Grey Nirmala
I was sitting in the middle of Bloom and Ulma. Ulma was on my right, her head on my shoulder, she was snoring while sleeping. Bloom was sitting on my left. She was silent but she was not sleeping. She was looking out from the window at the shadow dessert. A place that has black sand and giant earthworms inside. Throughout the shadow desert are temples that were built to worship Tarn, the Pillar of Death. Temples that look like the pyramids in Avola City.
"An earthworm on the way!" The driver shouted, he was an old man with a long beard.
"Stop the vehicle!" The professor shouted back.
With the sudden motion of the brakes. We shook. I guess they were still far behind in vehicles. Green Realm was far superior on this side.
Because of the sudden shake, Ulma and many other students that were sleeping had woken up. The earthworm was about to attack in a couple of minutes.
From the window I could see the other twisterways stopping. The sand around us began to shake. The professors were getting off the twisterways to battle against the beast. They are not enough. Because there is not just one earthworm in the area. Three gargantuan earthworms lunged from the sand. They were crawling towards us fast. They had no teeth but giant mouths. They had no eyes but giant black bodies. The professor who was inside my twisterway slowly walked towards the incoming worms. She had long emerald hair and blue eyes. She had a strong body made for battle. Her hair was like silk. Her eyes fierce. Chin sharp. She wore silver armor above a black coat and held two different colored swords in both hands, one blue and one green. Hands gripping the swords strong. She was Professor Marva Ravika. An old veteran soldier from the Great Purple Awakening War. I never saw her in person, but only from posters or academy files until today. In person she looked both beautiful and scary. Ulma and Bloom both got up from their seats and looked around with sharp gazes, the same went for the many other students. Ulma looked at me and narrowed her eyes.
"What the hell are you waiting for? A red carpet?"
I looked at her with sleepless eyes.
"Whats the worst that can happen? Isn't Marshal Rika with us?"
Ulma sighed and looked outside.
"That doesn't mean that we are fully safe. There is a earthworms on the way. It's still dangerous."
"Three." I corrected her.
Ulma shot me a warning look.
I let out a breath and stood up. The ground was shaking a lot more than before. The earthworms were hungry, I guess. I slowly got out of the vehicle and looked around. Tiny black sand mottes were all around the air because of the wind the twisterways created. Ulma, Kai and Bloom stood next to me. They all had drawn their awakened weapons. The different colored flower shirukens danced in Bloom`s fingers. Ulma had two orange colored chakrams on her hands. Kai had a dark orange colored, light battle axe on his right hand, resting it on his shoulder. Many other students had also drawn their weapons. Neiman had a silver shotel in hand while Astrid held his damn lance with pride. Then there were the professors. A mathematics professor, Eleusis Tros. He was a big man with broad shoulders and sharp yellow eyes. His hair was brown and tied up in a ponytail. He wore a silver armor that covered his elbows, kneecaps and lats. In Eleusis`s left hand was a small wooden slingshot. For a big man like him, having an awakened weapon that small was pathetic and embarrassing. Not that I cared anyway. He was still a strong man after all.
Another professor, a literature professor named Caldrim Sorvex, stood a little further from us. His job was to protect the students if things went bad I suppose. But with that Fear Marshal on the horizon, I don't think any casualty could happen. Caldrim had short black hair and azure blue eyes. He had a pair of rectangular glasses. He had small shoulders, slim muscles like he was the complete opposite of Eleusis. Caldrim held an azure longbow in his hands, directed at the incoming earthworms.
The earthworms were filed as unpredictable beasts.They were classified as true monsters. They had immense power and speed but their existence itself was the main terror. They bended the laws of physics. Of course no awakened is bound to the laws which the unawakened are chained to. The awakened aether eating beast were no exception. But the earthworms bend the rules the most.
"They will handle them." Kai said with a slight whisper.
I could feel slight worry from his voice. I tilted my head at him.
"Are you nervous?" I asked, mockery in my tone.
Kai scowled:
"No." He said while both the battle axe and the arm that held it shook with uncertainty.
I smirked and summoned Fate Weaver. I swung the weapon in the air a couple of times then thought about making the blade shorter. With the thought the imuru instantly became shorter. Fate Weaver became as short as a stick while keeping its reason to be used.
Bloom gave me a side eye while cocking her head.
"Thats your awakened weapon?"
