Chapter two

  The air became deathly silent. I swear I heard a pin drop from the front row. I swallowed my saliva in the back of my throat. My ear twitching think the whole class can hear my thoughts. I finally mustered up the courage to speak to the whole class. My voice came out shaky like a newborn’s first words.

  Mana… mana is life. It’s in the air we breathe, it’s in the stone under our feet. The earth generates mana that our bodies absorb to create a mana heart that then circulates it through our blood. Without a mana heart, you will not be able to have a gift. There are two types of mana usage. One is light mana reinforcement and the other is invoking the gift. One is where you strengthen the body but do not activate the gift while the other is activating body enhancement and gift.

  Excellent. What is the difference between the two enhancements?

  Simply an Olympic athlete and super superhuman physiology.

  Elaborate.

  Light mana reinforcement enhances the bones and muscles. Making them a tiny bit faster, and stronger but it’s based on the calculations of how much they can lift before the enhancement. So if they can lift 300 pounds without mana, they can lift 400 pounds with mana. Once someone pushes enough mana through their cells they evoke their gift. It’s about double that, more or less depending on the gift. Mana users are superior in strength to normal people.

  Ha! Perfect I will let the simple explanation pass but it’s a perfect snip bit. I will start from there. Like he said the simple empowerment of the muscles with mana is what sets apart a gifted and non gifted.

  If you didn’t know in this school for each grade there is a ranking system for gifted and giftless. The ranks for the same grade are also divided this way. The top rank giftless is below the worst of the worst gifted.

  Do any of you know why class?

  Some kid in the front shouts

  “ because they are squibs?”

  Yes! Exactly to be exact like Mr Delgado said GIFTS. People with gifts are inherently superior. With a wide grin from ear to ear. The way The gifted are ranked is all based on strength.

  Mr. Valestine stared right at me as he said those words. He continues to pass around the wooden desk at the center of the room. He continues after a short staring contest with me.

  As you all may know this school has a strict no- no-bullying policy for the nongifted from gifted. Due to our strict discipline. Also, the laws outside these walls that the council of the government has provided. This has allowed for a unique harmony between us all.

  I just laugh at that obnoxious statement. Yeah maybe outside these walls are kinda like that but here it’s hell. The students at the top pick on those who are weaker. The teachers just brush it under the rug. I bet if a student died they wouldn’t report unless they had a gift. They will hide anything Everything from the government.

  That’s why knowledge matters so much. If you're all brain and no brawn you are stuck to a desk. If you're all brawn and no brain you are a liability.

  For the top 200 hundred you can be dumb as a rock with a gift and be ranked that high. But once you break the top fifty…..Knowledge or shall say grades matters just as much as brawn.

  Now you all must be thinking what if a giftless as smart as one can ever be comes across a demon….. do you know what would happen? They will die immediately. It doesn’t matter if the ORO came through a portal or stray demon and heck even if a mana beast at F rank came across a normal human they would have no chance. But if the worst of the worst of the gifted come across a demon or mana beast they have a chance to win. I’m not saying the giftless don’t have a chance at all.

  For all the stars to align with the moon and all the wolves to howl at the same time would have a better probability of happening than for the giftless to win. They have a probability of .00001 percent of actually winning. I won’t keep you guessing the reason for that is MANA. All gifted have mana. Some more than others naturally and some can use it better naturally. It is the signal most important to have. It always you to use your gifts and give you superhuman strength. It is important to train your body because it allows for more mana to come in and you use it.

  I will say that the more mana you have typically the stronger you will be. That’s if you don’t add into account for gifts. Gifts are a unique thing. To put it in simple terms you either have the luck to get one or not. Then if the mother blesses you with a useful one. I’ll leave that for another class to teach you. So some of what I’m saying is gifted, have the highest authority within our world. All right everyone that will be all for today’s class. Please get your consent forms, signed for the field trip. Thank you that will be all. Hurry along to your next class. I do not want you to be late.

  As I stand up I hear Mr. Valestine's smooth soprano voice call out my name.

  Mr. Delgado, can you stay for a bit? I have a question to ask.

  (Jack will you be alright?)

  I heard Oliver’s voice inside my head.

  (I will be fine. I have been here for two years already. I have been through it with teachers and students. Dealing with him is nothing. I will see you later)

  Mr. Valestine would you like me to come up front or stay where I’m at?

