Nas and his friends arrived at the classroom just as the mathematics teacher walked in. The class was quiet yet interactive. During the lesson, it was revealed that Nas ranked among the top ten students in their year. This came as no surprise since, lacking magical abilities, Nas dedicated himself entirely to education and entertainment.
After school, Nas invited his friends to the cinema to watch a newly released movie already climbing to the top of the box office charts. This film was a crossover between the two leading movie production companies and had been declared the most anticipated movie of the century. With a runtime of three hours and rumors of a sequel already in the works, it was a must-see. Not having watched it yet was almost embarrassing for Nas and his friends.
The cinema was just a few blocks from school, making it a pleasant walk rather than needing a cab. Upon arriving, they got their tickets; Phoebe bought the popcorn, and Michael handled the drinks. They made it to their seats just before the first scene ended. The cinema was packed, the speakers roared, and the 4K projector made it feel like they were inside the movie. The sounds from the speakers vibrated through their skin, creating an immersive experience like no other.
A little over fifty minutes into the movie, gasps and awes filled the entire room. Amidst the excitement, Kendra called Nas, prompting everyone in the cinema to yell at him to take his call outside. Even his friends were against him this time. Reluctantly, he went out to take the call but could barely hear anything due to the noise in the cinema's reception area and outside the building. He decided to head to a quieter alley and called his mom back.
She was furious, explaining that Victor had called her, saying he couldn’t find him. Nas reassured her that there was nothing to worry about, explaining he was fine, with friends, and would be home before 7:00 PM. When she asked where he was, he evaded, knowing she'd come pick him up and cause a scene. She reluctantly agreed after making him promise to be home before dark.
As Nas turned to go back into the cinema, he was cornered by Ademola and his gang.
"Oh, mama looking for her baby. Guess you're not going home today in one piece," Ademola sneered.
"What do you want, Ademola? I don't want any trouble," Nas replied, trying to keep his voice steady.
"You don't? Oh, well, I do. You have to pay for what you've done today, or it won't be fair. You sent Ikenna to the hospital and got me in trouble with the school. Don't you think you've been a bad boy?" Ademola sneered, looking down at Nas with a chilling gaze as his friends formed a menacing circle around him.
"You don't want to do this, Ademola," Nas warned, trying to keep his voice steady.
"Actually, I do," Ademola said, his voice cold and sinister. "I've got to teach you some manners. You've been spoiled way too much." He slapped Nas hard, the sound echoing in the alley. Nas stood firm, his eyes blazing with defiance. He swung a punch at Ademola’s face but stopped just before making contact, images of Victor and his mom warning him flashing through his mind. He knew that if he gave Ademola the beating he deserved, it would cause endless trouble for his mom and Victor. Though Victor would do anything to help him, even leveraging his family's wealth and connections, Nas didn't want to burden his sensei and friend.
"Please, Ademola, I don't want to fight you. I'm already in enough trouble. Sending you to the hospital would be the last strike for me. I can't put my mom through that," Nas pleaded.
"Are you saying you could beat me if you wanted to?" Ademola scoffed, his eyes narrowing dangerously.
"Without a doubt. And I think you know that," Nas replied, but his confidence was met with a brutal grip as Ademola's goons held his arms back.
"You're so full of yourself," Ademola snarled, his voice low and threatening. "Just because you beat Ikenna, you think you're something special. Let me tell you, being proficient in martial arts means nothing. I could pummel you right here and now, and no one would do a damn thing about it. If you went to the police, no one would take up the case. My family would shut it down before it even left the station. That’s the power of wealth. I can do anything I want—bullying, rape, even murder—and walk away without a scratch. I could kill you right now, and nothing would happen. Not even a detention cell for me, let alone a prison."
Ademola laughed, the sound cold and cruel, as he continued to hit Nas, kicking and stepping on him. Each blow was a reminder of the power imbalance, the weight of Ademola's words sinking in with every strike.
"What is it you want?" Nas asked, his voice shaking with suppressed rage.
"I want you to understand your place," Ademola hissed, his eyes glinting with malice. "I want you to grasp the fact that no matter how tough you think you are, you're nothing compared to me. You're just a pathetic, magicless worm who needs to be crushed."
