A week had passed since that incident. As it turns out the Jorousian Embassy was the only site that was attacked by the Axis Liberation Coalition. As such, with a few well-placed words they were mostly able to keep the rumors from spreading with only a handful of civilians, mostly families of the victims who had died in battle. As for the ALC Members that were arrested, they were taken for questioning and to be put on trial.

Lissa walked around the halls of the library with a frown as she looked through various tomes and books. She tried her best to study but it would seem there was something, or rather someone, in her mind. It had been several days since the incident and yet she can’t help but regret the things she had said to Thomas.

How about I make things clear. I have no intention of being your friend nor do I want to be your friend. If anything you are the opposite of a friend, you are a Rival someone I wish to surpass. In fact, you being a rival is quite possibly the only reason I tolerate your presence. Those were her words, and she ended up regretting them immediately as that was the product of her venting her frustrations at him. It wasn't because he was capable of challenging her skills and knowledge, but rather due to the lack of effort, he spends and yet is still capable of being on par with her. As if he was mocking her.

"Maybe you should apologize to him," Someone told her taking Lissa by surprise and almost let out a yelp as she turned around to face a Second Year Girl wearing the Jorousian Uniform just like her, as well as a pair of white gloves, standing behind her.

She had long jet black hair which is done into a pair of braids and a pair of black glasses that due it's a reflection on the light, alongside the slight tint it carries, it almost looks like blank disks that seem to lack any eyes behind them, Lissa noticed her eyes were furrowed in a was that showed mild irritation at her.

"I'm sorry?" Lissa asked in confusion.

"You got into a fight with someone did you not?" She asked quietly. "It's written all over your face."

Was I that easy to read? She thought as she swallowed nervously. "I well--"

"This would be a lot easier if you got around and made friends instead of keeping your distance," The Second Year continued as she let go of the book she was carrying and levitated towards a nearby shelf. "Though who am I to judge."

"I'm just too focused on my studies to consider that option." Lissa reasoned, she was right though. If she made the effort and befriended her classmates, and Thomas especially, maybe she would know how to properly deal with something so minor.

"How did you even know?" Lissa asked curiously as she slumped behind the wall. "I'm quite perceptive." She simply answered.

"Still though," The Second Year continued as she used her Mana to send the other books back into their respective shelves. "You shouldn't push people away like that. You have a long life ahead of you after all, why not make the most of it and make friends?"

Friends huh? Lissa thought she had always been evasive of people because back home she would avoid people from knowing more about 'The Illegitimate Daughter of Ikross Family' for the sake of driving her Family's name deeper into the ground. The only one that went out of their way to befriend her is Louis, perhaps even the only one she tolerated up to this point.

"Yeah," Lissa smiled. "That doesn't sound like a bad idea, plus it'll be much more productive to work with others than going alone after all. I'll go and make some friends."

"Exactly now get lost and--"

"I'll start with you first," Lissa said facing the second year.

"What?" She said not in confusion but rather in mild annoyance. "Look you're wasting your time--"

"Ever heard of the saying Practice what you preach?" Lissa said giving her a cheeky grin and offered her hand. The Second Year, while not obvious, made an eye-roll and shook her hand.

"Petra...Lowell." The Second Year said shaking her hand.

"Lissa Ikross." She said shaking her hand, it had dawned upon her that Petra was also part of the Top Ten Students.

"So what will you do next?" Petra asked raising a skeptical eyebrow at her.

"I'm going to go and fix things between me and...a friend," Lissa said sheepishly, Petra simply nodded. "Alright go and do your thing," Petra said as Lissa walked away as soon as she was out of earshot she looked at the gloved hand that shook Lissa's Hand.

"You're going to regret befriending me Lissa Ikross." She quietly muttered and returned to her Library Aid duties.

[Axis:Legacy]

Lissa wandered around the halls of Axis and eventually spotted him within the Hall of Champions, long hallway containing the names of the students of Axis, both new and old, that had died in service. And at the end of the hallway holds the statue of both Andras Desper and Arios Elpis. Upon entering the hall she spotted Thomas focused on a pair of newly added names, likely the names of the Axis Students that were killed in the Embassy Incident. Among those were two names that Thomas was fixed on.

[Rise Sakura]

[Emma Sakura]

[67th of Jesten Elphiminian Year 703 - 28th of Arcen Elphiminian Year 720]

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“Those were the twins who were on my team that was killed during the Embassy Incident,” Thomas answered crossing his arms and frowned. “Their families had what’s left of their remains cremated and sent home.”

“It’s because of my fault that they were killed.” He added, there was a sense of sadness within him that took her by surprise especially when all she’s used to seeing him relaxed or even smiling. It had dawned upon her that he took their deaths way harder as their leader.

“No, they’re not,” Lissa said walking towards him and placed and on his shoulder. Who only looked down in guilt. “They were just at the wrong place and at the wrong time.”

“No, you’re wrong, if I had told them to just stay or perhaps even focus on the objective at hand none of this had happened,” Thomas told her in a low voice as he walked away. Lissa just stayed there and looked at the names of the two girls one more time and decided to leave as well.

