Prince Shiloh. Emma kept tasting the name on her lips for reasons best known to her as Gira led her into the academy where lessons were specifically taught.
When she heard the clashing of swords, she knew that they were close. She willfully left the funny thoughts of her mind and focused on her surroundings, on the gargoyles that she so much hated at one time in her life. Now, she found them to be an interesting work of act.
The walls and the hallways bore a similar resemblance to the other walls of the academy where she had already been through. But she noticed that the classes were empty, the classes that she had passed. They were empty except for books and bags on the tables and walls.
She saw the lockers behind, and noted that they operated similar combination as the ones she was used to. The only difference was the location. She preferred this method; it would stop the crowding in the hallways. Maybe that was the reason why it had been made this way.
“Where’s everyone?” She asked when they passed the sixth class without students or teacher.
“Outside. There’s a mini contest going on, more like a physical education class, to test the skills of the students. But the scores are important of course. That’s where we are heading to now.”
Emma nodded, and splayed her hands as if to prevent them from getting clammy with sweat; sweat that might be borne out of nervousness. The feeling never got old; the feeling of being a new student being introduced to a class. But this was worse. She was being introduced to classes.
‘I don’t think it’s much of a big deal. Just keep your signature aloof countenance. It had managed to piss of the elders, and it will help you maintain your stand here; in a sea of over competitive students. I can smell their lust for power, their pride, all the way here. Probably why the academy had inputed moral classes as part of the training.”
Yeah, there’s also that. It was different for the supernaturals because they were born that way, except for a few like her who the gods had granted special gifts for certain occasions. But for humans with great gifts, different from other humans? That was a new level of pride, and she walking into more than a room-full of them.
When Gira took a second bend in the hallway, Emma knew before she did the same that they walking into an open air event; her nostrils already captured the scent of the pine trees and a clean air peculiar to the outside. She wondered how the people would take her upfront.
But then she didn’t care. She had a purpose here. And she would do that, and get out. There was war looming where she had come from, that might affect the entire world if she lost sight of the tiny goal handed over to her. The goal was tiny compared to the damning consequences if she failed her mission.
“Here we are…” Gira muttered, before stepping into the open air.
When Emma followed suit, she discovered that she had walked into a space shaped like a stadium. It was much smaller, but it was the same. She also discovered that she had walked right into the middle where two students were already fighting, two females who looked so much alike.
Twins? Who would put twins against themselves? Before she could deliberate on the situation, two figures approached her and Gira; two tall imposing males.
When they gave Emma a side look, that comprised of perusing her from head to toe, Emma only piqued an eyebrow, maintaining the state of her hands in her trouser pockets. She believed it would make the best impression. She also noticed that the stadium was silent. She was the center of attention. The new student.
“Gira, hello.. I see you brought a new student.” One of the men spoke. He had distant gray eyes.
Gira nodded. “Emma Makonel. The Prince…”
“Yes, the Prince has briefed us about who she is. The daughter of Sheila. I would never have believed that the daredevil would mother a daughter. She was too…”
The other male with black eyes threw in his support. “Too unsettled. Too harsh, to an extent. Wasn’t feminine like the other women. Always pushing us males to a fight with her. She …”
“Gira, are these the snubs that Prince Shiloh asked me to be introduced to?” Emma asked with a faux smile, a glance at a shocked Gira, before turning to face the males squarely.
The males were giving her their full attention now. They both had smirks on their faces. And from the gasps that escaped from the mouths of the watching students, she knew that their hearing was better too than than the ungifted humans.
“I see you took after your mother in a great measure…” The male with gray eyes spoke.
Emma shrugged her shoulders. “That’s quite expected. But I’m not sure what to expect from your fathers? Do they behave like whiny women when jealousy rears its ugly head? If that so, I would rather choose to come from my mother’s loins. You should have chosen differently.”
Her smile widened when the males clenched their fists in anger. They should think twice if they had thought they were going to bully her because she was new, or because they were jealous that she had crazy powers.
From the looks on the faces of everyone in the stadium, they all knew what she was; they all knew everything she had spoken at the hall probably. And she knew that the briefing had happened at night when she had been asleep. She wouldn’t have put it pass the elders to have recorded her words, so she wouldn’t make a second introduction.
“Well, smart mouth, let’s see whether your mouth is the only thing you got from your mother. Gira, you can excuse us now. We can take care of her, just as the Prince commanded.”
Gira hesitated, for the first time in front of a command.
No, the lady didn’t like the males. Emma concluded. Well, it seemed every community had their shares of stupid egotistical people.
“Gira, I will be okay. Tell the Prince the same too.” Emma said, stepping away from the lady; she couldn’t help but wonder now on the reason why the latter wasn’t training with them.
Gira didn’t look much older than herself, or had the latter attained the fullest height there was? Emma didn’t think so. The way the males were speaking to her, even now, it was possible she was only a mere human.
Emma’s nostrils flared when she saw Gira being pushed by the male with gray eyes when her guardian showed hesitation again. The push was mild, but quite informative. Emma hated the two males instantly. When they returned their attention to her, she was on a high alert.
“So, we will have to know the strength of your powers, before we place you in a class, no matter what the Prince says about your future. He needs you to be strong. Our job is to make you strong. So, pick anyone from here, and do battle with them.” The one with gray eyes spoke, gesturing with his hand to the group of students that surrounded her.
“Your performance levels would determine if you would be placed in class zero…”
“I can pick anyone to battle with?” Emma asked, interrupting him.
He didn’t look pleased with it, but he nodded his head. “You can pick anyone girl.”
Emma nodded, before smirking.
‘Oh girl, you are really doing this? Well, go for it. You might be able to beat them, never mind their years of training. They are just talking teapots with no brains.’
“What are your names?” She asked, shocking the two males who exchanged glances.
“And why would that be of any concern to you?”
“Because I always like to know the names of those I am battling with.” She answered, unmoved when another round of gasps filtered into her ears, as the students started talking crazily by the second.
“She is crazy. Who does she think she is?”
“Well, the Prince had mentioned that she is the chosen one, according to the Heybalik prophecy. That should mean something right?”
“I think so. Annabel wouldn’t have risked her hide in bringing her here if it was not so.”
“But still her guts are next to none. Watch that smirk. Watch her check out the competitors.”
“Professor Quinn and Brooks are in for the story of their lives.”
“You think she would win? That’s crazy, Adah. They have years of experience, whilst she is still an amateur.”
“Don’t count her out yet. She might surprise us. You heard the Prince’s account, on what she had faced before coming here. Sometimes being in battle is better than years of training without battle. The first might be the real deal.”