AROUND EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO

It is dark outside and getting darker with each passing moment. Probably going to rain soon, I think as I turn to face the man in front of the class. He picks up a piece of chalk and begins to write something on the board. I can understand the letters and a word or two but nothing more than that. Some part of me still can’t believe how my life got to this point, with me attending the imperial academy. If someone had told me three months ago that this would be my future, I would probably have laughed in his face.

I can still remember how it all started. With three Sadabis -teachers of the academy- and a lot more guards surrounding Teayi, Kien, and me after what we thought to be a successful heist.

One of them had proclaimed after looking us over. “You three will be coming with us.” And just like that, we were carted away and forced to become students of the academy.

To be honest, it was my fault we got caught. After I discovered Teayi and Kien when trying to escape from Dorun, I soon came to the realization that all three of us were Sadabi, and we possessed the extreme physical fitness that comes with it; Teayi even had an ability, one that caused him to be able to disappear at will. I had thought that with the three of us working together, life on the streets would become much easier, and for a few weeks, it was. Until someone noticed that we were definitely not normal kids. That’s when we were caught.

On the way to the academy, one of the teachers had asked why we didn’t turn in ourselves. The current King made it very well known that all citizens who turned out to be Sadabi would be taken care of by the kingdom. I had ignored the teacher. I heard on the streets that things weren’t as good for Sadabi as the King made it out to be and that his announcement was just a ploy to lure us in; I wasn’t going to tell that to someone who worked for the King.

In the academy, I am immediately thrown out of my element. Everything seemed to be designed against me. I had to learn how to read and write, deal with noble kids who wanted nothing to do with a street urchin and who seemed to be in the majority here, and also learn how to truly make use of the things that became available to me the moment I became a Sadabi, like my yui. It isn’t easy, but I do my best. Mostly to spite those who laughed when they found out I couldn’t read. I swear every single one of them will regret it.

I glance at Teayi and Kien, who are dutifully writing their notes, and nod in satisfaction. I would copy their notes after class.

Close to the end of the class, a man walks in. I know him. Thunder. He’s something of a legend in the academy. He goes to the teacher and after a short, whispered conversation turns to face the class.

“Everyone, get up and follow me,” he says, proceeding to then walk out of the classroom.

The sounds of chairs moving quickly fill the room as we hurry to keep up with him. As I join the throng of students walking behind him, I can’t help but wonder where exactly he’s taking us, and why he’s taking us there.

He starts talking, his voice far louder than it needs to be as he speeds up slightly. “We usually have one or two of these cases every year and someone important decided it would be best for you all to try to learn from it. To keep the mortality rate low.”

Mortality rate? Low? What on earth is he talking about?

I look around and spot the twins: Teayi and Kien, and move closer to them. “Do you know what he’s talking about?” I ask them and they shake their heads. I take another look around me. It seems the other students share my confusion. Or at least most of them. I spot one or two who have expressions that say: I think I know what is going on but I’m not sure.

Thunder doesn’t say anything more, only keeping up his brisk walk. However, as I recall the paths we have been taking, I begin to have an inkling of where he is taking us. The screams that soon reach my ears only serve to validate my hypothesis. We are going to the academy’s infirmary. Combining that knowledge with what he had said earlier, I finally come to a strange conclusion: we are about to watch someone die, or at least suffer a lot. As for why they think we need to see it, I have no idea.

Finally, we reach our destination. The infirmary. The screams are far louder now, and more than a few students are shifting around nervously. Whatever it is we are about to see, it is bound to be unpleasant.

Thunder opens the door and walks inside. After a little hesitation, some of the students enter. Next comes the high-pitched screams. A lot of the students who just went in run back out. Some have tears in their eyes, some run to different corners to start puking, and others have blank looks on their faces, but all look as though they had just seen something truly horrifying.

Fueled by a morbid sort of curiosity, the students who have yet to see what is in the room go in, and then come out, their reactions similar to those who entered before them. Thus a chain is formed. I share another look with the twins.

Soon, it is my turn. With my heart pounding, I walk into the room. Almost instinctively, everything else is zoned out as I focus on one bed in particular. My stomach roils and I feel my breakfast begin to come back up. I shut my eyes and take deep breaths to calm myself down. When next I open my eyes, I am a bit more prepared for what I see and not nearly as disgusted. The revulsion I feel is still there, but I repress it, not intending to show any form of weakness like the other students around me. It’s quite ironic really, they originally thought of me as weak and useless but yet the mere sight of what is in front of me is enough to cause them to start puking all over themselves while I am still mostly fine.

As for what I am looking at, revolting is not a strong enough word to describe it. It is human, or at least it was, right now however, it is nothing but a slimy, pulsating blob of flesh. Some parts of it are covered in bright silvery scales -which I recognize as one of House Atashe’s signature Sadabi abilities-, some parts have long hair, with a fine layer of slime over each strand, and other parts are just giant shapeless lumps of flesh. As though to make the misshapen thing look even worse, human limbs sprout randomly from its body, twitching and shaking as if tasked with expressing the creature’s pain.

A moment later, a large hole opens in the center of the creature, and the scream we had been hearing rings out. At this point, I close my eyes once again.

Back in the classroom, Thunder -who has now replaced our previous teacher- explains to us what we have just witnessed.

“I know most of you are looking for an explanation for what you just saw, and the summary of it all is this: that is nothing but a warning to you all. Most of you here have yet to gain your abilities. A few of you have one or two. That is all well and good until you get too greedy.”

He stops, somehow managing to give a stern look to the entire class. “All new Sadabi are given a blessing. The ability to gain any ability we can think of in the world: either randomly, or provided we have the method. Though, some particularly gifted students can create new methods and new abilities. Mostly due to ignorance and the fact that we’ve all heard the stories of Sadabi with four, five, or even seven abilities, some of you get too greedy. You want all the abilities you can think of and more, and in your greed, you forget one crucial fact. The more abilities a Sadabi have, the more likely they are to end up like the girl in the infirmary. Over the years, we at the academy have noticed that almost all Sadabi can’t handle having more than three abilities, some can only handle a maximum of two, even. So now, with what you have seen downstairs still fresh in your mind, I would like to issue a warning. Never, attempt to gain more than three abilities. Unless, of course, you are willing to court death. And if you are willing, try and remember what you just saw in the infirmary, because that, could be any one of you.”