Time period: Late 1800's

Setting: London, at The London Institute for Young Gentlemen

Characters: Dan Howell, Phil Lester, and some OC's

If you're wondering whether or not this will develop into Phan… you'll just have to wait and see :)

I hope you enjoy!


Blood, everywhere. On his hands, smeared across his face, dripping from his body to pool onto the cold stone. He'd failed, just as the others had; such a disappointment.

I gazed down at my victim with little pity, watching as he struggled to his hands and knees before retching violently. I refrained from rolling my eyes and offered my hand, keeping it steady until he was finished being sick.

He reached out a shaking arm, allowing me to pull him to his feet; yet another sign of weakness. I slung his arm around my shoulders and bore most of his weight, a small feat, as he couldn't have weighed more than 95 pounds. A small boy such as this had no business being in the Aureole.

Aureole, from the Latin word aureola, is what one could call a halo. It is the circle of radiance that surrounds the head of a holy being, showing power and greatness. Here, our aureole is nothing more than a circle engraved into the floor. No larger than a 45 foot diameter, it is said to have been cut into the stone by an angel long before light was put into the sun. The angel did this against orders and was sent to hell after committing the crime, but his spirit remained within the stones. Apparently this makes the school blessed.

I, for one, think that it is a load of rubbish.

I heaved the bleeding boy behind me, exiting the room and ignoring the many people who were burning holes into my back with their stares. Once in the corridor I picked up the pace, ignoring his winces and stifled moans. The blood and sweat was still flowing from his injuries, and the all too familiar scent filled my nostrils. I narrowed my eyes, muffling the memories and continuing onwards.

The boy's leg caught on an uneven stone and his drooping eyes snapped open, an unwelcome cry of pain leaving his lips. I only strode faster, my feelings towards this boy growing colder.

First rule of the League: Show no weaknesses.

I turned a final corner, halting in front of another familiar sight. Shifting the boy's weight to one side, I leaned onto the heavy wooden door with my back, creating a large enough crack to swiftly slip through without getting my burden stuck.

"Oh dear. Another one, huh?" I turned to face a homely looking woman standing by the bed, disdainful expression upon her face.

She tutted and stepped forward with her arms raised to gather the male from my arms. I handed him over with no objection, watching as she quickly pulled him to an infirmary bed and lied him down gently. The woman was much stronger than she appeared, as I was well aware. She supported the back of his head as she did so, carefully arranging him so that he would awake as comfortable as possible; he'd fallen unconscious moments before and was now nothing more than dead weight.

I watched with interest as she fetched a basin of water and towels, along with medicine to clean his wounds. I didn't understand how she could do that, be so kind and tender to boys she did not know. Why give out kindness when you were gaining nothing in return?

I stepped a bit closer as she dabbed at his wounds, examining the poor bastard's face.

He was rather young, as I'd suspected. No more than thirteen years of age. His face was tranquil now, most likely grateful for the painless blanket of unconsciousness.

Miss Martha spoke without pausing her work, her voice neutral.

"Was this you?"

I gave a tight nod, knowing she couldn't see me but from my silence she seemed to understand.

"I see. His name?" she asked, still not looking up. I hated it when people did that; if I couldn't see their eyes, I didn't know what thoughts were inhibiting their brains.

"Bradley. I did not ask for his Christian name," I responded, my voice also void of emotion.

"Why?"

I narrowed my eyes.

"You know fully well why, miss."

She sighed, finally setting down her now stained towel and meeting my gaze. It was the color of rust.

"Daniel, did you need to hurt him this much? If my memory serves me correctly, and it does, victory is granted to the one who makes his opponent go down for five seconds. I'm sure that occurred before he got to this point." Her eyes were sharp, but not necessarily judgmental. For that I was grateful.

"Ma'am," I said, remaining respectful though my eyes were fierce. "I am the very best, if you weren't aware. I'm the best at what I do, and what I do isn't exactly pretty. I don't see why I am being reprimanded when every other boy here has the same task as me, and I am simply more thorough than them," I retorted quietly, my tone harsh.

