out a quarter of an entire unit by ourselves. Well, with the aid of chaos, but still. Only one or two others were killed by our team, the rest was all us.

    "Thanks, guys," I say. "Caleb''s other source of water should be secret, now, and Unit 3''s going to be pissed when they find out she destroyed their source of water."

    "Hey, guys?" Caleb''s voice comes over the comes. "Nice Unison Strike. Also ¨C I snagged a flag on my way. No one noticed me take it, either. They really should keep their eyes on their ¨C oh, hey, another flag. Gimme five."

    I thought he was scouting the flags? Is he just taking them as he goes, now? He sounded kind of happy and cheerful as well. Should I be concerned about how much magic he''s using right now?

    The five of us return to base and distribute the water bottles back to their owners, then take up our positions. Caleb doesn''t contact us again and he doesn''t respond when I try to contact him, which is annoying, but he could just be busy. I hope he''s busy.

    I will be pissed if he''s just ignoring me.

    "Hey, Jared," Caleb snaps me from me thoughts around what I think is nine at night.

    It''s hard to tell the time, though there''s enough light for me to see the boy standing in front of me.

    "I''ve been trying to contact you for the last several hours."

    "I was grabbing flags," he opens up his backpack and pulls out seven flags. "Sorry."

    Did he seriously snatch all of the flags?

    "If they waited until we got home," he says. "We''d be done now. I can see why they''re making us wait, this was easy. I''m going out and causing a little confusion. Bye."

    He leaves again, and I''m left wondering if he''ll be assigned a team. He seems to work best when alone, seeing as he retrieved all seven of the other flags without once calling for help, and he likely did it without hurting a single person.

    Probably wove magic to make himself invisible, just like he did the day we first met. That spell is probably far more powerful now than it was when we first met, now that he''s getting past the things events from him past that make him hesitant with his abilities.

    The night is uneventful and we see our first attackers at our base early in the morning. They''re a group from Unit 5, and as soon as they see our guys down low, they laugh, taunt us, and call us weaklings and wusses.

    They ''mercifully'' let our guys live, only to get frustrated when they find out we put the flag on the roof, where we can shoot down at them as they attempt to get up here. They don''t make it up here, and after losing three of their ten, they make a ''tactical retreat''.

    They return four hours later with the entire remainder of their Unit, ready to lay siege to us. They have no need to leave anyone at their base when there''s no flag to defend there.

    Owen and I merge our Abilities once again, and when we do, we set the entire street they''re marching down into our control, turning it into an electrical nightmare with rebar and steel beams forming an inescapable prison. Inescapable, until they die and are transported to the safe zone.

    The rest of the challenge goes without much incident, with no one reaching our roof, but all of them calling us weak and cowards.

    That is, until the last day of it. The final twelve hours, we start seeing people that Owen and I took out. Caleb was right that they were going to bring them back into here. We lost our comm access sometime during the night as well ¨C another point Caleb was right on.

    He''s far more dangerous than he comes off. I definitely want him as my ally.

    How far out can you sense metal?

    "Caleb?"

    I can hear your thoughts, you just need to think it.

    About six hundred yards, maybe?

    Do you sense any in a distance from you? Roughly north of where you''re at and slightly to the east? In that massive building that''s somehow still standing?

    Yeah, why?

    Sniper. There are four of them. They plan on taking you and Owen out.

    Can''t you deal with them?

    All at once, if I activated my Ability, but I''m not going to do that. I still can''t use it, not without fear. I can take out one, maybe two, before everyone is in position.

    What about with your magic? Can''t you fly or something?

    Teacher won''t teach me how to fly and I haven''t managed to figure it out. It''s annoying. He''s going to teach it to me during the rest period after BT ends. Take out that sniper and the one to his east.

    "Got it," I say, focusing on the weak trace of metal I can sense in the spot Caleb directed me to.

    "Out!" The word vibrates on his metal a moment before I manage to kill him.

    "Crap!" I exclaim, shoving Owen down. A moment later, simmunition slams into the roof there. "Shield me!"

    Owen nods and I focus on the other sniper. Only one shot, which means that Caleb''s probably taken the other two out. That, or took one out and is occupying the other.

    "They''ve taken out the snipers!" Someone yells, their voice vibrating the metal around them. "We need to act! Now! That pairing can''t take out more than a street at once! They have a sneak! That''s how they got the flags! Remember ¨C do not overlook even the slightest thing! That sneak could have killed us when he stole the flags!"

    Except Caleb wants to avoid fighting when possible.

    "Everyone, be ready for something really, really big," Caleb''s voice comes over our comms. "When it comes, don''t be scared, just fight on. They think we can only take out one road by ourselves. I will activate this the moment Owen and Jared pick their target."

    He says that, then every street surrounding our base fills with people, other cadets storming our base. Did every other unit join together to challenge us?

    Owen and I focus on the largest force, the one with all of their most powerful. They grouped together, believing they can withstand anything.

    <hr>

    <Caleb)>

    "Deep breaths, Caleb," I tell myself my eyes closed and head tilted down. "You can do this. No magic, just Ability. You can do this. You can use it. No one will die ¨C not for real. Teacher arranged this place using a power similar to it centuries ago and no one''s died in it. You can do this, Caleb, you can do this."

    Owen and Jared combine their Abilities into a Unison Strike once more, and the street with the strongest of the attackers becomes a "deadly" prison.

    "No one will die," I take a deep breath as I try to reassure myself. "No one will perish. Teacher''s power will ensure that. You can do this. You can do it."

    I take another deep breath, this one long and slow, then exhale it just as slowly.

    "This is my Reality now," I snap my head up and open my eyes, feeling my power flex, filling the space around me as the Ability rapidly expands, overtaking the entire battlefield, stopping at its edges, just as I desired. "It worked."

    <hr>

    <(Kieran)>

    "What the hell?" One of the other instructors gasps. "What just happened? Why can''t anyone leave the streets? What''s going on?"

    "They can," I tell her. "But only one at a time, and probably with a ridiculously long wait time between exits. This is just a small fraction of the power of Alzir Branch''s strongest Gifted. He is a Creator, capable of forming his own Reality Marble. I was expecting him to make golems with his magic as he''s pretty fond of using them, but to actually use his Gift? He''s finally getting over his fears. He''s changed his trigger, too."

    "Trigger?" She looks at me. "What do you mean?"

    "All those with a Territory or Creator Gift," I explain, shifting Caleb''s image on the screen into focus. "Use a ''trigger''. They''re not required to say it, they just do for effect. Notice his eyes ¨C that''s unique to Creators themselves."

    His irises glow gold with three concentric circles, the middle one connected to the outer one with a line between the two at the top and to the inner one with a line at the bottom.

    "If you ever see a Creator with their eyes like that," I say. "Then you know they''re using their Gift. Caleb''s likely only created the rule about the streets, though he can create far more differences with far greater deviations from reality than that. He''s still scared of truly using his-oh, there are the golems."

    Golems twenty feet in height and formed from asphalt rise from the streets and march through the Gifted, who focus their attacks on them while forgetting about the siege they were laying.

    I knew Caleb would use them.

    Caleb initiated another deviation. I should have expected it. His allies cannot take wounds from this fight. At all. No one can kill a Unit 8 member. It''s also likely he''s replacing their spent energy with his own as he could fuel them for hours without issue.

    Slowly, the safe zone fills with ''killed'' cadets as Caleb''s golems, his reality, and his unit slowly wear them out and end them.

    The most powerful Gift to ever enter any of the training branches, no doubt. His unit would all were it not for him, by they would still likely take first overall for this session. Their defenses, for now, are flawed, but against their foe, it is flawless.

    The battle ends after about two hours, but only because Unit 8 killed every last opponent.

    "I believe," Fowl says. "This means that unit 8 has won the battle. And they did it with all eight flags, too."

    "You didn''t tell us you had a trump card like that," Arianna says. "You didn''t even tell us what Caleb''s Ability was."

    "Because I hadn''t confirmed it," Fowl states. "All he''d told me was that his Ability was ranked with four letters. He''s refused to use it. Much like Kieran here, he survived the Alkran City Massacre, and he believes he''s at fault, simply because people died when he used his Ability. I have to wonder what changed in this fight, what caused him to use his Ability here."

    "Me," a voice says, and we turn to find a teen who looks like an older version of Caleb, but only by a few years. He radiates power, and it sends a whisper of fear down my spine. Just what is he? "The spell that surrounds this playing field is of my own creation, and Caleb felt comfortable in knowing that, as he knew that the aspect that prevented anyone from dying truly would prevent it. That allowed him to use his Ability. He also swore that if he couldn''t use it here, then he''d quit training altogether. Don''t expect him to use it again anytime soon."

    "Who are you?" Fowl asks.

    "I am the one Caleb calls ''Teacher''," the teen answers. "Though I am known by many names. I felt Caleb''s Ability flex here and had to investigate since this was the second time in just a few months he''d used it, though last time, it felt out of fear. I confirmed through my familiar that it was just Kieran harassing him."

    "I was just trying-"

    "I know what you were attempting," the teen looks at me calmly. "And I''m not a teen, seeing as I''m far older than anyone in this room. Even Caleb doesn''t know how old I am other than that I predate the Calamity."

    "That''s how he can make golems, isn''t it?" One of the instructors, a woman, asks. I don''t know her name. Betty or something. Bethany? "You know forgotten magics?"

    "He actually figured that one out on his own," the magician responds. "And it''s Brenda."

    "Huh?" She asks.

    "Kieran was trying to remember your name for a moment," the magician tells her. "He doesn''t commit them to memory unless he thinks you''re important, and he didn''t think you were important."

    "That''s offensive."

    "You''d find anything offensive," the magician says, then turns his gaze to me. "Tell Caleb that I''ll see him in the rest period once BT is over, to answer his question and teach him the spell he''s been wanting to learn. And tell him to remember this battle, too. It will benefit him in awakening his true power to do so. Anyway, I must be off, I was simply in the area while hunting something down."

    The magician vanishes and everyone is left wondering what the hell just happened.

    His power and smell, his perception ¨C it all read of Caleb, to me. Their Abilities are very, very close, and so too are their magics and auras. There''s something odd about the two of them.

    "His aura," Irina speaks up. "Matches Rivers''s almost exactly. Three solid colors, each taking up a third of it, perfectly harmonized with the rest."

    <hr>

    <(Caleb)>

    "What the hell was that?" Jared laughs as he claps me on my back. "Golems? Seriously? That''s powerful! And forgotten magics, too! And then that little trick with the streets ¨C how did you keep them from exiting? What kind of magic was that?"

    "Part of my Ability," I answer. "It''s a little complicated to explain."

    "Whatever it was," he laughs. "It''s damn awesome. Man, I would kill for an Ability that can do that!"

    "Don''t say that," I pull away from him. "Not even to joke. The last time I used my Ability, a lot of cadets could have died. The time before that, there were four hundred daushar attacking my friends and family and a lot of people did die. I couldn''t do anything about it, I couldn''t stop it. I used my Ability and they all died anyway because I couldn''t stop it. I couldn''t stop it."

    I feel myself breaking down as realization hits me.

    My Ability didn''t kill them. It failed to save them. Back then, I was powerless, hopeless. Then a few weeks ago, I reacted out of fear, just like back then. It worked, but they still came close to death. Just recently, I only used my Ability because I could feel Teacher''s presence in the magic, because that comforted me and made me know no one was at risk of dying.

    I''m weak. I''m stupid and pathetic and weak.

    This whole thing was a bad idea. I should just quit training anyway.

    "Caleb? Caleb, are you okay?" Jared asks as the world spins around me. "Caleb!"

    My vision turns black, and I hear a voice in my head. A familiar voice I''ve been longing for.

    Caleb.

    "Moon?" I ask.

    Yes. I''ve managed to establish a link, but I''m not sure how long it will last. I was able to grip on to you when you used your Ability. I didn''t want to disrupt your training even though it wasted a great deal of time I had for this. Now, we can talk, but we might only have a few minutes.

    "Why did you abandon me?"

    I didn''t abandon you. I am the moon you see at night, but I also possess a physical body that can interact with your world. I am what is called a Domain Deity. We exist everywhere, and I am one of the most powerful on Earth.

    I was trapped and now rest in a prison. The Sun is facing a similar threat, and the Earth is also in danger. Someone is attempting to begin a second Great Calamity and the Sage might not be able to stop it this time.

    "Is the Sage even still alive?"

    He is the man you call ''Teacher''. He is ancient and powerful, but even he has his limits. He''s busy trying to hunt down and slay certain beasts, as well as reseal beings that are awakening, beings he thought secure in their prisons.

    We need you, but not now. You''re not ready, and we''ve got time. At the least, three years, by my calculations.

    "Before the next Great Calamity?"

    Before its first stages, yes. Finish your training, form a powerful team. When your two years of training are up, take your team to Mount Norvara ¨C that is where I am being held. In two years, you will be powerful enough to rescue me.

    "What about Teacher?" I ask. "Couldn''t he rescue you?"

    Yes, but it is a process that takes time and right now, the Sage is occupied with other matters. If he is able, I will attempt to contact him. The issue, however, is that he hasn''t awakened his bloodline, he hasn''t even come close to it. You are near it and by the time you finish your training, I''m sure you''ll have done it.

    "My bloodline?" I ask. "What do you mean by that?"

    An ancient and powerful race flows through your blood. Many possess it. If you were to ask Irina what the green in the auras she reads mean, she''d tell you that she has no clue. It is a sign of a particular type of bloodline. You have it, the Sage has it, Jared has it, Kieran has it, Owen has it. There are many who have it, but at the same time, few do. When you awaken it, you''ll know what it is. Please act in wisdom, Caleb, and do not rush to me the first chance you get. You will be killed. Get stronger and in two years, bring your team to Mount Norvara. The connection is weakening ¨C if I can contact you again, I will.

    His presence fades from my mind, and I wake, looking around the medical room of the training branch.

    Or at least, I try to. Pain pierces my skull and stomach. That was far more of my power than I was prepared for and I sustained it far longer than I expected to sustain it. They held out well against my golems and our unit.

    "Easy there, Caleb," someone says as I groan. "That was a lot of power you used, and for someone who hasn''t intentionally used his Gift for that long or that strongly in quite a long time, you''re probably in pain and hungry."

    "Food," I moan from the pain.

    "By your bed," Kieran informs me as I slowly sit up and start eating. "You''ve been out for about twelve hours. Alzir Branch was declared the winner, since as we took on almost three hundred other cadets and still won, though mostly due to your little restriction there. One exit for every half hour per street? Why stop there?"

    "Wasn''t sure how restricted I could make it," I tell him. "What''s happened since?"

    "We all came back here," he answers. "And most everyone is resting. Fowl''s keeping to his word about giving you all a day of rest and a special treat ¨C there''s going to be a small party this afternoon that no one''s going to know about. I mean, you are, but there''s no point hiding it when you''ll just hear it in their thoughts. Jared''s actually saying nice things about you."

    "They ordered pizza?" I ask him in surprise.

    "Did someone just think about that?" Kieran asks.

    "Fowl was wondering if he ordered enough," I nod. "He''s calling them up to add to the order. So Alzir actually won. That''s nice. My head hurts like hell, though."

    "More food will be brought in," he tells me as he does something on his phone. I think he sent a text to request more food for me. "I can''t believe you actually sustained it for two hours, you''d only ever managed an hour before, and that was in a Reality far smaller than five miles across. Then again, you''re stronger now and had fewer adjustments, even if they were pretty extreme, when you think about them."

    Yeah, I guess they were. I just wanted to make sure no one on my team would get hurt. I couldn''t stand the thought of losing someone again.

    Tomorrow''s going to be fun. Training will resume, and it sounds like we''re going to get pushed as hard as ever ¨C and then some.

 Chapter 007

    <(Jared)>

    Today is the day. The final day of basic training and the day we are all given the test to determine whether or not we pass it. At 0700, the forty of us are rested, fed, and waiting in our rows behind the facility. Colonel Fowl greets us, then orders us to follow him.

    We walk for almost an hour on a trail we have been forbidden from entering so far, and it leads us to another concrete building, this one without any glass in the windows but many signs of battle on it. Gouges in the walls, burns, pits, holes, and more.

    The instructors all await us here, though four are missing, likely inside the building.

    "Inside of here!" Colonel Fowl speaks up after we have stood in our lines once more for ten minutes, allowing us time to rest from the walk. "Are four instructors, each of whom wears an amulet! The test is the same at every facility! Your goal is to claim at least one of the amulets or defeat one of the instructors! If you pass this test, you will graduate! The only difference that happens between sessions and facilities are the instructors ¨C but all instructors are S-Rank Superhumans! You will enter the order you were ranked at first! Cadet Fuller! You''re up!"

    I enter the facility and seek out one of the Colonels. I locate Sparks in the kitchen on the first floor, and immediately take control over the metal legs of the tables and benches. The moment I connect to them, however, she does something with her electricity. All I know is that electricity travels to me through the connection to the metal, and I black out.

    Waking up, I realize that I''m in the field outside. Damn. Lost almost immediately. How could they expect us to win against S-Rank Superhumans?

    Looking around, I realize that three others have already gone in and failed the test and a fifth person is currently attempting the test. A minute later, Irina carries him out, setting him down with us before returning inside. One minute later, Fowl calls for the next to enter.

    Cadet by cadet, everyone goes in, then loses. The only cadet who does not look fazed in the slightest by this is Caleb. Of course he isn''t ¨C he can probably take them on with his Ability. Not only that, but he could probably even best them and take their amulets.

    How did the cadets in the past pass, though? It''s impossible to claim an amulet from the instructors, they''re too powerful for us.

    Unlessˇ­ that''s not the real test.

    Caleb. Can you hear me?

    Of course.

    You know what the test really is, don''t you?

    I do. Fowl thinks our group will do what all the other groups have always done. Apparently, all groups have passed through the same method.

    Wait for the instructors to come out, then fight?

    Indeed. He thinks he''s figured out how to block my mind-reading. They all have, as they''re trained against it. They don''t fully understand my power even if they know what it is.

    So they''re going to wait for this to end, then come out and wait for us to realize that the amulets are still on them and work as a team to claim them. That''s what they''re thinking we''ll do, right?

    Right. I could probably take all of the amulets myself, but I''ve never had to fight so much at once that it would be tricky, even with my Ability. Figuring out the exact adjustments to make would be a pain.

    But this is actually a team test, we''re not being tested individually.

    Correct. You''ve already noticed the lack of real instructions. He never did say we are going to be tested individually.

    What do you think of this plan?

    I tell him my idea and he listens, giving me a few adjustments as we talk. Only eight more cadets are left by the time we finish, then he sets it into action.

    "Okay, everyone!" I clap my hands, and the other cadets look at me. "Change of plans! The real test isn''t grabbing the amulets ¨C it''s the teamwork we all display together and how we display it. They never said we had to try for the amulets alone, and the units always wait until the end, when the instructors are out and near the cadets, to go after them. The units never realize that the instructors are waiting for it.

    "We''re not going to do that," I continue. "We''re going to-"

    "Hold up!" Owen holds his hands up. "What about the instructors? Fowl can hear us, you know!"

    "He can''t," Caleb speaks up, indicating where Fowl was, and everyone stares at his glowing eyes instead of where he''s indicating.

    Kieran and I were talking after the simulated battle and he told me about the linked concentric circles. Seeing them in-person intimidates me, though. With them, Caleb appears to just radiate power.

    "Caleb''s created," I tell the others. "A reality bubble on a much smaller scale than he did at the battle. This one just encompasses the building and this field. The instructors are trapped inside of it and they believe that they''re facing us as normal. Caleb''s stretching time in there ¨C they''re moving far slower than we are and are completely unaware of it. Their amulets are stuck here, in the real reality. He made a restriction so that amulets cannot be within it.

    "One by one," I continue. "Caleb''s going to release an instructor back to this realm, once all the amulets are out of the building. They''ll be momentarily disoriented, but these are Colonels of the GSDF ¨C they''ll recover fast. We need to act before they arrive. The two of us came up with the perfect team for each group. He''s going to time everything so that the battle happens when a cadet goes in. The fake cadet will return through a fake instructor. Once we''ve taken down all four instructors, Caleb will release the reality marble, bringing the others back here.

    "For the fights," I continue. "We''ve created what we believe to be the optimal teams for each instructor. To be completely ready for this, however, we have to move some stuff around in the building."

    Caleb and I tell everyone who they will fight with and who they will be fighting, as well as where. All of the amulets are gathered up and given to Caleb, and I move back to the cafeteria, where everything that is not metal has been removed, and where the room itself has been filled with metal items from the building.

    My team is smaller than the others, consisting of just Owen and myself. The other stronger Superhumans were needed for the other three groups, and Caleb feels that with another Unison Strike, Owen and I can win this one without me being blacked out by Sparks'' electricity.

    We are the last group to fight and so have to wait almost an hour for the other teams to finish. From what I can hear of the other cadets, it was tough.

    You two ready?

    "Ready!" Owen and I speak at the same time.

    Incoming in fiveˇ­ fourˇ­ threeˇ­

    Owen and I grab hands, as much as it makes us uncomfortable, and unite our Abilities, taking charge of every piece of metal and electricity in this room.

    We need to take her down immediately.

    Sparks reacts the moment she appears, but it''s too late. Owen and I have taken over the room itself and she''s unconscious almost immediately.

    "That," I say as we release the Unison Strike. "Was actually pretty anticlimatic."

    "Maybe," Owen says as rope appears in the air in front of us, and I snatch it out of the air. "But it defeated her. No one''s ever managed to actually take the amulets or take down an instructor, Caleb said. We''ve taken four amulets and taken down four instructors. This particular group of cadets is going down in history, even more so than for the mock battle."

    Owen and I tie Sparks to the chair Caleb sends us, then some of the other cadets help us carry her to the field, setting her at the end of the row with the other captured instructors.

    Then, we all straighten up our uniforms and Caleb mends them with his magic, then we all form up with one exception ¨C Caleb and myself. We stand at the front of the cadets. Instead of leaving two holes, the cadets formed eight rows of six behind us, standing in our true ranking order.

    Caleb allows us to view the reality marble he''s created, and Fowl calls ''next'' for the last person to come in. The fake Caleb approaches Fowl, who is only a couple of feet in front of the captured instructors.

    "In the building!" Fowl orders Caleb, when he stops walking in front of him.

    "Sorry," Caleb smiles. "But remember ¨C when dealing with a Creator, you can never trust the reality around you."

    "What?" Fowl looks confused, and the fake Caleb ¨C and the fake cadets ¨C vanish as Caleb releases the reality marble. Fowl jumps as he and the other instructors face a sudden surrounding shift, from exhausted and battered cadets to a perfectly formed group, heads held up without a trace of exhaustion. "What the hell?"

    "Look behind you," Caleb instructs the instructor, who is gazing at the four amulets hanging around the most powerful cadet''s neck. "I never needed to set foot inside the building."

    "He managed to fool even me," Kieran appears beside Fowl, looking at Caleb in shock. "I saw what he was showing in his fake Reality!"

    Fowl looks at Caleb, then at me, then to the rest of the cadets. He gives a slight nod.

    "The others are not going to believe me when I tell them," he smiles. "Congratulations, cadets. You have proven yourselves not just as individuals, but as a team. Congratulations, Privates."

    Fowl looks at all of us, then slowly begins clapping.

    The other instructors present clap as the captured ones begin to wake up. We gagged them, just in case, and from Sparks'' muffles, I think it''s a good idea. Pretty sure she''s cursing Owen and me.

    We have free time for the rest of the day and we all use it to relax. The instructors finally calmed down after an hour, but I''m not sure if they were ever released or not. Caleb apparently used his magic on their binds and made them entirely immune to Abilitiesˇ­ or removal.

    When morning comes, we''re put on a bus and taken to an airfield, where we board a state-of-the-art airship. With cozy seats and fine foods, we can all rest and relax in luxuryˇ­ even if only for a few hours. Most of the other Privates actually sleep, though I locate Caleb on the deck. He''s crazy, being on it so high up.

    Then again, so am I for actually looking for him up here.

    I approach from behind, and he doesn''t react to my presence. At first, he stands as still as a statue, and as I look at him, I realize that he probably feels at home up here. I''m not sure why, but he looks like a creature of the sky.

    "So you can create alternate realities," I say. "Anything else you can do that you haven''t shared with us?"

    "Quite a lot," he responds without taking his eyes off of the clouds. "You know that after we land, we''ll be thrown into the rest of training. I mean, we''ll have the two weeks of a small break to allows us time to recuperate from basic, the harshest and most grueling part of our training, but that''s not what I''m thinking about."

    "The threat to us," I lean against the railing, looking out across the deck. "There will be a small army waiting for us to arrive so that we can be arrested. They plan on using magic-binding weapons. Illegal except in some cases, and deemed necessary to capture you by the Council of Dreams. Can you defend against them?"

    "Some," he nods. "But not all of them. Teacher never liked the topic of them and while he''d train me against them, the only way to truly do it was to use them on me and he didn''t want to do that."

    We fall silent, and after a few minutes, I ask him another question.

    "Can I ask you something a little personal?"

    "Why Kieran and I had access to our auras when we were little?" He asks, and I nod. "It was a school we went to, all of us were around the same age. They taught us how to use auras when we started there at five. We all lived there as well, all of us orphans. Kieran was from the first class of students there. We saw him and his brother, John, as older brothers. Some of us had Abilities, but most were just regular kids as far as I''m aware. They wanted us to be ready for the increasingly dangerous world. Before we were old enough to really defend ourselves, the city was invaded."

    Caleb sighs, losing himself into thought. He''s probably thinking about all of the friends he lost. His family, as he considers them.

    Aura isn''t usually taught to kids because their minds aren''t stable enough for it yet. This school took a huge risk and there''s no way they managed to keep all of the kids alive through the process and training. They must have come up with excuses for why some of the youth stopped showing up.

    There was definitely something dark behind it, seeing as the Council would never allow a place like that to exist. They had to be careful, yet they also picked one of the largest cities in the world to make it their home. Why?

    Dismissing that from my head, I''m reminded that it''s gone now and that only two ¨C now three ¨C people who know of it are alive. I highly doubt anyone outside did, as it would have been too great of a risk to have anyone outside of the building aware.

    It was only around for two years. If another one had been started after that one fell, the Council would have known by now.

    Returning to regulated air instead of the oxygen-thin air of the deck, I try to get a few hours of sleep before we arrive at the main training facility, which stretches several square miles and includes a forest and a lake, along with over forty buildings, excluding the barracks.

    As we step off of the airship, I''m greeted to the sight of a group of soldiers protecting a single man: Father. Definitely not the force we were threatened with.

    I approach warily, ready for attack, but Caleb sends me a quick thought saying that something''s different and that I don''t need to be tense.

    "Hello, Father," I greet my father.

    "Jared," Father says. "A mysterious being approached the Council a week ago. He claimed to be the Sage. When your mother protested against that, claiming the Sage was dead, he severed her link to her Ability, freeing me."

    Severed her link? Similar to what Caleb did back when he disconnected me from mine?

    "He said that she will never be able to use it again," Father continues. "And she went on the run shortly after. The warrants have been rescinded, so you need not worry any more. We do believe she''s going to hunt down Taylor, however, so I ask that if you or your friend know where he''s at, please tell me now."

    "I don''t," Caleb says from beside me. "The golem is no longer part of my magic, I created him to be a true golem. He lives on his own and is an actual living creature. I can attempt to track him down, but it could take a long time. What did the Sage look like?"

    "Not sure," Father answers. "He wore a dark blue cloak with gold trim, a golden clasp on the front shaped like the insignia on the back. His hood was over his head."

    "What did the insignia look like?" Caleb asks.

    "A star with thirteen points," Father answers. "That was it, and nothing else."

    "Teacher," Caleb mutters. "So you do have a connection to the Sage."

    "You know the symbol?" I look at Caleb.

    "Yeah," he nods. "Whenever Teacher''s going someplace cold when he leaves me, he creates a navy blue jacket with a golden star on it, the star with thirteen points. He and the Sage use the same insignia."

    "What does it represent?" I ask. "He ever tell you?"

    "No," Caleb answers. "But I do know what it represents ¨C the thirteen aspects of existence. I knew the Sage was still alive."

    That last part was muttered, and I don''t think he realizes he did it.

    "I should let you get to the tour," Father gives Caleb a curious glance before looking back to me. "We''ll have time to make amends later. You two, have a good day."

    Father and his guards leave and we rejoin the rest of the cadets arriving, They''re all looking at me with wide eyes. Had no clue I was related to a member of the Council of Dreams, did you?

    Knock off the cockiness.

    Get out of my head, Caleb.

    Do you think I want to be in your head?

    Dammit. I forgot he doesn''t really have a choice. Immediately, I start thinking of cooked spinach and he glares at me. I give him a wave, and he rolls his eyes, then faces the front again.

    It''s so easy to forget that he''s always in our heads, up until he goes and says something to us. It then feels creepy and intruding and invasive.

    The different training branches are split up as we arrive, then the groups are split up again. These smaller groups are then given tours by other cadets. By the end of the day, we''re all tired and ready to sleep, making our way to the barracks and claiming our bunks.

    Caleb claims the one I was going for and I think he did it on purpose. I shoot him an image of cooked spinach on top of what looks like a pile of dog poop.

    This goes two ways, Caleb.

    Indeed.

    The next thing I know, I''m assaulted by some of the nastiest things I''ve ever seen. Rotting food, grimy socks, dirty alleyways, and so much more disgusting things that I do not wish to ever speak of again.

    "I yield!" I yell. "I yield!"

    Only four cadets from our branch are in this room, which houses forty cadets. The others are staring at me, confused as hell, and the other two do their best not to laugh.

    "Teach you to do that again," Caleb giggles.

    "For those who aren''t aware," I announce to the room. "Caleb is always in your head if you''re near him. Always. He can''t help it. Don''tˇ­ try abusing that. The connection''s two-way and he''s seen things I never want to speak of. Apparently."

    That, and sights I don''t ever want to see. He went mischievous with that but if he ever turned dark, it would be quite the nightmare. I can''t imagine what he went through in Alkran, but I do know that what he saw would probably make the strongest of men freeze in absolute terror.

    "There''s someone on this bunk," someone says, and I look at the bunk under Caleb. There''s no one there. "They just hit me!"

    "Caleb," I look at him. "Can you see them?"

    "Of course I can," Caleb grunts. "And besides, it''s just Kieran."

    "Kieran''s not a recruit," I remind him. "He''s not in training. Why is he on the bunk under yours?"

    "He decided to be a part of my team."

    "We don''t get to pick who we''ll be on teams with," I remind him. "We''ll be assigned to different training exercises and missions with varying people, and they''ll figure out who we work well with, what Abilities compliment us the best, and then when we finish, assign us a squad and a designation, if we choose to continue to work for the GSDF."

    "You want to separate Kieran from me?" Caleb looks over at me.

    "On second thought," I say. "An S-A Superhuman Colonel can probably pick whatever team he wants to be on."

    "S-A Superhuman Colonel?" Someone asks. "Kieran''s a Colonel?"

    "He''s the night guard for the Alzir Training Branch," I tell him.

    "Former," Caleb says, which I guess makes sense seeing as he''s here instead of there.

    "Former night guard," I correct myself. "If Kieran''s on your team, then I''m on your team, too. I think we make a good team."

    "You don''t think very much."

    "Are you calling me stupid?"

    "If the hat fits."

    "What''s your Ability?" A kid with dark red hair and crimson eyes asks me.

    Not orange hair, like most redheads, but actual red hair. It''s almost the color of blood. He''s dressed in black and red, yet I don''t sense darkness in his eyes ¨C just pure energy and excitement.

    "Elemental," I answer, climbing onto the bunk beside Caleb''s. "Metal, some stone. A-Rank."

    "Damn!" He grins at me. "I''m Flame, and I''m an Elemental, too! I do Fire, though. So what''s Mr. Invisible''s Ability? Light? That doesn''t explain two letters."

    "Perception," I answer.

    "That does, though," he grins at me. "That''s so cool."

    "And light and shadows," I add, and he frowns. "Don''t try sorting it out, it''s a huge mess none of us are sure of how to explain."If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    "What''s your Ability?" Flame asks Caleb as I realize something.

    Kieran''s wrapped himself in his perception filter yet isn''t having the usual effect on us. I wasn''t aware he was here until Caleb mentioned it. So he can do it without making people uneasy.

    I made him swear not to do that if he''s going to stick with me.

    "Ah," I say to Caleb.

    "Huh?" Flame looks at me. "Oh, right! You were talking to him, weren''t you? So you''re a Psychic, Caleb? That''s so cool! What am I thinking about right now? Whoa! That''s so cool! Where''s that waterfall at? Never heard of it! So I''m your guys'' age, right? I''m also a twin, and my brother''s an Elemental, too. We''re all Elementals, just like our father, who could do minor shifts with stone! But see, my brothers and I ¨C we don''t follow the thing where siblings who are of the same type of Superhuman as their father are the same Class as each other commonality! I''m fire, Brooks is water, Cliff is stone, and Gale is air! We''re the Elemental Quartet! They all already went through BT, but I kind of got kicked out the first time around so I had to go through it again! I''m B-Rank! I got caught up in that Unison Strike during the simulated city battle! It was so cool! Brooks and I did a Unison Strike once and it was awesome! He was all ''I''m so exhausted'' after it, but I was just like ''look at what we did, Brooks!'' He thought I was too excited over a bunch of steam but it was a whole lot more than that."

    Does this kid ever shut up?

    Just as I think that, a jet of water slams into Flame and he''s thrown into the wall. I look over to see a boy with blue hair and eyes not far from us, looking rather amused. He''s dressed in blue and silver. Beside him are a younger boy with white hair and yellow eyes, dressed in white and yellow, and a slightly-older boy with with brown hair and eyes, dressed in all-brown.

    Elementals don''t usually actually match their elements, except in the case of those with energy manipulation. They must be from one of the families where people tend to have odd hair and eye colors, and it manifested for them by matching their elements.

    "That was cool!" Flame scrambles back to his feet. Gale is probably around ten or eleven, and Cliff is probably around fourteen. "Hey, Brooks! Look! I passed this time!"

    "B-Rank, my ass," Brooks says. "We''re B-Rank. You''re A-Rank."

    "Only when I want to be!" Flame exclaims. "Look! My new bunkmate! His name''s Jared and he''s an A-Rank Elemental who can manipulate metals! Oh! What kind of metals can you manipulate? We can be a killer team!"

    "No restrictions," I answer. "I can manipulate any metal, and I already have someone I can Unison Strike with. The fact that you can do it is amazing, especially with someone with a conflicting element."

    Unison Strike is a powerful merging of Abilities between two Superhumans and finding someone one can do it with is incredibly rare. It also takes a lot of trust in that person and a deep bond that will be difficult to break. Owen and I somehow forged a bond of friendship like that, but for this hyperactive kid? It also takes a steady, calm mind and supporting Abilities. How could they merge fire and water together?

    "It''s quite easy, actually," Caleb tells me, then looks at Flame. "I''m not a psychic, I''m a special type of Territory."

    "Never heard of it!" Flame informs him.

    "I have," Cliff looks at his brother. "Territories are people who can claim the area around them as their own, taking control over its environments. Powerful ones can read the thoughts of those within, and even see everything within that territory, not just sense it. It allows them to imitate being a Psychic or a Time who can see a few moments into the future. I''ve never heard of special types of them before, though."

    "It''s complicated," Caleb lies down on his bed and stares at the ceiling. "I''m going to try to get some sleep."

    Flame opens his mouth.

    "Caleb''s the one who created the golems," I tell him.

    Flame''s eyes widen, and he quickly covers his mouth and hurries out of the room, his brothers staring at me in confusion.

    "Golems?" Cliff asks.

    "I''ll explain out of the room," I slide off the bed, then look around to the cadets still picking beds. "That''s my bunk."

    "I''ll protect it," Caleb mumbles. "Now shoo."

    <hr>

    <(Caleb)>

    Even though we''re in a rest period, we can take on official jobs, now that we''re agents of the GSDF. There''s a building just for that, with a counter where we can collect rewards (and our monthly pay), as well as walls filled with jobs we can take on. We can only take on jobs of our Ability Rank or lower, though.

    I really doubt there are any jobs my Rank on the board.

    Finding one I like, I walk up to the counter and inform the clerk which one I would like to take.

    "Are you sure about that?" She asks.

    "I am," I answer.

    "That''s an A-Rank job," she tells me. "I haven''t seen you before, and you look like you''re new. You just came from the groups yesterday. Fresh out of training? I''ll need to verify you before I can authorize a mission this hard. Rare is one who can take on even a D-Rank when they come out."

    "Verify me?"

    "I need to not just see your ID for the job," she says. "But run it in our system."

    "My ID?"

    "The card with your picture and Ability Ranking on it?" She says. "You should have received it yesterday."

    "Oh, that," I say. "I left it in the room."

    "You''ll need it to take on a job," she says.

    "Okay," I summon it with my magic, and she stares at me. "What? It''s just simple magic."

    "How did you do that?"

    "Magic," I hand her the ID. "It''s easier than walking the twenty minutes back to the barracks we got stuck in."

    She checks my ID, then gives me a rude look.

    "Do you really think a fake ID will get you anywhere?" She asks. "There isn''t even such a Rank."

    Oh, that''s why she thinks I''m faking it.

    "There is," I tell her. "Just scan the ID. There''s exactly one Ability Class that can be assigned four letters. I have it. As far as I''m aware, there are only three who possess this Ability. If you really think a D-Rank is a stretch ¨C which it usually is ¨C then you''ll be in for a surprise when you realize that this particular batch of recruits comes in for jobs. There''s an S-A who''s not actually a trainee but is here anyway, an A-Rank, and a B-Rank, and those are just the ones from my branch. A couple of C-Ranks as well. Judging by all of the ones I could sense, I''d say there are a total of three A-Ranks, eight B-Ranks, and twenty-one C-Ranks among the newest batch of recruits. Almost an entire Unit, when you think about it. Ever had a count that high before?"

    She scans my ID, then frowns, then scans it again, then has one of the other clerks scan it, then they call in a manager. Is it really so hard to believe that my ID is real? I mean, sure, I max out Ability Rankings, but is it really so hard to believe that a child could be this powerful?

    I can alter reality to my whim. At S-S-S-E, I would be far more powerful than the most powerful of regular Territories. And I''m higher than that.

    "You should see my Aura Order and my Magic Rating," I tell the manager when he looks stunned at the result the scan says. "If you think my Ability Ranking is weird."

    "Actually," he says. "This has your information as classified. Scanning it won''t yield us any results. How did you forge this?"

    "I didn''t forge it," I tell him. "I was given it. What information does it pull up when you scan it? If you tell me, I might be able to tell you, oh, okay."

    "I didn''t say anything yet," he says.

    "You thought it, though," I say. "Part of my Ability allows me to read the minds of those around me. It''s generally a pain in the butt. It gives you all basic information, including our resident history, our Ability Type, our GSDF Ranking, our Ability Ranking, accomplishments, and a few other things. It''s classified because of information you''d receive. To start with, you''d probably look at my Ability and go ''never heard of it'', then my resident history and go ''that''s not possible''. Following that, you''d see my accomplishments and go ''holy cow, this kid is insane''. I do need to ask Grant why he had me classified, I really want to see the face people will make when they see them. Did it authorize me for the job?"

    "It did," he tells me. "But we''ll need to get a superior. Colonel!"

    They all salute and I turn around to find Grant standing behind me in his uniform.

    "I''ve never seen you in uniform before," I comment.

    "You''re on vacation for two weeks," Grant looks at me. "Why are you applying for a job?"

    "I''m bored."

    "When is Teacher coming by to answer your question and teach you a spell?"

    "He came by this morning," I answer. "Apparently, he doesn''t actually know how to fly, he just manipulates gravity or air depending on his mood and his environment. It doesn''t matter ¨C I figured flight out during the simulated battle with the other groups."

    "I had you discreetly tested," Grant says. "For your magic ranking. The moment the orb touched you, it shattered. The mobile testing can go up to a point less than ten thousand. It takes approximately double that, minimum, to shatter it."

    "Oh," I say. "That''s why there was that dust there. You guys missed some when cleaning it up."

    "I had Kieran do it."

    "I''ll let him know," I tell him. "I cleaned the rest of it up. I was wondering why there was some fuuxar dust, now I know."

    "Do you know how much kielmar energy you have?" He asks.

    "Somewhere upwards of one million," I answer. "Teacher never actually gave me an amount, but he once let it slip that it had seven digits. He''s got a fuuxar testing crystal somewhere that can register my exact number but says he can judge it pretty well even with my high amount. I can register it up to around two hundred and fifty thousand or so ¨C enough to judge most ancient artifacts."

    "So why did you choose to do this to fill your boredom?"

    "What is typical?"

    "Partying," he answers. "Relaxing. Tanning. Working out. Preparing for your return to training. Being an absolute slob now that you have two weeks before you actually need to keep your area clean."

    "None of that interests me," I tell him. "Besides, I''ll be ready for my return to training."

    "So why are you wanting to do a job?"

    "Because I''m bored."

    "What job are you wanting to do?"

    "Guard a fuuxar store today," I answer. "I have to be there by eight, which is in twenty minutes, and they''re running around like idiots because they can''t figured out that ''classified'' means classified. Can you please clear this up?"

    "Guard a fuuxar store?"

    "A store that sells fuuxar dust and crystals," I explain. "It needs a guard just for today. It''ll put ten grand into my account, which is my quarterly salary with my current rank. That''s not enough to pay bills for a year. I mean, as a soldier here, I''ll not have to, but after the training''s up, whatever I decide, I could use the interest that accrues. So can you clear it up? This place pays good if they offer pay ten grand for a day of work."

    "At ease!" Grant orders, and everyone else in the room relaxes. He never took his eyes off of me. He''s good. "You do realize you were supposed to snap to attention, don''t you? I know they drilled you on it."

    "I''ve never saluted you before," I say. "Never stood at attention to you before. I''m not planning on starting now. Besides, I can throw you into a reality marble you''d never figure your way out of. Are you going to clear this up? They think I faked the ID."

    "His card''s real," Grant tells the manager. "I had it classified for classified reasons. You''ll find a non-trainee here who will have a card that scans classified as well, S-A Ability Ranking, name''s Kieran."

    "He''s standing behind you," I tell Grant.

    "Why are you taking a job?" Kieran asks as Grant turns around and looks at him. "We''re on vacation."

    "I''m bored."

    "Oh, okay," Kieran says. "What job are you taking?"

    "Guarding a fuuxar store," I answer. "It needs two guards. Want to join me?" I look at the manager. "Kieran wants to join me. Here''s his ID."

    "Hey!" Kieran protests, then checks his pocket.. "Waitˇ­ how did you do that?"

    "Magic."

    "I should stop being surprised by the magic you can do," Kieran comments. "Especially after that other spatial spell."

    It takes a few minutes, but they eventually give us the OK to do the job, then Kieran and I leave the building to make our way to the fuuxar shop, receiving clearance as soon as we reach the facility''s gates to leave the training grounds.

    Kieran is like a kid in a candy shop with his wonder and awe when we arrive at our destination. He''s never set foot in a shop devoted solely to fuuxar before.

    Every last shard or speck of dust of fuuxar is locked in magically-bound glass cases produced in a special facility. Just one pane for a single case costs eight grand to produce. Not to buy, to produce. It''s almost impossible to break. And that''s for the end panes, not the long panes. Two feet across and three feet high costs quite a lot. Four feet across and three high costs more than double that.

    Fuuxar dust rests in long tubes that come directly from the storage above and requires a special key to pour. Each tube has a different key. Same for the cases. The dust and crystals come in a wide variety of colors, each one with its own attributes. Clear is the most popular as it works best for channeling or storing magic. It''s also the strongest, in terms of magical durability.

    "Fuuxar is a bit out of your prince range, son," the man at the door answers as Kieran peeks through the windows of the shop.

    "Whoa," Kieran looks at me. "Look at all the crystals and shards!"

    "We''re here in response to the security detail," I show him my ID "You should have already been informed of our acceptance of the request."

    "You''re a kid."

    "Ever heard of the," I say. "Ultra-powerful night guard of the GSDF''s Alzir Training Branch for their youth agents?"

    "Rumored to be a Special-Type Superhuman."

    "He manipulates perception," I inform him. "He''s also fogging up your window with his breath while he''s imperceptible to you."

    The man looks at the window, where Kieran''s breath can be seen as he''s lost in awe.

    "Caleb!" Kieran exclaims, looking at me again. "Have you ever seen this much fuuxar before?"

    "I have," I look at him. "You missed it because you were sick. Remember when we went on that field trip when I was five? You got sick that morning and couldn''t go? We all got souvenirs from there, and I made sure to get you one, since you couldn''t go."

    "Ah," Kieran says, then frowns at the owner. "Why is he looking at you like you''re weird?"

    "You''re wrapped in your aura," I tell him, and the air around him ripples. "Now he can see you. Sir, Kieran and I are both more than qualified to guard the shop."

    "I''m surprised neither of you are asking why there are no bars," the man says. "That''s a pretty common question, almost everyone asks it the first time. Can you tell me why this shop has no bars, when almost all fuuxar shops have bars on the other side of the windows, as well as a grate on the inside?"

    "Easy," Kieran looks at him like he''s an idiot. "It does. Why would you ask us why it doesn''t?"

    The man quickly looks at the front of the shop, then back to Kieran.

    "Kieran''s Ability allows him to manipulate perception," I say. "The powerful magic forged to create the perception filter on your bars and gate don''t affect him, not with him being at S-A Rank. By the way ¨C it must have been expensive to afford the spell, considering how many magicians and how much magic would have been required."

    "Ah," the man pulls out a key. "He''s then proven himself capable, but what about you? And we need four guards to open."

    "I can save you twenty grand," I put both hands out, palms down at waist-height. I scoop my palms up and raise my hands to shoulder-height. "We now have four guards."

    He stares at the two golems standing behind me with wide eyes.

    "They have all of my combat ability," I say. "As well as access to my ability to see anything in the area surrounding me, which is why I''m capable of seeing your bars and ignoring their presence entirely. The magic that created them was highly ineffective and would have worn out in about two months."

    "Would have?"

    "I''m making minor adjustments to the bars," I inform him. "As well as strengthening the metal and making it resilient to Abilities. There we go."

    "Why did you summon two golems?" Kieran asks. "You could have handled the entire job by yourself."

    "Except that he needs four guards to open up," I look at my curious friend. "So even though I can cover the entire thing, to follow his standard of opening and to fill the accidental vacancies he''s got for today, we need four bodies. We now have four."

    "Golems are a lost magic," the owner says.

    "Forgotten, not lost," I tell him. "It''s easy to do. Fuuxar crystals with a stone attribute make it a lot easier, but I''m way past needing that for them. I''ll be able to sustain their existence for the shift and remain alert."

    "You''ve used fuuxar?" Kieran asks me in surprise.

    "Yeah," I tell him. "Teacher owns a mine and would sometimes bring me crystals, shards, and dust from it to use in magic training. He''d purify it, first. The crystals he supplied me with are probably way purer than anything you''d see in a store. Here."

    I pull a crystal from my spatial inventory, and Kieran jumps, staring at the ring that''s on my right ring finger.

    "What?" I ask.

    "Your ring can produce items?"

    "It''s a spatial inventory," I tell him. "It''s a four-thousand year-old artifact Teacher gave me when I turned ten. I''ve got all sorts of things inside of it."

    "May I?" The owner asks, looking at the sky blue crystal. I hand it to him, and he turns it over in his hands for a moment. "Do you mind if I examine this inside?"

    "Do we have the job or not?"

    "Yes, yes," he seems distracted. "The positions are two outside, two inside."

    "You two, stay outside."

    "Yes, sir," the golems give me a slight bow, and the owner jumps.

    "I''m not going to make golems that can''t speak," I tell the owner, then he unlocks the door and lets us inside. "Even if I can''t their voices right."

    Inside, he walks around to the back of the counter and walks over to his assessment equipment, which sits on the counter by the register, so the customer can see him examining the crystal or shard they''re wanting to sell him.

    He spends roughly ten minutes viewing the crystal before finally looking at me, a massive grin on his face.

    "I''ve never seen a fuuxar crystal so pure!" He exclaims, handing me back my crystal. "If I''m not mistaken, your Teacher''s achieved one-hundred percent purity! How did he manage that? Even the best of the purifiers can only bring it up to around seventy-percent, and that''s if it''s dust!"

    "No clue," I shrug. "Teacher can do many mysterious things. Come on, Kieran, today''s going to be a boring day."

    <hr>

    <(Kieran)>

    Caleb''s not the same kid I knew. Definitely not the same kid. He''ll talk when he needs to but I''m discovering, now he''s out of basic, that he talked a lot more than usual during basic, probably due to the stress. He felt it, too, he just never let it show.

    I keep myself hidden for the most part during our job guarding the store while Caleb just stands near the register. The few times I try to engage him in conversation, he responds with short answers. Not in an agitated way or anything, it just seems like that''s how he is.

    What I really want to do is get him to talk about magic, Teacher, his life before basic and after Alkran, and so much more. I''m sure if I got him talking, he''d be like the kid I once knew, but I''m not sure how to get that started and don''t want to try while working.

    The day is really boring. Some people actually do try to rob the store while we''re here, a team of A-Rank Superhumans, but they never made it past the golems. Caleb didn''t even notice until I told him, which is funny considering he''s the one who can see everything going on around us. Other than that incident, though, the shift really is quite boring.

    <hr>

    <(Flame)>

    "So what''s Caleb like?" I ask Jared after he wakes up.

    "Jeez," Jared groans, turning over on his bed and glaring at me. "You couldn''t have waited for me to finish waking up?"

    "I did wait for you!" I tell him. "Though if you didn''t wake soon, I was going to wake you and ask you since he disappeared off the grounds before eight this morning. He woke up at, like, six. So what''s he like?"

    "I have a killer hangover," Jared complains as he sits up. "Could you please shut up?"

    "You drank quite a bit at the party," I tell him. "Of course you have a killer hangover. So what''s Caleb like?"

    "Why do you care?" Jared snaps. "Your voice isn''t the thing I want to hear first in the morning."

    "Because he''s so cute," I tell him. "Like, super-super-super-super cute! And he''s so silent and mysterious, and yet so powerful at the same time. His, thick, golden-blond hair is so soft-looking I just want to feel it and see if it really feels as soft as fox fur! Do you think he''d be upset if I asked him if I could touch it? So what''s he like? You spent a hundred days with him in training. What do you know about him?"

    "That he doesn''t like chatterboxes," Jared snaps at me. "Will you just shut the hell up already?"

    Staring at Jared, I realize that he really, really does not like me.

    "Sorry," I apologize. "I just wanted to talk."

    I take off out of the room, making my way through the woods on the property until I arrive and an old building that used to be a barracks, but got abandoned some years ago. It''s dusty and stuff, but I don''t really care. I just want to get away from Jared and be alone.

    Caleb really is cute. When I talked to him this morning, though, he seemed disinterested in conversation. He told me he was looking for a job to do since he was bored.

    My stomach starts to growl, but I ignore it. It''s lunchtime, and I should probably eat, but I''m not really hungry, even if my body says I am. Caleb probably wouldn''t like me if he found out I liked him, anyway. Liked him in that way. He''s quiet and mysterious and clearly very powerful. The fire within him burns hotter than any I''ve ever seen before.

    Footsteps sound in the hall, and listening to the patterns, it sounds like someone is just exploring the building. Shaking my head, I let my eyes and hair return to their natural browns. Unlike my siblings, I possess a rare trait of our heritage that allows me the ability to change my hair and eye colors. I''m the only one alive from our village who can.

    "There you are," a head pokes into the lounge I''m in. "You have no fear, sitting on a couch that dusty."

    This guy is definitely cute, too. Blond hair, brown eyes, and a friendly, yet mischievous smile. He''s around my age, but will probably hate me if he found out why I''m hiding here. I can''t help it when I''m focused on a cute guy, it just comes out.

    "I''m Ben," he enters the room. "I''m a B-Rank Elemental, can manipulate air. I come here all the time to get away from the noise and to practice my Ability."

    "Tobias," I use my real name when I greet him. "I came here to be alone."

    "Want to share?"

    "Not with a kid who has an obviously rich upbringing."

    "Doesn''t mean I''m a snob," he takes a seat on the chair across from me, the dust on it floating off and piling itself neatly in a corner. "I''ve been out of basic since the batch before this last one and most people don''t know I''m rich. Or even suspect it, for that matter. Want to tell me what''s wrong? I''m a guy people can talk to."

    He feels trustworthy.

    "There''s a recruit in my room," I tell him. "Jared Fuller. He got all grumpy on me and yelled at me. I was just asking him a question about a cadet he went to BT with."

    "Fuller?" He asks, then laughs. "I know him, we grew up together. He''s not a morning person. BT must have been killer for him, and he''s taking advantage of the lack of morning wake-up calls that he won''t have once training starts again. Jared really likes to sleep in. He''s probably just cranky because he was assaulted with questions when he woke up. You didn''t wake him up, did you?"

    "No."

    "Smart move," he says. "He really wouldn''t have taken well to that. I actually have a scar right here," he touches his right side. "From the one time I did that. Trust me ¨C it''s not pleasant. Jared won''t apologize, either ¨C he''s a mouthy, smartass, spoiled jerk. He also doesn''t accept anyone who isn''t powerful as a real person and won''t hesitate to hurt those breaking the law. He''s killed before, when he''s legally able to.

    "But want to know a secret about him?" Ben asks, and I hesitate. Should I? Is this a trap? He seems to be genuine, so I nod. "Jared''s a big softy if you manage to break through that wall. He''s overly protective of his younger brother, Taylor, and would move mountains for him. Someone''s coming. It senses like it''s Jared, but he''s not alone."

    The other person with Jared is Brooks. I can identify the feeling of his fire anywhere.

    The door opens and an irritated-looking Jared walks in with an irritated-looking Brooks.

    "Benjamin," Jared looks at Ben. "Been a few months, glad to see you finished."

    "Yup," Ben grins at him. "Just talking with Tobias here."

    "What the hell are you doing?" Brooks asks me.

    "You know him?" Jared looks at Brooks, then at me. "Sorry, we''re looking for his brother."

    "That''s Flame," Brooks says. "He can change the color of his hair and eyes, he''s actually using his natural right now. Tobias is his real name, too. You really upset him, Jared, to make him switch over like this. He almost never does it, and when he does, he''s thinking about suicide. You can''t get all depressed just because someone snapped at you, Flame! What the hell were you pestering Jared about right after he woke up, anyway?"

    I sink into the couch as much as it''ll let me, feeling my face heat up. Jared''s cute, too, with soft-looking brown hair and eyes as green as forest fuuxar crystals. There''s a very a beautiful fire within him. I don''t want him to know that I crush on other boys. He''ll probably hate me even more than he already does.

    "He was asking me about Caleb," Jared tells Brooks. "Called him cute in the process."

    "Huh," Brooks looks at Jared in surprise. "You strike me as the kind of guy who wouldn''t like gays."

    "There are a few boys I''ve got small crushes on," Jared shrugs. "Not that it matters much. Training will let us have time for romances, but it''s not as if we''d be able to go anywhere with it. Better for us to wait until we''re done with training."

    "Sorry for snapping you at," Jared looks at me. "I get kind of cranky first thing when I wake up. Why don''t we go hunt Caleb down? With the way his mind works, it''s possible he''s ended up halfway across town in search for lunch."

    <hr>

    <(Brooks)>

    Jared, Flame, and I manage to discover that Caleb went off with Kieran on an A-Rank guard job, so we manage to get permission to leave the campus, but they only grant it to us for after dinner. When we arrive at the shop Caleb was guarding, we discover it''s already closed for the day and that he left just barely before we arrived, in search of food.

    People are talking about golems guarding the store, and when I wonder aloud about that, Jared informs me that Caleb probably created them to help with the job.

    "Caleb''s an Elemental who can create golems?" I attempt to wrap my head around that.

    "A Special who''s also a magician," Jared shakes his head. "He''s very fond of creating golems, though I think it''s more to have company than anything else."

    We manage to locate Kieran, who''s eating a stake while sitting at a table outside a restaurant.

    "No clue," Kieran responds when Jared asks about Caleb. "I lost him shortly after we left the shop. He just vanished on me, after getting lost in thought. Pretty sure I should have tied a rope to him, or something. It seems that he now gets deep into thoughts."

    Jared snorts and shakes his head, and we resume looking for Caleb. I find him first.

    "What is that thing on Caleb''s head?" I ask Jared.

    "What thing?" He asks me. "Where''s he at?"

    I point to Caleb, who has some sort of creature on his head. It''s got a shell, a small head and tail, and four stubby legs. Its shell has a sort of hexagonal pattern to it, and it''s a green-brown in color. It looks really weird and he''s drawing stares. He''s also oblivious to them, just eating his cotton candy like he''s not walking around with a strange creature on his head.

    "That," Jared laughs. "Is a turtle. They''re almost extinct. How in the world did he find one?"

    A turtle? I''ve never heard of them before.

    "Caleb," Jared sighs, even though he definitely can''t hear us. "Why in the world do you have a turtle on your head?"

    Caleb looks over at Jared, who then rolls his eyes. Caleb walks over to us and looks at Jared.

    "So you just found him wandering the streets?" Jared asks.

    "Yeah," Caleb answers. "I told you that. I''m keeping him, he''s endangered. I named him Jeremy."

    "Why?"

    "Because I used to have a classmate named Jeremy," Caleb answers. "Who found a turtle. We were five and he wasn''t allowed to keep it because it''s endangered and we were five, so the entire class managed to gather together and convince the staff at the academy to let us keep him. We took real good care of him. His name was Lettuce. We were five, don''t judge on the naming."

    I can see why Flame likes him. According to Jared, though, any indication of him liking someone is actually just him being deep in thought, sometimes about the pattern of that person''s natural magic. My poor brother.

    It''s a shame this idiot had to go and snap at Flame, I''m sure they''d be pretty good friends otherwise. Now, however, Flame is only tolerating his presence because of me.

    "Hi, Flame," Caleb looks at him. Huh. Most people take a minute to realize that he''s Flame when he''s like this. If at all. "Don''t mind Jared, he''s just a pretty big jerk sometimes. Do you guys know where Kieran went? I was on my way to get dinner with him when he vanished on me."

    "Yeah, we do," Jared snorts. "Though his version is that you wandered off."

    "I should tie a rope to him," Caleb comments while looking like he''s about to lose himself in thought again.

    We lead Caleb back to Kieran, who stares at the turtle for several moments before speaking.

    "Lettuce?" His eyes are wide.

    "Lettuce died a few years ago," Caleb informs him. "I named this one Jeremy. I found him wandering the streets."

    "Mind if we join you two for dinner?" Jared asks.

    "Sure," Caleb responds. "Just don''t eat my food."

    We sit down. As we order our food, wait for it, and eat it, I discover that Caleb and Kieran are both quiet people, though Caleb is more of a thoughtful quiet while Kieran comes off as more of a moody quiet. Flame is trying to get both to talk and Kieran just looks annoyed with every attempt.

    My brother needs to focus less on making friends with everyone he meets and more on his training. We joined the GSDF for a reason, and it wasn''t to be social butterflies.

 Chapter 008

    ~~(Caleb)~~

    ˇ°Rivers! Hansen!ˇ± An instructor calls once he''s in the quarters. ˇ°First training mission! Report to Squadroom Eight at 0800!ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, sir!ˇ± Flame and I respond, and the instructor leaves.

    ˇ°I wonder what the first training mission is,ˇ± Flame frowns.

    ˇ°You were already told,ˇ± Jared groans from his bed, where he''s still trying to wake up after the call. ˇ°Everyone goes through the same thing. We''re taken to the edge of a cliff, where we are told to go into the forest below, make it to a small shrine, take one of the twenty figurines from it, and then return to the cliff. E-Rank creatures might be encountered, D-Rank possible, but rare. It''s to help determine how we use our Abilities, and the method is something usually kept secret from people who haven''t done it yet, just so it''s a little bit of a surprise when they announce it.

    ˇ°I just got back,ˇ± he''s now glaring at Flame. ˇ°From the dump-them-in-the-middle-of-the-woods test mission a few hours ago, and am trying to get some sleep, since I have today off as a result. You''ll go through that one later in your testing, it always happens in the first year.ˇ±

    They test everyone in batches of twenty, with two or three groups doing the longer ones at the same time, and running the shorter ones one after another. My testing group runs this one today, then in three days, we''ll head off on the longer one that Jared just returned from. It took his group three weeks to return to the meeting point.

    I plan on returning sooner. Much, much sooner.

    Flame and I finish dressing, then we make our way to the mess hall for breakfast. Here, there are no rations, so we just grab the food we want to eat and eat it. I pile my plate high with pancakes, sausage, and eggs, cover them in syrup, then eat. Flame sticks to a couple of pancakes, bacon, and some fruit.

    When Jared makes his way down here for breakfast on days he''s awake early enough for it, he gets biscuits and gravy, along with sausage links and some fruit. Same thing every single day for him.

    As soon as I finish breakfast, I make my way to the squadroom, where eighteen other cadets are already waiting. Flame arrives last, almost right at reporting time.

    At exactly 0800, an instructor enters the squadroom, and we all stand and salute.

    ˇ°At ease!ˇ± He commands, stepping to the podium at the front of the room. ˇ°You may all be seated.ˇ±

    We sit down.

    ˇ°As you''re well aware,ˇ± he begins. ˇ°You will all be taken to this cliff,ˇ± an image pops up on the screen behind him of a cliff. ˇ°Where you will begin your run from there to a small shrine with figurines standing on pedestals. Grab one that matches your style, then return to the cliff here.

    ˇ°This is not a race,ˇ± he emphasizes, and his mind tells me that people always think it is anyway. ˇ°So don''t try to best other students. You may encounter E-Rank monsters, with an occasional D-Rank. You shouldn''t encounter anything stronger than that. If you come across something stronger than you can handle, then set off one of the flares you are given ¨C an instructor will promptly make their way to your location. Don''t just set it off, though ¨C evade. Yes, Hansen?ˇ±

    ˇ°What if there are no monsters stronger than you?ˇ± Flame asks.

    ˇ°Then don''t set off the flare!ˇ± The instructor glares at him.

    ˇ°But what if you come across a monster stronger than you,ˇ± Flame asks. ˇ°And there''s a cadet who can take it on? If he sees the flare, can he go after the monsters?ˇ±

    ˇ°It''s best to leave it to the instructors,ˇ± the instructor responds. ˇ°As you never know how powerful a Monster might actually be.ˇ±

    ˇ°So the most powerful person in the training facility isn''t allowed to help?ˇ± Flame asks, and I slam my face into the desk in front of me. ˇ°What? It''s a valid question.ˇ±

    ˇ°I don''t care much for your inside jokes,ˇ± the instructor tells Flame. ˇ°Yes, Quill?ˇ±

    ˇ°He''s referring to face-desk,ˇ± Abigail informs him. ˇ°That''s Caleb Rivers.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, I''m aware of that.ˇ±

    ˇ°But not his Ability, apparently,ˇ± she laughs. ˇ°You heard about the infamous batch of the Alzir Youth Training Branch, right? The group that decimated all seven of the other units, then later passed the BT final during the final by defeating all four instructors and claiming their amulets due to one member having a godly Ability? That''s Rivers.ˇ±

    ˇ°He also likes to make golems with his magic,ˇ± one of the other recruits adds in. ˇ°One of those suckers punched me hard enough I blacked out, but before I got warped out of the field, I apparently got thrown through three buildings by that punch. Jeez did that hurt like hell.ˇ±

    ˇ°That''s about the sum of the briefing,ˇ± the instructor sighs. ˇ°Let''s all head to the bus.ˇ±

    The twenty of us line up and follow him out of the building, then to the parking yard, where we board a bus. The ride to the cliff takes roughly an hour, and when we arrive, the instructor has us line up. The cliff is high above the ground, easily spotted from below by climbing a tree or making it into a clearing.

    ˇ°Everyone know their mission?ˇ± The instructor asks, and Jennifer raises her hand. ˇ°Speak!ˇ±

    ˇ°How are we supposed to get down and back up?ˇ± Jennifer asks.

    ˇ°Part of the test!ˇ± He responds. ˇ°Go!ˇ±

    I run to the edge of the cliff and jump off, weaving together the flight spell. It''s not extremely fast yet, but it does the job.

    They never said I can''t use magic, and this is supposed to be a test of us overall. I''ll probably get points for thinking outside the box.

    Flame follows close behind me, using his fire to propel himself through the air, and I slow down a little so he can catch up with me.

    ˇ°Hi!ˇ± He grins at me, fire bursting from his hands and feet when he starts to drop off. ˇ°I can fly, too!ˇ±

    ˇ°You''re propelling yourself,ˇ± I tell him. ˇ°I''m actually flying.ˇ±

    ˇ°Your Ability?ˇ±

    ˇ°Magic.ˇ±

    ˇ°Cool!ˇ± He does a little spin. ˇ°That''s so cool! I wish I knew magic, too! I was told that Superhumans can''t learn magic, though!ˇ±

    ˇ°We can,ˇ± I tell him. ˇ°I did. Most people just find it simpler and easier to learn either their Ability or magic so they can train properly in one. It really isn''t that hard to train in both.ˇ±

    ˇ°Can you teach me?ˇ±

    ˇ°Sure,ˇ± I answer. ˇ°If I have free time that lines up with yours.ˇ±

    ˇ°So where''s the shrine at?ˇ± Flame asks, and I groan. ˇ°What? I was only half paying attention.ˇ±

    As usual.

    Instead of responding, I keep flying until we arrive at the shrine, touching down gently as Flame slams into the ground and rolls for a few moments before managing to scramble to his feet, grinning at me while covered in dust.

    What a weirdo.

    Each of the twenty pedestals has four figurines on it: one for attack, one for defense, one for support, and one for balanced. The attack figurine has a sword and gun, the defense has a shield in one hand, and the support wields a staff with a ring around the rest of the figurine. Balanced has a sword and shield wielded, with a staff strapped across its back.

    ˇ°Attack!ˇ± Flame grabs one off a pedestal, and the other three vanish. ˇ°Whoa!ˇ±

    I have a godly Ability that would make me considered balanced, but we''re supposed to select the figurine that matches our style ¨C mine is support. In both fights, I didn''t fight, but supported my teams. Selecting that one, I use my flight spell again as Flame boosts himself into the air with five rapid bursts of fire.

    Just as we leave the clearing behind, a Superhuman with speed Enhancement arrives in the clearing. I wave to them, then soar back to the cliff, landing in front of the instructor.

    Flame rolls on the ground. He really needs to work on his landing.

    ˇ°How often do you fly with your fire?ˇ± The instructor asks Flame.

    ˇ°That''s my first time!ˇ± Flame exclaims. ˇ°I saw Caleb flying, and decided to try! It was so much fun!ˇ±

    A few minutes later, the speed Enhancer finishes scaling the cliff. He picked attack.

    ˇ°I can already see,ˇ± the instructor comments. ˇ°Why they said that this batch of recruits is the most interesting. When I ran it with some of the other cadets, I had quick returns as well. You two actually beat their times, and they set records.ˇ±

    ˇ°Jared and Owen?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°How did you know?ˇ±

    ˇ°They came from my training unit,ˇ± I answer. ˇ°They combined their Abilities into a Unison Strike, right? Used that to move fast? They''re becoming experts on using a Unison Strike.ˇ±

    I sit down and pull a book out of my ring and begin reading as we wait for the other cadets to return. When the last one finally returns ¨C just before sunset ¨C the instructor drives us back to the training grounds, telling us we have free time the rest of the day.

    ˇ°So can you teach me magic?ˇ± Flame asks me when we arrive. ˇ°Since we have a few hours of free time?ˇ±

    ˇ°I''m getting dinner,ˇ± I tell him. ˇ°Since we missed lunch while we were out.ˇ±

    Flame follows me to the mess hall, bugging me all through dinner about teaching him magic. After we eat, I leave, and he follows me still, only stopping his pestering once I stop in a clearing in the woods on the property.

    ˇ°So what are we doing here?ˇ± Flame looks around in confusion.

    ˇ°Sit down and shut up,ˇ± I tell him, and he obeys. ˇ°I''m going to teach you a basic spell, but it requires you calming your thoughts for once. Magic isn''t a simple thing that a simple mind can understand.

    ˇ°This spell,ˇ± I create a small rock with my magic and set it down in front of him. ˇ°Is to move an object. It''s a sort of force spell. At the start, you''ll need to push outward with your hand. Your goal is to move the rock. Other than having been created through magic, this rock is ordinary in every way, being just a rock.

    ˇ°Magic,ˇ± I continue. ˇ°Is just a projection of your imagination. Most magicians focus on incantations and runes and such, but they aren''t needed, and unless you have a decent understanding of them, you''ll end up limiting yourself in the spells you can do.

    ˇ°For this spell,ˇ± I flick my wrist, and the rock rolls forward, stopping a foot in front of Flame. ˇ°Just push forward with your hand, visualizing the rock moving when you do. Um...here. Visualize the rock rolling forward, and then when you push your hand forward, will that visualization onto the rock. Do you understand?ˇ±

    ˇ°I think so!ˇ± Flame nods, then pushes his hand forward. ˇ°Nothing happened!ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you remember the first time you shot a gun?ˇ± I ask, and he immediately thinks of basic, when they first handed everyone a gun. ˇ°Did you hit the target the first time?ˇ±

    ˇ°Nope!ˇ± He answers. ˇ°Or the second time!ˇ±

    ˇ°Practice,ˇ± I sit down across from him. ˇ°That''s the only way to yield results. I''ll help you when needed.ˇ±

    <hr>

    ~~(Brooks)~~

    ˇ°Hey, Jared,ˇ± I greet Jared when my brothers and I enter his dorm. ˇ°Have you seen my brother? I''ve been looking for him since his group came back.ˇ±

    ˇ°They went to the cafeteria when they returned,ˇ± Jared answers. ˇ°Then he and Caleb left. Kieran''s out watching them do whatever it is they''re doing. He''s probably just shipping them.ˇ±

    ˇ°Shipping them?ˇ±

    ˇ°Kieran likes making up relationships between people,ˇ± Jared rolls his eyes. ˇ°No one can figure out why. For most of the cases that are known, those people have actually ended up getting together.ˇ±

    ˇ°Alright,ˇ± I look at my brothers. ˇ°Strange. You''d think Flame would be more noticeable than this. What in the hell is he doing?ˇ±

    ˇ°No clue,ˇ± Cliff shrugs. ˇ°Let''s go hunt him down.ˇ±

    We try our hardest to, and no one seems to have a clue. Eventually, we find someone who tells us that he and Caleb went off into the woods on a trail. Cliff takes the lead then, using his Ability to sense people near the trail as we search it.

    Half an hour of searching later, and Cliff says he can sense two people, both sitting, and one of them feels like Flame''s fiery energy. We approach carefully, just in case he''s found a guy who likes him and they''re wanting some private time to make out or something, and when I realize it''s quiet, I know something has to be up.

    Finally approaching them, I see Caleb first. He''s sitting cross-legged, watching as Flame thrusts his hands forward, face scrunched up in concentration.

    ˇ°I''ve wrapped you in a perception filter,ˇ± a voice says from behind, startling all three of us, and we turn to face Kieran. ˇ°Flame won''t notice you, so you won''t break his concentration.ˇ±

    ˇ°What is he doing?ˇ± Cliff asks.

    ˇ°Flame?ˇ± Kieran asks, and Cliff nods. ˇ°Caleb''s teaching him a basic spell. It took me a week and a half to manage it. And Caleb''s not even paying attention to your brother. He zoned out an hour ago ¨C I think he''s thinking about the moon. He does that a lot lately.ˇ±

    ˇ°The moon?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Long story.ˇ±

    ˇ°I have a sort of connection to the moon,ˇ± I inform him. ˇ°Most water Elementals do, since it affects the tide.ˇ±

    The moon is a Domain Deity. I''ve heard his voice only once, when I was little. He was friendly, and helped me cross the barrier from C-Rank to B-Rank with my Ability. I haven''t managed to reach A-Rank since then, though. Flame''s unusual, in the sense that he could cross to it easily. If he applies himself, he could probably reach S-Rank without an issue as well. A natural, a prodigy, and unable to focus for too long on anything.

    Which makes Flame''s focus on obtaining this spell unusual ¨C just more proof that he has it bad for the quiet soldier sitting across from him.

    ˇ°It moved!ˇ± Flame exclaims.

    ˇ°I got bored,ˇ± Caleb sounds bored.

    ˇ°You moved it,ˇ± Flame droops his head, then pauses frowning as he looks back at Caleb. ˇ°You didn''t move or anything.ˇ±

    ˇ°Motionless casting,ˇ± Caleb explains. ˇ°It''ll be awhile before you reach that stage of it. We have company, and they won''t shut up.ˇ±

    Caleb then turns and looks directly at us.

    ˇ°I thought you said they wouldn''t notice us?ˇ± Cliff asks.

    ˇ°I said Flame wouldn''t,ˇ± Kieran says. ˇ°Caleb has a passive Territory, and can see all within it. That overrides my perception filter.ˇ±

    Oh.

    The four of us walk into the clearing and join them.

    ˇ°I lost my connection to the ground around us,ˇ± Cliff comments.

    ˇ°Caleb can disconnect Gifts,ˇ± Kieran states. ˇ°Not permanently, just temporarily. He probably did it because of your Gift.ˇ±

    ˇ°You wanted to try magic,ˇ± Caleb states. ˇ°Simple force magic ¨C just visualize the rock moving, and when you thrust your hand forward, will your visualization to happen.ˇ±

    ˇ°That''s not the basis of any magic I''ve heard of,ˇ± Jared says, and I look over to see him standing by a tree. ˇ°What? You can''t have expected me to let you wander off in search of Caleb on your own, could you? He is my teammate, after all.ˇ±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    Unofficially.

    Caleb creates five small rocks and tells us to try it, then resumes watching Flame, who quickly forgot about us in his attempt to move the rock until the small prompt from Caleb.

    Jeez. That boy really has an effect on my brother. This is unhealthy, and it concerns me.

    For now, though, I decide to try the spells. Kieran said it took him a couple of weeks, so I''m sure it''s not easy to learn. As I start thrusting my hand forward the way Flame was, willing the rock to move, Jared contests the method, again.

    ˇ°You learned of the incantation way,ˇ± Caleb tells Jared. ˇ°The visualizing and willing way is the true way to learn magic. If you''re not going to contribute to learning, then please leave.ˇ±

    Caleb then returns to watching Flame try the spell.

    <hr>

    ~~(Flame)~~

    This is hard! And I''m pretty sure Caleb didn''t tell us everything on how to do this spell ¨C probably a test of some sort! All the more reason for me to try to figure it out and pass.

    He gave me false hope when he moved it before, but he was probably just looking for a reason to reveal that my brothers and them were watching.

    As I push with my hand, I stop visualizing just the rock moving, but a force extending from my hand outward, pushing into the rock. It seems like that would be what would happen when trying to use force on something.

    The sixth time I try it that way, the stone shifts. Caleb stopped watching me awhile go, going back to whatever he was thinking about. He might have done that, but I don''t think he''s faking. I try it again, and the rock shifts again. Just a slight wiggle, as if something tapped it. Rocking slightly backward, then back to its original resting position.

    I keep doing it, feeling myself growing a little bit weaker each time I do. It feels like there''s a muscle in me that I''ve never used before that I''m only now discovering, that I''m only now flexing. Every time I wiggle the rock, I''m just flexing the muscle.

    ˇ°Ow!ˇ± I exclaim, a rock smacking me in the cheek.

    Someone giggles, and I look at Kieran, who quickly blushes. That was definitely Cliff''s giggle, but Kieran''s rock.

    ˇ°Huh?ˇ± Caleb looks at me, then frowns at Kieran''s rock, which then flies back and smacks Kieran in the chest. ˇ°Stop that, you know better.ˇ±

    ˇ°Had to get your attention somehow,ˇ± Jared rolls his eyes, and Caleb looks at him. ˇ°Flame managed it.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know,ˇ± Caleb says. ˇ°I was watching him. Flame ¨C no sharing.ˇ±

    So it is a test!

    I''m hungry.

    ˇ°Let''s stop for today,ˇ± Caleb yawns, standing. ˇ°I''m hungry.ˇ±

    We return to the mess hall and buy a little to eat. Well, my brothers, Jared, Kieran, and I buy a little, while Caleb buys a lot.

    After that, we return to our quarters to work on the lessons we missed during the mission today. We have an extra day to make it up, but there''s not really anything else to do.

    ˇ°Mail call!ˇ± Owen, another Private from Caleb''s BT batch, enters the dorm with a cart. He''s the one who usually brings mail to us. ˇ°Got another care package, Caleb.ˇ±

    Caleb slides off his bunk and walks over to the cart, picking up the package, along with the eight letters he also received. I grab my one and climb back onto my bunk as Jared makes small talk with Owen as the other cadets in our dorm collect their mail.

    Watching Caleb, I observe him reading his mail with a blank expression, burning each one after with a fire that burns hot and fast and leaves no trace behind. I''m more interested in his care package ¨C everyone is.

    Caleb finally reaches the box, carefully unwrapping it and incinerating the paper. The first item he pulls out is a jar of chocolate nut butter. Damn. Why does he always have to do that first? He always receives that in the care package, always pulls it out first, always leaves it sitting by him, making the rest of us hungry.

    The second item he pulls out, as always, are the crackers to put the chocolate nut butter on, following that up with a pair of wool socks. I snatch the letter that came with the care package, which he just glanced at before setting down.

    ˇ°''One of your favorite snacks'',ˇ± I read off of it. ˇ°''Here are some wool socks for you to wear, if you go on a mission somewhere cold'',ˇ± he pulls out a small journal. ˇ°''A journal for you to record the lessons you learn on your training missions on, for when the other one I sent you is full'',ˇ± he pulls out a small first-aid kid. ˇ°''You can never have too many first-aid kits, even for a magician who can heal his own wounds'',ˇ± Caleb can do that? All the magicians I know say that magicians can''t heal themselves. ˇ°''Since you never know when you won''t have the magical energy to heal yourself or someone you''re with'',ˇ± out comes a small, white container. ˇ°''Next up is some of that vitamin water you like. I know it''s a little expensive, this is a gift from the rest of the home. It''s in powdered form, and there''s a scoop inside. All you need to do is mix a scoop of it with twenty-four ounces of water, and you''ve got it. Figured it''d last longer than if we sent you the factory-made bottles'',ˇ± two boxes of nutrient bars are pulled out next. ˇ°''Strawberry-flavored, just like you like. Another gift from the kids ¨C the boys worked together to save up for these. Actually, I think they''re planning on sending you just a boxed filled with these, which, as you know, is just like them. These are for those missions where it''s hard to take a break and eat, even if they won''t sustain you forever. A full meal packed into one of these bars'',ˇ± Caleb pulls out a whistle. ˇ°''And the promised whistle, just in case you need one. Hope you can find good use for all of this, Caleb. Love, Jennifer and the kids.''ˇ±

    I fold the letter into an airplane and throw it to Caleb. Before ever reaching him, the plane vanishes in a puff of flames.

    Caleb destroys the box as well, then shoves everything but the crackers and chocolate nut butter into his storage above the bed. Then he returns to the homework, eating his snack as he does.

    He''s not in a sharing mood today, it looks like.

    All of his edibles, combined, was probably over a thousand credits or so. More so the vitamin water and nutrient bars ¨C it''s far cheaper just to buy food than to buy those. And powdered vitamin water? Wow. That was probably four or five hundred credits just for the thirty-serving container he received.

    The kids at his home must really care about him, to work their butts off to get those for him.

    My homework finished, I settle down to sleep, waking at 0700 with the rest of the cadets for breakfast before lessons and training.

    I arrive in the mess hall at 0715 sharp and settle for biscuits and gravy, bacon, a banana, and chocolate milk. Caleb orders a serving of almost everything they have, so he probably went off in the middle of the night to use magic or something.

    At 0740, just as I''m finishing breakfast, another cadet, this one nearing the end of his training, approaches me.

    ˇ°Private Hanson!ˇ± He says, and I dump my trash into the bin before looking at him. He holds out a slip of paper. ˇ°Mission orders!ˇ±

    ˇ°Thank you,ˇ± I accept the paper, and he leaves.

    ˇ°Another mission?ˇ± Brooks asks. ˇ°Didn''t you just do one yesterday? They don''t normally do them back-to-back.ˇ±

    ˇ°Guess I''ll see you when I see you,ˇ± I tell him, looking around to let Caleb know I''ll be doing another training mission, only to find him and Kieran already gone. ˇ°He''s a ninja...ˇ±

    ˇ°Sometimes!ˇ± Jared laughs. ˇ°He tends to dislike crowds. I''m surprised you haven''t commented about it before.ˇ±

    I shrug, then make my way to the squadroom listed.

    ˇ°Private Hanson!ˇ± A soldier inside greets me when I arrive. ˇ°You''ll be doing patrol duty with me the next few days! Shadow me and watch how I do things, and at the end, you''ll lead the patrol. I have the equipment necessary here, I''m sure you know how to equip it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, sir!ˇ± I salute, and he relieves me, then orders me to put it on.

    I pull on the black protective vest first, which has ˇ°GSDFˇ± in white across the chest and back. Next, I clip on the two handguns, attach the cuffs to my belt, the walkie to my vest, the knife to my belt, and then strap on the final gun, the latest in security defense models. Each gun is checked and ready to use, if needed. After clearing the knife, I look at the soldier.

    ˇ°Ready to go!ˇ±

    ˇ°From your report,ˇ± he smiles. ˇ°I was under the impression that you''re a bundle of energy no one can contain. I can see the energy in your eyes, but you''re pretty tame.ˇ±

    ˇ°I''m on a mission,ˇ± I tell him. ˇ°This is a different me you''re dealing with. I am going to do my best to hold my energy in. I want to be on Caleb''s team, when we graduate, and don''t want to ruin it by disappointing him.ˇ±

    ˇ°You don''t get to pick your teams,ˇ± the soldier tells me.

    ˇ°Pretty sure Caleb will,ˇ± I tell him. ˇ°He''s already got two members on it. I plan on being the fourth. One more for a full set, but I''m sure we could make it work with the others.ˇ±

    ˇ°You''ll be staying with me,ˇ± the soldier says. ˇ°For the duration of your time doing patrol duty. We''ll be waking early each day, just starting late today, it being Monday, my duty doesn''t start until 0830. Let''s get going, so we can check in on time.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, sir!ˇ±

    The soldier and I leave, climbing into his truck and leaving the training facility. At 0826, we arrive at the base and check in with his commander, then leave and make our way to his patrol area, parking in the lot for his apartment and beginning the patrol on foot.

    ˇ°For the most part,ˇ± he says as we walk. ˇ°We just walk around the location we''re set in, making sure to pay a little bit of extra attention to the trouble areas, but never sticking to one for too long, unless we sense a threat. Always walk side-by-side as well.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, sir!ˇ± I move to his side.

    We walk for a bit, making small talk. His name is James, and he seems pretty nice. He''s another fire Elemental, A-Rank, and enjoys his patrol duty. The route is typically quiet with little trouble, and he enjoys small talk with some of the people who frequent or live in the area.

    The shift is long and pretty boring, and by the end of it, I''m exhausted. Our relief is late, and once they''re here, we make our way back to James'' apartment.

    Inside, we strip off our gear, and he puts on a pot of water.

    ˇ°What are your thoughts on your first day of patrol?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°Long,ˇ± I sit on the couch. It''s a two-room apartment, plus bathroom. In other words, the family room/kitchen, the bedroom, and the bathroom are all it contains. I wonder where I''m sleeping. He''s not my type, so he better not even consider his bed. ˇ°Are patrols always like that?ˇ±

    ˇ°In this area?ˇ± He asks. ˇ°That''s typical. I live in this part of the town, too. Most who just do patrol duty and nothing else don''t live on base, but in civilian quarters. Sure, it costs a little bit more than base housing, but the connection with the locals is better, and you tend to learn what''s normal and what''s not easier. So long as we show up on time to relieve the last shift, we''re pretty much left alone. I only had to check in this morning to show I''d picked you up. And yes, my shift usually is twelve hours. I work six days a week as well, taking the seventh off. My patrol partner got reassigned at the last minute, and I''ll be cycling through cadets until a new one shows up. I''ll have you for a week, if a replacement isn''t here by then.ˇ±

    ˇ°Alright,ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°The couch pulls out,ˇ± he informs me. ˇ°There are sheets and pillows in the closet. I''m sure you''re exhausted ¨C it''s an entirely different kind of it than you''re used to from training. I''m making some pasta for dinner.ˇ±

    Instead of pulling out the couch, I just lie down on it, closing my eyes to get some rest, but forcing myself to stay awake. Half an hour later, the noodles are done. He made them with some vegetables and small slices of grilled chicken. It''s delicious, and not long after I eat it am I fast asleep on the couch.

    ˇ°Time to wake,ˇ± James shakes me awake. ˇ°Ready for another long day on patrol?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yup!ˇ± I get off the couch feeling refreshed. ˇ°Though I''m not sure how long I can stay sane just walking around all day and making small talk.ˇ±

    ˇ°I did all of the talking!ˇ± He laughs.

    We pull on our gear and meet up with the duo we''re relieving.

    ˇ°Quiet night?ˇ± James asks.

    ˇ°Same as always,ˇ± Sara, the female we''re relieving, responds. ˇ°With one small hiccup, a little mugging that happened as we were passing an alley. If you''re going to mug someone, please, for the love of all that is calm, don''t do it in a town where soldiers patrols heavily. It''s just not worth it. The night world is getting tense, though.ˇ±

    ˇ°Think it''s one of the gangs?ˇ± James asks.

    ˇ°Probably,ˇ± she answers. ˇ°It''s been awhile since the last turf war broke out, so one will probably break out in the next few weeks.ˇ±

    ˇ°We''ll keep an eye out,ˇ± James tells her. ˇ°You two get some rest.ˇ±

    ˇ°Is it wise,ˇ± Eric, the guy we''re relieving, looks at Sara. ˇ°To leave two fire Elementals by themselves? What if they burn down half the city?ˇ±

    ˇ°It was half a block,ˇ± James says. ˇ°And we were cleared of all fault.ˇ±

    ˇ°You burned down half a block?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Accidentally,ˇ± Sara laughs. ˇ°A couple of years ago. We got word over the walkies that some gangs had gotten into it, and by the time we arrived, James and his current temp partner, another fire Elemental, had apprehended them and set fire to the block. Ever since then, they try to pair fires with waters, just in case. I''m surprised they gave you another fire, James.ˇ±

    ˇ°What happens happens,ˇ± James shrugs. ˇ°Have a good day.ˇ±

    ˇ°You, too,ˇ± Sara says, then they leave and James and I begin our patrol.

    Patrol starts in silence, but I make it all of a minute before needing to ask him what happened.

    ˇ°I knew you wouldn''t last long!ˇ± James laughs. ˇ°Come on ¨C this place around the corner sells these amazing funnel cakes that are great for breakfast on the go. I''m sure you could use one, but not coffee.ˇ±

    ˇ°So what happened?ˇ± I ask as we turn the corner. ˇ°You burned down half a block ¨C that can''t be small news.ˇ±

    ˇ°I was assigned a fire Elemental as my patrol partner,ˇ± he says. ˇ°It became a temporary thing after some gangs clashed as we were passing by. The two of us stepped in to stop them, the gangs got violent with us, and we reacted with our Abilities when it became clear they had a few Superhumans who could pack more than a small punch. The block fire was a side effect of that, and mostly resulted from one of their Superhumans using his Elemental Ability over air to disperse our fire. A bullet in his leg put a stop to that when I figured out who was doing it. After that, they started looking for a water Elemental to pair with me, putting in a new rule, at least here, that all fire Elementals should be accompanied by a water Elemental, in case something like that happens again.ˇ±

    ˇ°Cool!ˇ± I grin at him. ˇ°So why did they give you a fire?ˇ±

    ˇ°Temps are exempt from that rule,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°Mostly because temps, like you, are still trainees, and it''s good for a trainee to work with someone of their own Ability Type and class.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ah, okay.ˇ±

    We arrive at the food truck and are greeted by the worker. James seems to be a regular, from the brief conversation they have. He orders a funnel cake with powdered sugar as well as a coffee, and I order a funnel cake with powdered sugar and chocolate sauce on it, as well as a hot chocolate.

    We stand by the truck and eat, watching the street.

    ˇ°Do you normally stop for breakfast here?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Yup,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°It''s one of the few times I take a break on patrol. Let''s finish up ¨C it may be quiet, but we do need to keep an eye out.ˇ±

    I scarf down my funnel cake, drain the hot cocoa, then drop my trash in the nearest bin and look at James.

    ˇ°Hurry up, slowpoke!ˇ±

    He laughs, finishing his food and throwing his trash in the bin. We begin walking, and just like yesterday, the day is pretty calm.

    James informs me as we head to his apartment that tomorrow is his day off, and he usually gets his shopping done.

    ˇ°But we still wear our gear,ˇ± he says. ˇ°Not sure if you''ve ever been in a big city like this, but soldiers can be pretty decent targets for certain crime rings, and it''s better to be prepared than not to be.ˇ±

    ˇ°Does this have to do with the threat Sara mentioned?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°How the night is getting more and more uneasy?ˇ±

    ˇ°Partly,ˇ± he nods as we turn onto his street. ˇ°But it''s standard protocol for all soldiers who are frequently in public eye. Better to have the vest on and have no one attack you than to not wear it and have everyone attack you.ˇ±

    We arrive at the apartment building and head upstairs. Tonight''s dinner consists of burgers and fries, and is pretty damn delicious.

    The next few days are pretty quiet, and I fall into the routine of just walking around town, but it''s hard to contain my energy. We do play a pickup game of ball with some of the kids on the street, but other than that, it''s just walk, walk, walk.

    Today''s now my last day on patrol duty with him, and I''ve had a weird feeling the entire time, as if we''re being watched.

    ˇ°Are you sure?ˇ± James stops walking when I tell him.

    ˇ°Yes.ˇ±

    ˇ°How sure?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°I''ve sensed the same fire for the last hour,ˇ± I answer. ˇ°At varying distances, but it''s there.ˇ±

    ˇ°Sense the flame?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°Can''t you? The flames inside of people? Yours is calm and steady, sort of like you.ˇ±

    ˇ°You can sense a fire within people?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± I say. ˇ°I just told you that. Can''t all fire Elementals?ˇ±

    ˇ°I''ve never heard of it before,ˇ± he shakes his head. ˇ°You''re absolutely sure we''re being followed, then?ˇ±

    ˇ°Unless there''s another patrol mimicking us,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°They stopped moving when we did.ˇ±

    ˇ°Can you give me a general location of where they are?ˇ± He steps in front of me and faces me, probably so he can see them.

    ˇ°They''re by the fountain,ˇ± I respond. ˇ°Dark brown hair, blue eyes, average build, wearing a dark green jacket over a black tee, gun concealed under the jacket, black pants, combat boots, two rings on the right hand, and carrying a cup of coffee. Currently reading a book.ˇ±

    ˇ°Your back is to him,ˇ± he says. ˇ°How do you-ˇ±

    ˇ°I''ve spotted him a few times,ˇ± I interrupt. ˇ°Anytime we stop moving, he stops somewhere and starts reading the book. His flame is really weird, it''s like it''s not even real.ˇ±

    ˇ°Let''s head back that way,ˇ± James says. ˇ°See what he does.ˇ±

    ˇ°Hey!ˇ± Someone yells from behind him. ˇ°Get your hands off of my son!ˇ±

    James and I both look that way to find a pair of men with masks on dragging a boy around nine or ten toward a van. They''ve already gagged the boy, and he''s struggling against them, but they''re to big. There are at least three others in the van.

    ˇ°GSDF!ˇ± James shouts, sprinting toward them. ˇ°Release him!ˇ±

    One of the men in the truck shoots at James as another jumps out, raising up two small sticks, an aura field surrounding the kidnappers. James fires back, but his bullets bounce off of the aura barrier.

    ˇ°Grip of the dragon,ˇ± I mutter as I lift my hands up, and the man with the barrier sticks begins to struggle for air as I grip the air with my hands.

    The disruption is enough for James to break through the aura barrier, and I release my grip on the man as he falls unconscious. That done, I pull out my sidearm, raise it up and fire off four blazing red shots of aura, my aim holding true. The two kidnappers holding the boy drop to the ground, the one in the front seat collapses, and the one standing in the back of the van falls out of it.

    No blood sprays from the kidnappers, my aura bullets cauterizing the wounds immediately, just another weird thing about my aura.

    James pauses, turning and looking at me as I return my sidearm to its holster and walk over.

    ˇ°I ranked first in terms of accuracy,ˇ± I tell him. ˇ°They trained me a fair bit with as a sniper, too.ˇ±

    ˇ°I''ve never seen aura like that before,ˇ± he says.

    ˇ°Nor has anyone else I''ve spoken to,ˇ± I tell him.

    ˇ°What did you do to the first one?ˇ± He gestures to the unconscious one I took out first. ˇ°That was you, right?ˇ±

    ˇ°I call it the grip of the dragon,ˇ± I shrug. ˇ°I''ve always been able to take over the fire in people. I just grabbed his and squeezed it until he fell unconscious. I could have killed him instantly, but figured we need someone to explain what they were going to do with that boy.ˇ±

    I snap my fingers, and a small burst of fire leaps out, instantly incinerating the gag without harming the boy. He then runs up to his mother, wrapping his arms around her and sobbing.

    ˇ°Can your brothers do that?ˇ± A voice asks from behind me, and I turn around to find Caleb standing there with a turtle on his head. Why did he put the turtle on his head? ˇ°He wanted to go for a walk.ˇ±

    ˇ°Get out of my head.ˇ±

    ˇ°I can''t help it.ˇ±

    ˇ°No,ˇ± I shake my head. ˇ°My brothers can''t touch the flames in people.ˇ±

    ˇ°I meant your aura,ˇ± Caleb shakes his head, the turtle remaining perfectly in place as he does. ˇ°Can they imbue theirs with their element, too?ˇ±

    ˇ°I don''t imbue it with my element,ˇ± I shake my head. ˇ°It just has it in it. Always has.ˇ±

    ˇ°Really?ˇ± Caleb looks surprised. ˇ°Kieran and I can both merge it with our Abilities. Kieran can do three different effects: light, shadow, and perception. The latter can''t be noticed at all. By most people. I can see them just fine.ˇ±

    ˇ°Jeremy wanted to go for a walk,ˇ± I say. ˇ°So you put him on your head and took him for one?ˇ±

    ˇ°Jeremy?ˇ± Caleb looks confused. ˇ°This is Fredrick. He doesn''t even look like Jeremy.ˇ±

    ˇ°You have two turtles?ˇ±

    ˇ°Two hundred, ninety-four.ˇ±

    ˇ°Where are you keeping all of them?ˇ± I shout in surprise.

    ˇ°On an island I separated from the rest of the world using magic,ˇ± Caleb answers. ˇ°I constructed a powerful barrier surrounding it a few years ago with Teacher''s help. He didn''t take part in it. The barrier is sustained using the natural magics surrounding it in the air and water without affecting the natural flow of things. Anytime I find a turtle or tortoise, I send it there. They made lots of babies. I can use my ring to open a doorway there.ˇ±

    ˇ°Shouldn''t you be in class?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°It''s the middle of the day, and you have lessons.ˇ±

    ˇ°It''s Ability Training,ˇ± Caleb looks at me like I''m an idiot. ˇ°Do you really think they can teach me how to use my Ability?ˇ±

    ˇ°It''s kind of important,ˇ± James frowns. ˇ°You''re a magician in addition to Superhuman? And why would you choose not to attend Ability Training? The facility has some of the best instructors for them in the world ¨C I''d recommend attending.ˇ±

    ˇ°James,ˇ± I put a hand on his shoulder and let out a breath. ˇ°The thing about Caleb, is that he''s an S-S-S-S Superhuman. He is literally one of the most powerful Superhumans in the world. And there isn''t an instructor there who can actually teach him, since none have or have encountered his Ability before. You could still just train it on your own, Caleb.ˇ±

    ˇ°I don''t use my Ability unless it''s necessary,ˇ± Caleb states. ˇ°I''m only now starting to get past thinking it''s the reason my family died.ˇ±

    ˇ°Your Ability killed your family?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°I thought you were an orphan.ˇ±

    ˇ°I had something like four hundred brothers and sisters,ˇ± Caleb states. ˇ°I was an orphan at a school for orphans. They were all killed. Kieran and I were the only survivors.ˇ±

    ˇ°Really?ˇ± James asks. ˇ°Where did you two live? I never heard of a massacre like that.ˇ±

    ˇ°You have,ˇ± Caleb looks upwards without moving his head. ˇ°Fredrick wants to go home. Bye.ˇ±

    Caleb twists his ring and vanishes.

    ˇ°No, I haven''t,ˇ± James frowns, then looks at me and gestures to the bodies. ˇ°We should get this taken care of, I guess.ˇ±

    There''s only one massacre I know of that someone can confidently say a soldier of the GSDF has heard of. Most of the world has heard of that massacre, and if there was a school with four hundred orphans living there massacred, it would have been in that massacre.

    The Alkran City Massacre.

    No wonder his resident history is classified ¨C no one would believe he''s a survivor of that.

    Caleb just gets cooler by the day.

 Chapter 009

    ~~(Caleb)~~

    Someone ate my cookies. Why did they eat my cookies? Couldn''t they have gotten their own? I would have shared. They should have asked me if they could have some cookies. I don''t really like cookies, I think it was packed by mistake.

    Or maybe they forgot and sent it to me on purpose? Or maybe they just felt I could just use it to share with other cadets.

    Whoever ate my cookies should have just asked me. I would have shared with them. I don''t even like cookies. I would have happily shared with them. I was planning on sharing them with Flame tonight.

    ˇ°Rivers!ˇ± A voice booms from in front of me, and I look up at the officer. ˇ°What are you doing in here?ˇ±

    ˇ°Reporting theft.ˇ±

    ˇ°You were supposed to report to the briefing room!ˇ±

    ˇ°Make up your mind on if it''s briefing or squad,ˇ± I say. ˇ°And I''m reporting a theft. To report a theft, one must come to this office and fill out a form. I''m filling out the form now.ˇ±

    ˇ°Report to the squad room! Now!ˇ±

    ˇ°I''m filling out the report,ˇ± I say. ˇ°It''ll have to wait until I finish.ˇ±

    ˇ°Missions take priority.ˇ±

    ˇ°And if I''m gone for three months on a training mission,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Then the thief will not have been reported by who is possibly Victim Zero. I''ll report to the squad room when I''m done.ˇ±

    ˇ°Are you defying a direct order?ˇ± The officer growls.

    ˇ°I am,ˇ± I respond. ˇ°Lemme finish this report. The longer you argue with me, the longer it will take.ˇ±

    ˇ°Stop and report, now!ˇ± He orders.

    ˇ°Please let me finish,ˇ± I request. ˇ°I really don''t like being confrontational, and am tempted to just put a pause spell on you as I do this.ˇ±

    ˇ°You will-ˇ±

    The officer freezes, unable to move or speak. I finish the report, hand it in, then unpause the officer.

    ˇ°Alright,ˇ± I say. ˇ°I''m ready to report to the squad room.ˇ±

    ˇ°Did you attack a senior officer?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°I just put you under a spell,ˇ± I say. ˇ°I didn''t actually attack you. I''m reporting, now please hush and leave me alone.ˇ±

    ˇ°There you are!ˇ± Jared groans as he enters the room. ˇ°When you didn''t show up, we started looking for you. I told them you''d probably be here, because of the missing cookies.ˇ±

    ˇ°You''re reporting stolen cookies?ˇ± The officer asks me. ˇ°Seriously? They''re not going to catch whoever it was, and you probably just ate them in your sleep.ˇ±

    ˇ°I don''t eat cookies,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Someone stole them. I tried doing a tracing spell, but they ate all of the crumbs. That''s hard to do. They didn''t leave any DNA behind, too. That''s really hard to do. I put all of that in my report. It''s probably someone''s Ability. You got summoned, Jared?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes,ˇ± he responds. ˇ°Owen and the quartet did as well. Kieran decided to jump in, and they told him that the mission requires an even number of people. He responded with ''add in someone else'', and they told him it required a specific set, and he responded with ''kick someone''. Apparently, they''re pairing people up, and he wants to pair up with you. He''s trying to use his status as a Colonel to leverage them into it.ˇ±

    ˇ°That''s Kieran,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°I''ll talk him out of it.ˇ±

    ˇ°He never did go through training is what he says,ˇ± Jared says.

    I shrug and we leave, making our way to the squad room with the officer following us, scolding me. Eighteen other cadets await us. Flame waves to me as Kieran dips his head to me from the corner he''s lurking in. He looks annoyed.

    Another Colonel stands at the head of the table, which explains why Kieran couldn''t use his rank to boss him around. The Colonel probably hasn''t been around long enough to have seniority, but Kieran probably doesn''t realize that.

    I just checked his mind. He doesn''t have seniority. Now shoo. This is for cadets, not Colonels. You don''t need to prove yourself to anyone.

    He protests, saying he wants to be my partner, and I give him a look. He droops his head and leaves. The Colonel jumps when the door opens and closes. Oh. Kieran wasn''t perceivable.

    There''s a box sitting on the table, inside of which are twenty slips of paper, each with a number on it, one through ten.

    ˇ°Cadets!ˇ± He says. ˇ°Now that you are all gathered, here is the mission!ˇ±

    Does he really need to say that? Just present the mission.

    ˇ°Each of you,ˇ± he says. ˇ°Will draw a slip out of this container, and the slip has a number on it. Your matching number is your partner. Once this is decided, we will lift to a forest, where you will all be dropped to the surface. You will have just your packs when you arrive, and what''s in them. Your mission is to survive there for thirty days. It is not to escape, it is not to rendezvous. There are monsters abound in the forest you''ll be dropped in.

    ˇ°The forest,ˇ± he says. ˇ°Is called the Enchanted Forest, named after one of fairy tales from before the Calamity. It messes with both magic and Abilities, and you can''t escape it. The only way anyone has found in or out is through the air. At the end of the thirty days, we''ll retrieve you.

    ˇ°You may now,ˇ± he continues. ˇ°Draw a slip out of the box, order of arrival. Fuller, since you were first, you draw first.ˇ±

    Jared draws his slip, receiving an eight. Everyone draws, and when it''s my turn, I draw a nine. That makes me happy. I like the number nine. Twenty-seven would be better, but nine works. It''s a multiple of three, the magic number.

    Now that we all have our numbers, we make our way to the airfield on the base. There, we are each given a backpack. They have basic supplies, but no food, and no parachutes. They want us to rely on our aura for protection when we drop, but aren''t telling us that.

    From everyone''s thoughts, only the select few elite have realized about the parachutes. It seems to me that they picked the select few for this mission. A mission they''re doing a lot of lying about.

    This batch has the best of the crop in it. They selected the twenty best recruits for this mission, and aren''t telling us that. It''s part of the test.

    ˇ°Will you get out of our heads?ˇ± The pilot looks at me, and I look at her. ˇ°My Ability is telepathy, Rivers, and while I can''t touch your mind, I know what it''s like to be in everyone''s heads, and I know you''re probably just looking at what this is about. No doubt they''re having a hard time keeping it out of their thoughts.ˇ±

    ˇ°I can''t shut it off,ˇ± I shrug. ˇ°Only tune it out by accident. I have to get really focused on something for that. Besides, it''s not like I''m going to tell them. Anyway, they''ve all figured it out.ˇ±

    ˇ°They have?ˇ± She looks surprised.

    ˇ°Mostly,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°About the bags, anyway, so it''s not like that''s a secret. They also know about the landing. They haven''t figured out the rest. I kind of figured it all out before it was in anyone''s heads. Even the parts I haven''t mentioned. All of them. Yes, including that.ˇ±

    ˇ°Get out of my head!ˇ±

    ˇ°Already told you I''m always there,ˇ± I shake my head. ˇ°So long as you''re near me. Sorry. Anyway, we''ve all got our packs on, let''s go.ˇ±

    We board the plane, and it takes off. The ride is fast and bumpy, and none of us get to sit. As we draw near the Enchanted Forest, they have us line up at the drop door in the order we drew slips, which starts to clue in the others that we aren''t dropping with our partners.

    ˇ°Okay!ˇ± The instructor in charge yells to us. ˇ°You will drop when we tell you to! Your first mission is to meet up with your partner! You are not to spend more than twenty-four hours with another pair at a time! If you''ve been with a pair for more than three hours, you cannot be with another pair for more than three hours at a time in the next seventy-two hours! For all instances, a ''pair'' counts for even one other person, not necessarily both in their team! You will not be here for thirty days! You will be here for sixty!

    ˇ°Also!ˇ± He continues. ˇ°You have maps in your packs! The last three days, you can be with other groups! There is a large clearing in the middle of the forest! Meet there before the final day! On the final day, we''ll arrive to pick you all up! We are at the first drop point! Go!ˇ±

    Nineteen drop points later, the instructor and I are alone in the back of the plane, and he stares at me.

    ˇ°Can you feel it affecting your magic?ˇ±

    ˇ°My magic feels weak and disturbed,ˇ± I respond. ˇ°My flight magic won''t let me land safely, but like everyone else, I can shield myself with aura. You picked the top cadets for this mission. I''m sure we''ll all be alive at the end. How often do you run it?ˇ±

    ˇ°We use it,ˇ± he responds. ˇ°To test the best, but we never do it with less than twenty. We had to include you, but we couldn''t let Kieran in.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why?ˇ±

    ˇ°He''s officially an officer,ˇ± the instructor looks out the door. ˇ°And we can only allow trainees on missions. He threatened to get Colonel Reynolds involved if I didn''t let him...ˇ±

    ˇ°He doesn''t have Grant''s number,ˇ± I say. ˇ°He was probably going to ask me. We''re at my drop. Bye.ˇ±

    I jump out of the plane, allowing myself to fall. As I draw closer, my passive Territory grows smaller and smaller, vanishing before I reach the treeline. My connection to my Ability has grown wonky.

    Just before reaching the tops of the trees, I shield myself in aura, protecting my body from the fall. When I reach the ground, I twist myself and roll, but mostly because it''s more comfortable. I could have just taken the fall straight, with my aura shielding me.

    The Enchanted Forest doesn''t affect auras. Teacher taught me that a long time ago. He taught me that when the magical fluctuations subsided after the Calamity, this forest, sunk a hundred miles below the surface and stretching over two hundred miles in all directions, revealed itself to be transformed.

    A place that affects magic and Abilities. It''s part of why I believe that the Abilities are connected to magic. I''m not completely sure, though. Teacher told me he doesn''t believe me, that in all his research, he hasn''t discovered a link between the two. The Abilities are some supernatural, but nonmagical, force. That''s what he said.

    And yet I can imitate pretty much any Ability using magic.

    Teacher is so weird.

    Standing, I take stock of my surroundings. Trees are all I can really see. Trees and dirt. I can''t even see the sky from here, other than in bits and specks, and the occasional spot of light that managed to filter in through the leaves.

    Hrm. I know where my teammate landed, as the second in each team to drop does, but the trick is making it to them ¨C especially with them moving. I didn''t tell the first in each pair to stay put, but the smart ones will.

    The trick would be surviving and still staying in that spot. From what little I could make out, no one was dropped in a place suitable for survival. That means they intended on making it difficult to meet up.

    Oh.

    How are they planning on retrieving us after? They can''t really track us?

    Unless...

    I scan through my aura for a moment and figure it out. They put aura traces on us. Huh. When did they do that? How? I don''t recognize the aura. I almost flick it off of me, but then decide that it''s better to leave it there until it''s time to leave.

    This is a mission designed not to see how we survive, but to push us to the next level of our Abilities and our abilities. To train our auras, our combat skills, our survival skills, our observational skills, and our ability to use our Abilities in difficult situations.

    According to Teacher, the Enchanted Forest has a disturbance factor on par with some of the most ancient temples and ruins. To adapt to his place and survive here prepares a cadet for true missions, but with mostly weak monsters instead of an actual danger.

    Well, there are a few of those, most likely, but what''s a challenge without a few strong foes to battle? It''s going to be fun being without my Ability helping me at every turn.

    The complete silence in my mind is eerie. I''ve never felt it before. Is this what regular people are like?

    It makes me feel alone. No matter how much I hate it, it always lets me know I''m not alone. This makes me feel alone.

    I really need to find my partner.

    Knowing it could be days before I find them ¨C and that I could come across other teams and some monsters on the way ¨C I begin walking in the general direction they were dropped. Food is a bigger priority than finding them.

    Actually, hold on. Lemme try something.

    You can do this, Caleb. You can do this several times and live. No one will get hurt.

    ˇ°This is my reality now,ˇ± I whisper, and feel my power flex. The field is far smaller, and so is what I can do with it. ˇ°Make it fast, Caleb.ˇ±

    I take off running, ending the field once I reach the border and starting a new one. Each one has a singular rule: time does not work at the same speed within. I make it from one edge to the other far quicker within it than I could outside of it.

    Within an hour, I arrive at my partner''s drop site, exhausted. Using it took far more energy than I expected. Not only does the Enchanted Forest affect how they work and if they do, but it also affects the amount of energy required to use it.

    Thankfully, my partner kept his butt here, and he jumps when I pop up next to him, exhausted. He jumps a little, then looks at me as I collapse to the ground.

    ˇ°Dude,ˇ± he kneels down next to me, helping me sit up. ˇ°You really shouldn''t have forced it, if it was going to do this to you.ˇ±

    ˇ°I''ll be fine.ˇ±

    ˇ°Sit down and rest,ˇ± he says. ˇ°I''ll go get some water while you recover, and we can find food after.ˇ±

    He starts walking, and I call out to him.

    ˇ°What?ˇ±

    ˇ°That''s not sanitary water,ˇ± I point my arm. ˇ°There''s clean water that way. You''ll need to perform an aura filter on the water you''re approaching.ˇ±

    ˇ°Your Ability still works here?ˇ±

    ˇ°Barely,ˇ± I answer. ˇ°But the passive Territory is inactive. Aura works perfectly fine, as I''m sure you noticed. Water tainted in any form that can work in a place like this is affected by aura, which I can sense, due to my auric presence. I guess you didn''t sense me burst it out. We''ll work on that by the time this training is over. Aura training is part of why they have us here.ˇ±

    ˇ°Aura training is intensely difficult,ˇ± he says. ˇ°It''s a whole lot of usage for small benefit. Only those with natural talent tend to advance decently.ˇ±

    ˇ°That''s why only the geniuses are sent on this training mission,ˇ± I explain. ˇ°Only the best of the best participate. Only we can figure out a way to advance our aura, but to do that, we need to be forced into a situation where our aura is necessary. I''m sure you''ve heard of how my aura can forcibly awaken pretty much anyone around me if flexed to just a small portion ¨C along the path to this, I figured out quite a few tricks the aura can do, beyond strengthening the skin and using as a weapon. You can use it to detect things around you, to filter out certain types of toxins and such. They wouldn''t drop us somewhere we couldn''t survive in, but they wouldn''t send us somewhere it''s completely obvious how to survive. Clean water''s that way, I''m too exhausted to do an aura filter on the water.ˇ±

    He walks off in the direction I pointed, returning thirty minutes later with his canteens filled. He hands me one of the canteens.

    ˇ°I didn''t factor in,ˇ± I say. ˇ°That it wouldn''t take me long to recover enough to use an aura filter. I''ve been ready since about five minutes after you left. Sometimes, I think about things too much. Teacher always told me that.ˇ±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ˇ°Teacher?ˇ±

    ˇ°Ancient magician who was around during the Calamity,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°He taught me magic, aura, combat. I already had my aura unlocked at that point, he just trained me in it. I figured out the aura filter on my own, and he got real upset because he wanted to teach it to me. Apparently, it''s not something very many can figure out on their own, and he was really, really eager to teach me. By the way ¨C there''s a rabbit over there.ˇ±

    I point off into the direction of the rabbit, and he looks at me.

    ˇ°The trick is catching it.ˇ±

    ˇ°I set up a snare twenty minutes ago,ˇ± I stand and brush the dirt off of me. ˇ°The rabbit got caught, but it''s bait.ˇ±

    ˇ°For what?ˇ±

    ˇ°Lunch.ˇ±

    ˇ°The rabbit isn''t lunch?ˇ±

    ˇ°What Rank are you?ˇ±

    ˇ°My Ability?ˇ± He asks. ˇ°B-Rank. Most of us are, though I heard there are two A-Ranks.ˇ±

    Jared and Flame.

    ˇ°I haven''t been introduced to you yet,ˇ± he says. ˇ°From the chatter in the squad room, you''re insanely powerful, but sometimes absentminded. I have already been proven the latter.ˇ±

    ˇ°I''m S-S-S-S Rank,ˇ± I stretch. ˇ°People tend to think my Ability is a joke.ˇ±

    ˇ°What is it?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°Do you know of Territories?ˇ±

    ˇ°Powerful Special Superhumans,ˇ± he nods. ˇ°Capable of claiming the area around them as their own. They can control it, to a degree, and usually perceive everything within it.ˇ±

    ˇ°I''m a special type of Territory,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Known as a Creator. We have a passive Territory at all times, though we can''t control anything within it. I can perceive anything within, hear the thoughts of all within, even send thoughts to those within.ˇ±

    Among other things. I can prevent telepathic communications, intercept them, alter them, and so much more. I''ve never done it, though. Teacher brought it up once, then said that if I ever went evil, Telepaths would have quite the headache.

    Pretty sure they would if they were evil and around me.

    ˇ°In addition to that,ˇ± I say. ˇ°We can create alternate Realities, essentially, a reality marble. I can still sort of do it here, which is why I was able to make it to you, but it''s far smaller and far more restrictive than normal. My passive Territory is completely gone. Being in everyone''s heads annoys me, especially since I can''t tune it out, but being in no one''s head is eerie. It makes me feel alone.ˇ±

    ˇ°You''re really strange, you know that, right?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°Dinner''s here.ˇ±

    ˇ°It is?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± I wrap myself in my aura, and he frowns, looking at me, but not exactly. ˇ°What?ˇ±

    ˇ°Jeez!ˇ± He jumps. ˇ°Don''t do that when I''m already having a hard time focusing on you!ˇ±

    ˇ°Quiet down!ˇ± I whisper harshly. ˇ°You''ll scare it away.ˇ±

    ˇ°I can''t focus on you!ˇ±

    ˇ°When I wrap myself in my aura,ˇ± I explain. ˇ°It''s as if I''m part of the surroundings. Your brain starts to filter me into the background of your conscious, just like you do the trees and everything else. It becomes hard to focus on me, then, because my aura tells you I''m irrelevant, unimportant. Filtered to the background, like a spider in a web.ˇ±

    ˇ°What kind of analogy is that?ˇ±

    ˇ°I never did catch your name.ˇ±

    ˇ°Taylor.ˇ±

    ˇ°Caleb.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, I''m aware.ˇ±

    ˇ°How?ˇ±

    ˇ°It was a bit obvious, with you being late and all,ˇ± he says. ˇ°How are you wrapping yourself in your aura?ˇ±

    ˇ°A trick they probably expect everyone to learn here,ˇ± I answer. ˇ°Now shush ¨C Imma go stalk our lunch.ˇ±

    I walk off into the woods, approaching the carvhog. Large body, long tusks, lots of meat, and loves meat. The person who named the species wasn''t being very creative at the time, since ''carvhog'' is just short for ''carnivore hog''.

    Drawing the knife we were all supplied with, I approach the beast, sliding up to its side as it munches on its own lunch, and then plunge the knife deep into the soft spot in its neck. It squeals and dies. It''s sad. I don''t cry when I kill prey anymore, though. It took me a long time to even be able to hunt, but Teacher helped me. It''s different from fighting people. A lot different.

    ˇ°There you are!ˇ± Taylor exclaims as he approaches me, staring at the hog. ˇ°I heard you had issues fighting.ˇ±

    ˇ°People,ˇ± I state. ˇ°Animals and monsters are no issue for me.ˇ±

    ˇ°Um...you''re really weird.ˇ±

    ˇ°I think that about other people.ˇ±

    Oh. I just realized something.

    ˇ°You look like you just realized something,ˇ± he says.

    ˇ°I did.ˇ±

    ˇ°What was it?ˇ±

    ˇ°I didn''t need to bait it,ˇ± I say. ˇ°I could have just wrapped myself in my aura. I passed them all up on my way here, which is why I knew the carvhogs were here. Oh. I just realized. I never did find out what your Ability is. What is it?ˇ±

    ˇ°Manipulator,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°Kinetic fields.ˇ±

    He can make force fields? That''s awesome!

    Figuring out how to imitate them with my magic is hard. I''ve been trying forever. Teacher says he hasn''t figured it out. Just like with flying, I''ll figure it out first.

    It''s one of those funky Abilities that some people believe should be Special, and is sometimes considered to be an entirely different Ability altogether.

    ˇ°Let''s eat!ˇ± I tell him. ˇ°We can make a fire over where I found you.ˇ±

    I pick up the hog and carry it to the small clearing Taylor was in, and Taylor gathers sticks and branches, asking me how we''re going to make a fire.

    ˇ°They dropped us off with a few essentials,ˇ± I explain. ˇ°That includes flint and steel. We can just strike the knife to the flint block and create some sparks. Ever made a fire like that before?ˇ±

    ˇ°No,ˇ± he says. ˇ°And can we really start a fire with sparks?ˇ±

    ˇ°Sure can,ˇ± I drop the hog down. ˇ°Here.ˇ±

    I assemble the fire, telling him to gather more sticks and logs. Some of them, I set to the side, as they''re green enough to be good to spear the meat with to cook it on. A few moments after I finish assembling the fire, it''s lit, and Taylor and I wait for it to heat up enough to cook the meat.

    During that time, we cut the carvhog with the combat knives we were given and spear it on the sticks I had Taylor sharpen, and once the fire''s hot enough, we start cooking. As it cooks, I scavenge up some berries and such to eat with the meat.

    ˇ°How do you know how to do all this?ˇ± Taylor asks me as we''re eating. ˇ°I mean, this tastes good, and there''s no spices or anything.ˇ±

    ˇ°The town I lived at,ˇ± I answer. ˇ°Had a massive forest outside of it, as well as ruins. Teacher taught me how to hunt and fish and scavenge and cook and eat.ˇ±

    ˇ°He taught you how to eat?ˇ±

    ˇ°How to eat good food,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°And how to eat properly. I''m ignoring that rule of etiquette, since we''re in a forest.ˇ±

    <hr>

    ~~(Jared)~~

    My only thought as I fall out of the plane is that the only way to safely land ¨C and not die ¨C is to use my aura to protect myself. I''ve only done it for minor things before, never for a full-on fall

    Please don''t let me die here.

