《Born Without Life》 Hello Readers PROLOGUE ¡°Our world. Why is our world so special? For millions of years humans live with nothing but the simple and the basics. Everything was normal as it can be, but according to historians, things began to change, our whole view of not just our world but our entire universe. About 1,500 years ago, beasts that seemed to come from a different reality began to roam and terrorize our lands and nature. We met new species of ¡°Humans¡± if you can even call them that. Our understanding of science and facts began to mean little as animals and people far and wide began to display new abilities. A man could shoot fire from his hand, Birds could control the wind to a destructive scale. Our world was becoming more chaotic and too unstable for it to withstand itself. Then, a king of great power and pride, recruited a group of warriors who had amazing abilities and unquestionable loyalty to the throne. They went out to tame and contain the beast, protect the innocent from dangerous criminals. They were called the Praise Templars. They sparked a new era for the people of this world where they can feel safe no matter who they are or where they come from. They grew in size and power as time passed and eventually became the largest and most powerful World power. They deal with all the disasters and calamity that comes to the world and its people. No matter if it¡¯s human or beast. They will fight, no matter the cost. As the world changed, its people began to become more powerful, some used their powers to join the Praise Templars, others used their powers for their own personal gain, but many used their powers to control, hurt, torment the weak for pleasure. Nobody knows why our world had such a drastic change, but for better or worse, we are an echelon above where we would have been without the change. But now the world is about to witness an event so big that our past history of disaster will look like a mere inconvenience compared to this story of how two young men with questions and dreams try to save their world, their friends, and themselves from a threat that has been waiting and growing for years, finally awakes. Will they be able to find their answers and be able to become what they truly wish to become? They are determined to find out, no matter the cost." Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. CHAPTER 1: Failure Olympia, Washington | Primal Academy ¡°WOOOOW!!¡± Everyone gathered around the placement board for the time trial that happened yesterday. The goal of the trial was to see which recruit could slay all the Musk Pigs in the shortest amount of time. ¡°Where am I¡± ¡°No way, I got 9th place, Top 10 baby!!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way, that dude beat me out by 2 seconds, I could¡¯ve been in 15th¡± All the recruits of the Primal Academy are trying to become Praise Templars. They spend a month in the preliminary classes and to develop their bodies and muscles. About 150 enroll each year but only 25 can make it into the regular guard classes where they become full time students. ¡°C¡¯mon. Where am I?¡± Marc a young man who managed to get selected into the preliminary classes not because of skill though. He was selected because his uncle was a highly respected Praise Templar who helped him get selected. ¡°You found your name Marc?¡± Marc turned around behind him and shot a quick glance at Avey. A girl he has known since childhood and a close friend to him. ¡°Nope, your boy might be fucked¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, the musk pigs were not that damn strong. I took about 5 of them out with 2 knives¡± ¡°You can also become invisible and let''s not ignore the fact you can make those knives blow up.¡± Marc gets closer to the board to get a better look at the board, hoping he just missed his name. ¡°Marc, you are a whole weather mage. You''re telling me you couldn''t conjure up a lightning storm to blow the place up.¡± She follows behind to try to look for his name as well. ¡°When the hell have you ever seen me do that?¡± ¡°Never, sadly. Would be cool as fuck tho.¡± After scanning the board about a hundred times, Marc ends up giving up. ¡°Man fuck!!¡± he walks away from the board going to his dorm room, ¡°Hey!¡± Avey follows him. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be okay man.¡± ¡°Avey, that was the last test and my last shot at making into the regulars. I ended up dead last in almost all the other tests, they didn¡¯t even bother putting my name on the damn board this time.¡± As they were walking they ended up spotting a group of students all gathered around in the same spot. As Mark and Avey pass by them, a hand grabs Aveys arm. ¡°Avey, where are you going? What place did you get?¡± Avey turns around and notices that it was Ray who stopped her. Ray was the top recruit in the preliminary class, he scored top 2 in all of the tests and considered to be the most well rounded recruit the academy has seen in years, a true prodigy. Avey gives Ray a confident smile and holds up five fingers. ¡°5th.¡± ¡°Woah nice, oh and what about you Marc.¡± Marc turns to look at Ray and notices that Ray''s face didn¡¯t match the tone of his question. He looked as if he could care less about what Marc got, so Marc ended up turning back around to keep walking. ¡°Like you give a damn.¡± ¡°I mean I was just asking, I didn''t see your name on there so I was guessing you just didn¡¯t take it.¡± ¡°Maybe I did, Maybe I didn¡¯t. Who fucking knows. ¡± Avey looked back and forth as the two were bickering with each with a concerned look on her face. She steps away from Ray to follow Avey. ¡°We¡¯ll talk later Ray, I gotta check something out right now.¡± ¡°Alright you know where to find me.¡± They share a smile at each other as Avey tries to catch up to Marc, ¡°Wait up.¡± Marc keeps walking with a more defeated look than before. He knows that he failed but didn¡¯t want to outright admit in front of everyone. They already see him as just another failed mage, letting them know he couldn¡¯t even kill pigs fast enough would make a third rank rookie look stronger than him. ¡°Marc, you didn¡¯t have to act like a jackass right there.¡± ¡°So you just gonna ignore how condescending that dickhead sounded.¡± ¡°Oh I noticed, but you didn¡¯t have to have that attitude. You know he¡¯s the academy''s sweetheart, people will only think bad about you.¡± ¡°Oh well.¡± They stop in front of Marc''s dorm room door, he reaches to open it but then his phone starts to buzz in his pocket. He pulls it out and reads ¡°Unc¡± on his phone. ¡°Oh boy.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°My uncle is calling, hold up.¡± He puts the phone up to his ear and answers it, he turns to walk a few steps away from his dorm and Avey. Avey tries to hear what Marc is saying but the conversation ends quickly. Marc turns around and walks back to Avey. ¡°My uncle wants to meet me at the board office.¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Now?¡± ¡°Yea, probably about the test. I gotta head over there now.¡± ¡°OK, I gotta go meet my advisor too. Something about a new opportunity might have found me.¡± ¡°Good luck then.¡± They both say their goodbyes and walk to their destinations. Board Office Building Marc walks through the doors of the board command building. He notices that there''s a lot more government officials and officers than usual. He makes his way past the reception desk and heads to the elevators. As he waits for the elevator to come down, he overhears a conversation between two officers. ¡°Did you hear about what happened in New York?¡± ¡°You talking about that incident at the zoo, yeah shit was crazy.¡± ¡°Who knew something like that was possible. I feel bad for the victims.