CHAPTER 42: ENEMIES OF PEACE

[Euphoria—]

"Hey there."

May’s eyes flew open as a voice cut clean through her concentration. The air around her snapped— literally, her half-formed portal collapsed with a sharp "whuumph" sound,that flattened the nearby grass in a circle around her.

She jerked back, hand flying to her chest. "Iyo!" she snapped. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Iyo stood a few steps away with the most irritating expression a human or guardian could possibly wear. Relaxed shoulders. And hands in pockets. The hint of a smirk that suggested he found the destruction of her peaceful training session deeply entertaining.

"My bad" he said, not sounding sorry at all. "Didn’t know meditation came with such dramatic explosions."

May groaned and rubbed her temples. "It wasn’t meditation. And you knew exactly what you were doing. You scared the shit out of me."

He shrugged. "Uh— Language... And hey, don’t blame me because you train like a landmine."

She glared at him. "Why are you even here?"

He stepped closer, gaze flicking over the faint pulse of leftover portal energy fading from the air. "I could ask you the same thing. Everyone else is training with a partner. You’re out here hiding in the trees like a pissed-off forest witch."

"What did you just call me?" May asked squinting her eyes in annoyance

"Ehhhh... A pissed...off...Angel?"

"Urgh... I’m not hiding," she said sharply. "I’m avoiding stupidity. There’s a difference."

"Right," Iyo nodded casually. "And you definitely don’t have anger issues."

May exhaled through her nose. Slow and controlled. "Do not kill him" she coached herself internally.

She crossed her legs again and straightened her back. "If you’re done being painfully useless, I’d like to get back to work."

"Work?" Iyo said, leaning forward just slightly. "Is that what this is?"

She closed her eyes again, centering her breath.

"You’re trying to open a portal," he said. "Somewhere specific?"

May didn’t answer. She inhaled. focused her mind, and reached.

Iyo didn’t stop either.

"So, portals, huh?" he said. "Thinking... could you... maybe open one to somewhere useful?"

Her eye twitched.

"Like, ehm, a portal to the lunch tent?"

She ignored him and started drawing open a portal from an image before her.

"Or," he continued smoothly, "maybe...hear me out, could you open a portal to my heart?"

Her eyes shot open and she stared at him like he had lost his mind. "You’re an idiot."

He grinned. "You didn’t say no..."

"I didn’t say yes either. And that wasn’t flirting. That was stupidity pretending to walk."

Iyo pressed a hand to his chest in fake pain. "Damn. Straight to the arteries. You really are dangerous."

May couldn’t help it— just for a second, a small laugh escaped her. It wasn’t intentional, and she hated that he caused it, but there it was. At least he made her smile.

But she killed it fast before he could notice.

"Look," she said, her voice dropping, "I don’t have time for distractions. I need to master portal transitions before the real tests begin. So go bother someone else."

Iyo tilted his head. "Why so serious lately?"

"Because we’re in a war," she snapped. He studied her for a moment. "Are we?" She blinked. "What?"

"We’re training. We’re preparing," Iyo said calmly. "But training doesn’t mean we’re dead already. You’re acting like someone who’s already lost something."

Her expression shifted. Just a fraction though. But enough that he saw it.

"Don’t analyze me," she said coldly.

"Who said I was analyzing you?"

"You. Just now. That was analyzing."

He shrugged. "I was just talking."

She scoffed and turned away again. A faint spark of portal energy answered her call, forming a low humming disk between her hands. It flickered again, stabilized, then flickered again. She gritted her teeth. Then the portal wavered dangerously.

She forced her breathing and made it steady. Iyo watched her with utmost amusement like a proud boyfriend, He was strangely silent now.

The shimmer grew bigger. Then stabilized slightly, It became something real— an oval window opening into another part of the forest. She saw trees, grass, a fallen log. A perfect jump location. She almost smiled...

...Then the portal shredded, ripping apart with a violent pulse of static energy that blasted backward like a shockwave.

Iyo stepped forward instinctively— shielding her with one arm.

May’s eyes burned with frustration. "Damn it!"

Parts of the portal hovered in the air like broken glass before fading.

"Yeah, too much emotion...I think you should calm your pulse down and try again" Iyo said evenly.

She shot him a glare, sharp enough to cut skin. "I swear, if you try to lecture me, I will shove you through the next portal into a volcano."

