The Unmasked
Chapter 1: The Beginning
Hi, I am Leon Graves. I am 12 years old, and right now, I am on my way to Astralis Academy. In this world, there are four countries, and the rest of the world is covered by the Great Ocean.
The country I live in is called Azrathis. In this world, people's power lies within their blood. The color of their blood determines their ability, but only one in ten people possesses such power. When every child turns 12, they go to Astralis Academy, where they drink a special juice made from a rare fruit called the Celestara Fruit. When a child drinks this juice, their blood changes color, revealing their power. Some abilities are basic, some are special, but if a person's blood remains red, it means they have no power at all.
Today is the day I go to Astralis Academy because I have turned 12. It is the most important day in a child's life, as it will determine their entire future.
As I prepare to leave, I climb onto the cart when suddenly, a loud voice calls out.
"Leooooon!"
A familiar, energetic voice echoes through the air. I turn my head, and a small smile appears on my face. It's Finn Carter, my best friend. Finn is energetic, extroverted, and a bit dumb, but he's the only friend I have. I've always acted like he annoys me, but the truth is, we grew up together, and I trust him more than anyone.
Finn jumps onto the cart beside me, grinning. One of our family's servants takes the reins, guiding us toward the academy. As we travel through the dense forest, an unsettling silence surrounds us. The jungle is always dangerous—demons could appear at any moment and attack humans. Finn shifts nervously and whispers, "This feels scary."
I try to act normal, but deep down, I feel the same unease.
Suddenly, we hear the distant sound of a girl screaming.
Finn and I exchange glances. "Did you hear that?" he asks.
I nod. "We have to check it out."
We tell our servant to follow the sound, but he refuses. "Your safety comes first, young masters."
We insist, and after much resistance, he finally gives in and steers the cart toward the source of the cries.
As we reach the scene, we see three carts stopped on the road. A girl in a wheelchair clutches a small bunny tightly while two older boys tower over her, bullying her. One kicks the wheel of her chair, while the other pushes her. Despite the pain, she holds onto the bunny, refusing to let go. Nearby, her servant is restrained by two other men, screaming for help.
Finn and I jump off the cart and run towards them.
"Hey! Stop that!" Finn yells.
The bullies barely glance at us before shoving us aside. I hit the ground hard, my fists clenching in frustration. But then, an idea sparks in my mind.
"I am from a noble family," I declare, standing up straight.
The boys freeze. In Azrathis, noble families are extremely powerful. If what I said was true, they wouldn't dare risk offending me.
They exchange uncertain glances. "Is he lying?" one whispers.
"We can't take the risk," the other mutters.
Without another word, they release the girl's servant and flee into the forest with their own carts. The girl watches them go, her large eyes filled with silent gratitude.
I step forward and offer her my hand. "Are you okay?"
She looks up at me, her bright eyes filled with warmth. Then, she smiles—a pure, genuine smile. I feel my face grow hot.
From behind, Finn smirks. "Do it fast, man. People don't have time to read your one-sided love story."
"Shut up," I mutter, pulling the girl to her feet and helping her back into her wheelchair.
"Thank you," she says softly. "I'm Amelie Voss."
"Why were they bullying you?" I ask.
Amelie strokes the bunny gently. "When I was on my way to the academy, I saw them torturing this poor creature, burning it with a hot metal rod. I couldn't just stand by, so I tried to stop them. But then, they turned on me."
Finn clenches his fists. "Those bastards!"
Amelie giggles at his reaction. I glance at her and feel an unfamiliar pang of jealousy.
Shaking off the thought, I turn to her. "Your cart is damaged. Why don't you ride with us?"
She hesitates for a moment, then nods. "I'd like that."
And so, the three of us continue our journey together .
Leon, Finn, and Amelie were on their way, but as night fell, Leon said, "I think we have to find a place to stay for the night because the forest is a very dangerous place, especially at night." Finn and Amelie agreed with Leon.
By luck, they found a hotel. Leon and their servant went to talk to the village owner. Meanwhile, at the hotel counter, there was a beautiful lady. Finn became very happy and blushed after seeing this beautiful girl, but Leon grabbed his shoulder, covered his mouth with one hand, and apologized to the receptionist. Amelie smiled from behind.
They booked three rooms—one for Finn and Leon, one for Amelie and her servant, and one for Leon's servant. After this, they all went to their rooms.
In Finn and Leon's room, Finn checked everything and said, "This hotel is very expensive!" Meanwhile, Leon sat by the window, deep in thought. Suddenly, there was a knock on their door. When they opened it, it was Amelie. Leon stood up and invited Amelie into the room. His face turned red as he looked at her. Finn, being a good friend, left Leon and Amelie alone.
