CHAPTER 37: THE TWO GUARDIANS
The next morning...
Vee woke up unusually early.
He opened his eyes.
Stared at the ceiling.
Then slowly closed them again.
"...No."
He pulled the blanket over his head.
"I've changed."
"I can feel it."
"Today, I'm going back to sleep."
Three seconds later...
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Vee's eyes opened.
"...I hate this Academy."
He dragged himself out of bed and opened the door.
A messenger stood outside.
"Lord Vee."
"Yes?"
"The Headmaster requests your presence."
Vee stared at him.
"Did I do something?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Because usually when adults say they need to talk to me, I've done something."
The messenger looked confused.
"I don't believe that's the case."
Vee sighed.
"That's exactly what someone who knows something would say."
A few minutes later...
Vee stood outside the Headmaster's office.
He knocked.
"Come in."
He opened the door.
Inside were three people.
Headmaster Aldren sat behind his desk.
Serena stood beside him.
And two unfamiliar people stood near the window.
Vee looked at them.
Then at Aldren.
"...Am I in trouble?"
Aldren shook his head.
"No."
Vee relaxed.
"Good."
He looked at the two strangers again.
"Are they here because I broke something?"
The armored man raised an eyebrow.
"Do you usually break things?"
Vee thought about it.
"...Not intentionally."
The woman beside him sighed.
"That's not reassuring."
Vee smiled.
"Nice to meet you too."
Aldren gestured toward the two guardians.
"Vee, meet the Academy's guardians."
The armored man stepped forward.
"My name is Rowan."
The woman nodded.
"I am Elara."
Vee looked at them.
"Guardians?"
Rowan nodded.
"Yes."
Vee looked at Aldren.
"So..."
"Why am I meeting them?"
Aldren leaned back.
"We want you to train with them."
Vee blinked.
"...Why?"
Serena stepped forward.
"Because of what happened during the Bloodline Ceremony."
Vee's expression changed.
He looked down.
The mysterious creature had been on his mind since yesterday.
"Is something wrong with it?"
Aldren didn't answer immediately.
"We don't know."
Vee frowned.
"That's not a very comforting answer."
"It's the truth."
Rowan crossed his arms.
"We've never seen a creature like yours."
Vee looked at him.
"Neither have I."
Elara studied him carefully.
"That's exactly why you need training."
Vee sighed.
"So you want to teach me how to control it?"
"Not just that."
Rowan stepped forward.
"Your Darkness."
Vee's eyes narrowed.
"Your Light."
Vee became silent.
"And whatever else is hiding inside you."
The room became quiet.
Vee stared at Rowan.
"Whatever else?"
He didn't like the sound of that.
Aldren stood.
"We don't want to restrict you."
"We want to prepare you."
"For what?"
Aldren's expression became serious.
"For the possibility that something dangerous is coming."
Vee thought for a moment.
Then shrugged.
"Fine."
Rowan looked surprised.
"That's it?"
Vee nodded.
"Sure."
Elara smiled faintly.
"You're surprisingly cooperative."
Vee pointed at himself.
"I'm very cooperative."
Rowan raised an eyebrow.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Your teachers say otherwise."
Vee frowned.
"...They've misunderstood my personality."
Elara laughed.
The training ground was located behind the Academy.
It was surrounded by enormous stone walls.
Vee stood in the center.
Rowan stood opposite him.
Elara watched from the side.
Vee looked around.
"So..."
"What do we start with?"
Rowan drew his sword.
"Control."
Vee looked at the sword.
"...That doesn't look like control."
Rowan smiled.
"Try not to get hit."
Vee's eyes widened.
"That's your training method?"
Rowan disappeared.
Vee's instincts screamed.
He immediately moved.
CLANG!
Rowan's sword struck Vee's blade.
The force pushed him several meters backward.
Vee stared.
"...Okay."
He tightened his grip.
"That's definitely one way to introduce yourself."
Rowan smiled.
"Again."
Vee charged.
Their swords collided.
CLANG!
Vee attacked.
Rowan blocked.
Vee attacked again.
Blocked.
Again.
Blocked.
Rowan suddenly struck Vee in the chest.
THUD!
Vee flew backward and landed on the ground.
He stared at the sky.
"...I think I just saw my ancestors."
Elara laughed.
Rowan shook his head.
"You're too reliant on your power."
Vee stood.
"What do you mean?"
"You have incredible abilities."
"But you haven't learned to control them properly."
Vee looked at his hands.
Rowan continued.
"Your Darkness reacts to your emotions."
"Your Light reacts to your intentions."
"And your unknown bloodline..."
He paused.
"...reacts to something we haven't identified yet."
Vee became serious.
"So how do I control it?"
Rowan raised his sword again.
"By learning yourself."
Vee frowned.
"That sounds philosophical."
"It isn't."
Rowan charged.
Vee immediately raised his sword.
CLANG!
"OW!"
"Focus."
"I'm trying!"
"Try harder."
Vee gritted his teeth.
"You're going to regret saying that."
Rowan smiled.
"Good."
"Now attack."
Vee's eyes sharpened.
Darkness began gathering around his blade.
Then golden Light appeared around his other hand.
For a moment...
The two energies began to collide.
Vee felt a strange pressure in his chest.
The mysterious bloodline stirred.
His eyes widened.
"Not again..."
The creature's roar echoed faintly in his mind.
Rowan immediately noticed.
"Stop!"
Vee tried to suppress the power.
But the energy continued growing.
Elara stood up.
"Vee!"
The ground beneath him cracked.
Vee clenched his teeth.
"I can't..."
"...stop it!"
Then—
BOOM!
A burst of golden and black energy exploded across the training ground.
Rowan planted his feet.
Elara raised her staff.
The explosion slowly faded.
Vee stood in the center.
His clothes were covered in dust.
His hair was completely ruined.
He looked around.
"...Did I pass?"
Rowan stared at him.
Then smiled.
"Training begins tomorrow."
Vee's face fell.
"...That was only the introduction?"
Elara laughed.
"Welcome to guardian training."
Vee sighed.
"I already miss my normal classes."
Rowan turned away.
"You'll miss them more tomorrow."
Vee froze.
"...What did I sign up for?"