< Shadow Step failed>
'Is this because I'm stuck? Because I can't move freely,' Eric thought.
Acer rolled over groaning and picking himself up. Once on his feet, he turned to face Eric while holding his side. Eric noticed that his lips were all busted up and blood was dripping from his nose. He started to clap.
'What is up with this guy?' He thought.
"Good job, trash. You are the only one my age that has ever done this to me, Except for Smith. I will deal with that little weirdo later," Acer said with a devilish grin.
Acer held out his hand with his palm facing up. Swirls of frost started gathering right above his hand. He created a small thin ice spike pointed on both ends.
"Let's see how you deal with this when you can't move," Acer said maintaining his grin.
The small ice spike flew out of his hand, leaving a trail of frost behind it, headed straight for Eric's chest.
< Shadow Manipulation activated>
A purple-hued shadow came out of nowhere wrapping around the ice spike like a snake, stopping it in its tracks.
< -3 RP>
< 41/80 RP>
Eric, using the shadow, threw it back at him. Acer quickly covered his hand in ice and smacked it away.
"You just don't know when to quit. Now I will make an example of you. This will show the place of trash. You all are burdens on society. You should all die, be put to death," Acer said with his smile gone, replaced by pure rage in his eyes.
He began walking toward Eric while ice was forming around his hand creating a blade of ice. Eric was sure that this fight had gone much further than what he expected. By the look in his eyes, he was positive that he was going to try and kill him.
Eric intended to only bust him up good for all the crap he had been put through. He didn't want to do any major injuries to him. Eric realized that he was no longer a child and that fights in this world were always going to lead to death or maybe something worse unless he made them stop. He would have to get stronger, that's the only way to make others stop.
Thoughts began to flood his mind about how brutal and savage people truly were. No one cares, that's the position his mother was in her whole life. Even after she died, it didn't bother anyone, except for him. For the others, it was only an inconvenience of them not getting their house cleaned.
Eric's eyes began to glow purple. Acer saw this and hesitated, but then kept moving forward.
"You… You… You all never learn. NEVER! I'll make you learn," Eric said with mixed emotions of sadness and anger.
"Come on trash, show me what you got. It will make this even swee…"
< Shadow Spike activated>
< -10 RP>
< 31/80 RP>
A purple-hued shadow shot out from the ground pierced through Acer's ice armor and went straight through his leg to the other side. Acer's leg went out and he fell to his knee. He began to scream in pain.
< Shadow Manipulation activated>
The shadows wrapped around his mouth muffling the scream.
"Now, now, we can't have that. No one is going to interfere with this," Eric said emotionless.
< Shadow Spike activated>
< -10 RP>
< 21/80 RP>
Another purple-hued shadow shot up from the ground and ripped through this armor and shoulder. Steady streams of blood were coming out of both wounds. Eric could hear the muffled scream get louder because of the attack.
Eric took out his military knife and used it to break the ice from around his feet. It only worked because the edge of the knife was infused with the powers of fire. Once he was free, he walked over to Acer.
"I'm done. If you move I will kill you, Eric said.
Eric put out his hands with his hands open and shadows wrapped around Acer's. He turned his palms upward and the shadow picked up Acer's body from the ground.
"I'm going to let you talk, if you yell, I'll break something. I will ask you questions, and you will answer. Do you understand?" Eric asked
Acer nodded his head yes. With that Eric let the shadow disappear from around his mouth. Eric could see the look of defeat on his face. It was the most satisfying thing he had ever seen.
"Why have you treated me like crap? Why am I singled out? You treat me worse than anyone," He asked.
Acer was looking down at the ground. There was a moment of silence. Acer then looked up and said, "It's because… of your brother."
"My brother? What does he have to do with anything?"
"He was a close friend to my brother. He got him on drugs. My brother died of an overdose. IT'S ALL HIS FAULT!"
Eric was taken aback by this. He knew that his brother was the worst person he had ever known. He also knew that he did drugs and worked for a drug family. But he never expected he would drag others down with him and was responsible for the deaths of people. Eric's biggest downfall was that he wanted to believe that others were good or could be redeemed. He now started to believe that wasn't true.
"I'm… I'm sorry. I know that's hard. I have nothing to do with him. He is a horrible person. He is a piece of crap. Even before this, I was planning to pay him back if I ever see him again. I haven't seen him in four years."
"I don't want to hear it. All trash are… pieces of trash. You all are the same."
"You need to hear this. Each person is responsible for themselves. You can't judge the worst of us and expect that we all are the same. I actually understand what you are doing and what you're going through."
Eric released Acer from his shadows. His body dropped to the ground. Eric's purple glow in his eyes faded away. He held out his hand to help him up.
"I'm sorry all of this happened to you. I probably would have done the same. I'm not the enemy, Lee is."
Acer was hesitant, but he grabbed his hand and Eric pulled him up. Eric threw Acer's arm over himself.
"You can do what you want, but I'm not your enemy. Let's get you to the medical ward."
< Quest completed>
Eric decided to ignore those messages.
< Shadow Step activated>
< -3 RP>
< 18/80 RP>
They both disappeared from their position. In less than a second, they were in front of the medical ward.
"I'll help you inside. I'll let you make up the story. How you and I go from here is your choice," Eric told Acer.
Eric helped him inside and let the nurses and doctors take him to the back and start working on him. After Acer was out of sight he walked out. As soon as he stepped into the dark, he used his ability to go back to his room.
< Shadow Step activated>
< -3 RP>
< 15/80 RP>
He appeared lying down in this bed. He placed his hands behind his head. He thought about how hurt Acer was. It was all Lee's fault. He is a worse person than Eric could have ever imagined. He eventually drifted off into sleep.
____________
The next day Eric woke up to everyone moving around and getting ready for the day. He rolled over to his side and let himself fall out of the bed. He caught himself before hitting the floor and stood out. He let out a loud groan while stretching.
He dragged his feet like a zombie to get ready. He stood next to Vincent at the sink to brush his teeth. Vincent looked at Eric and whispered, " I noticed you went out last night, dude. What were you doing."
Eric looked at him annoyed. He pulled the toothbrush out of his mouth and said "Well, what I do is none of your business. But I dealt with a problem."
"Haha. You need to be more specific. Which problem?"
"Acer."
"Really? That's crazy."
"Yeah, that's why I'm draggin' so much."
They all finish getting ready for the day. There was a lot of small talk along the way. Eric wasn't talkative, not because he was being antisocial, but because he was tired.
They arrived at the classroom and sat in their seats to wait for the teacher. Acer walked in and all of his injuries were gone. He looked as good as new.
'They must have used a healing power on him. I'm glad, I didn't want him to suffer. He just wanted to avenge his brother. He just had the wrong target,' Eric thought.
Corporal Jones walked into the classroom. She stood at attention in front of the room, waiting for the class to be quiet. The class noticed and settled down.
"Before the itinerary for the week is given and before we begin today's lesson, we will have a new student starting with us today. He is a transfer student. I introduce you to Arlo Cromwell. Please come in."