In that moment, as the atmosphere ignited under the weight of Vulcan's searing aura, Espen stood with his usual detachment—as if living in a parallel world where neither the heat of the flames nor the threats of his rivals could reach him. He turned to Rosaline calmly, his eyes reflecting a complete ignorance of everything that had been said, and asked with a spontaneity that derailed the tension:
"Excuse me.. but what exactly is this 'Silslen Coal,' Sister Rosie?"
Rosaline froze in place, letting out a small gasp of utter surprise. A faint blush crept up her cheeks as she spoke with a mix of bewilderment and confusion:
"Rosie?! Me?.. Did the memory loss make you lose your mind too? Are you trying to flirt with me now, in this situation?"
Before the echo of her question could fade, a sharp, confident voice rang out from behind them—a sound with a resonance like an arrow hitting its mark with precision. Espen turned quickly to find a boy standing there with an air of vanity; he was short in stature but possessed a vibrant presence that naturally drew all eyes to him.
His hair was a light sky-blue, scattering lightly over his forehead like bird feathers, moving with every tilt of his head. His eyes were pieces of magic: emerald-green shot through with a bright yellow shimmer like polished gemstones, devouring every detail of the surroundings with sharp intelligence.
He wore a warm copper-colored shirt leaning towards orange, with wide green sleeves flowing to his wrists, decorated with gray patterns that gave him an elegant rustic look. Beneath it were loose gray trousers tucked into sturdy brown leather boots, suggesting a boy who never stayed still.
The boy raised his index finger in a theatrical gesture, while placing his other hand behind his back with a dignity that was almost comical given his small size. He began delivering his information in a tone full of self-assurance:
"Silslen Coal, my friends: a viscous, gelatinous substance, deep shiny black, resembling tar in appearance. However, it hides fine internal fibers that appear clearly when the liquid is pulled. The strange thing about it is that it does not burn with ordinary fire, no matter how intense. On the contrary, it emits a mysterious coldness upon contact and is used as a primitive and rare energy source in remote areas."
Espen scrutinized the small boy, a smile blending wonder and relief playing on his lips. He said in a mocking tone:
"And who might you be? How strange! It seems 'Fate' has finally answered my prayers and started sending some males my way, instead of my life turning into a 'harem anime' or some trashy 'ecchi' story!"
The boy answered with calm steadiness, his emerald eyes gleaming with sharp wit:
"My name is Zayn. I know for certain you are suffering from memory loss, Espen, so there's no need for formalities; I will deal with you naturally and directly as necessity dictates."
Espen returned the smile with unusual warmth. At that moment, Vulcan stood just two steps away, seething with a towering rage. His wounded pride could not tolerate being completely ignored during this side conversation. His voice exploded like a thunderous blast that shook the area:
"Espen!"
Espen turned slowly, as if only just realizing the existence of that flaming entity in the scene, and scratched the back of his head with feigned nervousness:
"Oh, my sincerest apologies! You slipped my mind entirely.. I forgot you were still standing here like a statue of fury."
Vulcan stepped closer, his amber eyes sparking with suppressed malice, and said in a voice full of bottled hatred:
"Since you've forgotten who I am, how about I refresh your memory and introduce myself all over again?"
Vulcan extended his hand for a handshake, which Espen accepted with a firm grip. At that moment, it wasn't just a greeting; it was a declaration of war. Vulcan squeezed Espen's hand with a brutal force that nearly crushed bone, yet Espen didn't flinch. Instead, a similar demonic smile appeared on his face, and a terrifying dark aura emanated from his body, clashing with Vulcan's flames.
Dust swirled around them, and a violent cracking sound was heard; the ground beneath their feet fractured from the intensity of the conflicting powers seeking to break one another. They exchanged spiteful glares and chilling, mocking laughs in a scene that held the onlookers' breath.
Vulcan finally released Espen's hand and turned to walk away with strides full of arrogance and hubris, saying without looking back:
"I'll see you on the battlefield soon.. you piece of trash."
Espen straightened his shirt, then turned to Rosaline, asking curiously:
"Tell me, Rosie.. is that the 'Vulcan' you all warned me about? And does this school have a system for teams and groups?"
Espen received no reply; Rosaline had turned her face away, completely avoiding eye contact. Confusion gnawed at her features, and a crimson hue invaded her cheeks as she wrestled with her internal thoughts:
(Why is my heart beating so violently? Is it possible I've actually started to like him? No, impossible! Surely I'm just suffering from mental exhaustion because of his weird behavior.. yes, that's the only explanation!)
Zayn stepped in to answer Espen's question in a steady tone:
"Yes, Espen, that is your first and last rival in this academy.. though 'Linda' is the only one who always succeeds in rubbing your nose in the dirt and defeating you miserably."
Espen raised an eyebrow with interest and asked Zayn:
"And what about you? Do you have a team too?"
Zayn replied with absolute confidence:
"Of course! I am the leader of the 'Sweet Doll' team, and I consider myself one of the rivals aiming to take you down."
Espen laughed out loud and said in wonder:
"My god! It seems you are the ideal 'Hero' in this story, while I've been forced to play the 'Villain'.. isn't that right, Zayn?"
Zayn looked at him with serious bewilderment, knitting his brows:
"Story? What are you talking about, Espen? As for you being the 'Villain'.. that's a fact that needs no debate; everyone knows you're the worst person here, and that's what makes you a target for everyone."
Nira joined the group with a bright smile that added a touch of vitality to the tense atmosphere, saying in a cheerful tone:
"Hello, guys! Espen, have you settled on a specific mission for us to start working on?"