    I crash through the trees, landing with minimal injuries, though a lot of pain. That hurt like hell. I completely forgot to land properly.

    Once I have shaken off the fall and assessed my immediate surroundings, I sit down and go through the pack.

    A few basic first-aid supplies, flint, a combat knife, a map, a compass, a couple of canteens, a couple of water bottles, a tarp, some plastic pouches to waterproof things, some twine, some rope, and a mess kit.

    No filter for the water, and I''ve heard that the water in the Enchanted Forest can be deadly. How do they expect us to survive without a way to filter the water?

    In addition to that, I have no clue where my partner is, since I dropped before him. I can hope that he''d make it to me here, but with this place filled with monsters, there''s a good chance I''d get chased away from here...

    And I cannot connect to my Ability at all. It reminds me of when Caleb disconnected me, back in basic. It gives off the same feeling of just not existing at all.

    Are the two linked?

    There''s a good chance that Caleb knows stuff about this place that most people don''t. His Teacher seems to have taught him a fair deal about unusual things, it''s entirely possible this was one of them.

    If anyone is going to survive, it''s that absentminded boy. Pretty sure he could survive a Calamity and just go ''That was a lot of rain'' when it''s over.

    After a few hours of waiting and attempting to use my Ability, my stomach is growling far too much for me to remain put. They didn''t starve us or anything before coming here, I''m just really hungry, and even though basic forced us to work through the hunger, I have a feeling it could be a long time before I actually find something I can eat.

    Remembering a story about a pair of brothers who got lost in some woods, I decide to leave a trail, so I can find my way back to where I was dropped. Using the combat knife, I make a mark in a tree every few feet. Something with color would be better, as it would be more noticeable, but for now, the marks will have to do.

    After an hour of walking, I begin to suspect something. Another twenty minutes of walking confirms it.

    I''m walking in circles. The damn forest is removing my marks and switching back things I moved. It''s got me walking in circles.

    The a story Caleb was telling a few nights ago, when Flame pushed him for a story that Teacher taught him, comes to mind.

    He talked about a forest where the more you tried to keep track of where you were, the more it made you walk in circles. The trick of finding your way through it was to not make marks or move things, but instead, just walk. Memorize the surroundings, but do not change them, and you will progress.

    Was he referring to the Enchanted Forest? I know he gave it as a fairy tale, but could it have been based on truth?

    Deciding that he must have been referring to here, I follow that knowledge, and another hour of walking passes before I determine it was right.

    I memorized my surroundings, and never once passed up the same landmark twice.

    Crap. That makes things that much harder.

    Sitting down to rest for a few minutes, I close my eyes, reviewing every story Flame has talked Caleb into giving us, in the hopes of finding some piece of information that can help me out while here. Me, and my partner, when we meet up.

    It''s possible that Caleb himself doesn''t even know he knows information that can help us ¨C he told us that story as if it were just a story, and when asked where the inspiration came from, he just said that Teacher gave it to him a few years ago as a lesson, and that it probably didn''t have any truth to it.

    An hour of thought yields me no results.

    Opening my eyes, I freeze. Not five feet in front of me wanders a panther-like creature with shadowy fur and golden eyes. It''s sniffing the ground, and I''m pretty sure if it notices me, I''ll become its lunch.

    It will probably find me delicious.

    Moving slowly, I draw the combat knife and hold it up in front of me, focusing on getting my Ability to work. If I can move this with my Ability, I can kill it before it ever notices me.

    Focusing on being prepared to move if it attacks, I wait. No use provoking it, in case it misses me. I can''t figure out why it hasn''t spotted me yet.

    A rabbit hops into view, and I track it with my eyes. It hops right in front of the panther and keeps moving. All the panther does is move its head a little, then ignores it, resuming its sniffing.

    A few minutes after the rabbit passes by, the panther comes across a patch of herbs. It sniffs them a few times, then starts nibbling on it.

    Flat teeth.

    The panther has flat teeth. It''s not a carnivore. I move to a proper sitting position, letting my legs relax, and the panther jerks its head, moving it a little bit, and I realize not only is it an herbivore, it''s blind, too. Those eyes can''t see a thing.

    I stand up, and it stares in my general direction, sniffing, then when I don''t attack it, it returns to eating. I approach it, and it barely acknowledges me.

    That''s a lot of meat. If I prepared it properly, I could have enough meat to last me a little while, and to keep my strength up.

    I strike with my knife right at its neck, and the blade glances off. I strike several more times. I can''t hurt it. The panther just...ignores me.

    Its attitude enrages me. I can''t harm it at all, and it knows that. That''s why it didn''t bolt when I stood up ¨C it knew it was fine.

    After exhausting myself trying to kill it as it eats the herbs, the panther moves over to eat some berries. I try to shove it away, to get food, but it stands firm.

    How the hell?

    This thing is powerful and immovable, and it''s a freaking herbivore, to top it off!

    Wait.

    I had to use my aura to land safely, and my Ability is inactive. Magic itself doesn''t work here, either. Maybe...aura?

    I look for traces of aura, and realize that the creature is literally filled with it. Its fur, its claws, its skin ¨C every part of it is infused with aura.

    No wonder I can''t harm it, it''s using its aura as a defense, and probably does it passively.

    ˇ°Fuck,ˇ± I collapse against a tree.

    I exhausted myself in my anger. I really need to work on that. I should have checked for aura before then.

    The panther finishes its meal, then wanders off.

    As I start to stand up, someone runs by me, and my initial thought is that they better not leave me if they want a partner who isn''t there for as long as possible, to increase the odds of survival.

    A long thought, and long enough to realize...that''s not one of us.

    He kicks off a tree, flipping around and slashing with a glowing blue knife. As my eyes follow the glowing trail, something becomes visible.

    A snake with wings, the target of his blade. The blade is deflected by the snake''s fangs ¨C as impossible as I find that ¨C and the boy keeps moving.

    The snake, on the other hand, attacks me. I activate my aura defense and throw my hands up in time to keep it from biting me.

    Then I feel the pain in my arm. It bit right through my aura.

    ˇ°Hey!ˇ± The other kid yells, and his knife bounces off the snake.

    The snake hisses at him as it releases me, returning its attention to the other kid, who has another knife in his hand.

    ˇ°You''re really pissing me off,ˇ± it snarls.

    Uh...did the snake just talk?

    ˇ°You attacked me, you legless lizard,ˇ± he just said that with a straight face.

    ˇ°It''s your own fault for being delicious!ˇ± The snake snaps back.

    I can''t believe they''re actually arguing over this. Actually, there are several things I can''t believe.

    But really? Arguing about why they''re fighting?

    ˇ°Go eat another beast, you beast,ˇ± the kid almost sounds bored.

    ˇ°I''m too strong for you to fight with your current aura levels, idiot,ˇ± the snake rolls its eyes, then jerks its head to indicate me. ˇ°This pathetic lump of skin, on the other hand, would be problematic if he knew how to wield his aura, not just gently coat himself with it. He also tastes delicious. Now fuck off, so I can enjoy someone. Damn soldiers and sending kids here every decade for training...most of them end up dead anyway, because they can''t figure out aura and your people tend to avoid interacting with them.ˇ±

    Most cadets who go on this die?

    Do they use this purge out cadets they don''t want?

    I really wish Caleb was here, and what he had gleaned from the instructors. Knowing that aura can be utilized in other ways would have been beneficial. Especially if the implication that we can control how much we shield ourselves with is true. The instructors told us it isn''t.

    An arrow pierces through the snake, pinning it to the tree standing by me. It dies immediately.

    ˇ°Mostly because we can''t stand them.ˇ±

    The new voice is deep and imposing, and I look at the archer, dressed in a dark green tunic brown pants, and soft leather boots. He has an arrow aimed at me.

    I glance to the boy, who is around my age, shirtless, and wearing a loincloth and a few pieces of bone jewelry. He has a sheath on both hips, where he kept his knives. The one he drew a moment ago is still in his hand, and he looks at the man. They''re both small in stature, sort of like Caleb, though both have brown hair and matching hazel eyes. Both slender, their bodies are muscled from a lifetime of physical work.

    If Flame were here, he''d be chattering away to the kid. I have to put up with it often, and this kid is at least a full point above me. He almost rivals Caleb.

    Speaking of Caleb...

    Even if he doesn''t have access to his Ability, I''d rather that he be here with this man aiming an arrow at me.

    ˇ°What are you doing here, Dad?ˇ± The kid asks.

    So they''re related.

    ˇ°Looking out for my son,ˇ± the man looks at the boy, probably the mentioned ''son''. He turns his gaze back to me. ˇ°This boy has a disturbing aura, even among the batches of cadet I''ve come across in my hundred of years. There''s a darkness within that bothers me.ˇ±

    ˇ°There''s light, too, Dad,ˇ± the boy says.

    ˇ°Not much,ˇ± the man says. He really doesn''t look a hundred years old. I''d say, based on his looks, he''s maybe forty, if that. ˇ°Only two of this batch have strong light in their auras, and one of them is terrifying.ˇ±

    ˇ°Terrifying?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°And you just want to kill someone who has more darkness than light?ˇ±

    ˇ°Darkness is evil,ˇ± the man says. ˇ°Light isn''t. That boy has almost no trace of darkness inside of it, and seems to be able to teleport.ˇ±

    ˇ°That boy!ˇ± I exclaim. ˇ°We''re in the Enchanted Forest, and he''s still able to use his damn Ability!ˇ±

    ˇ°You know the teleporter?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°There isn''t one,ˇ± I shake my head, though my eyes remain fixed on his arrow. ˇ°But there is one who can create reality marbles, or alternate realities. When he''s in them, he vanishes from this reality. He can alter the rules of how things work in his reality marbles, and probably did something that let him move faster. Where did he go?ˇ±

    ˇ°Met up with another cadet,ˇ± he answers without lowering his arrow a millimeter. ˇ°Was pretty exhausted after. Honestly, I''m surprised he made it eighty miles in less than an hour.ˇ±

    ˇ°I''m surprised it took him that long,ˇ± I say. ˇ°And for him to be worn-out? Hungry, I can understand, but worn-out? I guess the Enchanted Forest is doing a real number on his Ability to make him take that long. I''d have said five, maybe ten minutes. An hour? Wow.ˇ±

    ˇ°Even with an arrow pointed at you,ˇ± the man says. ˇ°You have an air of cockiness. Bari, do you see why I do not trust him, with the darkness within?ˇ±

    ˇ°The darkness,ˇ± I say. ˇ°How much is it, in comparison to the light? Because if you reverse Caleb''s, you will find more darkness than in mine. I have a tendency to dislike weak people, as well as people who abuse their power. I''m getting better on getting a handle on the darkness.ˇ±

    ˇ°I find that hard to believe.ˇ±

    ˇ°It upsets Caleb when I act that way,ˇ± I hesitate before continuing. ˇ°Caleb is a sensitive, absentminded kid who has hella good looks and a caring outlook who has fears he''s pushing through. When I kill people just because they abuse their power, it upsets him. He hides the weak side of him, but it''s still obvious to those who know it''s there.ˇ±

    ˇ°The darkness is attracted to light,ˇ± the man says. ˇ°But something tells me your attraction takes a different form. You love the jumper.ˇ±

    ˇ°And he''s completely disinterested in romance,ˇ± I say. ˇ°He''s a late bloomer in that aspect. He doesn''t even play with himself. Hell knows when he''ll finally start finding himself attracted to people, if ever. He seems to have a thing for magic. All I want to do is make him happy, even if that means toning down how I want to be just so I don''t upset him.ˇ±

    ˇ°Magic barely exists here,ˇ± the man says. ˇ°And your aura says you are honest about your feelings for Caleb.ˇ±

    ˇ°And he doesn''t know,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Can you...lower your bow? You''re making me nervous.ˇ±

    He lowers his bow and slowly moves his arrow forward, then returns it to the quiver on his back, hanging the hand with the bow by his side.

    ˇ°Thank you,ˇ± I say. ˇ°How forbidden are we from interacting with you guys?ˇ±

    ˇ°Pardon?ˇ±

    ˇ°You guys never interact with cadets,ˇ± I say. ˇ°From what I heard you and the snake say. The trainers have to have a way to tell how we did, other than simply being alive when we finish, or have better skill and ability with our auras. They have someone who reports to them our progress. You said your people saw him do that. You guys were at our drop points.ˇ±

    ˇ°We report on the final day,ˇ± he nods. ˇ°After all of the cadets are up, we give them our reports, then they leave. This is a rare occurrence ¨C they only perform this mission once every decade or so, when they have twenty cadets who are considered geniuses and extraordinary. Only they have a chance of passing.ˇ±

    ˇ°So your restrictions on interacting with us?ˇ±

    ˇ°None,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°We simply don''t interact due to the darkness that fills upworlders.ˇ±

    Upworlder...must be the term for people from outside of here.

    ˇ°People from here don''t have that darkness in their aura?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Perceptive,ˇ± he says. ˇ°Enough has been said to distract your mind from that.ˇ±

    ˇ°How can you see darkness and light in auras, anyway?ˇ±

    ˇ°Something all of us down here learn as children,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°We learn to awaken our aura as small children, and over the years, taught many different techniques. Seeing the light and darkness, as well as the emotions, within an aura are among those tricks, though few can manage that particular trick.ˇ±

    ˇ°Where do you get clean water from?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°And hunt?ˇ±

    ˇ°Strange next question.ˇ±

    ˇ°Need to know how to survive.ˇ±

    ˇ°Aura filter for water,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°You stretch your aura thin between your fingers. First, you put two fingers together, then pull them apart. You need a closed set when pulling when you''re new, so curling your index finger into your thumb, then slowly uncurl, making sure your thumb remains touching your index finger, until your tips are touching. The trick at first is keeping your fingers touching as you stretch your aura thin. At the same time, you need to focus on purity in your aura. If the aura used isn''t entirely pure, you won''t purify the water. The cadets who figure out the trick and drink water from the usual sources aren''t aware of that last part, and drink the contaminated water. It only works on water with aura contaminants, such as here. Unless you can make your thoughts pure, you''ll never be able to drink water from the normal sources.ˇ±

    ˇ°I could use the tarp to catch dew or rainwater, couldn''t I?ˇ±

    ˇ°You could,ˇ± he smiles. ˇ°I''ll be willing to take you in for a few days, teach you a few things about aura.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thanks,ˇ± I say, then my head starts to spin. ˇ°Whoa, things suddenly got dizzy.ˇ±

    ˇ°Probably the bite,ˇ± he says. ˇ°I''m only taking you in because I can''t, in good conscious, allow someone to die when I come across them injured. Normally, someone with darkness like yours would affect that decision, and I''d have no issue, but there are two things changing that.ˇ±

    ˇ°What?ˇ± I ask, putting a hand against a tree to brace myself. ˇ°Whoa. Getting really dizzy.ˇ±

    ˇ°The first,ˇ± he says. ˇ°Is that you care deeply about someone with an aura with more than thirty percent of it consisting of light, when less than ten percent of his is darkness. The second is the fact that the poison took that long to affect you. It''s rare to find an uplander with that much aura.ˇ±

    So they can read auras, but not gauge its level, like Irina can.

    ˇ°Um,ˇ± I chuckle. ˇ°Wait until you find out how much aura Caleb has. You''d probably faint.ˇ±

    A moment after I say that, I faint.

 Chapter 010

    ~~(Brooks)~~

    I can''t feel my Ability at all. This feeling is disturbing, and all I can do is hope I can find my partner soon. Abilities and magic work different, here, if at all, but nothing was said for aura. When I used it to shield myself, it worked fine.

    This place focuses on aura usage, that''s how we''re supposed to survive. My brothers and I will be a little bit fine, but combat might be tricky. Our village trains us in some basic aura survival skills, due to where we live. There''s Ruins nearby, and they can interfere with Abilities and magic. If we got stranded in the woods, we''d need to be able to do things like aura filters for water and defend our body from small stuff.

    Well, the latter was something they trained us for anyway. Rare is an incident where anyone from our village over the age of ten receives a cut or a scrape from a trip or a tree branch.

    My first order of business after landing is checking my surroundings for threats. Finding none, I shrug off my pack and check my supplies. Tarp, rope, twine, combat knife, flint and steel, basic first aid, two water bottles, map, compass, two waterproof pouches, a mess kit ¨C basic stuff.

    Need to find my own food and water, too ¨C don''t even get to start off with it. That means they expect us to find it shortly after where we arrive, which means there are either multiple sources nearby, or strong clues as to a single source nearby.

    I pulse my aura, verifying once again that there are no monsters around, and determine that there''s no food in my immediate area. Three herbs, but all of them toxic or for medicinal over filling purposes.

    Regardless, I collect the ones that can be used for medicinal purposes, putting them into a pouch in the pack.

    That done, I pulse my aura again, then begin walking, pulsing it every couple of yards. My aura can only reach out about five feet with a pulse, though Flame can pulse his almost twenty feet out.

    I really wish he was here right now. That boy is reckless, hyperactive, and often clueless, but his presence is the most comforting thing in the world to any of us. Cliff, Gale, and I all find him annoying, but we all miss his presence when it''s gone.

    Unfortunately, we''re not partners, so if we do meet up, we''re limited on how long we can stick together.

    Flame is powerful in every sense of the word. His Ability, his aura, his combat skill ¨C they''re second to none back home. The rest of us have to struggle to keep up with him, and that''s not even enough. None of us managed to break through to A-Rank before basic training, yet Flame just jumped to it as if it were nothing, and still doesn''t realize just how amazing that is.

    He probably has access to his Ability here, even if limited. I fear for any monster that gets in his way ¨C especially if he can still use his ''dragon'' abilities.

    I highly doubt they''re a part of his Ability. They''re fire, alright, and he calls them ''dragon'' for whatever reason, but they''re unlike any other aspect of his Ability ¨C or the Elemental Abilities we know of. No one can just ''control'' the fire of someone else.

    Flame has shredded right through it from a distance just by clawing his fingers and raking them through the air, and the person burned from the inside out in the form of claw marks.

    That person didn''t survive very long. I won''t, either, if I don''t get out of my thoughts on Flame and focus them on surviving.

    An hour of wandering later, I sit down and snack on the nuts and berries I located. I put an aura trace on my partner, so finding him won''t be too hard for me, since I can still sense it.

    They stuck aura traces on us, and I have to wonder why, since they''re not here. Maybe to track us down in case we''re not all at the gathering point? I''m not sure how to remove them ¨C Dad could, but he was the only one back home able to remove aura traces.

    Heh. The look on his face when he realized all four of us could sense aura traces on ourselves. That''s apparently not normal, but we didn''t know it and didn''t mention it until one day when Flame asked why he kept sticking aura traces on him when he kept running off into the woods.

    Focus, Brooks. You''re not Flame, you''re you. Keep your mind on-track.

    After my snack, I walk to the nearest water source and do an aura pulse. This one''s clean, but just in case there''s something my aura didn''t detect, I perform an aura filter as I fill my bottles. I''m good, but I can''t detect everything.

    My bottles filled and my own thirst quenched, I set off to find my partner. Judging by the distance, it will take me a few days to reach him, with minimal stops. A week is more realistic, accounting for monster encounters and his movements.

    Provided neither of us die on the way. Receive an incapacitating injury. Become some monster''s snack.

    There are any number of things that could stop us from meeting up. And when we meet up, there''s the possibility we won''t be able to stand each other''s presence, too.

    Hours pass before I see signs of animal life, and luckily, I sense it through an aura pulse before it noticed me.

    Or maybe I let it know I was here...

    It moved out from around the tree it was sleeping at, and began staring at me.

    Well, crap. That was my own fault.

    And this is a rare breed of leopard, too. Dark blue fur with dark red spots, golden eyes, and a powerful aural defense. Only two people from our village ever managed to kill one, and they were both S-Rank Superhumans. Dad was one of them, and Mom was the other. It took both of them to kill it.

    Slowly, I raise my hands and take a step back. The leopard takes a step forward. Every time I step back, it steps forward, stalking me until I''m against a tree.

    No way in hell am I going down, but no one survives against them. S-Rank monsters with powerful aural defense that can shrug off almost any attack ¨C be it mundane, aural, magical, or Ability; they also have high speed, high strength, high senses. They''re one of the ultimate predators of forests, but usually only live in mountains. For them to be in the Enchanted forest does not bode well for trainees who are caught unaware.

    It''s one of the few creatures I know of that can sense aura pulses.

    The leopard crouches, preparing to pounce, and I prepare to run out of the way, my aura shrouding my body in the hopes of enough boosted speed and enhanced defense to possibly make it out of here alive.

    The leopard pounces, and the moment it does, I move, dodging to the side and running past it.

    The leopard slams into me as I do, sending me off-balance and rolling in the dirt, slamming into a tree, myself.

    ˇ°Oof!ˇ± I grunt in pain.

    What the hell just happened?

    The leopard''s fur is singed in a spot about the size of my fist on its side. It stands up and shakes it off, looking through the woods. It can see what I cannot, in this filtered lighting.

    ˇ°You leave my brother alone!ˇ± An annoyed voice yells.

    I have never been more glad to hear that voice in my life.

    The leopard pounces at something in the shadows, and in a quick flash of fire, it is sent flying into a tree. A moment later, I catch a glimpse of Flame moving behind another tree. The panther goes after that tree, then circles it, looking confused.

    ˇ°Over here, mean kitty!ˇ±

    When did he move over there?

    I watch as the leopard attacks Flame, who punches or kicks it with enough force to slam it into at tree or the ground or just the air. It takes me almost a full minute ¨C seventeen strikes ¨C to notice Flame''s movements.

    The moment he goes behind a tree, he does something insane. He uses his fire to temporarily boost his speed in an explosive burst, shrouding himself in aura to shield his body just in case he crashes. I can barely catch the movement.

    Once I catch that, I begin following him, focusing on speeding myself up with aura to keep up with the fight. Even doing that, Flame is moving incredibly fast.

    No wonder he has enough momentum to send the leopard flying. But how did he get to me so fast? He was dropped off over eighty miles away from me. And how is he using his Ability? This is the same form of it he used back when we were younger, but on a smaller, more focused scale. It''s as if he still has access to his Ability here.

    The leopard doesn''t give up. Flame''s strikes aren''t enough to actually hurt it, just singe its fur ¨C which heals moments later.

    It knows that it will wear Flame out before Flame wears it out.

    Closing my eyes, I listen to the battle as I focus on my own Ability. Flame''s insane, and he''s impossible, and he exceeds any norm there is, which is probably why he can use his Ability here, why he can break through Ranks so easily. He will likely reach S-Rank long before the end of training.

    Me? I need to work for it. I can''t connect to my Ability, but I can move fast, and I can fight hard. We''re fighters and survivors, those of our village.

    And we don''t give up.

    I will connect to my Ability.

    So as Flame fights, I focus, knowing I''ll have enough time. He won''t give up until it dies, even if it kills him to do so.

    There is water all around me. I can manipulate that which is there, as well as increase its amount. Once I reach A-Rank, I''ll be able to manifest it on my own, I believe.

    All I need to do is sense the water around me. A minute passes. Two. Three. Four.

    There!

    Just a small flicker of my Ability. I focus on it again, sensing the water around me in flashes and flickers.

    Five minutes. Six minutes. Seven.

    I catch the flicker, feeling the water around me. Not very far out, but enough. I focus more.

    Eight minutes. Nine minutes. Ten. Eleven. Twelve.

    With explosive force, the water under my feet gathers and bursts, launching me forward.

    That was an accident, and I land in a roll, thankful for my auric defense. I''d have broken an arm without that. Or maybe a few ribs.

    The leopard looks at me, earning itself another flame-coated fist from Flame, who promptly vanishes. I didn''t catch that one ¨C is he getting faster as he wears out?

    Flame and the leopard resume their fight, and I wait until the beast is in the air to perform the leap again, this time, bringing my fist forward and slamming into its side.

    Not with the explosive power of Flame''s punches, as he''s probably using the explosive force on contact as he is with his leaps, but still hard enough to throw it, from my momentum.

    Now, Flame and I begin a dance with the leopard. We beat on it, pound it down, throw it around, and eventually, it stops moving.

    Flame appears in front of me, a look of concern on his face, and I take a step back in shock.

    His hair and eyes aren''t their usual red. Well, his hair is, but his eyes...it''s like they''re fire itself.

    ˇ°Are you alright?ˇ± He asks. ˇ°The meanie didn''t hurt you, did it?ˇ±

    ˇ°How did you get here so fast?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°And how did you go for so long using your Ability?ˇ±

    ˇ°I used my explosive leaps,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°I put an aura trace on my partner. He''s not far from here. You were a happy accident. If I didn''t come along, who knows how long you''d have survived.ˇ±

    ˇ°How were you able to use your Ability so much?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°I could barely do it now.ˇ±

    ˇ°My reserves are big,ˇ± Flame rolls his eyes. ˇ°You should know that. Even though we''re restricted, we still have our reserves. I wasn''t creating fire, I was simply using the heat around me. It''s humid here. I could probably work with that, if we managed a Unison Strike or if I got to a source of water.ˇ±

    A screen of fog. He''d fill the air with it, and still be able to fight. I could, too. We''ve done it numerous times before. I''d be sensing the shifts in the fog, and he''d be sensing the heat within it.

    ˇ°Thank you, Flame,ˇ± I wrap my arms around him in a hug.

    ˇ°For what?ˇ± He asks. ˇ°Of course I''d save you ¨C no one messes with my brothers!ˇ±

    He pumps a fist when he does that, and accidentally hits me in the stomach. We stare at each other for a moment, then laugh.

    Once we stop, we decide to take the leopard to meet up with his partner, and work as the three of us for the day we have together.

    The moment we decide that, Flame grabs the leopard and throws it over his shoulder, then takes off running, his explosive steps taking him far ahead of me.

    ˇ°You are so lucky I put an aura trace on you, Flame,ˇ± I mutter as I follow him as quickly as I can.

    He stays in my sight at all times, but I still wasn''t expecting him to just take off like that. I should have known better.

    It''s Flame, after all.

    Twenty minutes later, I''m out of juice and we''re with Flame''s partner, a boy around fifteen I vaguely recognize from one of my classes. He''s an Enhancer who can enhance his resistances, and he looks like he''s in a fair bit of trouble, with another one of the leopards attacking him.

    Did they purposely drop us near them? Or was that an accident or coincidence?

    They wouldn''t drop powerful cadets off to die on purpose, would they? Especially not Caleb ¨C he''s too powerful and valuable to lose.

    So it was probably an accident.

    Either way, there''s no way I can go for round two ¨C not after round one and the bursts to get here.

    Flame drops the leopard, stops running, brings his hands up and crosses them, making claws.

    Why am I not surprised he can do this?

    As he drags his fingers through the air, flames trickle from them, and the leopard screams, flames ripping through it as if Flame had clawed his fingers through it instead of the air.

    ˇ°That''s my partner you were trying to kill,ˇ± Flame says casually to the leopard. ˇ°Please don''t do it again.ˇ±

    ˇ°Considering you ripped it to shreds with your Ability,ˇ± I say. ˇ°I highly doubt it will be attacking anyone again.ˇ±

    ˇ°Just in case it returns back as a ghost,ˇ± Flame looks at me.

    Ghosts don''t exist, Flame. That''s been proven time and again.

    ˇ°Ghosts don''t exist,ˇ± the older boy looks at Flame like he''s an idiot. ˇ°I can''t believe I got the hothead for a partner.ˇ±

    ˇ°Who are you calling a hothead?ˇ± Flame glares at him.

    You''re getting upset over that, Flame. Who do you think he''s calling a hothead?

    ˇ°You,ˇ± the older teen says. ˇ°You''re getting upset already. I''d rather have one of your brothers as a partner than you. Looks like we''re already on the timer for twenty-four hours. How much longer do we have?ˇ±

    ˇ°Roughly twenty-three hours,ˇ± Flame continues to glare at him. ˇ°And ghosts do exist ¨C Caleb said so.ˇ±

    ˇ°The daydreamer who wanders off by accident?ˇ± The teen scoffs. ˇ°And how much of the stories he tells do you believe?ˇ±

    ˇ°You do realize he''s the most powerful cadet in the facility, right?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°That''s what they say,ˇ± the teen laughs. ˇ°I haven''t seen his Ability, nor have I felt it. I''ll believe that he has such a godly power when I see it for myself. I''ve never heard of that form of Territory before, and I''m pretty sure the Alzir kids made it up just to screw with people, and that the facilities who lost helped, because they didn''t want to admit that the weakest branch got the upper hand.ˇ±

    ˇ°Hey!ˇ± Flame growls, his eyes burning hotter than the sun. Oh, crap. Gotta cool him off, and fast. ˇ°Caleb really did create his own reality marble! I got stuck on the street because of it! He''s powerful as hell, and there''s no way he''s lying! Ghosts do so exist! He said so!ˇ±

    ˇ°Flame,ˇ± I put a hand on his shoulder. ˇ°Calm down. You have to admit that Caleb''s Ability is pretty unbelievable. It''s even rumored that he used magic to cross the ocean.ˇ±

    ˇ°But-!ˇ±

    ˇ°Flame,ˇ± I keep my voice calm. ˇ°You know it''s true, just let him find out on his own just how real Caleb''s power is. As for the ghosts thing ¨C I''m still not sure what to make of that. If they were real, then how come their existence has been disproved time and again?ˇ±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ˇ°Caleb says,ˇ± Flame begins, looking at me like I''m an idiot. ˇ°That they''re undetectable by current methods. You need to use ancient forms of magic and perception to perceive them. He theorizes that Kieran can, due to Kieran''s Ability of perception.ˇ±

    ˇ°Now do you see why it can be pretty unbelievable?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°Caleb says it requires lost techniques to detect them ¨C which means pretty much no one can.ˇ±

    ˇ°I suppose,ˇ± Flame sighs, then looks back to his partner. ˇ°But you need to apologize for insulting Caleb. If you don''t...ˇ±

    ˇ°Whoa,ˇ± the older boy takes a step back, holding his hands up as fire surrounds Flame''s. ˇ°I didn''t mean to upset you, Flame. Caleb isn''t crazy.ˇ±

    I think Flame is terrifying this kid.

    My brother is in way too much love with Caleb.

    ˇ°Where''s your partner at?ˇ± Flame asks me.

    ˇ°I don''t think I have enough juice left in me to make it to him,ˇ± I tell Flame. ˇ°I''ll need a few hours to recover.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh,ˇ± Flames looks in the direction of my partner. ˇ°I forgot that I can sense your aura trace.ˇ±

    With an explosive step, Flame vanishes. His partner looks at me in confusion.

    ˇ°Aura trace?ˇ±

    ˇ°We all have them on us,ˇ± I look at the teen. ˇ°Probably so they can track us down if we''re not at the rendezvous point at the end. It''s a small trace of aura placed on you that lets someone keep track of you. They, like most, touched us to place it, but we were taught how to do it without touching where we grew up. I put one on my partner, and Flame put one on you. He passed me up on his way to meet you. Sometimes, I wonder if the energy he''s using is even his.ˇ±

    My partner sighs, then looks at the two leopards and asks if we should start preparing them.

    ˇ°I found some salt leaves,ˇ± he informs me. ˇ°We can use to cure them, make them into jerky.ˇ±

    We get to work skinning and cutting up the leopards, cooking a little bit on a fire as we cure the rest. We sit on opposite sides of the fire, eating in silence, and once we finish, he sighs, then looks at me.

    ˇ°I didn''t mean to upset your brother,ˇ± he says. ˇ°I''m just a little bit irritated from the fight earlier.ˇ±

    ˇ°I understand,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Flame does have a temper, but he also wears his emotions like a jacket. It''s always visible, and changes immediately. He''s friendly as hell, but he''s also a complainer. If he gets hungry or tired, be assured that you''ll know. If he''s in a good mood, he''ll be humming or singing or whistling. Unfortunately, he''s not like Caleb, who can just kill whatever comes his way, which has led us to some interesting encounters back home.ˇ±

    ˇ°Really?ˇ± He asks. ˇ°Like what?ˇ±

    ˇ°You should hear Flame''s version of events,ˇ± I laugh. ˇ°He tends to embellish his stories. If he tells the story of how he rescued you, he''ll probably add a few leopards to the story, and change their sizes a fair bit. He''ll make it seem more difficult than it was. He can''t stand leaving a story as normal. Our village learned quick that if he told a story, that it probably wasn''t how it actually went down. He once changed an ordinary garden snake into a basilisk with two heads.ˇ±

    ˇ°That''s...wow!ˇ± He laughs. ˇ°That''s not a side of him I''ve ever seen. I''ve only ever seen him getting mad or being hyper as hell.ˇ±

    ˇ°That''s Flame for you,ˇ± I grin at him. ˇ°Does what he wants and doesn''t give a damn what others think of him. Be careful on the subject of Caleb ¨C he tends to crush on every cute guy he sees, and his crush on Caleb is bigger than the sun.ˇ±

    It takes Flame quite awhile to return to us, and by then, we''ve already packaged up the cured meat as much as we can and devoured the meat we could. I shared some of the nuts and berries, and now, we''re sitting with our backs against a tree, staring at the fire.

    ˇ°How do you know what''s good?ˇ± My partner asks.

    ˇ°What do you mean?ˇ±

    ˇ°You knew the berries and nuts were fine,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°And you''ve been showing me different herbs the last twenty minutes and telling me what they can be used for. Where did you learn all this?ˇ±

    ˇ°We come from a village of people with colorful hair,ˇ± I answer. ˇ°It''s high on a mountain, but has plenty of nuts, herbs, and berries around it. We''re all taught aura once we turn ten, and before then, our time is filled with learning how to survive off the forest. We''re taught aura because many beasts with a natural affinity for aura tend to be resilient to magic and Abilities, and those two things can get weird in some areas, particularly near the Ruins up the mountain.ˇ±

    Three hours after Flame leaves, he returns, laughing as he drops my partner next to me. My partner looks stunned and terrified at the same time, and has claw marks on his arms.

    ˇ°That was so much fun!ˇ± Flame exclaims. ˇ°I want to do that again!ˇ±

    ˇ°That''s because you''re insane,ˇ± I look at him. ˇ°What happened to my partner?ˇ±

    ˇ°He was under attack when I arrived,ˇ± Flame answers. ˇ°So I grabbed him and ran, then got lost, then had to rest up and recover, then we got attacked again, so took off again. We made it here alive!ˇ±

    ˇ°We did,ˇ± I stand up, looking around. ˇ°But my aura pulse just detected several monsters on their way, and I don''t think either of us have the Ability energy left. We''ll have to use aura to fight them.ˇ±

    <hr>

    ~~(Kieran)~~

    A new batch began today, just as I arrived. Forty boys and girls between ten and fourteen, each one a Superhuman who wishes to join the GSDF or at least undergo its training.

    I''ve been watching them the last few hours, as the instructors test their limits and look for their strengths and weaknesses, and now, they''re beginning the part where they test their Gifts.

    Through all of this, one boy has stood out to me. Thirteen, with blond hair, brown eyes, and a splash of freckles across his cheeks. Lean, but with defined muscles. He''s quiet, but not in an aggressive way. He just doesn''t talk much, sort of like Caleb. They''d make a cute couple.

    He''d probably pair up with Jared nicely. Or Flame, probably. I''m sure Flame would like him. There''s this girl in the group here that he''d probably get together with, if he swung that way. If not, there''s another boy here that he''d pair nicely with as well.

    ˇ°I''m curious about his Ability,ˇ± Irina says, and I look at her.

    She''s talking to Fowl, who''s observing the cadets as they demonstrate their Ability with an instructor. I haven''t actually told them I''m here yet, and I''m not infusing my aura with the sense of unease.

    ˇ°What is it?ˇ± Fowl asks. ˇ°I didn''t quite understand it.ˇ±

    ˇ°I''ve never heard of it before,ˇ± Irina says. ˇ°But Colonel Reynolds says it''s one on par with some of the more powerful ones he''s encountered, even if it''s only a Transmuter Ability.ˇ±

    His Gift is a Transmuter one, and Colonel Reynolds says it''s powerful. I wonder if it''s as powerful as Caleb''s.

    Wait ¨C does that mean this kid, Noah, grew up with Caleb?

    ˇ°Colonel Reynolds,ˇ± Irina says. ˇ°Also says that the two of them never crossed paths, and that he did his best to keep Rivers from finding about about Marins in town.ˇ±

    ˇ°Another survivor?ˇ±

    ˇ°No,ˇ± Irina answers. ˇ°He wouldn''t expand on why. ''Adaptive Attributes''. I really want to know what that means.ˇ±

    Noah walks up to the field, and Sparks approaches him. She lifts a hand, sending static shocks toward Noah, who grits his teeth in pain, nostrils flaring and body tensing. I can see the fight in his eyes, and then after a few moments, it fades, but so does the effect the electricity have on him. Sparks increases it, and he adapts to it. It takes him a few moments, but he adapts to the situation. When she uses a lot, he doesn''t adapt, though.

    ˇ°So,ˇ± Irina says. ˇ°That''s what Colonel Reynolds meant ¨C Marins adapts to the situation. Looks like extreme shifts, he can''t keep up with, but smaller ones, he can. We''ll stick with the ranking Colonel Reynolds gave us of D-Rank, for now. To think that''s a Transmuter Ability...there really are Abilities out there that are unexpected. I''ve never heard of it before.ˇ±

    I have.

    Noah Marins...

    He''s not a survivor, but there was someone else with that same Ability at the orphanage there.

    As Marins is freed, he suddenly shifts, looking around, his eyes growing steadily closer to me. I freeze up, and his gaze locks with mine. I move, and he follows me.

    ˇ°Marins!ˇ± Fowl snaps, and Noah looks at him. ˇ°What are you looking at?ˇ±

    ˇ°There''s someone standing right there,ˇ± Noah points at me. ˇ°My Ability adapted to whatever he''s doing to hide himself.ˇ±

    So he can''t control what his Gift adapts to, just whether it adapts or not. He must have been trying that entire time, and it adapted enough for him to see through my own Gift.

    Impressive.

    I have ways around that.

    ˇ°Are you telling me someone snuck in?ˇ± Fowl walks over to him. ˇ°Because that''s impossible to do, only a Colonel of the GSDF can make it through the lobby without permission, the magics that protect this place set that into stone a long time ago.ˇ±

    ˇ°He''s about fourteen or fifteen,ˇ± Noah looks back at me. ˇ°Black hair, black clothes, looks kind of moody, and has azure eyes. He also looks impressed and annoyed at the same time.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thought your aura made everyone uneasy?ˇ± Irina looks where Marins is looking, even though she can''t see me.

    ˇ°It annoyed Caleb,ˇ± I unweave my aura. ˇ°He told me to stop adding that in.ˇ±

    ˇ°That wasn''t a passive effect?ˇ± She asks.

    ˇ°I had to do it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh,ˇ± she says. ˇ°And to think I''ve known you all these years, and didn''t figure it out. What are you doing here? Thought you were stalking Caleb?ˇ±

    ˇ°Two-month training mission,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Enchanted Forest training for his aura.ˇ±

    ˇ°Um,ˇ± she suddenly looks nervous.

    ˇ°What?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°I''m from one of the rare times that mission happens,ˇ± she says. ˇ°Less than five of the twenty recruits who go in there make it out alive. They send the best of the best in, in the hopes of strengthening their auras and teaching them more techniques, but they almost always end up dead. I got lucky and barely survived.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh,ˇ± I frown, then shrug. ˇ°It''s Caleb, he''s got more luck than Lord Luck himself. Anyway, I''m going to lurk around here until his mission''s over.ˇ±

    I wrap my aura around myself once more, and Noah frowns, then begins focusing again, but grows increasingly frustrated.

    As stated, I have ways around it. I thickened the amount of aura used and mixed in my Perception Gift a little bit more. It''s enough that he can''t force his Gift to adapt him to it, he''d have to go in slower blocks, but since he doesn''t know exactly what it is I''m doing to block him, it''ll take him far longer, and if I keep leaving his range or he gets interrupt, it''ll take him even longer.

    I move out of his range and Irina looks at Noah.

    ˇ°Kieran,ˇ± she says. ˇ°Is the powerful former night guard of the Alzir Branch, who has temporarily resumed his post. Don''t be surprised that he has a way around your Ability ¨C his best friend is one of the most powerful Superhumans in the world, and we''re pretty sure he has a crush on Rivers, too.ˇ±

    ˇ°Caleb Rivers?ˇ± Noah''s eyes widen.

    ˇ°Are you sure Kieran''s left?ˇ± Fowl looks at Irina.

    ˇ°Unless he''s extending his range of Perception,ˇ± Irina nods. ˇ°And yes, Marins, Caleb Rivers. You know him?ˇ±

    ˇ°No,ˇ± Noah shakes his head. ˇ°But I''ve seen him from time to time, and I''ve heard stories about him, back home. An orphan, like me, but we lived in opposite ends of the town.ˇ±

    Heard of him how?

    Irina echoes my question.

    ˇ°That kid is one talented guy,ˇ± Noah laughs. ˇ°He was in a cooking competition a few times, a few art competitions ¨C I got to see this one sculpture he made, it was so cool. He did it in a magic sculpting competition, though. I thought you couldn''t use magic if you had an Ability?ˇ±

    ˇ°You can,ˇ± Irina states. ˇ°It''s just very difficult to do so. Caleb has a natural affinity for it. Back to training!ˇ±

    <hr>

    ~~(Jared)~~

    The first thing I''m aware of is a body pressed against mine. The second is a burning sensation in my arm. Groaning in pain, I slowly open my eyes to find Bari, the boy from earlier, sleeping on the mat, curled up against me. We''re underneath a fur blanket, and the air under here is quite warm.

    I scramble back, and the moment I''m out from under the fur, I''m freezing. The burning in my arm burns even hotter then, and I hiss in pain.

    Bari''s eyes open, and he frowns.

    ˇ°Get back under here,ˇ± he hisses quietly. ˇ°It''s freezing at night!ˇ±

    I noticed.

    ˇ°Why are you under the blanket with me?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°For the warmth,ˇ± he responds, looking around nervously. ˇ°And keep your voice down ¨C monsters that come out at night have good ears. We need to be quiet. Now get back under here, it''s way too cold to not be under the furs.ˇ±

    It''s fucking cold out here, but no way am I going under the blanket!

    ˇ°Plus,ˇ± Bari whispers, looking over his shoulder to the other boy, then to me. ˇ°My aura has passive healing properties. Sleeping with your arm touching me was healing your bite. That, and their venom kind of screws with it. The colder the air around it, the hotter it burns. In about twenty minutes, the temperature will drop below freezing. It will keep getting colder for another hour before it finally starts to warm back up, but won''t go above forty until after sunrise. Get your butt back under here, or not only will your arm get to the point where you''ll be screaming your head off and attracting monsters from all around, not only will your arm not heal, but you''ll start getting frostbite, and probably lose extremities.ˇ±

    Fucking hell. I crawl back under the blanket, and he grabs my arm, pulling me against him as he closes his eyes. Not even a goosebump on him as he pulls the blanket back over our heads.

    There''s a faint glow surrounding him, giving off a soft, cool light, just enough for me to see by. I didn''t notice it before, but I think it was there already. The other boy looks like they could be brothers or cousins.

    This place is messed-up.

    Closing my eyes, I try to drift off to sleep. I can''t, though. I can''t believe I''m sleeping like this, my arm''s in pain ¨C though it does ease up as time passes ¨C and I can hear the monsters out there, sniffing around.

    Even under the blanket, my skin is still cold, even if I''m warming up. Yet Bari''s entire body is warm, unaffected by the cold. The fuck?

    When the sun finally rises, the other boy wakes up first, shucking the blanket off of us and then pushing Bari into me. He looks up and sees me, then giggles, then starts flicking Bari''s ear until Bari wakes up.

    Wakes up and bites the finger.

    ˇ°Hey!ˇ± The boy giggles. ˇ°I couldn''t just push you around! You had someone else sleeping on your other side!ˇ±

    They start wrestling around, and the air is still chilly, even if not freezing anymore, but they don''t seem bothered by it.

    I inspect my arm, finding two small, nearly imperceptible scars where the snake bit my arm. I''m also covered in goosebumps from the chill, but they aren''t.

    As they wrestle, I realize that whatever they are ¨C brothers, cousins, whatever ¨C they''re lovers. Little nibbles they give each other, a nip on the neck, a quick grope ¨C these two are definitely in love.

    Blargh. Not what I need first thing in the morning in a strange place with total strangers.

    When they finish wrestling, they sit next to each other, breathing heavily, and then I remember that I''m naked and look around for my clothes. I can''t find them.

    ˇ°Watcha looking for?ˇ± The other boy asks.

    ˇ°My clothes,ˇ± I answer. ˇ°And my pack, actually.ˇ±

    ˇ°Be right back,ˇ± Bari scrambles out of the room ¨C still naked.

    When he does, I realize we''re not in a room, we''re in a hut by ourselves. As the flap over the door opens, I can see outside. He just ran outside butt-naked.

    A moment later, he returns with my clothes and pack, and drops them down by me.

    ˇ°They were sanitizing them,ˇ± Bari tells me as he opens up a chest and starts getting dressed back to how he was looking yesterday. ˇ°Just in case any venom got on them. How''s your arm?ˇ±

    ˇ°How did your aura heal me?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Some people,ˇ± Bari answers. ˇ°Have latent properties within their aura. Some have to put them in, some have to keep them from influencing it. Mine''s the kind where I have to keep it from influencing my aura, so by sleeping coated in my aura with you next to me, those healing properties seeped into you.ˇ±

    His boyfriend starts getting dressed as well, and I grab my clothes and pull them on as I think about that.

    ˇ°How are you two not cold?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°It''s still chilly.ˇ±

    ˇ°We use our auras to counteract it,ˇ± Bari answers. ˇ°We can do it to a degree, but the coldest part of night, we still need to sleep under the furs.ˇ±

    ˇ°And you are?ˇ± I look at the other boy.

    ˇ°Eldir,ˇ± the boy dips his head to me. ˇ°Bari''s husband. I''m also the son of the chief of this village.ˇ±

    ˇ°Bari''s dad isn''t the chief?ˇ±

    ˇ°Rugli?ˇ± Eldir laughs. ˇ°No, just our best warrior. He''s my dad''s best friend.ˇ±

    We step out of the small shack, and onto a platform. We''re...in the trees. The village is built above the trees. As I look around at the buildings, platforms, and bridges, I notice that I only see males. No females at all.

    ˇ°Where are all the girls at?ˇ± I ask Bari, and he frowns. ˇ°What?ˇ±

    ˇ°I forgot,ˇ± he says. ˇ°Upworlders need females to reproduce. Our people, down here, are all born male. We have no females in any of our villages.ˇ±

    ˇ°Something''s wrong,ˇ± Eldir frowns. ˇ°Dad''s aura''s grown panicked.ˇ±

    Eldir and Bari run out, and I follow them across the bridges to the largest hut, right at the center of the village. Inside, Bari''s father and another man are staring into a mirror, speaking quickly to a reflection that''s someone else entirely. Something about ''the boy with light'' and ''emergency healing needed''.

    The boy with light?

    Wait.

    Caleb?

    Did something happen to Caleb?

    ˇ°What''s going on?ˇ± Bari asks once the image fades and the mirror reflects us back.

    ˇ°It appears,ˇ± His father looks at Bari, then to me. ˇ°That your friend and his partner were not able to handle the monsters that came after them. Your friend can fight, but only when he''s hunting. To fight a group of monsters is beyond him.ˇ±

    ˇ°They were attacked during the night?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Yesterday,ˇ± he shakes his head. ˇ°The boy with light used his strange Ability to shield them, and lasted through most of the night,ˇ± surprising, considering you said he was exhausted yesterday. ˇ°But they were hit hard early this morning. Abilities, in the forest here, along with magic only attract monsters, and every time he used it, more came. Intervention was required, as our people will not allow someone with so much light in his aura to fall to monsters.ˇ±

    Using Abilities in the Enchanted Forest actually attracts monsters? Damn. I guess it''s a good thing no one in our batch, other than Caleb, can use their Abilities here. That would be disastrous.

    Especially if Flame could.

    ˇ°Which village is he at?ˇ± Bari asks.

    ˇ°Neltar,ˇ± the other man responds. ˇ°Rugli has told me of our young warrior''s fondness of this boy. We will monitor the situation, Upworlder. Do not worry ¨C Neltar has the best healers of all our villages. If he has a chance of survival anywhere in the forest, then he will survive in their hands.ˇ±

    Caleb better not die. He''s an idiot at times, and absentminded, and weird, and strange, and annoying, but he''s also the kindest, most sensitive person I''ve ever met, he''s powerful beyond belief, and he makes life interesting.

    If he dies, I will probably find a way to connect to my Ability, and do something rash. He needs to survive.

    ˇ°Hey,ˇ± Bari puts a hand on my arm. ˇ°Why don''t we go spar? A good fight will get your mind off of this, since there''s nothing we can do. It''d probably take us a couple of weeks to get there,ˇ± how did he know I was wanting to go there? ˇ°So if we taught you how to fight with your aura instead, you''d be able to protect him. And then, once you meet back up with him, you can impress him with your fighting skills and maybe get into bed with him.ˇ±

    Uh...

    Not sure how to react to that, but I could definitely use a fight right now.

    <hr>

    ~~(Caleb)~~

    My body is screaming in agony. It feels like it''s been ripped into a thousand pieces and someone tried stitching it back together. All I remember is being attacked by a horde of monsters and freaking out.

    Is Taylor okay? Someone''s screaming. Is that him screaming? Maybe it''s me? I''m in too much pain to figure it out. I can''t open my eyes.

    I hope Taylor''s okay. He needs to be okay. I don''t know what I''ll do if he''s not okay. He''s a nice guy.

    Why am I in so much pain?

    Aura...

    I need to activate my aura.

    When I try, my body feels like it''s been salted, then set aflame, then dumped in lemon juice. It hurts so bad. Something''s blocking and eating my aura. Venom. A monster''s venom. There are a few that can do that.

    I need to counteract it. I need to use my aura. My magic. I need to use my magic. Something''s blocking my magic, though. I can''t use my magic. I need to use my aura. I need to protect myself. I need to heal. Shrouding one''s aura around oneself can accelerate healing.

    Screaming from the pain, I taste blood in my mouth as I force my aura to push through the venom cycling through my body. Someone''s saying something. Their hands are so rough and furry. Paws. Those are paws, not hands. It''s licking me now. Oh. Doggy. It''s a doggy.

    I wanna wrap my arms around the doggy, but it hurts too bad.

    ˇ°Down!ˇ± Someone snaps. ˇ°Adder! Get off of him! Dumb dog! Get down!ˇ±

    The dog gets off of me, then I feel someone''s hands gingerly running across my body. They''re soft and smooth, and gentle. My body still hurts like hell, but wherever they touch, my body feels fine, if only for a few moments after their hands move from there.

    ˇ°Calm down,ˇ± he says gently, softly. ˇ°Don''t force your aura to work, Lite,ˇ± did he call me ''lee-tay''? Why? That''s not my name? Then again, they don''t know my name. ˇ°You''ll only burn it up, there''s too many toxins in you. We''re doing our best to counteract them now.ˇ±

    Pain flares through my body again, and I scream.

    ˇ°Shh,ˇ± he soothes me a little more with his hands. ˇ°You''ll be okay, Lite, just stop struggling. You''ve proven yourself a true warrior.ˇ±

    How? I freaked out and couldn''t fight. That''s not being a true warrior.

    ˇ°We''re going to do our best to heal you up, Lite,ˇ± he says. ˇ°You shielded your friend from attacks. He got hurt, too, but healed much faster. It takes a true warrior to sacrifice himself like that.ˇ±

    I couldn''t let him get hurt. He''s my partner.

    ˇ°We''re going to do all we can to heal you,ˇ± the man says softly. ˇ°Stop struggling against it, Lite. The more you struggle, the more it''ll hurt. Just relax, and let it happen. The more you struggle, the longer it will take to heal.ˇ±

    He talks to me softly, and as he does, I relax. I''m still in a lot of pain, nigh unbearable pain, but as I relax, I can feel the healing properties of his aura working more as he touches me.

    I don''t know how long he treats me for, but it''s probably days. Eventually, I''m well enough to finally open my eyes. I''m in some sort of hut, which means I''m probably in one of their villages. A large dog is sitting next to me on the mat, and the air is chilly. First thing in the morning, then. That, or last thing before sundown. The Enchanted Forest gets freezing at night, but those who know how can use their aura to keep them warm.

    Triggering my aura, I feel a bit of pain, but push through it as the toxins continue to try to stop me. It takes me a few minutes, but I manage to shroud my self with my aura, and after that, it only takes but moments to purge the toxins out of me and finish healing my body.

    As I finish, my aura fading, a man enters the hut, and he pauses when he sees me.

    ˇ°You''re...healed.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know how to cycle aura and heal,ˇ± I stand up, stretching. ˇ°I''m stiff. Where are my clothes?ˇ±

    ˇ°In the chest over there,ˇ± he gestures, and I walk over to it. ˇ°I feel I should warn you, Lite, that you shouldn''t use your Abilities here. Abilities and magic attract monsters, and we''ve been lucky ¨C ever since we brought you here, we''ve had monsters attacking us often. We''ve never seen this before, and believe it''s because of how much of your Ability you used before.ˇ±

    ˇ°It''s not,ˇ± I hold up my hand. ˇ°This ring stayed on my hand.ˇ±

    ˇ°We kept removing it...ˇ± he trails off, and when I look at him, his eyes are wide with realization. ˇ°It''s magical.ˇ±

    ˇ°It automatically returns to its owner''s hand,ˇ± I explain, turning back to the chest to grab my gear and get dressed. ˇ°It''s an artifact on par with some of the most powerful ones ever forged. The monsters are probably sensing it and coming to its location. As long as I''m here, your village will be under attack. I''ll be leaving as soon as I regain my bearings. How is Taylor?ˇ±

    ˇ°The other cadet,ˇ± he says. ˇ°Is worried about you. You took a turn for the worse a few hours ago, I only left you ten minutes ago to get more salve. To see you up and about...it''s incredible. I doubt even our strongest with aura could do that.ˇ±

    ˇ°I can forcibly awake dozens of people by releasing less than a percent of my aura,ˇ± I say. ˇ°That''s how powerful I am. I can crush trees with that same small force, destroy buildings, shatter glass, and nearly kill people, too. I know how to wield aura. It looks like I''ll be needing to get over my issues with actually fighting close-range, since I''m a walking target. The one thing this ring decides to keep while we''re here is its return function, and I''m alright with that. I just hope I make it to the end. Please, take me to Taylor.ˇ±

 Chapter 011

    ~~(Caleb)~~

    ˇ°Taylor,ˇ± I say, and he looks at me. He was talking with one of the other boys from the village, and I feel funny when I see how close they are sitting. It''s not irritation. Not sure what it is. It''s annoying. ˇ°How are you feeling?ˇ±

    ˇ°I''m alright,ˇ± he stands up and looks at me with concern clear on his face. ˇ°How are you? The monsters seemed determined to attack you.ˇ±

    ˇ°They''re focused on my ring,ˇ± I answer. ˇ°They''re attracted to magic and Abilities. They keep calling me ''Lite'', do you know why?ˇ±

    ˇ°They won''t even call me by my name,ˇ± Taylor shrugs.

    ˇ°Lite,ˇ± the boy he was speaking with. ˇ°It''s our name for you. Only those who prove themselves receive tribal names from us. You proved yourself by throwing yourself in front of your teammate. I am Kilar.ˇ±

    ˇ°Taylor,ˇ± I say. ˇ°I have a magical ring that decided the only function it wanted to keep here was returning to my hand. It''s powerful enough that the monsters will always be attracted to it, which means that as long as you''re near me, you''ll be in danger.ˇ±

    ˇ°Our village,ˇ± Kilar stands and faces me. ˇ°Has the best fighters and aura users in the forest. So long as you two are here, no harm will come to you from them. The truly dangerous beasts are far away, and will take a couple of weeks before they would be able to attack our village. By then, we can have others here, to help defend. We can also teach you two to fight with your auras, to make it easier to survive.ˇ±

    ˇ°I already know how to fight with my aura.ˇ±

    ˇ°You do?ˇ± Kilar looks at me, surprise clear on his face. ˇ°How? Upworlders don''t teach it, save for a completely different continent, and you don''t share their looks.ˇ±

    ˇ°Teacher taught me.ˇ±

    ˇ°Who?ˇ±

    ˇ°Dunno his real name,ˇ± I shrug. ˇ°But he looks like he could be my brother. No relation ¨C he''s old enough to have known the Sage before the Calamity.ˇ±

    ˇ°So there is no relation between you and the Aurix?ˇ± A deep voice asks, and I turn to face another villager, this one an adult probably fifty years old. ˇ°I had wondered if there was.ˇ±

    ˇ°Aurix?ˇ±

    ˇ°The name we call him here,ˇ± the man nods. ˇ°I am one of the few left from the early days of the Enchanted Forest, after the Calamity. Aurix descended and taught us how to wield aura in this place where it is necessary to survive.ˇ±

    Does he know the Sage?

    ˇ°Were you alive in the Calamity?ˇ± I ask, and he laughs. ˇ°What?ˇ±

    ˇ°I was but a baby, then.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh.ˇ±

    ˇ°What?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°Just wondering if you knew the Sage,ˇ± I shrug. ˇ°It doesn''t matter. Teacher knew him, but won''t tell me anything about him. I wonder what he looks like. Or if he''s still alive. A magician that powerful has got to be alive still. No way something could kill him.ˇ±

    ˇ°If you learned from Aurix,ˇ± the says when I finish my small ramble. ˇ°Then I have no doubt you are a fine warrior, but from the way you fought before, you have issues with fighting, yes?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes.ˇ±

    ˇ°Let us help you grow past that,ˇ± he says. ˇ°We can train your partner at the same time, Lite, but for you to freeze up in a fight could very well be your end.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you have staffs made of enchanted wood?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°I think Taylor would be best-suited to using a weapon like that.ˇ±

    ˇ°You know about Enchanted Wood?ˇ±

    ˇ°Teacher told me about it,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°The Enchanted Trees that fill the forest are the reason why magic and Abilities are funky here, on the occasions they do work.ˇ±

    <hr>

    ~~(Jared)~~

    Does Bari ever hit softly? I know he''s just trying to help me get stronger, but damn does he hit hard. If I could use my Ability ¨C and without fear of attracting monsters ¨C I''d probably best him immediately, instead of lying on my back, exhausted, sore, and covered in bruises.

    A week or so has passed since I heard the news about Caleb, and so far, all I''ve really done is train and enjoy the company of Bari and his husband.

    Today, Bari is fighting me with a staff, and he really needs to learn restraint.

    ˇ°Remember,ˇ± Bari pokes me with his staff when he decides my break is over. ˇ°Infuse your aura into the staff. It''s made from Enchanted Wood, so don''t worry about breaking it. The best way to fight monsters in the Enchanted Forest is with aura or aura-infused weapons.ˇ±

    ˇ°I''ve told you,ˇ± I stand back up, gripping the staff with both hands. ˇ°No matter how hard I focus, I can''t infuse the wood with my aura. If this were metal, I''d probably have a much easier time.ˇ±

    ˇ°Metal?ˇ± He looks confused. ˇ°Wood is one of the easiest materials to infuse aura with. Well, except for kaennikite, but we can''t mine that anymore.ˇ±

    Kaennikite? That''s...a legendary metal. Immune to all forces of magic, even before the Calamity, with only one known location where veins of it ran. Abilities don''t work on it, either. It''s fascinated me for years, but I''ve never managed to locate even a tiny piece of it to try and use my Ability on.

    He said that they could mine it. Well, can''t anymore, but that they used to be able to. No one knew where the mine was, just that there was only one known location. It was down here all along?

    I guess it makes sense for it to exist in a place where aura is rich and magic isn''t, though honestly, I''d expect it to be the opposite.

    ˇ°Why not?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Monsters invaded the mines a hundred years ago,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°Before then, we could mine a little bit of it. Being able to infuse our aura into it made it easier, too. We''ve been having problems attempting to take it back as well ¨C the monsters invading it are immune to aura, and have hides made of a form of corrupted kaennikite.ˇ±

    ˇ°Corrupted kaennikite?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes,ˇ± he stabs the butt of his staff into the ground and shakes his head, sadness in his eyes. ˇ°It''s immune to aura ¨C hence their immunity ¨C and due to its powerful resiliency as regular kaennikite, it''s impossible for us to penetrate it.ˇ±

    Corrupted, though? For that to have happened, or for it to fuse into the monsters, I''d imagine it lost some of its resiliency to magic and Abilities, and if that''s the case...

    Then if I could get my Ability to work here, it''s possible I could rip right through the monsters.

    ˇ°Do you have anything made of kaennikite?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°That I could try to infuse with my aura?ˇ±

    ˇ°I don''t,ˇ± he shakes his head. ˇ°Eldir''s father does, but that''s the last kaennikite item left in the village. It''s an old knife. We''re pretty close to the mines here, so they were worried that we''d be attacked with a huge force if we kept too much here. The other villages have more.ˇ±

    ˇ°More what?ˇ± Eldir approaches us, yawning. Of course he''d be napping in the middle of the day, it''s not like he did anything other than...not gonna continue. ˇ°Why are you blushing?ˇ±

    ˇ°Upworlders are strange people,ˇ± Bari says when I shrug. ˇ°He wants to look at your father''s kaennikite knife.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why?ˇ± Eldir asks.

    ˇ°To see if I can infuse it with my aura.ˇ±

    ˇ°It''s easy to do that,ˇ± Eldir answers. ˇ°Kaennikite may be immune to magic and Abilities, but those who know aura can easily infuse theirs into the metal, enhancing its strength and edge even further.ˇ±

    Bari whispers something into his husband''s ear, then Eldir smiles at me and tells me to follow. I follow them to the chief''s hut, sitting beside Bari as Eldir has a private conversation with his father, who eventually nods.

    Eldir opens a chest and picks up a small box, bringing it over to me. He sets the box on the ground in front of me, sits on the other side of it, then opens the box.

    Resting on a cushion of dark green moss is the most beautiful dagger I have ever seen. Eight inches in length, slightly curved, with a smooth finish to it. Leather grip, no jewels. The metal itself is teal, but with a faint silver hue to it, and is glossy, but not fully shiny.

    A simple dagger, yet quite elegant.

    ˇ°May I?ˇ± I ask the chief, and he nods once in approval.

    I pick up the dagger and focus on my aura, visualizing it flowing through my hand and into the metal. It happens almost immediately and smoothly.

    Definitely has to do with my natural affinity for metals through my Ability. In fact, there''s a small whisper there...

    A vase shatters, and everyone jumps.

    ˇ°Crap.ˇ±

    ˇ°What?ˇ± Bari asks. ˇ°It worked immediately, and while exploding vases are unusual, we don''t worry about them when they happen..ˇ±

    Has it happened before?

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± I look at him. ˇ°About that...when it did, I could feel a whisper of my Ability as well. I tried using it, and instead of it working on the dagger, it kind of blew up the vase. Even with my aura out of the knife, I can feel my Ability again, though it''s a lot weaker. To become resilient to aura, they''ve probably lost some of their integrity against magic and Abilities. I know a small bit of magic and am one of the more powerful cadets here, and not only that, but my Ability is Elemental, metal. If the kaennikite in their hides is vulnerable to Abilities, then I may just be able to clear it out.ˇ±

    ˇ°Practice cycling,ˇ± the chief tells me. ˇ°Eldir, fetch Rugli for me, will you?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, Father,ˇ± Eldir dips his head slightly, then the three of us leave the chief behind. ˇ°I''ll go locate Rugli, he''s out hunting something. Have fun.ˇ±

    I groan. Cycling aura is not fun at all. I can''t manage it.

    Bari and I make our way to a quiet part of the village and sit down, and he closes his eyes and begins cycling his aura. He doesn''t need to practice it, he just does anyway.

    Focusing on my aura, I visualize it running through my body in an endless cycle, from my head to my right shoulder, down to my hand, back up to my shoulder, down to my right foot, back to my hip, down to my left foot, up to my left shoulder, down to my hand, back to the shoulder, and back into my head, swirling through my body as it moves.

    Different from just feeling my aura in a natural cycle, I try to move it through that cycle. Normally, aura just rests within one''s body, slowly moving in a random pattern. Cycling it moves it through the body and accelerates the passive healing effect it has.

    Doing this is so similar to when Caleb teaches us magic, yet so very different.

    Returning to focusing on my aura, I start to get frustrated when I continue to fail. Eldir joins us after awhile and begins cycling his own.

    Grabbing my bracelet, I start twisting it in my hand, feeling it soothing. I don''t know why I didn''t think about trying aura infusion in the metal on me ¨C probably has to do with my Ability not working, and not factoring them in. Then hearing they had kaennikite ¨C that would be amazing, if I could control it with my Ability, but not even S-Class metal Elementals have managed it in the past.

    Perhaps...if I were to exceed S-Class, it would be possible?

    Legends tell of an Enhancer who, a hundred and fifty years ago, surpassed S-Class and became the first ¨C and only ¨C Superhuman to be given a Rank in stars ¨C Single Star.

    If he can do it, then so can I.

    Focusing on the bracelet, I begin infusing it with my aura and feel the whisper of my Ability connect to it at the same time. No. Not my Ability. That''s not my Ability connecting with it. But why do I feel a connection to it as a metal, then?

    Unless...

    Bari mentioned that his aura has healing properties. Does mine have metallic, and when I''m focusing it on metal, I subconsciously draw it out? Or maybe it''s when I''m just trying to fuse it into things, and that''s why it isn''t working on the wood? Metal and wood, fighting each other...

    No wonder I can''t infuse their weapons with my aura. Perhaps if I infused, then leaked in the metallic properties? But to figure out how to do that?

    I feel different. I''m not sure why I feel different, and the only thing I can see for certain is that I''m circling aura through my bracelet, but other than that...

    My aura feels different. That''s why I feel different. My aura...

    It stops, and I feel like how I was before.

    ˇ°Ow!ˇ± I exclaim, then look at Eldir, who giggles, hiding the staff behind him. ˇ°What the fuck?ˇ±

    ˇ°That was the tenth time he hit you,ˇ± Bari snorts. ˇ°You started cycling your aura and had sheathed yourself in it. We noticed it had taken a slightly metallic hue to it, so Eldir got curious and touched it. He can usually get a reading on aura that way, and when he tried, he said you felt like metal. So he smacked you. You didn''t notice, so after several other attempts, he grabbed a staff and started smacking you with it.ˇ±

    ˇ°I don''t even know how I did that,ˇ± I admit. ˇ°It just happened once I started channeling my aura through my bracelet.ˇ±

    His eyes widen and his mouth drops a little bit.

    ˇ°I completely forgot you had metal!ˇ± He exclaims. ˇ°All this time, too...but hey ¨C you got to infuse your aura with kaennikite! The chief has never let me do that before! That is incredible, you know ¨C he doesn''t let just anyone try it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Let''s work on you cycling your aura again,ˇ± Eldir tells me.

    The next few days are spent with me focusing on cycling my aura through my body and infusing my bracelet with it.

    After a week, I can perform cycling on my own without having to focus on channeling my aura through metal. Shortly after we confirm that, Rugli and seven others approach us.

    ˇ°Dad,ˇ± Bari stands up, giving a slight dip of the head to his father. ˇ°Why have you gathered a Divine Formation?ˇ±

    ˇ°A what?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°A Divine Formation,ˇ± Rugli looks at me. ˇ°Is when seven Aura Divinities gather together. It''s used for the most powerful of challenges, and the last one was formed sixty years ago. This is only the fourth time it has ever been done.ˇ±

    ˇ°Aura Divinities?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Beings who,ˇ± he explains. ˇ°Have united so well with their aura, it''s a natural part of them. It is part of the fabric of our existence. We are more powerful than ordinary aura users, and there are only two cases I know of where someone is more powerful than an Aura Divinity when it comes to aura.ˇ±

    ˇ°Two cases?ˇ±

    ˇ°I know of Aurix,ˇ± Bari says. ˇ°But who''s the other?ˇ±

    ˇ°Lite,ˇ± Rugli uses their name for Caleb, which they apparently call him because they''ve accepted him as one of their own. ˇ°Timos says that he believes Lite''s own aura may be stronger than Aurix''s, too, and since Timos was taught by Aurix...ˇ±

    Aurix, the being who taught them how to wield aura the way they do. From what I understand, Aurix is Caleb''s Teacher.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ˇ°So why has a Divine Formation been gathered?ˇ± Bari asks.

    ˇ°The mines,ˇ± Eldir says, and Bari looks at him. ˇ°Sorry, Bari, but Father swore me to secrecy. They''re going to take the three of us to the mines. They believe Jared can truly fight the monsters, and since there are already monsters there, it''s not as if using his Ability will make it more dangerous.ˇ±

    I can use it just fine in the village, too, apparently...they neglected to inform me of that little detail. Monsters tend to avoid the villages directly, the only reason the one Caleb''s in is having problems is because of the power of Caleb''s ring is just too much to ignore.

    ˇ°When?ˇ± Bari asks.

    ˇ°Now,ˇ± Rugli answers. ˇ°The plan is this: as the boy''s Ability only lets him force metal apart, he can rip the corrupted kaennikite out of their hide, exposing their bare flesh, and we will take them with our arrows or daggers. You three can recover your aura on the walk there.ˇ±

    ˇ°How far is it?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°We can get there in about an hour,ˇ± Bari answers. ˇ°After half an hour, we''ll start seeing their monsters.ˇ±

    ˇ°If we can''t find success against them when we first come across them,ˇ± Eldir tells me. ˇ°Then we won''t move forward with the plan. The monsters there can use their claws to rip through aura, so we can''t fight up close unless you remove their claws.ˇ±

    ˇ°Got it,ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°Let''s go,ˇ± Rugli orders, turning and leaving.

    I follow them out of the village, pissed as hell. That will probably fuel me in the fights, but that''s not their intention. They don''t see me as a warrior, and because of that, most of them ignore me or treat me as lesser or just like crap. I was genuinely surprised when Rugli spoke with me before.

    Half an hour of seeing nothing but forest after we leave the village, we come across a panther with what appear to be metal scales, teal in color with a faint silver hue to them.

    Sensing the kaennikite within the armor, I feel for it with my Ability, and unlike kaennikite in the village, I can grasp it with my Ability ¨C but only for a moment.

    The panther immediately looks its gaze on me, that moment all it needed to know something was affecting it, and who. It lunges, and I grasp its armor once more, thrust my hands apart and ripping the scales off.

    The panther howls, dropping to the ground, and Rugli quickly ends its life, then retrieves his arrow.

    ˇ°Let''s keep moving.ˇ±

    I glare at his back as we press forward. For the next half-hour, I rip off the armor of any monster that draws near us. Until we arrive at the entrance, we fight no more than three at a time, but the entrance to the mines...

    There are probably a dozen monsters there, and they look tough. Large turtles and armadillos and lizards and snakes...and they all have scales of corrupted kaennikite.

    Letting my anger wash over me, I step forward, beginning to rip scales from monsters. More pour out of the entrance as these ones start dying, and I don''t care. I can even damage the monsters a little bit with the scales of the others, which pierce right through their own scales.

    I don''t know how long I fight for, but when I finish, there are nothing more than corpses around me, and I feel drained. Swaying, I force myself to sit down before I just collapse, and it''s several minutes before I can do anything.

    ˇ°Well,ˇ± Bari says. ˇ°That...was interesting.ˇ±

    ˇ°Very interesting, Rige,ˇ± Rugli says. ˇ°Now that your anger''s out of your system, think you can help us with the mines? It might be tough, but we''ll be there to protect you, if any monsters jump out at you in the darkness.ˇ±

    I''m about to snap at him when I realize two things.

    One: he''s just joking with me.

    Two: he''s joking with me.

    Make that three.

    Three: he called me Rige. ''Ree-gae''. Kind of sounds like he''s saying ''really gay''. But the fact that he''s calling me that, and actually joking with me...

    He''s accepted me as a warrior.

    I lost control over myself, and he considers me a warrior. How fucked-up is that?

    ˇ°Let''s fuel up,ˇ± one of the other warriors says. ˇ°Better to rest and enter battle with some food in our stomachs than without.ˇ±

    ˇ°Actually,ˇ± Rugli says.

    ˇ°You know,ˇ± I look at the Divinity.

    ˇ°Yes,ˇ± he nods. ˇ°I know.ˇ±

    ˇ°How?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°I thought-ˇ±

    ˇ°Not all of us died,ˇ± he says. ˇ°Some of us chose to stay down here.ˇ±

    ˇ°But you-ˇ±

    ˇ°Happen to share the looks of those down here,ˇ± he explains. ˇ°They removed the aura trace from me when I proved myself a warrior, so that the Upworlders would believe I''d died.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°The cadet I''d fallen in love with,ˇ± he sighs. ˇ°Passed away down here. Irina was her name, and she could read auras. Killer with weapons. I was a metal Elemental, myself, and had planned on asking her out after we made it out of here. She was my partner down here, and-ˇ±

    ˇ°Did you see her body?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°What?ˇ± He looks stunned for a moment. ˇ°Sort of, why?ˇ±

    ˇ°Pretty sure she''s still alive,ˇ± I answer. ˇ°She works at the Alzir Training Branch, where I did BT at.ˇ±

    ˇ°That...was my branch,ˇ± he frowns. ˇ°But I saw her die...ˇ±

    ˇ°One thing I know,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Is unless you confirm the death, then to not accept it as true. Actually, I''m pretty sure that if you killed Caleb and destroyed the body, you probably would still not be able to accept his death as true...death seems to want to avoid killing him.ˇ±

    ˇ°Lite?ˇ± He laughs. ˇ°He''s quite the interesting character. He spent three days trying to figure out why we called his Teacher ''Aurix'', and when he finally asked us, he asked us why we called him ''gold'' in a dead language.ˇ±

    ˇ°His hair, right?ˇ± I ask, and he laughs. ˇ°Yeah, that''s Caleb alright. Can he get his ring to do anything else?ˇ±

    ˇ°No,ˇ± he laughs again. ˇ°But the things he''s told us...I can''t tell whether he''s making them up or not. Does the ring really allow him to access an island that he uses as breeding grounds for turtles?ˇ±

    ˇ°How did that even come up?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°It''s true, isn''t it?ˇ± His eyes widen.

    ˇ°I haven''t actually been there,ˇ± I say. ˇ°But the fact that Caleb pulls random turtles out of the ring says it probably is, and when he says something''s true, it''s best to accept it as fact until proven otherwise. When that boy starts contradicting himself, fuck does shit get weird.ˇ±

    ˇ°He contradicts himself?ˇ±

    ˇ°I''ve only encountered it once,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°And it''s not an experience I want to go through again. Ever. That was painful as fuck.ˇ±

    ˇ°What happened?ˇ±

    ˇ°Just thinking about it is painful as fuck.ˇ±

    He snorts.

    ˇ°What''s your name?ˇ± I ask him.

    ˇ°Iltar,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°Though my Upworlder name was Theodore. I prefer Iltar now.ˇ±

    ˇ°How many?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Just me,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°No other had enough light in their aura for them to care enough. The only reason they saved you was because of Bari, and we only saved Taylor because he was Lite''s partner and happened to be there. When I first saw Lite, I honestly thought he was Aurix at first, due to the immense aura he was leveraging when he went to defend his partner, as well as the purity of the light within. Then I noticed that his aura actually has more light in it than Aurix''s, and-ˇ±

    ˇ°Caleb has more light in his aura than Teacher does?ˇ± I ask in surprise. ˇ°Sorry, it''s just that that''s shocking. Wait ¨C Teacher has light in his aura?ˇ±

    ˇ°All do, regardless of status,ˇ± he nods. ˇ°All of us down here do as well, but ours is a different kind of light. Aurix''s light is different as well. It''s not a light that''s a balance of good and evil, but more seems to be a light of creation, as unusual as that might sound. Caleb''s own aura has two kinds of light in it ¨C the light of his balance between good and evil, and the same kind of light Aurix has. I find it hard to believe they''re not related.ˇ±

    So do I, after hearing that. Caleb''s looks are so similar, he''s so amazingly powerful with magic and aura, and his aura even has a form of light in it that I''m pretty sure is not normal to have in one''s aura.

    And then there''s the matter of what I saw in the files at Alzir. I wasn''t supposed to see it, but Irina brought up three colors to the aura, including a mystery one. Caleb''s file mentioned that he had as much in it as Teacher did, after the day that Teacher showed up and...

    She saw Teacher? We could have sworn only the cadets saw him. Did the instructors just pretend they didn''t?

    So many questions I need answers, and I still have a month and a half before I can actually ask anyone about them.

    ˇ°I don''t understand about the food,ˇ± Bari says. ˇ°It is better to not eat on a full stomach than on a full stomach.ˇ±

    ˇ°For most people, yes,ˇ± I look at him. ˇ°However, Superhumans tend to have a huge appetite after using their Abilities, and it makes us weak, physically. I used a hell of a lot of Ability there, due to this place''s effect on it. If we were upworld right now, that would''ve been nothing to me and maybe a sandwich would be fine, but...ˇ±

    ˇ°We''re down here,ˇ± Iltar finishes for me as things start to get a little spinny on me. ˇ°Where he effectively burned his energy for his Ability in that one fight.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, that,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Whoa, I''m starting to feel the effects now.ˇ±

    Iltar gets me some food, and I eat until I feel better. They all have a small bite to eat, then we rest a few more minutes before heading into the mines.

    Half an hour of walking later, and we haven''t come across a single monster, just the wide tunnel walls with only the glowstones they brought with them to guide us.

    That, and the aura of one of the Divinities. His aura apparently has light properties to it. Now that I think about it, he kind of had a glow before, and that was without sheathing himself in his aura.

    Another twenty minutes, and I can sense something in the walls. I walk up to one. It''s faint, just barely detectable. I put a hand against the wall and reach out with my Ability to sense it, and feel my Ability slide off of the ore.

    Kaennikite. I can sense it, but can''t wield it. Focusing, I take several steps back as they look at me.

    ˇ°Stand clear,ˇ± I say, and Bari practically shoves his husband to the side as the Divinities stare at us.

    The wall explodes toward us, coating us in dirt.

    Well, them. I may have moved behind one of the Divinities right after triggering my Ability.

    ˇ°Why did you do that, Rige?ˇ± Rugli coughs. ˇ°You probably just attracted the attention of every monster around.ˇ±

    ˇ°They''re intelligent,ˇ± I crouch down and brush my hand through some of the rubble, picking up an ore. ˇ°They''d know that I found a spot in the wall with a material that can cut them.ˇ±

    ˇ°Kaennikite,ˇ± Rugli realizes. ˇ°How did you sense it?ˇ±

    ˇ°I think,ˇ± I say. ˇ°It was a mix of my aura and Ability. I''ve given myself a small infusion of it for defense, and with it having traits from my Ability, it must have given me an additional sense for metal. I mean, I have that with my Ability, but not down here.ˇ±

    Now that I think about it, I shouldn''t be able to rip apart their scales with my Ability ¨C I should need to touch it to do that. I have to be able to sense it.

    Things aren''t making sense, but instead of focusing on that, I infuse the rather large chunk of ore with my aura, and smile as I realize something. Bits of dirt and stuff fall off of the ore as it begins to reshape itself, taking on the form of a small knife.

    ˇ°How did you do that?ˇ± Rugli asks, eyes wide.

    ˇ°My aura,ˇ± I say. ˇ°It has metallic properties. When it interacts with metal, I guess I can reshape the metal. That''s actually pretty cool.ˇ±

    Iltar picks up another chunk of ore and focuses on it, and a moment later, it reshapes into a disk, then into a knife.

    ˇ°I never considered that,ˇ± he says. ˇ°I brought a few kaennikite weapons, but this is a purer grade than what we had. Not the purest I''ve seen, but...amazing.ˇ±

    Iltar and I gather up as much of the ore as we can and create new weapons with it with our aura, discovering that we can even merge pieces together. Aura simply flows into it easily.

    We work the material for an hour, then rest up. Once we''re rested, the ten of us make our way deeper into the mines, clearing out one tunnel at a time once we start coming upon the branches, each of which have monsters inside.

    When we reach the deepest and furthest tunnel, where the most kaennikite ore is located, never getting a chance to be mined, we find a massive tortoise covered in both pure and corrupted kaennikite blocking the way, with what looks like two guns on its shell.

    This is the creature that began the assault, but lacked the kaennikite back then. S-Ranked monster with a nigh impenetrable shell capable of firing projectiles, as well as incredible strength and speed.

    ˇ°My turn,ˇ± Iltar steps forward, and he begins to glow with a silvery light as he spreads his arms. ˇ°You who have defiled our mining grounds, be cleansed from this world.ˇ±

    The ground begins to glow as his aura seeps into it, then the walls and ceiling. The turtle snarls, then fires projectiles of kaennikite from its shell, and they stop as they touch Iltar''s aura, melting and wrapping around him, then launching back at the tortoise.

    The assault continues as the walls begin to shift and change, kaennikite pulling out of them, infused with the power of Iltar''s aura.

    ˇ°Writ of Divinity,ˇ± Iltar''s voice echoes through the mines, the very air laced with the power of his aura. ˇ°Metal''s Divine Cut.ˇ±

    The ores shift into blades, then converge onto the tortoise, a thousand needles and daggers penetrating its shell.

    The moment his strike finishes, the Aura Divinity drops to his knees, breathing heavily as his aura fades from the surroundings.

    As the others check on him, I watch as the tortoise turns black, the disintegrates into a black dust that fades into the air. All of the other monsters do as well, I notice as I look back.

    A nagging feeling at the back of my mind says that something isn''t right, something other than the fact that monsters don''t just fade away like that after dying. Or rather, after one particular one dies.

    Once Iltar has recovered from that attack, we gather up some of the kaennikite, then leave the mines and return to the village, not a single monster in sight as we make the journey.

    <hr>

    ~~(Flame)~~

    ˇ°Are you alright, Flame?ˇ± My partner asks. Garret. His name is Garret. Garret the irritated twat. ˇ°Flame! Answer me!ˇ±

    ˇ°Huh?ˇ± I look at him. ˇ°I''m alright. Jeez. Keep your voice down.ˇ±

    ˇ°You kind of wore yourself out that time,ˇ± he says. ˇ°I could barely keep up with you. Remember ¨C I can''t use my Ability here, so I''m stuck with my aura.ˇ±

    ˇ°I just wish,ˇ± I sit against a tree. ˇ°The monsters would stop attacking us. It seems like anytime we get into a fight, we have to run, because more monsters show up after. Why does having a fight cause more fights?ˇ±

    The air shifts, and I jump to my feet as Garret looks around, drawing his combat knife and looking around.

    ˇ°That''s not a threat,ˇ± I say. ˇ°That''s Caleb''s power we just felt. He just wrapped us up into one of his reality marbles. It''s only natural he''d be able to use his Ability here, if I can.ˇ±

    ˇ°I still don''t believe-ˇ± Garret cuts off as we both flip up into the air and find ourselves standing on the bottoms of tree branches instead of the ground, though I almost missed. ˇ°What the hell?ˇ±

    ˇ°Hey, Caleb!ˇ± I wave as I see him approaching, jumping from branch to branch until he arrives. ˇ°Why''d you shift gravity on us?ˇ±

    ˇ°Practice,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°I didn''t know you two were here. This is my partner, Taylor. He''s my partner.ˇ±

    ˇ°You already said that,ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°So?ˇ± He looks irritated. ˇ°He''s my partner. Not yours. I should warn you to flee as soon as we leave the marble.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°Are you gonna go all scary on us or something?ˇ±

    ˇ°No,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°Magic and Abilities attract monsters down here, so-why do you look horrified?ˇ±

    ˇ°I''ve been using my Ability,ˇ± I admit. ˇ°I can use it enough to create an explosive burst, and use that when fighting the monsters. Are you saying that that is why we keep having more monsters attack us after a fight?ˇ±

    ˇ°Probably,ˇ± he answers, twisting his ring a little bit and pulling out a few knives teal in color with a silver hue to them, then tosses them to us. They float in the air. ˇ°Two each. They''re kaennikite, and work well with infusing your aura into them to fight. Being from where you are, Flame, I''d say you already know how to do that.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah!ˇ± I nod. ˇ°I''ve even taught Garret how! It was so frustrating, though, because he kept getting frustrated and annoying, and I just wanted to punch him, but I didn''t. So if using your Abilities attracts monsters, why are you doing it?ˇ±

    ˇ°My ring is magical,ˇ± Caleb responds. ˇ°While the only thing it does down here is return to my finger. I think the enchantment was a little too strong. I honestly didn''t expect it to be that strong.ˇ±

    ˇ°Did you make the ring yourself?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°I thought you said it was a gift from Teacher?ˇ±

    ˇ°I never said what it was,ˇ± Caleb suddenly looks annoyed. ˇ°Since the ring''s as powerful as it is, it attracts monsters, and I can''t get rid of it due to that enchantment. I wanna...never mind. So me practicing my Ability down here in case it''s needed isn''t going to increase the threat level. But yeah, you two should probably run away the moment I release you from here, because we''re, ah, purposely attracting monsters right now.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why?ˇ± Garret asks, then looks around. ˇ°Why are the colors of everything changing?ˇ±

    ˇ°I can''t really do a whole lot with my Ability down here,ˇ± Caleb looks depressed. ˇ°And I need to flex it to attract the monsters. So I''m changing color tones and stuff. Dropping you two out.ˇ±

    The moment he says that, Garret and I find ourselves dropping to the ground. I land in a roll, and Garret lands on his side and swears, then moves to his feet.

    I grab him and start bursting my Ability. It will attract monsters, yes, but probably not as many as Caleb is purposely attracting. Once we''re a fair distance away ¨C far enough away that we shouldn''t be affected by the monsters he''s attracting ¨C I stop running.

    ˇ°That''s...insane,ˇ± Garret says, then looks up, wrapping himself in his aura. ˇ°Monsters.ˇ±

    ˇ°I got this,ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°Don''t use your Ability again!ˇ± He exclaims as I start ripping through the monsters with my flames. ˇ°Flame! No!ˇ±

    ˇ°This isn''t my Ability!ˇ± I ignore his attempts to stop me. ˇ°These are claws of dragon fire!ˇ±

    When the last monster falls, he stares at me, eyes wide. We stare at each other for several long minutes.

    ˇ°Look,ˇ± I say. ˇ°No new monsters, and there''s always been a few within two minutes of the fight. It''s been six. That''s not my Ability''s fire. I dun know where it comes from or why I can use it, but it''s my dragon fire claws. Now stop being a baby ¨C I know you''re just upset that I got to kill more monsters than you.ˇ±

    ˇ°No, I''m not,ˇ± he shakes his head. ˇ°You-ˇ±

    He cuts off, looking to the side.

    ˇ°I what?ˇ± I ask, looking in the same direction he is. ˇ°That looks like a cave.ˇ±

    ˇ°It probably is,ˇ± he says. ˇ°That''s the cliff face that surrounds the Enchanted Forest, judging by the height. There are no signs or anything, but from the fact that the entrance is stone, I''d say it''s not just a cave but Ruins.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ruins?ˇ± I ask, and he nods. ˇ°Why do you think it''s Ruins? It doesn''t give me the tingly feeling Ruins give me.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ruins give you tingly feelings?ˇ± He looks at me in confusion.

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°My dragon fire gets all tingly when we''re near ruins. Well, this near to them. Maybe I just have to go inside to see?ˇ±

    I walk into the entrance, but don''t feel a tingle. Wrapping myself in my aura for light, I begin walking, looking at the smooth walls.

    ˇ°Flame, no!ˇ± Garret exclaims. ˇ°Flame, don''t just walk into the tunnel! We''re partners, and we need to stick together!ˇ±

    ˇ°I knew you''d follow,ˇ± I tell him. ˇ°Now stop being noisy, you''re annoying me and I want to punch you again.ˇ±

    After almost an hour of walking, we arrive in a large cavern with a dozen openings on the opposite wall, each one decorated differently from the others. The moment I enter the room, I feel a shift in me.

    My aura is no longer accessible, and my Ability and magic can be sensed once more. Testing, my aura doesn''t work at all, and fire swirls around me in a blazing inferno that terrifies Garret.

    ˇ°Holy shit!ˇ± He swears. ˇ°What the hell are you doing, Flame? The monsters-ˇ±

    ˇ°There aren''t any nearby,ˇ± I look around. ˇ°I can sense all of the heat around me, as part of my Ability, and the only living things here are us. Our Abilities are working again, but our auras aren''t. At all. I can''t even force it. Caleb would probably know why.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why do you think he''d know?ˇ±

    ˇ°Caleb knows more than he says he does,ˇ± I look at him. ˇ°He probably knows about this place. These aren''t Ruins, either.ˇ±

    ˇ°They''re not?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°No tingle in my dragon fire,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°This is something entirely different. It''s kind of scaring me.ˇ±

    ˇ°You?ˇ± He scoffs. ˇ°Scared?ˇ±

    ˇ°I can''t use my aura,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Just my Ability and magic. Something isn''t right about this place. It''s making my hair stand on end.ˇ±

    I lift my arm up, and he looks at it. My hair is literally standing straight up, and when he sees that, he frowns.

    ˇ°I thought that was just a phrase,ˇ± he says. ˇ°I''ve never actually seen it before.ˇ±

    ˇ°This place is creepy,ˇ± I look at the dozen paths we could take. ˇ°As soon as I stepped into this chamber, the switch happened. There''s got to be powerful magic or something at work here. Whatever it is, it''s scaring me. I want...I want my brothers. I can''t take it!ˇ±

    I run back into the tunnel we came from and don''t stop until I''m back in the forest. I don''t stop running until I slam into Cliff, tackling him to the ground and wrapping my arms around him, crying into his chest.

    ˇ°Whoa, Flame!ˇ± He says. ˇ°What are you doing?ˇ±

    ˇ°I missed you!ˇ± I sob into his shirt. ˇ°It was scary! I couldn''t use my aura and my magic and Ability worked in there, but it gave me a creepy feeling and made my dragon fire feel all weird and it wasn''t tingly like Ruins make it and it was scary! It was so scary, Cliff! It was like reality was different without it being a marble! It was so scary and terrifying, Cliff! I''m so scared!ˇ±

    ˇ°It''s alright,ˇ± Cliff wraps his arms around me. ˇ°You''re alright, Flame. Everything will be fine. We''ve less than a month and a half left, so you''ll be fine, okay? You''ll make it through. Where''s your partner? Brooks said you found him.ˇ±

    ˇ°Probably back there,ˇ± I sniffle. ˇ°It''s too scary, Cliff. It''s way too scary. I dun wanna be there!ˇ±

    ˇ°It''s alright,ˇ± he rubs my back. ˇ°Come on, Flame, let''s get up. Once you calm down, tell me about it, okay?ˇ±

    ˇ°Okay,ˇ± I get off of him and sit with my back against a tree, and he sits beside me. ˇ°Where''s your partner? You didn''t do an aura trace?ˇ±

    ˇ°Died on the first day,ˇ± Cliff sighs. ˇ°I never met up with him. I haven''t really fought any monsters or anything, but judging by how quickly he died, I''d say he landed near a monster and was caught off-guard.ˇ±

    Cliff puts an arm on my shoulders and leans his head into mine, and I lean into him and start crying again. That was really scary, and I don''t want to go back. Please don''t make me go back.

 Chapter 012

    ~~(Kieran)~~

    The cadets are training well, though I''m focusing mostly on Noah. Shift change just happened a few minutes ago, and Irina is relaxing in the staff''s lounge, after giving me a stern warning to actually stay in the lobby this time.

    She knows I won''t listen ¨C it''s not like anything will actually make it in without me noticing. Except, of course, Caleb and his Teacher. And now that I''m able to meld into shadows, it''s not as if I can''t be exactly where I need to be. And being more powerful than any other instructor here means that there really isn''t a threat I need to worry about.

    So I''m watching the cadets, or more specifically, Noah. They just unlocked their aura a week ago, and I''m a little impressed with Noah''s aura and his adaptability to it. Not just resisting it, but to using it. He learns fast.

    To think I''d find another auratouched is amazing. The only living ones I know of are Caleb and myself, along with the people from Rainbow Village. Stupid name, powerful people. The Quartet are definitely holding back when they use aura, and I pity the foes who think they can be taken lightly.

    They will survive. So will Caleb, of course.

    With luck, Jared won''t.

    After watching Noah for a bit, I slide off the table I''m on and approach him. He''s currently sparring with another cadet while sheathed with aura. The moment I reshape mine, Noah tenses, kicking the cadet away and taking several steps back, fists up and ready to fight.

    ˇ°So,ˇ± I unwrap my aura, allowing myself to be seen. ˇ°You can sense that.ˇ±

    ˇ°What the hell did you do?ˇ± He looks terrified as the other cadets stare at me, Fowl looking unhappy at my interruption. ˇ°That felt terrifying, like I was going to die. It wasn''t anywhere close to bloodlust, either.ˇ±

    ˇ°Something you have the potential for,ˇ± I tell him. ˇ°Though don''t ever think you could match Caleb. When he first awakened his aura, he quickly learned how to utilize it, and almost immediately took over my spot as the best. Caleb is a prodigy when it comes to all things, and before you protest, I know you want to become stronger so that you can prove to him your strength. I know you admired him, and that he overlooked you when you approached him. Or rather, he got scared and left. Until here, Caleb was not a sociable boy. That wasn''t arrogance, that was timidness. Learn the difference.ˇ±

    I turn and walk inside, making my way to the lounge in the staff quarters, and Irina gives me an unimpressed look. I stare at her back, knowing she knows what I want to know.

    ˇ°They won''t end the mission,ˇ± Irina tells me. ˇ°I''ve asked them to a dozen times, Kieran. They keep saying ''no''. It''s a set mission, and refusing to do it violates a law. The Council of Dreams will have to vote if it''s to be ended. They convene in a week.ˇ±

    ˇ°What mission?ˇ± A voice asks, and we turn to face Caleb''s powerful Teacher. ˇ°Enchanted Forest?ˇ±

    The moment he says that, his eyes widen in horror.

    ˇ°Please tell me Caleb isn''t there,ˇ± he says.

    ˇ°Why?ˇ± I ask, and Teacher looks at Irina. ˇ°What?ˇ±

    ˇ°How did you make it out alive?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°I almost didn''t,ˇ± she answers. ˇ°Caleb and his team are all in there right now, on that training mission. The Council didn''t believe us when we told them what happened, though.ˇ±

    ˇ°I will have a word with them,ˇ± Teacher looks furious. ˇ°That explains why I can''t trace Caleb''s location. I was going to look at him. Once I finish with them, I''m going to-ˇ±

    He pauses, frowning, his gaze distant, as if looking somewhere else.

    ˇ°Those bastards,ˇ± he growls. ˇ°They are so lucky he''s alive. I am still going to have a word with them. This mission should never have happened.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°I''m not entirely sure, myself,ˇ± Irina says when Teacher doesn''t respond. ˇ°But when the ancient and powerful magician who taught Caleb everything he knows looks angry, it''s probably best to do as he says. Let''s hope the Council figures this out.ˇ±

    Teacher turns and leaves, and I look at Irina.

    ˇ°What happened in the Enchanted Forest?ˇ± I demand, sealing off the lobby. ˇ°Why did Teacher react so negatively to it?ˇ±

    ˇ°The Enchanted Forest,ˇ± she says. ˇ°Is a death trap. That''s why so many cadets die. Those who come out leave with powerful aura capabilities, but beyond that, no one knows exactly what goes on within. No one ever remembers what happened inside of there.ˇ±

    ˇ°I''m leaving,ˇ± I tell her.

    ˇ°Why?ˇ± She asks.

    ˇ°To pull them out of there.ˇ±

    ˇ°Your Ability won''t work-ˇ±

    ˇ°If I perceive it can,ˇ± I state. ˇ°It will.ˇ±

    I meld into shadows and leave, switching between light and shadows until I reach the edge of the Enchanted Forest. So damn glad I put that aura trace on Caleb after he got lost the last time.

    The first thing I notice when I arrive is that Caleb and his team are outside of the Enchanted Forest, standing on one of the roads to it, but they all seem exhausted, and Caleb isn''t actually standingˇ­

    ˇ°Caleb!ˇ± I exclaim, and they all look at me, some of the other cadets immediately drawing their knives or flaring their powers.

    ˇ°Kieran!ˇ± Flame exclaims when he sees me, worry on his face. ˇ°Caleb won''t wake up!ˇ±

    <hr>

    ~~~(Brooks)~~~

    Dammit! I just lost my partner a couple of days ago, and discovered the corpse of FlameˇŻs partner a few hours ago. My partner died by monsters, but Flame''s seemed to have died from what looked like an arrow. Someone tried covering it up and making it look like a monster attacked him, but I know an arrow wound from a claw or bite.

    Someone killed Flame''s partner. Flame isn''t around, and judging by the small camp I found, he wasn''t here. They were already separated, and Flame is alive, but his aura trace is gone. I can''t sense him at all.

    Where the hell did my brother go?

    A powerful wind ripples out, slamming me into a tree as it rips limbs off of them and throws leaves everywhere. The ground tremors at the same time, and a single thing fills my mind.

    Flame.

    Cliff and Gale can use their Abilities here, and they just performed a powerful attack in sync with each other. The only reason they would have forced their Abilities on this level would be if something happened to me or Flame.

    Facing the direction the ripples came from, I manipulate the water and burst myself until I reach them, stopping when I see Flame on the ground. He''s barely breathing and covered in gashes. Cliff and Gale are fighting monsters, but losing.

    All I can do is feel my heart drop. Flame was attacked and is going to die. His life force is probably leaving him as I stare at his wounds, unable to move, and all I can do is remember everything he''s done.

    Sure, he''s hyperactive, and falls in love with every cute guy he sees, and sure, he wears his emotions on his sleeve, but he''s also the most powerful Superhuman from our village. He''s the greatest warrior and best fighter and the smartest of all of us.

    Hell, he can even use a funky fire none of us can explain. He says we all have it within us, but that''s hard to believe. Flame says a lot of weird things.

    I can''t let him die, but my Ability isn''t suited for healing, it''s suited for combat. I need to do something. What can I do?

    Something inside me whispers power, and for a moment, I can sense something different, something in everything around. I grab at that power, and sense it all again. Water. I can sense all the water around, but it''s different.

    I can sense their life water. Flame''s is weak, barely flowing at all. I won''t let him die.

    ˇ°No,ˇ± I clench my fists. ˇ°I will not let you die, Flame.ˇ±

    Using this strange power, I grab at his life waters, understanding, at last, what his strange power is. I keep him living, breathing, flowing as my brothers fight, and I slowly walk to my brother, afraid that if I let go for a single moment, I''ll lose him.

    Kneeling beside my brother, I grab his hand and look down as he smiles, his eyes closed, hair back to its natural brown.

    ˇ°Flame,ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°You did it,ˇ± he says. ˇ°You woke it up, didn''t you?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± I whisper. ˇ°Flame, youˇŻre not going to die on me.ˇ±

    ˇ°Not...strong enough,ˇ± he coughs. ˇ°Too weak, Brooks. I can''t...cycle aura...move...fire...ˇ±

    He stops breathing, but I still have hold of his life waters. He''s still alive, so long as I keep them rooted. Closing my eyes, I sense their pathways through his body and force them to move, force them to heal.

    ˇ°You''re not dying on me, Flame,ˇ± I state. ˇ°I need you. Cliff, Gale, Caleb, Kieran, Jared ¨C we all need you, Flame. You''re a part of us. You''re not dying on us, so don''t think that for a moment.ˇ±

    He doesn''t respond, but I can see it working. This power of his...

    Ours.

    This power ¨C there''s a reason he calls it his dragon fire. The water I can use, this power, it feels draconic in nature. There''s no other way for me to describe it.

    Several long minutes pass before I can finally release my brother''s life waters, and when I do, he opens his eyes, smiling.

    He looks at me with his crimson, blazing eyes, his hair changing to match as he stands.

    ˇ°Thank you, Brooks,ˇ± he smiles at me. ˇ°They stripped our aura traces off before leaving the monsters.ˇ±

    ˇ°The natives?ˇ± I ask, and he nods. ˇ°So they really did kill your partner?ˇ±

    ˇ°They did?ˇ± He looks surprised. ˇ°I felt his aura trace disappear, but thought he was attacked by monsters. We were on his way to go see him when they attacked.ˇ±

    ˇ°You weren''t with him?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Long story!ˇ± Cliff exclaims. ˇ°Now will you two help us out? We''re losing, here!ˇ±

    ˇ°Right!ˇ± I say. ˇ°Sorry!ˇ±

    ˇ°I got this,ˇ± Flame says, fire swirling around him.

    This isn''t his Ability''s fire. I can sense the draconic power within these flames, and instinctively take a step back.

    ˇ°They got us by surprise,ˇ± Flame says. ˇ°They knew to go after me first. I bet they didn''t count on me being this tough and powerful!ˇ±

    Flame starts laughing as his fire washes over us, and as it does, our brothers'' wounds heal.

    Then, his fire goes insane, setting trees and monsters on fire alike as Flame stands there, grinning as he manipulates the fire with his thoughts alone.

    I''ve never seen him do that before. He''s always used his arms to control his fire. I start damage control with my new power, putting out the forest.

    Whatever beings allowed Flame to use fire in a forest ¨C shame on you.

    Giggling sounds in the back of my mind, and I look around.

    Please tell me a divine being did not just giggle in my mind in response to that.

    More giggling.

    Flame finally finishes, and I put out the last of the flames, then look at my brother.

    ˇ°That was a hell of a lot more fire than I''ve seen you use before,ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°I hold back,ˇ± he grins at me. ˇ°I feel so alive when I do that, though. Look! All my wounds are healed!ˇ±

    ˇ°I keep forgetting that you''re a monster, Flame,ˇ± Cliff says, and Gale giggles.

    ˇ°What?ˇ± Flame looks at Gale who doesn''t respond. ˇ°Whatwhatwhatwhatwhat?ˇ±

    Gale keeps giggling until Cliff smacks him in the back of the head, then grins at him.

    ˇ°What?ˇ± Cliff asks, and Gale starts giggling again. ˇ°Okay, seriously, Gale, what is it?ˇ±

    ˇ°He''s hearing voices in his head again, isn''t he?ˇ± Flame asks, looking at Gale. ˇ°You need to tell them to shut up about me! I can''t help that I''ve got a bigger flame than them!ˇ±

    Gale bursts into full-on laughter and doubles over, clutching his stomach.

    ˇ°We need to find the others,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Are any of the aura traces still active?ˇ±

    ˇ°Caleb''s is,ˇ± Flame looks at me. ˇ°I think they''re keeping him alive on purpose.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°He''s too powerful not to,ˇ± Gale suddenly looks serious and worried. ˇ°If they tried to kill him, they''d probably fail. They''re probably going to wear him out in a fight with monsters, then kill him if the monsters don''t succeed. Weaken, then kill. Plus, from what we can tell, he''s mostly just been attracting monsters to him to kill, anyway.ˇ±

    ˇ°Caleb''s been killing?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yup!ˇ± Flame nods vigorously. ˇ°He''s finally gotten over his issues with fighting, and can handle monsters just fine! He keeps attracting monsters for target practice!ˇ±

    That''sˇ­ somewhat worrying.

    ˇ°Let''s go find him,ˇ± I decide. ˇ°With the four of us together, and Flame and I both having this unique ability, I highly doubt they could really catch us off-guard again and take us out ¨C not if they want to take out Caleb.ˇ±

    ˇ°What about Jared?ˇ± Cliff asks. ˇ°Do we know if he''s still alive?ˇ±

    ˇ°No,ˇ± I shake my head.

    ˇ°He is,ˇ± Flame nods. ˇ°He''s at a village near the edge. Or rather, was, before they removed his aura trace a minute ago.ˇ±

    ˇ°Removed it or killed him?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Removed it,ˇ± Flame answers. ˇ°Though they''ll probably kill him soon.ˇ±

    ˇ°We need to go to him!ˇ± Cliff, Gale, and I exclaim in unison.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Jared)~~~

    These last couple of days, something has seemed off about the villagers. I''m pretending like I haven''t noticed, but it''s worrying me. I can''t quite put my finger on whatever it is. Some sense that something is off.

    ˇ°Hey, Rige!ˇ± Bari runs up to me, a cheerful smile on his face, and I look at him. SomethingˇŻs off about him, too. Has been all day. For everyone. He claps a hand on my shoulder as he approaches me. ˇ°Thanks for the help the other day, the increase of kaennikite has already made an improvement in our battle against the beasts.ˇ±

    Alarm bells start ringing in my head. I havenˇŻt sensed a single piece of kaennikite leave the village. I canˇŻt connect to them without physically touching them, but I can definitely sense them.

    ˇ°Nice,ˇ± I respond. ˇ°So whatˇŻs the plan for now?ˇ±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ˇ°For now?ˇ± He asks. ˇ°We train. YouˇŻre an excellent warrior, and it would be a shame to lose you. The Divine Formation should be arriving where Lite is now, to assist in the battle.ˇ±

    The village Caleb is visiting will probably be attacked in about two weeks, they said. A huge horde of monsters is on its way, likely due to his magical ring. TheyˇŻve been monitoring the horde. Utilizing aura, we should be able to arrive in less than three days to that village.

    Three days?

    Why did the Divine Formation take so long to get here, then? One of them came from the village Caleb is in, yet took two weeks.

    That is definitely one of the things thatˇŻs off.

    My guard immediately goes up, but I try to ignore it as Bari and I spar. He pushes me harder than normal. He seems more aggressive today, almost like he wants to actually hurt me.

    ˇ°Bari!ˇ± One of the elders calls out during our match, and Bari stops, looking at him. ˇ°They survived.ˇ±

    ˇ°What?ˇ± Bari looks confused and furious. ˇ°They shouldnˇŻt have. We calculated it specifically to end them. How did they survive?ˇ±

    ˇ°Not aware,ˇ± the elder shrugs. ˇ°TheyˇŻre on their way here now. And Kilmis Village just got a message to us ¨C theyˇŻre under attack.ˇ±

    ˇ°Monsters?ˇ± Bari asks. ˇ°That shouldnˇŻt be, they-ˇ±

    ˇ°Migar did a trick,ˇ± the elder growls. ˇ°He knew the whole time. Kilmis Village is under siege ¨C and the horde is much, much larger than we detected moving that way.ˇ±

    Migar? Kilmis village? I havenˇŻt heard of the latter, and IˇŻve never heard them reference a Migar before.

    Bari looks at me, frowning.

    ˇ°What?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°WhoˇŻs Migar? WhereˇŻs Kilmis Village? Will we be able to assist them?ˇ±

    ˇ°No,ˇ± Bari takes on a dark tone. ˇ°You wonˇŻt be able to assist them.ˇ±

    He draws a ceramic knife from his hip, and I realize that heˇŻs going to kill me.

    ˇ°Bad native!ˇ±

    I have never been so glad to hear that voice in my life.

    Especially as itˇŻs accompanied by Bari screaming as fire rips his body apart from the inside.

    Then Flame practically appears in front of me, his brothers appearing next to him. TheyˇŻre using their Abilities here. That was definitely FlameˇŻs funky ˇ®dragonˇŻ fire that he used on Bariˇ­

    And he killed Bari without hesitation, IˇŻm sure.

    ˇ°TheyˇŻre killing off cadets,ˇ± Brooks states. ˇ°They attempted to get us, too, but failed miserably. It seems they were not prepared for FlameˇŻs dragon fire, nor for me to awaken the dragon water within me. We believe theyˇŻre leaving all but the most powerful, most intelligent cadets alive, to make it appear as if this place is more difficult than it truly is.ˇ±

    ˇ°You wonˇŻt make it out of here alive,ˇ± Eldir approaches us, smiling darkly. ˇ°If you manage to survive against us, the monsters will overwhelm you. Your little friend in Kilmis might have tricked us, but weˇŻll get him soon.ˇ±

    ˇ°Our friend?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Migar,ˇ± he laughs. ˇ°Or, as you know him by, Lite. Your friend Caleb, the boy with so much light in him that he must die. He caught us off-guard, but weˇŻve ordered the Divine Formation to deal with him before they take on the cave thatˇŻs now free of its most powerful guardians ¨C which we knew would come to deal with such a powerful magical threat.ˇ±

    They plan on killing Caleb.

    ˇ°How did he make it through?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°DoesnˇŻt matter,ˇ± Flame drags his fingers through the air, ripping apart several more natives. ˇ°All that matters is we run!ˇ±

    Flame grabs me and pulls me onto his back, then with small explosions, weˇŻre off. The quartet moves insanely fast, exploding their element under their feet. IˇŻm surprised we donˇŻt slam into trees or something. The air grows more humid as I spot a trio of figures standing ahead. I canˇŻt make them out, but I can feel intense power radiating off of them.

    ˇ°Incoming!ˇ± I yell.

    Flame raises his hands up, then stops, coming to a halt. The rest of the quartet does as well.

    Standing before us, looking calm as can be, is a trio that includes a cadet IˇŻve never seen before, Owen, and Caleb.

    ˇ°Come here,ˇ± Caleb states, looking unimpressed. ˇ°All five of you.ˇ±

    We approach him.

    ˇ°TheyˇŻre giving chase,ˇ± I inform him as he approaches. ˇ°TheyˇŻll be here soon.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°I can sense them. This is almost unnecessary, but just in case,ˇ± he places a hand on my shoulder. ˇ°In this Reality, youˇŻre not affected by Enchanted Trees.ˇ±

    Immediately, I feel a rush of power as my Ability and magic become fully accessible again. He does the same to the quartet.

    ˇ°Why arenˇŻt your eyes all glowy, if weˇŻre in one of your Realities?ˇ± Flame asks.

    ˇ°I can explain that later,ˇ± Caleb says. ˇ°Owen, Jared, if you two would be so kind. Flame, Brooks, weˇŻll need a fog screen in a moment.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThereˇŻs not much metal for me to work with,ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°In this reality,ˇ± Caleb says. ˇ°Every piece of dirt with one mile of my current location is torikkite.ˇ±

    The ground turns into corrupted kaennikite ¨C prime for using magic and Abilities on. IˇŻve never heard it called torikkite, though.

    ˇ°Thanks,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Torikkite?ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻs the reverse of kaennikite,ˇ± Caleb nods. ˇ°Teacher told me about it ages ago. He said that there are creatures with torikkite shells and scales and stuff, but he wouldnˇŻt tell me where he put them as guards.ˇ±

    As guards?

    Teacher put them down as guards?

    ˇ°Um, about that,ˇ± I say, and Caleb cocks his head to the side. ˇ°I, um-ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh,ˇ± Caleb says. ˇ°Well, weˇŻre nearly to those mines, anyway. I can replace them. I did some experimenting a couple of years ago. No animals or monsters were hurt, I made sure of that. IˇŻve got some torikkite beasts.ˇ±

    ThatˇŻs...interesting.

    Wait. Did Caleb just hear my thoughts? How is he supporting this Reality Marble? Why is his Ability so powerful here?

    ˇ°LetˇŻs do this,ˇ± Owen interrupts my thoughts, stepping forward.

    I turn and stand beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Caleb turned all of the dirt within a mile of us into torikkite ¨C including underground. ThatˇŻs a hell of a lot of torikkite, and my Ability easily slides into it.

    Adjusting the properties a little bit, I make sure we wonˇŻt be affected by OwenˇŻs Ability as the force of natives and monsters enter the area around us.

    Then, I shift the ground under them as Owen transfers his electricity through me and into the ground, shocking the natives and monsters in range. Immediately after that, a thick fog begins to fill the air.

    ˇ°LetˇŻs go,ˇ± CalebˇŻs voice says.

    Why can I still see everything?

    Did Caleb already set that rule? He needed to touch us to make our Abilities work again.

    Unless he set that rule without saying it. Caleb is quite the strange ally. Uses his words to set one rule into this Reality, but not another.

    We take off running.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Caleb)~~~

    Taylor is talking with them again. He spends too much time with them. We need to train. That''s why I keep attracting the monsters to us ¨C so we can train in combat. Especially him, so he can become better at wielding his aura as a weapon. The powerful monsters will be here tomorrow, and we need to be ready for it.

    ˇ°Come on, Taylor,ˇ± I walk over to them. ˇ°Let''s go. We need to train.ˇ±

    ˇ°We trained for three hours earlier,ˇ± he tells me.

    ˇ°So?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°We need to train some more. You''re still rubbish at cycling aura and using your aura to enhance your defense isn''t a strong point. You need to be ready when they come.ˇ±

    Something about this place is bothering me. Cadets are dying too fast, and even the elders are worried. Something isn''t right.

    I really wish the Moon could talk to me more. He''d know what to say to make me feel better.

    ˇ°Lite,ˇ± Kilar looks at me. ˇ°It''s best if we rest up for tomorrow.ˇ±

    ˇ°Keep telling yourself that,ˇ± I snap at him. ˇ°But Taylor might not survive the battle. Taylor, come with me.ˇ±

    ˇ°Caleb-ˇ± Taylor starts to protest.

    ˇ°Now,ˇ± I order and begin walking, knowing heˇŻs going to follow me.

    Ten minutes outside of the village, I stop walking, and Taylor looks at me.

    ˇ°You were unnecessarily rude,ˇ± he snaps.

    ˇ°They want to kill us.ˇ±

    ˇ°What?ˇ± He says, and I turn to face him.

    ˇ°They want to kill us,ˇ± I repeat, waving a hand in front of my face, removing the glamour. ˇ°I can hear their thoughts.ˇ±

    ˇ°YouˇŻre using your Ability?ˇ± He asks in astonishment.

    ˇ°Layering it upon itself,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°ItˇŻs exhausting, but with the smaller field, itˇŻs not too hard. IˇŻm drawing on the power of the Enchanted Trees to fuel it. The monsters arenˇŻt a week out.ˇ±

    ˇ°They arenˇŻt?ˇ±

    ˇ°No,ˇ± I shake my head. ˇ°The majority of them are already here. IˇŻm pulling us out of the Reality I have surrounding us.ˇ±

    Existence shifts a little as we change Realities, and Taylor stares around us, eyes wide, looking at the monsters that fill the forest as he draws his knife.

    ˇ°They wonˇŻt attack us,ˇ± I inform him. ˇ°We have an understanding.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes,ˇ± one of the larger monsters approaches us. ˇ°We will leave your teams alone, though there arenˇŻt many left. Master Lusvar, the message did not reach all. It appears that not too long ago, the Elemental Quartet, as you said they were called, were attacked. The one known as Brooks lost his partner, then later found the partner of the one known as Flame. The one known as Flame had rejoined the other two brothers, and Brooks came across them as the one known as Flame began to die. He awoke the draconic waters within him.ˇ±

    ˇ°No fair!ˇ± I exclaim. ˇ°I canˇŻt wake the dragon territory in me! How did he do that?ˇ±

    ˇ°Dragon territory?ˇ± The monster asks, then laughs. ˇ°You are an interesting creature, Master Lusvar! The powers of the dragonˇ­ what would you have us do?ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm releasing my Ability,ˇ± I state, feeling the power fade away as I say that. ˇ°TheyˇŻre all yours.ˇ±

    I look at Taylor, whose mouth is open and eyes are wide as he stares at the monster.

    ˇ°It can talk!ˇ±

    ˇ°Of course he can,ˇ± I roll my eyes, then place a hand on his shoulder. ˇ°In this Reality, you are not affected by the Enchanted Trees.ˇ±

    The moment I set that rule into this Reality, he gasps.

    ˇ°I can feel my Ability again!ˇ± He exclaims, then frowns. ˇ°But wait ¨C you released your Ability.ˇ±

    ˇ°So?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°LetˇŻs go. Our allies are dying.ˇ±

    ˇ°Where are they?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°Thankfully, near each other,ˇ± I say. ˇ°It seems that, apart from the Quartet, only Owen and Jared are still alive. We can use that.ˇ±

    I grab TaylorˇŻs hand, then manipulate gravity so he isnˇŻt just dangling behind me as I fly toward Owen, who I then do the same thing to, leading us to the point where we will intercept the Quartet and Jared.

    ˇ°What just happened?ˇ± Owen asks. ˇ°I was kind of enjoying my nap.ˇ±

    ˇ°The natives are killing everyone,ˇ± I place a hand on him. ˇ°In this Reality, you are not affected by the Enchanted Trees.ˇ±

    ˇ°I thought Abilities donˇŻt work at all in the Enchanted Forest?ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻll explain after we leave here,ˇ± I tell him. ˇ°IˇŻll do the same to the Quartet and Jared after they arrive, theyˇŻll be here in less than a minute. In short ¨C the natives are killing cadets off, and have for every batch. Due to a flower that grows on the Enchanted Trees, no one remembers anything that happens in the Forest after they leave it, so no one knows that the true threat are the locals. TheyˇŻre here.ˇ±

    Looking at them, I think about Flame and Brooks. They can create a smokescreen.

    ˇ°In this Reality,ˇ± I weave two more Laws of Reality. ˇ°The humidity of the air is akin to a rainforest, and cadets of the GSDF can see clearly through fog.ˇ±

    <hr>

    ~~~(Flame)~~~

    As soon as Brooks and I create the heavy fog, the seven of us take off. CalebˇŻs somehow allowing us to see through the fog, and thatˇŻs totally awesome. I like how he just casually let us use our Abilities again, too. HeˇŻs totally awesome.

    I just wish I was his type.

    We arrive at some caves, and Caleb just snorts when he sees them.

    ˇ°Teacher,ˇ± he rolls his eyes. ˇ°Did you really think that would be enough? Then again, probably so. Had I not been interfering, itˇŻs unlikely the Divine Formation wouldˇŻve worked here. Here you go! Have a new home!ˇ±

    Caleb twists his ring, and monsters start to appear, running into the caves, and I look at him curiously.

    ˇ°TheyˇŻre my babies,ˇ± Caleb says. ˇ°I made them. They were so fun to make. I promise that I didnˇŻt hurt any animals or monsters when I made them. They all liked it. I made them stronger and more powerful than they were before. Judging by the essences left behind, TeacherˇŻs were pretty weak compared to mine.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why did they dissolve into shadows after the boss was killed?ˇ± Jared asks.

