The Forgotten God Of War

“The third expulsion didn’t scare Anthony Carter. What scared him was how little he regretted it.”

“Please I didn’t do anything.”

The desperate voice cut through the noisy hallway like a knife, Anthony Carter stopped walking.

Students crowded the corridor ahead, shoulder to shoulder, phones raised in the air. Some were laughing others were whispering to each other ears excitedly. No one tried to help.

Anthony didn’t need to see what was happening to know He had lived it, Marcus caught up beside him, breathing hard.

“Don’t even think about it.”He said to him.

Anthony kept staring at the crowd, pure fear frozen on his face.

“What is it this time?” he asked quietly.

Marcus sighed. “A first-year. Two sixth-formers cornered him by the lockers. Everyone’s filming.”

Anthony closed his eyes for a second a quiet anger settled in his chest.

“Not again.”He said.

He had promised himself after the last suspension that he would never interfere anymore.

His mother had begged him to stay out of trouble. One more fight, the principal had warned, and there would be no second chance.

Yet here he was Watching another kid suffer, Anthony pushed through the crowd The scene waiting for him made a cold dread prickled his fingers.

A small first year boy was trapped against a row of lockers. One of the old boys was holding him by the collar while the other casually searched through his school bag, scattering the books on the floor.

“You think you’re clever?” the taller bully sneered.

“I, I wasn’t looking at your girlfriend.”He said.

“Liar.”

The boy pushed him hard His head slammed against the metal lockers with a loud bang.

The crowd gasped, Someone laughed, Someone zoomed in with their phone to record it well.

Anthony looked around Teachers walked past the end of the corridor without even glancing over.

They either hadn’t noticed or they didn’t want to, Marcus grabbed Anthony arm.

“Forget it.”

Anthony didn’t answer.

“You remember what happened at your last school?”

Still nothing.

“You promised your mum.”

Anthony swallowed hard then he start remembering everything that happened.

He remembered his mother exhausted face, The endless meetings, The disappointed teachers.

The whispered comments of Anthony Carter Always fighting, Always causing trouble Nobody ever asked why.

Nobody cared that he only fought when someone weaker couldn’t defend themselves.

To everyone else, he was simply another violent teenager, Marcus lowered his voice.

“If you get involved, they’ll expel you.”He said to him.

Anthony watched the younger boy struggle to hold back tears, Suddenly, another memory surfaced.

He was thirteen he had yearned for anyone to step forward

Different school, Different hallway, Different bullies Same terrified feeling.

He had begged for help Nobody came, His father words echoed in his mind.

“The world doesn’t become cruel because of bad people, son. It becomes cruel because good people decide to look away.”

Anthony slowly slipped off his backpack from his shoulder, Marcus stared at him.

“No.”

Anthony handed him the bag, Marcus sighed.

“I hate that I already know what you’re about to do.”

Anthony managed a faint smile.

“So do I.”

He walked forward The crowd moved aside immediately they sighted him coming towards their direction , sensing trouble.

The taller bully looked over.

“Well, well.”

He smirked.

“Anthony Carter.”

“So you’ve heard of me.”

“Who hasn’t? Aren’t you the idiot who keeps getting suspended?”

Anthony ignored the comment.

“Let him go.”

The bully laughed.

“Or what?”

Anthony’s voice stayed calm.

“I won’t ask again.”

The second bully stepped closer.

“You think you’re some kind of hero?”

“No.”

“Then walk away.”

Anthony looked directly at the frightened first year.

“You okay?”

The boy shook his head slowly That was enough The taller bully pushed the younger student aside and cracked his knuckles.

“Looks like you want another suspension.”

Anthony took one slow breath.

“I don’t want to fight.”

“But?”

“I will.”

The bully swung first, Anthony moved instinctively.

He dugged the punch with his hands, grabbed the old boy wrist, and used his own momentum to throw him on the floor.

The hallway erupted, Phones lifted higher, Students screamed The second bully charged.

Anthony blocked the attack and drove his shoulder into the boy chest The impact sent him crashing into a locker.

Everything exploded into chaos, Someone shouted for security, Someone yelled for a teacher Within seconds, teachers finally came running.

“Enough!”

Hands pulled everyone apart when the first year is slammed into the locker pure fear frozen on his face The two bullies shouted accusations.

Anthony remained silent His shirt was torn Blood trickled from a cut above his eyebrow.

Principal Harris arrived moments later His expression said everything before he even spoke.

“My office.”He said.

Anthony was sitting down in front of the principal desk in complete silence.

“This is the third school,” Principal Harris said heavily.

“The third.”

Anthony stared at the floor.

“I know.”

“You were warned.”

“Yes.”

“You attacked two students.”

“They were hurting someone.”

“I don’t care who started it.”

Anthony finally looked up.

“I do.”

The principal rubbed his temples.

“I believe your intentions were good.”

“Then why am I the one being punished?”

“Because fighting isn’t the answer.”

Anthony almost laughed.

“If I hadn’t stepped in, nobody else would have.”

The principal didn’t argue Because he knew it was true After a long silence, he opened a folder.

“I’m sorry, Anthony.”

Those four words were enough.

“You are officially expelled.”

Anthony simply nodded He had expected it What he wasn’t prepared for was his mother face.

She arrived thirty minutes later, She thanked the principal politely then Signed the paperwork.

She Collected Anthony belongings Then walked home without saying a single word.

Her silence cut deeper than any punishment could, Anthony wanted to apologize to her.

He Wanted to explain to her, Wanted to tell her he would make everything right But every excuse sounded empty inside his own head, shame crawled up his throat.

When they reached their small house, she unlocked the door and went inside quietly.

She didn’t even look back, Anthony was still standing at the door entrance.

That was when he noticed it an ivory envelope rested neatly against the front door.

It hadn’t been there this morning There was no stamp on it , No address, Only his name was written in the front of the envelope.

Anthony Carter.

Written in elegant handwriting, His heartbeat quickened.

Who would deliver something like this?

He looked up and down the empty street Nobody then he opened it slowly, when he open the mysterious envelope a cold dread prickled his fingers.

Inside was a thick black card decorated with a silver crest he had never seen before.

Below it were six chilling words.

We’ve been watching you, Anthony Carter.

A cold shiver crawled down his spine.

Watching him?

How?

For how long?

He turned the card over One final line appeared beneath the crest.

Welcome to Westbridge Academy.

Anthony frowned.

He had never heard of the school.

Why would a prestigious academy invite someone who had just been expelled for the third time?

Before he could think any further, another piece of folded paper slipped down from the envelope.

His hands were shaking as he opened it.

Across the page, in the same elegant handwriting, was a sentence that made his chest hurt.

“You weren’t expelled because you lose control you were chosen because you never looked away.”