Ryan knocked before unlocking and opening the door a crack, "Yo."

 

"Yo?"

 

Ryan looked around as he stepped into his dorm room. He didn't get a good look the last time he was here, but it seemed to be the same as when he was here last, including the roommate. Aldelmo was sitting at the desk by the window. He looked more than a little nervous, "Oh... ah-uh... YO!" His attempt to imitate Ryan was painfully awkward.

 

Ryan eyed Aldelmo, "Don't. Just don't." Ryan turned to the other bunkbed, "So. My side of the room, right?" Aldelmo nodded. Ryan turned to the bunkbed over the desk and pawed at the stuff on top of the desk, before he turned around.

 

"Ah look. I died. Got chosen by the gods. I'm here to fight evil 'nd demons 'nd shit. It's been decades since we met so I haven no idea who you are or our relationship but I do remember freaking out in here, so sorry about that." Ryan held up two fingers and swiped them sideways in greeting, "Sir Reed Demonslayer." He shrugged, "The name kinda says it all."

 

Aldelmo looked a Ryan funny, "Seriously? You don't remember anything?" Ryan nodded. Aldelmo stood up then walked over, "Well... we were sort of... friends... I guess. We hung out. We weren't the popular ones." Ryan laughed, "Yeah, I got that." Ryan held out a hand wide then swung it toward's Aldelmo to shake. Aldelmo grabbed the hand firmly, "Aldelmo Riverwold. I'm a third son... like you." He forced a smile.

 

Ryan grinned, "Cool. You can come hang out with me and my maid. The King gave her to me. More to watch over me and hit me in the head when I start fuckin' swearing too much." He hit Aldelmo in the shoulder, "I'm actually making quite a bit of coin since I started selling things to the Kingdom." He pointed back and forth between the two of them, "You and me. This weekend we're ditching the ball and chain and we're going out for ale and whores."

 

Aldelmo's eyes bugged out and he almost spit out his own skull, "WHAT???"

 

Ryan raised a finger, "No sex. We'll just let them get jiggly on us. Feel up some tiddies. That sort of thing."

 

Aldelmo sputtered, "B-B-But we're too young to drink! We'll get in trouble!"

 

Ryan shook his head, "We are too young to drink... CHEAPLY! We'll just have to shell out a little extra." He slapped Aldelmo in the shoulder, "Relax. I get hammered all the time. Well.... not for a month. Thus why I need to get hammered." He fished out a metal case from his breast pocket and offered it to Aldelmo, "You wanna smoke?"

 

Aldelmo eyed the case, "I can't afford tobacco."

 

"Sounds like a yes." Ryan offered a cigarette, "Here, it's time I started corrupting you."

 

Aldelmo took a cigarette then looked around for a source of fire. He looked surprised when Ryan pulled out a lighter and flipped it open. Aldelmo lit up and took a long drag. Ryan was surprised when Aldelmo didn't start coughing. Aldelmo let the smoke out slow, "Oh... that's good." Ryan flicked the lighter closed then tossed it and the metal case on his desk, "Help yourself, but leave the last one for me." Ryan climbed up into the bunk, "Look. I'm beat. I'm gonna get some shut eye. Got to be up early." He paused then looked over at Aldelmo, "Hey. I'm going to be working out in the morning. You wanna go jogging?"

 

Aldelmo blinked, "Uh... I'm not that good at working out." Ryan grinned, "Only one way to get better, but your call." Ryan rolled over to face the wall.

 

Aldelmo was quiet for a long time, "You really forgot everything?"

