'I saw everything!'

I was in a safe place inside our classroom, far away from that monster, Jacob, in the gymnasium.

'His Killing Intent even pierced through my Divine Eyes.' Before I knew it, I was biting my nails. I have never experienced this much fear in my life before. 'I did not even know it could do that!' Since my first and only Reverie, I only knew that my Divine Eyes could only sense light.

I was too excited yesterday to see another god. I approached him without thinking about the consequences. I never knew that god was friends with a monster. Now, I caught that monster's attention. 'The rumors were indeed true. I should have done my research before trying to meet that god.'

Jacob was known to be the Tyrant in his grade school days. I heard that that monster beats anyone who annoys him. He also knows a lot about how to use his fists and legs. From what I have seen, there's no doubt that he was also a god. I was oblivious to these kinds of affairs until yesterday. We did not have any psychopaths in my grade school.

'What even happened there? Did that upperclassman die?' As soon as I felt his killing intent, I instinctively withdrew my Divine Eyes from the gymnasium. 'Should I look again? No, he can sense my Divine Eyes for some reason. What do I do? Should I change schools?'

My mind went into a storm until a thought hit me. 'Is it coming after me right now?' I could feel my body shivering. I need to leave now if I want to stay alive. I stood up and started running towards the corridor. I still have one class period left, but I do not want to take the risk.

I was tempted to use my Divine Eyes to check if he was following me. But I always get dizzy whenever I use it with my regular eyes. I never received a Reverie when I desired to get rid of my overlapping vision, which meant there was no way around it.

I was about to leave the stairs when-

'Holy fuck!'

-I ran into a monster with a wounded head, carried by his god companion. A drop of blood fell from his face, landing on the ground, making a faint mark in the middle of the hallway. I was so scared that I could not breathe. My heart even thumped faster I could even barely hear it. I needed to get out of this situation quick!

"So sorry, I was running!" I said in surprise. For a moment, I forgot where I was going.

"It's alright. Just watch where you're going next time. You have a good pair of eyes on you. Use them well," the monster said with a sinister smile, curving its lips.

I let out an awkward smile. 'Damn it! He knows. He knows I'm a god. He knew it was me who was spying on him!'

The two walked away into the infirmary, leaving me in a trance. 'Can I even run away? He even told me my abilities were useless,' I thought.

'Oh, yeah. What happened to that upperclassman?' I closed my eyes and manifested my divine ones. I moved my Divine Eyes inside the gymnasium. He was still alive without a single sign that he was hurt. I let out a sigh of relief. 'Will I be spared like that too?'

I walked to the school gate and found it closed. 'I didn't even consider that when I planned to run away. Gosh, I'm stupid. I wanted to disappear from the world right now.'

Left with no other choice, I returned to my classroom. There were only thirty minutes left for the last period, but the teacher still let me in. 'I should run straight home after school,' I thought.

The day ended peacefully without any incidents. I did not run into him again, but I will never forget that one time I nearly died.

***

It was Friday, this day. I was inside the school bus, sleeping. Well, not really. I made it a habit to observe around me when doing something mundane, like taking the school bus. I let my Divine Eyes wander around the school in advance this time.

'No sign of that freak, yet.' It made sense, though. He was hurt yesterday, so it wouldn't surprise me if he took today off. 'I could calm down for today.'

My divinity only allows me to remotely view a place wherever my Divine Eyes were. That gave me a bizarre experience. For instance, I hear the honks of cars and the voice of students chattering while looking at my school building from inside it. It made me feel uneasy every time, but it was tolerable.

I checked the bicycle rack to see if his bicycle was there. 'His bike is not here either.' I finally felt safe. 'Should I still approach his friend, Vince?' I still have tons of questions I wanted to ask a fellow god.

"Last Stop. East Sunnyvale Middle School." A familiar robotic sound signaled our arrival. I revoked my Divine Eyes and opened my eyes. I froze. Sitting beside me was the one I feared the most. Tears almost flowed down my face. Was this the end for me?

"Hi! You're Akira, right?" the monster asked with a warm smile. The bandage on his head made him look even more menacing. 'He even remembered my name.' I tried to conceal my fear with a small smile. "I'm Jacob from class A. You can call me Jake."

"I'm Akira," I said quietly. I have no escape now. He was observing me as a predator would. I had to play it cool. He extended his hands to me. I made a small gesture with my hands in acceptance.

The two of us left the bus and walked to our classrooms together. I still felt uneasy. It was a bit risky, but I asked, "Do you need something from me?"

A few people around were watching us and whispering. 'Why is Jay with someone?' 'What did that brat do to Jacob?' 'Is that kid getting bullied?'

