ELEX VINSPEAR (POV)

“Ah, so you must be the one they call Leo?” The Professor said to me as we approached him.

We stood within one of the linking sections of the Gala marketplace and the area where the different dungeon levels were categorized. The man who stood before us was someone I had never met before - not that I knew most teachers, but he spoke to me with a sense of familiarity.

“No, I’m Elex, he’s Leo,” I said pointing to my friend next to me.

“Oh, you’re, Elex!” he exclaimed with his eyes widened. “Well, that’s a relief.”

The man wore the same clothes that our teachers did. Albeit it was the first time I had seen his face among the Professors accompanying us into the ruins, he held a mysterious presence about him. Despite his expression being welcoming, he also looked as if he was hiding something.

“What is, sir?” I asked.

He stared blankly at me, “... Just the fact that you’re here.” he said with an uncertain face. “The headmaster spoke very highly of you.”

“Did he?”

“Yes, very high indeed. Anyhow,” he said clasping his hands together and turning to face Leo, “Young man, you are the leader of your group, correct?”

“Yes, sir?” Leo replied.

“Well, my name is Professor Hall. I’m here to inform you that I will be assisting your group with any troubles regarding your dungeon,” he said with an eager smile.

“Assisting us?” Leo repeated, “Do the other groups have someone helping them too?”

“Ehh, kind of,” the Professor said unconvincingly, “I’m somewhat new to all of this so don’t expect much from me, however, I am here to aid you in any way I can.“

This was new to both of us. We hadn’t been told of assistant teachers by anyone, not even Professor Gillot - the lead teacher of our expedition into the ruins.

“Ah, well, thank you, sir.” Leo uncertainly.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Professor Hall continued.“How many people are there in your group?”

“Around thirty, sir,” Leo replied,

“And are you all working together to complete your dungeon?”

“Well, yes, but we’ve split into smaller teams,”

“Ah, so you and Elex must be a team of your own then. Just the two of you?” he said with a puzzled face.

Leo and I looked behind us for where our third member was. Sarah had said she was going to see if any of her friends who were placed in other groups were out of their dungeons. However, as we looked back to see her approaching from afar, it would appear that she didn’t meet them.

“No, that’s our third member over there sir,” Leo said pointing to Sarah.

I could visibly see the Professor’s face lighten up at her arrival. He was weird. I understood that he was new and that he wasn’t accustomed to how school teachers normally act, but his behavior seemed strange nonetheless. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

“And you're all together?” he asked.

“Umm, yes, sir,” Leo replied slightly confused.

“Well, that’s just perfect!” he exclaimed. “Perfect indeed.”

“What is, sir?”

“... Your strategic planning, of course.” He said. The professor was losing my trust with every word spoken. “Anyway, I just wanted you to know that I am here for you, and now that introductions are out of the way, I have some business to attend to with Professor Swine.” He explained, “We will meet later, stay safe and please protect each other when entering your dungeon or while you’re here in the Gala. All sorts of people lurk in this place.” He finished as he walked away from us.

“Did he say, Professor Swine?” Leo asked.

“He did,” I confirmed, “something wrong?”

“No, not really. It’s just I didn’t know Professor Swine would be here in the Gala. I mean, he’s one of the school board members.” He explained. “I just assumed he would remain on the school campus.”

“I suppose it is strange,” I said, “But so was that professor, he acted very unusual, don’t you think?”

“I guess. To be fair, he said he was new, probably just nervous.” Leo shrugged.

“Guys!” Sarah called out to us from behind as she arrived. “That man you were speaking with, who was he?”

“A new professor, and apparently our group's teacher assistant,” Leo said.

She looked down for a moment, as if in thought, “I don’t know, I thought he looked familiar from afar. I think I may have seen him somewhere.”

“Really?” I said, “From where?”

“I can’t remember, but I think I’ve seen him somewhere outside of school before. . . maybe even around my house, dare I say it,” Sarah mumbled, “Does that sound weird?”

“Yes, it does.” Leo said bluntly, “Anyhow, I think we should look around the market for some supplies. I don’t doubt that Zack brought back the food and resources he said he did, but it won’t hurt to double-check.”

