Once outside the cafeteria, Elwyn stopped right next to Loyd, who had observed the entire preceding scene.

  — So, how do you feel? asked Elwyn, noticing his comrade’s tensed jaw.

  — Hmph! I would have done the same without your intervention.

  — I don’t doubt it, but you would have been punished and the other three would have laughed at you, not to mention everything else… Tell me, is it always like that with you? asked Elwyn seriously.

  — What, that people look at me sideways like they all did inside?

  — Yes.

  — Tsk! That would never have happened with me. Ever since I’ve been on the central continent, everyone sees me as a monster. Everyone hates me, even though I haven’t done anything to them.

  — I see… I’m sorry for you.

  — Your apologies change nothing.

  — That’s true, you’re right, but your violent behavior doesn’t help either. Why not just ignore them? Why insist on solving the problem with violence, when you are clearly stronger than those three combined? What did you want to prove by giving them a public beating?

  — Easy for a kid who’s never had any problems in his life to say. You don’t know what it’s like, to live alone and have to manage without help! You don’t know what it’s like, to have to assert yourself over and over again just to have your place in a group finally accepted! You don’t know what it’s like, to have to meet others’ expectations so that your place isn’t constantly questioned! replied Loyd angrily.

  A heavy silence then fell between the two Nephilims and, after a few seconds of reflection, Elwyn suddenly placed his hand on Loyd’s right shoulder and looked him straight in his anger-filled eyes.

  — Loyd, I don’t know who you are, or all that you’ve been through before, but know that I am not your enemy. If I said all that to you, it’s to save you from further trouble. You can ignore me if you want, but know that if you go too far over something as trivial as what happened in the cafeteria, you will have to deal with me, replied Elwyn, whose attitude and gaze became chilling on the last sentence, to the point of making Loyd shudder with fear, before returning completely to normal an instant later.

  “What kind of guy is he? How can he scare me, when he is so much weaker than me?”

  — Anyway, I think it’s best if we leave it at that for now, even though I still have some questions, added Elwyn.

  — If you want…, replied Loyd, still in shock.

  — Perfect, in that case, let’s go to the training ground.

  — Alright, I need to clear my head…

  And the two comrades headed toward the arena, located directly opposite the cafeteria, whose presence Elwyn had also not noticed when entering the academy grounds.

  On this short journey, Loyd seemed completely lost in his thoughts following the recent events.

  “So that’s the main difference between the personality of an Entity and that of a human. A complete insensitivity to how one is perceived by others and an absolute, unwavering self-confidence… Why? Why am I not like him, when we are the same? Why must things be harder for me and not for him? What did I do to be like this?”

  And meanwhile, Elwyn, for his part, was perfectly calm and serene, as usual. For him, the events that had occurred before belonged to the past, and it was time to look to the future.

  Once he reached this large circular stone structure, Loyd headed toward the west entrance and entered the combat arena. The flat floor of the arena was entirely covered in sand, serving to cushion impacts, and was surrounded by raised stands.

  There were four entrances located at the four cardinal points. The north entrance had a locker room for girls, while the south entrance had a locker room for boys, both equipped with showers. The west entrance led to the stands, and the east entrance housed a storage area for mannequins, weapons, and armor provided for the students.

  Elwyn followed his comrade’s steps and they eventually ended up at the center of the arena. Loyd then turned to the young boy and extended his hand towards him. Suddenly, a short sword appeared in a fraction of a second in the palm of the Nephilim of War, before he threw it in the direction of Elwyn, who caught its hilt precisely.

  — You could warn me when you do that, I could have injured myself, complained the young boy, having just recognized his sword.

  — Stop complaining and get ready, retorted Loyd, who made a similar weapon appear in his right hand.

  — How many of those can you make? wondered Elwyn at his comrade’s prowess.

  — As many as I want, as long as I have enough energy to do it.

  — That’s rather convenient, you don’t have to carry a weapon on you all the time to be able to defend yourself.

  — My Domain isn’t called “War” for nothing.

  — What else can you do with your Domain? asked Elwyn curiously.

  In response, Loyd quickly lunged toward the distracted young boy and attempted to deliver a quick, precise thrust towards his chest. Elwyn, who did not expect such a treacherous attack from his comrade, reacted instinctively and stepped aside to dodge the blow.

  — Good reflex, noted Loyd, his gaze becoming more focused and serious.

  — Nice cheap shot, retorted Elwyn.

  Loyd took advantage of the brief opening to perform a quick quarter-turn and launch a slashing blow towards his opponent’s head. But Elwyn, who had anticipated this attack, raised his weapon and grabbed his blade to better absorb the impact.

  The impact of their weapons caused Elwyn to step back slightly and destabilized him a bit. Seeing an opportunity to launch another attack, Loyd quickly slid his blade backward and launched another thrust towards Elwyn’s face.

