Path to Power: Rise of Leo Vance

Chapter 6

"It was a trick of the light," Leo lied calmly. "The Cartel thugs were just trying to scare us. They didn't really hurt me."

"But they wanted my soul! They had magic!" Maya panicked, grabbing her hair. 

"I handled it," Leo said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You do not need to worry about the Obsidian Cartel anymore."

Maya looked at him like he was crazy. "Leo, they are murderers! They won't just stop! Listen to me," she grabbed his shoulders, her eyes wide with desperation. "You need to go to school. Oakbridge Academy has security guards. The Cartel won't attack you in broad daylight around all those rich kids. Just go to school, keep your head down, and stay hidden. I will go talk to my boss at the diner. Maybe he can give me a loan. I will figure out the money."

Leo looked at his sister. He saw the deep, genuine love in her tired eyes. 

He knew the Cartel was not finished. He knew he had to destroy them completely. But right now, Maya needed to feel like she was in control. She needed to feel safe. 

"Okay," Leo said gently. "I will go to school. I will stay out of trouble."

Maya let out a huge breath of relief and hugged him tightly. Leo awkwardly patted her back. He was not used to affection, but he swore an oath in his heart to protect this girl with his life. 

Thirty minutes later, Leo arrived at Oakbridge Academy. It was an elite prep school for the richest and most powerful families in the city. The parking lot was filled with expensive sports cars and black luxury SUVs. 

Leo was only here because he had a charity scholarship for poor, smart students. Usually, the old Leo walked through the school gates with his head down, staring at his shoes, hoping nobody would look at him. 

But today, the Supreme Archon walked through the gates. 

Leo walked with perfect, steady steps. He held his head high, his dark eyes looking straight ahead. His new height and his cold, powerful presence caught the attention of several students. Girls who had never looked at him twice suddenly whispered to their friends as he walked past. Boys stepped out of his way without realizing why. 

Leo entered the main building. Before him was a massive, grand concrete staircase that led to the second floor. 

He was halfway up the stairs when a large shadow blocked his path. 

"Well, well, well. Look who it is. The charity rat."

Leo stopped and looked up. 

Standing at the top of the stairs, blocking the way, was Trent. 

Trent was a tall, heavily muscled senior wearing a custom-tailored school blazer. He was the biggest bully in the academy. Trent’s father was a very powerful, wealthy politician—a politician who secretly worked with the Obsidian Cartel. Because of his father's money and magical connections, Trent thought he was a god among men. 

Behind Trent stood three of his friends, laughing cruelly. 

"I heard you got a beating in the slums last night, Vance," Trent sneered, looking down at Leo. "But you don't look bruised at all. Did you run away and hide under your sister's bed?"

Leo just stared at him. He didn't look angry. He looked completely bored. 

Around Trent's neck hung a small, black stone carved with ugly red symbols. Leo recognized it instantly. It was a "Misfortune Charm." It was a dirty, low-level magical item that allowed the user to send invisible pushes of kinetic energy at people. Trent used it to make students trip, drop their food, or have "accidents," making himself look strong. 

"Move," Leo said softly. The single word echoed in the quiet hallway. 

The students around them stopped walking. The hallway went completely silent. Everyone stared in shock. The quiet, cowardly Leo Vance had just talked back to the king of the school. 

Trent’s face turned bright red with sudden anger. The veins in his thick neck bulged. 

"What did you just say to me, you little piece of trash?" Trent growled. He took a step closer to the edge of the stairs. "You think you can look me in the eye? I think you need an accident to remind you of your place."

Trent reached up and grabbed the black charm around his neck. He squeezed it hard. 

Most people could not see magic. But to Leo, it was as clear as day. He watched as the black stone glowed briefly. A sudden, invisible wave of heavy kinetic force shot out of the charm, aiming directly at Leo's chest. It was designed to hit him hard enough to send him tumbling backward down the tall flight of hard concrete stairs. A fall like that could easily break a person's neck. 

Trent smiled an evil, victorious smile, waiting for Leo to fall. 

But Leo did not fall. 

Instead, Leo slowly raised his right hand. He looked Trent dead in the eyes. And then, Leo casually snapped his fingers. 

A tiny, invisible spark of violet magic ignited in the air directly in front of Leo’s chest. It formed a perfect, hard magical mirror. 

When Trent’s wave of kinetic force hit the violet mirror, it did not just bounce off. Because of Leo's supreme understanding of magical physics, the force was multiplied by two and instantly fired right back at the person who sent it. 

Trent’s evil smile vanished. 

The invisible force hit Trent like a swinging wrecking ball. The heavy impact lifted the massive senior completely off his feet. 

"AHHH!" Trent screamed in absolute terror as he flew backward through the air. 

He flew over the edge of the top step and plummeted downward. He hit the concrete stairs hard, bouncing like a ragdoll. He tumbled down ten steps before crashing heavily onto the middle landing. 

A loud, sickening sound echoed through the silent hallway. 

Trent screamed in pure, agonizing pain. He grabbed his right leg. It was bent entirely the wrong way, the bone clearly snapped in half. He rolled on the floor, crying and sobbing like a baby. 

The entire student body was frozen in shock. Nobody moved. Nobody breathed. 

Leo lowered his hand and put it calmly in his pocket. He continued walking up the stairs, his footsteps steady and quiet. When he reached the middle landing, he stopped right beside Trent's crying body. 

Leo looked down at the broken bully. His ancient, ancient eyes held absolutely no pity. 

"Accidents happen," Leo whispered coldly. 

He stepped over Trent’s writhing body and continued down the hallway, leaving the entire stunned school staring at his back.