He took the lead and led us through the Gala shopping area. The marketplace was a lively region full of chatter, flashy armor, and eager men and women in search of fame and glory throughout the ruins. On top of that, guild recruiters wandered around the cave area like scavengers in hopes of adding new members to their growing communities, while shop clerks competed with one another to sell the next weapons or elixirs. It was slightly overwhelming. Especially for someone like me, who has lived in the countryside their entire life. A place like this was more than foreign - it was unimaginable.

“This Gala really is something, isn’t it,” Sarah said to me. She had clearly seen the reaction on my face to the view around us.

“It’s incredible,” I replied.

“Believe it or not, I’ve been here before,” She said, “a long time ago, I came here with my older brother. My father was against it. You know, just a typical parent concerned for the safety of their child.”

It was the first time I had heard about Sarah’s life on a personal level. She never really seemed to be much of an interesting character in my eyes. She seemed to keep to herself often and didn't speak much unless spoken to. Kind of like how Chrollo was when I first met him, but she appeared to be less… cold than him.

“Your brother, he was an adventurer?” I asked.

“He still is, and a good one at that.” she said with a proud tone in her voice, “His career took him to the Demon continent - Vientor - where he joined one of the bigger guilds in the capital city of Stornoway with some of his friends.”

“Sounds like every adventurer’s dream. He must have been very skilled,” I commended. Perhaps even a faint flame had been lit within me from hearing the small testimony.

“Or he was just lucky,” Leo said joining the conversation.

“Lucky? Why do you say that?” I asked slightly taken aback.

“As far as I know, many people come to test their luck within the ruins. Some people do it because they have no other option, others do it because of family tradition or they seek fame and yearn to be named among the greatest adventurers.” He said, “However, most lose their lives searching for that glory. Most people do it for the status it brings, not truly acknowledging the dangers that accompany the ruins. Even one the most powerful mages in history - Nethuin Ranvier - lost his life to the ruins and even he was considered the most dignified adventurer.”

“There’s no need to be so bleak,” Sarah said with a hint of salt, “Besides, luck can only get you so far. If my brother’s career and all the other adventurers that had made it to the top only found themselves up there through luck, then they wouldn’t have been able to sustain their popularity and status to this day.” She argued.

“Well, that’s kind of the whole point of luck, isn’t it? They were and still are lucky enough to hold their position of power.” Leo said.

“So you choose to believe in luck to such an extent but still find religion to be the belief of the uneducated?” I asked him. Leo was a smart person, so there wasn't a doubt in my mind that he didn't see the flaws in the point he was making.

He smiled at my comment, “I don’t believe in luck, after all, it’s one of the few things that you can’t truly build an argument against or for to prove its existence. However, there are scientific explanations that can be used as evidence as to why the world wasn't made by a conscious being.”

“But you could say that it also has evidence for the existence of a God. After all, does the evidence that life can be born not prove that a God could potentially exist?”

“Hmm perhaps, but the evidence that someone as good as Nethuin Ranvier can die of unnatural causes provided by the ruins is proof enough that a God doesn’t exist,” he replied. "After all, if a god did exist, why would he let good people die."

“Everyone dies, don't they?” A man interjected from within the far corner of the cavern-like marketplace. He sat by himself on a jutted piece of rock away from the major crowd. “Sorry, I couldn’t help but overhear your little conversation.” He said.”But what makes you think that it was the ruins that killed Nethuin Ranvier?”

A slightly torn dark cloak covered the majority of his body, while black drapes of cloth hung from the sides like tendrils. His face was covered by a hood and his overall appearance was tattered and ripped as if he had just survived an attack from a vicious beast.

Leo hesitated before responding to the man. The question he asked posed no threat, however, we had been warned about approaching strangers in the ruins. Especially when it came to someone who looked as sketchy as the man before us.

“W… Well, he went missing after a final journey into the ruins with his party members. You can’t deny the fact that the ruins had a part to play in his death.” Leo said.

The man chuckled to himself. He laughed in a way that showed he had been through a lot. As if the words that Leo spoke were of someone who knew little, and someone who was naive to how things really worked.

“You're a smart boy,” the man said, “How much do you know of the ruins?”

“Not as much as you, I assume,” Leo responded with a nervous smirk.

Stolen story; please report.

“Ok, well then how much do you know of Nethuin Ranvier?”

