Elysian staggered out of the classroom.
He clutched his throat, breathing with difficulty. Every gulp of air burned from the pressure the professor's foot had exerted on his neck.
The hallway was almost empty.
A few meters away, he saw Nicol leaning against the wall, wiping blood from her lip with a small wipe.
When she saw him approach, she raised an eyebrow.
"Well… I thought he'd killed you."
Elysian coughed slightly.
"Almost."
Nicol looked at his reddened neck.
"That guy is insane."
Before they could continue talking, a student passing nearby stopped.
He observed them for a few seconds.
"I don't know if you're very brave…"
He paused.
"Or very stupid."
Elysian looked at him.
"Why?"
The boy sighed.
"That professor's name is Brad."
He adjusted his backpack.
"And he enjoys hurting anyone."
The hallway went silent for a few seconds.
Then…
A scream was heard from the classroom.
A desperate scream.
Then another.
And another.
It was clearly Fer.
The sound of pain pierced through the door.
Elysian frowned.
Without a second thought, he started walking toward the room.
"I'm going to help her."
Nicol grabbed his arm.
"Are you crazy?"
She pointed at the door.
"That guy is a damn maniac."
But Elysian didn't stop.
"I'm not going to stand by and watch an innocent girl suffer."
Just as he was about to open the door—
A voice stopped him.
"If you go in… that guy will kill you."
Elysian turned.
The girl who spoke was a few steps away.
She was very attractive.
Long, curly hair that fell over her shoulders.
Light brown skin.
Hazel eyes.
She wore the academy's black uniform perfectly fitted.
For a moment, Elysian stood completely still.
He had never seen anyone like her.
The girl observed him calmly.
Elysian regained his composure.
"I don't plan on sitting idly by."
The girl nodded slightly.
"I understand."
She looked at the door.
"Brad is a son of a bitch."
Then she looked back at him.
"But if you want to help her… you have to be smarter than him."
Elysian crossed his arms.
"And what do you suggest?"
The girl smiled a little.
"Someone owes me a favor."
"He will help us."
Nicol raised an eyebrow.
"And what about me?"
The girl looked at her.
"You're going to help too."
Nicol sighed.
"Fine… whatever."
Meanwhile…
Inside the classroom…
Brad wasn't hitting.
He was "perfecting."
With a small silver punch, he pierced the membrane under Fer's tongue.
The scream that came out of her was so sharp it seemed to tear the air in the room.
Without rushing, Brad hung a small lead weight from the freshly made hole.
The flesh began to stretch slowly.
Blood fell to the floor at a steady rhythm.
Brad observed his work with satisfaction.
"If you ever use that tongue again without my permission…"
He hummed a lullaby softly.
"The weight will do the rest."
Fer was trembling, tears mixing with the blood running down her neck.
Then…
KNOCK KNOCK
Someone knocked on the door.
Brad frowned and walked toward it.
He swung it open.
"Who dares disturb me during my—"
He stopped.
It was Connor.
Brad frowned.
"What do you want?"
Connor spoke calmly.
"The Director wants to see you."
Brad crossed his arms.
"I'm busy."
Connor looked at him without changing his expression.
"I don't care what you're doing."
Pause.
"But the Director wants to see you now."
He leaned toward him a bit.
"And you already know what happens when someone doesn't obey him."
Brad gritted his teeth.
He looked at Fer.
"Don't move."
Then he left the classroom.
Connor walked ahead of him.
"He's in the library."
Minutes later…
Brad entered the massive library.
It was empty.
The door closed behind him.
CLACK
Brad turned immediately.
He tried to open it.
It wouldn't move.
He pounded on the door with force.
"Whoever you are, open the damn door!"
Nothing.
He looked through the small window.
And then he saw someone running down the hallway.
Elysian.
Brad clenched his fist in rage.
He punched the wall.
Meanwhile…
Elysian was running down the hallway with Fer leaning on his shoulder.
They went through the building doors toward the main garden.
There, on some benches, were Nicol and the girl with the curly hair.
Fer was sitting down, still trembling, but free.
Elysian breathed heavily.
"It worked…"
He looked at the girl.
"You're a genius."
Nicol crossed her arms.
"By the way…"
She looked at the girl.
"What's your name?"
The girl smiled slightly.
"Grecia.
Grecia… what a beautiful name," Nicol said, a faint smile forming on her lips.
"Thank you," Grecia replied, with that imperturbable calm of hers.
They spent several minutes talking, wondering how they could heal Fer, who was still in pain from the punishment she had endured. But the calm was shattered instantly when a scream echoed through the academy walls:
"You son of a bitch!"
A punch sparked chaos, sending Elysian flying onto the grass. Brad appeared with his usual fury:
"I've been stuck in that damn library for twenty minutes!"
"You need to do some more reading, don't you think?" Nicol mocked, immediately igniting Brad's rage. He struck Nicol, throwing her into the fountain with a splash that highlighted his brutality.
Brad lunged at Elysian, but before he could touch him, Grecia stepped in front of him, smiling serenely:
"Hello, Brad."
"What the hell are you doing here?" Brad growled. "Actually, I don't care."
Grecia placed a firm hand on Brad's chest, stopping him:
"These are my new friends, so do not touch them."
"Do you want me to move your hand?" Brad said, tensing his muscles.
"Fine… I'll leave those two alone, but as for the brat, he's mine," Brad said, pointing at Elysian.
"I'm sorry, but no," Grecia replied defiantly.
Brad let out a cruel laugh:
"Hahaha, are you going to stop me, you bitch?"
Brad's fists tensed, but Elysian, surprised, heard Grecia's warning:
"No, maybe I can't beat you, but if you touch me, my sister will undoubtedly kill you… and you already know her."
Left with no choice, Brad relaxed and turned around:
"One of these days your sister won't be here to defend you. And you, brat, I'll see you later," he said before walking away.
Grecia helped Elysian steady himself, wiping the blood from his nose and eyebrow.
"Thanks," Elysian said, barely managing a smile.
"Don't mention it," Grecia answered with a simple gesture of approval.
Later, in the infirmary, the doctor asked Elysian to take off his shirt to check his injuries. As he did, his body was revealed: muscular, defined, impressive for an eighteen-year-old. Upon seeing him, Grecia blushed and looked away.
The days passed with both routine and danger: Elysian integrated with Grecia, Nicol, and Fer. Every afternoon they explored the city, and at night, Elysian fought in the arena. Out of seven matches in a single day, he won them all; he would receive the money at the end of the year.
From a distance, Director William watched sarcastically:
"That boy is adapting. If the rest of you get careless, he might take one of your spots."
A cold voice emerged from the shadows:
"I don't think so… that brat is weak and useless."
Brad appeared, revealing his rank: third best in the academy.
"I agree with Brad," Kener said, "that boy is far too weak."
A female figure emerged, her identity hidden:
"Well… he almost beat you, Kener, haha."
"What did you say?" Kener growled.
"Nothing, just that you're too weak," the woman replied before vanishing.
As Kener stepped forward, another figure appeared: Ethan, number five, the young man with short hair and a lit cigar.
"Calm down… you don't want to play with fire and get burned, do you?" Ethan said with a firm voice.
"You heard him, better not provoke me," Kener responded with a hint of respect.
"I'm telling you, Kener… you don't want to die, do you?" Ethan added, as the air seemed to grow thick with tension.
Finally, a voice cut through the scene:
"Enough, gentlemen. The selection to see who will be the first-year captain begins tomorrow. So go and prepare everything."
"Yes, sir," six more figures responded, vanishing into the shadows, making it clear that the true test was only just beginning.