Grand departure

"Sunny you aren't leaving home until you make your hair look much more better than this. Why do you derive pleasure in looking like a weirdo?" This has been his mother's anthem almost every morning whenever he thought he was set to leave for townside where his school and many other amenities they needed for survival was located. "In response to this, he would smack his head with his palms, mutter some words of insults to himself in regret forgetting that once more however, this does not stop him from forgetting again a day or two days later.

Vera, his mother, starved and overworked herself to ensure that he had the best of the things she considered most important in his life. This always met the envy of many people and added to the dislike many already had for them.

Most kids of his age including those who were born by richer parents, endured the qualms of being enrolled in a school at home yet, the pauperized lady had her child enrolled in a school at townside considered exotic by everyone including the teachers who taught at schools at home. No doubt it was enough reason to breed haters. For this seemingly impossible deed and others which his mom always kept from him, they were called witches but it barely bothered him because he knew it was purely an act of jealousy.

He caught himself smiling into the mirror and just then his reflection which he took no notice of earlier unblurred as he concentrated on it. He had expected his smile to look dead, pathetic and pained yet to his surprise it was full of energy just like any day he was commended by his mom.

A larger smile curled up his lips as he was satisfied with the reflection of himself he saw in the mirror and was sure that if his mother was still alive she would have really commended him and pat him on his shoulders. Infact, it felt like he could see her behind him and he could also swear he felt her light touch on his shoulders and this was enough reason to make him smile. 

Of course his heart felt heavy knowing that she would never ever be able to do those things for him forever however, he did not let mourning her ruin the day he had always dreamt of as that would obviously not be his mother's wish.

He was in the best clothes she had ever acquired for him and couldn't stop admiring himself for some reasons he felt like every looked better than it usually did. It is a funny that he had never enjoyed putting it on during her lifetime but on this day the clothes brightened his mood and made him remember that there was someone who truly cared and that person he would have to bid bye before moving on to the place he had dreamt to be for what seemed like ages to him.

His wrist watch informed him he was already running late but he had a good explanation to give for his lateness

Just as he had been expecting, he heard a knock on his door and opened up his door for his guests to enter. They were labourers who he had invited to help him do any required post mortem activities on his mom and to bury her. Of course he had agreed to pay them a huge sum of money that which he got from his mom's saving for no one would love to do what most people wouldn't

He closely followed behind them as they lifted her corpse into the casket he had already prepared for her. There were several things he would have wished to do if he was given a little more time but unfortunately, he had to leave all that behind as he was expected to leave every thing he once knew to the military academy.

He turned to look at his door once more after closing it. Only then did he notice a mail nailed to his door. He did not hesitate to read it. 

"You are next witchling!" Was written boldly with red ink in the most deadly looking calligraphy the artist could imagine. 

If only he had more days to spend at home, he would have been severely affected by reading such a threat but remembering that this was his last day at home, he could only smile at the ignorance of the threateners. He knew that they wouldn't be coming for him in the matter of hours and that before they come, that he would have left for the military Academy.

Without mercy he slammed the door behind him as loud as he could then followed behind the hired labourers who at the moment could be best described as undertakers as they led the way to the cemetery.

Just as he had expected he began to hear whispers from the onlookers around many of which showed relief at the death of a well known witch.

Their procession to the cemetery soon attracted several people and they followed and didn't hesitate to invite others to witness what they had become part of. 

This, Sunny hadn't foresee and it really made him uneasy especially as he knew that none of those people liked them; the death of his mother was obviously insufficient to get them to love him. 

He feared that they may do worse than just throwing insulting words at him and could only pray that they would give him time to bury his mom after which he would slip away from their midst.

His fears was confirmed when they got to the cemetery. It's entrance was blocked by a gang of wicked looking rogues; those who claimed to rule his slum armed with weapons and whips. 

Goosebumps rose all over Sunny's body not only because he was afraid but before him stood the celebrity criminal popular with his nickname, Razta. one who he had never set his eyes on. 

Razta only looked familiar because he had seen his face in several pictures posted along the streets and tagged wanted when the police was still in existence and was after him. 

