Chapter 79: Chaoter Seventy nine
The group sat together in the living room, the familiar sprawl of their downti settling into the furniture like it belonged there. The trio occupied the larger couch facing the TV, controllers in hand, the glow of the ga washing over their faces. Anton sat in a chair to their right, watching them with an expression caught sowhere between fondness and sothing older—the particular weight of a man who had spent centuries alone and was still adjusting to the noise.
Michael had arranged himself vertically in another chair, his head on one armrest, his legs dangling over the other. It looked uncomfortable. He appeared entirely content.
Zeke walked in without announcent, crossed to the drink rack, pulled a bottle, and tilted it back. The gulp was long, audible, and entirely without ceremony.
The group’s attention shifted to him. They had long since grown accustod to his unpleasant habits, but familiarity had not reduced the ick. Aaron’s nose wrinkled. Kai’s face perford a small, precise expression of disgust.
"Bro." Anton’s voice carried the particular weight of a man observing a breach of social contract. "Grow up."
"Ahh." Zeke lowered the bottle and burped. The sound was deliberate. "Let’s spar."
Jude didn’t look away from the screen. "We sparred yesterday. Let us be."
"I know." Zeke walked toward the seating area, rolling the bottle between his palms. "But bleeding and not healing imdiately has a hold on . It’s been years since I felt that. It’s addicting."
"Years?" Kai set his controller down, the ga forgotten. "I thought you had amnesia. You don’t rember your years before immortality."
Zeke’s mouth curved. "Why don’t you take a trial at being a detective?" He dropped into an empty chair, sprawling. "You’d die easily."
Kai’s smile was precise, practiced, and communicated exactly how little he was falling for the deflection. "Tsk." Zeke leaned back, conceding nothing. "Little Kai has grown up."
The silence that followed was pointed. Kai waited.
Zeke folded his arms behind his head. "I spent millions of years in the first floor’s trial." He said it the way soone might announce what they’d had for breakfast. "For most of those years, I didn’t have immortality."
"Mm." Michael’s voice drifted from his inverted position. "That explains the aura density increase. The battles. The experience." A pause. "A million years does change a man."
"Of course." Zeke’s grin was sharp. "I fought gods. If I didn’t co out war-like, it would be an insult to my being."
"Millions of years," Anton said, "and you still act a fool."
"At least I’m not young with dentia."
"OH." Kai sat forward. "You’re channeling your trial years."
Zeke shrugged. "I don’t only leave with trauma."
"I’m thousands of years old now." Jude’s smile crept across his face, slow and sly. "At least ntally."
Kai groaned, sinking into the couch. "I can’t be the youngest again."
"Now that we’re on the topic." Aaron finally set his controller down. "Why don’t we share what we went through in our trials?"
"Oh,
first." Kai’s hand shot up. "Mine has to be the most boring, so I’ll get it out of the way before the exciting ones."
He shrugged, already settling into the story.
"Then I’ll probably be next," Aaron said.
"Ooo." Zeke’s grin widened, all teeth. "We’re saving the best for last."
The group rolled their eyes in unison.
---
Kai’s story was short. He told it with his hands, the way he told everything, the words tumbling out faster than they needed to, filling the space before silence could settle. Aaron’s was quieter, his voice lower, his eyes fixed on a point sowhere between the floor and the far wall.
When they finished, Zeke let the silence stretch, just long enough to feel its weight.
"Phew." He broke it cleanly. "What’s with the energy? Other than Michael, you guys have weird reactions. Can’t lie."
Michael’s expression didn’t change, but sothing in his posture shifted—an acknowledgnt. "You’re so insensitive."
"I can’t believe the one who simulates emotions has to tell you that." Anton shook his head, an exasperated smile pulling at his mouth.
"Is that shade I see?" Zeke leaned forward, grin intact, testing.
