28 A demonstration (3)

"What the?" Logan said as he saw the effect of Erik's attack.

The crowd could not understand what was happening either. Erik cut Logan's chest with a harmless tray.

They knew there must have been some reason for this; they did not know what it was, or their minds refused even to think about the possible explanation. Though, many people could swear they felt Erik channel mana in a different way than usual.

The young man smiled widely, seeing Logan's injury while the latter kept his hands on the wound, trying to stop the bleeding.

"What did you do?" Logan asked.

"What do you think?" Erik said, grinning from ear to ear.

"He used a brain crystal power!" someone from the crowd said, and then murmurs started spreading inside the cafeteria.

"A brain crystal power? He who can only grow flowers?!" Logan said.

Everyone stared at Erik, unable to understand what happened, but the rumor that Erik possessed another power started spreading into the cafeteria.

"What couldn't have I developed a new power?" Erik said.

"But that would make you—"

"An awakener? Indeed… It is rare but not impossible." Erik interjected.

Erik looked around the room full of students who seemed confused by what had just happened.

"Whatever, you will pay for what you just did!" Logan then shouted. He started conjuring another poisonous dart, and Erik knew that, given the energy disparity, he was going toward a bad quarter hour. However, someone entered the cafeteria.

"STOP THIS MADNESS!" the man said.

"Professor McAllister!" a student shouted.

The man made his way through the crowd and reached the two standing students still facing each other.

"You are both under my command! Stop your fight immediately," Professor McAllister ordered in an authoritative voice. "Usage of brain crystal powers to fight is strictly prohibited! Are you trying to kill each other?!" the man shouted.

Both men stopped fighting and turned to face the professor. The atmosphere had changed entirely after hearing him speak so sternly.

"NOW, TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED!" he demanded.

Erik knew how the situation was going to unfold from there on. The other students would say it was his fault for all this mess starting. He was actually the first to resort to violence, and any possible explanation he would give was bound to be ignored.

"It was him!" Logan said, pointing at Erik. "He attacked my friends and me."

Professor McAllister turned to look at Erik. "Is it true, Mister Romano?" he looked doubtfully at the kid. He knew Erik didn't have the ability to harm Logan.

"It is not," Erik obviously said, lying.

"We will find out soon." Professor McAllister replied.

"Bring these three to the infirmary," The teacher said to the students, referring to Conal, Orson, and Logan.

"Since you only have some bruises, you are going to the principal's office."

Erik didn't reply; he knew that whatever he said, he couldn't go against more than a hundred people's words.

After leaving the cafeteria, Professor McAllister took him to the main building where Principal Harris' office could be found. When they arrived, a secretary led the group to the principal's office and told them the man would talk to them in an hour.

In the meantime, the other teachers asked for information from the students, who narrated the whole event. Professor McAllister and Erik entered the spacious room as the waiting time ended.

They found Principal Harris sitting behind his desk, looking very serious. His office had a desk, some chairs, and bookshelves filled with many old-looking tomes and manuscripts. A large map was also hanging on the wall showing the school's grounds.

After glancing at the boy, he addressed the young men.

"I heard you made quite a show in the cafeteria," he said. Erik considered this situation when he decided to mess up with Logan.

Still, he had to show the other people they had to stop messing with him, or there would be consequences. He needed to show them he could defend himself and that he would if provoked.

"Sir, with all due respect, Logan and his friends started the whole situation. They asked me to leave the cafeteria; they were not new to bullying me. Whatever I did, they deserved it."

"So, you are not denying what happened," Principal Harris said.

"I'm not. But what was the point in allowing them to do as they wished? I bet the other students are already blaming me, sir, without telling you what Logan did today, or the other days for that matter."

"You are not wrong," Principal Harris said while standing from his chair. He went to the window and started observing the school courtyard and the students walking in and out of the building.

"The kids really did blame you for the whole incident, but aside from that, I want to ask you, young man, if Logan and the other two bullied you, why didn't you say anything?" the principal asked. It was a legitimate question, but one only he was interested in hearing.

"I did. I complained to the teachers when everything started, but they did nothing. However, when words of what I did got to Logan's, Conal's, and Orson's ears, the situation worsened."

"Ah… I get it. It looks like I have to talk to the teachers about this…" Then the principal went to his computer, searching for Erik's file.

"However, there is something I can't quite understand," the old man said while looking at the computer.

"Here, it says that you have a power that allows you to grow plants faster," the principal said. If I'm not wrong, you are one of his teachers, Professor McAllister. Can you confirm it?"

"Yes, I can, Principal Harris," McAllister replied.

"So, Erik. Care to explain how you were able to injure Mister Reid with a harmless tray?"

Now that everything had been disclosed, it was time for Erik for his last lie. He knew that his life would change as soon as he said the words to this man.

Erik had already prepared a speech for this situation and that precise question and spent his free time searching for other double power cases to make his lie more believable.

"I woke up with a migraine the other day. There was something different, and as soon as it went away, I felt I could do something. That's when I accidentally discovered I got another brain crystal power," Erik said.

This was the story that most of the so-called Awakeners told when they discovered their new power.

He then proceeded to recount exactly what happened. He had been scrupulous in describing the feeling and the pain he felt. Of how he found out he had his new power, mixing lies with truths. It wasn't difficult because most of the things he described sounded real enough since they happened to others.

"That is an amazing thing, young man," Principal Harris said.

"Yes, sir. My headaches are gone now; thanks to my power, I've grown stronger physically."

"Well, if what you are saying is true, we need to test your new power again, and probably a man from the military will come to talk to you." Principal Harris said.

Erik knew the implications of revealing his second brain crystal power to the school. He knew that the Military wanted such individuals, and there was a simple explanation for this.

Double powers meant double neural links, which meant stronger soldiers—something they desperately needed.

Truth be told, there was a reason why Frant was waging war on Hin. The nation wasn't having a good year.

This was due to the rampaging corruption at all hierarchical levels, something already present way before Becker became the leader's nation but something he was tasked to solve.

"If that happens, then yes, sir. I'll be happy to comply..." Erik lied.

Principal Harris smiled. "Now, we should talk about your punishment."

Erik lowered his eyes. "Did you believe I wouldn't have punished you?" The man said.

"No, sir," Erik said.

"Now, you sent three people to the infirmary and used a brain crystal power to injure one of them. "

"He used his power, too," Erik said.

"And we will take care of them. If that happened, we would also punish them for the bullying, but that would require an internal investigation," The principal said.

"Now, I guess you are aware that having injured a person; I should alert the police, right?"

"Yes, sir." Erik did expect such a thing to occur. Improper use of one brain crystal power was severely punished, leaving stains on one's record.

"But despite this, I won't do so."

"What?!"

"What?!"

Erik and Professor McAllister said in unison.

"Why?" Professor McAllister asked.

"I have my reasons," The principal replied. He then looked at Erik, "This only if you accept being trained by Professor McAllister after school ends."

"Trained?" Erik said. "With the top 20, you mean?"

"Exactly."

"That's it?" Erik asked.

"Yes. That's it."