Alex matched Aquilo’s quick pace as they made their way down the crowded hallway. The blonde boy was clearly in a hurry to get away, but Alex was adamant to not let that happen. He needed answers first.

“Come on Aquilo, you got to tell me now.” Alex said exasperatedly. “What’s up with you?”

Aquilo barely looked at him, his jaw clenched and his fingers tapping rhythmically against his side. He would rather not answer, alas he had agreed to.

He finally slowed down, his steps still echoing across the corridor. His jaw loosened as he prepared to speak.

“Me? I think you’d be better off asking what’s wrong with him.” He came across as unintentionally snarky.

Alex kept his thoughts reigned in. Even if he did have a feud with Austin, Aquilo was clearly carrying it across towards others too.

“Can you please tell? What happened between you two?” He tried to keep patient.

Aquilo stopped, rotating to face his friend and giving him a hard look.

With seconds passing by, he finally shook his head.

“Fine, you deserve to know.” He spoke as he leaned against one of the corridor’s walls.

Alex stood beside him, nervously anticipating Aquilo’s words.

“We’ll start from the beginning then. I’ll keep it short.” He stared at Alex as if challenging him to push back.

But Alex kept quiet, there was no need to get information that Aquilo had no plan to share.

Nodding, Aquilo continued on.

“It was my idea. Going outside. I asked Austin and Cortez to join me.” Aquilo’s tone was mildly bitter as he recalled his memories. “Cortez was… restricted. And you, I knew you were normally busy at that time. Even if you weren’t, I doubt you would join…”

‘That’s right, I would have stopped you. I wish you did tell me.’ Alex thought, but he kept his face steady on the outside.

Noticing Alex staying silent, Aquilo continued on.

“We snuck outside, towards Arbor. I didn’t force him; he joined me on his own.” His eyes narrowed as he spoke. “We spent the night like we planned to. The next day, we just got somewhat lost. We still found our way out, eventually. Things had gone just a little bit south, and he was already showing how pathetic he was.”

Alex’s eyes widened. It wasn’t like his friend to speak like that.

“Aquilo…” He wanted to reach out but couldn’t think of anything to say.

“He can’t even handle a little bit of excitement. Constantly being difficult for no reason.” Aquilo’s spiteful words didn’t stop. “We got back safe, didn’t we? No harm was done.”

“Aquilo, you know it’s not that simple. Austin’s not like you, he doesn’t like taking risks.” His words fell on deaf ears.

“I know him better than you. This wasn’t our first time, he just decided to be a coward.” Aquilo shrugged, getting off the wall. “Some people just can’t handle anything out of the ordinary.”

He started heading towards the canteen, Alex still following behind

“Even if that is true, Austin’s still feeling downcast. Why don’t we go and cheer him up?”

“If he is that upset, then maybe he’s not the friend I thought he was.” Though Aquilo chuckled, his words sounded hollow.

Alex knew that he was more hurt than he let on. The quiet of the hallways subsided as the cafeteria appeared in front of them, rendering Alex’s thoughts muffled.

When they stepped into the room, they almost immediately spotted Austin sitting alone at one of the tables. Alex felt Aquilo’s mood shift. His shoulders squared, and a sharp, dismissive sneer curled at the corner of his mouth.

“Look at him.” Aquilo smirked, half to himself. “Acting like I did something unforgivable.”

He shot Alex a sidelong glance before turning away.

“Whatever. If he wants to sulk, I’ll let him.” Without getting any food, he headed out of the canteen.

“Aquilo, wait!” Alex shouted, but the blonde boy was already gone.

He considered chasing after him, but then again. Maybe it was a better idea to get Austin’s side of the story first. He looked at the large boy, still eating unaware. Or perhaps he pretended to be unaware. Alex walked towards the lone boy.

***

The stride across felt longer than it was, loud conversations all around yet none reached his ears. His mind was focused on a singular goal.

“Can we talk, Austin?” He asked as he reached him. Without waiting for a response, he slid into the seat across from him.

Austin didn’t look up from his lunch, his expression stiff. He wouldn’t have engaged with Alex in any other circumstance, but he could hardly run away and leave his food here. He put another bite into his mouth.

Thus, a minute flew past, only the sound of chewing filling the silence between them. Alex got out his own packed lunch to make things a bit less awkward.

“So… can we?” He asked again, keeping his tone calm but persistent.

“What’s there to talk about?” Austin muttered dismissively.

“Come on Austin, you know what I’m getting at.”

“The fact that my so-called friend nearly got us killed?” Austin’s voice was low, each word laced with resentment.

Alex took a breath, already unsure of how to proceed. He could feel Austin’s frustration radiating off him, building an invisible wall that kept everyone at arm’s length.

But he wouldn’t give up so easily. He finally had the chance to glimpse Austin’s side of the story. He couldn’t solve the puzzle without all the pieces.

“Has he already said his side of the story?” Austin spoke again.

