"That's her, that's her. The only zero who was able to enter the academy."

"I wonder how did she survive her last 2 years here."

"No, the question is, how will she graduate?"

"Oh yeah, that's right. It was a group competition wherein the individual score will be tested base on ability and physical strength. And another is the group score but who will take in their group someone without ability and would just drag the whole team down. The group won't graduate if they are from the lowest places."

She could only sigh. That is indeed her problem right now. No one would accept her into their group. She asked a lot of groups already and they flatly rejected her. They didn't even try her if she could synchronise with their team or if she is capable enough.

As Eureka thinks about this problem, she is already walking towards the headmaster's office in order to ask for reconsideration regarding her case. She knows within herself that she is good enough to become a knight of the kingdom.

This academy is the beginning for all the aspiring knights. But most of those knights or to be precise all of the knights, that graduated, have abilities. Those with weaker abilities or those without could only be palace guards.

"Miss Eureka."

Just as she's about to hold the knob to open the office door, she heard someone calling her from behind.

"See I told you she'd be here," she looked at her companion with her brown eyes shinning brightly as if waiting to be complimented.

"Yes yes Karen, you were indeed right."

"You called?" Eureka impatiently called for their attention, after all, she still has a problem to solve in order to graduate.

Why of all times do these people have to interrupt her today, when she's resolved to fight with the headmaster in order to graduate.

"Ah yeah sorry, I'm Feena though I suppose you do know that already. Anyway, you know that the graduation competition is just around the corner. And you know that it is a group of six right?" she slowly explained to Eureka as if implying something.

"Please be direct to the point."

"Uhmm you see, we really are looking for someone to complete our group..." seeing Eureka becoming irritated, Karen went ahead with the explanation.

"I can hear a but," Eureka faced them with a frown.

"Yes, we also know you are Eureka and that uhmmm I mean your ability."

"I don't have any ability so why did you talk to me when your group is not yet complete?"

Eureka already knows and understands what they are implying, she could be on their group but with her non-ability self also known to others as zero, they can't just accept her instantly.

"Fight with us," Feena seeing how irritated Eureka already is, just went and asked her for what they really wanted her.

"Fight with you or have a duel with you?"

"Oh yes, we want to have a duel with you, in a kind it's a test for us to see if we really could take you in our group," Feena replied with uncertainty.

This was tasked by their captain after all, despite not knowing why, the two of them could just comply.

"Okay," accepting it instantly startled both Feena and Karen.

"You're not going to think about it?" Karen wondered.

"I mean we literally told you that you're zero and that you have to prove to us that you can keep up with our group before accepting you."

"If the strongest group asked someone to duel them in order to join their group, I don't think no one would think about it. Plus I AM a ZERO. When?" asking for the time and place of their duel.

"Then tonight at the practice arena, we'll be waiting," Karen said as they wave her goodbye.

"I guess I don't need to talk to the headmaster now," turning back she started thinking about the group who invited her.

The two ladies namely Karen, brown eyes and shoulder length straight dark brown hair with full bangs. And Feena, with clear blue eyes and waist length wavy blue hair.

Having the similarities to their abilities, Earth for Karen and Water for Feena.

Hideyoshi has Wind ability, lighter blue in color for his eyes and hair. Mamoru also has Earth ability, dark brown eyes, a few shades darker than Karen's, and dark brown hair.

Finally Raven, with orange hair and eye color. Fire as his ability and the current leader of their group.

Those who have elemental abilities and above somehow have their hair and eye color in accordance to their power.

The perfect group, complete with the top strongest abilities. Of course, there are others with this ability but Raven's group is one with the best synchronization within the team.

To think that this group wanted to try her, is more than enough for her.

As long as she can graduate and be a knight, that's more than enough. That's where everything will begin for her.

*****

That night, standing in the middle of the arena, Eureka waited calmly as the whole group arrived.

"Who am I going to duel with?" she didn't bother with greetings and asked instantly.

