Leaving the Capital  

"He's too strong—those powerful offense magics at the same time. He's aiming at distracting me. What a pain."

Qadir purposely blocked most of his attacks before. Seeing how eager Harold wanted to fight with him, he shouldn't hold back this time. He can predict Harold's moves but he doesn't want to assume. He's still his student and he doesn't want to be skeptical towards him because it will only mean that he's didn't affect him at all. He could not hold back and but must timely check and anticipate his plans.

"Ok… here it goes."

Qadir no longer avoids and blocks the spears. Emitting a fresh blue aura, he channeled and concentrated his mana on his fingertips and cast the spell.

"Golpe de agujas de viento."

Qadir mumbled his spell while imagining the points his attack would hit first. Though he cast the spell one time, his magic won't attack Harold simultaneously. It was a specialized attack where tiny wind needles would damage his opponent first then heal him after. He usually uses this magic in interrogations and unexpected fights like this.

The attack is imperceptible to others. At first, the opponent will feel a faint pricking pain on the outer layer of the skin then slowly will penetrate the muscles in one to two seconds. The duration of feeling the pain could be intentional or set depending on the caster's purpose.

Qadir intentionally let the pain be felt after two or three seconds to prove his prediction of Harold's next move and either block it, dodge it, or counter it.

When he assured his needles penetrated Harold's body and noticing the latter's vexed aura, he was confident that he shouldn't be anxious but just pissed. He just stood there and waited for Harold.

"Mr. Big Shot has returned."

He was exasperated.

"…2—"

While counting on his mind to see the effect of his magic, Qadir was interrupted by a foghorn-like voice.

"Stop!"

Everyone's eyes widened and was confounded. Harold was stunned and fell with his face down to the floor.

"Ooohh! Just right on time, brother!"

Qadir announced as he raises his hand to welcome the man. The barrier was put off and the soldiers came forth.

"What happened? Why can't I move?"

Harold winced and tried to get up but he can't feel any energy left in his body.

"I didn't even use all my mana and my physical energy is certainly still at its peak. But why I feel like getting sick?"

"Qadir, what the heck did you do?"

The loud voice man with a well-built body approaches Harold as he talks to Qadir.

"Caedman, younger brother will be fine."

Qadir plastered a beaming smile as he kneels down on his right and ruffles Harold's hair.

"Younger brother?"

"The leader is related to the captain?"

"Wow! They're both powerful."

The soldiers whispered to each other.

"Hey, Big Shot! It's been years since we've seen each other again and you're still at it?"

"Ceadman, this time, there was an act. You should've watched our reunion play."

Qadir gave him a lopsided grin.

"This will be a myriad thing for him and wouldn't change. Let him be."

"Hey! Qadir, what did you do to me?"

Harold, who's still struggling to get up, tugged Qadir's fingers. His voice started to get croaky.

"Call me big brother, you disrespectful brat!"

Qadir knocked on Harold's head lightly then he and Caedman helped him get up.

"I did what you wanted me to do ever since. I didn't hold back… well, a little."

Giving Harold a shrug and gazing at Caedman, he beckoned at Agor and his troop.

"It was a smart decision you made, Agor. Sorry for our negligence. This little brother of ours has been in training all his life."

While Agor just apathetically nodded, Harold, whose arms are comfortably resting on Qadir's and Ceadman's shoulders, suddenly broke up noticing everyone gazes at them curiously.

The two captains joined in laughing while the rest tittered, still baffled. The leaders went ahead to an infirmary while they instructed everyone to get along and train well.

***

"You are still reckless, Harold."

Qadir tucked him in bed and prepared the basin with water and a towel.

"Because you're still annoying as ever. Haha…"

Harold chuckled. He then turns his gaze at Caedman.

"Caedman, I've checked the thing you wanted me to look at. There are 20 new soldiers who came from Nego five days ago but they haven't attended any training session for the past two days now. I was told that they will be dispersed separately to Bethil and Boho. But is that all the thing you wanted me to do?"

Qadir turned to Caedman blankly.

"I thought we're not getting him involved?"

