“Focus,” Brina called him back from his drift, and he unclenched his fists before he continued ascending the stairs with his eyes scouring the corners of the building as he went up.
“Wait, hold on.” Liam was forced to stop as soon as an occurrence came to his mind, and he thought about it for a few seconds before he voiced out. “How am I supposed to get into the school? I will need to pay my fees, and even probably get to write an application before getting in.” “You worry too much, Emrys. All of that has been taken care of. All you need to do is to go in there and make sure that you come out as a college student just like you were.” Brina assured with a firm tone, clearing some of the uncertainties that Liam had in his mind. “I really hope this is a good idea.” Liam sighed heavily before he continued walking through the corridor that led to the Dean’s office. He continued through the path for a while until he arrived at the brown door by his right with the label of Dean’s office boldly written on it. He grabbed the handle and opened the door slowly before he went into the office. The first sight before him was a large brown desk with seats surrounding it, and a tall cabinet by a corner, filled with books and folders that occupied its shelves. “Yes, Councillor. I perfectly understand the implications of this, and I can assure you that I have it under control.” The voice of the middle-aged man drew Liam’s attention. He was clad in a black Armani suit and looked through the window as he held onto the phone on his ear with his right hand, speaking to the person at the other end of the line. “The boy has no identity, it would be easy to insist that it was a suicidal case, and get the press out of our case. I understand that Larry Prescott is involved, and we cannot risk losing the support we have gotten from his father for years. I will make sure that this is swept under the carpet, I assure you.” Liam struggled to hold onto his anger as he heard the words uttered by the Dean who wasn't even aware that he was there with him. He took in a deep breath which he let out slowly without taking his eyes away from the Dean. “Yes, Chancellor, you have my word. Have a nice day.” The Dean ended the call and sighed heavily before he turned around slowly. “Who are you? How long have you been standing there?” He was startled by the presence of Liam who was staring at him silently. He stared at Liam’s strange outfit, wondering if he was archaic. “Good Morning, Mr. Henry Cassius.” Liam greeted calmly, walking toward the Dean who glared at him in a little displeasure. “Yes, who are you? How may I help you?” “My name is, Li…” “Emrys.” Brina cut him short at once, and he paused for a while before he continued. “My name is, Emrys.” “Oh! Mr. Perkins! It’s quite a pleasure! Please, have a seat.” Henry walked over to his table and sat down with so much excitement, leaving Liam a bit confused. “Focus.” Brina reminded Liam who slowly walked over to one of the seats in front of the desk and sat down. “It’s such a pleasure to have you in our midst. Here is Hilton College, we prioritize educational value, and quality experience, which is why I didn't hesitate to pull a few strings when I received the mail of your transfer from London.” Henry pulled out a file from the desk and opened it slowly before flipping through the documents in it. “I understand that you would be staying in your apartment and not the school dormitory.” Henry lifted his face from the documents and looked at Liam who nodded reluctantly without having any idea of what he was talking about. “Well, we still have very nice accommodation here at Hilton College. But if you insist, that would be fine.” Henry nodded and continued glancing through the documents in the file in his hands until he was satisfied. “Everything you need is in this file. You should go through the documents on your own time, and begin your classes as soon as possible.” Henry handed over the file to Liam after closing it, and from the look on his face, he seemed really excited that Liam was there. “Thank you, Mr. Cassius.” Liam grabbed the file from Henry and opened it to look at the documents. He could see that the name Emrys Perkins was boldly written on the admission letter and registration forms, with a picture of his new identity on one of them. His eyes widened in disbelief, but he tried to conceal it. “This is the best College you can think of, Mr. Perkins, and I must assure you that you made the right choice. Do not hesitate to inform me if you need anything.” Henry concluded and extended his hand toward Liam for a handshake. “I will see you around, son. Have a nice day.” “You too, Mr. Cassius.” Liam shook the Dean and stood up slowly from the seat before walking away with the file in his hand while Henry nodded in satisfaction. “Okay, Brina. I don’t know what you did in there, but you have to start explaining. Who is Emrys Perkins?” Liam descended the stairs while waiting for an explanation from Brina. “Brina?” “Let’s just say that I gave you a new identity, one that will make you more inconspicuous.” “What does that even mean?” “It means that you have to stay hidden in order to achieve your aim here before you move over to the next quest. There is a book hidden in the old library with the deepest secrets of mastering the full power of the Amulet. You must find it as soon as possible.” “An old library?” “Yes, Emrys. It has been there for ages, and not even the school authorities are aware of its existence.” “If that is the case, how then am I supposed to find it?” Liam climbed down the last step of the staircase and stopped abruptly. “I will guide you to find it. But you must do it alone, and at night. For now, let’s get you to your new home. Walk over to the stable, someone is waiting for you.” “Is there a stable in the college?” Liam