Espen replied while gesturing with his thumb toward Hader:
"Actually, Hader is the one who chose, and he asked me and the rest to help him complete it."
Nira gave him a look of wonder, then explained in a tone of gentle reproach:
"Espen, I don't know why Rosaline hasn't told you yet, but we are a team, for heaven's sake! Did you even forget our group formation?"
Espen turned toward Rosaline, signs of shock written on his face:
"I actually have a team?"
Rosaline answered while looking away, trying to hide her lingering embarrassment:
"Of course! What did you think? Did you think you'd go through this chaos alone?"
Zayn interrupted the conversation with sudden seriousness, taking a step toward Espen:
"Espen, since you claim to have lost your memory, how about a friendly spar? Let's see if your combat skills evaporated along with your memories."
Espen scratched his head with clear tension, feeling the pressure of the situation:
"I don't think I'm in any condition to fight right now.. as I said, I've completely lost my memory. I don't even remember how to grip a sword. If we went to the arena now, I'd surely be defeated miserably."
Annoyance flared in Zayn's eyes, and he waved his hands in the air with sudden anger:
"Do you think your mockery will just slide? I know you well, Espen; you're mocking me in your twisted way! I don't believe a single shred of this memory loss story. You're just trying to play the victim to ridicule our strength!"
Espen tried to calm him with an apologetic tone:
"Buddy, calm down.. I'm not mocking you. I swear to you my mind is like a blank slate."
Zayn didn't listen. Instead, he turned to leave in a hurry, shouting over his shoulder:
"I'll be waiting for you tomorrow at 7:00 PM in the training yard. Don't be late, and we'll see then if your body remembers what your mind forgot!"
Nira whispered with visible concern after he left:
"Espen.. please, when you fight him, try to restrain your power a little. We don't want it to end with his death! He's just feeling resentful because you've always outclassed him by miles."
Espen paused for a moment, a bitter question circling his mind:
(Stronger than who? She's afraid for him because of me, and I'm literally trembling with fear of facing him!)
Rosaline tried to change the subject to ease the mood, saying to Hader:
"Hader, show us the paper.. what mission did you choose?"
Hader calmly extended his hand and gave the paper to Rosaline. She began reading it with intense scrutiny, her expression suddenly tightening:
"Aha! You've chosen to eliminate a Gulb.. it seems we're in for a suicide mission. This creature is terrifyingly difficult to handle."
Espen asked with cautious curiosity:
"Who is this 'Gulb'? I've heard the name, but all I know is that it's a giant taller than my father."
Nira stepped forward to explain the details, as if painting a portrait of a confrontation from hell:
Physical Form: A majestic giant creature reaching a height of 2.56 meters. Its body is distorted and taut, with muscles bulging as if created for pure slaughter.
Appearance: Covered in cracked dark skin resembling charred meat, with black shadows like slow smoke seeping from the cracks.
Head: Wears a spiked metal helmet resembling an iron skull, from which only a single red eye appears, glowing madly whenever its rage increases.
Armament: Carries a massive black sword engraved with forbidden symbols, its tip broken from relentless strikes across thousands of battles.
Combat Behavior: A rampaging beast that knows no allies. In a state of rage, it turns into a whirlwind of unexpected speed, capable of splitting a human body in half with a single blow.
Strengths: Superhuman physical strength, immense endurance, and a natural armor that is hard to penetrate.
Weakness: Blind momentum; its rage makes it lose the ability to think, making it an easy prey for well-placed traps if lured intelligently.
Espen looked at Nira with genuine appreciation, bowing his body slightly as if saluting a seasoned general. He said with an awe that didn't lack his usual sarcastic edge:
"Wow! It seems you're not just a pretty face, Nira. You're the mastermind and the tactical person pulling the strings of this team from behind the curtain.. And speaking of the team, what name did you give to this scattered group?"
Nira burst out laughing—a resonant, captivating laugh that cast a kind of magic over the place. She wiped a small tear from the corner of her eye and said:
"You hit the nail on the head, Espen! I am the planner and the compass that guides you when you lose your way. As for our name.. we are known as 'The Black Flame'."
Espen raised an eyebrow, pondering the name for a second before smiling slyly:
"The Black Flame.. a majestic and powerful name, although it's quite strange coming from someone who doesn't seem to possess a sharp intellect like yours!"
Nira's laughter gradually faded, replaced by a crimson flush rising to her cheeks. Her features soured with a provocative, childish anger as she shouted at him:
"Espen, you arrogant idiot! Look who's talking about intelligence! You were always the most foolish and impulsive member, good for nothing but ruining my perfect plans with your reckless, uncalculated moves!"
Espen turned to Hader, who stood like an icy statue watching the bickering in dead silence, and asked curiously:
"And you, Hader? I see you're completely silent, as if you're outside this 'scene'.. don't you have anything to add regarding my alleged intelligence or Nira's 'brilliant' plans?"
Hader looked away with his usual coldness and said in his resonant voice, which carried a definitive tone:
"I don't really know what has changed in your mind, Espen, but Nira is absolutely right in what she said.. your impulsiveness has always been our biggest problem."
This response didn't break Espen's enthusiasm. Instead, he straightened his collar, took a confident step forward, and waved his hand to the team like a leader ready to conquer the world, shouting aloud:
"Alright, 'Black Flame' team.. enough talk. The hour has come, and it's adventure time!"
As he walked in the lead with long strides, Espen sank into a side-thought that brought a wide grin to his face:
(My god.. I've wanted to say that for so long! For a moment, I felt like Finn the Human with his team, heading out into an unknown world just like in 'Adventure Time'.. I'm only missing a talking, stretching dog like Jake!)