The blows rained down harder, each strike a brutal reminder of Ademola's power and arrogance. Nas gritted his teeth, enduring the pain, knowing that fighting back would only make things worse for those he cared about. The alley echoed with the sound of fists meeting flesh, the sinister laughter of Ademola and his gang filling the air. Nas's vision blurred, but his resolve remained unbroken. He had to survive this, not for himself, but for his mother and Victor.
"Just die already, you're an eyesore," Ademola sneered, his voice dripping with venom. "Coming into my kingdom and thinking you could steal the spotlight, you worthless child of a whore. Know your place, you trash from Igodo. You're not worthy to breathe the same air as me, let alone attend the same school. It's disheartening to know you still have three years left in my school—the school my family funds. You're riding on a scholarship funded by them and their peers, walking around with an air of arrogance and authority. You should know your place is at my feet. You're not even worthy to lick the sole of my shoe. I made you. Without my family's sponsorship, you wouldn't be in school. You should worship me and call me God, but instead, you hang around with kids from wealthy homes and act like you're one of us. You're not."
"I've never once claimed to be one of you," Nas retorted, his voice steady despite the pain. "I know my place and I'm fine with it. But what's wrong with wanting a better life than the one I have?"
"Shut up, shut up, shut up. Die. Die, die, die, die, die," Ademola chanted, his rage escalating as he continued to beat Nas. His fists flew wildly, each strike fueled by unbridled fury.
"Spewing trash like that is why you're hated. It just had to be you of all people. Why not someone else? I wouldn't mind if it was someone else. Why you?" Ademola kicked Nas in the face, sending a fresh wave of pain coursing through him.
"Where'd all your spunk go? Where's your anger, where's your fighting spirit? Fight me, punch me, make it fun for me!" Ademola screamed, his voice a twisted mix of anger and sadistic pleasure as he and his friends continued their brutal assault on Nas.
With every kick, Nas grew angrier. His face flushed red, veins bulging over his muscular, well-built body. His fists clenched tightly, a storm of rage brewing within him.
Nas forced himself to focus on his breathing, quelling his anger and resisting their taunting. He remembered his mother's warning and calmed down, allowing Ademola and his friends to do whatever they wanted. They beat him until they were satisfied. When Ademola had his fill, he hissed in boredom and spat on Nas before calling his friends to leave.
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"Know your place, dud," Ademola sneered, spitting on Nas again. He and his friends left the bleeding Nas in the alley, their laughter echoing cruelly.
Meanwhile, the movie had just ended, and fans were crying and taking pictures. They proclaimed it the best movie of the 21st century, though a big argument broke out over the ending. The protagonist died without learning his lover was pregnant, which infuriated many fans who had hoped for a happy ending.
Phoebe noticed that Nas had been gone for almost an hour and missed the most interesting part of the movie. Concerned, she pointed this out to the group. It wasn't like Nas to miss something like this. They decided to look for him and soon saw him emerging from the alley, covered in injuries. Ademola and his friends laughed as they saw Nas, and the group immediately understood what had happened. Michael was about to attack them, but Phoebe stopped him.
"Nas wouldn't want that," she said firmly.
"But—" Michael began to argue, but then he saw Nas smile at him. They ran to help Nas.
"You really are stupid, you know that? Considering your skills, you could have easily taken them. So why let them do this to you?" Michael asked.
"They're not worth it. I already sent Ikenna to the hospital. If I fought them, it would be bad for my mom, and I'd be on my last strike. I'd most definitely be headed to juvenile detention," Nas explained.
"Yeah, true. Sorry about that," Phoebe said softly.
"Let's just go home. Tell me what happened in the movie. I want to hear all about it," Nas said.
Soon, Victor pulled over in front of the cinema.
"The future stepdad has arrived," Ademola and his friends chorused mockingly. Victor shot them a deathly glare, and they shrieked and ran in the opposite direction.
"Your mom's going to kill me," Victor chuckled.
"Sorry," Nas said as he got into the car, and Victor drove off.
"Now, y'all know what to do," Phoebe said as Victor's car disappeared into the distance.
"Yes," the rest of the crew chorused.
