"So, basically...mm...I uh, beat the shit out of him." Bif spoke out as he chewed his food. The boy had been telling a story about himself to everyone else at the table, that being him along with Lylas, Ventrix, Olicia, Rael, and Avures. The group of students looked at Bif oddly as he tried to talk and chew at the same time.
There was a sort of cafeteria for all the students within the Academy. Located more centrally within the building, there was a wide open space with multiple round tables and chairs. The smell of food seemed to always permeate the air along with the sound of several other people crowding the area. A kitchen was also attached to this room at the opposite end of the entrance. The six of them could see older students, and even some who seemed to be new like them.
The breakfast for today seemed to be eggs, bread, and some ham. A simple meal. For Avures and Rael, it was pretty typical. Ventrix seemed a little undecided about it. Olicia had cleaned her plate pretty quickly. And Lylas also seemed to enjoy it. While everyone had been eating, Bif had been going on and on about this guy he beat up.
"Wow...that's really cool." Olicia said with the most blatantly sarcastic tone. She sat there at the table with her plate moved aside. She rested her head overtop of her arms.
"Yeah. I am...mm...I'm pretty cool..." Bif continued, making lip-smacking noises. He then pointed towards Rael and Avures. "What about you two? What's the deal?"
"We grew up together in the orphanage. That's all there is to it." Rael responded.
"Well yeah...but I mean like-...are you two...ya know?" Bif asked, trying to find the words for it.
"No. Nothing like that." Avures firmly dismissed Bif’s question. Rael was shocked at the speed of Avures's answer.
"Yeah, we're just good friends." Rael added on in between bites of her food.
"Really? That's surprising cause I think you're kinda hot." Bif squeezed his thoughts in right before taking another bite out of his meal.. Rael started to choke on her food.
"Hmm. I see it. I get it." Lylas rubbed his chin, eyeing Rael and nodding in agreement with Bif. Meanwhile, Avures and Ventrix helped to stop Rael from choking.
"What about me?" Olicia asked with very little enthusiasm, not even moving from her spot.
"Well uh. I like a girl with a fiery look in her eyes...but you look mean." Bif frowned and shook his head.. Lylas continued to nod. Olicia simply rolled her eyes, not really caring about the response at all.
"Okay- First off..." Rael coughed one last time and took deep breaths. "We just met. Not even like three hours ago. And second...you're not my type."
"Whoa slow down. I ain't mean it like that." Bif laughed, raising his hands in defense. He recomposed himself and then looked like he was daydreaming. "Besides. I already got my eyes set. Miss Grula…”
"Hah! Oh my god..." Olicia muttered out with a slight smile on her face as Bif whistled.
"Dude she's our teacher. You've got no shot." Lylas covered his face as he condemned Bif’s words. "I'll give it to you. She's smoking hot. But your chances...are next to zero."
"Those are fighting words..." Bif grumbled as he turned towards Lylas. He clenched his fist until it turned white.
"Listen man...I'm just giving it to ya straight, but if ya want to fight over it..." Lylas gritted his teeth and glared at Bif. "I'm down. You've been talking a big game too…"
"I talk what I walk. I ain't ever seen you in the capital fighting in the streets like me. So, who are you trying to talk to me like that? I’ll fucking kill you." Bif shoved his finger right into Lylas’s face.
"Where would we even take this?" Ventrix looked to Avures, Rael, and Olicia.
"Who am I? Who're you? All this big talk and I've never heard about any of it 'till now."
"Would we take it to that arena place?" Olicia pondered.
"That's cause you're nobody. Unlike you, I made a name for myself out there."
"Maybe on the grounds outside. Or the woods." Avures chipped in.
Bif and Lylas’s disagreement continued to escalate as the other four decided on how this would be solved.
"Look. I wanna watch them fight, but I don't want to risk getting punished for it already." Rael added. "Let's take this to the woods so no one sees."
