"Deceiving others. That is what the world calls a romance."

― Oscar Wilde

In the end, people will never change. They may say they do or look like it, but on the inside, they still stick to their old ways. Knowing that they will betray you again and again, .is the world still worth saving? Is it worth saving for them knowing they won't thank you but treat you like the villain?

The train came to a stop, jolting Alaric forward as he was knocked out of his stupor. Seeing his destination ahead, he got off the train and made his way back to the Lab. Today was the day he would be trained for his aptitude to use a psychic gear. Psychic gear, essentially, was a mixture of magic and weapon for the soldiers on the battlefield.

Although magic is involved, the term psychic is used because magic is brought into the equation, or so said the scientists. The gear itself could only be used by those who had enough magical circuits and power to handle them. Instead of blindly handing them out to see who could and couldn't use them, scientists implanted a chip into all newborn babies born, this chip would allow them to see and detect the amount of magic someone had to see if it was enough to use a psychic gear. The strength of magical circuits grows in adolescence and through puberty, meaning cadets who failed the test the first time, could keep trying up to their fourth year, where the strength of the magical circuit would peak.

Psychic gear come in many different shapes and forms along with the abilities they can use, ranging from causing raging fires to creating fields of ice. He power themselves, depend on the user and not on the gear.

Alaric looked back up from the book, going over the information he just read one more time as he took deep breaths. He failed once, probably will again, but there always is hope......if hope is even worth believing in...He laughed at that as he entered the lab. His very presence captured people's attention, seeing someone messed up always did, especially him.

His ears perked up and took in the insults and name calling names, even the mincemeat one from yesterday. He laughed at that, didn't they know how cringy and pathetic that sounded....maybe they were cowards......maybe he himself was a coward, for not standing up for himself and Ajax.

He straightened his uniform as he entered through the white, crisp double doors and stepped in. He immediately was hit by a cold blast of air as he shivered before continuing on. A scientist walked up, holding a clipboard as he looked through the information. "Alaric huh? Well then, let's get this over with. Step into the chamber like last time." The scientist sighed, wondering why they had to test him, knowing he would fail again, not knowing or caring his very thoughts showed on his face.

Alaric sighed as he stepped into the chamber-like tube; the door closed soon after he entered. He stood there silently as two beams appeared and moved up and down before stopping at his head. Alaric winced as he clutched his head, a sudden wrack of pain going through his head as his vision became blurry, he began to sweat as he managed to remain standing.

He looked back at the white-coated scientists who seemed to stare at the monitor for a good moment as the chamber stopped. One of them walked off before coming back sometime later and turned to Alaric. "Like we thought, you have no talent or enough magical strength to use psychic gear, so you will remain in the grunt class."

Alaric nodded, not surprised at the results as he walked off, oblivious to the whispers and stares again. , now just thinking of them as complete buffoons. He took the train back. His eyes closed as he drifted off. He arrived back at the dorms as he made his way to his room.

On his way back, he bumped into a group of nobles. , Alaric raised an eyebrow, noticing Richard in front of the little group of nobles. "Ah, Alaric! So how did the test go? Judging from the look on your face, I bet you did terrible like usual" He laughed, causing the other nobles to as well.....'how disgusting...ah wait, what's the word again? Revolting? No....umm..shit I forgot, anyways they're being annoying.' Alaric sighed, not really paying attention to them as Richard put an arm over Alaric.

"Why are you still here? Don't you feel any shame? What would your sister think if she saw you now? Hmm...maybe I should do your family a service and let her marry me" He laughed again, this time louder as tears leaked from his eyes.

Alaric, on the other hand, was ready to rip his throat out for talking about his sister like that. He turned around, quickly elbowing Richard before slamming him against the wall.

"Never talk about my sister like that again!" Fury seeping through every one of his words.

Richard stared blankly at him before bursting out into laughter. He kicked Alaric away, causing him to stumble back as the nobles held him tight, ready to teach him a lesson. Richard took his uniform off, not wanting it to be dirtied with scum's blood. He stretched his arms before he turned to Alaric.

He got into a stance as he punched his face.....then he did it again...and again, and again. As Richard went in for another punch, an arm wrapped around his shoulder. "What is such an arrogant bastard doing here now hmm?...ah beating up my friend...let's see...being the dumbass he is he probably attacked you, although it was probably your fucking fault first..." Ajax chuckled, eating a chocolate bar.

"Now if I were you, I would leave now before the guards come." Richard trembled at this, clicking his tongue as he motioned to the nobles as they walked off. Although Ajax was also in the grunt class, he was known as gluttony due to his never-ending love for food, and his strength.

Although for unknown reasons, Ajax acted like he was weak during tests and spars. Even so, most of the cadets knew of his strength. Ajax yawned, turning to Alaric as he laughed.

"They...Fucked you up!" Alaric looked away from him, crossing his arms in defiance. "Come on Alaric, let's get you patched up and get something to eat....and yes, it's mostly so I can eat, and yes...you have no say in the matter, now let's go." Before Alaric could even say anything in defiance, Ajax picked him up and carried him off, humming as he ate another chocolate bar. "Also since I saved your ass you're paying for what we get...and when I say we I mean me."