Engines of a Broken Mind

Zeldrim, year X006

Today is an important day for all the children that have turned 5 this year, today is the day they are going to be sent to school, a place all children are obliged to go and stay in for the next 10 years until the year they turn 15 comes around and with it the exam that will dictate the rest of that person's life while in Zeldrim, the industrialized faction.

Under the greyish sky lies a patio-like area where there can be seen a fair amount of adults and young children of all kinds of species, ranging from humanoid to anthropomorphic with even some reptile-like and others a mixture of two, three, or even four species which makes a lot of unique specimens stand out in the crowd.

In the midst of all these families, two women a pale vampire with white hair and red eyes, carrying a small parasol, and a dark tiefling with black hair, pink eyes, a long black tail as well as a pair of beautifully carved black horns stand in front of a pale, grey-haired child with scarlet eyes and small black horns and tail.

"Listen Ka-"

"It's Cael, mother" - the child immediately interrupts the white-haired woman who stands to his right, a neutral expression tracing his face, his naturality hints at this being a usual occurrence.

The woman sighs, her tired eyes sinking onto her pale greyish skin - "This is probably the last time we're going to see each other for a long while, will you not even accept the gift that is the name me and and mom gave you?" - the woman asks, a slight plea on her voice.

"If it is a gift it means I can choose to trade it for something that I prefer more." - the child responds, not changing his expression - "If someone buys you something and you don't like it, you can go to the store and exchange it for something you like." - his red eyes are not looking at the women, but instead fixed on the gate that stands behind them.

Said gate is the physical barrier between them and the school premises, that would soon open.

The black-haired woman on his left steps up, crouching before the child.

"Cael... What we're trying to say is…" - both women exchange worried looks - "Be kind, you are a smart kid so I know you're going to do well in school, but kindness is-"

The woman is interrupted by their kid, once again, which makes her sigh. - "Chapter 13, page 34, line 14, from the book "How to Succeed in Your First Year of School" written by Matt Mortun, and I quote "Kindness is only good in theory, because when you're going for the best of the best it is no more than a stone you're putting on your shoe willingly and can stager your process, and even if small, that stagger can be the reason-"

"Alright, alright, Cael I-I get it..." - the two women look at each other once again - "What me and your mother are trying to say is-"

The black-haired woman is interrupted by a loud alarm-like sound, followed by the noise of the school gates starting to open, which signals that it is time for the couple to let their kid go, she sighs once again.

"I'm... Sure you will do well... We love you… Cael, I hope you never forget that. We'll see each other in five years. Alright?" - the white-haired woman crouches down next to her wife and forces a smile.

The black-haired woman reaches out for the hand of her partner and takes it, squeezing it tightly while giving her a warm smile. Each woman then proceeds to give an affectionate kiss on each cheek and then forehead of the small child in front of them, who reacts with slight annoyance, before he starts walking towards the gates, without looking back at his mothers, who hold each other with worry filling their faces.

"Be good!" - he hears a familiar voice call just before the gates close behind him, and with it, closing this chapter of his life to start a new, and from the child's perspective, way more exciting one.

Upon entering the facility all the children are guided by a tall figure with long blue antlers and hair, wearing a white lab coat. Cael maintains a cautious eye, looking attentively at all the children that loudly pass by, most of them playing and talking with each other, wondering where they are going and how this next year will be, which bothers Cael slightly, his expression turning to slight annoyance as a particularly loud kid passes by his side, the red-eyed one slows down his pace as to let the louder kids rush by as he stays behind.

Cael keeps quiet, looking at every single one of the other kids as if inspecting a wide section of books in a library. In his mind, all these kids are no more than obstacles that he will have to climb over to reach the top, he counted 37 of them and assigned each one a number according to the order in which he realized their existence.

The children follow the tall figure to a big empty hallway-like area. They are told to line up, forming a half-moon shape in front of the blue-haired person who carefully traces their eyes up and down each and every single one of the kids, with judging eyes, and upon reaching the last one the figure lets out a sigh.

“Silence now children, for your path to success or demise in this faction is now starting.” - they claim, with a raspy voice and a rigorous tone.

The children react by immediately going quiet and still, some of them straightening up their posture, some fidgeting, and others seemingly unbothered by the strict figure.

“Good.” - the figure drags their eyes through the line of children once more  - “You can call me Doctor Moon, I use they/them pronouns and I will be your professor and guardian for the next few years.” - they claim, with authority clear on their voice.

“So…” - one of the children, speaks up, breaking the silence. A goliath and dragonborn hybrid, which makes him the tallest child of the bunch, to whom Cael, even if he personally already knew before, had given the number “13” to. - “Guardian? Like the ones in the stories? The deities that made us all… people? Are you one of those?” - the child questions, some obvious sarcasm in his voice, which makes some of the other kids giggle quietly.