 

Ryan kept facing the wall, "Yeah. Sorry. I mean... sorry..." Ryan thought for a bit before continuing, "Sorry you lost your friend." Ryan turned to look at Aldelmo, "I'm going to be straight. Most people don't get it when I explain it. They just can't seem to wrap their mind around it. Reed Ratliff... he's gone. I'm the part that survived. We're nothing alike and your friend isn't... here... anymore." Ryan rolled on to his back to look at the ceiling, "That all said, I feel an obligation to pay him back. Settle his debts. So... you were a friend of his. I'll try and live up to that." He flexed his fist, "You don't have to be my friend. You can even be angry with me for taking him away, even if that isn't really the case." He rapped his knuckles on the frame of his bed nervously

 

Aldelmo frowned, "That... is some creepy way of talking." Aldelmo lowered his head and thought before walking over to offer a hand, "How about we start from scratch?" Ryan looked at the hand then shook it, "Deal. Clean slate." Aldelmo pumped the hand one more time, "Clean slate." Then smiled, "And... sure. I'll go Jogging... whatever jogging is."

 

Ryan smirked, "It's fun."

 

---

 

"This is NOT Fun!"

 

Ryan stopped moving forward but kept jogging in place as he turned around to watch Aldelmo collapse against a tree. He was holding onto the tree for dear life, covered in sweat, and gasping for air, acting like he was about to die. Ryan jogged back closer, "C'mon! Pain is just weakness leaving the body!"

 

Aldelmo looked up at Ryan like he was insane, "What sort of sick, sadistic demon came up with that?"

 

Ryan shrugged, "I dunno. Just something we used to say when we had to go on a twenty mile hike." Aldelmo's jaw dropped open right before he slumped against the tree, "I can't. Leave me. I'll just die here. You can bury me under this tree."

 

Ryan stopped jogging in place, "Stop being so dramatic." He reached into his many pouches and fished around, "Ah." Then tossed Aldelmo a small corked bottle. Aldelmo caught it, fumbled a bit, then held it up, "What is it?"

 

Ryan tilted his head, "Something I whipped up. I think I'll call it... Boost or something." Aldelmo slowly held the bottle further away from his body as if he was afraid it might explode,"Whoa whoa whoa! We are still first years! We have not even finished alchemy one oh one. We are NOT cleared to make potions-"

 

Ryan held up a hand, "Relax! It's not magical. Just a bunch of anti-inflammatories, stimulants, pain blockers..." He mumbled a bit, "steroids..." Ryan shrugged, "Been working on it for a while. Hard to find the right ingredients to work with. Had to add some local substitutes."

 

Aldelmo looked at it suspiciously, then shrugged, pulled the cork and tossed it back. Ryan looked thoughtful, "Quick question. Do you or anyone in your family have a history of heart problems?" Aldelmo replied, "No. Why do you ask?"

 

Ryan half turned away, "No reason." He pulled out a canteen and offered it to Aldelmo, "Water?" Aldelmo took the canteen and drank deeply before handing it back, "Thanks. You really have an aura core, don't you? Considering how much energy you have." Ryan gestured, "Like I said, You could too. All I have to-" Aldelmo held up both hands, "No-no! I'm good!" Ryan shrugged, "Suit yourself. How you feeling?"

 

Aldelmo stopped his labored breathing and scrunched his eyebrows down, "I feel... good?" He straightened up, "I'm... feeling better than good, actually." Ryan nodded, "Great. Let's head back and get cleaned up before class." Ryan turned and started jogging back towards the dorm, ~And before it wears off.~

 

---

 

Several hours later Ryan and Aldelmo arrived at classroom B. There is a strict pecking order in class, or rather, a strict seating order. The students favored by the professor sat in the front row. The less favored you were, the further back. However, there was also the unofficial ranking system of nobility. It was influenced by popularity and who you knew. The top of the pecking order sat in the furtherest row. You could sit in a different row if you were invited by someone who 'controlled' that row. Also if the room got very crowded, there could be some minor exceptions. There was also the manner by which your loyalty to the various princes was concerned.

 

You could say that seating in class was a mind field.

 

Class room A was for the first prince, B the second, and C the third. The stairs from the exit to the where the professor stood divided the room into two sections. So not only was there a ranking by favorability and status, but by loyalty. If you were sitting down, sitting on the right side of the room declared your loyalty to the prince who controlled that room and if you were not, you sat on the left. Understanding where, when, and how to sit was a complex arrangement that required subtle nuance and deep cultural wherewithal.

