"Mom!"Xanaia called, "C'mon i'm going to be late for school."

"Wait, Gods. I can't find my handbag."Mrs. Wasline replied.

She was looking behind the door where she normally puts her bag. But she took it out a few minutes ago. Xanaia was by the door waiting impatiently in her blue skirt and white blouse with blue linings.

I shifted uncomfortably on the table. I bit my lip and looked uncertainly at her and then at the counter.

"Uhhhh...Mrs. Wasline?"I called.

"Yes, dear?"she said not looking at me. She was wearing a red shirt and white pants. She reminds me of Santa Clause. With cat ears and a woman.

"That's your handbag, right?"I said pointing at the counter.

She looked and walked towards me to see where i'm pointing at. She sighed and shook her head, "Gods, i'm really getting old, aren't I?"

"Mrs. Wasl-"

"Niza."

"-ine, I can take Xanaia to school instead of you. You could just stay here and relax."I offered, completly ignoring her reminder of calling her Niza.

She sighed and grabbed the bag. "Percy, you do that for weeks now. Besides, I need to go the market later too. Helga must be upset that I didn't drop by sooner. "

"Mom!"Xanaia called again.

Mrs. Wasline rolled her eyes and then smiled at me, "Well, I have to go. Wait for Xiana, she will be arriving shortly, i'm sure. Tell her i'll be back before lunchtime."

I nodded. "Yeah, okay."

She smiled again and then walked towards Xanaia. She hit her in the back of her head and scolded her for shouting. I saw Xanaia smiled sheepishly at her mother, and I shook my head with a smile.

2 months has passed and it was already early-August.

2 months i've been living with the Waslines and this has been my happiest state since the first 10 months of peace after the 2nd Giant War.

In 2 months, I already know the things I need to learn in Xilphain. School here starts on June and ends in March. Basically they teach general subjects but what's awesome is when you turn 16, you get to choose to continue studying or not. Also, there are so many planets in the galaxy and if you compare them with Earth, every planet is a town, every solar system is a country, and every galaxy is a planet.

The Waslines are very hospitable and nice. Mr. Wasline is somewhat protective over them from me for the first few weeks but eventually he loosened up. He works as an inspector, usually he went to the marketplace since many things happen there they said. Besides there, he goes to the mining fields and farms.

Mrs. Wasline, on the other hand, was a very trusting person. I mean really, she just this nice woman who likes everybody. Sometimes when I'm feeling paranoid, I feel scared for her. What if she sees a convict and just hug them all the while having a knife pointed at her back? What if she gets betrayed? Just like what happened to me. I learned a lot of things in my life, and one of them is never to trust easily. But that's just what she is, and that's what scares me the most.

Apparantly, Xiana and her father felt the same. Both of them are protective over her, although it isn't obvious. I know it because Xiana and I talked about it.

Over the months, Xiana and I became great friends. She was this person you just want to be around with. She's funny and optimistic, but at the same time she's smart. Some people may find her obnoxious, which reminds me of Leo. Gods, Leo.

For 2 months, I tried to forget what happened on Earth because I wanted to start a new life at Xilphain. I didn't even mention it to the Waslines, even if they asked me countless of times about ny past in Earth. All I said was that my parents are dead. But at night, I could clearly hear the their voices in my head. But if something changed, it's the fact that I know what happened on Earth isn't my fault. I realized that it's not really on me.

I clenched my fists and then my eyes burned. I closed them and took a deep breath. I hated for being affected by them so much after 2 months. The guilt turned into hatred but the sadness didn't go away. I rubbed my hands on my face and groaned.

"Perce."

I turned around to see Xiana standing by the door. She was panting slighty, other than that, she looked surprisingly calm.

"Xia? When did you get here?"I asked. I didn't see or heard her come in. Wow, I could easily get killed.

"About 5 seconds ago." She sat across from me on the table, "Grab the cup for me please."

I turned and grabbed the cup and the pitcher on the counter and then gave it to her. She poured and drank.

She slumped on her seat, "Gods, that's refreshing."she said with a relieved sigh.

