The Challenger

by Harlon Banks

  Having moved a bit deeper into the building halls the two would arrive at a room door that smelled of fresh sawdust. The hallway pretty bare save some light decorations and wall mounted lamps. This room being the only one on this hall though, strangely enough. Gary handing Kelgard a key card and then moving to head out of his way back upstairs as if not wanting to meet whomever was on the other side of that door for himself at the moment.

  "He's been getting a little rowdy today though so the Group has forbade any of us from seeing him until you came around and calmed him down again. He acts pretty friendly afterwards for a bit and then the cycle repeats. So I'm going to head upstairs and you go on ahead. I do have to remind you though by contract that your visitation time is li-"

  "I'm fully aware of that, I won't be long. Now get going." Kelgard cut him off without looking, merely eyeing the key card. With a nod and silence, Gary hurriedly left leaving Kelgard alone in the hallway. Taking a breath in silence, he swiped it against the electronic lock and opened the door. Stepping in right as a boy of about eleven years old and a body much more toned than one would expect of his age and dressed in a simple shirt and shorts, ran up to him with speed that damn near shook the entire room from the sudden movement. This youthful looking child sporting dark grey hair that borderlines black and seemed particularly styled in the same way Kelgard's hair was (although it looked much more unkempt and childish on the kid).

  "Kelgard!" The child exclaimed skidding to stop right as the older man knelt to greet him. Red eyes looking into deep purple hues and a goofy looking smile across ghost pale features. The child talking a thousand words a minute while Kelgard glanced around the room. It was a simple set up that lacked any windows or escape routes aside from the main door. White drywall, stone flooring and a simple bed, table and chairs along with a large TV and game system for entertainment. The bathroom door on the other side of the room open yet dark and a large black chest with clothes spilling out near the nightstand. Looking back to Gray after drowning out the ranting he did, Kelgard sighed and stood up.

  "You need to clean this room up. I never let you be this junkie before." He closed his eyes and popped his neck while talking in a nonchalant scorn. Gray backing up a bit sheepishly but quickly smiling again and turning to go clean up. The kid scooping up clothes that littered the floor as well as snack wrappings and throwing them aside accordingly. Kelgard's eyes watching him in silence before he took out his phone and glanced at the time. He still had a few hours to spare, time to make them count.

  "After I clean up you want to play video games with me Kelgard!? That Nayomi girl comes down here to give me new ones she's bought and candy every now and again!" Gray exclaimed turning and awaiting his friend's answer. Kelgard was briefly thrown off by the fact Nayomi was mentioned, but didn't visibly show it. Simply smirking at Gray's antics and closing the door behind him.

  "Yeah." He answered. "We can play a few for a bit."

  "Yay!" Gray cheered forgetting he were supposed to be cleaning and running over to the game system and tv. Kelgard didn't seem to bother reminding him to finish though. They'll worry about that right before he leaves.

  Back to Business

  The Challenger Chapter Fifty-Six: Back to Business

  The next morning...

  After they'd all been dropped off back at the gates to Blackwater, Jonath glanced back at the bus he'd departed. A slight longing look in his eyes while watching it drive down an old pathway in the forest and disappear into the nightly thicket. His pale hued stare looking skyward at the full moon now with silent wonderment. The air was still and rather warm, the ambient noises of the forest overtaken with the humming of machinery and hustle and bustle of the large facility. The rest of the gang all heading towards the opening barbed wire fence to return to their barracks. Jonath casting his sight back towards the small buildings in the near distance of this rather large, artificially made clearing in the Crystal Forest. Squinting a bit from the searchlight towers that briefly flashed their lights over his visage on scripted paths around the vicinity.

  What a busy past few days...