 

So it should come as absolutely no surprise that Ryan did not care and sat wherever the hell he wanted.

 

Upon arriving, Ryan headed to the 'not' section and sat down on the far end of the back row. Not really because he was making a political statement, but because he liked having his back to a wall and a free field of fire. Aldelmo hesitated, not sure what to do. Normally they sat in the middle on the "in" faction. Most students avoided sitting on the "out" faction, unless they had to because the need to take the class was important and they were with the first or third prince.

 

NOBODY sat in the back row on the 'not' side. That was the same as declaring open rebellion.

 

Aldelmo eventually followed Ryan, mostly because he was exhausted. He looked around, seeing all the eyes upon them, "Uh... Reed? You sure about sitting here?"

 

Ryan looked about as he started unpacking sketch pads, writing tools, pencils, ball point pens, a compass, a slide ruler, an abacus. He looked up at Aldelmo, "Yeah I'm sure. I need the space." Aldelmo sat down next to Reed and tried to be quiet, hoping class would start without incident.

 

In walked Charles Huntington the sixth, Son of Count Charles Huntington the fifth and the highest social ranking individual in the room and an aura adept. His steel grey eyes made him the toughest person in the class room and like the prince he supported, he wasn't afraid to demonstrate how good he was in a fight. He walked in, flanked by his usual crew. two rather burley future knights, and their respective betrothed. Those six made up the dominate power in the room and each and every one of them stopped dead, staring at Ryan.

 

Ryan didn't pay them any attention as he was already busy sketching and writing. Aldelmo noticed, weakly smiled and waved while giving a nervous chuckle.

 

Charles pulled his girlfriend's hand off his arm and started walking over. Aldelmo got out of his chair to scurry over to the other side of Ryan, "Uhhhh... Ryan?" He leaned in to hiss softly in Ryan's ear, "We got company! It's Charles!"

 

Ryan looked up at Aldelmo, "Who?" Aldelmo pointed at the approaching giant, "The guy who runs the room."

 

Charles stood behind Ryan, towering over him by several feet, "Why are you sitting there?" Ryan ignored him and continued his conversation with Aldelmo, "Wait. Are you telling me... Charles' in charge?" Ryan groaned and put down his pen. Charles did not appear to like being ignored and stated emphatically, "I asked you a question."

 

Ryan turned to stand and looked up, and up, and up at Charles, "Because I want to.

 

Charles folded his arms and looked down his nose at Ryan, "Move."

 

Ryan folded his arms in the exact same way and said in a mocking tone, "Nooooooo." And made a funny face at him.

 

Charles' held out a glowing fist, "You think your tricks you pulled yesterday will work on me? My Body armor is second to none."

 

Ryan pointed at Charles fist, "That's funny. My dick is second to none."

 

The room went silent except for the three girlfriends who all gasped in shock. Charles himself looked surprised by the vulgarity of the comment. He glanced back at his friends then, at Ryan, "There are ladies present! Who do you think you are?"

 

Ryan pointed at himself and replied in a cheerful tone, "I'm Sir Reed 'I fucked your mother last night' Demonslayer. And who might you be?"

 

Charles's fist pulled back and lashed out with lightning speed. There was a thunderous 'Boom' that made everyone jump. Aldelmo covered his face, then slowly looked through his fingers. He and everyone else in the room could only stare.

 

Ryan had caught Charles fist with one hand. Ryan squeezed and twisted.

 

Charles tried to pull his fist away, but couldn't. Ryan's hand was coated with a thin layer of water with the surface tension cranked up to max. Charles or Ryan would have to give up a significant amount of skin to pull those hands apart. At this point, it was just the application of pressure and leverage. Charles started to grit his teeth, then start letting out a soft but slowly growing cry of pain.

