Chapter 1: Battle Born

"Battle born is one of the most prestigious titles a man or a woman can obtain, it means they are born to wield a blade, are made to cut with it, and destined to die by it."

"Okay class now get out your notebooks we'll have a quiz later so you better take notes unless you want to fail." said Professor Quas.

The professor was a nice man but very square, he's intelligent but close minded and apparently by the look of his physique he's one lazy man.

"Man, this is one boring class huh?" said Shar.

Shar was a nice guy, well groomed and well disciplined, he wears an eye patch on his right eye, he says he wears it because he got it from an injury that he sustained when he was battling some thugs when he was just a kid, apparently a thug's blade got to him and cut his eye leaving his right eye unusable, but with all that there's no visible scar which makes it hard for us to believe his story. Although he's an exceptional front liner with amazing speed, he has a sharp mind a graceful body that's very hard to battle with. Even though he's kind of young and skinny, he's one of the strongest ones out there.

"Shhhh… You guys just shut it. Maybe if you were listening you wouldn't be bored as hell."

"Yeah whatever Tifa, just mind your own business we're not talking to you nor did we invite you in this conversation."

"Tsss.. Always an irritating guy huh Shar?"

"You bet I am." said Shar with a grin between insulted, proud and the purpose to irritate.

Tifa was one of the girls in our group, she was the closest girl to me, we meet way back and became friends ever since, she was an exceptional student and has an exceptional talent in supporting the front liners. She was top of the class in healing and buffing. She's a blessing to anyone who was appointed her partner.

"You guys should quit it, we'll all get in trouble again and we have to clean a monster cage again." I said.

My name is Raikou, I'm also a front liner like Shar. I'm a graduating student at KanaKuri School, as you might have noticed I'm classmates with Shar and Tifa but we also have other friends, all in all our group is composed of eight, five boys and three girls. Here in KanaKuri we all have special powers and elements that we possess, I have Lightning, Shar has Wind while Tifa has Fire. They say that I'm special because Lightning is such a rare element that it was once said that you might have paid God to get it.

"Hey Raikou, Tarin said to meet up with them after class we have a battle in this territory." said Shar.

"Sure sure." I replied

"RAIKOU, SHAR!" said Professor Quas with a voice so loud that everyone who was sleeping immediately woke up.

"Yes Sir?" Shar and I immediately replied.

"Were you listening to a word I have said or are you two just talking about how will you clean the cages once again?"

"No sir, we were listening." I replied.

"Then what is our topic?"

"Our topic is about the title "Battle Born" professor" said Shar. He may be lazy but he's not stupid.

"Good. Now will you care to tell me what is it Raikou?"

"Not a problem sir. - Fuck this Shar got the easy one – A Battle Born is someone who receives the title after doing an extreme level of swordsmanship and chivalry; it's only given to the elite front liners, supporters and buffers."

"Excellent. Now can someone tell me how many Battle Born this school has produced?" asked the professor to another student.

"KanaKuri has produced only 8 Battle Born in its 1000 year history sir." said my classmate who is obviously a book worm.

"Good, and can someone tell me what they all have in common?" asked the professor but now he asked it to the whole class.

Tifa raised her hand so fast that she almost fell off her chair.

"Yes Tifa?"

"Thank you sir, all the common aspects and traits that all the Battle Born this school has produced is quite few. First they are all front liners."

"Good, continue…"

"Second, they all seem to be from the same decade."

"Yes, good Tifa, anything else you might want to add?"

"Third, they are all Lightning bearers."

"Yes, you are correct, that is enough, and you may sit down now."

"Pfffft. Miss Know It All." whispered Shar to Tifa.

"Shut it." she replied.

"Now apparently…" the professor continued lecturing the class. "It's no coincidence that Battle Born from this school are lighting element, apparently we have the least number of Battle Born a school has produced, this is because our founder, the strongest Lightning bearer in history, made this school to hone and train Lightning bearers to become Battle Born."

The class fell silent and all of the eyes came unto me.

"You Raikou are only the 9th Lightning bearer to step in a graduating year, are you up to it?"

"Huh? I…. uh…." I said in bewilderment for all eyes were on me.

"But don't you dare think you'll get special treatment." The professor interrupted my answer and the line "Thank God!" ran through my mind. "That program was abolished many centuries ago. Sorry to put it to you Raikou but you're not the 9th to step in the graduating level. About 20 Lightning bearers have graduated before you."

"But Professor what happened to the program? Why was it abolished? We could have produced another 20 Battle Born with that program." asked a classmate of mine, who apparently is the son of the richest man in our district.

"We'll…. let's save that for next week, now get ready for the quiz everyone!"

"Man that was one fucked up quiz huh?" said Shar

"You always complain Shar." Tifa replied with her usually bossy voice. "You know if you listened just a tiny bit you might even pass one."

"No thanks."

"Predictable."

As we were walking down the hall way a boy came out of nowhere running towards us with a huge sword strapped around him, he has this great big mohawk on his head that's dyed bright yellow. His uniform was unbuttoned and he was wearing nothing underneath. He has a body that must be a result of thousands of hours in the gym, or just a hard childhood life. As he runs towards us his giant sword keeps knocking everyone off their paths, but nobody complained, because everyone knows who he is, he's my friend, Grim, the most feared front liner in the last 6 years. The son of the most powerful Water bearers who ever walked these halls.

"WASSSSSSSSAP GUUUUUUUYS?!" roared Grim who is just right in front of us now.

"Nothing much, we should got off Quas'." I replied while observing my surroundings for I don't want to be embarrassed. I hate that.

"Fucking waste of time if you ask me." said Shar.

"So where are you going Grim?" asked Tifa.

"I'm going down the training hall."

"Why what for? We don't have team practice today."

"There's a thug that's been messing around campus he said that he can take anyone but he was ignored by everyone, so he beat the living hell out of a girl who was just passing by. Good thing there was medics around. After I saw that I got so pissed off, so I challenged him to a real fight and he accepted were going to fight in the training hall."

"Let me guess," said Shar "you're going to fight with a cocky freshman who just came in huh?"

"So?"

"You embarrass me."
"HEY! I'm doing this for the girl, plus the freshman needs to know his place."

"HAHAHAHA! Good luck with that." I said to Grim as we are now beginning to walk pass him.

"DON'T NEED THAT RAIK! SEE YOU GUYS TONIGHT ON THE DEFENSE!?" shouted Grim. It was the loudest one yet.

"YEAH YEAH!" replied Shar.

"SEEE YEAH LATER!" said Grim as he was running down the hall with his gigantic blade swaying behind his back.

"Everything's going according to plan."

"Good, now we can start to own this city."

"How long has it been?"

"15 years."

"Hmmm… He'll be happy to see you again."

"Before my meeting with him, you need to take care of that Water kid."

"Don't worry; he wouldn't know what hit him."