thought for a while until he realized what Brina meant. “Oh, you mean the parking lot.” He chuckled. “You really have to learn a lot.” Liam continued walking through the avenue in front of him that led to the parking lot. He continued until he was forced to stop as soon as he got close to the hall, and saw the spot where he fell and crashed. It was as if nothing had happened, not even a single stain of blood. While he struggled with the tortuous recollection that crept into his mind, a red open-roof Lamborghini drove toward him with loud music playing from it. He lifted his face as soon as he recognized the car, and his anger rose. “Larry?” He clutched his right fist when he saw Pamela sitting with Larry in his car as they drove toward him.Liam stood frozen while he watched the car move toward him at a moderate speed. He had several thoughts running through his mind as he looked at Pamela kissing Larry on the cheek while the car moved toward him. Dan was seated in the backseat of the car, going through his phone with full attention. “Emrys…” Brina called out to him, but he stood firm almost in the middle of the road looking at the people who were responsible for his death as they approached from a distance, looking as though nothing had happened. “Emrys? I think you should leave the way.” Brina called out to Liam again, but his anger had engulfed him, almost keeping him stagnant in a place. Soon, the car got really close to him, but he was still standing while Larry was more focused on the public show of affection he was displaying with Pamela who eventually looked through the windshield to see that someone was standing in front of them. “Larry! Watch out!” Pamela gasped, hitting Larry on the left shoulder to
Liam continued looking at the three companions as they got into the car and zoomed off at once without turning around to look at him. It was obvious that he had succeeded in making them really nervous, something that no one in the school had been able to do. “How do you feel? Relieved?” Brina’s voice called Liam back to reality, causing him to sigh heavily in an attempt to get rid of some of the anger that was still surging through his veins. “No, I am not. I will be when I eventually make them pay.” “I am sure you will make them pay in due time. For now, can we focus on going to the sta…What was it you called it again?” “Parking lot…” “Yes! The parking lot. Go to the parking lot, someone is there waiting for you.” Liam sighed again, and then he turned around slowly and started to walk toward the parking lot, struggling to get rid of the anger that engulfed him entirely. He got to the parking lot in less than five minutes, and then he scoured the entire place in anticipa
The cars drove through the avenue that led to the modern Castle that stood in the middle of the last land surrounded by beautiful gardens, and a tall water fountain flowing in front of it. Liam marveled at the sight before him, and he couldn't get his eyes off the tall building that had huge windows positioned at several corners of it. The Castle stood tall like a mountain, and the magnitude of its size was enough to tell that it had stood firm for a very long time. “What is this place?” “This is your new home, Emrys. As the heir of the divine, you deserve to stay in a place meant for kings. You are a great warrior, and you should be treated like one.” Brina responded almost immediately while Liam kept his eyes on the castle that drew closer with every passing second as the cars drove toward it. Eventually, they parked in front of the Castle, and one of the guards who alighted from the car in front quickly rushed in and opened the backseat for Liam who got down slowly. Just
Brina looked at herself for a while, and when she realized that she looked really nice in the outfit she had on, she snapped her fingers and changed instantly into a different outfit. “How is this?” She looked at Liam who nodded almost immediately while his smile remained unpaired. “How do they walk in these?” Brina felt the discomfort on her feet as she stood with the two long heels she was putting on. She attempted to walk toward Liam, but she eventually had to stop after struggling with about three steps. “You will eventually get used to it,” Liam said, but before he could think of something else to say, Brina changed into her white dress which Liam had seen her with during their first encounter. “I think I am better with this.” She sighed slightly, and without letting go of her smile, she looked at Liam’s outfit which she was certain needed to be discarded. “I think you should change into something else, Emrys. You don not want to be the reason why many people are forced
Almost startled by her presence, Liam turned to look at Brina who had had her gracious smile intact and admired him from a short distance. “I think we might need to do something about that.” Brina pointed to the amulet that bulged up from inside his suit, and then she walked up to Liam who was curious to know what she was up to. “Let’s see…” Brina moved her head backward a bit and after she had observed the amulet for a while, she snapped her fingers, and it changed into a silver necklace with a small pendant that was shaped like an ace. “There… I think that’s better.” She nodded in satisfaction while Liam felt the weight of the amulet lessen and was forced to reach out to the inside of his cream shirt. “What?” He said softly as he pulled out the necklace, and looked at it with his eye widened. “You like?” Brina inquired with an anticipatory smile, but Liam’s countenance gave way to a gloom that appeared a few seconds later. Realizing that he was saddened by the memories t
