5:15
The Autumn wind grew ever so cold, a chilling breeze swept through the sleeping city, whistling as it sent anyone it touched into a fit of shivering.
"Huff- Huff"
A swipe of his blade slashed the breeze in half. Waves of steam rose from his trembling body. This had become a consistent habit of his, training every morning in his swordsmanship.
Hazel glowed, his gaze's heat melted through the fog as his movements blurred in unison with the tune that blasted through the speakers. For a split second, flames danced across his blade.
"Ghh-"
An electric pain struck through his spine, forcing him to plop onto the cold ground.
"That should be enough for today…anymore, and I might be pushing the limits on becoming a rare force-hybrid."
With a short huff, he sat up, supporting himself with the wooden blade that was quickly slotted in the dented metal locker. His feet carried him along toward a large mirror. Skin stung as he tugged at his cheeks, more particularly at the small cuts that had appeared from his training. A few dabs of makeup quickly made them vanish.
"God Vicius, when will you have a training day where you won't receive a single scrape?" He asked himself that, but Vicius already knew that such a training was not possible. Pain is a fundamental part of training, at least, that's how he viewed it. Pain he could endure; however, the mental strain of being at the top academically was a slight bit harder.
He sauntered over to the kitchenette and grabbed a banana, swallowing it before he could even register that he had eaten two. Besides a few jugs of milk and some instant-cook meals, there was not much.
Only a few days remained before his life would flip upside down. Before, he would have to return to school. Normally, he would've grimaced at the thought of being away from his friends for too long, but he was lucky to have made it to the same academy.
Little was known about it. Your run-of-the-mill academy in the suburbs where talent went to die, not exactly his hope in life, but there was always a path to the top. He wouldn't work so hard if he didn't think so…
Bring Bring ~ Bring Bring
His watch buzzed on his wrist. Vicius was wary to answer, but upon reading the name, all suspicion was gone.
`Hey. Its me. Evie.
'I could tell that much.'
"What is it? Don't you know it's still early in the morning, most people wouldn't be awake at this time-"
`But you are. I knew you would be, so I called. Rowan and I are coming over.
"Wait-"
Before he could mutter another word, the call switched off.
'At least she could sound excited about coming to see me… Whatever, I could prepare some snacks.'
Vicius turns his head back at the fridge and spots…nothing. Ready-made food and milk. Neither of which was known to be a snack.
He flicked his eyes toward his watch.
[300 Credits]
'Enough for some snacks…but food might be a little tight this month. And a run would benefit my forced-hybrid routine.'
He cocked a faint smile and sprinted toward the store.
===========
Minutes flew by before returning home. His friends were already waiting by the front door.
Two listless red eyes pierced his chest, as if waiting for any longer than five minutes was a crime Vicius committed against her. Evie's white hair swished through the air as she turned, revealing the red underdye.
"Took you long enough…but you are here now at least." Her face was blank and pale. She would be much cuter with a bit of blush, is what Vicius thought.
"Its alright, man! Don't worry too much about it, we only just got here-" An elbow jutted into his stomach by Evie.
His blue eyes were hidden by his blue hair. His name was Rowan, Vicius's best friend. And he seemed to be croaking on the floor. Evie was a scary lady.
With haste, they headed inside. The small room lay bare before them. A single bed. A small kitchen, and a bathroom not big enough to stand in. So they all sat on the bed.
The snacks were quickly shared, and Rowan was the first to dig in.
"Man! You have the best taste in snacks, but you really didn't have to buy us any. We know you are dirt poor." He was blunt, but he was the most honest person Vicius had the pleasure of being friends with.
Evie however…
"You know I like the strawberry one, why did you get chocolate?"
She, too, was honest…just not in the way Vicius would've wanted. But he remained as stoic as ever. His blank mask refusing to waver in the face of the cold beauty.
"Sorry. I'll get you the right one next time." He bowed his head, making her slightly uncomfortable.
The alarm buzzed on his arm. It was time. For what he looked forward to the most in the day.
Dimmy!
[Hey Hey! Its ya girl Dimmy! We are going live here on the Mana-Tube. In today's special, we will be exploring the alchemical compounds of the-]
Dimmy was a streamer that Vicius indulged himself watching. He was not one to take to human connection, aside from his two friends, of course. She was part of the reason he was the number one student in his school. When it came to knowledge about alchemy and potioncraft, Dimmy was second to none.
But despite her skills, she was actually only able to garner one viewer. Vicius. That's right. The purple-haired beauty on the screen, who was also a genius, had only one viewer. And she cherished that viewer very much.
{Vic134: Heyyy Dimmy! I am glad I caught the stream again. Missed me?}
He typed out his message. Blank face.
[Omgggg Hiiii~ Vic! Yess I missed you so darn much! Ah, good news! Remember that academy I said I applied to?? Well, I got in!!!!]
Vicius clapped in real life. Blank face.
{Vic134: That is like, so amazing to hear gurl~}
"Oi."
He turned his blank face to the side. Two volcanic eyes stared at him mere inches away. Her fist was already cocked, ready to demolish what little vitality he had left.
"C'mon now, Evie, you know how Vicius gets about his little e-girl. Don't mind him~"
Vicius could almost let a tear out in the spirit of camaraderie.
Evie, however, fought back an annoyed flush. Nothing must break her mask of indifference, even as he flirted with a random streamer online.
Just as his fingers were about touch the holographic keyboard, the ground shook wildly.
Crimson flashed around his room as a loudspeaker came to announce the following.
[ATTENTION ALL CITIZENS. A MASS RIFT RAPTURE IS COMMENCING. WE ADVISE ANY AND ALL FIGHTERS BELOW B RANK TO REMAIN INDOORS.]
The sirens rang loud, piercing any soundproofing in the little apartment he rented.
"Get down under the bed!" Vicius roared at the top of his lungs. His nose scrunched as a familiar metallic smell filled his nose.
His body burst into a bubble of shadow, the windows shattering as Vicius manoeuvred through the street.
'Curses! Why do they have to show up now, just when I am out of steam from training-'
His form materialised at the wrong time. But he managed to bend back and fall onto the ground, barely dodging a piece of shrapnel that moved faster than his eye could see.
Cold sweat pooled around his collar, flying through the wind as he dashed to gain high ground. 'I-I think I got this…'
A beast of six eyes, three mouths and seven tentacles glared up at him. A greedy smile plastered across his sloppy hexagonal face.
"Damn you bastard…. Fight me!"