Chapter 87: Drive back home

Nero looked at the wide smile on Footers face, fully aware of the fact that the man himself was in Whisper Guard. Did he know that Nero was aware?

But, in a much more subtle way, his description did match him now that he thought about it. Even Ms. Zim to an extent. They really did not care for the rules, and were always telling him things that he was fairly certain he really shouldn't know. That was not even considering the redacted research paper Nero had delivered to his dorm, or the underground secret curse holding facility he was brought to.

The wide grin now that there was an ongoing war also fit really well into his own definition of being crazy. The one thing it didn't fit was his father.

Sure, he broke the rules when he gave Nero his innate card. But doing something out of concern for his own son, and being a chronic rule breaker were not the same thing. Maybe that was just Footers' way of trying to cheer him up.

Nero took in a deep breath, and flipped a mental switch, putting his concerns aside. Footer was right about one thing. There was only so much he could do, so he would do his best, and trust that his family was doing the same.

When he breathed out, he turned back to Footer.

"So what exactly am I supposed to do? How should I take advantage of this? What benefits can I get from the army, and how can I benefit them?"

"Going with the flow of things is not really your style, is it?" Footer murmured. "Well, for now, you go back to school. The army won't call for you overnight. They don't do things half heartedly. I wouldn't be surprised if all the Heralds from all over Kolar gather in Aetherpeak over the next month or so.

"Basically, you'll know ahead of time when they need you. After that is the easy part. You just follow orders. They will tell you what to do, and you do it. There's no amount of planning you can do around that, because that part is non-negotiable. It's the part everyone struggles with most, and it's also the easiest part as long as you go with it.

"You have been an excellent teacher. Thank you for your tutelage." Nero did not smile or smirk as he spoke, and meant every word of it.

Footer looked at him for a brief moment, before turning back to the road.

"What I was saying was, I'm probably not going to be able to teach you anything from now on, so let me give you one final lesson. If your father is in Whisper Guard, then don't for a second assume that you are without backing in the army. There are some things I cannot say, and you will learn with time. But just know this, in war, things are chaotic.

If you have an enemy, then they can become a casualty of war at any time."

Footer paused, and made eye contact with Nero to make sure he understood what he was saying.

"Similarly, if someone treats you as an enemy, then they'd be happy to see you as a casualty of war as well."

There was a deafening silence in the car after that, as Nero thought about the fact that his teacher was telling him his father would help him cover up murder, or in polite terminology, friendly fire.

It did not phase him as much as it perhaps should have. After all, he began this very journey with the intention of taking revenge.

But the fact that others might want to kill him as well was something he should spend some time preparing for.