  Oh, how considerate of formalities for us gifted. But no need no need. After all, I knew your father before this whole invasion. I will only trouble you for a minute.

  I descend from my seat near and travel down the white marble steps. I get to the first row and stop. I stare at the middle-aged man with a better-than-you attitude plastered all over his face. He spoke once I hit the last step and the last student stepped out.

  Mr. Delgado, Do you know who that boy is? Out of my two years of teaching you, you have never willingly sat next to another student nor has a student sat next to you. Why on earth would you think a gifted would sit next to you? I don’t want him to see you as a weak piece of prey that can be manipulated. Or Someone who can be easily controlled. I’m forewarning you, Mr. Delgado. since your father and I go back. Take my advice and away from that boy. He’s nothing but trouble.

  Who is he? I asked. Knowing who he was. I heard a rumor the prince of England was coming.

  A smirk became plastered all over his face. He speaks in a slow condescending tone.

  He is banished son of the green titan. The new royals of Great Britain. You are a smart kid so I know you know who I’m talking about.

  I said to myself I honestly figured that’s who it was. I don’t care what this hierarchy-thumping dude thinks. Oliver seems more genuine than this guy caring about me. I will just give him a satisfactory response.

  Of course. I have to know all the S potential rank gifts for my courses. I will heed your advice Mr. Valestine and stay away from Mr. Green.

  Mr. Valestine said with a hiss of delight.

  Good, good, I knew you sinceable for a giftless. Now run along you don’t want to be late on your first day.

  I will take my leave Mr. Valestine.

  I turn around and walk out of the amphitheater-style room into the white halls. I continued with my morning going to boring physics class. I make my way to lunch to meet Oliver without giving what Mr. Valenstine said a second thought.

  As I walked through the halls I just kept my head down and tried to pass the slow people as quickly as possible. I can not stand the zombie-like walking in the halls. Either way, you still have to sit in that class. I rather just get there within this century. I finally made it to the cafeteria. I came up to the twelve-foot oval brown oval doors that seemed to always be open. I took in the sight of hundreds of kids sitting and eating a wide variety of foods. I got the chills as if I was prey caught by a predator. I heard someone yell duck inside my head. Without hesitation, I ducked and moved myself backward turning to see had an open palm about to smack the back of my neck. It’s Luciano Aremi Cortez.

  “Watch where you are standing orphan boy”

  That smug perfectly tan Telonovivas perfection-looking boy stood there. If there ever was a villain in a novel this devilishly handsome boy would be him.

  “Lucio it’s good to see you too. How is your abuela doing?”

  With a flush of red on his cheeks. Literal steam coming from his ears. Time seemed to slow. A tense pressure bared down on my body as the tell-tell sign of mana was released. Then I saw a flash of golden light. With the speed of light, he hit me. I felt like a slight pause due to the inertia and gravity keeping me still. As if I was inside a cone-shaped vacuum my body lurched back. Never in my life have I been hit that hard…. Well, that’s a lie but it’s a close second. The pain I felt on my back as I hit the mana-infused wall wasn’t pleasant at all. I do not get those masochists. Alarms going off everywhere. A big tunnel of green and white mana particles came down and hit me. I felt every bone and bit of flesh stitch back together. Might I tell you this is not a fun or a pleasing time. This almost hurts as the actual action. This is why mana-infused armor is so damn expensive. I groaned in pain as I slowly got up. I said to him

  “Thanks for that I wasn’t awake before. I still see that right hook of yours is still slow and like a toddler. I appreciate the greetings from an old Friend ”

  “ Look at the loner being a smart ass for a squib. Whatever crawled out of that weak mind and body to get the bravado to talk like that? Just Pray to god and hope you never get a gift.”

  He bent down and whispered to me

  “You better make sure to keep my abuela name out of your damn mouth. Don’t act like you even know me. “

  Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  He turns and walks away into the lunch room. I just stare at his back as he walks away. I look left and right the teachers just standing there with looks of disgust at me. They could care less about gifted hurting a giftless. I clicked my tongue in frustration. If we were in public he would have spent a month in jail. Screw them and superiority complexes. As I try to shake the sore feeling out of my body, I hear Oliver next to me as I walk into the USA-themed lunch room.

