Chapter 38 – Excellence Camp XVIII

Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 2nd of Brightforge, year 315 UC

Bryan found himself downstairs on the second floor of the rose garden. It was still early for his duel with Julius, but with three hours to spare he could get in some training.

Or so he thought.

"Over here!"

Alexander waved him over as soon as he spotted him.

Christopher, Sabrina, and Farrah were also present and seated at the same table.

'Now, what are they doing?'

Bryan asked himself.

They couldn't be training because they were still in their uniforms. So, were they having some sort of meeting?

He planned to ignore them but figured he would attend in case whatever they were doing was important.

It was doubtful, but it never hurt to be a hundred percent certain.

"Glad you came over."

Alexander said in a cheerful tone as he motioned for Bryan to sit.

He didn't and stayed standing, off to the side behind where Sabrina and Christopher sat.

"What's this? A map?"

Bryan asked as he gazed at the display laid out on the table.

"Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!"

Sabrina said with a smile as she turned to look at him.

He glared at her but said nothing.

Sabrina was too energetic for him. Was that the right word? She was too much to handle from what she's shown him so far. He did not like that.

'Why can't she just be calm? Where is she getting all this excess energy?'

"Yeah, we were studying up on the battle of Kal-Dar. Do you know anything about it?"

Alexander said.

"A bit. Why are you studying that? Shouldn't you guys be practicing or something? Preparing for tomorrow?"

Bryan asked him.

"That is what we are doing."

Christopher said from his seat.

"We're discussing the tactics they used when they had nine thousand troops against twenty thousand of Al-Thar's best defending. We might be able to implement something into our strategy for the team battle. Don't you think?"

This late into the day and they were trying to find another strategy? Bryan thought it was pretty idiotic, but props to them for trying. Even if they somehow managed to find a tactic, they could never use it on such short notice.

They should just stick to the formation he showed them. Why were they trying to make this so complicated?

"Why?"

He had to know the reasoning. It was bugging him at this point.

"Why what?"

Alexander asked.

"Why are you guys studying this battle? Everything that went into it was complex beyond what tomorrow's simple match will be. Nothing here will help, and even if it does, you think we can use it?"

He asked as he looked them over.

"What are you hoping to accomplish?"

Alexander's smile faltered slightly at the question.

'Some captain he is. Lack of confidence, tsk. Just dead weight.'

Bryan thought.

Sabrina slammed her hand down on the table.

"What's your problem?"

She shouted as she stood up from her seat and faced Bryan.

"No problem here, you?"

He asked her without looking away.

"You act all isolated and don't want to join us for anything. I literally had to force you to lunch earlier, and now you question us when we are trying to do something that might help. What's your deal?"

"My deal?"

Bryan's voice remained calm, but his eyes narrowed slightly.

"I showed you a formation that works. I explained the roles. Yet here you are, wasting time studying complex military strategies you can't possibly implement in less than a day."

"That's not the point!" 

Sabrina yelled. 

"We're trying to work as a team, and you—"

"Sabrina." 

Farrah spoke, her voice causing Sabrina to calm down. 

"Let's not."

Christopher sighed. 

"He's not entirely wrong. Learning new strategies this late is... optimistic."

Sabrina turned to look at Christopher as if he just betrayed her.

"We decided to do this together. No one said anything about not trying to learn something new."

She grumbled.

Christopher scratched his cheek.

"It's my fault."

Alexander said from his side of the table.

"I wanted to get everyone together and prepare for tomorrow. They just went along with it. I kind of figured… it would be helpful. I can see that was wrong."

Farrah reached over and touched his shoulder.

"It was not a bad idea, and there was much to learn from the battle."

She told him.

"Still, there was no need to be rude about it. What's wrong with a person putting in some effort? Are you saying that anything we do is incorrect?"

Farrah asked Bryan.

"No, this is just inefficient. There's only a few hours left, why waste it on something this pointless. Save it for next time. Learn these strategies for the next team match or something. Don't waste energy and time when you could be using it to better yourself. It's only going to do more harm than good."

Bryan replied.

"You're correct, and we would have been able to do some more team training, but we're always missing a fifth member. How can we practice if we lack that one piece? So, aren't you the reason we are here studying a historic battle instead of training in preparation for tomorrow?"

Bryan's jaw tightened slightly at Farrah's words. She'd managed to turn his own logic against him, and from the slight curve of her lips, she knew it.

"If you needed me for training, you could have asked."

"Would you have come?" 

Sabrina crossed her arms. 

"Because your track record isn't great."

