(Leo/Damon)’s POV“First, you come to my office making demands about that frilly student and now, she comes.” I found the principal’s voice, even though level-headed to be annoying.“He’s her student.” I replied, hands in my pockets, standing beside his desk where he stared up at me.“I know her majesty has a fantasy with being the hero of every story—” My jaw ticked, “—but that’s not your thing. You’re an antagonist in every story and you’ve never bothered to be otherwise. You couldn’t—not even if you tried.”I turned my eyes to stare at him, “What causes you to be certain of your statement?”“Unlike her, our very protagonist, you are a man shrouded by your own pain that you chose selfishness, instead of selflessness; a choice she made even while stricken by familiar guilt. Your guilt drove you to oblivion, hers drove her to the sky, where the gods sleep.”My eyes focused on the door in which she had just been in and his words found a way just like an empty parasite to traverse throu
Ariana’s POVSomehow for some odd reason, I felt as though Damon been waiting for my entrance, as though he knew I’d be coming.But I couldn’t place my hands on exactly what I’d seen as it had moved away from my line of sight. I walked up to the desk, where he sat, watching me with tentative lens.“Why did you leave?” I asked.Usually, I’d push aside his several strange practices but the state I was in wouldn’t let me.“I had something to do.” He replied simply.I wanted to ask him what it was that made him leave my side especially after he was well aware about Bach but this wasn’t the time, I needed help, quickly.“Bach is missing,” I began.“I’m aware.”My teeth gritted together, “I went to his dorm and his roommate told me that Bach had been summoned by the principal in the morning, and hadn’t been seen since. I just met Principal Remus and he said he didn’t ask to see him so now, as you know he’s missing and I don’t know what to do or how to find him.”“There’s nothing you can do.
Ariana’s POV“Damon, what is wrong with you? Why does it seem like I’m speaking to a clone of yourself?”If I wasn’t mistaken there’d been the evident surprise in his eyes. But as soon as it came it was gone.“Am I not the one you want?”“Don’t be mistaken, you’re the one I want but I wouldn’t live under an illusion to satisfy myself. I crave the man you are at heart.”“You can be quite selfish, princess. What more of myself do you want to have all to yourself?”I pulled him down using his collar, ensuring that our eyes met, “I’ll take everything you are if you let me. So be warned, merchant.”He seemed a little shell shocked and remained vulnerable in our proximity, his ears red. I knew he was hiding things from me and I selfishly wanted to know everything, it didn’t matter.Then, softly, he smiled, his finger grazing my cheek.“I’ll take heed to your warning.” Now, he had taken advantage of our proximity, skillfully shifting the vulnerability to me, “Join me tomorrow.”My brow raise
Ariana’s POVI thought we had already been disqualified from the competition only to find out surprisingly that we could still participate.I thought it was weird, since there was supposed to be elimination but nothing happened.We were a total of ten couples and twenty contestants. When the game ended, he announced it was time for the next challenge and said that each contestant should move to a separate space prepared just for us.Other contestants did as followed while I stood until Damon held my hand, pulling us forward. I was hesitant and slightly tense but did nothing, surprised when we were allowed to pass.“Attention all contestants! I now welcome you all to the next game, which will be combative. It will test your coherence and your true understanding of your partner. The men will be the one who will be engaging in combat (blindfolded) while the women will be giving the directions. The last couple standing is the winner of this round. Now, everyone, get into position.”As I a
Ariana’s POV“Alright, contestants! We’re now at the final challenge. The winner of this game will be the winner of the entire challenge so make sure to do your best!”We were led to the lake side, where a ladder, made of emerald stood on a small hill.The announcer spoke again. “The male participants will carry their female partners in a bridal hold, standing on a soft ladder made of emerald. The couple who lasts the longest without falling into the water will be awarded the grand prize and winner of this tournament!”To be honest, I was wowed by how simple it looked. Even the academy students surrounding had a face filled with pleasant surprise. This was actually going to be easy.Pumped, I turned to Damon, “This is so easy. Come on,” I extended my hands out, “I’ll carry you.”He stared at me, with an amused expression before sweeping me off my feet, stepping on the ladder.“The knight is meant to carry the princess, not the other way around.”I smiled, “When did you become my knigh
Ariana’s POVAfter the first scream, more screaming followed quickly and soon students, horrified, began panicking, running about, causing dysfunction.They pushed against each other, struggling to make sense of what they’d just witnessed, their adrenaline kicking in, initiating a flight response.I stood, watching, my brain instantly thinking of how to solve this mess when my eyes caught the host, hand on his microphone, struggling to get people to listen to him. He stood at the edge of a cliff when a student accidentally pushed against his shoulder, causing him to lose his balance.Instantly, I rushed to him, grabbing his hands just in time and pulling him forward, ensuring that he was farther away from the edge.He stared at me, dumbstruck and I thought it was odd until I realized my wig had fallen off and my disguise had been revealed. But that wasn’t the important thing. I had to stop this from turning into a frightening stampede.Seeing as he was still in possession of his micro
