Choosing a spot to stand in the back a flash of color caught my eye and saw Echo standing in the crowd. Blushing at what had happened yesterday. There were so many new people to meet, but they were all so nice, which was something I haven't experienced in a long time. Echo was the first male outside of my family to be nice to me since we found out I qualified to be a Siren.
‘I wonder if we could be friends.’ the thought made me smile, but he was surrounded by people and seemed to be the center of their group. There was no way someone popular would want to be my friend. It would be social suicide. No matter how much we were supposed to get along, there were going to be some here who felt I didn’t belong. It was just luck I hadn’t run into them yet.
Overall the ceremony was about two hours, telling us the rules and what was expected of us. Then giving us the rest of the day to relax before classes started the next day. The whole campus would be open to us to explore and get used to. Our schedules would be delivered to our rooms later today. I was the first one out of the room, wanting to get away before people started trying to get to know one another.
Groups or even individuals made me nervous. As I swam, my hand subconsciously rubbed the scar on my back. About halfway back to the dorms, something bumped into me.
“Watch it,” a voice said. Looking over it was a young man probably a few years older than me, his coloring was green and black.
I was about to respond and apologize even though he had run into me. When the look on his face shifted. “You’re the male Siren, god, why even come here. You should have just stayed at home. No one wants you here. You should just have died when your babysitter tried to kill you.”
Looking down and away, I was about to leave when a hand grabbed me and pushed me roughly to the ground.
“You need to leave and never come back to sully our academy. You should be ashamed you came here in the first place.”
I didn’t move, just staying there on the ground hoping that he would get bored and leave. It usually worked with bullies once they felt they got their fun out they would leave.
“Look at you groveling, you’re such a loser. You cannot even use your magic to protect yourself.”
“Fighting is against school rules.”
“Even if you fought against me you would lose. I’m in my third year there is no way you would be able to stand up against me.”
“I didn’t ask to be a Siren, I wanted to be a Triton,” I said my voice soft.
“It doesn't matter what you wanted who doesn't want to be a Triton. Once you found out you weren’t good enough you should have given up. No one should have to see your face, freak.”
“Hey leave him alone.” A hand pulled me up and behind someone. It was easy to see it was Echo after I was behind him. It was surprising that I haven't recognized the voice.
“The traitor's son comes to save the freak. You two are made for each other. You’re both losers. And should never have been accepted into the academy.”
The man swung a punch towards Echo, but a shield of ice formed in front of him. As his first landed the ice started creeping up his arm. But he shattered it easily.
Pulling Echo back with me creating a sphere of Ice around both of us.
“A pitiful novice Ice shield. I’ll break it in one hit.” The bully started hitting it. With each hit, a new bruise would form on my skin. When casting a spell you are supposed to cut the connection to it after you cast it so that you are not injured if the spell is attacked. But you can stay linked to the spell to provide it more power to keep it from breaking.
Mother had taught me this when I was being bullied. So I would be able to protect myself somewhat. Forming an ice ball in my hand then using my magic to condense it. Each layer more condensed than the last. My biggest advantage against the other students was my large magic reserves. Normally as you get older your magic deepness, and you learn finer control over your spells so they don't waste as much energy.
Mother said my magic reserve was the size of someone who had graduated from school already. Though we were unsure why I would have so much magic. Mother thought it might have something to do with me being a male Siren. Though that didn’t make any sense to me.
It was getting hard to focus on the ball of ice with the damage I was taking from the shield. Figuring that the ice ball was packed enough. I cut the energy to the shield and watched as it shattered under a hit.
Raising my hand and launching the ball of ice into the air I watched as it exploded releasing an extremely loud cracking sound as well as immense coldness. My mother had taught me the spell, and all of my family knew that if they heard it I was being bullied and couldn’t get away.
“I’m not a good fighter, and this might hurt, I’m sorry you got dragged into this,” I said still holding onto Echo.
The bully started hitting us, but the bruises that appeared on Echo seemed to vanish almost as fast as they appeared. I had seen mother heal me enough times to figure this spell out on my own. Though this one drained a lot more magic than the other two spells. It wouldn’t take long before I ran out. My understanding of the spell wasn’t good enough to control the magic properly.
After a few more hits, my magic was dry and Echo was getting a few bruises. Closing my eyes waiting for another hit to come, but it didn’t. Opening my eyes. Acul was holding the bullies hand and Salu was closing in from the distance.
“What do you think you are doing? Attacking first years before they have even started class.”
“But they started it, they attacked me first.”
“I highly doubt the Siren started it, and I’m sure The Triton didn’t either. No first year would pick a fight against a third year.” Salu said.
“How would you know, the Triton is the son of a traitor, he is here to upset the balance. And a male Siren, what a disgrace to the school.”
“That Siren is my Brother,” Acul said. His voice dark, “And he has never attacked anyone in his life. He doesn’t even know any attack spells. Though that ice ball spell could pack a punch if it hit you.”
“We both know you're the one at fault, Zeco.” a woman's voice said. She swam down from above us holding a trident.
“Saous, You can’t be protecting them.”
“I am the only female Triton here, I understand what he is going through. It took a long time before I got the respect that everyone deserves. You started it by bullying them, figuring they wouldn’t be able to protect themselves. But that Siren did an excellent job holding you off. And if he hadn't been holding the Triton back I'm sure he would have done an amazing job as well. I watched him train last night while everyone else was sleeping. I would have stepped in sooner but I was curious about Silves, and he seemed to hold his own perfectly. He’s even learned a healing spell. He has a lot of promise for such a young age.”
The praise made me blush, then I realized that I was still holding Echoes arm and I released it. Backing up a step. Wishing I could be alone in my room. Though that did explain why I had seen him out so late last night he was training. I respected that, knowing he took this as serious as I did it brought a small smile to my face. But I kept my head down so others wouldn’t think I was happy the other boy had gotten in trouble.
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