Logic in a Battle

PART 1: REPEATED NEWS

Aarav was reading a newspaper. Annie was sitting and writing something on a paper. Their place was huge, they had separate rooms and three more rooms were left empty. The place was lavish and had a modern feel.

"Why do I feel like someone's talking about me?" Aarav said to Annie.

Annie was confused, she said, "Well, people are always talking about you. Nothing new."

"You're probably right," said Aarav. He looked at the newspaper and said, "They've printed about us again. They say Aarav got away after beating a poor guy."

They had printed the picture of him and the thief fighting weeks ago.

"I hate these reporters!" said Annie, "Printing this for weeks? Don't they have anything else to write?"

PART 2: ELEMENTAL TERMS

Master Wyngaf had his hand over his forehead. Raymond was still from the shocking words he had heard from Eve. Katie's mouth was full of water when Eve said that Aarav's Elemental Energy was near to an 80-year-old person. That was too much. That analogy showed that Aarav had more Elemental Energy than Master Wyngaf or Master Owens. However, Eve was enjoying watching such a play going on right in front of her eyes.

"How are we supposed to beat this guy if he crosses our path?" asked Katie.

"Simple, run as fast as you can," said Eve. Raymond and Katie sat there in silence.

Master Wyngaf coughed to get attention, "Eve, I don't want this part of you getting rubbed on Raymond and Katie."

"That's right," said Raymond, "I won't run away."

"Just to make things clear," Master Wyngaf said, "Aarav having more Elemental Energy doesn't mean in any way that he is as powerful as us. There are other factors like fighting style, Energy Bandwidth, etc."

"Energy Bandwidth?" Katie repeated.

"Let me explain," said Master Wyngaf, "Your Elemental Energy is equivalent to the water stored in a huge tank. The storage is huge, no doubt, but the amount in which it can be drawn out depends on the size of the tap attached to the tank. Similarly, the amount to Elemental Energy which can be used at any instant of time depends on Elemental Energy Bandwidth. And it can help you to efficiently draw out energy so can satisfy your goals and save some for emergencies.

"This Energy Bandwidth is measured in levels, as there is no direct meter to measure it, sensing gives the result. They are in 5 levels, both of them. The higher the level the more the Energy and its Bandwidth. After 5 levels, 5+ is used to describe it."

"How much do I have?" asked Raymond.

"What's mine?" Katie asked, jumping from her seat.

"Energy level 4. Bandwidth level 5," Master Wyngaf said to Katie, he then turned to Raymond, "yours is 5 and 5."

"Why does he get more?" Katie said with a pout on her face.

"Aarav's is 5+ and 4," Master Wyngaf said,

Raymond got happy, "Good, so I have one advantage. More Bandwidth."

"That's my point," Master Wyngaf said, "No one is weaker just because they are less gifted, their training and experience matters. While fighting Aarav, he might never run out of his Elemental Energy, so prepare accordingly. Don't run, accept defeat if it comes to that. Losing brings more experience than running away."

"We will try our best," Raymond said. He and Katie clashed their fists in joy.

Katie's mind suddenly got on to something, she turned to Eve and asked, "Hey, Eve, you don't use your Element, how will you participate?"

"I have other ways," Eve said with concerns.

Master Wyngaf thought it was necessary to explain so he started, "Eve, here, is one of the sharpest minds ever lived. She can create plans that most can't see through."

"Really?" asked Raymond. It was cool according to him.

"Yes," Eve said, "I was in TOP 5 at the Academy. If you have doubts, ask Master Wyngaf to try and read my mind and see if I'm lying."

"That's funny, Eve," said Master Wyngaf.

"Funny?" Katie said in confusion.

"He can't read my mind," Eve said proudly.

Raymond and Katie were shocked. They constantly kept looking from Master Wyngaf to Eve and then back.

"Yes, it's true," Master Wyngaf accepted, "Eve creates loads of thoughts in her mind at a single moment, which makes it difficult for me to read or select the one that is important."

"Wow! You have to teach that to me!" Katie said. She excitedly got up from her seat and went near Eve. She shook Eve's body and repeated her statement to make it clear.

"Why? What do you have to hide?" Eve asked.

"Just one thing," said Katie, "I plan to go out to get some cake today."

"There she goes again," said Raymond with his hand on his head.

Eve smiled and said, "I would if I could, Katie, but it's hard. It requires years of practice."

"That's sad," said Katie.

"If you're so smart, Eve, you should become a General or whatever at E. A. A., it'll help you and everyone," said Raymond.

"That's my plan, Raymond," said Eve, "But that will require me to get in TOP in Battlelyte. That's tough at the moment."

"Your talent must not be wasted," said Raymond.

"That's what I hope too," Eve said. It felt nice to be complemented by one of her competitors. She was an outcast amongst all of her classmates, they all hated her because she used to win fights without using Elemental Powers. Some also thought that she was given special treatment as she was the President's daughter.

"Katie," Master Wyngaf called, "now you can stop thinking about a pink panda. I know your plans about your cake so I won't let you leave."

Katie's face relaxed from the hard work she had done in maintaining her thoughts at a point away from her cake plans.

"I have asked Eve to bring a cake for me," said Katie with a smile, "she can decide when to bring as you cannot read her mind."