¡± The Elevator chimes and Marc''s attention goes back to the elevator door. He wanted to learn more about what the officers were talking about so he pulled out his phone to see what happened in New York. The elevator door opens, Marc with his attention still on his phone he begins to walk in but suddenly it feels like he ran into a wall. ¡°Oof, the hell¡± Marc rubbing his head, looked up and saw a tall, muscular man in front of him. Not just any man though, It was Carson Flame. The 5th rank Praise Templar in the North America Division. Marc looked at him in awe, but Carson didn¡¯t even look down or acknowledge him. He simply shoved him out the way and made his way out the building. ¡°Excuse men then. Jackass¡± He walks into the elevator and selects the 8th floor and heads up. He makes his way up and walks out the elevator. He makes his way down the hallway and comes up to two large doors. He goes to open the door, but all of a sudden he feels enormous pressure weighing down on him. It stops him in his place. ¡°Ugh, he must be pissed.¡± He tries to move his arm to knock on the door but his body would not move no matter how hard he tried. The power of an angry templar is nothing to scoff at. ¡°God dammit. UNCLE CALM THE HELL DOWN SO I CAN OPEN THE DOOR!!¡± The pressure began to lift off of his body, and his movement came back. Marc clutches his chest and takes a deep breath. ¡°Any longer and I''m sure I would¡¯ve passed out. The hell is he so mad for?¡± Marc opens one of the doors and makes his way inside the large room. He sees his uncle in front of the window behind his desk looking outside. His uncle turns around towards Marc. ¡°Sorry about that kid, let my emotions get the best of me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. What made you so pissed anyway?¡± ¡°Nothing you need to worry about, but take a seat. This conversation we¡¯re about to have is something to worry about.¡± ¡°Oh no¡± Marc thought to himself. He had a feeling it was going to be about his placement in the academy, he was just hoping he would be wrong and was just going to have a nice chat. He sits down in the chain in front of the desk. His uncle sits down in his chair as well. The tension in the air started to rise for Marc, he could just tell bad news was coming his way. ¡°Kid, I''m not going hold you. You¡¯re not going to pass the preliminary classes.¡± Marc knew those words were coming out of his uncle''s mouth but it still was hard to hear him say it. He hung his head low. ¡°I figured as much.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s still an opportunity for you.¡± Marc''s head sprung his head up like he had popped out of a jack in a box. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yep, the guard military is opening their recruitment up early this year.¡± Marc''s face went from exciting curiosity to disappointment. He looked at his uncle as if he asked him to run around the streets naked. ¡°You fucking with me right.¡± ¡°Language.¡± ¡°The guard military? The dudes who sit on their ass all day? The dudes who run away when things get serious. The same people who don¡¯t even get the best benefits in the whole military division?!¡± ¡°Hey now, if you make it up the ranks you can get the same benefits as a D-class templar.¡± Marc''s face never changed. He got up out of his chair and began to walk out in a huff. ¡°Marc, sit back down. Let me finish.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± Right before he reached the door handle, the same pressure he felt before walking in fell on him again. ¡°SIT. DOWN. NOW¡± Marc¡¯s body began to move on its own, he turned backed around and sat back down in the chair. This was the power of the 6th rank templar, Henry Vogard. He could control the gravity of any area he is in. He can control so well, he can make people move against their will just using his gravitational power. The pressure begins to lift off of Marc¡¯s body and he relaxes. ¡°Now look at me.¡± Marc refused to look at his uncle. Disappointment could be seen all across his face. ¡°Kid, you may not have the physical skills to be a templar, but you excelled in the writing test and cognitive test. You were ranked top 2 in both, that something to hold your head up high and it can be an advantage. Marc looked at his uncle when he heard ¡°advantage¡±. It sparked his curiosity, maybe something cool can come from this he thought to himself. ¡°You can be a top manager in the analytic department.¡± Or not. ¡°The analytic department? You¡¯re kidding me.¡± ¡°Marc-¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I want to do and you know that. Why the hell would I join that?¡± ¡°Marc lis-¡± ¡°No I ain¡¯t gonna fucking listen, you call me in here to tell me im a failure and then wanna present the this sorry ass opportunity as a gift to what, cheer me up? Bullshit.¡± ¡°MARK!!!¡± The building began to shake. Marc silenced himself out of shock when he felt the building swaying side to side, but his gaze of anger never left his uncle. ¡°Marc, you need to give that dream up.¡± The building began to stabilize itself and the swaying stopped. Henry gets up and walks to the side of where Marc is sitting. ¡°I know how badly you want to be a templar, you haven¡¯t stopped talking to me about it since you were 6. But dreams and reality are 2 different things, and the reality is you don¡¯t have the necessary skills to be a templar.¡± The words that were coming out of his uncle''s mouth were cutting him deep. He knows he is telling him all this because he doesn¡¯t want him to get hurt doing something he is not qualified to do, but he knows that his dream can not come true if he isn¡¯t a templar. ¡°Besides, the analytic department in the guard plays a major role in the planning and success of the templar division. You have the mind to become a top manager in analytics with your decision and strategic planning. You were always better at those strategy games than me.¡± ¡°Uncle, my dream isn¡¯t to be a top manager.¡± Marc stands up and looks at his uncle with determination in his eyes. ¡°My dream is to be the Weather God of the Templars.¡± Henry looked Marc in his eyes, he could tell that he meant every word and wasn¡¯t going to just back down and take the second option, he was always like that. ¡°Sigh. Jeez man you''re killing me. Well there¡¯s still the issue of you getting kicked out of the academy.¡± ¡°Oh yea, that.¡± Mark sat back down in his chair. He hung his head low trying to think of a way to maybe stay a little longer. Just then a ring could be heard from Henry¡¯s phone. He pulled out his phone, and Director Joe was calling. ¡°Marc, I gotta take this. What I want you to do is really think about the options you have right now. It may not be the path you want to go on but it can still lead you to the same destination you want to be at. Just think, ok?¡± Marc looked up at his uncle, his face had softened from when he entered, he could tell he really wanted him to think about these things but would support his decision no matter what. ¡°Ok.¡± Marc gets up and walks out the office. Henry answers his phone. ¡°Director.¡± Outside commons Outside of the building Marc begins to head back to his dorm. ¡°I need to find a way to somehow stay in the academy longer, or at least find a way to give me another try at a test. But how?¡± He stops in his. ¡°Oh yea.