FRIENDS OR ENEMIES
ZARYA'S POV
We woke up at exactly three o'clock in the morning for lung training on the sea. We were running one hundred times going back and forth from where the red flag was located. It was not that difficult for me because Hali did this to me in the river. My only concern was my brother. Fortunately, he liked to go to the gym, lift heavy metals, and run in the park every day. He did not easily get tired.
Although the task was so hard for me, I made it with all the sweat and loud heart pumping. I managed not to collapse when my feet touched the white brown hot sands. I finished running at midday, the time when the sunlight was severe.
"Good job, Zarya." Seo Blood Drop complimented me. I touched my knee while my back was bending, head waa gazing down, viewing the sand while gasping for plenty of air.
I could feel the coldness of my body every time the winds blew. I was soaking in the water. This was just the first step in the training and I felt so heavy. This was the way of preparing for level 2. Later, we would have a hold 8f breathing under the water. That was one of my weaknesses, and Hali punished me for that. My lungs were not good at that.
I stepped forward as I was breathing in and out heavily, getting as much air as I could. I almost reached the part where the sunlight was not severe when someone kicked my knee, the reason why I landed on the ground. Too hot on the back. Only to find out, it was Venom again.
"Oh, I slipped again." He looked down at me. I could see his silhouette from where I was lying. I had no time to fight back. My brother was still running to the water. Venom might do something stupid.
He had a satisfied smirk on his lips when he left me lying. One hand was offered to me. I could not see his face, just the silhouette. I did not reach his hand. I could stand up on my own. When I looked at his face, I did not know the man, so I just turned my back and continued walking toward the shadow of the big tree.
"I'm Cleo Karl. The son of the nobleman."
I stopped walking when he talked. I looked back and responded to him. "I'm Zarya Wixx, the daughter of the Great Beta."
"Nice to meet you, Zarya."
My name was not confidential unlike the name of the Alpha Kings who would just be known by the people they wanted to know. Some were tracking them by saying the different names.
I sat on the sand and folded my knee up as I was watching Khal. I was amused by how he fought the heat of the sun, exhaustion, and other players who tried to stop him, bumping him and sometimes beating him. He had high courage to do his goal. Even though he was annoyed with how they blocked him, he did not burst out. He stayed calm and focused.
"Your lover?" Someone settled next to me. When I looked at him, it was Cleo Karl.
"Nope. My brother." My emotion did not change. Level by level, the Battle of the Next Beta was getting hard and hard. What will happen to my brother? If he did not use cruelty, they will use that on him.
"I see." Cleo Karl joined me to watch him. I just let him. I had an instinct that he would not do bad to us. His features said he was a good person. He fixed his blonde hair, brushing it towards the back. "Do you really want to be a beta?"
I gazed at him, and then looked away again. "Yup."
"I don't wanna be here."
I was a little shocked by his lines. "Then, you shouldn't join."
"I am the heir of the House Karl. All of them were putting pressure on me. I want peace, not war."
I remembered Colden to him. The one like to implement peace and unity rather than fighting for the property, throne, and wealth.
We were silently watching when someone had thrown a rock at my cheek. I looked around, seeing a woman with a sarcastic smile in her lips. "Did it hurt you?"
I wiped and touched my cheek. The cut of wounds was releasing blood, dripping slowly. A little stinging sensation felt into it. I planned to just ignore it, maybe it was just unintentional when Cleo Karl stood up.
"What's your problem, huh?"
"You." I could see the irritation on the woman's face. "Stop flirting around."
"I'm not."
Oh, I think Cleo knew him. Perhaps, they were lovers. I would just ignore this. Completely nonsense. I was about to turn away when she yanked my hair. I moved around and kicked her chest. She flew in the air and dropped onto the sand. That grabbed the attention of everyone. This was a little alarming. I would be punished by Seo Blood Drop. Fortunately, he was focused on the other part of the sea.
"I'm not interested to fight with you. If you two are lovers, don't include me in your quarrel." I tried to turn my back for the second time, but the woman would not stop. She ran faster than I expected and gave me a strong kick in the stomach. I coughed two times as I glared at her. She came closer as I was lying on the sand; she was about to stomp on my chest and Cleo Karl pushed her.
"Don't create a scene." Cleo offered his hand to me.
The woman's eyes filled with fire. "You shouldn't leave me. Mark my words, I won't stop until I never bring the two of you down." She giggled, flipped her hair, went to the back, and left us while her hips were swaying like a ramp model.
"I'm so sorry." Cleo gave me his hand for the second time, but I ignored it. I wiped my lips as the blood was in there.
The Battle of the Next Beta is one of the hottest plays ever. It was just starting, but I got two threats now. One from the arrogant Venom and two for an unknown woman because of this stranger Cleo.
"Just stay away from me." I blinked one time, staring at Cleo's eyes.
"I didn't war between you and my ex-lover, but I have no friends here. And if you're not accepting the friendship that I will offer… still, thank you and I am happy to meet you." I did not respond to his words, watching him go away was the last thing I knew I did.
He seemed a good person, but involving him would just bring disaster to me. I wanted this battle to finish immediately, so I could go back to… King Water.
I am longing for him. That's my real feeling right now.
"Zarya!" Matilda grabbed my hand from the movement she near me. "What did you do!"
"Nothing." I felt so consumed by today's training plus the sun was too hot.
"Next time, you should think about whoever you'll hit! She's Deni Zin! Gosh!" She massaged her forehead as if that woman was so big deal to her. "She's known for her Heart's Crusher Skills! Level 2 is coming and if you don't behave, everyone will challenge you!"
"As if I care?" I had no energy when I walked, my brother was still running. I was worrying to him, it was only thirty minutes left and he was just in eighty rounds, twenty running rounds more.
"When will you care? When everyone is fighting you? You should gain friends, not enemies!" Matilda was like a mother rebuking me.
I removed the blood on my cheek and lips, and bruises on the second day. Funny. It would not pain me as I felt different kinds of pain. I opened my mouth and spelled out gentle lines. "Friends or enemies, we will end up battling each other."