She raised her chin slightly, her gaze softening a bit.

"Dan." I jumped a little at the old nickname, but my gaze did not waver.

"I remember when you were first brought here. You were so small, yet so strong. In fact," she chuckled a little "I even recall you pushing an older boy against a wall when he murmured a curse at you in the corridor. You were shaking your little fist, your eyes blazing; he ran away in fright." She smiled a bit to herself, as if recounting a fond memory.

"You've always been different. You are clever, talented, and handsome," she continued, her smile fading. "You can use these gifts, Daniel. They are very powerful, and no matter what choices you makes you will always turn out on a throne of greatness.

"However, whether you are proud of this greatness you acquire is up to you. How you use these gifts are up to you."

I simply looked at her before smirking a bit, a bitter laugh escaping my lips.

"Yes, it is all up to me, is it not? If I wanted to, I could simply leave. I could travel the world, using my powers for good, granting happiness to all and riches to the poor." I began pacing the room slowly, my tone bitingly sarcastic.

"In fact, maybe I'll even fall in love! Yes, that's it. I will find a beautiful woman, one who doesn't mind my scars, and buy her a castle. We'll live contentedly together, blissfully unaware of the harsh world outside." I stopped pacing when I reached a small table near the wall, lightly plucking a flower from the vase set there.

I twirled it slowly in my fingers, examining it as I spoke again. My voice carried just above the crackle of the torches.

"We will have a baby, a bright-eyed little boy. She will dote on him, love him, and I will spoil him with all of the riches in the world. We will be happy." My small smile faded.

"That is, until the League discovers my absence. Driven by rage and the sting of betrayal, they will pop our lovely bubble." I plucked a petal from the bulb and let it go, watching as it floated to the floor.

"They will pound on the doors in the night, waking my beloved and I from our peaceful slumber. 'Oh, oh, my love! Save me!' she will cry." I plucked another petal and it fell to join the other on the ground.

"Yet I will be helpless. By now the circle will have me, in chains and with a blade at my throat. They will hold me back as I watch them drag my wife from the bedroom, clutching our newborn in her arms." Two more petals.

"They will rid of the little one first, slashing its throat quickly. Showing kindness, not making it suffer. Then will be my love, but her death they will draw out. She will die in a matter of hours, not seconds. Piece by piece, as her killers relish in her blood." I smirked bitterly and tore another petal from the flower.

"And all the while she will be screaming my name. 'Daniel, my love! My husband! My savior! Why are they doing this to me? Do something!'. But I will not. She will die slowly, never aware that it was I who had caused this; that it was my own selfishness for leaving which had resulted in her misery." Another petal fell to the floor.

"And once she is dead, they will take her hands; a souvenir, of sorts. But me, I won't die. No, I will be taken here, back to my prison. My own personal hell. I will train once again, be told to forget about her, and I will follow my orders. I will go back to a life of fighting, hurting, and killing. Never again will I question the League's orders, once again nothing more than a pawn in their game." I pulled the last petal from the flower, leaving it naked and bare.

I let it slip through my fingers, watching it fall to the cold stone. My gaze shifted to the woman sitting on the bed. Her eyes sorrowful, but not tearful. She remained frozen and didn't open her mouth to contradict me, for she knew that my words were true. I looked down for a moment then raised my head again to speak.

"Miss, there is no escaping. There is no changing my fate. I will forever be their pride and joy, my heart heavy and my face never betraying my thoughts." I stepped a bit closer, my voice softening. "I know you care for me, and I you. You are the closest thing I've ever known to a mother."

"But my future is determined. The League would like me to dismantle the government, bring this country to its knees, and so I shall. No matter the number of lives I take, I will do it. Along with all of the other boys I've fought against and beside for years. We are their elites. And we are their weapons."

My speech done, I stood for a moment more in her stare before turning to go. Her voice stopped me at the door and I paused, my hand on the handle.

"Love, you are right. There is no way out." My hand tightened and my knuckles turned white.

"That was never my suggestion. I merely said that it was up to you how you used your gifts. Who you fight for, and what you fight with, is completely your decision."

