Jack awoke with a start. He had been having a nightmare. A big monster was chasing him, but he couldn’t see it. Every time he looked back it was too dark and foggy to make out the shape. He had been running all night and felt exhausted when he finally awoke. It was the trumpet alarm that woke him again. The alarm was horrible. It was super loud, and he still couldn’t figure out where the sound was coming from. If I ever find what’s making that sound, I’m gonna smash it.

Today his first class of the day was dueling. He had a really bad feeling about that class name. Gant had warned him that dueling was constantly being used to boost or diminish family names and was seen as a way to propel yourself in the hierarchy. Dueling was very common in their culture, and they would be thrusting students into the fire at the academy. He was also worried about being a bottom-ranked student. I can’t let myself be kicked out and sent to the military early. His dueling teacher was Choi. After his first-class, he had tried to find out more about him and what happened to his legs, but nothing could be found.

“Today we will be analyzing and ranking your dueling potential. Once evaluated you will be put into a dueling class of your rank. The best way to evaluate your skill is to put you against one of your peers in a one-on-one match to see your potential. Each student will complete three duels in total. As with standard procedure, each student will be equipped with an advanced safety pin that will ensure you are removed from the duel before any real harm can befall you. For these duels, we will not be permitting firearms as we want to analyze the students’ basics.”

Jack knew how important this was, if he achieved a good rank, he could get a better elemental stone. It also meant he could make Gant proud. He viewed this as an opportunity to change his future and he didn’t want to let it go. Eventually, it was his turn. He stood in the arena. His legs were shaking, and he could barely breathe. He had some practice spars with Gant, but he never felt any pressure during those fights. Now it meant something. He had prayed every day for an opportunity. This is my chance and I’m not gonna let it go to waste. He tightened his fists and clenched his jaw. he looked at his opponent and planned how he could take them down.

Jack was wearing a simple suit of protective armor. It was made out of a very light material that was neither metal nor plastic. He had learned in class that this material was what the standard soldier was equipped with. It covered his entire torso. The suit also covered his lower body. He was given the option to take a helmet, but he didn’t like any of the options. Once he stood in the arena his head began to feel very vulnerable, he remembered his dodgeball class and how many times he had been hit in the face. Maybe I should have taken a helmet.

His opponent was a tall boy. The boy was roughly the same size as Sable, which meant he was twice the size of Jack. He had a cocky grin and didn’t seem to think much of Jack. Jack really wanted to rub that smirk off his face, but he knew he was outclassed. These kids have been training for an element since birth. They had years of training and practice preparing for this moment. Jack had a couple of weeks. But he had something the others didn’t, and that was the fear of hunger. The fear of the cold. The fear of the hard ground as you tried to sleep. He never wanted to go back and was going to fight to make sure that never happened.

When the teacher blew the whistle, he instantly went into action. He charged forward straight at the other boy. He didn’t know how their duels were going to be scored so he decided he would do as much damage as he could. Unfortunately, the other boy’s skill was apparent as he wasn’t surprised at all by his instant charge. His opponent must have the water element because he was creating a large water disc in front of himself. As Jack charged forward, the boy sent the large water disc flying toward him. Not knowing what would happen if the disc hit him, at the last moment he dropped down and slid under the spinning water disc. It flew past him straight towards the wall, he looked behind and saw the disc cut deep into the arena’s outer barrier. Turning back, he saw his opponent was already preparing another. The discs seemed to take him a moment to create but they were incredibly dangerous and would probably take him out with one hit. Jack was close enough to his opponent that he could see the white of his eyes, and that’s when all the hairs on his neck stood up. He dropped to the ground without knowing what he was doing. The water disc that had cut into the barrier had flown back towards him from behind him. The second disc his opponent was creating flew at him while he was on the ground after dodging the first disc. The second disc flew straight toward his face. At the last moment, he rolled to the side. Barely dodging. The water disc just barely splashed him as it spun past.

Quickly scrambling to his feet, now he was right in front of his opponent. Jack swung his blade at the boy’s face, he was hoping to take him out with one hit. His opponent was clearly trained in close combat instantly took on a fighting stance and blocked his swing with his melee weapon. His enemy was wielding a sleek double-headed axe that had a long handle like a spear. Jack tried again with a lunge toward his legs, but the boy blocked that as well. Fortunately, it seemed by fighting him in close combat he wasn’t able to control his water discs. Once he was focusing on melee fighting the water had collapsed to the ground. After blocking Jack twice, the boy went on the offensive. He started swinging his axe around him like a staff. He spun the weapon around in circles, in front of the boy, then around him. After a few moments of his spinning display, Jack realized he would have absolutely no chance with melee weapons either. So, in an absolute desperation move, he just charged at his opponent.

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His unexpected leap had caught his opponent by surprise, and he was able to tackle him to the ground, landing on top. He was even able to land a couple of quick punches to the boy’s face. The smirk was no longer there. His opponent looked very angry, and Jack started to regret his decision. The other boy grabbed both of his arms and started attempting to flip Jack.

