Prologue
“So what do you think of Leto?”
Between a group of 5 girls, a tall, redhead girl asked a petite, blonde girl. The petite girl was back to a wall of bushes and the other 4 girls were preventing her escape.
“Yeah! We’ve seen you a lot around him! Maybe, are you two an item? A couple?”
A blonde girl with a bob cut asked her too. The four girls were expecting a serious answer from the petite girl they were “ interrogating “.
“Leto? That loser? NO WAY! I’d never date that weak, sad excuse of a guy. He lacks taste, lacks understanding of personal space, lacks what makes someone attractive at all! If anything I wish you could take me 10 kilometres away from that disgusting nobody! I’d never date him and I totally hate being near his loser, loner, distasteful arse. NO THANK YOU.”
The petite girl, as if fed up, let all her restrained opinions out; leaving completely baffled the group of girls questioning her.
One of the girls, about to say something, got her mouth covered by the tall redhead.
“I-I see… Then excuse us asking. T-The exit of the maze is that way… I think it would be better if we finished the course.” Said the blonde, bob haired one.
The group had a sudden change of attitude, although serious faced, they were eager to listen to what answer the petite girl had, yet after her answer, visible discomfort was in the air.
As if oblivious to it, the petite girl fast-walked out of the area leaving behind the other 4 girls.
They had stopped to question her right before the exit of a maze course they had visited on their free weekend. They had had a wonderful afternoon, and were planning on ending the day with this course under the sunset, where the exit of the maze, which had a small park next to a cliff with a seaside view, was the most beautiful.
The 4 girls slowly left the area, as if dreading something. RIght at the exit, they saw the petite girl alone.
“Sasha? You’re alone?”
Asked a thin, short haired girl with tomboyish features; the one who was stopped by the tall redhead previously.
“Yes? Of course! Why wouldn’t I?”
Replied the petite girl, Sasha, as an obvious statement. She did streak off by herself after all.
Puzzled, the four girls just looked around, as if looking for someone, only to find in a bench in the small park wight next to the exit of the maze, in the corner, a lonely bouquet of flowers and a small teddy bear next to it.
None of the girls said anything, looked at each other, and silently left the park together with Sasha.
***
“Leto! Leto! LETO!”
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
“HWAGAH!!!”
While being yelled at, a young man on the floor suddenly stood up in panic.
“Damn I thought you were dead. You hit your head pretty hard in that fall.”
A tall, muscular man, with a worried expression on his face, gave a hand to the youngster, Leto, who got up with his help.
“I’m not that fragile teach. Thanks though.” Said Leto while feeling his body around, actually worried he had broken something with the last fall.
“Alright. Let's continue then with the breakfall training. This is something you need to have completely muscle memorised or you’ll have a bad time just like right now.” Said the muscular man.
At the moment, the young man Leto and the man he referred as “teach” were privately training on a grassy patch of land, surrounded by deep green trees. The day was perfect for such activities; slight breeze, slightly cloudy and not that hot even so close to noon.
“Yeah, yeah. I get it. Let's keep going.”
Replied Leto, as if annoyed by the insistence of his teacher. Still, his body language showed him eager to start the practice anew, getting himself in his rehearsed position dutifully.
I wonder what’s got him so motivated. He wouldn’t be like this before… So impatient… So hungry to learn…
While immersed in his thoughts, the teacher tackled Leto and sent him flying at least 5 metres away.
“SHIT!! LETO!! LETO!!!”
As if repeating what just happened, the teacher ran towards Leto, calling his name out.
***
“So, these are the new additions?”
Within an office, a tall, well dressed man asked while checking a blackboard. On it, several pages showing detailed information of young ladies and lads were orderly spread.
“Yes. I chose these ones personally since I needed a change of pace. Let me tell you, I am glad I did.”
Replied the calm, elderly voice of a woman. This woman was dressed fancily as well, and seated on the only desk inside the office. She had pure white hair and looked no older than 30. She wore fancy yellow-tinted glasses and had a composed and stern expression. Without stopping her work for a second, she kept speaking with the tall man.
“There’s a couple of kids I’m looking forward to, Carlson. Especially the ones on the left side.”
“Don’t tell me, you saw something?”
Asked the man, Carlson, with an expression of wonder while looking at the papers the lady had just mentioned.
“Leto Lainus, Rain Rachel, Luna Alva…”
While checking out the names, these three called out his attention.
“These three… Miss Director, they're awful! Just what did you see?! Everything from calibre, grades, and behavioural records! They’re disastrous!”
Carson exclaimed while turning around and facing the lady he addressed as “ Director “.
“I am sure you have a reason! Please tell me or I will dispose of these three files!”
He added.
“Carlson. The thread of Karma of these three…”
The Director paused her work for a second, and went totally silent after a couple of words. Pondering on what she just said, and was about to tell him.
“How was it?”
“It flooded the place. It was no longer a thread. As soon as I touched these sheets my whole vision went red even through the glasses.”
To his question, she looked at him directly while across the desk as he had moved closer to her to hear her answer.
“WHAT?! Lady Iskhan!”
Carlson, completely baffled, leaned towards her, requesting for more information on the matter.
“Yes.” - She replied.
“Shouldn’t we report this to the Maximus then?! This would greatly benefit the State if that is the case!”
Between disbelief, startlement and excitement, a tint of doubt marked his eyes.
“Lady Iskhan… Why haven't we reported this?”
Asked Carlson, while the blood on his face drained and a pale complexion filled it.
“Carl, listen to me… Do not tell anyone this, what I just told you and what I am about to tell you. As soon as I thought of reporting these lads to the Maximus the red thread disappeared from my sight and the files went completely dark. Only after I composed myself and decided not to, the red came back.”
“So you’re saying…”
“Yes, something is going on in the Maximus and if we report these kids under the premise of Karmic Balance, they are going to be disposed of and who knows what else is going to happen. ”
“The Maximus would never do such a thing…”
“Thus something is going on in there, which we need these kids for, and investigate ourselves as well. That’s why I called you today… I wanted to talk about this with you, one of my closest confidants.”
With their back and forth, an air of tension filled the office.
“Sigh”
Lady Iskhan sighed and stood up from her chair.
“I’ll ask the Dark Arts teacher to take a look into this, and call in a substitute to fill the space. Could you help me with that?”
“Of course!”
Replied Carlson as he stormed out of the office.
“I wonder, just what is going to happen.”
Said Lady Iskhan while sitting down again, and resuming her work.