The Spiritguard

"It's time for something we do with every class in the Spiritguard Training Program," Mr. Copper says as he paces back and forth at the front of our classroom. "Something I like to call 'the culling'. Heh."

I see Kael shuffle in his seat. Does he know something I don't? Well, I guess we're all going to know in just moments.

Mr. Copper slams his hand down on the desk of a student in the front row, a rowdy trainee who nearly jumps out of his skin at the sudden act. 

"A three-round tournament will be held with all of you. This will be an opportunity to showcase all you have learned, and any tricks you might have up your sleeve. Here's the catch - anyone who wins all three of their match-ups will be given certain special privileges. And anyone who loses all three of their match-ups will be sent home."

The room grows completely silent. "Whether you pass or fail this test is completely up to you. You've been honing your skills. If you cannot win a match against one of your peers at this point, you're holding the team back. Any good Spiritguard knows their limits."

"Matches will begin tomorrow. Everyone will face off one time. We will repeat it again the day after, and the day after. This will give you all plenty of time to rest, recuperate, and prepare. The match-ups will be posted the day before, each day. The ones for tomorrow are up on the board. Now, dismissed!"

My head jolts up. I was transfixed on every word he was saying, and I wasn't expecting to be dismissed so quickly. He rolls out a large diagram with all of our names on it, paired together. Whoever is paired with me must be my opponent.

It's a little hard to read from where I'm sitting, so Kael and I walk up to see who our opponents are. 

"You're up against Marc in the first round," I say, looking at the chart. "Sucks to fight against a friend, but that should be an easy win for you, right Kael?"

Kael chuckles and tries to project confidence, but I can tell there's a sense of worry in him.

"We've been here three months," Kael remarks. "He's gotten a lot better than when we first started. I'd say he and I are about equal."

I look back at the chart. Seems I'm paired with a 'Jonah Adler'. I have a vague idea who that is, but I've never really spoken to him. "Shouldn't be hard for me either," I smirk. "If this guy was any good, I'd have heard his name by now."

Kael looks to where I'm pointing on the chart. "Jonah? Oh, no, Sig. That's probably the worst match-up you could have had!"

I flinch my head back in disbelief. "Oh yeah?" I scoff. "I don't even know who it is!"

Kael pulls the corner of my shirt and motions to someone standing nearby. "That's Jonah," he murmurs. "You just play with your sword all day so you wouldn't have noticed. He's not a physical fighter, but he's real good with Animus techniques. As good as me, I'd say - if not a little more versatile. He knows a lot."

"I appreciate the concern, but I think I can handle myself. My sword will be at his neck before he can use one of his little Animus techniques."

Kael buries his face in his hand. "What am I going to do with you..."

I take a big stretch. "Sounds like we have the day free to prepare, huh?" I smile. "Want to hit the town, take a little walk?"

Kael looks back to the posting. I look into his eyes and follow his gaze. He's staring at his name and Marc's. 

"Sure, Sig. Let's do it."

It's nice to get some time alone with Kael. Even though we eat every meal together, train together, sit next to each other in class...it never feels quite like it used to. There are always others around. Different distractions. Mira telling inappropriate stories, or Marc daydreaming about the Capitol. He's never been there, but he wants to go, maybe even work there someday. Something about being surrounded by all those people every day, living in a big city, brings a glow to his eyes that I haven't seen him get from anything else.

Here I am, spoiling my alone time with Kael by thinking about other people. I try to slip back into the moment, as we walk by the front lawn of the general store. 

"Still haven't talked to Kavella much, huh?" Kael smirks. Apparently, he didn't get the memo that this was 'he and I' time, and he wants to talk about other people, too.

"What do you mean?" I say, trying to deflect. 

"Well. You liiiiike her!" he says and immediately (playfully) punches me in the stomach. I'm caught off guard and keel over.

"Hah! I got you!" he exclaims. He has NEVER been able to get me like that before. Damn kid, maybe he has learned something the past three months.

"Oh no you don't!" I screech, and I tackle him into the grass, pinning him. I look at him and smile, our faces just inches from each other. I linger for a moment, looking into his eyes, admiring how adorable he looks, before I burst out laughing and roll over onto the grass next to him. We both stop laughing and lay there, side by side, staring up at the blue sky.

"Sorry," I say, thinking about what had just happened. I realize this kind of thing is a little uncomfortable for him, but I can hardly help myself. He's like a little brother to me, after all. But, part of me knows, and has always known, that Kael might see it a little differently.

"It's okay," he says, taking a deep breath. "I guess...I'm sorry, for making it weird?"

I clear my throat because I want to make sure my words are clear and direct when I say them. "You didn't make it weird."

"Hey, Kael?"

"Yeah?"

"Some day, we're going to find you a nice guy. I'll be your wingman and everything. And...maybe by then I'll have a nice girl too. If not, then you're going to have to help me find one too, you brat."

"You can't date any girls I don't approve of, you know," Kael says, turning to me and giving me a stupid, silly grin. "So of course I'll help you find one. I think we already know one that I'd approve of, though."

"Oh yeah? Which one is that? We know a lot of girls, and they're all pretty pretty..."

I blush saying that. I feel a little awkward talking about the girls I like with Kael. Feels like we should be fighting over them. But again...I'm sure he sees this differently.

"I like the idea of you with Kavella. I can see it." He turns his head back to the sky just as a big fluffy cloud passes over us. "But whether or not she sees it is a different story. Sig, you can barely get her to look at you!"

"Oh, shut up."

Kael closes his eyes and starts taking some deep, relaxed breaths. The sound of his peaceful breathing puts me at ease.

I peek up as I notice a shadow pass by us, and I see Natalia walking by, a six-pack of Vitarine elixirs in tow. She looks as if she's considering walking up to us, but then when she sees me, she gives me a soft wink and continues walking by. Even she knows that Kael and I need our alone time, huh?

"There was a time, not long ago, we made a pact. Remember?"

Kael giggles. "How could I forget? It was one of the most awkward moments of my life."

I bite my lip. Was it that bad?

Kael and I have always been socially awkward, and we didn't have any friends besides each other. We'd made a pact that if neither of us could find a romantic partner by the time we were 30, we'd move in together and spend the rest of our lives as roommates. Forego all romance in our lives. Just be bros forever.

"I don't think we'll need it," I say, feeling tears well up in my eyes, though I don't know why. "But it would be a lot of fun."

"Whether we stay as roommates for the rest of our lives or not, Sig...you'll always be my number one."

"And you will always be mine, Kael."

We stayed on the lawn together in silence for a long time.