CHAPTER 05:
I didn't realise the best part of understanding computers more so than people, was being able to screw with the people who thought they had majors in these subjects. I watch in fascination when all their screens go black after I send the reboot in and Rowan is barking orders about the generator, until all screens come back on at my command. I type in something on screen and Rowan freezes, they all do.
I. Don't. Need. Combat. To. Beat. You. Professor.
I smile slowly as Hale stares at the screens, then slowly to Rowan, everyone looks up at him while my message is on screen, he slowly looks around the room, "Does she have access to our cameras right now? Someone find out, now!" He orders, Credence and the rest of them move to the computers, while I watch Creed lean against the railing, staring at my message. Rowan turns to face Athena, she hides her smile well and turns away.
"Where are you going?" He barks at her.
She leaves without another word, then the phone in the control room rings next to me, I answer it with a grin, "Speaking." I say, knowing its Athena.
"I don't know who you're mocking here. Me or them." Athena chuckles on the other side.
"Is he pissed enough? Was hoping to make the bloodsucker angrier." I shrug.
"Hale will override the order to keep the yoga class. It was established by a soft therapist three years ago, and at this rate, Rowan will ask the board to have it terminated just to make you train with them. While you're showing off your hacking skills, I need you to find something within those walls. Release your control on the creatures, they are programmed to scare, not hurt, Celeste. I'll send you map coordinates, it's a USB you'll find on the lava level. The place looks similar to the one in your training. You'll know where to look. Grab it, we might be able to get something off of it." She instructs, ending the call.
In annoyance, I release the commands of the creatures to return to their chambers, along with access to the cameras. Rowan is back to watch all screens and then barks for cameras in the control room. On me. I remove my access on their cameras, grabbing an earpiece that generates an image over my eyes, giving me access to the route Athena mentioned.
I release my pony-tail and hide the earpiece when I knew the cameras flicked back on. Typing a send code to my IP address and applying more firewalls, I ignore the zooming in of the cameras around me. I knew they were watching, because after I'd logged out of the screen, it opened on one of the fifty computer screens and there Rowan was, arms folded, surrounded by Legion who moved away from their computers, "What is she doing?" Audio was on, Credence's voice echoed.
Rowan leaned in, "Send a group of Hellhounds behind that door." He orders.
"What if she goes through the vents again?" Arya asks him.
"She shouldn't be able to know the structure of those vents." Rowan mutters.
Hale snaps her eyes to him, "Then how does she? You said she lasted the longest, she knew the vents of the school and somehow managed to get to the library, find out how." She snaps.
Rowan looks to her slowly, "This particular student just got lucky, Headmaster. Instead of giving me orders on how I run my operations, why don't you go ask Athena? She's close with this student." He hisses.
Hale narrows her eyes at him, "What are you talking about? They only met on the day the child beat you." She says slowly.
Another professor stepped up, moving behind Rowan, "We believe she helped Athena with locating Jensen." I make a note to tell Athena to check her freaking office for cameras. Right after that curfew that day, he's been acting weird since, Rowan that is. A vampire doesn't normally lose their humanistic flaws like that, and he's been losing his cool since.
"Find out what she's doing, Credence." The professor behind Rowan orders.
"Sir...she's listening in here." One guy at the controls calls out.
Hale snaps her eyes to the screens and stills. I close the screen and grab the chair, before lifting back up through the vent. I drop down where I came and use the earpiece to direct me. I heard the Hellhounds before they even trampled in, along with creatures I'd never seen before. The place was a maze, but when I got out of the corridors, I sprinted along wooden floors, into a place that looking like a Vikings feast room. With Valkyrie down below and students in cages trying to think of ways to get out. These students looked older, transfers from other schools.
I quietly move up the staircase towards another door and close it quietly, using the key card to make sure it locks. I just got on the floor of sea serpents, a maze of hanging planks that moved magically. I see students and groups high above and far lower than me, closer to the creatures that were made to scare them. I curse before stepping on the planks, trying to move fast enough to get to the next one, I was aiming for the doors when students shouted for me. I spin around to see a half man, half sea dragon on my arse.
Leaping for the next course, I grip the bars and move quickly, knowing that thing was behind me. It's growling was set to scare me, but I used the bars of the course just to throw him off. Throwing myself to the next hanging planks, the vines holding them begin twisting, snapping too. Gritting my teeth, I run up the course before the course could change and I throw my body to the landing in front of the door. The setting behind this door would be familiar. Enough to make me think I was back in Martin's castle.
Using the key card, I open it in time for the creature behind me to leap on the landing, but I close the door behind me. Locking at against the bang the guy leaves. I felt the cameras instantly following me while I stare down below, to see Genevieve, Elrond, Serenity, Taylor and the three other guys I didn't both to learn the names of, in a cage, above lava. With a dragon surrounded by gold in the centre. There were forty other cages filled with students too.
