I don’t know what to say as I just sit in bed and the girl that demanded I serve her as punishment doesn’t even try to look at me.

  She just sits there while trying to look anywhere but in my direction. Hell, I also tried to avoid eye contact but sometimes I just can’t ignore it and only take a view of glimpses. While inadvertently trying to not look, her face shows the color of cherry red, maybe almost to the color of her twintail.

  It was going to be late afternoon before I could go back to the dorms and I was told by the nurses and school faculties to stay there until they were done with their conferences and investigations with the city police.

  Some of the investigators even tried to interrogate us about what had happened at the plaza. I think their organization was called I.V.P. or something like that, not sure what it stands for. The only answer the both of us could convince them of was what got us in that situation, the spy. That part of the story is plausible in their eyes and when we told them about the Glitched-fiend they just silently took notes and only focused their questions on the spy.

  The investigators thought that since we fought against the spy, they made the assumption that the spy may have created an illusion and got away since the terrorist organization tends to do such deceptions, at least that is what they said.

  The topic of the Glitched-fiend never came up, which I call that bullshit. It’s as if they are inadvertently ignoring it as something of fantasy and not trying to understand it. Any time I try to tell them about the Glitched-fiend they’ll just refer to it as either a Mana or Psionic or chi based ability the terrorist organization might have cast or they just wouldn’t believe it. I even asked them about the various cameras possibly being around the area and they say they only saw the burst of flames and electricity.

  At this point I didn’t tell them I could fire lighting bolts or even how I was not injured from the assault. I don’t think they would believe me or if I should be concerned if I do tell them.

  After that, they just left and got to where we started. Sitting silently and trying to connect their sights.

  She wasn’t talking and neither was I. Just tired from the interrogation and just wanted it to end.

  A few minutes passed and somehow I tried to break the silence, but…

  In unison: “Hey I just… hold on I’ll let you… you go first-”

  Seems that we just took action at the same time and it just made it even more complicated. Now her face looked like a volcano was about to erupt and to my discretion, I was embarrassed too. But now I know she wants to tell me something, even though it might just be something related to my condition. So, I just let her.

  “Do you want to tell me something, Seraphina?”

  She finally lands her eyes upon mine.

  “...How are your wounds?”

  “They’re, uh, actually fine.” Replying to her question.

  “Oh… I see…”

  Even this conversation concerning my health somehow made it awkward.

  “...How about you?” I tried to compensate for the awkwardness with the same question.

  “Uh, well the school head nurse was so good at her job that she was able to heal most of the damage that glitchy demon did to me.”

  Now that I think about it, she got cooked by his fireball and slammed against the building's walls and floor. And more importantly, broke her confidence. During that battle, she just stared at the enemy without even trying to do anything and just… stood there in fear… I don’t think I could ask her what happened back there, but maybe someday but not right now.

  Anyway, she continues to talk about her condition, “She’s a Psionic expert that I heard can heal most injuries from third-degree burns to recreating limbs.”

  “Wait, she can create limbs?” I may not know a lot about the Psionic discipline, but that remark seems a bit far stretched. For the most part, she does seem okay and somehow didn’t blabber anything negative.

  But she became silent again and lowered her head. With a sorrowful tone, “...Anyway, it seems you are fine…”

  “Yeah…”

  “And I just want to say, thank you, for not abandoning me.” Her tone that was sorrowful a few seconds ago became a voice of gratitude. But her eyes are avoiding me and her cheeks are freshly red.

  “Uh, you're welcome…”

  To be fair it would be an asshole move to just abandon a person to something that is horrifyingly capable of killing both of us. At the time I would have been a coward and run away if it were not for the spy paralyzing me. But after watching Seraphina struggle to fight that fiend I couldn’t just let her down and run away. Or I don’t know.

  I don’t really know her and had some sort of wariness to her attitude toward me. But even so, it leaves a bad taste if I did leave her behind.

  Though her attitude right now is less aggressive and not patronizing as of now. Which is a strange experience to see. I might actually like this way and possibly be on friendlier terms.

  “W-well it’s not like you did a lot and I had to do most of the work… I only just struggled a bit, but I was fine.” And finally she’s back to her usual self, though she says it with a flustered mood.

  Well, it was good while it lasted.

  But she continues, “Anyway, about that punishment…”

  Once I heard the word “punishment” it gave me a shiver down to my toes and worrying what she’s gonna say next.

