In the entertainment room. Kade, Dawn, and Cassie were sitting, heads resting on the sleeping Byakko; the movie they had watched came to an end, the melodic tune whistling down as the credits began to roll. With that, Kade helped Cassie off and guided her out of the room through the various pillows and plastic.
"Good night, you two; thanks for the time," Cassie called softly. Kade waved her off while Dawn gave her a bright smile, the girl using a stick to guide herself down the cacophony of halls. Normally, Kade or Dawn would have to follow to make sure she didn't get lost — now she had adapted well to her flaw, not nearly enough for the dream world, but enough to live a normal life.
One she was never going to get.
Dawn rose from the support of Byakko, the oversized tiger echo growling half-mindedly as the girl left his side. Her golden hair was a mess, and her oversized fluffy sweater sagged down to her thighs. A look of concern hit her expression as she looked at the host.
Kade was happy as ever, but she knew that something was up, and she had found out not long ago that he planned to fight Caster of all people, the person third ranked behind Kade and Nephis at second and first, respectively.
She wouldn't be concerned for him normally; he had proven to her and everyone around him that he was a human weapon. A formidable warrior who refused to crumble, yet she didn't want to see him be injured or have that statement tested.
Because it wasn't a normal fight, Kade had prepared a whole thing to set up. One where both he and Caster would use memories, a fight where Kade planned for them both to seriously aim for each other's lives, Dawn doubted such a line would be close...
But it was Kade who was always an anomaly to sense, so Dawn had no sense of what would happen; she could only guess how he would thrive in the chaos he sowed.
That's what scared her.
"Are you sure you're going to be fine...?" Dawn asked, tugging the edge of her sweater. It had scared her when she saw him motionless on the street when Kurt had struck his shadow; seeing such a sight again was something she wanted to avoid entirely.
Kade turned away from the quickly vanishing figure. His eyes meet Dawn's—smirking.
"I'm fine; I trained with Nephis for a reason."
Dawn bit her lip; he underestimated what he had got himself into.
"Legacies aren't just rich, snobby kids; they were built to be weapons from birth. Caster is one of the sharpest weapons that they made; I worked, and I can tell you to underestimate one of them is foolish."
Kade took a step toward Dawn and gave her a solemn look.
"That's a risk, of course; I know that he might try cutting me up, leaving the healers to rush in and save my sorry ass." Grasping her palm, he continued confidently.
"But I won't let that happen. And if it does. Then I'll break him first. Even if I bleed, I'll keep going."
A confident grin returned to his face.
"My aspect's just a bonus. Fighting's what I do. Death can have me later. When I decide it's earned me."
Dawn sighed, calming her anxieties.
"Trust me, that's ok. Seriously, I'm not going into the dream realm alone."
Kade scoffed, pumping his fist against his fist.
"Of course not. I'm just going to beat the brat at his best and prove to this dumbass academy that I'm the best, not just some criminal."
Dawn nodded. The credits are close to a close with the melodic whistles, the screen pitching black, leaving the two alone in the darkness. The only sound is the quiet breathing of Byakko.
"And if anything too bad happens, I've got Byakko to leap out of my soul and tear Caster apart."
Dawn rolled her eyes, smiling.
"Good. Because I won't be there to jump in. You did choose the boys' changing room of all places…"
Kade chuckled.
"It's the only place without cameras. Besides, I'm literally going to catch him with his pants down."
Dawn smirked. giving a light punch to the chest, responding.
"Beat the shit out of 'em; that's what you do, isn't it?" Kade watched her back as she left the room.
Kade watched her off. A warm smile left on his face, he had his support for the big day; for that, he also needed good rest. He went up to the sleeping Byakko. whispering to the slumbering tiger.
"I can't wait. Can you? My fist's been eager for his chin..."
Byakko snorted, unbothered, and drifted deeper into his dreamscape.
Kade chuckled and turned away, heading back to his room. Tomorrow, he'd do the same.
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Tomorrow came, and Kade awoke ready as ever. Eating a quick breakfast alone at the cafeteria before heading straight to combat class. It was nothing special, your average demonstration from instructor Rock into practical demonstration, Kade and Nephis paired as normal. And they went through like usual.
But Nephis's gaze was stronger, subtly questioning Kade's decision today being when he would challenge Caster. Kade ignored her and continued like he normally would, except his eyes would always somehow find themselves on the broad-shouldered legacy.
He was fast, strong and confident as ever, the figure that the rest of the sleepers looked up to. Somewhat human and reasonable, unlike the duo of true name holders that Kade and Nephis were.
The perfect target to tear down in front of everyone.
'Well, just the boys; I doubt any girls would be in their changing room.' If that was the case, then his challenge wouldn't be the only insane thing happening today.
The class came to a close, and the two groups separated into the different changing areas, Kade's sharp stare not unnoticed by Caster, who seemed a little guarded to the Heart of Chaos. He could easily tell that the troublemaker was up to something, but he didn't know what yet.
'Just you wait, Caster; I'm sure you'll love it.'
The chattering of the sleepers bounced off the changing rooms, the boys joking, playing and admiring each other's physiques. Kade, on the other hand, was calmly changing back out of his police tracksuit and into something more casual.
Just some denim jeans. Summoning his brown coat over his bare chest. The fabric settling across his shoulders like home.
Then came the ritual.
He began wrapping his wrists, slow and methodical.
Each pull tightened the cloth over bone and tendon, making his forearms into weapons. sturdy, reliable, unbreakable.
He didn't know how long the fight would last.
But he planned to beat the bastard for as long as it took.
He brushed his dark hair aside and admired himself in the mirror; it was perfect. He was finally ready.
Kade slammed the door of his locker.
BANG!
The entire room of sleepers stopped what they were doing and looked to the commotion. What they found there was a Kade. Now face-to-face with Caster, the legacy having just finished putting on his shorts. Giving Kade a bewildered reaction before studying himself.
"Hey, Caster, buddy old pal."
Caster didn't flinch, but he definitely adjusted his shorts before facing him.
"What are you up to, Kade?"
Kade shrugged, backing up into the middle of the dressers. The rest of the sleepers made space for the delinquent. Caster followed with a squint. He had come to understand what Kade wanted.
But the words that came out next surprised him.
"Summon your sword."
Caster raised his eyebrows.
"Pardon me?"
Kade scoffed, the [Rings of the Ravaged] forming onto his ring fingers.
"You heard me. Summon it. I want you to kill me, and I want to break you."
Caster hesitated, then relented. A thin, shimmering sabre shimmered into existence in his hand, elegant and cruel. So sharp, the very air seemed to split around it. Silence swallowed the room as the blade's edge cut into it, demanding attention.
Kade observed the blade and smirked.
'Guess it's finally time.'
Kade summoned the blood from the rings, the mystical liquid solidifying into bright viscous red gauntlets. His heartbeat, revibrating against his soul as he prepared to dive into battle.
Lowering himself close to the floor, Kade devilishly grinned, his eyes full of fury.
He had saved and resisted against [Battle Lust] for a week.
Now he would let it loose.
"HERE I COME!" Kade roared.
Caster stepped forward with quiet resolve, sabre humming at his side.
The two Sleepers launched at each other's throats, beneath the watchful eyes of their