Chapter 11: Drift apart

Chapter 11: Drift apart

Ini and Temi lay side by side in the broken hut, the silence between them palpable. Temi broke the silence, her voice soft but curious. "Ini, why haven't you gone to join the warriors? You have a special ability, don't you?"

Ini denied it, his voice flat. "I don't have any special abilities, Temi."

Temi raised an eyebrow, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Really? Then why did your hand catch fire that day, and you didn't even flinch?"

Ini shrugged, trying to brush it off. "It was just a coincidence."

Temi wasn't having it. She pulled his face towards hers, her eyes locked on his. And then, she made a face that would put a seductress to shame. Her lips pouted, her eyebrows arched, and her eyes sparkled with mischief.

The 'heat' in Ini rose, and before he knew it, his hands were on fire again. He quickly raised them, not wanting to burn Temi. She looked at him with a questioning gaze, one that only a mother could give.

Proving her point, she leaned in and kissed him. Ini felt his tension melt away, and the flames died down. He pulled back, his face flushed. "You didn't have to kiss me, Temi. I think I've got the hang of it."

Temi smiled, her eyes sparkling. "I still prefer that method."

Ini looked at her, his eyes searching. "Why are you pushing me to admit this, Temi?"

Temi's expression softened. "Because I know you're hiding something, Ini. And I want you to be honest with me."

Ini took a deep breath, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't want to leave you, Temi. If I admit to having this ability, I'll have to join the warriors, and I don't want to be separated from you."

Temi's face lit up with understanding. "Ini, we don't have to be separated. I've been feeling... different lately. And I think I know why."

As she spoke, Temi raised her hand, and it began to glow. A translucent dome formed above them, connecting to the ground. Ini's eyes widened as he realized what it meant.

Temi had awakened as a warrior.

Their world narrowed down to just the two of them, and they forgot about everything else. They were lost in their own little bubble of bliss, where nothing else mattered but each other.

Ini and Temi stood outside the orphanage, their small bags packed with what little they had. They took a deep breath, looking at each other with a mix of excitement and nervousness. Today was the day they would leave the only home they had ever known and start a new journey as warriors.

Temi turned to her friends, who had gathered to bid her farewell. "Goodbye, guys. I'll miss you all." Ini, on the other hand, had no one to say goodbye to. He had never really made friends at the orphanage.

With no money for transportation, they had to resort to hitching a ride on the back of an old truck. They held on tight as the truck rumbled along the dusty road, finally dropping them off at the gate of the Warrior Registration Centre.

As they walked through the gate, they noticed they were the only ones arriving to register that day. The attendant, a stern-looking woman, greeted them with a nod. " Let's get this over with. First, we need to use the ray detector to confirm your abilities."

She held up a small device, and Ini and Temi stood still as she scanned them. The device beeped twice, indicating that both of them had indeed been gifted with special abilities.

The attendant led them to a room down the hall, where she took a sample of their blood using a syringe. "This will help us determine your rank and abilities," she explained, inserting the blood sample into a machine.

As they waited for the results, the attendant asked for their information. Temi went first, responding, "My name is Oluwanitemi, and I'm 18 years old."

Ini followed, answering, "My name is Inioluwa, and I'm 18 years old."

The machine beeped, catching their attention. The attendant looked at the results and announced, "Oluwanitemi, you are an A-rank warrior. Inioluwa, you are a C-rank warrior."

She assigned someone to take them to their new dorms, handing them each a uniform and a booklet containing the rules. "Welcome to the Warrior Academy. You have a lot to learn."

As Ini made his way to the C-rank dorm, he couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. The C-rank dorm was a far cry from the luxurious A-rank dorm, where Temi was headed. The C-rank dorm was a large, crowded room filled with over 300 students, all of whom seemed to be staring at Ini as he walked in.

Someone whispered, "Hey, isn't that the fire mage?" and the room erupted into snickers and teasing. Ini ignored them, used to being ostracized. He found an empty bed and sat down, trying to blend in.

Meanwhile, Temi was being welcomed with open arms at the A-rank dorm. The A-ranks were the elite, the crème de la crème of the academy. They were treated like royalty, and Temi was no exception. She was swarmed by admirers, all of whom were eager to befriend the beautiful and powerful A-rank warrior.

As the days turned into weeks, Ini and Temi's paths grew farther and farther apart. Ini was busy trying to keep up with his studies and training, while Temi was becoming increasingly popular among the A-ranks. They would occasionally catch glimpses of each other, but their interactions grew more and more strained.

The A-ranks, with their superior powers and privileged status, began to bully Ini, taunting him about his C-rank status and accusing him of trying to ride Temi's coattails. Ini tried to ignore them, but it was hard to shake off the feeling that he was losing Temi.

One day, Ini finally worked up the courage to confront Temi about her increasingly distant behavior. "Temi, what's going on? You're always busy, and when I try to talk to you, you ignore me."

Temi looked at him, her expression apologetic. "I'm just really busy, Ini. I don't have time for socializing."

Ini's face fell, and he felt a pang of hurt. He made a self-mocking smile and said, "I'll stop disturbing you, then."

As Ini turned to leave, Temi wanted to called out to him, but then seemed to think better of it. Ini walked away, feeling like he was losing his grip on the one person who had ever made him feel seen.

Ini who had now lost his light(temi) fell back into the darkness that once consumed him and it welcomed him with open arms.

As the months passed, the academy became a well-oiled machine. The warriors were trained and ready, and when the next attack came, they were prepared. The casualties were minimized, and the monsters were defeated.

After the battle, the warriors were allowed to return home, with the understanding that they would report back to the academy every morning for training and duty. They were paid handsomely for their services, even the E-ranks, who were responsible for cleanup.

Ini with his generous pay bought a house to live in. He had lost Temi, and with her, his joy. He felt like he was just going through the motions, waiting for something to change.