Third Person's POV
"Alright. Once I say the colors, move inside the red circle."
"Yes, sir." the class chorused.
"Red."
The color was picked by Jeffrey Lucia, a Speedster, and Ertune Merdenia, a Nature Enchant.
They are the first contenders for the activity which most of their classmates perceived as something uninteresting. Jeffrey himself sighed in disappointment since he was looking forward to fight Kadaski Nueva.
"What's with that face?" Ertune laughed cockily, "you're gonna get a permanent expression of disappointment after I beat you."
"Nothing." Jeffrey looked away, "This will be quick. No pun intended."
"You know the rules." said Professor Edric, blowing on the whistle to signal the beginning of the match.
Ertune wasted no time to grow giant Venus Flytraps around the circle, and because it was nature magic, the plants protruded through the floor leaving large cracks on it.
"Yikes..."the Speedster charges his mana onto his feet, a yellow glow enveloping the soles of his shoes, a smile forming on his lips.
"It's alright to surrender, lil Lucia." Ertune remarked while controlling the mouths of the carnivorous plants with his fingers like a puppeteer.
Ertune Merdenia wanted to exhaust Jeffrey Lucia, and taunting his classmate was just one of his petty tricks.
"You won't defeat me that easily." replied Jeffrey.
"I gave you a chance!" chuckled Ertune, his eyes sharpening, as he loses his laid-back character to focus on his opponent.
The Veniceum knew that he shouldn't underestimate the Speed Enchant. He wants to keep Lucia at a certain distant, because he had seen the boy's fighting style before.
Ertune was still processing what to do when he realized that Jeffrey was out of his sight. Sweating, he pulled the plants like a shield in all direction, or so he thought.
"Velocity Magic: Black Mamba!" Jeffrey enchanted, bolts of yellow light transferred from his foot to Ertune's unshielded shoulders, and a crack followed.
Lucia's expression was painted with boredom. He thought about how things would be more exciting if it was Kadaski Nueva, an Enchanted Elite, not Ertune.
"I won't lose to you." Ertune whispered.
Jeffrey's eyes widened when he felt something wrapping his foot.
"What? But I got a clean strike!" He gritted his teeth, but he was too slow to react, the irony was screaming.
"Uprooting!" Ertune enchanted, causing rubbles to scatter everywhere.
Jeffrey Lucia got tossed outside the ring.
"I know that it takes a lot of mana to charge a kick like that Jeffrey. You did toast my plant, nice try." smirked Ertune.
"A for Merdenia! C for Lucia! Next, Violet!"
Lizbeth Torres, a Gravity Enchant stepped forward, and from the last row, a particular Ice Enchant came to the front.
"Another Restovakian versus an Elemental fight huh?" Professor Edric motioned his students to enter the circle.
Genesis Bergius is a member of the Enchanted Elite like Kadaski Nueva and Dheeran Arcedes. He was the student that tested Virdjana's reflexes by missing his attack on purpose.
An Enchanted Elite, a 10 to 10,000 ratio of the strongest students within Arcacia Academy.
Lizbeth knew that it will not be an easy match. Puckering her lips, she took one glance to the gymnasium mirror, and checks if her hair looks great.
"Isn't she ill?" a whisper began.
"Let her be man. Enjoy her powers while she still can." joked the other.
Kadaski, and Dheeran gave a glare to their chattering classmates causing them to stop talking.
A certain black-haired Eumythymn squinted her eyes as the steady amount of aura she sees surrounding Genesis and Lizbeth starts growing.
"This isn't normal." she realized herself talking outloud, so she quieted down.
"You better win!" yelled Ertune to his gangmate.
"You noticed too?" nudged Dheeran to Virdjana.
In return, he received an icy glare.
"Of course you did." Dheeran answers his own question.
Virdjana sighed. "What exactly?"
"Exactly why are you two yammering when the action is about to start? Phantom, distance yourself from Dee, kay?" Kadaski interrupts with wide eyes.
"Students at the second row, quiet please."
A sudden temperature drop shocked everybody. Genesis had summoned a High-Tier Ice Field without saying anything. Snow also began pouring down within the circle.
