Lisanna stood awkwardly at Wendi's side. Mathias was with her, but she felt his eyes were completely different. The faint twinkle did nothing to soothe her discontent as she kept the two white labcoat wearing women between her and him.

However, the Headmaster's words took her attention. "And for the last unveiling, we'll be having those five students join us with the others. First, however, we'll be starting with these three. Ayla Argentine, please tell us the name of your work."

"It's called... uh... what did I call it again?" She laughed nervously before nodding to herself. "Right! 'The Follower'!"

"The Follower, it seems! Ayla, please step to the side."

Ayla nodded and jumped to the side, such that she would not be blocking too many people's views. It was impossible to not block someone's, due to the sheer volume of bodies, but it was more for the judges and more important persons at the front.

"And... Disperse!"

The opaque barrier disappeared and in its place, a bright glow took their attention immediately. It was difficult to place what existed, what did not, and what was the tricks in their eyes as the light seemed to dull. Or rather, their eyes got used to the winds.

Golden wind first resettled as air-currents, circling around aimlessly, as they pushed on the chest of a small lone figure as it raced to a large group. Her features were undefined and it seemed as if the wind would blow her away, already scattering bits of her light behind her. But even as it moved to the crowd, the head was pointed to the side, a path to the open hills riding atop calcified wind.

Dangerous as it may be, and even as her body moved to the crowd, her shoulders could be seen starting to shift to match the location of her and her features that looked upon it grew more and more distinct as those in the crowd blurred more and more.

Unlike others that made the full use of height, Ayla's largely focused on the lower-middle segments as the top was left to an airy range and the clouds masses of clouds, a sun casting distinct rays of light down on the figure's face as it beckoned it to abandon the group.

Chef nodded approving at the work and Natalie did so after some deliberation. There was chatter in the crowd so it had some effect. However, there was not nearly as much noise generated as the others she spied on earlier.

"... Uh, is, is it that bad...?" She asked, fidgeting.

"No, no. On the contrary, it is quite good," the Headmaster said with a laugh. "I was just forced to stop and think about it since it's different, in a good way, mind you. There is an interesting theme behind it too, I'd gather, but I'll save my questions for until afterwards. Jore?"

"It is finely done. The use of detail in conveying the concept of battling group longing and individual expression is magnificent. I would think that this work is actually quite suitable to be put in most galleries, especially considering the time constraint you all were under."

"S-so... it's not bad...?"

"Nope!" The Headmaster laughed. Mitras and Mr. Shields nodded, but they were predominately judging the technical aspects - with one only sparing a modicum of attention to the project.

"Okay! I'm relieved!"

"We'll be back, Ayla! Now for our next one, it seems appropriate to pull the contrast between the two hybrid-forms so let's turn our eyes to Erik Huntis! Erik, please step aside for a moment and tell us the name of your statue."

Erik raised his hand as he hesitated for a moment, "may I speak a moment?"

"Yes, what is it?"

"I'd like to say this has the express approval of the Great Claude Fellstone! So... yeah! You can unveil it now! It's called 'The Reaper'!" He jumped to the side, the Headmaster smirked and what popped out from the opaque barrier startled them.

An obsidian greatsword was pointed at the Headmaster's skull as a shirtless, scarred man stood atop a corpse of a fire demon as shadowy flames burst up from the ground. It seemed to expand more in a single area: the area that the demon's screaming mouth was located. Shadowy blood dripped from the greatsword as five other blades adorned his body, covered in ragged, torn clothes - all hanging by a thread.

The most disturbing part was Claude's face; it had a distorted, snarling fanged maw, scars under its eye and across its nose, and there was a maddened look in the demon's eyes as the darkness seemed to completely absorb any and all light.

It was an extremely far cry from Claude's normally jovial, gentle face that seemed mismatched with his large frame.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

There was a stifled laugh in the crowd and Claude immediately reacted. "You bastard! Salam, that's what my gorgeous, beautiful self looks like to you as I beat you bloody!"

"Ah, it's just... how to word it," Salam's stern face broke a little, "very appropriate."

"Hah! See! It's magnificent!"

The Headmaster laughed and looked around the crowd. "Ah, well it doesn't look like any of the kids are crying so that's good - I was about to jump when I saw it!"

Jore laughed, "from a technical standpoint, the construction is well done. The hands, joints, and even proportions of the limbs seem to be accurate. Of course, additions aside, it seems to be lacking a cohesive idea."

Mr. Shields stared at it for a while, keeping his eye on the blade. "The composition is superb. You've improved, Huntis."

"Thanks!"

"Woah... I-I wonder if that's what Master looks like when he's serious...!"

"I-I probably isn't far off... I want it!"