  “What the hell is that dude's problem?”

  “ you must know the who to understand the why. That was “godspeed” Luciano Aremi Cortez. He is incredibly fast. Teleportation is slow to that man. He is the number one gifted in our freshman class. He was the only one awarded of S rank potential in our grade.”

  “ ok, I understand. That makes sense to be a wanker but a super wanker? It seems like you have history?”

  “Well, we started at the same orphanage. I do not know how he got there but I knew him well since our rooms were right next To each other. He would never tell why he was there. I think his parents abandoned him. Then one day his grandmother came and got him. I assume whatever happened from that moment until now changed him.”

  “ damn I guess you are a sight for sore eyes”

  “Yep, I’m just a nasty roach that will never die. Oh, I forgot to mention his uncle is the dean. “

  He stopped right in the middle of getting his food from the lunch lady. As she tried to plop a glob of mashed potatoes he moved his plate with pure bewilderment out of the way just as it fell from her ladle. With a splash the mashed potatoes went all over the counter. She gave him an angry look and he quickly apologized.

  “ wait he is related to Uncle Pancho?”

  “ Uncle Pancho huh, well if the person you are thinking of is Francisco Cortez “the man of diamond ” then yes”

  “ then why is Luciano such an ass.”

  “Beats me must be something to do with your gifts. Bunch of narcissistic assholes. Let’s hurry and find a spot”

  We just chuckled at my joke and finally found a clear table and sat down.

  Feeling the cherry hardwood on my hands I felt a bit of excitement because this was the first time I had lunch with someone at this school. Oliver sat down on the other side of me. He stared down at what could barely be called food. He poked his semi-warm bread with cheese inside. I just laugh and tell him to try it.

  “ yeah it may not look good but I promise it smacks. Throw some hot sauce in your mashed potatoes it will make it better. Welcome to America. This stuff isn’t man-made or infused. Some person in the government named Michell messed up our food for budget cuts.”

  “ yeah in Britain our dogs eat better than this. I think I will bring my lunch from now on.”

  “ haha don’t blame ya. It’s not the best but it will do….”

  We sat in silence for a few minutes while we ate and pushed the barely edible food around. Oliver is the first to break the silence.

  “What did professor asshole say?”

  “Nothing much. He said to stay away from you because he is afraid you will manipulate me for your evil dirty desires. You ole dirty Brit.”

  He looked at me stunned. His jaw is open enough to fit a semi-through.

  I gave him a big rile grin and laughed.

  “ Honestly I don’t care about your past or what that idiot thinks. You are the second genuine person in my life. Even you talked to me for ten minutes. If he told me you were a murderer I would still think you are a better person than him.

  He straightened up and said

  “Good because you seem like a kind person. I wouldn’t even dare to manipulate anyone. I’m a good person. So you know who I am.”

  “Yeah. I have heard rumors before you came to the school about how evil and strong you are. Be careful because someone would like to make a name by using you. “

  He smirked.

  “They can try. I’m no pushover. I may be banished from my family and weaker than my brother and sister but I won’t go down without a fight. Oh, I can show them some evil.”

  A smile crept on his face and I smirked at him knowing I was going To get all quotey on him. i said

  “The quickest way to diminish one’s values is to compare themselves to something else. I guarantee if you use your abilities right that you could go toe to toe with anyone in our grade and the next… well not the next or higher but our grade.”

  He laughed and said

  “American gifted are not that weak.”

  But then he paused and got serious. He looked at me and said

  “So tell me, why are you such a loner? You don’t seem crazy or rude. I’m honestly genuinely confused.”

  “Out of my two years at this academy, it has been By choice of my own accord and other people. You’re the first person out of the gifted higher social class outside of family who made an effort to talk to me. You are going against the status quo. Then the nongifted I’m like a rude ass hole. I do not go out of my way to help or reach out with an olive branch to them. Plus they know about my past and that makes it even harder to reach or communicate. I’m like a mystical fragile creature who is a humanoid demon in disguise with its own mental problems. I rather not talk out in the open about it. So in all reality, I am to blame as much as anyone else. Just a loner asshole who is too afraid to take a step forward.”

  He stared at me with a confused look. He opened his mouth to say something but he closed it and looked away. After a few minutes of us Both picking at our food. He asked

  “Why are you talking to me?”