¡± He remembered he heard a story from another recruit that there was a story about how someone was able to get into the academy by killing and bringing back a huge beast. He thought maybe if he could kill a beast in the forest and bring it back to his uncle it could convince him to find a way to stay in the academy. ¡°Alright, last chance Mark. Can¡¯t fucked this up. He pulled out his phone and called an uber to come pick him. CHAPTER 2: Bad Decision "Why the hell did I think this was a good idea?" Mark thought to himself while hiding behind a tree in the middle of the forest. He stood as still as possible, covering his mouth to quiet his rampant breathing. The forest was dark with only the faint moonlight piercing through the tree limbs. *Crack* The sound made him freeze up. His eyes couldn¡¯t help but look down at the large shadow on the ground. "Grrrrr" The power of the growl could be felt through his entire body. It felt like he could have a heart attack at any second. Within ten minutes of his search he was able to find the beast, but what he wasn¡¯t prepared for was the fact the wolf was the size of a two story building. The size alone left him speechless, but he quickly realised the dangerous position he was in just by looking at the wolf''s eyes. It was hungry, very hungry. Of course his plan was to kill it, but now? Yea right, there isn¡¯t anything he could do to even leave a scratch on that thing. "This is just pathetic. This is something I trained to deal with for years and this is what I''m doing? Fucking pathetic!" The thought reflecting through his head was doing nothing to help his situation, but this is all he could think of. Shame and fear is all he could feel. It was a depressing feeling, but it took his mind off his situation for a bitA case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Before he realized it, the forest was quiet again. He slowly peeked his head around the tree and noticed the wolf was gone. "Oh thank god." He muttered to himself. He relaxed a lil and stepped slowly and quietly out from behind the tree. He looked around and noticed the tracks were leading towards the west, away from where he was. He took a deep sigh of relief and laughed to himself. "I may have survived but¡­" He looked down in defeat, he may be happy about living but he knows no matter what, he has nothing to show to his uncle. Nothing to prove he is capable of becoming a templar. His dream was nothing more than just a dream. "¡­Forget it. I¡¯m sure my uncle can get me a pretty good desk job in his department. Let¡¯s just head home while I still can." He turned around to begin his walk out, but then¡­ "HEY!!!! ANYONE!!!" Mark froze upon hearing the scream from behind. He whipped around towards the direction of the screaming and noticed it came from the same direction the wolf had gone. "Oh no" Suddenly the ground started to rumble beneath him. Leaves began to fall from the trees onto the ground, and so did Mark¡¯s heart. He wanted to run so bad but for some reason he couldn¡¯t. All he could do was stand frozen again. He then hears the bushes rustling in front of him. It was the wolf, it had to be. There was no hope of running anyway so all he could was just accept his fate. He closed his eyes as if he knew it was over for him. But then¡­ "GUH!!!" A boy that looked around the same age at Mark came running out of the bushes and ended up tackling Mark to the ground. They both grovel in pain. "Ah fuck! The hell you''re just standing in the way for!?" The boy shouted. Mark opened his eyes and noticed the guy on top of him. He shoves him off "Why ain¡¯t you watching where the fuck your going!?" "I¡¯m kinda in the middle of running for my life!" The two men argued with each other like children but all that came to an end when the wolf came pouncing from out the bushes, jaws open ready to kill anything that¡¯s in front of him. The two boys stopped arguing and screamed in unison¨C "OH FUCK!!!" CHAPTER 3: First Lesson The forest shook from the sheer weight and power of the wolf''s paw slamming onto the ground as it lunged at the two boys. Mark grabbed the boy by his collar without thinking, yanking him out of the way of the beast. The wolf snapped at nothing but air. ¡°C¡¯mon we need to run!¡± Screamed Mark, who was dragging the young boy across the ground. The boy slapped Mark''s hands away from his collar and picked himself up in a hurry. ¡°If you let go of me, I will!¡± Even though they managed to make some distance between them and the wolf, its growls could still be felt. Neither one wanted to look behind them because they knew the second they turned around. It was all over. The wolf began its hunt, taking no time to chase after the two boys. It shifted through the forest trees like it was nothing. Closing the distance quickly. ¡°Hey!¡± Yelled the boy. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re in the forest alone, but based on your uniform, ima assume you¡¯re a student at that soldier academy right?¡± ¡°Why the fuck does that matter right now!?¡± Mark yelled back with ragged breath. ¡°It matters because this is something you are trained to deal with! Why aren¡¯t you dealing with- WAIT!¡± The boy screamed out. They both come to a halt. If they didn¡¯t they would be plunging a few 100 feet down the cliff they stand in front of. ¡°Now what?¡± Said the boy. But before Mark could even think of an answer, the wolf came charging from behind at great speed right for the boy. ¡°SNARL!!¡± Mark didn¡¯t hesitate to tackle him out of the way of the wolf, making it miss its target. The wolf tried to slow down but its momentum couldn¡¯t stop and it ended up falling off the cliff into the forest trees below. The boys get up and look down the cliff. They scanned to see if the wolf was there but it could not be seen through the tree branches. They both sighed from relief. ¡°Oh thank God.¡± Said the boy. ¡°Thanks for saving me man. I thought I was done for.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Mark replied. They both ended up taking a seat on the cliff out of exhaustion. Mark turned to look at the boy. ¡°One hell of a night huh?¡± Said Mark. ¡°Yea. Why the hell were you out here anyway?¡± The boy responded. ¡°To hunt that wolf.¡± ¡°The wolf that we almost died to just now?¡± ¡°Not that one exactly but yea.¡± He took another look down the cliff and gave a small chuckle. ¡°I thought if I could take out a wolf I could prove myself capable to the academy. But that plan¡¯s shot now.¡± Mark glanced at the boy but was shocked to see the look on his face. The boy gave him a dumbfounded look. He couldn¡¯t believe what he just heard. ¡°Wait, you thought hunting a wolf would make the academy think you''re capable?¡± The boy asked. ¡°Why the fuck would they think that?¡± Mark''s jaws clenched after hearing that. ¡°Why the hell wouldn¡¯t they?¡±. ¡°What the hell would a wolf prove, you''re just as capable as the average man?¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°How the fuck would you know what they would think?¡± Before the boy''s argument could escalate, a loud scraping noise could be heard from the bottom of the cliff. They both froze, all they could do was wish and hope that what they¡¯re thinking is wrong. But of course they both knew what it was. The wolf was climbing its way back up the cliff with its claws. The wolf¡¯s eyes locked onto the boys above them, hunger was all it could think about and it refused to give up on its hunt. The boy frantically stood up and backed away from the cliff in a panic. ¡°Hey, soldier boy. Even if we run now, that wolf¡¯s gonna catch us by the time it makes its way up here. Please tell me you got something that can help us.¡± Mark''s thoughts were running rampant. Nothing today has gone well and now the wolf that¡¯s trying to eat him is clawing its way up a cliff like it¡¯s trying to escape out of hell. What could there possibly be that could help their situation. ¡°...MY WAND!¡± Mark yelled out. ¡°Wand? Oh no¡­¡± The boy muttered to himself. ¡°You¡¯re a mage?¡± ¡°Is that an issue right now?¡± Mark responded. ¡°Kinda but fuck it, let''s see what you can do.¡± Mark began to dig through his pocket, hoping he didn¡¯t forget his wand. Thankfully he didn¡¯t, he pulls out his trusty wand. The boy looked in awe, but not in a good way. ¡°You fucking with me right?¡± Said the boy. The wand that Mark pulled out was sadly no bigger than a regular pocket knife. It wasn¡¯t anything to gawk at either. It had no special design, just a grey little wand. ¡°Hey, I earned this wand when it was first discovered I was a mage. This thing has been my saving grace.¡± Mark exclaimed, trying to defend his wand. He knew it was pathetic looking but it was all they had. ¡°I could find a stick that would look and work better.¡± The boy responded arrogantly. ¡°Just shut up and stand back.¡± Mark readied himself and got into a sturdy stance. He pointed his wand towards the cliff out to the trees. He closes his eyes and breathes in slowly and focuses his energy into the wand. Storm clouds began to form above the cliff. Electricity began to accumulate through the clouds. He opened his eyes and yelled out, ¡°Strike!