THE HEIR OF AETHER

CHAPTER FOUR THE WEIGHT OF BEING NOTHING

Outcast Academy was not welcoming.

The first thing Aren noticed in the academy was the smell. The smell of sweat and something bitter that stayed at the back of the throat.

The walls circled the academy, serving as a protection. The students moved around the yard in groups.

Some trained, others argued.

Aren held on tight to the strap of his bag as he followed Lyra through the gates.

"Don't stare too much." Lyra said quietly without turning to look at him. "It makes you look weak."

"I am weak," Aren replied.

She paused and turned slowly with her eyes moving from his head down to his worn boots and back to his shoulders that were tensed.

"No." She said. "You are just not trained."

It did not make it feel better, but Aren kept quiet.

A bell begins to ring loud and immediately students lined up in rows at the center of the yard.

Lyra pushed Aren so they could move forward.

"Stand there. All new intakes go to the last row."

Aren joined the new intakes. They were about twenty new students, and they all look uncertain about anything. Aren felt nothing. His chest was heavy, the Mark beneath his skin was weighing him down.

A man stepped forward. He was tall, dark-skinned and he had scars running through his arms.

"I am Master Dorian," he said, pacing back and forth with his footsteps making loud thud.

"This academy does not welcome heroes. It is for survivors. If you think your power will save you, then you will die."

Several students swallowed hard.

"Today your first test begins." Master Dorian raised his hands and every student were divided into pairs.

Aren stood alone for a brief moment before a shadow cast it's way over to him.

"You," the voice said. "You look weak."

Aren looked up.

The boy standing before him was taller than him. He had a silver line glowing right along his arms. His hair was tied back and beneath his eyes he held no emotion.

"Kael Stormborn," the boy said. "Try not to cry."

Before Aren could reply, the bell rang.

"Begin!" Master Dorian ordered.

Kael strikes first.

Aren did not see the strike but felt a wind exploding against his chest and throwing him back was. His body hit the ground with a loud thud, causing air to leave his lungs.

The students nearby laughed.

He tried to stand but another strike came, but this time it was fire burning across his shoulder. Aren hissed in pain as it shot through his arm.

"You are too slow," Kael said calmly. "You don't deserve to be in this academy"

Aren clenched his jaw in anger. He did not need to be reminded how much of a failure he had been. The death of his father proves it.

He rolled over the moment Kael foot was about to slam the ground where his head had been.

Aren managed to get back up to his feet, swinging blindly.

Kael signed and grabbed Aren by the collar, raising him up in his hand.

"Pathetic." He said and threw Aren to the ground with the impact making Aren loose a tooth.

"That is enough." Dorian said. "Stormborn wins."

The students moved along, going back to their various trainings as Master Dorian walked out of the yard.

Lyra approached Aren. "I am sorry that I could not help." She pulled out a piece of cloth to wipe off the blood stain on Aren's lips

"I don't know if I will survive here." Aren said, as he gets the piece of cloth away from Lyra and wiping off the other part of his lips.

"Come on, let's get you a dormitory." Lyra said, stretching her hand. Aren took it and hissed feeling his bones c***k as he got back to his feet.

When they got to the dormitory, Lyra spoke with one of the guards and Aren is allowed into one of the rooms.

It was small, shared with five other and none of them seemed friendly with Aren.

While Aren settled down on the empty bed, he heard footsteps and looked up to see Kael passing by the doorway.

Their gaze met and Kael stopped.

"You will not last." Kael said. "People like you never last."

Aren looked up. "I don't even know you, but you hate me so much."

Kael smiled but it did not reach his eyes.

"Everytime I look at you, I remember how it feels to be weak." He replied before walking away.

Later that night, Aren could not sleep. Every part of his muscles ached, which forced him to slip out of bed quietly and made his way to the training yard.

He was practicing alone on a cold night.

He was throwing weak punches and his steps were wrong. Every time he tried, he fell back on the floor.

"You should hit with your legs standing back."

Aren turned around and gasped seeing Master Dorian behind him. "That is the best technique for punching." He added, before walking away.

Aren nods his head and adjusts his leg backwards. He swung through the tree cracking it a little bit.

He raised his hand and excitement washed over him. If he kept training for days, he might just be good with the punches.

***

The next morning, Aren returned back to the training ground, looking for Lyra when he was toppled to the ground by a group of students, who burst out in laughter.

"Kael was right. He is really pathetic." One of them said,

"Get your hands away from him!" Lyra barked and they turned around and stepped aside while she approached Aren.

"One more person. I dare you!" Lyra warned, grabbing unto her sword.

"Alright. Have it your way." They said and started turning to leave.

"Hope next time we see you, don't run and go call your sister." A boy with blonde hair said and everyone else laughed.

"Are you alright?" Lyra asked, staring at Aren.

He pushed her hands away from his shoulder and got back to his feet.

"I don't need you babysitting me around here. I will be fine." He warned and walked away.