The School For Good and Evil ~ The Storian's Last Tale (Book 1)

The Eagle ~ Lucas

Lucas stormed through the halls of Arbed House, ignoring the looks of the few boys that remained outside—despite his orders to stay inside. As he neared his room, a voice called out to him.

"Going somewhere, Lucas?" Aric stood there, violet eyes boring into him.

"Only to my room, sir." The white haired boy stood up straight, squaring his shoulders.

"Wasn't curfew a few hours ago?" Aric prowled closer.

"The Dean needed me for a sec. Turns out a boy had tried to escape. Needed me to deliver punishment." Lucas met his eyes, ignoring the trembling of his hands as he gripped his sword.

Aric relaxed, then a faint smile played on his lips. "Very well. Go back to your room." He turned away.

Lucas breathed out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Thank you sir." He started walking faster to his room.

"Oh by the way." Aric called.

Lucas turned, one hand on his doorknob.

"Your application to the School for Good and Evil has been accepted." A knife-sharp grin was on his face. "I wish you luck, School Master."

Lucas hid a smile. Only Aric knew his identity. "I don't think I'll need it, Aric." Lucas opened his door and shut it. His eyes swept through his room, eying his desk.

"I wonder how Monique's doing." He murmured, remembering his kind friend from middle school. He touched his right cheek, his memory flashing back to long ago.

Rhian, Rafal and Rena stood by the window on the tower. Rena peered over Rafal's shoulder at the students going to and from school.

"This year is going to be busy." Rhian said, also looking at the students.

A couple of their students looked up and waved at the tower. Rena waved back, always the friendlier one of the Masters.

"Stop that." Rafal hissed, shooting a glare at her. The copper-haired girl frowned, crossing her green-robed arms.

"Party pooper." She stuck her tongue out at him and he resisted a laugh. Rena had used to be a student here at the School for Good, but when it was time for her to go and find her fairytale—a very sad ending by the way—Rafal had pleaded with her not to go, promising he'd make her the person who'd balance Good and Evil. The peacemaker. But to avoid suspicions, the Evergirl had to change her name from Monique to Rena.

Rhian wrapped an arm around his sister and smiled. "Rafal, lighten up for once. You don't want to be sour in your History class."

Rafal looked at the clock. Five minutes till he had to go. He ignored the longing in his heart for the lovely Evergirl and stepped outside. But before he could fly away, Rena stepped out beside him.

"Be careful. I hear two Readers are coming this year." She murmured, before placing a kiss on his cheek. At the touch of her lips, Rafal jolted back, a hand on his cheek.

Rena flashed him a smile and disappeared back inside, no doubt getting an earful from his best friend who had seen the whole thing because of the Storian.

Lucas shook his head, peering at the darkened sky. "Rena...Monique...I'll find you. And I hope you don't hate me for what I've done." He whispered, flashing back to another memory.

Rafal and Rhian stood facing each other. Rhian's sword was pointed at his chest but Rafal had a blue shield in front of him, thanks to his finger glow.

Watching with worried eyes, Rena stood back, guarding the Storian. "Rafal..please." She pleaded, tears pricking her eyes.

He ignored her, focused only on defeating Rhian once and for all. He moved forwards and Rhian stumbled back, clutching his side.

A few moments ago, Rafal had his own sword out, and had managed to scratch his side. Rafal was crappy at swordplay—preferring to use magic instead. Below the three, students watched with frightened faces.

"You had your chance, Rhian!" Rafal hissed, moving forward. "Because of you, a student died!" Again he ignored the pleas of his beloved. He had told Rena to go, not to witness this, but she disobeyed him. Unsurprisingly. Rena was never the type of person to obey orders, especially from a male.

"It was an accident!" Rhian stumbled to one knee, gripping his sword. He flicked pained eyes at his younger sister, mentally pleading with Rena to go. "I didn't mean for Lucas to die. I cared for him as much as you did, Rafal." His face twisted in heartbreak at the mention of the young Everboy who had died at the hands of his Nemesis. He didn't mention who that Nemesis was, but Rafal was going to get revenge. Fond memories of the dark skinned boy ran through his head but he didn't dare say them aloud.

"Lucas wouldn't want this." Rena spoke up finally, gripping a ring that she must've gotten from Lucas as a birthday gift.

Rafal froze, caught between destroying a friend he called his brother and the woman he loved.

"I promise...I'll do anything. Just don't kill me." Rhian rasped, pinned against the wall.

Rafal's mind whirred with the options and he grinned. He moved closer to him and his lips brushed his. Rhian let out a shocked gasp.

"I'm not gonna kill you. Instead—" he placed his hand on his heart, murmuring an incantation. "You always said you wanted to help the students, Rhian." He watched as his brother disappeared in bright light.

Now, Rhian wouldn't bother anyone, trapped in the patches of his students' crests. Rafal looked where Rena was, a smile on his lips. But that faded when he saw she was gone.

"Rena?" He asked, panicked. He flung aside bookshelves, trashing the tower frantically for his lover. The girl was nowhere.

"RENA!" He yelled, falling to his knees. Tears streamed down his face. Scratching made him look up.

The Storian was spilling an image across the page.

"With his Nemesis gone...Rafal didn't have anything in his way to keep his love. He had done it. Rena was his. There was no Lucas...no Rhian...nobody to stop him. Except by the time he realized...Rena was gone. She had fled when he had kissed Rhian. No Good can love Evil..no, love can't stay unless both sides want it. Rena learned that the hard way. She let herself love a villain. And she paid the price.

Lucas snapped out of Memory Lane, paper on his face.