Leon asked, "Is there something you need?" But then, he noticed the first aid box in Amelie's hand. She had come to treat Leon because he had protected her in the jungle. Leon was smart—he immediately understood why she was there. He quietly sat on the chair, and Amelie started applying medicine to his injuries.
After a few minutes of silence, Leon said, "Amelie, please don't mind, but I want to ask you something."
Amelie was a little surprised. She looked into Leon's eyes and understood what he wanted to ask. She then started telling her story.
"Leon, I am from a middle-class family—not too rich, not too poor. When I was five years old, my father left my mother for another woman. My mother loved my father too much. She loved me too, but she missed my father a lot. Over time, she started drinking every night to drown her sorrow. She still loved me, but when she got too drunk, she would beat me because I reminded her of my father. Almost every day, she would hit me.
But one night, when I was nine years old, I accidentally kicked her last bottle of wine while entering her room. I had never seen her so angry before. She picked up a piece of wood and beat my legs all night. After that, I lost the ability to walk.
After this, my grandmother took me in. When my mother realized what she had done to me, she lost her mental stability. Now, she has been in a mental hospital for three years. Since then, I have lived with my grandmother."
Leon's eyes widened after hearing Amelie's story. He was speechless, in shock. Amelie was just a 12-year-old girl like him, but she had suffered so much. Yet, she was always smiling and kind to everyone.
Leon now understood the harsh and brutal pain hidden behind her pure smile. Even after telling her story, Amelie still smiled, but her eyes were half-open, filled with tears. She
wanted to cry, but she didn't want to cry in front of Leon. Deep inside, Amelie had a special place for Leon in her heart.
Leon hugged Amelie and said, "From now on, I will always be with you. You are not alone."
Amelie finally let her tears fall, but this time, they were tears of joy. They hugged each other for almost 30 minutes. Then, Finn knocked on the door and said, "Are you guys done? It's too late!"
After this, Amelie left the room and went to her own, but with an even more beautiful smile. Seeing her smile, Leon's heart started racing. He felt a strange, unfamiliar feeling inside him.
After that, Finn and Leon went to bed.
After the night passes, they all continue their journey, and hopefully, without any harm, they reach their destination—Astralis Academy.
When all three enter through the school gate, they see a very big statue. Then Leon starts to explain, "This statue is of the legendary warrior Zareth Kaine. Every Bloody Knight and kid admires him. The whole country respects him, including me. I admire him so much. He is the only man I truly admire. He had golden blood, which no one else has had in thousands of years. He was the only man to achieve golden blood, and he was worth his power. He protected the whole nation, and in 500 years, he was the most powerful warrior to ever exist. But seven years ago, when he had almost killed every demon, he went to the middle of the forest to find out where these demons were coming from and why they were attacking humans. Even normal people and Bloody Knights are restricted from going to the middle of the forest, but Zareth wanted to destroy all demons to ensure that every human could live a peaceful life. So, he broke the rules and went to the middle of the forest. But from then on, he never came back.
There's a rumor that the King of Demons killed Zareth. From then on, many rumors have spread about the Demon King. His name is 'The Unmasked' because it is said that he always wears a mask. But it's a little weird that, in 500 years, no one had heard about the Demon King, and just when Zareth went into the forest to find the truth behind the demons, rumors about the Demon King started spreading. The rumors seem true because no normal demon would have the power to kill Zareth. Maybe the Demon King really did kill him, but no one knows the truth. Since then, almost every important place in the whole country has a statue of Zareth."
After explaining all this, Leon, Finn, and Amelie enter the school. They are shocked to see how many kids have come to check if they have power or not. Finn and Amelie are surprised, but Leon is not. He knows that today is a very important day for all these kids—this day will decide their future. When Leon looks at the admission board, he sees that a total of 5,000 kids have come this year to check their power. Then, he notices the two kids who bullied Amelie in the jungle. After seeing them, Leon gets very angry, but Finn stops him because fighting is forbidden, and if someone breaks the rules, they will be expelled from school. So, Leon calms his anger.
Then, an announcement is made, calling all the kids to gather in the ground. Leon and his friends follow the others through a big gate into a huge open ground. When Leon enters the ground, his eyes widen because, at the very front, the King is sitting on his throne, and there are four more people sitting beside him. Then, Leon explains, "The person sitting in front is the King of this country—King Aldric Veyron. The other four people are the heads of the four noble families of the country:
Everhart familyRavenshade familyBeaumont familyStormhale family"
After this, every kid is ordered to stand in a line. All the kids form lines, and some guards start giving a liquid to each kid, instructing them to drink it. Then, Leon explains, "This is a special juice made from the Celestara fruit. This is a divine fruit. After drinking this liquid, if a person's blood changes color, it means they have awakened their power. But if their blood stays red, it means they have no power.
