Episode 40: Friends
*Third*
Adela and Lei levitated their teammates and themselves higher and higher into the heavens.
"It feels weird even after doing this a second time," Nyima said as the wind pushed her hair back.
"It does," Iah said.
Lei chuckled. "It's been a while since I've last stepped into the capital."
"Not since my parent's funeral," Adela said with a somber look.
Lei's smile vanished. He felt like putting a hand around her shoulder, but he knew that wouldn't help much. That day still haunted her, just like it still haunted him. It was a moment he preferred to recall, one whose full events he's pushed to the edges of his mind, to be left undisturbed unless touched upon as they were now.
Iah reached his hand up and touched Adela's hand, causing her to look down at her former fiance. "Cheer up. Being melancholy after all these years is something they wouldn't have wished upon you."
Adela pulled her hand away from him. She stopped. "What do you know?" she said underneath her breath. "What do any of you know? You all still have yours." She stared at all three who seemed shocked by her outburst. "Sorry, I should not have yelled at you like that."
She shook her head and sped up, leaving Lei having to handle raising himself and the other two toward the island directly above. Tian-kun Island it was called, that land where the capital of the Xian was built upon untold ages ago. From below and at a distance, the island looked like the side of a meteor. Yet the closer one got to it, the more it looked like a highly fortified citadel. Once one reached the other side, one was greeted by a marvelous sight. All kinds of flowering trees were spread throughout the city which was built at the based of a tall mountain at the center of the island. Overlooking the entire building was the highest elevated building, a jasper castle whose architecture was not unlike those of the Wudi.
"To think that I'll be laying foot on this ancestral land once again in so little time," Iah said, taking in a deep breath. The air was surprisingly fresh.
Lei did the same as him. "It's been so long, I had forgotten how strange this place's air was. Being here explains as to why my mom wanted me to attend school here instead of Kyuu Seishin."
Nyima stared at Iah and asked, "Come to think of it, why did Adela and you not attend school in your homelands? Unlike Wahkan you got the population of mages."
Iah glanced at Lei. "I'm pretty sure we all know as to why Adela signed up for Nine Petal Academy. As for me, well..." He chuckled. "I'll tell you another time."
The blue-haired teenager gave him a curious look. "Was it because of someone you like too?"
Iah chuckled and shook his head. "No, not at all. In fact, I sort of had to break up with someone prior to departing Mina to take the test."
"You sure are dedicated to your craft," Nyima said as they walked down the gray cobblestone streets. "Or wanted an excuse to run away. Wait, that was it, wasn't it? You were trying to get away from your girlfriend!"
The Minan prince smiled. "Maybe, or maybe...." He gazed up at the mountain top which was glazed with a cap of snow. "I simply wanted to find myself."
"Find yourself?" Nyima asked as she saw Lei walk ahead of them. He looked around the place like a fascinated child. It was nice to see him acting more like his usual self. She smiled. "While I didn't set out to Nine Petal Academy for that reason, I sort of want to find myself too..."
Iah narrowed his eyes. "So, I know Lei's reason for attending so no use asking him, but what's yours?"
Nyima stopped and looked up at the blazing horizon as the sun dipped down the island. "What was it again?"
Iah's mouth dropped. "Wait, you're telling me that you forgot?"
She shook her head. "I guess you could say I lost sight of it. Though that simply means it was weak. To be honest, I lack a strong dream like Lei. While my dream career has for awhile been to be a hairdresser, it has never impacted me to a large extent. Honestly, I think up until now I've just been living life like water down a stream."
"You mean going with the flow?"
She nodded. "Yes. However, now I feel like water with nowhere to go. The stream is drying up, at this rate I will stagnate and wither away."
"Isn't that a little too dark?" Iah asked, walking over to her. He put an arm around her shoulders. "Living life day by day can be good. It's what's expected of people our age anyway. While it's true that having something one is passionate about is good, these years are for finding that."
Nyima's pushed him away. Her face was bright red. "Don't think me opening up to you means you can act all buddy buddy with me! I know how guys of you are."
Iah tilted his head. "Hey, have you ever had a boyfriend?"
Nyima hugged her shoulders. "What do you care? I already said that I won't be your girlfriend, so why do you keep pestering me?"
"Uh, sorry, I didn't mean it that way," Iah said, raising his hands. He sighed as Nyima ran off without him. Seems that just like us she too has her own issues. Her reaction, though... did some scumbag hurt her? If only...
He chased after her. One day, he hoped, the four of them would be free of their pasts and be able to truly seize the future. Youth was a tragic thing to waste, after all.
***
[Meanwhile- Caelum, Wahkan]
Ayawamat watched as Zelde healed Wanikiya and Nahimana's ice burns. She had told them that Orion and Lei's groups weren't going to arrive until tomorrow morning. "I'm out of here," he said, sighing.
"Sorry for making you wait for so long," said a tall, muscular man. He had many necklaces around his neck.
Ayawamat sighed. "Yeah, you better be, it was a waste of all our time."
"Brother," Hota said as he and his younger siblings ascended the stairs.
"Hey!" Wanikiya yelled, rising from the white sandy beach. "That's no way to speak to the chief!"
The bluish-raven haired youth scoffed. "True, he is more deserving of respect than his weakling son who allowed his own power to hurt him."
