As the first light of morning crept over the horizon, the birds outside seemed to sing louder than ever, their melodies bright and hopeful. The morning sun painted the sky in hues of pink and gold, a beautiful new day emerging. But for Ethan, the world felt dull. The joy that seemed to come so naturally to others was foreign to him, a distant memory of a life he could never return to.
He groggily rolled out of bed, the weight of the previous night's thoughts still clinging to him. The shards of glass from the mirror lay in the bathroom, but he didn't have the energy to clean them. It didn't matter. Nothing did.
With a heavy sigh, Ethan got dressed, his school uniform fitting him just a little too loosely, like it had been made for someone else. He ran his fingers through his silver hair, still unkempt from the restless night. His reflection in the bathroom mirror only reminded him of his own emptiness, his features sharp and handsome, but somehow hollow.
His stomach churned with anxiety as he thought about the day ahead. Today, his class would have their sparring session. The very idea made him want to stay in bed and forget about everything, but he knew better than to skip. Not that it would matter. Whether he showed up or not, the whispers would follow him. The cruelty would follow him.
Ethan sat at the small table, forcing down a few bites of breakfast. The food tasted bland in his mouth, his appetite having long since faded. He didn't even register the taste as he ate. The thought of the sparring session weighed heavily on him. It wasn't just the fight that terrified him—it was the spectacle. Every student in his class would be watching, every student who had made it clear, time and time again, that he didn't belong.
By the time he stepped out of the house and made his way to school, the world felt indifferent to his struggles. The birds were still singing, and the sun was still shining, but his heart felt as if it were sinking deeper with each step he took.
When he arrived at the school gates, the noise of the students was deafening. They were buzzing, excited for the sparring matches that were about to begin. Ethan hunched his shoulders and kept his head low as he entered the school grounds. The stares were inevitable, and he had long since learned to ignore them.
As he made his way to the classroom, the hallway seemed to grow quieter. The whispers followed him like a shadow, and when he entered the room, he was greeted by laughter and scorn.
"Look who decided to show up," someone jeered from the back.
"Don't waste our time, Ethan. You can't even beat the weakest among us."
The room filled with laughter, their voices cruel and biting. Ethan ignored them, his gaze fixed firmly on the floor as he made his way to his seat at the back of the class. He could feel the weight of their eyes on him, the judgment and the ridicule hanging in the air like a thick fog. But it didn't matter. He was used to it by now.
The teacher, Professor Lyra, eventually walked in, her footsteps confident and commanding. She was an older woman with short gray hair, her sharp gaze assessing the class as she spoke.
"Alright, everyone," she said, her voice cutting through the murmurs. "Today's sparring session will be a test of your progress. I expect each of you to put in your best effort. Remember, this is about control and technique, not brute force."
The students nodded in agreement, and Professor Lyra called for them to gather in the school's sparring arena, a large open space with padded floors and walls. Ethan followed along quietly, keeping his distance from the others as they filed out of the classroom. The noise from the students faded as they entered the arena, their chatter now replaced by the excited buzz of anticipation.
The sparring arena was lined with benches where the rest of the class sat to watch. The floor was worn but solid, designed for the intense battles that took place there. Above the arena, the sunlight streamed through large windows, casting long shadows across the room. The space was filled with tension as everyone settled in, waiting for the first matches to begin.
Professor Lyra stood on the stage, addressing the class. "Alright, first up, we have Mica and Kael. Get ready."
The two students, Mica and Kael, stepped onto the stage. Mica was a small but quick girl with a fiery determination, while Kael was large, strong, and known for his impressive power. The two squared off, the crowd going silent in anticipation.
The fight began with Mica darting forward, using her agility to outmaneuver Kael's heavy blows. She was fast, striking with precision, but Kael's sheer strength made it difficult for her to land a decisive hit. The crowd cheered as Mica spun and danced around him, her strikes landing on his arms and shoulders. But Kael finally managed to corner her, grabbing her by the wrist and throwing her to the ground. He held her there for a moment, trying to restrain her, but Mica twisted free and kicked him away, rolling to her feet.
The battle continued with intense back-and-forth, both fighters using everything they had, but eventually, Kael delivered a crushing blow to Mica's side, forcing her to fall. He stood over her, his chest heaving as he breathed heavily.
"Victory to Kael," Professor Lyra called out, and the crowd erupted into applause.
The next fight was between a boy named Tyran and a girl named Elira. Tyran was a fierce competitor, with a brutish fighting style, while Elira, no relation to Professor Lyra, was known for her disciplined, methodical approach.
The battle began with Tyran charging forward, his fist aimed straight for Elira's face. But Elira sidestepped, using his momentum against him and sending him crashing into the ground. Tyran growled and lunged again, but Elira's focus never wavered. She countered every move he made with grace and skill, slowly wearing him down. Finally, with a swift, precise strike, she landed a blow to his chest, knocking the wind out of him.
"Elira wins," Professor Lyra announced, and the crowd cheered again, though less enthusiastically than for Kael's victory.
The students' laughter and banter had faded by now, and as they waited for the next match, Ethan tried to fade into the background. His heart pounded in his chest as the anticipation grew. It was his turn.
"Next," Professor Lyra said, scanning the list before calling his name. "Ethan and Ryan."
A stunned silence swept over the crowd. The room seemed to hold its breath.
Ethan's stomach dropped. He knew exactly who Ryan was. Ryan, the strongest student in the class, had always been a bully—a fact Ethan had learned the hard way after a few encounters.
But it wasn't just that. There was something else. Ryan had a deep hatred for him, and it wasn't just because Ethan was an easy target. It had started over a girl.
Ethan had once spoken to Alara, the girl Ryan had always secretly liked. She had approached him after class one day, a simple conversation about magic, and Ryan had seen it. From that moment on, Ryan had made Ethan's life a living hell, calling him every name imaginable, challenging him at every turn. Ethan never understood why Ryan was so angry—he hadn't even done anything wrong. But it didn't matter. Ryan had decided that Ethan was an enemy, and he'd made it clear that he would do whatever it took to take him down.
Now, standing on the stage, facing Ryan with the entire class watching, Ethan's heart pounded harder than ever.
Ryan's cold, dark eyes met Ethan's across the arena, and Ethan could feel the hatred radiating from him. This wasn't just a sparring match. It was personal.
And as the students began to murmur, Ethan knew that this fight would be one that would shape his future, one way or another.