Chapter 03 - An apple doesn't fall far from the tree, right

Nigo and his group entered into the section's hallway. It is a very massive hallway with portraits of outstanding scholars at the sides.The hall is beautified with reactor stones and the pillars has gold beams at the sides, the walls also has spirit crystals on them, the floor decorated with tiles carved from spirit stones.There are no flowers around the area.

Zara observed the large empty hallway and said "To think we would arrive when classes has already begun, nigo you really dress like a woman"

"Heh me? Weren't you the one who stopped to look at the sun every minute on our way here? Now you're blaming me " Nigo tried to defend himself

"There's no need to worry about that."Ejiro said

Zara:"huh"

Nigo:"why?"

"Because there are no teachers in classes and the students were asked to remain in class by the section's chief elder"

"He announced that the teachers are all out of the premises, carrying out preparations for the fall of star meteorites today. So, even if you had come later it won't change anything" Ejiro finished his explanation

"Star meteorites huh .......I heard that the Flame emperor issued a command to activate the Absolute Flame barrier, I just wonder what that is" nigo said

"You don't know what it is ?" Ejiro was not surprised, ever since nigo gave up hope on Awakening his liaison core he had not been interested in things that concerns utility energy.

"It is a barrier that protects the continent from external forces, no matter how powerful they are they can't break it, even though it's a user at the Prime or Premier user domain they can't break it. In a case like today the Flame emperor plans to use it to protect the continent from the Star meteorites" Zara explained

"They've also stationed those at the Premier domain to oversee the stability of the barrier while those at the prime and king domain are spread across the continent in case any unforeseen mishap occurs, they won't be taken by surprise. Other continents sent experts to assist but the Flame Emperor tured them down because there was no need for that." Ejiro added

"I see" Nigo said while nodding his head "I just wonder what those star meteorites are made of"

"Spirit energy of the purest form, after using many resources to set up the barrier the the Flame continent will gain a lot of things from today's events especially the star spirit crystal in the meteorites that has enough power to fuel the barrier ten thousand times, even the rocks around them can be used for creating weapons.The star spirit crystals can be used to improve a person's training, power runes and artifacts and purify a person's utility network. Best of all about the star meteorites is the flames.Although harnessing the flames is very hard,it can be used to increase a person's strength in utility evolvement, it possesses the highest pure fire laws so training close to it and absorbing the pure energy it radiates can make a person cross two whole domains. It is something that all continent leaders look forward to attain" zara said while looking through the windows

"Alright then, let's head to class my feet hurts" Nigo said

"Heh! lazy boy" zara said casually

"I'm not lazy, Ejiro tell her I'm not lazy" Nigo said in self defense

"You are lazy and you dress like a woman, even I don't waste time dressing like you do!" Zara said

Nigo knowing he wasn't zara's match when it came to words looked at Ejiro to help him out.

"The two of you love arguing like a couple, if you continue like this you may end up arguing in front of your kids in the future."Ejiro said while taking a step backwards attempting to run.

Nigo:"......."

Zara:"(-_-")

"Repeat what you just said!" zara thundered

"I said, the two of you lo....AH!" Ejiro screamed and ran away towards the classroom. Zara gave chase as she screamed at the top of her voice "You....come back here!" They ran to the class leaving nigo behind.

Nigo looked towards their departing silhouette and thought to himself: what is wrong with my friends today?

He started walking towards the class when he suddenly stopped and looked around and muttered to himself "what is this feeling? i feel like I'm being watched by people" He shook his head because he knew he was a cripple so he couldn't sense his surrounding "maybe I'm hallucinating because of that dream........oh well, whatever" He said and continued walking but no matter how he tried he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was being watched.

"Did you see that just now" a man in the shadows said to another man beside him

"I thought he was a cripple" said the man in response

"Maybe the news was all a farce to fool people" a feminine voice resounded

"All of you shut up! We were giving a duty to guard him in secret, so you shouldn't be distracted by matters that has nothing to do with you!" The leader of the group thundered.

They all stopped talking

..............................................................

At the time the sun was at it's peak in the sky, the alarm for school dismissal resounded through out the whole section.

The voice of the section elder also came in from above "every student is to leave the school premises at once! The star meteorite would fall in the next one hour so you should return home to avoid being in school or on your way home when it falls.This is an order from Lord Flame emperor!"

The message stopped but it continued resounding in the minds of the kids, they all started leaving the class at the same time,not one person intending to stay in the class anymore.

Clamour! Clamour!

The hallway grew noisy as the kids made their way out of their classrooms. In the midst of the kids nigo and Ejiro were walking together with zara missing from the group.

"Where did zara say she was going again?" Nigo asked Ejiro as they made their way out of their class

"Weren't you listening when she told us she was going to see a person that came to visit her at the visitor's lounge?"

"Oh now I remeber........do you know the person's identity?"

"No I don't.........now that think of it,we don't know much about zara's background, all we know is that her family is part of the upper echelons of power" Ejiro looked at nigo who was spacing out

"What is it?" Nigo asked seeing Ejiro's focus on his face

"What do you mean?"ejiro asked

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Nigo asked

"Nothing .......it's just that you've been absent minded, is anything bothering you?"

