《Lixarts Academy: First Year》


 Birds

    ¡°WAKE UP, DOMINICK! YOU¡¯RE GONNA BE LATE!¡± Mom yelled from downstairs,


    This is important, I can¡¯t be late. I grabbed my clothes, socks, and shoes from the closet and got dressed. I grabbed my backpack from off the back of my chair and ran downstairs.


    The clock read 6:33 AM.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t gonna be late, Mom. Class doesn¡¯t start ¡®till 8,¡± I told her.


    ¡°No but it¡¯d be nice if you ate with us every once in a while,¡± she said, smiling at me.


    I walked back upstairs and took a shower. I checked the clock again and it read 6:55 AM. I got dressed in the uniform they sent me yesterday and headed downstairs. I grabbed my hoodie and threw it on over top of it because I didn¡¯t like the uniform all that much.


    I sat down and grabbed the cereal from the middle of the table and poured it into the bowl.


    ¡°Dad, milk?¡± I asked him.


    He slid over the milk. I took off the cap and poured it into my cereal. I usually skip breakfast. I got a spoonful of cereal and began eating.


    ¡°Mmrf-¡± I said, with a mouth full of cereal.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk with food in your mouth,¡± Mom said to me. I swallowed the cereal I was eating.


    ¡°Mom,¡± I asked, again.


    ¡°Yes, Dom?¡± she replied.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you two go to Lixarts?¡±  I pointed to Mom and Dad.


    ¡°Yeah, we did, that¡¯s where we met and I knew right then it was love.¡±


    ¡°So did I, honey,¡± Dad chimed in.


    They got up and started hugging.


    Dad looked at me and smirked.


    Around 25 minutes had passed of us 3 talking and eating together as a family. I got up and grabbed my backpack and walked out the door.


    ¡°Dom, be better than we were at your age,¡± Mom shouted.


    ¡°Bye Mom, Bye Dad.¡± I said, waving bye to them.


    ¡°Bye, Dom,¡± they said, in unison.


    I walked outside to the sign that read ¡°Portal¡±. There were intricate engravings in the ground, it looked like some sort of a magic circle. I walked down the sidewalk and stepped onto the circle. The other 4 students there looked at me. Two of them were boys and the other two were girls; who strangely looked almost identical. A blinding light engulfed us as we were instantaneously teleported to the front door of the school. The door loomed over us as we walked in.


    A girl with ocean blue hair walked past me. It seemed like she didn¡¯t like the uniform as she wore a black sweater with a rose emblem on the top left of it. She smelled like vanilla as her perfume wafted into my nostrils as she stomped by.


    Suddenly, she stopped and turned around.


    ¡°What are you looking at, weirdo?¡± She said, facing me.


    I looked around to see students scurrying past me, in a frenzy to make it to their classes.


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    ¡°Me?¡± I pointed at myself.


    ¡°Yes, you,¡± She walked over. Her combat boots stomped against the marble floor as she stood face to face with me now.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t looking at you,¡± I turned to walk away.


    ¡°Yes, you were,¡± she grabbed my shoulder with unusually strong strength.


    I grabbed her hand and pried it off of my shoulder.


    A look of surprise spread across her face.


    I waved and walked away.


    I walked over to one of the windows and looked outside.


    It was a huge campus. It had 3 separate buildings with a giant parking lot, a comically large water fountain, a school store, an outdoor and indoor corridor, a food court, floating gardens, and an observatory. The school is supported by a magical core under the school that keeps it afloat.


    I¡¯ll explain how the day works to you. Classes start at 8:00 AM and there¡¯s a total of 5 classes throughout the day until 4:00 PM. First class is Magic History which is in Room 235. The classes that follow are listed as followed (in order), Magic Rituals, Counter Spellcasting, lunch, Alchemy, and lastly, Training. There are X and Y days, different classes every other day. The first day of school is always an X day.


    My classes on a Y day are Medicine, Ward Creation, Charm Creation, lunch, Gardening, and Magic Sports.


    The bell rang interrupted my thoughts as the clock struck 7:30.


    I looked at the time which read 7:45. Since I had already walked around, I knew the general areas for where most of the subject halls should be located. It only took me around 5 minutes to get to Room 235.


    I walked in and there seemed to be around 13 students with about 30 tables in the classroom altogether. The teacher waved me over. He looked to be in his mid 40s, gray hair and gray facial hair. He wore a sweater with the face of an old TV character on it and a pair of jeans.


    ¡°And you are¡­?¡±  he said, staring into my soul.


    ¡°Oh. I¡¯m Dominick. I¡¯m new here, we just moved to Wintermere,¡± I responded.


    ¡°Oh, I heard about a new student. Welcome! How do you like it so far?¡±


    ¡°Love to tell you but I just got there a few days ago,¡± I responded.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll be sitting over there,¡± he pointed to the back corner, next to a girl.


    ¡°Alright, thank you, sir.¡± I replied, giving him a smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Willowsky,¡± he said, sitting back down at his desk.


    I sat down and pulled out my book from my backpack. I began reading.


    I looked at the girl next to me. That¡¯s the girl from earlier.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m Dom-¡±


    ¡°I have ears. You¡¯re literally right there. I¡¯m Aura, now leave me alone,¡± she grabbed her book and started reading.


    After a while most of the students came pouring in, 15 of them, 2 never showed. Most of them looked at me with a perplexed expression as they walked towards their seats. Luckily, no one sits next to me besides her.


    The bell rang and Mr. Willowsky took attendance before when he was showing everyone their assigned seats. Some of the students complained to Mr. Willowsky about the assigned seating saying, ¡°We¡¯re not kids,¡± amongst other things.


    ¡°It¡¯s temporary. It¡¯s just to feel out the environment of this class. Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re not my only class with the assigned seating,¡± he said.


    The rest of the class was him explaining the basics of the class, the rules we are expected to follow and the syllabus, which was explained in every class throughout the day. We didn¡¯t do any work today which was a plus.


    The sun was beating down on the pavement as the final bell rang and the announcements came on.


    ¡°Thanks for a wonderful first day and I hope you guys enjoy your time here! Have a good day!¡± The principal said,


    CLICK


    The phone hung up.


    The students ran out of the school like an avalanche, finding their friends. The magic portals lit up outside. They were designated by number and location. I looked over and saw Aura. I picked up the pace and jogged over to her.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to be seeing each other a lot. I feel like we should try to get along,¡± I said to her.


    She looked over with an annoyed expression.


    ¡°Fine, but that really just entails you leaving me alone, ok?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant-¡±


    She was already walking away, giving me the finger; waving it back and forth.


    I walked over to my designated portal and sighed. It lit up and teleported us back to the magic circle by my house. I walked down the pavement to my house. Dad was there, sitting on the porch.


    ¡°Hey, Dom,¡± my dad said, swinging slowly back and forth in the porch swing while holding a cup of hot cocoa.


    ¡°Hi, Dad, aren¡¯t you cold?¡± I responded, teeth chattering as a response to the cold weather.


    ¡°Nope, feels nice, I grew up here,¡± he responded, smiling


    I put my backpack on the rack hanging on the back of the door and walked back outside. I sat down next to Dad.


    ¡°How was Mom when you met her, Dad?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°Hm, that¡¯s a random question,¡± He said, looking at me with a confident smirk.


    Dad always knew when I had a crush, he¡¯s always been able to read me like a book since I was little.


    ¡°I was just wondering if you guys, like, fell in love at first sight or did it take some time?¡± I replied.


    ¡°Let me tell you something I didn¡¯t learn until I was your age. Son, love at first sight is not real.¡± he replied.


    ¡°Well, I figured as much but I just wanted to know.¡±


    ¡°Why? Is there a girl? Is she nice? Is she cuuuuute?¡± He put his lips together and started kissing the air.


    ¡°She¡¯s cute but she is the furthest thing from nice.


    ¡°Oh, you like ¡®em mean. You get it from your old man,¡± he pointed to himself, ¡°but if you want my take on this-,¡±


    ¡°I wanna figure this out myself, Dad.¡± I said, cutting him off.


    ¡°You¡¯re growing up-¡± he pretends to cry, ¡°so fast,¡± he wipes an imaginary tear off his cheek.


    ¡°Listen up, son. It¡¯s time I told you how I met your mother,¡± he set down his hot cocoa and leaned forward.

 Cliche

    Spring had just rolled around. The sun was bright as it beamed down onto the campus. The leaves were as green as emeralds. Laughter filled the air as I walked down the outside corridor.


    ¡°Oh my god, did you hear about~¡± a random voice said from the right side of the corridor where 3 girls were huddled up whispering and giggling.


    The usual gossip.


    I put my head down and put my hands in my pockets. I walked down the marble path outside to my next class.


    I turned the corner.


    SMACK


    I collided face first with a stranger.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said, holding out my hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I should¡¯ve watched where I was going,¡± a soft womanly voice replied, grabbing my hand.


    ¡°Wow,¡± I thought to myself.


    ¡°What? Is there something on my face?¡± She started wiping at her face; with a bewildered expression.


    I must¡¯ve said that out loud.


    ¡°Oh, uh, nothing. Just wondering why you have so many books.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m on an errand from my teacher. She asked me to bring these books back to the library. I¡¯m not too sure why she couldn¡¯t do this herself, though.¡±


    ¡°Here, I¡¯ll help.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to¡­¡± she cut herself off.


    ¡°Too late now, isn¡¯t it?¡± She said, chuckling, as I finished picking up the books that


    remained on the ground.


    We walked and talked the whole time.  We walked for a while since the library was on the other side of campus.


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    My dad always told me,  ¡°Son, girls like talking about themselves more than anything,¡±


    Turns out that was true. Although, it was nice getting to know her. Thanks Dad!


    ¡°Hey, stranger,¡± she said, poking me with her free hand.


    ¡°Huh?¡± I shook my head to clear the daydreaming.


    ¡°I never got your name.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my name? I¡¯m Nicolas,¡± I told her, smiling.


    ¡°I¡¯m Carolyn,¡± she said, smiling back.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Carolyn.¡±


    ¡°You, too, Nic.¡±


    I hate that nickname.


    We arrived at the library after 10 minutes of walking and getting to know one another. Well, mainly getting to know her.


    It¡¯s rude to interrupt when a woman is talking and my mama raised me right.


    A woman was watching me from the window of the library, as if I had just stolen her lunch or something. She continued to stare at me while I walked the books to the back of the library.


    ¡°Thanks, Nic, for helping with these,¡± she said, as she set the books down.


    ¡°Yep, anytime,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°No, not anytime.¡±


    ¡°Bummer.¡±


    I got a note from the librarian to excuse my tardiness and headed back to the gym for Magic Sports, my favorite class of the day. Me and Carolyn walked to the gym together. For the first time in a while, I felt at peace.


    ¡°TODAY IS A 5V5 MOCK BATTLE! WE WILL CHOOSE THE LOCATION OF THE MOCK BATTLE IN 5 MINUTES SO GATHER INTO TEAMS WITH YOUR CLASSMATES AND DECIDE WHO WILL GO FIRST!¡± Ms. Smith yelled. She yelled it really loud, actually.


    I might have some ear damage.


    I gathered into a group with the people who were left out of other groups. We would be going in for the 2nd match. Our class decided that our two best groups should be first and last. It¡¯s a good plan.


    ¡°Hold up, Dad,¡± Dominick said.


    ¡°Why are you interrupting me, son?¡± I responded, pretending to be hurt.


    ¡°Why are you telling me about your Terrain War?¡±


    ¡°¡®Cause that¡¯s where it started. It''s an important part. You¡¯ll see why so shut up and listen¡­ Where was I again? Ah, that¡¯s right.¡±


    The first group went in for each group. While the matches were underway, me and my group discussed strategy and decided it¡¯d be best for the 3 best combat mages to be in the front line while we have a mage and a healer in the back for support. The first group just separated and went their own way. The other team split into a group of 2 and 3 and pursued each of them one at a time until our classes¡¯ group was down to 2. They put up a good fight and took out 2 of them but eventually succumbed to the overwhelming numbers disadvantage.


    ¡°Class T has taken Match 1,¡±the automated scorekeeper announced.


    We are not Class T.


    ¡°Next groups gather at your starting points and wait until my mark to begin.¡±


    My group and I gathered at the starting point ready and raring to go or at least I was. Mr.


    Terry¡¯s group gathered across from us. Carolyn looked over at me. She smiled and waved before we were teleported into the battleground.


    BEGIN

 Light

    We began sprinting, the trees hanging down low, blurred by as we zipped past them. The leaves brushed against our faces as we charged through the middle.


    ¡°Alright, stop here,¡± the ¡®leader¡¯ of the group said, a tall boy with glasses and dark hair, he had a slender frame. He looked like a toothpick.


    ¡°Why, Damian?¡± a short girl with medium blonde hair and braces replied.


    ¡°We need to split into two teams.¡±


    ¡°Um, Damian, that didn¡¯t work last time,¡± I said, referring to the previous round.


    ¡°Not like that. I mean we pretend like it. Sara,¡± the blonde girl, ¡°and Katelyn,¡± a girl with a darker complexion than Sara and long brunette hair, ¡°will sag off behind us, behind those trees and make it seem like they¡¯ve separated from the group so the other team will let their guard down,¡± Damian replied.


    ¡°So a diversion?¡± I uttered.


    ¡°Exactly!¡± He responded in a confidence that was not warranted.


    ¡°That has got to be the dumbest plan I have ever heard in my life,¡± I responded, giving him a dumbfounded look.


    ¡°Do you have a better one?¡± Damian asked, eagerly waiting.


    I shrugged. I ran north, away from the team. I looked around, making sure there were now enemies around me. Or at least, I kept my guard up. I did wanna fight someone.


    ¡°Lucky me, fresh meat!¡± a tall handsome guy with a lean build yelled.


    I chuckled, cracking my knuckles.


    He put his hands up, palms facing forwards.


    ¡°Earth Blast!¡± he chanted, as giant rocks began to materialize.


    ¡°Just my luck,¡± I said, sighing while getting into a running stance.


    The stalactites whizzed past my head as I dodged side to side to avoid being eliminated by them.


    I closed my eyes and shouted, ¡°GAUNTLETS!¡±


    Metal fists began to appear around my hands.


    He looked at my hands and started running. I gave him a smile and ran faster towards him. His eyes were wide as he ran away, somehow dodging everything in his way. I chased him through the woods, the low hanging trees allowed him to gain more distance away from me. He turned around suddenly with a smug expression. He raised his middle finger at me.


    ¡°Gotcha. DEVASTATE!¡± he roared.


    ¡°Oh, shit!¡± I uttered as the ground began ripping apart beneath my feet.


    I ran. And I ran.


    BOOM


    The ground reverberated as it collapsed underneath me.


    Ow, my head. I grabbed my head as I looked around to the void that surrounded me.


    ¡°Damn it, dude,¡± I winced as I grabbed the back of my head. I felt a liquid coming out from the back of my head.


    I think my head hit the ground and the impact caused me to bust my head open and lose my consciousness for a few minutes. I attempted to stand up to find some help but was unsuccessful.


    I¡¯m pretty sure my ankle is broken¡­


    I crawl and grab along the wall, attempting to find a foothold or anything I can use to support myself to get up.


    Then there was a weird sound.


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    Is someone digging?


    The light from the hole made by whoever came to save me illuminated the abyss that I thought was my end.


    ¡°Nic, are you okay?! God, you¡¯re all busted up,¡± A familiar voice shrieked.


    I squinted my eyes to see Carolyn hovering above me. I never got a good look at her but she¡¯s really pretty. Her black hair and her hazel eyes glistened as the fake sun made her radiate.


    ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah. Never better,¡± I uttered. I attempted to stand but I fell right back down.


    ¡°SHIT!¡± I winced, as my ankle started to throb in pain.


    ¡°Calm down, I¡¯ll get you out of here,¡± she draped my arm over her shoulder.


    ¡°Pillar.¡± She chanted. A pillar made from the earth under us rose from beneath us and brought us to the surface.


    ¡°Who did this?¡± she looked at me and asked.


    ¡°Some tall guy, smokin¡¯ dude,¡± I answered.


    She chuckled.


    ¡°But that was probably Marian. He¡¯s honestly not worth the hype but he¡¯s all the girls talk about,¡± she explained.


    ¡°His name is Marian?¡± I cut myself off as I saw him sprinting across our field of vision.


    All of the pain suddenly disappeared. I could walk because I needed to pummel the shit out of that dude. I pulled my arm off of her and started sprinting.


    ¡°HEY, NICOLAS, STOP! YOU NEED MEDICAL ATTENTION!¡±  she yelled out, chasing after me.


    I ignored her and rushed after him.


    Eventually, I lost her and caught up to Marian.


    He heard the twigs snapping underneath my feet, he turned around and faced me. He wore a cocky smirk. My metal gauntlets appeared around my hands once more. He put his palms out, facing front once more.


    Our battle was a performance. I understood my role and he understood his. This isn¡¯t over until one of us can¡¯t move.


    I can¡¯t feel anything. Right now, I¡¯m numb. Only thing I can feel is this burning desire to beat the living hell out of Marian.


    His rocks kept hitting me but I didn¡¯t care. They were pebbles to me. I fought through them and charged at him. His look of smugness quickly turned into one of fear as I was face to face with him. He began to tremble.


    CRUNCH


    My gauntlet connected with his jaw, causing it to dislocate on impact. He fell down, shrieking in pain. I charged my gauntlet into his ribcage. I hovered above him. I punched him again. And again. And again. And again.


    ¡°How¡¯s that?¡± I said, taunting him.


    ¡°Here¡¯s something for you. Serpent Fang.¡± I chanted.


    I can use two types of magic but it¡¯s only the singular spell and it takes all of my mana to do it.


    A large serpent aura appeared behind, towering over me and Marian. It began to lower its head and charge towards the fallen boy.


    ¡°NIC, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!¡± She watched the snake charge toward him. It bared its fangs at his neck and bit down. He was teleported immediately.


    I turned to look at her.


    ¡°this is what he gets,¡± I muttered, slowly losing consciousness.


    ¡°I told you, Nic. You need medical attention,¡± she said, coming over and hugging me.


    She was the last thing I saw before I collapsed.


    Carolyn held my hand and cried as I was knocked out for a few hours in the medical wing. The doctors told me that Carolyn stayed the entire time. I was also informed that the only reason I was able to move the way I did despite being in that state was the adrenaline. I suffered a minor traumatic brain injury (concussion), an ankle fracture, and a rib fracture. Marian suffered a mandibular fracture (broken jaw), a nasal fracture (broken nose), a periorbital haematoma (black eye), and a rib fracture as well.


    The staff swung by after that and informed me that I should be aware of the consequences next time I do a dangerous spell like that. Screw it, I¡¯ll still do it again but that brings us to this issue. I look over and Carolyn has her head laid down and she¡¯s fast asleep. I contemplated waking her up or not waking her up.


    It didn¡¯t take me long. I shook my legs up and down furiously. She jolted upright and stared at me.


    ¡°Hey, sleepyhead,¡± I said, smirking at her.


    ¡°When did I fall asleep?¡± She answers, rubbing her eyes and yawning.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just woke up too.¡±


    ¡°Right and I forgot to tell you that you and Tyler made us all have to stop. You boys and taking things too far, I swear.¡±


    ¡°How bad was it?¡±


    ¡°He broke a major portion of the playing field and that made things difficult to say the least,¡± she sighed, ¡°plus there¡¯s the fact that you beat him to a pulp and you aren¡¯t doing so great yourself,¡± she said, pointing at me.


    ¡°Well, it seems like we were kinda even,¡± I said, chuckling.


    She did not find this amusing one bit. She grabbed my hand and looked me in the eyes with a dejected gaze.


    ¡°We may have just met and I shouldn''t be telling you what to do but you have to be careful. This isn¡¯t something you can just do on a whim. The only reason you aren¡¯t seriously hurt is because of these doctors,¡± she scolded me.


    She let go of my hand and walked out of the door.


    The doctors walked back and informed me that I could be discharged.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be reckless like that again,¡± the doctor said.


    I didn¡¯t need help walking because the doctors healed my leg up while I was unconscious.


    Carolyn was waiting outside of the infirmary to help me get to the teleporters outside. She wrapped my arm around her shoulder and helped me walk.


    ¡°She was my light when I was trapped in the darkness. Look at us now,¡± he looked at the house and me.


    ¡°We''ve had our ups and downs and we¡¯ve gotten through them. You have plenty of time, son. It took me and your mother 2 years to start dating after we met each other. After that, we were inseparable. I love your mother more than anything in this world and I love you just as much, son. I didn¡¯t know that your mother and I would be together when we first met. I didn¡¯t expect us to have a kid, to buy a house, to make a life that we could be proud of. Love takes time and you have to be careful with your heart. That doesn¡¯t mean to not let anyone in. Here¡¯s a quote for you son, ¡°Love is a lot like a fart, if you have to force it, it¡¯s probably shit,¡± he started laughing and I joined him.


    ¡°But you were kinda violent. You went overboard for something as small as that?¡± I added after we stopped laughing.


    ¡°Yeah, for a while, I guess she thought the same way. Maybe that¡¯s why she waited 2 whole years. I was a bad person and I can¡¯t take back some of the things I did but your mom changed me. I wouldn¡¯t be who I am without her, Dom,¡± he sighed.


    I patted his shoulder.


    ¡°Wow, Dad. That was a long story. Look, it¡¯s already dark out.¡± I pointed up to the sky where the stars began to fill it up like an artist painting their canvas.


    ¡°Although, you could¡¯ve shortened it,¡± I said, snickering.


    ¡°Alright, you. You have school tomorrow. Get inside and go eat. Don¡¯t stay up too late.¡± He said, punching me softly on the shoulder.


    I looked up at the sky, sighed, then smiled.


    It¡¯s a beautiful night.

 Capture The Flag

    I woke up, took a shower, brushed my teeth, and left. I don¡¯t know why but I woke up excited for school today, maybe Dad¡¯s story gave me some inspiration.


    Who knew Dad was such a badass though?


    I arrived at the circle where the other students gave me weird looks again. I don¡¯t know what it is with them but they give me the heebie jeebies. The lavender light wrapped around us and teleported us to Lixarts. I saw Aura and waved to her. She sucked her teeth and walked away.


    The halls were obnoxiously loud again today, regardless of it being the second day. The corridors were packed with students, the sunlight lit up the sidewalk. I put my hands in my pockets and walked to my first class of the day, Medicine. Mr. Lyron was the Medicine teacher, he was a short man with almost no hair (just cut it off, man) what hair he did have was white, at this point. He has an extensive background in medicinal studies with 44 years of experience.


    He taught us about the different variations of potions ranging from health recovery, mana recovery, physical boosts, magic boosts, to many other types. The main ingredients (for low level potions) came from creatures such as slimes and goblins, very common monsters. Potions sell from 100 novas to 1,000 novas, depending on the size and quality.


    Novas are Daclon¡¯s national currency.


    ¡°Well, class, that¡¯s all we have time for today,¡± said Mr. Lyron, as he kicked his legs up and started reading the book on his desk.


    I got my backpack and left as soon as the bell rang.


    I felt a tap on my shoulder as soon as I walked down the hallway.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you before. You new?¡± An angelic voice blessed my ears.


    ¡°Yeah, I moved here 2 months ago,¡± I said, turning to the direction of the voice. The voice had come from a girl with long scarlet hair and light blue eyes.


    I swear my soul left my body for a second.


    ¡°Well, let me welcome you to Lixarts. I know, I¡¯m a little late but nevertheless, I know you¡¯ll enjoy it here,¡± she said as she turned around and left.


    I turned around and walked to my next class, Ward Creation, Ms. Cordrey. Her class is very informative even if a little boring but today she taught us how to make the easiest wards today to help protect ourselves from small scale projectiles and basic spells.


    The thing is though; I can¡¯t even use these.


    The clock struck 11 and the bell rang. I picked up my backpack off the floor and hurried down the hall since Charm Creation is on the other side of the school.


    The students were gathering around in the halls as the clock ticked, most of us were already going to be late. I put my head down and walked forward.


    THUNK


    ¡°What the hell, dude?¡± I said, rubbing my head.


    ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going,¡± a boy with brunette hair plus a pretty handsome face, said sternly.


    Why is everyone so hot here?


    He walked up to me and stared me directly in the eyes.


    ¡°Walk faster,¡± I responded.


    ¡°What the hell did you just say?¡± He turned around and now we were so close I could feel his breath. It was not pleasant.


    ¡°I believe what I said was¡­ Walk. Faster. Or are you not able to understand?¡±


    He brought his fist up and began to swing towards my face, everyone and their mamas were watching at this point. The bell rang. A loud ¡°AWWWW¡± was let out in an exasperated groan in unison out of everyone¡¯s mouths as they were disappointed that no one was getting punched right now.


    ¡°We¡¯ll finish this later, smartass,¡± he said, putting his hands in his pockets and walking away.


    ¡°SIR, YES, SIR!¡± I shouted, giggling at my own joke. I even gave him a little salute.


    The day went on slowly, the excitement from the first day draining away. Charm Creation wasn¡¯t all that special. No, I¡¯m not saying that just because I fell asleep during it. I would love to tell you what I learned in Charm Creation but I don¡¯t know either.


    The bell suddenly rang.


    That bell will forever hold a special place in my heart, where it will be hated forever by the passion of a thousand burning suns. I rubbed my eyes and looked around.


    ¡°WOAH, IS THAT YOU, AURA? WE¡¯RE IN THE SAME CLASS? HOW CRAZY IS THAT?¡± I screamed.


    She turned to me, wide-eyed. Her eyes pierced daggers through my soul.


    I got the memo. I grabbed my backpack and ran to lunch.


    The food court had amazing things to choose from like steak, salads (if you¡¯re into that, we don¡¯t food shame here), they even have CAVIAR.


    Although, things often are balanced. With good, comes evil.


    WHAT THE HELL IS A ¡°SLIME SOUP¡±? A moment of silence for the fallen slimes who were probably enjoying their lives doing whatever it is that slimes do then BAM, they were slaughtered for this sorry excuse of what we call food.c


    I was craving pizza. I grabbed a few pieces from the Pizza Booth.  I walked over to an empty table and flopped down on the bench that was there. I picked up my pizza and started chomping away at it.  I closed my eyes as I savored the taste of the pizza. The cheese was absolutely piquant. The pepperonis were packed with a spicy (spicy but like the perfect amount of spice) flavor that was second to none. I didn¡¯t know food existed like this. Now this is all I wanted to eat for the rest of my life.


    My eating of this heaven-sent pizza was interrupted by a tray slamming down in front of me. I looked up,


    ¡°Oh, hey~¡± I said, trying not to piss her off more than I did before.


    ¡°Why did you yell for me in front of the ENTIRE FUCKING CLASS?!¡± Aura declared, her icy eyes sending shivers down my spine.


    ¡°I just wanted to say hi.


    ¡°I do not give a shit if you want to say hi. Don¡¯t talk to me. We are not friends. Just because you sat next to me, ONE TIME IN ONE CLASS, does not mean I want to be your friend, got it?¡±


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean you don¡¯t wanna be friends,¡± I said, pointing at her with my pizza.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°You¡¯re annoying. I don¡¯t want to be your friend. Now, move, this is where I sit,¡± she demanded.


    ¡°How did you say it?¡± I cleared my throat, ¡°I do not give a shit,¡± I said, flashing her a smile.


    ¡°I was here first so either suck it up or go somewhere else.¡± I reiterated, munching away at my pizza again.


    ¡°Heyyy~¡± The voice from earlier said from up behind me.


    I turned around to see the familiar beauty from before. She smiled at me before looking at Aura.


    ¡°Am I interrupting something?¡± she asked, looking back and forth between me and Aura.


    ¡°No, Rose, you aren¡¯t.¡± She sighed and gestured for her to sit next to her.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll sit over here,¡± Rose replied, sitting down next to me on the bench.


    Okay, then. I have a beautiful girl sitting next to me and an evil witch sitting across from me. She¡¯s still glaring at me, so much so to the point that I might actually turn to stone. I ate my pizza awkwardly, as those two started chatting away about their home life and school life so far. Apparently, Aura has 2 brothers and Rose is an only child. Their parents are friends from when they went here back in their day.


    I wish I had friends. No, don¡¯t say Aura. I don¡¯t consider Aura a friend.


    ¡°Hey, Dominick,¡± Rose suddenly said.


    I choke on the orange juice that I have in my mouth.


    ¡°Huh?¡± I said, coughing.


    ¡°What¡¯s your family like? You single?¡± she asked, getting closer and closer with each question.


    ¡°Rose, what does being single have to do with family?¡± Aura asked, raising her eyebrows.


    ¡°My mom would wanna know who her son-in-law would be,¡± Rose replied to Aura, causing me to spit out my orange juice again.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Aura exhaled slowly.


    ¡°Well?¡± Rose said, looking excitedly at me.


    ¡°I have an older brother who¡¯s in college. And yes, I¡¯m single,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Nice,¡± she responded, looking at me for a second too long then looking back at Aura.


    We continued talking about everything going on in their lives. We talked about the food here, the spells our parents taught us, our past relationships, favorite hobbies, et cetera. Well me and Rose did. Aura glared at me every single time that I¡¯d utter a word to Rose or her. Eventually, me and Rose slowly stopped talking as we continued to eat our lunch.


    I looked up at the sky and watched the clouds roll by.


    The bell rang.


    I¡¯m going to murder that bell one day, I swear to everything that I find holy.


    I grabbed my trash and tossed it in the trash can. I walked back to the table to grab my backpack. Rose and Aura had already left before I could say bye. I slung my backpack on my back and walked to Gardening.


    The corridors were filled with all sorts of cliques. You got the popular girls, the jocks, nerds, honor-roll students, student council, and even some teachers. They were loud as I walked by them. I couldn¡¯t help but envy them as I walked by them, listening to them enjoy themselves while being in the company of one another.


    10 minutes later, I arrived at Gardening where Rose met me and sat next to me. At least, it¡¯s just Rose and not Aura. That girl hates me for no reason. Honestly though, I can¡¯t wait until Magic Sports. The way my dad talked about it got me pumped up. I can¡¯t wait to break out my moves.


    ¡°STUDENTS, TAKE YOUR SEATS, PLEASE AND I WILL DO ATTENDANCE!¡± Ms. Devit shouted.


    The rest of the class went by as you¡¯d expect. She taught us about the magical energy, Mana, that flows in and out of plants and how to manipulate it. There are certain spells for certain plants and certain amounts of mana you can manipulate in order for the plant to grow, otherwise overloading it with mana will kill it or not giving it enough mana will also kill the plant. The mana can also be changed for a different result. Say, if you find an oak tree seed, you can use a certain spell in order to make it grow into a different tree. An apple tree, a peach tree, any tree you can think of if you know the correct spell.


    ¡°Psst,¡± Rose whispered to me.


    ¡°What?¡± I whispered in response.


    ¡°What class do you have after this?¡±


    ¡°Magic Sports.¡±


    ¡°Me too!¡± her voice grew a little louder, almost getting her caught.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    She nodded her head yes and faced forward. For the remainder of the class, we just took a look at some of the plants she had in the classroom and she showed us how to make a seed sprout.


    ¡°Class dismissed,¡± she said, walking over to her plants.


    The bell rang shortly after she said that.


    Rose grabbed her backpack and handed me mine.


    ¡°Thanks, Rose,¡± I said, grinning at her.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Dominick.¡±


    ¡°You and Aura are just complete opposites,¡± I expressed.


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s had a tough go but she¡¯s a good person,¡± Rose said with a sincere tone as we passed by a couple making out in the hallway.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I answered, not really sure what to say to that.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay if that¡¯s a surprise to you, she hates it when people feel sorry for her. She¡¯s a strong girl. I hope that she can find someone as strong as she is. I want her to be happy,¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess everyone deserves a chance to be happy.¡±


    We stopped talking as soon as we arrived at the gymnasium for Magic Sports. The gym was huge. The hardwood floor shone as the sun beamed in from the ceiling. The walls were, well, walls but this gym was huge. The wall to the left as we walked in had two knobs on one wall with a monitor above it. I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s how they manage the simulation for Terrain Wars. The students of each class were lined up on two sides, Mr. Terry¡¯s on the left and Ms. Smith on the right. I was in Mr Terry''s class, Rose was in Ms Smith¡¯s.


    ¡°ROSE!¡± Aura said, her arms flailing and wearing a giant smile on her face.


    She lost her smile when she saw me.


    ¡°You have gotta be kidding me,¡± I muttered, defeated as I can¡¯t ever seem to escape this evil witch.


    ¡°Why do you keep following me, pervert?¡± she said, hiding behind Rose.


    ¡°This is my class. I¡¯m not following you. You wish I was following you,¡± I replied, blowing a raspberry.


    She grumbled and walked with Rose over to Ms. Smith¡¯s class while I walked over to Mr. Terry. I walked in on the class huddling with Mr. Terry in the middle.


    ¡°WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?¡± Mr. Terry howled.


    ¡°Win?¡± The class asked in confused unison.


    ¡°YEAH! SAY IT WITH YOUR CHESTS! NOW WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?!?!¡± Mr. Terry shouted even louder.


    ¡°WIN!!¡± I yelled, all by lonesome.


    ¡°Good enough,¡± he muttered, walking away dejectedly.


    The class was lined up against the wall, most of them standing there with their hands in their pockets. They didn¡¯t seem happy to be here. I, on the other hand, was so excited for this. I¡¯ve loved sports since I was little, me and Dad would practice strategies all day long sometimes. I looked over to see Rose waving at me. I waved back, smiling. Aura met my eyes with a scowl. I looked away, tapping my foot on the ground. I saw Mr. Terry and Ms. Smith talking.


    After a while, Mr. Terry walked over, shoulders slumped.


    ¡°Guys¡­¡± he perked up, ¡°WE¡¯RE DOING CAPTURE THE FLAG!¡±


    ¡°Woohoo,¡± the class said, sarcastically.


    Mr. Terry assigned 3 groups of 10, 60 students in total including Ms. Smith¡¯s. I was put into a group with 6 girls and 4 boys (including myself).


    ¡°Alright, you¡¯ll be Team A¡­¡± he muttered as he wrote down the names on his clipboard.


    ¡°Team B,¡± he mumbled to himself as he wrote down the team name of the group, next to my group.


    ¡°And last but not least, Team C,¡± he jotted our names down, as well, ¡°I will explain the rules. Capture the Flag, you and your team will or will attempt to steal the enemy¡¯s flag. If the flag hits the ground then it will automatically teleport back to the enemy base, if you¡¯re incapacitated then you will be removed from the match. Don¡¯t worry, there is no possibility of death in this simulation and if a fatal blow is detected then that damage will be nullified,¡± he explained.


    ¡°Also the simulation does not regenerate because we want it to be a bit more realistic,¡±  He walked over to Ms. Smith.


    I looked over to the side, knowing that it¡¯s my father he was talking about.


    ¡°MATCH 1 IS ABOUT TO BEGIN, TEAMS GATHER IN YOUR DESIGNATED AREAS,¡± the automated scorekeeper announced.


    Team A of our class stepped forward in the glowing circle. Team A of Ms. Smith¡¯s team walked forward and stepped into the glowing circle on their side of the gym.


    The majority of Team A were long range with the exception of around 3 members specializing in close range combat. The terrain chosen for them was a jungle. Their strategy was simple but effective if used in the correct manner. They neglected the defense of the flag in order to provide mobile support for the short-rangers. However, the downfall would be that one of the other team members specialized in stealth. Team D (Ms. Smith¡¯s team went from D-F) won without eliminating a single member or losing a single member.


    It was a very boring match.


    ¡°MATCH 2 IS ABOUT TO BEGIN, TEAMS GATHER IN YOUR DESIGNATED AREAS,¡± the automated scorekeeper announced once again.


    Team B and Team E were mostly older students, 2nd and 3rd years who have been in this scenario before.


    Team B and Team E had completely different strategies.Their terrain was a desert with ruins surrounding the flag. Team B split the defense and offense equally, providing 2 mobile snipers for the 3 runners while the remaining defenders stayed on the ground while the leftover snipers remained hidden in the upper stories of the ruined base. Team E had mostly runners with 1 defender and 2 snipers while the remaining 7 runners would go headfirst for the flag. I¡¯m not really sure I like that strategy, it all depends on the defender and snipers.


    Team B¡¯s runner group would unfortunately run into Team F¡¯s runners. The brawl was amazing, the way that the spells were chanted with efficiency and precision, the snipers¡¯ spectacular aim, even the destruction itself was beautiful. However, it would be Team B who came out on top in this battle. The strategy and tactics would allow them to overpower the group that had come to face them in an all-out brawl, causing their defense to be broken down and easily overpowered.


    ¡°MATCH 3 IS ABOUT TO BEGIN, TEAMS GATHER IN YOUR DESIGNATED AREAS.¡±


    Me and the rest of Team C gathered across from Team F who contained Rose and Aura. Rose waved to me while Aura completely ignored me until she flipped me off. We were embodied in a blue light, mere seconds later we were in an abandoned city.


    ¡°They really do have a wide variety of places to choose from,¡± Dwayne said. Dwayne is exactly 6 feet tall. He has brown skin, brown eyes, and jet black hair.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s giving off an apocalyptic vibe,¡± Jenna replied.


    Jenna stood a little bit below Dwayne, she had kind of a peach colored skin tone, and golden blonde hair.


    Damn, there¡¯s lots of blondes in this school.


    ¡°Anyways, I think that we should split into two groups of 5,¡± Adam suggested.


    Adam was around 6 feet tall, blonde hair, hazel eyes, and a large lean frame.


    I don¡¯t like good-looking people.


    ¡°Good idea, Adam,¡± Jenna said, giving him a loving gaze.


    Did I mention I don¡¯t like good looking guys?


    It was decided that Adam, Jenna, Dwayne, Paul, and Adriana would take the offensive. Me, Caroline, Moirrey, Victoria, and Alta would take the defensive position. We didn¡¯t have any snipers since none of us specialize in long range. There was no plan besides don¡¯t ¡°die¡± and don¡¯t get the flag taken. The runners ran forward leaving us behind in the silence that enveloped us.


    About 5 minutes had passed since they had departed from the base and not a single word was uttered until,


    ¡°So¡­¡± Caroline muttered, awkwardly.


    She was on the shorter side, standing at 5¡¯2, with white skin, and pitch black hair.


    I was going to reply until we were interrupted by a fireball that was shot into the air. A fireball was the distress signal we all agreed on if we were in danger.


    We all dashed in the direction of where it came from.

 The Side Characters

    Jenna and Dwayne ran alongside me as we sprinted forward out of the base. Paul and Adriana would split up and go to the northwest.


    The twilight sky lit up the sky in a pinkish color as our feet pounded on concrete.


    We picked up the speed to reach the other side of the city as fast as possible. The buildings around us were broken down and deteriorating, hanging onto their last limbs.


    ¡°Adam, where are we going?¡± Jenna said, slowing down her pace.


    I looked at her,


    ¡°Wherever the wind takes us,¡± I flipped my hair out of my face.


    I¡¯m not sure why Adam is like this.


    She blushed as she picked up her speed again.


    ¡°I¡¯ll head that way,¡± Dwayne said, pointing northeast.


    We waved him goodbye.


    We ran for a good 5 minutes until reaching an old, dilapidated supermarket.


    ¡°God, how big is this place?¡± Jenna grumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure. This city is huge from what I¡¯ve seen,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Yeah but no one¡¯s nearby-¡±


    ¡°Shh..¡± I said, cutting her off.


    The sound of people talking and their heavy stomping startled us. We ran into the supermarket. It was dark and dusty inside. The shelves were broken apart with cans lying on the ground. We ran to the back of the store and hid where the manager¡¯s office is or at least what used to be the manager¡¯s office. The enemies outside seemed to not care about the store as they walked by without even giving it a second glance. We waited for 5 minutes, holding our breath and remaining as still as possible before going outside.


    Unfortunately, one of the underlings seemed to be taking in the scenery as they were left behind by the group.


    ¡°I FOUND THEM! EARTHQUAKE!¡± he chanted all of this in one short breath.


    The ground around us began to tremble, making us run before we got caught in its destruction.


    ¡°ADAM, DO SOMETHING!¡± Jenna screamed at me.


    ¡°YOU DO SOMETHING!¡± I yelled right back.


    She stopped and stared at me with a disgusted expression plastered across her face before turning around.


    ¡°Vine Restriction,¡± she said, vines curling up around the student who was attacking us.


    ¡°HEY!¡± He struggled against the vines, ¡°LET ME GO!¡±


    Her vines pulled him to us so we didn¡¯t struggle to get across the ground he just destroyed.


    I walked up to him and socked him in the face. His head dropped and his eyes were shut. The bright blue light surrounded his unconscious body as he was teleported away.


    WILLIAM HAS BEEN ELIMINATED


    "Why couldn''t you do anything about that?" Jenna asked.


    "I could''ve but you handled it so well so it all worked out in the end," I said, smirking at her. I began running again.


    You can¡¯t let your guard down in this place, enemies could be lurking anywhere.


    ¡°Really? Thanks, Adam," she smiled, running next to me.


    We weren¡¯t able to escape as the rest of the group that he had called for arrived just in time. By the time they arrived, the unconscious student had already been recalled back to the gym.


    We were outnumbered, 5 to 2.


    They must¡¯ve had the same plan as us. I guess we were left with no choice but to try and fight until our back up got here. I lifted up my palm to the sky and blasted a fireball. They looked at me confused.


    ¡°How did you miss that badly?!¡± They said, laughing their asses off.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, that wasn¡¯t meant for you.¡± I replied, throwing them a smirk.


    Their leader pushed his way to the front.


    He stood at least 6 feet tall. He wore a leather jacket with the arms torn off with his uniform underneath, and rocked a buzz cut.


    ¡°ERUPTION,¡± he chanted as we felt the ground beneath start to vibrate and grow hot.


    We jumped out of the way as a large geyser of lava spewed out from beneath where we were standing.


    ¡°That could¡¯ve killed us,¡± Jenna muttered. She put her hands to the ground.


    ¡°LOTUS,¡±


    A giant lotus flower appeared from the ground. She moved her hands and the petals began to fly off towards them. The white and pink petals moved at amazing speeds as they chased around the enemies.


    ¡°OCEAN¡¯S BUBBLE,¡± a girl chanted from behind the front lines of their team.


    A bubble appeared out of nowhere and encapsulated her entire team protecting them from the flying petals.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Jenna said, as her petals whizzed harmlessly off of the barrier.


    ¡°THIS BATTLE IS BORING!¡± The large man in leather shouted, obviously frustrated.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re ugly?¡± I replied, goading him on.


    All of the other guys started muttering confusedly before whirling onto him. He was seething and turning red,


    ¡°I¡¯M. NOT. UGLY. MAGMA KICK¡± he shouted as his foot began to emit a dark red glow as he charged towards me. He might be good in the strength department but he¡¯s very self-conscious.


    ¡°Golden Shield,¡± A golden shield appeared in front of me to block his attack.


    His kick pushed me back a bit but it never made it through the shield. However, he melted the front of the shield.


    ¡°Oh, Heavens. Heed my call and pierce through my target with your golden, divine arrows,¡± Arrows with golden heads began to light the sky in a shower of gold.


    Jenna watched in awe.


    ¡°MAGMA WAVE,¡± A giant wave of lava appeared, overpowering the arrows and turning them into a golden liquid. The sky was now painted red.


    Dwayne, Paul, and Adriana arrived while the tsunami was falling upon us.


    ¡°TSUNAMI,¡± Paul chanted.


    A wave of water as big as the lava one appeared and the two collided. The collision caused the sky to be unilluminated by the hazy smoke, leaving the blue gray, gloomy and murky or at least the sky surrounding us.


    Everyone was coughing as the fumes began to reach our throats. Everyone but the leader and Paul were running. Those two stood facing one another, eyes not wavering an inch. Their hands moved swiftly to prepare their castings.


    I stood face to face with Fraser. After our spells collided, the smoke settled. Leaving the two of us in this barren street with the deteriorating structures to each side of us.


    The memories and the nightmares came back just as fast.


    Fraser and Paul¡¯s mom were the best of friends. They were deeply bonded with one another since they were able to walk and talk. Perhaps it was just meant to be. They couldn¡¯t be separated all throughout their school years. They went through their fair share of relationships but nothing serious was ever there. That was until they both reached their adult years. A charming individual such as Eric. The catalyst for the falling out between the two. The reason it all began. He and Susan had met at a bar downtown where Susan (Fraser¡¯s mom) would often meet Helena (Paul¡¯s mom). They hit off immediately. The two spent hours talking to one another, sharing their innermost thoughts, favorite hobbies, favorite food, pretty much anything that would allow them to keep talking and allow the night to stay alive. Susan and Eric were two peas in a pod. Seeing them that night, you¡¯d think they knew each other for years the way those two smiled all throughout.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Let¡¯s move this along.


    A few years later, Eric and Susan were in a steady relationship. Eric met her parents, met her friends, and moved in together. Their house was vibrant and lively as there was never a dull moment with these two.


    Eric, though, had begun drifting away towards something more new¡­ more wrong. He talked to Helena and began to fall for her.


    It wasn¡¯t right, to him, they should¡¯ve met first. Those were the type of thoughts he¡¯d think. The things he¡¯d say to himself.


    Helena loved him right back but she didn¡¯t want to betray her best friend like that. Eric and Helena discussed what to do. Eventually, they decided. They would leave their partners for each other. Helena believed what she felt for Eric was real. Eric believed it was real too.


    The fallout was more than what they had anticipated. Susan became and couldn¡¯t do much. Her illness was a result of the depression and heartache that the two had put her through. Helena, also, became ill due to her actions. Helena threw away a life-long friendship for a man. She thought it was the right choice.


    It wasn¡¯t.


    Both of them would eventually succumb to their illnesses exacerbated by external factors. Both boys remained next to their mothers on their deathbeds.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t hate Paul over this, it isn¡¯t his fault,¡± Susan mumbled to Fraser.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take this out on Fraser. He isn¡¯t his mother,¡± Helena murmured to Paul.


    Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t take their mothers advice and they found it difficult to hang onto the feelings of anger and resentment that they harbored towards one another due to it. The two boys carried on their mother¡¯s resentment, blaming one another for it, regardless if they knew they were involved or not.


    Neither one of us did anything but I felt that I had owed it to my mom to set things right even though they told us not to. Fraser blamed me, blinded by his own rage. He lost his mother that day and I lost mine but I was also blinded by my own rage.


    ¡°Spiral,¡±  A small scale typhoon appeared in front of me. I moved my hands forward, directing it towards Fraser.


    ¡°VULCAN¡¯S INFERNO,¡± Fraser chanted, summoning a forge type structure that blasted out magma.


    Once again, our spells would collide, filling the air with smoke and dust.


    ¡°PAUL, THIS IS FOR MY MOM!¡± MOLTEN FISTS,¡± He roared, as his giant molten gloves surrounded his hands.


    ¡°THIS IS FOR MY MOM, FRASER! POSEIDON¡¯S TRIDENT!,¡± My water molded into the form of Poseidon''s Trident.


    ¡°I knew this was bound to happen someday, Fraser,¡± I vocalized, charging towards him.


    Adam cringed. Ironic, huh?


    ¡°EAT THIS!!¡± He called out as he rushed towards me.


    He threw a haymaker to the right, very wide. I parried and pushed him away.


    He charged forward once again. This time he performed a leg sweep, catching me by surprise. He threw another right punch towards me while I was on the ground. I managed to move my head out of the trajectory of the punch. I spun around and stood back up on my feet.


    I kicked him back and hopped backwards. I charged towards him once again, trident out front, prepared to impale him. He dodged and his magma fist crunched against my jaw. I was disoriented and dizzy from his strike. My skin felt as if it was being charred alive, skin and bone being liquified at the touch; as if I was in the heart of a volcanic inferno. This combined with the raw power of his assault left me unable to regain my balance. Too bad I don¡¯t want to lose.


    This is the last time we can finish this.


    He swung a roundhouse kick in my direction. I barely managed to stumble out of the way. We continued to fight as if we were gladiators fighting for our lives. Our strikes weren¡¯t precise or anything. I don¡¯t know how he defended so well against my trident. He was able to predict where I was going to stab, how I was going to attack, when I was going to. It was like fighting myself. Fraser extended his arms out,


    ¡°FIREBALL,¡± he chanted.


    He held his hand out and sent a normal fireball. The ball spun with chaotic intent, swirling around; absorbing the air to further fuel its mass and power. It grew and grew until it became the size of a boulder. The intense heat emitting from it was enough to put fear into you. If you get hit by that thing, you¡¯re done. He beamed it forward. The ground began to crack and break as it soared above it, air distorting around the heat; like a heatwave.


    ¡°WATER SHIELD!¡± I put my hands in front of me. Water came flowing out from my hands onto the ground. It made its way up into the air and started molding into the shape of a shield. The water reflected the intense light of the titanic fireball.


    The two spells made contact. The fireball began to melt into the shield; the flame cutting through it like it was butter. The fireball and the shield however both disappeared. We were both sweating and panting as we were on our last reserves of mana.


    I grabbed my trident and scurried around him, jabbing at any open weak points I could exploit. He managed to dodge all of the jabs I went in for. He performed a feint and I fell for it.


    Fraser brought his foot up and kicked the liquid trident from my hand. He took advantage of this new opening,


    ¡°PHOENIX RELEASE!¡±


    The ground began ripping apart, opening up for a phoenix bird made of fire to rise up to the surface to burn whoever stood in its way. The bird came flying from the ground, causing the surface to shake with epic momentum.


    ¡°Poseidon¡¯s Judgment.¡±


    A giant statue made of water appeared in the shape of Poseidon. The statue summoned a trident, the exact same as mine, and slammed it down into the bird. The bird was able to survive the strike as it opened its mouth and screamed. Everyone nearby covered their ears as the shrieks almost blew out our eardrums. A brilliant orange began to emit out of the bird¡¯s mouth. It perched its head forward and sent out an explosion of flames. Just as that happened, Poseidon swung its trident down at the bird¡¯s neck. Both of the attacks landed fatal blows. The Phoenix withered away into ash as Poseidon melted down into a puddle.


    ¡°TRIDENT,¡±


    The water flowed into my hands once more and took shape into the trident I had used previously. I charged forward once again. He blocked it with his fists and swung a left hook. I switched my Trident to my other hand and parried his punch one more time. He threw punch after punch. He was a monster. Dodging them hurts like hell, like a freight train. My body was strained. I¡¯m fighting with everything I have left. Even breathing hurts right now. I couldn¡¯t help but be overpowered by his overwhelming strength.


    He isn¡¯t smart but he more than makes up for that with his power.


    His face, once neutral, now contorted with rage.


    I finally got a hit with a stab in his leg. I couldn¡¯t help but wince as I felt the trident tear through his flesh. He roared in pain.


    Fraser stumbled until he finally stood up. I backed up.  We looked each other directly in the eyes. I charged forward, trident out front. He charged towards me, giant molten fists in tow beside him. The adrenaline most likely made him not feel any of that pain. He lifted his fists up as we finally became face to face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t blame you anymore,¡± I muttered as the trident made contact with his stomach and his fists made contact piercing through my stomach as well.


    We both fell down.


    ¡°Paul¡­¡± he whispered, barely maintaining his consciousness.


    ¡°What..?¡± I whispered back, in the same state as him.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t beat me¡­¡± Fraser said before falling victim to his injuries and succumbing to unconsciousness.


    ¡°I knocked you out, didn¡¯t I?¡± I responded before going unconscious as well.


    FRASER HAS BEEN ELIMINATED


    PAUL HAS BEEN ELIMINATED


    The automated score keeper announced as the two had been teleported out of the simulation.


    Me (Jenna), Adam, Adriana, Dwayne along with the other students stood there, baffled by the battle we had just witnessed. Paul was a quiet guy, he only hung out with people that he knew, he didn¡¯t go out of his way to talk to other people but seeing him like that was surprising.


    One of the other students in the opposing group chanted,


    ¡°LIGHTNING BOLT¡±


    ¡°NATURE¡¯S SHIELD,¡± I put my hands up and summoned a shield. The spell was still very powerful as my shield was on the cusp of falling. After a stand-still, both of our spells disappeared.


    ¡°WIND CYCLONE¡± A cyclone appeared in front of Adriana. She sent it forward towards the other team. The cyclone¡¯s winds destroyed the nearby buildings¡¯ windows and caused a heavy downpour. One of the enemies couldn¡¯t escape the cyclone. A bold shade of blue surrounded her then vanished.


    EDEN HAS BEEN ELIMINATED


    ¡°BINDING CHAINS¡± A boy from the other side ensnared Adriana in magical chains.


    ¡°EXTINCTION,¡± Someone else from the opposing group chanted.


    We couldn¡¯t pinpoint as to who since the battle was raging, as a harsh, neon purple ray soared through the battlefield, piercing through Adriana. She was teleported back to the gym.


    ¡°ADRIANA!¡± I screamed.


    ADRIANA HAS BEEN ELIMINATED


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Jenna, we still have each other,¡± Adam said to me.


    I started blushing and smiled at him. He¡¯s so hot.


    The situation on the battlefield was 3 vs 3. We all stood up and looked at each other. No words were exchanged. Only spells.


    ¡°ICICLE BLAST¡±


    Dwayne¡¯s magic was ice, for someone who was usually all for brute force, this came as a shock for everyone when we discovered he used ice magic.


    ¡°PULSATING BEAM¡± A beam rushed towards Dwayne¡¯s icicles.


    They met and collided. The icicles were shattered and the beam was still going strong.


    ¡°ICE SHIELD¡±


    Dwayne¡¯s ice shield emerged from nothingness. He dodged out of the way regardless if his shield blocked it or not. Dwayne was very cautious in battle.


    ¡°ICE FORTRESS,¡± Walls made of ice surrounded Dwayne and his enemy.


    ¡°HAIL STORM,¡± A heavy hail storm ensued above the enemy.


    ¡°CLAW,¡± A dark claw ripped through the air, slicing through the hail and Dwayne.


    ¡°FUCK!¡± Dwayne screamed. He fell to the ground. His opponent walked over to him.


    ¡°How¡¯s it feel to lose?¡± he said to the fallen Dwayne.


    ¡°Icicle,¡± Dwayne whispered as an icicle appeared in his hand. He brought the icicle down, aiming for the dark magic user¡¯s back. The enemy was able to dodge a fatal blow but heavy pain was still inflicted into his back.


    Dwayne had finally been teleported back to the gym.


    DWAYNE HAS BEEN ELIMINATED


    My vines have been useless so far against these two. Adam and I were in a stalemate with the electric user and the chain user. Their combination attacks were annoying. They were both able to keep their distance by barraging us with long range spells. Eventually, my mana was depleted since I had been using spells before they did.


    ¡°Adam, I have to regain my mana. I¡¯ll be back,¡± I staggered over to an abandoned alleyway and sat against the wall.


    Adam looked at Jenna and nodded. Right now, he couldn¡¯t worry about her being useless; in his own words. He cracked his neck and looked at the two wizards.


    ¡°Your ugly magic can¡¯t defeat me,¡± he was laughing hysterically.


    The two looked at each other and barely stifled a laugh.


    ¡°GOLDEN STORM,¡± Adam lifted up his hand. Golden energy began to swirl around at his feet. Golden sparks lit up around him as the air became charged with his magic. The two opponents had to look away due to the sheer brightness of the spell.


    ¡°GO FORTH!¡± He swung his arm through the air and pointed at them. The spell moved in a hurry towards the Chain and Lightning wizards.


    ¡°Fine,¡± the lightning user began to charge all of the mana inside him to his hands. His hands began to crackle with sparks flying out.


    ¡°LIGHTNING BLAST.¡±


    The storm was met by lightning. The two battled for control. It was a masterpiece. The colors in the sky, the pressure, the stakes, everything about it played out perfectly.


    For the Lightning mage.


    He had an appraising look on his face, as if he was reading the spell.


    That¡¯s exactly what he was doing. His lightning transferred back electric signals to his brain telling him all about the makeup of the spell; allowing him to determine that he needs to pierce through the core where his magic is the densest.


    ¡°LIGHTNING PIERCER!¡±


    A spear of lightning shot through the sky with a deafening crack. His goal wasn¡¯t to destroy the spell itself since that would be impossible due to the sheer size and power but if were to find the core and shatter it? That¡¯s a different story.


    Adam, momentarily blinded by the lightning, was aware of what happened since he felt it dissipate into nothing but he couldn¡¯t see what was coming. The spear of lightning pierced through Adam. He was wrapped in a brilliant blue hue as he was teleported away.


    ADAM HAS BEEN ELIMINATED


    ¡°Oh, I forgot about you,¡± The Dark Magic user stood over me.


    My breathing was heavy and my limbs were tired. I depleted all of my mana so I can¡¯t do anything right now.


    ¡°Well, goodbye whatever your name is.¡±


    He began preparing his spell.


    ¡°Hey, bro, use your chains to restrict her movements,¡± he said, looking back to his teammate. His teammate wasn¡¯t there.


    VICTOR HAS BEEN ELIMINATED


    He began looking around frantically. It was too late when he turned around.


    ¡°BULLET STORM.¡±


    A large collection of bullets had appeared behind him and rushed straight towards the lightning mage. The bullets tore through his body, leaving him to be teleported back to the gym.


