CHAPTER 117: SECOND SAVING

Accepted?

This just didn’t add up.

The journey to the academy was an ardous one, and except you were like Aramith and Mozrael who just got a one way shortcut to the place, one had to suffer so much with their lives at stake just to make it there.

But no entrance exam? That was new.

"Now, you will be shown your place of stay." But none of them could wrap their minds around the fact that they were accepted just like that.

There had to be a catch somewhere in all this, right?

"But before we head to your sleeping places, some of you would like to go for your belongings, am I right?" Father Ilthane asked this question after observing the expressions on the kids.

They looked relieved after hearing that, as only a few of them were able to pack their stuff in the few seconds they had to arrive.

He took a step, walking soundlessly and gracefully. His prescence wasn’t noticeable, and though he moved slowly, it was still difficult to follow. With every step, he seemed to blink in and out of existence, disrupting reality to move, but at the same time, it just looked like he was walking like normal.

Watching him made their eyes hurt.

"You’ve been hiding for so long, do you think you’re invisible?" He spoke to the end of the lines, facing the camp where they stayed the previous night.

Everyone turned there, but no one was there.

"Come out before you’re forced to be here. We don’t appreciate lateness, especially when it’s coupled with a lack of confidence to adress a problem."

Whispers and murmurs broke out.

"Who’s late?"

"But I don’t see anyone there."

"You mean someone is still hiding back there?"

"What kind of idiot wills crew up like that on the first day?"

Ilthane turned around. "I never asked you to speak in my ears, did I?"

THe place became silent again. "Good." He turned back to his target.

"Step out, or if you’re forced out, you’ll regret it," he spoke calmly.

Aramith looked hard, focusing on any life hiding back there, and when he realized there was a person there, he just couldn’t believe.

"What is he doing there?" he whispeerd, turning to look at Mozrael who’d also noticed.

With trembling legs, the person stepped out.

With his dirty clothes, and old bag, there was no mistaking that young boy with brown hair.

"Aris..." but Aramith noticed someting that made him frown. The boy’s bag was bigger than before.

Was he stealing?

"Very bold move, young man," Father Ilthane said as he appeared beside Aris.

Aris couldn’t raise his head, and he couldn’t move. He knew he was doomed.

A small group snickered. Aramith glanced at them and couldn’t help but guess if that was the Sylas group Aris mentioned.

Ilthane looked at the boy’s bag, then back at everyone else. "He will recieve his punishment, but I will first have to inform you about your belongings that you left behind."

From his tone, it was clear he wasn’t going to give them any good news. Aris gulped, lowering his head.

"You were given ten seconds by Father Garrun, but only a few of you managed to pack your items and arrive on time. The rest of you left most of your belongings back there." He looked at Aris now.

"This young man stayed back because he couldn’t finish packing all his belongings, and after he was done, he couldn’t force himself to come join the assembly."

Aris’ heart was thumping wildly. What was going to happen to him now?

"Follow me, all of you," Ilthane said and turned around, walking back to their place of stay. He made sure Aris was upfront.

Everyone took a guess. "I’m sure he stole items."

"Look how poor he is, he’ll definitely steal our items."

"If he took something that belonged to me, I’ll kill him. I swear"

"He disgusts me."

"Wasn’t he with that cocky idiot?"

"Who nkows? They probaably bullied him to steal."

The thoughts were wild, and in the long run, Aramith and Mozrael were also targetted by the people.

THis infuriated Mozrael, but she kept calm. No one has directly confronted us.

When they arrived at the place, it was no different from the way they left it.

"Garrun?" Ilthane called out.

They blinked, and Father Garrun was already beside Ilthane, Arms folded with a grin on his face. her knew something they didn’t.

Now Ilthane turned to look at them. "As mentioned before, we hate laziness, and if you don’t prove yourself, we will deal with you."

Most of them smirked, knowing Aris was going to recieve a punishment he would never forget.

"Go on, Garrun."

"With pleasure, Rector."

Father Garrun ok a step forward, facing their belongings strewn across. He glanced back at them, and that was when they realized something was off.

He was going to punish Aris, right?

But no. That wasn’t the reason why Father Ilthane called for Garrun.

Garrun unfolded his arms, and made a fist with his right hand, pointing it upward.

With the speed of lightning, he slammed the fist into the ground.

