Mystic High School — Teacher's Office
A stern voice echoed within the Teacher's Office as a boy stood motionless, seemingly admiring the floor like it was a masterpiece of modern art.
It was Rey, of course — the subject of a mild scolding for arriving late on the very first day of the final week before a month-long exam prep holiday.
"Look, Rey," Peter sighed, barely looking up from the stack of documents he was sorting, "I know you've got a lot on your plate, but you need to focus on your studies."
"I'm sorry, sir. I was studying late into the night, so I overslept. But I promise this won't happen again," Rey replied, trying to sound as sincere as possible.
Peter paused, then narrowed his eyes. "Exactly how late are we talking?"
"Uh... I went to sleep around 2 a.m. Woke up at 9:15."
Peter sighed again, setting the papers aside. "Alright, you may leave... but first, help me take these sheets to the storeroom. Consider it your punishment. I'll be back in half an hour—make sure it's done by then, understood?"
"Yes, sir. I'll have it finished before you're back," Rey answered, forcing a polite smile.
As Peter gathered a few items and stepped out, closing the door behind him, Rey was left alone with a towering stack of paper bundles.
He stared at them for a second before glancing upward. "Well, what's done is done. But why do you look like someone just stole your wallet?" he asked the spirit hovering over his head, who was grimacing dramatically.
"I hesitate to say this," Aiden replied, peering through the walls, "but you're in serious danger. Some powerful individuals are watching you. With your current strength... you wouldn't stand a chance."
Rey blinked, his eyes scanning the room. "Is it the gang we ran into this morning?"
"No. Those thugs wouldn't even last a second against these people. They're observing from about 1.5 kilometers away. No killing intent, so it's probably just surveillance... for now."
Rey exhaled slowly, already on edge. "So what now?"
"For now... we work," Aiden said, before vanishing into thin air.
"Yeah... and I already know who's going to help me," Rey muttered, walking over to the window. He unlocked it and opened it just enough to reveal two familiar faces trying to peer inside.
"What are you two doing?" he asked with a raised brow.
James blinked, then quickly smiled. "We were worried when we saw the teacher take you to the office, so we came to check on you. Right, Evan? You followed him too, didn't you?"
Evan's face went red. "What are you talking about?! You're the one who said, 'Let's go see what punishment Rey got for being late today,' and dragged me here!"
As the two began bickering like toddlers, Rey sighed and cut them off.
"Enough. Help me out, or I'll be the one getting a real punishment when Sir Peter gets back."
"Okaaayyy~" they replied in unison.
They each grabbed a bundle and began walking toward the storeroom.
On the way, James asked, "By the way, Rey, why were you late? That's rare for you."
Rey shrugged. "Studied too late last night, woke up late. Sorry, hehe."
'Sorry, guys… but I'll tell you everything soon. Truth is, I barely understand it myself,' Rey thought, quickening his pace.
He changed the subject. "Anyway, Evan, you're unusually quiet today. What's up?"
Evan hesitated. "I've been having this… recurring dream."
James raised an eyebrow. "Like, important?"
Evan nodded. "Yeah. It's been the same dream every night for the past 15 days. And I remember every single detail."
James smirked. "Lemme guess—you got a girlfriend in your dream?"
Evan flushed. "No! It's not like that."
"So what, are you getting married in your dreams now?" James teased again.
Both Evan and Rey gave him a flat look.
"Okay, okay, I'll shut up. What's it about?" James asked as they reached the stairs.
"In one dream, I'm a warrior who can destroy a mountain with a single strike. In another, I'm a mage who can slay a dragon with his pets and shift the climate with a flick of my wand or destroy cities with a grand beast."
James snorted. "Pfft—bro, what are you saying? You? A mountain-destroying warrior? Come on, stop binging anime and manga. Next thing you'll say is you're their reincarnation."
[A/N: But it is a novel world, isn't it, dear readers? 😏]
"Huh? Did you hear that? Someone said something about… reading?" Rey said, glancing around.
James rolled his eyes. "You guys are going nuts."
"Same here," Evan added.
"Guess I imagined it." Rey shrugged. "Anyway, Evan, James might be right about one thing. You should take a break from anime and stuff—go touch some grass or something."
They chuckled, but as they reached the bottom of the stairs, Evan suddenly stopped. His eyes went blank, and before either of them could react, he collapsed—bundles of paper flying around him.
"Evan!" Rey and James shouted in unison, rushing to his side.
They knelt, shaking him gently, calling his name, but he didn't respond.
To Be Continued…
Stay tuned to find out what happens next with Evan!
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