“Yes.”

The two fell into momentary silence.

“You know he didn’t mean to get you… in danger.” Alex broke it first. “It was unfortunate circumstances.”

“Unfortunate?” Austin gave a mirthless chuckle. “That’s not it. He doesn’t think, jumping into things without consideration.”

“He probably thought it’d be something exciting, and just got ahead of himself.” Alex tried to reason.

He had known Aquilo for longer and felt like it was his responsibility to defend him. It was a bias he knew of and tried his best to ignore as he listened.

“Ha, excitement. He doesn’t care about anything but that, Alex.” Austin said, his hand clenched as he stared at the table. “We could’ve been hurt, or worse. And he acts like it’s all just some joke.”

“I think… maybe he just doesn’t realize how much it affected you.”

Austin shook his head, his voice lowering.

“I thought he cared about me. But now, I’m not so sure. He hardly gives a second thought about what I think – nor does he care about the consequences. I was a fool to follow him.”

With that, he stuffed the last bit of his food into his mouth. Without another word, he got up and cleared his table.

As Austin walked away, Alex sat there, staring at the half-eaten food in front of him. He’d learnt some of his side but didn’t seem closer to the answer.

‘Aquilo is upset that Austin got mad despite him choosing to participate on his own. While Austin is understandably mad because Aquilo put their life in danger.’ He summarised the conversations yet didn’t know what to do with them

With a sigh, he leaned back on his chair, his thoughts still racing. He needed something to mend the cracks forming.

‘Maybe I’m not the right person to try and fix this.’ He thought, a pang of regret tightening in his chest. ‘I need someone who knows them better…’

***

A woman moved through the forest, her steps light and sure, weaving between trees like someone with untold years of experience. Here, the towering oaks and soft moss underfoot were a sanctuary. A place to shed the burdens of city life.

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The branches intertwined to form a canopy above, the midday sun filtering through, casting gentle rays over her red hair and painting soft scattered patterns over the forest floor. Nonetheless, it did little to remedy the chilly air.

She listened, appreciating the distant song of birds and the rustle of leaves. She had missed it, despite only a short departure. Helena had been putting off coming back for a while now, but it was only here that she truly felt at her best.

This was her element, and today was especially important. It was an opportunity to train without holding back her newfound powers. To reconnect with her strength.

She hadn’t done away with her guilt but rather channelled it into helping Alex. And to make sure he got stronger; she had to make sure she was strong herself. And of course, Sam’s consoling played no small role as well.

She finally reached an appropriate place within the woods. A small waterfall was near, shedding the place in its constant noise, and a stream gurgled close by. Standing alone here within the forest, she was ready now.

With deep steady breaths of the crisp air, she let the familiar warmth of her power fill her chest. Driving back the surrounding cold. Here, away from prying eyes, she could do what she wanted without reservation.

She unhurriedly held out her hand, feeling the familiar energy shift beneath her skin. A flicker of mana surged from her core, weaving together into a controlled pulse that rippled through her body.

She tightened her focus continuously, and each time the energy replied with greater fervour. Then, with a sudden flick of her wrist, a massive jet of flame arced from her fingertips. The area was instantly covered in a warm steady glow.

Then another, and another, her arms moving in quick succession, firing trails of blaze in every direction. Her movements were janky at first but steadily became more fluid with every try. Each step started to merge better with the last.

To an outside observer, it slowly became more akin to a beautiful dance, with the side effect of death if you approached too close.

‘This feels completely different from before.’ Her mind wandered.

A fireball shot upwards.

‘The speed, the precision, the intensity.’

Another stream of fire to her left.

‘It’s on a whole another level.’

And a final inferno burst around her. She grinned, satisfaction rising as she released her hold, her power ebbing away.

It had not been easy using an element just after promoting, but the years of discipline honed over the years, and her patience meant she had a solid base to work on. All that time had not been wasted.

It was clear if you carefully observed her surroundings. Despite the storm of flames moments prior, nary a blade of grass or leaf of a tree was burnt. Such accuracy was phenomenal, and she made it seem effortless.

Her element had responded faster and hit harder than she thought ever possible for herself. Such an excursion would have left her mana drained before she even if it was possible, but she felt only mildly tired this time. She could feel her energy already recovering.

‘The stories of the gap between a Vigil and an Ortus are true.’

To see it was to believe it. And that was not the end of it. Her domain was larger than before as well. From just a few metres, it now extended over ten in every direction. Even an insect scuttling across the ground couldn’t escape her gaze. If it were to rain, she would be able to count every drop.

It played no small part in her control. Before, the domain barely helped more than your senses would. After all, by the time something got that close, you’d have likely already noticed it. But now, it meant you could anticipate even the unseen.

She gripped her fists tightly, her muscles stretching. Her physical strength felt different too.

‘Elemental body refinement.’

