"Out Of Place"

As Akito reached the base alongside Julius, the base was huge and the facility was futuristic. It had an annular shape into it and it was almost as long as 7 football fields long. As he entered, he felt as if he was out of place as all of the other Brigadiers that passed him by looked very intimidating and experienced in what they do, and they were experienced magic users. He passed by multiple other high-ranking officers. They were from various brigades of the Althia Mage. And before Akito reached his own dorm. Akito felt nervous just by seeing his dormitory mates. He was then greeted by 3 of his dorm mates.

"Hi, my name's Victoria.." Spoke a girl with tall, pretty, and white hair. "I'm Apollo." Another one of his dormmates said while giving a handshake. "Heya, I'm Kaito. What's your name?" Kaito said while looking at Akito with a smile on his face. Akito had never expected a friendly greet from his new dormitory mates. "My name's Akito." spoke Akito. They were nice to Akito and even offered to help him.

The next day, Akito was already comfortable with the ones that greeted him. However, there was an upcoming combat training for the recruits. After unpacking his stuff, Akito went into his usual classes. And after recess, he hangs out with his dormmates, the ones he met earlier. Akito was extremely excited about the combat training as he was very inexperienced in handling abilities and he thought it would be an opportunity to learn something new. He was keen to learn more about the usage of his magic and the wide ranges of magic casts and relics. He had done it once before, but it didn't turn out too well. After classes ended, Akito was sitting on his bed, Kaito asked him what's bothering him, "Hey buddy, you seem kinda off today. Something bothering you lately?". "Well... Not really. It's a bit personal." Akito responded, Kaito was interested in helping Akito with his problems and so he asked Akito, "Tell me, maybe I can help.". Akito decided to give in and tell Kaito about his problem. "It's about these two people, they used to bully me in high school, and now they've also joined the Althia Mage.". "And? What's wrong with them?" Kaito responded. "What's wrong is that they might beat me up again"."No worries buddy, I'll take care of them. Besides, who would try to fight someone as tough as me, heh?" Kaito said while putting his hand on Akito's shoulders. Akito was glad to hear that. Akito then thanked Kaito for the favor.

The next day, all of the recruits had to assemble at the White Room for the combat training. The White Room is a very specific place where Brigadiers experiment their magic, and of course, it lives up to its name for being white and spacious. Akito went in with the recruits and found his classmate bullies, which are Hiro and Ano, within the White Room. "Look who's here", said Ano while walking towards Akito. They had remembered when Akito had splashed water at them. "I'll beat the crap out of you, brat!" spoke Hiro while clenching his fists. Before Hiro and Ano could lay a finger on Akito, Kaito appeared behind Akito. "Is there a problem here?" said Kaito followed by Ano asking Kaito, "It's none of your business". "It will be" Kaito responded while facing them. Ano and Hiro were startled at Kaito. They ran off after eyeing their eyes on Akito, giving Akito a disgusted look.

After minutes passed by, the combat training started. They were informed to find a partner. "To your positions!" one of the officers shouted.

Akito, however, got Victoria as his partner. Victoria seemed pretty simple to take down, as Akito thought it would. But when they fought. Unexpectedly, Akito was knocked down within moments. Victoria had casted a staff and landed a hit on Akito. By now, Akito was frustrated by how he keeps on losing. "Out already? Come on Akito, try again." Victoria said. Akito, with frustration in his face, knew he couldn't do much with his magic since he only knows how to cast only defense magic due to his lack of experience. Akito decided to use it as it is much better than not using anything. With all of Akito's mana, he formed a smoke surrounding Victoria and at a 20-meter radius. "Nice move, Akito." Victoria responded by complimenting his strategy. Victoria, however, tried to play fool with him. And so she did. Akito thought he could take her out this time, then he gets a hit on the face with Victoria's Staff. "But I doubt it would be enough to take down your opponent" while looking down to Akito, who laid on the floor. Akito got knocked out for a minute or two, just then a loud explosion occurred, everyone within the White Room was terrified, as they assumed it was an attack coordinated by the Penta Authority. Akito then was sent to the Medical Bay within of the facility.

Akito was back in his dorm, his head was bruised due to Victoria's strike. He felt disappointed in himself because of that. While he was laying on his bed, the loudspeaker came on and announced yesterday's incident. Loudspeaker: "Due to yesterday's incident occurrence, a crater appeared outside the facility's field. It is still unknown to how it happened. Akito was unconscious when it happened, therefore making Akito unaware of what happened. Akito's friends then appeared surrounding him on his bed. "You got knocked out pretty bad, eh?" Kaito said followed by Victoria, "Heh, sorry about that Akito." "It's fine." Akito spoke. "We wouldn't want you to walk by yourself just yet since you're in bad shape.". "I'm fine" Akito responded while glancing outside the window. "Just let us know if you do" Kaito said.

Victoria then pulled Kaito out of the dorm, not knowing what they're planning to do. Akito shrugged it off since he was not in the mood to care about anything. He only wondered where Apollo had gone to, he hadn't appeared ever since.

Two days had passed and the news about Apollo came to acknowledge the 4 friends. The High Ranking Personnel told that Apollo was recently abducted by the Penta Authorities. He recently heard that the Penta Authority was recruiting new members to their organization. Unfortunately, they didn't know what they could do to help Apollo, so they took it as a lost cause. Akito went on to find Colt, and so he found Colt sitting by the field alone. Akito went there to see him and then he sat next to him while looking up to the sun-setting sky.