Brina sat down beside Liam who slept peacefully until the next morning with a smile that showed how peaceful his sleep night was. “Emrys! Wake up!” Her loud whisper resonated in Liam’s ears, causing him to grunt as he turned to the other side with his eyes still closed, and his arms widely spread across the bed. “Emrys! Wake up!” Brina tapped Liam on the forehead, and he opened his eyes instantly, groaning as he turned to his right. “I had the most amazing dream last night. I wish it could come to pass.” Liam said with a weak tone, and then he turned to the other side of the bed, yawning with his eyes closed. “Whoa!” He almost jumped out of the bed as soon as he saw Brina seated on the bed with a smile on her face. “Good Morning, Emrys. I can see that you slept well.” “It wasn't a dream?” Liam wiped his eyes with both hands and when he was done, he blinked severally to be sure he wasn't hallucinating. “You are real.” He slowly touched Brina who chuckled softly while look
Liam got into the white Bugatti as soon as the Chauffeur opened the door for him, and they drove straight to Hilton’s college, moving through the avenue that led to the students’ parking lot until Andy parked the car, and alighted at once to get the door for Liam who was at the back seat. At that point, the attraction of all the students who were in and around the parking lot marveled at the sight of the exotic car that they had not seen before on the school premises. Sights of admiration were gazed at Liam as he stepped out of the car, and adjusted his clothes with a confident smile on her face. Coincidentally, Larry was also at the park with Pamela and Dan, and his spotlight was stolen from him as everyone who usually wanted a photo of him or just wanted to say hi including the ladies changed their focus to Liam whose entire appearance was both intriguing and catchy. “Who the hell is that?” Larry’s eyes stared curiously at Liam who was surrounded by almost all the students in
The three companions continued to stare at the building where Liam had entered even though he was out of sight. The silence that existed in their midst was accompanied by a lot of suspense and tension that made them very afraid. At that moment, most of the students who were busy talking about the new hot student had started heading to their various classrooms, ignoring Larry and his companions whose time had elapsed entirely. “How did he know about Liam?” Dan broke the silence after a long time, and then he changed his focus to Pamela who was dealing with the guilt that surged through her veins even though she tried to hide it. “Pamela?” Larry called out to her with a low but firm tone, trying to be confident even though he was very nervous. “Did you tell anyone about Liam?” Larry asked with a low tone that also expressed his nervousness, but Pamela felt offended by his words and lifted her eyebrows in shock. “Why would you even ask me that? I mean, why would I tell anyone a
The three of them looked ahead, attempting to see what was ahead of them, but there was nothing, not even a shadow.“Whatever that was, it doesn’t sound friendly all all.” Mr. Gary said with a shaky voice, struggling to get a grip on himself just like Maya who hurried to stand behind Liam. “Stay close, guys. Whatever that was, it senses us as threats, and I am sure it’s going to come out from wherever it is.” Liam said calmly, looking ahead while the others stood behind him. The growl came back again, accompanied by louder echoes that reverberated from several corners of the dungeon. They could hear the sound of chains rattling from some of the dungeons, but that was the least of their troubles. As soon as the echoes from the growl went silent, the sound of heavy tromping on the hard floor followed suit, causing more tension in the bodies while they kept their shaky eyes staring in its direction. Taking in a deep breath, Liam exhaled some of the tension inside him while he he
After almost an hour of driving on the road, they eventually arrived at their destination and alighted from the car before heading down the hill that led to the sea. The hill was located on the outskirts of the city, a place where anyone hardly came, and they could hear the sound of birds and crickets chirping from a distance, and owls hooting from the top of the trees where they nestled. Darkness was already upon them, and even though Maya was afraid that she could fall from the hill as they climbed down, the thought of Liam being close to her made her continue. “That’s the sea over there, Lord Emrys!” Mr. Gary pointed as soon as he saw the sea, still surging under the effects of the wind, cascading from one point to the other while the three of them moved to it, eager to accomplish their mission.Standing in front of the sea, Liam and Maya looked at Mr. Gary who was the only one who knew what next to do, but the look on his face showed that he was struggling with a strange fe
Liam left the Castle as soon as he was well-rested. He headed to the Tavern, hoping that Mr. Gary was back from his travel while he sauntered into the building, ignoring the eyes that stared at him with keen attention. “That’s him! That’s the one I told you about! Strange isn’t he? He walks silently, yet his strength is as noisy as the turbulence of the sea.” One of the old men who recognized Liam whispered to his friend who was not present at the tavern the previous night. Some of the other men in the tavern who recognized him cringed with a little tension, flashes of the memories from the previous night couldn’t leave their minds. They had always been afraid of the assailants who tried to take advantage of the fact that Mr. Gary was not around, and the fact that Liam single-handedly beat them to a pulp made them very wary of him. Some of them adjusted themselves quickly, hoping not to offend him for any reason. Even the stares from his orbs were enough to send jitters down their
