Draven, Vera, and Mariel watched as the quiet boy Ray had brought with him, grabbed him by the collar and threw him up against the wall.

          "You know damn well where!" He tightened his grip as Ray slowly shrank into his shoulders like a turtle. "Back where I didn't have to worry about rhinoceros sized stone wolves trying to flatten me! Or vampire bats trying to eat me!" He snapped, feeling the heat rising in his head, and the constant beating in the back of his skull grew again.

          "Wow he is stronger than he looks." Draven cooed turning his gaze to Káel. "What? Didn't do so hot on the exam?"

          He glared at Draven and allowed Ray to drop from his grasp.

          "Ok, let's calm down." Ray said patting his shoulder with a cheery smile. "I thought you'd like the exam. What rank did you get?"

          "First you'll promise to take me back to Earth, then I'll show you that stupid rank," Káel snapped, sticking his hand out for a deal sealing handshake.

          Ray stared at Káel's hand for a couple seconds then shook it and smiled. "Deal."

          He removed the slip from his pocket and smacked it into Ray's palm. Ray quickly flattened out the scrunched up slip and scanned its contents with hungry eyes. After finishing he looked at Draven and did a triumphant fist pump. "Yes! I win!"

          "Yeah? Show me that." Draven sneered snatching the paper from Ray and beholding it for himself, his eyes narrowed as he read and reread it. "That's a load of Swatchnea poop, you told me yourself he couldn't even turn a stick invisible."

          "Doesn't change the fact that I beat you." Ray gloated stuffing his finger in Draven's face with a victorious grin.

          "Alright now, take me back." Káel cut in.

          Ray perked up in surprise. "Wait what? You mean right now?"

          Káel nodded, giving him an expectant look. "You promised."

          His gaze fell to the ground as he tilted his head to the side to avoid eye contact. "Yeah, but I didn't say when." He threw his hands up before Káel bursted. "It's not easy to travel between worlds! It'll take some time for me to set up the Telly."

          "How much time?"

          "Hundred days or so... Maybe a little more..." Ray winced at Káel and chuckled nervously.

          Mariel finally decided to cut into the conversation, and placed herself between the feuding boys. "Ray! Do you have any idea how much trouble you can get into for this?! What do you think his parents will do when they find out you abducted their kid?!"

          Ray timidly watched Mariel as she scolded him like an angry mother. "He doesn't have any parents, unless they're on Lumi."

          Káel couldn't help but chuckle, as his surprise comrade continued to lecture Ray.

          "How do you know he doesn't have any parents?! Were you spying on him you creep?" She placed her hands on her hips, her shoulders rising in irritation as she resisted the urge to audibly growl. "And if they're on Lumi they can just find you faster!" She turned to Káel and softened her expression. "I'm so sorry about this, I'll make sure it's sorted out as soon as possible." Her eyes drifted to Káel's scorched palm, and she immediately grabbed his hand with a sharp gasp. "What happened?!"

          Káel glared at Ray, a scheming smile curling his lips. "I overloaded a flashlight while running away from a pack of molves. Because I thought they were trying to kill me."

          "Oh yeah, guess I forgot to mention that." Ray said, scratching the back of his head feverishly.

          "No more talking from you!" Mariel snapped, pressing Ray back with her glare alone. She walked a full circle around Káel, trying to pick out any other injuries he'd sustained, stopping behind him and poking the back of his head. Káel jumped up in pain."Ahh! You have a concussion too!" She whipped another glare at Ray. "This is what happens when you put an innocent kid with no lumience experience against a pack of molves!" Mariel grabbed Káel's hand again and muttered something under her breath. A light green orb quickly formed, and she look up at him with a sweet smile. "This might sting a little."

          She slapped the orb onto Káel's burnt palm, and it exploded into thousands of shimmering green shards that faded away as they tumbled to the ground. The pain from the slap shot through his hand, making him yelp and shake it like a fan with his mouth half open in pain.

          "Give that ten or so minutes to heal." She strolled behind him and grabbed the top of his head.

