The rise of the unorthodox

I couldn't make sense of it. One minute, I thought I was facing a normal guy from campus, and the next, I was fighting someone who acted like this was his final battle.

I refused to lose. For my own pride. Since I arrived at this military school, one thing had been made abundantly clear: I'm not the strongest.

I'm not weak, but everyone in my squad is on a completely different level. It was as if some higher power had decided I needed to be here, just to prove I wasn't a weakling, to prove I wouldn't end up like them.

I stared into Mathew's blood-red eyes as he trembled violently, the air around us thick with an ominous aura. In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance between us. A dark, shadowy claw formed around his fist, and before I could react, he hit me again, this time square in the gut.

I slammed into the wall with a sickening "bang!" Pain exploded through my body as I struggled to push myself off the floor. Blood dripped from my lip, its metallic shine reflecting off the cold metal floor.

I tried to summon my hair, but my movements were sluggish—too slow. The fight had drained me. And in one swift motion, Mathew sliced through my hair with his shadow-coated thread, rendering me helpless.

It was over. My body ached as I stood, my mind clouded. Why was he fighting me? Why was he so twisted? Was he even a first-year like me? Who was he really? Why did everything feel so dark?

The questions spiraled in my mind, but I couldn't find the strength to answer them. I collapsed to the ground, darkness closing in around me.

Later.

I groaned, slowly waking up to the sharp sting of pain that coursed through my body. "What the heck? My whole body hurts like hell."

It took a few moments for the fog to lift and for me to realize where I was. The med bay. I'd never been here before. When I tried to sit up, the pain was unbearable. Each movement made me wince.

"Stay still," came a familiar voice. I turned my head to find Mathew standing by my bed. "The nurse is getting a healing serum, you'll be good as new in thirty."

"What the hell do you want? Get away from me," I snapped, my voice hoarse.

But Mathew didn't budge. He just stood there, staring at me with that same unreadable expression. He looked perfectly normal now, the model student with that innocent face that made it hard to believe the monster I'd just fought.

"Look, Beatrix," he began, his tone oddly sincere. "I went too far. It was just supposed to be a friendly spar, a way to get to know you better. Let's be friends, okay?"

His smile was wide and unnervingly bright.

I didn't respond, choosing to ignore him. He wasn't getting to me.

The nurse soon entered, handing me the serum. It worked quickly, healing my wounds in moments. Once I was back on my feet, I left the med bay, hoping to put the day behind me. But of course, Mathew followed.

"What the hell do you want?" I asked, clearly frustrated.

With a grin, he stretched out his hand. "Let's be friends."

I let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine, whatever," I said, shaking his hand just to get him off my back. That didn't mean I liked him, though.

Even after that, he didn't leave. He hung around, talking about himself, giving me every detail I didn't ask for. I learned his last name was Grace, and that he was from Squad Platinum, another first-year squad on campus. He also told me about his ability, Rouge Shadow, and how it allowed him to share his body with some kind of entity.

"It makes me stronger when I fight," he explained with that same strange, almost eerie grin. "I don't know the entity's name yet, but it's what powers me."

I didn't bother to respond. I wasn't here for his personal stories, and I didn't want him thinking I was interested.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Mathew left. I was relieved, but I knew one thing for sure—he was permanently on my "weirdo" list.

With the rest of my day ahead of me, I wasn't sure what to do. I certainly wasn't going to train or fight again, not after everything that had happened. I decided to take a walk to the field, my usual hideaway when I needed to clear my head.

But when I arrived, I saw someone already sitting there. That was my spot.

And, of course, it was Devin.

Great. First, I get attacked by a crazy guy, and now my favorite spot was taken by him.

I didn't even bother engaging with him. His obnoxious personality was more than enough to ruin my mood, and I wasn't about to make it worse. So I took a seat a few steps away, hoping to enjoy the quiet for at least a few minutes.

"Oh, you're here," a voice called out from above. "Mind if I join you?"

I sighed heavily.

"Leave me the hell alone," I muttered, not even looking up.