The fists came at Tanner in a storm. Each punch was sharp, accurate, and carried a power that belied the size of the smaller boy who was throwing them. Tanner was in decent shape and was skinny but fairly fast. He dodged, blocked, and used every ounce of skill he could to ride the flurry of blows coming at him. It was all he could do to keep from getting punched out as the damage from glancing blows and painful blocks accumulated. That wasn’t new to Tanner, he was used to taking beatings. What disturbed him was the laughter in the smaller boy's eyes. The little bastard was playing with him and they both knew it. Worse, they both knew there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. Jay was a short and squat boy with short-brown hair and a vicious streak a mile wide. His smile made Tanner shiver inside.

 

Another three-punch combo came in but Tanner had seen this one before. It was Jay’s bread and butter move. The shorter boy used it all the time and this was at least the fourth time during their short spar. Tanner shifted his balance and let the first punch slide by his left cheek, he raised his right arm from blocking his head and brought it down in an elbow that perfectly parried the second punch of the combo. That broke Jay’s concentration, and Tanner countered before Jay’s third punch got going. The blow was a simple straight left and it hit Jay right on the nose. 

 

Tanner had sacrificed his footwork to counter so the blow didn't have much behind it and even if Tanner was taller than Jay, he was still only 5’10 and 160. He doubted the punch even stung, but Jay’s eyes changed from surprise, to incredulity, to raw hate in only a moment. Then Jay punched back. 

 

As the first flew towards him, Tanner knew it was going to be bad. Time seemed to slow and all the color and sound started to leech away from the world as Jay’s gloved first came towards his face. It wasn’t so much that the fist was faster or even stronger than a normal punch. It was just MORE. The air seemed to ripple around the glove as if it was twisting reality. It had a metaphysical weight to it that made it seem like the only object in the entire universe. Tanner couldn’t dodge, couldn’t move, couldn’t even raise his arms to block. All he could do was watch as his death thundered towards him with a palpable inevitability. At the last moment a golden shell popped up around his head, then the first landed. Tanner heard the sound of glass breaking and then the world went dark.

 

Tanner woke up in an uncomfortable bed. He let out a groan and turned-over making the plastic sheets of the hospital bed crackle. He felt terrible. His whole head felt like it was stuffed with cotton, and his jaw had the odd throbbing lightning feeling of a serious wound healed with magic. Tanner knew the feeling well. It wasn’t the first time he’d ended up in the medical ward after a spar.

 

He laid back and just let the feelings of phantom pain flow over him and he listened to the hum of the fluorescent lights. Tanner wasn’t sure how long he laid there but eventually a nurse walked in. She was older, dark-skinned and with curves enough to keep most high-school males from actually looking at her face. She was wearing some loose blue scrubs which did little for her appearance but with breasts that size it didn’t really matter what she wore. Every eye was going to be drawn to her chest as soon as they saw her. Tanner did his best to look past her assets and into her dark-brown eyes. She seemed worried, and annoyed. That was often how she felt around Tanner it seemed. He gave her a wry smile.

 

“Back again I see.” He said with a light groan.

 

“You gotta stop this shit. Bruises and broken bones are one thing but you almost died. Major Concussion, Jaw broken in three places, even magic won't be able to fix you if you get a brain bleed. What the hell was Coach Carver thinking?” Nurse Aster snapped. That was another reason Tanner liked her. She looked out for him and swore like a sailor.

 

“I just do what I’m told.” Tanner said bleakly.

 

“Then tell them no! Your male pride aint gonna mean shit if they kill you. They’ll just tell your dad it was an accident and that’ll be the end of it.” The nurse shouted.

 

“I’d like to see that.” Tanner said with a sour smile. Tanner and his dad didn’t have the best relationship but he didn’t doubt for a second his dad would tear this crappy school down. 

