19A blood pool was starting forming on the floor of an alley, reflecting the moon and stars of the night.
"Please! Stop!" a woman screamed painfully as blood came out of her shoulder. She crawled on the ground while someone followed her. He put his right foot on her wounded shoulder and made her painfully screamed.
"Let's end the game," a voice replied to the woman. He drew a blade that reflecting the crescent moon. He stabbed right in the eye ball of the woman. When he retracted the blade, the eye ball came with it as blood pissed on her killer.
The woman started to spasm as life came to an end. The killer grinned as he stabbed her chest and continued without stopping. The killer continued as he opened her gut and her intestines felt on the ground. He put a glove and put his hand in her gut, searching around until he extracted her heart.
The killer then stood up and walked away, licking the blood on the blade, "Delicious. This is going with my collection," before putting the heart in a bag.
Arc 1: The Heart Collector
Chapter 1: Welcome To Astral High School
A boy was resting on his bed and watched the blue roof of his chamber with some apprehension. He was a short boy with short black hair, brown eyes and small stature. He wore a blue jacket and blue pants. He barely reached 3 feet tall and at first look, no one would expect him to be 16 years old, but the boy was naturally of short stature.
A loud and cheerful voice resonated outside of his chamber, "Kevin! I almost finish preparing your breakfast. It's one of my specialty! Today's a big day for you after all."
He checked his clock and noticed it was soon 7 A.M. He sighed as he thought of what was coming for him. He stood up and put his hand over his sweaty forehead. He walked outside of his chamber and slowly walked toward the sky blue corridor, seeing the stairs that would guide the boy to the ground floor.
Many things worried the poor Kevin. He recently moved in a new town with his mother. Why? His mother remarried with a new man after the previous one left her and him behind, before being hit by a school bus and never been able to walk again. His mother said it was poetic justice, but it was what changed his life. His new father was... special to say the least.
As he walked in the kitchen, he saw his father finished serving the table for two. The plates contained eggs, bacons and toasts. His step father turned toward the boy with his kind smile, which had a weird form.
"Everything is ready for a big boy," he cheerfully said.
How strange was his stepfather? He was the kind his mother used to fear for his appearance, but fate allowed the impossible to be possible.
His father was an anthropomorphic Hercule Beetle with brown exoskeleton on his bulky body, bubbly blue eyes, black horn on his forehead, two short black antenna on his head, four muscular arms and two muscular legs. He wore a red shirt and magenta pants.
His mother married a bug who was more than three times taller than the teenage boy.
Kevin sat and poked the eggs.
The anthropomorphic Hercule Beetle twitched his head as he ate his breakfast and kindly asked, "What's wrong? You don't have a big appetite. Are you nervous about High school? I know it's your first day, but you can show them how awesome you are!"
Kevin picked a piece and bit it.
His stepfather patiently waited for an answer. The boy eventually replied, "It's good," before eating faster.
"I knew you couldn't resist my cooking! I learned everything from my mother. I never buy prebaked stuff and I do everything myself... Except the ingredients you have to buy since we live in the city," he nervously chuckled before finishing his breakfast.
"Where's mom?" Kevin asked.
The anthropomorphic Hercule Beetle nervously scratched the back of his head, "She had extra hours because someone didn't go do his shift. So I'll drive you to school."
The boy sighed. Since he came here, he saw his mother less. Normally, teenage boy wouldn't care that much, but with the divorce with his biological father and moving to a new city, she was the only one he knew. He finished eating and stood up.
"Brush your teeth and get ready for a ride," the anthropomorphic Hercule Beetle declared.
"Yes. Mister Shaquir," Kevin replied.
Shaquir added, "You can call me father if you want," there was a long awkward silence when the boy didn't reply. The boy evaded eye contact and walked toward the bathroom, "Maybe another time," the Beetleman sighed, "One day."
Shaquir drove the boy in front of his high school. The school was surrounded with a large white wall except for the gates at the entrance and one for the cars. At the top of the gate, it was written: Astral School.
When the boy watched the outside of the school, it was mostly a white colored school building with some roads surrounded by trees and other plants, but he noticed a large telescope at another building beside the school.
"This is it," Shaquir joyfully said, "This is your first big day here. I hope you'll enjoy it here and have fun," Kevin climbed off the car with his bag on his back, "I won't be here to pick you up after school. I'll have a busy day," he nodded toward Shaquir and closed the door of the car.
He walked in the school and once inside, the name of the school made sense. The walls and the ceiling of the corridors were painted with dark color and many beautiful shining stars painted on it giving many forms that only imagination could fulfill. He checked in his bag and took out a piece of paper written where he should go. He searched for the auditorium and entered in there.
The auditorium was crowd with students and the boy felt lightly intimidated. He searched around and sat at the back, away from the crowd.
A student sat near him and yawned, "This is going to get boring," the student complained.
Kevin looked to his left and saw that the other student was a dragon. He had navy blue scales, purple eyes, a pair of horns pointing at the back of his head, a long black tail and two small white wings on his back. He wore a blue jacket, opened to reveal his white chest, blue pant with a hole on the crotch in the shape of square and orange gloves with a silver star on the back.
