Chapter Eighteen

Gray was... Bored.

The sound of wood hitting wood rang out as two training swords connected. Locks of red hair flew in the air and he just blinked, looking over at their current referee.

Ghislaine stood there with a bored expression on her face but Gray wasn't fooled. Her eyes studied both of them diligently, keeping track of his movements as he avoided another telegraphed swing and his opponent's movement as she straightened herself and tried to regain her footing.

Was this really necessary? His progress would stagger, as it already has been.

Automatically dodging another attempt to behead him, Gray swung his training sword effortlessly, hitting her curled fingers around the hilt. A shout of pain later and a wooden sword hit the ground with Eris crouching and shaking her hand to seemingly shake off the pain.

Gray kept looking at her for a moment, she seemed annoyed and frustrated, as if she wasn't progressing fast enough. But she lasted longer this time, for a few seconds but still, and she managed to avoid many more of his half hearted attacks.

In all honesty, it was progress that she didn't lunge at him the second she lost her training sword.

"You're still halfway through intermediate level but you lasted longer then last time."

Gray pointed out in an attempt to placate her somewhat, he wasn't sure if he could hold off on striking her across the face to "Teach" her that fight wouldn't be over unless one of them died in the real world.

Eris just sent him a hateful glare and growled, actually growled, getting a raised eyebrow from the boy as he stared at her prone form. It was like mother nature messed up and gave her an animalistic personality, but judging from that, she would have to be tamed to calm her down.

He was sure that there were some sick people that would enjoy breaking her spirit out in the world, but thankfully for her, he wasn't one of them.

Sparing a glance at their mentor, he noticed her scratching her ear where he managed to land a blow a few days ago. True, He was sent flying back with a kick a few seconds later but he still managed to injure a sword kind, even if it was thanks to his sword. It wasn't like anyone else could unsheathe that anyway, so in theory, it was all him.

And he was dying on that hill.

he raised his hand that held the thousand demon dagger, indicating that he wanted a spar later and her ears flickered along with her tail as she looked over at him, nodding a second later.

Her hand left her ear, reviling a new cut that wasn't there before. Her ear kept flicking, unused to the wind that passed through the freshly healed tissue.

As we were about to move over to gain some distance from the houses, a melodic voice sounded from inside the said house.

"Food is ready!"

Zenith's head popped out of the door, smiling at the three of them, but Gray felt a shiver run down his spine. She stared at him for a moment longer then the others, probably still pissed at him that "He" Picked a fight with a sword king. But seriously, it wasn't like he lost a limb or anything and she was the one that attacked first, not him! So technically, it was her fault!

And Rudy! That little traitor! How could he just give out his secrets like that?

Gray pouted, getting a smirk from his mother as she ducked inside the house again. The boy could do nothing but sigh and start his resigned march towards the promise of food...

As he stepped aside to let the other two go inside and followed them in... The table wasn't even set yet, but Lilia was busy with that right now. Rudy was sitting in a chair, swinging his legs back and forth.

Gray narrowed his eyes, he was still salty about what happened and a little revenge wouldn't be out of place. His mana trickled out of his body, turning into water as it floated out of his clothes and towards an unsuspecting little brother.

As soon as it reached the back of his collar it turned into ice, falling down the back of his clothes.

Gray innocently ignored the shriek of surprise and consequent scrambling to take the block of frozen ice out of his clothes.

He got a glance from Ghislaine as Eris started laughing at his brothers misfortune. Shit, did she see that? Gray stared at the single visible eye, as if to challenge her to call him out on it. She just smirked and looked away, after all, there was nothing wrong with a few pranks between brothers.

Turning to his mother, Gray blinked at the pointed look she was giving him... Seriously, this woman knew him too much.

"Is father coming back to eat?"

Instead of bothering to look innocent, he asked a question, trying to at least distract her from the events that happened a few seconds ago.

Zenith tilted her head in thought and finally nodded.

"He should be here any time now... You're grounded, no magic for a week."

Fuck.

He respected her too much to disobey... Taking a deep breath, Gray sighed. What was that thing spider man said? Great power, great responsibility? Yeah, Great consequences too.