"Why are you so tired anyway?"I asked. "Did you run from your crazy boyfriend again?"I teased.

"He's not my boyfriend, Perce."she said, rolling her eyes. "He's this idiot, who is so smitten with me. Can't blame him though, i'm just plain irresistable."she said and winked.

I smirked, "Sure."

She laughed and leaned forward to punch me on my arm. But halfway, she winced and held her arm.

"Are you okay?"

She smiled, "Yeah, just...Muscle Spasms."

I stared at her. Obviously, she doesn't want to tell me what she's been doing and i'm not going to force to say it. "Yeah, just rest it then. By the way, your mother told me to tell you that she will be back before lunch."I laughed,"Sometimes I wonder who's the mother here."

She blinked then pursed her lips before smiling, "Probably to go to the market, she has this friend there."

I nodded. "So, aren't you going to tell me where you've been?"i asked.

"Oh, I was just strolling around the park for sometime, then I decided to take a lap. So i'm worn out."

I tilted my head, and took a look on her clothes. She was wearing an orange tshirt with a gray jacket over, and a black jogging pants.

I decided to buy what she said, though i'm not completly convinced. I know there's something more. I mean, her arm hurt and not her legs for running?

And for the past few days, she started acting weird. She goes in and out of the house at weird hours and goes back with slight injuries. Those aren't even visible but i've been in battles for such a long time to know how an injured person acts much like how she is now.

I nodded at her and said, "Well, since you had your morning walk, it's time for me to get mine."I smiled, "Want to come? Or would you rather stay here to rest?"

She stood up, drank the last remains of her cup, and smiled brightly at me. "Naahhh...it's boring here."she said. "Besides, I have to tell you something."

I furrowed by brows at her last line but she just grabbed my arm and went towards the door.

***

Almost ang hour has passed since we started our stroll. We walked in comfortable silence and we both acknowleged it. We were lost in thought.

I was thinking about what i'm planning on doing next since I know I can't stay with the Waslines forever, even though I certainly wished I could. Then I remembered the Primordials, they wanted me in the army. Well, half of them do. But I don't see the need to have an arny here, it was too peaceful. Then again, I shouldn't let that decieve me, normally this is where everything goes wrong.

I glanced to Xiana's direction, who was wincing with every step but she looked deep in thought and was biting her lower lip as if she was nervous.

What if she was part of the army? Afterall, Chaos said there were 4 people who passed the cursed test. But looking at her stressed expression I decided to leave the question be and lighten up the mood.

"Look at that, a Tarate!"I shouted.

"What?! Where?!"She jumped back and looked around and I burst out laughing. She turned and glared at me.

"That was not funny, Percy."

"Uhhh...it kinda is."I said with a grin.

"No, it's not."

"Fine, whatever. Tarate."I mutteres then chuckled under my breath.

She clenched her jaw then smirked at me, "So you wanna play huh?"

I shook my head, "No."

She groaned and threw stones at me. My eyes widened so I ran for my life. I hear her laugh and following footsteps behind me so I didn't stop running.

"Come back here!"she said laughing but then I heard a groan so I looked back to see her lying on the floor holding her side.

I immediatly ran back again to help her but she held up her hand saying she was fine.

"Ow, that fall hurt"she said while sitting on the ground rubbing her side again. My brows met because I was sure I didn't see or hear her fall. She held a hand again, "Shame on you, Perce. Wouldn't help a lady up. So ungentleman of you."

I smirked, "Well, I wouldn't call you a girl."

Before she could retort, I heard a sound that made a shiver roll down my spine. It was familiar but not in a good way. And looking at Xiana and her pale face, she know what it meant in a manner I didn't understamd. But I just looked around to see others panicking already, I also heard footsteps and a sound of what I think is a car parking. But I couldn't blame the crowd for reacting this way, they don't seem to be used to wars and battles that much. Not like I am.

Because it was a sound of a battle cry.

Xiana suddenly looked at me and I saw the worry in her eyes, because there was a big possibilty that Mrs. Wasline and her husband is in danger.

Because it came from the marketplace.