"Wait, are we allowed to cast field magic?" complained Ertune while hugging himself.
Half of the S-Class students went outside the gymnasium which includes Virdjana, Ruby, Ertune, and Jeffrey.
"I wasn't sure if Genesis can fight since he was just always tailing that moss-head Merdenia. But damn, that field magic, amazing." commented Laylah, an Elemental to Ruby.
"You shouldn't say that. Lizbeth is also something else." remarked Ruby. "Hey Virdjana, who do you think would win?"
The Eumythymn was not expecting to be addressed, but after a few seconds she replied, "The most vengeful one."
Ruby and Laylah flinches towards the eerie way Virdjana had phrased her statement.
"How do you know? Obviously the Elemental will win." stated Ruby as she places both hands on her waist.
"I just know." the Wind Enchant uttered.
After a few minutes, the professor called everyone back inside.
Dheeran and Kadaski were discussing with smiles on their faces, others were wearing worried expressions.
Virdjana glances at the faces of Lizbeth and Genesis, a serious expression appeared on her face. She knew who won.
"Blue."
Ruby hopped into the circle, stretching her limbs which showcased her flexibility. Her opponent was a Mud Enchant.
"Professor, I'd rather forfeit." whimpered the Mud Enchant.
"Why Miss? That will get you an automatic C in this activity." said Professor Edric.
"We all know that I'm the weakest student here at Class S." The girl added as she starts walking back to the line.
"Are you sure about your decision?" Professor Edric asked.
"She's not sure!" Ruby shouted while pointing a finger to her classmate, "Fight brownie."
Everyone was confused. Most wondered why would Ruby want to give the Mud Enchant a chance to get an A. Some thought that Ruby was acting weird, and a few were quiet and simply wanted to wait for the results.
Ruby smiles at S-Class, feeling proud of the attention she was receiving.
"How could you be so..." the Mud Enchant was not able to finish her sentence out of disbelief, proceeding to kneel inside the circle while crying.
"I don't think it's the right time to cry." commented Virdjana, but got quiet when she faintly heard the thoughts of Ruby's opponent.
Virdjana took one step forward in order to warn the Sound Enchant when Dheeran grabbed the woman's arm along with his head shaking side to side.
The Eumythymn realized that the gym activity was not only about showcasing abilities. It was also about playing with the mind of the opponents and getting them to lower their guards.
"Don't interfere." Dheeran whispered to Virdjana's ear.
'What was I thinking?' Thought Virdjana as she allowed Dheeran to slowly pull her back in line.
"Tch." scoffed Kadaski at Dheeran.
Meanwhile, Ruby believed that she had already won the match, and decided to comfort the Mud Enchant by getting too close to her.
A grave mistake.
"Quake Mud." Ruby's opponent enchanted, as she creates a symbol on the floor, that caused Ruby to fall down and get immediately sucked downwards.
"What the?!" Ruby gasped as she tried to claw herself out, trying to drag one leg up, but failed to do so when the Mud Enchant solidified the floor.
The Mud Enchant slowly dusted her skirt, a crazy smirk plastered on her lips. She took Ruby's handkerchief from her chest pocket and used it to wipe her crocodile tears.
"An easy A." grinned the girl.
"One, two, three! And done." her cheerful voice beamed as she drags her opponent's body out of the circle.
"Great job." smiled Professor Edric.
"That was unexpected." said Jeffrey while scratching his head.
"Tricky little annoying pompous pink brat." laughed Lizbeth like a villainess.
"Sound Magic: Siren Haze." revealed Ruby.
Siren Haze is a sound spell that when heard by anyone nearby could cause visual and auditory hallucinations usually portraying the desires of the target. About ten students of S-Class managed to break out from Ruby's enchantment.
"She got us too?" mumbled Aski, admitting the fact with reluctance.
"Alright, let's move on. Yellow."
"That's Dheeran Arcedes versus Virdjana Phantom Assassin." Ruby's face beamed.
"That newbie?" mumbled Laylah.
"Laylah. We got to root for her." grinned the Sound Enchant.
