Chapter 13 13. Friends Don’t Doubt, They Trust

“Sam, there you are! How long does it take for you to just change?” Kiara rushed to Sam as soon as she saw him entering the training ground.

The whole Hero Academy is basically one castle, named the main building and five sky high towers. Currently the whole freshmen year warrior class is in the training field that easily streched a few square kilometres. All that area being the part of the campus. The training field was an open ground with lots of practice targets, weights, weapons and other stuff. Basically an open dojo. A big open dojo.

This is where they train them in the art of combats, afterall heroes are essentially soldiers, just tools of and for war.

“I lost my way.” Sam casually shrugged.

“Yo-You-… My henchman lost his way?” Kiara asked in ridiculed tone, not being able to process how he lost his way even though the students were handed maps.

“This academy is literally a fucking castle Kia, stuff happens.” Sam replied with a casual shrug again.

“Did you even read the map that was given with the rulebook after the welcoming ceremony earlier today?”

“What rulebook?” Sam asked with a frown.

-Sigh

Kiara couldn’t help but sigh at her airhead henchman before Sam spoke again;

“By the way, I don’t see Robin or Drake anywhere? It’s the first day and the lovebirds are already skipping?” Sam asked with a grin

“No you dummy, I talked with Robin last night and apprently all the noble families and their heirs are meeting today, to discuss whatever nobles discuss on. That’s why there are just 40 students even though the student count is 100 for the warrior class.” Kiara replied.

“Huh, aren’t you a know it all? If that’s the case though, then why is he here, isn’t he a noble too?” Sam pointed his eyes towards Anthony, who was currently talking to a bunch of students with a worried expression.

“Anthony? He is, as for why is here, I don’t know either.”

“And that boy? He’s a Redwing, aren’t they nobles too?” Sam pointed his eyes at Lucas, the boy who aced the assessment test and made every single student present at the welcoming ceremony his enemy.

“Yes, they were indeed nobles two years ago. However an incident happened and it led to their decline. Now they are just struggling to restore their glory days.”

“Really? What kind of incident?” Sam asked curiously.

“Dunno, that’s all I heard from my father.” Kiara shrugged while arching her eyebrows.

“Your father huh…” The expressions on Sam’s face stiffened at the mention of Kiara’s father.

“Damn, you really are scared of my father aren’t you?” Kiara asked in a teasing tone.

“I’m not scared of anyone.” Sam rolled his eyes and averted his gaze.

“Haha…” Kiara laughed in amusement before her eyes turned gentle as she spoke, “and yet you stood up for me four years ago on that day… thank you Sam, you’ve always been a good friend to me.”

‘A friend huh?’ Sam clenched his fists and opened his mouth to speak something, before he could do so however, he sensed someone approaching.

It was Anthony. He had a worried expression on his face. With a frown he asked;

“Have you two seen my sister anywhere? Hairs and eyes like me, tall and fair skin. She was sitting besides me in the class.”

“No, why what’s the matter?” Kiara replied with a confused look.

“She’s not here yet, the break is almost over and class is about to start.” Anthony replied, clearly worried by the tone of his voice.

“Have you checked the changing room?” Sam replied with a question.

“No not yet, I’m going to. I tried calling her but she’s not picking up either. She’s special so I’m not permitted to leave her side.” Anthony replied, the distress in his voice was growing by the second.

‘Special? Is he talking about the “impulses” she mentioned earlier?’ Sam arched his eyebrows.

“Do you want us to help?” Kiara asked in a concerned tone, although her tone was concerning but the blush on her face couldn’t be mistaken.

Sam internally sighed before giving Kiara an ‘are you serious’ look.

“Yes! Thank you, that would mean so much to me!” Anthony nodded and started walking towards the main building.

However, he stopped right after taking a single step and turned around. He looked Sam in the eyes and asked with a frown;

“Where were you during the second class, the special training class, I mean?”

“Ahmm terrace, why?”

‘He’s not lying’ Anthony remarked mentally before speaking again,

“My sister was at terrace too, did you two meet?”

After a brief pause Sam replied, “Yeah we talked. Now before you ask, we talked about a bunch of random stuff.”

“And you have no idea where she is?” Anthony asked, still staring Sam directly into his eyes.

‘What the fuck is this?!’

(I think he have a lie detection ability)

‘Yeah no shit Sherlock! The question is why is he interrogating me!?’

(Well why do you think? With that hair you look like a villain, I told you to get a different haircut but no! Why should you listen to me coz I’m just a voice!)

‘Shut up you idiot! Let me think, if I don’t answer, he’ll know I’m involved with this matter. If I answer with a lie however, and he really does possess an ability to detect lies then I’ll end up exposing myself.’

