Legendary Guardians: Mad Emperor

Kael followed Eric down to the left wing of the first floor, where the cafeteria was located. On his way down, he pondered on Eric's words, his fragile mind trying to understand the thought process behind such a bold conclusion.

Entering the cafeteria, Kael was met with a noisy room filled with large desks and plastic chairs neatly scattered across the spacious room. 

He noticed many students had already formed friend groups, some loners lingering around the corners.

Kael's gaze shifted to the endless line of students, waiting for a turn. He spotted Liora blushing, while a familiar face chatted away, all smiles.

"Liora?" Kael rubbed his eyes, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him.

The Liora he had known for over sixteen years of his life was the ice queen who never shared a smile with him. She always said only what needed to be said, she barely looked at him and ignored him most times.

Kael simply couldn't comprehend what he was witnessing.

To make things worse, the boy was Travis, a 6'4" bully with the genetics of a silverback. From the very first day, he singled Kael out, torturing him with every given opportunity.

"So this was his end game," Kael muttered, his voice barely a whisper.

"And from the looks of it, he succeeded." Eric's voice broke Kael's reverie.

All he did was trace Kael's line of sight, deduce the problem using his facial expression, and conclude based on his final statement.

"You are easy to read, she must find you boring." Eric chuckled.

Kael's face reddened, his fist curling, but he lacked the courage to swing at Eric.

"Aah, so he's a tough guy now? If you had this energy all this while, she would be here laughing at your dry jokes" Eric scoffed at Kael's empty threats.

His words were like daggers, stabbing through the little confidence Kael mustered up. He slapped Kael's shoulder, gesturing for him to lean in.

Kael seemed reluctant at first, but like the cat killed by curiosity, he decided to take a chance with this stranger.

"To her, you are nothing but a loser. To change this, you need to do something extraordinary." Eric's voice was soothing, his words enticing.

His eyes gleamed with anticipation, like a hunter waiting for the game to step into the trap. And just like most unsuspecting bunnies, Kael hopped in willingly.

"What can I do?" Kael asked, the desperation in his voice blatant.

However, Eric wasn't in a hurry to give out the information. He rolled his eyes, wrapping his hands around his chest.

"I'm not sure if you have the guts to do it. Just give up on her." Eric flung his face in the opposite direction, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

As expected, Kael felt frustrated and ran circles around Eric, trying to meet his gaze.

"Just tell me, I'll give it a try... I swear!" Kael pleaded, his frantic actions drawing the attention of a few students.

"Okay, okay, calm down." Eric threw his hands up in surrender, his mischievous smile hidden behind a defeated sigh.

A sheepish smile bloomed on Kael's face as he took a step forward, glaring at Eric like a child waiting for his reward.

"You can impress her by becoming the first demi-human in recent history," Eric said, his eyes gleaming with madness.

'Enforcers' was the term used to refer to humans who survived the empire's scientific fusion. They were a combination of man, machine, and demi-beasts; the Visitor's greatest creation.

At least, until today.

The Empire was about to gain its first batch of demi-humans. This was the term decided upon to be used on students who survive the Mystic Resonance.

Eric's offer was brilliant, too good for Kael to turn down, even though he was overwhelmed with fear. 

The ritual was scheduled to take place at 10 am, but it was only 9 am. 

'I see no reason to refuse since I'm still gonna take the test anyway.'

'You know what? It's a great idea! If I'm going to die, I get to die alone. Liora won't have to witness it. If you ask me, it's a win-win situation.'

"Let's do it!" Kael said decisively.

--- Academy Western Region: Beast Containment Zone ---

Kael and Eric abandoned breakfast for the opportunity of getting the pick of a Demi-beast Bloodline of their choice before anyone else.

The Beast Containment Zone was a dome-shaped glass research facility. The surroundings consisted of green fields with concrete walkways leading to the entrance.

There were a few trees here and there, some benches littered around the spacious compound. This arrangement left Kael questioning the sanity of the academy. 

Who would want to hang out around the demi-beast containment zone?

The duo followed a concrete path leading to the entrance, and as expected; their homeroom professor stood at the door, tinkering with her tablet.

Their shuffling footsteps caught her attention, her eyes dilating with shock upon seeing the least expected duo in the class.

The coward and the dangerous.

Professor Lysandra slid the tablet into a pocket on her baggy lab coat, her fingers delicately adjusting her glasses as she awaited the arrival of her students.

"I didn't expect to see you... Or anyone here this early. Am I safe?" Professor Lysandra laughed nervously, her gaze fixated on Kael.

She noticed there was something different about his gaze today.

"Good day Miss Lysandra," Eric greeted politely, "We decided to take the test early."

"We?" Professor Lysandra raised an eyebrow, her doubtful gaze fell on Kael.

"Yes, we." Kael nodded immediately, his decisiveness leaving her stunned.

Kael watched her take a step back, her gaze filled with reluctance and strangely fixated on him. 

After a moment of pondering in silence, Professor Lysandra exhaled heavily, a bitter smile playing upon her lips.

"Okay, if that's what you both decided, let's get started." She said.