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The students dropped what they were doing in the cafeteria and quickly, yet discreetly made their way outside. All six of them crossed through the wood-line and delved into the forest behind the school. Trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, they made their way into a small clearing some ways in. Olicia rested herself up against a tree. Rael and Avures found a nearby fallen tree to sit on. Ventrix took it upon himself to act as referee for this fight.
"Hey this is a street fight. You're not tellin' me what I can and can't do." Bif dismissively waved off Ventrix.
"I'm here to make sure neither of you hot-heads take it too far. It'd be unseemly if our first day as students were tarnished by you two hurting each other too badly." Ventrix rolled his eyes.
"Yeah. As great as beating the tar outta ya is gonna feel, I'm trying to stay enrolled. Got it?" Lylas pointed his thumb at his chest and grinned. Lylas and Bif then lined up opposite each other with Ventrix standing in-between.
"I guess you were right, Rael. Kudos." Olicia snickered as she watched the two idiots go at it.
"This sorta stuff would happen all the time at the orphanage with all the boys." Rael shrugged, not surprised at being right.
"Probably not that one though, right?" Olicia pointed at Avures with a snarky tone.
"Once. I'll have to tell you about it later." Rael grinned at Olicia. Avures lightly tapped her leg out of annoyance after she mentioned it. They both looked at each other, and Rael gave an innocent smile.
"Alright you two. Go at it I guess..." Ventrix stepped away from the middle of Lylas and Bif. They both had their fists raised towards each other. They circled around each other, both waiting for who would strike first. After a few more moments, Lylas decided to make the first move. It was quick, faster than any punch most of the other teens had ever seen. Needless to say, Bif was struck directly in the nose by this attack. But, the peculiar part was that a second impact appeared to be made without any swing. From the perspective of everyone watching, Lylas had thrown a single punch and landed it. Bif had reeled back from the first hit to the nose, but then stumbled as if he was hit again.
Bif held his hands to his nose as he trembled in pain. Lylas stood back and watched with a smug expression. Slowly moving his hands back down, Bif revealed the sight of his bloody and misshapen nose. Bif shook as the streams of crimson flowed from his shattered nose and overtop of his lips. His jaw was clenched and his face gave off an angered look. Without a second more wasted, Bif practically leaped from the ground and lunged at Lylas. Lylas hadn't expected this, and was grappled by Bif around the waist. Using the force of his legs, the boy lifted him and ran while carrying him. Bif slammed him against a tree, knocking the wind completely out of Lylas. He then turned at his hips and threw Lylas onto the ground. Getting over top of him, Bif unleashed a flurry of punches which Lylas threw his arms up to block. Annoyed by the blocks, Bif stopped punching and instead grabbed Lylas’s arms and threw them aside. Then, Bif quickly lunged his hands onto Lylas's neck and proceeded to choke him.
"Okay, that's probably en-" Ventrix started walking towards them, but was stopped in his tracks. Lylas had initially grabbed onto Bif's hands, trying to pry them off his neck. But he gave up on that, and instead, grabbed Bif's head with his hands. With a quick and forceful motion, Lylas pulled Bif's head in, and used all the force he could muster to thrust his own head as well. Lylas headbutted Bif with incredible force. Not only that, the same thing happened again. As Bif was reeling back from the headbutt, he got launched away by another force completely identical to the first. This launched Bif into the tree that he had just tackled Lylas into. The attack had split their skin. Both boys now had a noticeable open gash on their foreheads, though Bif's was a lot worse. Blood trickled down their faces from the open wound. Quickly getting up, Lylas was ready to start punching again. Bif regained his balance as well, ready to fight.
"What's going on here?!" A voice cried out. The voice sounded older than anyone their age, so all six of them stopped what they were doing and turned to the source. A young looking man stood before them. To Rael's and Avures's memory, he was dressed in the exact same way as Xilvas. Dark blue button down coat and long pants to match along with the boots and buckle. But, he wore a white undershirt and an orange scarf instead. Also like Xilvas (and his teachers), he had white hair, though it was short and combed over, and his eyes were a light violet. Not to mention, he was clean shaven as well, wasn't wearing gloves, and had a pair of thick glasses on. But one thing was certain to all of them, he was some form of staff for the academy.