Her silver wavy hair tied up in a ponytail and her red indifferent eyes was staring fixed in their direction.

"Don't worry, you only need to fight against me and Feena. The boys are just here to watch," Karen replied just as the boys went to the stands to have a seat.

"Shall we begin?" she asked while unsheathing her sword.

Feena stepped aside implying that Karen will be her first opponent. Karen started chanting to begin her attack.

As she finished her chant Eureka jumped up and flipped then sliced the earth that was sneakily attacking her.

Karen smirked and chanted another bunch of incantations.

Spikes started appearing fast from the ground. Eureka, on the other hand, jumped right and left in order to avoid the spikes.

The chants never stopped and this time the attack came from above, boulders and spikes falling straight down to her.

Eureka didn't avoid them but fought it head on, not even a single one landed on her or grazed her. The shower is not yet finished when Karen chanted another spell.

"Hey isn't Karen going overboard," Hideyoshi asked the other guys.

He has mid length hair with a few long strands at the right side tied in a braid.

"It is important to try to go overboard in order to test her," Mamoru replied looking at Raven.

Mamoru has mid length hair with a side bangs that covered one fourth of his face while the other side has hair pin supporting it.

Karen's chant never stopped while Eureka kept on avoiding and slicing through her attacks, at times kicking them away.

Just as it seems like all Eureka could do was to avoid and defend, Karen attacked with pillars of earth from four sides and tried to flatten Eureka.

But upon reaching the middle, no one was there.

"Eh?"

Eureka's sword was suddenly in front of her, the tip just a few inches away from her nose.

"Give up?"

Karen smirked at her but suddenly disappeared when she was sent flying by her own attack.

"Tsk tsk tsk she fainted. To think that you would use her own attack against her. Mamoru if you please," Feena called when she approached Karen who's currently lying on the ground.

"How did she?" Hideyoshi can't help but ask.

"She used the pillar's momentum, that was attacking from behind, to increase her speed and be in front of Karen instantly," Raven explained.

His hair had a messy look facing different directions. But instead of looking lousy, this added more charm to his serious face.

"So I guess it's my turn to fight you now? Do you need a break?"

After Mamoru carried Karen to the stands, Feena looked at Eureka and asked her.

"No need let's finish this now."

Feena is currently holding a one-foot silver rod which turned into a whip when water was added to it.

Their battle started instantly, Eureka could only dodge knowing full well that she can't slice through the water.

Feena began using high end spells creating duplications of her up to 9 images. But what shocked everyone was the fact that Eureka ignored the other after images.

She instead went directly to the real one and attacked her relentlessly taking advantage of Feena's shock.

When she did recover she instantly created a water wall where she uses her reflection in order to distract her opponents.

But to no avail for Eureka instantly located her whereabouts and hit her again.

"That should be enough," before Feena started attacking again, someone spoke from the top of the stands.

"Ah, it's the headmaster," Karen who just woke up was the first to speak.

"Good evening headmaster," their group greeted him, except for Eureka who stood indifferently without looking at him.

"It's already late, isn't it that you all have curfews?"

Walking down, the headmaster started lecturing them, "But oh well, are you here to try her for your group?"

Raven nodded in reply.

"Hmmm seems someone noticed her capabilities that others didn't," the headmaster smiled as he rub his chin.

"What do you think?"

"The way she moves, her agility and speed are great, fighting against Feena and Karen whose abilities are one of the strongest. But her prediction is something else."

Raven replied seriously, explaining what he had observed through the two battles Eureka just finished.

"Right right? Those instructors really, they just couldn't accept losing to her on those exams of yours that is why they wouldn't even show her grades to her classmates. They didn't know her worth at all."

As if having a tantrum and finally finding a friend, the headmaster spoke stomping his foot on the ground.

"They lost?" the others asked in unison.

