' It's been five months. Five fucking months of consistent sparring against the world's rank 8 Sentinel. My asshole brother '.
See five months is a fucking long time. Children have been born. Lots of people have died. It's almost half a year. Half the world has probably spent their birthdays. Trees have grown.
Theodore managed to keep his No.1 rank for a few weeks but eventually Fray caught up. Now he's maintained that till date. He IS the chosen one after all.
Trainee Rankings.
1. Fray Orion Valis ( Warp Dominion )
2. Theodore Vaughn Gunes ( Rain and Destruction Dominion )
3. Morr 'The Iceman' Pete ( Ice Dominion )
4. Maud Alexander ( Beast Dominion )
...
...
...
10. Daisy Fred'Anne ( sever dominion )
Day 156
Everyone's tired. No one feels like the same person. Currently there were only 19 trainees remaining.
At night they slept in the brutalist mountain structures and without warning Baran would teleport hundreds of fiends.
Then everyone was forced to wake up or you know sleep while a 10 feet flesh hungry monster attacked you.
This could be as early as 2:00am. But most times it was around 6. Once they defeated the fiends they all had to wait outside.
Wait for him.
For Baran. There was no, 'prepare yourselves'. No warning. Nothing. He'd just appear behind someone and you'd know the sparring had begun. And he didn't care if anyone scratched him. He would just go on and on till no one could stand.
Theo and Fray were always the last to fall.
It's 12:44 am.
The sound of horrified panting fills the air of the battlefield. What used to be a beautiful lush forest environment is now nothing but a sandy dry landscape filled with depressions and rubble.
People can feel their sweat sliding down their necks, every gulp felt like a gunshot.
And there were a lot of gunshots. He was going to come any second now. And it could be you he attacks first.
Any second.
Some people couldn't even stand up.
But not everyone shared this depressed mood.
Maybe everyone you considered remotely human.
I was hard for most people even a Fiend like Theo to see Feat Orion Valis as a human. He was fearless.
Fray was looking up. Grasping Fulgura with a disdainful scowl on his face. His otherwise handsome angular face was tarnished by the mud and dirt. That white hair was stricken by the dry wind and the dusty breeze.
Fray was feral and determined. His focus was enough to cut steel itself.
Theodore had no idea how he maintained so much determination even after getting beat up every day for five whole months. And not by anyone but by a ridiculing narcissistic monster like Baran.
A man made to break your will.
How does a nineteen year-old think like that.
When He was nineteen, Theo was a total loser who couldn't even fathom the strength of his brother.
Though his focus was undeniably on finding out the position Baran was going to attack from, Fray still caught Theo staring at him.
" What are you looking at Fiend?!", Fray managed to say through the anger and vigor coursing through him.
' Eeeek ', Theo felt shivers.
He knew Fray wasn't mad because he was staring, Fray was telling him to stay focused and Theo got the message.
He turned his head forward and his blue eyes started to glow. He activated his lightning powers.
" Nothing ". Theo replied with determination.
The black and white lightning caused a riveting sound all around. A unholy sound and ominous Fiendish Arcane the trainees were accustomed to. It woke them up and told them not to give up.
So now they all waited ready. Any second now.
Tingles went all round.
Then it happened.
BLITZ
Baran appeared behind Fray. His head millimeters from his ear.
Baran whispered " Hello ".
" Aghh ", Fray instinctively swung his Fulgura but found nothing but air.
Baran retreated to the top of a tree. Dusted himself. He was in blue pajamas. Then his attention went to to his cheek.
There was a light cut. Fray still managed to wound him. His strength must have doubled since the program.
" Ooh la la ".
The cut closed.
" You get faster everyday don't you white perm ", Baran quipped in vindictive delight.
The angry glare to which Fray expressed with his dark eyes turned even more hostile. You would think that was their limit. He was breathing hard. Like everyone else the prodigy was clearly fatigued. Yet his mental fortitude and resolve scared even the rest of the trainees.
He pointed Fulgura to Baran Vaughn Gunes. The rank 8 Sentinel from the House of nemesis.
" Call me while perm again, " his eyes flared with that purple arcane " and I'll kill you ".
Barans grin only grew wilder.
" Ohh call me white perm and I'll kill you. Duhhhh ". He mimicked Frays voice in ridicule.
Then he scoffed.
" Oh please you'll do nothing ". A stubborn cocky grin appeared " you white perm ".
Fray twitched. Literally.
He raised Fulgura up to the sky. A vertical slash.
Everyone knew to get out of the way
/ FULGURA HOUND
He slashed down with all his might.
Baran instantly appeared before the swing of the blade and held it with one hand.
The force now dispersed everywhere sending most of the trainees looking for cover or either flying away.
One hand. He stopped it with one hand. Fray always uses his warp dominion to increase the speed of his swings. HOUND was an instantaneous attack that cut through space itself. Even his sister couldn't stop it with one hand.
' There really was a long way to go ', Fray thought.
Fray was pressing forward with all his might and still he couldn't budge Barans grip.
" Sadly ", Baran let go of Fulgura. " We're done with the sparring".
The fields were quiet.
Theo just looked on.
