บท 4: The Fire Class Room
Chapter 4: The Fire Class Room
Slowly walking to spend his time building up the excitement that he has, Lucas held the doorknob and opened Room 3004.
The feeling of an opened room that was air-conditioned greeted Lucas' nerves that left him with goosebumps. Fuzzy feeling wanted to explode and be evident with his face but he has to keep his calm demeanor present still. First impression lasts was his belief in life.
As Lucas entered the room, his eyes wandered onto the empty and unbusy space, and his expectation into chaos has revved down into disgust. He stared in awe as he saw no one starting any fire. Instead, three men were there, doing nothing.
Two of the three men occupying the room were just sleeping. Their sweated shirts were evident that the practice time had passed, and it was sure as hell a break time for them. They may be laying down out of exhaustion.
The room was empty; full white and has no windows. Just the door from before was the only exit and the entrance. The only standing man held his phone straight on the side of his head. His irritation made his eyes pointed and his brows arched.
"I AM BREAKING UP WITH YOU!" the man standing shouted to his phone. He stood manly and punky, with an amazing sparkling leather jacket fitted onto his dark shirt. "All you did was to act like a model, Nath!"
The static noise came talking back to the man. It buzzed loudly that made the man distance his phone from his ears.
Lucas stared at the man suspiciously. The man wore a black headset that was covering his ears from the phone which made no sense. Who would put headsets while has his phone ringing towards someone's line?
Rather laugh at, it complimented his black hair. His punkiness has sobered up that he looked like a drank drug addict. The bottom part of his eyes even has black eyeliners. But still, it made him more full and it suited him. Unfairly, if Lucas has that kind of fashion statement, that would be the most laughable of all stuff.
And ah! Modeling, huh? That was familiar to Lucas. Was that… Did he saw such a person this day? Was she the girl from before? The one who—
"You even tripped before one of the school's transferees this morning!"
Alas! That was a bullseye!
But… Was he talking about Lucas? In front of him? Lucas' eyes dilated with worry. No one's noticing his presence until now. He shook his head and cleared his throat, as he overheard what the boy was saying to the other line.
The boy looked back when he noticed that Lucas was there. He sniffed loudly and stared sharply at Lucas. Lucas stepped back.
"Oh— I am one of the school's transferees this morning." Lucas abruptly uttered, as he looked down in embarrassment. "I am here to apply for the Fire Skill Class."
The man stared at him in disgust, as if inspecting him from head to toe. His eyes were narrowed, hands clasped, with the phone on his palm beeping as it hang up.
"OH! NEWBIE?"
One of the sleeping men had awakened, making the other sleeping man with him awakened by his noise.
"Yes, a new one!" he added with grit, yawning after being up from his sleep. His eyes were tiny and cute. Partly dominant of his Asian look, it suited him. He can't help but yawn again.
"He seemed to be the newbie that Nath saw this morning…" the other boy whispered, as he threw the red blanket that was covering both of them earlier. He sat and shook his face. Such goals… his skin was brown, but it was so good. Rich and vibrant. His shirt was loose and oversized.
Then, the fluffy bed that was so calming before had been messed up with the clumsy exit of the two boys.
Lucas stepped forward and turned his gaze at the whole room. It was wide and empty. Only the bed can be considered as the significant thing added inside. It was at a corner, and the remaining space should be reserved for practice.
What it felt like to practice a power? Lucas has that question in mind. Sure, if he constantly practices, he would improve quickly.
"Why aren't you practicing?" Lucas asked rapidly, as the man wearing the black leather jacket handed the phone he used earlier to the first guy who woke up, the Asian one.
The Asian guy put his phone inside his pocket and faced Lucas. "Well, it's almost lunch," he said as he stared at his smartwatch. His voice is calm but rich in tone. The quality of his vocal cords was something to be impressed about.
Also, what he got was a nice watch, but Lucas has no clue about popular brands. A poor and orphan man like him has no luxury.
"Do we need to exhaust ourselves that much, huh?" he added and walked towards Lucas. "By the way, I'm Maru, a Fire Starter." He ended, offering his hands for a fist bomb.
This was the moment that Lucas was waiting for! To meet the two Fire Starters at White Day High! Extending his hands, and creating contact with Maru's fist, Lucas can't help but smile widely. This Asian guy was friendly.
