“Now that everyone is here, let’s start discussing the battle formations and tactics properly.” Julian said, clapping his hands.

Asher raised his hand, signalling him to pause, “Ah. Stacy. Do you mind introducing yourself first?”

“I’m Stacy, an elementalist, able to utilise most elements, although I have more affinity for ice and electricity, I am yet to be able to wield two elements at once.”

Short and concise, Stacy quickly finished off her introduction before her attention turned to me.

Ah…

Here we go again…

Cr*ppy introduction time.

I don’t know why, but I couldn't control my mouth from saying the most imbecilic things ever.

“Hi, I’m Elijah, I… I think I’m a healer.

I have a water attribute which I haven’t trained at all because I recently awakened this ability.”

I followed Stacy’s gaze to Kaida who was wandering around in her red panda form.

I could practically see the adoration in her eyes, I don’t know how the other missed it.

“Oh, right, guys, this is Kaida, my pet. She’s a red panda.”

I gave an awkward introduction.

Kaida, who had been throwing a silent tantrum at the fact that she was being ignored for an hour straight, puffed up her cheeks and rolled on her back in defiance.

Stacy was practically clutching her aching heart.

Even more unhappy at the prospect of being called a pet she jumped on my foot, putting all her weight into the jump.

“Ow- okay! My bond!”

Interest and shock flashed through their eyes.

Bonds were high maintenance after all. Even the upper class couldn’t easily obtain a bond due to the fact that finding one was mainly due to luck.

Finding an animal or beast capable of forming a contract wasn’t easy, much less one that would submit to its owner which had to be stronger than it.

Bonds. They could possess human intelligence or were very strong, either way they could protect or help and buff their owner

Who would expect me to have one?

“I… picked her up one day. It was a gift for making into Xira. She wasn’t hard to tame as she is currently still weak and a newborn.”

I quickly formed a vague, yet believable story.

Even more unhappy at the prospect of being called weak, Kaida slapped my legs with her paws. Although nothing was stopping from throttling her on the spot, I stuck with a wince.

Snapping out of his thoughts Julian shook his head and said “We don’t have much time left, let’s keep training”

As Julian’s words hit, everyone seemed to snap out of their trance as well and coughed awkwardly.

“Since Elijah is pretty weak, we obviously can’t draw out the battle.”

I guilty scratched the back of my head as Asher suggested, “How about a blitzkreig? Sort of like a hit and run?”

Lacey sat up straighter, “Oh! Similar to the one hit kill style?”

“That’s smart…”

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

I added, “Yeah and …”

“Decoy…”

Time passed by quickly.

***

“Argh!”

I let out a cry of pain as I quickly dodged Amber’s maul, almost breaking my leg in the process.

Ah. Amber didn’t specialize in speed.

I guess this is the gap between us…

I was quickly brought back to reality as Amber jumped back, only to prepare a stronger attack though far from what she could really do, eyes aglow.

Hmm? Amber… has amber eyes.

“PFFFT- ”

Amber paused and frowned, “What?”

I couldn’t stop myself from letting out a burst of laughter.

Is that really what her parents went through when they named her?

Amber Brown…

“PFFFFTTT-”

This time I really couldn’t stop myself from laughing, attracting the attention of the others who were also sparring amongst themselves.

“???”

Amber’s amber-

I let out another round of breathless laughter.

-Amber's amber eyes were laced with confusion.

Ah, if only she had brown hair…

“?????????????”

Everyone was REALLY staring at this point.

“Ah- HAHAHAHAHAHA!”

“...”

“Amb- Amber’s amber- HAHAHAHA- hooh, eyes- HAHAHAHA!”

Asher widened his eyes in realisation.

“Pfft-”

“???” Everyone else watched the rare spectacle, Asher actually understood a joke before them?

“Am-ber, Brown, Amber Brown.” Asher drawled out .

The others, finally getting it, doubled over- breathless.

“KEKEKEKEKEKE-”

“...”

Everyone whipped around to Julian, blinking their eyes a couple of times and pushing their heads backwards, creating a double chin.

No one heard his laugh before. It was just too shocking.

And the day they finally heard it…

Let’s just say it wasn’t the most pleasant laugh.

“AHAHHAHAHAHA-” (mixed with “kekekeke”)

The silence broke once again when all of them met Elijah’s eyes as he mouthed ‘Amber Brown’

Well all except the subject of the joke herself.

“I DON’T GET IT!”

No one answered her, because they were all too busy- still laughing.

She started fuming and stamping her foot like a child.

“Hmph!”

***

Stacy’s arrival and the joke earlier only temporarily put me out of my misery.

When I had calmed down from laughing and the others left my shame returned in full swing.

Why was my healing still garbage?

What did I do to be humiliated everyday?

Honestly I don’t know, but what do know is I wanted to be stronger.

More reliable.

More dependable.

More respected.

Better.

Here I was still sulking.

For what?

It’s not like drownng your self in self pity would do you any good.

I know, but I’m trash so I did what I knew was worse for me.

BOOM.

CRASH.

“KYAAAAA-”

Holy motherf*cking sh*t-

I turned around and stretched out my arms blindly.

SLAM- CRACKLE.

Eh?

I found myself half standing and crouching in an attempt to cower away from the source of the noise.

My chin touched my chest and my eyes closed.

My arm outstretched and my hand forming into a fist.

A depression appeared where I punched…

I took a step back before promptly falling to my knees, all of my mana and strength gone.

A wave of dizziness hit me but was dispelled by a sudden realization.

“ELIJAH! You gave me a heart attack, you old man! I swear you weren’t this jumpy before!”

… Did I just fall victim to one of Kaida’s pranks?

Kaida was grumbling and pointing an accusatory finger at me with origami claws attached to her fingers, on her belt were paper ninja shurikens hanging from it.

Everything started to click.

Kaida scaled the walls again.

She then lunged when I was immersed in my thoughts.

Attacking me with… origami claws.

Crashed a vase in the process.

And in panick, I punched…

‘Wait.. isn’t this room supposed to be durable?!

What a load of feces, I thought I was a healer…?’

Well, I need to push this problem aside.

Because there is a red panda I need to kill.