Mindless Beasts

Sly would have collapsed if Khaldun hadn’t caught him in time.

The little omega couldn’t stop yawning.

"Not now. I will look at it tomorrow. I’m beat... Khaldun, can we call it a night?" asked Sly quietly.

Khaldun exchanged looks with Mr. Betton, the gymmaster nodded, giving his approval.

Sly breathed a sly of relief, curled up against Khaldun’s chest he could faintly smell his calming pheromones adding to Sly’s drowsiness.

Mr. Betton took the test results from Khaldun’s hands and looked it over thoughtfully. "Not bad."

It rated mostly Sly’s durability, speed, strength but the most impressive score of the lot was his reaction speed.

A quick thinker on his feet, Sly was naturally gifted in this department and surpassed by far the level that a spirit fighter needed to join the legion.

Khaldun turned to Mr. Betton with Sly fast asleep against his chest and said, "We’ll be taking our leave now. I’ll send you a message if we’re stopping by tomorrow.

"Before you go, Khaldun... Aren’t you worried about him surviving the academy? There are more than one ways to join the legion so that you both can be together. Why not encourage him to drop out and join my team. You know I’m always recruiting the best," offered the retired military veteran, Mr. Betton.

It really wasn’t a bad idea Mr. Betton’s fighters club was well established and known in the industry for turning monster champions.

His club only recruited fighters from age sixteen to thirty, luckily for Sly who fell in this age range.

This was the developmental stage where l\fighters learned and assimilated knowledge the fastest.

Any older than thirty were most untrainable, stuck in their ways, and their motor skills for learning slowed down drastically, or their body suffered wear and tear that could not be improved.

Those from 16 to 30, who were more progressive entered rankings quickly which led to more wins, wealth and a promising career in the future.

Other than the military or the fighters club another avenue that would always be open to Sly was to become a mercenary or hired thug.

There were always upper class businessmen or elite families with royal connections looking for bodyguards or assassins to do their dirty work.

This route would be most dangerous for Sly and the least stable but it also offered the most freedom being in the army meant facing restrictions.

The spirit fighter clubs provide the most balance, the freedom to take vacations and kill aliens for fun or fight in competitive matches for accumulated wealth, who wouldn’t love that?

"I prefer for him to stay at the military academy not just for his education but his safety," replied Khaldun. "No one is more than I, how special Sly is, he has secrets and I intend to unravel them all. Let’s not forget that this peace is only temporary, any moment a war can break out with the enemies. I will not give them an opportunity to kidnap Sly or sway him to their cause."

"Oh."

Mr. Betton listened with a frown, his bottom lip curled, "I understand your reasons behind letting Sly stay at the academy. Even though I feel like there’s more to it than what you’re telling me. Perhaps it has to do with the boy’s family background? His background records were classified and sealed up tighter than the Royal Family of the Ephedra empire’s treasury. You and I both know that Sly’s freedom is monitored and limited at the academy. I hope he survives long enough to graduate from the academy, we both know how brutal and uncertain life is at the academy. It must be because of Sly why you’ve lasted at the academy for so long. You’re walking a tight rope trying to follow all the rules of the strict academy, handle politics and now you’ve added Sly to the list. Just know that I’m always here to help and Sly is always welcome too."

"Thank you gramps for the support, I really appreciate the offer but I don’t want either you or more parents to worry. For now being at the academy provides Sly with structure and a stable environment something he has never known from birth. It is better for him to stay enrolled in the academy, become my exclusive guide, graduate and then join the legion with me forever staying by my side."

When Sly woke up the air smelled thickly of rain, they were no longer in the underground city and Khaldun had him in a princess carry nestled against his warm chest.

The street lamps listened over the sidewalk with rain termites,moths and small black bats fluttered around competing for the light.

Close to Khaldun like this the air felt almost too thick to breathe.

Sly whispered shyly, "put me down please."

"Oh, you’ve awakened?" Khaldun asked.

He did not hesitate but gently set Sly on his feet, Khaldun’s black tee blending with the dark made him seem almost predatory.

If the humidity of the night air bothered Khaldun he didn’t let it show.

Since it was late Khaldun continued to lead the way to Sly’s apartment, he moved in sync with the darkness.

Such an easy perfection that only those that feared nothing much less the dark could own.

He walked under a street light, which showed the sculpted contours of Khaldun’s face and flawless skin.

"Promise me that you will avoid future altercations with Verde. Don’t continue to taunt him publicly, it’s pointless getting into stupid fights," pleaded Sly.

Khaldun turned to Sly and said, "you just woke up and all you can think about is another man. How about you don’t mention any other men in my presence." He frowned but continued speaking, "I will do as I see fit. I will even die to defend you. Do you not understand that by now?"

"I do now."

"Fabulous. Shall we continue? I’d like to reach in before the rain starts to fall."

Khaldun gallantly gestured like a polite gentleman, in the direction Sly should walk.

"I know my behavior and actions may seem daunting at times but it is necessary, Sly. I would not ask anything of you if it wasn’t without reason. Just trust me."

Sly retorted, "How is it necessary?"

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