A group of five, consisting of four boys and a girl, walked down the grand academy hallways, which were adorned with pictures made of stained glass panes. These pictures were of many kinds of beasts and animals, ranging from the largest dragon to the tiniest mice. The group strutted through the hallway as if they owned the place, laughing and giggling to each other loudly. The largest boy, who stood slightly over seven feet tall with huge muscles, blue eyes, and long, smooth blonde hair, noticed a boy, who was only about five feet and four inches, walking in their direction, directly in his way.
"Move aside, punk," the large boy said to the short boy, barely glancing in his direction before turning to his friends to continue talking. However, moments later, the large boy ran into something, causing him to stop and look down at the short boy.
"What's your problem? Don't know how to move those legs of yours?" the large boy said with an agitated tone.
"I didn't like the way you spoke to me, so I decided I didn't want to move my fucking legs," the short boy said. The short boy, who wore a dark red jacket lined with sherpa on the inside, didn't even bother to look up at the large boy, holding a bored expression on his face. The boy had smooth jet black hair, paired with jet black pupils lined with red irises.Â
"Small guy, big attitude. Why don't you scuttle along before I turn you into a small guy with a huge hospital bill?" the large boy said, raising a fist in front of the boy's face.Â
"So sorry, you piece of shit," the short boy said, looking up and staring into the large boy's eyes with no hint of fear, despite how much the large boy towered over him. "But I don't like your fucking attitude, so I think I'll stay right here."
"That's one foul-mouthed little boy," one of the girls, a brunette with smooth long hair and pretty brown skin, standing at five feet and seven inches, said, giggling. "That's kind of cute, I suppose. A small guy trying to be tough."
"Last chance, punk," the large boy said, cracking his knuckles. "Or you're gonna get it."
"Oh, fuck off," the short boy said. His right fist rocketed forward from their previous position in his jacket's pockets, smashing right into the large boy's groin, sending a shockwave of pain through the large boy, whose face was filled with shock as he collapsed to the ground, crying out in pain. "Bitch. So much fucking talk, and you can't even take one hit."
"What do you think you're doing?" shouted one of the other boys in the group, who had curly black hair and stood at five feet and seven inches. He was not nearly as muscular as his friend, but was larger than the short boy nonetheless. He drew his fist back, ready to punch the short boy in the face. With blinding speed, his fist shot forward at the short boy's face, stopping a hair's breadth from the short boy's face. The short boy flinched, causing the group, minus the large boy still crying in pain on the ground, to laugh.
"Chicken. Someone got scared silly, it seems," the boy said, grinning whilst still holding his fist right in front of the short boy's face. Suddenly, the short boy threw himself backwards and onto the ground before screaming out loud.
"FUCK! YOU SON OF A BITCH!" the short boy shouted, clutching at his face as blood dripped down his cheek and down to the ground.
"What the hell-" the boy began, before someone behind him spun him around. The boy faced a masked man in bright red robes who wore a hood, whose mask covered all but his eyes.
"What are you doing, son? First day and you're already fighting? I'll make sure to have this written down in your records, boy," the masked man said. The group of four stared in shock once they realized the masked man had a badge belonging to the school's enforcers pinned onto his robes: a badge with a golem carved onto it.
"Mister enforcer, that son of a bitch punched me in the face!" the short boy shouted as he stood up, furious. The boy panicked and tried to diffuse the situation, but he was utterly confused by the scene playing in front of his own eyes.
"Mister, I didn't touch him, he randomly fell and started bleeding!" the boy said desperately.
"Randomly fell my ass, he clearly fell on his back and is bleeding from his face, what kind of nonsense are you trying to pull? Do you really think I'm that stupid?" the masked enforcer said. "I expected a boy of the noble Vander family to be better."
"Now, wait a minute, I can attest!" the brunette girl said, attempting to stand up for her friend.
"What makes you think I'd take your word so easily? You're very clearly friends, and I have no reason to trust either of you- for heaven's sake, there's a boy on the ground, bleeding! And what's with the big oaf on the ground, kids?" the enforcer said with a scowl on his face.
"Well, you see, he took a gr-" the girl began, glancing at the large boy rolling around on the ground, clutching his groin.
"MISTER ENFORCER, THAT FAT SON OF A BITCH TOOK MY MONEY, SO I PUNCHED HIM IN THE GROIN!" the short boy shouted before the girl could say anything more.
"Well, that gives me an easy way to see who's lying," the enforcer said. "How much money did he take?"
"Mister enforcer, he took exactly 4 silver coins! They should all be in his right pocket!" the short boy shouted, pulling his hand off his face, revealing a bloody stain on his palm and blood smeared all over his mouth and nose. The enforcer turned away, nose scrunched, somewhat disturbed by the amount of blood.
"Hold still," the enforcer said to the large boy, reaching into his left pocket. He pulled his hand out, revealing exactly four silver coins in his hand. The enforcer glanced over to the group of four. "Got anything left to say, kids?"
The group of four stood in shock, mouths wide open.
"Trying to act shocked. That's a nice trick, I suppose, but you won't fool me," the enforcer said, flicking the coins back at the short boy, where they landed harmlessly on his belly. The boy reached for the coins with his bloodied hand, groaning as he pocketed them.
"I'm gonna take him to the infirmary, expect yourselves to be called to the headmaster's office soon. I know who you are and where your dorms are because of your student badges, so don't try to hide," the enforcer said. Giving the short boy a hand, he tore off a piece of his robes, handing it to the short boy.
"Use this as a tissue to stop your nose bleed and maybe clean up," the enforcer said, helping the short boy up.
"Thank you, mister enforcer sir!" the short boy said, putting the piece of cloth to his face.
"What is your name, son?" the enforcer said, putting a hand on his back and leading him towards the infirmary.
"My name is Red, sir. No family name, I live alone in the Southern slums."