QUINTET
All of the students woke up early and did their morning routines much earlier than what they are used too. The cold water that they bathed with helped in waking their tired consciousness.
Despite already taking a bath some of them are confused as to why they are up this early, everyone asked one another but no one seems to have a clear answer nor and idea.
They all wore their uniforms and they headed to the courtyard where they are being ask to assemble. Some of the students still are sleepy and can barely stand up without waking himself up. The students murmur among themselves as to why they are waiting in the courtyard. Merlin and Themis climbs on to the stage and asked the students if they can hear her, to which they replied with a 'YES'.
"I know this is too early for you, but we all know what happened yesterday, and more of those will happen but not here maybe in different parts of the world, our 7th years has been outnumbered by the amount of the lower-demons that we went up against yesterday"
"What happened yesterday, Harry?"
"You don't know, Logan?"
"I have no idea neither"
Themis then explained that their training will be doubled and 3 whole weeks will be spent on just training and the remaining week will be focused on other subjects that they are studying.
"We will also be using a format that once tested all your abilities when you were admitting here, the 4th and 5th trials"
The students are in shock upon hearing what she said, but they kept it to themselves. Themis then explained that the top 10 students from each dorm will be going up against the other 10 students from the other dorms, and in order to choose the top 10 there will be some elimination from within. Since there are 60 students per dorm, except for the New-Ones who only has 58, there will be 12 groups, the top 2 classes that will be the results of the trials will be the representatives. The trials this time are not just all about fighting, there are several factors that they will be taking in consideration to be the top 10. A factor to choosing the top 10 is coming from the teachers as well, the students will form their own groups, and the teachers well ensure that there is no power imbalance.
"Okay, well Logan you will be up there"
"No one eve- they're staring at you"
"Oh Harry"
"They were definitely staring at you Logan"
"Now, go back to your dorms and come to a consensus, 5 people in each group, the groups should not be based on your relationships, your friends, lover. That will not matter, you need to get out there and go with new people that will allow you to grow even more, there should be at least one invoker, sorcerer and a warrior on each team"
Everyone headed back to their dorms and in their living rooms, they all are in a standstill. All of their thoughts can be heard as the girls and the boys are still in a bit of a problem, not only do they have 58 members but both genders are still in conflict from the incident yesterday.
They have to come to a consensus and for into groups before the week ends, they have the whole week to do so before their training starts in next week. There are also more girls than boys, there are over 30 girls and 28 boys, some of them used to be teammates until the 'Peeping' accusations, distrust and discord rule their dorm.
"This is stupid" Hans said, annoyed at everyone's pride. He just vented out his frustration through sighs and tappings.
"Right?"
"Back to our rooms?" Hans asked, the 2 agreed and got up.
"Where are you guys going?"
"Sorry Eric, but you guys need to solve this, its just absurd at this point... Its not really something to be worried about"
"Oh, and you guys?"
"Well, to be honest most of us boys are warriors, we only have 5 Invokers, and 4 Sorcerers, all in all we can only create 4 teams" Hans explained.
"Isn't that enough?"
"No, weren't you listening?"
"Sort off, we were all sleepy here"
"We need the whole dorm to be as one, cooperation, teamwork, trust and faith are the first thing they are obviously testing, they are probably watching or hearing us now"
"True"
The room is filled with silence as some friendships might have been ended, and prolonging the issue will result in them being strangers. 'ALL RIGHT!' Eric shouted, his voiced even reached to the girls' common room. Eric decided to investigate the problem so that their relationships with the girls will be fixed. Some of the boys were hesitant, others did not care, and some were disagreeing. They ended up formed their own teams, with people that they know.
"That will not be good" Logan pointed out as all of the teams are being formed, not just their side but on the girls as well.
"Right, that is a problem for tomorrow yes?"
"Sure"
Hans, Harry, and Logan headed back to their rooms and when they were about to hit the hay, Eric told them that they have classes but he was just joking. The 3 glared at him as he slowly closed the door and runs back down to their common room.
The 3 slept soundly and the other boy's at the common room discussed how they will rebuild their relationship to the girls; at least those who wanted to. They spent hours and came up with nothing as they passed out asleep on where they are sitting, everyone did. Something creeps into the boys and seems to be checking their pockets, and sneaking something in it, Eric rolled over and sees some of the girl's things.
"GET HIM!" Logan's loud voice signaled all the boys up, the girls also woke up and they can hear the boys' screams of panic. They put on their night coats and rushed down to where the boys are and they see a giant spider, the mischievous creature named Anansi, a black giant spider.
The girls witness the boys scream trying to stop the creature. Their screams startled the Spider and it panics, everything is in disarray. Their seniors hear their "manly screams" and helped them, they see the laughable sight of the boys trying to corner the beast.
"HOLD IT DOWN!"