{ Are you boys going to work around getting emotional? } Zero’s voice filled the space, dry as old paper. { There’s no weakness in talking to the people closest to you. More so since you all went through traumatic experiences. If you don’t want to be emotional, you can find a workaround by finding cool things about your experiences. I can’t believe I have to act as a therapist for you fools. }
The group’s collective composure fractured. Kai’s attention found the ga pad with the focus of a man discovering sothing fascinating. Aaron’s gaze migrated to the ceiling, where it found nothing of interest and stayed there anyway. Anton’s hand moved to his chin, suddenly contemplative.
"So." Jude’s voice cut through the scattered attention. "Michael. You felt emotions?"
"Yes and no." Michael smiled—a small, contained thing. "I’m simply too strong to be placed in a trial like you. The mont I woke up, I knew I was in a trial. I figured I had gained emotions. I was going to end it, but to understand better, I decided to split a portion of my soul to continue the trial while the majority of my soul watched."
He shifted in his inverted position, crossing his arms behind his head. "It was both an experint and a failsafe. In case my split soul with emotions failed the trial—whatever it would be—I didn’t know what the punishnt for failure would be." A pause. "So unlike you, who gained sothing from it, it was like watching a 4D movie. Still, it was eye-opening. The butterfly effect of emotions on ."
"Have you never felt emotions?" Kai asked. The question was softer than his usual register.
"Indeed. Since birth. My trait is simply a compounded effect of my being and awakening. The system made it better and mystical."
Zeke leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "It’s not that hard. I could bring you to the Crucible and lock your trait."
Michael’s smile widened a fraction. "You really prefer the light." He held Zeke’s gaze. "My trait, as I said, is only because that was how I was before I awakened. Take it out, and I’ll still be the sa. There’s no cure. You just have to believe that I have emotions and whatever I display is real." A pause. "You’ve done a good job so far."
"That’s stupid," Zeke muttered.
Michael pivoted. "Aaron. You heard voices?"
Aaron’s smile was sheepish, his hand coming up to rub the back of his neck. "And you didn’t hear my inner voice?" Zeke’s silly grin returned. "I might just be too op."
"Or," Anton said, "Aaron simply thinks you don’t care enough to care for him."
"Too much negativity," Kai countered. "Maybe it’s because he thinks Zeke has accepted him as is."
Jude’s eyes narrowed. "That would an he thinks we haven’t accepted him." He turned to Kai. "And that doesn’t seem right, does it?"
The weight of their attention settled on Aaron.
Michael’s voice was even, unhurried. "It’s simply because Aaron here thinks Zeke does not care for any of you. He’s riding the wave. That’s why he has no deep thoughts about any of you. He fears his brothers seeing him as weak. And he fears Zeke not seeing him in any light." His eyebrow rose. "Am I wrong?"
Aaron’s jaw tightened. "No."
Michael turned. "So, Zeke. What do you think of your friends? Your brothers?"
Zeke’s expression didn’t shift, but sothing behind his eyes did. "I think they’re an important facet of my life. And I believe I’m important to them as well."
He let the words settle.
"Aaron. Jude. Kai." His gaze moved across them, one to the next. "Hell, you, Anton. Aunty and uncles outside the Tower. You’re family. I might act like I don’t care, but you’re the only thing keeping
sane. If I lose any of you—" His voice caught, just for a mont. "I might lose my mind."
He looked down at his hands. "You were the ones who kept
going in the void. When I died, I kept going because I would pass the trial and we would continue being brothers. Even if one of us can’t feel the emotions we feel toward him."
When he looked up, his smile was large, unguarded. It changed his face entirely.
Kai was on his feet before anyone else moved, crossing to Zeke, placing his hands on his shoulders. "I understand you see us as family, but Yeon is not your sister. So don’t feel weirded out." His grin turned sly. "Give us Zeon."
"Mm." The group nodded in unison.
Zeke’s composure cracked. "Fuck off. We’re taking it slow."
The group smiled. Then the sentence completed its journey through their collective consciousness.
"Eh?"
"That’s the closest we’ve co to Zeon." Aaron was out of his chair, voice cracking on the last word.
The questions ca from everywhere—Kai demanding details, Jude’s speculative eyebrow, Anton’s slow, delighted grin. Zeke fended them off with raised hands and the expression of a man who had made a tactical error and was only now calculating its full cost.
