Plop
Kale hit the floor as the old man dropped him like a sack of grain. He groaned, pushing himself up on one elbow, only to notice the room was already packed with his classmates. The chatter was hushed, eyes darting nervously toward the front. Nickel stood stiff beside Professor Walnut, his expression dark, jaw tight.
The old man strode forward, clearing his throat with a gravelly rumble that silenced the room.
"Students," his booming voice echoed, "as many of you know, I am Apostle Coal, Apostle of Westeria."
Kale swallowed hard. Wow, I guess I wasn't imagining it…
Apostle Coal's gaze swept over the students, sharp as a blade. "The reason you are all gathered here is simple. We have received reports of a bomb threat. The immediate danger has been handled."
A wave of whispers rippled through the class.
Kale froze. His heart thudded. Wait… does that mean one of us…?
"A student thought it wise to endanger the lives of hundreds. To risk your futures. To throw away everything this school stands for," Coal said, his eyes sweeping across the group. "Whether it was a joke or an act of malice, it is the height of irresponsibility. This is not something to be taken lightly."
Whispers stirred again, hushed voices bouncing off the walls. Kale caught snippets, who would do that… maybe it was someone in our class…
"Quiet" Apostle Coal barked, and the room obeyed instantly.
"I will not tolerate such recklessness under my watch. The one responsible will be found, and when they are, punishment will be swift. The rest of you should remember this. Peace is fragile. Once broken, it takes lives to repair. Do not be the ones who break it."
His words lingered like a heavy weight. Nobody moved, nobody spoke.
Finally, Coal let out a low breath. "You are dismissed."
Chairs scraped, feet shuffled, and the students left in a hurry, whispering to each other as they went. Nickel shot Kale a quick look but said nothing before disappearing with the rest.
Kale was about to follow when the booming voice stopped him cold.
"You. Stay." Apostle Coal stated, pointing directly at Kale.
His heart skipped. He turned slowly, every nerve in his body screaming to leave, but Coal's eyes pinned him in place. The classroom emptied until it was only the two of them.
The Cardinal Lord stepped closer, his presence heavy, his bald head shining in the sunlight that poured through the tall windows.
"You are Kale, correct?"
"Uh… yeah," Kale said, trying not to sound nervous.
"You look familiar...are you of noble descent?"
The question hit harder than expected. Kale blinked. "My mom… she passed away a long time ago. I don't know anything about my dad."
Cole studied him with a long stare. His expression was hard to read. "I see."
"You know something, don't you?" Kale asked carefully.
Coal did not answer right away. He placed a heavy hand on Kale's shoulder, making him feel like he was being crushed into the floor.
"Something like that," Apostle Coal said. "Your mother was strong. And your father… Your father is a man of significance. One day you will need to know who he is."
Kale's mouth went dry. "So you do know him?"
"That is not for today," Apostle Coal replied. "What matters now is you. You carry potential whether you see it or not. That is why I will make you an offer."
Kale tilted his head. "What kind of offer?"
"I want you to join the Star Knights," Coal said plainly. "You would serve the crown directly. You would be trained, protected, given every resource you need. In time, you could rise to a place where you would shape the fate of this nation."
Kale almost choked on his own breath. "Me? In the Star Knights? You've got to be kidding. I can't even get through class without screwing up."
Coal didn't flinch. "You underestimate yourself. Do not waste this chance. Few ever hear such an offer."
Kale rubbed his arm nervously, thoughts racing. Star Knights? That's insane. Me, a knight? I'd die in a week…
"I'll think about it" he said finally.
Coal nodded once. "Good. That is all I ask." He removed his hand, though Kale still felt the weight of it. "You may go."
Kale gave a quick bow, half out of respect, half out of fear, and hurried to the door. The hallway outside was loud with the noise of students, but it felt like a relief compared to the silence he had just left.
He pressed a hand against his chest, heart still racing. "Star Knights…" he muttered under his breath. "What in the world did I just get dragged into?"
Kale slipped into the hall, putting his hands in his pocket. He wore a dark, tailored coat that cut just below the knees, and a crisp white shirt fastened with brass buttons, his loosened collar and slightly wrinkled sleeves betrayed his careless nature. He found Nickel waiting by the stairs, arms folded.
"You vanished," Kale said. "Everything okay?"
Nickel nodded. "The professor pulled me aside earlier." He kept his voice low. "I heard a kid behind me whisper about a bomb. Not a joke. He said there was a package in the east wing. I told Walnut right away and he sent a message to security."
Kale blinked. "So that's why you were up front with him."
"Yeah. I did not want to cause panic," Nickel said. "If it was nothing, we avoid chaos. If it was real, we needed to take care of it fast."
Kale rubbed his neck. "You should have told me."
"I was busy making sure people did not get trampled," Nickel said. "You were asleep five minutes before that."
Kale winced. "Fair."
Nickel studied him. "Are you alright?"
"I think so. He's scarier up close," Kale said, chuckling. "That was too close for comfort, I thought he was really gonna kill me or something."