The second year at the Academy was going smoothly. For half a year the students were learning new things and progressing in their chosen fields of study. Ciaran and Ariadne were also making good progress in their training.
It took Verdania two whole months before she stopped sulking about their maxed-out luck. Now that the initial shock was gone she was actually most enthusiastic about researching how their bond would be different from the norm.
The first difference was how close the two of them were, she observed. For most people, it would take anywhere from a month to a few years to even begin to trust something that was literally connected to their soul.
From experience, she knew the feeling was weird at best. It was like growing a second brain on the back of your neck so to speak. You could feel something else's thoughts and emotions, and they would even influence your own.
Getting used to your new state of existence was not easy, but those two looked confused at her when she explained to them what the norm was.
"I mean yes, that sounds about right, but what's so weird about that? You just have a new friend, and you skip the getting-to-know-them part." Ciaran said, and the ever-growing spider nodded.
Her body was covered in a thick, jet-black exoskeleton, adorned with razor-sharp spikes and jagged ridges that gleam menacingly in the sunlight. Her eight legs were thick and muscular, each one ending in razor-sharp claws capable of tearing flesh from bone.
Her eyes were huge and multifaceted, allowing her to see in every direction at once. Her mandibles were enormous, capable of crushing bones with ease. And her venom is deadly, capable of killing a man in seconds. Even Rank Two existences would suffer horribly should she infect them.
This female spider had an aura of ruthless efficiency. Her every movement was deliberate and purposeful, her every action a calculated strike against her prey. And her web was her most potent weapon. It was invisible to the naked eye, and very hard to sense for anyone near her Rank.
Combined with Ciaran's shrewd mind, those two had become a force to be reckoned with.
The boy himself had made great progress. His training sessions with Eleftherios were paying off. He had ditched the military style of combat for a more personal, self-made one.
Since the boy had a Water attributed body, he focused on fluidity. Every action had to be followed by at least three more. Every attack was part of a combo. He was getting closer and closer to Rank One, and yet he was still far away.
His bleeding sessions were put on hold for now. Verdania had done what she could for now, but for her to continue the boy needed a stronger body, and at least a basic control over his soul. So she set two goals in front of him.
First, he needed to get to Rank One. And he had to do it in the traditional way. The human way was made to manufacture evolved beings. It involved outside help to achieve what one could on their own. The end result, as Ciaran was told over and over by his big brother was lackluster at best.
When he achieved the first goal, the hard part would begin. For his second task, he had to become a Novice. What his father failed to achieve for over thirty years, he had to do if he wanted his healing to continue.
All of that had to wait, however, because today he was called to stay after class, and his teacher did not look happy.
"Ciaran, do you know why we are here?" She asked him.
He looked at her and sighed.
"Is it because I am so handsome you want to have an affair with me? I am sorry but I must refuse. Beautiful as you are, I must stick to my principles." He said in a serious voice.
She didn't get mad over his tomfoolery, she just got up, when to him, and smacked him on the back of the head, hard.
"Now, if your brain has been switched on, and for your sake, I hope it has, let's get down to business. Your grades are barely in the middle of the class. Why?" She asked and preemptively glared at him. Mrs. Elizabeth Parker could feel he was about to say something stupid, and she did not have the patience for it today.
"I have been busy, no time to study the boring stuff you see." He said, with sad eyes. His sadness was not an act, not because he gave a single fuck about the school, but because he wasn't allowed to make a joke.
'The setup was so nice as well. Shame.'
Elizabeth looked at him from head to toe and pondered. The boy looked different. Ever since he started hanging out with the 'frost bitch' as she would openly call her, Ciaran looked and acted like a whole new person.
To be frank, he felt feral. He still acted civil with his classmates, but there were no more pretenses when he spoke. No more masks, unless you counted his clown persona, but she reckoned that was just part of his core character.
Not a bad thing all things considered, in fact, she liked him more like this. But she would not let him ditch his studies, no matter what.
"You made me a promise at the start of the year, remember? It's time to pay your debt. I want you in the top three of the class. At least the top ten of your Year by the end of this semester. And no cheating boy! It should be impossible in the Academy, to begin with, but I know you, and you are known for proving that 'impossible' doesn't really apply to you." She said and waited for his answer.
Ciaran absolutely thought this would be a colossal waste of time. His schedule was packed as it was, he didn't have time to play nerdy boy, but a promise was given, and a debt had to be paid.
"Fine. But how am I supposed to do that, when for the advanced subjects I need access to the Library, and if you remember that is not something that has been granted to me." He said, in annoyance.
"Well, you are in luck. After a certain merchant raised a storm in the Capital, your restrictions have lessened. You are now allowed on the first floor, but only there, and no more break-ins." She said the last part with a growl.
The boy was stunned for a second, his expression deadpanned. For all his progress physically, he was still essentially mentally crippled, at least when it came to his family.
"Ok," He said and left the room.
Mrs. Elizabeth Parker was a smart person, and she knew her students well. She was under the illusion the boy was still in a good relationship with his family, and the awkwardness she felt was because they simply hadn't seen each other, but now his behavior made her wonder.
'An ancient monster is raising him, and his family looked panicked, guilty even. There was also the matter with the headmaster. By his words, he had done something to the boy.'
She thought about it long and hard and finally decided.
'I was put in charge of these kids, I will be damned if I don't keep them safe. It's time to pay that old man a visit. He didn't want to tell me before, but he will tell me today, one way or another."
With his teacher preparing herself for interrogation, and him having a new task, Ciaran decided to ask his mentors for advice.
"Forget what our sister will say, do what your teacher told you to. Listen, kid, I love you and I love our shared time together but before you came here you had this mischievous scholar aura to you. You were hungry for knowledge, of every kind not just magical."
"Go and learn! Let us say four hours a day In the Library, and the rest of your free time will be training with me. How does that sound? "Eleftherios said and waited to hear the boy's thoughts on the matter.
Verdania wasn't thrilled at the idea, but she was a very busy woman and she wasn't around most of the time anyway, so four hours sounded reasonable to her.
And so it had been decided, from tomorrow onwards, he would be going back to the Library. To be honest, the boy was really looking up to it. He was even beginning to miss the sassy voice in his head.
'I wonder if it will speak to me on the first floor? Maybe it missed me too.' Ciaran taught in melancholy.
It had been a long time since his biggest concern was getting to the upper floor of the Library. Back then his life was so peaceful and full of love that he could wholeheartedly focus on one thing. Which if he thought about it, was the reason he was so deep in this mess, to begin with.
The next day in school, Ciaran told his friends about his unbanning. They were all thrilled for him, but then Ray shocked them.
"Nice, now we have two things to celebrate at home. Your royal pardon, and my new Rank." He said, and they all looked him dead in the eyes.
The next moment Rayon let his aura flow freely. He had reached Rank One.