  "Hope you found the city to your liking, pretty boy." Melissa lightly squeezed his left shoulder as she walked by without looking his way. The snide in her words albeit less pronounced than usual which kind of surprised him. Jonath watching her walk away, wanting to call out and try to get her to talk about their previous interactions but keeping quiet. He doubted she'd say anything still, maybe he'd really ask when he and her got to know each other a little more. That single thought now reminding him of the mission to go to those ruins again that Min offered him freebie involvement in. Recalling how she wanted an answer before they finalized everything.

  Looking over the others of the immediate circle of Nightborn he'd interacted with all making their way to their barracks, he glanced over at two in particular without realizing. One being Kayda, whom seemed to be fiddling with her phone a bit in confusion until Melissa approached and began her usual messing with her as they headed in the same direction. The stormy-haired woman huffing a bit and just holding her head in timidness while Melissa simply snickered and tousled her hair. The two had a very off relationship, when one thought about it. Melissa seemed to just be drawn to harassing Kayda for no particular reason to be deduced at a glance while Kayda just seemed to bear it all...

  The other Nightborn that Jonath just happened to glance over next was Kelgard. Jonath's entire expression changing into one more indifferent yet analytic as he watched the black-haired Nightborn walk a bit farther from the others by his lonesome. Every time he looked at Kelgard, he was reminded strangely of Liariana... Their superficial similarities must really be getting to him at this point. No, that wasn't it... They were both very different when he thought about it. From their fighting styles to the looks their eyes portrayed when stared into to even the vibes they emanated. The two weren't anything alike besides vague physical similarities and yet here Jonath was, always being reminded of that Yelkath Nightborn every time he happened to look at Kelgard. Why was that, he wondered?

  Whatever, it didn't matter at this point. He should just forget about Liariana anyway after what happened in the city slums yesterday. Just forget about her...

  Shaking his head in quiet exasperation, Jonath reached in his back pocket and briefly slid his smart phone out to glance at the time before heading back to his room in the barracks. Nothing else to do at this point but look over what missions he could take from the user interface of his phone; even if he still was classified as unable to accept any jobs. He'd probably have an answer for Min tomorrow too that would most likely be a yes. If he got to go on this new expedition he'd be put on the same team as Melissa... What more perfect of an opportunity to try to get answers out of her could he get at this point?

  Jonath took a step forward, heading towards his room.

  "You have no fate. Stop trying to insert yourself in mine."

  Liariana's words made him freeze up in silence mid step. Pale eyes zoning out for a second while his hand clamped down harder on the bag strapped over his shoulder. That singular statement had an unfathomable amount of weight behind it. Every time he replayed it in his head from the way she had said it to the empty look in her eyes... Jonath grew annoyed. Like he wanted to abandon all that he were doing and rush back to the city to find her just to adequately respond to her.

  "Leave her alone and just do you." The amnesic muttered under his breath with a heavy sigh. Shaking the thought out of his head and simply pulling out his smart phone again on the way to his room to distract himself. He decided he'd take Min up on her offer after he had gotten a few more hours of sleep. Gods knows he'd awoken too early for his liking.

  The night forever drags on...

  Awakening sometime later, Jonath let a yawn free as he sat up and stretched. Wearing a simple black tank top and shorts in bed now. Rubbing the back of his neck in discomfort with his right while reaching for the lamp atop the wooden nightstand with his left. Thi
s metal bed really wasn't the greatest thing to sleep on; he could feel the hard metal even through the down mattress and fluffy pillows. His pressure points were screaming with built up tension.

  Flicking on the light to brighten up the cozy, yet windowless room, Jonath fumbled around the sheets for his phone. Turning it on to see a new text message and raising a brow. A distinct symbol resembling the initials 'BW' as the message sender. A Blackwater public message? Tilting his head and pulling his feet from under the covers to set on the cold floor as he opened the message and read it aloud to himself in a quiet voice.

  "Training locations have been officially set up around the facilities for free usage by Nightborn to hone their powers. Speak with an official technician marked with an engineer crest on their uniform for more information. E-Chip required for initialization of sparring wards for your safety."

