Circe blinked his eyes open. He was in a small square room with too many lights. Two long square windows were against the walls but they were barely see-through and seemed somewhat entirely black. The golden Avalium Police Department seal was plastered against the wall and the floor was tiled and extraordinarily polished. And his hands…well his hand weren't cuffed, strangely enough. It was almost as if they were urging him to go, but Circe knew he couldn't leave.
The lights were bright LEDs and they were all facing him like an array of headlights. A black camera craned down from the ceiling and there was a blank white table standing in front of him with a paged document. It appeared to be a contract of some sort.
The table appeared to have been bridging the gap between him and one other figure. As Circe's vision drew into focus he saw a tall man with white blonde hair like smooth butter and a black cloak. The cloak, his slim stature, and his somewhat glowing buttery white blonde hair made him look serious and rather occultic like he belonged in some forbidden brotherhood. And his ears were perked up like an elf's and it didn't do well to conceal the occultic look.
The elfish blonde man presented a strange silver badge with an eye in the center. It gleamed brightly in the light. He sat down, slid the badge in the center, and made it a point to lean in close.
"My name is David Elvengaard, or Elven for short. I'm a Shadower and recruiter at Avalium University, and I also work very closely with the Avalium Police Department. That badge you just saw is called an Alma Mater badge. It certifies my legitimacy in my powers, my education, and my connection to the law. If I wanted I could have you arrested on the spot. But for now, I prefer we just talk. The cameras have been turned off, so one's recording us."
Circe stared closely at the eldritch elf man and then glanced at the two cameras. He was right. Earlier they had been blinking red but now they had stopped. What were they playing at? What did this strange man want? Circe wasn't sure whether to play it cool or to start vomiting again.
"Your name is Circe Chimer, son of the Great Chimera-–Halvorok Chimer. Your mother and father were former graduates of Avalium University. Your mother, Ranoa Chimer died when you were just a baby, and no, that wasn't a dream, you did see her. You also transformed into a Chimera that killed those boys in cold blood. You live with the Brixons down in Gibbons Street and have been with them for twelve years. You left this morning at 7:00 am. And currently, the government of Avalium either wants you dead or thrown in prison for life. I know all there is to know about you and more according to my V.I.P. police records so you better not evade my questions or try to remain silent. What happened out there?"
Circe found it strange that if he wasn't being recorded that he had to recount the riotous tale. But he told him everything. From the Brixons starving him, to the teenage boys attempting to rape the young girl, to turning into that mysterious creature.
"So I had to do it, otherwise they would've killed me," Circe said, finishing off his miserable story.
"Well if you regenerated, you could've stopped and called the authorities. Why did you have to take matters into your own hands? These are two juvenile lives you just ended Circe, this is serious."
Circe chewed on it for a moment. He honestly didn't know, and that's what frightened him. If it hadn't been for the voice in the back of his head, he probably would've gone on a rampage. That monster within him scared him just as much as everybody else, especially when it was uncontrollable. Who was he, really?
"I-I don't know how to answer that sir."
"Exactly, neither do we. This is why I'm going to propose a deal with you, a solution perhaps. Those kind policemen and I feel your powers need to be trained before it runs loose and destroys the city. So it seems I've run into the decision of having to enroll you into Avalium Univerity, a school that specializes in the higher education of training monsters like yourself. You'll be among peers of your age and older, learning how to use your powers expertly, and most importantly, righteously. You'll be among the best Shadowers Avalium has ever had, and we hope to train you guys into one as well. What do you say?"
It sounded great at first, but to Circe it was a terrible pitch inside and out. Firstly, he hated school. Secondly, he hated people—the Brixons had made sure of that and had stomped all the joyful possibilities of making friends he could ever possibly have. But thirdly, and most importantly, he was afraid of what would happen when he got there. Not just because of his transformation powers but also because he would be expected to complete dangerous tasks.
"No," Circe said flatly.
"No? Well, it's either you enroll in this university or face a lifetime in prison. Not juvie, real prison since you're a supernatural criminal. You'll be slammed in those walls with no plans to escape and no parole. And you can't just monster yourself out, this prison is highly enchanted to not allow Shadowers like you to escape."
"What's a Shadower?"
"Someone who hunts monsters for a living. Like a bounty hunter, only Shadowers are more educated about monsters and are marginally more powerful. There are a few types but I'm not gonna delve into all of that right now. What matters is your verdict, Circe, I'm still waiting for your final response."
Slavery in jail or slavery in a highly dangerous monster school? There wasn't really much to go off of here. Circe noticed the multiple-paged contract lying across from him. He didn't have to read it to understand.
"It states all the terms and conditions of accepting to go to the school. Avalium isn't exactly a safe place for kids when it comes to the materials we teach. It has its dark spots.
"I know, but you're still gonna force me to sign my life away aren't you?"
"I'm not making you do anything, I'm simply the middle man. This is for your own good, Circe. The ultimate goal here is to keep you and the citizens safe."
Circe had an itch to ask exactly how dark this school was but decided against it. It was best to go in blind than to go in afraid. He picked up the pen and began to scribble on the bottom lines.
"Great. Now that that's settled, it's time that I took you home. The fall term will begin on September fifteenth. Your uniform, golden ring, and school manual will be in the mail about a week before the school term. The Monster Bus will be taking you and your peers to the university, so be ready by 7:00 pm. Got it? Good."
Elven led him to his black police car and they drove all the way down to Gibbons street. Circe honestly wondered what the Brixons would think when he arrived with this ominous man. But then again, a part of him didn't really care about what the Brixons thought of him at that moment.
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