Derend skillful wove through the crowd and each movement ensured minimal physical contact, his school was always packed with students whenever the bell rang dismissing the students. When Derend speed walked to the eastern door Derend was ambushed by a friend, panicking Derend did his best to avoid any interaction between his friend.

"Derend! You have gotta help me out here!"

'Nope, nope, nope.' Pumping his thin legs as fast as he did his best to escape but he could not match the stamina of the athletic figure behind him. Derend could not escape and soon ran out of breath, the terror that caught up behind that was called his best friend. Derend defeated ceased his running, slowing his pace he let his friend catch up to him.

"Alright Alex, let me guess you need help to work on your homework?"

"No, not this time." Sighed his friend. "See I kinda got into some trouble today and I need your help."

Raising his eyebrow Derend Questioned. "What did you get yourself into this time, Alex."

"You know Nate right? Well, I owe him a bit of cash" Grimly Alex answered.

"Can't you just ignore him? I doubt he could do anything that would hurt you"

"Yeah, but his brother is an Awakened and both of them are Asses."

"You know that I'm not a walking bank, right? Alex, just pay him with your own money, I know you earn plenty of money from your part-time job."

"Well, I spent it all on games so I'm pretty low." To prove his point Alex took out his wallet and emptied it in front of his friend, He then showed him how empty his bank account was.

"Just tell me how you ended up owing that twat, I know your dumb but you're not that much of an idiot."

"Does running into him and knocking out his lunch count as being an idiot?" Asked Alex.

"I don't know fannybaws." Answered Derend with a pinch of Heavy sarcasm.

"I don't know what that means but you gotta loan me a bit of cash, It's not even that much it's only 50 bucks" He begged.

"50 is a lot you know, but since I'm your friend tomorrow I'll give you the money but you owe me a favour until you pay me back 60, and I will be going home now, see you tomorrow," Derend Said to Alex before breaking off into a quick jog.

Derend lived in the Suburbs far away from Downtown, Downtown was a place one would go to if they were crazy. Any sane person would not even dare to set foot there, regardless many have to work and usually, jobs were found downtown. That means whoever goes there is crazy, but they were sane and are eligible to go to work. The dangers were caused by nasty and unsavoury characters that dwell there, but on the positive side, you will see the awakened in action.

Opening the door to his Grandfather's house he was greeted with a delicious aroma floating through the air, Derend released his stoic expression letting it slide into a happy smile. He saw his Grandfather cook one of his favourite foods; adobo or adobar, it has many names but it originated in Spain.

Realizing that his grandson was home the robed old man greeted him with a hearty laugh. "Ahh! You're back! Come here and hug your old man"

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

Derend was crushed between his grandfather's arms. "Ouch… Gramps can you not crush me, please?"

Letting go his Grandad apologized.

"How are you even stronger than my friend? I've seen athletes and your body doesn't make sense at all"

Shaking his head at Derend he answered: "It is a family secret and do not worry I will tell you the secret when you are ready and experience it."

The way his Grandfather said it sent shivers down his spine, thinking of the worse Derend stared at his Grandfather waiting for an answer but none came. They awkwardly stared at each other and were broken out of their trance when the kettle Screamed, rushing to the stove his Grandfather removed the kettle.

"Food is done now, Derend Set up the plates, please." He asked. groaning Derend opened the cupboard taking out a plate for him and his grandfather, and after that, he grabbed two spoons.

His Grandfather looked at him "You are forgetting to get something"

"What do you mean?" Feigned Derend.

"Oh hoh, trying to avoid the inevitable are we? Young man, it seems you need an extra helping of rice"

Derend hated rice, and he just made a fatal mistake that caused him to have a less enjoyable dinner. Though the rice did ruin his dinner a bit it did not dampen his mood and after dinner, he entered his massive grandfather's library.

The library was impressive the first time he saw it and it still was, massive shelves holding books, tomes, and all types of writings. In the centre sat a few couches, a rocking chair, and a table, In the northern wall sat a pedestal. Derend picked out a classic book about a boy with 2 dogs and something about red ferns, sitting on a couch he started reading.

Time passed and his Grandfather came into the library, sitting down by his side his Grandfather sadly said to him. "Your mother loved that book you know? If she was still here I bet she would have read it to you, I think about them sometimes"

"... Gramps, You don't have to blame yourself it wasn't your fault."

"If I came with them I could have saved them."

"The Royal Knights of Canada were there and only barely stopped Zargroth from levelling the city, what could you have done?"

"I could have done many things but did not, Derend I regret many things and this one is what I regret the most." His Grandfather grimly told him before sitting on the rocking chair, Derend could hear his Grandfather's silent snoring. Deciding it would be best to leave his Grandfather alone for the day, Derend walked up the spiral staircase into the second floor into his room.

Derend laid upon his bed thinking about his parents, his parents died when he was 4 years old in the Downtown massacre. Zargroth set many city blocks on fire murdering thousands of people, He was finally stopped after the Royal Knights of Canada teamed up with a well-known vigilante and stopped him. The RKC was formed 5 years after people awakened and we're considered as RCMP but for the Awakened.

Derend drifted off into sleep.

All he saw was black, it was an endless void where all colours formed into the colour of black. Derend felt it first as an itch to the back of his head but it intensified into a headache. He felt something flowing out of his nose and ears but he could not tell what it was, he soon found out when blood floated in front of him.

Then to the distance, he saw a long white strand slithering through the space towards him. Derend was terrified nothing prepared him for this, and to his horror, he watched as the white strand stabbed him on the right hand. It was excruciatingly painful and it felt like the time he was stung by a hornet but 10x worse, he felt it crawl into his nerves it itched but he could not scratch. The pain stopped after the end of the strand entered his body, All he felt after was the feeling of being itchy on the inside.

The void rumbled and gained in intensity until a crack in the space itself formed, Derend saw the inside rift and saw multitudes of colours. Then the colours shifted and creeped out in streaks of lights, as the colours disconnected from the rift the flung themselves at Derend. They entered into his body through his eyes that caused his eyes to spurt out blood, he saw as all the colours of the spectrum enter his head. Each colour had a different feeling as they entered him blue was the smoothest, red burned, brown was rough, yellow was warm, green was somewhat fulfilling. As the last colours entered him he watched as the void form itself into a streak and as black formed white was uncovered, the two colours then turned into streaks and entered his eyes. The void was literal void, it had no colour. Derend could not describe what he saw it was empty without color not even white just nothing.

With Jerk Derend woke up to blinding lights.