I raised a brow:
"Whats wrong with it? I think it`s a badass weapon."
Bloom shrugged and focused back to the coming earthworms.
"Wasn't a insult."
I rolled my eyes and lunged forward passing my "friends". They were shocked, I could hear their gasps well. I stood near Astrid and Neiman. Astrid looked at me with a wry smile.
"Oh, look who it is. What`s the Bolem King doing here?" He laughed.
I ignored his stupid demeanor and lunged even further, towards the professors. Three professors for three twisterways. All three professors looked at me as if they saw a ghost. Eleusis looked at me, trying to make himself look bigger than he already was.
"Hey, boy wonder!" He called out to me. "Even you shouldn't be this close to the worms."
I looked at the professors with an unfiltered dumbfounded face.
"I came to help." I said trying to sound innocent.
"Dear, you know earthworms are one of the most dangerous awakened beasts right?" Marva said, spinning the blades in her hands.
"You guys are awfully talking calm with the person that will kill your sovereign." I said but no answer came.
I thought of getting Fate Weaver to its normal height. The golden blade and the runic patterned handle made my imuru look ethereal. The golden aetheric mottes flew around me as if I was an aether magnet. After I reached my third awakening my perception had widened a lot. I could see aether in many new places. My vision was the same as when I was in the Pits but without wasting any energy. Anyways, so enough games. Playtime is over.
"Yo, brat you're still there?" A heavy voice asked, eager.
I quickly looked around and saw earthworms just right in front of me. My eyes opened wide. The earthworm lunged its mouth towards me and before I could do anything the earthworm was struck by Eleusis. Eleusis`s big hand was on the head of the giant worm.
I quickly jumped backwards to avoid any other future attack from the worm. But when I looked back I saw another earthworm coming towards me. I readied Fate Weaver. The golden flexible blade flexed in midair. But before I could strike the worm Professor Marva threw her blue blade to the earthworm, the earthworm lunged away even with its immense size. Marva appeared on top of the earthworm and she plunged her green blade to its head.
"Stay back and get back to the other students!" She shouted at me from the head of the worm, her emerald hair weaving in the wind.
I was actually quite shocked by her request. She cared about me like I was one of her own students.
"Grey!" Ulma shouted from the back.
I turned my head to see the Orange Princess. Ulma, Kai and Bloom were running towards me. I cursed under my breath. They were worried about me. And when I looked at their eyes. Those worried eyes reminded me of them. I hated it. They were going to ruin my plan. They were a flaw, a mistake.
My thoughts were wiped away as soon as the third earthworm attacked me. I quickly backed away but the worm`s mouth was huge. I almost got eaten but before it`s mouth could reach me I swung Fate Weaver and cut a piece of the worm`s hard body. The worm backed away, immediately. Using this chance I used zero to land on top of the worm. I created several small golden aetheric blades around me and stabbed all of them to the beast`s head at once. The earthworm started writhing around in pain.
"Hm, didn't know that worms can feel pain."
I send the blades deeper. And as the blades went deeper, the writhing increased. Caldrim zeroed next to me, his hand on the string of the bow, ready to let it go. I slowly looked at the literature professor.
"What?" I asked, pretending not to understand.
"You look awfully joyful." He said, his glasses mirroring me.
"You know... maybe you`re right." I said while erasing the golden blades, to stop the worm from writhing like a baby.
Caldrim sighed:
"Just stand back." He said, harshly.
I looked around, then raised my hands like I surrendered.
"Fine. Fine. You guys win." I said as I zeroed next to Bloom.
Bloom noticed me as soon as I came next to her. I smirked at the three of them.
Ulma gently took my arm and made me get away from the battlefield. All of the students watched from the twisterways as the professors fought against the earthworms.
"You okay?" Ulma asked me as she sat down next to me.
I looked at her with a frown. I held a pebble in my hand as the ground shook.
"Where are your friends?" I asked back while throwing the pebble up and down.
Ulma looked at me confused, then grinned mischievously.
"Why? Wait. Do you like one of them?" Ulma`s face blushed with excitement.
I stopped playing with the pebble. The little rock fell to my palm and I crushed it with minimal force.
"Someone is angry." She said leaning back. "Calm down, I was just joking."
"I am not mad at a simple joke like that."