    ˇ°Huh?ˇ± Caleb looks at him. ˇ°Oh. ThatˇŻs weird. Oh, thatˇŻs why. Yeah, that makes perfect sense. They werenˇŻt the actual creatures designed, they just came from where Teacher actually put them, as directed by Teacher. The boss was the only actual creature here ¨C the others were all drops of its essence that took on physical form. The other place still has plenty. I just crammed a lot of physical ones here, and they can all make more through drops of their essence. I doubt the Iniri will be going back in here. Shame they managed to acquire more kaennikite, though. Teacher definitely didnˇŻt want them having it, if he did that. LetˇŻs head up to the surface. This is my Reality, now.ˇ±

    CalebˇŻs eyes glow, and then we begin to float upward. Every now and then, he momentarily releases the Reality Marble as we draw close to its end, but creates a new one immediately after. The shift of nearly dropping to floating again is fun, and I wonder if Caleb can do that to me sometime later.

    We float to the surface, and gently touch down on a paved path that leads from the edge to somewhere off in the distance, nothing but fields around us.

    CalebˇŻs eyes lose their glow, and he looks at the Enchanted Forest.

    Energy begins to crackle around him, and his eyes turn violet, the air rippling with magic, distorting my vision. I look around, and notice that it isnˇŻt distorted behind us, only around the Enchanted Forest. When Caleb ends whatever spell heˇŻs casting, I look at him.

    ˇ°What did you-ˇ± I start to ask, but then CalebˇŻs eyes roll into the back of his head, and he passes out. ˇ°Caleb!ˇ±

    I catch Caleb and try to wake him up, but he wonˇŻt wake up. I lie him down on the ground and keep trying to wake him up.

    ˇ°HeˇŻs not breathing,ˇ± Gale comments, kneeling by Caleb, putting a hand to his neck. ˇ°No pulse, either. Did he just die?ˇ±

    ˇ°No,ˇ± I say. ˇ°HeˇŻs alive. His fireˇŻs still burning. ItˇŻs so hot right now! Wake up, Caleb!ˇ±

    Kieran shows up, and I look at him. ˇ°Kieran! Caleb wonˇŻt wake up!ˇ±

    ˇ°What?ˇ± Kieran looks panicked, rushing to CalebˇŻs side. ˇ°Teacher said Caleb was okay. How long ago did he pass out? He feels dead.ˇ±

    ˇ°HeˇŻs not,ˇ± I shake my head. ˇ°HeˇŻs alive. His fireˇŻs burning, even hotter than before. It feels so weak, though, so distant. HeˇŻs still alive, though! HeˇŻs not dead!ˇ±

    ˇ°We popped out a few minutes ago,ˇ± Brooks says.

    ˇ°A few minutes ago?ˇ± Kieran sounds confused. ˇ°It took me over an hour to get here, after talking to Teacher. ThereˇŻs no way you guys have only been out for a few minutes.ˇ±

    ˇ°Time was distorted, here,ˇ± a voice says, and I look up to see Teacher. ˇ°Calm, Flame. CalebˇŻs alive, and heˇŻll wake on his own. IˇŻll need to verify, but I have reason to believe that he simply placed himself into stasis, after the spell he unwove.ˇ±

    ˇ°Unwove?ˇ± Jared asks. ˇ°What do you mean?ˇ±

    ˇ°That powerful magic Caleb did,ˇ± Teacher says. ˇ°Before passing out? He was unweaving the Reality Marble heˇŻd woven across the Enchanted Forest. It distorted time a little bit, and granted minute access to magic and Abilities. Caleb didnˇŻt want to affect it too much. How he managed to pull it off without me noticingˇ­ IˇŻm quite impressed. IˇŻm surprised he didnˇŻt catch anyoneˇŻs attention, to be honest. For him to do a spell of that caliber...ˇ±

    ˇ°That Reality,ˇ± Jared says. ˇ°That wasnˇŻt his Ability?ˇ±

    ˇ°No,ˇ± Teacher says. ˇ°That was CalebˇŻs magic. Different in a few ways. Since heˇŻs inexperienced with it, he probably had to set each rule verbally after creating it. Even I have to do that, still, with major shifts. IˇŻve never tried creating one of that caliber before, though. I can typically do it about four times as powerful as I can with my Ability.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then thatˇŻs nothing, for Caleb,ˇ± Kieran says, and we all look at him. ˇ°His passive Territory is probably hundreds of miles by now. I remember this one time, he created a Marble that covered a hundred miles out of boredom, then decided to make it a playground. We had so much fun in his playground Marbles.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs not possible,ˇ± Teacher says. ˇ°CalebˇŻs passive territory isnˇŻt even as big as mine is, and he canˇŻt create a Reality Marble greater than about ten miles.ˇ±

    ˇ°He just did,ˇ± Kieran says. ˇ°He definitely can. He did it all the time before the massacre.ˇ±

    ˇ°No, he canˇŻt,ˇ± Teacher says. ˇ°I know his ranges, and he definitely cannot. His passive Territory is far too small.ˇ±

    ˇ°YouˇŻre wrong,ˇ± Kieran insists. ˇ°Caleb used his Territory all the time for mischief, and we always used his Marbles for fun. IˇŻm just waiting for him to be comfortable enough again to start doing that. CalebˇŻs changed a lot.ˇ±

    Teacher stares at Kieran, frowning.

    ˇ°Your memories certainly suggest that,ˇ± he looks at Caleb. ˇ°But if thatˇŻs true, then Caleb is far, far more powerful than I have ever hoped to be. He must be subconsciously suppressing his Ability, then. But why?ˇ±

    ˇ°Probably because he canˇŻt get over what happened?ˇ± Jared asks. ˇ°What are you, an idiot? So can you fix Caleb or not?ˇ±

    ˇ°I can see why he went into the stasis,ˇ± Teacher kneels down by Caleb. ˇ°But until then, I canˇŻt know for sure what I can do.ˇ±

    Teacher places a hand on CalebˇŻs head, then recoils, jumping to his feet and taking several steps back, looking at Caleb in horror.

    ˇ°What?ˇ± Kieran asks, and when Teacher doesnˇŻt respond, he moves forward in a flash of shadows and grabs Teacher by the collar of his shirt. ˇ°Why do you look so horrified?ˇ±

    ˇ°Ever since the Calamity,ˇ± Teacher swallows. ˇ°Passage in and out of this realm has been impossible. Caleb somehow managed to move himself out of this realm, and somehow, he went into the one realm no human should ever go into.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why?ˇ± KieranˇŻs tone sounds dark and threatening, his fire burning really hot. TeacherˇŻs fire says heˇŻs scared, but only for Caleb ¨C he knows Kieran canˇŻt do anything to him. ˇ°Why should no human ever go into that realm?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because,ˇ± Teacher pushes Kieran away, giving him a small look of disapproval. ˇ°Almost everything there wants to eat a human. That, or kill them, or torture them, or any number of very unpleasant things. If I could travel there, IˇŻd be fine, but again ¨C I canˇŻt. How the fuck did Caleb leave this realm?ˇ±

    I thought Caleb said Teacher doesnˇŻt swear?

    ˇ°Caleb said you didnˇŻt swear,ˇ± Jared says.

    ˇ°Really?ˇ± Teacher looks at him, stunned. ˇ°I swear all the time. CalebˇŻs heard me swear probably hundreds, if not thousands, of times. IˇŻll take CalebˇŻs body to my island, where itˇŻll be safe. Once he wakes up and IˇŻm sure heˇŻs fine, IˇŻll return him. You seven take care of yourselves, and whatever you do, donˇŻt return down there. Since you donˇŻt remember-ˇ±

    ˇ°I remember just fine,ˇ± Cliff says.

    ˇ°Same here,ˇ± Jared says.

    ˇ°I remember it all!ˇ± I add.

    ˇ°Seriously?ˇ± Teacher frowns. ˇ°Nothing IˇŻve ever done has made me remember what, exactly, is down there. I even tried Reality Marbles, both magical and through my Ability, IˇŻve tried giving myself the circumstance where Enchanted Trees didnˇŻt affect me, and probably hundreds of other things. What little I know of down there comes from bits and pieces of knowledge that comes with no memories. Dammit, Caleb! Stop defying logic!ˇ±

    I donˇŻt think he can do that.

    ˇ°Agreed,ˇ± Jared looks at me. ˇ°Caleb definitely doesnˇŻt seem to care.ˇ±

    ˇ°Did I say that out loud?ˇ± I ask, and he nods. ˇ°Oh. Sorry.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm taking Caleb to my island, now,ˇ± Teacher lifts Caleb up, looking at him with love and care, like a father look at his son, probably because he sees the boy who could be his brother as a son. I really think theyˇŻre related. Maybe he is his father? ˇ°Kieran, you have your radio on you, you can call for a helicopter.ˇ±

    Teacher and Caleb vanish, but their fires are still there. It moves up into the air, then disappears at a high speed toward the south.

    ˇ°I do?ˇ± Kieran reaches into his pocket, then pulls out a small walkie. ˇ°Huh. I do,ˇ± he presses a button on it. ˇ°This is Colonel Kieran Rivers, at EFR-17. I need an emergency helicopter to our location, weˇŻre at the cliff now. Seven cadets have ascended from the Forest, the others have passed. They have important information regarding what rests within the Forest as well, their memories intact. One cadet is incapacitated and has already received an emergency medical transport. Over.ˇ±

    ThatˇŻs one way of phrasing it.

    ˇ°We are en route,ˇ± someone responds over the walkie, and Jared tenses up. ˇ°We will arrive in approximately five minutes, Colonel Rivers. Over.ˇ±

    ˇ°Received, over,ˇ± Kieran replies, then looks at Jared. ˇ°Why did you tense up?ˇ±

    ˇ°That was one of FatherˇŻs pilots,ˇ± Jared says. ˇ°Why is he on a GSDF radio? He only flies for Father?ˇ±

    ˇ°Rivers?ˇ± Brooks looks at Kieran. ˇ°You and Caleb have the same last name?ˇ±

    ˇ°The orphanage we were at,ˇ± Kieran nods. ˇ°Everyone there was given the same last name. We can figure it out later, Jared.ˇ±

    A few minutes later, we spot the helicopter, and when it lands, Kieran tenses up, drawing a gun from his hip. ItˇŻs a huge transport helicopter, designed for dropping soldiers. We all prepare for a fight as the door opens up and a dozen GSDF and GMDF soldiers unload, followed by a man in a suit.

    ˇ°Lord Fuller,ˇ± Kieran puts his gun away. ˇ°What brings you here?ˇ±

    ˇ°YouˇŻre talking,ˇ± the man in the suit looks at Kieran in surprise. ˇ°And itˇŻs not to Caleb.ˇ±

    ˇ°HeˇŻs worried about Caleb,ˇ± Jared says. ˇ°HeˇŻs just hiding it. What are you doing here, Father?ˇ±

    ˇ°I came with a unit,ˇ± Lord Fuller looks at Jared. ˇ°To bring you out of the Forest, the moment I heard of what happened. You seven are those who survived? What happened to Caleb?ˇ±

    ˇ°He survived,ˇ± Kieran answers. ˇ°I wasnˇŻt down there.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm aware,ˇ± Lord Fuller nods. ˇ°IˇŻm assuming heˇŻs the one you said had already received an emergency medical transport. How did you arrange one so fast?ˇ±

    ˇ°I didnˇŻt,ˇ± Kieran responds. ˇ°CalebˇŻs Teacher showed up and took him to his island. Will your entourage escort us back to base?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes,ˇ± Lord Fuller answers. ˇ°However, Jared will be returning home with me. I will not allow my son to have his life risked for training missions like this. There was no need to put him on that mission. Survival rate is less than a fifth, and-ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻs a law,ˇ± Kieran interrupts the Councilman. ˇ°They had to.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, IˇŻm aware,ˇ± Lord Fuller states. ˇ°And the fact that my son was forced onto it is unacceptable. You mentioned they had information about the Enchanted Forest?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes,ˇ± Jared states. ˇ°And IˇŻm not going home.ˇ±

    ˇ°You will be returning home,ˇ± Lord Fuller states. ˇ°There is no exception to that, Jared. How do you have this information? No one remembers anything about what went on down there.ˇ±

    ˇ°Caleb did something funky,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Then he passed out.ˇ±

    ˇ°This information,ˇ± Jared says. ˇ°Will likely force the Council to remove the law requiring it. The natives down there tried to kill us, and even CalebˇŻs Teacher had done stuff down there to hinder them, due to how they are, and he doesnˇŻt remember it. TheyˇŻve been doing this to every batch.ˇ±

 Chapter 013

    ~~(Caleb)~~

    That didnˇŻt go well. IˇŻm not sure where I am now, or how I got here. Probably accidentally fluxed space a little too much. ItˇŻs dark here. Why is it dark? ItˇŻs very dark. There should be light. Someone could walk into something.

    ˇ°Oof!ˇ±

    That wasnˇŻt me. See? Someone could walk into something. Well, I was the one who walked into something, but IˇŻm not the one who grunted. Whatever I walked into did. ItˇŻs still dark. Oh, right, I can see everything around me. Silly Caleb.

    ItˇŻs short and squat, with light brown skin and spiky green hair and emerald green eyes. ItˇŻs dressed in rags, and itˇŻs looking around in worry. ItˇŻs squatting behind some crates. I could have walked into the crates.

    ˇ°Why is it so dark?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Shh!ˇ± He responds, putting a finger to his lips. ˇ°We have to be quiet! ThereˇŻs a human here, and humans like eating little monsters like me!ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt like eating monsters.ˇ±

    ˇ°Hide with me,ˇ± he pats my leg. ˇ°I canˇŻt see in the dark, but IˇŻm right here. WeˇŻre behind some crates. ItˇŻs dark because humans canˇŻt see in the dark.ˇ±

    ˇ°I can see,ˇ± I look around. ˇ°I donˇŻt see any humans.ˇ±

    ˇ°Shh!ˇ± He hushes me. ˇ°Hide with me. We gotta wait for the human to leave.ˇ±

    But IˇŻm the only human around?

    I crouch down beside the little creature, trying to figure out what he is. HeˇŻs not a goblin, I donˇŻt think, even though he could be. Goblins are usually green, and IˇŻve never heard of a brown one before.

    The creature fidgets next to me for another hour.

    ˇ°ItˇŻs just us here,ˇ± I tell him.

    ˇ°Are you sure?ˇ± He asks. ˇ°I heard him! It was a human! He groaned! I didnˇŻt see him, though, no me didnˇŻt! Me just ran away!ˇ±

    He switched how he referred to himself in the middle of a sentence. Why did he do that?

    ˇ°Humans eat MoˇŻAk goblins,ˇ± he says. ˇ°Yes, they do. Every good MoˇŻAk knows that. Papa MoˇŻAk always make sure baby MoˇŻAk know that humans eat MoˇŻAk. They find us delicious. That no be good.ˇ±

    IˇŻve never heard of MoˇŻAk goblins before. IˇŻll have to ask Teacher. Once I figure out how to get home. I have no idea how I got here.

    ˇ°Humans like eating or killing most things,ˇ± the goblin nods. ˇ°Most things they donˇŻt like killing them for killing us. Well, not MoˇŻAk, no one likes MoˇŻAk. We be too annoying, they say. We do our job well, though. We like our jobs. Not the treatment receive, no, but our jobs, yes. TheyˇŻd be more fun if we got better treated.ˇ±

    He talks to himself. I do, too. Sometimes. A lot. Especially when IˇŻm alone. I might while heˇŻs around.

    ˇ°What be you be thinking about?ˇ± The goblin asks. ˇ°Oh, me think it be safe, since you be say no monster around.ˇ±

    The goblin mutters something in an ancient tongue, and then torches around the room light up. WeˇŻre in a cellar filled with crates and barrels and stuff. The goblin stares at me.

    ˇ°You definitely no smell like human,ˇ± he says. ˇ°You be look like human, though.ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt smell like a human?ˇ±

    ˇ°No,ˇ± the goblin shakes his head. ˇ°You be smell like dragon. Make me nervous, but dragon no eat MoˇŻAk. Find us bad-tasting. Only humans like taste of MoˇŻAk.ˇ±

    ˇ°My nameˇŻs Caleb.ˇ±

    ˇ°Bar.ˇ±

    ˇ°Nice to meet you, Bar!ˇ±

    ˇ°My pleasure,ˇ± he bows. ˇ°It be very confusing, how the Caleb looks like a human, but smells like a dragon. The Caleb definitely has the aura of a dragon.ˇ±

    ˇ°You can read my aura?ˇ±

    ˇ°MoˇŻAk can read magical auras,ˇ± Bar nods. ˇ°Yours definitely be aura of dragon. Nice and shiny, like. Ferocious. Very scary. Your dragon aura be very nice, very protective. You be nice dragon, yes?ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm nice,ˇ± I nod, but IˇŻm a human, not a dragon.

    Is he mixing up humans and dragons? But he knows I look like a human? I think Bar is just very, very confused.

    ˇ°Bar thinks the Caleb scared off the humans,ˇ± Bar nods, tapping his chin. ˇ°Yes, that be it! Human know the Caleb be dragon, even though he be in human form, and so leave! That must be it!ˇ±

    So what did I scare off?

    ˇ°IˇŻm hungry, Bar,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Do you know of anywhere I can get food?ˇ±

    ˇ°Bar donˇŻt know place to find good that isnˇŻt taken,ˇ± Bar shakes his head. ˇ°Bar likes stay in cellar, here, nice and quiet. All food here belong to owner. Owner let Bar be. Bar no take ownerˇŻs food, just eat rats and mice that try take it. We be symbiotic, yes. Bar no thief. Bar also think the Caleb may need to change form again.ˇ±

    ˇ°Change form again?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes,ˇ± Bar nods, tapping his chin again. ˇ°The Caleb look like a human. That may be bad. The Caleb be forced to fight, no one realize the Caleb not human.ˇ±

    But I am human.

    ˇ°Yes,ˇ± Bar continues. ˇ°The Caleb be better off changing form again. From dragon to human, from human to something else. Or maybe the Caleb came from another place where dragon form be scare everyone, and be something else between dragon and human? Did the Caleb have another form before he came here?ˇ±

    ˇ°No.ˇ±

    ˇ°Hm,ˇ± Bar mutters. ˇ°What could the Caleb change form to be? Bar thinks Caleb want human form for purpose, but something similar?ˇ±

    ˇ°I could pretend to be a dwarf,ˇ± I tell him. ˇ°Though I donˇŻt think I could change my form to a dwarf.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs fine,ˇ± Bar waves a hand dismissively. ˇ°Say you be dwarf, that be good enough. Bar understand, realm-travel be very hard, yes? The Caleb probably not with enough energy to transform again. Both magics be powerful. Only dragons be do both. The Caleb must be very old dragon. How old be the Caleb?ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻs very rude to ask someone their age.ˇ±

    ˇ°Bar be sorry,ˇ± he looks scared. ˇ°Bar no mean offend the great dragon. Will the almighty, merciful dragon forgive the stupid, worthless Bar?ˇ±

    ˇ°You eat rats?ˇ±

    ˇ°They be all that be around, O Mighty Dragon,ˇ± Bar nods, then pauses. ˇ°Well, that not be already belonging to the owner of cellar.ˇ±

    ˇ°You donˇŻt leave the cellar?ˇ±

    ˇ°No, O Merciful Dragon,ˇ± Bar shakes his head. ˇ°We MoˇŻAk like small, dark spaces. Cellars be very nice. Small cellars, like this one be. Very nice.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Okay. So which realm am I in?ˇ±

    ˇ°Naikur,ˇ± he answers.

    ˇ°Never heard of it.ˇ±

    ˇ°We very big,ˇ± Bar says. ˇ°Naikur be huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge realm!ˇ± Bar spreads his arms out to show how big it is. ˇ°That big!ˇ±

    ˇ°That is big,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°I canˇŻt leave this realm, though.ˇ±

    ˇ°CanˇŻt leave?ˇ± He cocks his head to the side.

    ˇ°I ended up here by accident,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°I canˇŻt leave this realm, though. Sort of like the human realm, Tulm. Well, I can leave Tulm, but IˇŻm not supposed to be able to.ˇ±

    ˇ°No one supposed to be able to leave Tulm.ˇ±

    ˇ°I can,ˇ± I tell him. ˇ°But I havenˇŻt told Teacher that. I once ended up in Hell.ˇ±

    ˇ°Hell be scary,ˇ± he looks scared.

    ˇ°I agree,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°I froze it by accident and returned home. I didnˇŻt realize it was hell until after.ˇ±

    ˇ°You be the one who be freezing hell?ˇ± Bar grins. ˇ°Bar likes the Caleb even more. Hell still no unfreeze.ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻs still frozen?ˇ±

    ˇ°You no know that?ˇ± Bar asks curiously.

    ˇ°No,ˇ± I respond. ˇ°I havenˇŻt gone back since I did that. I accidentally ended up there a few years ago, freaked out, cast a mass-freezing spell, then returned home and sealed up the passage. ItˇŻs weird, though, I canˇŻt figure out how to leave this realm. This realm is weird.ˇ±

    ˇ°Me think that of Tulm,ˇ± Bar nods. ˇ°Over hundred-two years ago, big magic affect it, then no one come or go. Not possible. But the Caleb says he be from Tulm. That be weird. Dragons be weird creatures. Bar never seen dragon before.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then how do you know I smell like one?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Dragonscent very unique,ˇ± Bar nods. ˇ°It smells like dragon. No mistake. Plus, there be big dragon fang, still smell like dragon. Every good creature know dragon-smell by instinct, too. No need to smell dragon before to know dragonscent. The Caleb smells much like dragon. Maybe that be enough to settle people. But the Caleb can pretend be dwarf. MoˇŻAk not used to lie, though, so Bar probably no be good at that.ˇ±

    ˇ°You canˇŻt lie?ˇ±

    ˇ°MoˇŻAk can lie,ˇ± Bar tells me. ˇ°MoˇŻAk just not good at not saying truth. MoˇŻAk speak what be, often ramble. MoˇŻAk no tell lie, unless by accident. By then, it not be lie, because lie need intent to be lie. The Caleb understand this, yes?ˇ±

    ˇ°I do,ˇ± I tell him. ˇ°I understand you just fine, Bar. SomeoneˇŻs coming down to the cellar, a demon of some sort.ˇ±

    ˇ°That be owner, yes,ˇ± Bar nods. ˇ°She-demon, yes? Red skin, black horns? Pretty blue eyes?ˇ±

    ˇ°Red skin, black horns, blue eyes, and a scaly tail.ˇ±

    ˇ°That be owner,ˇ± Bar nods. ˇ°Best be hiding, so owner no know you be here. Bar hope owner never find Bar here.ˇ±

    ˇ°She knows youˇŻre here, though,ˇ± I tell him.

    ˇ°She does?ˇ± He asks in surprise. ˇ°Bar do best be quiet and hidden. Bar never see her notice him.ˇ±

    The door to the cellar opens, and Bar hides behind a crate as the demon walks down the steps. She stops and stares at me, frowning.

    ˇ°Hi,ˇ± I say. ˇ°IˇŻm Caleb.ˇ±

    ˇ°Human,ˇ± she hisses in anger.

    ˇ°Bar can tell you I smell like a dragon,ˇ± I say. ˇ°How many humans do you know of who can be in the presence of a dragon and survive?ˇ±

    She pauses, staring at me in thought.

    ˇ°You look like a human.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm a dwarf.ˇ±

    ˇ°You smell like a dragon, though.ˇ±

    ˇ°My dadˇŻs a dragon.ˇ±

    ˇ°I canˇŻt tell if youˇŻre being honest or lying,ˇ± she frowns. ˇ°But the only creatures that can fool my sense of truth is a full dragon...yet youˇŻre clearly not one.ˇ±

    ˇ°Are you sure?ˇ±

    ˇ°Dragons have violet eyes.ˇ±

    ˇ°I can make my eyes turn violet.ˇ±

    ˇ°Really?ˇ± She raises a blue eyebrow. She has blue hair. I didnˇŻt mention that to Bar before. ˇ°Let me see ¨C itˇŻs the one color even magic cannot turn an eye.ˇ±

    I summon up my power and allow it to swirl around me, a swirling fog of violet, raw magic. As I do, I know that my eyes turned violet. Teacher told me to never do this, because it would give anything around me the wrong impression. IˇŻve never been very good at following orders.

    The demonˇŻs eyes widen, and she drops to her knees. I release my power, and she remains bowing.

    ˇ°My apologies, Master,ˇ± she says. ˇ°I meant no offense to your greatness. To think a dragon would grace this realmˇ­ I apologize for doubting you and your form. If asked, I will say you are a dwarf.ˇ±

    Huh. Her thoughts say she recognizes me as a dragon. No wonder Teacher didnˇŻt want me doing this. Eh. Whatever. I think itˇŻll be very useful here, since people seem to fear and respect dragons.

    I feel a lot more powerful. WhateverˇŻs been restricting me since the massacre isnˇŻt affecting me anymore. IˇŻm also hungry. I used a lot of energy right before somehow warping myself into this realm.

    ˇ°You can make it up to me if you have food,ˇ± I tell her. ˇ°It took a lot of power to end up in this realm. It was kind of accidental. I was trying to do something else at the time.ˇ±

    Transport the survivors somewhere safe after removing the Reality Marble I cast over the Enchanted Forest before entering. It took a lot to fight against the force that suppresses my power there, and thankfully, I was able to do it without alerting Teacher.

    So glad I managed to do that. The restriction that we could use a little bit of our Abilities was good. I just hope my team doesnˇŻt realize how much IˇŻve been lying. I have to lie to protect myself. ItˇŻs the only way to stay safe. Not even Kieran knows everything.

    I wonder what Kieran would think of Bar.

    ˇ°Of course, Great One,ˇ± the demon interrupts my thoughts. ˇ°I have already prepared a feast above, for some other esteemed guests. I came down to fetch some fine bloodberry wine.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thanks!ˇ± I say. ˇ°IˇŻm starving! Bar is, too.ˇ±

    ˇ°Bar is welcome to join us,ˇ± the demon tells me.

    ˇ°Mistress Demon know Bar be here?ˇ± Bar asks, poking his head above the crate to look at her.

    ˇ°Of course,ˇ± she smiles. ˇ°I have been delighted to have a MoˇŻAk living in my cellar all these years, Bar, you are quite the helpful little friend.ˇ±

    ˇ°Mistress Demon like Bar?ˇ± Bar stands up properly.

    ˇ°Of course I do,ˇ± she smiles. ˇ°IˇŻd be very sad if you left, Bar ¨C you keep my cellar nice and clean, and even deal with the pests that get inside. By the way ¨C I heard rumor that a human somehow ended up in my cellar an hour ago, you donˇŻt happen to know what happened to him, do you?ˇ±

    ˇ°No, Bar do not know,ˇ± Bar shakes his head. ˇ°Bar only see the Caleb. Bar hid when sense human arrive, then the Caleb wake up and approach Bar all confused. Bar no know where the human went. It probably ran when the Caleb showed up. The Caleb be more powerful than any human. Very scary. Yes, he is.ˇ±

    ˇ°Bar?ˇ± I look at him.

    ˇ°Yes, Master Caleb?ˇ±

    ˇ°Can you shut up so I can eat?ˇ±

    ˇ°Sorry, O Merciful One.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thanks,ˇ± I look at the woman. ˇ°Can Bar come up and eat, too?ˇ±

    ˇ°Sure,ˇ± she says, then gives Bar a stern glare. ˇ°DonˇŻt say a word. IˇŻll claim youˇŻre the dragonˇŻs.ˇ±

    ˇ°But Bar not be the dragonˇŻs.ˇ±

    ˇ°You can be my friend,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Then, you can still say that youˇŻre mine. If you leave off what you are of mine, then itˇŻs up to them how to interpret it. You know youˇŻre my friend, and they think youˇŻre my slave.ˇ±

    ˇ°Bar no be slave,ˇ± Bar shakes his head.

    ˇ°You and I know that,ˇ± I tell him. ˇ°But we donˇŻt have to tell them that. You can just say youˇŻre mine, and youˇŻre fine. Just donˇŻt say youˇŻre my slave, and youˇŻre still telling the truth. You are mine ¨C youˇŻre my friend.ˇ±

    ˇ°Bar think Bar understands,ˇ± Bar nods. ˇ°Bar will try be good goblin.ˇ±

    ˇ°I think youˇŻre a good Goblin,ˇ± I tell him, and he beams with pride at that, puffing his chest up a little bit. LetˇŻs go get food. IˇŻm hungry. And Madam Demon ¨C the bloodberry wine you were going for wouldnˇŻt be suitable for the guests you have. IˇŻd recommend the bottles two shelves below, starting three to the right and going to the right. TheyˇŻre aged perfectly.ˇ±

    ˇ°So itˇŻs true,ˇ± she smiles a little bit. ˇ°Dragons really do have special sight.ˇ±

    Nah. I just know my wines.

    The demon grabs three bottles of wine from the selection I recommended, then leads Bar and me upstairs, where three other demons are sitting at a table covered in food. All three of them hiss when they see me, but then one frowns.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ˇ°Smells of a dragon,ˇ± he looks at me.

    ˇ°This is Caleb,ˇ± the hostess introduces me. ˇ°HeˇŻs a dwarf.ˇ±

    ˇ°He smells of a dragon,ˇ± the other demon keeps his gaze on me.

    ˇ°Yes,ˇ± she says. ˇ°HeˇŻs a dwarf. This is his MoˇŻAk, Bar. TheyˇŻll be joining us for dinner.ˇ±

    ˇ°You only set four plates,ˇ± one of the other demons challenges her with his gaze.

    ˇ°I didnˇŻt know weˇŻd be joined by Caleb,ˇ± the hostess responds. ˇ°He showed up without informing me. You know his kind ¨C doing as they please and going where they wish. He answers to no one but himself and the majesty.ˇ±

    ˇ°Bar no know what majesty be,ˇ± Bar shakes his head, mumbling to himself.

    ˇ°A majesty is a group of dragons,ˇ± I inform him.

    ˇ°Ah,ˇ± Bar nods. ˇ°Bar understands, now.ˇ±

    ˇ°I thought you said he was his?ˇ± The first demon asks her.

    ˇ°She didnˇŻt say how long,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Just that heˇŻs mine. HeˇŻs only recently become mine. He has a lot to learn.ˇ±

    ˇ°Bar is the CalebˇŻs, and the Caleb is BarˇŻs,ˇ± Bar rambles to himself. ˇ°Following that logic. Everyone is someone elseˇŻs thing. If you are someoneˇŻs, they are yours, even if not the same thing. Friend and friend, master and servant, everyone is someone elseˇŻs something.ˇ±

    ˇ°Can we kill it and eat it?ˇ± The second demon asks the hostess. ˇ°MoˇŻAk are so annoying.ˇ±

    ˇ°You should show reverence to the dragon,ˇ± the first demon tells him, and when I look at him, he flinches. ˇ°Ah, to the dwarf.ˇ±

    I nod, then look at the hostess.

    ˇ°Shall we eat?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, milord,ˇ± she bows deeply. ˇ°Allow me to set up a seat for you at the table as well.ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt see why,ˇ± the second demon looks at the first as the hostess goes about getting a seat for me. ˇ°I should respect it ¨C itˇŻs not like heˇŻs more powerful than me. HeˇŻs very clearly a young dragon, and probably got lost and canˇŻt get back home.ˇ±

    Well, part of thatˇŻs true.

    I do have to wonder why I smell like a dragon. IˇŻll ask Teacher if he can explain that to me, the next time I see him.

    ˇ°Plus, his transformation abilityˇŻs clearly not even working properly,ˇ± the second demon continues. ˇ°IˇŻd be surprised if heˇŻs more than just a hatchling. HeˇŻs claiming to be a dwarf,ˇ± actually, the hostess told you IˇŻm a dwarf, not me. ˇ°And yet heˇŻs in a human body. And he reeks of human, too ¨C heˇŻs clearly been around them.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh, thatˇŻs because I was just on Tulm,ˇ± I tell him, and all four of the demons stare at me.

    ˇ°But canˇŻt get back,ˇ± Bar nods. ˇ°The Caleb got stuck here. But heˇŻll find a way back. Dragons are dragons. The Caleb likes living in Tulm. Knows a lot of things about Tulm. The Caleb be very smart dragon. Apart from body choice. The Caleb picked the wrong body for his disguise. But the Caleb be alright. Everyone will think heˇŻs a dwarf. Anyone who says otherwise, the Caleb can just eat. HeˇŻs a dragon, after all.ˇ±

    IˇŻm not, and I probably wonˇŻt eat anyone, though the meat is quite questionable. Instead of questioning it, however, I simply take the seat the hostess offers me and sit down.

    ˇ°You deal with humans?ˇ± The first demon asks me.

    ˇ°Quite often.ˇ±

    ˇ°How did you get here from Tulm?ˇ± He asks. ˇ°No one can get in there, and no oneˇŻs come out of there, in over two hundred of their years.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, thereˇŻs something funky going on,ˇ± I say. ˇ°I accidentally transported myself out trying to get others to safety. IˇŻve done that before.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes,ˇ± Bar nods. ˇ°The Caleb be the one what freeze hell three years ago.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm amused it still hasnˇŻt thawed,ˇ± I start putting food on my plate. ˇ°I havenˇŻt been back there since then. DidnˇŻt know it was still frozen until Bar told me.ˇ±

    ˇ°Prove you froze hell,ˇ± the second one says sarcastically. ˇ°Can you do it again?ˇ±

    ˇ°Probably,ˇ± I answer. ˇ°But since I canˇŻt seem to get my traveling magic to let me out of this realm at the moment, I definitely canˇŻt right now. Would you like me to freeze you instead?ˇ±

    ˇ°I like this dragon!ˇ± The first demon throws his head back as he laughs, a deep, almost human laugh. ˇ°So my interest in humans, Caleb ¨C thatˇŻs a human name, not a dwarf name, by the way ¨C is that thereˇŻs one whoˇŻs been causing problems not far from here the last seven years. HeˇŻs got a strange magic and very powerful aura, and tracking him is nigh impossible. That region was quite peaceful until he arrived. But a child at the time, yet like all humans, was quite destructive. He has only grown more dangerous as the years passed. Would you be willing to deal with him? As a dragon, IˇŻm sure ending his life wouldnˇŻt be too difficult.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻd rather not if I donˇŻt have to,ˇ± I tell him. ˇ°I prefer to only kill if IˇŻm hunting.ˇ±

    ˇ°Well, feel free to hunt,ˇ± the second demon says sarcastically. ˇ°Or are you too soft on humans now to do that?ˇ±

    ˇ°Well, IˇŻll hunt if I need to,ˇ± I say. ˇ°But I would rather just talk to him. Maybe I can get him to stop. And then, once I can figure out my magic, I could bring him back to Tulm. WhereˇŻs he at?ˇ±

    ˇ°HeˇŻs in the Karthos region,ˇ± the first demon answers.

    ˇ°WhereˇŻs that at?ˇ±

    ˇ°I can show you.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you have a map?ˇ±

    ˇ°A map?ˇ±

    ˇ°You three,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Are obviously having an important discussion with each other, so I figure, if you just set me on the right track, then I can find him myself. Oh, there he is. Never mind. Found him. Bar, letˇŻs go.ˇ±

    ˇ°You wonˇŻt stay for food?ˇ± The hostess looks disappointed.

    ˇ°IˇŻve already finished,ˇ± I gesture to the table as I stand up, indicating the fact that more than half the original food is gone. ˇ°Coming, Bar?ˇ±

    ˇ°Bar is coming,ˇ± Bar follows me. ˇ°Bar will follow the Caleb, because the Caleb is good. The Caleb is powerful and safe and protected. Bar feels safe with the Caleb. So Bar is coming with the Caleb.ˇ±

    We leave, and I start walking, bending space around us as we do until we arrive at the cave where some demons are attempting to attack the human, a boy around my age. HeˇŻs got silvery blond hair and emerald eyes, and as soon as I see him, I recognize him.

    ˇ°Another human?ˇ± One of the demon stares at me.

    ˇ°IˇŻm a dwarf.ˇ±

    ˇ°Smells like dragon,ˇ± another demon hesitates.

    ˇ°Looks human.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm a dwarf.ˇ±

    ˇ°Sure you are.ˇ±

    I swirl my magic around me, and the demons pale in fear.

    ˇ°IˇŻm a dwarf,ˇ± I repeat myself.

    ˇ°Uhˇ­ what brings a dwarf here?ˇ±

    ˇ°YouˇŻre attacking my friend. Leave now, and IˇŻll let you live.ˇ±

    The demons run out of here, and Bar starts rambling to himself as the other human looks at me, still wielding his aura and flexing his Ability.

    ˇ°Hey, Tommy!ˇ±

    ˇ°Uh,ˇ± he pauses. ˇ°Who the hell are you?ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻs Caleb!ˇ± I grin at him. ˇ°I thought Kieran and I were the only survivors! HeˇŻs gonna be so happy to find out youˇŻre still alive!ˇ±

    ˇ°How did you get here?ˇ±

    ˇ°My magicˇŻs acting all wonky,ˇ± I shrug. ˇ°I was told you were terrorizing the demons here.ˇ±

    ˇ°They keep attacking me,ˇ± he stares at me warily, not quite believing IˇŻm who I say I am. ˇ°IˇŻve trained majorly in my aura and Ability the last seven years, and-ˇ±

    ˇ°This is my Reality, now,ˇ± I trigger my Ability, bringing us to a place that only one of us would know ¨C one of the circumstances for the Reality is that no one remembers the interior of it after we leave, only while weˇŻre within. ˇ°ItˇŻs really me, Tommy.ˇ±

    ˇ°Your incant is different,ˇ± he frowns, relaxing his guard, but only slightly. Bar is now rambling about this place, and Tommy glances at him briefly before looking back to me. ˇ°What happened to you?ˇ±

    ˇ°Not sure,ˇ± I answer. ˇ°I freaked out, then ran and right before passing out, heard another Creator incant. Woke up in a different town. Kieran had the same thing happen to him. As far as we knew, we were the only survivors. What happened to you? How did you get here? IˇŻm so glad youˇŻre alive ¨C you were one of my favorites, and I cried a lot for you.ˇ±

    ˇ°I remember Jonathan dying,ˇ± he says. ˇ°Then you freaking out. I felt your power flux, and then there was some sort of ripple that washed through me separate from your power. I woke up here.ˇ±

    His guard is still up. Whatever happened to him here has made him cautious, hesitant. He doesnˇŻt trust anyone ¨C not even an old friend.

    Something disturbs my Reality, and I look over to the source of it ¨C itˇŻs a doggy!

    ˇ°Hi, doggy!ˇ± I greet it. ˇ°HowˇŻd you get in here?ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻsˇ­ not a doggy,ˇ± Tommy says. ˇ°Uh. We should run. Now!ˇ±

    ˇ°Bar agrees with the human,ˇ± Bar says. ˇ°Bar says run! That be no doggy. No know why the Caleb think that.ˇ±

    ˇ°YouˇŻre so cute,ˇ± I walk over to the doggy, putting out my hand with the back of it facing him. ˇ°Wanna sniff it? IˇŻm Caleb!ˇ±

    The doggy stares at me.

    ˇ°If youˇŻre going suicidal, Cay, then get me out of here!ˇ± Tommy exclaims.

    ˇ°Bar wants be gone, too!ˇ± Bar exclaims. ˇ°No want be near Rift Wolf! Run!ˇ±

    ˇ°Hi, doggy!ˇ± I say again. ˇ°I wonˇŻt hurt you, I promise! Come on! Come here!ˇ±

    The doggy approaches me slowly, keeping his eyes on me. He sniffs the back of my hand, and I place my other one on his snout, gently stroking it as I move my other hand to the side of his head, feeling his fur.

    ˇ°Your fur is so soft,ˇ± I put my head against his. ˇ°So nice and fluffy. Nice to meet you! IˇŻm Caleb!ˇ±

    You are an interesting child, Caleb. I am Kilma.

    ˇ°Nice to meet you, Kilma!ˇ± I say. ˇ°IˇŻm Caleb!ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, thatˇŻs Caleb,ˇ± Tommy says.

    You do know that you told me your name three times, right?

    ˇ°Do you play fetch?ˇ±

    No.

    ˇ°Then why did you come in here?ˇ±

    To see who was disturbing the fabric of reality here. The few beings capable of warping reality like this avoid this realm. You are quite strange, Caleb.

    ˇ°People think that about me a lot.ˇ±

    You have the body of a human, yet power akin to a dragonˇŻs. You even smell like a dragonˇ­ ah. I see.

    ˇ°I see, too,ˇ± I tell him. ˇ°YouˇŻre very adorable.ˇ±

    ˇ°I canˇŻt believe Caleb is talking to a Rift Wolf like itˇŻs a dog or an old friend,ˇ± Tommy comments to Bar. ˇ°I kind of want to know what the Rift Wolf is saying, thoughˇ­ sometimes, I wish I had CalebˇŻs passive Ability to know the thoughts of others. WouldˇŻve made surviving here a whole lot easier.ˇ±

    It appears, Caleb, that while your mother was human, your father was not.

    ˇ°He wasnˇŻt?ˇ±

    No.

    ˇ°Then what was he?ˇ± I ask, rubbing his belly. He turns over onto his side and lets me give him a nice belly rub. ˇ°If he wasnˇŻt human?ˇ±

    You smell like a dragon and have the power of a dragon, Caleb. What do you think he was?

    ˇ°Very into dragons?ˇ±

    The doggy starts laughing, and I stare at him.

    ˇ°What?ˇ±

    Your father was a dragon, Caleb. There is more to him than that, but that is all I will tell you. As you didnˇŻt already know, I believe it safe to assume the information was withheld intentionally. You truly thought you were human until now.

    ˇ°So IˇŻm half-human, half-dragon?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°Why canˇŻt I turn into a dragon?ˇ±

    IˇŻve never seen a hybrid between a dragon and another species before, so I honestly couldnˇŻt tell you. Since your mother was a human, itˇŻs probably that your human form is your only form, as it was your birth form.

    ˇ°I wish I had wings,ˇ± I pout. ˇ°Then I couldˇŻve been flying long before Teacher, since he didnˇŻt know how.ˇ±

    Teacher?

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°My mentor. He looks like he could be my big brother. WeˇŻre eerily similar in appearance.ˇ±

    An image of Teacher pops up into my head, Teacher staring back at me. It takes me a moment to realize itˇŻs a memory of the doggy.

    ˇ°YouˇŻve met him?ˇ±

    ThatˇŻsˇ­ okay. Teacher isnˇŻt human. You do know that, right?

    ˇ°He isnˇŻt?ˇ±

    HeˇŻs a dragon. A full-blooded dragon. No one knows his real name, but heˇŻs ancient. The son of a Dragon of Creation and a normal dragon. He got stuck on Tulmar when the Calamity occurred. Even we Rift Wolves have had a hard time penetrating the power that prevents passage in and out of that realm.

    ˇ°So Teacher is probably really just flying in his dragon form?ˇ±

    Uhˇ­ flight magic is natural to dragons, no matter their form. ItˇŻs how they fly in dragon form. Pretty sure that he was flying long before you were a concept.

    ˇ°Well,ˇ± I say. ˇ°When I get back to Tulmar, IˇŻm going to ask him to show me his dragon form. I bet itˇŻs so cool! Does both of us being dragon or half-dragon have to do with why we look like we could be brothers?ˇ±

    If youˇŻre of the same breed of dragon, then yes. Dragons of the same breed tend to have very similar human forms.

    ˇ°When I return to Tulmar,ˇ± I say. ˇ°After Teacher shows me his dragon form, IˇŻm going to see if he knew I was part dragon. Also gonna see if he can help me wake it up in me. I wanna be able to access my dragon powers. Flame and Brooks already can.ˇ±

    ˇ°Who are Flame and Brooks?ˇ± Tommy asks Bar.

    ˇ°Bar dunno,ˇ± Bar answers. ˇ°Bar only met the Caleb today.ˇ±

    Do you interact with the Allmaker often?

    ˇ°Very often,ˇ± I nod, then pause. ˇ°Well, used to, but then I joined the military, so he only visits me occasionally. I sensed his power nearby when I passed out and woke up here, though, so heˇŻll probably be around when I wake up. HeˇŻll probably just dump me in a hospital or something. Shame, because I really wanna see his island, but he keeps that private.ˇ±

    ˇ°Owie!ˇ± Bar exclaims, and I turn to face Tommy staring at Bar in shock, TommyˇŻs knife stabbed into the goblinˇŻs stomach. ˇ°What be the human doing? Bar knew humans be bad! Bar also not sure why Bar not dead.ˇ±

    ˇ°Tommy!ˇ± I stare at him. ˇ°Why did you attack Bar?ˇ±

    ˇ°Why didnˇŻt he die?ˇ± Tommy looks at me in annoyance. ˇ°MoˇŻAk arenˇŻt able to survive a stab like that, especially not with a kilmis blade.ˇ±

    ˇ°Kilmis be very nasty,ˇ± Bar pulls the knife out, inspecting it. ˇ°Blade be forged of poison. Deadly. Very deadly. Why it no hurt Bar?ˇ±

    ˇ°Every Reality Marble IˇŻve ever made after the Massacre,ˇ± I stare at Tommy. ˇ°IˇŻve set in a single, crucial rule: no ally or friend of mine can die, or even be hurt. All injuries will be healed. This requires only one side to view as an ally or friend.ˇ±

    ˇ°Really?ˇ± He smiles at me. ˇ°Does it work in concert with my Ability, or does my Ability interfere with it?ˇ±

    There were three Perceptions at the orphanage. Jonathan was the first. Tommy was the second.

    ˇ°Your Ability wonˇŻt affect it,ˇ± I answer. ˇ°I set the law to work around a Perception Ability. DidnˇŻt want Kieran messing it up.ˇ±

    ˇ°Kieran?ˇ± He laughs. ˇ°I think youˇŻre confused ¨C KieranˇŻs Ability dealt with light and shadows! His dork of a brother was a Perception Superhuman, not him!ˇ±

    ˇ°Kieran has JonathanˇŻs Ability, now,ˇ± I state calmly, knowing, now that IˇŻve entered TommyˇŻs mind, that he plans on attacking me. ˇ°Something freaky happened when I flexed my power during the Massacre and caused it to merge into Kieran, who was touching him at the time, as Jonathan died. If you really think you can get away with attacking me, Tommy, you need to think again. I am an S-S-S-S Superhuman with more powerful aura than anyone youˇŻve ever known, and IˇŻm a full-blown Mage capable of magics surpassing even that which was known before the Calamity. And you are in my Reality. Your Ability of Perception will not work on me, and your aura is worthless against me. I am not your enemy, Tommy. IˇŻm your friend. IˇŻm your brother.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then why did you leave me here?ˇ± He growls.

    ˇ°Dude,ˇ± I say. ˇ°YouˇŻre in an entirely different realm. I thought you were dead. Passage in and out of Tulm, our realm, isnˇŻt supposed to be possible after the Calamity. IˇŻm here now, though, and I can bring you back. Kieran and I are so happy where we are. We joined the GSDF and do lots of cool things. Well, Kieran joined forever ago, because whoever saved us dumped him there, but I just joined back in April, and-ˇ±

    ˇ°As if!ˇ± He growls, a knife forming in his hand. ˇ°IˇŻm going to kill you for your betrayal!ˇ±

    There are two things I can do in this situation.

    The first is completely erase or alter is memories, making him someone he isnˇŻt, effectively killing this Tommy. I donˇŻt want to do that, because I donˇŻt like messing with peopleˇŻs heads.

    The second is kill Tommy and end the pain heˇŻs constantly in. HeˇŻs conflicted, and thereˇŻs no way I can help him.

    Tommy starts to move toward me, and then screams out in pain. I still see him as my brother, but not as a friend or ally anymore, so the effect of that particular Reality Law doesnˇŻt affect him anymoreˇ­

    Yet I didnˇŻt do anything.

    Tommy drops to one knee, then growls, pulling the knife out of his back and staring at the blood on it. His face twists into an image of evil, and he stands back up, glaring at Bar, who is now backing away very, very slowly.

    ˇ°Bar thought that would work,ˇ± Bar says. ˇ°DidnˇŻt think Bar would be too short. Bar is probably going to die, isnˇŻt he?ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm going to gut you up,ˇ± Tommy growls. ˇ°You, and Caleb, and the fucking Rift Wolf.ˇ±

    Kilma rises to his feet, growling.

    Calm. I will handle this.

    Did you just tell me to calm?

    Tommy is my brother, I take a deep breath. ItˇŻs my responsibility. Down, doggy.

    Tommy lunges at Bar, only to find the goblin gone.

    ˇ°Bar has no idea how that happened,ˇ± Bar comments, looking around. ˇ°Bar was almost a dead MoˇŻAk goblin one moment, then appeared elsewhere. Bar does not know this magic.ˇ±

    Tommy goes after Bar again, and no matter how many times Bar vanishes and appears somewhere else in the game room, Tommy doesnˇŻt catch on to whatˇŻs happening. HeˇŻs healing, too.

    HeˇŻs done something bad. HeˇŻs formed a contract with a demon, and even from outside of this Reality, that demon can still help him. If I sever that link, heˇŻll stop healing. HeˇŻs already healed. I could have severed that link.

    But I need to do this myself. HeˇŻs my brother, and he needs to rest easy.

    Clenching my fists, I lunge forward as Tommy stops yet again to locate Bar. HeˇŻs forgotten about me. I reach him from behind. Before he realizes IˇŻm here, I grab his head and snap his neck. His body is still for a moment.

    ItˇŻs as if time freezes in the moment after. Tommy is standing there, his face turned to the side, shock clear on it, the evil and hatred still within his eyes. Then, his body slowly collapses, and just lays on the ground. I stare at it for what feels like hours before the doggy nudging me shakes me from the shock.

    ˇ°I canˇŻt believe I just killed him.ˇ±

    It was a hard decision to make, drakeling, but it was a necessary death. HeˇŻd been corrupted by a demon and fallen down a path of darkness. Had he been left to live, he would have become a dark overlord. Had you brought him back to Tulmar, heˇŻd have caused great havoc there, in time. The only choices to save him would also destroy him. It was the right choice, drakelin.

    ˇ°I killed Tommy.ˇ±

    ˇ°Tommy be bad person,ˇ± Bar waddles over to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. ˇ°He be human, and he be try kill Bar and the Caleb.ˇ±

    ˇ°Not all humans are evil,ˇ± I snap at Bar. ˇ°A lot of us are good! A whole lot of us! ThereˇŻs me and Kieran and Flame and Brooks and Cliff and Gale and Taylor and Jared and Owen and so many others! Well, maybe Jared has some mental issues, but heˇŻs still a good person, if you know what to do. When I find a way back to Tulm, I can take you with me and prove it to you!ˇ±

    ˇ°Bar sorry for upsetting the Caleb,ˇ± Bar lowers his head. ˇ°Very sorry. Meant no offense to people the Caleb grew up with. Bar is sorry. Will the Caleb forgive me? Bar would go to Tulm to see if right.ˇ±

    If you feed me some of your power, I can open a rift between the two realms. This body of yours will fade as you return to your real body. I can have it so that Bar travels with you, his physical form traveling as well.

    ˇ°You can take me home?ˇ± I look at the doggy.

    If you feed me some of your power, yes, he nods. Rift Wolves have power akin to dragons, but neither side has been able to breach the barrier that prevents passage in and out of Tulm. We donˇŻt normally get along, but if we combined powers, a Rift Wolf could definitely open a rift. A dragon wouldnˇŻt dare risk it ¨C they donˇŻt like rifts, even if we do close them back up after.

    ˇ°What do I need to do?ˇ± I ask.

    Have you ever fed power into something before? Not controlled power, but raw power? IˇŻll need a lot of it.

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± I answer, and he stares at me. ˇ°What?ˇ±

    Very, very few dragons would ever dare do that, even Allmaker warns against it.

    ˇ°Why does Teacher warn against it?ˇ±

    ItˇŻs very, very risky. It allows one access to your magic, and allows them to take control of it, if they know how.

    ˇ°Oh,ˇ± I say. ˇ°I guess I should have let him know I can do it, then.ˇ±

    He doesnˇŻt know youˇŻve done it before?

    ˇ°I didnˇŻt think it was a big deal,ˇ± I shrug. ˇ°It wasnˇŻt into something living at the time.ˇ±

    At the time?

    ˇ°Yeah...ˇ± My face heats up. ˇ°It turned living when I did that. Can be kind of mouthy, too.ˇ±

    Oh, fuck off!

    ˇ°You havenˇŻt spoken in almost a year, and thatˇŻs the first thing you ask?ˇ±

    Who would want to talk to a quiet, depressed little boy? And then you were going through all that training crap. I thought itˇŻd be better to just leave you alone. Better than dealing with your moods.

    ˇ°IˇŻm not the one with an attitude.ˇ±

    Oh, shove a sock in it.

    ˇ°You.ˇ±

    You.

    ˇ°You.ˇ±

    You.

    ˇ°You.ˇ±

    As amusing as this is, the doggy interrupts us as Bar looks at me in confusion. I canˇŻt actually figure out whatˇŻs talkingˇ­ Anyway. ItˇŻs a risky thing to do, due to it opening a direct pathway to you.

    ˇ°Alright,ˇ± I put my hand on his snout. ˇ°Take me home.ˇ±

    YouˇŻre going to do it, just like that? You donˇŻt even know me!

    ˇ°YouˇŻre a doggy,ˇ± I stare into his eyes. ˇ°Are you going to misbehave?ˇ±

    Without waiting for him to respond, I channel my magic. The doggy makes a noise of satisfaction as I do, and then I feel him link with my magic. A few moments later, he exhales, and a rift opens up in the universe. I walk through it, feeling the shift as I return to my real body, and then a jolt goes through me as I wake up.

    ˇ°Bar was not expecting a place like this,ˇ± Bar looks around. ˇ°Lots of sand. Very nice. Where be we?ˇ±

    The doggy came with me!

    At least thatˇŻs a plus. IˇŻm definitely back on Tulm, since my Ability and magic are restricted again. IˇŻm on an island of some sort.

    ˇ°WHO DARES TO TRESPASS ON MY TERRITORY?ˇ±

    The voice is deep and powerful, and coming from the other side of the doggy. I turn on the hammock and fall off, then scramble to my feet.

    ˇ°Well, if you didnˇŻt want me here, then why was my body already here?ˇ± I snap, then realize two things.

    One: I canˇŻt sense them at all.

    Two: ItˇŻs a dragon.

    A living, breathing dragon. He stands nearly forty feet tall and has black, gold, and violet scales, his violet eyes filled with hatred and rage. HeˇŻs staring at the doggy, and even in his anger, heˇŻs the most beautiful and majestic thing IˇŻve ever seen.

    ˇ°I wasnˇŻt talking to you, Caleb,ˇ± the dragon growls, glaring down at the doggy. ˇ°Why have you chosen to trespass upon my territory, Rift Wolf? What is your name?ˇ±

    Kilma, Allmaker, the doggy bows to the dragon.

    The dragon knows who I am?

    ˇ°ANSWER MY QUESTION!ˇ± The dragon booms.

    Caleb fed me raw magic to allow me to open a rift from Naikur to here.

    ˇ°If you even thought about linking his magic-ˇ±

    I didnˇŻt intend to. CalebˇŻsˇ­ interesting. When he did it, he initiated a Familiar Contract. I donˇŻt think he was aware of that. I followed him through because I didnˇŻt think IˇŻd be of much use as a familiar when IˇŻm not able to enter his realm.

    Wait. Did the doggy call the dragon ˇ®AllmakerˇŻ? IsnˇŻt that what he calls Teacher?

    The dragon walks over to us, narrowing his gaze as he focuses it on me, and I feel like IˇŻm being assessed. The dragon turns its head back to the doggy.

    ˇ°You are very lucky you didnˇŻt try to take control over him,ˇ± the dragon states. ˇ°Boundaries or not, I would have hunted you down to the ends of the ˇ®verse and put you through an eternal torment. Caleb is like a son to me. And Caleb ¨C how in the hell did you leave this realm?ˇ±

    ˇ°Same way I entered hell three years ago.ˇ±

    ˇ°Youˇ­ what?ˇ± The dragon looks stunned.

    ˇ°Yes,ˇ± Bar nods. ˇ°The Caleb be the one what freeze hell. It still be frozen, too.ˇ±

    You have an interesting student, Allmaker. No oneˇŻs been able to figure out how to thaw hell out from that spell, and it happened rapidly ¨C he froze the entirety of it within a minute.

    ˇ°When did you go to hell?ˇ± The dragon asks me.

    ˇ°Three years ago.ˇ±

    ˇ°I meant date.ˇ±

    ˇ°Dun remember.ˇ±

    ˇ°What happened to you in Naikur?ˇ±

    ˇ°I met one of my brothers,ˇ± I look down. ˇ°Heˇ­ I had to kill him.ˇ±

    I feel a fluctuation of magic, then a few moments later, arms wrapping around me. I start sobbing into whoever it is. I canˇŻt believe I killed Tommy. Why couldnˇŻt I have found another way? There could have been another way.

    IˇŻm so pathetic. So, so pathetic.

    Why?

 Chapter 014

    ~~~(Kieran)~~~

    The training group has finally finished basic. CalebˇŻs been missing ever since Teacher took him away, and weˇŻre all worried. No one knows where TeacherˇŻs island is, or how to contact him, and no one can figure out a way to tell if CalebˇŻs going to be alright.

    Teacher sounded really scared about where Caleb went. I can feel it in my gut that heˇŻs fine, but something says that heˇŻs only barely fine.

    Since this group is finally done, I figured IˇŻm going to travel with them back to the training facility. Caleb will probably head there first, when he returns. The cadets talk with each other a lot in their excitement at passing, even if they didnˇŻt match up to CalebˇŻs batch.

    Noah sits by himself, looking out a window on the airship. HeˇŻs been quiet a lot, though I know heˇŻs been thinking about Caleb most of the time. He claims itˇŻs purely a friendship he wants, but I think itˇŻs more like heˇŻs jealous of my friend.

    Noah shifts, looking uncomfortable, then looks around the room.

    ˇ°How long have you been here?ˇ± He asks, still attempting to locate me.

    ˇ°I wasnˇŻt attempting to conceal myself,ˇ± I unwrap my aura. ˇ°You detected me almost immediately as a result.ˇ±

    ˇ°What do you want?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°Is that how you address a superior officer?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Sir.ˇ±

    ˇ°Still not appropriate,ˇ± I state. ˇ°I wanted to forewarn you that, should you wish to see Caleb upon arrival ¨C and donˇŻt tell me you donˇŻt,ˇ± he pouts. ˇ°Then know that Caleb is currently missing.ˇ±

    ˇ°Missing?ˇ± He looks amused. ˇ°Caleb wanders off all the time. He always makes it back in one piece.ˇ±

    ˇ°We know where he is,ˇ± I tell him. ˇ°HeˇŻs on an island. We donˇŻt know where that island is, or how long heˇŻs going to be there. He went on a training mission that only happens once every few decades, and while rescuing other cadets, his soul somehow ended up traveling to another realm. No one knows if heˇŻs going to survive that realm, as pretty much everything there wants to kill humans, and passage in and out of this realm is impossible ever since the Calamity. His body is being protected by a being old enough to know the Sage, and quite possibly just as powerful ¨C maybe even more powerful. I just wanted to forewarn you, as it means we may never see Caleb again. And when he returns, IˇŻm going to be the first person to see him.ˇ±

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs your obsession with him, anyway?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs yours?ˇ± I ask back.

    He stares at me.

    ˇ°I donˇŻt get why youˇŻre so into him,ˇ± Noah finally says. ˇ°ItˇŻs not like heˇŻs your type.ˇ±

    ˇ°What are you talking about?ˇ±

    ˇ°YouˇŻre obsessed with him,ˇ± he snorts. ˇ°You know youˇŻll never be good enough for him, right?ˇ±

    ˇ°Caleb is my brother,ˇ± I growl, and he flinches at the force behind my aura as it swirls around me. ˇ°We grew up together. We went through hell and back together. We survived the Alkran City Massacre and though the other was dead for seven years. If what happened to Caleb happened to me, you can bet your ass that heˇŻd be summoning up all the magic heˇŻs got to find and rescue me. The only reason IˇŻm not is because IˇŻm barely on par with a regular magician, and CalebˇŻs power might not be enough for something like that ¨C not unless he joined forces with Teacher. So donˇŻt ever, ever think that anything like what went through your mind is going on. I am not in love with Caleb, I am not worshiping him. I am his brother, and I would die for him. IˇŻm not like you ¨C a cocky, arrogant bastard who just wants to surpass the best. No one will ever surpass Caleb ¨C he is a god in a realm where the gods themselves have abandoned their posts. HeˇŻd be a god among gods, even. You can try to surpass him, but all youˇŻll do is fail, so donˇŻt bother. Train for yourself, not for your pride.ˇ±

    I wrap myself in my aura and leave his room, making my way to the upper deck.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Brooks)~~~

    Flame didnˇŻt show up to lessons today. Again. This is starting to get out of hand. ItˇŻs been two months since the incident, and while at first, Flame would only disappear in his free time, heˇŻs been missing lessons the last couple of weeks. HeˇŻd show up to the first few, but then disappear during lunch and forget to return.

    I left for a group mission a few days ago, and decided to go visit him. He should be in his third lesson at this time, but when I arrive, heˇŻs not there. Not even close to being there. The staff has no idea where he went ¨C other than he left the facility without permission.

    Again.

    HeˇŻs in danger of being kicked out because of this. He isnˇŻt going to his punishments, he keeps breaking curfew, leaving the facility without permission, and is falling behind in his lessons. This needs to stop, but I canˇŻt think of a way to get through to him.

    ˇ°Name?ˇ± The lady behind the counter asks as I approach.

    ˇ°Brooks,ˇ± I hand her my badge. ˇ°Requesting permission to leave the facility, maˇŻam.ˇ±

    ˇ°Purpose.ˇ±

    ˇ°To drag my idiot brother back.ˇ±

    She stares at me with obvious disbelief and annoyance on her face.

    ˇ°Look,ˇ± I say. ˇ°My brother keeps leaving the facility and ignoring his training, and heˇŻs going to get kicked out. However, itˇŻs due to an unhealthy obsession he has, and IˇŻm trying to help him. I just need to grab him and drag him back here. IˇŻll probably be gone for a few hours, and if you check my history, youˇŻll see that thatˇŻs been my excuse ninety percent of the time IˇŻve left the facility in the last two months. And itˇŻs approved every time.ˇ±

    ˇ°I cannot approve you for something like that,ˇ± she tells me. ˇ°Sorry.ˇ±

    ˇ°What are you wanting to leave for?ˇ± Cathy, one of the managers, walks out from behind the counter.

    ˇ°To drag my idiot brother back.ˇ±

    ˇ°Approved,ˇ± she immediately responds. ˇ°And remind him that he has the hearing to attend to, too.ˇ±

    ˇ°Hearing?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°You left the day he received the notice,ˇ± she nods. ˇ°He has a hearing to review his behavior. Odds are good that heˇŻll be kicked, but thereˇŻs that chance that he wonˇŻt be. If he doesnˇŻt show up, he will be kicked.ˇ±

    ˇ°Dammit, Flame!ˇ± I yell.

    I grab the permission card and head to the front gate, inserting the card in the slot and leaving, making my way to the library FlameˇŻs been running off to.

    ItˇŻs on the other side of the freaking city, so I have two options. I take the one that causes crowds to be cleared fast ¨C I use my bursting steps. The transit system here is too damn slow for me.

    Flame has been making his way to the magicianˇŻs library near the GMDF youth training headquarters in his free time ¨C and his lessons and discipline time ¨C to research magic. HeˇŻs been studying furiously everything known about spatial magic in the hopes of finding a way to track Caleb down and bring him back. Every text he can get hold of relating to it, as well as to other realms, has been the objects of his obsession.

    That, and becoming a more powerful magician. I donˇŻt think the librarians there are aware heˇŻs GSDF, not GMDF, with how much heˇŻs been studying and training in their practice halls.

    ˇ°Hey, Tucker,ˇ± I greet a GMDF cadet spinning on a chair behind the counter. ˇ°Which practice hallˇŻs he in today?ˇ±

    ˇ°Hey, Brooks,ˇ± Tucker jumps off the chair, grinning at me. ˇ°HeˇŻs over in Phoenix Six. ItˇŻs pretty funny. Come on, IˇŻll show you.ˇ±

    Funny? WhatˇŻs going on?

    Wait. ArenˇŻt the Phoenix Halls the duel halls?

    We make our way to Phoenix Six in the basement, a large, spacious room with a circular dueling area in the center and stadium seating surrounding it, a magical barrier separating the two. TheyˇŻre packed with people. FlameˇŻs standing in the dueling circle, nose-deep in a book, facing a GMDF cadet who looks around sixteen, and is probably ready to graduate.

    The area nullifies Abilities and aura, making it so that only magic can be used in the dueling circle. The barrier protects the viewers from harm, as well as prevents interference.

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs going on?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°TheyˇŻre about to start dueling,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°I was waiting as long as possible, in case you showed up, since you were supposed to be back today.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why are they dueling?ˇ±

    ˇ°Flame pissed off Gavin and got challenged to a duel,ˇ± Tucker answers, then grins at me. ˇ°Flame told him his entire theory of magic was bullshit and to grow a pair.ˇ±

    ˇ°No one actually watches Flame practice, do they?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°No, not really,ˇ± he chuckles. ˇ°IˇŻve looked in on him a few times, though. This is going to be one interesting duel, considering the difference in magics between the two.ˇ±

    Small, petty magics against real magic. Gavin chose to fight the wrong magician. Judging by his patches, heˇŻs a pretty powerful cadet ¨C but thatˇŻs in terms of modern magicians. Caleb opened us up to the real way of learning magic, and as a result, we have an entirely different skillset.

    And a vast difference in power.

    I observe the dueling circle. ItˇŻs a dirt floor with rocks here and there, and some grass. Designed for ground magicians to battle on, though it can be changed through a control panel on the outside of the arena, near the entrance to the pit. No one knows who created places like this, but after meeting Caleb, I think itˇŻs safe to assume the maker was none other than Teacher.

    That guy gets around.

    A few more minutes pass, and the room fills even more. Over five hundred GMDF cadets ¨C as well as probably three dozen instructors ¨C are present. A lot of the GMDF people want to see a GSDF agent attempt to use magic in a duel.

    After all ¨C everyone knows Superhumans canˇŻt use magic.

    Right?

    ˇ°Everyone!ˇ± The cadet at the control panel speaks, the room filling with his voice. ˇ°Today, we have a battle between Cadet Marcus Tensen, from the Global Magical Defense Federation, and Cadet Flame, of the Global Supernatural Defense Federation! This will be a clean, fair fight! The first one incapacitated loses! Setting is ground! One round! Begin!ˇ±

    The dirt around Marcus begins to swirl around him, and Flame ignores him, continuing to read the book. I look at the spine. Sages of Magic ¨C a collection of fairy tales. HeˇŻs reading fairy tales and ignoring the magician heˇŻs facing. People are cheering on Marcus and telling Flame to get lost, that Superhumans canˇŻt use magic.

    Marcus finishes his spell, and sends a storm of sand at Flame, who completely ignores it.

    Just before the sand reaches him, it halts, slamming into an invisible barrier. Flame turns a page in the book as MarcusˇŻs spell ends, the sand returning to dirt and dropping to the ground. That one spell took most of the energy out of Marcus. One disadvantage to modern magicians: their magic takes a long time to prepare for a bigger spell, and it drains a lot of energy.

    Flame waits for Marcus to restore enough energy to attack again, and the attack falls short. They go back and forth like this for an hour and a half, Flame never once taking his eyes off the book. The crowd is silent as Marcus grows more and more frustrated.

    IˇŻm surprised he hasnˇŻt tried a physical attack. Is that not allowed in a duel? I mean, heˇŻd lose against Flame, but he hasnˇŻt even tried, and all GMDF agents are trained in physical combat ¨C they need to protect themselves when they run out of magic, after all.

    Marcus seems to have three attacks: where he converts dirt into sand and unleashes it in a single blast, creating a spike out of dirt and launching it at the opponent at a decent speed (I can do faster, and itˇŻs only been a few months ¨C heˇŻs been training for years? Hah!), and then one where he converts dirt into quicksand.

    The third one doesnˇŻt seem effective against Flame. Marcus got close for that one, and Flame immediately turned the dirt into solid stone, creating a solid ground that Marcus couldnˇŻt manipulate.

    After two hours, Flame closes the book, tucks it under his arm, and looks at Marcus.

    ˇ°Okay,ˇ± Flame sounds bored, and that only enrages Marcus further, and his next words makes it worse. ˇ°I finished that story. Now I can fight you.ˇ±

    ˇ°You think youˇŻre hot shit?ˇ± Marcus snarls. ˇ°How are you doing all that? WhereˇŻs your artifacts?ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt need artifacts,ˇ± Flame states. ˇ°And I donˇŻt need your silly incantations, either.ˇ±

    Flame lifts a hand up, and I see his dragon fire flare for a moment before he decides against using it and switches to magical fire.

    A torrent of flames bursts from his palm, rocketing out toward Marcus and engulfing the other boyˇŻs right arm. Marcus screams as his arm burns away. ItˇŻll return after he leaves here ¨C the dueling arena has the same protections as the battle city for basic training.

    ˇ°I could also do this,ˇ± Flame flicks his wrist, and MarcusˇŻs left leg vanishes. Marcus screams as the wound cauterizes itself. His leg ended up on the other side of the arena ¨C did Flame just use spatial magic to do that? ˇ°I was using that training room, and had been for hours. You could have found another training room to use.ˇ±

    Flame makes a swirling motion with his hand, palm facing the ground, and the dirt around Marcus begins to swirl and lift up, sand that refuses to let up as it shreds MarcusˇŻs clothes and skin, making the boy scream even more.

    ˇ°Just because IˇŻm GSDF,ˇ± Flame continues, his voice cold and heartless. ˇ°DoesnˇŻt mean I canˇŻt use magic. The best of them taught me the basics. ThatˇŻs someone who doesnˇŻt believe in the impossible. He never believed Superhumans canˇŻt use magic, and he proved it. He lives it every day. Other than the one who taught him, there is no magician more powerful than Caleb.ˇ±

    Flame raises a hand up into the air, then slices it down, and MarcusˇŻs right arm slices off, and he screams even more as the sand rips into his wound.

    Marcus passes out, and Flame looks at him in disgust.

    ˇ°That wasnˇŻt even that painful,ˇ± he spits at the ground. ˇ°Children go through worse in our village, and that pain is nothing compared to what our comrades went through in the Enchanted Forest. Your pathetic.ˇ±

    Flame turns and walks away, leaving the arena as MarcusˇŻs body restores. His clothes are still shredded, and heˇŻs bruised and covered in scrapes, but heˇŻll be alright.

    The arena is silent, and Tucker stares at FlameˇŻs retreating back, then to me.

    ˇ°WeˇŻve been through a lot,ˇ± I tell him.

    ˇ°He seemed almost murderous,ˇ± Tucker says softly.

    ˇ°HeˇŻs like that, when he gets serious,ˇ± I say. ˇ°LetˇŻs go find him.ˇ±

    Tucker and I track down Flame, whoˇŻs back in a training room, reading the book again.

    ˇ°Flame,ˇ± I say, and he looks at me.

    ˇ°Brooks,ˇ± he sounds emotionless right now.

    ˇ°Come on, Flame,ˇ± I say. ˇ°ThatˇŻs enough training for today. We need to head back to the facility, now.ˇ±

    ˇ°But-ˇ±

    ˇ°WhenˇŻs your hearing?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Five.ˇ±

    ˇ°Dammit, Flame!ˇ± I snap. ˇ°ItˇŻs four-thirty! You realize theyˇŻre going to kick you out if you donˇŻt show up, right?ˇ±

    ˇ°TheyˇŻre going to kick me out anyway,ˇ± he continues to read the book. ˇ°ItˇŻs not like it matters, since CalebˇŻs trapped in a hellish realm.ˇ±

    ˇ°Screw your damn attitude,ˇ± I grab his arm and try to pull him to his feet. ˇ°How do you think Caleb would feel if he returned, only to find youˇŻd been kicked out of the GSDF because you didnˇŻt go to the meeting? HeˇŻd give you kudos for studying magic as hard as youˇŻve been, but also be a little upset that you didnˇŻt at least try to give your case at the hearing. Caleb would be extremely disappointed in you, Flame. Extremely.ˇ±

    Flame sags his shoulders, and I can see my words working. The only way to get him to see reason here was by telling him how Caleb would look at him if he didnˇŻt go to the hearing.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    ˇ°Alright,ˇ± Flame stands up, looking at the book, then looking at Tucker. ˇ°Could you return this, please?ˇ±

    ˇ°Sure,ˇ± Tucker takes the book. ˇ°How did you do all that magic before?ˇ±

    ˇ°I just willed it into existence,ˇ± Flame answers. ˇ°Caleb said that that is the true way to magic. We all do it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Superhumans?ˇ±

    ˇ°Our team,ˇ± FlameˇŻs chest puffs with pride. ˇ°Caleb, Brooks, Jared, Kieran, and me.ˇ±

    The team which is divided. KieranˇŻs sulking about Caleb leaving on a mission without him and now about the fact that CalebˇŻs probably going to die, CalebˇŻs on TeacherˇŻs island so that Teacher can be there when Caleb does finally die, JaredˇŻs stuck at his fatherˇŻs estate, forbidden from contacting any of us, Flame is focusing on learning magic on a foolˇŻs journey to leave this realm and bring Caleb back ¨C something Teacher made very clear is impossible for even him, and IˇŻm the only one left focusing on trying to actually protect this world and do my duty as a member of the GSDF.

    ˇ°IˇŻve never heard of Superhumans who use magic before,ˇ± Tucker says. ˇ°When I saw you doing it before, I thought it was weird.ˇ±

    ˇ°Caleb makes it easier to understand,ˇ± I shrug. ˇ°His confidence, his no-doubts attitude about it makes it impossible to not believe him, and the four of us all learned magic through him. He doesnˇŻt bother with incantations or gestures, though we all need the latter. He said that most of the time, the incantations are wrong or use extra things, and thatˇŻs part of why they use such large amounts of magic.ˇ±

    ˇ°Use extra things?ˇ±

    ˇ°The language you use to incant,ˇ± Flame says. ˇ°Is an actual magical language. Caleb understands it perfectly fine, and actually knows a lot more in it. He could probably break down that sandstorm attack Marcus used and have the exact same effect for a tenth of the mana. Actually, he could probably break the incant down to far less mana than that. He could probably create a sandstorm on his own with that amount of mana, and probably a bigger one ¨C no using outside objects needed.ˇ±

    ˇ°You can talk with him later,ˇ± I tell Flame, then look at Tucker. ˇ°Sorry, but we really need to get there, or he has no chance of staying in the GSDF. HeˇŻs just really depressed about Caleb, our leader.ˇ±

    ˇ°Most people say ˇ®fearless leaderˇŻ.ˇ±

    Flame snorts, and Tucker looks at him curiously.

    ˇ°CalebˇŻs got fears,ˇ± I explain, doing my best not to laugh at the comment. ˇ°He suffered something pretty traumatic some years ago, and has been dealing with that ever since. See you, Tucker.ˇ±

    Tucker dips his head to me, then Flame and I leave, both of us putting on our bursting steps to make it back to the facility. FlameˇŻs uniform is decent, even if not perfect and up to standard. ItˇŻs not dress uniform, but we donˇŻt have the time for that.

    We arrive at the courthouse to find Cliff standing there with FlameˇŻs dress uniform.

    ˇ°You still have ten minutes,ˇ± Cliff tells Flame. ˇ°Enough time to get changed and fix your hair and head over to the hall your hearing is in.ˇ±

    Flame takes the uniform without a word, and we follow him to the bathroom. Five minutes later, he steps out of the restroom, and Cliff takes his uniform and stuffs it in a bag, which then disappears.

    ˇ°Caleb gave me a bracelet that has a spatial storage in it,ˇ± he explains, twisting the bracelet to show me. ˇ°LetˇŻs go.ˇ±

    We walk with Flame to the courtroom, taking seats at the front. Not many people are here to watch this, probably because he doesnˇŻt really have a lot of friends.

    They interrogate Flame for over an hour about what heˇŻs been doing and why heˇŻs been leaving, but I can see on their faces that theyˇŻve already made their minds up. A panel of three cadets, three staff, and a full agent from outside the base are those who are reviewing him.

    ˇ°Flame,ˇ± the agent, who leads the hearing, says. ˇ°Do you have any defense? Any reason you would like to give us as to why we should allow you to remain an agent?ˇ±

    Flame doesnˇŻt answer. He keeps his head high, shoulders straight, face emotionless.

    ˇ°All in favor of allowing Flame to continue to train here,ˇ± the agent says, and no one reacts. ˇ°All in favor of terminating FlameˇŻs training with the GSDF.ˇ±

    The other six raise their hands.

    ˇ°Very well, then,ˇ± the agent says. ˇ°Flame, as of now, you are no longer a cadet within the GSDF. You have until nine tonight to collect your things and vacate the premises. Do you have anything to say?ˇ±

    Flame doesnˇŻt respond.

    ˇ°This hearing is concluded,ˇ± the agent says. ˇ°Goodbye.ˇ±

    Harsh. Cold. Jackass.

    I think heˇŻs missed the look in FlameˇŻs eyes. He could have been a little less heartless with that ¨C I know theyˇŻre supposed to wish people luck, even if theyˇŻre being booted for stuff like not attending lessons and training and missions.

    ˇ°LetˇŻs go, Flame,ˇ± I say, and he doesnˇŻt react, just stares at the board as they stand up and exit. ˇ°Flame!ˇ± He jumps, looking at me. ˇ°LetˇŻs go. Now.ˇ±

    Flame follows me out, muttering under his breath. His GSDF formal uniform burns away, a new outfit underneath.

    His new outfit is a mix of darker reds; pants, combat boots, and polo, his hair turned a darker shade of red. That, combined with the fury in his eyes, warns everyone we walk past not to look at him. We can hear them, though ¨C they know the result. Everyone knew he was going to be kicked out.

    He could have fought it. Had he fought it, there was a chance he would have been allowed to stay. Why didnˇŻt he fight it? ThatˇŻs the same result.

    Instead of going to the dorms, he walks toward the gates. I follow him, but look at Cliff and Gale when they do.

    ˇ°No,ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°When heˇŻs like this-ˇ± Cliff begins.

    ˇ°ItˇŻs better if itˇŻs just me,ˇ± I interrupt him. ˇ°You know how volatile Flame can get. IˇŻll make sure the damage is minimal.ˇ±

    Reluctantly, Cliff and Gale stay behind.

    I follow Flame through the town. HeˇŻs looking for a fight. He needs to let out the assassin in him, with his current mood. If Marcus hadnˇŻt challenged him earlier, he wouldnˇŻt be like this right now.

    ˇ°Flame,ˇ± I say after twenty minutes of Flame looking for a fight and no one being stupid enough to challenge him.

    It takes me thirty minutes to get him to acknowledge me.

    ˇ°What?ˇ± He spins around, glaring at me.

    ˇ°ThereˇŻs an illegal drug cartel base not far from here,ˇ± I tell him. ˇ°I wouldˇŻve redirected you before, but you were heading in the right direction. Bounties on their heads. YouˇŻre authorized to collect. They typically have about forty to fifty people in the building on slow evenings.ˇ±

    ˇ°How do you know about it?ˇ± He narrows his gaze.

    ˇ°I know several places that could use cleansing,ˇ± I respond. ˇ°I made a note of them awhile back, just in case you got into one of these moods.ˇ±

    ˇ°Where?ˇ± He growls.

    I lead him to the warehouse, which has a couple of men sitting on a bench outside. Their threat assessors and door guards.

    ˇ°You kids shouldnˇŻt be wandering alone down here-ˇ± one of the guards begins to say.

    He never finishes, mostly because Flame rips his heart out. The other guard begins to draw his gun, but before itˇŻs out of the holster, Flame has sliced his head off.

    Lost in his bloodlust, Flame enters the warehouse by blasting the doors off with his fire. I follow him inside and watch as he wields fire on a level I have never seen before, and it takes me a minute to realize that heˇŻs manipulating his dragon fire with his Ability.

    How in the hell?

    When did he become S-Rank?

    Flame destroys everything. The drug forged of the dust and crystals, the paperwork involved, the devices they use for it, the people running the operation, the kids who sell it for them, the people making itˇ­

    Everything.

    Flame shows no mercy, makes no distinction between victim and criminal. He kills them all, not hesitating in the slightest. When he finishes, he stands in the middle of the burning warehouse, breathing calmly, evenly, and looks at me.

    ˇ°Been awhile.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you feel better, now?ˇ± I ask, and he nods. ˇ°Cool. HowˇŻd you figure out the outfit change magic?ˇ±

    ˇ°Caleb taught it to me before we left for the Enchanted Forest,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°Even added in the fire to make it look cool for me.ˇ±

    Of course he did.

    ˇ°IˇŻm going to get something to eat,ˇ± Flame says. ˇ°IˇŻd like to be by myself now, Flame.ˇ±

    ˇ°Alright,ˇ± I put a hand on his back. ˇ°You know where to find us. IˇŻm sure you can get through their security and make it to us if you need to talk. WeˇŻll be out here all the time anyway, so just find us.ˇ±

    ˇ°Of course I can,ˇ± Flame smirks. ˇ°How do you think I keep getting out without permission?ˇ±

    ˇ°How are you doing that?ˇ± I ask as I remember the barriers on the facility.

    ˇ°Spacial magic,ˇ± he grins. ˇ°When I figure out how to get on that island, CalebˇŻs going to be so happy for me.ˇ±

    ˇ°On the island?ˇ± I frown. ˇ°You know he wonˇŻt be able to see you until he returns, right? I thought you were working on a way to travel between the realms?ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs absurd,ˇ± he rolls his eyes. ˇ°Teacher said no one can do that, and it took Caleb doing something funky. Besides, CalebˇŻs not even in the other realm.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, he is.ˇ±

    ˇ°He returned a few hours after leaving.ˇ±

    I stare at Flame for several long minutes before I can react.

    ˇ°He was only gone a few hours?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± Flame looks annoyed. ˇ°But he hasnˇŻt come back. I canˇŻt locate the island, either, so IˇŻve been trying to figure out a way to travel directly to him. Teacher wasnˇŻt as strict with the rules regarding the training facilities as he was his island, wherever the hell that is. Anyway, IˇŻm going for food. Bye.ˇ±

    <hr>

    ~~~(Flame)~~~

    ˇ°Hello, Flame,ˇ± a man sits down across from me, and I continue to dig into my dinner. ˇ°I am Professor Tem, of the Global Magic Defense Federation Youth Training Facility. IˇŻm one of the lead recruiters, and I was at the match earlier. I will admit to having hoped to see Marcus tear you down, but was quite surprised to see the magic you used. Those are magics spoken of in our texts, yet no one has managed them ¨C and you did so without incanting. IˇŻd estimate you to be a B-Rank magician. If thatˇŻs true, then youˇŻre more powerful than any magician in the entire GMDF. By the time you graduated, youˇŻd probably be S-Rank.ˇ±

    ˇ°So you want me to join the GMDF, then?ˇ± I raise an eyebrow. ˇ°IˇŻm not going through basic training. Besides, IˇŻm happy how I am. I can just collect bounties and crap. When Caleb returns, weˇŻll still be a team.ˇ±

    ˇ°They havenˇŻt introduced you to the HuntersˇŻ Association yet, have they?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°The what?ˇ±

    ˇ°Association of magicians, aura users, Superhumans, and so on who take on jobs much like what we offer to cadets. You can find more challenging jobs there. Teams of official Hunters take on quests every day. If youˇŻre not an agent of an organization cleared by the Council of Dreams, then the only way youˇŻd be able to form any form of official team with Caleb is to go through the HuntersˇŻ Association. Of course, you could always go through both methods, though I think Caleb joining the HuntersˇŻ Association would be a bit overkill ¨C donˇŻt you?ˇ±

    Caleb? Joining a group of hunters? Uhˇ­

    I donˇŻt want to think about being on a team where people arenˇŻt giving us missions to do, if CalebˇŻs the leader. WeˇŻd probably never make enough money to live off of. Not that any of us actually need to make money. Caleb, Brooks, and I can all live wild, Kieran will do whatever Caleb says and will learn how to live in travels quickly, and Jared would probably complain until Caleb told him to stop whining. Then heˇŻd probably learn.

    WeˇŻd better not let Caleb have control of our finances, though. WeˇŻll probably never see the money if we do.

    Would they even allow me in the GMDF?

    ˇ°Would you like to join us?ˇ± The professor asks. ˇ°You wonˇŻt have to go through basic training again. Our magicians do not often go through physical trials, like Superhumans, so ours is a more mild version of what you went through. We tend to be guarded by aura users, soldiers, and GSDF agents. You wouldnˇŻt be able to come onto the property today, but if you come to the gate tomorrow morning, I can get you through the screening and the assessment. WeˇŻll count the time spent in the GSDF for your training period, so your two years wonˇŻt be restarting just because of this.

    ˇ°There is one restriction,ˇ± he says. ˇ°YouˇŻll be on probation, due to having been kicked from the GSDF. This means that you are not to break any rules, violate curfew, leave without permission, get into fights, miss classes, be late from or absent for missions or training, or any other such things.ˇ±

    ˇ°Okay,ˇ± I respond. ˇ°When do I show up?ˇ±

    ˇ°No further questions?ˇ±

    ˇ°I do this,ˇ± I say. ˇ°I learn more magic. I donˇŻt do this, I have even more free time to learn magic. Eventually, IˇŻll figure out how to breach TeacherˇŻs barrier and find Caleb and drag him back. You guys will only help me, if I have access to your resources. When do you want me to arrive?ˇ±

    ˇ°Be at the gates at 0600,ˇ± he answers. YouˇŻll be given a brief tour of the facility, then briefed on necessary information and assigned your room, among other things.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thank you, sir,ˇ± I say. ˇ°IˇŻll be at the gates at six.ˇ±

    ˇ°Military time,ˇ± he says.

    ˇ°ItˇŻs not as if it gets used in casual conversation,ˇ± I stand up. ˇ°And besides ¨C IˇŻm the most powerful magician in the GSDF. Are you really going to try to make me use military time when I donˇŻt want to?ˇ±

    Sort of like making Caleb do something he doesnˇŻt want toˇ­

    ˇ°Thank you for the opportunity, sir,ˇ± I say when he doesnˇŻt respond. ˇ°See you at six.ˇ±

    I leave and look for a hotel to book a room for a night. TheyˇŻre reluctant, but they let me, and I go straight to bed. Better to be rested for tomorrow than show up tired.

    <hr>

    ~~~(???)~~~

    Caleb is napping against the Rift Wolf, who has curled up around him. ItˇŻs been almost two months since Caleb returned from the other realm, and I still find it hard to believe that Caleb could befriend a Rift Wolf.

    Standing, the beast is five feet at the shoulders, with thick, fluffy fur swirling with reds and oranges and purples and greens and blues, reminiscent of a starless galaxy. His eyes ¨C though closed now ¨C shine gold in all lights.

    Rift Wolvesˇ­ the only creatures in existence with power truly on par of a dragon, save the phoenixes, whose power only rivals dragons in that theyˇŻre truly immortal.

    To think that one would just accept a familiar contract ¨C especially when the magician didnˇŻt know he initiated it ¨C is baffling. IˇŻve racked my mind as much as I can, yet can find no logical reason for it.

    ˇ°I can see why you like him,ˇ± an ancient ¨C yet young ¨C voice speaks from behind me.

    ˇ°Father,ˇ± I turn and face him, bowing slightly.

    ˇ°Hello, son,ˇ± my father says, and I scrutinize his appearance. ˇ°What?ˇ±

    ˇ°Why do you stay in that ridiculous form?ˇ±

    FatherˇŻs natural form is that of a boy around seven or eight, so he looks like he could be my little brother. CalebˇŻs, too, for that matter. IˇŻve long wondered if there was a dragon of my kind around whom I was not aware of, and Caleb and Kilmar bringing up CalebˇŻs draconic half only confirmed it. FatherˇŻs eyes are their true violet color, and IˇŻve reverted mine back to violet from blue. CalebˇŻs eyes really are blue, though, despite his draconic heritage.

    ˇ°What?ˇ± Father looks down at himself, then back to me. ˇ°I like my natural form. IˇŻm not going to age it a few years just because.ˇ±

    ˇ°Your voice sounds ridiculous coming out of that body.ˇ±

    ˇ°Whatever,ˇ± his voice now sounds like a childˇŻs. ˇ°IˇŻm one of the original beings, you canˇŻt expect me to remember to fix everything. Plus ¨C can you honestly tell me that you havenˇŻt slipped back into your actual voice while in human form?ˇ±

    The moment he says that, an embarrassing memory surfaces. Caleb was eight at the time, and still very, very easily frightened. HeˇŻd done something stupid, and I was trying to scold him without scaring him, and he freaked out. It wasnˇŻt until after heˇŻd run off and disappeared that I realized I was using my natural voice.

    Deep, ancient, powerful. My voice filled the air and permeated it with magic. That was when I realized Caleb had a natural gift for magic. He somehow conceals his magic without being aware of it, and IˇŻve never been able to read it.

    ˇ°He has an interesting mana pool,ˇ± Father says. So he can hide his mana from me, but not Father. ThatˇŻs good. ˇ°Does he know heˇŻs your son?ˇ±

    Coming from anyone else, I would assume thatˇŻs a joke. Actually, coming from Father, I could assume thatˇŻs a joke, due to our looks, butˇ­

    ˇ°What do you mean?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°You werenˇŻt aware?ˇ± He raises an eyebrow. ˇ°You have the power of Lineages, son, and you couldnˇŻt tell heˇŻs your own son? Plus, did you expect anything else when you banged a woman?ˇ±

    ˇ°I never slept with a woman!ˇ±

    ˇ°Fine,ˇ± he huffs. ˇ°Banged a girl.ˇ±

    ˇ°Father!ˇ±

    ˇ°What?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°Never. Ever. Happened.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then how do you explain him?ˇ± He indicates Caleb, and while the boy is asleep, the Rift Wolf is most definitely smiling. ˇ°Because unless youˇŻre just powerful enough that your stuff can impregnate a woman by itselfˇ­ you had to have slept with her.ˇ±

    ˇ°They have artificial ways to do that,ˇ± I say. ˇ°And no, I havenˇŻt done that. Wait ¨C what?ˇ±

    ˇ°What?ˇ±

    ˇ°Powerful enough to do it on its own?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± he chuckles. ˇ°How do you think you were conceived? IˇŻm powerful enough that it has a mind and will of its own, and sought out a suitable woman to be the mother.ˇ±

    ˇ°So CalebˇŻs my son?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°You really canˇŻt sense his heritage?ˇ±

    ˇ°Never been able to,ˇ± I shake my head. ˇ°I canˇŻt sense the dragon in him, either, and nor can I sense his mana pool or aura. He has to flex his aura just for me to try to read it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Really?ˇ± Father snorts. ˇ°He gets that from you.ˇ±

    ˇ°I thought dragons couldnˇŻt mate with other species?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°YouˇŻve been in human form so much,ˇ± Father shakes his head. ˇ°That your powers adapted. My blood in you allowed that to happen.ˇ±

    ˇ°What are you doing in this realm?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°I havenˇŻt seen you in almost twenty thousand years, unless I went to visit.ˇ±

    ˇ°You havenˇŻt been visiting,ˇ± he pouts. ˇ°Two centuries without a single visit from you. IˇŻm upset.ˇ±

    HeˇŻs seriously pouting about that?

    ˇ°Father,ˇ± I sigh. ˇ°Have you not been paying attention to the news anywhere out there? Passage in and out of Tulm is impossible ever since the Calamity. Something happened during it blocking it out. I can only take on my draconic form on this island chain, and thatˇŻs because of my magic. I had to wrap it in a special form of Reality Marble. Speaking of ¨C Caleb can do that without being taught. He also figured out flight magics all on his own. Draconic flight magics.ˇ±

    Father looks at Caleb thoughtfully, then approaches him. I follow, watching as he places a hand on the boyˇŻs forehead, his violet eyes looking within. Several long minutes pass, and when Father at least stands and looks at me, heˇŻs got a massive grin on his face.

    ˇ°So heˇŻs more powerful than you,ˇ± Father says. ˇ°Much, much more powerful. Like, insanely powerful. That explains the massive boost to my power IˇŻve had the last thirteen years.ˇ±

    ˇ°What do you mean?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°On top of my own powers,ˇ± Father explains. ˇ°I also have all the power of those of my blood. Caleb, it seems, has the power of his ancestors, leading back to the origin points. It appears that with him, every generation will have the same.ˇ±

    A growing lineage, a bloodline that truly becomes more powerful with each new generation. Something we all hoped would never happen. If it did, it would become very, very difficult to stop, even for a Dragon of Creation.

    But with what Father saidˇ­

    He will always be more powerful. Eventually, they might reach close to his level, but he will always be that much more powerful than them.

    ˇ°What do you want to do about it?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°End it, before it could become a problem?ˇ±

    ˇ°No,ˇ± Father shakes his head. ˇ°I had a vision, when I looked within my grandson.ˇ±

    ˇ°A vision?ˇ±

    ˇ°The world will need his bloodline,ˇ± Father nods. ˇ°Caleb, not so much, but afterˇ­ yes, the bloodline is needed. We should leave him be. Passage in and out of Tulm isnˇŻt possible? I did it just fine, and IˇŻm pretty sure Caleb has been to at least three others.ˇ±

    ˇ°To there and to hell,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Andˇ­ whereˇŻs the third?ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm not entirely sure,ˇ± Father shrugs. ˇ°I think he made it on his own. He opens a passage to it all the time. ItˇŻs filled with turtles. ItˇŻs actually a series of interconnected islands surrounded by water that merges into an ethereal sea. OneˇŻs filled with turtles, oneˇŻs an animal reserve, oneˇŻs a storage island, oneˇŻs got mines on it, and IˇŻm not sure what one of them is supposed to be...ˇ±

    ˇ°I knew he had island,ˇ± I look at Caleb. ˇ°I didnˇŻt realize they were in another realm, I thought he created them much like I did for this chain. Wait,ˇ± I look at Father as I realize what he said. ˇ°He merged his realm into an ethereal sea? Which one?ˇ±

    ˇ°Tavos.ˇ±

    ˇ°The fuck?ˇ± I look at Caleb. ˇ°How did he even find Tavos?ˇ±

    ˇ°Why does everyone think Tavos is so hard to find?ˇ± Father asks. ˇ°Anyway. I came by to visit. This was fun. I left you a present in your bed. Bye!ˇ±

    Father vanishes, and I do a quick scan of the island.

    He can be such a child sometimes.

    I look back at Caleb, and come to the conclusion that he has way too much of my father in him.

    Way too much of him.

    I take a step forward to walk toward Caleb when something grabs my ankle, and I fall to the ground.

    The Rift Wolf starts howling with laughter as I spit out the sand, and I glare at him to find Caleb grinning. I break apart the sand hand gripping my ankle and shake my head as I walk over to the duo.

    HeˇŻs smiling againˇ­

    It is probably time for him to return, then.

    ˇ°So was that your little brother?ˇ± Caleb asks as I approach him.

    ˇ°I donˇŻt have any brothers,ˇ± I shake my head. ˇ°Thatˇ­ that was my father.ˇ±

    ˇ°Auriauror?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah.ˇ±

    ˇ°HeˇŻs younger than I expected.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs his natural body,ˇ± I answer. ˇ°Though I think it matches his mindset.ˇ±

    ˇ°WouldnˇŻt that make your body old and wrinkly?ˇ±

    I stare at Caleb. He asked that so seriously, and I canˇŻt tell if heˇŻs joking or serious.

    ˇ°Dragons,ˇ± I decide to explain. ˇ°Tend to have a single form when theyˇŻre in human form, usually that of a child. IˇŻve aged mine from ten to sixteen. How much of our conversation did you hear?ˇ±

    ˇ°Doggy woke me up right before he left,ˇ± Caleb looks disappointed. ˇ°He didnˇŻt leave because I woke up, did he?ˇ±

    Caleb wanted to meet my father? I guess I can understand that, seeing as heˇŻs a Dragon of Creation. That would definitely warrant some bragging.

    ˇ°No,ˇ± I answer. ˇ°Though itˇŻs honestly not a good idea for the two of you to be around each other.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why?ˇ± Caleb asks.

    ˇ°HeˇŻs a Dragon of Creation,ˇ± I respond. ˇ°He has to maintain a certain distance from most beings.ˇ±

    ˇ°Actually,ˇ± Kilmar looks at Caleb. ˇ°Allmaker doesnˇŻt want the two of you around each other because you two would get along a little too well for his sanity.ˇ±

    ˇ°How so?ˇ± Caleb is so innocent.

    ˇ°Trust me,ˇ± Kilmar says. ˇ°You and Auriauror have very similar attitudes when it comes to fun.ˇ±

    ˇ°Teacher doesnˇŻt like games.ˇ±

    Having you two with each other isnˇŻt good for my sanity, either. I really canˇŻt wait for Caleb to finally be ready to return to the GSDF.

    Speaking of the GSDFˇ­

    It appears they have finally given Flame the boot. With Caleb teaching him true magic, and him joining the GMDF, itˇŻs only a matter of time before true magic becomes common knowledge again.

    All according to the prophecy. Give it a decade, and the world will change dramatically in ways no one could have foreseen.

    Watching as Caleb wrestles with Kilmar, I have to wonder what, exactly, he is going to go through this next decade, to turn him into the being he will be.

    Caleb Riversˇ­ Lusvar Nomari. The Bringer of Light and Darkness.

    I need to protect him from the trials he will face.

 Chapter 015

    ~~(Flame)~~

    ˇ°YouˇŻre late.ˇ±

    ˇ°By one minute,ˇ± Professor Tem says. ˇ°And do you really think you should be telling a superior officer that heˇŻs late?ˇ±

    ˇ°You want me to be punctual, be punctual yourself.ˇ±

    ˇ°How long have you been waiting here?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°Not very long.ˇ±

    ˇ°An hour and a half,ˇ± one of the guards answers.

    ˇ°See?ˇ± I say. ˇ°Not very long!ˇ±

    Professor Tem chuckles, then leads me inside. He shows me around the facility. ItˇŻs so different from the GSDFˇŻs facility, partly because they have multiple libraries for studying and training magic, based on different types. Their cafeteria smells awesome, too, and we stop for breakfast. I receive more than a few curious glances as weˇŻre eating.

    ˇ°TheyˇŻll learn youˇŻre a new cadet soon enough,ˇ± Professor Tem says as I devour my third breakfast. ˇ°Though it probably wonˇŻt be too long before people hear youˇŻre the one from the duel yesterday.ˇ±

    ˇ°They already have,ˇ± I swallow the bacon IˇŻd shoved in my mouth. ˇ°TheyˇŻre talking about it now.ˇ±

    ˇ°You can hear them?ˇ± He looks around in surprise.

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°IˇŻve always had good hearing, because of my dragon fire. BrooksˇŻs senses are better now, too, now that heˇŻs awakened his dragon water. I canˇŻt wait for Caleb to awaken his dragon stuff. ItˇŻll be so cool. I wonder what his is like. HeˇŻd probably not really change much. Maybe itˇŻs just too much like his own Ability for it to really matter? ˇ®I am Caleb, and this is my horde. I see it all, I know it all, and I will defend it all!ˇŻˇ±

    I giggle at the thought of that.

    ˇ°How do you have this much energy this early in the morning?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°How do you not?ˇ± I ask, and he stares at me. ˇ°What? ItˇŻs so easy to have this much energy. Just wake up and go ˇ®energy!ˇŻ and youˇŻll have it. You have to pump your fists in the air or do a little dance, too. Oh, and drink plenty of water when you first wake up, that way, your metabolism gets a nice little kick-start. DonˇŻt eat right away, though, you gotta give your metab some time to get into high gear, first. Good way to stay at a healthy weight, yˇŻknow. Or to start losing excess fat. Good piece of advice. IˇŻd follow it.ˇ±

    The table behind me erupts into laughter, and I look at them, then back to Professor Tem.

    ˇ°See?ˇ± I say. ˇ°IˇŻm not the only one with a lot of energy right now. Anyway, IˇŻm done eating ¨C what next?ˇ±

    Professor Tem takes me to be fitted for a uniform, then starts showing me some of the classrooms and training arenas. Finally, he shows me the dorms, including the one which IˇŻll be staying at.

    ˇ°Hey, Flame,ˇ± Tucker looks at me from his bunk. ˇ°YouˇŻll have the bottom bunk.ˇ±

    ˇ°Does anyone in here snore?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°A couple of guys,ˇ± he nods. ˇ°You donˇŻt happen to know a quieting spell, do you?ˇ±

    ˇ°No,ˇ± I answer. ˇ°But Caleb does. The room was always silent even though half the room snores. It was sooooo funny the first few times, when people couldnˇŻt figure out why no one was snoring after he moved in. The first time he tried sleeping when others were around, there was snoring, snoring, snoring, silence. Caleb grumbled something, then passed back out. IˇŻve been trying to figure out his silencing spell, but canˇŻt. I canˇŻt figure out what heˇŻs doing differently from me. IˇŻm willing it to happen, which is what he says is all thatˇŻs needed for a spell ¨C well, that and magic ¨C and itˇŻs not working.ˇ±

    ˇ°So you really just will it to happen?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°Caleb said itˇŻs hard for people to learn how to do magic properly once they start learning the standard way, just because itˇŻs an entirely different mindset. Instead of incantations ¨C which he says are wrong, anyway ¨C youˇŻre just willing it to happen. Visualize it, then will it. Movements help in the beginning, though Caleb doesnˇŻt need them at all. HeˇŻs so awesome with magic. Supposedly, he once opened up a passage between Alzir and the Fuller Mansion using a lake, the reflection of the moon, and his own magic. I soooooo wish I couldˇŻve seen that. He actually cast a Reality Marble over the entire Enchanted Forest. Likeˇ­ how do you even begin to attempt that? And he just goes and does it! I can only dream of one day being close to Caleb in power. ShouldnˇŻt you be in training right now? ItˇŻs the middle of the day.ˇ±

    ˇ°We pretty much set our own schedule,ˇ± Tucker shakes his head. ˇ°As long as we meet a certain point goal, weˇŻre fine.ˇ±

    ˇ°Point goal?ˇ±

    ˇ°Number of lessons attended or jobs completed,ˇ± he nods. ˇ°As well as amount of training hours put in, progress made, and so on. You can go without a single training lesson or mission and still meet the quotas through studying alone. They still recommend that you attend training lessons and do missions, though ¨C helps you get real experience.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ah, okay,ˇ± I say. ˇ°So what are you doing today?ˇ±

    ˇ°Grabbing something,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°Then heading to the water library here on campus.ˇ±

    TuckerˇŻs a water adept ¨C heˇŻs been studying water magics.

    ˇ°IˇŻll come with you,ˇ± I offer.

    ˇ°ArenˇŻt you a fire guy?ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs my Ability,ˇ± I grin at him. ˇ°I can do more than just fire with magic, though fireˇŻs the easiest for me. I can help you become a real water adept, then you can help me figure out a way to use a pond to open a gate up to where Caleb is.ˇ±

    Tucker stares at me, then grabs his bag and leaves. I follow him to the water library, where he grabs a couple of books and makes his way to a training room, which has small channels of water along the walls, and we have to cross over a small bridge to reach the actual center of the room. The bridge vanishes once weˇŻre in, leaving us surrounded by water and walls.

    ˇ°Ignore the books,ˇ± I tell Tucker. ˇ°And just visualize the water doing what you want it to do. Use your hands in whatever way feels natural. DonˇŻt incant, donˇŻt try to use the chants you know. Clear them from your mind, and simply visualize it, then will it into occurrence.ˇ±

    Tucker frowns, but sets his books down and tries anyway. From his hand gestures, I determine that heˇŻs probably trying to lift some of the water out of the channels. After a few failed attempts, he starts to grow frustrated.

    I step up next to him, and scoop with my hands, lifting them up as I will the water to lift as well. It only takes a single try for me to pull the water upwards in a small pillar. Tucker stares at it, then looks at me, and I release it.

    ˇ°You made that look easy,ˇ± he says.

    ˇ°Clear the magical words from your mind,ˇ± I tell him. ˇ°They interfere with it. Caleb says that if you use the right ones, itˇŻll help you greatly, but the known chants are rubbish and donˇŻt at all work properly, which is why they take so much energy.ˇ±

    Tucker takes a deep breath, then attempts again. This time, he attempts three times before the water lifts a little bit. He gets excited and keeps trying, and it takes him almost half an hour to lift a small pillar of water to about six inches.

    ˇ°IˇŻve got so much magic leftover, too,ˇ± he looks at me when he stops. ˇ°IˇŻve never had this much magic left over after that many spells in a row.ˇ±

    ˇ°Like I said,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°Caleb says that itˇŻs because using the wrong incantations or a bad one will require more magic to perform the spell. When he cast the Reality Marble over the Enchanted Forest, he probably used a very precise incantation designed specifically for that purpose. He says that the magic words you use are part of a massive language, and that the incantation should be specifically tailored for the intended result, mixed in with visualizing and willing it. ThatˇŻs why I could confidently ignore Garret yesterday ¨C he spent so long using up so much of his magic on incantations that were faulty for the spell he was actually casting that it didnˇŻt matter. HeˇŻd run out of magic soon enough, and his spells would still be pretty weak. I also knew that I could counter his magic instantly with but a thought and gesture, and for far less mana.ˇ±

    ˇ°Cool,ˇ± Tucker smiles, then focuses back on the channels.

    I watch him play with the water for a bit, then grow bored and start mixing in my fire with his training. ItˇŻs good training for me, too, having him attempt to extinguish my fire with his water. He canˇŻt quite create enough water at a time yet to do much, so he uses the water from the channels.

    After an hour of him attempting to extinguish my flame, I can see heˇŻs becoming discouraged. ItˇŻs only natural heˇŻd not be able to, seeing as I have more power and experience than him. My fire is simply more powerful than his water.

    Seeing that, I decide to switch to him resisting my flame, attempting to keep his water from boiling. I start small, just a little fire and heat in the beginning, and increase it as he figures out how to resist it, until I reach the point that he canˇŻt fight my fire, his water vaporizing instantly.

    ˇ°I canˇŻt do it!ˇ± He cries out in frustration after his tenth failed attempt in a row.

    ˇ°You can,ˇ± I tell him.

    ˇ°No, I canˇŻt,ˇ± he throws himself onto his back on the ground, staring at the ceiling. ˇ°Your fire is too powerful for me to resist!ˇ±

    ˇ°YouˇŻll be able to, eventually,ˇ± I say. ˇ°The fact that you made it this far already is pretty good. I think. Maybe itˇŻs because you already knew some magic? We had to train our butts off for it. Then again, Superhumans have always had a hard time learning magic, so that could be a factor. IˇŻm not sure. I really need to figure out how to get to that damn island, so that Caleb can answer a whole lotta questions.ˇ±

    My phone rings, and I look at it.

    ˇ°Brooks is calling,ˇ± I pull it out. ˇ°Hey, Brooks! Was just teaching Tucker how to use magic properly. HeˇŻs a natural water wizard.ˇ±

    ˇ°Cool,ˇ± Brooks responds. ˇ°Uhˇ­ think you could head over here?ˇ±

    ˇ°I got kicked out.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± he snorts. ˇ°Like thatˇŻll get in your way. CalebˇŻs back, and he brought Jared with him.ˇ±

    ˇ°He is?ˇ± I ask, then realize that Caleb is, indeed, nearby. How did I not notice him arriving? ˇ°Wow! HeˇŻs fast. IˇŻll be there. IˇŻm bringing Tucker with me!ˇ±

    <hr>

    ~~(Jared)~~

    ˇ°Master Fuller,ˇ± a butler knocks on my door, and I glance at it before returning my attention to scraps of metal filling the room before me. ˇ°Master Fuller, your father requests your presence.ˇ±

    Lifting a hand, I take control over each and every last scrap of metal within this room, bending it to my will and merging it all together into the form of a giant wielding an immense sword. The butler enters the room just as I slice the sword down with a swing of my arm, and he jumps as it nearly cuts through him.

    ˇ°What are the rules,ˇ± I glare at him. ˇ°About entering the room while IˇŻm training?ˇ±

    ˇ°My apologies, Master Fuller,ˇ± the butler bows. ˇ°Your father had impressed upon me that it was most urgent that you meet him in the-ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you know,ˇ± I interrupt him. ˇ°What happened to the last staff member who entered the room while I was training?ˇ±

    ˇ°No, Master Fuller,ˇ± he bows again. ˇ°However-ˇ±

    He screams as a thin spike embeds itself in his chest, but the scream ends quickly.

    ˇ°He died,ˇ± I state as the bracelet pulls out of his chest with but a gesture, the blood sliding off of it as it returns to me, wrapping itself around my wrist and connecting itself from end to end once more. ˇ°Much like you just did.ˇ±

    I flick my wrist, and the door slams closed, and I look at the giant.

    ˇ°Stupid butlers,ˇ± I mutter. ˇ°They should at least listen to the more experienced ones. IˇŻm tired of them interrupting my training.ˇ±

    The giant stands there like an idiot, probably because itˇŻs nothing more than a puppet. I melded the metal together, so it no longer resembles the scrap it once was.

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs the point of being S-Rank,ˇ± I question. ˇ°When youˇŻre stuck inside a stupid mansion? Father wonˇŻt even let me leave the premises, for fear that IˇŻll leave again. HeˇŻs taking this protection far too seriously.ˇ±

    Another knock on the door.

    ˇ°Master Fuller, your father has requested your presence in the foyer.ˇ±

    ˇ°The hell?ˇ± I look at the door.

    I expected another butler to be around, they usually have a second one ready, just in case I kill the first one, but I did not expect my father to want me in the foyer. He leaving on a trip and now deciding he wants me present?

    I flick a wrist, and the giant disassembles, collapsing to the ground in a crash of scrap metal as I approach the door.

    ˇ°Have the staff clean up the mess,ˇ± I gesture to the deceased butler.

    ˇ°Yes, Master Fuller,ˇ± the butler bows, and I make my way through the halls to the foyer.

    ˇ°What?ˇ± I ask Father when I arrive.

    ˇ°Adjust your attitude, Jared,ˇ± Father looks at me, gesturing for the two security guards to step away. ˇ°I am leaving for an emergency meeting with the Council, do not leave the grounds. The staff is already preparing dinner. I know youˇŻve been bored, so I arranged for some criminals to be brought down to our dungeons. Do not leave the dungeons covered in blood again. A little bit is fine, but you go excessive quite often.ˇ±

    Father leaves, and I wait until IˇŻm informed he has left the premises.

    ˇ°Are the gates closed?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Yes,ˇ± the security agent answers.

    ˇ°Good,ˇ± I respond. ˇ°Initiate the seal and go into privacy mode.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°How many criminals did father bring?ˇ±

    ˇ°Ten.ˇ±

    ˇ°I want to play hide-and-seek.ˇ±

    ˇ°Your father said-ˇ±

    ˇ°He only specified the dungeons,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Perhaps if I make a mess of the house, heˇŻll finally realize that he should just allow me to return to the GSDF as a cadet. I want them released. Inform them that they must not be in the lower levels after three minutes. The game ends only if either they are all dead, or if I die. Have it begin in ten minutes.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, Master Fuller,ˇ± the security guard bows, then leaves.

    I wait out fifteen minutes, and thatˇŻs when the first of the criminals arrives, running at a pretty high speed.

    ˇ°ItˇŻs just a kid?ˇ± He laughs. ˇ°Hah!ˇ±

    Before he can do whatever he was planning, heˇŻs pinned to the wall by the door, screaming. I turn and face him.

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs your crime?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Why?ˇ± He snarls. ˇ°Gonna hurt me worse?ˇ±

    ˇ°Honestly?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°I couldnˇŻt care less. YouˇŻll die either way. There is nothing you can do to harm me. I was simply asking as a courtesy.ˇ±

    ˇ°You-ˇ±

    He never finishes that thought, another piece of metal embedding itself in his right eye. The metal returns to my body, and I make my way outside. I can sense one of them running toward the front gates.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    They wonˇŻt be able to leave ¨C ancient magics seal this place tight, preventing passage in and out.

    I use the iron within him to rip his body apart from the inside, then seek out the others.

    Two hours pass before the tenth one dies, and the house is a fair bit of a mess. I stop by the kitchens, which were sealed when the building was, and the chefs look at me.

    ˇ°I need to shower and change clothes,ˇ± I say. ˇ°IˇŻve already ordered the maids to clean up the dining room. IˇŻll probably be ready in about half an hour.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, Master Fuller,ˇ± the head chef bows to me. This isnˇŻt the first time heˇŻs seen me coated in blood, so IˇŻm not surprised he isnˇŻt staring in horror. ˇ°IˇŻll make sure itˇŻs laid out for you.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thank you,ˇ± I say, then make my way up to my room.

    I can release the seal around the mansion after dinner. If Father returns early, heˇŻll call. Probably chew my ear off, since he can see the mess on the lawn, but whatever.

    Stepping into my room, I stop and stare.

    I have two beds in my room, a regular bed, and a water bed. Currently lying on the water bed is Caleb, eyes closed, face twisted a little in confusion.

    ˇ°As adorable as you are,ˇ± I say. ˇ°How did you get past the seal?ˇ±

    ˇ°It was easy,ˇ± Caleb opens his eyes and looks at me. ˇ°This bed is so weird. It keeps shifting.ˇ±

    He wiggles a little on it, sending the whole bed into waves.

    ˇ°YouˇŻve never been on a water bed before?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°No,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°ItˇŻs so weird.ˇ±

    ˇ°Glad to see youˇŻre healed.ˇ±

    ˇ°Sure.ˇ±

    Something about his tone, and the look in his eyes, sends off alarms in my head.

    ˇ°What happened?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°What makes you think something happened?ˇ± Steel flashes in his eyes before he closes them and turns his head away.

    ˇ°Because youˇŻre not the same Caleb I knew three months ago.ˇ±

    He doesnˇŻt respond for several minutes, just lies there. Eventually, tears begin rolling down his cheeks.

    ˇ°I had to kill him,ˇ± he starts sobbing. ˇ°I had to kill Tommy! He was trying to kill me and Bar and it was the only way to stop him! I had to kill him!ˇ±

    Calebˇ­ killed someone? From the anguish in his tone, this Tommy was someone close to him. But he doesnˇŻt let people get close to him. The only reason Kieran is isˇ­

    Tommy was from the orphanage. Another survivor.

    Caleb wails, thrashing his limbs, and my door flies open, security barging in with guns drawn.

    I hold a hand up as Caleb throws his fit. He hasnˇŻt properly grieved yet. On top of that, he had to do something he hated to someone he loved.

    ˇ°Sir,ˇ± one of the guards begins.

    ˇ°Leave us,ˇ± I order. ˇ°CalebˇŻs a friend, and the one who helped me see Cody, back in basic. If he wanted to kill me, thereˇŻs only one force in the world that could stop him. His anguish is from having killed someone. He is no threat to me. Leave us.ˇ±

    The guards obey, closing the door behind them. I go into my bathroom and strip off my bloody clothes, dumping them on the ground as I step into the shower. I spend a little bit longer under the water than I need to, to give Caleb a little extra time.

    When I step out, I grab a towel and dry off as I walk back into my room. CalebˇŻs now crying silently on the waterbed, curled up in the fetal position, hugging his knees to his chest. I pull on some underwear and shorts, then walk over to the waterbed and climb onto it.

    Caleb doesnˇŻt react as I do that, but when I wrap my arms around him, he bursts out in sobs again, turning over to face me and burying his head against my chest.

    When he starts to calm down, I decide to try an idea. It could backfire and make him even worse, but if it works, then heˇŻll calm down a lot, and it may become easier for him to handle what he did.

    ˇ°Can you tell me about him?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°Your friend?ˇ±

    ˇ°He was murderous,ˇ± Caleb sniffles. ˇ°He wanted to kill me and Bar and Kilmar,ˇ± thatˇŻs probably an adventure by itself. ˇ°I found him in the other realm. I think I accidentally sent him there during the-theˇ­ when we were younger.ˇ±

    During the massacre.

    ˇ°What was he like, back then?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Cheerful,ˇ± Caleb sniffles. ˇ°Always happy. He liked playing in my Reality Marbles. Me, Kieran, Jonathon, Tommy, and a bunch of others. There were twenty of us in our group of friends. We got into trouble all the time. We all looked up to Kieran and a couple of the older boys there. Tommy was one of three of the Perceptions at the orphanage.ˇ±

    They had three Perceptions there? How the hell?

    ˇ°There was this one time,ˇ± Caleb sniffles. ˇ°Tommy and I snuck out to go catch frogs. I used my Ability to help us get out quietly, and he made sure we werenˇŻt noticed. Then we got to the frogs, and I used my Ability to track them down, and he used his to catch them, so they wouldnˇŻt notice us. We got, like, a hundred frogs and released them into the school. We got into so much trouble for it, but they were too busy trying to catch all the frogs to really punish us. I got snot and tears on your chest.ˇ±

    I look down and am about to tell him not to worry about it when it vanishes. Or he could just magic it away.

    ˇ°IˇŻm sorry you had to kill him,ˇ± I rub his back. ˇ°It sounds like you two were really close.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± he sniffles.

    If thatˇŻs the Caleb from back then, no wonder Kieran acts so weird around him. He really snuck out in the middle of the night to catch a hundred frogs and release them into the school? Kieran must be missing that old Caleb a ton. I mean, the current Caleb definitely has some of the traits I know of him from back then, but the current Caleb definitely wouldnˇŻt do something like that.

    HeˇŻs not reacting to my thoughts at allˇ­

    Caleb?

    I wait several seconds, then repeat the thought. Nothing. I check, and heˇŻs still awake.

    ˇ°Caleb?ˇ±

    ˇ°Hm?ˇ± He looks up into my eyes. ˇ°Why are you shirtless?ˇ±

    ˇ°I had a feeling youˇŻd probably get snot all over whatever shirt I put on,ˇ± I laugh. ˇ°So figured I might as well not waste the shirt. Are you hungry? Dinner is probably served.ˇ±

    ˇ°Sure,ˇ± he sighs.

    HeˇŻs so damn cute and adorable, even if heˇŻs depressed. I hope I can bring the light back to his eyes, the light that was snuffed out when he was only six.

    I help him off the bed, then pull on a shirt and some sneakers, and he quietly follows me downstairs. It isnˇŻt until weˇŻre turning a corner that I notice weˇŻre being followed by a goblin that is ugly as fuck. As soon as I look at it, it hides behind Caleb.

