Ryan kept hedging on whether he should keep or ditch the school jacket.

 

 

 

 

He didn't know how cold it would get at night, as it felt more like early spring than the warmth of summer. Predicting the weather was difficult, as the trees remained green and the skies appeared clear. He watched the trees as they swayed gently under the influence of an occasionally gusting light breeze. He felt like he was in a high-pressure front, but given he had no idea where he was, it could just be he was at a radically different altitude. 

 

~I wonder if there is an American embassy anywhere. Assuming they would accept I am who I say I am, what with this child’s body.~

 

He took a momentary break, crouching behind a bush to regain his breath as he surveyed the next open area. Unfortunately, there were four men who appeared to be guards on patrol. It was evident that they were searching for someone, and the person they were looking for was likely him.

 

~I wonder why they haven't sounded an alarm yet. Wait a minute, do they even have a PA system? I haven't heard any speakers announcing a lockdown. Hell, I wonder why they haven't simply asked me to report to the head office. That would be the logical choice...~

 

He shifted his position behind the bush to hide better as he thought. ~They probably don't have a public announcement system, or they don't want to alert others that I'm on the loose,~ He reasoned to himself. He then pressed his palms against his temples and rubbed, ~I need to stay focused and prioritize. Figuring out the motivation of these lunatics can come after Number Six gets out of the village.~ He resolved. As he looked up at the building whose shadow he had been hiding in, he caught a glint of light reflecting off a window, prompting him to be vigilant and cautious.

 

~ I have maybe... two more hours before we reach dusk. Three until total darkness. Maybe I should hold up and make a break for it after nightfall.~ He touched the brickwork, ~I lost the initiative. I keep having to double back over and over and I'm never going to make it to that wall at this rate. I'm just glad these morons don't have a clue how to perform a search pattern.~

 

He looked at the foundation of the building next to him and figured it had a basement, ~I doubt they'll get any more people looking for me. Let's hole up until night.~ He backed up and slipped inside the building through a side entrance.

 

The building was obviously made for teaching. It just seemed to have space for people to gather for class. There were a few large auditoriums on one end, and the rest was a long hallway with several smaller rooms connected to it, ~I'd prefer a crawl space but I’ll take what-~

 

"Reed Ratliff!"

 

The voice that addressed him by his new name was laced with hostility and condescension. He turned to see a young boy, possibly around fourteen years old, approaching him. The boy was accompanied by four other students who were all wearing standard school uniforms. Unlike the "enforcer" students who wore black, these students were clad in the common blue color. This gave Ryan a splinter of hope.

 

The leader of the group stood out from the rest of the students, as his uniform was distinctively different. He had added a sash to his attire, held up with a large, ostentatious-looking metal buckle. His shoulder pads were adorned with excessive gold braids, giving the impression that he was trying to mimic a military dress uniform. However, it was evident that he had no understanding of the significance of the elements he was wearing. Either this nation had the most poorly organized military EVER, or this kid didn't know his ass from a hole in the ground.

 

~If I'm not mistaken, those should be on a navy officer, that should be on an army general…~ As Ryan observed the group, his train of thought was interrupted by the leader snapping his fingers. The young leader had striking topaz eyes and dirty blond hair, and he exuded an air of self-importance in his gait and demeanor. The others around him seemed to treat him with deference. However, Ryan could discern a difference between someone who acted important and someone who genuinely felt important. In this case, the best word to describe the young leader was "compensating." Ryan could sense that the exaggerated display of authority was a façade to cover up his insecurities.

 

Ryan ignored the leader for a moment to check out the rest of his crew. Three of his lackeys looked like Ryan could break them with a well-placed kick, but the fourth one was different. Coppery hair cut military short, steel grey eyes, and a rapier on his hip, that fourth one was the only actual threat in this group, ~Judging by how casually they were approaching, these guys weren't a search party.~

 

The leader looked off to the side as if waiting for some reaction from Ryan. The others held back, except for the fourth. The actual threat behind the rest moved to the side, taking up a flanking position. Ryan had seen people like him before. This was clearly a bodyguard. His job was to protect the leader, and it was clear he didn't have a strong investment in this job. Still, he was acting like a professional and getting into position just in case something happened, even if he didn't seem to think of Ryan as any sort of a threat.

