Chapter 1: The hidden Strength

24 6 0
                                    

Zioles walked through the school hallway, keeping his head down to avoid the usual taunts and shoves. The school was a jungle, and he was at the bottom of the food chain, or so everyone thought. At 16, Zioles was slight in build, with a quiet demeanor that made him an easy target. But what his tormentors didn’t know was that beneath his unassuming exterior, Zioles was a skilled Muay Thai fighter.

Every evening after school, Zioles would train at a small, rundown gym a few blocks from his house. It was his sanctuary, a place where he could release his frustrations and refine his skills. The gym’s owner, an old, battle-hardened Muay Thai master named Kru Somchai, had taken Zioles under his wing when he was just a boy. Kru Somchai had seen potential in Zioles that no one else had and had trained him rigorously over the years.

But Zioles had never used his skills to fight back at school. He didn’t want to hurt anyone or draw attention to himself. He just wanted to get through each day without incident.

One morning, as Zioles was walking to school, he noticed a woman in her early 20s standing by the entrance. She was dressed sharply, with an air of confidence that made her stand out. As Zioles approached, she stepped forward and blocked his path.

“Zioles, right?” she asked, her voice calm yet firm.

Zioles blinked in surprise. “Yeah… who are you?”

“My name is Elara,” she replied, her eyes locking onto his. “I’ve been watching you for a while. I know what you’re capable of.”

Zioles felt a chill run down his spine. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Elara smiled, a knowing glint in her eyes. “You’re a Muay Thai fighter. A good one. And I have a proposition for you.”

Zioles’s heart raced. How did she know about his training? He had always kept it a secret. “What do you want from me?”

“There’s a project I’m working on,” Elara said, her tone turning serious. “A project that involves dealing with the bullies in this school and protecting it from other schools that want to cause trouble. I need someone who can fight. Someone like you.”

Zioles hesitated, his mind racing. The idea of using his skills to fight back against the bullies was tempting, but it also scared him. He had always avoided confrontation, and this was the complete opposite.

“I don’t know…” Zioles began, but Elara cut him off.

“Think about it, Zioles. You’ve been hiding your strength for too long. This is your chance to make a difference, to protect the people who can’t protect themselves. I’ll give you time to decide, but don’t take too long. The school needs you.”

With that, Elara handed Zioles a card with her contact information and walked away, leaving him standing there, stunned and confused.

As Zioles continued his walk to school, his mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. Could he really do this? Could he take on the bullies and protect his school? And who exactly was Elara, and why did she know so much about him?

Zioles didn’t have the answers yet, but one thing was certain: his life was about to change in ways he could never have imagined.

Zioles' Secret Mission Where stories live. Discover now