    ˇ°The fuck is that ugly thing?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs not nice!ˇ± Caleb exclaims. ˇ°Bar isnˇŻt ugly!ˇ±

    Barˇ­ is a goblin?

    Why is he not responding to my thoughts?

    ˇ°Bar thinks the friend of the CalebˇŻs does not like goblins,ˇ± the goblin says. ˇ°Bar thinks the Caleb should have let Bar go in dungeon and cellar and look for yummy rats.ˇ±

    And he refers to Caleb as ˇ®the CalebˇŻ.

    ˇ°YouˇŻre my friend,ˇ± Caleb looks at the goblin. ˇ°IˇŻm not going to let you just eat rats. I offered to let you on one of my islands, too. You refused.ˇ±

    ˇ°Bar is regretting that decision,ˇ± the goblin nods thoughtfully. ˇ°Bar has rethought that. If the Caleb be alright with it, may Bar be allowed to go on island? Bar say it sound very nice and lovely. No mean humans glaring at Bar like friend of the Caleb.ˇ±

    ˇ°Okay,ˇ± Caleb says. ˇ°But IˇŻm bringing you back when we return to the training facility so you can meet my other friends. Jared has mental problems.ˇ±

    ˇ°Hey!ˇ±

    ˇ°You do,ˇ± Caleb looks at me. ˇ°You enjoy killing people who you see as lesser or weak.ˇ±

    ˇ°Criminals,ˇ± I correct. ˇ°I enjoy killing criminals, Caleb. I despise people who are weak or useless. And why do you have a goblin following you around?ˇ±

    ˇ°Bar thinks humans like killing MoˇŻAk Goblins,ˇ± Caleb states. ˇ°Everything seems to hate humans in that realm.ˇ±

    ˇ°So Teacher said,ˇ± I say. ˇ°How did you survive?ˇ±

    ˇ°The force that was restricting my power wasnˇŻt affecting me there,ˇ± Caleb shrugs. ˇ°As soon as I returned, it began affecting me again. They couldnˇŻt really do anything to me there. Bar and Kilmar revealed that IˇŻm probably as powerful as I am because IˇŻm half-dragon. Oh. I totally meant to ask Teacher if he knew of any other dragons on the world, since my parent was probably the same breed as him.ˇ±

    ˇ°TeacherˇŻs a dragon?ˇ± CalebˇŻs half-dragon?

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± Caleb nods, his voice filled with sadness. ˇ°I only found out when Kilmar told me, though. He calls him Allmaker, though.ˇ±

    ˇ°WhoˇŻs Kilmar?ˇ±

    ˇ°A doggy.ˇ±

    ˇ°Kilmar not be doggy,ˇ± Bar shakes his head. ˇ°Bar no understand why the Caleb call him that. Bar no understand the Caleb, or Kilmar, for that matter. No Rift Wolf should allow such an insult, but Kilmar let the Caleb call him doggy and pet him and give him belly rubs.ˇ±

    Riftˇ­ Wolf?

    Caleb gives a Rift Wolf belly rubs and calls him a doggy?

    Is he fucking insane?

    ˇ°And then,ˇ± Bar continues his ramble. ˇ°The Caleb goes and accidentally initiates a familiar contract with the Rift Wolf, and the Rift Wolf accepts! ThatˇŻs absurd! A Rift Wolf, accepting a familiar contract? ThatˇŻs unheard of! And itˇŻs from a half-dragon, too! Bar cannot believe it!ˇ±

    Bar shakes his head in disbelief, and I stare at Caleb in disbelief.

    ˇ°Can you breathe fire?ˇ± Is all I can think of to say.

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± Caleb nods. ˇ°But thatˇŻs a very basic magic, and itˇŻs not a dragonˇŻs breath. I still need to awaken the dragon within me.ˇ±

    ˇ°The dragon within you?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± Caleb nods. ˇ°A lot of us have some form of draconic heritage. You, Kieran, me, the Quartetˇ­ oh, speaking of ¨C Flame had his draconic heritage awakened a long time ago, and Brooks woke his up in the Enchanted Forest. Tommy didnˇŻt have a draconic heritage in himˇ­ but thatˇŻs okay, not everyone does. IˇŻm carrying on his legacy, too.ˇ±

    Carrying on his legacy? What do you mean by that?

    Caleb doesnˇŻt respond to my thought, yet again.

    ˇ°Caleb,ˇ± I say, and he looks into my eyes, and IˇŻm momentarily entranced. Dammit, Caleb! Stop being so adorable! ˇ°Caleb, why arenˇŻt you reacting to my thoughts?ˇ±

    ˇ°Huh?ˇ± He looks confused. ˇ°Oh. IˇŻm tuning them out. You keep thinking about how awesomeI am.ˇ±

    ˇ°You can tune thoughts out?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°I thought you couldnˇŻt do that?ˇ±

    ˇ°I can,ˇ± Caleb says. ˇ°Kilmar and Teacher helped me do it. YouˇŻre a pervert.ˇ±

    That hurts. That really, really hurts.

    ˇ°Dinner smells delicious,ˇ± Caleb sniffs the air, then starts walking, Bar following close behind him.

    We arriving in the dining room a few minutes later and take our seats. Bar climbs up onto the one beside Caleb, who sat across from me. They prepared steaks and mashed potatoes, along with a few other vegetable sides and sliced melons and strawberries.

    Caleb pokes at his fruit, and I call over a servant.

    ˇ°Do we have any bananas?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Yes, milord.ˇ±

    ˇ°And apricots?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, milord.ˇ±

    ˇ°Very well,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Please fetch some for Caleb, he enjoys them.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, milord,ˇ± the servant leaves, returning a few minutes later with a plate of sliced banana and apricots.

    Caleb barely glances at them when the plate is set down beside him, but when he looks at it, his eyes widen, and he digs in. I know he likes strawberries, but he probably wasnˇŻt feeling it. HeˇŻs still mourning his friend.

    That explains why heˇŻs been gone for so long, though ¨C heˇŻs probably just been mourning on TeacherˇŻs island. I had no doubt heˇŻd return here quickly.

    As dessert is being served, Father returns, looking quite annoyed.

    ˇ°I said donˇŻt make a mess,ˇ± he ignores Caleb and the goblin entirely. WasnˇŻt Caleb going to send it to some island? ˇ°And yet you do that shortly after I leave.ˇ±

    ˇ°Actually,ˇ± I say. ˇ°You said not to make one in the dungeon. I didnˇŻt make one in the dungeon ¨C I made one up here. Father, IˇŻm sure you remember Caleb. HeˇŻs come to bring me back to the GSDF.ˇ±

    ˇ°YouˇŻre not returning.ˇ±

    ˇ°Sure,ˇ± Caleb says, and a turtle appears on the table. ˇ°Just as this isnˇŻt really a turtle. Or this. Or this. Or this.ˇ±

    More turtles pop out of his ring, and I do my best to keep a straight face as Father stares at the turtles. Caleb keeps releasing more and more of them, until there are at least a hundred or so wandering around the room, if a bit on the slow side.

    ˇ°Stop this at once!ˇ± Father demands.

    ˇ°Or what?ˇ± Caleb asks as another turtle pops out.

    It is getting harder and harder not to laugh. Caleb has a serious, iron-will expression. HeˇŻs not going to give up this fight.

    ˇ°I will-ˇ±

    ˇ°You do realize,ˇ± Caleb says as another turtle pops out. ˇ°That youˇŻre facing one of the most powerful Superhumans and magicians in the world, right? I can do this all day. Seriously. I have thousands of turtles. Once I run out of them, the rabbits are next. I know itˇŻs winter here, but on the island? ItˇŻs always spring.ˇ±

    Father pales when he realizes what Caleb just said.

    Caleb plans on releasing hundreds of rabbits into the mansion. While theyˇŻre in mating season. As Father tries to process this, Caleb continues to release turtles. He actually moves to a different part of the room so heˇŻs not dropping them on each other again.

    ˇ°Jared is on my team,ˇ± Caleb states as he continues to release turtles. ˇ°So are Flame, and Brooks, and Kieran. Jared is an S-Rank Superhuman surrounded by A-Rank and S-Rank and more, all of whom can use magic, including the leader of the team. He survived the Enchanted Forest because of his team. While he has not helped the team out in any way,ˇ± way to put a blow to my ego, Caleb. ˇ°He will do so eventually. He is a part of my team, and if you prevent him from participating in training and in our team activities, then if we fail even one mission, if even one member of our team gets injured, then I will hold you personally accountable.ˇ±

    Thatˇ­ sounds like a very serious threat, and I think Father agrees. It actually sounds really, really ominous, and sends a chill down my spine.

    ˇ°If my son dies...ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻs not as if you could do anything to me,ˇ± Caleb interrupts father, and IˇŻm so glad someone has the balls to do it. ˇ°Thank you, for your cooperation.ˇ±

    The turtles suddenly suck back into CalebˇŻs ring.

    ˇ°Jared, letˇŻs go.ˇ±

    ˇ°WeˇŻre two thousand miles from camp,ˇ± I stand up. ˇ°ItˇŻll take a little bit of time to move there.ˇ±

    ˇ°You have a pond on your property.ˇ±

    Uhˇ­

    Caleb turns and makes his way out the back door, and I look at Father.

    ˇ°I want to risk my life, Father,ˇ± I tell him. ˇ°I like the thrill of the missions and the battles, and I like making sure this world is a better place. See you around.ˇ±

    ˇ°What does the pond have to do with anything?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°Come and find out,ˇ± I grin at him, then follow Caleb out.

    Damn, that boy is fast. WhereˇŻd the goblin go?

    CalebˇŻs frowning at the sun in the sky.

    ˇ°YouˇŻre going to blind yourself, staring at the sun like that,ˇ± I tell him.

    ˇ°I forgot itˇŻs daytime,ˇ± he looks at me, and I notice a darkness in front of his eyes, which fade when he looks down. ˇ°It works best with a full moon, because IˇŻve only really used it once. IˇŻll see if I can get it to work with the sun.ˇ±

    Father approaches us, definitely confused as to how a pond is going to help us with travel.

    ˇ°Father,ˇ± I look at him. ˇ°Remember when Caleb and I showed up during basic training? Your spatial magicians sensed the shifts in space, but couldnˇŻt figure out how? Caleb used a pond.ˇ±

    ˇ°Aˇ­ pond?ˇ±

    ˇ°Here we go!ˇ± Caleb exclaims, then begins incanting in the magical language.

    IˇŻve never heard most of the words he uses, but his eyes turn violet and energy cackles around him as he raises his hands. The reflection of the sun on the pond begins to expand, until it covers the surface. The moment it does, the surface turns smooth, flat, and Caleb stops the incantation.

    He moves his hands a little bit, and then the training facility comes into view from the sky. He zooms in until he finds a spot he likes ¨C the cafeteria.

    Of course he picked thatˇ­ itˇŻs dinnertime, and heˇŻs probably going to be very hungry after this spell. That, and the massive meal we just had was already burned through, most likely ¨C mine was.

    ˇ°There we go,ˇ± Caleb nods in approval. ˇ°Ratios are even. LetˇŻs go.ˇ±

    He steps forward, dropping into the cafeteria and drawing stares from everyone in there, the entire room silencing at once. I look at Father.

    ˇ°You really canˇŻt stop him,ˇ± I remind him, then jump in after, landing in a crouch, then stand back up and look at Caleb. ˇ°You have one hell of a negotiation style, Caleb.ˇ±

    ˇ°Really?ˇ± He looks at me. ˇ°I just made it clear what my intentions were.ˇ±

    ˇ°You released over a hundred turtles into the mansion...ˇ±

    ˇ°That reminds me,ˇ± Kieran approaches of us. ˇ°Of the time that he and Tommy released three hundred frogs into the orphanage.ˇ±

    ˇ°You said one hundred,ˇ± I look at Caleb, who has started to tear up again. ˇ°Ah, hell.ˇ±

    ˇ°I was five!ˇ± Caleb exclaims. ˇ°So I couldnˇŻt count properly!ˇ±

    ˇ°Three hundred, eighteen,ˇ± Kieran nods. ˇ°I remember, because I had to help you and Tommy relocate them all.ˇ±

    ˇ°TommyˇŻs dead,ˇ± Caleb starts crying.

    Kieran starts to say something, and I step forward and whisper into his ear what he told me.

    ˇ°Oh,ˇ± Kieran looks at Caleb with concern. ˇ°Caleb, letˇŻs eat.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm not hungry.ˇ±

    ˇ°YouˇŻre pale as hell and wobbly on your feet,ˇ± Kieran says. ˇ°And youˇŻre leaking magic. YouˇŻre hungry and need to eat.ˇ±

    CalebˇŻs leaking magic? How can Kieran tell?

    ˇ°How can you tell IˇŻm leaking magic?ˇ± Caleb asks, then sniffs his arm. ˇ°I canˇŻt smell it.ˇ±

    DidnˇŻt you tell us that magic doesnˇŻt smell?

    ˇ°No,ˇ± Caleb looks at me. He hears that thought. ˇ°I said that regular people canˇŻt smell magic. I can. It has to do with-ˇ±

    ˇ°DonˇŻt say it!ˇ± I put my hand over his mouth and lock my gaze with his. ˇ°Caleb, absolutely, under no circumstances, should you tell anyone that. We can tell our team, but no one else. Got it?ˇ±

    Caleb nods.

    ˇ°Good,ˇ± I say, then look around. I spot the Quartet, minus Flame. ˇ°WhereˇŻs Flame?ˇ±

    ˇ°He got kicked out,ˇ± Brooks answers. ˇ°Yesterday. He was recruited into the GMDF.ˇ±

    Caleb licks my hand, and I jerk it away as I realize IˇŻm still covering his mouth. Oops.

    ˇ°Oh, good,ˇ± Caleb looks relieved. ˇ°Teacher told me itˇŻs alright if other people learn real magic. IˇŻm sure the GMDF will be happy to have a true magician in their forces.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻve told him youˇŻre back,ˇ± Brooks said. ˇ°HeˇŻs probably going to be on his way here.ˇ±

    ˇ°HeˇŻs here,ˇ± Caleb says as Flame suddenly appears in front of us, looking confused. ˇ°Hullo, Flame.ˇ±

    ˇ°Whoa,ˇ± Flame looks confused as he spins around multiple times, looking around. ˇ°How did that happen?ˇ±

    ˇ°Spatial magic,ˇ± Caleb responds with a tone that suggests FlameˇŻs an idiot ¨C and the expression to match. ˇ°How else?ˇ±

    ˇ°I thought you needed a pond for that?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°For long distances,ˇ± Caleb shakes his head. ˇ°A short distance is easy in comparison, though now IˇŻm all dizzy and stuff, because I havenˇŻt eaten enough food. Whoa. Everything is spinning. Hullo, Flame.ˇ±

    ˇ°Only agents of the GDSF and its recruits are permitted on the property,ˇ± a staff member finally decides this is enough and approaches us. ˇ°Flame is not permitted-ˇ±

    He silences when Caleb looks at him.

    ˇ°Better,ˇ± Caleb says, then moves to an empty seat.

    He wobbled the entire way over there, and barely collapsed into the seat. That boy needs to hold up on using his magic.

    ˇ°Caleb, stop using magic,ˇ± Brooks says. ˇ°YouˇŻre going to pass out.ˇ±

    ˇ°Gimme, like, fifteen,ˇ± Caleb waves a hand. ˇ°Teacher says IˇŻm crazy if I use that magic, and that no sane dragon would attempt something like that, because of how much power it takes. A bunch of smaller hops are way better. I figured out the spells in reverse.ˇ±

    Of course you did, Caleb.

    The staff is at a loss as to what to do, and I canˇŻt blame them. A recruit they kicked out got dragged in by a recruit who went missing two months prior, who returned with a recruit who was pulled out by the Council.

    And said missing recruit is powerful enough of a magician that no Superhuman can really do anything to him. I can tell some of the more senior staff are more amused by the others attempting to kick Flame out and deal with Caleb. I just sit down and eat, because I know that what Caleb wants is whatˇŻs going to happen.

    After Caleb burns off a few thousand calories to fuel the magic he regenerates, he clears the table in front of him, puts his arms down, his head on his arms, and promptly passes out. Flame chats with his brothers and me a little bit, and Kieran just watches Caleb until he wakes up.

    <hr>

    ~~(Caleb)~~

    That was a nice nap, but now, I have to bring Flame back to the GMDF. He gives his brothers a hug, then I put a hand on his shoulder and transport us to the GMDF training facility. I decided to drop him off near Tucker, since I know him.

    ˇ°Whoa!ˇ± Tucker jumps, throwing up a couple of hands. ˇ°Dude! Flame! Stop that! First, you just vanish from in front of me, then you just appear! Umˇ­ hi? Who are you?ˇ±

    ˇ°Caleb Rivers,ˇ± I answer. ˇ°GSDF cadet. Flame thinks youˇŻre cute and wants to kiss you. Anyway, I was just bringing Flame back. Bye.ˇ±

    ˇ°Wait!ˇ± Tucker exclaims, face bright red. ˇ°YouˇŻre Caleb Rivers?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± I say. ˇ°I did say that, didnˇŻt I? Oh, Flame ¨C guess what? TeacherˇŻs a dragon!ˇ±

    ˇ°What?ˇ± Flame asks. ˇ°Seriously?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah!ˇ± I nod. ˇ°ItˇŻs so cool! I got to see his dragon form! He didnˇŻt realize I was there, and was going to kill the doggy, because apparently, the dragons and the doggy donˇŻt get along, and he had no idea why one would even go to his islands, so he took on his dragon form to kill the doggy, and then realized I was there. He was so beautiful and majesticˇ­ I didnˇŻt realize it was him at first, though. ˇ°

    ˇ°Dragons donˇŻt like dogs?ˇ± Flame asks.

    ˇ°No,ˇ± I shake my head. ˇ°They donˇŻt like a certain type of doggy. The kind that Kilmar is. I think they should all just get along and be happy. The doggy was so nice. I got upset at Teacher for trying to kill him. I kept sleeping on the doggy, just in case Teacher changed his mind. Flame ¨C Tucker thinks youˇŻre cute, too. You two should totally go on a date. I wanna take pictures of you two cuddling.ˇ±

    They both turn bright red, and before either one of them can respond, I transport myself to my bunk, giggling. A few of the cadets are startled.

    ˇ°Caleb,ˇ± one of them I donˇŻt remember the name of says. ˇ°YouˇŻre back.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± I giggle. ˇ°I just left Flame alone with his newest crush. Anyway. I need to sleep some more. Used way too much magic.ˇ±

    That, and I donˇŻt want to think about Tommy more. ItˇŻs depressing. IˇŻm grateful to Jared for letting me cry on him, though. I really needed that. ItˇŻs made it easier for me.

 Chapter 016

    ~~(Kieran)~~

    ˇ°Colonel Kieran!ˇ± A Lieutenant approaches me, then salutes.

    I glare at her, and she continues to salute.

    Just because IˇŻm in uniform, doesnˇŻt mean anyone needs to salute to me, and IˇŻm just going to stare at her until she tells me why sheˇŻs bothering me when IˇŻm on my way to change back into my regular clothes.

    ˇ°Just tell him what you want,ˇ± another colonel approaches us, saluting to her, then dropping his hand. ˇ°He doesnˇŻt follow protocol on stuff like this. At ease,ˇ± she relaxes. ˇ°HeˇŻs probably regretting not putting up his perception field.ˇ±

    Caleb told me not to, because it was confusing him. I find that a little bit funny, since he doesnˇŻt even notice it, unless he notices the ripples around me (at least, thatˇŻs what he says the field appears as to him, but only barely-noticeable).

    He probably finds it confusing because others canˇŻt notice me, while he can.

    I hate that I canˇŻt figure out a way to make him not notice me. I know he sometimes pretends like he doesnˇŻt, but heˇŻs just pretending.

    ˇ°IˇŻve been asked to hand you this envelope,ˇ± the Lieutenant holds out the envelope she had tucked under her arm. ˇ°IˇŻll need your answer for the mission immediately.ˇ±

    ˇ°Declined.ˇ±

    ˇ°You didnˇŻt even look at it, sir,ˇ± she says. ˇ°What would you like me to tell the Board as to the reason for declining it?ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm not here as staff?ˇ± I suggest.

    ˇ°Do you know which mission it is?ˇ± The colonel asks her.

    ˇ°No, sir,ˇ± she says. ˇ°Though I did hear mention of something to do with water.ˇ±

    ˇ°You might want to look at it, then,ˇ± the Colonel looks at me. ˇ°I know that Caleb, Jared, and Brooks were all up for an aquatic mission.ˇ±

    An aquatic mission?

    I take the envelope and open it, skimming through the packet inside.

    The mission appears to be a simple one ¨C ten cadets will swim down to some Ruins underwater using diving gear. Within, there are ten pseudo-artifacts the cadets will have to retrieve, each one modeled after their respective cadet. It can only be handled by said cadet, until placed on a small stone disc.

    Then, the artifact will just return to its natural state as a stone cylinder, but that partˇŻs irrelevant.

    The Ruins are filled with monsters, and the cadets will not necessarily be able to take on the monsters for their artifact on their own. They will be ignorant of the locations for their own artifacts, and must explore the Ruins to find them.

    The more powerful and likely to find the artifact, the easier it will be to locate them.

    The Board classified this mission as ˇ®individualˇŻ, meaning the cadets will perform this on their own, despite the others being around.

    The cadets will be judged on whether or not they retrieved their artifacts. At least, thatˇŻs what theyˇŻll be told. CalebˇŻs under strict orders not to reveal hidden details anymoreˇ­

    That can be quite chaotic, we determined.

    The judges will also be looking at how much extra they do ¨C will they only retrieve their artifact, then leave? Will they assist those they are friends with? Will they assist the strangers? The ones they donˇŻt like?

    Each of the boys knows four of the others ¨C two as friends, two as enemies. There will be cadets of varying Ability levels there, ranging from E-Rank to Caleb. IˇŻm surprised they found people Caleb considers enemies.

    TheyˇŻre probably people who consider Caleb enemies. Calebˇ­ really only sees monsters and demons and such as his enemies.

    Them, and anyone who would try to break up our teamˇ­

    I still want to know what, exactly, went on in the Fuller mansion yesterday.

    Looking at the map of the Ruins, CalebˇŻs artifact will be right at the entrance. He can just walk in, grab it, and leave. One of the other cadets, his artifact rests at the very back of the Ruins, past halls filled with monsters.

    Good thing they donˇŻt actually have to retrieve itˇ­ Ruins make Territory and Passive Territory useless, and unless itˇŻs dealing with his team directly, or a threat to people from monsters and demons and crap, Caleb wonˇŻt care enough to actually be capable of fighting.

    Especially not right nowˇ­

    Thomasˇ­ I canˇŻt believe he was still alive. I canˇŻt believe he tried to kill Caleb, either.

    And what does Caleb mean by that heˇŻs carrying on ThomasˇŻs legacy? HeˇŻs mentioned it every time heˇŻs talked about Thomas so farˇ­ but we canˇŻt get him to expand on that ¨C he just breaks down into tears.

    A crying Creator is not a fun thing. Creators are, at the core, Territories. When Caleb breaks down like that, things start getting a little wonky. We havenˇŻt told him, butˇ­

    Shaking my head, I finish skimming the paperwork, then return it to the envelope.

    ˇ°This says IˇŻm supposed to meet the cadets in half an hour,ˇ± I look at the Lieutenant.

    ˇ°Yes,ˇ± she says. ˇ°TheyˇŻll be notified in ten minutes, regardless of who is doing it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Inform the Board that I will,ˇ± I state. ˇ°I need to change out of my uniform, first.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs not-ˇ±

    I donˇŻt hear the rest of her protest, as IˇŻve melded into shadows and left the hall, arriving in the dorm. Caleb, Brooks, and Jared are at CalebˇŻs bunk, chatting. CalebˇŻs sitting on his own, while Jared and Brooks are sitting on JaredˇŻs.

    ItˇŻs a Thursday. At ten in the morning.

    ˇ°Why arenˇŻt you three in class?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°I know you were ordered there, despite only having just returned.ˇ±

    ˇ°It was dismissed earlier,ˇ± Caleb answers. ˇ°A unicorn showed up and kept disrupting things.ˇ±

    I raise an eyebrow.

    ˇ°It wasnˇŻt me,ˇ± he raises his hands. ˇ°It just showed up. I donˇŻt know it, either. It just showed up and started disrupting things until they dismissed us to deal with it.ˇ±

    Unicorns are powerful beings. Not much offensive power, but they have so much raw magic swirling within them that theyˇŻre valuable.

    And protected. ItˇŻs illegal to hunt or kill them. That means theyˇŻll probably be trying to get rid of it all day. I do remember hearing about a unicorn disrupting classes a few years ago ¨C it took them nineteen hours to get it to leave.

    TheyˇŻre drawn to powerful magicians or Superhumans, which makes it understandable theyˇŻd dismiss these three. They probably dismissed the other powerful ones from class as well.

    Though IˇŻm surprised itˇŻs not, like, following Caleb around, with how much power he has.

    ˇ°Window,ˇ± Caleb says.

    ˇ°Huh?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Your expression,ˇ± he says. ˇ°You were wondering why the unicorn wasnˇŻt following me around. Look out the window.ˇ±

    I look at the windows, which are all covered with their shades. ThatˇŻsˇ­ not normal. TheyˇŻre usually open, except at night. Once everyone is changed, they open. It lets instructors see if someoneˇŻs in the dorms from outside.

    Using my Ability, I look outside, and the unicorn looks back at me, snorting.

    Ah.

    ItˇŻs trying to get in here. I use my Ability, and confirm that Caleb has erected a magical barrier protecting this room from the unicorn, preventing its entrance.

    ˇ°We were discussing,ˇ± Caleb says. ˇ°If I should just send the unicorn to one of my islands.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do it,ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs four for, zero against,ˇ± Caleb nods, then blinks. The unicorn walks through the wall and approaches Caleb. ˇ°Hi, horsey!ˇ±

    He slides off his bed and rubs the unicornˇŻs mane.

    TheyˇŻre also attracted to the pure of heart. Caleb is pure in his heart, despite everything heˇŻs gone through. A natural attraction.

    With everything heˇŻs gone through, I canˇŻt help but wonder how long that pureness will last. There is no way pain isnˇŻt in our future, especially CalebˇŻs.

    ˇ°Sure,ˇ± Caleb says. ˇ°But you have to leave campus. Want to go to my island? Yeah, itˇŻs beautiful. IˇŻve got several. There we go! Thanks! Here you go!ˇ±

    The unicorn vanishes, and I look at him.

    ˇ°What?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°What was the ˇ®sureˇŻ to?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Oh,ˇ± Caleb shrugs. ˇ°He wanted to be my familiar.ˇ±

    I smack my head into the bunkbed.

    ˇ°Caleb Rivers, Jared Fuller, Brooks,ˇ± a cadet walks into the room, holding three sheets of paper. ˇ°Orders.ˇ±

    ˇ°Finally,ˇ± Caleb walks over and grabs the three. ˇ°Time for a mission.ˇ±

    <hr>

    ~~(Jared)~~

    ˇ°So what can you tell us about the Ruins?ˇ± I ask Caleb as we pull on the wetsuits.

    ˇ°Not much,ˇ± he shrugs. ˇ°Territories donˇŻt work in them, so I canˇŻt see anything inside.ˇ±

    Really? I didnˇŻt think he had issues before. Then again, he hasnˇŻt actually been in Ruins with us, and with the Enchanted Forest, he cast a massive Reality Marble over it.

    Caleb ¨C can you do that again, or no?

    ˇ°Caleb,ˇ± I say when he doesnˇŻt respond to my thoughts. He seems to be selective about who he doesnˇŻt tune out, and when. ˇ°Could you cast another Reality Marble over the Ruins?ˇ±

    ˇ°Probably?ˇ± He doesnˇŻt look sure. ˇ°With the Enchanted Forest, I had to anchor it to the Enchanted Trees for power, so it could actually work. With the Ruins, there isnˇŻt much to anchor it to, but theyˇŻre small enough I probably wouldnˇŻt need to, and my own Ability would probably suffice. I donˇŻt think I can do it, here.ˇ±

    ˇ°But you just said-ˇ± one of the cadets IˇŻve seen around, but not really gotten to know, looks angry. ˇ°That you probably could do it with your Ability alone. You just donˇŻt want to help us, do you?ˇ±

    ˇ°What?ˇ± Caleb looks hurt. ˇ°I do! I justˇ­ I canˇŻt do it!ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah, you can!ˇ± The kid says. ˇ°You just donˇŻt want to!ˇ±

    Noˇ­ Caleb canˇŻt. Looking at the look of fear on CalebˇŻs face, I know that he canˇŻt. HeˇŻs terrified. He could use it at the Enchanted Forest because he knew we would all likely end up dead if he didnˇŻt. At the mock battle, he had to pep himself up, but had a strong reason for it ¨C so that we wouldnˇŻt lose. A powerful, single-minded goal allows him to use his Ability and magic in such a way.

    The most powerful magician I know, save for Teacher, canˇŻt do Reality Marbles without a powerful enough reason, because of what happened to him when he was but six years old.

    ˇ°Yes, I do!ˇ± Caleb protests. ˇ°I just canˇŻt!ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, you-ˇ±

    ˇ°Enough!ˇ± I interrupt, noting the shifting of space that occurs whenever CalebˇŻs emotions become heightened.

    He subconsciously claims the area around him as his Territory, and begins shaping it to a more comfortable setting. Once his mind is interrupted, however, everything shifts back to normal.

    ˇ°Caleb,ˇ± I say. ˇ°You are not obligated to help us. This mission is individual, they are simply putting us here as a group, so they donˇŻt have to run us separately. Leave behind those who would demand help of you, for they are those who will not go far in life.ˇ±

    ˇ°Says the guy wearing enough metal to weigh him down,ˇ± the other cadet snorts. ˇ°You wonˇŻt get very far in the water.ˇ±

    I so want to hurt him right now, but CalebˇŻs present, and heˇŻd frown upon that.

    ˇ°I frown upon a lot of things,ˇ± Caleb mutters, pulling on his breather, then turning to face the edge of the lake and mumbles something through his breather.

    Caleb jumps into the water, and I look around, realizing that Brooks and a couple of more cadets are already gone.

    I pull on my goggles and breather, then give the cadet the bird before jumping into the water. The moment IˇŻm submerged, I shift my metal down to my feet, turning them into propellers and spinning them.

    On my way down, I pass up several cadets, arriving at the Ruins within a few minutes of jumping into the water. The entrance rests on the floor, with steps leading up into the Ruins, which stand over a hundred feet tall.

    I swim up the stairs, breaking the surface of the water and moving to the steps as my metal resumes its place as bracelets, necklaces, and other things around my body.

    At the top of the steps, I find myself in a large room, the walls made of some sort of blue-green stone with a sparkle to them. Caleb and Brooks are already here, both of them dry as a feather.

    CalebˇŻs suit is nowhere to be seen, and heˇŻs dressed in light green cargo shorts, a light blue t-shirt with a light green ¨C but darker than the shorts ¨C vest over top his tee, and black combat boots.

    ˇ°Hey, Jared,ˇ± Caleb looks at us, then pats one of his pockets. ˇ°My figurine was in here.ˇ±

    ˇ°There arenˇŻt even any monsters in here,ˇ± I look around, and then hear the sounds of them coming from beyond the passage out of here, my metal shifting, forming several blades behind me.

    ˇ°They wonˇŻt enter,ˇ± Caleb says. ˇ°The Ruins wonˇŻt allow them to enter this room. ˇ°

    ˇ°So the artifacts,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Are scattered throughout the Ruins, and we have to find ours and bring it back to the surface?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± Caleb nods. ˇ°I really wanted to go exploring, but my artifactˇŻs right here.ˇ±

    He looks upset about that. Very, very upset about it. He had his heart set on exploring the Ruins.

    ˇ°Well,ˇ± I say. ˇ°You can always join the rest of us. IˇŻm sure weˇŻll need aid later on, if there are monsters here.ˇ±

    ˇ°You can handle yourselves,ˇ± Caleb sighs. ˇ°ThereˇŻs no good way for me to do this.ˇ±

    His clothes shift into the wetsuit, goggles, and breather, and he walks down the steps. I look at Brooks, and realize that he never changed into his wetsuit.

    ˇ°Can you breathe underwater?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± he nods. ˇ°And see underwater, too. If youˇŻre impressed by that ¨C our village isnˇŻt too far from a volcano. Guess what FlameˇŻs favorite thing to do, when he was allowed, was.ˇ±

    ˇ°No way,ˇ± I say, and he nods. ˇ°Flame would go swimming in the lava?ˇ±

    ˇ°Magma,ˇ± Brooks shakes his head. ˇ°ItˇŻs lava only once it pierces the surface, and it was all below. He once nearly caused it to blow, tooˇ­ thatˇŻs what happens when Flame does what he wants and gets excited, though. ThereˇŻs a phoenix living there, and they got into an argument, and, wellˇ­ yeah. It nearly blew as a result. His fault entirely.ˇ±

    ˇ°LetˇŻs go get our artifacts.ˇ±

    We move on into the next room, where there are two artifacts waiting ¨C one at the front, and one at the back. This oneˇŻs mine, and the otherˇŻs probably BrooksˇŻs.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    I grab mine, assessing the dozen or so monsters milling about. TheyˇŻre all reptilian, and IˇŻd put them at E-Rank. Brooks can handle them on his own.

    Now I know why Caleb made the comment about not having a good way to do this.

    They placed the artifacts so that the ones more likely to be able to get them will find them faster, in easier areas, while those more likely to struggle will have to fight ¨C and possibly fail ¨C to obtain theirs.

    They arenˇŻt looking at if we actually obtain the artifacts, but if weˇŻll assist others who need it. TheyˇŻll look at our effort to obtain ours, even if we fail to do so.

    For Caleb, they can claim he knew beforehand, and was only helping others to look good. If he doesnˇŻt help others out ¨C despite being the most powerful of us all ¨C heˇŻll be judged as heartless.

    Brooks and I kill off all of the monsters in this room, and they fade into nothing. He retrieves his artifact, then we wait for the others to show up. Some of the weaker cadets arrive first, but I wait ¨C specifically ¨C for the arrogant brat to show up.

    His artifact probably isnˇŻt very far in, so he doesnˇŻt need help.

    When he emerges from the entrance and drops his breather and goggles to his neck, I approach him, and he glares at me.

    ˇ°This is classified information,ˇ± I say. ˇ°So I can get into a ton of trouble for telling you, but IˇŻm telling you this now ¨C do not hate on Caleb. Do not judge him for how he is. He has hangups about using his power because, when he was six years old, he used it, and everyone he loved and cared about died. He only recently found out two were still alive. And before you interrupt me ¨C that incident seven years ago ¨C where that happened ¨C was him trying to save them from a certain massacre that occurred seven years ago.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you honestly expect me to believe that Caleb survived the-ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt care what you believe,ˇ± I interrupt him. ˇ°But Caleb survived the Alkran City Massacre. So did Kieran. ItˇŻs part of why they are the way they are, more Caleb than Kieran. Kieran just doesnˇŻt like people in general, but idolizes Caleb. Caleb went through something far more traumatic than Kieran ¨C believing that he killed his family ¨C and is only recently coming to terms that his Ability is not, in fact, the reason they died, but the reason he and Kieran ¨C and possibly others people were unaware of ¨C survived. If you donˇŻt believe me, then I will happily acquire for you the classified file stating this. Please know, though, that sharing this information, as it is classified, constitutes a crime. I, myself, am technically breaking the law by telling you this.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then how I can believe youˇŻre serious?ˇ± He snorts. ˇ°I doubt the great Jared Fuller ¨C son of Councilman Fuller ¨C would dare do something to get his father into trouble.ˇ±

    ˇ°Because,ˇ± my metal binds him to a wall in a heartbeat. ˇ°I will do anything to protect Caleb. Caleb has hangups about his Ability, and will only use it when the reason is strong enough. At the BT exam, he was able to use it as a way to prove to himself he could. At the Enchanted Forest, he was able to create one with magic because he had a powerful ¨C and rightful ¨C feeling that something awful would happen if he didnˇŻt. As you know, only a few survived. If Caleb didnˇŻt have the hangups he did, no one would have died. He is carrying with him that, as a result.

    ˇ°So what youˇŻre going to do,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Is once we leave, youˇŻre going to apologize to him. YouˇŻre going to say youˇŻre sorry for treating him the way you did, and then, youˇŻre going to shut the fuck up and leave him alone.ˇ±

    I release him, my metal returning to me, and watch as he makes his way into the next chamber.

    HeˇŻs powerful, but heˇŻs a fucking coward. He pissed himself, and from the looks of his wetsuit, probably shit himself, too.

    Five minutes after he moves on to the next area, he returns, artifact in hand. He quickly makes his way out of here.

    Congratulations ¨C you failed to help those in need, working only for yourself.

    I should probably stop waiting and look for someone who needs help. Caleb would be disappointed in me for not doing so. I donˇŻt have full access to my Ability, but I still have plenty of power in me.

    The first chamber is cleared of monsters, and there are two passages leading off of it. Closing my eyes, I listen for the sounds of combat ¨C or just monsters. They both have them, but the right-hand passage has them closer.

    I make my way down it to find an E-Rank cadet standing there. I canˇŻt remember his Ability, just that heˇŻs E-Rank. I actually barely remember him, so IˇŻm surprised I know his Rank.

    HeˇŻs currently pinned to the ground by a monster, and with a flick of my wrist, it dies, fading away. The cadet scrambles to his feet, looking at me. HeˇŻs got iron bands on him.

    Ah, right ¨C a Manipulator of metals. Iron, specifically. I remember seeing him, now ¨C this morning, at breakfast, before the unicorn showed up and decided to stalk Caleb. I donˇŻt know what he can do, just that heˇŻs an iron Manipulator.

    ˇ°You look like,ˇ± I say. ˇ°YouˇŻre having a little bit of trouble with the monsters. Would you like some help?ˇ±

    He looks at me warily.

    ˇ°The monsters will only get stronger,ˇ± I inform him. ˇ°And I think theyˇŻve placed the artifacts so that the less-likely you are to be able to retrieve it, the farther in it will be. ItˇŻs likely to prevent powerhouses like me from wiping everything out on the way to our artifacts.ˇ±

    Probably the truth, but definitely not the full truth.

    ˇ°You donˇŻt help anyone but yourself,ˇ± he says. ˇ°Everyone knows that.ˇ±

    ˇ°Caleb,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Would be disappointed in me if I didnˇŻt help those less-fortunate, when IˇŻm able to. If I leave here without having helped someone, heˇŻd give me a stern glare for not doing so, and youˇŻve never been on the receiving end of that. Trust me ¨C itˇŻs not pleasant.ˇ±

    Not in the slightest. ItˇŻs like heˇŻs staring into my soul when he does.

    <hr>

    ~~(Brooks)~~

    These Ruins arenˇŻt affecting my Ability in the slightest, likely due to its aquatic nature. IˇŻve heard tell that Ruins of a nature similar to your Ability could have diminished effects ¨C or none at all ¨C on your Ability.

    I do think I terrified the poor boy, though ¨C IˇŻve already assisted two others, and came across an E-Rank who was doing his best not to get hit as he tried to get past the monsters.

    So I filled the room with water, but made it not affect us. The monsters drowned, and then I released the water, and now, heˇŻs just standing there, frozen.

    The cadet, that is.

    ˇ°You alright?ˇ± I ask after approaching him, and he jumps, turning to face me, and from his expression, I know he doesnˇŻt know me. ˇ°IˇŻm Brooks, one of the Elemental Quartet. Saw you needing help, so figured IˇŻd assist you.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻmˇ­ fine,ˇ± he takes a deep breath. ˇ°IˇŻve never been in Ruins before, and my Ability isnˇŻt working at all. I canˇŻt find my artifact, either. IˇŻve tried going in the easier rooms, but only saw them for others.ˇ±

    HeˇŻs scared. BT is supposed to ease that, but nothing prepares someone for entering monster-filled Ruins for the first time, especially when it completely removes their ability to use their Ability.

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs your Ability?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Manipulation,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°I can wield fire, but itˇŻs not working here.ˇ±

    ˇ°Probably due to the aquatic nature of this place,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°IˇŻm a Manipulator of water, as IˇŻm sure you probably figured out.ˇ±

    ˇ°That was you who flooded the room?ˇ± A look of realization crosses his face.

    Oh, boyˇ­

    ˇ°Yes,ˇ± I say. ˇ°That was me who flooded the room. With my help, we can probably find your artifact quickly ¨C IˇŻm an A-Rank Superhuman, and from what IˇŻve seen so far, the monsters here probably wonˇŻt go higher than C-Rank. TheyˇŻd have to really gang up to be able to take me out.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thanks,ˇ± he nods. ˇ°ItˇŻs appreciated. Do you already have yours?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± I pull it out from under my shirt. ˇ°IˇŻm powerful enough that it was in the first chamber, past the entrance. CalebˇŻs was right there when I got off the steps. IˇŻm guessing they went ˇ®screw itˇŻ when trying to figure out where to place his, due to how powerful he is.ˇ±

    ˇ°WhereˇŻs he?ˇ± He looks around. ˇ°IˇŻve heard heˇŻs the most powerful Superhuman in the world.ˇ±

    ˇ°Second,ˇ± I correct. ˇ°His Teacher is the most powerful. He left after retrieving his artifact, entrusting Jared and I to help the rest of you. HeˇŻs powerful, but he doesnˇŻt necessarily have finesse, so him acting to aid others in the Ruins could actually destroy them.ˇ±

    ˇ°Seriously?ˇ± His eyes bug out.

    ˇ°Yup.ˇ±

    And thatˇŻs not exactly something I want to experience from within the Ruins.

    CalebˇŻs told me about that fear last night, and when he did, I realized why he took on a supporting role instead of an offensive one.

    The cadet ¨C Todd ¨C and I make our way through this entire portion of the Ruins, finally making it to the final room, where a massive, lizardish creature awaits us.

    The creature itself is probably twelve feet tall, is covered in metallic, blue-green scales, its eyes a deep crimson in color. Two legs, two arms.

    Three entrances to this room, and I barely take in the fact that ToddˇŻs artifact rests on a pedestal at the other end of the room before two things happen.

    The first is that Jared enters from another entrance.

    The second is that the ˇ®bossˇŻ attacks.

    I throw up my hands, blocking it with water, but that barely deflects the strike.

    Jared flicks his wrists, his bracelets turning into spikes as they soar through they air. They connect with the lizard, and bounce right off its scales, not even scratching them.

    ˇ°Go for your artifact,ˇ± I tell Todd as the lizard temporarily refocuses on Jared. ˇ°As soon as you get it, go back the way we came. Jared and I will make sure you get out.ˇ±

    He nods, then runs off. The lizard moves to intercept him, and I burst my steps, kicking it in the head with as much force as I dare. That knocks it off-balance for a moment, but then it grabs me as I land and throws me at Jared.

    Something grips me in the air, and I look to see a giant made of metal standing there, the thing that caught me. JaredˇŻs sweating and turned pale. This must be pushing the limits of what he can do in here, and with such little metal.

    The giant puts me down, then charges the lizard, which smacks it, sending it flying. The giant slams into a wall, falling apart, the metal shrinking back into the things Jared wears around him.

    ˇ°Damn,ˇ± Jared drops to one knee. ˇ°This thing is easily A-Rank, probably S-Rank. Makes me wish Caleb was here.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± I agree. ˇ°But if he went out of a supportive role, heˇŻd probably take down the entire Ruins.ˇ±

    Jared looks at me in shock.

    ˇ°I hadnˇŻt considered that,ˇ± he says as the lizard moves to block the other cadet. ˇ°Note that itˇŻs not attacking him ¨C just blocking his path. We canˇŻt distract it long enough for him to get through.ˇ±

    ˇ°Unison Strike?ˇ± I suggest.

    It isnˇŻt attacking him, yet it attacked us when we came in. Why?

    ˇ°Even if that would work,ˇ± Jared says. ˇ°What good would your water do for my metal?ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs it!ˇ± I exclaim, and he raises an eyebrow. ˇ°ItˇŻll fight us, because weˇŻre a threat, but it knows that Todd isnˇŻt a threat and canˇŻt get past him. As long as weˇŻre a threat, itˇŻll fight us, unless Todd gets too close. Yes ¨C a Unison Strike will be what we need. LetˇŻs do it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Even the two of us meshed,ˇ± Jared sighs. ˇ°ItˇŻs not as if your water would work with my metal.ˇ±

    ˇ°Huh?ˇ± I look at him.

    ˇ°And if you think we can kill this thing with mud, youˇŻll really have to think again.ˇ±

    ˇ°I wasnˇŻt referring to water,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Much like you, I had to figure out the base form of my element.ˇ±

    ˇ°The base form?ˇ±

    ˇ°Water,ˇ± I smile at him. ˇ°Flame isnˇŻt the only one who goes by a name of his choosing, though mineˇŻs only slightly different. I picked Brooks, but my real name? ItˇŻs Frost.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ice,ˇ± he realizes. ˇ°That might work. But we have no idea if we mesh.ˇ±

    ˇ°Water works with all,ˇ± I tell him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

    Instantly, a pathway between us opens, and I can feel his power flowing through him ¨C and the dragon within as well.

    Jared gasps as I poke the dragon, and then looks at me.

    Now, we have a more powerful Unison Strike we can perform.

    Jared, with his eyes wide, welcomes my draconic power as I offer it to him, and we merge. The lizard looks at us as we begin the Strike.

    The metal gathers back up, reforming into the giant, this time, with an icy touch to it. Liquid ice flows across its surface, frosty in appearance. A frosty aura surrounds the giant as it approaches the lizard, which attacks.

    The giant stops the attack with its arm, then we rip off the lizardˇŻs head. The lizard drops to the ground, then both parts fade away.

    The Strike ends, and Jared and I both drop to our knees, Jared falling over after a moment. I check him ¨C heˇŻs just unconscious. HeˇŻd already wore himself out with his Ability creating the first giant. Having his dragon woken, then using its power, drained him completely.

    ˇ°Hup!ˇ± I lift Jared up and onto my shoulder, then look at Todd. ˇ°LetˇŻs get out of here, before monsters start respawning.ˇ±

    He nods, and we make our way to the exit.

    <hr>

    ~~(Caleb)~~

    ˇ°And why, exactly, do you think our decision is wrong?ˇ± The instructor asks as Kieran watches, amused. ˇ°You didnˇŻt bother to help any of the others, despite having the clear ability to. You knew that the mission would judge you based on that.ˇ±

    ˇ°No, I didnˇŻt,ˇ± I say. ˇ°And the fact that youˇŻre using that means youˇŻd have failed me anyway, saying that I knew beforehand, and was only doing it for the credit. Have you not seen me use my Ability and magic before? IˇŻm not skilled enough to go small-scale in combat ¨C thatˇŻs why I go supportive. Not much I can do on that level when my Ability doesnˇŻt work, and reality magics donˇŻt, either. If I tried helping them take out the monsters, IˇŻd end up destroying the Ruins, and I was under the assumption that you wanted the cadets to survive.ˇ±

    ˇ°You could have created barriers and buffs,ˇ± the instructor says.

    ˇ°With my magic?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°For an exam for Superhumans? You are joking, right?ˇ±

    ˇ°No,ˇ± he says. ˇ°The point is, you failed to-ˇ±

    ˇ°Please deal with him,ˇ± I tell the unicorn. ˇ°HeˇŻs being mean.ˇ±

    ˇ°You canˇŻt just summon a unicorn and tell it to defend you!ˇ± The instructor says. ˇ°IˇŻm not overturning the decision!ˇ±

    ˇ°Fine,ˇ± I look at the unicorn. ˇ°You can return to the island. Doggy! Can you come here?ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh, boy,ˇ± the instructor sighs. ˇ°You really think a little dog is going toˇ­ what. The. Fuck. Is. That?ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs my doggy!ˇ± I tell him. ˇ°Doggy ¨C heˇŻs being mean and trying to say I fail the test because I wouldnˇŻt destroy the Ruins, but heˇŻd have failed me for trying to help my teammates anyway, apparently, because I should have known that weˇŻd be graded on it, which I didnˇŻt, because Teacher taught me how to tune out the thoughts of others, so I did that so I wouldnˇŻt hear any secret details.ˇ±

    So what do you want me to do?

    ˇ°Can you lick him to death or something?ˇ±

    To death? I can do that.

    ˇ°ItˇŻs a phrase,ˇ± I say. ˇ°DonˇŻt actually kill him, doggy.ˇ±

    I know it is. How far do you want me to go?

    ˇ°To death.ˇ±

    Got it.

    The doggy approaches the instructor, who just rolls his eyes and flicks his wrist, hitting the doggy with his telekinesis.

    Allow me to introduce you to the wonderful species of Rift Wolves, mortal. Abilities donˇŻt work on us. Our power is akin to dragons. I am CalebˇŻs first familiar. You will eliminate your bias caused by your hatred of Territories, due to their overwhelming power against virtually all others, or I will kick your ass so hard, you will never sit again.

    The instructor doesnˇŻt listen, and when we all return to base, IˇŻm given orders to report for a hearing for attacking staff.

    I didnˇŻt actually attack him ¨C my familiar did. On his own. But I have to go anyway.

    The board looks at me, and listens to what I have to say. I can tell by their expressions that theyˇŻre not happy.

    ˇ°Familiars donˇŻt just attack people,ˇ± the man in charge says. ˇ°Not unless theyˇŻre ordered to.ˇ±

    ˇ°They will if their masterˇŻs in danger,ˇ± I remind him. ˇ°Plus ¨C have you ever tried to contain a doggy? ItˇŻs not easy. ThatˇŻs why I summoned the unicorn, first, but the guy told me I wasnˇŻt allowed to do that, so I summoned the doggy instead. And I really didnˇŻt know what the exam was before ¨C I just didnˇŻt want to destroy the Ruins. And the fact that he said I did know before means that he would have said that I failed the exam for helping them, too, because I only did it to pass, knowing thatˇŻs what we were being graded on.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs not what this hearing is about,ˇ± the lead states.

    ˇ°Well, it should be!ˇ± I say. ˇ°ItˇŻs an obvious bias against a Territory! Why put me on this mission if youˇŻre just going to use my Ability to say I fail? There was no good way to do that! And plus ¨C you canˇŻt just control a doggy. They do as they please.

    ˇ°Now,ˇ± I continue. ˇ°YouˇŻre going to determine that I did no wrong, as it was done by my familiar, unprovoked on my part, and the doggy did warn him heˇŻd attack if he didnˇŻt get rid of his biased decision. Then, youˇŻre going to rule that the decision on my fail was made through a bias against powerhouses. I was scared of destroying the Ruins, hence, I just left.ˇ±

    ˇ°No, we will not,ˇ± the lead says. ˇ°You have violated the rules, Cadet Rivers, and as such-ˇ±

    ˇ°Then I quit.ˇ±

    ˇ°Excuse me?ˇ±

    ˇ°No,ˇ± I say. ˇ°I wonˇŻt. I wonˇŻt work for people who will judge unfairly against people who are vastly superior in power ¨C so superior in power that they cannot safely assist in combat in a safe way in confined spaces, yet. As you are upholding that ruling, it is clear that this is not the place for me. Goodbye.ˇ±

    I turn and leave, making my way back to the dorms. Jared and Brooks are chatting, and Kieran is sitting on his bed, trying not to look bored.

    I start packing my things, and they all look at me.

    ˇ°Did they suspend you?ˇ± Jared asks. ˇ°I can have Father-ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm not suspended.ˇ±

    ˇ°They didnˇŻtˇ­ discharge you, did they?ˇ± Jared asks, eyes wide.

    ˇ°No,ˇ± I answer. ˇ°I quit. Kieran ¨C make sure they stay here.ˇ±

    ˇ°But-ˇ± Kieran protests.

    ˇ°As your team leader,ˇ± I look him in the eyes. ˇ°IˇŻm giving you an order. Make sure they stay in the GSDF. Do not quit, either. They are to continue training. The same goes for Flame and the GMDF. IˇŻll contact you when I know what IˇŻm doing. DonˇŻt expect to hear from me for awhile.ˇ±

    ˇ°But-ˇ±

    ˇ°For me, Kieran?ˇ± I ask, and he hangs his head down. ˇ°Thanks. IˇŻm quitting, but I want the rest of you to finish your training, here. WeˇŻll be a team when you graduate, donˇŻt worry.ˇ±

    My stuff packed into my storage, I close my eyes, teleporting myself to the lake on campus. Being winter, the sun has already set, the moon in the sky. ItˇŻs not a full moon, but it will work well enough without an incantation. To decrease the energy used, however, I still incant the words.

    Once the spell is complete, I adjust the ratio, then after confirming it, step through the lake, landing gently in the ruins of the old civilization.

    They, like most, are overgrown with nature, animals roaming freely. Unlike others, these ruins are nowhere near modern civilization, instead, they are surrounded by forests for over a hundred miles. Monsters roam the ruins, as well as the animals.

    It will give me the perfect place to train freely, without fear of hurting others. Only animals and monsters await me here, and I can damage the surroundings without fear. I can gain finesse in offensive styles.

    Maybe IˇŻll even awaken the dragon within me. Jared somehow did during the training mission, and I want to beat Kieran to it.

    <hr>

    ~~(???)~~

    Dammit, Caleb! Where the hell did you go? I sensed your magic, but the moment I tried to track you, I hit a fucking wall!

    How the hell did you figure out a way to block me out? I know Father said you possess more power than me, but youˇŻre too restricted by whatever is restricting you to actually do it!

    That damn boyˇ­

    He takes after his father way too much.

    And his fatherˇŻs father, for that matterˇ­

    Checking in on the GSDF, I find that he quit, all because of a stupid thing. On their part, not his. IˇŻm furious about that, and am debating on paying the Council of Dreams a visit. Before that, I check on his team, to see how theyˇŻre doing.

    ˇ°IˇŻm calling Father,ˇ± Jared stands up, looking at Brooks and Kieran. ˇ°I do agree with Caleb that it was stupid for them to judge him that way. They just lost what is the most powerful agent either force has ever had over it. The Council will not be happy at the judgment, nor will they be pleased to hear that he quit as a result of it.ˇ±

    Kind of the same thing there, Jaredˇ­

    ˇ°Will that actually change anything?ˇ± Brooks asks. ˇ°I know your fatherˇŻs a Councilman, but wouldnˇŻt they say that CalebˇŻs reaction ¨C essentially a tantrum ¨C is just evidence heˇŻs not mature enough to be here?ˇ±

    ˇ°Maybe,ˇ± Jared says. ˇ°But remember ¨C Caleb survived the Alkran Massacre, and has a lot of baggage heˇŻs working through. The Council will take that into consideration. They will also factor in that keeping Caleb around until he works his way through his issues will be a plus, as it means that Caleb will still be loyal to them ¨C and thus, theyˇŻll have a being on the level of the ancients, in power, on their side.

    ˇ°If heˇŻs not GSDF, they canˇŻt, technically, control him. He is a registered Hunter, as are all agents and cadets. He can do stuff on his own, and, if word gets out that he was driven out of the GSDF as he does his own thing, people will start to rally behind him ¨C even if he doesnˇŻt know theyˇŻre doing it. TheyˇŻll support him because heˇŻs powerful, and because he can actually handle threats.ˇ±

    ˇ°But he canˇŻt,ˇ± Brooks says.

    Yeah, he canˇŻt. You need to remember that, Jared.

    ˇ°Right now,ˇ± Jared nods. ˇ°But the Council is called the ˇ®Council of DreamsˇŻ for a reason, Brooks ¨C they look to the future, to making the world a better, safer place. They know that Caleb will work his way through this, and that, while it might take five years, or a decade, or a hundred years, itˇŻs better if heˇŻs behind the Council when that happens, because then things will be united.

    ˇ°If the world is gathering behind him, especially if heˇŻs uncaring about that, then it means that the power will be divided, and the balance theyˇŻve worked so hard to create will be broken. Should Caleb decide to lead his own force, that will cause even more problems, as he has the potential to be the biggest threat to the Council as a leader than working alone ¨C especially if heˇŻs their enemy. He works to protect himself and those he cares about. He is, however, dealing with trauma, and angering him will turn that anger into hate, and warp his mind into a dark place. It is better for Caleb to leave the GSDF on peaceful terms than in anger, like he did today. HeˇŻll be fine ¨C for now ¨C but given time, be it months, years, or even decades ¨C and heˇŻll grow to hate the GSDF.

    ˇ°That,ˇ± Jared continues, finally pausing in what he says. ˇ°Is why the Council will overrule both rulings ¨C the hearing, and the mission judgment. That is why they will contact Caleb and tell him that he was treated unfairly, and that they would be happy to restore his position in the GSDF as a cadet. That is why, regardless of his response, they will actively look into this facility and its staff, putting each one through an intense interview to determine whether or not they live up to the standards of the GSDF.ˇ±

    Jared could be a danger, himself. His wording could be a tad bit better, but he knows how politics works, and if he changed just a little bit, he could rally a force against them.

    I will watch. For now.

    But if things donˇŻt changeˇ­

    ItˇŻs been a few decades since a full-fledged dragon made an appearance.

    And thereˇŻs a reason it was hidden from public knowledge.

    She didnˇŻt do nearly as much damage as the Massacre my son survived, but it was considered to be a disaster on the same level as that.

    And I am far, far more powerful than any ordinary dragon.

 Chapter 017

    ~~~(Flame)~~~

    The first thing I see when I wake up are TuckˇŻs beautiful eyes staring into mine.

    ˇ°Morning, Tuck!ˇ±

    ˇ°Morning, Flame!ˇ± He laughs.

    ˇ°Whatcha doing in my bed?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°Not that IˇŻm complaining, waking with a cute guy in my bed, but you usually stay in your bed, in your room.ˇ±

    ˇ°Well,ˇ± he laughs again. ˇ°I was going to wake you up, but when I poked you, I noticed you were pretty warm, and then remembered that you donˇŻt get cold at all, and the facilityˇŻs heater isnˇŻt working in the dorms. TheyˇŻre working on that. So I climbed into your bed to warm up.ˇ±

    He''s not even under the blanket. Do I really emit that much heat?

    ˇ°Of course you did,ˇ± I smile at him, then pull him against me and kiss him, then climb over him and off the bed to get changed. ˇ°So why did you come to my room to wake me?ˇ±

    ˇ°Well,ˇ± he says. ˇ°We donˇŻt have to go to class, and I know todayˇŻs a holiday you get excited for, so I figured we could go do something fun.ˇ±

    ˇ°Christmas!ˇ± I exclaim, then feel my heart drop. ˇ°ItˇŻd be cooler if Caleb were here, though.ˇ±

    No oneˇŻs heard from him at all since he left. The entire GSDF and GMDF went under investigation the last few weeks from the Council of Dreams itself. It seems they were about as happy about him leaving as I am. Twenty instructors from the GMDF and over fifty from the GSDF were sacked, put on probation, demoted, or had some other form of punishment.

    When I found out why Caleb quit, I was furious. He shouldnˇŻt have been treated that way, and IˇŻm glad the Council agrees with me on that.

    I just wish he was here. Caleb wants us to stay in the GDFˇŻs and train and get stronger and complete training, and so IˇŻm staying, but itˇŻs not the same without him. He could teach me far more magics than I can figure out on my own.

    ˇ°Come here,ˇ± Tuck walks over to me and wraps me in a hug.

    ˇ°You just want the warmth of my fire,ˇ± I say, and he laughs again. ˇ°Well, itˇŻs true!ˇ±

    ˇ°It is,ˇ± he giggles. ˇ°I know Caleb isnˇŻt around, but I did find a job I think youˇŻd enjoy.ˇ±

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs that?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°There are only five fire-based warriors in town,ˇ± he says. ˇ°You, two from here, one from the GSDF training branch, and a GSDF soldier. Water magics isnˇŻt exactly working, and nor is ice magics.ˇ±

    ˇ°Come on, you tease!ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°It seems that overnight,ˇ± he grins. ˇ°The snowmen in the city all came to life, and theyˇŻre kidnapping children. Our soldiers are having a hard time rescuing the kids, because travel is a bit tough with four feet of snow on the ground, and when they do get near where the snowman are keeping the kids, well, theyˇŻre assaulted by icicles and spears of ice and such. TheyˇŻve petitioned for any fire-based warriors to go and deal with it. IˇŻm only including those who can actually handle this in that count, by the way.ˇ±

    ˇ°Evil snowmen?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°That sounds like fun!ˇ±

    I get dressed in my uniform, then Tuck leads me out of town. It takes us a couple of hours to get there, even with us magically manipulating the snow to let us travel quickly, along with my bursting steps.

    There really is a horde of evil snowmen. I count over a thousand of them, and had to create a wall of fire when we got within a hundred yards, due to the flying icicles and spears.

    They melt instantly in the power of my flames. My Elemental power wonˇŻt distinguish between targets, but I can set the dragonˇŻs fire to ignore humans.

    This is so my job, even if the other four are already here.

    Inhaling and taking in as much of the bitter, frosty air as I can, I hold my breath for a second, then let out a roar that shakes the snow still falling, the ground itself trembling from the roar.

    The battle stops as Tuck covers his ears, laughing, and I burst forward, my dragonˇŻs fire swirling around me, consuming all of the snowmen and their attacks as I do, the fire spreading forward into the cave with the children, who scream before they realize it isnˇŻt hurting them.

    By the time all of the snowmen are dead, TuckˇŻs made it to the cave, and heˇŻs laughing.

    ˇ°Jeez, Flame!ˇ± He shakes his head. ˇ°Warn me the next time youˇŻre going to roar! I was standing right next to you!ˇ±

    ˇ°You shouldˇŻve known.ˇ±

    ˇ°How?ˇ±

    ˇ°I did take in a massive breath.ˇ±

    ˇ°You usually breathe fire after, not roar!ˇ± He laughs. ˇ°By the way ¨C you havenˇŻt eaten yet, and you just used up a ton of power. Are you going to make it back to town?ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻll just eat you and call it a day.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm not sure how to take that.ˇ±

    ˇ°Like a man!ˇ±

    ˇ°Still immature, huh, Flame?ˇ± James asks, and I look at him.

    ˇ°Yo!ˇ±

    ˇ°YouˇŻre getting stronger,ˇ± he says. ˇ°What the hell was up with that roar?ˇ±

    ˇ°Did you like it?ˇ± I run up to him. ˇ°I summoned up all the draconic aspects of my being and unleashed it into a single, primal roar to terrify the horde of evil snowmen!ˇ±

    ˇ°And the soldiers and children,ˇ± he shakes his head, looking at the thirty or so kids huddled in the back of the cave. ˇ°Kids ¨C this is Flame, one of the wildest cadets in the GMDF, formerly in the GDSF. HeˇŻs crazy, heˇŻs talented, and heˇŻs powerful. He may seem dangerous, but he isnˇŻt to the innocent. You saw how his flames avoided you ¨C tell me how many people you know of who can have their area powers ignore certain people, even when washing over them.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm not sure if I should be grateful or terrified that he showed up,ˇ± someone IˇŻve never seen before, but probably a soldier, says. ˇ°We were losing against the snowmen, but from his reputation-ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻd like him at my back, no matter what,ˇ± James says. ˇ°He can kill a threat from a distance, and that is power that canˇŻt be interrupted or blocked. He ripped some kidnappers apart as if it was nothing just by moving his hands through the air. Flame ¨C and his whole team ¨C is a force of unbelievable power.ˇ±

    ˇ°And weˇŻre missing someone,ˇ± I sigh.

    ˇ°HeˇŻll be back,ˇ± James says. ˇ°ItˇŻs only a matter of time before the Council locates him and lets him know that they didnˇŻt approve, and took necessary measures to ensure that doesnˇŻt happen again. LetˇŻs get the kids back to the city, then we can purge it of the snowmen still thriving throughout.ˇ±

    We start walking, but all the kids are freezing, most of them in their pajamas. So I expand my aura out, letting its warmth fill the air, melting the snow as we walk and preventing anymore from falling on us.

    It takes us an hour to meet up with the vehicles that were apparently on their way to join us, and we load the kids up into them before climbing into the final one, where weˇŻre informed that the snowmen in the city are being dealt with, though weˇŻre welcome to help.

    When we return to the city, Tuck and I collect my reward from the office on the campus, then return to my room to change into casual clothes to go eat lunch in.

    In my room, there are a series of boxes sitting on my bed, and we look at each other in confusion. The door was locked, and only staff could get in. Did staff bring me presents, knowing I celebrate today, even though most donˇŻt? Brooks wouldˇŻve called me or hung around, so he could see my reaction for himself to what he gives me.

    HeˇŻs probably forgotten todayˇŻs Christmas. ItˇŻs not like very many people celebrate it, and heˇŻs been busy. The rest of the Quartet probably forgot.

    I walk up to the presents, and when I see who theyˇŻre from, I get real excited.

    ˇ°What?ˇ± Tuck asks me.

    ˇ°Look!ˇ± I show him the card.

    ˇ°It says ˇ®To FlameˇŻ,ˇ± he says.

    ˇ°Yeah!ˇ± I say. ˇ°But look! ItˇŻs from Santa!ˇ±

    ˇ°It doesnˇŻt say that anywhere!ˇ±

    ˇ°But it is!ˇ±

    <hr>

    ~~~(Brooks)~~~

    ˇ°Guys, guys,ˇ± I say, and the team looks at me. I wave over Cliff and Gale as well. ˇ°I just remembered that today is FlameˇŻs favorite day in the entire year, and heˇŻs probably having a hard time, because he was looking forward to celebrating it with Caleb.ˇ±

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs today?ˇ± Jared asks.

    ˇ°Christmas!ˇ± Gale exclaims as he remembers. ˇ°ItˇŻs a holiday that predates the Calamity, though no one really celebrates it anymore. Flame found out about itˇ­ um, while doing stuff for the village when we were all really, really little, and heˇŻs celebrated it every year since. You give people presents, like for birthday. It happens December 25<sup>th</sup>, every year. I completely forgot about it, with everything going on!ˇ±

    ˇ°So did I,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°But then the whole thing with the snowmen made me remember, and donˇŻt ask why, itˇŻs a long story. IˇŻm going to go get a few gifts for Flame, and was wondering if you guys would do it, too. We can wrap them up here and then bring them over to him after, and probably take him out to dinner.

    I hear he had quite the fun time melting snowmen.

    IˇŻm not surprised he went and saved those kids ¨C not only does he enjoy killing snowmen, but he likes rescuing kids. He canˇŻt stand for anyone threatening them at all. Not sinceˇ­

    Never mind.

    ˇ°We will, too,ˇ± Cliff says. ˇ°We always get stuff for Flame, and I canˇŻt believe we forgot about it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Same,ˇ± Gale nods. ˇ°Flame gets soooo excited.ˇ±

    ˇ°Sure,ˇ± Jared says. ˇ°FatherˇŻs giving me an allowance, and I can use that to get him something heˇŻll probably like a ton.ˇ±

    ˇ°Sure,ˇ± Kieran says. ˇ°Meet back here in three hours.ˇ±

    Kieran vanishes, and we all stare at where he used to be.

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs more than heˇŻs spoken since Caleb left,ˇ± Jared says. ˇ°LetˇŻs get going, you know heˇŻll be even moodier than usual if weˇŻre not back on time, and that affects the feeling his aura puts off.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± I snort.

    We all leave and head our separate ways, and I look for presents Flame might like. They have their own rooms at the GMDF, apparently, so he can have a fair bit more than we can, which means that food isnˇŻt a necessity. I do pick up a few things, but am passing up a shop when I see something that I know heˇŻll like.

    I also pick up some wrapping paper and tape, then make my way back to the dorm. KieranˇŻs sitting on his bed, bouncing impatiently, and I notice ripped wrapping paper scattered across his bed.

    ˇ°What happened to your bed?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°Never wrapped a present before?ˇ±

    ˇ°Huh?ˇ± He looks confused, then points at a bag on his bed. ˇ°I stuck it in a gift bag with tissue paper. I had a couple of presents on my bed when I got back.ˇ±

    ˇ°You did?ˇ± I ask, and he nods, and I suspect heˇŻs less impatient and more excited. Does he enjoy Christmas, too? ˇ°Okay.ˇ±

    I turn to get on my bed, and find a couple of presents sitting on it. I recognize the handwriting on one as CalebˇŻs, but I donˇŻt recognize the other, which just says ˇ®To BrooksˇŻ.

    ˇ°Jared and your brothers have them, too,ˇ± Kieran says. ˇ°Owen, too. We all got two presents. One from Caleb, one from Santa.ˇ±

    ˇ°YouˇŻre as bad as Flame,ˇ± I mutter.

    ˇ°About what?ˇ±

    Curse you and your Perception.

    ˇ°Santa is make-believe, Kieran.ˇ±

    ˇ°No, heˇŻs not.ˇ±

    IˇŻm not going to win this fight, so I sit on my bed and open the presents. The one from Caleb is small, and when I open the box, I discover itˇŻs a smooth, ordinary-looking grey stone. The power emanating from it, on the other hand, tells me itˇŻs not.

    The stone is brimming with aquatic energies. ThereˇŻs a small note in the box, and I hope it explains how Caleb came across a torsone.

    Hey, Brooks. I know you donˇŻt celebrate Christmas, but Kieran does, and Santa says that Flame does (IˇŻve no clue what he got you, by the way, just asked him to give you a present anyway), but I got you a present. ItˇŻs a torsone, or as itˇŻs more commonly known as, a torrent stone. ItˇŻs filled with aquatic energies, which IˇŻm sure you can sense.

    I found it while diving in the Surasor Sea. If you donˇŻt know what a torsone is, beyond what IˇŻve said, then know that you can store your energies in it. You canˇŻt draw on the aquatic powers within it, but you can store your own watery energies inside of it, and draw it back out at some other time. Or, you can destroy it and cause a big, watery explosion.

    DonˇŻt try putting your icy energies inside of it, though. ItˇŻll just break.

    Merry Christmas!

    Oh ¨C itˇŻs Caleb.

    Yeah, Caleb, I knowˇ­

    I close my eyes as I put my hands on the stone, feeling the power within it. HeˇŻs right in that I canˇŻt harness the energies within it, but thatˇŻs fine. TheyˇŻre only ever used for storing water energies. I add some to it, and when I focus on the power within it, see just how much it can fill.

    Far more than I can produce in a month. He found a massive one.

    I open the present from ˇ°Santaˇ± and find a whip inside, this one enchanted with powerful water magics. When I hold it in my hand, I get the sense that I can manipulate the whip using my Ability, and just touching the whip with my Ability, I discover I can increase or decrease its length at will.

    ˇ°What did you get?ˇ± I ask Kieran.

    ˇ°YouˇŻll have to see when Flame opens them.ˇ±

    ˇ°I meant from Caleb and whoever else got us the presents.ˇ±

    ˇ°Santa.ˇ±

    I give up.

    ˇ°What did you get?ˇ±

    ˇ°Santa named a reindeer born this morning after me,ˇ± oh dear. ˇ°And Caleb got me a sword forged in shadows.ˇ±

    That does not sound legal.

    ˇ°Hey, guys,ˇ± Jared and my brothers return. ˇ°Uhˇ­ presents?ˇ±

    ˇ°Caleb and Santa got us a present,ˇ± Kieran says.

    ˇ°Santa?ˇ± Jared raises an eyebrow.

    ˇ°Mystery giver,ˇ± I say, and Kieran starts to say something. ˇ°You believe in Santa, we donˇŻt.ˇ±

    Caleb got each of my brothers magic rocks similar to mine, all of them with a note saying he found them doing one thing or another, but from my geography lessons, I know heˇŻs getting around and fast. ˇ°Santaˇ± got Gale a stuffed eagle and Cliff a book on exotic plants.

    Jared got rare metals from both of them.

    We wrap up FlameˇŻs gifts, and IˇŻm curious to know what Caleb and ˇ°Santaˇ± got him. When we finish, we grab them and carry them over to the GMDF, asking for permission to bring my brotherˇŻs presents to him, for the holiday. They let us in, and we get escorted to FlameˇŻs dorm.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    I knock on the door, and after a moment, he opens it.

    ˇ°Brooks!ˇ± He exclaims. ˇ°Caleb just called me to find out if Santa brought my presents!ˇ±

    CalebˇŻs on the phone?

    ˇ°He just hung up,ˇ± Flame looks at the phone, then pockets it as he looks at me. ˇ°You should see what they got me! He got me fire crystals and teddy bears and stuffed dragons and cookbooks and some new clothes, and Santa got me fuuxar fire crystals and dust and a sword and a book on magic! ItˇŻs so cool!ˇ±

    ˇ°Told you Santa existed,ˇ± Kieran looks at me pointedly, despite this not being any form of proof at all.

    ˇ°I know!ˇ± Flame exclaims, grabbing Kieran and pulling him into his room. ˇ°LetˇŻs ignore the disbelievers. What did Caleb and Santa get you?ˇ±

    ˇ°Santa named a reindeer born this morning after me,ˇ± Kieran says. ˇ°And Caleb got me a sword forged in shadows.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs so cool!ˇ± Flame exclaims. ˇ°Tuck! Did you hear that? KieranˇŻs got a reindeer named after him!ˇ±

    Tucker is sitting on FlameˇŻs bed, looking a bit amused by the whole situation.

    We enter FlameˇŻs room and give him his presents, and he quickly forgets about Kieran as he opens him. I got my brother a stuffed dragon, too, along with a couple of shirts and a dragon necklace made of some sort of crimson stone and hanging on a silver chain. He immediately pulls that on.

    Cliff got Flame some shirts, and Gale got him a stuffed dragon and a stuffed wolf. Jared got him fuuxar crystals, and Kieran got himˇ­

    A rock.

    A very, very plain rock.

    At leastˇ­

    Until it opens its eyes.

    Kieran got Flame a pet rock.

    ˇ°A PET ROCK!ˇ± Flame squeals, and we all cover our ears.

    If the pet rock had ears and hands, it would probably be covering its ears, too.

    ˇ°Thank you!ˇ± Flame launches himself into Keiran in a hug, and I look over to Tucker to see how he feels about that. He doesnˇŻt seem to care. ˇ°Thank you so much, Kieran! I love pet rocks!ˇ±

    ˇ°YouˇŻve killed the last six you had,ˇ± Cliff grumbles. ˇ°They have feelings, too, you know.ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻs not my fault they died!ˇ± Flame pouts at Cliff.

    ˇ°We were planning on taking you out for a Christmas dinner,ˇ± I say before FlameˇŻs mood can drop more, knowing the mention of food will perk him back up. ˇ°You ready to go?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah!ˇ± He slips into his shoes. ˇ°Come on, Tuck! LetˇŻs go get dinner!ˇ±

    ˇ°We just ate twenty minutes ago,ˇ± Tuck rolls his eyes.

    ˇ°IˇŻm still hungry,ˇ± Flame says. ˇ°You should know that by now.ˇ±

    Yeah, Tucker ¨C you should really know that Flame is always hungry.

    ˇ°So what did Caleb say?ˇ± Kieran asks. ˇ°Did he say what heˇŻs doing?ˇ±

    ˇ°He just arrived in Tler,ˇ± Flame shrugs. ˇ°No clue what heˇŻs doing there, though ¨C he didnˇŻt say, and I didnˇŻt ask. Figured heˇŻd tell me if it was important.ˇ±

    Tler?

    Why the hell is Caleb in that desert? ThereˇŻs nothing there. At all. ItˇŻs literally just a hot desert with very little life at all in it. There are no inhabitants there at all. Even animals and monsters are like ˇ®fuck thisˇŻ and leave it alone.

    ˇ°Weird place for him to go,ˇ± Kieran says. ˇ°I wonder if heˇŻs hunting solace snake eggs.ˇ±

    Hunting what? IˇŻve never heard of solace snakes.

    Kieran doesnˇŻt elaborate on that, so we all head out to a restaurant I made reservations at while shopping. They seat us, despite not wanting to have seven early-teen boys eating unsupervised, but our uniforms keep them from saying anything about it.

    I tell Flame to order as much as he wants, that IˇŻll pay for it all, and he gets excited and starts listing off everything on the menu that he likes. We place our drink orders, then start looking at the menu, because apparently, FlameˇŻs been here enough to know what he likes.

    Flame tells us about the battle with the snowmen, and I canˇŻt help but feel like he exaggerated some of the details, like usual. I highly doubt they were twenty feet tall and armed with swords made of ice as they threw ice spears at him.

    Tucker just grins through the whole story, and IˇŻm pretty sure heˇŻs doing his best not to laugh his ass off.

    As we make our way back to campus, KieranˇŻs phone ring, and he disappears after checking it.

    ˇ°Is that normal?ˇ± Tucker asks, looking at the spot where Kieran used to be. ˇ°Him just vanishing without explanation?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes,ˇ± the rest of us answer in unison, and Flame giggles, then kisses Tucker.

    I look away when he does that. It doesnˇŻt quite make me comfortable, seeing him be physically affectionate with another boy.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Kieran)~~~

    ˇ°Caleb,ˇ± I say when I answer my phone, after checking to make sure no one is observing the roof I moved to. ˇ°Are you hunting solace snake eggs?ˇ±

    ˇ°Maybe,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°Hey! Give that back! Hold on,ˇ± thereˇŻs a screeching noise in the background, then Caleb reprimands whatever that was before speaking back into the phone. ˇ°Sorry, stupid bird came after my water bottle.ˇ±

    ˇ°Flame said you said you were in Tler,ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°Yup,ˇ± he responds. ˇ°IˇŻm training. Did you like my present?ˇ±

    ˇ°Thanks,ˇ± I say. ˇ°How did you get a shadow-forged sword?ˇ±

    ˇ°It was a gift to me,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°For helping someone out. I told him I wanted it for a present for you.ˇ±

    ˇ°Santa gave us presents,ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°I know!ˇ± Caleb exclaims, excitement in his voice. ˇ°I got to meet him and his reindeer! They were so awesome! I asked him if he could deliver my gifts to you guys! Hey! Get back here! Hold on, Kier.ˇ±

    ThereˇŻs a sound like Caleb running, then a crack followed by screeching.

    ˇ°ThatˇŻll teach you to steal my stuff,ˇ± Caleb mutters. ˇ°Enjoy being lunch.ˇ±

    ˇ°Lunch?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°ItˇŻs seven in the evening.ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻs just before noon, here,ˇ± Caleb says. ˇ°Timezone difference, remember? IˇŻm behind you. Anyway, I just wanted to see if you got my gift yet. Glad you like it, Kier! I gotta go!ˇ±

    ˇ°Wait!ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°What?ˇ±

    ˇ°The Council reversed the punishment,ˇ± he says. ˇ°And put all of those instructors ¨C and the one for the mission ¨C on suspension. All of their cases are being reviewed right now. The Council says that youˇŻre welcome back in the GSDF, and believe that you were treated unfairly because of your power.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know,ˇ± Caleb responds. ˇ°But IˇŻm not returning. I need to get stronger and better, so that I can fight in tight spaces. I really gotta go, though. Bye.ˇ±

    Caleb hangs up the phone, and I stare at mine after.

    He doesnˇŻt realize how much he means to the team, does he? WeˇŻre barely holding together.

    I wish I could go to Tler right now. ItˇŻs so cold here.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Caleb)~~~

    Stupid birds, trying to take my water. That lightning showed them.

    But now their daddy bird is here, and my Ability is acting wonky, as it does in certain conditions. I canˇŻt access it at all.

    And the damn bird is dodging my lightning, and wonˇŻt stay still long enough for me to hit it. Anytime I do a mass-area spell, he flies out of range. I canˇŻt hit it fast enough.

    After twenty minutes of him dodging my attacks, I finally kill him, then pluck him and cook him. HeˇŻll be a nice lunch.

    After eating the bird and putting what I canˇŻt fit in me into my spatial inventory, I pack up my stuff and begin walking again, hoping no more of these annoying pests come after me.

    It takes me three days to reach the heart of the desert, where the solace snakes live. Ignoring them, I approach the Mirage Oasis and wait until the sun is almost to its peak.

    When that finally happens, the water shifts, swirling into a whirlpool, one portion forming steps leading down into the blackness below.

    I begin the descent down, reaching the bottom just as the whirlpool sucks back up, forming the oasis above my head, the light shining through the mirage beneath, a solid mirage that appears to most as just a simple pondbottom.

    But I know better. I knew that at noon today, the entrance to this Ruin would appear and grant me access. I know that deep within these Ruins is a monster that generates something even rarer than solace snake eggs.

    Solstice stones.

    Flame will really love those, and itˇŻs the perfect challenge for me, too. Tunnels barely wide enough for three people across, with the risk of trapping myself underneath. All of the monsters here are highly resilient to physical attacks and aura, so magic will be the way to do it.

    Their armor, however, is also resilient against magic, meaning IˇŻll have to use a lot of power in each attack. To avoid collapsing the Ruins around me, IˇŻll have to be really careful with my shots.

    The first wave is here.

    TheyˇŻre massive scorpions, and I place a hand against the side of the Ruins, channeling my magic through them. A moment later, giant stone spikes burst up from the ground, killing the scorpions from below.

    ˇ°Oh,ˇ± I say when I realize what I did. ˇ°Oops!ˇ±

    After the scorpions fade to nothing, I use my magic to remove the spikes. That was kind of silly of me to do, blocking off my path like that. Maybe if I shot stone spikes?

    IˇŻd have to be careful to actually hit my targets, and not risk collapsing the place.

    An hour of navigating the mazelike Ruin later, I arrive at the stairs that lead down, having determined that maybe my lightning magic is the best option, here. As long as I strike my intended targets. I also determined that I can redirect my magic as it moves, even after I fire it, and that it is not a good idea to collapse one of the only exits.

    Thankfully, thereˇŻs another route out.

    Descending the steps, I look around in the dim cavern, wondering where the boss is.

    Nothing comes after me, and I make my way to the wall with the solstice stones. Smooth, round, almost perfectly shaped like chicken eggs, half of the stones swirl with oranges and yellows and reds, the other half with white and pale blues. Summer Solstice Stones and Winter Solstice Stones.

    There are thirteen of each. One only forms every decade.

    I send them into my ring, then examine the rest of the room until I find the switch and press it. A few moments later, glowing runes form around me, and I find myself on the surface, standing beside the oasis. I look at the solstice snakes staring at me.

    ˇ°Can I have your eggs?ˇ± I ask the snake, and it hisses at me. ˇ°Oh, shut up.ˇ±

    I zap it with lightning, just to paralyze it, then collect the eggs and send them into my ring. TheyˇŻll sell for a nice price.

    I leave before the paralysis wears off, making my way out of the desert.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Jared)~~~

    ˇ°Jared Fuller,ˇ± one of the new instructors approaches me, and I salute. He salutes, then drops his hand, and I do the same. ˇ°YouˇŻve been selected for the first batch of the winter vacation groups. You have two hours to pack enough for a week or two, then meet at the campus car park, if you wish to go. YouˇŻll be gone for two weeks, and relieved of all missions and jobs during that time period. YouˇŻll be required to make up your missing work from while youˇŻre there once you return. This is a joint vacation performed with the GMDF youth cadets, and all cadets are expected to behave. Can I tell them to expect you?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, sir,ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°Very well,ˇ± he says, then turns and leaves, and I make my way to my dorm to find the Quartet packing their bags.

    ˇ°Did you three get selected for the vacation, too?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°No,ˇ± Cliff answers. ˇ°We got selected for a training mission that will last a few weeks, joint with the GMDF cadets. Flame and Tucker are going, which is going to make this very interesting.ˇ±

    Hope those two lovebirds can behave during it.

    ˇ°Do you have a pre-briefing brief?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°WeˇŻll be at Turner Fort,ˇ± Cliff nods. ˇ°Things calmed down there, so they felt they could send three cadets from each there for a little practical experience. Three weeks learning how all that is done. ItˇŻs Tucker, Flame, and the sand wizard Flame bested in the duel, whatever his name is.ˇ±

    ˇ°Gavin,ˇ± Brooks says. ˇ°And he hates Flame for the embarrassment of challenging a GSDF soldier and getting bested with magic. Honestly, I think they picked the three worst cadets to work on a mission together.ˇ±

    ˇ°Actually,ˇ± I say. ˇ°ItˇŻs a good idea, and I can see their reasoning. ItˇŻs a calm place, so theyˇŻll be able to work out their differences ¨C or not ¨C and Tucker and Flame can learn to control themselves while working near each other. And all six of you get to learn what itˇŻs like to guard a fort.ˇ±

    They finish packing their stuff, and I start packing mine. Once I finish, I make my way to the car park and wait for the others to show up. There are fifteen of us total, and the last cadet to arrive is Owen.

    ˇ°Hey, Owen,ˇ± I greet him with a fist bump. ˇ°Looks like we can finally hang out again.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah!ˇ± He laughs. ˇ°Every time one of us is free, the otherˇŻs busy. WeˇŻve got two weeks to catch up, now.ˇ±

    ˇ°Indeed,ˇ± I say.

    The chaperons have us get into the two vans theyˇŻre using, and drive us to the airfield, where the GMDF cadets meet up with us. The thirty of us cadets and our six chaperons board the GSDF airship, the chaperons gathering us in the luxury lounge to give us the rules for the vacation. Misbehaving will result in five hundred laps around the track when we return, without the use of Abilities or magic to assist us.

    The lounge has a rich, wooden floor polished to a fine shine, the tables matching with silky tablecloths covering them. Ceramic plates and glass cups rest at each place, a bouquet of flowers in blue glass vases at the center of each table.

    This isnˇŻt an ordinary GSDF airship, but an expensive one, usually reserved for air events and meetings, for those whose ranks start with ˇ°Generalˇ±, and, for some reason, cadets going on vacation.

    The briefing done, staff bring us lunch, a full five-course meal, and I get the feeling thereˇŻs a General or something on the ship.

    That is confirmed when Father enters the dining room, along with his usual contingent of guards. He spots me and makes his way over, the couple of others at my table staring. The GMDF cadets are all staring in shock and confusion, while the GSDF cadets are just staring in shock.

    No one stands up and salutes, which I find a little amusing, since weˇŻre technically supposed to follow all protocol still. TheyˇŻre probably in too much of shock ¨C past Owen ¨C to remember protocol.

    ˇ°Jared,ˇ± Father says.

    ˇ°Father,ˇ± I say, and he gestures to the empty seat beside me.

    ˇ°Is this taken?ˇ±

    ˇ°No, sir.ˇ±

    Father sits down, waving to his guards, who move away from the table.

    ˇ°I didnˇŻt know you were in town,ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°We arrived a few hours before boarding,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°IˇŻm on my way to the island on official business.ˇ±

    ˇ°The kind you can talk about?ˇ±

    ˇ°Caleb is supposedly on it,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°I decided to visit the island, to verify, and if so, apologize for our misunderstandings.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm still laughing about the turtles.ˇ±

    ˇ°Your friend has an interesting negotiation method.ˇ±

    ˇ°HeˇŻs as stubborn as can be,ˇ± I laugh. ˇ°And wonˇŻt take ˇ®noˇŻ for an answer.ˇ±

    ˇ°Which is why he quit,ˇ± Father nods. ˇ°And the decision was ruled inappropriately. The instructor set him up to fail the mission, and the board who judged him failed to see that just because something is a familiar, doesnˇŻt mean it can be controlled. They tried telling a mortal to control a Rift Wolf. Only a fool would believe that was possible. To be honest, we on the Council arenˇŻt even sure how Caleb managed to gain one as his familiar. The unicorn alone was impressive to us.ˇ±

    IˇŻm still amazed Caleb made the unicorn his familiar. The Rift Wolf? Yeahˇ­ not so surprising. That was exactly like Caleb to doˇ­ by accident.

    ˇ°So youˇŻre going to see if heˇŻs on the island, and personally apologize on behalf of the Council?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Indeed,ˇ± Father nods. ˇ°We are hoping heˇŻll rejoin the GDF.ˇ±

    ˇ°HeˇŻs made it clear to Flame and Kieran,ˇ± I say. ˇ°The latter of whom is his best friend, that he has no intention of doing so. We havenˇŻt been able to determine where he is. The only hint we had was a week and a half ago, when he arrived in Tler and called us then for Christmas.ˇ±

    ˇ°The sighting says heˇŻs been on the island for about a week,ˇ± Father says. ˇ°Though no oneˇŻs managed to take a picture of him to use to confirm it. Seems anytime they try, something interferes.ˇ±

    ˇ°If itˇŻs Caleb,ˇ± I say. ˇ°HeˇŻs probably got some barrier or something up to shield him from prying eyes.ˇ±

    I wonder if Teacher knows where he is.

    Probably, since nothing escapes CalebˇŻs powerful mentor.

    Twelve hours later, the airship finally lands on the island, and Father starts to walk away with his guards.

    ˇ°Father,ˇ± I walk over to him as I remember something, and he waits for me to arrive. ˇ°I did just remember ¨C Caleb is refusing to return. Flame tried talking him into it, but more than that, he rejected Kieran asking him to. He might accept your apology, but if he rejects KieranˇŻs request, heˇŻll probably reject the request of a Councilman.ˇ±

    ˇ°Understood,ˇ± Father nods. ˇ°I will still make the request, regardless, for there is the chance that will he accept.ˇ±

    ˇ°Understandable,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Farewell, Father.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻll see you around,ˇ± Father puts a hand on my head, messing up my hair as he leaves.

    Owen chuckles as he approaches as I try to fix my hair, and I glare at him.

    ˇ°He probably did that on purpose,ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°You two are so much like each other, itˇŻs amusing,ˇ± he says. ˇ°Your way of speaking, your way of moving ¨C you even made him wait as you walked over to him, not rushed over to the important member of the Council of Dreams whoˇŻs on official business ¨C something I can see him doing as well. He did just spend twelve hours speaking with his son while heˇŻs supposedly on official business.ˇ±

    ˇ°Father and I,ˇ± I realize that Father and I have never really talked before, not like this. ˇ°After CalebˇŻs negotiations with him, Father and I have been communicating a fair bit more. ThatˇŻs the first time weˇŻve seen each other since then, and I suppose we just needed to talk.ˇ±

    ˇ°He told us plenty of embarrassing things about you,ˇ± Owen laughs. ˇ°I wonder how Caleb would react if he found out about your little antics when you were five!ˇ±

    My face heats up. That is not something I want Caleb to know about. HeˇŻd call me weird, then probably ask me if I need to see a doctor. For months, heˇŻd probably give me funny looks and randomly ask me random questions.

    Oh, waitˇ­

    He already does that.

    The instructors take us to the hotel, and once weˇŻre all in our rooms ¨C Owen and I are rooming together, and IˇŻm glad for that ¨C weˇŻre allowed to utilize the resortˇŻs facilities.

    Owen and I change into swim trunks, grab towels, and walk down to the beach, which is probably amusing to the rest of our cadets. The guy with metal and the guy with electricity as their Abilities going to a source of water. One will rust, and one will shock the rest.

    We arrive at the beach and begin to search for a spot to spread our towels ¨C which shouldnˇŻt really be that hard, considering that this is an expensive island to vacation on, so there are only around twenty other people on the massive beach, but weˇŻre a little bit picky.

    ˇ°Jared,ˇ± Owen calls my name, and I look at him. He waves me over, then points to someone. ˇ°Found Caleb.ˇ±

    I look over and spot Caleb sitting on a violet towel, wearing a pair of violet shorts with a swirling black design thatˇŻs probably magical, since itˇŻs slowly swirling around the shorts. HeˇŻs wearing nothing but a pair of shorts, and IˇŻm reminded of the changes in all of us as I see his toned body and six-pack abs. WeˇŻve all gotten leaner and our muscles more defined since basic, and while some, like Owen, have worked to buff up, most of us have kept the slender forms because of the slight boost to our speed.

    IˇŻm about to call over to my teammate when I notice who heˇŻs sitting by, and stop in my tracks.

    Sitting right next to him, on the other side of his towel, is a girl around our age, with long, brown hair and eyes that remind me of amethysts. If I were straight, sheˇŻs the kind of girl IˇŻd be going after.

    And CalebˇŻs chatting up a storm with her, a slight smile on his lips.

    ˇ°Duuuuude!ˇ± Owen exclaims. ˇ°CalebˇŻs got a girlfriend!ˇ±

    CalebˇŻs says something to her, then gets up and walks off, making his way to a food stand, and Owen and I take that opportunity to approach her.

    ˇ°Hello,ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°Hi!ˇ± She smiles at us.

    ˇ°That your boyfriend?ˇ±

    ˇ°HeˇŻs just a friend,ˇ± she says. ˇ°HeˇŻs so sweet, though.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, he is,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Has he showed you his turtles?ˇ±

    ˇ°His turtles?ˇ± She looks confused. ˇ°You know him?ˇ±

    ˇ°Of course I do,ˇ± I smile at her. ˇ°CalebˇŻs a good friend of ours. When he returns, ask him about his turtles. He loves turtles, and has been known to walk around town with one on his head simply because it wanted to go for a walk, but it was moving a fair bit too slow.ˇ±

    ˇ°Seriously?ˇ± She asks, and I pull out my phone and show her a picture I snapped of him doing just that, causing her to laugh. ˇ°HeˇŻs so adorable!ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, he is,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°How do you know him?ˇ±

    ˇ°He came here to vacation,ˇ± she says. ˇ°We met at a little cafe. He approached me because I have an unusual aura, he said.ˇ±

    ˇ°I got ice cream!ˇ± Caleb is holding a large bowl filled with ice cream, sprinkles, and chocolate syrup. I wonder if he knows thatˇŻs a couplesˇŻ bowlˇ­ ˇ°I got a big bowl, so we can share instead of getting two little bowls and running out quickly.ˇ±

    Yeahˇ­ he definitely doesnˇŻt know.

    Caleb gives me a stern glare, and I realize from his gaze that he knows exactly what he got ¨C heˇŻs just trying to pretend like he doesnˇŻt.

    That kills any hope I have of being able to get with him. Dammit.

    ˇ°Hey, Caleb,ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°Jared. Owen.ˇ±

    ˇ°WeˇŻre here on vacation,ˇ± I explain. ˇ°Two weeks every summer and winter, though we missed the summer vacation, due to having the rest period from BT.ˇ±

    ˇ°Cool,ˇ± he says without emotion. ˇ°This is Emma, her auraˇŻs unusual.ˇ±

    ˇ°We saw you and thought weˇŻd come over and say ˇ®hiˇŻ,ˇ± I try not to laugh at his statement, which might be an excuse he came up with to talk to her. ˇ°It was nice meeting you, Emma. Oh, and before we leave, Caleb ¨C FatherˇŻs on the island as well, seems the Council heard you might be here, and he came to personally apologize to you for the incidents on campus, and ask you to rejoin the Global Supernatural Defense Federation ¨C or the Global Magical Defense Federation, if you want to go to the other side.ˇ±

    ˇ°You didnˇŻt tell me you were GSDF!ˇ± Emma exclaims, looking at Caleb.

    ˇ°Former,ˇ± Caleb says, shooting me another glare, and I grin at him, then walk off, Owen following close behind.

    ˇ°That was mean,ˇ± Owen comments.

    ˇ°You do realize that heˇŻs trying to get her to kiss him, right?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°What makes you think that?ˇ±

    ˇ°The glare he gave me when he returned,ˇ± I say. ˇ°It told me he wanted alone time with her,ˇ± I sigh. ˇ°I suppose IˇŻll never have a chance with him, since heˇŻs clearly into girls. And damn does he have a fine body, too. That whole aura thing is probably just him trying to get close with her.ˇ±

    ˇ°She does,ˇ± Owen comments, and I look at him. ˇ°IˇŻve never really mentioned it, but IˇŻve got a sense for auras. Colonel Sparks asked me how strongly I could sense them, back in BT. It seems itˇŻs common for an electric Elemental to be able to, to some degree, and since I can almost get true lightning down, she figured that I probably could do so on a strong level, like her.ˇ±

    ˇ°HowˇŻs her aura unusual?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Aura comes off as colorless,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°Most of the time. Not like with IrinaˇŻs sense, which gives her three colors; red, green, and purple. There are rare exceptions. Caleb and Teacher both have pure-violet auras, and CalebˇŻs rivals Teachers, but the latter is probably suppressing his more.ˇ±

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs EmmaˇŻs aura?ˇ±

    ˇ°Red as blood,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°And just as thick.ˇ±

 Chapter 018

    ~~~(Brooks)~~~

    Flame and Tucker behaved themselves all through the briefing, once we arrived. That actually surprised me. They sat at the desks and appeared calm, and for Flame, thatˇŻs shocking. As soon as weˇŻre released to the dorms, I approach them, surprised that theyˇŻre still calm.

    ˇ°Everything alright?ˇ± I ask Flame as he sits on the edge of his bed.

    ˇ°Yeah, why?ˇ± He asks, tilting his head to the side. ˇ°Are you not feeling well?ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻs you,ˇ± I say. ˇ°YouˇŻre not your usual hyper self.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm not always that way,ˇ± Flame yawns, and a chill runs down my spine when he says that.

    ˇ°No, youˇŻre not,ˇ± I mentally prepare myself to contact the rest of the Quartet.

    ˇ°Caleb told me,ˇ± Flame looks at me, and I see the demon within him staring back at me. ˇ°To treat this like one of my jobs. ItˇŻs serious business, holding down the fort, even if it doesnˇŻt do much other than act as a deterrent. They said it themselves that what weˇŻll really be doing most of the time is watching for monsters or just relaxing and doing whatever.ˇ±

    I fail to see the connection between that and you treating this like one of your jobs.

    How does Caleb know about that?

    ˇ°And so you became serious?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Yes,ˇ± he says, his hair and eyes turning black and grey, and Tucker stares at him in shock.

    This isnˇŻt Flame IˇŻm talking to, and nor is it Tobias.

    ShitshitshitshitSHIT!

    ˇ°Flame,ˇ± I say, and his lack of a reaction to that confirms for me that FlameˇŻs asleep. ˇ°Please let Flame out.ˇ±

    ˇ°No,ˇ± that one word is cold, it is merciless, and it is different. ˇ°Flame opened the door for me, and now, heˇŻs sleeping.ˇ±

    ˇ°What just happened?ˇ± Tucker asks. ˇ°WhatˇŻs going on?ˇ±

    ˇ°Flame,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Wake up. Now. Getting serious is okay, but this isnˇŻt good.ˇ±

    ˇ°HeˇŻs sleeping,ˇ± Blaze stands. ˇ°HeˇŻs let me out for this mission.ˇ±

    ˇ°WeˇŻre not going to be fighting,ˇ± I say. ˇ°And most certainly not-ˇ±

    ˇ°Use your draconic senses,ˇ± Blaze orders me. ˇ°Sense the environment. Something isnˇŻt right, here. Caleb ordered Flame to let me out, if he felt it necessary. Flame will not be waking up until the threat has passed.ˇ±

    Blaze leaves the room, and Tucker asks me what just happened.

    ˇ°We come from a village,ˇ± I take a deep breath, then look at him. ˇ°Where weˇŻre often born with differently-colored hair and eyes. Most of us are Elemental, if weˇŻre born a Superhuman, and it usually relates to our color. Flame is rare, and able to change his colors. There are three distinct personalities Flame has.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know Tobias and Flame,ˇ± Tucker says. ˇ°But theyˇŻre the same person, just with Flame letting out his sensitivity when heˇŻs being Tobias. That was someone completely different.ˇ±

    ˇ°Flame is an assassin from our village,ˇ± I say. ˇ°The full Quartet is. Each of us specializes in killing. Flame was too good, and it caused problems. Eventually, he was exiled for it.

    ˇ°Blaze,ˇ± I continue. ˇ°Is the personality Flame took on whenever he performed a dangerous mission, a mission where he couldnˇŻt get past his normal limits, the limits where most people would stop themselves. HeˇŻd turn his hair black and eyes grey, and push everything away, calling himself Blaze. Eventually, Blaze became an actual personality, and Flame would let him out anytime he had to do a job he couldnˇŻt ordinarily do. One distinct difference between the two, other than Blaze not having FlameˇŻs sense of self-preservation or subconscious limits, is his willingness to do anything.ˇ±

    ˇ°Anything?ˇ±

    ˇ°He has a twisted personality,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°He truly has no limits to what heˇŻll do. Blaze is not someone you want out for an extended period of time, and if Flame willingly released him for the duration of this mission, then we wonˇŻt be getting Flame back until after.ˇ±

    Dammit, Caleb! Why would you do something like this?

    Flame is only A-Rank, but when he awakens Blaze, he might as well be A-Rank of Special, putting him in an entirely different category from before.

    Looking at FlameˇŻs bed, I see his phone sitting there. It must have fallen out of his pocket. I walk over to it and pick it up, then go through his calls. He talked to Caleb just hours ago. The call lasted almost half an hour.

    When did that happen? IˇŻve been near him almost the entire time since we got on the airship to make our way here.

    I tap the number for Caleb and put the phone to my ear. All of the calls Flame has made were ignored, with every conversation occurring from when Caleb called him instead. He wonˇŻt answer for us.

    ˇ°That was fast,ˇ± Caleb answers the phone.

    ˇ°ItˇŻs Brooks.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know.ˇ±

    ˇ°What are you, psychic, now?ˇ±

    ˇ°I told Flame not to call me until after the mission was over.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm calling on his phone.ˇ±

    ˇ°Specifically because of that,ˇ± Caleb sighs. ˇ°Blaze is out.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, he is,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Why did you tell him to let Blaze out, if he felt he needed to?ˇ±

    ˇ°With your draconic senses,ˇ± Caleb says. ˇ°YouˇŻll be able to sense things differently than usual. Flame has been utilizing those senses for years. I had a bad feeling, when he told me where you guys were headed, so I told him to be ready to release Blaze, should he feel the need to.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why?ˇ±

    ˇ°Because monsters donˇŻt suddenly avoid that place,ˇ± Caleb says. ˇ°The fort sits over a pool of liquid magic. The bricks and wood itˇŻs made out of conceal that, negating the radiating magics from the pool. However, monsters know itˇŻs there, which is why they constantly attack it. For them to suddenly stop is suspicious, and Flame might need to lose his limits. IˇŻm surprised he went so early.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you have any idea what you did?ˇ± I ask him. ˇ°Blaze isnˇŻt someone you can control, Caleb!ˇ±

    ˇ°EmmaˇŻs returning. Bye.ˇ±

    The call dies, and I stare at the phone for several long moments before pocketing it. IˇŻm about to call Cliff when he and Gale enter the dorm.

    ˇ°You already know,ˇ± Cliff says when he sees my face.

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°He was in here when he switched,ˇ± I fill him in on what Caleb said to me. ˇ°I have no fucking clue what heˇŻs talking about.ˇ±

    ˇ°Liquid magic?ˇ± Tucker says. ˇ°ItˇŻsˇ­ rare. Powerful. No one knows how to use it, or even how to put it in a container. It destroys anything it comes into contact with. Monsters, however, can feed off of its energies to become even more powerful. ItˇŻs dangerous. IˇŻm not surprised thereˇŻs a fort over it, then.ˇ±

    ˇ°What can you sense?ˇ± Cliff asks. ˇ°Caleb said to use your draconic senses, right?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°But IˇŻve never tried really doing it before, I get overwhelmed easily.ˇ±

    ˇ°Can you try it now?ˇ± Cliff asks. ˇ°It could help us figure out why he thought Blaze might be needed, and why Flame was willing to let him out so early just in case.ˇ±

    Nodding, I close my eyes, feeling for the dragon within me. ItˇŻs there, but itˇŻs not, me, but something entirely different. It roars within me, wanting to be unleashed, and I tap into what little of its power I can handle.

    When I do, I try to focus only on the senses. IˇŻm assuming Caleb and Blaze both meant its magical senses, so I only draw on that one, not its five common senses.

    As I do, the dragon roars again, and for a moment, I sense something filling the entire fort, as well as the woods and plains surrounding it. A darkness so overwhelming, I feel helpless, like thereˇŻs no point in life anymore.

    The dragon begins to rage, and I scream as my body feels as if itˇŻs being torn apart, and I quickly do my best to quiet it down, doing what I can to calm it and tuck it away again.

    Something warm fills me, and the dragon settles down immediately.

    What the hell was that?

    <hr>

    ~~~(Blaze)~~~

    Brooks just tapped into his dragonˇŻs magical senses, and sensed what I do. The moment he did, his inner dragon began to fight against him, wanting to break free and shred to pieces whatever is causing that feeling of hopelessness.

    Closing my eyes, I focus on my brother, enveloping him with my fiery aura, careful not to burn him, feeling the wounds in his human body that stem from his rage. Frost calms, and I breathe a sigh of relief, allowing my flames to heal his human form.

    He isnˇŻt able to fully take over, and his personality hasnˇŻt fully formed, yet. Flame willingly let me take in what I did, he purposely shaped me to be this way. He allowed his body to adapt to our true nature, once I was awoken within him.

    Yes, heˇŻs human, and yes, I am but a small aspect of his nature, but this power is far beyond what most humans can manage. I am both him, and not him. I am a part of him with my own sense of self.

    And he was right to let me loose. Whatever is comingˇ­ it wonˇŻt bode well. My Burning Sight has shown the deaths of our brothers, and I cannot see the what. I cannot circumvent it.

    Whatever it is, it starts here, of that, I am sure. All I can see are their graves, the timeframe before then clouded from me. Caleb says there is a force that oversees all psychic powers, but it exists outside this realm. If that is true, then I wish I could leave this realm and strangle it, because I really want to know how to keep our brothers from dying.

    Calebˇ­

    His draconic nature is terrifying. He hasnˇŻt even begun to awaken it, yet can already harness a small portion of its power. We are only humans with a small drop of dragonˇŻs blood within us, but our leaderˇ­ is a little more than half-dragon, with that drop of dragonˇŻs blood from his motherˇŻs human side, and his father being a dragon.

    If he were to fully awaken his dragon nature and adapt to it, heˇŻd be able to tell exactly what is wrong, here. His senses would be far above any of ours.

    As it isˇ­

    ˇ°Who are you?ˇ± One of the soldiers asks, and I turn around to face him, shifting my hair through a few colors before returning it to brown, causing him to stare at me in confusion, the gun heˇŻs aimed at me forgotten. ˇ°What the?ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻs Flame,ˇ± I state. ˇ°I can change the color of my hair and eyes. I decided to go with this, because it fits the mood.ˇ±

    The guard looks doubtful, so I flash him my cadet I.D., which has a note on it stating that my hair and eyes may be different colors. He accepts that, then reminds me that dinner will be in two hours. I nod, then he leaves.

    ˇ­ the soldiers here stink. Something is off about them ¨C all of them. Could it be from being around the liquid magic? Caleb said heˇŻs never been near it before, and Teacher wouldnˇŻt tell him anything about it. What little he knows comes from what IˇŻd heard from Tucker, which isnˇŻt useful.

    It might be from being around liquid magic, but I canˇŻt know for sure.

    Regardlessˇ­

    Something about the soldiers, other than their stench, concerns me. They each have that sense of despair that I can detect permeating the surroundings, but they all seem friendly, apart from when they think a cadet infiltrated them.

    TheyˇŻre hiding something.

    I reach under my shirt, feeling the fuuxar crystal Caleb turned into a necklace for me. One of the many gifts he gave me for Christmas. ItˇŻs purer than most ¨C one of the ones from TeacherˇŻs hoard, his note said. No trace of impurity at all, and the flame energies within it are purer than anything IˇŻve ever encountered before on any of my jobs, as well as from what our former village could find.

    If I consume the crystal ¨C and the flames within it ¨C it will give me an immense boost. Temporary boost, but an immense one. I will not hesitate to bite into it and burn the forest down to destroy the monsters and the source of this unease.

    I will burn the fort down as well, if it fills with monsters. The fire of a dragon will destroy liquid magic, so there wonˇŻt be a need for the fort if I burn it down, anyway.

    I make my way to the exit at the forest, and the guards on the inside stop me.

    ˇ°Cadets are to stay inside or with an escort if they leave,ˇ± the guards say. ˇ°We cannot risk you being harmed.ˇ±

    ˇ°Those are not official orders for our mission,ˇ± I say. ˇ°And nor is it the standard policy of this fort class. Allow me to leave.ˇ±

    ˇ°Not permitted.ˇ±

    ˇ°I am an S-A Superhuman capable of burning this fort to the ground with a thought,ˇ± I say. ˇ°I will heal from virtually any injury you can deliver unto me. The monster activity outside is less than normal, and odds of me being attacked are slim-to-none. You will let me leave, or I will consume both of you.ˇ±

    My bloodlust is enough to send chills down their spines, and for a brief moment, something flashes in their eyes. Something inhuman.

    Leaving the fort, I wonder what that look was. It passed too quickly for me to catch, but they definitely wanted to fight me.

    Something definitely isnˇŻt right. And IˇŻm going to get to the root of the cause, regardless of where it lays.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Kieran)~~~

    Theyˇ­ left me behind. The Quartet went on a training mission, and Jared went to vacation. And then thereˇŻs Caleb, doingˇ­ whatever it is heˇŻs doing.

    No one told me my team was leaving, so IˇŻm kind of upset right now. Because IˇŻm upset, IˇŻm going through criminal files to see if thereˇŻs any I could take on while waiting for someone to return. Caleb would probably get upset with me if I didnˇŻt at least try to fight some criminals while IˇŻve got nothing else to do.

    That, or get stronger, but it isnˇŻt easy when IˇŻm already as strong as I am.

    A file gives me pause. ItˇŻs about two years old, and the figure in it has jet-black hair and steel-grey eyes. ItˇŻs a security camera shot.

    Identity: Unknown

    Powers: Possibly Superhuman, Fire Elemental ¨C S-Rank minimum

    Minimum? An ordinary Superhuman canˇŻt go beyond S-Rank.

    Age: Unknown (possibly 10 or 11 in photo, 12 or 13 now)

    Sex: Male

    Crimes: Assassination, mass murder

    Details: The attached photo is the only shot weˇŻve ever had of this kid. HeˇŻs powerful, heˇŻs dangerous, and his Abilities are beyond any Fire Elemental weˇŻve ever seen before. HeˇŻs ripped people apart from a distance, killed people with a glare, their bodies burning from the inside out. Confirmed kills: ninety-eight high-profile politicians and criminals across the globe, more than three hundred guards, workers, and various other criminals, either involved or separate. Killed four S-Rank Superhumans and an S-B Superhuman with relative ease in a fight against all five.

    It goes on to list various other crimes, all of which involved assassinations that are possibly attributed to him, though some of them also state that itˇŻs mere speculation, due to the fact that he has only been spotted a couple of times, and the only real link is the use of a Fire Ability mixed with something different.

    Notes: Possibly Cadet Flame Hansen of the GSDF, currently in-training at the GSDF youth training facility ¨C is capable of changing minor details about his appearance, and facial analysis matches the two. Proper age. Has been known to have a bloodthirsty side, notably when he took out the Kisan CartelˇŻs main headquarters ¨C performed by himself, wielding a fire that burned with the same energy as UnknownˇŻs. Cadet HansenˇŻs background is unknown, as well as the background of his brothers. Further observation needed.

    Notes 2: Cadet Hansen confirmed to change appearance into UnknownˇŻs on current training mission to learn how to guard a fort. Personality shifted entirely. Possibly a split personality. Will send troops to detain Hansen, once Council has given authorization to bring in the Nevlars Force.

    The Nevlars Forceˇ­

    The Council tried recruiting me into that, some years ago. A force even more dangerous than the group that tried to arrest Jared and Caleb at BT, and they donˇŻt need to use anti-Gift or anti-Magic weapons of old.

    ItˇŻs a force of A-Rank Specials with deadly combat ability. Currently has ten members, the team has never, not once, lost a mission. They take on powerful forces, criminals, monsters, and such that no one else can.

    And theyˇŻre sending them after Flameˇ­ if he really is this ˇ®UnknownˇŻ criminal, things will get disastrous. The Nevlars Force is called, damage is expected.

    Pulling out my cell, I dial the number I was given years ago, for if I wanted to join the Nevlars Force. Flame will kill them, if heˇŻs this other foe, and doesnˇŻt want to go. The moment they attempt to fight him or force him to go with them, they will lose their lives.

    ˇ°Colonel Rivers,ˇ± the General responds. ˇ°I never thought IˇŻd see your number. Did you change your mind about the Nevlars Force?ˇ±

    ˇ°Have they been approved to apprehend Flame Hansen yet?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°They left ten minutes ago,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°We were about to update the file on him and the suspected alter-ˇ±

    ˇ°Order them to retreat,ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°Pardon?ˇ± He asks. ˇ°Colonel Rivers, I should remind you-ˇ±

    ˇ°Flame Hansen,ˇ± I say. ˇ°IsnˇŻt just a Gift, General. Flame has awakened the trace of dragon heritage within him. That is his strange magic. It canˇŻt be neutralized, and it canˇŻt be guarded against by Gift or Magicians. It will burn through anything they throw at him. If Flame and this other guy are the same, and they are two different personalities, and heˇŻs in the other personality right now, he will simply kill the Nevlars Force. There are only three people who could possibly stop him. IˇŻm one of them, because of my power over perception itself ¨C but even that might not be enough. I havenˇŻt tried using it on him when heˇŻs using his draconic powers. The other two? YouˇŻve basically alienated them. TheyˇŻre Caleb and his Teacher ¨C the two most powerful Gifted and magicians in the world. Caleb could simply create a Reality Marble around them that would neutralize the draconic powers in Flame. If the Nevlars Force goes, they will die.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm sorry, Kieran,ˇ± the General responds. ˇ°However, this is not up to you. If Flame is this other person, then he is a criminal of one of the highest calibers. He must be detained. The Nevlars Force can handle anything thrown their way.ˇ±

    ˇ°Could they handle Caleb Rivers?ˇ± I ask, and heˇŻs silent. ˇ°No, they couldnˇŻt. That only proves theyˇŻre not infallible. And Caleb doesnˇŻt have access to his draconic nature.ˇ±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ˇ°IˇŻm not even sure what that is about,ˇ± the General says. ˇ°But-ˇ±

    ˇ°Some people,ˇ± I interrupt him. ˇ°Have a slight trace of draconic heritage within them. It sleeps within them, dormant. Flame has had access to that draconic side for years. Brooks awoke it while they were in the Enchanted Forest, then later, awoke it in Jared when they were on that mission that chased Caleb off, after revealing his real Gift was focused on ice, not water.ˇ±

    And I just realized why Caleb is refusing to rejoin, even though he knows things are different now, and that he probably wonˇŻt be treated like that again. The real reason.

    The brat.

    ˇ°It is a powerful force,ˇ± I say. ˇ°The power of dragons. Flame has only a slight touch of this draconic power, and he can kill S-Rank people ¨C including a B-Rank Special. That was the Gegar Incident, wasnˇŻt it? Details were sealed about that. General Jung was an Ice Elemental Gifted, General ¨C Flame killed him when he was only eleven, if this is him. You cannot send the Nevlar Force after him.ˇ±

    ˇ°There is no negotiation on this,ˇ± the General says, and the call ends.

    I stare at the phone. I did all that talking, and it resulted in nothing changing. This is why I donˇŻt talk much.

    Though I have been talking more, recently, with the teamˇ­

    Or concerning the team. I stare at the file, then try CalebˇŻs phone. It doesnˇŻt even finish the first ring before it goes to voicemail.

    ˇ°Excuse me,ˇ± I say. ˇ°I know you did not just send me to voicemail. This is urgent, Caleb ¨C they believe Flame is a high-profile criminal theyˇŻve been hunting, due to something that happened on his current mission. TheyˇŻve authorized the Nevlars Force to go after him.ˇ±

    I hang up the phone and call Flame, and it picks up immediately.

    ˇ°Flame-ˇ±

    ˇ°Brooks,ˇ± Brooks corrects me. ˇ°IˇŻve got his phone. WhatˇŻs up?ˇ±

    ˇ°WhereˇŻs Flame right now?ˇ±

    ˇ°Sleeping.ˇ±

    Something about that makes me suspicious.

    ˇ°Sleeping,ˇ± I say. ˇ°As in dormant while an alternate personality is active?ˇ±

    Silence.

    ˇ°ThereˇŻs been an authorization to send the Nevlars Force after him,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Due to having confirmed that heˇŻs probably this criminal. TheyˇŻre aware itˇŻs an alternate personality.ˇ±

    ˇ°Is there any way you can call them off?ˇ± Brooks suddenly sounds scared. ˇ°Blaze will kill them without hesitation if they try to stop him.ˇ±

    ˇ°Blaze?ˇ±

    ˇ°The alternate personality,ˇ± Brooks responds, and IˇŻm pretty sure heˇŻs nodding. ˇ°He taps into the draconic side of his nature as Blaze. HeˇŻs a completely different person. According to both of them, Caleb authorized him to do this, because he got a bad feeling about the fort. The moment Flame confirmed something was off with his draconic senses, he let Blaze take over. Kieran ¨C whatever it is thatˇŻs off, itˇŻs bothering me, too. When I reach out with my draconic senses, I sense something bad. ItˇŻs sadness and hopelessness and danger. It overwhelmed me. Blaze is investigating in the forest right now. IˇŻm not going to lie to you, Kieran ¨C IˇŻm scared, and I wish you, Jared, and especially Caleb were all here.ˇ±

    ˇ°Caleb sent me to voicemail.ˇ±

    ˇ°Did you just pout?ˇ±

    ˇ°Maybe.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you know when theyˇŻll arrive?ˇ±

    ˇ°Probably in a few hours,ˇ± I answer, looking at BlazeˇŻs file again. ˇ°IˇŻll try to stall them. Whatever is off there, you have until they get past me to figure it out and take care of it.ˇ±

    I hang up, and am about to convert myself to shadows when a sense of dread fills me.

    ItˇŻs not from here, thoughˇ­

    The fort. Something is off about the fort. I can perceive that.

    I convert myself to shadows and ¨C as quickly as I possibly can ¨C make my way to the fort, putting on extra haste. If needed, I will breach that barrier to S-S with my Perception Gift to stop the Nevars Force.

    The fort looms in front of me, and my Perception freaks out. Whatever it is, it isnˇŻt outside of the fort ¨C itˇŻs inside of it.

    I explore every mote within the fort, and immediately scream into the perceptions of the cadets to get out of there.

    The soldiersˇ­

    Are monsters. The monsters killed the soldiers and took over their bodies. I have no doubt in my mind theyˇŻre trying to find the liquid magic hidden deep beneath the fort. It wasnˇŻt made with TeacherˇŻs power, which means that they will, eventually, discover it.

    No wonder they reported Flame quickly ¨C they probably see him, and his draconic nature, as a major threat to them.