¡±. A bright bolt of lightning came down from the sky and struck the ground beneath the cliff. The crack of the strike left a deafening roar that rang across the forest. It was a powerful strike¨Csadly it missed its target, striking two miles behind the wolf. The boys stand there in disbelief. The boy turns to Mark and stares at him disappointingly. ¡°There is absolutely no way u missed.¡± The boy said flatly.¡± ¡°Shut the fuck up.¡± Said Mark through his gritted teeth. The strike shocked the wolf at first but it quickly shook it off and began its climb again. Mark pointed his wand again towards the cliff hoping he would somehow hit his mark. ¡°C¡¯mon Mark, get your head right and hit the damn mutt!¡± He thought to himself. His mind was racing again, he couldn¡¯t get his first miss out of his head. It was a pathetic attempt, if you could even call it an attempt in the first place. ¡°What if I miss again, it¡¯s all over then. God dammit just hit the fucking wolf Mark!¡± His thoughts were clouding him, he couldn¡¯t concentrate his energy, he was wavering, falling into pieces. But then¡­ ¡°Here!¡± The boy yelled at Mark while shoving a stick onto his chest. ¡°Use the fucking stick!¡± Mark was now looking at an 8 inch stick that was on the ground not even 2 feet away from them. ¡°The fuck is this going to do?!¡± ¡°Just shut it and listen, I don¡¯t need you missing again for both our sakes!¡± After Mark grabs the stick, the boy pulls Mark closer to the edge of the cliff. ¡°Hey, hey!¡± Exclaimed Mark, he was now able to see the wolf climbing its way up. It was only a few feet away from reaching back up to the top. Its snarls were vicious, Mark could feel the heat of its breath as if it was right in front of him. Before he could yell at the boy to pull him back, the boy grabs his hand and forces Mark to point the stick directly at the wolf. ¡°I don¡¯t know who taught you how to hold a wand but never listen to them again! First, always point at what you¡¯re trying to hit, especially if you¡¯re as sorry as you are!¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Shut up and listen!!¡± The boy ordered ¡°Concentrate all your energy, every last bit of it. We need to kill this thing in one strike, this stick may be better than what you had but it can only handle one spell.¡± Mark had no choice but to trust the boy''s words. He closed his eyes again and began to calm himself, he concentrated all the energy into the stick. Electricity began accumulating again in the clouds but also in the stick now. The glow of the electricity began to shine throughout the forest, the intensity of the light was even visible from the city miles away. Mark opened his eyes and was shocked to see the power that was coming from the stick, was this his energy He never showcased this type of power before, it was amazing. ¡°No time for gawking at yourself!¡± The boy''s words helped snap Mark back into reality. ¡°Now this might sting a little but I''m sure you can handle it. When you yell ¡°Strike¡±, make sure to scream like you actually want to live!¡± Mark heard the boy''s words loud and clear, he knew in order for this to be a proper attack, he had to yell with conviction. If he wanted to stay at the academy he had to yell with strength. If he wanted to become a God, he needed to yell with Power. ¡°STRIKE!!!¡± Mark screamed out, his voice roaring through the air and into the face of the wolf who was now no more than a few inches away from them. A large bolt of lighting came screaming down from the clouds as if it was sent down God himself. The sheer power of the bolt came crashing down onto the ground, causing immense damage to the surrounding area, leaving a haunting roar throughout the city, shaking buildings and startling bystanders in cities nearby. CHAPTER 4: Trophy Kill A cloud of dust covered the area. Trees blown away, a part of the cliff was destroyed from the blast. It was eerily quiet. As the dust begins to disperse, Mark is revealed. He was sitting on the ground again by the sheer force of the blast. It left him in awe, never did he think he was capable of doing this. This power he always saw as weak, was able to do something like this? ¡°Woah¡­¡± Mark whispered under his breath. *Clap* *Clap* *Clap* The sound of clapping broke the eerie silence, startling Mark. He turned his attention to the source of the clapping and was shocked to see the boy still here. ¡°Told you the stick would be better.¡± The boy said mockingly, letting a slight grin run across his face. Mark turned to look at the stick''s charred remains in his hand. He tossed the remains to the ground, refusing to inflate this guy''s ego. He gets up and dusts himself off. ¡°My wand could''ve done the same thing.¡± Mark responded. ¡°Bullshit. That thing would have exploded right in your hand, it¡¯s not even up to standard for 3rd grade mage in training.¡± Mark couldn¡¯t help but grimace at what the boy just said because deep down he knew he was right. The wand was truly pathetic. The only reason he kept it was to prove that it didn¡¯t matter what wand he had, he was going to excel with it no matter what. You can guess how well that''s been going. ¡°Forget it, as long as that wolf is dead¡­It¡¯s dead right?¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The boys looked at each other both unsure about that answer. They slowly turn their heads towards the edge of the now destroyed cliff. They steadily walked towards the new edge made by Mark and looked down. All they could see was rubble and dust. They scanned to see if they could find any evidence of the wolf. ¡°Look.¡± The boy said while suddenly pointing down. There was a large charred paw sticking out amongst the rubble. Its stillness confirmed the wolf''s demise. The boys both exchange triumphant laughter as they look at their trophy kill. ¡°That''s what that damn mutt gets. Haha!" Exclaimed Mark who had a big smile written across his face. He couldn¡¯t believe what he had just accomplished. He turned to thank the boy who helped him but was shocked to only see air beside him. He looked around behind, thinking he may have snuck off but the¡­ ¡°Hey!¡± The boy''s shouted. Mark turned back around towards the cliff and then looked down. He sees the boy already at the bottom of the cliff next to the wolf''s paw waving at him. ¡°How did he get down there so quickly?¡± Mark asked himself. The boy takes out a medium-sized knife out of his back pocket. He turns to the paw and proceeds to sever the paw off from the wolf. ¡°Catch!¡± Yelled the boy as he hurled the wolf paw up towards Mark. Mark barely had time to catch it ,but he did at the last second. He looked at the large paw now in his hands and gawked at it. The paw size could be compared to a tire of an 18-wheeler. He couldn¡¯t help but smile while looking at it. ¡°Now I don¡¯t know why you would want to stay at that P.O.S. academy but if you were willing to risk your life it, you better flaunt that shit when you get back!¡± The boy yelled. ¡°Good luck kid!¡± Said the boy who started to walk away into the forest trees. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re just leaving like that!? Hey!¡± Mark yells out trying to get the boy''s attention but to no avail. The boy disappeared into the forest way faster than Mark anticipated. ¡°Who the hell was that anyway?¡± Mark thought to himself. Mark sighed and gave one final look at the destruction he caused. The charred trees, the destroyed cliff side, the dead wolf and its paw he¡¯s holding. All these things he caused with just his power. Mark gripped the paw tightly, a new feeling was starting to form in his chest, a feeling that he never thought he could feel. Empowerment. Never once has he ever felt this way about himself or his potential, sure he had his dream but that¡¯s all it was at first but now¡­ ¡°This changes everything.¡± Mark said to himself. He turned back toward the woods, ready to make the trip back to the academy, but this time with some pride. His grin grew as he played with paw by tossing it in the air and catching it. ¡°He¡¯s right, I should flaunt this.