"I would have come for training. Not for..."

He gestured at the map.

"Whatever this is."

Bryan said.

Alexander straightened in his chair. 

"Then let's train now. We still have time."

Bryan laughed at their captain's remark.

"Train now? A bit too late for that. I already have prior arrangements."

Bryan told them.

"So, you're saying… Just to make this clear. That you won't be training with us? You know, just to ensure we are all on the same page."

Sabrina asked.

It sounded bad, but between them and Julius, who he'd be able to analyze, he'd pick Julius. The Reinhart boy would put up more of a fight than they would.

"How long will the training session last? Two hours? Three? Five? I have a duel, and I don't intend to miss it because of a last-minute get-together."

Bryan said.

Sabrina shook her head at his remark.

"Oh my gosh, I literally can't right now."

"Sabrina."

Farrah called her name for the second time.

"No, don't, Sabrina, me. This dude thinks he's better than us. Tell me you can see that."

Sabrina turned to look at Farrah.

"Yeah… he's a real piece of work."

Christopher commented.

"No, I don't think I'm better than you."

Bryan said, causing Sabrina to scoff.

"Really now?"

"I know I'm better."

He corrected her statement.

Sabrina did not even look the least bit surprised at his comment. She just started clapping her hands.

"The lord himself has spoken. Everyone, please take notes as he graces us with his esteemed knowledge."

Bryan did not like her attitude. It was not like said something that was not true. Surely, she could see that, but it wasn't just her.

The others were also looking at him differently.

This is why he cannot stand other people. They just do not get him, and he does not understand them.

What was he supposed to do, join them and waste his own time just to be part of the team? Or was he supposed to take Alexander's job and be the captain because he sure as shit was being worthless.

No, he just wanted to get through this and do his own thing.

He did not need them, and if they didn't want his advice, why ask for it?

'I should have never come over here.'

'You really know how to make friends, don't you?' 

Zoltan's voice echoed in Bryan's mind.

Bryan's eyes moved left then right, trying to spot him, but he was nowhere in sight. Was he hearing things?

He gritted his teeth. No, Zoltan was around. He had to be.

"Look." 

Bryan started, his patience wearing thin. 

"I gave you a working strategy. I showed up when we decided to get together for team practice. I even decided to join for lunch even when I knew nothing would come from it. What more do you want from me?"

"To actually be part of the team?" 

Alexander stood up, his usual cheerful demeanor replaced with something firmer. 

"I might not be the best captain. But at least I'm trying to bring everyone together."

"Together?" 

Bryan's voice carried a hint of mockery. 

"And what will that accomplish? Tomorrow's match will be won by individual skill, not group hugs and history lessons."

Farrah's green eyes fixed on him with an intensity that made him uncomfortable. 

"Is that what you really believe? That strength alone is enough?"

"It's worked so far."

"Has it?" 

She asked. 

"Or have you just never given anything else a chance?"

Bryan felt a familiar tightness in his chest, the same feeling he got whenever someone tried to get too close. They didn't understand. They couldn't understand.

"I don't have time for this." 

He said, turning away. 

"Good luck with your battle strategies. Try not to overthink it tomorrow."

As he walked away, he heard Christopher's resigned voice. 

"Well, that went about as well as expected."

"Should we try again?" 

Alexander asked.

"Let him go." 

Sabrina replied, anger still evident in her voice. 

"If he wants to be alone so badly, let him."

Bryan kept walking, ignoring the growing discomfort in his chest. He had a duel to prepare for. That's all that mattered. That's all that should matter.

'You know they're right.' 

Zoltan commented, and Bryan found himself searching for the little creature again. No matter where he looked, he couldn't find him.

'Shut up, mouse.'

**********

Bryan ducked under a holographic blade, the simulated attack passing harmlessly overhead. He twisted left, then right, weaving through the automated assault pattern while his mind churned with irritation.

'What a waste.'

Another slash — dodge, sidestep, analyze the pattern. The hologram's movements were becoming predictable, but at least it was practical training.

Unlike studying ancient battles that had nothing to do with tomorrow's match.

'Getting stronger is what matters. Not team bonding, not friendship circles, just power.'

He created three blood blades and launched them at the hologram's weak points. The projection flickered as the attacks connected.

'They're acting like we're going to be some permanent team. Half of them might not even make it past the first year.'

Alexander's disappointed face flashed through his mind. What kind of captain wastes time on theoretical strategies instead of practical combat training?