  The young boy, who didn’t have time to breathe, tilted his head to the side to avoid the sharp tip of the sword. Loyd abruptly stopped his movement once his blow was evaded and attempted once again to deliver a slashing blow towards his opponent’s head.

  — It’s over, declared Loyd, before resuming his position at the center of the arena.

  Elwyn, seeing the blade dangerously approaching his face, immediately changed Plan to avoid the attack, knowing that he could not dodge it in his current position.

  — Or not…, replied Elwyn from the Ethereal Plane.

  The young boy then took a big step back, before returning to the Material Plane and facing Loyd, who had resumed a more relaxed position.

  — You have good contortion skills, but you have difficulty positioning yourself effectively against a series of rapid attacks. However, you have a good sense of danger and you know how to react quickly, remarked Loyd.

  — And it wasn’t easy, believe me.

  Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

  — Oh, the poor little crow struggled so much that he even had to flee to the Ethereal Plane, replied Loyd in a mocking tone.

  Elwyn did not take the mockery personally.

  — And otherwise, what was the point of that sneaky attack? Because, well, we didn’t even change, and we could have ruined our uniforms with this whole thing.

  Loyd then fixed his gaze on Elwyn’s.

  — I just wanted to see what you were worth, since I will be your arm master for the next four years.

  — I see… Why is it you who was chosen to do that?

  — It was the request that Deity Ogme made to me so that I could join the academy and thus be able to face Professor Ezekiel to improve myself.

  — Interesting… I suspected that Professor Ezekiel was strong, but not enough to interest the Domain of War… May I know the reason behind your desire to become stronger?

  — The same as yours, to overthrow my father, Asagar.

  — Pardon? Overthrow Asagar, you say? asked Elwyn, taken aback by this objective which was unknown to him.

  — Well, isn’t he the one who killed your parents? Deity Ogme had told me that you had the same objective as me, replied Loyd, himself surprised by Elwyn’s reaction of incomprehension.

  — It’s mostly that I didn’t know who was responsible for my father’s death, apart from the fact that it was a Deity… So, you’re telling me that Asagar is responsible…

  — That’s what I deduce from Deity Ogme’s words. Otherwise, why would you want to specifically face a Nephilim of War and not Professor Ezekiel or another professor? remarked Loyd.

  Elwyn was troubled by this sudden revelation, but did not miss a bit of what Loyd was explaining to him.

  — That’s a rather logical line of reasoning… If I face you, then in a way I will be facing the Deity of War and thus will know his different skills, since you are his son… So, in the end, and if he really is responsible, we could face him together, leaving him with no chance to truly surprise us…

  — That is undoubtedly Deity Ogme’s plan, concluded Loyd.

  — Indeed, that was my idea, replied Deity Ogme, calmly seated in the front row of the stands and having observed them for a little while.

  The two Nephilims, surprised by this sudden intervention by the Deity, immediately turned in his direction, and it was Elwyn who then spoke.

  — Deity Ogme, can you explain this story to me?

  — Of course, I learned of Loyd’s existence some time ago and I contacted him once I was certain of your presence at the academy.

  — Hey, wait a minute, you’re saying you wouldn’t have contacted me if Elwyn hadn’t come, protested Loyd.

  — Loyd, as you may have noticed, few people here appreciate the Nephilims of the Domain of War. And know that this is due to their ease of resorting to violence, and that if they do not have an Entity’s spirit, their freedom from their Domain poses even more problems. What happened in the cafeteria could happen again and I did not want that to happen. Besides, could you tell me what you would have done to them if Elwyn had not intervened on your behalf?

  In response, Loyd clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles began to turn white.

  — I’d also like to add that I would have accepted you anyway if you had asked me. It’s just the circumstances that pushed me to act that way, added the Deity.

  — I understand…, resigned Loyd, while slowly unclenching his fists.

  — And what about Asagar? asked Elwyn, once the subject was closed and Loyd a bit calmed down.

  — Asagar is the only Deity who can beat Tristian, and the healing and regeneration ability of the Deity of Life, but I don’t have formal proof of his responsibility, just a certain doubt.

  — What do you mean, no formal proof? asked Elwyn, surprised by the Deity’s uncertainty.

  — The place of the confrontation was completely ravaged by the battle and it seems that a cleanup was done immediately afterward. In addition, the other Deities do not have a motive regarding this matter.

  — I see… What would Asagar’s motive be then?

  — … Elwyn, the more an Entity is in contact with the inhabitants of this world, the more that Entity risks gradually acquiring their emotionality. I wouldn’t be too surprised to learn that Asagar was jealous of your father.

  At these last words, Loyd’s blood only turned, his complexion slowly began to pale and his body started trembling with rage. A knot formed in his stomach, but he remained silent.

  — What do you mean? Where are you going with this? asked Elwyn, intrigued by the turn the discussion was taking.