The spider tries to defend itself by using its web, blocking all of their attacks, some of the big bodied students grab the legs of the spider and they easily pin it down. The spider allowed itself to be captured and everyone starts to wrap around him.
"We got him?" The spider starts to grow weaker and the boys starts to cheer. The leg's of the spider sprung right up and it thrashes around, the dorm starts to crumble down on them.
"Uh Oh"
"We bett-"
The spider sees someone and it immediately runs to the opposite direction. A massive web came from behind and easily captures it, the spider starts to turn small and seems to have turned into a little boy, the 1st years approached him and they see the reason why they are in so much division.
"A pervert?"
"No, just a mischievous kid" Said Kiosk, a second year. He has a gray hair and black piercings around the lobe of his left ear. He cuts the web open and pulls the boy out, "You stink" Kiosk said. Merlin appears behind them and is applauding them.
"This must be the kid who has been plaguing both years?"
"Yes sir"
"Well, let me fix the dorm for you"
"Thank you"
"Well, little boy you seem to be in the wrong parts of this town"
"Pervert"
"He's so cute too, poor bastard" Kiosk said.
'So you're letting him off the hook?!' Eric asked with a loud tone, the girls apologized for them for not even considering that what they said is the truth, nor did they actually take their time to investigate. Eric approached the 3 boys as they are the ones who woke all of them up.
"How did you know it was him?"
"We noticed several strings of web around the dorm lately, yesterday too when you guys we're fighting"
"Yeah, we saw strings of web right above you guys and a small boy that we never saw, we thought it was a ghost"
"He keeps disappearing once we separated, then we kinda did not want to sleep and investigated it, we looked up to the ceiling and sees a weird hairy leg and then appeared a slim ugly giant spider"
"Thank you!"
"Now EVERYONE BEFORE YOU SLEEP, form your teams"
"Right now?"
"Well we only gave you 1st years the 1 week time because you guys are still in division"
"How considerate for them Master Merlin"
"No worries, now come here boy, Lady Themis will be mad at you"
Merlin took Anansi and they headed back to Themis. The dorm finished fixing itself and the common room become whole once more, after settling in they started deciding what teams have to form, but they cannot come to a decision.
"Should we decide tomorrow?"
"Yeah, we'll show our abilities and stuff?"
"Cool, let's do it t- the sun's up"
"Right, we're taking a bath first"
Half of the boys headed to the bathing area and the other half put out their uniforms. Harry and Logan sat down with Ava.
"So uh, should we team up?"
"No!"
"No!"
"Well, agreed, I think we also need to grow as individuals, we also have learned a few things and-"
"Yeah yeah, we get it Harry, you'll miss us"
"Good luck?"
"Good luck!"
They all spent the whole day on showing their abilities to one another, some have already created several strategies for every one of their dormmates, but they are not just focusing on the battle aspect of the training, they also explored the whole areas surrounding the school in order to get much idea of what the tests will be. Some of them have theorize that it might be a race, influence, etcetera. Some things that they took in consideration that will be tested. Logan's team composed of Sofia, Remi, and 2 others that he has somewhat of a close friendship towards, the cousins Audrey and Axar. Audrey has a blonde hair hair that goes down to her waist and she wears a skirt instead of the pants, Axar has a silver hair and wears a short pants, both cousins has green eyes.
Despite having a bit connection to them Logan really never interacts with them as much, both of them are quiet and he rarely sees them interact with other dormmates but standing and walking behind them they are quiet the talkative types. Logan and his team puts on casual clothers, he expected that the apparel here and in the Overworld are the same. Axar noticed his confusion and talks to him.
"Shocked are we?"
"Yes"
"You never expected them to wear clothes such as this right? Normal"
"Yeah, we are no different than the-"
"Watch out water"
A ball of water fell down and quickly turned to snow, some workers grabbed the caught fish and butchered them.
"This town seems normal"
"Right"
The 'Morpheus' the weapon that was created for the students that morphs into the chosen weapon at their will, has been turned into small things that is not that much of a eye catcher. They turned it into watches, necklaces and other accessories which are also common on this country that they are in.
"Woah, they also have those beasts?"
"Those are called Shifters"
The shifters turns into a giant eagle and carries wood for the building that is being constructed. They look at how incredible that is, Remi's shifter has turned into a small cat that follows them around. The bird finishes the task asked and it drops down to get more wood as it turns into a bear, both shifters noticed one another and interacted with their noses.
"Cute"
They started to go back to work, they explored more of the city and managed to know a lot about it, there seems to be a festival that is about to happen. Their putting up statues of a Phoenix, obviously it symbolizes Aarav. They never got out of the school when they were admitted, now they celebrate the 3 months of summer, when the sun is the most hottest. Several people who controlled the fire, fired of a jet of flame, then women came in and bend it in order to be a phoenix.
"Wow"
"Its the months of Aarav here"
"Summer?"