 

~Yup. I'm unworthy of your time.~

 

However, in the back of Ryan's mind, he was feeling... something. He was experiencing a feeling of familiarity that was resulting in growing apprehension. There was a growing feeling of fear mixed with rage that he felt toward the leader, which was very strange since Ryan never met him before.

 

The leader sneered, "Did you forget how to address your betters?"

 

Ryan looked around then nodded, "Apparently." This got scowls from all present.

 

The leader deliberately tilted his head back so he could look down his nose at Ryan, "I am guessing by what I've heard, you got my message."

 

Ryan squinted, “Message?” Ryan cleared his throat, "I'm kinda stupid. You mind running that ‘message’ by me again?"

 

"Isn't it clear? Your KIND isn't WELCOME at this academy!” The brat was getting increasingly angry, “Why don't you just slink back to your hole where your kind belongs?" Ryan got the impression the brat was expecting Ryan to be much more deferential.

 

Ryan just stared. His head slowly tilted to the side as if looking at him from a different angle would make it easier to understand him. Ryan finally shrugged, "Okay. You win." 

 

That caused a great deal of confusion among the group. They all murmured a variation of, "What?"

 

The leader was caught off guard, "Come again?"

 

Ryan casually walked through the group, "You win. I quit. I'm leaving.” He gave them a two-finger salute, “This place isn't for me. Not worth the stress. Got better things to waste my time on. Goodbye, good luck, so long, and thanks for all the fish... I guess." Their eyes followed him, not quite believing what they were hearing, or the fact he was effectively dismissing them, "I'll make sure the front gate doesn't hit me in the ass on the way out." 

 

The leader looked at everyone else as if to confirm what he was hearing. He slowly turned to face Ryan's back, "I haven't dismissed you, Reed."

 

"Don't care." Ryan waved over his shoulder, "Buh. Bye." He kept right on walking. However, he had known many a bully in his day. They wouldn't allow him to just quit. They would need to humiliate him first. This was going to turn into a fight, no matter what Ryan did, but what he could do was draw them out. He couldn't take them all at once, but he could take them one at a time, ~With any luck, the guy with the odd eyes will come at me first.~

 

The leader of the group seemed to be flustered, unsure of how to handle the situation. His frustration grew as he spoke, "If you think you are going to get away that easily, you are sadly mistaken." He then gestured to one of his comrades, a man with steel eyes, who placed his hand on his weapon and began approaching Ryan with purpose.

 

As the man with steel eyes closed in on him, Ryan's instincts kicked in. He had a heightened sense of awareness, almost as if time had slowed down around him. However, where everyone else was moving in slow motion, the man approaching him seemed to be in 'bullet time' as well. Despite this, Ryan sensed that the man underestimated him, thinking that Ryan wouldn't be able to put up a fight. This gave Ryan a small advantage as he prepared to defend himself.

 

Ryan waited until the last second before he feinted with a right cross. In a flash, the man drew his weapon and held it high to block. Instead of punching high, Ryan swiftly dropped to his knees and delivered an uppercut, fueled by the strange sensation of liquid fire coursing through his body. The sensation seemed almost otherworldly as if he had some kind of ethereal liquid sloshing around within him, lending him an unexpected burst of strength and agility. Reflexively he moved this energy into his limb. Ryan put all his force into a blow that caught the man squarely in the groin. For a moment, he thought his fist was glowing as it connected.

 

The impact of Ryan's fist launched the man flying into the air. The steel grey of his eyes was quite visible for how quite wide they had become from the sheer trauma. He landed on the floor and tumbled a bit until he ended up in an unmoving heap halfway down the hallway. The remaining students were stunned, unsure of how to react to the unexpected turn of events. Ryan stood there for a moment as he processed what had just happened.

 

Ryan felt like a god.

 

This unstable energy coursing through his body was downright euphoric. Three of the combatants quickly scattered, diving out of the way. If they had any loyalty, it didn't extend to dealing with someone who just one-shot the bodyguard. The leader stood frozen in shock and disbelief as Ryan approached. He couldn't seem to accept what his eyes were seeing and was unable to comprehend that his bodyguard had been taken down with a single blow.

 

This made him a sitting duck.