It was a process that came along with every promotion past your initial awakening. It wouldn’t be immediate, as your body gradually adjusted, but eventually, you would be stronger and faster than you were before.

Relaxing again, Helena exhaled, her gaze drifting upward to where the sunlight broke through the treetops. The final drops of adrenaline faded away.

Her mind drifted back to Alex. There was no more time to brood on what she could have done; she should spend it helping him now. Helena owed him this much. That was the only way for the self-reproach to fully disappear.

‘He’s got more than enough potential.’ A small smile broke through to her face.

If someone like him didn’t earn that much, then the gods were unjust. But potential wasn’t enough, she’d have to be there to offer her guidance. And when the time came, build the courage for whatever his path might demand. Helena was confident he would do his part, now she needed to do hers.

Her practice having been complete for a while, the forest’s quiet had slowly been replaced by soft chirping and buzzing again. She’d need to hunt now, and then head home. Helena headed further into the trees.

***

The cold today seemed to be persistent. Alex tightly hugged himself, waiting quietly. He needed to sort this out before heading to the mines. He had already seen Austin and Aquilo leave their separate ways, but that’s not what he was here for.

“He’s there.” He thought to himself.

His eyes locked on a familiar figure leaving one of the school’s buildings, yellow eyes and silver hair. Simultaneously, Cortez had spotted Alex. His eyes darted to the side, his steps slowing as if he considered turning back the way he came.

But Alex was quicker, closing the distance with an expectant look that left Cortez with little choice but to stop.

“Cortez, hey.” Alex was the first to call out.

“Hey, I… I’m kind of busy, Alex.” Cortez mumbled, avoiding his gaze. His hands fidgeted at his sides, betraying his discomfort. “If you’ll excuse me.”

He tried to make his way around, but Alex blocked his path. Cortez couldn’t leave without making a scene now.

“Just for a bit, can you hear me out? Please?” Alex asked pleadingly. “I won’t take up much of your time. I promise.”

Cortez’s eyes kept switching between him and the school’s exit, but he eventually gave a resigned sigh.

“Uhm, ok.” His face faced the floor as he kicked the ground lightly. “By the way, I’m not too busy.”

Alex nodded; he had managed to get that much by himself.

‘I’ll just ignore why he has been avoiding me for now.’

It wasn’t that he placed Cortez at a lower importance, instead he knew what the bigger problem was. He didn’t know why, but he felt that Cortez’s behaviour somehow stemmed from the feud between that pair. It couldn’t be a coincidence that he started behaving like this immediately after the outing happened.

“It’s about Alex and Aquilo, do you know why they have been acting like… that?” Alex couldn’t quite place into words what he really wanted to say.

“Bits of it. I… eh, heard it from my parents.” Cortez didn’t feel like facing Alex as he said those words.

“Do you think you can help me then? Sort out their dispute?” Alex pushed on. “You have known them for much longer than me.”

“Ehm, yes, of course.”

He had told himself he would help just yesterday, but when it came down to it, the problem staring straight at you, it wasn't so easy anymore. No, even before that, he had been trying to run away.

'So much for your own conviction, huh?' He mocked himself.

Meanwhile, Alex had kept spotting his friend’s constant stammering.

“Are you feeling guilty?” He asked directly.

The words instantly broke Cortez out of his brooding, his blood running cold. Alex already knew? What was he going to say? The pit of his stomach felt heavier.

“You don’t have to feel that way about this, Cortez. It’s not your fault things fell apart with Aquilo and Austin.” Alex said, his tone reassuring.

“But I… I could—” He choked on his own words, but Alex thankfully spoke through.

“You didn’t do anything. Aquilo might have asked you to join, but you didn’t know how it’d end up when you rejected.” He consoled. “You could do nothing to stop it. Everything afterwards has nothing to do with you.”

Cortez finally looked up, tears forming at the corner of his eyes, but also confusion appearing in their depths.

‘Doesn’t he know? I didn’t just reject him; I allowed him to get outside.’

“Let’s move past that, okay?” The black-haired boy continued on, unaware.

Cortez swallowed, looking away. If only Alex knew. The guilt gnawed at him, and he felt like letting everything out.

“Maybe I could’ve… done something to help.” He said quietly, each word feeling like a confession.

“You can do something now. So how about it?”

Alex pushed forward his hands.

“Alright.” Cortez said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. “I’ll help.”

He forced a nervous laugh. Alex offered a hopeful smile.

“Thanks, Cortez. I think they just need a push in the right direction.”

Cortez nodded, the two offering their last departing words as Alex left first.

After a moment of respite, Cortez too walked away, continuing to replay the conversation in his head. Maybe he should have just come out with it.

His chauffeur stood ahead, doors already open to his vehicle.

“Good afternoon, Mater Novak.” He greeted while bowing. “Slightly late today?”

Cortez acknowledged his words but got in without a reply. The driver raised his eyebrows but didn’t question, closing the door behind the boy.