3/22/54

ALEXANDER GALDUR

*Beep*

*Beep*

*Beep*

*Click*

Feeling my hand slap down onto the top of the alarm clock, successfully turning its incessant beeping off, I struggle from the cozy embrace of my soft and warm blankets and bedsheets.

Damn, my leg hurts.

With a final heave, the blankets are thrown off, leaving me bordering the line between sleep and wakefulness as I dread the coming day. I don’t want to leave.

Gaining some strength, I stand and blink the sleep out of my eyes. Yep, same luxurious room. Wobbling into the bathroom, I splash my

face with the frigid water. I didn’t even know that water got this cold; I would’ve thought it’d turn to ice at this temperature.

Leaving my room, I see Deimos fully ready for the day. How? He’s fully dressed and looks ready to meet the world leaders. Silently groaning at his apparent readiness, I ask him what’s on the menu.

He points to a still-steaming pile of waffles, bottle of maple syrup, cup of milk, and banana, “Grab how many waffles you want. We’re gonna be having these for a while.”

Grumbling out a tired thanks, I head over and stack up two waffles with a generous amount of maple syrup. Bringing the waffles, milk, and banana to the table, I quickly devoured everything there, left my dishes in the sink, and slunk back to my bedroom. I took a pair of boxers, sweatpants, socks, and my black t-shirt into the bathroom. There, I changed, and in the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror.

Still bony and skinny. Though, I am looking better.

Brushing against my leg while getting dressed, a small shock of pain shot through me.

It came from my calf, and I scowled to see the scrape there. It must’ve been from my run in with that chef guy. I don’t think it tore my pants, so it must’ve made the pants violently rub against my leg.

The wound itself had little parts of it covered in faded maroon scabs. The skin around each scab was red, tender, and warm to the touch. It was right on the left shin, almost on the ankle. Rolling my foot around and flexing my leg, the pain was minimal and manageable.

After finishing up my morning’s tasks, I reentered the living area and decided that standing was too much effort, promptly flopping on the couch. Craning my neck, I asked Deimos, “What do you want to watch?”

“Have you heard of the Office?” Deimos responded with his own question.

“No, is it good?” I asked, countering his question to my question with another question.

Deimos nodded, answering my question and adding another question to counter my question that had countered his question to my question, “Yep, it came out a long time ago, but it’s a classic. Why don’t we watch it?”

“Sure, why not?” I expertly finished the question wars of fifty-four with a question to his question that countered my question that combated his question that had followed my original question.

We spent the remainder of the time watching the Office. It is a good show.

Eventually, the time came, and we went to the changing rooms. Soon after, we went into the training room, and just as Deimos and I were about to start the daily laps, A dreaded voice called out to me.

“Lucas, hold it!”

Turning around, I saw Trainer Masako purposefully walking over to me. As she was making her way over, I felt the future blanch. What was it now? I don’t remember doing anything to warrant her attention. In the end, it didn’t really matter. Standing at attention, I asked, “Yes, ma’am?”

She walked up with a surprising lack of a glower. She stared at me, scanning my body up and down, and she requested, “Come with me.”

Slightly stupefied, I dumbly asked, “Pardon, ma’am?”

She glowered. That’s more like it.

“I said, ‘Come. With. Me.’”

“Yes, ma’am.” I replied, fear coloring my tone.

Heading through the many different environments of the training room, we ended up at an industrial-looking office. Entering, it was dark with no windows, and it became darker when she closed the door behind her. A small flick and click sound was followed by fluorescent lights flashing on.

I didn’t need to squint as my pupils magically processed the light with ease.

I did, however, squint and flinch out of terror when I heard Trainer Masako speak up, “Now, take off your shirt.”

… Huh?

“Huh?”

Muttering over her breath for the first part, she sighed, “Fucking hell. I said to take off your shirt. Understand?” She really emphasized that last part with a slow tone like she was speaking to a small child.

“Yes, ma’am.” I replied before even trying to think of a reason why I shouldn’t. Stripping down to just my shorts and any protective gear below the waist, I stood there, terrified.

When my top was fully revealed, I could see the alarm on her face. She was shocked by my apparent condition, and silently, I could see her mouthing what were most likely any number of curses.

Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself and calmly spoke in a tone I didn’t even know she knew, “Okay, kid. From now on, I want you to do half of all the exercises and only two laps during the warm-up. During magic training, I also want you to stop exercising.”

