Paladin's Path

Eli was aching while being escorted away. It had only been a day, he was healed but still hurt, no one had directly spoken to him yet but he had heard the ramblings of people that were in the room with him.

He found himself in a narrow dimly lit hallway, flanked by stern swat officers with high grade weapons ready to be pointed at him. The fluorescent lights overhead was the only sound accompanying him now as the reality of his situation was settling in.

Ahead him was Juniper Fay, her presence commanding despite the clinical, indifferent environment. Her voice was steady but there was a cold edge to it as she spoke.

"Eli, before you are transported I want you to know the basic procedure you will undergo. First there will be a psychological evaluation to assess the full extent of your actions and intentions. Based on this assessment, you will be transferred to a state-run prison facility. Given the nature of your powers and the severity of your actions, this facility will be different from the norm."

Eli's gaze was fixed on a point ahead of him, but his thoughts churned rapidly. The words of ms. Fay seemed distant, almost surreal.

Prisons were not meant for the weak. As an awakened if he's shoved in with other awakened then it might just be another great battlefield and depending on the security situation then maybe anything goes.

What will be of his future now?

As the guards began to move forward, Eli's mind replayed the events that led him here, his fight with Theon and Jon is what replayed over and over again. Eli's power gave him so much power that he never believed he could possess.

It was usually used on nobodies so maybe he got a little too confident in himself. He lost control, of everything, including himself. His own reflection in the polished steel walls seemed like a stranger staring back at him.

A bitter smile crossed his lips as he realized that no amount of introspection or evaluation could change what had already been set in motion. The path ahead was bleak, a path that lead only to isolation and regret.

He cast one final glance toward Ms Fay searching, for what he didn't know, maybe empathy or some type of understanding, but all he saw was a professional detachment. It was clear that she seen him as a case to be processed.

As the guards led him away, Eli's thoughts turned inward. Eli's cage of isolation had grown bigger, 'But this isn't my end! Just a set-back.'

___________

The weekend passed quickly and Theon had only heard from Jon, nothing from Ava and nothing from Robin.

Then again he didn't really know what to expect. Jon was back to his usual self quickly and didn't seem to care much about Eli, he didn't speak about him but he did speak on a situation he had put him through along with Elena.

As Theon got to the exit of the dorm building he had seen Jon about to walk out. Jon had his dorm on a lower floor than his and usually left quite later for school. Theon didn't watch out for the time this morning but still knew he hadn't been late.

"Yo." Jon waved to him and Theon nodded back as they got in step, side by side on their way to class.

There was an air of excitement this week, the class probably didn't know of Eli's departure just yet, Ms. Fay had told Theon and the rest specifically not to divulge what had happened to Robin which seemed like a no-brainer.

The difference in atmosphere though had been because it was the last week. Basically the probation month was over and they were finally going to be put in teams to go out on missions.

"I would rather if we end up being paired together." Jon said to Theon's surprise. He certainly knew that Jon would feel that way, he wanted to be on the same team as him too. Theon just never expected Jon to actually voice it.

"Yeah me too." Jon was acting different, but it was still obvious that he was still Jon. Not much had changed but there was something different about him, his presence was more open it felt like. Not the same closed off boy from the start of the year.

When the two got to class there was chattering surrounding a somewhat excited presence of Corbin Monet. Cole and Corey had been talking on either side of his table while he was desperately trying to ignore them. It was his week back, back in time to find out who he'll be teamed with like everyone else.

Surprisingly to Theon though was Robin was sat in her seat talking to her friends like nothing had happened, bright as a ray of sunshine. She caught Theon's eye and it was more fierce and welcoming than it had been before, there was still a timid reflection of hurt that hadn't completely washed away but she was still there.

Ava hadn't been part of the group by Robin, she was sat by her own seat and had a more melancholic air around her as she kept her head down in thought. Theon thought she would have gotten over it already but maybe she just felt too deeply.

As the class began to get to their seats and Mr. Adams walked in and over to his desk the some people noticed the missing presence. The presence that was usually quiet and out of the way wasn't hard to spot but the empty seat was.

"Hey who used to sit there again?" Chloe asked in her casual tone.

People knew Eli, but more so as the quiet boy who was kind of creepy. But since there was such little interaction with him and he never stood out much he wasn't remembered.

