Radence POV:
That time Gryph came out from behind the trees and offered to ref my match with Lancelot, I sensed something from him. The sheer pressure he exuded when he walked up to us was enough to silence the both of us. Though, I'm fairly certain he did it unintentionally, as he withdrew it immediately after noticing us stiffening up. Still, I was curious as to how someone of my age, commanded such an overwhelming presence. What did he experience in his short life, to gain this kind of pressure? Therefore, I thought he could answer my question at the same time while I answer his. It would be a fair exchange and I would simply repay that one favour at a later time. Which brings us back to the current conversation.
"Why don't you find out?"
I asked him this question in a means to determine his power and at the same time inform him of my emblem's ability. To make him understand I wasn't joking, I released all my pressure and intent that I held within my body, after honing and training it for years. I intended to use my intent, to force him into a fight, but to my surprise. He didn't even flinch. Instead, he slowly walked up to me, placed his hand slowly on my shoulder, and looked down on me. Though we were the same height, I felt as if he had been a towering wall that soared far into the sky. His glare froze over any heat that I had in my body and instantaneously made me freeze up. His glare wasn't chilly either. It just felt as if my body was slowly, but extremely painfully being encased in ice. All I could do, was stand there. My eyes couldn't meet his, so he grabbed my chin and tilted it in his direction, coming extremely close. Dangerously close and proceeds to whisper.
"It's okay. I'd rather wait for you to show me out of trust and belief in a fellow comrade, rather than an opponent who seems insurmountable in your current state. After all, I hope we will never be enemies. Yet, that is completely up to how I assess you."
Huh? What does he mean?
Those questions came to my mind, yet no sound came out of my mouth. I had clearly met someone powerful, yet someone very mysterious at the same time. He said he didn't intend for us to fight or be enemies. So, does he mean to confide in each over and learn to depend on and support each over? But if he means that, then what does the talk about us being potential enemies mean, and what is he judging about me? If I'm worthy, strong or useful enough? This was no good. My mind kept popping up with new questions. I'm sure everything will be revealed as time goes by, so I won't fret over his message right now, but at the same time I'll still keep it in mind. Gryph Note, you are certainly one interesting man, and I'm sure your goal is certainly just as interesting.
Gryph POV:
After I finished giving him a message, his intent died down. He seemed even more shook than when I originally appeared from behind the trees. His face showed fear and confusion, which was perfectly reasonable. My message wasn't supposed to be something he could just understand, but I'm hoping that soon, he will understand what I meant. About his fear though, this could be a potential problem. I don't want him to fear me, I'd rather us stand arm in arm. After all, by no means is he weak. He probably isn't even scared of me as much as he's scared of the thought in his mind. With his power and the intent, he released, I'm sure most people our age or even older, would probably cower in fear, or at least feel a sense of danger. His fear is coming from that fact that I didn't react. But that's not because I'm that much stronger than him, but because I faced far stronger intent than his. Intent that could bring you to your knees.
I decided to not comfort him and just act normal. That should be the best way for him to get used to me and give him time to think things through.
"We should probably go to the opening ceremony, just like the nurse told us to."
I spoke to him in a clear voice and let a small smile show on my face before I turned around and started walking towards the main hall. At first, he made no attempt to follow me, but soon broke out of his transfixed state and started jogging to my side.
"Were probably going to be late though. I hope the teachers don't scold us as soon as we get in there, that would be awful."
His voice seemed slightly shaky, but he didn't let that show and put a big grin on his face.
"We should probably try to sneak in, as to not grab the attention of the teachers and just pretend that we were there from the beginning."
"You think so?"
To his question I replied with a nod and slowly started to pick up the pace, as to not miss the entire assembly as a whole.
We shortly arrived outside of the doors to the top floor of the main hall. We discussed that it would be best to come from the very top as most faculty would be closer to the stage on the level down below. Also, from what Ray told me, it seems that the top floor seats aren't as popular as the bottom floor ones and therefore always had empty spaces to sit in, so we shouldn't find any trouble settling down before any teacher clocks onto us.
"Okay you ready."
I asked Ray in a whisper, as I was crouched right in front of the double door, which would lead us into the interior of the main hall, ready to push it open.
"Ye. I think were good, as long as we can find seats fairly quickly no one should realise that we've just come in!"
He responded in an excited and confident manner, whilst still maintaining a hushed whisper.
"Ok, I'm pushing the door open in 3, 2, 1."
SCREEEEEECHHHHHH!!
We thought out the plan so well, yet our downfall seemed to be the old squeaky double doors.
