The heavy wooden door swung shut, and an uncomfortable silence filled the space.
Matteo slumped into his seat, and his bravado deflated like a punctured balloon. He stared at the doodle of a smiling potato he'd drawn, which now seemed to mock him. "I didn't want him to get in trouble. He was only protecting me," he mumbled and sniffled. A tear traced down a path on his cheek.
Hafen placed a reassuring hand on Matteo's shoulder. "He was asking for it. He has to learn to control that temper," he replied. His gaze drifted back to the map of the forest, and a familiar knot of frustration tightened in his gut. They were supposed to be learning about the outside world and how to get stronger. They were not supposed to get into petty squabbles.
Benjamin sat rigidly at his desk, and he sighed with a low hum.
Elaine shot a venomous glare at Matteo. Her yellow hair seemed to bristle. "You and your brother are nothing but trouble," she accused him and added, "This school doesn't need delinquents." She smoothed her uniform with a jerky motion.
"He was a jerk," Matteo retorted and pouted.
Pepe watched them all as a quiet observer. His gaze was heavy with the weight of secrets. The fight had stirred something in him. A memory of violence, that made the bandages on his skin feel tighter, flashed in his mind. He quickly snapped out of it and shifted in his seat. "Leave him alone, Elaine," Pepe urged and explained, "You didn't hear what Jasper said."
Elaine scoffed and turned away. "Jasper is... not a bad guy. He's just misguided," she murmured silently. She seemed to be talking more to herself than to anyone else.
Hafen's eyes narrowed. Tired of the whispers, the pitying looks, and the outright hostility, he stood up and walked to the front of the room. He stood in front of Ms. Lily's desk, where a small stack of books rested. He picked up the top one.
The title read: "The Sacred Forest's Life for Beginners". The author was someone named Paul.
The other students were intrigued, and they looked at him. "What is he doing," one of them whispered with concern.
Hafen flipped and read through the pages in a few seconds. Diagrams of the human body, intricate flow charts, and dense paragraphs of text filled the pages. He took a deep breath and closed the book. He held it up for everyone to see. "This is what we should be learning about. Not fighting over meaningless words," he declared, and his gaze swept across the room. "If we want to be strong enough to face what's out there," he continued and paused as he thought of the black fire. "We need knowledge," he concluded.
The silence that followed was heavy.
For a moment, Hafen commanded the room.
Benjamin read the cover and watched him with a flicker of something new in his eyes. He gave a single, slow nod of respect and paid attention.
Elaine averted her attention, and her fingers twitched in her lap.
Pepe leaned forward and listened.
"From this book, I've learned about the fundamentals of our understanding in the enhancement of combat capabilities through biological manipulation," Hafen blurted out, and his words were precise and clinical.
The other students turned to him with confusion.
Matteo tilted his head. "Fund-a-metal? Bio-what-now," he mumbled.
Hafen looked at his brother and explained, "The book focuses on the flora and fauna of The Sacred Forest. For instance," he paused and pointed a finger at the window. "There is a type of flower that grows near the southern cliffs. Every four minutes, it releases a concentrated burst enough to heat a liter of water to boiling point in eight seconds," he elaborated and lowered the book. "Do you know what that means? If we can harness that power, we could create weapons or tools that could potentially help us defeat monsters."
A few students gasped, and whispers filled the room.
Elaine stared at the book in Hafen's hands with a thoughtful frown. She looked down at her own desk and picked up a stray pencil.
Pepe smiled, and a sense of pride swelled in his chest. He knew his sibling had it in him. He turned to Matteo and goaded, "That's pretty cool, isn't it?"
Matteo's face brightened. "Boiling water? Does that mean we can boil potatoes faster," he asked with excitement in his voice.
The students shared a laugh. The tension in the room eased.
Hafen's impromptu lesson had captured their interest. "You can learn more by reading, Matteo," he responded with a small, rare smile.
Pepe listened intently. He thought about Hafen's words and how they could apply to protecting the forest. It reminded him of something secretive. He glanced at the clock on the wall. Ms. Lily and Stark had been gone for a while. He felt a pang of worry for Stark.