"Then to what? I`m sure that you are not mad at the worms for jerking your mind off. I mean why would the Great Dragon King or Legacy or Fates Masterpiece or—"
"Okay, fine. You don't have to list all of my stupid nicknames."
Ulma let out a breath and went silent, watching the battle between the professors and the earthworms.
The battle continued for several hours. If I am not mistaken the fight continued for three hours. Marshal Rika arrived on the battlefield an hour ago. But the strange thing was; she did not get involved with the battle. She watched from a far away barchan. After another hour had passed, the battle finally ended with the victory of the Aetherim Academy Professors
Professors destroyed the corpses of the earthworms to create a more easier path for the twisterways.
"What a drag." Caldrim said, fixing his untidy hair.
"Catch!" Eleusis suddenly shouted at Caldrim.
Eleusis threw a large piece of one of the earthworms at the direction of Caldrim. Caldrim saw the coming throw and immediately summoned his bow and arrow. He sure is fast. Destroying that large piece with a single blast of arrow. Caldrim dispelled the bow and fixed his glasses. Eleusis had an annoyed face.
"Man, you are no fun." He said then walked away to help Marva and some workers to set up the tents we were gonna use for the night.
To be honest, spending a night in this desert felt useless. We could`ve just used the twisterways to travel to our next destination, that being the Forest Of Spirits. The place that holds the last memories of the deceased. The place that shows you the death date of the people you care about. The place that took the life of many, the life of Cinder Akane. It was my fault that Cinder died, and now Maya had no one left. And I know that she will die... Die? But Maya was supposed to die last year. I remember it correctly, how can I forget that moment. But she is not dead. Why? Did Fate fail? Did Death fail? How can she survive if that was her fate? To die in year 2018.
"Yo, Grey you here?" Kai said, holding a cup of water.
"Nop, he is busy fucking his thoughts." Hachiko said with a yawn.
"So you finally choose to help?" I thought to Hachiko.
The bastard just shrugged the question away. I turned my attention back to Kai.
"Do you need anything?" I asked him.
Kai shook his head.
"No, I just thought that you were more silent than usual."
Am I? Maybe. How could I not. I am in the middle of a crisis here. And I just—
"And Professor Caldrim wants to see you."
"The smart looking one?" I said with a laugh. The laugh died the second it escaped from my mouth.
"Ha. Ha. Anyways, he hates being late. So I advise you to go see him now."
"Okay then. Where is—"
"Inside the large tent in the middle." Kai said before I could even ask.
I slowly nodded my head, then got up from the black sand I sat while trying to figrue out when the plan was going to start.
My steps were slow and ridiculous. I slowly turned my head to Kai to make sure what I was doing was what I should be doing. Kai looked at me with a smug grin. I sighed and continued to walk towards the big military tent. I scattered the curtain of the tent away and went inside. I looked around then my eyes caught Caldrim and I quickly walked towards the Literature Professor. Caldrim turned to look at me and motioned his hand for me to sit on a very small chair next to me.
I frowned:
"Really?" I pointed at the very small chair. "This is what you want me to sit on?"
Caldrim nodded his head. I frowned even more. I waited for some seconds but when Caldrim did nothing I let out a sharp breath and sat down on the ass wide chair. The chair was both uncomfortable and humiliating. I felt inferior.
"This is so fun to watch." Hachiko said with a large appetite for jape.
"This. Is Not. Fun."
"So Grey, do you know the story of why these temples around the shadow desert were made?"
I shook my head, accepting the fact that I had no idea about them. Except the fact that they were made to worship a god or whatever shit I didn't know.
"So well, their first reason was of course to worship Lord Tarn, the Primordial Carnage."
"What a cool epithet."
Caldrim let out a disappointed breath and removed his glasses, placing them on a wooden table near him.
"Do you even know why we worship Lord Tarn?"
I shook my head again.
"Uhh... Because he created you guys?"
"No." He simply said.
He seemed disappointed. I mean I get him but I was not really eager to care about the reason. But of course knowledge was my priority so I had to listen to his "lecture".
"Well, I don't really see Tarn as a religious god figure. But when you said it now, I guess he is important."
Caldrim raised a brow but a moment later lowered it back.
