THE LAST KEEPER

Salka sat at the edge of the top of the Central Pentagon. He flipped his blade with practiced precision and caught it before it landed each time. He was not even looking at the blade but he had wielded it a thousand times to know where it could land. He could do it with his eyes closed and still not miss it.

He had been bested for the first time since he became captain of the Galka War Academy and he did not like how it felt. He had lost two of his men and it made him tremble with rage. Even more so he had almost lost something he cared for and that made him want to make someone feel pain.

It was his fault for not killing Tonga sooner. He should have killed the bastard when he betrayed his whole team. He was the team leader back then and he had caused the death of half the team.

Whoosh!!

A blade was launched to the back of his head and he moved his hand quickly and caught it with ease. He then turned around with a seething expression.

”Can you grow up and stop acting like a child?” He seethed but the man he was talking to just smiled widely.

”Is it wrong to cheat my bosom friend who is sitting alone acting it’s a funeral?” Senraki said and Salk ignored him. He could never win with the man unless it was combat so he chose to ignore him.

”Don’t disturb my peace.go away. He said and set his eyes on the terrain below. He could see the top of the four pentagons and even the woods and rocky terrain beyond.

”Did you have to kick lotaga off the team? Don’t you think that is a little of an overreaction?” Salka said, coming to stand beside Salka, his eyes forward. Silence stretched out between them. Salka had indeed kicked lotaga out of his team. The boy had not listened to instructions and he needed punishment. It was about disobedience to orders from his superior. Not anything to do with the fact that he almost died. Salka convinced himself.

”You didn’t have to bring the boy to the central Pentagon. Don’t you think it’s an overreaction on your part?” Salka threw senraki’s question back at him. Another silence fell between the two men both holding reasons for their own decisions.

”I have to please the guild. You know they are always watching. They already deem me unit to tan this academy. Refusing to give them the boy to interrogate pissed them off. You know they always retaliate.” Sentaki said what Salka already knew and they both fell into silence again. They always met like this once in a while to talk.

”You could have just handed him over. Why go through the trouble?” Salka asked even though he himself felt reluctant to just hand over the boy to be tortured by those old-school old hags.

”The boy doesn’t seem to know who is. But someone out there sure does. If they sent even Tonga on the suicide mission then the boy must me something special. Perhaps the person behind the boy has links to the guild and I hate being used.” Sentaki said and Salka nodded. They had both been there when the boy fought with his guys out. It was as if he was a weapon meant for war or and his eyes.

”Could he be from an extinct tribe. In the myth of tribes, some tribes went extinct because they held too much power and other tribes felt threatened.” Salka said, sounding stupid even to himself. How could he even think myths were true.

”After seeing how he moved. I have never seen anything like it. You said he is a genius too. I don’t think it’s a coincidence. Why would so called powerful tribes go extinct?” Senraki answered with uncertainty too.

”I sparred with him today. His strength is at par with that of a junior instructor when he is in that zone. His eyes turn black when frustrated too. I suppose he was pushed the other day too.” Salka said, remembering how fast the boy moved. He was still no match for him but he had a feeling he would keep getting stronger.

”You pushed him?” Senraki asked with a hint of mockery.

”I refuse to believe he was just a killing machine. Lotaga vouched for him. Seems he becomes quite the beast when he can’t handle his emotions.

”I hate being in the unknown. His healing abilities are also impeccable. How can such a tribe go extinct?” Senraki asked the same question yet again and silence stretched for a while.

”I already sent spies south to look into his adoptive parents. They must have picked him somewhere. There might still be a trail.” Salka said feeling like he was grasping for straws. Sixteen years is a very long time to keep a tail. But he could not just sit still.

”Could he be from the south? They are said to have eyes of strange shades?” Senraki said and Salka finally turned around swiftly.

”I thought you knew better than to mention the south. Besides, it’s been years since the south shut its borders. No one goes south anymore. Why could the south abandon their own in the north anyway. They are secretive people and Tagayia has almost nothing on them.” Salka said but he could not help but maul over what Senraki had said.

”I’m just saying salsal. Don’t be so agitated. If it is a secret art then I have never heard one that powerful.” Salka agreed with a nod. It seems they couldn’t come up with a fitting identity for the boy. He was a mystery.

”You know the guild is not going to stop. Right. The boy is a suffocation chamber protegee and now annihilates three men way above his rank. I know I’m curious too.” Salka said, folding his hands on his chest.

”Those old hugs act like they appreciate talent when they only want to control it. He is in my school now whether they like it or not. I won’t submit to their wishes.” Senraki said. He is a stubborn man after all and he doesn’t take lightly to intimidation.

”That would start a war. The ten schools organization can’t protect you against the guild forever.” Salka said, shaking his head. He was acting as if he wanted the situation to go some other way but deep down he had always wanted to vanquish the guild.

”But you will protect me forever. Won’t you salsal?” Senraki said in a mocking tone and salka had to stop himself from throwing him down to his death.

”I only protect the galka war academy. You deserve to die if you can’t protect yourself.” Salka snickered and the two laughed. They had known each other for years and Salka had had to fight the urge to kill senraki every step of the way. They were rivals in battle and if a rival could not even protect themselves they were not a worthy rival. They both knew that.

”You are so ruthless.” Senraki feigned hurt.

”And you are insufferable,” Salka bit back. ”You should let the boy join the others. The midyear examinations are coming up soon and he needs to make his mark.” Salka continued. Salka did not answer to that and just stared into the distance for another long while.

”How is lotaga taking his elimination from your team.? You know that boy respects you.” Senraki asked after a long moment.

”You should get your eyes checked if you think that brat respects me.” Salka snickered. ”He doesn’t listen to anything I say.” Salka continued. He could not for his sake remember the last time lotaga had listened to him. He had punished him so many times he thought the brat actually enjoyed being punished.

”He saved the asakana brat and chimera one. You should not punish him for too long.” Senraki said and an irritated sound left his throat.

”I will punish him till he learns. It might have worked for Good this time but it was still reckless. He will not always be a senior instructor. He might one day be a captain that people depend on. He needs to grow up. I will exempt him from all missions till I am sure he is grown.” Salka said leaving no room for debate.

”Such anger.” Senraki said and Salka just sighed and ignored him. The two stared straight ahead for another long moment before Senraki finally excused himself.

”Let me go bait my mouse again.” Senraki cackled as he went. He was a man of many schemes and that was not new to Salka. They both had different roles to play.

Salka still stood on the edge long after Salka left. He was back to his thoughts yet again. It seemed there was a long strong behind Sagiri. Even his admission to the Galka war academy had been forced into him according to what he had said in the interrogation. It seemed as if someone wanted the boy at Galka war academy and the same person or yet another person wanted to take him out of it.

Why would someone want the boy so bad?

One thing was clear however. Sagiri could keep getting stronger and if someone wanted to use him then it could be a threat to Tagayia. He agreed with Senraki on that one. The boy could not be left to fall into the hands of someone who wanted to use him as a weapon.