I am no Hero

Since I have not visited my family for the past four days and focused on the training, I didn't get any clothes or other things to pack. I just had two training uniform sets given to me by the Obsidian Shadow which I can keep in the room so I can wear them when I come back.

I reach home by the time for lunch and can see everyone is waiting for me outside with eagerness and excitement on their faces. I just look down as I have not achieved the target I have kept for myself to achieve before I come home.

Looking at my sad face, my sister Zaana comes to me nudging my shoulder and says "Hello stranger. Welcome back." with a smile on her face.

I try to hide my sadness and unsatisfied expression, but I couldn't as this is the first time I had to endure the failure in my own decision. But, I have to endure it as I have a gut feeling this is not the last time I will be facing it.

I smile at my sister and look at my mother who comes to me and pats my shoulder which makes me take a step front to bare compensate the raw power from that to which my father says "Stop it Leena, he is already tired."

I look at my father with thanks and gratitude for protecting me from my mother who at times shows her love in a brutal way. I can sense a small hype in my sister's energy and realize she has now upgraded to Low-E grade and is trying to hide it from me.

I just smile at her childish game which she likes to play and now she is trying to keep it a secret from me as revenge for not telling her I have started speaking with Dawn after the fight we had. I leave it for now as I have other important things to discuss.

I haven't told my family about the nightmare and because of that, they feel like I am over doing myself to become stronger and make them proud which they have tried to tell me in many occasions though various hints.

The lunch was very satisfactory as my mother and sister had prepared all my favorites and I had my stomach full. I couldn't stand from the dinning table after the lunch and had to get help from my father to come to the living room.

We have a specific rule in our home 'Never talk about work while eating.' Which has helped me today or I know I would have been bombarded with many questions and suggestions on improving and taking care of myself during the missions.

I know this is going to be a long day, but I am again saved by my father who asks me to get some rest so we can discuss the things that are important when I am not looking too tired as I am now.

I go to my room to get some much needed rest, but is interrupted by my sister who wants to speak with me with concern on her face which is something I am not familiar with. With this I know what she is about to talk to me is more important than it used to be.

With that in mind, I bring my full focus on her as I want to know what is making her come out of her usual childish character. Looking at me showing interest in what she wants to say she gives a sigh of relief before asking "We heard you are over exerting yourself in the training sessions which they don't want you to continue. Is that correct?"

I don't know what to say to this as I had no idea they had told this to my family as I am not ready to back down from the training I am doing. I don't want her to worry about me, so I say "I am not over exerting myself sis, but going hard on my training."

"I know you want to be a hero in the battle, helping anyone you can, but remember one thing Alexander Saad. You can try to be a hero, but promise me you will not take unnecessary risks and come back to us." she says which makes me feel a little worried. She never uses my full name, unless she is really angry or worried about me.

I can see tears forming in her eyes when she said this. I wish I could refute this, but I am a person who intends to help anyone in need if I can. That is how I am and how I will be which can never be changed.

"I am no hero sis. I just do what needs to be done." I tell her with a soft hushed voice so she will know I am not trying to argue with her.

She replies "I know and that is what makes you a hero. Promise me you will come back home every time you go out there." and keeps insisting on getting that promise which I have to agree with or she will keep pestering me about it.

I reluctantly promised her that I will come back home and will not take unnecessary risks that will endanger my life to make her smile. Only then she left my room for me to think about it as I am not sure what I am going to do from here.

Now I know Jack has orchestrated it as I am being reckless, not just in battles, but also in the training to become stronger and he has successfully achieved what he wanted from it.

I spent a few days with my family as I got a message from Jack that I will come to the base only when I am called upon and will have to stay within the town's defense wall until further notice which I had to follow whether I liked it or not.

It took five days for me to get an email from the Obsidian Shadow which I was waiting for, with a mission for me to go with a team to handle a 'situation'.