After explaining all this, the kids drink the juice, and one by one, the teachers check their blood by making a small cut with a knife. One after another, the kids step forward, but nothing happens to their blood. However, after 50 kids are checked, the two who bullied Amelie awaken blue-colored blood. Seeing this, the boys smirk at Leon, who clenches his fist but controls his anger. Leon explains that blue-colored blood contains water and ice powers.
Then, a girl steps forward to check her blood, and all the kids start whispering about her. She is not only talented but also incredibly beautiful. Leon tells us that she is Isla Beaumont, the daughter of the head of the Beaumont family, one of the noble families of the country. When Isla's blood is tested, everyone—teachers, Leon, and even the king—is shocked. She has awakened yellow blood, one of the rarest types. This blood allows its users to create powerful weapons from their own blood. Everyone claps for her, including the nobles, the king, and even Isla's father, who is proud of her.
Next, her brother, Harry Beaumont, steps forward. When his blood is tested, he awakens silver blood. Once again, the crowd is stunned because this is also an extremely rare blood type. Silver blood users have the ability to teleport. The kids whisper among themselves, amazed that both brother and sister possess rare blood types. The king turns to the head of the Beaumont family and says, "Your children have awakened some of the rarest blood types." The head of the family humbly replies, "Thank you, my king."
More and more children awaken their powers, and Leon carefully observes them all. Then, it's Finn's turn. Finn is unsure whether he has any power, but when the teacher cuts his finger, orange blood emerges. Overjoyed, Finn smiles, and Leon celebrates with him. Leon explains that orange blood users can cause explosions, which is quite a powerful ability. However, it has a drawback—if the user creates too many explosions or ones that are too big, they also suffer injuries.
After many more tests, only Amelie and Leon remain. Leon helps Amelie walk to the testing area. She looks nervous and upset, convinced that she won't awaken any power. She has always been weaker than other students and can't even walk properly. But when the teacher cuts her finger, a drop of green blood falls to the ground.
Everyone is stunned. Green blood is also one of the rarest types. Green blood users have the ability to control trees, but their greatest power is their healing ability. All the top doctors in the country have green blood, and healers are among the most respected people in the nation. Overcome with emotion, Leon beams with happiness for Amelie. She bursts into tears and hugs him, and Leon hugs her back.
Then, the teacher calls Leon, urging him to hurry since he is the last student.
Leon feels nervous and scared. Both his friends have awakened powers, but he isn't sure if he will. Taking a deep breath, he calms his mind and steps forward. When the teacher makes a small cut on his finger, the entire crowd gasps. The nobles and even the king begin whispering among themselves.
Leon has awakened purple blood.
He is in shock, unable to believe what just happened. Purple and black blood are known as the blood of high-level demons. How could a human like Leon awaken demon blood?
The teacher reassures him, explaining that while it is extremely rare for a human to awaken demon-type blood, he is not alone. There are four others in the country with either black or purple blood. Leon is the fifth.
But still, the other kids gossip about Leon and feel scared of him because purple blood users can create illusions, manipulate human minds, and move objects without touching them.
Leon feels a little sad because of this and quietly returns to his place. But Amelie hugs him and says, "I am always with you, no matter what happens." Behind Amelie, Finn also smiles at Leon. Seeing two of the most important people in his life happy makes Leon happy as well.
After this, an announcement is made that this year's test is over. But suddenly, a guard rushes into the school and informs them that demons have attacked the border. The king, teachers, students, and nobles are all surprised. The king orders some soldiers to stay behind while the rest go to the border to fight the demons.
Then, all the guards leave the school except for a few. The king and all the nobles also leave the ceremony.
However, the 5,000 kids are still inside the school because some paperwork is left to be completed. Ten minutes later, all the remaining guards leave, except for one who is stationed at the school gate. Suddenly, this guard comes running to the teachers in very bad condition, shouting, "Run! Run!"
The teachers don't understand what's happening, but then the guard screams, "Demons are attacking the school!"
All the teachers and students are shocked because this is the first time in history that demons have managed to attack the school. The teachers are terrified because most of the guards have gone to protect the border, leaving only a few behind. Right now, there are only four teachers in the school. Even though they are quite powerful, the number of demons is overwhelming.
The teachers ask the guard how many demons there are.
The guard replies, "More than 150."
The teachers are shocked. If they count, there are only 12 mid-level guards and 4 teachers. The four teachers are strong, but the sheer number of demons is too much for them to handle alone. Then, the teachers look at the students—there are 5,000 of them, but only 500 have awakened powers. However, these kids have just awakened their abilities and don't even know how to use them properly.
