After the late night conservation with Wanuy, both of them tired from one thing or another. As soon as their heads hot the pillow, all they could do was fall asleep. They didn't even realise that they hadn't had dinner that particular night.
The next morning, Arata was again woken up by the Siren. Fortunately, there was no humming that night, or Arata would have been awake from before Dawn. Before the second siren blared both the cadets were up and ready.
Today was going to be a hectic day, so they had been given some extra time for Breakfast today.
"Are you going for Breakfast?" Wanuy asked.
"Yeah, let's go. I didn't even have dinner yesterday." Arata replied.
"Sorry"
"Why are you apologising?" Arata was genuinely stumped.
Wanuy hesitated, fingers worrying the strap of his satchel. "Because you stayed last night. You didn't even go to dinner. You didn't have to do that for me. You don't even know me"
Arata shrugged and started going to hallways. "That was no big deal. I the war, A person is responsible for their bunk mate on the battle field. And we are going to be in the Battle field soon enough."
They stepped into the corridor. Morning vein-light ran thin and pale through the stone, the red glow already fading beneath the slow approach of sunlight.
"Hey, you remember what you said to me on the morning of day before yesterday." Arata said as he looked at the veins.
"What did I say? I don't remember much of that day due that Ritualistic Trial."
"Something along the lines of, They grow louder as the morning approaches...If you are not scared, you are not normal" Arata recited the statement.
"Oh...That line." Wanuy said as he followed behind Arata. Now going down stairs. "The place where I belong to...the Veins are very close to surface, just like the Academy, and unlike Academy there is no river to mask the humming. Come every morning, The hum grew so prominent, everyone could feel it in their eyes. Thee are some incidents related t this too, but I can tell them to you later on. Due to these incidents , that is a saying in our province, which I recited to you."
Both of them made it to the Cafeterias. Some of the First Year cadet's were already there, but the one Arata searched for was Flora.
He had not been able to keep the Screaming voice of the Girl out of his mind. Arata spotted Flora near the far left side of the hall, all alone.
She was seated with a lonely cup, hands wrapped around it. But the cup had long since stopped steaming. She wasn't drinking it, just holding it, fingers tight enough that her knuckles had gone pale.
"There" Arata said quietly.
Wanuy followed his gaze and nodded. "I'll… grab food."
Arata made his way to the Table, on the way two more familiar faces were sitting on the adjacent Table, Flint and Sierra. Flint waved to him, Seirra just continued eating her food.
"Morning, Flora."
She looked up a second too late, as if pulled out of thought. "Good Morning Arata. You are Alive...That's a good sign."
"So are you" he replied, sitting across from her. "Barely though."
Arata got a chuckle out of her at that statement, but she still hadn't loosened her grip around the cup. "You should eat" Arata added, nodding toward the untouched plate in front of her.
"I will" she said immediately. Then, after a pause "In just a bit."
Her eyes flicked noticing every little thing happening around her.They stopped to the far end of the hall, where a group of seniors stood talking in low voices. When a spoon clattered somewhere behind them, Flora flinched before stoping herself.
She saw Arata noticing. "Just… tired. That chamber wasn't exactly welcoming."
"No""Arata agreed whole heatedly. "It most definitely wasn't."
She finally took a small sip from the cup, winced as if the heat surprised her, even though the drink had cooled long ago.
"Did you sleep?" Arata asked.
"An hour" Flora said. "Did you?"
"Yeah, since the first time i came to this accursed place."
Wanuy returned then, trays balanced carefully, eyes darting as if the room itself might judge him. He gave Flora an awkward nod. acknowledging her existence.
"Good morning" he said.
"Good morning," she replied, smiling again but this time more sincerely. "You made it."
"So did you" Wanuy said. "That's very impressive."
Flora looked down at her hands. "Thanks, I guess" she said.
Arata changed the subject gently. "They're giving us more time this morning. That usually means they plan to take it back later."
Flora chuckled, but her shoulders eased just a fraction. "That sounds about right." She finally picked up her spoon. Finally taking a bite of her food.
