Others stood there listening to the man speak about his scars, but a boy was captivated by something entirely different.
Leo watched in near awe.
{My greatest enemy would have to be the anxiety of people.
It had gotten better over the years thanks to Marcus's efforts, and even over the last six months meeting new people seemed to have cured it;
Or so I thought, traces remained far more than I had known.
The last thing I would want to do would be to stand in the middle of a crowd this massive, making myself the centre of observation.
Even now, the occasional glances I get from the spectators often makes my heart skip beats, my palms sweat as well, for that reason I had refrained from participating.
My thoughts were; "if seven win from our end wouldn't it be victory by default?
Then I could avoid standing at the focal point of this massive crowd"
I had planned to only fight if it was necessary, which it doesn't seem like it would be.
This made me glad…maybe I wouldn't have to stand before them, I'd face my fears another day, essentially avoidance.
In the end it could all be watered down to running away, would I be wrong for not wanting to confront my glaring weakness, when confrontation in this case is the causation.
And just when I think I should keep on doing so — there is him, how does he do it…how do they do it;
He, the supreme, commander Ren, everyone else; how do they go on drawing attention to themselves, don't they feel burdened by the thoughts others might have of themselves.
The little whispers, the little scoffs, the little changes in expression the fear of what their thoughts may turn aggressive.
Just look at him, he's at the centre of the platform, speaking about such heavy topics so expressively, how does he do it.
Marcus would tell me to not worry about it, but 'not worrying' is one of those things that's easier said than done.
-
Even in my own life, I defaulted to the role of spectatorship so as not to foster attention of any kind, blending in as much as possible.
Now I see it — anxiety — for what it is, not just an enemy, but a parasite gnawing away at me.}
–
"The next contestants should come up" The officiator's voice echoed.
Dan was about to take a step to the platform, but Leo's hand reached his shoulder before his shoulder could touch the ground.
"Who-" Dan turned impatiently.
His expression calmed as he saw the look on Leo's face.
[Thump! Thump!] Leo's heartbeat was rampant, it was to the point where he could hear it.
"If there's any burden I want off my chest, it's this one.
I'm not going to stay standed…" He walked past Herra and Clarence, caring not about their existence.
[Thump! Thump!] He stepped on the platform and looked at his opponent.
The crowds mumurs were now what he was unfortunately victim to.
"I've been seeing him, I thought he was just here for appearances…"
"It's true, who is he?..."
"Can anyone just join?
But he's fighting, maybe it's because of tha…."
"As if, did he get in by connections.
I thought they were hand-picked"
"Or did the supreme pick him to get beaten up?
It's common knowledge that marked are physically superior."
{This is the price I've payed by putting myself self on the platform…
In a normal setting I would have been just another participant, but unfortunately that is one thing this is not.
My circumstances are different, this is warranted my brain knows this but my body doesn't.
My legs tremble and my knees want to buckle, my heart wants to leave my chest like the uncontrollable breathes I'm letting out.}
"Should I just mute them?" Leo thought whilst his body refused to heed his commands.
{With aether I can amplify my hearing, and can also block it, I can do the same with my other senses even sight.}
Leo shook his head disapproving his thought.
"No that would be the same as running away…" sweat trickled over his eyes.
"Are you both ready?" The officiator asked.
His opponent bowed, Leo stood still.
He was frozen by the remarks from the crowd, he was zoned in yet having the output of someone zoned out.
"Are you both ready!" The officiator said once more, but this time it was obviously directed at Leo.
He snapped out of whatever was going on with him.
"Oh…yes…" Leo sounded unsure.
His body still trembled, his fists shook as he put them before his eyes, almost shaking too much for him to tighten them.
It took several times before he could bypass the tingling sensation and finally got a good grip.
"I'm Jerres Kai" His opponent introduced himself even if courtesy didn't ask of it.
"I'-... I'm…Leo S- Stehaven" He stammered.
The mumurs of the crowd only got louder, rather it was all Leo could hear.
His opponent took a short walk at him, the wooden floor creaked under his steps.
!
Then he sprint instantly and took a punch at Leo;
[Pow!] It connected.