The crowd seemed to annoy the guy. He turned to me and said, "Do you mind if we move somewhere private? The people around are getting weird ideas."

I gulped. "Sh- Sure." I was doomed.

He led me around school, moving farther away from everyone. I felt my body go limp. What if this boy wanted to kill me? 'I will beg for my life, then. No, he won't kill me. This is a school. He won't risk getting caught.'

We arrived in a little corner. The guy checked for onlookers before turning to me. When our eyes met, it felt as if his eyes could see straight into my soul. I quickly averted my eyes. He looked somewhat disappointed after I did that.

"You can relax. We're just here to talk." He paused. "You know Vincent, right?"

'Should I deny it? We have different classes, so it isn't weird to say I don't know him.' I thought. 'No, he clearly knows everything already. That was probably a trap. He probably planned to put that question anyway.'

"A bit," I answered honestly.

"You saw him do magic yesterday, didn't you?" he asked. His playful tone made his threats even more frightening. "He told me to deal with you. I was wondering what-"

"Please don't kill me! I never told anyone! I swear! You can read my mind or something if you don't trust me. I'm begging you, please!" I blurted out. 'Oh, no. I cut his words... Will that anger him?' My mind was in a state of turmoil. 'How can I escape this?'

"I'm not going to kill you, Akira," he said calmly. Hearing the word 'kill' from his mouth made me slightly shiver. "I actually came here to be your friend."

I gave him a confused look. 'Friend? What friend? What do you mean?'

"Come on, Akira," he spoke. "I think we can be friends. Let's be friends and go out sometime?"

I put my hand on my throat. 'I do not understand. Is this guy serious? Is he just talking like a friend, or is he trying to convince me that he won't kill me?'

I nodded without the slightest hesitation. It was a second later when a shock of shivering ran through me. 'I did it. I'm trapped now. Why the hell did I agree?' I felt as if something was stuck in my throat. I wanted to cry, but no tears came out. 'How can he do that?' He noticed me shake and gently patted my shoulder. 'Stop, please don't come closer. I'm scared.'

"I'm glad you're happy to be my friend," the monster smirked. "Actually, Vince is also interested in you. You can hang with us this weekend if you want."

It was then reality struck me. 'Fuck. I'm totally crying now,' I told myself. I wanted to pull myself together, but tears kept pouring down my face. It was clear he wanted to break my defenses. It was hard to talk in this state, but I still needed to give him an answer.

"Thank you." I tried to smile, but it was a blurred mess.

He patted my back gently and gave me a reassuring smile. "Take your time and think about it, okay?" I nodded. Do you want me to stay here with you?" I shook my head. He told me something my brain didn't register at the moment, but I just nodded. And with that, he left, and I finally let out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness!

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***

The first bell rang. It was time for the first period. Every bit of energy in my body has gone already. I could not even look at someone without holding in a sob. I had never experienced such desperate fear in my life. I never knew people could be so helpless.

I put my bag on my desk and used it as a pillow. I was pretty sure no one could notice me cry on my desk. The teacher walked into the classroom without saying a word. 'Just pretend I'm not here, please,' I thought. Thankfully, the teacher ignored me throughout the period.

The second bell rang. The second-period teacher wasn't as lax as the previous one, so I left the class early and headed to the rooftop. None of my classmates cared, including the class monitor. They were too busy whispering among themselves to notice me leave.

A gentle breeze greeted me as I opened the rooftop door. I lay down on the floor and closed my eyes. The vast blue sky calmed me down a bit.

'My predecessor lied to me.' I still remember her voice on my first Reverie. 'She told me the world is vast, and we're the eagles that bask in its wonders,' I shook my head. 'I feel like a tiny bird trapped in a cage, daydreaming of flying and calling it freedom.'

My ability was nothing to that frightening guy. He even singlehandedly exposed its fatal flaw. 'Am I going to be his pawn now? The best I could offer is reconnaissance... Wait, did I really think how I'll be useful to that psychopath? Gosh, I hate this.'

My stomach grumbled. 'Was it lunch already?' I felt hungry, but I did not want to see Jacob today. I activated my Divine Eyes and observed. I wanted them to eat first before me.

'Not in the cafeteria... Maybe in their classroom...' My Divine eyes traveled through the second-floor hallway and scanned each room. 'Not there either... Where could they be? Nah, too much effort. I give up.' I shook my head and shut off my Divine Eyes. 'I'll just sleep for now.'