"We’re not dating. Stop these questions. Don’t ruin my chance."
The last part landed like a stone in still water. The room composed itself. Kai’s hands retreated. Aaron sat back down.
"Ahem." Jude cleared his throat. "We wouldn’t want to ruin our most desired relationship."
"You’re weird, selling your sister out." Zeke pointed at Kai, who spread his hands in innocent supplication.
"Ahem." Kai’s voice dropped to sothing approaching dignified. "Tis for a fair price, gentleman."
{ You had sothing going on. } Zero’s voice cut through the chaos with the precision of a blade. { Don’t ruin it. This was character developnt in action. }
The energy in the room settled, the laughter fading to sothing quieter.
{ Kai. } Zero’s tone gentled. { You felt your parents were unhappy with your talents. The Tower showed you your fears. What do you think now? }
Kai’s grin softened. "It’s just talent. I knew my parents wouldn’t do that to . My mom even made a weird joke." He shrugged. "So I knew it was my fears. It was good, though. Reaffirmation that my talent doesn’t matter to my people. No matter the standards of the world."
His smile was wide, uncomplicated.
"To be honest." Jude reached over and smacked Kai’s shoulder, a companionable impact. "Before we t Zeke, A-Rank talent was top tier. Your sister was just an anomaly."
{ Aweso. Jude. } Zero’s voice shifted focus. { How did you feel in your experience in the trial? How has that affected your bond with your brothers—sworn and half? }
Jude’s hand found his knee. "Eh?"
He scratched his cheek, the gesture pulling his mouth into a shape that wasn’t quite a smile.
"I’ve not really had ti to talk to Anton since the Tower. I’ve been avoiding him, to be honest. It was his egging—the son of destiny talk—that inspired the trials, I think. So I’ve been avoiding that conversation." He looked up, found Anton’s face. "But he’s my brother. He feels guilt. I can’t avoid him and hurt him because I’m scared of what might happen. I have to live in the now. And if sothing happens—" His gaze moved across the room, touching each of them. "I have you all to stay with ."
Anton’s hand found Jude’s hair before Jude could move, ruffling it with the particular aggression of soone who didn’t know how else to express what he was feeling. "It seems I’ve not really lived up to my ntal age. I’m sorry for springing it on you. Earth can fend for itself. You’re a kid. You should enjoy your youth." His voice roughened. "And as your older brother, it’s my duty to protect you. So if they co this ti around—" He looked at Jude, and sothing in his face was older than his years, older than four thousand years. "I’ll hold the sky for you."
"Hey." Jude ducked away from the hand, but the protest was soft, almost affectionate. "Stop it."
{ And that brings us to Anton. }
Anton’s hands found his knees. "I’ve held the guilt of causing your death in my past life. I’ve resolved it. You told
you forgave ." He looked at Jude, and his smile was warm, unguarded. "Now I’ve reached an epiphany again. So instead of wallowing in guilt—" He spread his hands. "This ti, I’ll be a big brother to you, kiddo."
"Jude." Kai’s grin returned, sharp and bright. "My big sis slams your big bro."
"She’s my big sister too."
"No way."
"Indeed, no way." Anton’s affront was theatrical, but the smile beneath it was real. "I can’t share my brother with that woman."
"Then you just have to hold this fist." Zeke tapped Anton’s shoulder, threw a lazy, looping punch that Anton dodged without looking. The shadow boxing that followed was sloppy, playful, the movents of n who had spent the last hour talking about things that hurt and were now, deliberately, not.
{ Zeke. } Zero’s voice cut through the bit. { Grow up. }
Zeke dropped his fists. "Ahem." He settled back into his chair, arranging himself with exaggerated dignity. "So. It’s my turn to fess up."
He let the silence hold for a mont.
"Well." He looked at his hands. "I have nothing to say, I guess. My fear has been being alone. I’m immortal. You all are mortals. You’ll die one day." He looked up, and his smile was strange—bright, sharp, sothing almost fierce in it. "But funny thing—after everything, I realized the lifespan of powerful awakened is in the thousands. Even weak Anton lived to four thousand years." The grin widened. "So yeah. We have a lot of ti together."