  “I don’t know….. maybe I’m just tired of being alone… you honestly awakened something inside me that I was too afraid to face myself. I was too comfortable in the shell of being alone. I was still hesitant but after getting punched in the gut cemented the idea of loneliness was just some cheap defensive mechanism. Seeing the disdain looks from teachers and students alike. It filled me with deep sorrow and longing to have a friend who would care if I lived or died. I may have my brother but he won’t be next to me forever. I need to make myself uncomfortable to grow. It was truly just an instant yes or no. Either stay where I was at or move forward. I choose to move forward.”

  With a smirk he said

  “Well, I’m not gay… just so you know you do not get anything up or anything from my body. Sick loner closet perv. “

  I look at him deadpan and start laughing so hard. It comes out like a barn full of pigs during chow time. He started erupting with laughter about my laugh.

  I said to him.

  “ I’m not the perv to think like that.”

  We both chuckle and stand up from our seats and head to our next class. As the cascading flood of kids like bugs swarm to the exits. We were lucky enough to not get caught in the traffic. As we headed down the hall we came to a four-way intersection. My class was to the right and his to the left. I said I will see him later. As I pass the innumerable amount of government propaganda about the war effort and how anyone can help…. Oh and of course flags. I came up to a very out-of-place steel door. It seemed like any other door to the outside but the moment I opened it up, a wide field of grass was in front of me. It was at least 3 or four football fields wide and as long. It was at least two tall. This is truly the biggest indoor area I have ever seen. As I stood in the doorway in awe I heard a voice from behind me.

  Welcome to class Mr Delgado. Could you kindly continue to walk forward?

  I hurried my steps and walked to the side. A behemoth of a man steps through the door. With military-style cut hair and rolling muscles swimming through a smedium size shirt. With an award-winning smile, he grinned at me. If there was a teacher I cared about and I felt like they cared about me it was him.

  How have you been Mr Delgado?

  I smiled back and responded never been better. I’m hoping this year is as interesting as the last.

  He smiled and got even bigger and he gave me a wink and said

  It will. You will find out soon enough. Go take a seat in that area and wait for the rest of the class to join us.

  After another 5 or so minutes of the same greeting Mr. Clark gave to me. Just about everyone walked through the door. I knew most of them but there were a few new faces. One that stuck out to me was a boy with a prosthetic arm. The only reason I could tell was how lifeless that side of his body seemed. Interesting. There were a few others but none made me feel any particular emotions until the last one walked in. The only thought in my mind was I hope whoever made our schedule or decided who was in what class loses every left shoe for the rest of their lives. I do not wish death upon them I just want them to feel the sliver of pain that I feel now. I grip my stomach still feeling the punch he gave me less than an hour ago. That perfectly tan skin with a smooth perfectly symmetrical face. Truly damn the two people who he and the genetics pool perfectly aligned to make that specimen of a human. It Luciano. His eyes immediately locked on to mine. With a scowl rolling off his face he turned away and sat at the furthest possible from me.

  Alright, guys sit on the bleachers as you please. I’m going to start slow. Some of you may know me and some do not. To the people who do know me, it’s a pleasure that you can once again see my beautiful face and now the newbies this beautiful face will teach you how to survive and thrive as a gifted.

  Mr Clark was making me nervous by walking in a circle but turned right before he made a full perfect circle never completing one revolution. The man has yet to tell them his name either. He always does weird things but he always has a reason.

  Not only will we be learning theory we will also learn practical. Oh shoot I never got to my name did I. Well my name is Adonis D. Clark. You can call me Professor or Mr. Clark. If I ever hear my first name while you are enrolled in this academy I will without hesitation hit you. Hard. Very hard. I have tenure at this school so they can not easily fire me. Please remember that bit of information. Now! Hehe, now I have one question to start the semester off with a few bonus points. Can anyone tell me how many full revolutions I made during the time I was speaking?

  He grabbed his chin and started tapping it like he was in thought and pointed to a brown hair boy in the front.

  With a shaky voice of embarrassment, he guessed 14.

  A smile as big as the moment he greeted every student he said good guess. He then pointed to a few more students and they all still got it wrong. His smile began to fade and with a loud sigh, he looked at me and said alright Mr Delgado please tell the class.

