A vast city buzzed with life. Cars honked, people hurried along sidewalks and towering buildings cast long shadows over the streets.
One of those buildings had a huge steel gate with bold letters clearly seen by all—Elton Academy.
One of the most renowned institutions in the city.
In one of the numerous classes, a dark–haired boy sat still with an expressionless face as he stared at the board.
There, a young lady lectured them on the topic displayed on the board.
"Ughh... C'mon... almost time," Alex, the dark-haired boy, muttered, tapping his foot anxiously against the marble floor. His eyes were fixed on the time being displayed at the corner of his desk. "Ahhh, finally!"
Just as he exhaled and muttered out those words, the shrill chime of the bell echoed, signalling the end of the class.
He exhaled sharply, his dull eyes lighting up in excitement. Fumbling through the locker, he retrieved his phone, slipped in his earphones and immediately scrolled through his apps.
"Thank goodness it's recess!"
"Here I go. I hope this chapter's worth it!" Alex muttered as he tapped on the large 'W' icon displaying the app.
After a few taps here and there, he finally arrived at what he had been waiting for.
"Legend & Dynasties... Just as I thought! A new chapter... no three new chapters had been published!" Eyes gleaming, he immediately tapped the book, ignoring the other books.
Slowly, he adjusted himself and began reading. He was completely absorbed in the book, he didn't realise when a group of boys approached from behind.
"What's he up to now?"
"Don't tell me he's reading one of those stupid books again. Hahaha!"
One of them suddenly snatched the phone from Alex's hand with a chuckle.
"Hey, come on, give it back!" Alex snapped, jumping to his feet.
But the guy before him was taller and broad–shouldered. Placing the phone high, he scrolled through before letting out a burst of laughter. "Legends & dynasties? A new one?" He sneered.
"Dude, when are you gonna let go of this stupid fantasy crap of yours! Haha!"
"Here I thought you were doing something important. You forgot we've got a match against those upper class shits?"
"Damn!" Alex muttered under his breath as he snatched the phone from the guy's hand.
"I know, I know! Just give me a minute! I'll meet up with you guys." he mumbled, settling back on his seat, his eyes already on the screen.
"Ugh, whatever! Forcing you is a waste of time."
"Don't keep us waiting." The guy said before walking away.
"You heard him." Another said smacking him hard on his head with a textbook, which he grabbed from Alex's table. Tossing it on his laps, the group burst into laughter as they walked away.
Meanwhile, Alex, who was fixed on his phone, felt a bang in his head as if some nerves had snapped immediately the book came crashing down on the back of his head.
He winced as his vision darkened. A sharp pain surged through his head as the words on the screen blurred.
"What… the hell? That Duffus!" He muttered with a groan.
Drip!
His eyes widened as a red liquid landed on his phone screen. "Hold on, that looks like... blood!"
He felt the pain in his head increase. His phone fell from his hands to the ground. The music wasn't helping as it turned into a jumbled mess, further toying with his senses.
For a moment, he noticed his phone let out a mesmerising glow before shutting off.
And then, a dark stone appeared in its place. Floating and edged with jagged grey lines emitting a blinding glow.
"What the hell is going on," he muttered, shakily rising to his feet. The world appeared to be twisting.
His actions were beginning to attract the attention of others.
"Alex!? Hey!"
"What's wrong with him?"
He felt the world fade completely as he slumped down on his desk with a thud. The books and materials crashed to the ground.
The class was thrown into chaos.
....
Alex slowly opened his eyes only to realise he was no longer in a classroom.
He could hear the faint sounds of metals clashing with the scent of iron heavy in the surroundings. His vision slowly cleared, revealing a ground littered with bodies, broken weapons and shields around.
"What the hell… happened?" With a groan, he struggled to rise. "Where am I? How did I end up here?"
His thoughts were messy as he stared at the unfamiliar terrain. Nothing made sense.
"Ughh. This a dream or what?" Placing his hand on his cheek, he pinched himself hard only to wince out, abruptly dropping his hand.
Definitely not a dream.
Just as he prepared to explore this unfamiliar surroundings, a glowing screen appeared before his face.
[Domination System Synchronization has been completed...]
***
Meanwhile…
Far away, in a dark, candle–lit room, a red-haired figure lay on a large bed. Her skin glistened with sweat. Her face was pale and her breathe shallow.
Suddenly, her eyes shot open as she rose from the bed with a scream. The candles flared brightly before blowing off.
Her voice, soft and thin, echoed within the dark room amidst the panic settling within her heart.
"He's... back."