Ch13 - Training Once Again

I had finally gotten to the dormitories after my run-in with Koen. 

'Seeing him in real life. Really makes me want to change.'

I thought maybe I could imitate his unyielding, all-conquering self. 

'Classes start tomorrow, I wonder what going back to school is gonna feel like?'

I simply took a quick shower, hopped back in bed, and waited for the next day. 

***

It felt surreal looking around the academy that was described so many times, going to class just all like the characters, and wearing the signature gold and blue jacket.

Eventually, I made it to class though I did have to ask a nearby teacher for directions. 

'Valen Hall 106, the home of the first year's Class S.'

I walked into the room; it was a relatively small lecturing room with just three rows and a couple of windows across the wall. 

Koen was sitting at the very front patiently waiting for the teacher and beside him sat a certain dirty-blonde haired youth.

Lukas Valen,

He sat there uncaringly with a book and his reading glasses on the table. 

His jacket sat beside him, and he wore a pair of sleek black gloves. 

Astria and Lillian sat behind them chatting about some random thing and Cecilia was at the very back with her legs on the table. 

'Why is nobody on the left side of the room? Do all main characters have to be near windows?'

The entire left side was completely empty as if people were specifically avoiding it. 

So, I simply sat at the edge of the front side on the left. 

'Maybe it's best if I sat away from them.' 

I thought of how sad I looked to onlookers sitting all alone, but luckily my thoughts were soon interrupted. 

Novius Von Starlium, the principal and the professor of Class S. He walked in and plopped down a binder on the lectern. 

He looked across the room and his eyes suddenly lingered on me. 

"What a loner, huh?"

In response to his comment, I said nothing. I simply sat there meeting his gaze until he looked away. 

"Anyway, class is in session. I'm Novius Starlium your professor. The first couple of classes are gonna be mostly... evaluations due tooo... the unique structure of this class."

He said it so disinterestedly that it seemed like he forgot what to say multiple times.

His eyes were similar to Astria's, but also very different. Astria's eyes were like a bright blue galaxy, but Novius's sparkled in gold. 

It almost seemed like they weren't siblings at all. 

"Aight, let's fight."

At the moment we heard those words all of us were transported into a simple white room.

It mirrored the training rooms back at the house. Novius teleported us out of the room and said to decide whose first. 

We all just sat there for a couple seconds looking at each other. Nobody wanted to go first, but somebody had to. 

Eventually, Koen walked towards the door and entered the room. Not even a minute later Novius yelled, "Next!"

I knew exactly what happened as it was explained in the novel. He walked in and took on a defensive stance, only for it to be immediately destroyed by Novius. 

Lukas went in next and a similar result happened, then Cecilia, and after Astria.

It was just me and Lillian left, and she wasn't moving an inch while looking at me as if waiting for me to go in. 

'Well guess I'm up next.'

I walked in the room and well the best defense is an offense.

[Sen Blossom Style: Petal Burst]

I launched up into the air flinging myself towards him, but he simply stood there and reached out his hand. 

[Novius Style: Star]

A bright ball of pure fire flew towards aimed at my exact position. 

[1st Art: Calling of The Fragrant Flower]

I slashed at the incoming ball of flame, but my petals didn't even slow it down.

I jumped back hoping to gain some distance, but Novius already acted.

[Novius Style: Collapse - Black hole]

A bright light shone from the star and a ball of pitch black appeared in its place dragging me towards it. 

Novius launched another star at my back as I couldn't resist the black hole's force.

"Aghh..."

'It burns like hell.'

A complete and utter burning sensation spread throughout my back and before I knew I had completely collapsed from pain. 

***

'Really? Just a note?'

When I woke up later in the afternoon a simple note was by the bed that read, "Class Dismissed."

I walked down towards the training center where Novius held class earlier. This time I didn't need directions.

A sense of pride filled me as I walked in and began training. 

It had been 4 hours with these dummies; I could feel sweat dripping down my whole body and my grip loosening on my sword. My hands felt like they were about to give up and my body ached in soreness. 

However, I didn't go home after training with the dummies. They were similar to the ones back at home, but it had a whole ton of new options I tried out. 

I went to the nearby gym area and started lifting even with my body about to give up, I just pushed.

I kept going and going and going to the point where I lifted a dumbbell it dropped straight out of my hand and rolled across the floor. 

As it rolled a simple black shoe stopped it, looking up there stood Lukas Valen. 

"You must really love to train, huh?"

He sat on a nearby bench and handed me a water bottle.

"Ah, thanks."

"You know you kinda remind me of someone."

I knew exactly who he was talking about,

himself. 

"Desperate for strength, pushing past all your limits."

He looked longingly at the ceiling as if something was there. He hailed from the Valen Family, a family who worshipped the Sword God, Lucavion.

"At the end of the road, all you hurt is yourself. So focused on you, that everything else seemed to slip away from your grasp."

The Curse of a Thousand Years, a curse that sealed off magic completely. Lukas was the successor to that very curse. 

"Why... why are you telling me all this."

"Your eyes, they look as if you've seen all the troubles in the world. As if you'd just stand there looking as everything is taken away from you. In that very essence, you're trustable. That aura of knowing how to face the world."

He spoke wistfully as he locked eyes with me not looking away for even a moment. 

"You make people want to talk as if you'd know what to say."

I let out a sharp breath and began to speak.

"To be desperate you first must know why? You must face yourself before facing the world. If you lose track of yourself on the road then did you really walk that road or did someone else?"

Lukas looked at me pausing for a moment; he was about to say something but didn't. He simply looked away and got up. 

"My instincts are truly never wrong."

He said as he slowly left the training center leaving me alone on the bench. 

I sat there alone

simply thinking to myself.

'How can I save other people, when I'm barely managing to save myself?'

 Lukas was right, but to me, these insightful eyes are a curse of their very own. 

Author's Note:

Seriously the last time I end a chapter with meet main cast character, deep talk, self-deprecation. My brain just goes to it somehow.