"I don't — " Eve tried to walk out of it, but Katie placed her hand on her mouth.

"Okay, so now," Master Wyngaf said, "everything necessary is clear. Additional details about Battlelyte will be given in my lecture this Saturday."

"Okay. Let's start training then!" said Raymond with excitement.

"Yeah! We will win." Katie clashed fists with him.

PART 3: SHARING SOMETHING

Gavin Murray was another classmate of Eve Largman, Aarav Glowet and Annie Albie. He was really talented. He lived in the Capital City in a penthouse. His parents were rich as they were in the Agriculture field.

Agriculture on Human Earth might not be a great source of income, but on Elemental Earth growing food with powers was a great income source. It was really hard. There were Universities which taught this to Earth Elements. Gavin's family specialised in this field for generations. But Gavin was the only child with any other Element than Earth. His Element was Fire. An element which could burn those fields.

Gavin was sleeping in his premium penthouse bedroom. The huge glass wall gave the view of the other skyscrapers of Capital City. The telephone started ringing. Gavin curled in his bed then woke up. He picked up the phone. The display showed the name "Alice" with "TIME: 6:00".

Gavin was sleepy so he spoke like that, "Do you know what time it is, Alice?"

Alice was his childhood friend. She lived across the street to him when they were little. Even after changing homes, they stayed connected. Not just Alice and Gavin, but their families were good friends too.

Alice's telephonic voice spoke, "Yes, and this the perfect time for you to leave. I knew you would not wake up."

Gavin got energetic in a minute. He remembered his conversation with Alice last night. They had discussed applying to be Master Wyngaf's students. They knew Master Wyngaf had never taken any students so they did not apply before. Just yesterday they had come to know that their friends, Finek and Votilda, had applied and their application was rejected.

It was mysterious that Master Wyngaf rejected the application of their friends, it was not normal. Master Kirason rejected the application for all four of them as she had to focus on taking care of the Elemental Academy.

He had also applied to be Master Owens's student, but that application was also turned down. Master Owens had answered that he already had two students. Gavin wondered who they could be. However, all this opened the door for Gavin and Alice to be students of someone Gavin admired since he was a child.

"I'm leaving now," said Gavin to Alice through the phone. Gavin immediately got up and started looking for clothes in his closet. The phone was a cordless one, so he kept talking.

"We won't lose again," said Gavin, "Aarav, that worthless human got to be Master Ellendun's student. We're in TOP 5 like him, we shouldn't struggle this much. Why the heck are we getting rejected?

"I don't know that," said Alice, "But, leave quickly. We have to reach out to Master Wyngaf before anyone else does. For example, someone famous is not in the media lately."

"Yes, I know. Won't you come?" Gavin asked.

"No. I have a shift at the hospital today," said Alice.

"Okay, I'll manage things here," said Gavin, "I have the paperwork ready, I'll hand him in the morning, he might even sign it by tonight's lecture."

"See you!" Alice said.

The call disconnected. Gavin rushed into the bathroom. Within a few minutes, he got ready. He quickly ate some bread and had his coffee. As he could not dive at the moment, he took his car keys and hit the road.

Back at the beach house, Raymond got down the stairs. He moved towards the Kitchen. He entered to find Katie there. She was wearing an apron and had some ingredients at the counter space. Raymond and Katie had been so busy with their training that Master Wyngaf had to cook everything for them. Raymond woke up early today to find Katie for the same reasons.

"What are the odds that we both thought of the same thing on the same day," said Raymond.

"Oh, that's great. I didn't know that you could cook?" asked Katie. She seemed shocked.

"I didn't know you could," said Raymond.

Raymond joined in the kitchen and put on another apron. It had been long since he had tried to cook something, he hoped Katie could take the lead.

"What are you making?" he asked.

"Pancakes!" said Katie.

"Great!" said Raymond.

Raymond and Katie talked while helping each other. The dish was getting ready at the side and they answered each other's questions.

"I worked part-time at a Restaurant," said Raymond, "I haven't been a chef, but I got interested in cooking from there. What about you?"

"Um, my grandma taught me," said Katie, "My dad is a fashion designer. While my father was away on work trips, my grandma used to stand behind me and guide me. I had a little experience in cooking with Dad, but the skill sharpened later with the help from YouTube." Katie grinned.

"I used that too," Raymond said, "I have been living on my own for a while now. I tried to cook and learn as much as I could. My mom was a nice cook, she taught me the basics a few years ago. My dad was a cop, he didn't have much time."

"I am really proud of your dad," said Katie.

"Thanks," Raymond replied, "What about your mom?" he asked.

Katie's hands stopped working. The silence of the morning added more heaviness to the air in the kitchen. Raymond had figured out that he should not have asked this question. But he had no idea about his best friend's life.

Katie stood still for a moment and then continued to work. She said, "My mom left us when I was 8."

Raymond was shocked and sad. He was clueless about what to do. He went near Katie and soothed her back. Katie smiled. Her face was emotional. Raymond had never seen Katie being so sad and small. He knew very well how she felt. The void created when someone close to us goes away is very hard to fill.

END OF CHAPTER. TO BE CONTINUED.