As every student in the entire room is praising the judges. "Am I going to participate in that?" Karl asks in a low voice.
"Do you have a choice?" Ray answers without looking at him.
Lady Treypin lifts her head. "Before the final battle between top 10 commences, we have to prepare a ceremonial fight between the top talent of this generation and an experienced low knight. Remember, this fight is not mandatory is at all. It is a representation of an old tradition where an experienced knight will offer guidance to the new cadet."
Everyone begins discussing among themselves.
Claire smirks. "Like last year no one is going to fight to keep a senseless tradition alive. Not to mention, the fights between top 10 begins almost immediately after this ceremonial fight. The person who is partaking in this tradition will be exhausted and their techniques might also get exposed. Who will in their right mind take such disadvantage?"
Then Karl raises his hand. "Dude! Are you deaf?" Claire yells loudly. Everyone stops their discussion and turns to look at Karl.
Lady Treypin's eyes falls on the small kid struggling to stand out. "Brave student. Come closer." She orders.
Karl obliges and walks towards the centre. Quickly everyone makes a way for him to pass to through. Mikaela hopes in her heart that he won't do anything that will further ruin the reputation of the academy. Karl now stands in front of a sentinel.
"Child. What is your name?"
The sentinel who was supposedly the one of the strongest humans in the world is now asking Karl a question with sweet and soft voice. 'Hmm. I expected them to be more strict and arrogant. But she really looks chill.' "Leonard Avartia."
Claire's eyes open wide and Ray facepalms himself. Every person present in the room choked on their own saliva. "Such uncivil brat." Someone insults.
Before Karl could figure out his mistake few vines spurts from the ground and traps him in a kneeling position. His hands and feet tied to ground, his head banged so hard on the ground that it started bleeding. He wants to break free but his body won't move an inch.
"I commend you on your ambition. But society doesn't operate on ambitions alone. You require manners and politeness. Which academy do you hail from?" The Overseer questions, her voice serious.
Estha quickly dashes besides Karl and kneels on all four limbs. Her head just beside Karl's head. "I-I am responsible for this one's rudeness. He has memory complications but it is no excuse as his instructor. Therefore, please punish me as you see fit." The blonde principal is trembling in fear.
Lady Treypin narrows her eyes. "Instructor? Does that mean you did not recommend this child?"
"No, your excellency." Estha answers in one breath.
"Then who did?" Everyone wondered which idiot went through the trouble of recommending him.
"I did." A robust voice comes.
Everyone looked at giant handsome man. "H-Hey. Is that Lion of Dandelion?"
"Wasn't he kicked out of the family?"
"I heard he formed his own knighthood."
Just then Karlos manifested from dust particles behind Lady Treypin. He stared directly in the eyes of high knight. His expression was not a friendly one.
'Don't do that.' Chief speaks directly into his mind.
Karlos spares him a glance. 'Why not? He is disrespecting the Overseer. Shouldn't we discipline him?'
Chief glances back. 'You know, Karlos? I like you. You are talented. You are young. You can do great things for humanity. But don't take fights that you can't win. This my rookie advice.'
Karlos raises his eyebrow. 'Are you saying that a high knight can threaten a sentinel?'
'He is not any normal high knight. He is the Lion. Once you decide to oppose him, you become the prey.'
'Wasn't he kicked out by the sentinel of Dandelion family? I am one too. I can do it too.' Karlos says it in a confident tone.
'Don't push your luck. The old man from Dandelion family has been around since the founding of the empire. Still, he lost his elder son when the lion attacked him...Also, don't be disrespectful to your Ex-Overseer.'
Karlos's mind stunned for a second. "What does-" He almost spoke normally.
"Ahem!" Lady Treypin coughs on purpose. Both Chief and Karlos regains their composure. "Ray. Are you back on field?" She asks.
"Unfortunately yes, Maleisa." Ray answers which displays a certain level of affiliation. Karlos doesn't like the tone used by Ray.
The vines slowly unties Karl. "Stand." Estha quickly stand meanwhile Karl touches his forehead as he slowly stands. "Answer me. Which knight do you wish to be guided by?"
Everyone is looking at the kid, trying to figure out who is he going to choose. "Chris Seland Dandelion." Karl answers loudly.
Suddenly everything becomes clear to the sponsors as they saw openly the interaction between the fallen high knight and the Overseer. 'The Lion is seeking revenge!' This exact thought appeared in every sponsor's mind.