I pause when I see a rough-looking gargoyle walk up towards the landing I just moved in from. Rolling my eyes, I grab the rock walls that had small, bolted rocks jolted out, the place was a course to deal with the heat and upper body skills. I move slowly out of the gargoyle's view and started climbing down. The lava had a maze of planks in it, held up out of the lava. I glance down below and still when Serenity and Genevieve are trying to get my attention. The lot of them are shocked to see me, Taylor looks flabbergasted as I slowly lower to the closest jolted rock where I could talk to them.
"How the fuck did you even get here? We thought you were taken out by the hyenas?" Serenity asks me.
Taylor looks at me like he couldn't honestly believe what he was seeing, "How did you get through the serpent maze?" Taylor calls out, whisper-yelling.
Genevieve smiles my way, "You found the control room and played that music, didn't you?" She asks me, the others snap their eyes to her then to me when I smile and wink.
Taylor pushes forward, "What? Did you control the sea serpents too?" He asks, needing to know the answer.
"You're welcome." I tell him.
Elrond folds his arms, "Exactly how did you manage that?" He grits out.
"I'm not completely useless, that's how I managed that." I mock, before judging the distance, I jump onto their cage, it doesn't make enough sound to alert the dragon as of yet, "I've been asked to find something in here though. So, if you combat fighting geniuses ask nicely for my help, and apologise for your rudeness before, I might pick-pocket the chain and latch on your cage to gosh, I don't know, help you win these games." I shrug as Taylor glares at Elrond, who stares at me with narrowed eyes.
Genevieve grins and folds her arms, "And you idiots said she's probably lying in a medical bed right now." She smirks.
Serenity grits her teeth, "Fine, I'm sorry for derailing you. As it turns out, you are required to make this work." She grumbles, I give her a dry look while all the guys tighten their lips.
"Fucking apologise assholes so she can get us all out!" The team beside us snap at the group under me, clearly they were listening, watching me with newfound respect because I was the only thing that would stop them from failing this last exercise, considering I felt layers upon layers of the ceiling above, masses amount of controls, wiring to set the place up and then the fields and forests of freedom.
"We're sorry. Fine. We're sorry." Taylor grits out. Elrond mutters it as well and so the rest of them. Cautiously, I climb down.
"Taylor, hold my waist while I pick at the lock." I tell him, sweetly.
He glares at me, "Fuck you."
"FUCKING TAYLOR! DO IT." The guy from the other steam yells.
I giggle as Taylor begrudgingly moves forward, Elrond levels out the cage between the others while Taylor moves his arms through the holes, before his fingers grip me. Chuckles echo while Taylor scowls above me, I look up at him, "Tight enough so I don't fall." I point out.
His nostrils flare as he moves closer and his grip tightens, whistles and cat calls echo while Genevieve giggles at the situation. I pull out a hair pin and begin getting to work, "Why do you smell like chocolate and raspberry?" He asks me slowly, clearly watching me because that's all he had in view. His hand tightens each time I move.
"They had donuts in the control room." I murmur, focusing on the task.
Serenity snorts, "How did you even find it?"
Genevieve gapes at me, "Donuts, Damn. We missed out on that."
I smile, "Vents and hmm, you missed out on me not knowing how to work a tranquilliser gun. I may have accidentally shot one guard in the cheek and the other guard in the dick." I giggle when they widen their eyes behind Taylor, who stares at my lips. Idiot.
I pick the lock and unlock it. But it rips from my hand and locks again. I widen my eyes, "Shit, it's charmed by magic. I can probably only open them with keys." I breathe out.
Elrond grunts "Shit, those keys are with the fire pixies below. The place is surrounded, you'd never be able to get them." He grumbles, switching with the guy who was closest to our corner, the one who was staring between me and Taylor with a shit-eating grin.
I look around, "It's an obstacle course of some kind, complete it and you might be able to unlock the cages." I tell him, looking down to the course below. Taylor's hand slides under my shirt when I moved and he grunts above me. I wasn't unaccustomed to the touch, so I ignore him.
Elrond studies me, "I don't think you can do this." He says to me.
I look at him, "Yet I'm the only one free. Make up your mind, but as a leader, you'd think you would be supportive to everyone. I am not useless, Elrond, but you are no leader, especially based on your every mood against me, against Genevieve. Instead of thinking all is hopeless, why don't you tell me how you wound up in here so I don't receive the same useless fate you're currently gripping onto now." I tell him, my expression blank as I look at him.
He clenches his jaw, "We didn't get to the course, no one has been able to get onto the maze without the gargoyles, Valkyrie or pixies seeing us. I think the maze down below was used to distract, manipulate. There has to be another way to get past the dragon and push the red jewel on the rock wall, directly behind it." He nudges his head to the sleeping beast.
