Early in the morning, Dyon woke up feeling refreshed. He stretched lazily, enjoying the feeling of his revitalized bones cracking.
As he did everyday, he checked his communication device to read Madeleine’s messages, but, he was surprised to find 3 days worth.
‘I’ve been out for that long, huh? Guess I missed the assessment. Oh well.’
Dyon didn’t care too much, this just gave him more time to cultivate and gain an understanding of his manifestation. It had been days, yet even he didn’t know what it looked like. He had been too exhausted to manifest it after its initial reveal.
What Dyon didn’t know is that the only reason the Elvin City had no idea where the manifestation originated from, was because 2 manifestations had occurred that night. One for Dyon, and the other for Zaltarish. Aside from the school elders, no one but Jade was aware that someone in their school had recently manifested a soul. Or, more accurately, they knew that it had occurred, but, assumed most of the commotion was as a result of Zaltarish.
Dyon’s good mood wouldn’t be ruined by something like that. Until, at least, he read one of Madeleine’s messages. It was about Meiying and Chenglei. It seemed that the Bai family had gone through with the wedding.
Although Dyon didn’t have much of an impression of Meiying, he still didn’t like the idea of a girl marrying into a family she wanted no part of. And that was especially true considering the sinister nature of the Daiyu family. But, there was nothing Dyon could do. The deed was already done.
Dyon sighed, ‘it looks like I can’t save everyone…’
As Dyon was lost in his thoughts, a furious banging came to his door.
BANG BANG
Dyon smiled bitterly, ‘looks like this day won’t be so peaceful.’
Dyon opened the door to find an innocent looking Ri, as though she had never cause a noise that reverberated through the whole floor. She blushed slightly when she noticed Dyon was only wearing low sagging sweat pants, but quickly recovered in typical Ri fashion.
Leaning against the door frame, Dyon smiled, “what brings you here today, beautiful?”
Ri glared at Dyon. He had been here for enough days to know better than to say that, but he still did it. Ri lifted he hand high above her head and flicked Dyon’s forehead, “the only one who can call me beautiful is Little Lyla. Don’t think of trying, or else, hmph.”
Dyon rubbed his forehead in slight pain, but his smile only widened as he scanned Ri’s perfect body. He didn’t know what it was about her, but something seemed so out of this world. Despite her regular appearance, the depth of her eyes and the shimmer of her hair was unmatched by anything Dyon had ever seen before. Only Madeleine’s eyes were comparable, and that was only when Dyon took off her glasses.
Ri ignored Dyon’s gaze, instead looking down at the device in his hand with a raised eyebrow, “what is that?”
Dyon looked down as well, “this? It’s just a communication device from the human world.”
Ri looked up at Dyon inquisitively, “who are you communicating with?”
Dyon grinned, “jealous?”
Ri sent a palm at Dyon’s chest. But, her eyes widened in surprised as she found he didn’t fly back like he usually pretended to. She could only blush as she noticed her hand had been in place for a second too long.
Dyon’s free hand touched hers, “my fiancée did say I could marry more women, what do you say?”
Ri blushed more fiercely, but pulled her hand back looking at Dyon with an adorable anger, “you have a fiancée and you dare say these things? Disgusting,” Ri crossed her arms, glaring at Dyon in distaste.
Dyon smiled, pleasantly surprised that the demonic will he constantly leaked imperceptibly was having no effect on Ri. He liked that idea.
“So, what did you come for? You ditch me for more than a week, then come back like this? Don’t you think you owe me an apology?”
Ri harrumphed, “I don’t owe a pervert anything. Put on a shirt you exhibitionist. My father was very disappointed in you for missing the assessment, so you’ll have to make up for it today.”
Dyon scratched his head awkwardly. He did feel a bit bad about that, but it really wasn’t in his control.
But then, he thought of something, “how am I supposed to make up for it?”
Ri shrugged, her cropped armor lifting her chest up and drawing Dyon’s eyes, “he just said to show up to the upper year’s assessment.”
Dyon looked intrigued, “upper year? Will you be participating?”
Ri looked up at Dyon almost like she was looking down at him, “why would I need to participate in something so ridiculous? Assessments are for regular people, like you,” she said with a wide smile.
Dyon laughed. He knew this wouldn’t be as simple as Ri was making it out to be. Something she’d know had she seen his manifestation.
Dyon’s hand flashed as a white shirt appeared in his hand. Unknown to Ri, a formation appeared beneath both of their feet, carrying them off into the air.
Ri looked down, realizing she was no longer on the ground, and could only shake her head, ‘this guy is so over the top.’
Dyon looked down at Ri who was no beside him as they soared out one of the openings of the 2nd floor and into the large and open inner space, “Are you sure you won’t reconsider?”
Ri looked up in confusion, “reconsider what?”
“Me calling you beautiful, of course,” Dyon said with a grin.
