Taliesin

Tal thought he’d be safe if he managed to avoid Nik for the remaining days until their graduation. Well, he was wrong. Not even a week after the tragic event he was teleported from his ice-hockey changing room to another one of Nik’s killing sprees in full gear. He was grateful for the helmet as it kept all the blood and skin away from his face, but the rest of his gear was ruined nonetheless. When Nik tore his sword away from the crumbling body on the ground, he narrowed his eyes on the intruder. “You, again?” He didn’t threaten Tal this time, but the boy was scared either way. Seeing the blood-bath first hand, had only made it worse.

“I’m sorry.” He stuttered and while trying to quietly move back, stumbled and fell. Nik stared at him with what seemed to be utter disgust and confusion. “You are the clumsiest Descendant of the Gods I have ever met. Can’t control your powers, can’t control your own body.” If the situation wasn’t that bizarre Tal might have felt insulted, but Nik’s presence was too terrifying to focus on anything but his racing heartbeat. “You can leave now, Taliesin.” Nik was getting impatient. He cleaned his sword on his sleeve and crossed his arms in front of his chest after sheathing his weapon. Tal avoided looking directly at him and closed his eyes. Last time he had been lucky. Right after their conversation he was being teleported back, but luck seemed to have left him. He tried to think of the changing room or his door, but nothing happened. Tal cursed under his breath.

“Please, please, please.” He begged but nothing helped. If anything, it made him feel even more pathetic. “You really are useless.” Nik said and chuckled. “Here, let me help.” He was moving towards Tal with a wicked grin on his lips. When Tal noticed the small dagger in his hand it was already too late to fight him. Nik grabbed his arm and winked before pressing the tip of his blade against his forearm and dragging it up to his elbow. The scream Tal let out scared the hell out of his ice hockey coach.

“Taliesin!” He was catching his breath and stared at his bloody forearm. Tal was back in the changing room. Nik’s plan actually worked as cruel as it was and as much as it hurt. Maybe his teleportation ability was triggered in a dangerous situation to save his life. Or maybe it was all just one big coincidence. He had never given it much thought before. His teleportation ability was a part of his life like his anxiety. It was an obstacle, nothing more. “Taliesin? De-ten-tion!” His coach yelled at him and finally got Tal’s attention. The boy stared at him with a blank expression. He was banned from practise, and he would face detention for the rest of the week. Turns out getting teleported into the Academy’s changing rooms after being part of a murder wasn’t ideal.

Tal was unable to explain his wound or the blood on his ice hockey gear. The coach scolded him over and over again, telling him just how disappointed he was in his ‘star’ and sent him into his dorm room. One week without practice would be cruel but he could use the time in detention to do some research. Ever since Nik called him a ‘Descendant of the Gods’, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. Maybe he was insane for even considering being one but since he already had the ability to teleport it didn’t seem that far from reality.