Azazel darted past cars and bikes, his pace quickening as he took the sidewalk. He finally reached the local cricket ground and stood before the towering gates of Atia Eden City Academy.
It was a dream come true.
The imposing iron gates, adorned with intricate swirling patterns and ornate decorations, were flanked by two massive pillars.
"Grand..." Azazel muttered, swallowing hard. "No wonder the nobles study here," he added. But, with a smirk and a glint of mischief in his eyes, he bypassed the open gates and headed straight for the wall, beginning to climb it.
The guards stared at him dumbfounded.
"Hey, kid! Get down from there! What do you think you're doing?!" one of them yelled.
"Haha!" Azazel laughed as he continued his ascent, leaving the students around him in shock.
"What's he doing? Is he crazy? Why is he climbing the wall when the gates are open?" they whispered, pulling out their phones to record the scene.
"So fast?! He's walking on top of the wall now!" someone pointed out.
Azazel, swinging his bag over his shoulder, waved down with a mischievous grin. "Hey everyone! Send a message to Kenzo ShahJahan—tell him his reign ends today!"
"Kenzo?" The students exchanged puzzled looks.
"Oh boy, it sure seems lively here." Heber stood at the academy gate, scratching his head with a lollipop in his mouth. A little girl clung to his other arm, staring at Azazel in wonder.
"I think he's a freshman from your grade who doesn't know the rules. Haha, it reminds me of my younger days," a middle-aged man beside Heber chuckled, another little girl sitting on his shoulders giggling.
"You were quite the troublemaker yourself, weren't you, Pops?" Heber remarked, unamused.
"Haha!" The man laughed heartily.
Heber, smiling at the little girl in his arms, handed her to the man. She pouted in protest, "Brother Hammer, no..."
"It's Heber, not hammer, my dear little Nur. I have to go to school now, but don't cry. I'll bring you a toy when I get back," Heber reassured her, ruffling her soft hair.
Appeased by the promise, Nur clung tightly to the man's shirt.
"Goodbye," Heber waved as he walked away.
"Bye," the trio waved back.
"Stay safe." The man added.
Meanwhile, Azazel, now sitting on the wall and dangling his legs, grinned. "Since you all are filming me right now, tell Kenzo he's going down today. He'd better be ready to challenge me!" he declared before falling backward off the wall and disappearing into the academy grounds.
"Oh no! He jumped! No, fell!" the girls corrected in horror.
"Quick, quick! Did he break any bones?!" the boys rushed inside, followed closely by the stunned guards.
Heber, standing behind the girls, chuckled, "He won't break his bones that easily."
"Heber?!" the girls turned around, surprised.
"He is a freshman, if I recall you now," one of them told, unimpressed.
"Haha!" Heber laughed, tossing a candy to her before heading inside, "He came to challenge Kenzo, after all. It's too soon for him to get his bones fractured."
_____
Inside, the boys who had gathered found the garden where Azazel was expected to land completely empty, sending shudders down their spines. Within minutes, the academy's discussion board and group chat buzzed with chatter on the very first day of the new year.
Amidst the student council members and teachers, a boy stood, nodding occasionally. His slender, athletic build was accentuated by silver-gray hair, parted in the middle and cascading gracefully down his neck. Slim azure-blue eyes blinked with a captivating charm.
Kenzo ShahJahan, commanding yet refined in his presence, was the undeniable center of attention at the prestigious Atia Eden City. As chatter in the hallway grew, his focus shifted toward the other students. The group surrounding him gradually dispersed, with teachers patted his shoulders as they took their leave.
"Kenzo," Damian called.
Kenzo turned with an amused grin.
Damian sighed, adjusting his glasses, "Judging by that all-knowing smile, I assume you already know what's happening out there, right?"
"Yeah..." Kenzo replied, moving toward the large glazed wall structure that viewed the front gate and gardens of the academy, he murmured, "A pawn has entered my chessboard."
"He's out there searching for you like a cat hunting for a mouse, Your Highness~," Heber teased, perched casually on the stair rail nearby.
