Just as the headmaster said, the test took place at the Contour’s Testing Ground as early as seven o’clock the next morning. Since there were only a hundred and six students in the school, there would be about twenty-one or twenty-two students who would take the test every day. This would mean that by the sixth day of the test, they’d just be waiting for the result.
With that being said, Blame woke up at six o’clock, her hair looking like a disheveled nest that’s about to explode. Stretching and yawning, her half-asleep eyes bored at the transparent wall reflecting Hail’s room.
Hail slept with both his hands resting on his stomach, a blanket covering the lower part of his body. Although she couldn’t see his face, she assumed his features to be innocent while asleep. Most often than not, Wielders managed to look younger and softer when their eyes were closed.
Looking at his half-dead body, her heart clenched. Somehow, she saw the hint of Kleint’s existence (a childh
Spluttering, Z sat abruptly, her eyelids drooping, her visions unfocused. She was wheezing as she tried digesting the piercing light now illuminating the room. It took her a cup of lavender to calm down. As she brushed the sweat away from her body, the woman who tested her sat in front of her, still wearing her mask. Z had to stop herself from shuddering when the woman cupped her cheeks. The feels of her palms were so familiar. It almost felt as though she’d been longing for it. With her brows furrowed, she looked past at her warm eyes and still could not conclude who she was. “Do I know you?” she said even before she could stop herself. The woman just smiled, or at least, her eyes did. “That’s out of question, Ms. Seirt. Let’s go back to the business, shall we?” Breathing rather heavily, Z leaned back at the reclining chair, massaging her temple. “Mind telling me what’s happened?” said the woman, crossing her arm
The shock took a moment to wear off. She knew by now that Michelle’s doubt would increase if she realized she’d been shifted into the other class. Hail’s, Briane’s, Jane’s, and Reigna’s perception might waver one bit because they were sure all of them would remain a Skipper.What you’ve been would always be… at least that’s how they saw it.But there’s no point pondering about it now. After all, the main point of her being there was for the headmaster’s head, and she just has to deal with their doubts as she went. If ever they pose a threat to her plans, they must be moved out of the way.“SWEETIE, LOOK!”Z hurriedly stuff the box and the letter out of sight as Briane barged in, bringing with him a letter quite alike with hers. Unlike the Noble’s, the Skipper’s head used a scented parchment for the student’s letter of qualification. It’s embellished with golden crowns and an eye that featured a shadow’s figure than an iris.“I’m a Skipper!”
Z woke up three days after she’d been unconscious. The first thing she noticed was the flat ceiling of her bed. From its corners twirled white linen cloths that flow seamlessly down the ground.Grabbing one of her pillows, she turned and embraced it with a loud sigh.Her room was as big as three apartments combined, enclosed by marble walls that were creatively glued with minuscule diamonds. Due to its glimmering nature, the room was only illuminated by the pea-size flame of three candles standing on a candelabra in the corner. The strange combination of orange and yellow lights was enough to emphasize the glint of the diamonds.Supposedly, these diamonds were to form into a feature quite alike with the princess, but something happened along the way, so it then formed into a galaxy, with the diamond as the stars.From the left wing of the room stood a concave window. It’s embedded with a shadow’s physique that covered up its entirety,
Z was standing in front of the full-length mirror, wearing a magnificent pleated skirt embroidered with red threads in the corner. It was paired with long dress trousers, a sleeveless shirt with a collar underneath it. In her left wrist rested a crimson vest and a black tie, completing the Noble’s prescribed uniform.“Not bad.”Brushing the ash-gray strands of her hair, she looked around, making sure it was deserted and that the other Skipper’s weren’t looking. In the opposite room, Reigna was busy rummaging the box given to them, while in the room beside Z, Hail was reading on his bed, still not wearing a uniform.Assured she’d never be seen, she stared at her hair, the crystals of her orbs dilating. Her heart was drumming loudly as she willed each strand to overlap the other until she was able to braid it.When she’s already satisfied with the way she looked, she wore the vests but was never aware of how she’d wear the tie. She’d never use
Z screamed when cold water splashed through her body. It was penetrating through her flesh, making her teeth chattered.As she opened her eyes, she made out a blurred outline of a bulky man who’s holding a bucket. She breathed heavily. Closing her eyes yet again, she allowed the dusty and wooden smell to overcome her system. She’s not even caring much about the roughness of the ground as long as she could steer again to a serene slumber.Whatever happened yesterday took a toll on her strength that even after some hours of sleep, she’s still conscious of the soreness and throbbing of her muscles.“Rule number one: Nobles don’t sleep like a lazy brat!”Just after a deep, growling voice spoke, a spark shot from Z’s feet, all the way to her head, making her sit straight, catching her breath, so as the other forty-four Nobles. Just like her, they were all wet, no scratch whatsoever but exhaustingly soaked.“Rule number two: If you’re
For a single week, Z’s life changed drastically. Apparently, a Noble wasn’t a class she could just pass by with; her teachers made sure of that.It was, perhaps, due to what she went through that her system learned to redeem consciousness even before Mister Porche could beat her to it. She got her share of praise from the other teachers she kept forgetting the names but never did she hear it from him. Waking up early didn’t only except her from the punishment, she’s also able to witness what happened to those who slept through their alarm.As early as five in the morning, their Quarter would be filled with the Shadowest’s screams as Mister Porche, with the help of other staff, would splash water after water to those who were still asleep.Somehow, her stay there was bearable; though no one tried to befriend her, she’d been used to such treatment to ever wonder why. She did notice something from the class. For one, they like hovering around, gossip
Z was falling…Falling…Falling…… falling in the depth of nothingness, her screams unheard over the pressure of her fall. She wanted so much to hold on to something, to stop the wind howling in her ears; however, she ended up wishing for death when darkness dominated her vision.And then, her back hit something hard.She gasped as she sat upright, catching her breath, as though she just swam underneath a deep ocean. It was hard for her not to notice the soft fabric of the hospital dress she’s wearing, as it was soaked with sweat. Her body’s still releasing more juices, though. It’s made it complicated to say she’s not bathing.Until she wiped the sweat on her forehead did she realize the wires glued in there. Brows furrowing, she looked around and was highly interested in the beeping sound; it came from a monitor sitting on a high chair, a line moving up and down from there. Beside it was a study table wi
On the last night of June, Z was sitting in the far corner of the Noble's Quarter's second floor. Her ash gray hair was disheveled, her hands pulling its strand every now and then. Lines were creasing her forehead as she stared down at the pile of parchment messily placed on the study table.Yawning, she rubbed her stinging eyes and cursed her teachers for giving too many tasks. Apparently, her one-week rest did not guarantee a sound preceding days, because the moment she’s been back, she was asked about her health.Knowing full well Granny’s capability, she told everyone who cared to ask that she’s perfectly fine, which she regretted afterward. The teachers thought it unwise to have a Noble left behind, so she’d been given the tasks she’s unable to accomplish while fighting death's rotting hand.She glared at Mr. Porche's back-to-back essay, as though by doing so, it’d finish itself. It’s about the importance of training. It’s been over an hour,