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Everyone started moving out, exiting the now bloodied building.
As they exited, they were met with the Grandmaster who stood in the exit, standing far enough for all of them to see.
"Your first test has reached its conclusion," she said, her words clear and filled with pride.
"The next test will commence at dawn." Moving her eyes, she caught a glimpse of Elsa, who was now standing not far from her, but her expression had undergone a dramatic shift.
Her stance bore some type of elegance, her new white hair released a silver shine, her eyes so red that fire would be jealous.
If you didn't know her, you might think she was a noble, because exceptional beauty was mostly common to them.
As she moved her gaze once more, she saw the others who had interactions with the child who called himself a God. A faint smile played on the ends of her lips.
"You may leave," she spoke, and immediately, as if awaiting her command, everyone present started walking, leaving the once beautiful school, now filled with nightmares.
Some relief washed over their minds, thinking they had survived a brutal experience, but for those who knew, they were shaking, pondering whether taking the next test would be worth it.
Was death really worth the playground they wanted to step into to fulfill their unknown desire?
Asha began walking, thinking about how he was going to handle his current dilemma when an unexpected person stood in front of him, as if blocking his path from leaving.
"Noooo way," Asha said with a smirk and playful tone. "Don't tell me you have fallen in love, have you?" he asked as he drew close to her.
"I know I'm good-looking, but ain't you a bit... ahh... old?" he continued, looking straight at the woman who stood in front of him.
"Mr. Hellbound, let's have some tea in my office," said the headmaster with a smile that seemed wide and creepy, which made Asha feel nervous.
___________
Now in the same office, the same chair, and facing the same old lady looking straight into his eyes, there were no words, no sounds, just pure silence.
So silent one would expect to hear the sound of their breathing or the beat of their heart, but there was nothing.
Asha, who sat there, his breath was almost non-existent, as if his body was acting like he was in a state of camouflage, hiding him silently so he could catch his prey.
Asha, who released this presence, didn't notice how could he, for he was doing nothing; it was his own body in a state of frenzy.
But the headmaster noticed; even if she tried, she couldn't hear the sound of his heart or his breath leaving his body.
It was as if she was looking at a voidless creature. "Mr. Hellbound," she said, "Call me Asha," he interrupted before she could continue. "Asha, you are aware we were watching everything?" she asked, as if waiting for a reaction, but nothing came.
Asha just sat there with a look of confusion. "I have some questions," she said, taking out a small book from the drawer of her table.
First, she started asking him about his experience and how he felt during the test, as if trying to break the ice with Asha, but Asha kept his expression unchanged, as if genuinely not interested in anything, which was understandable.
For he truly had a lot on his mind: first, he had to deal with ASHBA, his alter ego; second was Elsa, and third was Hades, who needed power in exchange for a domain.
This was the one that got most of his attention; if he could control a good amount of the underworld, would that mean he could potentially raise the dead? He never really knew the restrictions of raising the dead, but he knew that Hades had the ability.
He also knew that in the novel, after Asha killed Hades, he inherited control over the whole underworld, which also gave him the ability, but that version of Asha didn't care about anyone, so he saw no need in using it.
But with all things, there is a price, and that price would probably be soul binding, which meant that whoever awakened from the dead would be undead, causing their soul to be bound to the owner, taking away their permission to have an afterlife, giving them immortality in the overworld.
They could obviously be killed but just didn't have a weakness to old age and had immunity over sicknesses.
"Asha!" the Grandmaster spoke, snapping Asha out of his ever-looming thoughts.
"I asked a question," she said, looking at Asha with curiosity. "Forgive me, I wasn't paying much attention," he replied.
"The door," she spoke, "where does it lead?" she asked with a shifted tone of seriousness. Asha couldn't help but slightly chuckle, almost laughing.
He then sat back and crossed his legs as if he had gained some type of sense of power. "I thought I just came here for tea," he said, seeing that she was growing out of patience as time went on.
"Where do you think it leads?" Asha asked as he crossed his arms, lifting his hands and balancing his head by the chin.
"And the girl, did you bring her back to life?" the Grandmaster asked, still having her gaze fixed on him, as if trying to see through any lies.
"Nope," Asha replied, which made the Grandmaster grow angry; she felt as if Asha was toying with her.
But before she could reprimand him or say anything, "She was revived by Hades," he answered as the once friendly smile faded from his lips.
"Miss, you do know there is a price for everything, such as there is a price for those lingering questions," his tone direct and unchanged.
"If you ask more, I hope you have means to pay that price," he continued.
She then took some time to think; with a nod, she stopped her pursuit of questions as if understanding what he meant, for these were the questions about the realm of the dead.
Answering these could bring the knowledge of the dead to the land of the living; for even the underworld had its own countries and creatures.
These were the questions that would start wars; for not even the Gods would ask Zeus about the capabilities of his lightning bolt.
Who was she to ask questions to the God of the Underworld, the world under theirs?
Standing up, she moved her body towards what seemed to be a safe, opening it.
Laying there was a silver ring that seemed to be visible.
She then took it and put it on, walking back to her seat.
She looked at Asha. "How much?" she asked, looking straight into his eyes, confusing him in the process.
"How much for you to allow me and my people to enter that door?" she continued, which made Asha lose his composure and smile widely, which only offended the Grandmaster, but Asha simply didn't care.
Asha simply raised his hand, and, surprising the woman who sat in front of him, the ground shifted as if melting, raising up as it made its way to Asha.
It was as if it was following his every command, and finally standing up like a mini mountain. At its tip was a large diamond, clear as if it had been processed; it was beautiful, more beautiful than any she had seen.
"You think you can ask that question to a person who literally owns all raw substances which are fundamental for money?" he looked at her, raising his brow in response.
She seemed kind of embarrassed but kept her confidence as if controlled by pride.
Then a thought came to Asha's mind as he thought of something that would benefit him. "But there is something I want," he said. "How badly do you want to enter the door?" he asked, as he couldn't contain his ever-joyful nature.
"I'll give anything," she replied in an instant, as if she hadn't put much thought into her answer.
"I need something without price, something powerful, something unchanged, something which would possibly make you weaker.
Do you still want to enter the world below?" She was curious; she was, but in her mind, what could he mean by those words? If he didn't want money, she didn't know what it was, but she didn't care.
'Anything to do that thing,' she thought to herself. "Yes," she replied, which only fueled Asha's happiness.
"I'll do it when that fucked up suicide exam is done," he announced. You should prepare until then.
As he stood up to leave, "You know you don't need to participate in it, right?" she added, making him turn his head slightly as he proceeded walking towards the door.
"Yeah, if you said that three hours ago, I would have reconsidered, but I just fucked up big time," he said, leaving her alone in the office walls.
She couldn't hold her excitement. Yes, when did it start? It started when Kristen, the Fury's descendant, came telling her about him.
She was a bit skeptical, but when she explained that she felt fear, it only solidified his existence. For Furies are known to fight dangerous enemies, like demigods and monsters; they never show fear, even if they feel it.
It's in their nature to hide it to maintain a strong outlook.
But at rare times when they do show it, when they do show their vulnerabilities, the only time is when they are facing a 'GOD'.
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