 

Ryan talked matter of factly as he proceeded to apply ever increasing amounts of aura to crushing Charles' fist, "Maybe I didn't explain myself correctly. I am Reed Mutherfuckin' Demonslayer. Now if you are here to apologize for the abysmal performance of your mother last night, you can get on your knees and suck me off to make it up to me." He squeezed a bit more, just enough to make cracking sounds and coax out an even louder yelp of pain, "Otherwise, I suggest you never talk to me again."

 

The sound of heavy books being slammed on a desk echoed through out the auditorium, "Is there a problem?"

 

Ryan looked over to see the professor, "Problem?" Ryan let go of Charles hand, "Oh No no no!" Charles gasped as the pressure was released. He cradled his hand to his chest. Ryan smiled brightly and hooked a thumb at Charles, "This guy here just injured his hand playing squash." Ryan looked at Charles with gritted teeth and wide eyes, "ISN'T THAT RIGHT, CHUCKY?"

 

Charles recoiled with a hint of fear on his face. He looked at the professor, then into Ryan's wild eyes and back again, "Yeah. Playing... Squash?"

 

Ryan patted Charles on the shoulder, "I'm afraid accupressure isn't going to be much help to you for healing that hand. But hey..." Ryan reached into a pocket and pulled out a dull red potion, "I always keep a few healing potions on me. Just in case." He held it out to Charles, "Might want to drink this. If the pain persists, seek professional medical attention."

 

Charles timidly took the potion and mumbled, "Thanks." Before returning to his friends who all started to talk to him in low tones. The girlfriends were all concerned, and his two wingmen were staring at Ryan shooting daggers with their eyes.

 

Ryan turned around and reached into his backpack, "Oh! I almost forgot!" He pulled out something and then quickly skipped down the stairs to the bottom, and over to the professor, his hands behind his back. The way he bounced along and the innocent look he wore on his face made him seem a hundred times more sinister in the eyes of his fellow students. There were rules. There were expectations. One carried themselves with a certain dignity, no matter the situation. To those present, Ryan was all but shouting at them, 'Your Rules Mean Nothing To Me.'

 

The professor stood defensively watching Ryan's approach with apprehension. Ryan beamed a cheerful smile and with child-like wide eyes pulled out a nice, shiny red apple. He offered it to the professor with both hands, "Here's an apple for TEECH!"

 

The professor, inwardly, found this more terrifying than anything else he could imagine. He gingerly took the apple and nodded, "Thank you... Reed." Ryan put a single finger under his chin, grinned ever wider, tilted his head to the side and did a little curtsy before he skipped back up the stairs to his seat. He sat down and kept smiling at the professor, folding his hands and sitting up ramrod straight. His body language so flew in the face of convention, that to the overtly sensitive members of the class, Ryan was hooting like a monkey and flinging poo.

 

Eventually the professor said, "Let us begin our lesson-" The professor turned away to start writing on the board. As soon as he looked away, Ryan's face turned into a scowl. Aldelmo had returned to his seat so Ryan had to stand up on his seat to look over Aldelmo to make eye-contact with Charles.

 

Ryan silently gestured to get Charles' attention. Ryan succeeded in getting said attention, as well as the attention of everyone else in the audience. Ryan pointed at Charles, then moved his hand like it was talking, then shook his head. This was followed by mimicking the slitting of his own throat with his thumb. Charles's eyes went wide with terror at the obvious implied threat. Ryan followed up by stabbing two fingers at his own eyes, then immediately pointing at Charles. Charles just gaped as there were rules to how one conducted themselves for social dominance. This was totally beyond Charles' experience and he had no point of reference to help him comprehend what was happening.

 

Ryan immediately sat back down and then went right back to all smiles and looking angelic for the professor. The rest of the class also turned away. Later, they would all speak of what happened, but the rumors would speak of how utterly terrifying Ryan had become. A tyrant that was prepared to murder anyone who stood in his way, yet for some reason possessing the backing and support of both the king and the headmaster. There were many who would speak words like 'something needs to be done about him', but no one was brave enough to actual act on those words.

 

From that day forward, no one in class tried to confront Ryan again.