'KARTIKEYA? Who the hell is that? And where is this place? I need to be with Collins right now!' James thought, his face etched with confusion and urgency.
James blinked, dumbfounded. He knew about Hinduism: India, far from Nigeria.
'What's an Indian god doing here? In Nigeria?'
'Wait… he can read my thoughts?!' James stiffened.
Before James could react, Kartikeya smirked mischievously.
"W-What...!" James' face flushed crimson.
"STOP! STOP!! STOP!!!" James shouted, waving his hands desperately. "Please! Why are you trying to shame me?!" His eyes welled up as humiliation gnawed at him.
'Just how much of my past did he see?!'
James exhaled shakily, relief washing over him despite the embarrassment.
James froze. It was true; despite the situation, despite his gloom before, he somehow felt lighter. The god's teasing had dragged him back from despair. Then Collins crossed his mind, and his expression hardened.
"Please," James said, stepping forward, voice trembling with desperation, "can you help my friend? He's my last family left… I don't want to lose him too."
Kartikeya's eyes sharpened, losing their playful glint. His tone deepened with authority.
James' fists clenched. "Please. Just tell me what I need to do. I don't care what happens to me."
The god studied him in silence, his gaze piercing, as though weighing James' soul itself. Mortals often wavered when faced with divine bargains. But James' resolve did not falter.
At last, Kartikeya smirked again, returning to his mischievous tone.
James' breath caught. "My friend? What do you mean?"
James frowned. "What does that mean?"
James didn't hesitate. His voice rang with conviction.
"Of course, I'll walk it with him. Collins is my golden spoon. You don't just throw away your golden spoon away."
Kartikeya blinked, surprised and then burst into laughter.
James stared, startled. It was the first time Kartikeya laughed so fiercely, not caring about appearances.
James' eyes widened. "He's… really better?"
Although James didn't understand the other part, but Collins been better was all that matters to him.
"Wait," James held up his hand. "Warbrand? What does that even mean?"
James' mind exploded at the sheer weight of the explanation. His vision blurred, and his thoughts spun.
'Wait… he said he's the Hindu God of War. If I become his Warbrand, I'll gain his divine attribute and together with my own attribute. That means I can reach my full potential… Collins won't have to bear everything alone. But… he's also one of the gods we're supposed to fight against in the future. Damn, this is complicated…'
James didn't realize Kartikeya was reading every thought.
'HE CARES FOR HIS FRIEND… TRULY. DREAMING OF FIGHTING THE GODS; FOOLISH. BUT PERHAPS, WITH 'THAT' BOY, IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE… OR NOT,' Kartikeya mused silently.
James finally lifted his head, eyes blazing with determination. "I'll do it. I'll accept. I'll become your Warbrand thing."
Kartikeya's smirk vanished, replaced by a sharp glare.
James raised his hands defensively. "Alright, alright!"
Kartikeya's smirk returned.
He raised his palm. A golden light burst forth, floating toward James like a sunlit flame. It seeped into James' chest, flooding his body with warmth and strength.
James gasped as power surged through him, every muscle igniting with divine current. When he opened his eyes—
He was back in the alley. Collins lay before him, breathing, pale but alive. The black cracks on his body was no more, but he looked so fragile that it seems he might break at anytime.
'He didn't lie to me,' James thought, relief softening his face. For the first time in a long while, hope burned fiercely in his heart.