(Leo/Damon)’s POVAs long as I managed to ensure that Ariana wasn’t the one captured I had no other concern. Still—this was nonsense.I knew Klaus liked to feed on reckless abandon but I never expected him to behave this… foolish and it enraged me but I decided not to act because I’d realized just through the air how much power he’d managed to accumulate.I realized we were still in the water but he had used his real form as a shield, hiding our presence from plain view.“Leo.” I ticked.He was behind me, lips barely away from my ears.“I see your trip to the Northern Lands was successful.”“Very.” He appeared in front of me. “While I consumed I couldn’t help but think of you and even in my narcissist, greedy, state I believed if you saw me you’d writhe in envy. And I enjoyed that thought.”“Of course you would.” I placed my hands in my pockets, “Why did you then kidnap me?”He shrugged, “I… missed you?”I couldn’t help it, I laughed, shaking my head, “Your first joke that’s actually
Ariana’s POVImmediately I left Emerald Lake, I found myself in front of Bach’s dorm. I knocked, waiting impatiently.The door opened, revealing his roommate who stared at me, forehead wrinkled with worry.“Is Bach home?”“Uh, yeah, I’ll call him. Is everything okay? You look… tired.”I managed to give a small smile, “Yeah, I am. Today’s just been a… busy day.”“Ah, alright. Do try to get some rest.”I gave a grateful smile, “I will, thank you.”He closed the door gently, a moment passing before the door opened again, revealing Bach.“Hey,” Bach studied me carefully and I could tell he was trying to read my mind, which didn’t bother me, “Oh God.”Tears suddenly filled my eyes, “Hey.”***“How did it happen?” Now we are at the local bar we usually frequented together with Sigil.“It just… did.” I replied Bach.I didn’t have an answer as to how it happen because from my lens, it just did. It was as though someone had woken me up violently from a dream.“Even I can’t understand how it ha
NERO’s POV“Nero! Patience!” My grandfather would always yell at me as a child and as I progressed in age, my reaction to that sentence greatly differed.I believe as you must’ve already guessed; for the worst.To be fair, at first, I did deserve it, considering I was a menace in the body of a small child.As the young and only grandson to the leader of the dwarf clan, I wasn’t the innocent, conveniently shy child that people would envision, considering my grandfather was sweet—at least the part they knew and I was accustomed to at the time.I was a mischief, or prankster, whichever you’d prefer to call it.I played pranks on children, and I derived joy in that, seeing their faces contorted in an expression they didn’t like nor could control. I enjoyed bending them in a cage of my own doing.My grandfather, terribly sweet—and loving—never minded my mischief.Thinking back now, his dream must’ve sucked whatever energy he had to reprimand an overly energetic five-year-old.It had alread
Ariana’s POV“What happened to you while I was away? There’s so much tiredness in your eyes,” He lifted my chin gently, meeting my eyes, “I can see your exhaustion, even though you try to hide it.”Guilt came over me and I found myself evading his eyes.Did he get to ask the questions?His palm cupped my cheek gently, pulling me in his arms, his tall frame crouched gently over me. “I worry I’ve failed, I worry I’ve failed you.”My lips pressed together, and tears gathered in my eyes. “I am… tired, a little bit.” My voice croaked and he held me tighter, “I’m here now, you can rest easy.”If not for his arms that held me I was this close to buckling and my body would have surrendered to my exhaustion.It was always so easy for me to surrender to his warmth. Yet somehow, that made me feel extremely pathetic but I stayed regardless.“Something is wrong,” He suddenly spoke.“What?” I pushed away from him.“We need to go in there.” He pointed towards the forge shed where Nero was currently
Ariana’s POVA punch came right at my abdomen, on the same spot I was hit.This time, it hurt a lot worse because the force used was nearly three times faster… and stronger.Instantly I coughed out blood, my eyes going hazy for a moment.Maybe I shouldn’t have just run in front of the door leaving me with no appropriate defense or offense but it was my responsibility to protect Nero.Another punch came flying across my cheek, heavy damage falling on my bleeding gums.If I continued like this without an appropriate defense I was as good as dead.I didn’t expect this degree of power or strength from one opponent, especially one that aimed to kill me as gruesomely as possible.I struck out my fists for a punch when Milo held it, surprising me.Painfully, he bent and twisted my wrists, nearly breaking them when I yelled out.Were these one of his abilities? Predicting attacks.If he was just this good then I was in a serious problem.“I knew you were weak I just didn’t expect,” He stared