  I simply said zero as nonchalantly as I could

  I heard a few scoffs, especially from Lucio and a glass-wearing boy. Mr Clark without fail said

  Excellent. The thing about me my precious students is that it doesn’t matter if gifted or not everyone must be observant at all times. One must be keen on their surroundings. To the few that I have had previously you know that all too well. Mr Delgado had an unfair advantage because he has been in my class every year since he started. Next class I will do the same thing and anyone else beside Delgado or a student I have had before will get the double of points I have awarded today.

  Now!

  I’m going to give a rough rundown of mana and what we have gone through at this point.The only known energy is mana. Mana goes through our heart to make a mana Haert. The more mana you bring into your body the more mana the mana heart has. Then goes through your blood vessels to your cells and then Ignites your gift. The reason we do not have pure mana everywhere is because of the limit one’s body puts on how much it can take before invoking the gift. The line before invoking a gift and mana-infused muscles can be enhanced through training of mana and the body. That’s also why we do not have any self-regenerating gifts or gifts that change the body at a cellular or smaller level. There are outliers to this of course but there is a limit like healers they take mana from your body and talk it to healing you. But pure body morphing or in other words intrinsic mana manipulation is so rare that there are only about a couple hundred in the world. Compared to extrinsic and expellers who make up the majority.

  And Now! I will drill this into your thick skulls. It’s the key to any good gift and my main focus…. Mana management. Why is that you might ask. It’s a must to survive. I have taught you a good start in non-mana survival. For example, finding the cardinal direction and making a shelter but now that you are a freshman we will be allowing gifts to be used and teams. We are going from surviving only to thriving as much as possible.

  Let me ask you this. What is the fundamental difference between us now then the first generation?

  The class began to raise their hand and waited to be called on. Mr. Clark called on a boy that has messy brown curly hair with white alabaster skin and a thin lean face with a strong jawline. He lifts his trademark circular glasses with one finger. Nico Collins

  Gift of superior Mind. He was the number one in grades until last year. I still remember him coming up to me and asking me how. I told him I didn’t know. He then dragged me to a teacher to figure it out. It was quite comical when the teacher told him that answering a question where the right answer was not to answer figuratively blew his mind. I only got it right because I forgot to go back to it.

  Is it more knowledge about the enemy? Said Nico

  Yes but not exactly the answer I’m looking for. He pointed to an auburn-haired boy with golden irises who seemed to be always evaluating. The boy brought up his fist to his perfect face. It was like Michelangelo came into his mother's womb and sculpted his face…. Dang that is a little gay….. well game recognizes game. What was his name….. Arthios grey. His gift is to control all four elements with a sword as a conduit. I remember Rein talking about how Arthios asked him to help train.

  Gifts evolving? Said Arthios

  Yes and no but I will touch on that a bit here soon

  I thought to myself what do we have the luxury of doing that they didn’t…… awe I get it. I said out loud

  Time

  Nico broke his neck to look at me. His round glasses and auburn eyes burned holes through my head. He scoffed as if that was the answer.

  A smirk ran across his face pearly white teeth twinkled under the training field lights. Mr Clark began to say.

  Mr. Delgado what a pleasant surprise to have you speak out not once but twice in my class. Yes, you are correct. We now have the time to learn about our gifts, strategy, survival, and how to conquer our enemy. Your predecessors fought with blood sweat and tears to give you the luxury that we all seem to neglect. Thank you to everyone participating. It will make this class more fun and we can all learn better together.

  No matter what we begin with let it be attack tactics or mana management training the root of it all is to survive. There is no shame in retreating and trying again. Your life and your little spring chickens will need to live on. You will ultimately lead us to salvation.

  He got a solemn look after that last bit. I bet he has had so many students that he has trained not to come back from labyrinths in the other world, or die from the Oro attacks.

  With a smile on his face, he said with such finality.

  Now like I said we will be forming teams.

  I let out a sigh after hearing those words. Just another school experience I will not be able to have since I was giftless.

  He stared right at me. His solemn face disappeared and he called me right out. He had no malice in doing so. It was the opposite. He said with a genuine smile.

  Mr. Delgado I have gotten permission on your behalf to allow you to join a team. Due to your situation you and the only one who is not a gifted in this class. You are now assigned to be in the role of an operator with non-combat abilities.

  End of chapter two.