"I'll pass." frowned Ruby's gangmate.
"Unfortunately, the two of you can't participate. I just received a message from the faculty office, specifically from Master Shin that both of you needs rest." Said Professor Edric after clearing his throat.
"Wait, what??" Ruby rolls her eyes and sighs.
"I kinda saw that coming." smiled Dheeran.
"Well, don't overexert yourself. You should be in the infirmary getting your wounds tended in the first place." scoffed Kadaski.
"I've been tricked." whispered Virdjana under her breath.
"We'll jump to the next match. White."
While the white match was on going, Kadaski decided to ask his bestfriend some questions.
"How was the mission? JP told me that an area called Death Tree Orchard is abundant of Blood Crystals." began the boy.
"Aski, confidential information remember?" Dheeran reminded his best friend.
Kadaski clenched his fists because he knows that part. "Alright then, but tell me, did you get rid of the curse? That Phantom was probably a huge burden to you."
Virdjana raised an eyebrow at the mention of her name, but pretended to be focusing on the match.
Dheeran chuckled and patted his best friend's shoulder. "Yeah, I did it, but I'm not alone. Virdjana played a huge part, and even got herself hurt in the process."
"Hurt my ass, you're the only one with bruises here. She seems perfectly alright." reasoned Kadaski.
"Aski..." Dheeran felt that Kadaski was ready to turn the conversation into an argument.
"Hi boys." greeted the President of S-Class.
"Zeky! Welcome back." greeted Dheeran.
"What's a busy body doing here?" asked Dheeran to Zeky Shade.
"I escaped my office to attend today's class." The girl answered proudly. "by the way, congratulations for another successful..blah blah blah. Same old."
Zeky earned a laughter from Dheeran. Kadaski appeared looking unamused as ever, but couldn't say anything for he finds the Shadow Enchant intimidating.
"I should be the one congratulating you." Dheeran responds as he gives Zeky a cheek greeting as soon as got close enough.
"Black."
Kadaski and Zeky raised their hands. The match up even surprised the professor himself. "How unfortunate for everyone."
The next thing they knew was Professor Edric transferring all his students on the second floor of the gym except for the two Enchanted Elites.
"Settle down everybody. We know the drill." He announced.
The professor walks to the railings to ask a question, " Kadaski Nueva, I believe you would use your Inadustus?"
"Of course. He wouldn't want to set this whole place on fire." Zeky stated, affirming their teacher's question for her opponent.
"Just blow the whistle, Sir." said Kadaski with a bored facial expression.
"Guess there's no stopping you both." said Edric whistling upon request.
Zeky wasted no time gathering shadows of objects, plants, and rocks under her feet. She opened her legs slightly as she twists her body to give Kadaski a spinning kick to his face.
"Shadow Mouth!"
A black goo protruded from her heels, then quickly morphs into what seemed to be a mouth, a bird's beak.
"Tch." Kadaski prepared to block, but didn't move from his position.
"Shadow Mouth: Exclodia!"
From within the throat of the large raven came out black tentacles with sharp edges that attempted to stab Kadaski.
"So flashy, Pres." grinned the Fire Enchant.
"Fire Creation: Gargantua Fuego!" Kadaski enchanted.
A large fire slime emerged from the ground which absorbed the blade-like tentacles' damage. Not a few seconds later, it began climbing up from the tentacles to the tongue of the raven while inflicting burns.
"What the fuck?" cursed Ruby. "These showoffs."
Virdjana gave the Sound Enchant a secret glance, because she actually thought of the same comment about how Zeky and Kadaski started their match.
"Miss Xercedes, head to detention!" A snap of a finger of the professor and Ruby was immediately transported in front of Miss Sedusa.
"Shit." was Ruby's last words before disappearing from the gym.
Back in the gym, Zeky tried pulling away the tentacles but the grip of the Fuego Slime was stronger than she thought. She was left with no choice but to dismember some tentacles of Shadow Mouth.
"Do better Pres." provoked Kadaski.
The S-Class President placed her feet down, and returns to a neutral stance.
