Adrian Alcado
Niveous
The morning was bitter and miserable. The sky roared and a blitz of light flashed outside Adrians windows. This was a sight he'd gotten used to these seven months.
He was naive the first rainy day to think it meant no training that day. A fools mistake. There was no breaks when preparing for a war. There was no time to think and process where you are. There was only time to train. He tasted the blood from his cheeks when he trained and held fresh blood when working on abilities.
His trainer was a tireless woman who put cross fit workers to shame. His teacher was just as ruthless. He was mentally and physically drained but somehow the adrenaline of training gave him some sense of relief. Accomplishing goals became all that mattered. It was a good distraction from reality.
And accomplish goals he did. For the past month he trained as a part of the Orphic Armed Royal Officials aiding the Viridis.
Realizing he started his morning too much in his head, got out of bed and changed into uniform before making it to the indoor training grounds.
"Adrian!" He heard his friend Calum shout. Adrian turned around and saw the boy jogging towards him. Finally making it to him, he struggled to make a sentence.
"Take a breather sheesh," Adrian joked. "It's been a long day, you're going to pass out."
"Me? Never," Calum huffed confidently before having a choking fit. He held up a thumbs up before clearing his throat. "Did you see me beat Cairo's ass today? Hah he's all talk when it comes to sword fighting but he could lose to a wall."
"You're all talk too y'know," Adrian said.
"Look at you all high and mighty because you're a Niveous," Calum laughed, slapping his arm around Adrians shoulder.
Well I guess this is to make up for all the years of football I never played in a normal high school I never attended.
"Ava, Cairo and I are going out to Elysian again tonight? I know you always say you're too busy but come for once!" Adrian sighed. Elysian was a pub in town that Calum spent a lot of time at but Adrian usually had night classes with his ability teacher. "And since I know you don't have classes, you should also bring that girl along that you study with."
"Who? Amber?"
"Yeah!"
"Amber doesn't really do that scene," Adrian said, desperately trying to find an excuse to not go.
"Sure she does," Calum said. "Saw her there last Tuesday but she was with some girls and I was too chicken to go up to them. You should so invite her!"
Adrian rolled his eyes. "Fine... whatever."
"Okay great!" Calum said. "You go get her and get changed, we'll meet up back here in like twenty minutes."
And then Calum ran off. "Uh... okay," Adrian called out.
He made his way to Amber's room. They both lived on the grounds of the training headquarters. Amber was more of an ability prodigy than Adrian, but she lacked the combat skills.
He knocked on her door and heard her shout, "Come in Adrian."
"Can you stop doing that? I get it you know it's me," Adrian muttered as he walked into her room.
"Well I am practicing for a reason," Amber retorted. "Gotta see it's making progress."
"Yeah okay whatever. Anyway Calum, that guy who's always drooling over you, wants to go to Elysian tonight."
Amber turned away from her books on her desk. "If you really wanted me to go out you could've phrased that better."
"I don't even want to go out," Adrian huffed, sitting down on her bed.
"You should. You've spent these last months alone, working."
"Cause you're one to talk," Adrian said, eyeing her stack of books.
"I go out more than you," Amber retorted. "I've even made friends outside of the school here."
"I don't want to make friends."
"Good to know you have not changed since I first met you," Amber snorted. "Anyway let's go. C'mon you'll have me there and we can leave if you're bored." Adrian sighed in response. "Now turn away, I need to change my shirt."
From months of sharing rooms, changing near each other was somewhat normal. Adrian did so and they continued to bicker before heading to Adrians room. He changed out of his clothes into his typical white button up and grey pants. He then threw on his Niveous cloak he'd received back when they were scavenging through old towns back with Niamh and the others.
It was still weird to him how vacated some kingdoms were, meanwhile, the Orphic Kingdom seemed like a normally functioning kingdom. Of course anyone from the kingdom says it's nothing like it once was.
After meeting back up with Calum, Cairo and Ava, they headed outside into the small town. The island was designed for ARO (Armed Royal Officials) training and basically everyone there was in the program. It's what Adrian imagined a college campus was like. He was now 18 too.
The streets were buzzing with people. It was different then home. Everyone walked and street vendors always filled the streets.
They walked inside the dim lit pub. People played music and others talked to each other with drinks in hand.
