The sun climbs atop the horizon shining onto Zenith's campus. Hundreds of students stampede to class while others enjoy breakfast in the banquet hall. The Student body president stands in attention, with her right arm slapped against her back she calls out, “Remember all ID badges must be worn at all times around the neck!”

Lizen sits across from Kara and Azurae, whom of which took too long to wake up. He stuffs his mouth with waffles readying his fork for another bite, “She seems very committed to her role as Student Council President.” 

“Ugh, do you have to speak with a full mouth like that? It's disgusting and rude.” Kara whines while covering her mouth with a napkin as she chews on her breakfast bagel.

Lizen swallows his food in one heavy gulp* “At least I'm eating my food.” He jabs his fork toward Azurae, The two watch as he digs into a bowl of cereal, his hands clawing at whatever he can grab hold of before scarfing it into his mouth. The vile scene sends shivers throughout their body.

Kara shudders and twitches her head before redirecting the topic, “Hey, Lizen, I forgot to ask, what class are you in?” 

Lizen buries his fork in his mouth scoffing down another waffle. “I’m in class one, you?” 

“Same, I guess we get to see more of each other than we thought.”

Azurae leaps onto the table, “You weaklings got such small numbers, that means you must be useless, unlike me who's in class 4!”

“Aw really? That's not fair, I’m sure I'm strong enough for at least mid-tier.”

“You two are idiots, the lower the number, the better. Come on, let's get going, we don't wanna be late for our first day of classes.” The three begin making their way to the Main building but Lizen feels wrong, an aching in his core like that of glass or the tip of a knife– It’s sickening. The hair on the back of his neck stands in command, and his trembling body stumbles with each step. What the hell is this?

His body feels distant from his mind as darkness soon engulfs him. His senses return in hitched breaths as he turns his head– Lori Tad, and his ever-present servant by his side. Oh, not this jack-off—

Lori reflects the same contempt by spitting on the ground “You’re still here?” He glides past Lizen and approaches Kara, "It is a pleasure to be in your presence, Princess, I am Lori Tad" The two bow in unison, a practiced sign of respect. “I hope my servant Nipsy and I can be of good use to you in Class 1 as we work together." 

Kara nods graciously. "As to you, Lori Tad. I believe we both can assist one another." She turns to Nipsy with a genuine smile and returns the bow. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Nipsy."

“The pleasure’s mine princess, please use me however you see fit.”

“How about we discuss more of this partnership as we walk to class?”

“That would be delightful.”

Lizen gags as the two continue ahead. To him, Lori is nothing more than a stuck up rich kid who was gunning for a shot at the princess, and to believe Kara couldn’t see through the rouse disappointed him. Why is she entertaining this guy, he was a snob. He thought.

Lizen eases his pace and hangs back alongside Azurae and Nipsy, listening in as they discuss amongst themselves. 

“An Ailuranth huh?” Azurae leans towards her and begins inspecting her cat-like features, “I’ve never seen one up close before.” 

The feeling is like deja vu, this scene has played out before, and Lizen beats to the draw, his body moving on its own. He's now a spectator to himself only watching as he reacts involuntarily. He jolts for Azurae’s arm however, he’s too slow. Azurae, already yanking at Nipsy’s black fuzzy ears, forces a little yelp to leave her. 

Lizen grabs Azurae’s wrist however he's far too late. He attempts to plead with the young ailuranth when a giant hand, absent of light, slaps the two across the banquet hall. He’s forced to soar through the air with Azurae crashing into a long wooden table alerting the attention of all student council members present. 

Nora with the blow of a whistle commands several students in black uniforms to surround the two. They're at least second– no, third years? She scribbles on a piece of red paper before slapping it onto their heads, “5 hours community service after school, both of you!” 

Lizen can almost taste the glops of oatmeal as it slides down his face. It was embarrassing, and he thought of maybe sharing that embarrassment with Nipsy by tossing a handful of hot breakfast at her. Maybe that would make us even, he believes, It would serve her a taste of his discomfort although, another write up so soon would be bad news. Besides, Azurae seemed to not mind, he was shamelessly consuming what he could find off the top of his head raising the question, are all dragonborn's like this? One of the students lifts Azurae and Lizen by their collars before kicking them into the line of students exiting the cafeteria. 

Ranging from Halfling Orcs to dwarves Lizen can't help but examine the many different races in the school. His eyes widen in awe as an avvian soars through the grand, imposing halls with their large, majestic wings. 

By some point through the hustle and bustle of kids Lizen and Kara lose sight of Azurae, drowning amongst the sea of students. They squeeze past several approaching a classroom labeled Room One– inside are small orbs that hold a soft warm glow that float gently by an open ceiling like fireflies in the dead of summer. It breathes life with every vibrant Wildbird that passes overhead– one even tries to enter the classroom but, as it slams its beak into what appears as a window it bounces away taking flight once more.

The room, both open and free, fondles the minds of the students. It is strange and all too new, they are only on the second floor of this castle-like building yet, here they are. 

Kara’s eyes lock onto a red haired boy with a black cape heaped over his uniform, He sits poise at his desk as students from arounds the classroom crowd around him “Kata!” She shouts before racing to him; Her voice voicing an opening in the congretion. “How you doing lil’ bro, I didn’t know we we're gonna be in the same class. This is so cool, me, you, and Lizen, can all go on so many missions and stuff together. We can study, ooh– ooh we can even help each other with homework and stuff, isn’t that cool?”