From that moment no one said anything, Neither Wanuy nor Arata. Silence settled at the Table when finally the second Siren Blared.
"I guess it's time to go." Arata said as got up and kept the Tray back at counter for collection.
...
They were escorted by one of the seniors to, what could only be described as an Gymnasium. But as they looked around, there was no equipment, it was just mats and four walls, and a roof. The structure was big enough, that if someone shouted they would be an echo.
After a few moments someone entered the building, It was Lyra Vale.
Great, she had to be the one. my babysitter.
"Morning Cadets, I am Professor Lyra Vale. I will be the one in charge of making sure you are able to harness the powers of the blood you have flowing through your bodies, and in the process of doing that you don't die, or worse." Lyra said as she opened a file.
No one question there could be something worse than death, as every one had first experience of something like that just two days prior.
"What do you mean by something worse that Death ma'am?" Flint had his hand up and shouted. Seirra was hiding her face when he shouted the question.
Idiot, The first thought in Arata's mind.
Lyra Vale looked up from the file slowly. Her eyes found Flint and stayed there, unblinking, as if she were confirming something she had already suspected.
"That...is an excellent question."
"Thank you ma'am." Flint said.
Every person except him sighed at that. "Madness for one. That is best worse case scenario. There is one more. But I won't be discussing that yet. For today I will be, telling you what concept your blood commands." Lyra said a she opened her file again. "Let's start with you Master Flint, shall we."
Silence, Utter and complete Silence. Even Flint didn't say anything at this moment.
Flint, Resonant Forging or Feedback Forging.
"What does that even mean" Flint asked what was on everyone's mind.
"You can Absorb, Amplify and Reroute Resonance."
"What IS Resonance?" Arata asked this time.
"Resonance is the bare bones of the power, you people will have to harness it to use your powers. Resonance is harmony between the human soul and the ancient Flame. That's what Neil must have told you. But, if you are to understand from the viewpoint of researchers, it is the vibration underlying all creation. The Dragon blood is able to harness that , and by extension... you guys." Lyra said as she looked at him. "Let's move onto the next cadet.
Seirra, Heat manipulation. "It is as it sounds, nothing extraordinary."
Heat manipulation isn't special what kind of thing is... special then.
Wanuy, Death...
Oh I get it now.
Flora Rathore, Water Resonant "Same as Seirra, but with water."
That actually suits her.
Corven Hale, Frequency manipulation "This is a tough one to control."
After that everything went quite smoothly, after some time it was finally Arata's turn. Lyra took her time getting to him, talking about other things, taking tangents in conversation. Talking to Flint, even making jokes.
Arata , True Madness
For a moment, no one reacted.
"What?" Flint blurted out.
Serra laughed once, sharp and uncertain. "That's not a concept. That's just..."
Lyra raised a single finger. Serra fell silent immediately.
"Madness" Lyra said, turning slightly so the word carried to every corner of the hall "is instability. It is not loss of reason. And it is not an emotion."
She looked directly at Arata. "Madness can be described as deviation from consensus reality. Taken one step further it can be iterated as Chaos."
A hum came from beneath the mats, as if the ground was agreeing with Lyra.
"Most bloodlines command something." Lyra continued onwards "It maybe Heat, Water,Earth, these are just the elements. Then there are the concepts, Death is one. Oh, Nebula Commands Space. These all are confined to their rules, and structure. But Madness does not."
Arata finally spoke. "Is it dangerous?"
Lyra considered him for a long moment. "Yes" she said. "For everyone involved."
She turned a page in the file that Arata was certain hadn't been there before.
"True Madness leads to Chaos." Lyra said as she finally closed the file. "This concludes bloodline identification. Training will start at tomorrow's lecture. And Arata..." she added, almost gently "don't try to understand your blood too quickly."
The doors closed behind her. No one spoke.
Arata felt it then. It was not power, It wasn't Fear but the distinct sensation of the world around him adjusting.