"At least you didn't drag anyone else into it, so I'd keep my promise."
For reasons unknown to Killian, the figure didn't advance. It kept its eyes on the Void-Bat and Killian wondered if it was scared or curious.
"I only brought my friend. You don't want him in here too?" The figure's tone was cold and dismissive.
Killian blinked once.
Then fire flared up his arm, but the figure didn't move. Killian looked through the flames burning on his arm. It is an illusion?
The real person was a hooded boy with a bored expression. Killian lowered the Void-Bat in defeat.
I am going insane with paranoia, and someone is pranking me? He ran his hand through his hair. And this might be the board lady's son.
"Undo the illusion." Killian demanded.
"No." The reply came with a familiar tone of finality. "I will practice alone at the other side. If it worries you, then leave."
The figure headed to the other end of the room. Killian stared at him, with no words to say.
We just met and he's already being a brat.
As long as he had the permitted badge, he could visit the room so there's no need to exchange words with him. He looked once more at the 'tree', before leaving.
He felt for the tendrils on his way out, they remained passively active as usual. No voice still in his head.
He better not have abandoned me too.
Reaching the hospital, Killian received his keycard and letter from the receptionist. He opened the letter on his way to his room.
"Training? But Juda is… oh."
When he finished reading and realized it was a duel with other newbies, and only needed a team of two. He and Evelyn were set to sign up tomorrow.
Right after fighting an angel, I'm sent to fight my former schoolmates.
"It can't be helped. I guess I'm back to work," he checked his status.
Apart from the generous doubled amount of WCoins (Warden's Coins) for the first mission, nothing else.
He stopped by Juda's ward but his mother was there as usual. There's really nothing to do today.
And then he opened his ward.
The physical manifestation of Mr. Jenovan stood inside his room. Killian glanced at the keycard in his hand, and back at the man.
"This is trespassing."
"Sue me."
Killian slid the door to a close. "What do you want from me now?" He leaned on the wall.
If you want a good fire display, I can show you now.
"Quara asked me to check on you while she's away." Mr. Jenovan said with a shrug. "I lost a game with her so I can't say no."
So you don't really want to be here?
"Go away then." Killian moved to his bed, adjusting the crumpled bedsheets. "You've seen me now."
Jenovan chuckled lightly. "You are more haughty than your younger brother, Killian—"
"Don't compare me to Keith!" Killian raised his voice.
Jenovan said nothing, then slowly glanced away. "My apologies. As a younger sibling, I understand how annoying comparison could feel."
Killian fell on the bed, and wrapped himself entirely in his blanket. "Leave. I'm going to sleep. I have training tomorrow."
"You wrap your blanket just like Quara when you're grumpy," Jenovan paused. "Oh, I shouldn't compare you, or you don't mind your older sister?"
Killian clicked his tongue. Why is this man being so random? "You shouldn't be seeing my sister while she sleeps. That's creepy. And don't you have better things to do?"
He snuggled into the blanket and stayed quietly, waiting for the door to open.
All because I became the Top Scorer. I should have tried to stay under the required points.
"I will teach you a Fire Skill; Piercing Scorch."
Silence.
Killian forced himself off the bed, still wrapped in his blanket. "We start immediately?"
"We start immediately."
The blanket flew out of Killian's body like a scared cat.
Jenovan smirked, resting on the wall behind him. "It seems you are no longer sleepy?"
"Be honoured. A growing teenager is sacrificing his sleep for an old man to have a little fun." Killian said, while quickly dressing the bed to leave.
Jenovan scoffed. "I'm just thirty-six. How arrogant. Just like—" He swallowed his words when Killian glared at him. "Haa… this reminds me of old times."
That's still a comparison, sir. "If I grasp Piercing Scorch in a day, teach me another after tomorrow. Deal?"
Jenovan thought for a second, then nodded. "You'll be breaking another record if you learn it in a day."
Adrenaline pumped inside of Killian as they walked out his ward. Tomorrow, he'd be expected to use his Fire Element as well as he used the Void.
He had to keep the reputation of Grim Warden.
.
.
I get it now.
The reason Quara always comes home tired and filled with dark bruises. This guy's a beast.
"Concentrate, Killian!" Jenovan's upper arm moved faster than his eyes could follow, a ring of fire formed around his arm. "I'm coming! Counter!"
Killian grounded himself, but it was to no use when Jenovan's blinding light kissed the vision away from his eyes.
He tumbled over and the fire in his palm flickered out as his focus broke for a second.
"Again!" Jenovan's voice cut through the room excitedly, like he enjoyed every second of it. "You're still forcing mana into it, I can see it!"
Killian pushed himself up, breathing harder as he looked at his hands.
The chains around his wrists faintly glowing as they suppressed the flow from his core. That was his problem.
As Jenovan said, fire that relied on mana alone was weaker. It burned but lacked bite, and certainly wouldn't scorch.
Why did I agree to this?
On the flip side, he knew that the current training required him to use less mana, so he wouldn't burn out for the training practice.
Feel it. Don't create it, and take it.
Those were Jenovan's words but Killian couldn't manually turn off his HEART that still pumped mana into him, to feel the oxygen in the air.
Was that even physically possible…
"Ugh!" He clenched his fists slightly, trying to ignore the sting on his skin and the heaviness of the chains. "Can't I try without the mana-restricting chains? They're really heavy."
"Feel the air first, Killian. You default to using more mana than you need to because that's all you know. Let nature help you." Jenovan sounded like a monk.
I really did this to myself.
Asked a Mage that's dependent on nature for help.
Still, he couldn't disagree with his teachings. He closed his eyes for a second, feeling the faint warmth around him caused by his flow of mana.
Feel the air… in summary, just use the oxygen as fuel.
The fire flickered again, hotter and my freer. It wasn't also draining. Killian's eyes snapped open. "I did it—"
"Yes, you did!" Jenovan attacked immediately, his grin spreading to the ends of his face. His arms swung out to meet Killian's, fire against fire.
The difference was clear and the impact pushed Killian back, but didn't break his stance. "Can you warn me next time—"
"There's no warning given on the battlefield!" Jenovan bursted out laughing again. His sixth time since their twenty minute training started.
Battfield? This is your lab!
Killian yanked the chains off his arms, but they were fixed. He glared at the man, who guffawed while folding his arms like a villain.
No wonder the masses gave him his nickname.
Good thing he became a mage instead.
Darn psychopath.
The one and, thankfully, only Hell's Fiend.