Sitting on a bed in a clean gray and white room, Keyaxel was waiting patiently. The room was filled with various odd pieces of equipment, none of which were familiar to the monster-eyed boy.

  After being escorted through the castle's front gates and courtyard, Keyaxel and all the other kids were brought to these identical rooms. Each child had been left in a Patcher room and were told to wait for a Patcher to arrive.

  The bed Key sat on was high enough off the ground to swing his legs as he waited. Although he was keeping his cool remarkably well for someone his age, his unfamiliar surroundings planted a gnawing sense of uncertainty in his gut.

  Just as Key began considering jumping off the bed to explore his enclosed surroundings, a woman with a ponytail, dressed in a red and white uniform, entered through the room's only door.

  On the uniform's chest and back was an image of a sewing needle, the universal sign of the Patchers. In her hands was the same type of clipboard that the Watcher had been carrying, and on her uniform's belt were various hand-held tools. However, these seemed much cruder than the more elaborate devices hooked upon the room's walls.

  "Hi there. You're name's Keyaxel, right?" The Patcher asked. Her voice was much softer and kinder than the Watcher's had been, even when he had been trying to be friendly. This helped Keyaxel to relax enough to give an answer almost immediately.

  "Yeah. My friends call me Key."

  Examining her clipboard, the Patcher continued, "Well, it's nice to meet you, Key. My name is Argora. I'm going to give you a quick examination before handing you back over to Hadai."

  Titling his head, Key question, "Who's Hadai?"

  "That's the name of the Watcher who brought you here. It would help if you tried to remember that. He's also in charge of the gym classes at our Life Academy."

  While Keyaxel started muttering Hadai's name to himself, attempting to lock it into his mind, Argora latched her clipboard onto a hook on her belt.

  Walking up to Key, Argora grabbed the rim of his dirty, gray shirt and told him, "I just need to get your shirt off to get a look at your chest. Is that okay?"

  "Okay."

  Smiling, the Patcher removed the shirt and told Keyaxel, "You are quite the calm kid. Usually, when I have a new kid to examine, they've torn the room apart before I even get here."

  "Is wha’ my family taughth me," Key explained as his long red hair frizzled from static.

  "Well, it sounds like you have pretty good parents."

  Smiling, Key exclaimed, "Yeah! They're the bes’! And my brother and sissy helped teach me too!"

  While wrapping some sort of band around Key's torso, Argora responded, "Oh, isn't that nice. Now, while the bracer tightens, let me take another look at your notes."

  Just as she'd said, the band Argora had put around Key tightened itself while she picked her clipboard back up. Once the bracer had finished squeezing, it wasn't enough to be uncomfortable but was just snug enough to slow down blood flow.

  "Alright, let's see what the notes say about your Gift... So, you heal at an accelerated pace whenever you have a full stomach. The Gift drains away any nutrients you'd get from this food, so you have to be careful not to get hurt whenever you actually want to eat something. Hmm, well, it's a bit inconvenient that you have to eat for it to work, but it's not a lousy Gift by any means. Now, what about the Burden...?"

  While Argora flipped the page on her notes, Key noticeably flinched. Argora assumed he was reacting to the bracer. However, once she read his Burden, the cause of his reaction was much clearer.

  "Um... So, it says here that your Burden will cause you to die once you turn twenty-four years old. That's... I see." The patient and kind tone of Argora's voice was gone as she said these words. Replacing her kindness was raw impatience and disgust.

  Ugh! We'll barely get four years out of this kid once we're done training him. No wonder his family sent him here. There's no way they'd want to waste their time raising him.

  Setting her clipboard aside, Argora picked up a syringe from her belt and grabbed Keyaxel's arm. Without warning, she jabbed the needle into his upper arm and quickly extracted a blood sample. She had expected a yelp of pain from the boy but was let down when he only let out a small wince.

  “You sure can handle pain, huh?”

  Nodding, Key replied innocently, “Uh-huh. My brother and sissy helped me learn to do tha’.”

  Ignoring her patient’s response, Argora placed the vial of blood in a holstering machine. The machine had a white and rectangular design with various small bulbs ready to light up. As the vial rested in the device, a straw suddenly entered through the syringe and drained the crimson liquid away. Once all the blood was sucked up, the bulbs of the machine flickered and repeatedly beeped. After that, a slip of paper was produced from the back of the instrument.

  While Key observed this process with intrigue, Argora grabbed the paper and read from it, "Alright... It doesn't look like you're sick at all. Now let's see what the bracer says about your vitals."

  "Vitals? I don' have any food, Argora."

  Bewilderment and hatred exploded onto Argora's face as soon as Keyaxel spoke, with her yelling, "What?! No! It's not food, you...! Grgh... No, Key. Vitals tell us how healthy and strong your body is. Now let me see what it says."

