Land of Aria

Chapter 5

Ace sat alone on a weathered bench nestled against the arena's side walls, anticipation simmering in the air as he awaited the arrival of the group of girls and their next set of orders. With a deliberate motion, he pressed the heel of his boot into the sand-covered ground, his gaze fixed on his palms, lost in introspection. The relentless sun beat down, casting waves of heat that enveloped him, causing sweat to trickle down his temples and neck. The sand beneath his feet radiated with scorching intensity, rendering the idea of stepping barefoot unbearable. The arena, reminiscent of a colosseum, sprawled out before him, its circular design and encircling seats scattering above for people to look down and watch.

Still fixated on the distant horizon, Ace felt the bench shift slightly under the weight of someone joining him. Without lifting his gaze, he remained locked in his introspective trance.

"Why do you look so out of it?" the familiar voice of his friend, Noah, broke through the silence.

Recognizing the voice instantly, Ace replied without skipping a beat, "Good morning to you too, Noah."

Noah, a steadfast companion forged through shared experiences in the palace, had always been there for Ace since their early days. Ace had stood by Noah's side during tough times, and in return, Noah remained a loyal friend.

"Such an amazing morning," Noah remarked, reclining with closed eyes.

"What if I fail?" Noah's sudden vulnerability pierced through the calm, catching Ace off guard.

Ace met Noah's gaze, puzzled. "Fail what?"

"Fail the training, smart ass."

"You're not going to fail," Ace reassured him.

"I'm weak," Noah confessed, his voice laden with self-doubt.

"No, you're not, Noah."

"Yes, I am. I could barely stand up for myself when people used to say something to me."

"That was in the past. It's over now. You've grown and changed,"

"I haven't changed one bit. I was too scared to even walk out here. I don't want to do this. At some point, I was going to drop to my knees and tell them to just give me the sponges and start wiping toilet seats or whatever."

"That would've been entertaining to watch," Ace remarked, trying to lighten the mood.

Noah gave Ace a playful smack on the shoulder. "Shut up. Seriously. I can't be alone back there again."

"You're not going to be alone because you're not going to fail," Ace reiterated.

"Easy for you to say, Ace. You actually know how to fight and do shit."

"Noah, they're not going to put you out there against another guy and just tell you to start beating each other up. It's like a step-by-step class, at least."

"At least?" Noah echoed with a hint of frustration.

"You know what I mean," Ace replied, offering his friend a reassuring smile.

For a while, they both sat in silence, lost in their thoughts, staring into the void. This day held little excitement; instead, it was fraught with nerves, like having your future decided by someone else's hands.

"Make room, you fat shits," another body squeezed in between them, causing Ace and Noah to shuffle towards the end of the bench.

"Oh, I hate this, I'm being cooked alive," the newcomer complained, burying his face in his palms and propping his elbows on his knees.

"Good morning to you too, Evan," Ace greeted, offering a friendly pat on the back.

"Ya, amazing morning," Evan mumbled, his voice still muffled by his hands.