***

I groggily woke up. It was late afternoon, just in time for the gates to open. My eyes scanned the area around me. 'Right, I'm still at the rooftop. I guess I'll go home now,' I thought. 'I never knew cutting classes would be this peaceful. I can always cheat during exams like ever.'

I ensured I would not run into trouble and his friend through my Divine Eyes. I then went to the classroom where I had left my bag. I opened it and rummaged through my things. 'Everything is here.' No one messed with my things. That was a good start. I checked my desk and found a note. It read:

----------------------------------------

Let's meet at the park tomorrow at 14:00 if you're interested. It will be fun! My treat 😉

Contact Me: [email protected]

- Jacob

----------------------------------------

'He's been acting nice so far,' I groaned. 'I just hope he won't treat me with a fun gang fight.'

***

I arrived fifteen minutes earlier. I wore some light clothes and a cap. I still felt anxious as I had no idea what would happen today. I even heard Jacob goes out of his way to visit other schools, so I prepared myself for that. I was sure I had mentally prepared myself already, but now that I was at the waiting spot, my hands started shaking.

Jacob and his friend came together. He waved at me like an ordinary boy. His friend, on the other hand, was surprised to see me. I waved and smiled back. The two argued as they walked towards the park. They seemed to have formed a consensus before arriving.

"Hello, Akira. I did not expect you to come this early. Did we make you wait?" Jacob greeted me with a warm smile.

"Not really. I just got here five minutes ago." I felt a little awkward for a moment. This was my first time going out with... friends?

"Oh, yeah. This is Vincent, my friend since childhood," Jacob introduced me to Vincent. Vincent exchanged a smile with me but remained quiet.

"I found a new café nearby. Let's try it! Do you like sweets, Akira?" Jacob has finally decided on a place. If only he would stay like that forever. If I hadn't been exposed to his Killing Intent, I would have fallen to his façade.

"Sure. It's your treat anyway," I smiled in reply. 'What if Jacob really just wants to hang out?' I hope.

We talked and walked for a few minutes before we arrived at a sweet shop. For some reason, Jacob subtly wanted Vincent and me to sit together. I was slightly uncomfortable, and so was Vincent.

Vincent finally talked after his long silence. "I only agreed to be here because Jake insisted that you are a god, Akira. Do you know what that means?" He was visibly annoyed.

'Should I come clean? No, I'll only tell them the bare minimum,' I thought. "Yes. It means you have divine powers, right?" Vincent still looked skeptical, and Jacob just looked interested in the conversation.

"Show me. You already saw mine, right? It's only fair for you to do the same," Vincent demanded.

"Hey. No need to get heated, Vince," Jacob said. He was obviously trying to hide his laughter. "Can you explain your divine powers first? Akira might be more inclined to share if you do that."

Vincent sighed and explained, "Mine is Shadow Walk. I could blend into any shadow, including my own. Using my own shadow materializes it and makes me travel faster. Happy?"

"Now, Akira, can you tell us about your divine powers? Whatever you say will be off the record. No one needs to know."

'Ugh. Whatever. I can't hide anything from that monster. Wait, we're Jacob and Vincent playing good cop and the bad cop?' I thought to myself. 'They had their roles reversed.'

"Fine. But I can't show you anything since my powers do not have any visible effects. Mine is called Divine Eyes. I can merely see far away, remotely, and that's it," I explained.

While Vincent was lost in thoughts, I took the opportunity to talk to Jacob. I cannot leave here empty-handed. "How about you, Jacob? I'm curious about your divine powers." My heartbeat quickened as I spoke. I could feel sweat gathering on my forehead. I immediately started to regret my decision.

Jacob was about to speak, but Vincent cut him off. "He's just a regular guy," he shrugged. "Don't mind him."

'What have you done, Vincent!? How can you offend that thing? No way. Will they fight right here, right now?'

Jacob frowned, looking a bit down. "I'm sorry, guys. I'm not good at this. I'll take our order and get out of your way for now." He walked away to the counter, leaving me alone with Vincent.

I thought something brutal was going to happen. It was good to know that Jacob does not have a short fuse. 'So, it's okay for me to make some mistakes. Come to think of it, that upperclassman was spared. Was that because it was an accident or something?'

Vincent ignored his friend and continued, removing me from my trance, "Have you ever felt alone in the world, Akira?" Vincent seemed to suddenly want to talk about himself. "I can relate to you in that aspect."

Vincent was staring at me. I was always disinterested in people since my Divine Eyes enabled me to 'travel' around the world and enjoy its beauty. I even felt that people made sceneries look worse just with their presence. However, now that Vincent talked to me, I realized something for the first time.