"I know we're going against Victor and we'll probably get in trouble, but no one treats my friend like that and gets away with it," Phoebe said with a straight face.
It was already dark out, and Kendra had just returned from the hospital. She hadn't been told what had happened to Nas, and when she went to check on him, he pretended to be asleep. She left him alone, thinking he was resting.
Meanwhile, Ademola and his gang had just finished basketball practice and were heading home. Ademola drove his sports car through the quiet streets of the Government Residential Area. Suddenly, an unknown force struck his car, causing it to flip over and catch on fire. Being a mage, Ademola blasted a door open with wind and escaped, leaving his goons behind without a second thought. Just then, an arrow made of earth shot at him, and he narrowly evaded it. He ran for his life, unable to see his attacker, and watched his car explode in the distance. He didn't care if his goons made it out. He only stopped when he reached a dead end. Turning to face the opposite direction, he called out for his attacker, his body engulfed in air, injuries covering him, and a deep cut on his head.
Phoebe emerged from the darkness opposite him, and Michael leaned against a wall, shocking Ademola.
"You made a big mistake going after our friend. We tried to warn you, but you didn't listen," Michael smirked.
"So you decided to attack me. Some guts you have," Ademola sneered.
"I love it when you try to act tough. You know you can't take an Elementor and a water mage on your own. You're just a wind user, nothing more," Phoebe said.
"You wouldn't attack me. You'd be going against your teacher," Ademola retorted.
"Well, the person you attacked is practically family, so screw the rules," Phoebe cracked her knuckles.
"You're not even related by blood," Ademola scoffed.
"And who said blood is the only way to be related to someone? No wonder your grades are so bad," Phoebe shot back.
Ademola tried to use wind to attack them, but Michael, being an Elementor, canceled his attack.
"You know, your selfishness is astounding," Michael said, stepping forward. "Did you even notice your goons are probably dead back there?"
Ademola's face twisted with disdain. "They were pawns, nothing more. If they had to die for me, then they served their purpose."
Michael shook his head. "That's exactly the problem with you, Ademola. You treat everyone like they're expendable. You don't care about anyone but yourself."
"Why should I? Power and money are all that matter," Ademola spat. "People are tools. If they break, you replace them."
Phoebe narrowed her eyes. "That's why you're so despised. You think you can walk all over people and get away with it."
"Despised? By whom? Weaklings like you?" Ademola scoffed. "I have the power to crush anyone who stands in my way."
Michael's expression hardened. "And that's why we're here. To teach you a lesson. No one treats our friend like that and gets away with it."
The rest of Nas' friends were hidden in the shadows.
"We've come to return the favor you did our friend, a thousand times over. Prepare yourself," Phoebe said, manipulating water from a nearby gutter before stopping and taking a martial arts stance, beckoning Ademola to attack.
"Nas wouldn't ask you to do this. He'll be mad when he hears about this," a scared Ademola said.
"Guess I'll have to make you incapable of speech," Phoebe replied, charging at Ademola. Michael canceled Ademola's wind attack.
"Now pay," Phoebe said as she appeared in front of him. With one powerful punch to Ademola's chest, he coughed blood. Michael had increased her speed with wind magic by manipulating the air around her. Before Ademola could find his footing, Phoebe went under him and delivered an uppercut that sent him flying. She immediately punched him in the stomach, sending him crashing a distance away.
Phoebe walked to Ademola, who had pissed himself from fear and tried to run. She used water from the gutter to hold him still, then sat on him. He tried to scream for help, but she continued beating him down until he was a bloody mess. His eyes were swollen, his nose broken, his face covered in blood, and his voice nonexistent, preventing him from yelling. Michael finally stepped in and stopped her, recognizing that, like Nas, Phoebe also had anger issues.
Phoebe managed to regain her composure, and Michael, with a gentle whirlwind enveloping him, approached the near-unconscious Ademola. His voice carried a tone of firm warning, tinged with the authority of his elemental mastery.
"Listen carefully, Ademola," Michael began, his words cutting through the silence of the night. "If you ever even think about going near Nas again, you won't get off as easily as you did tonight."
Ademola, battered and defeated, groaned weakly in response, barely able to comprehend the seriousness in Michael's voice. The wind around Michael intensified slightly, emphasizing his resolve.