"Fire Creation: Salamander!" Kadaski's second summoned Fire Beast ran to Zeky, its size twice the Fuego Slime. It's feet left fire marks on the floor as it charges towards the target.
"Push her out!" ordered the Fire Enchant.
Virdjana looked at Dheeran to check if that kind of combat attitude was normal of Kadaski, but the cheering of her classmates and some unruly ones blocked the view.
"I didn't even try to force Lizbeth out like that. He has no manners." commented Genesis.
"Go Aski!" cheered Jeffrey, his eyes sparkling, after all he sees Kadaski as a model student when it comes to combats.
"He's so stupid." sighed a disappointed Lizbeth Torres.
Dheeran went closer to the railings to give a better view of the fight. "Come on. Aski..."
When the salamander was about two feet away from Zeky, it stopped and used it tail to whip the girl outside of the circle.
Zeky jumped upwards, maneuvering her body in mid-air as she summons a sword made of solidified shadow and dives towards Kadaski.
"Fireflies shouldn't get too near to flames." Kadaski said seriously.
He flicked a finger and the Fuego Slime quickly slid in front of Zeky, gobbling the Shadow Enchant alive.
"Sh*t, he's taking this too far Professor!" panicked one student.
Professor Edric remained calm. "Fourth years, they are the pride of the academy. Do not look down on Enchanted Elites."
Rumbling occured, and the jelly-like structure of Fuego Slime scattered into pieces of cubes before melting into spires of fire.
Cheers erupted. "President! Wooo!"
Zeky was covered in red slimes tissues with some parts of her uniform receiving burnt holes. She stabbed the sword on the floor, brushing her hair backwards, then she fold her eyeglasses and throws it towards her classmates.
Virdjana caught the spectacles with the help of secret usage of air to slow it down.
Zeky smiled at her direction.
"Virdjana?" small murmurs began, but their attention quickly returned to the match with Zeky's power up.
"You love the attention huh?" commented Kadaski to his opponent, raising his defense by ordering the Salamander summon to return by his side.
"Don't you?" retorted the Shadow Enchant as she splatters like goo on the ground, dashing towards the Fire Enchant, too fast for the boy to shield himself.
Zeky sent Kadaski flying out of the red circle with a right jab to his face.
"The winner for this round is Zeky Shade." announced Professor Edric.
The S-Class slowly walked down to the ground floor for all matches had concluded.
"Why are you distracted?" Zeky asked the Fire Enchant skeptically as she helps him stand up.
Kadaski simply gritted his teeth, but accepts the President's hand.
As soon as everyone were back in line, the professor reiterated the scores of those who got As and Cs. They were told to either take snack breaks or directly go to their next classes.
Each student have their own cliques formed the moment the teacher left the gym.
"I should go to the Infirmary with Virdjana. I don't want to worry you more." Dheeran stated.
"That's what would worry me more." frowned Kadaski.
"Aski, Dheeran, I'm heading to the cafeteria. Want anything?" asked Jeffrey.
"I'm good." smiled Dheeran.
"Not in the mood Jeffrey." responded Kadaski.
Jeffrey shrugged, and left with his classmates.
"Hey boys, did anyone of you got my eyeglasses? I can't really see anyone with it." Zeky remarks while facing the wrong direction.
"Pfft–" Kadaski was about to laugh but Dheeran covered his best friend's mouth.
Dheeran gently grabbed Zeky's arm to guide her. "Let's ask around Pres."
"Zeky Shade?" Virdjana asked, "don't throw it anywhere if you're not sure you'll get it back."
Kadaski lost all sense of amusement in his body the moment he heard White Cat's voice.
"Thank you Miss Assassin. I believe this is the first time we spoke?" Zeky asked right after wearing her eyeglasses back.
"If that's what you believe." Virdjana responded leaving no room for Zeky to reply due to surprise.
The three Enchanted Elites watched the transferee walk out of the building.
"Rude as always." grumbled Kadaski Nueva.
"I'd say misunderstood." commented Dheeran Arcedes.
"Ha. That girl shut me down." chuckled Zeky Shade.