    As they should. HeˇŻs an S-Rank Gift who thinks heˇŻs only A-Rank, and, sensing him now, in the woods, I can tell that Blaze is even stronger. S-A, minimum.

    ˇ°Colonel Rivers!ˇ± A voice says from behind me, and I turn around to face the ten members of the Nelvars Force. ˇ°We were instructed to arrest you, if you attempted to interfere with this.ˇ±

    ˇ°Blaze,ˇ± I say. ˇ°IsnˇŻt the threat right now. The soldiers within the fort are monsters. The cadets inside are in danger, and the moment they sense a powerful force nearby, they will probably act.ˇ±

    ˇ°Sure,ˇ± he says. ˇ°Just like youˇŻre here to sell us cookies.ˇ±

    One of them crafts a staff of glowing blue energy, spinning it once before aiming it at me.

    ˇ°Colonel Rivers,ˇ± the agent with the staff says. ˇ°We request that you stand down peacefully. If you donˇŻt-ˇ±

    ˇ°DonˇŻt attack him,ˇ± the one who spoke original, Marcus Wight, orders. ˇ°Kieran is able to mess with peopleˇŻs perceptions. YouˇŻre new to the crew, and probably havenˇŻt encountered him. HeˇŻs one of those forces weˇŻd be summoned to deal with, if he ever started causing problems.ˇ±

    ˇ°A Perception?ˇ± The agent with the staff looks confused. ˇ°We can handle-ˇ±

    ˇ°He has two Abilities,ˇ± Wight says. ˇ°HeˇŻs an S-Rank Elemental who can manipulate light and shadows, and an S-A Perception.ˇ±

    ˇ°Dual-Abilities isnˇŻt possible.ˇ±

    ˇ°Tell that to him,ˇ± Wight gestures to me, then looks at me again. ˇ°Rivers ¨C please stand down, and back off.ˇ±

    ˇ°Cliff!ˇ± I perceive something. ˇ°Gale! No!ˇ±

    A powerful sense of danger, like theyˇŻre about to die.

    Then, from the woodsˇ­

    A roar. A pure, raw, primal roar filled with sadness, horror, and rage. A roar that shakes every fiber of my being ¨C as well as the forest and fort itself. A second roar fills the air.

    So this is the power of a dragon. ItˇŻs so strong, so overwhelmingˇ­

    ˇ°Two cadets are dead,ˇ± I say coldly as I stare at the fort, knowing that Blaze has already reached inside. ˇ°Fight the soldiers, not Blaze.ˇ±

    Memorizing the powers of the dragons, I take in a deep breath, then let it out, perceiving that power within me, then waking it.

    A dragon with two powers roars within me. The first, the power of light and shadows. The second, with the power of perception itself.

    IˇŻm about to rain hell upon the monsters within the fort when reality ripples around me. Without my power of Perception, I wouldnˇŻt even notice it.

    CalebˇŻs here.

    ˇ°In this Reality,ˇ± CalebˇŻs voice rings out, filling the air with authority and a power that terrifies even the dragon I just woke. ˇ°My allies live forever, and monsters burn in the light of day.ˇ±

    Half of the monsters burn up instantly, turning to dust. Cliff and Gale are still dead, thoughˇ­

    ˇ°In this Reality,ˇ± CalebˇŻs voice rings out again, and I finally perceive his location, as he descends from the sky, landing in the field in front of us, facing us. ˇ°Monsters burn in the light of a dragon.ˇ±

    He knows.

    Channeling the dragon coiling within me, I radiate a light that penetrates the walls of the fort, filling it with my power. Each of the remaining monsters within die.

    ˇ°In this Reality,ˇ± he lists another rule. ˇ°Abilities do not work.ˇ±

    The moment he says that, I feel the connection to my Gift vanish, and he stares past me pointedly. The staff vanishes as well.

    ˇ°You can contact your superiors from within this Reality,ˇ± Caleb states. ˇ°Do so. Inform them that both Flame and his alternate personality, Blaze, are under my protection.ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt know who you are, but-ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt care,ˇ± Caleb says, and I turn to face Wight. ˇ°In this Reality, I am supreme above all others. Flame is an asset to my team. Inform them that Caleb Rivers has forbid any legal action against them. Flame has just lost two brothers, because of how long it took me to arrive. I am not in the mood for negotiations. This is your final opportunity. Continue to resist, and I will permanently strip you of your Abilities.ˇ±

    ˇ°I thought Teacher wouldnˇŻt teach you how to do that?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Teacher is a giant, fire-breathing dragon,ˇ± Caleb states. ˇ°If I fail on my first attempt to do that, IˇŻll just call him up and tell him that a member of my team is being arrested for crimes he hasnˇŻt committed in over a year, ever since he joined the people who fight against those types of people. You can bet your butt that either he or the Sage will then approach the Council directly.ˇ±

    I thought they were the same person?

    Wight pulls out his phone and dials a number.

    ˇ°Councilman Reitar,ˇ± he says. ˇ°We have a bit of a complication. A Creator-ˇ±

    I use my Perception to listen in on the interruption.

    ˇ°Rivers is there?ˇ±

    ˇ°Colonel Rivers is, yes,ˇ± Wight says. ˇ°However-ˇ±

    ˇ°I meant Caleb,ˇ± Reitar says. ˇ°Wait ¨C KieranˇŻs there? I thought you were going after one of the unidentified criminals?ˇ±

    They werenˇŻt briefed on the situationˇ­

    I flick my hand, and his phone jumps into it. Wight looks absolutely confused.

    ˇ°Reitar,ˇ± I say. ˇ°ItˇŻs Kieran. The unidentified criminal is an alternate personality of Flame Hansen.ˇ±

    Silence. From the subtle click, I think he put me on mute. A few moments pass, then it clicks again.

    ˇ°Caleb is there?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°Indeed.ˇ±

    ˇ°I take it he will not allow Hansen to be arrested?ˇ±

    ˇ°HeˇŻs created a powerful Reality Marble that neutralizes Abilities,ˇ± I state. ˇ°Flame is a valuable member of his team, and has already been through enough. The fact that he has joined the GSDF ¨C and now the GMDF ¨C has proven that he wishes to change away from that. From my understanding, he only even let his alternate personality out because of a perceived threat.ˇ±

    ˇ°Which was?ˇ±

    ˇ°The soldiers in the fort had been killed,ˇ± I state. ˇ°And monsters were masquerading as them. Had Caleb not acted, it would have required FlameˇŻs alternate personality ¨C the assassin in him ¨C to kill the monsters.ˇ±

    ˇ°Phone,ˇ± Caleb holds his hand out, and I hold out the phone for him. He puts it to his ear. ˇ°This is Rivers. I am destroying the liquid magic as we speak. Cliff and Gale Hansen have been killed by the monsters. Flame and Brooks Hansen are currently grieving. There will be no further action taken against my team. Failure to comply will result in the unleashing of a dragon no one wants to mess with.ˇ±

    Pretty sure he only thinks itˇŻs Teacher heˇŻs referring to.

    ˇ°Teacher is a dragon,ˇ± Caleb states plainly. ˇ°If my team is acted against negatively, I will invoke the Ancient Law.ˇ±

    The what?

    Caleb is silent, and when I try to listen in with my draconic ears, I hear nothing more than breathing. Long, slow breathing. The Councilman has been given pause. There are others there, actually. Is he in a meeting with the rest of the Council right now?

    ˇ°Which part?ˇ± The Councilman finally asks. ˇ°Of the Ancient Law would you be invoking?ˇ±

    ˇ°Law Seven,ˇ± Caleb states. ˇ°There is only one known dragon, so unless you can find another one willing to back a mortal council over a half-dragon, you will be dealing with Teacher. But know that there is a good chance that the other dragon you find is my biological father. He will back me over a mortal council, and that is only reinforced if Teacher makes his presence known, being half-Dragon of Creation. Do I make myself clear? My team is off-limits for past crimes.ˇ±

    ˇ°One moment, Caleb,ˇ± the click occurs again, and Caleb looks annoyed.

    ˇ°ItˇŻs a simple thing,ˇ± he says to me. ˇ°Just say ˇ®understoodˇŻ and hang up the damn phone.ˇ±

    ˇ°ShouldnˇŻt we be going to Flame and Brooks?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Give them a few minutes,ˇ± Caleb says. ˇ°TheyˇŻre currently crying. Cliff and Gale were killed as soon as you guys were sensed, from what I can tell. Then Flame noticed it, and then Brooks realized it from FlameˇŻs roar. IˇŻm mad at you.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°You awoke the dragon within before me,ˇ± he pouts. ˇ°Call returning.ˇ±

    ThereˇŻs another click.

    ˇ°The Council accepts,ˇ± Reitar says. ˇ°The bounty on your teammate has been lifted, and the file sealed. His identity is now clear. If, however, he acts against the law now, he will be prosecuted. You cannot demand the Council to allow you free reign over us.ˇ±

    ˇ°Flame is a soldier of the GMDF,ˇ± Caleb says. ˇ°He will not break the law. He will, however, request to go home, to bury his brothers. Since I have you on the phone, I want you to expedite the request, and have it authorized immediately.ˇ±

    ˇ°Done,ˇ± Reitar says. ˇ°Flame and Brooks will be allowed leave for bury their brothers.ˇ±

    ˇ°And the rest of my team as well,ˇ± Caleb states. ˇ°To ensure that they donˇŻt give up. They will need our support.ˇ±

    ˇ°Done,ˇ± Reitar says. ˇ°Caleb, we do apologize for the misunderstanding with-ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm not returning,ˇ± Caleb says. ˇ°You canˇŻt buy me back. IˇŻve been training.ˇ±

    In warm places.

    ˇ°We need emergency transport for my team,ˇ± Caleb states. ˇ°As well as the other cadets present. We will debrief once we are secured. The liquid magic has been eliminated.ˇ±

    ˇ°How did you eliminate it?ˇ± Reitar asks. ˇ°WeˇŻve never been able to do anything with it.ˇ±

    ˇ°It was easy,ˇ± Caleb answers. ˇ°I just started burning it with my magic. IˇŻm curious to know why Teacher didnˇŻt want me having anything to do with it, though. ItˇŻs not like IˇŻd try drinking it or something. That would be stupid.ˇ±

    Actuallyˇ­ drinking it might make you even stronger, Caleb. Monsters get stronger by drawing on its energies, and youˇŻre half-dragon.

    I wonderˇ­

    Would that remove the limits you have on you? Unbind your powers that have been bound since back then?

    ˇ°IˇŻm giving the phone back to its owner,ˇ± Caleb states. ˇ°Goodbye.ˇ±

    He throws the phone to Wight, who listens as Wight gives him their new orders, and I look at Caleb.

    HeˇŻs gotten tanˇ­

    Caleb looks at me.

    ˇ°IˇŻm returning to where I was,ˇ± he says. ˇ°Let Flame and Brooks know that if they donˇŻt return to training after two weeks simply because they canˇŻt go on, IˇŻll drag them out of Rainbow Village myself.ˇ±

    Caleb flies up into the sky, and IˇŻm left wondering where the hell heˇŻs referring to. Rainbow Village? IˇŻve never heard of that before.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Jared)~~~

    ˇ°Hey, Caleb,ˇ± I greet him on the restaurant patio. ˇ°No Emma?ˇ±

    ˇ°SheˇŻs in the bathroom,ˇ± he looks at me. ˇ°Why are you bothering me?ˇŻ

    ˇ°Did you fly off the island earlier,ˇ± I ask. ˇ°Then fly back on?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah.ˇ±

    ˇ°Carrying coconuts.ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah.ˇ±

    ˇ°You flew off the island to collect coconuts?ˇ±

    ˇ°I flew off the island to kill a bunch of monsters that killed Cliff and Gale,ˇ± Caleb says. ˇ°KieranˇŻs handling things, though. I made sure the Council didnˇŻt let the Nevars Force didnˇŻt try to bring Flame in.ˇ±

    ˇ°Cliff and Gale are dead?ˇ± I ask, shocked.

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± Caleb answers. ˇ°The monsters pretending to be soldiers killed them when they sensed Kieran and the Nevlars force as they argued about the arrest of Flame. Then I stepped in and killed the monsters, along with Kieran, who awoke his dragon. IˇŻm so mad at you guys. IˇŻm the half-dragon, and I donˇŻt have access to my draconic powers.ˇ±

    I think Caleb just wants to see if he can transform into a dragon.

    ˇ°Are the brothers returning to base?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°We should-ˇ±

    ˇ°TheyˇŻll be returning home in the next couple of days,ˇ± Caleb answers. ˇ°IˇŻll give them two weeks to finish their mourning there. Life doesnˇŻt stop because someone died.ˇ±

    ThatˇŻs harsh, Caleb.

    Normally, IˇŻd agree with him, but these are the brothers of our team, and they felt like teammates to me. Normally, IˇŻd just say ˇ®get over itˇŻ and move on, but dealing with Caleb has changed the way I view about things.

    Hearing him say that is harsh, and IˇŻm about to tell him that he needs to be more sensitive, especially for Flame, when I remember what heˇŻs been through.

    He lost his entirely family. Hundreds of people he called family, dead ¨C and he watched them die in what is the worst massacre in recorded history. HeˇŻs been through a lot, getting over what happened to them and him back then. Even now, heˇŻs still affected by it, and his eyes show that as he stares at me, willing me to go away.

    He recently had to kill one who survived, and spent a long time mourning him. It hit him hard. But he realized that life does move on, even if he doesnˇŻt want to. So heˇŻs going to make sure Flame and Brooks donˇŻt do the same thing he did, and basically shut down after.

    There are other people we can help, people we can help prevent the deaths of. This is a reason for us to grow stronger.

    ˇ°Plus,ˇ± Caleb sighs, looking back to the ocean as he stands and makes his way the railing to the balcony that overlooks the beach. ˇ°I gave them their brothersˇŻ legacies. TheyˇŻll never forget them, every time they use their power.ˇ±

    ˇ°Their legacies?ˇ± I think back to him mentioning that he has taken on ThomasˇŻs legacy. ˇ°Their powers?ˇ±

    ˇ°I gave Brooks CliffˇŻs,ˇ± Caleb says. ˇ°And Flame GaleˇŻs.ˇ±

    ˇ°Gave?ˇ± I ask, then think about Kieran.

    Caleb did something, back in the massacre, that caused KieranˇŻs brotherˇŻs powers to enter him, making him a dual-Ability Superhuman.

    ˇ°You mean,ˇ± I say after realizing this. ˇ°You did the same thing to them that you did to Kieran?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°TheyˇŻre brothers, so I knew it would work. I gave them all of their powers ¨C their magic, their Abilities, and their draconic heritage. The two dragons fused the moment I did that, forming dragons of not one, but two elements. I canˇŻt believe Kieran awakened his, too. I wonder if thereˇŻs a way to bind them back up?ˇ±

    I donˇŻt think he meant for me to hear that.

    I start to walk back inside, so that Caleb and Emma can have some peace, and pass Emma on my way in.

    ˇ°Hey, Jared,ˇ± she stops me, then glances at Caleb for a moment before looking at me. ˇ°I have a question.ˇ±

    ˇ°Shoot.ˇ±

    ˇ°Caleb disappeared for awhile earlier,ˇ± she says. ˇ°And when he returned, he seemed kind ofˇ­ moody. Since you two are friends, I was wondering if you knew what happened, and if there was something I could do to cheer him up. His smile and laugh are too good to leave like this.ˇ±

    ˇ°A couple of our teammatesˇŻ brothers just passed away,ˇ± I respond, and she looks horrified. ˇ°TheyˇŻll be leaving to their village soon, to bury their brothers. HeˇŻs dealt with a lot death in his life. To cheer him upˇ­ ask him about his turtles again, or about his family.ˇ±

    ˇ°His family?ˇ±

    ˇ°They died when he was younger,ˇ± I say. ˇ°But if you can get him talking about them ¨C which you probably can, as heˇŻs probably thinking about them right now, and heˇŻs completely infatuated with you to the point where that probably wouldnˇŻt have made a difference ¨C his face will light up as he remembers pranks and stuff that he pulled with or on some of them or the staff.ˇ±

    ˇ°Heˇ­ likes me?ˇ± She asks, looking surprised.

    ˇ°He was attracted to you,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Because of your aura. Then he got to talking with you, and began to like you for your personality.ˇ±

    ˇ°Oh,ˇ± she says, then laughs nervously. ˇ°That explains a few things, since we met. Thanks, Jared. IˇŻll see if heˇŻll talk about his family. IˇŻd like to hear about these pranks.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ask him about the frogs,ˇ± I tell her, then return inside and find a table to sit at, Owen joining me after a few minutes.

    ˇ°Thought we were eating outside?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°CalebˇŻs out there,ˇ± I look out the window. ˇ°And heˇŻs in a funky mood. IˇŻll tell you when we return, if they donˇŻt announce it while weˇŻre here.ˇ±

    <hr>

    ~~~(???)~~~

    Flame, a dragon of fire, now merged with the power of air.

    Brooks, a dragon of ice and water, now merged with the power of stone.

    Jared, a dragon of steel and stone.

    Kieran, a dragon of light, shadows, and perception itself.

    I can only pray to my father that my son does not awaken the dragon within him. Our particular species is far different from other speciesˇ­ dragons of pure magic are not something many want around. It bends to our will, shaping as we wish it.

    His Ability should have alerted me to his draconic heritage. Every Territory has at least twenty percent of their blood as draconic in nature. A Creator is at least forty-five percent. Caleb is sixty percent, gaining ten percent from his mother, if she is who I think she is, and fifty percent from me ¨C half of each.

    To fuse people with draconic heritagesˇŻ powers together is extraordinary, and already a testament to just how much of my power he really has. ThatˇŻs one of the more difficult ones, and I am grateful he can only manage it when casting a Reality Marble with his Ability.

    For now.

    ˇ°You prayed?ˇ± Father appears on the beach in front of me.

    ˇ°Is there any chance of Caleb ever awakening the dragon sleeping within him?ˇ± I ask, choosing to ignore the fact that he said itˇŻs nearly impossible for even they Dragons of Creation to enter this realm right now. ˇ°If so, how likely is it?ˇ±

    ˇ°Unlikely,ˇ± Father responds. ˇ°Despite the fact that he has far more dragon in him, he strangely doesnˇŻt have access to it, outside of the innate access.ˇ±

    Little touches, things he probably isnˇŻt aware are a result of his power, such as the ability to burn liquid magic away. IˇŻm grateful he didnˇŻt try drinking itˇ­ that son of mine would do something like that, just to see what it would do, under the assumption that his draconic nature would protect him. Only draconic powers can affect liquid magic.

    ˇ°How unlikely?ˇ±

    ˇ°HeˇŻd have to enter the Temple of the Dragon King to awaken his dragon,ˇ± Father answers. ˇ°Which, as you know, is almost impossible to enter, without a very specific set of requirements being met.ˇ±

    ˇ°Good,ˇ± I say. ˇ°That place isnˇŻt due to spawn for awhile yet, and itˇŻs doubtful heˇŻll be there. And Father?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes?ˇ±

    ˇ°Why are you in swim trunks?ˇ±

    ˇ°What?ˇ± He looks down at his trunks, then back at me. ˇ°IˇŻm on a beach, I might as well fit in.ˇ±

    ˇ°YouˇŻre a dragon,ˇ± I say. ˇ°In dragon form. If you were in your human form, that would be a different matter, but youˇŻre not.ˇ±

    Father transforms to human form, and I sigh.

    ˇ°Sunglasses and a sharkˇŻs tooth necklace on a hemp cord?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°ItˇŻs what the cool kids wear.ˇ±

    ˇ°YouˇŻre just a kid.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm a kid who helped create existence,ˇ± he adjusts his glasses, taking on a ˇ®coolˇŻ stance.

    ˇ°I have a question for you,ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°Beyond your previous questions?ˇ±

    ˇ°I tried contacting the Domain Deities recently,ˇ± I say. ˇ°After determining that their power is, in fact, weaker than it should be. None of them responded.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs because theyˇŻre all missing,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°Well, the big ones. Sun and Moon arenˇŻt around, and Earth is weak. A Second Great Calamity is on its way.ˇ±

    A Second Great Calamityˇ­ exactly as I thought. The same sequence of events happened back then. The world will shift and roil once more.

    ˇ°Any idea on how to stop it?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°The Domains wouldnˇŻt tell me what happened to them, and theyˇŻve been weak ever since.ˇ±

    ˇ°Caleb will stop it,ˇ± Father answers, walking to the beach and wading into the water. ˇ°Oh! Your waterˇŻs the perfect temperature! ThatˇŻs cool!ˇ±

    YouˇŻre an ancient being who helped create existence, Father. Please, control yourself.

    ˇ°How will he stop it?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°I donˇŻt know,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°But thatˇŻs what we managed to divine. Caleb will stop the Second Great Calamity. It appears he already has a quest to do so, though he doesnˇŻt know itˇŻs going to happen.ˇ±

    ˇ°How did he gain that?ˇ± I ask as Father flips on his back and starts doing a backstroke around the shallows. ˇ°Father?ˇ±

    ˇ°The Moon gave it to him last year,ˇ± he answers.

    ˇ°Will it screw up this realm even more?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°ItˇŻs already difficult for you to enter, and pretty much impossible to-ˇ±

    ˇ°No,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°We figured out what happened. TheyˇŻre two separate events, they just happened to coincide.ˇ±

    ˇ°The Great Calamity and the binding of the realm?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Yes,ˇ± Father answers, diving under water, and remaining there for several moments before surfacing. I stare at him, and he sighs, talking after after several minutes. ˇ°Basically, during the Great Calamity, a Creator claimed Tulm as his Reality. ThatˇŻs about all the information we can find. It wasnˇŻt intentional, and heˇŻs sleeping. ThatˇŻs all we know. We canˇŻt track him down, though weˇŻll try again. Looking into Tulm isnˇŻt easy, even knowing this.ˇ±

    Knowing that itˇŻs a Reality Marble, I now think I know how to leave this realm, and on the first attempt, find myself in my actual realm. Father appears in front of me, wearing pants, boots, a sweater, and a parka, along with a beanie and earmuffs, a scarf, andˇ­

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs overkill.ˇ±

    ˇ°I went from a beach to here.ˇ±

    Inwardly, I sigh and roll my eyes. My father can be dramatic sometimes.

    ˇ°Passage is now easier,ˇ± I comment. ˇ°Though it feltˇ­ odd. It wasnˇŻt like it was a Reality Marble.ˇ±

    ˇ°Because itˇŻs not.ˇ±

    ˇ°You said it was.ˇ±

    ˇ°No,ˇ± he says. ˇ°I said that someone claimed Tulm as their Reality. It isnˇŻt a Reality Marble coating the realm ¨C the realm itself was turned into a Reality Marble. As such, itˇŻs still reality.ˇ±

    ˇ°How is Caleb able to pass in and out of it?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°He doesnˇŻt seem to have an issue.ˇ±

    ˇ°You mean him freezing hell?ˇ±

    IˇŻm still trying to figure that one out. Did he really freeze hell, or is that just a joke my Father is continuing?

    A moment later, IˇŻm standing in hell, and can now confirm that hell is frozen-over. There arenˇŻt many demons about, but IˇŻm not surprised by that ¨C most of them were probably frozen when Caleb hit it. How did he freeze the realm, though? He shouldnˇŻt have the power for this kind of feat, with his power being bound.

    ˇ°How has it not thawed yet?ˇ± I ask Father.

    ˇ°Are you forgetting who CalebˇŻs descended of?ˇ± He snorts. ˇ°His ice doesnˇŻt thaw when he doesnˇŻt want it to. He wasnˇŻt thinking, so it just wonˇŻt thaw. YouˇŻre going from subject to subject, and if you donˇŻt stop, IˇŻm leaving.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you know how to find the Creator who put Tulm in that state?ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you think youˇŻd still be in that state if I did?ˇ± Father asks in a very sarcastic voice. ˇ°Son,ˇ± that sounds weird coming out of the mouth of a kid who looks younger than me. ˇ°WeˇŻre doing the best we can, but we honestly have no idea how to fix this. The guy who did that is sleeping ¨C has been since he hit Tulm with that. We donˇŻt even know how heˇŻs supplying it with power, to sustain that state.ˇ±

    An ungodly mortal scream rings out, and I look in the direction that came from.

    ˇ°There are still plenty of demons to torture the souls of the damned,ˇ± Father states. ˇ°I sometimes come here when IˇŻm bored.ˇ±

    I return to my island on Earth, and sit in a beach chair, thinking about the things I just learned.

    Caleb can only awaken his draconic side if he enters the Temple of the Dragon King, and he is the only person who can stop or end the coming Great Calamity. I sacrificed a lot to end the first one and bind up the demons responsible for it the first time around. Caleb really did freeze hell over, and Tulm was somehow claimed as the Reality of someone who has been in a slumber since, and not even the Dragon of Creation of Knowledge can see who it is or how they did or how to wake them.

    I really wish Father didnˇŻt show up after that prayer. Now, IˇŻm only concerned for the future. What will happen if that person dies without releasing his Reality? Will this realm begin to fall apart? Even the power of the Dragons of Creation likely wonˇŻt be enough to save it.

    What will happen if Caleb does awaken his draconic nature? He can definitely take on the form of a dragon ¨C which is the only reason he wants to awaken that part of his nature, the fool ¨C but he will be so much more dangerous.

    The first time he freaks out about somethingˇ­ would spell disaster for all. HeˇŻs already gone through so much in his thirteen years, and times will only grow darker for him. Not only that, but if what Father said last time is true, and Caleb really is the Bringer of Light and Darknessˇ­

    The world itself would be much, much better off, when he draws to the side of darkness, if he does not have his draconic nature.

    But what is the event that spurs him that way? Right now, he is firmly on the side of good, and will do whatever it takes to protect his friends and allies. Yes, he acts in a chaotic sense, but he does it to protect.

    What will happen to turn him to evil?

    ˇ°My son,ˇ± I close my eyes. ˇ°So long as I live, I will make sure you never fall to evil.ˇ±

 Chapter 019

    ~~~(Brooks)~~~

    Flame has been silent the entire trip back to our village. The journey is seven days through the pass, with no way around that. ThatˇŻs coming or going.

    Seven days, and not one word out of his mouth. HeˇŻs been clutching the jar GaleˇŻs ashes are in the entire time, while I have carried CliffˇŻs. HeˇŻs cried a lot, too, but only when he thinks IˇŻm sleeping.

    Now, weˇŻre approaching the gate to our village, and I can see our parents waiting for us, among other villagers. Instinctively, I step a little ahead of Flame as we walk. Cliff, Gale, and I could return at any time, but Flameˇ­ wasnˇŻt ever supposed to enter the pass again.

    Ever.

    ˇ°Welcome home, Frost,ˇ± Mom smiles at me, her rainbow hair shimmering in the dawnˇŻs gentle lights. ˇ°WhatˇŻs the long face for?ˇ±

    They donˇŻt even acknowledge FlameˇŻs presence, and, as usual, use my real name instead of preferred.

    ˇ°Cliff and Gale,ˇ± I explain. ˇ°Were slain by monsters a little more than a week ago. WeˇŻve come to bury their ashes and honor their memories.ˇ±

    ˇ°We never wanted you three to join the GSDF,ˇ± Mom states. ˇ°We told you that youˇŻd get yourselves killed, and look ¨C itˇŻs not even been a year and a half, and two of you are dead. YouˇŻre all thatˇŻs left, Frost-ˇ±

    ˇ°Then call him by his preferred name,ˇ± Flame growls, and Mom gives him a disapproving stare.

    ˇ°No one gave the outsider permission to speak,ˇ± Mom flexes her aura.

    Wrong move.

    The moment Flame senses her aura beginning to radiate out, he flexes his own, the area around us suddenly filled with a blazing aura, the air tinged crimson, my own aura barely enough to keep me from showing any influence from his.

    The villagers, on the other hand, have all been forced to their knees by the sheer might of FlameˇŻs aura, and the vibrant grass and flowers surrounding the path have been incinerated, and the walls that surround our village are scorched for more than fifty yards in either direction.

    ˇ°Never,ˇ± Flame growls. ˇ°Ever attempt to bend me to your will, woman. Brooks and I will be burying our brothers. Attempt to stop me, and Blaze will be set loose.ˇ±

    ˇ°Calm, Flame,ˇ± I force my voice calm, not allowing my fear of Blaze coming out to show. ˇ°You can bury our brothers.ˇ±

    Flame closes his eyes, letting out a breath, and a moment later, his aura vanishes, and the damage dealt to the environment fades, the grass and flowers regrowing instantly with a small burst of magic from him.

    HeˇŻs become so talented with magic since joining the GMDF and beginning to focus on itˇ­ how much of that comes from wanting to impress Tucker?

    I tense up when I think about Tucker, and Flame looks at me, then grabs the vase.

    ˇ°IˇŻm going to the graves,ˇ± Flame states, then walks into the village, our people parting to allow him to pass.

    Mom frowns as he retreats, looking at me once heˇŻs a fair distance down the path.

    ˇ°He can hear every word we say,ˇ± I remind her. ˇ°His senses have only grown sharper with training.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why did you allow Tobias to return with you?ˇ±

    ˇ°Flame returned with me,ˇ± I state. ˇ°And he has as much a right to bury our brothers as I do.ˇ±

    ˇ°We do not allow his kind in here,ˇ± Mom states. ˇ°You know that.ˇ±

    ˇ°So Flame likes other boys,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Why does that matter? HeˇŻs family. That is why we stuck by him. Had you not been so hateful, he wouldnˇŻt have run off, and we wouldnˇŻt have followed him. Had we not followed him and joined the GSDF, Cliff and Gale never would have been on that training mission, and the monsters wouldnˇŻt have killed them.ˇ±

    Though theyˇŻd probably have eventually gained access to the liquid magic, and become powerful beyond normal handling.

    Tucker wouldnˇŻt be in a comaˇ­

    I barely managed to block that attack as well as I did, and Tucker still got hit, and he was in a coma when we left. The only reason Flame left his side was to return here to bury our brothers. We attempted to check on him with our combined magic when we left the pass, and from what we could tell, he was still in a coma.

    ˇ°Perhaps,ˇ± Mom says. ˇ°He should instead-ˇ±

    ˇ°Perhaps,ˇ± I interrupt her. ˇ°You should realize that Flame isnˇŻt going to be changing. He is who he is, and his boyfriend is in a coma right now, two of his brothers died, and his third brother barely survived the attack. The only reason Flame wasnˇŻt nearby when it happened was because he was elsewhere, as Blaze, investigating something. The only reason he and I are even alive right now isnˇŻt even from our own power, but from our team leaderˇŻs ¨C he expended immense amounts of magic and power, no doubt, to reach us, put us in the Reality Marble he put us in, and kill the monsters that killed our brothers. I would give my life for Flame, and I will not take anyone ¨C not even you ¨C talking bad about him or trying to change him. HeˇŻs perfectly exactly how he is. Now, if you donˇŻt mind, IˇŻm going to go meet him at the graves, to help him bury our brothers. Come or not, itˇŻs your choice.ˇ±

    I walk past them, and once IˇŻm clear, I use my bursting steps to reach the graves as quickly as I can. It takes me a few minutes to find where Flame is among the ebony markers.

    HeˇŻs sitting on the ground, his back against one, eyes closed. The jars are nowhere to be seen, and IˇŻm about to ask what happened when he points forward, not opening his eyes a crack.

    I look to where he indicated, and discover a pair of ebony markers surrounded by flowers ¨C one of brown flowers, the other, of the purest white I have ever seen, even from here.

    Clifford Elijah Hansen

    Galen Richard Hansen

    Did he make those of his magic? He got here fast, and worked fast. He must have used his magic to bury them, then regrow the grass of the graves.

    As I stare at the graves, Flame stands up and walks off, making his way toward the woods. I donˇŻt try to stop him, knowing heˇŻll find me by nightfall.

    I hope, anyway.

    I sit down and wait for our parents to arrive, and they stare at the graves.

    ˇ°You already put markers here,ˇ± Mom says.

    ˇ°Flame did,ˇ± I correct her. ˇ°He buried them, regrew the grass, placed the markers, and planted the flowers. He did all of that with magic, by the way. Our team leader is the most powerful magician and Su-ˇ± no, not Superhuman. ˇ°HeˇŻs the most powerful magician and Gifted in the world. With a thought, Caleb can destroy anything he wants to. He would die before allowing one of his team to die.ˇ±

    ˇ°Cliff and Gale are dead,ˇ± Mom states.

    ˇ°They werenˇŻt a part of our team,ˇ± I stand up. ˇ°And he was thousands of miles away. The four of us were on a training mission, Caleb wasnˇŻt. We donˇŻt determine what missions they send us on, nor pick who we go with. WeˇŻre only cadets. Had Caleb been anywhere near us, the monsters never would have had a chance to kill them. Caleb would have known what was off, what was wrong, immediately, and he would have killed the monsters and secured the fort we were in. He flew from thousands of miles away, and barely missed protecting our brothers. He ensured there were no other casualties on our side.ˇ±

    He did a lot more than that.

    ˇ°He saved FlameˇŻs life,ˇ± I sigh. ˇ°The Council of Dreams knows that Flame is Blaze, and sent their most powerful force of warriors and magicians to arrest him. Caleb put an end to that, because Flame wants to do good and protect people, now. He wants to fight criminals, not good people. Why should who he loves matter? Flame is Flame, and thatˇŻs enough for me, thatˇŻs enough for Caleb, thatˇŻs enough for Kieran, thatˇŻs enough for Jared, and thatˇŻs enough for Tucker. WeˇŻre who matters, to him. If he were to pretend to be something he wasnˇŻt, he wouldnˇŻt be Flame, or Blaze, or even Tobias. WeˇŻve had a long journey, and IˇŻm tired and hungry. IˇŻm going home.ˇ±

    I stand up again and walk off, walking through the village and to our house, a bright green, two-story building with a cellar. Mom and Dad slept on the first floor, while the four of us shared the three bedrooms upstairs.

    Flame and I shared one room with a pair of twin beds, and itˇŻs exactly as we left it. The crimson sheets, blanket, and pillow on the top bunk, the navy blue on the bottom. Two dozen stuffed animals are scattered across the top bunk as well, along with a couple of books that he couldnˇŻt fit into his bag.

    Picking up a stuffed rabbit off the floor, I sit on my bed and think back to when we were leaving.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Frost)(Past)~~~

    ˇ°Stupid fucking parents,ˇ± Flame complained. ˇ°Stupid fucking parents. Stupid fucking parents.ˇ±

    I watched as Flame stuffed clothes and books into a backpack, confused. Why was he packing a bag so hastily?

    ˇ°Where are you going?ˇ± I asked him.

    ˇ°Leaving this stupid fucking town,ˇ± Flame responded. ˇ°Mom and Dad found out about the kiss. IˇŻm being banished. IˇŻve got until dusk to get the fuck out of here. IˇŻm leaving.ˇ±

    ˇ°What are you going to do?ˇ± Cliff asked from our doorway, and Flame looked at him.

    ˇ°Joining the GSDF.ˇ±

    ˇ°You know thereˇŻs a bounty on you, right?ˇ± I asked.

    ˇ°I know,ˇ± Flame responded. ˇ°But IˇŻd like to help people. IˇŻm tired of being just an assassin. ThatˇŻs all our people care about ¨C killing people for resources we canˇŻt supply on our own. That, or just taking out people they think is a problem. So IˇŻm going to go to the GSDF, and when IˇŻm strong enough, IˇŻm going to return here ¨C with my team ¨C and take out all of these fucking jackasses.ˇ±

    ˇ°Then IˇŻm going with you,ˇ± Cliff and I said at the same time.

    ˇ°YouˇŻll get into a lot of trouble,ˇ± Flame stated. ˇ°Frost, Cliff ¨C you two need to stay behind and watch Gale.ˇ±

    ˇ°If theyˇŻre watching me,ˇ± our youngest brother state from behind Cliff and me. ˇ°Then theyˇŻre coming, too.ˇ±

    We turned and face Gale, who had on a backpack and a determined look in his eyes.

    ˇ°I heard the argument,ˇ± he said. ˇ°IˇŻm going with you, Flame. YouˇŻre the only fun person around here. Plus, I donˇŻt feel safe without you.ˇ±

    ˇ°Guys,ˇ± Flame stared at each of us for a moment, then sat down on my bed, picking up my stuffed rabbit, a chubby brown thing. ˇ°You donˇŻt have to go with me.ˇ±

    ˇ°We are,ˇ± I stated. ˇ°WeˇŻre brothers, and weˇŻre sticking together.ˇ±

    ˇ°If youˇŻre going with us,ˇ± Flame looked at me. ˇ°Then you need to learn how to harness water properly. Ice Manipulators arenˇŻt common.ˇ±

    ˇ°Whatever I need to do,ˇ± I said. ˇ°WeˇŻre a quartet, Flame ¨C nothing will separate us.ˇ±

    <hr>

    ~~~(Brooks)~~~

    Shaking off the memory, I lie down on my bed, clutching the bunny to my chest.

    I said that nothing would separate us, but time and again, Flame and I have gotten separated, and now, weˇŻre permanently separated. Unless thereˇŻs an afterlife, and all four of us go to the same place, then weˇŻll never be together again.

    Mom and Dad barely talk to me the rest of the day, and when Flame hasnˇŻt returned by dinner, I start to grow concerned, and leave the village. It takes me a couple of hours to reach where I thought heˇŻd be, and find him exactly where I thought heˇŻd be: standing on the edge of the volcano, looking into it.

    With the fading sunlight, his hair ¨C as red as ever ¨C looks ablaze, and when I step beside him, I see a dry face. Not a tear has been shed since he left, has it? No signs of crying at all.

    ˇ°Flame,ˇ± I start to speak.

    ˇ°It wasnˇŻt your fault,ˇ± he says, keeping his gaze on the magma below. ˇ°There wasnˇŻt anything we could do to stop it. Even my power, the dragon within me, wasnˇŻt enough to rip through them fast enough.ˇ±

    ˇ°You couldnˇŻt help that,ˇ± I start to attempt to comfort him.

    ˇ°I know,ˇ± he says. ˇ°IˇŻm not powerful enough. IˇŻm not Caleb. Imagine how heˇŻs feeling right now, Brooks ¨C he showed up just moments too late to save our brothers. Imagine how awful heˇŻs got to be feeling right now, how horrible heˇŻs got to be feeling.

    ˇ°Time and again,ˇ± Flame says. ˇ°Those near Caleb dies. Despite his expressions remaining the same, he probably feels guilty, and like itˇŻs his fault. He probably wants to die. When he was younger, all of his friends and family died. Then, he had to deal with killing Thomas himself, and taking on his legacy,ˇ± weˇŻve yet to figure out what that means. ˇ°Now, the brothers of two of his teammates have died. Sure, he made sure weˇŻd live to carry on their legacy the way he carries on ThomasˇŻs, but that probably doesnˇŻt matter, not to him.

    ˇ°Caleb,ˇ± Flame continues. ˇ°Is probably scared of who else around him is going to die. How many more people dear to him or to those near him will die? I couldnˇŻt gather the courage to tell him that Tuck was in a coma. I didnˇŻt want to put that burden on him. Flame left before I could tell him it wasnˇŻt his fault, and over the phoneˇ­ it wasnˇŻt the same, Brooks.ˇ±

    HeˇŻs right, in that Caleb probably does feel like itˇŻs his fault. Where he goes, people die. I hadnˇŻt thought about that, or that Caleb mentioned that the only reason he joined the GSDF was because Teacher and Colonel Reynolds sent him there to get him away from monsters that were hunting him. Monsters that killed people sent to exterminate them as they hunted himˇ­

    FlameˇŻs been mourning our brothers this whole way, but heˇŻs also been thinking about Caleb. HeˇŻs probably trying to figure out how to make Caleb feel better, how to show Caleb it isnˇŻt his fault, and that there wasnˇŻt anything Caleb could do.

    CalebˇŻs fatal flaw, however, is his past itself. Everything thatˇŻs happened to us shapes us, and CalebˇŻs a sensitive person, just like Flame. He doesnˇŻt let go of what happened to him.

    What can we do to help him?

    ˇ°HeˇŻs got to be feeling worse than we are,ˇ± Flame restates. ˇ°And I canˇŻt think of anything to comfort him. What does he like to do? What are his favorite foods? His hobbies? WeˇŻve spent so much time with him, and IˇŻm only now realizing that we know almost nothing about him. I know what foods he doesnˇŻt like, but ones he likes a lot? His pleasure foods? Not a clue. What about his hobbies? Do you actually know of anything he does for fun?ˇ±

    I canˇŻt think of anything. Caleb goes for walks with his turtles (or various other creatures) all the time, but he always says that they wanted to go for a walk (which often leads to humorous encounters). But I genuinely think that thatˇŻs less of a thing he does for fun, and more of something he does because he cares about his animals.

    He takes on jobs all the time, now that I think of it. Most of his free time, if heˇŻs not doing something with us or taking something for a walk, heˇŻs taken on a job.

    Come to think of itˇ­ IˇŻve never heard of him doing a recreational activity unless someone else suggested it. HeˇŻs the only member of our team who doesnˇŻt. Flame likes to read, do martial arts, and sketch for fun. I like playing sports, particularly, soccer or volleyball, and I love swimming, too. Flame and I both love camping. Jared secretly doing art and baking, though I donˇŻt think heˇŻd ever admit it to anyone ¨C even to himself.

    Hell, even Kieran has hobbies. He likes watching people and shipping them, regardless of their actual sexualities, and I know he writes fanfiction of it.

    IˇŻve found them.

    ˇ°What?ˇ± Flame looks at me, and I realize that IˇŻd snorted.

    ˇ°Realizing that youˇŻre right,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Made me think about the rest of the teamˇŻs hobbies, then me discovering KieranˇŻs fanfictions.ˇ±

    ˇ°He writes fanfictions?ˇ± Flame looks at me in surprise.

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± I snort. "Hero fanfics of pairs of cadets or whatever going off and fighting villains of absurd abilities."

    ˇ°Am I in them?ˇ±

    ˇ°Several different ones,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°For several different guys. HeˇŻs got one for you and Tucker, but then you two started dating and he dropped it. TheyˇŻre actually pretty hilarious, and I think he writes them just to amuse himself.ˇ±

    ˇ°Do you think Caleb knows about them?ˇ± Flame asks.

    ˇ°Who do you think showed them to me?ˇ± I ask, and he looks back to the magma.

    Not even a smileˇ­

    ˇ°HeˇŻll be fine,ˇ± I tell Flame. ˇ°CalebˇŻs sensitive, like you, but heˇŻs strong, like you. Far stronger than people give him credit for.ˇ±

    ˇ°Goodbye,ˇ± Flame says, then falls forward, and I watch as he plummets into the magma, hitting it hard.

    Anyone other than Flame, and IˇŻd have expected that to snap their neck. He sinks into it, disappearing entirely from view, and I sigh, turning around to find our parents standing there, eyes widened in shock.

    ˇ°Did he just kill himself?ˇ± Mom asks.

    ˇ°Flame wouldnˇŻt do that,ˇ± I laugh. ˇ°I guess we never told you guys, but Flame is pretty much immune to any level of heat. Magma is like a bath to him. This time, though, I donˇŻt think he has any intention of coming out of thereˇ­ heˇŻs depressed, and doesnˇŻt know how to help our leader, who has pretty much left us behind, anyway, because of the stupid instructors.ˇ±

    Why does Caleb refuse to return? I understand wanting to train and get stronger, but they wouldnˇŻt let us work with someone who hadnˇŻt completed the training. As it is, our team is already pushing boundaries that really should not be pushed. Jared being gone for as long as he was, Caleb refusing to return, now Flame and me coming home to bury our brothers for longer than the allowed timeˇ­

    Just how much more will they allow before they tell us weˇŻve failed training?

    ˇ°In addition,ˇ± I continue when they donˇŻt say anything. ˇ°We just lost our brothers, and Flame doesnˇŻt know how to react. HeˇŻs never had to deal with the death of someone close to him before. HeˇŻs probably going to see if the phoenix will let him live there for the rest of his life.ˇ±

    ˇ°The phoenix?ˇ± Mom asks.

    ˇ°ThereˇŻs a phoenix living somewhere in the volcano,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°Every time the volcano started seeming like it was active, Flame and the phoenix were arguing or fighting about something. They actually get along greatˇ­ they just liked testing each other, but refused to admit it.ˇ±

    The phoenix would probably let Flame stay with him. I sigh, then return to town, Mom and Dad following.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Two weeks pass, and as they do, I train with my Ability, magic, and the dragonˇŻs power, and Flame still hasnˇŻt returned. From what I could glean, he hasnˇŻt left the volcano once, but is still alive. That means the phoenix did allow him to stay there.

    Right now, IˇŻm sitting on a tree, plucking its pink petals off the flowers and letting them drop to the ground. ItˇŻs almost time for dinnerˇ­

    Another day has come and gone, and Flame doesnˇŻt seem like heˇŻs returning to-

    A shift in magic puts me on full alert, and I prepare to unleash my dragon at any moment. This magic is powerful, and itˇŻs only through the dragonˇŻs senses that I can sense it. ItˇŻs on the mountain, at the volcanoˇ­

    I jump off the tree and use the bursting steps to get there. As I draw near, a familiar form shows at the edge of the volcano, hands on his hips, staring down in disapproval.

    ˇ°Flame!ˇ± Caleb calls out. ˇ°Get your butt up here, or IˇŻm coming down there!ˇ± Caleb looks at me. ˇ°And what, exactly, do you think youˇŻre still doing here?ˇ±

    ˇ°Excuse me?ˇ±

    ˇ°What?ˇ± He asks. ˇ°Because your brother decided to jump into a volcano and sulk, you decided to just stick around and not return to training? Do you really think your brothers would want you to give up being in the GSDF and doing good just because theyˇŻre dead? No. No, they would not. In fact, IˇŻm pretty sure theyˇŻd want you to keep on fighting to make the world a safer place. The moment I get Flame out of here, you two are coming back with me, and IˇŻm dropping you off in your dorms.ˇ±

    ˇ°You returning to the GSDF?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°No,ˇ± Caleb states. ˇ°Give it another month or two, and I might. Flame! GET OUT HERE, NOW!ˇ±

    CalebˇŻs bellow was almost like a dragonˇŻs roar, yet not a trace of draconic power emanated from him.

    Caleb looks furious, and he puts a foot back, almost as if heˇŻs going to jump, then nods, pulling it back forward. A moment later, a massive ball of fire bursts up from the magma, landing behind us, and when I turn around, FlameˇŻs standing there, the fires fading from around him.

    ˇ°Just what do you think youˇŻre doing?ˇ± Caleb asks Flame, then continues without allowing him a chance to answer. ˇ°Do you really think Cliff and Gale would want you to give up just because theyˇŻre dead? No. No, they would not. TheyˇŻd want you to keep fighting, to keep getting stronger, and keep working towards making this world a better place. So pack your stuff up. Once youˇŻre ready, weˇŻre leaving so I can drop you two off at your dorms.ˇ±

    ˇ°How did you get here?ˇ± Flame asks in confusion, and I have to wonder the same thing. ˇ°This area is guarded against magical intrusions, and has been for thousands of years.ˇ±

    ˇ°My water-step spell ignores something as trivial as your domainˇŻs protections,ˇ± Caleb states in a way that suggests he thinks FlameˇŻs an idiot for thinking it would affect him, and I kind of have to agree on that. ˇ°Now letˇŻs get moving, unless you want me to drag you there. And get dressed, too ¨C youˇŻre not swimming in lava anymore.ˇ±

    Fire swirls around Flame, and clothes form on him.

    ˇ°TuckerˇŻs still in the coma,ˇ± Flame looks down. ˇ°Cliff and Gale are dead, and-ˇ±

    ˇ°YouˇŻre probably a bigger idiot than Jared is,ˇ± Caleb say simply, and Flame hangs his head down. ˇ°Have you really spent two weeks with a phoenix and not once considered that maybe you could ask him for some tears for your boyfriend? As for your brothers ¨C you canˇŻt change that. Never, ever try to bring the dead back to life. And I donˇŻt care about whatever you were going to add on, because itˇŻs not relevant, because youˇŻre an idiot. YouˇŻre also my idiot, because youˇŻre on my team, which makes you my responsibility. LetˇŻs get going.

    ˇ°Hey!ˇ± Caleb turns back to the volcano. ˇ°FlameˇŻs boyfriendˇŻs in a coma! Can we get some tears to heal him?ˇ±

    A sound like glass being pinged rings out, and I watch as something small and crystalline flies into the air. Caleb holds out his hand, catching the object ¨C a small vial with a clear liquid sparkling inside of it.

    ˇ°Thanks!ˇ± Caleb calls out. ˇ°Wanna be my familiar?ˇ±

    WhatˇŻs next ¨C a dragon?

    <hr>

    ~~~(Flame)~~~

    ˇ°Tuck,ˇ± I say once IˇŻm beside him.

    HeˇŻs so pale, and looks so weak and thin. Being in a coma for three weeks probably does that to someone. HeˇŻs covered in scars and burns from the monstersˇŻ attacks. I brush his hair off of his forehead, then give him a kiss. I almost forget about the tears, but remember, and pull them out of my pocket, removing the topper from the vial and pressing the vial to TuckˇŻs lips. I part his lips as I tilt the vial, and watch as the tears flow into him.

    Caleb was right, I am an idiot. I was selfish, too, but he didnˇŻt say that. HeˇŻs nice that way.

    Once all of the tears have gone into TuckˇŻs mouth, I put the vial back in my pocket and watch as TuckˇŻs skin regains its color, and the scars covering his body fade away. He coughs a few times, sitting up, and the monitors heˇŻs hooked up to go crazy.

    ˇ°Flame!ˇ± He exclaims, trying to hug me, and accidentally ripping the I.V. out of his arm. ˇ°Ow!ˇ±

    It heals immediately, and he stares at it.

    ˇ°YouˇŻll have that effect for a few minutes,ˇ± I wrap him in a hug. ˇ°DonˇŻt ever go into a coma on me again!ˇ±

    Doctors and nurses and stuff come into the room, and try to separate us, but I donˇŻt let them. I stay by him as they check him out and everything, and they canˇŻt figure out how heˇŻs healed. When they ask me, all I say is that Caleb gave me something to give to Tuck, to heal him up.

    Once I say that, they stop pressing. No one ever challenges anything Caleb gives.

    After a few hours, Tuck is released from the medical wing, and we make our way to my dorm, where Brooks sitting on my bed. He points to some boxes sitting beside him, and I notice Jared and Kieran sitting on the floor, playing cards.

    ˇ°Caleb apparently left you gifts,ˇ± Brooks says, then looks at Tuck. ˇ°Welcome back from the brink of death, looks like phoenix tears really do work miracles.ˇ±

    ˇ°Phoenix tears?ˇ± Tuck looks at me, raising an eyebrow.

    ˇ°Caleb asked for them,ˇ± I say. ˇ°And Benja just tossed them to him. Then Caleb asked if Benja wanted to be his familiar, and the phoenix accepted.ˇ±

    ˇ°So let me get this straight,ˇ± Tuck asks, smiling. ˇ°So far, Caleb has gained as a familiar a Rift Wolf, a unicorn, and a phoenix?ˇ±

    ˇ°Correct,ˇ± I say, and he laughs.

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs next?ˇ± He asks. ˇ°A dragon?ˇ±

    ˇ°I was wondering the same thing,ˇ± Brooks said.

    ˇ°That would be amusing,ˇ± Jared snorts. ˇ°Especially since heˇŻs half-dragon, himself. ˇ®Pardon me, dragon, but would you care to be my familiar? IˇŻm aware that IˇŻm half-dragon, myself, and that I have a Rift Wolf as a familiar, but IˇŻd like to have you as a familiar as well, just in case. Please? Pretty please? IˇŻll give you lots of belly rubs.ˇŻ I can definitely see him doing that.ˇ±

    ˇ°I can, as well,ˇ± Kieran nods. ˇ°Two.ˇ±

    ˇ°Stop cheating!ˇ± Jared says.

    ˇ°IˇŻm not using my Ability,ˇ± Kieran comments.

    ˇ°I canˇŻt figure out,ˇ± I sit on my bed. ˇ°Why Caleb is refusing to return to the GSDF. He actually said, when he came to get Brooks and me, that he might in a month or two. Something about it needing to warm up a bit, first. I canˇŻt figure out what he means by that, since the attitude has definitely warmed up.ˇ±

    ˇ°He meant literally,ˇ± Kieran comments. ˇ°Caleb hates the cold.ˇ±

    ˇ°Speaking of Caleb,ˇ± Jared looks at Kieran. ˇ°I donˇŻt think I told you, but Caleb got pretty flirty with this girl on the island weˇŻre all being taken to vacation on.ˇ±

    ˇ°Seriously?ˇ± Kieran asks, and Jared nods. ˇ°They go on a date?ˇ±

    ˇ°No clue,ˇ± Jared shrugs. ˇ°But we pretty much never saw one without the other nearby. She had a crimson aura, apparently.ˇ±

    ˇ°WhatˇŻs that mean?ˇ± Kieran asks.

    ˇ°No one knows,ˇ± Jared shrugs. ˇ°Five?ˇ±

    ˇ°Fresh out.ˇ±

    ˇ°Dammit.ˇ±

    ˇ°Damn yourself,ˇ± Kieran says. ˇ°Three?ˇ±

    ˇ°Seriously?ˇ± Jared hands him the card. ˇ°How are you doing that?ˇ±

    ˇ°YouˇŻre showing him your cards,ˇ± Brooks snorts, and I look between my teammates and my boyfriend.

    I miss this. I miss it a lot. I just wish they were here. But theyˇŻre not, and theyˇŻre not going to be ever again.

    So the only thing missing is Calebˇ­

    A Rift Wolf the size of a normal wolf suddenly appears in my room, looking a little bit amused, and he jumps up onto my bed, nuzzling the box.

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs mine!ˇ± I grab the box, pulling it towards me.

    Relax, Flame, it sounds like Kilmar. It is, IˇŻve just taken on a smaller form so I fit in your room. Caleb tried convincing me into taking on human form, but I refused. IˇŻm not a dragon. Those are solstice stones, by the way. I think he added a couple of solace stones as well, but that was more a side-gain when he was going for the solstice stones. He thought youˇŻd like them.

    Solstice stones? Those are incredibly rare stones imbued with the power of the sun or moon, depending on which type they are. I open the box, and find six of each. The powers within themˇ­

    Thank you, Caleb.

    ˇ°So why are you here?ˇ± Brooks asks Kilmar. ˇ°Delivering a message?ˇ±

    Caleb asked me to keep an eye on you boys, Kilmar responds. While heˇŻs off doing who-knows-what because he wants to avoid the cold. He seems to be upset. Apparently, the girl he was into thought he was too naive or something.

    Caleb? Naive?

    Was she hit in the head or something? This is a kid who can command a Rift Wolf into doing what he wants. He has seen horrors no one should have see, and experienced pain no one should ever know the very existence of.

    IˇŻm wondering the same thing, Flame, trust me. Though you do have to admit that heˇŻs a bit too innocent in some regards. Welcome back to health, Tucker. IˇŻd recommend taking it easy for a few days. Caleb doesnˇŻt want you overexerting yourself before youˇŻve recovered.

    ˇ°Thanks,ˇ± Tuck says. ˇ°I think IˇŻll be fine, though, if I went light with my studies.ˇ±

    Cliff and Gale would probably tell me to take a few days to adjust to being back here, then resume my studies. Spend time with Tuck and my team and friends.

    ˇ°What, exactly, did Caleb tell you to do?ˇ± Kieran asks Kilmar.

    He said to watch over Flame.

    ˇ°His exact words?ˇ± Kieran asks.

    ˇ®Watch over Flame for me, Kilmar. He just lost his brothers, and nearly lost his lover. He may need you in the coming days, if I donˇŻt make it.ˇŻ

    ˇ°Make it?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°What did he mean by that?ˇ±

    You know Caleb, Kilmar shrugs, curling up and resting his head on my pillow. HeˇŻs training. I have no idea what heˇŻs getting ready to do, but heˇŻs put himself near death many times. I think heˇŻs trying to overcome his fear of dying and fighting, though on the latter case, itˇŻs definitely gone. I watched him wipe out nearly thirty demons with ease yesterday. He summoned me to fight them, tooˇ­ he didnˇŻt even leave one for me to kill.

    ˇ°Shit,ˇ± Kieran says, and we all look at him.

    HeˇŻs staring at his cards, but I doubt he was responding to his hand.

    ˇ°What?ˇ± Jared asks.

    ˇ°Caleb,ˇ± Kieran says. ˇ°I think I know what he was preparing for, and why heˇŻd tell Kilmar to watch Flame. If IˇŻm right, then Caleb really might die, even with all the power he has.ˇ±

    ˇ°What it is?ˇ± I ask, feeling scared.

    ˇ°IˇŻm not saying,ˇ± Kieran shakes his head. ˇ°Pray to whatever beings that be that IˇŻm wrong. We really donˇŻt want Caleb to go there.ˇ±

    <hr>

    ~~~(Kieran)~~~

    ˇ°Pick up, dammit, Caleb,ˇ± I growl into my phone. This is the fourth time heˇŻs ignored the call. ˇ°Come on!ˇ±

    ˇ°Stop calling me,ˇ± Caleb picked up. ˇ°I didnˇŻt answer the first time, what makes you think IˇŻd answer the second, third, and fourth?ˇ±

    ˇ°You did.ˇ±

    ˇ°Maybe I was on a date, and my phone was on silent?ˇ± Caleb asks. ˇ°Maybe I forgot it somewhere?ˇ±

    ˇ°Where are you?ˇ±

    ˇ°Going for a walk in some woods.ˇ±

    ˇ°Liar.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm not lying,ˇ± Caleb huffs. ˇ°IˇŻm in some woods, walking. IˇŻm going for a walk in some woods. That was the truth.ˇ±

    ˇ°You better not be where I think you are.ˇ±

    ˇ°I probably am,ˇ± he says. ˇ°Kilmar will tell you if I survive.ˇ±

    Caleb ends the call, and when I try calling him again, it goes straight to voicemail. The brat turned off his phone. I sit down at my desk and pull up a program on my laptop, pinging his phone. Nothing. He removed the damn battery, didnˇŻt he?

    I pull up the record of where his phoneˇŻs been, since all GSDF cadets and agents have their phone tracked at all times, and find his phoneˇ­ having not been anywhere since the program was added. It still shows it in his dorm room.

    Caleb and his damn magicˇ­

    He really doesnˇŻt want people to track him down, but I know where he is. HeˇŻs going to die, he goes there.

    ˇ°Kieran?ˇ± Flame says after knocking on my door. They let him onto the facility? ˇ°Can I talk to you?ˇ±

    ˇ°Enter,ˇ± I say, and Flame does, sitting on my bed and looking a little bit shy, not meeting my gaze. ˇ°What?ˇ±

    ˇ°Know how,ˇ± Flame says. ˇ°When your brother died, Caleb accidentally put his Ability and aura into you?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± I answer. ˇ°What of it?ˇ±

    ˇ°I think,ˇ± Flame hesitates. ˇ°I think thatˇŻs what Caleb meant, when he says that heˇŻs carrying on ThomasˇŻs legacy.ˇ±

    ˇ°That he took on ThomasˇŻs Gift?ˇ± I ask, and he nods. ˇ°TheyˇŻre not related.ˇ±

    ˇ°He said the same thing about Brooks and me,ˇ± Flame says. ˇ°That weˇŻre carrying on Cliff and GaleˇŻs legacies. I didnˇŻt understand what he meant, not originally, butˇ­ˇ±

    ˇ°He did the same thing to you two?ˇ± I ask, and Flame nods. ˇ°Cliff or Gale?ˇ±

    ˇ°Gale,ˇ± Flame answers. ˇ°So Brooks probably has CliffˇŻs.ˇ±

    Calebˇ­ why in the hell would you do that? Stone wouldˇŻve been a better boost for Flame than air, and air wouldˇŻve been a better boost for Brooks than stone. Their current powers compliment each other, and there isnˇŻt much they can do extra by combining the two.

    Then again, air wouldnˇŻt really have helped either of themˇ­ he probably stuck Brooks with CliffˇŻs because they were closest, not really thinking. HeˇŻs too simple-minded, in some ways.

    Then again, two of our teammates diedˇ­ I donˇŻt think Caleb was exactly thinking when he did that.

    But why would he risk doing that and possibly hurting Flame and Brooks? He didnˇŻt know it would workˇ­

    Unless he did, and Flame is right. Can Caleb do it to unrelated people? Did he test it on himself first, when Thomas died? If thatˇŻs what he meant by carrying on ThomasˇŻs legacyˇ­

    Then his odds of surviving that place just increased drastically.

    ˇ°Kieran,ˇ± Flame hesitates, then says my name again, looking me in the eyes. ˇ°Please tell me where you think Caleb went.ˇ±

    I tell Flame where I think Caleb went, and Flame faints.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Caleb)~~~

    Walking through the streets, I try to ignore the ruined buildings around me, the monsters and demons roaming around, and the general stench of malice in the air.

    So many powerful forces around here, and IˇŻm doing my best not to scream and run away. IˇŻm terrified, but I have to do this.

    After walking for a couple of hours, I reach a school thatˇŻs still mostly intact, though the gate that leads onto the property, and the wall around it, are gone, obliterated years ago when it was attacked.

    There are no monsters here, no demons present.

    This is the second item IˇŻm retrieving from this Ruins, the first an amulet that now hangs around my neck, on a golden chain. The amulet itself is a golden disk with a large, green crystal set into it that takes up nearly the entire oval of the disk, four black legs sticking out of each side. A violet light glows faintly from within the crystal, and it is only through ThomasˇŻs Ability, combined with my magic, that the monsters around havenˇŻt noticed us or it.

    They wanted to make sure nothing could use this amulet. Teacher told me about it, a long time ago. Sealed deep within these Ruins, nothing could touch it.

    Until now.

    With ThomasˇŻs Ability, enhanced by my magical strength, I was able to make it to the Sealed Vault it rested within. Through my magic, I was able to disassemble the barriers, retrieve the amulet, and reinstated the barriers, making it so that it would seem as if nothing changed. I had to use ThomasˇŻs Ability to ensure nothing noticed the change in the Sealed Vault, while I was there.

    Making my way through the school, I reach my first destination, an office in the basement. Though electricity no longer runs through these Ruins, I can still acquire what I need from their computers. They were powered by fuuxar crystals, not electricity, and on a magical network.

    The Magic Relay Tower still stands, fully functional.

    I pull open the power drive on the computerˇŻs tower, removing the dull yellow crystal, then retrieve a fully-charged one from my ring, placing it into the slot, then pushing the drive back in. I do the same to the printer, then place both duds in my ring. TheyˇŻre no longer of use, but IˇŻm sure Teacher could do something about that, even if I havenˇŻt figured out how to recharge a fuuxar crystal yet.

    A quick use of magic, and the printer is filled with paper, its ink restored.

    I power on the computer, and spin around in the chair while I wait. The school is mostly untouched, somehow, even after all that happened. There were bones everywhere, and it was hard for me to make it this far, but IˇŻm doing it for us.

    Once the computer pings, letting me know itˇŻs on, I stare at the password screen, then smile to myself, punching in the password.

    After checking to make sure all of the necessary files are there, I load them all up, then print them, using my magic to ensure the printer doesnˇŻt run out of ink or paper, placing each file into its own folder, then into my ring.

    Once itˇŻs done, I turn everything off, then remove the crystals and return them to my ring, then make my way to the dorms, stepping past the bones. There are signs of the battle, from scars on the walls to scorched stone. Broken glass, dried bloodˇ­

    My stomach wants to heave, but I force it calm as I reach the room IˇŻm seeking.

    Pulling the bunk beds out of the wall, I then open up a secret panel in the floor, kneeling down and reaching deep within, pulling out a clear crystal from the depths of it. As I touch it, it reacts with my aura, turning violet in color.

    This is why IˇŻm here. The RuinsˇŻ two greatest secrets ¨C the Stone of Noruka, and the Aura Bomb.

    I pull the two of them off, and place them into my ring, into an inventory created specifically to hold my most powerful artifacts.

    With my targets acquired, I leave the Ruins, making my way past the ruined buildings and the monsters and demons that donˇŻt perceive my presence. Once IˇŻm out of town, I walk the extra few hours to the top of a cliff a few miles away, and look across the plains to the Ruins, a massive city that spans dozens of miles.

    ˇ°Goodbye,ˇ± I kiss my fingers, then hold them out.

    The spell wonˇŻt destroy the Ruins entirely, but it will deal severe damage to them, and turn it from a Ruins to just ruins. Dropping my hand to my side, I close my eyes and take a deep breath, hold it for several moments, then slowly let it out, opening my eyes and feeling my power surge, electricity crackling around me as a violet mist swirls around me.

    Slowly, under the might of the spell IˇŻm weaving, I lift a hand up to the sky.

    ˇ°Might of worlds, might of realms, justice of the heavens, and vengeance of hell, let this sacred retribution ring across all space and time, and rain down a most devastating punishment. Fall from the stars, and obliterate all which stand in your way.ˇ±

    <hr>

    ~~~(Jared)~~~

    ˇ°So cold,ˇ± a kid comments, his teeth chattering. IˇŻm currently looking in the windows of a fuuxar shop, debating on buying a crystal for Flame. ˇ°IˇŻm cold.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know,ˇ± another kid says. ˇ°It wonˇŻt be long before youˇŻre warm, Caleb.ˇ±

    Calebˇ­ just where did he go? Kieran wouldnˇŻt tell us, but whatever it is, itˇŻs got to be bad. I saw terror in his eyes, despite his calm, stoic face.

    ˇ°I want to go home,ˇ± the boy comments again, and I turn to look at the two boys.

    One of them looks to be around town, with light brown hair and ocean-blue eyes. HeˇŻs wearing a pair of shorts, a short-sleeved t-shirt, and some sneakers, as if the cold didnˇŻt bother him, making me think of Flame and Brooks.

    HeˇŻs holding the hand of a boy around six, with sandy blond hair and ocean-blue eyes that remind me of Caleb. The younger boy is clutching the older boyˇŻs hand tightly, and is half-hidden behind him.

    The little boy looks scared, and is watching people.

    ˇ°I want to go home,ˇ± he responds. HeˇŻs wearing white shorts and a white tee, and his feet are bare. ˇ°IˇŻm scared. IˇŻm cold. I want to go home.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know,ˇ± the older boy says, and I realize heˇŻs staring at me. ˇ°But your home is gone now, remember? IˇŻm bringing you to your new home and family, Caleb.ˇ±

    This is a cruel trick the universe is playing on me, but my softer side gets the better of me, and I walk over to the two boys ¨C possibly brothers, judging by their eyes and similar features. They remind me of Caleb so much, they even have his almond-shaped eyes, unusual on someone with as fair of skin as us.

    ˇ°Hi,ˇ± I crouch down in front of the younger boy, who whimpers. ˇ°My nameˇŻs Jared. You know Superhumans? IˇŻm one of them. Want to see a cool trick I can do?ˇ±

    The boy stares at me, fear in those eyes, and I just want to hold him and hug him, and let him know the world is going to be alright. What happened to his home? Why canˇŻt he go back? And where are they going, now?

    Pushing those thoughts from my mind, I hold my hand up, and one of my bracelets melts, swirling around my hand like a silver river, then swirls up into a tornado on my palm. It spins faster and faster, the boy watching, his fear growing heavier.

    Then, the metal drops, and when it does, the form of a wolf is left behind.

    I went to what Caleb likesˇ­

    ˇ°You like it?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°I like wolves,ˇ± the boy nods. ˇ°C-c-can I touch it?ˇ±

    ˇ°Sure,ˇ± I hold my hand out, smiling at him. ˇ°IˇŻm a Manipulator, my specialty is any type of metal. I can also manipulate stones and crystals as well.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm a Creator,ˇ± the young Caleb declares as he pets the wolf, which then yips a little, then Caleb suddenly looks sad. ˇ°But I couldnˇŻt save them.ˇ±

    ˇ°Save who?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°My family,ˇ± he sniffles. ˇ°Monsters attacked my home, and they killed everyone. I-I couldnˇŻt save anyone!ˇ±

    He breaks down into tears.

    A cruel trick, indeed, universe. A boy named Caleb, whoˇŻs a Creator, who lost his home and family to a monster attack? And he just happens to be brought here?

    ˇ°Hey,ˇ± I put a hand on his shoulder, and he flinches, screaming.

    People stare at us, and I look up at his older brother, whoˇŻs looking at Caleb with deep sadness in his eyes. TheyˇŻve both seen horrors they never should have.

    ˇ°ItˇŻs okay,ˇ± I tell Caleb. ˇ°ItˇŻs going to be okay. If you two arenˇŻt in a hurry anywhere, IˇŻd be happy to take you and brother for some warmer clothes, then for some food. IˇŻm sure youˇŻre hungry.ˇ±

    ˇ°HeˇŻs not my brother,ˇ± Caleb sniffles. ˇ°HeˇŻs just taking me to my new family. I donˇŻt want a new family! I want my old family!ˇ±

    ˇ°Caleb,ˇ± the older boy crouches down as I notice something on CalebˇŻs hand, and start to become very confused ¨C more so than a ten year-old leading a six year-old around, taking him to his new home. ˇ°Everything is going to be okay. Your new family loves you a lot. You couldnˇŻt stop your old from dying, but you carry on their legacy in your heart, okay? Live for them, and get stronger for them. Then, when youˇŻre older and more powerful, you can make sure others donˇŻt lose their families, okay?ˇŻ

    ˇ°Okay,ˇ± Caleb sniffles, wrapping his arms around the older boy, and I see the ring in its fullestˇ­

    ItˇŻs the exact same ring Caleb wears, only smaller, fitting this boyˇŻs hand.

    What is going on here?

    ˇ°Caleb,ˇ± the older boy rubs the younger oneˇŻs back. ˇ°ItˇŻs okay, youˇŻre going to be okay.ˇ±

    Caleb cries for a few moments, then falls silent, and I think he fell asleep.

    ˇ°Who are you two?ˇ± I ask.

    Do they have some relation to Caleb? How does the young Caleb have his ring? CalebˇŻs given several different origin stories for it, but was there something more to it? TheyˇŻre too young to have been at the orphanage Caleb was at back then, except maybe the older boy, depending on which version of how kids end up there people believe. Caleb and Kieran change it every time.

    But the younger Caleb is too young to have been there ¨C he wouldnˇŻt have even been alive.

    Unless thereˇŻs anotherˇ­

    IˇŻm so confused right now.

    ˇ°DonˇŻt be,ˇ± the older boy says, and I raise an eyebrow. ˇ°Much like Caleb, I am a Creator. I can hear the thoughts of all around me, Jared Fuller.ˇ±

    He stands, picking up Caleb and holding him against him, and he sighs, sadness filling his eyes again. Sadnessˇ­ and love.

    ˇ°This is the second time,ˇ± he says. ˇ°That IˇŻve had to talk to Caleb. Hopefully, this time, things are better.ˇ±

    ˇ°The second time?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Yes,ˇ± he says. ˇ°The first time was after his home was invaded seven years ago. I put him somewhere safe, and he retreated deep within a shell. I made a mistake back then, and put him somewhere I thought heˇŻd be safe and happy. Instead, he only had a few people who loved him, and fewer who supported him. Everyone coddled him, and let him retreat into that shell, because of what happened.ˇ±

    IˇŻm confused.

    ˇ°ItˇŻs only natural,ˇ± the boy says. ˇ°That youˇŻre confused, Jared. This is your Caleb.ˇ±

    ˇ°My Caleb is nearly fourteen.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know,ˇ± he says. ˇ°Your Caleb also took a trip down memory lane earlier. One problem with the Gift of Creation is that what is perceived is what is reality. HeˇŻsˇ­ getting heavy. Would you mind carrying him home?ˇ±

    I donˇŻt have anything better to do, and IˇŻd like to talk to this boy some more about the Caleb heˇŻs holding, so I nod, taking the little guy from him. After making sure Caleb isnˇŻt going to fall, I look back at the boyˇ­

    HeˇŻs gone. I reach out with my draconic senses, and canˇŻt trace him anywhere, not even a scent of him remains. Was there a scent to begin with? Not even Caleb has a trace of his smell, and he was clinging toˇ­

    This smell. I put my nose next to Caleb and inhale with a strong focus on my draconic nose, and the familiar scent fills my nostrils.

    Thisˇ­ isnˇŻt coincidence.

    This is Caleb.

    What happened to him?

    Caleb shivers, and I wrap us in a layer of warmth.

    <hr>

    ~~~(???)~~~

    What the fuck was that?

    I just sensed a massive flux of magic, of CalebˇŻs magic, but it was greater than heˇŻs been able to access. I know heˇŻs been increasing access lately, but this much is surprising.

    He wouldˇŻve needed to incant for whatever spell he did. ItˇŻs the first time IˇŻve been able to get a read on his location since he hid himself. I track the spell to its location, and freeze at the thought of where he was, then turn into my true form and fly there, soaring as fast as I can to reach the Ruins.

    TheyˇŻre not Ruins anymore, justˇ­ ruinsˇ­

    At the very center of the ruins is a crater eighteen miles in diameter, with not even rubble for the first ten miles. Several miles past the edge of the crater, the buildings and statues have all been leveled, turned to nothing more than rubble filling the once-glorious streets.

    Whatever spell he used on the Ruins, it negated their power as Ruins, and turned them into just the ruins of the largest city mankind held since the Calamity. He hit it hard, and he didnˇŻt hold backˇ­

    That spell was more powerful than one even I could muster. To do that much damage to a Ruin that it left damage in its real form is far beyond my power.

    The sheer strength of mind heˇŻd need to do that to this placeˇ­

    All of his training these last couple of monthsˇ­

    It was so he could attack Alkran.

 Chapter 020

    ~~~(Jared)~~~

    ˇ°Jared,ˇ± a voice says from behind me, and I turn around to find Teacher standing there, looking confused as fuck. I really donˇŻt need more of a headache, that boy just disappeared. ˇ°What boy?ˇ±

    ˇ°What?ˇ±

    ˇ°Creator,ˇ± Teacher says. ˇ°Remember? I can hear the thoughts of those around, save for other Creators.ˇ±

    ˇ°I thought you were a dragon?ˇ± I ask, then look around.

    No one seems to be noticing us.

    ˇ°A simple spell,ˇ± Teacher states. ˇ°I cast it so weˇŻd have privacy. And though IˇŻm a dragon, there are still restrictions that affect me, even with my father being who he is. I cannot enter the mind of a Creator without them allowing me in, even if they havenˇŻt discovered their Ability. Will you allow me to enter your mind? It will allow me to get a grasp on the situation without having to worry about verbal communication.ˇ±

    I nod, and a moment later, feel a presence in my mind. Moments later, itˇŻs gone, and Teacher sighs.

    ˇ°This is complicated,ˇ± he says.

    ˇ°Complicated how?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°I couldnˇŻt see,ˇ± he says. ˇ°Whoever the boy is who brought Caleb to you. In addition, Caleb seems to have turned himself into a Reality Marble, which means that we need to allow it to run its course, but IˇŻve never actually heard of this before.ˇ±

    ˇ°Is that even possible?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°It is,ˇ± Teacher nods. ˇ°It will take time for Caleb to release the Reality Marble. Unfortunately, itˇŻs not something the Caleb youˇŻre holding can do ¨C we have to wait for the real Caleb to do it on his own. The binds on Caleb are gone, and he has full access to all of his powers. Be careful with him.ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt know what IˇŻm going to do with him,ˇ± I admit. ˇ°The facility wonˇŻt allow him to be cared for there, and-ˇ±

    ˇ°I can handle that,ˇ± Teacher interrupts. ˇ°It can be arranged so that youˇŻve been requested to perform a guardian mission.ˇ±

    Guardian missions are missions where someone accompanies someone, watches over them, protects them, and so on. Usually reserved for important people.

    ˇ°IˇŻm not a full agent,ˇ± I say. ˇ°I-ˇ±

    ˇ°Caleb,ˇ± Teacher hesitates, then nods. ˇ°CalebˇŻs father is the Sage.ˇ±

    The Sage? CalebˇŻs the son of the Sage?

    ˇ°HeˇŻs still alive?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°He is,ˇ± Teacher nods. ˇ°If I tell the Sage what has happened to his son, he will likely approach the Council of Dreams and place the mission to protect him until he restores himself. I can arrange it so that he requests you ¨C as a member of CalebˇŻs team, youˇŻd have a greater chance of causing him to release the Reality Marble heˇŻs become.

    ˇ°However,ˇ± Teacher adds. ˇ°You cannot take him to the team.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why not?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Their minds,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°As a Creator, Caleb will be in them. Having people who know him will only confuse him, especially if he sees himself as an older kid in their minds. In addition, the more people who know itˇŻs really him, the more it will be attempted to bring him back, and that will likely hinder it.ˇ±

    ˇ°WouldnˇŻt I-ˇ±

    ˇ°All dragons,ˇ± Teacher says. ˇ°Are Creators. You have a draconic heritage, and while itˇŻs not enough to turn you into even a Territory, that protection from mental invasion still exists. IˇŻve woken it up within you.

    ˇ°Your father,ˇ± Teacher thinks for a moment. ˇ°He has a house outside the city, yes?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± I nod.

    ˇ°Take Caleb there,ˇ± he instructs me. ˇ°The space might do him some good, especially with the flowers and trees in bloom right now.ˇ±

    Father wanted to make sure it was beautiful, no matter what time of year, even if heˇŻs rarely at it.

    ˇ°Are you able to force your way past the protections?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°No,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°My father can, but IˇŻve never been able to. ItˇŻs a fail-safe my father created in our kind to ensure that we couldnˇŻt infiltrate and abuse others that way. I probably shouldnˇŻt have done that for you, but itˇŻll prevent Caleb from knowing about who he really is. If it becomes a problem, I could just ask my father to undo it.ˇ±

    ˇ°I thought even the Dragons of Creation couldnˇŻt come in and out of the realm?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°I still canˇŻt believe Caleb told you that,ˇ± Teacher sighs, shaking his head. ˇ°Father managed to figure out why we were unable to pass in and out of this realm. Once he told me, I was able to leave. I canˇŻt believe Caleb really did freeze hell.ˇ±

    ˇ°You went there?ˇ±

    ˇ°To verify,ˇ± he nods. ˇ°And to partly annoy my father ¨C he hates the cold. I make my own realm freezing just to annoy him and deter him from going there.ˇ±

    ˇ°DonˇŻt you have a beach here?ˇ± I ask, thinking about CalebˇŻs apparent dislike of cold, and wondering if there''s a connection between them.

    ˇ°I like warm places,ˇ± Teacher shrugs. ˇ°I donˇŻt like the cold, but not to the exaggerated degree my father does. Caleb dislikes the cold as well, itˇŻs something to do with our specific breed of dragons. Father created us specifically, so IˇŻm not surprised we picked up that trait. Will you accept the job of watching over the SageˇŻs son?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± I nod. ˇ°IˇŻll call Father and let him know.ˇ±

    ˇ°The Sage will let the Council know,ˇ± Teacher says. ˇ°As heˇŻs informing them of the job being issued. Your father might contact you.ˇ±

    A card appears in TeacherˇŻs hand, and he holds it out to me.

    ˇ°I know you can afford whatever you need,ˇ± he says. ˇ°But this is to cover the costs of watching Caleb. It likely wonˇŻt be much, considering the state he was in last time he was this age, but it has access to my nearly-unlimited funds. Use whatever you need for him. That boy barely ate or did anything, and was so scared of everything.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻll do my best, sir,ˇ± I say. ˇ°IˇŻll head to the manor.ˇ±

    Teacher nods, then vanishes, and I shift Caleb a little, pulling out my phone and calling a driver to come pick me up. Half an hour later, we arrive at the manor, and I take Caleb to one of the spare rooms, putting him in a bed.

    I start to leave the room, but then realize that he might have nightmares, and get scared, waking up in a place by himself, so I lie down next to him, watching him as he sleeps.

    My phone vibrating wakes me, and I check it. Father. As carefully as possible, I climb out of bed and step into the hall, closing the door.

    ˇ°Father,ˇ± I answer the phone.

    ˇ°Jared,ˇ± Father says. ˇ°The Sage just visited us during a meeting, and explained to us about Caleb. Is he with you?ˇ±

    ˇ°Sleeping,ˇ± I answer. ˇ°I think heˇŻs exhausted. To him, the Alkran City Massacre just occurred, and he just had a very, very long and terrifying day. IˇŻm surprised heˇŻs sleeping well, though ¨C the entire time I was next to him, he didnˇŻt fidget or whimper or anything once.ˇ±

    ˇ°It might not start right away,ˇ± Father states. ˇ°It might be a few days before the terrors begin. Keep a careful eye on him, and comfort him as much as possible. We authorized the mission for you, as it was requested by the Sage himself. To think Caleb was his sonˇ­ then to remember that CalebˇŻs father is a dragon. It certainly explains how the Sage was able to end the Calamity.ˇ±

    Yeah, it does.

    ˇ°Put any expenses needed on your card,ˇ± Father says. ˇ°I am walking to my office to transfer money into the account. It should be enough to sustain you with him until the card I am sending arrives. That will be good for any amount, and anything you need once it arrives, to care for him, should go on there.ˇ±

    ˇ°Teacher,ˇ± I say. ˇ°CalebˇŻs Teacher, that is, gave me a card to cover any expenses. According to him, it has nearly unlimited funds on it, and he told me to use it for any expenses needed for Caleb.ˇ±

    ˇ°Very well, then,ˇ± Father says. ˇ°Please contact me if you need anything.ˇ±

    ˇ°Will do,ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°Goodbye, Jared.ˇ±

    ˇ°Goodbye, Father.ˇ±

    We end the call, then I call Kieran.

    ˇ°What?ˇ± He answers on the first ring.

    ˇ°Grouchy?ˇ±

    ˇ°I always answer like that,ˇ± he says. ˇ°Though Kilmar vanished, as did the token he created so that Flame could contact him at any time. They were talking, then suddenly, Kilmar and the token were gone.ˇ±

    I look at the door, and wonder if Caleb reverting to this had anything to do with it. Kilmar was only here because of Caleb, if the familiarˇŻs master no longer is his master, does that sever the bond and prevent the beast from being in this realm?

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs strange,ˇ± I comment. ˇ°I have some questions about Caleb, if you donˇŻt mind answering.ˇ±

    ˇ°Okay.ˇ±

    ˇ°Back in the orphanage,ˇ± I say. ˇ°What kind of things did he like? Foods, games, fun activities, and so on?ˇ±

    ˇ°In the orphanage?ˇ± Kieran asks. ˇ°That was forever ago. Foodsˇ­ he liked bananas, kiwis, and cantaloupe. Gamesˇ­ he loved card games. I didnˇŻt, until the day he started insisting on it. He also loved playing pranks on people. HeˇŻd also create Realities all the time for us to play in. It annoyed the staff, because half the students would just vanish on them for hours, and they couldnˇŻt do anything about it until Caleb let us out.

    ˇ°After the incident, however,ˇ± Kieran continues. ˇ°Caleb stopped all that. From his records, he wouldnˇŻt play games, he wouldnˇŻt talk to people, and they could barely get him to eat anything. He just clammed up. If youˇŻre thinking of trying to bribe Caleb into returning, it wonˇŻt work. He likely wonˇŻt return until itˇŻs warmed-up a bit.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thanks, Kieran,ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°So are you going to tell me what this is about?ˇ± Kieran asks, causing me to jump, as he said that from right behind me. He hangs up and pockets his phone, frowning and looking at the wall. ˇ°Is that-?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes,ˇ± I interrupt him, putting a finger to my lips. ˇ°You have to leave before he wakes up, though.ˇ±

    ˇ°How-?ˇ±

    I explain what little I know, and he nods, then looks thoughtful for a moment.

    ˇ°ItˇŻs unfortunate,ˇ± Kieran says. ˇ°That this is post-incident Caleb, and not pre-incident.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Pre-incident would be much easier to take care of,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°And could control his mental invasions. He didnˇŻt, unless he wanted to, and that was the normal state for him, even in his sleep. Good luck, Jared, and let me know if you have anymore questions. From what I understand from his profile, he became a completely different person after the incident.ˇ±

    Kieran fades to shadows, then vanishes entirely. I slowly open the door, and find the bed empty.

    ˇ°Caleb?ˇ± I ask, and hear a flush.

    ˇ°I had to pee,ˇ± a voice says from the bathroom, and I go over and open it, then help him wash his hands. ˇ°Thanks.ˇ±

    ˇ°YouˇŻre welcome,ˇ± I tell him. ˇ°We donˇŻt have any clothes that fit you here, and there isnˇŻt really any food, so would you be alright with going to the store? ItˇŻll be warm in there, and in the car, so youˇŻll only be cold while weˇŻre outside.ˇ±

    ˇ°Okay,ˇ± he sniffles, then grabs my leg and starts crying. I crouch down and pull him against me. ˇ°TheyˇŻre all dead, mister.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know,ˇ± I rub his back. ˇ°My nameˇŻs Jared, and IˇŻm going to be watching you for awhile, okay?ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm Caleb,ˇ± he sniffles. ˇ°IˇŻm six.ˇ±

    ˇ°I know,ˇ± I ruffle his hair. ˇ°You came a long way to get here, too, Caleb, so things might be a little different, okay?ˇ±

    ˇ°Okay,ˇ± he sniffles, and I give him a squeeze. ˇ°You smell nice.ˇ±

    ˇ°Thanks?ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°Like metal,ˇ± he mumbles into my shirt. ˇ°Metal and dragons. Like Kieran,ˇ± he sniffs my shirt, then grabs it and presses it to his nose. ˇ°I smell Kieran. But he smells older.ˇ±

    Uhˇ­ Kieran and I have never touched before, to my knowledge, and Caleb can smell him on me?

    ˇ°But KieranˇŻs dead,ˇ± Caleb sniffles. ˇ°He died. I couldnˇŻt save Jon.ˇ±

    ˇ°EverythingˇŻs going to be okay,ˇ± I tell Caleb, rubbing his back as I wonder what he''d say if he knew Kieran was alive. I clear that thought from my head ¨C he can''t find out, or it will overload him. ˇ°Why donˇŻt I let you borrow one of my sweaters, and you can wear that to the store? I donˇŻt have any shoes, though.ˇ±

    ˇ°ThatˇŻs fine,ˇ± Caleb mumbles into my shirt.

    I take Caleb to my room and dig out one of my sweaters. ItˇŻs been years since I was here, so itˇŻs a little bit small. I asses Caleb after he has it on, and I realize something.

    HeˇŻs small. The real Caleb, I mean. HeˇŻs short for his age. This Caleb, on the other hand, is average-sized. IˇŻd actually say heˇŻs a little bit tall. I immediately knew he was around six when I saw him, but the Caleb of now looks closer to eleven most of the time, despite being nearly fourteen.

    Did Caleb get stunted somewhere? Did the trauma he suffer prevent him from growing?

    I lead Caleb out to the car after the driver pulls around, then we get in and go to the store. Caleb shivers, but doesnˇŻt say anything. At the store, I seat him in the basket of the cart, then push him around, looking for some clothes for both him and for me. He struggles a little with the shoes I have him try on, but I find a pair that fits him that he can walk in comfortably, then we make our way to the grocery section.

    When I ask him what foods he wants, he just shrugs. I pick up some bananas and kiwis and cantaloupe, and he doesnˇŻt react to those. I know heˇŻs fond of berries in the real Caleb, so pick up some of those.

    Well, by ˇ®fondˇŻ, I mean that he actually eats them. Damn is the real Caleb picky when it comes to food.

    We stop in the snacks aisle so I can find something he might like, and after deciding on two packs of pastry roll filled with strawberry and blueberry paste, I turn to put them in the cart, and find Caleb sitting covered in packages of cookies.

    TheyˇŻre all the same one, and heˇŻs staring at me, daring me to take one of them away with that gaze. IˇŻd say he grabbed about fifteen of them. TheyˇŻre a vanilla cookie with a strawberry icing drizzled on them.

    Caleb doesnˇŻt like cookiesˇ­

    I guess he did, back then.

    ˇ°Caleb,ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°What?ˇ± He asks challengingly.

    ˇ°Please ask before putting things in the cart.ˇ±

    ˇ°You asked me what I wanted,ˇ± he counters. ˇ°Then parked right next to them. Those are yucky!ˇ±

    ˇ°These are?ˇ± I ask, and he nods. ˇ°I like them.ˇ±

    ˇ°TheyˇŻre yucky!ˇ± He shakes his head. ˇ°DonˇŻt get them!ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻll get them for me,ˇ± I say, and he huffs, crossing his arms over his chest. This is not the same kid everyone says was found after the Massacre. ˇ°What do you want for dinner tonight.ˇ±

    ˇ°What are we having?ˇ± He asks.

    ˇ°What do you want?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°IˇŻll make it.ˇ±

    ˇ°I get to pick?ˇ± He looks surprised.

    ˇ°Yup,ˇ± I smile at him. ˇ°You went through something bad, so I figured, IˇŻd make you something you like for dinner.ˇ±

    ˇ°Hm,ˇ± he thinks about it, putting a hand to his chin and pursing his lips, twisting them to the left. ˇ°Hmˇ­ˇ±

    He thinks for several minutes, continuing to stare off into space, then his eyes glow, the labyrinth of his Ability forming in them, and I lose my sense of others around me.

    ˇ°Take me to the bacon.ˇ±

    ˇ°Ask me,ˇ± I tell him, and he stares at me. ˇ°If you want bacon, ask me, Caleb, donˇŻt order me.ˇ±

    A timer appears in his hands, a massive hourglass almost as tall as he is, the bottom half filled with a violet sand. He flips it over with ease.

    ˇ°LetˇŻs see if you can get aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal the ingredients before time runs out!ˇ± Caleb declares. ˇ°If you fail, you have to be my doggy for the rest of the day!ˇ±

    Kid-Caleb is terrifying. I do not want to find out what heˇŻll do in a Reality Marble if I fail and refuse to be his ˇ®doggyˇŻ.

    ˇ°To the bacon!ˇ± He exclaims.

    I push the cart to the bacon as quickly as I can, looking at the shelf.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ˇ°Two pounds!ˇ± He points at one of them. ˇ°That one!ˇ±

    Is the timer seriously now floating in front of the basket?

    I grab the two packs of bacon he wanted and add it to the cart, wondering how this works with us being in a Reality.

    The next ingredients he wants are three dozen eggs, a pound of spaghetti, garlic, two loaves of whole-grain bread, tomatoes, another dozen eggs, a pack of sausage links, two boxes of pancake mix, frozen blueberries, lettuce, shredded cheese, taco shells, taco seasoning, two pounds of ground beef, a white onion, a bag of grapes, a pack of carrots, six frozen pizzas (which he didnˇŻt declare he wanted until we were passing by them), all of the sausage-pepperoni variety, a green bell pepper, a yellow bell pepper, a red bell pepper, and an orange bell pepper, a jar of tomato sauce, and after that, I stop trying to keep track of what heˇŻs having me grab. A few of the times, we grab more of something he already ˇ®declaredˇŻ.

    By the time he declares that our next destination is the register, the timer is almost out, and IˇŻm exhausted. I had to practically run, and the cart is now full. When we reach the register he directed me to, his eyes lose their glow, and we return to reality, people appearing around us.

    Several jump, but I notice that weˇŻre first in line, and no one is behind us.

    ˇ°Whoa!ˇ± The cashier exclaims. ˇ°I just turned my light on, and you two appeared!ˇ±

    ˇ°Yes, yes,ˇ± Caleb starts putting things on the belt. HeˇŻs covered in items. ˇ°WeˇŻre having a feast tonight. Now hurry up, I wanna eat a banana, and some idiot let them be put underneath everything.ˇ±

    Definitely not the same personality he had in the reports.

    We get checked out and go to the car, and my driver helps put everything in the trunk. I made sure to grab a booster seat, so Caleb could be legal in the car, and on the way back to the manor, he stares out the window intently.

    Back at the house, the staff puts the groceries away as I take Caleb up to his room with his clothes. I ask him if heˇŻll be good to get dressed on his own while I put my own clothes away, and he nods. I close the door, then put my stuff up. A few minutes later, thereˇŻs a knock on my door.

    ˇ°Come in,ˇ± I say, and the knob wiggles for a moment, then Caleb enters.

    ˇ°No shoes?ˇ± I ask, and he looks down at his bare feet, then back at me. ˇ°I got the kind with the straps that stick to themselves, so you donˇŻt have to tie.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm fine,ˇ± Caleb states. ˇ°LetˇŻs go eat dinner.ˇ±

    ˇ°What did you want for dinner?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°I want burgers,ˇ± Caleb says. ˇ°With lettuce, bacon, and scrambled eggs on them.ˇ±

    ˇ°Scrambled?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°Not over-easy?ˇ±

    ˇ°Make them runny, and I will not eat it.ˇ±

    I lead Caleb to the kitchen, and he watches me prepare the burgers. He even forces me to make my own eggs scrambled, instead of over-easy. When we sit down at the table to eat, he digs into his burger and fries with a hearty appetite, and I wonder why heˇŻs different this time around.

    ˇ°How are you feeling?ˇ± I ask Caleb when he finally relaxes in his seat, his plate completely cleared of food.

    ˇ°Stuffed,ˇ± he groans, rubbing his stomach.

    ˇ°If you want to talk to me,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Or cry, or something, just let me know.ˇ±

    ˇ°I already cried,ˇ± he states. ˇ°YouˇŻre fun. I donˇŻt cry for fun things. LetˇŻs play a game.ˇ±

    His eyes regain their labyrinths, and our surroundings change entirely, becoming a black and white chessboard surrounded by an emptiness.

    Each square is approximately one yard across, and it is bordered by childrenˇŻs alphabet blocks, though every other block has a dragon on it instead of a letter. I am standing on one space, and Caleb is sitting on a throne on the other side, a throne that takes up four squares.

    There are teddy bears and stuffed dragons and stuffed wolves roaming the chessboard, balloons floating in the air at various heights. Caleb crosses his right leg over his left knee, propping his head up on his right fist, that arm resting on the right arm of his throne. Sitting atop his head is a golden crown, and heˇŻs got a mischievous look in his eyes, a golden scepter in his right hand.

    A look that tells me IˇŻm in for one hell of a time.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Kieran)~~~

    Something isnˇŻt right with Caleb. HeˇŻs the same kid he was before the incident. HeˇŻs nothing like he was in the reports of him from after.

    IˇŻm about to leave the manor when I find myself in a familiar Reality, Caleb sitting on his usual throne, his usual smirk on his face. Looking around, itˇŻs just me.

    ˇ°IˇŻve got Jared in another one,ˇ± Caleb sticks his tongue out at me. ˇ°LetˇŻs see who can win first! Jared, or old-Kieran!ˇ±

    ˇ°Old-Kieran?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°I know who you are,ˇ± his smirk doesnˇŻt fade. ˇ°I can enter your mind, even if Jared can block me. I dun understand it, but I know you like having fun with me! So letˇŻs play a game! Who can beat this first?ˇ±

    No one can beat this one, Calebˇ­

    This particular game disables Gifts, and we have to rely on our aura. The final boss is Caleb himself, and even with my current aura level, there isnˇŻt a chance in existence that I could beat him.

    ˇ°I donˇŻt want to play,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Not this time, Caleb.ˇ±

    ˇ°But I wanna!ˇ± He pouts.

    ˇ°I know,ˇ± I say. ˇ°But I wanna talk with you, Caleb.ˇ±

    ˇ°No!ˇ± He points his scepter on me. ˇ°Play the game!ˇ±

    ˇ°Can you please release the Marble youˇŻve placed on yourself?ˇ±

    ˇ°No!ˇ± He shakes his head. ˇ°I dun wanna! ItˇŻs all scary! I dun wanna be scared!ˇ±

    So he knows, then. He knows what he did. Was it intentional? Or was it accidental? He said he didnˇŻt understand it, though.

    ˇ°Play the game, Kirru!ˇ± He begs me.

    ˇ°Caleb,ˇ± I say. ˇ°Did you purposely put yourself into a Reality Marble?ˇ±

    ˇ°No!ˇ± He shakes his head. ˇ°But itˇŻs all so scary! I dun wanna be grown-up again! IˇŻll have to fight monsters again! I wanna stay a kid! Play the game!ˇ±

    ˇ°Can you undo it?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°I dun wanna!ˇ± He screams.

    ˇ°Please, Caleb?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°Can you answer my question? You know me, itˇŻs Kieran. IˇŻll do whatever I can to protect you. IˇŻm not asking you to go back to how you were, I just want to know if you can do it yourself.ˇ±

    ˇ°I can,ˇ± he starts crying, pulling his knees up to his chest and putting his head between them, wrapping his arms around himself. ˇ°IˇŻll-IˇŻll go back if you want me to, Kieran! IˇŻll fix it and undo my Reality if you want me to, Kieran, but itˇŻs all so scary. I dun wanna.ˇ±

    ˇ°Can you disable the game for me?ˇ± I ask, and he shakes his head. ˇ°I want to hug you, Caleb. I want to hug you and hold you tight. Can you let me do that?ˇ±

    Caleb nods, and I take a hesitant step forward. Nothing happens, so I make my way over to him, then crouch down and pull him into a hug against me.

    ˇ°I love you, Caleb,ˇ± I whisper into his ear as he cries into my shirt. ˇ°YouˇŻre my little brother, and IˇŻll never let anything hurt you. If you donˇŻt want to be scared, then I wonˇŻt make you turn back, okay? I wonˇŻt be mean to you.ˇ±

    ˇ°I couldnˇŻt save Jon,ˇ± he sniffles.

    ˇ°I know,ˇ± I respond. ˇ°But guess what?ˇ±

    ˇ°What?ˇ±

    ˇ°As he died, you were able to move his Gift into me.ˇ±

    ˇ°I could move his Gift?ˇ± Caleb asks.

    ˇ°Uh-huh,ˇ± I say, and he looks into my eyes. ˇ°I have his Gift of Perception, now. He lives on in me.ˇ±

    ˇ°I dun wanna be grown up again,ˇ± Caleb sniffles.

    ˇ°I didnˇŻt ask you to.ˇ±

    ˇ°You thought it,ˇ± he sniffles. ˇ°You were thinking that you wanted me to be grown up again. I dun want to. IˇŻm too scared, Kirru. ItˇŻs so scary, everything you were thinking.ˇ±

    ˇ°Youˇ­ read my memories again, didnˇŻt you?ˇ±

    ˇ°You left yourself open to them.ˇ±

    ˇ°We canˇŻt defend against you,ˇ± I sigh. ˇ°You know that, Cay. And yes, I want you to be grown up again, but if you donˇŻt want to, I wonˇŻt ask you to. YouˇŻre scared, I know that. You know what I know, and saw what I remember. I canˇŻt ask you to grow up again, not after that. I am going to ask you to think about what you saw, though, Caleb, and see if youˇŻre still scared in a few days.ˇ±

    ˇ°IˇŻm staying scared,ˇ± Caleb sniffles, holding me tight. ˇ°Monsters are scary. Dying is scary. People are scary. IˇŻm happy here. No oneˇŻs poking me. JaredˇŻs a nice boy.ˇ±

    Jared? Nice?

    ˇ°LetˇŻs play the game,ˇ± I smile at Caleb, and he pulls his head back and grins at me, and I find myself back in the starting square.

    This is going to be brutal, but itˇŻll be worth it for the smiles and giggles heˇŻll have.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Jared)~~~

    That was brutal. I barely made it to the final boss ¨C Caleb himself. If it wasnˇŻt bad enough that I had to rely on my martial arts and aura alone, he started whacking me with that scepter while it was cloaked in his violet aura, and it hurt.

    I donˇŻt care what they say ¨C Caleb can definitely enhance shit with his aura. And as a kid, he really, really loved hitting things. Even after he declared me as having lost and the Reality Marble faded, I was still sore.

    At least the broken leg is gone.

    A groan catches my attention, and I look over to see Kieran lying on the floor, clutching his leg.

    ˇ°Did you have to whack me in the knee, Caleb?ˇ± Kieran sits up. ˇ°IˇŻm still hurting.ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻs not broken anymore!ˇ± Caleb sticks his tongue out at Kieran. ˇ°Also ¨C you lost before Jared did, so YOUˇŻRE THE LOSER! Piggy back ride!ˇ±

    ˇ°Can you please let my knee recover first?ˇ± Kieran asks.

    ˇ°No cookies for you!ˇ±

    ˇ°What are you doing here?ˇ± I ask Kieran.

    ˇ°I couldnˇŻt resist,ˇ± Kieran looks down. ˇ°I wanted to see him again.ˇ±

    ˇ°And you!ˇ± Caleb looks at me. ˇ°As the winner, I declare that you can have one of my bananas!ˇ±

    ˇ°I bought them.ˇ±

    ˇ°YOU MAY HAVE ONE BANANA!ˇ± Caleb yells with glee, then takes off running. ˇ°CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!ˇ±

    I look at Kieran, who just sighs, putting a hand to his head.

    ˇ°I forgot how much energy he had when we were little,ˇ± Kieran says.

    ˇ°I didnˇŻt see you in the Reality Marble.ˇ±

    ˇ°Separate layers,ˇ± Kieran looks at me. ˇ°Caleb put us into two different instances. Neither of us fought the real Caleb, just another ˇ®toyˇŻ in there. The real Caleb was watching us from another instance. As near as we could figure, he could do up to sixty-four ¨C one for each square of the chessboard. One of them was always for him to watch the rest of us from, so he could only take sixty-three of us in at a time. His hall of fun was probably the best, though that one is a close second.ˇ±

    ˇ°Hall of fun?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°DonˇŻt ever ask him to take you there,ˇ± Kieran suddenly looks horrified, which I didnˇŻt know is an expression he can have when Caleb isnˇŻt in danger or hurt, and I get concerned. ˇ°That is not something you ever want to experience, understand? If you thought this beating was bad, do not ever ask him for the hall of fun. You will suffer.ˇ±

    ˇ°Caleb was a sadistic little kid?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°No,ˇ± Kieran shakes his head, even though I''m positive that he is. ˇ°We all enjoyed the games with him. It actually was fun, to us. I had so much fun doing that with him.ˇ±

    And as usual, CalebˇŻs gotten you to talk a fair bit.

    ˇ°He knows, by the way,ˇ± Kieran sighs.

    ˇ°Knows?ˇ±

    ˇ°He read my memories,ˇ± Kieran nods. ˇ°He knows what happened to him ¨C at least, what of it you told me. He said he can undo it, but is scared to, because heˇŻs scared of what will happen when he does.ˇ±

    ˇ°What will happen?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± Kieran stands up, then offers me a hand and pulls me to my feet. ˇ°HeˇŻs scared of facing reality and having to return to life. He feels safe right now. DonˇŻtˇ­ donˇŻt try to convince him to undo it ¨C heˇŻll just freak out on you, like he did me. ThatˇŻs probably why I lost so fast ¨C he was probably going a lot harder on me than you because IˇŻd asked him to do it.ˇ±

    ˇ°LetˇŻs go find him,ˇ± I say, and Kieran nods.

    We search through the manor, finding him in the family room, sitting on the couch and flipping through the channels on the T.V. Kieran and I each sit on either side of him, and we start tickling him, making him squeal and giggle and squirm as he tries to escape.

    ˇ°Huh?ˇ± Kieran suddenly looks at the T.V. ˇ°Jared ¨C look.ˇ±

    ˇ°What?ˇ± I look at the T.V., then grab the remote and turn the volume up.

    The news, live.

    ˇ°As you can see,ˇ± the news anchor says from the helicopter sheˇŻs standing in the doorway of. ˇ°Behind me, Alkran City, where the worst attack from monsters since the Great Calamity itself occurred, has changed. It become Ruins years ago, heavily influenced by the monsters and demons within, and the sheer force of magic contained in such a small space.

    ˇ°Now,ˇ± she looks out across the city as the camera pans in. TheyˇŻre a fair distance away, but enough to show the damage. ˇ°As you can see, thereˇŻs a massive crater taking up a huge portion of the center of the city. From what our sources say, itˇŻs no longer Ruins, but just the ruins of the city, inhabited by monsters and demons.

    ˇ°As of now,ˇ± she continues. ˇ°ThereˇŻs no word on what caused this ¨C or the meteor that was seen falling from the sky, burning with a violet light. Magicians across the globe could sense it, and sources indicate that those who did said it was filled with emotional magic, that whoever cast it was casting it from pure, unfiltered rage.

    ˇ°As a witch myself,ˇ± she continues. ˇ°One whoˇŻs devoted much of her life to learning and detecting magics, I was able to sense it, especially from not being far from here. I even saw the violet meteor form and descend. Whoever cast that spell had an emotional attachment to this place, one stronger than merely having friends or family here during the attack could have.

    ˇ°In my magical opinion,ˇ± she says. ˇ°I think there was a survivor, and one who knows real magic. ItˇŻs said that there are some gifted children in the Global Magical Defense Federation who have stumbled upon how to use old magic, and IˇŻd say that itˇŻs either one of them, or they know who it was.ˇ±

    ˇ°Someone bombed Alkran?ˇ± Caleb asks, and I mute the T.V., looking at him.

    Caleb told us that infusing magic with emotions affected them and their power. To create a spell that powerful, and infusing it with his emotions, his attachment to that town, I now understand exactly what happened to him, and why he became this way, why he turned into a little kid.

    ˇ°Did she say,ˇ± Kieran looks at me. ˇ°That it is no longer Ruins?ˇ±

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± I realize. ˇ°She did. The magician who hit the Ruins downgraded it.ˇ±

    We both look down at Caleb, who has passed out. Such a cute little kidˇ­ who can deal enough damage with a single spell that Ruins lose their status as Ruins and become just regular ruins, and the damage remain. No longer will magicians and Superhumans find themselves hindered in there.

    Superhumansˇ­

    ˇ°Kieran?ˇ± I say, and he looks at me, raising an eyebrow. ˇ°Why do you call us Gifted? As a kid, Caleb does, too.ˇ±

    ˇ°ItˇŻs what we called ourselves,ˇ± Kieran says. ˇ°Back at the orphanage. They called us Superhumans, like everyone else, so we rebelled. Caleb started it.ˇ±

    ˇ°Exactly how much did Caleb start?ˇ±

    ˇ°Almost every prank and rebellion we had,ˇ± Kieran snorts. ˇ°He once gathered a group of us, and we spent three nights blowing up balloons. The three of us with Perception concealed our absence as we did it in a Reality Marble, and Caleb stored them in there until it was time. We stuffed the whole school with them, and in the middle of the night, once weˇŻd finished, Caleb released the Reality Marble.

    ˇ°The best part,ˇ± he smiles a little. ˇ°Was when they noticed the balloons ¨C which was quickly, since they had people walking the halls to make sure we stayed in our rooms, and they were in every room, anyway, was that they tried popping them.ˇ±

    ˇ°They couldnˇŻt?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Oh, they could,ˇ± his small smiles turns into a full-on grin. ˇ°We filled the balloons with glitter. They couldnˇŻt pop them without getting glitter everywhere, and have you ever tried removing two hundred thousand balloons from an area? It isnˇŻt easy, especially when theyˇŻre all packed tight. The balloons will just keep sliding around and stuff. They were soooooooo mad, and we all got into so much trouble, but it was so worth it.ˇ±

    ˇ°HowˇŻd you guys get the stuff for it?ˇ± I ask. ˇ°I canˇŻt imagine you getting permission to leave, nor having money.ˇ±

    ˇ°Same way we did everything,ˇ± he shrugs. ˇ°The three of us with Perception would leave, probably take others with us, and weˇŻd just steal it. There was this one time, Caleb, Jon, Thomas, the other Perception, a dozen others, and myself snuck out, stole four hundred bunches of bananas, transported them back to the facility, and we-ˇ±

    ˇ°I donˇŻt really want to know,ˇ± I say.

    ˇ°-made clothes out of their peels after smearing bananas all over the floor, and walked around wearing those clothes until they managed to catch us. We knew where all the safe spots to walk and run were, and their feet were too big to fit onto them.ˇ±

    I really didnˇŻt want to know that.

    ˇ°WouldnˇŻt the bananas have dried out?ˇ± I realize.

    ˇ°They would have,ˇ± he grins at me. ˇ°But thereˇŻs a Gift for that. We used aura strings to weave the bananas into clothes and hold them together.ˇ±

    ˇ°Whose idea was that?ˇ±

    ˇ°CalebˇŻs, as usual,ˇ± he answers. ˇ°Like I said ¨C it was mostly CalebˇŻs idea to do the stuff we got into trouble for doing, but we all loved him so much that we did it anyway. IˇŻm glad itˇŻs gone, though ¨C Caleb always said there was more to it than they were telling us, and they never did know just how powerful he really was, so they didnˇŻt realize he could read their thoughts and memories.ˇ±

    ˇ°Their memories?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Yeah,ˇ± he nods. ˇ°Caleb can look into your memories by touch. Well, this Caleb can, ours probably could, if his Gift wasnˇŻt bound. He told me he couldnˇŻt do it, when I asked him. He also canˇŻt do a Reality Summon.ˇ±

    ˇ°A what?ˇ± I ask.

    ˇ°Basically what he did to himself,ˇ± Kieran explains. ˇ°Only instead of doing it to an object, he creates the object itself as a Reality Marble, but itˇŻs in reality itself. He can do it with magic now, but itˇŻs different when itˇŻs his Gift.ˇ±

    That sounds pretty cool, to be honest. I wonder what itˇŻs like.

    ˇ°Absolutely terrifying,ˇ± Kieran answers, horror forming in his eyes. ˇ°If he ever forms a water gun, run. DonˇŻt ask questions, donˇŻt stick around, donˇŻt look at it ¨C run.ˇ±

    ˇ°Why?ˇ±

    ˇ°Just do it,ˇ± he says. ˇ°Do it, or your sanity will be gone. We call it Water Gun Roulette, because you never know what itˇŻs in it, and he never misses his targets. He likes hitting eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. Thankfully, once he finishes and banishes the Reality Marble that is the water gun, the liquid vanishes. The sting usually does, too, though it might take a few minutes, like the pain did with our injuries from his last game.ˇ±

    Caleb snuggles up against me, and I look down at him, only now realizing that the Caleb I know had a very, very strange childhood. Kieran commented about the stuff they do as if itˇŻs normal ¨C including the painful parts, like CalebˇŻs Realities and their games.

    The two members of our team who hide the most about themselves had unusual childhoods, probably more so than Flame and Brooks, who were assassins growing up.

    ˇ°IˇŻm returning to the dorms,ˇ± Kieran stands and stretches, then looks at me. ˇ°Kid Caleb never liked sleeping alone, just so you know. HeˇŻll probably have bad dreams if heˇŻs alone tonight. He was trying to hide it, but he was scared and worn-out ¨C thatˇŻs why he fell asleep between us. He got comfortable and felt safe.ˇ±

    Kieran turns into shadows, and vanishes again, and hopefully this time, heˇŻs gone.

    I pick Caleb up and bring him to my room, laying him down on my bed, then going to my bathroom to take a shower. Once IˇŻm done, I dry off and pull on a tee and some shorts, brush my teeth, then climb into bed, pulling Caleb against me. He snuggles up against me and mumbles something in his sleep.

    That wasnˇŻt English.

    Careful not to wake him up, I grab my phone and pull up a translator, putting in every variation of spelling I can of what he said, but nothing comes up. I send Flame a text.

    Flame: ItˇŻs late.

    Me: You know magical languages, right?

    Flame: Yeah, why?

    Me: Can you translate something for me?

    Flame: If someone taught me the language, yeah.

    I send him a text telling him what it was, and making sure he knows that I donˇŻt know if itˇŻs spelled correctly, just that itˇŻs something I heard, and that IˇŻm not sure if itˇŻs a magical language or not. It takes Flame several minutes before he responds.

    Flame: Where did you hear that?

    Me: Why?

    Flame: Where did you hear that?

    Me: Why?

    Flame: Where did you hear that?

    Me: Does it matter?

    Flame: Yes. Where did you hear it?

    Me: Someone said it. I didnˇŻt get a good look at them, just thought it sounded strange, and was curious about what it meant. WhatˇŻs it mean?

    Flame: Rough translation. Caleb started teaching it to me, before he quit the GSDF. ItˇŻs an origin tongue ¨C Caleb said itˇŻs where all draconic languages came from. Did he say it to you?

    Me: No, whatˇŻs it mean?

    Flame: Rough translation: ˇ®You smell like good metalˇŻ < that is weird for a random thing, Jared. I can honestly picture Caleb saying that, since you do smell like good metal, when I use my draconic nose. Was it really some random thing?

    That is totally like Caleb to say.

    Me: Yes. Thanks.

    Flame wishes me a goodnight, and I put my phone away, looking down at the sleeping kid in my arms, confused.

    Caleb shouldnˇŻt know any draconic languages at his age, but the origin of all draconic languages? How could he possibly have known that? From what I know, even dragons donˇŻt know languages instinctively.

    I mean, if he were TeacherˇŻs son, thatˇŻd be different, since itˇŻd mean heˇŻs descended of Auriauror, but Teacher said Caleb was the son of the Sage, and-

    The son of the Sageˇ­

    A boy who knows languages by instinctˇ­

    Calebˇ­ is TeacherˇŻs son, isnˇŻt he? He inherited his fatherˇŻs knowledge of languages, and isnˇŻt really a magictongue or mystictongue or whatever it''s called. He knows the languages he does because of his grandfather''s power over lineages.

    So either Teacher lied about who CalebˇŻs father is, or Teacher and the Sage are the same person.

    Does he know heˇŻs CalebˇŻs father? According to Caleb, TeacherˇŻs a virgin, which we all found somewhat amusing after finding out that not only is he older than Earth, but heˇŻs also a dragon.

    Does Caleb know theyˇŻre the same being? I donˇŻt think so ¨C heˇŻs adamant in that Teacher and Sage are two different beings. In other words, Teacher has been lying to Caleb for a long time.

    What else has he lied to Caleb about? Has he lied to us?

    Does Teacher have ulterior motives? What are his plans? What is he planning?

    <hr>

    ~~~(???)~~~

    So that happened. How in the hell did Caleb turn himself into a Reality? That makes absolutely no fucking sense whatsoever.

    Yet he did it. He fucking did it.

    If he weren''t a little kid right now, he''d probably be so fucking smug to me about having done it, too.

    I''m not sure if doing that to Jared was the right decision or not. It can prove problematic, if he turns against Caleb. I''ll ask Father to change it, if he can, after the incident is over.

    Here''s hoping Father doesn''t find out until after Caleb finally reverts back.

    "Your son is really amusing."

    Dammit.

    "Hello, Father," I turn around and face him. He''sˇ­ in human form, wearing swim trunks decorated with dragons. "Seriously?"

    "You have a beach," he says. "I''m not going to visit a beach and not swim."

    "I was referring to the dragons on your shorts."

    "Just in case there was any confusion."

    "That you''re a dragon?"

    "On whether or not I like dragons," he responds. "Nice feat, your son did there. I bet you never thought it was possible."

    "I never even considered it," I tell him. "Thinking it''s not possible would require actually thinking of it. Can you undo it?"

    "Yes," he answers. "But I''m not going to, because this is amusing."

    "I really wish you hadn''t figured out how to get in here."

    "Speaking of passing in and out of here," he says. "Caleb knows."

    "Knows what?" I ask.

    "How to do it," he answers. "He also knows that someone claimed the universe as their Reality. To be honest, it''s not surprising, knowing him. He concealed it pretty well."

    Father wades into the water and begins splashing around like a little kid, so I wave a pool float into existence, climb onto it, then let it drift near to where Father is. When I get there, he''s got a damn turtle sitting on his head, and is talking to it, informing it of the origins of the turtle.

    That''s where Caleb gets walking around with them on his head from! I knew I''d seen it before!

    "Father," I say. "Are you telling me that Caleb lied about not knowing how to pass in and out of our Reality?"

    "Yes," Father glares at me. "However, he didn''t have the power to do it on his own. Right now, unbound, he does. Being entirely honest, I think he knows who put the universe as their Reality, as well as where they are. Unfortunately, if he knows it, he doesn''t know he does, and has hidden it deep within his mind. I''ve searched it a few times, and apart from him asking me if I was bringing him food, I didn''t really see anything unusual there."

    "He could sense you?"

    "Yes," Father says. "And I''d like to get back to my explanation on the origin of the turtle. I had a hand in that, you know."

 Chapter 021

    ~~~(Flame)~~~

    "Looklooklooklooklook!" I tug on Tuck''s sleeve, pointing. "It''s a psychic!"

    "You do realize," Tuck looks at me. "That most psychics aren''t genuine, right?

    "I know," I say. "But I still wanna check him out. Sometimes, they have traces of latent power, and can harness it through what most ''psychics'' use. Looks like he uses cards. Let''s go check him out!"

    Tuck and I approach him. He''s about our age, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. Well, eye. His right eye''s covered by a black eyepatch. That''s cool!

    The psychic is shuffling his cards, each of which looks handmade by a child, and very, very worn-out, as if they''re old and well-used. After a few moments of shuffling, he then draws thirteen of them, setting them down with one at the top, then four rows of three. He frowns as I pause.

    Whenever the number thirteen comes up, it seems as if Caleb''s connected, somehow. Directly or indirectly ¨C Caleb is connected to this kid, I''m sure of it.

    "Hey," I say, and he looks up at us, pursing his lips. "Do you do readings for people?"

    "Not for people who will just make fun of me after," he says. "Since the Gift of Psychic Knowledge isn''t generally one that appears, being a Special-Class Gift."

    Giftˇ­

    Like what Kieran calls Abilities. Kieran is connected to Caleb.

    There. They''re connected. Now to figure out what else exists within their connections!

    "I like hearing psychic''s readings," I shake my head. "Real or fake."

    He stares at me for several seconds, and I get the feeling that he''s looking at me with more than just a physical eye.

    His aura ¨C concealed though it is ¨C tells me he''s the real deal.

    "I charge," he shuffles up his deck, then sets it down on the table, pulling out another, newer deck, beginning to shuffle it. Its artwork is much better than his other deck''s. "You decide how much you pay me. How much you pay determines the level of reading I''ll perform. What I read isn''t necessarily the future, but might be the past or present as well. A more advanced reading might give me a mix of them."

    He stops shuffling the deck, holding it in his right hand.

    He''s left-handed, like Caleb. That''s another connection.

    Actually, Caleb''s ambidextrous, but he favors his left hand. So we''ll go with that he favors his left hand, like Caleb.

    The connection exists, regardless of how that''s worded.

