Owen seemed restless. He was a thin, tall man with great pride for the glasses and the black outfit he always wore. He was also the principal of the Academy. If something happened to any of the students he would be the one responsible for it. And today was one of the days where someone would get hurt.
In previous years, there were always students who got hurt in their struggle to defeat a Memory Aes. One time, Aelor had heard, a student even died in this quest, but she didn't know any details. Being a police officer was hard work, everyone knew that. You had to put your life on the line and everyone here was prepared to do that. Actually dying though, was a different story.
The Memory Aes was native to Visthansia lands. They were ethereal creatures, of purple aura, that changed the memories of a person under their influence. This drove these people to erratic behavior that couldn't be explained and made no sense, so they most usually ended up in the Psychiatric center of Visthansia where the doctors took care of them until the Police Department tried to figure out the particular Aes that was connected with their minds.
Aelor was coming up first and Arthas followed having just finished his chocolate strudel. She arrived at the gathering place of the students who were in square formation with defined positions for each one. Aelor was in the center of the first line, as she was the best student of her year. Arthas was on the third line somewhere near the left end. Aelor was worried about the people in the last line. They weren't very good students in theory or practice. One of them would probably get hurt today.
- "Today is the most important day of your life.", Owen started, after everyone had taken their place. He didn't lose a millisecond to begin.
- "Remember this well. Some of you will get injured and that's part of the job. I want you to show no fear and strike your opponent decisively. They will show you no mercy and you should not show as such, as well."
He surveyed the crowd with his eyes.
- "LOGAN! Is this funny to you?", Owen said furiously. He was looking at the back rows.
- "Ehhh... no! No, sir!", Logan said in terror.
- "Then, why are you smiling talking with your best bud Elias?"
- "I... I'm sorry, sir! It won't happen again!"
- "It definitely won't. Both of you. Out of here right now!"
- But sir!...", Logan tried to object.
- "RIGHT NOW! Failed before you even tried! Trust me, you will thank me for this one day. Move!"
Logan and Elias started to walk away as Owen turned his gaze on the rest of the students again, with minimal delay.
- "I will take ZERO misbehavior from you this day. Understood? It's that dangerous and that important! And I want everyone here to realize that!"
- "You have to go into Trithor forest and look for a Memory Aes. Or it will find you. Beware of your surroundings as we head there as well, there are rogue Aeses out in the fields and roads too."
- "This year though, we also have a new enemy. The most lethal of all and one we cannot hope to defeat. The Eternity Aes. You stray from the road? You're done! Keep that in mind lest you want to end up in the graveyard."
"Any questions?" asked Owen. He was surveying the students intensely this time in case he saw any hesitation coming from them. No one talked.
- "Being afraid right now is a good thing", he told them.
- "It means you will probably survive."
-"Now, move! And I want everyone back by 9 o' clock in the night! No exceptions! If you're not back by then with proof of your killing I will mark you as failed. And hopefully you won't be dead. Dismissed!"
Aelor went straight to Arthas. She knew she had to do this alone but she wanted to say bye to her friend. Neither knew where or how they were gonna be by the end of the day and she wanted to be sure that Arthas was in the right mindset. He usually was all fun and jokes and she wanted him to realize that today was not one of these days.
"Are you ready to head out?", asked Aelor.
"Not yet, I have to take care of some errands first. I think I'll leave at 8 or something. What about you?", replied Arthas.
"I'm leaving right now. I'm too anxious to get this over with. Make sure you don't screw up. I'm trusting I will see you here tonight." Aelor added meaningfully.
"Of course! Have no worries, no single Aes can stand against us. Good luck and try not to kill too many of them.", Arthas said in a joyous voice.
"Thanks. I will try." Aelor said kind of relieved. She appreciated that Arthas trusted in her.
"Bye and good luck to you too!", she finished.
"Thank you. And have no fear, I am more than serious about this.", he said while started walking towards the Academy building.
Aelor was in the main street of Visthansia, the one she dreamed of last night. It was so peaceful this morning, the stress started to let go. "You've got this!" she thought and started jogging towards Trithor forest. By the end of the day, she would be a police officer.