Liam was gradually becoming very impatient with Reggie, but he tried as much as he could to remain calm. “Reggie?” “Yes! Jack! He had an emergency, and he had to leave! Yes, that’s what happened!” Reggie chuckled again to cover his nervousness. “He had an emergency? What type of emergency?”“Erm? He…He.” Reggie stuttered, and more sweatballs streamed down his face while he searched for the right answer to give to Liam. “His mum sent him on an errand! Yes! An errand…” Reggie nodded to affirm his words while he continued to avoid eye contact with Liam who nodded slowly. “It’s fine,” Liam said with a low tone, and then he looked at the others who quickly withdrew their gazes from him at once, pretending to be talking about something else. “Yeah! He should be home now, probably with his mum. You should check his house.” “Alright. Thank you, Reggie.” Liam waved at Reggie with a smile on his face, and then he turned slowly and walked back to his car. Sitting silently, Liam
Liam saw that the old lady was gradually becoming very apprehensive, and he looked for a means to get her to calm down. He forced a smile on his face, but that still wasn’t enough to get her to calm down. “Where is Noah? What happened to him?”“I need you to calm down, Miss Thompson. Noah is safe, he is probably out there someone on one of his jobs.” “I don’t believe that! Noah would never go anywhere without telling me!” The old lady stood up from her seat at once and struggled to walk toward Liam who hurriedly grabbed her when he noticed that she was about to stagger. “What happened to Noah? Tell me! He said he was going to a party with you last night!” She looked into Liam’s eyes, making him look away at once, cringed by a little guilt. “Please, have a seat, Miss Thompson. I promise to tell you everything that happened.” Liam gently led the old lady back to her seat. He removed the wool, the scissors, and the knitting needle from the chair before he made sure she was comfo
Waking up the next morning, Liam couldn’t stop thinking about his encounter with Maya and the little children who reminded him so much about himself. Growing up in the orphanage was too tough for him, and he had to struggle his way to be able to put himself in school, moving from one job to the other in order to make a living. He couldn’t have much for breakfast and even the Chauffeur noticed that he was unusually quiet throughout the ride from the castle down to Hilton’s college. “We are here, Lord Emrys,” Andy said calmly after turning to look at Liam who was still lost in thought. He had been staring at him through the rearview mirror, wondering what had kept him thinking for such a long time. “Thank you, Andy. I will see you after school.” Liam got out of the car and shut the door at once before he walked away while the Chauffeur watched him for a few seconds before he drove out of the school premises. Liam expected to see Noah who usually waited for him in front of the
Liam watched the children with keen attention, and he couldn’t get rid of the nostalgic feeling that crept into his body, making him smile even without knowing it. He watched as some of them grabbed Maya’s hands and her clothes, and led her toward the only couch inside the house. “Maya! We made some cupcakes for you!”“Oh! Really?” Maya chuckled, looking at the children who seemed very excited about the words from the teenage boy who opened the door. He was the oldest among them and was obviously the leader. “I will be right back!” He ran off at once and returned a few seconds later with a plastic plate that contained two pieces of cupcakes. “We knew that you would be very exhausted and hungry by the time you get back, and we decided to make this for you.” He handed the plate over to Maya who laughed pleasantly. “Oh, Dave! This is lovely! That’s so sweet of you! All of you!” Maya looked at the cupcakes with a smile on her face while the children watched her keenly. The c
Maya wanted to believe the words she heard from Liam, but she couldn’t get over the fact that he didn’t get hurt by Raph’s dagger. “Maya? Don’t be scared, okay? I am not going to hurt you, I promise.” Liam reassured her again and waited patiently until she eventually decided to listen to him. After a few seconds of struggling with the conflict in her nerves, Maya sighed heavily, and then she managed to get a grip on herself. “I will listen to you only if you explain everything to me. You are going to tell me how you were able to do that.” Maya said nervously, looking at Liam who nodded after a few seconds. “I agree, I will tell you everything you need to know. Can we go somewhere private and talk?” Liam said when he realized that everyone was staring at him without any plans of looking away any time soon. “Just give me a few minutes.” Maya retorted almost immediately, and then she walked back to the counter to put things in order before leading Liam to the back where they sa
The man who Maya punched was so furious that he growled angrily, and leaned forward over the counter to grab her. “That’s not a good way to treat a lady, don’t you think so?” Liam was on time to pull the man backward with his left hand while he put a smile on his face. “Who the hell are you? Get your hands off me!” The man grunted angrily, glaring at Liam who lifted his hands slowly without letting go of his smile. “I am just her friend. I am not here for any kind of trouble, okay? I am just here to see Mr. Gary.” Liam looked at the five men surrounding him, and it was obvious that he had succeeded in pissing them off. He took two steps backward while his hands were still in the air, but they moved closer to him, making sure that he didn’t have any space to escape. Maya was relieved that her assailants had moved away from her, but she was worried that Liam was not going to be able to defend himself against the five of them. “You made a terrible mistake coming here, boy! Mr.