He cracked his knuckles. "And we have ti to fuck up the Tower."
Kai’s hands ca together, knuckles popping. "Yeah."
The group’s postures shifted. Shoulders squared. Chins lifted. The energy in the room tightened, focused.
"We have to deal with the organizations after us first." Michael’s smile was testing, a blade’s edge.
"Then we’ll do that."
"I’m kind of happy you found love in the trial." Jude’s voice was quiet, but his eyes were fixed on Zeke. "Now you know what to expect when you finally date Yeon. And thank God it was in a trial." His face was serious, immovable. "If you had married any other person than Yeon, I might have turned into that god."
He ant every word.
Zeke raised his hands in reluctant surrender. The group nodded, one by one. The acknowledgnt passed between them without words, the way these things did when they’d been fighting together long enough.
---
"So." Zeke stood at the door, the morning light catching the silver in his hair. "This is it. We’ll be seeing each other whenever."
Anton and Michael stood on the threshold, their bags packed, their postures already turned toward the road.
"Three months." Zeke held up three fingers. "We’ll see each other here every three months. We’ll leave whatever we have going on, and we’ll et. Or else I’ll find you and drag you here."
The group murmured agreent.
"The boys are staying at the academy?" Michael asked.
"Yes." Zeke nodded. "I’ll be the only one who occasionally lives in this house."
"Don’t ruin your students." Anton’s grin was a parting gift.
Jude stepped forward. His hand found Anton’s, shook once, firm. Then he drew him into a hug, quick and fierce.
"Don’t miss , little bro."
"Tsk." Anton’s voice was muffled against Jude’s shoulder. "I’m hugging you so you don’t die and regress again."
"How can I die?" Anton pulled back, his smile crooked. "I’m the worst regressor. I only get one regression. So I’ll cherish it." He held Jude’s gaze. "I haven’t seen my nephews and nieces."
Jude shot him a look of disgust, but he was smiling when he walked back to the house.
Zeke turned to Michael. "When you get rich, make sure you pay
back for all I’ve done."
Michael’s eyebrow rose. "What did you do?"
Zeke clutched his chest, staggering backward with the full theatrical weight of a man mortally wounded. "Oh, oh. Aigoo. You unfilial child." He turned to Anton, his voice cracking with manufactured grief. "Anton. Correct his ways."
"Bah." Anton was already walking, his hand raised in farewell. "Who says I’ll be staying with this one? I’m out of here."
They walked off together, Michael’s hand lifting in a wave he didn’t turn back to see.
Zeke watched them go until the road bent and the trees took them. Then he turned to the trio.
"Okay, boys. I’ll see you at the academy. If I get the chance."
"You’re leaving?" Kai’s voice carried sothing he wouldn’t na.
"Ah, yes." Zeke’s smile was quick, bright. "I have to prepare a few things. I’m a professor, after all."
His figure shimred. The air where he’d been settled slowly, like water closing over a stone.
---
The classroom was small, by the academy’s standards. Ten desks, arranged in a loose semicircle facing the front. Sunlight fell through tall windows in long rectangles, catching the dust motes that drifted through the still air.
The teenagers gathered in clusters—two here, three there, the natural geotry of strangers waiting for sothing to begin. Their conversation was low, speculative. Who was this professor? Where had they co from? What field would they teach?
The voice ca from everywhere and nowhere at once.
"Yo."
He appeared in the space before them without transition, without the door opening, without the displacent of air that should have accompanied his arrival. One mont there was empty floor. The next, he stood there, hands in his pockets, silver-streaked hair catching the light, grey eyes moving across the room with an amusent that seed to include everything and everyone in it.
His smile was easy, unhurried. His posture said he belonged here, had always belonged here, was simply waiting for the rest of them to catch up.
"I’m Professor Vaughn."
Zeke Vaughn leaned against the front of his desk and folded his arms.
"Welco to the S-Rank class."
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