CHAPTER 2: Duvlin Academy

Duvlin academy the most "pristine" academy in the city, or at least that's what they tell us. The academy held all the years of school up until college, which meant it was a big place, housing well over 1000 students and is the school every parent wants their kids to go to. Luckily for me and James, some mysterious benefactors got us 2 spots in the academy, which is where we've been attending for the past nine years. We stepped up the worn stone stairs pushing past the other students as we walked through the 2 big double doors, and we stepped into the hallway.

"Hey Nate James, over here"

Me and James both turn to see Liam and Noah 2 of our other friends, we met Noah and Liam shortly after we arrived in Duvlin Liam tall his skin a sepia reddish-brown a small red scar covering his left eye, his hair a rich brown kept neatly on his head, and Noah a quite, smaller pale boy with hair as white as snow. James walks over and high fives Liam, then Noah.

"You guys are here early today"

Liam looks to his watch

"Yeah me and Noah needed the extra hour to study, we have a chem test in the afternoon"

"We wouldn't have to come in early if we studied yesterday like i said"

Noah's voice, while slightly annoyed, was barely above a whisper.

Liam hits Noah's shoulder

"Yeah yeah come on, we're going to be late"

I looked to the clock "7:50" no more than 10 minutes before class

"Yeah, I need to get my books. i'll catch back up with you guys later"

I high five James, then Liam, and finally Noah, before heading past them down the hall. After walking for no longer than a minute, I reached my locker and put in my locker code. I opened the small door and looked through my books until I found it. I grabbed my math book and pulled it out without thinking, failing to notice the pile of books and comics above it, causing them to fall to the floor. I kneeled down and picked up the first book then just as i go for the second a different hand reaches down grabbing the book i looked up to see my childhood best friend Ryan same age and height as me our main difference being our hair colour his being a deep black while mine being a light rustic brown even with our differing hair colours were often mistaken as brothers

"Need a hand Nate"

"That would be great thanks"

I grabbed the third book while Ryan grabbed the comics. i put my books back in my locker, and Ryan placed the comics on top of them

"If you want to stop dropping your books, you should actually try to get some sleep"

I closed my locker

"Gee great idea. I hadn't thought of that yet thanks"

Ryan looked at me

"You getting those dreams again"

I sighed, putting my book in my bag

"Yeah they've been getting worse as of last month it's almost every night now, but i'm fine"

"Man i told you, you need to see a therapist"

I threw my bag on my back

"I'm telling you, I'm fine. A few dreams aren't going to stop me"

Ryan throws his arms down in defeat

"Nate, look, you're losing sleep, and it's starting to affect-".

Before Ryan can finish, a hand grabs his head, slamming it into the locker

"Well well well what do we have here"

The student lets go of Ryan, who steps back, I grab Ryan and pull him behind me. The student Stan steps forward, a smirk plastered across his face.

"Look stan i'm tired and don't

have to time to deal with your shit right now, so move

Stan looked to his buddie next to him, and they both started to laugh

"Looks like you grew some balls since we last spoke. You think you're tough now"

I grabbed Ryan and began to walk past Stan but he grabbed me by my collar and lifted me up to his eye level

"Where do you think you're going"

I grabbed Stans arm

"Let go"

Stan looks dead into my eyes

"Or what-"

"What in the good heavens is going on here"

Stan drops me and turns as we see our headmaster, William Brook, the head of Duvlin Academy. Stan and i both bowed our heads

"Headmaster it's not what it looks like".

Headmaster William turns and looks down at Stan

"Oh because it looked like you two were rough housing in my halls. Am i wrong"

I lifted my head to face the headmaster

"We were only talking to one another, that is all sir"

Headmaster William looks at me, his cold eyes making it seem as if he stares right into my soul

"While I trust your word young Nathaniel, I can't ignore what I saw from the two of you, so I must enforce a punishment… 2 days after school detention should suffice"

Headmaster turns and begins to walk away

"Hurry along now, you don't want to be late and add to your punishment"

"Thank you, sir" is what both me and Stan Say in Unison and the Headmaster leave down the hall.

I stand back up, grabbing my bag, which fell to the floor

"Ryan come on"

Ryan grabs his bag and follows close behind me. We reached our first class Mathematics while not a particularly interesting class. I've certainly had worse.

We walked in and took our seats just as the first bell rang. I sat there watching our teacher ramble on about what i didn't know as i couldn't focus due to lack of sleep i got. I felt my eyelids grow heavy as they began to close. I tried to fight it, but eventually, it got the better of me as I fell asleep. My conscious swan in the empty void as i recalled memories of my past but something felt different this time i felt a immense pressure fall over me as i was consumed into a darkness then a sharp pain which felt like a hand clutching my heart emanate from my chest as i tired to fight the pain i swore i heard a whisper which said

"It's almost time, my child"

Suddenly, I awoke just as fast as I fell asleep with an audible gasp. I looked around Ryan, and everyone else was staring at me as I wiped my head. I found I was covered in sweat. I stood up and excused myself as I headed to the bathroom . I walked in and looked into the mirror. Deep black eyebags hung under my hazel eyes, and sweat dripped down my head. i turned on the tap and splashed myself with cold water

"Come on Nate, focus, you can't let this get the better of you".

I turned off the tap and wiped the water off my face as I headed back to class. When I walked in, everyone turned to face me. I took my seat and leaned back

"What the hell was that Nate"

I turned and faced Ryan

"I told you im-"

"No i don't want to hear it you're having those dreams during the day now and you just woke up in a cold sweat not 5 minutes ago and you still try and tell me things are fine"

"Ryan this isn't the time or place to be discussing this. Okay, we'll talk about it later"

Ryan sighs and looks back down to his textbook, but only for a moment before he turns to me again

"Oh yeah, before I forget, come to my place later. i've got something to show you"

I turned and faced him

"Oh yeah, what's that"

"I can't tell you it's a surprise, although i think you'll be pretty interested in it"

"I'm going to hold you to that".

After a short while, the bell rang, and we exited the class. I went to the my Next class then the next and the one after that eventually the day was over with no other events I made my way to the exit as I saw James and Liam talking James turns and faces me

"There you are Nate"

I walked up and patted him on the back

"I'm going to Ryan's place. I'll catch up to you later"

I waved goodbye and walked away just as I heard Ryan's voice calling me. I looked ahead and walked up to him, and we headed towards his house.

After a while, we reached the medium-sized house we walked in, and I greeted his parents, a kind couple, and we went into his room. I sat in one of the spinning chairs

"so what is this thing you want to show me"

Ryan gets on his knees and pulls out a briefcase from under his bed and plops it onto his bead, and says

"Now I'm going to show you this, and you have to promise to keep it secret"

"okay I won't tell, but what's so good about a briefcase"

Ryan flipped the 2 locks on the briefcase

"it's not the actual briefcase it's this"

Ryan took out a small stone tablet and held it in front of my face.