  The silver-haired amnesic didn't really seem too concerned about this information. Though if anything he and Kayda finally had some place official to mess around with their powers a bit. Though he could only imagine the likes of Delaren wanting to use them more like a fighting ring to settle differences over self practice. Thinking about that pyromaniac and his aggressive antics actually made Jonath chuckle humored for a few seconds. Somehow though, he expected that man to be disappointed when he finds out there's some catch to these things. Oh well, he'll worry about that another day.

  Hopping out of bed and moving to get dressed again, it was time to go looking for Min. Throwing on a simple black shirt with some pants and some high top black sneakers with who trimmings before heading towards his door. Once he exited and closed it behind him, he'd turn to head down the rather empty hallway to the exit. Eyeing the plain walls and roofing before glancing over the other doors around him. He had to make it a point to really look into who all his dorm mates were sometime. Aside from the immediate circle of Nightborn he'd come to know here there were a few others whom really got no attention from him. Whether that was a good thing or not, he didn't know. He had too many things on his mind to bother really pushing to meet everybody anyway.

  Still, that fourth person who had a Black label... Who were they? He couldn't help but wrack his head over it in silence. Were they a boy or a girl? What powers did they have? How did they compare to the ones Jonath knew were strong already? These questions made him wish he'd never passed out after his fight with Kelgard. He could have probably figured it out by watching the fights that went on when he went to the infirmary.

  Just as he was about to turn the corner at the end of the hall, Jonath came to a sharp stop when he saw Wrain about to turn the corner from the opposite side. Pale eyes looking into icy blue hues, Wrain blinking a bit subtly surprised. Dressed in a long-sleeved navy blue shirt with black shorts and shoes of both colors to match, he had a one strap bag slung over the shoulder that looked to be filled with stuff. The two pale skinned men staring for a split second, registering each other's appearance before Jonath quickly blinked away his awkwardness.

  "Yo..." He greeted keeping a cool and nonchalant attitude. Wrain matching his demeanor in stride and simply nodding his head in silence before moving to politely step around Jonath. The two not making eye contact anymore as the cryomancer cut the corner and began walking down the hall. Now was the best time to ask he guessed... It felt kind of weird to ask Wrain though, Jonath thought. Especially since they've never actually talked really aside from that brief interaction the other day. Wrain seemed the standoffs type who would rather be by himself than talk, oh well. It's worth a shot.

  "Hey Wrain?"

  Both Nightborn turned simultaneously to look at each other upon Jonath calling out his name. Wrain halfway looking over the left shoulder with a raised brow, hands still idled in pockets while Jonath had spun off his heel and shelved his arms behind his head.

  "You saw all the fights that happened after mine, right?" Jonath left out his losing to Kelgard. It was embarrassing to have gotten his ass kicked in front of so many people, regardless of his opponent being one of the strongest Nightborn here. Wrain tilted his head slightly, ice blue, thin strands of hair sweeping over his brow with the motion before he nodded once with an indifferent approach with his response.

  "You want to know if I saw anyone else who would have a Black label, right?" Wrain's immediate deduction honestly stunned Jonath a bit. The subtle surprise clear across his pale features while he blinked a bit impressed. Guess this guy really was as intelligent as Melissa said on the bus a while back. Hands moving to rest in his own pockets now, Jonath nodded slowly with eyes fixated on Wrain.

  "Yeah... I got offered by Min to go explore the ruins and was wondering who the fourth Nightborn would be after me, Melissa and..." He trailed off. Not even wanting to say Kelgard's name and hoping Wrain got the message. The cryomancer chuckling a bit amused by how salty Jonath seemed to be about his loss. It was a much more satisfying loss than him getting ambushed by someone of Melissa' ilk. He should feel lucky. Regardless of his own thoughts behind this amnesic's animosity towards a loss, Wrain shook his head at the question. That response throwing Jonath off for a moment as he furrowed a brow in confusion.

