Chapter 7 Episode 6: Expectations

At the grey leafed forest known as Forest Arkelix, a male and female were standing in the midst of unconscious students while staring at a purple flag .

"Big brother Grei…" The female said softly while staring nervously at the ground, "Is this where we have to fight each other? Big brother …. I know tha-"

"Forget it, Dunen." Grei cuts in while staring at the flag, "I have no intention of fighting you."

"What?!" Dunen asked as she lifts her head in shock, "But what about your dreams in becoming a pilgrim?! What will father say?! The tournament- !"

" What about it?" Grei cuts in while smiling as he turns to look at Dunen, "Dunen, we both know who will win if the both of us should fight. And because of that, i don't want to ruin your chance of becoming a pilgrim."

"But that's not fair." Dunen said softly while facing the ground, "Why do you have to get your life ruined because of me? You're the one who has more potential than me. You're the one father considers a success in our family and me, I'm just a failure. In terms of pure physical combat, I'm nowhere as good as you and in terms of our Kan ability of mud, I'm still nowhere as good as you.

You are an A+ candidate while I am a B-. You were capable of holding your own against Gorn of the Tenplar tribe and you weren't even serious with him…"

"Dunen…" Grei said softly.

"It was because of me you had that accident during one of our tasks and it was because of me that mother got exiled from the Graundar tribe." Dunen said as she raised her head, "Big brother, becoming a pilgrim was your idea. I was just a tagalong in order not to feel worthless in the family. So, tell me… Why are you always having my back? Why are you always trying to be there for me even though I'm dead weight. Why…?"

Grei bends his head as he recalls his 6 year old self discussing with his mother.

"Its not fair! Its not fair!" Little Grei said while crying, "Why do you have to go? Dunen was the one who set the creature free and almost got other Graundar members killed. She should be the one to be exiled, not you!"

"And how do you expect her to survive on her own?" Grei's mother asked while smiling as she rubs off the tears from her son's eyes.

"I don't care! I hate her!" Grei said.

"No, don't say that." Grei's mother said, "You're just angry with her, but you don't really hate her."

"Mother, please…" Grei said.

"Grei, do you remember what I told you about my family before I married your father?" Grei's mother asked, "I was an orphan and it was just me and my younger brother.

However, my brother was just like Dunen. He lacked confidence and was a bit clumsy. I considered him worthless and I was never there for him when he needed me most. I abandoned my own brother and left him to perish. I was 11 and he was just 5.

Every time i remember this, I can't stop hating myself for it. I'm a terrible person and I'm the last person in this life that derserves any redemption."

"Mother…" Grei said softly.

"Don't abandon your little sibling like i did." Grei's mother said as tears were falling from her eyes, "Dunen isn't as great as you and I'll admit she does have a lot to learn, but still… Promise me … Promise me that you'll always have your sister's back. Promise me that you'll never turn your back on your little sister no matter what.

Please, Grei… Promise me."

"I-I promise." Grei said as wiping the tears from his eyes.

Grei's mother smiled and kissed him on his forehead.

"Thank you, my son." Grei's mother said.

After recalling that moment, Grei walks towards his sister and hugs her, letting her head rest on his chest.

"Dunen, i'm giving you this opportunity because i believe in you." Grei said, "You may not be as strong as i am but believe me when i say that you have potential to even become stronger than me.

You may seem weak now… But one day you will become the jewel of my father's eyes and possibly the next chief of the Graundar tribe."

"Grei, i can't do it.' Dunen said as tears were streaming from her eyes, "Please stop."

"You can do it." Grei said as he gently lifts Dunen's head by her chin with his index finger while smiling at her, "Trust me just as i trust you."

Dunen, being moved by his encouragement, smiles at Grei and placed her head on his chest again.

"I won't let you down, big brother." Dunen said.

"I know." Grei replied.

Meanwhile at Xondu forest, Killer bee was dodging all of Cloud's punches while hopping backwards and giggling.

"Aw, come on, Cloud!" Killer bee said while smiling and dodging his attacks, "Is this all you can do?"

Cloud tries to punch Killer bee but she deflects his attack with a reverse kick and follows up with an upward kick to his chin with her other leg which raised him off the ground a bit. Killer bee lands on both hands and feets and quickly attacks with a jumping back kick on Cloud's midsection (while he was still in mid air), sending Cloud flying back-first on a tree.

As Cloud struggled to get up, he groaned in pain and coughed a bit while holding his belly .

"Damn it. She's too nimble." Cloud said within himself, "Well, she is quite strong for an A- candidate and as usual, the odds aren't in my favor.

What do I do? If i try to take the cloth from her and escape, she can just use her gates to take it back and leave. With time running out, I'm completely cornered.

I know every nook and cranny of this forest and yet-"

"Hey, hasn't anyone taught you to pay full attention in a fight?!" Killer bee said as she suddenly appears in front of Cloud and lands a forward kick with both soles of her feet.

Cloud instinctively guards against the attack but was repelled into the ground. As Cloud slowly stood on his feet, he noted both of his arms shaking.

