The Grounds Keeper

Chapter 9 The Red Class District

Chapter 9: The Red Class District

Eathon ran his tongue over his freshly grown molars and stretched his back — immediately regretting it. His uniform might clean itself, but he sure didn't. The smell of his body was ripe — a pungent cocktail of four days of travel, blood, sweat, fights, and infirmary bedding.

He gagged and cursed under his breath.

No time for rest. Now he needed to find a place to stay.

He exited the infirmary, rubbing the coarse stubble along his jaw, and pulled up his ID. He tried to lock in coordinates for the Mana Gazette, but was redirected to something called the Grand Elevator.

Following the illuminated path, he arrived at a small marble platform, carved in dozens of languages: Grand Station.

Confused, he stepped on.

The moment his foot landed, the world snapped — his whole body tingled like a limb gone numb, and with a whoosh, he was launched into the sky like a feather caught in a vacuum. Buildings shrank. His panic turned to laughter as the thrill of flight kicked in.

No control, no steering — just pure acceleration and then a gentle descent. As he touched down like a falling leaf, he felt... disappointed. It was over too quickly.

"Move off the platform, jackass."

He awkwardly waved at the line forming behind him, stepping off into a massive underground station teeming with students leaping off in all directions like flying ants.

Then his ID pinged.

2.50 Credits deducted — Sigil Point Travel

Balance: 197.5 credits.

He frowned. At that rate, he couldn't even afford a week in the dorms. A quick mental tally told him he needed at least 877 credits to survive seven days with amenities — not including food. His only known income so far was 200 credits for beating Tomaj.

Was that the job? Fighting people?

He wandered through the station, eyes scanning for direction, until he noticed the largest elevator platform, guarded by two red-robed students and surrounded by barbed wire.

He walked up.

"Sir, everything okay?" one of them asked, already looking uneasy.

"I'm looking for the Mana Gazette. My ID says I need the Grand Elevator."

The two exchanged a glance.

"You actually want to go down there?" one asked carefully. "If it's just a message, we can send a courier. No need for you to, uh... enter the favelas."

Eathon frowned. "It's personal. I'll go myself."

More hesitation. The other one cleared his throat, eyeing Eathon's hands.

"You sure? I mean... is Arthur in trouble or something?"

So Arthur was the editor.

Eathon smiled. "No. Just a visit. Do I need to pay for the elevator?"

"It's free for green class and above."

He stepped into the glass capsule.

Darkness.

The world dimmed, bathed in a sickly green hue from the artificial dome above. The Red Class District was a sunless cavern — a slum of shacks, broken warehouses, and smoke-choked alleys. The only sliver of sky was the beam of blue above the Grand Elevator shaft.