  "The rest of the battles weren't as eye grabbing as the ones between Melissa and I or you and Kelgard. A lot of them were close calls, underwhelming mismatches or draws. Nobody stood leaps above the rest if that's what you're wondering. Although some of them did have some interesting abilities that may have been taken into consideration." Wrain shrugged his left shoulder and paused in thought. Jonath withholding his commentary in hopes the man had more to add-on.

  "At any rate, I'd not get too strung on the weight of those labels if I were you." The ice blue-eyed Nightborn stated in a slightly more serious tone. His and Jonath's eyes honing in on one another again. "Everybody is here because of some reason involving their inability to handle their powers. You won't ever know who's stronger than who for certain until we all hit our endgame. As it looks now though, Kelgard does seem to be without a doubt one of the strongest ones here based off what I saw during all the fights in a straight up brawl. Although I have to say I don't think he'd do too well against me or Delaren or any elemental Nightborn if all he really has is close quarters abilities. That's a different story though." He shook his head dismissing any attempt to look like he were down playing Kelgard.

  "True..." Jonath responded recalling what Min said about that man when they last talked. No doubt he had far more up his sleeve and he'd just been humoring Jonath with a close combat fight... To which he dominated anyway. Just thinking about how it all went down again made Jonath grow more annoyed by the second. So annoyed he'd almost forgotten Wrain was right there. The cryomancer giving a notable clear of his throat to snap Jonath's attention back to him. The amnesic blinking a few times and quickly focusing once more.

  "Is that all you wanted to know?" He asked.

  "Oh, yeah. Thanks for your time." Jonath responded with another head nod of gratitude. With that said, Wrain turned to walk away again and head to his barrack room. A noticeable puff of cold air escaping his throat and catching Jonath's eye. Having command over ice to the point your power is dubbed Absolute Zero sounded cool... He wondered how it got that name.

  ...

  "Right, almost forgot I was going to talk to Min." Jonath reminded himself and quickly turned to break off into a light jog towards the main building. The information he'd gotten from Wrain wasn't what he'd hoped, but it was still useful nonetheless. Maybe he just overlooked the abilities of one of them? Or maybe they never fought to begin with? He didn't know, there were a lot of alternative routes he could think of that involved picking a Black label. He'd find out on the day it came he guessed.

  Exiting the barracks and now in the open fields of Blackwater Jonath decided to cut through some back way paths of the buildings to shortcut his way through and avoid running into anybody. He didn't want to get held up again until after he had his talk with Min. Darting around a corner to walk down a dilapidated cargo bay that loo
ked open for him to just walk through (hopefully), Jonath took in the sights. Large wooden crates bigger than his torso stacked up to the roof being the first things he saw upon slipping under the halfway open garage door. Those crates, locked chests, miscellaneous machine parts and containers tucked under old steel tables and boxes on both sides while the wide open walkway to the other side was perfectly clear. This probably was the storage shed. There were no signs saying keep out so as long as he didn't go touching shit he'd probably be ok cutting through here. Not like there were any soldiers or something guarding it either.

  "Pretty big place..." He muttered to himself at how much bigger this shed looked on the inside. He could hear his feet echoing across the hard and smooth flooring rather easily. It was a bit, unsettling how quiet it was in here when outside there no doubt was busy bodies moving to and fro. He kind of started feeling a bit nervous Melissa might pop up and try to kill him again. Laughing off the sudden thought with a dry chuckle while keeping his calm collected demeanor. Just hurry up and walk through the damn place and go see Min.

  There was a loud splintering sound akin to some weight-bearing object finally giving way to an unbearable load coming from Jonath's left. His heart sinking into his stomach nigh instantly as he darted his eyes up to see a wall of cargo falling towards him with high speeds. Are you fucking serious!? His eyes widening as the sight of impending agony came towards him... Turning to dash out-of-the-way to safety before he found himself suddenly tackled from his flank by an unknown person right before the cargo slammed into the floor.