Full story [Prologue]

"Somehow kids in the town didn't like me. We only hung out after school, when they performed various tricks on me. You know, the usual bullying stuff. Although I did learn how to swim because of that."

Ion looked forward to school. It was the best opportunity to finally take a break from unending housework and hang out with people his age, perhaps even make some new friends! But expectations never meet reality, at least not in Ion's case. He still had to take care of his little brother after school, and that would mean waking up earlier than usual to cook food for everyone, then walk to school by foot (not that the school was near, quite the contrary, actually; it was just that the family couldn't afford to travel by other means) and come back right after classes to do alien things Ion was slowly coming to hate. The boy tiredly sighed as he closed the door on his way to school.

The first month was wonderful. Ion was delighted to be learning new things he never knew about before. His grades were at the top of his class, all thanks to his habit of working all day long. He also got quite known by the whole school, mainly because of his exotic looks no one in the town has ever seen, and partially because of his mysteriously calm personality (he might've been just socially awkward though). Kids, however, didn't like him. Ion seemed strange to them, far too different from anybody else in the class. But for now, they only watched, waiting for the right moment that would set their opinion in stone.

And that moment came tumbling down, literally. A sudden downpour struck Ion on his way home, not only making the boy soaking wet, but also ruining his shoes in the process. When the child arrived home, he was shivering. Not because of cold, but of fear. Those shoes were beyond repair, so they had to get rid of them. Buying new? It was out of the question, there would be no new pair of shoes - they cost way too much! Ion didn't know what to do and how to act, but told his parents nothing about it - he had to solve the problem by himself. Next day, he went to school barefoot.

This act of bravery caused a huge uproar in Ion's class. Kids started to look at him as a freak, talk behind his back and sarcastically laugh right in his face. As soon as a teacher noticed the whole commotion around Ion, they tried to settle everything by asking what happened, of course expecting some kind of normal response that would lessen the tension. The boy silently stared at the teacher, not knowing what to say. He sincerely thought about telling them the truth: that his family doesn't have enough money to buy a second pair of shoes, that his Father and Mother work on 3 jobs to earn something to try and pay the endless debts, that there are no toys at his house, that he doesn't remember the last time they celebrated his birthday, that he has to work every single evening because no matter how many "No"s they say and how many things they sell it is still not enough. Ion opened his mouth, but instead of an explanation came a weak gasp, the one you make when you try to hold back tears. And after one came another, and tears came streaming down his little face. And Ion was sure it was the worst day ever, so miserable he felt.

But troubles didn't end with that day, for the next day had come and it was time to go to school once again. Needless to say, the bullying didn't stop but rather got even harsher. Hiding between the mask of compassion, Ion's classmates offered to accompany him after school. The boy was relieved and felt a strange warm feeling appear in his chest. Perhaps this is happiness, - thought Ion at that time, only to be immensely disappointed after some minutes. They trashed his things, ripped notebooks, shoved him, punched him, spat on him, put his face in the water - they did everything their tiny minds could think of, you name it. Ion didn't dare to move - so great was his shock. And the bullying continued day after day, week after week, year after year. Until it was finally time to end it.

It was a day just like any other. Ion was surrounded by bullies once again, once again he was being beaten until his sore body ached all over. This time, however, something was different. A person came to help. Ion remembers them coming out of nowhere, shooing other kids away and giving them a slight beating in the process. He also remembers their dark long hair and a beautiful silverish glow of a gemstone located on their forehead. And the only phrase they said to him, he remembers everything as if it was yesterday. "Why don't you fight back," they said to him. And right on the next day, he finally did.