¡± CHAPTER 5: PRAISE HIM Upon the city of Olympus, the moon shined its silvery light. The beauty of its glow fell upon the buildings of the city, giving them a radiant shine and highlighting their ethereal beauty. One of those buildings shined the brightest every midnight in Olympus. The Historic Alan War Museum, a building that holds records, pictures, and artifacts of the Alan War that happened 48 years ago. The building is one of the landmarks of the country, every trainee in the academy must have basic knowledge of the war and the building to even qualify for the academy. It holds that much weight. Upon the building though, stood a figure on the roof. The moonlight shined on the man''s back, shadowing his face for onlookers on the ground. If there were someone who happened to look up at the building they would think they were looking at a specter. It was an older man with long, silver hair that cascaded down his back, his matching beard falling all the way down the middle of chest. He was wearing a black cloak that hid every part of his body except his hand and head. ¡°...Isn¡¯t it beautiful my lord? The sky, the peace¡­the legacy you left behind is glorious my lord¡­¡± The man muttered to himself. He held a hand high into the sky, as if he was trying to pull the sky down to him. His eyes kept to the stars and never wandered. Suddenly a woman''s voice from behind breaks his concentration, ¡°Master.¡±. The man turns around to look at the beautiful young woman who appeared behind him. She wore a royal purple suit that fit to perfection. Her black hair glimmered in the moonlight as she takes a knee out of respect for her master. ¡°Child, did you happen to see that lightning strike just now in the forest?¡± The master asked. ¡°Yes master.¡± ¡°Was that your doing?¡± ¡°No master.¡± She replied. His eyebrows furrowed. ¡°...what do you believe caused that child?¡± ¡°I believe¡­¡± She raises her head to look at her master eye to eye. ¡°It was acknowledgement from our lord, master.¡± A cynical grin slowly grew across the man''s face, ¡°Hehehe¡­¡±. He turned around back to the city and raised his hands into the air as if he was embracing the world. He threw his head back and laughed like a madman at the night sky. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°HAHAHA!!!! OH HOW RIGHT YOU ARE, CHILD!!!! HAHAHAHA!!!!!¡± The laughter echoed across the city, sounding as if a murder of crows had all flown across the city. ¡°HE SEES OUR DEEDS! HE KNOWS OUR PATH WILL SOON BRING HIS GLORY TO NEW HEIGHTS AND THE WORLD WILL BEGIN TO PRAISE HIM ONCE AGAIN! HAHAHA!!!!¡± Slowly, his laughter faded, he calmed himself down as he lowered his arms. His manic smile faded, and a miserable expression replaced it. He dropped his head to gazed down at the bystanders. He studied all the civilians down below. How they talked, how they laughed, how they cried, how they lived. ¡°Bring me your hand child.¡± The man said coldly. The young woman didn¡¯t hesitate to walk up to the man and offer her hand. The old man took her hand gently and began inspecting it as if he was looking for something. The man sighed faintly and her hand began to glow white and smoke began to rise from her skin. The woman didn¡¯t say anything nor did she react to the thick smoke dancing out from her hand. The man let go of her hand and it began to return to normal. The light and smoke faded away slowly. ¡°Did you feel anything child?¡± He asked. ¡°No, master. Nothing.¡± She replied, her face stayed emotionless. The man looked at her with pity, he placed his hand on top of her shoulder to comfort her as if she needed it. ¡°Child, you may put on a stoic mask but I know you yearn for our mission to be a success.¡± His eyes turn away from her and look towards the city ¡°I know this because our lord also yearns for it and I fear he is starting to grow¡­ impatient. His tale is starting to become forgotten.¡± ¡°If that is the case master, why don¡¯t you let me go kill the man right now? I believe I am more than capable to do it-¡± ¡°Child¡­¡± That single word cut through her sentence with cold authority. His head never moved away from the city but his eyes darted towards her with sharp malicious intent. ¡°What makes you think that you have the skillset to ¡®kill¡¯ that man, child?¡± The man''s sharp words made the young woman drop her head, her body trembling under his scornful tone. ¡°I don¡¯t know what made you think you could even suggest that, but if those words come out that mouth again¡­the consequence will be dire for you future child.¡± An overwhelming aura exploded from him, suffocating the air. The bystanders on the ground could feel it. Some adults couldn¡¯t move out of fear of an unknown energy that infiltrated their bodies and mind, the young and the old couldn¡¯t keep their conscious at all. The young woman didn¡¯t say a word, her head remained fixed to the ground. ¡°Do you understand child?!¡± The man demanded. ¡°Yes master. Forgive me.¡± she answered. The man calms himself down, his suffocating aura dissipated. The woman''s body began to steady and she felt as if she could breathe again, but her head still remained down. The man¡¯s eyes went back towards the city. He then hopped up on the ledge of the building as if he was a spry 20 year old man. ¡°Has Karter finally made it here yet?¡± He asked. ¡°Yes master. He suppose to be a guest at the Templar Showcasing in two days.¡± ¡°I see. Tell him we will meet him at the Absent Gate before the showcasing begin. Make sure he knows not to be late.¡± ¡°Yes mast-¡± She lifted her head up to reply, but before she could even finish her sentence, the old man leaned forward to fall off the building gracefully. She looked over the edge to spot her master but he had already vanished. ¡°Masters'' emotions are becoming more chaotic lately¡­¡± she said to herself. She took a deep breath and backed away from the ledge. She looked at her hand her master held. Her eyes looked at her hand with the same pity her master''s eyes showed. She dropped her hand and strode across the roof. Black fire began to rise from her feet, quickly engulfing her whole body. In a whisper of smoke, the woman vanished into the night sky. CHAPTER 6: Monarch The morning sun rose upon Olympus, signaling a new day. The trainees of the academy moved through the hallways, ready to start their classes, but a surprising commotion rippled through the halls. Every student who happened to see Mark that morning couldn¡¯t help but stop in their tracks, stunned by him dragging the large wolf paw behind him. Mark knew this would happen, well it would be better to say he planned for this to happen. Of course he could¡¯ve just went to his uncle last night to show him the paw but remembering the words of the boy who helped him out last night, he decided to bask in the spotlight for once. This was the first time he was able to show-off in front of his classmates since he was able to enter the academy. He held his chest out and kept his head high as he strutted through the hallway. As he was walking, he happened to walk past Avey and Ray who were walking to class together. Their walk and talk came to a halt when they noticed Mark and his giant trophy ¡°The hell?¡± Blurted Ray, his brows furrowed in confusion. ¡°Mark,¡± Avey asked, her voice tinged with curiosity, ¡°why do you have that huge paw?¡± A cocky grin grew across the side of his mouth. He turned to face the two with a smug look as if this was a normal thing for him. ¡°I understand your curiosity Avey and Ray¡­¡± his grin widened, ¡°I also understand your childish jealousy.¡± ¡°The fuck you say?!¡± Ray snapped, lunging forward, only to be held back by Avey. Mark fought to keep a chuckle from escaping upon seeing Ray''s fiery reaction. Ray had always been a prodigy swordsman ever since they were children and wouldn¡¯t hesitate to gloat. Seeing him rattled by something Mark did was a rare and savory sight. ¡°I would like to tell you all about how I accomplished this but I have to showcase this to my uncle before he becomes too busy and before this paw starts to smell worse than it already does.