Their anger flared, and they lunged towards me, fists raised.
Come on, Harbinger, I thought, a desperate plea echoing in my mind. Trip them up!
"I'm going to beat you without even touching you!" I shouted, my voice echoing in the empty hallway.
The seniors hesitated, confused by my words. But before they could react, an invisible force swept their legs out from under them.
Thud! Both seniors crashed to the ground, landing in a heap at my feet.
"Woah..." I breathed, my heart pounding. The Harbinger had heard my plea and acted.
The other students stared at me, their faces a mix of shock and fear.
"What the hell?" one of the seniors muttered, rubbing his bruised ego and his even more bruised backside.
I stood over them, my heart racing but my face a mask of cool indifference. "I warned you," I said calmly. "I told you I would beat you without even touching you."
The fallen seniors scrambled to their feet, their eyes wide with confusion and fear. They glanced at each other, then back at me, as if trying to comprehend what had just happened.
"What did you do?" the larger senior growled, his voice laced with a hint of fear.
"Let's just say I have... special abilities," I replied cryptically, a smirk playing on my lips.
The seniors exchanged uneasy glances, their bravado completely evaporated. They knew they had been humiliated, their reputation as the school's bullies shattered in a matter of seconds. Without another word, they turned and fled, their footsteps echoing down the empty hallway.
I watched them go, a sense of satisfaction washing over me. It was a small victory, but it was a victory nonetheless. I had stood up to my bullies, not with my fists, but with the help of my Harbinger.
The Harbinger materialized beside me, its voice filled with approval. "That was an improvement, You are starting to learn how to call upon me."
"Really?" I asked, surprised and a little bit proud.
"Yes, Now I must go again." And with that, it vanished into thin air.
I shook my head, still amazed by what had just happened. I continued up the stairs, only to find a group of students gathered on the landing, blocking my path.
"Huh? What are you guys waiting for?" I asked, confused.
"Y-You were in a fight?" one of the students stammered, his eyes wide with awe.
I looked at him, my eyebrow raised. "Who told you that?"
"W-Well, I just saw it happen and told everyone..." he trailed off, his voice barely a whisper.
I scanned the crowd, my eyes locking with Marcel's. He gave me a discreet thumbs-up. Lenna stood a little further back, her gaze unwavering.
"They were nothing," I said dismissively, pushing past the awestruck students.
As I walked away, I could hear their excited whispers and murmurs of admiration. It seemed my reputation had just taken an unexpected turn.
Slap!
Marcel's hand landed on my back, the force of it nearly sending me stumbling forward.
"Ouch..." I grumbled, rubbing the spot where he had hit me.
"Dude, you were so cool back there!" Marcel exclaimed, his eyes wide with excitement. "Everyone's going to have a crush on you now!"
"I wasn't trying to be cool," I protested, though a small smile tugged at my lips.
"Well, you totally pulled it off," he insisted. "You've got that mysterious bad boy vibe going on, you know?"
I chuckled, shaking my head. Marcel always knew how to exaggerate things. But his words warmed my heart nonetheless. It felt good to be recognized, to be seen as something more than just the quiet, mysterious boy in the corner.
I chuckled and shrugged. "It wasn't intentional," I admitted. "It just... happened."
The rest of the day passed in a blur of classes and conversations, the weight of my newfound knowledge a constant presence in the back of my mind. The familiar halls of the school seemed transformed, every shadow pregnant with possibility.
As I walked home that afternoon, my thoughts drifted to the Harbinger's words, the promise of power intertwined with the threat of danger. The quiet streets of my neighborhood felt different now, imbued with a sense of hidden magic and unseen forces. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched, that every corner held a potential revelation.
When I arrived home, the comforting aroma of dinner greeted me. My mother was bustling around the kitchen, her movements a familiar dance of domesticity.
"I'm home, Mom," I called out, my voice tinged with a new weariness.
She turned from the stove, a warm smile on her face. "Oh, Xian, you're back! How was school?"
"It was fine," I replied, omitting the details of my otherworldly encounters. "I'm going to head up to my room and change."
"Alright, dear. Dinner will be ready soon."
I retreated to my room, eager to delve deeper into the mysteries of the Unveiled. I sat at my desk, staring at the old Javanese words I had jotted down.
Mata batin, wahyu, kesadaran...
But how could I activate my inner eye? Was there a specific ritual, a forgotten incantation?
Just then, my phone buzzed with a notification from the Unveiled Family group chat.
[Dove: Xian, we're meeting at the gym tonight. Be there at 8 PM.]
I glanced at the clock. It was already 7:30. I quickly changed into shorts and a T-shirt, then hurried downstairs.
"Mom, I'm going out," I called out.
"Where are you going at this hour?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
"Dove asked me to meet her at the gym," I replied.
"Oh... okay, then," she said, hesitation evident in her voice. "Just be careful."
"I will," I assured her. "Also... can I borrow your bike?"
She looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "Sure," she said after a moment. "But don't get into any accidents!"
"I won't, Mom," I promised, grabbing the keys from the hook by the door and heading out to the garage.
The familiar rumble of the motorcycle engine filled the garage as I pulled on my helmet. I swung my leg over the seat, the bike's power humming beneath me as I revved the engine.
"Where's the gym again...?" I mumbled to myself, pulling out my phone and texting Dove.
[Me: Send me the location...]
I waited for her response, leaning against the bike. A moment later, my phone vibrated.
[Dove: Sending you her location now.]
I opened the map app, the location pinpointing a gym on the outskirts of town. With a twist of the throttle, I roared out of the garage, the cool evening air rushing past me as I followed the directions towards my destination.
< Chapter 029 > Fin.