"Well, I've been having strange dreams recently"

"I and zara already know that so that can't be the case"

"I know......it's just..... I had the strangest of them last night"

"Oh mind telling me what the dream entails" Ejiro continued to look at him

"Ok the events of the dream are quite much so, I'll tell you later when zara is arou......."Nigo suddenly stopped because he bumped shoulders with a kid in the hallway

"Sorry" Nigo said turning to look at the person he bumped into

"Well if it isn't nigo the almighty guardian's son" The kid said in a mocking tone

Nigo finally saw the face of the kid,he was a familiar face in school, known to be one of the people who mock and insult nigo because of his predicament; Kel

Kel is a kid of about thirteen years, he is the son of an elder in the royal flame section, he has dark brown hair, blue eyes and a massive stature for his age.Today he was clad in a grey shirt and white pants and boots made from blue hill leather.The kid looked down at nigo and ejiro with contempt because he in the D - tier staff user domain, so he had nothing to fear despite the fact that nigo was the guardian's son. Kel knew Nigo's dad won't stoop so low to meddle in childish matters so picking on nigo was as easy as taking candy from a baby.

Nigo didn't respond, he simply turned around to leave with ejiro because he didn't want any trouble, he is a peaceful and easy going person that won't disturb himself in trival matters.

"Oh, are you going to ignore me after bumping into me?" Kel said with a mischievous look on his face."You are going to run away like a scared dog...... whew trash will always be trash even if you wrap it in gold wrapper"

Ejiro boiled with fury and wanted to retort but nigo stopped him, so he kept his cool while his eyes couldn't stop shaking.They made to go away but kel focused utility energy on him, restraining him from moving before continuing "You may be the son of the guardian but you will always be trash and your name will forever smear shit unto Lord Guardian's legacy." He raised his voice; "Nigo! You are a disappointment to your father!"

People stopped moving to look in the direction of the voice.Others stopped what they were doing to know what was happening

"What's going on?"

"It's that kel brat again"

"Of all days to cause trouble he picked today"

"When is he going to stop bullying nigo? I mean can't he let the boy rest"

"If he tries anything, zara would rip him to shreds so won't do anything stupid"

Kel was pleased with the attention he drew to himself and nigo. Ejiro tried to speak again but nigo stopped him, he knew kel was looking for an excuse to beat him up. By triggering them to retaliate and attack in anger.

Kel seeing that nigo wasn't going to answer him said with a sneer "You might have been a dazzling halo back then but everyone knows that you cheated to enter this school you cripple!.........Perhaps an apple doesn't fall far from the tree!"

"!!!!!"Nigo was infuriated.

"....."everyone who heard kel gasped because they all knew what he was implying from what he said.

Every human no matter how good or calm had a bottom line and for nigo, insulting his friends was his limit how much more his father, the only blood relative left in his life.

Ejiro was the only one who could clearly see the anger in nigo's eyes because he was the closest to him.Nigo knew what kel was tying to do but how he let kel insult his father without retaliation? Nevertheless he knew he couldn't fall into his trap no matter what.

Nigo turned back to look at kel, his eyes had now become calm and tranquil, kel was surprised nigo could take what he said without getting angry.

"Oh....is that so?" Nigo said in a calm voice.Everyone present was shocked by his reaction, they were impressed by his temperament.

"Nigo could take all what kel said calmly, if it were me I would have jumped at kel and we would be tearing ourselves apart"

"He's a cripple.what do you expect?"

"That's true, even though he tries to do anything it would only end up throwing himself at the devil"

Everyone spoke among themselves because of what they just heard

"Heh why are you asking a question you already know the answer to?"Kel answered nigo with a question of his own

"Really? Aren't you a bigger disappointment yourself?" Nigo said calmly

"What do you mean" kel asked with a smirk on his face

"I mean you've been only able to cross from the S - tier of the Beginner domain to D - tier of the Staff domain since four years now.Atleast everyone knows that I'm a cripple and that isn't something I can control but you, you can control the evolution of your liaison core.But despite being the son of a section elder you have only moved one step in four years" Nigo replied

"Is that what you have to say.....hahahaha" Kel laughed "Don't be a clown ni...."

"Are you trying to deny it?" Nigo cut him off before he could finish "Even your father said so in front of the school the last time he came to complain about your performance" Nigo said

"My father didn't say that!" Kel said his voice starting to grow out if control "stop making things up"

"Everyone saw him come last week and he was raising his voice for all to hear" Nigo continued while kel began to feel embarrassed

"Oh....now i see....Are you trying to pick on me because your dad called you a failure? Seriously bro, that's so disappointing of you" Nigo shook his head with a fake pained expression on his face "perhaps that's how you were raised"

"What did you just say?" Kel said his voice with hints of anger

"Instead of working hard to improve yourself you take it out on others" Nigo said ignoring him as his voice increased for all to hear "An apple doesn't fall far from the tree, right?"