Rimholm University: Clandestine

Chapter 41

"Say, has Amira opened her eyes at the moment?" Lady Marionette raised a question by recognition of the person behind her. The principal is sitting in her glory in front of her office's fireplace. She tapped her shoes on the carpeted floor.

"She hasn't yet, Lady Marionette. There's no sign of her showing any movements. The physician--Lily Chivalry told me that her core is shattered. Her wounds are also buying a lot of time to heal even she used her magic. Mira's familiar on the other hand, rowing the same boat as hers." Lady Selene replied thoughtfully. She's standing in elegance while directly staring at the back of the chair facing her direction.

"I see. I sent someone to look for a physician who might help her but they all panned out reasoning out that they can't do such a thing." Lady Marionette said then throw a look of neutral at Lady Selene, "Nevertheless, it seems like someone responded to the message and making their way here." She stand up and poked the burning pile of coal on her fireplace, resulting in some of its ashes coming out.

"So it's true that you delivered a mail to your majesty." Lady Selene settles on the empty chair beside the bookshelves, "A thought of your majesty refusing you and Zachary's message unexpectedly came across my mind. I acknowledge her sympathy for everyone she governs, but she's an industrious person. Your majesty sure spent her whole time on working and barely sleeps." Lady Selene stared at outside's mixture of a white, pale shade of blue, and dull green view; in a dim-witted way. She gently shook her head before turning at Lady Marionette as she stands up once again while her mauve and glamorous clothing sways.

"The crowned prince also sent her a message, she'll respond, of course. Zenith and the crowned prince received a message from her earlier. We both sent out the post three days ago. Zenith is the one who brings it to the imperial affairs."

"I see know why your majesty immediately responded." Lady Selene laughs. She catches sight of the doorway by her peripheral when a horde of footsteps comes towards them.

"Lady Marionette, you got five visitors." Lady Selene crossed her legs. The double giant doors burst open, revealing the five over-the-hill people sympathetically eyeing Lady Marionette.

"The headmasters of five universities, it surprises me when your soles bought you all way here." Lady Marionette's lips twitched into a smile of hospitality; granting a warm welcome for her guests.

"We came here because of the incident days ago. We traveled instantly soon as we heard the news." The stern man with a long beard and balding head spoke up. His wrinkled fingers smeared on the wooden staff that he's holding when he noticed the presence of Lady Selene not far from them.

"Your students are safe, Headmaster Cortez. I assure you that." Lady Marionette darted her sight on the remaining four men, "They're all under the care of my physicians."

"We heard that your students got injured the most." Headmaster Cortez replied.

"Why don't you take a seat for a while then I'll tell you the whole detail?" Lady Marionette motioned them to the round center table.

"What do you mean by the barrier exploded?!" One of them exclaimed later Lady Marionette confessed everything.

"Sad to say but, yes, Headmaster Jones."

"We dealt with everything appropriately to secure everyone else's safety, Headmaster Jones." Lady Selene replied.

"One of your students is bedridden days from now." Headmaster Cortez said, hands crossed.

"We admitted that one of them is severely injured. We are investigating everything about it." Lady Selene placed the cup of drinks in front of them.

"Headmaster Orgeus, if you may, can we ask for a physician from Phillestonean?"

"It's not a problem for me, Headmistress Marionette."

"So, who are the kids that take control of the dire situation?"

"Pardon me, Headmaster Ophicius? Come again?"

"Rumor has it, eight students, who are in front."

"They're all from my class, Headmaster Ophicius."

"Your neck looks cute, you wouldn't mind if I slit it." Salem dug her long nail into the guy's neck after kicking on his back when he tried to snatch the stone from Zachary's gasp and points a knife at him. He sees nothing but darkness envelopes his vision.

"Enough.....please." He whimpers as her claws dug deeper, curbing his airways. Salem looked at the knife inches away from him. Snow buries half of his body; sending him rippling cold.

"May a naive person forgive you but I'm not." He coughs and blood touched Salem's prolonged nails. Salem chuckles before taking his knife, "I guess skinning you alive is enough rather than blinding you and ripping your neck or......oh!" She lowered down to his level with a malicious smile.

"I prefer skinning your alive and leaving you blind outside the barrier."

"Zenith, we need to bring him to Beaumont." Zachary enters the boundary.

"Everyone...... will sense... my presence also the Byzantium stone."

"You know this stone?"

"I went across five countries from my nation in sought for the Byzantium stone to bring anck ." Salem hushed up his head to the layer of snow before letting go of his neck, "And you got robbed by those bandits?" Zachary asked. The guy coughed and grasped for his neck as he stood up.

"I found it first when I met the mysterious merchant. I read from the books that Byzantium stone can also cleanse the wicked creature." Salem fidgeted the knife and raised a brow at Zachary.

"What about your nation's saint or saintess?"

"They're all vanished."