"My arms…" Cloud weakly said within himself.

Cloud instinctively guards against Killer bee's straight kick which made him fall on one knee but left Bee surprised for a moment.

"Not bad!" Killer bee said while grinning.

Killer bee began to release a torrent of kicks against Cloud's guard and breaks it with a backflip kick.

"Here i come!!" Killer bee said excitedly, "Gorgeyo: 3rd Raizook!!"

In a flash, Killer bee spins round Cloud and appears behind him which made Cloud react in pain and quickly follows her attack as she twirls and lands a straight kick on Cloud's back, sending him flying chest-first towards a tree.

Cloud falls on his knees and began to cough out blood while holding his chest and breathing heavily.

Killer bee stares at Cloud with concern and sighs.

"Looks like I'll be taking my leave now." Killer bee said as she creates a portal behind her.

"Don't… Don't go!" Cloud said while getting up, "I'm not done fighting yet!"

Killer bee turns around and stares at Cloud in shock.

"C-Cloud, stop!" Killer bee said, "You can't win! If you keep going, you might get killed!"

"Hump, this isn't something new." Cloud said while smiling as he cleans the blood from his lips, "I've almost died countless of times. I'm not fazed by that anymore."

"Have you gone mad?" Killer bee asked.

"I'm not stopping until i win!!" Cloud said while running towards Killer bee.

As Cloud was throwing punches at Killer bee, Killer bee was easily blocking and evading his punches.

Cloud tries to punch Killer bee but Killer bee leaps above his attack and kicks him twice on the face which sent Cloud tumbling backwards on the ground.

Cloud quickly stands on his feet but Killer bee advances in front of him at high speed, prompting Cloud to set his arms to guard.

"Hoh! You've got to do better than that!" Killer bee said as she leaped in the air in a spinning motion, "Set 4: Adtana's guillotine!"

Killer bee breaks Cloud's guard with a downward axe kick and follows her attack with a backflip kick to his chin, sending Cloud high in the air. Killer bee appears in the air with Cloud, locks her legs around his neck and flipped him straight into the ground, creating small craters in the process.

Killer bee lands on her feet and turns around to observe the unconscious Cloud.

"You fought well, Cloud." Killer bee said with a slight smile on her face while closing her eyes, "For a minor to last this long, this shows tha-"

Killer bee halts her speech in disbelief as Cloud began to cough while struggling to stand.

"This doesn't make any sense." Killer bee said, "Are you truly a minor? I was going easy on you but regardless, you can't take this level of beating and still stand. Who are you?"

"Like i said before…" Cloud said while smiling, "I'm not done fighting yet."

"Look, Cloud, i admire your will …" Killer bee said, "But you cannot beat me. You're barely holding up against me when i am not serious with you, proving that if i get serious i could win this fight in a blink of an eye.

Your attack rhythms are slow and highly predictable. As you are right now… Your body seems like it's going to collapse any moment from now. Plus, it's only a matter of time before someone finds us. So just give up and stop delaying the inevitable."

"Inevitable..? And who decided that?!!" Cloud asked while running towards Killer bee.

Cloud began to release a barrage of punches towards Killer bee but she easily blocks and averts them all.

"Just what I'm talking about…" Killer bee said while dodging and blocking his attacks, "You're quite predictable. And by the way, it has been decided!!"

Killer bee grabs hold of Cloud's arm and lands a high side kick on Cloud but Cloud uses his other arm to block it.

Despite the attack being blocked, the force of the kick immediately sent him tumbling on the ground. Cloud quickly stabilizes himself with his hands but Killer bee appears in front of him with the attempt to land another kick on him which was quickly interrupted by Cloud as he performed a backflip kick to hit her.

Killer bee instinctively dodged the attack but was stunned in the process.

"Next up!" Cloud said with a grin while running towards Killer bee.

"It won't work!" Killer bee said as she tries to deliver a low roundhouse.

Cloud evades the attack by leaping in the air and performing a front handspring on Killer bee's shoulders. Killer bee twirls to kick Cloud but Cloud vanishes from the spot he was squatting on.

"What the..!" Killer bee said within herself as her eyes rolls back at Cloud as he appeared behind her, "How is he moving this fast?!"

"How's this for predictable?!" Cloud asked while smirking as he performs a low roundhouse kick on Killer bee.

Killer bee, however, traps Cloud's leg between her arm and side, causing Cloud to have an instant panic as Killer bee raised her head and grinned menacingly.

"Oh crap!!" Cloud said within himself.

Killer bee began to spin Cloud around and tossed him high in the air.

As Cloud was moving higher in the air, Killer bee appears above him and double stomps him on his belly, driving him straight to the ground and leveling it in the process while creating a huge smokescreen.

After the smokescreen had cleared, Killer bee became surprised as she spots the yellow cloth tucked in on Cloud's waist .

"Isn't that the cloth i took from him?" Killer bee asked within herself, "When did he… Well, it doesn't matter anyway."

