THE LAST KEEPER

”You have already punished him enough, Salsal. Besides, it was we who did not involve him in the plan,” Senraki said to Salka after they had been bickering for a long time. They had completely ignored Molwa, and he was physically beginning to tremble.

”If you don’t get out of the way, I’m going to kill him,” Molwa said, trying to sound courageous.

”I can’t believe he threatened you to kill your wife, Mona. Does he know Mona was the discipline division commander here before she retired to take care of your little brats?” Senraki said, ignoring Molwa yet again. sagiri was starting to get into the gossip, and she was beginning to get used to his lungs burning because

”I probably should have let him go to her. It has been a long time since she sank her nails into flesh to break some windpipes. She is going to kill me for denying her the opportunity.” Akama said with hearts in his eyes. He and his wife must have been a weird couple. Akama was deranged in the least, and she was fierce. They made a perfect match.

”I’m serious, I’m going to kill him,” Molwa said, but his grip had gotten sweaty, and his heart was beating so hard that Sagiri could hear it.

”You kill him, and you die anyway,” Salka said, and sagiri did not see his hand move, but the next second, as the blade was launched their way, and the sound of blade meeting flesh met sagiri’s ears. A moment of silence passed before blood spattered on sagiri’s and Molwa’s grip loosened. He fell to the ground with a thud. sagiri gasped and clutched his throat, finally able to breathe properly.

”Thank you for shutting him, but he was mine to kill Salka,” Akama said with regret.

”Be faster next time,” Salka said.

”Your pets are going to be full this time. What do you plan to do with Ganka?” Akama asked, and sagiri could not even begin to imagine what Salka’s pets were. Ganka must have been the junior who had betrayed Galka War Academy, and the death and blood sagiri smelled must have belonged to Molwa’s companions from the outside.

”Dear Sagiri, I hope I did not scare you too much.” Senraki was the first to speak to sagiri.

”That is the second time you have used me as bait,” sagiri said after he was breathing normally again. ”I wonder if there is a third time,” sagiri seethed. Senraki had used him as bait to flash the Tamelku twins out so they could dig their own grave, and he had used him yet again to catch a traitor.

”we cant use the word ’use’ sagiri. I might have underestimated the Tamelku twins, but this time I had Akama to protect you. not many can beat Akama in combat,” Senraki said in his usual tone as if it was that simple.

”What about Naga?” Sagiri gritted. He did not care that Senraki was the marshal anymore. Senraki didn’t seem to know that something had happened to Naga, so he raised his eyebrows.

”What about Naga sagiri?” he asked, and sagiri’s lips trembled.

”He was just collateral I see,” Sagiri said, partly not wanting to reveal that Naga had attacked him and wanted to kill him. He needed to keep it a secret as atonement for Naga’s brother, and perhaps the boy could live to reach his brother’s dreams. ”He almost died trying to save me, but it seems you only care to use and discard people with no respect for their lives. You are no better than Molwa.

”Hey recruit, you can’t talk to the marshal like that. apologize.” Akama said, seemingly angry. His earlier two moods were now replaced with anger.

”The recruit is right,” Senraki said in a serious tone, stopping Akama in his tracks. ”He, after all, almost died because of me, and as a marshal I should set a good example to my recruits and cadets. so, Sagiri, I apologize. I will ask before I put you in the face of danger again.” senraki said and sagiri breathed. He did not forgive him just yet, but he would take his word for it. If he broke, then they would stop seeing eye to eye.

”I will take your word for it,” sagiri answered, saluting Senraki. It was a war academy after all, and respect was at its heart even when he was angry. He still wanted to act with discretion just as N’varu had asked him.

