In life, there are sometimes when it gets too hard to endure alone, and it is then, you need someone to lean on.
Location - Kina's Training Room
"So how was the exam, disciple?" Kina asked as she sat on one of the rubble in the room. Kael, who had just endured one minute of battering from Kina could be seen laying on the ground with bruises likely formed from blunt hits while breathing in and out heavily.
"It..It was fine, master. The Theoretical was..easy and the Practical was quite hard but I was able to complete it," Kael commented with difficulty as he responded to Kina's question.
"Hmm..Okay. It was within what was expected for the exam. Just know that I expect my disciple to not be lacking in the exams." Kina said as she jumped down from the rock and approached Kael and helped him off the ground while handing him a bottle of water and some relief patches.
"Take these. They should make you feel better. Is there anything you want to talk about?" Kina questioned as she looked upon her disciple.
"If it's not classified, there's something that I am curious about. Lark and Monnae spoke about how higher the difficulty of this test was for our batch of recruits and maybe if it had something to do with the Xions and the frontlines." Kael mentioned as he took the lid of the bottle and took a sip.
"I can't say, Kael. Do you remember what I told you? We made that promise, remember?" Kina said as she came nearer to Kael her sudden closeness startled Kael which made him shift away from her.
"I told you, Master, not to get so close when you're talking!" Kael said, wiping a bead of water from his lips.
"It's fine with me. Do you still remember the promise, Kael?" Kina questioned again as she stared at Kael with her tone growing more serious, highlighting the importance of this part of their conversation.
"Yeah, I remember, Master. I still keep it in mind so you don't need to worry about me." Kael commented as he thought
'How could I forget when you literally beat me into the promise while saving me.. and also becoming someone important to me too…'
FLASHBACK
Location - Some Days After Arriving in Sanctuary Base
"Let me go! Those creatures. I have to kill them and make them pay!" Kael screamed from inside what seemed to look like a confinement room.
"How long has he been like that?" Kina questioned as she observed Kael through the monitor connected to the room's camera.
"Since you bought him here, Team Leader Kina. As soon as he woke up, security caught him trying to sneak off Sanctuary. He was brought here, and ever since, he hasn't stopped screaming about wanting to kill the Xions. We didn't know what to do, so we called for your help," a staff member in the monitoring department addressed Kina.
"Hmm…I see. I'll take care of it. I bought him here myself after all." Kina said as she walked headed to the detention room where Kael had been placed for monitoring and securing from creating more problems.
"Hey, little one. You want to leave here right? I have a proposal for you, if you're interested." Kina said as she leaned on the door that led into the room.
"What is it?" Kael questioned from the room with a cold voice but suppressed sadness and pain.
"I'm Kina Kiomi, the person who rescued you from the Xion attacks. If you win against me in my handicapped state, I'll allow you out of Sanctuary and this is sworn on my reputation and honour. So? Interested?" Kina commented.
"I only need to beat you in an handicapped state and you promise to keep this deal?" Kael questioned hoping to gain confirmation.
"That's right. The staff will send you to my training room where it shall be held." Kina commented as she walked away.
Location - Kina's Training Room
Other team members from Kina's team were already present in the room with familiar faces like Min and Fin. Kina stood in the middle of the room as she watched the approaching Kael. After being set free by the staff members, Kael walked to the middle of the room as he steadied himself for the duel.
"The rules are simple. If Kael is able to beat Team Leader Kina in her weakened form, he wins the right to leave Sanctuary and if Team Leader Kina wins instead, Kael is obliged to listen to the instructions from Leader Kina. Are these conditions acceptable to both sides?" Min questioned as he served as the referee announcing the stakes in place of this duel.
Both Kina and Kael nodded to show their acceptance and after it had been confirmed by Min, he addressed the beginning of the duel
"Now, duel!"
As soon as the signal was given, Kael wasted no time in closing the distance while connecting a punch to Kina who was still motionless.
Kina easily caught Kael's fist as she made a mocking comment "Have you eaten today, Kael? You punch feels so weak" which seemed to have rolled up further Kael who tried going for a roundhouse kick to Kina's face to which she blocked easily and then sent him flying with a counterattack kick while she made a statement
"How cruel. How could you kick a girl in her face?" in a joking manner as she made her signature smile but it seemed to Kael that she was mocking him instead.
"Are you mocking me too? I'll show you that I'm not useless!" Kael said as he pushed himself from the floor and followed through with a picked up running pace,
Drawing from the lessons he had with his mother on self defense, he tried other combinations from the small amount of techniques present in his arsenal which were mostly a form of martial art that was once named as taekwondo (a unique martial art from the Old World).
