BXBX NOVEL Chapter 72: ACT 1
"The Academy for the Privileged Only" groups were popping up like noxious mushrooms. Entitled students and power-hungry nobles were rising, advocating for a return to the good old days when "those who serve" knew their place.
My gaze drifted to the profile picture of Azrael, the newly chosen Human Blessed. With his kind eyes and gentle demeanor. But that\'s where things got messy. Would he, the symbol of human hope, stand with the elite who coddled him, or would he champion the underprivileged, the very people he was supposed to represent, the very place he came from?
The underdogs wouldn\'t tolerate hypocrisy. They wouldn\'t stand for some rich kid, no matter how blessed, trying to play the "I understand your struggle" card. One whiff of condescension, and they\'d turn on him.
And that was just the human side of the equation. This prejudice wasn\'t confined to one race. Every blessed would have to navigate this minefield, choose a side, and deal with the consequences.
A dark chuckle escaped my lips. Interesting? This was beyond interesting. It was a social tinderbox, and next week, the ball will be rolled. I braced myself, a grim anticipation settling over me.
************
The bell heralded the start of the week, and Monday morning found Aqua pacing impatiently before her classroom. As the students filed in, her eyes scanned the room, landing with a scoff on a particular figure.
"Neveah," she drawled, a sarcastic edge lacing her voice, "so you decided to grace us with your presence."
The vampire student remained impassive, offering no response.
Aqua\'s irritation grew. "I hope you\'re prepared for your punishment for this… unexcused absence," she continued, her words dripping with spite.
Neveah merely nodded, a gesture that seemed to further infuriate the teacher. Before she could unleash another verbal jab, Axl, chimed in, gaining courage from who knows where to face Neveah again.
"Look at this bastard, hey! The teacher asked you a question! Answer it, you imbecile!" His remark sparked a wave of laughter from his classmates especially the Dragons.
Aqua slammed a fist on her desk, silencing the snickering. "Silence!" she bellowed, her gaze still fixed on the unmoving Neveah. "Student Lara," she addressed another student, "did Neveah happen to assist you with the group assignment?"
Lara nodded.
"Okay," Aqua mumbled, dissatisfaction coloring her tone.
The rest of the class went on, the topic of Circles failing to capture Aqua\'s full attention. Every few minutes, she\'d steal a glare at Neveah, who continued to sit stoically through it all.
The bell marking the end of the lesson finally rang. "We\'ll meet again next week," Aqua announced to the dispersing students, "since you have your Monster Hunt experience this week. And Neveah," she added, a malevolent glint in her eyes, "remain behind."
As the last student shuffled out, the classroom door fell shut with a finality. Aqua vanished from her position at the front of the class, reappearing right beside him. "What\'s your excuse for your absence?" she hissed, barely containing a mix of irritation and hunger.
"Personal matters that needed my attention," Neveah replied, his voice devoid of emotion.
"Personal? Did I hear that right?" Aqua\'s voice rose a notch. "You know the academy dictates that its interests take precedence over anything personal. So tell me, why did you dare defy that rule?"
Suddenly, the air in the room crackled with energy as Aqua unleashed her aura, the full force of an 8-star mage pressing down on Neveah. He, however, remained unfazed, (well he was getting annoyed), meeting her gaze.
"If I had stayed without dealing with these matters," he explained calmly, "I wouldn\'t have been at my best during lessons."
Aqua\'s eyes narrowed. "Is that so…" she muttered. "Good… good. I think I\'ve decided on your punishment." She retracted her aura, the oppressive atmosphere dissipating.
"Understood," Neveah responded, making a move to leave. However, a hand clamped roughly onto his shoulder.
"Did I say you were excused?" Aqua growled, tightening her grip to the point where bone creaked under the pressure. Still, Neveah remained unperturbed.
"Is there anything else?" he asked evenly.
Just as Aqua was about to unleash another scathing retort, the classroom door swung open, revealing Eliana, the academy\'s headmistress. "Sorry to interrupt," she apologized, a hint of amusement dancing in her eyes, "but I need him. You two can finish this… later."
Aqua bristled, about to protest. "But Miss Eliana, this student was absent without—"
"Honestly, I don\'t care if he was absent or not," Eliana cut her off with a sigh. "But you shouldn\'t either. He\'s proven himself capable. Unless he missed something vital, just ignore it."
