Chapter 16 - Chapter 16- Parting Ways

As Helios woke to the smell of salt in the air and the distant rhythm of waves, he tried to sink deeper into his bed. His body ached from last night's battle; all he wanted was to stay buried under the sheets, lost in rest. But his peace didn't last. The blanket was ripped away, and the cold morning air rushed in through the open window. "RISE AND SHINE!" Bow's voice boomed. "Get up, lazy bones, we're all waiting for you downstairs!" Groaning, Helios dragged himself up, splashed some cold water on his face, and headed down to the dining hall. The moment he sat, he was greeted by the familiar faces of his companions. "Good morning, Helios. How you feeling?" Malvek asked, his tone calm as always. "Uh… I feel okay. Last night's fight really wore me out though," Helios admitted, rolling his shoulders. Shidan swirled the cup in his hands, his gaze lowering. "We've been talking… Malvek and I have some business to handle here. You and Bow should head out on your own for a while. You can't be babied by us forever, you know." Bow raised an eyebrow, half-grinning. "You've got a point. But we've never been here before. I assume you two know this planet better than us, after all, you knew there was a town downriver." Malvek smirked. "You'll be going farther than that. A whole new land across the sea." "What land?" Helios asked, leaning forward. "Tharvos," Shidan replied. His eyes locked with Helios's. "Start there. Explore. Fight. Learn. Just… don't do anything stupid." Helios lowered his head, his hands fidgeting in his lap. "I know this sounds dumb… but I'm really going to miss you guys. You took me in, taught me so much. You're not just teachers to me, you're like… elders. Family." For a moment, the room grew quiet. Shidan's usually sharp eyes softened. "That's a good thing to say, Helios. But this story… it isn't about the four of us. It's about you. You need to go out, make your own path, your own adventures. We'll see each other again. I promise." Helios nodded, still holding back his emotions. Bow chuckled and leaned back in his chair. "Aw, Shidan, that was actually kind of sweet. Didn't know you had such a soft spot." Shidan's face flushed red. "Shut it." The table erupted in laughter, a bittersweet moment that made the goodbye even harder. Shidan bought the tickets Helios and Bow needed to set sail for Tharvos. "Well, the ship leaves tomorrow. I trust you two to get everything you need for the trip," he said with a calm but heavy tone. The rest of the day was spent with Helios and Bow wandering the bustling streets, gathering supplies and sharing laughs that masked the quiet weight pressing on their hearts. Night fell quickly, and before long, morning came. At the harbor, the ship loomed tall against the rising sun. Helios turned to his mentors one last time. "We'll see you again someday, Shidan, Malvek. Thank you… for everything." His voice wavered, though he tried his best to hide it. Shidan and Malvek stood side by side, watching as the two younger warriors stepped onto the ship. Bow gave a cheerful wave, while Helios lingered for just a moment longer, committing their faces to memory before turning his back and walking away. The sails caught wind, and the ship began its journey across the sea. Helios and Bow were off to begin another chapter of their story, while behind them, Shidan pressed a hand against his chest, clutching at the ache he refused to let show. Malvek glanced at him, saying nothing. Helios leaned against the railing of the boat, staring out at the endless horizon. "Hey, Bow… how do you make your gem work?" he asked. Bow glanced at him, curious. "Why're you asking now?" "I think I have the Sun Gem," Helios admitted. "I just… I want to know how you draw its power. Maybe I can figure out mine the same way." Bow thought for a moment, then nodded. "For me, it's all about feeling the energy inside me and pushing it out. Kind of like mana, but… different. The first time it came out, I didn't even know what I was doing. It just… happened in a high-pressure situation. After that, I memorized that feeling, and now I can control it." Helios frowned, thinking. "So I have to find that pressure point inside myself, where I'm pushed to the edge, and then let it flow?" "Exactly," Bow said with a grin. "The gem doesn't just give you power. It reacts to you. The more desperate or focused you are, the stronger it responds. It's like it wants to push back… but in a good way." Helios's gaze returned to the waves, the sunlight glinting off the water. "So… I have to throw myself into situations where I really have no choice but to win. That's when I'll feel it." Bow smirked. "Don't worry, you'll get it. Weird at first, but once you feel it, there's no going back. You and the gem… you become one." Helios clenched his fists, anticipation sparking in his emerald-green eyes. "One with the gem, huh… alright. Let's see how far I can push it." The ship cut through the waves, carrying them toward Tharvos. The journey across the ocean wasn't nearly as grueling as Helios had imagined. In fact, he found himself enjoying it. He and Bow spent their days fishing, working out, and practicing mana control. Bow even taught him a few tricks to better sense and gather his energy. Time flew by, and before they knew it, their three-day trip had come to an end. As they stepped off the boat, the smell of saltwater mixed with the aroma of fresh fish greeted them. Fishermen bustled about, unloading their catches, shouting prices, and mending nets. Helios and Bow navigated through the lively chaos until the city of champions came into view. At the heart of the city towered a colossal structure, the Colosseum. Its arches soared skyward, and the grand craftsmanship left both of them in awe. From inside, the roar of a cheering crowd echoed, sending shivers of excitement down their spines. Outside, stalls lined the streets, offering exotic foods, weapons, and training gear, while warriors sparred in the open grounds, clashing swords and testing their skills under the watchful eyes of mentors. Helios and Bow paused, taking it all in. The city buzzed with energy, a testament to the honor and discipline it demanded. Warriors trained relentlessly, seeking glory in the arena, and seeing their dedication sparked a spark of excitement in both of them. Helios turned to Bow with a grin. "This… this is exactly the kind of place we needed to be," he said. Bow nodded, eyes scanning the training grounds. "Yeah… feels like we're finally where we're supposed to be. Let's get ready, we've got work to do." Helios couldn't stop the urge to enter one of the training grounds. The sight of warriors clashing, their steel ringing with precision and fury, stirred something inside him. He wanted to test himself, truly test himself, against fighters of the arena. Bow, equally intrigued, followed him without hesitation. As they approached, Bow called out to one of the warriors. "Hey, we're new around here. Mind if we join in?" The man glared at them. "Are you idiots?!" he barked. "Go talk to a mentor if you want in. Don't distract us while we're training!" Bow scowled, muttering under his breath as he turned away, "Tch… jackass." Together, the two made their way over to a stern-looking mentor sitting at a wooden table, a heavy ledger spread open before him. The man didn't even look up at first, scratching notes into the parchment. "Excuse me," Helios began, "my friend and I would like to participate. Is there a way for us to sign up?" The mentor finally raised his eyes, studying them both with a slow, unimpressed sweep. "Tall one, you go over there." He jabbed his quill to the right, then turned to Helios. "And you, shrimp, you line up behind me." Bow exploded with laughter. "BAHAHA! SHRIMP! Oh, this is perfect!" Helios' face twisted with annoyance. "HEY! I am not a shrimp. I'm… average!" The mentor ignored their banter, tearing two tags from a stack and slapping them into their hands. Helios glanced down, his tag read 107. Bow's was 163. "Keep your tags visible. When your number is called, you fight. If you can't handle it, don't waste my time." Helios and Bow exchanged a look, then split off toward their designated areas, the weight of anticipation settling in as they waited for their turn in the arena's proving grounds.