The past

In a room with a table situated in the middle surrounded by five comfy chairs. At the extreme end, the chair that was bigger than the others beared a muscular man with red eyes who looked to be in his late forties. He had a gentleman- haircut and a small matching beard putting on the military uniform and an armour inside. The other chairs beared three men and a woman.

"What's the uproar going on in the base yet it's only their first day." He asked in a serious tone looking at general Collins on his right.

"It's about this." General Collins said to him handing him a tablet. Though they were all rulers, he seemed gentler than the others. All of them were in military uniforms but what differentiated them were the no. of stars on them.

The tab had the pic of the bully kneeling in front of Alfred. It had been taken after he stumbled to the ground.

"They see him as their saviour after that incident." He continued.

"I received a report from homeroom teachers saying that their classes had been distorted by notifications on the students' phones." The woman chimed in.

"I guess it was a big scene. I don't think he will let him be." The head general said with a smirk.

**********

Finally, the break was over. It was really a headache to both Arthur and Alfred. Especially Alfred whose name was called over and over again.

But to his fans, it was a fantastic break getting to see their idol and we're hesitant to go back to class. But what would they do? They had to.

In 3B, a young man entered. He had dark spiky hair and hazel golden eyes in a military uniform.

"Am sgt. Hannington. I will be your teacher in this session." He said in a deep voice that all the students focused on him in astoniment as he displayed a hologram starting the lesson.

*********

It was a peaceful world; free of conflicts really in harmony. Until... It was attacked.

Wild beasts attacked it destroying everything; citizens lost their lives, making the rest flee.

Settling on the part of the earth that was not occupied. Building strong fortresses, walls and armies.

After a decade, they confirmed it that the beasts took over the rest of the wild.

Over years, people's lives started changing; some proved to be strong and fast and others extremely wise due to the type of food the new land produced.

The government started registering all the people under three different factions. 'The rulers' faction (strong and fast), 'the bwarts' faction (extremely wise) and 'the cultivators' faction (both but surpassing neither).

The physical changes then appeared in their own children. 'the rulers' (red eyes), 'the bwarts' (golden eyes), 'the cultivators' (dark green eyes).

Each faction was given a role for effective administration. The rulers-protect the country, the bwarts- build the country and people's welfare and the cultivators'- supply food all over the county.

Over years, there were intermarriages between the factions creating other factions.

'The archers' faction( red and dark green)- blue eyes, 'the cleansed hearts' faction (red and gold) - orange eyes and 'the black eagle' faction (gold and dark green)- light green eyes.

Over time, the rulers started oppressing the other factions; beating them, harassing them, abducting them and eventually took over the whole country because they were stronger.

The cleansed hearts proved to be a threat to them since they equaled their strength or even more. They were also extremely wise just as the bwarts. This made the rulers' frame them for treason eliminating the whole faction.

Intermarriages were between the rulers and the bwarts were banned since they were branded traitors.

"Up to date, those intermarriages aren't to occur so be careful!" Sgt. Hannington said with a smile. With that, the lesson was done and he moved out leaving the students mumering.

Of course, during the lesson, the part of framing and oppression wasn't mentioned making students believe that they were really traitors.

The only person who knew the truth among the students was Arthur. Apparently, his head was on the table clenching his fist so hard that his nails dug into his skin with blood dripping.

Knowing the false accusations against his parents made him feel a sting in his heart. It was really too much to bear and the students comments made it worse.

"I think it served them right."

"Yeah, that's right."

"I can't believe they tried to get rid of the cabinet."

"They say they were monsters working with the 'evil'."

'What do you guys really know? Where you there? Did you see them doing all that?' he wanted to snap at them but stopped himself knowing it wouldn't take him anywhere.

Alfred then saw his bleeding hand.

"Hey, are you alright? You are bleeding." He stated with clear worry in his voice. He wrapped his white hankie around his fingers there after giving him a black healing pill.

"Thanks." Arthur thanked him.

"What happened?" He asked curiously.

"Ah, it's nothing. Don't worry." He replied trying to force a smile on his face.

During lunch, Alfred sensed his friends bad mood but he decided to leave it at that. They then headed to their next class.

They stood in a room crammed full of students jazzing away and giving them frosty stares.

"Hey, will you be able to use a weapon with that injured hand of yours?" Alfred asked worriedly.

"Yeah, am alright now." He replied with a smile removing the hankie revealing the pure skin like the wound was never there.

"Am surprised it healed so fast." Alfred commented with a genuine smile.

"I guess so." He answered with an akward smile knowing the theory behind it.

Sgt. Kareb entered the room in a shiny silver armour with red strips. He had a sword in its scabbard around his waist.

"Good afternoon, everyone. Am sgt. Kareb your combat lesson teacher." He said to them.

"I hope you are all ready for this lesson. So choose your suitable weapon from the wall." He instructed them.

