My hands were shaking, and I was breathing heavily, with blood all over my hands and body—a mix of both my own and the lifeless body before me—the body of my very own teacher. “What have I done?” I said, scared, and confused about everything that has happened today. “You did what was required,” the mysterious voice told me as i dropped to my knees and cried like a little child, afraid of what I must do and what is to come in the near future....
Chapter 1:
This is the story of Caleb Smith who is a 16-year-old boy who was abandoned and dropped off at the steps of an orphanage. When he was born, he’s not that intelligent, not that strong, and not particularly good at anything. His future wasn’t bright, and his destiny was to be a nobody forever. But that will soon change, as the path of destiny is one that you forge yourself.
I awoke as sunlight shone through my window as I looked outside. Today seemed to be a beautiful day, but something felt off. I stood up from my bed, but before I could think about it anymore, I got punched in the shoulder. I turned around suddenly and saw Jeremy, a slightly chubby boy with black hair and brown eyes who had been put in the orphanage two years ago when his parents died in a car crash.
“It took you long enough to wake up. It’s time for breakfast, sleepy head!” Jeremy beamed.
“Hey! That hurt; can you maybe be more gentle?” I growled as I winced in pain and followed him as I made my way to the cafeteria as we ate our breakfast.
“You know people might adopt you if you would just be a little nicer," Jeremy murmured with his mouth filled with eggs.
“Why would I be nice to someone I don’t even know?" I remarked as I looked at my breakfast with a sick stomach. The eggs and sausage patties Not looking the least bit appetizing.
“You going to eat that?” Jeremy asked with a wide look in his eyes, staring at my food.
“Go ahead”, "I'm not eating it." I said as I stood up before getting ready for the day and heading to class.
I sat in class interested, hanging on to every word. Mr. Greg, who taught us history and English, was teaching a history lesson about World War Two .
“Can anybody tell me whose Assassination started the war,” Mr. Gregory asked, waiting for someone to raise their hand, but no one did.
“What about you, Caleb? Do you know the answer?” I sat there nervous, not wanting to get the question wrong.
“Cmon, remember, you know this,” I thought to myself. “Uhm, was it Franz Ferdinand?” I said nervously, not sure if it was the right answer.
“Correct,” Mr. Gregory complimented . Mr. Gregory was a large, sturdy man around 6’2 but he was a gentle giant who was sweet and kind and always helped me understand anything I was confused about as Mr. Gregory continued teaching. I listened intently until the class was over. “ That will be all for today. Everyone, have a good day!” Mr. Gregory beamed as we left the classroom.
After Mr. Gregory’s class, we went outside for a break before Mr. Hendersons class, who was a shriveled man whose voice was raspy and painful to listen to from his years of smoking and who taught us math and science. I was dreading his class as I always do, sitting on a bench outside alone, as. a ball flew past my head and I looked over to the kids who were playing four square.
“Sorry, we didn’t mean for that to happen. Could you get that for us? They said in an apologetic manner.
“Fine,” I muttered begrudgingly as I went towards where the ball went as I noticed it flew over the fence and was rolling down a small hill past the fence. I climbed the fence as I had done many times before to fetch lost balls as I was the oldest there, and everyone else was afraid to get in trouble as I climbed the fence and went to where the ball rolled. As I grabbed it from a bush, I noticed something shiny that caught my eye.
I reached my hands through the bush as I pulled out a sword with a dark black blade and an ornately designed handle with gold spiraling across it.
“Wow,” I murmured out loud from the sheer awe of this sword before the children yelled,
“Did you get it yet?” They asked. I put the sword back and decided I would sneak out and come back to it later that night.
“Yeah, it’s right here,” I yelled as I threw the ball over the fence and climbed back over, still thinking about that sword until the bell rang, and it was time for the worst part of the day, Mr. Henderson's class
I’m filled with dread as I slowly walk to Mr. Henderson's class when Jeremy comes up next to me.
"Man, this is going to suck. I hate Mr. Henderson." Jeremy lamented
“As do I, my friend. As do I” I agreed as we continued to walk.