 

His dad was one of the first generation of system users. Back when no-one knew what was happening and humanity was struggling to fight off extra-dimensional invaders as people started to get super-powers. After getting a [Strongman] system his dad became a classic super-hero. He fought a lot of battles and upgraded his system to level 15. He was strong, very strong for a city this size.

 

Now, almost 25 years later, nearly everyone had a system. Those who couldn’t awaken one automatically could have one artificially awakened, but it had to be done before age twenty. Everyone tried to awaken one naturally because those were almost always systems to make one stronger in battle. Artificial systems on the other hand could be anything. From a pet raising system, to an icecream system, or a painting system. People who had those were often looked down on and in highschool were usually bullied. So people put off getting a system as long as possible. Tanner was 18 and systemless. Whereas Jay Davidson had a  [Fist Fighter] system. That made him stronger, faster, and able to imbue his punches with special effects. Which is why he could beat Tanner, even though he was smaller, and a worse boxer.

 

“I’ll write a note and send you home. It’s Friday afternoon anyway. No one will care.” The nurse said. Tanner just nodded vaguely. His head still felt loose on his shoulders and there was no way he’d be able to concentrate during afternoon classes. 

 

“You want me to call Sandra to take you home?” She asked.Tanner thought about that. Mrs. Aster’s daughter was very hot and sort of a childhood friend. On the other hand, his house was only a few blocks away. Tanner just didn’t care that much, his beating seemed to have killed even his libedo, which was saying something for an 18 year old boy.

 

“Don’t bother her. It’s only a mile.” Tanner said, waving a hand vaguely. He sat up and got off the bed, stretching up to his unimpressive height and trying to get some of the kinks out of his neck and back. He wasn’t short, he was just average, average light-brown hair, average build, average looks. His life was average. 

 

Tanner made his way down the hall and turned towards the front-door but he paused as he saw the hall-way was full of kids. At least eight people were in the hall. It was Jay and a few of his cronies along with Tessa and her Mean-girl crowd. Tanner sighed as they all turned towards him.

 

“Oh… Look it’s Tanner. Looks like he got beaten up… Again…” Giggled Mindy Schinder. She was a too-skinny white-girl with strawberry blond hair. Her nose was pretty large as well, and she always reminded him of some mean bird, like a vulture or something. Jay and his cronies started to guffaw and Tanner really wanted to start swearing. Why did high-school suck so much? Couldn’t people just leave each other alone? Tanner’s dad always told him the whole world was like highschool, so he had better just get used to it. Tanner prayed his dad was wrong.

 

Tanner ignored her and tried to slide by to get to his locker. It was late November and he didn’t want to walk home without his coat. As he tried to step around them, A broad-shouldered boy with lots of muscle stepped into his path.

 

“Where do you think you’re going?” Dave Shelder asked. He was a football player and had a system. Unlike Jay, Dave actually knew how to fight. He was not someone to mess around with.

 

“Really guys? I JUST got out of the hospital wing. What do you want to now?” Tanner whined to everyone. Christ, was he going to get beaten up twice in two hours. The girls all laughed but Tanner was still too sore to really care about his pride.

 

“Ohh… You think we give a shit about what you want? You think you can take us?” Jay snapped. Tanner rolled his eyes. Jay was a classic case of small-dog syndrome. Being short made him hate everyone. Unfortunately for Tanner, he was short, angry, and could punch a hole in a brick-wall.

 

“No… No I don’t.” Tanner said calmly. “I just want to know what you want? I’m not giving you money and you already beat me up. That’s the only two reasons I can think of why you’d stop me in the hall.” 

 

Tanner honestly had no idea what was going to happen next but as Dave’s hand fisted in his shirt he doubted it would be good. Thankfully a teacher showed up to save him. An angry male voice sounded in the hall. 

 

“What are you guys all doing? Class started twenty minutes ago.” Shouted Mr. Vansworth. He was the history teacher and an asshole but at least he’d prevented Tanner from getting beaten up again.

 

“We weren’t doing anything.” Jay said, trying to act innocent. It was a wasted effort, since they were all out of class. 

