Eleven years later...

“Hey! Dipshit.” Five teenagers surrounded Khidon, “you sure you’re going the right way?”

Khidon tried to ignore them and kept walking forward, but the bullies quickly intercepted him.

“This fucking bastard, who the fuck does he think he is to ignore us like this?”

“Hahaha, this weak motherfucker is trying to get into Wilborne. You think Wilborne is a preschool or somethin’?

Though infuriated Khidon tried his best to remain calm

His mind drifted to his mother’s horrified face on the first day of primary school, when he knocked out a kid his age with a single punch, so hard that the kid was sent to the Hall of Healing.

The kid had ridiculed him and his mother for his father’s abandonment. He was right, of course, but it wasn’t his place to speak about it.

When they went home that afternoon, his mother made him promise to never use his strength to harm others again.

He still remembers her words clearly in his head. Gentle, but firm, “A great power lies in you, Khidon, that was the gift your father left you. But you must never, ever, use it to harm others.”

So even though he had immense physical strength for his age, even though he could have easily knocked any of the bullies out in a single punch, he lived through the duration of his school years being bullied and picked on for his fatherless heritage and his unique appearance, while never lifting a finger to fight back.

It was no secret either, rare is it to find someone who didn’t know about his unwillingness to defend himself. Including his tormentors, who took every opportunity to make him the subject of their ridicule, trying their best to make his life as miserable as can be.

The bullies, seeing that they’re not getting the response they looked for, went for a different approach.

“Hey, did that whore of a mother you have try to get you a brother yet?”

“Even if she did, no one would want that dirty bitch!”

“Hahahahahaha!” laughter erupted from the bullies.

This was the moment the taught string in Khidon’s mind, having been whittled down thinner and weaker over the years, finally snapped.

“Let’s take it in there.” He gestured at a nearby alleyway. And without waiting for the bullies to respond, walked into it.

“Uh…boss?” The bullies glanced nervously at their leader, shocked by Khidon’s sudden change.

The leader saw it too, not only the change in Khidon’s behaviour, but his entire aura seemed to have shifted, his bright golden eyes that they had once teased often turned wild and dangerous, like a predator finally freed of its chains. He is now a different person than what they had known.

“What are you? A wuss? We’re gonna teach this bastard a lesson he’ll never forget.” Yet no matter how intimidated he was, he couldn't let that be shown in front of his followers.

Soon after, screams of agony began to spill from the dark alley. Followed by Khidon walking back out onto the street, with only a few bruises as records of the bloody fight moments ago.

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I’m sorry mother, Khidon thought to himself solemnly, I just can’t take it anymore. You taught me sympathy and acceptance, but the world is no such place. It sees those virtues as weakness. Some people are like a pack of hyenas, the more weakness you show them, the more they want to come and bite you. The only way to survive is to be stronger than them, and if you do not want to harm them, then you must become so powerful that they’re scared of even coming near you. From today on, I will become that person, I will become so strong that no one will ever dare to offend me or my family again!

Khidon was so lost in thought that he didn’t realize he had already arrived at the meeting place for all the students in Whirland hoping to have their place at the best and the most prestigious school in all of Wilborne.

A woman in silver armour with shoulder length blue hair was there waiting for them.

“Hello, my name is Silika, I am a three-star Elemental Knight, as well as an instructor at the Wilborne School of Magical Combat. You may address me as Madam Silika or simply as ma’am.” She introduced herself to her potential students.

Then, taking out what seems to be a list of the applicants, she told them, “There are five of you missing, get ready because our ride will be here in ten minutes, and if they do not get here before then we will be leaving without them.”

“Hmph, they’d be lucky if they can stand up right now,” Khidon murmured to himself under his breath, “much less coming here.”

As expected, there was not a sign of the five students when a team of carriages appeared, pulled by horses with scales on their neck and tiny horns protruding from behind their ears.

“These are draconic horses, a breed of horse with the tiniest drop of dragon blood. It is enough, however, to make them over ten times as strong as normal horses and on average their power can rival that of an Elementalist.” Silika introduced the animals to the students.

“As strong as Elementalists?”

“Oh my god, are they safe to be around like this?”

“How do we control them if they are as strong as Elementalists?”

Fear and doubts erupted among the students. After all, Elementalists were the legendary figures in their childhood, people who wielded the building energy of the world. It is also the reason why many of them wanted to study at the Wilborne School of Magical Combat, so that they can become one themselves.

“Elementalists, children, are only the beginning of your journey if you were to become an element user.” Silika patiently explained, “They are the lowest on the element user hierarchy and in fact, you all might become one as soon as you went through the awakening ceremony. Elementalists ranks from one-star to seven-star and above them, are the Elemental Knights, like me. Once you reach this level, you are able to shape your elements into weapons to focus your power in combat. Elementalists and the likes of draconic horses are no match for any Elemental Knights.”

Just then, she opened palms and sword of water materialized in her hand, “You will learn all about this if you manage to pass the trials awaiting you at Wilborne. And perhaps someday, you can also form your own elemental weapons.” She smiled encouragingly.

Khidon stared the sword with burning desires in his eyes, he can feel with power emanating from it, stronger than anything he has ever felt before.

That will be my next goal, Khidon promised himself, soon, I will form my own weapons out of an element.

The draconic horses were just as impressive as Silika had described them. Despite pulling a heavy carriage each, they still managed to cover fifteen days worth of walking distance in a mere one day’s time.

More and more people joined them during the trip whenever they stopped at a different city.

One of whom which caught Khidon’s eye, and everyone else’s, was a young girl from a small town that joined the group mid-journey. She had long, flowing teal hair, and stormy, deep grey eyes. She wasn’t particularly beautiful, but she had an entrancing aura about her, like an icy snowflake that could only be looked at but not touched nor spoken to.

However, she didn’t seem to notice the stares of others as she calmly climbed into one of the carriages, or she just couldn’t be bothered to care.

Khidon glanced curiously at her as she sat down beside him. He was isolated from the beginning of the journey due to his...reputation in his city, those who came after also either chose to join the more popular carriages or was just simply intimidated by Khidon’s unique appearances, or maybe both. This girl was the first to join him.

“Hi, my name is Khidon. What’s your name?” He gave her a welcoming smile.

In return, he received a cold stare from her.

Okay......Khidon thought to himself, maybe she just didn’t want to talk.

They sat there in awkward silence for the remaining of the journey. Whenever someone new tried to join their carriage, they were greeted with an icy glare that sent them scurrying to the other carriages.

Three days later, the large group now consisting of thousands of students from all around Wilborne has arrived at the destination.

“Welcome, to the best magic training school in all of Wilborne, the Wilborne School of Magical Combat!”