    I sit down, pulling out some cash and setting it down on the table. It disappears into his pocket before he starts drawing cards, his gaze never leaving me. He draws three cards, then looks at them, finally taking that unnerving gaze off of me.

    He has an unnerving gaze. Another connection, there. Most kids our age don''t have that gaze. Most kids our aren''t simply can''t make me feel uneasy just by staring at me. He and Caleb both can.

    "Cards are being cheeky," he mutters, then reshuffles.

    "Being cheeky?" I ask as he returns his gaze to me.

    He doesn''t answer as he shuffles, then deals again, turning up the same combination. He shuffles the deck a third time, a couple of men watching with smirks on their faces, probably assuming he''s some idiot who doesn''t know what he''s doing.

    This time, the card combination is different.

    "Thank you, for stopping that," he mutters, scanning the cards with his eyes. Eye. He looks back to me. His cards aren''t like normal cards, and I can''t just guess the meaning behind them with my knowledge of tarot cards. "The reading just shows that you possess the power of fire and air, beyond that which your magic grants."

    "Air?" Tuck sounds confused, and I look at him. "Flame''s power has nothing to do with-"

    "It does," I look down at the cards. "Brooks knows, and Caleb, but I think that''s it. When they passed, Caleb did the same thing to me and Brooks that he did to Kieran, and gave us our brothers'' Abilities. I have Gale''s, and Brooks has Cliff''s."

    "That explains the first reading," the kid mutters, shuffling the cards back into his deck, pausing for a second. "Caleb and Kieran?"

    Those names mean something to him. Connection!

    "Can you do another reading on me?" I ask, putting some more cash on the table.

    He pockets the bills, then shuffles the deck once more, staring at me yet again. This time, he places down five cards, and reads them.

    "Oh, my goodness!" He shuffles them back into his deck, staring at me once more as he returns to that.

    When he deals this time, receiving a different spread, he scans the cards for several long moments.

    "Well?" Tuck asks.

    "Sh!" I say. "Let him look."

    The kid finally looks at me again, looking a little bothered.

    "Fire and air, water and stone, light and shadows and perception, metal and stone, reality itself and perception," he says, his voice cracking a little on that last one. "An unwavering bond that only grows stronger as time passes."

    Kieran doesn''t advertise that he''s got power over light, and according to Caleb, he''s actually stronger with it than he is shadows. Caleb also doesn''t advertise that he''s carrying his brother''s legacy.

    This kid is the real deal.

    "Seriously?" An adult laughs. "That''s the best you can get from five cards? I could go to the black market and get a ''better'' reading for cheaper."

    "One more?" I place more cash on the table, and the kid stares at me for several seconds.

    That gazeˇ­

    He''s using his Ability when he''s staring at me. He''s only using the cards as a channel, a way to direct his power. He can likely get a general sense for things by staring at people.

    He pockets the cash, then begins shuffling again, shuffling much longer than his previous shuffles. When he finally deals, he lays out nine cards, and begins scanning them. His pursed lips turns to a tense frown, and that worries me.

    A real psychic frowning during a reading is never a good thing. Not from what little I know of actual readers, anyway.

    "If you pay me sixteen times as much," he looks at me, then taps his other deck. "I''ll do a reading from this deck. Thirteen cards. It will give me a much, much clearer reading thanˇ­ than this."

    He frowns, looking back down at the cards and muttering something I can''t make out, even with my draconic senses.

    Or rather, something I can''t understand.

    "If not," he looks at me. "I''ll give you your reading from this one. After I get to the motel later, I''ll be doing the other reading, anyway. If you pay the extra for the other reading, but still want this one''s, you''ll need to pay seventeen times as much."

    "Nice extortion there, kid," an adult who walked up a moment ago snorts. "Not even subtle about trying to get more money. Plus ¨C he''s just a recruit for the GMDF ¨C do you really think he could afford thousands? Tens of thousands? You''ve probably already burned up whatever money he''s saved up."

    I put the extra money on the table, wondering how the kid knew I could, as well was why he seems shaken up by the reading, and will be doing the bigger reading, anyway.

    He pockets the cash, then shuffles the second deck, setting it down before picking up the old deck. He shuffles it like a deck of playing cards, then sets it down, closing his eye and taking a deep breath, pulling off his eyepatch and setting it down beside the cards.

    Then, he picks up the deck and shuffles again, his eyes remaining closed as he does. He draws the thirteen cards, placing them expertly, despite his closed eyes, forming a circle with the cards.

    Or a starˇ­

    He sets the deck back down, takes another breath, holds it for a few moments, then slowly releases it, opening his eyes as he does.

    Though his left eye is an ordinary brown, his right eye is silver. He opens his mouth and begins to speak, his voice almost ethereal as he does, echoing around me and sending chills down my spine.

    "Death will come, time and again, and greet you and your team as an old friend. Life is long and life is short, the world moves on and yet halts. A Second Great Calamity will begin, and Lusvar will bring to it an end.

    "The Moon will greet you as an ally, the Earth will cry in his pain. In the Temple of the Dragon King, secrets will be revealed, ancestry discovered, and a bloodline awakened. Bonds will be shed, and the true powers of those around you will be revealed.

    "Fire of life and fire of death, from start to end, will rage throughout. Live and die, rebirth and redie. Even the undead will flee from your wrath, wishing they, too, could fly.

    "Even when in the land of the sky, the Child shall return, and the war shall come again. The battle will end, and so too shall vacation. Love lost is power gained, legacies held on, even once they''re gone.

    "What was sought was achieved, and what was achieved was not what was sought. In a land of demons, darkness shrouds the mind, and the False One rises again. The Age of Darkness is an unfamiliar place, yet shall be achieved, both before the deaths and after.

    "You, O Dragon of Fire and Air, will be killed by the one you love the most. His mind broken, his powers vast, an ally, you will be, but an enemy is how you will be seen. Accept your death with open arms. Though the Age of Darkness will last, it, too, shall come to an end."

    The kid stops talking, then slumps over in his seat.

    The cafe patio ¨C and the street around it ¨C has fallen silent. Several long moments pass as people stare at him and I digest what he said. He lifts his head up, looking exhausted, then packs up the old deck.

    "Know this," the kid tells me as he replaces his eyepatch, his voice normal. "That what you heard come out of my mouth is nothing in comparison to what I saw, when I channeled my Gift of Psychic Knowledge. It''s only second, in vision, to one, for the darkness of what goes on in it. That other one, essentially, says that the world itself will enter into an era of darkness, ruled by a powerful being no one can kill ¨C no one, save his own son. I don''t know how far away that is, nor how long it will last, but it will last. Whoever that being is, he is both a Gifted and a magician, and he had dozens of Gifts. When he kills you, he''ll take your Gifts, your aura, and your magic, making himself stronger still.

    "The things you and your team will see," he averts his gaze, fiddling with the nicer deck. "It''ll be things on par with the Great Calamity and the Alkran City Massacre.

    "Lusvar," he mutters. "I shouldn''t be surprised that you survived. And that was Kieran, if I''m not mistaken."

    He puts the deck away and leaves, leaving me utterly confused.

    "What''s wrong?" Tuck asks. "I mean, other than that ominous message."

    I pull out my phone and call Kieran. He picks up on the sixth ring.

    "What?"

    "Do you know a boy with a brown left eye, a silver right eye, and the Ability of Psychic Knowledge?"

    Silence. Then a click.

    "He''s gone," a voice says, and I turn to find Kieran standing there, looking around. He looks at the table. "He was definitely here, though."

    "You do, then?"

    "Yeah," he looks around. "Do you know where he went?"

    "Yeah," I point. "He went that way, but his scentˇ­ is gone. He''s concealing himself with his aura, and I can''t track him. I don''t even know how he''s doing thatˇ­"

    "He''s from the orphanage," Kieran vanishes into shadows, disappearing off into that direction.

    "The orphanage?" Tuck looks at me. "Does he mean-"

    "Yeah," I nod.

    Four. That''s four, that I know of, who survived the massacre. And that was the confirmation of his connection to Caleb.

    They''re brothers from the orphanage.

    Tuck and I leave, continuing on our way to the store. When we arrive, Kieran''s standing out front, looking as stoic as usual.

    "Couldn''t find him?"

    "I did," Kieran responds.

    He doesn''t say anything else, as usual.

    "We''re-"

    "I know."

    "-going toˇ­ I didn''t even say it."

    "I know."

    "So what effect does Caleb''s Ability have on his aura?" I ask, and Kieran stares at me. "Our Abilities do have an effect on our auras, right? In the powerful people?"

    "Yeah."

    "What does Caleb''s do?"

    "Unclear."

    "So he hides it?"

    "It''s Caleb."

    At least you''re talking.

    The three of us head inside the store, and Tuck and I buy the things we came for, then head out, Kieran apparently tagging along with us today.

    He sees us to the gates of the GMDF youth training complex, watching us until we''re inside and the gates are closed back up.

    "That was weird," Tuck says once we''re in the food lab. "Kieran practically escorting us."

    "Yeah," I agree. "It was really weird. Let''s see if we can''t make these magic cookies, now."

    <hr>

    ~~~(Kieran)~~~

    Jeremy told me he came to town because of his cards. I was surprised to notice the ones Caleb drew back then. He''s taken exceptional care of them, for them to still be around. The full deck, too.

    Did whoever save us save those for him, too? They were always his best channel.

    Now that he knows why he was directed here, he is moving on to the next place. He said he travels from place to place, not sticking around very long.

    His Gift isn''t suited for combat, and while he wields aura, he isn''t exactly a soldier, and has no plans to become one.

    The haunting prophecy he gave meˇ­

    He said that Flame received a similar one, when he performed the thirteen-draw for him, and he saw many of the same scenes. After a little prodding, he admitted that he saw not just the two of us dying in that fight, but Brooks and Jared, too.

    The one we love the most will be the one to kill us all.

    Flame loves Caleb romantically and in respect to his personality, powers, knowledge, and skill. I would wager that his love for Caleb transcends the love he feels for any other thing or person.

    However, that could change, in time. I have yet to figure out how well Jared loves Caleb, but I doubt it counts as him loving Caleb the most. Brooks is completely stoic on that front, just like Caleb himself.

    Amendment: Caleb wasn''t. He apparently hit on this girl for awhile. No one knows what resulted from that.

    Me?

    I don''t think anything could ever change how much I love and care for Caleb. He''s my little brother, even if not by blood. Any orphan from the orphanage who knew Caleb respected him and loved him. Jeremy admitted that he looked up to Caleb, and sometimes wished he could be him.

    He said that, even now, he wishes he could match Caleb, could be as cool and suave as my leader.

    Unless I find someone to love who manages to draw love from me greater than the love I have for Caleb, it will always remain as Caleb.

    The fact that Jeremy wouldn''t give me a single indication of whether or not it was only worries me. Does Caleb kill us? He told me that, once we enter that Age of Darkness, his power loses traction. Something in that time affects his Gift.

    Something powerful enough to affect the flow of time itself, and the ability to look through it, occurs. Put in place? Is it magic? A spell? A Reality?

    Whatever it is, it''s powerful, and only Caleb and above could possibly do something like that.

    There it is again.

    I can''t figure out what that is, but it''s bothering me. Despite being an S-A Perception, I can''t perceive whatever it is, and it''s starting to get really annoying.

    Especially since I think I know what it is.

    That make sense at all?

    I can''t figure out what it is, yet think I know?

    I can''t figure out what the damn thing is, but I know who might be causing it, due to when it first happened. The time frame fits.

    Three weeks ago, I first noticed it. It could be Caleb, but I''m doubting it ¨C as a kid, I doubt he could mess with my power of Perception this much with his own Gift. Whatever it is, it''s a momentary shift in Perception, but the location is unknown, just somewhere in the city. I can''t tell if it''s in the same spot, or if it''s moved, but I can tell it exists.

    Four weeks ago, two Gifted were killed. It''s possible that whoever or whatever is killing the Gifted in the city is the cause of this shift I''m noticing.

    Shiftˇ­

    I''ll call it that, for now, even though it isn''t really so much as a shift as it isˇ­

    There''s no better word for it.

    In the last four weeks, eighteen Gifted have been killed. While I was speaking with Jeremy, I received a phone call that alerted me to another''s death.

    Whatever it is, they aren''t powerful enough to take on the most powerful Gifted in this city ¨C Caleb and myself, so I''m probably safe. Judging by their ability to conceal themselves from me, they''re likely a powerful magician of some sort.

    They could probably still deal some decent damage to meˇ­

    At least Caleb''s safe. If they make it past Jared and his Metal Guardian, and Caleb himself can''t fight, he can always use that.

    The Hall of Fun.

    Momentarily, I flash back to the Massacre, to feeling the Hall of Fun appear around me as the monsters closed in. He couldn''t support it with that many inside of it, though, and it collapsed. He tried making it span an area larger than he normally did, taking in hundreds more people than he normally supported, as well as hundreds ¨C maybe even a thousand or more ¨C monsters and demons.

    If he''s attacked by a single person, the strange Caleb we''re facing now ¨C who doesn''t seem to have changed much from before the Massacre, and is nothing like the one that actually appeared after ¨C would create the Hall of Fun.

    Shaking the memories from my head, I refocus on my new task ¨C locating the source of that ''shift'', wherever it is.

    Focusing, I try to Perceive it again, Perceive its source, but as usual, I fail.

    Bullets slam into my aura. It absorbs the full shock, but it still startles me.

    I didn''t Perceive thatˇ­

    I turn, scanning for the source of the bullets, but they''re only appearing the moment they hit my Aura. Their general direction is this way, though.

    The bullets stop, but it''s too late ¨C I''ve already figured out their Gift.

    Perception, like me. They''re concealing the bullets in a Perception filter, but the moment it interacts with my aura, it fades away.

    Had I not been keeping a thin layer of strengthened aura over my skin, I probably would have died from that attack.

    All of the slain Gifted have been killed with the full magazine of a specialty handgun powered with an explosive fuuxar crystal. Unfortunately, it isn''t traceable.

    Something slams into the back of my head. A fist.

    I spin, knife drawn, and the attacker jumps back, looking stunned. I''d place him around his mid-thirties.

    "I''ve never heard of a negating Ability before," he says. "Though your aura is quite interesting, to nullify the shock of the bullets like that."

    "Are you the one killing Gifted throughout the city?"

    "All of your kind must die," he raises his gun again. "No Superhuman should be left alive."

    He''s not a Perception?

    "Even you?"

    "I have been given this power by the Great Summoner," he says. "It is not an Ability, like your kind possess."

    He fires off more shots at me, these ones with more impact, but my aura takes them. He''s riddling my shirt with bullet holes, and at this point, it''s just tatters. I grab the front of my shirt and pull it off, letting it rip the rest of the way.

    "If you wanted to live," I say. "You should have picked another city to attack. The GSDF and GMDF are both stationed here, along with the training facilities for the youth branches of both, as well as small adult training facilities. There are tens of thousands of magicians and Superhumans in the city. It was only a matter of time before you died."

    "You talk tough," he says as he reloads his gun. "Cadet of the GSDF. Unfortunately, you are but a child, and have no knowledge the real way of the world. You are outmatched. To be ranked among your kind, I would be S-S. I am trained in weaponry and martial combat, and my aura is quite vast, as is my skill with it. You are the first to have been able to resist me, but you will die, all the same."

    "You have mistaken me," I say. "For a trainee. I am Kieran Rivers, Colonel of the GSDF, S-A Perception Gifted, Class Three aura wielder, Second Class Magician."

    He laughs, firing his gun, and this time, his bullets go through me.

    Or rather, the Shadow Avatar left behind. He pauses, then blocks my punch from behind. He noticed me, despite my perception alteration.

    He switches to martial arts, and he''s my superior, and he mixes it with perception alteration, just like I do, and I can''t pick it up. The fight doesn''t stop, and he keeps hitting me harder and harder. Even when I use my Gift of Manipulation on shadows, he still persists.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    Nothing I do seems to change the outcome, and he''s wearing me out. Even with dual-Abilities, his experience and higher rank as a Gifted is too much for me. Then combine with him disarming my knife, every time I recreate it with my shadows, and his own knife skillsˇ­

    I''m in a lot of pain after a few minutes, from his physical blows and his knife attacks. I can''t escape, though. Every time I try, he stops me, able to touch me, even in shadow form.

    Just what is he? Just who is he?

    Once I''m all out of power, I''m collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily. I can''t fight anymore, and I can''t run, either. I have the power to run, but I can''t run. I need to stop him, before he kills more people.

    This fight has drawn attention. It has to have. Reinforcements should be coming soon. I know I did a decent amount of wear on his own Gift, and doubt he could fully stop them. Enough troops attacking should be able to take him out.

    "Finally," he says, his breath ragged, as he aims his gun at me. "Your power, magic, and aura are all exhausted, and you yourself are too worn-out to resist anymore. I can finally kill you."

    He pulls the trigger.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Flame)~~~

    "Yo!" I answer the phone. "What''s up, Jared? How''s the Sage''s son?"

    "Missing!" He sounds breathless. "I need your nose!"

    "He went missing?" I ask.

    "He was playing pranks on me all morning," Jared says, and I hear the sound of something bouncing off of something else. Something metal against magic, it sounds like. "Then suddenly, I felt disconnected to my magic and Ability."

    A weakener?

    "Some men came in," Jared continues. "And there were a ton of them. A shitton of them. They wore me out, and Caleb, too. He did some stuff with aura I''ve never seen before, and-"

    "Caleb''s back?"

    "The Sage''s son," Jared says. "Tiny little guy. He totally kicked ass, but they wore him out, too. At six, it''s not like he could take on a hundred guys without the use of his Ability, and they used a negator over the manor. Before they left with him, they triggered the barrier over the manor, then destroyed the device used to control it."

    "Barrier?"

    "All Fuller manors and mansions have it," Jared explains. "It prevents people from entering or leaving. It''s on, and I can''t turn it off. No one knows who created them, though I think it was Teacher, since all of the Council''s members'' properties from the old days have them. I can''t get out, and my Metal Guardian isn''t doing shit against it. I need you to come to the manor, pick up his scent, and see if you can track him down. Get Kieran, too ¨C you''ll need the extra power. Call Owen as well, but leave Brooks out of it."

    "Why?" I ask. "Brooks-"

    "I''ll explain once I get out," he says. "But unless something changes, I can''t get out, these barriers can resist anything we could throw at it."

    "Did you try calling our Caleb?"

    "Phone''s in a non-service area," he says. "Ifˇ­ if Kilmar were still available, he''d probably be able to do something about it, but from what I hear, he vanished."

    "Yeah," I say. "Same with the token I''m supposed to use to contact him with. He just up and vanished."

    "I might know why," Jared says as a massive clang rings out. "DAMMIT! I''ll explain it to you once you recover him. Are you moving?"

    "About to be," I answer. "I''m going to use my bursting steps once I get off the phone with Kieran and Owen."

    "Hurry!" He says. "They put some sort of amulet on Caleb, and his aura vanished entirely. I don''t think he can use his Ability with that thing on, either. If he could, he''d get out of there, easily. Go!"

    The call disconnects, and I call Kieran''s phone. It goes straight to voicemail. I realize I don''t know Owen''s number, and so leave the facility, using bursting steps across town to get to the GSDF training facility.

    "I need to speak with Owenˇ­ uh, I don''t know his last name," I tell the guard who greets me at the guardhouse. "The electric Owen. He goes all sparky sometimes."

    "I''ll call him," he says. "Mind telling me what it''s about?"

    "It''s a bit complicated," I shake my head. "But it''s an emergency, so can you hurry up?"

    "Sure," he nods. "But only one of us are allowed on the phone at a time, so it''ll be a second."

    "Call''s done," the other one hangs up. "Just an update ¨C facility is in Level 1 Lockdown.

    I pull out my phone and call Caleb''s.

    "The number you are trying to reach-"

    I hang up. Dammit.

    Where the hell is he when he''s needed?

    "Sorry," the other guard returns to the window. "Owen''s not on property right now ¨C he left before my shift started, for some job in the city."

    "Dammit!" I say. "Can you get me his cell number? I need to reach him, and ASAP."

    I really want to call Brooks, but Jared said not to. Just what is going on that he doesn''t want me to involve my brother?

    Our Unison Strike, when factoring in our magics, is on par with Kieran''s power. Even Jared and Owen combined wouldn''t be able to take us on.

    "I don''t," he shakes his head. "And even if I did-"

    "Yeah, yeah," I say, then take off running, sorting through the different smells until I pick up the one I think is Owen''s.

    I locate him walking down the street.

    "Come with me!" I yell at him, knowing he can keep up.

    He does, using his energy in a similar fashion.

    "What''s going on?" He asks.

    I fill him in on what I know on the way to the manor. When we arrive, Jared''s Metal Guardian is still attacking the barrier. He''s standing on the other side of it, looking pissed.

    "Why don''t you want Brooks?" I ask.

    "Where''s Kieran?" He asks.

    "Going straight to voicemail," I answer. "Why don''t you want Brooks? He''s part of the team, and Owen isn''t. If Owen is here, then-"

    "Caleb," he takes a deep breath. "Is the Sage''s son."

    "Yeah," I say. "You said that-"

    "I mean our Caleb," he says. "And he turned himself into a Reality Marble. He reverted back to when he was six years old, to right after the Alkran City Massacre. That''s why Kilmar vanished, most likely ¨C his presence in this realm was a direct result of his connection to Caleb''s magic, and without it, he couldn''t continue to support himself here. The token itself was likely created by Caleb. The information you have is known only to the three of us, Teacher, the Sage, and Kieran. He doesn''t have any access to his magic at all, and apparently, as a kid, could block out minds around him, and filter out everything. He didn''t realize there was danger until they blocked our Abilities. They found out I was watching over the Sage''s son, and went after him. If they kill him, our Caleb dies, too."

    "Hello?" Owen answers his phone. "I''m at the Fuller Manor right now, sir! Yes, sir! Understood, sir!"

    He hangs up, looking at us.

    "GSDF is on a Level 1 Lockdown," he says. "I''ve been ordered to report to the nearest safe location. I-"

    "Because of the sensitive nature of my current job," Jared interrupts Owen. "I have the authority to requisition anyone I need. I''m relieving you of the Lockdown, so that you may retrieve the Sage''s son. Also ¨C the fact that he''s our Caleb can not be shared with anyone beyond us. Wherever Kieran is, let''s hope he shows up soon. I''ll try calling him."

    I nod, then close my eyes, and sort through the smells around me, until I pick up a child''s scent. It''s similar to Caleb''s.

    Scentsˇ­ Jaredˇ­ the draconic language of originˇ­

    I should''ve seen that coming. Not that Caleb did that to himself, just that the Sage''s son ¨C Jared''s charge ¨C was Caleb.

    "Let''s go!" I tell Owen, and we leave as I follow the scent of the kid-Caleb.

    We arrive at a warehouse, and the moment we draw near, I lose connection to my Ability and magic, stumbling in my bursting steps. Owen stumbles, falling to the ground beside me, and we both scramble to our feet.

    When we do, we find dozens of men aiming weapons at us.

    "Well, well," one of the guards smiles. "A couple of the kid soldiers, here to play. Put your hands in the air, and we might-"

    "You really think?" I smile as flames begin to swirl around me. "That disconnecting me from magic and my Ability can stop me?"

    The others might not be able to harness their dragons inside of Ruins, but I can.

    "Oh?" He smile falters, then he looks like he decides something. "Kill us, and we''ll kill the Sage''s son. Simple as that."

    I pause, staring at him.

    "Yup," he smirks. "You''re here to retrieve him, and even know who he is. They''re under orders inside to kill the Sage''s son, if we''re attacked. So go ahead and attack ¨C if you want to be the reason he dies."

    We surrender, and they take us inside. The first thing I notice is that kid-Caleb is average in height, if a little on the taller side.

    Not short at all.

    He''s swinging his feet on the crate he''s sitting on, looking unafraid, despite the guns aimed at him.

    "Found these two outside," the guard says. "The one with red hair can still use fire, despite the negation we''ve got here."

    "We''re putting these amulets on you," someone approaches us with a pair of golden amulets with ancient magical runes on them. "Try to attack us, and the kid gets it."

    Caleb makes a face that says he thinks this guy is being dramatic, but the guard''s tone says he''s serious. I do have to agree with Caleb on that he''s being a fair bit of a clich¨¦ with this.

    "How much longer before we move out?" One of the guards who brought us in asks as the amulets go on us, and I feel my connection to the dragon fade. My aura''s blocked as well.

    Just what are these amulets? And how did they get them?

    "A few hours," he answers. "They''re moving us to headquarters."

    Is Caleb wearing the ring?

    I thought he said Teacher gave it to him when he was ten?

    Then again, he''s apparently had it since he was at the orphanage.

    No one can ever trust what Caleb says, not unless something else has proven it to be completely accurate. How long has he really had that ring? And where did he get it?

    "Smells like fire!" Caleb smiles at me. "Hi, Flame!"

    "You know who I am?"

    "Uh-huh!" He nods. "From Kieran''s memories! I can''t access my Territory right now, though, or I''d probably invade your own mind. Of course, if I could use my Ability, they''d all be dead!"

    He says that cheerfully, as if it''s normal for a six year-old to kill people. And like he doesn''t have an issue with killing.

    Hell, he still delegates most of his fighting to his golems, because of his issue with it.

    Wait a secondˇ­

    If Caleb turned himself into a Reality, wouldn''t a cancellation and these amulets revert him back? Wouldn''t they nullify that power?

    "Oh," Caleb says. "You can''t take them off, Flame. You''re also not strong enough to break them. Or their chains. So you''re stuck with it until either they remove it, or you die. If he," he points at the one who put the amulet on me. "Dies, you''ll never get it off. The one who put it on has to be the one who takes it off. It''s part of the condition of the magic they were formed of. That''s what they said, anyway."

    He jumps off the crate, straightens his shirt, then smiles at me. "Let''s play rock-paper-scissors!"

    "Alright!" I run over to him. "Let''s go! Loser has to do pushups!"

    "Ha!" Caleb laughs. "I''ll have you doing a thousand pushups!"

    "Bring it on!"

    "Oh, boy," Owen sighs.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Nik)~~~

    "Hello!" The attendant stops by my seat, for probably the hundredth time since the ride began. "How are you doing?"

    "I''m alright," I look at her.

    "We''re almost to your stop," she says. "Do you know where you''re going?"

    "Not really," I shrug. "I''m sure I''ll figure something out, once I''m in the city."

    "I think it''s brave of you," she says. "Starting a new life on your own, at thirteen ¨C especially since you look around ten. It won''t be easy, you know."

    "I''m aware," I smile at her. "But I''ll be fine. I''m only part human, and among my species, by the time one is thirteen, they''re already past puberty. Technically, I''m an adult."

    The irony of us being considered adults by the time we''re ten is that we tend to age a little bit slower after five or six years, and tend to stop aging altogether in the late teens or early twenties. At least, that''s my theory on it.

    "Really?" She asks.

    "Indeed," I respond. "My mother was mostly human, and my father was an entirely different creature."

    Can dragons even be counted in the same category as humans?

    "Interesting," she says. "Well, since you look human, and a younger one than you are at that, you''ll find a lot of obstacles in your way. Just remember to keep your head up and don''t let them bring you down. In today''s society, even children can make do on their own, if they know what they''re doing. And remember ¨C no matter what happens, you can always ask for help."

    I smile at her, then she leaves. A few minutes later, they announce we''re arriving, and then the train begins to slow. When it stops, I make my way off the train, my shirt fading away once I do.

    Yeah, I''m shirtless, but dragons don''t normally wear clothes in the first place, and I am wearing a cloak. I''m wearing black combat boots, black pants with a single white stripe running down the outside of each leg, black gloves, and a violet cloak with a golden symbol on the back, the same symbol tattooed on my sternum.

    Since I''ve told you what I''m wearing, and that I look around ten instead of my actual age of nearly fourteen, I guess I should tell you the rest of my appearance as well. Fair skin with only a light tan, since dragons don''t really tan unless they try to, golden hair, and violet eyes. My canines are a fair bit sharper than ordinary canines, and my body is well-muscled.

    I''m even stronger than I look, and I look strong. Being sixty-percent dragon has its perks.

    I''m stronger than humans, faster than humans, capable of razing entire cities to the groundˇ­

    Never actually done that, but there is this really strong itch that wants to be scratched, especially after someone dropped a meteor on Alkran and did that much damage to it, even past its Ruins protections.

    I''ve never been in a full city before, and it''s amazing. All the people, the powers, the magics, the fuuxar, the bakeries, the shops, the banks, the businesses, the bakeries, the-I step inside a bakery, eyeing the displayed food. It all smells so goodˇ­

    "Hi!" The woman behind the counter greets me. "Anything look good to you?"

    "Most of them," I tell her. "But your chocolate eclairs are bad."

    "Pardon?" She asks.

    "The chocolate eclairs," I say. "The eclairs flavored as chocolate, with chocolate icing and filling. They''re bad ¨C bad milk was used in their making. I could eat them without side effects, though most people would get sick. Then again, the bad milk means it wouldn''t taste good, anyway."

    "I''m sorry, kid," she says. "But-"

    "Stopping you there," I hold a hand up. "First off, I''m nearly fourteen, not ten. Secondly, I''m not even forty-percent human. Third, in my other species, I''m an adult, and have been for several years. For the fourth, please know that my sense of smell is so good, I can smell him on you, despite you having taken two showers in the three days since the encounter. You used different body washes for the showers, but the same shampoo and conditioner. The toothpaste you use is strawberry-flavored, your mouthwash is mint, and your floss is strawberry-flavored."

    I stop and let that sink in.

    "Also," I say. "You''re pregnant with twins, both boys. I''d say you''re at the three-week mark, though you haven''t realized it yet, and it''s almost time for you to miss. Congratulations ¨C they''ll be a handful, I''m sure. Could I have a couple of strawberry eclairs?"

    She nods, numbly grabbing two strawberry eclairs, bagging them, then handing them to the cashier, who rings me up as she wonders who I am and how I did that. I pay, then take my eclairs, sit down, and eat them.

    These are really delicious, but I knew they would be. I need to limit myself on sweets, though. If I forget myself, I''ll eat nothing but sweets, and I need more than that.

    After finishing the eclairs, I begin to walk through the city. Someone''s triggered one of father''s barriers on a Councilman''s property, and there''s a fight going on between two Perceptions.

    Should I interfere for one of them?

    The barrier should protect whoever''s inside, so I decide to check out the fight. When I arrive, I see an S-S Perception aiming a gun at an interesting being. An S-Ranked Light and S-Ranked Shadow who also has Perception, at S-A.

    The kid ¨C who is probably only about a year older than me ¨C is breathing heavily and covered in wounds. He barely damaged the elder Perception. The elder Perception fired his gun as I arrived, and the bullet blasted through the kid''s skull. Kieran. That''s his name.

    Kieran fades into shadows, and the killer looks stunned.

    "That''s never happened before."

    "Hello," I say, and he snaps his head to face me, looking utterly confused. "My apologies, if I''m interrupting. However, as it''s clear that you are killing Superhumans simply for having their power, I am going to eliminate you."

    "How can you perceive me?" He aims his gun at me. "Not even the most powerful Perception I''ve ever come across could."

    "Him?" I ask. "He seemed to see you just fine."

    "His aura nullified my Perception," he says. "But you shouldn''t be able to notice me at all. You''re on the other side of a field."

    "So I am," I smile at him. "Unfortunately for you, the Ability of Perception doesn''t work on a Creator, as we will notice anything within our passive Territories. I''m not as powerful as my big brother, but I''m still quite powerful."

    "A Creator," he snorts. "Trying to sound impressive, there? They don''t exist, except in stories."

    "Trying to sound knowledgeable?" I ask. "Because trust me when I say, we Creators are quite real."

    He fires off several shots, his bullets ceasing to exist before they''re even halfway to me. He looks stunned.

    "In addition to being one of the most powerful Superhumans in the world," I smile as my cloak fades from existence. "It has been quite awhile since I last had fresh meat."

    "Fresh-"

    Before he can finish, I have run forward, covering the distance between us in less than a second, grabbing him by the throat.

    "I am quite hungry," I say as I lift him by the throat. "And as a growing dragon, I need a healthy intake of meat."

    The fear filling himˇ­ it''s delicious. I''ve restrained myself for so long, it''s become bothersome. I am not a being meant to hold back.

    "And your meat," I lick my lips. "Smells quite delicious."

    His clothes, as well as the impurities on and within his body, fade away as he struggles in my grip. He screams, trying to hit me, but his attacks aren''t even worth noticing.

    "Scream all you want," I tell him. "My barriers are far more powerful than yours. Not even a Creator would notice us here."

    I pull him close to me, and bite into his shoulder. He screams from the pain as I rip out a chunk of his meat. Had I not cleansed his body, he''d probably have pissed and shit himself, but that mess is always a pain to deal with, so it simply doesn''t exist.

    I chew slowly, savoring the flavor as he flails his legs and his good arm. Human is one of the most delicious species there is. I take another bite out of his shoulder, and he continues to fight me. He doesn''t have a lot of tender meat on him, which sucks, and so does his muscle making him tough and chewy, but the human in him makes up for that.

    I get to work on his arm after the second bite on his shoulder, and by the time I finish it, he''s resorted to sobbing. I''m amazed he''s still conscious, after this much pain. Then again, he''s using his power of Perception to not perceive the pain anymore.

    It takes me a long while to finish eating him, but I want to savor this. It''s not often I give in and kill a human for food, usually resorting to their stores, and hunts of wild animals or monsters. The occasional demon.

    Since it might be awhile before I leave human civilization, I want to savor this. I make sure to get every last piece of meat off his bones, leaving just them behind.

    I erase the blood and bones with my magic, then sit down with my back against the wall, resting from my meal. I may be a lot smaller than the Perception I just consumed, but I could probably still eat a couple more adult humans before feeling full.

    Once my rest ends, I erase the blood and guts off of me, my cloak reforming around me. Removing my barriers, I begin to walk away, past the GSDF agents rushing into the ally, not noticing me.

    The barriers made it impossible to enter, or to see within. They knew something happened here, though, because of the battle. They don''t know what happened after, due to my barriers.

    That was a nice meal.

    The dragon within me roars, screaming for me, screaming for me to eat my fill and burn this city down, and I quiet it. Now isn''t the time to go razing a city to the ground.

    Though I''ve always been tempted to do that, and it seems my older brother razed a fair bit of a larger city to the ground.

    He should''ve invited me. We could''ve had so much fun razing it all the way to the ground.

    "Gah!" I scream in frustrating, drawing several stares from civilians.

    Oops.

    But still ¨C why didn''t he invite me to the razing? He knows I want to do it! It''s not fair!

    Sighing, I make my way through the city, arriving at the local Fuller Manor. It seems the device that controlled it was destroyed after being activated, trapping the younger Fuller inside with a few others, who he then killed.

    He tried using one of his metal manipulations to destroy it, but the barrier was put in place by my father. He won''t be able to get out, no matter how hard he hits it.

    I could turn it off, of course, but what fun would that be?

    Turning, I make my way back into town. My big brother already left, but he can take care of himself, even in his current form. I cannot wait until the binds on his draconic nature are broken.

    Imagine ¨C the two of us taking on full dragon forms and burning a city to the ground!

    No! I shake my head. He wouldn''t burn a city down. Not unless it was filled with monsters and demons and such.

    We could finish off Alkranˇ­

    That would be a nice snack, too! Many species of demon are right up there in taste with humans!

    Arriving at the warehouse he was held at, I scan the surroundings. It''s in a flux spot, where magic doesn''t work. Not that something like that could bother me. The spot was created by a dragon''s soul being shattered here, though it was a very weak, very young dragon, so the effect isn''t that far across ¨C just an area around several hundred feet across.

    The warehouse is on fire, and I can hear a couple of people inside trying to break free. One of them is of draconic heritage, with the power of fire and air running through him.

    So this is Flame.

    He has on a zieksharr, which nullifies magic and aura, and cannot be removed, except by those who put it on that person. The corpse inside is likely that person, to make him aware that he''ll never use his Ability again, even if he somehow managed to break free.

    My magic flows into the land, touching upon the shattered fragments of the dragon''s soul, putting them to ease and letting them fade away. It takes me a few minutes to do that, but once I''m done, the nullification of magic exists no more in this place.

    Then, I step forward, making my way into the warehouse. Flame and Owen are strung up by chains, and are trying to break free, but can''t. The binding of their powers from the zieksharrs prevent Flame''s draconic strength from working.

    They see me.

    "Caleb!" Flame yells.

    The flames raging through the warehouse vanish, the building appearing as if new.

    "Not quite," I tell him as he focuses on me without the roar of fire, taking in my appearance. "Though it seems my big brother is having an interesting time of things."

    The chains holding them form new links, lowering until the two allies of my brother''s have their feet on the ground. Then, the chains vanish, and the wounds on their bodies and the damage to their clothes disappear.

    "Yourˇ­ older brother?" Flame frowns, staring at the mark on my chest. "That''s an ancient draconic rune. It''s one of the first Caleb taught me. Umˇ­ I don''t know the one it''s merged with."

    "You know Lusvar, yes?" I ask, and he stares at me. "Like my big brother, I''m a Creator. It''s something anyone with more than forty-five percent draconic heritage is, as with all actual dragons. I''m in your head, when I want to be. To be honest, I plucked that knowledge from the ethereal sea. Nomari is the other rune. My true name is Nikvar Nomari, and it means Bringer of Magic."

    The zieksharr shatter, and Flame gasps from the shock of his reconnection to his dragon. Owen doesn''t react as much, but he still looks at his hands. I''ve never understood why people look at their hands when they feel a rush of power, but then, humans are quite different from dragons.

    Flame is nineteen percent dragon. He is one percent off from being a Territory. Well, more like point-four-two-one-six percent, but still. Less than half a percent means nothing ¨C it must be exactly twenty percent or more.

    If he continues to develop his draconic side, it will continue to increase how much of him is dragon in nature. Give him time, and he might become a Territory. All of them might, though he stands the closest. His brothers were only at four percent each, but he was at closer to fourteen percent, when Caleb merged him with Gale''s power.

    Galeˇ­

    Caleb intentionally gave Flame Gale''s power. It wasn''t a mistake, or something done rushed. It was quite intentional, and I''m not sure I agree with his reasoning.

    "I cannot go to my brother''s aid," I tell Flame. "Due to factors you cannot be made aware of, but I can aid you in your rescue of him."

    "How did you break those?" Flame crouches down, picking up the shards of the amulet and holding it up to the light, examining it. "Magic can''t-"

    "Magic can," I approach him, stopping right in front of him. "It can do anything you want it to do. The particular species of dragon the one you know as ''Teacher'' is stands out from other dragons in that magic bends to our will. My big brother can''t harness his full power until those bonds on him break, but for me? I can. If I want it to happen, I will figure out a way to make it happen through magic. The zieksharr are powerful, but even they have their weaknesses. All power comes at a price, after all.

    "And that," I say. "Leads me to why I came to seek you out. You are very dear to my brother, and it wouldn''t do for you to die, which you would have, had I not saved you. However, I was already on my way here when all this went down."

    "I need to get going," Flame looks ready to fight, the fire within him roaring in sync with the dragon. He wants to go. "Can you just give it to me and-"

    "I could," I say. "However, you will need to recover."

    "Recover?"

    "Yes," I nod once. "Recover. I can bestow upon you a gift of magic unlike any other, but as I said ¨C all power comes with a price. Instead of you studying for years ¨C possibly decades, or even centuries ¨C you would be gaining this knowledge quickly, rapidly. In exchange, you would need to give up something. In exchange for a single arm, I can show you enough you''ll need for what it to come. I could do a leg instead, but I know that you would much rather lose an arm than a leg."

    "If I get hurt-"

    "Yes," I say. "It will take you longer to track down Caleb. They won''t kill him, and in his current state, any injury he has will disappear when he undoes the Reality he''s turned himself into."

    "Why didn''t it fade?" Flame asks. "When the ziekshard was put on him? Or when they used the cancellation thing? And how come we can use our Abilities and magic now, even though they said this place does it naturally?"

    "I soothed the shattered soul," I answer. "And as for Calebˇ­ the zieksharr acts against Reality itself. To it, that is Caleb''s real form, not magic, and so, it didn''t undo it. They might hurt him, if needed, but if they kill him, then the one you know as Teacher will no longer have any reason to hold back. The zieksharr also prevents magic from being used on those they''re placed on, and Father can''t get around that."

    "But you can?" Owen asks as Flame thinks hard about something.

    "Indeed," I nod. "Each of his children has more power than he does. I am the Bringer of Magic, and Caleb is the Bringer of Light and Darkness. A dragon''s true names are statements about what we will accomplish in life. Caleb will bring both light and darkness into this world, and I will bring magic to it."

    "Both are already here, though."

    "Indeed," I nod. "But even Caleb cannot do the things I can with magic, not until he breaks the binds on his draconic heritage. Magic ¨C true magic ¨C has been lost to this world. Before Caleb breaks those binds, I am going to return it."

    "I thought the Sage was Caleb''s dad?" Flame says, and I stare at him. He stares back at me. "Unlessˇ­ Teacher is the Sage."

    "They are one and the same," I say, and his eyes widen. "Also ¨C Kieran and Jared have both figured this out. Do you accept my offer? It will grant you the power and knowledge of magic you need, in order to protect and rescue my brother."

    "If you''re so powerful," Owen says. "And so capable with magic, why can''t you rescue him? Why put it in the hands of a human with far less draconic blood within him than you? Someone who isn''t as controlled and skilled?"

    "It''s complicated," I say, then look into Flame''s fiery eyes. "Would you like to accept my offer, Flame? Even your power as Blaze won''t be enough. Know that if you accept, not only will you lose an arm, but you will no longer be a Superhuman."

    "What?" Flame takes several bursting steps back, hands up, flames swirling around him. "I have to give up my Ability to-"

    "No," I hold up two fingers, a coin appearing between them. "Magic," I turn the coin around. "Ability."

    I flip the coin to him, and he examines it, looking at both sides and frowning.

    "They both have the rune for magic on it," he says.

    "Exactly," I say. "Magic and Abilities ¨C they are one and the same. It is why anything that affects magic also affects Abilities. Your Abilities are, essentially, a shortcut to magic. It cuts out the steps needed and turns it into a single trigger. Abilities ''reserve'' your mana, which is why Superhumans generally struggle to learn magic. The ratio is ninety-nine to one. The more powerful a Superhuman is, the more mana they actually have. That allows stronger ones to at least get the basics of magic down, since they have more free mana.

    "With the knowledge I''m granting you," I continue. "That ''reserve'' will fade away, your Ability returning to its state of just magical power. With your present knowledge of fire magics, as well as the knowledge you''ll gain, you won''t suffer a true loss. To be honest, you''ll become much, much more powerful than you are at present, especially with your mana pool at its full power, instead of most of it being on reserve.

    "So," I say. "Do you accept?"

    He thinks about it for several long, long moments. When he decides, he nods.

    "Remove your shirt."

    "Huh?" He looks confused.

    "I could clean your shirt with magic," I say. "But regrowing your arm won''t work. Your shirt will get bloody. In addition, I need to wound you, in order to begin the process."

    Flame hesitates, but then approaches, unbuttoning and removing his shirt, then pulling off his tee as well. He hands them to Owen, trying to look braver than he feels.

    He only trusts me because I look like Caleb, and because I saved him and have promised him a way to save Caleb. This loyalty of his will one day be his death, and could potentially also cause others to manipulate him.

    My cloak fades away, and I take on one of my draconic forms. I''m still mostly human in appearance, but scales form on my sides, back, and chest, as well as on the sides of my legs and on my arms. My stomach and the rest of my flesh below remains as human flesh, though. A pair of horns grow from my head, and a scaled tail grows from the base of my back, just above my rear. All of my scales are a deep, dark purple that glitter with a touch of gold to them. My violet eyes and golden hair remain the same, and Flame now looks scared. Owen has completely frozen up in shock.

    "Please know," I say. "That what you give up for this cannot be returned to you ¨C no magic will restore your arm. The Dragons of Creation likely could, but don''t expect them to. They''re an interesting lot. The scar from the wound will also remain as well. Are you ready?"

    He nods, and I pierce his heart with my tail. He screams, his eyes turning violet, and then he falls silent, staring upwards, back arched, mouth still open, his hair beginning to turn pure-white. Owen tries to free Flame, but I freeze him in place.

    The tips of Flame''s fingers begin to disappear, and he bleeds. To me, it takes several minutes, but to Flame and Owen, only moments pass from when it begins to when his arm has been completely consumed by the cost.

    I pull my tail out of Flame''s chest, and he heals, a scar left in its place. Binds begin to form around the wound on his shoulder, as he falls unconscious from the pain and the sudden influx of magical knowledge and awareness.

    "I''ve patched up his wound," I tell Owen as my bind on him ends. "But you''ll want to take him to a medical ward, so he can recover. He lost a fair bit of blood from that, and will need to rest a few days."

    "But-"

    "My big brother will be fine," I say. "You have quite a long time ¨C many, many months, actually ¨C before his life will be in danger, and that won''t be from his kidnappers, who want to raise him to be their perfect little soldier."

    As if that would work. Caleb would eventually break free of them, even if he never reverted back from his current state. They might kill the guy who put the zieksharr on him, if he escapes, to ensure that he never comes back against them, but it''s not like it would stay on him.

    As he grows, and the dragon in him matures, the zieksharr would lose its hold over him. Give it a year or two, and the zieksharr would shatter on its own.

    And there isn''t a chance in hell that they''d manage to turn him to their side in a century. A year or two?

    They''d have an easier chance getting Caleb to actually be romantically interested in a human.

    Inwardly, I groan. I can''t believe everyone thought he wanted to date that girl. He was interested in her, but from a magical perspective, not a romantic one. Once I saw her, I understood the attraction, especially with that crimson aura.

    Did he ever figure out what it meant? He never did tell me.

    "Hey!" Owen shouts, snapping me from my thoughts. "I don''t trust you."

    "So?" I ask. "Flame did."

    "Flame only did because-"

    "Yes, I''m aware," I say. "He will not regret the trade, Owen. It''s raining now, so you''d better call for a medic, than take him out. Caleb''s scent has already faded, so Flame wouldn''t be able to track him, even if he didn''t make the trade. When he wakes, tell him ''istori noru na vel temis''."

    "What?" Owen asks.

    "Repeat it back to me," I say. "I know you''re trained to commit things to your memory, and I want to make sure you did."

    "Istori noru na vel temis."

    "Good," I say. "Tell him that, when he recovers enough to fight again. If I know Caleb, Flame will know what that means."

    I turn and leave the warehouse, making my way to a restaurant.

    I''m hungry.

 Chapter 022

    ~~~(Flame)~~~

    "Flame!" Tuck exclaims when he sees me. "You''re awake!"

    "Nah, I''m dead," I tell him. "I''m just walking around because being dead is boring."

    Tuck stares at me, then looks at the doctor.

    "He isn''t usually sarcastic," Tuck says. "Are you sure he didn''t suffer brain damage?"

    "My boyfriend''s about to," I smack him in the back of the head, and he rubs it, then I look down at my lack of a right arm. "That was a fast adjustment. Guess Caleb''s mentoring on stuff like that paid off."

    "Caleb trained you for in case you lost an arm?"

    "Couldn''t use," I shake my head. "Though I guess it serves the same purpose, right?"

    "Owen wouldn''t tell us what happened," he says. "You''ve been out for a week now, and he''s refused to tell anyone anything. In addition, Fuller Mansion is sealed up ¨C no one can get in or out, and it''s run out of electricity, so we can''t even communicate with Jared or the staff that''s in there. No one knows how much food they''ve got left."

    "They store enough food on-property," I say. "To feed two hundred people for three months."

    "Seriously?" Tuck''s eyes widen in shock. "That''s a ton of food!"

    "It isn''t the healthiest, but it''ll work," I say. "Jared''s probably fine ¨C that particular manor only housed ten staff permanently, with the rest coming in for work from outside, and only roughly twenty in the building at a time, unless there were several around. I think, with the Sage''s son there, they still only had twenty. So they''ll be fine."

    Couldn''t Jared contact us? Why can''t he contact us now? We spoke directly to each other?

    Is there more to the barrier than I know? Some sort of lockout that happens after so long?

    Trying to pull out my phone, to see if I can reach Caleb, I''m reminded of three things. I''m missing that arm, my phone isn''t in my hospital scrubs, and Caleb is the Sage''s sonˇ­ and currently in kid-mode, until he reverts himself back.

    His brotherˇ­

    Something told me, after regaining access to my draconic side, that his brother, Nik, wasn''t human. Or ratherˇ­ he was as human as Caleb, but had full access to his draconic power, and all that came with it. He felt like a dragon, and the one within me burned at his presence, in fear and in worship, of the beast standing before me.

    It was terrifying. Even with my new knowledge and power, I doubt I could defeat him. Is that what Caleb will be like, once he breaks those binds on him?

    Speaking of this new knowledge and power, I need to test it out.

    "Oh!" I realize.

    "What?" Tuck looks at me, and I realize that I made a noise.

    "Nothing," I say. "I need to test some stuff."

    If Caleb already knows beyond all this, that means that he''s probably been leading us to learning, realizing, and understanding this.

    Unless there''s far more to understand than this, I''m like him, now.

    "How did you get out of the bed on your own?" The doctor asks.

    "I pulled off the blanket," I tell him. "Then climbed out of the bed. Then, I located a scrub top, pulled it on, and walked out of here. Was it supposed to be difficult?"

    "You also removed the monitors, I.V., and other stuff," he says. "Without setting off any alarms, and show absolutely no signs of any punctures."

    "I heal fast," I tell him. "How long before I can leave?"

    "We need to run some tests," he responds. "Make sure you''re okay. Then, we can discuss your arm-"

    "My arm is fine," I wave my hand. "See?"

    "The one you''re lacking, idiot," Tuck smacks me in the back of the head, then looks at me, concerned. "How did you lose it? Magical ointments and stuff didn''t work. Owen wouldn''t open his mouth for anything."

    "It can''t be healed or regrown with magic," I say that, but at the same time, suspect that Caleb and his brother could easily regrow it. "It was a sacrifice. I''ll be fine. I need to get going, though."

    They make me go through the tests, and after they finish, they reluctantly release me back to the GMDF, putting me on rest for a month.

    As if that will work on me.

    Back at the academy, they pull me into a briefing room to debrief me, and I tell them what information I can and want to give. I have no plans to tell them about Caleb being the Sage''s son, nor about my sacrifice, what I gained, and Caleb''s brother.

    They really shouldn''t know any of that.

    When they pressure me into talking about the stuff I won''t tell, I adamantly refuse, and the officer threatens to put me on suspension until I talk.

    "Then I''ll just quit," I stand, pushing back my chair and stretching. "Because it would be the same thing as a suspension, only without the ties to this place that I''d have while suspended. I''m not talking."

    And Caleb''s mentioned before that it''s possible to bind someone into not saying thing. It''s entirely possible his brother bound me to prevent me from saying those specific things, even though I wouldn''t have planned on it, anyway.

    "Besides," I say. "Hard for me to do the duty I''m assigned by a power higher than you when you''re trying to tie me down."

    "Really?" The officer folds his arms across his chest.

    "Really," I say. "Jared was given absolute authority, where the Sage''s son is concerned. He can override any order given, if it concerns the Sage''s son. He ordered me to rescue him. Unless the Sage''s son has been rescued, I''m technically still working for Jared, on the mission. So actually, you can''t restrict me, anyway. And the information I have is classified above your paygrade. Well above it, actually, considering that it concerns personal information about the Sage''s son and the Sage himself."

    The officer gives up after that, because there is no way to prove me wrong without knowing the information, and I am on assignment from Jared, who does have that authority.

    Not that they can verify he used that authority to give me an order.

    Not with him being sealed in right now.

    Back in my room, Tuck''s waiting for me, and he asks how the debrief went. I tell him as I search for my phone, locating it in the closet, hidden under some stuff.

    "Did you really think I wouldn''t find this?" I ask Tuck, and he blushes. I dial Kieran''s number, and it goes straight to voicemail. "Tch."

    "What''s wrong?" Tuck asks.

    "Kieran didn''t answer his phone," I call Brooks.

    It keeps ringing, then goes to voicemail. I hang up, then call him back. The fourth time I call him, he answers.

    "I''m in class!"

    "Oh, right," I say. "You have a class schedule, there."

    "Flame!" He exclaims. "You''re conscious!"

    "I''ve been out for hours," I say. "Do you know what''s going on with Kieran? I wasn''t able to get hold of him before, and his phone went straight to voicemail again."

    "Hold on," his tone sounds dark. "Sir, permission to leave?"

    "You may," an instructor says in the background. I don''t recognize his voice, so he must be one of the ones they brought in after Caleb quit. "If any of you have an issue with it, you''re free to leave and do five hundred laps on the track. His brother''s been unconscious, after receiving injuries on an S-Class mission."

    Air rushes past the speaker on Brooks'' phone for almost a minute as a series of small snaps sound near him, then it stops. He''s in a room of some sort, but not a very large one. It isn''t in the main buildings, so likely one of the distant, isolated buildings, possibly a storage building.

    "How are you feeling?" He asks. "They suspended Owen, because he refused to say what happened to you, but then it got reverted, when word came through that Jared had authorized the two of you and Kieran for some mission dealing with the Sage''s son, and so it probably dealt with classified information, and that that''s why he won''t say a word."

    "It does and it is," I confirm to him. "So do you know why Kieran wasn''t responding before? Why his phone was going straight to voicemail?"

    "Missing," Brooks answers. "Presumed dead. There was someone in town who was hunting and killing Superhumans. It''s believed he fought Kieran, and they killed each other in the fight. An anonymous tip suggests he died. The killer was an escaped S-S Perception prisoner, formerly GSDF. He''s not confirmed dead, all they know is that the one who gave the tip claimed so."

    The one who gave the tip?

    Someone powerful enough to put Kieran in a situation where he''s believed dead, also killed?

    Even if Kieran''s S-A for Perception and A and S for his two elements, there isn''t a chance in hell he could fight an S-S Perception and win, especially if they''re armed and using aura as well. A former GSDF agent who reached S-S as a Perception would be overwhelmingly powerful against him. That''s years ¨C possibly decades ¨C of experience that Kieran''s natural talent wouldn''t have made up, even with magic.

    The only people I know of in town who would have been able to handle that man would have been Caleb and his brother. With Caleb being preoccupied, that means it was probably Nik who confirmed it for them.

    I see no reason for him to have lied. He wasˇ­ strange.

    "Tuck," I look at Tuck, ending the call. "I may or may not disappear. I''m just testing something."

    "Okay?" He asks "It wouldn''t be the first time you used an illusion of-"

    His words cut off to my ears as I appear standing in front of the gate to the local Fuller Manor, startling several GSDF and GMDF agents.

    It worked! I''m like Caleb, now!

    I wonder if that means I can teleport inside?

    Actually, looking at the barrier surrounding the propertyˇ­ that isn''t even needed. It was designed with the knowledge that no one would have the power to remove it. Not for a long time. It would need understanding like I have, now.

    "Hansen!" An agent exclaims. "You''re awake!"

    "Uhˇ­ Colby?" I look at him, trying to place him.

    "Major Colby Richards," he nods. "We met on a training mission a month ago. Glad to see you''re awake. I didn''t know you could teleport. How are you feeling?"

    "I''m alright," I say, then look back at the barrier.

    If it''s active for more than twelve hours, it immediately enters a more powerful state, blocking off the entrance or exit of anything unnecessary. In other words, anything other than air. We can''t even see inside of there, and Jared has likely had no electricity for awhile. Not unless they had backup generators.

    They would have needed a water filtration system of their own, too, actually. It''s possible they had both, though, since it''s a Fuller property.

    The barrier itself possesses a swirling, milky grey appearance, dome-shaped over the walls, but once it reaches the walls, it becomes straight, reaching several yards underneath the manor before turning dome-shaped again, encompassing the property in a pill-shaped barrier.

    "I wonder," I place a hand against the barrier at the gate.

    Deactivating the barrier without undoing it takes me several minutes, and once I finish, it fades away.

    "There we go!" I say as the agents stare at me, then I stick my tongue out at them. "Need to find Jared!"

    He was eating dinner. They definitely have electricity and water.

    The moment I appear, he whirls around, knives flying at me, then slamming into a barrier I willed into existence.

    "Flame!" He exclaims, eyes wide in shock. "You got in! Wait ¨C how''d you get in? What happened to your arm? What happened to Caleb? How-"

    "It''s a long story," I tell him after weaving a barrier so his staff don''t understand us and can''t read the proper words from our lips. "And agents are probably on their way here, now. In short, the people who kidnapped Caleb threatened him to prevent Owen and I from fighting, and put something called a zieksharr on us. It locked all magic and aura, and can only be removed by the one who put it on. It''s the same amulet they put on Caleb before they left here.

    "Once preparations were complete," I continue. "They suspended Owen and I with chains, killed the one who placed them on us, then set the warehouse on fire. We were as good as dead, because I couldn''t access my inner dragon with the damn thing on. I was, essentially, just a well-trained martial artist with it on. They left the city, and the rain washed away Caleb''s scent, so it''s not like I can track him down."

    "Damn," he grimaces. "That''s not good. We need to find him, and fast. And your arm?"

    "Caleb''s brother did that."

    "Caleb''s brother?" He exclaims. A lot of people are doing that around me, since I woke. "There''s two of them?"

    "Possibly more," I nod. "Nik kept referring to Caleb as his ''big brother''. He took away my arm in exchange for magical knowledge. It wasn''t like how Caleb was teaching me ¨C he was shortcuting education and training, possibly centuries'' worth. I''m wholly a magician, now ¨C what I learned and gained from thatˇ­ I''ll have to explain what''s possible to explain, once the agents are done."

    "Alright," he nods, then glances to the door. "We still have a few seconds before they reach the doors. Brief explanation?"

    "Abilities are a shortcut to magic," I inform him. "And reserve a massive portion of the Superhumna''s mana for using it. With my new knowledge and understanding of magic, combined with what he did to me, I''m no longer a Superhuman, my mana no longer reserved and the shortcut gone. However, I can still do the same things as I could with my Ability before, though on a much, much larger scale and in a much, much more efficient way. They''re within hearing range."

    A few moments later, three agents enter the dining room, then look at me in confusion.

    "You really can teleport!"

    "Short distance," I nod. "I can''t do Caleb''s funky long-distance teleport, though I''m sure it won''t be long before I figure it out. I''m almost as cool as Caleb, now!"

    "Was he wearing his ring?" Jared asks.

    "What?" I ask.

    "When you saw the Sage''s son," he says. "He should have had a ring on his hand?"

    Caleb''s ring? The one he said he got as a gift from Teacher when he was ten, yet has a child?

    "Yeah, he was wearing it," I nod. "Why?"

    "It''s made of a metal," he says. "I''ve never encountered. I put a small trace of my aura in it, when he came into my care. I can''t replicate its properties, but have been studying it. It works as an aura trace, at the same time."

    I''m not the only one who changed. Jared is very, very different than the kid I knew before this happened to Caleb ¨C before he turned himself into a Reality Marble.

    "As long as that ring is on or near him," Jared says. "I''ll be able to trace him."

    "I can probably do a ton of short-range teleports to get us there," I say.

    "Good," he puts a hand on my shoulder. "Because we need to beat some sense into that kid."

    He puts his hand on my shoulder, and the knowledge of where his trace is fills me.

    "Bye, you guys," I wave to the agents, who start to say something, but then we''re gone.

    He''s not much closer than he was before.

    It takes two days of us doing short-range teleports. I can reach around ten miles, at the most, for the movement. We also have to stop to rest and recover multiple times.

    Once we''re within a single teleport''s distance, we stop at an inn and check in, going up to our room to sleep and recover. When we wake, we eat a healthy meal, but don''t fill ourselves too full.

    "Ready for one last teleport?" I ask, and Jared nods.

    I put a hand on his shoulder, then bring us to the safest spot closest to Caleb, but no closer than three feet, just in case.

    "It''s about damn time!" He exclaims when we appear, pulling the sucker out of his mouth. "Took you long enough! Oh. You lost your arm. What happened to it?"

    "I count fifty," I say. "All Superhumans."

    "Small fry," Caleb slides off the stool he was sitting on as we look around at the agents standing around us. "The big fry are all-stop pinging my mind, you overgrown lizard!"

    Jared and I look at each other.

    Overgrown lizard?

    "Who are you talking to?" I ask as Jared assesses the guards around us.

    Around twenty in this room of the warehouse. Looks like this room is solely for containing Caleb, judging by how empty it is, apart from food, a kitchen, his bed, and a couple of other items. Plus boxes and boxes of sweets, more than half of which are some sort of cookie.

    "Some overgrown lizard that pings my mind once a day," he answers. "It''s annoying, so I told him to stop. You! Get me cookies!"

    "I thought you didn''t like cookies?" I ask.

    "He likes one specific brand," Jared waves a hand, and the top of a box splits open.

    He flicks his wrist around, and a package of them flies toward us, landing in Caleb''s open hands. Four small beads of metal zip into his pocket.

    "Yay!" Caleb opens it.

    "Ready to kick some ass?" Jared cracks his knuckles, and the guards'' weapons fly away from them.

    Anything metal that isn''t on one of the three of us flies together, forming a massive metal giant, the same one that was attacking the barrier before.

    "Come on, bitches!" He laughs. "You neutralized my Ability before, but you aren''t this time!"

    I throw up a hand, surrounding Caleb and myself with a barrier as Jared''s giant goes on a rampage, the metal on Jared attacking everyone around him.

    I know Jared''s careful enough to not hurt us, butˇ­ better safe than sorry.

    The rest of the ''small fry'' show up, and are subsequently killed by Jared or his beast. Not even their Abilities allow them to hurt him. The only one who manages to get inside his guard and hit his body is repelled by whatever metallic property Jared infused his aura with, a faint, silvery gleam coating his whole body.

    Caleb finishes off the last cookie as the last guard falls, and I release the barrier, Jared''s power fading.

    "Jeez," he inspects his sleeve. "They ripped my sleeve, the bastards."

    "You can mend clothes, right?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he stretches. "But that used up my stamina. I don''t think I can expend the mana properly right now."

    "No problem," I fix it for him.

    "Show-off," he mutters.

    "Hey," I smile at him. "Give it a century or two, and you''ll probably be like me. Of course, I''ll be even more powerful, but-"A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    "Can you remove it?" He asks. "You don''t have one, anymore."

    "Caleb''s brother removed it," I shake my head. "I don''t know how to. Why are you so angry, Caleb?"

    "He still owes me a pie!"

    Caleb grabs the amulet of the zieksharr, then yanks it really, really hard. The chain snaps, then the amulet cracks under the force of his grip.

    Oh.

    He said I wasn''t strong enough to break it.

    Wait a second ¨C shouldn''t his draconic side have been sealed away with it?

    Caleb huffs, a water gun forming in his hands, and he aims it at Jared.

    "Pick a number, one through one hundred!" He orders.

    "One," Jared looks like he''s been through this routine before.

    "Loser!" Caleb spits at him. "You always pick one!"

    "It''s the safest bet!"

    "No, it''s not!" Caleb exclaims. "It''s a cop-out!"

    He flips a coin into the air, then catches it in a swiping motion. He holds that hand up out in front of him, then opens it, palm-up, with the coin on top.

    "Tch," he makes a noise. "Front-side. One squirt, it is."

    He squirts Jared in the eyes, and Jared winces.

    "Salt water," he says. "Not as bad as you''ve done before."

    "Cop-out!"

    "The more times one picks a number, the more likely the coin hits the side that makes that choice the bad one!"

    "It makes it luckier to have it a good one!"

    "You sprayed a hundred squirts of hot sauce in my eyes!"

    "That was lucky!"

    Caleb spins the gun on one finger, then aims it at me.

    "Pick a number, one to one hundred!"

    "What''s going on here?" I ask.

    "Water gun roulette," Jared answers. "Pick a number, then he flips a coin. If it lands front-side facing up, you get that many squirts of whatever''s in the gun, which changes each time he summons or spins it. Sometimes, it''s something okay, and not harmful, other times, it''s pure agony. If it''s flipside-up, you get the opposite number of squirts. The more times you pick a number, the more likely that coin flip makes you pick whichever would be more squirts. The more good liquids you get hit with, the more likely you''ll get hit with a bad one. Our definitions of ''good'' and ''bad'' are flipped, though ¨C the torturous ones are the ones he considers ''good''. Also, you have ten seconds to pick, or you automatically get one hundred squirts. It''s impossible to dodge, too ¨C they''re homing, and they''ll pass right through anything that isn''t your eyes."

    "I''m being nice this time," Caleb huffs. "So you could explain. Five seconds!"

    "Oh, no," Jared looks horrified.

    "One," I say.

    Caleb flips the coin, then catches it. When he reveals it, it''s flipside.

    "One hundred!" He grins. "It''s your lucky day! Yay!"

    He pulls the trigger.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Jared)~~~

    After Flame recovers from his very unlucky hit of very hot sauce, we make our way to the nearest manor of my family''s, where Caleb promptly passes out.

    Literally two steps inside the gate. He just collapses from exhaustion.

    That, or a sugar coma.

    With him, it''s hard to tell.

    I pick him up and take him to a guest room, then meet Flame in the family room. He''s surfing the channels, and I let him know I''m making a phone call, then enter the kitchen and get started on dinner.

    I have no idea how to cook, though, so it''s really just something from a box with directions I can follow. Especially since we have nothing fresh in town. I dial Father''s number and set the phone done, letting it run on speakerphone as I turn to look at what we have.

    "Jared," Father answers on the first ring. "I heard Flame took down the barrier, then took you and left."

    "We recovered the Sage''s son," I tell him. "We''re in the manor at Filstad right now. He''s sleeping. He mentioned that only the small fry were there, which implies that there are big fry around as well."

    "Ten S-Class Superhumans," Caleb says from the entrance to the kitchen, only normal. "All powerful. Nothing you can''t handle."

    "Is that Caleb?" Father asks. "He''s there with you?"

    "Yeah," I feel myself smiling. "He''s back."

    "Hey, Mr. Fuller," Caleb says. "Sensitive information incoming, call ending."

    The call ends, and Caleb looks at me.

    "This is an avatar," he says. "Caleb is still that little boy, and no, he didn''t make me ¨C the real Caleb did. I don''t have any of his powers."

    Then how did you end the call?

    "He made you, stuck you in here, and made it so I can''t sense you?" I ask, realizing that the little boy is still sleeping upstairs.

    Meaning this probably is just an avatar.

    "Yeah," he nods. "This body is basically just a storage for certain pieces of information, done as a precaution, in case of something like this."

    "He knew this might happen?"

    "That he might become a Reality Marble, himself?" The avatar asks, then nods. "Yeah, he did. He knew it was a possibility, since most of his power was bound, that he''d become one, after hitting Alkran with that meteor. He designed me as a filter and a storage for what the kid version of him would take in. He knew it was possible he''d be difficult."

    "He expected to be reverted back to how he was before the Massacre?"

    This is so weird.

    "No," the avatar shakes its head. "He knew that if he turned himself into a Reality Marble subconsciously, as a result of the emotional state he was in, the source of it, and the high level of magic he used, that he''d become the boy he was immediately following the Massacre. He also knew that he would show up and take him somewhere safe, likely to you."

    "This isn''t the Caleb from the reports, though," I say. "According to Kieran, it''s not like he changed much. And who is he? I''m assuming you''re referring to the boy who brought him to me?"

    "Yeah," he nods. "Unfortunately, Caleb didn''t bestow that knowledge to me, so all I know is that he exists, but not who he is. Caleb is keeping his identity a tight secret, though he did let me know they''re not brothers. I''m not sure why, though."

    Did he plan on Nik showing up, and us learning he had a brother?

    "And for the Caleb we''re facing?"

    "It''s him," the avatar responds. "The difference is how he was treated after he was ''found''. The orphanage, in trying to let him heal, allowed him to become that shell. When they pressed for answers or therapy, he pressed back, and that resulted in this. They comforted him, but in a different way than you did. You became a big brother to him, and someone he could lean on and rely on. As a result, how he shaped in each instance was vastly different. You didn''t give him time to feel down, when he was conscious, and so he recovered much faster, pushing past his trauma to keep smiling and having fun, for the memories of his brothers."

    "Caleb knew that would happen?" I ask.

    "Indeed," he nods. "Caleb is capable of distancing himself from a scenario, even if it involves himself and his mental state, to view how things will play out."

    "And he knew that we''d end up here?" I ask.

    "No."

    "Then why are you here?"

    "Caleb made me undetectable, unless I wish to be," he nods. I''m referring to the avatar as an actual person, now. This is soooo weird. "However, he didn''t know where the kidnappers would end up, only that they would eventually come for him. Any information and knowledge relevant is in my possession. As a result, I was able to follow them here, and I knew that you would, eventually, arrive. So, I waited here for you. I also stocked the pantry for you. Caleb gave me all of his cooking knowledge, so I can prepare food for you."

    He just wanted to annoy me, there.

    "He gave you money, too?" I ask.

    "Plenty," he nods. "He knew it might be awhile before he would willingly revert it. The boy you know as Caleb, and the kid he was before the Massacre, are two entirely different beings."

    "What?"

    "He knew that, as a kid, he''d find out fast what happened," he says. "And that he''d refuse to change back, because it was scary. Caleb knows how different he was, back then. Your teammate is hesitant in combat and when it comes to fighting or hurting others, and seeks ways to deal with situations in a nonviolent manner. The boy you have sleeping upstairs won''t hesitate to enter into combat, and even starts it. He enjoys hurting people for fun ¨C that''s just how he is, as a kid.

    "Know this," the avatar continues. "When he finally undoes it, the real Caleb will be changed as well. He''ll be a mix of the two Caleb''s ¨C the real kid Caleb from after the Massacre, and this new one."

    The avatar gestures with his hands, and a stack of files appear in his hands.

    "These are all the people," he hands the files to me. "Who you need to know about, for the mission you''re on. I''ll start making dinner, why don''t you go wait for Flame to return?"

    "He''s still here."

    "He''ll probably leave, once he gets over his excitement," he shrugs, and then Flame vanishes from my senses. "I gave him a magical augment, to allow him to return to base and grab Owen a bit faster."

    "A magical augment?" I ask.

    "Philosopher''s Stone," he nods. "Caleb said that whoever would be protecting him might need it at some point. As Flame''s a powerful magician, I felt it best to give it to him."

    "Does Caleb know-"

    "Caleb isn''t aware," he shakes his head. "Remember, this is kid Caleb, and he''s only in peoples'' minds if he wants to be. Though I do have a passive Territory as well, and oddly, can''t enter your mind or Flame''s."

    There are several things wrong with this scenario. Flame''s mind shouldn''t be sealed against intrusion, for starters.

    And a Philosopher''s Stone? Those are myths.

    A stone capable of augmenting someone''s magical powers far beyond their normal levels, to the point that even an ordinary magician could fight on-par with the magicians of old, and that a magician of old could essentially become a god.

    The rumors of their existence have persisted for centuries, and no one really knows how they began. Odds are, magicians just wanted to make a claim that there was a way to become even more powerful, or to explain how someone suddenly and rapidly gained immense magical power.

    Like Flame.

    A Superhuman whose Ability faded away, turning back into raw magical power, his mana no longer on reserve. That''s hard to believe, but his magic and mana are much, much stronger than they were before.

    "Do you mind?" The avatar asks. "I want to get cooking, and only the chef''s allowed in the kitchen when someone''s cooking."

    I have not a doubt in my mind that Caleb designed him to be able to kick me out, so I leave the kitchen and sit on the couch, turning on a martial arts show while waiting for him to finish.

    Flame returns with Owen, looking a little exhausted as the avatar sets dinner out in the dining room.

    "You two accept things way too easily," Owen tells me. "All this shit is just freaky as fuck."

    "I agree," I stand and stretch. "But you know, that''s just how things are, these days."

    "It broke," Flame stares at the stone sadly, which turned to red dust, which then fades away before our eyes. "I used it up."

    "It wasn''t a true stone," the avatar says from the entrance to the dining room. "Caleb didn''t want to risk it, in case it was stolen. It was missing several vital ingredients to become a true Philosopher''s Stone, so it wouldn''t last as long. Dinnertime."

    We enter the dining room, and kid-Caleb is already seated, devouring an entire plate of chicken nuggets with fervor.

    Please tell me the avatar didn''t cut up, bread, and fry chicken just to make us chicken nuggets? I mean, there''s also a salad and fruit salad, and some fries as well, but still. I can''t believe he made nuggets and fries.

    "Nuggets and fries?" Owen asks.

    "Wow," Caleb looks at him. "You''re an even bigger idiot in person than in Kieran''s memories. Huh. Flame''s mind is blocked to me."

    He sniffs the air, then widens his eyes.

    "Whoa!" He exclaims, running up to Flame and climbing on him until Flame awkwardly picks him up with his arm. They stare into each other''s eyes. "How does it feel, having that power?"

    "What power?" Flame asks.

    "You didn''t know?" Caleb practically yells. "WE HAVE SO MUCH TO DO!"

    Owen and I both had to cover our ears at that squeal.

    It takes us ten minutes to calm him down enough for us to understand him, after that. Apparently, someone with draconic heritage who''s awakened their draconic powers can increase their draconic side, little by little, by using their draconic side and being draconic in nature.

    Flame apparently hit twenty percent on draconic, enough to qualify him as a Territory. His mind''s now blocked to other dragons, Territories, and Creators (though something tells me Caleb can ignore it, despite what his father thinks).

    Even though Flame isn''t a Territory, as he''s not a Superhuman anymore, there were still some changes, such as Flame''s mind becoming blocked off, and his smell apparently changed. I can''t sense anything different, and when I look at the avatar, he just shrugs.

    No help, there.

    We eat dinner, then I give Caleb a bath and avoid his bubble attacks. Well, try to avoid his bubble attacks. I failed to evade even once, because he never misses.

    So after I put him down for bed, I take a shower, then meet with the others, giving them the files to look over. The three of us, combined, will be able to take those ten on. Owen and I together can, though Flame would ensure his victory.

    However, it would be best if at least one of us stayed behind, to protect Caleb.

    "Well," I snort. "Protect them from Caleb."

    "What do you mean?" Owen asks.

    "Kid Caleb is different from our Caleb," I explain. "He''s much, much more powerful, for starters. Some of his power was bound from birth, but after the Massacre, more of it was bound. This Caleb doesn''t seem to have those additional binds on him ¨C at least, not all of them.

    "In addition," I continue. "Because his circumstances are different, so is he. He isn''t in a shell, as you''ve noticed. He''s not just excitable ¨C he isn''t hesitant to start shit. He''s a goofball and a prankster, and isn''t afraid to attack. He has several Reality Marbles suited for fighting, and trust me when I say, any enemy he puts into them will not survive.

    "They''re all akin to games, to him," I continue. "But even Kieran and I couldn''t win them, whenever we randomly found ourselves in them. Caleb kicked our asses in them. A Creator is that far above anyone that it''s impossible to win against them. The weaker Creators could still wipe the floor with an army of soldiers, and this isn''t a weaker Creator ¨C it''s Caleb, an S-S-S-S-Rank Creator, even at only six years of age.

    "So," I take a deepb reath. "We need someone here to protect others. Flame, you''re about as childish as he is, do you want to stay here and entertain him? You''ll probably have a better chance at controlling him if someone attacks than we do."

    "Sure!" Flame grins. "Though I really want someone to attack me ¨C I want to flex my new powers a bit!"

    Of course you do, Flame. Of course you do.

    After we finalize what will happen, Owen and I leave, making our way back to the warehouse, where two of our targets are waiting, along with around thirty more soldiers, all with some degree of magic or Ability, no doubt. As we enter, I weave a small opening in a magical perimeter set up.

    "Do you know what happened yet?" One of the two S-Ranks asks the other.

    "S-Ranks," the other one nods as Owen and I hide in the shadows, watching. "The strongest here wouldn''t have been over C-Rank, like the rest of you. Two was all it took to overwhelm. Judging by the weaponry, it was likely one with immense strength, and one with metal Manipulation."

    Or a massive giant made of metal, and a Metal Manipulator. Close enough, though.

    "And they took the Sage''s son," the second one stands up, stretching. "Either agents of the GSDF, or another force wanting to use him against the Sage."

    "Sir!" One of the soldiers runs over to the two S-Ranks, holding something up. "It''s broken."

    "The zieksharr?" A magician walks over. "That shouldn''t be possible ¨C they''re indestructible, a result of the ancient rituals performed centuries ago."

    "It looks like something crushed it," the soldier says as I gesture to Owen to follow me, then walk into the area, sliding my hands into my pockets.

    "Of course," I say, and eyes turn to us. "It was a boy who is more than sixty-percent dragon. All he did was grip it tightly in his little fist and pull, and it snapped easily. Even the most powerful of magics must bow to dragons."

    "Who are you?" Guns and spells are aimed at me, but Owen and I continue to walk.

    "Me?" I laugh. "I''m the single agent who took out the men here. We had a feeling at least one or two of the S-Ranks around would return, so I brought an A-Rank friend of mine. Owen? Do you mind lending me a bit of your power?"

    "Sure," Owen puts his hand on my shoulder, and a current begins to flow through me.

    "Stop!" The S-Rank who seems to be in charge yells. "Move, and-"

    "Not going to move," I keep my hands firmly in my pockets. "Though by the time I''m done, only the two of us and the two of you will be standing. Then, you will tell us what your plans are, where your allies are, and who your boss is."

    "Release him!" Someone yells at Owen. "Release him now, or I''ll blow your brains off!"

    His head explodes in a burst of electricity.

    "My apologies," I say to the S-Rank in charge. "It appears someone here recognized us and knows what we can do. Allow me to introduce us. This is my good friend Owen, an A-Rank Electric Manipulator. I am Jared Fuller, son of Lord Jared, a Stone Manipulator on the Council of Dreams, and I am an S-Rank Metal Manipulator, unrestricted. Your guard ¨C well, former guard ¨C apparently knew who we were, and the fact that we are capable of performing a Unison Strike. Every single person here is a weapon to me, since humans have metal within them. All I need to do is use Owen''s electricity, and I can torture you to death. I don''t even need him to make your bodies rip themselves apart.

    "Of course," I give him a smile, one likely akin to a reaper''s cruel grin. "There''s no fun in just killing you outright, so I''d love to toy with you. Plus, I need you two alive a little bit longer, so I can get answers out of you."

    The S-Rank starts to say something, and I channel Owen''s electricity through the metal of all the guards, moving it around. Their bodies begin to spark, then crackle, then explode. My metal bracelets morph off of me and fly around us at high speed, preventing even a single drop from touching us, then reform onto my wrists.

    Owen and I watch the two S-Ranks, who probably want to rip us to shreds, now. I infuse the metal within them with just a tad bit of electricity, and they drop to their knees.

    "Pathetic," I say. "That wasn''t even a lot. I withstand far more than that every time Owen works with me."

    For the next hour, Owen and I torture them, then once I''m satisfied, we kill them, and I pull out the phone of the one in charge and dial a number set into it.

    "Any word on what happened there?"

    "Yeah," I answer. "The GSDF agent who retrieved the Sage''s son returned, killed the guards, tortured the two S-Ranks, then killed them. We''ll be waiting for the rest of you. Oh, and bring your big, bad boss. It''ll save me some work."

    The phone shatters in my hand, and we sit down on some stools, waiting for them to arrive.

    "You sense that?" Owen asks. "I count forty, all with high powers."

    "So they kept some hidden," I say. "Likely A-Ranks, mostly. They''re rare enough that the ten S-Ranks they have were likely all they had. They probably expect to wear us down with those forces."

    "Maybe," He stands and stretches, and I do the same. "But they don''t factor you into that. You''re an S-Rank, sure, but you''re something past that. Likeˇ­ an S-S Rank. Noˇ­ probably more like an S-C or S-B, if we have to do two letters."

    He''s right. I''m not on the level of many S-Ranks. Caleb helped me advance well past that, both before and after he left and became a kid. If ordinary S-Ranks had two letters, I''d probably be an S-C."

    The Superhumans charge into the building, as well as the magicians, whose magic is weird. It''s twisted, and tormented. They''re more powerful than they should be, too.

    This might actually be a problem for us.

    Owen and I fight, but the manage to separate us, ending our Unison Strike. They have an S-Rank Metal Manipulator and an S-Rank Electric Manipulator, effectively blocking off our trumps of just killing them through their bodies'' own metal and electrical charge, and we begin to wear out after only half of their agents.

    I have to focus on their Metal Manipulator, and I know Owen''s focusing on their Electric Manipulator, who''s overpowering him.

    Owen falls first, and ends up bound with magic so he can''t fight back. I last a little bit longer, the Metal Manipulator''s extra decades of experience giving him roughly the same level of power as me, but he has the aid of other Superhumans and some magicians to help him.

    They bind me with magic, suspending both of us in the air, and then one of their magicians summons an actual fucking demon.

    "I think," a man enters the warehouse, walking up to us calmly and casually, as if we didn''t just wipe out a huge portion of his forces. "We''ll have a demon bind you into our service. Then, you''ll retrieve the Sage''s son for us, bring him here, and-"

    "You want the Sage''s son?" A very familiar voice says, his smell filling the air and sending a primal terror through the dragon in me.

    Fuck! I should''ve woken up my dragon to fight! I can still fight! Blargh! I can''t get out of these binds!

    I drop on my ass.

    "Then let''s tumble," that person says.

    "The Sage''s son is a small child-"

    "Ha!" The newcomer laughs. "As if that was real."

    I turn and look at the newcomer ¨C Caleb, back to his normal self, his eyes glowing with the labyrinths of the Creators, a terrifying look in his violet eyes.

    Just how much magic is Caleb using right now, for his eyes to turn violet again?

    Caleb''s wearing black cargo pants and combat boots, a navy blue tee, and a dark grey short-sleeve button up, unbuttoned, his hands in his pockets, some sort of tooth on a leather cord around his neck.

    Did he trigger us into a Reality Marble without me noticing?

    When did he do that?

    "Are you religious?" Caleb asks.

    "Kill him," he tells a guard, who then drops dead.

    "Because if so," Caleb says. "Tell me which god you worship, and I''ll tell you if they exist or not. Then, I''ll allow you to say one final prayer, before killing you. I''m feeling merciful, right now."

    I know the avatar said he''d be different, but this is too different!

    "Kill him!" The man in charge yells.

    "You''re still thinking you can win?" Caleb laughs. "I see why you thought they were idiots, big brother."

    What?

    Big brother?

    Isn''t that the term Flame said Caleb''s brother used? But this doesn''t match his description of Nik.

    "Allow me to introduce myself," the newcomer says. "I am Iinav Nomari, the Bringer of Faith. I will give you one final chance to tell me who you worship, and if they''re real or not, and if they are, I will grant you one final prayer to them."

    Uhˇ­ how many brothers does Caleb have?

    "Quite cocky, aren''t we?" The man in charge asks, then his body turns jet-black, before turning to dust.

    "Shame," Iinav says. "Your faith wasn''t strong enough, and it was to a false god, too."

    The guards and Superhumans all turn jet-black, then to dust. Iinav looks at me, a small mile on his lips.

    He smells so much like Caleb, I can''t even distinguish the two of them.

    "You must be Jared," Iinav looks at me. "My big brother''s told me quite a lot about you. He didn''t mention that your mind was sealed to us. In fact, he gave me some very explicit things you projected to him, as a result of him always being in your mind."

    "Teacher sealed my mind to intrusion," I answer. "To prevent something that happened anyway. It was after he entered the state he''s in, now."

    "Ah," he says, a tablet appearing in the air in front of me. "I''ve downloaded all of the relevant information onto this tablet. This is about as much as I can interfere, though. Sometimes, we wish we were like Caleb. We''d be much, much more capable of interfering, then. Father''s getting close to sensing me, so I need to leave. Farewell."

    He vanishes, and the tablet remains hovering in the air for a few moments, then begins to drop. I run over and catch it, then begin to look through the files.

    "Owen," I say.

    "Yeah?" He asks.

    "We have a problem."

    "Isn''t there always some sort of problem?" He asks. "Especially when Caleb is involved? Or his brothers, apparently."

    "It gets worse," I show him the file I''m looking at, and he reads through it, then pales.

    "Shit," he says. "That needs to get taken care of before we can return to the academy."

    "Yeah," I say. "Let''s head back to Flame, and let him know. We''ll need reinforcements ¨C probably Jared."

    He nods, and we return to the manor, where another is sitting on a chair, watching some cartoon. This one is dressed in black and silver sneakers, a dark green tank, and a pair of black athletic shorts with a single, dark green strip down each side. He watches us as we sit down on the couch.

    I seriously can''t tell a difference between him and the other and Caleb, though his ocean-blue eyes also glow with a labyrinth. Is this a permanent state for them?

    "Which one are you?" I ask.

    He groans, smacking his head into his hand, and remains like that for several long moments.

    "Uhˇ­ what?" I ask.

    "Which ones did you encounter?" He asks.

    So he''s not in Owen''s mind, right now.

    "I encountered one named Iinav a little bit ago," I say. "Along with Owen, and Owen and Flame encountered one named Nik."

    "Nik and Nav," he groans. "I''m going to beat the crap out of those two! I told them it isn''t safe for them to flex their powers. Father will sense them."

    "So which one are you?" I ask.

    Before he respond, Flame comes flying into the room.

    "Jared!" He exclaims. "You''re back! I''ve been searching all over the manor! Caleb''s missing! I went to check on him, and he vanished! I know you said it''s normal for him to do that while setting pranks, butˇ­ are you another one of his brothers?"

    "What happened to your arm?" This brother ignores the question.

    "Huh?" Flame looks at his missing right arm, then back to the boy on the couch. "I met one of your brothers named Nikvar. At least, I think he''s one of your brothers. You are a brother of Caleb, right?"

    "You''re all so dense," he mutters, then stands. "Anyway, I''ve already memorized the data on the tablet. Why don''t you three get some rest? I''ll reinforce the barrier around the property, so-stop pinging me, you overgrown lizard!"

    Teacher appears in the manor, then looks around, confused.

    "We''re three thousand miles from where we should be," he says. "You shouldn''t have that much dragon in you, your Ability has reverted back to raw magic, and you-" he looks at the boy. "Have some explaining to do. Why the hell could I sense a power akin to yours that isn''t yours?"

    "I''m not the one with magic sperm."

    "What does that have to do with anything?" He asks.

    "Wait," I realize. "You''re Caleb."

    "Yeah," Caleb laughs. "I''m back."

    "Wait," Teacher says. "How did you know I had magic sperm? I don''t recall ever telling you that!"

    "Grandpa told me."

    "WHEN THE FUCK DID YOU TWO MEET?"

    <hr>

    ~~~(???)~~~

    Getting answers out of Caleb was as easy as ever, so I''m going to try Father. As soon as I can stop pacing around my island and breathing smoke out of my nose in my frustration, that is.

    That was definitely not Caleb''s power I sensed both times, even though it felt like it. There was something off in both incidents.

    As soon as I arrived on-location, though, I noticed something was very, very wrong. Both times, a shattered dragon''s soul had been soothed nearby, and both times, there was no trace of the being that did that.

    Is it one of my brothers? Unless it''s one of Father''s brothers, it has to be one of my brothers ¨C only we and Caleb have the power to sooth a shattered dragon''s soul.

    "Your uncle is quite agitated by your pacing," a voice says, and I turn to find Father lying on a pool chair, tanning in just his trunks and necklace. "He asked me to investigate."

    I tell him what''s going on.

    "So Caleb finally broke past that bond, huh?" He asks. "His eyes will always be in that state, now."

    "I didn''t even mention that!"

    "And?"

    "When did you two meet?"

    "What makes you think we met?"

    "Only you know how he was conceived!"

    "And?"

    "And he knows at least the method in which I''ve conceived children!"

    "He also knows that your mother''s coming to this realm," Father says. "That doesn''t mean we''ve ever spoken."

    I scream in frustration. These two have met, and they have no plans on telling me how!

    I swear, my family exists solely to annoy me!

    "As for the other situation," Father stands up. "What you should be asking yourself is this, son: if you know for a fact that you''ve conceived a single child that way, how many do you really have?"

    Then, he vanishes, as if never there, and I stand here in shock.

    How many do I really have?

    Do I have more than one child?

    But how? How could they escape my notice? Both times, this power was far greater than Caleb could manage, and it was the soothing of the dragon that alerted me to their presence. Well, and what happened to Flame ¨C that should not be possible. It would require a draconic body for a member of my species to perform. Specifically, our tail.

    Unlessˇ­

    I do have another kid, and he doesn''t have the binds Caleb does. Though my son is growing closer to breaking free of them.

    At least we''re safe in that he''ll never get into the Dragon King''s Temple. One son with full power is bad enough, but two?

    That would be an entirely different type of calamity waiting to happen.

 Chapter 023

    (Brooks)

    I''m really, really pissed off right now. Flame returned, appearing out of nowhere, as if teleporting within the academy''s barriers was something everyone could do, not just Teacher and Caleb, grabbed Owen right in the middle of class, and then vanished.

    Jared apparently got rescued by Flame, whose magic is somehow more powerful than it was before he left for whatever Jared wanted him to do, and they vanished in front of the guards.

    Trying to contain my frustration, I go into the city, since at least today is Saturday, and I can do stuff without the distraction of classes, which don''t distract me from what''s going on.

    As I walk through town, I begin to sense someone different. Powerful aura and Ability, evading notice, though not with an Ability or magic. They''re just that good at sneaking around.

    For half an hour, I track them, watching. It''s a boy around my age, with sandy blond hair and eyes the color of milk chocolate, a splash of freckles across his nose. His clothes are decent, and his skin is clean, but the dragon in me knows that he doesn''t have a home.

    I can smell it. He smells nice, actually, but not like he sleeps in a bed, just the ground or whatever hole he can find at the time.

    Something about the way he moves is unnerving. He''s got a thin layer of aura coating his skin, like Kieran usually does, but his isn''t invisible. It seems to make him move faster without actually speeding him up. I can''t figure out how it works.

    It takes my draconic speed to keep up with him, and another half hour passes before I realize what''s going on.

    His aura is influenced by the power of time, and it lets him move at a different rate in time than the rest of us. For every moment that passes for us, several pass for him.

    His stomach rumbles, and he looks around, then catches sight of a small produce store.

    If his aura is infused with the power of time, then he''s a powerful Time Superhuman. He''s likely used to stealing what he needs, to survive.

    I run forward my hand touching him just as everything around us stops.

    He lets out a scream of surprise, jerking away from me and turning around, taking several steps back.

    "Who are you?" He demands to know. "How did you know I was going to do that?"

    He continues to demand answers as I stare into his eyes. They''re no longer brown in color, but silvery, with a golden dot slowly rotating around them, like a second hand moving.

    "Hey!" He yells, his aura flexing around him, shaping into a spear beside him. "Who the fuck are you?"

    "How did you do that with your aura?" I ask, and he throws the spear at me. I deflect it with my own aura, and it fades away. "I''m Brooks Hansen, and I work for the GSDF. I saw a thief about to act, and went to stop them. You froze time before I could stop you, but it appears I got caught in it."

    "How did you know I was going to do that?" He asks. "And how did you know I was going to steal?"

    "I have good ears," I tap my right ear. "I heard your stomach growling, and could smell the streets on you, despite how clean you are. Judging by the fact that your aura allowed you to move at a rate different to the rest of us, it was clear you were a powerful Time Manipulator."

    "Few know that happens," he still looks on-guard.

    The power of that spear was immense, and I''m going to have a bruise as a result. If he truly wanted to fight me, even my draconic side won''t be enough to stop him. Even if I wanted to kill him, I can''t do the things Flame can, not yet.

    How is there such a powerful Superhuman and aura-user who isn''t an agent?

    Unlessˇ­

    "Is your last name Rivers?" I ask, and he stares at me with nothing short of confusion and shock in his eyes. "Another one, huh?"

    "Another one?"

    "Caleb Rivers," I say. "Kieran Rivers."

    "You know them?" He takes a step forward. "They''re alive?"

    "Kieran''s believed to be dead," I say. "After he faced a more powerful Perception a week or so ago. No one knows what happened to his body. Caleb is alive, though I''m not sure where he''s at. He''s been wandering the world, avoiding the cold. I''m a member of his team."

    "I don''t believe you," he says. "You know him, but you''re not a member of his team. You could be saying that, trying to get me to trust you. Give me one reason I shouldn''t accelerate the age of your body to the point you turn to dust?"

    He can do that?

    His eyes tell me that he has no hesitations when it comes to killing, so if he can, he probably will. Even so, if we were to get into a fight, I doubt he''d care about civilian casualties, and that would be a huge cripple to me.

    He''d go all-out in a fight, and there''s no way I''d be able to win. Whoever he is, he''s too powerful.

    "A Perception named Thomas," I say. "Another boy from your orphanage, was alive, but attacked Caleb and tried to kill him. Caleb was forced to kill him. Kieran and Caleb were both saved by another Creator, though they don''t know who. Caleb somehow transferred Jon''s power into Kieran, and when my brothers died, did the same thing with their powers to me and my twin, Flame. I''d call Caleb for you, but his phone''s been out of a service area for the last month or so, and Kieran''s is doing the same thing.

    "Why don''t you release this whatever," I say, and he forms another spear. "And I''ll treat you to a full meal at a restaurant. I''m a Superhuman with the power of Manipulation over three elements, can command aura, know magic, and have an ancient, primal force within me. A Time of your caliber wouldn''t be able to do anything to me, judging by the two spears of aura you''ve formed so far."

    Not even remotely close to being true, but the confidence I''m putting on definitely instills hesitation in those eyes of his, which then turn back to his ordinary brown, time resuming.

    I tell him to follow me, then walk to a decent restaurant nearby. I was planning on eating here, anyway.

    Dealing with him will be helpful in ignoring what''s going on with my team, and the fact that no one will tell me anything.

    "How may we help you today?" The hostess asks after I flash my cadet badge.

    "Table for two, please," I tell her.

    "What did you show her?" The boy asks as she leads us to a table.

    "GSDF and GMDF cadets are allowed to eat at pretty much any restaurant," I explain. "Regardless of their policies. There are some that aren''t required to, but for the rest, they have to, even if they ordinarily wouldn''t allow minors. I was on my way to this one when I ran into you."

    We scan the menus and order our drinks, and when we finally order food, he orders a ton. He''s probably like those of us with our dragons awakened, plus Caleb ¨C burning it and immediately converting it into fuel for our powers.

    When our food arrives, he eats as if it''s been a long time since he last ate well, and I throw up a silencing barrier around us, so that we can''t be overheard. It was one of the first spells Caleb taught us, once we could manage constructed spells. He said it was an important spell for any real magician.

    "So," I say. "My name''s Brooks."

    "Adam," the dragon in me says that''s a lie, his body''s rhythms just barely changed. He doesn''t fully trust me, but that''s fine. "How did you meet Caleb?"

    "After he finished basic," I answer. "He arrived at the academy with the rest of the cadets who completed basic in that set, then got roomed with Flame, my twin, who had to do basic over again, after getting kicked out in the one we were doing together with our other two brothers ¨C the ones who are dead. We met then, when we went to greet Flame and congratulate him on not getting kicked out. We had to leave the room, because he wanted to sleep."

    "Caleb?" He scoffs. "Sleep? As if! Caleb doesn''t like sleeping, and will usually run until he''s almost passed out."

    "The Caleb before then," I say. "But watching everyone he loved die in front of him changed that. He''s changing again, becoming more open, but he''s still like the boy I met last summer. Though he did quit the GSDF because of unfair treatment, and has refused to return because it was too cold. It''s probably warm enough for him to return, now, but he''s been unreachable the last several weeks, and I get the feeling that everyone on my team knows why, but won''t tell me. It probably has to do with Jared taking care of the Sage''s son, too."

    ''Adam'' snorts when I say that last part, and I stare at him.

    "What?" I ask.

    "Any real friend of Caleb''s would know what," he says.

    "Know what?" I ask. "Are you meaning to say that Caleb is the Sage''s son? That''s bullshit ¨C Caleb''s the son of a dragon."

    ''Adam'' stares at me, and it makes me uncomfortable, but as he does, I realize what he''s saying.

    "The Sage is a dragon."

    "An ancient, powerful dragon," he nods. "I don''t know about now, but when we were little, Caleb said he didn''t think his dad knew about him ¨C something about magic sperm."

    The waitress chokes, having stepped inside the barrier just before he said the last two words.

    "We''re talking about how someone was conceived," he tells her. "I''m ready to order dessert."

    We order our desserts, then she leaves, and I try to digest both my meal and what he told me.

    If Caleb is the son of the Sage, then is it him Jared''s taking care of? I thought it was a little kid?

    "What kind of things could Caleb do with his Realities?" I ask. "He''s hesitant to use them, after what happened. He''s only recently accepted that it wasn''t his Realities that caused everyone to die, and so still doesn''t use them often."

    "He''d make a bunch of game areas," he answers. "We''d all have fun in them. He could also manifest miniature Realities, sort of like summoning an item. He''d usually do Water Gun Roulette, a game where you''d pick a number between one and one hundred, then he''d flip a coin. If it landed with the top up, you''d get that many squirts of the liquid in the gun in your eyes. If the bottom was up, you''d get the opposite number of squirts. Anytime he summoned the gun or spun it on one finger, the liquid inside was different."

    "That was a Reality Marble?"

    "Yeah," he nods. "They can interact with the real world. In theory, he could even turn himself into a Reality Marble, though he never tried it. At least, not to my knowledge."

    Our dessert arrives, and we eat it in silence, then he thanks me for the meal and vanishes.

    He stopped time and got away before I could react. At any moment, he could have fled.

    Sighing, I pay the check, then leave, checking my phone for any word. When I do, I find a call I missed, along with a voicemail.

    It was from Mission Control, at the academy.

    I call my voicemail and listen to the recording. I''m being summoned to a training mission, and am to report to the briefing room in ten minutes.

    Guess they''ll have to settle for me being in casual clothes, since I''m thirty minutes from there.

    It''s not like I''m required to be there, since I requested today to be a personal day. If I attend it, though, they''ll probably give me another full personal day to make up for it, even though it''s evening. It''ll be a good way to get my mind off all the crap going on right now.

    Probably calm me down.

    I leave the restaurant, then begin to use my bursting steps to reach the briefing room. There, the two officers are clearly not happy with my attire. There are five other cadets in here.

    "I was half an hour off campus," I take a seat. "When I got the voicemail ten minutes ago, so I didn''t have time to change, unless I wanted to be late. My apologies."

    "You should''ve responded to the call itself," the officer says, and I look him up and down. I don''t recognize him, though it''s not like I know all of the agents or mission controllers. There''s a second one in here as well, though he''s sitting off to the side, observing us. Two controllers means a big mission. "Not waited so long to respond."

    "I was in a restaurant, and didn''t know my phone rang," I tell him. "In addition, it''s late in my off day, so I wasn''t expecting a campus call, as they typically don''t happen at this hour on a weekend. Now, either shut the hell up and start the briefing, or I''m walking out of here, because I really don''t give a damn about the GSDF at this point, and all you''re doing is pissing me off."

    "You owe five hundred laps," he says, and I give him the finger. "Make that a thousand!"

    "Bullshit, I do!" I snap. "I quit! I''m not in the mood for dealing with shit like this, and I had a personal day for today, so this whole mission requiring me is a violation!"

    "It''s kind of funny," the other officer finally speaks, standing up and looking at me. "The one Caleb counted on to keep the others from quitting is the one who quits."

    "Yeah, well, Caleb''s not here," I snap at him. "And I''m tired of this bullshit our team has to go through, especially since I don''t even know what they''re going through, since no one will fucking tell me! I''m done! As soon as I get through to them, I''m letting them know that I''m training on my own until they finish their training! This isn''t bullshit I should have to deal with, and I''m not going to! I''m done!"

    "This," the officer says. "Is exactly why I''m here," he looks at the other agent. "We told you specifically that Hansen might be absent entirely, or that he''d show up late, and likely not in uniform. We also told you to excuse it, as today is a personal day, which meant he specifically requested to be free from all duties and mission assignments today, and it was approved. He explained why he was late and apologized for it, and you reprimanded him for not doing something he didn''t have to do."

    "Just because his team has the son of a member of the Council of Dreams," the first officer says. "Doesn''t mean we should treat them differently! If we call them for a mission, they respond ¨C that''s how it works! All cadets are on duty, ready for action, at any time. They''re cadets, not agents!"

    "Actually," the second officer says. "That rule doesn''t apply when it comes to certain things. You can''t punish a cadet who didn''t respond to a call in two in the morning, since they were likely sleeping at the time. You also can''t punish a cadet who specifically requested a personal day, then didn''t respond to a mission call during it."

    "I can punish a cadet who violates the rules," the first officer argues. "He was rude, belligerent, and even obscene. He will be-"

    "Considering that he said he quit," the second officer says. "I don''t think he will be. You can try and make him, but he''s not a cadet anymore.

    "You know," he sighs. "This is the third member of that team to leave the GSDF. One, the GSDF has been trying to convince to return, one got recruited into the GMDF and is their most powerful magician, and the third? Is one of our top-ten cadets. In fact, all three of them were in the top-ten. Ranked among the entirety of the GSDF, they''d be in the top thirty, with the other two members of their team there as well. In fact, two of them would be in the top five, with the first one being the most powerful, skilled agent we had.

    "I can''t imagine," the agent then says. "Why the Council of Dreams would have launched that massive investigation into us last year. I''m sure another one will pop up, what with us losing yet another member of the one team we don''t want to piss off."

    "Top thirty?" The officer scoffs. "This kid isn''t more powerful than an A-Rank! He-"

    "Can freeze your entire body with a thought," the agent says. "He has a perfect blend of offense and defense, and striking him will be very, very difficult without overwhelming power. Even Grant Reynolds is impressed by his performance. Their team is the most powerful one the Council of Dreams has on record.

    "In addition," the agent continues. "You just told the person on personal day and the five others who have made personal day requests that haven''t passed yet that it doesn''t matter if they''re on personal day or not, we can call them, and they have to respond. That''s not how it works, and since each of the six have connections to the Council of Dreams in some way, shape, or form, I''m sure they will be quite unhappy with you. Thank you for coming here, you six. You''re dismissed."

    There''s no mission?

    Wait ¨C what was going on?

    "Brooks," the agent looks at me. "Please forgive what happened, reconsider your resignation. There will be no punishment for you. We in the Council''s investigative force had heard rumors that stuff like this was happening, and wanted to check."

    "I''ll consider it," I tell him, then turn and leave the room, furious.

    What the fuck is wrong with this place?

    When I reach the disused meditation garden I''ve used a lot lately, to try and cool off, I sit inside the shelter and pull out my phone. Should I try calling Flame again? He likely won''t answer my questions.

    I try Kieran, but his phone still seems to not be using. Maybe Caleb''s finally out of his no-service zone?

    It actually rings.

    "Heya, Brooks," Caleb says.

    "Finally!" I say. "Caleb ¨C something''s going on with our team. No one will tell me what''s going on with Flame or Jared, Flame''s lost his arm, and Kieran''s presumed dead right now. In addition-"

    "Kieran''s what?" Caleb asks. "Huh. That''s weird. I can''t contact him. That''s really weird ¨C I should be able to contact all of you, at any time, no matter where in the world you are, even if you''re in a Ruin."

    "So then he''s dead?" I ask.

    "No," Caleb says. "I have an aura trace on all of you, made imperceptible. Kieran''s is still there, though I can''t locate it. He''s in this realm, butˇ­ unreachable. That''s so weird. Maybe he''s in a stasis of some sort? Bye."

    He hangs up the phone, and my frustration grows. I call Flame, and he sends me to voicemail. Jared does the same thing, as does Owen.

    At least I know Caleb''s back in service area.

    I should''ve asked him if he knew about what happened to Kilmar.

    I call him again.

    "Again?" He asks.

    "Did you know that Kilmar vanished?" I ask. "In addition to the token Flame was supposed to use to contact him?"

    "He didn''t tell me that," he''s been in contact with Flame? "I can still reach him. It was probably because of what I did."

    "Blow up Alkran?"

    "Did what?" He asks. "Oh, yeah, I did. Well, dropped a meteor on it. Wait ¨C you know about that? How much damage did I do to it? It shouldn''t have been noticeable. Imma go look it up when I finish here."

    He hangs up again.

    Something''s different about him, but I can''t quite place it.

    <hr>

    (Jared)

    The looks on their faces when Caleb answered his phone! I''m in stitches over that, and Flame giggling like the little kid he is!

    How long will Caleb keep him like that before he undoes the spell? It''s really amusing, and this Flame is a lot more annoying than the older Flame.

    I mean, I know it''s the same Flame, just with a kid body, but it''s not like with Caleb, with different mindsets. It''s the same Flame.

    Flame jokingly commented that he wanted to be a kid again, and Caleb turned him into one. So he''s been doing stuff he knows he can''t get away with at our age.

    Like right now, when he''s peeing on one of the enemies'' corpse, singing a song about bathtubs and rubber duckies.

    As Caleb chats with Brooks, he completely ignores our opponents, dodging attacks. When the call ends, he glances at the foes fighting him, and they all freeze up, then he waves his hand, and they turn to stone.

    Then his phone rings again, and he answers it again. Most of our enemies are down at this point.

    Boy is Caleb capable.

    "So," Flame appears beside me, back to his actual form. "Looks like Caleb''s spell ran out of time. Ready to kick more ass?"

    "When aren''t we kicking ass?" I ask him, and he laughs like a madman, then zips around the room, burning opponents alive.

    I''m seriously questioning Caleb''s brother''s decision to let Flame live and give him that knowledge he gave him. Flame doesn''t need to harness the dragon within to fight anymore, and enjoys making flames that burn right through his foes.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    Caleb ends the call, then stretches, looking around with this eyes still filled with labyrinths. Either he''s wrapped us in a Reality, and we aren''t aware of it, or it''s some weird effect of what happened to him.

    "Is that the last of them?" He asks me.

    "There are still thirty of them fighting!" Owen yells.

    "There are?" Caleb looks around, and the thirty remaining foes are blown back, bound to the walls with magical binds. "Doesn''t look like it to me."

    "Can I kill them?" I ask.

    "You''re almost out of energy," Caleb tells me, then the remaining foes stop breathing, their bodies lifeless. "I still have plenty left."

    This new Caleb is terrifying. He just killed them as if it meant nothing, and doesn''t seem to care.

    Though to be honest, I think he really did that so I wouldn''t take my time and enjoy killing them, so there''s still that part of him.

    "Hey, Caleb!" Flame runs up to him. "So how comes your eyes are still all glowy, their labyrinths still there?"

    "They are?" Caleb frowns, then a mirror appears in front of him, and he examines his reflection. "Huh. That''s weird. I''m not using my power of Reality right now," the mirror vanishes. "Anyway, it''s time to get going. These were the last of them, I think."

    Six bases in one day. Caleb''s powers of teleportation have grown even greater, another bind fading away. We don''t even need to use the reflection of a pond anymore, though his eyes have been violet since the last run, probably because of the amount of magic he''s been using.

    Caleb scans the area, though I sense that he''s not even seeing what''s here. He''s looking very, very far away.

    "Whoa," he looks stunned. "I did that much damage to Alkran? So cool. There you are, Kilmar."

    The massive Rift Wolf appears in front of Caleb, looking a little stunned.

    I''m back in Tulma, the Rift Wolf sounds shocked. What happened, Caleb.

    "I accidentally turned myself into the me from right after the Massacre," Caleb answers. "That apparently undid a lot of my stuff. I''m sending you onto one of my island."

    The one with your other familiars?

    "Yeah," Caleb answers, and the Rift Wolf vanishes, and he looks at us. Specifically, at Flame and me, not at Owen. "So."

    "So?" I ask.

    "So!" Flame exclaims.

    "Um," Owen says. "Should I go? You look like you''re about to have a serious talk with them."

    "Stay," Caleb orders him. "I got from Owen''s mind that the two of you think Teacher and the Sage are the same person, and that I''m his son. Care to explain why you think this?"

    "It''s complicated," I say. "But we know for sure you''re the son of the Sage, unless Teacher was lying."

    "As for him being the Sage?"

    "Complicated."

    "TEACHER!" Caleb yells, and Teacher appears in the warehouse.

    "You''re off," Teacher frowns. "Something''s different about you."

    "I''m a little bit confused," Caleb says. "And annoyed. And agitated. First: why did you lock Jared''s mind against intrusion?"

    "To prevent the kid you from freaking out," he answers. "You know what happened, right?"

    "Are you bulling me?" Caleb asks, almost challengingly.

    "No," Teacher says. "I''m not bullshitting you."

    "Uh-huh," Caleb says. "You are aware that they think you''re the Sage, right? And that that makes me your son, since you told them I''m the son of the Sage? It''s so messed-up. As if you''d have children, even with magic sperm."

    "Father wouldn''t tell me how you know about that."

    "Grandpa told me."

    Teacher exhales heavily, trying not to scream like a little kid, probably, then a look of horror fills his face.

    "Oh, shit," a look of realization fills his face. "Father told me that my mother was coming to this realm."

    "She''s pretty," Caleb tells him. "She''s also waiting for you on your island. I was wondering who that was. Thought it was your mistress. She says to tell you ''hi'', and that you better get your butt there now. Well, she used a different word, but still. You better get going, I think she''s getting ready to eat all your food."

    Teacher actually does let out a scream of frustration this time, then vanishes, and Caleb''s two brothers look at him.

    "Are you taller, Caleb?" Flame blurts out. "You look taller!"

    "I''m about an inch and a half taller than I was when I dropped a meteor on Alkran!" Caleb looks proud of himself. "I finally hit a growth spurt!"

    It might have to do with the slight changes to the current him, as a result of him being a kid in different circumstances.

    "You''re so proud of that," another Caleb appears. "I thought we weren''t supposed to meet up?"

    This one''s wearing a black gi with violet trim, a belt woven of the universe tied around his waist. His feet are bare, and other than the gi, only a necklace is around his neck, this one with some sort of animal''s tooth hanging from the leather cord, a single bead to either side of it, each bead woven of the universe, just like his belt.

    His eyes are violet, with labyrinths glowing within. In fact, Nik''s eyes are the only ones not with the labyrinth in them.

    "Why are you hiding your labyrinths?" The newcomer then asks Nik.

    "I am?" They appear in Nik''s eyes. "I''ve been hanging around humans lately, and so didn''t really realize I was still concealing them. If we aren''t supposed to meet up, why did you just show up?"

    "I sensed Father," the newcomer says.

    "Hey, Tal," Caleb greets him.

    "Still going by Caleb, Big Brother?" Tal asks, and Caleb pulls a face.

    "You''re all older than me," Caleb says. "Why do you all keep calling me that?"

    "Who else can feel the power radiating off of them?" Owen quietly asks Flame and me.

    "Just be glad you don''t have a dragon woken up in you," I tell him. "Mine''s roaring in fear and worship. These three are not beings to cross. The dragon in me only stirs for Teacher''s presence."

    Compared to how it reacts for one of these three, it doesn''t even notice Teacher''s presence. What, exactly, are Caleb''s brothers, if they can command a reaction that their father cannot?

    "That''s the one that took my arm," Flame points at Nik, who then looks at him. "Hi!"

    "Hello, Flame," Nik says. "I see you''ve recovered."

    "Yup!" Flame nods. "I''m all better, now!"

    "You''re missing an arm," Tal says, then gives Nik a stern glare. "Did you grant him knowledge of the truth of magic?"

    "Just at little bit," Nik confirms. "Not too much. Though it seems Caleb didn''t actually need rescuing."

    "Flame could still use it," Caleb shakes his head. "There''s only so much I can actually explain, and with what''s coming, Flame will need it."

    "The prophecy?" Tal asks.

    "Yeah," Caleb nods. "If only Jeremy were still alive, I''d see if he could give me another."

    "Jeremy?" Flame asks. "The Superhuman from your orphanage with a silver eye and who has the Ability of Psychic Knowledge?"

    All four of them look at Flame, whose dragon shrinks back in fear. Mine does, too, and Owen looks nervous.

    "The only way you''d know that," Caleb says. "Would be if Kieran or I told you, or if you actually met him. You met him?"

    "Uhˇ­ yeah," Flame looks nervous. "I met him back in the city, before you got kidnapped. Or was it while you were getting kidnapped? Kieran got all weird and went after him, and was even weirder after."

    "Kieran''s weird?" Caleb''s question sounds more like a challenge.

    "Nonononono," Flame holds his hands up and shakes his head. "I mean he was weird for him, not that he''s actually weird. The way he was acting was weird, and not like Kieran at all."

    Kieran''s definitely weird. Then again, he''s a member of our party. We''re all weird, and none more so than our leader. With him, things aren''t consistent, as if he''s living in multiple timelines.

    All this shit is messed up, and I''m not sure how to handle any of it.

    <hr>

    (???)

    My feet echo as I walk through the long, empty hall. The dark grey stone of this temple is smooth, the bricks seemingly a single, solid slab that never ends, even to my sharp eyes. The magic that fills this place makes it one of the few places in the entirety of existence that could contain a being of my power.

    For now, I''m not focused on that. I''m focused on making it through the labyrinthine halls. Even with my mental map of the temple, the trip is a long one. Only walking can allow one to make it through, and the journey must be made in human form.

    Unfortunately, the magic that forces human form makes it our ''natural'' form, and that can''t be changed. If a being walking these halls somehow isn''t one with a human form, they''re forced into the one they would have if they were to have a human form.

    Thankfully, I can still weave clothes around my body. In human form, I feel naked when I''m naked. Weird, for a being of a species like a dragon, which has existed since long before any concept of clothing.

    And yetˇ­ I do.

    So here I am, walking through these halls, looking like a twelve year-old boy, just barely older than my father''s appearance of ten. My mother at least looks older than me, at sixteen.

    After our brief discussion, she mentioned that it was her father Caleb had been chatting with, not mine. No wonder Father was having so much fun when I assumed it was him.

    Shaking that from my head, I continue my walk through the Temple.

    The Temple of Reality, the single most powerful place in the universe that didn''t have direct influence from the Dragons of Creation. And, as stated, one of the few that can trap a being of my power.

    It never will trap me, since I know the way the magics of this place work, as well as every route through. Having helped create it somewhat lessens its ability to trap me. If absolutely need trapping, I''d prefer it to be the place I created specifically designed to trap me.

    But that is neither here nor there, and thus, should be pushed out of mind again, lest I lose my way.

    Three hours of travel after I entered this Temple, I arrive at my destination, a single, oaken door set into the stone walls, aged spectacularly, with cast iron hinges and a cast iron ring and lock.

    Raising a hand, I knock on the door.

    Though it appears ancient ¨C and it is ¨C nothing passes in or out of there, not even light.

    The moment my hand strikes the wood the first time, the door flies open, and I leap back. Before I can do much more, I find myself tackled, slammed to the ground, something warm pressed against my body.

    Looking at the one hugging me, nuzzling her head against me, I resist a sigh. Her long, green-brown hair, emerald eyes, and fair complexion hide the cruel beast beneath that human body. While we dragons are inherently beautiful, it is in our nature to rule and reign and look down on all others.

    Caleb''s aversion to that is most unique, and stems from his human side being dominant due to whatever binds have hold over him, binds I cannot even sense. Had his draconic side held more influence over his life from when he was younger, the Massacre would not have changed him so much from the kid who did look down on others, in his own way.

    "-!" She exclaims, my true name bubbling out of her in a bright, cheerful garble that no mortal ears could possibly understand, much less my currently-human ones. She stops nuzzling my face to look me in the eyes. "It''s been forever since you last visited me!"

    "Hello, Scribe," I greet her. "Mind getting off me?"

    "Sure!" She bounces backwards, standing on her feet. I stand up and straighten my tunic, brushing it off. "There''s not actually dust on it, you know!"

    "I know," I tell her. "Shall we?"

    "Come on in!" She bounces back into the room, and I follow her in, the door closing behind us.

    Unlike the plain, endless halls of the rest of the temple, this room contains all sorts of items. Shelves stacked with books, seemingly going on forever. A library of infinite proportions, making even the Library of the Ancients seem empty and hollow in comparison.

    And considering how much effort I put into the spatial and other magics in that, that''s saying something about the size and wealth of this place.

    My feet sinks into the crimson carpet below, and were I not wearing boots, my toes would probably enjoy the sensation.

    Tables are scattered here and there with various writing instruments atop them. Paper, parchments, notebooks, pens, pencils, quills, charcoal, bark, stone, hammer and chisel, and so much more. From the ages and realms, this place has it all. Not that she needs any of it.

    The Scribe is one of the few beings that can rival me in power, though our powers work in two entirely different ways. I shape reality, while she adjusts the history of it.

    She isn''t a prisoner here, but rather, the powerful protections on this place ensure that only those worthy make it to this chamber.

    The Library of the Past.

    Everything that has ever happened in the past is recorded here, on its own. New books form and write themselves to ensure that memory will always persist. Our powers, combined, forged this place.

    It is the sole place in the universe where history can be changed, rewritten to be shaped to how is needed or desired.

    The Scribe here exists so that no one can. Only her fathers could do such a thing. Baelsor, the Dragon Who Created Time, and Israna, the Dragon Who Created Memories.

    No magic sperm made her, though. They very intentionally tried to have a daughter, to see what would happen. She was born of pure magic forged between the two, and is as mortal as I am.

    That is to say, I am mortal, despite how not I often seem. Very, very few things possess the ability to harm me.

    Stop. Refocus.

    Only the Scribe possesses the power to resist the straying of thoughts here. Her, and the Dragons of Creations, but if they need something changed, they usually go to her fathers.

    "Your father was here the other day," she grabs my hand, dragging me through the aisles of shelves.

    "He was?"

    "Yeah!" She nods. "I woke up the other day to find him sitting by my bed, staring at me very intently. It was very creepy. He''s the only one of them who doesn''t visit me. That''s only my third time ever seeing him."

    And for beings as old as we, that''s unusual. The other Dragons of Creation visit at least once every three or four centuries that pass in True Time, to make sure she''s still around and hasn''t come across something that could actually hurt her.

    Considering how few those things are, that would be impressive. Especially since the last thing that tried to hurt her that actually had the power to found itself as one of the decorations we just passed up.

    She still has it.

    "What did he want?" I ask.

    Father hasn''t visited her here before.

    "To know if I had a book of bedtime stories," she answers. "A very specific one. I wrote out a new copy of it and gave it to him."

    She has memorized almost every tome in this Library, and only the newer ones have to be read. Considering her ability to halt time, though, I think she only actually starts looking through them once a year. She can take as much time as she wants, and she enjoys doing it.

