Michael Blackwood

“W-wait what?” Skylar began to say. “You don’t have a thread? Didn’t the princess say that even though you were summoned by accident, that you would still have one, just that you may not be able to awaken it?”

I looked down at the floor.

“Yes, that's what she said. Even she was surprised.”

“Ok hold on,” Levi started raising his voice. “How does she even know that you don’t have one?!”

I looked at him, and started explaining what happened near the end of my meditation.

——————

“Michael, you still can’t sense any kind of energy within your soul? Something that feels foreign?”

I opened my eyes.

“No, princess. I… I don’t. I don’t know if I’m doing anything wrong or…”

She cut me off.

“You’re not doing anything wrong. I’m going to go get an attendant real quick. It seems as though you won’t awaken your thread, so an attendant will at least be able to see which one you have so you can try and awaken it at a later date.”

After a few minutes, the princess returned with an attendant.

“Once you begin meditating again, he will be able to look within you and sense the thread himself. That way, once you know what you have and what you need to look for, you may be able to awaken it later, even though there’s a chance you won’t awaken it at all.”

I closed my eyes and began the meditation a second time. Once again, I could see the outline of my soul. The multitude of white veins bleeding out of me. But still, I couldn’t sense any energy that might have felt foreign.

After a little while, the princess spoke.

“Michael, open your eyes. He is done now.”

I opened my eyes, and saw the attendant whispering something in the princess’s ear. I saw her face go from confusion to shock.

“Princess?” I asked. “Is something wrong? Did he find out what I have?”

She looked at me, and I could see a mix of shock and worry on her face.

“Michael, I’m sorry,” she started to say. “But it turns out you don’t even have a thread. I don’t know how something like this is possible. Just you simply existing within this world, one should have attached itself to you, but none ever did.”

I looked down at my hands. They started to shake with anger and fear.

“So you’re telling me that after all this time,” I started to say, my voice rising. “After all of this damn training and stupid meditation, I have no power at all and I’m completely fucking useless?!”

The attendant looked worried for a second, and started to reach for a dagger that was attached to his belt. I noticed this, as did the princess and she waved her hand for him to stop.

“Michael, I know this is hard to hear, I know you feel like you can’t do anything to help your friends, but I promise you that I will do everything in my power to make sure you stay involved with them and their eventual missions.”

I said nothing, but simply got up, and started to walk towards the exit of the training chambers.

“Hey!” I heard the attendant yell. “Don’t ignore the princess! That is a serious offense!”

I heard the princess say something to him, but I was too far away to hear what it was.

—————

“And after I left the training room, I came back here. I know you and Rebecca noticed. I heard you guys knock on my door last night.” I said, finishing the story of what happened yesterday

I looked at the floor again, and then I continued speaking.

“I wanted nothing more than to be of help to you guys… and I can’t even do that because I don’t have a thread at all. No hidden power, no secret talent.”

Skylar looked at the others, who all shared looks of confusion, worry, and sadness. Rebecca’s face was even more worried than the rest.

“I’m sorry guys…” I started to say. “Can you all give me a little space to sort this whole thing out? I promise I’m not going to stay cooped up all by myself, but I need some time.”

I looked up at everyone, who silently agreed to leave. Rebecca gave me another look before she walked out. Skylar stayed just a little bit longer.

“Michael, I know this is all hard for you,” she said, wrapping her arms around me just a little tighter. “But please know that none of us will ever see you as useless. Especially not me. If you need to talk at all, please, let me know.”

Having said that, she slowly got up, and left my room, closing the door behind her as she did.

I looked down at my hands, which had begun to shake again.

I know they’ll never see me that way. But I can’t help but feel that way myself right now. At least the princess will still allow me to be involved. That way I can still be helpful. I just need to wrap my head around all of this first.

I stood up, and started cleaning my room. I flipped the bed back over to how it was supposed to be, lifted the wardrobe back up, and cleaned up the broken glass on the floor. It took me about thirty minutes to fully clean everything. Just as I finished cleaning, I heard a firm and authoritative voice from out in the hallway.

“Skylar Caldwell, Rebecca Bellerose, Dylan Bennett, Calvin Haldin, Levi Devereux, and Michael Blackwood, please step out of your rooms.”

I was the third person to enter the hallway, Dylan and Calvin being the first two. They were each giving the princess a respectful look, but I kept my gaze on the floor. After the others had also exited their rooms, the princess started speaking again.

“Tomorrow morning, the six of you will begin your training. Michael, even though you don’t have a thread, you will still learn how to fight properly, while the others will start learning to wield their threads with proper efficiency,” she began. “We will have lunch delivered to each of your rooms today, but we do expect you to join me in the dining hall tonight.”

I lifted my gaze from the floor, and raised my hand.

“What if I already have some experience in fighting and self defense?” I asked.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Rebecca give me a confused look.

“If you already know fighting techniques, then we will make sure to improve upon what you already know,” the princess replied, looking directly at me. Then she turned her gaze to the others, letting her eyes meet each of theirs in turn. “Don’t think this will be easy. Although some of you will get the hang of wielding your threads easier than others, it will still be difficult.”

We all nodded in response to her words.

“Good I shall see you all at dinner tonight. Please enjoy the rest of your day.”