“What? Why?” I questioned, unsure of whether I should be elated or disappointed.

“Why!? Look at you! You’re not in any state to be doing excessive exercising!” She yelled.

… I mean, yeah, I guess that makes sense.

After a long pause, Trainer Masako massaged the bridge of her nose with her index and thumb and sighed, “Okay, from now on: half-exercises, only two laps, and just sitting the fuck down during magic training.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I replied.

As she was walking away to the door of the office, I heard her mutter something under her breath.

「わるがき。」

… I’m getting déjà vu. Didn’t Deimos also say something that either I couldn’t understand or was in a different language when he learned of another aspect of the condition I was in.

Ignoring the most likely foreign curse, I followed Trainer Masako out of the office. As soon as we left, the two of us went our separate ways, and I got on the track. As I did the two laps, I thought about how Trainer Masako must’ve known my condition. Two things could’ve happened: someone from the lockers either told her or it was Dr. Whitaker. Maybe both.

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After finishing my short laps and having some water, I did all the exercises. It was still strenuous, but it was significantly easier than before. I finished almost before everyone else. The blonde-haired girl, Deimos, the muscular woman, and some other unfamiliar faces till managed to beat me to it. The three I did recognize took note of how quick I was, and it looked like a few other people still exercising noticed it too.

We waited for it all to end, went back to exercising where I finished up quickly again, and continued this cycle for a while. Physical training wrapped up, and as Deimos and I started separating from the rest of the group, I heard a high-pitched voice call out.

“Hold it!”

Turning around to see who yelled, I noticed it was the blonde-haired girl who was currently facing me.

Looking around, I soon realized she was referring to me. Nervously, I asked, “Yes?”

She glared and began speaking with a rage-filled tone, loud enough to start drawing attention from others, “Don’t think I didn’t notice it back in physical: you were skipping out on the exercises.”

“What? No I wasn’t.” I defended myself, taken aback by her confrontational accusation.

“Don’t lie! I wasn’t the only one who saw, right?” She asked the people who were watching.

There was a chorus of mixed responses, a lot of muttering too quiet to hear. Though, one person did speak up loud enough for most to hear, “Now that she mentions it, I did notice he was finishing before all of us. He wasn’t doing nearly enough now that I think about it.”

More information started popping up from the various people slowly forming a crowd.

“He only did a couple of laps during the jog, didn’t he?”

“He does look like the type to skip out on physical work; look at how scrawny he is!”

“Wasn’t he punished before by Trainer Masako? Doesn’t this mean he’s already got a history of trouble?”

More and more people started speaking up, and I only got more and more anxious. That was until Deimos spoke up, “Hold on! You all got it wrong, he’s got a reason to be excused from this.”

“Oh yeah, what is it?” The blonde-haired girl taunted.

He opened his mouth before glancing back at me, unsure of whether I would be okay with him spreading around that I was nearly half-starved. He didn’t need to worry about that, however, as someone else far more insensitive was already protesting in my defense with that as their proof.

“Wasn’t he the kid who looked like just skin and bones in the locker room?”

“He was! No wonder he’s been excused!”

Yeah, he’s not in any shape to work out.”

Eventually, a shockingly large gathering of people had gathered, and they were all having a heated debate on my state and whether I should be exercising. Eventually some hot-headed asshole grabbed my shirt and tried to lift it up.

Panic.

Panic.

Panic.

Panic.

Every fiber of my being was losing it. Everything was spinning, my face was flush, and I could feel something rising from within me. My temper broke down, my rationality crumbled, and energy was filling up my flesh.

I muttered something, something too quiet for even me to hear.

It was loud enough that a person who was arguing against my defenders that was also standing right next to me did notice I said something. They yelled out, angry, “What did you say, you little cheat.”

This time, anger flooding my voice and rage consuming my mind, I shouted out with all my might, “WOULD YOU ALL SHUT UP!!!”

With that, the magic that had built up in me released, like the single strand that was holding it together snapped. Thankfully, it was light magic that erupted out, though it still didn’t help what happened next.

Light built up on the surface of my skin, and it radiated blinding, burning light onto everything nearby. It was all released in a flash, literally. Light shot off of me in a wave that traveled down at speeds incomprehensible to most; with that, the talking was replaced by shouts of shock, soon dying down into groans and moans.

… Tired. That took a lot out of me.

