Question

Chapter 42: Question

The Ethereals were all unique.

Eliana was watching them train intently. It was then that she noticed some of the others were using different weapons.

It was surprising to her.

As she watched them idly at the sides, Zathur arrived quietly beside her. Eliana didn't notice him nearing which resulted in her flinching when he suddenly made a rustling sound. He was wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"Don't just show up," Eliana said. "You're going to give me a heart attack."

Zathur nodded quietly. He grabbed his glass water bottle to hydrate himself. Eliana could swear right then and there, the guy was good looking. The way he drank from his bottle reminded Eliana of one of those drink commercials.

She pulled her eyes away, they landed on Bastion. She pursed her lips, her curiosity was getting the best of her now.

"Hey." Zathur, who was looking at the others as well, met her eyes not bothering to move his body. He looked bored.

"What is it?"

"This may sound weird, but wouldn't knights only use a sword?" She even executed swinging her hands in the air like she was holding a sword.

Zathur probably thinks she was stupid if he hadn't known about her being a human. It was understandable, she didn't know after all.

He crossed his arms and nodded to the others. Eliana followed his gesture where she ended up looking at the rest of the Ethereals.

"Knights are knights, it doesn't matter what weapons they wield. What matters is their undying will to protect the people." He said.

Eliana watched how hard they individually trained by themselves. Their sweat trickling down their faces, perspirations of their hard work and effort. They look very passionate and strong-willed with their movements.

It was almost too perfect. Until Jettam slipped on the floor.

Everyone slowed down a bit from their businesses. Larsanel's laughter echoed around the room. Bastion was quick to react. He reached down to pull Jettam up from the miserable ground he landed on.

Jettam's eyes looked around stopping momentarily at Eliana. His cheeks immediately flushed beet red. Had he not forgotten there was another person other than the Ethereals, would he had avoided getting near Larsanel from the start.

"How was the ground, Jett? Cold? Hard? Miserable? HAHAHAHA." Larsanel's laugh got louder when he saw Jettam's face twitching from annoyance.

"Shut up Larsanel." He glared at her. Larsanel stuck her tongue out leaving him behind. She went straight to Eliana's direction.

Jettam's face was plastered by an annoyance. If this was a normal prank day with his cousin, then he would have laughed too. However, there was another person other than just the usual Seven of them. It felt unusual.

He felt the need to prove himself. Eliana might be thinking now about how he must be judged by the fall.

On the other hand, Eliana was amused rather than judgemental. Unlike what Jettam thought she would perceive the whole thing.

"You two... " Zathur trailed shaking his head with a sigh.

Eliana might now be able to distinguish their personalities. Although firm at the beginning they did have their different vibes.

"You should eat lunch with us next time," Larsanel remarked when she was a meter away from Eliana.

Eliana smiled at her, however, it made her remember a foul memory that happened just a few hours ago. She frowned a little.

"We can, but not in the cafeteria." She retorted.

"Why not?" Bastion joined the conversation while he was taking off his vest.

"Attention," Emery who was quietly taking her gears off spoke. She placed the last equipment on the table and faced them. "She doesn't want attention." She stated.

Eliana was surprised she was civil, with no insults nor sassy talks. She gave her a wondering look.

Bastion smiled at Emery. "You're finally warming up."

"Let's just hurry up, I still have a lot to do," Emery says, rolling her eyes after. The girl was always never honest when it comes to herself.

"Let us leave," Anzai said as he waited patiently by the door.

Eliana was sandwiched between Zathur and Larsanel as they walked to exit the room. Jettam and Kylon were behind them. Kylon was teasing Jettam about his not-so-manly fall earlier which agitated Jettam. Bastion and Emery were the first to leave the room. They continued walking to their dorms while having a conversation.

"I can't believe I just came to watch you all train." Eliana blurted out of nowhere.

Larsanel laughed while Zathur on the other hand was quietly listening.

"That's fine. You are going to train with us once your wounds are healed." Larsanel assured.

"Yeah." Eliana nodded. "By the way, is your main weapon shurikens?"

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"For confirmation." Eliana shrugged.

Larsanel's puzzled look made Zathur shake his head. "I guess you still didn't believe me."

"I did believe you," Eliana waved her hands. "However, it was still unusual for me. Don't get me, wrong dude."

"Okay."

"Why? What did you two talk about?" Larsanel felt clueless and she hates it when she's left out.

"Well, Zathur just made it clear to me how not all knights have swords as their main weapons." Eliana laughed now feeling how stupid and possibly racist she might sound.

"Oh." Larsanel laughed. "That sounds really weird, but it's okay. You did come from Earth! Whi-"

"Larsanel, we should not be talking loud about her identity." Anzai butted in.

The two girls, even kylon and Jettam stopped on their tracks. They gave each other a puzzled look. And after a few seconds, they all laughed.

Zathur shook his head. "Aren't you all still not used to him yet?"

"That dude is always like that?" Eliana chuckled. They resumed walking.

"Always, he is, after all, an Azar blood," Kylon said, chuckling softly.

Eliana squinted at the first ranker's back. "He even walks like a cool rich fellow." 

"You mean he has a formal presence right? Because that is how they are." Jettam nodded to Anzai's direction who was walking alone leading the rest of them.

"Oh yeah, I remember how the Azar's are now. I can't believe there are actual people who are like that. He is like one of those cliche comic characters." She laughed at the thought.

"Is this an earth thing?" Kylon asks, showing interest.

"Ah right, you're all Praeditians." Eliana facepalmed.