"But you could get hurt !" James warned. "I'm the one who should he scared for you, it shouldn't be tho other way round", Henry replied, smiling, "If you don't want to get hurt, both of you should wait behind while I clear the way." "You heard him", Judith said grabbing James shoulder, sending him stumbling backwards, "since the stubborn ship insists on walking into the lion's den, it's best we let it be." "You might be wrong Judith", James gave a sarcastic reply as he waved his head in mock grief, "I got a feeling that those guys are the dead ship right now." Judith slapped herself in the face, what was wrong with her elder twin brother that he couldn't see things for what they were. "I know a man who can kill by merely looking at him", James continued, "and to be honest Judith, I saw it in Henry's eyes. He's definitely going to kill someone today." Both brother and sister watched as Henry walked fearlessly
"So you're saying that Samuel", his mother defended, "was going to kill Henry or whoever it is ... that was just a tool to threaten him" "A "tool" you say", Mrs John fired, speaking for the first time since the meeting began, "to threaten someone with ? They attacked Henry, was that anything far from murder ?" Henry stood next to the window, staring at the lawn outside, from above. Apparently, he wasn't concerned with what they were saying. John and Judith shuffled close to each other, glued to a corner, watching the Vice principal and their parents argue about the fight yesterday. Judith took note that Mrs Edna wasn't saying anything, she wasn't even making a move to defend her son Henry. "Can Henry claim that he was ignorant of the fact that they were going to attack him !" Mr Mark challenged. "I didn't know they had "tools" with them", Henry blurted, "I thought it would be a simple case of kicks and punches. Besides, they
"But you were bold enough to walk into their midst when you could have avoided them in the first place, that meant that you were aware of what you were doing young man." Kayode charged. "I did what I did", Henry spoke under his breath, "because I knew I could defend myself. They were just taught to not mess with anybody." "And was that right to you", Edna yelled, infuriated more by his calm outlook than his words, "taking the law into your hands all in the name of teaching them a lesson, when you could have just reported them." "Report !" Henry chewed the word which tasted like gall, "I had done that a long time ago", he said, "not once, twice, even thrice. But I was always ignored and denied justice, just because of who I was, and with all that bitterness, I became a fighter." "But this is not a battlefield", Kayode chided. "My first secret", Henry continued, "where I come from, everywhere is a battlefield, every place is an arena, and if you don't stand up and figh
"We know that you're there Judith." Henry's voice rang accompanied by James sarcastic laughter. Furious, she swung the door open, standing with her glass of fruit juice and saucer in her hands, glaring angrily at the boys who laughed hard. their backs on the bed. She was puzzled as to what caused the laughter, staring at the wall ahead of her. she realized that Henry and James had placed a mirror directly facing the door, which meant that they had been seeing her all along. Judith felt like a cow and watching James snatch the cake from her and dump it into his stomach in one munch made her angrier. "That was mine !" She yelled. "And this is ours", James replied, "so don't come trespassing." Her hand came straight for James' face but a hard backed book struck her wrist, making her clutch her hand. It was Henry who still had the gamepad in his hand whistling away as he played acting like he didn't care if she was there. She hadn't seen him throw the book but her instinc
Those three forms began to lose their flare, the eagle resting on Henry's left shoulder while the armoured being stood by his side, arms folded. Watching Henry rise to his feet, Judith and James noticed his changed appearance. He was now wearing a dark armour and his dark hair fell gracefully from his scalp. And when he turned around, they saw that boy who's left half of his face was covered by that falling mass of hair, while his right and exposed eye glistened in its cosmic darkness. "Henry !" James called, "Are you all right ?" "Stay back !" Judith pulled James shoulder, stopping him from running, "That person doesn't look like Henry." "Of course he does", James defended, "but he looks a bit different though." Judith was taken aback by that dark grin which stole the lips of their supposed Henry. What had happened to him ? And who was that eagle and armoured being standing next to him ? She was having a bad premonition about what was going to happen next on seeing
"I am Thorace Nertival, a cosmic pirate", the one standing introduced, "and his name is Vag Verzak", he pointed at the other being who was still sitting on the boulder with a panther at his feet, "he too is a cosmic pirate. And your supposed Henry is known to us as Kied and he too is a cosmic pirate." "A child prodigy if you can call him that", Vag said, "It took me centuries to me get to this this level and he's already this powerful at his age. Bit I'm not good at catching up because, your friend "Henry" has just been catapulting his powers to infinite heights." "Not bad for a kid who ran ..." The antelope leapt backwards as a sword tore out from Kied's palm, burying its blade into the ground a few inches from the antelope. "Take it easy Kied", the antelope pleaded, "I was just giving them a recap of your legend." "I always warn you Trident", the panther said, "with Kied and Hypernox, you have to watch your mouth." "Thank you Trident", Kied said, the sword flyi
"Even at school",. James continued, "he got into the bad books of some bullies." "And what did he do to them ?" Thorace inquired. "Broke their bones." James answered. "He also beat my sister in all the tests since he started our school, that's why she's angry at him." "So you're scared of losing your position to kied", Vage remarked, "Do feel so frightened, Kied isn't the type who is used to take the spotlight, that doesn't mean he's shy, he's far from being timid. If you're nice to him, he will gladly take his place behind you. And he isn't the type who will take school work seriously." "He isn't serious with his school work that he always comes first in class ?" Judith retorted. "Just take it as a case of genetic superiority and the wide range of scenarios he's able to put his knowledge to test."Thorace explained, "If you work hard you can still beat him to the mark." "But he always gets everything right", Judith lamented, "it's like he never fails." "Then d
"What else Is there relating Kied to Norden sir." "Kied feels pain", Tergon revealed, "even I don't feel pain but Kied does and in the city of Norden their people don't feel pain as well." "That only emphasizes that Kied is in no way a native of Norden, apart from the already established theory that he somehow knows how to get there. Imagine sir, he's of Matter Dark and Night, of the State War and feels pain, so taking him as a native is equivocal." "Yes it is debatable", Tergon postulated, "because he is of darkness, night and war while those of Norden are of light and peace. But think deeper Garvey ", Tergon pushed, "He's the complete opposite of what it means to be a native of Norden and possessing opposing traits makes him unworthy of being one. What if Kied had left Norden because of his odd nature ?" "You mean he ran away ?" Garvey opined. "Yes, he must have been sent on exile", Tergon concluded, "as an outcast." *** *** *** The clang of armour a