As I was losing balance in my daze, a hand came down on my shoulder and started pulling me away. Trying to fight against it but finding myself unable to combat against their strength, I was dragged away from all the people who had gathered around me instead of minding their own damn business.

Once I was out of my daze and finally realized I should check out who the person who was dragging me away was, we stopped, and I was spun around to meet face to face with Deimos. I stuttered to ask why he dragged me away, and he replied before I could ever ask the question, “Are you okay?”

It took me a hot second to register his question, and another hot second passed while I was formulating a response, “Yeah. I think… I’m just a little stressed. And tired. And also tense.”

All he did was nod to my lackluster response, not even questioning or scolding me. We just stood there, and he stayed to make sure I was okay. Looking up at him after having a whole minute of just unwinding, I suggested, “Why don’t we head back now?”

“If you’re alright.” He responded, comforting me and giving me the ability to choose what happens next.

After we walked back, I noticed that I was now being left alone by the other trainees. I got a couple glares here and there, most of them coming from the blonde-haired girl, but I was finally allowed to be on my own, besides Deimos and Max.

… Wait, Max!?

“Max!?” I asked, expressing my thoughts out loud.

“Hey. I thought I’d stick with you and Deimos.”

“Oh, okay.” I wasn’t going to question it any further. With that, we all proceeded to do our own thing, along together. Now, how did I do that back there?

I remember the energy I felt, the light that was building up in me, and suddenly, it released into the world. Despite the amount of light released, I felt only partially drained, far less than I should have. It was like my body was a conduit, far more effective than forcing my light to stay together.

Focusing internally, I grabbed onto the light, focused it into my skin, and following my expectations, I managed to harness the light in me. Popping an eye open, I saw that my pale skin was glowing. I kept the magic focused in my right forearm and hand, and I couldn’t help but admire the effects.

That was when I had an idea. Standing up, I got into a boxing stance, and when I went for a straight cross, I let the magic release when my fist hit its stopping point. To my surprise, my arm felt faster and I reached the end of my punch much faster than expected. Once I did reach the end, however, the light released in a blinding flash, illuminating the space in front of me.

The flash was so bright most people would have to shut their eyes and still see spots afterward. Thanks to my own light-attuned eyes, I didn’t even have to blink.

That was… Amazing. Who knew the best lessons came from the most stressful situations.

Now, why was my fist faster? That just didn’t make sense. I understand it’s magic, but my light magic just lets me create light, not any buffs or the sort. I mean, I know light is fast, so maybe infusing my body with light somehow gave it a property of light? That’s the only explanation I have right now, so that’s what I’ll have to stick with.

Testing it again, this time with a simple jab, I could feel the energy emanating from my body. Then, another stroke of genius. I sent out another jab, and it again moved faster than normal, but when it reached the end of its length, I didn’t release the charge. I pulled back as quick as ever. It was working! Another punch, and that time I let out a controlled release, sending out a smaller pulse of light but still retaining some of my energy. I did this until I ran out of charge.

Then I realized I was running my entire body’s charge down. Turns out, continual use of my magic in new and interesting ways really drains the ol’ battery.

Not only that, but my other magic isn’t appreciating the exertion.

I collapsed to the ground, only now noticing the sweat and exhaustion I felt riddling my body. I could feel the shadows starting to ripple and shift, trying to escape from the control I was struggling to force it under. My light magic wanted to help, but in the state it was in after how much I’d used it, it was easily overpowered by its sibling.

Pulling my surprisingly dazed will over it, I tried my best to smother its existence back into something unnoticeable. Remembering how I wound up here in the first place, my brain raced to figure out how I might stop the darkness from raging.

Darkness is the opposite of light, and light is energy relating to things like visible light, ultraviolet light, and stuff like radio waves… Wait.

Grabbing a hold of the darkness even as it struggles, I wrestled with it like a stubborn child, forcing its power to funnel through my will. I proceeded to do something I really wasn’t sure was a good idea being a dangerous gamble on my part. I proceeded to wrap the darkness around my entire body.

Then, I looked around. I was not wrapped in shadows. Or, at least not visible shadows. What I did was wrap myself in the lack of infrared light, a shadow to the infrared world. Infrared light is just the light emanated when a heat source isn’t strong enough to release visible light, but as it is all light, and darkness is the absence of light, I just thought I might be able to manipulate the shadows on a different wavelength. Looks like I can.

Here, I let the darkness magic drain until it was finally at a manageable level.

This feels… nice. I feel like I’m slowly coming into my stride.