Ariana’s POVThe shadows wasted no time in attacking us.The unhinged offense of their attacks made me know that they intended to leave here with our lives under their belt like an accomplishment from work.Judging from the looks of two of the faces it was easy to decipher that they were students.It had already gotten this bad?I quickly ducked, avoiding someone’s feet from connecting with my skull. Judging by the projected force, it would’ve actually hurt.“This is bad.” I said, moving backwards to a safe distance.“What are we going to do?” Bach asked, using his telekinesis.I froze.Yes, that was it. Telekinesis.“Bach, if you can hear me, say my name.”“Ariana.” He responded. I exhaled in relief, “So what’s the plan?”“You’re going to read their thoughts the same way you read mine. You need to be able to tell us their next form of attack before they act on it.”I stared at the only remaining shadow that didn’t come forward to attack. He simply stood there, hands crossed with his
Ariana’s POVFootsteps approached me. “How long have you been sitting there?”I sat under the shade of a tree. Looking up, I stared at Sigil who was accompanied by Bach. “Give or take; five hours.”His forehead creased in worry, “You’ve been waiting that long? It’s hot in the afternoon and we have no idea when he will be done. You could’ve gone home, you look like you need some rest.”I turned my head to the small building where the intense yet consistent sound of metal being beat into resurrection was heard. I squinted my eyes, trying to control the deep heaviness inside them.“He hasn’t come out ever since he laid his hands on that plan. I have no idea what kind of person he is but I don’t think I could leave here knowing how much pain is being put into making that sword.”“That was his decision to make, not yours. Whatever remorse you might feel is not yours to take. You need to remember that you are the one who wields the sword in the end.”I turned to face Sigil, “Do you know he
Damon’s POVFootsteps from behind approached me and instilled.“I thought you’d have left the school by now.”I turned to face the owner of the voice.Klaus.“Then I’d just be doing you a favor I have no interest in granting.” I spat in response.Klaus stepped closer, “I see you’ve figured it out already.”I placed both hands in my pockets, “It was hard not to. The shadows increasing, the lack of interest in how many souls I could acquire for you. You’ve turned this academy into your little breeding nest.”“Calling it a nest would mean something motherly— a thing that needed to be protected. Their souls hold none of such sentiments, at least to the dark shadow’s appetite. Now that I can easily heighten their demise without needing to deal with a lonely elemental werewolf,”—My jaw hardened—“I don’t intend for that luxury to end anytime soon.”“So you came here to kill me? I wouldn’t call that a sound plan, at least on your ends.”“No, I have no sadistic interest in your life. You will
Ariana’s POVI became alert.It was the only right thing to do as I caught a whiff of that ominous smell.Every picture of what could possibly go wrong came to mind and my anxiety returned. Was this a trap?Had Sigil unknowingly led us to a trap?“Who are you?” Sigil questioned and for the briefest second I blinked back in shock.How did he not know the identity of the person whom he’d led us to?“And who are you?” The short boy replied back, and I could only hiss.“I can only answer that if you are Nero, the sword smith.” Sigil shot back, and the look on the boy’s face suddenly changed.A sense of familiarity struck him and he said in a low voice - “Then you’ve come to the right place.”I raised a brow. Sigil did to.“I am Nero.” He said again, and relief followed by a shocking sense of wonder coursed through me.Nero was very short.He was a dwarf—a really buff one.“We have come to the right place, Ariana.” Sigil whispered slightly, moving forward and I followed him. He added almos
Ariana’s POVI stood in front of Fenrir’s door.He’d been discharged that same morning and was now staying at his quarters.I’d spent approximately four hours searching through shops for the materials Darko told me about only to end up here.If there was someone that could help me with finding ‘things’ he was my… only answer.I sucked in a deep breath.Extending my hand, I exhaled through my mouth, molded my hands into fists and knocked.There was no response.I was about to knock again when the door opened, revealing Fenrir.He didn’t look bad physically as he was still recovering from his injuries, but he didn’t look good either.I opened my mouth to speak but he beat me to it.“You want something from me?” He asked and I froze. “Don’t you?” He asked again“I do.”He said nothing.“There’s no one else that can help me with this but you.”“Yet you called me greedy with disdain on your face.”I bit my lip, looking down at my feet and feeling extremely self-conscious.“I guess it is ea
Ariana’s POVImmediately Damon disappeared from my line of sight, I went searching for Darko after.After retracing his peculiar steps, I found myself back at the library. And at the same table where he sat before.He was there, and his focus were immensely consumed by the book in front of him.To the normal eye, it would seem nice—motivational, but to me, I found the way his eye pierced the book as if to consume it whole off-putting.He had successfully created an image of a harmless butterfly, someone unaware of pain and how to inflict it.He looked like the perfect student and not like the scary creature he really was.As though he’d heard all my thoughts, he stopped reading and looked up.Our gazes met.I stilled.His eyes were completely blank, dark, scary, boring deep.I swallowed hard and took a step close.When I got close enough, I took a seat opposite him and sat down.“I’ve returned.” I began.“And no one except for the both of us seated here are aware of this, I believe?”