Who the **** is Zail

The rain poured in more than before, puddles formed on the school grounds and one even soaked Zail's footwear as he rushed to the dormitory. The dorm building was on the other end of the school campus. The library was situated right next to the northeast gate, it was the first thing one would see on their right as they entered. On the other end, the dormitory building was in the southwest corner leaving only a little gap with the academy walls forming a small back alleyway.

The cement mixture was spoiled. In a hurry, the workers forgot to prepare the construction site which was a few feet from the dormitory for rain. Aydenhall was preparing a special training facility to prepare for any such demon attacks.

Zail walked in through the door; he walked through the empty halls. Everything was dark and eerie and quiet, uncomfortably quiet. After a quick survey of the dormitory, Zail who was now accompanied by Zayries, calmly walked out of the dorm.

"Such wretched creatures these humans are. How can they be willing to hurt their own kind?"

"What are you planning to do my lord?" Zayries asked out of concern.

"I do not know. I was planning to watch from afar." They were now standing under the shade provided by the entrance, facing the rain.

"Yes, my lord, it would be wise not to interfere with their filth."

Zail took a seat on the couch placed in the lobby. He could not think of a single reason why he would hurt his brethren as he waited for the descendants to do something.

****************

"How did you get this, Ella?" Joan interrogated Michaela as a protective friend of Zail.

"I went to see Zail and found the entirety of the dorm was empty and your dorm room door was ajar, hence I let myself in." She began explaining herself. "Seeing the room empty I was about to leave when I noticed the… You know how when you pick someone's Mahyahn, it shows you its wielder's maximum strength."

Both Malik and Joan nodded, assuring Michaela that they knew what she was talking about.

"And you saw nothing." Joan could easily conclude that because she held the sword in her hands and Michaela agreed with her. "But then how did this piece of rusted metal fly to him and more importantly, how did he defeat the fire descendant?"

"Due to the attack of Kreya, everyone forgot about an orphan defeating a descendant on the first day."

"He truly is strange." Commented Malik.

"What does that mean?" Asked Joan.

Malik was suddenly torn between his promise to a friend and his natural curiosity which was to investigate the mystery that is Zail. "I don't know whether I should tell you this or not."

"What is it, Malik?" Joan's hands were now on Malik's chest and face, reminding him of what she was to him and from whom he was keeping a secret.

"Fine." Said Malik hesitantly. "You know how the healers said that it was a miracle that I woke up and my wounds started to heal." Both Michaela and Joan nodded almost synchronously. "That miracle was Zail."

"What?" The women were shocked by the revelation.

"I do not know how but I saw him that night when all of you had given up on me." He continued explaining. "Well, that is except you my darling," he said smiling at Joan.

"Who the hell is Zail to be able to do all this." Michaela wondered out loud.

"Didn't he mention having a mother?" Joan asked Malik, hoping he would help jog her memory.

"He did. When we first…" Their discussion was briefly interrupted by an announcement.

"All students that are not yet in the throne room are commanded to report right away." All three of them recognized the announcer, it was Hadder.

****************

The announcer now had begun taking individual names.

"Joan Zoaran"

"Malik Larken"

"McArthur Lugh"

"Angelina Sobek"

"Michaela Knox"

The instant the name of Michaela landed on Zail's ears, all reason left him. Zayries saw her master rush into the rain towards the throne room, which was in the building situated in the middle of the campus.

"What are you doing master?" Zayries did not receive any answers to her further line of questioning as well. He said but one thing.

"Be ready to fight, Zayries." She had no choice but to agree with her master.

On his way, Zail uprooted one of the exposed iron rods used in construction.

"At least mask yourself, master." Her requests were in vain.

****************

"Why are we here?" Questioned a few among the many that were made to sit on the ground in front of the descendants that stood on the platform where lay the thrones. The question was from the few who did not know, but the majority of the students in Aydenhall knew what was about to happen. What they could not understand was the reason for everyone's presence.

"You will know soon." Replied Hader with a sinister laugh to the boy who was the loudest of them. The boy did not have the guts to continue questioning, he accepted that it was best to remain silent.

"What are we waiting for, Hader?" Asked Lea Sobek, the water descendant. "Everyone is here."

"Not everyone, Lea." Hader replied, looking toward the door.

It was not long before the group was greeted by the awaited, confused, immensely charismatic young lady. Michaela's long heels made a rather rhythmic noise against the wooden flooring. The couple accompanying her were no less in capturing people's attention.

The unexpected trio saw two unconscious students, beaten to the brink of death.

"Explain yourself, Aytar," Joan demanded furiously.

****************

"Master, wait!" Zayries had now turned to her demon form. Her demon form was much like a human. Pale white skin, raven black hair, deep demonic green eyes, and HORNS! She had twisted horns. "Please consider the consequences of going in there."

His attendant stopping him with her hands was needed for him to stop. Both of them were drenched in rainwater as they stood a little away from the throne room.

Zail somehow managed to convince himself against any rash decisions.