 

Deep in the back of his mind, Ryan was giddy at the turn of events, but his rational side urged caution. He realized that engaging in this petty argument had been futile and a waste of time. The person he was arguing with seemed like a childish and arrogant individual, not worthy of his attention or effort. That said, this pompous windbag was in Ryan's way and Ryan decided to deal with him with as minimal of an expenditure of energy as possible.

 

He bitch slapped the brat with his mana-enhanced pimp hand.

 

As Ryan delivered the anticipated blow, he quickly realized he had miscalculated his strength. The kid was propelled sideways, crashing into the wall with a resounding thud, head-first, before crumpling to the floor, unconscious. Ryan winced at the unintended outcome, berating himself for not being more careful with his force, ~I need to work on controlling my strength. I hope I didn't seriously injure the twat.~

 

However, The kid sent a sword-wielding super-powered psycho after him, so he didn't deserve any mercy as far as the battlefield was concerned. Instead, Ryan focused on escaping.

 

As he felt the surging energy coursing through his veins, a daring thought crossed his mind, ~Maybe I should just go for it?~ Ryan pondered, ~I feel invincible right now, why not take a risk?" The idea of rushing towards the distant wall, several hundred yards away, seemed quite tempting in his heightened state.

 

Ryan harnessed the surging energy shifting it to his legs. He wasn't really running, but propelling himself forward with powerful leaps. He covered the ground at a blistering pace, propelled by the unstable yet potent surge coursing through his body. The sensation was exhilarating, but Ryan was keenly aware that it couldn't last for long. He could feel the liquid force in his body. It would break apart, and then reform with each step. Each time it reformed, there was less and less, ~I have no idea how long this will last. Better make it count!~

 

Ryan burst out of the doorway, veering to the right as he made a beeline toward the woods. He prayed that the patrol had moved on and wouldn't spot him as he bounded across the open area. Within moments, he reached the underbrush, effortlessly leaping through the dense foliage. With another jump, he reached the tree line, his goal within sight. He could feel the energy in his legs dissipating, transforming into evaporating mist, ~A'rite! Do Or Die!~

 

He put everything into his final jump and sailed high into the air. The mana in his legs surged, propelling him effortlessly. He was easily going to clear the wall by a good ten feet. He let out a sigh of relief as he soared through the air, knowing that he had successfully escaped.

 

---

 

Two men were walking along the western edge of the school grounds, bored.

 

Engrossed in a lively discussion about the latest news and the possibility of being selected for this year's subjugation, their voices carried loudly through the air. The dark forest was the top choice this year, known for its grueling labor but lucrative rewards. Suddenly, a peculiar noise broke their conversation, jolting them into action. They quickly rounded the corner of the building, heading towards the source of the sound, eager to investigate. They had been promised great rewards if they were the ones to find the fugitive Halfling.

 

Nothing.

 

They stood there, waiting in anticipation for another sign of activity, but all that greeted their senses was the gentle rustling of leaves in the wind. Just as one of them was about to venture towards the underbrush to investigate further, a door on the side of the nearby building swung open with a loud bang. A student emerged, waving frantically and shouting something about the third prince. Without wasting a moment, the pair turned on their heels and dashed inside, following the student's urgent lead.

 

---

 

Moments earlier, Ryan had taken a daring leap, soaring high in a graceful arc over the wall that encircled the school grounds. But as he reached the zenith, he collided with the crackling magical ward that shielded the school. The impact produced a jarring sound, akin to a massive moth careening into an electrified bug zapper, resonating through the air.

 

By then Ryan had depleted nearly all of his mana. The collision with the magical ward was the last straw and he lost consciousness upon impact. The rebound sent him spiraling through the air leaving him in the upper branches of a nearby tree. The leaves rustled and branches swayed from the force of his impact, but the movement was quickly obscured by the light breeze. There he hung, unconscious, his body cradled by sturdy limbs among green foliage.

 

Later a patrol would come out to investigate the ward's discharge, but by then it was dark and difficult to see. A student as small as Ryan cradled in the branches like he was, unmoving and wearing a blue uniform that blended in against the dark blue sky, making it all but impossible for those on the ground to see him. Instead, they searched around the area for footprints. In the end, they found nothing and departed, leaving an exhausted and undiscovered Ryan to recover in his arboreal abode.

 

 

 

He would not stir again until well after nightfall.