Ashton stood up from the grass he was laying on with great haste. A mild anger flashed before his eyes as Marcus explained to him the reason why he had not noticed or tried to use the little magic he had been bestowed with during the welcoming rituals.
"Why? Why would Alden do such a thing?" Ashton demanded angrily. "By chance, did he plan this out with Ulysses? I got knocked down the fucking minute I stepped into that room and when I tried to defend myself later on,..." Ashton paused his eyes grim with fury.
As he laid down his hurtful story, a new thought crept into his mind as he recounted what had happened that day. He remembered the moment he had tried to retaliate, Marcus had stopped the time that ticked for him. Why did Marcus interfere at that moment and not when he was getting hit?
"...were you in the plan along with them? Did you all plan to take me down from the very beginning?" Ashton raged charging towards Marcus angrily in an attempt to send a punch into his face but the pretty boy was a step ahead of his plan as he stepped aside making Ashton fall to the ground heavily on his face.
"Why do you think I would do such to you huh?" Marcus demanded as he watched the poor boy get back to his feet. "Do you think I have the leisure to ruin your already damned life any further?"
"I hate to break it to you Marcus," Ashton started after regaining his stand. "I do not trust you and you might have something shady up your sleeve…I'm sure of that."
A small grin formed on Marcus lips and he chuckled surprised by the boy's innocent and candid reply.
"Well, the only thing up my sleeve is my arm."
"Better get yourself ready then because I will be chopping it off!"
"Would you think for a second Ashton? If I was plotting this agenda behind your back with Alden, would I be here to blurt out our perfectly executed plan?"
Ashton lowered his gaze to resonate with what Marcus had just said. His explanation had a thousand ounces of truth and for the first time since the conversation started, Ashton failed to give proper response to Marcus' rhetorical question. He fell back into the lawn grass, giving up on saying any more words to Marcus.
Marcus rubbed his palm against his forehead to falter the worry lines that had comfortably etched itself there due to how frustrating Ashton could be. He couldn't help but imagine the misery he would have to wander through throughout their remaining days in the academy or maybe they would be staying together forever till death do them part if the apocalypse persists.
"Now get up and start learning new fight moves."
"No, I don't want to." Ashton shrugged, closing his eyes as he laid there, the sun back shining hard on his face as he had moved away from where Marcus had been standing.
*Sigh!*
*Sigh!*
"You had better stand up now and start training for your second test. Do you want to flop the same way you did today?" Marcus said, his voice tight with desperation and genuine worry.
"How much time do I have left before the next test?" Ashton asked unperturbed.
"Three days!"
"Pretty much. I would rather take a rest now as I am still recuperating from the lost match with Ulysses."
Marcus groaned at Ashton's lazy resolve. What more could be done to help this bum to get up to his feet and start making moves on how he would secure his position as a student Mage. Why does he seem unbothered?
"That is the dumbest conclusion I have ever heard from a failing party." Marcus said, his voice laden with frustration. "Do you think the level two test will be as simple as this one you flopped at? Do you know your chances of getting kicked out is maxing out over a solid seventy percent already? Is this the same mindset you had when you were brought into this academy? Did you think coming into this academy was just to soothe your lazy ass? You think this place is a hotel or something?!" Marcus charged angrily.
He continued,
"In your next test, magic will not be allowed and you can solely win this test based on your physical strength and quick reflexes, if you are thinking about using magic in your nextest...I'm sorry to break it to you man you're failing at this test again."
*Sigh!*
"I'm definitely going to get kicked out in place of Jamil." Ashton sighed, reclining deeper into the field like it was his comfort bed.
"You still have two more chances to prove yourself worthy! Look Jamil had passed his first test excellently well and I'm guessing it will be you getting kicked out soon. If you do not make an attempt towards winning the other two trebles."
"And what is the probability I will be winning the tests again? And not fail like this one? What if a new rule is added and I do not make it again?" Ashton finally asked all the throbbing questions in his mind.
"You're undermining your prowess Ashton. Instead of complaining and asking a bunch of questions you could actually get answers to by working on yourself… you're asking for a few more resting hours?!"
"This test will be unprecedented as well but one thing I'm sure of is that your opponent will probably a sub student like you who got special points for passing their first test excellently well and if eventually the use of magic is allowed during the next test, they cannot develop or use their newly acquired magic effectively so you have a better chance of winning your next test. Now, get up!" Marcus explained duly, his voice incredulous.
But it seemed all his words had fallen on Ashton's deaf ears as the boy wasn't moving from the ground he slept on nor was he twitching and giving a positive reply.
Marcus sighed exasperatedly, turning away as he muttered, "Why do I even bother?"
He gave up as Ashton wasn't yielding to his words. He turned to leave and as soon as he started walking away, Ashton's words stopped him in his tracks, piling a small smile on his lips.
"What do I have to learn first?"