    TYLER HAS BEEN ELIMINATED


    ¡°SONIC WAVE!¡±


    A second too late, more enemies showed up, attempting to stop us from eliminating their other teammate.


    The 5 out of 6 us who can fight stepped forward, lined up side-by-side, while Jenna went into one of the buildings to regain her mana once more. Aura, Rose, and the others were lined up side-by-side.

 Motivation

    The atmosphere was intense as our two groups stared each other down. Everyone was waiting for an opening.


    The stale and smoky skies caused the sky to turn into an ashy canvas. The energy in the area crackled with tension as we all looked at each other. We each nodded and split up.


    ¡°AFTER THEM NOW!¡± One of the students from the opposing side screamed.


    Our team had decided that we would separate their team and fight them in ways that are advantageous for us.


    Alta and Caroline were put together since their magic compliments each other well. Alta veered away from Caroline and dragged the other enemy off of Caroline.


    ¡°PIERCING VEIL¡± Hundreds of swords appeared in the area in a curtain formation aimed for Moirrey.


    ¡°REFLECT,¡± A mirror large enough to cover her appeared, deflecting the swords that were coming towards her.


    Moirrey continued running, the Metal Magic user chasing behind her.


    ¡°ALTA, CHANGE COURSE. YOU¡¯RE BACK WITH CAROLINE!¡± I yelled across the street from Alta, running from Aura and Rose. I intercepted Aura and Rose and ran across their path; causing their course to change.


    ¡°On it!¡± She ran and caught up to Caroline.


    Victoria had decided to remain where she was after we split up, which didn¡¯t bother us cause we would all be separated. Initially, I had intended to get her to join along to the plan but I was met with a lot of cursing and insults that stung quite harshly.


    ¡°ACID VEIL,¡± Victoria incanted. She met her opponent head on. Acid appeared overhead like a cumulonimbus cloud bringing in a storm. The acid melted the roads in front of her.


    The guy in front of her, a fellow on the heavier side, yawned.


    ¡°Is this all you can muster?¡± He shouted, laughing afterwards. His face grew serious and he put out his hands.


    ¡°BURN THY WRETCHED SOUL! DRAGON¡¯S BREATH,¡±


    He opened his mouth. The beam began charging up power.


    ¡°ACID BEAM,¡± She lifted up and cupped her hands forward.


    He released his charged up spell as she also released hers.


    Their chants were followed by a collision of brilliant colors. The prasine acid slammed against the tangerine flames. The vivid beam lit almost the entire city up in a beautiful light. The flames also caused the already high temperature to rise.


    The two spells fused together to create an iridescent pattern as they battled for control. The power struggle lasted for a few excruciating minutes; his blazing flames had extinguished her intense acid.


    She attempted to halt her spell but the flames were too close to her for her to dodge in that small time frame.


    ¡°HEAVEN¡¯S SHIELD¡± Alta cast her Defense Magic towards Victoria. The shield gave her the time she needed to dodge.


    ¡°I DIDN¡¯T ASK FOR YOUR HELP!¡± Victoria screamed.


    ¡°LOOKS LIKE YOU NEEDED IT-¡± She shouted. Shortly after, she was interrupted by a sword impaling her.


    She fell to the ground and teleported out of the gym.


    ALTA HAS BEEN ELIMINATED


    ¡°ACID SPIKES!¡± Victoria summoned these needle-like creations from acid. She propelled them towards the Metal Magic user. This was a terrible match-up for him.


    ¡°SHIELD¡± A shield convoked in front of him. The acid melted through it, eliminating the person standing behind it.


    EVAN HAS BEEN ELIMINATED


    Victoria stood there, dumbfounded by the little effort she had to put in to defeat him.


    ¡°VICTORIA, YOU¡¯RE WITH ME!¡± Caroline shouted. Victoria ran over to her. They ran past the park and they were out of sight.


    The street that we were all on became empty.


    We met with the opposing team on territory that was closer to our base than theirs. I lured Aura and Rose in my direction, which in this case, was towards their base.


    ¡°Ugh, why,¡± she huffed, ¡°are you so,¡± she huffed once again, ¡°fast?¡± Aura said, barely managing to stay behind me.


    I ran towards a field close to the outskirts but not too close to the boundary.


    ¡°You ready, Aura?¡± Rose said, maintaining her distance.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready, let¡¯s do this,¡± Aura faced Rose.


    ¡°SORRY, DOMINICK! BUT WE AREN¡¯T GOING EASY ON YOU!¡± She turned to face me.


    ¡°SPIRIT MAGIC: GALE VARIATION,¡± Aura chanted, causing her body to glow a bright viridescent color. A flower crown appeared on her head, and her attire was one made of beautiful flowers.


    ¡°COMPANION MAGIC: GRIFFIN¡¯S BLESSING,¡± Rose summoned a creature made from brilliant flames that took the shape of a Griffin. She, also, got a crown made of flames but only her hands were affected, being taken over by the flames.


    ¡°Woah, you guys. Can¡¯t we just talk?¡± I said, backing up.


    They both charged at me, fists flying. I could feel the heat emanating from Rose¡¯s hands as she swung at me. Although, I¡¯m not sure what Aura¡¯s transformation does. I dodged and dodged. Their faces became visibly contorted with frustration.


    ¡°ARE YOU HOLDING BACK?!¡± Aura yelled before she put her hands on the ground.


    ¡°FOREST SICKLE,¡± An emerald green sickle materialized and loomed towards me.


    I dropped to the ground. The sickle flew over me. The breeze sent shivers up my spine. I jumped back up to see Rose preparing a spell.


    ¡°SLASH,¡± Claws made of fire took shape in the air. The claws blitzed towards me.


    I can¡¯t dodge this. What can I do? Everything seemed to move slowly as I contemplated. Do I try to dodge? I looked at the claws coming in my direction but there weren¡¯t enough gaps in between for me to lodge through and the claws covered the ground.


    ¡°Son¡­¡± A voice said to me.


    I looked around in the emptiness that had enveloped me.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°Son¡­¡± a hand was now on my shoulder.


    I jolted back and turned to face the direction of which the hand came from. It was my father standing there smiling at me.


    ¡°You¡¯re different from everyone else. Your magic is unique.¡±


    The abyss was now transformed into our old childhood home. My mother was in the kitchen, humming to herself while my dad sat next to me on the couch. I looked around and looked at my hands. I moved them back and forth, they moved in the direction I intended. They were also smaller than usual. I glanced at my Dad. He appeared much younger.


    ¡°You okay, son?¡± He asked me in a sincere tone.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright, Dad,¡± I responded. My voice was higher.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever use your magic unless you have to. You¡¯re different and I don¡¯t want to see you getting hurt because of that.¡±


    I peered at him with understanding. I understood.


    ¡°But I have to win,¡± I countered.


    I was back on the field, gaining a sense of clarity I never had before. This is my power. If I want to use it, I will.


    ¡°Colosseum of the Damned,¡±


    A colosseum emerged from the ground. The elliptical amphitheater surrounded all 3 of us. Aura and Rose were shocked and confused as they looked around the structure.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Aura said to Rose.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. This magic is new to me too,¡± Rose replied.


    I walked towards them.


    ¡°Aura, there he is,¡± Rose and Aura charged at me.


    ¡°NATURE¡¯S DANCE,¡± Aura shouted.


    Nothing happened.


    ¡°Aura, what¡¯s going on?¡± Rose questioned.


    ¡°My magic isn¡¯t working,¡± she answered.


    ¡°FRENZY,¡± Rose chanted.


    Nothing happened.


    ¡°Mine either,¡± she said, trying to figure out what¡¯s going on.


    ¡°You can¡¯t use magic here,¡± I told them.


    ¡°Then what are we supposed to do? Fight you with our bare hands?¡± Rose replied.


    Aura jumped in the air towards me, throwing a clumsy punch towards me.


    I dodged her punch and grabbed her arm. I pinned her arms behind her back.


    ¡°Rose, a little help would be nice¡­¡± her voice muffled as her face was on the ground.


    Rose ran towards me, throwing the ugliest punch I¡¯d ever seen. I let go of Aura to dodge it. They both retreated back towards the other side of the Colosseum. They stared at me before trying to take me on again.


    It seemed as if Aura was far more skilled than Rose was at fighting.


    I also noticed Rose relies on her magic too much, like a crutch.


    They ran at me, splitting up as they grew closer. Rose ran to the left while Aura ran to the right. I kept my eye on Rose. She isn¡¯t a fighter but she¡¯s smart which can be more dangerous than actual skill. Rose tried to sneakily grab a handful of dirt. She threw it towards my eyes. I side-stepped, only to get whacked in the head by Aura.


    I backed up, regaining my bearings.


    ¡°That was a nice hit, Aura,¡± I complimented her.


    ¡°More of where that came from,¡± she jawed back.


    Me and Aura charged headfirst at each other. I admired her. She wasn¡¯t good at fighting but she didn¡¯t let that stop her. She was wearing a grin as her fist connected into my stomach. She put up more of a fight than Rose but I landed a well placed punch to knock her on the ground. She¡¯s surprisingly durable. She scooted backwards and grabbed her jaw.


    ¡°Ugh, nobody told me we¡¯d have to actually fight, ¡± Rose said, sighing and putting her


    fists up.


    We grew quiet as we heard footsteps. A figure waltzed in through the front entrance. I couldn¡¯t make out a clear face until the footsteps grew closer and finally into the light that illuminated the interior.


    It was the guy I ran into earlier.


    He looked around with his hands held high, a smug smile across his face.


    ¡°I never got your name. I¡¯m Everett. You remember me?¡± The handsome guy said, holding his arms out.


    ¡°Dominick,¡± I responded.


    I held out my fist and he stared at it.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t bros. We aren¡¯t fist-bumping,¡± he expressed before turning around and waiting at the other side.


    ¡°Rude,¡± I scoffed and pretended to cry.


    ¡°ALL THIS TALK IS BORING, WILL YOU JUST FIGHT ALREADY?¡± Aura said, clenching her jaw, giving us an irritated look.


    It¡¯s as if that was what made us both snap out of the conversation, we realized she was right. We aren¡¯t all talk. We both dashed forward towards one another. Everett wore a grin, the same as me.


    He swung wide towards my ribcage. I side-stepped and hit him with an uppercut to the chin. He staggered backwards and regained his senses. I went for a strike to his head. He avoided the blow. His leg swept mine from beneath me, causing me to lose my balance. Everett brought up his leg and brought it down. I was able to roll out of the way before he made contact with my chest.


    ¡°STOP DODGING,¡± Aura yelled, running up behind me with a double ax handle maneuver.


    I pushed her away. Rose stood at the other side, huffing and puffing to catch her breath.


    ¡°I thought this was supposed to be a 1 on 1?¡± I asked Everett.


    ¡°So did I,¡± he said, looking towards Aura.


    ¡°All you two were doing was taking some hits and dodging,¡± She responded. She cracked her neck and knuckles.


    ¡°Well, that is what a fight is,¡± I stated sarcastically.


    ¡°So I decided that I would help you guys speed this along,¡± she looked towards Everett then nodded. He nodded back.


    They split up. Everett stormed forward with a frontal assault while Aura moved behind me. I stayed focused on Everett. He was the bigger threat.


    Everett barraged me with punches. I managed to block most of it with counter attacks of mine. I pushed him away and turned around. Aura was in front of me now. She was aiming for the back of my knee. I moved my leg and kicked her shin. She fell to the ground. I was hit from behind on the back of my head. Everett had taken advantage of the momentary distraction that Aura had caused. I staggered, reeling from the blow.


    I retreated once again.


    MAIA HAS BEEN ELIMINATED


    ¡°DAMN IT!¡± Everett shouted.


    ¡°AM I SERIOUSLY THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN DO SOMETHING RIGHT?!¡± He hollered again, angry about the elimination of his teammate.


    ¡°Dominick was about to kick your sorry ass until I came in and did something so don¡¯t you dare complain about us not doing our job right,¡± Aura walked to him, jabbing her finger into his chest.


    ¡°I had him under control.¡±


    ¡°No you didn¡¯t,¡± Rose came over, finally catching her breath.


    ¡°Now you come over here?¡± Everett replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m not exactly as physically gifted as you 3,¡± she retorted, huffing and puffing.


    ¡°It¡¯d be best if we went at him all together,¡± Aura stated.


    Everett sighed.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he replied.


    They ran towards me, each of them with their fists aimed towards me. Everett was faster than them so he got to me quicker than those two. He jumped towards me, soaring in the air. I wrapped my arms around his neck in a chokehold. Aura was approaching fast. I decided to use Everett as a shield. Aura went for a heavy kick. I swung Everett like a ragdoll into the trajectory of her assault.


    ¡°FUCK!¡± He screeched as Aura¡¯s boots connected with his stomach.


    She snickered a little bit. I did, too.


    Rose wasn¡¯t behind her. Where was she? I looked around and found her running towards me, behind me.


    CRACK


    Everett whipped his head back and slammed it right into my nose. I let go and punched him clean across his face, causing him to lose his balance.


    Rose continued to charge at me. I intercepted her as she attempted to punch me. I pinned her to the ground.


    ¡°Why are you still trying to fight?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°I want to win! I can¡¯t disappoint my father!¡± she answered, staring up at me with a pitiful expression, eyes watering.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about this,¡± I hit her in the back of the neck, causing her to go unconscious.


    ROSE HAS BEEN ELIMINATED


    Aura and Everett stared at me from across the stadium.


    Everett cleared his throat.


    ¡°I told you we¡¯d settle this, Dominick,¡± Everett said, running towards me.


    I looked over towards him and he¡¯s still wearing that dumbass grin. I couldn¡¯t help but grin right back again.


    MOIRREY HAS BEEN ELIMINATED


    Aura sprinted towards me, her face contorted into one of rage. She hopped into the air; preparing a flying kick. I bent my knees and jumped up at her. I grabbed her out of the air and threw her back down onto the earth below.


    HAILEY HAS BEEN ELIMINATED


    The scorekeeper''s voice was dull as I looked over at Everett. Our gazes locked and matched each other with intense focus and intensity.


    I barraged Everett with a flurry of punches, many connected but he was able to dodge the important blows.


    He responded with his own flurry.


    He threw many strikes; most not landing until he managed to land a heavy punch to my stomach. I coughed up and spit the blood onto the ground.


    I punched Everett across the face.


    He spit the blood from out of his mouth onto the ground. He looked up at me; passion, anger, fear, excitement burning in his eyes. He grinned at me through his crimson teeth.


    He attempted to punch me in the face.


    I put my arm up and punched him in the nose with a sickening crunch.


    He fell to the ground.


    ¡°Where did you learn to fight like that-¡± He was cut off as his nose began bleeding profusely.


    ¡°From someone very important to me,¡± I kicked him in the face. He was knocked unconscious.


    EVERETT HAS BEEN ELIMINATED


    Aura rushed towards me in a fit of rage. Her moves weren¡¯t as good or coordinated as Everett¡¯s but she tried anyway. I have to give her credit, she¡¯s relentless. I easily blocked her moves. I pinned her arms behind her back, the same way as I did with Rose, and ended it with one blow to the neck.


    I didn¡¯t want to make them suffer for very long.


    In spite of this being a Capture The Flag match, they brawled. Everyone on each team decided that eliminating the other team would be easier than capturing the flag and bringing it back.


    I wanted to fight someone who can actually fight.


    This magic or whatever you wanna call it.


    Can you even call this magic?


    Probably not but it is magical.


    TEAM F HAS BEEN ELIMINATED


    WINNER: TEAM C


    The cameras relied on mana to supply their power so inside of the Colosseum; there was no mana. The students will never know what happened inside of those walls.


    Aura¡¯s boots stomped against the ground as she walked over to me.


    She sat down next to me and sighed,


    ¡°So I never really gave you a fair chance. I judged you from the beginning and didn¡¯t get to know you and I wanna,¡± she looked as if she was going to puke, ¡°sincerely apologize.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I knew you¡¯d come around eventually,¡± I smiled at her and held out my fist. She rolled her eyes before bumping her fist against mine.


    She got up and walked back over to Rose, who wouldn¡¯t even look me in the eye.


    Everyone talked and gossiped over the matches that they witnessed. The matches were nothing of importance but it seems as if everyone took great pride and joy in the sport so they put in their best efforts.


    The bell rang and we all went home.

 Dont Panic

    3 weeks passed by rapidly. The weather forecast had called for some rain today; maybe that explains the depressing sky outside today. The ashen gray clouds rolled over as they obscured the sun; leaving no light to shine through. The sky told promises of storms today.


    Today started off normally. I did my usual routine and sat down at the table with my parents to eat breakfast.


    ¡°Hey, Dom,¡± my dad said. His newspaper crumbled as he folded it in half to look at me.


    ¡°I thought we said no magic,¡± he said to me.


    ¡°That was 3 weeks ago, why are you bringing this up now? And what was I supposed to do?¡± I responded, shoving cereal in my mouth.


    ¡°You¡¯re a smart kid. You¡¯d figure something out.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hide it anymore,¡± I grumbled.


    ¡°Your abilities would flip our entire world upside-down. And there are people who know of it now. You need to be careful.¡± Dad got up and walked out of the door.


    ¡°Your father means well,¡± Mom sat down and spoke to me.


    ¡°I know but is it so bad if people knew I had this?¡±


    ¡°It is, honey. We¡¯re doing this for your own safety. Now go. The circle should be activating anytime now,¡± she said, shooing me out of the door.


    I walked outside and down the street to where the 4 other students were muttering. They stopped as I walked closer. I shoved my hands in my pockets and let out a heavy breath. In that instance, the usual sapphire blaze engulfed us and sent us to Lixarts Academy.


    ¡°Hey, Aura,¡± I waved at her.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± She looked at me; her bags in her eyes were a dark plum color as she met my stare.


    ¡°Nothing, just saying good hey. You look like crap; by the way.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get any sleep. I was too busy consoling Rose,¡± she yawned.


    ¡°Oh, about what?¡± I asked, not seeing Rose walk up behind her.


    Rose cleared her throat behind Aura.


    ¡°Oh, hey, Rose. It¡¯s Dominick,¡± she pointed at me. Rose crossed her arms and walked away. Aura shrugged at me then waved before walking off with Rose.


    I dragged myself to Magic History. I grabbed the door knob; turning it as I walked in. There was no one there just yet.


    Not much later, the class waltzed in one by one. After everyone had arrived and settled down into their seats, he began talking.


    ¡°Good morning, class!¡± Mr. Willowsky said in a jittery tone.


    He was met with silence.


    ¡°Thanks, guys,¡± he wore an awkward look, ¡°anyways, it¡¯s been 3 weeks since the school has begun and I¡¯ve decided that this seating chart isn¡¯t working so starting today, you may sit wherever you want,¡± he stated.


    Everyone started moving around and sitting next to their friends. Aura remained seated and so did I.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you gonna move?¡± I looked at her and asked.


    ¡°No, aren¡¯t you?¡± She responded.


    ¡°You¡¯re the only person I talk to anyways,¡± I put my head down and closed my eyes.


    Aura wore a small smile on her face.


    The bell rang and I headed out to my next class. This was one of the classes I had by myself and honestly I enjoyed it.


    The drama is too much and it¡¯s been getting to me.


    I haven¡¯t gotten much sleep since the argument the other day went down. Me and Rose argued because supposedly I don¡¯t understand what she¡¯s going through and her father is really tough on her and I get it but it isn¡¯t something that should really affect our friendship. I just wanted someone to hang out with and talk to but she said it¡¯s more complicated than that.


    I told her blankly that I didn¡¯t want a complicated friendship with anyone. Her eyes started watering before she walked away; head slumped in dejection.


    Nothing happened today in my Magic Rituals class. We learned how to do basic rituals for today¡¯s lesson.


    Which I can¡¯t actually do.


    Counterspell Casting went by as fast as Magic Rituals did.


    The teacher just explained how to find and exploit the weaknesses in a spell based on typing, the caster¡¯s speed, etc. She¡¯s very experienced in this field as she was in the Magic Defense Force before retiring and coming to teach here at Lixarts. She¡¯s a strict teacher but she means well. It¡¯s really too bad I can¡¯t use these techniques since I can¡¯t feel the mana at all; I just see a spell and guess what it is. It¡¯s a real surprise that I¡¯m not dead yet.


    Lunch came around.


    You know the usual.


    I set my tray down and picked up a chicken strip.


    Rose walked past my table, eyes glued to my back as she scurried off.


    I ate my lunch in silence, basking in the peace and quiet that I¡¯ve been able to enjoy for these past 2 weeks.


    Although, I was kind of tired of it.


    ¡°Hey, Dominick,¡± Rose said.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    I looked over, probably with a stupid expression as the chicken strip was hanging from my mouth. I put up my index finger, asking her to give me a second because once I¡¯m started I can¡¯t stop.


    ¡°You say something?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I did,¡± she responded.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I replied.


    ¡°I think I may have overreacted,¡± she said, looking away, embarrassed.


    ¡°You think?¡± I said, grabbing my apple juice.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Aura?¡± I asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s gotta make up some missing assignments during lunch today so she¡¯s eating in Ms. Portword¡¯s room right now while doing that.¡±


    Rose sat down next to me as she did before. She smiled at me before we started the first conversation we¡¯ve had in weeks.


    The day carried on at a quicker pace without all of the drama with Rose on my mind. I was relieved she didn¡¯t hate me. She was basically the only friend I had.


    It had begun to storm outside. The rain poured onto the roof, clunking against the metal as it slid down the side of the building. A bright jagged bolt of lightning sliced through the air; illuminating the gloomy sky for a single moment before returning back to the murky gray that it was before. The thunder came a heartbeat later; the sound reverberated throughout the entire gym, causing some students to shriek in the halls and the classrooms.


    The rain and thunder brought upon a sense of foreboding.


    Alchemy had passed by pretty quickly, meaning this time of the day was Training. Me, Rose, and Aura all shared this training class together. Today, Mr. Lainhart had separated us all into groups of 2 to spar with training swords. It¡¯s as he says, ¡°If you run out of mana, all you have is your weapon and your fists,¡± and I couldn¡¯t agree with him more.


    It was evident that Aura and Rose needed practical training at least in the hand to hand fighting department but Everett showed true potential that day.


    I also need to work to improve my hand to hand combat.


    ¡°Hey, Dom,¡± Aura said, facing me.


    ¡°Huh?¡± I said, turning around.


    ¡°You look lost in thought,¡± Rose said, coming up from behind Aura.


    ¡°Oh yeah, I was,¡± I responded.


    ¡°Well, get your head out of your ass,¡± Aura exclaimed.


    ¡°NOW, TODAY CLASS, YOU WILL PARTNER UP WITH A RANDOM STUDENT TODAY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS CLASS! IF YOU WOULD ALL LINE UP AND TAKE A SLIP OF PAPER FROM THIS HAT! THANK YOU!¡± Mr. Lainhart spoke over Aura, his voice echoing throughout the training facility.


    A few minutes passed by, and students chose partners at random by drawing the lots from the hat Mr. Lainhart was holding. I approached Mr. Lainhart.


    ¡°Oho, hello there. You¡¯ve got a weird energy!¡± He said, getting in my face, inspecting me as if I were some sort of lab experiment.


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± I chuckled, nervously. Aura snickered from the side.


    ¡°Where are my manners? Don¡¯t mind me. Just the ramblings of an old man.¡± He pushed the hat out for me to choose a slip of paper. I walked out of the line and looked at the paper.


    It read, ¡°Emelia¡±.


    I scanned the area for Emelia, shouting her name, until I found her. She was already standing with two other people. She gave me a confused expression as each of them showed me their papers with each other¡¯s names on it. We all had different people on our paper. Rose had Josh, Josh had me, Emelia had Rose, and I had Emelia.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Josh asked us.


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure,¡± Rose answered.


    I looked around and every other group had the same thing happening. Everyone shared confused glances.


    ¡°MR. LAINHART!¡± Someone had raised their hand up from the far side of the area.


    ¡°YES?!¡± He shouted back.


    ¡°I THOUGHT YOU SAID GROUPS OF 2!¡± The student answered.


    ¡°YEAH BUT THEN I DECIDED TO SURPRISE YOU GUYS WITH GROUPS OF 4!¡± He retorted, laughing heartily.


    ¡°OH YEAH!¡± he said, as if he had forgotten something.


    ¡°It¡¯s a battle royale. THE WINNING TEAM GETS EXTRA CREDIT AND 50 OMERAS!¡±


    All hell broke loose.


    I don¡¯t know what I expected from Mr. Lainhart but it wasn¡¯t this. In the past two weeks, we figured out what kind of teacher he was.


    He was extremely unorthodox with his teaching methods.. He¡¯d pull stunts like this but usually not to this scale or he would just act as a normal teacher with normal lesson plans.


    But 50 omeras?


    I¡¯m like 90% sure this is illegal but I¡¯m a broke highschooler.


    I jumped into the fray, my team staring at me dumbfounded as I grabbed a student and suplexed them into the ground.


    ¡°HELL YEAH!¡± I screamed at the top of my lungs, running after more people.


    The competition was a cake walk as everyone dropped out in a matter of minutes when they saw a student running around; beating any student that crossed his path. It was underwhelming to say the least.


    I lose all sense of reason whenever money is involved.


    Everyone laid on the floor, huffing and puffing or holding their injuries as the nurse was healing them. I walked over to Mr. Lainhart.


    ¡°I knew there was something different about you.¡± He said, dropping the coins in my hand.


    ¡°I learned how to fight when I was little,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Well it was fun seeing all of you fighting, enjoy the rest of your day,¡± he expressed before turning around and walking away.


    Aura and Rose walked up to me.


    ¡°We had a feeling you would win this,¡± Rose said, walking up next to me.


    ¡°We decided not to participate when I saw my team. I had three other guys in my team but they were scrawny wimps. I could kick their asses. Hell, even ROSE could kick their asses,¡± Aura said, walking next to Rose.


    Rose shook her head and continued talking.


    ¡°We still have a while until classes end. Did you guys have any idea what you wanted to do?¡± She asked, looking around.


    ¡°Well, Mr. Lainhart isn¡¯t here. We could just leave,¡± Aura said.


    ¡°No, we can¡¯t. We¡¯ll get in so much trouble if we were caught,¡± Rose retorted.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s not get caught?¡± Rose retaliated.


    ¡°It sounds fun,¡± I said.


    They both turned to the right and Rose gave me a shocked expression. I grabbed my water bottle from the bleachers. I twisted the top off and poured some water into my mouth.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Aura said, ¡°did not take you to have the balls to agree to this,¡± she nodded with a face of subtle respect. I nodded back with a look of respect as well.


    We both squinted our eyes and kept nodding at each other.


    ¡°Come on, you two,¡± Rose said, walking out of the training facility.


    I really do wonder where Mr. Lainhart went.


    Anyways, the 3 of us walked into the hallway which was filled with silence besides a few stragglers roaming the hallways.


    ¡°I never realized how quiet this place is when everyone isn¡¯t pushing me into lockers to get to their classes,¡± Aura said, looking around at the classroom doors as we walked past them.


    ¡°Hey, Aura, we should probably get back soon. Mr. Lainhart should be back by now,¡± Rose proclaimed, worriedly.


    ¡°Stop being a stick in the mud.¡±


    Rose looked down and continued on without saying a word for a while.


    She lit up when we passed by the art room where the walls had been painted a vibrant cerulean and a flaxen color.


    Rose walked up to the window and stared in to see what they had been doing today.


    ¡°You like art, Rose?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡± she wasn¡¯t paying attention to me at all.


    I got next to her to see what they had been doing. There was paint flying around the room and landed on the floor. I looked at the floor when the paint landed and noticed it had been painted white to be a canvas. Beautiful artwork, doodling, everyone had expressed themselves through their immersive art on the canvas. Rose¡¯s eyes were glued to the teacher¡¯s masterpiece. It was a piece of abstract art that, to me, looked like a bunch of random shapes thrown together.


    ¡°Hey, Dominick,¡± she pointed at the teacher¡¯s art.


    ¡°What about it?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it beautiful? My mother and father used to make art like that when I was younger. I never really understood it but times were easier when I would see that kind of art. I never understood the meaning behind it and I honestly didn¡¯t care. The face my dad would make when he made it was the only understanding I needed¡­¡± she expressed, a single tear running down her cheek.


    I stood next to her, staring into the classroom where the art began to shape into beautiful masterpieces. Each piece of work begins to form its own story and each one is different from the last.


    I¡¯m with Rose on this one.


    Even though I never understood art. I probably never will but I feel as if art is beautiful and meaningful when the artist puts everything they have into it.


    We stood there for a while, enjoying each other¡¯s companies.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about Gym. I should probably tell you about why that was so important to me, shouldn¡¯t I?¡± She said, nervously.


    ¡°Obviously, you don¡¯t have to if you don¡¯t want to,¡± I responded.


    ¡°I do. It¡¯s because of-¡± We were interrupted by a hand that had grabbed our arms,


    causing us to jolt.


    ¡°Guys, we need to hide now,¡± Aura whispered, sneaking up behind us.


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s going on-¡±


    CRASH


    The sound of glass breaking had echoed throughout the hallway.


    ¡°What was that?!¡± Rose said, whispering but raising her voice a little too loud. Me and Aura grabbed Rose and ran to the empty classroom down the hall.


    Figures in black robes passed by. One of them had stopped by the classroom we took shelter in and looked in through the window. Rose was shaking while Aura held her. We were standing next to the door. The footsteps had grown close. Rose began crying while Aura continued to hold her. We remained as quiet as we could. The man in the black robe stood there for a while. Every minute felt like hours, the clock ticking echoed inside of my head as the room was quiet. The footprints finally moved away after what felt like an eternity. Rose had finally calmed down.


    I turned to face Aura.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I said, keeping my voice to a minimum.


    ¡°I saw a man and a woman in black robes walking the hallways. As soon as I saw it, I ran over to you guys. This is serious, guys,¡± she expressed, visibly shaken as well.


    We¡¯re so screwed.


    A few moments after we were done talking, a blood curdling scream escaped someone¡¯s throat.


    The alarm had begun to go off.

 Run

    The alarm resonated in the hallway as more intruders had begun to pour in from each entrance that they could find. Right now, there¡¯s about 75 hooded guys. Students had begun to run to the nearest safety room while some strayed off the path.


    Me, Rose, and Aura had remained hidden in the classroom until the halls were clear.


    ¡°Hey, Dominick,¡± Aura whispered, ¡°is the coast clear?¡±


    ¡°You want me to check?¡± I asked, with a shocked expression, ¡°I could get killed!¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard any footsteps for a while. I think we should be good,¡± Aura explained.


    ¡°Then you¡¯re coming with me,¡± I said, grabbing her arm.


    ¡°Like hell I am!¡± she shouted in a hushed tone.


    She attempted to pull away but I kept dragging her to the door. I opened it with my free hand and stepped out into the hallway. I looked in every direction. I poked my head in the classroom.


    ¡°Hey, Rose, the coast is clear,¡± I said to her. She was still trembling. Rose looked at me with teary eyes.


    ¡°Is it alright if I stay here?¡± She asked me.


    ¡°Probably not. They might come back and we gotta get out of here. I wonder if we can leave through the window?¡± I said, questioningly.


    I looked out the window and the entire courtyard was filled with mysterious figures in black robes.


    ¡°Nope. Come on, Rose. We gotta get outta here,¡± I said, holding out my hand.


    She stared at my hand for what felt like hours until she finally grabbed it. I pulled her up and told her to follow behind me.


    ¡°Keep an eye out behind us,¡± I said to Aura and Rose.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Aura replied, scanning back and forth while remaining behind me and holding Rose¡¯s hand.


    Rose¡¯s shaking began to calm down as we made our way to the spell corridor. The hallways were black, illuminated by the red alarms that were constantly sounding off. We looked around frantically to find anyone who could help us while also making our way to the staircase.


    ¡°I saw some kids over here,¡± Aura said, causing us to stop in our tracks and go into the janitor¡¯s closet.


    It was a tight fit but we weren¡¯t noticed by the people walking around. We looked around and ushered out. The hallways became more and more dangerous as other figures flooded in. We left the janitor¡¯s closet and made it to the upstairs library after walking and hiding for a while. Rose and Aura walked in first and I entered behind them, surveying the area to make sure we weren¡¯t followed.


    ¡°What are we gonna do?¡± Rose said, her voice shaky.


    ¡°I think we¡¯re gonna have to fight our way out of this one. The Magic Defense Force isn¡¯t gonna be here for a while and they won¡¯t be able to enter inside the school immediately,¡± I said, facing her.


    ¡°I¡¯m with Dom on this one,¡± Aura said, grabbing Rose¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Well, right now, fighting won¡¯t do us much good,¡± Rose replied, grabbing and holding Aura¡¯s hand which seemed to calm her down, ¡°We can¡¯t take them all on. I¡¯m pretty sure Mr. Lainhart is out there looking for us right now too,¡± she stated, now calmed down.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I have no idea what to do from here,¡± I responded.


    ¡°What if we just wait here-?¡± Aura was interrupted as we spotted figures walking by with a large number of students subdued by magic chains.


    Reality sunk in for me and Aura. We wore dim expressions as we realized how bad this situation truly was.


    I sat there for a moment, contemplating whether this was life or death for me. For all of us.


    I never told my Mom or Dad goodbye this morning. I never got to¡­


    Wait. This isn¡¯t who I am.


    What the fuck am I doing thinking thoughts like this?


    I stood up and grabbed Rose and Aura¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I have an idea, follow me,¡± I said, before they asked me any questions.


    I ran out of the library, gathering the attention of the figures who were standing outside. They gave chase as we sprinted to the gymnasium.


    They started casting spells. Time seemed to get slower and the hall began to feel as if it had grown longer. The debris flew off of the wall and the ground as we narrowly escaped and made it into the gymnasium. Rose ran over to the console and changed the settings. The 3 of us ran into the teleporter as they followed us onto them.


    We landed in snow, the cold leaving us brittle and vulnerable. Aura used her Griffin to start a fire for us to warm up around.


    ¡°We¡¯re fucked, enemies are approaching us and they¡¯ll probably be here soon so what¡¯s the plan, Dom?¡± Aura said, expectantly.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Right now, all we can do is try to turn this situation in our favor,¡± I expressed.


    ¡°And how the hell are we supposed to do that?¡± Aura responded, annoyed.


    ¡°All we can do right now is figure out what advantages we have against them then use those in a fight and win,¡± I looked at them and shrugged.


    ¡°But we¡¯ve never been in a situation like this. These guys seem expertly trained,¡± Rose said, looking dejected.


    "It doesn''t seem like we have much of a choice here," I replied, pointing towards the


    enemies closing in on us from the hills.


    ¡°I know. You¡¯re right,¡± Rose responded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll trap most of them in my spell and fight the ones I got in it while you guys fight the ones that weren¡¯t caught,¡± I looked at them, ¡°but we stay here, meaning we fight in the cold.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine with us,¡± Aura said.


    ¡°Me too,¡± I reassured.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this, I guess¡­¡± Rose said, sighing.


    The enemies were almost in our faces now, they were approaching us rapidly.


    ¡°It¡¯s been 3 weeks and it''s been non stop fighting..¡± Rose grumbled. She wasn¡¯t as shaken as before.


    We split up. I went to the west while they went east. I lagged behind a little bit to lure most of them in the effective radius of my spell.


    After a few seconds, most of them were with me. In total, there are 20 enemies. I had to face 12 enemies by myself while they would face the remaining 8.


    ¡°SURRENDER NOW! WE OUTNUMBER YOU!¡±


    ¡°Maybe but look,¡± I pointed to the ground.


    ¡°Colosseum Of The Damned.¡±


    A loud ear splitting noise occurred throughout the air as Dominick summoned his signature spell, one that me and Rose had gotten familiar with since he had beat the breaks off of us in that same building.


    ¡°ROSE, WE¡¯RE GOING TO HAVE SPLIT THEM UP!¡± I yelled at her, as we proceeded to run away from each other to give us space so as to not hit each other with our magic.


    ¡°LOOKS LIKE THEY HAD THE SAME IDEA!¡± Rose replied, pointing towards the guys running towards us.


    ¡°COMPANION MAGIC: GRIFFIN!¡± A circle of bright orange flames appeared as a Griffin appeared next to her. It wasn¡¯t a large Griffin, it must¡¯ve been a cub or slightly older. However, Griffins are very strong from a young age.


    ¡°SPIRIT MAGIC: INFERNO VARIATION!¡± I chanted, following Rose¡¯s lead. There was nothing we could do. All we could do is fight and hope for the best. A fire crown materialized on my head as my body began to glow a vibrant orange.


    Me and Rose looked at each other and nodded. We charged towards the bad guys. I couldn¡¯t help but grin. I¡¯m slowly becoming more and more like Dominick.


    ¡°HELL¡¯S PUNISHMENT!¡± Indigo beams appeared above his shoulders and below his arms. They propelled towards me at rapid speeds.


    ¡°BLAZE CANNON!¡± I put my hands out together.


    A large brilliant beam of fire shot out, causing both of our spells to fizzle out.


    ¡°ENHANCEMENT MAGIC!¡± Two of them shouted in unison.


    They had begun to charge towards me while the other two supported them from the back.


    ¡°FLAME SWORD!¡±


    A large two handed sword suddenly showed up in my hands. The blade seemed to emanate heat waves as the air looked distorted around it.


    ¡°COME ON!¡± I yelled, while gripping the sword. I began to charge at them.


    After mere seconds, we came face to face. The closer we got, the better for me. The one in the back couldn¡¯t attack me while his friends were here fighting because he could hit them as a result.


    They both began charging up heavy punches, each on both sides. The one to my left was closer so I lifted up my sword and swung it down. I looked down, my stomach churning as his hand detached from his body and fell to the ground. Blood spurted everywhere. My face harbored a disgusted expression. My hands began shaking as the man started screaming, holding where his hand used to be.


    ¡°Was that¡­ me?¡± I thought to myself.


    I was brought back to reality as the other punch landed into my stomach. I puked as his fist made contact. I jumped backwards.


    ¡°Fuck, that hurt!¡± I shouted, holding my stomach.


    ¡°ROSE! WE FORGOT THE NULLIFIER SETTING!¡± I yelled over to her.


    ¡°YEAH, I KNOW!¡± She blocked an attack and hopped backwards.


    ¡°SHOULD WE TELL DOMINICK?!¡± She shouted, questioningly.


    I looked over and heard yelling. I smirked and shook my head side to side. I took a deep breath and gripped the handle even tighter.


    I closed my eyes.


    ¡°INFERNO VARIATION: INFERNAL RUSH!¡±


    My body began to move on its own. It felt like I was watching someone else control my every little movement and I could only watch helplessly. My body moved faster than ever, as if I was floating across the ground. The damage they had done to me was great but I couldn¡¯t feel it. My body had entered a state of anger. A stage where I will do anything in my power to cut those down who stand before me. These two are the only people who get me. The only ones I can trust. I will do anything for Rose. Dominick¡¯s cool, I guess.


    My senses had returned. My body was bruised and my hands covered in blood. I looked down to see two lifeless corpses. I looked at my hands and towards Rose. She was fighting off opponents of her own. I had lost the other guy who was supporting them. I got up to run. My body collapsed as the damage was too much for me to handle.


    (Now: Rose)


    ¡°AURA!¡± I yelled, as she collapsed to the ground.


    The 3 that I was fighting was too much for me to handle on my own. I¡¯ve never received any training for my magic in any form of combat. My parents didn¡¯t want me to rely on it too much and they didn¡¯t treat me with the same favoritism as my younger sister so all of the training that I should¡¯ve gotten went to her.


    ¡°GRIFFIN: FIREBALL!¡±


    My spirit, a young Griffin, shot a fireball towards the hooded figures that were enclosing in towards me.


    ¡°FLOOD!¡±


    A bounteous amount of water flooded out towards me as the fireball fizzled out. I have no defense against water magic with this spirit.


    ¡°VULCAN SPIRIT: MAGMA BREATH!¡±


    The magma and water met together in between us. It began to bubble. The bubbles were a black and tangerine color, they had a texture that looked like slime.


    ¡°BIND!¡±


    I heard a voice behind me. I was distracted by the other one that I forgot about him. Chains shot out from behind me and restricted my arms and legs.


    ¡°HYDRO-HAMMER!¡±


    A giant hammer made of water appeared above my head. I looked up as it was crashing down. Time began to stop. I closed my eyes. My life had begun to flash before my eyes. I¡¯ve never even had a boyfriend! I HAVEN¡¯T GONE ON DATES! It¡¯s just now that I¡¯m realizing that my whole life, I¡¯ve been guarded. I haven¡¯t been able to let anyone in besides Aura. I¡¯ve been rejected by people I love so I thought that it wouldn¡¯t hurt if I rejected the ones who claimed they love me. Now, I¡¯m not even sure.


    Why am I talking about this when I¡¯m about to die? I¡¯m not too sure. I feel like I¡¯m going to die. I¡¯m gonna die with all of these regrets.


    ¡°REFLECT!¡±


    Mr. Lainhart summoned a mirror which caused the hammer to bounce away from me.


    ¡°STRIKE!¡±


    Josh appeared from behind Mr. Lainhart. A storm cloud took shape above the Chain user and struck him down. Mr. Lainhart had taken down the Ocean user with ease. It wasn¡¯t a fair fight at all. These goons probably don¡¯t stand a chance against the faculty here.


    ¡°Rose, are you okay?¡± Mr. Lainhart came over to me.


    ¡°I can¡¯t walk. I must¡¯ve used a lot more mana than I thought,¡± I responded, weakly.


    He came over to me and propped me up on his shoulder.


    ¡°You guys are in trouble once this is over,¡± he said, supporting me as we walked over to Aura.


    ¡°Josh, can you get her?¡± Mr Lainhart asked.


    ¡°On it,¡± he replied, propping up Aura on his shoulder.


    ¡°Why are you here, Josh?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Mr. Lainhart asked for volunteers to help search for you guys once he came back to the class,¡± he replied.


    ¡°The alarms started going off when I was washing my hands. I rushed back to the class as soon as they went off. I did a head count and found out you 3 were missing. Speaking of which¡­ is that Dominick¡¯s doing?¡± He pointed toward the Colosseum.

 Fair Fight

    The nonstop fighting was hard but I loved this. I used to have this weird obsession with fighting; I got over it once I reached middle school but I¡¯ve slowly started to rejuvenate the love for fighting ever since I came here.


    My fist made contact with his hamstring, causing him to collapse. I hopped backwards. A hand swiped through the air where I was at. The figure¡¯s hood came up a little bit and I could see a woman¡¯s face. She smirked before attempting to cast a spell. I began running towards her.


    ¡°SMACKDOWN!¡±


    Nothing happened. She looked down and around to see the others struggling to cast spells too.


    ¡°WHAT¡¯S GOING ON-¡±


    I cut her off with a right hook to her face.


    She flipped through the air before landing, unconscious. The rest of the other figures charged at me.


    I dodged all that I could, receiving a few blows in the meantime.


    There was one really burly guy in the back, standing and watching us; I got a weird vibe from him.


    For a few minutes, they continuously attacked me all at once. They had no chemistry whatsoever so they ended up messing each other up in the process.


    One of them had gotten close enough to try and land some hits on me. He swept his leg underneath mine. I jumped over it and kicked clean in the face, knocking him out instantly.


    The burly man in the back was growing visibly frustrated watching these guys, guys who were supposed to help take over the entire school, struggle against a child.


    He charged forward and grabbed one of the goons. He held him up in the air by his head before slamming his head down into the earth. You could hear the crunching of his bones as it made contact with the ground. His buddies looked at him, shocked. He ran after them, punching the faces of some and kicking the others into the sky causing them land with deafening thumps.


    ¡°It¡¯s your turn,¡± he said, pointing at me.


    My heart started beating faster. This was an opponent I wasn¡¯t sure on how to approach or if I could beat him. I moved my legs and fists into my fighting stance and faced towards him.


    I slowly inched closer.


    I got within about 3 feet of him when he swung at me with a heavy left.


    I was barely able to dodge it.


    He had immense strength and speed for someone of his size. I figured that I couldn¡¯t do anything about him by remaining a distance away from him. I charged at him. He had a blank expression, one that told me he had been unsatisfied. He swung at me again with his left hand. I flipped over his large arms and landed on my hands. I spun my body around. My legs slammed into his face due to the fact that he was bent down from when he swung at me.


    ¡°Weak,¡± he grabbed my leg and threw me across the snow.


    I staggered up. His aura was overwhelming as I had a feel for his strength.


    He didn¡¯t need magic to be effective in combat.


    This time, he charged at me. I jumped backwards, narrowly avoiding his giant grip. He looked at me with the same expression as before. I¡¯m almost positive he wanted a good fight, just like me. He rushed forward once again, swinging in a frenzy. His attacks were predictable, what he had in strength he lacked in skill and precision. His attacks left tiny craters from the impact of his blows. One hit from those and it¡¯s over.


    Think, Dominick, Think. How can you overpower someone like him? No matter how much I racked my brain, I had no answers. This freak of nature is something I hadn¡¯t learned how to deal with.


    ¡°Why are you running?!¡± I looked around to see my Dad standing there. I rubbed my eyes and he vanished. I looked forward to seeing him charging a kick that looked like it was gonna hurt. I managed to put my arms up to block some of the impact but still slid backwards anyways. He stopped in his tracks.


    ¡°You still breathe?¡± He looked towards me and for the first time, he smiled. He began jumping up and down, clapping and causing the ground to shake below him.


    ¡°Yeah-¡° I began coughing up blood. I turned my head to the side and spit the blood out.


    I cracked my neck and for the first time in a while, I actually felt fear. Shivers went down my spine. My hair stood up on my arms as I looked at his tall figure looming over me. My brain told me that I was gonna die, that nothing I do would work. My heart told me that this was what you¡¯ve wanted ever since you fell in love with fighting. The look in his eyes told me he wanted this. His eyes glistened with joy as he ran towards me. I jumped backwards away from his gigantic foot as he stomped closer and closer. Each stomp was filled with more force than the other. He moved closer as I began to circle around.


    I began picking my mind for a solution; that¡¯s when it hit me.


    I ran towards him. I weaved around his punches as I got closer to his head. I was right beneath him when I jumped and uppercutted his chin. The brass knuckles shined in the artificial sunlight as blood spurted on the ground. He stammered backwards as he grabbed his jaw which was hanging in an unusual way.


    ¡°You-¡± He was interrupted as I barraged his abdomen with punches with the force of these brass knuckles behind them.


    ¡°DOMINICK!¡± Aura yelled, hanging over Josh¡¯s arm. She attempted to walk over here after pushing off of Josh but she stumbled then fell.


    ¡°YOU CAN¡¯T WIN!¡± She said, sounding like a friend worried for the first time.


    Josh and Mr. Lainhart looked at me. They looked at Aura before looking at me once more. They tilted their heads slightly. A sign of respect; if you will. I nodded back as I continued to pummel his stomach. He lifted his leg and kicked me. I went flying to the other side of the colosseum. He ran over towards me and began punching me. Over and over. I put my arms up and blocked them. Every hit felt like they shattered my bones. Each hit hurt more than the previous. My arms stayed up on instinct even though I lost the feeling in both of them about 10 hits back.


    ¡°¡®WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU¡¯RE DOING?!¡± Rose yelled, using Mr. Lainhart as a support. Aura looked over at her with a look of unfamiliarity.


    ¡°THE DOMINICK I KNOW WOULDN¡¯T TAKE ANYTHING LIKE THAT NO MATTER WHO OR WHAT THEY ARE! YOU BETTER NOT LET THEM WIN! NOT FOR ANYTHING! YOU HEAR ME?!¡± Rose was hysterical at this point from the emotional battle she had fought in her head and the blood loss she had suffered. However, that didn¡¯t take away any truth from her words.


    As if that had snapped me out of that state of fear, I stood up. All the pain dispersed as I gripped the knuckle dusters even tighter. He looked at me as I stood up with a look of excitement. He threw a strike at me and hit my chest. It hurt like hell but it wasn¡¯t anything I couldn¡¯t handle. I threw a punch at his stomach. He hit me in the chest again. I hit him again. We continued trading blows for a while. All 4 of them watched with shock as they watched this kid go toe to toe with someone triple, almost 4 times, his size. I couldn¡¯t even believe it. After a while, much to my surprise, he backed off with his assault before I did. I was going to also; we both took a serious beating. Our clothes were ripped and we were bruised and bloody. His jaw was dislocated while my arms were a purplish shade. I was able to move my arms due to this adrenaline. It was like my dad told me. Everything had just disappeared. All I had was one goal on my mind¡­


    To win.


    Aura couldn''t keep her eyes off the battle as me and the gigantic man went back into beating the brakes off one another. He charged up yet another kick. I swerved out of the way. He followed up with a punch. I met him in the middle and punched his fist with my brass knuckles. A loud cracking noise erupted.


    He sneered at me before asking, ¡°MANA RUNNING OUT SOON?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have mana. ¡± I said, standing away from him. His legs were wobbly as were mine. Me and him went for punches once again. This time I moved my fist towards his jaw. I winced as I felt the metal make contact with his flesh.


    My eyes went wide as his jaw ripped clean off.


    He wasn¡¯t fazed.


    He kicked my knee with the force of a freight train. I screamed as the pain rippled through my body. It felt like he took a knife, jabbed it into my knee, and twisted it around.


    I moved backwards. I began circling him, he did the same. My knee screamed in agony.


    I didn¡¯t have time to think about that.


    Aura and Rose will die if I don¡¯t win. Everyone dies if I don¡¯t win. I steeled my resolve and locked onto the enemy in front of me.


    This has to be finished right now. If this fight goes on any longer then I can¡¯t guarantee my victory. I ran towards him. He put his arms up in a defensive stance for the first time. I couldn¡¯t find any openings so I continued to assault his arms until they fell down on their own. He picked up his large foot off the ground and landed a kick straight to my stomach, causing me to puke up some blood.


    I remained planted in the ground, going for every hit that I could hit. Eventually, his arms began to lower. He swung his right hand at me.


    This was the opening I needed.


    I jumped over his arm and landed a clean hit in his temple. His eyes rolled back as he fell down to the ground. A loud boom filled the colosseum as the sheer impact of his body hitting the ground caused the snow to lift off the ground.


    I looked up towards the sky. My hands fell down next to my side.


    Today was the day I was supposed to die. I emerged victorious when faced with oblivion. So long as my heart is beating, so long as I am breathing air in my lungs, I will continue to defy death.


    For death is not ready for me.


    I passed out, my body standing up looking towards the sky, moonlight beaming down on my face.


    I woke up with a headache.


    I swiveled my head to each side; examining the surrounding area.


    It looked like we were in the school infirmary. The soft lighting greeted my eyes as the sweet aroma of herbs filled my nose. I woke up to Mr. Lainhart watching over me as Josh stood next to the bed while Aura and Rose rested their heads on the bed, fast asleep.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°Mr. Lainhart, can you help me?¡± I whispered as to not wake them up.


    He smirked and ushered Josh to follow him. They both walked out of the room. I sighed and moved my legs from under the blanket. They both suddenly jolted up with dreary eyes.


    Their eyes widened when they saw me awake. To my surprise, they both jumped on me and squeezed me tight.


    ¡°Ow,¡± I uttered.


    ¡°Oh, right. They said you¡¯d be a little sore,¡± Rose said, letting me go. Aura, as if she realized what she was doing, let go of me and looked away.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t my arms be broken? My knee too?¡± I asked, confused.


    ¡°The nurse healed you. She stepped out to assist the teachers, that¡¯s why she isn¡¯t here right now. While we were in the simulation, the teachers were fighting the other bad guys. Supposedly, one of the teachers managed to get a group name out of them. They called themselves, ¡°The Shadows,¡± Rose replied.


    ¡°Wait, I thought he wasn¡¯t using magic? How am I healed? Injuries like that should take weeks, even months to heal.¡± I asked, looking at Rose.


    ¡°They used an experimental drug on you. Obviously, they asked a parent if it was okay and they approved. You¡¯re like the catalyst for a change in medicine.¡±


    ¡°What happened to him? The big guy?¡± I questioned.


    ¡°He¡¯s in custody of the Magic Defense Force. They finally managed to break through the Shadows in the courtyard. Mr. Lainhart led the Magic Defense Force to us after you passed out. Josh kept watch over you and us,¡± Aura said, taking over for Rose.


    ¡°I never got to thank Josh,¡± I said, getting up.


    They pushed me back onto the bed.


    ¡°The nurse said no moving for another hour,¡± they said in unison.


    ¡°And we never got to thank you. I don¡¯t think we could¡¯ve beat him if you didn¡¯t. That spell is perfect for you though,¡± Rose proclaimed.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a spell. I¡¯m not sure what it is but I have no mana at all,¡± I explained to them.


    They looked at me with shocked expressions.


    ¡°I thought I told you guys this?¡± I questioned.


    ¡°No, you never did. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve never met anyone with NO mana at all,¡± Aura said.


    ¡°Me either,¡± Rose agreed.


    ¡°Now you have and I kicked both of your asses,¡± I said, laughing.


    ¡°Won¡¯t happen again,¡± Aura replied. Rose stood behind her, smiling at her friend who¡¯s finally happy again.


    After a while, the nurse returned and tended to my injuries the best she could. She healed pretty much all she could while I was asleep so she gave me a lollipop and discharged me.


    The school was in a state of disarray. The lockers were bent in with large dents embedded in them, some traces of magic were still lingering. The power was still off, leaving the school in a forbidding gloom.


    The red alarm lights finally stopped flashing and remained still.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Aura said, looking around.


    Something about Aura changed; in that one battle with her life on the line. She took a long hard look at herself and didn¡¯t like what she saw. She finally started feeling again; for someone besides Rose.


    I unwrapped the lollipop and put it in my mouth. We walked side by side down by the barren and ill-lit wasteland that was the halls. Mr. Lainhart had told them before I woke up that we needed to return to his class so that way we could be safe until our parents came and got us.


    Mr. Lainhart had seemed like he was a weird guy at first but he seems like he¡¯s actually a genuinely cool dude.


    We finally arrived at the training facility as most of the students there had already begun getting called to the office, where a group of staff would guide a group of students to the office as the Magic Defense Force took care of the investigation and the clean up. Some students were crying and I don¡¯t blame them.


    Some students actually lost their lives in this whole debacle. These guys are murderers and some of them were able to get away without a slap on the wrist.


    ¡°DOMINICK, AURA, ROSE, JOSH! YOU¡¯RE UP!¡± A man yelled for us. He was a smaller, fragile, yet intimidating gentleman in a charcoal black Magic Defense uniform.


    The magic defense uniform was that of nobility, power, and elegance. The jacket of q charcoal hue hugged the wearer¡¯s form; underneath the high collar shimmered golden runes which offered extra enchantments. On each shoulder rested epaulets, adorned with silver threads that twined together like arcane sigils, symbolizing rank. The sleeves were equipped with silver gauntlets inscribed with runes to help protect from both magic and physical attacks. A badge laid across the chest, gleaming like a diamond under the sunlight, showing their allegiance to Daclon. Underneath the jacket was a reinforced vest that offered protection from attacks as well, the jacket being nearly impenetrable to help protect these soldiers on the front lines. The uniform exuded an aura of that of someone with power, with the readiness to be prepared for battle at any moment; the perfect blend of magic and military prowess.


    We looked at Mr. Lainhart, who nodded and we followed. He led us to the office but then took us to the back. He faced his badge towards the wall and it opened.


    We stared at the wall then back at him.


    He smiled and walked in.


    We followed him down the stairs, where many other Magic Defense Force officers were scrambling around. The desks were covered with papers as blue strides would go past us in a hurry as they were conducting the investigation into the group known as The Shadows.


    How did they get past the perimeter? What¡¯s their purpose? Their motivation? Who are they? Those were all questions that we wanted to know.


    He brought us to a room in the back. It was an empty room besides a table and some chairs. Me, Josh, Aura, and Rose sat down.


    ¡°Why do you think we''re here?¡± Josh asked, in a hushed tone.


    ¡°We were some of the only students who managed to fight off these guys. Of course they¡¯re going to want to talk to us,¡± Aura said, in an aggravated tone, ¡°I just want to go home,¡± she added.


    ¡°Yeah, me too,¡± I said, holding my knee.


    ¡°I¡¯d hope you wanna go home, Dominick. Otherwise, you¡¯re a freak,¡± Josh responded.


    Rose sat in the chair, quiet.


    I looked over at her and she looked back over to me. She smiled before looking back down to the floor.


    A minute later, a man walked through the door.


    He looked at Rose before looking back at us.


    He towered over us with his astounding figure, his shoulders were double of my entire body and he wore a serious face. He sat down and opened his binder.


    ¡°Dominick Blackburn. Is that correct?¡± He asked, staring into my soul.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± I answered.


    ¡°I hear you¡¯re the one who incapacitated the one we found inside the training simulation, is that also correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°I applaud your efforts but if something like this were to occur in the future, please refrain from engaging. I hear you were seriously injured, those wounds could have easily been fatal if not taken care of.¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, did you really expect me to just run? You guys didn¡¯t show up until after that. I can¡¯t really rely on you guys, can I?¡± I stated, getting irritated at the audacity of this guy.