  — Elwyn, I think it’s best if we leave it at that for now. And remember that what I just said is nothing but pure theory on my part, replied the Deity, just after noticing the state Loyd was in.

  — Alright…, replied Elwyn, after noticing his comrade’s condition in turn.

  — In that case, I will leave you. Be on time for tonight, there will be a ceremony for the newcomers at the cafeteria.

  And the Deity disappeared into the Ethereal Plane to return to his office, without even giving the young Nephilims time to respond.

  — Loyd, are you okay? asked Elwyn, worried.

  — I’m okay… I just need… a little time to recover, replied Loyd, more weakly than usual.

  — Alright, if that’s all you need.

  Elwyn knelt on the ground and waited the necessary time for his comrade to slowly regain his composure and for his tension to dissipate.

  — Are you better?

  — Yeah, I’m okay…

  — Do you want us to continue fighting to clear your mind, or do you want to do something else?

  — We can resume, but first, let’s change.

  — Very well, I’m with you.

  The two Nephilims then headed towards the door located to the east and equipped themselves with attire more suitable for combat. They were then dressed in a short-sleeved linen top, loose trousers reinforced at the knees and secured with a belt, as well as wrist and shin guards. They then placed their uniforms in the men's locker room, before getting back into position at the center of the arena.

  Face to face, both took up a guard, each still armed with a short sword in hand.

  — Before we begin, I am going to establish two rules for this fight. First, you are forbidden from using your Entity powers, except for the one I use to provide each of us with a weapon. That also means, no extraplanar travel to dodge. And second, hold back your strikes to avoid injuring ourselves unnecessarily. The purpose of this exercise is to improve your pure weapon combat skills, and that also means seeing how you handle your strikes. Have you understood these rules?

  — Yes, I have perfectly understood.

  — Very well, in that case, let’s begin.

  Elwyn, not being a great fighter at heart, waited for his opponent to initiate hostilities, and it wasn’t too long to wait. Loyd lunged again at the young boy with a vertical slashing attack that Elwyn deflected to the left with his blade, before attempting a piercing attack towards his opponent’s chest. Loyd jumped back to unbalance Elwyn, but the latter quickly returned to his combat stance.

  The two then remained silent and observed each other for a few seconds. Elwyn then took the initiative by launching an assault on his opponent, delivering several quick slashing blows, but Loyd dodged or parried them with disconcerting ease. Taking advantage of the end of the assault, Loyd launched a counterattack.

  Knowing the difference in strength between them, Elwyn preferred dodging over parrying, as it was less exhausting, and narrowly avoided the various blows. However, Loyd abruptly halted his combination, leaving Elwyn perplexed about what would come next.

  The Nephilim of War then continued with a new salvo of attacks, faster and more lively than the previous ones, and Elwyn could no longer properly follow his opponent’s movements. The latter then drove the young boy into a corner and, with a swift wrist movement, tore the weapon from Elwyn’s hand before placing the tip of his blade against his chest.

  — Lost, declared Loyd simply, before resuming his position at the center of the arena.

  — Come on, let’s start over, he added.

  Elwyn then picked up his weapon from the ground and resumed his position.

  — Well, you’re not holding back with me.

  — I just wanted to see how far I could go with you, that’s all. However, you, you have no intention in your weapon, it’s disturbing.

  — What do you mean, no intention?

  — When I face someone, I can see what drives their blade. Anger, hatred, will, fear, joy, sadness… You, you have nothing written in your blade. It sounds perfectly empty.

  — Ah! I think I understand what you’re telling me. The problem I have is that I can’t hurt others because of my Domain. If I am to have any intention in my blade, it is only when someone attacks me without a valid reason or commits an act reprehensible by my Domain. I remind you that originally, I am not a soldier.

  — That’s true, you’re right… So I will have to get used to it. The most important thing is that you acquire technique, and the rest will come later.

  — I agree.

  — In that case, take your guard!

  And the duel resumed, over and over, for more than two hours. Their blades began to deform under the force of their repeated blows and their training outfits ended up soaked in sweat.

  Fortunately for them, their constitution being quite different from that of a normal human, their repeated duel did not leave them on their knees in the end. They were just as tired as a soldier training for an hour.

  Of course, the fights always ended in a defeat for Elwyn. However, he gradually learned to observe his opponent’s movements, to attune his gaze to the speed of his movements and shifts, to decipher feints, and to know how to position himself and move to avoid losing balance.

  Although he still had much to learn and therefore much practice to do, it did not discourage him. Indeed, he knew that defeat is a source of learning, as in his training with Volden, even if the latter had always held back and was not as virulent as Loyd in his combinations.

  And so, once the last blow was delivered, Elwyn and Loyd went to the locker rooms to take a shower and wash away the dust and sweat they had accumulated. They then put on their uniforms and deposited their dirty training attire in a bin provided for that purpose, before leaving the training ground.