Ri hit Dyon’s shoulder, “your words are decidedly less pure than Lyla’s. Have you even been back to visit that little girl? She misses you.”
Dyon thought back to the adorable little 5-year-old girl with the beautiful eyes and long pink hair, “I haven’t been back, but I’m constantly keeping tabs on the situation through Little Black.”
“Oh? You can establish a mental link with Little Black. He must not be an ordinary beast then,” Ri said thoughtfully.
Dyon smiled. He was aware that only the best of beasts had strong enough talent to allow mental links. Weaker creatures would die from the strain.
“She really means it when she says you’re the most beautiful girl she’s ever seen, you know. I never hear her say that about anyone else, even her favorite nanny, Ms. Everdeen.”
Ri smiled, “I know she means it. I can tell. You on the other hand, are evil.”
“Too bad you think that way, Ri,” Ri didn’t know why, but she trembled when Dyon said her name, “Because I really mean it when I say it too.”
Ri looked over at Dyon, expecting to see his normal playful grin, but, he wasn’t even looking at her. His eyes were focused ahead, a light smile playing his features.
Ri smiled, but said nothing.
**
While Ri and Dyon were slowly making their way to the now grand event, the geniuses of the major families and academies were arriving.
Uncle Acacia could only shake his head and sigh. He had told Ri ages ago to go and get the boy, but it seemed like she had late tendencies comparable to even Dyon.
Near the center of the large square structure’s inner space, a coliseum rose out of the ground. It had almost a kilometer-long radius and rose higher in the air than even the structure that surrounded it.
In a high up structure around a table, Headmaster Acacia sat with two other headmasters of comparable demeanor. Mathilde Academy was headed by a member of the Grimbold major family. A stoic man with broad shoulders and striking red hair that denoted their family. Florence Academy was headed by a member of the Nodin major family. His green hair was as dark as his eyes. His figure was similar to headmaster Acacia’s, being sharp and stifling.
Beside them, sat their grand elders – the men who had been at the castle just a few days ago. Unfortunately, due to the letters in the sky, the castle was no longer habitable. They could only wait for the words to dissipate. Since they could no longer debate the lay of the Elvin Kingdom, they decided to witness these events under Elder Cormyth’s goading.
“So, Elder Cormyth, what was your reason for intruding on our assessment ceremony,” headmaster Acacia spoke with little respect in his voice. He had spent years listening to this very same man shame his elder brother’s rule, thus, he had little patience for his antics.
A cold light flashed in Elder Cormyth’s eyes. He was a grand elder of an academy. He was among the most powerful martial artists in the kingdom and he had major sway in the moves the kingdom made. Yet, he was being looked down on by a commoner. A commoner who only had rights to lead an academy due to a brother that was nowhere to be found.
However, remembering his purpose, he once again smiled, “no need to be so anxious, headmaster Acacia, all you need to do is allow your proceedings to continue. After they’ve finished, there can be a friendly competition between our schools. After all, we all have the same goal here, no?”
Headmaster Grimbold remained silent. Although Cormyth represented his academy, it was clear that he wasn’t supporting the Grimbold family. If anything, he was directly opposing them.
Despite the tension, Elder Deryth and headmaster Nodin remained expressionless as though the worries of the kingdom had nothing to do with them.
Headmaster Acacia lightly smiled, “we’ll begin once everyone is here. I don’t think a grand elder of the Mathilde Academy has a right to dictate the start of an Acacia Academy event, no?”
Elder Cormyth’s face froze, but he didn’t respond. He instead looked down towards the collection of geniuses. Comparing them to what Acacia Academy had to offer, he chuckled to himself.
In this current generation, Acacia Academy only had 5 notable geniuses. The three beauties, Jade, Celine and Opal. In addition to the disciple of headmaster Acacia, an orphan he named Aeson Acacia. The final was a lad from one of the 21 sub-families: the Benes family. This was truly a poor showing. Especially since females rarely chose to campaign, although there were some who did. Often, their families wouldn’t allow it.
Actually, Ri Acacia was the exact exception to this. She had expressed her desire to do so from a very young age. However, she was still too young, and no one was aware of what her talents were. She never showed up to assessments and had never fought anyone of note. The only thing that might speak to her talent was her family lineage and the fact few dared to comment on her normal appearance.
However, to Elder Cormyth, this was trivial. He never had the Acacia family on his radar because they hadn’t even been good enough to be a sub-family until headmaster Acacia’s brother became king. And now that that king had disappeared, what role would the Acacia family ever play again?
**
In the coliseum seats, countless voices could be heard. Many of them were from Acacia Academy, looking down at the geniuses as well. The suspense of this event had been building for many days now. The headmaster had been appearing at assessments he usually never attended, the beauties of their school came to witness these same assessments, and now, geniuses from all over the city had come to their school. Everyone was wondering a single thing: who were they all waiting for.
The funny part was, depending on who you asked, each would have a different answer. But, only one group would be right.