"The training gym is full today. We weren't the only one to think that way."
"Are all of these people going for the island?" Kairo asked. They had arrived an hour earlier at the common training gym. Given how dangerous what awaited them was, Kairo and Nyx expected to work a little harder today.
However on their arrival, it was nothing like they had expected the gym to be. All of the gym officers had formed groups and were currently working on their card magic.
Some were running, jumping and squatting all while keeping their cards in hand. Doing so helped them have better control over their aura and allowed them to use their cards in combat longer. From around them, Kairo noticed faint halos of colors, almost invisible but still perceptible. It was like they bathed in nova of energies without them even noticing it.
Still on another side, two officers were training together, trying their best not to step out of the circle created around them. The female officer wielded a golden lance, using it to deflect the continuous volley of arrows from her opponent.
In such a tight circular space, one would have expected the ranged mage to be in a very tight spot. But as Kairo observed, he quickly noticed it wasn't the case. Around the mage was an amalgamation of grey particles, undulating like a living armor. Each time the lance managed to sneak around the arrows, the grey cloud would move out using its body as a shield to protect the mage.
"She is going to lose this," Kairo said. For him there was hardly any way for her to break the mage's defense. Thus it was just a matter of time before her efforts crumbled to nothing. Kairo could not help but see himself and the sand paladin in the female officer. Before Wind Breaker they had been similar without any consequent offensive card.
Kairo noticed a figure step up from behind him. With time his senses had grown so much that it became hard for him not to notice, but he quickly found out although he had a hunch. There was no sound coming from the person. As if he was there without being there. "An ephemeral card?" Kairo asked.
"Very perceptive, Officer Kairo." The voice echoed, from his head downward, the figure slowly became visible as if his voice was painting his body back to reality.
"How did you get here?" Nyx's eyebrow arched in surprise.
"Ludovic Gredenco, or you can just call me Ludo. I have been on a mission for over a year now. Without the island, I would have never appeared here," Ludovic said, a charming smile on his face, the type that made one let their guard down.
"He is cold... I almost didn't notice anything. And those eyes." Kairo frowned slightly. Among all the officers in the gym, Gredenco's subtle aura was certainly the most oppressive. It was like he was an endless hole releasing wave after wave of oppressive energy. What Kairo didn't understand was how he hadn't noticed something this obvious.
"I think I heard a few things about you," Nyx said, her voice far from being amicable. Unconsciously she stepped to the side of Kairo, keeping Ludovic in plain sight as if watching over him.
"I know what you might be thinking, but rest assured. I have no ill intention. What happened in the past was… an accident," Gredenco lifted his hands as if saying "hey, I'm not armed."
Kairo noticed Nyx's strange behavior around Ludovic and got curious. However he didn't ask anything immediately and simply said, "Nice to meet you, but now we came here to train."
After which the duo left to meet Fabian who had just arrived with the other captains. All the gym suddenly went a little calmer, observing the elites enter the scene.
While getting away from Ludovic, Kairo had a little ball-like feeling in the middle of his forehead, as if someone was looking at him, or to be more precise, marking him. Having grown up in the shadow of his father, he was used to attention, but this time it was a little different.
"Who is he?" Kairo couldn't help but ask Nyx to the side.
"Gredenco, the Gemini Mask. This is how his old partners have surnamed him," Nyx started. "He is an excellent card mage whose cards have all revealed to be excellent for a very special form of task. In a matter of months only after his awakening, he climbed the ladder to the fourth star officers."
"A card mage assassin," Kairo said, not the least bit surprised. Given the aura and vibe Gredenco gave him, he felt he was completely different from all the card mages Kairo had seen up until now.
"If the cards we awaken are really related to our innerself at the moment of awakening, Kairo, I would say Gredenco is a born assassin. For ever since he awakened his first card, it had never changed, and was always related to something creepy," Nyx added, a slight frown on her face.
"This doesn't correspond to what we know. Remember the innerself is a volatile state like our emotions. That's why the cards I have vary so much depending on how I was at the moment I got them. Wind breaker / wind slayer and the protector are good examples. If all his cards have the same nature, it can only mean one thing," Kairo said.
Either Ludovic Gredenco was really a master at controlling his innerself, or what they knew about card awakening was not entirely true. No matter the answer, born assassins were extremely rare in this world.
For most card mages had a wide range of abilities. Even members of the Order of Bounty Hunters could not be called born assassins. They were good at hunting and killing to get their cards, hence their name. But they were not specifically trained just to kill.
"I'm glad you're all taking this mission on the island with utmost importance," Fabian said. "We wouldn't have another chance. It is either we get the card chosen destiny for the card mage police, or we can say goodbye to the world like we have known it until now."
Kairo could hear frustration and even hatred in his voice. Fabian didn't look like he was over with what happened at the fountain. Back then he had not been of much use. This feeling of inadequacy at the moment was devouring him inside.
"It's going to be very rowdy on that island," Kairo thought.
Around them were the most effective officers of the card mage police. The real card geniuses. The gym was heavy with sweat but that didn't seem to disturb anyone. Fabian then went on to direct and form training groups.
"The exact composition of the teams will be known just a few hours before we depart, for you all to prepare. Now get in groups and start the workouts. Kairo, come this way," Fabian concluded.
One after the other, the officers went into action. This time around Nyx joined another training group while Kairo followed after Fabian.
"Aren't we training with the others?" Kairo asked as they left the gym.
"Not exactly. You're about to learn more about card resonance. You have noticed that you only learn about certain card mechanics when your star ranking increases. This is to protect both the officers and the population. Until an officer proves he aligns with our values, we teach you just the bare minimum. I'm kind of surprised too, Magnus just revealed this to us," Fabian said, trying his best to restrain his resentment.
"I think he has become way over cautious," Kairo spoke his mind. He could understand his father's thinking, but some might not see him as being cautious but just egoistic, wanting to keep everything for himself.
"Leading such a complex organization as the card mage police is not easy, Kairo. That's why we all follow Magnus even if he doesn't tell us everything. What he bears on his shoulders is for all of us," Fabian's voice echoed with respect and a tad of admiration. Despite his anger, he was willing to follow Magnus.
"But I don't get it. I'm just a three-star officer, or you mean?"
"After the fountain, you and Nyx have both showed abilities that rivaled that of four-star officers. Yeah, actually you and Nyx already meet the minimum criteria for that. But a new star right now is not the priority. We need to get you ready for the island. And now that you have been among the few to master card resonance, you must learn about it," Fabian concluded.
The duo had arrived in a completely different space. Here Mirelle and Danzan waited for him, plus a completely new figure. Kairo quickly noticed that the man was as tall as Donsentos. His body gave off a secure vibe, as if just being around him made one feel safe.
"One last thing, Kairo. Time for you to meet all the captains," Fabian smiled.