Chapter 40: Night Before the Selection
A few hours have passed since the Press Conference took place at the White Day High as well as the conversation with Lucas and Vacio. As Lucas lay on his bed, he grabbed his phone for some news he wanted to read.
A bunch of onlookers is continuing to bash him online, adding the scene he created at the meeting. Some are also blaming him for the expelling of the Two Bastions.
But the cynosure of all the news articles was the scene he created while brawling with Mister Vacio. That was bad news. He didn't know what made him do that.
The ruckus continued nonstop, and the stares given to him have changed, according to what he felt at that time. If before, they look at him in contempt, now they were avoiding him as if they were intimidated. Lucas didn't really understand the people in this school as he covered himself with a blanket on his bed at his apartment.
But what he didn't expect was that he wasn't punished because of the scene he made. When he left the Conference Hall that afternoon, he thought he would be called to the Principal's Office or maybe the Headmaster Nova. He had a feeling that the stakeholders were keeping him a tight eye, and that one more reckless move from him can trigger them.
He made a big risk in answering the woman who threw him water in front of so many important people from the school. Also, he had caused humiliation for the reputation of Coach Clive. But it seems that almost nothing happened because after that meeting; they continued with their usual activities.
When he was about to leave, Ghaile told him about how the Principal remained silent after what he did to Clive. She also said that she also wondered why he wasn't called or punished. But according to her, the distant and awkward relationship between Coach Clive and Principal Lyns had been a big factor.
Principal Lyns couldn't call the shots, as it included Coach Clive. She just waited for him to call the shots for himself. That legendary Coach Clive was a big influence in this school and throughout the city. So when Coach Clive didn't react to what Lucas did to him, they could no longer make the issue bigger.
But it would be a mistake if they think that Lucas regretted what he did. Because he doesn't have anything to regret for. What he did was never for them but himself. For Blaze Harper.
That made him call Mister Vacio for a meetup and what had happened was out of his expectations. Mister Vacio once stated that Coach Clive knew everything from the past, where he was named that Blaze name. So he wanted to ask for latter himself for clarification.
But not all he wanted to go as swiftly as expected.
Hmph.
He had to release his frustrations, because if not—
This world was filled with prejudiced, scornful, selfish, and hateful creatures that seemed to not know the real world.
It's just ridiculous that for them it was a very big problem that he had to participate in the selection and had a chance of representing the school in the tournament. They have no idea what the word problem actually means. These bits of issues they called problems were just particles compared to the problems as big as rocks, faced by orphans like him on an everyday basis back then.
He thought so much and felt dizzy all of a sudden. He didn't know that he fell asleep that late afternoon, earlier than what he had planned.
It was almost midnight when Lucas felt some electric tingles and vibrations running through his body. Here he was, lying on his bed. It felt strange and he didn't know what happened.
It felt that time had passed so much; he wondered how long did he sleep. It was just the electric tingles that woke him up.
He thought, if someone would walk inside his room, they'll think he was sleeping. But Lucas will see them. He fell asleep yet awaken at the same time. His breaths started to feel heavy as if someone was choking him or pushing him down to his chest.
He started to feel scared.
Although his eyelids look shut, they were fluttering slightly. They were the only parts of his body that he can move. He cannot move his fingers, and his throat runs dry. What was happening? He was fully conscious but he cannot shout: his body was completely frozen.
Why?
He tried to squint. He saw a blurry face of a man that looked like staring directly at him. Sooner and sooner, he started to familiarize himself with that face but it was still unclear. Who was that man?
His focus was lost when he felt like he was being dragged out of bed! His body felt all numb, another electric tingles ran through his body. He winced in pain but all he vocalized were soft moaning sounds. Too soft that he didn't even hear himself.
What was this? What was happening to him that he started to feel even scared from all of his past experiences?
A sudden vibration made him hum in surprise, followed by a pressure on his chest that almost choked him. He hissed and heard static noises inside his head. He closed his eyes again and saw that face. He has brown hair surrounded by a pitch-black background.
Who was he?
He cannot move his fingers and any part of his body to cover his ears. Those zapping and buzzing noises almost turned him deaf, making him panic in fear. What was really happening?
He has to escape this! If it was a nightmare, then why does he hear the sounds of the ceiling fan and the rustle of the leaves outside the apartment?
He felt tears flowing down his eyes as he felt the cushion feel of his bed as he laid on it. He started to pant heavily.