  With the explanation given, Argora pressed a button on the bracer's exterior, producing another piece of paper from a printer just over it. After reading this report, though, the Patcher flinched slightly. The rage on her face morphing into anxiety.

  With childly compassion, Key questioned, "Are you okay? Are my vitals bad or good?"

  "Ahem... Well, um. It looks like you're healthy. Let me just get the bracer off of you. Then, uh... Then you can get your shirt back on and step back outside. After that, you and the other children will be taken on a tour of our Academy."

  The Patcher's body moved hesitantly as she reached her hands towards the red-haired boy sitting before her. Very fast but extraordinarily clumsily, Argora worked to remove the bracer, pulling back as quickly as she could the moment it came off.

  Ignorant of what this behavior could mean, Keyaxel asked, "Do I ge’ my shirth back now?"

  For a second, Argora was frozen, holding the bracer in front of herself as if it were a shield. But her posture eased once it clicked with her what the young boy had asked for.

  Setting the bracer down and picking up his gray shirt, Argora handed the piece of attire to Keyaxel while doing her best to force out a smile.

  "Oh... Yes. Here you go, kiddo. Now, why don't you head back outside and wait with Hadai?"

  Once he managed to get his head through his shirt, Key smiled at the Patcher before telling her, "Thank you. Bye-bye."

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  Fully clothed once again, the redhead jumped down from the bed with fluidity and glee. He then followed directions and headed for the office's exit.

  At the same time, as Key walked past her, Argora subtly but instinctively took a step back to remain out of his path.

  Once Keyaxel was out of the room, Argora took another look at the readings of his vitals. As she allowed the information to sink in, the Patcher began to sweat.

  His... That thing's bone density is already as sturdy as a teenager's or a young adult's! The only way for that to happen is if his bones were broken and healed numerous times. What in the name of Gezriel has that monster been through?

  Having left the Patcher's office, Keyaxel found Hadai waiting for him alongside a few of the other kids.

  The Watcher and his students were standing in a wide stone hallway with two paths. One led out to a courtyard, and another went further into the Life Academy castle.

  The children by Hadai's side were those who had finished their check-ups ahead of Key. They were all waiting impatiently for the rest of their new classmates to finish their meetings with the Patchers. This included Jareck and Lak.

  Argora’s change in attitude at the end of their meeting left Keyaxel somewhat upset, an emotion he’d long since learned to hide. However, he perked up when he noticed all the other kids chowing down on sweet-orb candies.

  Trotting up to his new friend's side, Keyaxel said, "Hey, Jareck. How'd your check-up go?"

  Smiling, Jareck answered while trying to speak through the candied stick in his mouth, "Goo. Some ov va ovhers said dey din't like va shos, but ah was oki. Wha fla’or sweet-orb di ya puck? Ah gah vanulla."

  "I did na’ ge' one. The Patcher I talked with goth real weird ah the end and made me leave real fasth," Key answered with a shrug.

  Pulling out his candy, Jareck spoke comprehensively, "That's not fair. The Patcher I talked with even said they'd get special clothes for me to help me use my Gift better. You should say somethin'."

  Briefly, Key appeared dumbfounded before he recomposed himself and followed the advice, "Oh... Okay. Excuse me, Mr. Hadai? Do I geth a swee’-orb too?"

  Hadai turned his face down to Keyaxel and gave him an inquisitive expression when the boy addressed him. Until that point, the Watcher had been observing the doors to the Patcher's offices, ready to intercept any children who might try to run.

  "Swee? Do you mean a sweet-orb? Wait, you didn't get one?" Hadai questioned.

  "Nu-uh. She jus’ told me ta come back here."

  "Hrrrmm. Okay, I'll be right back. Each of you, stay here, or else I'll knock you all senseless."

  The matter-of-fact tone in Hadai's voice made his threat all the more effective to the kids in the hallway. The resulting fear caused them all to stiffen like statues.

  With his charges staying in place, Hadai left their side and barged in on Argora's office.

  Initially, Keyaxel and Jareck could hear a surprised shout from Argora. After that, while they could tell a conversation was being had, the boys couldn't make out what exactly was being said. However, what started as a startled conversation quickly escalated into a shouting match. Even with the adults’ voices raised, though, none of the children could comprehend them from behind the well-insulated walls.

  Leaning over to whisper to Jareck, Keyaxel asked, "Hey, can you use your Gif’ to listen to them? I can'th hear wha’ they're yelling abou’."

  "Er, no... Sorry."

  "Wha’? Why nah?" Key asked.

  Fiddling with his fingers for a second, Jareck explained, "I said I can't use one sense without turning them all up. Then I gotta wait for them ta go back down. It hurts too much sometimes."