    ¡°We were not able to enter in a quick amount of time due to the numbers the enemy possessed. Those circumstances were not our fault but we do realize that our incompetence was a fatal error-¡±


    ¡°YEAH, PEOPLE DIED! PEOPLE DIED BECAUSE YOU COULDN¡¯T DO YOUR JOB!¡± I stood up and shouted, finally losing it.


    ¡°Quiet down, we¡¯re conducting an investigation and this room cannot be afforded to be revealed,¡± he said, remaining eerily calm.


    ¡°I DON¡¯T GIVE A FU-¡±


    Rose kicked my leg.


    I looked at her.


    She shook her head side to side.


    I sat back down.


    ¡°Rose Garner, Aura Hunt, Josh Parsons, I hear you all helped in this situation as well. I applaud your efforts but as I told your classmate here, please refrain from engaging in future incidents,¡± he said, looking towards all of them, his eyes landing on Rose a little too long. Aura looked at him then Rose.


    It was so fast that I almost missed it. Rose remained quiet with her head down.


    ¡°Yes, sir, I will refrain from engaging in combat with the enemy unless it is authorized,¡± Josh responded.


    ¡°Suck up,¡± I coughed.


    He looked at me with a bewildered scowl before looking away.


    I squinted my eyes and examined his name tag.


    I don¡¯t know how I didn¡¯t notice until now. His name tag read, Sergeant Garner. He¡¯s either Rose¡¯s dad or family of some sort or just a coincidence but the way she acted made sense if it was her dad.


    He ran us through the usual. He asked for information about their magic and their faces. Aura did inform him that a man did escape. He asked me about how I was able to beat one of them that was classified at least a C level threat. He asked a lot more questions but I won¡¯t bore you with the details.


    After about 2 hours of answering his questions we were finally able to leave. The lights blinded us for a few seconds. Our parents sat in the office where they hugged us when they saw us. They began crying as they held onto their kids. My mom and dad hugged me too;my mom cried but my dad didn¡¯t.


    Come to think of it, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen Dad cry.


    I guess it¡¯ll take more than his ¡°son¡± dying to make him shed a tear.


    ¡°Are we done yet?¡± I said muffled as my face was pushed into my mom¡¯s shoulder. She retracted her arms.


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame us, we¡¯re just so happy you weren¡¯t hurt,¡± she said.


    ¡°Mom, did they not tell you anything?¡± I asked.


    She gave me a confused look. I told her about everything. Her face grew more and more visible with anger after each passing second to the point where she looked like she was going to explode if I told her anymore.


    She had set her sights onto the officers from the Magic Defense Force.


    ¡°WHY DID IT TAKE YOU GUYS SO LONG TO GET HERE?! HOW COULD YOU LET MY BABY GET HURT?! I¡¯LL SUE YOU FOR DAMAGES!¡±


    I grabbed her shoulders and started sliding her back into the office.


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s fine,¡± I said, trying to calm her down.


    ¡°HONEY, HOW AREN¡¯T YOU MAD?!¡± She said, in Dad¡¯s face.


    ¡°Our son is okay and they tried to get here in time,¡± He said, calmly.


    ¡°Ugh, I¡¯ll be outside,¡± She walked out the front door.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Dom,¡± Dad said, ¡°I know you¡¯re tired.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been a long day,¡± I replied.


    We returned home and I went to bed the moment my face touched my pillow.


    I slept peacefully throughout the night. I¡¯ve never had such a great sleep before.


    My alarm went off at 7:00 am. I did my usual and headed downstairs. I grabbed an apple and ate it before heading out.


    I walked out the front door.


    It was just me outside today. It felt weird.


    I was promptly teleported to the school without difficulty. I made my way over to Mr Willowsky¡¯s classroom where Aura already was.


    Rose showed up at the doorway; waving to both of us. She waltzed in and asked if it was alright if she could sit and talk with us. Mr Willowsky shook his head vertically. She walked over and grabbed a chair and sat down in between us.


    30 minutes flew by just as fast as they arrived as classmates started walking in; in awe that I was talking to such a beautiful girl.


    She got uncomfortable and said goodbye before walking out and heading to her class.


    Aura stared at me for a moment before speaking.


    ¡°Hey, I just want you to know that you were pretty badass yesterday,¡± She said to me.


    ¡°Was that a compliment?!¡± I asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t dwell on it,¡± she replied.


    I grabbed her shoulders and started shaking her.


    ¡°WHERE¡¯S AURA AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HER?!¡± I said, chuckling.


    ¡°I¡¯m still Aura, moron,¡± her facade cracking at the seams ever so slightly.


    ¡°ALRIGHTY CLASS! I DON¡¯T THINK WE SHOULD¡¯VE HAD SCHOOL TODAY BUT WE DID AND THAT¡¯S BECAUSE OF A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!¡± Mr. Willowsky shouted.


    We all groaned. It was too early for him to be shouting at the top of his lungs.


    The principal¡¯s voice boomed through the speakers in the hallways and in the classrooms, he began his announcement.


    ¡°Due to the unforeseen circumstances of an unknown enemy invading our precious school we have decided that in order for you guys to be safer, you will now be living on campus. We will be building dorms on the far side of the campus and we have discussed this with your parents. In order for you all to be safer, we will be installing better security systems, lockdown procedures have been handed to your homeroom teachers as well as emergency drills twice a month, and for those who need it, we will be setting up therapy. I know that young and aspiring students such as yourselves could be mentally drained and damaged from this whole ordeal. I hope you guys take care of each other and make sure you are all remaining safe. I wish you all a wonderful day,¡±


    ¡°I could¡¯ve sworn I watched a show with this same thing happening in it the other day,¡± Aura whispered to me.


    My mouth hung open.


    The halls were filled with yelling from the other classrooms.

 Ocean Eyes

    The school was closed for the next week due to that whole ordeal or just letting us spend time with our families before having to stay at the school.


    Honestly, I¡¯m glad for this break, between this and those two it¡¯s been hell on earth.


    Aura and Rose aren¡¯t actually that bad, I¡¯m just exaggerating.


    I never got to explore Wintermere just because of school and everything else in between.


    ¡°Hey, mom,¡± I said, putting on my jacket.


    ¡°Yes, honey?¡± She said, looking away from the blanket she was knitting.


    My mom¡¯s loved knitting since she was little. She knits whenever she¡¯s bored or stressed.


    ¡°Can I go out today?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, just make sure you call us every hour or so.¡±


    ¡°HEY, KIDDO, GRAB ME SOMETHING TO EAT!¡± Dad yelled from the garage.


    ¡°I¡¯LL TRY TO REMEMBER!¡± I yelled back at him.


    I grabbed my phone and wallet and walked out of the door. The snow capped mountains stood mighty in the distance as I grew closer to downtown Wintermere. Snow fell off of the roofs in bulk as the citizens talked about everything from the festival coming up to the recent attack on the school.


    I walked around the corner and the stalls¡¯ fragrant aroma intoxicated my nose. The vegetables were fresh as if they were just harvested from the fields while the meat was mouthwatering. I walked over and paid for a kabob. I bit into the meat. It was rich and savory, it was seasoned to perfection and it was the perfect texture. I savored it for as long as I could without eating the whole thing in one bite. I threw away the stick in a nearby trash can.


    In the plaza, there was a pastor vehemently speaking about the way of his religion, a large crowd had gathered around him to indulge themselves in the pastor¡¯s speech. I walked past them and headed for the new arcade that they had installed about 4 weeks ago. I had wanted to go when I got here but I was too busy for that. Now¡¯s the perfect chance.


    I was met by vibrant colors and loud kids. The purple and blue lights flashed as kids competed against one another on a dance mat (think DDR). I brought myself over to the first person shooting game with the guns mounted up on the machine.


    ¡°4 OMERAS TO PLAY!¡± The screen read.


    ¡°I¡¯ll play with you, Dom,¡± a familiar female voice said.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m alright, thank y- wait how do you know my name-¡° I cut myself off as I was met face to face with Aura and Rose and their parents.


    ¡°Aura? Rose? What are you guys doing here?¡± I asked them.


    ¡°Same thing as you. To play some games. We kinda saw you enjoying that meat over there,¡± Rose expressed.


    Aura started snickering behind her. I looked at her and started snickering too.


    ¡°Oh, grow up, you two,¡± Rose sighed.


    Aura and Rose¡¯s parents walked past them and held out their hands. I got up and shook them.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Dominick Blackburn, your daughters are lovely,¡± I said, attempting to make a good impression.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t too bad yourself, Blackburn,¡± Aura¡¯s dad responded. His voice was hoarse and deep.


    ¡°Aura¡¯s told us all about you,¡± Aura¡¯s mom walked closer to me, ¡°Don¡¯t break her heart!¡±


    Oddly enough, Aura didn¡¯t look like her parents at all.


    ¡°MOM!¡± Aura hit her mom on the arm.


    ¡°Oop, looks like I¡¯ve said too much,¡± she said, covering her mouth.


    Rose¡¯s parents came up to me now.


    ¡°It was so lovely to meet you. Rose never stops talking about you,¡± her mom spoke. She bent over and got closer to my ear, ¡°between us, she¡¯s told me about how awesome you were the other day when those bad guys came,¡± she stood back up and walked over next to her husband.


    ¡°Mom, what¡¯d you say to him?!¡± She said, grabbing her arm and shaking it.


    ¡°Well it¡¯s been lovely meeting you guys but I have some errands to run,¡± I said, grabbing my jacket off of the machine. I began to walk out when someone grabbed my jacket.


    ¡°Hey, our parents said we can hang out with you today,¡± Rose muttered.


    I looked over at them and they nodded.


    I shrugged.


    ¡°I guess you guys are with me then,¡± I replied.


    Their parents just wanted time to themselves so I understood.


    ¡°What are we doing?¡± Aura asked, walking next to Rose.


    ¡°I¡¯m just exploring,¡± I answered.


    ¡°You said you had errands,¡± Rose interrupted.


    ¡°That was to get away from you two,¡± I smiled at them.


    ¡°Rude. Well, we aren¡¯t that easy to get away from,¡± Rose responded, firmly.


    ¡°I see that,¡± I sighed and continued walking.


    For about 2 hours, we walked to the local shops that were lined up along the block ranging from delis to antique stores to a fortune teller? The food in Wintermere is delicious and the community, as a whole, is very nice.


    Rose and Aura would talk to some of the locals because everyone knows everyone here. It was nice seeing those two so carefree after what happened. We walked and talked for an hour after we explored. It turns out that my suspicions were right, Rose¡¯s dad was the General for the Magic Defense Force.


    Now, I get why she has all of that pressure on her.


    Aura¡¯s parents are business owners. They own a store here in Wintermere that sells and produces clothing, Aura also has that passion as she wears clothes that only she makes besides the school uniform. Listening to them talk about their hobbies and passions makes me feel like a boring person, all I do is stay home and sit around. I mean I do train but that¡¯s it.


    I felt a touch on my shoulder.


    ¡°You okay, Dominick?¡± Rose asked. Her ocean blue eyes stared into mine.


    I stared for a second too long.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. I just spaced out,¡± I responded, looking away from her.


    ¡°Well, there is a place me and Aura know of,¡± she looked at Aura.


    ¡°But that¡¯s OUR place¡­¡± Aura replied.


    ¡°But he¡¯s our friend,¡± Rose argued with her.


    Aura sighed.


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Aura didn¡¯t seem pleased.


    It took us another hour to get to where they wanted to take me. We arrived at an opening in front of the woods that engulfed the area.


    It was eerie.


    ¡°This is creepy,¡± I said, turning around.


    ¡°It does look creepy but I promise you it¡¯ll be worth it,¡± Rose pushed me forward into the opening.


    We walked down the dirt path that lay beneath us that stretched out for what seemed like miles.


    It did in fact stretch for miles.


    Rose and Aura talked to each other the whole time. I was too busy to engage in conversation. I was keeping an eye out at our surroundings. I guess all the fighting has been putting me on edge recently. I just wanted to relax today and now I have to walk for another hour down this path. I¡¯m not even sure why these two were so hell-bent on showing me this place.


    ¡°WE¡¯RE HERE!¡± Rose shouted, snapping me out of the trance I was in.


    ¡°Where exactly is here?¡± I asked.


    She pointed. I looked in the direction she pointed.


    It was a cave opening.


    ¡°Nope, no caves.¡± I put my arms up in an x. I twirled on my heels and started walking away.


    She grabbed me and looked me in the eyes. I felt like I was staring at the two beautiful sapphires.


    ¡°It¡¯s not dangerous, I promise,¡± She told me.


    All my worries and paranoia disappeared with those words.


    I followed them into the cave. The stalactites hung from the ceiling as the water dripping off of them made splashing noises. The stalagmites glistened as they reflected the sun¡¯s light off of them. We walked far enough after that for them to stop emanating a light as the sun wasn¡¯t visible to us anymore.


    ¡°Me and Aura drew those as kids,¡± she walked up next to me, pointing over to the wall.


    ¡°Yeah? Which one was yours?¡± I asked.


    She pointed to the more detailed art of what looked an older woman. She was facing forward with an unscrubitable expression; by that I mean a line for a mouth.


    I looked over to the art next to it. It was stick figures. A LOT of stick figures.


    ¡°Was that you, Aura?¡± I giggled.


    ¡°Was that a giggle?¡± Aura said, echoing throughout the cave.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± I cleared my throat, ¡°giggle,¡± I answered.


    We walked for 5 more minutes until we reached the waterfall. The walls of the cave were reflecting the water¡¯s bright blue iridescence off of them. The water was almost translucent, the water was so pure it seemed like it was made from liquid diamonds. Water droplets that fell from the cleft above created a beautiful rhythm as they made contact with the shallow pool that lay below. This beauty was a hidden gem that they only knew about.


    I stood there, letting it all soak in.


    ¡°Alright, Dominick, enough of that,¡± Rose grabbed me by the hand and dragged me right next to the waterfall.


    ¡°Look,¡± Aura said, appearing behind us.


    A crevice was exposed behind the pouring water.


    Rose entered with Aura following behind her.


    I stood in place. I¡¯m not scared of much but I don¡¯t trust small spaces.


    Aura came back around and stared at me,


    ¡°Stop being a baby,¡± she grabbed my hand and pulled me into the opening. She let go when she realized what she was doing. Aura is mean almost all the time but when she cares, she really cares. Rose always raves about how good of a person she is and I didn¡¯t believe her but I guess you just have to give her some time.


    The opening in the back was a small pond that emitted a small glow. The water hummed a melodic rhythm as it dropped from the ceiling into the pond. There was some sort of unique feel to it.


    I couldn¡¯t tell you if it was mana or not.


    ¡°Dom, check this out,¡± Aura walked over to the crystal and put her hand on it.


    She imbued it with mana. The crystal began to exude a rainbow pattern, causing it to mirror off of the wall. I was like a toddler at a candy shop today.


    Aura looked at me and smiled so fast I almost didn¡¯t see it.


    ¡°DOMINICK, LOOOOK!¡± Rose screams echoed as she jumped into the pond.


    ¡°ROSE, YOUR CLOTHES!¡± Aura yelled at her.


    ¡°IT¡¯S FINE, I BROUGHT SOME IN MY BAG!¡± Rose answered, shouting up towards us.


    ¡°DID YOU KNOW WE¡¯D COME HERE?!¡± Aura asked, yelling.


    ¡°I THOUGHT IT WOULD JUST BE ME AND DOM BUT YEAH!¡± Rose commented, throwing me a wink.


    Aura pretended to gag and we all laughed. I looked towards Rose and then back to Aura.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna jump in too,¡± I told Aura.


    ¡°What about your clothes?¡± Aura asked me.


    ¡°Can you use a wind spirit to dry me off?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°That¡¯s such a waste of mana but yeah,¡± She sighed but in the end she eventually relented.


    I walk to the other side of the pathway and sprinted to the ledge.


    ¡°ROSE, WATCH OUT!¡± I yelled at her.


    She was in the landing zone so I probably would¡¯ve squashed her if she didn¡¯t move.


    She looked up with wide eyes as my ass was right above her.


    She swam away at lightspeed.


    I landed in the pond, causing a giant splash. I looked at Rose. Her hair was soaked from the splash. She looked at me with her beautiful azure blue eyes and her hair that shone in the cave. She looked so beautiful right now but of course, I can¡¯t tell her that. She stared at me for a while and I stared right back at her. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on in her mind or in her heart but my heart began beating at what felt like 120 miles per hour.


    I splashed her with the water. She scoffed at me and started splashing me. It turned into a full-fledged splash war.


    ¡°WATCH OUT, LOVE BIRDS!¡± She cannonballed right where we were splashing each other. She splashed us with her jump, same as I did.


    Rose swam over to her and started splashing her. Aura didn¡¯t take that kindly. Aura swam over to her and started splashing her and splashing her and splashing her. Aura didn¡¯t break stride even once. She continued splashing her for about 5 minutes until she stopped because her arms got tired. They called a truce. We swam around talking about school life, home life, crushes, people we hate, our favorite teachers, all of that kind of stuff. It felt like I was finally living the life I wanted to live when I came here to Wintermere.


    ¡°You guys, thanks for bringing me here,¡± I said to Aura and Rose.


    ¡°Well, we did need to relax a little too but yeah, you¡¯re welcome,¡± Aura retorted.


    ¡°And now, you can come here whenever you need to relax,¡± Rose commented.


    ¡°I think I won¡¯t be back here for a while. That walk is too long for me to actually want to come here,¡± I responded.


    ¡°Understandable,¡± they said, in unison.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s almost dark out, we should probably get going,¡± Rose said.


    ¡°Yeah, probably,¡± I agreed.


    We grabbed our bags and the things we brought with us. Aura used her wind spirit magic on me and Rose, leaving Rose¡¯s extra clothes useless. We walked to the crevice and left the cave.


    I walked them to their houses. We dropped off Rose first because her house was on the way to the store. I still had to get Dad something to eat. Aura decided to come with me.


    ¡°My dad loves burgers,¡± Aura shared.


    ¡°My dad does too, the ones from Deli Burger especially,¡± I responded.


    ¡°Yeah, mine too, so why don¡¯t you get your dad a burger from there?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s on the other side of town, I don¡¯t have time for that.¡±


    ¡°Fair point,¡± She put her hands in pockets and walked in stride.


    We walked around in silence for 3 minutes, heading to the store that was conveniently nearby.


    I began to think about Rose.


    Today, I realized that I may have a small crush on her.


    ¡°Hey, Aura, do you guys go to that waterfall a lot?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°No. At least, I don¡¯t, it¡¯s too long of a walk and we¡¯re too busy to go together,¡± She responded, grabbing a chocolate bar for herself.


    I walked to the frozen food aisle and grabbed a frozen pizza for my Dad and a pint of ice cream for Mom.


    ¡°Your mom likes mint chocolate chip?¡± Aura asked me.


    ¡°My whole family loves it. Mom¡¯ll get mad if I don¡¯t grab her anything. She doesn¡¯t ask but I¡¯m pretty sure she knows that I¡¯m gonna get her something,¡± I replied.


    Aura became silent for a moment before asking me a question.


    ¡°You like Rose, don¡¯t you?¡±


    My eyes grew wide for a moment before regaining my composure.


    ¡°Huh? Where¡¯d you get that idea from?¡± I asked.


    ¡°From the way you stared at her today. Everything about you two makes it seem like you guys are totally in love. People have actually come up to me and asked me if you two are dating,¡± she stopped for a moment, debating if she wanted to say what she was going to next, ¡°don¡¯t break her heart. I know you¡¯re a cool guy and all and I hope that you continue to treat her the way you do right now. That, right there, is my best friend, if you ever break her heart¡­ I¡¯ll kill you myself, got it?¡±


    ¡°Got it but I don¡¯t think she likes me back,¡± I handed my stuff to the cashier.


    ¡°12 omeras,¡± The cashier groaned.


    I handed him the omeras and waited for Aura to purchase her chocolate bar. A minute later, we walked out of the store and began talking on the way to her house.


    ¡°I think she does. You gotta remember-¡± she took a bite out of her chocolate, ¡°I¡¯ve known her for years, she¡¯s never talked to anyone the way she talks to you. She¡¯s never given anyone the looks she gives you,¡± she looked down, ¡°I get why,¡± she murmured.


    ¡°What was that?¡± I asked her. She murmured it so I couldn¡¯t hear it.


    ¡°Oh, nothing.. My house is right up here on the right.¡±


    The sky was ash-black as the sidewalk was illuminated by the street lamps that hang from the poles on both sides of the roads. We walked up about 40 feet then arrived at her house. She walked up to the door. I remained on the sidewalk tile in front of the stairs on her porch.


    ¡°This is me. Thanks for today,¡± She held the door handle a bit long.


    She bit her lip and walked in. Her parents were standing there smiling and waving. I waved back to them and walked home.

 Feelings

    It''s been a week since me, Aura, and Rose went to the waterfall and had the chance to relax. I haven¡¯t seen those 2 since, today will be the first time in a week that I see them.


    Never a dull moment with them.


    I waved to Mom and Dad. This is the last time I¡¯ll see them for a while, unless we have weekend breaks or something.


    I walked out to the magic circle. I haven¡¯t seen the other students here since the day before the attack.


    Oh well.


    I waited for the teleporter to turn on, which it finally did. I met up with Aura at the entrance of Mr Willowsky¡¯s class in the line that formed in front of the door.


    All of the homerooms were lined up in the hallways vertically. Rose¡¯s homeroom stood next to ours. Aura ran out of the line and wrapped her arms around Rose and held her tightly, so tight it looked like she was going to pop her. It¡¯s funny seeing Aura act like that, she¡¯s usually so reserved and cold that you forget that she loves her friends as much as other people do, maybe even more. After Aura was done hugging Rose, she let her go and they started chatting. I looked over and noticed Rose watching me. Rose and I locked eyes and stared at each for a while. I shook my head and looked forward. Aura came back and stood behind me after they were done.


    ¡°Dom, you know what all this,¡± she stretches her arms out to show the other lines of students, ¡°is?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Is it about the dorms?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Now that you mention it, it probably is.¡±


    ¡°QUIET!¡± A short elderly woman shouted above everyone else.


    The halls went quiet as clacking grew closer and closer. A handsome man who wore a matte black suit towered over the elderly woman and a beautiful woman, who wore a purple dress with a black blazer, with long dark hair that poured down to her hips emerged from behind the woman as they walked forward with grace and elegance. Her heels and his loafers clack on the ground was the made their way forward.Their energy surged above everyone who stood in that hallway.


    Aura was getting goosebumps, as well as most of the other students.


    ¡°WELCOME BACK, STUDENTS!¡± The man¡¯s voice boomed throughout the hallways.


    He got an outstanding ovation from the teachers and students.


    ¡°As you all know, the dormitories were being constructed for the safety of all of the students in attendance at this academy. We asked for your homeroom teachers to line you all out here so the trip here wouldn¡¯t take as long as it would have if you remained in your classes. And due to the number of students in attendance, there will be 2 homerooms to a floor on each building. Please step forward when we call your homerooms,"he announced.


    ¡°I wonder who we¡¯ll be bunking with,¡± I inquired Aura.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± she responded, aloof.


    The next 10 minutes went by and classes left by the bulk. We were one of the last ones remaining and so was Rose¡¯s class. Aura and Rose have been talking this entire time. I twiddled my thumbs as there was nothing else to do.


    ¡°WILL MR. WILLOWSKY¡¯S CLASS AND MS. ALTERI¡¯S CLASS PLEASE STEP FORWARD?¡± The elderly woman shouted at the top of her lungs.


    All of us marched forward, as if we were a part of a battalion, as Rose¡¯s class moved in stride with us. Aura and I looked at Rose who looked at us. Those two, their faces lit up like a light as they realized our situation.


    The principal and assistant principal led us to the building that towered over us. We looked up as the beige building stood mighty.


    ¡°Boring color,¡± A student murmured.


    The principal turned around and faced us. He released a portion of his magical aura. The students started sweating.


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s so¡­ unique!¡± The student corrected himself as to get the principal to stop or he¡¯d probably shit his pants.


    ¡°The principal really doesn¡¯t take criticism well, does he?¡± Aura whispered to me.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like it,¡± I responded.


    We all walked in through the front door. He pointed us to the receptionist,


    ¡°You will all be given IDs later on. In order to enter the dorm area, you must present your ID to the receptionist. Boys will be on the left side while the girls will be on the right side of the buildings. Past this receptionist is the common room. Please follow me,¡± he continued walking.


    We walked into a room with velvet walls and abstract carpet. The pool table was in the middle of the room with a TV on the wall behind it. The TV played TWL, the Terrain War League, with the remote sitting on a shelf that was below the TV. There were brown leather couches on either side of the room. They had also installed arcade machines, air hockey, even a fridge with snacks that would get refilled every night after we were in our rooms for the night.


    ¡°As you can see, it¡¯s appearance and ¡®vibes¡¯ as you young folk like to say, match the energy similar to an arcade. This seemed to be the most comfortable thing for students such as all of you,¡± he beckoned for us to follow him to the door on the left side of the room.


    ¡°This door leads to your rooms, I will be showing the boys around while the assistant principal, Vice Principal Desena will be guiding the girls,¡± he pointed to her. We all walked in through the door and were met with long rows of doors on each side. We all walked behind the principal as Desena separated her class from ours by heading in the opposite direction.


    The principal walked us past the doors, showing us the nameplates beside each one.


    ¡°Fancy,¡± Josh walked up next to me and whispered to me.


    I jumped backwards with my hands ready in a fighting stance. I looked and saw Josh standing there.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just you,¡± I said, diffusing.


    ¡°At least you¡¯re quick..?¡± He said, confusedly.


    He began walking next to me and we chatted the entire time and we¡¯d stop whenever the principal turned around and looked at us.


    That is one scary ass dude.


    The tour itself was your standard tour, he showed us the inside of the rooms and he introduced to all of the staff on duty. He also pointed out that there were cameras that were watching us so no sneaking out after curfew.


    ¡°Any questions?¡± He flipped around and asked.


    Josh raised his hand.


    ¡°When is curfew?¡± He asked the obvious question.


    ¡°10:00 PM,¡± the principal replied.


    Groans emerged from the crowd.


    ¡°I think 10 is perfectly reasonable,¡± the principal reassured.


    He brought us back to the office where Vice Principal Desena had been waiting for us to return.


    ¡°That concludes your tour, please return to the class that you would be at during this time of the day,¡± Ms. Desena said in a monotone voice.


    Me, Rose, Aura, and Josh walked together behind the students that were with us on the tour.


    ¡°So how were the boys¡¯ dorms?¡± Rose asked me.


    ¡°They¡¯re really cool, I¡¯ve always had a really small cramped room with my older brother when we were younger so having more space is great,¡± I replied.


    ¡°The girls¡¯ dorms are the same way. I guess it¡¯ll all depend on how everyone decorates them,¡± Rose responded.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to paint it black, Rose,¡± Aura said to her.


    ¡°No, you aren¡¯t painting our room black,¡± Rose said, flicking her in the forehead.


    ¡°You guys are sharing a room?¡±


    We split up to let the group, which was walking towards us, get through.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s really lucky that we did because the only other people I talk to are you and sometimes Josh,¡± Rose replied.


    I found that hard to believe just because of how beautiful she is.


    I shook my head to clear my head of those thoughts.


    ¡°Are you all good?¡± Josh looked at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, thanks man,¡± I answered.


    ¡°No problem,¡± he went back to talking to those two.


    We walked to Josh and Rose¡¯s homeroom first which was Magic Gardening. Josh tried to make conversation with Aura but she wouldn¡¯t answer him. He gave up on that endeavor and went back to talking to me while Rose and Aura talked the entire way there as well.


    After a few minutes, we arrived at their class.


    ¡°This is us,¡± Josh announced.


    ¡°Nice of you to let the whole school know, Josh,¡± I told him, as his voice literally echoed throughout the hallway.


    ¡°Anytime, Dom,¡± I sighed as he finished that sentence.


    He held out his fist. I bumped my fist against his.


    ¡°Later, guys,¡± Rose said.


    Aura and I began to leave.


    ¡°Hey, Dom,¡± Aura said, questioningly.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I responded.


    ¡°Why do you like that Josh guy?¡±


    ¡°He helped us out a lot, don¡¯t you remember?¡±


    ¡°I remember but we barely know him, like I just have this bad feeling from him. We need to be careful with him,¡± She said, holding a serious expression and a serious tone.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you think,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Oh, look, there¡¯s the library, that means that our class is just around the-¡± I was cut off as I felt someone lock their arms around me.


    I turned my body around to see Rose¡¯s scarlet hair facing down as she held me.


    I looked at Aura who wore the same shocked and confused expression as me. I pointed at her and mouthed to Aura,


    ¡°What is going on?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea,¡± She mouthed back.


    Rose looked up at me. I never noticed it before but she has freckles that are hardly


    noticeable. I was mesmerized by her sapphire eyes. As if instinct, I wrapped my arms around her and held onto her too. She tugged a little tighter as if she was waiting for this. We stayed there in each other¡¯s embrace for a good 2 minutes until Aura cleared her throat.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Rose jumped back.


    ¡°Yeah..¡± I slowly let her go.


    ¡°Um¡­ bye!¡± Rose said, nervous. She gave me the most sincere smile I¡¯ve ever seen in my life before she took off.


    I turned to Aura.


    ¡°Aura, what in the actual hell was that?¡± I turned to her, expressing my surprise.


    ¡°No idea¡­¡± she said, mouth agape.


    ¡°Ok, um.. So we should just go..¡± I put my hands in my pockets and walked ahead of her.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be there soon. Tell the teacher I¡¯m going to the bathroom,¡± she said.


    I held out a thumbs up and walked away. It took a few minutes longer until Aura returned back to class. Mr. Wilowsky glared at her as she ignored his stares.


    He sighed and returned back to his lecture about how magics¡¯ uses have changed throughout the years.


    The class trudged on for what felt like forever until the bell blessed our ears with the sweet opportunity to depart from this boredom. We grabbed our things and left.


    We met up with Rose as we headed to our next class.


    I couldn¡¯t even look her in the eyes as shivers kept going down my spine every time our eyes met.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna go,¡± I hurried down the hall towards Magic Rituals. Eventually, I made my way into the classroom and sat my bag down on the table. I laid my head down and fell to sleep.


    ¡°Dominick.¡±


    I looked around. A darkness enveloped my field of vision as if they were some sort of impenetrable curtain surrounding me in nothing but the empty void. I couldn¡¯t find a person, much less the source of the voice that uttered my name.


    ¡°You will not find me no matter how hard you look,¡± the voice responded.


    ¡°What?¡± I looked around, confusedly.


    ¡°Something¡¯s coming. As you are now, you are not strong enough, everyone will die. You must become stronger before he- ¡± The voice was cut short by someone else.


    ¡°DOMINICK!¡± Ms. Quinn smacked her ruler on the table.


    ¡°Huh?¡± I jolted upright. I turned my head side to side to see every student staring at me.


    I stared at Ms. Quinn.


    ¡°Huh?¡± I yawned.


    Ms. Quinn sneered at me before walking away.


    ¡°As I was saying..¡±


    The rest of the class was a blur. I was too focused on the voice that I heard. I never got to hear who or what was threatening us. Do I really need to get stronger? What could it be-


    THUNK


    Aura moved forward as I bumped into her. Rose glanced between the two of us.


    ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going,¡± She turned around and all of the anger washed away as our eyes met.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just you. Pay attention,¡± she said before walking back next to Rose.


    ¡°I just wish this day would end,¡± I grumbled.


    ¡°I, for one, can wait!¡± Rose uttered, excitedly.


    Me and Aura stared at her in disgust.


    ¡°You guys didn¡¯t hear? We¡¯ll be training with Adventurers today in the gym instead of going to the Training Facility. I hear they¡¯ll be at least B-Rank adventurers,¡± she added.


    ¡°Adventurers?¡± I asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what adventurers are?¡± Aura replied.


    ¡°Where I grew up, we didn¡¯t have ¡°adventurers¡±. It was a town in the middle of nowhere.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense. Adventurers are people who are employed by the Adventurer¡¯s Guild in Silverkeep and they accept quests that are assigned a letter based on the difficulty of the quest. The scale goes from F-S, with very few people actually being able to complete an S-Rank quest,¡± Rose took over for Aura.


    ¡°You¡¯re passionate about adventurers, huh?¡± I asked, curious.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to be an adventurer ever since I met a few when I was little,¡± Rose had a faraway expression on her face.


    ¡°What about you, Aura?¡± At this point, we began walking to our classes while talking.


    ¡°I mean the pay is nice but I don¡¯t think I¡¯d make a good adventurer,¡± She answered.


    ¡°You both would make great adventurers. I guess we didn¡¯t have any in Wenrich cause we didn¡¯t have the funds,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Maybe, anyways, we¡¯ll be heading off here,¡± Rose said, her and Aura branching into the Magic Development department.


    Now I was excited to meet these adventurers.


    For Counter Spellcasting, I actually was able to pay attention to the information we learned in them but like always, nothing too special to tell you guys about.  The bell rang and I was the first one out of the door, running straight for the courtyard.


    ¡°Dom! We¡¯re over here!¡± Rose and Aura exclaimed. I ran straight past them heading to the vendors for my fresh slice of pizza.


    They stared at me, dumbstruck.


    I grabbed two slices of pizza cause me and the lunch lady were tight like that. I walked over to the table that those two were sitting at.


    ¡°That was rude,¡± Rose said, staring at me.


    ¡°Pizza,¡± I said, munching away.


    ¡°Great answer,¡± Rose replied before turning back to Aura.


    ¡°Anyways, aren¡¯t you guys excited about meeting these adventurers?¡± Rose continued her conversation that she was having earlier before class.


    ¡°Not really,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Why not? Aren¡¯t you interested in learning about what they do?¡± She said, getting awfully close to my face.


    ¡°Could you not be in my face while I¡¯m eating?¡± I asked her politely.


    She backed up, blushing.


    ¡°I¡¯m not really interested either. My dad wants me to join the family adventuring business but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to,¡± Aura informed us.


    ¡°Wait, your dad¡¯s an adventurer?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yeah, so are my brothers and my mom,¡± She explained.


    ¡°Well they were. As you know, we own a clothing store now,¡± she clarified.


    ¡°Woah. I¡¯m tired of saying the word ¡°adventurer¡± though so can we stop?¡± I said.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m tired of hearing it too,¡± Aura grabbed her drink and took a sip.


    ¡°Hey, Dom, we got Alchemy next, right?¡± Rose looked at me and asked.


    ¡°We?¡± I said, eyes wide with pizza hanging on by a thread of cheese.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m in your alchemy class. I switched yesterday since yesterday was the last day we could and it turns out a spot opened up in Mrs. Mera¡¯s class.¡±


    Aura looked at me and started chuckling.


    ¡°Yeah,  I¡¯ll show you where to go when we¡¯re done with lunch.¡±


    The rest of lunch carried on without a hitch, mostly talking about the things we¡¯ve done for class and those two gossiped throughout the entirety of lunch.


    I led Rose to the Alchemy class after the lunch bell rang. She stood close to me the entire way there.


    I might be overthinking but I think she¡¯s been getting really close recently. I¡¯m not even gonna think about that right now.


    Mrs. Mera introduced her to the new class and sat her down in the back 3 seats away from me. Rose seemed to be interested in the Alchemy lessons. She paid attention and jotted down notes in the smoothest handwriting I¡¯ve ever laid my eyes on.


    After an hour and a half of literally nothing but notes and sleeping, the bell woke me up with its thunderous ringing.


    ¡°FINALLY, LET¡¯S GO!¡± Rose grabbed my hand in a fit of excitement.


    I cleared my throat.


    ¡°Oh, sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to do that,¡± She said, bashfully.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok, let¡¯s get going,¡± I responded.


    We walked to the gym instead of going to Training today, because the special lesson with the adventurers was happening soon. It was more of an assembly than a lesson. At least 200 hundred students gathered in the gymnasium for it. Me and Rose found Aura and sat down. Josh joined us shortly after and sat to the right of me, next to Aura.


    ¡°WELCOME, STUDENTS!¡± The principal¡¯s voiced sonorous voice boomed through the speakers as he spoke into the microphone.


    He was met by mostly silence except for the few that clapped.


    ¡°I SAID, WELCOME STUDENTS!!!¡± His voice grew louder.


    Everyone else began clapping.


    ¡°Now today is a very special day for you guys, we have special guests and they¡¯re here to share with you all the secrets to becoming an adventurer. I, myself, was this,¡± he pinched his fingers close together, ¡°to becoming an adventurer until I found that my true calling was in the educational setting rather than a combat one. Now without further ado, please welcome Glen the Vicious,¡±


    On cue, a large man with a somewhere in between bronze and pale skin tone, well built, spiky hair, and wore a vest with camo pants and a large sword attached to his back walks in, rattling the floor with every movement.


    ¡°And Vene the Shadow,¡±


    A smaller woman strutted onto the stage. She stood at what looked to be about 5 feet even and had a small build compared to the giant that towered over here. She had medium length hair that she had parted to the side, its royal blue shading glistening under the lights that lit up the gym. A few guys whistled as she walked in but nothing too serious.


    She blew out some kisses before standing on the other side of the principal.


    ¡°Thank you all for having us here!¡± Vene proclaimed into the microphone.


    ¡°Today, we¡¯re here to talk to you about the risk and reward of adventuring, you¡¯ll be able to speak with us after the assembly today if you wish to participate,¡± Vene continued.


    ¡°Adventuring may sound fun but it¡¯s all about staying safe. Glen and I constantly stick together because he covers the weaknesses I have and I cover his. I don¡¯t know where¡¯d I be without this oaf,¡± she paused as some laughter slipped out, ¡°so it¡¯s important to have a partner that you trust or someone who¡¯s a great counterpart to your skillset.¡±


    She continued on with the ins and outs of being an adventurer and how to remain safe in this line of work although it is VERY dangerous and it may not be for everyone.


    ¡°This sounds like a lot of fun,¡± I turned towards Aura and Rose.


    ¡°Really? I think it sounds like a hassle,¡± Aura responded.


    ¡°I¡¯m kind of split,¡± Rose chimed in.


    ¡°YOU THREE! WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE WHAT YOU¡¯RE TALKING ABOUT TO THE REST OF US?¡± Glen¡¯s voice boomed.


    Josh never added anything into the conversation.


    I looked at Aura, Rose, and Josh. They wore the same confused expression as I did.


    ¡°Us?¡± I pointed at myself.


    ¡°Yes, all 3 of you,¡± he replied.


    ¡°No, not really,¡± I answered, holding his gaze.


    ¡°OH REALLY?!¡± He was getting livid at this point.


    I¡¯m not really too sure what his problem was.


    ¡°Alright, Glen, calm down and head to the back,¡± Vene pushed him away from the stage.


    Glen held eye contact with me before eventually walking away.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that, guys. He¡¯s very passionate about adventuring,¡± Vene added.


    An hour later, the assembly ended, wrapping up a strange turn of events when an adventurer almost assaulted a student.


    Anger issues.


    Our group of 4 walked back to the dorms, talking about Glen.


    ¡°YOU.¡±


    Speak of the devil.


    ¡°Sir Glen? What are you doing out here?¡± Josh walked towards him. Glen brought his fist back and slugged him right in the stomach. He came up about a solid 5 feet off the ground, he coughed out his saliva and fell onto the ground, going unconscious right on impact with the concrete.


    ¡°What the hell is your problem?!¡± Aura yelled.


    He ran towards her in a fit of rage. I jumped in between them and shielded her from his fist.


    ¡°GRAB JOSH AND GET VENE! NOW!¡± I yelled as Glen¡¯s fist was shaking trying to make it past my defenses.


    ¡°GOT IT!¡± Aura and Rose grabbed Josh and ran out of there as fast as they could, being hindered by his unconscious body.


    ¡°You will not make a fool out of me, boy,¡± Glen unsheathed his sword and held it out in front of him.


    I wish we could¡¯ve resolved this peacefully.

 Insecure

    Glen unsheathed his sword and lowered it to be parallel with his stomach, mind you this was a giant two handed sword.


    A grown man¡¯s pride is hurt by a couple of kids talking during his oh so precious assembly.


    As these thoughts were swirling in my head, Glen¡¯s foot cracked the pavement underneath him as he dashed forward. I couldn¡¯t use my trump card as it would actually break everything around us and probably hurt innocent students. I rolled around him and his wild swings. He had no technique, he was a brute who relied solely on his strength.


    ¡°ARE YOU JUST GONNA DODGE OR ARE YOU GOING TO FIGHT ME LIKE A MAN?!¡± He shouted.


    Many others had gathered around to watch the spectacle.


    It¡¯s like he didn¡¯t even realize that we were being watched.


    He gathered his sword and prepared to charge once more.


    ¡°Are you serious? All of this over us talking? What¡¯s your problem?¡± I asked him, prepping my evasive maneuvers.


    I weaved to the left as he charged once again like a bull seeing red. He used his momentum and shifted his sword to the left, grazing my chest, cutting my shirt in half.


    ¡°THAT COULD¡¯VE KILLED ME!¡± I swerved to face him; hands balled up in fists.


    He was basically unreachable at this point, his sole focus was to hurt me.


    This is just ridiculous.


    The students were cheering and whistling rather than getting some help.


    ¡°HELLO! ANYONE HERE?!¡± Aura and I had dropped Josh off at the infirmary and


    reached the office.


    The receptionist looked at us with a confused look.


    ¡°You need an appointment to speak with the principal,¡± she stated.


    ¡°This is a bit of an emergency..¡± I replied.


    ¡°Well, right now he¡¯s discussing something with an important guest, so I¡¯m sorry but it will have to wait.¡±


    Aura rushed back there without hesitation.


    I looked at the receptionist and bolted behind Aura.


    She began barging on the door.


    ¡°PRINCIPAL, WE NEED YOUUUU!¡± She genuinely did not care what was going on in there and continued knocking.


    Finally, someone opened the door. It was the principal with Vene sitting in a chair on the opposite side of the principal¡¯s office.


    She looked at us like we were crazy. The principal excused himself as he shut the door behind him.


    ¡°Now, young lady, that was very rude-¡±


    ¡°THAT ADVENTURER GUY,¡±


    ¡°Glen,¡± I corrected her as she continued shouting.


    ¡°ATTACKED JOSH. DOMINICK IS FIGHTING HIM RIGHT NOW BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP!¡± Aura yelled, cutting off the principal. Apparently it was loud enough because Vene exited the office with a panicked look across her face.


    ¡°That moron said he needed to go to the bathroom,¡± She said, exasperated.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a joking matter, Vene, does Glen have prior cases as such?¡± he asked, turning to face Vene.


    ¡°He has some anger issues. He went to rehab and all was going well. I guess it didn¡¯t work as well as we thought it did,¡± Vene answered, ¡°Nothing to this degree though, I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d attack a child,¡± she let out a long breath as if something like this was in the cards to happen.


    ¡°Students, where is this going on?¡± He turned back to face us.


    ¡°Outside of the dorms,¡± we said in unison.


    Aura, Vene, and I ran alongside the principal who was weirdly fast despite being restricted in a tight suit.


    ¡°Hold out for a little longer, Dominick,¡± I muttered to myself.


    I managed to connect one of the blows on Glen as he retaliated with a blow of his own. My ribs and my lungs were on fire.


    I¡¯ve never had to fight someone so talented in hand to hand combat.


    His sword laid across the courtyard. If he was used to fighting hand to hand, this fight would¡¯ve probably been over by now. His eyes turned red from the blood that had seeped into his eyeballs, his face was also covered by his blood and some of mine.


    I can¡¯t say that I look much better than he does.


    I¡¯m covered in blood.


    I¡¯m tired. I can barely move my body.


    We¡¯re both gasping for air. We look pathetic.


    I ran towards him and punched him as hard as my body would let me. He spit out the blood in his mouth and hunched over. I swung my leg, going for a kick in his ugly face, he grabbed me and threw me to the ground.


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    He got up and ran over to his sword.


    He picked it up and dragged it on the ground as I struggled to get up. The metal grinded against the ground, leaving a trail of sparks behind it. His mouth contorted into a wicked grin. His eyes were a scarlet red as they stared at me deep beyond my eyes.


    I wiped the blood that dripped from my eyes and stood up.


    I wasn¡¯t going to go down without putting up a fight. That¡¯s when I realized.


    He threw his sword at me while he bolted forward. I easily evaded the sword. He was right there where I dodged.


    ¡°What-¡±


    His fist landed into my stomach.


    I let out a sharp, wheezing gasp as I struggled to breathe. I screamed as the pain radiated throughout my entire body, a metallic taste rose up to my mouth. I doubled over; holding my stomach as the concrete got covered in blood.


    I¡¯ve never felt pain like this before.


    The students all wore worried expressions on their faces now.


    There¡¯s too many people here to use my magic.


    He kept pummeling me while I grasped at the air that was leaving my lungs.


    With the last punch, my mind went black. I couldn¡¯t see or hear anything.


    Was this really all that I was meant to be? Wasn¡¯t I supposed to do more?


    I drifted further and further into the depths of my mind as I faded out of consciousness.


    ¡°That was pathetic, Dominick. The power you hold inside of you, you aren¡¯t worthy of it. The power inside of you is nothing more than extraordinary. The depths of this power go unnoticed as you continue to be weak and use it in the only way you know how. You must grow strong in order to protect the things you love, the ones you love. Look at you,¡± The voice changed the black void into the outside world.


    Glen was standing over me, triumphantly.


    ¡°THIS IS NOT YOU ARE! YOU ARE MUCH MORE THAN YOU REALIZE! NOW WAKE UP!¡±


    A thunderous boom reverberated as the sky began to turn dark. Students began looking around, shocked and confused as the aura in the sky began to feel eerie.


    Rose and Aura had just arrived at the gloomy scene of my body strewn across the ground, defeated underneath Glen.


    I couldn¡¯t control myself. My body rose on its own as if I were a puppet. My eyes whited over my pupils, causing them to disappear completely.


    Glen had already jumped backwards to the other side of the courtyard before anyone else knew what was going on.


    Those adventurers¡¯ instincts can¡¯t be beat.


    Unless you¡¯re me.


    I walked forward, almost instantly I reached Glen. The height difference caused me to be at his chin. I looked up at him, my breath settling on his chin. His legs began to shake as he drew his sword once more. He swung it down on me. It broke upon contact when it hit my head. I lifted a finger and flicked him. He soared backwards into the wall, causing a human shaped crater to take form into the concrete wall. He was unconscious as my body began to move again on its own.


    It was attracted to whoever was the strongest.


    That was when the Principal walked through the door leading to the courtyard.


    In an instant, I dashed towards him in a heartbeat. The principal stared at me before I punched him. A large gust of wind blew everyone back except for the principal who stood there, still staring.


    He summoned a few fireballs and sent them towards me at frightening speed. I dodged most of them, one made contact with my skin, leaving a blistering pain where it hit. The principal took a stride towards me, closing the distance in less than a second.


    He swung his leg back and kicked my calf, causing my body to fall. He proceeded to put me in a chokehold until I was rendered unconscious once more.


    ¡°Nothing to see here, students,¡± he said, grabbing my body and tossing it over his shoulder and dashing away.


    Everyone stared, mouths agape.


    Rose, Aura, and Vene were left there stunned after all of the destruction that was in the courtyard. They eventually followed the principal to the infirmary where he laid me across the bed and sat in the chair next to me. Aura and Rose stayed behind with the principal and I while Vene helped the Magic Defense Force with Glen.


    He would never be an adventurer again.


    My eyes were groggy as I was able to finally be able to fully open them to see a burly figure. The Principal stood on one side of the bed while Aura and Rose remained on the other side.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake now? Good,¡± the Principal left the room.


    ¡°Dom, what the hell was that?¡± Aura said directly in my face.


    ¡°What was what?¡± I answered, confused.


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± Aura asked.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t, was it bad?¡± I answered, worriedly.


    ¡°WAS IT BAD? YOU BET YOUR ASS IT WAS-¡± Rose covered Aura¡¯s mouth before she could spit out anymore.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that bad, she¡¯s just exaggerating. Glen beat you and the principal was able to subdue him. We brought you here,¡± Rose explained.


    ¡°Huh. Feels like something¡¯s missing. Well, did anyone get hurt?¡±


    ¡°Nobody but you and Glen,¡± the Principal walked in with the school nurse.


    ¡°Girls, we need to leave so Nurse Mian can perform the final evaluation before he¡¯s able to be discharged,¡± he ushered them out. He looked at me with a serious expression before exiting himself.


    Nurse Mian asked me a few questions and did her examinations to make sure there were no more injuries. I couldn¡¯t help but smile stupidly as she rolled her eyes to every single one of my answers.


    She scolded me for being so stupid as to fight someone with his experience and his skills.


    I guess I wasn¡¯t as strong as I thought I was. I was barely able to keep them safe, if it wasn¡¯t for the principal then who knows what Glen would¡¯ve done. This whole situation really put in perspective of how weak and powerless I was when compared to someone of his caliber.


    Eventually Rose and Aura would come back after Nurse Mian finished her examination.


    They explained everything in detail to me.


    ¡°It seems like trouble follows you,¡± Rose sighed.


    ¡°You¡¯re not far off,¡± I answered her, groaning.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Rose said, pushing me back down onto the bed.


    ¡°I¡¯m going back to my room,¡± I stood back up and grabbed my clothes and went to the bathroom to change out of this hospital gown.


    ¡°If you say so,¡± Aura replied, sounding conflicted.


    I walked to my room from the infirmary. I opened the door and closed it behind me.


    I laid down on my bed.


    I began questioning what happened. Questioning whether or not this was the extent of my power.


    I want to be stronger.


    I¡¯m too tired to think about this. I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep.

 Enchantopia

    The next few days were all a blur, coming and going in an instant.


    I couldn¡¯t really remember anything else and I haven¡¯t been able to get any details out of anyone about what happened with Glen and that whole situation that went down.


    Oh well. I¡¯m not really too worried about it at this point in time but there is this festival kind of thing I¡¯ve been hearing about called Enchantopia. I¡¯ve heard of the name but that¡¯s about it.


    My childhood wasn¡¯t the best.


    ¡°Hey, Aura,¡± I turned to my left and she was sitting there with her head down, her back heaving up and down as she slept like she was in her room.


    I poked her in the side and she jolted up.


    ¡°What the hell, dude?¡± She said, eyes barely opened.


    ¡°I wanna know more about Enchantopia,¡± I told her.


    ¡°What? I thought everyone knew about it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m from way out, it never really got talked about out there.¡±


    ¡°Alright so Enchantopia is like a sports festival. Most of the contests or games there are things like Capture The Flag, Terrain War, things like that. That¡¯s not what everyone looks for though, the highlight of the night are the Duels which is, well, a duel between one student and another. And uh¡­ most games are scored off of points and the criteria for each one is very different so that¡¯ll be explained at Enchantopia but that¡¯s about it. I¡¯m going back to sleep,¡± she yawned and laid her head back down, this time she was snoring louder than earlier.


    ¡°It¡¯s also between different schools,¡± a girl turned around and added before turning back around.


    She smiled before turning back around to listen to the lecture.


    After hearing about Enchantopia, I was visibly excited. All I knew was that it was growing closer.


    This whole school year has been a massive shitshow, at least I made some cool friends.


    The bell rang.


    Aura and I met up with Rose and continued on to our classes.


    ¡°So guys, when is Enchantopia?¡± I asked them.


    ¡°Huh? Enchantopia¡¯s in like two days? You didn¡¯t know?¡± Rose answered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how many times I have to say this..¡±


    ¡°That you¡¯re not from around here?¡± Aura scooted in between us.


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°But EVERYONE knows about it, it¡¯s a little strange that you don¡¯t.¡±


    While it was certainly strange, my old family wasn¡¯t exactly up to date on events that happened in the real world as we struggled to even survive for the longest time. I guess it must¡¯ve slipped Mom and Dad¡¯s mind though to tell me about it.


    Mom and Dad, my REAL parents, had a defective son who showed no real signs of developing any mana or any magic at all.


    I don¡¯t blame them for leaving me.


    Oh, that¡¯s right, you didn¡¯t know that. I¡¯m adopted. The parents that I live with right now are my adoptive parents. My biological parents were abusive, cruel, harsh, they blamed me for what¡¯s wrong with their lives.


    They loved me one moment then abused me the next. Eventually, I managed to run away from that life and made it to the local Police Station. They took one look at my black eye, my malnourished body, my pale skin, greasy hair, and the odor wafted in alongside me.


    They asked me where my parents lived and I took them there. The police walked down into the basement and saw chains and a bowl of dog food. The police wrapped the cuffs around their wrists but the thing that struck me was that they seemed happy. They seemed happy to be away from me.


    They treated me like an animal and I never want to be in that situation ever again.


    ¡°Earth to Dominick!¡± Rose waved her hands in front of me while she leaned her head in front of mine.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± I asked.


    Her azure eyes held me in a trance as she continued staring at me.


    ¡°We asked if you¡¯re participating,¡± Aura said, walking in front of us.


    ¡°Of course I am,¡± I replied, enthusiastically.


    ¡°See, Aura, I told you,¡± Rose said, running up next to Aura.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m still not going to. I will cheer you guys on from the crowd though.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so mean.¡±


    The next day flew by and suddenly, it was the day of Enchantopia. I was a little nervous as we walked into the school. The bulletin board had been posted for sign up. There was a side note.


    ¡°NOTE: IF YOU SIGN UP, PLEASE HEAD TO THE GYM¡±


    We were the first ones here. We signed our names on it and went on our way. The crowd behind us began running, much like a stampede.


    We ran out of there too before we got trampled to death.


    ¡°Peace, Aura,¡± I said to Aura.


    ¡°Bye, Aura!¡± Rose shouted then proceeded to run over and hug her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lose,¡± she gave us these parting words as she headed to her class.


    ¡°How¡¯s Aura gonna come see us if classes are still going on?¡± I asked Rose.


    ¡°They¡¯re going to be gathered into busses and they¡¯ll be in the section reserved for


    Lixarts Academy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so like a field trip?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head over to the gym.¡±


    We made our way over to the gym to be met up with a cluster of teachers and the Vice Principal.


    ¡°You must be Rose?¡± A woman called over to her. The woman looked to be in about her


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    20s, she wore high heels that clacked on the ground as she made her way over here. She had long brunette hair that reached the crevice of her onyx black dress. Her eyes were that of a hazel complexion. She was a very beautiful woman by all standards.


    ¡°Who are you? I¡¯m sorry if that came out rude,¡± she apologized.


    ¡°No worries, I¡¯m Ms. Baxter, I taught your mom in highschool,¡± she responded.


    So she¡¯s in her 40s, wow.


    ¡°You taught her?¡±


    She chuckled, understanding the situation.


    ¡°I¡¯m older than I look, Rose, I talk with your mom from time to time. I was hoping to have the honor of teaching you but I guess not. Maybe next year,¡± she stared at Rose, ¡°you look just like her.¡±


    She walked away after that statement.


    Me and Rose looked at each other, confused.


    ¡°PLEASE SEPARATE INTO THE EVENTS YOU WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN BY ALPHABETICAL ORDER! THANK YOU!¡±


    All of the students started shuffling around into their respective groups.


    Obviously, we¡¯re more than welcome to participate in more than one event but whichever events come first are the ones you lined up with. Let¡¯s say, for example, you signed up for Terrain War and Capture the Flag, you¡¯d be going to the CTF group because that event is before Terrain War. Understand?


    ¡°Dom!¡±


    I looked behind me and saw Josh lined up in the 1v1 group beside me. I moved to the back of the line next to him.


    ¡°What¡¯s up, Josh?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much, I¡¯m just here cause my parents forced me to,¡± he sighed.


    ¡°What about you?¡± He inquired.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just something I felt like I needed to do,¡± I said, staring off.


    ¡°Make yourself known and all that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess so.¡±


    ¡°I respect it.¡±


    After waiting for forever, the faculty led us outside to the lines of buses that waited outside. There were a lot of us coming along but this is kinda overboard. We were led onto our bus and seated in our assigned seating which they decided just by pairing two people, the one in front and the one behind them in the line which means Josh and I sat next to each other.


    ¡°So what about your ability? I thought you wanted to keep that hidden?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not too worried about it since I¡¯m pretty sure the Shadows know about it anyway so there¡¯s no point in hiding it,¡± I responded.


    ¡°Yeah but what if they don¡¯t? Cause didn¡¯t you guys kill all of the ones who attacked you guys?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, I guess I probably shouldn¡¯t then.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s probably for the best.¡±


    The students behind us grew louder as we drove down the road. I put my head against the window and fell asleep.


    ¡°Dominick, please be careful,¡± a familiar voice muttered.


    It sounded like Aura.


    When did she say that?


    I jolted awake in the middle of my thought process by Josh shaking me around.


    ¡°We¡¯re here. Looked like you were having a nice dream.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the best,¡± I said, sarcastically.


    We followed behind the teacher and students in a line, surrounded by large groups of other students from other schools. The arena stood like a giant, towering over the rest of the buildings. You could hear the people screaming from out here at the parking lot. The aroma of various foods filled my nostrils as we walked past the vendors to get to the entrance.


    We stopped as our teacher put up her hand to signal us to stop. A person in a bright yellow vest stopped us.


