{This is not part of the story. It's a way to tell my fans that I know I've been away for a while and I'm very sorry. I'm finally done with my exams and I'm back so....Go Dylan}
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....then I realized, no one was claiming me. Getting my Zarden peers to like me was going to be a lot more difficult than I thought.
The Eldest must have realized all that too because he said.
"Since no one here is kind enough to admit Mr. Danvers, I wonder how it would feel when he discovers his zox, and then part of you realize, you just rejected a member of your family." The
Eldest paused and looked at me. "Sit down please."
I didn't hesitate. Soon dinner was over and the students filed through one of the oak doors, probably to their respective dorms or rooms.
The Eldest led me to Miss Susan's office, while Miss Susan followed behind. As soon as the door to the office was closed, The Eldest walked to the window and stared at the school grounds. I wondered what he was thinking, but a zillion options came to my mind.
A part of me believes that the Eldest thought about every option because it took him some time to say.
"I'm sorry Dylan."
~What? ~
When I didn't reply the Eldest turned around to look at me and repeated.
"I'm sorry."
I had to ask "For what?"
"For putting you through all this. I honestly thought the Zeralds would admit you but I was wrong."
His apology made no meaning to me. I mean what did he expect? I was meant to be an abomination. No one would want to have anything to do with me.
Then it dawned on me, I didn't need to stay here forever. I was part Zarden, but as soon as I found out who my real parents are I would be going back to Earth.
"What now?" I asked the Eldest.
"That depends entirely on you."
"How?"
"You could decide to stay at the Citadel. Enjoy as much alone time as you want and when we find out and capture who's after you, we'll take you back to earth."
"Or..." I asked. There was always an 'or' and it was always one I wouldn't like.
"Or..." The Eldest continued. "You could stay here at Malzar. Go to classes and learn about your zox until we apprehend your enemies."
I was about to say something but The Eldest stopped me.
"You should know that staying at Malzar means you'll be amongst your peers but entirely on your own, since no family agreed to claim you. You'll go to classes with everyone but it would feel like you aren't there."
Why was he stating the obvious? These were things I saw certain people go through in high school back on earth. I had already made my decision.
Sitting in bed all day wouldn't help me discover who I am. But going to school and learning more about my body, my alleged powers, that could help me discover more about me.
If everyone hated me I didn't care. I just needed to be better than them and ignore them until they felt stupid for even bothering me in the first place. But there was one small loop hole left.
"Would I get your protection?" I asked
"What?"
"Perhaps I decided to stay in Malzar, I could be bullied by anyone in the mood for fun, but I wouldn't want that to happen."
"You're right." The Eldest said. "You could be bullied, even if I directly tell the students not to bother you."
The Eldest fondled his beard. "So whenever you're within the walls of Malzar and you're in trouble with a bully, whisper my name. I'll be there instantly."
~That sounds far-fetched and a little absurd. I mean I whisper your name and then what? ~I thought but I didn't voice them.
Whispering 'the Eldest' seemed to be my best bet at the moment.
"Ok so what have you decided?" The Eldest asked. "If you need time..."
"No that would be fine. I'm staying here, at Malzar."
~It can't be so bad~ I added internally.
The Eldest seemed to pity me "Okay I'll call Zayn to take you to your room. Just sit tight."
The Eldest walked out of the office and that was the last time I saw him in a while.
"Are you sure about this?" A feminine voice asked from behind.
I turned around and found Miss Susan staring at one of the photos hung on her wall.
~Not at all~ I wanted to say, but I just acted like I hadn't heard her.
Two minutes later, Mr. Zayn came in and led me to a room. It wasn't the one he had taken me to earlier, this one was smaller and looked more a like student's room than anything else. The room was empty apart from the bed and furniture and then I suddenly realized I didn't have any personal belongings.
"Mr. Zayn." I called.
He looked at me. "Yes."
"How do I get clothes and what not?"
"Wait an hour you'll get everything." With that Zayn walked away.
I don't know when the package came. Naturally I had slept without bedcovers and pajamas. All I know is when I woke up I saw a suitcase packed with clothes and toiletries (The expensive kind) and a note on top. It read:
Hope they fit? You start your classes with the third years tomorrow but you do every other activity with the rest of the school. There's a schedule on the other side of this note. Follow it strictly.