"Well, the reason is pretty obvious. Tarn is no god. He is a Pillar. Those two are not the same. A Pillar is the one whose existence is obligatory for the realms survival. And Tarn predates any god. Tarn is the Pillar of Death. The concept of death itself. Don't misunderstand it, he does not rule death. He is death. Tarn always listens, death always watches. And we are called the "People of Death" not because Tarn created as but because we have his aether in us. In our aether veins. Your realm`s people are called the People of Destruction because— Wait a minute, don't your realm worship the Pillar of Destruction?"
I cocked my head, not really understanding what he meant.
"What`s that supposed to mean? In my realm we do worship some fraud gods I guess. But no... Destruction is not on that list."
Caldrim rubbed his eyes.
"At this rate you have no chance against Orinn. You will lose."
I straightened up, my eyes narrowing down.
"All of you are underestimating me a lot. If I knew that I would die in a battle against Orinn, than I would never have challenged him to a battle to the death. Fear is what Orinn uses to rule. And I am not afraid."
Caldrim clapped his hands.
"You sure will die." He sighed. "Anyways, let's go back to the subject. The second reason why those temples were built is because to have protection from the earthworms."
I was going to ask something but before I could speak, Caldrim continued.
"Earthworms are not dangerous because of their unbelievable size. It's because of their memory manipulation abilities."
I paused for a moment. Maybe that was why I was lost in so many thoughts during my battle against them. And why Ulma said that they "jerked my mind. This was really scary. But there was one problem.
"Why wasn't this documented in the academy?"
Caldrim turned around.
"Because most don't come here and fight an earthworm. This region is hardly visited. If I am not wrong we are the first ones to visit here in a decade. And this is common knowledge."
I nodded my head.
"Okay... Still doesn't really explain why such an important part is left out. And why the hell did you even call me here? To give me a stupid lecture about a stupid place?"
Caldrim tossed me a small purple ball. I catched it easily and raised a brow.
"What is this? A ball to use in war?" I laughed.
"Yes it very much is." Caldrim said with full confidence.
"Man, this guy is good." Hachiko said with a giggle.
"Shut up Hachiko." I thought in my mind.
"So what does this ball do? Replacement?"
Caldrim leaned back and clenched his fist.
"Such foolishness for a boy called 'Fates Masterpiece'."
I opened my arms and an innocent smile appeared on my face.
"Hey, I was not the one who chose the name."
"The ball that you are holding is an aetheric artifact. It's called Will of Orca. And it's used to see the future."
I tilted my head.
"Well, glimpses of the future. At least for this one. Dream King has an evolved one in his private room."
I tilted my head even more. Caldrim then quickly added:
"Its just a theory of course."
I smirked.
"What do you really want me to do?"
Caldrim grabbed his glasses.
"I need you to challenge Astird William Sanguis in a duel to the death."
He said with a sharp voice. I locked eyes with him.
"Why?"
"Because if not, the Chaos Head Organization will win. Don't ask details, just say yes or no."
I thought for a moment but then quickly replied.
"What if I say no?"
"Then you will never learn the way to beat Orinn Legia."
I quickly stood up and summoned Fate Weaver. A large bastard smile was on my face. As Caldrim saw my smile a ridiculous smile of his own was plastered over his face.
"Finally the plan is in action!"
"Yes Hachiko it is."
I was already going to challenge Astrid in a duel, but now I had no worries. Because I now know how big this rebellion is. And I finally know how Orinn knows who I am.
I threw the Will of Orca back to Caldrim. Without looking back I zeroed outside, right in front of Astrid and the others. They were all around a campfire. I knew most of them. Ulma, Bloom, Kai, Neiman... Then we have Pixie and Gail, friends of Ulma. Carnus and Damian, friends of Kai. Lara, Ariel and Logan, friends of Astrid. Finally the professors, workers and many other students. They all looked at me. Fate Weaver in my hand I spoke in a mocking tone:
"Hello Astrid."
Astrid quickly got up and summoned his spear.
"Wow! Calm down man. Or wait... don't calm down." I pointed Fate Weaver at him, using aether to make the blade look solid.
"Astrid William Sangius from the Great House of Sangius. I, Grey Nirmala, the Mighty Dragon King challenge you to on a duel to the death."
Ulma, Kai, Bloom, Neiman... All of them stood up. Gasping with surprise and fear. I could sense the Fear Marshal realising a hateful aetheric intent. Astrid narrowed his eyes. He summoned his spear and held his spear with honor and dignity. Ready to fight me.
"I accept."