After all, every exam was an individual one, either they'd show a high-end spell perfectly or do a spell that is acceptable to their instructor. But in Eureka's case, no one knows how she had been passing all this time.

"You see…..."

"Headmaster that is unnecessary. Those exams are over no need to reminisce about them."

Eureka finally spoke up interrupting the headmaster, after noticing that he was very much prepared to tell her story.

She ignored him after that and faced Raven.

"Did I pass or not?"

"Do you mind having one last battle?" instead of answering Raven asked a question.

"It's not enough I suppose, so who will I fight?" Eureka shrugged upon hearing his response.

"Let's have a match."

After saying so Raven went ahead and walked to the center of the stage.

The others were shock, they didn't expect him, their leader, to actually have a battle with her.

"Didn't I tell you that it's already late? Why are the kids today so stubborn, they won't even listen to you, I am older you know, I am even the headmaster," he started complaining but upon seeing that no one was listening he could only sigh.

"One last battle, do you understand me or I'll punish you," he was muttering to himself as he sat down.

His long light gold hair was tied in a ponytail, hanging on his shoulder.

"You should watch this even closer, this would be very different with the first two," he added speaking to the others, his light gold eyes turned serious as he too watch their bout.

Their battle began, they stood there as if measuring each other up. And right before everyone's eyes Eureka turned around and parried Ravens' attack.

No one saw him make a move and if this were them, surely they wouldn't be able to parry him on time.

"It doesn't seem that prediction is what you're doing but instead you can feel it can you? The ability of your opponent?" Raven questioned before jumping backward.

"A replication using fire, I must admit, that is really something," Eureka replied looking back at the replica standing to where Raven was at the beginning of their battle.

'Nothing less from the leader I guess,' thinking to herself as she moved forward and initiated an attack.

They parry each other when Eureka suddenly split her sword into two and blocked the fireball attacks coming from the replica standing behind her.

"That's a surprise, you can even attack using your replica," she commented as she moved back leaving space between her, Raven and his replica.

"Back at you, you can even feel the attack from behind even though you're engaged into another fight, but the replica can only attack once and he can't stay for so long," just as he said this the replica turned to smoke and disappeared.

"She can fight equally with Raven," Hideyoshi can't stop himself from commenting.

This battle feels very very different from when she was facing Feena and Karen.

"It's like what we had was a warm up to her," Karen second, self deprecatingly.

"Not entirely, your leader's holding back it seems," the headmaster said seriously.

Who would have thought that just as he said these words, Raven used one of his three strongest spells. INFERNO.

It engulfed the whole stage but it doesn't affect the caster himself.

Yet before this spell was cast, Eureka combined the handle of her swords creating a long staff.

"Woah, no wonder her sword is quite thicker from the normal ones. It was actually two combined to one," Hideyoshi exclaimed after seeing her move.

It seems he didn't realize that she had split them in two since a while ago.

As the inferno engulfed the whole stage Eureka started spinning her weapon above her head, creating a wind barrier turning into a tornado, stopping the fire from getting near her.

It, at the same time, obstructed everyone's view on her. But Raven didn't stop his attacks and sent fireballs towards the tornado.

No one knows if it reached her or not.

"What kind of battle," everyone stared in surprise as the whole battle unfolds in front of them.

"If that was an ability she's using and was inferior to Raven's level, that wouldn't have worked, but to think that a zero would use a natural wind to stop it, this was truly amazing," Mamoru shook his head as he too commented.

Just as the inferno disappeared, the same time as the tornado she created, all that's left to where she stood was one of her swords, stabbed on the ground.

Raven looked up as the others watch Eureka coming from above him.

Her attack hit but the one standing in front of her turned to fire, she instantly turned her body to block Raven's attack from the back.

"You must have used your sword as a platform to jump high enough to avoid being seen," Raven said upon the clashing of their swords.

"But you predicted it and jumped higher than I did," complimenting him, she inclined her body and used their swords to push her away from him.