It became hot since this happened, and he started to bathe in his sweat. He seeks air, but the pressure on his chest was severe that it hindered him from breathing normally. Even his fire didn't work; he cannot unleash any fire from his palms!
This was a scary experience! Was it someone's doing? What was all of this?
He tried to move his index finger but still has no result. He closed and opened his eyes in rapid succession, with each close he can see the strange face he previously saw.
It was his luck when he got out of that scary nightmare! He quickly sat as a reflexive response of being able to escape that hellish feeling. He panted heavily as he stared out of nowhere. All he can hear was his heavy breathes.
He sat on his bed and feel the dark surrounding. His forehead was watered with sweat, and his bare body was dripping. The static and zapping noises ceased. He started to calm himself as he stopped panting.
Silence. He can't hear any noises now.
Yet, a sinister rustle outside the apartment made him jump out of fear; he suddenly heard the sounds of the ceiling fan from above and the static noise of the opened TV.
Something's not right, he thought.
His throat was still dried up as he snatched the remote control out of the small closet next to his bed to close the TV. He wiped the sweat on his forehead with his left arm. He knew that something was not right. It was the same feeling when something bad will happen— not to him but to the people around him.
He got up on his bed. Crap! What was this?
He almost tripped when he stepped on the floor of his room. He felt his knees have weakened after what had happened.
He recalled the face he saw while experiencing that nightmare. He stood and put a cardigan on before barging out of his room as if he was not in himself. He dashed rapidly with a thought; who among the people sleeping in here and where?
Who was that blurry face?
Before, he immediately know that it was Moon who he was warned off by his mind because he was the only person that is important to him that could be in danger. But now— it could be anyone from this apartment. There lived most of the selected participants.
Crap! Just who?
"Who would be the one?" He sounded a bit hoarse.
He cleared his throat and continued walking around the tiny hallway. It was smaller and narrower compared with the school's hallways. He tightened his cardigan and acted alarmingly.
"Just give me a sign on who that person…"
Lucas didn't know where he was going but he knew he needed to go somewhere. Was it Ghaile? Winter? No. They were not that close from here.
There should be no way it was Doll because she was at the school with his father.
Suddenly, he stopped walking in the hallway when out of nowhere, Victor entered his mind. He almost cursed when he realized to whom this warning is for: to his foster father.
Damn it, Victor!
"Are you near? Did you come back to see me?"
His voice started to shake. His foster father that left him when he was a child; did he come back to see him once again? What was all of this?
Lucas ran in the hallway hurriedly. He did not care if the borders will wake up. The image is clear— Victor should be somewhere outside, maybe near the grassland behind the apartment.
What was he doing there? Was it really Victor he saw in his dreams? He has no idea. But he knew that something bad will happen to Victor! He has to save him, or at least see him again!
He had waited for this time to see his face again. He was the only person whom he can trust and was the only one he trusted.
As he walked, light after light lit up every time Lucas passed every room, and after he passed, it immediately switched off. He arrived at the back of the apartment and what immediately greeted him was the dark surroundings and the cold air. He tightened the piece of cloth that he was wearing while looking around and noticed where he was.
The cliff.
The cliff where he and his cousin always reside when they have a problem that each of them doesn't want to reveal after they have lived here. It was covered with tall grasses and rocky other surfaces.
Lucas hurriedly rushes to find anyone.
Was it Victor? Or maybe Moon?
"Victor! Moon! Where are you?"
The surroundings were dark. The winds have gone aggressive. But as the cloud that hid the light of the full moon was being blown by the wind, the area gradually lightened. His goosebumps intensified.
He looked all over the massive grassland that wasn't even trimmed for the whole two months. He ran through the almost three-foot tall grasses.
"Moon!"
Lucas finally spotted Moon, sitting at the edge of the cliff. He seemed to be stargazing.
He looked up as well. And to be honest, the stars that were scattered all over the night sky were indeed beautiful. But what was the warning from before?
Lucas saw Moon slowly standing back on his feet, standing at the actual edge of the cliff. He saw him jokingly stand on one foot, aiming for his other foot midair, not on the cliff's surface. He hurriedly ran in his direction.
"MOON—!"
Lucas panicked and ran through the place where Moon stood —but this time, he went late.
He didn't notice that Moon himself was the one who hurriedly went into him as they both ran to each other.
"Lucas, what are you doing?"
Lucas felt the little rasping texture of Moon's voice. It felt like he cried and was acting to talk as normally as possible.