“As much as the next person does. He lived in a different time, my knowledge of him only stems from books that those who were there to record his life works and deeds created.”

The man's head shifted. Despite the fact his face was covered, I could feel as though he were smiling - hear it in his tone of voice. “And you trust the history books you read? Would a smart person not look for other sources of information, or do an investigation of their own?”

Leo scoffed, “I’m a kid, I don’t have the pleasure of doing as I please just yet,”

“Well, then don’t talk of a subject you're not willing to put in all your effort to learn about,” he said sternly.

“. . .”

“I have been to the ruins and back, and I have seen things you wouldn’t believe. Things that a smart, logical person like you would consider impossible, but I’ve seen them. It is true, that Nethuin Ranvier is a candidate for one of the strongest in history, but he was no fool. He wouldn’t be so careless to let himself become victim to the ruins.” The man said.

Leo scoffed, “You talk as if you knew him personally - a dead man.”

The man sighed. “I only speak as someone who can relate with him. The ruins will show you things that will make you question reality. It will offer you things that should not be of this world, and take you places that you will never go again. After all, that’s what it did to me. It showed me the impossible and offered me things I should not have, things I could not control. . .” He trailed off in thought.

Maybe it was my imagination, but it felt as if I could feel his eyes on me. There was a presence about this man, but it was fleeting. He emitted a type of aura that was . . . unusual to say the least. I don’t know if Leo and Sarah picked up on it, but it was there.

“Yes, well. As I don’t doubt your knowledge of the ruins, we are extremely busy.” Leo finally said. “We would love to keep chatting but-”

“Of course,” the man interjected, “you must be on your way. However, I leave this with you, young man. The ruins call to everyone, but that doesn't mean that it’s meant for everyone. Don't think that the things you come across truly mean or say what they are. Just like every other thing in this tainted world, there’s always an ulterior motive.”

“. . . Right,” Leo said, and with that, we walked away from the man and continued to explore the marketplace of the Gala.

“What was his deal” Sarah said, “ I knew there were lunatics in this place, but I never actually thought I’d run into one myself.”

“He’s a crazed adventurer, nothing more.” Leo blurted out. “He said that the ruins aren't for everyone, and ignores the fact that they clearly aren't for him?”

“What makes you say that?” Sarah asked.

“Couldn't you sense it? He has next to no mana. Meaning when we saw him he was either extremely fatigued or he just wasn’t born for something like the ruins with a small mana pool. Surely you could sense little to nothing, Elex?”

Sarah looked over to me for confirmation, “It’s true,” I said. “Maybe, there could have been a chance that he was hiding it, but I doubt it. When you hide your mana signature, it’s usually impossible for someone else to pick up anything, however, I could sense extremely small bits of mana from the guy. Meaning he wasn’t hiding anything.”

But there was something else too. He was lacking in mana - yes - but he had an abundance of something else. Something that I couldn’t really sense, and yet, I could sense it. Something that wasn’t natural.

“Oh,” a sigh escaped her mouth, “It’s kind of sad don't you think? To spend your time in a place like this, and come out broken.”

“Nothing sad about it,” Leo said, “He took the risks just like every other person does when they enter the ruins. He just wasn't ready to face the consequences, or perhaps, “wasn’t lucky” would be a better way of describing it,” Leo said with a slight smirk at me. “Anyhow, there are people like your brother, Sarah, who can make the most of their time in the ruins, and then there are people like him. Unable to make a living off of the sorry life they lead and scrape their way at the bottom of the ruins for life. No different from a parasite really.” he said unforgivingly.

“Now you’re just being harsh,” Sarah said sternly. “You don’t know anything about the guy, there is no need to say such things.”

Leo continued to walk ahead of us in silence. The way he spoke so brutally about the man hinted that there was something else he had a grudge against.

“I don’t think it matters whether he’s sane or insane, powerful or weak. I was told recently by someone who despises me very much that there will always be people on top and people who reside on the bottom. Thats just the way things work in this world.” I said with slight annoyance, “However, that person failed to realize that the people who are on the bottom don’t lose their worth just because they aren’t as fortunate as those on the top. They unintentionally taught me that everyone has a part to play, big or small, strong or weak, and good or evil. After all, the lives of others should be something we use as a learning experience, not something we should insult or criticize them for. We’re all worth something…” I trailed off in thought.

