The master's eyes sharpened. "Normal life?" he repeated, like the word tasted bitter. "You mean the life where you get bruises like this?"
Khaine's face twisted with anger. "That's better than being used," he said. The master's voice turned colder.
"Do you know what happens to humans like you?" he asked. Khaine shook his head, but his eyes were hard.
"They die," the master said. "Or worse. They become unstable." He leaned closer, his voice cutting like a blade. "You think you can go back to your normal life and stay safe?"
Khaine swallowed hard. "No," he whispered. The master continued, his voice low and dangerous.
"You'd go back," he said, "and the Sacred Gear would grow. It would awaken. And when it does, you'll lose control, we are only here to help you control it not control you."
Khaine's breathing became shallow. "You think I'm scared of that?" he asked referring to the awakening he was talking about.
The master's eyes narrowed. "No," he said. "I think you're stupid enough to believe you can survive it."
Khaine's hands clenched. "So what?" he spat. "I stay here and become your weapon?"
The master didn't flinch. "Or," he said, "you go back and die in the streets." Khaine stared at him, eyes burning.
"Is that your answer?" he asked. The master's expression didn't change. "It's the truth," he said.
Khaine's chest tightened, he stared at the ceiling again, reminiscing about his life out there. For a moment, the silence felt heavier than any beating.
Then he slowly laid back down, his eyes closed, his voice was quiet. "Fine," he whispered. "I'll stay."
The master watched him for a moment, then he stood up, he didn't leave immediately, instead, he paused, as if something in his mind was struggling, he looked back at Khaine's bruised face and sighed, he'll be the hardest one yet, the master thought, and if he causes trouble… I will have to follow what the others said.
"There's a lot you have to learn."
Khaine's body still ached when the master led him down the corridor. The pain in his ribs throbbed with each step, and the bruises on his face felt like they were on fire. But his mind was even more restless.
He had been dragged from his home, thrown into a portal., dropped into a world he never knew existed.
And now…he was walking through a building that looked like a fortress built for war, the corridor widened until it opened into a large space, opened to the sky, with for people already waiting for them.
The place looked used, scuffed ground, chipped stone, marks left behind by countless fights.
Their eyes were sharp and dangerous, the air seemed to thicken around them, with a radiating aura that felt like a challenge. That alone told Khaine something about them.
These weren't beginners. The first guy to notice him was leaning against a low wall. He pushed himself upright slowly, like he wasn't impressed enough to rush. His hair was a dull gray, cut close to his head, and his hazel eyes were sharp and pale.
He looked Khaine over once, then snorted. "That's him?" he said. "He's smaller than I thought." Another voice laughed.
The second guy had messy red hair that fell into his eyes and a grin that didn't reach them. His eyes were amber, bright with amusement. "I thought he'd look… I don't know," he said. "More dangerous."
Khaine felt the words land, but he didn't react, he clenched his fist eager to punch one of them, but he was just a chick within the crew. He'd heard worse from people who were drunk, angry, or bored.
The third guy stayed quiet, he was tall, broad, with long black hair tied back. His eyes were dark and steady. He didn't laugh or sneer, he just watched, like he was already deciding how long Khaine would last.
Then Khaine noticed her, she stood slightly apart from the others. Her hair crimson hair was long, reaching her waist, and her eyes were a calm, clear blue. She wasn't smiling, but she wasn't mocking him either. When their eyes met, she didn't look away.
The master stopped beside Khaine. "My name is Master Magnus Thorne and these are the A-rank warriors." he said.
He gestured to the gray-haired man. "This is Rath," he introduced.
Rath tilted his head slightly but said nothing. The master moved on. "Kael," he said, nodding toward the red-haired man.
Kael grinned wider. "Nice to meet you, kid. Try not to die too fast." The master didn't react. He turned to the tall, quiet man.
"Voren." Voren gave a single nod, eyes never leaving Khaine.
"And this....." the master said, finally turning to the girl, "...is Lyria."
Lyria inclined her head slightly, no words or expression. Kael clicked his tongue. "So," he said, folding his arms, "what exactly is he supposed to do? Carry our bags?"
Rath chuckled. Khaine felt the heat rise in his chest, but it didn't reach his face. Before he could respond, the master spoke.
"That's enough." His voice wasn't raised. It didn't need to be, the yard went quiet.
"If any of you think you know better than me," the master continued, "you're welcome to find another master."
The master's eyes hardened. "He holds unto something that needs to be controlled, when it takes over him, he will be unstoppable by any of you, so don't underestimate him."
He looked directly at Rath and Kael. "You will treat him as part of this team," he said. "Or you'll answer to me."
Kael looked away, jaw tight. Rath sighed, clearly annoyed, but said nothing.
"So who among here would like to train him?" No one moved, "anyone?" Lyria finally spoke, her voice even and calm.
"I'll train him," she said.
Kael looked at her, surprised. "You?" Lyria didn't look back at him.
The master nodded. "That's settled." He turned away.
"You'll have to get ready," he said over his shoulder. "Your first mission won't wait for comfort." As the master walked off, the tension lingered.
Kael passed Khaine and muttered, "Hope you're worth the trouble." Rath didn't even bother looking at him.
Voren paused briefly, studying Khaine once more, then followed the others.
Lyria stayed behind. "With focus," she said. "You might survive, your training starts tomorrow, but firstly let me show you around." Her voice was gentle but bold and cold.
He hated this, a girl teaching him how to train, that was absurd, h wanted to leave this place, he still didn't understand what they where talking about, because he didn't feel any thing in him, to him they were saying bunch of trash.