Karlos flinched and he quickly looked at Lady Treypin. 'This is wrong! He will try-'
"I approve the ceremony." The Overseer clarifies.
Karlos's face turns ugly.
"I approve the ceremony." The Chief quickly followed.
Karlos turns to Chief and sees his neutral expression. 'Oh. I get it. You all three are together in this.' All three Ray, Lady Treypin and the Chief ignore Karlos's words. The young sentinel clenches his fist.
A sentence from his father, the previous sentinel appears in his mind. "Listen son. The world isn't white or black. No one is good or no one is evil. No matter how kind you are, even the kindest and the most honest person becomes a villain in someone's story. Learn the harmony. White isn't always the best option. Do what you can to protect your little sister."
Karlos sighs heavily before relaxing his body. "I approve the ceremony."
TING! The elevator door opens and Ray walks out followed by Claire and Karl. "Are you planning to defeat Chris?" Claire asks.
"I have to." Karl answers.
"Don't look so tense. Think positively. After just few fights you will achieve your goal." Ray says in a mature tone.
A big question mark has appeared on Claire's head as she doesn't know what goal are they talking about, meanwhile Karl has a big frown on his face. "Don't talk like Ian. It's giving me creeps."
Ray quickly gets offended but he gets interrupted before he could say anything.
TING! Estha followed by Mikaela step out of the elevator.
Claire looks at Estha. 'She looks.....gorgeous.' Estha's beauty took Claire's breath away.
ZAP! ZAP!
Estha disappears and appears in front of Karl. She picks him up by throat. "How dare you! This was the last straw, I am expelling you out of my academy." Karl couldn't even react to Estha's movement. He blinked and the very next second he was in the air.
Estha's eyes are glowing dark yellow. Small electric currents being thrown out of her floating hair. "After seeing your performance in the fourth phase, I changed my thoughts about you. I even went far and got a gift for you but they always say once a trash always a trash."
Claire starts to panic.
"I should advise you to put my knight down."
Claire turns and sees Ray holding Mikaela's entire skull.
"Your knight?" Estha asks in a hostile tone.
"Yes, he pledged to my son. He belongs to us." Ray slightly squeezes his hand. Mikeala starts to struggle, she tries to summon her magic circle but she fails as she couldn't concentrate due to pain. "Oh ho? Looks you forgot teach your disciple some patience. She will get herself killed."
Estha starts to recollect her thoughts. Her eyes fixed on her disciple. 'If Mikaela somehow hits the lion, it will start an all-out war. The sentinels would definitely side with him. Federation is useless. Ugh. The risk is too high.' She reached the conclusion in fraction of a second.
ZAP! ZOOOM! The intense electricity dies out as Estha drops Karl on the ground.
"Smart decision. I hope that your disciple will also learn this." Ray gently puts Mikaela down. Her face all messed up.
COUGH! COUGH! Karl covers his mouth as he coughs.
Seeing that her disciple is not moving, Estha quickly walks towards her and crouches to pick her up. "After this, if you I see you anywhere on campus. I will kill you." She sneers and carefully drags Mikaela back into the elevator.
"Heh. She really does care a lot about her disciple." Ray remarks.
Karl is taking deep breaths as he tries regain his composure. He looks at Ray. "What did you do to her?" He asks in a low voice.
"Not much. Just held her head hard enough that blood stopped flowing to her brain. I didn't kill her, she just lost consciousness." Ray answers nonchalantly.
Suddenly something pulls his shirt. Claire has a flustered a face, she is looking at the ground. "Mphmmm." She points at herself. "Can you hold me like that? Can you make it last forever? I don't mind dying."
COUGH! COUGH! Karl suddenly starts to spit blood, his coughs louder than before. Ray narrows his eyes as he observes the kid's behaviour. Few seconds later, he turns to Claire. "Miss, I do know why are you following us but I think it is time we should part ways."
Claire's expression quickly changes, her body shivers. She really wants the man who is threatening her to kill her. 'Oh Sage! He is sooooo hot!'
Ray simply stares at her before saying the harsh words. "Leave. While I am asking nicely."
Claire reluctantly surpresses her emotions. She leans to look at Karl. "It was nice to meet you, Mr.Leonard. Thank you for being the reason of this destined encounter between me and my all time favourite crush." She doesn't even wait for Karl's response and runs past both of them.
After Claire is nowhere to be seen, Ray finally turns to Karl. "Who even was that girl?"
"Well, I don't know her name. But I definitely know that she sure wanted a wanted a sugar daddy."