Memories rose from the back of my mind that I had attempted to keep pushing down. However, my words just now proved that the memories I have shouldn’t be shunned, but instead used as lessons and build me into the person I want to become.

Leo stared at me blankly for a minute before opening his mouth to speak. “You know, I always make fun of you and Chrollo about your wit, however, I never thought you would say something so . . . .”

“So what?”

“. . . Passive,” he said. “I mean, your philosophy may be true in theory, but do you understand that it’s pretty much impossible to see the worth of everyone? How could a prisoner see the worth of their captor? Or a man see the worth of his dead wife's killer?”

And there it was. The contradiction I didn't want to hear. For a long time, I had thought to myself that I would use these memories of hatred to make myself strong and bring revenge for my mother. However, ever since I met the likes of Ceaser, I came to understand the worth of the fortunate and the unfortunate - even if they were spiteful people - they all taught me something new. However, it also meant that I had to understand what my own worth was, and what my worth is to other people. If I take the life of those who damaged me - just as Leo said - how could someone who cared about them see the worth of my life after that? Would I not just be playing my role within some death cycle where everyone takes revenge on another who has hurt them?

My mind raced with thoughts similar to those often. It was almost like conflict within my mind on whether I should pay the debt for my mother’s life or let the world take my enemy’s fate into its own hands. However, at that moment I spoke with Leo in the gala, in that moment he unintentionally caused memories of the death of my mother to rise in my head. I knew what my decision was. What my decision had always been. To act passively was the way of a God - something I didn't have enough faith to put my trust in. My hatred and selfishness were just too strong to let things be, I would take things into my own hands.

“You’re right, It’s impossible to understand the worth of everyone.”

CHRISTINA PORLOV (POV)

The higher floors of the tower became increasingly more spacious and less cluttered with furniture and decor. This would make sense, considering from the outside the building isn’t even finished as you gaze nearer to the top. However, it made for a rather dull search at times.

We had been within the ruins for almost three months now, and we had only found one of the keys out of the three that we needed. As you could assume, our spirits were not exactly up. The only thing that kept us interested was the discovery of secretary pathways that led to hidden rooms, the translation of the late Shandal Morsom’s journal, the increased sighing of ruin creatures, and conversations between group members.

Unfortunately, it had become an awkward time for me as I was placed in a group with Chrollo. He doesn’t seem to understand that he can’t treat people the way he does - cold and seemingly uncaring. Even when I wanted to introduce myself to his friends Elex and Leo, he seemed reserved about the whole interaction.

Things had gotten especially tense today as my team, Chrollo, Emily, Zack, and I had taken ourselves to the next unexplored floor of the tower and split ourselves in two to search faster. Zack going with Emily, and Chrollo being left with me.

For the most part, we walked and searched the floor in silence as conversation never seemed to spark between us. We had entered a room that had windows that faced the blue sky atop the mountain and the clouds rested below us as if it were a thick layer of cover you could land on.

‘The sky looks beautiful from up here,’ I thought.

This was the life I had wanted when I was younger. To have the freedom to venture the continent to my own will and do as I liked. However, the burdens of society that came upon me explained why someone in my position could not do such a thing. I found it funny, in fact. The people with the most power are often the ones who are limited by the world to do what they want. These few years I will spend at Haulburn with be my taste of what the future of some of my classmates may get to experience for the rest of their lives.

If that were the case, if my life will quickly return to the aristocracy of our society after I graduate, then I best make the most of my time here, and I suppose it all starts with the people I meet.

Chrollo walked past behind me as I stood facing out the window. I wasn’t sure how I felt about him just yet, however, deep down within me, I knew what he meant to me, even if I hadn’t come to realize it on the surface.

“Chrollo,” I said while still looking out the window. “Do you have something against me?”

“No,” he said plainly.

I stood there waiting for him to say something else, however, it seemed that if I didn’t carry on the conversation it would end quickly and we would return to our silence.

“Is that all?” I said turning to face him, “If you don’t have anything against me then why won't you speak with me?”

He looked slightly taken aback by my reaction as if it was unexpected, “I didn’t know you wanted to talk?”

“Do I really have to tell you?” I said slightly disappointed, “You seem happy to speak your mind when you’re with Elex and Leo.”