Theon didn't fail to notice the flinch coming from Robin, she probably wouldn't stand up to speak for the missing classmate.

"Eli Sazaki will not be returning to this classroom." Mr Adams said resolutely. Cole who was swinging in his chair dropped on four legs in quiet shock along with the rest of the class who weren't in the know.

"He was found participating in some unsavoury actions and exposed himself over the weekend which led to his immediate expulsion."

"What did the creep do?" Cole shot out.

"Is it to do with the destroyed section near the library?" That section was actually near repaired, the speed and efficiency of the people maintaining it was amazing.

But Mr Adams shut down any other questions that may have been on the tip of anyone else's tongue.

"No questions about his wrongdoings will be answered. Just know that he will not be returning to the path of a paladin through this program."

That was all they needed to hear to silence them. They knew it must have been bad and some people started to turn anxious foregoing the excited atmosphere of the room prior.

"His replacement will be joining us by the end of the week when announcements of your teams will be revealed."

And just like that, the anxiousness had turned back to an excited pitch. It was like most people had instantly forgotten about their expelled classmate.

"This weeks schedule is packed with more physical activity and team bonding than any other so act accordingly."

"You know he's talking to you right Corbin." Cole and Corey laughed toward each other as some more classmates joined in at laughing at the expense of Corbin.

Mr Adams didn't seem amused though. "That goes for all of you. You will be stuck with the same people for the three year duration of this program. So get along."

He didn't get into whatever he was going to say next though as a question arose.

"Can I ask about the new student that will be joining us?" Ava spoke for the first time. She looked slightly more pale but not an amount that would be noticed by people. Mr Adams looked toward her. "Like what type of person they are and where they're coming from."

Ava was probably still in a state of shock after the revelation of who Eli was, even with a father so deep in this world that she has yet to enter, she hasn't experienced someone like Eli. Would Eli be the worst of it?

No was the answer.

"We staff do not know much of him either so it isn't the best idea to speak on the little we do know other than he is a boy."

'So nothing.' Theon thought to himself. Well this 'Boy' will probably have a more extensive check done on him. Juniper Fay didn't only look so sad that Eli was a menace harming her students but probably because this school is part of her jurisdiction and harm so great going without her notice sends a message to the higher ups that she doesn't know what she is doing.

That is what Theon concluded anyway, and that got him interested. 'What does she know of me?' He wondered if she and some of the other staff were wary of him also, if they thought he could turn out to be another Eli Sazaki. Good grief, already using his name like he was actually someone to be remembered.

Theon kept his head down for the rest of morning class, sketching away in his notepad.

He wondered how they would place people on teams with each other. What made sense to him was through who got along the easiest or what powers worked best.

But since the teachers have been keeping an eye on them it is probably more to do with who can work best with each other.

Powers can be similar but at the same time different, too individualistic. No power is the same as no soul is the same. Eli said it and some other awakened and theorists have spoken about powers being a reflection of the soul.

The belief became a lot more popular with Ego tools that some could bring forth instead of just a unique power. Ego tools brought forth like Charlie Liber' was essentially a part of the users soul being manifested as a tool they could use.

Something that can never be negated or fade away until the wielder dies. Right? There's still much unknown about Od and what comes with it so Theon knows only what he knows, he doesn't care much to go out searching for more.

He has just always been like that.

___________________

"Seems to be a good choice." The elderly lady Elara Morgan spoke after seeing the two images of young boys that had been caught in the schools recent controversy. Jon Sinclair and Theon Abara.

She along with the rest of the staff of the school were finally drafting the trio's that will be led out the school as rookie paladin.

"I watched what could be gathered from the video footage. They both fight well together and individually they seem almost too skilled for first years with no background." Bruno Hayes said with clear suspicion in his voice.

Jon also had a past that was clearly forged, forged well but eventually was found out by the some staff members more involved with tech and security in the school.

"Yeah they fight well and they fight for our side Bruno." Juniper Fay did not want to tolerate any suspicion today since there was much more to talk about today.

"The boy also got us enough footage of Eli Sazaki's abusive demands on his classmate on his own phone which was very beneficial." This time the sly Marc Simpson spoke although he was a lot let insidious in character they'd noticed.

"I want to meet him. Or maybe be team leader for those two and whoever the third is." A new face spoke, one that hadn't been there in previous meetings. A lady of above average height but still a youthful appearance, maybe in her late twenties, she had pale purple hair that was tied in a tight high ponytail that curled at the end with eyes of a shade darker than her hair.