"Uhh..." Bif froze in place as he wasn't sure what to say. No one else dared say anything either. The man got closer to the group. There was no doubt he was very aware of what was going on.
"Well well well...it appears we have some troublemakers on Academy grounds." The man wagged his finger at the kids. "I had thought you all might just be some random hooligans, but come to think of it… You kids are one of the new classes… Aren't you? I can recognize the Felsta kid, so I'll have you answer for them."
"..." Everyone had looked at Ventrix. In the end, he was the one who was supposed to referee this fight. He also had the most pedigree among all of them. No matter which way it could be sliced, he looked really bad here and he knew it.
"Yes sir… We're in the class with Miss Grula and Mister Zen." Ventrix averted his eyes from the man’s with obvious shame. The man shook his head in disapproval. Ventrix bowed his head, not sure what to do now. But the more he thought about it, the more he came to what he needed to do.
"Hmm. This simply won't do. I think I'm-" The man kept shaking his head as he spoke before he was interrupted.
"I'm sorry mister...it's my fault. I en-" Ventrix was about to continue when he was also interrupted.
"Actually it's my fault." Avures raised his hand. "They were butting heads and I suggested for them to come back here to settle it."
"Is that so?..." The man rubbed his chin. Rael gave Avures a worried look, the sort that implied she was asking "why?". It's not that Avures had a hero complex, or had any sort of bonds to these people, but he saw that he really didn't deserve this opportunity at all. Special schooling? Three meals a day? Help with a future career? Sure, from the test at the orphanage, he had the right to be here, but if it wasn't for Rael's choice, he wouldn't be here. And besides that, what had he ever done to deserve such a good opportunity? So, if taking the blame would ensure that Rael got to keep her chances here along with these other people who seem way more qualified than himself, then why not? A choice that, when in context, bordered on selfishness and selflessness.
"Yep. I instigated it." Avures nodded his head. The other five students stared at him.
"Well… Normally, as the Deputy-Headmaster, I'd report you to the Headmaster and expel you. But, there doesn't seem to be a need for that. After all, it's your guys first day here. Can't expect everyone to get along perfectly from the get-go, huh?" The man shrugged. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm sure we can all just forget about it. Just don't let me catch you guys again."
"Thank you, Deputy-Headmaster." Ventrix bowed to him.
"That title is lengthy. My name is Meius Valkir. So just call me whatever as long as you put a "Mister" in front of it." The man crossed his arms and smiled.
"Yeah, thank you Mister Valkir..." Rael put her hand over her chest as the anxiety of the moment faded.
"Yep. That's good. Oh. What's wrong with your finger?" Meius pointed towards Avures's right hand. Specifically, he was pointing out the blackened index finger of that hand. Avures had forgotten completely about it.
"I...I don't know." Avures hid his finger away instinctively.
"It got like that when Headmaster Xilvas was testing us at the orphanage." Rael raised her hand and added in. Avures did a double-take at Rael. He couldn't remember if he even told her about it. And if not, did she notice it and not mention it or ask about it?
"Ah, okay. That's probably your inherent potential. No big deal. It's why you got picked to come here." Meius quickly dismissed it. Avures stared at him and then back to his finger. Those visions he saw yesterday… Was that related to this "inherent potential"? He took a quick glance at the rest of his classmates. Rael, Ventrix, Olicia, Bif, Lylas...Come to think of it...they all must have something similar then. They're all here because of this too. Though, it was ironic for him to hear that and think that considering it was Rael's choice that led him here. Avures started to understand why they were here. Rael had also come to a similar conclusion as well. They looked at each other, and then at their fellow classmates. When Olicia and Ventrix eyed them oddly, it had made it clear. They were somewhat out of the loop. They were in something bigger than they could have imagined. Avures and Rael realized the burden of expectations that were upon them now. This was no mere exit from their life at the orphanage...It was a new way of life entirely. If Grula and Zen hadn't made it clear before, they most certainly understood now.