  Scratching the back of his head, Key responded, "Oh, sorry... But are you sure there's no way for you to listen?"

  Pouting, Jareck snapped back, "I don't wanna, okay!? Just wait until I get my new clothes. Argh, why didn't you just get your sweet-orb while you were in there?"

  Unflinching, Key responded, "Cause the Patcher diden’ like me. Mos people don'th."

  Softening back, Jareck asked, "What? Why don't people like you?"

  Key's face tensed at that inquiry, like a thief caught in the act, trying to think their way out of the situation.

  "Ummm... I've goth a really bad Burden. People ge' real mad ah me abou' ith."

  By now, Key and Jareck's conversation had caught the attention of the other children.

  As such, when Jareck asked, "I... Uh... Well, what is it?" He wasn't the only one who wanted an answer.

  Key flustered at this inquiry, pulling his head partially into his shirt as he diverted his fiercely blue eyes away from his new friend.

  "Key? Come on. What is it?" Jareck insisted.

  Lifting his eyes up, Keyaxel relented and started to give an answer, "Well... When I grow up, I'm gonna-."

  However, before Keyaxel could finish talking, Hadai kicked open the door to Argora's office before slamming it behind him.

  In Hadai's hand was a red sweet-orb, which he quickly approached Keyaxel with and shoved into his hands with a, "Here you go."

  With his job done, Hadai went back to standing in the center of the group while leaning against the wall opposite the offices.

  Now that Keyaxel had his candy, he took the clear plastic wrapper off of it and placed it in his mouth. He winced slightly at the sour-sweet taste of cherry but enjoyed his treat regardless.

  Subtly nudging the redhead, Jareck asked him, "Are ya gonna tell me?"

  Glancing his sunken eyes up to Hadai, Key responded nervously, "I'll tell you layer. I don’ wanna do eh with him here."

  Jareck looked to where Key was looking, seeing Hadai observing them out of the corner of his eyes. It was clear the Watcher could overhear everything they were saying but chose to stay out of it. That is, for the moment.

  Doing his best to keep his voice at a whisper, Jareck responded, "Okay... But tell me later, okay?"

  "I said I'm gonna," Key responded insistently.

  Desperate to change the subject, Key asked Jareck, "Hey, so... You said you're geh’ing new clothes, rai? Wa’ kinda stuff?"

  Lighting up at the question, Jareck responded, "Um, I don't know exactly, but I bet it's gonna be a really cool suit of armor. It'll probably make it so it doesn't hurt to use my Gift so much, and it'll make me stronger too, I bet."

  Getting excited himself, Key asked, "Really?! Do you think eh’ll be able to take geh’ing hith by a cannonball?!"

  "Oh my gods, that'd be awesome!"

  During the period that Keyaxel and Jareck conversed in glee, the other children who had yet to exit the Patcher offices all made their way out into the hallway as well.

  Once they were all done with their check-ups, Tros, Yella, Lak, and the golden-haired boy had gathered back together. Tros was the last one out, though, having given the Patcher that came to see him a hard time.

  As soon as Tros joined back up with his entourage, Lak greeted him by stating, "Hey, boss, get this. The freak with the weird eyes has a really bad Burden. He was about to tell us what it was, but the Watcher came back before he could finish. I bet it's something you can use to beat him up."

  "Really? We gotta find out what it is!" The bull-horned boy exclaimed.

  Raising his hand, the gold-haired boy suggested, "I could ask him about it later. I haven't picked a fight with him or anything yet, so I bet he'd talk to me."

  Giving Gold Hair an excited glance, Tros replied, "Awesome idea... Uh, wait, who are ya again?"

  "Uh... My name's Nalgo. I can be in your gang, right? Sorry, I forgot to ask. But it's okay, right?" Nalgo pleaded.

  Folding his arms while straightening his posture to tower over Nalgo, Tros responded, "Find out Keyaxel's Burden, and yeah, you can."

  As Nalgo gulped nervously at Tros' attitude, Hadai yelled to everyone, "Alright, twerps, listen up! Now that you've all been determined to be healthy, I'm taking you on a tour of the Academy. You don't need to stay in line for this, but I expect you lot to follow me at all times unless I say otherwise. I'll have to make an example of whoever doesn't. Now, let's move out!"

  With his order made clear, Hadai started walking further down the hall and into the school. Following closely behind him were Keyaxel and Jareck.

  It seemed as if the two had no interest in walking with the other kids. In truth, though, Keyaxel had suggested they stay close to Hadai to avoid having to deal with Tros.

  Simultaneously, Tros' gang was in the center of the marching mass of children.

  The would-be Underlord felt this position was the best suited to making him out as the most important. But even as he bathed in his self-appointed glory, Tros’ gaze was set squarely on his monster-eyed foe and his goggle-wearing sidekick.