Where The Dead Ones Go Book 2 -Republic-

Chapter 19

"Koalemos: The Fall..."

The boulder shattered and crumbled before it can even touch him as the adamantium chains ensnaring him began to rust and break slowly but surely.

"He is done playing around, Vivet."

"Morris, I am scared."

"That makes two of us..."

The stone pillars themselves began to c***k and fall apart as Syden stand without moving until he suddenly laughed.

It is not his usual laughter, and it is like he is getting insane and deranged as everything around him began to disintegrate.

The spectators are all deathly quiet as his shrill laughter filled the whole colosseum as only dust remained from the gigantic constructs built around him earlier.

"Many people, no, countries have fallen because of stupidity," Gala said in almost as a whisper as Syden is now clutching his stomach as he seemingly can't stop himself from laughing, "Everything crumbles and end before the powers of Koalemos."

Morris nodded as the dust settles, and Prometheus's son is just looking at Syden with utmost fear.

"The golden age of mankind has fallen because of the stupid decisions of the people running it," my cousin said seriously as our friend began to walk towards his opponent, laughing and grinning maniacally, "Out of all of us in this section, he is, without a doubt, the most dangerous one of us all."

Eonia quietly watched the horrible scene unfolding at the battlefield, where Heydar tripped when he tried to flee our deranged classmate who is grinning at him happily and goading him to run even more.

"He once said to me that the real reason he enrolled at the Hellenic Citadel is to learn how to control himself, be a normal person, and have friends..."

We looked at Hephaestus's daughter, who is watching in horror as the son of Prometheus started to beg for his very life.

"That's why he wanted to cling on to Vivet," Rebie replied as he looked at Narcine, who is closing her eyes in fear, and Taurei, who is shaking his head slowly, "He wanted to believe that he still has hope. That unlike his siblings before him, he won't be a symbol of ruination that brings even the deities to their knees."

The son of Hera shook his head at his best friend, "He is not hopeless!"

He then ran towards the edge of the box and looked out at the jeering Syden, who is starting to reach out for his opponent's head, begging for mercy.

"Syden!"

The son of the god of stupidity stopped in his tracks and looked back at our direction with his crazy smile frozen in his face.

"This not what you are..."

Syden's smile slowly faded, and the son of Prometheus took this chance to flee and announce his intention to surrender that subsequently ended the match in our favor.

The crowd is still silent as they fearfully watched our friend who is just looking at Hera's son intently.

"Remember..."

He finally returned to his real self as he took a deep breath and bit his lips to stop himself from crying and, instead, he waved his hand in our direction as we sighed in relief and clapped our hands, which the spectators followed.

"All right, folks! Please remind me not to get on his bad side, and neither should you all! The win goes to the son of Koalemos, the god of stupidity! Auxiliary Class is one match away from victory! Let's take a thirty-minute break to prepare for the finale!"

"Thankfully, it ended well, Vivet."

"Indeed, it could have been worse for his poor opponent, Morris."

Syden arrived at our top box as Taurei welcomed him with open arms.

"Nice one, Syden."

"I'm sorry, bro."

Hera's son just laughed as he gave him a brotherly hug, "What are you apologizing for? We won! That's what matters! In a single invocation, you ended the match!"

"You know what I am talking about..."

"The Auxiliary Class is on the lead, followed by the Class Seven at close second and Class Eight at the third! We are nearing our finale so let's cheer on our favorite bets! Let's hear the cheers for Class Eight!"

An eruption of applause was heard as the spectators clapped their hands.

"Class Seven!"

Cheers rippled around the colosseum.

"Auxiliary Class!"

A few applause was heard coming mostly from the skies where Zephyrus' children are watching.

"Do it, Ave."

"As you will, my twin brother..."

Taurei left Syden, and to our surprise, he proceeds to the edge of the box and stands on top of the railings.

His sister raised her staff proudly, "Hera: Taurei!"

A flash of blinding peacock-light erupted from our classmate. It slowly began to turn into a form of a monstrous albino peacock that spread its wings and flew to the skies as the west wind's spawns respectfully flanked it as it opened its majestic train filled to the brim of Zenith's electricity before unleashing a blast of powerful electrical arcs that turned into cyan fireworks.