    ¡°Class?¡± He asked, firmly.


    ¡°Lixarts Academy, First Year Class,¡± she handed him a piece of paper.


    He flipped it around, inspecting it thoroughly.


    ¡°Right this way.¡±


    He led us over to a locker room. We sat down and waited as they filled out name tags and handed them to us.


    ¡°Mrs. Elles, how long will this take?¡± A student asked.


    ¡°Well that would depend on which event you chose.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Another student added.


    ¡°The events all have different times, look at the paper I¡¯m about to give you.¡± Mrs Elles handed them out to all of the students present.


    Enchantopia is 3 days long? Seriously?


    ¡°Why are the breaks longer on Day 1 and 2 than Day 3?¡± A student had their hand raised, asking Ms Elles.


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure, I think they said it had something to do with the time restrictions. Everyone will most likely show up later during Day 2 and the entire day 3 for the duos and singles bracket, the 2v2s have more people participating, because, well you know why,¡± she held up 2 fingers on her one hand and 1 on the other.


    ¡°Good thing I¡¯m not in the singles one,¡± a group of students started murmuring behind me.


    Josh walked up to me. He tapped me on the shoulder.


    ¡°You hear that the singles tourney is gonna be a lot harder this year?¡± He asked me.


    ¡°Dude, I haven¡¯t heard anything about Enchantopia until a few days ago,¡± I responded.


    ¡°Where have you been your whole life?¡±


    I looked up to the ceiling; the world of the past pouring into my brain.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I said to him before sitting down.


    All of the classes gathered in the hallways and our teachers gave us a pep talk.


    My heart started beating faster as the nervousness started to settle in or was it excitement?


    I wasn¡¯t too sure. Probably both.


    Mrs Elles concluded her really short pep talk and sent us out there. The light blinded all of us for a second. Once our eyes got adjusted, it was a lot. Confetti flew in from the sky, as the jumbotron zoomed in on us leaving the tunnel. The stands were completely filled.


    I couldn¡¯t see an empty seat anywhere. We all walked forward to the middle of the stadium.


    ¡°LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ARE YOU READY FOR ENCHANTOPIA?!¡± A loud man shouted from the booth at the top of the stadium.


    A cheer, so loud I had to cover up my ears, erupted from the crowd. Everyone of the students looked around, some in awe and some in fear.


    Honestly, I¡¯ve never been around this many people before. My eyes darted around and they landed on my parents, Aura, and Aura¡¯s parents cheering next to each other. My eyes locked with Aura¡¯s for a second too long, she smiled and gave me a thumbs up. My heart started beating faster, butterflies filled my stomach. I shook my head and focused on the task at hand. I put my hands behind me, against the bottom of my back and faced forward. Josh, who stood next to me, was already doing that.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you excited?¡± Rose tapped my shoulder.


    ¡°Honestly, no,¡± I answered.


    The announcer continued to explain the rules and the rest of the students were in a mixed state of awe and anxiety.  He pointed towards the jumbotron which had a detailed layout of the events for the 2 days that were filled till 7 and 8 pm.


    The words ¡°TERRAIN WAR¡± and ¡°SINGLES BRACKET¡± along with anything else labeled single were bulging out more than the other events, as those were the events everyone had either come to witness or to participate in.


    ¡°WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, LET ENCHANTOPIA BEGIN!¡±


    The festival grounds buzzed with anticipation. Suddenly a brilliant orange energy swirled around in the air; running rampant until it coalesced into the form of a mighty crimson dragon. Its body was composed of energy and smoke; the dragon flew around in the air, its rogue luminous scales reflecting the sun¡¯s light as if it were a real dragon. It moved gracefully yet powerfully in the air, commanding the air with its wingbeat.


    Its eyes glowed an emerald green as it moved to the middle of the air and sat there for a second. It reared its head upwards and roared. An effulgent flame erupted from its mouth before disappearing into the air. The dragon marked the beginning of the festival. The cheers filled the stadium once more.


    We walked back into the tunnel and into the locker room.


    ¡°Okay, Capture The Flag participants please line up at the door.¡± Mrs. Elles instructed.


    Rose and a few other students lined up behind Mrs. Elles. Our teacher turned to look at us.


    ¡°I trust you will make it to your assigned seating in the stands?¡±


    The students and I nodded in unison, walking out of the locker room behind them.


    We made it to the seats with Mrs. Elles labeled on the back of the seat. and sat down. As you would expect, Josh sat next to me as they began announcing the schools participating. There were a LOT of schools participating. The heavy favorite to win this one was Ravenwood Academy, a school famous for their triumphant performance in Enchantopia.


    I read a pamphlet that was laid in the cupholder of the seat.


    ¡°AND NOW, INTROOOOOOODUCING, LIXARTS ACADEMY!!¡±

 King Of The Hill

    The other students, Mrs. Elles, and I walked out of the tunnel leading to the arena where they had a large staircase leading to a platform that laid out on top of it. It looked kinda like the Aztec temples we learned from magic history.


    ¡°AND NOW INTRODUCING, LAST YEAR¡¯S WINNERS AND THIS YEAR¡¯S FAVORITE TO WIN IT ALL, RAVENWOOD!¡±


    The audience erupted into thunderous applause. They walked out with an elegance and aura of that of a deadly opponent. If we aren¡¯t careful then we won¡¯t win. I don¡¯t think I could face Dominick or Aura if I don¡¯t win here today. All of the other teams came out too but none of them were even close to the same level of excitement as Ravenwood.


    After the introductions were concluded, the announcer began explaining the rules.


    ¡°LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE QUIET DOWN! I KNOW, I¡¯M EXCITED AS WELL BUT I NEED TO EXPLAIN THE RULES BEFORE WE BEGIN!¡±


    As if he was controlling the crowd, the crowd went as dead as a doornail. The lights began to dim and the top of the stadium folded in.


    ¡°Listen up, King Of The Hill is a game where you must fight other schools in order to take the hill, which is up there,¡±


    The jumbotron showed the top of the building.


    ¡°The circle in the middle is what you need to capture. We have a system in place for when you arrive into the circle, your class will begin to accumulate points. HOWEVER! If there is someone else from someone else¡¯s class in the circle with you, you will not gain points. The way the system works is by the wristbands we will now be handing out,¡±


    The teachers of each class handed each student a wristband the color of their school.


    Ours was orange and black.


    ¡°This wristband also keeps you in the match, it will keep track of your vitals and if your vitals run too low then you will be teleported and eliminated from the match and into the waiting room,¡± he paused for dramatic effect, ¡°NOW, THE RULES HAVE BEEN EXPLAINED, LET THE MATCH BEGIN!¡±


    The top of the dome opened back up. All of the other classes remained idle.


    ¡°I thought the match began?¡± I asked my classmates.


    ¡°No, we have to wait until we see the flare,¡± Josh explained.


    My heart began beating as I realized this is actually happening. I¡¯m going to be fighting in front of thousands of people and I don¡¯t have much real combat experience.


    Dominick would be perfect here. I shook my head and erased those thoughts. I steeled my nerves and got into a running stance.


    My classmates stood next to me, ready to go at a moment¡¯s notice.


    BOOM!


    As soon as the flare went off, I ran up the stairs. Explosions and mana began to fill the air as the other classes began to fight already. The numbers and classes were displayed as a little window on the jumbotron. I continued running until I finally reached the top. Me and a few other students were the first ones there. We all looked around at each other, determining what the first move should be.


    ¡°FUCK IT! POISON CLOUD!¡±


    A giant cloud of green mist emerged from thin air and covered the air above us.


    ¡°WIND BLADE!¡± The wind easily cut through it but the cloud regenerated as if nothing ever happened.


    I ran to the edge of the top, as more and more students began to pile onto the hill.


    ¡°Griffin, come out,¡± I quietly said as Griffin appeared.


    He looked a little bigger but he felt much stronger than before. It must¡¯ve leveled up since the beginning of the school year. It perched up on my shoulder.


    I ran into the fray.


    ¡°FIREBALL!¡± Griffin shot at the people around us, smoke and fire had begun to fill the arena.


    ¡°BERSERK MAGIC: MADMAN MANIA!¡± A roar cut through everything else that had been going on. A male student on the other side of the hill had grown bigger, muscles bulging through his clothes and his mana skyrocketed as a result.


    ¡°SAND MAGIC: GOLEM!¡± A giant golem loomed towards him. He simply smacked it away and ran towards the caster. He kicked the caster square in the chest. He coughed up blood and was teleported midway to falling to the ground. Everyone kept their distance from him, circling him.


    As of now, everyone stopped fighting and focused everything on him.


    ¡°What do we do?¡± Someone began whispering to another student adjacent to me.


    ¡°Well, as of right now, none of us can do anything with him,¡± he pointed towards the burly man looking towards the students on the opposite side of us.


    ¡°COMPANION MAGIC: SHADOWPAW!¡±


    Griffin retreated as a brawny bear as dark as coal, with the sole exception of his white-overed eyes. Shadowpaw charged towards the Berserker. The Berserker managed to turn around and stop Shadowpaw¡¯s charge from reaching top speed. The two engaged in a struggle for dominance. Berserker held Shadowpaw by his paws like wrestlers do but he wasn¡¯t giving up, neither one of them had given any ground.


    ¡°HELIOKINESIS: SUN SHOT!¡±


    ¡°ENERGY BLAST!¡±


    ¡°SHADOW ANIMATION!¡±


    Their chants were followed by many more as everyone up at the top charged towards Shadowpaw and Berserker. The whole thing went haywire quickly. The bear and giant were done engaging in battle as they struck down every opponent in their way with ease.


    The battle was honestly underwhelming.


    ¡°RAGHHHHH!¡± The student yells rang throughout the entire stadium as he jetted towards Shadowpaw faster than before. Shadowpaw couldn¡¯t react in time. He dropped back behind the dark creature and suplexed into the ground, shoving its face into the concrete.


    Shadowpaw roared. He didn¡¯t seem to be affected by the attack. The two of them battled like their lives were on the line. Back and forth, punch after slash, kick after bite, charge after charge. The two savages battered and bruised one another as everyone in the stadium watched in awe, hands clenching their arms rests; keeping their eyes glued onto the nailbiter that was happening in the arena.


    One problem though. My mana is running low, if this goes on for any longer then I¡¯ll be the first one to fall.


    My mind went blank.


    A memory played in front of me. It was Dominick fighting the Titan from the shadows. That¡¯s what the ones who know about him called him.


    It wasn¡¯t enough to replenish my mana but it was enough to keep me going.


    ¡°GO FOR IT, SHADOWPAW! RIP HIM TO PIECES!¡± I yelled.


    I¡¯m not usually one for saying things like that but it just felt right in the moment.


    Shadowpaw roared, he roared louder than I¡¯ve ever heard him roar before. He started glowing, purple aura rolling off of his body.


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    Me and Shadowpaw have been together for as long as I can remember. He was a little cub when I first summoned my first companion. I had him always beside me when I was a kid. I didn¡¯t ever want to think about what a boring childhood I would¡¯ve had if he wasn¡¯t with me.


    Once, Dad or General Garner, actually cared about me being happy. I was able to train for a few hours then I was free to do whatever instead of having to live up to his expectations. Shadowpaw and I have a connection that surpasses that of normal spirit magic. I don¡¯t know what or why I was so attached to him, maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s the first friend I had.


    ¡°RAUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!¡± The Berserker screamed again, these two are practically one in the same, just different species or different states of being.


    Shadowpaw roared in fury as swirling ethereal purple orbs floated from around him. They pulsed with an eerie violet light crackling with mana as they shot forward. The powerful plum orbs made their way to him, making contact with his skin. The orbs exploded on impact. The boy was obscured by smoke as the audience gasped, waiting in response for what¡¯s to come.


    The smoke cleared.


    He was still standing.


    ¡°Shadow Slash,¡± I whispered, before Shadowpaw swiped down his massive paw. Three obsidian colored claws materialized in the air before swiping down violently.


    He screamed as his body disappeared in a blue light.


    I was the final one standing in the circle when it was all said and done. I collapsed onto the ground. I laid there, enjoying the coldness of the stone.


    A girl in a purple and jet black uniform approached me, slowly. Her shoes just CLICKing as she grew closer and closer. I thought I had it in the bag. How could I let everyone down like that? I wasn¡¯t sparing in the mana that I had used in case of another opponent.


    She stopped her shoes right next to my head.


    ¡°Did you really think that it would be that simple? That you could just have this moment AND win? In this, you have to be smart. You have to be cunning. You cannot afford to be naive in a moment like this, when all the eyes are on you and solely you¡­ because when you do¡­¡±


    She lifted up her foot.


    ¡°That just means the shadows come out to play,¡± she brought her foot down onto the stone next to my head.


    ¡°Heed this warning, we¡¯re not here for you, we¡¯re here for your friend,¡± she flicked her eyes toward Dominick.


    The rage inside of me just bubbled up and made its way up to the surface.


    I screamed.


    The stadium shook as the mana began pouring out. A panic crossed across Aura¡¯s face as she realized what was happening. She ran, she ran as fast as her legs would take her to the arena.


    Dominick bolted after her, trusting in her instincts.


    ¡°YOUR MINE.¡± My voice, monotone and cold.


    Her eyes, dead. I looked towards the girl.


    ¡°That¡¯s cute-¡± She was cut off as I charged her. She easily dodged my attack and landed a solid punch in the face, sending me flying to the bottom of the temple-like structure.


    She clicked her tongue.


    ¡°It¡¯s gonna take a lot more than that to beat me, dear Rose,¡± She jumped down and grabbed me by my hair. She lifted me up with superhuman strength as I struggled underneath the immense pressure of her magic.


    Of her strength alone.


    She landed one hit, another one, and another, and another. She didn¡¯t stop. My ribs were on fire. My whole body thudded as each one of her punches had more force than the previous ones.


    She¡¯s on a whole other level than the Shadows¡¯ we¡¯ve faced before.


    My vision began to fade. I looked up at her to see the guards storming in behind her.


    ¡°ABOUT-¡± I coughed up blood as she punched me in the stomach.


    ¡°Well, this has been fun but I really must be going. I¡¯ll see you again, Rose.¡± She planted a kiss on my cheek before throwing me into the wall. My eyes fluttered shut as I lost consciousness.


    ¡°GRAB A STRETCHER!¡± The guards yelled at the doctors on standby. They were ready as they immediately brought out the stretcher and carefully put Rose onto it. Mrs. Elles stared in horror as they carted her off, Aura had returned as the guards and the woman had left before she made it down there. There was nothing any of us could do for Rose right now. We¡¯re so weak and they made sure we knew it.


    Only a few of us understood the magnitude of what happened here today.


    They decided to just increase security and they told the public it was a matter of ¡°a student taking the game too far¡± and decided to continue Enchantopia. Aura and I walked down the hall to the infirmary. We looked with dismay and agony at our friend who laid there, battered and bruised. Her chest heaved up and down as she struggled to breathe.


    ¡°I thought you guys were doctors, why is she still like this?¡± Aura walked up to them, furious.


    ¡°These were physical wounds. We¡¯ve already applied the medicine. She is stable, however.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying this was done WITHOUT magic?¡± Aura stood there dumbfounded.


    ¡°Yes and while magic can cure magical wounds; it can¡¯t really restore physical wounds as effectively. She should be fine by the end of Enchantopia,¡± the doctor grabbed his clipboard from the countertop and walked into another room.


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯s like you?¡± She turned to me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, I just think she¡¯s very strong. Physically, at least.¡± I responded the best way I could.


    ¡°But Rose isn¡¯t weak. She wouldn¡¯t go down to some normal bitch ass punches,¡± Aura stood there, looking down at her best friend, lip quivering, fists balled up.


    ¡°That woman down there was not normal, the things she did without even using a little bit of mana¡­ Those shouldn¡¯t be capable of normal human limits. I¡¯m not sure if Rose was planning on using her companion magic or not, perhaps she couldn¡¯t in that state but I have a feeling that that wouldn¡¯t have changed anything,¡± I rambled.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t use her magic? Then what was that immense explosion of mana I felt in the tunnel?¡±


    ¡°That was Rose. I couldn¡¯t feel the mana but the pressure was something else entirely. Something sinister,¡± I grabbed the bridge of my nose, ¡°If we were to fight the Shadows as we are, we would most likely die.¡±


    ¡°Rewind. You¡¯re saying that that mana was Rose? And even with that power, she lost?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m saying.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re so fucked, dude.¡± Aura said, holding her head in her hands.


    ¡°Language, Aura. How many times must I say this?¡± The Principal walked in, demanding presence and all. His broad shoulders and giant frame towered over us.


    ¡°Shove your language up your ass,¡± Aura put her hands in her pockets and walked back to her seat in the stadium.


    ¡°Dominick, correct?¡± He looked down at me.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I replied.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard great things about you. That¡¯s besides the point. Do you have any idea what¡¯s going on here?¡±


    ¡°Well, call it a hunch but we think it¡¯s the same group that infiltrated the school awhile back.¡±


    His face grew more serious.


    ¡°What makes you think that?¡±


    ¡°I said call it a hunch. I didn¡¯t say anything as a reason because this is just what my gut is telling me.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Blackburn, we simply cannot go off of your ¡®gut feeling¡¯ alone. We need solid, hard, evidence if you hope to convince anyone that this was an outside force.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. I¡¯m heading out. Peace,¡± I walked out of the infirmary and into the hall.


    Aura was waiting for me in the hallway.


    ¡°So you need solid evidence?¡± She said, leaning on the wall.


    ¡°I guess but how would we get that?¡± I inquired.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we have to worry about that right now.¡±


    ¡°What if someone from the Magic Defense Force used memory magic on the person they captured? The guy who almost killed me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Rose never told you? He died the day after they apprehended him. Supposedly, he committed suicide in his cell. There was some sort of powder in his body after the autopsy. And the rest of the apprehended Shadows also did the same thing. It seems like they¡¯d rather die than expose their organization.¡±


    I let out a long breath. This was exhausting.


    ¡°We still gotta do Enchantopia too¡­¡± I sighed.


    ¡°You mean YOU have to participate in it.¡± She said, chuckling, ¡°you wouldn¡¯t catch me dead in that arena.¡±


    We walked side by side and talked until we made it back to our seats and sat down.


    The next events flew by as no one was really captivated by it like they were by the King Of The Hill match. Ravenwood took the King Of The Hill Event as they easily overpowered the other smaller schools that remained in the match, including ours. Our school managed to make it into the Duos tournament. We weren¡¯t able to win any events however. Ravenwood took the Talent Show while Weles took the Relay race. Leaving us and 12 other schools in last place. If we don¡¯t win a single event today then we¡¯re in for an uphill battle for bringing home that trophy for Lixarts.


    I was participating in the Terrain War event that was creeping up on us so I intended to bring home that victory for us.


    ¡°AND NOWWWWWWWWWW, FOR THE FINAL EVENT OF THIS SPECTACULAR FIRST DAY! TERRRRRRRRAIN WARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!¡± The announcer really dragged it out, making it more thrilling and exciting for the audience and they burst into cheers. I stood in the tunnel next to my teammates. They closed the stadium roof as they explained the rules for the crowd.


    I¡¯ll break it down for you. It¡¯s super easy, it¡¯s an all out brawl. The last school standing will win. Non lethal spells, no cross teaming (different schools), and that¡¯s about it. They also use the simulator to nullify lethal spells if that does happen. There are certain lethal spells however that cannot be stopped by the nullifier but those are classified as Annihilation Class spells which have been locked away for centuries now.


    This time, they didn¡¯t open it back up. A barrier rose from the stands and blocked the audience from the arena. The arena¡¯s ceiling was covered with stars as artificial grass began to sprout from the ground. The arena began to spread out further, making the field humongous. Everyone looked around in awe as we took in the scenery.


    ¡°BEGIN!¡± The announcer yelled.

 Terrain War

    The arena began to shift. Large trees that towered over us rooted to the top of the stadium, the lush flora had begun to cover the entire surface. We were placed into a forest for this terrain war.


    They seem to love that.


    ¡°GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!¡± The announcer shouted.


    Everyone bolted as the announcer¡¯s voice rang through the arena. Just as the previous match had begun; destruction filled the stadium as everyone was released in a ¡®Gladiator¡¯ way, the doors in front of each class lifted up and left everyone to fend for themselves.


    Also, this is Terrain War so it¡¯s pretty much the last one standing.


    I did my best to avoid combat as I passed each corner with my team in suit. They had assembled the best of the best of the first year students for this team. All of them were more than a little mad that I made it when I quite literally had no magic. The whole Shadows fiasco with us directly involved wasn¡¯t made public at the discretion of our parents and the Magic Defense Force¡¯s General Garner aka Rose¡¯s dad.


    Edward, the student who scored #1 in practicals for the tryouts for this event, held his hand up in a fist signaling everyone to stop.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I whispered next to him.


    ¡°Enemies, a large group,¡± he turned to look at me then turned his face away with a disgusted look.


    I backed up and looked straight ahead from our current location. I counted about 8. I¡¯m honestly more concerned with whatever that look was about.


    We came out from behind the trees and surrounded the enemy, as Edward had instructed. They eliminated the opposition easily. I wasn¡¯t even needed.


    Edward held up his fist.


    He stopped and stood there for a good while.


    ¡°Yo, you good, Edward?¡± I walked up next to him and placed my hand on his shoulder.


    His face was pale as was everyone else¡¯s.


    ¡°That is a dangerous man. Something about him is evil,¡± He pointed straight.


    The man was tall and muscular. His long, sleek, cold-black hair ran down to his shoulders. His face was that of a model. He held a student up by their throat, staring into their soul.


    He wore the creepiest smile I¡¯d ever seen. He cocked his head towards me. I ducked back down before he could get a good look at me.


    ¡°Do we move to strike or do we run?¡± He whispered to the class.


    ¡°Raise your hand if you think we should fight.¡±


    No one raised their hand besides me. I honestly thought someone else was going to raise their hand.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s decided¡­ Let¡¯s go¡­¡±  They all began to turn around.


    ¡°Now, now, where do we think we¡¯re going?¡± The man was standing behind the class.


    ¡°I thought we were just getting started,¡± he walked up to Edward and placed his hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°I heard that that bastard, Aaron, is here today. Would you happen to know where he is?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s Aaron?¡± A girl asked him.


    ¡°Aaron Newsmith? The strongest magician in the past decade? Do you guys really not know who I¡¯m talking about?¡± He placed his hands on his hips,


    ¡°God, it¡¯s like no one knows anymore,¡± he pouted.


    He took a step forward. No one saw him move but he somehow ended up in front of the girl who asked the question. He rubbed his finger down her face.


    ¡°Next time, if you ever say some stupid shit like that again, I¡¯ll kill you,¡± he backed up away from her as she collapsed to the ground and held her face in her hands.


    ¡°Although¡­¡± He walked up to me. I stood my ground and stared him in the eyes.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re a tough lil¡¯ guy,¡± he moved his hand towards my head. I smacked his hand away.


    I suddenly felt a lot lighter. He had picked me up off the ground by my jaw. I grabbed his hand and tried to pry it off. His hand wouldn¡¯t budge as I began punching him across the face.


    ¡°LET ME GO!¡± I was muffled.


    ¡°Huh? What was that?¡± He moved me closer to his ear. I chomped down on his hand.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± He threw me into a tree.


    ¡°FUCK!¡± I grabbed my back as I laid there for a few minutes before wobbling back up.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡°I¡¯ll forgive your little transgression,¡± he tapped his chin with his finger, ¡°if you can land a blow on me. Well, your little friends might want to participate too. Since I¡¯ll kill you all if NONE of you can land a hit on me.¡±


    The entire class prepared themselves for battle.


    ¡°Oh well, I was going to kill all of you regardless,¡± his cold, dead, black eyes betrayed the pearly white smile he gave us.


    ¡°WOOD HAMMER!¡± A boy chanted bringing down a hammer made of, well, wood down onto where he had been standing.


    ¡°I GUESS WE¡¯RE DOING THIS?!¡± Edward shouted, ¡°EVERYONE, PREPARE YOUR MAGIC!!¡±


    I stood in the back, avoiding the battle. I couldn¡¯t use my trump card or everyone else loses theirs.


    ¡°GLASS MAGIC: PIERCING SHARDS!¡± The shards whizzed past as the man quite literally did a ballerina dance in between them.


    Everyone began to get angry as to how obvious his taunting was.


    ¡°You see, the issue nowadays is that you guys think you can only do ONE SINGULAR type of magic. I never understood that. When I was your age, I let my imagination run wild. I mean, we¡¯re literally doing things that normal people shouldn¡¯t be doing. That¡¯s the thing, though. YOU ARE NOT NORMAL.¡± He was talking while dodging everything everyone was throwing at him.


    He grabbed Edward by the throat.


    ¡°You see, you¡¯re the Golden Boy. You think that since you¡¯re the top dog around all of these little puppies that you¡¯re the best and you¡¯re destined to be the best,¡± he sighed before facing Edward again.


    ¡°You¡¯re not.¡±


    He threw Edward up and caught him by the leg.


    ¡°You¡¯re not the best here, there, or anywhere. I¡¯ve met children stronger than you.¡± He swung Edward up into the air, still holding onto his leg and slammed him back down onto the ground. Edward disappeared before the full brunt of the pain could actually be brought down onto him.


    A female student had grabbed him out of the air as he came down.


    ¡°DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?!¡± His voice boomed throughout the forest.


    ¡°TO ALL OF YOU WATCHING,¡± he pointed to the screen, ¡°SEND AARON NEWSMITH OUT HERE NOW,¡± he screamed before visibly composing himself.


    ¡°Or these students don¡¯t get to leave this stadium alive.¡±


    At this point, all of the other classes had gathered around and heard the commotion and decided to intervene.


    We all agreed it would be best to team up against such overwhelming strength.


    ¡°More friends?¡± He looked straight at me. I don¡¯t understand his obsession with me. Is he a part of the Shadows too? There¡¯s so many questions that I can¡¯t answer as of right now and it¡¯s honestly irritating the hell out of me.


    ¡°STUDENTS, SECURITY IS ON THE WAY RIGHT NOW! PLEASE REFRAIN FROM ENGAGING IN COMBAT!¡± The announcer shouted. I just wish we could¡¯ve had just a normal match like the other guys got.


    Well, besides Rose.


    Couldn¡¯t they have done this literally any other time? Security is at an all time high here and there¡¯s so many people watching, why would they attack now?


    I don¡¯t know and I don¡¯t really care. If Aaron Newsmith or security doesn¡¯t show up soon then we¡¯re as dead as doornails.


    ¡°He''s going to kill us if we don¡¯t fight back.¡± Edward said, sternly.


    ¡°How do you think we fight back?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°Look at us, there¡¯s an overwhelming numbers advantage in our favor,¡± Edward pointed towards the other classes who were gathered here.


    The entirety of the students that were here joined together for the fight against the greater evil that had stood in front of us. The man never once took his eyes off of me while we were talking.


    ¡°SUPORT MAGIC: SPEED ENHANCEMENT! STRENGTH ENHANCEMENT!¡± A female student chanted in the back. A giant magic circle had enveloped the large group and everyone began to glow blue then red then it disappeared.


    ¡°Woah, I feel amazing!¡± Norman said, another one of Edward¡¯s fanboys.


    They began to charge at the handsome man. He sneered at them before running towards them.


    He jumped in the air.


    He was up there for a bit before we finally saw him start coming back down.


    ¡°Magnetic Sorcery: Pull.¡± He wore a sinister smile as he began to pull Edward off the ground.


    ¡°CHAIN MAGIC: LINK!¡± Steven sent a chain flying and wrapped it around the villainous man¡¯s ankles. Steven grabbed the chain and swung it down. The man didn¡¯t budge. Not a single inch.


    ¡°IS THIS ALL YOU¡¯VE GOT?!¡± His voice boomed as fear began to settle in for everyone else. He snapped the chain.


    ¡°Phantom Magic: Ethereal Palm!¡± Edward shouted. A ghastly green hand appeared above the man floating in the air. It came down with a hard smack.


    ¡°A little better but not much,¡± he wiped the blood off of his lip. He held up the spell with one hand.


    His magic never stopped. Edward had now been pulled to him. He grabbed Edward¡¯s face in his hand. He held his face as he darted down to the ground like a missile. He made an impact on the ground with a deafening crunch. Edward laid there, body still.


    ¡°Is he¡­?¡± Another student asked, lip quivering.


    ¡°Dead? Yeah, probably. Now, does anyone else wanna fight me?¡± He looked around.


    All of the students stared, some crying, some screaming, some just numb to this.


    Death is a weird thing, different people react in different ways.


    The students began running away, fearful and worried about staying alive.


    ¡°Did I say you could leave?¡± He zoomed in front of them.


    The students¡¯ expressions were full of fear. Their bodies frozen, unable to move. He put his arms around a male and female student. He leaned into their ears and whispered,


    ¡°Explode.¡±


    Their heads popped like balloons. Everyone started screaming and running.


    I stared at them.


    This is when reality kicked in.


    This isn¡¯t just some guy beating us up for fun, well he might be, but he¡¯s actually going to kill us.


    I walked over towards him.


    ¡°Is it already time for the main course?¡± He turned around and started walking to me. He licked his lips.


    ¡°Colosseum Of The Damned.¡±

 Reality

    The colosseum had risen out of the ground, shaking the entirety of the arena. Loud, audible gasp enveloped the arena.


    Only a few people have seen a magic similar to mine or my magic.


    In this domain alone, skill is what dictates who lives and who dies, who wins and who loses.


    ¡°IT¡¯S EVEN BETTER THAN I EXPECTED, BOY!¡± He took a deep breath.


    ¡°Let me introduce myself. My name is Dugal. I already know who you are, Dominick,¡± his face contorted into an evil grin now. His teeth were pearly white and razor sharp.


    ¡°Are we just gonna talk over tea or are we gonna fight like men?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I like you,¡± he cackled and darted over to me.


    A high kick. I put my arm above my head to take the brunt of the blow. His other leg was coming towards my stomach. I grabbed it and tossed him to the side. He rolled and hopped back up.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not like them. You¡¯ve been in a battle for your life, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, your big friend from the shadows was the one who almost killed me,¡± I answered.


    He stopped and stared.


    ¡°The Shadows? What the hell is that? That¡¯s lame as hell.¡±


    ¡°So you just so happened to interrupt this event the same as the one girl did against Rose?¡±


    ¡°Yep, pretty much,¡± Dugal shrugged.


    ¡°Then how do you know who I am?¡±


    ¡°I have my sources.¡±


    He ran towards me again. This time he came in close, he was in a boxing stance.


    His jabs were lightning fast. Each one barely missed as I was able to dodge them before they hit me.


    I began throwing punches of my own. He dodged my punches with ease as he swatted them away with cat-like reflexes. I dropped down and went for a leg sweep. He deftly avoided it and landed a kick to the face. His boots and pure power really made it sting as I gritted my teeth to try and fight through the pain.


    We went right back to scrapping like animals. He was much more experienced in combat than I am. I¡¯m faster than he is but he¡¯s smarter and stronger.


    He uses as little movement as possible in order to not waste energy that doesn¡¯t need to be wasted. His breathing was maximized for fighting. He was a professional and it was abundantly clear.


    That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m gonna stop.


    ¡°COME ON, BOY! SHOW ME SOMETHING! THIS IS JUST SAD!¡± He yelled, he began laughing maniacally after he finished talking.


    He dashed, low to the ground. He was fast, faster than anyone I¡¯ve ever seen. I thought I had the advantage but it turns out he was holding back.


    He circled around me. Left. I blocked the left but he hit me on the right side of my abdomen. Left and right. He did a feint. His leg sweeped me off the ground.


    He¡¯s using my own moves against me.


    I jumped back and began to control my breathing.


    Slowly. In and out. My focus became slightly clearer.


    ¡°Come at me, Dugal,¡± I urged him to come forward.


    ¡°With pleasure,¡± he said while sprinting at me.


    He threw haymakers, kicks, jabs, everything he could at me. Right hook, I landed one right to his jaw. He landed one right back. Everything I could do, he did twice.


    ¡°ALL THAT TALK FOR THIS?!¡± He swung left. I grabbed his left fist and twisted his arm until I heard a crunch.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    ¡°YES, THAT¡¯S MORE LIKE IT.¡±


    He jumped at me, head first, like a missile. His head made contact with my stomach. I reached my hands into my pocket and slipped my fingers into the cold metal slots. I backflipped backwards, before pulling my hands out of my pockets. The silver shined in his eyes. His eyes were filled with fire and excitement. He threw wild punches, less form but more power.


    He landed punches on my throat.


    I lost the ability to breathe for a good minute.


    I landed a solid hit to his stomach. There was blood on the ground from both of us. We stood in the middle, hashing it out. At this point, defense didn¡¯t exist. Both of our arms were growing tired. I couldn¡¯t go on much longer so I was just left asking questions.


    Where is Aaron Newsmith? Is he not going to show up?


    ¡°See, that¡¯s your weakness. If someone knows how to fight, you¡¯re in deep shit. You may be stronger than your average person when it comes to hand to hand but if it so happens that your enemy may have a certain advantage,¡± he pulled out a vial of green fluid. A healing potion.


    ¡°Then you¡¯d be shit out of luck because,¡± he drank it in one gulp, his arm began untwisting itself, ¡°now, I¡¯m back to full strength and you¡¯re not.¡±


    I dashed at him, nothing on my mind except killing him. If he kills me right here, right now¡­ what¡¯s to stop him from getting my parents, from getting Aura and Rose.


    I can¡¯t.


    I CAN¡¯T!


    I roared. The colosseum walls began closing in.


    In order for more power, Dominick can shrink the size of the colosseum. However, that enables for some mana to slip in through the cracks; allowing his enemies to use basic spells.


    He smirked, I¡¯m assuming because he felt some mana seeping back into his body.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need magic to beat YOU,¡± his face still in his signature twisted grin.


    I darted side to side, all the way to right under his chin.


    I brought my fist up to his chin. My knuckles felt like they had exploded on impact; this was more power than I can use safely.


    A plume of wind erupted from the blow to his chin.


    His head stayed upward for a moment before he looked down and smiled at me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like repeating myself but¡­ IS THAT ALL YOU¡¯VE GOT?!¡± I backed away. He began chasing me.


    I ran back.


    I didn¡¯t know what else to do.


    I can¡¯t run away.


    I turned around and prepared an assault. He was already on me. I threw a quick jab. He swerved around it. He landed a heavy right haymaker to the left side of my face. I clenched my jaw and swung up with the brass knuckles into his stomach. It felt like punching a wall but he threw up some more blood. That was a last ditch effort to no avail.


    My eyes had finally begun to flutter shut; the exhaustion catching up with my body.


    Reality had begun to sink in. I was weak. I didn¡¯t know how weak I was until now. My instincts were what led me this far but to think that there was a monster like this here. And he was looking for me. Well, more like Newsmith but he singled me out, out of the entirety of the students present. I¡¯d like to say I did good. I know I did but that¡¯s not good enough. I¡¯m going to die.


    I looked up. He was preparing an axe kick to my skull. This is it.


    ¡°I really do wish we could¡¯ve fought when you were stronger,¡± he said.


    Strangely enough, he started tearing up.


    Time began to slow down as he brought his foot down. Closer and closer. Is this the end? Is this all I was meant for? I know I¡¯m not supposed to be weak and hold onto regrets as I die but I don¡¯t want to die. I¡¯m not ready to die. Please. Mom, Dad, please save me. Aura, Rose, someone save me. All of the audiences¡¯ eyes had landed on me. They were filled with fear.


    With disgust.


    Mom, Dad, Aura, even Rose''s eyes settled on me. Mom couldn¡¯t even stand from the anxiety and fear.


    Aura was helping her stand. All of them had tears rolling down their cheeks except for my dad. Even when I¡¯m about to die, I¡¯ll never see him shed a tear. Not once. I closed my eyes.


    BOOM! A giant dust cloud appeared out of nowhere where the impact was. I opened my eyes to see a hand grabbing his boot. A man in a suit, slicked back, middle part, his sunflower hair and a masquerade mask had appeared in the arena.


    He was holding Dugal¡¯s foot.


    Dugal hopped backwards.


    ¡°Aaron Newsmith?¡± He asked, impatiently.


    He simply nodded.


    He looked down at me.


    ¡°You did well, now go, I¡¯ll handle things from here,¡± he said. His voice was deep and cold yet comforting.


    Tears rolled down my cheeks as I hobbled away. My legs gave out on me right after I made it out of the arena. I collapsed as my legs were too weak to even let me stand. I dragged myself and propped myself up against the wall. I was slowly losing my vision as I laid my head against the cold steel.


    ¡°DOMINICK!¡± Aura and Rose yelled in unison as they approached me. They grabbed me and hugged me, crying.


    ¡°How could you be so stupid?¡± Rose muttered. I looked at them, groggily.


    ¡°If.. he had killed us all.. What¡¯s to stop him from getting to you guys?¡± I lost consciousness in the middle of the sentence.


    ¡°You idiot,¡± Aura whispered. They both grabbed one of my arms and carried me to the infirmary.


    ¡°Aaron Newsmith, I¡¯ve been waiting. It¡¯s rude to keep a guest,¡± Dugal chimed.


    ¡°You are?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m Dugal, I¡¯ve been wanting to fight you for years. Ever since you ruined my life anyway,¡± Dugal added.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°It all started when I was a boy¡­¡±

 Dugal

    I wasn¡¯t a bad kid. I just wanted to enjoy life to its fullest.


    Although, my mom, she was a¡­ promiscuous¡­ one. By that, I mean she was a prostitute.


    Every day, every night, a new man. At the time, I didn¡¯t understand. I just thought they were friends going to hang out. The yelling throughout the night, I thought they were just wrestling. My mom sounded like she was having fun so I didn¡¯t really care.


    ¡°NATHAN! COME DOWN HERE!¡± My mother would yell for me to come downstairs for whatever she wanted done at that particular moment.


    ¡°Yes, mom-¡± I was cut off by a burning cigarette to my forehead.


    ¡°AHHHHHHHHH!¡± I screamed and grabbed my forehead with my hands. Tears were rolling down my eyes. The tears had blurred my mom¡¯s face but she looked happy and her laugh was hearty so I wasn¡¯t too worried about my pain as long as she was happy.


    At the time, nothing mattered more to me than her happiness.


    Sometimes, the men she¡¯d bring over would want to go out back and spend a little time together.


    That would usually involve them taking out their frustrations and anger on me, like mom does. I never thought much of it but now that I¡¯m older, it was just their way of beating up someone that couldn¡¯t really put up much of a fight.


    Edmond, a skinny pale boy who looked younger than the ones she brought back, invited me out back to train.


    He wasn¡¯t too intimidating so I thought I could take him.


    Heavy right, lightning fast jabs, heavy left, uppercut, tornado kicks, he pulled out all the stops on a little boy.


    Usually, I¡¯d be mad but I couldn¡¯t help but watch in awe as he soared through the air like a butterfly and moved as fast as a cheetah.


    I wiped the blood off my face as he extended his hand down to me. I grabbed his hand and he pulled me up with surprising strength. He looked at me and smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty tough for your age,¡± he said, his country accent hanging onto every word he uttered.


    ¡°Yeah, I hear that a lot,¡± I grabbed my shirt and put it over my tank top.


    ¡°You do this often?¡± He offered me a cigarette.


    ¡°Yeah, sometimes, the bad men that my mom brings home wanna fight me and I ain¡¯t too sure why,¡± I replied, trying to copy his accent. I shook my head side to side.


    He seemed to respect that decision and put the pack of cigarettes back in his pocket.


    ¡°I brought you out ¡®ere to train, like I said. In this country, you gon¡¯ need to learn how to fight with your fists as much as you would with your magic. What happens when you run outta mana? You just stand there and let ¡®em swing on ya¡¯ like a bitch? NO. You always fight back until you can¡¯t no more.¡±


    I looked at him with a spark, the beginning of the fire that burned for the thrill of combat, lit inside of me.


    He may not be the scariest looking man I¡¯ve ever seen but he was definitely the toughest.


    ¡°Now, lemme properly introduce myself. I¡¯m Edmond Tenebris.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Nathan Daydane,¡± I looked at him with admiration and tenacity.


    He gave me a light punch on the shoulder.


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit, kid. Let¡¯s get inside.¡±


    I didn¡¯t see Edmond much after that. I¡¯m assuming my mom wasn¡¯t wrestling with him anymore even though he¡¯s great at it.


    He taught me how to throw a proper punch, kick, all of the good stuff, even how to suplex people.


    I often hid my head at school because the first time someone saw them at my old school, they called me ¡°Beehive¡± for the entire school year. That was because of the burns mom put on my forehead from the cigarettes.


    I walked down the hallway with my hands in pockets and my hood up. I didn¡¯t like the kids here nor the teachers so I tried my best to keep to myself. Some kids would always pester me but nothing too serious. Or at least up until now.


    ¡°HEY, BEEHIVE!¡± The boy yelled at me.


    I slowly turned around, panic spread across my face.


    How did they know that name?


    ¡°I moved here last week. I remember that weird face AND those weird scars,¡± he came up to me and tried to move my hood.


    I smacked his hand away.


    ¡°Oh, you think you¡¯re tough now? I used to beat you up everyday a year ago,¡± he walked


    back up to me and put his hands around the top of the hood again. I brought my fist back and launched it upwards right at his jaw. The crunch it made on impact is something I will never forget.


    It sounded like crushing a jawbreaker.


    He doubled over and started spewing out blood. His friends behind him started


    preparing spells.


    ¡°Lightning Magic: Electro Ball!¡± It was weak and slow. I ran towards her and socked her right in the face.


    She fell, unconscious.


    They stopped preparing their spells and lifted their hands up into fists.


    I got smacked in the back of the head. I spun my fist backwards and connected with something with a deafening smack. A male student crumpled to the ground clenching his jaw.


    My body fought on instinct. The female student in front of me swung with a wide right hook. I ducked under her fist and boxed her up close. I threw multiple jabs into her stomach and ended it with a right hook to the face; my signature.


    A larger student came out from behind them.


    He cracked his knuckles.


    ¡°They gave me snacks to kick your ass,¡± he said, his voice deep for a kid who was probably 13 years old.


    ¡°All it took was some snacks?¡± I snickered as he put his hands into a double ax handle. I sprung backwards. ]


    He brought his attack where I was standing. The concrete had been shattered.


    The way the subtle blue glow was surrounding his fist. He¡¯s using strength enhancement magic.


    I have to stay away from him.


    Reason being I¡¯ve never received formal training as to how to use my magic. He didn¡¯t know what he was doing and neither did I.


    He brought his fists down again. I jumped and double kicked him in the face. He grabbed me by the foot and threw me into the locker.


    I guess I was high on adrenaline because that did not phase me one bit.


    Imagine walking into a school and seeing grade schoolers destroy the entire school.


    I ran right back. I jumped in the air and grabbed his face and brought my knee right into his nose. His eyes were whited over as he threw his head back with blood spewing out of his nose.


    The teachers finally came running out as his body slumped against the ground.


    ¡°Did you kill him?¡± The teachers asked, panicking.


    ¡°No,¡± I scratched my head, ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re coming with us,¡± the teachers brought me to the detention room with my hands zip tied around my back.


    I, surprisingly, couldn¡¯t break out of these.


    The detention room was a gray room, with a black board at the front and 3 rows of 6 desks.


    You were really only ever brought here if you really messed up. The principal came in.


    ¡°You know that you really messed up? You severely injured multiple students and their hospital bills will be sent to your mother,¡± he bluntly stated.


    Those words were like bullets. We struggled as is and now I just piled those onto her. What am I gonna do?


    ¡°Is there anything I can do?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Unless you have a job or some money laying around then no,¡± he grabbed his papers and straightened them up by tapping them on the desk. His pager paged him. He walked away for a bit while I sat there reflecting on my actions. I rubbed my hand across the burns on my forehead.


    He came back about 15 minutes later.


    ¡°Sorry about that, important business,¡± he spread the papers out across the desk.


    ¡°These are the reports of what injuries the students sustained, the worst of them being the older student. The red around his jaw indicates a broken jaw,¡± he grabbed his pen and circled around it, ¡°which is the common denominator between these students. They all have broken jaws. However, you also broke his nose and fractured his cheekbone.¡±


    My mind flash backed to the double kick to his face and when my knee struck him right in the nose.


    ¡°The bad news is that you made first contact. Or well, attempted and connected but same thing. Your punishment will be decided in the following days. I hope you think about your actions and learn from them.¡±


    Mom never came back to get me which was weird because even when she was drunk or high, she came by to get me from school.


    By the time I got home, it was already dark outside.


    My face distorted into one of anger, rage, and worry as I spotted the broken window next to the front door. I ran inside as quickly as I could.


    ¡°MOM!¡± I screamed.


    ¡°MOMMMM!¡± I shouted again.


    ¡°I can hear you,¡± she walked in from the kitchen and stood in the doorway.


    ¡°Did you see the broken window in the living room?¡± I asked.


    ¡°What broken window-¡±


    A shadowy figure appeared behind her.


    ¡°MOVE!¡± I ran towards her, time slowing down as the knife pierced through her heart from her back.


    I stopped as my mom¡¯s lifeless body fell to the ground. I slumped to the ground and held her head.


    ¡°Mom. Please wake up. I know you¡¯re still here. Mom, please. I can¡¯t live without you¡­¡± I began crying, the tears didn¡¯t stop for hours.


    The neighbors must¡¯ve heard me and came over. They called the authorities and they arrived within the first 10 minutes of that call.


    They attempted to remove me from next to my mom saying things like, ¡°you shouldn¡¯t see this¡± and ¡°this is too much for you right now¡± but I don¡¯t care. I couldn¡¯t focus on anything other than finding out who did this.


    ¡°GET OFF OF ME!¡± I punched the officer in the face while I flailed around. The officer pulled me off of my mom and pinned me to the ground.


    ¡°Now, this is for your own safety. I promise.¡± He left me there, applying little pressure but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to move as the tears came out. I couldn¡¯t stop them. It was like a dam had burst and all of that water poured through.


    I fell asleep after a while and they put me in my bed. I woke up, thinking that was just a bad dream.


    I walked downstairs and saw the caution tape around where they outlined her body with white tape. Tears rolled down my face as I grabbed the orange juice and poured myself a cup. I sat at the table, reflecting on the memories of mom and I sitting here. Her with her newspaper and cigarette, me with my legos and bacon and eggs that I had just freshly prepared. Now that I think about it, I didn¡¯t do much with my mom. I still loved her regardless but it was the thought fresh on my mind as of right now.


    ¡°¡®Sup, kid.¡± A country accent had broken through the silence.


    ¡°Hey, Mr. Tenebris,¡± I wiped the snot and tears away.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright to cry. Well, no it ain¡¯t but sometimes you need to, you know?¡± He tried to relate to me.


    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± I stared blankly.


    ¡°Death is a slow burn. You think you¡¯re sufferin¡¯ now, just wait till 2 weeks from now. It¡¯s really gonna hit ya,¡± He lightly punched me on the shoulder.


    ¡°But that¡¯s not why I¡¯m here.¡±


    His expression grew serious and grim.


    ¡°I have intel on the man who killed your mom,¡± He scooted closer and pulled out the folder from his bag.


    ¡°This man, his name is Vernon Newsmith. He¡¯s a wanted murderer in the country of Ebren and 15 states here in Declan,¡± he handed the folder to me.


    The mugshot was of a man with a dark, gloomy expression. He held the placard with his name, date of birth, booking ID, and weight. His body was muscular, like a bodybuilder, his veins popped out from his forearms and his neck. He had a shiny bald head with a tattoo of a skull with an eerie smile across the front of his neck.


    ¡°This is the man who killed my mother?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°Would I lie to you about this? I loved your mother. Well, as much service as she gave me, anyone would love her..¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so gross,¡± I cut him off.


    ¡°How do you know it¡¯s him?¡± I questioned.


    ¡°His wife says he left the house an hour before she was killed. Surprise, his house is an hour away from yours. Must¡¯ve been about that fight at school. Maybe that was his kid that you beat the shit out of?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯d kill my mom over a broken jaw?¡±


    ¡°Probably, people in the assassin business are ruthless. You can leave the assassin''s life behind but it won¡¯t leave you.¡±


    I stared at the mugshot with hatred. Disgust. Anger.


    I needed to kill him. This man stole my mom from me.


    ¡°Edmond, can you teach me?¡± I turned and looked him in the eyes.


    ¡°Me? Oh, no, but I have someone who can,¡± he ushered me to follow him as he swung his keys around his finger.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    After a while, we made it to a decent sized suburban home. The house resembled all of the other ones around it. White with a little of blue on it. Edmond knocked on the door twice. A man wearing a white robe and nothing else opened the door.


    ¡°Is this the boy?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Edmond responded.


    ¡°The last contestant?¡± Edmond whispered to the man.


    ¡°Yeah, that makes 12.¡±


    Large burly men hopped out of the black suv that was parked outside the house. They had a rag and covered my mouth. It had some sort of inhalant on it as when I tried to breathe, I felt that my throat had closed shut. My eyes darted around until I landed on Edmond and the man. He handed Edmond a fat wad of cash before Edmond left.


    He leaned over and whispered,


    ¡°Don¡¯t trust anyone,¡±


    My eyes closed as I couldn¡¯t keep them open any longer.


    ¡°Wow, he put up a good fight but that¡¯s enough playing around. Put him in the car.¡±


    After however long I was knocked out, I woke up to a solid white room. I looked around and saw other doors. I tried to stand up. The chains around my legs brought me back down to the floor.


    ¡°No, no, no. You can¡¯t leave! You¡¯re the last contestant,¡± a voice said over the intercom.


    ¡°WELCOME, EVERYONE! TO THE WORST DAYS OF YOUR LIFE!¡±


    The doors hissed as they opened.


    ¡°You can¡¯t move just yet but I have opened the doors for you to get a good look at your opponents. You¡¯re all here because you¡¯re the offspring to the filthy prostitutes that my son had slept with. It isn¡¯t your fault your moms couldn¡¯t keep their legs shut. However, it is THEIR fault you¡¯re here.¡±


    People in solid black jackets and navy blue cargo pants and helmets covering their face approached the door and laid down a piece of paper.


    ¡°This is an agreement that each and every one of your mothers had signed that relinquished custody of you all to me for a lump sum of cash. ONE, AND ONLY ONE, of you will be my apprentice. I have connections, money¡­ Power. You all have something you need. Whether that be helping your family, getting famous and rich yourselves. Or revenge. I am your way of achieving that.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes lit up in intrigue. No one cared that they were brought here against their will. It was a brutal free for all for the power that this man carried.


    ¡°I will now be unlocking the chains around your feet. You will NOT fight until permitted. Or I swear, you will die right where you stand.¡±


    The chains clicked as they slid down my ankles.


    ¡°YEAH, RIGHT!¡± A young boy began to chant a spell, ¡°WIND MAGIC-¡±


    His voice was cut off as the restraints started closing in around his neck. They kept clicking inwards as he was struggling to breathe. His eye sockets were bulging out as he clawed at his neck. His head exploded in a rain of sanguine. Everyone screamed, including me.


    ¡°RELAX!¡± The man shouted over the intercom.


    Everyone calmed down a little but no one could get over what we just saw like that.


    ¡°As long as you obey orders then that won¡¯t happen to you. Now please follow the arrows.¡±


    The floor lit up with arrows flashing to the door down the hall to the left. This was all way too much for a little competition. We followed the guide down the hallway and past the heavy steel door. A lone crystal orb was in the middle of the room on a pedestal.


    ¡°Line up. You will each put your hand on the orb to figure out your attribute,¡± the coarse voice announced.


    Each kid placed their hand on the orb. We waited as everyone was interested in seeing their magic attribute.


    ¡°You know kids, you can learn more than one magic. It¡¯s entirely possible to learn more than one type. It¡¯s difficult but possible.¡±


    It was finally my turn. I placed my hand on the crystal orb. It was smooth and cold. The orb began changing colors until it landed on a silver color.


    ¡°That¡¯s a first.¡± The voice muttered.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ll let you know when you¡¯re all separated. NOW, EVERYONE HEAD BACK TO YOUR ROOM. CURFEW IS 10:00 PM, YOU WILL BE IN YOUR ROOMS AND LIGHTS OUT IS 12:00 AM! IF YOU ARE FOUND TO BE DISOBEYING THE RULES THEN YOU WILL BE PROPERLY PUNISHED.¡±


    The boy was still fresh on everyone¡¯s mind as they scurried into their rooms.


    The lights cut off as we each headed to our rooms. There were 6 boys and 5 girls in this weird place. There were 7 boys but you know what happened.


    The girls were kinda cute but I don¡¯t wanna do anything that would hurt my chances at this thing. Well, he did say that we could be friends if we wanted to.


    I closed my eyes and fell asleep.


    ¡°WAKE UP!¡± The intercom crackled to life.


    ¡°Today, you will be given information about your attribute from yesterday,¡± the guards handed out more papers.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said to the guard.


    They walked away and stood back against the wall.


    I looked at the paper.


    ¡°NATHAN DAYDANE: MAGNETIC MAGIC¡±


    That¡¯s it?


    We were all assigned teachers and for the following 4 months, we were taught how to control our magic. The rest of the students had grown close besides me.


    I didn¡¯t forget why we¡¯re doing this and I don¡¯t plan to forget it.


    ¡°Hey, Nathan, are you just gonna sit over there and be gloomy or you gonna join us today?¡± Amaya asked. Amaya was popular amongst what little people were here. Her dark blue hair rested on her shoulders as she had to push it off of her eyes when she looked at me. Her tan skin was glowing underneath the lights that were in the classroom.


    I laid my head down.


    ¡° He¡¯s such a weirdo,¡± A girl with brunette hair and the same all white uniform that we all had, turned to Amaya. Her hair was much longer going to the middle of her back; it was a weird cotton candy pink color. She told us her name was Iwa or she told them; I just so happened to hear.


    ¡°Why do you keep trying, Amaya? He¡¯s not going to talk to us so it doesn¡¯t matter. ¡± Iwa said, twirling her hair.


    ¡°Yeah, you should stop being so nice,¡± Irwin replied.


    Irwin was an older boy, looked to be around 12 or 13, he had a buzzcut that looked like he did it in the dark. He was more muscular than what¡¯d you expect but I heard he had a military family.


    I got up and walked over to Irwin and Iwa.


    I leaned down and stared at both of them.


    ¡°How about you two,¡± I looked back and forth to the two of them, ¡°go screw yourselves?¡±


    ¡°That is enough, Daydane,¡± Ms. Maddox walked in and smacked her ruler down on her desk.


    ¡°This is your last day of classes,¡± she explained.


    Ms. Maddox was kind of like a homeroom teacher, she explained everything to us before we got out and actually went to the other teacher¡¯s classrooms. This place was huge and had different facilities for just the 12 of us. This man must actually be loaded.


    ¡°Good luck and be prepared, kids,¡± she waved us away.


    Classes went by without a hitch. Today, Mr. Lefono taught me how to use Magnetic Healing since it was the hardest thing and the only thing I haven¡¯t been able to use since we started training.


    ¡°Are you ready for the announcement?¡± Mr. Lefono whispered to me.


    ¡°What announcement?¡± I replied.


    ¡°Nobody told you? For good reason, probably,¡± he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.


    ¡°ANYWAYS! It seems like you¡¯re finally starting to get the hang of this,¡± He stopped and looked at me.


    ¡°Do you actually think that this will change anything? All the money, the power? You just lost your mom. You lost any chance at a childhood that you ever had by being here,¡± he continued.


    ¡°No, Vernon Newsmith ruined my life. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any way that I could ever go back to how I was. I will wring his neck if that is the LAST thing I do. I will hunt down his bloodline,¡± I looked down.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Class continued on until 5 o''clock at night. This facility was like a school, it had the bells, the intercom, the classrooms, everything like it.


    The bell rang which indicated the end of class.


    ¡°Everyone, please move to the main lobby,¡± the intercom instructed.


    We all got into our neat little single file line and followed the guard down the hallway. He brought us to where the other students would hang out. I, often, trained after class too in the training rooms down the hall from the lobby.


    ¡°WELCOME! I have a little surprise for you. Today marked the end of the classes.¡±


    The 11 other students whooped and hollered. I had a bad feeling as to what was to come.


    ¡°All of you did exceptionally well and I see you¡¯ve made friends. HOWEVER! That just makes this harder to say. You, as of now, are all opponents! I have removed all of the furniture, your collars, and everything that was in the facility. This is now a graveyard for all but that lucky someone. Only one of you will survive. With that, I bid you adu!¡± The intercom clicked as he hung up.


    We all looked around at each other.


    ¡°We¡¯re seriously not going to KILL each other, are we?¡±


    ¡°Magnetic Pulse!¡±


    I aimed my hand at Irwin and sent him flying into the steel walls.


    ¡°DUDE, WHAT THE HELL?!¡± Iwa yelled.


    Irwin wasn¡¯t dead just yet but he was pretty close.


    ¡°Magnetic Construct: SWORD!¡±


    I grabbed the magnetic field that surrounded me. I began crushing it, like I was molding it.


    Think of how diamonds are made.  Eventually, I made a sword.


    Anything is possible with magic.


