To Become Number One

Chapter 9

No one should be left behind.

First training class— a whole afternoon lesson regarding our ability and how we could be able to control it as how we wanted it to be. I was kind of nervous as I could feel my chest as if going to burst any minutes from now. My classmates, however, are looking forward to it.

Who wouldn't? I mean, in this lesson, you'll be free from lectures where you'll only listen and take note of what the professor will say, and some of my classmates don't like that.

I just learned that not all of them passed at the written examination as they only passed through the level of their abilities as they destroyed the crystal. Of course, at the case of top 10, which Ms. Vergara explained, we aced both the examination, and that's when I learned that Killian perfected both written and practical— since destroying the crystal has grades in which, of course, his way of destroying it is too powerful, I think, that's why he scored 100 points.

Killian Astaroth… ever since what happened yesterday, I did my very best to avoid him nor even come close to him. Every time Yvonne unconsciously comes into his place, I'm trying my best to locate such distances from them to avoid going near him, as it didn't really hard for me since I noticed Zariyah too, and sometimes she's with Lucian so I'm joining them.

I thought I peacefully avoided him without everyone noticing, but then, as our training starts, Lucian suddenly asked me about it.

“The training is just simple. All you just need to do is to find the crystals I've placed around the place and bring them back into me, and of course, a fight couldn't be avoided once you and another group find the same crystal. I've placed enough crystals for every group. Now, good luck!” Ms. Hera, one of the top 10 mages in which, I was really shocked when I learned that she'll be our mentor in the training class.

She's known for her powerful deduction and skillfully critical thinking and of course, the addition of her ability which is fire, she's enough to be placed at Top 4 as one of the strongest mages.

Ah, I forgot to mention. The reason why our Academy is well known in our world is that the top mages in our generation today are alumni of our Academy, which means, they've graduated here and this Academy cultivates them at who they are today, that's why everyone wants to study here since I said, students are becoming famous once they entered here due to the top Mages today who graduated here.

I am partnered with Lucian, as we proceed to spread throughout this big training ground in settings like we're in a factory, and yes, it's part of the training ground of our Academy.

I couldn't help but look at Lucian as I saw him getting serious— with his forehead creased as if thinking thoroughly. He's taller than me— I think that's already a given since he's a man, and based on his height, he's at 5"9' or something? He's kind of tall for someone like me who's only 5'2", and almost everyone in our class, I"m talking about male here, are really as tall as the post.

That's when I noticed, Lucian's really soft. I mean, even he's thinking thoroughly, I couldn't help but notice his light green eyes— lighter than his eyes as I noticed his thick eyelashes. I already know that his brows are already thick even the day I've met him, and of course, in addition to his innocent looks, he's really such a soft guy to stick up with Killian the rudest guy.

And it was as if he felt my stares that he looks at my side. My eyes widen a bit as I quickly avoided my stares at him and acted as nothing happened even I could feel my cheeks burning because of embarrassment— he just caught me staring at him!

“Artemis,” My heart started beating fast as I closed my eyes. Act natural, Artemis. If ever he asks you why you're staring at him, tell him that you're just wondering why—

“I noticed you avoiding Kill. I mean, I just noticed how you always move away when he's near at you earlier when you weren't like that yesterday and you even exchanged sit at Yvonne so would you mind if I ask why?” I got frozen as I stopped walking, looking at him with an unbelievable expression on his face. He smiles shyly just as when he holds the back of his head. “I don't mean to pry, okay? And if you don't want to say, it's okay. I'm just concerned since something's bothering you and I could see that you couldn't say it to anyone else,” He smiled at me. I could see the genuine concern on his face as he said those words to me.

While I am here, dumbfounded. I mean, I don't know that someone like that existing into my life, the one who will notice the slight changes in your actions and would ask it— they way of saying that they're here for you, and I think that's the most wonderful thing someone must feel as someone's still caring to whatever you are doing or what you are feeling.

I suddenly became guilty if I won't tell it to him. I mean, he's kind of right that I couldn't tell it to anyone else, even at Yvonne or Zariyah since I don't think they will understand me. I mean, I trust them but, at a kind of talk like this, I felt like someone who knows Killian well will only understand what I am feeling.

As I was about to speak when he speaks ahead of me. “You may see him as a rude guy, but for me, he's just true to what he's feeling inside. And if ever he said something that hurt you, please forgive him without him saying sorry since… he never said sorry,” I look at him unbelievably again from what he said. Killian… never said sorry?

As he continues explaining what he knows about Killian Astaroth, the rudest guy I've ever known.

“He's so full of himself, but that's applicable since he could do everything, and I'm not. That's why… maybe because I'm with him and being with the same section with him, despite that he told me not to come to where Academy he is attending, I couldn't help it since it's my dream Academy. This is where my dreams will start,” He said so wholeheartedly as if those words are coming from his heart as if those are the voices from his heart that I couldn't help but feel their pleas too. They are wanting to be heard as to how mine wanted to be heard too.

But I just couldn't help to hear the proudness in his voice as he said that Killian could do everything. Does it means… this boy with me adores him so much?

Now I couldn't help myself. “Why does Killian loathes you so much?” I know it's off-topic, but I just couldn't really help but notice since ever since, like, the day I've met the two of them, it was Lucian who's following Killian as Killian continues to step ahead from him.

“I think it's my fault. It's the first time I didn't follow what he said even he threatened me, and now that I'm even with the same Academy as him…” He trailed off… as if remembering something. “And maybe because of a secret that I couldn't tell him, or even everybody else.” He said as he looked through his hand as there are green lightning from it. I couldn't help but be curious at the same time I know I shouldn't pry over it.