While he wasn't at the very least fully recovered from the gunshot he got, it didn't stop him from doing his daily training. As such he grabbed Hraevesglr and continued to train, it was the only way for him to get his mind away from things.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" A voice told him, he turned around and found a Second Year looking at him worriedly. He was a pale young man that wrote the Exavis Uniform with bright blue eyes as beautiful as Lissa's eyes, his white hair was slicked back as he leaned on a doorway with a worried look.

He was Kyle Hoffman, Thomas had met Kyle a while back after getting injured in training and the two became quick friends over their love for Terra Warzone.

"Sorry I just can't shake my mind out what happened," Thomas answered putting down Hraevesglr and looked at Kyle.

"Yeah, I heard about what happened in the Sakura sisters," Kyle answered walking towards him and burying his hands in his pockets. "Don't beat yourself up over it, they were just at the wrong place at the wrong time."

"I know but...I can't shake the feeling that they could have lived if I had done something better."

"Don't be stupid," Kyle shook his head. "If you can't handle the deaths of two of your teammates then how can you handle the deaths of hundreds if not thousands under your command?"

"I guess if you put it that way you're right. I'll just have to train and focus more to be a suitable leader." Thomas commented and gave him a small smile. "Thanks."

"Anytime," Kyle smiled back. "I also came here to find you as well. Are you coming for tonight's Terra Warzone Session?"

"Don't worry," Thomas chuckled as he placed Hraevesglr back into the case. "Shun Flameclaw is coming."

"Good cause it's not as fun as it is without him," Kyle chuckled as he walked away.

[Axis:Legacy]

“Alright class in today’s lesson we shall be learning about various plants and wildlife that are native to the Region of Axis,” Professor Mills spoke in a fake enthusiastic tone as he yawned and looked at the Tablet. In front of him were all of the First Year Classes who had an equally bored look on their faces save for a few handfuls.

“Now, I know full well that you’re all not interested in me ramble on some random animal or plant that you already learned in basic education so let’s start with something interesting.” Professor Mills said as a small smile made its way into his lips as he walked towards a small box. “I was saving this for a later date but I thought it might shake the boredom out of us so how about I introduce you to this beautiful being.”

He reached into the box with both hands and gingerly pulled out a large dark blue egg that immediately caused many to gasp and look at it in surprise, causing many to mutter in surprise.

“What I have here dear students is what is possibly the few Dragon Eggs in existence,” Professor Mills smiled as he gently placed the egg in a Pillow and looked at the students once more. “I found the egg years ago as a little boy, but even today it has yet to hatch. At first, I thought maybe in a few months it’ll hatch. Turns out a Dragon’s development cycle within the egg can take decades or even centuries for it to fully develop.”

Ester raised her hand earning the curiosity of Professor Mills.

“Yes, Miss Seacole?”

“I read about those once, I heard that Dragons often speed up the development by injecting Ki and Mana into the Eggs.” Ester suggested. “Have you ever—?”

“—Tried it?” Professor Mills continued with a sad smile. “I did but turns out much like how we humans have our ‘compatibility’ towards other people it would appear that Dragons too have a form of Compatibility to certain people’s Ki and Mana. Unfortunately due to the limited knowledge, we have regarding Dragons I’m afraid we’ll have to do it the old fashioned way and wait for it to fully hatch.”

“Will we even live long enough to reach that event?” Louis asked curiously.

“I’m afraid that would be a no,” Professor Mills said, the entire class fell silent there was a mild disappointment in the air as the idea that they may not be able to witness its birth.

“But,” Professor Mills continued with a hopeful smile. “When that time comes, even if we’re long gone, what matters is that someday this egg carries the hope of its race.”

With the Class ending not long after that, the rest of the class had dispersed, save for a handful of other students who stayed behind to look at the egg out of sheer curiosity.

“Do you think it can hear us if we talk to it?” Louis asked Professor Mills who was cleaning up his things.

“Who knows,” The Professor smiled. “If it did then chances are it’ll be smarter than most dragons. Which says a lot since like we discussed earlier in class, Dragons were wise and powerful beings, in fact, they could have been even smarter than us and can understand various other concepts that we cannot.”

“That would be amazing to see them,” Ester smiled as he looked at the egg. “Can I touch it?”

“Go ahead.”

Ester reached out and placed her palm on the top of the Egg, for a moment she felt the temperature of the Exam to be slightly colder and smooth like she was touching a cold gem but suddenly the egg began to get warmer and warmer causing her and Louis to back away in surprise.

“Uh, Professor!” Both of them said unison as the Egg continued to crack until finally burst to release a small surge of Mana and Ki that sent Hathaway and the rest of the Students that remained in shock.

“Alright?” Professor Mills said as he got up and looked through the smoke. “What happened?”

“I don’t know,” Ester said in a mild panic wondering what she had done. “I just placed my hand on top of the egg and it exploded.”

“Uh guys,” Louis said looking at what used to be the table and instead saw a large dark blue baby dragon that was lying on the floor as it let out an adorable yawn and crawled its way towards Ester who looked at it with both surprises and fear only for it to let out a low cry and rubbed its face against her hand.

“Well from the looks of things that Dragon over there sees you as his mother,” Professor Miss smiled as he approached the Dragon.

“Wait,” Ester said in surprise as he picked up the Dragon who simply let out a friendly growl.

“Why would I be his mother?” She asked in confusion.