          Káel's eyes widened as he heard Mariel utter another indecipherable phrase."W-wait! You don't have to-". Mariel slammed her hand down on the back of his head, successfully cutting off the rest of his sentence. He stood there slightly dazed by the unbearable pain bashing on his skull, and was only able to utter a few whimpers or moans, in response to Mariel's attempts at comforting him.

          "It's ok, that one'll only take half an hour to heal." Mariel patted Káel's shoulder. "Vera why don't you two go get registered, since there's nothing else we can do for... What's your name?"

          "Káel." He moaned, squeezing his eyes shut and clutching the back of his head.

          "Káel. Ok Vera, you and Káel can go get registered. I'm sure Draven can show you where to go." She switched her gaze between the three. "Ray's going to come with me to talk with Lady Samanthra."

          "Well, I ain't arguin with ya." Draven cleared his throat and smacked Káel on the back. "Follow me, Noodles."

          Káel obeyed Mariel's command, and followed Draven, putting aside his dislike towards the cocky delinquent. Vera obeyed her sister as well, but released an exasperated sigh to make sure half the room could tell she was pissed.

          Silence lingered over the group as Draven weaved them out of the cluttered lobby. The unbearable pain was slowly washing away, allowing Káel's focus to return. They were being led down a large hallway filled with other teenagers traversing the hall like traffic on a two way road. Káel stole a couple glances at the girl walking beside him, her long crimson hair flowed behind her shoulders, outlining her high cheekbones and raised chin. She looked at him, and they made another awkward eye contact, and quickly averted their gazes from one another.

          The awkward silence was pressing on Káel's comfort, despite the soft chatter and clacking of feet serving as an ambiance for the setting, it was unnerving. He turned his head to the girl again, and waited for her to notice. She looked at him, but this time realized his intent. "What?" She said, furrowing her eyebrows with caution.

          "Nothing." Káel lied, pretending to inspect his surroundings. He turned his head to the girl again and tried to give off a friendly smile. "So, what's your name?"

          Her eyebrows dropped even further as she beheld him like he'd pulled a cat out of his ear, taking on an icy tone. "My sister already said it." 

          The situation quickly elevated to a heavier category of awkwardness, and Káel regretted his question. Until the girl decided to answer, due to her sense of duty towards being mannerful.

          "I'm Vera... Strylaz." She muttered, turning her head away to shield her discomfort.

          "I'm Káel." He replied.

          "Yeah, I know."

          Draven twisted his head over his shoulder and looked at his two followers with a dumbfounded frown. "What are you two? Golems?" He puckered up his lips and pretended to brush long hair behind his shoulder. "I'm- Vera- Strylaz-...." He said in the girliest robot voice he could muster. Then he dropped his shoulders and bent his knees so he was at Káel's head level. "I'm- Noodles!" He cried, laughing hysterically at his own impersonation.

          Draven stared at Vera with a playful grin, only to receive an unamused glare from her. "How much further?" she questioned, pressing on Draven with her unbreaking stare.

          "Aww, come on! Don't be like your sister, let's talk about something like normal people." He stopped in the middle of the hallway, turning his full body to face the two teens as he wrapped his fore finger around his chin and made a hard thinking expression. "For example, if ya didn't have parents to take care o ya at that fancy house back on Earth, who did?"

          "Wait... How did you know about my house?" Káel questioned, feeling threatened by the extent of the stranger's knowledge.

          "Ray told us while you were being tested." Vera cut in. "You're supposed to take us to get registered Draven."

          Draven ignored Vera's reminder. "Ray likes to blab aaaalot, but your secret's safe with me! Soo?" He continued, staring at Káel, with childish curiosity.

          "My uncle..." Káel replied, hoping his answer would end the conversation.

          "Uncle who?"

          Káel stepped away as Draven pushed his face uncomfortably close. "Staz."

          Draven popped up straight and folded his arms. "Staz Staz Staz... Hrmmmm, doesn't ring any bells." He looked down at Káel and drooped his eyes. "That's a bummer, I guess you're still a mystery, eh?" Vera glared as he lifted his leg to turn himself around in a dramatic manner, pointing his finger to the sky and dropping it forwards." To the registration room!"

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3/05/2018