  Please don’t try to make it worse. We just survived dying in an alleyway.

  I whine, but I did promise myself that no matter what I just have to persevere. If the punishment does get worse, it ain’t worse than the fight that almost cost my life.

  “I decided to drop the whole thing.”

  “What?” That response destroyed my visualization.

  “Yeah, from what just happened an hour ago I really think that a way to repay you is to let you go. Even though I think you still deserve it. So, you’re free to go and we don’t have to talk to each other, ever again.”

  With the sincerity of her words and her feigning gazing, something seems off. Her tone was her usual expression of disdain. But there is also something weakening the way she says it. Maybe it is the fact of her face telling a different answer.

  I would probably regret what I am about to say:

  “Actually, what if we can start over?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I mean, we kinda had a bad start and I think you’re pretty cool.”

  “Really?” She seems surprised.

  When I first stumbled upon her, without knowing her true identity, she was just some girl that I accidentally fell on (and that part was not even my fault as someone tripped me), a girl that was about to accuse me of something that was a misunderstanding. Now, I see a girl that is alone and acts all high and mighty, but all of that seems to be just bravado to disguise her weakness.

  My first step in becoming strong is to support those that need help, and even though she is strong, it’s not bad to have a friend to give a helping hand.

  I raise a hand to show trust and she sees it with bright eyes.

  “My name is Alder Zephyr, it's nice to meet you.”

  She was quite the first but then reached for a handshake.

  “Hello Alder, I am Seraphina Feuer of the Feuer family… Actually you can call me Sera, if you want to.”

  “Alright, Sera.”

  This might just be a good point of my journey to realizing my destiny, as a hero.

  The door opens and a girl with long blue silky hair elegantly walks towards us. She stands from the other end of my bed and clasps both of her hands in a sophisticated fashion that shows her a side of professional greetings.

  “Hello Alder Zephyr and Seraphina Feuer. It’s true that you have sustained no injury it seems.”

  “Uh yeah, and you must be…” Sera questions, even though she should have recognized after what we just did in the morning. Though her face does tell a different story, a more peculiar expression.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  “Ah,” she gasps and then gently scratches her head with one finger, “Apologies, I am Veronica Halle. You may have known me as the student president and the one that talked during the first-year assembly.”

  “Oh president Halle,” she said just to be polite and definitely haven’t forgotten who she was. “What brings you here?”

  “Right, I’m just here to see how you two are and whether or not they require my assistance.” She says in a straightforward but professional tone. Then she puts her hand toward me and says, “I want to heal any injuries you and especially this fellow in bed. But as I can see, it seems the head nurse and her co-workers have done a fine job.”

  “...Yeah they did.” I say but know that isn’t true.

  “We’re fine at the moment, but after what we just experienced, we’ll probably just go home and rest.”

  “Alright then, if there isn’t anything else, then I’ll be leaving. Have a good day.”

  She started to walk towards the door and was about to leave the room. But for some reason I don’t want her to leave.

  “Wait!”

  “Hmm? Is there something you need, Alder” Veronica stops and then turns around.

  “I…”

  She looks at me with the expectation of my response, but even though I want to say something to her, I need to be careful.

  If I didn’t tell the authorities about my new abilities, I wouldn’t want to have any else to know in case that I wasn’t able to do it. There is a feeling that this might just be a one-time deal that it just happened out of stress and anxiety.

  But as I promised myself this goal.

  This opportunity.

  This path I take.

  I need to do this.

  “So, I just want to ask, during the assembly, you did some Mana spell to calm the crowd.”

  “Hmm, yes I did, is there something you want to know about?” She looks at me with curious eyes.

  “Well, uh, I think that the way you used it was amazing and was wondering if… oh, I don’t know… could I be able to do something like that?”

  Her brows show confusion with one of them raised and the other lowered. She seemed to be a bit confused.

  “I don’t know what you mean, do you mean if you can use a water based Mana spell?”

  “Yeah, something like that. I’m only able to do wind based Mana, and just want to know if a person like myself can do it?”

  “Well, I would not say that it is not possible to develop another affinity. But it is not simply about possessing it,” she puts hand in front and summons a spherical flow of water. “...you see the thing that you are asking is not as simple as it is. The type of element you have is considered being one with your soul and perception.”

  “Perception?” Why would perception be important?

  “Looking at this ball of water. It is nice, clear, and soothing. At least that is what I see. I want you to tell me what you see?”