He doesn't even have the skills to back himself up. His lack of confidence and control—ugh! Bryan didn't want to be captain; it was better that someone else would be.

But at least it should be someone with talent, knowledge of leading, and the ability to not waste time.

"Reset simulation." 

He commanded, watching the hologram flicker back to its starting position. 

"Increase difficulty by twenty percent."

'At least this is productive.'

The hologram's attacks came faster now, more aggressive. This was real preparation. This was how you survived. This was how you got stronger.

Not by sitting around a table and playing at friendship.

'Getting attached only leads to disappointment. Better to stay focused on what matters.'

He thought as he started fighting against the new hologram.

"I can tell you're holding back. Maybe-"

Gloria's voice sounded close, but he knew she was nowhere near him. It was his imagination. He read her review, and that, too, was an issue.

'What am I supposed to do? You want me to unleash everything I have? You want to see what I'm capable of?'

He asked himself, as he could already picture her looking at him with disappointment. Bryan didn't care about her or her opinion.

She could shove it where the sun didn't shine for all of the good it did her.

His crescent blades made of blood spun back around towards him as he stretched out his hand. They merged together and formed a short sword that extended four feet from his hand.

'Tsk, who needs to rely on others? They are behind by miles and will never catch up. Why wait when I can just blow past them? Isn't that what you want?'

He parried the next slash from the hologram. It stumbled back, and he lunged forward, piercing it through the next.

He wasn't like them. They would never understand, and the instructors wouldn't either.

"Reset simulation, increase the difficulty by fifty percent."

Bryan called out as soon as the hologram dematerialized.

Ten years of training. Ten years to gather power. And he was forced to be in this institute with children.

What was the Inquisition thinking?

Who made that stupid law? All mages must attend a military academy. All mages must be registered.

He gritted his teeth as he barely dodged the next attack. Pivoting he swung but his blade met blade.

'Is it learning? Or am I just moving slower?'

Bryan found himself asking. There were too many pointless thoughts in his head. He had to focus.

It would be embarrassing if he lost to something that was not even real.

'What's the point of this? What good will it do you?'

Zoltan asked.

Bryan didn't even try to find the mouse. If he wanted to be seen, he would show up.

"Need to be stronger. I can't count on the others. They'll only drag me down."

He replied as he continued his fight, not missing a beat.

'Will they, though? You're assuming without having all the facts. Ask yourself, what do you know about them?'

Zoltan replied.

The question was simple. He knew plenty about his teammates that they didn't know about themselves. He spotted a lot of openings and ways to eliminate them if the mission called for it.

On a personal level, though? He knew nothing. What he did know was not anything that couldn't be found out in a casual conversation. It's just surface-level information.

They also knew nothing about him, and he wanted to keep it that way. He didn't need people.

"I know what you're trying to do. I don't need them. I tried to be friendly, but it's not for me. I'm better off alone."

Bryan told him.

'That's how you're going to die too. Alone. Is that what you want? To be a distant memory in everyone's mind? No mention of you anywhere? No one to mourn you once you're gone?'

Zoltan asked him.

Bryan's next cut sliced right through the hologram, cutting off its right arm.

"I have Veron. I have my family."

Bryan responded.

Zoltan laughter echoed through his mind.

'Family? Please. Veron doesn't treat you like his son. How many times have you seen him? How many times have you two talked? He doesn't want you. No one does. That's why he sent you to the Inquisition, in order to get rid of you.'

"That's not true!"

Bryan shouted this time and ended up catching a punch to the face.

'Stop kidding yourself, Bryan, you know it, I know it. You're merely a weapon, nothing more. The Inquisition members are afraid of you; they don't show it outright, but you've seen how they keep you locked up like some rabid animal. To them, you're no better than those monsters that lurk the deep caverns.'

'You're a demon that's shackled and waiting to be slain.'

Zoltan's voice was replaced by laughter. Kids laughter, he could hear them clearly. They sounded pleased with themselves.

"Yay!"

They cheered.

"We've finally slain the demon!"

There were five of them, he couldn't make out their faces. They surrounded another child, who had white hair and was bruised all over.

Bryan shook his head as the memory faded, but his head started to ache.

"Promise me, Bryan…"

He narrowed his eyes; the voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't place it. What was he supposed to promise? Who was talking to him?

As he was lost in his thoughts, he got a kick right to the stomach that sent him flying back.

"Ouch! That's got to hurt."

Someone called out, causing Bryan to look up only to spot Farrah at the training door leaning against it.

He got up, glared at her, then turned his attention back to the hologram.

"What do you want?"