I grip the cage as a thumb swipes gently left and right against my skin, I look at Taylor, "What are you doing?" I ask him, raising an eyebrow.
He blinks twice, "Nothing. Nothing. What are we going to do?" He asks, looking back to Elrond, who stares at his friend with a look that says he knew what Taylor was doing.
Elrond looks to me, "Find anything besides the maze down below. We'll think from here." He tells me. I move the pin back in and climb back up. We were close enough to the other groups, so I run and jump, causing them to gasp and look from behind me. I follow the cages telling those who try to get up and talk to me, wondering how I got out when I had never even gotten trapped in the first place.
Once I make it to the first group who got here, the leader of them group stared up at me, "Who are you?" He asks me.
"Really not important, right now." I initiate, before leaping onto the rock wall only a metre from the cage and slowly climb down it, the dragon stirs, but only moves it's head on the gold. I lower down slowly onto the very edge of the gold, no pixies or anything else this close to it. I don't touch the gold and follow the directions towards the red button where I knew the USB was closest to. I still when a pack of Valkyrie shadows move in closer. Lifting up onto the rock wall, I lift up while they move around the corner with weapons that could flatten or better yet, impale me.
I glance over when I see a massive screen that shows me moving. Like a film, I had a camera following me and everyone in the cages could see what I was doing, they could watch. Stilling, I was five metres above the red button and close to the USB when a movement of coins make me slowly look over and standing there a Valkyrie has an arrow aim at me, bow bent back. I spin around and he misses, before the dragon roars above me.
"RUN!" Multiple screams echo.
I drop down and slam my hand on the bloody red button, only this fucking thing wasn't a way out, or a way to unlock the cages, this was a trigger to open the gates of disgusting looking trolls with spears. Spanish music plays and I give one camera a flat look, before I'm running from the dragon like my own arse was on fire. Dodging spears and arrows swiftly, I run across the maze and throwing my hand out, the Valkyrie a breath me are thrown back and shoved into the lava. The machines sizzling to nothing. Pixies fly above before diving down for me.
I move my hands in a circular motion before I use the lava to shield me from everything, I use the opaque sphere to lift me up and I close my eyes, using mind alone to lift bubbles of lava like a game. I teleport out of it and land in the room behind the other door while I made sure no cameras worked in this very familiar room. The small volcano, the temple and candles. All there.
I made sure the lava bubbles were still flying around like air balloons in the other room as I search the candles, the temple. Everything. The USB wasn't just by the button, but behind it. I slowly moved towards the wall under the volcano. Running my fingers over the wall, it opens and I see a USB and a note.
Pausing, I unfold the note slowly, before reading it.
To free those chained,
Work together and not in vain.
Distract those beastly things,
To bring down all Kings.
Press the gem to the song playing,
Or feel the wrath the dragon is portraying.
Well that's just bullshit. Scoffing, I pocket them both and teleport back into one of the bubbles. Only three was left while the dragon goes crazy trying to locate me. I lower my bubble down and boredom press the button to the song while the creatures are all distracted. Shouts of shock and laughter echo and I knew the camera literally zoomed in on my expression as people listen and watch what I'm doing. I continue before the sounds of the dragon, the Valkyrie, the pixies and trolls are gone and the large doors in front of me crack open as the gold vanishes and a steel flooring opens up over the lava, while I see the view of a field, raining lightly and there, guards were standing, waiting obviously. But I had removed the lava bubble around me and lowered to the ground as the cages lower down and unlock completely.
Rowan steps out of an SUV and steps out as other students step out. I step out into the rain and see Headmaster Hale steps out of a cart, umbrella moved over her by her servants. Arya and Athena step out and I hand Rowan the riddle, smiling sarcastically at him, before looking at Creed once, the Legions just stare at me, all masking their expression while I move to Athena.
Hale blinks at me, "Miss...Caesar." She says slowly.
Athena folds her arms, "I will take the student back to the school, Headmaster. Congratulations to the rest of you." Athena calls out behind me as I strut past her and towards the car Athena had clearly brought in. She steps into the driver's side of the Lamborghini and I get in the passenger side before Rowan could question what was happening.
Athena drifts from the path and harshly drives onto the main road, past the buses set to pick everyone up.
I stare out the window on my side, "I know you're mad." She says slowly.
I figured she was mad, but I must have given the impression that I was pissed because she's tense next to me. I lean back in the seat and close my eyes, needing sleep. Okay, maybe I was a little mad. An SUV moves in behind us, Athena sighs. Once she makes it to the front of Academy castle, I stepped out the moment Rowan cut the engine on his car and got out, "Hey!" He snaps behind me as I move towards the school.