~The eldest
I turned the paper over and discovered all I had to do with the rest of the school was lunch and dinner.
Great. I told myself. The only times when there would be no staff to intervene assuming a quarrel begins.
I stood up from bed had my bath and spent the remaining hours until lunch trying multiple zoxes I could have.
I didn't know the zoxes available to Zardens, but when it was 1pm, I was sure my Zox wasn't super strength telekinesis or super speed. I couldn't fly either and my aching back was a testament to that.
I stopped trying and got ready for lunch. I noticed that all the clothes in the suitcase were chosen from certain colors: Red, White, Blue, Grey and Black.
I picked a plain white polo with grey jogger pants and black trainers. I was in for comfort.
I suddenly wished I had a headphone or an Mp3 or both. Just then I saw a thin wire running along the clothes. I pulled it out and found out it was an earpiece, connected to something that seemed like a mirror. I tapped it and it said.
"Hello, I am the Jaymax 1000. What would you like to listen to today."
This was weird even for me.
"What do you mean listen?"
"You can listen to any kind of music you want."
"Any kind?"
"Yes, except music from the future."
I couldn't believe it so I said "Play me Adele"
"From earth?"
"Yes." I replied.
"Would you like your earpiece Wireless or wired."
"Wireless."
Immediately the wire in the earpiece disappeared. I placed the pod in my ear and when I head Adele's voice, I thought I was back on earth with my mother. I swallowed and didn't say another word.
The playlist seemed to be endless. I walked to the dining hall listening to 'Set fire to the rain'
The dining hall hadn't changed a bit. It was still bustling with activity and there were lots of food—mostly desert. But like I anticipated, the teachers and rest of the staff didn't seem to be anywhere in sight.
I scanned the room and noticed a small round table with a golden chair at the far end not too far from the high table but closer to the rest of the student tables.
It had to be mine. I walked over and tried my possible best to be inconspicuous, but it seemed my dressing already gave me away. Everyone else wore their clothes like it was some kind of uniform. If you wore white, you wore white from neck to ankle. Same for every other color I had to choose from earlier.
I ignored all the stares and even Adele's 'Hello' couldn't remove the tingling sensation I felt on my neck. As soon as I took my seat at the empty table, a trolley rolled towards me.
I really didn't feel like eating so I picked waffles and pineapple juice.
Just when I thought my day wouldn't get any worse, I took a bite off the waffles and suddenly wished I were home all over again. The waffle was good but it wasn't perfect. It wasn't like my mum's.
As I forced my way through the third waffle, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I took out my earpods and looked at who had touched me. A guy with silver blonde hair and pale face stared at me smiling.
"Hey, act like you're scared of me." He said glancing at the rest of the students "I'm Marcus, what's your name?"
My brain seemed to be lagging as I couldn't think properly; I wasn't expecting this.
~Scared of you? Who the fuck is this guy?~ I asked myself
There was something about the way he carried himself that made me feel he usually had his way in life. I dunno why but it made me feel he expected me to just stretch out my hand and say ~Hey my name is Dylan nice to meet you~
Somehow it made me cautious. "What do you want?"
Marcus held his hand to his chest and mimicked being hurt. "Ouch, nice to meet you too. You don't look hungry," he gestured at my plate "Would you..."
"What do you want?" I repeated.
"Okay. I'll be brief. I'm not even meant to be seen chatting with you" He put chatting in air quotes and glanced at the rest of the students again. "I know things might currently be a little rough, being an abomination and all, so I wanted to make an offer."
"I'm listening..." I said as I took an unwanted bite from my waffle.
"You need protection at least while you're in school."
"I'm sorry." I told him. "I don't need your protect..."
"But you do need it." He interrupted. "How do you plan on surviving in Malzar without a family? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity."
"I thought families were chosen based on a person's Zox. So what happens if my zox manifests and it isn't within the zox class of your family?"
[Zox is synonymous with power or ability while zox class means all the powers used to justify a person's membership to a family.]
"I'm just hoping it falls within the zox class." He replied with a grin on his face. He probably expected me to say yes.
I rose from my seat and said "I'll pass."
I barely heard Marcus' "You'll regret that." Before putting the earpod back in my ear and returning to my room. Lying in my bed listening to Adele's Don't you remember, I wondered if he were right.
Was I being unrealistic? Could I really survive in Malzar without a family?