"And, he's scouring the grounds for the Cricket Society, Ken. Are you sure you don't want to intervene?" another one asked, standing beside Kenzo, with light blue eyes and tousled golden hairs in a surfer haircut.
Kenzo gave him a confident smile, "Don't worry, Vincent. It's the first day, his first challenge. Let's see if he can even find the Cricket Society."
"It's bad, Your Highness!!!" one more shouted, practically hanging upside down in front of Kenzo.
Kenzo stared at the upside-down face before him, unimpressed.
"HE'S CLIMBING TREES TO LOOK AROUND!" the boy shrieked.
"Pft!! Haha! Izaak, calm down! You act like he's already challenged Kenzo," Heber laughed.
Kenzo pushed Izaak's face aside, "Stand straight first," he said simply. Looking down, he spotted Azazel searching for the Cricket Society, asking students along the way. A soft chuckle escaped his lips. "Best of luck, little devil~" he mused.
______
Morning, noon, and now evening—Azazel had been searching the entire day, from assembly to recess, and now at dispersal, yet he was still no closer to finding what he sought. Exhausted, he finally slumped down in front of the pavilion, taking a moment to catch his breath.
"What kind of place is this? It's like I'm trapped in a giant castle! Why won't anyone just tell me where the Cricket Society is? Ugh, I'm wiped out!" he sighed, fatigue heavy in his voice.
Just then, he noticed a crowd of students rushing down a path, buzzing with excitement. Middle schoolers, girls, boys, and even elementary kids were all heading in the same direction.
Azazel frowned, curious. "What's going on…?" he wondered.
"It's Second year Heber versus Third year Faris! An over challenge! If Faris gets Heber out in this over, he wins. But if Heber scores 20 runs, he takes the victory! And after that, First year Izaak will go up against Third year Vincent! Two all-rounders going head-to-head!" The boys chattered excitedly.
"Come on, they're about to start! Kenzo's going to be there too, let's go!" the girls giggled as they hurried along.
"Hey, wait!" Azazel called out, stopping the Second and Third year middle schoolers, "Are you all heading to the Cricket Society?"
"Oh, it's you! The monkey freshman from this morning! You still haven't found the Cricket Society, haha?" they teased.
"Monkey?!" Azazel's brow twitched in embarrassment and irritation.
"Haha, didn't you want to challenge King Kenzo? You're so late he might've forgotten about you. Come on, we'll take you to him, little guy." One of them laughed, pulling Azazel along towards the Cricket Society.
As they passed the gardens and buildings, they finally arrived at the Cricket Society. It was massive, with sprawling grounds, pavilions, practice nets, dressing rooms, and even team quarters.
Azazel's eyes widened in awe. "This is Atia Eden's Cricket Society?" he managed to say, overwhelmed.
"Yep. Ever since Kenzo took charge, this place has become almost as important as the academic quarters. Not just anyone can join, and not everyone is welcome," the boys explained.
"This is where the monsters of cricket gather, as Kenzo likes to say. Guys like us wouldn't last a day here," one of them added, ruffling Azazel's hair.
Azazel blinked, taking it all in.
"That's why when you challenged Kenzo, the whole academy was shocked," another boy said, amused.
"Look, the audience is gathering in the stands," one pointed out.
Azazel, managing to push to the front, looked anxiously at the nets ahead. His fingers trembled before he clenched them into fists.
Heber, standing at the batting crease, waved as the students cheered.
"Come on, Heber. Focus. I don't want to see you getting out on the first ball," Faris teased.
Heber chuckled, turning to smile at Kenzo, who was seated on the bench inside the boundary line, a jacket draped over his shoulders. Kenzo tossed something to Heber, who caught it swiftly.
Unwrapping the lozenge, Heber popped it into his mouth and pointed sharply at Faris. "Don't be so sure, Faris~" he retorted as Faris twirled the ball and walked back to his mark.
Azazel's eyes narrowed as he finally spotted Kenzo. Their gazes locked for a brief moment as Azazel felt a thrill run through him.
"His eyes…" he thought, excitement bubbling within him. His red eyes burned with anticipation, itching for a fight.