Jack grappled with the boy. But he was quickly losing, and the other boy knew it. He started trying harder as Jack’s muscles began to wane. That’s when he remembered the cold nights on the streets, he remembered being hungry for food. No. he decided to try a different idea. He focused his mind on the electricity coursing through him. He could feel its wild instinct to destroy, and he grabbed onto that. He didn’t try to harvest or control the power. He just let it out. Suddenly with a large crack, the other boy was blasted across the room. He smashed into the wall and fell to the ground unconscious. Jack barely had time to register what happened before he too collapsed. He had used all his energy in one shot. He had covered himself in electricity and blasted his opponent across the ring.

He came too a couple of minutes later. He was laying on the bleachers at the side of the room. A student he didn’t know was healing him. Jack groaned and tried to sit up. The boy healing him put his hand on Jack’s head and nonchalantly pushed his head back down.

“No,” Is all he said. Jack tried to sit up again. And again, the boy just put his hand on Jack’s head and pushed him back down.

“Stay.” He said.

“I’m not a dog.” Jack yelled back angrily.

“No. A dog would have more control over his element.” The boy said calmly. His hands were emitting a soft blue, and greenish light. The light was slightly warm and felt incredibly refreshing. Jack could feel his headache fading away in real time. It was amazing. Jack had never experienced healing before and was amazed by the feeling. His aches and pains were a distant feeling. His mind felt clear, and his stomach was empty, but it felt great.

His leg where he had absorbed the electricity element was the only thing that was getting through the pain. It hurt. It felt just like when he absorbed it. His leg pulsed painfully and randomly would emote a painful pulse that would cause half the nerves in his right side the pinch.

Jack decided maybe the boy healing him knew what he was doing so he decided to lay still. A little while later the teacher made his presence known by leaning over Jack his whole head taking up Jack’s view.

"Well, that was an interesting display." He had a slight smirk on his face. And seemed in a good mood. "Terrence, the boy you shocked, is currently in the infirmary. For a second you stopped his Heart." Jack’s eyes widened in horror. “Oh don’t worry. It was just a moment. He is doing fine now. A good shock to the system might knock some attitude in that boy. Now you on the other hand.”

Jack sat up. He put his hands over his face and leaned over. He felt horrible. His conscious was screaming at him for endangering someone’s life. And his body was screaming at him for expending all his mana at once.

Choi chuckled. “So, you have the electric element. I’ve never seen a first-year with that element. You can’t do most of the things the other students can do. That’s for sure. Electricity is never chosen first due to it being difficult.” The teacher made finger quotes with his hands when he said “difficult”.

“Electricity may be harder to wield, but I think that’s what makes it stronger than the others.” Jack looked up at Choi. He had a glint in his eyes. “Due to your lack of control, I won’t be allowing you to compete in the other duels. But don’t let this small hurdle slow you down. Show me and everyone else what you can do.”

Jack was silent for a while. He just sat there thinking. The class continued without him. Other duels took place right in front of him. But Jack was distracted. He had messed up. His first duel and he did horribly. He wasn’t even sure if it was considered a victory because he also passed out.

Eventually, the class finished and everyone filed out. He was at the back of the line and slowly shuffled out. He was shuffling towards his next class, trying to stay positive when he ran into Chad. Chad was walking along a park path, he seemed to be genuinely enjoying the trees along the path. The one he was looking at looked like it was in mid-fall even though in reality it was still summer. The tree’s leaves were a vibrant combination of orange, yellow and red. Jack too couldn’t help but stop for a moment and appreciate the beautiful tree. After a moment he decided to say hi to Chad.

“Hey”

“Oh hey!” Chad seemed genuinely happy to see him.

“That’s a beautiful tree.”

“I know! I’ve been walking this path every day! It’s my favorite.” Jack was still distracted from class and Chad seemed to notice. “Something bothering you?”

“Uh naw. Just had a bad class.”

Chad’s happy and relaxed expression changed in an instant. He got very serious and said.

“Oh, yea? Did you want to talk about it?” The change in his mannerisms was very fast. He had been relaxed and enjoying the tree, but now he seemed genuinely empathetic towards Jack’s problem.

“Dueling,” Jack said. He was silent for a moment then he said. “I can’t control my element at all and I almost killed a guy in class.” Chad didn’t say anything, he stood there quietly letting him build up to what he needed to let out. “Not long ago I was worth nothing and I had nothing. I thought life was the worst it could ever be. Then I was given what I thought was a golden opportunity. But now I’m starting to second guess that amazing opportunity. Everything we are learning here is to kill. I don’t want to be a killer. In a moment of panic, I almost killed someone, and I don’t really care about any of this.”

Chad nodded sagely and said “Being yourself in a world that wants to mould you into someone else is a worthy goal. I think conformity is simply obedience. Everyone may like you, but you would hate yourself.”

Jack was blown back by the incredibly philosophical response from the boy he had believed was simple-minded. He thought about what he said. Jack decided he was gonna do everything he could to win his matches without killing his opponents. “I gotta get to class, but thanks for that talk. It made me feel a lot better.” He headed off toward his next class.