Chapter Three: No Mercy
That boy above her didn't move his foot.
"Go on," Julian Schwarz was teasing. "Clean them."
Ruby looked up. His smirk was making its way into Ruby's eyes.
Everyone knew his name…top of the second year, strongest in Water, admired by everyone.
"I can't," Ruby let out a long sigh.
"You can't?" Julian leaned closer. "Or you won't?"
"I don't know how."
Laughter rose behind him. His friends had gathered, waiting to watch.
Julian pressed harder on her head with his boot. "Pathetic." He stepped back, finally, and walked out. His followers followed like little ducks.
Ruby gathered her books, cheeks started to burn.
By training, she was already late again. Kael was in the yard already…
"You're late."
"I-"
"No excuses. Line up."
Ruby slid into place.
Julian was across from her. His lips went up. "Look who joined us. The earth rat."
Kael ignored him. "Pair up now…Practice drawing and release."
Ruby didn't move fast enough. Julian grabbed her arm. "She's with me."
Kael didn't say anything, just noded.
Julian dragged Ruby to the side. He flicked his hand. Water curved into a blade above his palm. "Try to copy me."
Ruby lifted her hands ... .and nothing came out of them. She felt something pushing from inside her chest.
Julian laughed. "That's it? I thought you were some miracle." He slashed the water blade down, close enough to make her stumble.
"Stop," Ruby muttered.
"Stop?" He shaped another blade. "You think demons will stop because you ask?" He hurled it past her ear. The spray stung her cheek.
Kael didn't even glance their way.
Julian's smirk widened. "Do it again. Or do you need Petra to hold your hand?"
Ruby's mouth opened when he called Petra's name.
Julian bent closer. "Oh… Too soon?"
Her throat locked. "Don't-" Ruby swallowed the air that was stuck in it.
"Say her name again?" He flicked another blade near her shoulder. "Petra."
Ruby's hands clenched, but no water came.
"You're hopeless." Julian shoved her so hard she hit the ground. "Kael, why waste time on her?"
Kael's eyes slid past them. "Continue."
Julian was laughing.
He had no mercy for the girl who was announced to be special. He wanted to see what she had, but to Julian, Ruby was as weak as some old dust that needed to be wiped out.
He was the strongest in his class, and this was the way Julian wanted to stay till they graduate.
Ruby pushed herself up, dirt was sticking to her hands.
"Amazing…you're doing amazing, Ruby."
And so the lunch time was no better.
Ruby was sitting alone at the far end of the hall. She picked at her bread, yet her body felt too tight to swallow.
Julian appeared out of nowhere with a tray of food in his hands. He set it down across from her on purpose.
"Don't sit here," Ruby asked him softly.
He grinned. "This is my table. You're the guest."
Ruby looked away to see if she could find any empty spot, and before she could react, Julian reached across and knocked her cup over.
Water spilled into her lap, and Ruby flinched.
"Oops," Julian forced a smile while his friends laughed. "Maybe you can clean it with your big secret power."
Ruby stood up, holding her tray tight.
Julian grabbed her wrist. "Where are you going?"
"Let me go."
"Say please."
Ruby pulled, but his hold was stronger, wrapping around her hand.
"Say it."
"Please," she muttered under her breath.
Julian smirked and released her. "Good girl."
Ruby walked out, controlling her breathing so no tears would come out.
After that, the afternoon lessons started almost instantly.
To Ruby, the water element seemed stricter than earth. While in her previous dorm and classes, they would drink special tea and test poison…water was more intense.
Yes, it was true. The war with demons was waiting for them outside…and while Ruby was supposed to work in the hospital and help look after the wounded patients, her fate was changed.
She had to go to war as well…even if she didn't want to.
Sitting alone in the back, scribbling notes, her hand was really aching from the rush.
Julian decided to lean over her shoulder. "Wrong page," he muttered, loud enough for others to hear. "You're lost already."
Ruby ignored him.
He dipped his quill into her ink, spilling half of it across her notes.
Ruby gasped. "Why…?!"
"Oops…Clumsy me."
Kael raised his voice. "Quiet."
Julian moved back in his chair, but he was still stupidly smiling.
Ruby wiped the ink with her sleeve, and tried to say nothing. Even if she belonged to water now, she was once connected to earth's element.
"Stay kind…stay kind…" A small mumble escaped her lips.
When that class was over, Ruby rushed to the final one.
Kael ordered the class to get into the pool, waist deep.
However, the water was freezing.
"Form your spheres," Kael started.
Students lifted their hands. Water shaped into orbs, floating above their palms.
Ruby tried. Her fingers moved and then trembled, but then again….Nothing formed.
Julian's sphere was perfect, clear as glass. He glanced at her, then crushed it with one hand. The splash soaked her face.
"Oops," he laughed again.
Ruby wiped her eyes.
"Form again," Kael said.
Julian shaped another sphere. He shoved it at Ruby's chest. She stumbled back, almost falling into the pool.
Kael looked on, but dared not to say anything to Julian.
"You're going to drown in here, earth rat."
The water around her seemed colder and stronger. She clenched her fists, trying again. A ripple rose, barely forming before collapsing.
Julian laughed. "Pathetic."
Kael turned away. "Class dismissed."
Ruby left the pool last, clothes were soaked with water. Her steps dragged down the corridor.
Julian leaned against the wall ahead, waiting for Ruby to show up. Torturing her seemed to make his ego go higher than the sky.
In his eyes, Ruby was a weakling that did not belong in his class.
"You survived one day…Congratulations."
Ruby walked faster.
He stepped into her path. "Don't ignore me."
"I don't want trouble."
"You already are trouble." He got closer to her ear and started whispering. "Demons marked you, didn't they? Maybe you're one of them."
Ruby's face frowned immediately. "That's not true."
"How do you know? Maybe that's why Petra died instead of you."
"Shut up…Shut up before I make you eat dirt."
"Hit a nerve?" Julian's grin widened. "Go on…Cry. Everyone knows you don't belong here. Soon Kael will see it too."
Ruby pushed past him, running down the hall.
"I will kill you, Ruby Berger. You will not last here."