"Yes"
The phoenix soared so high and it exploded like fireworks, the multi-colored lights and the sounds of popping excited the people who were witnessing it. It was just about 2 days ago when their very lives were threatened but this people show no fear, the people off the village started to dance around and also thanking the Archangel for saving them.
"Where did the-"
"Logan over HERE!"
Remi pulled Logan over to a food stall, the dishes looks like it came out of a 5-star restaurant, he took a bite of it and little did he know he already stuffed his mouth full. Everything in this land is for free, labor is a way to repay it, despite the freedom that they are given there is no people who are being degraded, they see each other as equal. Logan's group bumped with Harry's group which are composed of Hans, Halona, Eric, and a boy named Morgan, who has a orange and curly hair. They danced around and enjoyed the night, they even see Merlin breaking a few moves. Logan had to get out of the crowd as he felt a bit choked up and he is not used to being in such large crowds.
"Crazy huh?"
"Oh, Enola"
"So who is in your team?"
"Sofia, Remi, Axar, and Audrey"
"Cool, care to know ours?"
"Yeah, because I just gave mine to you and it will be fair if we are face each other"
"Ava, Karma, Faula, and Nefeli"
"Faula, as in the sister of our senior Fauna?"
"Yes"
"Both of our teams are filled with great people"
"Right, I'm hoping the other will do well"
"Yeah, we don't even care if its a competition"
"I think everyone is trying to prove something to themselves or to someone that they are strong"
"And some wants to avenge their parents"
"Most of us do, all of us has heard the screams and wales of a banshee"
"Right, here"
"What's this?"
"Its made from a local ingredient called Spring Roots?"
"Why does it taste like a soft drink to me?"
"Really? It tastes like strawberries to me"
The 2 laughed spontaneously and immediately covered their mouths, they looked at their cups and thinking that it was the ones that made them laugh. They smelled it and it tasted the same for each of them, they laughed it off once more as just them being moronic. Remi stepped out of the crowd and sat beside them.
"Hey!"
"Hey, that was fun why are you guys out here?"
"And why are you out here when you should be training" The moment was shattered by the appearance of Ruth.
"Sister"
"Hey sh-"
"Can it Logan, this is not your issue to meddle in" Remi said.
"I'm disappointed in you sister, you're hardworking but your goofing around here"
"I'm sorry"
"You should be, now go back and train"
Ruth left a sour impression on the other 2, Remi walked away and ignored the 2 as they convinced her to stay and enjoy a little bit more of the given time. They chased after he but she is already flying away to the school, Axar snuck up behind them.
"Poor Remi"
"Oh!"
"Hey, yeah poor Remi"
"Her sister is extremely strict huh?"
"Yeah, just like Kiosk"
"Kiosk is bad?" Logan asked. Axar clarified, he is a motivational kind of guy, his confidence in inspiring not condescending unlike Ruth's.
"You're related to him?"
"He is Audrey's older brother, we motivate each other in order to beat the other, I'm guessing Ruth is trying to do that, but she clearly strayed away from what 'motivation' is"
"Uh huh"
"You are actually talkative Axar"
"Oh Istas"
"Guess again"
"Enola?"
"Correct, you guys look the same"
Remi is the only one that trained herself right through the bone, she keeps on expending more Imperium than any other 1st years. Aarav watches over from the branches of the 'Tree Of Worlds' as she trained harder and harder as the hours passed by. When her firsts starts to bleed and her bodies starts to give he comes down and brings her back to her dorm room.
"You did well little one, you're doing it like how its supposed to be"
Her faint visions was just a string of 'gentle' fire washing through her body and healing her, she sees a flower on top of her head and Aarav gives her a good sleep.
"I see you are still giving dreams, Your Grace"
"Themis"
"Why the sudden Interest in humans?"
"I'm wondering as to why Mephistopheles are really amazed by Mother's creations, is it because they can emphasize, or is there something about them that is precious, or too much that even our Eldest Brother was afraid of?"
"All life is precious is it not? Your Grace"
"It is"
"....."
"Well, time for me to go, make sure she is well rested, tomorrow will be a bit hard for her"
"Yes, Your Grace"
Aarav leaves the dorm and stumbles upon a tired Logan and Enola.
"Good evening"
"Your Grace, how is.... ho.....hooooooo"
"She's fine, you children go now do what ever you want"
"Really?"
"She might get lonely, we.. we..."
They wanted to hand out with Remi but they could not put it out there, still, Aarav gets the message and allows them. He floats up to the branches and once more watches over the school and its surrounding areas. He opened his palm and a leaf fall onto it, and starts to burn into ash. He speaks onto to it softly, as if he is speaking to something so gentle like a baby, and he did. Out of the ashes a phoenix's small head popped out and lets out tiny chirps, he whispered onto it once more and extended his arm out.
"Fly"
He turned his palm and the chick falls down in a burst of flame and it ascended high into the sky and it shrieked loudly and flew away.