Kain Sorell. B-Rank. Energy compression type.
He stood tall with feigned confidence. He was a B-rank, but Brayden was ranked higher. Kain didn't know how Zaire managed to hold on for that long against him—after all, just one hit from those flaming orbs was enough to scorch skin and leave second-degree burns.
Zaire is really lucky.
"You're really going to throw your ability around in the middle of campus? Against a Blank?" Kain's voice was calm, but inside he was uneasy.
Brayden snarled. "He started it. Dont get in my way!"
Kain opened his mouth to argue, then saw the way Brayden's flames intensified—his eyes hadn't moved off Zaire. He looked like he'd lost his mind. Kain knew he wouldn't be able to talk his way through Brayden's thick skull.
Kain raised an eyebrow, remembering his connections with the school press.
"Sure. And I'm sure that'll sound great in the next issue of the school bulletin."
Brayden froze.
Kain's voice dipped, quiet and razor-sharp.
"Let me spell it out for you—'Brayden Voss, ranked A, forced to activate his ability against a Blank… and still got humiliated.'"
He let the words hang in the air like smoke.
"Editor-in-Chief's been looking for something juicy to run. You'd make a great headline."
Brayden knew Kain had connections. His flames flickered, then sputtered out entirely.
Silence.
His chest rose and fell, breathing hard. Rage boiling under his skin, his pride shattered. He spat on the ground and turned away.
"This isn't over."
Kain waited until Brayden was out of earshot before speaking again. His tone shifted, a little more relaxed as he turned to look at Zaire.
"You okay?"
Zaire nodded, brushing a smear of blood off his cheek.
"Yeah," he said simply. "Thanks for stepping in."
Kain sighed. "You know, I was pissing my pants staring at his crazy face. You deal with that everyday?"
Zaire didn't smile. But there was a hint of amusement and exasperation in his battered face.
"Yeah. Many others." He said, his voice growing weaker, his consciousness slipping. This didn't go unnoticed in Kains eyes and he supported him, hooking an arm around his shoulder to let him lean against himself.
Zaire's legs buckled more than he expected, and his weight sagged heavily against Kain.
"Tch. Damn it," Kain muttered, adjusting his grip to better hold him up. "You should've dropped him sooner. You look like you fought a truck."
Zaire didn't respond. His breath was shallow, his face pale, eyes barely open.
Kain's mouth pressed into a thin line. He hated this. The way no one ever stepped in. The way Zaire just took it. Day after day. As if this was normal. As if it was deserved.
They passed a few students in the hall—some whispered, others stared. None offered help. Not even a teacher in sight.
Of course.
Zaire was a Blank. A nobody. And now… now he'd publicly humiliated an A-Rank.
Things were going to get worse.
Kain's grip tightened.
"You really can't keep doing this alone," he said quietly, more to himself than to Zaire. "You keep taking the hits like you're made of steel. But you're not. You bleed. You break."
Zaire stirred faintly beside him. "But I don't lose."
Kain blinked, then let out a sharp breath.
"You cocky bastard."
Zaire managed the ghost of a smirk.
They finally reached the infirmary doors. Kain kicked them open with his foot, not bothering to be gentle. The nurse glanced up from her desk and immediately stood at the sight of them.
"What happened---?"
"Brayden happened," Kain muttered. "Again."
She rushed to take Zaire from him, guiding him to a bed. Kain stood off to the side, watching as they checked his vitals, cleaned the blood from his face, patched the bruises on his ribs.
Zaire didn't flinch. Barely reacted. Like this was just Tuesday. "Kain," the nurse said firmly, "he shouldn't be in school like this."
"He shouldn't be getting jumped every other day...either." Kain shot back. Zaire's voice rasped from the bed. "Don't write about it."
Kain blinked. "What?"
"Don't let them run it." His eyes were half-lidded, but there was focus there. "If that article comes out… Brayden won't be the only retard coming for me."
Kain looked at him for a long moment.
Then nodded.
"Now get out, seriously.. I'll be fine." Kain sighed and turned away, walking out of the infirmary with his hands stuffed in his pockets.
Zaire leaned back against the infirmary bed, the soft hum of the overhead lights barely registering in his ears, his gaze drifted toward the door Kain had just walked out of.
They'd been neighbors since childhood, just a street apart. When Kain first entered the academy, lost in a sea of strangers and a hierarchy built on abilities, Kain had only known one familiar face. Blank or not, Zaire was the only person who felt real to him in a place that measured worth by rank. So Kain stayed by his side.