Maru patted the other boy's right shoulder and pushed him in Lucas' direction. The boy resisted the push and tried his hardest to maintain his balance. His oversized shirt interacted with that quick movement.
Lucas stared awkwardly at him, as the boy faked his smile. His white teeth suited his brown skin.
"I'm Zanc!" he managed to say. "I was not really a fire starter, but my chemical level to start a fire is high. I'm Flammable!" he chuckled and walked back to chat with the punk boy.
Wait… what kind of power was that?
Elemental breakdowns? High ammonia? What type of disease does Zanc have? It was actually strange for Lucas to meet some people that we're also able to start some fire just like him.
"Then? Who are you? Answer us!" the boy with the black leather jacket shouted at Lucas, much to his shock. He was so edgy and hot-tempered. He hasn't even ceased his narrow vision until now.
"I'm— I am Lucas, Lucas Martin… Also a Fire Starter."
The punk boy showed an evident amount of malicious smile, but it was sure a grin of excitement about Lucas. He let a lame and fast breath out of his mouth, a little laugh that created no sound.
"Woah!" Maru stared in amusement, as he stared at Zanc, to share that amazement he has towards Lucas as a transferee. He was gasping, but his eyes remained small like they never dilated.
"That should be good!" Zanc smirked and looked backward. He pointed his left hand towards the wall and some light beams have been emitted which quickly started some fire inside the room!
That light beam was yellowish, and it spread fast. Lucas stared from behind, too, to witness the door he used to enter earlier was burning! He didn't expect such spin-offs by the duo fire starters here. He tried to leave the room in fear.
Midway through his escapade, he heard the three laughed insultingly, like mocking him. He narrowed his vision and looked back. The three were in uncontrollable hysterics.
"Don't run," Maru laughed, "the room was immune to fire and highly resistant to heat!" he shouted, as he held his tummy out of laughing.
Lucas stepped back, and shook his nape, feeling unnerved with the information. He faked a smile and tried thinking for an explanation about his sudden fear. He has to left an impression of someone strong.
"Hmph, I don't even practice a lot of my skills," Lucas said while looking at the floor. He can't even lie awkwardly while maintaining eye contact. He will laugh, surely, if he did. "The day I knew I could do this was only yesterday." Lucas monotonously added.
The three laughed again, in harmony and cockiness. It seemed that the three were used to laughing all day. Yesterday? He actually said yesterday?
Lucas felt outcasted. Their bonds were strong that they can laugh soundly, even cry out of laughter. Seeing them, he started to felt remorseful and puzzled. His friends at Aspho… what were they probably doing by now?
He left them unexpectedly, and he has no spare time to go and bid them farewell. All he did was spent his remaining daytime inside the Principal's Office alone after Mister Vacio had reported what he did.
He suddenly came out from zoning, as he heard someone speaking.
"Bro, if you wish to stand out for the upcoming tournament, you should start practicing!" the man with a black leather jacket shouted. He made a sudden sound by grinding his teeth with a quick pace, that kinda mimic a finger snap. "By the way, I'm Sting Alloy."
Upcoming Tournament? The thing Lucas has overheard from Moon and Doll. Was that really important? Like, why most of the students here were saying that? It made him curious.
All he knew was that the said tournament was avoided by seniors on Aspho since it was a survival game. Parents would go uproarious when their children were picked because it was very uncertain that they can go home alive. After all, there were no parents who will mourn at him if he will come home dead from that tournament.
But that was the scenario with Aspho. What about here in White Day High?
"Uhm… The upcoming tournament, you said?" Lucas asked, wondering about that thing he didn't familiarize himself with while he was at Aspho.
"Yep. I think every class has a chance of joining." Sting started walking out, hands clasped and whistling some chants. "A survival game that we can apply to since we're all seniors."
Sting was almost at the door. The fire at the door seemed to burn out. Only ashes can be seen outside, but that doesn't seem to make the school worried about that smoke. Maybe it almost happened.
There were no fire detectors also. With this school being too huge, it has to be many of those, but this room has nothing.
"I'll be taking my leave for now." Sting yawned and raised his hands, placing them on his nape for some relaxation. At the right point of stepping over the line that separated the room from the hallway, Sting was slapped hardly by someone in the face!
"HOW DARE YOU BREAK UP WITH ME?!"
A sudden resonant shout of a girl rang out, followed by a shadowy figure behind the smoke outside the room.