Phoebe stood nearby, watching the scene with a mixture of relief and lingering tension, ready to act if Ademola made any move to defy Michael's warning. The message was clear: Nas was under their protection, and any threat against him would be met with swift and decisive action.
After Phoebe had subdued Ademola and Michael had warned him off, Adrian, Alexei, Peter, and Flourish called for an ambulance to take care of Ademola and his friends who they'd saved from the car before it exploded.
On their way home, Phoebe let out a sigh, remarking how challenging it was to act like a villain. She admitted that facing someone whose powers were unknown to her had been nerve-wracking, wondering aloud what might have happened if Ademola had been stronger than her.
Michael reassured her, explaining, "That's why I went with you. Mages like Ademola, who think they're invincible because of their magic, often neglect training their bodies and honing their skills. That's what makes them weaker compared to someone like Nas, who could be considered superhuman if ranked as an athlete, due to his rigorous training of both body and mind."
Phoebe smiled, relieved. "That's another bully out of the way."
"Yeah," Michael agreed, "let's keep protecting him until he's able to protect himself."
As they continued their journey home, the weight of their actions settled in, knowing they had taken a stand to protect their friend against those who would harm him.
Their phones rang simultaneously, interrupting the aftermath of their confrontation with Ademola. Each checked their screen to see it was their respective mothers calling. Alexei bid them farewell and swiftly departed, jumping into the sky with an elegant leap. Flourish drew his wand and summoned his broom, gracefully mounting it and soaring into the night sky. Meanwhile, Adrian, Michael, and Phoebe waited for their drivers to arrive and pick them up.
"Sure is nice being a wand mage, getting to fly on a broom like that," Phoebe remarked, watching Flourish disappear into the darkness.
"I'm not sure it's as easy as it looks, but it does seem pretty cool," Adrian replied thoughtfully.
"Yeah, we should ask Flourish if we can ride it sometime," Michael suggested.
Adrian chuckled. "Fat chance of that happening. He's been waiting for that broom for ages. I doubt he'll let anyone else touch it."
They all shared a laugh, the tension of the earlier encounter with Ademola easing into camaraderie.
"Wait, isn't he an elf? Why is he using wand magic?" Phoebe asked, curious.
Adrian explained, "Oh, that. Flourish has trouble controlling his powers on his own. You remember all those times he'd show up with injuries from accidentally harming himself with his magic? The wand helps him focus and manage his abilities."
Phoebe looked surprised. "Did you all know about this?" she asked Michael.
Michael nodded. "Yeah, we did."
"Why didn't you tell me? I thought there were no secrets between us," Phoebe retorted, a hint of frustration in her voice.
"It wasn't our secret to tell, and we assumed you knew," Adrian explained calmly.
"We? So everyone knew, even Nas?" Phoebe asked incredulously.
Adrian nodded. "Even Nas. You just never asked."
"So the one person who has no connection to magic knew, and I didn't? Does that seem fair?" Phoebe questioned, feeling a bit left out.
Their conversation was cut short as Adrian's ride arrived. He offer to give Phoebe and Michael a lift, but their rides were already close by.
"Now if it isn't the golden Elementor, this is sure to be fun," said a man who blended with the darkness.
The voice emerged from the shadows, carrying a hint of amusement and a touch of menace. It echoed around Michael and Phoebe, causing them to tense up, sensing the presence of someone who knew them well enough to recognize Michael's elemental prowess.
Michael's expression hardened as he scanned the darkness, trying to pinpoint the speaker's exact location. Phoebe instinctively moved closer to him, ready to defend against any threat that might emerge.
"Who are you?" Michael called out, his voice steady despite the uncertainty. He knew that encountering someone who addressed him as the "golden Elementor" indicated a familiarity that could mean trouble.
The figure chuckled softly, the sound reverberating through the night air. "Oh, Michael, you know very well who I am. Let's just say I'm here to make things interesting."
Phoebe glanced at Michael, her eyes narrowing in concern. They both knew that their encounter with Ademola might have drawn attention from unexpected quarters. Now, faced with a mysterious figure in the darkness, they braced themselves for whatever challenge lay ahead