The final blow was only a tiny distance away when a sudden fire emerged from Alex's body, spreading out to engulf him and the bullies
The bullies screamed as the fire burned skin and melted their bones to ashes. The air filled with the smell of burned hair and roasted meat.
"Ah ah ah...."
The sounds of agony pierced through Alex's ears. His eyes, which moments ago were tunneling towards darkness, snapped into terrible clarity.
He found himself curdled in a fire, engulfed from all sides. The fire was calm, serene , even.
But the calm lasted only for a moment when the crackling sounds came from his bones and with it came pain that took the breath from his lungs .
The pain of first being broken then being snitched together.
Alex gritted his teeth, tears of agony coming from his eyes. He focused his mind on his body. The skin which was torn apart was now healing at an unnatural speed.
The fire was healing him.
But the healing came at a cost while healing it was also draining the tiny bit of energy present in his body.
His vision blurred, then darkened at the edges. The world titled.
He passed out.
Unknown time passed,
Alex opened his eyes, finding himself on a soft mattress not on the broken bed in his house.
The memories were still vivid in his mind. The explosion, the bullies, the first kill, the beating and the fire.
All of it seemed like a flash. Alex with great difficulty sat on the bed as he looked around to observe his surroundings. It looked like a general ward room of a hospital where patients rest but there were no patients in the room besides him except for the empty beds.
The door of the ward opened gently and a young woman wearing a doctor's coat entered the room. The woman's head was covered with a hat you'll see witches wearing in TV shows.
She smiled as she approached him and asked" Alex is that your name"
"Yes" Alex replied
"Hello, I am Doctor Mathilda" She said while ruffling his hair. Her tone warm and gentle, lacking any fake warmth.
"Hello" Alex replied, his voice still a rough whisper.
"You gave us quite a scare, young men" Mathilda replied " in all the history of Magnus Academy. It was the first time a new student came pre-injured at the academies openings"
"How did i get here" Alex asked in a shuttering voice
"You were bought by our magical contract" Mathilda replied while pushing a stool and sitting down on it
"What? Magical contract?" Alex asked , the concept foreign and strange
Mathilda nodded her tone becoming more professional" Magical contracts are special parchment spells. They're used by the academy to locate and teleport students who have awakened their mana across the continent"
" But I didn't.." Alex stopped himself. He hadn't awakened anything but the fire.
" If you haven't awakened the mana, you wouldn't be here" Mathilda said, her tone leaving no room for further argument. She gave a small wave " Okay, lets leave things here"
With another wave of her a folded uniform appeared by the bed. It was a school uniform.
"Here, take it. Change into it the Headmistress is giving the opening speech in the grand hall. You should attend it " she stood up, straightening her coat " I will wait for you outside"
She left closing the door softly behind her
Alex was alone with the uniform. He touched the fabric. It was soft and even by his past life's standard a luxury product. When he put it on, it fit loosely, but comfortably.
He opened the door. Mathilda was waiting in the white tiled hallway for him. She looked him up and down , and gave a satisfied nod " This way. And keep up. The academy is... large"
She led him through a series of gleaming corridors each filled with different decorations and banners with welcome new students written on them
Through the windows, Alex caught sight of the outside. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before.
They entered a grand hall where students were gathered each sitting on a chair listening attentively to the Headmistress.
"Alex, you can sit there." Mathilda pointed towards a chair. After seeing Alex sit. she walked towards the faculty sitting on the stage and joined them
The Headmistress was a woman with golden hair wearing armor with dragon sigils on it. She was the very example of a general going to war.
"In this academy, you are here to study and learn. Not for something else." the Headmistress's voice deeply resonated through the hall" so your focus should be on study and not on your high status from the outside world. Here your status is your class rank. Your wealth is your mana. Your potential is your lineage"
Her gaze swept over the sea of students" You have been sorted. From class A to H. Your class doesn't represent your potential. Everything you earn in this academy is by your own hands."
"Dismissed" with that single word the students tensed expression relaxed
"Class H, students with the red batch on their uniform, follow me!" a tall man with a rough beard and a weathered face shouted.
Alex looked down, saw the red batch pinned to his chest, and immediately joined the crowd gathering around the man.