Sting touched his right cheek where he was slapped and stared angrily at the now revealed girl. The similar girl whom Lucas saw modeling that early morning was the girl that has arrived.
Same outfit, same glasses, same shoes, and same aura —the girl who tripped before Lucas was Sting's girlfriend. Oh, maybe an ex-girlfriend now.
"Nath! I said I don't want you anymore!" Sting shouted angrily at Nath and started walking away towards room 3005 and higher. His shoes created clicking sounds on the railed floor.
Nath helplessly stared at Sting while he was walking away and slowly wiped her tears that were flowing down her cheeks. She tried to look normal and starting running to chase him.
"Come back, Sting. I have to tell you something!" Nath shouted at the hallway that echoed loudly, still heard from the room.
There were some shouts and loud talks that can be heard but cannot be understood, with Lucas overhearing their quarrel even from afar, much to his dismay.
Lucas looked back at the Fire Starter Duo, The Two Bastions, and smiled at them. Zanc and Maru looked like they don't know what to reply to him. The secondhand embarrassment from what happened to Sting has fled towards them.
What should they say? Lucas and the two faked their smiles to remain somewhat conversing.
"So, what's the training schedule…?" Lucas hesitantly asked as he shook his nape in discomfort.
Maru and Zanc shared a mutual stare, and the awkwardness revved up to a higher gear. What happened to Sting changed the ambiance all of a sudden.
"Uhm…" Zanc tried to think of a suitable time. It looked like the two don't want to practice anymore this afternoon, but have to give themselves time to come back and practice Lucas.
Also, he can felt that the Two Bastions were all faking their expressions. With his years of living on his own, he can feel those guts and turn them out correctly. Those two fire starters in front of him were not that trustworthy. He can felt their irritation towards him.
"Maybe at one o'clock this afternoon," Zanc added.
Turning his guts to nothing, he can only say in mind that one o'clock was a great time. Also a nice schedule apart from what he previously had on Aspho. This school was really great huh?
It was already ten in the morning if he was not mistaken and the next training will be at one in the afternoon…
"So, I think I should go ahead and wander the school. I have many things to know and my cousin was also outside, trying to find his class." Lucas told and walked outside the room. "I'll be back at one!" he said and started to leave the room. There's no door to be closed as it was burnt earlier.
"Bye! See you soon!"
He heard. Zanc and Maru waved at Lucas as he smiled at the two, finally outside the room. Not sensing any genuineness with them, he can't help faking his expressions as well.
As Lucas continued to walk outside, he glanced at the room numbers. 3004, still carved. It was black paint against the white wall. It was still smoky. Lucas gazed while inspecting. Then, as he passed from 3004, it followed the rooms 3003, 3002, 3001…
Room 3000 and below.
The smokes wore off. The hallway seemed huge and clean. What should a transferee do in free times like this?
He continued walking and fed himself fascinated with the view, that was until one sword suddenly passed horizontally straight before his nose, crashing the wall perpendicular to it! Room 3000 was opened!
That was a very close one! If he has stepped more, he would be dead by now. The sword was sharp and started wiggling as it poked the wall.
Lucas instantly took a peek at that room where it came from, and chaos was indeed starting! A bunch of males donning warrior-like dresses ran away from that room, as Lucas froze on his location, still in shock with the sword that passed before him.
They ran out of panic. Some were sweated, some were bloody. Such a strange school. At first, students burned the room's door, then now, havoc was starting as men panicked with bloody faces.
"I didn't expect Winter to be this strong!"
Lucas stared in shock, as the male warriors continued running away out of fear for the said Winter. Ghaile also came out and was looking like she was frightened —shocking Lucas— and tripped in front of him.
He almost forgot that this little girl was there, too! He can't help but curse in his mind.
A brown-haired woman with a sword walked out, going through the hallway. Her sharp eyes were intimidating, which made Lucas' heart beat faster than his nervousness before.
She wore the same warrior-like clothing; metallic and heavy. The woman stared at both Lucas and Ghaile. Her arms were aiming! Then with no seconds past, she had thrown the sword towards the girl!
All Lucas can witness was Ghaile's face that was twisted in terror.
"Miss Winter—!" Ghaile screamed, as the previously held sword by that woman rapidly moved midair, going through Ghaile, as the horror of White Day High will slowly unveil.
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