• 12 - RISE THROUGH THE RANKS •
Is it always have to be greed?
| Nisha's POV |
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Abby cursed turning towards the balcony where Ms. Jones are with a glare on her eyes. I turn my gaze to where Ms. Jones are and from here, I can feel how her aura darken and got offended.
"Is she out of her mind?" Westley asked, eyes wide and lips ajar just like Naomi. I sigh slightly as I look back at Abby who still have the same glare, clearly not unfazed to the fact that Ms. Jones' dark aura is slowly freezing the whole arena. What a brave of her to cursed to the principal which is the principal of this academy where she is studying and the fact that Ms. Jones is daughter of the queen of the gods and goddesses.
"Not shocking anymore." South snorted, her brow raise while looking at Abby in visible disgust. "She don't have anyone to fear. She is the one who made fear isn't she?"
"Do you have any questions?" I heard Ms. Jones asked calmly than ever but the way it sounded cold and warningly didn't left my ears. Abby, on the other hand, rolls her eyes and just walk away from the platform while we watched her.
"What a killjoy. Tch." Westley pouted crossing her arms. The atmosphere around change after that. Well, who wouldn't be surprised to see a student talking back to a principal, right? Abby... she really just show how desperate she is to be in Class Hydra and I know how she didn't stop herself earlier. I felt how she is so done to be in the same level so she just let herself outburst.
"Okay, students. Let's get over. Now let's have Scythe of dorm 664!!" Ms. Jones called out and her dark aura quickly fade as if no one questioned and cursed at her minutes ago. Although, a boy wearing a black hoodie entered the platform. He have his head down as if he doesn't want anyone to see his face. The fact that he have his hood over his head with his both hands in the pocket of his hoodie makes him like he really prevent someone on seeing him even a slight skin.
"Who is he?" I asked unconsciously while my eyes are glued to the guy who is being locked to the glass. As far as I remember, he is not in the ceremony before.
"The one and only, son of death, Scythe. Top 1 in Class Virgo." I heard South answered. Scythe.. I squinted my eyes to clearly see him and I also centered all my senses on him and all I felt is nothing. He is completely blank like a newly fresh canvas. Not even a single scratch or paint.
Son of death.. Thanatos, god of death.
"Actually, he is supposedly in Class Hydra by now but he refused, saying that he is waiting for someone that we don't have any idea who." now I heard Westley's voice. My brows met. If he is supposed to be in Hydra Class by now then he must be so powerful. Oh right, I remember that Thanatos, the god of death, might be just a minor god but he have an important role in every realms and said to be very powerful. But what makes it strange is that... why he refused and stay here in Virgo Class? Is the one he's waiting for that important?
The sound of the robotic voice interrupt my train of thoughts as my gaze quickly locked to Scythe.
"The foolish man wastes me,
The average man spends me,
And wise man invests me,
Yet all men succumb to me.
What am I?"
"Time."
Shivers runs down my spine when he answers. His voice.. is such cold. More colder than ice. There's no emotion visible on his voice, it's just plain icy voice that I haven't heard before.. don't I? I tried to feel his emotions again by reading his heartbeat and I can't feel more than nothing.. really. "He is so mysterious." Westley mumbled beside me as I felt her hold on my hand tighten. I glances at Westley and she have a frown on her face.
"Do you had some encounter with him?" I asked softly while I rub small circles on her hand in concern. She then nod her head.
"He is pretty scary than I thought."
I look back at Scythe. I agree with Westley. He is indeed.. so mysterious.
The glass disappears as a loud growl from the other side of the platform gain our attention. "Manticore or Androphagos." South uttered while our eyes locked to the creature stomping it's way to Scythe. It have the body of a red lion and a human head with three rows of sharp teeth. It's pretty unusual to see for me but as time goes by, I slowly got used to many hybrid creatures I see.
Scythe stood still on his place, not moving an inch while the manticore stop walking just meters away from him. He raise his head but to my shock, he is wearing a black mask that I didn't notice awhile ago and the fact that the hood of his clothing prevents us to see even a glint of his eyes. Suddenly, the shadows around the platform made it's way towards Scythe like a snake crawling it's way to it's prey and surrounded Scythe as I felt how the atmosphere around goes low and I know this is just the introduction of his real abilities.
The manticore growls once again as it launch itself to attack, can't wait anymore to devour its prey beneath its eyes. The manticore jump high in the air with its sharp claws ready to shear a skin, saliva dripping down it's open mouth in hunger but before it can even touch the son of death, a blade pierced through the manticore's chest as it let out a loud cry in pain. Without a word, Scythe pushed the manticore on its back with a single hand holding his weapon, which is a huge scythe, still pierced to the creature's chest. Scythe pulled out his weapon in one go as the creature grunted and cried. The shadows surrounding Scythe, crawls towards the helpless body of the manticore and once it touches it, the manticore's body started to turns into ashes.