  “All I see is just you holding water.” Sera says straightforwardly.

  “Very direct of you Seraphina, although that is what you see. How about you, Alder.”

  When I first used the spell [Soothing Drizzle] it was only used to heal my wounds, and I thought nothing of it at the time. But when Veronica asks me what it was I could only say:

  “I think it is very cleansing and healthy.”

  “Okay.” Veronica was pleased by my response. “The way you perceive the element will also affect the way you use it. Like if you think of water as overflowing, then maybe I would use it to cast a flood. Or if I think of it as a relenting force then the water you cast becomes an utter force of nature.”

  “Okay those are good points and all, but that doesn’t explain if I can use it.”

  “Well, the other part that is important for Mana-adepts are the fact that you have to be born with certain qualities, and what I mean is that whether your soul can even attain it. You need to remember that there is a reason the discipline of Mana is very gated, because of the fact that it all starts with birthright.

  True the only way to become a Mana-adept is to be born as one and no way of cheating the system.

  Veronica continues, “If your soul possesses the strength to hold Mana then you can use a singular type of element, at least that is what common Mana-adepts are capable of nowadays.”

  “Right…” I say knowing most of that stuff.

  Which she then continues.

  “But what if your soul can handle more than just one? Now this is where I am going to say that it is possible for an adept to have two or three elements. But they're rare.”

  “Rare? In what way?”

  “Well you don’t see people being able to use two or three elements everywhere, only a select few are capable of doing it, such as your homeroom teacher, Ms. Stregnis. As she is capable of creating lightning, earth, and wind.”

  Although I was out of the blue during class time, Ludio did tell me about Ms. Stregnis and her affinities of electricity, earth, and wind.

  “Anyway, do you think you’re capable of handling another element? Based on the records and the identification ID you have on your phone, it only classifies you with a wind affinity.”

  I was hesitant, but now that I know what I know now.

  Maybe I can trust her.

  “... What if I can?”

  Sera turns her head with a confusing look. Veronica gives a surprising look, complimented with her hand closing her mouth as it quietly gasps.

  “Are you sure? Remember, this is an uncommon thing for Mana-adepts.”

  I raise my hand toward Veronica. Once I did, droplets of water began to fall off from my hand to a point it accumulated into a small spot of water. While Veronica’s eyes widen by the constant mizzle as it drenches the cold floor, Sera, on the other hand, not only looks with the same widened eyes but her mouth drops completely. Which She could only say:

  “Huh, wait! You can do that?!”

  “W-Wait, ehm, Ahem!” Veronica tries to calm down but her wide eyes still stare at my hands continuously creating rain. “This is… a surprise.”

  “Not only that, I have also acquired another element…”

  “You mean? What do you mean by ‘acquire’?”

  Like before, I attempted to cast a bit of water upon my hand, I’ll try to conjure sparks of electricity. Veronica had her eyes fully attentive to it… but nothing came…

  I even tried to muster all of the strength I have left, but still nothing came…

  “Hmm,” she looked disappointed, “Maybe it was a fluke?”

  Why can’t I do it again?

  “But I did it… I really did…”

  Was it something to do with the voice? Does she have what it takes to give me such power? But right now feeling a bit embarrassed and disappointed as well, I can’t do it…

  “Maybe, maybe you were able to conjure a water element out of some outburst. Evidently you look like you haven’t taken any damage at all,” Veronica’s words gave me a sense of hope.

  I ask again, “So I ask you, is it possible for me to use the same skill as you did, president Veronica?”

  She stood there silent and pondered for a bit. “Well, this isn’t what I expected. You’ve also used a similar ability of mine?

  “Uh, Yeah, in a way,” I felt a little embarrassed from that too even though it saved me.

  “Quite an interesting person… aren’t you Mr. Zephyr, a person who has only known of their single affinity but somehow found out they have another. Very interesting…”

  I don’t know what she plans to do to me. She finds it odd that even though I was only identified with a single element. She is piqued by my surprise.

  I don't know if I made the right choice to show off my abilities. I kind of still feel skeptical to let people know what I’m capable of as this is just a recent turn of events.

  As I kept thinking of events, it just occurred to me that everything happened fast in one day, as though it were a speedrun of plot conveniences.

  But no matter what I just have to keep moving forward.

