CHAPTER 32: Bad Luck Or Something Else

"But we have every intention of getting the rest. We already have plans pertaining to...to that," Bowan managed to speak out again before the Master's aura descended ended on him in full as he tried his best not to make any eye contact.

"It's alright," Master Rani simply replied with a chuckle before continuing to speak, 

"Moreover you're the first group we're starting with so think of it as good luck," he said moving his gaze from them to the next set of partners after them glad to see them stand up more in a more confident manner than their predecessors.

"My name is Yola and my partner's name is Heldon. Out of twenty, we were able to get fifteen," she said with a severe look on her face before bowing as low as she could, her forehead almost touching the table in front of her as her partner also did the same.

"We know this isn't enough but we're doing everything we can to make up for it," They both chorused almost as if what they said had been pre-arranged.

"Hmmm...Yola and Heldon...that's the kind of attitude I like," Master Rani replied with a soft nod in their direction, his aura loosening up enough for everyone to be able to tell that he was in a good mood.

Trisha used this chance to look around knowing that spotting people that were unable to get a good quota was as easy as pie, hoping her enemies were among only for her forehead to screw together in confusion when she spotted "Jella and Windom" sitting five seats away from the master, with pale faces doing everything they could to sit upright.

Ahmati's attention was instinctively drawn to where his partner was looking as he also noticed the closest pair of people they were close to trembling on their seats.

Trisha felt the urge to speak but side talks were not only forbidden, but they were also sitting too far away from them even as she recalled that they were the last set of people to arrive.

"My name is Falin and my partner's name is Deddo. Out of twenty, we were able to get sixteen," He announced trying his best to hide his feeling of pride but his tone easily gave him away, 

"Not bad…" was the answer he got from the master before he and his partner sat back down on their seat, subtly throwing a look of superiority to the group who had spoken right before them.

"My name is Hera and My partner's name is Aphrodite. Out of twenty, we were able to get seventeen to accept to join us," Hera announced in a solemn tone as she and her partner bowed in the direction of their master, watching with glee as varying looks of surprise appeared on the faces surrounding them.

"Not bad at all," Master Rani replied with a look of approval, his mood getting lighter as he listened to the feedback from the mages directly under him only for him to turn to the next set of people and already he couldn't help but have a bad feeling in his stomach which became obvious as the aura around him immediately darkened, which didn't lighten the burden "Jella and Windom" already felt and instead made them feel worse.

Windom got on his feet first doing his best to wade off the wave of dizziness that seemed to descend on him, 

"My name is Windom and my Partner is Jella. Most of the people given to us live in the inner city of Lakod where the king is. Pure Mages…,"

"Excuses!" Master Rani suddenly yelled, stopping him from continuing in a loud voice that boomed across the room, banging his fists on the table as only the Magistrate standing some steps behind him was brave enough to take a simple step forward while everyone else found even the use of their limbs to be useless since it was a secretly known fact that powerful mages were capable enough not only to use but to control the mana present even in the oxygen people inhaled around them.

"Is that what I'm here for? What is your Quota," Master Rani yelled again, directing all his anger and deadly aura straight at Windom who could no longer take it anymore as his teeth began chattering as he forced himself to speak, 

Trisha watched the scene in front of her with tightly clenched fists trying to calm down her racing heart since regardless of what happened, in front of the master she could do nothing to interfere.

"Master," Jella said, getting on her feet with a bow in the master's direction and a look of resignation on her face as she noticed how everyone's attention immediately swayed towards her, being someone that was well-liked by people in their circle, 

"Our...Our quota is five out of twenty," her stutter showing her true feeling of fear beneath the brave facade she put on, going as far as to put a small smile on her face, 

Trisha sighed in distress staring at her fellow comrade who stood alone in front of a demon all by herself, intent on going out in the same way she lived but unknown to Trisha who continued to stare at Jella, Ahmadi had instead taken a glance at the master himself, 

A second was all it took for him to grab hold of Trisha's left hand and hold it down against the table with all the force he could muster just as he watched Jella's body rise weightlessly into the air right before she was slammed with a bang into the closest wall.

There were no screams or gasps since any sound would have been a sign of disrespect to the master with the offender suffering the same fate.

He has also heard the quiet but sure cracking of bones as he turned to look at Trisha who already had tears welling up in her eyes as he felt the blood pumping through her veins as he held her down, a little annoyed to see the look of indifference the rest of the members threw at Jella, as she laid unmoving in a pool of her own blood.

Mere seconds had barely gone by when Windom, having fainted on his chair after seeing his partner's fate, before he also was lifted up into the air as his body slowly began folding in on itself in midair.

His wrist bone was the first to shatter jarring him awake which made the scene all the more difficult to watch as he screamed as his limbs were next, bending in ways they weren't meant to until finally his neck and the breaking of his spine would have brought back a semblance of peace to the meeting, if the blood still dripping from the different parts of his torn flesh were to be ignored.