    It wasn¡¯t a pretty sword but it would probably get the job done.


    Irwin was still down, coughing up blood. I darted over to him and jabbed the sword through his heart. He laid down and stopped coughing as the blood began to pool around him.


    Amaya started puking and Iwa was crying. The other students looked away in disgust.


    Iwa eventually stopped crying and turned on me.


    ¡°YOU¡¯RE DEAD, NATHAN! ICE LANCE!¡± She chanted as a lance made from ice appeared in her hands.


    ¡°Seriously? No spells? Just a weapon?¡±


    ¡°I DON¡¯T NEED SPELLS TO BEAT YOU!¡±


    She swung the lance around before we finally ran towards each other. She swung the lance low to the ground, trying to sweep my legs. I jumped over it and landed a double kick to her face. She spit out the blood before jabbing the lance towards my heart. I couldn¡¯t react in time to fully dodge the blow so I redirected it into my shoulder in order to avoid a fatal blow.


    ¡°Enough of this. Magnetic Crush!¡±


    I began closing my hands, her head got smaller and smaller until POP!


    ¡°Next,¡± those words came from a place of revenge. A place where I needed to kill the man who killed my mother.


    ¡°WHY? WHAT DID WE DO TO DESERVE THIS?!¡± Amaya screamed. She was balled up on the ground, crying at this point.


    ¡°Oh, I just thought this would be fun and it sure is!¡± The intercom came on for a moment.


    ¡°THIS IS FUN TO YOU?! MAKING CHILDREN KILL EACH OTHER?!¡± She was hysterical. Her eyes wide and her body shaky.


    ¡°Amaya, come on,¡± A boy with a more childish face than the rest of us grabbed her arm and pulled her up.


    Everyone started fighting me. I had killed Iwa and Irwin but now everyone was focused on me.


    The room echoed as I was landing left after right, right after left, they couldn¡¯t use their magic for the same reason that they couldn¡¯t in the school fight. They were worried about hitting each other with it.


    It¡¯s usually like this anyways. Me against the world. I enjoyed it when it came to fighting but I didn¡¯t like being by myself out there in the real world.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t we land anything?!¡± One of the male students said, frustrated.


    ¡°He knows what he¡¯s doing,¡± Amaya replied.


    It suddenly hit me. I thought Amaya looked familiar. She was in my math class at school.


    ¡°A few months ago, he got into a fight at school with 4 other guys. And still won,¡± she responded.


    Eventually, all of them were knocked unconscious besides one. Amaya stood over me as I breathed heavily.


    ¡°We could¡¯ve been friends but you had to go and kill Iwa and Irwin. I didn¡¯t want to do this.¡±


    My body wouldn¡¯t move. I was too exhausted from the fighting. She put her hands forward with her palms facing me.


    ¡°Burn.¡±


    My body was set ablaze. I¡¯m not going to scream or cry again.


    My mom was the only person who I could be open to and now she¡¯s gone.


    I won¡¯t give you the satisfaction, Amaya. It hurt like hell. My body was charred as she walked away.


    I raised my hand up into the sky.


    ¡°Magnetic Healing.¡± By manipulating my own electromagnetic field, I¡¯m able to heal injuries. I struggled with this spell.


    Thanks, Amaya, I couldn¡¯t have figured this one out without you.


    She should¡¯ve killed me when she had the chance. I got up and saw that everyone lying on the ground had been killed. Amaya must¡¯ve decided that when she killed me, she was going to be the one to win or maybe she thought she was helping them by ending their suffering.


    I walked to the exit.


    She was standing there, pulling the wheel.


    ¡°HEY, EVERYONE ELSE IS DEAD?! WHY WON¡¯T THIS OPEN?!¡± She yelled to the man on the intercom.


    ¡°No, not everyone,¡± he giggled.


    I slid the sword in her back.


    She crumpled to the ground.


    ¡°I thought,¡± she coughed out blood, ¡°you were dead,¡± she laid her head down and stared up at the ceiling.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve gone for the head,¡± I stabbed my sword through her heart and for good measure, I sliced her head off.


    The wheel started turning and the door shot open. The man who Edmond brought me to was standing there in a fancy black suit. His hair was short and white like snow. I didn¡¯t get as good a look at him before but he was pretty built. His shoulders were massive and his jaw was chiseled. His chest popped through his suit, the buttons barely holding his pecs back.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that suit a little too tight?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°Is it really? I had it tailor made.¡± He responded.


    ¡°Anyways, I¡¯m Vance Tenebris and you¡¯ve won!¡± Yay!¡± He clapped a little.


    ¡°Can I just¡­¡± I started to fall forward. Vance caught me.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve done well today,¡± he said. My vision disappeared as I fell asleep.


    Vance taught me everything he knew. From fighting and magic to how he does his business.


    Vance would oftentimes take me on little expeditions with him as he murdered, robbed, or just tortured people. I didn¡¯t really understand why at first but then he told me, his business was built on crime. He sold drugs, he murdered, he did a little bit of everything, a jack of all trades he called himself.


    On one of these expeditions, we got a request to eliminate Vernon Newsmith.


    We found Vernon Newsmith. He was a sneaky one; it took us nearly two weeks to find him. Vance let me torture him. I enjoyed his screams as I pried his fingernails off.


    After a while, we killed him. Vance enjoyed it more than me although I felt relief, joy, and a sort of emptiness wash over me.


    ¡°What now, Vance?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°What do you mean what now?¡± He replied.


    ¡°Well, are you gonna take me somewhere and kill me now that Newsmith is dead?¡±


    ¡°No? We¡¯re gonna keep doing this? What¡¯s gotten into you?¡±


    I looked at him and smiled. My life was ruined but I was relieved. Maybe this is what I was meant for.


    ¡°He has a son, though, Aaron Newsmith. Word is he¡¯s some sort of prodigy. You¡¯re not quite there yet but we¡¯ll get you there. Remember how you said you were gonna ¡°kill his bloodline¡± to Mr. Lefono?¡±


    I looked up at him and shook my head up and down.


    ¡°And you¡¯re going to need an alias so you aren¡¯t hunted down everywhere you go,¡± he tapped his chin,¡±I think Dugal fits well. I heard it when I was traveling abroad. It means ¡°dark¡± or ¡°stranger¡±. And well that¡¯s what you are. You¡¯re just a stranger,¡± we walked out of there and left the body behind.


    Now, it wasn¡¯t all great. My life still sucked. Vance would beat me. He would use me as a decoy for a lot of missions and I would get my ass kicked like nobody¡¯s business. Vance didn¡¯t treat me like an apprentice, more of like a tool.


    I didn¡¯t wanna be meant for this but this is my fate.


    One brought upon me against my will.


    ¡°By your father,¡± Dugal finished.


    ¡°That¡¯s in the past. I don¡¯t know why he did that but I¡¯m sorry he did. However,¡± I walked away to the two students on the ground with their heads gone.


    I covered them with my jacket and turned around.


    ¡°I cannot let this go. This is for the students¡¯ who lives you took.¡±


    I faced Dugal face to face.


    He jumped backwards and prepared his fighting stance.

 Strength

    In the heart of the dense artificial forest, where the air crackled with latent energy, the two mages stood facing each other. One with a certain intensity and the other one with a certain evilness to him.


    Aaron Newsmith, the probability mage, his eyes locked in a kaleidoscopic vision of endless possibilities. Dugal stood opposite of him across the now clear plain where the trees once rose to the sky. A man of multiple magics but his favorite being magnetism.


    ¡°DO YOUR WORST, NEWSMITH!¡± He shouted, wearing a maniacal grin across his face, hands splayed.


    He crushed his fists together.


    ¡°Magnetic Crush. By using this move, I grab the electromagnetic field that surrounds you and crush it to my whim.¡±


    ¡°Gambler¡¯s Chance,¡± Aaron Newsmith muttered before finding a pair of glowing, ethereal dice in his palms. He shook them and rolled them before putting his hands to prevent himself from being crushed. They tumbled and rolled before landing on a 6 and a 5. The magnetic fields returned to normal.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± Dugal asked, confusedly.


    ¡°I simply took a chance at bending the electromagnetic fields back to normal,¡± he replied.


    Dugal scoffed and bolted forward, undeterred.


    His eyes locked onto Newsmith as he just stood there. He threw his knives and suspended them in the air as he laid low to the ground. He approached the ground where Aaron was standing.


    ¡°Convergence,¡± Dugal held his hands out in front of him, fingers facing inward, ¡°Convergence allows me to amplify the ambient magnetic energy around me to make my spells more powerful.¡±


    He got under Aaron¡¯s chin.


    ¡°Burn.¡± He put his hand up, towards Aaron and sent a large plume of brilliant flames up at him.


    He simply smacked them away with a flick of his wrist.


    ¡°Your fire is weak, Dugal. You should stick to the magnets,¡± Aaron stared at Dugal with an emotionless expression.


    Dugal scoffed and jumped backwards once more.


    ¡°LEVITATION!¡± Dugal lifted his hand into the sky, taking Newsmith with it. Aaron wasn¡¯t fazed one bit.


    The iron in his blood allowed for Dugal to freely manipulate his body.


    Dugal swung his hand to the side. Aaron went flying into the tree.


    CRASH


    Aaron stood up and dusted himself off.


    ¡°Lady Luck¡¯s Blessing,¡± he muttered.


    A large silhouette of a woman in a white gown appeared overhead. She put her palm directly above Aaron and whispered in a different tongue. His body began to glow as she dissipated into the air as fragments of light.


    ¡°Dugal, you will not leave here alive,¡± he stated, coldly. Aaron dashed forward and met Dugal face to face once more.


    ¡°LET¡¯S DANCE, NEWSMITH!¡± Dugal darted forward.


    Aaron had perfected his technique, which wasn¡¯t a technique but that¡¯s what he referred it to as. Aaron is able to withstand attacks more than the usual mage. His mana output allows for him to fully reinforce his body to allow for him to minimize damage. His magical technique however allows for him to fully manipulate his luck.


    Dugal couldn¡¯t have picked a worse opponent for his technique than Aaron.


    Aaron¡¯s fighting style was his own, something he perfected as he taught himself from a young age. Aaron¡¯s large quantity of mana allows for his attacks to have more power behind them than your average mage. His technique involves intense concentration and willpower. He gathers this mana into themselves, using it as a catalyst to enhance their physical capabilities. Once all of the mana is gathered into his body, he uses it to reinforce his body to the physical limit that he can push to.


    Although it should be noted that this technique is NOT permanent.


    The mana that is gathered inside of his body allows for him to unleash devastating power and for his body to become more resilient. His blows can penetrate barriers and allows for him to overwhelm his opponent with sheer force. The only drawback to this style is the amount of mana it consumes. However, within Aaron¡¯s body, a vast reservoir of mana illuminated the corners of his soul, his core shimmered through all of the darkness, a pool with iridescent hues of azure and silver laid in the middle like a cauldron.


    ¡°Newsmith Style: Continuous Strikes,¡± Aaron dashed towards Dugal at frightening speed.


    He landed an assault of powerful strikes, Dugal¡¯s body echoing beneath the blows of each one. He uppercutted Dugal into the sky. He bent his knees in and jumped up above Dugal.


    ¡°Ground Slam,¡± he interlocked his fingers and smacked down onto his chest. Dugal¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he fell back to the solid ground beneath him, a momentary flicker of vulnerability betraying his usual facade of childish arrogance. He coughed up blood as he stood back up.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± he turned his head to the side and spit out the blood onto the leaves that laid on the forest floor. Crimson, gold, and russet leaves mingling with the deeper greens of pine needles and the occasional brown of decaying branches mixed with the scarlet blood that Dugal had just infected the ground with.


    Dugal watched frantically as Aaron walked down the beaten path towards him.


    ¡®Hey, I¡¯ll retreat! I won¡¯t kill anyone else!¡± Dugal held his hands out, pleading for his life.


    Aaron continued walking towards Dugal, twigs snapping as the ominous aura moved closer and closer.


    ¡°HIGH STAKES.¡± The ground reverberated as Aaron¡¯s voice echoed throughout the forest. Aaron spread his legs and bent his knees inward. He held his fists next to his knees and began screaming. A bright green aura surrounded him as a colossal slot machine appeared behind him. The multicolored lights and the ornate make of the machine caused it to shimmer behind Aaron. The large lever pulled down on its own. A burst of glittering stardust erupts from the top. The machine started playing music which slowed down as he reached the end of the spin.


    A voice, soft and melodic, began to speak.


    ¡°7. 7. 7! JACKPOT!¡± The female voice announced, excitedly.


    A pale blue mist phased in and out of visibility, making its way into Aaron¡¯s body. He lifted his head up; basking in the power.


    ¡°ALL IN!¡± Aaron shouted as he rushed Dugal. He grabbed Dugal by the neck and lifted him up into the air. His hand emitted an iridescent azure color before blasting Dugal point blank with the built up mana.


    Aaron was groggily swaying around; face still inscrutable.


    Dugal and another man were standing on the opposite side of the arena. The man was wearing a pinstripe suit with a smooth, featureless mask that shows no eyes, nose, or mouth. He was well built; he looked like a bodybuilder, his broad shoulders showing underneath his suit. He pulled off his blazer and his tie and tossed them to the side.


    ¡°I saved your ass, Dugal. You need to be more aware of your opponent¡¯s capabilities, I told you this! His,¡± the man pointed at Aaron who was kneeling down on one knee, trying to regain his strength, ¡°is Gambler. He manipulates his luck. Anything can happen so long as his spells let it. He also has an abundant amount of mana, meaning in a battle of attrition¡­ YOU,¡± he jammed his finger in Dugal¡¯s chest, ¡°will fall first. This is the best and only chance we will get to eliminate a threat as big as him,¡± he wrapped his arm around his shoulder.


    They both began preparing spells.


    ¡°Magnetic Fusion,¡± Dugal whispered.


    ¡°Blood Magic: Hemomancy Bolt¡± The faceless man held out his hand.


    ¡°COLOSSEUM OF THE DAMNED!¡±


    They both swiveled their heads toward me as I pushed my hands onto the ground.  Their spells fizzled out before they could be fully manifested.


    ¡°I¡¯M NOT DONE YET, DUGAL!¡± I shouted as I wore a bloody smile across my face; laughing shortly after.


    The hysteria had taken over my mind completely; ignoring the begging pleas from Rose and Aura before I ran back out here.


    ¡°This didn¡¯t work last time. What makes you think it¡¯ll work this time?¡± Dugal tapped his finger on his arm impatiently.


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    ¡°COME AT ME THEN, DUGAL!¡±


    Although I felt an overwhelming difference in our strength, I didn¡¯t want to stop.


    This is the first time someone¡¯s pushed me this far.


    Dugal, we¡¯re enemies but I thank you. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this.


    ¡°Camouflage.¡± My body melded with the colosseum.


    ¡°Aw, did wittle Dommy wearn a new trick?¡± Dugal puerilely stated. He prepared his stance as his eyes darted around; his eyes deceiving his smug attitude.


    I ran along the ground as I grabbed his leg and threw him into the wall. He went flying as I got up from the ground.


    ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t forget about me,¡± The faceless man swung a heavy fist towards me. I somersaulted backwards.


    ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t announce your attack,¡± I sprinted towards him. Dugal came flying from the opposite side, landing a shattering blow to my ribs.


    ¡°GAH!¡± I began to black out. I bit down on my tongue and regained my awareness. I grabbed Dugal by the arm and slammed him onto the ground before landing a blow to his head.


    The faceless man rushed forward in a frenzied assault. I didn¡¯t know who he was but he was miles ahead of Dugal in terms of combat.


    Which makes this a bad matchup for me.


    ¡°I will admit. For a boy your age to have the wherewithal to inflict pain upon yourself to keep yourself awake is impressive. What have you been through to be this well versed in the art of hand to hand?¡± This man had a sophisticated way of speaking and it kind of pissed me off.


    I managed to keep up with his strikes for a while, trying to buy time for Aaron to regain his strength. He slowly began to get up, his breathing steadying.


    ¡°See, boy. That move of his. All or Nothing, I believe, if his attack doesn¡¯t hit then all of that mana is drained from his body. It¡¯ll be a long time before he can move. And since you activated your ¡°colosseum¡±, Lady Luck¡¯s Blessing isn¡¯t working right now.¡± His assault began to break through my defense as he landed multiple hits to my body. I gritted my teeth and continued trying to fight back.


    Was it actually my fault? Did he have this whole situation handled until I intervened? Did I really screw him over?


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him, kid, you did good,¡± Aaron was standing on his own again.


    I nodded as the faceless man turned his heels onto Aaron. He bolted towards him, spinning in the air with a flying kick. Aaron put up his hand and spun his leg around. Aaron roundhouse kicked him into the wall. Dugal and his partner stood up, dusting themselves off.


    We stood across from one another face to face.


    ¡°Dominick, you can go now, you did well. Thank you,¡± he looked at me and smiled.


    I disabled the spell as my legs started to give out on me again. This time I don¡¯t think I¡¯m gonna get back up.


    Aura and Rose were waiting for me at the entrance to the arena once more.


    ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you, Dominick, even though that was stupid.¡± Rose said, hugging me lightly.


    "How are you even able to be here right now? What about your injuries?" I asked Rose.


    "They weren''t as bad as they looked," she replied, still clinging onto me.


    Aura rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Yeah, sure, whatever,¡± Aura grabbed one of my arms and draped it across her shoulder.


    ¡°Come on,¡± she couldn¡¯t even look me in the eye. Rose grabbed my other arm and they brought me to the infirmary.


    I passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow of the bed.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t here for your student. Although since he intervened, I think we¡¯ll kill him once we¡¯re through with you,¡± The faceless man uttered.


    Aaron looked at them, assessing the situation.


    How was he going to beat both of them with most of his mana depleted?


    He shook his head.


    ¡°That¡¯s how losers think,¡± he thought to himself.


    He snapped his fingers.


    ¡°GAMBLER¡¯S CHANCE!¡± He shouted as the dice appeared in his hand.


    He rolled them, landing on a 4 and 2. His body shined with a hue of a brilliant blue. He cracked his neck and knuckles.


    ¡°Deck of Fate: DRAW!¡± A translucent card appeared in front of him. He looked at it before it disappeared into the air.


    ¡°Magnetic Lock!¡± Dugal grabbed the air and twisted it around Aaron.


    ¡°Curse of Misfortune.¡±


    Dugal¡¯s spell fizzled out before it could fully be put into effect.


    ¡°Crimson Torrent!¡± A large fast moving stream of blood shot out from the man¡¯s palm.


    Aaron ran across the arena, evading the spell that was locked onto him.


    ¡°It must¡¯ve locked onto my blood,¡± Aaron thought to himself.


    He scrambled his mind to figure out how to get rid of the torrent that was currently following him.


    ¡°I was hoping to save this but¡­ FATE¡¯S INTERVENTION!¡±


    The spell disappeared.


    ¡°LUCKY STREAK! ALL IN!¡±


    He used Lucky Streak to ensure his last and final attack would land.


    Aaron put everything he had left into this final attack. His body was screaming, telling him to stop.


    ¡°That boy fought until I got here. I won¡¯t disappoint him. I WILL FIGHT WITH EVERYTHING IN ME!¡± Aaron¡¯s demeanor changed from serious to determined. He was willing to risk his life to avenge the lives of those two students who lost.


    To the lives that these two have already taken.


    Aaron spread his hands. The spell came out in full swing. Aaron began to close his hands.


    The cerulean beam was large and intimidating. There was nowhere left to go. This was the end for them.


    ¡°TELEPORT¡± A woman dressed in all black appeared before the three. She placed her hand on Dugal and the faceless man¡¯s shoulders.


    They disappeared in an instant.


    Aaron stopped his spell, still draining most of his mana. He looked to where they were and stared. He looked around. He wanted to make sure they were actually gone.


    After he confirmed they weren¡¯t on the scene and that no student was left behind, he walked back to the entrance of the arena.


    ¡°MR. NEWSMITH, SORRY WE¡¯VE ARRIVED SO LATE! THERE WERE MORE OUTSIDE!¡± The guards saluted Aaron.


    ¡°Because of you, students died. Think about that. Students died because you couldn¡¯t do your job. Turn in your resignation. You¡¯re all fired.¡± He trudged off as the guards'' hung their heads, dejectedly.


    Aaron walked over to the infirmary, looking for the location of the boy who helped him.


    Now he didn¡¯t know his name but he remembered what he looked like.


    He walked over to the receptionist. He described Dominick to the nurse.


    ¡°Down the hall to the left, should be the 3rd door on the right,¡± the nurse answered.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Aaron walked down the hall and turned to the left. Aura and Rose stood outside with worried expressions on their faces.


    ¡°Are you two acquainted with the boy?¡± he asked them.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re pretty much 2 of his 3 friends,¡± Rose responded.


    ¡°You¡¯ve found someone special. That¡¯s a brave boy in there,¡± Aaron smiled warmly.


    ¡°We know¡­¡± Aura muttered, ¡°and stupid¡­¡± she whispered beneath her breath.


    ¡°Is it okay if I head inside?¡± He asked, politely.


    ¡°Yeah, we were about to head back inside too,¡± Rose replied.


    They walked in together, one behind the other. Dominick lay there with IV tubes attached to his arm. His entire body was healed by the nurse who was in here earlier. The IV tubes were for his food, fluids, and nutrients so he didn¡¯t starve or dehydrate. You can never be too sure if magic is the cure for EVERYTHING. So there were laws put in place where if you give someone magical remedies then you must also give them traditional medicinal remedies as well. His eyes were shut as he laid there, unconscious and as quiet as ever in his white and blue hospital gown.


    Aaron grabbed a chair and pulled it up next to the hospital bed.


    ¡°You were great out there today, I couldn¡¯t have done it today without you. I hope to be as brave as you one day,¡± he looked at the clipboard, ¡°Dominick.¡±


    Aura and Rose chuckled.


    After a while, everyone dispersed. Aaron went back to write his report to the Magic Defense Force. Rose and Aura waited outside Dominick¡¯s room.


    ¡°Hey, Aura,¡± Rose tapped her on the shoulder.


    ¡°What is it, Rose?¡± She responded.


    ¡°Why do you always act like you don¡¯t care about Dominick?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°You were the first one to grab him when he wobbled to the entrance. You were the first person he talked to and you were his first friend. I know you care about him. You should let him know sometime, I think it¡¯ll help him more than you realize,¡± she patted Aura on the shoulder then walked away.


    Aura looked off down the hallway, thinking to herself.


    Obviously, the events were canceled and all of the staff and students were sent back to their respective schools. Dominick woke up before they were scheduled to leave. The nurses insisted that he used a wheelchair to move but he simply refused and wobbled back to our locker room. Rose started crying when she laid eyes on him and ran to hug him.


    Aura stared in disbelief and tears welling in her eyes. She turned away so no one saw it. All of the students and staff had returned back to their schools. Everyone pestered Dominick with questions but that was quickly halted by Aura yelling at them.


    The students made it back to the school safely. They were instructed to head over to the gymnasium for an emergency assembly.


    Rose, Dominick, and Aura all sat down next to each other.


    They talked with each other the entire time, trying their best to distract themselves from what just happened.

 Sanai

    The events that occurred at Enchantopia had shaken Lixarts and the other magic academies to their cores. No more information has come to light about the people who disrupted the events. Nobody¡¯s seen or heard anything about the organization known as ¡®The Shadows¡¯ nor Dugal and the man with the faceless mask. As much as we tried to forget about it, it really spotlighted how inadequate we were in the face of overwhelming power. So we trained. Or at least I did. Ever since my body recovered, I¡¯ve been training as long as my body would let me. We also held a memorial for the 3 students who also unfortunately lost their lives at Enchantopia. I didn¡¯t know them at all so I didn¡¯t say any words for the departed as I sat there quietly. This isn¡¯t something we should be doing in the first year of highschool.


    I promise you, Dugal. I will kill you. Even if it''s the last thing I do.


    I felt a tap on my shoulder. Aura was staring right at me.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°Nah, you just zoned out so I was making sure you were all good,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Shhh,¡± a woman in front of us turned around and put her finger over her lips.


    Aura flipped her off.


    She put her hand over her chest and gasped before turning back around.


    I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    ¡°Well there¡¯s something,¡± Aura wore a small smile across her face.


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have to be here. If I was strong enough, this wouldn¡¯t have happened. Edward wouldn¡¯t have died. Those two wouldn¡¯t have died. I can¡¯t do this anymore. When faced with overwhelming power, I was powerless. I froze up and almost got Mr. Newsmith killed,¡± I laid my face in my hands.


    ¡°While you were passed out,¡± Aura cleared her throat, ¡°Aaron actually came into the infirmary where you were while you were unconscious. He said that he couldn¡¯t have done it without you,¡± she let out a heavy breath before continuing, ¡°a woman with teleportation magic showed up and teleported them away. I guarantee you Aaron would¡¯ve destroyed them if it wasn¡¯t for her,¡± Aura stuffed her hands in her pockets.


    I shuffled the tie around as it was squeezing my neck. We were all required to wear all black. Aura wore a black dress that her mom made for her, she had a black hoodie with a Rose emblem on the corner near her shoulder.


    ¡°Hey, Aura, I have a question.¡± I turned to her.


    ¡°As long as it¡¯s not stupid,¡± she answered.


    ¡°Why do you have so many clothes with that rose on it?¡± I pointed to the rose.


    ¡°That¡¯s stupid. Rose, Rose?¡± She pointed to the rose on her hoodie and then to Rose, who was sitting away with her parents.


    ¡°Did she help you make that?¡±


    ¡°No, she made these herself. I taught her how to make clothes so every now and then she¡¯ll make a piece at my parent¡¯s shop. She has her own little watermark kind of thing, which is the rose you see on the corner. It¡¯s literally like the only design she can make,¡± she started circling the rose, ¡°but it¡¯s beautiful to me.¡±


    ¡°Maybe this wasn¡¯t the best time to talk about that,¡± I replied, nervously chuckling.


    ¡°Maybe but I think death is beautiful in its own way. It brings out all of these emotions, all of these ways to cope with it but most importantly¡­ even people who hated that person will come together to pay their respects. They get to leave this world behind and all of the bad with it, they get to start over. Or at least, that¡¯s what I believe,¡± she sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure what I believe about death. Maybe we get reincarnated, maybe we go to heaven or hell, maybe it¡¯s an empty void but all I do know is that Edward and those other students were scared in their final moments. They didn¡¯t want to die and I will get revenge on Dugal for this.¡±


    Rose walked in front of us. She motioned for us to scoot over. Aura and I looked at one another before scooting over for Rose to plop down in between us.


    ¡°Hey, I see you¡¯re wearing the ¡®Rose¡¯ special!¡± Rose smiled and poked the rose.


    ¡°Yeah, I actually wore the sweater the other day. You remember that, Dom?¡± Aura looked at me with her usual emotionless expression.


    ¡°Mhm, yeah¡­¡± I was distracted by the coffins being carried in.


    The ceremony went on for a few hours without a hitch.


    The service was beautiful and everyone had nice things to say about the dearly departed students.


    Everyone meddled around and talked with others before leaving. The principal was shaking hands and talking to the parents of the students. I stuffed my hands in my pocket and walked outside for some fresh air.


    ¡°I wonder why it wasn¡¯t me,¡± I said out loud to myself.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a good way to look at it,¡± A woman¡¯s voice came out of the building and next to me.


    ¡°And you are?¡± I cocked my head to the side, skeptical.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll see soon enough,¡± she took a sip of her drink before disappearing into the alleyway across the street.


    Shaken by that weird encounter, I walked back into the building. I searched the building for Aura or Rose. I spotted Rose talking to a boy in the corner, she wore a giant smile across her face and she laughed as they continued talking. I felt butterflies in my stomach as I took my eyes off of them and scanned for Aura.


    ¡°AURA! WHERE ARE YOU?!¡± I screamed. Everybody was staring at me as I passed them by in the lobby.


    A hand grabbed my jacket and pulled me into a janitorial closet.


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    ¡°MMPH!¡± I struggled against the unknown hand. I grabbed the small hand and twisted the arm of the stranger behind their back.


    ¡°LET ME GO!¡± Aura flipped the lightswitch with her open hand.


    ¡°Sorry, you scared me,¡± I replied, sheepishly, ¡°what¡¯d you want?¡±


    ¡°What do I want? You were looking for me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, so there was this girl in a sleek black dress with a giant black hat and a fur scarf who approached me outside and I asked who she was,¡± I looked at Aura to make sure she was following along, ¡°and guess what she said?¡±


    "What''d she say?"


    "You''ll find out soon enough."


    ¡°Well, I wanna know now. What¡¯d she say?¡±


    ¡°No, she said ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough¡±.¡±


    We both laughed before she talked again.


    ¡°That¡¯s totally not weird," she proclaimed.


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I needed to talk to you or Rose about it. HOWEVER,¡± I raised my voice for a moment, ¡°she¡¯s talking with a boy over there,¡± I grabbed Aura and guided her to where Rose was. I pointed to the corner where she was sitting there with a drink in hand laughing with the boy.


    ¡°OH!¡± She exclaimed and then started giggling.


    ¡°Ew, stop, don¡¯t giggle. It¡¯s like the ONE thing you shouldn¡¯t be doing,¡± I had a look of exaggerated disgust on my face.


    ¡°Oh, shut up. You¡¯re jealous, aren¡¯t you though?¡± She replied.


    ¡°No, I just forgot she was popular with the guys.¡±


    ¡°Well, come on, we gotta say goodbye to our parents. The funeral¡¯s about to end.¡±


    I walked side by side with Aura, walking down the hallway and into the lobby once more. My parents were waiting for me as Aura waved me goodbye and walked to her parents.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry you had to go through something like this, sweetie,¡± my mom hugged me in a warm embrace.


    ¡°We heard about everything you did, son. You were brave and we¡¯re so proud of you but next time, don¡¯t put yourself in harm¡¯s way. I know that this dorm thing was supposed to protect you but STUDENTS JUST DIED!¡± Dad started hollering.


    ¡°No, it was at the event. The security at the school is no joke,¡± I reassured them. They must¡¯ve been worried sick about me.


    ¡°Well, we have to get back and so do you. We¡¯ll see you in a little bit, Dom,¡± Mom planted a kiss on my forehead as she and Dad retreated back home.


    The rest of the day passed by. The air was heavy with sorrow and despair as the weight of losing those students settled in. That could¡¯ve been anyone and that worried everyone.


    The vibrant blue quickly changed into a serene twilight. We arrived at the school where we all went straight to our dorms and succumbed to fatigue.


    Classes were canceled for the week after we got back so there wasn¡¯t much to do except wander around the campus or stay in your room.


    Since students were directly injured, we could not leave the premises so that wasn¡¯t in the cards for us.


    I stayed in my dorm as much as possible after I spent a majority of the week training, perfecting my camouflage technique or at least attempting to.


    I wanted to evolve my abilities even more but this was the limit I had reached for now. I was able to shatter the previous barrier that allowed me to obtain the ¡®Camouflage¡¯ technique by fighting an opponent that was leaps and bounds stronger than me.


    Maybe I have to do that again but unfortunately, I don¡¯t feel like dying right now.


    A week had passed by and classes were finally back in session. There was also something else approaching us rapidly.


    ¡°PROM! PROM! MAKE SURE YOU BUY YOUR TICKETS TO PROM BEFORE THE END OF NEXT FRIDAY!¡± The student council committee was out in the hallway, promoting the shit out of the prom. I heard they went all out this year for the prom. I''m talking about live bands, a DJ, games, the whole nine yards. I don¡¯t have a date though and I¡¯m not really sure who I wanna go with in the first place. Everything in me was leaning towards Aura or Rose but something else was also tugging at the back of my mind and I completely forgot what it was.


    I made my way down the hallway, avoiding the couples and students slowly slugging down the hallway.


    ¡°MR. WILLOWSKY! HOW ARE YOU?! I HAVEN¡¯T SEEN YOU IN WEEKS!¡± I yelled, running up to his desk.


    ¡°It¡¯s been about 10 days. The best 10 days of my life but I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay. Please take your seat,¡± he answered.


    I sat down at the desk next to Aura¡¯s desk, my assigned seat. She looked up and lifted her head up in the ¡®sup¡¯ motion before lying her head back down against the cold wood of the surface of the desk.


    ¡°STUDENTS, STUDENTS, I HAVE NEWS!¡± Mr. Willowsky yelled over the banter of the other students¡¯ to get their attention. Aura lifted her head up as he continued on.


    ¡°It is with great pleasure that I welcome Sanai and Kasen, transfer students from Uscia and your new classmates!¡± He motioned for the two to come in.


    The girl was the one from the funeral, the one in the black dress and fur scarf.


    The boy was slightly taller than me with a pale complexion, his hair was a middle part with strands hanging on each side, he wore glasses with gold frames, and he walked in like he owned the place.


    The girl looked at me and winked before turning back to Mr. Willowsky.


    ¡°You may sit over there next to Dominick,¡± he pointed to the empty seats next to me.


    The beautiful female student sat down next to me as the boy sat to her left. The floral aroma that wafted from her intoxicated my nose as I could barely focus on the lecture.


    Aura stared at her throughout the entire class with a suspicious appraisal.


    Why, you ask? I don¡¯t know.


    The bell rang, dismissing the class. All of us got our bags and walked out into the hallway. Sanai ran up to me before I had a chance to escape.


    ¡°Hey, remember me, Dominick?¡± She put her hands behind her back and leaned down. She tilted her head up towards me.


    ¡°From the funeral, right?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yep, I understand why you said what you said now. I heard your story about how you fought your heart out with Aaron Newsmith and still couldn¡¯t do much,¡± she whispered into my ear,


    ¡°How you let those poor students die.¡±


    I backed away, guilt settling in.


    ¡°Dom, you good? Do I need to kick her ass?¡± Aura and Rose walked up from behind me to stand beside me on both sides.


    ¡°No, we were just talking,¡± she smiled a pure, sweet, innocent smile.


    She blew me a kiss before walking off.


    Rose¡¯s jaw was on the floor as she looked back and forth frantically between the two of us.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± She said, mouth still agape, ¡°she''s way out of your league,¡± she added insult to injury.


    ¡°No, we were just discussing the political and economical state of Daclon,¡± I replied.


    Rose and Aura teased me all day, asking about the details about who asked who and how did we meet and have we known each other before and all of that even though I have specifically stated to them that we are NOT dating and I did not know who Sanai was until today.


    ¡°So then, why were you talking to her at the funeral?¡± Rose asked, coldly.


    I turned to face Rose.


    ¡°How¡¯d you know about that?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I saw you two, it was brief but I knew it was her,¡± she said, with her head to the ground.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know who she was. I was outside getting fresh air and she heard me and talked to me for about a minute then went on her way.¡±


    Rose simply nodded her head and walked next to Aura the whole way back to their dorm. I waved them off, only receiving one back from Aura. Rose didn¡¯t talk to me at all since that whole conversation. Did I do something to offend her?


    I don¡¯t get women.

 The Prodigy

    My name is Kasen, I¡¯m what you would call a prodigy. I¡¯ve been practicing magic since I was 6 years old.


    Humans normally awaken at 10 years old.


    I¡¯ve got a 4 year head start on my peers and that gap is made evidently clear when I spar or train with people my age. I started off loving the magic arts and training and learning but eventually that passion just fizzled up into flames. My drive disappeared the more I excelled.


    What¡¯s the point of winning if I¡¯m not having fun? So what¡¯d I do? Well, I did what any normal person would do and stopped training altogether.


    Maybe if I gave them time to catch up then they wouldn¡¯t be so weak.


    It didn¡¯t really matter because I was still easily able to beat them. They didn¡¯t lack magical potency or magical affinity. It was a skill issue. Nobody was able to put up a challenge and I couldn¡¯t get excited anymore.


    My parents are rich so I¡¯ve also gotten everything I¡¯ve ever wanted and honestly, I¡¯m still not happy. I want someone to push me to my limits. I want to have experiences like every other kid.


    I¡¯m a prodigy but I don¡¯t want to be.


    I yawned as I woke up from my nap at my desk. Today was my first day as a transfer student. I¡¯ve heard rumors about the boy that Sanai is sitting next to. What¡¯s his name?


    Hold on, I just had it.


    Doug¡­ no¡­ Donald? No¡­ Oh, I got it. Dominick.


    I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s got this weird ability to nullify any magic within its range. I wish I could fight him right now but there''s classes and I¡¯m so tired. I laid my head back down and fell to sleep once more.


    The bell rang, waking me up from the deep sleep I was in. Groggily, I watched Sanai walk out after Dominick. Curious, I grabbed my bag and followed them out. I exited through the door to find Sanai leaning towards Dominick¡¯s ear, it looks like she¡¯s whispering something to him. His eyes were wide as he backed away from her. His little groupies walked up behind him and defended his honor. That¡¯s all of the noteworthy things I did that day. I trudged back to my dorm and fell asleep as soon as I hit the bed.


    The next day was what they called a ¡°Y¡± day. I hated switching classes every other day, this was actually the dumbest thing I¡¯ve ever heard of.


    ¡°Yo, Kassen!¡± A boy with long blonde hair walked up to me. He wore a bright, radiant smile as he put his arm around me.


    ¡°Get off me,¡± I grabbed his wrist and tossed his hand off my shoulder. I grabbed the small can of disinfectant and sprayed my shirt.


    ¡°I¡¯m not dirty, I just washed my hands,¡± he said, smiling and laughing.


    I pointed the can at him.


    ¡°Germs disgust me and guess what? You have germs.¡± I replied.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have germs,¡± he lifted his hands up and flipped them back and forth.


    I sighed and walked away. Explaining things to idiots like him just makes me wanna


    sleep even more. I can¡¯t be bothered to exert more effort than I need to with weirdos like that.


    The art classroom was exorbitant as the colors reflected off the ground which was entirely white. The canvas that was the ground was covered in art from doodles to the most beautiful pieces I have ever laid eyes on.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Mr. Fogel, I¡¯m your art teacher. As you can see, there are no chairs here. Let me tell you how my class works,¡± he cleared his throat, ¡°I don¡¯t teach you art per se, I teach you the method to finding your style. Your art. Each soul and each heart all have different wants, needs, preferences. So what do I do? I give you a brush and I tell you, ¡°paint whatever you¡¯re feeling right now.¡±


    I looked at him.


    ¡°So you¡¯re lazy?¡±


    He looked back at me and stared for a second before blinking.


    ¡°No, listen. I get why you¡¯re skeptical but look. That¡¯s Rose,¡± he pointed to the girl floating above the canvas with long scarlet hair and beautiful blue eyes. Her outfit of choice was that of a black tank top with a black hoodie and skinny jeans. Wait, I saw her with Dominick yesterday. Man, that dude is LUCKY as hell.


    ¡°She¡¯s my most brilliant student. You just give her a brush and tell her to paint what she¡¯s feeling. She tells me that her sense of inspiration is her friend, Dominick Blackburn. I understand why, he¡¯s a brave kid. I¡¯m assuming you¡¯ve heard the stories about how he was the only student to stay and fight with Aaron Newsmith against those people who invaded Enchantopia?¡± He turned to face me.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve heard,¡± honestly I¡¯ve gotten tired of how much I¡¯ve heard about it.


    ¡°Would he spar with me?¡± I blurted out.


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. You¡¯d have to ask Rose.¡±


    I thanked him and walked over to Rose.


    ¡°Excuse me? Rose?¡± I waved her down.


    ¡°Yes, Kasen, how can I help you?¡± She replied, her voice like that of an angel. I think I died and went to heaven.


    ¡°I heard you¡¯re close with Dominick Blackburn?¡± I asked her, clearing away all distractions.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about him but he is one of my best friends so I¡¯d say so,¡± she spoke as she lightly painted the brush along the canvas.


    ¡°Would he spar with me?¡±


    ¡°Are you weak?¡± The expression became blank across her face as she looked into my eyes.


    ¡°No,¡± I proclaimed, confidently.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°Then he probably would spar with you. I¡¯ll let him know that you wanted to spar. You¡¯ll have to wait until tomorrow. He¡¯ll tell you his answer,¡± she turned and walked over to Mr. Fogel.


    My body started shaking with excitement. I can¡¯t wait! I hope he¡¯s as strong as everyone keeps making him out to be.


    The day passed by rapidly as I was ready to hear his response. I laid down on my bed but tonight was the first night in a while that I couldn¡¯t fall asleep.


    Don¡¯t disappoint me, Dominick.


    The bell dinged, marking the beginning of our first class. I sat down before anyone else, eagerly awaiting Dominick to walk in. Surprisingly, he walked in right after me. He walked past my desk and sat a piece of paper on it before walking away and reading a book about Ancient Civilizations.


    ¡°Meet me at the training rooms after classes,¡± the note read.


    I looked over and nodded at him to which he ignored as he was nose deep in his book, oblivious to the outside world.


    The final bell rang, putting an end to the misery that came in the form of a battle with an anomaly. I grabbed my bag and rushed to my dorm room and changed into proper attire, one that isn¡¯t as tight as my clothes for school. I locked the door and headed to the training room.


    BOOM


    One of the rooms rocked as the guard let me through.


    ¡°Yo, is that normal?¡± I turned back and asked the guard.


    ¡°Well, there are people training here. With magic. So¡­¡± he said, looking back down at his newspaper with a donut in hand.


    I walked into the back. A large empty room waited behind the doors at the end of the state of the art facility for students and faculty alike. The room was a grayish color with a large setting panel along the wall to the right of the door. It allowed for you to change the scenery and the Annihilation Class Spell nullifier but that was about it, there were just a lot of different places to choose from which is why it was so massive.


    ¡°Nice of you to finally show up, new guy,¡± Dominick said, punching and kicking the punching bag that swung back and forth in front of him.


    ¡°I had to get changed,¡± I responded.


    ¡°You here to run your mouth or you here to fight?¡± He cracked his neck and then his knuckles.


    ¡°I like you. Don¡¯t disappoint me,¡± I said, cracking my neck and knuckles in response, as well.


    Dominick walked over to the large panel on the wall and tapped the screen. All of the scenery options appeared before him.


    ¡°DO YOU CARE WHERE WE GO?¡± He shouted.


    ¡°NO!¡± I yelled.


    ¡°You have selected: Ancient Citadel. Is that correct?¡± The PA announced.


    He clicked yes on the screen as the bland walls shifted into a castle around us. The throne room was where it had decided to spawn us. The mosaic art clung onto the walls as the walls barely stood up. We walked over to look at the windows to see a sprawling city below. I strutted over to the door and began to walk out. An invisible wall stopped me. So I guess we can only fight here? That¡¯s super cool.


    ¡°LET¡¯S DO THIS, NEW GUY!¡± Dominick¡¯s voice grew louder as he dashed over to me. He hopped in the air and swung his foot towards my head.


    ¡°Geez, give me a chance to take this all in,¡± I said, ducking under his kick.


    He¡¯s fast for someone emitting no magical energy at all. So this is the anomaly known as Dominick.


    ¡°COSMIC MAGIC: METEOR!¡±


    A giant boulder came crashing through the ceiling as it loomed upon Dominick with frightening speed. He ran as fast as he could before somersaulting away from the meteor, narrowly dodging it.


    ¡°You dodged that?¡± I said to him, curious.


    ¡°Of course I did. You¡¯ll never defeat me with weak shit like that,¡± he responded.


    ¡°ASTRAL BIND!¡±


    Loops of light wrapped around Dominick, restraining his legs and arms behind him. He was caught by surprise and couldn¡¯t properly defend nor counter.


    ¡°SUPERNOVA!¡±


    I spread my arms out to each side before bringing them back in. A glowing orb of radiant light forms between my hands, pulsating with energy. The orb grew larger and large as the air crackled with energy, the low hum from the hub building to a crescendo. I released the spell with the target being Dominick who was about 20 meters away. He struggled against his restraints as the orb began to emit a blinding flash.


    ¡°Colosseum Of The Damned."


    The light vanished. The air around us grew heavy, creating a sense of immense pressure. A dome starts to rise. The walls of the colosseum materialize around us as the moonlight washed over us from the top. The thunderous boom echoed as the colosseum had concluded it''s long and amazing construction.


    This was the first time I¡¯ve ever seen anything like this. It was obviously a marvelous ability but the one thing missing was mana. How do you conjure something like this without magic? Even if you don''t consider this magic because there''s no mana, there''s something seriously magical about it.


    ¡°So this is the famous colosseum?¡± I questioned, looking around.


    ¡°The cameras were out at Enchantopia during Dugal¡¯s invasion. How did you know about this?¡±


    ¡°You think that they didn¡¯t record it? You were trending online for a while.¡±


    He sighed and charged at me. His speed was incredible, I¡¯ll never not be in awe when facing him. He was face to face with me now. With a quick shuffle, he pressed me with a flurry of quick jabs and heavy hooks. I threw quick jabs and hooks in response, attempting to create an opening so I could beat him at his own game. Usually, fighters are good in one aspect, whether that be strength, speed, technique, accuracy, but Dominick seemed to have it all. He was small and lean but his strength was the real deal. He was lightning quick with his assault, his technique were almost flawless, and he never missed a strike, I just deflected what I could. We exchanged blows, our fists flying and our smiles plastered onto our faces. Our fists connected with sickening thuds but at this point, it was way too late to care. I whiffed a deflection as he landed a right cross to my jaw. I was staggered for a moment and that was when he found his opening. He barraged me with a flurry of punches and kicks, inflicting severe damage on my body.


    I jumped back, away from his assault.


    I have the advantage in magical combat. He¡¯s got me right where he wants me, hand to hand. Nobody in this day and age fights bare handed except for freaks. Then again, this guy is the one who Dugal showed the most interest in. The one who had the will to stand up and fight when no one else will. And even so, I¡¯m getting destroyed.


    But¡­


    But this is what I needed. For my evolution.


    I stood tall, holding my hands out towards Dominick. The air crackles with energy as I call upon everything that I have. Every ounce of mana, every ounce of strength, everything.


    ¡°THIS IS MY ALL, DOMINICK! BEAR WITNESS TO THE MONSTER YOU¡¯VE CREATED. TO THE ONE WHO HAS EVOLVED BEYOND HUMAN LIMITATIONS!¡± I was hysterical, my mind wasn¡¯t as blank as usual. This battle woke something inside of me that was lumbering since I was little. The thrill, the joy, everything about fighting.


    ¡°VOID SINGULARITY!¡±


    A dark miniature orb with a galactic color swirled around above my palm. I threw it up into the air. The orb began to radiate an intense gravitational pull, distorting the light and air around it.


    The entire point of this spell was designed to take out the nullification of his spell. The funny thing was that I just thought of this spell now.


    I¡¯m a fucking genius.


    The walls of the colosseum were ripped apart as they began to swirl around the orb before being absorbed. I could feel the mana in the air once again, the mana inside was empty as I used everything I had for that final attack. The colosseum crumbled away as the air was distorted where the black hole once was.


    We were both exhausted, breathing heavily as we saw the unbelievable unfold before our eyes.


    I clenched my jaw and tightened my fist as I gathered everything, what little bit of mana I had left to hit him with this final attack. I charged at him. My chest twinged as I fell to the ground, clenching my shirt. Mana Zero.


    "How''d you do that?" He asked me.


    "Do what?" I sat up, facing him.


    "Break the colosseum. Not even Dugal or that man could. I don''t get it. How did you do it?" He seemed anxious.


    "Honestly, I just felt it. I can''t explain to you besides that. I felt in that moment that I was more powerful than you."


    He clenched his fists as he hit the ground. The floor cracked around his fist. He sighed and composed himself.


    "Thanks, Kasen. I needed this," his voice was shaky but sincere.


    "I didn''t do this for you. I was told you were powerful but you disappointed me." I walked out past Rose and a girl with ocean blue hair, it shimmered underneath the gym light as the curls cascaded down, like waves, to her shoulders. Her glasses were circular and large with gold lining as she walked past me without saying a word. Rose stopped right behind me.


    "You are strong after all," she gave me a smile.


    "But don''t take this loss as certainty. Dominick will come back stronger and defeat you next time."


    Her shoes clacked against the hardwood floor as she walked towards Dominick.


    "Hey, Dominick!" I turned around and shouted.


    "What?" He responded, annoyed.


    "Become stronger. I won''t lose to you ever but it''d be nice to have a challenge," I turned back around and made my way to my dorm.


    Rose looked at me with anger, envy, jealousy. Aura looked at me with emotionless eyes. Dominick looked at me with anger, envy, jealousy, sadness, but most of all, excitement. He may have lost today but I have a feeling this is just the beginning of both of our journeys.

 Aftermath

    held my hand above my head as I laid in my bed, debating¡­ contemplating what to do. How can I beat Kasen when he can break through ¡®Colosseum Of The Damned¡¯? That battle truly proved to me how useless I am against overwhelming power. If Kasen was there with Aaron then they would¡¯ve been able to save those students, to save Edward. Maybe then, I wouldn¡¯t have these nightmares every night.


    Watching Dugal crush Edward¡¯s skull into the ground, watching those student¡¯s heads explode like balloons right in front of me.


    Putting Aura and Rose at risk by not being powerful enough.


    I need to get stronger.


    As I am right now, I can¡¯t protect anyone. In the face of total strength, I can¡¯t hold my own. I¡¯m not able to protect anyone so what¡¯s to stop Dugal or that faceless mask guy from attacking them.


    What the hell am I thinking right now? In the face of total strength? I just need to be stronger than everything else if that¡¯s the problem, right? I will become stronger than anyone and anything that has ever existed before me.


    If it¡¯s a monster I need to beat then I¡¯ll surpass my humanity.


    I will become a monster myself.


    ¡°DOM! GET UP! AURA WANTS TO TALK TO YOU!¡± Josh shouted from his bed.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± I rubbed my eyes. I stood up and grabbed my clothes. I walked to the bathroom and changed.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I yawned, ¡°What¡¯d you want?¡± I asked, groggily.


    ¡°It¡¯s evidently apparent that you¡¯re super weak,¡± she harshly said.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah but that just makes me even weaker. After all, I lost to you. So that¡¯s why I wanted to ask you,¡± she inhaled, ¡°did you wanna come train with me? My grandpa was the captain of the Magic Defense Force, Enchantopia champion, and one of the 10 pillars. He¡¯s more than capable of teaching us and I thought that maybe we could go together?¡± She looked away for a moment.


    ¡°Hell, yeah, I do but don¡¯t we need approval to leave?¡±


    ¡°He handled that. He has that kind of influence, you know, being super badass and all,¡± she whipped her hair from off her shoulder.


    Sometimes I forget how pretty she is, too.


    ¡°Seriously? That¡¯s awesome. I haven¡¯t got to see you use your magic seriously in a while,¡± I told her.


    Her face turned stone cold.


    ¡°That¡¯s ¡®cause I¡¯m weak. I need to get stronger then maybe we can spar, too.¡±


    I looked at her chocolate brown eyes for a moment.


    The old Aura I used to see, the girl who didn¡¯t care about magic at all was gone. If even


    for a moment, she was gone. Her will and determination shimmered from her eyes as she locked eyes with me.


    ¡°Stop staring at me, weirdo,¡± she turned around and walked away.


    ¡°MEET ME AT THE LOBBY IN 2 HOURS!¡± She shouted down the hall before turning the right corner.


    I grabbed everything that I would need for this trip, well everything I could think of, clothes, toothbrush, homework, my brass knuckles, and this¡­


    I grabbed the silver locket off of the dresser and put it around my neck.


    ¡°ALRIGHT, JOSH, I¡¯M OUTTA HERE! TAKE CARE OF THE ROOM!¡± I shouted, he shot me a thumbs up before I closed the door.


    I gave my student ID to the receptionist sitting at the dormitory entrance/exit. She grabbed it and jotted it down on her paper before grabbing her folder from her drawer. She looked at me and then back down at my ID before giving it back to me.


    ¡°You~ are good to go, it says here you¡¯ve been approved for a leave of absence for 1 week,¡± she smiled at me.


    I waved goodbye to her before meeting Aura in the lobby that was in the next room. Aura waved me over to her.


    She was wearing her casual outfit, the one with the sweater with the rose on the corner, and her light blue jeans. Her pink smiling dino keychain hung off of one of her belt loops.


    ¡°You ready to go?¡± She walked over to me and looked at me. I towered over her as I got a more up close view of her than I usually get.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m ready.¡± I patted my bag before looking back at her.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be gone so did you get all of the homework we¡¯ll be needing over the next week?¡±


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Yup,¡± I shook my head.


    She turned around and started walking out of the building.


    ¡°We¡¯re leaving now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s been here for a bit, catching up with his old colleagues.¡±


    I followed her out into the courtyard where the sun hit me like a flashlight in the dark. It took a minute for my eyes to get adjusted as an old gentleman walked up to her. The older gentleman was wearing worn out jeans and a regular black t-shirt, with his silver hair tied up and a sword resting in its sheath on his side.


    ¡°GRANDPA!¡± She was more excited than I¡¯ve ever seen her as she ran over to him and wrapped her arms around him. He hugged her back before she let go and looked up at him.


    ¡°How have you been, sweetie?¡± HIs old, coarse, yet joyful voice uttered.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been great. It turns out Rose chose to attend here too!¡± Her eyes were bright, full of life, not the girl I saw earlier.


    ¡°That¡¯s great, I know she was having some doubts,¡± he reassured her.


    He looked over to me.


    ¡°And who is this?¡± He walked over to me and held out his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m Dominick.¡± I grabbed his hand.


    My body was surprised at how strong his grip was as he shook my hand.


    ¡°My name is Vodgel, I¡¯m Aura¡¯s grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, sir.¡±


    ¡°Sir?! Aura, I like this one!¡±


    She wore a smile across her face as she locked eyes with me again. He looked between the two of us and smirked. He clasped his hands together.


    ¡°OKAY!¡± He shouted.


    We unlocked our eyes.


    ¡°We will be heading over to my house, which is in Silverkeep. Be wary though, Dominick. It is a little bit rustic,¡± he emphasized before walking away.


    He walked us to the top of the school where there was a wyvern sitting there.


    I jumped backwards and grabbed my brass knuckles from my pockets.


    ¡°WHAT THE HELL IS A WYVERN DOING HERE?!¡± I shouted as those two stood over there, confused.


    ¡°This is a tamed wyvern,¡± he spoke calmly.


    He snickered before coming up beside me.


    ¡°What did you think your brass knuckles were going to do to an actual wyvern?¡± He chuckled before hopping onto the saddle followed behind Aura and then me.


    I grabbed onto the straps on the side and held them tight.


    The one thing I¡¯m truly afraid of is heights.


    The clouds rolled by as the twilight sunset disappeared, revealing the blanket of shimmering stars that illuminated the pitch black sky.


    I was scared shitless but the view wasn¡¯t so bad. Until her grandpa tried to push me off into the ocean. He laughed hoarsely to the point where he was crying. The last hours were a blur as I tried my best to forget that whole ordeal.


    ¡°Ew, I¡¯ll never get used to that smell,¡± her voice was muffled by the sweater covering her nose.¡±


    ¡°What smell-¡± I was cut off by the rancid smell of fish invading my nostrils.


    I gagged as some vomit almost came out.


    ¡°Be a man, it¡¯s just some sardines, son,¡± he punched me on the shoulder.


    ¡°This is Silverkeep? The home to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild?¡± I shouted.


    It was depressing. The docks were empty as the boats were further out, fishing for their supper. The buildings in the town were run down as some were boarded off with wooden planks and the doors were hanging on by a thread. The one good thing was that the civilians seemed to talk to one another as there were large groups of people hanging out, laughing, drinking by bonfires with local music playing.


    ¡°No, this is the south side of Silverkeep. The northside of Silverkeep is where all that happens. Honestly, I just got tired of the ass kissing and the lies. Everyone was so fake to one another whereas here,¡± he pointed, ¡°they¡¯ll tell you what they think about you to your face,¡± he looked at me and looked back to Aura.


    We FINALLY made it to his house which was your normal two story house with the beige paint and the red roof. He landed the wyvern in the backyard. I hopped off, Aura did shortly after followed by her grandpa.


    They walked to the house as I lagged behind.


    The inside was much bigger than what it looked like on the inside with a velvet paint on the wall and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The chairs and furniture were that of a history museum which kings and queens used to lounge around in.


    ¡°I took you for a ¡°whatever works¡± kinda guy. ¡± I asked him.


    ¡°What¡¯s a ¡°whatever works¡± kinda guy?¡± He questioned.


    ¡°It¡¯s a person who will buy something cheap because it works, like a cheap bed as opposed to a fancy bed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s expensive because it¡¯s great quality. I get it,¡± he stopped before scrambling his mind to see if he should say what¡¯s on his mind, ¡°I grew up poor too but now I have the money. I¡¯m not going to leave it around, letting it go to waste.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not poor? I mean sure I was before but now I have loving parents that love me and provide me with things-¡± I closed my mouth as I realized I may have told Aura something I didn¡¯t want her to find out about right now.


    I went upstairs and closed the door to the guest room and changed into a different set of clothes.


    The house was quiet as the mood was uncomfortable for the time being.


    ¡°RISE AND SHINE, LOSERS!¡± Her grandpa had a megaphone outside in the backyard.


    This is why he chose a place so far away from other people.


    I changed into my training clothes before running outside, Aura following right behind me.