This was Zara Bennet. A more recently turned gold rank paladin that was on the roster for leading a new team of rookies.

"Nah, I was thinking of putting you in charge of another team with a boy who has a more upbeat personality that you might be able to control better." Mr. Adams first thought to Corbin and was sure she meant him, if not then maybe Cole but the latter hadn't shown much problems with other students.

"Oh really who?" Zara seemed the most excited and sitting beside the lacklustre and reserved Bruno Hayes made that even more apparent.

An image of a boy with a scowl on his face and deep midnight purple hair was on the screen. Mr. Adams had been right. Corbin Monet was displayed in bold red writing.

"Seems to be on the naughty list already."

"Yeah, you'll know why later but he will be who you are leading. The other two we put on his team will be who we start with to get that out of the way."

Caleb Adams cleared his throat, as the homeroom teacher of that class he thought it best to lay his input now.

"I think it best for Juno Darby to be one of the potential candidates on the same team as Corbin."

The others in the room didn't have a primary teaching position within the school, there was just standard tutors hired to teach basic education instead. So they didn't have much personal contact like Caleb Adams but they did receive reports every week and thoroughly go over them to keep in mind for occasions like this.

"The girl with the healing ability correct." Bruno Hayes brought up.

"That's rare." Zara got her word in before anyone could speak over her. "She doesn't have to deal with drawback like non healers do. I wish I had a healing ability."

"Moving on," Caleb ignored her and carried on. "Yes she is a healer and I think having her on Corbin's team would be more beneficial since I see him getting into a lot more trouble than any of the other students."

Caleb Adams didn't know them long but that didn't matter he cared for the lives of young ones. Even though Corbin was more of a trouble maker, that didn't matter. He was still someone with great ambition and it is his role as a teacher to lead him in the right direction.

"That's fine by me. Any objections." Juniper Fay looked around the room and no one objected, this surprised Caleb as he believed someone in the room would have liked for the only healer in the class to be on the team of Ava Wolfe since she was a legacy child.

"Now I was thinking of adding in Aaliyah smith on the team too. A quiet but strong willed girl like her wouldn't back down to Corbin's aggressiveness." Caleb could understand where she is coming from.

Aaliyah Smith was quiet and didn't speak most of the time unless spoken too but it wasn't out of some quiet anxiety, there was a fierceness in her eyes that matched the likes of Corbin which actually made Caleb more worried about Juno.

Aaliyah didn't seem to take too kindly to people who she believed slowed her down, very much like Corbin, but she wouldn't always vocalize it, but she would make it known from the cold stare she would give.

The three images of the students had popped up under the banner of Team 1 with the image of their team leader Zara Bennet on the side.

"Well that is our first team. So lets move on to the next leader, who is Bruno." Bruno Hayes stared at the first person to show up for the team he was leading.

It was the blazing red hair in the photo that caught everyone first before the bright and cheery smile. Ava Wolfe was brought up.

Juniper Fay looked to Bruno before saying.

"You knew that it was either you or Carmen that would be taking her." Carmen Ford remembered one of the earlier meetings that mentioned her having a chance at being the girls leader since she was the daughter of the gold rank Adrian Wolfe who many people seen as a man so strong that only the Monarch had him beat.

"Yes but if its really about carving out a bright future for her as a quality up and coming paladin then maybe the old man should be the one."

By old man Bruno meant Gregory Knox who sat at the end of the row cracking his neck trying to stay awake. Many would doubt his strength after seeing his day to day activity. It seemed to many that the older some men got the more stupidly playful.

"Yeah but I believe you'd be the right match for her, plus you're a specialist." that term didn't have any real meaning behind it. Bruno just always seemed like he was ahead of everything whenever out on the field. He was dependable.

"And the next would be Lugh O'hara." People in the room only remembered him as the ice boy that got badly hurt in his second week. He certainly had the potential to be one of the more powerful people in the class if not most powerful. A lot of elemental and strongman powers always dominated so having two on one team was sure to be a threat.

"And the last is actually the new student that will be joining us."

Everyone in the room looked over to the holographic screen in the middle of the room to see the picture of what was a boy with a timid smile on his face and a scar going across the bridge of his nose to underneath both of his eyes.