    She also enjoys rewriting events, or writing her own version of what''s actually happening, reshaping how things go. Never anything dangerous or harmful, just small things. A natural prankster, like my father and son.

    Honestly, if any of those three were to be evil, it would not bode well for anyone.

    "What book?" I ask.

    "You wouldn''t have heard of it," she answers. "It''s a book of tales turtles tell each other."

    Pretty sure Father already knows all of those, which means he had an ulterior motive for being here. Something else on his mind.

    "Anything else?"

    "Just that!" She lets go of my wrist as we reach an area walled-off by shelves, filled with rugs, blankets, and beanbag chairs. "Here we are!"

    Against one wall stands a heavy, wooden desk cluttered with scrolls, parchments, quills, and inkwells, a couple stacks of books piled up on it.

    "He really wanted something he already had memorized?"

    "Said he wanted to give it to someone as a gift."

    Sure, he did. If he really did, though, it would explain why he visited the Scribe.

    "You know, it''s been ages since you visited," she turns and looks at me as we enter her study corner. "Mind telling me what this is about?"

    "Tulma," I answer. "I need you to rewrite some stuff."

    "I can''t undo the claiming of it as a Reality," she says.

    "You knew about that?"

    "Our silly parents and uncles completely forgot that they could just check with me," she snorts. "It wasn''t until after they realized what happened that I got a visit from Hisron to ask me everything I knew about it."

    One of the magics that constitute this place prevents communication in or out of here, so unless someone pays her a visit, her vast wealth of knowledge remains unknown to others. Even her father cannot access it, despite being what he is.

    When she''s out of here, however, he draws on her much the same way Father apparently draws on Caleb.

    "I thought you were how they figured it out," I say. "But even if you hadn''t been, I knew that they would have attempted to have it fixed by you. Do you know what happened?"

    "It''s outside of my Sight."

    There isn''t much that rests outside of her viewing, and that explains why it can''t be changed. Unless she at least knows enough about it, she cannot do anything about it.

    "Do you know how many children I have?"

    "You have a son named Lusvar Nomari," she answers.

    "Any others?"

    "Hm," she thinks long and hard. "Not sensing any others."

    "I have at least two more," I say, and she frowns, her eyes focusing intently on whatever it is she looks into, when she looks for information.

    Almost an hour passes before she returns her gaze to me.

    "I can sense them," she says. "But I have to focus on Lusvar for it. Or ratherˇ­ I''m not actually sensing them, but their interactions with Lusvar himself. There are six of them that I can detect. At least, I think there are six."

    ˇ­

    "Did I break you?" She waves a hand in front of my face. "How did you not know about them?"

    "How was Caleb born?"

    "Caleb?" She frowns for a moment. "Oh! Lusvar! He was born-ah. Interesting that you were around your son for so long before learning he was your son."

    "Can you tell me how he got his ring?" I ask.

    "What ring?" She asks, and I stare at her. She frowns for several long minutes. "Looking into those around him, and Lusvar himself, I can get a feel for it, but not sense it, just like your sons and the cause of the shift for Tulm."

    "Can you see what you can dredge up about them?"

    She nods, sitting down on a beanbag. I sit down as well, as this could take awhile.

    The Scribe stares off into space, frowning, as she searches whatever she looks into for knowledge, and several hours later, she sighs, shaking her head.

    "Very little," she tells me. "Lusvar''s ring doesn''t appear to have a stable reality. Your son ¨C and his possessions ¨C don''t seem to exist in a single timeline."

    "There is only one timeline," I say. "Your father ensured that. If something in the past is changed, it changes everything that happened after, not creates a new timeline."

    "I know," she says. "Lusvar isn''t a normal boy, -, he-"

    "Teacher," I say.

    "Yes?"

    "No," I say. "That''s what Caleb and his team call me. It''s easier than you using a word that mortal ears can''t understand."

    "Oh, right," she smiles. "I forgot that outsiders are made mortal, here. You know that you could ignore that, right?"

    "Best to follow customs," I shrug. "So about him?"

    "He isn''t a normal boy," she says. "There are six seals binding his draconic magic, each one formed naturally by the aether that flows through all things. It binds him, preventing him from having access to his full power. Due to his natural link to the aether, it''s as if he lives in multiple realities and timelines at the same time. That ring likely comes from one of the others. All I can tell is that he''s had it since he was very little, and yet, that he was given it."

    "By who?" I ask. "Can you see that?"

    "By you," she answers. "In one instance, he doesn''t seem to have it until he''s ten, when you gave it to him as a gift. And yet he already had the ring. Your son is very strange, Teacher. His entire team is, in fact. Flame shouldn''t have access to his true draconic nature ¨C and the sealing of his mind ¨C for almost double the draconic makeup, yet he does. Jared is an anomaly in and of himself. Brooksˇ­ he''s probably the most normal one on that team, and yet he isn''t. And then, of course, there''s Caleb, as previously stated."

    "And Kieran?"

    "He''s dead."

    So he is dead, then.

    "Of course," she snorts. "You and I both know how fleeting death can be. Sometimes, what''s dead isn''t actually dead."

    Of course she has to go and smack that illusion away. Sometimes, something can appear to her as dead that isn''t really. It takes an extreme situation for that to happen, though. Kieran, as a human, even if one descended of dragons, shouldn''t be able to invoke that situation, so it''s safe to assume that he really is out.

    "Do you know what happened to his body?"

    "Turned to shadows," she answers. "Faded into them, at the moment of his death.

    Aaaaaaaaaaaand that illusion gets smacked away again. Only dragons revert to their natural element or makeup upon death. Even Caleb wouldn''t do what Kieran did.

    And dragons can most certainly invoke that situation.

    So he could be alive.

    "What can you see regarding him?"

    "That he''s most certainly dead," she answers. "I looked into that, and he seems to be gone completely, not a trace of his soul remaining. The shadows around where he died are much stronger for it, but not powerful enough to cast somewhere into eternal darkness."

    Like the region Caleb lived in. The handful of places in the world like that had a dragon of shadows die there. A full-fledged dragon of shadows. Their souls weren''t shattered, but instead, when they passed, their powers merged into the surrounding areas.

    Now that I can access this place, it might not be a bad idea to ask her to fix that, but at the same time, it could adversely affect things in Tulma. There are more than a few things that actually require that endless night, and some societies thrive in it.

    Not necessarily good ones, but there are good ones that thrive from it.

    "So," she says. "What were you wanting me to adjust in Tulma?"

    "My son and his team," I answer. "I want it rewritten, so that they haven''t realized I''m the one called the Sage. If possible, I need what happened to Flame undone, Kieran brought back, and the team not under constant danger."

    "I can do the first," she says. "Flame and Kieran are beyond my power, and the latterˇ­ I could adjust it some, but not much. Know this: even the smallest of changes to Caleb will affect the world."

    "I get that," I say. "But things are spiraling out of control, and it needs to be fixed. He''s done major impacts, and-"

    "Alkran, right?" She asks. "This will undo what he did there. But I wasn''t referring to just the major things he''s done himself. Caleb is a pebble that was thrown into the pond of reality."

    The ripples he creates only become bigger and bigger. He''s done things that he hasn''t realized have affected things majorly. Just what has he done?

    "What did he do?" I ask.

    "I can''t see all of it," she shrugs. "But he''s done quite enough. I''ll get to work on what I can. Know that this might revert some of the releases on his binds, as well as weaken his team a fair bit."

    "That''s fine," I say. "They don''t need to have this much power at their age. The responsibility and headache that''s been put on them as a result isn''t good for them. You''re absolutely sure you can''t undo Flame''s release?"

    "Positive," she sits down at the desk. "The one known as Nikvar Nomari is able to interfere with that. As he''s the one who granted Flame the knowledge, I cannot undo it. Also, why was Caleb a part of the GSDF?"

    "Because he''s a Superhuman, and it''s the safest place for him to be?"

    "No, he''s not," she looks at me. "Caleb is most certainly not a Superhuman. He''s roughly sixty-three percent dragon, you really think his power would be bound up like that? He can create the same Realities over and over without practice, Teacher. Caleb is a full-on magician, just like Flame. You didn''t know this?"

    "No, I didn''t," I growl. "That boy is far more headache than he should be. Can you adjust it so he''s a Superhuman?"

    "I can''t," she shakes her head. "He''s got too much dragon in him for him to not be."

    She picks up a quill and begins writing, golden ink forming on the parchment as she does, the ancient words of creation glowing as she rewrites existence and history and memories.

    "Teacher," she looks at me. "The Stone is missing."

    "The Stone?"

    "The Stone of Noruka."

    My blood runs cold the moment she says that. Nothing is missing to her. She''d simply tell me where it was, if it''s not where it''s supposed to be. A group of magicians that, combined, could overpower me created several artifacts, the Powers of Noruka. Then, they sealed them away in various vaults throughout the world, vaults that even I couldn''t dream of breaching.

    "Define ''missing''."

    "It exists, yet it doesn''t," she answers. "If I rewrote things, the undoing of what Lusvar did to Alkran would make a new one appear, causing two to exist simultaneously ¨C the one in the vault, and the oneˇ­ wherever it is."

    "Could father have taken it?"

    "It''s the only one missing," she says.

    "Could Caleb''s meteor have destroyed it?"

    "I''d say that was likely," she says. "Except that it still exists. I also cannot see what Lusvar did, while he was in Alkran, before he destroyed it with that spell."

    She won''t flat-out say it, but she''s saying that Caleb likely has it in his ring. But he shouldn''t have the power to enter that vault, even if he''s greater than me.

    "Alright," I say. "We can deal with that, if it comes to be an issue."

    She nods, then resumes writing.

    The Artifact''s disappearance is more than a bit worrisome, though, considering the power it holds. A mortal, wielding it, could kill me. A mortal far, far less powerful than me, too. Since she didn''t comment on the others, they''re likely all still sealed up.

    When she finally finishes the rewrite, several True Days have passed. She sighs, looking at me, exhaustion in her eyes.

    "That was the single most difficult adjustment ever," she says. "Lusvar and his brothers interfere with things too much. Every time I thought things were going easy, it turned out that one of his brothers was involved, and I had to do a bunch of workarounds."

    "How much could you do?"

    "I got it done," she answers. "Though I couldn''t undo Flame''s power or Kieran''s death. The team isn''t in constant danger anymore, though they''re still absurdly powerful for their ages. I had to raise the level of power for several others, though, as the counter to that.

    "Also," she continues. "What happened to Lusvar, and turning himself into a Reality, still happened, however, some of the events are slightly different. Most of it remained the same, so they''ll still know all of that. However, they won''t draw the conclusion that you''re the Sage. They do know Lusvar''s the son of the Sage, and that his father was a dragon, and thus, the Sage was a dragon, and they''ll know that you''re a dragon, but not draw the conclusion they held previously.

    "Don''t forget," she says. "Those with Perception as a Gift will be able to somewhat perceive their original selves, if they were affected, and they were affected is the safe thing to assume. Anyone who''s powerful enough will get more than a sense of dezaru, though ¨C they might get actual glimpses. Lusvar himself especially."

    Caleb is more and more troublesome, the more I learn about him. When did he gain the power of perception?

    Dezaru, or deja-vu, I can deal with, even if we still can''t pin down the source of it, as it''s not magic in any form we know. Caleb having Perception, on the other hand, is not.

    "Can you kill me?" I ask, and she laughs.

    "Also," she says. "Lusvar''s mother''s looking for him. She didn''t know he was in Alkran before, and still doesn''t. She just wants to see if she can find the baby she had. She couldn''t afford to take care of one, back when she got pregnant with him, and since she was a virgin back then, it was kind of surprising. She had to move to get away from the slut stigma she got hit with ¨C unfairly, too. No one believed she hadn''t had sex.

    "If it were the old days," the Scribe waves her quill at me. "No one would have batted an eye. Magic sperm wasn''t a new concept back then. Anyway, that remained the same in this timeline, but with the adjustments, she might actually meet Lusvar. Before, the odds were low, but she''s in the same city as him, now."

    "She lives there?"

    "It''s where the trail led her, in the new writing," she shakes her head. "Because of the way the adoption was handled, and the fact that Lusvar''s a minor, she''s not actually allowed access to the files unless his legal guardian grants permission."

    "Except that legally-"

    "He''s dead," she says. "And yet, he''s not. He doesn''t have a legal guardian, in technicality. At least, in the old writing. In the new, his papers were given to Jennifer, when he was left there."

    "Did you see by who?"

    "Invisible to my Sight, just like Lusvar''s brothers," she responds. "However, I can confirm that he''s the same one who brought Lusvar to safety after both events."

    "So it''s a he?"

    "According to Jared''s memories," she nods. "Also, I took the liberty of, ah, removing Lusvar''s awareness of magic sperm."

    "Thank you so much," my face is burning like hell right now. "Though please don''t bring that up again."

    "Sure," she smirks.

    Actually, hell isn''t burning right nowˇ­

    "Did you undo what he did to hell?"

    She snorts.

    "I don''t think anyone aside from the Dragons could do that."

    "Just how solid is his power?"

    "He froze the realm," she says. "It''s got to be pretty solid for that. That ice is infused with his power. How the hell did your son manage to contract a unicorn, a phoenix, and a Rift Wolf as familiars? What''s next ¨C a dragon?"

    "Please don''t even joke about that," I say. "The more people think or talk about it, the more likely Caleb''s going to actually do that."

 Chapter 024

    ~~~(Jared)~~~

    Jeez, it''s hot out here. Summer came early this year. It feels like it was just last week when we got hit with a massive snowstorm.

    Oh, waitˇ­

    It was.

    And now, it''s a hundred and ten.

    So what did our physical training instructors do? They moved us outside. They split our unit up into three groups, one of ten, and two of forty. Then, they had the group of ten tie dark blue ribbons around their upper right arm, and one group of forty tie dark green ribbons in the same spot. The other group of forty had to strip off their shirts and training undershirts.

    I''m not sure if I should envy the team that gets to run around wearing just their PT shorts and sneakers, or feel sorry for them. On one hand, they''ll probably be cooler, on the other, most of them are guaranteed sunburn, even with sunblock on.

    I say ''most'' because I doubt sunburn will bother Caleb, since he knows how to use magic to resist it.

    The instructors playing with simmunition. That is, paintballs that hurt like hell when they hit someone, much more than normal paintballs.

    The skins had no weapons, and their mission was to capture each of the ten dark blue ribbons. Not even close to being as simple as it sounds, when it''s fifty against forty, the fifty have weapons that hurt like hell, all of them have Abilities and aura, and Caleb''s on the skins team.

    He was told that he wasn''t allowed to use his Ability for this, and he just shrugged, as if to say ''figures''.

    Ever since he reverted back from being a kid, he''s not been as quiet and aloof as usual, though he''s still heavily like that. He isn''t reserved about fighting or using his Ability anymore, though.

    And his words before we started the game somewhat distracted me.

    "Someone messed with reality. Our past isn''t what actually happened. However they did it, that''s what happened, now."

    It distracted me a lot during the game, enough for me to get hit a few times by the simmunition when some of the skins managed to disarm people. No lethal or damaging force allowed to be used ¨C the blues were to represent ''brainwashed'' allies of the skins.

    There was supposedly a dark red ribbon somewhere, but I have no idea who had it. The dark red ribbon was the one behind the brainwashing.

    Now, we''re resting up. I''m grateful for having the undershirt on ¨C it shielded my torso from the impacts. Mostly. Only the first couple will leave bruises, as I triggered my aura after, and was fine from then on.

    All of the skins have bruises already showing on them, and lots. They all got taken out, except for Caleb. No matter how many times he got hit, he kept going, and never did take a gun. He knocked out quite a few of the greens and most of the blues.

    Actually, he''s the one who captured all of the blues. It''s been so long since we''ve had a real practical training that everyone forgot to use their auras in combat training. Most of my team is sore, too.

    Caleb''s currently getting a drink of water, and as he bends over to pour some from the jug, a small sphere of water forms above his head, roughly the size of a pea. It rapidly increases in size, until it''s about twice the size of a basketball.

    Then, it drops, splashing down on Caleb and soaking him with water. He straightens and puts the cup to his mouth, as if he hadn''t even noticed it, and I look at Brooks.

    "That was magical water," Brooks says. "Not Superhuman water. He made that himself."

    I snort.

    Of course he did. Because Caleb can''t cool off the normal way, and just pour regular water over himself.

    Nor can Brooks, apparently, who decided that actually looked like a good idea, and is now making his own sphere of water. It splashes over him, and I roll my eyes.

    "What?" He asks. "It''s a quick way to cool off. I don''t handle heat too well, you know that. It''s Flame that likes it."

    That''s right ¨C Brooks'' Ability isn''t primarily water, but ice. He prefers the cold. Unlike a certain Creator-slash-magician who most definitely is not drinking water.

    "Caleb?" I approach him. "Are you converting your water into lemonade?"

    "No," he gives me an innocent look, and I stare at him, then twist the top off the jug and look inside.

    "You converted everyone''s water into lemonade."

    "Technically," Caleb says. "I mixed it into lemonade."

    When did he mix it into lemonade? He is saying he used powder or something?

    I sigh and shake my head, then put the lid back on the jug and find a spot in the shade to cool off in.

    I try to focus on cooling off and memorizing the combat techniques we were taught yesterday and the strategy lessons we had this morning, but Caleb''s words come back to me.

    "Someone messed with reality. Our past isn''t what actually happened. However they did it, that''s what happened, now."

    What did he mean by that? In even the oldest of records, no Time Superhuman or Time Magician could affect the past ¨C they could only touch the present or look through time. They could alter its flow, but not go back or touch back or turn it back or anything like that.

    So how could someone mess with reality and affect the past? They had to have. Could it be something like Teacher or the Sage that did it? Or something even older and more powerful?

    If so, what are the differences that were made?

    "Question for you," Brooks sits down beside me, leaning his back against the tree I''m against. None of the other cadets have come this way yet, which tells me what his next question might be, before he says it. "Did Caleb give you some weird message this morning?"

    "Yeah," I answer. "I can''t figure out what the fuck he meant by it."

    "Because he probably told us different things," Brooks says. "Which probably need put together to understand. I''m going to say what he said to me."

    That''s right ¨C it''s totally like him to just tell us different things, that may or may not have entirely different themes to them. In fact, that''s likely what he did.

    "What he told me," Brooks says. "Was ''someone messed with reality. Our past isn''t what actually happened. However they did it, that''s what happened, now.'' I can''t figure out how any of that makes sense."

    "He told you," I say. "The same thing he told me, word-for-word. I have no fucking clue what that means. Everything he says is impossible, and yet, it''s Caleb. Nothing is impossible, where it concerns him."

    Brooks doesn''t respond to that. He knows it''s true. Until we met our powerful Creator and leader, there was a lot we thought impossible that he can do with ease, or knows someone who can. The son of the Sage, and student of the son of a Dragon of Creationˇ­

    Dragon of Creation?

    What the hell is that?

    I remember Caleb mentioning them, but I can''t remember anything about them. What did he say about them?

    "I spoke with Flame, during breakfast," Brooks tells me. "Asked him again about what happened to his Ability, and how that happened. He still won''t budge on telling me what happened in that warehouse."

    "Same with Owen," I nod. "Neither of us will say how he stopped being a Superhuman and became such a powerful magician. That much powerˇ­ and his ability with it. It''s not normal. And the fact that his arm''s gone, and Caleb says that the method through which it was removed makes it impossible to restoreˇ­ I really, really want to know what happened."

    "Alright, cadets!" The Major in charge of training yells. "Weighted packs! We''re going for a jog!"

    A few of the cadets groan, but we all head inside, the skins getting their shirts back on, and grab the weighted packs from the gym, pulling them on and meeting him back outside. The packs weigh around twenty pounds each. Not a lot of weight, right?

    Wrong.

    After five minutes of jogging, it feels a lot heavier. They will run us for more than an hour. This is usually a punishment of some form, and I really want to know who caused it this time. I''m going to beat the crap out of them.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Flame)~~~

    "Hey, Hansen!" A voice calls, and I turn to face the speaker. A cadet a year my senior. "Wait up!"

    I stop walking and wait for him to reach me.

    He''s dressed in formals right now, causing me to wonder if I did something wrong. It''s hard to get kicked out of the GMDF''s training, because of how lax it is and how easy it is to earn the points needed to pass.

    "You gonna talk?" I ask. "Or just stare at me? I was on my way to go answer another foolish duel request."

    This is starting to annoy me. This is my fifteenth duel. In the six days since we returned to the city after rescuing Caleb. My memory is somewhat foggy on the incident, and how Caleb reverted back to his actual self, other than he did and saved butt.

    I still can''t get past that mysterious kid who I originally mistook as Caleb. But that one had violet eyes and the labyrinths visible in them at all times, even when he wasn''t using magic or creating a Reality, and Caleb doesn''t have that mark on his chest.

    The mark in the original draconic language for magic. Now that I have as much knowledge and understand of magic as I do, I can understand that language on a decent level, even without Caleb''s help.

    He still knows a lot more than I do, though, so I''m still going to ask him to help me with more of it. I could barely understand the rest of that rune, bringer. It was denoting that being as the ''Bringer of Magic'', if Caleb''s comment about how dragons'' true names are representative of what they are or what they''ll do in life.

    "About that," he says, and I realize that he wants to challenge me, too. "Some friends and I were wondering if we could challenge you as a team? We''ve been practicing some of the magics you gave the instructors, and think we can do it."

    Magics I gave the instructors? I don''t remember doing that. Then again, I probably did do it. It''s not like I''d give them any spells that could actually hurt me. I have to be careful, Caleb told me, with what magics I share with them. It was probably basic combat or defensive magics.

    Tailored to their misuse of the language of magic. Or rather, correcting it a bit. I''m not going to stand for that butchery.

    So maybe I did give them some spells. Did I give them the explanations for why they''re idiots and how to make spells more efficient?

    Guess I''ll see against him.

    "Sure," I say. "Unless you''re busy, be ready in Phoenix 2 when my match is done."

    "Busy?" He asks, and I gesture to his uniform. "Oh, that. I have to go on a mission next week, just came from the briefing. I''ll let them know, but won''t you need to rest, first?"

    "The only magician in the city," I say. "Who could make me rest between fights probably wouldn''t care for something like this, and he''s not in the GMDF."

    "Caleb?" He asks.

    "Be ready when I''m done," I tell him. "I can handle several group fights in a row."

    He nods, then leaves, and I continue making my way to the dueling arena. It''s packed with cadets and staff, and more are still arriving. The novelty of fighting someone as powerful as me still hasn''t worn off yet, but this is a bigger crowd than any of my previous fights, and it has been getting smaller. No one likes having someone just overpower everyone else instantly.

    The other cadet''s group must have expected me to want to fight after, so people are coming to watch them fight against me with my own magics.

    Well, not literally my own, just the same style of magic I use. With incantations and gestures and stuff I don''t have need of doing, not with my understanding of magic.

    Oh, right. New cadets showed up today, I think. Or last week? When did they get off vacation? This batch probably wanted to see the fight. I see a lot of faces I haven''t seen before in here, a lot of new cadets, fresh out of basic.

    I can tell which ones they are, because they''re all wearing the proper uniform, while the rest of us are, more or less, in casual clothes.

    I''m about to head to the entrance to the pit when I spot him. Or rather, sense him, then see him, the dragon within me calling out to his silent, dormant one.

    Caleb''s here, in uniform, to watch me. The moment I see him, he waves at me, then points behind me. As he does, the dragon within me tenses up, roaring, desiring to exert dominance over a dragon nearby. It''s not an ally, or the dragon would just call out to them. It''s someone new, an intruder.

    Dormant dragons, it ignores. They''re no concern to us.

    I can''t sense this dragon, though. What is mine roaring at, trying to chase away and tell that I''m the superior?

    Turning, I come face-to-face with a boy around ten years old. No. He''d have to be twelve, minimum. Twelve years and a hundred or so days. Can''t start basic until at least the twelfth birthday.

    He''s got silver hair, though I know he''s not from my village, as I''ve never seen him before. He also has very pale skin, as if he doesn''t stand out in the sun much, which is odd, since he should be tanned from basic. Or rather, his face, arms, and legs should be, though his face ¨C the only part I can see ¨C isn''t.

    He''s slender in build, but has a layer of muscle only found in the GMDF agents and cadets who work out, his build more lean that buff, mirroring my own. I cannot sense or smell him at all. The smell thing could be attributed to so many scents filling my nostrils, but his proximity to me should make it easy to distinguish his.

    And yet, I can''t.

    Like the other fresh cadets, he''s dressed in the proper uniform ¨C a dark blue buttonup, over which is worn a dark blue jacket with the facility logo on it and his rank on his sleeves, a Private, like all who completed Basic. He also has on the dark blue slacks and black combat boots of the uniform.

    Unlike the other cadets, who cut their hair short to cut down on washing time during basic, which was apparently the same for both facilities, he let his stay, a medium-long length, just long enough for his bangs to brush against the blindfold around his eyes.

    He is, without a doubt, the reason Caleb was pointing behind me. I cannot sense a dragon within him at all, nor magic, and yet my dragon is reacting to him. This kid definitely knows about his dragon, and probably knows about mine, too. He''s also concealing his presence to the point that my draconic senses cannot pick up on it.

    Please tell me he''s not another draconic being, like the one who gave me the gift, when kid-Caleb was kidnapped. One disaster is all I want to deal with right now.

    "Meyers?" I read the name off his jacket.

    "Yes?"

    "Can you see, with the blindfold on?"

    "I can''t with it off," he shrugs. "I lost my sight a few years ago. I can still navigate, though. My magic allows me that much, as well as my ability to sense magic, even when I don''t use the way I see to see. Can you settle your dragon? It''s bothering me a little bit."

    He can sense my dragon roaring at him? Does he actually have a dragon within, then?

    I close my eyes and focus on the dragon, willing it to calm down. During the merger of our powers, I can sense what it is about the boy that''s unsettling it.

    It only knew of him because of the way people around were reacting, the emptiness in their space. To the dragon within, the warmth of the air still fills that space, as if there''s no one there, and yet the people around are giving him curious looking or whispering about him. It knew of him because of the others, not because of the boy himself.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    "I''m Flame," I tell him once the dragon settles down, though is still uneasy by this foe it cannot see or sense.

    "Mukura," he answers as another cadet walks up, a boy around my age with dark orange hair and bright green eyes, and the same last name. He has a splash of freckles across his cheeks "This is my brother, Holden. He prefers studying and using defensive magics."

    "Kura," Holden says. "Stop annoying the other cadets. How did you even end up over here in the first place?"

    "It''s fine," I say. "We were just chatting."

    "Sorry about him," Holden puts a hand on his brother''s shoulder. "He only got in because he has some slight magical talent that they don''t normally see. He isn''t going to be a field agent, just an analyst. He''s good at reading magic. The others make fun of him, though, and we got separated while we were walking here. It isn''t the first time someone''s separated us."

    "It''s alright," I say, then look at Mukura. "I''m actually the one who''s here to fight ¨C the powerful one that everyone came to see. I''ve got this match, and another after it. I''ll be able to fight again immediately after, though I want to take a fifteen minute rest after, so I can recover a little bit of magic. If you want to fight, be ready then."

    "Okay," Mukura nods.

    "Fight?" Holden gives his brother a disapproving look. "You''re not a combatant, Kura. You''re going to get beaten."

    "I want to fight him," Kura says as his brother leads him away.

    I make my way into the arena, and the other cadet enters. We give each other a bow, then the fight begins. He tries to blast me with water, the power behind it only slightly correct. I disconnect him from the spell, take control over it, correct it, and blast it back at him, throwing him into the wall.

    Easy. As usual.

    The group comes in next, five cadets, each with similar levels of power. They manipulate air and stone together, their magics a lot more efficient than what I''ve been facing before, their words of magic actually correct.

    Guess I did give the staff some.

    They still aren''t difficult to stop, binding them with silencing spells. Most magicians need to use words to cast magics, and once they stop incanting, the spells fade. The five of them disabled, I send them flying into the back wall with a blast of magic.

    I take the fifteen minute breather in the changing room, and when I return to the arena, it''s even more packed, if possible. Caleb''s at the edge of it, staring through the magical barrier, watching intently as the silver-haired newbie enters the arena. Are all of the new cadets here, now? There are a lot more older cadets as well.

    The bell sounds, and the boy stands there, waiting. He wants me to strike first. I don''t bite the bait, though, and we stare at each other.

    Well, I stare at him, and he just stands there, facing me. The crowd goes silent, and Caleb continues to watch intently. He probably knows exactly what kind of magic the newbie can use. There''s no doubt in my mind that the kid''s way of hiding himself doesn''t work on Caleb, with his Passive Territory.

    If he''s using it, anyway. Caleb seems to have gained the ability to control whether or not he does. Or at least, whether or not he''s in peoples'' heads, at least.

    Something happens. I''m not sure what it is, but it does. My dragon reacted to it. Caleb''s neutral expression now has a small smirk on it.

    What just happened?

    The dragon in me roars, yelling at Mukura to flee, and I realize something.

    It''s wounded. From right leg. I look down at my arm, and see a cut on it. Then the pain registers in my brain.

    How did he wound me? My body is naturally resilient to physical and magical hits, because of what it is. Even sharp blades would be hard-pressed to pierce a dragon''s skin.

    Looking back at the boy, I''m about to open my mouth to ask when the dragon roars again. A second cut, this one on my right leg. That one, I processed immediately. It''s bigger, and hurts a lot more than the first, which was as bad as a papercut.

    I lift my right hand, and flames swirl around it, then blast at the boy. They vanish in front of him.

    "Reflect," his voice rings out through the arena, though only three people here understand the word he said.

    Him, if he does, me, and Caleb.

    The draconic language of magic.

    A shimmering, silvery disc forms in the air in front of him, reflecting my image.

    "Amplify," he says, his voice ringing out again, the arena silent. "Release."

    A swirling blast of flames explodes out of the mirror, aimed right at me. I summon a barrier to protect myself, constructing several stronger ones behind it when it breaks through it. He increased its power heavily.

    It was ten times as strong as it was when he absorbed it, or whatever it was he did. That was definitely my magic, though.

    He reflected my magic back at me.

    Every attempt to hit him after is met with the same thing ¨C the magic vanished, then him summoning a mirror, strengthening my attack, and sending it back at me. Every now and then, a random cut appears on my body, ignoring my clothes entirely.

    My attempts to disrupt his reflection of my magics fail miserably, too. He turns it back on me, just like he does my attacks. He doesn''t have to speak, but he can do it a lot stronger if he does. I resort to using words of magic, to shape and strengthen my spells, and yet he still manages to evade every one of my attacks.

    The only ones of his that actually hit me are whatever it is he''s doing that''s cutting my skin, but they''re only flesh wounds, nothing deep. The first ones are already healed up, and it''s only been a few minutes since we began the fight.

    The crowd is dead-silent, now.

    I''m staring at Mukura, trying to figure out how to hurt him. Every thirty seconds, a new cut appears on me. None ever go past the skin, though the length and width vary. The larger the surface it''s on, the bigger the wound.

    Just how is he doing that?

    With Caleb here, I know I don''t have to worry about holding back. He''s already strengthened the arena for our fight, which confirmed to me that he can sense this kid''s actual power level. The barrier can hold me and all of my draconic glory.

    In other words, I''ll need to use my draconic powers against this kid.

    With that in mind, I summon the dragon within, feeling my body grow tougher, stronger, more resilient, more powerful, my power beginning to radiate around me as my senses sharpen and magic flows through my vision, a roar breaking through my lips as the onlookers recoil and flinch in fear.

    The kid remains unbothered by my shift in power, his expression neutral.

    Then, he smiles.

    "Finally," he says. "I can go all-out without fear of actually killing you."

    What?

    His body shifts, ever so subtly. I can sense the shift under his clothes, despite not seeing it. His muscles becoming denser, more powerful, his skin becoming tougher, more resilient. His face changes every-so-slightly, looking just a tad less human, and a tad more draconic. His smile widens, his teeth showing, his canines a little longer and sharper than a human''s ought to be.

    He''s another of draconic heritage, and has at least twenty-percent of him of draconic blood.

    The blindfold falls off his face, untied by some unsensed force, revealing his silver eyes. When I look into them, seeing my terrifying reflection, I know that he truly is blind. He cannot see a single thing with those eyes.

    He sacrificed his vision.

    Just like I did with my arm.

    "We are kin," his words from earlier return to me.

    He''s suffered the same pain I have. He knows true magic. He was a Superhuman whose power was released. One who dealt with mirrors, no doubt.

    A piece of knowledge comes to me. An old language, from before the Calamity. Indian? Sanskrit? The name he bearsˇ­ it means ''mirror''. His silver hair and sightless, silver eyes, his name. He was definitely a Superhuman who dealt with mirrors before that happened.

    Before he became a being greater than a normal human with draconic heritage ¨C one who has an immense amount of power and understanding of magic.

    That is why he is able to handle my power so easily. He is no ordinary magician.

    I launch myself forward, snarling, flames swirling around me. If he can absorb my power, then overwhelm it. Force him to take in more than he can handle, and-

    He''s not there. I flew right through him, stumbling from the failed contact I expected. I catch myself, spinning and letting out a roar, more flames bursting forth to hit where he looked to be standingˇ­ only to pass through as if they weren''t there.

    I can''t sense him at all, and have to rely on my sight. To make things worse, his cuts are cutting deeper, now, going into my meat. I''m healing faster, but it''s still annoying, and it still angers me that I can''t stop it, even clad in aura.

    Every spell I use on the kid fails. It either passes through him, or he simply disappears entirely, appearing somewhere else in the arena. He''s not teleporting, though. What the hell is he doing?

    I unleash a ball of fire, throwing it at the center of the arena, and it explodes there, turning into a swirling mass of flames that consume everything in their path. My flames suddenly begin absorbing in several areas, but I continue to pour it on, letting them flood the arena.

    I don''t care that it''s destroyed my magic-resistant clothes ¨C I can reconstruct them after this is over. I don''t care that it''s beginning to burn my skin, which is impervious to all but the hottest heats, making my cuts hurt even more, cauterizing them instantly.

    As long as I beat him, that is fine. Overwhelm his ability to absorb my flames, and win the fight. The barrier here will prevent him from dying, kicking him out of the arena as soon as he ''dies'' within it.

    Mukura lets out a yell of pain just as I''m starting to lose hold over the spell, exerting myself too much with it. Once the flames fade, I see him rolling around on the ground, his uniform incinerated by the power of my spell.

    His skin ¨C much like mine ¨C is already healing, the charred coloration fading to a pale pink.

    He continues to roll around, though. That must have hurt him a lot. Crap. Did I go overboard trying to beat him? His hands are over his eyes. Did I do something to them? They must have been really sensitive, after what he went through. I know my ''stump'', which isn''t even a stump at all, just where my arm once connected to the rest of me used to rest, is sensitive to magical damage.

    Caleb made me all-too aware of that, a few days ago. He poked it while his finger was clad in magic, and it flared up in a way that the rest of my body didn''t when he poked me all over.

    I start to walk over to him, and he starts to calm down. My dragon is cautious, hesitant. Why?

    Once I''m standing in front of him, my dragon roars for me to jump back, and I do, several times, until I''m on the other side of the arena as the boy.

    That was painful. My body hurts like hell from his cuts and my flames, and I moved much too fast for my healing body.

    I stare at the boy, who continues to scream from pain. He heals faster than I do, and only calms down once all visible signs of damage are gone. His brother''s screaming from outside, looking panicked, but can''t get in. The match isn''t over yet.

    With no clue what to do, the boy still lying on the ground, I look at Caleb, who just points back to my opponent.

    When I look at Mukura, he starts to stand up, light shimmering around his body, clothes forming. I reconstruct the sleeveless, shorts, and sneakers I was wearing before, while the boy reconstructed his uniform and blindfold.

    The injuries he hit me with that had yet to heal before I burst the flames left scars, probably because of what happened. They''ll probably fade with time, but after the scar on my arm and the scar on my chest and back, they don''t bother me too much.

    And yet the fact that someone other than Caleb did this to me bothers me. A lot.

    A pair of familiar presences enter the arena, newcomers here to watch the duel still going on. Dragons my own calls out to in friendly greeting. Brooks and Jared.

    I definitely can''t lose now. I mean, I definitely couldn''t before, because of Caleb''s presence, but losing in front of the rest of our surviving team?

    I definitely can''t do that.

    I''m about to cast another spell when I find myself unable to move. The boy didn''t do anything. Well, he''s adjusted his blindfold, so that it''s under his bangs, not resting on them, but that''s about it. I try to manipulate the ground around him, to turn it into quicksand, and the ground under me turns to quicksand instead.

    I harden it as I sink within, only it doesn''t harden. But the ground under him doesˇ­

    What the hell? Focusing on the ground under him, I harden it, and find the quicksand hardened as well. I then push as much as I can, rising out of the ground with my magic, so that I''m standing on it once more. I freeze the ground around me, intending to freeze his feet to the ground, but freeze myself instead.

    After several more tests, I determine that he''s hitting me with anything that he can''t ignore, and the stuff he can, he redirects elsewhere into the arena.

    I flick my eyes to where my team is standing, along with Owen.

    I''m taking a page out of your book, you electricity-crazy maniac.

    Instead of filling the space with fire, I allow my magic to radiate out of me, taking on the form of sparks of electricity. This won''t be as damaging to Mukura, if he can''t redirect it around him. Which he probably can''t, since I''m filling the arena with it.

    The sparks fill the air, crackling around and dancing off of each other, forming a three-dimensional spiderweb of electricity.

    When it reaches Mukura, the sparks dance across his skin, yet I sense them not damaging him at all. In fact, his uniform looks wholly and entirely unbothered by them, despite being mundane and not resistant to magic, like my own outfit.

    My skin itches, and when I look down, I see something strange. Small marks on my arm. Every time a spot itches, a new dot formed, almost likeˇ­ a burn.

    Watching him, I realize that every time a spark touches his skin, a mark forms on me to mirror it.

    The kid is somehow mirroring the magic onto me, making it hurt me instead of him. Just what the hell can I do to stop him?

    In addition to this, those damn cuts keep forming, though they aren''t as bad, now. He switched out of draconic form when he was overwhelmed by the flames. I''m running out of steam now, though. Almost out of magic. He can''t have too much left, either, with how much he''s been using to combat me and redirect my spells.

    As my body kicks out of draconic mode, returning normal, something slams into my chest, throwing me back. The dragon within reacts, telling me to move, and I do, but not fast enough. Too tired, too exhausted to dodge the bolt of lightning dropping down.

    Then, I appear in the changing rooms, out of breath and soaked in sweat.

    I lost.

    I lost to him.

    Someone other than Caleb bested me in a fight.

    I need to get stronger.

    So sore.

    I lie down on one of the benches to recover. That fight drained nearly all of my magic from me, and just wore me out so much. That kid is good.

    Did he learn from Teacher, too?

    The team and Owen locate me in here, Caleb dropping a sphere of water on me, Flame, Brooks, and Owen giving him a funny look when he does that.

    "Why''d you do that?" I ask.

    "You looked like you needed cooling off," he answers as I dry my clothes. "Your body temperature went up because of your exertion, and you were sweating. If you''re not going to go take a shower immediately, you should let the water continue to soak you, so you cool off. Sweat helps you cool off."

    He''s telling someone who lives for fire and swims in lava that he needs to cool off. He does know who he''s talking to, doesn''t he?

    "That doesn''t matter," Caleb says. "Your body is still very much mortal, and if you''re sweating, you need to cool off. Usually. Definitely in this case. Your body overheated. It''s a different type of heat than a volcano."

    So he was in my head.

    "Of course I was," he says. "You certainly weren''t talking."

    He''s in a talkative moodˇ­ I don''t remember him ever talking this much. For any reason.

    "I didn''t know there was someone who could actually compete with Flame," Brooks says. "That matchˇ­ the level of magic just radiating off of Flame, and that kid was able to easily counter it. I''d think he was some sort of Superhuman who could deal with mirror or something, because the ones the video you showed us had in them, but he''s just a magician, right?"

    "Yeah," Caleb nods.

    "Is he human?"

    "A little less so than Flame."

    A little less than me?

    "I couldn''t sense him at all," Jared says. "My dragon was very, very agitated by his presence ¨C or rather, his lack of. How did he do that?"

    "It''s part of my magic," Mukura says, and we all look to him and his brother, who just entered the changing rooms. "I''m able to reflect it, sort of. I turn it back inwards, effectively making it impossible to sense. Mentor definitely can, though."

    "Hey, Caleb," Holden greets him. "Been what, a year?"

    "Hey, Holden," Caleb nods to him.

    They know each other?

    "You know each other?" Jared asks, sound almost hostile. Could he be jealous? "How?"

    "We grew up together," Holden asks. "The orphanage Caleb lived in was in the same neighborhood we lived in. Though I don''t think I''ve heard Caleb talk before. I guess becoming an agent really does change people."

    "What do you mean?" Mukura asks. "Caleb talked all the time, before."

    "No, he didn''t," Holden says. "You never talked with him, anyway."

    "We talked," Caleb says.

    "We did more than talk!" Mukura says. "You taught me how to harness my magic even more after I lost my sight!"

    ˇ­

    He''s had years of mentorship under Caleb on me. No wonder he could best me.

    Wait.

    Caleb''s had a student of his own? Even while he was learning under Teacher? Does Teacher know about this? If so, why did he let Caleb train him?

    Unlessˇ­

    This kid was invisible to Teacher''s perceptions. But how? Teacher can see more than Caleb, can''t he? This is so confusing for me.

    <hr>

    ~~~(???)~~~

    "Teacher!" The Scribe tackles me after I knock on the door. "What brings you back so soon? It''s only been a week out there!"

    "Are you keeping tabs on me?"

    "Maaaabye!"

    I roll my eyes, then ask if I may enter. She grants permission, and I follow her in. She asks about what I''ve been up to.

    "Do you know a boy named Mukura Meyers?"

    "The former Reflect Gifted?" She asks. "Yeah, I saw him when I was doing the rewrites. Caleb taught him magic, after his lessons with you. The boy received his power much in the same way as Flame did."

    "Same source?"

    "Nikvar Nomari?" She asks. "Yeah, your son gave it to him, I think. Circumstances match up ¨C he was in dire need of saving, and then some being I can''t detect pierced his chest the way your kind can do, taking his sight in exchange for understanding and knowledge of magic. He reached the same level of it Flame did, though with your son''s mentorship, he''s a fair bit stronger than him. How did you find out?"

    "Flame and Mukura dueled before I came here," I explain, and she raises an eyebrow. "They''re both in the GMDF."

    "Ah, right," she nods. "Kura was going through basic when you came to me for the changes. He''s mostly the same as before. The only real difference to him is the color of his blindfold, I think. It was white before, but it''s silver, now, to match his hair and eyes. Well, it''s more metallic silver than a mirror silver, but it''s all the same, for the end. So they dueled? How''d it go?"

    "Meyers won," I answer. "Obviously. Flame never stood a chance, though he did nearly take the younger boy out once. They both woke up their dragons and summoned the powers of them for the duel ¨C that''s what caught my attention. Two draconic forces suddenly appearing, and in battle, isn''t hard to notice. All of the dragons remaining on Earth caught it, actually. It took me so long to come to you after because I had to calm them down. Most didn''t know me, and forced me to take on my true form and exert dominance."

    She grimaces at that. A dragon exerting dominance is a violet, bloody affair. It is more than a show of superior might ¨C it is a show that we truly believe they are beneath us. The power to wound the lesser with but a thought, so long as we are in combat, even if we are yet to fight.

    So long as the hostilities between both sides exists, the wounds will continue, hitting at random. Mukura used this against Flame, showing that he truly believed he was the superior, and that Flame was lesser to him.

    Now that he knows that Flame learns from Caleb as well, I wonder how powerful the effect will be. The fight has shown him that he''s truly superior to Flame, but Flame also did quite a number to him, figuring out a way to overwhelm his Contain spell.

    That son of mine proves more troublesome every time I learn something new about him. The other aspects of Meyers'' magic, he''d have known instinctively from his Ability, but that Contain spellˇ­ neither Flame nor Mukura should''ve been able to figure it out on their own. Caleb definitely taught him it.

    "And before you ask," she says. "Altering anything to do with him is about as easy as it is for Caleb and Flame. Well, more than Caleb, but less than Flame. Not much would change unless I went massive."

    "That''s fine," I tell her. "I just wanted to know if you knew about him, and what you did know. He''s somehow able to conceal his presence ¨C I couldn''t actually sense his dragon, but was still aware of it."

    "Reflections," she answers. "He''s got an interesting power, which is probably why Nikvar did that, when he saved him. He hasn''t aged since then, though, and it''s been three years. He''s twelve, despite his looks."

    Flame will likely discover soon that he, too, has stopped aging. At least he looks a little older ¨C nearly fourteen, like he is ¨C but it could still pose problems, later in life.

    I thank the Scribe for the knowledge, then begin the journey out of the Temple.

    My own student had his own student, and I didn''t know about it. The Scribe likely assumed I did, and didn''t mention Mukura because of that, when I was here for the changes. This isn''t as big of a deal, but it does explain some of the odd questions Caleb occasionally had during our sessions, before I sent him to the GSDF.

    And I was so concerned for his ability to defend himself, back then, too. Had he a lack of his reluctance to fight, that boy would never have needed to leave town. A lot of what''s going on would never have happened, and the rewrite wouldn''t have been necessary.

    Just how much did Caleb do or was able to do back then that I don''t know about?

    Caleb concealed the existence of this boy quite well. He never indicated the boy''s existence. Does this have to do with him being in multiple timelines or realities or whatever at a time?

    "Hey!" A voice calls out, and I look over to see a woman not far from me, down a tunnel I was just passing. "A kid got stuck in here? How did you even get here? Do you want to walk with me? I''m trying to get out of this place. I''m sure-"

    "I know the way out," I smile at her. "And your intentions are bare through your false expression. You can''t fool me."

    "I''mˇ­ sorry?" She asks.

    "You''re a namrini," I say. "A type of witch who specializes in consuming children to enhance their powers. Unfortunately for you, I''m not a child. I''m an ancient dragon older than probably any being you''ve ever come across."

    "A dragon?" She snorts. "I''m not sure what fluff you''ve been eating, but-"

    Her words cut off as I ignore the Temple''s powers and take on a smaller version of my true form, scaled down to fit within the halls.

    "I''m normally a lot bigger than this," my voice booms through the Temple, the deep, ancient sound instilling terror into all whose ears it reach, save for the Scribe''s. "But I can''t take on my full size here, or I''d break the place. As it is, I''m somewhat hungry, and you''ve got a fair amount of meat on your body. It won''t fill me all the way, but it''ll satisfy me until I''m out of here."

 Chapter 025

    ~~~(Caleb)~~~

    Jennifer called me up a little bit ago and asked if I could meet her for lunch. Walking into the restaurant, it isn''t difficult for me to notice a few things out of place. Such as Grant sitting right next to her, even if he''s in jeans and a tee. Casual restaurant, casual clothes.

    I''m in uniform dress, though. I''m supposed to be meeting a group of cadets for something. Some big thing or other. I can afford the airship ride, if they leave without me.

    They''ll probably stay for me.

    "Hey, Caleb," Jennifer says as I slide into the booth with them. "I hope you don''t mind that Grant is here."

    "No."

    "Thanks, Caleb," Grant picks up his coffee. "It is good to see that you are doing well."

    "So when are you two getting married?" I ask as Grant starts to take a sip of his coffee.

    He chokes on it, and spends about a minute trying to breathe normally again.

    "You said that on purpose," he says.

    "Said what?"

    "You knew I was going to choke," he says. "You said that then to make me choke."

    "I am offended that you would think that I would do such a thing."

    "Sure," he says. "I read the reports on you, Caleb. You have a tendency to do things like that for your amusement."

    "I don''t know what you''re talking about."

    "How did you know we were going to say that?" Jennifer asks.

    "The ring."

    She looks at her hand.

    "I''m not wearing it," she says. "We were going to leave it off until after you were told."

    "His Ability," Grant says. "Allows him to sense the objects around him. He probably detected it in your pocket."

    That, and I''ve known for awhile they were going to get married. I''m not an idiot, and she made it clear when she talked to me on the phone and in her letters that it was bound to happen. Both of them here to talk to me only told me that.

    That, and they probably wanted him to be here for this. She has to be here, legally.

    "We figured," Grant says. "That we would have our wedding while you were on your two-week vacation after you finish training."

    "I''ll be busy," I say. "Sorry."

    "Busy?" Grant looks confused. "You have two weeks free from any missions and duties-"

    "I have a mission," I state. "My team and I will be leaving immediately after training ends to complete it."

    "They can''t possibly know about-"

    "We may also," I continue. "Require additional time off after, free of any duties. There is something requiring immediate attention, and delaying it past that vacation would cause another Calamity."

    "I can''t tell if you''re serious or joking," Grant says. "And knowing what I know from your files, it could be either."

    "I''m serious," I say. "The same circumstances that caused the Great Calamity two hundred and some-odd years ago are occurring again. If I do not stop it, then it will happen. The absolute latest I can go on the mission, according to the Moon, is that vacation period."

    "The Moon?" Grant asks.

    "He talks to me," I say. "Well, he did, before he was kidnapped. He gave me an emergency message during basic, then hasn''t talked since. Hasn''t been able to muster up the power to contact me. I''m working on it."

    If only Nikvar could stop being lazy and work faster.

    I''m working as fast as I can!

    Hush.

    I can hear everything that goes through your mind, Lus.

    Just be glad you can''t hear everyone unless you tune in. Tauiu is currently singing to a dolphin the proper mating process.

    It''s never been around others before! It has no idea how to actually reproduce, and is really confused!

    And so you''re singing to it?

    Yes!

    Wait, what''s going on?

    Tau apparently sings about dolphin sex.

    The fuck?

    Watch your language.

    Sorry, Lus!

    Thanks.

    You know, if we all keep tuning in like this, it''s likely Father will figure it out.

    Do you think Father remembers Nik and me?

    It''s likely he''s the reason history got rewritten.

    Do you think that, however he did it, he found out about Adam?

    Well, he only just discovered Mukura last week, soˇ­

    Do we know for sure that Father knows about him?

    Dude, there''s no way in the fucking ''verse he doesn''t, after those two boys went at it.

    Language.

    Sorry, Lus!

    And he already reprimanded me for that, too.

    Speaking of Adam, have any of you managed to locate him yet?

    No!

    Nope!

    Sorry!

    Haven''t!

    Unfortunately not!

    Even I can''t detect him.

    We need to find him.

    We know!

    I disconnect them from the group, so that they are only tapped into me again. They all complain about that and tell me that they''ll work harder to find him. We need to find him and end him before Teacher learns of him.

    "Caleb?" Grant asks, and I blink a few times, remembering where I am and what I''m doing. "Are you okay?"

    "Yeah," I nod. "Just talking with the voices in my head."

    "Are you sure you''re okay?"

    "They''re not my voices," I say. "I hear voices, and they tell me things. Did you know that, over in the Eastern African Empire, there''s currently an ice storm? It''s never cold there, yet the snow is staying, and no one knows why. One of the voices is currently there. He''s probably going to stop the blizzard before it ends, he says-"

    I finish explaining, and Grant and Jennifer just stare at me.

    "What did you just say?" Jennifer asks, and I repeat it.

    "Caleb?" Grant says.

    "Yes?"

    "You weren''t speaking English."

    "I wasn''t?"

    "No," he says, and I say it, listening.

    "Huh," I say. "I actually explained it pretty simply, but human brains aren''t capable of processing the level of terms and the language itself. There isn''t a translation into English, but that language has things that don''t translate into any language."

    "What language was that?" Grant asks.

    "It isn''t the oldest there is."

    "I have so many questions right now."

    "I know your engagement," I say. "Isn''t the only reason you''re here. Does it have to do with my birth mother, who is sitting four booths behind me?"

    They look at each other, then Jennifer looks past me, holds up a hand, and gestures for the woman to come over. Grant moves to sit beside me as she takes her seat.

    My biological mother has long, wavy brown hair, dark green eyes, and almost flawless skin. She has a small scar on her left jaw, a slim, pale line along the line of her jaw, but most wouldn''t notice it. It''s about an inch and a half long, so not something most would ignore.

    The reason most don''t notice is because she''s an Enchantress. Not quite the same as Jared''s mother, with her powers of mind manipulation, an Enchantress is an entirely different creature.

    Enchanters and Enchantresses aren''t Gifted, but actual magicians with an innate ability. They have no issue using magic, like Gifted do, and their mana isn''t on reserve for their powers as Enchanters and Enchantresses.

    She can compel men and women alike to do her bidding or confess their darkest secrets. Judging by her level of power, she''s a powerful one. A very powerful Enchantress, actually, though my earlier scan determines that she did nothing to Grant or Jennifer.

    No wonder she''s the one who got pregnant.

    My biological mother is a Mother Enchantress, and she''s sitting right in front of me.

    I''ve never detected a trace of Enchanter power within me. That''s interesting.

    Oh! There it is!

    Wait, you didn''t know you were an Enchanter?

    I thought you knew you had it. That explains sooo much.

    Y''all shut up.

    No!

    That was all six of them. ONLY TWO OF YOU TALKED!

    "I never thought I''d be in front of Tabitha Coleman," I tell her. "This is quite interesting."

    "You know me?" She asks.

    "You''re one of the five Mother Enchantresses," I confirm. "Of course I know who you are."

    "He''s talking in front of someone new," Grant looks at me. "He''s in a mood."

    "The voices are annoying me," I tell him.

    "Who is Tabitha Coleman?" He asks.

    "My biological mother."

    "Did you know she was?"

    "No."

    "Then who is she?"

    "The woman sitting across from you," I say. "Do you need more help?"

    "One of the five most powerful Enchantresses in the world," Tabitha says, looking at me. "We don''t often advertise who we are, and I''m one of the lesser-known ones. How did you know who I am?"

    "I make it a habit to know all who all of the powerful mortals are," I say. "Plus, I read the file the Council of Dreams has on you. I''m surprised Grant hasn''t."

    Grant sighs, letting his head hang forward for a moment before looking at me.

    "What got eaten this time?"

    "What makes you think someone ate something?"

    "You get like this," he says. "Whenever someone ate something of yours. What did they eat, and who did it?"

    "I don''t know who did it," I answer. "And he ate biscuits."

    "Biscuits?" Grant asks.

    "I stuck them in a little container," I say. "Designed to preserve them, enchanted by myself. I woke up this morning, and they were gone. The container was there. They stole my cookies before. I haven''t caught them yet. One of these days, I''m going to find out who''s stealing my food."

    "Okay," Grant looks back to Tabitha. "I''m surprised I haven''t heard of something like a Mother Enchantress before, would you mind telling me how that happened?"

    "The Council''s forces," she explains. "Are most heavily active on this continent and two others. We tend to attract attention, as do all Enchantresses and Enchanters, and prefer to stay out of the way of the Council''s strong areas. We do, occasionally, work with you, but for the most part, we''re left to our own devices, and run our own areas."

    "The Council actually has them designated," I tell Grant. "Were you to be anywhere near one of those areas for a mission, you''d probably be warned of it. Tabitha lives in Aisrli, and keeps the Enchanters and Enchantresses in that area under control."

    She''s also smoking hot.

    Very hot.

    Did you guys really just tap in again?

    Yep!

    Absolutely!

    You''re in front of a Mother Enchantress, can you honestly tell me you didn''t expect this?

    You guys need to behave.

    "If you didn''t know who she was," Jennifer says. "How did you know she was your biological mother?"

    "I''m in your mind at all times."

    Well, not since I reverted back from being my kid self, but was when I walked in here, just in case. They were both thinking about Tabitha, and she was thinking about me. It took almost no time at all to sift through their thoughts to determine she was my birth mother.

    "That''s kind of creepy," the two women say.

    "I haven''t told them the full extent of your powers," Grant leans over a little bit.

    "Ah," I say, then look at Jennifer and Tabitha. "I am the single most powerful Gifted and magician in the world, putting aside Teacher and the Sage, both of whom are full-fledged dragons."

    "Your dad is a dragon?" Grant asks in shock.

    "And I''ve now bound every person who heard that so they can''t reveal it," I smile at him. "Thank you, for sharing that."

    "The Sage is your father?" Jennifer asks as Tabitha asks, "Your father''s a dragon?"

    "The Sage is a dragon?" They both ask.

    Are you glad you put up that barrier?

    Shut up, Nikvar.

    I found a dragon''s egg. Do you think Father knows about it?

    Shut up.

    Seriously, though! You know he''s keeping track of all dragons here.

    How did you even find an egg that isn''t guarded by another dragon?

    I''m more in-tune with my draconic nature than you are. It wasn''t hard. Plus, I''m actually near it. It''s an ancient egg. I''m going to incubate it.

    Don''t give me details.

    "He''s not answering," Grant says as I tell them that I''m trying to have a conversation here. "Getting answers out of Caleb, Tabitha, is about as easy asˇ­ well, that explains it."

    "Yeah," Jennifer nods. "That would definitely explain it."

    Tabitha looks confused.

    "Dragons," I say, and everyone looks at me. "They were thinking about dragons, Tabitha. Grant was going to say that getting answers out of me is about as easy as getting an answer out of dragons. I''m sixty-three percent dragon, so it makes sense that you''d see similarities."

    They all stare at me.

    "I''m thirty-seven percent human," I shrug. "Also, Tabitha, you''re fourteen percent dragon. I inherited most of my draconic power from my father."

    I decided that they won''t remember any of this after this conversation ends.

    Jerk.

    You could at least let someone remember.

    How about the cat that''s staring at you through the window?

    Actually, that''s a tiger.

    Why is there a tiger sitting outside the window?

    I look out the window, and sure enough, there''s a tiger sitting there, staring right at me through the glass.

    Well, that''s interesting.

    "Is there anything you wanted to know?" I look back at Tabitha, pretending I didn''t see the tiger sitting there, staring at me.

    It knows I did, though.

    Bad kitty.

    "So many things," she says. "And so many more, now that I''ve spoken with you and these two for a few minutes."

    "Where would you like to start?"

    "I have no idea."

    "For an Enchantress?" I ask. "That''s impressive. Am I that enchanting?"

    She gives me a smile that says she thinks I''m a smart-aleck, and I give her a questioning look in return. Maybe I am a smart-aleck, but I can still play it after being told they know.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    "He''s nothing like you told me," Tabitha tells Jennifer. "You told me he was quiet and shy, and rarely talked, if ever."

    "Training," Grant tells her. "He made some close friends, and opened up a bit. There have been a few incidents, and Caleb''s opened up. A fair few of them have been classified by the Council, so if you''d like to know, you''d have to go through them."

    "I thought it odd," she says. "When I attempted to locate Caleb, that what few details I could glean were classified, and that I had to go through the Council in order to even find out he was alive. Of course, hearing his file was classified told me he was, but you get the idea of how secure information about him is. Is there any reason I can ask?"

    Grant doesn''t respond, and Jennifer shrugs, saying she doesn''t know.

    "Wow," Grant looks at me. "You blab it out to people left and right, but when your own mother asks, you don''t?"

    "Jennifer''s my mother," I say. "Tabitha just got impregnated by a dragon without her knowledge or consent, or even contact with it."

    "How did you-"

    "Know that you got pregnant without the deed?" I ask. "My father''s a dragon. Just accept it for what it is, especially since my familiars are a Rift Wolf, a phoenix, and a unicorn."

    "Seriously?" She asks, and I nod. "What''s next, a dragon?"

    "And now he''s going to get one," Grant groans.

    "I''m sixty-three percent dragon," I say. "Do you really think I''d make one my familiar?"

    "Yes," he says. "You would do exactly that, just to see if you could."

    If this egg hatches, it''s all yours.

    Are you sitting on it?

    I''m currently cuddling it. It''s bedtime for me, so I''m nesting.

    Please leave the group tap before you sleep, no one wants to hear you snoring.

    That wasn''t me, that was the dog you heard last time. Don''t forget that I was awake during some of the snoring.

    Some.

    It was the dog. None of us snore.

    "The voices?" Grant asks.

    "They talk to me all the time," I tell him. "I try to tell them to go away, but they can''t. I can''t even tune them out. Sometimes, they hold entire conversations with themselves. I feel like I''m going crazy, when this happens."

    Maybe you have gone crazy?

    I have half a mind to throw the six of you into the Battle Board.

    NOT AGAIN!

    All six of them quiet down after yelling that.

    "Did your eyes just flash violet?" Tabitha asks me.

    "They do that when I use heavy magics," I say. "Though they also do it on occasion on their own."

    "Which was it this time?" Grant asks.

    "So did you have any questions for me?" I ask. "Grant wishes to know some stuff about a mission I''ve assigned myself, to do after training ends."

    Tabitha nods, beginning to ask questions, and the four of us talk for over two hours. The tiger remains there the entire time, watching me. People look at it curiously, but no one does or says anything to it.

    This is a town filled with Superhumans and magicians. Something like that isn''t really out of the ordinary, and even if they felt unsafe by its presence, there are guards everywhere.

    When Tabitha finally satisfies her curiosity, she asks if we would be able to meet again sometime, possibly with the family. I tell her that she''ll need to get into touch with Grant and Jennifer, so that they can see if I''m available or on a mission, and go from there. Then, she leaves.

    I thought she''d never leave!

    Did you see the size of those boobs?

    Man, Enchanters and Enchantresses are the luckiest guys and gals in the world. Natural looks, gifted where it counts, killer intelligence, and a magical charm that draws people in to them.

    "Why is there a tiger staring at you?" Jennifer asks.

    "One thing we''ve learned," Grant slides out of the booth to return to Jennifer''s side. "Is to not ask questions, where Caleb''s concerned."

    "Yet you''re about to do just that," I say.

    "You''re really upset about these biscuits, aren''t you?"

    "They were garlic and cheese biscuits."

    Yes, I''m pouting. Deal with it. I really wanted to eat those.

    Figured out who ate them, by the way. It was a guy named Eric Shawn. He ate your cookies, too.

    Thanks, Tauiu.

    No problem. Why didn''t you ask me the first time?

    "You really love those," Jennifer says.

    "I finally figured out your recipe."

    She stares at me.

    "So what''s the mission you''ve assigned yourself?" Grant asks. "How are you stopping another Calamity?"

    "By disrupting their plans," I answer. "They''re doing the same thing done two hundred and some years ago that began the Great Calamity in pursuit of personal power gain, for the same reason. I can stop it. The absolute latest that I''m able to do that without destroying the world would be right after training finishes."

    That is, unless whatever happened to change the past didn''t change the timeline set for that. Something is different, and it''s bothering me.

    And it''s not the tiger.

    That''s Sammy.

    "You''re sure?" Grant asks.

    "Mostly."

    "I can authorize leave for you," he says. "Make it another mission. I''d just need details."

    "I''m not at liberty to discuss them."

    No one would approve a mission based on the word of a boy, even if he''s the Sage''s son and has proven himself to be far more knowledgeable than he shares. I''ll need to track down Jeremy, see if he can tell me the proper timeline on this, since I cannot contact the Moon again.

    All attempts fail, and even Nikvar fails to create a connection. It''s frustrating me, but I can still sense his power. Now that I''ve awakened a fair bit, from how I was when training began, I can think with a calmer, more focused mind. Flex my powers in ways I couldn''t before, sense things I could make neither heads nor tails of before.

    All of that allows me to know the Moon is still around, his power is weak, and yet at the same time, I cannot sense his location, and nor can I contact him.

    It''s so frustrating.

    I really, really, really want to feel his pure light on me again, that cool, comforting glow with his presence filling it. Only he and Kieran have ever made me feel truly safe, and Kieranˇ­

    I''m sorry, Caleb. I wasn''t able to get there in time.

    It wasn''t your fault, Nikvar. You weren''t aware that was happening, and was just doing what you normally do. There''s a reason I don''t really communicate with you six often. It sucks that I can''t block you from my thoughts, after accidentally turning myself into a kid.

    I still think it has to do with what you did to Alkran, rather than the reverting.

    It''s a shame I couldn''t downgrade it from Ruins. Do any of you remember what I went in there for? I can''t remember anything about my trip in there at all.

    They all tell me they don''t, as I hadn''t told them and could block them out back then, so they weren''t always hearing my thoughts and receiving my sensory input. If only we could figure it out. I checked my ring, too, and there''s nothing in any of its dimensions.

    Well, I didn''t check the one, but I never stick anything in there.

    I did find a random goblin in one of them. He called himself Bar and stuck to me. He claims we''ve met in the past, which only further confirms that someone screwed with the past. He claims that I had to kill Tommy, and when I did, I took his Gift into me, just like I did with the Elemental Quartet, giving the brothers'' powers to the remaining two.

    Yet I don''t have Perception.

    None of this makes any sense. Kilmar himself is confused, and my brothers have no idea what happened, or how it did. We don''t remember everything, but we remember bits and pieces, and we are positive Teacher did something to cause the past to change.

    But what? And how? The Dragons of Creation would never do something like that, there are too many things at risk. They''re the only beings I know of with that power.

    However, if Teacher was able to do that, then he likely found out about certain things. We got lucky with Mukura, but if he discovered Adam, tooˇ­

    That would be a problem.

    That''s why they''re seeking him out, instead of investigating how Teacher altered the past and made it the actual past.

    "Caleb," Grant says, and I look at him. "You didn''t hear a word of what I said, did you?"

    "I heard you," I say. "I just wasn''t paying attention. You taught me a few years ago that there''s a difference between hearing and listening."

    He takes a few moments to respond to that.

    "What can you tell me about the mission?" He asks. "Other than that it''s to stop a second Calamity?"

    "The Moon needs my help," I tell him. "My team is also needed. I, alone, won''t be powerful enough. I''ll need my team."

    Don''t continue that line of thought. If Father is listening, he''d hear you say it.

    I''m not an idiot, Nikvar. You know Father will be absurdly pissed if he discovers I''m planning on entering the Temple of the Dragon King as soon as it''s available for me to enter. He''ll do everything he can to stop me from entering there.

    I really want to see if going in there will let me break these binds on my draconic nature. I already got set back in my level of power by that change in history. Some of the seals reformed during it, and a new one appeared.

    Teacher is aware that these seals make me a little bit different, doesn''t he? Things that can affect me without them cannot affect me with them. And he accidentally added another seal on me.

    Unless he got scared I was going to be more powerful than him, and got a little nervous by having that much power in a boy. Then I can understand him doing that, and will need some choice words with him.

    After I deal with the tiger.

    "You tuned us out again, didn''t you?" Grant asks.

    "Just thinking about things," I tell him. "I''m doing something after I stop the next Calamity that''s going to really upset Teacher."

    "You''re going to do something that upsets a dragon?" Jennifer asks. "Are you sure that''s a good idea?"

    "He''ll get over it," I tell her. "Just like he''s going to get over Mukura."

    You knew I was listening in, didn''t you?

    Heya, Garis.

    Garis is a falcon Teacher contracted as a familiar. An Aether Falcon. They''re a rare species, and powerful, but not close to any of my familiars. Just old.

    Who are you talking to, and why are you projecting it to me?

    I have an audience. Now shoo, before I set you aflame.

    As if you''d-kree!

    Garis leaves.

    Heh. Sweet little Caleb, setting aflame the familiars of one of the most powerful beings in existence. You''re a brave one. He''s gone, by the way.

    I know.

    "He''s probably," I say. "Going to spend a little while wondering how much I''ve changed recently. I just set one of his familiars aflame for listening in on us."

    They both stare at me.

    "It''s like I''m looking at a different person," Jennifer comments.

    "Yeah," Grant says. "I have had that same reaction a few times since he started training."

    "It''s just a reminder," Jennifer smiles. "That all the boys and girls in my care grow up eventually. Caleb''s the first I haven''t seen the changes for as they happen, and it''s so strange to me."

    "Caleb''s in the habit of freezing people who are annoying him," Grant says. "Not literally, just a simple halting spell, to make them stop moving until he''s ready to deal with them. Or gone. He also runs people in circles when they try to get answers, or blatantly ignores questions. There was this one time-"

    "Were you two wanting me for anything else?" I ask. "I''m supposed to be going to the skyport, to catch an airship. Actually, I''ve probably missed it already. I''ll just catch another one, to meet up with everyone."

    "I had them delay it by six hours," Grant says. "So you''ve still got about four hours before you need to be there."

    "Thanks," I say. "Anything else?"

    "No," he answers. "Thanks for meeting with us."

    "See you," I slide out of the booth and leave.

    The tiger follows me, and I lead it into an abandoned area nearby, then climb up onto a dumpster, sitting on it with my legs hanging over the edge. The tiger sits down, looking up at me.

    "Hi, Sammy."

    Caleb!

    "How are you?"

    I''m good! It''s so good to see you again! I couldn''t believe it, when I caught your scent! You''ve gotten so much bigger!

    "So have you," I tell him. "You''re a full-grown tiger, now. How come you''re still in that form?"

    You know why he is, why are you asking him that?

    Shut up, Nikrav.

    Just saying, since you can read his magics.

    I''m sick, Caleb. I last longer in this form than in my normal form. I contracted estratis about five years ago. I''ve stuck to this tiger form for the last three years, to prolong my life. That, along cycling my aura, has really helped me.

    "How did you survive the massacre?"

    I''m not sure. I felt a power akin to yours, then found myself halfway across the world. It made my fur stand on end! It was like yours, but it also felt all scary! I was so scared! I''ve never been that scared before! Well, other than while we were all being eaten and killed, but I was growling and swiping left and right! And then suddenly, that feeling of power hit me, and I was so scared!

    "That was probably me," I tell him. "Sorry. As you heard, I''m more dragon than human. When I flexed my powers back then, it was probably tapping into that draconic side. I can''t do it at will, but have confirmed that it resulted in several of us surviving. Tommy survived, but he''s dead, now. He tried to kill me. Jeremy''s alive. He''s in town, actually. Kieran was alive, but he got bested by a more powerful Perception."

    Wasn''t Jon the Perception?

    "Yeah," I nod. "Apparently, when I saw Jon die, I flexed Reality in such a way that it fed his power into Kieran, giving Kieran all his power. Supposedly, I did that with Tommy, but I can''t sense his legacy within me. I''m so glad you''re alive, Sammy."

    I won''t be for long. I don''t think I have more than a few months left. I''m really happy I got to see you again, though! You were always my favorite! Jeremy''s alive?

    "Yeah," I nod. "I''ve been avoiding going to him. He knows where I am, but hasn''t come to talk to me, so he''s probably as nervous to see me again as I am to see him again. Would you like me to take you to him?"

    Yeah!

    That doesn''t surprise me, seeing how close they were before. They, like all of us, held a bond akin to brotherhood. They were a part of my crew, though. Them, Kieran, Jon, and a couple of others. Not many left of the tightest crew.

    Caleb?

    "Yeah?"

    Umˇ­ I have something to ask you.

    "Sure."

    Can you shapeshift? I''ve heard you''re a powerful magician, in addition to a Superhuman.

    "No, I can''t," I shake my head. "It''s one of the few magics I can''t access. Some of my powers are bound up, and while I can do most things, so long as I have the magic for it, shapeshifting magic isn''t something that''s normal for someone to possess. Until the six Ancient Seals on me are broken, I won''t be able to shapeshift."

    I''m not sure how many tigers you''ve talked to, Sammy drops his head, his ears flattening against his head. But estratis is really, really painful. It''s awful, and I just want to escape. Then I remembered that I survived it, and thought that maybe others did, tooˇ­ but it''s so painful, Caleb. It''s so painful, and it''s hard to bear. I don''t know if I can make it the next few months.

    Sammy''s crying, now.

    It''s so painful, Caleb. I''m so happy I found you, and I wanna see Jeremy again, too. It''s a shame I can''t meet Kieran again, I bet he was so cool.

    "He was," I nod. "Hadˇ­ something, something big not happened, I would''ve been here to protect him, I would''ve been able to stop him. The Perception''s power wouldn''t have worked on me, and I could''ve ended him. My Reality Marbles are absolute, and he wouldn''t have been able to escape them or my notice."

    Sammy and I are silent for several minutes, before he sighs, lying down with his head on his paws, his eyes closed.

    Could you do it?

    "Do what?" I ask.

    Take my powers into yourself, Cay, he answers. It''s so painful. Could youˇ­ could you end it, for me, and take my powers into you? I don''t want to keep going like this. If you don''t want to, I''ll try to stick it out to the end. But it''s so hard, Caleb, and I don''t want to go through this pain anymore.

    "Youˇ­ want me to kill you?" I ask, and he starts sobbing.

    It''s just so hard, Caleb! It''s so hard to live with this much pain! If I weren''t able to take on a tiger''s form, I wouldn''t have ever contracted estratis, but because I''m a Transmuter who can turn into a tiger, I did! I was human when I contracted it, too! It''s just so hard, Cay! It''s so painful!

    If I killed Tommy, it would have been out of necessity, survival. For Sammyˇ­ could I do that? Would I be able to? He''s in so much pain, he''s being honest with me.

    "Do you want to meet Jeremy again, first?"

    You will?

    "I can try," I slide off the dumpster, crouching and putting a hand on his head. "But I''m not sure I can, especially since you''re a good kitty."

    Kitty?

    "I don''t like cats," I nod. "But kitties like you are okay."

    I''m a tigerˇ­ oh, right. I''m used to other people. Do you have any doggies around?

    "Kilmar."

    Who? He asks as Kilmar materializes beside us from my summon. Umˇ­ that''s a big doggy.

    "Isn''t he?" I ask, looking at Kilmar. "Do you know any cures for estratis?"

    "No," Kilmar answers.

    His voices sounds so strange, in my head.

    "He''s a good doggy."

    "Rift Wolves aren''t even mortal, Caleb. And you still call me a doggy."

    "You''re a doggy," I say. "Just like Sammy''s a kitty."

    I scratch behind Sammy''s ears.

    "You can go, Kilmar."

    Kilmar huffs, but leaves.

    The collective knowledge between my brothers and myself, and whatever this strange source of knowledge we have is, contains nothing about a cure for estratis, and examining how it works using my magical senses fails to give me any insight.

    I''ve looked into estratis before, since I know you like tigers. I''ve yet to figure out a way to heal it.

    I know, I just thought that maybe I could figure something out, after seeing it in person. This sucks.

    "Would you like to see Jeremy again?" I ask.

    I''d love to, Cay. I wanna see Jeremy again.

    "Let''s go," I stand and start walking, and he stands and follows me.

    Forty-five minutes later, we arrive at a motel. I knock on the door, but there''s no response.

    It sounds like he''s sleeping.

    "He is," I say. "Just figured I''d see about knocking, first."

    I open the door, letting Sammy in before entering, myself, then close the door.

    Jeremy is sleeping on top of the covers in his boxers, his patch resting on the nightstand, along with several stacks of cards.

    Aren''t these the ones you made him? Sammy says from the nightstand, looking at one of the stacks.

    I nod, surprised that Jeremy still has them. I walk over and look through them. They''re old and faded, but still usable and in decent condition. He uses them for serious readings of the future, the ones he needs a lot of power for.

    What was that for?

    "What was what for?" I ask softly.

    You just shifted, as if registering something. You used to do it all the time when we were little.

    "Nothing to worry about."

    I''ve send this happen a few times, a slight shift that isn''t. Kieran likely noticed it a few times, but never said anything to me. It happens too fast for me to catch, almost as if it doesn''t happen at all. The only thing I can really think of to cause that, I only know of one person alive in my life who would be able to, but he probably-

    Well, Sammy and Jeremy are both still alive, Tommy used to be, Kieran used to be. I guess Todd could be, too, then. It would certain explain these shifts. I didn''t have access to the level of magical senses that I do now back then, which would explain why I never felt this sensation then.

    He''s waking up.

    I look over at Jeremy. Sammy''s sitting by the bed, now, looking at him. When he wakes, he stares at us, looking completely confused, his body shrouding in aura and filling the room with as much as he can muster without damaging anything.

    "Who are you?" He frowns. "And how can you resist my aura?"

    "I''ve always been able to," I say. "So has Sammy here."

    "Sammy?" He asks, then looks at the tiger. "Sammy," he looks back at me, looking me up and down. "Caleb!"

    He launches himself at me, wrapping his arms around me in a hug.

    "I''m sorry I haven''t come talked to you," he says quietly. "I''ve wanted to so bad, butˇ­ it''s hard."

    "Yeah," I say. "Sammy misses you, too."

    "Yeah," Jeremy releases me and looks at Sammy. "Why aren''t you coming out of that form?"

    It''ll accelerate my death. In human form, I probably only have a few hours left. This way, I have a few months, I think. I don''t want to risk having less time, or I''d turn back to human and hug.

    Jeremy sits down and wraps his arms around Sammy, who then puts a paw over his shoulder and against his back.

    "This works," Jeremy says. "How are you dying?"

    "He has estratis," I explain, sitting on the other bed in the room. "Contracted it about five years ago, he said. Only found out I was alive today, and found me while I was meeting the woman who ran the orphanage I lived in after the massacre."

    "I''ve missed you guys so much," Jeremy looks at me, releasing Sammy and sitting with his back against the bed, Sammy lying down and resting his head on Jeremy''s lap. "So much."

    "I''ve missed all of you," I say. "Sorry for not coming to visit sooner, Jere, I justˇ­"

    "I know," he sighs. "Same here. I''ve seen the others in your team, though only gave prophecies to Flame and Kieran. They''re the only ones I actually talked with, though Brooks was there when I gave Flame his. Their prophecies kind of scared me. I was going to leave, but then wanted to talk to you about them. How are they?"

    "They''re okay," I say. "Flame, Brooks, and Jared are still training, though I know Brooks and Jared were called for the same training thing I was. Not sure what Flame''s doing right now, since he''s in the GMDF. If I tapped into my Passive Territory for a moment, I could find out. They''re doing well."

    "And Kieran?"

    "Dead."

    "What?" He asks. "Setting the impossibility of that aside, there isn''t a reason in the world you''d kill him."

    "I killed him?" I ask.

    "The prophecy," he nods. "Each of your teammates will be killed by the person they love the most, and they will all be killed by the same person. It didn''t show me who, but when I talked with Kieran, I got the sense that he loved you more than anyone. But even if you had killed him, there''s no way he''s had time for all the things I saw, when I did his reading. First off, I definitely saw him in the Temple of the Dragon King, and-"

    "But he''s dead," I say. "One of my brothers saw him die right in front of him."

    "Who?"

    "Biological," I say.

    "Oh, the dragon boys."

    "Yeah," I nod. "Nikvar saw him die right in front of him. Even said heˇ­ that''s not right."

    "What?" Jeremy asks.

    "Kieran," I say. "Was more powerful with light than he was with shadows."

    "Yeah, just like when we were younger," Jeremy puts a hand on Sammy''s head, scratching behind his ears. "Why?"

    "Nikvar, you''re absolutely positive that," I say. "While he turned to his element in the way of the dragons who die, it was shadows he turned to?"

    Positive.

    "Dragons?" Jeremy asks.

    Cay smells like dragons. I''ve smelled them before, up north. They mostly ignored me.

    "I have draconic heritage," I nod. "So does the rest of my team, Kieran included. Certain types of dragons ¨C particularly elemental ones ¨C will turn to their elements when they died. Kieran did the same thing, only he turned to shadows. He should''ve turned to the one he was strongest with, even if he wasn''t using his light powers very often."

    We sit in silence at that.

    What the hell happened to Kieran? He died before he should have, by someone who isn''t the one to kill him, and faded into an element he shouldn''t have. Setting aside whatever it was Teacher did, if Kieran was alive, I''d know for sure, and resurrection isn''t possible, which means that the change to history didn''t undo his death, and no one else did, either.

    No one could have.

    So what happened to Kieran?

    Especially since he can''t possibly have been in the Temple of the Dragon King. It isn''t time for it to be available yet.

    This doesn''t make any sense.

    There it is again, that sense. I was prepared for it, though, and caught a glimpse of the person doing it.

    Todd''s definitely alive, and he''s in town.

    "We-" Jeremy stops talking as I reach my hand out, and a moment later, someone appears in my grip, yelping. "What did you just do?"

    "Magic," I answer. "I pulled him from where he was."

    "Who the hell are you three?" Todd takes several steps away the moment I release his jacket. "I willˇ­"

    He frowns, looking between the three of us, then focusing on me, his gaze hateful as a spear of aura forms in his hand.

    "How did you disconnect me from my Gift?"

    "Magic," I answer. "Your aura is as powerful as ever, Todd. That''s Sammy with his head on a lap. You can figure out who the two of us are yourself."

    "What are you-" he cuts himself off, looking between Jeremy and me, his eyes flicking to the cards a few times before settling on Jeremy and his heterochromatic eyes, particularly the silver one.

    Specials tend to have unusual eyes, either when using their Gift, like Todd and me, or at all times, like with Jeremy''s silver eye.

    "Jeremy," Todd relaxes, just a smidgen, but then looks at me. "But who are you?"

    "Seriously?" Jeremy asks at the same time Sammy does.

    "What?" Todd asks.

    Jeremy stares at him with a ''you''re an idiot'' expression.

    "Wait a second," Todd says. "I thought Gifted couldn''t use magic? Especially powerful Gifted, such as Creators?"

    "It''s a bit more complicated than that," I tell him. "Are you really resorting to thieving?"

    "I do what I must to survive," he says, his spear fading away. So glad he''s not going to fight me. "I met one of your friends."

    "You did?"

    "Brooks."

    "How did that go?"

    "It didn''t," he answers. "Someone fucked with time. Brooks and I never met, but I remember everything, for some reason. I was completely unaffected when it happened. It spanned several days, but it felt weird, seeing things just suddenly shift like that."

    He''s still on guard, even knowing it''s us. What''s he been through, to put him so on guard, even around people he considers brothers still?

    Oh.

    Oh, wow. That''sˇ­ that''s a lot.

    "Are you in my head?" He looks at me.

    "Why do you think that?"

    "Your face," he and Jeremy both answer. "Your pupils always take on a slight tinge of violet to them, when you''re sifting through someone''s mind."

    "It''s barely perceptible," Jeremy says. "We only caught on to it at the academy because you did it so often. What was in his mind?"

    "No!" Todd protests.

    "I wasn''t going to share the really bad stuff," I say. "That would be mean."

    All three of them stare at me intently.

    "What?"

    "That''s something you would do."

    "Not to my brothers!"

    Jeremy and Sammy laugh, and Todd smiles just a tad. I pat the bed next to me.

    "Come on and sit down," I say. "It''s been awhile since we''ve gathered. Most of us thought the others were dead. It''d be even funnier if there was a fifth in the city right now."

    Actually, let me see if there is.

    I tap into my Passive Territory, using my magic to filter through everyone within range, pushing it as far as it will expand to cover the entire city. I feel myself grin, and they all give me wondering looks.

    "There are three more."

    I reach out, grabbing and pulling one of them, throwing him onto the bed behind Jeremy. Then, before he can react, grab another, tossing him over my shoulder onto the bed I''m sitting on. Then, before either of them have reacted, reach out and grab the third, dropping him on the ground in front of me.

    "The remaining members of the gang!" I tell them. "They''re alive! If only Kieran, Jon, and Tommy were still around, we''d be a complete set!"

    "Kieran, Jon, and Tommy?" The one on the ground looks up at me. "Caleb!"

 Chapter 026

    ~~~(Jared)~~~

    "It''s so cute!" Flame squeals, and I look over to where the GMDF agents are eating. He''s staring at a white tiger in excitement. "Look at it, Davis! It''s so big and fluffy! I''ve never seen a white liger before!"

    Liger? A mix between a tiger and a leopard? White ligers, specifically, are crosses between white tigers and snow leopards, and I can now see the thicker tail and the spots on the legs that meld into the strips of the body. Massive paws and body.

    It kind of is adorable, but is also giving a Flame a look that reminds me of Caleb, when he thinks Flame is being annoying. The white liger definitely knows Flame''s about to go up and hug it.

    If I didn''t know that Caleb can''t shapeshift, I''d think it was him.

    It''s probably a friend of his. Or a familiar. Or just some random white liger he found and decided to ask for a favor. Especially since it''s got something tied around its neck.

    "Who''s a good kitty?" Flame ruffles the white liger''s fur, messing with its ears, and I swear, I can hear it huff from over here.

    Oh, wait. I probably can. Dragon senses.

    The dragon in me chuckles when I remember that, and I get a little annoyed by the fact that it tends to have its own personality, even though it''s me.

    "What''s this?" Flame looks at the cord tied around the white liger''s neck, then pulls it off. "It''s a letter addressed to the Colonel. Colonel Spencer!"

    Flame waves the letter at the GSDF trainer, who looks at him annoyed.

    "You''ve got a letter from the kitty!"

    People chuckle, and the GSDF trainer approaches, taking the envelope and opening it, reading the paper inside. It looks official, from what I can find.

    He looks down at the white liger.

    "Hello, Caleb," he says, then looks at one of the other leaders. "Everyone''s here! Let''s move out!"

    "Where''s Caleb?" Someone asks as I walk over.

    "He''s the tiger," Colonel Spencer answers the GMDF agent.

    "White liger," Flame corrects. He''s scratching behind the white liger''s ears, and it''s leaning its head in. "Who''s a good kitty?"

    Cue the annoyed look. He knew it was Caleb from the start, didn''t he? If that really is Caleb. Caleb can''t change his form, he''s complained about that before.

    Well, complained in the way he complains. So he just made a mention of it at some point with a wistful look in his eyes.

    "Caleb can''t change his form," I tell Colonel Spencer, then look at Flame. "Remember?"

    "It''s Caleb," Flame rubs his head into the white liger''s. "Can''t you smell it? And sense his dragon?"

    The dragon in me isn''t reacting to the white liger, but when I inhale with my draconic sense of smell, I can smell Caleb on the white liger, faintly. Caleb, and six others, all male, includingˇ­ a tiger.

    He couldn''t shift before, but I can smell a tiger on him, and he''s transformed. He can also transfer someone''s Gift into someone else, at the moment of their death.

    The only reason I can think of for him to transfer them into himself would beˇ­ one of his brothers. Someone from the orphanage he lived at in Alkran City. That would explain why he''s sticking to the white liger form, then. His brother must have had that form.

    "Ow!" Flame exclaims, then bops Caleb on the head. "Bad kitty! No biting!"

    Caleb looks over at Mukura, who just arrived. That kid unnerves me. I still can''t sense his dragon, yet he definitely has one, if Caleb''s brother gave him the same treatment he gave Flame. That, and Caleb casually mentioned that he did.

    I''m not looking forward to two magicians with that much magical power being my enemies for this mission. Caleb probably won''t go full-power, either, if he''s mourning a brother''s death.

    That, or he''d just take everyone out.

    Caleb gives me a sharp glare before nuzzling Mukura''s leg, causing the younger boy to start petting him. Oh, right. I''m not supposed to know what mission we''re on. It''s not like it''s a secret, since they do it every April. Most of the cadets here probably already know the general mission, just not the specifics, since those generally change every time.

    Sort of like what Caleb says is the truthˇ­

    They tell everyone that we''re taking off, and ten minutes later, we''re in the air. Caleb''s laid down in a corner, curling up with his head on his paws. Jeez, that looks so weird. I approach Flame and Mukura, who have been joined by Holden, Brooks, and Owen.

    "Hey, guys," I say, and they look at me.

    "Caleb''s somehow turned himself into a white liger," Brooks tells me. "But he won''t tell us how."

    "He''s talking?"

    "Sometimes," he nods. "He''s doing it telepathically."

    "Caleb," I say. "Are you in my mind?"

    He opens one eye, glaring at me.

    "Please enter it."

    What do you want?

    Can you shoo away the others so we can talk? In private? And put up a barrier against eavesdropping?

    Why?

    Please?

    Caleb stands up, looking at each of the others, then gives me a ''follow me'' look before padding off.

    "What are you guys talking about?" Owen asks.

    "I''ll tell you," I say. "If Caleb lets me."

    I follow Caleb to one of the cabins and locks the door. A moment later, I feel a faint trace of magic.

    The room is sealed. No one can eavesdrop on us.

    I slip out of my shoes, jacket, and belt, then climb up onto the bed and lie down, looking at Caleb.

    "Come here, you big kitty-cat," I tell him, patting the bed. "I know what must have happened. I know you want to cuddle someone."

    Caleb hangs his head down, then pads over to the bed and jumps up, lying down next to me, his head on my chest. He exhales heavily, shakes, then starts crying into my shirt. I feel like we''ve done this before, but have no memory of it.

    He eventually calms down, but is still conscious. If he gets talking about what happened, he''ll probably end up crying himself to sleep. For now, he just rests here, eyes closed, body vibrating.

    "Caleb?" I stroke his fur, and he ''hmms'' in response. "The smells lingering on youˇ­ six other males, including a tiger. More brothers?"

    Yeahˇ­

    "The tiger," I say. "He was a Transmuter, able to turn into a tiger, right?"

    Yeah, tears start to form in his eyes again.

    "He died, didn''t he?" I ask, and Caleb starts shaking again. "What happened?"

    He contracted a disease that only affects big cats, most commonly, tigers. He had to stay in tiger form to delay his death. In human form, his lifespan was shortened hugely. He had a few months left, or hours, in human, but we were hanging out, and he wanted to be human with us one more time, with the rest of us. We''re down to only six of us, now. Jon, Tommy, Kieran, Sammyˇ­ there''s only six of us left, now!

    Six? I thought the orphanage had a couple of hundred kids?

    We were so close, Jared! The ten of us! We were the best of friends!

    Oh, he''s referring to his core group of friends and mischief-makers.

    Jon died in the Massacre, Bar says I had to kill Tommy when he tried to kill me, Kieran got killed by that guy, even though Jeremy''s prediction said he couldn''t have, and then Sammy died from that stupid disease!

    Jeremy''s prediction? Couldn''t have? What does he mean by that?

    I was there for three of them! I was supposed to be there for Kieran''s! Jeremy''s prediction''s always come true exactly as he says! He said his prediction was that the one who killed Kieran would be the one he loved the most! Kieran loved me the most! I''d never kill him! So why is he dead? Did Teacher screwing with the past screw things up? Why does this keep happening to me? How long before the rest of them are dead? How long before I''m dead? I''m so scared, Jared! They''re all dying! I''m going to be all alone, and then I''m going to die! I just wish the next year would pass already, so I can rescue the Moon and feel his light on me again! I want to break these damn seals on me so I can have my full power! I don''t want them all to die on me, Jared! They''re all gonna die, and I''m gonna die!

    Caleb''s thoughts become scrambled after that, not really completing full ones before moving to the next, sometimes not related. He shakes and cries a lot more, eventually passing out.

    Once he''s unconscious, I wait a bit, then start to look around, examining the spell he made around the room. If I didn''t already know his magic, I wouldn''t even detect it. As it is, it''s still hardly-noticeable, and I can''t get a read on what it does, even though I what exactly what it does.

    At least, have a general idea of it.

    The fact that the spell it''s still stable after his mental state wasn''t, and after he passed out, is only a testament to how powerful Caleb is and how good he is at magic.

    I sit up as much as I can and kiss him on the forehead, rubbing my fingers behind his ears as I lie back down.

    At some point, I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I know, there''s a pounding at the door.

    "OPEN UP!" Flame yells. "WE''VE LANDED, AND I WANT TO PET CALEB AGAIN!"

    Caleb huffs on my chest, glancing at the door, which then opens as Flame goes to pound on it again, causing him to fall forward. Brooks, Mukura, and Owen just laugh, and Flame charges over to the bed, jumping onto it and wrapping himself around Caleb.

    "You''re a good kitty!" He exclaims, ruffling Caleb''s fur. "Let''s go! We''re at the airfield now!"

    Caleb huffs as Flame gets off the bed, but stands up, turning so his giant liger ass is in my face, then jumps off the bed, tackling Flame to the ground before padding out the door. Flame stands up and looks at us, confused.

    "He seems moody."

    "Any more than usual?" Brooks asks, causing Mukura to chuckle.

    "There you are!" Holden enters the room, looking around, then sighs, fixing his gaze on his brother. "Kura! Stop running off on me!"

    "I walked off," Mukura says casually, looking at his brotherˇ­ well, turning his head towards his brother.

    This kid is somewhat disturbing. I know how he can ''see'', but it''s still a bit confusing, especially how Caleb could effortlessly hide his existence from us and Teacher.

    Does he have other students we don''t know about? Others that Nikvar ''gifted'' with more power?

    And what, exactly, did Caleb mean by ''the Moon''?

    "Mukura?" I ask, and he looks at me.

    "Yes?" He asks when I try to formulate the words. "We''re supposed to be leaving."

    "Caleb," I say. "He mentioned something to me, while we were talking. He mentioned that he wanted to rescue the Moon and feel his light on him again. Do you know what he meant by that?"

    "The moon''s in the sky!" Flame says, the strange boy''s expression still neutral at my request. "Why does it need rescuing?"

    "You haven''t sensed it yet," Mukura says. "But with our power, we can sense the power of Domain Deities. The Moon''s Domain was anything under its light. Caleb said he could hear him talking at times. I heard it once, he wasˇ­ interesting. I think he only talked to me because Caleb was there, and feeling depressed and needing more than cuddles."

    "So the Moonˇ­ is a being?"

    "A Domain Deity," Mukura nods. "They''re ancient and powerful, and the Moon''s presence has been weak for a couple of years, practically nonexistent. Caleb can sense it better than I can, so I''m not sure how much strength he has left. Not sure what Caleb meant by rescuing him, though."

    "And feeling his light?" Flame asks. "That just sounds weird! So Domain Deities are super ancient things?"

    "Yeah," Mukura responds. "I did say that, Flame. Caleb never mentioned them to you?"

    "No," Flame looks sad. "Caleb doesn''t tell us much."

    "And when he does," Brooks adds. "We can''t ever tell if it''s the truth or a lie until someone else confirms or corrects."

    "Sounds like Caleb," Mukura shrugs. "It really isn''t that hard to sort out the truth from the lies, if you know him well enough. He lives in multiple timelines at once. The weirdest part is that Caleb''s in the GSDF, since he''s not a Superhuman, and hasn''t been since a few months before he left for BT."

    With that, Mukura walks out, leaving the rest of us baffled.

    "Multiple timelines at once?" Owen asks. "I thought there was only one timeline?"

    "That''s what Caleb told us," I nod, wondering what Mukura meant by that and about Caleb not being a Superhuman anymore.

    How? I''m sure he could merge his powers together and release it, much like Nikvar did for Flame and Mukura, but why would his Reality Marbles still register as Abilities? Why would he go into the GSDF and not the GMDF?

    "There is," Flame nods. "Unless my knowledge of magic is wrong, there is only one timeline, which is why there were no ''adverse'' effects to someone altering history on us. So how can Caleb be living in multiple timelines?"

    We can''t figure that out, and get called off the airship. The eighty of us cadets are led to the hotel we''ll be spending the night at, and told that we are free to explore the city, but to be back be eight tonight, and that lights-out is at ten, and we''re to be at breakfast by seven.

    We make our way to our assigned rooms and drop our bags off in them, then change into swim trunks to head down to the hotel pool. The hotel caters to Superhumans and magicians, so things might get a little wild down there.

    All in good fun.

    I remember a trip here a couple of years ago with Father. Man, was that a good one. So much-

    "You coming?" Flame flies through the door as Owen opens it. "Come on! We''re gonna throw Caleb in the pool!"

    He''s off again, and Owen and I look at each other, then crack up laughing. There''s no way they''ll get Caleb in the pool.

    Then we stop laughing.

    They''ll never get him in the pool.

    Right?

    "I''ve got to see this," Owen and I say at the same time, then run downstairs.

    We get down there to find a dozen cadets, about even between the two agencies, carrying Caleb, who''s struggling to break free.

    "And three!" Flame yells, then they throw Caleb, who flails about before landing in the pool. "Enjoy the swim!"

    Flame then jumps into the pool, and the other cadets join him. More jump in as well, and they all start playing with Caleb, who I think is trying to swim out of the pool.

    "I''m going to work on my tan," Owen sits on a pool chair. "You?"

    "Going to jump in," I tell him. "I won''t rust."

    He chuckles, and I start to make my way to the pool when I sense somethingˇ­ weird. Scanning around me, I notice someone who isn''t there. Hidden, but not by magic. An Invisibility Ability. It''s concealing them from my dragon, even. I can sense their metal, and that''s the only reason I detected them.

    "Actually," I look at Owen. "I''m going to go have a conversation with someone. May jump in after."This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    Owen nods, and I walk to a quiet corner of the pool courtyard, sitting down on a chair. The mystery person is sitting on the chair beside me, judging by the soft rising and falling of the necklace they''re wearing. It''s on a thin metal chain, a small token hanging around it. The etchings on the token remind me ofˇ­

    Of Caleb''s ring. The inside of the band has similar etchings on it, even if the outside is decorated with wolves and dragons.

    "Ever seen a liger in a pool before?" I ask, and the necklace pauses for a moment. They held their breath. After a few moments, they resume breathing. "It''s interesting, the things you see and learn, as you travel. I''m probably one of the only Superhumans you''d ever meet able to detect you, while you''re invisible like that."

    This time, they start to get up. I grab control over their necklace, slamming it into them and pulling them towards me. As expected, as soon as the chain moves, they go with it. It means something to them, something dear, and they don''t want to break it.

    "I''ve created a magical field around us," I tell him. "Only a few people here would be able to detect it, and they know it means I want some privacy, so you can stop using your Ability. If you''re hidden, it''s for a reason, and I won''t out you."

    "Who are you?" He asks, and I look over.

    He''d be about Kieran''s age, and has black hair and vibrant green eyes. He''s dressed in black shorts, combat boots, and a dark blue tank with a black shirt over that, unbuttoned.

    "Not tanning?"

    "Don''t tan when I''m invisible," he says. "Who are you?"

    "Jared Fuller," I answer. "Good friends with the guy with literal red hair who led them in throwing the liger into the pool, his blue-haired brother, the liger, and a few others."

    "Liger''s a Gifted?"

    Gifted?

    The Rivers Orphanage.

    "His name is Caleb Rivers," I nod. "He''s my team''s leader. Flame and Brooks ¨C the colored-haired boys ¨C and I are the other members of the team. We had another member, Kieran, but he was killed by a hunter of Superhumans. Kieran and Caleb were adoptive brothers at an orphanage, when they were younger."

    "Uh-huh," he doesn''t believe me.

    "There," I say. "They were trained in both their Abilities and their aura, even though they were so young. It seems to me like there were a lot of powerful children there. Including you, whatever your name is."

    "And what makes you think I was at this orphanage?" He asks.

    "Several things," I answer. "You''re a powerful, but young Special, you''re wearing a necklace that has etchings I''ve only seen once before ¨C on the inside of Caleb''s ring ¨C and you refer to Abilities as Gifts, and Superhumans as Gifted."

    "Caleb wasn''t a Transmuter."

    "He''s a Creator," I nod. "Said he was the only one there. The ability to shift into a big cat was Sammy''s. Caleb can use his Ability as a Creator to merge the Abilities of someone who died into someone else. Sammy apparently passed away yesterday, when Caleb met him. He said that there were six in his core group left. The ones he named as dead were Jon, Tommy, Kieran, and Sammy. I''m surprised that he didn''t include a Special who can turn invisible in that group."

    "He did," the kid snorts. "It just wasn''t me. It was my twin. I was a loner, and didn''t want to be a part of it."

    "Name?"

    "Henry."

    "And I''m assuming you want to be left alone right now?"

    "Always do," he says. "And Caleb''s on his way over here."

    I look over to see a very wet white liger padding its way over here, looking somewhat annoyed. It walks between our two chairs, turns around, then plops itself down, resting its head on its paws and sighing heavily.

    Flame has too much energy. I hope he throws Owen in. He decided to warm up the water, you know. Hey, Henry. Jared, your barrier is flawed.

    Caleb then proceeds to correct me on the barrier, telling me where I went wrong in the spell.

    "So you''re using magic again?" Henry asks.

    So you''re hiding around here? Caleb asks.

    "For a few weeks," Henry answers. "I don''t stay in one place for too long. Been hoping I could find more of us. I was hoping that if I survived, others did. Jared says that Jon, Tommy, Kieran, and Sammy are all dead? The others from your core are still alive? Including Hunter?"

    Yeah, Caleb sighs again. Somehow, for some reason, we were all in town yesterday. We gathered together. When Sammy turned back into his human form, so that he could spend his last hours with us, we had a lot of fun and talk. Hunter thinks you''re dead. He''ll be happy to know you''re alive. When Sammy died, I took his legacy into me. I wish I could''ve done the same for the others. Supposedly, I took Tommy''s, but I can''t sense it. I apparently did it to Kieran with Jon, but I wasn''t there when Kieran passed. Jared, can you give us some time alone? I wanna talk with my brother.

    "Okay," I say, going to pet a now-dry liger. "You just removed the water, didn''t you?"

    Clearly.

    I scratch between his ears, then make my way to the pool, wishing I could be there for that conversation.

    We cadets mess around in the pool, and at one point, Brooks starts freezing it as Flame tries heating it up, the two of them getting into a match to see whose power will reign supreme.

    Until Owen decides to send waves of electricity through it, resulting in a very shocking cloud of fog and snow.

    Eventually, Caleb leaves Henry, but the boy is still there, just invisible. I return to my spot before and erect the barrier.

    "Sorry for bothering you," I say. "I''m not going to ask about what you and Caleb discussed, since it was probably personal. I''ve put the barrier back up, by the way. I wanted to ask what it was like, living with a Creator at the orphanage."

    "Insane," he sighs, making himself visible again. "Having two of them was a nightmare."

    There were two there?

    "Yeah," he nods, and I realize I said that out loud. "Caleb never mentioned his competition? Well, I say ''competition'', but Caleb was the clear superior. Mick''s power could only reach probably a mile out for his Passive Territory, while Caleb''s was over twenty miles."

    What? Caleb''s nowhere near that. In fact, he''s closer toˇ­

    To Mick''s.

    Caleb isn''t a Superhuman.

    He''s not a Superhuman.

    He isn''t using his power of Creation. He''s using Mick''s. Does he know that? Is he aware that he took Mick''s Ability?

    "He''s never mentioned Mick?" Henry asks. "That''s weird. Together, the two of them were a dangerous duo. The staff could only contain one of them at a time, and it was usually Mick who took the sacrifice, because of how much more powerful Caleb was. Then again, Caleb often let Mick take the stage."

    Kieran never mentioned Mick, either.

    "Was Mick one of the ten?" I ask.

    "No," Henry frowns. "That''s oddˇ­ why wasn''t he one of the ten? He and Caleb were thick as thieves."

    The altered history. It caused someone else to take his place as one of the ten, especially since he likely died back then, and Caleb wasn''t aware of it. Him dying back that would definitely explain why Caleb''s Ability is so weak, if Caleb ''took on his legacy''.

    "Who knows?" I ask, then stand. "I''m heading out. See you around, Henry. Or not."

    <hr>

    ~~~(Caleb)~~~

    "Still in your liger form, huh, Caleb?" the Colonel greets me as we assemble for the training mission, at the gates to the massive city ruins this mission will take place. "Are you prepared for today''s events?"

    I ignore him, taking my spot in the lines.

    "Guess so," he sighs, then looks out at all of us. "Cadets! As you have noticed, the GMDF cadets are not with us! We will be participating in a mock war between the two campuses! You forty are the forty best cadets in the GSDF''s Youth Division!

    "Behind me!" He continues. "You will notice we are at a city with powerfully-reinforced walls! It is contained with a phantom field! Once you are killed within it, you will be ejected out and into the safe space to recover from your injuries! For the first three days you will be in there, you will be limited to one half of the city!

    "After that!" He stomps a foot down. "It will be war between the two sides! The goal is to eliminate all enemies! The battle ends once one team has completely lost all of its members! Surrender will not count! There will be food and supply drops throughout the town! The main base will also restore food every day!

    "There is no time limit!" He informs us. "The battle will go until one side is completely eliminated!"

    The Colonel looks to one of the other Colonels, who hands him a tablet, and he then hands it to Jared, standing beside me.

    "That should go to Caleb," he says. "Exceptˇ­" He looks at me for a moment, then back to Jared. "He can''t exactly hold it. That contains a map of the field. You are allowed to use your Abilities and your magic for this battle. It contains all other necessary information."

    "Thank you, sir," Jared dips his head.

    "The map," the Colonel says. "Will update as members of this unit explore the city ¨C it will only show areas they have been in since the start of this match. It will, however, show you a map to your current base, by way of a line. Follow the line, and the city will fill in as you reach your base."

    "Yes, sir," Jared says.

    The Colonel returns to his position, then looks out at all of us.

    "Good luck, cadets!" He says. "I will see you when you die ¨C or perhaps when we claim our first victory!"

    The GSDF Youth Division has never won this, despite the inferiority of the GMDF''s powers. The GMDF was always able to lay traps with their magic to catch the GSDF cadets, and turned it into a battle of attrition and determination, which they always ended up winning.

    "Sir!" Someone says. "It''s a bit uneven, isn''t it? They have those two monsters, Flame and Mukura, while we have-"

    "Caleb!" Jared interrupts him. "We have Caleb! He might be in liger form right now, but his power is real, and he is the most powerful Superhuman in the world, second only to the one who taught him how to use his Ability and his magic! There isn''t a doubt in my mind that we can and will win this! In addition to having Caleb here, you have Brooks, Owen, and myself! We can and will win this! Let''s move!"

    I wanna be lazy.

    Everyone moves forward, collecting the packed bags for each of us. Jared helps strap mine onto my back, since it''s a bit difficult with my paws. I could have used my magic, but whatever.

    Once the team is equipped, we start moving, making our way into the city. Jared follows the map on the tablet for almost an hour before we reach a relatively small building, though my Passive Territory says that there''s an underground base with two more exits underneath.

    "Great," someone says. "We get a tiny little building for our base?"

    "No," a student steps forward, and I glance at him. He kneels, placing a hand on the ground. "There''s a base underground. This is simply an entrance to it."

    The student is around fourteen, like the rest of us, and has brown hair and eyes. He has a lean, defined build, like all of us, and a hefty amount of power in his Gift, as well as a strong aura. If I''m not mistaken, his Gift of Manipulation specializes in the stone element, with a focus on reading the stone-based things around him. His combat capabilities stem from his use of spears and rods formed of his element.

    He''s an A-Rank Gifted, with the a dual-element with the fire element, which he obtained probably around a year ago, if my reading is accurate enough. I''d say that he''s nearing S-Rank, and might even break through to it here. He can only use the fire element with his stone element, and if he manages to break through, he would be able to form magma with his power.

    Flame would probably ask him for a bath.

    "What was that huff for?" Jared asks, and I glare at him. "Let''s head inside, then get our battle plan ready. Caleb ¨C how long are you planning on staying in that form for?"

    I''m not done mourning. I''ll switch out of it when I''m done. Plus, me entering the fight would be cheating. You can probably handle one of my students, while Owen and Brooks together can probably handle the other.

    Jared sighs, then leads everyone inside. The building is just a regular house, with a second floor. There are three bedrooms up there and one downstairs. The door to the basement leads us into the actual basement, which contains a secret entrance to the base itself.

    Once they figure out the secret entrance, we head down to the actual base, which is large, spacious, and has several dorms for sleeping, as well as a communal shower room and a locker room, as well as several bathrooms, a large kitchen that''s fully-stocked, a dining room, a rec area, and a few additional rooms, including a couple of armories stocked with more weapons.

    "Alright," Jared looks around. "Caleb''s supposed to be our leader, but since he''sˇ­ being him, I''ll take his place until then."

    "And we should listen to you, why?" One of the girls in the group asks. "You''re just some arrogant son of a noble, and-"

    I growl at her.

    "Because Caleb trusts me to be his second-in-command?" Jared asks when she shuts up. "I''ll need a complete breakdown of everyone''s Abilities and Ranks. Caleb ¨C can you do that? Or will you just verify them for me?"

    The backpack on my back unclips itself, sliding off of me. I stretch, then pad my way into the rec area, climbing up onto a couch and lying down.

    "Or you can do that," Jared sighs. "You can''t mourn forever, Caleb. Keep his memory, but don''t let it hold you back. Would he want you to do that?"

    <hr>

    ~~~(Flame)~~~

    "This is so cool!" I say as we meet back up in the dining room of our underground base. "I''ve always wanted a secret underground base!"

    "Remind me why they put you in charge?" Gabby asks.

    "Because despite his childishness," Mukura says. "He has advanced tactical knowledge and a hefty amount of real-world experience. Also, they had initially offered it to me, but I turned it down. Being blind can be a hindrance, at times."

    "She wasn''t being completely serious," I tell him. "Right, Gabby?"

    Gabby snorts, rolling her eyes.

    "So what now?" She asks.

    "We explore the city!" I tell her. "Or at least, the half we can access! We fill in the map, which does seem to register multiple levels of a building. As we do, we lay traps everywhere!"

    "Won''t Caleb, Flame, and Brooks notice them?" Gabby asks. "That''s worked in the past, but with those three being magicians as well, they''d definitely notice the traps we lay. They''d probably dissolve the magics in them, too."

    "Only Caleb would be a real threat, there," Mukura says. "The other two aren''t at the level where they can simply disarm a magical trap. In addition to that, Flame and I are at a level far above those two, meaning that we can lay traps that cannot be detected. We discussed this on the way, but we plan on spending our free days both planning and focusing on constructing magical traps for the rest of you to place down, to assist with this. Unless Caleb is passing by, they''ll be fine."

    "However!" I add. "Caleb''s currently mourning the death of someone he saw as a brother! So we probably have awhile before he''ll actually get involved directly! Hopefully, it''ll be long enough for us toˇ­ we''re doomed!"

    Everyone stares at me.

    "We have to go," I say. "Until we kill everyone on the other side, no exemptions! Or until all of us are dead! We''re never gonna kill Caleb, no matter what form he''s taking! Alright, people! We''re going to be exploring this place and training the crap out of ourselves in the hopes that as a united force, we might be able to contain the natural calamity that is Caleb Rivers!"

    We''ll definitely need to train our butts off for that!

    We''ll still probably lose, but it''ll be fun, all of us taking Caleb on at once!

    "There''s one more thing," Mukura steps up. "Which can probably change the game vastly. There is a second way to beat this. We aren''t supposed to know about it, and the Phantom Field we''re contained within prevents discussion of it or spreading its knowledge, but that won''t affect someone like Flame and myselfˇ­ or Caleb and Jared, the latter of whom will be able to for different reasons."

    A secret way to win? Cool!

    <hr>

    ~~~(Brooks)~~~

    "Hold up," I say. "What do you mean?"

    "I mean just that," Jared says. "The magics woven into this place will prevent discussion of it, but because of how I know, I''m excluded. It''s safe to say that, with the powers that Mukura has, he knows about it as well and can tell others. Caleb likely knows as well, and can ignore the magics preventing its discussion."

    "A secret win condition?" I ask. "That magic prevents us from being able to discuss? Is that even possible?"

    "Considering the powers that would''ve been required to make the Phantom Fields we use?" Jared asks. "Yes, it is. It''s part of why no one''s really found out about it, even though they do this test every year. A few groups win that way."

    Everyone murmurs for a few moments.

    "So what''s this other way?" Owen asks.

    "Underneath both bases," Jared says. "Is a generator that powers that half of the city. Anything electronic in that half of the city runs off of it. Streetlights at night, any buildings with power, vending machines, et cetera. Communication signals are also reliant on those generators to function, though that''s mostly due to the towers providing the relay being powered by them as well."

    "So we can target their towers?" Someone asks, and I look over at them.

    "That is probably one of the most moronic things I have ever heard," I say. "And considering who my twin is, that''s saying a lot."

    "No, we can''t," Jared says. "Taking out the towers takes out our communications as well. We''re all run through the same ones, as I explained earlier, when going over the information we have on the tablets.

    "The alternate victory method," I say. "Would be to destroy the other team''s generator, isn''t it?"

    "Indeed," Jared nods. "Which means that we''d need to first locate their base''s entrances, then their secret entrances, then get inside the base itself, then locate the entrance to the stairs down to the generator, then destroy it. Shutting it off just means it can be turned back on, so the alternate victory condition will be shutting it off."

    Everyone talks for a few minutes, then someone asks what the plan will be.

    "First," Jared says. "We''ll map out the city. Parker ¨C you can read any stone or dirt around you, right?"

    "Yes, " the kid who told us about the hidden base beneath us responds. "However, my sister, Gabby, is on their team, so she''d know I can do that. She specializes in illusion magics."

    "That''s fine," Jared says. "Once the barrier goes down and we can head to the other side of the city, you start scanning the ground for it. Report back on what you find and where you are. Odds are that they''ll want to keep you away from the base, but also make you think somewhere else is the base. We can put that together to find out where it is."

    "Can''t Caleb scan the city with his Passive Territory?" One of the girls asks.

    "The Phantom Barrier prevents that," I shake my head. "The magician who constructed these training areas was very powerful, and made the training regions for the GSDF and GMDF akin to Ruins with the sole purpose of nullifying the Abilities of Territories and Creators. He''s mostly useless here until he figures out how to bypass that."

    "Speaking of Caleb," she asks. "Where did he go?"

    "He''s dealing with the voices in his head," Jared says.

    Voices in his head? Everyone looks at him in confusion, though he doesn''t seem to notice.

    "They''ll likely be looking for our generator as well," Jared says. "Making this the first Mock City Battle for the Youth Divisions where the goal isn''t actually to wipe out the other side, but to take out their generator. They know they can''t take on Caleb, even if they have Flame and Mukura. He taught them their magics, and while they might seem like monsters due to the absurdity of their powers, which have outshone pretty much all of the magics Caleb''s ever done beforeˇ­ Caleb is easily more powerful than them. And that''s with most of his magic locked up behind powerful binds and seals."

    And that''s the terrifying thing.

    "So," Jared continues. "We''ll need to keep them away from our base as well. They''ll expect Caleb and me to be near it, as a central commander, so when it''s time to pass through the barrier, I''ll relocate elsewhere. This will also allow me to interact with the other side without leading anyone back to base."

    "What about Caleb?" Someone asks.

    "Caleb can become completely unnoticed if he wishes," I say. "He mastered the art of hiding through magic before he joined the GSDF, because it was easier for him to avoid fighting than it was for him to confront enemiesˇ­ or bullies. The way I hear it, even Jared got hit with that."

    "He wasn''t completely concealing himself," Jared shakes his head. "I told you that, and I know Caleb never mentions it, since he sees failing to hide himself completely then as a failure in him, so it can''t be said he was overstating what he did.

    "Anyway," Jared looks out across all of us. "We''ll be dividing up into teams. I''ll have three others accompanying me at all times. Brooks, Owen, Parker, Katherine, and Nina ¨C you five will be the first team. Your goal will be to locate their base. If you run into Flame or Mukura, summon me immediately and run. You will not be able to handle them, even if it''s just one of them."

    They''ll likely be going around on their own. Mukura would be the one most likely to find our base, taking into account his mirror magics.

    As Jared starts giving out the group assignments, I feel a subtle shifts in the magic around us, and look at Jared, who seems oblivious to them. Considering how much better at sensing magics than me, he had to have felt that.

    His lack of response says he was expecting it, though. He would have shifted if he weren''t, even if it was only slight. He''s a good actor, but magic suddenly shifting around us would definitely cause him to react.

    Which means he was expecting this. Even if Caleb''s mourning right now, he''s still communicating, at least with Jared. That must be what Jared meant when he said ''voices in his head'' ¨C he''s been talking with Caleb this entire time.

    Reading the magics in the air, I do my best to figure out what Caleb did, but they''re the exact same as they were on our way here. His magic is too subtle, as always. On a hunch, I try my hand at telepathy again.

    Jared? I push, focusing on him the way Caleb taught us.

    You finally managed it, he responds as he answers a question someone asked him.

    What is Caleb really doing?

    I''m not sure where he''s at, Jared says. But he''s dealing with some stuff right now. The only help he''ll be for awhile is creating the barrier around the three entrances to our base, as well as hiding the base itself. It''s only illusionary, but it should do the trick, for the most part. The goal is to fool Mukura, so Caleb''s laying out illusions not just at the entrances, but on the paths leading to them. They''re set to fool those who don''t have an Ability, he said.

    What voices were you referring to? I ask.

    Oh, right, he shifts his eyes to me for a moment, then returns to discussing things with the others. Caleb has six older brothers. I guess you''re the last of us to find out, though Kieran never did. Flame and I both know, as does Owen. These other brothers have about as much dragon in them as Caleb, but they seem more draconic. It was one of them that took Flame''s arm in exchange for his Ability being released back into magic, as well as the intense flood of knowledge he acquired. Same for Mukura, only with his sight instead.

    Caleb''s talking with them here? I ask. Doesn''t the Sage''s Phantom Barrier prevent stuff like that?

    Normally, Jared responds. But Caleb has a connection with his brothers that can''t be severed, it seems. They''re constantly in his head, at all times. They may well be the reason why it seems like he lives in different timelines.

    If Caleb''s connected to six other people on a more raw level than would normally be possible, closer to the core ¨C or even there ¨C it would certain explain that. Especially if each of them has as much power or more than he does. It would explain why he could tell something was wrong with history.

    And why he sometimes has a hard time keeping a story straight. Having seven streams of thought running through his head must be tough. With the commcuffs on our ears, we''d only have between one and five, and that''d be easy to tune out ¨C and that''s if they are talking at the time.

    Fiveˇ­

    "Jared?" I ask, and he looks over at me. "How come your team only has four members to it, while the rest of us have five? Who isn''t on a team?"

    "Caleb," he answers. "With him mourning right now, he''s not up for combat or scouting. Hopefully, he''ll be ready in a few days, though if he is, he''ll be having another project to take care of."

    "Another project?" Owen asks.

    "Yeah," Jared nods. "He won''t tell me what it is, though. Alright! Do we have any questions?"

    Jared answers a few more questions, then dismisses everyone to go to their assignments for now and start the city''s exploration. I look at him, and he gives me a slight nod.

    I don''t know what Caleb''s going to do if he finishes mourning enough for him to actively participate, but even without that, his illusions will be powerful on their own, especially if they''re meant to fool a monster like Mukura.

    Turning, I head out with my team.

 Chapter 027

    ~~~(Brooks)~~~

    "You called?" I ask as my team enters Jared''s living quarters, which is a fair bit further back from the barrier than the actual base. "Oh, hey, everyone."

    Literally, if we ignore the absence of a certain tiger. I could hear a bunch of people inside, but wasn''t expecting for him to have called everyone into the home. Man, is it crowded in here. There''s barely any moving space.