    ¡°WELCOME, LOSERS!¡± He shouted in our faces. We both showed no reaction.


    ¡°Good.¡± He set down the megaphone.


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    We followed him to the shed where he walked in and grabbed training dummies and weapons. He also grabbed some weird small circular machines that emitted a luminous blue light. He set them on the ground. The machines whirred to life and life-like holograms appeared. They appeared to be able to move on their own as they walked forward and stood next to Gramps.


    ¡°These are known as the Twins. The Twins are two identical holograms with extensive combat training capability. I train the new pillars¡¯ recruits everyday of the week. Well, not every day, I get weekends off but these are the babies that are helping them improve at rapid rates.¡±


    ¡°Aura.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be sparring with Twin #1. I¡¯m not quite sure you¡¯re ready to fight them both at once.¡±


    ¡°Dominick!¡± He whirled on me.


    ¡°Yes, sir?¡± I asked.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be training with me,¡± he said, taking the sword out from the sheath on his side.


    I turned my head slowly and looked at him with a confused expression. I pointed to my face,


    ¡°Me?¡± I said.


    ¡°Yes, you,¡± he dashed over to me. He sliced his sword through the air where I was standing. I ducked down as low as I could go.


    ¡°Okay, so you¡¯re flexible. That¡¯ll come in handy with your skillset.


    His sword hummed as the air was a little distorted where he sliced.


    It felt like it had a heartbeat.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a normal sword, is it?¡± I said as I jumped backwards, narrowly dodging his expertly aimed attacks.


    ¡°Nope, it¡¯s a sword infused with mana but how did you know that?¡± He looked at me, skeptical.


    ¡°I¡¯ve trained with swords, that one felt ominous compared to other ones,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Yeah, usually you¡¯re given a magical attribute the moment you awaken. However, I¡¯m in the same boat as you. Now¡­ I have a little bit of mana but not much, much less than the average magician. Hell, even children have more mana than me. That¡¯s why I¡¯m specifically training you because you remind me of myself. I was weak, fragile, scared. I told myself I wasn¡¯t scared but the moment I lost my family, because of my weakness was the day, I knew I had been suppressing my fear. I¡¯m willing to bet that you felt that way during Enchantopia.¡±


    I scoffed.


    ¡°I¡¯m not scared. I never have been scared and I never will be. What do I have to be scared of?¡±


    He sighed and adjusted his stance. He held the sword out in front of his stomach. He wrapped both hands around the handle and tightened his grip until his knuckles were white.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you fear today, son.¡±

 Overwhelming Intensity

    BOOM


    Every blow from even just the normal sword sent shockwaves to my core as I attempted to block them with both swords. He swung at my vital areas with precision and ferocity. His blows felt like being struck by a freight train as he pushed me back.


    My mind raced, desperately searching for an opening, but his relentless barrage left me with no time to think, no space to breathe. I tightened my grip, forcing myself to swing faster, hoping to overwhelm him, but it was no use. His movements were fluid, precise¡ªalmost effortless. He kicked the blade from my hand with an effortless kick and pressed the cold steel against my neck, marking the end of the duel.


    ¡°Round 1 goes to me,¡± he said, sheathing his sword and setting the other sword in the ground.


    I inhaled and exhaled heavily as I struggled to breathe from being forced to move and react faster than I ever needed to before.


    ¡°You¡¯re not bad, kid. However, you¡¯re nowhere near where you need to be,¡± he tossed me a bottle of water and drank his own.


    Although he was rude to me at the beginning, it seems like he¡¯s just a tough person.


    ¡°Where¡¯d you learn this stuff? You¡¯re too skilled for a brat your age,¡± he asked, staring at me.


    ¡°I told Aura I learned from my parents but mostly it was self taught. I incorporated my own movements and techniques that allowed me to optimize every moment in a battle that I had. It took lots of practice so I used to get in fights at school a lot, just to try and practice. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t have many friends in middle school. I would¡¯ve love to train another way but I didn¡¯t have much of an option,¡± I explained.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± he said, ¡°there¡¯s local gyms and training facilities everywhere.¡±


    ¡°I lived in the middle of nowhere, it was just me and my family.¡±


    I felt bad lying to him but I don¡¯t need anyone to pity me about my past.


    ¡°I see,¡± he sipped his water. He grabbed his normal trusty silver sword and twirled it.


    ¡°I loved fighting with swords growing up. The feeling of becoming one with your sword as you practiced day in and day out was amazing. It was like drugs. I, eventually, became addicted to that feeling. That feeling of ecstasy. It was different. I felt like I was floating above the realm that we¡¯re currently residing in. I could see everything, my purpose, my future, everything,¡± he looked up into the sky,


    ¡°Then, my family got killed by bandits with swords while I was away. The bandits looted everything and killed them before leaving. No witnesses,¡± he sighed, ¡°I joined the Magic Defense Force to find them. The first thing that the Magic Defense Force taught us? Don¡¯t use your power for revenge. I spent the next few years working my way up the ranks until I reached the squire position for the Rock Pillar. He was a strong yet kind man. He taught me that strength is more than enough. You don¡¯t need magic if your body is as strong as steel. So that¡¯s what happened. I trained with him and trained until my body became harder than a sword. That¡¯s when he passed this onto me,¡±


    He patted the sheathed sword on his side.


    ¡°I guess I showed the most potential with my strength than the other squires did. They were way better with magic than I was. I knew your basic spells, ¡®Fireball¡¯, ¡®Snowball¡¯, ¡®Levitate¡¯, the usual. They bullied the fuck outta me, kid. That just made me tougher. I will admit that during my squire days, I was hesitant to pick up a sword again after my family passed away. He reassured me that it wasn¡¯t my fault that happened. That I should have a sword capable of protecting my own family in the future, which is exactly what I did. You see, Aura¡¯s parents, I had them with my ex-wife. I was so strong that no one even attempted to harm us. I just wish I didn¡¯t get this strength so late,¡± he looked at his hands.


    ¡°If anything, I want to be strong enough to protect her and Rose. I want to be strong enough to protect everyone I love,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Aura and Rose? I remember Rose. I thought she would¡¯ve brought her over you but maybe this is what we both needed,¡± he grabbed the silver sword again. This time he didn¡¯t even reach for his magic sword.


    ¡°I¡¯ve realized that this is above your skill level so we¡¯ll stick to the basics for now,¡± he explained.


    ¡°Got it,¡± I said, acknowledging my own shortcomings.


    He walked towards me, sword in his right hand.


    He took a step forward and appeared in front of me. He swung the sword down with frightening intensity. I blocked his strike with both of my swords by lifting them above my head, causing the swords to collide head on. The ground began to crack underneath the pressure of his overwhelming intensity. Sparks flew as his sword scraped off mine. He landed a heavy kick square to my stomach, causing me to fly backwards.


    ¡°HUFF!¡± I tightened my stomach and gritted my teeth as I dug my heels into the ground. I skidded to a stop.


    I had only one goal. To win.


    I ran towards his feet and sliced at them. He jumped over my attack. He swiftly landed before slicing at my ribs. I tried my best to move to the side but he managed to graze my side. It stung as an open wound was where he struck me.


    I get it. This isn¡¯t just training, if I don¡¯t take this seriously I¡¯ll die.


    VWOOM


    The world distorted around me once more, turning pitch black before a light appeared before me.


    ¡°Do you need my power? ¡± The light asked.


    ¡°Your power?¡± I asked, confusedly.


    I dug through my mind to try and remember but I couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need a shortcut. I will get stronger on my own and win. I¡¯ll beat you one day too,¡± I gripped my swords and sliced through the darkness.


    I was met by an old man darting at me with such ferocity that it sent shivers down my spine. I bent backwards as he etched the space where I was standing. I brought my foot up and kicked him in the chin. He was stunned and backed away.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    He smiled.


    He threw his sword to the ground and put his fists up. I did the same. I swung at his face with a heavy right hook. He dodged to the side and sent an uppercut into my jaw. His power was more raw and stronger than Dugal¡¯s, hell anyone I¡¯ve ever faced up until this point. I knew I wasn¡¯t going to win but at this point this is about my pride.


    He assaulted me with a flurry of punches and kicks as I tried my best to dodge most of them which proved to be an impossible task as my body was screaming. I gritted my teeth and put my hands up until there was an opening. It took a lot of shots but everytime he goes for a left jab, his ribs open up. I waited and waited until he swung left again. He swung left, I slipped underneath it and landed a hit to his ribs with everything I could. He smiled and laughed before socking me right in the face. My body went limp and my vision blacked out.


    That light appeared again.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use your spell?¡± The familiar voice asked.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have made a difference, he kicked my ass without it.¡±


    ¡°Someone defeated it, didn¡¯t they?¡± The voice inquired.


    ¡°You knew that would happen?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Your colosseum is all dependent on your capabilities. If you¡¯re not strong enough then stronger spells will break through.¡±


    ¡°Then how am I supposed to make it stronger?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t give you all the answers. Until next time.¡±


    I opened my eyes. Groggily, I looked around. The sun was pouring in from the windows, lighting up the entire room. I got up from the bed and walked over to the window. The emerald green grass shone from the sunlight beating down on it.


    The backyard looks much better now than it does when it¡¯s dark out.


    ¡°About time, sleeping beauty,¡± her grandpa walked in and set down a cup of tea on the bedside table.


    ¡°Did you have to take it so seriously?¡± I said, grabbing my side which was bandaged up.


    ¡°Nothing like a little fear for your life to show you how weak you are,¡±  He said, sipping his own tea, ¡°it isn¡¯t fighting that¡¯s your weakness. It¡¯s that Colosseum thing of yours.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You have no magic so there¡¯s no natural way for you to make it stronger. You can learn new techniques for it, like the camouflage that you did but you can¡¯t reinforce it with Enchantments or things of the sort because well, no mana whatsoever.¡±


    ¡°So what can I do?¡±¡¯


    ¡°I know of a good artisan who could probably give you a rune or something of the sort that can help bolster its capabilities. But you will need to work on your fighting. Well, not work on it but learn something new and get stronger while you¡¯re at it. I¡¯m going to be teaching you a technique that the previous Rock Pillar passed onto me.¡±


    He set his tea down.


    ¡°Get ready, it¡¯s not going to be easy,¡± he heartily laughed before walking out the room.


    I walked out of the room, dreading the rest of the week.


    He was waiting at the bottom of the stairs.


    ¡°You ready?¡± He had his arms crossed, smiling an evil smile at me?


    ¡°No but let¡¯s go,¡± I walked down and fell into stride with him.


    We walked to the backyard once more which was more massive than it seemed. I guess the darkness was shrouding it in the morning.


    He stopped and turned around.


    ¡°Use it.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°COLOSSEUM OF THE DAMNED!¡±


    The walls lifted out of the ground, converging upwards until they rose to the peak. The roof was wide and circular. The arched entrances and windows began to fill out the structure. The gates stood tall and mighty as the defense against intruders in this sacred architecture. The grass on the ground became covered in dirt. The sloping terraces surrounded us as they formed a bowl which we stood in.


    ¡°Woah,¡± he was awestruck as he turned.


    ¡°Try your magic,¡± I told him.


    He lifted his hand up.


    ¡°Nothing. This has gotta be the coolest thing I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±


    ¡°RIGHT!¡± Aura yelled from the entrance, ¡°DOMINICK, LET ME IN!¡±


    I opened the gates and she ran in, meeting us in the middle. She looked around with her grandpa.


    ¡°Is it just me or has it gotten bigger?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just you,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Aura, go up there and have a seat. I¡¯m going to be training with Dominick,¡± he pointed up to the seats.


    ¡°I¡¯d be careful. If I get knocked out, that thing¡¯s coming down,¡± I warned her.


    ¡°You know what? I''m going back to training. I can¡¯t let him show me up again,¡± she said to her grandpa, pointing to me.


    She ran out of the gates.


    ¡°Before I teach you, I want you to try and visualize something for me,¡± he said to me, grabbing my shoulders and facing me towards the seat.


    ¡°Try to visualize an audience.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°If it works then we know that you can actually implement things into here.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    I looked and closed my eyes. I imagined the echoes of people roaring in anticipation for the battles that happened on this very floor. The clashing of steel. A place where legends are born, where glory and defeat are separated by the narrowest of margins.


    The seats were about a quarter of the way filled with people cheering in anticipation for the battle. They clapped and shouted as they pumped their fists in the air.


    ¡°Looks like you did it,¡± he said.


    ¡°Only a quarter though,¡± I sighed.


    ¡°Better than nothing.¡±


    He grabbed his swords as I grabbed mine.


    ¡°You know. You don¡¯t have mana so you wouldn¡¯t know but the atmosphere in here feels different. To me, it feels eerie. Creepy even.¡±


    ¡°Hm, that¡¯s weird.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but that doesn¡¯t bother me,¡± he had his swords by his sides and dashed towards me.


    I jumped in the air and swung my body to the left, blades in hands. My body did a 180 turn with my blades out front, aiming for him. He put a single blade up, stopping me in my tracks.


    He sighed.


    He punched me in the face. I hopped backwards. I spit out the blood and sneered at him.


    He stood there.


    Not doing anything.


    I sprinted at him.


    He still stood there.


    I brought my arm back and charged up a strike. My arm propelled the blade forward aiming for his neck. He caught it in between two of his fingers. I tried to pull the blade away but his strength was too much.


    ¡°You were really going for the kill, huh?¡± He grinned at me,


    ¡°THAT¡¯S WHAT I LIKE TO SEE, BOY!¡±


    He kicked me backwards, sending me hurling through the air. He dashed towards me and jumped forward. He kicked me square in the chest, sending me crashing into the wall. He bent his knees and hopped at least 40 yards. He dropped kicked me through the wall.


    I looked at the broken wall, confused. My thoughts were interrupted by his assault.


    He was wailing on me. Left, right, left, right. He wasn¡¯t stopping.


    He was going to kill me. He was like a different animal when his life was threatened.


    ¡°GIVE ME YOUR POWER, PLEASE!¡± I shouted; I lifted my hand up to the sky.


    Nothing.


    ¡°No one¡¯s giving you power, son,¡± he had his hand balled next to his head, preparing for a strike but stopped midway.


    He got up and held his hand out. I grabbed it and he lifted me up with ease.


    ¡°Sorry, I just lose control sometimes. I have PTSD from being on the Magic Defense Force. I¡¯ve had a lot of bad situations there, my life being threatened, almost taken from me multiple times. More than I can count.¡±


    I looked at him and nodded.


    ¡°Well, for today, you¡¯ll rest. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll work on your durability. Day after, it¡¯ll be techniques.¡±


    I looked at the colosseum for a moment before releasing it.


    I went upstairs. I went to my bed and laid down as my body ached.


    Screw Gramps.

 Home Stretch

    The day started off with running 10 miles.


    He was able to do it no problem but I almost died on the way back. The neighborhood was nice and quaint; albeit the fish smell.


    Everyone knew each other. The laughs and cheers filled the air as we passed by the homes. Her grandpa would stop and talk with the others until he saw me. Then he started sprinting again, leaving me in the dust.


    ¡°You¡¯re slow,¡± he said to me. He pulled out a notebook and started jotting down into.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I asked.


    ¡°None of your business. WE¡¯RE ALMOST THERE!¡± He said, sprinting once more.


    We arrived back at his house, where we heard thunderous booms.


    ¡°My granddaughter¡¯s amazing,¡± he sighed, wistfully.


    He turned on me with a disappointed look before going to the backyard to check on her. I went to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. I popped off the cap and chugged it.


    ¡°Alright Gramps, I¡¯ll see you later. Don¡¯t push him too hard,¡± she shouted before walking into the kitchen.


    ¡°Slow down, champ,¡± Aura said, slipping past me and into the fridge. She grabbed a water bottle and chugged it as well.


    I¡¯m not the only one who¡¯s training their ass off, she¡¯s been going at it harder than I have been. She¡¯s hit Mana Zero at least twice over these past 4 days.


    ¡°Aura, you gotta relax with the training,¡± I said to her.


    ¡°I gotta push myself. I¡¯ll never be able to face anything head on unless I do. I get it, people think I¡¯m this weird, quiet girl who doesn¡¯t want anything to do with anything but I¡¯m so much more. I have dreams, I have fears, I have hopes and desires. I want to be strong enough so I can protect the people I care about. I don¡¯t need you protecting me anymore. I¡¯m not ungrateful or anything,¡± she looked away for a moment,


    ¡°I know you haven¡¯t heard this yet so I¡¯ll be the first one to tell you. Thank you. For everything. For saving me. For saving Rose. For being the reason we didn¡¯t die at Enchantopia. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Now let me save you for once,¡± she walked away, bottle in hand.


    ¡°She really does care for you, kiddo,¡± Vodgel said.


    ¡°Yeah but I don¡¯t need someone caring for me, I¡¯ve got enough to deal with,¡± I finished off my water and headed back outside.


    Vodgel and I sparred until the sun went down. He began teaching me how to use the Stone Fist technique.


    ¡°The stance is everything. Make sure your body is tight yet fluid, rough yet smooth. Feet need to be shoulders width apart. Tighten your core and focus everything on that punch well unless you whiff it then you¡¯re fucked. Draw your fist back and keep your elbow close to your body. Rotate your shoulder and twist your torso for momentum. During the strike, make sure your knuckles are aligned with the target. Last but not least, you need to make sure that your strike has all of the force in the knuckles as you reach your target. Let the strike flow normally, you should return naturally back to your defensive stance,¡± he explained.


    We went through the motions until I got the basics down.


    He looked at me; water bottle in hand. He pointed it at me and spoke,


    ¡°Your kicking power and technique are insane though. Did you practice those more than punching?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yeah, I couldn¡¯t tell you why, I just always thought kicks were cooler when I was a kid,¡± I responded.


    ¡°They are cooler but punches are probably more effective.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve come to learn that.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow is strength and grip training. Since we only have about 3 days left, it¡¯s going to be absolute hell,¡± he laughed loudly as he walked away.


    Tomorrow came around and he delivered just as he said he would.


    He walked me down the hall and into a room I didn¡¯t see before. The room was locked off by a large steel door with many locks and biometric recognition. He unlocked the locks one by one, scanned his retina, and face before the door finally hissed open.


    ¡°Here she is,¡± he pointed to the large pearly white machine that sat in the middle of the room. The purple lines lit up along the sides, lighting up the room. The window was matte black. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was tinted from the inside or not. The wiring ran across the floor into a different room inside this one. He walked over and pressed a button on the console that was on the other side of the room. The machine hummed to life as smoke fell out when the door opened.


    ¡°Was it supposed to do that?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°I added that for flair,¡± He replied.


    The inside was glowing an otherworldly white. It looked somewhat bland inside compared to the design and the whole dramatic entrance it had.


    ¡°Step inside,¡± he ushered me in.


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust you,¡± I walked in anyways.


    The white made my skin glow an ethereal tone. The door hissed shut. I looked around but there was nothing that I hadn¡¯t missed. I could see his face from here. I guess the window isn¡¯t tinted from inside.


    ¡°PREPARE YOURSELF!¡± He yelled before a loud click. He pulled the giant lever down, starting the training.


    The air suddenly felt heavy as I found myself struggling to breathe. I lifted my hands up, trying to hold something I couldn¡¯t see. I grew dizzy as my stomach began to ache. Nauseous. I couldn¡¯t get a good sense of my surroundings as my legs began to give out on me.


    I slumped out as he finally ended it, seeing me almost on the brink of death.


    ¡°Is that supposed to help?¡± I mumbled.


    ¡°Does your body feel lighter?¡± He asked.


    I stood up slowly and felt lighter than before. I punched a few times and it felt faster than just a few hours ago.


    ¡°Woah.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Woah is right. This isn¡¯t it, though. You¡¯ll be doing this and lots of other exercises over the span of these next 3 days. I, even, have plans for you to be lifting boulders!¡± He put his hands on his head, showing his sarcastic expression of being excited, ¡°cue the montage.¡±


    ¡°What-¡±


    The 3 days flew by as I never got a break. Aura and I worked our asses off for the remaining home stretch that was laid out in front of us. My body burned as I worked past it. Protein shake after protein shake. That¡¯s all he gave me to eat and drink.


    2 hours of sleep was all I had for the day. I have never been so exhausted in my life.


    2 days later;


    ¡°ALRIGHT, SON, HOME STRETCH BABY! I have an amazing plan for today. We¡¯ll be going to explore a dungeon today. Me, you, and Aura,¡± Vodgel said.


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    ¡°Huh? Why? That has nothing to do with my training,¡± I questioned his methods.


    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna just be fighting people, you gotta learn to face the monsters too. Literally and metaphorically.¡±


    I threw him a confused expression before Aura joined us.


    ¡°I heard we¡¯re going to a dungeon,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yes, we are, kiddo,¡± he noogied her.


    ¡°I¡¯m so excited! I¡¯ve never been in a dungeon. Will there be any adventurers coming with us?¡± She asked before looking at me.


    ¡°No, why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°No reason.¡±


    Aura and I looked at each awkwardly before turning back to face him.


    ¡°LET¡¯S GO!¡± He shouted and began walking.


    The trip through the gloomy town passed by in a blur. I tried my best to ignore the smell but it just kept getting into my nostrils as we constantly passed by butchers and other stores with dead fish and other dead sea creatures in them.


    We arrived at a large building towering over the rest of the town. A white marble building with pillars at the entry. This building was the only one that seemed to be taken care of.


    ¡°This is the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. Where adventurers around the world come to; to get their name out there. This is how I started my journey,¡± he sighed and smiled, walking up to the receptionist.


    ¡°Ah, hello, Vodgel! Are you here to go exploring in the dungeon today?¡± She flashed a bright smile before facing us,


    ¡°Are you two the new pillars¡¯ squires?¡± She asked Aura and I.


    ¡°No?¡± I answered, questioningly.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. Vodgel, here, usually brings in the squires for training down here. What was the last one¡¯s name?¡± She was snapping her fingers as she scrunched her face; digging through her mind to try and remember,


    ¡°Everett!¡± She shouted.


    ¡°Everett?¡± Aura repeated, her face wearing a confused expression.


    ¡°Yes, the one from your class.¡± Vodgel grabbed a poster from the bounty board and walked over to us.


    He gave it to me. Aura appeared over my shoulder as we both read it aloud.


    ¡°QUEST: 5 SLIME CORES


    GRADE F


    REWARD: 5 OMERAS¡±


    Mr. Lainhart offered more than this for me to beat up other students.


    ¡°Mr. Hunt, this isn¡¯t even worth it,¡± I turned to face him.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you if it was worth it now, did I?


    I shook my head side to side and handed him the poster back.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, kids,¡± he said, skipping down the sidewalk.


    We arrived at a large black steel gate as it slowly opened. The doors creaked as an ominous aura poured out of the darkness that engulfed below. The stairs ended after 12 flights of them, marking the end of the outside world. We walked down the stairs and into the void.


    ¡°Are there more stairs?¡± Aura asked.


    ¡°Just trust your instincts,¡± he responded.


    I closed my eyes and hovered my foot above the space in front of me. I set my foot down, hoping there was another stair in front of me. My foot landed on something solid. I sighed a sigh of relief and treaded carefully.


    The staircase spiraled downwards until we ran into some torches on the wall, lighting up the rest of the path. It wasn¡¯t a lot of light, it just lit up what was in front of us. I put my hand against the wall. It was rough; like dirt. A drop of water fell onto the ground, echoing throughout.


    ¡°Grandpa, how are we supposed to see in here?¡± She asked.


    Silence.


    ¡°Grandpa?¡± She yelled one more time.


    ¡°Hey, we can¡¯t shout in here. There¡¯s monsters everywhere in here,¡± I whispered to her.


    ¡°But where is he?¡±


    ¡°We can always head back and get someone to search with us,¡± I responded.


    ¡°Yeah, we should do that.¡±


    We turned around and started walking back. We stopped as we spotted a man and woman standing in front of the staircase.


    ¡°Excuse us¡­¡± we tried to slip past them but they weren¡¯t budging. I pushed one of them and they toppled over. I ran over to help them. The other one stood still.


    ¡°Aura.¡± I shouted quietly. I turned the person around. Their face was lifeless, pale. Their eyes were also missing.


    ¡°What?¡± She came over and squatted down next to me.


    ¡°These two are dead.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?!¡± She yelled.


    ¡°SH!¡± I put my finger over her mouth.


    ¡°We¡¯re only on the first floor, how did this happen? And why were they just standing there? Did someone put them there?¡± She kept asking question after question.


    ¡°Probably,¡± I turned to the left as I felt something was off.


    ¡°AURA, GET DOWN!¡± I tackled her to the ground as a knife soared through the air. A figure appeared out of the shadows. Vodgel had reappeared before our eyes.


    ¡°GRANDPA!¡± She ran over and hugged him. He didn¡¯t respond. I squinted my eyes and looked at him.


    ¡°AURA, GET AWAY FROM HIM!¡± I grabbed my sword and threw it at his head.


    ¡°WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!¡± She screamed.


    The sword went through his eye socket as he stood there. He roared before bolting towards Aura. I dashed over to her and pushed her away before blocking his strike with my sword.


    ¡°W-what?¡± She fell to her knees and started crying.


    ¡°Why?¡± She muttered to herself as her lips trembled.


    ¡°The Shadows sent me here.¡± A figure appeared from the shadows once more. This man was eloquently dressed. He wore a white dress shirt that was covered in blood with black overalls. He adjusted his glasses. He combed his fingers through his middle part.


    ¡°Can¡¯t we just have a normal experience for once?¡± I sighed, exasperated.


    ¡°Maybe, once you¡¯re dead,¡± a woman¡¯s voice muttered.


    It was the same girl from Enchantopia.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one that attacked Rose!¡± I yelled.


    Aura¡¯s head shot up as she looked at her. Aura put her hands together.


    ¡°FLAME WRAITH: COME OUT!¡±


    A shrieking creature appeared from a ring of fire on the ground. It looked like a frail monster; ribs apparent. It had razor sharp teeth as it¡¯s jaw looked like it was about to fall off. Its robe was covered in flames and covered in holes. The creature shrieked once more before hovering next to Aura.


    I dashed over and attempted to kick the man. He simply evaded and tried to grab me. Something about his hand threw me off. It was sinister or at least the feeling of it. I backed away.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got good instincts, kid,¡± he said, snarling.


    ¡°Aura, do NOT let him touch you,¡± I told her, emphasizing the point.


    She looked at me for a split second before nodding to me.


    I looked back at our opponents¡¯. We have no idea what their magic is and our best chance is standing there, altered and transfigured. I glanced over at Vodgel and saw the glimmer of the sword shining ever so slightly from his hilt.


    If I¡¯m gonna beat him, that sword is my best chance. The Vodgel before us wasn¡¯t even a challenge compared to the one we trained with.


    Vogel ran towards me. His speed was incredible but nowhere near his old version. I jumped over his claws as he sliced the area where my legs were, previously. My foot landed on his back. I kicked off of his back and landed back on the ground.


    ¡°Ok, it¡¯s time,¡± I relaxed. I cut out all distractions from my mind and breathed heavily. In and out.


    I spread my feet apart about the width of my shoulders and narrowed my gaze onto the creature that lay before me.


    He screeched before sprinting at me once more. I stood still. He grew closer and closer. Every instinct in my body was telling me to swing now, to dodge. I can¡¯t.


    Closer.


    Come on. Closer.


    I could feel his breath as I swung my fist forward into his chest. I allocated all of the power into my knuckles on the point of impact. I felt his bones crunch underneath my strike. He flew backwards into the wall. He attempted to get up but his body fell back down to the ground. I walked over and grabbed the sword from his hilt.


    The sword hummed as I swung a few practice swings in the air. Something about this felt right. I lifted it up and turned it around to see some writing on the side.


    It¡¯s in a language I can¡¯t understand but that really isn¡¯t the problem right now.


    I sheathed my sword and wrapped both of my hands around the handle of the magic sword. I can¡¯t quite tell you why but it feels as if I¡¯ve had this sword for my entire life. I bent my knees and lowered the sword in front of my abdomen.


    The two of them stood across from us with wide, eerie grins on their faces as Aura and I looked at one another. We were scared. Fear ran through our blood and our eyes gave it away. We nodded, realizing that this fear.


    That this anxiety is just here to remind us that we¡¯re human.


    We cannot allow that fear to hinder us.


    We can¡¯t lose here.

 Surprise

    The woman¡¯s pearly white razor sharp teeth gleamed through the darkness that ensnared us. His bright red eyes locked onto me as they split us apart. She barraged Aura, causing her and her Flame Wraith to back away. I kept my eyes on my opponent. I just need to trust that she can hold her own until we get out of here.


    ¡°KEEP YOUR EYES OVER HERE!¡± The woman flipped in the air and kicked at Aura. Her flame wraith hopped in front and sent out a plume of fire. The woman dodged it by jumping backwards.


    The man in front of me stared at me before saying something,


    ¡°Cloak,¡± he grabbed an item from his pocket before crushing it and disappearing behind a smoke screen.


    He was gone.


    I looked around frantically.


    He struck the back of my head. I fell forward and held my head. The blow left a stinging pain in the middle of the back of my head. I got back up and closed my eyes. Listening for anything that might help me against him. The sword began humming and tugging north. I closed my eyes and focused in that direction.


    I could hear his heartbeat.


    He prepared a strike with the dagger he had hidden away in his boot. I gripped the sword and swung forward. He winced in pain as his spell dissipated.


    ¡°How did you know where I was?!¡± He screamed. Any sign of his previously mysterious demeanor was gone.


    ¡°FIREBALL!¡± An orb of swirling flames appeared in his palm. He motioned his hand forward and it blitzed towards me.


    The sword hummed once more.


    I grabbed it and lifted it in the air. I swung it down onto the orb. It cleaved it in half. I looked at the sword and then back at the spell which was a pile of ash on the ground.


    His expression became that of shock and anger.


    ¡°RAGHHH!¡± He screamed once more. His body contorted as he held onto his hand. His limbs extended from his body as they grew longer and longer. His skin became a blistering red as his hair began turning white. His body became bulkier, uglier, but bulkier as his muscles tore through his clothes. An extra ripped through his back as they wiggled around; seeming to get a sense of how to control it. His face was droopy, his eyes were red, and his nose had disappeared.


    ¡°Heh, heh, heh¡­¡± he chuckled a little. His voice was deeper, more evil as he looked down at his body. He twisted his wrists before looking at me with an appraising look.


    ¡°Whoooooo are yoooooou?¡± He whistled.


    ¡°The one who¡¯s going to kill you,¡± I squeezed the handle of the sword.


    He wore a smile. The one that you wear when you get a gift you like from someone you¡¯ve had a crush on for years. The one you got on your face when you were a kid when you went into the candy store. He wore a smile of pure joy.


    His large frame stomped across the ground; shaking the earth to its very core.


    If I¡¯ve learned anything, it¡¯s that they get weaker when they transform.


    Gramps was easily able to overwhelm me in his human state but when he transfigured; it¡¯s like he lost his technique.


    He ran at me with astonishing speed for his size. The sword hummed as I commanded it to fly. We soared overhead. The monster looked up at us and smiled.


    ¡°Heh¡­ heh¡­ heh¡­¡± He chuckled once more.


    He bent his knees and jumped into the air.


    ¡°Nope!¡± I flew the sword away from him.


    He smacked into the wall; causing them to crumble.


    The room boomed as the rocks fell through the ground.


    I can¡¯t do anything while I¡¯m just flying away. I jumped off of the sword and clutched onto the handle. The only way I can win here is by killing this monster.


    ¡°FIREBALL!¡± I shouted as I commanded the flame wraith to attack the woman that was running around.


    ¡°You know my magic?¡± She skidded to a stop.


    I ignored her.


    ¡°Hmph. You¡¯re no fun. My magic is¡­¡± She stopped before slapping away the fireball.


    ¡°Silly you. You¡¯ll have to do WAY better than that,¡± she had her lips pushed together as if she were pouting.


    ¡°My magic is deconstruction,¡± the woman had stopped completely, her face brazen.


    ¡°What?¡± I stopped the fireballs.


    ¡°I read spells at the molecular level and deconstruct them before they¡¯re fully activated. The only weakness is that if I don¡¯t know the spell¡¯s make up then I can¡¯t deconstruct it.¡±


    ¡°Why are you telling me your weakness?¡±


    ¡°Because this is where you will die,¡± she declared.


    She sighed before continuing, ¡°I wasn¡¯t allowed to kill your friend at Enchantopia. They didn¡¯t say I couldn¡¯t kill you,¡± she cracked her knuckles before jumping at me.


    ¡°FLAME VORTEX!¡±


    The wraith threw its hands down to the ground and summoned a whirlwind of flames.


    Vooom


    The noise came from inside the vortex. Soon after, the spell dispersed into tiny embers.


    ¡°I told you¡­ This is where you die,¡± she was free falling from the ceiling at this point. She was coming at a speed faster than I could react. She grabbed me by the head and pushed me into the ground. She stomped the ground causing me to fly up into the air. She slipped around behind me before wrapping her arms around my waist. She bent backwards, throwing me into the rock wall that was behind me.


    I sat there. Defeated. I can¡¯t do anything. She knows all of my spells. She¡¯ll just destroy them before I can even manifest them.


    I looked between her, Dominick, that man, and my wraith.


    ¡°Come back.¡± I tapped the ground and the wraith hopped into the ground, disappearing.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    She walked up to me.


    ¡°Wellllllll¡­¡± she put her arms behind her back, ¡°Any last words?¡±


    If Dominick can evolve right then. My mind flashed back to when he learned camouflage. Then I can too.


    I spit out the blood that was dripping from my mouth and flipped her off.


    ¡°I CALL UPON THE HEAVENS! SEND ME YOUR STRONGEST SPIRIT! IN RETURN, MY LIFE IS YOURS!¡±


    I gave her a crimson smile.


    She grabbed her dagger from her boot and plunged it forward.


    A large bright body of a divine woman appeared in front of us. A celestial bath washed over us as the cave illuminated in an otherworldly light. A woman¡¯s face was covered by a veil. Her gown fell down to her ankles as she floated over the ground.


    ¡°How may I help you, my dear?¡± The spirit¡¯s voice echoed throughout the cave yet settled gently onto our ears.


    ¡°Her. Bring me her head,¡± I pointed to the woman. She backed away, cautiously.


    ¡°You know my price?¡± The spirit snapped onto Aura and exposed her rows of teeth and jet black eyes.


    ¡°My life.¡±


    She held out her hand.


    ¡°Once you shake upon this deal then once her life is gone, so is yours.¡±


    I shook her ice cold hand.


    ¡°Divine Magic: Heaven¡¯s Judgment,¡± she lifted her hands to the ceiling. The ground began to quake.


    Dominick was struggling against the beast that man became. I wish I could help him but she¡¯s absorbing all of my mana.


    A brilliant light radiated from the ceiling as a coruscating spear flew in like a bat out of hell.


    The woman stood there, her smile sparkling in the beautiful divine light as it rained down upon her.


    Then it dissolved. Into nothing.


    She yawned.


    ¡°What..?¡± I stood there, confused.


    ¡°You think I can¡¯t stop Divine Magic?¡± She walked over, shoes clacking as she stopped in front of me.


    I looked up at her and started laughing.


    Not the laughing that you do when you tell a funny joke or when someone slips on their ass.


    No, no.


    Hysteria ran through my mind as my mind started racing. Idea after idea, memory after memory, my whole life in an instant before my very eyes. My eyes darted around as I turned on the spirit.


    ¡°WHY CAN¡¯T YOU BEAT HER?!¡± I screamed.


    ¡°The only reason I¡¯m here is for your soul,¡± she stated.


    ¡°YEAH AND YOU WON¡¯T GET IT IF YOU DON¡¯T WIN!!¡±


    I¡¯m usually calm. I¡¯m not too sure why I¡¯m yelling. Maybe because of death. I¡¯ve never thought about it. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be scared.


    ¡°Hey, spirit,¡± I looked up at her and said.


    ¡°Yes, child?¡± She responded.


    ¡°Do you have anything that could protect us from her deconstruction magic?¡±


    ¡°I might but I will need time to prepare it,¡± she whispered to me.


    I nodded and grabbed the sword from my side.


    ¡°Without that deconstruction magic, you¡¯re just like any other witch,¡± I taunted her.


    Surprisingly, she fell for it. She clutched her dagger from her boot and brought her body into her fighting stance. The two of us darted at each other. I grabbed my sword that Gramps left me and lifted it up. She held her dagger with the blade pointing out, sideways as she grabbed the handle.


    I swung the sword forward at her. She weaved to the side before slicing my tendon. I collapsed onto one knee.


    This is nothing right now.


    I stood back up and grabbed my sword once more. My foot was telling me to stand down. Everything in me was telling me to stand down.


    Except for the adrenaline.


    The dirt kicked up off of the ground as she sprinted in a hurry. She threw the dagger at my head. It sliced the air next to my ear as I moved my head out of the way. Her black combat boots were in the air in my face as she connected with a sickening crunch.


    I grabbed my face in pain.


    She was preparing an assault. I chuckled at her before headbutting her in the face. Blood spewed out from her nose as she screamed.


    ¡°NO, NO! MY BEAUTIFUL FACE!¡± She hollered.


    The eeriness of the cave really added to the scene as her shadow bolted across the walls with her. I sliced at her arms and legs but she easily dodged them as she brought her dagger through the air towards my face.


    ¡°Relax-¡± I deflected her arm with an open palm strike.


    ¡°ILLUSION MAGIC: SWEET DREAMS!¡±


    The sun was shining brightly as the students chatted. The school loomed over me as I walked through the doors. Something feels weird but I can¡¯t put my finger on it.


    ¡°AURA! HEY!¡± A familiar voice shouted.


    ¡°Hey, Rose,¡± I replied.


    ¡°What¡¯s up? You look lost,¡± she asked.


    ¡°Nothing, something feels off.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s the fact that you¡¯re going to the dance with Josh instead of Dominick?¡±


    I turned on her.


    ¡°What?! It isn¡¯t that. I don¡¯t like him like that! You know that,¡± I shouted, more embarrassed than I thought I would be, ¡°but who¡¯s he going with?¡±


    She flashed me a cheeky grin.


    ¡°No-¡±


    ¡°Yes! He asked me at lunch,¡± she said, giddy.


    ¡°Congratulations,¡± I shoved my hands in my pockets and walked next to her to the gymnasium.


    ¡°Speaking of, where is Dom?¡± I asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s in the gym, waiting for us.¡±


    She ran in front of me.


    Shoes clacked on the quartz tile floor. Everyone made their way to their respective classes. The chatter began to die out as we made it to the gym.


    ¡°DOM!¡± Josh shouted from across the court. Him and Dominick were playing basketball. Dominick had possession of the ball at the top of the key. Josh had his back to the defender. Bad thing is that the defender has a major reach advantage on him. Josh dipped in and ran back out to the 3 point line. His defender was left behind. Dominick passed him the ball. He jumped and flung his wrist forward.


    SWISH! BZZZT!


    Dominick and Josh jumped in the air and bumped chests before performing their handshake.


    ¡°Hey, Dom,¡± I greeted him.


    ¡°Hey, Aura,¡± he waved at me.


    He ran over to Rose and hugged her.


    ¡°Hey, Dominick,¡± she said, laughing.


    ¡°Hello, Rose,¡± he said in a flirty playful tone.


    I put a finger in my mouth and pretended to gag. Josh walked over to me and hugged me. I tensed up.


    ¡°Oh, are you not in the mood for a hug? Sorry,¡± he unwrapped his arms from around me.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing,¡± he looked away awkwardly.


    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you, Aura?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. This just doesn¡¯t feel right to me.¡±


    Dominick and the beast were clashing as if their lives depended on it.


    His sword laid over to the side, snapped in half.


    The sword was only as good as its user.


    A shell of its former self.


    The former human turned beast roared as he barraged Dominick with a furious assault. The woman was now attacking in sync with her partner as they bombarded him with blows. He was able to block a few but it was too overwhelming as he began to buckle under their strikes.


    Dominick was confused for a moment. He pondered as to why, how she was over here.


    He looked over for a moment and saw Aura lying on the ground. The spirit hovered over her as they were both dormant.


    ¡°AURA!¡± He screamed.


    He was interrupted as the man struck him in the jaw with a mean right hook.This momentarily stunned Dominick. The woman backed off and placed her hands in a triangle.


    ¡°ILLUSION MAGIC: SLEEP!¡±

 What Follows

    Rose fiddled with her hair as the lesson went on. The details go in one ear and out of the other. She wasn¡¯t really too worried about Magic Theory right now. She was worried about other things.


    How to better utilize her companion magic. What to wear to prom. Who to go with.


    For the majority of this entire year, Rose, Dominick, and Aura never got to be ¡®normal¡¯ teenagers. They never really got to go out and enjoy the city, to gossip about crushes, teachers, and things alike.


    ¡°It¡¯s just been constant attack after attack and our parents somehow let us stay here even though things seem more dangerous here than when we were at home,¡± she sighed and laid her head down.


    ¡°Ms Garner, please do not sleep in my class-¡± the teacher proclaimed before being cut off.


    ¡°Rose Garner. Principal¡¯s office,¡± the Vice Principal herself had made the trip down here from her office to deliver the news.


    Rose grabbed her bag before weaving between the desks. She waved to the class before closing the door behind her.


    ¡°So what¡¯s this about?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°Something important that cannot be discussed right here in the middle of the hallway,¡± she began to walk faster as her heels clicked in more rapid successions.


    Rose was confused but worried at the same time so she didn¡¯t press the Vice Principal any further. The two made their way through the length hallway without a single peep to one another. Her heels clacked against the staircase, her steps giving away the severity of the situation as her face betrayed her, showing no emotion whatsoever. The brown mahogany door stood tall as the Vice Principal knocked on the door then swung it open.


    ¡°Ah. Ms Garner, have a seat,¡± his attitude welcoming despite the feeling I had earlier.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem, sir?¡± Rose was always polite with older folks she respected.


    ¡°We¡¯re not quite too sure, either. That¡¯s why you¡¯re here,¡± he shuffled his position to lean forward, protruding his long frame. He was facing her now, his eyes staring into her soul.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± She asked, jittery.


    ¡°I mean that Aura Hunt and Dominick Blackburn were meant to return earlier today at 12 o¡¯clock and there is no sign of them at 2:35. I know Vodgel, her grandfather, he¡¯s a good man. Okay, he might not be a good person but he does have the basic decency to bring them back to a time that we agreed upon,¡± he interlaced his fingers together.


    ¡°Okay but didn¡¯t they tell you where they were going? Haven¡¯t you checked?¡± She asked.


    A valid question.


    ¡°We have checked their last location. All we found was this,¡± he pulled out a pink smiling t-rex from his pocket.


    She reached out and grabbed it. Tears rolled down Rose¡¯s cheeks.


    ¡°This is Aura¡¯s, she would never leave this behind,¡± she sniffled.


    ¡°There was evidence of a struggle however,¡± the principal added.


    ¡°Of course there was. I don¡¯t think either one of them knows how to give up,¡± Rose replied, chuckling and crying.


    ¡°Was there anyone you know of that might¡¯ve known where they would be?¡±


    Rose closed her eyes and started backtracking to the day that Aura told her she¡¯d be training with her grandpa. She asked Rose if she wanted to train and that she was going to ask Dominick too. Rose politely declined.


    ¡°I believe she stopped by Dominick¡¯s room to get him,¡± Rose told the principal. Then she suddenly knew.


    The only person that could¡¯ve known besides herself, Aura, and Dominick.


    ¡°Josh.¡±


    ¡°Josh? As in Josh Parsons?¡± The principal leaned forward, excited to learn a new clue.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s him,¡± she threw her fist onto the desk.


    ¡°AURA, SHE TOLD ME SHE HAD A BAD FEELING! WHY DIDN¡¯T I LISTEN?!¡± Rose screamed. She suddenly stood up out of the chair and bolted towards Dominick¡¯s room.


    ¡°Ms. Garner, please wait!¡± The vice principal shouted following behind her with the principal in tow.


    They flew down the hallway, weaving corners and students with amazing precision.


    ¡°JOSH!¡± Rose shouted as she kicked the door open.


    No one.


    ¡°Mr. Parsons?¡± The principal peeked his head in.


    A light breeze flew in.


    They looked up and saw the window wide open.


    Rose ran to the window and surveyed the area.


    No dice.


    ¡°DAMN IT!¡± She punched the wall.


    She slumped against the wall. She buried her face in her hands and started crying again.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t we just have a normal school life?¡±


    The vice principal walked over to her and sat down on the floor next to her. She put her hand on her back and started rubbing circles on her back.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be alright,¡± she said, looking straightforward with a blank emotionless stare.


    She leaned her head on the vice principal and let it all out.


    ¡°ROSE!¡± Aura shouted as she walked away.


    ¡°AURA!¡± Rose shouted as Aura walked away.


    The two turned their backs on one another in their heads. The two have spent the entirety of their lives being friends but now there¡¯s something in the way.


    In the dark empty space that we were confined in, I was met by stares.


    Aura¡­


    Rose¡­


    Their faces were in scowls of anger mixed with disappointment.


    Why are you looking at me like that?


    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you save us?¡± They said; in sync. Their voices were robotic and cold.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.


    A spotlight flickered on from above as it hovered over Aura. She was in horrible shape. Her eye was shut from the wounds she sustained in her battle. Her clothes were ripped to shreds; exposing the bruises and injuries she had.


    Another light appeared and moved over Rose.


    Her eyes were red and wet from crying. She was on the ground with her head resting on her crossed arms. She looked up.


    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you save us?¡± They repeated, their emotions growing stronger.


    ¡°I TRIED, OK?! MAYBE I¡¯M NOT AS STRONG AS YOU THINK I AM!¡± I shouted, the tears almost rolling through the dam.


    ¡°Dominick,¡± the familiar voice returned.


    ¡°Huh?¡± I opened my eyes to a small wooden room. An older gentleman with long silver hair stood over me. His robe was an emerald green with a velvet texture. His long decrepit hands were wrapped around his wooden staff as he spoke.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°How do you know my name?¡± I jumped back.


    He pointed to his temple, ¡°I¡¯m the man inside there.¡±


    ¡°BOO!¡± His voice echoed throughout my brain.


    ¡°What the?¡± I looked at him, confused.


    ¡°I am the previous 7th pillar but you can call me Nomad.¡±


    ¡°Ok, ok, slow down. First of all, why are you in my head?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I knew your parents, your real parents,¡± he responded.


    ¡°Really?! What were they like?!¡± I questioned; excitedly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for that right now; All I need you to know is that there is a reason they aren¡¯t here.¡±


    ¡°Gee, thanks, that¡¯s SO helpful,¡± I turned around and walked to the already broken door.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    I stopped in my tracks.


    ¡°The only reason I can¡¯t tell you the reason is because of my pact, it physically does not allow me to say anything at all involving A-,¡± his mouth shut and he mumbled the rest of the words; which I couldn¡¯t understand.


    I sighed.


    ¡°However; they did leave this to you,¡± he walked over to his dresser and opened the drawer. He pulled the bottom off from inside and grabbed a large thick book. It was covered in dust and the spine was barely hanging by a thread. He held it out to me. I grabbed it from his grasp and dusted it off.


    ¡°The Story of Contra? Who¡¯s that?¡± I asked; trying to pry the book open. It clamped down with the force of a thousand men. I gritted my teeth and mustered all of my strength and pulled.


    Nothing.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I open this?¡± I looked at him.


    ¡°It has a spell on it. I¡¯ve never been able to open it either. It¡¯s pretty powerful stuff,¡± he replied.


    ¡°But aren¡¯t you a pillar? Aren¡¯t you guys the most,¡± I made an overly sarcastic face and shook my hands, ¡°powerful wizards on the planet? Don¡¯t tell me that was all a lie,¡± I grabbed my face and opened my mouth in a dramatic fashion.


    ¡°Hilarious. However, this is of the most vital importance so don¡¯t lose that,¡± he pointed to the book with his staff.


    I went to open the door.


    ¡°Did you see Aura?¡± I asked, holding onto the door knob.


    ¡°I did.¡±


    I let go of the door knob.


    ¡°What happened? Why isn¡¯t she here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you why, he breathed heavily before continuing, ¡°The magic that allows for me to connect into your mind is called Projection. So long as I have something that has the DNA of the target; I¡¯m able to project my presence into their mind,¡± he pointed to the book again.


    ¡°That magic allows me to sense your vitals as well. So when your heart beat slowed down, I expected something was wrong so I hurried over to you.¡±


    Nomad dashed across the pavement and to the dungeon entrance.


    A creepy feeling washed over him.


    He ran down the steps as fast as his feet would carry him. As he got further down into the cavern, he heard muffled voices that grew louder and more clear as he got closer and closer.


    The torch became visible; Nomad crept around the corner and poked his head out. It was figures dressed in robes as dark as the abyss that surrounded them. They wore masks of Thorn Beasts to hide their faces.


    A woman appeared from thin air, making her way over to the unconscious body of Dominick.


    Nomad didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment.


    He ran into the fray and grabbed Dominick. Once he had secured him, he bolted out of the dungeon.


    ¡°AFTER HIM! HE HAS THE ASSET!¡± The woman yelled.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have gotten involved in this,¡± he muttered to himself, trying to find a way to grab the senseless girl but there were too many as is and they were right behind him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be captured if I go back for her. I¡¯m sorry,¡± Nomad looked up and steeled himself.


    Shouting and screaming ensued behind him as he pushed himself to go faster than before.


    He had to get Dominick out of here.


    Everything depended on it.


    ¡°And so, that¡¯s how I got you and not her,¡± Nomad explained.


    ¡°So you left a defenseless girl to be captured by the enemy?!¡± I shouted at him. I turned on my heels and walked up to him.


    I stared at him in his eyes, looking for any remorse.


    ¡°I had no choice. You don¡¯t understand-¡±


    ¡°I DON¡¯T CARE. YOU LEFT A DEFENSELESS GIRL TO BE CAPTURED BY THOSE MANIACS!¡±


    ¡°Dominick, you need to calm down.¡±


    I gritted my teeth. I cocked my fist back and swung my fist at his face.


    He lifted up his staff.


    The staff didn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°Violence won¡¯t solve it,¡± he stared at me.


    ¡°Yeah, it will. Let¡¯s see how tough they are when I kick all of their asses,¡± I walked back to the door.


    He put his staff in front of me.


    I slowly turned my head to look at him.


    ¡°MOVE.¡±


    That voice wasn¡¯t my own.


    What was that?


    ¡°Dominick, I need you to listen to me. These people, the ¡®Shadows¡¯, are much more powerful than you realize. You need to be prepared to face them in battle on your own. Their organization follows the god, Contra,¡± he nodded down at my book.


    ¡°And it so happens that your ability to nullify magic is a trait of their deity so my theory is that they plan to capture you and run some sort of experiment or experiments, plural,¡± he rubbed his chin.


    ¡°Okay, Nomad. Then teach me. I can¡¯t waste any time; not when Aura is scared and alone,¡± I tore off my shirt that was already torn up anyways, squared my feet and lifted my fists up.


    ¡°I get that your colosseum is all you have. However, there is much more to your power than you know. Something prevented me from seeing it but I was able to access it once and allow you to harness it for a moment but I felt it, there is a magnificent power inside of you-¡±


    I held my hand up.


    ¡°Is that why you couldn¡¯t tell me how to make it stronger?¡± I questioned.


    ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t want you to lose faith in yourself if the voice in your head couldn¡¯t even give you answers,¡± he explained.


    ¡°I guess if my imaginary friend couldn¡¯t tell me how to get stronger then I¡¯d doubt if I even could,¡± I joked.


    ¡°This is no joking matter,¡± he rubbed his temples, ¡°Meet me outside,¡± he walked out of the shack and into the field.


    ¡°Principal, what are we going to do?¡± Rose asked.


    He looked out of the window and stared.


    ¡°It¡¯s much too late for us to capture him; if he is in cooperation with the Shadows then he¡¯s most likely back at their headquarters,¡± he said.


    ¡°So what about Aura? What about Dominick?¡± She asked, her eyes blazing with sadness and fury.


    ¡°The Magic Defense Force is currently gathering intel and conducting an investigation to figure out their whereabouts but the foes were well prepared so this could take up to a week-¡±


    ¡°WE DON¡¯T HAVE A WEEK, PRINCIPAL. RESPECTFULLY, YOU CAN¡¯T DO YOUR JOB NEITHER CAN THE DEFENSE FORCE!¡± She screamed, her face red and contorted with rage.


    ¡°I¡¯LL DO IT MYSELF IF I NEED TO!¡± She ran to the door.


    ¡°Ms Parsons, please refrain from that,¡± he put his hands in his pockets and stared at her.


    She looked him in his eyes.


    Her intense gaze met by his unyielding authority.


    ¡°I can¡¯t. Not with my best friend¡¯s life on the line.¡±


    Rose ran down the hall.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stop her, sir,¡± the Vice Principal said.


    Her heels clicked down the hallway followed by silence.


    THWACK


    A fist crashed into her face.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Aura turned her head to the side and spit out the blood.


    ¡°You¡¯re tougher than I give you credit for,¡± the man proclaimed.


    He walked over to the table and grabbed the washcloth. He wiped the blood off of his knuckles.


    ¡°You¡¯re just weak,¡± Aura taunted.


    ¡°Perhaps, you¡¯re right. Maybe this will hurt more,¡± he walked over to the door and opened it.


    A man in an extravagant robe walked in. The cape trailed along the ground as it sparkled underneath the fluorescent light. His face was covered by an indigo hood. He wore a atramentous chestplate that was freshly polished. The indigo robes draped over him, covering every piece of him. His cocky strut made Aura gag.


    His pearly white smile was the only thing you could see.


    He moved his hand over his hood and pulled it down.


    ¡°I KNEW IT!¡± She screamed; lunging forward. The chains held on by a thread as she used everything she had in her to try and get him.


    ¡°Yeah but your friends never listened to you, did they?¡± He chuckled.


    ¡°JOSH, I NEVER LIKED YOU! YOU¡¯RE DEAD WHEN I GET OUT OF HERE!¡± Aura tugged at the chains.


    He walked up to her and grabbed her chin.


    He locked eyes with her.


    ¡°You¡¯re never leaving,¡± He laughed in her face.


    She spit in his face.


    He cocked his fist back before striking her in the stomach.


    ¡°AUGH!¡± She doubled over, coughing blood.


    Josh and the guard walked out of the room followed by a click.

 Twin Rubies

    ¡°Okay guys, is everyone here?¡± Rose sat down on her bed as the other students sat down on the carpet and on Aura¡¯s bed.


    ¡°I think so,¡± Moirrey stated shyly.


    ¡°Can¡¯t we just get on with it?¡± Kasen said.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Rose cleared her throat.


    ¡°Aura and Dominick have gone missing.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Victoria chimed in.


    ¡°They found evidence in a dungeon in Silverkeep that there was a struggle and the DNA samples match those of Dominick¡¯s and Aura¡¯s. I have no idea where they are but I can guarantee you that it¡¯s the Shadows behind this,¡± Rose explained.


    ¡°Look, Rose. I know we were on the same team for Magic Sports a few times but I¡¯m not willing to risk my life for someone I barely know. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Evan got up and walked out of the room.


    ¡°Please, guys, I wouldn¡¯t ask you to do this if I didn¡¯t think it was serious. This is Aura and Dominick¡¯s lives at stake,¡± she said, behind tears.


    ¡°But it¡¯s also ours,¡± Paul walked out of the room behind Evan.


    ¡°Moirrey? Victoria?¡± Rose looked at them, pleadingly.


    ¡°I can¡¯t. I wish I could,¡± Victoria patted Rose on her shoulder.


    Moirrey lowered her head in shame and walked out behind Victoria.


    Everyone had abandoned her in her time of need. When she needed them the most they left.


    When Dominick would¡¯ve risked his life without hesitation, they threw him to the side.


    When Aura would¡¯ve eventually given in, they didn¡¯t even think about helping her or him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it,¡± Kasen proclaimed.


    Rose looked up.


    Kasen was the only left out of the group.


    ¡°Forget them. They¡¯re scared. Dominick won¡¯t escape me; not when he owes me a rematch,¡± Kasen walked over and held his hand out.


    Rose grabbed a hold as Kasen helped her up.


    They nodded and Kasen left for his room to gather the things he needed.


    A FEW HOURS LATER


    Rose had thrown all of her belongings that could fit into a backpack into her backpack.


    There was a knock at the door.


    Rose¡¯s heart started beating as she looked through the peephole.


    Kasen stood there, looking around, waiting to be let in.


    Rose twisted the door knob and ushered him in quickly.


    ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± Kasen asked.


    ¡°First of all, my friends were kidnapped. Secondly, the principal and vice principal are definitely going to try and stop us,¡± Rose closed the door behind him.


    ¡°How are we supposed to get past them?¡±


    ¡°Maybe a tunnel?¡±


    ¡°Like a tunnel underground?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, one of my companions can dig for us,¡± Rose put her hand out; palm up.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Digsby,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Digsby?¡± Kasen chuckled a little bit.


    ¡°Don¡¯t judge. I named him when I was a kid,¡± she turned her head away, bashfully.


    ¡°But why Digsby?¡± Kasen pressed the issue.


