The Story Without A Name

On a tempestuous night in Col Chester, raindrops crackled like gunfire as they plummeted from the darkened sky, whipped into a frenzy by the ferocious winds that howled through the streets. Despite the bitter cold and biting rain, the denizens of the city hurried homeward, their figures hunched against the elements, seeking refuge within the warmth of their coats and umbrellas.

Observing the chaos, a solitary figure stood beneath the shelter of an umbrella, clad in a long coat that billowed around him like a cloak. His mind was cloudy with his imagination. Even in such weather, he was busy dreaming or perhaps busy being a revolutionist in his mind at the very least. Suddenly a piece of newspaper flew over and landed before him. With gloved hands, he reached down to retrieve the stray newspaper, its ink smudged and its pages sodden with rain.

As he glanced down at the headline, his lips curled into a small, satisfied smile. "Death Of 2 comrades outside city bounds!" the bold, black letters proclaimed, drawing his attention to the grim news that lay within.

The tragic demise of two comrades from the DEA, their bodies were discovered near the entrance of an alleyway after the agency had lost contact with them. Despite the conclusion that they had perished in battle with a devil, the mysterious marks found upon their bodies remained unexplained, shrouded in uncertainty and speculation.

A black and white photograph accompanied the sombre description, capturing the chilling scene of the crime—a haunting tableau of two figures lying beneath a white sheet, their identities concealed in death.

 ***

Brrrrrring!

The shrill sound of an alarm clock shattered the early morning tranquillity, jolting Alastair from his sleep. With a groan, he buried his face beneath the sheets, determined to ignore the insistent ringing that echoed through the dormitory.

But his peaceful rebellion was short-lived, interrupted by the booming voice of his friend Mika. "Alastair! Wake up! We're going to be late for breakfast!" Mika's urgent tone cut through the haze of sleep, accompanied by the sound of his frantic attempts to fix his tie.

Alastair raised his head, but he was met with swift and unexpected retaliation—a pillow collided with his face, courtesy of their other friend, Yu.

Rubbing his face, Alastair glared at Yu, who stood across the room with a mischievous smirk dancing upon his lips. "Ha ha really funny, Yu!" Alastair muttered, tossing the pillow back in his direction, but Yu effortlessly dodged the incoming projectile, his laughter filling the room.

"Practise your aim at least if you plan on fighting back." He sniggered.

Alastair frowned at him before reluctantly dragging himself out of bed. Even if he really wanted to, there was no way he could miss school today. The disciplinary teacher would chase him to the ends of the Earth just to make him attend the training, and the thought of being sworn enemies in his past life hit Alastair more than once.

"Come on now, get going already or else we'll leave you behind." Yu persisted as he packed his stuff quickly. Even if he is a scumbag, he is considerate.

***

In the bathroom Alastair stared wearily at his reflection in the mirror as he brushed his teeth, the stark contrast of his dark hair and coal-black eyes against his pale complexion reflected the weariness that seemed to weigh heavily upon him. At seventeen, he appeared older than his years and it bothered him a lot. It only proved the point that he had seen too much and too early.

The Aurum Military Institute like the other public military schools was responsible for training soldiers for the kingdom's army, although it made him feel that he too could be useful in some way, he wasn't a god-forsaken patriot, but being recruited in the military isn't bad if he wants to be worth something. He doesn't want to die and be forgotten.

He rinsed his mouth quickly, pushing the unpleasant memories away.

After a while, he stepped out of the bathroom, his uniform crisp and neatly pressed—a white collar shirt, black pants, and a grey tie, the standard attire for students here. Glancing around the dormitory, he took in the simple yet orderly layout. Three beds stood in a row along one wall, each adorned with a blue blanket and a white pillow. On the opposite side, three desks were arranged facing the window, allowing the soft glow of natural light to filter into the room. A handful of posters on the walls, injecting a splash of colour and personality into the otherwise plain space. Images of sports stars, movie characters, and motivational quotes adorned the walls, lending a sense of familiarity to the room even if no one cared about motivation nowadays.

Before he could fully take in the pointless surroundings, Mika grabbed his hand scolding him and pulling him out of the dormitory with an urgency that belied the early hour. Yu followed close behind, grumbling about the state of the room as he shuffled along.

As they emerged into the corridor, they were met by the sight of Kate, her light brown hair framing her emerald eyes as she waited impatiently for us.

"There you guys are!" she exclaimed, her tone tinged with irritation. "I've been waiting for ages."

"Who asked you to?" Yu retorted, his arms crossed defiantly over his chest.

Ignoring her brother's grumbling, Kate took charge, leading the way with a determined stride. "Come on, let's go now. I'm hungry!" she declared.