"Great, this is the story of a lonely boy who wants to save his kingdom and become a hero. But along the way, he almost got killed before he finds the answer to their agony. He and the bandits play chase and hide. Now, he got stuck by some shifters who abducted him." Salem explained in a satirical way, "You know what? If it's not because of him, your a corpse just by now." She grabbed the guy's hand harshly and allows him to stand on his knees.

"Explain everything inside, Mister," Zachary said in an authoritative voice. The guy's vision swiftly drive back and the sight of a giant castle greeted him.

"Tch, walk faster." Salem pushed him.

"Where are you going to take me?"

"I told you, inside."

"Quit beating the bush--" He stared at the blade pointing on his neck and decided to continue marching.

"Headmistress Marionette, it's an absurdity if once the council got their awareness towards the situation. You know their schemes." Headmaster Cortez calmly warned her. Lady Marionette saw this situation coming.

"It won't, Headmaster Cortez if none of everyone here slipped their tongues."

"You're keeping a walking catastrophe." Headmaster Jones commented.

"Not just an only one, Headmaster Jones."

"What do you mean, Headmaster Ophicius?" Headmaster Ophicius crossed his arms and the door opens, revealing a wounded male followed by the rascal duo.

"Pardon our sudden entrance if we interrupted your conversation, Headmasters and Headmistress Marionette."

"You already did, Levine."

"Zenith is the one who kicked the door."

"The door is not broken, does it matter?"

"Allow me to get this clear, these two are Levine and Zenith?" Headmaster Cortez asked while eyeing them.

"They are." Lady Selene retorted. She turned at the duo, "Aren't you supposed to be with your classmates in the infirmary?"

"I went outside, Lady Selene," Salem answered back; earning a look of disbelief from Lady Marionette.

"Due to the royal orders." She added, "We met this guy there. You see, he charged against his majesty."

"The crowned prince leave with you?"

"Also by the royal orders," Salem answered with a confident demeanor. Knowing it's not an alibi, the headmistress didn't question anything.

"How old are both of you?" Both of them looked at Headmaster Orgeus.

"20."

"16."

"If you don't bother, Prince Levine and Lady Zenith. Who's your acquaintance?" Headmaster Ophicius.

"This fish legs? I don't know. Just met him in Northern Mountain. He was told that he wants to meet Beaumont. Zachary decided to take him here."

"That's true." The male rubbed his neck when a pang of pain hit his neck again, "The male shifter told me to come with them."

"I thought you asked his name?"

"You're the one who brings him here. Why you didn't ask him about it?"

"My name is Aldreon. I'm from the southern sea. I traveled alone after my nation got destroyed. I'm the remaining survivor and the four nations are hunting me down. The rest of my race turned into horrible creatures. They started to kill and devoured each other."

"Killing and devouring each other? Merpeople are far from that, what happened?" Lady Marionette asked before giving the other headmasters a meaningful glance.

"It happens half a year from now. I can still remember that night, everyone woke up when one of our people returned from a journey and created havoc. His eyes are completely black and we can't figure out his real voice." Aldreus started to tremble, his memories are still fresh.

"That's why the southern sea is currently under the security of five countries," Zachary said.

"During the chaos that night, someone has spoken to me saying that dilemma will come together with her arrival."

"What do you mean all of you sense the presence of just one divinity?" Lady Marionette asked one of the personnel hanging their heads low while standing in a line.

"The divinity we distinguish is not only one, Lady Marionette. When we reached the place where the remaining students are we sensed another one. I know it's difficult to believe in but we got nauseous our whole way there." The male vampire clarifies in a dreadful tone.

"The seven moons bestows diverse lights. As if the moon guardians are clearing a path for the God of the Moon."

"It's not only the moon! Do you see this?! How will you explain this?! After a monster attacked me, I got burned at the sunlight!" The vampire from earlier shoves his hair out of his face. Lady Marionette and the other headmasters left bewildered at the sight.

"What happened?" Lady Selene asked. Headmaster Orgeus rushed to him and checked out carefully the burn that slowly generating.

"How is it possible? Sunlight doesn't affect every vampire ever since. It doesn't burn us so how?" Headmaster Orgeus raised a question gently.

"Are you saying that what happens to the moon happens also to the sun? The sun goddess appeared in the certain moment?"

"One of the students saved us and helped him with the burns."

"Thank you for clarification, you can now leave." Lady Selene opens the door and escorted the personnel outside.

"Sun Goddess and the Moon God appeared at the same time. What's the reason? Is that because the barrier got broken?"

"Sun Goddess is the one who sealed the monsters on the valley while the Moon God is the one who defeated them. Then how the barrier made up of divine magic got destroyed?"

"Not even dragons will do that. The primordial spirits are now in Devaiah. But...."

"That thing is the key to your questions." Salem placed the heavy material covered by white cloth in the center of the table.

"What is this?" Salem pulled the cloth without a word, causing them to get on their feet as it reveals after their eyes.

"We found at the place where we found Aldreon. He's eager to get it from raiders because it says that this crystal might help him."