Athena moves forward, "Professor Rowan, it would be wise if you don't take another step closer." She mutters behind him as I move into the castle and the guards there open the doors, I disappear inside and move straight for the staircase, past Professor League and Professor Noris who didn't recognise me for a second, before they watched me strut up the stairs. I make it to my room and close the front door to it. I got a bath ready.
I knew I was going to take the longest bath of my life.
There were already magical remedies beneath the tub and it hadn't been used at all based on the scent of it. I lock the door and turn the waterfall taps on. I look at the mirror. Grime and soot smudged over me in a few places. I stare at the mirror and clench my jaw as I snap the tap on and wash my face.
I lower down into the tub once I removed my clothes and leaned back to the edge. I closed my eyes. The moment I left the human realm, before ever getting on that bus two weeks after speaking to her once my death was officially ruled, I felt every time I'd ver had to the human realm break. Every connection I ever had to anyone, gone in the very blink of an eye that moment Athena took me to the portal, she told me what leaving means, what going to this school would mean.
Changing absolutely everything. And forgetting what I'm missing, always looking forward. It's far easier said than done. Once I finished, I changed into shorts and a crop top, pulling a simple jumper over my head once I used the hair dryer on my hair, I step out of the en-suite to see Genevieve seated in the lounge, thankfully alone.
"Hey." She says, softly.
I smile and drop down next to her on the couch, "Hey."
She tilts her head at me, "It's insane how you were able to do all that and still not show combat skills. Ones I know you must have since you are able to dodge every attack that ever comes your way. Many of the groups wanted to thank you for what you did. Even freaking Taylor asked me to see what happened, he clearly wanted to chat with you after we all made it out. I guess people were shocked when you left with Athena. She's ignored Professor Rowan since. I've never seen Rowan literally try to get her attention, even at dinner." She muses, before showing me a plate with lamb and roast. I thank her and lower it down to the table, sitting on the floor to eat.
"Is it weird that I kind of hate Professor Rowan?" I ask her.
She shakes her head, sitting next to me on the floor, "Nope, completely normal. Also brought the news, Headmaster Hale is moving the yoga class, I'm sorry, but you'll be training with us now. And based on the looks I saw between dumb Elrond and bitchy Serenity, they want you on their team." She informs me.
"Truly too bad you and I are a package deal." I tell her, almost moaning at the taste of the food.
A knock resounds on the front door.
She asks permission to open it, I nod and look at the doorway. She opens the door, revealing Rowan standing there with his arms crossed, "Can I come in?" He asks, staring over Genevieve to look at me.
I walk up to the door and stare at the vampire, "It's safe to say that this will be the last time I speak to a vile person such as yourself, Professor Rowan. If you want answers, fine—Professor Athena is actually a close friend of mine. She saved me at a time where I couldn't, and she helped me with my high school choices. My loyalty lies with her and you're breaching multiple rules according to sections eight and thirteen in the rule book of teachers and guards. Your class can teach me how to fight in combat, but you, I never want to speak to again. Good night." I state, before slamming the door in his face and locking it with a sigh of content.
Genevieve stares at me wide-eyed, "Oh my word." She gasps out, before laughing her head off.
I move back to the couch, "I seriously don't think I'll ever be able to look him in the eye again." I breathe out, lying down on the couch. We talk, she tells me everything about what she had to deal with regarding Elrond.
I look at her when she's done, "What's the deal between you two anyway? Because the sexual tension is thick, I'm telling you." I tell her, she nudges my foot with a mocking grin, but that loosens and sobers up.
She sighs in defeat, "I use to be one of them. Serenity was once a friend and that all changed the moment Elrond came bulldozing into the picture. At first it was simple bickering and bantering. Until my crush on Taylor got out, it was a really mild one. He was and has always been a determined fighter. Another earth elemental, we're both Capricorns, both probably really stubborn. He's never shown interest in anyone, always quiet and I guess his brooding nature drew me in like every other girl who couldn't know who to like more; Taylor...or Elrond. Since then, Elrond's been a dick to me and nothing has changed that. But he and I would only glare at each other last year, now—he's purposely trying to get under my skin." She murmurs.
I study her, "Do you still like Taylor?" I wonder.
She shakes her head with a giggle, "No, I don't know if I ever even did. Plus, everyone now thinks he has it bad for you because they watched a guy who never shows emotion look flushed when you asked him to hold you to pick the lock on the cage." She chuckles.
I smile softly, "Well, that won't happen anyway. I've been put off of dating and even men for a life time." I mutter, moving the plate to the bin.
She studies me, "Wait, what do you mean?" She asks me slowly.
I look to her, "Nothing, I just—haven't thought about it, more focused on staying here with the grades needed to pass. It's why I asked Professor Athena to put me in a yoga class." I shrug.
She relaxes on the couch, "Taylor is a good guy though."
I raise an eyebrow at her, "Alright, enough about me, let's hear about how you're going to make Elrond jealous."