"So...we're not in trouble?" Bif was completely clueless as to what was going on since he was up to his head in anger.
"Yes yes, you're fine. Oh. I might as well dress you two up as well." Meius sighed as he walked over to Bif and Lylas. The two boys dared not move as he approached. Meius simply placed one hand each on top of their heads. Then, with a small glow, their wounds disappeared. The two took notice of this and breathed a sigh of relief. However, scars from Lylas's headbutt remained for both of them. Meius winced.
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
"Is my nose still fucked?" Bif blatantly asked as he touched his finger to it.
"No, but that scar on your foreheads is going to stay. The limits of Healing magic I suppose." Meius brushed off the kid’s concern and stepped away from the two.
"Eh, no big deal." Lylas ruffled up his hair a bit, using his hand as a sort of make-shift comb. By the end of it, he made his bangs rest overtop the scar. Bif nodded his head in fascination and followed suit.
"Hmm. Well. Stay out of trouble I suppose." Meius waved to the kids and walked out of the woods back towards the Academy.
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"So, listen. We can't be caught doing something so uncouth like that again." Ventrix stood by his door. Everyone had made their way back inside the academy, opting to talk about the events by their doors rather than near anywhere on the grounds.
"What's it matter to anyone anyways?" Lylas shook his head as he leaned against the wall near his door. "No one asked you guys for anything. Bif and I coulda solved this ourselves."
"That's not the point. It's very likely that all of us would be punished if this happened again. Even if it were just the two of you." Ventrix pointed back and forth at the two troublemakers.
"Yeah, I'm not trying to lose the opportunity I have here." Rael sat under the window at the end of the hallway.
"It was a dumb thing to fight over anyways." Olicia peered her head past the door frame from within her room.
"You can think that, but you just don't get it." Bif crossed his arms and bowed his head as he smiled. "A man's taste in women and a certain woman is worth fightin' for."
"I mean, I was just getting sick of the boasting, but I agree." Lylas nodded and pointed his thumb to Bif.
"Look, it doesn't matter either way. Just please, don't get us all in trouble for this? Find a different way to work out your differences. I want to stay here." Rael slammed her head back against the wall as she cast her vision to the ceiling.
"Yeah, we'll try." Bif waved off Rael’s plea as he walked into his room.
"Yeah. Sorry about that. But, speaking of that… Ya were willing to throw away your shot here so easily?" Lylas directed his words towards Avures. "Why? I get if ya were trying to save your friend's chances… But ya could have thrown anyone else under the carriage. Hell, ya didn't even have to say anything. Is there any reason?"
"I-..." Avures didn't have an answer. He didn't want to lie. But the truth sounded...awful, no matter which way it was examined from. "I-... It… Just felt right to do."
"Ah-huh… Ya know...I can respect that." Lylas stepped into the room that he and Bif shared, closing the door behind him.
"I think it was stupid." Ventrix glared at Avures. "If you had been thrown out as the cost for saving everyone else's chances… Where would that put you?"
"..." Avures stayed silent, understanding what Ventrix meant. Rael watched the exchange intently.
"I was willing to take that risk because my dreams aren't at stake if I get kicked out from here. But, what about you?" Ventrix crossed his arms and refused to let up his attack.
"Now hold on." Rael jumped to her feet and waltzed over to Ventrix. "He went all in on that because he felt it was the right thing to do. Is it so wrong to do that? Are you mad because you didn't get to play hero or something?"
"It's not that madam. It's not about that at all." Ventrix sighed and shook his head.
"Then what is it about?" Rael threw her arms up as she looked with contempt at Ventrix.
"... I can't say… Or rather, I don't want to say." Ventrix turned away from Rael and stepped through his doorway. "Why would I bother telling people who may not even be here after the first month?"