"We're going to do a booth today," Calum said, heading over to an empty booth.
The group all sat down and immediately Calum began to shoot his shot, asking question after question to Amber.
Is this his idea of flirting?
"So, you came out for once," Ava said to Adrian. Being the furthest into the booth, they were more isolated.
"I was dragged out more like," Adrian groaned.
"Hmm. Well regardless, you're here," Ava responded. She spoke carefully. Maybe they were kind of scared of Adrian. Not that they knew his lineage or anything but mysterious Niveous kid who shows no emotion.
When the waiter stood at the table everyone ordered a drink. Adrian wasn't even paying attention when Ava ordered one for him so he was surprised when it appeared in front of him.
"You have always looked so miserable," Ava pushed. "Just loosen up a bit. Obviously don't have it if you don't want it, I'll finish it." Ava laughed.
Time was moving at a snails pace, he decided, fuck it.
Ava kept talking and the more drinks he had the more her stupid talking became somewhat entertaining. In no time Calum was wasted and nearly received a punch from Adrian for coming on to Amber a bit too strong. Than Amber randomly told Calum she was gay and he's left her alone since. Adrian didn't know if she was being honest or trying to get Calum to leave her alone.
Cairo left to sit with some other kids a while ago and Calum was slowly migrating to that table as well leaving Amber and Ava with Adrian.
The music filled Adrian's ears almost like an echo. It was very new and intriguing.
"Are you listening to a word she says?" Amber whispered in Adrians ear. Ava was too into her story to notice.
Adrian shook his head with a small snicker.
"God, you're smiling, this is so weird," Amber laughed.
Adrian furrowed his brow, "I smile?"
Amber huffed out a laugh. "Yeah when there's a temperamental Fērox kid by your side."
"What?" Adrian was very lost in this conversation.
"Never mind," Amber said. She finished her drink in one sip and got up. "Let's go back."
Adrian nodded and slid out of the booth, and finally Ava noticed. "Where you guys going?"
"Back to our rooms. This kid hasn't had a drink a day in his life so better cut him off now," Amber joked.
"Ah okay," Ava responded. "Let me walk you to the others though," Amber offered. She left Adrian alone for a split second as she escorted Ava to the other table of friends.
Adrian just looked around as if there'd be anyone he knew. Maybe Finn would just be standing in the crowd just waiting to harass Adrian with stupid jokes. But the reality was it was just him and Amber. She returned to his side ushering him outside.
"What's the frown for?" Amber asked.
"Miss home," he replied, almost like a child whining sadly.
"Yeah, don't we all," Amber said sadly. They began the walk back, both stumbling a bit.
They made it to Adrians room and she sat him on his bed. She then lit some candles with matches.
"Stick around for a bit," he said.
She nodded before handing him water and sitting on the opposite side of the bed. They were so grown up now, it was weird to him.
"Hey so are you actually gay?" Adrian asked bluntly.
"I-uh no. Just wanted Calum to stop."
"I don't really believe that but okay."
"Hah cause you're so straight yourself."
Adrian huffed out a laugh but he didn't respond.
"Hey," Amber said, grabbing his attention again. "Who do you miss the most?" That's a dumb question. Does she just want me to say it? He looked away from the ceiling and back to her. He looked sad. He was sad. Amber let out a sad laugh.
"I somehow miss the stupid kid too." She readjusted how she sat so her back was against a wall and facing the parallel wall. "I'm sure we'll see them all again." It used to be 'I'm sure we'll see them soon' but it has slowly become, 'I hope we will see them again'. This was only meant to be temporary.
"Who do you miss the most?" Adrian asked.
Amber didn't answer for a bit. She eventually just shrugged. "Not sure."
She cleared her throat before getting up. "I'm going back to my room tomorrow. I've got a class tomorrow."
Adrian nodded in response.
"Don't sleep on your back and drink that water." She made her way to the door, blowing out one of the candles. "Night Adrian."
"Night Amber."
And she was gone.
He sat up and moved to his desk. He began to sift through letters he'd received from Niamh and Sion. Judyta had written him one but no word of Sebastian and Sakiya.
From Adrian's understanding, Judyta didn't see the pair much. They worked with Fērox soldiers together.
Maybe Adrian would write them, but he didn't know what to say.
He barely knows what to think these days. Just wake up, train, study and then sleep.