He would’ve replied but instead, he ignored that. "Portals are focus-based. Your mind has to be clear. Not just quiet— CLEAR. There’s a big difference."

She clenched her jaw, not asking or trying to act ’hard to get’, but she formed an expression round her face, the expression which read "I don’t need your help"

Iyo stepped closer and crouched in front of her. Close enough that she could see the gold flecks in his white eyes. His tone shifted, not teasing now. Not mocking either. Just... steady and like someone who really adored her and just wanted to help out.

"Portals aren’t just holes in space," he said. "They’re decisions. Whatever’s in your head follows you through them."

She didn’t respond.

He raised a brow. "You’re thinking too loud. That’s why it keeps destabilizing."

"Thinking too loud?" she repeated. "What does that even..."

"...You get frustrated easily," he said. "You don’t like being watched. You get defensive when someone asks what you’re doing. And you hate failing at anything— especially with people around."

May stared at him. Her pulse ticked once in her throat.

’How the hell did he see all that?’ She thought to herself.

She masked it fast with sarcasm. "Wow. Impressive. You can read emotions. That must make you special."

He smirked. "Pretty sure your pretence level is the thing that makes you special. Huh"

She rolled her eyes and started to stand. "Okay, I’m done talking. Leave me alone."

Iyo remained sitting. "Why? You’re just giving up?"

"I’m not giving up. I’m avoiding throwing your face into a tree."

"Not my face?....Come on May"

"Iyo what do you want?" She asked sharply.

"I don’t want anything... What makes you think I want something?"

"Then stop bothering me..." May’s Voice was controlled and steady.

Iyo grinned. "There she go" He mocked. "I just wanted to be friends... It’s not a big deal..."

May crossed her arms. "I don’t like you."

"Yes, you do," he said simply.

"I do not."

"I saw you laugh earlier." He said with a silly grin on his face.

"That wasn’t a laugh. That was a glitch in my breathing."

Iyo chuckled. "You’re terrible at lying."

She glared at him but he didn’t flinch. In fact, he leaned in slightly with that stupid calmness of his that made her want to punch him and maybe— just maybe, listen to him for once.

"Sit," he said.

"Excuse me?"

"Sit and try again."

"Why would I do anything you sa..."

"...You wanna get stronger..." Iyo said, cutting her off. "Or you wouldn’t be out here training alone. So. Sit."

May stared at him. She hated that kind of quiet confidence. But couldn’t help it either, she could use some company after all. She thought to herself.

She sat.

She didn’t know why. Maybe to shut him up. Or maybe because he was right.

"Fine," she muttered. "But if you annoy me again, I’ll gut you."

"Hmmm" Iyo nodded. "Let’s see about that"

May inhaled slowly and focused.

"Okay," Iyo said, shifting to sit across from her. "Ground rule: if you can’t control your emotions, your portal controls you."

May didn’t look at him. "I’m aware."

"Second rule: this isn’t just magic. It’s location instinct. You have to know where you’re opening a portal."

"I’m aware too."

"Third rule: if you keep saying ’I’m aware,’ I’ll throw a rock at your head."

She shot him a sharp side-eye.

He smiled like a criminal who just confessed proudly.

"Ready?" he asked.

She sighed. "Whatever."

But this time, when she lifted her hands and the air began to hum again— her mind wasn’t spinning. She didn’t feel watched. She didn’t feel judged. She didn’t feel like she had to prove anything.

She just... tried.

And the portal formed— cleaner than before.

She held it.

Steadier... steadier...

Iyo watched her control it longer than any attempt before. Her breathing was even. Her hands didn’t shake too. Her focus didn’t shatter.

A calm portal opened. Finally.

Then Iyo ruined it.

"So," he said casually, "back to the important question... can you open one of these to my heart or..."

BOOM.

The portal detonated like glass under a hammer— sending a pulse that blasted Iyo straight backward into a tree.

May stood over him as he slid down the trunk to the ground.

Iyo groaned. "Ow."

She looked down at him coolly. "I warned you." She said with a smirk.

He coughed and blinked. "At least that was... progress."

May cracked her knuckles. "Get up." He slowly stood up. Dusting off his clothes.

"So..." he said, lips twitching again. "Are we doing this again... another time?"

She paused.

"...Maybe."

Iyo smiled. "Friends...?" He asked whipping out his hand for a handshake.

She thought for some second then shook his hands. "Friends"