"Okay, okay, that's it," the headmaster clapped his hands stopping their fight.

"Headmaster this is the second time you stopped my battle, what's wrong with you?" Eureka retorted, especially since she was starting to enjoy their bout.

"What do you think Raven? Knowing that you can control a third of your ability," ignoring her, the headmaster turned to Raven.

"Would you like to join our group?" Raven then asked her.

"Of course, it would be my honor," she said gratefully.

She can finally have a chance to graduate, the problem she had been having was finally solved.

"Thank goodness. I've been racking my brain to find a way for her graduation," the headmaster gave an exaggerated sigh after hearing their exchange.

"And mind you I've been waiting anxiously all day for her to barge in my office. But then she didn't come so I was wondering where the blockhead was and saw you guys fighting here. You guys did a great job. You took a whole lot of load in my shoulders…." he just started ranting non-stop.

"Anyway, how does this work?" Eureka turned to Raven and the others completely ignoring the headmaster, who was still speaking on the side.

"Practice tomorrow at 5," Feena answered copying Eureka on ignoring the headmaster.

"I see, I shall take my leave then," she then turned her back.

"Hey hey I'm not yet done talking here. Eureka, come back here. Geez, that girl really, she never listens to me," the headmaster puffed his cheeks as he could only watch her leave.

"Headmaster, why does it feels like you're too close to each other?" Hideyoshi asked.

"Oh do we look like something else?" the others looked at him incredulously.

"Anyway, you should go and follow that girl."

This time they looked at him filled with confusion.

"What? You think fighting against you three would leave her unscathed?"

Seeing as that seemed to really be what was on their mind, he continued, "Don't be ridiculous you are one of those strongest among your class, of course, someone who relies entirely on her senses and her skills can't entirely keep up with that kind of battle, can they?"

"Why don't you ask your leader? I suppose you've noticed."

"Her agility and speed dropped in our battle," Raven simply said.

"The way your battle goes she had a drop in her performance?" Karen has a baffled look.

She couldn't believe that during that battle, Eureka's performance have actually dropped.

"Come on obviously, so just go and follow her. She's as stubborn as hell she won't let anyone see it but if no one helps her she'd end up overexerting herself and might end up dying."

"What is your relationship really?"

"I'm just her guardian. Stop thinking too much. Here's the key to her room. Go and barge in there and don't bother knocking she won't open it for you and if she does, you're lucky."

The headmaster tossed the key to Feena.

"Why do you have her key?"

"I told you to stop looking at me like that. I have each and everyone's key right here."

He then opened his coat, showing a whole bunch of keys lined up inside.

"You have all the girls room keys? Eeeww," Karen couldn't stop looking at him disgustingly.

"Hey, I have every student's key, okay. And I'm not into girls," he then looked at the guys, which made them shudder.

"HEADMASTER!!!!"

Their reaction was too funny for him that he just laughed at them.

"Now go. And go straight to your rooms once you're done. You're already way past the curfew," he turned ready to leave.

"Plus she's in your group now, you should take good care of each other," without looking back he walked away waving them goodbye.

"Her guardian? Now that's news," Hideyoshi said as they watched them leave.

"We're going then," the girls said their goodbyes and went to Eureka's room.

Since the headmaster have already tasked them, they could only comply.

Plus he was right, Eureka is now a part of their group, they should know how to care for their teammate even if it was just temporary.

"So, the spot was left open for her?" Hideyoshi asked as he looked at the other two.

They were the ones looking for a good candidate after all.

Raven didn't bother replying as he turned around and walked towards their own dorms.

Hideyoshi looked at Mamoru, but Mamoru just shrugged and followed Raven, leaving behind a baffled Hideyoshi.

@@@@@@@ AUTHOR HERE @@@@@@@

I borrowed some pictures online for the description of the hair of our MAIN characters... ^_^

Raven

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/431149364318254385/

Hideyoshi

https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/375558056410736209/

Mamoru

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/540924605241866578/

Eureka

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/680043612463769905/

Feena

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/632615078898077899/

Karen

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/642959284277266725/

Kaoru

https://www.pinterest..com/pin/540924605236153154/

"What are you doing here?"