The navy blue dragon gazed at him and asked, "Aren't you young to be here?"
The boy replied, "I'm sixteen."
The dragon nervously reply, "Sorry. Freshman like me?"
The boy nodded.
"The name's Rock Dragon. What about you?" the dragon asked.
"Kevin Human," Kevin replied.
"Good. Wake me up when the director finish his speech," Rock asked before napping.
The teenage boy didn't know how to handle the situation, so he simply listened to the director welcoming speech, that wasted one hour of everyone time. It could have been simply resumed in a sentence or two.
The director concluded by saying, "It is now time to go to you class. You've received you're class room in a letter you received and if you don't have it, you can come forward and we will give you your class number."
Everyone stood up and walked outside the auditorium. Kevin tapped the dragon shoulder and said, "It's time to go to class."
"Hum... Explosive pizza!" Rock randomly yelled before waking up, "It's over. What now?"
"The director said we have to go to our class," Kevin said as he picked his paper and read it.
"Since we are freshman. We are on this floor," Rock said as he checked where he was, "Class 107. What about you?" the dragon checked over the boy shoulder, "Same class. Let's go then."
Rock marched forward and Kevin followed him, since they were going at the same class. Neither of them said a thing. It wasn't long before they found class 107 before entering in.
The teacher gazed at them and said, "Welcome. Please stand against the wall with the others. I'll assign the desk for this year in a minute."
They did as asked and waited for the moment where their seat was given. Rock was at the back near the windows while Kevin was beside him.
As the teacher started talking about the subject, the boy turned toward the navy blue dragon, to see him already bored out, despite the fact that their teacher wasn't boring.
Morning passed fast and Kevin started to feel a little more comfortable in class. When it was lunch break, Kevin followed the students to the cafeteria and froze there.
The cafeteria was an ordinary one, but it was crowded. There were too many strangers and that made the boy really uncomfortable. He knew no one and noticed everyone seemed to know each other's. It didn't surprise him since most of them surely came from the same middle school and already knew each other's, which put him at a disadvantage in socialising with anyone. Kevin sighed and brought his lunch outside.
Outside, he sat against a tree and started eating.
"You're also eating outside?" a voice asked, just before Rock appeared in front of him upside down and made the boy yelled. The dragon was suspended against the tree by his tail. He chuckled and said, "Didn't want to scare you like that."
The boy stood up and sat against the next tree.
"Come on," the dragon grumbled with a small smile, "I'm sorry."
The boy sighed and came back. The dragon tail released his grip on a branch and he sat beside him.
"So. Why you're eating outside Kevin?" Rock asked.
"I don't know anyone," the boy replied.
The dragon chuckled, "That's normal," he lightly grumbled before checking the boy face, "I never saw you in middle school. You're new right?
"Obviously," Kevin replied.
The dragon didn't take it as an insult and chuckled, "I never smelt you before."
"I recently moved in town," Kevin briefly resumed.
Rock smiled, "Then you're going to love it here. This town is super wonderful. I guarantee it. Except school of course."
The boy lightly smiled, wondering if it would be the case. He continued eating until he wondered something, "Why are you eating outside?"
The dragon cheerfully replied, "Because I don't have any friends."
"Hum? Why?" he asked the dragon.
"It's because our town schools are highly competitive like many others. Since school is soooooo boring, I don't have nice grades and I got the reputation of Dead Weight."
"Dead Weight?" Kevin asked.
Rock proudly replied, "That's mean that I'll drag anyone down with me. I have low grades and the other's think I'll drag them down with me in the ocean of a failed future. They want a 'good' job and 'good' grades. So everyone keep distance of me."
"And you are proud of it," the boy nervously commented.
The navy dragon gave a thumb up with a smile as he winked at him. The dragon waited a minute before asking, "Why are you still here?"
"That wasn't something important in my previous school. Grades wouldn't put you on a Death Weight before I moved here."
Rock turned his back at the boy as his eyes shined and had a joyful smile as if he found the jackpot. He then turned back to the boy and was about to speak when the bell rung.
"Time to return to class. Let's survive the afternoon," Rock grumbled.
The two returned to their class.
School day ended and Kevin started to feel more comfortable to be in his new school. It was easier for him than his new home for many reasons he didn't want to think off.
"School is over! We are free!" Rock yelled as he picked his stuff and walked toward the exit with Kevin behind him.
"Not so fast Rock!" the teacher yelled at him.
The dragon gasped as his tail became a straight line pointing at the ceiling, "W-what?"
The teacher had his arm crossed and grunted, "You think I'll let you get away with it?"
"What are you talking about?" The navy dragon asked while sweat appeared on his forehead.
"You were sleeping in class. You think I wouldn't notice you?" the teacher asked.
The dragon knew he was busted and no excuse would work, "I hoped it would."
The teacher face turned red, "Then you will have to clean the class before you can leave school!"
"What? You can't-"
"Yes. You all agree this morning when we vote it in class," the teacher grinned.
The boy wondered if the dragon suddenly turned gray or if it was only his imagination. He decided to leave class, having nothing else to do. He heard one last thing coming from Rock, "This fucking sucks!"
