The trio sat a round black table and ate their food. Circe stared mindlessly at the vase of flowers that was standing in the center of their table as he chewed his burger. The conversation around the table started to move toward their families.
"We come from a long line of gargoyles called Garguples that used to help thieves and murderers to inspire chaos and death. They would pay us a hefty sum though," said Avery. "However, after my grandparents' line, we started to change our skin and turned over to the good guys. My mom and dad currently work as bankers."
"What would've happened if you guys were still bad?" Circe asked.
"It would be a pretty long and difficult fight. Gargoyles are plentiful in the monster world, next to goblins. But what makes us tricky to fight is that we like to be invisible and work behind the scenes, as demons do."
"Interesting," said Circe,
"Are you guys related to demons?" Zebulon asked, taking a bite out of his taco.
"Yes, actually. We come from a long line of them. What about you guys?"
"We come from an ancient line of hyenas called the Feliforces. They used to be much bigger and darker and they were related to the Hellhounds. They were able to breath fire, talk, and tell the future," said Zebulon. "Nowadays there are two species of us. The mutant hyenas with the three heads like me and the normal one headed hyenas. Our kind can still breathe fire but we don't tell the future. The normal ones don't do any of that."
"What about you, Circe?"
"I don't know," said Circe rather gloomily. He looked out into the dark purple night. "All I know is that my father is a Chimera and that's where I get my powers from. Oh, and that people hate me for no reason."
"Oh, it's not for no reason. The Chimera was one of, if not the strongest creature in the ancient world," said Avery knowledgeably. "The reason for that being was that they were very difficult to kill; they always regenerated, just like the Hydras and if any normal person saw them, it was an omen of death. So before anyone even fought the Chimera, they probably weren't gonna be alive to do it. Only the strongest of the strongest warriors headed off with the Chimera and sometimes even they lost. Your kind is enlisted as one of the Unkillables."
"The Unkillables?" Circe raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, monsters that are incredibly difficult to kill. There were only four of them I think, there might be more. It includes the Chimera, the Nine Tailed Fox, the Leviathan, and the Hydra. I don't know too much about the Unkillables, but hopefully we'll be learning about this in class. Anyways, that's why people hate–erm…I don't like using that word–are intimidated by you, Circe. You're a massive threat."
"But I'm not evil," Circe said palliatively. "I'm not out to destroy all of mankind. My ancestors were—"
"And your father," Avery added.
"My father was an idiot. I don't know what he was thinking. Matter of fact, I don't much about him at all. How do you know more about me than me?" Circe said sensitively.
"Right," Zebulon guffawed.
"The gargoyles were known for stealing forbidden information and sharing them to mankind. It's one of the similarities we have with demons," said Avery.
"It still doesn't add up though," said Zebulon, wiping the taco shells from his hands. "If Circe is such a big threat, then wouldn't people be more careful not to make him angry? They'd be kinder to him wouldn't they? So why does everyone here still hate him?"
"Because people are stupid. Sometimes when you're very angry or jealous, logic gets thrown out the window."
"And how would that reflect my reputation?" Circe said, incredulous. "If I started fighting everyone I met, it would confirm people's assumptions and I would get swarmed with Shadowers and a bunch of humans trying to kill me!"
"Yeah, there's that," said Zebulon admittedly.
After a few minutes passed, Aviv Parastroka, the Russian girl, and Jamie Soo, the Korean girl joined their tables.
"You guys are the Mechas, right?" Avery said, smiling. "Oh my gosh, your powers are really cool. How did you do that chainsaw thing again?"
Aviv and Jamie launched into a story about the origins of their powers and their family line but Circe drowned it out in exchange to hear what Nathanial and Jeremiah were saying. They were sitting behind him, under the company of the fifth years and…
"Malik, you told us that your ancestors were the greatest sorcerers at what time again?" Nathaniel asked.
"I already told you," said the dark skinned boy with short cropped hair, there was a grittiness in his voice. The menacing red striped tie shined against the moonlight.
"Entertain us then, we're earshot."
