Apophis (XIV Series #3)

III

ELIXIR

“Look who decided to show up.”

We were suddenly surrounded by a number of people wearing a familiar blue uniform. If I remember it correctly, they’re from Damronia Academy of the West. A bunch of barbaric delinquents who have nothing better to do than pick fights with innocent bystanders wanting to mind their own business. I’d say I’m one of the bystanders who would watch them, but never was I given the chance to retract from being involved from situations like this.

“My bad, I thought you didn’t have the balls to actually come.” The person beside me took a step forward with a smirk on his lips. He was rightfully confident, as much as I hate to admit. “It looks like a field trip in here. Did you bring all of your classmates with you? That's cute.”

And then there’s this i***t.

When I was asked to participate in a recreational activity, this wasn’t what I had in mind. If only I knew what he was truly planning, I never would’ve agreed to be a part of this. I was more pissed off of myself for giving him the slightest benefit of the doubt. I should’ve known he was up to no good. In a way, one could say I was a part to blame.

I could see a smug smile creeping up the other guy’s lips as he brushed his pink hair upwards. I couldn’t help but to roll my eyes at their childish behaviour, always looking for an excuse to display their superiority. I would never understand their way of thinking and treating their power like something to be worshipped when, in reality, it didn’t even matter.

“Who said this was going to be a fair fight? We’re only here for one thing,” The male from Damronia said, lifting up his palm that was wrapped with thorny vines. “And that is beat your ass, Stephen Argyros.”

Stephen slipped a hand inside his pocket, his other hand placed on his chin. “We’ll see about that.” He arrogantly responded. I can already tell this wasn’t going to end well. “But before we start, why don’t we play a little game?”

“Game?”

“That’s right. If any one of you can take a step forward, I’ll let you beat my ass.”

The students from Damronia Academy looked at each other in confusion. I knew very well what he was trying to do. Now I fully understand why he dragged me into this mess. Stephen could easily handle the group alone, but he had to drag me to be part of his stupid games. Sometimes I wonder why I was even friends with a scum like him. Then again, it’s not like I had a choice in the matter. He was like a stubborn dog crap stuck on the sole of your shoes that you couldn’t get rid of even if you tried to shove it.

“Sure, we’ll take a step— all at once! NOW!” They shouted, a variety of glowing powers, aimed and ready to be charged at our direction.

I listlessly ambled out of the way, leaving Stephen as their sole target in the middle of the open space of the abandoned lot. He turned to me in disbelief. His jaws dropped to his dismay. “Lix? LIX?! What are you doing over there?!”

“You think I would help you after tricking me to come here?” I asked, crossing my arms. “You need to learn your lesson.” I pushed my glasses up to my nose bridge, ignoring his calls in the background.

The Damronians attacked him from all directions, leaving him only little to no space to dodge them at once. Seeing him become flustered at his own plan backfiring on him was honestly entertaining to watch. Maybe that was one of the sole reasons I decided I wanted to stay and be friends with him. To see him suffer from the troubles he’s brought upon himself. He grunted in pain after receiving a hard punch right in the gut, causing him to stumble back on his feet. If I wasn’t on my right mind, I would’ve thought he looked pitiful for a moment.

Stephen shot a glare at me, mouthing a series of curses under his breath while getting his ass beat to the ground. I simply shrugged in response. What exactly did he expect me to do? Give him a pat on the head? In the first place, it was his impulsive actions that brought him into this entanglement.

“Pathetic! Is that all you got Stephen Argyros?!” The pink-haired guy burst into laughter, extending the length of the vine he was holding and thrashed it against Stephen’s back.

The male on the ground coughed out a splatter of blood, his tan skin covered with multiple wounds and bruises. His once pristine white locks, now bedraggled, covered half of his face and his uniform wasn’t in any better condition. He struggled to pull himself up, his legs barely carried his weight as he wiped the blood off his mouth with the back of his hand.

