*DROON*DON*

“You’ve come…”

“…”

“Have you decided?”

*TUN*

“This?

Are you sure?”

“…”

“Hah!

Never mind, I will make the arrangements…”

“Gustav…”

“What?”

“I only need you to stick to what was agreed.

Nothing more. Nothing less.”

“That, I have no intension otherwise.”

“Good.”

“Just that, I doubt whether you are ready…”

“Unnecessary.”

“Hump! Incorrigible.”

“Always!”

“Don’t break them.”

“That is up to them. I only intend to nurture for my goals.”

“Limit.”

“I know. But boundaries will be pushed.”

“…”

“…”

“Location is 0032TI.”

“Very well.”

*DROON*DON*

“Fool. Truly incorrigible.”

----------------------------------------

A red rippling sea of sand.

Quiet and undisturbed.

It is a vast red expanse.

A hollowed and abandoned wasteland.

The temperature of this place rose to 67° C at the weakest point of the day. The highest was incalculable. Inhospitable, and unforgiving.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

And at night, it was equally so, with temperatures falling well below -20° C.

Around here, nothing grows.

No trees. No shrubs. Nor cacti.

In this place, nothing survives. Nothing thrives.

At least on the surface.

Moving past the surface, and through several layers of dirt and sand, one would reach the underground bedrock.

And, it is within the bedrock, that life can be found in this remote and harsh place.

----------------------------------------

*CLASH*

*TWING*

“Haaah!”

“O-otho-tho~!”

“Sha!”

*TISHT*

“Ung!”

*Haa*Haa*

Within a large training hall, two young men can be seen standing opposed and at odds to one another. They stood with swords drawn, keeping their gaze on the other.

One was a young man with a robust and heavy build, with dark brown hair.

The other was a young man with a slimmer, leaner build, with bluish black hair.

Both wore a navy blue and grey uniform. Etched on them were several sets of words.

1. Tenacity is Human Spirit.

2. Life before Pride, and

3. HEAL

It was the last words that was embroidered large and exquisitely. A hallmark of an identity of honour.

Looking at them, one can understand that they were a pair of trainees, having a spare and exchange of skills in training.

Of the two, the robust man was a head taller than the other, but both of them wielded similar sized, large bastard swords, as they exchanged quickly blows in quick repetition.

After so many exchanges, both of them looked ragged and haggard.

They took deep breaths, as they tried to calm down and regain strength.

The silent stare down between the two ensued for almost a minute, before...

“AH! Geez!”

“Hehehe!”

“What are you laughing about?”

“Well… Who was it that said I needed 100 years to catch-up to them?”

“Ugh! Y-You!”

Laughter and cusses, broke the stare down as they both gave in at the same time.

Both flopped down on to the dirt floor, as they stretched themselves lazy.

They started to speak casually to one another. None of the previous tension remained.

“Na~ Na~!

No need to be so high-strung over that.

I am quite thankful!

If not for you taking time to help spare with me, I would not have been able to do this!”

“Haah~

But you know… You are getting this far, this quickly, takes a hit on my ego!”

“Hehehe!

Don’t take it like that.

Take this as you are being a great sword master, and teacher!”

The robust youth, spoke stressfully. His expression slightly glum as he looked scornfully at the other.

Noticing the look he was receiving, the other sat up as he turned towards his counterpart as spoke to appease him.

“Hum~

Thinking like that it isn’t so bad.”

“Well, also add that I am a born genius at this too.”

“Why You!!!”

That too only until he made another shot at man’s ego and flared him up.

Both took a little scuffle as they fooled around.

“Hey! That’s enough you too. Your training time is over, head over to the COMB now. New briefing is due soon.”

““Got that!””

Just as the guys went in to a scuffle, a woman walks into hall and calls them down.

Noticing the woman, both of the guys’ spate and quickly stand to greet and answer her.

“Change out of your training gear and get in uniform.

Also, take a bath before you go. Or else you will only shame us and yourself.”

After they both stood up, the woman instinctively covered her nose as she complained to them. She looked at the more robust of the two in undisguised disgust.

“Madeline, don’t be such a nagger! No one likes a person who nags too much!”

“Well you don’t have to worry Zack.

I won’t choose some of such small ego like you, ever!”

“W-wha~!! Y-y-you~!”

And the woman, Madeline’s spiteful comment ever enrages the Zack, who can only stutter in his rage.

Seeing this almost explode, the lean youth, quick steps in between the two, to mediate peace between them.

“Now, now! Calm down!

There! There Zack. Take Deep breaths!”

He first took to pacify the erupting Zack, who looked like he was about to kill the woman.

He patted Zack until he calmed down before turning to face Madeline.

A wry smile couldn’t help but surface on his face.

“Madeline, I am sure Zack only mean well by what he said. Please forgive him. He can’t take such sarcasm.”

“I don’t take it to heart.

But the problem with Zack is that he is a muscle head, and you, because you are too accommodating of him Gail. Torment him a little, why don’t you?

He need to grow up from that small mindedness.”

“If I did, he wouldn’t be around to be a stress reliever.”

“Ararara!

That wouldn’t be good!

We need one like him around.”

“That’s why~

To Zack, who had hoped his buddy would defend him, heard the remarks against him, couldn’t help but flare up again. His stuttered once more in his rage.

Some of the words caught within his throat. It would be a lie to say, his blood pressure would have been high enough to burst a nerve right now.

“Y-Y-You two… Just WHAT THE HEELL DO YOU THINK YOU SAYING INFORNT OF THE CONCERNED PERSON!

DON’T ACT LIKE I AM NOT EVEN HERE AND MAKE YOUR OWN PLANS AND ASSUMPTIONS!”

“Ma~ Ma~ Zack. Calm down. Raging like that will only give you grey hairs or even make you go bald!”

He hollered out loud as he grabbed Gail by the collar of his shirt and shook him relentlessly.

“Why you!!!

Gail, you’ve been saying a lot of nonsense for a while now!

Let have a duel!”

“We just did, and I drew even. That will count as a win for me and a loss for you!”

Gail didn’t bother to resist as he let Zack shake him in his fit of anger. He still had a sly smile on his face as he retorted to Zack, who in return boasted back.

“I wasn’t being serious just then!”

“Oh?! My, my… the GREAT ZACK, was looking down on the weak old me and did not give it his all and got draw in a spar!

If word spread, what would the BLADERS say about his chivalry!”

Gail spoke exaggeratedly at Zack’s boating. He knew of Zack’s fanaticism for BLADERS, a branch within their organisation. This was a button that could either ignite or cool down Zack almost instantly, depending on how one tackles it.

“Y-You!!!”

“OKAY! THAT’S ENOUGH!

I’ll not repeat myself. You don’t have time, just go and report to the COMB, ASAP!”

Having heard enough of the antics of the two youths, the woman could help but speak out loud, at the end of her patience and tolerance.

She didn’t bother to wait anymore, as she turned around and left on her own.

“Roger!

Well Zack, see you there!”

“Hey! O-oi! Comeback here! I am not through with you!”

On the mark of Madeline walking away, Gail freed himself from Zack as he too quickly followed suite, leaving only Zack behind, who also ran after Gail, still in his continuing his fit of anger.