I told Vincent, "I know how it feels to be lonely. I have my own burdens as well. You know, ever since-"

"Do you think the world would be much more enjoyable if there was a god with the same power as you? A god who could see the world with the same eyes?" Vincent eagerly asked. He grabbed my hands and looked at me with glistening eyes.

'Is this how he felt all this time?' I replied, "Sure. It would be nice if there was someone like me."

Jacob came back with the Iced mochas we ordered. Vincent smiled and unexpectedly said, "Yo, Jake. Some thugs are in the alley near this café. Want to beat them up? We have a new member now!" Vincent laughed.

'Fuck. What are you saying, Vincent? I never fought anyone before.' I muttered, trying to force myself to act normal. I was starting to get anxious. The two of them never gave me a signal that something like this would happen. 'Was this really what Jacob and Vincent were doing during weekends? Were they really supposed to be my 'friends' now? Will Jacob even accept what Vincent asked? Oh no, is this Vincent, the actual leader?'

The aura around Jacob suddenly changed. It was hard to explain, but I instantly recognized that nothing good would happen. I felt his eyes were much different. I wanted to run away. I wanted to be left alone, but I couldn't move. Then he finally spoke, "Gladly. I still have some space for another desert."

I drank the mocha down. I was trembling with fear. Jacob sitting beside me was not helping at all. "Akira, right? You're going to be our eyes from now on," he declared.

'Thank goodness. I'm not being sent to the front lines,' I consoled myself.

"Now, use your power to locate those thugs." Vincent seemed very excited. I activated my Divine Eyes and focused on the small corner of the café near the entrance. I felt a hand placed on my shoulder. It felt nostalgic for some reason. I don't know if it was from Vincent or Jacob, but I could not open my eyes to check yet since my Divine Eyes were active.

"Tell us what you see," Jacob said coldly. My heart raced, but I forced myself to stay calm.

"Fo- Four guys. Probably high schoolers. One of them is carrying a baseball bat. He looks like the leader. They are moving away now." I tried to be as descriptive as possible.

"Good work. Now follow me," Jacob announced.

I opened my eyes to see Vincent wearing a jacket. White bandages were now wrapped around his hands. His entire body was covered up. Jacob, on the other hand, was the same as before. We left the café and entered the alleyway.

Jacob ran toward the group of high schoolers and began to fight. His actions were very fluid and sharp. His hand movements were precise and measured. I could even feel the wind move as he struck punches with tremendous power. He blocked, elbowed, ducked, kicked, and threw his leg in different directions.

Vincent, on the other hand, was blatantly using his Shadow Walk. Was he even keeping his divinity secret at all? He dodged every attack by melting into the shadows and striking from behind.

The fight ended in no time. I could only watch as the only non-combatant in the group. The two walked back to where I was standing. As I was still staring in awe, Jacob asked, "Were you bored? You even took the time to dress for a fight."

'What? Sorry, I have not caught what you said. Could you repeat what you said?' I stared in confusion.

"Come back to the park tomorrow. Jake will personally train you," Jacob grinned. Vincent didn't seem to mind and agreed. He continued, "Alright, then I'll see you tomorrow."

They waved their hands goodbye. I absentmindedly waved back. 'Was that an order?' I thought. I watched them leave and stared blankly at the empty space.

I walked home, lost in thought. 'Do those freaks want me to fight? My abilities clearly have nothing to do with fighting. How would I even use them in a fight?' I wandered inside the house, hoping I would forget about the meeting.

'They even took my Sunday away from me.' I punched a pillow, trying to put the thoughts of Jacob and Vincent out of my mind. I went back to bed and tried to sleep. It was still early in the afternoon, but I was too mentally exhausted to stay awake.

***

The world went dark and hazy. Grey clouds started to hide the sun from view, making the atmosphere cooler. It felt cold, yet pleasing. The clouds seem to drop. No, I was the one who was ascending. It was not my Divine Eyes, as I could clearly see my body. Was this a lucid dream?

I leisurely floated in the air. 'This feels familiar,' I thought. The dream felt nostalgic, even though the scenery was something I never saw before. I floated higher and higher until I realized something. 'Wait, this is a Reverie! After all these years.' I was surprised. 'Why now?'

A breeze from a sudden gust of wind surrounded me, causing me to fly through the skies. There I saw a man in his thirties hovering above the wispy clouds. He stared at me solemnly, "The world is vast, and our Divine Eyes allow us to see most of it. However, everywhere we look, there is injustice and pain." He paused. "You thought your Divine Eyes could not be used in a battle? I will correct that falsehood."

I gulped. I did not even want to fight.