As they stepped onto the school grounds, Principal Anthony's attention was immediately drawn to a formidable figure standing near the main building: Mark Williamson, Peter's father.
"Mark, you, what are you doing here?" Principal Anthony's voice held a note of surprise, tinged with apprehension.
Mark Williamson's eyes, hard and unforgiving, fixed on the principal. "Oh, so you're now pretending to be unaware, even though you know everything that happened here. My son is admitted to the hospital, and you're saying that I should leave the one who did that to my son?" His voice was a low growl, laced with barely contained fury.
Principal Anthony stood his ground, though a flicker of unease crossed his features. "Well, I must admit, your voice has changed a lot from before. It seems you have forgotten the days when it took you years to get your son admitted here."
"That's a thing of the past, you fool," Mark Williamson spat, his face contorted with rage. "But right now I am the biggest don of this city, and moreover, you don't even have the audacity to speak in front of me now."
Just then, a faint red glow emanated from Mark Williamson's chest. He reached into his pocket, withdrawing a sleek, metallic device. As his fingers closed around it, the red light intensified, coalescing below him. In a matter of seconds, the light solidified, taking the menacing form of a large bird with a thick, powerful beak.
A collective gasp rippled through the small group, though shock was muted by a sense of grim anticipation. This was a beast, and a dangerous one at that. It wasn't known for its aerial prowess but for its brutal efficiency in combat. Its thick beak was a weapon, capable of delivering fatal, agonizing blows.
Mark Williamson's gaze remained fixed on Principal Anthony, his voice cold and devoid of emotion. "I don't think you should kill me, Principal Anthony. It would be better if you got out of my way. Whoever tried to lay a hand on my son will not survive today." The air crackled with menace, the silent threat of the unleashed beast hanging heavy between them. John watched, a strange sense of detachment settling over him. He was an outsider in this world, yet somehow deeply entangled in its conflicts. The consequences of his actions at school were now materializing in a terrifyingly real way.