Ryuma laid there, looking up towards the sky. All the students rushed to where Toga was, cheering and congratulating him on his victory. They're graduation was on the line. It's not as if he could blame them for how they felt.
Still… he wondered when it was that he became the bad guy.
Fact of the matter was that twenty-nine students of the White Dragon academy managed to pass. Only one student there, failed. How was he going to explain this to his mother?
"Ryuma…"
He slightly shifted his eyes, and there was Nuna, looking at him with sorrow filled eyes. Did he really look that pitiful?
"What's done, is done. You guys won. You have every right to celebrate," Ryuma said.
"But Ryuma… you'll never be a priest now,"
"Nuna stop. I was going to take all your dreams away for the sake of my own, no remorse. There's no reason for you to be sad over this,"
After seeing everyone cheer and praise Toga, he looked at where Clara was. She was leaning on the wall, glaring at him with clear disappointment in her eyes. So she did want him to win...
She sighed and walked away. Looking at them now, there were several people who didn't look satisfied with the outcome. Diaga, Wen, Talo…
Especially Toga himself.
That much to him, was at least understandable, but what was the matter with the rest of the people who fought their hardest out there? Why were the main ones either distraught, or indifferent about it as opposed to the ones who barely scraped by?
As usual, people were always a mystery to him. He had trouble reading why everyone was acting that way, but it was whatever. He no longer had anything to do with them.
There was loud clapping coming from one individual. Loud, and slow enough to quiet all the students from celebrating. High Edict Ichizo took a step down the staircase after every clap, creating this dreadfully dark atmosphere all around. Everyone stopped and stared. The man smiled the whole way down, making the already heightened tension far more eerie than necessary.
He finally got to the bottom of the staircase. "I must say, that's pretty impressive,"
All in attendance bowed down with their heads to the ground. "Your praise is too much Edict Ichizo. We gave it our all only in your honor," Toga said.
"My honor? Oh you thought I was talking about the match. I'm saying, it's impressive that you lot can cheer after such an embarrassing match, against one person," Gen said. He didn't drop his smile even a little.
Everyone got quiet now that they realized how bad they really looked out there. Nobody said anything more.
Ryuma got closer on the ground and kneeled like everyone else. Why did they always do that? Did the Edicts only like talking to people with their faces on the ground?
"Well I guess, promises, are promises. Despite how useless this entire generation seems to be, you passed my criteria. That's my fault for not going with something more substantive, but whatever. You're priest now so I guess you lot should be feeling proud of yourselves,"
Gen started walking again being followed by his bond guard.
Seriously, who could feel proud of themselves after that was said to you? Ryuma didn't get the thought process of this individual. He thought he showed him enough entertainment to satisfy him down there. Maybe he just wanted to see a one-sided beat down.
Gen started walking again, their shame haven been spoken into existence. Ryuma wondered if this was what the others were upset about.
Gen's foot stopped right where Ryuma was kneeling. "Ahhh… and here's our star today. To be honest, you seem like the MVP among this whole fight. Even I could see as much, myself,"
"I'm honored you feel that way High Edict Ichizo," Ryuma said. Hopefully, he said it correctly. He wasn't really versed at talking to the High Edicts of the Skylands. He never thought he needed to.
"Yes… your speech could use a little work, but no matter. Seeing that you failed the test, I'd say, the only course for you, is to join the guards of the Edicts. Do well enough, you might even become a bond guard," Gen said.
Ryuma's face, while still facing the ground, was scrunched in absolute horror. The last thing he ever wanted to do was to become a guard for the edict. Not only will he not be able to go to the lower world, but he'd also be stuck around the High Edicts all day.
All he could see, was the face of High Edict Conwell.
"High Edict Ichizo. I thank you for your consideration, but can you please rescind that," He desperately tried to keep his hands from shaking. "I'm begging you to let me become a priest,"
He was roughly picked up by his shirt and was held suspended in the air by the bond guard next to him. "ARE YOU A MORON BOY!? YOU JUST TOLD A HIGH EDICT NO!"
Gen Ichizo held his hand up. "Hold on Eroll. Let him go… I'd like to hear him out first,"
Eroll threw him on the ground causing him to land on his rear. Not even Toga could help him out of this one. Ryuma scrambled to get on his knees again.
"Sir. My talents are specifically trained to fight against the demons of the lower world. My whole life, I've trained, because I wanted to do just that. If I join the Edict Guards, I'll never meet combat in my life. It's been my dream to help the people of the lower world. They need it far more than the Edicts up here. Please! I wish to join the priest and help them,"
After Ryuma was done with his confession, it got extremely quiet. He didn't know what the High Edict was thinking, nor what kind of mood he was in. He was scared thinking about Conwell, but maybe this one was different.
"Eroll… you may drop it. This foolish Skylark," Gen said.
Eroll raised his hand into the air. "Wind Artes: Pressure Fall," Suddenly, a pillar of wind pressure came blasting down on Ryuma, slamming his whole body into the ground.
His body was locked into place. Every muscle fiber unable to move. Between the pressure of the air coming down on him, and the ground below him, even breathing felt like it was near impossible. The need to scream in absolute pain was as desperately needed as the air he was unable to breath.
Before he knew it, the pain halted. He took that moment to gather any breath he could. His head was suddenly jerked up by Gen himself.
Everybody avoided looking his direction. It was all one could do to protect themselves from gaining his ire. With this however, it was the first time he was looking at Gen Ichizo eye-to-eye.
"Ryuma Irgo… now that's a name I'm going to be remembering. I'd like to ask you something," Gen said. He put his hand on his head and rubbed his temple. "Do you know why it is the High Edict has bond guards?"
He couldn't even think straight, let alone answer such an off-shot question like that. His head pounded. Blood was leaking down his face, and he felt bones broken. "I don't know sir,"
Gen sighed. "It figures you wouldn't. They're to enact the Edicts justice. For if a High Edict were to try, that could spell doom for both the target, and even the sky island itself. We're so powerful kid, hitting you with my softest hit, would demolish you. In a way, the Bond Guards isn't to protect us from you… it's to protect you, from us,"
Gen released his hold on Ryuma, dropping his head into the ground again. "Hit him again," Gen ordered.
More of that condensed pressure came crashing down on Ryuma again. He locked up at the same spot again. {This wind… I can't stop it even if I wanted to.}
It was released again. "You're a cruel one Ryuma. Eroll doesn't like enacting the Edict's justice on civilians, yet here you are, forcing his hand. Now… just say you changed your mind, and it'll be all over. I'm a generous man. I'll overlook your defiance. You'll find that I'm different from the rest,"
Ryuma, breathing hard again. He struggled to form a correct sentence again. "I… still want to protect… the people of the lower world,"
Even with everything in him broken, he could still see Eroll visibly shaking with anger. Still… he couldn't give up on what he wanted to do with his power. Even the High Edict couldn't take that from him.
"Hmm… not even going to give me a, no?" Gen got up off the floor. His glare on Ryuma was the coldest pair of eyes he'd ever seen. "I see… so that's how it is,"
Gen broke out into his usual smile, completely changing the nature of his face. "I guess it can't be helped then. I'll be giving up for now," He turned around and began walking away. "Come Eroll. No use dawdling here any longer,"
Eroll closed his eyes and nodded. He turned around and followed his unpredictive master.
Ryuma was left there dumbfounded and confused. He was sure he was dead with that last answer, but the High Edict let him live.
All his energy collapsed right there. With the adrenaline pumped into his brain no longer a factor, Ryuma started to phase out. Even with certain students rushing to his side, he decided it was time to go to sleep.
Everything, faded to black.