But if these kids don't fight, they are all going to die. It will take at least one or two hours for reinforcements to arrive.
One of the teachers shouts to all the students who have awakened their powers, "This is a very dangerous situation! You must use your powers, or we will all die. I want you kids to push past your limits and protect your fellow students from the demons!"
All the kids are afraid because this is the first time they have ever seen demons in real life. But then, Isla steps forward and tells the teachers, "I will give everything I have to fight these demons!"
After hearing this, all the kids feel motivated. Leon and his friends also prepare themselves to fight.
After this, the gate is broken, and all the demons enter the ground. Leon sees that the demons have cherry red blood, which is the most common blood among demons. It grants them super strength or the ability to use fire attacks.
At first, all the guards go to fight the demons, trying to push them back so they can't reach the children. Behind the guards, the teachers assist in the battle. It seems like the teachers and guards are able to push the demons back, but then the demons power up, killing three or four guards before advancing toward the teachers. The teachers also power up to fight the demons, but they struggle due to the overwhelming number of enemies. Then, the teachers shout for the kids to join the battle.
The kids hesitate, but then Isla steps forward and starts killing demons with her yellow-blood weapons. Seeing this, all the kids join the battle. The students with blue blood prove very effective against the fire-wielding demons. Leon's friends also join the battle. First, Finn blasts many demons, and the two kids who bullied Amelie use their blue blood powers to freeze several demons. Meanwhile, Amelie heals the injured students.
Leon also tries to use his power, but he fails on his first attempt. However, when one demon attacks Finn from behind, Leon suddenly awakens his power, pushing the demon against the wall with his purple blood abilities.
Leon is thrilled to use his powers. After this, he knocks out several demons by throwing them away, while Isla helps him. Leon uses his power to make demons float, and Isla cuts them in half with a sword made from her blood. Isla's brother, Harry, also tries to help, but he struggles to use his teleportation power effectively.
After 45 minutes of fighting, all the guards are killed by the demons, but the teachers and students remain safe. The kids without powers are also protected by those who have awakened abilities. Only a few demons remain, and everyone believes they have won. However, things are not as they seem.
A massive wave of nearly 300 demons approaches the children and teachers. Everyone—both teachers and students—feels scared because they are already exhausted, and now the number of demons has doubled. The teachers know that there is a 90% chance they will all die, but they decide that if they are going to die, they will take as many demons down with them as possible. This determination motivates the students, and they prepare to fight.
As the huge wave of demons charges at them, the teachers and students engage in battle. Every child fights with all their strength. However, one demon kills a student, and the other kids become terrified. Isla quickly shouts, "Don't be afraid! Give it everything you've got!" Leon also agrees with Isla, encouraging everyone to keep fighting.
Amelie continues healing the injured students. They all fight bravely, but the sheer number of demons is overwhelming. Some demons manage to slip past the battle lines and reach the back, where 4,500 powerless children stand. The teachers and students try to stop them, but they are too occupied fighting the main horde. It is too late—the demons begin attacking and killing the defenseless children, who are unable to protect themselves.
All the teachers are crying, feeling guilty that they were not able to protect all those kids. Leon also wants to save them, but he is too busy stopping other demons. Then, suddenly, a demon attacks Leon. He gets injured, but before the demon can kill him, Amilie stops the demon with her roots and kills it.
Amilie quickly rushes to Leon with her wheelchair. Leon is lying on Amilie's lap as she heals him. She smiles while healing him, but suddenly, a demon stabs her.
Leon is unable to move to protect Amilie. He screams loudly, crying as Amilie lies dying on his lap, bleeding. He just keeps crying and shouting as much as he can, but Amilie gently grabs his face, gives him a kiss, and says, "Love you, Leon. Thank you for everything."
Leon still can't believe what just happened.
After 15 minutes, all the demons are killed, but the cost is too high. All 4,500 powerless kids are dead, and more than 50 children with powers have also lost their lives. The remaining students are injured. Every child and teacher leaves the battlefield to go to the medical room to get treated, at least a little.
But Leon is still sitting on the ground.
He looks around. The entire battlefield is red with the blood of thousands of children. And Amilie, who had promised him that they would always be together, is dead.
Leon is still in shock. He screams so loudly that everyone hears him. His scream carries unbearable pain and trauma, and everyone who hears it feels his agony.
He just keeps crying while holding Amilie's lifeless hand. He cries so much that blood starts coming out of his eyes.
Then, it starts to rain.
And after that, Leon faints onto the ground.
Written By Mubeen