I got stripped by a dude.

LANCE

I looked down. He's right. I am. Spots of blood started to form in my pants and in the sleeves in my polo shirt, but most gather in my chest.

Is this from the thorns of white rope humanoid used to bind me? But that was just a dream.

Sandy haired dude lean down and studied the blood spots.

"Meelnot." He murmured, sounding unsure of himself.

"Huh?"

"A moment." He held my collar and started to unbutton my polo shirt.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

Here we are standing in the corridor between classrooms. Good thing there are no windows facing this place or people will once again see me, doing another embarrassing thing to shame myself.

It's not everyday you'll see a guy stripped down by another dude in school. He's not gay, is he?

His face turned serious when he touched my stomach and caressed me with his fingers. I can see some needle wounds producing drops of blood, nothing serious. I've endured much worse.

"That tickles."

"Eklektos, who's been training you? You have many scars in your ribs and chest." he said studying my chest.

"My dad. We do fights every morning. Before coming to school."

When he straightens out, as if done examining which rib bone protrudes the most, I buttoned my shirt. His eyes crinkled into a smile.

"That's good. Treasure your time with him. I'm sure you can put his training into good use."

I hesitated. That's unexpected, coming from him. Maybe his father is training him too. It's not that obvious but I could see lean biceps beneath his long sleeves. One thing you won't get unless you train all day.

"Hey, who really are you?" I blurted out.

Are you a hundred percent human or your on some leagues with that human shifting bat? I thought.

He fell silent. I waited.

I even started counting how many words came out from the teacher's mouth in the left classroom. Before he started to talk.

"I actually don't know how to tell you. Where I should start, or what words I'm supposed to use so you could understand. But I have a feeling you and I are just alike."

"Like how?"

"Like how our normal life was suddenly disrupted. The things we thought we knew, things we get used to was changed. The foundation of things, of what we thought was normal was shaken. Everything started to crumble. Certain happenings in our surroundings forced us to doubt if everything we believed in was true." He said, sounding sullen.

I'm not a crackpot old man in fake bathing suit that spouts nonsense behind wise sayings but with all the things going on, his words hit me hard.

"That feeling when you're smack right in the middle of badass hurricane and you're drowning, whatever things you held on to keep your mind intact is slipping from your fingertips," I said before I realized I'm saying almost the same thing as him.

"Yeah." He smiled. The kind of smile that draws out from all the worst experiences he went through. As if telling me he know how that feels. Saying he went through the same piece of shizt I'm going through right now.

My opinion started to change about him. Maybe he's not that bad.

"I - uhh What's your name? We've hang out for the past few minutes without knowing each other. Telling the truth, it's kind of weird."

He produced a short laugh in his throat and held out his hand.

"I'm Magnus. Magnus Klaus."

I accepted his hand and shook.

"I'm Lance. Lance Augustus."

"Nice to formally meet you Lance Augustus. The first Eklektos I've found after coming here to the human realm. Oh, thank the deities that's fulfilling after saying that out loud." He huffed.

Why do I get the feeling he's telling the truth? Is this the effect of acting wise old fuggies with him? It wouldn't hurt to be a little blunt with him, isn't it?

"Magnus. Are you...?"

"What?"

"Are you human?"

I thought he'll laugh at my question. Seeing he's a kind of goofy guy who acts on impulse but no, he didn't. Instead, he frowned at me.

Studying what to make of me. Trying to figure out if what he thinks is true.

"Lance, you encountered something that was supposed to be human but not didn't you? Did that thing say anything? About your blessing perhaps?"

I look away. I can't tell him about my dream. Or how my Mom died because of me. There's some part that I still don't understand. But I figured he would not be the best person to confide it to. In contrast to what my gut feeling is telling me.

"Back in the yard, on the east part of this school. There's a fence there leading to the cornfield. Going straight you'll encounter a rusty gate with a wooden house. I met someone there. And he's saying the same terms you use. Like 'Eklektos' and 'blessings', he also said something about 'brethens coming after me, summoned by the Dark Elves to hunt down the Eklektos'. I really don't understand much since my mind is too occupied how is he disintegrating into ashes without fire."

My face felt hot. I wish I hadn't blurt that out. Damn this stupid big mouth for not restraining.

"What the fudge?! What's he look like? Is he a malnourished canine freak with wings? Two feet tall with gray skin? He can't talk, isn't he? Only eats human flesh especially a head and -"

He's started to get really agitated.

"No, no. He's human. An old man – at least that's what I saw of him the first time, the next time I drop by he transform into this old crouchy patsy creature with wings. And then I smack his neck. After that he died."

He stared blankly at me.

"You killed him? Just like that?"

"Uh-huh."

"How?"

"I don't know. I just touched his wings when he was momentarily unconscious. When he woke up I interrogated who he is. That's when I heard he's some kind of escapee from his kind. His Master ordered him to hunt Eklektos and he's not gonna do it so he came here to hide. Deeply regretting it if I might add. Because there are two Eklektos – "

Oh crap. My mouth slip. His eyes bulged and he grab me in the shoulder.

"There are two of you here?! Where's the other one?"

"I don't know!" He shook me hard.

"Then don't you have any idea where he is? He could be in danger right now! I'm damn lucky I found you right away but not him. He could be sprawling dead somewhere with another 'Auf' coming after his throat."

"He's a she actually and what's an 'Auf'?"

"Shapeshifting Faeries. The lowest among the Faery kingdom. They were the slaves of Dark Elves and other high ranking races. Wait, did you just say 'she'?"

"Yep."

He backed away and staggered.

"No way. Deities chose girls? Will that be alright?"

"Why are you prejudice towards girls?"

"I'm not. My other Rankers are. Especially the Rank Elders and that nasty Ruler."

I tiptoed on my feet. While he started pacing back and forth.

"So.." I started. "Does this Rank people have a thing for girls? You know - with kinky pervert stuff?"