The early morning’s sun offers a warmth to Zeke’s rosy cheeks, contrary to the chill that nips at the tip of his nose. The skies have been blue for barely an hour, with nothing more than a few wisps to mask a perfect day for hunting.

Zeke follows along a dirt trail, veering off in a different direction to the one he walks on the way home. This path leads around the edge of the city and is much more direct towards the closest trees of Caplao Forest.

On his route, aside from the usual mismatched buildings of the outskirts, he passes a large building; a building which holds his attention upon each passing. Zeke rises on his tiptoes and arches his neck to see over the fences which line the boundary. The buildings red painted walls run far beyond Zeke’s vision, taking up space enough for a small village.

Every passing offers a resolve that everything will work out. He can’t help but gain an extra spring in his step as he takes in the rare freshness of the air around. A spring which overlooks the path ahead. Oblivious to his surroundings, he collides with a boy as tall as his mother and twice as wide.

“Hey!” The boy’s backpack thuds against the hard ground. “Watch where you’re going. Pinyo!”

Zeke tenses up. It’s been a while since he’s been referred to as a bullish beast and he doesn’t like it. His cheeks flare up as he drops to the ground. His hands fumble as he collects the bag from beneath the boy’s large shadow.

“Who are you calling…”

A beefy hand takes the bag from Zeke’s hands, too delicately to hold any aggression. He finally catches a glimpse of the boy in person. A sigh releases the built up tension.

“Sorry Ollie.” He thanks NalasLitael under his breath.

“It’s okay bub. Just watch where you’re going, yeah?”

Zeke doesn’t get a chance to agree or retaliate. Before he can even nod a friendly voice bounds his way.

“Zeke!” she shouts, appearing from a blind space behind Ollie.

Zeke smiles in return. “Hey Isla.” He'd be as excited as her, if he didn't know what was going to follow.

“You coming to the Academy today?” Her pink pig-tails bounce to a halt at Ollie’s side. With both of them standing before him, blocking his route, he can’t help his roiling stomach.

“I… can’t today.” He drops his chin to his chest and scratches at a hanging elbow.

“C’mon bub.” Ollie punches at Zeke’s shoulder in a playful manner. “Your scores are dropping. You need to come back soon or you’ll drop too low to enter the games.”

Zeke rubs at his shoulder. An energy rushes about his body. “Where am I?”

Isla’s arms cross over the breast of her navy academy jacket. She fails to make direct eye contact. “You’re just outside.”

“Outside... fourth, fifth?”

“Seventh. Could be ninth by the change of the season.”

The sound of a simple number is enough to fill Zeke's heart with dread. A lump finds his throat, and a quiver takes to his hands. The need to shed tears overwhelms him, but he fights them back. He would not show such weakness to his friends.

"Just come back to class, climb back up. Copper asks about you every day. I think you're on his list." Isla's words are welcoming, though the rift they cause in Zeke's thoughts is not.

He searches his surroundings for inspiration, hoping to be rid of any and all thoughts. If not for his mother, he'd be happy in the academy. If not for his friends, he'd be happily hunting in the forest. To do both is near impossible, yet the need for both is overwhelming.

He and his father are almost a third of the way to paying for the orbs she needs. By what calculations he’d attempted, they could be finished in just two more seasons. He could join the next games if need be. He still has several more seasons left at the academy.

His mother’s welfare is his highest priority. It’s what he needs to work towards.

With his mind set, if it ever had any threat of changing, Zeke squeezes past his friends. "It's almost seven and a half. You're gonna be late. Copper don't like when you're late."

He tries his best to leave this scene behind him, to focus on the task at hand. Though, he doesn’t make it to the corner of the academy before Isla catches him up.

“Zeke, you need to come back to the academy.” She all but leans shoulder to shoulder with him, warming the morning’s chill where she makes contact. “The games aren’t too far away and we need your help if we’re going to place.”

That glazing over her bright eyes seems to search the soul. He cannot meet them.

“You and Ollie will be fine.” He turns his head, watching a critter scuttle its way around a waste shoot. His vision blurs just before it disappears from sight.

He takes in a lungful of air. “Anyway, only three can go. If I’m not there, both of you can.”

“We wouldn’t place.”

The hairs lift at the back of his neck as his mind wanders towards the competition. He'd always believed in the academy, especially Isla and Ollie. They were both strong in their own right, and both could beat him on a good day, but he understood what she was saying. The games have a reputation for holding the toughest young fighters in Evantia, and only the strongest teams will rank high enough to gain any reputation.

"Of course you would. Your Xylex is amazing." Zeke can’t figure if he's bluffing or not, so decides internally that he isn't.

"In long range combat. The games are much closer. Not myself or Ollie would stand a chance in such a close quartered fight."

"Then what about Karr. I'm guessing she's still on top?" A false sense of security forces his sulking to halt.

"Sure, she’s becoming more insane by the day. She doesn't have your speed."

Again Isla's words hold more truth than Zeke can argue with. Karr is powerful, even more so than Ollie, and has held the top ranking at the Academy for two seasons now. For a while there were rumours that Zeke was catching on her points. A rumour that quickly passed once his mother fell ill.

Before he could muster another argument or lie, Isla continues. "I heard that Evidar have a guy who uses flaming sphere-chains."

For the first time since Isla joined him, his tone perks up. "Like the Drakes?"

"People are saying he is a Drake."

Excitement fills his whole being. A rush of blood shoots his heart into a frenzy. He feels prepared for battle despite his lack of enemy. For the time being, he yearns for the Academy. To fight such an enemy would be a privilege.

"So, are you gonna come in?" Isla probes.

Maybe one point too early.

Zeke huffs. He forces anything from his mind but the steps needed for today's hunt. This is too much a distraction, and to be rid of it he'd need to push away his closest friend.

"I'm not coming back Isla!" His voice is forceful, his steps halt. "I can't come back. I need to help mama and that's all."

"You can't Zeke. You've been at it for months now and you’re still no closer. At this rate, you'll lose both you're mother and your future."

Her final words cut themselves off. Her frame freezes.

Without adding a word more Zeke pushes past Isla. He knows her words are true, but he won't believe them. He can't believe them. He needs to know he's doing what is right. Or at least believe it.

"It's impossible Zeke. You're gonna get killed before you raise enough money."

Zeke hears Isla's voice, now a few feet behind him, but he doesn't turn. His whispers are for himself alone. "I've gotta at least try."