As they stood before the large doors of the royal dining hall, Tyler faced a choice that would shape how everyone saw him in this new world.
"Kneel!"
John's voice echoed sharply through the hallway. He pointed at the floor like he was giving orders to a pet, not a person.
Tyler froze. Did he really just say kneel? Here? In front of everyone?
Around them stood the maids assigned to each student and the heavily armored guards watching the door. Even some of the other students had turned to see what would happen.
If it were only their classmates, Tyler would have no problem dropping down on both knees without putting up a fight.
Back on Earth, he'd been used to that kind of humiliation. But this wasn't Earth anymore. This was a new world, a new beginning and also his one chance to stop being a weakling.
No. He wasn't going to kneel. Not here. Not now.
When they were on Earth, John had power because of his rich father. But here, that advantage was gone. They were both just "heroes" now. Equals. So why should he kneel?
For the first time, Tyler thought he could stand tall.
Or so he believed.
POW!
The first slap hit him so hard his mind went blank. His head turned from the impact, a burning sting spreading across his cheek.
POW!
The second slap came before he could react, sharper, harder, and also a reminder of who John Kennedy was and who Tyler Lockwood had always been.
POW!
The third slap crushed whatever strength he had left. It was a declaration: no matter what world they were in, nothing had changed.
"Kneel."
This time, John's voice was low but full of authority.
Tyler didn't argue. He didn't dare.
His knees hit the marble floor, and his head dropped low, shame flooding through him. He couldn't look at anyone. Not his classmates, not the guards, not even his maid standing nearby.
"Good," John sneered. "That's where dogs like you belong. Doesn't matter which world we're in. My dog stays my dog. Got that?"
Tyler nodded quickly, his head still bowed.
"Damn, John. You're cold," said Sarah, John's girlfriend, laughing as she leaned on the table.
Sarah was the queen bee of the class, the prettiest girl with the nastiest personality. Her smile never reached her eyes. If John was cruel, Sarah was worse, she enjoyed watching others suffer.
Their group laughed together, enjoying the scene like it was entertainment. Tyler's humiliation was their favorite show.
After John and his friends went into the hall, the others followed in pairs, their maids trailing silently behind them.
"Hero, you can stand now," said a soft voice.
Tyler looked up. His maid stood there, her hand stretched out toward him. Her eyes were gentle, full of quiet concern.
The kindness nearly broke him. For a second, he wanted to cry, but he held it in. He couldn't afford to cry in front of anyone, certainly not here in front of his maid.
He ignored her hand and pushed himself up on his own, biting his lower lip until it almost bled. His eyes stayed on the floor as they entered the dining hall together.
The room was huge, no, massive. Tyler had never seen anything like it. The space could easily hold more than a hundred people, and still, it wouldn't feel crowded.
The long dining table stretched across the hall, covered in fine cloth with gold and silver plates already arranged in perfect order. The air smelled rich, filled with the aroma of roasted meat and sweet wine.
Behind each chair stood a maid, ready and waiting to serve her master. Their posture was perfect, disciplined, and graceful.
Tyler's classmates were already talking among themselves, their earlier tension forgotten.
"Man, this place is insane."
"Look at this table! I could live here forever."
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm never going back to Earth. No way."
Their voices filled the room with laughter. To them, Earth was already a forgotten memory.
Here, they were treated like nobles, served by maids, living in luxury, eating food fit for kings. Who would ever want to go back to homework and part-time jobs?
Soon, maids entered carrying trays filled with what they called "refreshments." Tyler stared in disbelief. Back home, these would have counted as full meals, not appetizers.
"Damn, if these are just the starters, I can't wait for the main course," someone said, making others laugh.
For once, even Tyler couldn't deny how incredible it all looked. Plates of grilled meat, golden bread, fruits that glowed faintly under the torchlight.
It was a feast beyond anything he'd ever seen.
The doors opened again.
Everyone stopped talking.
Trumpets sounded, and the guards at the door stood straighter. The king had arrived.
Tyler turned his eyes toward the entrance, expecting to see an old, majestic man with a long beard and heavy crown.
Instead, he saw a boy.
The king was young, too young. His face was soft and innocent, his golden hair neatly combed, and his royal robe looked a size too big for his small frame. He couldn't have been more than eight or seven.
He smiled brightly, waving one hand as he entered.
"Let's eat!" he said cheerfully.
The tension in the room vanished.
The students exchanged confused looks at first, but then they relaxed. The young king's carefree attitude made him seem more like one of them than a ruler.
As everyone began eating, conversations started up again. Laughter filled the hall. Even Tyler, though still quiet, couldn't help feeling a little more at ease.
Still, deep down, a shadow of fear and shame lingered.
He had thought this world would give him a chance to start fresh. A chance to change his life, to escape John's grip.
But the truth was clear now.
No matter the world, no matter the place…
He was still the same powerless extra.
And John Kennedy still ruled over him.