"You can come in now," the teacher said.
The new student walked in calmly, hands in his pockets.
He looked… normal.
"He seems normal," Ben whispered.
"Yeah," Israel replied quietly. "I don't feel anything from him. Not good… not bad."
"Isn't that suspicious?" Abdul muttered.
"Let's watch and see," Israel said.
The teacher cleared his throat.
"Introduce yourself to the class."
The new student scanned the room slowly, eyes filled with disgust.
"…Good morning, monkeys."
The class erupted.
"Who does he think he is?!" Ben snapped.
"Yeah, what's his problem?" Abdul added.
"Enough!" the teacher shouted, turning to the boy. "Watch your mouth and behave yourself."
"Yeah, yeah," the boy replied lazily. "My name is David. But you peasants can call me Dave."
"That's enough," the teacher said angrily. "Go sit over there."
He pointed to an empty desk.
Israel stiffened.
"Sir," he said, "that's Tari's seat."
"She'll move when she returns," the teacher replied. "Now keep quiet."
Israel clenched his fist….but said nothing.
"Let's begin class."
Time passed.
The day went by quietly.
Too quietly.
After school, Israel, Ben, and Abdul walked home together.
Then…
The world twisted.
The road vanished.
Buildings dissolved.
Trees burst from the ground.
"What….?!" Ben gasped. "How did we get here?!"
They stood in the middle of a vast forest.
A voice echoed from above.
"I brought you here."
They looked up.
Standing on a tree branch…Dave.
"Hello, monkeys," he said with a grin.
"Why did you bring us here?" Israel demanded. "And who are you?"
Dave smirked.
"I'm not here for you."
He pointed at Israel.
Then slowly… he turned his finger toward Ben.
"My master has very high expectations for you," Dave said.
Ben froze.
"M…me?" he stammered. "I don't have any powers!"
Israel stepped in front of him.
"Don't worry," Israel said firmly. "I won't let him touch you."
Dave laughed.
"How cute."
Israel charged.
The moment he reached Dave…
Dave vanished.
In an instant, he appeared directly in front of Ben.
Israel spun around.
"What did you just…?!"
Before he could finish….
The world warped again.
In a blink…
Israel and Abdul were back on the road.
The forest was gone.
Dave was gone.
Ben was gone.
Israel's eyes widened.
"…Ben?"
Silence.
Only the wind answered.
Israel and Abdul searched for Ben for hours.
They checked every street.
Every corner.
Every place they could think of.
Nothing.
Ben was gone.
The next day at school…
Israel sat quietly, his leg bouncing nonstop.
Abdul leaned close.
"What is happening?" Israel whispered. "This doesn't make sense."
"Have you seen Femi or Tari?" Abdul asked nervously.
Israel shook his head.
"No. I haven't heard from either of them."
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
Then…
Israel's eyes narrowed.
Outside the school yard…
Dave was standing there.
Watching.
A wave of rage flooded Israel's body.
Before he could think…
CRASH!
Israel leapt through the classroom window.
Glass shattered as he landed hard on the ground.
Students screamed.
Israel spun around…
Dave was gone.
Like an illusion.
"…What?" Israel muttered.
He searched the yard.
The hallways.
Behind the buildings.
Nothing.
Footsteps rushed toward him.
Abdul grabbed his shoulder.
"What happened?!" Abdul asked. "Why did you jump through the window like that?!"
Israel breathed heavily.
"…Nothing. I must've imagined it."
Abdul blinked.
"…Oh."
They headed back to class.
As Israel stepped inside…
His eyes widened.
Dave was sitting calmly at his desk.
Smiling.
"Looking for me?" Dave whispered.
Israel froze.
Before he could react….
"What are you two still doing standing outside?" the teacher snapped.
"Get to your seats!"
Israel clenched his fists slowly.
Never taking his eyes off Dave.
Dave's smile widened.
Israel sat down slowly.
His fists were clenched so tightly his nails dug into his palms.
Dave leaned back in his chair, resting his chin on one hand, smiling like he had already won.
Class continued.
Math.
Notes.
Chalk scraping against the board.
But Israel heard none of it.
All he could feel was Dave's presence.
Heavy.
