Chapter 9: One Evolution Mark
"I suppose so, let’s go." Mithra smiled. "We only need one more."
"Another one? Isn’t it two–"
Mithra pushed a branch off her shoulder and looked at him. "Hm? Silly, we are partners. Mine and yours will make two."
Arthur’s eyes lit up. "No wonder the instructor said to form teams. Time to go tell Vedas the good news!"
"You don’t seem worried about him."
"Why would I? It’s Cassian I should be worried about. Vedas might beat him up too much."
"Hahaha!"
Arthur starts jogging.
Melo trots beside him.
Arthur suddenly stops.
Mithra almost walks into him. "What?"
Arthur looked at the Evolution Mark, then around the forest. He grinned. "This has been way more fun than I imagined."
"You mean the chaos–"
"The adventure!"
Melo’s tails swish.
Mithra smiles. "Fortunately, you, we still have a couple more hours in here."
Arthur looks toward the forest. "Which means more fun!"
Mithra laughs. "I figured."
...
Vedas had not started anything. He had, however, stopped everything.
He stood at the point where the path through the trees opened into the small clearing they had passed through earlier, shield planted in the ground and spear held at a relaxed but communicative angle, and across from him, Cassian’s group had arranged itself into the posture of people who had been trying to resolve a situation for several minutes and had not made any progress.
"Move."
"No."
"We’re done here."
"No."
"You really think one Goblin can stop all of us?"
Vedas didn’t answer and simply kept his shield planted across the path. No one stepped past him. Taurus rushed forward and hacked out with its axe.
...
Arthur stepped into the clearing.
The first thing he saw was an axe clashing with a spear. An ear-splitting sound echoed out as the tree next to the beasts exploded after their weapons deflected to the side. Vedas slid backward several meters while the Taurus lowered its axe.
Taurus snorted and puffed out its chest. Behind it, Cassian smiled smugly.
"Vedas."
The Goblin Warrior glanced back.
Arthur nodded approvingly. "You’re really kind."
Cassian frowned. "...Kind?"
Arthur pointed toward the Taurus.
"You let it win that exchange."
Everyone froze.
Arthur looked at Vedas with a proud smile.
"You’ve already beaten them once after they cheated. If you embarrass them again this quickly..." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "...That would’ve been a little cruel."
Silence.
Mithra arrived beside him just in time to hear the last sentence, and she smiled. "I suppose that’s true."
Arthur nodded.
"If I cheated and still lost..." He shuddered. "I don’t think I’d be able to show my face."
Mithra covered her mouth. "...Neither would I."
Arthur looked at Cassian. "So thank you for showing mercy, Vedas."
Vedas blinked. "...Gi?"
One of Cassian’s followers twitched.
Another slowly turned toward Cassian.
A third muttered,
"...I think I’d rather he just called us idiots."
Cassian’s face turned red.
"...YOU—!"
"Am I wrong? Didn’t you guys cheat?" Arthur’s words made Cassian freeze.
But the followers couldn’t let that pass and shouted.
"CHEATERS?!"
"That was strategy!"
"YOU were the one who cheated! Your Goblin threw you guys through the forest!"
"No." Arthur blinked. "Throwing teammates is teamwork." He looked at Cassian. "...Have you guys never tried it?"
Silence.
One follower slowly whispered,
"...Should we?"
Cassian
"NO."
Mithra stepped forward. "Arthur isn’t trying to insult anyone," she said.
Several followers pointed at him simultaneously.
"He absolutely is!"
"He really isn’t... Usually."
The followers looked less certain than they had a moment ago, which was the effect Mithra’s had on people who were trying to maintain a strong feeling in the face of it.
"What he means," she continued, turning to include Vedas in the explanation, "is that Vedas stayed behind and held this spot. Which gave everyone a fair chance to regroup." She gently caressed Vedas’ shoulder. "That’s actually very considerate."
Vedas’s chin came up.
The followers opened their mouths, but nothing came out.
Arthur nodded along. "Exactly."
One of the followers grabbed a handful of his own hair with both hands and said nothing.
...
Cassian had reached his limit. Everything had gone wrong ever since that timid, scared, and useless Goblin had evolved.
Arthur noticed him staring. "Feeling better?"
Something snapped.
Cassian moved.
Fast.
His sword rushed out!
Arthur’s eyes widened as the blade closed in on him.
THUD!
A massive cosmic-colored tail intercepted the strike, and the impact echoed through the clearing. A massive tail appeared in front of Arthur and blocked the sword. Melo stood between them, and her three glowing eyes narrowed. The giant fox pushed Cassian backward, making him stumble, and then he blinked in realization.
He just attacked another student.
One follower instinctively stepped back.
Another lowered his weapon.
The third couldn’t meet Cassian’s eyes.
For the first time, Cassian realized everyone was staring. Not because Arthur won but because he lost control.
"Cassian!" Mithra shouted. "Are you insane?"
Her eyes settled on Cassian, and he saw no anger or frustration. Only disappointment, which somehow made him shiver and look away.
Cassian grips his sword and his knuckles whiten. "I crossed the line." He lowers it. "...Sorry."
The Taurus lowered its axe, and Vedas’s spear came down to ready.
Arthur blinks. "You really were upset."
Cassian freezes.
"I thought you just needed time to cool down."
Cassian looked away.
"Everyone gets upset sometimes." He scratched his cheek. "You probably just needed a minute."
Cassian stared.
Arthur continued. "Feeling better now?"
Cassian’s gaze moved from Arthur to Vedas and then finally the Evolution Marks. "I’ll bet one."
Everyone paused.
Arthur looked up. "One what?"
Cassian pointed at his belt; an Evolution Mark hung there. "My Evolution Mark."
Then he pointed toward the Taurus, and the massive beast stepped forward. Its axe hit the ground.
THUD.
Then Cassian pointed at Vedas.
"Against your Goblin."
Silence filled the clearing.
Melo opened one eye and then closed it again.
"Taurus versus Goblin," Cassian said. "The winner takes both."
Arthur immediately looked at Vedas.
Vedas immediately looked back.
Then both of them slowly look at Mithra.
Mithra sighs. "...Why am I suddenly responsible?"
"Because you always know."
Her lips twitched before she said. "Go ahead, I believe in Vedas."
The Goblin Warrior puffed out his chest.
Arthur nodded proudly. "There he is. The confidence."
Vedas puffed out even farther.
Mithra looked between them. "You’ve created a monster."
Arthur smiled. "I prefer a success story."
Vedas’ eyes moved from the Taurus, then to Cassian, and then finally to Arthur. He wasn’t asking for permission but seeking confirmation.
Arthur grinned. "Of course we’ll win."
Vedas puffed out further.
"He’ll figure something out," Arthur added.
Vedas looked at him with immediate alarm.
"Hahaha, Vedas. I’m just kidding." Arthur held up one hand. "We’re doing this together."
Mithra covered her mouth, but that still didn’t stop some sounds from leaking out. Vedas turned to her, but she simply looked away. After a few seconds, she looked at Vedas with a smile. "Go win us our last Evolution Mark."
Arthur nodded and said. "Also, be careful not to hurt him too much, Vedas. This is the entrance exam; we don’t want to be blamed for disqualifying anyone."
Mithra’s lips twitched but still said. "Don’t hurt him too much."
Vedas nods seriously. "Understood."
Arthur smiles proudly. "He learns fast."
"I’M STILL STANDING HERE!"
Soon both beasts move to the center of the area.
Vedas spun his spear once.
The Taurus lowered its axe.
Neither looked away.
Arthur rubbed his hands together. "Oh... I’ve been looking forward to this."
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