The God Ages

Chapter 5: Meeting Nadia Andreev

"The newspapers are overflowing with accounts of the so-called library incident, sir!" A mysterious man in a purplish coat exclaims to what appears to be his master. "Master, Lachlan... He's gone forever. His head was severed." The man he's addressing stands up, brandishing a sword, and gazes at the reflection that reveals his face marred by scars.

"We don't require weaklings like him, using their power for trivial matters. He always meddled with the lesser ones instead of aiding us in achieving our objective. It was a significant loss." He turns around and walks towards the door. "Ensure that the recruits we bring in are not akin to him in any way." The abandoned factory is filled with newspapers and target boards, and at the center of it all, there's a picture of Princess Emilia.

9:AM, Morning

Jarvis: Wake up, it's morning! The insistent beeping from Jarvis' device pierces through my grogginess.

"Fine, fine, I'll wake up! Now, please, turn that off!" I groan, sitting up abruptly and clutching my ears as if to shield them from an impending assault. The sensation is akin to having a choir of 8 elephants screaming in my ears. I plead with Jarvis to cease the racket, and after a few seconds of my desperate pleas, he relents and the deafening noise subsides.

Jarvis: Took ya long enough, I was so bored! (Jarvis was about to send 9 goblins to attack you) HEY! don't snitch brother!

I nod my head in laughter before turning back to Jarvis. "WAIT! You had a brother? And you didn't even tell me!" I start yelling at Jarvis, cursing him every second, and begin plummeting around at Jarvis, even though he wasn't a physical being. My hotel room has become a mess, with pillows, blankets, and even empty soda cans littering the floor. After a while, I hear footsteps approaching the door, and then it opens, revealing a pretty girl with white hair, who was probably just a staff member.

"Hello, sir," she says politely, "I know that you have schizophrenia, but you don't have to disturb everyone in the building, and also, you should clean up your room if you don't want roaches." The girl addresses me formally, which is polite, but her words make me bristle, as she's called me 'schizophrenic.'

"WHO THE f**k ARE YOU CALLING SCHIZO, b***h!" I yell at her in the most extreme way possible, yet she still maintains the same calm, nonchalant expression.

"You, sir, are talking to nothing," she points out the direction where I'm directing my conversation.

"Oh, um, well... this is, uh, a unique situation. you're the first person I have to explain this to, I have a sort of... screen that tells me things. I named it Jarvis for fun, and, well, it can be quite frustrating at times." The girl regards me with an unchanging expression before turning around and, on her way out, adding, "You look 13, the same age as me."

"Yep, I am."

"So, will you be attending Sovereign Academy or a lesser academy?" she inquires.

"Sovereign," I reply.

"Well, then, see you there," she politely bows before closing the door behind her.

Jarvis: Well she was kind, you should make her you're girlfrien-

"Shut it, Jarvis" I stand up to head to the restroom, and after a rather extended visit, I wash my hands and exit. With my jacket on, I'm ready to leave and attend to some necessary preparations before the entrance ceremony. Tomorrow marks the day, and I need to retrieve my academy attire. Striding down the hall, I approach the staircase, but the aged wooden steps creak underfoot, an irritating and unavoidable soundtrack to my departure. "Tomorrow's the big day Jarvis, I'm going to go to the academy, and the best one in the kingdom at that!" after walking enough to the point where my legs ache, I reach the checkout table and see the same girl again.

"I'll be checking out now." I inquire at the reception desk, my voice projecting a sense of politeness and respect.

"Thank you, have a splendid day!" The young woman responds, her bow exuding grace and courtesy.

"Indeed, since tomorrow marks the entrance ceremony, and we'll both be in attendance, it would be prudent to exchange introductions. My name is Felix Smith," I say as I extend my hand for a handshake, a gesture she reciprocates amicably.

"A wise decision. I am Nadia Andreev. Pleasure to meet you!" She hands me a note she hastily scribbled. "I've jotted down certain establishments and items you need to acquire for the academy. It seems you haven't obtained proper attire and accoutrements for the ceremony." I tuck the note into my pocket, preparing to leave. "Also, don't call me a b***h again, it really irritated me when you did."

"I apologize for my previous outburst. I was enraged, and I should not have addressed you so rudely." She looks at me with a mixture of disappointment and understanding. I nod in agreement, feeling sheepish and regretful. "I'll be taking my leave now."

As I exit and close the door behind me, I'm met with the harsh, biting wind. I shiver and place my hands in my pockets. The overcast, dismal day doesn't make it feel like it's only 11 o'clock. In accordance with Nadia's recommendations, I make my way to the shops she mentioned, acquiring a suitcase, an ample supply of socks, clothing for the dormitory, a warm jacket in case of snow, and various food gadgets. I also grab some additional items to personalize my part of the dormitory. I pay for the items using the funds I obtained from the man I slaughtered at the library.

I entered the academy gift shop, feeling a bit lost and unsure of where to go to pick up my clothes. I decide to ask for help and approach an older woman with bright orange hair, who appears to be an employee.

"Um, excuse me!" I say tentatively.

"Yes, young man?" The woman responds kindly, her voice reminding me of my mother before she passed away...

"Do you know where I can pick up my academy clothes? Tomorrow's the entrance ceremony, and I need my clothes as soon as possible!" I explain, hoping she can help me. The woman nods and motions for me to follow her. She goes behind her desk and then asks me,

"What's your name, young man?"

"My name is Felix. Felix Smith." I reply. She looks thoughtful for a moment, searching for my information.

"Felix Smith from the village of Sierra?" She asks, and I nod, feeling a bit confused but grateful for her assistance.

"Alright, let me grab your clothes for you." She disappears into the back of the shop and returns with a bag containing my academy attire. I take the clothes, feeling the smooth, silky fabric. I smile, thinking of my mother and how these new clothes might have been something she would have helped me pick out.

"Why frown? Sovereign Academy is a good place!" the woman exclaims cheerfully.

"Nothing, You make me happy because you remind me of my dead mother. You guys have the same personality..." I look down at the floor, as memories of my mother and father flood my mind.

(Flashback)

"Hey mom! I can't wait to go to the beach!"

"Felix, quiet down! We're almost there." My dad cheerfully interjects, looking at the beautiful view of Ocean Shores, Washington.

"Honey, take a right turn there." My mom points to the directions, and then, in an instant, a car crash occurs. Both my parents are killed, leaving only me with minor injuries. My dad's body lies there, headless, and my mom's remains intact but impaled by a giant glass shard in her stomach. It was supposed to be the perfect day, but it turned into a nightmare. From that day on, I lived with my abusive uncle and aunt. The flashback ends.

The old woman's expression changes from cheerful to sorrowful as she notices my distress. She pats my head and then hugs me, surprising me with her warmth and compassion.

"It's fine, young man. I'm here for you if you ever need a mother figure." She holds me for a moment before we hear a little girl scream coming from the back alleyway. I pull away from the embrace and run towards the sound, my academy clothes still in hand. I sprint as fast as I can and spot a guy my age, roughly handling what appears to be thugs and protecting the little girl who's hiding behind his legs. The ginger-haired man punches the last guy in the stomach, and the thug faint.

"Don't ever touch my sister again!" He says, clearly irritated, and then turns around to embrace the girl. He starts whispering to her, and I can't hear what he's saying. I clap to get their attention, hoping they've noticed my presence.

"That was a nice show!" I call out.