In the meantime, Ms. Lily led Stark and Jasper down a corridor.
Jasper sulked, and he clutched his bruised jaw. He glared at the back of Stark's head, and his mind raced with excuses and justifications.
Stark kept a few paces ahead. The adrenaline had faded, and a hollow feeling replaced it. He braced himself for the lecture and the punishment. He knew he'd lost control, but he'd do it again in a heartbeat.
Ms. Lily stopped and released her grip on Jasper. "We'll talk here," she declared.
The fluorescent lights hummed overhead and casted an unforgiving glow.
Ms. Lily turned to Jasper first, and her expression softened slightly. "Jasper, I knew Flint. I know you carry his name with pride. He was a proud man. Still, he was also honorable, and pride without honor is just arrogance. Attacking someone's grief is a coward's act. You dishonor him by acting this way," she asserted and pointed a finger at him. She narrowed her eyes and forewarned, "You will serve a week of cleaning the training grounds. Every. Single. Day. Understood?"
Jasper flinched. Cleaning the training grounds would be a grueling task especially after the advanced class had their sessions. He opened his mouth to protest but closed it. He saw the look in her eyes and relented with a nod.
Ms. Lily's attention shifted to Stark. "And you, Stark," she began, and her tone was firm but not without empathy. "I understand your anger. Losing your parents is a wound no child should have to bear. More importantly, you become a weapon for others to wield if you let that anger control you. You resorted to violence before seeking another way. You played right into Jasper's hands," she scolded and continued, "You will also clean with him. For the same week. Both of you will learn to work together and control your temper. Understood?"
Stark's shoulders slumped. Working alongside Jasper was the last thing he wanted. Still, he answered, "Understood," and nodded.
"Good," Ms. Lily stated and sighed. "Now, go back to class, and if I see one more brawl between you two, it will be two weeks."
Jasper shot Stark a venomous glare before storming off down the hall toward the classroom. Without another word, the image of Stark's fist flying at him replayed in his mind. Each frame fed the fire of humiliation.
Stark stood alone in the hallway with Ms. Lily. He looked down at his shoes and admitted, "I would've done it again."
Ms. Lily's features softened. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I know how you feel, but you have to be the better person. Your father was a powerful man. Still, he always sought peace first. Remember that," she advised, and her voice was low and confidential.
Stark looked up, and a flicker of understanding crossed his face. He gave a small, reluctant nod and followed Ms. Lily back to the classroom.
At the classroom door, Stark took a deep breath. He felt uneasy facing the silent judgment of his classmates. Still, he pushed the door open and stepped inside.
A hush fell over the room.
Matteo looked up, and a wave of relief washed over his face. He made a small, nervous smile.
Hafen gave Stark a knowing nod.
Standing at the front of the class with Hafen, Pepe watched his sibling intently, and a slight frown creased his brow.
Jasper scowled and averted his gaze as Stark passed him.
Stark walked to the back of the room and sank back into his seat.
Ms. Lily noticed Hafen teaching at the front of the class. She raised an eyebrow. A small, approving smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She cleared her throat, and the students' attention shifted back to her. "Hafen, thank you for your... enthusiasm. You should study to become a teacher one day. You may take your seat now," she praised.
Hafen returned to his seat, and he looked a bit surprised by the praise.
At the same time, Stark asked Matteo, "What did Hafen teach?" Curious about what he had missed in Hafen's impromptu lesson, he raised a brow.
"Boiling potatoes faster," Matteo whispered back with an excited nod.
Stark chuckled, and the tension in his shoulders eased.
Ms. Lily walked to the front of the class and clapped her hands. "Alright, class, let's get back to the lesson," she announced. She picked up a piece of chalk and turned to the blackboard.
After an interruption, Ms. Lily has returned to finish her lesson. She had promised to teach about the outside world. What was next for the class to learn? What sort of mysteries will be answered? What loomed from beyond the forest? Again, what was the emergency?