Adam awoke in his room on Earth, stretching his body and feeling refreshed from the eight hours of sleep he had experienced in the Dreamverse. While his body on Earth had slept for eight hours, 24 hours had elapsed in the Dreamverse. With a 3:1 time ratio between the Dreamverse and Earth, Adam had effectively lived longer than any other eight-year-old, making him more mature not just in terms of years lived, but also due to his upbringing in a militaristic hive that had forced him to grow up faster than his peers.
He had spent even longer periods in the Dreamverse during his infancy, as newborns and babies typically sleep most of the time. When he was asleep on Earth, he was present in the Dreamverse. According to Zara, he had been asleep in both worlds during that time, and it was only her startling appearance of her war form that had first awakened him there.
Looking at the clock, he noted the time. "6 o'clock, perfect."
He went to the toilet and brushed his teeth, then hit the treadmill at home, making sure that he maintained his physical fitness on Earth as well. The discipline instilled in him by the hive compelled him to follow a strict daily routine, and exercise was an essential part of it.
‘I wish my stats would carry over from the Dreamverse. It’s annoying having to exercise in different bodies, it’s taken me a long time to get all the stat points from training so I can hit 10 in all my attributes, it’s a pity that I can’t use it on earth.’ he wondered how good his body on earth's attributes were, “maybe like 4 maybe 5 for the physical stats, the mental ones are definitely better. From what i guess 10 in an attribute should be an average for a human male.”
“Which would mean that I am way above average with my current stats in the Dreamverse.”
After a rigorous workout session, Adam took a quick shower and changed into his school uniform. As he buttoned his shirt and straightened his tie, he glanced at his reflection in the mirror, comparing his appearance in the two worlds. He couldn't help but feel a bit detached, as if he were straddling the line between two different lives.
“Why do you always wake up so early? ” his Dad yawned looking a bit lethargic in the morning as always, he was more of a night owl.
“I need to do my daily exercise,” he replied to his Dad, giving him the coffee he had prepared earlier for him.
“Thanks.” Yusuf, perking up at the sight of the coffee, stated, “so, it’s my turn to take you to school today. Your mom’s preparing for a meeting at work, something about a deal with this client. I’ll get ready as soon as I finish this.”
“Sure, I'm ready whenever you are.”
The journey to school was as uneventful as always, with minimal traffic since they typically left early to avoid the morning congestion in London. Though Adam's parents had attended private schools, they insisted on sending him to a state one to avoid exposing him to an elitist environment. They had also hoped to prevent the Emmanuels from harassing Adam and pressuring him to join their family, since his mother had left the family after a falling out over her marriage to Yusuf. Initially, the choice of a state school had been a good one, but the Emmanuels' influence eventually caught up, and they bought out the school.
The sports car Adam's father drove certainly stood out among the other vehicles. His parents were quite wealthy but chose not to flaunt their wealth. They indulged in a few select luxuries, like his father's fondness for sports and luxury cars or his mother's collection of high-end clothes. They lived in a pleasant London suburb, in a house that was modest compared to their financial means, but they appreciated its cozy atmosphere and considered it the perfect place to raise a family.
"School's starting soon. See you later, Dad." Adam slung his school bag over one shoulder and walked into the school.
Adam joined his classmates in their usual line, waiting for the teacher to usher them inside. He eagerly hoped Stella would appear that day, feeling somewhat anxious and praying she would show up. His prayers were answered as he spotted a flash of red hair among the throng of children entering the playground.
"Over here, Stella!" Adam waved her over, shooting a menacing glance at the boy behind him, who reluctantly gave up his spot for Stella.
"Do you always have to do that? It's not very nice," Stella remarked, looking apologetically at the boy who had been forced to relinquish his place.
"Heh, sorry," Adam replied sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head as Stella called him out. "I just wanted to talk to you before class started."
"Ok," Stella responded, but she seemed off.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Adam noticed that Stella was acting differently, lacking her usual vibrancy. Ordinarily, she was at the center of everything, trying to make others happy and righting wrongs. Now, she seemed despondent and withdrawn. Concerned, he asked, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Before Adam could pursue the conversation further, Mrs. Hutch appeared at the front of the line and began leading them inside.
Adam and Stella took their usual seats at the back of the class, sharing a table since they were both ahead of their peers academically. As Mrs. Hutch addressed the other students, Adam whispered, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Stella replied.
"You're obviously not, though."
"I am."