The boy wandered the corridor and reached the exit when he accidentally bumped into someone who was standing outside.
"S-sorry," Kevin said. He raised his head and knew he was in trouble, just by looking at the one he bumped too.
He was a tall buffed humanoid with a gray face like bat, red eyes with blue veins, large ears covered by red headphone, gray mane around his throat, red chest and belly while the rest of his body was gray with a small pointy tail. He had small gray wings on his back. He wore an open blue jacket with damaged sleeves and blue pants.
The anthropomorphic bat looked down at him and asked, "You think that would be enough after you challenge me?"
Kevin knew it was someone that will cause him trouble. As he looked around, he noticed the students walking away from them and ignoring what was happening out of fear, "I didn't want to challenge you and it was an-"
"Do you even know who I am shrimp?" he asked. He took the boy silence for a no, "I am Hemol Bat. Terror of the city since middle school," just by looking at him, it must have been true. Hemol grabbed Kevin's jacket and lifted him to his face. He then dragged the boy somewhere isolated, "You know what happen to those who dare challenge me shrimp?"
"I didn't," Kevin thought of a way to temporary evade the outcome, "I can give you money."
"Money?" Hemol asked before he furiously yelled, "You think you can bride me? I don't want your fucking money! I want only one thing!" he showed his fist close to Kevin face and made the boy flinched, "That you remember who I am after I punch your face shrimp!"
"Hey motherfucker!" a voice yelled at him before Hemol was hit at the back by a rock. The humanoid bat turned around and faced Rock who pointed his finger at him, "Leave Kevin alone you coward!"
"Coward!" the anthropomorphic bat furiously yelled.
"Yeah. Kevin is new here and you are like... more than 3 times taller than him. Fight someone your own size like me!" the navy blue dragon ordered, despite the fact that he was also around a feet shorter than Hemol.
Hemol grinned as he dropped his fist, "You want to fight in his name?" he looked at the boy and then at the dragon before raising his fist again, "Nope. I'll fight you after him."
"Wait!" Rock ordered. He yelled, "I'll challenge you to a fight. If I win, you let him go!"
"A challenge? That's more interesting. Fine. If you win, I let him go and won't ever bother him again, but if I win dragon, "He thought about it," You will be my servant until I finish High School and do everything I ask. I'll still let the shrimp go since it will be funnier. You agree?" Hemol proposed.
Kevin looked at Rock and wasn't sure what to say to the navy blue dragon. With the fist near his face, he didn't dare say anything.
"Yes," Rock confidently replied.
A grin appeared on Hemol face as he replied, "Fine," he heard something he didn't like, "Come with me. There is annoying teachers on the way."
He walked away with Kevin in his grasp. Rock grunted and followed him outside the school. They walked until they were under a bridge near a river.
"You know who you are fighting dragon?" the anthropomorphic bat asked as he cracked his fingers with a grin.
Rock frowned, "I heard about you in middle school. I just didn't care about it."
That pissed Hemol off, "Well you won't forget me now!" he threw the boy away from him and cracked his neck.
"Don't worry Kevin, I'll kick his ass," the dragon winked at him.
Kevin grasped his courage and said, "You didn't have to do it!"
Rock replied, "I know, but I want to do it," he gave the boy a small smile.
"Okay dragon," he punched his fist, "I'll make you regret challenging me."
"Bring it on Emo," the navy blue dragon said.
"Hemol! The name is Hemol!" he yelled back.
Rock charged toward the anthropomorphic bat when his arms were suddenly raised in the air. He tried running, but he saw his feet barely touching the ground, "What the fuck?"
The boy asked, "What are you doing Rock?" he quickly realised it wasn't on the will of the dragon when he saw the panicked and confused face.
Hemol stood in front of him, "Take this!" he violently punched the dragon stomach and sent him against the foundation of the bridge.
Rock gazed confused about what just happened.
"Stand up dragon. We have just started," Hemol ordered with a large grin on his face.
Rock stayed there as he tried to recover from the blow on his stomach.
"I said stand up!" Hemol yelled.
Rock felt his arms pulling by something and was back on his feet with his arms in the air. He felt as if something held him suspended in the air once again.
"That's better," the anthropomorphic bat commented with a grin.
Kevin started to sweat and grew worried for the only student he knew, "Rock!"
"What the fuck is going on here?" the navy blue dragon yelled as he searched for what caused the strange phenomenon.
Hemol walked toward the dragon as he prepared his next punch, "You have to guess dragon."
Rock kicked the humanoid bat right in the stomach. It didn't make the anthropomorphic flinch. The dragon was reward with a violent punch on his snout and landed on the ground. Rock put felt blood coming out of his nostrils and glared at his enemy. He painfully stood up and was ready to continue the fight. Once again, he felt something grabbing his arms and was stuck behind him.
"Let's end this fight shall we?" Hemol asked as he cracked his knuckles.
Kevin breathing accelerated as he watched Hemol walking closer. Suddenly, the boy noticed that something important was missing. He didn't know what, but he felt like something was gone.
To Be Continued.
AC: This is the end of the first chapter.
The next chapter will be: The Flow.