Tantrum Child

“Please sit down wherever you please, it’s going to take quite a while.” Noah chuckled as he held the door for everyone including Valentine.

Inside, there was an old classroom that included a couple of wooden desks fitting two people each, some bookshelves on the side filled with various study material and of course a giant whiteboard that occupied almost the entirety of one wall, a little less impressive than the white hall it was connected to but more than enough for the current era.

Comfy.

With hands deep inside his pockets, Martin waltzed right past Valentine, his eyes scanning each surface as if expecting something else than the dull cement walls and wooden floor.

“Back to school, eh?” He glanced back at Noah who was already walking in after making sure Matthew staggered inside with a bloody nose.

“Brings back quite the memories don’t it?”

“You don’t have to worry, Mr. Martin,” He said as he went up to the white board, taking off parts of his armour. “What you will be taught here, is something you learn after obtaining an Ignis. While it may sound unnecessary, it’s the basics that matter most when it comes to learning about yourself and what power you wield.”

Stacking his armour in the corner of the classroom, he breathed out as if great weight had been taken off his shoulders, looking back at everyone with a warm smile.

“Please take a seat wherever you please, today… We will teach you about Pyra.”

***

As I sat down behind the furthest desk from the front, I leaned back on the wooden chair, it’s legs scraping against the floor but not slipping.

And here I thought I was finally free…

The thought made me smile for once, since this world showed something I could actually relate to.

Back in my world, I barely managed to pass middle-school and was already struggling to get past the next year of high-school. The endless sleepless nights I had to go through as the news of a new test being scheduled were brought to us by the teachers, still stuck to my mind like a curse which I got rid of for good.

Education is the key my ass, those bastards don’t even care if we make it or not, it’s all about paychecks.

Even remembering what school felt like made me rub my eyes out of habit, thank god Noah wasn’t stern enough to make us sit and listen like some dummies.

My eyes drifted down on the blackboard as Noah’s words flowed through the classroom like an illusory string, his body and lips almost synchronising as he drew different shapes and symbols on the whiteboard for everyone to see.

All I could hear was tingling static in my ears as I tried to understand the implication of his words.

“Pyra is…” Was followed by a string of incoherent syllables that I couldn’t even try to understand.

It didn’t seem like others had a problem with it though, Martin was sitting patiently with his arms crossed at the front, Vesper right next to him with a similar mood around him.

Livia and Carina sat on the side, right in front of me, but they didn’t seem to care about my existence as they whispered between each other like girls normally would, though it was mostly Carina who spoke, whining about studying.

Lilith was next to Noah, sitting on a chair backwards with her head resting on her arms. She looked to the side from time to time as if intent on correcting whatever Noah was explaining but after a moment she held herself back while the brilliant knight remembered another detail and added it onto the board.

I found myself holding back a yawn as their words went from one ear to another, not reaching my mind.

The tingling sensation was also strangely gone, it didn’t burn as fiercely in my head, just a faint hum that could barely be felt as I held my head and stared ahead.

It feels as if I know that already, but at the same time, I have no idea what they’re talking about.

The only thing I managed to grasp is the concept of Pyra, which fits something called mana back in my world. It's the energy for casting spells and reinforcing yourself, at least that was how far my knowledge went.

To grasp Pyra, you have to learn yourself. It's something similar to feeling the blood in your veins but even that is hard to do on a day to day basis, but to learn how to control it as well?

I should have played more games…

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There was also the concept of categories, which Pyra had three of.

Mind, Body and Soul.

The vision Noah spoke of, was an aspect of the Soul, which naturally made me fall into such a category.

It grants the ability to sense Pyra in others which is the exact opposite of Body that lets you sense your own.

I doubt it would be useful though, I can't even control it and let alone influence someone else’s Pyra.

As for how long it would take me to learn it, time will tell…

“Psst!” Suddenly, a strange hiss came from my side.

At first I didn't give it much thought, blaming it on the old chairs that let out noises they shouldn't make, but the sound came again, this time closer as if coming into my ear.

As I glanced to the side, I noticed Matthew leaning slightly towards me, his body facing the board but clearly trying to get my attention.

Like me, he wasn't paying much attention to Noah, mostly shifting in his seat and displaying his indifference towards the entire lesson.

Upon noticing me looking, Matthew quickly straightened up, his fingers interlocking.

“Do you understand any of this?” He asked in a hushed tone, his pupils darting to the side as if afraid to get caught.

It made me remember the times of how I also did this during school, perhaps that's why I didn't amount to much as most of the classes were spent on chatting with other students.

I sighed, closing my eyes briefly.

“Nothing.” The word seemed distant from what I was currently experiencing, but what was happening in my heart, could not be put into simple words, at least not the ones that I knew of. “I can't even understand these words.”