" Wait, are you serious?", One of the trainees asked on the brink of tears.
Baran couldn't hide his smile.
" We very well are ".
Cheers came out like a volcanic explosion. People slumped to the floor. Others just fell asleep on the spot.
" Fuuuck ", Maud rested her back on a tree. " Finally ". She groaned in fatigue.
Morr the iceman was already asleep.
' So this is how humans make sure to keep the next generation of heroes better than the last. Interesting but a pitiful attempt nonetheless '
Daisy thought while watching Theodore. He wasn't smiling nor did he look particularly relieved. Those dark circles around his sunken eyes said everything.
He's felt a lot more pain than this. A lot more.
And with that an idea placed itself in the twisted mind of the abyss fiend.
Daisy stumbled in wobbly legs next to Theodore and she fell towards him aiming to fall to his arms.
Only to see herself falling lower than she expected. Her body crashed to the ground.
Theo got out of the way.
" Are you alright?" He asked calmly.
Daisy eyes squinted and her face was in an annoyed pout.
" You could have caught me you know ".
Theodore held the back of his head and smiled guilty. He was looking over her. Daisy was a nice person. When she told him she was 20 he found it hard to believe. She always acted younger.
" My bad ".
He said offering his hands to her. She was hesitant for a while....
...
Theo wondered if he did anything wrong.
Yet he saw her chest heaving up and down. She was wearing a body hugging corset top. It was a light gray colour.
Theodore wasn't usually the type to stare, most times.
It was modest enough for a blouse but the way it clung to her. It was impossible not to notice the fullness of her breasts.
' got you ', daisy thought.
She knew she had his gaze. Her plan all along. She grabbed his hands and he instinctively looked away as rose her up. Easily.
Now he just had to contend with her face. Even that was difficult. She had no single feature or collections of features that stood out. Except her very light blonde hair and the rough bangs that fell down from her forehead.
It was how every part of her face just mixed in. Her eyes were cat like. And blue, like his.
" You can let go now Theo ". Daisy said in a chuckle. Enamoured in her countenance Theo kept hold of her hand even after helping her up.
"Theo?"
He didn't answer.
" Theo!!"
He spasmed back to reality. " I'm sorry ". He let go of her hand. It was red, swollen. He couldn't control his strength especially when he lost focus.
" Ughh look what you did ", Daisy said holding on to her hand. He almost broke it.
Theo's eyes looked feral. The pupil, the dot in them was almost none existent.
His breathing was almost uncontrollable. Something was off when he touched her hand.
He managed to apologise in-between heavy pants.
" I'm so sorry ".
He dared to offer his hands again.
" Let me ".
Daisy was averse to doing what he offered. Who wouldn't be.
" I won't hurt you Daisy ". His paused, " Not again ".
Her hand moved to his, slowly. But he grabbed it immediately.
And he wouldn't take his eyes off her.
" I really am sorry ", he whispered.
A white light beams from their hands. Then her bruises went away. He healed her.
' A high level regeneration compared to Captains and then the ability to heal others. He's amazing '.
He let go of her hands this time.
Daisy looked up at him. His eyes still had that feral glint to them. But his expression? Totally unreadable.
" I didn't know you could heal ".
He was quiet.
" I didn't either ". His expression turned to one of disappointment. " I'm sorry about your hand ".
" It's okay. You healed it ".
Daisy was taken aback by him. His nature mimicked the most raw and unbridled part of life she never knew about. Maybe it was his beauty. Or maybe it was his destiny.
He was really the King
" You don't hate me now ", he sat down, slowly. " Do you?"
Daisy looked to all the people staring.
" No. But I'm not letting you hold my hand again ".
His lips curved to a smile.
" Good idea ".
Theodore doubted he was just being paranoid. But when he touched her hand....she felt weird.
' This little smart.... He sensed it didn't he. I thought he was dumb but. I have to be wary. He could find out my little secret before anyone else '
( Fiends were much better at identifying eachother than humans. It's why Theo reacted instinctively )
Baran watched Fray. He was panting hard and had a stressed expression on his face. His teeth were clenched. Like most prodigys this was that moment where he had to contend with the fact that he still had a long long way to go.
Baran understood that It was the moment where that told you if they'd succumb to the pressure or thrive in it.
And he would watch closely, waiting for Fray to say all he had In his mind.
Frays expression turned though. It turned to one of satisfaction and he let himself fall to the dirt, sword in hand.
Letting out a satisfied sigh.
The type you that only happens when you let your guard down. And Fray closed his eyes.
Then he opened one of them and raised his head tiredly.
" Fuck off you're blocking the sun ".
Baran grinned. If he wasn't careful, Fray would surpass him soon. He bent his knees, the smile on his face turning to one of determination.
BOOM.
he flew up to the mountain, spreading dirt where Fray laid down. Intentionally.
Fray coughed weakly. " Jerk ".
At the back of everyone's minds they knew.
The next part to all this.
They wouldn't be sparing against Baran. They'd be going against eachother. Though all 19 knew they had probably already earned their hero licenses.
The need and lust to reach higher was still there. And besides no one would want a Fiend ranked above them.