The Earth After Rebirth

"Can you believe the nerve of this guy?" Kiro expressed not wanting to address him directly just yet.

"Go back in your little corner big guy."

But it didn\'t seem like Isaac was going to back down. His eyes glinted dangerously with a sense of justice. Which made the both of them snort in response, what did Isaac Blakeson know about justice? .net

"Aren\'t you supposed to be the better people?" He asked finally breaking the staring contest that they were all playing, unwillingly.

"Says who? You have no shame!"

"Come here, I\'ll show you better." Kiro wanted to put his hands on him once again, clearly the last time they fought didn\'t teach him anything.

Ursa looked at each of the spectators, hoping they would stop the incoming fight. Her gawking was only met with shrugs, as if to say \'we can\'t stand in the way of destiny.\' She caused the mess, therefore she should be the one to break off the fight.

She knew it would prove difficult, she had no idea what prompted Isaac to say what he said. It wasn\'t as if he cared for her. She still held a level of disdain for him, she\'d been in love with him ever since she could remember and maybe she still was, but he discarded her like she was nothing.

That fact stung more than anything for her. But she didn\'t need him standing up for her when he never did at the moment she needed him the most. She gave him a look of disgust.

"What?" He asked her before she could say anything to him. "You shouldn\'t let anybody treat you like that."

"Nobody but you, I suppose?" Ursa spoke for the first time.

Isaac was about to jokingly say yes but could feel the animosity etched into her very being. He shook his head meekly.

"Funny that you should say no now, you\'ve already done. I never asked for you to stand up for me, the second you didn\'t back then told me everything I needed to know," she was getting closer to him by the minute.

"And you know what? It was heartbreaking at first, but I\'m actually quite glad you abandoned me back then—"

"I didn\'t abandon you." He mumbled more to himself.

"Speak up, Isaac Blakeson!"

He closed his eyes and sighed. The way she had said his name, made him feel like he was chewing on stones. He didn\'t like it, but he\'d created this mess, most of all, he was confident that Ursa would be easily lured back into his life once the incident died out.

He thought he could say some sweet nothings and he\'d be back into her good backs, this was the realisation that struck him. He\'d really screwed up with her, badly.

Even after everything, even after he could admit to himself that he was in the wrong. He couldn\'t bring himself to admit that to the others, he couldn\'t make himself apologise.

So he did what he always had done, cut the limb that made the whole limp and walked away from Ursa and the group, intending to go his separate way. But he was met with a surprise, his path was blocked by Kiro.

He had Ryu at the ready, aiming for his neck but he didn\'t attack, not yet. Isaac almost soiled himself, remembering the last time Kiro had tortured him. Killing him over and over until he had to start over his character. That fight almost made him choose a different class.

But since he was hot-headed back then, he was set for revenge so he chose the same one. Intending to destroy Kiro in-game with it, make him suffer the same humiliation he had. Though when he saw him next, his hopes of ever catching up were crashed. Even as guardians, there was a clear hierarchical system of strength.

"You can\'t even admit it to your little girlfriend there? You\'re as cowardly as ever Isaac," Kiro spat on the ground, showing his disgust for the guy. "We will never get along, you and I, but I promise you, if you walk away right now I\'ll be the one hunting you down."

They didn\'t know yet what the consequences were, if they couldn\'t defeat a harbinger. He had a feeling that it wouldn\'t be pretty. As much as he loathed knowing it, he wasn\'t thick headed enough not to admit that they needed everyone here.

Especially when it came to strategies and formations. They needed as much practice with each other as possible, so that when they encounter a stronger harbinger, like the general, they at least had a fighting chance.

As much as this bruised his ego, he had to swallow it and act like the leader he had appointed himself to be.

Isaac didn\'t think Kiro was bluffing but he wasn\'t sure he cared. He could just quit the game altogether, though he\'d tried before, but since becoming a guardian, the game was almost irresistible. It was like a drug he needed once in a while.

He decided to surrender. There would be no point in fighting someone he knew he couldn\'t win against, so he just shamefully turned his back and walked back to them.

Kiro looked at Ursa, for a brief moment, their eyes locked. Even though he was blind in one eye, he could see the tiredness of her real self seeping in, into her character. He couldn\'t imagine the hell she\'d gone through to please Isaac. So, he gave her a small nod.

Whether it was acknowledgement or an apology, Ursa couldn\'t quite figure that out. But she appreciated it nonetheless, at least now, he wasn\'t treating her as a ghost nobody could see.

\'System, where the hell are my spectres?\' He asked a little agitated, they could be helping a little by scouting ahead.

Ding!

[Hell if I know.]