Unprecedented people

"Ahhhh.." Ashton murmured loudly, stretching at the fresh breeze which had hit him in the face as soon as he and Jamil had gotten out of the canteen. "The night is so peaceful and calm, so much serenity." Ashton appraised, folding his hands behind his head and locking his fingers in as if he was going to sleep in thin air.

"Were you always a nature lover?" Jamil sneered, a small smile escaping his lips.

"I guess you never knew me much, stupid!" Ashton said, rolling his eyes, a hint of mild disappointment in his voice. "We have been together for almost all our lives and you know not these tiny details about me?" He grumbled, resting his back subtly against the stony wall as if he had found a temporary domain to hang about for a bit.

Jamil chuckled, walking forward a bit before he finally stopped, sticking his nose into the air to sniff in the calmness it had to offer. Of course, the night air was cool and refreshing, with a hint of summer in the air. Jamil looked up towards the sky and he could see the moon gracefully smiling upon him as it sat like a crystal dragon ball in the sky, casting a soft, silvery glow to the roof of the buildings around.

The gentle breeze was soothing as it crept past his face carrying with it scents of flowers and grass, maybe the smell the moon was emitting. The stars stretched vastly in the sky and he felt one was calling at him as it beckoned at him with fluttering lights.

Ashton watched as Jamil silently admired the beauty of the night. It was no doubt that Jamil had also been trapped in the enchanting mesmerizing state of the night.

"You know what Ashton," Jamil started turning back to face Ashton. The latter looked away from his condescending gaze. "You are making it sound like we are actually a married couple."

Someone coughed loudly in announcement of their arrival.

"Maybe you both actually are." The voice said. "I mean what are you both still doing out here? Alone? In the dark?"

"Aurelia?" Ashton asked, trying to confirm she was the one as he tried to adjust his eyes to grasp her face in the dark shadows she had emerged from.

"You know people here already?" Jamil asked, turning towards Aurelia's direction.

"Same way you got a sub-rank upon your arrival into this academy?" Aurelia asked rhetorically in a hushed tone.

Their eyes adjusted to the shadows and both boys could visibly see Aurelia thanks to the fancy help they got from the moon light. Her ninja swords were still fastened behind her back and Ashton couldn't help but wonder if she ever let the sword get a break from clutching to her back all the time.

Aurelia walked up to Jamil facing him promptly. Her hands were crossed firmly against her chest as she looked at him. A little height difference that was the same as Ashton's was what made her eyes leveled up to his eyes.

"What do you know about me?" Jamil asked casually, he seemed unaffected by her words which seem to be coming off as taunts but he couldn't help with the tone his words came out in next.

"Did I commit a grave sin by falling into favor with the elder Mages? What did I do wrong?" Jamil asked, clenching his fist hard as every word that came out of Aurelia's mouth seemed to be mocking his approval as a Junior Administrative Mage.

"Jamil," Ashton called trying to calm his friend a bit before some anger burst out from him.

Aurelia chuckled and said, "I think you're taking this the wrong path…I never criticized you for getting a nice position in the academy a few hours away from your entry, It's just my way of giving accolades to you. You had better get used to it and make sure your anger does not take the best out of you!"

She continued,

"Anyway, congratulations to the both of you for making it into this academy. Hope you both break a leg in your first tests tomorrow." She said with a big grin sitting on her face.

Amelia turned away to leave already but Ashton grabbed her arm from behind suddenly making her turn abruptly leaving her hair cascading down from the bun she had put it in. Her hair flowed down her shoulders and Ashton was left dazed mesmerized but such beauty ones hair can add to their features.

A moment of silence ensued and the three juts stood still, Jamil was staring at both, his eyes darting from Ashton's grip on Aurelia's arm to her hair.

Ashton and Aurelia's eyes locked in a graceful maze and Ashton couldn't have denied how he had been bewildered at seeing her hair flow out of its bun. A cringy smile crept on Ashton's face as he continued watching. He finally broke the silence by saying,

"Wish me some better luck Aurelia. Some tips on how to perform well wouldn't hurt a bit as well."

Within a flash, Aurelia's dazzled eyes brimmed with anger as she yanked her arm away from Ashton's light grip and as if scripted, she unsheathed her sword without holding the slab from her back and she pushed Ashton against the wall raisin her sword against his neck.

"Argh!" Ashton grunted as his back hit the stony wall hard with a sickening impact.

"Hey!" Jamil sounded, his brows furrowing as he tried to intervene but Ashton bade him to stop in response that he was okay.

"You're one tough girl huh." Ashton said, licking his lower lips flirtily. This slime act of his got Aurelia teased out that she pressed the blade of her sword into Ashton's skin. A lined trail of blood emanated from the small cut leaving a faint scar on the spot she had applied pressure on.

As she watched him subtly, her mind trailed off to running through a wild labyrinth of dandelions with Ashton. The flowery field seemed endless as they both played through the petals under the shrilling sound of night crickets and other field pests.

SKIP!

SKIP!

Aurelia snapped out of her mundane thoughts, still pressing her sword against Ashton's skin.

"I am your senior Ashton! Learn how to show some respect!" Aurelia sneered trying to contain her wrath as she watched Ashton raising his hands into the air in mock defeat. She shot him a dirty look now withdrawing her sword, her eyes never leaving that of Ashton's. Finally, she turned and walked away into the night.

._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.

When Ashton was on his way back to the dormitory Marcus had led him to the night before, the Jade tag in his pocket began to glow emanating eerie lights from his pocket. He brought it out and lines which seemed like an outline of a fortress map appeared on the Jade tag.

Ashton watched in confusion as he held the tag in his hand. Wondering what the outlines meant, he seemed to be thrown deeper into a sea of confusion.

"Bet these strange lines were never on this tag when Marcus gave it to me."

"That is the outline direction to your room Ashton.", Marcus' voice broke into the poor boy's intuitive thought.

"Huh?" Ashton mumbled, finally noticing Marcus' presence behind him. "Were you following me?" He asked his brows furrowing in suspicion.

"Come with me!" Marcus said ignoring Ashton's question.

Marcus gave instructions on how the Jade tag works as they walked on and soon they arrived at the room that had already been designated to Ashton.

"We were here last night." Ashton voiced out irritatedly as he was disgusted by the fact he would probably be sharing the same room with Marcus. But he was wrong, as soon as Marcus opened the door, there were other students inside the room. They were three in number and as Ashton's eyes darted about examining them in utteral surprise, his eyes landed on a familiar face.

He stood akimbo as he said, "Oh, I know you. Do I not?" He asked moronically. "What are you doing here?"

The boy sneered standing up to his feet and walked towards Ashton swiftly. "Fancy seeing you here..." He grinned devilishly and without warning, he sent a solid punch into Ashton's face.

"...Ashton." The boy completed as he watched Ashton fall to the ground- unconscious.