Doctor Moon sighs loudly, but their expression doesn't change. - “If you want to consider me that, then be it, because, I, by all means, am above, all of you, and all of you will respond to me. I will be responsible for each and every single one of you from now on and you will do as I say and try your best to please me. If you want to succeed in this school that is.” - the harsh words of the teacher make all children go quiet once again.

The teacher proceeds to take out an odd-looking scanner-like device from under their lab coat and slowly starts walking toward the first child in the line.

“I will now scan each of you to get your basic information, such as your species, blood type, and age and I will have you all state your pronouns and name out loud to the device so it registers those as well and prints out an identification card, which you will all keep on you at all the times from now on, understood?” - the professor states in a stern tone, and none of the children seem to have any questions. - “Very well, I will now start then.”

Doctor Moon then proceeds to pass through all the children, or as Cael refers to them on his mind, all the numbers, until they reach the grey-haired child who looks at them with a neutral expression as he is scanned up and down.

“State your name and pronouns.” - the teacher asks.

“Cael, he/him.” - the child immediately responds.

“Hey! No, that's not your name! And you are a girl! Girls don’t use those pronouns!” - number 13 shouts out, which makes Cael sigh.

“Yes, it is my name and no, I’m not a girl, I'm a boy.” - Cael is as neutral as before.

“But-!” - number 13 is interrupted by Doctor Moon who scolds the child's reaction with a stern tone. - “That's enough Ystin." - the teacher traces their eyes through the line of children once again, to call their attention. - "From the moment you steeped inside this school whoever you were before does not matter in the slightest anymore. Whoever you thought you were died and was substituted by a black sheet that is going to start being filled from this point on, I do not care for what any of you were called or believed in before this. Right now, you are starting completely fresh, and I hope all of you let go of your past selves so that you can use the tools that this school will provide you to fill that blank sheet to the limit of your efforts to become the best of yourselves, and nothing below that. If you can't detach yourself from your life before this very moment, then these next 10 years will be nothing but a waste of time and space, as worthless notes have already partially filled a part of each of your sheets, and that is precious space that you will absolutely need if you want to be successful. With this, I hope all of you understand what will be happening from this point on and how futile any comment about who any of you were before is.” - with that number 13 doesn't even try to argue, as Doctor Moon stares him down once again. - ”This conversation is over.”

The teacher then prints out and gives Cael his identification card, properly moving on to the next child, continuing the process until he has reached the end of the line.

“In a few moments, on the back of your card, over ”Room number“ a number will appear and that will be your assigned dormitory while you live within the school grounds, all the dormitories are on the second to the lowest floor, and you can find the map of the school by tapping your cards twice. At each of your rooms, you’ll find a uniform prepared as well as a backpack with the school essentials, this first day will be for you to get the bearings of the school grounds, so you have no excuses to get lost and miss the classes that will be starting tomorrow at 8 AM.” - Doctor Moon explains in a clear tone.

Cael flips his identification card over to see the number “309” appearing right where the teacher had pointed out, the boy then double-taps his card and starts meticulously studying the school map.

The teacher goes back to the middle of the half-moon shape and turns to the kids, who seem to be way more restless than before. - “You can go explore now, I hope most of you turn out successful.” - and with that the children start dispersing all around the corridor and the noise picks up once again as they go back to socializing loudly with each other and running around.

As Cael is about to start walking toward his assigned dormitory he hears quick footsteps approaching him followed by a voice. - "Okay so, since we're supposed to start anew." - Cael turns back to see number 13 extending his hand which is covered in black scales that turn lighter on his palm, similar to how the scales on the rest of his body are distributed. - "Nice to meet you, my name is Ystin... and I guess I use masculine pronouns... uhm he/him." - the dragonborn hybrid says, some lingering annoyance still present in his voice from having been scolded before.

Cael slowly looks at Ystin's dragon-like face which has a rounded youngling look as well as multiple small black horns that cover the top of his head, his blue eyes looking at him with anticipation.

"..." - the red-eyed one doesn't respond, uninterested in the bigger one's approach, his gaze going back to the scaly hand extended towards him.

As a few moments pass the room starts growing quieter as most of the children have already left to explore, leaving the two of them mostly alone in the corridor.

"...are you really just gonna leave me hanging?" - Ystin calls out, sinking his eyebrow as annoyance becomes clear in his tone.

Cael responds by simply slowly drifting his eyes up to look at the bigger one's face once again, a neutral unreadable expression still present on the red-eyed face.

"Ugh, forget it, I don't care anymore, you're weird." - Ystin gives up from the handshake and starts to turn back towards the corridor exit.

The smaller child has his gaze fixed on the dragonborn who makes his way out of the corridor, stomping loudly. As number 13 leaves his line of sight Cael looks down at his card that is still displaying the school's map and starts sorting out where to head first.