 

“I’m going home.” Tanner replied, holding up his note from the nurse. “ Concussion during sparring practice.” He said as he slid by the asshole mob and towards his locker.

 

“That’s the third time this month. You should be able to defend yourself by now.” Mr. Vansworth said disapprovingly. Tanner had to bite his tongue to keep from shooting his mouth off. If Jay hadn’t cheated and used an ability in a spar, it would have been fine. He’d have still lost but he wouldn’t have ended up in the medical room again. 

 

Tanner got his locker open as Mr. Vansworth rounded on the rest of the group. “The rest of you get back to class now.” He scolded. The group broke up with a few angry mutters and Tanner sighed in relief. He was finally getting out of here.

 

************************

 

Tanner was on his computer spawn-camping some noobs when his dad finally got home from work. The larger man had a prize-fighter's build and looked every inch the 1950’s boxer. He was middle-height but broad and with a face that looked like he’d be hit with a shovel a few times. He had dark hair and wore jeans and heavy work boots. He seemed to be in his 30’s but he was closer to 50. It was one of the effects of having a high-level system. After level 10, there was a transformation of sorts that slowed aging. 

 

“Shouldn’t you be at school.” His dad asked, with his deep voice. He was a good dad, if one usually caught up in his own business. Tanner had been forced to raise himself for the most part, with a string of babysitters. His mother had died when he was very small. Still, his dad had found time to take him fishing and even caught a few of his little league games so Tanner hadn’t held it against him too much. It just would have been nice if he’d prioritized his son more than his work.

 

“Shouldn’t you be at work.” Tanner countered.

 

His dad, Grayson Spaldman, grimaced. “I came home to change. The army called. They need help on the front.” His dad looked weary and guilty at that moment. Tanner’s ire spiked. 

 

“And if I’d still been at school. You would've just left without telling me? For the frontlines!?” Tanner shouted at his dad. He couldn't believe this. His dad was normally at work, and Tanner knew he took on side-jobs fighting the demons as well, but the frontlines? He could be gone for weeks, or forever, he could die and he wasn’t even going to tell his son?

 

“It’s bad son….” His dad said, his eyes tired and serious. “We’re losing. We’ve been losing for twenty-years and while the news is always filled with how great things are going to be now because of artificial systems it’s BS. The demons are getting stronger and more numerous all the time.  Too many people are concerned with their own lives and their own power, but they never bother using that power to help.” His dad walked over to the computer desk and placed his large calloused hand on Tanner’s head. 

 

“Remember son. Everyone gets a choice. Maybe not a good choice, or a fair choice, but they all get a choice. I’m choosing to abandon my son, my family, to go hold the line. People are dying, humanity is dying. I’m leaving you so that one day you won’t have to make the same choice.” His dad finished, looking into his sons now watering eyes. 

 

Tanner nodded but his thoughts were bitter. That was just like the world. People like Jay, like David, like Mindy were content to use their systems to bully people. While his dad was risking his life to help people. The world was a very unfair place.

 

“I left my bank card on the table. Your name is on the account. You’re eighteen now. I trust you, buy whatever you need. I should be back in a week or two.” Then his solemn face split into a boyish grin. “Might even level up again on the front. It’s been a few years.” Tanner was pulled into the older man's arms for a hug that nearly broke his ribs then his dad walked off into his room to pack.

 

Fifteen minutes later they were having their tearful goodbye on the front porch. Tanner hugged his dad hard. “Good luck dad…. and punch one of those demon bastards in the face for me.” His dad let out one of his deep booming laughs, only slightly rough with emotion.

 

“I will son, steak and hookers when I get back. You’re a man now, we should really celebrate.” The large man laughed before giving Tanner a thump on the back that Tanner knew would bruise. Then he was all alone and the house felt empty without his dad’s large frame. Tanner headed back into the house and back to his room. He still had homework to do and there was no reason to wait until the weekend to do it. Highschool really did suck.