I slipped both of my hands inside the pocket of my blazer, suddenly feeling the change of humidity in the area.

“This is just priceless. How desperate are you,” The other smirked, earning a loud chuckle from the group who stood behind them watching. “You’re now completely at my mercy. I’ll let you go this time if you get down on your knees and praise me.”

Stephen didn’t move a muscle and kept his back turned away from him.

“Hey, I’m talking to you—” The pink-haired male grew impatient as he took a step forward, but as soon as he did, he was sent flying, taking a swift punch to the face.

The rest of them gasped, unable to react quickly enough to save their leader.

“Shut your mouth, I’m in a bad mood.” Stephen cracked his knuckles, flashing them a menacing grin.

Oh no, he was going on a rampage again.

“You bastard!” One of them shouted as they all prepared to attack him once again. Unfortunately for them, once Stephen’s aura changes, there was no going back. Stephen firmly kept his stance, not moving one bit, letting them think they had the slightest chance to do to him what they had just done a moment ago. They soon realized that they were immobilized by the ice forming on the ground creeping up to their legs.

If there’s one thing I know about Stephen, it was that he hated being looked down on. You can tell him anything, but that.

“Don’t mock me.” Stephen said under his breath. “No matter how many you are, you’re a hundred years too early to beat me.” He continued, summoning countless ice crystals that were floating mid-air, and with just a gesture of a hand, it showered down at them like a million knives.

They screamed, watching the ice descend above them at the speed of light. They wouldn’t be able to dodge his attack even if Stephen would give them a chance at life. The loud cries were mortifying, wanting to run for their lives, but neither of them was unable to move. Stephen watched in amusement, seeing them squirm like a fly caught in a spider web. Silence gradually enveloped the field as they got knocked out after the other until the pink-haired Damronian was the last remaining.

He looked up at Stephen from the ground with fear and resentment in his eyes. I wanted to sympathize with him after seeing the state he was in, his left cheek swollen and the corner of his lips bleeding. He supported his broken arm as he slowly brought himself up to a sitting position. I was sure Stephen liked seeing the other’s face from the ground, helpless and weak.

“Y-You…” He stated with a shaky voice as the latter approached him.

Power equals dominance.

That’s how this world works. People take pride in spending years just to perfect their magic and the higher you are in the hierarchy, the more people will respect you. This Damronian overlooked that aspect and chose to be a coward. Although Stephen clearly had the upper hand from the very beginning, they decided to overwhelm him with their number instead of fighting him fairly. It doesn’t matter how weak you are, being a coward will never be respected.

Stephen stopped in front of him, holding a sharp ice crystal in his hand, recklessly flipping it around like it was a normal pencil. “Don’t think we’re done yet,” He muttered, raising his hand to attack, while the pink-haired guy shut his eyes closed in obvious defeat.

He suddenly turned to my direction with a wide grin on his face and threw the sharp object at me. I immediately moved my head to the side, letting the attack pass by me without breaking our eye contact. His grin only grew wider after realizing I saw through his surprise attack. I was in disbelief that he even had the energy to attack me like that, sloppy and pointless.

“Now, that’s a worthy opponent!” He exclaimed, summoning another pair of ice crystals similar to a hand knife, each one for both hands.

I watched him charge towards me with a crazy look on his face, his red eyes almost glowing. He swung the ice blade directly at my face. It would’ve been bad if I hadn’t dodged that, he wasn’t holding back when he did. I teleported behind him and kicked his back, to which he quickly recovered from. He thrusts the blade once again, but I moved to another location.

“Stephen, enough.” I warned.

He let out a chuckle. “But I’m just getting started.”

Before he could advance, we were suddenly separated by a line of fire between us. The warm sensation of the flames would burn anyone. I fixed my disheveled glasses, already figuring out the unwanted guest who appeared out of nowhere. Great, another nuisance on my watch.

“Agnes is here to party!”