Soon Eliana and Neveah left leaving Aqua stunned, she snapped and said,"Those two, THEY DARE!!\'
***************
A low murmur rippled through the crowd of 65,000 students as Eliana led Neveah into the vast field. Before them lay a colossal teleportation circle, shimmering with an otherworldly hum. The sheer number of students, packed shoulder-to-shoulder, was overwhelming, their faces a mix of nervous excitement and apprehension.
Here, amidst the throng, 300 instructors stood out, their powerful auras adding to the already tense atmosphere.
Eliana\'s voice, amplified by magic, cut through the chatter. "This week," she declared, "you will face the Monster Experience and Survival Test. As the name suggests, your sole objective is to survive. This is no simulation – this is the real deal. The risk of death is very real. We might not be able to save you – we\'ll try, but it\'s not guaranteed.
In simpler terms, your lives are in your own hands." A grim smile played on her lips. "However, we are restricting the area. You\'ll be facing five and six-star threats in the outer regions of the Siegfried Forest. So, choose wisely – be foolish and… die."
A wave of unease swept through the students. They weren\'t naive. They knew while the danger was real, Eliana\'s "we might not be able to save you" was a blatant lie. Every teacher here was a formidable force, easily above seven stars. Saving them wouldn\'t be a problem, it was a matter of… choice. A chilling realization dawned on them – the teachers wouldn\'t.
Neveah, his brow furrowed in confusion, stood out amidst the growing panic. "Siegfried?" he thought, a wave of unease washing over him. "What\'s going on? That\'s in the Dragon Continent. We were not supposed to go there."
The students, sensing his unease, wasted no time in exploiting it. A student pointed at Neveah. "Look at the vampire, even he\'s scared! See that frown?" His voice, amplified by shock, quickly spread the news. The blessed students cast curious glances at Neveah, their emotions veiled. Axl, however, didn\'t bother hiding his amusement.
"Tsk, tsk, how pathetic," he sneered, his laughter echoing through the gathering.
Ignoring the taunts, Neveah remained stoic. He knew better than to react. Eliana, seemingly oblivious to the growing tension, raised her hand, silencing the crowd. "If there\'s nothing else," she said, a hint of impatience in her voice, "let\'s proceed. The moment you get teleported, you\'ll be in the Siegfried Forest.
Your sole task – survive for six days." With a final cue, a blinding light engulfed the teleportation circle.
*****************
In the dim half-light of a hidden chamber, cloaked figures huddled around a crackling fire. The air hung heavy with unspoken tension, punctuated by the occasional rustle of fabric or the clink of a concealed weapon.
One figure, shrouded in a deeper shadow than the others, spoke in a voice raspy with disuse. "Is the thing prepared?"
A figure positioned near the fire shuffled forward, their face obscured by the hood. "Yes," they confirmed, voice barely a whisper. "The students will have a most… unpleasant surprise waiting for them in Siegfried."
A murmur of grim satisfaction rippled through the group. But another cloaked figure, their voice tinged with concern, interjected. "This is a risky move. The instructors, especially Eliana… they won\'t sit idly by when chaos erupts."
The first figure leaned forward, a predatory glint in their unseen eyes. "We\'ve anticipated that. A distraction has been arranged."
A wave of impressed murmurs washed over the room. "But how? Changing the location at the last minute… that\'s a bold move. How did you convince them to send the students to Siegfried?"
The figure at the front chuckled, a dry, humorless sound. "I have my ways," they replied cryptically. "Let\'s just say the academy has a certain… vulnerability that I was able to exploit."
"Excellent," the leader finally spoke,"Then let\'s get this plan in motion.
***************
The flickering lamplight danced grotesquely across the man\'s face, etching worry lines deeper into his already weathered features. His gaze was fixed on the small figure curled up on the bed – his daughter.
A raspy voice echoed from the shadows, unseen and yet omnipresent. "You know your assignment, Marcus. Dispose of that woman else that child of yours dies."
The man flinched, his grip tightening on the threadbare blanket covering Luna. He knew the voice, who it belonged to.
"She\'s... she\'s innocent," Marcus stammered, his voice thick with despair. "She has nothing to do with this."
A harsh laugh pierced the silence. "Innocence is a luxury we can\'t afford in this line of work, Marcus. You agreed to the terms. Now, fulfill your end of the bargain, or else..."