Following the lead of Ms Peregrine, we cheered for it loudly, and the audience followed in awe from watching the grand transformation of our friend and its majestic display of power and elegance.

After a few minutes, it slowly descended to our box as it lowers its beautiful head at the son of Koalemos and let out a loud shriek before transforming back to its human form the moment the High Priestess waved her staff downward.

"I don't know what your problem is," Taurei said when he returned to the side of his close friend, who is eyeing him in reverence, "I am not even human, yet I am here, acting like one. How can you not act like a normal person when you are already one from the first place."

"Taurei..."

"Enough, Syden. If someone like me can change, then you can as well," the son of Hera then looked at me meaningfully, "For the light of hope shines to those who believe. No matter how stupid he is, right, Vivet?"

I bowed deeply as Syden began to cry out loud at the shoulders of his friend.

"Even if he is annoying, he sure has his heart in the right place, eh, Rebie?"

The daughter of Amphitrite quickly wiped away her tears and nodded as she hugged Narcine, who is still crying silently, "That's the only reason why I can stand by his side despite him pushing my patience to the point of no return several times."

"Taurei is a good friend, that much, and I can say," Narcine said as Estelle and Asher agreed.

"Indeed. And the only one who can stop Syden from creating mass hysteria whenever he is getting irritated, right, Ash?"

"He is just that kind of a person, or bird, Est. Enough said."

"The final match of our Hellenic Elemental Cup is about to begin, and this will be something that will surely go down in history!"

Our adviser just laughed exasperatedly and shook her head, "Go down in history as the most unfair, that is. It's twelve versus one."

"What?!" Gala exclaimed as she looked at me in panic, "That is way beyond our statistical prediction. I am thinking of seven at worse but twelve?!"

Vaski looked at the celebration of other sections, which are already sure of their victory over us, "They will go way below the belt just to prove their superiority over us, Zenith."

"Not counting their underhanded attacks, schemes, and rigging of the rules, this is just hands down the worst competition I have ever known, Vaski."

The High Priestess just shook her head in disapproval, "Despicable, but we must see it through the end."

"Right you are, Avesa. We have come this far," Eonia agreed as she looked at me hopefully, "This is it, Vivet. We have done everything that we can, and the rest is up to you."

I looked at my cousin, who clung on my arm and inclined his head a little, "Too bad that it has to be me who will face a dozen all by myself. The one who can barely attack if, at all."

"I am sure they have already devised several tactics to bring you down knowing full well that defense is all that you have," Estelle warned me as the twelve participants began to walk towards the battlefield's center.

"For the finale, it will be Classes One to Twelve representatives against the unstoppable Auxiliary Class' representative! The class who lands the ending hit will be declared the victor! How could the infamous Auxiliary Class of the Hellenic Citadel face this challenge! Who will be the one left to bring their class to the top?!"

"I don't care anymore. This is absurd, Vivet. Just forfeit the match, I don't want to see you hurt," Asher told me, but I just smiled at him as I tried to make myself presentable.

"Thank you for your concern, Asher, but I can do this. No, I will do this. You have all done your part, and I will not let myself be the only one who brings our last chance for victory down..."

"Then our hopes will ride with you, Vivet," Narcine said as she fixed my sampaguita necklace.

"Whatever the outcome is, we will be with you as you have been with us in the past," Taurei said as I began to walk away.

Rebie gave me a curt nod as if telling me to stand firm as Vaski and Zenith bowed respectfully while Syden asked me an odd question.

"Is this bravery or stupidity, Vivet?"

Gala laughed as she waves me off, "Why, not both, Syden?"

"Take charge of your future, Vivet."

"No worries, Morris. I will..."

As I emerged from the battlefield to face my enemies, I began to ask myself these questions.

Why am I even here?

Am I taking more than I could handle?

Wearing a white sundress, the necklace the orphaned boy gave me, and a simple white slippers, I slowly realize something...

I am here because I have to, and I am taking them all on because I can.

I can feel right now the hopes of my friends riding on me, and it wouldn't do good if I let them down now.

The announcer finally finished introducing all of my opponents that I didn't even bother to remember at all.

