Chapter 2. Almost Turning Seventeen

Three months ago...

Elijah's footsteps echoed down the empty corridor, followed by the clatter of other shoes. He ran as fast as he could to escape the figures following him. But bad luck. Elijah took the wrong turn, and now he was trapped at the end of the corridor.

"Ah, damn it!" Elijah grumbled.

There was no way out for Elijah where the thick, whitewashed wall in front of him seemed to mock him. Just like the ones behind the sixteen-year-old. Taunting.

"Where are you running to?" It was Isaac's voice.

It is said that the name Isaac means someone who is joyful. But in reality, this Isaac was a bully. More specifically, he was bullying Elijah.

In fact, Elijah was fed up. It's just that in this world there are always people who are nice and there are always people who are mean. Elijah had given up, so he turned his body around. He looked at the five figures that were only a few meters in front of him.

"I'm not going anywhere," Elijah said this time.

Isaac's friends giggled and grinned. "Wanker," they said in unison.

"I don't like the way you ignored my call earlier." Isaac snorted. "Have you forgotten manners?"

"Have you ever heard of rushing? That's what I was doing." Elijah shrugged.

"Save your excuses, you idiot!"

"What else did I do wrong this time?" asked Elijah half pleading, half complaining.

Isaac grinned. "Everything about you is wrong, Eli."

There was a snap of fingers, an order from Isaac that Elijah knew well. After that, Elijah would be physically restrained by Isaac's followers. Without much resistance, Elijah allowed his body to be held tightly.

"Don't be too hard on me, I'm not going to run away," Elijah said.

Ignoring Elijah's request, the young men who had not yet reached adulthood tightened their hands even more. Elijah just sighed softly.

Isaac opened his palm and a stream of fire appeared in his hand. For some reason, such an opening began to feel boring to Elijah. It was what Isaac always did, the short blond boy should have done a more dramatic opening.

A backflip, for example.

But Elijah knew that Isaac was just showing off his strength. How could Isaac unleash his power on Elijah? Of course, Isaac's friends would catch fire and turn into marshmallows. Not to mention the bracelets that all the Academione wore would make a loud noise.

So, as usual—Elijah had been bullied for the past two years—Isaac would do the conventional thing.

That is, beat Elijah up.

"Are you ready?" Isaac chuckled.

"I'm dying to see you in action," Elijah replied sarcastically.

Isaac spat. "Useless boy!"

Within seconds, Isaac stepped forward and slammed his fist into Elijah's stomach. Elijah let out a low moan. His body bent slightly as the pain radiated. Elijah looked up, his breath coming in gasps as he looked straight at Isaac.

"Do you think one out of five is fair?" Elijah asked.

Isaac shrugged. "Nothing is fair in this world. I don't have any idea about hell."

"I've never been there."

"Do you want me to take you to the Gates of Death?" Isaac threatened.

"No, I can do it alone. If I want to."

This time Isaac continued to deliver blows to random parts of Elijah's body. Until Elijah could no longer stand, his arms already felt weak and tingling. Then both of his supporting hands were simply removed. Until Elijah's body collapsed to the ground.

Isaac was about to take the ultimate action, his hands clenched and all his strength in the grip. Suddenly, a book shot out and floated right in front of Isaac's face.

"What's going on?" A deep, calm female voice asked.

Isaac turned to see a woman in her early thirties standing and staring at each of the Academione gathered in the corner of the corridor. She had red hair in a neat bun, and wore black pants and a suit of the same color. The uniform for Masters.

"We didn't do anything," Isaac replied.

In unison, Isaac's friends rushed away from Elijah and stood beside their leader as if nothing had happened. They flashed fake smiles.

"You know, violence is not allowed at the Academy," the woman said.

"All I know is that we're not allowed to use power recklessly, Master Halsey," Isaac replied.

The book returned to the woman whose name was Halsey. "That's not all, Isaac."

"You can ask Elijah yourself. We just wanted to wish him an early birthday, you know," Isaac argued. He nodded politely to Halsey. "You'll have to excuse us."

Isaac's gang left in a hurry. Meanwhile, the Master just stood where she was, watching the boys go. Halsey stepped closer to Elijah as he tried to stand. Halsey's hand supported Elijah and she looked worriedly at the hazel-haired, fair-skinned boy.

"Isaac's behavior is intolerable, but it can be remedied if you report his actions at this time," Halsey said.

Then what was the point of reporting? To get hit again and attacked even harder? That's what Elijah thought. He preferred to leave it alone.

"As Master heard, he just wished me a happy birthday." Elijah chuckled softly. "Early."

"You're not good at lying."

"I'm fine. This can still be dealt with."

"I'll take you to the infirmary," Halsey said.

Elijah, who felt he could stand on both feet, shook his head. He glanced at Halsey briefly, then cleared his throat quietly.

"I think I'd better get back to the dorm," Elijah trailed off.

"But..."

"Thank you for your concern, Master. I'm leaving now," Elijah cut in hastily.

Elijah staggered down the hall, feeling so broken. This was the cycle of times he was being victimized. But a few days later he came back better. Being at the Academy was the only place Elijah could go. If he reported Isaac, who would know what would happen to Elijah. So he would try to survive.

Reaching the dormitory felt like centuries in a battered state. As soon as Elijah touched the door, he felt so relieved. Elijah's trembling hand gripped the doorknob, then slowly opened the dormitory door with a large H on the top.

There were voices of children, teenagers, talking in the lounge while watching television. Some of them noticed Elijah's presence, but none of them paid any attention. Only their eyes were watching, staring worriedly.

Elijah shuffled up the stairs to the right that led to the second floor. He walked down the quiet corridor, then opened the door to the third room.

Inside were two beds side by side. The owner of one was lying back reading a book. Elijah entered and sat down on the edge of his own bed.

"Did you get beat up again?" asked Elijah's roommate.

"Sort of."

"What did you do to get in trouble with Isaac, Eli?"

Elijah just shrugged. "I don't know, ask him yourself."

The young man who had been reading put down his book and sat down. His gaze was the same as the others, worried. He sighed softly and stood up. He took a glass from the table and filled it with the water that came out of his palm.

"Drink." He ordered, handing the glass to Elijah.

"Did you wash your hands before you took the water from your hands?"

"I just masturbated. The water tastes very good, I assure you."

"Gross," Elijah snorted.

The young man in front of him chuckled. "Drink up, you idiot."

Elijah reluctantly accepted the glass with both hands. Elijah took a slow sip of the water, which made the cuts at the corners of his lips and mouth sting.

"You should report Isaac," Elijah's roommate said.

"No, I won't. I'll be out of here after recruitment in December. Only a few months left."

"Recruitment is for anomalies. Not you."

"Like you?"

"Yes, like me, Isaac, everyone here. Mutants, inhumans, whatever you want to call them."

Instead of arguing, Elijah just stared at the water in the glass. He thought for a moment about what he should do when he was seventeen. Maybe go back to normal society, to normal people, where he belonged.

Elijah took a long breath and said, "I'm definitely out of here, Lucas."

"You sound so sure."

"Mutant or not, I won't be here forever."