Killian kept his head forward.

He never looked around the office or made eye contact with the judgemental looks of his ancestors’ pictures hanging in the room.

His father was seated at the table opposite him, sipping a bitter herbal tea that he took for his heart.

Killian waited for the third sip, before clearing his throat. Something he knew his father disliked.

His father’s hand paused mid-air, and he dropped the tea on the table. However, he didn’t glare at Killian in his usual reaction but forced a smile.

"You must be busy now that you have finally awakened something. How is it going for you?"

’Finally awakened something’. Keith’s exact words.

The reminder that his twin brother had become a second version of his father made Killian lower his head in front of the man. "It’s fine." 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

There was silence for a while. His father took the third sip. "You also become a top scorer even with the Fire Element. That is really hard to believe."

Killian said nothing. His eyes shifted to the seat behind him, wondering if he should take it since this interrogation might take long.

"Killian."

Killian’s attention snapped back to his father. "Yes."

"You are making progress unlike before. I assume you also joined the duel with your younger brother. It will be good for the family when the two of you get accepted."

Silence.

Killian’s heart missed a beat as the words blurted out of him. "I plan to... drop out of the duel."

Silence.

"Why?"

Why? Would he consider my reason? Killian looked up at his father, and his throat dried up.

His father’s gaze had a condescending edge, looking at him from his seat. "Why would you drop out from a duel that can make you something?"

Killian’s head had already lowered before his father raised his voice. He bit his lower lips, trying to stabilize the tendrils that were reacting to his panic.

"If you are worried about your inadequacies, I will discuss with Sir Jenovan to teach you for the time being."

His father regained the coldness in his voice. "Whatever he could have done for Quara will be done for you. He’s still the best Fire Mage around."

Killian’s hands squeezed together behind him.

"Even if you have that element, you might use it better. I have learnt my mistakes with Quara." His father sipped his tea, and sighed.

Killian could feel the coldness from his father’s heart with a glance. He never cared about the child, but just the glory he wanted.

With his older sister finally doing what she wanted without reporting back to him, he had cast her aside as not good enough and found a replacement.

He might as well birth a child himself that will use the Fire Element as he wanted. Killian looked up at him, meeting his gaze. "I said, I plan to drop out."

"Killian." His father’s voice dropped an octave.

Killian didn’t wait to give his reasons for a benefit of doubt. "I do not want to travel that far. And as you should know, I was nearly killed by an angel. What good will I be to you if I were dead?"

His father’s hand tightened around the cup, and the heat from his palm boiled the water till it burst, shattering the cup. Killian kept his eye contact.

"The angel’s attack is the very reason the board suggested to take you to the academy for your protection! Do you know nothing!"

Killian hesitated. His head dropped and he stared down at his hands. No one told him anything. George had only sent a contract to his email.

No, I didn’t even read the contract to start with so that might’ve been stated.

"I still don’t want—"

"Are you being rebellious because you feel proud of that little leaderboard where you are on top?" His father chuckled darkly. "That is nothing."

"By whose standards?" Killian’s red eyes shifted to him. His blood boiled at being reduced to nothing, and by the greatest coward he had ever known.

"Have you ever been a Top Scorer?"

Slam!

"Killian!" His father rose from his seat. "You will not talk to me that way! I will not tolerate it from you!"

Killian forced his head down and apologised. His father still seethed, clenching his hand over the broken pieces of the shattered cup.

"Get out."

The door opened and Killian closed behind him. The suffocating feeling of being in front of his father faded once he reached downstairs. He breathed out.

That’s how it always ends.

He insults me, and gets angry when I’m offended.

Should I just take it?

Wiould he just take being called nothing if he were me!

His hand slammed on the door of his room. The servants walking past paused, then moved on as if they saw nothing.

Killian pushed the door open and fell on his bed. "I hate this house. It wouldn’t be a bad idea if I leave."

The risk of exposing the Void was the only danger.

Especially, as they reacted to his feelings recently.

I shouldn’t go.

But if this was the Board’s decision, then I might not be able to refuse it as easily as I want.

He switched on his laptop, and went to his closet to change his clothes. He plopped down on his bed, holding a haul of chips and sugary snacks.

He hated stress eating, but the object of his stress wasn’t something he could handle by sleeping.

He opened the contract, highlighted it and used AI-Summarize. The summary of the contract was also long so he skimmed through it.

"They did say so," he said amidst munching. "It was a decision of the board concerning the angel. Ugh." He fell on his back, staring at the ceiling.

If I do go along with it, then I have to only use the Fire Element. Even Corrupted Fire might give me away while around Light Element Users.

To gain a better edge, I should get really good at the Fire Element. My life may depend on it.

He relaxed and the tendrils under his leg slithered over his bed, creeping around his room but stopping at the door.

That was the state he had found them in when he woke up that morning.

They are really doing their own thing.

He remembered the innate skill he was reading, and with a thought, the WLog lit up.

[Innate Skill: Mimicry]↓

He tapped the drop down, and found a chunk of text explaining information regarding the skill.

It was his first time seeing one. There were no books about the forbidden elements so the Void was his only source.

Killian sat upright and calmly read since he couldn’t summarise on WLog.

[Description: Mimicry replicates skills upon contact by analyzing the target’s mana frequency and the familiar elemental structure. Void reconstructs the skill using the host’s own elemental reserves.]

Killian stared at the text making sure he understood it. His hand reached for his face. He pinched himself.