Kael started with a side kick which Kina dodged to which he smoothly followed with a front kick that Kina caught and let go and after regaining balance for himself, he went for a crescent kick to which Kina completely parried and deflected with her legs, effectively stopping him and after then connected a jump kick to Kael's ribs flinging him to the side with a huge force.
Kael crumpled on the floor as he began to wheeze and cough while clutching his ribcage and his face distorted in pain. "Ouch. That must've hurt. I didn't control the output in that one well enough. My bad, Kael. Still want to continue?" Kina asked as she looked at Kael who was on the floor.
Kael after hearing this, tried to brave the pain and keep on fighting but the pain overwhelmed him and made him stumble to the floor
"Oh I see. You can't fight anymore. That was a nice fight. And that technique, is it taekwondo? An Old World martial art? It was probably Dr Jena who taught that to you but it seems that you are not as fluent and fluid in it as she was." Kina commented as she stared at Kael.
"I won this bet so that means that you have to listen to my instructions. Give me some privacy with this hot head, guys." Kina added as she addressed her team members who came to watch the match. As they left the room, murmurs of how 'Leader Kina did not go easy on the boy' was one of their talking points.
"It's just us two now. You're behaving this way because of the guilt right? You believe that your parents dying is your fault. That you couldn't do anything to save them. It is a destructive thought process, Kael and it is eating you out. What happened that day was not your fault. They are the ones to blame, they killed your parents." Kina spoke as she knelt next to Kael"
"I KNOW. I know but it doesn't make the pain I'm feeling go away. That's why…that's why! I thought if I killed the Xions who caused this, maybe I'll feel better…and move on. Maybe it wouldn't hurt this much anymore!" Kale said with his tone filled with sorrow and unshed tears.
"I understand. But do you think that's what Dr James and Dr Jena would have wanted? They didn't want that and that's why they saved you. I know the pain and sorrow won't just go away so you should embrace it instead. Do not try to run from it or ignore it. Have you properly accepted your loss and grieved? No you have not. You are still running away from it and it is unhealthy. You don't have to pretend to be strong, Kael. it's fine to be weak sometimes, even in such an unfair world as this" Kina said as she came close to Kael and pulled him into a hug while gently caressing his hair.
"It's fine, Kael. If you need someone to lean on, I'm here. Anytime" Kina said in a soft voice filled with empathy and kindness that pierced straight through the shell Kael had placed around himself.
He hugged her tightly and began to cry with choked sobs. "I'm sorry..I'm really sorry, Mom, Dad. I..! I…" Kael spoke in sobs as he tried to form a sentence.
"Shh. You don't need to talk or say anything. Just cry" as she patted his back rhythmically, but her voice carried emotions which she too tried to suppress.
After some time of grief, Kael was able to pick himself back up and return to his normal state again as he thanked Kina for her help.
"Thank you. And I'm very sorry for how my behaviour had been to you before" his voice genuine showing the acknowledgement of his mistake.
"Don't worry, I don't care that much. Let's make a promise, Kael." Kina said as she helped Kael off the ground.
"What type of promise? The bet I made led to this so I'm not too sure of this again" Kael commented as he eyed her in suspicion.
"Your goal, the revenge you want to have, I'll help you. Guilt won't kill them, Kael. But skill will. I'll make you strong enough to take your revenge then mourn later." Kina said with much seriousness as she awaited a response from Kael.
"Huh? I don't understand" Kael commented as he looked at her. "I'll be your master and those skills to kill them that you don't have, I'll show them to you and teach you as they become tools to help you become as strong as you need to take your revenge and I will support you with it too, whenever you need my help. You just have to follow my instructions, okay disciple?" Kina said, her signature smile adorning her face.
At that moment, she seemed like an angel, one that Kael admired before he stopped himself. "Okay, from now on, you are my master and someone important to me." Kael said with a smile to which Kina teased "See, you can still smile, Kael. I thought you only had that brooding face of yours," with a smile.
PRESENT
"I'm glad you still remember, Kael. To be brutally honest, you have no chance against Xions of that class with your current level. Noble level Xions areon a whole different level. Besides, you still haven't seen your compatibility and potential with Detel-V9. This will determine a lot of things for you, Kael." Kina mentioned casually as she lectured Kael".
"What's Detel-V9, Master?" Kael questioned with curiosity.
Kina effectively shut down the proposed question as she said "You'll find out after you are accepted into Pioneer. It is classified information after all."
The fact that he was not given an answer by his master seemed to have been a let down but he knew better than to rile his master for answers, it could lead to another set of beating, he was not ready to test it out and be her punching bag, he had already tasted enough of her fist today.