Wrong.
Dave tilted his head slightly and whispered without moving his lips.
"You're shaking."
Israel didn't respond.
His breathing hitched.
Abdul glanced at him.
"You okay?" Abdul whispered.
Israel nodded stiffly.
"I'm fine."
Dave chuckled under his breath.
"Liar."
The bell rang.
Students stood up, chairs scraping loudly across the floor.
"Alright everyone," the teacher said. "Class dismissed."
Israel stood instantly.
He turned toward Dave.
Dave was already on his feet.
"Don't," Dave said calmly. "Not here."
Israel froze.
The room felt tight…like the air itself was listening.
Dave walked out of the classroom.
A cold sensation crawled up Israel's spine.
Dave paused at the doorway.
"Oh," he added casually, "Come alone."
Then he left.
Abdul grabbed Israel's arm.
"Don't go," he said. "This feels wrong."
Israel stared at the doorway, jaw tightening.
"If I don't," he replied quietly, "Ben stays gone."
Abdul swallowed hard.
"…Then I'm coming with you."
Dave's voice echoed faintly from the hallway.
"I said alone."
The lights flickered.
Every student froze.
For half a second….
Dave's eyes flashed black.
The pressure vanished as suddenly as it came.
Israel gently pulled Abdul's hand away.
"Stay here," Israel said softly. "Trust me."
Then he walked out.
Before Israel could react, the world shifted.
The hallway vanished.
Israel found himself somewhere else.
He turned slowly.
Laboratory tubes lined the room…countless tanks filled with liquid.
Inside them were humans.
Some half-animal. Some barely recognizable.
Then he saw Ben.
Still human.
Still trapped inside a tube.
"My master says your progress is too slow," Dave said.
"He can't wait to fight you at your full strength."
"Who are you?" Israel demanded. "And who is this master you keep talking about?"
Dave smiled.
"I don't have to tell you anything, monkey."
Suddenly, horns burst from Dave's head.
"If you can defeat me," Dave said, his voice echoing unnaturally, "Ben will be free."
Dave grew…five feet taller in an instant.
Israel stood frozen in shock.
Then…
Dave grabbed Israel by the neck.
The world shattered.
They vanished.
A forest appeared.
Dave slammed Israel into a tree.
Still holding him, Dave vanished again.
A city.
He hurled Israel through buildings, smashing concrete and glass as if they were nothing.
"I don't know what all the hype is about," Dave said coldly.
He threw Israel into the sky.
In an instant, Dave appeared above him and smashed him downward with both hands.
Before Israel could hit the ground, Dave grabbed him again and dragged him through multiple buildings, leaving destruction in their wake.
Dave looked down at Israel lying on the floor.
"You're too weak," he said. "You don't deserve his attention."
"I am the best," Dave continued.
He lifted Israel with one hand and began punching him repeatedly with the other, blow after blow, before slamming him into the ground again.
Israel coughed up blood.
"Let me take him," a deep, evil voice echoed inside Israel.
"You can't do this by yourself."
"No," Israel growled.
"I won't."
Dave continued pounding him from left to right.
"I won't let you take control," Israel said through clenched teeth.
Dave threw a straight punch.
Israel caught it.
"I'm in control now," Israel said… his voice deep, cold, and unfamiliar.
Dave's eyes widened.
"What… is this?"
Israel crushed Dave's hand.
The part he held tore away completely.
Dave jumped backward as a new hand regenerated.
"It's like I'm fighting a completely different person," Dave muttered.
Before he could finish…
Israel launched forward.
Dave barely dodged.
Dave threw an uppercut.
Israel slipped past it and drove a punch straight into Dave's stomach.
Dave staggered back, coughing.
Israel's eyes widened slightly.
He felt it.
The seal.
It still almost took control… even when he resisted.
He looked at Dave, who was still coughing.
"You know," Israel said calmly, "I haven't even used one percent of my power. Even when I wasn't in control."
Dave stared at him in shock.
"…What?"
"Now I see why he's interested in you," Dave said quietly.
Then Dave began to fade.
"I'll see you next time," he said as his body dissolved.
"Wait!" Israel shouted.
"What about Ben?!"
But Dave vanished completely.