"What was that?" Wanikiya yelled, rushing over and grabbing him by the collar of his neck. "Want to fight?"
Ayawamat smiled. "It wouldn't be much of one."
"Ayawamat!" Hota yelled.
The chief released a deep sigh. "Wanikiya, unhand him. He might speak with a silver tongue, but he tells the truth. You did fail to control you power." He lowered his head. "I am honestly a failure of a father."
Wanikiya let go of Ayawamat and turned to face his father. He shook his head. "No, no. You aren't father. I, I am the only failure here."
Ayawamat backed away. "So alas you admit it. Though I wish that were true. After all, you got Hikaru here. If Lei and Orion had arrive that would've made three."
Hikaru narrowed his eyes at him. "How about you leave already? Huh?"
"Come on, brother," Hota said, putting a hand on Ayawamat's shoulder.
"Big brother," said Ayawamat's little sister, Muna, as they walked parallel to the beach and sea. She gave him a sad look.
The older middle child sighed. "Sorry you had to see this side of me, you three."
Hota sighed, shaking his head at him. "You remind me too much of when I was your age. Listen to me, one day you're going to wish you had done thing differently."
"Come on, Ayawamat doesn't need to be friends with those losers," Sowk said, following after them as she lead Ayawamat's little brother.
Ayawamat lowered his head. The image of a smiling boy holding out his hand toward him flashed before his eyes. "Do I, really?"
***
[The Next Day]
Ayawamat swayed to the left, dodging a blow to the chin by barely a centimeter as he also battled the fierce winds on top of their apartment complex.
"You've gotten faster, I see," Hota said, grinning.
Ayawamat dropped to the ground and cartwheeled away, building distance between himself and his brother.
"Nice to see you two like this," a voice echoed. Ayawamat came to an abrupt stop while Hota froze in place. The two glanced over at the metal door behind Hota as it opened completely.
A tall and somewhat muscular man stepped out of the complex.
"Dad," Hota said, averting his gaze.
Their father smiled. "Nice of you to train your little brother here. I'm certain that you two will make it to the Mahoulympics and bring honor to our family."
Hota curled his hands into fists. "Of course we will. I won't allow myself to be defeat by Sirius and Stella."
Sirius, if I'm not mistaken, that's Orion's brother-in-law, and the guy who gave us bread the day prior to our move from Stella City to Caelum.
"Your old rival, huh?" their father asked, giving Hota a smug look. "Honestly, you could've chosen a better rival. To think that you lost to that lanky, naive, effeminate guy still irks me to this day."
Hota gasped. "I'm- I'm sorry, Father. I promise that I will do better."
So it seems that despite being an adult, big brother is still living in father's shadow. Will I be the same way even after I have permanently left this place? The guy might be our father, but he is still a non-mage, what gives him the right to look down on us?
The man slicked his hair back. "You better. This is your last chance to participate. You did fail to represent us the last time you opted to join the national team."
"I will be a part of it," Hota said, averting his eyes. Even though Ayawamat couldn't see it, he knew Hota had a painful look on his face. After all, if there was anyone in his family who could understand Ayawamat, it was Hota and it was the same vice versa.
"As will I," Ayawamat said, giving his father a scornful look.
His father chuckled. "Well, you certainly have come a long way since you left Wahkan from what I've seen. You should easily be able to defeat that asthmatic loser and his wimpy friends."
He nodded. "Right, Lei, Hikaru, and Wanikiya are no threat." A snicker escaped his lips as he turned his blue eyes toward the sky. "In fact, none of those my age are."
"Oh, really?" a pair of voices called out. Ayawamat turned his head so fast that he winced from the pain. Standing at the edge of the rooftop were Yen and Kun.
Ayawamat grinned as ants started to gather around him. "Wish to try me? I can take both of you on at the same time."
Kun chuckled. "Really now?"
Ayawamat's father eyed his oldest son. "This white haired boy, who is he?"
"Nice to meet you! The name is Kun, we met before. I am a good buddy of your nephew, Tahoma."
Ayawamat rolled his eyes. "Yeah, 'good buddy', as much as Lei and I are."
Yen snickered. "Yeah, those can fight as much as Lei and you do." She tilted her head. "I however don't seem to have such a rival."
"Why would you want one?" Kun asked, giving his sister an odd look. "They only ridicule you. Besides, Ayawamat and Tahoma look down on all three of us!"
Ayawamat's father chuckled. "Well, I am surprised that the boy who died is apparently not dead, whatever brought you back to life won't save you from the pain the pain that is to come from losing to my sons and nephew."
"Father, please," Hota said, embarrassed.
Yen narrowed her eyes at the adult male. "I forgot that Ayawamat gets his jerkish personality from you." She gave him a smug grin. "You know, it's kind of surprising that you're so smug, considering you aren't even a mage."
The smile on Ayawamat's father's face faded. He turned around. "Anyway, I came to tell you two that lunch is ready."
Ayawamat gazed at Yen who had a victorious grin on her face. He smiled back too. If only he had been brave enough to shut up his father like that. He looked forward to facing off against her as soon as Lei and Nyima returned from Miha.
**Solar Note: Hope that you folks enjoyed this chapter :). If so, then please click on that star to show your support ^_^! You guys excited for the Mahoulypic Arc to start already? I will dedicate myself into making it the best arc thus far :3**
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