Killer bee uses her gates to take the cloth from Cloud's waist and turns around to take her leave.

"Others will soon arrive, so i better ta-"

Killer bee halts as she turns around and sees Cloud on the ground, holding onto her ankle despite him being completely injured.

"I can't lose…" Cloud said weakly.

"Wha- what the hell?!" Killer bee said in shock as she hops away from Cloud, " Who are you exactly? How can a minor like you take this level of beating and still move?"

Cloud tries to stand but due to his body trembling severely, Cloud falls on his knees and began to breath heavily while staring at the ground.

"What's with this guy?" Killer bee asked within herself, "Whether he is a minor or not, I'll have to stop holding back and end this fight quickly!"

As Killer bee dashed towards Cloud, Cloud began to recall 3 years ago, as he was sitting in a forest and staring at his reflection in a lake.

"You really enjoy staring, don't you?" A voice asked.

Cloud's eyes rolls back and sees a giant lion, behind him.

"A giant, talking lion…" Cloud said as he stared in shock, "How did it get here?"

"Hello, young ruler." The lion said while smiling, "What brings you to my home?"

"Young ruler? What are you talking about? Cloud asked, "You must have mistaken me for someone else. I'm Cloud of the Stormwind, the guy who is going to become a pilgrim and the greatest warrior that has ever lived."

"He doesn't know… Not yet anyway." The lion said within himself.

"Is that so?" The lion asked while smiling, "The Stormwind don't posses any Kan and yet, you want to join the Pilgrims? Do you honestly believe that you can pull it off?"

"Yeah, i can!" Cloud answered while grinning with his eyes closed, "You can bet that i am going to do it and be the best among everyone else!"

"Alright, young one." The lion said while still smiling, "There are a lot of expectations riding on your shoulders; So do not disappoint, okay?"

"Okay!' Cloud replied while grinning.

After recalling that incident, current fifteen year old Cloud also recalls the glitching images of his parents and his people's corpses.

"You are a failure." Zera's voice replayed in Cloud's head, "You can't do anything right."

"Stop wasting our time and show us your worth, Cloud." Zotek's voice replayed.

Killer bee suddenly halts and steps back a bit as Cloud began to emit a fierce blue aura while the sky was turning black.

Ernia, who happened to be with Leorona and Karma at the academy, noted the black sky and found her hands shaking.

"What's this feeling?" Ernia asked.

"Its coming from one of the forests." Zotek replied, "And i have an idea on who it might be."

At Kohes forest, Onak, who happened to be brutally pummeling a bloodied male student on the ground with his fist, suddenly stops and noted the black sky.

"The sky… What is this feeling?" Onak asked within himself.

The male student coughed a bit, causing Onak to growl and resume pummeling him.

Meanwhile at Xondu forest, Killer bee was slowly stepping back while clenching both of her arms as she finds herself trembling before Cloud as his blue aura suddenly increases in height.

"What is this power?" Killer bee asked within herself, "I feel as if everything is watching me. Who is this guy?!"

"I cannot lose…" Cloud said as he recalls the corpses of his parents and his people, "NOT UNTIL I'VE KEPT MY DAMN PROMISE!!!!"

Cloud's aura suddenly forms a large wolf-like creature, whom it's roar shook the ground.

"HOLY…!" Killer bee said in shock.

Cloud leaps towards Killer bee at an astonishing speed and head-butted her which created a shock wave and large craters, sending Killer bee sliding back-first into the ground.

Cloud, being too exhausted to stand, falls back on his knees and began to breath heavily again.

"Ow, my head …" Killer bee said while getting up and touching her bleeding forehead, "That hurts a lot."

Killer bee walks towards the exhausted Cloud and stares at him in confusion.

"This guy… His attack could have either knocked me out or killed me…" Killer bee said within herself, "But yet, it didn't… Why? Could it be that he was at his limit and used whatever strength he had or could it be something else?

Whatever the reason is, one thing is clear…. He is no ordinary person! And as much as I'd like to continue this fight with him to find out more about who and what he is, he can't fight anymore and time is running out. This incident has attracted others to come here so i have no choice to but to end this fight right now."

Killer bee ignites her feet with a blazing golden aura and locks eyes with the exhausted Cloud.

"Farewell, Cloud of the Stormwind tribe." Killer bee said.

Killer bee performs an axe kick on Cloud's head, burying his face into the ground and creating massive craters in the process.

Killer bee sighs and turns her back on Cloud as she proceeds to walk away.

"Still, what was that power?" Killer bee asked within herself while walking away, "Was it a lost power from the Stormwind tribe or was it something else? Whatever it was, it doesn't change the fact that he is an amazing warrior."

As Cloud was laying unconscious, he recalls three years ago as he was talking to the giant lion and laughing with him.

"This life is lived based on expectations." The lion said, " Will you be able to live up to it?"

"Yeah, you bet i will!" Cloud replied while smiling, "I'm going to exceed those expectations and become the greatest Stormwind member that ever lived!"