    ¡°When I summoned him for the first time; the first thing he did was dig a tunnel into the ground and tried to hide from me,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Oh. Honestly, I would too,¡± Kasen snickered under his breath.


    Rose huffed at him before directing Digsby to the spot she wanted him to dig.


    ¡°How will he know where to go?¡±


    ¡°He shares my thoughts,¡± she sat down on her bed.


    He shuffled around awkwardly before settling on the floor. The stifling silence filled the room as the two of them realized they never talked without Dominick around. Aura never really liked Kasen at all. Rose gave him a fair chance and withheld judgment; albeit she never got to learn anything about him.


    ¡°Hey, Rose, how long will this take?¡± He asked, impatiently.


    ¡°2 hours, at most,¡± she said, looking up at the ceiling.


    ¡°UGH!¡± He grumbled.


    ¡°Kasen, I have a question,¡± Rose sat up and looked at him.


    ¡°Shoot,¡± he threw a paper ball into the air and caught it.


    ¡°What makes you so obsessed with fighting Dominick?¡± She kicked her feet.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know. His power is unique, yeah, but there¡¯s something else. He pushed me to my limits like no one ever did before. He¡¯s kinda like me .We don¡¯t stop fighting. That and I never really got to fight anyone on the same level as me,¡± he threw the paper ball into the air once more.


    ¡°Yeah, he doesn¡¯t stop. He doesn¡¯t know this so you can¡¯t tell him but he saved me in a sense,¡± Rose stared off.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kasen tossed the paper ball to her.


    ¡°I mean,¡± she caught the ball, ¡°that I wasn¡¯t there, mentally. At first, I was just going to flirt with him a little because it was obvious Aura had a crush on him but I genuinely found myself caring for him in a way I didn¡¯t think was possible. The way he fights inspires me to fight against my father¡¯s expectations.¡±


    Kasen was quiet for a moment before speaking again.


    ¡°Speaking of Dominick, did you see?¡±


    ¡°Did I see what?"


    Kasen held out his handheld portable transmitter as a video projected from it.


    It was the entire fight at Enchantopia. The raw footage that only a few of us in attendance saw firsthand.


    ¡°Where did you get this?¡± She looked at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s spreading throughout the school like wildfire," Kasen started picking at a piece of wood on the floor, "They''ve been saying things like, "What is that?" and calling him names like freak, weirdo, loser, manaless garbage," Kasen had a look on his face; not one of anger for Dominick but anger about the people talking about him.


    "They all act so tough when the thing is, our strength is not dependent on our magic or how much mana we have. It¡¯s about how far we can push ourselves and I guarantee you,¡± he pointed to the door with his thumb, ¡°not a single person out there has more fight in them than Dominick,¡± he laid down.


    Aura stared at him. The boy she thought she knew wasn¡¯t there anymore. She had a newfound admiration and respect for Kasen.


    ¡°What?¡± Kasen was staring at Rose with a skeptical look.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Rose smiled to herself.


    He looked at her knowingly,


    ¡°I judge people based on words they say and the way they fight and he¡¯s one hell of a fighter.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right about that," she replied.


    TWO HOURS LATER


    Digsby hopped out of the tunnel; startling Kasen awake as I called him back. Kasen rubbed his eyes and stood up off the ground. He lifted up his arms and stretched.


    He grunted before staring at me.


    ¡°What now?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Now we go into the tunnel,¡± Rose pointed to the hole in the ground.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°It took him 2 hours to dig that thing and now we gotta crawl through it for 2 hours?¡±


    ¡°No, it only took him an hour because he made multiple exits and different pathways in case of emergency. I know which one we¡¯ll be taking,¡± Rose jumped into the tunnel.


    Kasen sighed before jumping in behind her.


    ¡°Dominick,¡± Nomad stood across from me, staring intently.


    ¡°Yes?¡± I responded.


    ¡°What is your biggest weakness?¡±


    ¡°My biggest weakness? Like in my technique?¡±


    ¡°Your biggest weakness. What do you feel is what holds you back and prevents you from winning fights you could¡¯ve won?¡± He lifted up his staff and slammed it back onto the ground.


    ¡°Well if my enemy¡¯s magic is too powerful; it can shatter through the Colosseum and honestly the walls are kinda flimsy when faced with powerful physical attacks.¡±


    My mind flipped between Kasen and Gramps.


    ¡°So how do you plan on getting over those weaknesses? To become the best version of yourself that you can?¡±


    I looked at him dumbfounded.


    ¡°If I knew that, don¡¯t you think I¡¯d be doing that?¡± I replied.


    He scratched the back of his head before speaking.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time. I will teach you one thing that will be beneficial against the Shadows. Use your Colosseum.¡±


    ¡°Colosseum of the Damned.¡±


    The elliptical structure lifted out of the ground; shaking the ground as it rose. The structure stood mighty as Nomad walked in through the front entrance.


    He looked around to the seats then to the arches that were scattered across.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± he muttered to himself.


    He dug around in his pocket before pulling out a blindfold.


    ¡°Put this on.¡±


    ¡°What, why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be teaching you a technique that I think you can use¡­ Didn¡¯t I explain this already?¡± He asked, genuinely confused.


    ¡°Yeah but why the blindfold?¡± I held it up in front of him.


    ¡°Oh, right. The technique is called Arena Bind. I met someone with a domain like spell and he created this himself," Nomad explained.


    I lifted the blindfold up to my eyes and held it against them. I reached my hands to the back of my head and tied it to stay on my head.


    ¡°This is going to surprise you but¡­¡±


    The darkness suddenly began morphing into an empty room with a giant chair in the middle of the room. Leather straps rested on the arms and feet of the chair as voices began to echo.


    ¡°Aura, we won¡¯t kill you but you¡¯re gonna wish you were dead when we¡¯re done with you,¡± a voice spoke. No face or body came into vision as I looked around for the source.


    ¡°DON¡¯T YOU TOUCH HER!¡± I shouted, sprinting and reaching for where the voices were.


    Except they were everywhere.


    ¡°Dominick, why can¡¯t you save me?¡± Aura suddenly appeared in the chair, bound by the leather restraints around her arms and feet.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get you outta here.¡±


    I ripped off the restraints and picked her up off the chair.


    ¡°Can you move?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°Yeah, I can move,¡± she stared at me for a brief moment before looking backwards.


    ¡°THEY¡¯RE COMING!¡± She screamed.


    ¡°GO, AURA! I CAN HOLD THEM OFF!¡±


    ¡°IF YOU DIE, I¡¯LL BRING YOU BACK AND KILL YOU MYSELF!¡± The metal chains clinged to the bounds that held her as they smacked against the ground.


    Time stopped for a moment.


    ¡°Dominick, it¡¯s me, Nomad,¡± a voice said.


    ¡°Nomad? This isn¡¯t real?¡± I asked.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t but you¡¯ll forget that after this conversation. Arena Bind will allow you to slow down your enemies for a brief moment in time; it¡¯s almost like Time Manipulation. The trick to it is to trust your instincts hence the reason for this debacle. Good luck.¡±


    Time started moving once more.


    ¡°APPREHEND HIM!¡± The hooded figures flooded into the area.


    ¡°COLOSSEUM OF THE DAMNED!¡±


    The Colosseum rose from the ground, encapsulating all of us within its boundaries.


    ¡°We know about your little trick, Dominick,¡± the Figures pulled out weapons from underneath their cloaks.


    The first one lunged, his knife a blur. I leaned backwards, narrowly avoiding the blade. The knife wooshed through the air where I had been standing. Using the momentum, I kicked him square in the chest; sending him tumbling into some of the Shadows. More of the Shadows had encircled me, tightening the noose, cutting off any chance of escape I had.


    I looked around frantically to find a path for an escape route if necessary.


    The final member waltzed into the last crevice.


    I was trapped.


    ¡°EVERYONE! THE BOY DOES NOT LEAVE HERE! DEAD OR ALIVE!¡±


    An order from their leader rallied the troops and everyone rushed me at once, brandishing their weapons. Chaos ensued as their blades clashed. They cut through each other in a frenzy to reach me as they began to crowd around me. I darted between their blades and bodies, dodging blades as they swung at my head. I grabbed a knife that was swinging towards me and redirected it towards the sender, penetrating his shoulder. He screamed in agony as his cries began to fade. A dagger zipped past my ear; almost taking it off while another one landed in the dirt below.


    A blade swiped beneath me. I jumped over it as I tumbled between bodies; trying my best to not die here. I broke off, finally, into a sprint for the far side of the colosseum. The onslaught followed closely behind as I was barely able to stay ahead.


    But there he was¡­ A large silhouette looming overhead; the dim light blanketing him. His eerie grin was the only visible feature on him as he stomped closer. He lifted his baton high before crashing it down. I didn¡¯t hesitate. I grabbed my sword and deflected it. The brutal force of his strike made my muscles scream in pain as I barely held on. The pain rippled through my arm as he prepared another strike. I grabbed his wrist and twisted it behind his back. I lifted him off of the ground and threw him into the other Shadows in pursuit. They tumbled like Dominoes as I made my way away from the fray.


    It didn¡¯t slow them down one bit as more figures showed up behind them. I can¡¯t stop. I couldn¡¯t stop even if I wanted to. My muscles didn¡¯t feel the same way as they began to give out on me.


    ¡°No, no, no, no, COME ON! DON¡¯T FAIL ME NOW!¡± I screamed at my legs to no avail.


    The rest of the Shadows caught up to me as my legs gave out.


    I fell to one knee.


    ¡°I WILL NEVER-¡±


    I succumbed to my fate.


    I grabbed the blindfold and lifted it off of my head.


    My body was sweaty and tired from the fighting. Although, I wasn¡¯t where I was before.


    I looked around.


    ¡°YOU CALL THAT TRAINING? I JUST DIED!¡± I yelled at Nomad.


    ¡°You fought hard,¡± Nomad¡¯s voice was calm yet stern, ¡°but you allowed your colosseum to fight against you.¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t the problem,¡± I rubbed the back of my head, ¡°there were too many of them¡ªI tried to fight them off but they overwhelmed me.¡±


    Nomad crouched to meet me on the ground. His eyes were brimming with more emotion than I¡¯ve ever seen.


    ¡°You have potential, kid. You need to focus and erase all distractions. Nothing but now should be on your mind. So don¡¯t think, just do. Don¡¯t react, maximize your Colosseum and make it your own. It IS yours. So control it.¡±


    ¡°How am I supposed to do that? I¡¯ve never done anything like it before¡ª¡± Nomad thwacked him on the head with his staff.


    ¡°WHAT THE HELL¡ª¡±


    ¡°Look,¡± Nomad pointed forward.


    Shimmering blue lines appeared in front of him. My eyes widened as I saw the barriers form at precise points, exactly where I had been surrounded before.


    ¡°Is that magic?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s simply a way to control your colosseum. You¡¯re quick but that¡¯s not always enough. You need to control this Domain the way you need to. The way you want to. The Shadows rely on numbers but you can take that advantage away with Arena Bind.¡±


    He rose, offering me a hand. I grabbed his hand and he pulled me up.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a day at most so let¡¯s get back to it,¡± Nomad said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we have that much time,¡± I replied.


    ¡°We will since I need to find their location anyways so you need to train until then.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll master this, Nomad.¡±


    For Aura.


    Rose and Kasen made their way through the intricate tunnel that Disgby previously made for them with little to no difficulty at all besides the fact that Kasen complained the entire time.


    ¡°Are we finally out?¡± Kasen whispered.


    ¡°Yeah but we¡¯re not out of the woods yet.¡±


    The street lamps suddenly turned red. An alarm started blaring from inside the giant barrier that stood between the school and the outside.


    ¡°Rose Parsons, Kasen Briggs, stop where you are,¡± A familiar voice boomed.


    We swiveled our heads to see the Principal''s silhouette looming in front of the gate.


    ¡°NO! WE CAN¡¯T JUST SIT HERE WHILE YOU TWIDDLE YOUR THUMBS! EVERY MOMENT YOU SPEND HERE IS A MOMENT THAT AURA IS SUFFERING. THAT DOMINICK IS SUFFERING! AT THE HANDS OF THOSE MANIACS!¡± Rose screamed; her eyes glistening from the tears that finally broke through.


    Kasen put a hand on her shoulder. She looked at him, the street lamps reflecting off of her pupils. They nodded and faced the principal head on.


    ¡°I see,¡± The Principal threw down his coat.


    He cracked his knuckles and then twisted his neck slightly; cracking also.


    ¡°CHAOS MAGIC: TEMPORAL ZONE!¡±


    The Principal pointed towards them, his face as inscrutable as ever.


    The air distorted as it felt like danger was ever looming closer. The hairs on her arm stood up.


    ¡°SPIRIT MAGIC-¡±


    ¡°MIRROR MAGIC: DEFLECTION!¡±


    A colossal mirror emerged in front of us.


    The two spells clashed before the mirror shattered; sending the spell back towards the caster. The Principal snapped. The spell squandered in front of him.


    ¡°Ah, so that''s how it¡¯s going to be¡­¡±


    A figure stood in front of us, shielding us from the Principal.


    ¡°I will not let these students lose their dear friends because of the incompetence of the Magic Defense Force,¡± Mr Lainhart spoke.


    ¡°Mr. Lainhart, you¡¯re putting these students in danger by letting them go by themselves. Please step aside,¡± his mana seeped from him; like a slow moving mist. The mana had a primal feeling to it; like a beast hunting its prey.


    His eyes ignited in a smoldering red, fierce and unyielding, like a lion stalking its prey in the darkness.


    He¡¯s going to kill Mr. Lainhart.


    ¡°GO, KIDS! NOW!¡± He lifted his hands up.


    ¡°MIRROR PRISON!¡±


    Mirrors appeared in the air and on the ground surrounding the Principal.


    He simply stared at the two as they sprinted away.


    His eyes, ignited like twin rubies catching fire, never left them until the mirror blocked his vision.

 Dear Friend

    ¡°MIRROR BEAM!¡± Mr Lainhart closed his hand into a fist.


    Beams of light illuminated the interior of the spell where the Principal was being held.


    ¡°FLUX BOLT!¡±


    A sable and scarlet bolt escaped from inside, shattering the highest mirror.


    The Principal jumped out of the enclosure and landed in front of me.


    ¡°Why are you doing this, Edgar?¡± The Principal was facing him.


    Not as an opponent but as a man, as a dear friend.


    ¡°I can¡¯t let those kids go through what I did,¡± He adjusted himself into a fighting stance.


    ¡°The Magic Defense Force is more capable now than when that happened. I can assure you that Dominick Blackburn and Aura Hunt will be found promptly. Now, can you please convince the students to return-¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that, sir. Those two are the only friends that girl has. I can¡¯t stand to see her lose her closest companions like I did. Like I lost her,¡± Tears dribbled down Mr Lainhart¡¯s cheeks.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what happened to your wife, Edgar, I truly am.¡± The Principal sighed and put his hand on his shoulder, ¡°but they are in grave danger. You do not comprehend the dangers of that terrorist organization.¡±


    ¡°So are Dominick Blackburn and Aura Hunt,¡± Mr Lainhart grabbed his hand and flipped him over his back.


    The Principal simply stood up.


    He reached in his pocket and grabbed his walkie talkie.


    ¡°Go after them,¡± he spoke into it before stashing it away again.


    ¡°Who was that?¡± Mr Lainhart asked.


    ¡°None of your concern,¡± he spread his arms wide and lowered his gaze onto Mr Lainhart.


    ¡°Do you still plan on standing in my way?¡±


    Mr. Lainhart simply nodded.


    The Principal grabbed the bridge of his nose and shook his head solemnly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you, dear friend.¡±


    He strolled down the beaten down pathway in an instant; his demeanor different from the usually serious man who strolls down the hall waving to every student who passes by.


    ¡°I SEE YOU NEVER CHANGE!¡± Mr Lainhart yelled across, usually quiet but this battle has lit a fire underneath both of them.


    ¡°CHAOS MAGIC: TEMPORAL ZONE!¡± The Principal quickly chanted, catching Mr. Lainhart off-guard.


    His body slowed down as a bubble surrounded him, the space was nearly invisible besides the rainbow hues glinting off from certain angles; giving off an iridescent silver color.


    The Principal walked up to him. He swung his fist straight into his jaw, a deafening echo filled the area as Mr. Lainhart¡¯s body slowly reacted; his head slowly gliding backwards. He landed more blows as Mr Lainhart tried his best to react but the spell wasn¡¯t doing him any favors.


    ¡°What can I do? How can I get out of this?¡± Mr Lainhart scrambled his brain to find a solution for the problem he¡¯s faced with.


    But alas, he found none.


    Suddenly, the barrier turned to ash and floated into the sky.


    The Principal backed away and sighed.


    ¡°That¡¯s the problem with my magic. It¡¯s too unpredictable. Chaotic, if you will,¡± he tapped his foot on the ground.


    ¡°MAGIC MIRROR!¡±


    A mirror suddenly appeared underneath the Principal¡¯s feet.


    The Principal began sinking into the face of it. He sighed before lifting his foot up out of it. He jumped out of the quicksand-like spell and darted to Mr Lainhart.


    His icy cold gaze sent shivers down Mr Lainhart¡¯s spine as he grew ever closer. The tension in the air could be cut with a knife.


    ¡°CHAOTIC MAGIC: FRACTURE!¡± The Principal roared, bearing down on his opponent.


    Suddenly, he fell onto the ground.


    ¡°Gah,¡± he landed with a heavy thud.


    ¡°MIRROR CLONE!¡± Mr Lainhart took advantage of the sudden turning of the tables to summon a clone of himself.


    2 against 1 is better than facing that monster alone.


    The Principal dusted himself off and locked eyes with Mr. Lainhart.


    ¡°See? Too unpredictable.¡± He swiped the dust off of his shoulders.


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    The Principal stormed forward toward his prey, each stomp reverberating through the ground. His intense stare locked onto his target, portraying his anger as he barreled closer. The air thrummed with intensity and latent energy as his mana began to distort the air, sparking. He clenched his fists by his sides as his muscles were coiled, ready to pounce at a moment¡¯s notice. He wasn¡¯t going to hesitate. Each move, each flinch, each twitch, a calculation in his mind. A promise to destroy his opponent that stands in front of him.


    ¡°MIRROR BLAST!¡±


    A mirror appeared once more in between Mr Lainhart and the path of The Principal. The mirror began to glow a pearly white before blasting an opalescent beam toward the person he thought he once knew in front of him.


    As the beam made contact, a thunderous explosion erupted. The gates shook violently behind The Principal as he was shrouded by the smoke. Stone and debris shot outward, fragments shattering like shrapnel. The once-solid stone walkway was destroyed, leaving a smoking crater in its wake, cracks spider-webbing throughout the nearby stone as the rubble and smoke cleared slowly; leaving an uneasy anxiety in the air.


    The Principal was nowhere to be found. Not a single shred of clothing. Nothing.


    ¡°I loved you like a brother,¡± a whisper ominously spoke behind Mr Lainhart.


    As the smoke began to dissipate, Mr Lainhart scanned the empty space where the Principal had stood, every nerve on edge. His heart pounded throughout his body. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears. Mr Lainhart was nervous, a primal sense tingling in the back of his mind.


    Determined that he was defeated, he turned around in the direction of where Rose and Kasen had run off to.


    A faint blur suddenly went and vanished as fast as it had appeared in his peripheral vision.


    The sinister shade of ebony and sanguine danced on the Principal''s fingertips as he emerged from the smoke as if stepping through a veil, his eyes gleaming in a cold fury.


    ¡°When it¡¯s not a pain in the ass, Chaos Magic has its perks. You¡¯ll need more than that to defeat me, Edgar,¡± He cracked his knuckles before returning to the war path he was on.


    He bolted to Mr Lainhart, his eyes still burning with the fury of a volcano on the verge of eruption.


    He swung his right hand in an overhead punch. Mr Lainhart deflected it with his palm then countered with his own strike to his abdomen. The Principal pushed his hand down and dropped to the ground with a leg sweep. Mr Lainhart stomped down onto his foot causing the Principal to wince with pain but ultimately push it back down deep inside. The air was filled with silence and thick with tension as the two continued to exchange blows in a heated battle.


    It¡¯s truly a miracle that nobody has heard them fighting.


    The Principal managed to land a devastating blow to his jaw as his fist found a way to connect. Mr Lainhart staggered back for a moment, leaving himself open. The Principal darted forward once more, his fists and kicks crashing against Mr Lainhart¡¯s body, like a punching bag. Mr Lainhart put his arms in a defensive stance to no avail. His arms slowly fell back down as the pure power of The Principal powered through.


    Mr Lainhart abandoned his respect and morals. He jumped backwards and spread his hands wide.


    ¡°MIRROR CLONE TIMES TEN!¡±


    Figures walked out of mirrors that had spawned around the two of them. The clones were perfect replicas of Mr Lainhart. They walked and stopped next to him, awaiting orders.


    ¡°I will not let these students lose a friend the same way I lost my best friend, my one and only love¡­my beautiful wife,¡± a single tear ran down his cheek.


    ¡°I send my condolences, Edgar,¡± despite saying this, The Principal pointed a finger toward him.


    ¡°TWIST OF FATE!¡±


    The clones suddenly doubled over and started vomiting blood. They kept losing blood at an incredible rate as they couldn¡¯t stop spewing all over the ground. Eventually, they faded away into nothingness.


    ¡°What did you do?!¡± Mr Lainhart shouted.


    ¡°Twist of Fate is a spell that allows me to specify a specific area, when I pointed at you, to twist reality in that small space. Granted it could¡¯ve made more clones or something similar but I¡¯m glad it worked out this time,¡± He explained.


    ¡°Fine. No magic.¡± Mr Lainhart ripped off his blazer.


    ¡°No magic, old friend.¡± The Principal cracked his knuckles once more.


    Mr. Lainhart may be older but he¡¯s an expert in hand to hand.


    So is the Principal.


    Mr. Lainhart kicked at the Principal who easily weaved around the strike and grabbed his leg. He lifted Mr Lainhart and threw him onto the ground. His legs twitched with preparation and power as he jumped to the space where Mr Lainhart was laying. Mr Lainhart¡¯s otherworldly instincts caused him to stand up promptly and spring backwards.


    The two began to exchange blows once more. Sending them back to a time when they were kids playing in the backyard, fighting.


    The two would always fight over Mr Lainhart¡¯s late wife until she revealed who she had feelings for.


    The Principal was a good man, still is, but his heart¡¯s in a different place right now, his heart is determined to take down the obstacle in front of him to save the kids from killing themselves or from causing anymore death.


    Mr Lainhart was a good man too. Stubborn as all hell but he could fight with the best of them. He was in the running for becoming a Pillar too but that was too much responsibility for him.


    It was between him and the Principal to decide who would get the job of the Principal for Lixarts Academy but Mr Lainhart valued his friendship with him over a few extra omeras. Nothing was more valuable to Mr Lainhart than his wife and his dear friend. However, he lost his wife. He became a shell of his former self until he became a teacher here; helping these kids shape themselves into better beings, teaching them skills he never could¡¯ve learned himself when he was younger. He felt like he had a purpose. He felt like he could live without her again, albeit it hurt like hell.


    Mr Lainhart wrapped his arms around the Principal¡¯s stomach from behind and twisted his back backwards. The Principal''s head slammed into the ground with a gnarly grind.


    Mr Lainhart grabbed him and flung him into the wall. The wall shattered into pieces, stone and debris zipping across the school yard, the wall was cracked like a spiderweb just like the stone walkway.


    The Principal pushed Mr Lainhart back a few feet before jumping at him once more. He grabbed him by his jaw and propelled forward, sending him and himself through the front gate. The gate twisted and burst open as shrapnel flew everywhere around them. Mr Lainhart grabbed and clawed at his hand but it was no use, his hand wouldn¡¯t budge.


    The Principal clenched his right fist until his knuckles were white and pummeled away at Mr Lainhart. Mr Lainhart put his arms up in a defiant resistance but it was all in vain. His arms slowly lowered back down and his eyes fluttered shut.


    The Principal grabbed his cold, senseless body and threw him over his shoulder and walked him to the infirmary.


    ¡°Nurse, I need you to watch Mr Lainhart. He was seriously injured in pursuit of an intruder on school grounds,¡± he calmly lied through his teeth.


    ¡°Oh my god!¡± She was shocked to see his unconscious body, battered and bruised.


    ¡°Set him right there, I¡¯ll have a look when I¡¯m done with this student,¡± she pointed at a shy looking boy who didn¡¯t look a day over 13.


    He waved awkwardly.


    The Principal delivered a smile and wave before thanking the nurse and walking out.


    He reached in his pocket and pulled out his walkie talkie.


    ¡°Have you apprehended them yet?¡±


    The walkie talkie echoed from behind him. The Vice Principal stood there, her face wounded and bloody to all hell.


    ¡°What happened?¡± The Principal asked her.


    ¡°The boy,¡± she grabbed a tissue and wiped the blood off of her mouth.


    ¡°Rose Parsons also contributed to this,¡± she pointed to her face, ¡°but it was mostly the boy.¡±


    ¡°Then we need to expedite the Magic Defense Force or the students¡¯ lives will be in more danger than they already are.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    They strutted out of the infirmary and headed to his office.

 Contact

    Nomad and I had just finished up the ¡®Arena Barrier¡¯ training, the sweat beading off of my forehead like a waterfall.


    ¡°You did good,¡± he said, holding out a towel. I grabbed the towel and dabbed it against my forehead.


    ¡°We¡¯re running out of time, we need to find Aura,¡± I opened the water bottle and took a swig. I sloshed it around before spitting it onto the ground.


    ¡°About that, I have good news,¡± he pulled out a map and laid it across the table inside the shack.


    He grabbed a red bobby pin and jammed it into the right side. In a small city named Nersbeach.


    ¡°What about it?¡± I asked, confused.


    ¡°That¡¯s where my contact will be, he¡¯s more than likely to have information on the whereabouts of the Shadows,¡± he clasped the cup¡¯s handle and lifted it to his mouth. He took a giant swig before slamming it back down on the table, ¡°we¡¯ve been tracking them for a long time, kid. It just so happens that our interests align,¡± he smirked at me.


    This man knew my parents. My real biological parents. He was a refined man, horrible hygiene but nice. He used his words with precision, cutting to the heart of whatever topic he wanted to share with me.


    ¡°When do we head out?¡± I sat down on the stool, opposite him.


    ¡°We head out at sunset. This shack isn¡¯t safe anymore. It¡¯s not far from where I found you and the girl, they¡¯ll be here soon.¡± He walked over to his makeshift closet and grabbed the items he deemed necessary for travel.


    ¡°How long does it take to get to Nors¡ªNers¡ªNersbeach?¡± I struggled to remember how to properly pronounce the name of the city located east of here.


    ¡°2 days and some change,¡± he tossed me a tattered cloak.


    I held it up in front of me. The cloth was once a vibrant purple, now dulled and tarnished by layers of dirt and grime. Jagged holes marked the back, their edges scorched from the impact of powerful magic attacks. The bottom edge hung in tatters, shredded beyond repair and clinging to the main fabric by mere threads, a ghost of its former splendor.


    I looked at him blankly. I blinked then looked at him. Then I looked at the robe in front of me.


    ¡°What the hell is this?¡± I gestured to the robe, pointing at it up and down.


    ¡°That¡¯s a disguise. We¡¯re two hermits, traveling through Eastern Declan. The fact that it¡¯s dirty attests to that,¡± he rummaged in his closet and pulled out a robe the exact same as mine, ¡°if it makes you feel better, mine is in the same condition.¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± I walked into the other room and changed into tattered attire.


    SUNSET.


    SUNSET.


    Kasen walked next to me, constantly looking back and forth behind us.


    ¡°We¡¯re so dead,¡± he said, muttering to himself.


    He must be referring to the vice principal. We tended to our wounds after that battle and continued on our way. The Principal isn¡¯t after us so there¡¯s something positive in that. Although, I can¡¯t get rid of this feeling. This anxiety that spread throughout me. The chills that ran up my back, leaving my hair standing on end.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who did most of it,¡± I hissed at him.


    ¡°ONLY BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO BE IN DEEP SHIT IF SHE CAUGHT US!¡± he yelled at me.


    I put my hand over his mouth.


    ¡°You need to be quiet or we will be caught,¡± I reached into my pocket and grabbed the piece of paper.


    ¡°Meet me here,¡± the map read over a circle around Nersbeach.


    ¡°Nersbeach? What¡¯s that?¡± Kasen asked, peeking over my shoulder.


    ¡°The next place we¡¯re going. It¡¯s an independent city, operating outside of the Inner Declan Empire¡¯s rule,¡± I muttered, rolling the map back up and stuffing into my backpack.


    We walked in silence for a few hours, those hours dragging on for an eternity. We couldn¡¯t risk talking, so we snuck around¡ªavoiding any and all people. It wasn¡¯t entirely difficult but the long length of the hike made Kasen and I grow tired.


    After we escaped the woods, Kasen faced me.


    ¡°Do you think Mr Lainhart is okay?¡± He questioned.


    A question that had been pestering me the entire time as well.


    ¡°I think so, Mr Lainhart is strong,¡± I tried my best to reassure him but it felt more like I was trying to reassure myself more than him.


    ¡°What about Dominick?¡±


    His question caused a tightening in my chest. A sense of impatience and urgency. Hopelessness grabbed hold of me as I couldn¡¯t answer that question. The one who worried me wasn¡¯t him. It was Aura. My best friend, my sister, is in trouble. I looked at the opening at the end of the trees.


    ¡°We have to hurry,¡± I darted past him.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Kasen looked at her, worried but decided it¡¯d be best to not ask questions.


    THWACK


    A solid black steel baton crunched against Aura¡¯s knee, her face crunching into one of anguish.


    ¡°FUCK!¡± She screamed before biting down onto her tongue. She didn¡¯t want to give them the luxury of knowing that they were hurting her.


    ¡°Tsk, tsk,¡± the figure in plum robes muttered as he tapped it against the wall. He was the overseer of Aura Hunt.


    The prisoner that would get them to Dominick Blackburn.


    ¡°This would be easier if you gave us the information, Aura,¡± he brought the baton against her chin and lifted her head so he could see the desperation in her eyes. It was his favorite when the look in their eyes would slowly turn from pride to despair.


    Breaking down your subject down at the mental level, giving them hope then snatching it away.


    But that wasn¡¯t Aura.


    Her eyes were flooded with an unbridled rage, a pride that was too strong to be overcome with violence alone.


    One of the survivors.


    His fingers twitched as he lifted his arm up in the air.


    The hissing of air entering through the door interrupted him, mid swing.


    ¡°Ah, General Rivas. Good to see you, sir¡ª¡± General Rivas struck him with a backhanded strike with his right hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you,¡± he corrected his posture, ¡°¡®Ah, General Rivas¡¯,¡± he mocked, sardonically, ¡°me.¡±


    The guard held his jaw as he trembled in fear in the far right corner of the room. General Rivas walked over to where Aura was being detained.


    He grabbed her chin¡ªholding her face to where she could look him in the eye.


    ¡°Remember me?¡± He flung his hood off.


    Aura lunged forward¡ªonly to be flung back by the restraints of her confinement.


    ¡°JOSH, I WILL END YOUR INSIGNIFICANT LIFE!¡± She struggled against the bonds that bound her to the chair.


    ¡°Oh, but only if you could¡ª¡± He propelled her back into the prison that was the chair she had been confined to.


    His boots clicked against the marble as he made his way over to the guard.


    ¡°Do not. I repeat, Do. Not. Kill. Her. She is to be guarded with your life.¡± He bent down and tilted his head to the side in the guard¡¯s face, a dark unsettling look in his eye, ¡°Do you understand me?¡±


    The ominous aura that had poured out from Josh or General Rivas as he¡¯s known in the Shadows, his power permeating in the room.


    Aura¡¯s hair stood on end, her instincts warning her. Everything in her was telling her that he was not to be trifled with. That he is on a different level entirely than any enemy they¡¯ve faced before.


    She closed her eyes, retreating to a place in her mind where she was free¡ªsharing laughter and warmth with Rose and Dominick. It was a world far removed from this oppressive, sinister place, heavy with the stench of chemicals and blood. Despair clung to the air, and an aching emptiness lingered in the aftermath of heinous acts that refused to fade.


    The Shadows may sound like a cringey, edgelord kind of group but the things that these people have done. But they¡¯re serious. They¡¯ve killed in front of the entire world at Enchantopia, making their names known. The Shadows are a world-level threat and the longer the world chooses to ignore their actions, the more danger they bring upon themselves. Every moment that passes without action only strengthens their resolve, and soon, no one will be safe.


    DAWN


    DAWN


    ¡°Get up,¡± Nomad shook the sleeping bag that I was wrapped in.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± I yawned, rubbing my eyes. The weight of the day settled upon me as I groggily woke myself up. We¡¯re nearing Nersbeach, and thankfully for the time being, we haven¡¯t run into any problems.


    The tolls haven¡¯t been an issue and we¡¯ve been able to find a carriage willing to take us from town to town but Nomad decided it was best to stay in the woods and camp out. We couldn¡¯t risk being in the open, we needed to be away from prying eyes¡ªthose being The Shadows. He took a majority of the shifts as he let me the sleep I needed since it seemed like he was experienced in this whole debacle.


    ¡°Hey, Nomad,¡± I walked up next to him, grabbing my sword from my backpack¡ªputting it onto my waistband, into its sheath.


    ¡°Yes?¡± His words were slooshed as he was gargling on some sort of liquid before spitting it behind a tree.


    ¡°How do you know so much about this?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°About what?¡±


    "About staying hidden, about all the Shadows and their movements," I clarified, my brow furrowing as I adjusted the sword at my side. "You seem like you know exactly what we''re doing.¡±


    Nomad paused for a moment, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. His eyes met mine, a brief flash of something unreadable in them before he glanced away.


    ¡°Experience,¡± his tone was distant, ¡°I¡¯ve been on the run for a long time. Many organizations have risen and fallen in my time. Some were as relentless, they were willing to go so far as to kill during a nationally publicized event but¡­not a kid,¡± he said nothing more, his eyes remaining unfocused.


    ¡°So you¡¯re some kind of expert in evasion?¡± I asked him, a shiver running down my spine.


    Nomad, an unusual but kind soul, was following the Shadows for a long time but I didn¡¯t realize they were this heinous.


    ¡°Not an expert.¡± He grabbed the backpack from off of the ground. He slung it onto his back, adjusting it to the perfect fit, ¡°but I do know what it means to survive. And knowing when to survive means when to fight,¡± he sighed, ¡°or when to disappear,¡± a longing look spread across his face.


    ¡°Then why haven¡¯t you fought them before?¡± I shouted.


    He bolted over to me, his hand ghosting over my mouth.


    ¡°Lower. Your. Voice,¡± His eyes were glowing. It wasn¡¯t fear. It was an anger I¡¯d never seen from him before. Something behind those eyes told me not to press the topic any further.


    We walked down the beaten pathway of the trial outside of Bavale, a small village on the outskirts of Nersbeach. The longer we walked, the more anxious I grew¡ªthis nagging feeling of someone watching us. I¡¯m pretty sure Nomad felt it because he looked back right as I did.


    Rustling in the trees caused us both to turn our heads up to the source of the sound.


    Nothing.


    Suddenly, a deafening scream from a woman nearby drew our attention. Her stall had been knocked over as men in black robes, 3, scoured from the rooftops causing the locals to disperse.


    ¡°I knew it,¡± I grabbed my sword, my hand gripped around the hard leather handle. I unsheathed the sword and held it in front of me.


    Nomad threw his backpack to the side and put his hands in front of him, spread evenly. Blue magic circles appeared from his palms as he shouted,


    ¡°MENTAL MAGIC: INDUCE NIGHTMARE!¡±


    All 3 of the adversaries fell onto the floor, writhing and screaming. Not from physical pain but mental. Each of them had just had their worst nightmares sprung onto them in a moment¡¯s notice.


    I looked to Nomad, who had already gone and grabbed his bag. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Must be nice,¡± I sighed.


    ¡°It has its perks but that¡¯s enough of that. They know we¡¯re on the way, we need to get to my contact in Nersbeach. Now,¡± his voice dripped with urgency.


    I nodded at him as we both ran down the streets of Bavale.


    ¡°SORRY, MA¡¯AM!¡± I yelled as I looked back at her, staring at the men who were clutching their heads¡ªscreaming.


    Kasen and I arrived at Nersbeach fairly quickly¡ªno problems or anything. We took the map that Mr Lainhart gave us and followed it down a back path where little to no people traveled.


    ¡°Thank god for that map,¡± Kasen said, relieved.


    ¡°I would¡¯ve never known where to go without it,¡± I grabbed the map that we were talking about and determined where we needed to go next.


    ¡°It says we need to go to the Three Angels¡¯ Inn,¡± a name of an inn that seemed like it was trouble.


    ¡°I¡¯m no expert but I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s a brothel,¡± Kasen pointed to the Three Angels¡¯ Inn¡ªwhich was actually right in front of us.


    I stood there, mouth agape, looking back and forth between the map and the inn.


    ¡°I can wait out here¡ª¡±


    ¡°NO! For Aura and Dominick!¡± I steeled my nerves and walked in through the large wooden doors.


    All of the women in very revealing clothing looked at us like we had interrupted something as the clients were receiving treatment from the workers there in rooms blocked off by curtains.


    ¡°Hello, are you lost?¡± A beautiful woman with long golden locks walked up to me, her amethyst eyes capturing my gaze in a trap. I need to look away. If I don¡¯t, I¡¯ll leave here with more questions than answers.


    ¡°No, ma¡¯am. We¡¯re looking for someone,¡± Kasen stepped in between the two of us.


    ¡°Oh, I may be able to help you. What¡¯s their name?¡± She asked, her voice was polite yet it carried authority. Gentle but powerful. It was high pitched which completely threw me for a loop.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have their name but their initials are V.D.¡±


    Her eyes flared in surprise as she quickly composed herself.


    ¡°Ah, I may know who that is. Please, follow me,¡± her voice was sweet but something felt off.


    ¡°Kasen, I don¡¯t trust her,¡± I leaned over and whispered as she walked away.


    ¡°She seems fine besides I could probably take her,¡± he smiled at me, a smile that would usually reassure me but this time it didn¡¯t.


    Kasen walked past me, motioning me to join him. I guess if he follows her so will I. We walked past the beads that lead into the kitchen. She wasn¡¯t there.


    WOOSH


    She dashed across the room, grabbing Kasen by the face and slamming it into the table. She grabbed the knife from her bra and leveled it parallel to his neck.


    His eyes were scared but nonetheless, he lifted his hands up to his sides slowly as the mana began building up in his hands.


    ¡°That will be the last thing you ever do,¡± He stopped charging the mana. Kasen¡¯s breath hitched as he tried to lift out of her grip. She slammed him back onto the table with a sickening THUD. He gulped loudly, his throat dry, the trickle of blood on his neck glinting under the dim light.


    ¡°Now,¡± she locked eyes with me, ¡°where did you get that information from?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s on this map,¡± I handed her the map, my hands trembling as I made eye contact with Kasen.


    She scanned the back of the map, reading the message inscribed in it.


    ¡°Oh, okay. I see what¡¯s going on,¡± she let go of Kasen. He ran over next to me¡ªgrabbing his throat.


    ¡°May I ask why you took my friend hostage?¡± I nervously chuckled.


    ¡°I¡¯m who you¡¯re looking for¡ªValora Dagon. And yes, V.D., not E.D. Don¡¯t even think about making that joke."


    I didn¡¯t want to make the joke but Kasen barely stifled a laugh, his face turning redder than a tomato.


    ¡°Only a few people know my initials so I naturally grew curious. I didn¡¯t know if you were a spy or if you were an enemy trying to kill me but coming into the brothel asking for that information told me all I needed to.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you put a knife to his throat¡­?¡± I asked, confused.


    ¡°It¡¯s been awhile since I got to be so¡­ badass,¡± she sighed wistfully.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± I looked at Kasen and he simply shrugged, dabbing the cut with a cloth.


    ¡°I know now what happened. I¡¯m assuming he was going to join you in your little¡­ expedition but he got caught up in something and he gave you this. I remember him saying his new job was as a teacher in Tretton at Lixarts Academy. No matter how many times I tried to convince him to come back, he wouldn¡¯t. He loved teaching more than killing, it made his life feel complete or at least helped fix him a little when he lost his wife,¡± she continued.


    ¡°Well, I send my condolences to him but you were right. He ran into our principal when the two engaged in combat. He told us to go and we knew we¡¯d only get in his way if we were to try and stay. Well¡­¡± I sighed and looked to the ground, ¡°I knew I would. Kasen would probably have been able to help.¡±


    ¡°Enough. I¡¯m not going with the whole ¡®feelings¡¯ thing but you¡¯re a damn good mage. You¡¯re one of the strongest people I¡¯ve seen in the entire academy. Don¡¯t put yourself down,¡± he put his hand on my shoulder.


    I looked at him and smiled. I nodded before continuing. Or I would¡¯ve but Valora interrupted me.


    ¡°You said the Principal? And Edgar wasn¡¯t here with you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Why?¡±


    ¡°Edgar¡¯s the strongest mage in the 102nd battalion or what was the 102nd battalion of the Magic Defense Force. His name used to be Edgar The Honorless. He stooped to any level to defeat whoever stood in his way deeming him to have no honor, he racked up an impressive mage kill count anyways. A monster on the battlefield. The Monster of The 102nd battalion is what we personally called him in the Magic Defense Force.¡± she rubbed her chin, ¡°and your principal managed to defeat him? He must truly be a monster amongst mages.¡±


    ¡°Woah, Mr Lainhart was seriously like that in his younger days?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes, very much so. But you don¡¯t know the reason that I was going to meet Edgar. It¡¯s information regarding the group known as¡ª¡±


    ¡°The Shadows,¡± Kasen crossed his arms, a dark expression hanging.


    ¡°How did you know¡ª¡± she stopped as if she remembered something, ¡°right. Edgar had informed me about their invasion of the school and most of the country saw the student get killed before the footage was cut out. I do have the rest of the footage and that boy¡ªhe¡¯s intriguing.¡±


    ¡°Dominick? Yeah, he¡¯s something else¡­¡± I trailed off.


    ¡°What¡¯s that ability of his? I¡¯ve never seen anything like it?¡± She pulled out a small silver sphere which projected the footage of the colosseum lifting from the ground and him fighting Dugal hand to hand, ¡°see, it¡¯s extremely rare¡ªnear extinct¡ªto find someone who fights using martial arts,¡± she pointed to him landing a right hook, ¡°the power is his strikes are superhuman, nothing I¡¯ve ever seen in someone so young.¡±


    I looked at Kasen and he nodded.


    ¡°He has no mana.¡±


    She turned to me, her eyes wide and her mouth agape, ¡°None at all?¡±


    I nodded at her.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. There¡¯s no one in the history of the Declan Empire who has no mana and yet he stands against mages as if he were one? He,¡± she thought to herself, ¡°Mana has forsaken him. Yet against a world full of magic and power where he should be at the bottom of the hierarchy and he challenges a world full of powerful beasts and ferocious mages. A world that should¡¯ve put him down and he gets up, fights a fight that isn¡¯t even his. Dominick The Forsaken,¡± she mumbled to herself.


    ¡°Dominick The Forsaken?¡± Kasen queried.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just like to write fairy tales. This just gave me inspiration and I tend to get carried away,¡± she apologized.


    ¡°Now, to discuss the plan,¡± she grabbed a map and rolled it onto the table.


    ¡°Here is where we¡¯ll be heading,¡± she pointed to an unnamed location on the map, ¡°you¡¯ll need to be careful because this is where it¡¯ll get difficult,¡± she spoke, her voice carrying a weight that sent a chill down my spine.


    Meanwhile¡­


    I ducked just as a sharp blade hissed through the air, splintering the wooden post behind me. I adjusted my stance, my senses heightened. Nomad¡¯s quiet voice cut through the tension like a blade. "Careful. We aren¡¯t out of the clear yet."


    ¡°Gee, I hadn¡¯t noticed,¡± I gestured to the knife in the wall as the man jumped at me. I grabbed the sword and our steel clashed, sparks flying with each parry. The sound reverberated throughout the alley as I jumped over the wall and onto the stairs hanging above.


    ¡°ICE MAGIC: ICICLE!¡± A needle made of solid ice materialised above him as it locked onto me, zipping past my face. I moved my head to the side, barely managing to dodge the spell. I ran up the stairs and onto the rooftop¡ªseparated from Nomad.


    ¡°KID, STAY SHARP AND MAKE SURE YOU STAY ALIVE!¡± He shouted as he blocked the attackers¡¯ wrist and kicked them in the stomach.


    I caught myself hyperventilating and calmed myself down. The rooftop¡¯s tile stretched out beneath me as the attacker clawed his way up, like he was emerging from hell. The look in his eyes burnt an azure blue as he came into view over the tiles. He propelled himself up and over, onto the rooftop.


    ¡°END OF THE LINE, BRAT!¡± He shouted, cackling.


    I looked around, trying to find something to aid me in this. If I could just get him into open space, I can use Colosseum of The Damned. Right now I can¡¯t, it¡¯ll damage the building and people could possibly get hurt.


    ¡°Kid, we need to rendezvous,¡± his voice echoed into my mind.


    ¡°Yeah, but I need an open field. I can¡¯t use Colosseum of The Damned here,¡± I responded in kind.


    There was silence.


    The attacker dashed forward, his hands giving off a sapphire glow. He was charging mana.


    I darted forward, staying as close as possible to avoid any long range disadvantages I had with his magic against my sword. I sliced the sword skybound. He grabbed it with his hand,


    ¡°FREEZE!¡± The silver steel turned into ice as it made its way down to my hand. I threw the sword behind me and squared my stance. I wish I could properly use the sword but everyone seems to have a counter for it. That¡¯s when it hit me. I reached into my pocket and put the brass knuckles onto my fists.


    ¡°What are you gonna do with no magic?¡± He goaded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you what I can do,¡± I moved forward, bobbing side to side, avoiding his assault. I brought my left fist back, preparing a punch. He was ready to dodge instantly.


    ¡°Sike,¡± I pulled back my left fists and sprung a right hook into his mouth, a lightning quick strike. His head cocked back before he adjusted himself right. He swung left, I ducked under his strike and went in for a right to his ribs.


    He smiled sinisterly as he held his hand above me.


    ¡°FLOWING ICE: ZEALOUS FLOW!¡± Ice began to flow out from the magic circle on the ground below. I tried my best to run from it but the relentless pursuit stayed on my tail. I darted left to right, attempting to lose the mana but it followed me like a heat seeking missile. They began to converge at one point but I managed to jump out of the way where an explosion of ice was in my place.


    If I can¡¯t get him to stop the spell, it¡¯ll eventually catch up to me. The ice would pierce through my body or freeze me, at best.


    Idea.


    I dashed around the edge of the rooftop, I placed my hand on the roof and directed my body towards the mage. I raced at him, eyes warning him, I was coming to kick his ass. The best way to fix something? Fight like hell.


    I was face to face with him once more. I landed blow after blow to his abdomen as he grunted and stiffened trying his best to hold on.


    A sharp pain inflicted into my shoulder. Ice had pierced through my bone. I wanted to scream. I wanted to fall right there and clutch my shoulder. The pain felt like a lightning bolt had struck me, tearing into my shoulder with a seering, frozen agony. It wasn¡¯t just pain¡ªit was a cold pain that had pierced through my bone in a chilling frenzy. The bone-chill pain crawled outward, numbing my arm even as sharp pains radiated from the wound. My shoulder clenched involuntarily locked in a vice of cold steel and raw nerve. The sensation was incongruous; a war between a fiery heat and frigid cold, leaving me gasping for breath. It felt as if winter itself had clawed its way into my body, its icy grip grabbing hold of me¡ªthreatening me to try and test its grip. I pushed down the pain, ignoring the blood pouring out of my shoulder. I gritted my teeth and pushed forward, swinging both arms. Each blow landed sounded like I was punching a hollow tree as we both clashed with each other. My steel against his ice.


    I landed attack after attack, strike after strike as we stood face to face on the rooftop. The punches landed on him left his body purple and bruised as every few seconds a new tendril rooted into a limb of mine. I tried to ignore it and it hurts like hell but Aura needs me. I need to finish this guy off and go to her.


    Screw the open field. We finish this here and now.


    Nomad struck the opponent with a blow to the chest that boomed as his adversary fell to the ground with a loud crash. He looked up to me and stepped over the two of the fallen enemies.


    ¡°You got this, kid. I¡¯ll be here if it looks like you need it,¡± he whispered to himself.


    My attack was relentless as I brought down the force of my entire strength onto him. The pain was nothing more than an afterthought right now. I was so focused on dodging while attacking that I wasn¡¯t landing any decisive blows. Everything was superficial as I tried to battle him in a battle of attrition but that was stupid. He has more mana and physical strength left than I do. I have to end this.


    I ducked under the next tendril of ice and gathered my strength into my legs. The roof tiles cracked beneath me as I focused on the enemy in front of me. I burst forward, aimed for the mage¡¯s chest. He exploded into the air with a force that could¡¯ve shattered stone as I landed a devastating blow¡ªhis body¡¯s silhouette outlined by the sun.


    His body floated in the air, like it had been suspended by time before falling back down. As he fell back down, I bent my knees and charged a punch. I waited for the perfect moment as he managed to save himself from landing against the roof. He looked and there I was. My eyes burning like rubies, smoke exhaling through each side of my mouth as I brought my fist into his ribcage with force that felt like a sledgehammer. The sound of his ribs breaking boomed throughout the area. Nomad cringed from his spot below. The enemy flew back into the air. I followed through¡ªspinning in a perfect rotation in the air, planting a devastating kick in the mage¡¯s side. He flew backwards, his body thudding against the roof before tumbling onto the ground backwards.


    I breathed heavily. My body was in so much pain, the only thing keeping me standing right now was the adrenaline coursing through my veins. It doesn¡¯t matter.


    This fight is over.


    Nomad jumped onto the roof and landed next to me.


    ¡°Good job, kid,¡± he put his hand on my shoulder, giving me a thumbs up. Through these past few days, he and I have grown closer than I thought we would¡¯ve ever been. Maybe it¡¯s because we share something, whether that be revenge or something else. We looted the bodies of the enemies before tying them up and tossing them into a river nearby, allowing them to drift to sea. All they had were their weapons, coins, and we grabbed the robes off of them. We wrapped up their bodies as much as we could, it wasn¡¯t a lot but we didn¡¯t have time for anything else because now we know the Shadows are onto us.


    We cannot afford to lose any more time.


    The walk through the woods was eerily quiet compared to the fight that had ensued before. The birds chirping filled out the quiet mixed with the sounds of leaves crunching beneath us. The sun had lowered since we set out from the small village of Bavale and finally made it to Nersbeach. Nersbeach was a lot busier and bigger with the street vendors shouting over each other, trying to sell their product to the local passerby. The inns towered high over the other buildings next to them, one of them catching our eye in particular. The street lamps lit up the stone paved road as we walked down the street from the entrance to a place that locals loved. The Three Angels Inn.


    ¡°Nomad¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he interrupted, ¡°it¡¯s a brothel. My contact is the owner.¡±


    Something had filled my heart. Anxiety? Maybe but it wasn¡¯t a bad anxiety, one that made me excited as we finally got closer to learning the whereabouts of Aura. We walked in through the wooden doors, the moans and shouting along with the aroma of food and scented candles wafted around us.


    ¡°Hello, how may I help you?¡± A woman with pointed ears, her hair was tied up in a perfect bun that accentuated her beautiful skin, revealing her eyes that shimmered like a canary whirl vibrant and full of life, with golden flecks that danced like sunlight caught in motion.


    ¡°We¡¯re looking for Valora Dagon. Tell her Nomad¡¯s here with a guest,¡± he said, the woman strutting into the back.


    We stood there for a moment, our awkwardness building up as the workers gave us fleeting glances. She returned a short while after.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± she ushered us to the back.


    We walked in through the curtain. I held my arm as Nomad held the curtain open for me to pass through¡ªmy limp slowing me down from where the ice had pierced through my legs.


    ¡°Here is where we¡¯ll be heading,¡± she pointed to an unnamed location on the map, ¡°you¡¯ll need to be careful because this is where it¡¯ll get difficult,¡± she said.


    ¡°Hope you¡¯re not starting without us,¡± Nomad cut over her¡ªhis voice booming, louder than I¡¯d ever heard.


    I stopped. I clutched my arm as I saw Kasen and Rose standing across from her. They turned around when they heard a voice appear behind them before they saw me. Rose stared at me, covering her mouth as tears flowed down her face. Kasen smirked at me with a knowing look, a proud one, something I never thought I¡¯d see from him either. Rose sputtered through her tears¡ªrunning towards me.


    ¡°DOMINICK! OH MY GOD! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!¡± She jumped into my arms. I held her, my emotion overcoming me¡ªa few tears of my own coming out.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been,¡± I winced. She noticed and let go. She scanned over me and saw my arm. The frost had covered the wounds where they punctured my flesh, ¡°here and there.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god! Are you okay?¡± She asked, worried.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said, gritting my teeth as I lowered into a seat.


    ¡°Nomad, what happened?¡± Valora glowered at him, ¡°How could you let a kid get hurt like this?¡±


    ¡°I had my own fight. He can handle himself,¡± he looked at me before looking back at her, ¡°you should see the other guy.¡±


    She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± she walked over to me and got down on one knee, level with me, ¡°so you¡¯re Dominick The Forsaken,¡± she spoke, her eyes locked onto mine.


    ¡°Dominick¡­ The Forsaken? When did that become a thing?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I made it up,¡± she smiled at me before standing up, ¡°you like it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s cool,¡± I said, a sharp pain in my leg.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Rose asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s what we need to talk about,¡± Nomad waltzed over to Valora, ¡°the Shadows, they know where we are. We need to move quickly.¡±


    For the first time Rose seemed to realize. She looked around behind us.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Aura?¡±


    A sharp pain in my heart struck me. It felt awful that I had to tell her Nomad only saved me and let the Shadows take her away. That he tried but she would just blame us anyways and I wouldn¡¯t blame her. That¡¯s her best friend¡ª


    ¡°I rescued Dominick from the clutches of the Shadows in a dungeon. I rescued him and I was going to rescue her but I was overwhelmed due to their numbers and I couldn¡¯t grab her. I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said, apologizing. His apology was cold but that was the most honest thing I¡¯ve heard from him yet.


    Her lip quivered. Tears streamed down her face before she wiped them away. She steeled herself, her face contorting from one on the brink of breaking down again into one of determination as she looked at Nomad, Valora, Kasen, and I.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go save Aura,¡± she fixed her gaze onto mine.


    I nodded.

 Drowsy

    I drank a green vial that Nomad had picked up at a local alchemist, the icy pain numbing down but not completely gone.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be taking the hidden pathway that¡¯s located right here,¡± Valora pointed to an empty section of the map, ¡°there¡¯s a tunnel that leads straight to the Shadows¡¯ hideout,¡± she spun the marker in her hands.


    ¡°But?¡± Nomad tapped his crossed arms impatiently.


    ¡°But it¡¯s heavily guarded. My inside contact saw this entrance one time but he could only get as close as to the gate before they escorted him away,¡± she set the marker down, her eyes glowing underneath the dim light of the chandelier that hung above.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll fight,¡± Rose said, her jaw tightened, her eyes red-rimmed from the tears that had fallen previously.


    ¡°That¡¯d be nice and all but we¡¯d probably end up drawing too much attention and they¡¯d just move Aura to a different location,¡± I interjected.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Valora pointed to me with the marker, ¡°so we¡¯ll need to sneak through and luckily, you two ran into some of our friends on the way here, right?¡±


    Nomad and I nodded.


    ¡°Nomad?¡± She asked as if expecting something from him.


    He reached into his pack and grabbed the robes from the Shadows we defeated on the way here.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Rose interrupted, ¡°you guys fought Shadows on the way HERE?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s how I got injured,¡± I gestured to my wounds.


    ¡°How strong were they?¡± Kasen said, his arms crossed in the corner.


    ¡°Crazy strong,¡± I walked up to him, ¡°think you¡¯re ready?¡± I held out my hand.


    He stared at my hand, the gears in his mind moving and clicking before he finally reached his arm out and grabbed my wrist as I grabbed his, ¡°Hell yeah, I¡¯m ready.¡±


    We gave each other a smirk, one that said all the words we needed to without actually saying them.


    ¡°Everyone, gather over here,¡± Valora waved her hand, motioning us toward her.


    We walked over and sat on the stools.


    ¡°Now that that little moment is out of the way, here¡¯s the plan,¡± she looked each one of us in the eye, ¡°With these disguises, we¡¯ll be able to sneak around with 2 of you as prisoners. Obviously,¡± she pointed to me, ¡°you¡¯re a prisoner.¡±


    ¡°Why?!¡± Rose shouted over her.


    ¡°He¡¯s the one they want. If he¡¯s not with us then we won¡¯t be able to get in. As for the other prisoner, it¡¯d probably be best if it was you, Nomad,¡± she turned to Nomad.


    ¡°Because he and I have been traveling together. It¡¯d be suspicious if I wasn¡¯t with him,¡± he responded and nodded.