    Sitting on the table in the middle of the living room are thirteen long, metal stakes, and immediately, I can tell that they''re heavily enchanted with magic. Each one is roughly a yard in length, standing about three inches at their thickest, tapering down to a sharp point. The metal each one is forged of has a dark blue tinge to it, silvery runes etched along the length in some sort of complicated magic formula.

    "I only finished a little while ago," Jared tells us. "Or we''d have more time. These thirteen stakes need to be placed in specific locations. I''ve updated their coordinates to your phones. Eachteam gets two of them, except for Brooks'' team, which gets three, and Cora''s team, who gets none. My team will also have none, as we''ll remain behind here, for now.

    "We need to hurry this up," he says. "So we can get these in place. So I''ll make it brief. Everyone ¨C grab two of them, except Brooks ¨C your team is getting three ¨C and Cora, your team gets none. Then, get moving. Cora, go to the location marked on your phone. Everyone ¨C as soon as the barrier comes down, you need to pass through the field and get to work locating their base and disrupting their plans."

    We found a supply of phones yesterday in a supply drop, which gives us a map of the city, but it only updates once we return to base, unlike the one on Jared''s tablet, which updates in real-time as we pass through. Another supply drop we located included the upgraded earcuffs we''re using, though I don''t think we were supposed to find them this early.

    The fact that Jared directed us to them tells me that Caleb probably located them while he was doingˇ­ whatever it is he was doing. Is doing.

    "Alright, people!" Jared claps his hands. "Make sure the stakes are at least three inches into the ground ¨C no less, and no more than a foot! Get behind them as soon as you''re done! Get moving!"

    I grab three stakes, then head outside with my team, and we take off running. We will barely push being able to get all three of them placed in time, especially since teams need to stick together, just in case.

    Especially with us being near the barrier once it goes down.

    We reach the first location, then I have Owen hold the stake steady as I create a fist of ice above it, then bring the fist down, hammering it into the ground. As soon as it''s down, we take off to the second location, where we repeat the process, and then to the third location.

    I hammer the third stake in, then look at the fluid wall of black energy shifting in front of us. The barrier prevents us from seeing through to the other side, not just passing through, and it''s about to come down.

    Only seconds after I hammered the third stake in, the five of us behind the stake and watching the barrier, the field of energy fades away, Flame and Mukura directly on the other side.

    "Oh, shit!" Flame, Mukura, and my team all yell at once.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Flame)~~~

    "You ready?" I ask Mukura.

    "Locate their base," he nods. "Destroy their generator. We''ve got to do it fast, before Caleb stops mourning and realizes that he can protect it and prevent us from both victory options. Six seconds."

    I nod, and the two of us get ready to run as soon as the barrier drops, then I start counting down in my head.

    As soon as the count reaches zero, the barrier fades away, and I see my brother, Owen, a guy, and two girls standing on the other side, behind a metal stake etched with magic. A very powerful, dangerous magic.

    "Oh, shit!" The enemy team yells at the same time Mukura and I exclaim the same thing.

    "Reflect!" Mukura throws his hands up as I jump behind him, summoning a barrier of fire between the smaller boy and his barrier.

    Despite that, we''re still thrown back by the wave of magic that exploded out of the stake ¨C and the air from its sides. It''s connected to others, probably across the city, and launched that wave spanning the entire width.

    When I say ''wave'', I mean a field over a hundred yards high, half of it above ground, the other half, below.

    Mukura and I land on the ground, the smaller boy cushioned by my body, as the wave continues to blast past us, covering more than a mile in only a few seconds.

    "You okay?" I ask as Mukura picks himself up, then offers me a hand to help me to my feet.

    "Yeah," he asks. "I was not expecting that."

    "Those stakes were formed formed of Caleb''s magic," I look around. "I can''t sense any of our traps."

    "Same," he sighs. "Mentor''s recovered, though it looks like he''s taking an active play in this. I don''t sense any magical traps on their side, though, so it seems that''s the only thing we have to worry about."

    "Yep," I look around. My brother and his team fled the moment the wave flew out, though they definitely didn''t know about it. "Damn, that was tough. And fun! Let''s get some more traps laid!"

    Mukura snorts, then the two of us put together some traps and lay them out, then we head into the other half of that city. Our comm cuffs are already chatting about the wave of energy and how it removed the magics we''d put into play, so we don''t have need to discuss that with others.

    It didn''t affect our cuffs, though, so it was keyed to look specifically for traps, no doubt. I didn''t get a chance to fully read the magic, the stakes were consumed by the spell. There''s a chance that I couldn''t understand it, considering how complicated it was, but I''d still have loved to do that.

    Unfortunately, it''s given the other team an edge, but that''s fine.

    We''re going to locate their base and destroy their generator. Based on what we know of Caleb, he''ll be near it, probably to protect the base itself, but we''ll be able to get inside and down to the generator itself. All we need is one of us to locate the generator. If I can get within the base, then I can destroy it. All Mukura needs is to be near it.

    I can''t wait until I''m that badass.

    As we pass through the city, their scent splits up, so we part ways, with Mukura following Brooks and Owen, and me following the other three. After twenty minutes of running, we run back into each other, the two parts of the team meeting back up.

    Without a word, we continue running. This is fun. I''m laying traps as I go, and Mukura is, too. They''re set to trigger for non-magicians, so most of the GSDF cadets will be hit by them. The trick is making sure they actually register Superhumans, and it''s fun trying that for the first time.

    If we can take out that team, then we take out their easy way of finding our base. We have traps set up all around it, just in case, but Gabby told me about her brother, and how to identify him, and that was definitely him on my brother''s team. Take him out, and they lose their reader.

    We make it several miles into our half of the city before we come across Jared, Owen, and Brooks, standing in the middle of the street.

    This is going to be fun!

    I unleash a roar, then swirl fire around myself, jumping into the air, then coming down at them, unleashing a flurry of blows that project fists of magical flames at them. Brooks raises a hand, and a wall of ice forms, my fires blasting into it. It''s withstanding the assaultˇ­ but only until my physical fists slam into it.

    Once they do, the wall shatters, and I find Owen with a hand on Brooks''s shoulder, power flowing between them. Owen''s other hand is held out and back, a spear formed of ice and lightning floating above his palm.

    The Lightning Superhuman throws his hand forward, the spear launching at me. With a rapid shift to the heat around me, I''m able to dodge it, only to find dozens of icicles flying towards me, each one crackling with energy.

    Against normal Superhumans, I could probably block their Abilities, but Brooks was trained by Caleb, and Owen has some of that training as well, from studying with Jared. These two know how to resist what I can do.

    This is definitely going to be fun.

    Wait. Where''s Jared?

    As I land on a roof, I notice Jared fighting against Mukura, a giant made of metal pulled from the surrounding buildings and old cars, though it feels different. Something about it isn''t right, but I don''t have time to figure it out, due to my brother and Owen continuing their assault.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Jared)~~~

    "We have a problem!" Owen calls over the comm cuffs.

    There''s panic in his voice. Heavy panic. What happened?

    "What is it?" I ask.

    "When the barrier came down," he breathes heavily. He''s fleeing something. "We were standing face-to-face with Flame and Mukura themselves."

    "Shit!" I exclaim. "Are you fighting them?"

    "No," he answers. "We''re running, but we had to head into their half of the city, just in case. They got knocked back by that wave from your stakes, and we took that opportunity to bolt. However, both of them have a heavy amount of dragon in them, which means that they''ll be tracking us. If Parker''s sister told them what her brother looks like, they will."

    "I''m on my way," I say, looking to my team. "You three ¨C stay here and guard the place. I need to go assist Brooks'' team. Owen, I''m on my way."

    I pull out my tablet and use the tracker for his team, then take off running, propelling myself by bursting the stone of the buildings and the metal on them under my feet as I run across their rooftops, taking a wide loop around where I sense Flame and Mukura.

    As I pass into the other half of the city, I read only a few traps here and there, freshly-laid. Caleb''s magic worked as well as he said it would. The weaker magicians would''ve been knocked unconscious, too. However, since those are their forty best, it''s likely only a few who were in its range were knocked-out, while the rest were just knocked back, like Flame and Mukura.

    I land on the street, spinning to face the approaching party, who summons up their Abilities for a moment before recognizing me.

    "Parker, Katherine, Nina," I say. "You three head in. Most of the magicians are near the halfway mark or already in our side. Parker, if you detect anything that could be their base, you mark it on your map on your phone. Don''t engage unless you three are absolutely sure you can handle it. Otherwise, run."

    They nod, then take off past me.

    "You two," I turn to my true teammates. "Get near me. Things are about to get shifted."

    Brooks and Owen draw near me, and I begin working my Ability, pulling apart all of the metal around us, using it to hide the damage caused by it, such as from the cars that suddenly find themselves without frames.

    I wish I could make multiple giants, but for now, I can only handle the one. At least now I can construct it better, so that I don''t actively need to hold all of its parts together, but even then, it''s still taxing. All that does it allow me to sustain control over it for longer.

    Once constructed, the giant hides in an alley, crouching down to remain hidden in its shadows. Around thirty seconds after it stops moving, Flame and Mukura show up. Flame has an excited look on his face as he roars, then leaps into the air, fire swirling around him.

    The flame-headed boy unleashes a flurry of fiery fists at us as Mukura stops walking, remaining still as Brooks steps forward, creating a barrier of ice in front of and above us as a field of fog spreads before us. The fog won''t hinder Mukura too much, but it buys enough time for me to walk forward and reach around twenty feet from the barrier before it breaks, the fog dissipating at the same time.

    I glare at the smaller boy. He will never win against me.

    "Hello, Jared," Mukura says. "Are you-ah!"

    He yelps, his left hand shooting up to to his right bicep, wounded by the Dragon''s Dominance. I do not care that he knows more about magic than me. I do not care that he was trained by Caleb. I do not care that his magical levels far exceed mine.

    I am his superior. Only Caleb stands above me.

    He yelps again, then throws a hand forward, Reflecting the cuts onto my body as well. I ignore the pain as my giant stands, and Mukura jumps back, barely avoiding the fist. He frowns, throwing his hands up and attempting to take control through the reflections of my giant''s form.

    The giant swings again, and Mukura barely dodges this punch as well, then the kick, then another punch, then the sword, then the shield. He''s fast, and he''s clumsy. He''s shifted to relying on the reflections around the giant, in the buildings and the shifts in the air, to listening to the sounds of it moving.

    Caleb''s theoretical technique worked. It has made my giant completely and entirely without a reflection. To anyone else, it would appear as if an emptiness in space, reflecting absolutely no light at all. It''s draining my power, though. I can likely only sustain this for a few minutes, at most.

    Another major downside to this is that I cannot manipulate any other metals like this. I could throw some at Mukura, but without them being on my body, they''d lose their unreflective property. My aura itself is imbued with this at the moment, I''m using it so heavily. Otherwise, he''d probably be hitting me with his power directly.

    As Mukura does his best to attack both my giant and me directly using anything and everything around us, Flame soars into him, throwing him off his feet.

    "Switch!" Flame says.

    "Yeah!" Mukura says.

    "Oh, no, you don''t!" Brooks yells, attacking them.

    Mukura stops the torrent of water as Flame turns to fight the giant, and the pair of magicians find themselves thrown against the wall by the giant.

    Surprisingly, they suddenly link arms, and I sense power flowing through them.

    "Oh, shit!" I yell, manifesting as many magical defenses as I can as I burn up my aura to form a protective layer around me.

    A Unison Strike between them could wipe out this entire quarter of the city!

    It''s up to you now, Caleb.

    I hope this doesn''t hurt too much.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Caleb)~~~

    Judging by the sudden flux of magic and the disappearance of three Gifted, I would say that Flame and Mukura used their Unison Strike. If heard correctly, Brooks'' team came across them, and Jared went to help fight them.

    If a Unison Strike between those two was the only way to take out the three of them, then that pleases me.

    Brooks, Owen, and Jared are all more powerful than they realize. Their Abilities are all easily S-Rank, which two of them already knew, but if possible for a regular Gifted, they would be S-S-Rank. They aren''t Gifted to be messed with lightly, even without knowing their full powers and potential.

    So Flame and Mukura needing to use a Unison Strike to take them out makes me happy. It means that those three put up a good fight, and likely that Jared managed to use the technique I taught him. It was fully within his abilities as a Gifted, and used no additional magical powers for it, other than those through his Gift.

    Speaking of magicians, they really need to do a better job of hiding their base. Flame and Mukura will search for days before they locate ours. If they ever do.

    Meanwhile, I''ve already located one of their three entrances and begun searching the basement for the secret entrance.

    Oh. Found it. I pull on the boxes, and the wall swings open with them. Then, I head down the steps into the base itself, making my way past the sleeping bodies. We were told we could use magic, after all.

    So I hit the base with a mild sleeping spell after locating it.

    Thanks for the distraction, Jared. I probably wouldn''t have been able to make it this far without that. I''m not exactly up for combat right now.

    Locating the door to the lowest level, I open it, then descend the steps. Combat isn''t okay for me, but destroying the generator will be no issue. With Jared having delivered a suitable distraction, Flame and Mukura won''t realize I''ve made my way to their base.

    Not until it''s too late, anyway.

    Once in the generator''s room, I stop, looking at the giant globe wrapped with chains and glowing with a bright yellow energy. Wuxar crystals, and hundreds of them, fused together and drawing on the natural energies in the ground, then flowing through the chains and into the city to power it.

    Raising a hand, I first drain all of its energy, pulling it into me. As I do that, I use it to shift around with the seals binding my powers, releasing all but the six Ancient Seals. Those would take far more energy to break than this generator could possess.

    Technically, the generator could only break a few of the seals on my powers, but once those few were broken, I was able to start breaking more without that, and continuing to draw on the generator''s regenerating power allowed me to continue to break them at a quicker rate.Stolen story; please report.

    Once all but those six are broken, I drop to the ground, breathing heavily. Thatˇ­ was a lot of effort. And now, my power is as peak as it will ever be unless I find a way to break those Ancient Seals.

    Then again, it''s only peak for now. As my powers grow higher, so too will my peak, which will be a huge bonus.

    I need to hurry, though. Even if my sleep spell is affecting everyone above, Flame and Mukura will have probably noticed the fluctuation of their half''s power supply. The only reason there would be an outage, as far as they know, is if their generator was affected, and the fact that power restored, even if only a little for now, would mean that the generator wasn''t destroyed, only drained.

    It''s still filling up, only able to output, at most, half of the energy already restored within it, as a fail-safe. It would take it a full day to reach full from empty.

    It would never reach full if it''s destroyed.

    Now, with my full powers available to me, past what is locked behind those six Ancient Seals, I will need to be very careful with how I use my magic. At least, until I have adjusted to this new level of power.

    I start drawing on a small fraction of my power, a ball of raw magical energy forming above the hand I raise. It''s been awhile since I''ve actually needed to use my body to guide magic, but it''s for the best at the moment. With a thought, I could accidentally destroy the entire city we''re in.

    With the magic prepared, I let it burst forth, slamming into the generator, which promptly dies, the energy drilling a hole straight through it, then into the wall behind it. Only went about ten feet, so I didn''t use too much extra by accident. That gives me a good gauge on my level of control right now.

    As soon as the generator dies, all of the lights down here shut off, and a moment later, I find myself in a large room with all of the other cadets, including Jared, Owen, and Brooks, who are collapsed on chairs, sweating and breathing heavily.

    "What just happened?" A cadet asks as the Colonels of both sides look shocked.

    "Who did that?" One of them asks, looking around.

    "I told you," Grant laughs, and I look over to see him standing at the Colonels'' station, grinning. "You have, at minimum, four people who would be able to discuss the alternate victory method."

    "We weren''t expecting it to happen that fast, though!" The other Colonel responds. "What happened? We lost the feeds to the GMDF''s generator room for a few minutes, and once power was restored to it, we didn''t manage to reconnect to those feeds before it was destroyed."

    "Wait!" Flame exclaims. "Someone got into our generator room? How? Who did it? Mukura and I put up the shields around the base ourselves! No one should''ve been able to get in if they weren''t one of us!"

    "Hey, you moron!" Jared laughs as Mukura looks over at me, his blind eyes widening behind his blindfold. "Are you forgetting that we had Caleb on our team?"

    "It was a distraction!" Mukura exclaims.

    "What?" Flame looks at him, then at me. "It was a distraction! While we were caught-up fighting Jared and Brooks and Owen, you finished mourning and went to our base!"

    I''m not done mourning. The whole thing was an act, though.

    "Ha!" Jared laughs. "You really are a moron, Flame! Caleb was relaying the plan to me from the moment we entered the city! He spent the last few days crafting those stakes to wipe out the traps your team laid, making it safe for us to enter that half immediately.

    "After that," Jared continues. "All we had to do was wait for you or Mukura to cross paths with either my team or your brother''s. The rest of our teams would leave with each other while the three of us would fight the one we came across, knowing the other would show up to help take us out.

    "Then," Jared continues. "Once that happened, Caleb would make his way into your half. With you two distracted by the three of us, you wouldn''t notice him moving until it was too late. Even though his Ability is rendered useless in the Phantom Fields designed for stuff like this for the two agencies, his magic would be sufficient for him to pass through your barriers and put the base to sleep. From there, it''s only a matter of him getting into the generator room and destroying it. We honestly weren''t expecting it to happen the first day ¨C you two running into Owen and Brooks from the start was a surprise and caught us off-guard. We had planned for you two to be working separately, not together. Cover more ground, and all."

    "It was all a trick," Flame moans in realization and annoyance at himself. "How did I not catch this?"

    "If it makes you feel any better," Mukura says. "I trained under him for several years, yet did not realize he was pulling a trick like that. Mentor is a terrifying strategist. Mentor, the drain on the city''s energies ¨C that was you, yes?"

    "Indeed."

    "I sense a greater power within you," he says. "Were you using the generators to assist in breaking the seals binding your magics?"

    "Indeed."

    "You are awe-inspiring," he says. "Your power easily makes mine and Flame''s Unison Strike look like a firecracker."

    "Cool."

    Mukura beams, and everyone sighs.

    "The GSDF''s Youth Division has won!" Colonel Spencer announces. "We''ll be throwing a party tonight to celebrate this between both divisions! Keep it clean! Why don''t you all head to the facility''s shower rooms and get washed-up? For those of you needing medical help, the infirmary is through that door!"

    "Caleb Rivers, Flame Hansen, Brooks Hansen, Jared Fuller, and Owen Storm!" Grant calls out in his command-voice, and the crowd of cadets goes silence. We''re in trouble, aren''t we? What did we do? I made sure everything was within the limits of the rules. "All five of you ¨C front and center! Now!"

    The five of us move towards him. Should I open up a Passive Territory and see what''s going on? Or just straight-up read his mind?

    Does it have to do with why his uniform is different from everyone else''s? It''s black and violet with some silver trim, and it doesn''t say GSDF on it, but GDDF, whatever that means. I''ve never heard of it before. In addition to that, his rank''s marks show him as a General, not a Colonel, which is weird, since he didn''t want to be a General, and the emblem for the agency itself is different from the other two, suggesting he''s not a part of them.

    Is there some secret agency I don''t know about?

    "Rivers!" He says as we line up in front of him, all eyes on us. "Hansen! Hansen! Fuller! Storm! The five of you have shown exemplary abilities, both with your abilities, with magic, with strategy, and in combat! Each of the five of you has already met the requirements to pass the full training period, aside from the two-year period required!

    "An exception is being made for the five of you!" He continues. Okay, so we''re not in trouble? "As of now, the five of you are officially graduates ¨C and full agents of the GSDF and the GMDF! However, you will not be assigned to a single one of them, but as a unit under a new banner, the GDDF, or Global Dreams Defense Federation!"

    So that''s what his uniform is for. He''s the General of the Global Dreams Defense Federation, which is brand-new.

    "You have new uniforms," he picks up a uniform in an airtight bag, holding it out to me. There''s a small box on top of it. "And new ranks! Congratulations, Colonel Caleb Rivers, of the Global Dreams Defense Federation!"

    I salute, then accept the package from him, then he picks up another and stands in front of Flame.

    "Congratulations, Lieutenant Flame Hansen!"

    Flame salutes, then accepts the package. General Reynolds grabs another package, then stands in front of Brooks.

    "Congratulations, Lieutenant Brooks Hansen!"

    Brooks salutes, then accepts the package. General Reynolds grabs another package, then stands in front of Jared.

    "Congratulations, Lieutenant Jared Fuller!"

    Jared salutes, then accepts the package. General Reynolds grabs the final package, then steps in front of Owen.

    "Congratulations, Lieutenant Owen Storm!"

    Owen salutes, then accepts the pack, then General Reynolds steps back and addresses all five of us.

    "You five," he says. "Will report directly to me, General Grant Reynolds, of the Global Dream Defense Federation! Your missions will involve things beyond the capabilities of either of the other two organizations! After your celebrations tonight, you will be sent on an emergency mission! After that, you will receive your well-deserved two-weeks vacation! Normally, you''d have it now, but this mission is of a Class SSS Priority!"

    Whispers travel through the ranks of cadets behind us. They''re proud for us, and know that we can handle powerful missions on our own, but a Class SSS Priority Mission would mean something on a Calamity-Level event.

    Everything points to this mission being us rescuing the Moon and stopping the Second Great Calamity. The GSDF and GMDF have joined teams, where there are members from both. The only reason the Council of Dreams would form a new agency ¨C one to deal with such powerful threats specifically ¨C would be as a way around needing the information necessary to issue the mission.

    They would be able to state, during its founding and generation, that it can issue missions with minimal information based on if its members believe it to be needed to be kept top-secret. Or at least, its officers, seeing that we''re all at the lowest level of officer or higher.

    I''m higher.

    "Dismissed!" General Reynolds calls out.

    We salute, then head to the officers'' shower rooms, led there by our new commander, who then leaves us after telling us that we need to meet him in another room once we change. We head to the showers, then step out and start getting dressed. Flame''s new uniform takes into account his missing arm, which is pretty nice.

    I finish first, then head to the conference room Grant wants us to meet him in. He''s standing just inside of it.

    "Colonel Rivers, reporting as ordered, sir!" I salute.

    "At ease," he tells me, and I relax. "Come here."

    I step closer to him, and then he steps up to me, wrapping his arms around me in a hug.

    "Sir?"

    "I''m going to be wishing you luck," he tells me, squeezing me a little bit tighter. "I love you like a son, Caleb. Not seeing you every day or two has really affected me, and made me realize just how much I loved you. Knowing you''re going to go out on missionsˇ­ you''re pretty grown-up, now. I''ll be worried about you."

    "I''m fourteen," I tell him. "And I''ve broken most of the seals on my powers. I can handle myself, once I adjust to them. I''ll be fine. Is the mission the one I refused to give information on?"

    "Yes," he answers. "The Global Supernatural Defense Federation and the Global Magical Defense Federation deal with situations relating to their aspects. However, neither side is prepared for large-scale issues.

    "Your comments a few days ago," he says. "Made myself and the Council of Dreams aware of just how unprepared we are for another Calamity-Level event ¨C especially with you stating that one would begin in around a year.

    "The purpose of the Global Dreams Defense Federation," he continues. "Will be just that ¨C to defend the dreams of the future, and prepare us for a better age. We will handle the large-scale, powerful things. Things that would ordinarily take more manpower than we can afford to send to it ¨C or have, period.

    "So," he says. "Would you kindly tell us what it is you need? The mission has been approved. We don''t need as much information as other agencies would."

    "Okay," I say. "I need to get to Mount Norvara. We''ll need supplies for camping, but travel light. I could use my ring to store stuff, though. Or pull from my own storage."

    "You need to reach Mount Norvara?" He asks. "Is that where the events starting the Second Great Calamity are?"

    It''s where the Moon is being held prisoner, so I''ll assume so. However, as I wasn''t alive two hundred years ago, when the last one occurred, I''m not entirely sure. It could start there, or it could just start everywhere.

    "Yes and no," I answer. "It''s where part of the reason it''s happening is. I don''t actually have the full details, myself. I do know we need to go there, wreck the place, kill some people, rescue someone, and wreck more things. Then probably collapse the place."

    "ˇ­collapse the place?"

    "Yes."

    "Are you talking about the mountain, or the facility?"

    "Both."

    "Do you actually have that kind of power?" He asks. "Or is it because of your Teacher and your father?"

    "Both."

    "You can collapse a mountain fourteen miles high and more than a hundred in width?"

    Mount Norvara is a massive mountain that rose during the First Great Calamity, and it''s made of a dangerously-tough stone.

    "I have access to much of my power that was sealed within me," I inform him. "I believe I possess the necessary power, now. If not, I could always do a Unison Strike with the other four."

    General Reynolds pales when I say that. The thought of a five-way Unison Strike with beings as powerful as us involved, particularly Flame and myself, could be pretty disastrous.

    How would he react if I voiced my thought about performing a doppelganger spell and doing a Unison Strike with it.

    I could probably destroy a small continent with that. Just erase it from existence. I don''t plan on that, though, as it would mean a lot of people would die, and Teacher probably wouldn''t be too happy with me performing such a large-scale terrain shift.

    "Don''t worry," I tell the General. "With my control over the spell, we wouldn''t destroy too much. How long do you think it would take for us to reach Norvara using your resources?"

    "Five days," he answers. "We can push it to three, but-"

    "Five works," I answer. "Our team is here."

    "Caleb!" Flame flies into the room, stopping in his excitement just long enough to salute and wait to be eased by the General. "Caleb, guess what!"

    You had some caffeine pills again?

    "Our uniforms are made of a magic-resistant, heat-resistant material," Brooks rains on his brother''s parade, and Flame looks a bit upset that water-boy didn''t let me answer.

    I waited a few seconds on purpose, knowing Brooks would probably just tell me.

    "Which we discovered," Jared says. "When Flame got excited and burst into flames."

    "I didn''t burst into flames!" Flame exclaims. "I just turned into them a little bit!"

    What''s the difference?

    "We''re here for a debriefing," Owen interrupts them. "Can we please save this until after?"

    <hr>

    ~~~(Teacher)~~~

    A presence forms behind me, and the only reason I don''t react violently the moment I began to sense it was the unique signature of the presence. It''s impossible to mistake the Scribe for anyone else. Or anyone for her.

    "Since when do you leave the Temple?" I turn to face her. "Isn''t it dangerous and risky?"

    "I''ve taken necessary precautions," she informs me. "We have a situation."

    Any situation that pulls her out of the Temple would have to be dangerous and risky. And severe, possibly on the level of another Calamity. So her actually saying it''s a situation makes my fur stand on end and a chill run across my spine.

    "What kind of situation?"

    "I was looking," she tells me. "For the source of the Ancient Seals binding Caleb''s full power and true nature, as well as any oddities that may have resulted from tampering with time or beings who exist yet can''t be seen by my powers."

    Beings like Caleb''s brothers ¨C my six sons before him. The only reason she could notice them was because of their lack of existence in those around Caleb and Caleb''s past.

    The damn orphanage was filled with people who knew about them. Apparently, the brothers visited from time to time. Or at least, one of them, we aren''t too sure. The staff weren''t aware, but the kids were.

    "What is so serious," I say. "That you left the Temple, Scribe?"

    "Light."

    "What about it?"

    "Who," she corrects.

    "Who?" I ask. "A person?"

    "Yes," she nods. "A boy, around fifteen, with platinum-blond hair and golden eyes."

    Golden eyes shouldn''t be possible, not outside of pure-blooded dragons, rift wolves, and gods, except in the cases of Special-Type Gifteds'' eye-changes, but those are patterns, sort of like a Creator''s labyrinth.

    "What of him?"

    "To start with?" She asks. "He''s in Norvara, the town at the base of Mount Norvara."

    The only settlement around that dangerous mountain. They act as the last touch of civilization before the trail that leads in towards the center of the mountain, where humanity mines a rare crystal used as a type of magical fuel. It''s a privately-owned mining company, though they don''t really interfere with the town too much.

    "What does that have to do with anything?"

    "It has to do with everything," she says. "It''ll be a lot faster if you just saw him. Take on a human form."

    I shift myself out of the snow leopard form I was stalking through the mountain in, taking on my usual human form, my natural human form. With a thought, clothes form around me, then shift from my usual, I-am-mysterious outfit to a dark blue, hooded sweater without sleeves, straight-cut, dark blue jeans, and a pair of black and blue sneakers. Sliding my hands into the pocket on the front of the hoodie, I look at the Scribe.

    "Your emblem''s on the back," she tells me.

    "Not anymore," I say as it fades away. "Going to go there wearing a sun dress?"

    She''s wearing a light pink sundress and matching flats, which is not normal for her.

    "Yes," she answers. "Let''s go."

    Our surroundings change, and we find ourselves in the town. Population: fourteen thousand. It can hardly be called a town, it''s more like a large village. A large, quiet village.

    I hate this place. Came here a hundred years ago, and it was just as quiet as it is now, almost no one walking about.

    Not by rules or anything, it''s just the way it is here.

    The Scribe and I walk down the street, until we turn a corner, where I freeze in my tracks.

    Washing the windows in front of a small shop is a boy who could be Kieran. Kieran Rivers. The dead Keiran Rivers. He is the exact same kid in every wayˇ­ except his eyes are golden and his hair is platinum-blond, and his outfit''s moreˇ­ normal. Faded jeans and a dark green hoodie.

    No sulky attitude, either.

    In addition to that, this kidˇ­ has one of the Ancient Seals. Not just any of the Ancient Seals, but one of the same six that Caleb does. One of the six binding my son''s powers. There can only be one of each at a time, though.

    How in the fuck is this possible?

    "Kieran and Jonathan were identical twins, right?" I ask the Scribe. "Minus the fact that Jonathan was albino?"

    "Correct," she says. "And I can assure you that this boy is not a missing member that would make them a triplet."

    "He''s the light version of Kieran," I say.

    "My thoughts, too," she tells me. "And the plot gets thicker, Teacher."

    "That''s never good news, with you."

    "Kieran represents shadows, right?" She asks. "And he had light as his stronger element? He also had an odd death, because he faded into shadows, not light, as any true elemental dragon would''ve, and yet he''s only partly-dragon, not mostly-dragon. Which doesn''t matter, of course."

    "Get to the point, Scribe."

    "This boy," she says. "Possesses an Ancient Seal identical to one Caleb has binding his powers, which shouldn''t be possible, and is, essentially, the ''light'' version of Kieran."

    "Are you telling me that Kieran''s essentially a phoenix?" I ask. "That he died as a dragon of shadows, and came back as a dragon of light? This boy, now that I''m reading him, has more dragon in him than Kieran did."

    Enough that Caleb and his brothers'' trick to releasing one''s Gift and turning them into a full magician with a little bit of extra knowledge wouldn''t kill them. This kid could handle that shift.

    "Possibly," she answers. "Though I hadn''t actually considered that."

    "Then get to the point, before I call upon our fathers to reprimand you for leaving such a powerful asset unguarded."

    "It''s got guards," she tells me. "In the form of our fathers. There are currently five Dragons of Creations in there."

    What in the actual fuck are they all doing there? She probably left because of their presence.

    "Do I want to know?"

    "Probably not."

    "Then. Get. To. The. Fucking. Point."

    "Kieran," she holds up her right index finger. "Cliff," she sticks up her middle finger. "Gale," she sticks up her ring finger. "Owen," she sticks up her little finger. "Brooks," she sticks out her thumb. "Flame," she holds up her left hand, index finger sticking up. "The seven elements in his six allies. With their deaths, the elements still stick around in the form of others, being Flame and Brooks."

    Caleb''s gathered the elements around him, possibly unknowingly.

    "The Ancient Seals," I realize, feeling my eyes widen. "He has six of them, and six original elemental allies. Three of whom are deadˇ­ or at least, two are dead, and one isˇ­ possibly dead, with a light-based doppelganger."

    "My thoughts exactly," she says. "It''s very, very possible that they''re linked."

    The Ancient Seals are also known as the Primordial Seals.

    "Don''t tell me-"

    "They are," she says. "I checked, once I saw this. Caleb possesses the Six Elemental Seals."

    The Six Primordial Elements, each of his teammates representing one of them. Shadow is coupled in with the Primordial Element of Light, so they still covered are seven of the ''elements''.

    "You think Kieran was split in two?" I ask. "And that''s why he had the shadowy, gloomy mode we all knew, and didn''t die properly when he died?"

    "No," she frowns. "I think, when he died, the Ancient Seal of Light he represents did this."

    She gestures to the boy.

    "I thought you said it wasn''t him?" I look over at him.

    He''s inspecting his work on the window, oblivious to the two powerful beings standing just a few dozen yards away, discussing his very existence.

    Oh, if the mortals knew the forces standing among them right now, things would be interesting.

    "It isn''t," she says. "He has absolutely no memoriesˇ­ past waking up in the forest bordering this town. It happened the exact moment Kieran faded away completely."

    In other words, if this is connected to Caleb and his friends, and each of his friends is the reincarnation of an Ancient Seal, then this boy here is the ''other half'' of the Primordial Seal of Light. Yet why don''t his friendsˇ­

    "Scribe?"

    "You''ve realized?"

    "When his teammates die," I say. "The ''other half'' comes out, doesn''t it?"

    "That''s what I''m thinking," she nods.

    Which means there are two other Ancient Seals walking around like this. The beings who represent them are basically immortal, on the level of the Dragons of Creation, though they can be killed. It just takes a lot of firepowerˇ­ to rip the Ancient Seal out of them.

    "I''m going to stick around," I say. "Observe things for a little while, and see how he goes. I''ll try to figure out how there are two Primordial Seals of Light manifested at the same time, while I''m here."

    "I wouldn''t stick around too much," the Scribe tells me.

    "Why not?" I look over to see her grinning. "What?"

    "You haven''t really been paying attention to your son and his crew the last few days, have you?"

    "I know they''re the four dragons that clashed in one of my Phantom Fields," I say. "During some training exercise. I tried tuning it out."

    "Caleb and his team are the first agents," she says. "Of the Global Dream Defense Federation. And they''re on their way here to stop the Second Great Calamity."

    My entire body freezes when I hear those words. A Second Calamity?

    It took every ounce of my power to stop the first. I''ve got magics in place to let me know the moment one begins. How would mortals know before me that one''s going to start?

    "They only think it is, right?" I ask. "My magics-"

    A surge of power wells up within the mountain, blasting out. Most mortals wouldn''t even notice it, but that powerˇ­ it was disturbingly familiar. And set off all of my wards at once.

    The boy freezes up when it forms, unsure of what''s going on. He can sense it? I guess that''s natural, considering what he represents.

    "Shit."

    "Don''t worry," she smiles. "It won''t mess up the world too much. Your son''s on his way to stop it, after all."

    "The first stages," I frown. "Why didn''t I notice?"

    "Where did it manifest from?"

    The fucking mountain! The fucking mortals are abusing the properties of that crystal to hide their plans! Beings such as the Scribe and I can''t look in or sense in, nor even enter! The only reason I could stop the last Calamity was because I was able to break into the damn place and free the fucking Domain Deities! It still took me a decade to clean up the mess!

    And I''m still recovering my power from all of that!

    "Fuck!"

 Chapter 028

    ~~~(Jared)~~~

    "Why are you making a stop at the Enchanted Forest?" I ask.

    Caleb ignores me, continuing to fiddle with theˇ­ I''m not actually sure what it is. Some sort of magical orb he''s been enchanting the last few days, partly as a way to acquire a proper feel for his new level of power.

    "Caleb," I say. "You know the nightmare that place is. The kaennikite mines, combined with the Enchanted Trees, pretty much neutralize magic and abilities. And from the way you were talking, we''re not going around it, but in it."

    What little he said on the matter of where we''re going.

    "Caleb?" Flame peeks in closely at the metal-and-crystal orb our leader''s working on. "Is that a bomb?"

    I jerk back the moment Flame asks that.

    "Yes," Caleb answers.

    "Why are you making a bomb?" Brooks yells. "And on an airship!"

    "I''m blowing up the forest."

    That''sˇ­ one way to deal with it. I suppose it''s his way of saying ''fuck you'' to the forest and its residents, for what happened to us down there. Caleb''s told us that those events didn''t really change with the meddling to the past, which means we went through that nightmare in both versions of history.

    Which sucks. Why couldn''t that have been one of the things that changed?

    "Considering that''s a magical bomb," I say. "Won''t the forest negate it?"

    "No," Caleb answers. "Because I made it."

    What does that have to do with anything? Enchanted Trees neutralize magic entirely. Actually, they suppress it, which would meanˇ­

    "Caleb," I say. "If we''re caught in that blast, we''re not existing anymore, are we?"

    "Don''t worry," he says. "Flame can just eat up any of the flames that come our way."

    "Uh-uh!" Flame throws up his hands, scrambling back. "I''m not eating your magical bomb fire! That''ll give me a stomachache!"

    "So?"

    "We''re shielding!" Flame shakes his head. "I''m not eating those fires!"

    "I''m even giving it a nice minty aftertaste for you," Caleb looks disappointed.

    He''sˇ­ giving fire an aftertaste? What in the actual fuck, Caleb?

    "Let''s run through the battle plan again," I say as Owen barges into a room.

    "Who''s making a bomb?" He asks.

    "Caleb," Flame, Brooks, and I say in unison.

    "Why?" He asks.

    "I''m dropping it on the Enchanted Forest," Caleb responds.

    "How close are we going to be to it?"

    "We''ll be flying just above the neutralization range," Caleb glances at him. "How long until we arrive?"

    That''s pretty damn close, Caleb. A bomb powerful enough to override the forest''s properties will completely and entirely erase us from that distance. Not in a painful way, in an instant way.

    "Eight minutes," Owen responds. "I didn''t sign up to die."

    "Flame''s eating the fire that gets near us."

    "I''m putting up shields!" Flame exclaims. "You should, too! I''m not eating magical bomb fire!"

    "Maybe some other day," Caleb mutters, removing several of the magics from the bomb while rearranging a few others.

    He really did make it so the fire would have a minty aftertaste.

    "We''ll have to hold off on the battle plan," Caleb looks at me.

    "Battle plan?" Owen asks.

    "I wanted," I say. "To review our plans for once we reach Norvara, the town."

    We can''t fly through those mountains, the crystals inside prevents it, so we''ll have to walk through the trail until we reach the area we''re looking for. Caleb doesn''t know where it is, specifically, but we theorize it has to do with the mines themselves.

    The trick will be convincing the company to allow us to inspect them. If the location we''re seeking is in the mines, then the company will be highly resistant to having agents poking around.

    "Yeah," Owen says. "We should probably wait until after Caleb does whatever we''re heading to the Enchanted Forest for."

    Owen returns to manning the ship as I think about how we''re going to convince resistant people to allow us into the mines. Just before we reach the stopping point Caleb gave Owen when he changed our flight plans, Caleb shifts, then creates layer after layer of barriers around both the bomb and the ship, creating them so rapidly that I barely register it before I sense what''s coming.

    Then a wave of energy crashes into the ship. It''s pure magic, though it doesn''t seem like it''s affecting anything too much, if at all. If we weren''t magicians of a high caliber, we probably wouldn''t have even sensed that.

    "What was that?" Brooks frowns.

    "Something bad," Caleb says.

    "How bad?"

    "The Second Great Calamity''s begun."

    "Then why are we not changing course?" I demand to know.

    "We need to do this, first," Caleb says.

    "Blowing up the fucking forest can wait!"

    "What?" Caleb looks at me, confused. "We''re going into the Ruins under the forest. Blowing up the forest is for good measure."

    "What''s so important in the Ruins that can''t wait until after we stop the fucking Calamity?" I ask.

    "A trapped god."

    We''re not getting a proper explanation out of him, are we?

    Caleb grabs the bomb and calmly and leisurely walks to the deck, then to the edge of it, floating up into the air and a little bit past the edge, so that he''s over the dead-center of the Enchanted Forest.

    Then, he drops the bomb, and Flame hastily begins weaving barriers around the airshipˇ­ which Caleb promptly dispels, a look of annoyance on his face.

    "No barriers."

    "We''ll be blown to bits!"

    "No, we won''t."

    "Yes, we will!" Flame exclaims. "That''s a bomb, made by you! We''re all gonna die!"

    I watch as the bomb drops further and further, the powers of the trees negating, suppressing, and dissolving the spells woven into the orb.

    Dissolving?

    Why is the negation field dissolving the magics?

    When the bomb is halfway to the ground, a wave of crimson energy erupts out of it, a swirling maelstrom of power, and it''s only as it does that I realize what the bomb''s design truly meant.

    It''s eating the very suppressing power of the Enchanted Trees to fuel its power. When the field extends, so too does the effect.

    That''s why Caleb''s unconcerned with our safety. We aren''t in danger. Flame''s freaking out, and I suspect Caleb may have temporarily suppressed his powers so he can''t make the barriers after dispelling the original ones.

    In under two seconds, the entire negation field has been transformed into the crimson maelstrom, which fades seconds later, leaving nothing but a crater in the ground, a hole in the center of it, some sort of bluish light emitting from within.

    "Oh," Caleb looks happy. "I made a new entrance into the Ruins!"

    Using my draconic sight, I look for the mines'' entrances, and notice that they, too, were ravaged by the storm.

    "Whatˇ­ in the actual fuck?" Owen asks, and I look at him.

    "The Rivers Suppression-Devouring Bomb just turned the Enchanted Forest into the Massive Crater."

    "Suppression-Devouring?" Flame looks confused.

    "My magical powers, senses, and knowledge," I look at him. "Are much, much weaker than yours. How in the actual fuck was I able to determine what it did while you didn''t?"

    "I-" Flame starts, then sighs. "Whatever. It was cool!"

    "There could''ve been flames," Caleb tells him.

    "I''m not eating magical bomb fires!" Flame exclaims.

    Caleb shrugs, then plummets downwards, and we all rush to try to grab him, only realizing once he''s closer to the hole that he''s dropping himself.

    "Into the Ruins!" I say.

    "I''ll land the ship," Owen says. "You guys go on ahead, and try to convince Caleb to wait for all five of us to be gathered."

    I nod, then jump over the edge, plummeting downwards as fast as my magic will safely let me. As I descend, an actual, literal, fireball around two feet in diameter soars past me, and if my inner dragon''s being honestˇ­

    That was Flame. He turned himself into an actual fucking fireball.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Caleb)~~~

    Flame crashes into the barrier I manifested at the last moment, then collapses to the ground in a heap, back in his human form, clothes forming around him.

    "Dangit!" He exclaims. "By the way, Owen said to wait for him to land the ship and join us."

    "I was planning on it," I look into the hole. It''s around ten feet in diameter, and has a hundred-yard drop to the glowing platform below. "Best if you four are with me for this."

    It can be quite dangerous, depending on the Ruins'' mood.

    It takes about ten minutes for Owen to land the ship and erect some magical protections with Brooks, then for the two of them to join Flame, Jared, and me down here.

    "So what''s the plan?" Jared asks. "We''re hunting down, then freeing, a god?"

    "No," I answer. "Well, we might free him. We''re actually here for his staff."

    This god''s not getting free. There''s a reason he''s trapped.

    I jump down, landing in a roll. Once I''m at my feet, I wait for the others to join me, then start walking.

    The floors, the walls, the ceilings, they''re all made of magic circles glowing with a bluish light. Not a material formed into the magic circles, but of magic circles. We''re walking on pure magic, surrounded by it.

    I lead the team through several passages, descending deeper and deeper, grateful that, at least for now, the Ruins are in a good mood.

    After nearly two hours of walking, we reach a chamber consisting of several magical circles surrounding another, central one, upon which stands aman in hisforties. At least, he appears to be there. He has dark brown hair and dark blue eyes, and watches us with a mix of amusement and confusion.

    "It isn''t every day," he says as I approach, my team staying back a bit. "That I receive visitors. And even rarer still are they children. And even rarer still are any of them possessing draconic blood that''s awakened. To what do I owe the pleasure of your risk?"

    "I wish to borrow your staff."

    "No."

    "Please."

    "No," his face contorts in anger. "I will not be loaning my staff out to mortals. Especially not one with six Ancient Seals manifested within him, binding his powers and keeping them in check."

    "Even if forbidding me from borrowing it," I say. "Could prevent another Great Calamity?"

    "I don''t care!" He snarls. "My staff is much too powerful for any mortal to possess, and much to dangerous for any dragon! Begone! Before I destroy the lot of you!"

    He seems pretty arrogant. Is he aware that I have the power to blink him out of existence, should I choose to merge myself and utilize my full power, even with the Ancient Seals still in place? I hate gods from his era.

    "Please don''t."

    That''s a safer response.

    "Caleb," Jared says. "We should probably retreat."

    "No," I step forward. "We need the staff if we want to guarantee that we''re ending the Second Great Calamity. It''s already begun. We need the staff if we want to prevent the major effects from occurring and minimize damage, as well as ending it in a timely matter."

    "Well, that sucks for you, doesn''t it?" He laughs, a staff appearing in front of him.

    It''s only around five feet in height, and is made of a material that''s a swirl of silver and gold. The ancient god grips it, then slams the butt of the staff into the magic circle, time freezing.

    Well, things just went south. I glance at my teammates to confirm that they were affected by the freeze, then turn back to the god, who looks stunned.

    "How are you not frozen?" He asks. "Even the son of Auriauror himself couldn''t resist this power!"

    The staff is a powerful staff of healing powers, but its actual purpose is to store the soul of a being who once bore the Primal Seal of Life, which one of my brothers now bears. The staff holds all of that man''s powers and adds a ''living'' component to any magic.

    Including the ancient time god''s power to halt time, making it nigh impossible for me to stop from happening or to shield my team from.

    "The difference," I step forward. "Between my father and me is that I was fully aware of what could happen, and as I am, possess even more power than him. I am Lusvar Nomari, the Bringer of Light and Darkness. Would you like to know more differences?"

    The time god continues to stare at me in shock and confusion.

    "My father has less morals than me," I step forward, and the time god blasts me with a concentrated wave of time, which I smack to the side. "But I have suffered more than him. We have quite different standards. And you have threatened this world, which I care about deeply."

    Thanks to the meddling with my past and all I have suffered, I am not the same kid I was a year ago. I will do what I must to protect everyone, even if it means pissing off an ancient god and stealing a staff that can only be given willingly or through death.

    "Now give me the staff," I command.

    The god finds himself stepping forward, before fighting my power as an Enchanter. He lost the Primordial Seal of Time a long time ago, as evidenced by the second-eldest of my brothers possessing it, but he''s still a formidable foe. Even gods would be forced to bend to my will, with my new level of power.

    The only downside is that they truly must have some level of desire to do what I command, or the effect doesn''t work. He wants to give up the staff, yet at the same time, he doesn''t. That''s why he fights me.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    Owning it earned him this prison, and giving it would allow him a chance at freedom. I could, of course, grant him the freedom he seeks. I do not, however. No, the freedom I will give him will be much more to my true preferences.

    "You now see," I say. "That you have little power against me. We can strike a deal. Allow me to borrow the staff, as I initially requested, and break the six Ancient Seals binding my powers. When I return the staff to you, I will then release you from this prison. As my father and his allies bound you into this place, I will release you from those binds."

    "You are not getting my staff, even temporarily!" He snaps at me. "No one shall ever claim it from me! Your power is worthless against me!"

    Is he a walking clich¨¦ or something?

    The time god waves the staff again, assaulting me with his magic, and I smack it to the side once more, slowly approaching him and deflecting attack after attack until I''m only a few feet away. He''s walked back, until his back is against the magic circle''s edge. He''s bound into the central one, even if he can act on things outside of it and push his magic through.

    "This is your final chance," I say. "To give me the staff willingly. If you do not, then I will end you and claim the staff from your corpse."

    "You think you can kill a god?" He asks.

    "What is a god," I say. "To a Bringer?"

    He swings the staff, and I catch it with one hand. It will be impossible for me to simply wrest away from him or use it, but that doesn''t matter. He attempts to use my contact with the staff to halt me in time, but at the same moment, I grab his arm and allow my power to flood into it, using his power flowing into the staff to act as a catalyst.

    The ancient time god lets out a bloodcurdling scream as the essence of his soul rips out of his body, flowing with his power into the staff, his assault on me ending as soon as it began, leaving me unaffected.

    With the previous owner dead, the staff is now mine to claim. I look at my allies, then tap the butt of the staff into the ground, the god''s body vanishing as time unfreezes. My team collects themselves quickly, as any proper agent would.

    They also look confused.

    "Where''s the god?" Jared asks.

    "I killed him," I answer, and his jaw drops. "He refused to give me the staff, and attempted to kill us. He froze the four of you in time, then fought me when he realized his magic wouldn''t work on me."

    "So that staff," Flame says. "Freezes time? That''s so cool! Isn''t that like your brother''s power?"

    "That was his own magic," I shake my head as I approach my team. "The staff''s power only altered it, making it impossible for me to shield the four of you from the time-freeze. The staff itself is a staff that manipulates life and rebirth. Sort of."

    "Sort of?" Jared asks, and I shrug.

    The explanation''s hard to do, using mortal words.

    "Anyway," I say. "We should probably leave. The Ruins aren''t going to be happy that their prisoner died."

    <hr>

    ~~~(Jared)~~~

    "Not happy is an understatement!" I yell. "The fucking ruins tried to fucking kill us, Caleb!"

    "We made it out alright."

    "Only because you were with us!" I yell. "Why didn''t you just tell us to stay in the airship? We could''ve been killed so many times in there!"

    "Would you have listened?" He asks, and I start to respond, then stomp off towards the ship, using the metals in the land around us to create a magnetic force to propel myself up.

    The only reason we survived those Ruins is because Caleb was in there. Seriously. There was no reason for us to be in there. The fact that we wouldn''t have listened to him doesn''t matter! He could have bound us or something with his magic to stop us from following!

    I mean, we''d be really mad at him, and-

    "Argh!" I kick the ground, turning back in time to see the rest of the team joining us and Calebˇ­ "Guys? Is it me, or is Caleb holding another bomb?"

    "Is Calebˇ­ what?" Brooks turns around, just in time for Caleb to drop a basketball-sized orb of glowing magics into the hole leading down into the Ruins. "Please tell me he didn''t just-"

    Caleb teleports next to us, then turns, counting down from seventy-eight under his breath as the rest of us run into the airship, Owen hurrying to power it back on and get it into flight. At some point, Caleb appears on the deck out back, watching the hole.

    The moment he reaches ''zero'', the ground is rocked by the explosion, a pillar of crimson magics blasting out of the hole as the world breaks around us.

    "Hurry up!" I yell to Owen. "The ground''s giving way!"

    "I''m going as fast as I can!" He tells me. "It takes five minutes to power this thing properly!"

    Fucking hell! We''re going to die!

    I run outside and do my best to manipulate the ground beneath us to stop it from drawing us in as the Ruins collapse everything above it. Owen manages just as I start to lose control over the powerful forces of nature at work and the airship lifts up into the air, clearing us of the ground.

    About fucking time! We seriously need an airship that doesn''t take so long to get running. Five minutes is way too long if Caleb''s going to be collapsing giant fucking holes in the ground that have millions of tons of earth above them, but under our ship! At least we could it in the air before then, even if it''s gonna cause us problems until we can land it and properly boot it up.

    Owen flies us above the collapsing land, and we wait for it to finish, which takes more than an hour, leaving a crater more than a hundred miles across, the crimson energies long faded.

    "So," Caleb looks at me. "What happened to being in a hurry to getting us to Norvara to stop the Second Great Calamity?"

    "What happened to letting us know," I say. "So we could get the ship off the ground before you collapse the Ruins?"

    "We survived."

    "Why didn''t you bother helping me protect the ship?"

    "I did," he says. "Your abilities were insufficient for the job, so I augmented them with my own power while also weaving my own protective magics to ensure we were safe. We were never in any danger."

    Please go back to being quiet, timid, and extremely hesitant, will you?

    <hr>

    ~~~(Brooks)~~~

    As Norvara finally draws into view, I notice that Flame''s shifted over to Blaze, his black hair and grey eyes serious and determined. He knows how serious this mission is, and what could happen if we fail. We need the more merciful person here, so Flame allowed Blaze to take over, I''m sure.

    Caleb won''t allow the staff to leave our sight. He''s assured us that only he can use it, unless he truly willingly gives it up to someone else or someone kills him. It still makes me nervous, though, as he''s mentioned that the power of the staff can instantly kill someone.

    Which he proved before telling us that, which scared all of us. We were attacked by a flock of griffins, and Caleb waved the staff in the air. The result was a black wave of energy that tore through the griffins, which promptly died.

    It wasn''t as if something killed them, though. Their lives simply ended. No damage to them, other than their livesˇ­ ending? I guess that''s all I can explain it as.

    Flame quietly told me after that he thinks the new Caleb is awesome. I told him that Caleb''s kind of scary. I kind of miss the quiet Caleb, but after the losses he''s suffered, I can''t blame him for being colder and more merciless. More unyielding.

    Killing a godˇ­

    To have that kind of power makes him a terrifying being. The four of us agreed that we need to keep an eye on him, just in case he starts going over the edge a bit more. He''s lost so many of his brothers, and after just seeing them, too. And the one who stuck around for awhile ended up dying when he was there, and Caleb failed to rescue another.

    When we land the airship, a slightly-older version of Caleb awaits us on the ground, his eyes violet, the same violet Caleb''s eyes turn when he uses magic.

    It''s not whenever he uses heavy magics, anymore, but whenever he uses magic, ever. Even the slightest spell causes it, it seems.

    This must be one of his brothers, meaning that the entire team has now met one. I don''t think he''s Nikvar, the one who didˇ­ that, to Flame. His outfit''s different than the one my brother encountered.

    This one wears a pair of shorts that are forest green in color with swirls of dark reds and greens, and nothing else, a violet marking on his sternum. It doesn''t read ''bringer of magic'', as Flame said Nikvar''s did. I don''t recognize these runes.

    "Bringer of Life?" Blaze looks at the brother curiously as we step off of the airship.

    "Yes," Caleb approaches his brother. "Blaze, remove your jacket, shirt, and tank."

    "Why?" Blaze asks.

    "Just do it."

    Blaze frowns, but complies as Caleb hands his brother the staff.

    "What''s going on?" I put a hand on my brother''s shoulder. His good one. "Caleb, I''m not liking this."

    "Tauiu," Caleb says. "Is the Bringer of Life. He possesses an Ancient Seal. Unlike my six, his doesn''t bind his power, but rather, amplifies his natural abilities and bestows him more."

    Removing the tops.

    Oh.

    "Ah," Blaze says. Flame would probably be confused, but Blaze isn''t Flame. He understands things easier. "Nikvar told Flame it wasn''t possible."

    "Normally," Tauiu says. "It wouldn''t be. However, with the staff and my Primordial Seal of Life, it might be possible."

    Blaze nods, stepping forward. A light of silver and gold envelopes Tauiu as he takes on a more draconic experience, violet scales shimmering with gold forming on his upper torso and sides, a tail extending out from above his rear, a pair of horns curving in and back from the sides of his head.

    Just like how Flame described the brother who gave him his power.

    Tauiu extends a hand, silver and gold light flowing out of it and into Blaze, wrapping around him and his stump. The light continues to flow for several minutes, Caleb''s brother''s face tightening in concentration, though he eventually stops, sighing as the light fades away.

    "It didn''t work," Tauiu returns the staff to Caleb. "I''m sorry. I''ll work on figuring out how to do it."

    "It''s nothing to worry about," Caleb shrugs. "If all else fails, I''ll probably be able to do it once these seals are broken on me."

    So my brother''s going to have to live without an arm for awhile. At least he tried, then. I didn''t realize that Caleb didn''t actually possess the power right now. I know the others thought he could, too, so this probably shocked all of us.

    He''s not as powerful as we thought.

    "I''ll be off," Tauiu salutes to Caleb as my brother pulls his tops back on. "Give Father my best."

    Teacher''s going to be here, isn''t he? A power like that would definitely have gotten his attention.

    Caleb nods, and his brother turns to a golden glow, then fades away. With the draconic being gone, we make our way into the town. No one seemed to have noticed the lightshow, which indicates that Caleb probably threw up a barrier of some sort.

    "Let''s head to the hotel," Caleb says. "We can check in tonight, then head to Ground Zero in the morning."

    "Shouldn''t we try to stop the Calamity today?" I ask as another pulse of power washes over us.

    "No," Caleb answers. "It''s best to wait a bit and get some rest than to rush in now while we''re exhausted. The only thing that our rest will do is cause a few more adverse reactions by its magics before we stop it. The real test will be while we''re inside, since magic and existence will be warped in there."

    That doesn''t sound good, Caleb.

    "Plus," he adds. "We need to prepare the four of you so that you can actually withstand the warped existence."

    <hr>

    ~~~(???)~~~

    "Good afternoon," Mr. Davis greets me as I leave the apartment above his shop. "Sleep well?"

    He''s an older man, in his fifties, with grey hair and dark brown eyes. He runs a small store in a town called Norvara, though it''s a pretty quiet place. Both the shop and the town. It''s comfortable, and things are slow. I like the pacing.

    "Yes, sir," I dip my head to him. "Thank you."

    "Have you remembered anything?"

    "No, sir," I respond. "Did you buy more cleaner?"

    "No," he answers. "I was planning on picking it up after I closed this evening."

    "I''ll go buy it," I tell him.

    "Are you sure?"

    "Yes," I nod.

    "Thank you," he says, handing me his business credit card. "You know which one, right?"

    "Yes, sir," I nod. "I should be back in twenty minutes or so."

    Mr. Davis nods, then I leave and start walking down the street. He''s been generous enough to allow me to stay here as I try to remember who I am. They found me a few months ago, a few hours after I woke in the forest outside of town. I was just wandering around it, trying to catch my bearings as I figured out what was going on.

    The only memories I have are few and rare between, and very short, sometimes, just glimpses into whatever life I had before. A long, long time before, when I was a really, really little boy. It was some sort of orphanage, I think?

    I''m not sure, and thinking about it confuses me.

    Weaving some light between my fingers, I watch as the illusion forms, a pale blue butterfly fluttering around as I continue walking, my illusion staying in front of me.

    Whoever I was, I dealt with light magics enough to make it instinctive. At least, it might be magics, but it could also be an Ability, making me a Superhuman instead of a magician. They aren''t very sure, though the company that runs the mines tested me, and said that, oddly, I''m registering as a magician.

    The reason it''s odd is because my magic works differently from other magics. No magic circles, no catalysts, no chanting. Nothing of the sort, making it seem like it''s an Ability, as I can simply trigger it. From what they said, only Abilities allow someone to simply manifest power like this.

    As my illusory butterfly continues to flutter around me, a group of boys around fourteen walk into view. More weird visitors, though at least they''re speaking Common, unlike the two who were here yesterday.

    Those two were especially strange, and they spoke a weird language that sounded oddly familiar. No one else seemed to notice them, so I thought maybe I imagined them. Or maybe I was seeing through an illusion.

    Since I make them, that''s plausible, right? Especially with one of the boys who came into view.

    One of the current visitors has blue hair and matching eyes, and unless he''s dying his roots and eyebrows and eyelashes, it''s his natural color. My eyes are sharp enough to notice it. Much sharper than others here, making us wonder if I''m fully human, or have a bit of something else in me. I think he has water, ice, and stone magics, based on this sense of mine.

    I seem to be able to sense magics and Superhumans, based on my encounters with a few from the company, and can even tell what their Abilities or general form of power takes. It seems to be mostly accurate, the company told me. I wasn''t wrong at all when they tested me, at any rate.

    One of the other boys has a staff strapped to his back, with platinum-blond hair and electric blue eyes. He''s the tallest of the team, and when I see him, I instinctively know he possesses electric and lightning powers. A Superhuman, likely?

    The boy with soft-looking brown hair and emerald green eyes has some sort of power to do with metal, a sense supported by the fact that he''s wearing bits of metal around his body and attached to his uniform.

    They''re all wearing identical uniforms, except for the boy missing an arm, whose uniform lacks the arm to it as well. That boy has black hair and dark grey eyes with a dangerous, deadly intensity within them. He has powers over fire and air, I think.

    Their uniforms possess the lettering for the GDDF, though I''m not sure what that is. The people here told me about the GSDF and the GMDF, but they never told me of another. Their uniforms are similar, too, though have violet on them instead of the blue or green or whatever it was the others had.

    The fifth boy in the party seems to have a different rank from the others, since the emblem for his is different. I don''t know what it is, though, so I''m not sure if he''s higher or lower than them. He also resembles the male visitor from yesterday, which is why I''m thinking that wasn''t me imagining things.

    Not unless I''m imagining these boys, too.

    That boy is a little bit shorter than the others, so probably thirteen, but he might just be a short fourteen, too. He has blond hair, blue-grey eyes that sparkle like the ocean with three concentric circles linked together within them. In his right hand, he holds a staff made of some sort of silver and gold material, my eyes unable to discern any seams separating the two swirled colors.

    His powers are phenomenal. My sense for powers won''t read him properly at all, he''s that powerful. He''s containing it within him tightly, and it makes something within me reel back in fear. He''s absolutely terrifying.

    There''s something else in him, too. Something that resonates within me, a force of power much, much more primal than what I can sense. It calls to me for a few seconds, and then it''s gone.

    Maybe I imagined it?

    Shaking my head, I resume my walk to the general store and enter, grabbing a basket and making my way to the cleaning aisle. I grab a gallon jug of the concentrated window cleaner and set it into the basket, then continue looking around.

    I''m stronger than other people say I should be. I don''t give at all with the weight of the gallon. It''s light to me, but I see other people actually need to use their muscles when lifting such things.

    I reach the sponges and grab a pack of those, adding them to the basket. We''re nearly out of them, and I''m sure Mr. Davis would have no issue with me grabbing them before he runs out. The cleaner for the counters is nearly out, so I grab another gallon of that and set it in the basket.

    The things I came here for chosen, I make my way to the snacks section and look around. After grabbing a couple of packs of chocolate, I walk over to the cookies and grab two packages of some strawberry cookies.

    They''re really delicious, and I think I liked them before I lost my memory. Something about them feels wrong, though. Well, something about eating them. Like there''s someone else who''s supposed to be there, that I''m supposed to eat them with.

    It frustrates me, not being able to remember, but there''s nothing I can do about it. My memory''s simply not there, so there''s no use getting frustrated.

    After remembering that, I take a few breaths, then make my way to the counter and check out, making sure to separate my snacks from the stuff for the store. Best to keep them separate when paying, since those are being paid with the business card and my snacks with some of the cash Mr. Davis has paid me for my help.

    Taking my purchases, I leave, passing by the black-haired, grey-eyed boy who showed up on my way out. Something in me recognizes him, but I don''t know what. This is a weird feeling, and I know I don''t recognize this boy.

    He gives me a disturbingly analytical look, as if he''s piecing together every part of me and looking into me, and I hurry out.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Blaze)~~~

    As I make my way to enter a local general goods store, someone around a year my age is leaving. He''s carrying two gallon jugs of cleaners in his hands, with candy, a box of crackers, and a pack of sponges in his arms.

    I grab the door and let him out. He looks pretty familiar, like he could be Kieran, but his scent''s wrong and his hair''s blond, not black, and his eyes are pure-gold, not blue. So weird. My dragon doesn''t react the way that it normally does to Kieran, either. It just rests there, watching.

    Golden Boy''s dragon does the same thing.

    He shifted uncomfortably, then hurries out the door and past me. Jerk. Kieran would''ve at least muttered a ''thank you'' for that. I bid you a thousand days of misfortune.

    Taking my gaze off of Golden Boy, I enter the general goods store and look around. Curse this body and its desire for sweets, there''s almost nowhere in town that has them and I''m craving them. If I''m not careful, Flame will let loose, and we need to be on our edge.

    We don''t want him coming out, which will happen if our life is truly in danger, which might happen if Flame''s active as we try to stop the Second Great Calamity from occurring.

    So with a stomach craving sweets, I look at the store''s section. The other shops told me this place has the biggest selection. Noting a few things that I can definitely go with, I head to the front and grab one of their green-and-beige carrying baskets for shopping, then return.

    Chocolate-covered cookies, those strawberry cookies that Caleb likes, cookies with fig filling, two quarts of ice cream (one vanilla, and then Caleb''s preferred minty strawberry chocolate, which I''m surprised a backwoods place like this would have), and a gallon of orange juice.

    I head up to the counter to pay and set everything out.

    "Cookies, huh?" The cashier asks as he starts scanning. Older, probably around fifty-two, with grey hair and nearly-black eyes. Cataract in his left eye. Former military based on his shoulders and the rest of his build. Aura tightly contained. Former GSDF, likely. "You know, the kid who just left a minute ago got some of these, too."

    "I''m aware," I state. "Unlike him, I''d prefer my purchases in bags."

    "Right," the clerk responds, sorting things into bags. Ice cream into one bag, the rest of the snacks into the other. He taps the juice after he scans it. "And the juice?"

    "I''ll carry that," I pull out my card and swipe it through their reader.

    The clerk hands me my receipt, and I place that and my card in my wallet, grab the two bags in one hand and gallon in the other, and leave.

    As I''m walking to the hotel, my dragon growls in fear, snarling and reacting to the presence of something very, very powerful and very, very dangerous.

    Based on the smell of one of them, Teacher is here. I turn my head and find him walking down the street with a girl who looks around the same age as him. He''s dressed in a dark blue hoodie with a strange, thirteen-pointed star on the back, black jeans, and black boots, his hands tucked into his pockets.

    She has on a dark green summer dress and a pair of matching flats, along with fair skin, dark brown hair, and emerald eyes.

    Both of them are the source of this power. We were right in that Teacher would show up after Caleb and Tauiu attempted to heal me.

    However, they''re walking in the same direction Golden Boy went, not the hotel, which is odd.

    It''s best if I chose not to follow them, however, so I don''t, instead making my way back to the hotel. Owen is in the shower, Jared is cleaning some of the metal bits he keeps on him, Brooks is reading a file on a tablet, and Caleb is sitting at on the couch, eating Eastern food. Several containers are scattered across the table in front of him, along with a glass of lemonade and a pitcher of it.

    "I told you I would be back," I state.

    "I know," he tells me, setting his chopsticks back into the box he was eating noodles out of. "But you were taking awhile, and I-"

    He stops and sniffs, his gaze narrowing.

    "How close were they, and where were they?" He asks.

    "Who?" I ask.

    "Teacher and the Scribe."

    His nose is as sharp as always.

    "They were walking away from us," I state. "And on the other side of the street. They didn''t seem interested in us, probably having already investigated things. Who is the Scribe?"

    "Teacher''s cousin, in a way," he answers. "Like him, she''s the child of a Dragon of Creation. Two, to be precise, though she isn''t immortal. Not any less so than him, at any rate. She oversees the past."

    "The past?" Brooks asks.

    "Yes," Caleb answers. "The past. It is likely that they''re aware of the situation brewing with the Second Great Calamity about to occur. Unfortunately, they cannot enter the mountain, but that doesn''t mean they won''t be attempting to prevent too much chaos. Since they''re aware ahead of time, we can assume they''re here to help mitigate the damage. Now. Set the snacks down and put the OJ in the fridge. I''m finishing dinner, then we can have the snacks."

    If she oversees the past, does that mean she remembers the old past, too? And that she knows who changed history?

    Was she the one who changed history?

    "I''m only waiting if you let me eat some of that," I tell him. "Our body really likes sweets, and it currently possesses a strong craving for them."

    "Sure," he says.

 Chapter 029

    ~~~(Brooks)~~~

    "And you''re absolutely sure this will protect us from the magic of the Calamity?" I ask.

    Caleb is currently painting runes onto our torsos ¨C front and back ¨C after having convinced us that it''ll shield us from that dangerous magic. I''m not sure how honest he was with that, especially knowing he often hides information or flat-out lies for the heck of it.

    This magic he''s painting onto us, he won''t tell us what the mixture is made of, and it feels weird. For starters, it''s cold as fuck, even though it had been sitting on the table when we came out, and that was more than an hour ago.

    Sighing, I look at Caleb, who''s refused to answer my question as he paints the runes onto my brother. Blaze probably knows exactly what these runes are going to do. They''re a silver and purple in color, even though they come from the same bowls. It''s weird.

    At least Blaze doesn''t seem concerned, but that still doesn''t reassure me.

    "Blaze," I say, and he turns his gaze to me. "I do not miss sharing a bed with you."

    He grins at me. Tobias, Flame, and Blazeˇ­ three personalities within one person. All three of whom share the same body with certain habits that don''t go away. Such as their activeness at night. Due to only having two beds in the hotel room, Flame and I shared one, Jared and Owen shared the other, and Calebˇ­

    No one''s really sure where he slept.

    "Stop moving," Caleb says. "Or I''ll mess up the runes."

    "Why do we even need that particular formation?" Blaze looks back down.

    "And shut up."

    I snort at that. Caleb wants us to breathe as slowly and evenly as possible as he paints the runes on, and each person takes him fifteen minutes to finish. It''s slow, and he''s being extremely careful.

    Caleb finishes my brother, then tells him to stand by me and don''t do much for five minutes. He calls Jared over, who strips off his tops, then lets Caleb paint his body with the runes.

    After five minutes, I look at Blaze, who is watching Jared get painted.

    "What do the runes do?" I ask.

    "I only know some," he states. "They are protections, though."

    "And the one you''re not sure why he''s adding."

    "Nothing to worry about," Blaze answers. "Just odd to include. Probably another instance of Caleb being Caleb."

    That''s reassuring.

    Caleb finishes painting Jared and instructs him to wait by us, before calling over Owen. Once he finishes, he cleans off his fingers using fire, and burns the rest of the substance that he used to paint us.

    "When we can put our shirts back on?" I ask.

    "Huh?" Caleb blinks at us. "I never said you couldn''t once the five minutes were up. None of you had to wait that long."

    I sigh, then grab my undershirt and button-up and pull them on, buttoning up the uniform before tucking it in. When I look at Blaze, he''s already dressed. Seeing him without the arm is so hard, how does he manage it?

    It''s got to bother him, but he never shows it. Especially not as Blaze, who never shows what he''s really feeling. I wish I could draw Tobias out, to find out their real feelings on the matter.

    Why did they have to take his arm? Couldn''t there have been another way?

    "What''s the plan?" Jared asks, holding his uniform shirt instead of pulling it on, though he''s pulled on his undershirt.

    "We''ll make our way to the path up the mountain," Caleb answers. "At the gate, we''ll identify ourselves as agents of the Global Dreams Defense Federation and provide paperwork. If they refuse to verify it, we kill them. If they verify it, then refuse to let us through, we kill them."

    "Since when do you kill people so easily?" I ask. "Aren''t you the one least-likely to hurt people?"

    "Brooks," Caleb looks me in the eyes. "Done is the day where I''m hesitant to kill others. This world is in danger, and I care about it a lot. I can''t let myself be held back by the past, so I''m going to do what''s necessary. I even killed a god to protect the world."

    "Alright," I back down.

    This is still a bit worrying. Caleb has the most power out of all of us, and if he''s finally gotten over his hesitation to kill others, it could easily lead him down a very dark path. The tipping point was probably Kieran''s death.

    Without his brother here to stabilize him, Caleb probably will go down that path. Or already is.

    It''s part of why I have to keep an eye on my own brother. Without me around to ground him, he can easily switch into Blaze, and in a very dark way.

    "Now," Caleb continues, looking at each of us. "My scouting last night showed that there are two locations to keep in mind. One is their public entrance to the mines ¨C that is, what gets seen during inspections, where their resources are mined from, and so on. Our target is the other entrance, which is further into the mountains.

    "That''s where these pulses we''re feeling are coming from," he says just as a pulse rushes out. It feels different this time, and it takes me a moment to realize that the protective runes Caleb put on us caused it to simply wash over us, rather than through us. "And thus, that''s where we can conclude our targets are.

    "Once we''re in there," he says. "We''ll locate the Domain Deities. The ones represent the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun will be bound in some way. That''s where this staff comes in."

    He holds out his hand, and the silver-and-gold staff flies into it.

    "Expect opposition," he tells us. "Expect us to be separated. With these pulses filling the air with magic, my Passive Territory is already affected, and telepathy will be sketchy before we enter the mines, likely nonexistent. Be careful when using magic, especially when using your Gifts. They might act strange. Everyone ready?"

    So we''ll be forced to use our aura more, then. Not a problem, we''re trained for stuff like this.

    "Yes," we respond.

    I look over to find that Jared and Owen have pulled on their uniforms. They must have done it while Caleb was talking. I need to be more observant. Sometimes, I feel like I''m the odd one out, here. I''m mostly in it for Flame, though. I need to protect him, to keep him from going too far down the path of darkness.

    But if my observational abilities are subparˇ­ how can I keep up with them? I need to be more observant. And stronger, too. Everyone on this team is stronger than me by a lot.

    "Let''s go," Caleb interrupts my thoughts.

    The five of us leave the hotel and walk through town, reaching the path at the edge of town leading up the mountain in half an hour. The pulses seem to be more frequent now, occurring every half hour or so.

    The path at the base of the mountain is blocked by a large gate with a guardhouse on either side, as well as around two dozen armed guards. These poor guards have no idea the level of power standing before them.

    "Halt!" One of the guards approaches us, assessing our uniforms. "Never heard of the GDDF."

    "The Global Dreams Defense Federation is new," Caleb stated. "We were founded recently to deal with more extreme issues. If you need to call in verification, do so. I''m Colonel Caleb Rivers. These are Lieutenants Hansen, Hansen, Fuller, and Storm. We''ve been assigned to inspect the second caves network you operate out of, due to the discovery of their unreported existence."

    "We only have one caves network," the guard tells Caleb.

    "You have two," Caleb holds up his right hand, and an illusory map of the mountain appears above it, with two red beacons, one of which turns blue. "Blue beacon is the one that''s official, red one''s the secret one. As you''re in territory governed by the Council of Dreams, you are required to comply with us. Contact your superiors, verify our identities, do what you need to do. However, you have thirty-eight minutes for us to be at the entrance of that network."

    The guard''s jaw tics as he tries to bite back a response, then walks to one of the guardhouses, enter. Caleb dispels his map.

    "Thirty-eight minutes?" Blaze asks.

    "It takes thirty-two to reach the network from here, driving at their usual speed," Caleb responds.

    He really did do scouting last night, didn''t he? What about getting some rest? You don''t want us risking ourselves, Caleb, but if you don''t sleep, if you don''t rest, you''ll suffer as well. I don''t care how strong or powerful you are, everyone needs sleep.

    Four minutes after he entered the guardhouse, the guard returns, whistling at one of the other guards.

    "You drive," he gestures to a pickup, then looks at us. "You can ride in the bed."

    The other guard climbs into the pickup and pulls up to the gate, and the five of us jump into the back, the guard joining us. They probably think we''re just kids, that they can handle us. They could probably handle me, depending on how many there are.

    But only if I were alone.

    I''ve got my team with me, and that reassures me. And worries me a bit. Not just because of how much stronger and better than me they all are, but becauseˇ­ of who they are. Blaze and Flame are both loose cannons, Owen tends to just destroy the area, Jared''s an arrogant powerhouse, and Calebˇ­

    Is something else entirely.

    Taking my focus off the team, I look at the guard, who Caleb just asked why the second location hasn''t been reported.

    "We found something odd in there," the guard responds as the gate opens and we''re driven through them, the gates closing behind us. "Around a year ago. We''ve been doing research into it, in case it was problematic, but it''s contained."

    "Reporting any potential problems is the law," Jared states. "And judging by your tone when you said it could be problematic, it''s a potential problem that falls under that law."

    "We''re aware," the guard nods. "We just didn''t want to set off any false alarms. The crystal in that cave network is strange, and it could be nothing. We''re almost done clearing it up."

    What a lying sack of-never mind. They don''t know that we know the truth ¨C that they''ve captured and imprisoned Domain Deities in the mines and that a Second Great Calamity is about to begin.

    The ride falls silent, save for the sound of the truck running along the mountain road. It''s a bumpy ride, with nothing but the mountain and forests around us. The further along it we go, the more power I can sense in the air, and it''s starting to muddle even my inner dragon''s senses.

    Fifteen minutes into the trail, we pass by the path that leads to the official mines and caves. To their official base.

    Seventeen minutes after that, we pull up to a two-story building set into the cliff, and the magic here is chokingly thick.

    We''re led into the building, which is really just a front for the entrance. There isn''t much there, just a big open space leading into the caves. The caves themselves are illuminated by a glowing stone, which they say they found there when they discovered the networks.

    "It''ll take awhile to get there," the guard tells us. "The network is incredibly complex. Whoever carved them likely wanted people to get lost. I''ll be giving you the full tour, as ordered by my superiors. Is that acceptable?"

    "Yes," Caleb said. "Though we''re more interested in this crystal you referenced. Take us to it first, then the tour."

    The guard nods, then starts walking, and we follow.

    He takes us through tunnels and caves with almost nothing in them, just the occasional guard, and after a bit, I start to feel like we''re walking in circles. I''m the second in our line, with Caleb in front of me, Blaze directly behind me, then Owen, then Jared.

    I can''t even sense their water, and that''s disturbing. Caleb''s is hard to make out, too, and fades after awhile, even though I can still see him standing there, just a foot or two in front of me.

    Turning as we walk through a cave, I start to ask Flame if he''s having issues with sensing fire, only to find him gone.

    All of them are gone. Turning back around, my warning to Caleb is cut short when I find myself alone. Caleb and the guard escorting us are gone.

    What just happened?

    When I turn back around, to look at where my missing teammates should be, I''m greeted with the sight of a dozen guards aiming guns at me.

    "You guys really don''t want to do this," I say.

    "We can''t have the government interfering," one of them says. "What''s below is too important to mess up."

    "You''re about to cause the Second Great Calamity," I say, and one of them tells me to put my hands up. I do. "We know you are. We know you have the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun bound up in here. We know this place is a pseudo-Ruin because of that and the crystal. And we''re going to stop you."Stolen novel; please report.

    Or rather, Caleb is. There''s no way he didn''t plan for us being separated, and the surety with which he walkedˇ­ he knew something like this would. And he had a plan.

    "You can''t stop us if you''re dead," one of the guard says, and I hear more guards coming from the entrance behind me, the one we were headed toward before we somehow got separated.

    "No, I can''t," I say. "But unfortunately for you, I''m not that easy to kill. And I''m the weakest member of my team. Call the others, ask them how it''s going."

    Rather than doing that, the guards start shooting, their bullets slamming into my aura. Taking a deep breath, I slowly exhale, then bolt forward, giving myself a shroud of my aura, which has taken on a watery form with this manifestation.

    My fist connects with the first guard as two others try to shoot me, and I take him down, quickly drawing my gun and firing several shots. Their auras stop it as well.

    "Hard way, then," I mutter, shaping my aura into a set of claws as I return my gun to its holster.

    Quickly cutting through the guards, I charge the other group, slicing through them with the claws and a knife.

    "You won''t succeed," the last one I stabbed gasps for breath, a grin on his face. "You are all doomed to fail. Ultimate power will be ours, and the Second Great Calamity will occur."

    "Not if we can stop it," I say as his life leaves.

    "Soldiers!" Someone calls into the walkie, sounding like he''s in pain. "Brown Team''s down! Lieutenant Fuller''s a monster!"

    Jared''s safe, though he seems to have left someone alive.

    "What happened?" Someone responds.

    "Target is a lot more skilled with aura than we expected," the voice responds. "He thinks I''m dead and walked off. He''s heading towards Sector Six. Be careful, he''s skilled in hand-to-hand combat, and exerted some control over our bullets. Enough to stop them."

    "He''s a powerful enough Superhuman to act here?" Someone swears. "We''ll have someone there shortly. Stay where you are. Do you have a Crystal Fragment?"

    "No," he responds. "Fuller destroyed them all."

    Crystal Fragment?

    "We''ll see if someone can get there before the Ruins start their work there, then," the responder tells him. "Did Fuller take one?"

    "No," the guard responds. "I don''t think he knew what they were, just destroyed them."

    "Alright," the responder says. "I''ll let the next force know that they''ll probably encounter some of the Ruin''s shit when they find him. You said Sector Six?"

    "Yes," the guard responds.

    Crystal Fragmentsˇ­ protect from the effects of the pseudo-Ruins? Or prevent it from acting around them? Whatever it is, that''s important information.

    I crouch down and look through one of the guards'' body and clothes until I find it. Hanging from a leather cord around his neck, the crystal is mostly translucent and a mix of blue and purple. I pull it on around my neck, then look around.

    "Teams, be advised," the responder says. "Lieutenant Fuller has eliminated Brown Team. Reinforcements on their way. Expect resistance from your units, and keep the conceals on until you''re in position for killing."

    I grab a walkie and clip it to my belt, then check my phone. As expected, it''s completely dead, meaning I can''t contact the others. That''s fine, though.

    Grabbing four more of the necklaces, I stuff them into my pockets, then take off, praying to the gods that be that Jared is able to protect himself from whatever they''re sending next and that Caleb doesn''t destroy this mountain.

    I need to find Blaze.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Jared)~~~

    "Thanks for the info," I smile at the guard, then twist my fingers. The guard gasps in pain, then the life fades from his eyes, then my blades pull out of him. "It''s really appreciated."

    I crouch down and pull the Crystal Fragment from around his neck. According to what he told me before I forced him to make that call on the walkie, the pseuo-Ruins won''t act as Ruins in the presence of them.

    At least, not fully. They still have the dampening effect, though I''m powerful enough to still have some level of control over my Abilities.

    Without the Crystal Fragments, we''re liable to walk around in circles, encounter odd spaces, and all the other shit that''s associated with some of the more dangerous Ruins.

    I pull on the necklace, then look at the sole remaining guard in here and smile. He whimpers, and probably more from the fear he felt at my gesture than the pain he''s no doubt in. To ensure he couldn''t do anything, I broke his arms and legs.

    "Now," I say as my blades circle me, then halt, pointing at him. "Do you know where my team is?"

    "No," he cries out. "They segmented us, didn''t tell us where anyone would be! All we know is that we''re to kill you boys! What are you?"

    "Dragons that devour the dreams of our enemies and turn them into nightmares."

    He pales.

    "Now," I smile again. "Where''s Sector Six?"

    "They''ll kill you," he says. "The agents going there? They''re a lot tougher than we are."

    I send my blades into him, and he cries out.

    "The Global Dreams Defense Federation isn''t made of your normal type of agent," I tell him, twisting my blades and eliciting screams. "We''re tougher, better, badder. Don''t expect me to die against those things you call tough."

    He gives me the directions, and I end his life, then make my way through the tunnels. This is actually kind of fun. Hopefully someone from this next group can tell me where my teammates are. I''m mostly worried about Owen, so I''ll seek him out first.

    Like the rest, he can handle himself, but he''s the one I''m closest to. Brooks always has his Frost side if things go south, Flame is Flame, and Calebˇ­

    Heh. I''d be surprised if these mountains are still standing by the time we leave here.

    Actually, maybe I should have an escape route planned. Thinking back, I recall the path we took. Good, I did note everything.

    With a grin, I get moving, running towards Sector Six, the four blades I''m able to control in these pseudo-Ruins flying beside me. As soon as I enter the chamber with guards, the blades immediately soar forward, cutting into four guards before anyone registers I''m there.

    The guards start shooting, and I stop their bullets with a gesture. They''re all aura-enhanced, both the guards and their bullets. What a waste of good guards. There were twenty of them, and in two minutes, I''ve sliced my way through all of them.

    No enemy can beat me. Not for long, anyway. Not here.

    Looking at the sole remaining guard, I walk over, twisting my blades around in his arms and legs, causing him to cry out in pain.

    "Where was Lieutenant Storm supposed to be?" I ask, and he refuses to answer.

    So I keep hurting him until he admits he knows their location. Then I hurt him harder until he gives it up.

    "That wasn''t so hard, now was it?" I ask before ending his life.

    My blades fly out of him and hover beside me, then I take off again. The pulses are getting more frequent, occurring every eighteen minutes, now. If we don''t hurry, the Second Great Calamity will occur.

    It takes me nearly half an hour to find Owen, who''s up a few levels in the network. He''s running towards me in the tunnel, looking lost, a streak of blood on his face and in his hair.

    "Jared!" He exclaims when he sees me. "They intend on killing all of us!"

    "No shit, moron!" I say, and he rolls his eyes. "What are you doing?"

    "Trying to figure out how to get to the crystal and the Domain Deities," he answers. "I keep running in circles, though. I swear, I''ve been through the chambers with their bodies five times already."

    "How far is it from here?"

    "Just back there," he gestures.

    "Let''s go," I say. "They''re wearing crystals that protect them from this shit. Did you leave any alive?"

    "No."

    "Fuck," I say. "I never asked for a route, and my powers over stone and metal aren''t enough to guide me, here."

    "Let''s hope we can find it fast, then," he tells me just as another pulse washes over us. "I am so fucking glad Caleb gave us these runes, that one did not feel good."

    I echo my agreement to that, then we take off running.

    <hr>

    ~~~(???)~~~

    Another pulse of, I guess magic, ripples out of the mountain. It keeps happening, and something in me is very, very disturbed by it. That strange thing inside of me is burning some of my energy to shield me from it as well, but it''s not enough to put a dip in my power.

    Screaming from the street draws my attention, and I stop sweeping and rush outside, feeling my eyes widen. Monsters, here in town. That shouldn''t be, though. The monsters shouldn''t be able to enter, not with the guards keeping them at a distance, right?

    I want to run and hide, just like everyone else, but something in me wants to stay and fight. Needs to stay and fight.

    "What''s going o-" Mr. Davis comes outside, then gasps.

    "Get back inside," I tell him. "Lock yourself in your basement."

    "What about-"

    "I''ll be fine," I tell him, weaving together an illusion to hide myself. "Go."

    He nods, running into the building. I set the brush part of the broom on the ground, then snap my foot down, breaking it off. I''m not even sure how I did that, some sort of energy flowed through me as I did.

    The first monster that comes by, I simply move, letting my body carry me. I ram the broom into the side of the creature, then pull it out. The thing roars, and that energy ripples through me again, protecting me as the beast slams into me, its tusks shattering against thisˇ­ whatever it is.

    I slam the broom back into the creature and it breaks, then hold my hand out, a spear of this strange energy forming. This energy is mixed with my magic, or whatever it is, and glows with a golden light.

    I ram the spear into the creature, and spikes of golden light radiate out.

    How did I do this? Where is this power coming from? My body just knows what to do, and that''s worrying.

    As more monsters run down the streets, I continue to fight, letting my body move on its own, flowing from one movement to the next. Instinctively, I shape and wield that strange energy mixing with my magic.

    It''s mostly in the form of spears, though a few times, I form claws or blades on my arms. None of the monsters make it past me, and I continue to go through the streets, this energy and my magic seemingly endless as I do.

    The pulses from the mountain continue to grow more frequent, and much stronger. As another washes over me, I feel it trying to do something to me, but the thing inside of me pushes it out.

    Another ripple of magic forms, but this isn''t generated from beneath the mountain. A few moments later, this new magic ripples past me, not touching me, and as I follow it with me gaze, I find a shimmering barrier surrounding the mountain. A giant dome that stretches all the way around.

    To contain the pulses, no doubt.

    Looking around, I find myself horrified at what''s going on. The latest pulse, the one the thing inside of me pushed outˇ­ it''s warped the citizens. They''re becoming monsters.

    I run back to the shop, make my way to the basement. Just before I can get to its door, it''s thrown off its hinges. Mr. Davis is a monster, too. He''s got claws, fangs, horns, and fur, and he''s attacking me.

    I throw my hands up, and light explodes out, blinding him. He screams as my body takes over again, quickly killing the beast he''s become.

    What is going on?

    <hr>

    ~~~(Teacher)~~~

    "What happened to your cheek?" The Scribe asks, and I rub my jaw.

    "Caleb."

    "Caleb gave you that bruise?" She asks.

    "He, ah, wanted to prove that he wasn''t the timid kid I used to train," I answer. "I wasn''t expecting him to hit so hard, though."

    "Is he in the mountain yet?" She asks.

    "Yes," I answer. "His entire team."

    "Was that the Kieran-clone I saw fighting?" She asks.

    "Yes," I answer. "He''s pretty good, though is confused about everything. His body and instincts are taking over when he''s in danger. Did you find anything?"

    "No," she answers. "Whoever he is, he''s a complete mystery. He truly has no past beyond when he woke."

    "We need to find a way to break that Ancient Seal in him," I tell her. "Presumably without killing Caleb."

    With there being two of them, it''s possible that breaking one will kill the other if both aren''t broken simultaneously. I just hope that the resulting flux of power that Caleb will have won''t damage him too much.

    "Do you think it''ll hold?" She asks, gesturing to our barrier.

    We combined our powers together as soon as she returned to craft it, in the hopes that we can limit the effects of the Second Calamity to just this area. It''s centered over where we believe Ground Zero is, stretching out twenty miles. It''s the furthest we could make it without compromising its integrity while still having the space large enough for the effect to not be as severe as it could be.

    Any smaller, and things could warp faster. It''s already turned nearly everyone into monsters.

    "The odd boy is still around," I tell her. "His inner dragon fought off the wave of magics."

    "What about your son and his friends?" She asks. "They''re closer to it, the magic will be stronger."

    "Caleb created a runic protection," I inform her. "He used some of the aetherial sea to make it, too. I both do and don''t want to know how the fuck he learned to actually harvest some of it, much less use it."

    I really, really hope Father didn''t have to do with that. Could Caleb have possibly drawn upon our knowledge through the lineage? That''s a frightening thought. So far, it''s only been minor things, like languages, that he''s been able to know from that.

    "There''s another problem, too," I tell the Scribe.

    "What?" She asks.

    "Caleb has something that should not be held by anyone," I tell her. "The staff we had sealed in those Ruins beneath the Enchanted Forest. He sucked the god''s power into the staff, killing the deity while increasing the potency of the staff."

    "A staff of primal light and time magics," she mutters. "Such an object can completely alter the course of history. Why didn''t you take it?"

    "I didn''t realize it until they were already entering the caves," I shake my head. "It wasn''t possible. Caleb concealed it from my sight. He''s planning something."

    "He''s been unstable since finding out Kieran died," she says. "Do you think you can neutralize the power enough as it flows out by yourself?"

    "No," I answer. "Not if it takes too long for them to stop it. As much as I''d prefer that you did return to your library and fix the past so that Kieran doesn''t die, no matter what it takes, we need to be here, now, or things might go south in a way we can''t fix."

    She nods, then adds her power to mine as another wave of raw magic rushes out, doing her best to help me neutralize it.

    Please, Caleb, put a stop to this before it gets too bad. And please, whatever the fuck you do, don''t fuck things up with that staff.

    Another wave of power washes out, different from before.

    Oh, no. Please tell me that this power I''m sensing right now is not his magic, augmented by the staffs. Caleb, what are you doing? What did you do? The sensation was gone as soon as it formed.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Caleb)~~~

    I keep my gaze fixed firmly forward, though I know we''ve been separated, even if the guard in front of me is pretending like we haven''t been. I can''t smell or sense my team, can''t hear the lightness of their steps.

    That''s okay, though, because my team is strong and tough. They will surpass these peoples'' expectations and will survive.

    Unlike the guards they face. Here''s hoping Lord Luck is on my team''s side, and they don''t face too much issue with the Ruin-like effects. Based on the level of magic here, it can get pretty bad. Endless tunnels, infinite loops, shifted space, altered time, raw elements, random traps, and monsters.

    "How much further until we reach the crystal?" I ask.

    "Not that long," the guard looks at me. "Just a few turns ahead."

    I nod. The magic is getting stronger, and every pulse of magic contains more condensed raw magic than the last. It''s almost tangible, it''s so thick. I can create a similar effect using my own blood and my magic in its most raw form. It''s what I used to create the protective runes for my team.

    Without the protective runes or whatever it is they''re using to protect themselves, these waves of magic will start to alter people. While I don''t have the runes, I''m protected anyway. One thing those seals within me are good for is keeping out hostile raw magics.

    Unfortunately, the blasts don''t seem to be affecting the seals in the slightest, which means I''m stuck with them. Stupid Primal Seals and their nigh-indestructibility. I hope my brothers are eventually able to figure out how to break them. That''s been their primary objective, other than finding my most dangerous student.

    Since the Primal Seals within me match up to my brothers'' powers, they believe it''s possible for them to break the seals. But they need to find a way to do that, first.

    "Here we are," the guard says, gesturing for me to enter the cave ahead, which I do.

    A giant crystal nearly fifty feet in height and thirty in width floats in the center. It''s clear, blue, and yellow all at once, the light shimmering and shifting around. The cavern itself is over a thousand feet in height and width, with the ground covered in a magic circle consisting of many, many more magic circles and runes.

    At the center of the magic circle is the central one, from which three more branch off. Chained into them are three figures, all male. They''re wearing enchanted chains around their necks, wrists, and ankles, the silver-black metal glowing with blue runes on every link from them to the magics they''re spawning out of.

    Two of them look to be around ten. One has hair that starts brown, but transitions into a dark blue at the tips, his eyes as green as the leaves of any forest, his skin lightly tanned by the sun. The other''s hair and eyes are both silver, his skin pale. The third boy looks around thirteen or fourteen, his hair and eyes both light yellow in color.

    The Sun, the Earth, and the Moon, and their powers and auras are unmistakable, as well as weak, draining away, now that they''ve all been captured and bound into this ritual.

    Standing at the center of the circle is a man in his late twenties, with night-black hair and bright green eyes, dressed in a black suit, his skin as pale as the Moon''s. Judging by the aura he possesses, he''s an actual god.

    I''d say he''s one of the Primal Gods. Possibly even a Primality.

    "So?" The guard asks. "This is the thing we believe to be a potential problem. Those three figures are especially problematic, but bound up like that, we believe they''re safe. We found them like that, and figured that they''re probably bound for a reason. It''s the crystal itself we believe to be the potential problem, however."

    "Probably," I say as the Moon looks at me, a grin forming on his face. "There''s only one problem, though."

    "What''s that?" He asks.

    "Team Lusvar isn''t made of lightweights," I answer. "And nor are we ignorant of what you''re really doing here."

    I slam the butt of the staff into the ground, triggering its joint powers of time and life to halt time outside of this cavern.

    "And I am not Caleb Rivers," I say with seven voices speaking as one as I merge the seven fragments of my mind back to its whole. "Not anymore, for we have merged back together.

    "No," I say, my voice singular once more, my mind whole once more, my powers at their peak, minus what is restrained by the Primal Seals. "I am Lusvar Nomari, Bringer of Light and Darkness."

 Chapter 030

    ~~~(Lusvar)~~~

    "A bringer?" The Primality laughs at my claim as the Domain Deities stare at me in horror, having realized that I''m at my current peak. "You really expect me to believe that you are on the level of those monsters?"

    Bringers are the most powerful harbingers of change. My brother Iinav, the Bringer of Faith and Hope, has already brought faith and hope to many. My brother Nikvar, the Bringer of Magic, has already brought new magic and returned the knowledge of lost magics.

    And I will bring light and darkness.

    "On their level?" I step forward, leaving the staff floating where it was after pushing some magic into it. "No, not at all."

    With a snap my fingers, the guard who entered the chamber with me dissolves into nothing.

    "You should consider them to be beneath me," I take another step forward. "Far, far beneath me."

    The Primality laughs as if I''m just playing and throws a hand forward. A spear formed of darkness soars at me, dissolving into nothing against my wards.

    A Darkness Primality, huh? Well, let me bring some darkness to you. The eternal kind.

    "This Calamity will go no further than today," I tell him as he launches a series of spells at me, all of which fade against my wards. "Once I have disposed of you, I will free the Domain Deities, destroy the Calamity Crystal, and get on with my life."

    The Primality laughs, increasing the power behind his attacks. I let him. My reserves of mana are vast, very likely even more vast than his. That, combined with the raw strength of my magic, means even a small amount of mana can create extraordinarily potent wards.

    The Primality flings a destructive curse at me, designed specifically for wards that dissolve spells. I flick my wrist, sending it back at him, and he roars in rage, blocking the curse to the best of his ability.

    Because I altered it with my own power, he was unable to cancel the spell, and it still blew up on him, throwing him across the giant magic circle. He needs to protect the Domain Deities if he wants this to succeed. Were that not an issue, he could have just dodged it and let the spell slam into the Earth.

    I flick my wrist, throwing a spear of light and shadows mixed together at the Primality, and he deflects it, allowing it to slam into the magic circle we''re standing on. He deflects the next several as well.

    I''ve always wanted to kill a Primality, but with my power restrained by the Primal Seals, it won''t be an easy kill.

    "Why are you trying to cause a second Great Calamity?" I ask the Primality when a violet flame dissipates against my wards. "It will have massive repercussions for this entire realm, just like the first one."

    "That''s not the business of a child," he snarls. "Now die!"

    "Seriously," I hold up a hand, freezing the spears of black flames in their tracks. "''Now die''? Seriously? What are you, some clich¨¦? That''s not what you say to someone when you''re trying to kill them."

    "Then what do you say?" He asks.

    "You either try to get information out of them," I flick my wrist, his spears reversing and flying towards him. "Or you attack."

    It looks like I need to stop containing my power within me. We''ve only exchanged a few attacks, but I can tell we''re at a stalemate. Let my power bleed into my aura, let it shroud me and alter things.

    Reality begins to bend around me. It is not someone else''s to command, it is simply mine. It reshapes itself to my will and desire, creating what is no doubt a disturbing aura around my body. A Reality Marble isn''t possible here, but the sheer force of my power, unrestrained save for those Primal Seals, is enough to warp the true reality.

    "What are you?" The Primality takes a step back, shock on his face.

    "I am," I say, my voice taking on a deep and light tone simultaneously as my aura settles down, shimmering a swirling of blue, purple, green, and orange. Raw magic. "Lusvar Nomari, the Bringer of Light and Darkness. I am an Enchanter and a demigod, a dragon and a mortal. Magic is my heritage while reality is my inheritance."

    I form tendrils of raw magic around me, the purple, blue, green, and orange limbs spreading around, launching at the Primality, who does his best to dodge. Where one touches, magics fade, ripped apart. The circle beneath us begins to fade, its light no longer as bright.

    The Primality flies up into the air, only to be struck at by my tendrils there. He roars in pain and agony as one of them grazes his arm. I barely touched him, yet the effect was tremendous.

    Raw magic, or aether, eats away at nigh everything it comes into contact with. This is part of why I fragmented my mind as a kid. At my full power, even my aura became infused with it, and that was dangerous.

    So I split my mind into seven fragments and became Caleb Rivers. It was the only way the younger me could think of to stop that from happening. My mind split into seven, my powers with it. The dividing of my magic wasn''t even, however, and that was the goal.

    The sum of my seven fragments is nowhere near my full. No, my full power is the total product of all seven fragments ¨C the multiplication of them.

    I begin to float up into the air. If I let my aura, now unrestrained, touch the magic circle for too long, and it will come undone far too fast. That would be cataclysmic in and of itself, ignoring the fact that it may trigger the Calamity as well.

    The Primality draws upon his Primal State, turning into a mixture of fire and darkness with a few touches of water. I can see where my tendril touched him, one of his flames is dimmer than the rest, not as bright nor as dark, the water there moving a little slower.

    Lashing out again, I continue to strike at him, the Primality using his Primal State to stop my attacks. They''re less effective against him like this, but in the end, a Primality can''t touch raw magic. True raw magic.

    Aether.

    And so I continue to wear away at the Primality, his attacks disappearing against the aether shrouding me. Our battle begins to damage the chamber around us, which begins to shake. My power is holding it together, however.

    Through the sheer force of will alone ¨C literally.

    It only takes me a few minutes, now that I''ve released my power from my body, to kill the Primality, a tendril tipped with a spear piercing straight through the sole remaining portion of him still with any power in it.

    The Primality''s light fades away, his flames completely gone, his water dissipating as his darkness vanishes.

    The chamber shakes again, and I float down, resting a few feet above the center of the chamber. Closing my eyes, I work my power and will into the chains binding the Domain Deities. Simultaneously, I shatter the chains.

    Any other way, and the Calamity would have begun in full force.

    Looking up at the crystal, its glow has begun to fade, the Domain Deities'' power no longer flow into it. I wrap several of my aetherial tendrils around the crystal, destroying every last piece of its existence. From the aether it was born, by the aether it was destroyed, and to nothing it has become.

    Landing just-above the rapidly-fading circle on the cavern floor, I watch as the magic quickly fades, my contact with it finally overloading its ability to restore itself.

    "Thanks!" The Moon flings himself at me, only to have the Sun grab him by the hair. "Hey!"

    "We aren''t immune to aether," the Sun snorts. "You know that, Moon. You nearly wounded yourself."

    "Well, I''ve missed being able to talk with Lusvar!"

    "I''ve missed your voice," I say as I pull my power back into me. It''s not easy, and next time, I might not be able to. Once my power is restrained by me once more, I land on the floor, now that I won''t just keep sinking down with my aura dissolving it to nothing. "I take it you''ll be silent for awhile as you recover?"

    "Yeah!" He exclaims as I reform my uniform around me. It was dissolved by the aether of my aura. "Let go of me, Sun!"

    The Sun releases the Moon, who then charges me and wraps his arms around me in a hug.

    "I''ve missed you so much, Lusvar!" He rubs his head against my chest. "You''ve gotten so big and tough! And you remerged yourself! Thanks for rescuing us!"

    "You''re welcome," I say, then look at the staff. "You guys might want to return to yourˇ­ wherever it is you normally are. Your powers are weakened immensely by this, and will take some time to recover. As soon as I release the spell I put into the staff, the cavern''s going to collapse, and you won''t be able to warp your way out."

    "Thanks, Lusvar!" The Earth gives in and hugs me, while the Sun just snorts.

    "Alright, boys," the Sun says. "Let''s go. Thanks, Lusvar. Hopefully this time, we can fully recover before some moron decides they want to do this again. And maybe that will never happen."

    "Maybe Lord Luck will bless you," I smile at them, and he places a hand on the other two, the three of them disappearing. "I suppose I should track down my team before releasing the spell."

    I snap, and the staff follows me out of the chamber and through the tunnels. With time frozen outside of the chamber, entering them is weird, but I manage alright in my new state. Even do so without disturbing the spell.

    The Ruins aren''t active, either, though they''ll collapse once time unfreezes. The Calamity Crystal was causing it, in addition to the presences of the three Domain Deities. This allows me to spread out my Passive Territory, reaching out dozens of miles, even passing through the barrier created by my father and the Scribe.

    With time frozen, there aren''t any minds to sense. The Domain Deities were likely frozen the moment they left as well, though they''ll be fine.

    My Passive Territory isn''t just minds, though. It allows me to sense everything within it, so not being able to sense minds isn''t a hindrance.

    Owen, Jared, and Brooks, I reach first. They aren''t that far from the entrance to the tunnels. I wave my hand, warping them back into town. Owen looked weak, and that''s a rather nasty curse he got hit with. I should probably heal it, but there are other, more important things to do first. Like taking care of my team, not someone who''s along just because he''s friends with Jared.

    With them warped out, I make my way toˇ­

    Well, he''s back to being Flame, it looks like. And back to being a living fireball that was soaring down a tunnel, burning through guards. I turn him back to his actual form. Before reweaving his clothes on him, I grip the staff and channel my power through it.

    Maybe as Lusvar, I possess the power to do what my brother could not. Several minutes of white and gold glows later, and I determine that healing him will probably never happen, especially since this staff is not continuing to exist once I finish here.

    It''s far too powerful to allow exist. I don''t trust it anyone''s hands but my own, and I''m not babysitting it at all times, especially since I am fragmenting my mind back into its seven pieces after this.

    Keeping my power from flowing out grows harder and harder with every passing moment. With these Primal Seals binding my power, it''s impossible to fully control it and contain it.

    Since Flame''s unable to be healed, I weave his uniform back around him, then warp him to the others. With my team safe, I return to the Chamber of Calamity, which is illuminated by nothing, my draconic eyes allowing me to see with perfect clarity despite that.

    I place the staff in the center of the chamber, then undo my spell. Immediately, the mountain itself trembles. Exerting my power on the mountain, I hold it together long enough for me to create a single tendril of aether, wrapping the staff in it and destroying it and the powers bound into it.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    As soon as I do that, a rush of magic flows out, promptly destroyed by the aether.

    The mountain trembles again, and I warp out to a spot a small distance from my team. There are monsters all over town, nigh everyone converted by the pulses from the Calamity''s beginning. It''ll likely have already affected areas outside of here, too, but the changes won''t be as drastic.

    Outside of the mountains, I close my eyes and begin refragmenting my mind, reducing my power down to that tiny fraction of itself. Caleb Rivers will have been forever changed by this experience, though we had already changed a fair bit before the merging.

    No longer will he be scared and timid of things, and he will be confident and sure of himself without needing to act. Hesitation won''t be something he will familiarize himself with much anymore, if ever.

    <hr>

    ~~~(Caleb)~~~

    A piercing headache splits through my skull, and I stumble a few steps before managing to tolerate it. When I was younger, they couldn''t figure out the source of it. I had barely recovered from the fragmentation when the Massacre began.

    Had I not split myself, had I not divided my power up, I would have been able to stop the Massacre. I would have been able to save everyone.

    But there''s no use complaining about it. I can''t change the past ¨C only the Scribe can, and she can only do so willingly and under certain conditions.

    Taking a deep breathing, I raise a hand, sending out several bolts of magic, killing the monsters around me before warping to my team, who are looking around in confusion.

    "Who turned me back and made these clothes?" Flame sniffs his jacket. "Oh, smells like Caleb."

    "I''m right here," I say, and he jumps, turning to face me.

    "Why is everything shaking?" He asks as the ground lurches violently.

    "Probably because the mountain is collapsing."

    "YOU ACTUALLY DID DESTROY THE MOUNTAIN?" All four of them ask in unison.

    "I didn''t collapse it," I tell them. "Stopping the Calamity destabilized it. It was already being held together by the power of the upcoming Calamity. The chambers and tunnels beneath it were vast. The mountain''s simply going to collapse down and fill those gaps."

    The world shakes as the mountain collapses, becoming a thousand feet shorter as a wave of dust explodes out of it. The debris from the collapse slams into a barrier Teacher and the Scribe generated from where they''re hovering.

    "Now that that''s sorted," I place a hand on Owen, mending his body from the injuries he sustained in the tunnels and removing the curse. "Let''s deal with the monsters here in town. They''re easy enough everyone should be able to handle them on their own, so let''s split up. It shouldn''t take us more than five or ten minutes if we move fast."

    The others nod, then take off, and I turn and begin walking, slaying monsters as they come near, up until Teacher warps himself to me.

    "Where''s the staff?"

    "Which staff?"

    "The one you came into town with," he answers. "The one sealed in some Ruins under the Enchanted Forest."

    "I destroyed it," I answer, and his eyes widen in shock. "It was much too powerful to allow to exist, Teacher. While having my mind whole, I was powerful enough to destroy it."

    "Your mind whole?" He asks. "What does that mean?"

    "I live in a constant state," I explain. "Where my mind is split into seven fragments, thus dividing my powers. Technically, there are seven Caleb Rivers living at a time. We''re each slightly different from each other, so you''d probably never notice the difference. The Scribe probably did when she changed the past, though. Only one of the Caleb Rivers knows the ''new'' history, the rest of us remember the actual past perfectly clear."

    "That explains that mystery," he mutters.

    "What mystery?"

    "One of many," he answers. "There is a disturbingly high number of them surrounding you."

    "Have you tried turning them off and back on?"

    Teacher stares at me blankly, then lets out a sigh of exasperation.

    "Another mystery," he tells me. "Is someone with what appears to be the Primal Seal of Light, even though you have it. He looks like Kieran, only with-"

    "Blond hair and gold eyes?" I ask.

    "You know him?"

    "That''s Akira," I nod. "Where is he? I need to see him."

    Teacher leads me a few streets over, to where Akira is fighting against some monsters.

    "Thanks, Teacher," I walk towards Akira.

    That''s not a Primal Seal within him, but a powerful imitation of one. They were the true goal of the orphanage that Kieran and I came from. The Rivers Orphanage in Alkran city.

    To artificially generate Primal Seals to enhance the powers of those who had them. They discovered with me that I already had genuine ones within me, binding my powers, and tried to use that to work on others.

    Unfortunately, it resulted in them binding power instead, and they didn''t have the ability to remove them, so they just left the unfortunate youth with them and their powers bound by them.

    I guess dying made Akira''s manifest. I''d known it was present for awhile, but wasn''t able to remove it because it hadn''t actually manifested. But now that it''s here, I can remove it. It''s easy to enter his mind, and his dragon recognizes me. Even if Akira''s forgotten himself as Kieran due to the death, the dragon remembers.

    Akira stops fighting monsters and turns to look at me, frowning. I reach him.

    "Hello, Akira," I say.

    "Something inside me recognizes you," he says, giving me a curious look as I kill the remaining monsters around us with spears of ice.

    "That''s because we''re brothers," I say. "Don''t worry, though, you''ll remember soon enough. Remove your shirt."

    "Why?" He gives me a suspicious look.

    "So that I can break the seal on you and restore your memories," I answer.

    He hesitates, looks around, then turns his gaze back to me and removes his shirt. I place a hand on his sternum and inhale as much as I can, then slowly exhale, pushing power into him as I do. My magic flows through him, and I sense his unease, but also how comfortable his dragon is. The dragon assures him that it''s alright, that this is okay.

    It takes me several minutes to weave my magic into the Primal Seal within him, then dissolve it.

    He lets out a massive gasp, clutching his chest as he stumbles back. His memories are rushing back. Will he go by Akira again? Or return to being Kieran?

    As he recovers, I kill the few monsters that show up on the street, then his gaze meets mine, his hair turning black as his eyes turn blue. Guess he''s Kieran, since he''s using his power over light to change his appearance to Kieran''s.

    "Dammit, Caleb," he says. "You couldn''t have warned me it was going to hurt?"

    "I didn''t know it would," I tell him as he pulls his shirt on. "The gang''s here, by the way. And Owen."

    "I spent three months cleaning," he grumbles.

    "I take it you''re going by Kieran again?" I ask.

    "Yeah," he grunts. "Thanks for finding me, Caleb."

    "Coincidence," I shrug. "I''m confused as to how you ended up here, though."

    "I don''t know, either," he shrugs. "It may remain a mystery. The last thing I remember was being shot by some Perception stronger than me, then I woke up here without my memories. Nothing between."

    "Just a mystery," I shrug as a surge of metal magic fills the air. "Jared''s enraged by something. Andˇ­ grieving? Grieving!"

    "Shit," Kieran says.

    I grab him and warp to Jared, who has ripped every piece of metal from the surroundings and is destroying every monster in sight, hundreds of thousands of blades ripping through the block. It''s probably a good thing Flame and Brooks are on the other side of town right now. His blades are bouncing off the shield I erected around Kieran and me, but they''re shredding everything else.

    Everything around him and Owen, who''s on his last legs of life. I undid the curse before leaving them, though? Even healed him? He''s a powerful Gifted, he shouldn''t have lost that easily, so something strong must have attacked, especially with how badly his body''s been mangled.

    I can''t heal that, not as Caleb Rivers, and becoming Lusvar again right now is not a good idea. I''d do more harm than good. Closing my eyes, I do the thing that''s become so familiar to me, and merge his aura and magic into Jared as his life leaves him.

    Jared''s metal stops flying around as he stiffens, his crying halted.

    "He''s gone," I tell Jared once my teammate looks at me. "But you have his legacy, now. Wield it well, Jared. And kill monsters, not trees and houses."

    Jared nods, taking several deep breaths. They became close friends over the last year or so, Jared''s first real friend. I''m not surprised he''s affected so badly, and can empathize with him.

    The metal stops spinning around and drops, several pieces of it flying back to Jared and reshaping to its normal state, returning to where he normally wears them.

    "Is thatˇ­ Kieran?" He realizes my companion''s presence and identity. "But you''re dead!"

    "It''s a lot harder to kill a Rivers than someone else," I tell Jared. "I found him killing monsters. Also, you might want to move closer to me."

    "Why?" He narrows his gaze at me.

    "Let''s move closer to him," I tell Kieran, who joins me by Jared and Owen''s corpse.

    "Why?" Jared asks. "What are you going to do?"

    "You can''t feel that surge of magic?" I ask.

    "There''s so much magic here, it''s hard to read it," he tells me.

    "Oh," I say as Brooks runs towards us. "Hey, Brooks. I''ll shield us."

    "What''s going on?" Jared asks.

    "Flame''s turned intoˇ­ well, fire."

    "What else is new?" Jared asks. "That news is three days old."

    "Erm-" Brooks cuts off as a pillar of fire forms on the other side of town, quickly expanding in size. My shield protects us from its effects as it washes over. "He decided that since we were the only people around and everything else was a monster, it was best to just burn it all."

    "It works," Flame''s voice echoes out of the fire. "See! No more monsters!"

    "No more anything!" Brooks yells, and Flame giggles.

    We''re surrounded by charred land and ash, Flame''s fire burning everything in an instant. A few seconds later, his flames reduce down and swirl beside us for a few moments before taking on his form, his uniform reforming around him as he grins at us.

    "Hey, Kieran!" He gives Kieran two thumbs-up as I release my barrier.

    "Flame," Kieran acknowledges him.

    "Glad to see you''re alive!"

    "Glad to be alive," Kieran states, then looks around. "What''s the GDDF?"

    Flame explains that as we walk out of town and to our ship, the barrier created by Teacher and the Scribe gone.

    On the ship, we each go to a separate room to give a briefing on the events that occurred here. After I finish, General Reynolds, Grant, informs me that there are no new missions for us at the moment and that we''re given a one-month vacation before they''ll alert us, unless there''s an emergency.

    After that, we talk for a bit, then I join the others in the dining room, where they''re chatting, and relay the message.

    "Cool," Flame says. "Got any plans for it?"

    "Jared?" I look at him.

    He brought Owen''s body with him, and it''s currently in storage here on the ship.

    "I''m taking Owen for a burial," he informs us. "Then heading out to look for my brother, wherever he might be. Do you know if he''s safe?"

    "The golem''s still around," I answer. "So probably. They''re currently in Vultar."

    "Alright," he says. "Then I''ll go there after making sure Owen''s buried, and see if I can find him."

    "I''m going to stick with Caleb," Kieran answers when Flame gives him a questioning look. "I''d rather not be separated from my brother again."

    "What about you two?" Jared asks Flame and Brooks.

    "Going to wander around a bit," Flame answers. "I want to get strong enough to be able to battle Mukura head-on! So I''m going to go challenge a few Ruins."

    "I''m going where Flame goes," Brooks tells us. "Someone has to keep an eye on him. What are you doing, Caleb?"

    Locating my most dangerous student and putting an end to him before Teacher finds out that he exists. Unlike Mukura and Flame, gifting him with the additional power was a mistake. I''ll have to see what my brothers have found so far regarding his whereabouts while also looking for him, myself.

    He was my mistake, though, so it''s my job to take care of him. To preventing him from becoming the evil that he could be. As the Bringer of Light and Darkness, I will always walk that line and risk tilting things too far. And one day, I will tilt the balance far into one side.

    Better it be the light and not the darkness. Even if overwhelming light is just as difficult to recover from as overwhelming darkness, it would still be a better chaos to live through.

    "Locating someone I used to know," I answer. "Probably seek out any other brothers from the orphanage and see how they''re doing. We''re essentially the last resort, so it''s unlikely we''ll be summoned as a team often. I''d guess that we have probably two or three months, minimum, before we meet up. So I''m going to use that time to locate any surviving brothers, so that Kieran and I can see how they''re doing."

    "Cool," Flame grins. "Good luck with that, Caleb!"

    "Thanks," I smile. "I''ll need it."

    Especially if they keep dying after we meet. But not even the fates know what the future holds for us, so all we can do is hope and see.

    And live for another day.

    "Let''s take off," I say. "They want us back at our current headquarters for an in-person debriefing, then we''re good for our break."

    <hr>

    ~~~(Teacher)~~~

    "So," I say as the Scribe and I watch my son and his team fly away. "That''s the end of the Second Great Calamity. The world''s been reshaped, the only barely. The staff was destroyed, Caleb revealed a terrifying power, and the mysterious boy turned out to be Akira, but also Kieran."

    "At least things ended well," she says. "Only the town and those responsible suffered casualties, and the Domain Deities have returned to their homes to recharge."

    "This time," I look at the mountain. "I inspected what happened and who was behind it, Scribe."

    "And?" She asked.

    "It was a Primality," I tell her, then give her his real name, something that only exists in the Primal Tongue and is impossible to translate into any mortal language.

    "That''s a particularly greedy one," she says. "And a powerful one. Where is he now?"

    "Gone," I answer. "Caleb used raw aether to wipe him out. The area the fight happened in was filled with the residue of their fight. They fought using magic at first, then Caleb began using aether somehow and the Primality went into his Primal State."

    How did Caleb wield aether, though? Not even I can do that ¨C as far as I know, only the Dragons of Creation possess that power.

    My son is terrifying, but at least he walks the line instead of straying too far. The entire universe is better off for it.

    "Let''s go," I tell the Scribe. "It''s no use worrying over things, and the mortals will be able to handle the changes that occurred as a result of the start of a Second Great Calamity."

    The Scribe nods and vanishes, and I return to my island, only to find my father in human form, tanning on a beach towel, a turtle resting on his chest. The animal looks at me for a moment before hopping off of my father and walking towards the ocean. I watch as it does, then look at my father, who looks like he''s napping. I can tell he''s not, though.

    "You''re wondering how Lusvar could wield aether, aren''t you?" He asks.

    "You knew?" I ask.

    "Of course," he sits up and looks at me. "Lusvar is more powerful than you. He''s inherited the power of inheritance and can draw on all the of the powers of his mortal past lineage. On your side, that''s you and your mother''s line, though he can''t tap into my powers. On his mother''s side, he has a long line of Enchanters and Enchantresses.

    "His blood is extremely potent," Father stands and stretches, the turtle flying towards him and landing on his head, letting out what I can only assume is a sigh. "Due to both of those aspects. Then factor in his full power, and things grow even greater. When imbuing his blood with his raw magic and aura, it turns into aether.

    "When he releases the full amount of power he can wield right now," Father continues. "It turns into true raw magic, or aether, especially when it merges into his aura. Caleb is able to convince reality to bend to his will as well, which is part of why that happens."

    Caleb''s Enchanter side is that powerful? That''s frightening.

    I am glad he walks the line, then.

    "So what are you going to do?" Father asks.

    "Me?" I answer. "I am going to take a good, long break from mortal things, check back in eventually to see how things are doing, unless I start sensing something big."

    "Alright," he grins at me. "Goodbye, then. Maybe I''ll see you again in the next few years."