After the princess had left the hallway, Levi walked up to me.

“You never told me you could fight.”

I looked at Levi with a blank expression.

“You never asked,” I said. “But yes, I have some fight experience. I joined a martial arts dojo when I was in my freshmen year of high school. I was never the best, but I always held my own.”

I heard Skylar speak up, and I turned to look at her.

“You should’ve seen him, Levi. He was always a quick learner, and he’s never been one to stay down for too long.”

Levi looked at Skylar, then looked back at me, a look of surprise written across his face.

“Then maybe, we can have a friendly sparring match sometime,” he said, giving me a warm smile.

“Yeah… maybe we can.” I replied somewhat hesitantly.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Skylar had stayed in my room most of the day, wanting to give me company.

“I know it hasn’t been too long since what happened, but are you feeling any better?” She asked me.

“A little bit, yeah. I keep forcing myself to remember the words you said to me on the first day here,” I replied with a small smile. “Plus, the fact that the princess is letting me train with you guys, definitely shows that she won’t try and throw me off to the side and focus only on the rest of you.”

“Heh, don’t you worry about that,” Skylar began to say. “I already had a talk with her about that.”

I shot up from where I was sitting.

“Sky, please don’t tell me you were rude to her.”

She gave me a sheepish grin.

“Maybe a little… but I apologized right after! I just explained how I didn’t want to see you look the way you used to after… well you know.”

“We promised that we wouldn’t talk about that anymore.”

When I said that, a look of shame spread across Skylar’s face.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to. I was just explai-,”

I waved off her words, interrupting her.

“It’s fine. Seriously. I know what you’re trying to say. But don’t go getting an attitude with her again. She’s royalty, and none of us should be disrespectful to her. She’s been extremely hospitable towards us. Especially me.”

Skylar gave me a mocking salute.

“Yessir!”

Then she gave me a sly grin.

“Are you falling in love with the beautiful princess?”

I looked at her, and felt myself start to blush.

“What? No. Yes, she’s very beautiful, but I’m not falling in love with her. I barely know the woman.”

“Well,” Skylar began to say. “Just be careful. You never know who you might inadvertently hurt.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked, giving her a confused look.

“Oh nothing. Don’t worry about it. I’m gonna go back to my room for a while. Dinner is in a couple hours and I think I might take a nap.”

“Sure. I’ll see you later then.”

When Skylar went to open the door, she let out a surprised squeal.

“What’s the matter?” I asked as I rushed to the door.

Instead of something weird I thought I’d find, Rebecca was standing on the other side of the door.

“Rebecca?”

When Rebecca saw me, her face turned slightly red.

“O-oh, hi Michael. Sorry I just wanted to check up on you, but Skylar opened the door before I got the chance to knock.”

“Oh, I got you,” I said. “Yeah I’m doing a bit better now, thanks.”

“T-that’s good to hear. Um, I was actually wondering, if maybe, you’d like to walk around the hallways a little bit? Maybe hang out in one of the lounges before dinner?”

I couldn’t see Skylar’s face, but whatever she did made Rebecca turn a shade brighter, and she turned around quickly.

“Actually, maybe some other time. You asked for space and I feel as though I’m intruding,” she said while giving an embarrassed laugh.

“I wouldn’t mind that actually. Sounds like it could be fun,” I said. “What do you think Sky? Would you wanna join us?”

Rebecca turned around when she heard me say this, and gave Skylar a look that I could interpret as pleading.

“Remember, I wanted to take a nap. You two can go by yourselves, yeah?” Skylar said, turning to face me as she did.

“Oh yeah that’s right,” I said, then looked back at Rebecca. “Well then, still wanna hang out for a little?”

Rebecca turned away quickly again.

“Y-yeah, sure.” She said, her voice barely audible.

Together, we walked out to the end of the hall and proceeded to walk around the larger hallways for a little bit.

“So Michael, are you sure you’re doing ok?” Rebecca asked, her gaze on me.

I looked at her thoughtfully, then said, “Yeah a little bit. I’m still nervous about this whole thing. But I know all of you guys care. And the princess definitely seems like she doesn’t want to not include me.”

Rebecca looked down upon hearing my mention of the princess. Why she did, I couldn’t tell.

“You and the princess, you seem to be getting quite close,” she said.

“You really think so? I personally don’t see it that way. To me, it’s more like she’s making sure a mistake doesn’t mess anything up.” I said with a small chuckle.

Rebecca turned her gaze back on me, and met my eyes.

“Hey. Don’t call yourself that. You are not a mistake. Just because they didn’t mean to bring you here with the rest of us, doesn’t mean you’re something that shouldn’t exist. If I’m being honest, I’m actually happy you’re here.”

I looked at her, and felt my face grow hot at her words.

“Thank you Rebecca. That means a lot to me,” I replied.

We continued roaming the halls, talking for a short while longer before heading towards the dining hall ahead of the others.

“You know something Rebecca? You’re incredibly easy to talk to,” I said, giving her a smile. “We haven’t talked much these past few months, so this is very refreshing.”

Rebecca smiled back at me, and we continued walking towards the dining hall.

Soon after, the rest of our friends arrived as well, and dinner had been served. No one talked much over dinner, but we all knew. Things had definitely changed.