"Arrrrgh!" Dante gasped, his back arching sharply off the mattress.
His body lifted three inches off the bed as a dark aura poured off his skin, shaking the heavy bed frame. Cracks spider-webbed across the bedroom wall with sharp popping sounds.
A woman rushed to the side of the bed, pressing her bare palm hard against his forehead.
"Calm down, Dante!" she commanded. "Breathe!"
"I can't... it burns!" Dante choked out.
"I've got you. Rest now," she whispered softly.
The dark aura snapped back into his chest. His body dropped flat onto the mattress, his heavy breathing slowing down as he sank back into sleep.
She stood beside the bed, watching his face. She had the exact same striking white hair, cool grey eyes, and thin red lips. Her features matched Dante's so closely they could pass for mother and twin.
She tapped his shoulder gently. "Dante, wake up. Wake up, Dante."
Dante blinked, forcing his eyes open. He looked up at her and sat up slowly on the edge of the bed.
"Good morning, Mom," he said, rubbing his face.
"Morning, boy," she replied, sitting on the mattress beside him. "Tell me about it."
Dante looked at her, knowing exactly what she meant. "I was in a dark place, Mom. Pitch black. A voice called itself the god of the Dark Realm. It called me a monarch. It said a seer made a prophecy about a child who would rule all realms. Then my body blew up with dark power."
"A monarch..." she muttered softly, her face turning completely blank as she stared at the wall.
"Mom? What does that mean?" Dante asked.
"Look at your skin, Dante," she said, pointing at his leg.
Dante looked down. Dark, inked lines stretched up from his right leg, crossed his torso, climbed up his left arm, and crept over his neck toward his right eye. Sweat broke out on his collarbone.
"What is this?!" Dante stammered, panic surging through him.
"Hold still," she instructed.
"Mom, what are you doing?"
She placed her palm over his forehead and spoke in a strange, ancient language. The black markings faded like wet ink in rain, dissolving completely into his skin.
Dante rubbed his arm, finding nothing but smooth skin. "Mom... did you just perform magic?"
She stood up without answering and turned toward the door.
"Answer me!" Dante raised his voice, sitting up straight. "Did you use magic?!"
"Yes," she said flatly, her back still turned. "I used magic."
"Why?!" Tears welled up in Dante's eyes. "Magic is what took... it's what killed—"
"Don't finish that sentence," she cut him off, spinning around and pulling him into a tight embrace. "Please."
"You swore we'd never touch it again," Dante sobbed into her shoulder.
"I know what I swore," she whispered. "I'll explain everything when you get back from the academy. I promise you, Dante. Every single detail."
"You better," Dante said quietly as she pulled back.
"Get dressed. The driver is here," she said, closing the door behind her.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Downstairs in the sitting room, a heavy knock rattled the front door.
"I'll get it," the woman on the couch said, standing up.
She opened the door to find a man in a crisp white uniform with a neatly trimmed beard.
"Good morning," the driver said formally. "Is the group ready?"
"Almost. Come inside and sit down," she offered. "I'll grab you some tea."
"Thank you, ma'am," he said, taking a seat on the plush sofa.
She returned from the kitchen with a hot cup and set it on the glass table. "Here you go."
"Much appreciated," the driver said, taking a sip.
She walked over to the staircase and called up, "Hana! Baloy! Bella! Dabi! Dante! Get down here right now! The driver is waiting!"
Heavy footsteps echoed down the stairs.
"We're coming mom! Stop shouting!" Hana called back.
Hana, Baloy, and Bella came down the steps hauling heavy rolling suitcases. Behind them came Dabi, his jet-black spiky hair sticking out in every direction and his warm brown eyes wide with energy.
"Morning, everyone!" Dabi greeted cheerfully. "Bella, how about your brother?" The woman asked
"He was still sitting on his bed like a statue when I passed his room," Bella said. "He looked like he wanted to fight a wall."
Bella also has white hair and grey eyes, just like Dante and his mom.
"He's coming," Dante's voice echoed from the top of the stairs.
He walked down slowly, hands in his pockets, his face dark and moody.
"What's wrong with him today?" Bella whispered to Hana.
"Don't ask," Hana whispered back. "You know how he gets when he's in a bad mood. You won't get a single word out of him."
"Alright, kids, grab your bags," the driver said, finishing his tea and standing up. "The bus doesn't like to wait."
"Let me help with that bag," Dabi said, grabbing Bella's heavy suitcase.
"Thanks, Dabi," Bella smiled.
As Dante walked past his mother near the front door, she reached out and pulled him back for a quick hug.
"When you get back," she whispered in his ear. "Don't forget."
"I won't," Dante muttered, stepping out into the morning air.
Outside in the driveway sat a massive red and white bus, looking big enough to hold a hundred students.
Above the driver's windshield, painted in bold gold letters on a glowing crest sign, was the name: ALPH'S ACADEMY. A smaller banner running along the side of the bus read: Alph's Academy - Official Student Transport.
"Whoa, look at the size of this thing!" Dabi said, looking up at the tinted windows and the Alph's Academy emblem. "Looks like Alph's Academy spared no expense this year!"
"Get inside before all the good seats are taken," Hana said, nudging him up the metal steps.
Dante took one glance back at his mother standing near the doorway. She gave him a gentle wave. Dante gave a small nod and stepped onto the bus.
As soon as the five of them stepped into the aisle, conversations throughout the bus instantly ground to a halt.
"Look at him..." a girl in the third row whispered loudly.
"Is he a new student at Alph's too? His hair is incredible," another girl whispered, staring directly at Dante's striking white hair and handsome face.
"He's so handsome," a girl near the front said, grabbing her friend's arm.
Most of the girls on the bus were staring at Dante, while a few eyed Dabi's messy black hair and cute smile. On the flip side, the guys scattered across the seats were staring straight at Hana, Baloy, and Bella as they walked past.
"Hey, can we find five seats together?" Dabi called out, scanning the rows.
"Not a chance," Baloy said. "The bus is almost full. We have to split up!"
Dabi squeezed into an open row with another student, while Hana, Baloy, and Bella headed toward the back.
Dante walked down the narrow aisle until he found an open window seat next to a girl with bright yellow hair and a cute, round face.
"Is anyone sitting here?" Dante asked, pointing at the cushion.
"Nope! It's all yours!" the girl said quickly, her voice cracking as she bit her cheek to stop herself from squealing out loud. "I'm Maya, by the way!"
"Dante," he said plainly, sliding past her into the window seat.
"Nice to meet you, Dante! Are you excited for our first term at Alph's Academy?" Maya asked, turning her whole body toward him.
"Yeah," Dante replied, leaning his head back against the glass.
"Attention students! Settle down!" the driver called out through the speakers. "Alph's Academy bus is moving!"
The heavy engine roared, and the bus pulled out onto the main road.
Dante stared out at the passing trees, trying to ignore the girl staring at him from the side.
Suddenly, a sharp, searing pain ripped through his right leg.
"Argh!" Dante gasped out loud, clutching his leg.
"Are you okay?" Maya asked, her eyes going wide.
Dante grabbed his thigh through his white trousers. Underneath the fabric, the black tattoo flared back to life with a burning sensation, crawling like living fire up his skin, wrapping around his ribs, and spreading straight toward his neck.
Black smoke began leaking directly through the white leather of his trousers.
"Dante?!" Maya panicked, backing away into the aisle. "What is that dark stuff coming out of you?!"