Cyrus Solaris
Eight hundred and fifty, Trash.
I pushed myself to the limit all summer, with the only goal of killing my uncle. Just to be shown up by a snobby prince. His display made me realise the embryonic stage foes I faced in Valador were nothing to boast about.
He was at the peak of our stage.
I didn't say much to Sora as the teachers escorted us to the next evaluation area. During our walk, I noticed her take several glances over at me. It seemed like she wanted to ask me questions, but failed to pull the trigger.
My gut told me she wasn't a threat, but I remained cautious. So I chose not to indulge in a conversation.
"That was quite the display, Cyrus," the headmaster said right as the doors to a new facility were about to open.
"Thank you, Headmaster, I appreciate your kindness. But I have a long way to go to reach my goal."
"And what exactly is that goal, if you don't mind?" the headmaster gently pressed on.
A pregnant pause filled the space before I answered. "It's rather personal, Headmaster. Maybe another time," I said as we walked through the sliding doors of the next facility.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the sharply dressed man give a reassuring smile. "Fair enough."
Nodding, I picked up my pace and found a place for myself once again. Shortly after, the staff began explaining our next task.
"Students, we are now onto the final phase of our evaluation. This phase will be a game of sorts—a game that will test how well you apply your strengths. In this game, everyone gets a small totem. The person who has the most by the end of the time limit will be declared the winner," the headmaster announced.
"How much time are we given?" one of the students asked.
"The time limit will be for a week. That is more than enough for three hundred students, wouldn't you say?"
"I suppose," the girl responded.
"Are we allowed to team up?" a boy asked.
"You are allowed to team up. But once you do, you are not allowed to back out. If you betray or backstab, you and the entire team will be disqualified from the game. So choose wisely."
Several cliques of students wore big grins. This was something I had to be very aware of. Many of these students seemed familiar with one another and had an established camaraderie.
I, on the other hand, had been in hiding for two years. I was at a major disadvantage.
Maybe this was the reason the prime minister tried to bring Sora over a couple of times. He knew the political implications of the academy. He knew his grandkids would need a support system.
It didn't sound like a bad idea, but I have no intention of working with others.
Leaving room for someone else to manipulate my result was something I wasn't going to allow—especially with people I didn't know.
As the grumbling continued, I tried to make a mental note of people I saw grouping up, so when the game started, I wouldn't be caught off guard.
"Now, students, if you look to the left of the room, you will see several devices laid out on the numerous tables. These will be the tools you need to succeed in the game. The first device will be a virtual map. The second device will be your dimensional storage. The third device will be a camera that will follow you during the game. The last item will be your academy smartwatch. It comes with a manual, so I won't waste time with the novelties. Once you all have grabbed your items, report back here."
Everyone hurriedly grabbed their supplies and formed alliances. A dozen students went straight to Stravos, pleading to join his team.
He didn't even bother to acknowledge them, letting his lackeys handle it. Other students were a bit more strategic. Kids from the same clan, whether in main or branch families, formed alliances.
Students who didn't have that luxury went about asking others about their constellations, trying to find compatibility.
As the person who received the second-highest score, I had my fair share of offers. Even other branch families of the Pyrralis clan tried to get me to join their ranks, despite their adamant disdain for the Bennu clan.
It didn't take long for students to realize I didn't want teammates– those wide-eyed hopeful stares now turning to dissection tools, figuring out how to beat me. Sora, on the other hand, came straight for me.
"Do you have a team?" she asked.
"I do not."
"Well, would you like to join Jace and me?" she offered, her eyes sparking with excitement to match her radiant smile.
"I'm going to decline." Her eyes and smile dimmed for a moment, but she found her spark again.
"I understand…. The offer stands if you ever change your mind." I nodded, and she left to go back to Jace. Before long, all the students were primed and ready to complete the last evaluation.
"Now, if you all look behind you, you will notice that in this facility, there are several platforms for you all to stand on. These platforms will teleport you to a randomized area in our training grounds here at Xhatal, where the game will take place."
The headmaster took a short pause. "Oh, and before you go, I want to make one thing clear: killing is not permitted. We are here to grow and evolve as Starbound, not to give in to our inhibitions. Do I make myself clear?" the headmaster asked, waiting for a response. But no one responded.
"DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?" the headmaster bellowed.
"Yes," the students responded.
"Ok then, good. Oh, and one last thing. I have a surprise for you all." The professor held up a glowing blue projection in his palm. In the projection, twenty holographic figures were present.
"This year, we will have guests watching the test. Representatives from the top twenty guilds in the world. This is your chance to make an early impression." The room erupted.
Students jostled, whispers and lively chatter bounced off the walls as the Headmaster named off all the guilds present:
Iron Oath, The Everspring, Whisper Wind, Ashfeather, Nightspinners, The Faceless… I didn't move. My teeth clenched at one name: Eclipsing Dawn.
My uncle's guild. With their guild watching over the test, I vowed to show him exactly what was coming for him.
Group after group was transported to the area where the game would be taking place. Students who didn't wish to go with a group were transported by themselves.
Stravos and his underlings went together, and Sora and Jace obviously made a pair, but for some reason, no one else joined them.
The girl with the red highlights, who got the third-highest score, surprisingly chose to go alone.
It wasn't long before most of the students were transported to the game, and, just like the last examination, I held out and went last.
"You have an interesting approach. Most students would rush to get to the test first and survey the land," the headmaster said to me just as I took a step on the platform.
"It would be smart in most cases, I agree," I replied to the headmaster.
"What makes this case different?"
"Well… The difference is me," I said as I dematerialized before the headmaster and the rest of the staff.