"What a quick but intense battle! Congratulations, Scythe! Class Hydra, Gold! I hope you won't refuse this time!" Ms. Jones announced as every students applause. He is going to be in Class Hydra but he is going to be one if he won't refuse again. I wonder if he would accept it this time.
"What do we expect to the son of death? He is indeed powerful." I heard South commented and I can't help but to agree. I turn my gaze to Scythe again and shivers run down my spine. He is looking straight towards me. Straight through my soul to be exact. It didn't last long as he tear his gaze away and walk out from the platform while my eyes follows him in confusion. I know what emotions suddenly runs through me like a slap in the face. The familiarization.. the longing.. why I suddenly felt all that in split seconds?
The voice of Ms. Jones pulled me away from my thoughts as I quickly goes back to reality. "Now let's have South and Westley of dorm 665! Children of Aeolus! Top 3 and 9 last year." I look at South and Westley with my eyes slight widen. Did I heard it right? They're one of the top before? Wahh. It's not like, I don't believe it. Actually it's amazing. It's just they didn't told us anything about it and I'm shock.
"Ah hehe. We're going now!" Westley put her arms around South and about to go when I called them.
"Good luck! Do your best!" Naomi showed a fist with a smile on her face.
"Bonne chance." I smiled at them. Westley tilt her head to the side, maybe confused to what I said but before she can even ask, South already drag her down the platform.
Naomi nudged me making me look at her. "It's french right? Bonne something?" I chuckles before nodding at her. I actually don't know where I got that 'bonne chance'. For pete's sake I didn't studied french before and I just spoke it out without any other thought. Though whatever. I just put aside that thought and watched South and Westley's battle. Like usual, a glass locked them up as a monitor appeared in front of them.
"I am gifted to you only when I am unwanted. I have the power to kill kings or the lowliest paupers. My strength is unquestioned and I move far and wide, yet my power can falter from potions imbibed. What am I?"
I automatically raise a brow. I already heard that kind of riddle before. Actually, Dad used to pull some random riddle questions to me when I'm still young and I eventually answer it correctly. Let's say, I grew up in random riddles and quotes from my Dad. "Sickness or disease.." I mumbled under my breathe and as if South and Westley heard me, they said the same thing as the glass disappeared. My gaze travels to the other side of the platform and saw a creature with a head of a hawk and a body of a lion. I squinted my eyes on the creature and realize that I already saw this creature before in books. Hieracosphinx. It is one of the examples of sphinx in myth.
Westley and South, exchange looks as they both nodded to each other. Westley started running to the east side of the arena while summoning her weapon by her necklaces while South started a big torando near the sphinx and how her eyes glowed to ashly grey didn't escape my eyes. By this tactics of theirs, the sphinx let out a growl as it get distracted by the strong circle of winds. After that, South summoned her weapon and run to the opposite side of the arena. The sphinx let out a cry when the siblings started to fire their guns towards the creature once the tornado fades. Westley run near the creature while South keep shooting from afar. A sound of a metal clicking erupted from the sound of continueous firing of gun. In the last step, Westley jump high, now holding a dagger in hand and push it on the creature's forehead.
Westley jump away from the creature and land safely with South giving her a high five. I smile. It really looks like they practiced much for this ranking battle and they are so amazing.
"Congratulations!! Class Virgo!! Silver!!"
"Woah~ they really into it." I chuckles when I heard Naomi. The siblings arrived in our seats with a huge grins on their faces.
"Congrats~~" Naomi said with a thumbs up. I nod my head. "It's amazing battle."
"Now, let's have one of our transferees. Naomi of dorm 665!"
As Ms. Jones called out. Naomi stood up and of course me with the siblings gave her some encouragement as she nod and make her way to the platform. She is nervous. It's already visible on her face but I can still feel the courage in her as if she had a goal in the first place though.. all of us have their own goals, right? The glass appeared and lock her and the same robotic sound speak up.
"This fire is smothered best not by water or sand but by words."
This riddle.. this riddle is what I think the easiest by now. I stare at Naomi when silence engulf her for awhile before she answers which I found kind of odd cause I notice how she turned her hands to fist. "Desire." The glass disappeared as our attention goes to the creature, Naomi's going to kill.