Then the room was filled with charters and mummers as they choose their weapons. All the weapon had green strips as they were lowest level weapons.

Arthur couldn't find his suited weapon as Alfred had got his. It was a blade suited for him. He swung it a little bit causing the girls to catch fire once more.

"Oh! God! So perfect in every way. Beauty, caring, fighting, what can't he do?"

"Gosh....so manly."

"I think my heart skipped a beat."

"Wow! How perfect!" Another commented. At the end of the day, Arthur didn't get a weapon. So he stepped up to talk to the teacher.

"Am sorry for the inconvenience. But I couldn't find a weapon."

"Oh, is that so? What find of weapon?" He asked with a warm smile.

"Dual swords."

"How unique! No wonder you didn't. You see it's been while since students last used 'dual swords'." He stated clearly surprised.

"If I may ask. Why?" He boldly asked.

"It's because. It was the soul weapon of the 'cleansed hearts'. But I can get for you."

Arthur suddenly felt empty inside. Such 'despicable' people! How... could they.... Even weapons!! He was lost in his trail of thoughts when he was snapped back into reality.

"Here you go." Sgt. Kareb said handing him the swords.

"Thanks, sir." He appreciated.

"If that's done, you can follow me, now." Sgt. Kareb said to them moving out to the training ground.

The training ground was just outside the building. It had a flat plain grass vacinity and a podium like area: probably where battles commence.

Sgt. Kareb stood on the podium as he addressed them.

"First of all, I know all of you understand what this lesson is all about." He said with his hands crossed behind.

"Am sure you all know the basics of combat so I would like to see you spar with one another. Get your partner and we get started." He voice roared through the arena.

Alfred who was standing beside Arthur immediately turned to him with a smile.

"My friend, a spar would be good." He suggested. Honestly, since the day he met Arthur, he has never taken him as a weakling he oughts to protect.

He can't really shake off the feeling that this friend Arthur is special.

"Yeah, that's fine." He replied.

Of course out of all the pairings, this one was the weirdest. It had one of the strongest students and weakest so mocking stares did go unnoticed.

The sparrings had begun. Students were sparring and leaving the podium for others. And soon it was their turn.

They stood at opposite ends bowing and then Immediately taking fighting stances. Arthur held his swords in both hands as Alfredo held his blade with both hands taking the fighting seriously.

He couldn't help but feel that he wasn't an easy opponent as others see him.

"Don't you think he's taking it too seriously?" A student commented.

"It's an easy opponent. If he takes it seriously, he may injure him seriously." Another stated. Others just shrugged it off as they saw it as a one second fight.

Apparently, they had already dashed towards each other as their strikes were equally violent with no one taking the upper hand.

To the students' utter surprise, this went on for 30 minutes as they both striked and defended until they met at a point where their weapons clashed with each other fighting for the upper hand their faces a few inches from each other.

Right at this moment, Arthur wasn't really thinking. He didn't think about staying low as he allowed his rage to take over. He was relieving his anger.

At this moment, everyone's gaze was fixed on them as they didn't expect it; a fight between two different power league lasting this long!

"I think he is just playing with him. This match would have ended ages ago."

"Yeah, I think so too."

"Hmph! He is really something."

Most of the students saw this as playing but not sgt. Kareb as he saw both of them almost equal in strength.

Alfredo intently looked into Arthur's eyes but what he saw surprised him; 'dark rage'. This made him absent minded for a brief second making Arthur over power him as he caught him off guard pointing his sword at his neck.

Alfred then threw his blade as he was defeated as Arthur also withdrew. Sgt. Kareb immediately clapped his hands as some students followed his lead.

"I can't believe he won!"

"Yeah, I think he just left him."

"Oh! So caring. I didn't think he could let his friend just like that. He's one in a million." A girl commented. Even after his defeat, Alfred still won brownie points from some students.

"That was great!" Alfred said to Arthur excitedly but Arthur didn't say anything as he smiled.

The lesson commenced other students sparred with other.

"That was great! I can see you are all talented in combat. So I will start teaching you our military combat." He said as he took his stance.

With that, the lesson was done. It was the afternoon lesson as it was the last lesson of the day. Students were free to do anything.

"Hey, are you really alright?" Alfred asked seeing the frown on his friend's face.

"Yeah,.... am completely fine. I will be out for a moment." He said as he moved out.

His mood was really down as he couldn't take it when they were bad mouthing his parents and their faction.

"I really need to work on my emotions." He thought to himself as he sighed.

"I can't believe I lost control and defeat Alfred. I hope it doesn't bring unnecessary attention to me."

Little did he know that sgt. Kareb had seen something different in him. Arthur took strolls around the base as he thought.

It was 8pm when he went to the 'property safety facility' getting his swords. He sat at the roof top of the dorm as he gently touched them feeling their texture as he remembered their origins.

**********