"I'm not you're immature trainee anymore. You could trust me in this, too."

"That's not it. It's too dangerous, Harold."

Caedman released a long sigh.

"Qadir, we could get some help. It's good to have Harold and he's in the Capital. And, Harold, for the meantime, yes. Even Qadir and I couldn't do so much."

"Do you think Commander Dumalo is up to something?"

"As I've mentioned to you when we last talked through the magic orb, everything's not clear yet we could just work on with small things slowly."

Caedman turned to Qadir this time.

"How about you, Qadir. What did Commander Oahk tell you?"

"Nothing that could help with this matter. Though it's as strange as what's happening in Nego, he would just let it go for the meantime and wait. He said he's sensing something he couldn't explain."

Silence wrapped the room for a while.

"We won't be having another time like this I guess in another month or so. Communicating through orbs would be fine but it's not convenient when we're out in the field."

Caedman searched for something inside his pocket and handed them to the two leaders.

"Necklace? Wouldn't this be inconvenient, too?"

Harold fretted and fiddled with the jewelry.

"It's a communication and location device. I've had them made by the dwarves different from the rest. It has a protection spell that would deflect any attacks that would inflict great danger to our lives. The stones are rare and they could only be used once. It will come in handy. If Harold's stone detected an immense power that could put him on the brink of death, our stones will flicker in yellow. Qadir would be blue and mine would be red."

"Got it!"

Qadir and Harold simultaneously nodded in acknowledgment. Suddenly, there were knocks heard on the other side of the door.

"I heard Leader Marquez was injured during a duel."

"General."

Though Harold writhed in bed, he tried to get up and saluted to the general.

"At ease. Leader Marquez, you don't have to get up."

"I'm fine now, General. Thank you."

Harold remained seated on the bed while the two captains moved back to give way to the general.

"Yes, he'll definitely be on his toes again… maybe in a minute or so, depending on his behavior towards his big brother here."

Qadir smirked and has his right brow quirked up.

"Ha! You're toying me again. Enough of your doing and restore my energy."

Harold demanded.

"What? I didn't hear you properly, young brother."

Qadir playfully placed his hands on his ear.

"…"

"Shall I leave now? I have to prepare for our early departure tomorrow."

"Hey, wait!"

"Hey???"

"B… big… bro…brother, p… please."

Harold's face and neck reddened while Qadir kept on teasing him.

"…"

"That's already—"

"Fine… fine!"

Qadir snapped his fingers and the wind needles pricking his skin are now in sight. The skittish Harold shouted in surprise.

"Were these needles here all this time? Were they absorbing my mana?"

"Yes and no… but it could be yes also."

Qadir mysteriously grinned.

"When I cast the spell to you before you fell, the duration of the effectivity was set in three seconds. Some of the needles penetrated inside your body targeting your sweat glands, face, and others. That's why you felt feverish. Don't worry, the magic was infused with a cold wind. You should be coughing and sneezing, too. And so, the other needles that didn't go inside your body were intended for your healing. So, yes, they were there the whole time, and no they didn't absorb your mana. You just felt sick because of the needles that attacked you inside."

"Why did you say these could absorb my mana, too?"

"Because if I intended to, those needles will. I could use my mana and your mana in healing you. Though it's of course more convenient to use your mana… but I didn't."

"It's interesting, Qadir. I wish we could have some more time to talk about it."

The general chimed in.

"Anyway, since you've mentioned your early departure tomorrow, I prepared dinner for everyone. I don't want to send off my nephew lamely."

"Ne… nephew?"

Harold poked his ears, squeezed his eyes shut, and opened, switching gazes to the general and Qadir. He studied the two as if they were just playing another prank on him. But no, they were dead serious.

"Did you intend to keep this from me?"

"Nope. It's just that you never asked."

The general and the two captains decided to go out from the infirmary.

"Hey, don't leave me here. Why do I always have to be treated like this? You always detonate the bomb in my weakest state."

"Huh?"

"The other time before this… when Elaine was married to Caedman!"

Despite Harold getting frenzied, they just laughed at him and let him be.

"Waaaahhh!"