Chapter 62: Twenty-six

Two years had gone by..The training hall was loud again.

Markus stood in the center of the arena, breathing heavily as he wiped sweat from his forehead.

Across from him, Ash adjusted the straps around his mask.

Blade was stretching his shoulders nearby while Vire stood against one of the reinforced walls, his sword-arm resting at his side.

Kael sat on the edge of the arena floor, watching everyone.

Victor stood at the front, "Again," he said.

Markus sighed, "Seriously?"

Victor looked at him, "You complained yesterday."

"I wasn’t complaining." Markus said.

"You were." Victor assured.

"I was making an observation." Markus snapped.

"You were complaining."

Marcus shook his head as Ash laughed through his mask, "Your father knows you too well."

Markus looked at Ash, "Don’t encourage him."

Victor raised one hand,"Positions."

Everyone moved. Markus lowered his stance.

Ash inhaled deeply.

Blade cracked his knuckles.

Vire’s sword shifted slightly.

Kael stood up.

Then...the training hall doors opened.

Nobody paid attention at first. Markus glanced toward them as his expression changed.

A woman pushed a small trolley into the room.

On top of it sat a large cake, with white icing, chocolate around the sides, a ridiculous amount of decoration and right in the center were two large icing numbers, "26"

Markus stared.

Silence slowly spread across the training hall.

His mother smiled, "Markus!"

Markus closed his eyes, "No."

His mother continued pushing the trolley toward him, "Happy birthday!"

Markus opened his eyes as everyone was staring.

Blade looked at Markus then at the cake, then back at Markus, "Birthday?"

Markus said nothing.

Ash slowly lowered his hands, "You’re twenty-six now?"

Markus sighed, "Yes."

Blade grinned, "Why didn’t you tell us?"

"Because I didn’t want this." Markus replied

"Want what?" Blade pointed at the cake, "This...is this it."

Markus looked at his mother, "Mother."

She stopped in front of him, "Yes?"

"Why are you here?"Markus asked.

"To see my son on his birthday." She answered.

"We’re training." Markus said.

"I can see that." she responded.

"This is a training hall....this is the second time you have done this."

"I can also see that."

Victor closed his eyes.

Markus noticed, "Father."

Victor opened them, "Continue."

Markus stared at him, "My mother has brought a cake into the training hall."

Victor looked at the cake, then at Markus, then at his wife, "She’s aware."

Markus pointed at the trolley, "She has a cake."

"Yes." Victor replied.

"In the training hall." Markus said.

"Yes."

"During training." Markus continued.

"Yes."

Markus looked at him for several seconds, "Are you going to do something?"

Victor’s expression remained completely blank as he looked torwads his wife, "No."

Markus stared at him.

His mother smiled, "See? Your father agrees with me."

Victor looked at her, "I didn’t say that."

She ignored him and turned the trolley slightly, "Come on, Markus. Cut the cake."

Markus looked around...nobody was training anymore.

Blade had already moved closer. Ash followed behind as Kael stood behind them. Even Vire and Reina had stepped away from the wall.

They gradually formed a loose circle around Markus.

Markus looked at all of them, "You people are supposed to be training."

Blade shrugged,"Birthday....that isn’t an excuse."

Ash nodded, "Agreed."

Markus looked toward Victor.

Victor was still standing at the front of the room.

"Father."

Victor didn’t answer.

"Tell them to get back to training." Markus asked.

Victor looked around, nobody moved. Then he looked at Markus, "Cut the cake."

Markus blinked, "What?"

"You heard me." Victor said.

His mother smiled triumphantly.

Markus sighed, "Fine."

She handed him a knife and Markus took it....The entire group leaned forward.

Blade whispered to Ash, "Why does this feel more serious than the actual training?"

Ash whispered back, "Because you’re watching him cut a cake."

"Huh??"Blade questioned.

Markus positioned the knife, he looked at the cake. The number 26 sat directly in front of him.

His mother clasped her hands together, "Go ahead."

Markus slowly cut through the icing as the knife slid into the cake.

Markus cut the first slice, he lifted it carefully.

His mother smiled, "Perfect."

Markus placed the slice on a plate. Then he looked at the group, "Who wants some?"

Blade, Ash, Kael and Vire all their hands shot up as they said, "Me."

Markus stared at them, "You all just stood around watching me cut a cake."

Blade smiled, "Yes."

"You’re supposed to be training." Markus said as he locked eyes with his father.

"Later." Blade proclaimed.

Markus shook his head as his mother walked around the trolley, "I brought enough for everyone."

Blade immediately smiled wider, "This is the best training session we’ve ever had."

Victor’s voice came from behind them, "It isn’t training."

Blade’s smile disappeared.

Markus’s mother picked up another plate, "Victor?"

Victor looked at her, "Yes?"

"Would you like some?" she asked.

Victor stared at the cake, "No."

She smiled, "It’s your son’s birthday."

"I know." Victor said.

"You should have some." she pressed

"No." Victor flatly declined.

She picked up a slice anyway. Markus watched her, "Mom."

She walked toward Victor, "Here...have some."

Victor looked at the plate, then at her, then at the cake and then at the entire group watching. His face remained expressionless, "Put it down."

She held the plate out farther, "Just one slice."

"No." Victor said.

"It’s cake." she pestered.

"I know what cake is." Victor continued.

"Then eat it." Markus’s mother said.

Victor slowly reached into his coat. Markus’s eyes widened, "Father!"