My eyes widened as I realized her meaning.

"P…preposterous! You're suggesting… mutiny?" I breathed, not daring say it any louder.

She didn't respond, and I turned slightly to see that she had turned her attention back to the unconscious boy, using the rag to finish wiping his wounds clean. I tightened my eyes and slipped out of the room soundlessly, being careful not to catch my coattail in the door.

What… what does she mean? Use my abilities to… fight back? Fight against the League? But surely I would be killed! Unless of course… if it were not just me. Perhaps I'm not the only one who feels this way…No, I shook my head, ridding my mind of the traitorous thoughts. No, it wouldn't work. To fight back is to beg for death.

I sighed and threw the thoughts away into the back of my mind, locking them into a vault and throwing away the key.

Lost in my mind, I didn't notice that someone was walking towards me until I quite literally stumbled upon them. I quickly righted myself and took a step back, looking up sharply only to make a noise of disgust when I saw whom it was.

"Mr. Howell," he said curtly, his stance stiff.

"Mr. Lester," I nodded, forcing myself to look into his piercing blue eyes.

"How is your training going? Killed any more children?" he asked, his tone mild.

"No more than you have," I countered. There was a moment of silence, when he spoke up again.

"I don't mean to be rude, but you are in my way. If you don't mind, I would like you to kindly move so that I can get past."

I narrowed my eyes slightly at this git. Since the day we'd met, we instantly had strong feelings towards one another. At first I hadn't been able to tell if they were good or bad, but after awhile I'd concluded that they were negative. We were polar opposites; I was night, he was day.

"My apologies. Kindly forgive me." My voice was tight. He scrutinized my face a moment more with his annoyingly bright eyes, before emitting a small sigh and brushing past.

I turned my head slightly and watched him go out of the corner of my eye. He was by far my closest competitor in every field. Fighting, our school studies, even for suitors.

He'd been approached nearly as many times as I had by females, but of course he had to decline their advances. Romances here were strictly forbidden, despite our tri-annual masquerades with the neighboring female boarding school. I suppose it was all part of the charade to keep up our appearance as an average gentleman's school.

Suddenly the bell in the tower chimed, it's note resonating throughout the school. It signaled the end of our first class, which meant I was now supposed to go to… English studies. Ugh, so dull.

I sighed and quickly strode through the winding corridors to the now empty Aureole room, fetching my sack and jogging to the English room.

Funny how normal and mundane this class was, considering everything that truly went on in this hellhole.

Well, at least it's a break from the blood. I shuddered, remembering the young face of my latest opponent. I could still feel his dried blood caked under my fingernails, though there was nothing that could be done about it now.

I finally located the correct door and entered the classroom just in time, getting off with a warning glare from the master rather than a Punishment.

Silently I slipped into my seat, paying no mind to what the teacher was saying as I pulled out a roll of parchment and my quill. I smoothed the parchment down on the wooden desk and held my quill poised in a ready position above it, giving off the appearance that I was actually listening.

As the master's voice droned on I subtly shifted my gaze to the window, fixated on the small patch of blue sky visible.

I cursed its gay, happy color. It was beautiful and hopeful, drawing you outside and telling you that someday you may be happy enough to enjoy its color too. It was all a lie though, false hope given to those foolish enough to believe it.

I turned my stare away from the pane of glass and accidentally let it get caught on the face of Philip Lester, who was sitting a bit in front of me. He was doing the same that I been, looking up into the sky in all of its enormous beauty with his head turned slightly so that I could see most of his face.

And in his eyes, so different from my own, was harbored a flicker of something. Not dead and unmoving, as my eyes were, but… alive.

I rolled my eyes and tore my gaze from his peaceful face; yet another reason to dislike the man. He had something I didn't have.

He had hope.


I'm really sorry if that was confusing, but I hope that you decide to stick with me and read the upcoming chapters, as they sort of bring the different aspects together.

Feel free to review and follow if you liked it, and if you didn't I'm terribly sorry for wasting your time.

Thanks for reading :)