“Do you ever think I’m going to get adopted?” Jeremy murmured
“Of course you will, dude! You're a great person." I beamed
“I just. Don’t know I mean look at you." Jeremy softly said, looking down, saddened by the thought.
“Listen, I never got adopted because I refused; you haven’t gotten adopted because the right people haven’t found you.” I comforted
“Okay.” Jeremy murmured as we continued walking from the playground into the classroom, where Mr. Henderson had already started his lesson.
“You two are late." Mr. Henderson rasped his voice, sounding like nails scraping against a chalkboard from his years of smoking. It was raspy and harsh, grating against my ears with every word he spoke.
“Sit down, you two, and tell me the answer to question three." Mr. Henderson snarled
“It’s 462” Jeremy answered as Mr. Henderson coughed, filling me with disgust and hatred for this pathetic man standing before me.
“Yes, that’s correct,” Mr. Henderson remarked as he continued teaching. I was not listening to a single word he spoke as I struggled to keep my eyes open and drifted off to sleep as he taught, but every time I did, I was awoken by his horrid voice. I was tired of learning the same things over and over and over again. There were 3 grades of classes: elementary, middle, and high school, but they always taught the same material year after year to make sure anyone who came could have some form of education. But I was tired of it and just ready to leave out into the real world on my own.
After what felt like days of waiting, the class finally ended. “Make sure to do the assignment I left you with." Mr. Henderson's voice echoed through my ears, and I thought, “How much longer do I have to go through this?”
After the class, we ate lunch, which I actually ate this time, and started doing our daily chores. Scrubbing the cafeteria floors was my duty, and I had to do it every day on my hands and knees with an old rag and strong-smelling chemicals that burned my eyes and nose as I cleaned.
“Hey! I just put all the clothes in the dryer, and it will be a while before they get done. Would you like some help?" Jeremy exclaimed
“No, I'm fine, Go play with the other kids while the clothes are drying.” I smiled as he went to play in the indoor court with some of the other kids. I continued cleaning until it was good enough for them not to yell at me, then went to the small library inside Mr. Gregory's room and read some of the books as I waited for it to be supper.
Supper came, and I didn't notice as I was stuck in a book about the Industrial Revolution.
“Hey kiddo, it’s time for dinner!” Mr. Gregory bubbled as I was reading.
"Oh, hey, Mr. Gregory. I just got caught up in reading." I felt happy to see Mr. Gregory again.
"Well, you better head off to dinner; you can keep that book if you would like!” Mr. Gregory said, smiling
"Yes, sir, thank you. I sure will!” I grinned, holding the book in my hands, as I went to grab supper, a murky soup with bread that surprisingly didn’t taste too bad . After we finished with supper, it was time to go to bed, as I remembered the sword outside.
I opened the window and carefully crawled out as I climbed over a fence and made my way back to the sword as I uncovered it from its hiding spot and picked it up, admiring its features, before I heard a voice.
“hey!” It spoke. I jumped back and looked around to see who it was before hearing it once more. “You must be Lucas Gregory; destiny has chosen us to stop E-.“ I interrupted the voice.
“Who are you?” I asked as I pointed my newly acquired sword in the direction I thought I heard the voice from.
“I’m the sword idiot." The voice boomed out in my head, and I dropped the sword suddenly.
“That’s not going to work now that your soul is already bonded to the sword,” it mocked.
“What, what are you?” I asked, shocked at what was happening.
“I am Gabriel Accardi, a legendary warrior who stopped the powerful Erebus king of darkness!” Gabriel boasted
“but. What does that have to do with me?” I asked
"Well, the prophecy foretold that I and Lucas Gregory would stop the second coming of the emperor of darkness!” Gregory exclaimed
"Uhm, my name is Caleb,” I said nervously, wondering what was happening.
“This... this can’t be right destiny foretold this centuries ago." Gabriel denied it, as he was also confused and worried.
“Do you know anyone named Gregory, at least?” Gabriel asked
“My teacher, Mr. Gregory,” I said, unsure of what was happening, but
“You have to give him it now!" Gabriel yelled as I picked up the sword again and murmured.
"Okay, I will,” I replied, but before I could do anything, I felt a chilling and evil presence behind me as I heard an all too familiar voice as he said
“Give me the sword.”
