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The Weapon Within

  “Holy shit, you’re a mess!” Nathan blurted out, standing at the doorway of his new dorm.

  Music blared from a corner speaker, shaking the windows and drowning out any chance of a normal greeting. Clothes were strewn across the floor, empty soda cans rolled near the bed, and snack bags formed a colorful mosaic of chaos.

  “But also kinda cool,” Nathan mumbled under his breath, raising a brow.

  “WHAT? THE MUSIC’S TOO LOUD!” shouted the blond-haired teen inside, grinning like a madman.

  Nathan marched over and turned off the speaker, the silence hitting like a slap. “JBC? Not bad,” he said, recognizing the upbeat track. “Anyway, I’m saying this whole place is a mess.”

  The teen gave a casual shrug, tossing a half-empty chip bag across the room and nailing a perfect shot into the trash bin.

  “Bang! Game winner!” he cheered, throwing his arms up.

  Nathan stared, half-impressed, half-horrified. “Oh, we’re going to get along just fine,” he said with a smirk, grabbing a broom from the corner.

  As they began tidying up the war zone of a room, the blonde introduced himself. He was tall, pale, with a laid-back swagger. His long hair was tied neatly in a low ponytail, giving him the look of a rocker who just happened to end up in a demon-hunting academy.

  “So, dude—what’s your name?” he asked, sweeping a pile of wrappers toward a bin.

  “Nathan. Nathan Alexio.”

  Bryan paused. “Alexio? Huh… You’ve got the same last name as our Combat Against Demon Arts professor.”

  Nathan froze for a second. “Seriously? There’s no way we’re related… right?”

  Bryan raised a brow and scanned Nathan’s face. “Eh. You guys look nothing alike. I wouldn’t worry. Anyway, you missed his intro class last week—technically, you’ve missed a whole week.”

  “A whole week? I thought today was the first day.”

  Bryan laughed. “Nah, the rest of us got here earlier. Classes are structured kinda weird here—one big class a day. Today we’ve got Combat Arts. Other days we get Demon Biology, or… Demonaties.”

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  “Demonaties?” Nathan repeated, raising an eyebrow. “That sounds boring.”

  Bryan nodded solemnly. “It is.”

  “Anyway, let’s get dressed. We’ll be late.”

  Both slipped into standard academy uniforms: brown cargo pants, black spandex long-sleeves, and solid training boots. They exited their dorm and nearly bumped into two girls standing outside.

  Bryan’s eyes widened. “Oh hey! It’s… uh… um…”

  The girls gave him a look of death.

  “Goddammit, Bryan, how do you still not know our names?” the brunette asked, crossing her arms.

  “She’s Lucy,” she pointed to herself. “And red over here is Rose.”

  Nathan looked them both over. Lucy had a clean, holy presence about her—pale skin, gentle brown eyes, and a natural grace. Rose, on the other hand, carried herself like a seasoned fighter: bandaged nose, small scars on her knuckles, and fierce red hair tied back in a ponytail.

  “New kid?” Lucy asked.

  “Yeah,” Nathan nodded. “Nathan Alexio. Just got here.”

  “Well, we’re your team now,” Rose said simply. “Let’s stay on good terms.”

  The four walked through the towering halls toward class, Nathan explaining his arrival and strange connection to the place.

  “So your parents were demon hunters?” Rose asked.

  “Apparently,” Nathan replied. “Didn’t find out until yesterday.”

  “Mine told me young,” Rose said. “Though it helps when your dad’s the director.”

  Lucy snorted. “Fair enough.”

  They entered the Combat Arts wing—a massive hall decked out with demonic hunting gear: racks of holy water, silver blades, iron chains, and even a glass case holding an ancient Bible and crucifix.

  Behind the desk stood a tall, serious-looking man with short black hair and a long black coat lined with weapons and vials.

  “HELLLOOO TEACH!” Bryan shouted.

  “Bryan,” the man growled. “Lower your damn voice in my class. Everyone, sit.”

  Nathan froze. “Uhhh… Uncle Sam?”

  Professor Sam raised a brow. “Well, well. Didn’t think I’d see you here so soon. Guess it’s the nephew’s turn now.”

  The students took their seats.

  “Alright, listen up,” Professor Sam began. “Today, you’ll receive your first true tools of the trade. This well here,” he gestured to the circular stone structure at the center of the room, “is no ordinary well. It’s blessed by the holy spirit—and inside, it contains the weapon most attuned to your soul.”

  Everyone stared in awe.

  “One by one, you’ll approach, reach in, and retrieve your weapon. This item will be yours and yours alone, and may just be the thing that saves your life.”

  “Bryan, you’re up.”

  Bryan approached the well with a dramatic flair, cracked his knuckles, and exhaled deeply like he was about to drop a mixtape.

  He reached in and pulled out… a guitar. No, a guitar that transformed into a wicked-looking scythe. The moment he strummed a chord, the room trembled with electric energy.

  “Be careful!” Sam barked. “You don’t know what it does yet.”

  “Sorry,” Bryan said, sheepish.

  “Lucy.”

  Lucy stepped forward, glowing with confidence. Her hand emerged holding a radiant golden sword with a sunlike shine and an ornate handle.

  “The Holy Knight herself,” she said proudly.

  Bryan scoffed. “Mine’s cooler.”

  “Shut up,” the class replied in perfect unison.

  “Nathan, you’re next.”

  He stepped toward the well, feeling the heat surge as he neared. His heart thudded in his chest. Was it rejecting him?

  Then, slowly, two weapons emerged—one in each hand. A black pistol wreathed in red smoke, and a white-bladed sword with feathery wings on its hilt.

  Everyone gawked.

  “Two weapons?” Nathan asked.

  Professor Sam looked thoughtful. “Could be inner conflict. Or maybe… your soul just needed both.”

  Nathan grinned. “Guess my soul’s just as greedy as a certain crab under the sea.”

  Rose stepped up next, rage flashing behind her eyes. She plunged her hands into the well and emerged with metallic gauntlets and clawed boots that sparked with white energy.

  “Damn,” Lucy muttered. “Remind me not to spar with her.”

  “Same,” Bryan and Nathan added.

  Professor Sam nodded. “As expected from the director’s daughter. Now, everyone—gear up. We’re heading to the testing grounds. Let’s see what your souls are really made of.”

  Nathan’s eyes gleamed as they marched toward the training arena. He could feel it—something deep within him had been awakened.

  “This demon-hunting gig… might actually be kind of awesome.”

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