    The rest of the plan is simple. Nomad and I go in with the 3 of them wearing the disguises as they bring us into custody. We take the tunnel and make our way to the base of operations for the Shadows and we infiltrate it.


    We will probably have to eliminate the guards in front of the entrance to the tunnel.


    Her contact will make sure we get to where we need to go, which is where Aura is being held captive. From there, once we reach the prison floor, we¡¯ll fight our way to wherever Aura is.


    ¡°Simple enough,¡± I said, cracking my neck.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this show on the road,¡± Valora tossed Kasen and Rose the disguises.


    ¡°Sir, Nomad has been found and made contact with the student,¡± the Vice principal murmured to the Principal.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to make the proper preparations and advance to where they were spotted,¡± The principal stared forward, his gaze never leaving the picture where Mr Lainhart, him, and Mrs Lainhart were smiling at their wedding.


    He shook his head and stood up. His massive frame towered over his desk as he adjusted his blazer.


    ¡°The more time we waste, the longer they¡¯re in danger,¡± he took powerful strides out of the room and made his way to the Library.


    The Library had been shut down for the foreseeable future due to damage from the Shadows invasion and to operate as the Magic Defense Force¡¯s headquarters as they arranged for a raid on the Shadows.


    The Principal opened the doors and walked through, his authoritative aura radiating in excess out of him.


    ¡°Hello, sir,¡± a Magic Defense Force soldier ran up to him, throwing a salute before opening a dossier, ¡°this is the information we¡¯ve been able to gather and we¡¯ve been able to pinpoint the locations of the Mage Slayer; Valora Dagon, Kasen Briggs, and Rose Garner,¡± he handed the principal the dossier before running back to his station.


    ¡°The Mage Slayer, huh?¡± The Principal whispered to himself.


    ¡°The Mage Slayer, Valora Dagon. I served with her for a brief stint in the 104th battalion during the invasion of Stulia. She was the captain of our battalion and she had returned after serving in the 102nd. She¡¯s as ruthless as she is cunning, the rumors do not exaggerate,¡± the Vice Principal wore the stone cold expression she usually had, ¡°her magic is impressive but not the most notable thing about her¡ªher skill with the blade and her stealth is unrivaled by anyone I¡¯ve yet to see.¡±


    ¡°Well, thankfully you¡¯re here,¡± the Principal closed the dossier.


    Nomad unrolled the map, familiarizing himself with the layout of the terrain.


    I walked over and tapped him on the shoulder, ¡°Nomad.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± He faced me.


    ¡°How can we trust her?¡± I questioned, a feeling of uneasiness washing over me.


    ¡°I worked with her and your teacher, Mr Lainhart, back in the 102nd battalion. She¡¯s good


    people,¡± he reassured¡ªor tried to.


    I couldn¡¯t help but question her. I didn¡¯t know Valora¡ªshe struck me as a hard person to


    get along with¡ªa person who does what they want.


    However, she¡¯s got more experience than us so I guess I have no choice but to trust her.


    We¡¯ve been walking for a few hours down the beaten dirt road that leads to the tunnel entrance. The roads are eerily quiet, broken only by the occasional conversation between Kasen and Rose. Their voices are soft, almost swallowed by the stillness around us.


    Nomad and Valora remain at the front, their eyes sharp as they scan the surroundings, always alert for signs of an ambush. Old habits die hard, I suppose. The tension in their posture speaks volumes¡ªwhatever they¡¯ve been through before has left its mark.


    ¡°Stay alert, we¡¯re approaching our destination,¡± Valora turned her head and whispered to the 3 of us. Nomad moved back while Kasen and Rose stood next to Valora. They put the handcuffs around our wrists and held the chain that was attached. Rose held onto the chain lightly as Kasen held onto Nomad¡¯s. Valora walked casually to the Guards that were stationed.


    ¡°Hello, gentlemen,¡± she said, nonchalantly.


    They grabbed the walkies from their hips and turned around. A few mumbles and nods later, they opened the gate.


    The 3 of them nodded and walked past, Nomad and I in tow. Once we were past them, Nomad said something, confirming our suspicions as well.


    ¡°That was almost too easy¡ª¡± Suddenly, he went woozy. His body stumbled as he grabbed his dagger from his boot. He pointed it at Valora, his gaze locked onto her as if he expected something like this to happen.


    ¡°Valora, what have you done?!¡± He shouted, causing the other members to look around in interest and skepticism.


    ¡°THAT ALCHEMIST?!¡± He shouted as his body swayed.


    Suddenly, I grew drowsy. My vision was blurred as I tumbled around¡ªtrying to balance myself. My head grew light as I looked up and could see Valora, her gaze fixed to the side¡ªavoiding eye contact with any of us. We all tried fighting the sleepiness, the sudden burst of laziness that made us all want to lay on the ground and fall asleep. The air had grown heavy as if it had suddenly betrayed us, each second passing by felt like an eternity. Kasen and Rose were the first ones to fall victim to its poison¡ªsuccumbing to their slumber. I tried like hell to keep myself upright, to keep my eyes open, to even stand.


    But it was no use.


    As I fell to the ground, I caught sight of what a soldier can do. What a man who fought for his whole life could do.


    Nomad was swinging his dagger for Valora¡¯s throat, his body afflicted with the same effect as us.


    But it¡¯s Nomad. A man who¡¯s been fighting his whole life.


    ¡°I WILL NOT LET YOU TAKE THEM AGAIN!¡± His eyes were shimmering with tears. His eyes told a tragic tale as he swung his dagger.


    ¡°Dad, how was work today?¡± Nomad¡¯s son, Connor, asked him. Just the same as everyday. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°You know how it is,¡± he ruffled his hair and walked in through the door.


    ¡°Hey, honey,¡± Brianna, Nomad¡¯s wife, stood in front of the oven as the water boiled.


    ¡°Hey, babe,¡± he walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her¡ªplanting a kiss on her cheek. She leaned into his touch and smiled.


    ¡°What¡¯s for dinner?¡± Nomad asked, his voice completely different from the gruff and hardened man we¡¯d come to know and love.


    ¡°Spaghetti,¡± she turned around and faced him.


    ¡°Mmm, sounds delicious,¡± he waltzed to their room and grabbed a new pair of clothes before walking to the bathroom. He took a nice long, burning shower that took away the pain of sitting at a desk all day. That refreshed a man who isn¡¯t used to sitting around every day, all day. Every day, he thinks back to when he was a soldier¡ªwhen killing and running were his only purposes. To his comrades in the 102nd battalion. He shook his head to clear those thoughts. Those were the days of old and these are the new days¡ªthe happy days with his family and with peace and silence.


    Twilight deepend, giving way to night as Brianna shouted, ¡°DINNER! COME GET IT!¡±


    The sound of a stampede ensued, rumbling the house as Connor ran to the kitchen and grabbed a plate.


    ¡°Did you wash your hands?¡± Brianna asked.


    Connor shook his head rapidly. She smiled, content and put spaghetti on his plate. He walked to the dining room table.


    Nomad came out of their room, yawning.


    ¡°God, I needed a nap. Work¡¯s been kicking my ass lately,¡± he kissed her. She kissed him back in a passionate embrace before breaking apart.


    ¡°That¡¯ll do it,¡± Nomad grabbed a plate for himself and joined Connor at the table. Brianna followed shortly after, the 3 of them enjoying a meal like a family. Brianna had implemented a rule that everyone had to at least eat dinner together¡ªnot like it was an issue but she didn¡¯t want it to become one.


    ¡°The food¡¯s great, babe,¡± I snagged some spaghetti with my fork and chomped down.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she twirled hers on her fork, longingly.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked her cautiously.


    ¡°Oh, nothing. I just wish¡ª¡± she looked at Connor who¡¯s smile bloomed like a ray of sunlight as he ate away. She mouthed to him, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later.¡±


    They all enjoyed their dinner, ripples of laughter spread across the room with Connor reciting his day to Brianna and Nomad who watched with a wistful look on his face.


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m done!¡± Connor shouted, holding out his plate in front of him.


    ¡°Good job, buddy,¡± Connor and her walked over to the cookie jar on the island in the kitchen. She reached her hand and pulled out a large chocolate chip cookie. She exchanged it for his dish which she set into the sink.


    ¡°Honey, could you please come into the kitchen for a second?¡± She shouted at Nomad.


    Nomad grunted as he got up, a testament to his old age. He lumbered from the dining room into the kitchen.


    ¡°What¡¯d you need?¡± Nomad probed.


    ¡°It¡¯s about you,¡± She leaned backwards onto the counter.


    ¡°What about me?¡± He queried.


    ¡°These days¡­ It¡¯s like you¡¯re putting up a front. Your smile, your eyes, even the way you walk isn¡¯t fooling me,¡± her eyes shimmered underneath the chandelier, ¡°I want my Gabriel back. You aren¡¯t Nomad anymore. You¡¯re my husband, Gabriel. You¡¯re Connor¡¯s father. Not Nomad.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t expect me to just forget my past. That was who I was since I was born.Everyday,¡± he let out a deep breath, ¡°every single day was one where I fought to stay alive. When The Army Of Ashos marched through my hometown and killed my family. All I felt was relief¡­¡± he inhaled heavily, ¡°That''s all I could feel¡­ And if it weren¡¯t for me joining the 102nd battalion... I wouldn¡¯t be standing right here, in front of you. That¡¯s where Nomad was born and yes, I¡¯m trying my best but¡­ you just need to let me do this in my own time,¡± Gabriel¡¯s eyes were distant, his gaze and mind elsewhere.


    ¡°I understand and I will but this is hard for me. Imagine trying to take a walk with your husband in town and all he can do is frantically look around like a crazy person, paranoid about being ambushed in the middle of a shop.¡±


    ¡°There could be¡ª¡±


    ¡°ENOUGH, GABRIEL!¡± She shouted, her gaze lowered to the floor, ¡°Stop. This isn¡¯t what I want for our son. I want him to be normal, to be able to enjoy his childhood. You should want that for him, too,¡± she heaved a shaky breath, ¡°You never got to enjoy yours because of your family, because of war¡­ because of pain. Let him be a kid,¡± she wiped her eyes and shambled to the living room.


    Gabriel sat in the kitchen, his mind working through the pain and through the heaviness of what the past has done to him. He thought back to a time when he and Valora would play cards in the barracks¡ªthe laughs and jokes, the fun. Maybe if he could be like that, he could finally live a normal life.


    Gabriel picked his jacket off of the rack on the back on the front door. He grabbed the jacket by the collar and swung it effortlessly over his shoulders, the fabric settling into place with a soft rustle.


    ¡°I¡¯m going for a walk, honey,¡± He said with no response. He shook his head and opened the door. He braced himself as the frigid wind battered his face, numbing his cheeks.


    The eeriness of silence surrounded him. He walked on the beaten sidewalk, the echoes of his boots being the only noise in the vicinity. The arctic climate froze his face, snot running from his nose. He lifted his sleeve up to his face and wiped it away.


    ¡°God, I should¡¯ve brought tissues,¡± his voice whispered back to him after he murmured it faintly.


    The chilly wind made the bone-chilling weather even worse by settling into his jacket, freezing his skin. The street lamps glowed dimly as he made his way to a local shop, one that remained open 24/7.


    ¡°Gabriel! How have you been?¡± The man¡¯s voice rang out after the bell jingled above him.


    ¡°Never better,¡± he replied, sarcastically.


    Gabriel walked over to the snacks and plucked a chocolate bar off of the shelf. He went and grabbed a drink before going to the employee.


    ¡°Will this be all?¡± He asked, his voice snapping Gabriel out of the trance he was in.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Gabriel pulled out his wallet, taking a few omeras out. He set them on the counter.


    ¡°Thanks, Seth,¡± Gabriel waved and walked out of the store.


    A heavy dread fell onto his shoulders, like a weight had fallen out of the sky and landed on him. His chest tightened as he looked around, his instincts telling him he¡¯s being watched. He walked down the road, trying his best to avoid letting them know that he saw them. His family, everything he worked so hard for hung in the balance. The stakes are bigger than him¡ªNomad¡¯s life didn¡¯t matter to himself when someone threatens those he loves.


    ¡°Nomad!¡± A voice shouted behind him. Shivers went up his spine. Not fear but excitement.


    No. That wasn¡¯t the right emotion¡­


    Nomad hasn¡¯t been able to fight in a long time. Was he excited to fight or was he scared for his loved ones? The shivers up his spine didn¡¯t tell a clear enough story for him to be sure.


    He shifted around to meet the voice. A woman came out from the alleyway that was hidden in the shadows of the street lamps. Her whistle rang out along with her heels that clicked on the sidewalk. Her brunette hair was tied up in a bun, with her black leather pants that accentuated her long, slender frame. Her obsidian colored jacket¡¯s sleekness reflected under the light of the lamps, her face twisting into a smile carved from malice itself.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Nomad held his hands in his pockets.


    ¡°What do I want? I want you. I¡¯ve been wanting you ever since I saw you¡­ cowering in fear in the little shithole of a village¡ª¡±


    Nomad was on her in an instant. His blade drawn, blood trickling from her chin.


    The glint of the silver blade tainted by the blood of a devil.


    ¡°Hey, now. Calm down,¡± they locked eyes, their gazes brimming with hostility, ¡°I¡¯m not the one you want. My boss sent me to warn you.¡±


    ¡°Your boss?¡± His eyes grew wide as he realized the situation that was unfolding, ¡°Who¡¯s your boss? Who do you work for?¡± He pressed her.


    ¡°All I can tell you is that,¡± she swiped the blood off of the knife with her finger. She brought it to her lips and licked it off, ¡°We who lurk in the darkness, we who hide away in the sanctity of the shadows, bide our time, unseen and unknown, waiting for the world to falter before we rise. I¡¯ll catch you later,¡± she turned on her heels and strutted down the sidewalk.


    Nomad stayed rooted to the ground beneath him. He wanted to move.


    He couldn¡¯t. All of the excitement he felt previously?


    Gone.


    His worst fears were coming to fruition and he was scared.


    Has the normal life of an average citizen been making him go soft? Has his instincts been dulled? He pulled his leg up with all of his strength¡ªbolting down the way in which he had come.


    ¡°No¡­ please¡­ God, no,¡± he muttered to himself, dragging his feet as fast as he''d ever gone.


    Every moment built more anxiety within him. Not for him, he wasn¡¯t scared of dying but his family was in danger. He was confused. Confused on how he let himself get settled down, to let someone close to him, to allow his senses to get dulled.


    He was born in captivity, his mother and father trained him up since he was old enough to work.


    His mom and dad treated him like garbage, like he was the bane of their existence which he very much was, to them.


    He was born a hunter, a survivor. As he grew older, as he killed more and more, he learned that this wasn¡¯t what he wanted in life. That he was born for something more. The skills he honed and the god given ability was for something else¡ªsomething that wasn¡¯t this.


    As he returned to his senses¡ªhis heart powered by the necessity to protect his family. But a thought lingered in his mind.


    Why was she here?


    That was Blair, she was a mage from the enemy nation of Ashos. She was a part of the Army of Ashos that was sent to eliminate King Clemen and ended up going through Nomad¡¯s hometown of Norbury.


    She seemed to have a sort of¡ªobsession¡ªwith him; so much so that she had tried to kidnap him as a prisoner of war but Nomad was able to defend himself and escape from her clutches. The way she locked onto him like a beast stalking its prey but there was something different in her gaze. Something intimate.


    Suddenly an explosion resounded through the air from the direction of Gabriel¡¯s house. He raced back home with a heavy heart and a sense of worry tightening his chest. His heart thumping in his ears drowned out every other noise besides the occasional bump.


    His family. That¡¯s all he¡¯s ever had. Brianna, she¡¯s the only woman who ever settled down with him and loved Gabriel for Gabriel and saw past Nomad.


    But that was it.


    His house was blazing in a brilliant inferno as he ran into through the front door without a moment¡¯s hesitation. He screamed,


    ¡°CONNOR! BRIANNA! ARE YOU GUYS OKAY?!¡±


    No answer.


    Gabriel made his way further into the burning blaze as his worry started to gnaw away at him¡ªconvincing him they didn¡¯t make it. He walked into the living room where his worst fears came to fruition. His wife was holding their son, wrapped in a hug¡ªtheir bodies charred beyond recognition.


    He fell to his knees and cried.


    He¡¯s never cried. His emotions had been closed off to this point, he was forced to be a killing machine fueled by the sole mission of surviving. He didn¡¯t have anyone to call his own besides his teammates in the 102nd battalion but even then, he only told them what he wanted them to know which was very little as he never really trusted them. But the hot tears cascaded down his cheeks, he put his hands against his face and felt them¡ªthen more came rolling down.


    ¡°GABRIEL! ARE YOU OKAY?! HOW ARE THE OTHERS?!¡± A voice yelled outside as he sat down next to them, preparing to burn next to them. His reason for living is gone. His entire life burned down in a flick of the wrist.


    A strong grip grabbed me and pulled me out. I tried to resist but I didn¡¯t have the strength in me to fight back. The starry night sky greeted me like a slap in the face. I never wanted to see it again without them.


    THWACK


    A hand struck his face with a resounding crack. He looked up and saw a familiar face.


    Valora, The Mage Slayer.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± He asked her, wiping the dirt off of his pants and wiping the


    tears from his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been following the group that murdered your family,¡± She bluntly stated, obviously not seeing the look across Gabriel¡¯s face¡ªunable to read the room.


    ¡°Just leave me alone. All I wanted was to die alongside them and you couldn¡¯t even give me that,¡± his gaze looking up at the stars.


    ¡°No, I couldn¡¯t. You¡¯ll want to look at this,¡± she handed him a dossier with bold letters scrambled across it.


    ¡°Shadows?¡± He looked at her, his gaze empty.


    ¡°That¡¯s the group that the woman, who you met in the alley, is a part of. Or so we think. Did she say anything suspicious?¡±


    His mind went back to a specific moment.


    ¡°We who lurk in the darkness, we who hide away in the sanctity of the shadows, bide our time, unseen and unknown, waiting for the world to falter before we rise. That¡¯s what she said to me.¡±


    She nodded, ¡°that matches the information we have. Now, Nomad¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not Nomad. That was a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ Gabriel.¡± She said mockingly, ¡°well you know where the headquarters are. If you decide to join us, stop by.¡±


    He handed her the dossier and walked away.


    I woke up with a throbbing pain in the back of my head and to the smell of blood in the air. The bitter and stall atmosphere caused me to gag as it filled my nose with its horrid stench.


    ¡°Hello, Dominick, how I¡¯ve longed for this moment. The joyous moment of our ¡®reunion¡¯ and the evolution of the way we see the world. And it¡¯s all thanks to you,¡± the hooded figure chuckled, his cruel grin clearly visible even though the darkness that shrouded his face.


    That¡¯s when I felt it, the leather cuffs wrapped around my wrist¡ªlike a predator¡¯s grip, unyielding and cold despite their supple texture. The man walked over to a various array of strange tools, ones that I was unfamiliar with as the fluorescent light whirred to life overhead. My ankles were bound by the same restraints as the ones on my wrist. Despite what I tried, the bounds wouldn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°Ah, these have been magically reinforced. And just for,¡± he tilted his head and chuckled


    his next words, ¡°good measure,¡± he waltzed over to me, putting a cloth restraint in my mouth.


    ¡°MMM¡ªMM¡ª¡± My words were mumbled as I tried to scream.


    ¡°Oh, boy. This is going to be so much fun,¡± he cackled as he grabbed an unorthodox tool from the tray on the side of the table I was restrained onto.

 Tale of 3

    ¡°What¡¯s the status of the children?¡± The Principal asked sternly.


    ¡°Status: With Valora, heading southbound with the students and the fugitive known as Nomad,¡± a soldier responded, his voice soulless and bleak.


    ¡°Good, keep surveillance on them.¡±


    The Principal walked out of the building. He made his way down the stone sidewalk and into the Three Angels Inn. A woman in clothes that left little to the imagination, walked over to him and draped herself over him.


    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you a mysterious one¡­¡± she rubbed a finger down his chest.


    ¡°I need to speak with your boss,¡± he grabbed her finger and shoved it off of him.


    She scoffed and held her finger, walking away embarrassed. Another woman walked out as she left. Her posture, the way she walked, the way her chin was held high, the fact that her outfit was actually covering her body told the Principal all he needed to know. That she was the one in charge.


    ¡°I¡¯m the manager of this establishment. How may I assist you?¡± Her voice was as smooth as silk, like her words gently cradled his ears as she spoke. Her beautiful long ebony hair was as dark as the starless night sky, her obsidian curls fitting perfectly with her long slender frame. Her pearly cardigan cascaded over her shoulders, blending seamlessly into her black top and navy blue jeans that caused her legs to pop.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to speak to Valora Dagon,¡± the Principal walked over to her and shook her hand. Her hands were smooth, soft even yet her grip was powerful¡ªradiating an aura of dominance.


    ¡°Valora is out on business, we do not know how long she will be away but I can take a message and deliver it to her when she does.¡±


    ¡°Do you happen to know where she is?¡± He asked her¡ªhis eyes like cold steel locked onto hers, unblinking and merciless.


    ¡°I do but I do not have permission to give you that information,¡± the woman stared back, her eyes unyielding in the face of intimidation.


    He sighed and rubbed his eyes, ¡°Are you aware of what she¡¯s doing?¡±


    She remained silent.


    The Principal loomed forward and leaned, ¡°Do you know what she is doing?¡± His and her faces were mere inches apart as he scoped her intentions.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to have to ask you to leave the premises,¡± she politely motioned to the door.


    The Principal stayed for a long moment, his tall and powerful frame overshadowing her completely before turning around, ¡°We¡¯re out of here, search within a 50 mile radius. There¡¯s no way they could¡¯ve gotten far,¡± he looked back at the woman who stood there, deadpan.


    They left the Three Angels¡¯ Inn with more questions than answers.


    ¡°Ugh, my head,¡± Kasen groaned, holding his head and standing inside of the bleak stone cell that they were being detained in.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± Rose woke up shortly after, rising to her feet and quickly trying to pry open the cell.


    ¡°GRIFFIN!¡±


    Nothing happened.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± Rose¡¯s breath quickened, her fingers trembling as she kept attempting spells¡ªover and over¡ªonly for nothing to happen.


    Her frustration erupted in a choked sob. The reality of their situation crashed down on her, crushing the air from her lungs. Tears spilled freely as she collapsed against the wall, fists clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white. She tilted her head back, staring at the ceiling, her vision blurred by the flood of emotions¡ªanger, helplessness, fear. Her chest heaved with uneven breaths, and she sniffled, trying and failing to hold herself together.


    Nomad sat in the corner, a dark shadow looming over his face, ¡°It¡¯s the bars¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, shit, where¡¯s Dominick?¡± Kasen mentioned, cutting off Nomad.


    ¡°Dominick is being detained in a separate cell for reasons I cannot disclose to you,¡± Valora stood on the other side of the bars.


    ¡°LET US OUT OF HERE!¡± Rose was seething, her usual bubbly smile and attitude vanished¡ªher eyes burned with fury, her jaw twitching, as if she were about to burst. Her hands were shaking, her legs gave out on her as she dropped to the ground¡ªdefeated.


    ¡°Valora,¡± she whispered, tears falling down her face, ¡°why would you do this?¡±


    ¡°The Shadows¡¯ are an evil organization. A powerful one, at that. They figured out I was the one in charge of the Suppression Squadron and threatened my daughter,¡± she hesitated, biting her lip. She reached for the bars, ¡°I love you, Nomad, you¡¯ve done so much for me but,¡± tears welled up in her eyes, her voice was wavering as she reeled her hand in. Her voice wasn¡¯t coming out, her eyes teary as she stared up, trying to figure out the words to say until she finally did, ¡°but my daughter comes first,¡± she wiped them away. Her heels clicked against the ground as she walked away.


    ¡°DAMN IT!¡± Kasen punched the wall, the strike echoing off the stone walls. Blood dripped down his knuckles as he slumped down next to Nomad.


    ¡°As I was going to say before, these bars were developed by the Magic Defense Force to detain criminals. By using crystals found in a specific cave in Dorton, you can harness the essence in them and turn them into, a sort of, nullifying metal. Which I suspect these bars are made from,¡± he explained.


    ¡°How hasn¡¯t word of this got out to the public?¡± Rose asked, her eyes bloodshot.


    ¡°It¡¯s kept under strict surveillance by only the highest ranking officers but it doesn¡¯t matter now. My theory is they¡¯re going to use the boy¡¯s blood to make a nullifier without the crystals since there¡¯s a finite,¡± he stopped and thought to himself, ¡°a scarce amount of Bixilite in those Dorton caves.¡±


    ¡°Ah, not quite,¡± A voice echoed throughout the hall, ¡°That¡¯s a good theory and not wrong. Although that isn¡¯t the main reason,¡± the hooded figure appeared like a bad dream, ¡°The Shadows¡¯ worship a deity, one known as Void. The God of Darkness. However, in all of the stories of Void, the main person who stood in his way was a grotesque, powerless, god. The name of that God was¡ª¡±


    Nomad¡¯s fingers twitched at his sides. His breathing was slow but uneven. He looked at Kasen, then at Rose, as if weighing the consequences of his next words.


    ¡°Contra,¡± Nomad¡¯s words felt like a curse, like he said something he shouldn¡¯t have. Nomad¡¯s eyes were cold, sharp as daggers, as his gaze locked onto the hooded figure.


    ¡°Oh, someone hears knows their stuff,¡± He chuckled to himself, ¡°but do you know the


    truth of Contra?¡±


    ¡°I know that he was a god incapable of using magic so the other gods plotted against him and banished him from the heavens,¡± Nomad said.


    ¡°Why have we never heard of this?¡± Kasen said, his face as neutral as ever. He was shocked but it didn¡¯t affect him as much as the other extenuating circumstances they currently found themselves in.


    ¡°Not many people know the story of Contra,¡± Nomad tried to reassure him.


    Nomad looked over at Rose who was tapping her finger on the ground, looking absentmindedly.


    ¡°Does this not affect you either?¡± Nomad asked.


    ¡°Not really,¡± she whispered, ¡°I¡¯m only worried about Dominick and Aura right now,¡± she said, her voice frail.


    ¡°I guess you two aren¡¯t religious enough to really care,¡± Nomad smirked before Rose cut him short.


    ¡°Do you think this has something to do with Dominick?¡± She looked at Nomad, expectantly.


    Nomad sighed heavily. She understood and stared up at the ceiling.


    ¡°But did you know he walked amongst us? As a human? How¡­¡± The hooded figure chuckled to himself, ¡°peculiar. How strange for a god to be a god of humanity yet he, himself, did not have divine power. AND YET HE DARE TO DEFY THE BEAUTIFUL AND ALL POWERFUL GOD KNOWN AS VOID?! HOW DARE HE?!¡± He said, passionately, his voice booming through the halls.


    He cleared his throat, ¡°I¡¯m very passionate about our religion,¡± he looked at something down the hall. He mouthed a few words before turning back to us.


    ¡°You are not in any danger so long as you stay out of the way,¡± he made his way down the hallway.


    Aura stayed strapped to the chair she was in. She was an innocent bystander who happened to be in the same friend circle of the one that they wanted. But Aura found herself caring for Dominick despite her better judgement, despite the way she talked to him. She¡¯ll catch herself every now and then talking to Rose about him without even realizing it.


    Regardless, Aura or Rose was bound to be used as bait by the Shadows.


    The door swung open as a hooded figure waltzed in.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°So this is the one who wielded the spirit magic, correct?¡± The voice was cold, monotone, whoever it was sounded dead inside.


    ¡°Correct, sir,¡± the one who was tasked with overseeing Aura affirmed.


    Suddenly, the man grabbed the overseer¡¯s head and bashed it onto the desk¡ªknocking down the tools as he slumped to the ground. The figure threw its hood off of its head.


    ¡°WHAT?!¡± Aura shouted, her mouth agape.


    The person dashed over¡ªcovering her mouth.


    ¡°Yes, yes, I know. It¡¯s not what you think,¡± The man said.


    ¡°But what are YOU doing here?¡± Aura said.


    ¡°I¡¯m here on an undercover mission, I was searching for information since the Shadows, Dugal, and Vance attacked at the same time,¡± Aaron Newsmith¡¯s face came into view underneath the glowing light.


    ¡°Dugal¡¯s here?¡± She asked, concerned.


    ¡°No, my hunch was wrong,¡± he scratched his head, ¡°I did, however, hear of your kidnapping but they keep the documents on prisoners locked tighter than the King¡¯s castle,¡± he motioned for Aura to follow him.


    ¡°There¡¯s bad news as well,¡± Aaron looked at Aura with a deadpan expression.


    ¡°What¡¯s the bad news?¡± She asked.


    ¡°They captured your friend. I overheard them talking about the subject in the halls, most likely Dominick Blackburn. We need to rescue him and then get out of here,¡± he stopped her by raising his fist, ¡°if there¡¯s danger here, you run.¡±


    ¡±I can¡¯t just abandon him,¡± she protested.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let anything happen to him. You have my word,¡± Aaron stared at her.


    Aura solemnly nodded as they moved stealthily down the hall.


    The heaviness of dread hung over the hallway, countless pools of blood clotted to the ground. Aura gagged as she lifted her shoe off the ground, the blood leaking off.


    ¡°This is disgusting¡­¡± Aura muttered.


    Suddenly, red sirens cried out above, a warning carved into the sky. Aaron and Aura looked up to the lights that flooded the hallway.


    ¡°That was quicker than I anticipated,¡± Aaron said, grabbing Aura¡¯s hand, ¡°We need to get out of this hallway.¡±


    He picked her up over his shoulder and bolted, Aura¡¯s eyes widening at the sudden burst of speed.


    ¡°HOLLLYYY SHIIIIIIT!¡± She shrieked, her eyes focused on the enemy behind them, chasing them, ¡°HEY, AARON, NO RUSH OR ANYTHING BUT THEY¡¯RE RIGHT ON YOU!¡± Aura shouted, cupping her hands over her mouth.


    He reached another gear, sonic waves erupting outbound¡ªas he casually broke through the sound barrier.


    ¡°COMPASS MAGIC: CHANGE DIRECTION!¡± Out of thin air, a large compass appeared behind the two. A magnetic force dragged Aaron backwards as he tried to push his legs through the attraction that was pulling him back.


    He scoffed, ¡°FATE¡¯S MANIPULATION!¡± He held his hand back at the compass in the air. In the blink of an eye, the compass turned around¡ªpushing the enemies down the hall.


    ¡°THAT¡¯S ALL OF THEM, LET¡¯S GO!¡± Aura shouted. Aaron sped off to the right, where he had recalled seeing someone bring something of importance there.


    ¡°How do we get out of here?¡± Rose queried.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kasen replied.


    ¡°We need some sort of magic amplifier. The bars are made of Annulite, as I mentioned before. The gem that was found in Dorton,¡± he stood up and stroked one of the bars with his index finger, ¡°We might be able to build up enough magic to offset the Annulite and render it useless¡ªgranting our magic back.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where we¡¯d even get something like that,¡± Rose offhandedly mentioned.


    ¡°I had some on me, in case of emergency, but they took it when they frisked me,¡± Nomad said, slightly agitated, ¡°That was expensive.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any amplifiers but I do have something that might work,¡± Kasen spread his hands out wide.


    ¡°Kid, magic doesn¡¯t work here¡ª¡±


    Rose shushed him. Kasen started gathering mana in both of his hands.


    ¡°How are you doing that?¡± Nomad watched, intrigued.


    ¡°It¡¯s a technique he developed while he was sparring with Dominick. It cancelled out his nullification so it might work on the bars,¡± Rose explained.


    The mana distorted the air around his hands as two small onyx and violet circles swirled in his hands. Kasen brought the spheres together and fused them. They rotated violently¡ªthe mana in between his hands was unstable and dangerous.


    ¡°The only bad part about this spell is that it takes all of my mana,¡± he gritted through his teeth as he bit down.


    The bars deteriorated, being absorbed into the sphere like a tornado. Nomad and Rose looked at their hands¡ªfeeling the mana seep back inside of their bodies.


    Nomad ran over and clasped his hand, ¡°You¡¯re not so bad, kid.¡±


    He toppled over. He clutched his stomach as he screamed. The bars were a lot stronger than Dominick¡¯s imperfect colosseum technique, causing the strain on Kasen¡¯s body to amplify as a result of the difference in effectiveness.


    ¡°KASEN, YOU NEED TO SCREAM QUIETER!¡± Rose yelled although her voice was only a whisper.


    ¡°Mental Magic: Induce Sleep,¡± Nomad gently placed his hand on his head. Kasen¡¯s eyes fluttered close as he draped him over his shoulder.


    Rose smiled, rubbing her hand through his hair, ¡°You did good today, Kasen.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go save Dominick,¡± Nomad said, confident. Rose nodded, the two of them taking off down the prison block.


    ¡°AUUUUUUUGH!¡± I shouted as an icy cold steel needle pierced my arm, the veins in my wrist bulging and contorting in reaction to the poison he put in my bloodstream.


    ¡°I see¡­ So if you add Evopial into the Clisgipther and Omevar concoction, it produces a violent reaction in his blood. Almost as if trying to escape,¡± he looked down into my eyes and cackled.


    ¡°I SWEAR ON EVERYTHING I LOVE! I WILL KILL YOU¡ª AHHHHHHHHHHHH!¡± My shouts escaped my lips but to no avail.


    Help wasn¡¯t coming.


    If I wanted to escape, it had to be on my own. This man here, the Alchemist as they¡¯ve called him, tested his vile creations on my blood. He tested them on my body since I was the only test subject he had that had no mana and it¡¯s been a long time since the origin of magic came into our world.


    ¡°I¡¯m not so bad,¡± he muttered, the sounds of bottles and flasking being shuffled around, ¡°I never wanted to use my chemistry skills for this but,¡± he held up a needle, the fluid dripped off¡ªthe light reflecting off of it, ¡°never did I think it¡¯d end up being so fun.¡±


    I squirmed under my restraints, attempting to break free from the bounds that kept me confined to this spot.


    ¡°The funny thing is. Your blood¡­ it¡¯s different. It¡¯s pure, in its natural state. Untouched by mana. Mana has forsaken you, along with any hope of living life in peace,¡± he injected the needle into my arm.


    All there was a prickle. A puncture wound, but nothing besides¡ª


    ¡°AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! GET THIS OUT OF ME! WHAT IS THIS?! AUGHHHH!¡± The pain spread throughout my body, a burning sensation quickly replaced by the frigid cold. The veins in my body bulge outward, attempting to burst through my skin. Like someone has gotten in and is trying to break out. My legs felt like they were being crushed under an immense weight, while my arms spasmed uncontrollably, flailing against the unseen force coursing through me. Every nerve in my body screamed, an unbearable clash of fire and ice warring inside me. My vision blurred, shifting between pitch darkness and blinding white. My breaths came in ragged gasps, each inhale like swallowing shards of glass.


    ¡°Fascinating,¡± the alchemist wrote on his clipboard. He held up his hand to his head, trying to listen to something. His eyes grew frantic, he grabbed his tools and shoved them into his bag. He held a singular needle in his hand, driving it into my neck. My vision blurred, everything grew foggy as my eyes refused to stay open.


    ¡°I told them they shouldn¡¯t have brought those other ones,¡± he muttered to himself as he grabbed me by the legs and threw me over his shoulders. My vision had been darkened. The outside ceased to exist to me for now.


    ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± A voice echoed in my head.


    ¡°What do you mean I¡¯m back?!¡± I shouted.


    ¡°Oh, right. You don¡¯t remember that you¡¯ve been here,¡± the voice cleared its throat, ¡°You¡¯ve borrowed the power of mine once before. A situation where your life was in danger. A situation that requires you to use the power of the divine. We allowed it once before because you are important to the world we plan on building. However, the second time around, there will be a price to pay.¡±


    ¡°Power of the divine? What are you talking about?¡±


    Suddenly flashes of scenes filled my mind. Pummeling that adventurer guy, Glen¡­ Trying to take on the principal but he easily defeated me¡­ Waking up in the infirmary in the school¡­ All of that had been erased from my memory.


    ¡°What was that?¡± I asked the voice, spinning around.


    ¡°That was the power of the divine I spoke of. Like I also said, future instances when you use my power, there will be consequences,¡± the voice spoke, it crowded my mind like an echo of my own thoughts.


    ¡°What kind of consequences? You¡¯re just springing this on me¡ª¡±


    ¡°Nothing of value ever comes without a price. Will you or will you not accept this power as a means to further your growth, even if it comes at the price of who you are now. Will you accept the power even if it costs you everything you¡¯ve ever known? The consequences are based on your choices,¡± The voice faded out.


    ¡°WHAT?! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!¡± I was delirious, yelling to myself as the voice didn¡¯t answer. The voice offers me something stronger, bigger than myself. It offered me power but the cost couldn''t be more vague.


    I sighed and returned to my senses as the stench of metal filled my senses. The halls rolled past in a blur as I looked down. My hands and feet were bound and I was over someone¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°LET ME DOWN!¡± I yelled.


    ¡°HOW ARE YOU AWAKE?!¡± The Alchemist screamed, his voice cracking.


    I bit down on his shoulder, yanking a piece of it off. He threw me into the wall as he grabbed his shoulder.


    ¡°YOU LITTLE SHIT!¡± He ran over and kicked me in the stomach. I coughed up blood, the blood being added onto the already scarlet ground. These bounds weren¡¯t as strong as the other ones. Hell, I don¡¯t think they¡¯ve been magically reinforced. He must¡¯ve been panicking and grabbed the wrong ones.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I don¡¯t know who I thanked but I thanked someone.


    I ripped the restraints off and grabbed his foot during his onslaught. My stomach and ribs were aching, screaming in pain but I really had no choice right now but to fight this guy and get Aura out of here.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s do this,¡± I postured into my fighting stance.


    He glared at me through his plague doctor mask, the green burning a brilliant emerald. I couldn¡¯t see his face but his intensity radiated off in waves.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve stayed down,¡± he chuckled, grabbing a bottle, ¡°ALCHEMY MAGIC: VENOMOUS REVERBERATION!¡±


    He smashed the bottle against the ground, and a sickly green mist erupted from the shattered glass, spreading rapidly. The air became thick with the pungent scent of chemicals, and my throat burned as I inhaled. I coughed as the poison made its way to me. My vision blurred slightly but I couldn¡¯t lose focus. Not now.


    This is poison magic. One wrong move could be my last.


    He lunged forward, his hands reaching for my neck, breaking through the poison cloud. I slipped underneath his outward hand and retaliated a sharp jab to his ribs. He staggered for a brief moment but used his moment to try to deliver an elbow to my temple.


    I raised my arms to block but they felt¡­ sluggish. Damn it, the poison is already kicking in.


    I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth. I cannot falter, no matter what. Aura is counting on me.


    I need to save her.

 Im No Hero

    After Kasen rested up and Nomad stealthily searched around for a mana potion. The 3 of them left the cell and explored.


    Kasen, Rose, and Nomad looked up. The red lights and alarms blared, each of them looking at each other confused.


    Until suddenly, they realized.


    ¡°One of them must¡¯ve gotten away!¡± Rose yelled over the deafening sirens.


    ¡°Most likely but we have no idea which way they went or where they¡¯re located,¡± Nomad mentioned.


    ¡°For now, I¡¯d say the priority is Dominick,¡± Kasen said, Rose staring at him with a horrified expression, ¡°Not that we abandon Aura. It¡¯s just that Dominick is the entire reason they captured her. He¡¯s going to be experimented on and probably killed if we do not do something now,¡± Kasen explained.


    ¡°Rose, I know it¡¯s difficult to process but he¡¯s right,¡± Nomad placed a hand on her shoulder, ¡°and we can¡¯t afford to be split up.¡±


    Rose¡¯s breath hitched, the idea of abandoning her friend haunted her. If she could, she¡¯d give her life to her friend but at this point in time, she realized there is nothing that she can do to help Aura. She¡¯d only be risking her own life, putting two of them in danger instead of one.


    Aura. Her best friend.


    Rose looked back and forth. Her gaze was uncertain.


    ¡°Rose, don¡¯t,¡± Kasen grabbed her arm, ¡°Nomad¡¯s right. You¡¯ll only be endangering yourself.¡±


    She ripped his hand off of her arm and bolted down the hall.


    ¡°ROSE!¡± Kasen and Nomad shouted, trying to get her attention but she ran forward¡ªon a mission to save her friend, her best friend, her sister.


    ¡°Nomad, we don¡¯t have time to go after her!¡± Kasen frantically pointed at the enemies approaching from the stairwell.


    ¡°I can¡¯t let a child die, not after losing my own,¡± He darted in the direction that Rose ran off to.


    Kasen paused.


    ¡°Why does everyone have to be a goddamn hero?¡± Kasen muttered to himself, following behind Nomad.


    The two dodged and weaved around the fallen enemies in Rose¡¯s wake. The smell of burning cloth filled the air, bringing tears into their eyes. Crackling embers flew in the air as their footsteps echoed throughout the barren hallway.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t know this was a barbeque,¡± Kasen covered his mouth and nose with his arm.


    ¡°Keep your eyes peeled, Rose can¡¯t be far from here,¡± Nomad said.


    Nomad stopped Kasen at the bend, holding his fist up, ¡°Enemy ahead. This one¡¯s dangerous,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°Can¡¯t be dangerous for the infamous ¡®Nomad¡¯,¡± Kasen joked but Nomad didn¡¯t react, ¡°Is Rose over there?¡± Kasen asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to poke my head out, I can¡¯t see from this vantage point,¡± Nomad creeped over to the edge of the corner and slowly poked his head out. Nomad tried to pull his head back in quickly.


    SWOOSH


    A large blade of wind zipped past the corner. Kasen turned his head away, taking his eyes off of Nomad.


    ¡°What was that¡ª¡±


    Something tumbled towards Kasen¡¯s feet. Something you never expected to see when you decide to enroll at a magic academy meant for young magicians. Something you should never see for as long as you live.


    Nomad¡¯s eyes were wide open. His body was standing upright, next to Kasen. It slowly toppled over as Nomad¡¯s head rolled down the hallway.


    Kasen watched, all of the color draining away from his face. He stood there, eyes locked on the decapitated body that was sprawled on the floor. His body couldn¡¯t move¡ªwouldn¡¯t move. He couldn¡¯t breathe. The reality sank in¡ªNomad was dead.


    Kasen didn¡¯t know much about Nomad, not much about him as a person. All he did know was that he was fighting for something.


    For what? Kasen didn¡¯t know.


    The air was still, a heavy silence hanging over him.


    ¡°What¡­¡± Kasen¡¯s breath hitched, ¡°w-what just happened?¡±


    The question hung in the air, unanswered.


    Then something snapped inside of him. Nomad died in an instant, he couldn¡¯t let Nomad die in vain. A deep voice inside him told he wasn¡¯t ready. That he wasn¡¯t strong enough.


    But he didn¡¯t care.


    His overconfidence often found him in difficult situations but this time, it was his life on the line. His cocky attitude didn¡¯t let him run away, his pride flared¡ªhis need for action drowning out any rational thoughts.


    His eyes went wild, not a single thought but one, ¡°I¡¯m not running away. I¡¯m just going to show them who I am.¡±


    ¡°COSMIC MAGIC: METEOR!¡± The building rumbled. The entirety of the building shook as the giant boulder thudded against the roof of the base. It came crashing through the ceiling, landing on top of the enemies that were past that corner.


    Suddenly, the boulder exploded. Debris flew everywhere as the sunlight beamed in from the open canopy.


    ¡°You¡¯re interrupting me. I¡¯ll give you one chance to turn around and walk away,¡± The man dressed in plum robes spoke. His voice was deep, dead almost.


    Kasen started charging up mana once again.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be right there,¡± the man said to himself. He then turned to face Kasen, ¡°I tried to warn you.¡±


    A magic circle appeared on the ground, underneath where I stood. The brilliant hue of the orange grew brighter and brighter as it seemed like something underneath had been ripping its way to the surface.


    I jumped backwards, my instincts taking over since I couldn¡¯t make a decision in time.


    ¡°I really thought that would¡¯ve done you in,¡± he sighed before cursing underneath his breath. Smoke escaped from his palms, as blisters covered them.


    I dashed low, aiming for his legs, but he leaped over me with lightning-fast reflexes. Suspended in midair, he flashed a wicked grin before driving his feet down onto my skull. A sharp, searing pain exploded through my temple. My vision blurred as if he had rattled my brain loose. My vision blurred as pain crashed throughout my head, a deafening pounding in my head.


    The ground swayed, like it had been turned into water, and for a moment, I forgot where I was.


    What I was doing here.


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s it for you. Such a disappointment,¡± The Alchemist reached down and grabbed my arm. My eyes snapped open.


    I felt his blistered hands grab onto my wrist. I cocked back my arm and delivered a strike to his face that left my hand stinging. He dropped my wrist as I stood back up, my fists up and my eyes locked onto the obstacle in my way.


    He grabbed his face, blood pouring out of his nose. He looked up and glared daggers at me. He reached into his pockets and put a pair of small bottles.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why we want anything to do with you, you¡¯re just a magicless brat with no use in this world. You have no purpose and yet, the higher ups want you captured,¡± he juggled the bottles in his hand, ¡°You disgust me. You¡¯re an abomination, a blemish on the beauty of magic. You have nothing to offer yet everyone seems so interested just because you¡¯re different. You¡¯re weak. You¡¯re different in a way that an ant is different from humans,¡± he popped off the top of one of the bottles and went to take a swig. I ran for it, my hands outstretched trying to prevent the liquid from being ingested.


    But I wasn¡¯t fast enough.


    Suddenly a burst of magical energy surged from within, bubbling to the surface. He screamed, his eyes glowing a cerulean blue as his head twisted up.


    His movements were faster as he dashed forward. His hands reached for my foot. I jumped over his foot and kicked him in the jaw, sending him flying backwards, debris and dust flying from the wall. He ran towards me once again¡ªhis hand outstretched again. It was like he had lost all reason from whatever that strange concoction was, in exchange for power.


    But he seemed to lose his intelligence as well.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Or so I thought.


    I attempted to dodge once again by jumping but he anticipated that. He grabbed my head with his free hand and ran me face first into the wall, my nose crunching as it rammed into the wall first along with the rest of me. The pain caused me to black out, I couldn¡¯t see anything past this stone nor past this shortcoming.


    This shortcoming is caused by one''s own weakness. By my own laziness. I wanted to be strong and I wanted to be normal.


    But these powers. Hell, I don¡¯t know what they are. But¡­


    These powers are a curse.


    Everything is reliant on magic and I¡¯m the one person who defies that very logic. Who defies everything that magic stands for and yet, I still have these friends who stand by my side. The power of friendship is such bullshit but the yearning, the deprivation of normalcy makes one want it. I want the corniness of friendships, I want it all, and yet these people threaten my friends. They threaten some of the only people who can accept who I am.


    ¡°Give me your power,¡± I whispered to the voice in my head.


    ¡°If that is what you wish,¡± the voice spoke then a SNAP echoed.


    As if I had been woken out of a trance, my hand gripped onto the Alchemist¡¯s hand¡ªprying it off.


    I pushed him off of me and faced off with him as he held his hands in front of him. In this crazed state of his, it seems like he doesn¡¯t need to chant to use his spells but that didn¡¯t matter. My body moved on its own¡ªdashing towards him. I kicked his hands upwards, sending the spell through the ceiling. The stone fell around us as we engaged in hand to hand. He was rough around the edges but you could tell he had some background in this sort of thing. It looked like he wanted to use his magic but I was too close for him. He slipped his hand through my defenses as a green mist emitted from it.


    I see, he just wanted me to think I was too close.


    I wasn¡¯t in control of my body, my body reacted on its own. I inhaled the mist as if it were simply air and gave him a confident smirk before reaching for his throat. My hands clasped around his neck and squeezed, holding him up in the air. I held him up there, basking in the overwhelming power that this ¡°god¡± had given me. It was the power that I had yearned for, the power to protect everything I loved.


    But as if I had regained who I was, I threw him into the other wall which was now crumbling around him.


    ¡°What was that?¡± I thought to myself, as I stared at my hands. I trembled seeing the blood and the damage around me but then as if it had all been a simple fleeting moment, I was pushed back into being a spectator.


    The Alchemist suddenly pointed to the space in front of me. The stone contorted and violently changed into large ice spikes emerging from the floor. My body adjusted its shoulder to tackle through the ice, bulldozing through the attack from him.


    The Alchemist lifted his hands up to the ceiling, a plume of lava erupting from the ceiling¡ªsplitting us up like a curtain.


    He started chanting in a language I couldn¡¯t understand. His mouth started moving faster and faster as his head started twitching. Out of the blue, he tilted his head up and roared.


    He locked eyes with the husk of my body but it was like he could see through it. To me.


    He cracked a wicked smile and blitzed me. He jumped in the air and delivered a kick to my skull, causing my head to be buried under the stone. He jumped once again, both of his feet landing on the back of my head. My head lifted up, carrying him upwards. My body suddenly flung its head and threw him into the air. I bent my knees and charged up a blow as I watched him slowly fall back down. At the perfectly timed moment, I landed a blow directly to his jaw. The crunch underneath my knuckles told me that I landed a direct hit as he flew back into the wall. The walls around us had been reduced to shambles, the pillars barely holding on as we exchanged blows.


    Something¡¯s off though. He¡¯s barely been using magic. The thought lingered in my mind but it was no use since I couldn¡¯t control my body. This divine power had one drawback. I wasn¡¯t the one using it¡­ It was using me. The feeling of being in my own skin but not being able to control it was weird, to say the least. It was like someone was forcing me to watch what my power was capable of if I wasn¡¯t the one in control. Like a big slap to the face.


    ¡°ROSE!¡± Aura shouted as she darted down the hall into Rose¡¯s embrace. The two of them cried and hugged as they had finally found who they were looking for.


    ¡°Aura¡­¡± Rose sniffled and pulled back, ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay,¡± Rose looked behind her, then around her.


    ¡°You good, Rose?¡± Aura looked at Rose with a skeptical expression.


    ¡°Yeah, I just thought Dominick would¡¯ve been with you,¡± Rose¡¯s smile faltered before she composed herself.


    ¡°I have no idea where he is. I woke up here and I¡¯ve been locked in a room. I was tied up against this weird chair and the air reeked of¡ª¡±


    ¡°Blood. It¡¯s all of the experiments on the subjects they¡¯ve captured,¡± Aaron walked around the corner and stood watch as the two girls caught up with one another.


    ¡°What¡¯s he doing here?¡± Rose asked her.


    ¡°He was doing a little investigating when he came across my room. I thought this was a crazy plot twist and he was gonna turn out to be one of the bad guys but turns out that wasn¡¯t the case. He saved me from the weird guy who was hovering over me when I woke up.¡±


    Rose cocked her eyebrow at him as he kept an eye out, ¡°Yeah, well I¡¯ll trust him. Does he happen to know where Dominick is?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where the Blackburn kid is but I do know they were talking about a subject that had recently apprehended and they sounded very excited. My initial guess is that that is him and they¡¯re more than likely moving him to a secure location within this building. We need to move quickly. The longer we sit here, the bigger targets we become,¡± Aaron said, his hands clenching.


    Rose and Aura looked at him then back at each other and nodded. They ran in sync beside him down the passageway. The smell of blood grew stronger, more pungent as they proceeded to the cell block¡ªwhere they kept the prisoners.


    ¡°We¡¯re here. Be cautious¡ªthey¡¯re on high alert. We need to fight our way through this one,¡± Aaron ushered them to follow him.


    They stealthily marched down the hallway¡ªthe odor and metallic taste of blood now lingered.


    ¡°Oh, do stop sneaking around. You¡¯re much too obvious with the baggage,¡± a voice spoke, his flat and resonant voice echoed.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Aaron scoffed.


    ¡°Why, what do you think I¡¯m doing here? I¡¯ve come to kill you and I¡¯ve brought a friend along,¡± The muscular man in the suit from Enchantopia motioned. Dugal emerged from the shadows, his long hair glistening underneath the garnet lights. Aaron stood up off of the mountain of bodies he had been resting on and stood next to Dugal, ¡°With that pesky brat out of the way, maybe we can have ourselves a real duel.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget about us!¡± Rose shouted.


    ¡°Yeah, asshole!¡± Aura backed her up.


    THWOOM


    Aura looked over in the nick of time to see a pair of combat boots charging straight at her. She put her arms up to block the kick but she was still sent flying backwards into the wall.


    ¡°AURA!¡± Rose shouted, running over to her.


    Aura pushed the rubble off of her, dusting off her clothes, ¡°Long time no see,¡± Aura locked eyes with a familiar enemy.


    ¡°How boooooring, why did you have to look over at that moment? It would¡¯ve been SO funny if I just ended you with a kick,¡± the woman from Enchantopia and the one who got Aura captured mocked them, her boots clacking against the stone tile.


    She looked over at the 3 others and pointed with her thumb, ¡°Who¡¯s the peanut gallery?¡±


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯re not here to interfere with your little experiments or whatever the hell it is you¡¯re doing. We¡¯re here for him,¡± he pointed at Aaron.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. Just don¡¯t get in my way,¡± she smiled maliciously at Rose and Aura. The two of them prepared their stances.


    Dugal and the masked man stood across from Aaron, their faces burning with a vengeance.


    ¡°GRAHHHHHH!¡± The Alchemist screamed as a magic circle appeared on his hand. The pentagrams appeared and spun, moving up then down before disappearing. The rocks he had been holding had been turned into gold, he shaped the gold into spears and threw them at my head. My body expertly dodged the weapons and went in close.


    Right jab to his ribs felt like punching a brick wall. The Alchemist looked down and grinned, a smile so evil it made my skin scrawl just looking at it. He gripped onto my wrist and started chanting. I flung my arm, sending him into the air but he never let go.


    I couldn¡¯t feel it but I saw smoke. Smoke that had been coming from my arm. He had been pouring acid onto my skin, the bare bone now visible.


    Unfortunately for him, I don¡¯t know how much acid does to a divine being who¡¯s inhabited my body.


    ¡°COLOSSEUM OF THE DAMNED!¡± My voice said, but there was another one. It sounded like my voice echoed.


    The ground rumbled, the world famous Colosseum rising from the ashes. The castle walls crumbled down around us, the sunset dawning on us.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you do this before?¡± I questioned the voice in my head.


    No answer.


    I sighed and watched the battle ensue.


    The Alchemist roared, his roar shaking the entire building to its foundation. He lifted his hands up in the air and chanted in gibberish. Out of thin air, two dark, cumulonimbus clouds appeared over the colosseum walls. The sound of rain, the tapping of raindrops smacking against the stone and concrete. But there was something off, the rain¡­ had a green tint to it.


    Suddenly, the walls began to melt.


    My body darted to The Alchemist who was holding his hands up in the air.


    I had him, he was right there in my grasp.


    BOOM


    A figure bursted in through the right wall, the rest of the wall crumbling down behind them as they jumped over the colosseum walls. They came down with a dropkick, like a missile locking onto its target.


    Smoke and debris flew everywhere. I heard rustling. It sounded like they were fine even after all of that. In the blink of an eye, a fist came flying at my face. My body reacted instantly, grabbing the hand and using the free hand to grip the attacker¡¯s throat.


    ¡°KRK! YOU¡¯RE TOUGH, KID!¡± He coughed again as I could feel the grip of my hand getting tighter. It had wrapped around his entire throat, the squeezing getting stronger and stronger.


    In a heartbeat, The Alchemist appeared from beside him. His form seemed to have run out. His clothes were ripped to shreds, and his bottles were all shattered.


    ¡°Damn. This brat¡¯s tougher than he looks,¡± he said, limping over to where I was holding the other figure.


    He pulled out a syringe and bolted over to me. I slapped the syringe from his grasp and backhanded The Alchemist¡ªsending him flying into the wall.


    My hands clenched tighter. I could feel everything that my hands were doing. His neck grew smaller under my grip as his face turned red, then blue. Then¡­


    His head exploded. Popped like a balloon. Drenching me in blood. I could taste it, even though I wasn¡¯t in control. I could feel it, even though I wasn¡¯t in control.


    My body  went over to the Alchemist and grabbed his neck. The voice in my head didn¡¯t choke him¡ª


    CRACK


    With no hesitation, with no guilt, with no remorse. With nothing at all, I had killed two men with my bare hands. I wish I could say it was my first time but it isn''t. It¡¯s always hurt me more than the last each and every time. But I tried my best to justify this. To tell myself that more people were going to get hurt if I didn¡¯t eliminate these threats once and for all. But in the end, it wasn¡¯t even my decision. It was just my hand that ended their lives.


    I felt my senses return as the voice echoed in my head.


    ¡°You are weak. Your emotions and your heart hinder you from what must be done. And that is purging the evil in this world,¡± he coldly said.


    I hung my head. I wanted to cry, to tell myself I¡¯m not a bad person because it wasn¡¯t me who killed those two.


    But it was.


    I leaned over and spit out blood. I can cry later, I can mourn the dead properly. But right now, I have to find Aura and everyone else.


    Suddenly, my legs gave out. Tears came from my eyes as I sat against the wall.


    I¡¯m too tired, I can¡¯t move.


    No matter how much death I bring, I can¡¯t ever accept it. I¡¯m just a killer.


    I¡¯m no hero.