In the mess, students could be seen sitting on their seats and having their dinner. It was like a giant hall.
Messs was divided into different zones, and a student from the lower section was not allowed to enter the area meant for students from the higher section.
There was a glass wall between them where they could look at each other. The quality of everything decreased from S to D.
A group of students could be seen sitting together in Zone A. Aman was enjoying his meal while others around him were discussing exams.
"How many marks will you score, Lyra?" asked Rydan.
Amon looked at them and didn't know what to say. They have still not recovered from the shock given to them by the surprise test.
"I am not sure; I only answered the questions I knew. What about you?" she asked, speaking softly.
"I don't know about that, but I am sure I will not get a negative mark," replied Rydan confidently.
"How can you be so sure?" asked the other girl beside Lyra.
"Because I didn't attempt any questions, I will get zero," replied Rydan. The girls burst out laughing.
"What about you, Amon?" asked the girl beside Lyra. She noticed that Amon had still not gotten close to them, so she decided to break the ice.
"Maybe 20, or someone was around it," replied Amon as he continued to devour his food.
"What?" Others around him were surprised. Amon looked confident enough to score 20 out of 30 in such a difficult exam with negative marking.
Even the students around me stared at Amon in surprise. Many here struggled to score ten marks and pass, and he was talking about getting good marks.
Amon became nervous when he saw everyone looking at him; his head fell down, not daring to look around.
"That's impressive; I never knew you were so smart," complimented the girl.
"It was not that hard; just pay attention in class," said Amon.
"It's not easy to focus throughout the class," replied Rydan. "For me, it is a struggle to focus for even a minute."
As they talked more, Amon opened up a little with them; time passed, and they left the mess.
Rydan asked Amon to join them. It was late evening, and Amon was free, so he joined them.
They continued talking about different things; they talked about their lives and families.
The tall girl revealed that she is from the branch family of the Ironhorn family; she revealed her name to be Kaelin Steelshaper.
All three were surprised. Eyen Lyra raised her brows.
Next, it was her turn. She revealed herself with a smile. "I am Lyra Nightghost."
This again surprised everyone. It was a well-known noble clan.
It struck the mind of Rydan, especially Nightghost, who were known for their brutality and secrecy. They were famous for their ability to summon shadow creatures.
Lyra looked at Rydan, checking his expression. She wanted to know if he would be scared of her now.
However, she was disappointed to know that he was still smiling. It was as if he was now even more interested.
"What a coincidence! My full name is Rydan Nightshade. Is it the sign from the stars?" He laughed, not backing down at all.
This was again something others didn't expect. It turned out that Rydan was from a noble family.
The Nightshade family was a famous family of dark elves. They were famous for their ability to wield shadow and wind elements, archery, beast riding, and summoning.
A famous family, they were talented as well and had big numbers. This made them one of the most influential families.
"Don't think much; I am mixed-blood. My father is from the Nightshade family. As for my mother, I have no idea about her."
A sad expression appeared on Rydan's face for the first time, as if he had remembered something he wanted to forget.
Lyra's expression also changed; these two clans were not on good terms with each other.
"It's my turn," said Amon in a loud voice, which made others focus on him. "I am Amon Duskcrowned."
He said as he showed them a thumbs up.
This came out of nowhere; no one could have guessed Amon would be from the Duskcrowned family.
It was the family that produced the best wizards. Seeing someone from that family was hard due to their low birth rate.
"I am a Nephilim; there is no need to look for my wings." He laughed half-heartedly.
Four talked about some more things. It was then that they approached the park close to them. It was one of the most beautiful parks Amon had seen in the school, and he could see there were many girls there.
Rydan looked at this place, and a smile appeared on his face. It was as if he had forgotten about everything else. "Is it heaven?"
Amon's eyes also moved around. It was then that they fell on a figure that looked familiar yet distinct. Under the silvery moonlight, a beautiful girl with cascading ebony hair swayed gracefully on a creaking wooden swing hanging from a tree resembling a demon oak tree.
Her skirt flowed around like a soft, dark river as she soared through the cool night air. A gentle breeze whispered through the leaves, carrying the sweet scent of night-blooming flowers.
She still had the same cold expression on her face; her enchanting purple eyes became visible to him as she shifted her eyes toward him, noticing his gaze.
Everything about her was different from the other girls he had seen. It was as if she was just superior.
The presence she released was superior to that of nobles and even fallen angels. 'Who is she?' it came to his mind.
Their eyes met for the first time as he looked at her Enchanting eyes. He was captivated by them, lost in their depth. His heartbeat rose, and he started breathing heavily.
The wind started blowing and was blowing his snow-white bangs. She started becoming clear; it was as if she was getting closer.
He shook his head, coming back to his senses. When he looked at the swing, he noticed there was no one in that place.
A confused expression appeared on his face, unsure if that was real or an illusion.
However, the next moment, he felt a chill all over his body. He turned and saw himself surrounded by many girls.
They surrounded Amon and Rydan and said, "How dare you enter this area? Don't you know boys are prohibited from visiting this park?"
"Is there a rule like that?" asked Amon as he looked at Lyra.
To his surprise, she bowed her head as if accepting their mistake. Kaelin said, "It's our mistake; we forgot about this rule. They were accompanying us near the hostel."
"What to do with them?" asked one of the girls with snake-like hair as she turned, looking at the girl at the back.
Amon looked at that place, and he saw that girl again. She turned and left, raising her hand.
"She told us to deal with it however we wanted," said the other girl.
The tall girl with snake-like hair approached, and her eyes shone crimson. Amon felt shivers all over his body; he was unable to move.
His and Rydan's bodies shook before they started turning into rocks. They struggled, but it was of no use.
"Place them in a crowded place, paint their faces black, and put these boards around their necks." She laughed.
Other girls also burst out laughing; Lyra and Kaelin tried to stop them, but they were also beaten badly and brought back.