"Huh?
My body won't listen." Leo thought as the punch mushed in his cheeks.
Then another punch and another.
Blood trickled down his nose, he stayed frozen.
"Huh, he can't even fight?
Then why is he here."
"Shouldn't he be with us?"
"Yeah that would fit him more"
The crowds words resonated with Leo.
"Why do I care so much about their words." Leo teared up.
After some more punches and kicks he was left alone.
His opponent held his wrists that were all bruised up.
"What is his body even made of, I even broke my wrist, my legs hurt as well" His opponent thought.
Leo fell to the ground, he began crying.
He was in an overly sensitive state, he couldn't get his thoughts straight, the rumours passing around in the crowd were vile.
But most would be over exaggerated due to the state he was in, or he simply hallucinated them.
{This is my biggest weakness, not being able to stand others' thoughts of me.
Something others welcome, and others ignore, even others are bothered by but not to an intrusive point.
Yet I still cower.
I don't think I can do it…was my previous inspiration nothing but a self funded delusion?}
[Dum! Dum! Dum!...] Leo banged his hands against the platform, even breaking it.
His opponents as well as teammates couldn't comprehend his actions, the same applied to everyone else.
The banging softened, Leo slowly stood up, he dusted his clothes and let a deep breathe out.
Then looked straight at his opponent, who was now back on guard.
"We're his eyes always black?" His opponent thought.
{Everything is silent, this is how it should always be.
I can only see the opponent in front of me, I know what I must do.}
Leo's eyes and ears were both dowsing in aether.
Everything but his focus were washed out of his vision.
"Are you finally prepared for rou-" Before his opponent could finish talking Leo was in his front.
Hits slow enough that his eyes could see, yet fast enough that he couldn't react.
And then a final punch to the guts, his stomach respected the shape of Leo's fists as his skin bent inwards.
He had gotten an internal injury from that, as blood escaped the confines of his body through his mouth.
The punch sent him flying to nearly outside the boundaries of the platform.
He held his stomach in, then deliberately rolled over to the ground, as his body fell to the ground he passed out.
–
The officiator held Leo's hand up and proclaimed something.
"What is he saying…I can't seem to hear him, where did everyone go?
I can't see anyone but the officiator.
Why is everything in black and white…
Ah I see…I chose to run away…" Leo tightened his fists.
"
He took steady steps to where his teammates stood.
Caesar ran to him and held both of his shoulders, looking Leo straight in the eyes with a stern look.
"Ah, it's time to receive the backlash from my own friend.
I'm certain I'm going to get scolded." Leo verted his eyes from Caesar.
He said something to Leo, but his words were inaudible, his face looked worried.
" 'What…happened there.
Are you alright' " Leo used his lips to imagine what he said, his gloomy look became that of marvel.
Caesar said something else, still inaudible.
" 'People are worried about you, say something.'
Is that what he said? What people exactl-" Leo blinked his reddened eyes, and his pupils reverted.
Colour flushed its way back to his world as he saw the faces of Rud, Karius, Fiona, Zefroth, Paul, Saul and even Dan, whom all seemed to be worried about him.
[His ears began ringing]
The others standing there were indifferent to him, he didn't get the looks he thought he would get.
"Is everything okay?" Said Rud.
"I didn't take you for the crying type" Said Zefroth with a smile.
"Who'd have thought, someone who wields fire would have water within them" Karius said.
"That's not how it works dumbfuck, everyone would die without water" Dan remarked.
He and Karius entered a scuffle.
"I always wonder how strange you can get." Fiona shrugged a bit.
"Like how he always leaves at night" Paul added.
"Yh, definitely to meet someone" said Saul.
"Hmmm at night?
Isn't that when you go out as wel…" Zefroth's voice faded before completing her sentence.
"You all…" Leo teared up.
"Thanks…" The tears trickled, his tone was sullen.
"Don't say 'Thanks' with that face man.
It's genuinely creepy." Caesar wrapped his hand around Leo's head.
–
Dan walked past Leo, using his left palm to tap his right shoulder.
They glanced like they did before.
He walked on the podium ready to fight the next opponent.