Down System

Chapter 32

FERNO ANDILET

I was born anew.

People inside the campus could not take away their eyes from me. Some were brave to gossip in front of me. On the other side, the other chose to run away because of great fear. That was just right. They must tremble in dread.

I stood affirmed and wandered my sight all over the place— from the top of the building to the lower part to both sides, and every corner. I could not stop smirking at everyone, knowing that they were astonished at my sudden arrival.

Now, all of them would bow their heads to the king who resurrected.

My eyes had caught Aleera passing through the big crowd surrounding me; she was lucky enough to pass through them and get to the same spot where I was in. My eyes shined the moment she stood in front of me. Now, I was bothered by her, thinking she was an exception. Would she also bow her head to me? Perhaps, no. Besides, I would not let that happen.

For all my life, Aleera was the only girl who made me realize my worth. She was always there to teach me to be brave. She did not give up on me, even though how much she knew I didn't really care.

In fact, I didn't appreciate at all that girl's effort. I lived all alone, and I was used to having no one by my side, except for my dad. So, it was just fine for me to disregard her. Besides, I didn't want friends; I just needed myself to live.

However, that was before. And now that I was already back, I would show Aleera what she deserved.

I hate women, but not her. I just got an epiphany that treating her badly would not cause me good and profit. Besides, I knew she didn't hurt me and had not done any wrong thing to me; nevertheless, she was the only exception. I would continue loathing on every girl of this land, and no one could stop me.

"Ferno..." Aleera said in a low tone, but it had reached my ears.

To my surprise, she ran towards me and hugged me tightly as she wailed. I was just standing there, though, not responding to her embrace.

"Tell me that I am not dreaming!" Aleera said. "Please, say it's really happening, and that you're alive!"

The murmurs became even louder as she uttered those words. The school guards tried asking her to stay away from me, yet she didn't listen. All of them still could not believe that I had risen; they thought I was just a ghost.

Aleera didn't stop yelling, not minding the say of the people that surrounded us. It had been minutes, yet she didn't let go of me.

"I came to see you again, Aleera," I told her, but this time, I was already responding to her hug. "You're not dreaming. It's really happening. I'm here now. I'm back."

Aleera cried even louder after hearing what I had said. Her embrace became tighter, that it was already getting hard for me to breathe. Did she really miss me that much?

As the tension went on, the wind got stronger that it made everyone take their steps away. Some of them started hiding from their rooms when the big raindrops started to fall from their place. Nevertheless, the big men didn't leave Aleera by my side. They altogether ran towards me and tried catching me, but they weren't able to succeed when I let the breeze flew them back from the building.

Aleera's eyes grew wider as she had seen me used the wind to control everything.

"Don't be scared," I whispered to her. "I won't hurt you."

The screaming aroused from the entire academy as I continued shaking the trees and making them fear the breeze. I had no plan of stopping, not until Aleera told me so.

I put down my arm and looked at her. My tears were near to fall when I saw her eyes begging me. This was what I wanted— to show the people how powerful I was, but it didn't seem fine to her at all.

For all my life, I treated myself as an outcast of this world because this was what they showed to me, especially my family. When I was weak, no one wanted me, and now that I was strong, still they were avoiding me. What did they want me to do to please them?

When the wind became calm, the school guards planned to catch me again, but Aleera halted them, causing them to stop moving and stay in their places.

"Just let him live!" Aleera shouted. "Can't you see? He is alive! Ferno is not a ghost. J-just let him be happy..." she cried.

"Kid, you better stay away from him!" one of the men told her. "Can't you see as well? It was so clear that he died! He's a harm to us. Come here now, we are begging you."

"He's not dead. I can touch him! We can see him, can't we?"

"But we don't know exactly how did it happen. Please, don't be blinded! We aren't yet sure if who that boy is. He maybe is an impostor trying to bring danger in this academy!"

Aleera turned her gaze at me. "You are Ferno, aren't you?" he asked with her eyes still teary.

"Do you doubt me?"

"No, and that's why I'm asking you to tell me you are really Ferno because it's what I believe."

The men continued shouting to us, but their words couldn't reach my intuition, since my focus was on Aleera. I knew she believed me. I trusted her for not doubting me.

"Can we leave this place now?" Aleera asked. "Please, let's stay away from here together."

I swallowed my saliva. Before speaking again, I looked first at the men who were still guarding us. "As you said," I told her after.

Planning to depart, I held Aleera's hand. I was about to pull her away from the academy when someone from the gate had stopped me— my sister Yoona, with polices at her back.

"Ferno!" Yoona called out for my name. "Surrender now or they will shoot you!"

"What is she saying?" Aleera asked me, creasing her brow.

"You stay away from him, girl!" Yoona told Aleera. "He's not good for you. He will just bring you into danger. Please, come here."

"No," Aleera said in a strong manner as she moved her gaze to Yoona. "How will I trust an evil sister like you? And how dare you say that Ferno is not good, well, in fact, it's you who is a product of wickedness."

"I know I've done bad things before, but trust me, I've changed! I'm giving you warnings. Listen to me, please."

"You can't just command me. Let us go, and don't follow us anymore, especially your little brother."

"You can't do that, girl!"

Aleera remained silent for some time. Even I and the others were not mouthing any word. Surely, everyone was thinking of their next moves.

For the second time around, I planned to pull Aleera away from the place when Yoona spoke again and said,

"He killed his own family."