"We need it!"

"Yeah!"

Many of the invited mercenaries began looking at it longingly for inspiration and motivation to keep moving along the hard-fought Fellstone Way. Of course, the personality differences expressed in the statue were obvious, but since it was accepted by their Master, it made it all the more valuable to them.

Luckily, they just got paid, too.

"Okay! We'll have free viewing in just a little longer so please bear will us for a while. Miss Wendi Aliel, I hope you'll be so kind as to show us what your statue is like and tell us its name."

The Headmaster looked at Wendi with a smile, but Wendi just looked around frantically and whispered something to Church.

"Sir, a moment, please!"

Church ran off into the thick crowd. With the help of another security guard, he managed to bring Ali and her family to the very front.

"Ah, it's inspired by another, is it?" The Headmaster said as looked at the family and bent down to wave to the little girl. "May I know your name?"

She ran behind her mother's leg. After a moment of coaxing, she finally peeked her head out and murmured, "... A-Ali..."

The Headmaster smiled gently and nodded to the family as they were shuffling around nervous at the sudden attention put on them.

"Wendi, if you'll continue?"

"Uh, uh, y-yes! It's called 'Memories'," Wendi said, looking down before Church wrapped his arm around her.

She closed her eyes and even looked away from the family as the Headmaster slowly said, "we'll be starting... Disperse."

A crystalline structure appeared. At first, due to the dissolution of the opaque barrier, it was difficult to catch the general form of the glittering crystals. It had a similar problem as Ayla's; however, once the light began to be guided through the crystals, the details in the structure began to emerge.

At its perimeter, rose bushes surrounded the mother and daughter, with gentle flower petals waving in the wind. The mother's face was calm and serene, looking off the book in her in palms, to see the little girl's head peering up at her as she moved a little closer.

Innocence and beauty surrounded the two, with not the slightest trace of apparent imperfection in the scene.

Chef's eyes looked at the sculpture before turning to the roses. "The roses... that was intentional, right?"

Wendi bit her lip and nodded before looking away.

"... It's absolutely perfect."

"Jore, what is it?"

"... Notice the thorns, the fleeting petals, and cracked binding on the book. It tells a story of time and passing, but of ultimate joy in the moment, undeterred by any force. It's astounding, I must say."

When looking at the expressions again, it was the innocence of one with the knowledge of another, knowing that which was around them would end - but still trying to enjoy the moment. A rose petal even landed on the faded page they were reading on.

"I must agree it's very well done," Mr. Shields said after a long moment. "Errors are there, but it seems they were made for the purposes of changing the external appearance - a higher level of control than I expected coming into this."

"Wendi Aliel, I believe I speak on behalf of all of us when I say we appreciate you being instrumental in bringing this exhibition to fruition. We'll be moving to another, but before that..."

Claude, behind Almer, smiled and begun clapping. Almer joined in, followed by Alyssa, Irina, and the others around them.

Wendi looked up with watery eyes as she saw the family again and recalled the fate of her own parents. It was too late now for them, but maybe - just maybe - their memory would help with finding others to help her.

Church kept close to her as she soaked up the spotlight.

After a minute or so, the Headmaster heard it began to die down and nodded at the sculpture once more.

"We'll all have time to view this one, and the others, but first we have one more project to see. I'd like to remind two individuals to keep their hands where they can be seen during this time."

"I already apologized!"

"And it was her fault!"

"Moving on, Mathias and Lisanna, please go to your side and everyone please circle around."

Irina, being so close, snuck forward and scowled as she pressed a hand against his forehead. She still stepped back as the crowds were settling but since it was Claude's and her son, they saw no reason to interrupt.

She dealt with that which was in the bloodstream but the compound that was poured into his stomach, while fast-acting, seeped into his bloodstream little-by-little after her treatment.

It was not her specialty anyways.

Even so, she remained there, ensuring the other two women were kept far away and saw as the Headmaster nodded to Lisanna.

"Okay, Lisanna, what is the name of your works?"

"It's... mine is called 'The Warrior' and his is called 'The Dancer', I believe the name was joined afterwards, but that is it."

"Okay, Lisanna, please stand next to yours, and Mathias, your own as well."

Since he did not want them in the middle, he separated the two, Ayla and Wendi already snuck over and were on Lisanna's side as Erik was looking after Mathias with Irina who took the opportunity.

"And... now... for the final presentation: Disperse!"

There was a moment of silence before Jore, Mr. Shields, Mitras, and Natalie took a step forward. They were standing in front of many's views, but their eyes were locked on it.

And each was mumbling to themselves.

The Headmaster, too, was interested as he turned from the crowd to get a better look.

"... My God," he said after a breath. "It's... beautiful."