-
"What secret?" 101 tilted his head.
"Well, I was going to say something else, but." she pointed her finger towards his eyes. "your eyes… they're golden now."
"What?"
.
.
Next day.
Seated on the throne was an older-looking man wearing a black robe with red stripes. On his face, he had a long red mustache and long eyebrows. Here, he was referred as the Liege Lord of the 3rd. Meteo Borin.
Attending to him were Eight Governors. 4 stood head tall on the right side across the throne, while four stood on the left, with each of them standing at a 10 feet distance from the other. All the Governors wore masquerade masks covering their faces, while the five men who stood behind every Governor had their faces veiled by a thin black cloth.
"15 days remain, yet why were we all summoned this soon?" Robert Borin, one of the Governors, asked.
The gate opened with a crank and entered a Ryutch. A human-like being with an oval face, one mouth, and 20 black eyes but lacking any hair, nose, or ears. It wore a violet cloak covering its body from the neck below.
"My liege," the Ryutch bowed and greeted the Lord.
"Even the overseer has been summoned. How interesting." One of the Governer's whispered.
"Robert." the Liege called. "You were in charge of the 21st and 22nd batches. Let us hear your report."
"Eh." he scratched his cheek. "Well, I did give them the Manuals and a heck of a speech…after that, well, who knows…."
Robert felt the Liege's sharp gaze and the disdain from other Governors.
"Oh, come on." he shrugged off his shoulder. "I divided the responsibilities and allowed them to handle themselves. I have no interest in empty canvases. There's nothing attractive about it. The struggle, the rush, the craving to find answers, the urge to grow, stand out, and lead. Those experiences are what fill their canvas, and make them beautiful." The smile on his face only grew wider. "Once they have experienced enough of those, I will be there to witness their wonderful colors."
"Weirdo.." One of the governors commented. His one eye was scarred and damaged, while the other had a beautiful shade of Gold. Therefore, people knew him as "the one-eyed Priest Seth."
"Enough." The Liege commanded. "We shall continue to discuss your lack of supervision in private." His eyes then fell toward the Ryutch. "Now then, what happened for you to request a council this early."
The Ryutch bowed, "I am sorry for the inconvenience, my lord, but I felt everyone needed to be informed about the events transpiring in the 21st and 22nd batches."
All listened keenly.
"For the starting part, although the time limit was 30 days, every single one of the kids has completed the test."
"All of them.."
"in just 15 days.."
Some started to whisper.
"The evaluation is traditionally presented after 30 days. But if I may, I would like to report it right now." The Ryutch requested.
"You may." The Liege leaned back and rested his face on his palm.
"The primary factor that led them to pass this early is their union. For 20 years, have I observed as the batches come and go, but never have I seen such a unified class. The reason behind that is Number 82. He shows excellent leadership skills. Only some percent of the kids pass in the other batches due to internal rivalry, bullying, and lack of concern for others. 82 managed to keep all that to a minimum. 178 also managed to keep the kids in check. However, I have yet to discern why she's followed even when she lacks the social skills or charisma of a leader." he halted his speech for a moment. "However, 82 is not the only one. 50 was the first one to awaken in their batch and he didn't awaken with the help of a Manual. He awakened mid-training."
The Lord smiled. "20 years of this cycle, and now." he smiled. "a true awakenee."
"My Lord, there is still one who stands out more than him." The Ryutch commented. "One of the kids managed to awaken the Healer's eyes."
"Hm." The Lord's smile died.
"Someone mastered the Medicinal Arts," Seth commented.
"Yes, he did." The Ryutch continued. "He showed no interest in the Dark Summoning Arts, instead focused on Martial and Medicinal Arts. This one is not to be trifled with. I had my eyes on him from the first day. When the professors taught the kids to read and write, this one already started to note his findings in a language I could not comprehend, and from the start, he allocated his time differently than the others. He would exercise, mediate and study every day with discipline."
"Interesting fellow." The one who commented was a woman with lavender eyes. Her name was Lyla.
"However, the terrifying part about him is his curiosity. He discovered early on that we mixed a stimulant in everyone's food. Later, he became in charge of the kitchen, and it did not take long for him to discover the Ostreolla leaves. Due to Robert's decision to let the kids learn on their own, he was left with knowledge and resources. Of course, as commanded, he kept adding the leaves to every meal. However, that didn't mean he didn't experiment with it. His initial plan to take hold of all the Manuals was brilliant. He tasked 71 to find something with a paralyzing effect. That added with an amped-up dosage of the stimulant and with the knowledge from the books about herbs, created something much more powerful. On the first day, he added this new drug to the potage. One dose and they were addicted without even realizing it. The next day, if the negotiations failed, he would have fed everyone, but this time, without the drug. Miss, even a single dose and everyone would be down on their knees, bleeding from inside out and suffering unbearable pain."
"Ha." Robert laughed. "Bastard poisoned them all."