“They’re my friends, I’m just closer with them,” he argued, still having a soft tone to his voice.

“And we aren’t? You speak as if we never got to know each other last year?” I said confidently knowing that although it took some time, we did grow closer.

“It’s not that, it’s just that you’re the Princess of this kingdom, I’m a demon male from another kingdom. Honestly, where I’m from doesn’t matter, just the fact that any male and princess speaking together comfortably draws unwanted attention that I don't need.”

“So you refuse our friendship because of what others think, I am some sort of nuisance to you?” I said, slightly taken aback.

“Don’t put words into my mouth,” he said, “You’re a Princess, and here in this school, I’m basically a commoner.”

“But you’re not a commoner, are you” I stated, “You’re a noble demon from Vientor.”

He smiled faintly, “The status of noble in a place like Haulburn Academy kind of loses its value when almost everyone here has it. However, royalty is where the line is made. That’s what makes you different from the rest of us. You are a royal.”

“No, my name is Christina Porlov and I’m a living person with emotions. My title doesn’t define me.” I said proudly.

It was something that I wanted everyone to know when they met me for the first time. Most of the people would approach me with smiles, and talk to me elegantly or attempt to please me with their actions, however, Chrollo was the first person I had met who didn't act that way. The more I spoke with him during our first year, the more I realized that he was different from everyone else. If anything, he was more like me, he understood that royals are just people and you don’t have to entertain every single person you meet. At least that’s what I thought before. The way he’s acting now doesn't feel like the Chrollo I came to know, or at least the Chrollo I first met.

“Of course, your grace, forgive me,” He said with his head slightly bowed.

I stared in shock at his reaction and watched him as he rose again and looked at me dead in the eye. A slight chuckle broke from his face and I joined him in laughter as we stood there together.

“Oh stop,” I said with a smile, “I’m being serious, Why are you acting like this.”

He sighed, “Honestly, I’ts not intentional. I won’t lie and say that I never was open to being friends with you. After all, you can’t deny the fact that being friends with someone like you is different than being friends with someone like Leo and Elex,” he explained. “It’s not that I don’t like you, it’s just that I don’t have happy memories with people who are categorized within the highest positions of society. I guess, I was just second-guessing my decisions to get to know you.”

“Whatever it is that happened in your past you can tell me, I’m not like other nobles,” I said concerned for him.

“I know you're not, but I’d rather not say,” he said bluntly.

“That's fine,” I replied, “However, do you think you could not place me in the same boat as the people you’re cautious toward?” I said with a light curl of my lips. “I just don’t want to lose what we have already. It’s not exactly easy to make genuine friends with people as a member of royalty. They might see me, but they almost always see my father and other connections when it comes to being my friend.”

He smiled back, “Yes, of course, I’m sorry for how I acted.” he said.

“It’s alright,” I said walking over to where he stood by the wall, “but didn’t your parents ever teach you not to hurt a girl's feelings?” I jokingly pushed him, and he stumbled back into the wall.

We would have most likely left the room after that and made our way back to Zack and Emily if it weren't for how easily the wall cracked from Chrollo’s collision. As he stood back off the walk, small pieces of its surface began to fall and peel away. Once a hole small enough to see through was made, the most putrid and nauseating smell came oozing from the small hole in the wall and caused me to gag where I stood.

Chrollo took a few steps back in reaction to the aroma that came from the hole, before composing himself and taking a peek through the darkened hole. I watched his face from the side as his eyes widened in shock and his mouth slightly hung open.

“What the hell is that?” he gasped in shock.

He moved away to let me gaze through the gap in the wall and view what he had seen himself. On the other side of the room where we were, held what looked like hundreds of mongrels standing around dazed off in a trance and waiting for stimulus. Piles of fresh and crusted feces could be seen spread throughout the room while flies, maggots, and the like had made a home of the fruitful environment. The carpet in certain areas held a darker tone to its patches due to what I assumed to be the excretion of urine from the mongrels over time. This caused the floor to look less sturdy and more degraded than the others. However, amongst all the motionless sacks of rotting flesh and infested breeding areas for bacteria was a key at the far end of the room. Perhaps one of the very keys we had been endlessly searching for.

I stepped back from the wall to gain a clean portion of air and turned to Chrollo.

“We need to tell Leo about this now.”