“Today we will be starting team skirmish. In the real world, you will need to think on your feet if you want your team to be successful, as even monsters can throw you for a loop. I don’t expect all of you to be winners, but I do expect to see results.

You will fight until you are knocked down and unable to get up. If you are captured by the enemy team, that is an immediate knock out. As long as your team can knock out even one opponent, you will pass this course.”

“Yo Luke, you look excited.” Connor slapped Luke on the back, knocking him out of his stupor.

The group were sitting together on a bench near the entrance of the “classroom” which was really an indoor stadium. On the opposite side were other kids sat who would be the competition for their side.

“My brother is coming home in a few months.”

“Your brother? Wait, isn’t that Matthew Baronia?” David’s reaction had caused a chain of quirked eyebrows.

“You’re kidding right? That guy is great, how did you end up being so crap?”

“Maybe his brother stole all of the mana.”

Before he can retort, the group was called up for the fight.

As Luke’s group stared down the opposing group of five, he began analyzing them. From his left he could see a shadowy looking boy, lanky with jet black hair that could wrap around his waist, and his eyes looked restless like Susan’s. The boy to his left was far shorter but looked anxious, as he already had a ball of fire in his hands. The girl in the middle towered over the ones left of her; her expression was cold and her stance was imposing. The last two girls were busy talking to one another.

“Start!”

Luke had directed the girls to create a wall of grass. Doing so, the five had clustered behind the wall.

“Alright, I don’t know what these guys are capable of, so stay on your guard.”

“I guess your brother took most of the family brain cells too.”

“Shut up and listen! Those two girls, the blonde and brunette, they don’t look too strong or coordinated. If you and Susan can gang up on one, they should be easy. Also-“

Before he could finish, Susan pointed to the top of the grass wall being on fire.

“Scatter!”

Luke ran directly out of the tall grass, only to meet face to face with the stoic girl who was staring down at him.

“I can see through your deceit!” The girl picked the boy up off the ground and tossed him behind her, in the middle of the field.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

As he got back on his feet, Luke could see his team had the enemy preoccupied: Connor fighting the anxious kid who he deduced must have burned down the grass, Susan and Maple fighting the two girls, one using electricity, the other using ice, and David taking on the stoic girl who was now protected by a metal sheet.

However, Luke realized that the fifth member was absent. Looking around, his eyes spotted a shadow slowly sneaking toward the girls. Thinking quickly, he ran toward David, jumping behind the girl he was fighting. Turning around, the girl almost slammed Luke with the sheet of metal until his teammate intervened with a boulder to her chest.

“Quick! I need you to send me flying over there!” Luke pointed toward the girls who were at a stalemate.

“Are you sure? If I send you over there, you might fall out of the arena.”

“Just do it!”

Being lifted into the air again, Luke clenched his stomach as he flew. Closing in on the four girls, he caught sight of the shady boy emerging from a pool of shade. However, just as he was about to tackle him, his target dunked back down, causing Luke to fly out of the ring.

From the sidelines, he watched as the rest of his team gradually fell.

“Yeesh, so much for a good leader. What was that maneuver?”

“I saw him approaching you guys, I thought I could do something.”

“Well you did do something, you got yourself out of the way. This wouldn’t have happened if you were your brother.”

“At least we took out that scary girl and passed.”

“He has a point. It doesn’t matter if we lost, we’re done. Thanks Luke, you might not be your brother, but…I’m going home.”

The redhead didn’t wait another minute before sauntering off. The others simply nodded, parting ways once more.

“Hate you guys so much” Luke muttered when he was sure no one was within ear shot.

Thinking about what Maple had said jogged his memory, reminding him that he wanted to head home and seek out a book. Just as he entered his house, he was met with a surprise.

“Oh hey dad, you’re here.”

“Yes, I never left because I took the day off. You didn’t even say goodbye when you left for school. So, how was your day?” The man spoke in a hushed and somber tone before sipping his tea.

“Terrible, but my team passed our test today.”

“Did you make friends with any of your team?”

“Yeah.”

As his father moved his gaze back to his tea, Luke used the moment to escape to his room.

“Luke, can I ask you something?”

Luke turned his head to see his father standing in the hallway. He realized he was too preoccupied on finding a specific book to close his door. Right after that realization, he resumed his search, pulling off a large tome regarding information about towns in the northern region of the country Lumina.

“I just wanted to know, is everything going alright between you and your mother?”

“Yes dad.”

“Is everything going alright between you and the princess.”

“Yes dad.” Luke was quickly growing irritated with his father pestering him.

“I…” the man sighed, “I just wanted to apologize. I don’t know what to say or when to say it, but now I’m going to say: I’m sorry I haven’t been around. You’ve had Matthew raise you all your life, to the point I’ve never had to be a father, and your mom…well having a second kid was my idea to say the least. Please don’t think less of her if she acts rude or cruel, its her way of coping with your birth and your 'problem'.

I’m sorry I haven’t been your dad. If you think nothing of me though, if you hate me, I understand. Luke, you don’t have to forgive me, but I would just like to know you’re doing okay.”

“I’m doing fine dad.” Luke was still busy flipping through the contents of his book, the anger and impatience bubbling in his voice.

“Well, I won’t bother you any longer.” The man shut the door on his way out.

“Hmm, wonder what he was on about? Probably lamenting the fact I’m not Matt.” Luke sighed to himself. “Matt, you’ve got some explaining to do when you get back.”