Leifren retreated to the open area. Avryn caught up with him quite as easily. The two traded blows. A smoke bomb went off from beneath. Leifren used this to gain a longer distance away from him. He knelt down and aimed waiting for Avryn to make his move. He controlled his breathing as his heart pounded like a drum. He realized something.

  A shadow on the ground was moving at fast pace. He looked up and was blinded by the sunlight. He was sure Avryn was there. He fired a single shot at him. He heard the metallic tang as his bullets bounced off a sword. He felt Avryn’s presence in front of him.

  One blow was enough and Leifren was knocked down to the ground. Leifren moved to counter but Avryn was too swift this time. He had his gunblade at Leifren’s neck.

  “Good exercise,” Avryn reached with his other hand.

  “Indeed,” Leifren grabbed it and was helped up.

  The two finished up, and signed their names on the list. New policy since there were some incidents that happened regarding the training rooms.

  “We should check in with Harver, he said he’ll meet us in the hallway leading to the senior’s classrooms,” Leifren reminded.

  Avryn nodded and there they went. It was a usual day, and right around the time classes had ended. The two picked up some curious eyes on their way to meet their friend. They were were seen as the most capable sophomores in their batch, and sought after, if you asked the women.

  A trio of girls, who looked to be freshmen, stopped before Leifren and asked him for autographs and ogled over him. The hall monitors were there to stop it before it got out of hand.

  “Alright, alright, we got people on the move. Please clear up the way, girls,” the monitor said.

  Avryn spotted Harver from the middle of the hallway, he and Leifren caught up. A scene was developing before them. Harver was talking to another man. He had the same hair color and his face resembled Harver’s. He had a more muscular build. It looked to be a rather heated conversation they were sharing. A crowd was already forming around them. Avryn and Leifren had to put in some effort to get to hearing them.

  The man Harver was speaking to noticed Avryn and gestured to him.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  “Well if it isn’t the man who fought Leandros Solus. Someone of actual worth,” his words seemed to have struck a chord with Harver.

  The other gritted his teeth as he continued to get lambasted by the senior. Leifren recognized the man and whispered to Avryn,

  “That’s Ulver, Harver’s older brother. He has a talent of being a narcissist as you can hear.”

  Ulver picked up what he said,

  “Ah, son of the Great Hunter. Where’s your beautiful maiden of a sister at?” he laughed.

  “That’s my friend you’re talking about,” Harver’s voice trailed off.

  Avryn assessed the situation. Ulver must had embarrassed Harver. He took a look at Harver. His body language looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here.

  “Hmph, if I wasn’t injured, I would’ve beaten Leandros. Unlike this Avryn Starbright fellow,” Ulver gestured.

  “Leandros is a better man than you ever could, mate,” Avryn stepped up to him. “I’d punch you in the face, but the honor of first blood belongs to Harver.”

  “Harver?” Ulver laughed.

  He exaggerrated it for effect. He even started to wheeze uncontrollably as he held his stomach. He tried to stifle it to speak but failed.

  “My ‘brother’ here is no warrior. You, just barely. I suppose you lasting that long against Leandros proved it,” he crossed his arms.

  He turned to the crowd with outstretched arms.

  “Let it be known here and now that I declare for the Battle Festival Tournament,” he exclaimed.

  “I hope to see you there, lapdog of Leandros,” he sneered.

  Harver broke through,

  “I also declare for the Battle Festival tournament.”

  That finally earned a reaction from Ulver.

  “I’m going to prove to you that I belong and I’m more than the man you’ll ever be, brother,” Harver finally stood up for himself.

  Another man, his hair was blonde and tied up in a ponytail. He broke through the crowd and spoke to Ulver.

  “Hey ‘leader’, you’re late for our training,” he told him.

  “Oh right, training,” Ulver muttered.

  The hall monitors dispersed the crowd as the bell chimed once against for the next classes. Leifren and Avryn comforted Harver.

  “What kinda brother does that their own sibling, sheesh.” Avryn commented.

  Harver sighed,

  “Apparently mine. He wasn’t always like this.”

  “Let’s talk it after training, yeah?” Leifren got them to focus.

  They went through their usual joint training activities. Harver was still out of sorts but he pulled off what he needed to do. The same blonde man, Ulver’s squad mate, approached the squads and found Harver. He apologized on his behalf. Harver said it was alright, that was normal of his brother to do. That statement surprised the man.

  “He never told us of you,” he commented.

  “I’m not surprised by it,” Harver looked down.

  “I promise you, I’m going to give him a stern talking. You have my word,” he bowed one more time and left.

  The squads rested by their usual spot in the courtyard, admiring the orange hues of the clouds at sunset. The winds graced their presence.

  “I hate men like that,” Kiria commented on Ulver.

  “They believe themselves superior to everyone,” Jenilah added.

  “I’d have no problem with it if he could actually back up his claims,” Tvira spoke.

  Avryn leaned back,

  “Harver, you alright if I give you my two cents?”

  The rest hushed and listened in. Avryn spoke again about how the absence of his biological parents had a big effect on his upbringing. He didn’t know Harver’s family, but he deduced that was a problem.

  He added that he has a found family in the rest of the squad here. They would be always ready to help him with their problems as he did with theirs.

  “In this world, there are two families one can have. One by blood,” he pointed to his own vein. “And one by bonds,” he clasped his hand together.

  By hearing that, Harver seemed to have an epiphany. Avryn’s words shook him to his very core. Perhaps this was the wake up call he needed to get out of this funk.

  “You’re right, Avryn. Thank you,” Harver found a new perspective.