"How dare you?!" Rael threw her arm to the side as Ventrix closed his door. Avures had simply watched on as this went down. She took a deep breath and walked back over to the room she shared with Avures. Avures followed her inside and shut the door behind her. Rael then went over to her bed and threw herself face down onto the mattress. She pulled her pillow under her arms and rested her head on top. She was still angry. Avures, on the other hand, went over to his desk and started reading from the book they got earlier today.
"Some nerve that pompous guy has..." Rael seethed. "He has no right to talk ill of you."
"He can do it if he wants. I don't care." Avures flipped a page in his book. Rael turned her head and rested sideways as she looked at Avures.
"And just let him walk over you? Look, it was one thing with the other boys at the orphanage..." Rael’s expression softened up as she addressed him. "But now you're in a place where you can have a future. Don't you think you deserve at least some respect?"
"Do I think I deserve some respect?" Avures looked up from his book at the wall. He knew the answer already, but he was looking for a good way to phrase it. "Maybe? I guess… But what have I done to deserve it?"
Rael was the kind of person who was fiercely loyal to her friends, even if she didn't have many. Whether she wanted to protect them, or just had a big heart...maybe both? It was hard to tell. But, she could be very abrasive and selfish with wanting things to always turn out in her favor.
Avures contrasted in that he was the polar opposite. He was extremely passive to the point of detriment. It really seemed like he wanted nothing more than life to simply move on. Though, that was a byproduct of him thinking that he deserved nothing. This feeling of undeserving stemmed from him not wanting to do anything, or feeling that he hadn't done anything to deserve something.
"Be smart about it all you want then." Rael planted her chin on the pillow once more. "I'm just hoping that we'll be able to handle tomorrow, and all that comes after it.
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Bif and Lylas stared daggers at each other from each side of their shared room. Neither moved, neither blinked, neither spoke. Hot air full of tension stagnated and permeated the room. A gesture of hatred, or an unwillingness to be the one to cave in first. But, as fate would have it...
"Okay this is dumb." Lylas sighed. Bif gasped for air and Lylas looked at him confused. "Were you holding your breath or something?"
"Yeah?! That's what this was right?" Bif looked bewildered. Both of the boys locked eyes again for a moment… And burst out laughing. Now they were both losing it, slapping their knees and cackling. They both eventually had to gasp for more air, and the laughing stopped.
"Okay okay. In all seriousness… I agree with the red-head." Lylas stared down at the floor as he calmed himself.
"Yep. I get her concern." Bif fell backwards until he was flat on his bed. Silence hung between the two of them as they nodded to each other's statements.
The truth was, between the two of them, no one really wanted to budge. Bif was the kind of headstrong person who fell into the muscle-brained category of person. He said what he said, and he did what he did. If there was a problem with any of that, he'd make you answer to his might. He was simply straightforward and blunt, However, he never wanted to be wrong. Everyone was like that, but he would rather make a problem worse than eat his own words.
On the other hand, Lylas was pretty similar. Straightforward and blunt were also appropriate for him. He was also the type of person who hated loudmouths, which made him immediately dislike Bif from the get-go. But, he himself was also a loudmouth, and a "smart-ass" at that when possible. However, he also had a side willing to see things for what they were, even when wrong.
"So… Uh… Look. I'm gonna be one-hundred percent honest. I'm not gonna change to accommodate. If ya talk about your "stories" and I don't believe it, I'll let ya know. Same with any sort of "hot gal" ya mention that I think ya got zero chances with." Lylas watched over as the boy rose once more and looked at him..
"Good. Great, even. I wouldn't have it any other way, brother." Bif gave Lylas a thumbs-up. "But don't be getting mad when I hit you for it."
"Right, but that's the problem Bif. We can't be doing that, and we don't wanna change how we are."
"Yeah. We got one of them unspoken rivalries… So what you're getting at is that we need to deal with it in a different way."
"Exactly… Any ideas?"
"Arm-wrestlin'?"
"Hmm. Nah. They might not like that..."
"Rock-paper-scissors?"
