Testing Out Powers

LAYSA

Growling in pain, Zephyr refused to fall down and give up again. 

Weeks were passing and his grief and rage doubled. He couldn't allow this to become his defeat.

And to strike back again, he started training his body. 

Going through severe training to become strong, much stronger than Zirkos.

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Young Lord." 

Yor spoke compassionately after defeating Zephyr in a fight for the fifth time.

"How can I not be after what happened?"

Hissing, he was panting heavily, bruises over him yet he forced himself to stand, to fight until he would become better.

"Zephyr, please." 

"Go, Azura. Let me train."

"Go where? What do I have except for you?" She argued, afraid for his health but nothing could help him.

"Tsk."

"Lady Azura, He won't listen like this."

Katlan came, frowning at his friend. Being a prodigious soldier, his strength was praised all over Delphia as he was regarded as the future Knight.

Zephyr was about to swing his sword toward Katlan but he dodged it, grabbed his wrist and kicked him on the side.

Throwing him on the ground after snatching his sword away in one smooth go.

"I only heard, I didn't expect Yor's son to be this strong." 

A whisper came from the soldiers who were watching the black haired man, with raven eyes frowning at his best friend.

"Argh!" 

Groaning, Zephyr punched the ground. 

Everyone around him was giving him a pitiful look but he knew what he was going through. Their compassion won't fix anything.

Katlan glared at everyone to leave them. When everyone left, he sighed in disappointment and gave Zephyr a water bottle.

"There is still a long way for us to go. We need to pour our blood into the harshest training, Zephyr, if we want to defeat that monster." 

Katlan explained nonchalantly, helping him to stand and throwing a towel to wipe his blood and sweat.

"I know. I know I won't reach that level in a matter of moments too."

Zephyr mumbled, chugging down some water.

Pushing his hair to let his bruises sting and evoke the urge to go forward, to push himself beyond his limits.

"But training is helping me to divert my mind or else I think I will go insane."

"Is there something you would like to share?" 

Zephyr glanced at his friend, curling his hand in a hopeless, wanting to tell him but was not sure and breaking the moment, Lady Red came.

"My, Young Lord, there you are. I was looking for you." 

Zephyr and Katlan stopped instantly and bowed from respect.

"Lady Red." Zephyr spoke in a charming tone.

"I want to speak with you.."

Katlan didn't think much and left them alone.

"Yes?"

"Zephyr, are you okay…" She asked softly, standing next to him. 

"Barely managing."

 He sighed, glancing at the woman who was entangled in this mess and now had to run away with him.

He felt like he ruined everyone's future- he did.

"I apologize, My Lady. This is not the type of life I intended to provide you guys." He apologized sincerely, curling his hand in a fist.

"It's okay. I am with you. I heard you are going to start training, good for you. I shall pray for your success." She forced a smile, giving his head an assuring pat. 

"Thank you for… keeping everything a secret and.. I am sorry." He trailed off sorrowfully, carrying the guilt inside him.

"We both are stuck in it. 'You' wanted to summon ZIrkos but I showed you."

"Your Father was right, you couldn't become a king at eighteen like your ancestors." 

She sighed, piercing his heart by her cold statement, throwing reality on his face.

Unlike his ancestors, he might have the purest and rare blood but he was incapable of handling a kingdom. 

And this failed attempt to prove his strength was a result of his arrogance.

"Maybe I had too much pride in you too." 

"I will become stronger." He had nothing else to say.

"You have to."

Enunciating, she gave him her blessings and walked away after magnifying his troubles by her talks, forcing the sensation of being not worth it. 

Surrounded with his upheavals, he knew there was only one person who could help him overcome this phase, who would guide him. 

At night, they were on top of the tower King of Laysa gave them to separate them from his kingdom to avoid problems in the future.

"Katlan, listen."

"What is it, Zephyr?"

"There is something I want to tell you before anyone because I need your support." 

Zephyr took a pause, swallowing hard to gather his emotion and mentally preparing himself for his reaction.

"You have it, After my Father, it's my duty to protect you, Baby boy anyways." Katlan cracked a joke, folding his arms at his chest.

"Hey." He frowned.

"So, tell me."

"I-"

The second Zephyr opened his mouth to share his darkest perturbation with his friend, a woman with light ash blonde hair and white eyes jumped on the balustrade of the roof with a deadly smirk.

The hysteria in her eyes revealed that her powers were on an unmatched level with a number four imprinted on her cheeks.

"What the-"

Astonished at the unforeseen person, they jumped back, drawing their weapons and exchanging a worried glance.

They could tell with one eye-contact that she was immensely strong.

"Greetings, Young Prince," 

Her tempting tone came out, standing up slowly, holding a staff gracefully in her hands. 

"May I know the reason behind this warm welcome, or, who are you?" Zephyr asked with a shaky smirk. 

He tried to stand strongly before her but he could tell she was on a much higher level than them. 

Holding her head high in pride, she gave them an introduction.

"I am Nayah, the upper fourth commander of the Abyss." 

'You gotta be kidding me? Upper commanders?!' 

The boys thought at the same time, shivering to know what a demonic creature was doing here.

"If your master thinks he can take my land by summoning his commanders then he is wrong!" Zephyr yelled, hating that one trouble didn't end and another started.

"From where you stand, you are nothing but a talk, you low human."

Scoffing, she shifted her staff, becoming serious to test the abilities of this human her master selected and to show her what they were capable of.

"You-" 

Zephyr was about to engage in a fight but Katlan came, pushing Zephyr away and protecting him. She released a large scale explosion and from the crystal of her staff, hands emerged and stuck to Katlan's face who screamed in pain.

"Katlan!" Zephyr gasped, coming to attack but she was too powerful and the hands attacked Zephyr throwing him against the wall, breaking his limb.

"My, a dear friend?"

Licking her lips, she turned back to Katlan, those hands ripped his eye out, "Ahh!!"

"No!!" 

Keeping the friends caged, Nayah was hitting Katlan to the point his body began to bleed madly and he lost consciousness only to break Zephyr's heart by hurting his friend.

"Let him go!" Zephyr growled.

A tear pricked in his eyes when Kaltan was trembling on the ground, blood uncontrollably flowing out from the wounds and lost eye. 

"Now you," She smirked, releasing a slash Zephyr couldn't subdue and it cut his arm deeply.

'What savage power.' He thought, gasping from pain and lack of strength in order to defeat this monster. He fell on his knees, holding his arm and glaring at her.

"I have a message for you from My Lord, Young Prince." 

Her tempting tone came, approaching him slowly. She stood before him, resting her hand over her waist, delivering the message.

"This is the start, I will ensure you fall on your knees and your pride shatters before me, Prince of Delphia…" 

Pausing, she appeared before him and completed her words ruthlessly in his ears.

Forcing the realization of what Zephyr ended up doing and how much destruction his one wrong action of pride was going to cause.

"You will regret bringing me into this world."