”You will be starting the midterm year exams next week. You will be tested in all subjects, including combat and weaponry. They both have different rankings, and I’m expecting you not to fail in both. Because if you do, you will be terminated. That was the bargain I made with the ten schools. You have to prove that you are smart, and that is why you were targeted. If you don’t, then it will raise questions as to why someone could want a failure.” Senraki added. He was gravely serious, and sagiri nodded and saluted him, understanding the intensity of the issue. sagiri knew for sure the textbook exams would not be hard for him, but he was not much better in combat at most. He would stand on his toes with the second-year cadets because losing control of the power inside him was not an option.

”Do you understand?” Senraki asked as if wanting to know if sagiri knew the intensity of the situation he was in.

”I understand,” sagiri answered.

”The ride back to the inner nonagon was silent, perhaps maybe because sagiri was the only one sitting in the back of the wagon. Salka and Senraki had remained at the gate to wrap up things and maybe patrol or whatever the two had in mind. He had also been asked to go back to the fourth-year pentagon in the morning to resume his classes and prepare for exams.

He should have been happy about going back, but after setting foot inside the central Pentagon library, he did not want to go back yet. He had wanted to ask Senraki to be allowed in the library even after he went back, but he chose to hold his tongue for now. he did not know why the ten schools council were interested in his so much or perhaps someone was pulling strings behind them but he knew he had to pass. he was not going to hold back in the written exam and he would push himself in combat stand even in the average category. Of course he could not magically beat boys who had been training to kill and become warriors of tagayia in mere three months but with his current body, he knew he only needed three more months to be able to stand on the same footing with the fourth year cadets.

The exam was also going to determine if he became a cadet and changed the sash colour. It seemed a lot was riding on it.

After the exam, the fourth-year student would start being assigned to patrol duties around the school. They would also get assigned permanent teams from then on, which would include ten students and an instructor, making it a fully functioning squad. The teams will then patrol together, train together, and even be sent on small missions to foster their bond. sagiri had become used to members of Team 25, and he did not want to start over with a new team. Just thinking about it made him sigh.

He also needed to find Lotaga and explain things. It seemed he had been too cruel for a mere trap set by Senraki. Since he was being allowed back to join the others, he knew he had been freed of any suspicion, at least for the moment. He had a feeling, however, that the person pulling strings might have had his claws deep in the ten schools council and even the warriors guild.

It was past three when they arrived back in the inner nonagon, and Akama allowed sagiri to sleep in for an hour or two after breakfast before he was allowed back to join the others. After what had happened, he should have lost his appetite, but he was even hungrier now, and he swallowed the large portions she served quickly. The food in the central Pentagon was also much better, and he was going to miss it. After he was done eating, however, he did not go back to his temporary room to sleep.

He still remembered the healing wing like the back of his hand, and his feet took him there. He knew who he was looking for, and he had visited the wing long enough to know which section held heavily injured patients. Naga was lying face up. A bandage was tied around his head and his left arm. He looked to be in pain even with the pain pills. Even so, he was awake, and his head turned to look at the door when sagiri walked in. his eyes widened as if he could not believe what had happened. It seemed he must have been unconscious when they brought him in and could only remember sagiri being blackmailed.

”Why are you here?” Naga asked, his expression still holding pain and grief. The question had two meanings and sagiri stepped even deeper into the room. He intended to answer both.

you will have to ask Akama, Salka, and Senraki when you leave the wing,” he answered, and Naga’s eyes widened slightly. He already knew the cost of what he had attempted, and he understood the weighing of its consequences.

”I am here to also tell you that I told Senraki that you were hurt while you were protecting me from Molwa. We are even now,” he said, and Naga’s lips quivered. It looked like he wanted to say they were not even, but instead, he just faced the other side as if he was slightly relieved. ”You can become a captain like your brother. But if you try to kill me after this i will not hold back,” Sagiri said the last statement slowly. He might have been the reason Naga’s brother was killed, but he was by no means at fault. He had chosen to do Naga one favour since he had lost a blood brother, but he would not allow it again. Even his compassion ran short.

He did not wait for an answer from Naga or expect thank you as he turned around and exited the healing wing.