“I knew it,” Matthew snickered, “You really are as useless as you seem.” Grinning with a face that just asked to be bashed in.

I frowned in annoyance, pulling back my hair from my face.

“What do you want from me? I’m just as clueless as you are.”

“Hah! You can dream of becoming as great as I am!”

I don’t think that’s how it works.

After that, I tried to ignore his words and pick up fragments of what Noah was trying to convey to us.

But the kid just could not let it go once he noticed me paying attention.

Like a starved leech, he clung to my nerves intent on sucking them dry.

His words kept on spewing from his lips, each carrying a dose of poison that could not get into my head despite how many times he tried. Even though we met each other barely an hour ago, his mind made up a nonexistent vendetta against me.

Why was he acting like this? I have no idea! Maybe ask the spoiled richboy why he wanted to impress a stranger with his golden rings and custom made clothes, they didn’t even look good! What could a simple dark sweater and tight jeans show me? That he has no respect for himself?

As much as I tried to keep my face straight, I couldn’t help clenching my teeth, trying to hold back from doing something stupid.

However, the words that got to me the most, were what he said next, with an expression that irked me off beyond anything.

“Moreover, I am already capable of defeating a true knight, unlike you who lost to a mere squire! It was quite entertaining watching you get brutalized by someone who could barely keep themselves standing. What a sorry sight!” He chuckled quietly, his nose seemingly growing longer with each rub of his fingers.

I watched him, sitting there on his seat with a proud expression on his face. He didn’t seem sorry, nor did he seem to care if his words could have meant something.

He was a spoiled kid that put himself at the top of the food chain, not caring about others even when their own greatness brings ruin to those under them.

Those people… are undeserving of their fortune.

My body already moved on its own and before Matt could even process the chair’s cluttering on the floor, his body was thrown across the classroom, skidding and hitting the wall with a hollow thunk of his skull.

“Woah!”

“Hey!”

“What’s happening!?”

Everyone shot up from their seats except Lillith, with Noah appearing next to Matthew in a blink of an eye.

The blond was clutching his face as blood dripped down his chin and covered his wrists.

My fingers sting.

“Wha-what the hell!?”

He screamed out, his anger overtaking the pain.

His eyes were shaking, covering behind his fingers veiled in gold.

The sight made my stomach churn as a smile crept up my face, my voice rough but full of vigor.

“Didnt you just boast of how strong you are? You defeated a knight, right? Then how can you not defend a swing from someone like me!?”

I pushed his desk from my path, my legs moving on their own towards his covering self.

He tried to crawl away like a slug, his hands smearing blood on the floor as he pushed his back against the wall, averting his gaze.

“You l-lunatic! I knew it! You’re nothing more than a rabid dog!” Now he was shouting like a child.

He was such a pathetic slug.

My hand was already curling up into another fist.

“I can give you a dog alright-”

“Stop it.” Noah appeared beside Matthew, kneeling on the floor with Vesper who ran over and trying to help Matthew.

“H-Hands off!”

“Shut it.”

To my amusement, the longhair pulled out a rugged handkerchief, pushing it into Matthew’s hands as the blood kept dripping down his nose.

Where did your attitude run off to? It's not as great now, is it?

“He started it.” I looked at Noah standing above them, watching the two with a worried look. “You heard it all, didn't you? You’ve got sharp ears, I know it.”

“We’re having a lesson.” Noah tried to remind me as he looked over at other's, trying to gesture for them to sit down.

I sneered at the audacity.

“Well if you were such a great teacher,” I pointed at him with a finger, “then you could have paid some attention to your fucking students.”

“Leave.”

His low tone caught me off guard, my legs freezing up like a pair of fishsticks.

I blinked once at his face, uncertain whether I was hearing properly.

“Excuse me?” I asked, raising my brow.

“I said leave.”

My eyes opened wide as I threw up my hands from the absurdity.

“But he started it!” My voice came out louder than I wanted, but it didn't matter.

“I don't get why everyone is so against me! That guy just keeps insulting me as if he has some personal problem against me, what else am I supposed to do, take it like a good fucking boy and let him walk out proud for deluding himself that I am below him? Tell me Noah, because I just know you would do the exact opposite.”

“Valentine.”

As he helped Matthew up, his crimson eyes pierced through my body like two reptile slits, unnervingly inhuman.

“But-”

“Please,” He cut me off without giving me a chance to explain, his eyes looking away from me as he held Matthew's shoulder. “I'm trying to teach.”

The tone of his voice as he asked me, was even more infuriating than the fact I couldn't do a thing to refute it.

I took one last look at Matthew trying to wipe away the blood off his face, the bleeding had mostly stopped, but the dry blood that ran down his wrists made clear streaks that were cracking.

My hands clenched into fists briefly, before falling deep into the pockets of my coat.

I left the classroom.