"Fuccckkkk."
Ray said in a fed-up manner, and I shared his sentiment.
Teachers immediately looked towards our direction, all glaring daggers at us. One teacher, signalled to us to quickly sit down and we proceeded in doing so. She then walked up to us as the ceremony continued and proceeded to show a smile similar to that of one a murder would possess rather than a maiden that seemed to be in her young early twenties.
"I'll talk to you two, LATER!"
With that one warning of our future downfall, she walked back to where she was stationed at before. Though she was certainly beautiful, she was extremely intimidating. Do not get on her bad side, EVER AGAIN.
After that we had now settled down and students' glances fell onto both me and Ray. It seems my entrance at this school, was still in its beginning act. Since I couldn't be really bothered to what the geezers on the stage were saying, I started taking in the beauty of this hall. Just like the outside of the school, the inside certainly doesn't pale in comparison in any way. The stage was a proscenium stage made out of black quartz that featured a slope rising away from the audience that was seated right in front of the stage. It also featured its proscenium arch, which was slightly curved, yet again made out of black quartz though the multiple swirls that were etched into the arch were painted with the traditional gold that featured on the badge of the school. The lights on the ceiling were neatly placed into rows that would slightly ascend like a staircase the further away we got from the stage and shone down a white, bright light.
"Hey, hey, hey look. It's her."
"Wow, she's incredible."
"She looks so pristine."
"Wow girls, she looks like porcelain doll."
"She's soooo cute!"
"Isn't she the representative of our year and a member of the student council. Talk about a perfect student. She has everything."
""""She's, our goddess!""""
The students who were so quiet a second ago, all of a sudden emerged in an uproar, as a lone girl walked towards the front of the stage right in the visibility range of everyone seated in the hall. Her stroll alone showed of her incredibly poised manner, along with showing her etiquette even in a simple stroll. The charisma she possessed and the fierceness her icy blue eyes held. Her fair hair reached past her waist, in beautiful, well kept, flowing, crimson locks. Her posture perfect and her smile refined and complex. Her facial features telling, whilst also secretive. Her figure not overwhelming, but not modest either. Graceful and curvy. A woman of beauty, intelligence and power.
Hmmm. She, she really is….
She steps up to the microphone, looks down, and then proceeds to take a deep breath before focusing and facing back on the crowd ahead.
"Welcome, fellow students. As the days slowly get longer and light starts to overcome the darkness, we as students will follow the lead of the sun, and strive to fight off our weaknesses, progress, overcome and conquer, raising our position in the academy and furthering our aspirations."
Her speech carried on, though I wasn't too interested anymore. After all, delusions aren't to be taken into consideration. They will only cloud your understanding and make you falter. What I was focused on, was how the representative gets chosen.
"Oi. Ray, how does the representative get chosen?"
I whispered to him as I leaned closer to his ear.
"Hmmm. Why do you want to know?"
"I'm just curious?"
"I guess… Anyway, the representative for the specified year gets chosen through a tournament that is open to certain students. To be able to be put yourself forth and participate in the tournament, your family has to make a donation of twenty gold. Which practically restricts this tournament for the rich. So, whilst its open to all, in reality that's just a sham."
"I see. But that still means she's strong, right?"
"Ye. Families of high standing put a lot of effort in to raising strong capable heirs that will go to the school and earn an even bigger name for the family. So, there was no easy fights, that's for sure. She is very strong, trust me."
As he finished his sentence, his eyes slowly followed her every movement as she slowly took her leave from the stage. He was practically transfixed.
I wonder what feeling he has when he looks at her. Also, is he talking from experience, or from rumours about her strength. Guess I'll have to find out.
The ceremony finished soon after and me and Ray wasted no time in getting away, before that teacher could get her grasps on us. We then arrived first in the room and took seats in the back of a classroom. The room was fairly large and hosted fiver rows of benches and tables, and with each row the seats slowly climbing higher. At the front the chalkboard spread wide across most of the wall that it lay placed on. It was a pretty dark room. Whilst it hosted tall windows that extended vertically, rather than horizontally, the clouds had darkened and rain clouds slowly gathered, marching of fiercely, which didn't lighten the black walls of the classroom.
It's almost as if it was on my side. Trying to clear this place of the filth that lay dormant. Though a little rain wouldn't do the job. The filth clung to the floors, wall and even people, tightly, not once loosening its grip, slowly closing in on the population as whole, strangling us with our own delusions that they gave birth to. Our dreams, which could be washed away like writing on sand being taken away by the smallest of waves.