He was one of the most notorious criminal they knew and worst of all he was a person who many ignorant kids at home idolized believing he was a hero who was stronger than the law.

Sunny kept his cool and was prepared to ignore their presence and make his way into the cemetery but they didn't let his undertakers in so he had no reason to get in without the coffin.

"The souls of the dead would surely cease to rest in peace if a witch is laid to beside them." Razta began to speak and surprising to Sunny many people around cheered him. He never knew they were hated more than a gang of notorious criminal.

"We only miscalculated when we spilled her blood within our home..." He continued to speak on but Sunny lost interest in whatever he had to say and his eyes began to tear up. Standing before him were really the ones who had killed his mom just when he thought that she could finally begin to enjoy as she would no longer have to worry about him. 

He blamed himself for being so weak at the moment he would have definitely made them see and taste what death looked like.

He clenched his fists and gazed straight into the eyes of the killer ready to attack him if he dared to utter any more words of mocked his mother once more he had kept his calm earlier because of fear but he had been outraged beyond reasoning well. 

Coincidentally, Razta began to speak on maintaining order in their area; righteous talks from a criminal now seeking public redemption and veneration.

Sunny knew he could no longer stand it no longer and wished to turn around to leave feeling very guilty of what he wished to do next only comforting himself with these words. "After all, it wasn't my mother but her corpse they could do whatever they wished with it." the crowd of people gathered behind him wouldn't let him pass through rather they pushed him back making him trip and fall over his mother's coffin now laid on the ground.

He threw a deadly stare to the one who had pushed him, a brazen adult who was much older than he was.

"Oh heavens, save me from the witchling's stare." He beseeched mockingly and just then Razta began to speak once more.

"We apologize to everyone for spilling the blood of a witch within our home. This wouldn't happen in the case of the witchling as we would surely throw him down the cliff. Evil should not be let to survive, groom and cause backwardness to the entirety of our home." He declared with a loud voice and everyone agreed to him as they cheered on.

By Razta's command, his minions unsheathed their whips.

[Quest received: Danger!! Escape!! Survive]

Razta and his minions steadily made their way towards him. He knew he had nowhere to run to so he stood motionlessly giving up the thought to escape. He did not know what kept him from dying the previous day but he earnestly implored for it's help if it still cared to save him, 

"Wait!" Someone screamed from amidst the crowd. "Sunny is not who you think he is. He is better and much more. He is much more above what you think he is and killing him wouldn't just be a walk in the park as you may probably think."

Sunny was baffled by hearing this especially from Roger's mouth. He couldn't tell if he stood for him or against him. He only knew that there was something the rest including himself did not know but Roger does.

"We never thought killing a witch would be a walk in the park. Now get off our way let's do our thing." They now proceeded with more viscous looks on their faces ready to torture him more than he could imagine. When Roger refused to move way from their path, they did not hesitate to fling him away to continue with their plans while every other person cheered on.

Just a few hours ago, Sunny sought for death but at this moment he was so scared to die but there seemed to be no way of of it.

[Quest received: Danger!! Escape!! Survive]

****

Townside high school was probably the biggest and least expensive school in the entirety of townside few miles away from home where Sunny stayed with his mom. Just like many other schools which still had the guts to keep running even during the situation of unrest around, it was guarded by military men.

Even though it was well reputed for being the least expensive in it's vicinity, it was undoubtedly of more quality and more expensive than the most expensive school at home

It's location and reputation made it the most ideal site where most of the scouts from the military waited for the students already assigned to their different military academies and many of the military vehicles which arrived few hours earlier had left for their different destinations.

Inside the principal's office and opposite the principal sat a young soldier tapping the table with his finger continuously without rhythm.

"Sergeant Scott, I don't think that it is of any use waiting for the kid. He won't even make a good addition to your academy." The middle aged principal of townside highschool nervously broke the uneasy silence between them. The soldier at first seemed uninterested in the principals words causing the principal to regret speaking to him at all but just when he waved the thought aside, the soldier spoke up.

"Why do you think so?" The soldier replied.

"He is good at nothing asides being a coward." The principal replied glad that the younger man did not snub him.

