Feverish Thoughts



Anticipation
"Come on Edwin, today your big debut!" said a familar light voice. The boy turned his head back towards where he was walking.

The day was atleast pretty sunny, the air felt nice and crisp to the boy lugging a case in his hand. The location was a presteen guarded manor sitting on a rather large hill overlooking a town. While he could deal with the weight, it still slowed him down to a point he wasnt too accustomed to. Looking around, the flowers in the garden made the lawn have an interesting mix of aromas. Though, Edwin didn't seem to mind it with the woman he was walking with. The two looked like an odd pair, a rather tall girl and a rather stern male.

"I know you'll do amazing, Edwin! We both trained pretty hard for this moment, huh?", the woman says as she pats his back. Still though, Edwin couldn't shake off the feeling of nervousness. He was about to meet the rest of his family for the first time, as well as decide his future,  and if using the time he had was not wasted. He nods his head towards her, his hair lightly floating with the wind. She was wearing an interesting choice of a dark blue dress to compliment her eyes, which he knew she actually disliked wearing them.

"Yeah, I just need to find my focus."

The two walked to the front entrance, where when they entered, were greeted by a casophony of voices. They were mostly "Hi's and "Hello"s, but Edwin could hear the murmur talk of his presence....

"...that's the rumored boy? He looks more scrawny than expected."

"What's with the case hes carrying? Don't suppose that would be his weapon, he could barely lug it around."

"That hair....I kinda wish I had that blue."

The talk was clearly towards him, but nobody seemed to want to talk to the boy themselves. He was generally regarded as a weird outsider considering his adoption. Still, not liking the ominous background talk, he said something to the woman besides him. "Hey Anna...."

"Hmm?" The girl stops talking to listen to what Edwin wanted to say.

"L-lets just go to where we need to and do this? These people...While I have the same name, they dont feel like family." He mutters. Seeing all the eyes on him actually made him rather uneasy, he felt as though they wanted to pick him apart rather than actually to know him. Still though, the two walked deeper into the establisment, to an extremely large spacious room with what looked to be a home-built arena. A man standing near the door then walked upto the two.

"Are you Madam Annastasha and Sir Edwin?"

"Yes we are." Anna says with a calmed voice. It was an odd thing for Edwin to hear her voice so without emotion. Though, they were in a respectable place, so impressions would mean everything. She gestered a hello, and Edwin then hastily bowed as well in response.

"Very well, the Rite of Passing begins post test. Ready yourself young Prodigy, for you will need it." The man says, walking past them towards the mass of Chemests in the hall. For a random servant bound to this place, he seemed pretty nice though, atleast he spoke to Edwin. Anna then pulled Edwin in close, giving him a rather tight hug. Caught off guard, Edwin couldn't pull himself out and was squeezed. She then lowered her head and whispered something in his ear.

Edwin stood in the room with the case in his hands, as people began to come in, flooding the protected area and looking at the constructed arena. It was definately sturdy enough to withstand blows, but he questioned the stability. Anyway, his attention was drawn by a referee with a microphone.

"Edwin Chemest, the Trailblazing Prodigy. Are you ready to abide by your words those years ago? Or are you going to forget that you had made such a foolish bet?"

Seriously, the amount of disrespect was starting to get to Edwin. It is one thing if he is the primed focus of the people, but being made out to go back on his passion dug deeper. He opened his mouth, and with a sharp voice, said:

"Listen, I'm not a Prodigy! I'm just a person who wants to persue what he wants to!" He says, opening the case to reveal Ballista, the large cannon weapon. Edwin put it over his shoulder, and his face burned with such passion that even he felt the anger brewing inside of him.

"Okay, this is your rite of passive then! You have to defeat these!" The referee said, lowering two caged Boarbotasks into the arena. "For a person with such passions, these should be regularly beaten by hunters. Though, they were teased more to simulate ravage behaviours." He then paused, taking in breath.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes! Lets just get this over with!" replied a moderately annoyed Edwin. Anna in the stands knew that the referee was intentionally trying to throw Edwin off so he would lose, and hoped that he would focus.

"Let the battle, begin!" He says, tugging on a free hanging chain to be pulled up so he could leave the arena.