I need to remember that they are powerful mortals and demigods out to destroy my class and me.

"Auxiliary Class' representative, Vivet Vivier, the demiurge of Elpis, goddess of hope! We finally see the last resort of the infamous class! The demiurge of a mythical deity herself! They are finally putting all their bets at their weakest class member with their backs against the wall! I think the question here isn't about if the Auxiliary Class can win or not, the right question here is who among the twelve classes will take the Trophy of Nike, folks!"

I stopped walking towards them as I face all of my opponents looking down on me.

"Finale Match: Begin!"

"In deference to the goddess of hope, we are offering you a chance to surrender and leave the battlefield with grace and honor."

I looked at the representative of the Class One curiously before inclining my head a little as I summoned my wings and staff from my light.

"A generous offer, but I have to refuse. I am here to fight for my friends, and I will only leave the battlefield after the fight. Hope does not flee even when given a chance to. It stays..."

He then raised his weapon bravely and pointed it at me as the other students did the same.

"Elpis: Benevolent Shield!"

I erected a barrier so bright, and the spectators gasped as it almost blocked my view of what is happening outside, but it doesn't matter, for I have my cousin's eyes to guide me.

"They are going all out, Vivet!"

"And so am I, Morris!"

"Flare and dance, dazzle, impede the opposing forces! Fire Element: Twirling Prominence!"

From my dome erupted, searing white flames danced around it before pushing away my attackers who ceased their attacks.

"Ignore her flames! She will not be able to attack any of us anyways!"

"Yeah! She is a defensive demiurge, unlike those before her!"

"The best she can do is to counter our attacks, nothing more!"

"Breakthrough her defense! Concentrate your attacks at a single point!"

In a few seconds, I felt a powerful combined attack hit my dome, and it started to c***k dangerously.

I have to reinforce it...

"Nurturing and giving, reinforce, shelter me from the storm! Fire Element: Luminous Plasma!"

White flames emerged from the ground and engulfed my shield with its blazing fires.

"Using fire as a defense?!"

"She is one tough nut to c***k!"

"We are not going to get anywhere if we just continue like this!"

"If that's the case..."

Vaski suddenly appeared in front of Morris, panicking, "Vivet! One of them will use the ground beneath you!"

"Thank you, if that's the case," I willed my wings to cover me completely, "Elpis: Transcendent Wings!"

True enough, a girl burst forth from the ground below me, "I got you! Ares: Bloodied Blade!"

She struck my wings so hard, and my protective dome shattered when I have to divert my energy on my wings as the daughter of the god of war catapulted me sky high.

"And there she goes! The daughter of the goddess of hope's defenses may be nigh impenetrable, but it surely has a weak spot, folks! She can't defend from attacks coming from below!"

They indeed studied my weakness diligently. No matter how strong my shield is, as Vaski has proven, it is useless if they go under it.

"She can't fly! Blast her away before she lands on the ground!"

From Morris' eyes, I saw them sending their strongest elemental and godly attacks on my direction as I slowly fall.

But this time, it is different.

I changed!

I opened my wings as far as I could and raised my staff, "Elpis: Defying Force!"

And in a flash of brilliance, I exuded blinding light that rendered their attacks useless against me.

Instead of falling, I hovered above and looking down at them carefully.

"She can fly! Folks, those majestic white wings of her is not just for show! The representative of Auxiliary Class is flying without a scratch above the battlefield!"

And then, I heard his voice once again...

"Is this the end of what you can do, Vivet?"

"You..."

"Hey, it's his voice, Vivet!"

"Morris..."

"Yeah, present, my ghostly bro. Why did you make yourself known just now? I thought we lost you!"

"I can't often stay conscious, and I don't want to get in your way anyways..."

"So, will you help us?"

"That is my intention, after all, I have to pay my rent..."

"Elpis: Benevolent Shield!"

I quickly summoned my barrier as they launched another attack at me, and this time, my light shield didn't form a mere dome. It created a complete three hundred degrees barrier that protects me from all directions.

"Are you just content on defending yourself? This battle cannot be won nor end by mere defending."

"I know, I must take the initiative..."

"Then, take charge of your future!"