"... You know what… I think that works."
"Right? No violence at all."
"Keeps it simple too."
"So… How does it replace us bashing each other's skull in?"
"Any time we disagree, or wanna fight… We'll play Rock-Paper-Scissors, and the winner takes all."
"Okay okay… So if you're bashing my choice in women...we play, and if I win, you gotta drop it?"
"Yep. And if I win you gotta acknowledge I'm right and drop it."
"How do I say you're right if you're bashing my odds with my love life?"
"Uh… I guess you don't have to like, forget your crush or anything, but like… Just shut-up about it, I guess."
"Oh… I get it."
"And if we agree to always honor the winner… We can use this for any argument we have...and keep these whiny losers off our backs." Lylas rested his hand on his chin as he smugly nodded.
"Couldn't have put it better myself." Bif slow clapped at Lylas’s words. They both got up and shook each other's hand. "We can still fight every once in a while though, right?"
"Hell yeah." Lylas scoffed and nodded.
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Further down the hall, Ventrix and Olicia were in their shared room. Olicia fiddled with a strange gold chain, while Ventrix looked to be polishing a sword.
"That was a little mean of you." Olicia gazed over to Ventrix as she sat on her bed.
"What do you mean?" Ventrix didn’t bother to look up from his blade.
"When you were telling off that boy… Avures." Olicia stumbled to find her words. "You might have been a little rude… Forthcoming."
"Was I?" Ventrix’s eyes shot up from his sword and aimlessly looked around the room, not at Olicia..
Ventrix was raised in a noble family lifestyle which very much alienated him from the normal. What sounded rude to others didn't to him. Ventrix loathed self-sacrifice without the implications of its own consequences. It wasn't to say he was selfish, but he hated meaningless and misplaced sacrifice. So, when he had said those things to Avures, they were meant to cut deep.
Olicia came from a background of strong warriors and rural-like people. However, she was too strange and sarcastic in a way for the people she lived around. Even though she was a quiet participant in the recent events, she despised watching it go down. It was a new chance for her life, and to get along with different people.
"I think so at least. He didn't say anything back. You might have scared or upset him." Olicia halted her fiddling with the chain. "You certainly upset his friend."
"She seemed more involved in my criticism than the boy I was criticizing." Ventrix returned his eyes to the sword in front of him. He pondered what he said. "What do you think? Should I apologize?"
"Maybe not directly. Rael might not like that." Olicia could only guess what might happen in her head. "Though, I'm not a people-person, so I wouldn't know."
"Me neither. That's why I asked." Ventrix stopped polishing his blade the instant he responded. They both looked at each other and let out a chuckle. "I'll fix this… I hope."
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Deep within the forest behind Lancer Academy...a light shone dimly, bouncing off the walls of its confined space. The light barely broke through the entrance of a strange structure within a small clearing. The light, stemming from a flame, bounced about and grabbed the attention of those coming near. Two cloaked figures stood at attention from the front of the structure. Another figure came through the clearing, their footsteps commanding the silence of nature. Edging closer, the cloaked figures bowed, recognizing the one stepping through. This figure entered the structure, leaving the cloaked beings to stay there. A staircase laid ahead, torch scones lining the descent.
The descent was made. At the bottom of the staircase, a figure stood. With this room at the end of the stairs, the light was shone from all walls by torches. This gave clear pictures of who was there. With both figures at the bottom of the staircase together, they marched forward into the next room.
"No one saw this place, correct?" The light made the speaker's appearance clear, Xilvas Numidis, The Headmaster.
"Some kids were meandering closer to the wood-line, but they saw nothing." The revealing light showed the truth, Meius Valkir, Deputy-Headmaster.
"Good. The last thing we need is controversy. But we might have it soon enough anyways." Xilvas sighed as his eyelids lazily hung halfway down his eyes.
"Well I certainly hope not. I had to knock our guest out. He was being very… Annoying." Meius recoiled with a bit of disgust as he recalled the moments prior.