Adam's frustration grew as his best friend—and only friend—seemed to have transformed into an emotionless robot, responding with terse answers. Throughout the day, he tried to break through Stella's defenses, but she remained guarded and unresponsive. His mounting frustration was evident, and even their special education teacher, responsible for covering advanced content, began to notice the change in Stella's demeanor and Adam's growing irritation.
A few hours had passed, and Adam felt drained from trying to get through to Stella. They sat across from each other at lunch, staring at their food without eating.
'I've never seen her like this. Why won't she just tell me what's going on?' Adam thought.
What would typically be a time filled with jokes and laughter was now a gloomy standoff with their meals.
'I can't let her leave today without finding out what's wrong. I'll be so mad at myself if I do. I'll just be as annoying as possible until she tells me what's happening.' Adam psyched himself up and said, "Stellllllllaaaaaaa. Come on, tell me what's wrong? Please, do I have to beg you? 'Cause I will if you push me. Yep, I'll get down on my knees and make a really big scene."
Stella seemed as though she was finally about to open up when a loud argument in the dining hall interrupted her. Adam glanced over, irritated that someone had stopped Stella from telling him what was bothering her.
He saw 'the double losers' pressuring Oliver, who said, "Guys, I brought the Mecha figurine in today. You told me earlier that we're friends now."
"Yeah, we're friends now, but you still need to give us your brownie. You promised us yesterday," Liam said with Lee by his side.
"N-n-no, I didn't," Oliver stammered, looking increasingly fearful.
Adam tried his best to ignore the situation and refocus Stella on their conversation.
"Stella, please tell me what's wrong."
Stella hesitantly began, "So. Umm. You know."
Adam grew increasingly concerned at her reluctance to speak, "Is it about the event at the Emmanuels?"
She nodded.
"What happened there? Did one of my cousins hurt you?" Adam tried to ignore Oliver's whimpering after being slapped and pulled Stella's attention back to their conversation when she got distracted by the 'brownie' incident.
As soon as Adam touched her arm, she winced, "Ow, ow, ow."
He quickly released her arm, not expecting her to be in pain and momentarily confused before a horrifying realization dawned on him.
"Can I see your arm?" he asked hesitantly.
She nodded, looking down, seemingly ashamed. Adam braced himself for what he might find and slowly pulled up her sleeve, revealing a large purple bruise.
Fury coursed through Adam, his eyes seemingly ablaze as he stared at the bruise. Struggling to keep his voice down, he asked, "Who? Who did this to you?"
Stella, still looking down, answered, "Rupert did. When he noticed you weren't there, he gave me this bruise. He said that freaks like your master need to leave the Emmanuel family."
"Where were the elders? Why did no one stop him?" Adam tried to contain his anger and took deep breaths to calm himself.
"They ignored us when he did it. He hit me really hard on my arm. When I cried about it, Rupert told them it was an accident. They believed him, saying I was probably lying and that it was likely a plan made by you to make Rupert look bad."
"I…" Adam was overwhelmed with remorse. He felt disgusted with himself for not being there for Stella that day. 'I should have been there for her, but I ditched her, and look at what my cousins did to her. I had a feeling something might happen, but I ignored it. For what? So I could go to the Dreamverse, happy that I didn't have to deal with the Emmanuel family's crap. Now look…'
"Mom is devastated by how Rupert treated me, but she's lost her significance in the Edwards family since your mother left her position as heiress," Stella explained, her voice cracking. "Adam, my mom wants us to leave the Edwards. We can't bear serving the Emmanuels any longer. I-I wanted to ask if we could move in with you and your parents?"
"Yes, absolutely. You and your mother are always welcome with us," Adam replied, relief washing over him as he realized Stella and her mom were taking the first steps to break free from the toxic families. "So, when will you join us?"
Stella's face brightened at his response. "My mom is sorting things out before we leave the family. It shouldn't be too long."
Adam knew there was more to the situation than Stella revealed. Leaving either family was a challenge, as his own mother could attest. The Emmanuels were an aristocratic family, their wealth immeasurable, and they were the only British aristocrats with a servant family still in their employ. The Edwards had served the Emmanuels for countless generations, making it incredibly difficult to sever those ties. 'I don't know if they'll manage to break free, but I'll be there to support them every step of the way.'
"Alright, that's perfect. But, Stella, I need you to come with me this Saturday. I have some scores to settle." The memory of Rupert's actions and the sight of the bruise on her arm reignited his fury.
"...demon boy."