"During the Babylonian age, the Absaloms were well renowned and respected sorcerers. Some say our kind helped the Babylonians build the tower of Babel and construct the great city of Babylon. We're also distant cousins of King Nebuchadnezzar II."
"No way," said Jeremiah.
"Way."
"Sounds like a load of ish to me," said Nathanial confidently.
"Oh yeah, and what about you? What makes you so great?"
"We're related to Apepi, the first great serpent that helped create darkness and sin. It was there during the creation of evil and in fact, most if not all dragons are related to him. Isn't that right, Jake?"
Jake Lee, a Chinese first year who was sitting across from them nodded. "Yup, especially the black dragons."
"Big deal, my family is related to Helios," said Jeremiah. "You know the sun god. They say that Helios and his father Apollos was also the originator of beauty."
"Yeah right," said Nathanial.
"It's true."
"Hold on," said Malik.
Circe felt something red and hard hit the back of his head. It was an apple.
"Couldn't keep your ears to yourself Chimer?" Malik said, standing up. "How would you feel if we snooped into your conversation."
"I couldn't give a damn what you do, Malik." Get out of here. Get out of here before it's too late. Circe remained where he was.
"Leave the kid alone Malik," said Jeremiah, cooly taking a bite out his sandwich. "He's not bothering us."
"Well, he's bothering me. Matter of fact, I don't appreciate the faculty inviting such a disgusting creature to this school. Your kind should've been erased years ago," Malik said. Your mother was a disgrace for having you. A gorilla could've screwed your mother and she would still have a better child than you."
The fifth years howled with laughter. Nathaniel and Jeremiah had fallen out of their chairs. Nathaniel wiped a tear.
"Don't you dare talk about my mother," Circe said. He could feel his teeth growing longer, his vision growing redder, and the scaly wings protruding out of his back. Red hot fire started to sizzle on his hands.
"Circe, no!" Avery cried, standing up.
"Repellio!" Malik shouted, pushing his hands into the air. The golden ring on his finger was twitching and glimmering against the moonlight.
A huge gust of wind threw Circe backward and knocked a bunch of tables over. A group of first year girls screamed and ran inside. Circe got up and shot a large ball of fire from his hands. Malik dodged it and laughed hysterically. "That's all you got Chimera?"
Trembling with anger, Circe felt something white hot boiling in his stomach. He roared and a massive cloud of flames poured out of his mouth, spraying the eating area with flames. Malik repelled it with his hands and fell back, hitting his head with a table. Nathaniel, Jeremiah, and the gang of fifth years scurried off into the building. Circe could hear Avery's voice but it was so distant like it was all the way at the end of a tunnel. Then there was another, harsh scolding voice. Circe tried to vomit out more fire, but an invisible force was holding him back.
"Enough!" shouted Professor Sempra. "Origio!"
The fallen tables had been restored to their upright position, the black burnt marks on the ground vanished, and the smoke had been blown away. The disrepute dining area had been made orderly once again.
"Chimer, Absalom, present yourselves at once! What the blazes were you thinking?"
Circe tried to explain how Malik had started it all by insulting him but Sempra had cut him off.
"I don't want to hear it Chimer!"
"He's not lying Professor! Malik really did provoke him," said Avery. Zebulon, Aviv, and Jamie were standing nervously by the door. The rest of the students had fled.
"Settle down Calhoun, this wasn't your fight. As for you two, well, my dearest wish is to expel both of you for causing so much havoc and excitement in one night, but considering this is barely even your first day, I'll recoup your punishment."
"Thank you, Professor," said Circe and Malik.
"Don't thank me just yet. I salvaged your punishment for expelling you, it doesn't mean you're completely exonerated from correction. Both of you will serve tomorrow's detention at 7:00 in the morning. The goblins will be sure to bring in your breakfast. Now I want both of you out of my sight and off to bed, you've lost the privilege to enjoy the rest of your dinner tonight. Scram, the carriages will be waiting for you guys."
Circe gave Avery a look as he and Malik were being led out of the dining hall by a goblin. He could hear Sempra's shrill voice echoing from the outside eatery. "You could've killed someone!"
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