"How's it going for you?", "If you need anything, help just refer to me." Colt spoke. Akito glances up towards the sun-setting sky. He had asked, "Have you heard about yesterday's incident?". "Certainly, I was dispatched with some others to investigate the incident." Colt answered. "Why did you ask?". "A brigadier from my squadron had gone missing since that day. I was expecting to know his whereabouts." Akito replied. "The High Ranking Officers told me that it was just another lost cause, but I'm determined that he is still out there." Akito continued, worried about one of his dormmates. "Akito, do me a favor, don't do anything stupid." Colt ordered Akito, knowing what Akito might do.

"I won't, I promise.", "It's just that he's my friend-" Akito explained while being cut off. "Don't... just leave it to the high-ranking officers to decide." cutting Akito mid-sentence. "Understood, sir." Akito answered.

Akito was determined to find Apollo, he knew that Apollo is still out there, waiting for help. And later that night, Akito decided that he should save his friend, Apollo, and he sneaked out quietly without the acknowledgment of those within the facility. As he went out alone in the dark, he stumbled upon a group of Penta Authority Initiates. As they were terrorizing the residences, Akito knew he couldn't do much to help them but to help his friend, Apollo.

He followed the Penta Authority Mages towards their lair, which was a warehouse and it was quite unpleasant since it had a horrendous stench. As he sneaked through, he saw Apollo, being strap onto a wall with a pentagram below him and his face bleeding as if they were performing rituals on him. As he tried to get closer, he was seen by one of the Penta Authority Mages. He quickly made smoke combustion by using his mana to make base elements. He knew he couldn't fight them, and so he decided to flee while carrying Apollo. While he ran for his life, he was caught by a dead-end since the Penta Authority Initiates had horrific but good agility and they could jump as high as 60 feet in the air. They jumped from houses to houses to get Akito.

Akito tried to find another way to get out of the situation, he thought he was going to die with Apollo in his grasp. Suddenly, swarms of white-cloaked figures jump from buildings to buildings. And they quickly took out the Penta Authority Initiates, except 2-3 of them which had killed 4 brigadiers. They were quickly defeated after Colt had taken them down.

"I knew you wouldn't listen." Colt said in a loud voice. "It's Apollo, I managed to get him out. Please help him." Akito begged for help.

Akito was taken out by the medical unit into the Medical Bay. Akito was proud of how he got Apollo out from the Penta Authority base. At the same time, he was scolded by the high-ranking officers for attempting to act such dangerously.

Once they've reached base, they've all decided to take a break and give Apollo time since he wouldn't talk, he would just stare at the wall in the medic bay.

Sometime around Midnight, while everyone was asleep, there was an emergency announcement on the loudspeaker. It said there was a rogue mage within the base. While everyone took their positions on their dormitory door, they stood there in silence with their magic on standby. It went quiet for a while, but it was soon disturbed by a scream, full of agony, pain, and suffering. Kaito wanted to go out and help calm the situation down. But as soon as he exited, there stood, was Apollo. His eyes, in a red glow. His face, full of hatred and anger, and he was holding a body. And within a split second, Apollo casted a fire reaction, Victoria casted a shield ability using her Ice ability. It protected almost some of Kaito's body from the cast that Apollo used. Kaito was in shock and disbelief at how his friend betrayed his own people. "No, Apollo.." Kaito muttered. "Kaito, are you injured?" Victoria persistently asked, while checking Kaito for injuries. "No, what happened to Apollo.." Kaito asked.

"No time to worry about him, worry about yourself." Victoria spat while pulling Kaito behind cover.

Kaito had injured his legs and forearms. He couldn't do anything to help. While at that, Apollo was still rampaging on the hallway.

"Come on out and let's have some fun." While laughing hysterically.

Victoria didn't have many options left but to attack and defend herself. While at a low mana rate due to casting the shield, she casted her last move to defeat Apollo. Fortunately, when she did, the cast had created a large spike all around the hallway and made itself to Apollo. Which then pierced Apollo's chest.

Apollo: "Lucifer is looking forward to meeting you all in hell.." Apollo laughed with a sinister smile on his face.

"I'm sorry, Apollo." With a trembling voice and tears running down her face.

"Thank you, Vic.." Apollo sputtered with his low voice.

Victoria froze Apollo's body, which quickly killed him in a blink of an eye. Victoria knew that wasn't the Apollo she knew back then and she needed to end him quickly to stop the rampaging and the pain Apollo was enduring.

"Victoria?" Kaito murmured while gazing at Victoria

While Victoria was walking, she collapsed on the floor, right next to Kaito. For some time, the other squadron came to help the injured, and also came Akito, who helped out Kaito with his injuries. Akito was at his parent's house when it all happened and Akito was shocked to see the situation his dormmates were in.

They all were sent to the Medical Bay. Turns out, Victoria had collapsed due to the overuse of her mana, and Kaito suffered minor burns on his legs and forearms but was not badly injured.

"W- what.. happened?" Akito murmured with his trembling voice.

"It was Apollo.." Kaito added. "They've possessed Apollo, made him into a demon, like themselves."

"It's all my fault." Akito blared while sitting on the floor in a tearful breakdown. He then laughed out of the blue which made Kaito and Victoria uneasy. It all came to a stop when Akito continued. "I'm a loser.. I should've died. I was the one that put everyone in this facility in danger.".

"No, Akito. It was the Penta Authority. They possessed Apollo." Kaito added, to comfort Akito and to let him know it wasn't his fault. "He's gone now. All the pain he had endured while being possessed has been put to an end. Victoria did the right thing, you did the right thing."

To Be Continued. [Chapter 3]