Academia: The House of Lionheart

II PII

"You have brothers?"

"I did . . . two."

She . . . did? She lost them? He hoped not, but he wasn't going to ask. It was too soon for him to peer into her personal life like that. He couldn't imagine the pain of losing someone like that — he didn't want to imagine the pain of losing his brother.

"They turned you into a damn good fighter, that's for sure. But, watch, I'll get faster than you one day."

"Faster than me?" she smiled, "I'd love to see you try. My coaches used to call me a doe."

"Well, then, how fast are your reflexes?"

"How—" Roiru shot a couple vines at her, finally landing his first hits as she jumped towards him.

She laughed, and it was that smile of hers that he couldn't quite shake, "That's not playing fair."

"Well come on, then. I'll bring you down today, fair and square."

"Right. You can keep trying," after that little exchange, they couldn't help but have fun with their duels. They fought and fought and spoke and spoke until finally, Roiru really did land a single hit. Even if it was a relatively small nip on her cheek with the very tip of a single vine, he would hold it to her — it was his point, after all.

He remembered they were supposed to be practicing combat with affinities — there was a slight problem with that for Ren. Even if it made no sense, Ren had no apparent affinity. He was the first recorded case of it in history. If Roiru had one for nature, Ren should've had one too, but it wasn't the case.

He spotted Ren and Sebastian, who had an affinity for life, sparring using wooden swords. Zerakiel was teaching them swordsmanship from the very beginning — it seemed they would become much more skilled at it than the others real soon. Sebastian's affinity wasn't combat-oriented, so of course weapons like the sword would be vital.

He was glad he had nothing to worry about with his brother. Zerakiel had already considered it before he did, which was perfect.

It was the end of the day, just before dusk — the Lionhearts spent half the day studying in their classes and the other half training with their master. It was exhausting — now was when they could finally unwind back in the common room. Roiru opened the door, but it was slammed shut before anyone could enter.

There stood a guy with green eyes, black wings, and long hair tied up in a man bun. He held the door down with a long smirk and said, "Are you the newbies everyone's been talking about?"

Roiru looked around the crowded corridors, and it was true. They were getting stares from all around the tower.

"Maybe we are," said Roiru, "We're all tired right now, so if you don't mind—"

"Name's Kerviel Yumadov, and I've come to make myself known," said the Yumadov boy.

"Roiru Lionheart."

"Lionheart, hm? The House of Lionheart?" he looked at everyone behind Roiru, and some of them were starting to get impatient. "What's everyone's race? I see a couple of sharp ears back there," his smile dissipated, "But not a single pair of wings."

"What's it to ya?"

"Only curious."

"Sebastian and Serenity back there are our celestials. The rest of us are half—"

"Half-celestial?" outraged the boy, "Including those two with ears like dirtily bred elves?" he pointed at Eliona and Luna, the other elf in their house.