"No, Moon. What are you doing here?"
Moon looked unaware. He was staring at Lucas and cannot answer.
"Moon!" Lucas exclaimed as he held his cousin's arms.
Moon looked at him alarmingly. "You know what?" he laughed. A pity little laugh.
Lucas felt it —his sadness. He wasn't laughing, he was crying!
"Why does she has to be that Headmaster's daughter?" Moon continued. "Why?"
Lucas bowed his head. After all, he wasn't the only one who is experiencing problems. Moon has his own, too.
"I cannot talk to her anymore. Why?"
Lucas tried to reply, but he can't. His throat dried up —he shouldn't, also.
Moon sat at the rocky part of the cliff. There has no grass at all, looking like a mountainous surface.
"Moon, let's sleep," Lucas replied. "The Overall Skill Selection will start any time now. It's past midnight. Don't forget to sleep, we have to win that selection."
Moon left a laugh of hopelessness. "How can I win the game, if I can't win a girl?"
This time, Moon faced Lucas with that sentence. Lucas smelled the alcohol behind Moon's breath. He was drunk!
"I will never be enough. For anyone and anything."
"You were drunk! Let's get back to the dorm." Lucas insisted. "It was cold here outside. I don't want to catch a cold!"
As Lucas grabbed Moon's arms again, he was still investigating the surroundings. He can still feel the danger.
"Let's go, Moon!"
The two ran off to check the dormitory. Once inside, they are wondering why the dormitory looks incompletely fine!
All the borders, as they came, were currently awakening because of them. Some complained about them being clumsy, that they awakened because of them.
The two just shared mutual stares. They headed back to their room in response.
"What happened, Lucas?" Moon asked. "What is that danger you are talking about?"
Lucas shook his head. "It looked like something bad will happen, but I don't know if it was you. As I think of it, it won't be any of the borders here."
What did Lucas say about Moon? But… was it Moon who he had a bad feeling that something bad will happen to?
"Never mind. Let's just sleep. The Overall Skill Selection sure was hard."
Moon laid down on his bed. "Goodnight, Lucas!" Moon greeted with his eyes closed.
"Goodnight, too!"
Just as Lucas lay on his bed, an object in the room caught his attention. He watched the two suits neatly attached to a corner of the room.
One is a reddish-brown suit like a maroon, and the other is dark red. Why those suits were there? He remembers the one who almost gave those suits.
Vacio.
After Lucas left the coffee shop that afternoon when he meet up with Vacio, he headed straight to his classroom and practice his skills. He was no longer planning to go back to that coffee shop to pick any of those suits Vacio will give him.
He was surprised that those suits went inside his room by themselves. Who would leave those suits to him?
Suddenly, Lucas was surprised when he remembered what happened after he went here. After he met Vacio and went home, he heard a knock on his door.
He opened it instantly, and he was stunned to see that a box was delivered in the doorway. He stared blankly at the box and in its front side, it contained a sticky note that was familiar to him. Lucas still remembered what that note said.
"This," he remembered what he said in a refined, deep voice, "use this at the selection."
Mister Vacio does not look like a saint that time, because Lucas can hear from the tone of his voice that there was discipline in his eyes. He was not that intimidating and scary principal from before, but more coerced.
However, he looked like concerned, unintentionally— the image in Lucas' mind when he try to remember that scenario. But to Lucas, that present should not exist anymore in the first place.
"SUITS FOR LUCAS."
He mused.
He picked the box and place them beside the wall after that. A few seconds had passed before Lucas closed the door again. He didn't use the training suit because he know that using the suit was futile. But he was not able to return it to him.
Lucas heaved a sigh and removed his gaze from the training suit. He laid down on the bed and watched the ceiling. It's just awkward that one of the most demanding and scary men in this place he know looked like they are far from what everyone was expecting. For Lucas, he seemed that anyone and everything can change.
At the cliff.
At the cliff where Moon and Lucas previously reside, a mysterious woman appeared to be sitting. She has curly white hair up to her waist.
She faced back, and a visible headband on her head that was in sky blue color was seen. Her eyes were a bit of a slash. She kept her smirk on her white face.
"Those who violate the creed of the White must be returned to naught…" the girl uttered in a grim, pitchy voice. "Things like fires belong to Blaze Harper…"
The girl laughed out loud, slightly pestering Lucas who was almost sleeping and suddenly vanished without a trace.
The Ender. That girl is The Ender.
—end of Volume 1—