  <><><>

  A screen lits up and texts of words began to appear:

  Seeker Log-7:30 AM: Found the subject at a crosswalk, most likely in a hurry. Then there is another, someone that he would need. But they haven’t noticed each other yet… gonna have to do something drastic. At the same time, there seems to be something else going on across a block. Most likely another attack. This is perfect. Time to commence, Operation: Tripping with Toast (even though there is no toast).

  Another one reads:

  Seeker Log-8:00 AM: The subject has finally taken the first step. Wait to see what will happen next. Although getting slapped by the companion is typical for a subject like him.

  It keeps continuing.

  Seeker Log-3:30 PM: The subject finished school and is now waiting for someone. Contemplating whether to follow them, but I hear something strange going on near here. Must pursue just in case.

  Seeker Log- 4:30 PM: An anomaly has appeared. Not sure what it is but I know for fact what it is made out of… It seems it is hunger for power.

  Update: The anomaly just moved, better follow it.

  Seeker Log- 4:50 PM: This is bad, the Anomaly has met the subjects. This shouldn’t even be happening. Gotta intervene.

  Seeker Log- 5:15 PM: Defeated this “Fiend”... But not killed. (Remember to update log).

  Seeker Log- 6:00 PM: The Subject seems to be stable-

  “If you think I’ll spoil you the details, that’s not how we’ll play, buddy.”

  The screen turns off. The smartphone is pocketed. But the user or writer is now sitting on a bench on top of a building with a huge red cross.

  He looks around and sees many things from the few students and gardeners, they all leave as it is getting late. Beyond the place is the city, well-lit and noisy.

  A fresh breeze of nature around this roof. Composed of trees, bushes, and some sorts of flora that bring peace and tranquility to the top of this building. A great place to relax, ponder the thoughts of life and figure out what is going on. But this is not why he is here.

  “All that needs to be done right now is almost there.”

  He gets up and walks towards the edge that is blocked with wired fences. He peers below that has the route leading towards the campus of Triune Academy. He just keeps staring, waiting for a moment to come.

  And finally, the subject he calls with dark violet hair and hazel eyes walking alongside a girl with a red twintail. They looked exhausted and most likely were just going home after what they just experienced.

  “Ah, there you are…”

  But there is something else besides them, something that is keeping a watchful eye, literally. It is very unnoticeable with the sun setting but there is something small, no more like a smidge of darkness following them. This small thing is the shape of an eye being shrouded with shadows. Even though it is visibly surrounded by this gloom, nobody has noticed it…

  Except for him.

  “Is she really trying to figure out what is going on? Or is she just as surprised as you are? Well, you know, what you know.”

  Pulling inside from the left side of his beige blazer is a pistol of strange shape, like a simple colt 1911 with a compartment to fit a revolver cylinder. They pull out from his pocket the cylinder but usually one would assume a cylinder with six chambers, but this one only two chambers. This particular one neon in a quiet tone of white.

  “Silence type modifier," they answered, “If you’re curious.”

  Once combining them, they take out a pistol magazine from the other side of their blazer and the moment they load it into the gun and pull the small slider, the cylinder glows white as it spins and chambers in the fresh bullet.

  They point the gun and the moment they pull the trigger, a silent white glimmer darting that causes the shadowy eye to dissipate with clear accuracy.

  Although the subject and the other heard a slight whistle noise, they didn’t seem to notice anything and just kept walking.

  “If I’m watching, then you are watching as well. That means I’m like you, but unlike me, I can intervene, if necessary. Whatever the case, If you assume we would only follow just one person, then you don’t know the half of it. All you need to know is that there are others who have yet to have the chance to shine and to be praised as the chosen few. Whether you are the first or last person to hear this, every time I see you, it is always different, never the same. Whether you’re a singular entity or multiple, you always keep an eye on us. But all I have to say is: I hope you enjoy all the things this world has to offer.”

  They begin to move towards the exit, but then take out the smartphone he pocketed a few seconds ago. He then begins to type:

  Special Note: For you, I am not sure why you are there, why you watch, why exist at all? This does not affect you in any other way and yet, you watch. You’ve gotten this far, either you know or don’t know what is going on. You watch and maybe enjoy the events of this world, but to them, it is the reality they have to live in. I am not your enemy, nor your friend, but I’ll just be there to foresee their chances, for them and for you. That is what I do, what I decide to be… Welcome to this fantastical world I live in and you are seeing, whether good or malicious intent… Let us all take on the absurdity life would bring.

  A simple remark for you…

  Nitimur In Vetitum