A few more steps into the room, and the two of them were greeted to the sight of a would-be assassin/bandit, Jarvar. However, he was completely tied up and bound to the chair. A strange set of chalk drawings also laid beneath the chair he sat in. Jarvar himself appeared to be in perfect physical condition.
"I healed him to make sure he could talk, I tied him up well so he couldn't move, and I drew up an anti-magic circle to make sure he couldn't cast. So… He should be safe to interrogate now. Whenever you're ready." Meius stood beside the bound man with his hands behind his back.
When it came to Xilvas, he had to take every precaution possible. Being Headmaster, he had a very dangerous position. A spot that made people envious of him, a spot that everyone wanted to use for their own greed… But he wasn't just careful for his own sake. Aside from his staff, he was the one person who stood in the way of those who might want to harm his students. An attack on him… Is an attack on his students.
Meius much shared in his beliefs. Though he was more of a guy who did errands than ran things, Meius also tended to be of the same belief as Xilvas. Though, suffice to say, he was a lot more lenient and soft comparatively. But, that never hindered his instincts on protecting the students.
"Shake him." Xilvas watched on, growing tired of seeing the prisoner sleep so peacefully.
"Wakey wakey..." Meius grabbed hold of Jarvar's head with his hand while using a mocking tone. A magic glow erupted from his hand, and suddenly, Jarvar awoke.
"Where am I?! What's going on?!" Jarvar struggled as he could, squirming and shaking the chair about, but it was no use.
"Don't worry about any of that. You're here to answer questions. If you give me trouble, my Deputy is going to make you writhe. Understood?" Xilvas eyes were unwavering and focused.
"You!... You old son of a bitch! Fuck you!" Jarvar spit directly at Xilvas, dirtying his face with a small speck of saliva.
"Do it." Xilvas wiped the spit off of his face with his mouth forming into a deep frown. Meius did as he was told. His hand glowed again, and a sharp, shooting pain entered Jarvar's head and seemed to bounce around. He screamed in agony for a short few seconds before Meius stopped it.
"I-... I… I'll talk. Please… Don't hurt me." Jarvar’s head drifted backwards and to the side as the remnants of pain still rattled on.
"So… What was your objective in attacking my carriage?" Xilvas resumed his bored attitude.
"To-... To kill you." Jarvar moved his head around in a daze.
"As I thought… Who put you up to this? Who hired you?" Xilvas took a single step forward.
"It… It was him!" Jarvar shot his gaze to Meius with widened eyes and shrunken pupils. Meius looked confused, keeping his hand on Jarvar's head. Jarvar kept staring at him with a fearful look mixed with some anger… But eventually, he broke the look off and stared back at Xilvas. It was as if some confusion had clouded his head.
"Perhaps you are clueless. Are you not truly aware of my Shade? As Headmaster, it's my duty to keep students in line. Honesty above all. I carefully designed my Shade to tell me if any one person I'm speaking to is telling the truth or lying. Being old has no bearing on having a Shade...and nor does it have any bearing on the amount of mercy I'm willing to show you. Lie to me again, and see what happens." Xilvas firmly explained.
"Okay okay!... I'm sorry… I was hired b-by a researcher… He goes by the name Tobias..." Jarvar’s breathing rapidly increased.
"The… Truth?" Xilvas was near in shock from what Jarvar said, and knowing that he was not lying. "The Tobias?"
"Yes..." Jarvar carefully nodded his head.
"Isn't he the guy who-..." Meius raised an eyebrow and glanced at his superior.
"Yes. And more. It must be because I didn't want him to continue that project… If it's come to this… Then he must be ready." Xilvas’s eyes looked off past Meius and Jarvar to the walls behind them. He thought about his next possible move.
"Sir… He might not be ready yet. Allow me to look into this." Meius walked forward to Xilvas.
"That would be for the best. Don't put yourself in unnecessary danger when investigating… Oh, and go ahead and take out the trash." Xilvas turned away from Meius and began to walk back from the way they came…