With Kate at the helm, they made their way to the cafeteria with just enough time to spare. Each of them grabbed their tray before lining up in the queue. Today's menu is...Juice, sandwich and pudding? 

"Huh?" Alastair gazed up at the cook, the lady forced a smile, an ugly mole on her nose, she seemed as if she was silently threatening him to get going before she did anything that she wouldn't regret. 

They settled into their usual spot at one of the lunch tables.

"Impossible..." Yu muttered as he took a bite out of his sandwich.

"Are we dreaming? who knew that the cook could be so considerate for once?" Kate laughed.

"It still looks unappetizing.." Mika said gloomily at his breakfast.

"There must be a reason, she clearly seemed unhappy," Alastair smirked not feeling bad for the cook, who would want to wake up to eat mashed peas and inedible stew every morning? 

Alastair paused as he glanced around the room, a sense of unease washed over him—the cafeteria seemed different today, almost unnaturally pristine. Every surface gleamed with painstaking cleanliness, and even the staff appeared unusually well-groomed and impeccably dressed. The scent of sanitizers and perfumes hung heavy in the air, mixing incongruously with the aroma of freshly prepared food, giving him a headache.

"I feel something special is happening today." He finished before drinking from the small juice carton. Yu nodded in agreement.

"Maybe a visit?" Mika suggested tentatively, his gaze lingering on his unappetizing breakfast with a hint of sadness.

Kate snapped her fingers, "Oh yeah, I know mm something mm," Kate mumbled with still food stuffed in her mouth.

"..."

She took her time to munch the food down her throat before finally speaking. "Well, Mika is right," she said, her words dripping with scenic flair. "Yes, we are going to be visited by a guest today, but not just any guest—a very important one." She said, her eyes crinkling from the corners as she smiled. She paused to see any effect her words had on them.

"Get to the point," Yu cut in sharply, his impatience evident in his tone. Alastair couldn't help but silently thank him, sharing his sentiment as he felt a wave of ennui wash over him. Despite being twins, Yu and Kate rarely saw eye to eye.

Kate shot Yu a glare before turning her attention, coughing and continuing, "Well, today we are going to be visited by...The Second!" she announced, her words hanging heavy in the air. She seemed proud as she crossed her arms.

Mika and Yu's eyes widened in disbelief. Yu coughed, food slightly choking his windpipe, he was completely taken aback by the unexpected revelation.

"No way!" He spoke having recovered slightly.

"Are you sure?" Mika added in disbelief.

"Of course!" Kate proclaimed with satisfaction, she seemed pleased at their rediculous faces. "I overheard it from one of our teachers when he was conversing with the headmaster yesterday." 

Alastair glanced between them, his curiosity piqued. 

"So?" he interjected, his confusion evident. The group became silent as they immediately turned their heads in his direction. Their incredulous stares made Alastair feel like a fool and he couldn't help but frown.

"So?!- Don't you know about him? Have you been living under a roc—" Yu began, his irritation palpable, but Kate quickly cut him off, clamping a hand over his mouth to silence his angry muttering.

Ignoring her brother's outburst, Kate coughed delicately or at least acted to, before addressing Alastair with a bright smile. "Don't mind him! you might not know much about him but let me fill you in on that!" she reassured Alastair but he felt like she was probably just as surprised as Yu.

"Well, let me tell you a bit about him," she began, her voice taking on a tone of reverence. "He is known as 'The Second' because he comes after 'The First,' the crown prince, in terms of power and influence."

As Kate delved into her explanation, Mika and Yu eagerly added their own insights."They say he's the real deal, The Second's not just some big shot with a fancy title. He's earned every bit of his reputation. I heard he's faced down some of the nastiest devils out there. People talk about him all the time, like he's some kind of legend, and from what I've heard, it's not far from the truth."

"They also say that he has killed the highest numbers of devils ever since becoming part of the DEA!" Mika chimed in, his eyes sparkling with awe.

Alastair listened closely, is someone really capable of conquering such feats? Hasn't the man only joined the Devil Executionr's Army 2 years ago? How powerful can someone be to progress this fast and already earn everyone's respect? Alastair couldn't help but feel that everyone was getting swayed too easily. Perhaps the man received special treatment or favour. Only a children's storybook can make the impossible seem conquerable. 

"I wonder what he looks like," Kate said as she rested her head on the palm of her hand, her eyes alight with curiosity. "I've only seen him in the newspaper, but sadly the quality is always horrible. It'll be sad if he turns out to be an old man."

They all seemed lost in thought. Yet amidst the dreamy gazes of the companions, Alastair couldn't help but wonder if they were all thinking straight.

"And why is he coming here?" he asked, attempting to steer the conversation back to reality.

