"No." Isaac stated, turning slowly to face the others. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he leaned against the wall. Facing Roy, he gave a jerk of his head. "You go find the old man, I'd rather do something better, like move on with my life."
"You insolent prick!" Roy shouted, rising from the floor and throwing his arm out. "What makes you think anything is more important than the ArchMage?"
Isaac laughed, shaking his head. "It's not that I have something more important! He's gone! Don't you understand? They probably have strung him up and tortured him until he collapsed from old age. If he couldn't defend himself then it's time to elect a new ArchMage."
Roy made to lunge at Isaac, but Cain held out a hand to stop him. "Isaac. You've said enough." Cain muttered, anger apparent on his face. "I admit it, you've been one of our most gifted students. But you have too much anger, too much arrogance to be one of our favorites. You will never have my approval as long as you have hate in your heart."
"I'm not asking for your approval, old man." Isaac sneered. Pushing off the wall, he spit on the floor. "I'll make it to the top, without your help." With that, he walked around the room, shoving the door open. Without a backward glance, he slammed the door shut behind him, leaving the two.
---
Isaac was making his way along the forest line, deep in thought. With no real destination in mind, he wasn't paying attention to where he was going.
Still fuming over what Cain had told him, Isaac could feel his skin tingle from his anger. Gritting his teeth, Isaac kicked at a rock, sending it flying through the trees. The path he was walking along was made of nothing but a dirt and gravel path, with trees on both sides. The path opened up a few thousand yards ahead of him to an empty field, where he was unconsciously heading.
Once he reached the field, he looked up to look around, getting a good observation around him. Surviving means keeping a constant check of your surroundings... he thought, remembering one of his first lessons. Breathing slowly, trying to calm his anger, he started moving into a stance he learned, once that channeled his mana throughout his body.
Stepping forward with his left foot, he shifted his weight to his right leg. Drawing a half moon circle around him with his left. Moving his hands to his waist, he brought them forward, breathing out slowly to relax his body.
Instead however, he could hear footsteps just outside of the forest line, making his body tense up. Shifting his feet again, he drew his arms closer, making fists against his sides. Without looking, he called, "Why do you always interrupt?"
"I'm just curious as to why you hide out here alone, day after day, doing these exercises when you know we have training facilities, and guides to help." Roy asked, stepping into the clearing. He had changed, instead of the robe he was wearing before, he was wearing a simple pair of shorts and shirt, both the color of Fize's. "I've come to see if you'd change your mind, to help locate the ArchMage."
Isaac felt the rage build again, and instead try to find an insult, he continued his exercises. He could feel Roy's eyes on his back, and for a while he tried to resist. Finally caving, he groaned. "Are you just going to stand there uselessly like a flounder?"
Roy shook his head, disgusted. "Sometimes, I don't know why we even bother. You are one of our brightest students. You could do amazing things, be a tutor to those younger than you, be among friends and excel, but I wonder where we instructors went wrong. Why you are so hateful."
Isaac spun, throwing his arm out in anger. Sparks tingling down his arms from his burst of anger, he screamed out, "It is none of your concern!"
Roy screamed back, waving his arms, "Of course it is! You've been under our care from childhood! You were a docile boy until out of nowhere you broke down. What happened?"
Instead of responding, Isaac retaliated. Just stay out of my life, you cobbering old fool! "JetBurst!" He called, spinning on his heels. Leaping into the air, he brought his arm in a wide circle, throwing a bolt of lightning at his instructor.
Catching it in his hands, Roy maneuvered it around his body, throwing it back. Barely missing Isaac, he called out, "You have too much rage, it'll cloud your judgement and you'll never be able to defeat those who think before they act. You need to calm your mind, and then you'll be able to defeat anyone, including me."
Gritting his teeth, Isaac called back out, "Again with the lectures! All you've ever done is bitch and lecture!" Clapping his hands together, he spread them apart to show a web of lightning between his fingers. Holding his hands over his head, he called out, "SparkShot!", throwing his hands forward. A steady beam of lightning shot out towards Roy, who casually deflected it.
"We only lecture because we know you can do better. Because we don't think you are doing your best." Roy responded.
Isaac growled again, this time charging energy into his legs. Racing forward, he went to physically punch Roy, who caught Isaac's fist. Spinning, Roy pulled a reversal, tossing Isaac over his shoulder onto the ground. "In fact, we think you may have the potential to be the best we've seen in a while. We just can't figure out why you are so angry, so torn up. What happened?"
Isaac rose to his knees, gritting his teeth. Punching the earth, flashes of his past crept through his mind, making him cry out in pain. Rising to his feet, he turned to fight again, but his willpower began to wane. Stepping back for a moment, doubting himself for a moment, Isaac's will left him completely. Anger, confusion and dismay washing over him, he spun his back to Roy, folding his hands on his head and blowing air out. "It was all my fault. I know I'll hate myself forever. But I have to keep trying, to make it up for what I've done."
Roy paused for a moment, seeing a side new to him. Roy only heard rumors of Isaac's past, and could never get a full grasp of the story. As he tried to think of what to say, Isaac discharged the rest of his charged mana into the earth. "I'll go." Isaac stated. "I don't want help, however. I'll go alone."
I knew you'd prefer flying solo. Roy thought, shaking his head. "So be it. We'll help you prepare before you leave.
"Not needed. I don't have any possessions to worry about, save my sword." Isaac stated, patting his sword at his hip, his back still turned.
"When you leaving?" Roy asked. It felt odd, to hear Isaac talk without anger, or a snide comment.
"Now."
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