A headache started to instantly form behind his right eye as he stared down at the screen and the stupid ass numbers, letters, and words on it.
Ah, fuck…
Zenny patted Cyrus’ arm, and tried to sound as serious as possible as he solemnly said, “It’s okay. You tried.” His words were ruined by him bursting into giggles just seconds after, but hey, he had tried!
Cyrus rubbed his face, groaning, “It’s not nice to mock people, Zenny.”
He giggled harder at that, feeling more than happy at finally having some sort of interaction with the big man, even if they had failed to solve anything. Cyrus had seemed a lot more unapproachable than Killian and Ender.
“Brat.” The Fate ruffled his hair.
He just sent a beaming smile the man’s way.
Cyrus rolled his eyes, but a smug smirk slipped onto the Cryptid’s face as he said, “You seem to be forgetting that it’s not my homework, and you still have to solve it.”
Zenny’s smile dropped. “That’s not fair!”
“Welcome to the world, kid.”
LeavingKillian to watch by himself in the bleachers, Ender approached the ring, smiling up at the over seven-foot-tall Golem, as he lifted the rope and stepped off the mat.
“You’ve finally made some progress, Rocko.”
“It was either that or find one of your boots shoved up my ass, and I ain’t that kinky,” the big, boxy, bald Cryptid said with a laugh, before playfully bumping his arm against his shoulder.
Unfortunately, Golems were not known for their control, and the man knocked him off balance. Ender flailed with a squeal as he started to fall, Killian shouting out in clear panic, “Ender!”
Soren, having been the other person in the ring, was instantly there, catching hold of him and steadying him on his feet. “Dammit, Rocko, you know better!”
“Sorry,” Rocko blurted, his face having gone pale.
Killian started touching him the minute he reached him, checking for what…he didn’t know. “Are you okay?!”
He batted the Siren’s hands away. “I’m fine!”
As soon as the words were out, a change came over Killian. Becoming deadly still as his head snapped Rocko’s way, scales swiftly grew over the man’s skin, while his nails extended into black claws, and webbing formed between his fingers. At the same time, the Siren’s hair took on a glow and it began to floatupward, as what appeared to be wind started to blow around him and through the gym.
Ah…that can’t be good…
“You!” the Siren ground out.
Rocko took a step back, despite their size difference. “Uh…I didn’t?—”
“Kneel,” Killian commanded, his voice firm.
Ender shuddered as the word reached his ears, his heart racing in primordial dread as he stared on, almost in shock, when Rocko without hesitation dropped to his knees. But then how could he hesitate with the power behind it.
The single word was enough to make him hesitate, and to silence everyone in the room. But whatever was fueling the wind flowing around them, it had made the air heavy and hard to breathe, like walking into a wall of humidity, that happened to be power-filled.
Everything inside Ender was screaming for him to run. He knew with certainty that had the command been directed his way, he’d be kneeling just the same. And that was where the fear lied, losing the ability to control one’s own actions… It would be stupid if he didn’t fear it, with him already knowing how easily the man could calm him with his voice.
Rocko stared up silently, fear more than evident in his large brown eyes, yet the rest of his face had gone blank, making him think there had been more behind the command than just a single action.
“I want you to listen very carefully…” Killian drawled slowly, as he took a languished step forward.
Shuddering at the smooth voice, he snagged hold of one of the Siren’s arms, as he blurted, “Woah there! Pull it back, won’t you? He really didn’t mean to. You know how Golems are. Just big, dumb, with brains full of the rocks they can turn into!”
Killian didn’t react to him at all. And what he said next might as well have suggested Ender hadn’t said a damn thing.
