'Remembering back to when I was only a cadet i was praised by everyone. It was always my name being whispered among the elder peers at the academy. The hallways, the seating rooms and even amongst the professor's office.'
"Hey admiral! from now on I cant promise that you wont get killed!" shouted Darren on the opposite side of the arena, with his blade raised into a guarding stance.
'The loud cheers across the arena makes me remember why. The people around me are watching an event that will be remembered for history to come and I'm the one standing here.'
"I can't promise you either". Katama shouted back with a visible smug in the corner of his lip.
Planting his left foot back onto the ground Katama dashed towards Darren in a abnormal speed holding his own saber in hand ready to downward slash.
'I've always been a strong minded person since I was young. As clique as it sounds I'm the former son of a corrupted noble back in the mainland who was arrested for transport of illegal drugs and accused human trafficking.'
With a feint with his saber Darren was fast to see slight movements in the corner of his eyes. two Long bending earth cubes was forming from the ground and hid no intention of mercy.
With a fast backstep the cubes smashed into one creating a loud crash sound, following Katama's attack the same man mentioned appeared above the cube with his saber ready for a attack from the air.
-Slash!-
Luckily for Darren he had noticed the moment at his appearance and used the millisecond of reaction to dodge just barely — the saber's edge barely coming close to the young man's eyes.
Katama's eyed widened visibly impressed by the short time Darren had used to react.
With his smile bending even more Katama chased Darren not giving him any time to breath to see how he would tackle the next move. Raising his other arm away from the handle of the sword — with a slight lift of his index finger several round boulders were formed in an instant — meant for bouncing away enemies or make a obstacles so that the target had nowhere to go.
With Darren's back facing one of the present boulder he thought to himself fast. There were no way to except Infront of where Katama was charging him his blade.
Focusing on his stance the sudden shift in the air was visible. Inhaling a deeply and exhaling slowly in just the few seconds gone by a golden outline started to form around Darren — his eyes shifting into golden color that seemed almost royal like.
Katama's charge came to a stop. Looking across his body golden chains that were glowing restrained his body entirely from moving.
"Hah? What an awesome vessel you have". Katama spoke loudly trying to fight back the shackles.
Trying to force more physical strength to try unleash himself the heavenly chains became tighter hugging his body to the point it started hurting.
"Tch...!".
'The heavenly chains' the ability to restrict the movement of anyone who tries to release themselves from the shackles. It was an vessel that was given to 'Cain Verdanski' during his time as a marine — being the first human in all of Endeia's history to befriend an elder beast.
The rules of the utilizing the unique ability was simple. Anything that harbors ill intentions towards the user, be it mentally or physically the chains would apply a blacklist(Influence) on that very being which meant the heavenly chains would work effective.
"Hey! could you please lessen the tightness of these?" Katama shouted sarcastically maintaining a smirk on his face despite the sudden situation.
"Like hell I will!" Darren spoke before charging without hesitation at Katama.
"fuck you then!"
Closing the gap between them Darren was at the stepping door for an clean attack to cut off his arm. Without any thought he raised his sword up to the air.
"Got ya" Katama muttered under his breath.
Darren was fast to feel something beneath him as a rectangle earth cube appeared from the ground hitting him straight in the gut that sent him flying.
"W-What the!?".
Gaining his steady footing in the middle of the air he remembered one thing.
"...I forgot! He can still utilize his vessel!". Darren thought to himself.
It had slipped straight through his mind that Katama could still use it. He had only used the chains against normal criminals who didn't possess powers like him.
Getting closer to the ground another barrage of earth cubes rose from the ground all of them bending towards Darren's exact position.
"This shithead!"
The audience was cheering even louder than before. The spectacles of two vessel's present boosted the intensity of the people watching. Some watched in awe at the un-logical power being displayed and others watched with an anticipated expression.
As the incoming stone cubes from beneath made its appearance around Darren was faced with towering stone walls as he had yet to land in the small space beneath.
***
Katama who stood on the outside on a stone pillar turned to the higher section above him — Lumine watched with an intrigued smirk interested in the final outcome whilst Sarah had turned head away once she saw Darren gaze towards their direction.
Even in the most worst of situations Katama couldn't help but remember his past.
The faces of noble kids and adults staring at him with disgust uttering words he still carried in his mind.
"Why are you even here?"
"Your only a noble because your father couldn't keep it in his pants"
"Your not a real aristocrat".
'My mother, she was maid of my father's manor. One day he had forced himself onto my mother which led to be being born. Not wanting to get rid of me or my mother I lived with my father and my older half-siblings who looked at me like I was some type of eldritch. Why? Because I'm a half- blooded peasant in their eyes'
'half-way through my childhood I had to endure continuous harassment from my siblings until one day I accidently killed my sister. She was pouring steaming water onto my hand until I couldn't endure it anymore and hit it away... resulting the boiling water to splash all over her face. I can still remember the way she screamed in agony. One part of me felt terribly guilty yet another part of me liked it. It was the first time I'd ever watch the very essence of life fade away and it felt good seeing how that shitty-sister of mine died'
Luckily they didn't know it was me because I had ran away from the scene and saw it as an accident. My entire family cried including my other half siblings, her death had left a wound on everybody yet I couldn't help but cry a bit myself. I was unsure if it my own sadness or even happiness i was crying for.
A few years later my entire household was exposed for slave and drug trafficking within the walls of Daimon. My father, my second mother and even the rest of my half siblings were all publicly executed on the central plaza of Daimon for the people to see.
I never really had any relationship with my father so I really didn't care. As for the others their deaths was like an entertainment show — begging and screaming for mercy whilst the executioners raised their axes for their fate.
After the incident I sat in a office room with some higher ups from the government who wanted to speak with me regarding the event. A man clad in a white militaristic attire sitting across from me holding documents in hand. "What will you do now sir. Katama?" He asked me.
[Katama: Age 16]
I didn't know what to do. My family was gone and I never had anything going on for me except living an awkward and introverted life.
"Hm... Your unsure?" The official asked me, raising his glasses like there was something he had to offer which he had.
"There are many people like you... Those who don't know what to do with their life and ends up homeless or even worse case dead".
As the official carefully had read my documents before hand me coming to this meeting he had already a slight idea of what I could do.
"Have you ever heard about Soldat?" The official asked me eyeing deep down on me like I had to answer or I'd die.
"Soldat? Yes I have". I answered.
"And what do you know about it?"
"That's the major island in the west of Endeia where they operate the biggest naval army under the order of Daimon and their grandmaster".
"Are you interested in joining them?".
The sudden proposition had startled me at first but given it another thought I didn't hesitate my answer at all.
"Yes".
That was the only answer I had to give before the same official readied several paperwork for me to prepare my leave for Soldat's marine academy. I had taken my Farwell with my mother who I knew lived safely in her hometown which didn't need to make me worried for her.
Despite the marines known for their high death risk I was rather excited. I heard that most of the soldiers within the marines were similar people like me, failed nobles, mistreated children and others who had nowhere to go. It was a journey I couldn't wait to begin.