"No." The Ryutch shook his head, "This was not mere poisoning. He made it so they would have to rely on him to live another day freely. This was domination."
"Such wickedness," Lyla remarked with a smile.
"I, for once, believed he had no moral compass. The negotiation succeeded. After that, he delved further into research and, with the help of 18's keen senses, discovered a cure for the drug he himself created. His drug was already more powerful than the one we fed the kids, so when they were cured, they also became free of the stimulant we fed them since birth, making our effort fruitless."
At that moment, no one in the room had any words to remark.
"His feats cannot be just brushed off as genius. It's plain abnormal and needs to be dealt with."
"Such an interesting fellow in my batch. What's his number, if I may ask?" Robert asked with an intrigued look.
"It's 101." The Ryutch replied.
At that moment, the Lord was reminded of the expressionless boy that he once saw in the class.
"So, is he why you called this summon this early?" asked the Lord.
"No. 101's actions appear concerning. However, he has yet to cause any harm. I called this meeting primarily to inform you of the massacre in the 22nd batch. After his awakening, one kid, Number 200, slaughtered the rest of the class."
-
In 101's room
He remained seated on the floor.
"A miscalculation."
His eyes were now golden. Their color changed when he had completed the final page of the Medicinal Arts.
His initial thought was to avoid the Dark Summoning Arts and master the Medicinal Art to pass. However, the more he studied the Medicinal Arts, the more he realized that it was not meant for kids to master at this level. The mutation in his eyes symbolized that he'd inevitably mastered something that wasn't meant to be mastered. No kid there could obtain the Healer's eyes. Even if they had knowledge about the Art, the lack of practical experience would get in the way.
"What would I be seen as? A genius? No. An abnormality. Something that cannot be explained."
People fear what they cannot explain.
"Should I gouge them out? No, it would just heal."
He could cover them with a cloth or a blindfold, but the more concerning thought in his mind was how the people running this place monitored the kids. The classroom was filled with professors when they were being taught to read and write, but since the Art manuals were distributed, the supervision stopped.
Two professors were present if anyone needed something, but they always rested in their chambers and barely came sightseeing.
"Do they not care how we pass?"
"What if I was running a cult?"
The process of mastering the Dark Summoning Art was entirely based upon self-discovery. 101 would no doubt supervise because he could observe everything from their potential to their thought process and tell what value a kid could bring to the organization.
"But how?"
After everything he had seen so far, he would be naïve to think that they were not observing, and if they had a way to watch without the kids noticing, then do they already know?
"Can they see through walls?"
Such a feat didn't exist in his realm, but this was not his realm, so he couldn't let go of the possibility.
Everything he has done till now could be explained to a degree, except his eyes.
"How would the ones in command react?"
Never panic. Think about every scenario. Be patient. Adapt. Do not fear. Do not doubt yourself. Accept the outcome.
This was the way of the brittle king.
Right now, he was reminded of his past. When his father died, he was left in a world where the strong dominated with no power of this own. Cornered and desperate.
Did he fear death? He did. Having just been reborn, there were too many things remaining to do. But will this fear hold him back? No.
He who could always see a clear road ahead now could only see possibilities.
To not know your future, to be ignorant, and to be desperate.
This was a feeling he'd forgotten. This was what it meant to be alive.
Stomp!
His ear flicked as he could hear footsteps.
"This soon, I see." He was prepared no matter the outcome.
Knock!
His door burst open.
"I finally see you." Robert entered. "The curious kitten under my wing."
101 had seen Robert before, but this time his golden eyes. They could see what they couldn't see before—the power gap. Violence was no option. He would be dead before he could stand if he tried to fight.
"Those eyes," Robert observed 101, who remained seated with a calm face. "They are even more magnificent than Seth's. No wonder that fox purposed we take your eyes and dispose of you."
101's eyes narrowed.
"Oh, do not fear. My father's cleverer than that to throw away a valuable piece." he smiled. "He is also not dumb enough to nurture someone he cannot control." he walked nearer to 101. "you figured the Dark Arts are a way for us to control you. You are right." he clapped. "But since you're so smart, tell me, what would happen to those who fail to learn the Dark Arts within the 30 days?"
"I have no way of knowing that." retorted 101 as he stood up.
"Ha. Right. How would you know?" their eyes met. "They get thrown in a pit, and unless they undergo Mark Awakening, their bodies get absorbed by the soil. Oh, you will soon understand."
"I see." His eyes didn't waver.
"You do not fear me." Robert towered over 101. "But you will." Drops of acidic liquid started to rain down his fingers. "You cured everyone, didn't you? Let's see you cure my poison when you're suffering in the Pit." His hand grabbed 101's face.
The drops started to penetrate 101's skin and mutate his color.
"Argh," 101 screamed.
"I do hope you survive." Robert smiled as 101 lost consciousness. "And when you're down there, think hard about what we might want. Is it loyalty? is it strength? is it wit? or something else?"