Kara continues to boil with excitement barely containing herself until Kata abruptly rises from his chair– it screams as it scrapes against the floor startleing those nearby.

His brows furrow, his nose forms wrinkles on both sides, and a vein pops from his clenched fist. “Why are you like this” his voice slowly rises from a low murmur, “Why must you always insist upon being intolerable?”

Kara takes a step back practically falling over herself as Kata continues, “We are indoors if you haven’t noticed and we would all appreciate it if you speak like such. I’m royalty, and because you’re my blood that meants you are also– so please, have an ounce of class.” He prepares to sit before sternly rising again, his finger nudging at Kara, “Oh and another thing, you we’re only born 5 minutes before me, quit calling me ‘lil’ bro, It irks my very essence!”

Kara shakenly laughs, she squints her eyes closing herself off from the room, if not physically then mentally. Her smile, the one she wore most proudly has now become a mask. Most probably wouldn't notice, It could appear to them like she was in on the joke but, that wasn’t the truth– atleast not to Lizen. For you see, Lizen perceives what others can't. He isn’t like most people.

The room enters a eerie silence before Lizen speaks up, “Hey, Kata she’s just happy to see you–”

“Was I speaking to you, mutt?” Kata spat. He stares into Lizen with contempt in his bulging eyes as he speaks, “You shouldn’t even be here, a damn false royal, sneaking his way in through the cracks of Zenith like a parasite! Cant you see your mere existence here is an infestation?!”

Lizen snickers and leans on a desk behind him. “Oh wow, you usually reel into me, but that one kinda stung a little.” He steps to Kata, extending his arm forward. “Look, we’re sorry for bothering you. How about we let bygones be bygones and carry on with the day, yeah?”

Kata’s face appears to consider the apology until a boy slaps Lizen's hand away. He was much taller than the other boys standing around Kata and his buck teeth sure stood out just as much. He had a sharp jawline and a cleft chin. His suit jacket had a Pin on its collar labeled RT Toler &Co. though expensive, his shoes weren’t up to the dress code. How did he get past Nora? This guy was more posh and luxurious than Lori, so posh that you can see glitter float around him as he speaks. 

“Hey mutt, no touching the prince.” 

A smug voice too? this son of a bit–

“Hi, Rylan Toler of the Rylan Toler Dynasty, hence the pin: Rylan Toler, my grandfather's name, and you're a 'False Royal.' Speaking out of turn to the prince is definitely a no-go." He placed a heavy hand on Lizen's shoulder, his grip tightening. “Now, I think you’ve overstayed your welcome– I mean, you’ve only been in the classroom for like, a minute and somehow you’ve managed to piss everyone off.” His grip tightens, “I don't think moving to the other end of the classroom would be enough, you should leave the school altogether to make up for today.”

Lizen’s head falls as the boy begins to laugh, he eases closer to Lizen before shouting in his ear, “Are you going to leave, or am I gonna have to make you–”

Lizen ceases the boy’s dialogue by clenching his jaw. Lizen then grabs a hold of Rylan’s arm and crushes it in his grasp before removing it from his shoulder. Lizen stares into Rylan’s eyes, his feeble frame trembling as he is helpless over his own body. Tears form as his arm and jaw fall on the brink of shattering.

Rylan looks up into Lizen’s eyes, he thought his height served a purpose however, that was before he was wetting himself like an infant and losing control over his legs. Lizen’s face forms into one big pucker. His lips curl into a snarling frown, his nostrils flare, and his cheek pushes up into his squinting eyes– eyes that leak a sapphire luminance as he speaks in icy breaths, “Who the hell are you?” He asks.

Rylan chokes on his tears.

“Hey, cat got your tongue?” The room becomes quiet darkness surrounds Lizen as he continues to apply pressure on this weak, weak boy’s body. Sound becomes a void and his senses focus on Rylan, all Lizen wants to do in this moment is break him, he could, nothing’s stopping him from ripping his maw from his head and cramming it down his throat.

“Lizen!” Kara shouts. She slaps Lizen’s back with a hand of fire, as he lets out a scream, she covers his mouth and drags him to the back of the classroom. Nobody could understand what had happened, discussions in secret dances around the room filling it as water would a bottle, yet it dries wherever they stumble. Rylan lays wrinkled on the ground, he cradles his hand rocking himself back and forth as his bloodshot eyes stare through the floor. Kata’s stern voice whispers to him, he’s careful not to make eye contact, “Hey, don't just sit there you damn embarrassment, you smell like piss. Get the hell out of here and change, you’re making me look bad.”

Rylan pushes himself from the ground and stumbles in his escape. He rushes past the charismatic professor entering the room. 

In heartfelt laughter, the man expertly glides past the student while riding a large book with a flock of smaller ones accompanying him. They soar through the air as chalk scribbles ever-changing diagrams on the massive blackboard at the front of the room. "Greetings, children of the future! I have the pleasure of being your homeroom teacher this year!" He creates a dazzling display of miniature fireworks that burst from his hands. With a grand flourish, he lands softly at the front of the classroom. “What a pleasant day is it not?” He grabs one of the smaller books as it flips to a seemingly random page. An incantation is spoken as the space on the outside flips, it rolls around them before shooting away, creating a dazzling display to all those present, stars shoot past the room and full constellations appear before suddenly coming to a stop at a mountainside by the plains with a peaceful stream—a much calmer shift in the atmosphere.

“Ah, much better, Well class, let's begin with introductions.”