But now that I noticed, and based on what he said. Lucian isn't following him… nor he's trying not to. It was as if slowly, he's creating his own momentum that I think, that's the reason why Killian's so mad right now.

Because the one he thought was going to follow him forever, is the one who's created his own world.

So I just sighed heavily, “Don't worry, someday, he'll accept it. Let him digest everything first, hmm? Maybe that's the reason why he's so mad at you, but he'll accept it in future since he has no choice… maybe, because among people here, you're the only one who's been with him ever since.” I smile at him as I saw him staring at me from what I said. “So cheer up. Everything fine, eventually.” As time will fix every sorrow and even their heart will forgive.

But as our attention goes to the front when we heard a very loud explosion, just as when dread fully engulfed me when I saw who's coming into our way.

With eyes widen, “s**t,” I cursed as I couldn't remove my gaze from a monster with red eyes, and to tell you, the way his eyes shone right now with his bloodlust to kill someone, basically someone besides me, I couldn't help but be scared of Lucian's life!

“Killian, that's not the place towards the crystal—” Selene said but she just received a shout coming from Killian.

“Shut up, you freak! Then go to the f*****g crystal and get it! I have unfinished business to this weak stupid nerd in front of me,” He said it as he continues to advance without removing his gaze towards Lucian, as I saw Selene looks at me, begging to stop him because she can't.

And even I, myself, knows that I can't stop him!

Just as when I heard Lucian's voice. “Go on and find some crystal, I got him,” He said as I look at him, completely bewildered at what he said, as I couldn't believe he's going to fight Killian right here, right now, despite the looks on his opponent's eyes as if he's going to kill him!

Just as when I felt the temperature increasing, as I saw Lucian's body suddenly surrounded in electricity as he shouted, “Jump!”

So I jumped, followed by a very loud explosion that I felt like I'm going to be deaf for a while, and I don't even know why I'm instantly far from them as I could feel the air surrounds my feet even I don't remember activating them. Just as when I looked back at our position earlier, as my eyes widen when I saw the place.

There's a very huge hole and it even has some flames on it, and when I said a huge hole, as in it almost occupied the whole place where we were walking earlier, and to tell you, that place was the same as a highway in a very huge city!

As I looked to where Lucian is, he continues avoiding Killian's attacks as the only one I could help right now us to find some crystals for us!

I looked above, why the alarm isn't turning on? Any minutes from now, I think someone would die from the way they fight right now! And that someone is Lucian since he isn't even fighting back, truth to be told!

Again, as I am looking up, my eyes widen in the realization that when I'm above, it's more likely that I could have a view all over the place and in which, I could locate the crystals since Ms. Hera said, it's shining in blue! I should just find some blue shining things then!

I know I haven't control my ability, but since I know that once I'm only using a minimum level of my power, I will able to control it just as how I controlled it yesterday. So I closed my eyes and using a little bit of my ability, I made myself float.

Killian's explosion from their fights could still be heard in the place, the more reason that I must do it fast. As I successfully made myself floated, I look around to look for some crystals but then… it's Ms. Hera who hides them, it means that even it's shining in blue, if you couldn't break the barrier that's hiding them, then you wouldn't be able to locate them whatever you do!

So as I am floating through the sky, I closed my eyes as I made my air spread while keeping its level on minimum only. It was kind of hard since it's the first time I'm doing two things at once. It was harder since my ability's trying to break free from my grasps!

As when I opened my eyes, I couldn't help but smile when I could now locate those shining blue things as if my eyes turned into infrared version and those shining things could be located easily with it since my air is now spreading through this whole place.

As I go to where the closest to me and hide it with my ability, but then, I just couldn't ignore those classmates of mine that are trying hard to find them even they couldn't, as I saw others already passed e through at those crystals that are close to them.

I sighed. Ms. Hera didn't say that it isn't allowed to help others right? As I made tilted prisms made from air close to those crystals so their light would reflect upwards, and I was right when they reflected it, and I'm leaving the rest to them as I need to tell at Ms. Hera about what's happening between Killian and Lucian.

Now, I'm giving the crystal to her that she accepted with her sweet smile before I heard her speaks. “I know what you did to help your classmates,” that my eyes widen a little since there's no hologram to watch the training! Or is there is?

“Don't worry about Killian and Lucian. Levi, I mean, your homeroom adviser already told me about it and it's the only way we could help them,”

I stared at her unbelievably. “By killing each other?”

As she laughs at my question. “No, chill. They wouldn't kill each other. It's just their way of venting out. You know, boys,” She said as she motioned in front of me, just as when I noticed a hologram appeared and… I could clearly see what's happening between those two!

My eyes widen at the way I noticed Lucian is also fighting back, as when they're about to attack a very powerful blow, “I think they're killing each other, Miss...” I said as she laughs nervously.

“I think so too,” Just as when she motioned something at the air before I noticed there's kind of red flame that surroundings Killian and Lucian— that stopped them from fighting back at each other.

“Okay, stop it. Now that even got the crystals, congratulations!” Ms. Hera said as she clapped her hands. “Now, Mr. Le Doux and Mr. Creighton, feeling well already?” She asked the two who's like being brought to us by her ability herself since they're still caged in those ring of fire.

As Killian scowled, “Tch,” He said as when Ms. Hera successfully made them land, he quickly turned his back as he speaks, “We're not done, you damn nerd,” He said as he turned his back from us, as when I looked at Lucian, asking if they're fine, he just shook his head. Uh, oh…

“I think not,” Ms. Hera whispered as she chuckled nervously.

Maybe she's thinking that she just made those two… or let me say, Killian's anger intensifies at Lucian.