CRACK! BOOM!

The ground shook violently with tremors from his fist. Cracks spread across the ground, scattering their belongings.

Next, he raised both hands, and slapped hard, pointing downwards.

A stream of fire shot into the ground, creeping through the cracks like a serpent.

As they watched in horror, the flames burst upwards, consuming their belongings.

"No!"

"Why?!"

"What is wrong with you?!"

A few of them run forward, and Ilthane just looked at them with the same seriousness he’d held from the beginning.

SNAP!

Suddenly, all of those running fell to the ground. They never saw him moving. Not even a blur of white gave away the fact that he’d moved, but Father Prince was standing there beside those fallen.

He swung his sticks, a calm look on his face.

"You can keep in mind that we will always discipline you so you grow well."

"If you try to avoid punishment, I will force you to change!"

Those who were struck by Father Prince groaned as they tried to get up. They only felt the strike on several parts of their body then they fell with bruises on their body.

The sound was once, but the strikes were all over them, hot and stinging. He’d struck their muscles so movement was difficult.

But why?

And why were they burning their belongings?

Everyone thought Aris had stolen something and that was why theey were called to come back there, so what was this all about?

"You can’t just burn our—"

Snap!

"When a child is corrected, they are supposed to accept and try to improve themselves. DOn’t question the right decision when you’re only immature," Father Prince spoke after quickly striking the one who’d spoken on the back.

He gasped and coughed, struggling against the pain that spread across his back.

Now everyone was afraid to make a move.

With the flames rising, the four Fathers came to stand before them.

"Now then," Father Ilthane said, stepping forward with a gentle hand on Aris’ shoulder.

"Keep in mind that none of this is as a result of this boy’s decision." He shook his head.

"I see from your faces that you’re bearing hated to this young man wrongly. The only reason why I am going to punish him is that he did not come to the meeting when everyone was supposed to be present. He decided to take his time packing his belongings."

Most of them wanted to speak up.

That it wasn’t fair, and he should also lose his possessions, but none dared to speak.

It hurt them because some of them had very precious items among their possessions that were just engulfed in flames, but what could they do?

Before the Four Pillars of the Academy, none could rebel.

"Now, you lost your possessions because of your lack of preparation and laziness. Whatever you lost today should be a reminder sop you stay prepared and alert always."

He turned to Aris.

"Now, for you, I am going to sack you from this place to go back to wherever you came from."

Aris fell to the ground. "Please! I beg you, I will accept any punishment you give me. Just let me be a student here. i have nowhere to turn to. If I go back, I cannot live with myself!"

"Do you understand what you’re saying?" Father Ilthane asked calmly

Aris begged frantically with tears streaming down his face, and though he looked pitiful, many people were happy he would also suffer like that. This was the cruelty of the world.

"Get up, young man. I never asked you if you would accept your punishment. I said this will be your punishment."

"But there can be something! I’m begging you, please consider!"

Ilthane shook his head and looked at the people before him.

"This young man will be sent away for avoiding the morning assembly. And he will serve as a scapescapegoat. However, I will be generous to him as this is his first time." He calmly raised a hand and pointed to them all.

"I give you all a chance to save him. All I ask is for one of you to step forward and take the punishment with him. I will change his punishment, but someone else will have to bear it with him."

The place became silent.

Aris knew he was doomed.

Of all the people here, only boss could have helped me, but even him, I disappointed. I forced myself on him. And now, Sylas would have his way. Even after I was saved by the boss, I still did something so foolish and now all is lost.

Aris looked at the many faces before him. None of them would dare take a step to save him.

He could hear the whispers and voices from them.

"You deserve it!"

"Better leave than stay here with such disgrace!"

"And you wanted to be a student?"

"It’s best you’re leaving!"

They weren’t loud, but he felt like they were shouting at him. His heart sunk deeper when he saw a distinct group smirking at him.

Sylas! Aris’ jaw tightened.

"Very well then, no one will risk themselves for you." Ilthane closed his eyes in understanding. "They don’t even know what your punishment is, so how could—"

From the far back, a hand shot up. Ilthane paused, and all eyes turned to look at this person.

"Oh, so someone wants to help? I wonder if this is self-sacrifice, a sense of righteousness, or foolishness."

Aris’ eyes lit up. "But why..."