(So what the fuck will you do now?)

‘Oh I got an idea, it’s simple but effective. I’ll put him in guilt and use his agreement for our help as a weapon. That’ll stall him, or at best make him retreat.’

“I’m talking to you Samael, do you really don’t know where she is?” Anthony asked again, this time with a little bit of frustration in his voice.

“What are you implying?” Sam replied with a question, his eyes turned indifferent, completely dropping the amicable front he usually puts on in public.

“What am I- Don’t change the topic Samael, tell me, do you or do you not know where she is?” The frustration in Anthony’s voice was now clearly visible.

“Seriously Anthony? We agreed to help you find YOUR sister, and you have the audacity to ask me if I have something to do with her disappearance?!” Sam yelled. His voice laced with anger, intentionally creating a scene.

“I- I was not implying that, I was just aski-“

“Asking what? That have I kidnapped your little sister?!”

“Sam just answer him and let it go, everyone’s looking here.” Kiara spoke, trying to stop the argument before it gets further.

“Let it go?! This boy right here is accusing me of kidnapping his sister and you’re asking me to let it go?! Are you siding with him?!” Sam widened his eyes furiously.

Before Kiara could speak however, Anthony spoke up;

“I’m not accusing anyone of anything, I’m just asking if you know where she is since you missed the second class and she’s going to miss the third one.”

“Does that even make sense?! I met her during the class break! I didn’t attend the second class because I didn’t felt like to, maybe she’s feeling the same way! How the fuck would I know where she is?!” Sam yelled furiously.

Murmuring broke out among the students, they all started gossiping. While few of them were thinking about how to break the argument before it turns ugly, some of them were hoping to see a fight on their first day.

“That’s not an answer! Just give me a yes or no!” Anthony yelled back.

(Ahh! So I see. He can tell the lies apart indeed, but he need a clear answer. Sam I have an idea, make yourself forget about Rebekah.)

‘What?’ Sam frowned his eyebrows.

“Answer me goddammit!” Anthony yelled at Sam, unable to hold back his frustration. If only he could get a clear answer from this boy infront of him.

(Yes, block the memories about her whereabouts and then answer. After you’re done, unblock those memories.)

‘Ahh I get it! He needs a clear cut answer that means his lie detection works on the same principles as a lie detection test machine!’

“Samael, just answer him.” Kiara shook Sam by his shoulders. Sam jerked her hand off and sighed.

-Sigh

After putting on a regretful face, he spoke in a sad yet loud voice, making sure that everyone present there listens to this;

“You know Anthony, I thought you and I could get along. I thought we can be friends, but you know what friends don’t do? Friends don’t doubt each other, they trust. Because what do we have to build our relationship upon if not trust.” Sam dramatically closed his eyes and dropped his head, “No, I don’t know where your sister is.”

‘H-He’s telling the truth!’ Anthony’s eyes widened before he started regretting doubting Sam. ‘What was I even thinking, Rebekah is strong, no way Sam could do anything to her even if he wants to!’

“I’m sorry… I don’t know what I was thinking. I think all this worrying got to me, I didn’t mean any it, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have doubte-” Before Anthony could finish, Sam spoke up.

“No need, let’s help finding your sister instead of wasting time here with pointless apologies.” Sam spoke with a warm smile on his face. “Also there’s one more thing friends don’t do, they don’t apologise.”

“Th-Thank you, Samael…” Honestly Anthony didn’t know how to react to that. He has never met anyone so kind before. He was of course regretting ever doubting him, but most of all he was having this wierd feeling that he has never experienced before.

Sam patted his shoulder and said;

“Just call me Sam, and I’ll call you Tony.” He walked past him and headed towards the main building.

‘Friends…’ Anthony pondered over the word for a second, before a voice dragged him out of his thoughts.

“Anthony, come.” Kiara called out to Anthony to follow them into the main building.

“Hah” Anthony scoffed at the idea of him making friends before following the duo.

___

Information available on:

[Shapeshifting]

?Users can shapeshift, changing their form and appearance at will, maybe even transforming and reshaping themselves down to their genetic and cellular structure. They can impersonate others or enhance their own body for combat, either by turning into animals, humanoids, monsters, etc.

?User with particularly flexible abilities can manipulate their form at will, combining abilities, traits, etc.

?Lesser version of Omnifarious.

-Sam requires a visual or genetic source material to use this ability, however because no two abilities could ever be identical so other users of this ability may have different limitations.

[Lie detection]

?Users can sense when they are lied to.

?Sup-power of Lie Manipulation.