She didn't have much thought when she opened her door but her lips twitched upon noticing that it was Karen and Feena who came carrying with them a box.

"Help you with your wounds," Karen grins while Feena raised the box she was holding.

"Thanks but no thanks," Eureka replied before she closed the door behind her.

"The headmaster was right in one thing, you won't let us in," Feena said as she entered the room.

Karen was the one who opened the door and came in first, they looked around and found it to be too simple.

"Wha- How did you come in?" Eureka who just took a few steps turned around upon hearing her door open.

"You locked the door we have the key so simple," Karen welcomed herself and sat down on Eureka's bed.

"That Kaoru I would really kill him," hearing what she had said, Eureka gritted her teeth.

"Kaoru?" Karen asked her face filled with confusion.

"The headmaster, you don't know his name?" Eureka replied.

"Oh yeah, that's right. Anyway, take off your clothes," Feena placed the first aid on the bedside table.

"No, I won't. Look it's fine, I'm fine. I'll just rest and I'm good to go," she said as she once again opened the door, implying for them to leave.

"No can do, we must take care of your wounds. And oh, there it is your gym shorts. Now get change and let's get it over shall we."

Karen pulled her towards the bathroom and threw her the shorts she took from her drawer.

Defeated Eureka changed and came out. Feena motioned her to take a seat.

"Remove your shirt will you."

"You guys really…"

But having no more options she could only do as they say. Somehow she couldn't reject them the way she always do towards Kaoru.

They were stunned at the sight of her back.

Burn marks, wounds and scars.

Feena could only clear her throat, "I will be applying the medicine now."

She quietly treated her as Karen watched from the side.

"The fireballs," Karen started breaking the ice.

"It did hit you after all."

"Yeah, I have no ability after all. Creating that tornado barrier won't allow me to move the way I usually do when I am not creating one. Two of them hit me," he voice was nonchalant.

"But still you really are amazing coming up with that move while Raven's chanting the spell for inferno," Feena commented finishing up the treatment.

"Chants can be memorized even if it was not your ability. You should also do this, in a way you will be even more prepared once you hear them start chanting," she replied giving them an advice.

The two of them nodded subconsciously, they didn't thought about doing this before. To memorize the opponents chant, you will have more time to consider how to counter it.

Before she could wear her shirt. Karen touched a scar on the back of her left shoulder.

"This scar? How long was it already?"

"Almost 3 years," she answered like nothing just as she wore her shirt.

"How did you get it?" Karen probed.

"Do you want coffee or tea?" Eureka asked as she boiled some water.

"Coffee is fine."

"Coffee."

Both of them answered and she nodded her head, she only has coffee and tea in her room. So with practiced movement, she picked up the container for coffee.

While preparing, she answered Karen's last question, "I can't enter the academy being a zero so I should have done something else to enter right?"

After serving them, she walked towards the window.

"Fighting against the headmaster is really very very difficult never try it."

Leaning against the window sill, she faced and warned them as if it ever crossed their mind to even try fighting against the headmaster.

"You fought against the headmaster?" they could only ask in shock.

The rumors said that she was just close to the headmaster, that is why she was able to enter. Even though it has been so long since the last Zero entered the academy.

"I did and the other instructors as well, in order to get in. That's how my exams went as well. I have to fight against an instructor while he or she is using a new level of spell. If I can't defend properly then I fail, if I was able to block their attacks and counter then I pass."

The way she said it was as if she was not talking about her own experience at all.

The two of them could only stare and drink upon hearing her explanation, there's nothing they could say about it.

Amazing?

Of course, that's totally obvious. She didn't receive any special treatment just as the rumors said.