Victor pulled out a handgun. The room went silent.

Blade’s eyebrows rose as everyone’s attention shifted that side.

Vire’s hand moved slightly toward his sword.

Victor lifted the gun.

Markus’s mother didn’t even flinch, she simply stared at him.

Victor pointed the gun toward the cake. Markus immediately stepped forward, "Father."

Victor fired.

The bullet struck the plate and the cake slice launched into the air.

Everyone watched it spin and how it landed several meters away.

Silence followed.

Markus stared at the destroyed slice, then at Victor and then at his mother.

His mother looked down at the empty plate. She slowly looked back at Victor, "Really?"

Victor lowered the gun, "You’re disturbing our training."

Markus’s mouth dropped open, "You shot the cake."

"Yes." Victor replied, "I shot a piece of cake."

"That’s worse!" Markus said.

Blade covered his mouth. Ash’s shoulders began shaking.

Markus turned toward them, "Don’t."

Blade looked away as Ash tried to stop himself from laughing but he failed.

Marmus pointed at Victor, "You could’ve just said no."

"I did." Victor answered.

"You shot it."

"It was faster." Victor continued.

His mother folded her arms, "You’re paying for another one."

Victor looked at her, "No."

Victor stared at his son...Markus stared back.

A long silence passed between them.

Victor sighed, "Fine."

Blade burst out laughing as Marcus’s mother smiled, "Thank you."

She turned around and returned to the trolley.

Markus watched his father, ’That old man...Still exactly the same, no emotion.

He can apparently stand in a training hall filled with superpowered fighters, watch them nearly tear each other apart, and remain perfectly calm.

But put a birthday cake in front of him? Suddenly the cake became a tactical threat.’

Markus shook his head, "You’re insane."

Victor looked at him, "Cut the cake."

Markus blinked, "Again?"

"Yes." Victor ordered.

Markus looked toward his mother, she handed him another knife, "Go on."

Markus took it.

Blade immediately stepped closer, "Make mine bigger."

Markus looked at him, "Why?"

"Because I’m hungry." Blade replied.

"You’re always hungry."

Ash raised his hand, "I want a normal slice."

Kael nodded, "Same."

Vire said nothing. Markus just looked at him, "You want some?"

Vire nodded.

Markus smiled slightly, "Fine."

He cut another slice, then another until the whole cake was just in pieces.

The training hall had completely transformed, there were no punches or experiments.

Just a group of people standing around a birthday cake.

Markus handed the first slice to Blade.

Blade took it immediately, "Thanks."

Markus gave one to Ash. Ash carefully took it so he wouldn’t damage the cake with his gloves.

Kael and Vire received theirs.

Markus looked around. His mother was standing beside the trolley, smiling.

He cut one final slice and he held it out, "To you."

She smiled, "You remembered."

"Of course."

She took it as Markus smiled at her.

For a few minutes, everything felt normal.

Then Blade took a bite, his eyes widened, "This is actually good."

Markus looked at him, "You sound surprised."

"I didn’t know rich people could make good cake."

Markus stared, "What does that even mean?"

Blade shrugged, "Nothing."

These people had spent the last several days fighting each other. They were learning how to use abilities that could kill.

They were being watched, measured, tested and yet here they were...eating cake.

Markus looked at the number 26 still sitting on top.

His mother noticed, "You’re getting old."

Markus stared at her, "I’m twenty-six."

"Exactly." She said.

"That’s not old." Markus said.

"It is to me." She replied.

Blade nodded seriously, "She has a point."

Markus threw a napkin at him.

Blade caught it, "Violence on your birthday?"

"Shut up." Markus said.

Ash laughed.

Victor remained at the front of the room.

Markus looked at him, "You’re really not having any?"

Victor shook his head.

Markus picked up a slice and he walked toward him.

Victor watched as Markus held the plate out, "Here."

Victor looked at it,"No."

Markus didn’t move, "It’s my birthday."

Victor only stared at him.

Markus continued, "You shot the first one."

Victor said nothing, "So you’re eating this one."

A long silence came forth

His mother watched from behind Markus.

Blade and the others watched him.

Victor finally took the plate.

Markus smiled, "There."

Victor looked at the cake..then at Markus, "Happy birthday."

Markus’s smile softened,"Thanks."

Victor took one bite.

Markus’s mother called from behind them, "Victor?"

Victor looked toward her, "Yes?"

"Is it good?" she asked.

Victor stared at the cake then at his wife, "It is acceptable."

Markus laughed, "That’s the closest thing you’ll ever get to a compliment from him."

Victor looked at his son, "Don’t get used to it."

Markus shook his head.

The group laughed and for once, the training hall didn’t feel like a laboratory.

It didn’t feel like a cage, It didn’t feel like a place where they were being measured.

It felt like a room filled with people.

Markus looked around at them.

People he hadn’t expected to be standing beside, people he hadn’t expected to trust.

People who had been trying to hurt each other only minutes ago.

He looked down at his plate, then at the remaining cake.

"Twenty-six."

He smiled, "Best training session we’ve had."

Victor looked at him, "This wasn’t training."

Markus nodded, "I know."

For a moment, nobody said anything.

Then Blade raised his fork, "To Markus."

Ash and the others raised theirs, "To Markus."

Markus’s mother smiled. Victor remained silent as ever.

Markus looked around. Then raised his own fork, "To twenty-six."

Everyone laughed and for one morning, there were no experiments and, somehow, that felt stranger than any thing they had ever done.