Damian Santoro was his name. Other than the scar on his face he looked painfully normal, average.

The brief paragraph of information on him gave the blank canvas some more colour though.

Abused by his father after his power awakened and was quickly found out and taken in and monitored by the Bureau of Paranormal affairs as a potential threat. Meaning his power was a significant threat upon awakening.

Apocalypse. That was the name of the power.

'Edgy' is what Juniper Fay thought when she first seen it but after reading its description she understood why he was kept away, not like she thought it was a good solution. A power that exerts absolute dominion over another. User has very little control of it and accidentally used it on his own mother to forget her own family and walk endlessly. Effects brought on was decaying flesh and endless zombie like stamina with no will of her own. Authorities reported it as finding a walking corpse.

A whistle came from the end of the room from Greg and it was finished off by the words of Marc Simpson who weirdly seemed to perc up after reading the description of the boy.

"Tragic." Was all he said, a sentiment felt by all even the crass attitude that came next.

"And unwanted." Caleb Adams always one to speak his piece boldly stood up.

"Sorry principal, but considering the situation we just had I don't believe it appropriate for this boy to be allowed with the rest of the students. It could cause..."

He was cut off by the green eyed woman sitting on the right side of the principal. "Rude."

Carmen Ford understood where Caleb was coming from, she believed everyone did, "He's still just a kid that's had it hard and it says he's only awakened like a year ago, we can't judge him on power alone."

"She's right. Plus its not like powers don't evolve after understanding of them is greater." Zara added on. "Instead of allowing him to stay locked away we should give him a chance here."

Both she and Carmen smiled dubiously. Caleb Adams sat down and apologised for his actions. "It still doesn't sit right with me that he will be on the team of Ava Wolfe either."

Disregarding that she is a legacy student, she also seemed troubled after the events that came to light a few days ago. That was understandable but everyone still had belief that their principal Juniper Fay knew what she was doing.

"I've already had a little talk with the boy. He doesn't talk to his father anymore, his mother's dead and no extended family want to be near him either. He's all alone but can still manage to fake a smile." Juniper Fay sounded more heartfelt as she relayed her thoughts on the matter. "He's a kind child that honestly wants to help in his own way."

As paladins that is a primary duty of theirs so who are they to deny.

The three images was the next on board and the room shuffled as the next team went up. "We've already put these two boys in a team." The images were of Theon Abara and Jon Sinclair. "So now only one name is needed and I believe this is the best choice." A silver haired doll looked to be put on the screen.

Fair skin and piercing icy blue eyes that stood out with her silver hair. Bell Wyatt was the choice for the team.

Caleb Adams didn't have much to say about her. She kept her head down and was more antisocial than Aaliyah or anyone else in the class. Bell was incredibly smart and tried as hard as Corbin Monet when it came to studies, but she didn't excel as much when it came to outdoor challenges unless they were simple and only required standard Od manipulation.

"That Wyatt name's familiar to me." Greg muttered to no one in particular but he was heard and an answer did come.

"She's the younger brother of Arian Wyatt." Elara Morgan answered him and she seen Greg click his fingers in acknowledgement after remembering him too.

Arian Wyatt, or as some people had started calling him in his latter half of his first year... Silver Star, was the schools strongest student and most likely the strongest they have ever produced.

To many he was almost perfect in every way, academically he far outshined his peers. Physically he was radiant, tall, handsome and dazzling silver hair as fine as his sisters. And he was powerful.

The name Silver Star indicated his prowess in controlling the substance of silver. He could create it, shape it and do as he pleased with it. Arian was admired by many and even though they wouldn't say it the teachers in the room believed that none of the years below his had the potential to usurp him, maybe match his excellence one day but not surpass it.

"She must be quite the talent then yeah?" Greg turned to Caleb with a smile but his face didn't reciprocate.

In certain circumstances information can be left off of a students record and is only uncovered after getting past initial thresholds.

It not like Bell herself was dangerous but what she was cursed with made being around her so.

Juniper Fay took to answering instead.

"Bell Wyatt was a victim of The curse of the black lamb." There was a stark silence after that, everyone knew what that was and were surprised to hear it. The curse of the black lamb is another way one can become an awakened but the survival rate is as low as 9%.