"Calydonian Boar. It was sent by goddess Artemis to destroy the region of Calydon, which was in the central-west part of Greece in Olympian Age." as South told us that, a sound of a whip echoes in the arena. I whirls my head back to Naomi and I saw her already holding her whip. There's already a visible bruise on the boar's side as it let out a huff. The boar launch itself to Naomi with a flaring gaze while Naomi on the other hand, twirls her whip in the air a couple of times before she cast it towards the angered boar. The whip stretch its length and tangled itself to the boar's throat causing for the creature to cut off guard. Naomi pulled the whip down and the boar's body meet the floor with a loud thud and a grunt escaping its mouth. Naomi's eyes glows in gold in a split second as she pulled the whip, tightening its grip on the boar's neck, stifling its airway until it can't breath anymore. She heave a sigh and pulled away her whip from the creatures neck and make it disappear.
"Woah, I didn't know she's that strong." Westley said and I heard South hum beside her. She's right. Naomi is strong enough to suffocate that huge boar with just her whip and she's still not using her abilities that time.
"Wow, congratulations! You will be now a new students of Class Hydra!! Gold!!"
My eyes instantly widen when I heard that Naomi's going to be in Class Hydra.. like.. WOW. I look at South and Westley and they also have the same reaction as me.. actually, it's not just us but every students, even the professors and Mr. William are also shock from Ms. Jones declaration. "Oh. My. Semideus... NAOMI'S GOING TO BE IN CLASS HYDRA!!!!" Westley exclaims as she held both my shoulders and shakes the shit out of me.
"S-s-Stop!!" I pushed Westley's hands away in dizziness like the world literally spin around when she shook me. She quickly said sorry with a peace sign. I put a finger on my temple, massaging it softly as I gaze at Naomi that is still in the platform, looking stunned. The students around started clapping but the buzz of whispers are still loud enough and honestly some of them are questions about Ms. Jones qualification to be in Class Hydra. Naomi, on the other hand, shows a sheepish smile before walking back to us but she is still in the platform when a familiar voice erupted in full anger not that far from us causing for all the noise quieted.
Abby...
"How can she be in Class Hydra?! She didn't even used any of her powers!" Abby shouted with a glare fixed to Ms. Jones with her hands turns into fists, her eyes glowing dark pink. Ms. Jones stares at Abby before she calmly stood up from her seat and cross her arms over her chest.
"Do you have any questions from my own qualifications and observations, Ms. Abby?" she asked and from here where I sit, I can feel the coldness and threat on her voice. I also felt how Westley hold my hand in fear.
I stares at Abby. She have a flaring glare on Ms. Jones but her emotions inside is telling me the opposite. She is already threatened and the fear inside her is slowly eating her though she keep shrugging it off. "Yes!! I should be the one in Class Hydra and not that weakling. Every students can tell that I'm powerful than that daughter of vengeance!"
"You already the one who said, she is the daughter of vengeance. The one who can't let go of any insult and she can give you a curse whenever she want. So better watch your mouth, kid. Also, don't question my own judgement and if you excuse, we still have a ranking battle to continue." Ms. Jones ended sitting down to her chair while Abby let out a shout in frustration before storming her way out of the arena.
"Abby.. she's so greedy. I wonder why Ms. Jones still let that bitch study here." South commented shaking her head while Naomi finally reach us and sit down beside me.
"By the way, congrats Naomi!! You are in Class Hydra!! How annoying Abby ruined your moment to shine!" Westley said and we laugh not until Ms. Jones calls out the next.
"Now, let's have our last transferee Nisha of dorm 665!"
Oh.. it's me already. I stood as the three of my friends wish me good luck and I flash them a small smile and go down to the platform.
| Third Person's POV |
"Why Abby is so desperate? As if we got special treatment in here anyway. They just always send us in missions ever since." Kendra rolled her eyes with her arms cross over her chest.
"It's because of the high position and popularity we got in this academy. She's just greedy of everyone acknowledging her as powerful." Luana said leaning her back on her seat while her eyes are fixed to Nisha who is walking towards the platform.
"Anyway, let's forgot Abby already. Ms. Jones already put her on her place so for now, we'll be having a new member! Aren't you excited?" Juliane asked with a big grin on her lips in excitement.
"Let's just hope, she is not that of a distraction or greedy like Abby." Cole commented.
"Could you stop, Cole oppa? I already said forgot about Abby besides I don't think Naomi is that bad. She looks preety actually."
"Stop it, Juliane and just watch Nisha. She is that girl you keep talking about before, right?" Cliff told her while gently tilting Juliane's face towards the front. Juliane pouted her lips slightly and just obey Cliff. At the platform where Nisha stood up with the same same glass locking her.
Let's see what a daughter of dreams can do..
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