Training (1)

The tension in the room crackles as the student who called him a waste earlier strides purposely towards him. The other students part like a wave, their gazes flickering nervously between the two.

"I hate being embarrassed or pissed by scumbags like you...all you have to do is bow down and apologize to me." Daniel said with a smirk 

Aiden's jaw clenched for a moment, but he forced himself to relax. He knew getting angry won't solve anything.

"No." He said.

"What did you say? Daniel asked as he furrowed his eyebrows.

"I said no.....I did nothing wrong." Aiden said.

Aiden's calm defiance hangs heavy in the air. The other students watch with bated breath, the tension thick.

"Bring him to his knees!" Daniel shouted.

His boys immediately kicked Aiden's legs causing him to kneel on the floor.

"Now apologize to me." Daniel said expecting a satisfying response from Aiden.

"No." Aiden clenched his jaw, refusing to give Daniel the satisfaction of seeing him break.

"Beat him up! You think the teachers will save you? You think they will save you? Daniel pointed at the students watching. "A trash like you can't awaken his abilities properly!"

Aiden's jaw clenched under the insult. He felt a surge of anger, but another emotion simmered beneath it - determination. Aiden's meets Daniel's gaze, his voice steady.

"Maybe you're right, but I'm going to keep trying. I'm the type that don't give up easily.

"We'll see about that." Daniel said with a smirk on his face.

The boys kicked Aiden left and right without stopping. He grits his teeth, his resolve hardening with each blow. He glances around the room, his eyes meeting the gazes of other students. Their discomfort is palpable. Some shift their feet nervously, others clench their fists as if waiting to intervene but unsure how. 

Peter watched helplessly as Aiden was kicked. His heart pounded in his chest, anger and frustration bubbling up inside him. Aiden groaned in pain, his vision blurring at the edges. He could feel the cold sweat trickling down his temple. He knew he had to do something, but his body felt numb, unresponsive.

"Now apologize!!" Daniel shouted.

"I'm sorry." Aiden said as he couldn't take it more. Daniel kicked him harder on his stomach 

"That's for wasting my time." Daniel said, as he proceeds to leave the training hall with his boys.

Aiden watched Daniel's retreating back, a wave of anger engulf him. The humiliation burns in Aiden's chest. He grits his teeth, vowing to himself, " I swear when I get stronger you and your friends are my victims."

Aiden nursed his throbbing stomach, a bitter taste in his mouth. The students except Peter had vanished like a retreating tide, leaving him in the training hall. Disappointment gnawed at him. Was this what Diane meant by " only the strong survive?" Was this supposed to be some kind of twisted test.

Peter's eyes widened in concern as he saw Aiden crumble to the ground. Without hesitation, he rushed to his side, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Aiden, are you okay?" He asked, his voice filled with worry.

"Yes I'm fine." Aiden said.

He pushed himself to his feet, wincing at the sharp protest. Anger, hot and potent, bubbled up inside him. He couldn't let this break him. He wouldn't let Daniel win.

This academy might be harsh, but it wouldn't define him. He would find his way to thrive, his own definition of strength.

Suddenly, a faint crimson light flickered around his hands, then pulsed outwards, enveloping his body in an ethereal glow. The dull ache in his stomach seems to lessen, replaced by a tingling warmth. The crimson energy swirled for a moment, then faded as quickly as it appeared. Aiden blinked unsure if he'd imagined it. But the throbbing pain was undeniably gone, replaced by a newfound of energy.

Aiden touched his stomach and realized he wasn't dreaming. He looked at Peter, surprise and confusion etched on his face. 

"What happened?" He asked, with a hint of disbelief.

Peter stared at Aiden, his jaw dropped in astonishment. "You just.....healed yourself?" He stammered, still processing what he has just witnessed.

Aiden's eyes sparkled with excitement. "I have an ability? I can heal?" He exclaimed, disbelief and wonder coloring his voice.

"But wait I don't understand, you are meant to be in the healer class not the warrior class. They have the ability to heal, they are the supporting type.

"Healer class? Then why am I in the warrior class then?" Aiden echoed, confusion etched on his face.

Peter widened his eyes in surprise. "You mean you don't know what class you are?" His voice was filled with disbelief. "Everyone is assigned a class at the beginning of their training."

" I didn't have the ability to heal until this happened to me." Aiden said, a sense of confusion in his voice. "Mr Erik explained that i had a restricted awakening but I don't know why I'm in a class without an ability, It's confusing."

"We can think about that later but for now, we need to get enough rest for tomorrow's training." Peter said.

"Yes, Aiden said, looking at his left palm. "Training tomorrow. We need to be ready." 

Aiden and Peter left the training hall without realizing that a young girl saw what happened to Aiden.

"Interesting." She said, her eyes narrowed with curiosity.

**********

In the upper floors of Zeru academy, a grand room reserved for the masters hosted a tense gathering. Four of them sat in imposing chairs, their gazes fixed on the young man standing at the center.

"So what did you have in store for us Alex?" A man in his late forties asked.

"The boy has a restricted awakening, Alex said with a bold expression. his eyes turned blue for a second and that's it so far my lord." 

"Can't you read his mind?" The man said expecting a good reply.

"I tried but...."

"Try harder!"

This time a woman in her late fifties said with a disappointing look on her face.

"Your information is basically irrelevant, this is not the first time we encountered a person with restricted awakening," the woman said, her voice dripping with impatience. "We need something concrete, something we can work with."

A beat of silence filled the room as the others seemed to ponder her words. Then, one of the masters learned forward.

"Perharps there's something we overlooked. Alex tells us about the boy's background. Anything unusual?"

"Not really, my lord," Alex replied. "His family died when the yaijuu of the shadows invaded Nara town. He was the sole survivor.

A long moment of silence passed as the masters exchanged glances. One of them, a woman with sharp brown eyes, spoke up. "Could this be connected to the restricted awakening? Perhaps the trauma triggered something unusual in his abilities."

"It's highly possible, my lady." Alex nodded. " I'll keep a close eye on him and report back immediately if I notice anything unusual."

The woman nodded in satisfaction, her gaze fixed on the young man. "Very well. You're dismissed. 

Alex bowed and turned to leave.

"Aiden heyes." The woman muttered.

"What do you have in mind, Lagertha?" The man spoke earlier asked, his voice low and filled with intrigue.

Lagertha, the woman in her late fifties, replied, her eyes gleaming with a cold determination. "Arthur Fernir is hiding something, and I believe the secret will be revealed through that boy he is interested in. There's an unnatural connection between them, one that goes beyond mere curiosity."

A long thoughtful silence fell over the room as the other masters considered her words.