It is unpredictable as well. One day someone may receive a black marking in the shape of a lamb on a random part of their body and as soon as they notice it they have seven days, within those seven days they will be transported to another realm and face a trial to overcome. If it is overcome they will be fortunate enough to come back to the real world with a power and their Od fully awakened.

If not, then the answer is death with a chimera coming in place of the person who had went. To make it worse, for those who live and return, they do not only gain a power but also a curse. Completely random.

"Well surviving that must mean she's somewhat strong too right."

Caleb didn't shake his head but looked to be in thought.

"Like every other survivor of their event, she has much greater control and amounts of Od than her classmates but she hasn't shown much. Certainly not on the level of her brother."

Some people in the room were still taken aback at the revelation of the girls past, even the relationship with their **Silver Star.** But should it have been hard to notice, they both look alike and even act somewhat similar in the closed-off selves but the brother was definitely more open where it benefitted him.

"But she survived. So that's already a good enough start." Bruno Hayes relayed.

"That doesn't mean she can actually keep up with the two though." Marc Simpson spoke out again. "I doubt anyone in her class knows though right?... What even is her curse if you would be so kind to enlighten us."

He directed that to the principal Juniper Fay who thought on it.

"She attracts chimera."

The simple answer would have caused uproar if the public heard it, those in the room still felt the drop in atmosphere, nobody wanted to say it but they certainly thought it, 'That girl's existence is too dangerous.' Classified threats simply lured in by the presence of a young girl. Some would call for her to be locked away far from civilization and some might ask for worse.

People were expecting more outrage from even Caleb Adams. But since he most likely knew beforehand he must have had time to deal with it in his own way.

"Barrier around the school must be real strong then." Marc Simpson replied in an exaggerated tone as he looked to Juniper Fay. "Glad we have you to thank for that huh?" The question was rhetorical but felt by the people in the room.

Juniper Fay had imbued her own Power to the barrier which casted out chimera without much effort, they wouldn't even come near the school due to it.

"Wouldn't it be better for her to go separately then and just be an apprentice to someone capable?" Elara Morgan, the woman who was usually first to give a chance to those in need like the boy Damian they spoke on previously, even she believed the risks were too great.

Juniper Fay opened up a separate file to read from it. This one was unseen by the others.

"She was actually planning on doing that but instead was persuaded by someone to come here. After she heard of her brother being here she seemed a lot more convinced to join and prove herself." There was a sneaky underlying tone in Juniper Fay's voice that didn't go unnoticed by the people in the room.

It was clear who this persuasive person truly was.

They all thought on it too be too dangerous for a team as chimera are very unpredictable.

Then an image of Carmen Ford popped up in all her beauty beside the name Team 3.

"Me?" she gave a surprised look.

"Of course you. You're incredibly capable especially for how young you are." Juniper said reassuring her friend who basked in the compliments. "Bruno isn't the only one capable of taking care of dangerous elements."

"But is there a limit to the Chimera that will be attracted to her?" For all her playfulness Carmen Ford still wanted to know how prone to danger her already dangerous life would be.

"Anything goes, there hasn't been a great number of tests though." Even more worrying for the people in the room.

Chimera were not typically ranked, people knew that if one had intelligence it was most likely stronger and had been in the human world for a long enough time, very rarely had they just spawned like that. But there was one rank reserved for the strongest, a rank that the first children were at now. Armageddon.

Destruction on a massive scale, country level and more. Rare but the rank was created for a reason.

"One's with some intelligence notice a different alluring presence by her but they do not act in the same way the dumber ones do. They may even just ignore her altogether."

A very dangerous curse, Probably the most dangerous one they have heard since most are just ones that harm the user more so and sometimes in subtle ways. That felt like it was going overboard.

"Lets move on now. We've been here long enough so I'll go through the rest quickly." Juniper Fay didn't pay much attention to responses as she prepared herself.

The next team, team 4 was an all girls team that will be led by the silent Robyn Wilson who's presence was barely felt by anyone in the room as she had not spoken a word, just sat there as a silent spectre.

The team will be: Robin Evans, Elena Howard and Chloe Parker.

"And finally..." the last team, team 5 being led by Gregory Knox will be a team of the last three boys in the class: Cole Castle, Corey Anton and Arte Graham.

"And that's everyone." Juniper Fay Slapped her remote control on the desk and stretched her arms.

The next few days until the day of announcements would go by quickly and the students waited patiently and anxiously to know who was with who.