¡± Without missing a beat from his walk earlier he continued his stride down to his uncle''s office. Ray, still glaring at Mark, grew annoyed seeing his new smug demeanor. Avey on the under hand couldn¡¯t help but to let out a small chuckle. ¡°Hehe, never thought I would see Mark be able to act like that.¡± She said amused. ¡°Don¡¯t fall for this stunt, Avey.¡± Ray snapped, folding his arms, ¡°He probably just found it like that or made it out of fucking paper-mache.¡± ¡°Oh stop. No matter how weak Mark is, he wouldn¡¯t stoop that low.¡± She said, playfully slapping his arm. Mark overheard Aveys remark as he was walking away but he chose to not acknowledge it. He couldn¡¯t help but to drop his head slightly though, her words cut deeper than he wished. Yet, the memory of what he was able to do reignited his fire, pushing him to keep his head up high. Without saying a word he kept his eyes forward and continued down the halls. Mark finally stood before his uncle''s office door. His nervousness grew as each second passed. He didn¡¯t expect this part of his plan to be the hardest part. ¡°Get a grip Mark, this is the moment you¡¯ve been waiting for, no need to be nervous now.¡± He thought to himself, gripping the paw tightly. He took a deep breath and stifled his nerves. Even though he raised his fist with confidence, he knocked on the door quite softer than he intended. There was no answer. Perhaps his uncle didn¡¯t hear it. Mark knocked again, louder this time. No answer again. ¡°The hell? He¡¯s usually in here around this time.¡± Mark thought to himself. Growing impatient he balled up his fist and pound on the door, ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s me Mark! You in there!?¡±. No answer again. Mark''s eyebrows furrowed. It was unlike his uncle to be absent, especially during the early hours of the day. Understanding that knocking was pointless, he twisted the handle and pushed the door open, stepping inside without waiting for permission. ¡°Unc, you better not be aslee-¡± before Mark was able to begin nagging his uncle, he noticed the room was empty. He entered the room, dragging the paw behind and noticed that his uncle''s desk was a mess. Paperwork and folders scattered all across, some spilling on the floor. Mark¡¯s uncle is a very uptight man, almost obsessively so. Even on his worst days he always kept him and his things in a neat and orderly state. Seeing his desk like this was a rare and odd sight to Mark. As he looked at the paperwork on his desk he noticed a map hiding up under all the paper. Mark moved all the unnecessary stuff out the way and picked up the map. It was a map of the city of Olympus. Every building, corner, neighborhood was shown on it. As he analyzed the map he noticed that a building in the northeast section of the city was circled. ¡°What the? Ain''t that the Monarch Building?¡± Mark muttered to himself. That Monarch Building wasn¡¯t just a regular building. It was one of the nation''s leading finance centers, who also has a deep connection with the academy. They were they¡¯re biggest donors, and they basically paid for the construction of the building. They even have their own private sector on the campus that¡¯s restricted to all students and most teachers. Mark''s thoughts began to race. What made the monarch so important to his uncle? Before Mark could dig through more papers¡­Stolen story; please report. ¡°Who is in my office!¡± Mark jumped at the sound of the voice bursting out from behind. He turned around and noticed that it was his uncle standing in the doorway. But he was shocked to see his uncle appeared to him in a state Mark had never seen before. He was a mess, dirt and scratches all over his body. He had bags under his eyes and looked as if he had just got out of a war. ¡°The hell happened to you?¡± Mark asked, looking his uncle up and down. His uncle brushed off the question, his tone rushed and impatient, ¡°Mark, why are you here? I don¡¯t have tim-¡± Before he could finish his sentence, the wolf paw was tossed in front of his feet as he was walking. He stopped in his tracks, staring at the paw. He looked back up to see Mark folding his arm with the same cocky smile he had while walking in the halls. ¡°You did this?¡± He asked. ¡°Yep, I¡¯m hoping this is enough for me to stay at the academy.¡± His uncle started rubbing his eyes, trying to think of what to say. He couldn¡¯t help but to be impressed by what he was seeing but there was also a hint of doubt. The Mark he knew and raised could never be able to pull something like this off, hell he struggled to kill one musk pig. But here he is, flaunting the paw he dragged here. He sighed, then the paw began floating in the air and following his uncle as he walked towards Mark and the desk. The paw hovered over the desk then fell on top of it, scattering the papers all over the desk area. He couldn¡¯t have cared less though. He took a seat in his chair and leaned back with a mix of exhaustion and contemplation. He drummed his fingers on his arm rest and took a deep breath. Mark just stood and watched his uncle, not saying a word. ¡°Mark, I know you¡¯re not the type to lie, but I¡¯ve had a really rough morning. If this is some ploy to-¡± ¡°This is not a ploy, Uncle!¡± Mark interrupted, his voice stern, almost pleading. ¡°I can¡¯t take credit for cutting off the foot but I can take credit for the fact I did kill the wolf beforehand and I''m here showing it to you cause you¡¯re the only person I have that can legitimately help me stay and I need. That. Help¡­,¡± Mark stepped closer to his uncle¡¯s desk, his hands trembling but his gaze steady. ¡°This is what I¡¯m capable of. I¡¯m not asking for a free pass, I¡¯m showing you proof of what I can do. Please¡­ help me stay.¡± Mark looked at his uncle with no waver in his eyes, and his uncle could see it. It was a different look than yesterday. It was like he was a different person, he spoke with confidence, his eyes never turned away from his uncles. He wanted to make sure he showed his confidence and pride. His uncle sighed. He rubbed his eyes with his hands and sat up in his chair. ¡°Alright, I believe you.¡± His uncle finally said, his voice sounding exhausted but sincere ¡°I would love to take this and you to the board right now, but right now is not the best time as you can tell.¡± Mark expected this. As much as he wanted more recognition than this, he couldn¡¯t ignore the obvious signs. Seeing how his uncle looked disheveled and unorganized, he could tell something was bothering him badly. The tension in the air was heavy no matter how much he tried to ignore it. ¡°But here¡¯s what I will do¡­¡± his uncle continues, ¡°When I manage to find some time throughout the day. I will make sure to call you and we''ll both go meet the superintendent together to showcase this. Sounds like a plan?¡±. Mark understood his uncle''s words but it still stung that he couldn¡¯t get a chance to gloat to him. ¡°Yea that''s fine¡­I can tell you got something going on.¡± He says, trying to mask his disappointed tone, ¡°But if I get kicked out of the school before I can even plead my case, I¡¯m blaming you first.¡± His uncle let out a small chuckle, he could feel his body start to relax for the first time since this morning. He looked at his nephew with a soft expression and a faint smile. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to remember that kid. Now go before you¡¯re late for class.¡± They both exchanged smiles, and Mark turned to walk to the door. Right before he opened it to leave, he couldn¡¯t help but take another look at his uncle. His uncle had his head in one hand, leaning back in his chair. The air in the room seemed to grow heavier, not just metaphorically but literally. Whatever was troubling him ran deep, making him use his powers unintentionally. ¡°Hey Unc¡­¡± Mark said, his voice cutting through the thick atmosphere. His uncle looked up at him, ¡°...if you lose my paw, I¡¯ma make a tornado that blows your car all the way to Cali.