A couple of minutes later, Zail recollected the day they met, the day Michaela got her Mahyahn, the day she got Erebus, the 'Lord of Darkness'. And it was at this point he no longer could reason with himself.

****************

"Just give me Erebus, and you might live." Hader threatened Michaela as her sword and his spear clashed.

Malik was already rendered unconscious. Even injured, it took two descendants to take him down. The sheer might Malik held. He took down Leah, the water descendant, and heavily injured Zeke Larken. Taking down Leah was a gift for Joan, as it would have been tough for her to fight against water.

Everyone saw the only three people willing to fight getting beaten up, but none of them were willing to fight alongside them.

"Give up, Aytar. You know you cannot win against me." Said Joan, giving him a fatal blow to the chest.

Aytar coughed up blood before he could say anything. "I agree. But the thing is… I am not alone."

The instant he stopped talking, Eden, the light descendant, blinded Joan. With whatever was left in Zeke, he injured her with his bunch of leaves.

Hader had put enough cuts in Michaela that it was hard for her to maintain her battle stance. With all her might, she wielded Erebus for one last strike. Michaela did not deserve any of this, she had barely any time with Erebus to be able to harness all of its powers. With a tear in her eyes, she launched her attack, but all her efforts were in vain, Hader easily deflected her sword and the heartless bastard did not hesitate to pierce her through her abdomen.

"No!" Screamed Joan, who was now pinned to the ground by three descendants. Three of them were hard to overcome even for Joan. Tears filled the few who still had a heart. Cowards sitting there watching them get slaughtered.

"Alas! Erebus is mine." Hader exclaimed while laughing cynically as he took it from Michaela, who was now battling death. Michaela coughed large amounts of blood. She was now on her knees, barely alive, with a spear in her stomach.

'CLANK!'

'CLANK!'

'CLANK!'

The sound of something metal bashing against something solid was coming from beyond the door. The sound was loud enough to grab the attention of everyone there. A face that was rather familiar to them appeared.

"Orphan?" Questioned most of them.

The surprise entrance of Zail did not matter to Hader. He was not going to let anything or anyone delay him in getting what he considered his birthright.

"Go sit in the back and enjoy the show, orphan." Taunted Hader.

Zail calmly continued to walk towards Michaela. Seeing Zail's determination not to obey Hader, Hader commanded Aytar to take care of the rebel.

"With pleasure." Said Aytar with a cold smile as he marched towards Zail. Aytar was waiting for an opportunity to take revenge, to give Zail what he deserves.

The Mute, Cowardly audience watched as the two walked towards each other. A few feet from each other, Aytar prepared his strike, his blade went ablaze, and his suit was brighter than ever. He had every intention to finish this in a single strike.

It was like the fight before. Zail had dodged Aytar's attack, but this time the onlookers saw Zail move. It was just a head tilt because Zail was not only dodging Aytar's sword, but he was also dodging the hands that flew past him with the sword. No one expected to see what they saw. They saw a girl appear in the same instance Aytar's hands were cut. Aytar was crippled.

The rain was now accompanied by thunder. adding to the extremity of the situation.

Screams of the cripple filled the throne room. The shock that people had was the only thing that was louder than the screams. Zail had walked past Aytar without stopping a single second, who was on his knees, crying in pain.

With Joan knocked unconscious, Hader commanded the other two to attack. All of them were taken aback by what they witnessed. Eden refused to partake in the ordeal, leaving Zeke to take on Zail and his demonic companion.

Before Zeke could even take a step, Zayries had him by his neck, and before he could process what had happened, he was put to sleep. Zail had now reached Michaela. His friend, someone whom he only knew for a short time but someone whom he had come to hold dear. She was not breathing. He took her in his arms. Zail held her lifeless hands. Tears dripped from a rather expressionless face. In all his life, this must have been the most anger he has felt.

Zail's hands were covered in Michaela's blood. "Heal her." He commanded his master telepathically. "It is not too late."

"She cannot be bought back, Zail. Even you, the Devil, do not have enough to sacrifice to bring her back."

"Take everything I have." Zail tried to bargain.

"Forget about the human, Zail. She is not worth it." It was Zail's breaking point. Zail stopped concealing himself. Zayries blinded the audience with a blanket of darkness the instant she noticed that.

Zail took Hader who stood next to him, terrified of Zail's reality. Hader regretted everything he had done in his life as his life flashed before his eyes. Zail's eyes were terrifying. Zail did not hesitate before burning him from the inside, giving him the most terrifying death he could have imagined. Hader screamed in immense pain as one by one each part of his body turned into ash.

The Devil had every intention to burn the cowards in the audience. He began to move towards them only to be stopped by Zayries and two more demons. The students were deprived of their senses, due to which none of them knew what was happening, everyone but Eden Lugh who had hidden herself behind the 6th throne.

"Idris, Dromos. What are you two doing here?" Zail asked the two new demons that had appeared now.

"There is no time, Master." Said Idris.

"The King and the family heads are marching with a small army towards Aydenhall."