Winsley's POV
It had been a few days since the investigation had concluded. I had continued with my days as usual, talking with Cato and Somnia from time to time but still maintaining myself.
I had 1 month left for my training to end, after that I had to go to the front lines where it may be even more dangerous.
This whole situation left me….
Bothered.
Not afraid, not scared. Simply bothered.
I may have lost my life but I lived, even if it was by pure coincidence or the fact that Cato may have been a literal guardian angel who popped out of nowhere and has made my life better.
For now I can't live in fear, I simply have to live as I have till now.
It wouldn't even be a bother if it wasn't for the fact that Cato cared about me
I never thought it would be so bothersome to have people care.
My parents never showed me such care, they simply provided support and helped me gain strength.
To worry if I die, that would just be believing I was weak enough to not even survive
But from what I understand, Cato trusts me and believes my words. Yet he knows that the chance of my survival isn't 100% and that is what bothers him.
I understand if that is the case, honestly I do. But…
People die. That's life. Weakness dies. The strong live.
That's simply how life is and that doesn't bother me.
Cato isn't weak, in fact his monstrous rate of growth assures me that he won't die.
He absolutely cannot die.
Regardless, I really do appreciate that he cares for whether I die or not.
I snapped back to reality after my internal conflict as It was currently combat training. It was simple spars as I was called up
"Winsley Gelum against Lance!" The new Sergeant, Sergeant Winnow called out to us as I got up on the stage
I have not seen Lance fight much, he has his sword and I know he is a dew user. But he simply uses basic elements and nothing else..
"Let the fight Begin!" the sergeant called out as I took a defensive guard, Lance taking the initiative
"Luva Pisros!" Lance called out, slamming his hand to the ground as I felt the dew travelling under the arena and coming under me.
I jump away as a geyser of water launches up
"Igleva." I call out simply as spears of ice fly toward him
He uses his sword to block a few before jumping back and dodging them, I keep pressuring him as he manifests a wordless waterball and sends it my way
I match him in that regard and freeze the ball of water mid air and kick it, sending it his way with excessive force
He dodged it and stretches his hand out
"Quava!" Lance spoke out as a ray of fire left him, heading for me fast but I easily dodge before speaking out a spell
"Igleya Kerosa" A chain of ice snapped toward him as I use it to pull him toward me, flinging him as he brought up his sword
He flew at me at high speeds, he might have even used kura to boost his speed, his sword over his head now and was ready to be swung with all his strength
The trajectory was perfect, perfect enough to end me.
Is he….going to cut my neck?
"Igleva." I say at the last minute as several icicles stab his arms and legs, just enough so he doesn't die.
"FUCK FUCK FUCK WHAT THE FUCK GELUM" Lance yelled out as my eyes blinked, his sword?
Where was his sword?
My eyes wandered around the arena and saw his sword left where he was before I pulled him toward me.
"Miss Gelum, that was excessive force. I know this is a combat exercise but we all are comrades here." Sergeant Winnow looked at me as my eyes went to Lance
His arms were full of stabs, I believe one of my icicles even went through a bone. His arm….
I had cleanly pierced a bone and broke it. Healing from dew aside, he will have to rest a while to recover such injuries
"SOMEONE CALL THE HEALER IMMEDIATELY, IF THE ICE MELTS AND THE WOUND OPENS, HE MIGHT DIE OF BLOODLOSS!" The Sergeant called out as Yuro, using her thunder steps, ran off as fast as she could.
"Miss Gelum step down from the arena for now. We will have to talk about this later as well." The Sergeant gave me a bad look as I went down, looking at the other trainees who were looking at me in horror
"You…. how could you do that to him?" A girl asked me, I believe her name was Idris.
"I thought my life was in danger, so I retaliated." I tried to explain myself as another person snapped at me
"Retaliated!? He was unarmed and didn't even try to use a spell when you pulled him, RETALIATING AT WHAT!?" Joyce snapped at me as he looked at me in hate.
I simply stared at him, not sure how to explain that I saw a sword coming for my neck when very clearly he had let go
I don't understand what I saw.
My gaze turned to Cato, but before I could meet his eyes…. I looked down.
I looked down in shame.
Lance was his friend as well. I may not care about Lance and know what I did was to protect myself.
All he saw was me ruthlessly incapacitating him.
I couldn't meet his eyes. I simply couldn't.
"Winsley, look at me." Cato called out, now standing in front of me.
I don't know what came over me as I looked at him, he was looking up at my face as I saw his eyes
Not full of anger, hurt or even disappointment.
They were full of simple confusion.
"Winsley, I know you don't lose control. And I also know you wouldn't do something cruel. What did you see that made you neutralise Lance?" Cato asked me as I felt my eyes widen.
He understood my position?
Even when I told him nothing?
Even when everyone else saw me as a monster, he didn't?
"I saw his sword coming for my neck." I say as everyone looked at me in shock as Cato's eyes widened
"But…. his sword was on the ground when you pulled him?" He asked me, his confusion obvious
"Yes, but when I pulled him. I can swear this on my life. I saw a sword coming for my neck." I explained myself as Cato stayed quiet and the others around me gave me dirty looks.
They didn't believe me, I mean who wou-
"I believe you." Cato said to me, his eyes unwavering as others around us looked at him in shock
Me included.
"WHY WOULD YOU BELIEVE THIS MONSTER!?" Joyce yelled at him, grabbing his shoulder as Cato calmly, so calmly that it felt odd
He looked Joyce straight in the eyes and said
"Winsley doesn't lie. If she makes a mistake, she owns up to it. If she hurts someone, she doesn't deny it. I know her well enough to know that what she saw was real to her. I believe her. Lance will live and Winsley hasn't denied that it wasn't her mistake. Instead of demonising her, try to understand her." Cato talked and everyone listened.
I don't know what it was about Cato but right now he was assured, he felt confident and strong as he spoke.
He said his parts and everyone listened, looking around awkwardly as they weren't sure what to say.
"I don't believe you man. If I were you, I'd steer clear of that monster anyways." Joyce said with a sneer before walking away as I couldn't help but look down
Not in shame, not in embarrassment
But simply in thought
What would happen if Cato actually left me? Would I be fine? I suppose I probably would be. I would simply go back to my old routine. I lived that routine for years before he came into my life.
Yet
In the two weeks that I knew him, those two weeks may have been the most memorable times of my life.
My memory sometimes becomes a haze, my days were monotonous. Whether it be at home, the academy, the military or my room. It was the same routine.
Eat, sleep, train. Nothing else because nothing else mattered.
But I ate with Cato, it felt livelier
I trained with Cato, it made me feel as if I could rely on someone
And even as I slept, I remembered the time I spent with Cato
I don't want to lose Cato, do I?
"Cato…." I simply whispered to nobody as I saw that everyone was gone
It was night suddenly, almost 8 pm
No one was here, everyone had left…
"Oh hey, you got up from your trance!" I heard a voice from behind me, it was Cato
He was leaning against the arena wall, seemingly having slept a little
He barely slept at night so he got his sleep around the day by taking small naps it seems.
"You waited for me?" I ask him, unsure of his reasoning
He nodded
"Of course, I was waiting for you. You wouldn't get up from your trance no matter how much I shook you!" He said with a grin as I just nodded slowly
I really couldn't lose him.
He truly may have been an angel, sent by god to save me.
Ofcourse, he will never know I saw him as such.
At that moment Winsley nor Cato saw it but Winsley had the thinnest upward curve to her lips.