¡± His uncle let out a hardy laugh and the gravity of the room became normal again. Before he could say anything back, Mark left the office with a small smile on his face. The end of the school day came, and Mark still hadn¡¯t heard anything from his uncle. He pulled out his phone to see if maybe he missed a text but just like earlier, his inbox was empty. He couldn¡¯t help but to feel disappointed about today, sure he managed to show-up his classmates but he still doesn''t know if his future here is certain. He also couldn¡¯t get what he saw in uncle ''s office out of his head. ¡°What does my uncle have to do with the monarch? What happened to him this morning for him to be in that state?¡± He thought to himself. Before he could think any further, a familiar and irritating voice called out from behind him in the halls. ¡°Well if it isn¡¯t our rising star!¡± Ray¡¯s voice echoed, laced with sarcasm. ¡°Ah hell¡­¡± Mark muttered under his breath. Ray slung an arm over Mark¡¯s shoulder, leaning his full weight against him like they were lifelong friends. Mark stumbled under the unexpected pressure, barely managing to keep them both upright. ¡°Mr Wolf Slayer himself! How was your day oh great hunter?¡± ¡°Get the hell off me!¡± Mark snapped, removing Ray''s arm from around him. ¡°You two knock it off. You''re acting like middle schoolers.¡± Avey said, walking up behind them with an exasperated sigh. Mark crossed his arms, eyeing the pair suspiciously. ¡°Alright, what do you guys want? If you¡¯re here to hear the story, I don''t have time right now.¡± A sly grin comes across Ray''s face as he puts his hands in his pocket. ¡°To tell the truth, I¡¯m having a hard time believing that you were able to kill the wolf you happened to find last night.¡± ¡°And why the fuck is that my problem?¡± Mark shot back. Before Ray could reply, Avey stepped forward, holding up a hand. ¡°Let me do the talking,¡± she said, cutting off their brewing argument. ¡°You two are just gonna end up arguing all day. Here''s the deal, we¡¯re curious about how much stronger you¡¯ve gotten. If you¡¯re up for it, we want you to come with us on another monster hunt.¡± ¡°Oh for the love of¡­¡± Mark thought to himself. He wouldn¡¯t have minded going on a hunt with Avey on any other day but with the way these two days started and how it¡¯s been ending, he kinda wasn¡¯t up for another hunt. Especially if Ray is gonna tag along. ¡°Listen, I know it may have been shocking to see me dragged something like that-¡± ¡°Shocking is an understatement! It was down right unfathomable! How did someone who couldn¡¯t even place in the top 75 of the musk pig ranking be able to kill a giant wolf?¡± Ray interrupted. Mark¡¯s jaw tightened, his annoyance rising fast. Sure, Ray might be right, what he¡¯d done was unheard of, but the way he said it felt like a slap in the face. He couldn¡¯t help but to take offense. ¡°Enough Ray!¡± Avey snapped before turning to Mark. ¡°Listen, I know you might be tired from hunting the wolf last night already. You don¡¯t have to answer right now, you can let us know after the showcasing tomorrow.¡± Mark opened his mouth to agree but stopped as a memory surfaced. He thought back to the power he unleashed against the giant wolf. How it looked, how it sounded, how it felt. For the first time, he¡¯d seen his full potential in action, and the rush was intoxicating. A sudden urge gripped him. He wanted to feel that power again. More importantly, he wanted Avey and Ray to see it too, to erase any doubt they had about him. ¡°You know what, sure, let''s do it.¡± Mark said, confidently. ¡°Really?¡± Avey replied, ¡°Awesome, well let''s do it after the showcase-¡± ¡°No, now.¡± Mark interrupted, firmly. ¡°What?¡± They both said, stunned at what he just said. Mark could still feel the lingering feeling of the power from last night and he didn¡¯t want to let it slip away. ¡°You heard me. I said, Let''s do it now. Or is that too sudden for the perfect soldier over here?¡± Mark added, letting a smirk tug at his lip. ¡°Oh you think you fucking funny now, huh?¡± Ray shot back, ¡°Fine, you two get whatever stuff you need. We¡¯re headed to the Platinum Garden right now!¡± CHAPTER 7: Surprise Guest The evening sunlight bathed the campus in a warm, golden glow. Students were scattered across the grounds, some headed to their dorms to rest, others spending time on campus with friends. Mark sat on a bench in front of the campus library, waiting impatiently. Ray had said they would all meet there, but he couldn''t help thinking Ray might have given him the wrong location to make it seem like he had backed out. It wouldn''t be the first time. Before they split in the hallways Ray explained what kind of hunt this would be. He said there''ve been incidents where students who went into the platinum garden were found passed out and left in a vegetative state for 2 days. By the time they regained consciousness, they couldn¡¯t recall what happened to them in the garden. Rumors started to spread around campus that there was a plant type monster that snuck into the garden. You would think the school would send a trained soldier or templar to deal with it, but according to Ray, the campus Monarch sector restricted the area for anyone that''s not an employee of the Monarch building. Was this the thing that left Mark''s uncle in that state this morning? This situation with the Monarchs was starting to make him feel uneasy. Just as his thoughts were beginning to spiral, a friendly voice came from his right. "Mark!" Avey called out as she approached, Ray was a step behind her. ¡°Finally,¡± Mark said, standing up, ¡°I was beginning to think you guys wouldn¡¯t show.¡± ¡°Says the guy who usually wusses out.¡± Ray shot back. ¡°Enough you two. Sorry for keeping you Mark, let''s head down to the garden now guys.¡± The trio began their walk to the garden. Avey had a bounce in her step, keeping a bright expression on her face. Ray led the group, kept one hand in his pocket as he walked with confidence. Mark kept to the back. He could feel his hands get sweatier with every passing minute and his heart was starting to beat faster. Was this nervousness or excitement, he couldn¡¯t tell. He put on a stoic front earlier, but his nerves were starting to get the best of him. ¡°Keep your cool,¡± he thought to himself, ¡°This is also another opportunity to stay in the school. If I can show them what I did last night, I might be able to get them to testify for me as witnesses¡­Well at least Avey, I don¡¯t know about Ray.¡± Suddenly, he felt a light bump against his shoulder. He looked to his side and saw Avey, who was now at his side. She looked at him softly and reassuringly. ¡°You ok?¡± she asked, ¡°I figured you would be the one leading, considering you suggested we do this now.¡± Mark grinned slightly. ¡°Yea im fine, just been letting my mind run too much and besides, you think that walking crashout would want to walk behind me.¡± Avey let out a small chuckle at Mark''s dig at Ray, Mark tried not to, but he ended up joining her. ¡°What''s so funny?¡± Ray snapped, cutting into their moment. ¡°It¡¯s nothing Ray.¡± Said Avey trying to hold the rest of her laughter in. Ray shot a glare at Mark before turning back around. He ends up leading them down an Ally behind the gym of the campus. ¡°Now are you sure this place is out of the eyes of the cameras?¡± Mark asked. Eyeing their surroundings. ¡°Unlike you, I know how to plan out a hunt, so just shut up and follow me.¡± Ray snapped, sounding irritated. Mark''s fist balled up, a surge of annoyance and frustration pulsing through him. His gaze landed on a nearby brick, just ahead of them, and for a moment, he considered picking it up and tossing it at Ray''s head. He held himself back...barely though. They turned another corner and stopped in front of a towering hedge wall, the dense greenery almost forming a barrier. They finally made it to the Platinum Garden. ¡°Here we are ladies. No turning back now.