The rise of the unorthodox

A few days had passed since we began practicing our sub-abilities, and I was completely exhausted. Training had been brutal, but I couldn't afford to rest—not yet. I had come here with a purpose, one of my goals being to find my brother.

With a determined step, I made my way to the faculty building. Upon entering, I was met with the bustle of teachers and support staff rushing about. I approached the reception desk where an elderly woman sat, her face lined with wrinkles.

"How can I help you today?" she asked in a raspy voice.

"I'm looking for a student named Mason Quartz. Is he on campus?" I asked.

She hummed thoughtfully and began typing on her computer. After a moment, she looked up, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, that student is stationed at Base 13. If you'd like, I can place a call and get him on the line."

I nodded eagerly. "Please."

Fifteen minutes later, I was holding the phone, and I heard his familiar voice through the receiver.

"Bea, is that really you?" Mason's voice cracked with emotion.

I felt my body tremble at the sound of his voice, and a few tears slipped down my cheeks. "Why didn't you call?" My voice wavered.

He sighed, the weight of his words heavy even through the phone. "I'm sorry, Bea, but you won't understand. Not yet, anyway."

I clenched my fists, the hurt and frustration rising. A whole year without hearing from him, and this was his answer? I could punch him right now.

Before I could say anything more, he quickly changed the subject. "So, what department did you join?"

"Army department, like I've always said," I responded sharply.

His tone shifted, becoming more urgent. "Bea, you can't join the army. You can do so much more with your life. Don't forget what happened to Mum and Dad."

"I'm not a kid anymore, Mason. Stop treating me like one," I snapped, frustration building in my chest.

He sighed again, a hint of sadness in his voice. "Sure, Bea. Whatever you say. You really are a big girl now."

I rolled my eyes, trying to hold back more tears. Since our parents died, Mason had taken on the role of my guardian. I couldn't imagine life without him, but it hurt that he was treating me like I couldn't make my own choices.

"Hey, Bea. I've got to go now, but let's keep in touch, okay?" He gave me his new private number before hanging up.

I sat there for a moment, staring at the phone in my hand. It was good to hear his voice again, but I could feel that he was hiding something from me. I just didn't know what it was yet.

I left the faculty building, a smile on my face despite the lingering questions in my heart. I made my way to the field and sat on the grass, letting the warmth of the sun settle over me. I closed my eyes and let my mind wander.

Joining the army had been a shared dream between Mason and me. Our parents had been soldiers, and they had always encouraged us to follow in their footsteps. But I would never forget the day everything changed—the day the army came to our door.

"Your mother and father died in battle," the words echoed in my mind as I remembered the soldier who had come to deliver their belongings. That day had shattered everything I thought I knew about the world.

I touched the gold bracelet on my wrist, my mother's bracelet, which I never took off. It was all I had left of her, and in some way, it was the only thing keeping me grounded.

My thoughts were interrupted by a voice calling my name. "Beatrix, why do I always seem to run into you? Could it be that you're stalking me?"

I turned my head and immediately scowled. It was Devin.

I ignored him, hoping he would just go away, but he walked over to me anyway. He took a quick look at me and asked, "What are you doing here all alone?"

"I'm not in the mood for your games. Just leave me alone," I snapped.

Instead of backing off, he sat down next to me with an exaggerated sigh. "Look, the least you can do is be nice. I'm being nice to you, and I don't do that often," he said, looking up at the sky.

I rolled my eyes. "Rich kids."

"Okay, okay. If you don't want to talk, then let's do something else," he said, getting up and extending his hand toward me.

I blinked, completely perplexed. "Excuse me… what?"

Without waiting for a response, he grabbed my arm and pulled me up. "Let's go to the combat hall and train," he said, dragging me along.

I tried to pull away, but there wasn't much I could do. Devin was taller than me, his physique more imposing. He looked like one of those professional swimmers with his lean, muscular build. I, on the other hand, was short and not exactly known for my physical strength.

When we reached the combat hall, Devin walked over to a training dummy and began punching it with force. I figured if I was here, I might as well get some training in too. I reached into my side purse and pulled out a disk. Inside, I had stored my chakrams.

I gripped the chakrams tightly and threw them at the dummy simultaneously. As they crossed paths in mid-air, they scraped the dummy's body, leaving deep cuts. I stretched my hands out, and the chakrams returned to me effortlessly.

I couldn't help but smile at my progress. Miss Evergreen had given me some pointers on how to improve my aim, and while I was still a beginner, I could feel myself getting better with each practice.

Devin let out a low huff from the other side of the hall. "Those things are crazy."

He walked over to me, and for the first time, his tone was somewhat softer. "I'm not as bad as you think I am."

He stretched out his hand to me. "I never properly introduced myself. I'm Devin Page, the eighth and last child of the Page family."

I looked down at his hand, then shook it lightly. "Beatrix Quartz."

He looked at me, confusion flickering in his eyes. "Did you say Quartz?"

I nodded. "Yes, I did. Is there a problem?"

He frowned slightly, then shrugged. "No, just seems familiar… Whatever. Forget about it. Let's get out of here."

We walked out of the hall together, and soon, we went our separate ways.