"How is it that you know the boy to such an extent? He is just a person amongst the few thousands student in your school." 

"He... I.. noticed that many students and teachers always have problems with him being around. Many avoid him while the others make his a dummy as much as they can without meeting any resistance asides running away." He stammered first as he was not expecting the question then found the right words to use later.

"Do you know the reason why this is so?" The soldier's interest on the matter suddenly grew.

"We were made to know by students from his locality that just like his mother, he is known as a witch by everyone who knew them so well but of course I can't believe such a baseless story."

"A witch? Where is his home?" The soldier contrary to the principal's expectations stood up at once.

With an uneasy expression on his face the principal the principal explained. "His home is called home. One of the rural areas in this vicinity. Since it did not get even a scratch from all attacks of the Rhamhor's attack, many of those who aren't comfortable with staying at the harbours consider it a safe haven for them"

Having gotten the details he needed, he walked down the stairs briskly to one of the empty cars and without much negotiations with the driver who ranked lower than he did the engines roared into live and speedily began to make it's way towards the nearest slum to townside, Home.

The roads were free, a good pointer to the fact that many humans were still scared to stray too far away from their homes and it was an advantage to the soldiers inside the vehicle.

The duo got to Home and stopped by the cemetery on noticing the commotion.

They were easily identified by their uniforms and no one failed to give them the respect they deserved.

"What's going on here?" They quickly asked.

"We all are about to execute the witch boy!" An old man bragged showing his brown teeth to the uninterested soldiers who quickly walked through a path which they chose they walk through; no one dared to block their path.

"I dare you to raise a finger against the boy." Sergeant Scott's calm voice made the noise and commotion to die down instantly. 

"Sergeant?" Razta sneered in realization. "You are supposed to remain in the battle fields of the earth or the outer space not to mingle in the civil affairs of earthlings." Razta showed no fear as he spoke. To him, the man before him was only a sergeant and nothing more the other man even ranked lower. He had the backing of his armed friends and the backing of everyone else.

"I dare you to raise a finger against the boy." Sergeant Scott spoke again. This time, he really wanted to punish the ones that made him wait for so long.

"And I don't mind daring you." Razta made his worst mistake and regretted it immediately. No one had seen the soldiers move all they new was that within a split second Razta's palm disconnected from his wrist and dropped to the floor.

"Are you alright, sire? He turned to the undisturbed Sunny who seemed like he had expected more and he replied with a nod. Even if he hadn't seen his pictures earlier they needed no seer to inform him that before them was the boy they sought for.

"Are you ready to leave with us?" Sergeant Scott asked Sunny and this time he spoke since his status had risen drastically.

"I would wish to bury my mother first." He pointed to the casket where she was laid.

"We wouldn't let the mother of a hero be buried amongst barbarians who would excavate and worship her. We would take her along and lay her to rest where people of her status are buried.

Feeling satisfied with this Sunny nodded once more then armed with the air of reverence from the crowd, he motioned his undertakers to follow behind him as he followed the soldiers through another paved path.

No one dared to utter a word of complaint as they knew that this wouldn't be tolerated by any of the soldiers. They feared what might become of them if Sunny decided to pay them back in their own coins because st the moment he looked like the leader of the trio to which the soldiers are answerable to

No one doubted that the soldiers would dish out any punishment as dictated by Sunny on anyone and unhesitatingly cleared the way for him.

Sunny enjoyed how the feeling of supremacy felt but the soldiers on the other hand did not feel the least special as this feeling wasn't new to them. For all they cared whoever dared to stand against the earth soldiers and even a volunteer deserved a severe punishment and more. To them the little boy was more important than everyone else.

Unlike many others who scampered away Roger found his way to Sunny's front. 

"Seeing you fly yesterday thought me a thousand lessons and more. I have learnt what power truly is and would forever hold you in high esteem my hero." 

On their way to townside, Sunny kept ruminating over what Roger just said as they sped back to townside and events of the previous day began to make more sense to him.

[Quest Danger!! Escape!! Survive completed]

[Quest Unravel the unknown completed]