¡± Ray announced with a smug tone. Mark¡¯s instinct was to shoot back and call out Ray for his comment, but he bit his tongue, keeping the retort locked behind his gritted teeth. Ray turned to his left and began walking along the hedges, ¡°Follow me,¡± he called over his shoulder, his voice low. ¡°There¡¯s a weak spot in the hedges we can slip through to get in.¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. They walked along the hedges for what felt like hours, keeping quiet the whole time just in case there happened to be a security guard around or worse the¡­the monster. The pressure was unnecessarily heavy but the trio never wavered. After another few minutes of walking Ray finally stopped. He pointed at the hedge there in front of, they both nodded in acknowledgement. Ray took the first step into the hedge, his leg slid in easily, the rest of him followed. After a few seconds, Avey followed behind him. Mark was the last one, he took one last look behind him to make sure they weren¡¯t followed. He took a deep breath to calm himself, and then followed the other two. Passing through the hedge was easier than Mark anticipated, he was able to easily pass through the sticks and leaves with no problem. But when he finally emerged on the other side, he froze. Ray and Avey were already motionless, their eyes fixed ahead. It didn¡¯t take Mark long to notice the source of their attention. Someone else was already in the garden with their back turned toward the trio. Ray stood frozen, he thought he was the only one who knew about this place. He slowly glanced to his side and saw Avey staring at him, silently pleading at him to figure this out. His gaze flicked to Mark, only to find him staring right back, with an unreadable face. Ray quickly turned his attention back to the stranger. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat, but the sound of his nervous gulp rang out louder than he intended. The man¡¯s head twitched at the noise. His body slowly started to turn around to see what caused the noise. When he finally turned around, Mark''s eyes widened. He recognized who it was. It was the boy from the forest last night. ¡°You!¡± Mark blurted out, pointing at the boy. Avey shot a quick glance at Mark, ¡°You know this guy Mark.¡±. It took a minute for the boy to understand what was going on. After a few seconds of staring at the trio, he recognized Mark. ¡°Oh, if it isn''t the boy savior.¡± His voice had a hint of mockery to it but he showed a welcoming smile. ¡°Boy savior? How the hell do you know this guy?¡± Ray asked Mark, but before he could answer, the boy cut him off. ¡°He saved my life last night. A giant wolf was chasing after me in the forest, it would''ve been over for me if it wasn¡¯t for him.¡± He gave Mark a subtle wink in his direction. Mark didn¡¯t show it but he understood what the boy was doing. Even though they both were looking like scared rabbits last night he¡¯s making it seem like Mark came in like he was a superhero. This confirmation should be enough to silence any doubt the other two had about Mark''s story. ¡°Well whatever, forget about that.¡± Said Ray, waving off Mark''s ¡°heroism¡±, ¡°Who the hell are you? I¡¯ve never seen you on campus before.¡± Mark wanted to step in to help out the boy but he also didn¡¯t truly know who he was. He never even got a name when they met last night. He held back, awaiting the boy''s answer. ¡°I¡¯m someone who has the same mission as you guys.¡± He answered Ray looked at him with confusion, ¡°Same mission as us?¡± ¡°You guys here looking for the ¡®monster¡¯ in here aint ya?¡± Ray¡¯s gaze snapped to Mark, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. ¡°Mark! Did you slip this guy a text or something? How the hell does he know about that?¡± ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t tell him shit, I don¡¯t even know if he has a phone. I''m as lost as you.¡± Mark shot back, defending himself. ¡°Both of you calm down.¡± The boy blurted, breaking the two''s oncoming argument, ¡°It aint really a trade secret that something¡¯s going on in this garden. I heard about it in the town and I wanted to check it out for myself.¡± The trio stared at him for a few seconds, the air still thick with uncertainty. Then, without a word, Ray and Avey turned to look at Mark. Mark glanced between the two, confusingly, he couldn¡¯t tell what they wanted. Avey broke the silence first, ¡°Mark, you trust what this guy is saying?¡± Mark shot a glance at the boy. He was torn, he wanted to say yes because of how he helped him out last night with the wolf, but he couldn¡¯t help his growing suspension. He only met the boy last night through tense circumstances, and he can¡¯t really say he was buddy-buddy with the guy. Instead of thinking too much about this, he simply walked up to the boy and stood face to face with him. ¡°I wanna say I believe you, but I still don¡¯t even know who you are.¡± Mark said coldly. The boy looked back at mark with a serious expression ¡°...So, can you at least give us your name?¡± Mark asked, his words feeling heavy. An eyebrow raised on the boy¡¯s face, but he didn¡¯t speak. Instead, he kept his focus locked on Mark, neither of them moving an inch. Ray and Avey stood in silence, unintentionally caught in the stillness, waiting for the answer. ¡°...Vincent.¡± The boy answered, his voice calm but unwavering. The name hung in the air for a minute. Nobody said anything else, but Mark kept his gaze on Vincent. As he answered Mark noticed his eyes never moved, his pupils didn¡¯t even twitch. Mark thought it was strange but didn¡¯t think much of it. He turned back to the others and nodded ¡°It¡¯s ok guys, he¡¯s cool.¡± The two looked at each other and then back to Mark. Their bodies began to relax a bit and the tense atmosphere was starting to let up. Vincent smirked looking at the trio, he couldn¡¯t help but to be tickled by these guys'' uptight attitude, but he decided to keep it to himself. ¡°Now that you guys are done playing good cop, bad cop, may I suggest something?¡± The trio turned back to Vincent, his smirk still lingering. ¡°Since it seems like we¡¯re all on the same path, how about we team up to find this thing together?¡± Mark frowned, his confusion evident. ¡°Are you some kind of monster hunter or something?¡± Vincent shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°Kinda, but that¡¯s not important right now. So, what do you say?¡± Ray¡¯s patience was wearing thin, his frustration bubbling to the surface. ¡°Hey, just because this little shrimp said you¡¯re cool doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re all friends now,¡± he snapped. ¡°In fact, I should report you for trespassing.¡± Vincent shot Ray a grin, ¡°You sure you wanna do that? I mean you¡¯re doing the same thing as me, aren¡¯t you? Doubt the boys and girls club would like you being in here as well.¡± Ray couldn¡¯t bring himself to say anything, because Vincent was right. The second he calls anyone, they¡¯re all busted. ¡°Ray,¡± Avey interrupted, her tone calm but firm, ¡°Let¡¯s just bring him along. We could use the extra help, and if he causes any problems, we can handle him. Look at him.¡± Avey was right to think that way. Looking at Vincent, he looked as if he hadn''t eaten anything for weeks, he was a mess and his clothes were way over his size. Ray thought about it for a few seconds before letting out a frustrated sigh, ¡°Fine, you can come with us, but Mark,¡± he shot a look at Mark, ¡°You¡¯re keeping an eye on him since yall so acquainted with each other.¡± Mark didn¡¯t want the job but he knew he was the only one who could do it, considering he did vouch for him. Vincent placed his hand on Mark''s shoulder and gave him a smile, ¡°I''ll be in your care, savior.¡± Mark stared at him blankly, resisting the urge to groan. The headache brewing behind his eyes made itself known and he already started regretting his decision. ¡°This is gonna be annoying.¡± he muttered under his breath. Vincent¡¯s grin widened as if he¡¯d heard him, only adding to Mark¡¯s irritation.