She practiced and persevered in order to survive in the school where only a few could stay. To be more precise, she was the only one who survived this long.

The only zero in their age group, that is.

"Anyway, that's that. So tomorrow at 5 by the lake behind the school," Feena finished her drink and stood up.

"We shall take our leave now, thank you for the coffee," they thanked as they turned to leave.

"Uhmm," they looked at her when she spoke.

"Tha-Thank you for treating my wounds."

"No problem we are a group now anyway," they waved their hands and left closing the door behind them.

'To think that there would come a time when someone will treat my wounds again,' Eureka thought as she prepares to sleep.

*****

~"Why do you always end up having so many wounds when you're training on your own."~

~"Shut up, Zu."~

~Her head was then smacked, "Yeah yeah."~

*****

~"Do your best in there you understand?"~

~"No wait!! You're staying behind? Why am I going alone?!?"~

~"We have no time, I'm sending you there now."~

~"NO ZU!! WAIT!! DON'T!! ZUUU!!"~

*****

"ZU!!"

Sweat dripping down her forehead as she sat there wide awake from a nightmare.

'To think that I'd have a dream on you after so long. 5 years, it's been 5 years Zu, it's been 5 long years. You really are the most stupid person I've ever met.'

She stood up knowing she won't be able to return to sleep, prepared to leave and went straight to where their practice would be held.

She lied down beside the lake, her eyes were blank as they were fixed staring up in the sky.

All kinds of thoughts flashing through her mind. All kinds of scene that she herself really didn't want to think about.

'I took another step Zu, the second step after entering the academy. And I will never forget my promise. We'll meet again, I know we will.'

"Aren't you early?" she abruptly sat up and drew her sword.

Her face turned sharp and she looked like she was ready to take down anyone who approached her.

"Woah chill, it's us," Hideyoshi raised his hands.

"Sorry," she immediately apologized after knowing that it was them.

'Was I too deep in thought that I didn't notice them arriving? That would be very bad, wouldn't it?' she added in her mind, as she returned her sword in its sheath.

"Anyway you really are early, it's 4:30," Hideyoshi continued asking as the three of them approached her.

"I woke up early and could no longer return to sleep. So I thought I'd just come here instead," was her answer.

"AH!! Eureka you're here!!"

Just then they heard a shout from behind.

"We went to your room planning to wake you up but then no one's there. We thought you runaway or something," Karen continued, beside her was Feena, who was obviously pretty irritated.

"You opened my room on your own again?" Eureka raised an eyebrow as she reached out her hand.

Karen held it with confusion before shaking it.

"What are you doing?" Eureka asked in furrowed brows.

"I thought you want a handshake?" Karen replied releasing her hand.

"I'm asking for my key. Give it back now."

"Why?" Karen pouted but still returned the key seeing her serious face.

"So what happened to your face Feena? Woke up at the wrong side of the bed?" Hideyoshi asked seeing Feena's darkened face.

"No, this stupid girl banged at my door at 3 in the morning for me to join her in waking Eureka up," Feena replied as she pointed at Karen who was beside her.

"Hey."

Karen retorted, "I'm not stupid."

"Stop pouting cause I'm getting more and more irritated right now, with the way you look."

"But it was so long since we had another girl in our group, I was so excited to chat with her I couldn't sleep at all."

"Stop this nonsense now. Since we are all complete anyway we should just begin practicing our synchronization with Eureka," Mamoru stepped in before Feena could answer back.

Knowing that once these two started bickering they won't stop.

"Oh," Eureka faced them all.

"Once again I am Eureka and I really am grateful that you allowed me to join your group for the graduation competition. I'd do my best in order not to be a hindrance."

She bowed deeply as she thanked them full of sincerity.

"Welcome to our group Eureka," Karen smiled happily at her.

And as she raised her head Mamoru, Feena and Raven nodded their heads while Hideyoshi had his thumbs up.

"Shall we begin then?" Raven stated, facing all of them..