Legendary Guardians: Mad Emperor

.... Academy Dormitory, Drakensoul, 15th Day...

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Kael's eyes shot open, his chest rising and falling in sharp gasps. His hand slammed down on the alarm clock, silencing it with a thud. 

For a moment, he stared at the ceiling, beads of sweat clinging to his brow.

"Another nightmare," he muttered, his voice barely audible.

The image lingered—those reptilian eyes glaring into his soul. They felt too real to be just dreams, and the memory of them left his skin crawling.

"It's either this dorm is cursed or I'm just too nervous," Kael muttered under his breath.

Since the formation of the Empire, only a select few humans have benefited from it. 

In the history books, many tried to paint the dragon pantheon, Ra, an evil beast that turned on humanity, but one thing they could never discredit the ancient dragon on was its fair spirit.

Under its leadership, all men were equal.

Modern civilization was hell for orphans like Kael and Liora. They were destined to waste most of their lives working in the factory or slaving away in the home of a Lord.

The lift of the ban on mysticism created an opportunity for everyone.

Initially, if one wished to secure a high military post, they had to undergo countless operations, merging their genetics with that of a demi-beast. This method gave them an advantage in the war against the demi-beast, however, this advantage came at a price.

Physical Instability, mental strain, loss of spirit essence, and many more.

Over eighty percent of every man who undergoes bio-fusion dies. With such a high mortality rate, the fame that came with that power seemed worthless to most.

No one wanted to die young.

While the empire was against mysticism, they were still at war with numerous resistance groups and needed capable soldiers. 

The only answer to this was to give into the people's demand and bring back ancient rituals that had been long abandoned. 

Since these rituals have not been performed for centuries, not many people were willing to risk their lives. They would rather wait and be certain it was safe before getting involved.

With the lack of volunteers, the requirements were extremely low. Liora saw this as an opportunity and dragged him along to give it a try. 

This was an opportunity for them to change their social class, a chance to change their destinies.

At least, that's how Liora saw it.

"This is not her dream, not mine," Kael mumbled, glaring at his wall clock with a look of dread.

Left to him, he would have chosen a peacefully uneventful life in the rural areas of the empire.

---

An hour later, Kael stepped out of his room, dressed in the sky blue tracksuit specifically prepared for this day. 

The corridor was lonely, florescent lights illuminating the empty corridor.

"I'm late again," Kael mumbled, remembering he was thirty minutes behind breakfast time.

He swiped his hand across his door knock, his face lighting up as he heard the door lock.

"Hehehehe!" Kael giggled like a child who had just performed a mischievous act.

To Kael, the fingerprint and sensor mechanism of the doors were the most exciting thing about the entire academy. He was a simple man, interested in the simple things of life.

"Someone seems confident today." An amused voice rang from behind.

Kael yelped in shock, he spun so fast he nearly lost his footing. It was a familiar face he had seen a couple of times but avoided intentionally.

"Ah! Eric... I ... I didn't think I would meet you here," Kael stuttered, his eyes instinctively evading Eric's gaze.

Why?

Because Eric was the odd kid in the class. His wide smile never faltered, but there was something unnatural about it, as though his face was carved into a permanent grin. His small eyes, like pinpricks of darkness, seemed to pierce through Kael, sending a chill down his spine.

Even the class bullies avoided Eric because of his weird looks and wild temperament. He was like a beast that needed to be chained at all times.

"You flinch too much... I'm pretty sure you get bullied a lot." Eric chuckled, his piercing gaze sizing Kael up.

Kael could only rub his hair as nervous chuckles escaped his lips. 

"A couple of times, but not frequently." He admitted sheepishly.

Eric threw his hand around Kael's neck, holding him down in a headlock while they both walked down the corridor.

"Tell me, erm..." Eric's voice trailed off as he realized he didn't even know Kael's name.

"Kael." Kael politely interrupted.

"Tell me Kael, why do you let me manhandle you this way?" Kael asked with a nod. 

Kael pondered, seemingly okay being held down in such an uncomfortable position.

"Because I'm weak. Resisting is useless if I'm going to lose anyway so why bother fighting back?" Kael responded honestly.

Eric blinked, looking down at Kael, his gaze tinged with slight surprise. He let go of Kael, patiently waiting for him to stand properly before speaking.

"Let me let you in on a secret," Eric said in a hushed tone, his eyes darted around frantically.

Kael jerked back, startled by the abrupt change in demeanor. He glanced around a few times before nodding. Eric's grin stretched wider, his lips parted to reveal teeth that gleamed like jagged blades. 

Kael's stomach churned as he realized those weren't human teeth but something out of a nightmare. He staggered back a few steps before hitting the wall.

 'Holy Ra!' He gasped in terror, hyperventilating.

"The difference between a killer and his victim is mindset. One is trying to kill, and the other is trying to survive," Eric explained, his tone stern even though he wore a smile.

"So what if I'm stronger, I bleed like you. So what if I'm built like a superhero? A knife that can slit your throat can also slit my throat." He said, his voice quivering with passion as he threw his hands apart. "You can hurt me just as much as I can hurt you. So what is there to fear?!"

At this moment, Eric's figure dazzled in Kael's eyes. While his words were common sense, coming from this crazy kid, it felt like precious knowledge only revealed to a select few.