"Ah right, that's the best part!" Kate exclaimed, her enthusiasm undiminished as she continued to eat her breakfast. "He's coming here to pick one of us to train and become part of the Devil Executionr's Army!" Kate announced, not caring about the number of bombs she keeps on dropping casually.

"R-really?.."

A whirlwind of thoughts spun through their minds at the prospect. Alastair was deep in thought as he weighed the opportunity of getting picked. The chance to learn how to fight and protect others from the monstrous beings that had wrought havoc on everyone's life was a chance he couldn't pass up. Well, this sweet dream becoming a reality had a low probability.

Alastair furrowed his eyebrows, it really is a low chance, this isn't some childs play after all. He couldn't help but remember his this month's test results that kept popping up in his mind.

"Well if any of you is getting their hopes up, it's pointless," She sighed. "The Headmaster is going to take this opportunity, he won't let anyone but his son get selected and he will make sure of it. Selfish brute, I know."

"Lawrence?" Alastair scoffed, that guy is even worse than him. What right does the principal have to discriminate other students like that?

"That prick? No way, I'm more suited than him," Yu stated as he crossed his arms and raised his head in pride. Alastair smirked at the bold statement. One thing Yu and Kate have in common is their huge ego.

"But do you guys really think that he will listen to the Headmaster?" Mika voiced his opinion, his uncertainty was palpable as he sought reassurance from the group before glancing back down shyly when everyone looked at him all of a sudden. "The Second I mean.." 

Kate scratched her head, momentarily stumped by the question. "You do have a point!" she exclaimed, her eyes widening in realization. "He doesn't have any control over a prestigious rank now does he? Mika, you are a genius," She patted his back strongly, Mika becoming embarrassed as Alastair couldn't help but chuckle.

"Keep dreaming losers." someone sniggered. They turned to see Lawrence, seated just behind Kate and Yu. He and his gang members sitting at the table, his friends cheering for him from behind.

"Lawrence is definitely getting in!"

"The principal will make sure of it!"

His friends grinned as they supported their leader like a bunch of dogs drooling over their master.

"You arrogant bastard, are you always so reliant on your father?" Yu said irritated.

"He's a daddy's boy, what did you expect?" Alastair added, the words slipping out without any real resentment, eliciting a chuckle from his group and a few other students who were close by.

"Keep that shitty mouth of yours shut!" Lawrence snapped and glared at him, his voice laced with frustration feeling embarrassed from the laughter.

"Are you any better? Alastair, both of us know who'll be selected." Lawrence said. "Or are you assuming someone like you will be getting in? Ha, don't make me laugh." He stood up from his seat and pointed a fork in his direction, he grinned.

Alastair could feel his patience wearing thin as he stood up from his chair, mirroring Lawrence's movements.

"Are they going to fight?"

"I wanna see!"

"Me too- Stacy get your head out of the way!" 

All the students roared in excitement and cheers at the commotion, betting on who would win.

 ***

"This is the cafeteria, sir, and my office is just after another turn," the 250-pound Headmaster said, his sweat trickling down his neck. A seemingly ugly man in his late 40s with a blotting face.

"Mm," the tall gentleman responded nonchalantly, paying little attention. He was dressed in a black uniform with silver badges, and a cape accompanying him. 

"I completely understand how important your time is, and yet you still came," the Headmaster babbled on, "I can't repay it, but I can offer you a bit of relief in exchange," he continued.

"You see I have this brilliant young boy in my school and he is also my son, a proud father I sure am," he stated as he fixed his tie.

As they walked, the Headmaster continued to extol the virtues of his son, urging the tall gentleman to consider him for the DEA training program.

"Sigh, Mr. Principal, we've talked about this," a lady with ginger hair interjected, her voice low and commanding. She had her hair neatly tied in a braided bun, her sharp features and sly fox eyes scanning the papers in her hand.

"Every student's participation is required for the inspection," she continued, handing one of the papers to the gentleman next to her, who nodded in approval. "I'm sure your son will have no problem with the test, yes?"

"O-of course, my boy will surely qualify, no doubt," the Headmaster stammered nervously. "But what's the point when you know who the best student already-?"

"You take that back!" Lawrence snapped, his voice tinged with anger.

"What if I don't?" Alastair challenged, a smirk playing on his lips.

"!"

Suddenly, something flew past him with a loud whoosh! Barely missing his head and leaving him frozen in shock for a few seconds as he saw Lawrence quickly duck back into his seat, his eyes wide with fear, and Alastair's friends urgently whispered for him to do the same. He only recovered when the Headmaster's voice rang out, demanding to know who had caused the disturbance. It was the beginning of everything, and he turned to see what had happened, his heart racing.