It wasn't often Keyara was anxious as she stood at the training grounds with the other guards, watching them all. She had perfected her ability to control ether, being 20 years old, she was a fast learner. Suddenly, Sorean walked toward her.
"Don't fret Keyara, he will be here soon." The Emperor told her, and she nodded, smiling at him.
"I know Sorean, it's just...this is the first time I've actually trained against someone. Not to mention, they are my mentor, I don't want to disappoint them." Keyara explained nervously, she was a dedicated woman, that was for sure.
"Do not worry. You have risen through the ranks quickly, you will like your mentor. That much, I can guarantee. Besides, he hand picked you, and he's a high respected High Entia, you will not be disappointed either." Sorean said, and left, leaving Keyara speechless.
'Hand...picked? This High Entia mentor, picked me of his own free will?' Keyara thought, surprised a High Entia actually seemed to care about her.
A few minutes passed, before everyone there went still, and turned their attention toward her, or she thought at first. That was, until she heard footsteps, and looked before her. Walking toward her was a High Entia, who looked to be middle aged if he was a Homs, with large white wings, bright green eyes instead of the normal blue, and wearing the traditional guard outfit, but a bit more elegant. He stopped right before Keyara, and smiled kindly at her.
"So, you're the Homs who is becoming the Divine Seers guardian, the Divine Guardian. My name is Galven, it is a pleasure to meet you." The High Entia, Galven said, and gave a small bow, surprising Keyara.
"Yes, that would be me. And it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Keyara said, and gave a bow as well, showing respect, then she heard whisper's and felt envious ether.
"Galven chose to train her? This is a joke, right?" a guard asked a few of his fellow guards.
"I can't believe it. Why would Galven choose to train a Homs, and not a High Entia? He's well respected among the High Entia, how could he choose her?" Another guard whispered, and Keyara felt the pain of being hated among High Entia.
"Come, there is a different place for us to train." Galven said, and turned, Keyara following closely behind.
Later: Keyara growled as she hit the ground, before blocking the sword falling on her, growling even more. Her and Galven were training at an Ancient High Entia arena, and they quickly began. Galven put more pressure on the sword, and Keyara pushed back even harder, slowly gaining the upper hand, the orbs in her arms glowing as they gave her the strength needed.
"You need to learn to rely on your own strength, not the ether!" Galven commanded, and the orbs stopped glowing, and her arms gave way, the sword touching her throat.
"Alright, that's enough for today." Galven said, and removed his sword, Keyara panting for breath.
She pushed herself up on her arms, before a hand entered his vision. Looking up in surprise, she saw Galven holding a hand out to her, offering to help her up. Keyara gratefully took his hand, and allowed him to help her up.
"Thank you." Keyara said, giving a small bow.
"Please, when alone, you need not be formal." Galven said, and Keyara nodded, still panting.
"I've always used ether to help me, so learning to rely on my own strength is going to help me get stronger." Keyara said, and sighed as she got her breath back.
"Good, because when your around the Divine Seer, you will have to rely on your own strength, Keyara." Galven stated, and Keyara nodded, smiling at him.
"Galven, I have a question. Why choose me? There are more suitable pupils to take on." Keyara asked, unable to tell the reason through his ether, he was good at hiding his intention's.
"Because...you remind me of myself. Though I am a High Entia, I wasn't well liked as I sympathized with all races of Bionis, and I wasn't that strong." Galven stated, blushing a bit in embarrassment.
"I saw how the others treated you, and I see myself in you. You weren't well liked, and you bore the torture of hate on your own, never voicing your opinion, feeling the rejection crushing you, and yet you stay silent. No one, no matter the race, should bear that torture." Galven explained, and Keyara felt the tears gather, the pain of being rejected by a race your trying to help becoming overwhelming.
"But, your stronger than I was back then." Galven said, and Keyara looked at him surprised.
"I allowed everyone to walk over me, took the blame for things when I shouldn't have, and otherwise became a weakling; but you know when enough is enough. You let others know when your at your breaking point, you use the ether to let others know how you feel, and you put your foot down to stop injustice. Things I never thought of doing. Overall, I wanted to help you shine more, to let others know that Homs are as capable of things, just like the High Entia are." Galven said, smiling at her, and she smiled back, the tears falling, but they were tears of joy.
"I don't know what to say. I've never had a High Entia, except Melia, Sorean, and Kallian; show me any kindness." Keyara said, smiling softly, and Galven smiled softly at her, walked toward her, and placed both hands on her shoulders.
"Keyara, I want you to know you can come to me for anything. I am here for you, and will always be here for you." Galven stated, and Keyara nodded, the smile still on her face.
'He's like a father.' Keyara thought, and Galven grinned.
"A father?" He questioned, and Keyaras' eyes went wide in horror.
"Y-you can read my thoughts?!" Keyara shouted, blushing.
"No, you whispered it." Galven explained, and Keyara went red in embarrassment.
"I didn't think I actually said it." Keyara stated, and Galven chuckled.
"Don't fret about it. I'm rather flattered as I've always wanted a pupil of my own, and I want them to be comfortable around me, even if it is seeing me as a father." Galven stated, and Keyara giggled, her embarrassment fading.
Weeks passed as Keyara and Galven trained, but some High Entia still didn't like Keyara, and some even harassed her during normal training session's. She was more active around Melia, and Alvis now had a hard time keeping up with her, as she would start dragging him when he was slowing down around her. After a training session, Keyara and Galven were, at the moment, sitting down eating.
"You know Keyara, your what I have always wanted to see in a pupil." Galven stated, Keyara giving him a confused look.
"You're dedicated to your work, your focus is like no other, your respectful, and you fulfill your duty to the best you can. I've always wanted to see one like you." Galven complimented, and Keyara smiled, and looked away bashfully.
"I just do everything I feel is right. I follow my heart, and the ether helps lead me in the right direction." Keyara explained, and Galven smiled.
"Either way, you've impressed me. Enough...that, well..." Galven began stuttering, and this worried Keyara, he never got nervous, even when training others.
"Galven?" Keyara asked, making the ether swirl around him, soothing him.
"I've been wondering, when everything is over and done with, the training, the missions, and even the journey that both you and Alvis have discovered, if your wondering where you will go?" Galven asked, and Keyara sighed.
"I don't know. Colony 12 is destroyed, and I've nowhere to stay, for I can't be a guard forever." Keyara said, knowing that when everything is done, she won't be needed anymore as a guardian.
"Then how about living with me?" Galven blurted out, and she looked at him shocked.
"E-excuse me?" She asked, confused.
"Your like the daughter I've always wanted, and you see me as a father. So, if you have nowhere to go, you could stay with me. I'm offering to adopt you." Galven stated, and Keyara was stunned, he was showing he cared for her as a daughter, and he has shown that countless times.
Whenever the others got too rough in training, and she got seriously injured, Galven interfered, drawing his sword, and blocking a blow that could kill her. He was always there to protect her, and he comforted her when she felt she was failing. Keyara soon smiled as tears fell, and smiled at him.
"I accept. When this is all over, the missions, and the journey that is to come, I accept your offer. I would love to finally feel the love of a father." Keyara stated, and Galven smiled at her.
Keyara would finally feel the love of a father, the love of a family that was neglected to her. Yes, she would forever serve Alvis and the Imperial Family, but she would finally have someone she could call a father.